This was it—my first loss.
Why? Why did I even get so sensitive about losing to the Sky Piercing Sect Leader?
"Did you hear? Our Sect Leader lost to the Sky Piercing Sect Leader," a 2nd-grade disciple whispered to another, gossiping instead of training... I remember this time all too well.
"Doesn't that mean the Sky Piercing Sect's techniques are better?" the other one whispered back, like a couple of drunkards telling stories.
"Shh! Don't let the Sect Leader hear you! He's sensitive about this!" a first-grade disciple warned them.
Ah... here I come. I'm about to overreact.
God... I miss them. I miss my disciples. The elders too. Never thought I'd say that.
"WHAT ARE YOU THREE DOING HERE INSTEAD OF TRAINING?!"
Yeah. I definitely overreacted.
"SCRAM!" I shouted, and the disciples ran off.
"Ha... those little shits know no better than to gossip instead of train."
I really did overreact.
After that loss, I trained my body to the bone, pushed my qi day and night, even isolated myself from everyone instead of running the sect like a normal leader.
I was too obsessed with winning—so obsessed I lost sight of everything else. I neglected the sect, ignored the relationships, forgot what I was supposed to protect.
I guess I had an inferiority complex back then. Then came the second loss—three months after my fight with the Sky Piercing Sect Leader. This time, it was against a wandering martial master. I was at the ultimate peak level by then. He was too.
I lost. Badly.
Now I know why. We had the same amount of qi, but I wasted too much. My technique was sloppy, my martial prowess wasn't even at first-rate level.
And I didn't know back then… there was a curse.
A curse on me—on my soul. Someone had sealed my talent out of hatred, ever since I was a third-grade trainee. I was supposed to be a genius. A legend.
No point even talking about it. Come to think of it, who am I even talking to?
After that, the losses just kept coming. One after another, for ten straight years.
I lost to the genius of Wudang—the Virtuous Sword Dragon. Then a prospect from Mount Hua. Then a monk from Shaolin. Another wandering master after that. Different opponents, same result.
I was mocked. Ridiculed. But the disciples and elders still treated me like a sect leader, even if they looked down on me. They complained about my weakness, sure—but there were still good times.
And then it happened.
The Sky Piercing Sect. The Blood Red Sect. Two more joined them. They attacked. Ravaged our home. Stole our techniques. All because of greed.
They struck while I was away. Even now, I regret not being there. I wasn't there at the end.
I came back days later… and the sect was gone. Burned to the ground. Nothing left but ash and corpses.
---
(Flashback)
"No… NO… NO!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, dropping to my knees as tears welled up.
"This can't be happening... This can't BE!!!" I roared, punching the dirt. If only I hadn't left... maybe it would've survived...
I clawed at the ground, banging my head into the soil again and again, trying to forget. Trying to deny it. It didn't work.
I was a coward back then.
I left, wandering. No name. No purpose. Just a title:
The Weakest Sect Leader.
Even with the sect destroyed, I lied to myself—told myself I was just on a mission. Pretended everything was fine.
(End of flashback)
Eventually, I found the cave.
Inside it was a martial tome... and an unbreakable blade forged from meteorite. I think that's where the curse broke.
A martial master's ghost lingered there. I trained under him for four painful years. I gave it everything.
Even then... I failed.
---
I coughed. Blood splattered from my mouth as I knelt, barely holding myself up.
What a flashback...
"You... bastards... y-you let your greed take over... and destroyed my sect!" I shouted, glaring at the sect leaders and elders standing before me.
"Hah! Like you could've stopped us even if you were there," an elder from the Sky Piercing Sect sneered.
"You were wasting your sect's techniques, Percy," said the Sect Leader of the Blood Red Sect, looking at my bloodied face with pure contempt.
"Don't you—HA! Ever... SAY MY NAME!" I screamed, veins bulging. My vision blurred. Blood loss and poison finally took over.
I collapsed, bleeding out more than I already had.
Is this how it ends...?
Why... why did you give me this fate...? Heavens... why...? I asked, not expecting an answer.
The light faded from my eyes. My breath slowed... and then stopped.
I was pronounced dead.
---
"He's dead? What kind of revenge was that?" the Sect Leader of the Power Crawler Sect scoffed as he walked away with the others.
---
Where... am I?
I looked around. Nothing but a black void.
So this is the afterlife...? Guess I—wait, what's that?
A distant light. Faint... but getting closer.
Is that... a way out?
I floated toward it, fast. I didn't know how I was moving, but I didn't care. The light grew brighter. Brighter—
---
"HA!"
I jolted upright, clutching m
y head.
"Angh!" I groaned, a sharp ringing in my ears slowly fading away.
"Where... am I exactly...?"
---
– End of Chapter –
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