Chapter 4: The Village's Judgment
Li Wei returned to Hidden Mist Valley under cover of night, his body aching from the battle. The village was a cluster of thatched huts, their lanterns flickering like fireflies. He needed supplies—food, a cloak, anything to survive the journey to the World Gate. But as he slipped into the granary, whispers surrounded him. The villagers had gathered, their faces a mix of fear and anger.
"He's cursed!" cried Old Woman Liu, clutching a talisman. "He brought Huo's wrath upon us!"
"He defeated the guards!" countered Young Bao, a boy who idolized Li Wei. "He's our hero!"
The village elder, a frail man named Chen, raised a hand for silence. His eyes, clouded with age, studied Li Wei. "Boy, you've stirred a hornet's nest. Huo will burn this valley to ash for your defiance. What have you to say?"
Li Wei hesitated. The Nine Worlds Ascension Art was his secret, a treasure too dangerous to reveal. "I found a path to strength," he said carefully. "I only wish to leave, to seek the World Gate. Let me go, and Huo will have no reason to harm you."
The crowd murmured. Some believed him, others scoffed. Elder Chen sighed. "You've brought change, Li Wei, whether you meant to or not. But change is a storm, and we are but straw. Leave before dawn, or we'll hand you to Huo ourselves."
Heart heavy, Li Wei gathered what he could—a sack of rice, a waterskin, a tattered cloak. As he left the granary, Young Bao approached, eyes wide. "Take me with you," he pleaded. "I want to be strong like you."
Li Wei shook his head. "This path is mine alone. Stay, protect the village." He pressed a crude qi-gathering talisman, etched on bark using the manual's instructions, into Bao's hand. "Practice this. It's a start."
By midnight, Li Wei was miles away, the village a fading memory. The manual guided him to a hidden trail leading to the World Gate, said to lie within the Mistfang Crags—a treacherous range guarded by spirit beasts. As he climbed, the air grew thick with qi, invigorating yet ominous. The scroll vibrated, warning of danger.
A low growl echoed. From the shadows emerged a Ironclaw Wolf, its fur glinting like steel, its qi at the peak of Qi Condensation. Li Wei gripped his fists, qi swirling. The wolf lunged, claws slashing. He dodged with Wind Step, then struck with Qi Spiral, aiming for its flank. The wolf howled, blood spraying, but retaliated with a burst of feral qi that knocked Li Wei against a boulder.
Pain seared his ribs, but he refused to fall. Channeling the Heavenly Breath Technique, he stabilized his qi and formed another Qi Blade. The wolf charged again, but this time, Li Wei was ready. His blade sliced through its neck, and the beast collapsed, its core—a glowing orb—rolling free.
Li Wei absorbed the core's qi, his dantian swelling. He broke through to the fourth stage of Qi Condensation, his body humming with power. The Mistfang Crags loomed ahead, the World Gate closer. But the scroll's warning lingered: The gate tests the worthy.