Ling Chen's stomach was doing flips that would've made an Olympic gymnast jealous. Jian Hao's parting shot—"I'll make sure you don't leave Crimson Peak alive"—rang in his ears as he stood at the base of the mountain.
Crimson Peak loomed like a jagged scar against the dawn sky, its slopes shrouded in mist and studded with jagged rocks.
The outer disciple trials were about to start, and Ling was painfully aware he was the underdog in a dogfight.
His scrawny body, rusty dagger, and barely-there qi didn't exactly scream "champion material."
Around him, dozens of outer disciples fidgeted, their faces a mix of nerves and bravado.
Some clutched cheap swords, others muttered cultivation chants like they could wish their way to victory.
Jian Hao stood at the front, his white robes pristine, his sword practically glowing with hero vibes.
He didn't even glance at Ling, but the threat hung heavy. The elders watched from a stone platform, their expressions unreadable.
Mei Lin was nowhere in sight—probably off being an inner disciple hotshot.
Thanks for the training, Mei Lin, but a little backup would've been nice, Ling thought, gripping his dagger. Her lessons yesterday had sharpened his qi control, but he was still a Qi Condensation nobody facing a meat grinder of a trial.
The system's mission didn't help: Place in the top 10 to access the sect vault. Failure: Demotion to servant status. No pressure.
An elder with a beard like a waterfall stepped forward, his voice booming. "The Trial of the Crimson Peak tests strength, cunning, and will. Navigate the obstacle course, defeat any threats, and reach the summit. The top ten earn a chance at the sect's vault. Begin!"
A gong rang, and the disciples surged forward, scrambling up the rocky path. Ling hung back, his gamer brain kicking in.
Rushing in blind was a rookie mistake—every RPG taught you to scout the map first. He focused, letting his Deceptive Aura skill hum, masking his qi to blend into the crowd. No need to paint a target on his back.
The path twisted into a dense forest, where vines pulsed with faint light and the air buzzed with danger. Traps were everywhere—spiked pits hidden under leaves, runes that sparked when stepped on.
Ling's qi-enhanced senses, thanks to that stolen spirit herb, caught the faint hum of a tripwire rune.
He sidestepped, watching a cocky disciple trigger it and get blasted back by a burst of wind. Ouch. Better you than me, buddy.
[System alert: Trap avoided. Mission progress: 20%. Suggestion: Use Deceptive Aura to bypass group conflicts.]
"Way ahead of you," Ling muttered, weaving through the chaos. Some disciples brawled over glowing herbs, others screamed as traps snared them.
Ling kept low, using Deceptive Aura to seem like a harmless nobody. His goal was the summit, not a pointless fistfight.
Halfway up, he spotted a scrawny kid—maybe fifteen, with patched robes—stuck in a net trap, thrashing like a fish.
The kid's qi was weaker than Ling's, and a spiked log was swinging dangerously close.
Leave him, Ling's gamer instincts said. But something else—maybe his old Earth conscience—made him pause.
"Hey, hold still!" Ling darted over, slicing the net with his dagger. The kid tumbled free, wide-eyed, just as the log whizzed past. "You okay?"
The kid nodded, gasping. "T-thanks! I'm Tao. I owe you one."
Ling grinned. "Stick with me, Tao. I could use a sidekick." The system chimed softly.
[Mission progress: Ally gained (Tao). Progress: 40%. Warning: Hostile presence detected ahead.]
Hostile presence? Ling's grin faded.
He pulled Tao behind a boulder as a group of disciples passed, led by a burly guy who looked like he ate smaller kids for breakfast. Not Jian Hao, but bad news.
Ling kept moving, Tao trailing nervously. The kid wasn't much, but allies were rare, and the system liked it.
The path opened into a rocky clearing, where a narrow bridge spanned a chasm. Mist swirled below, hiding who-knew-what.
Other disciples were already crossing, some slipping on the slick stone. Ling's qi buzzed, his senses sharp. Something was off. The air felt… heavy, like before a boss fight.
He focused, using Deceptive Aura to scan the area. The system highlighted faint claw marks on the bridge's edge. Not good. He grabbed Tao's arm. "Slow down. Something's—"
A roar split the air, shaking the ground. A massive beast leapt from the mist—a tiger-like creature with scales and glowing red eyes, its claws glinting like swords.
Disciples screamed, scattering. One guy wasn't fast enough; the beast swiped, sending him tumbling into the chasm.
"Holy crap!" Ling yelped, shoving Tao behind a rock. The beast's eyes locked on the bridge, where more disciples froze.
Jian Hao stood at the front, his sword drawn, looking annoyingly heroic.
Of course he's fine, Ling thought bitterly.
[System alert: Monstrous beast detected (Crimson Scale Tiger). Mission update: Survive the encounter to maintain trial progress. Reward: 100 Villain Points. Failure: Elimination or death.]
Ling's heart pounded. The tiger was a mid-boss, no question. His dagger and Deceptive Aura weren't cutting it against that.
He glanced at Tao, who was shaking but clutching a small knife. "Stay here," Ling whispered. "I've got a stupid idea."
Using Deceptive Aura to mask his qi, Ling crept toward the bridge, heart in his throat.
The system's analysis popped up: Tiger relies on qi detection. Deceptive Aura can reduce aggro.
Perfect.
He edged closer, tossing a rock to distract the beast. It roared, swiping at the noise, giving a few disciples a chance to run.
Ling reached the bridge's edge, his qi humming. He could make it across if he timed it right.
But Jian Hao was already charging the tiger, his sword blazing with golden light. The crowd cheered, and Ling rolled his eyes. Show-off.
Then the tiger's tail lashed out, catching Jian off-guard. He stumbled, and the beast lunged. Ling's gamer instincts screamed opportunity.
He darted forward, slip past the tiger's senses, and grabbed a fallen disciple's staff. With a qi-infused swing, he smacked the tiger's flank, drawing its attention just long enough for Jian to recover.
Jian shot him a glare—half fury, half confusion—but struck the tiger, driving it back. Ling didn't stick around for thanks. He bolted across the bridge, Tao scrambling behind him.
The summit was close, but the tiger's roar echoed, and more disciples screamed.
[Mission progress: 80%. Warning: Crimson Scale Tiger pursuing. Survive to reach the summit.]
Ling's lungs burned as he ran, the bridge shaking under his feet. The tiger's claws scraped behind him, getting closer.
Tao tripped, and Ling hauled him up, cursing.
The summit was in sight, but the beast was faster. He had one shot to make it—or they were both tiger chow