Chapter 5: The Gate's Guardian
The Mistfang Crags were a labyrinth of jagged stone and swirling fog, where every step echoed with the pulse of ancient qi. Li Wei navigated the treacherous paths, guided by the Nine Worlds Ascension Art's faint glow. The scroll seemed alive, its characters shifting to reveal new techniques as his cultivation grew. Now at the fourth stage of Qi Condensation, he felt the world differently—the wind carried whispers of power, and the rocks hummed with latent energy.
The trail ended at a massive stone archway, its surface carved with dragons and phoenixes. The World Gate. Its center shimmered like liquid starlight, a portal to the Spirit Realm. But before it stood a guardian: a Jade-Scale Python, its body as thick as an oak, its eyes glowing with primal intelligence. Its qi was at the Foundation Establishment stage, far beyond Li Wei's.
"You seek the higher worlds?" the python hissed, its voice resonating in his mind. "Prove your worth, mortal."
Li Wei's heart thundered, but retreat was not an option. He activated Wind Step, circling the python to assess its weaknesses. The beast struck, its tail whipping with enough force to shatter stone. Li Wei leaped, narrowly avoiding the blow, and countered with Qi Spiral. The attack grazed the python's scales, leaving only a shallow mark.
The python laughed, a chilling sound. "Weak!" It unleashed a wave of green qi, corrosive and thick. Li Wei formed a Qi Barrier, a new technique from the manual, but the acid qi burned through, searing his arm. Pain fueled his focus. He drew on the crags' ambient qi, amplifying his Qi Blade into a crescent of light.
The python coiled, dodging the strike, then lunged with open jaws. Li Wei rolled, planting a Qi Burst Fist into its underbelly. The beast recoiled, giving him a moment to breathe. The manual's voice echoed: The heart binds the body. He realized the python's core, its source of power, lay near its heart.
Risking everything, Li Wei charged, feinting with a Qi Spiral to draw the python's strike. As it lunged, he slid beneath, thrusting his Qi Blade into its chest. The beast roared, thrashing, but Li Wei held firm, pouring all his qi into the strike. The core shattered, and the python collapsed, its body dissolving into motes of light.
The World Gate flared, its energy pulling Li Wei forward. He stumbled through, the world shifting around him. When his vision cleared, he stood in the Spirit Realm, where trees towered like mountains and the air sang with vitality. But danger lingered—a group of Azure Cloud Pavilion disciples watched from a distance, their eyes gleaming with curiosity and suspicion.
Li Wei clutched the scroll, ready for the next trial. The Nine Worlds awaited.