The morning sun filtered through the Azure Dragon Sect's courtyard, casting long shadows across the training grounds. Li Wei stretched, his muscles still sore from the previous day's sparring. He had survived, yes, but somehow, the aches were worse than expected.
"Morning, newbie," a voice called. Li Wei looked up to see a tall, lean disciple striding toward him, a confident smirk plastered on his face. He had sharp eyes and the aura of someone used to being the center of attention.
"Uh… morning," Li Wei muttered cautiously, gripping his wooden sword a little tighter. He had a bad feeling about this.
The newcomer stopped in front of him. "I'm Zhang Lei," he said smoothly. "I hear you survived your first sparring match yesterday. Impressive… but don't get too cocky. You're still just a beginner."
Li Wei narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I'm cocky? No, no, no… I'm just… pleasantly surprised at my own genius. That's different."
Zhang Lei raised an eyebrow. "Pleasantly surprised, huh? I like your confidence. Let's see how it holds up in a real match."
Li Wei blinked. "A real match? Didn't I just survive sparring? I thought that was enough… apparently not."
Before he could protest further, Zhang Lei spun his staff with a flourish. "Come on. I promise I won't go easy. Consider this… friendly competition."
Li Wei gulped. "Friendly… sure. I'm excellent at friendly."
The two circled each other in the courtyard. Li Wei tried to recall the basic stances he had practiced, but his mind wandered to thoughts like how would this look on a TikTok? and can I monetize this somehow? He shook his head. "Focus, Wei. Focus."
Zhang Lei lunged first, his staff whistling through the air. Li Wei panicked, swinging his wooden sword wildly. He tripped, rolled, and accidentally launched his sword forward, grazing Zhang Lei's shoulder.
Zhang Lei's eyes widened, and then he laughed. "You're… unpredictable. I'll give you that."
Li Wei panted. "Unpredictable is my middle name! Well, not officially, but it should be."
They sparred for nearly an hour. Zhang Lei's attacks were precise, polished, and fast. Li Wei's defense was clumsy, impulsive, and often accidental—but somehow, his unconventional movements made him harder to predict.
At one point, Zhang Lei attempted a spinning strike, and Li Wei ducked… only to hit Zhang Lei's staff with a poorly timed swing. The staff slipped from Zhang Lei's hands and flew into a nearby tree.
Li Wei froze. "Oh… wow… that actually worked again?"
Zhang Lei grinned, clearly impressed despite himself. "You're lucky, newbie. But don't think luck alone will carry you."
Li Wei wiped sweat from his brow, chuckling nervously. "Luck… skill… technique… chaos. I mix all of those. You can't predict it."
Zhang Lei laughed. "I like your style. It's… reckless, chaotic, and borderline idiotic—but effective. I suppose you'll do for now."
Li Wei raised a finger. "See! Modern genius meets Murim chaos! It's a winning combination."
Zhang Lei shook his head, still smiling. "Just remember, newbie, in this sect, you're not the only one trying to survive. Keep your wits about you, or someone else will take advantage of that… unusual strategy of yours."
Li Wei nodded, trying to look serious. "Oh, I will. Don't worry. I have a five-step plan: 1) Survive. 2) Train. 3) Confuse my opponents. 4) Win. 5) Laugh all the way to glory."
Zhang Lei laughed again. "I look forward to seeing if you can pull that off."
After the match, Li Wei sat by the small training pond, reflecting. Zhang Lei had been a tough challenge, but he had survived—and even landed a few accidental strikes. Maybe, he thought, he could survive this Murim world after all.
Then a thought struck him. Wait… I still have no idea how to save money here. He shuddered. Somehow, in this world of martial arts and magical techniques, he had to figure out a way to survive economically too.
"Alright, Wei," he muttered, tossing a pebble into the pond. "First, survive the sect. Second, master martial arts. Third… become rich. Somehow. And maybe, just maybe… show Zhang Lei that chaotic genius wins in the end."
From the shadows, a small group of disciples watched the exchange between Li Wei and Zhang Lei. Whispers floated through the courtyard.
"Have you seen the new guy?" one said. "He's… ridiculous. But somehow… he survives."
"He's either insane or extremely lucky," another replied. "Either way, he's going to shake things up around here."
Li Wei, unaware of the observers, practiced a few basic sword swings. "Alright," he muttered to himself, "let's see what chaos can really do when combined with modern logic. Step one: survive Zhang Lei. Step two: learn the coolest techniques without dying. Step three:… well, there is no step three yet. We'll figure it out later."
The sun began to set over the Azure Dragon Sect, casting golden light across the courtyard. Li Wei wiped sweat from his brow, grinning. The Murim world was unpredictable, dangerous, and downright insane—but he wouldn't have it any other way.
One thing was certain: between Zhang Lei's challenges, Master Shen's strict training, and his own hot-headed impulsiveness, life in Murim was going to be chaotic, hilarious, and full of adventure.
And Li Wei? He was ready to tackle it all… with a wooden sword, a chaotic strategy, and a lot of modern-life know-how.