Chapter 3: The Warlord's Shadow
Li Wei trudged through the rain-soaked forest, the Nine Worlds Ascension Art scroll tucked securely in his worn robe. The night was heavy with the scent of wet pine and danger. Captain Teng's defeat would not go unanswered; Lord Huo, the iron-fisted ruler of Hidden Mist Valley, was not a man to forgive defiance. Li Wei's newfound qi thrummed in his dantian, but doubt gnawed at him. He was only at the first stage of Qi Condensation, while Huo was rumored to wield power at the peak, his flames capable of reducing villages to ash.
As dawn broke, painting the sky in streaks of crimson, Li Wei reached a clearing. A dilapidated shrine stood at its center, its stone altar cracked and overgrown with moss. The manual had mentioned such places—nodes where qi gathered, ideal for cultivating. He sat cross-legged, the scroll open before him. The Nine Worlds Ascension Art described the Heavenly Breath Technique, a method to refine ambient qi into a purer form. Closing his eyes, Li Wei synchronized his breathing with the rhythm of the valley's qi, drawing it into his meridians. Each cycle strengthened his dantian, pushing him to the second stage of Qi Condensation. His body felt lighter, his senses sharper; he could hear the distant clatter of armor.
They were coming.
Hooves thundered as a dozen riders burst into the clearing, led by a hulking figure in black armor adorned with flame motifs. Lord Huo's presence was suffocating, his qi radiating like a furnace. His eyes, cold as obsidian, locked onto Li Wei. "You dare defy me, worm?" he growled, dismounting. His broadsword, Emberfang, glowed with heat, scorching the grass beneath it.
Li Wei stood, heart pounding but resolve firm. "I only seek my path. Leave me be, or face the consequences."
Huo laughed, a sound like cracking stone. "Consequences? From a rat who stumbled upon some paltry art?" He raised Emberfang, flames erupting along its edge. The air shimmered with heat as he swung, a crescent of fire roaring toward Li Wei.
Instinct took over. Li Wei activated the Wind Step Technique, his body blurring as he dodged. The flames scorched the shrine, reducing it to rubble. Li Wei retaliated with a Qi Burst Fist, sending a shockwave of compressed qi. Huo deflected it with a casual swipe, but his sneer faltered. "Not bad for a peasant," he admitted, then charged, his sword leaving trails of fire.
Li Wei wove through the attacks, his movements fluid but strained. Huo's power was overwhelming, each strike shaking the earth. Desperate, Li Wei recalled the manual's Qi Spiral Technique, a method to channel qi into a rotating force. He spun, gathering qi into his palm, and unleashed a spiraling blast. It collided with Huo's flames, creating a deafening explosion. Dust and embers filled the air.
When it cleared, Huo stood unscathed, but his armor was cracked. "Enough games," he snarled, raising Emberfang for a killing blow. Li Wei's mind raced. He needed more power—more qi. The manual's words echoed: The world is your strength. He reached out with his senses, pulling qi from the clearing's node. His dantian surged, pushing him to the third stage of Qi Condensation mid-battle.
With newfound strength, Li Wei formed a Qi Blade, a shimmering edge of pure energy. He met Huo's strike head-on, their weapons clashing in a burst of light and fire. The ground split beneath them, and the riders fled in terror. Huo's eyes widened as Li Wei's blade pressed forward, forcing him back.
"You'll pay for this," Huo spat, retreating into the forest with a final blast of flames to cover his escape. Li Wei collapsed, exhausted but alive. The scroll in his robe seemed to pulse, as if approving his victory. But he knew Huo would return with greater force. The World Gate was his only hope now.