A Dangerous Name
The moment Zhao Feng said Shadow Pavilion, I felt a chill crawl up my spine.
The name wasn't unfamiliar.
The Shadow Pavilion was an underground force.... not officially recognized by the sect, but feared by everyone who knew about them.
They didn't follow the usual sect hierarchy.
No elders. No ranks. No protection.
They trained in the darkness.
And the ones who survived?
They became monsters.
I narrowed my eyes. "You're telling me you know someone from the Shadow Pavilion?"
Zhao Feng smirked. "More than that. I trained under them for a while."
I stared at him. "And you're still alive?"
His smirk widened. "Barely."
....
A Difficult Decision
Zhao Feng leaned against a tree, arms crossed.
"You want to survive the Inner Court's attention? You need more than talent. You need an edge."
I exhaled slowly. He wasn't wrong.
But this wasn't a simple choice.
The Shadow Pavilion didn't just teach.
They tested.
And if you failed?
You didn't just get kicked out.
You disappeared.
.....
A Midnight Meeting
In the end, my decision wasn't difficult.
If I stayed weak, I would die sooner or later.
So that night, I followed Zhao Feng.
We moved deep into the sect's outer forests, far from prying eyes.
After nearly an hour, we reached a small clearing.
At first, I saw nothing.
Then..
A voice spoke from the darkness.
"You're late."
A figure emerged from the shadows.
An old man. Thin, but his movements were sharper than a blade.
I immediately felt it.. his presence was suffocating.
He wasn't just strong.
He was dangerous.
.....
Master Hei
The old man's eyes locked onto me.
"So, you're the one Zhao Feng brought?" His voice was raspy, yet sharp. "You don't look like much."
I didn't react. I simply bowed slightly. "Lu Tian greets Senior."
Master Hei snorted.
"Polite. That won't save you."
His gaze turned to Zhao Feng. "You owe me, boy."
Zhao Feng grimaced. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
Master Hei's lips curled into a smirk.
Then he looked at me.
"If you want to learn from me, you'll pass a test."
I expected as much.
"What kind of test?"
Master Hei's smirk widened.
"Simple. Survive."
.....
The Trial Begins
Before I could react.. A dagger flew toward my throat.
Instinct.
I twisted, barely dodging.
But the moment my foot hit the ground.....
Master Hei was gone.
No sound. No presence.
Just… vanished.
My body tensed.
Then..
Pain.
A sharp strike to my ribs.
I barely stumbled before another blow hit my shoulder.
He was toying with me.
His voice echoed in the darkness.
"Not bad. But too slow."
I gritted my teeth.
I couldn't fight him head-on.
So I closed my eyes.
And focused.
....
Using Clouded Steps in Combat
I let my body relax.
Stopped relying on my eyes.
Listened.
Breathed.
Then....
I moved.
Instead of dodging back, I stepped into the attack.
Master Hei's palm strike brushed past me.. just barely.
And for the first time... I saw him clearly.
His eyes flashed with surprise.
Then he grinned.
.....
The Final Strike
I didn't hesitate.
With the momentum from Clouded Steps, I countered.
A quick jab aimed at his ribs.
Fast. Precise.
But he caught it.
His fingers wrapped around my wrist like iron chains.
"Good." His grin widened. "You pass."
Then.. a sharp pain at the back of my neck.
Darkness.