Li Ming trudged through the gates of the Azure Sky Sect, feathers still stuck in his hair from the Cursed Feather Trial, his robes rumpled, and every muscle in his body aching. He had survived the previous trials, but sothing about the calm of the courtyard made him uneasy.
Bai Guo floated beside him, human form this ti, flipping a feather in his hand. "Ah, ho sweet chaos," he said. "And, descendant, your next challenge will push you to your limits."
Li Ming groaned. "I just want a quiet day. That’s all I want."
Bai Guo smirked. "Quiet days don’t exist here."
A booming voice echoed from the sect leader’s balcony. "Disciples of Azure Sky Sect! The Pride Shatter Gas begin today!"
Li Ming froze. "Pride... shatter... gas?"
Bai Guo leaned closer. "Exactly. Your confidence, your abilities, your ego—they will all be tested. And failure is... spectacular."
Glowing orbs descended from the sky—two for each student. Li Ming caught his, feeling the faint hum of energy inside.
"These are your Pride Shatter Orbs," the sect leader announced. "Use them wisely to defend yourself against the relentless attacks of your ntors. Fail, and your pride will be broken."
Li Ming stared at the orbs. "Defend myself? From... my ntors?!"
Bai Guo nodded. "Yep. Everyone’s fair ga. And they’re all stronger than you."
From all directions, ntors appeared—so gliding on magical clouds, others running with unnatural speed. Each carried their own orbs, ready to attack. Li Ming’s stomach churned.
"Step one: survive," he muttered. "Step two: survive without getting humiliated. Step three... survive without losing every shred of dignity I have left."
Bai Guo puffed up proudly. "Exactly! And maybe, just maybe, we can create so chaos along the way."
The first ntor swooped down, orbs spinning with deadly precision. Li Ming barely dodged, rolling forward and colliding with a disciple. Sparks flew, and the other disciple shrieked as an orb narrowly missed their head.
Li Ming muttered, "Okay... this is serious. Really serious."
Another ntor appeared from the sky, eyes glinting. "Your pride is my target, Li Ming. Prepare yourself."
Li Ming raised his orbs, trying to defend himself. The battle quickly escalated into a dizzying dance of dodges, swings, and sudden attacks. Every ti he thought he had a mont to catch his breath, another ntor appeared.
Bai Guo flitted between human and chicken form, helping where he could but never fully taking over. "Stay sharp! One misstep, and your pride becos a puddle of humiliation."
Li Ming ducked under a spinning orb and accidentally sent another ricocheting into a floating platform. The platform shook violently, tossing a group of disciples into the air.
"Bai Guo..." Li Ming panted, "are they supposed to be this dangerous?"
"Dangerous? Absolutely. Exciting? Even more so. Humiliating? Hah, that’s the best part," Bai Guo said with a mischievous grin.
Li Ming’s heart pounded. For the first ti in a long while, he felt genuinely outmatched. This was no accidental victory—every move required focus, speed, and strategy. He had to think, dodge, and fight all at once.
A ntor lunged at him, orbs spinning like deadly cots. Li Ming blocked one orb but was struck by the other, sending him tumbling backward into a fountain. Water splashed over his head, and he sputtered, but he refused to give up.
Bai Guo landed beside him, now human form, holding an orb like a coach. "You’re learning. Slowly. But it’s happening. Keep going!"
Li Ming coughed. "I feel like I’m barely surviving... and if I keep this up, my pride will be shattered before lunch."
The courtyard erupted into chaos. ntors moved unpredictably, striking with precision, while students dodged desperately. Li Ming’s arms ached, his legs burned, and every ti he swung his Pride Shatter Orbs, he prayed it would work.
Sohow, amidst the chaos, he managed to block a direct attack and glance at Bai Guo. "Do you think I can really survive this?"
Bai Guo smirked. "Survive? Maybe. Win? That’s a different story. But let’s see how much chaos we can make along the way."
Li Ming’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t know what awaited him in the next rounds, but one thing was certain: this was going to test everything he thought he knew about his strength, his courage, and his pride.
The Pride Shatter Gas had begun. And Li Ming realized with a sinking feeling that this ti, he might not co out unscathed.
----
Li Ming scrambled to his feet, dripping wet from the fountain. His Pride Shatter Orbs humd faintly in his hands.
Bai Guo, now human, perched on a railing, wings twitching. "Ready for round two?"
Li Ming groaned. "I don’t think ready is a word that applies to ."
A ntor swooped down, eyes glinting. "Li Ming! Let’s see if your pride can survive my test!"
The first orb flew straight at him. Li Ming swung his orb to block—but misjudged. It ricocheted and smashed a nearby training dummy into pieces.
"Uh... accidental destruction counts as chaos points, right?" Li Ming muttered.
Bai Guo rolled his eyes. "Stop joking. Survive first!"
ntors were everywhere. They attacked in waves, so invisible, so moving faster than Li Ming could react. Each strike made him duck, jump, or spin.
He blocked one orb, only to stumble into another ntor swinging theirs from the side. The impact sent him flying backward, colliding with a cart of mystical training tools. A dozen wooden staffs rolled out, narrowly missing his head.
Li Ming gasped. "This is... harder than I imagined."
Bai Guo landed beside him. "Hard, yes. Fun, absolutely. Pride shattering is an art, and you’re the canvas."
Li Ming rubbed his sore arms. "I feel like my pride is already... in pieces."
Another ntor descended. A huge grin stretched across their face. "Ti to truly humble you, Li Ming!"
Li Ming braced himself. This ntor moved unpredictably, swinging orbs with sharp precision. Every attack forced him to dodge, parry, or dive. Sweat dripped from his forehead.
Bai Guo flitted around, occasionally blocking an orb in chicken form. "Use your head! And your feet! And anything else you’ve got!"
Li Ming tried to focus. He swung his orb to intercept a spinning attack—but the ntor was already behind him, striking again. He stumbled. An orb grazed his shoulder, sending him skidding across the courtyard.
"Argh!" Li Ming yelled. "This isn’t funny anymore!"
Bai Guo landed next to him, human form again. "No, it’s terrifying! That’s the point!"
Li Ming caught a glimpse of the other students. So were screaming, so were dodging brilliantly, and a few were already collapsed on the ground, humiliated. He realized the ga wasn’t just about surviving—it was about adapting under pressure.
He steadied his breathing. "Okay. Think. Watch patterns. Don’t panic. Don’t—"
Another ntor launched two orbs simultaneously. Li Ming barely dodged the first. The second struck his orb, ricocheting into the air and narrowly missing his head.
He stumbled. Tripped. Almost fell. But sohow... he landed on his feet.
Bai Guo clapped. "Well done! Sort of. Not gracefully, but still alive. That’s progress."
Li Ming panted. "Progress... is a very generous word."
The ntors weren’t letting up. Every few seconds, another attack ca from a different direction. Li Ming’s arms ached, his legs burned, and his mind raced.
Finally, he ducked under a flying orb and rolled forward, narrowly avoiding a collision. He glanced up. More ntors were descending. The gauntlet was far from over.
Bai Guo landed beside him. "See? Exciting! And just a little bit terrifying."
Li Ming wiped sweat from his brow. "Exciting? I call it survival horror."
A massive orb flew straight at him. Li Ming braced... and managed to block it with both of his Pride Shatter Orbs. The force knocked him back, but he was still upright.
He looked around. His heart raced. He wasn’t winning yet. Not even close.
And that’s when he noticed sothing terrifying: one ntor hovering above, eyes glowing, spinning two orbs with incredible speed, moving toward him with deadly precision.
Li Ming gulped. "Oh no... this one isn’t joking around."
Bai Guo spread his wings. "Ti to find out if your pride can survive... or be utterly shattered."
Li Ming tightened his grip on the orbs. Every muscle tensed. Sweat ran down his face. His mind scread: focus, survive, adapt.
And at that mont, he realized the Heartbreaker Gas were far more dangerous than he ever imagined.
The gauntlet was only just beginning.
To be continued...
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