The sun hung high in the sky, casting long shadows over the sect's sparring grounds. Wang Li wiped the sweat from his brow, still feeling the lingering effects of his duel with Huo Jian. His body ached, his ridians burned from overuse, but the adrenaline rushing through his veins made him feel alive.
The disciples around him whispered in hushed tones.
"Did you see that fight?"
"Wang Li actually defeated an inner sect disciple!"
"How is an outer disciple this strong?!"
But amid the praise, there were also cold stares—envy, resentnt, and fear.
Feng Yuling, standing beside him, sighed. "You just had to go and make yourself an even bigger target, didn't you?"
Mu Qingling chuckled. "Co on, Yuling. Let him enjoy the mont. How often do you get to see an outer disciple humiliate soone from the inner sect?"
Wang Li stretched, his muscles still sore. "I don't think Huo Jian is going to take this lying down. He looked ready to murder after that fight."
Lin Ruoyan smirked. "Oh, you can bet he's not done with you. And if I had to guess, the entire inner sect is going to be watching you now. They don't like seeing nobodies rise too fast."
Wang Li exhaled. "Great. More problems."
Feng Yuling folded her arms. "This isn't just about one duel. You embarrassed soone powerful. His allies, his ntors, maybe even the sect elders, won't take kindly to that. You need to get stronger—fast."
Mu Qingling grinned. "Which is why I have the perfect solution!"
Wang Li eyed her warily. "Why do I feel like I won't like this?"
She clapped him on the shoulder. "Because you won't. Pack your things—we're going on a little trip."
The Forbidden Training Grounds
Mu Qingling led the group deep into the mountains surrounding the sect. The further they went, the fewer disciples they encountered. Eventually, the familiar sect grounds disappeared behind them, replaced by a dense, misty forest.
"Where are we?" Wang Li asked.
"The Phantom Mist Valley," Mu Qingling replied. "It's technically part of the sect's territory, but most disciples don't dare enter. Too dangerous."
Feng Yuling frowned. "I've heard of this place. It's filled with ancient spiritual beasts, poisonous plants, and deadly illusions. Why are we here?"
Mu Qingling smirked. "Because it's also the best place to train. No rules, no overseers—just survival."
Lin Ruoyan crossed her arms. "And you think dumping Wang Li in the middle of a death trap is a good idea?"
"He needs to toughen up," Mu Qingling said. "Right now, he's strong, but not enough to face real monsters like the core disciples. If he survives here for a week, he'll co out twice as strong."
Wang Li exhaled. "So... I just have to survive for seven days?"
Mu Qingling grinned. "That's the plan. Think of it as a vacation—with a lot of screaming and running for your life."
Wang Li sighed. "Of course."
Day 1: Welco to Hell
The mont Wang Li stepped into the valley, he felt it—the shift in the air, the eerie silence. This place was wrong.
Then, the mist moved.
Before he could react, sothing lashed out from the fog—a massive clawed limb, aiming straight for his throat.
Wang Li barely dodged in ti, rolling to the side as a monstrous beast erged from the mist.
It was twice his size, its body covered in dark, armored scales, its eyes glowing like molten gold. Its mouth split into four jagged mandibles, dripping with venom.
"An Ironclaw Phantom Stalker."
Wang Li recognized it instantly. One of the deadliest creatures in the valley.
"And I get to fight it on day one. Lucky ."
The beast lunged, its claws raking the air, missing Wang Li by inches. He activated Shadow Step, dodging backward while drawing his newly acquired dagger, Shadowfang.
He slashed, aiming for its throat—
CLANG!
The dagger bounced off the beast's scales, barely leaving a scratch.
"Of course it has armor."
The creature whipped its tail, striking Wang Li in the ribs and sending him flying into a tree.
Pain exploded through his body, but he forced himself to stand. He couldn't afford to stay down.
"Think, Wang Li. How do you kill sothing you can't cut?"
Then, he rembered its weakness—
Its eyes.
The beast lunged again, moving faster than he expected. Wang Li didn't dodge. Instead, he ran toward it, sliding under its massive fra at the last second.
As he passed beneath it, he thrust his dagger upward—straight into its eye.
The creature screeched, rearing back as dark blood sprayed everywhere. It flailed, but Wang Li didn't give it a chance to recover. He leaped onto its back and drove his dagger into the second eye.
With a final, deafening cry, the beast collapsed, its body twitching before going still.
Wang Li fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
"One day down. Six more to go."
anwhile...
Back at the sect, whispers spread.
Huo Jian sat in his personal training ground, his face twisted with rage. His wounds from the duel had already healed, but the humiliation remained.
A shadowy figure approached.
"You want revenge, don't you?" the figure whispered.
Huo Jian clenched his fists. "More than anything."
"Then let's make sure Wang Li never leaves that valley alive."
Huo Jian's eyes glowed with malice.
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