Xai lay sprawled on his back at the base of a tree. One of his arms was bent at a strange angle. And his shoulder lay an inch out of its socket. He also felt a stream of blood spilling over half of his face. A few seconds passed, and he expected his vision to be consumed with translucent slips of paper, but all he saw was the leaves rustling above him.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the jué. He rose from the ground. One of its arm bones stuck from its skin. A piece of wood stuck into one of its eye sockets and a large gash lay across one of its legs. The beast turned to Xai's form before letting out a low growl. Xai tried to raise himself up but a wave of pain and nausea washed over his body as he tried to move his head. Rather than taking its chance to end the junior's life, the jué limped deeper into the forest, leaving Xai alone.

  Several minutes passed as Xai caught his breath, hoping the pain across his body would subside. He began to wonder how he could make it out of this predicament. How he could kill the jué? How he could make it to the Silver Sect Hall by sunset? How he could even survive until nightfall?

  Another wave of nausea washed over him as a surge of information began to cloud his mind. Information on how to properly breathe and feel something around him. To pull it into himself and harness it. They were all vague instructions, but instructions nonetheless.

  'It can't be teaching me this, can it?'

  Xai did as the new information told him. He tried to focus his breathing as best he could, feeling something he couldn't see around him. Shutting off all his other senses. He felt the sun on his body, the chill of the dirt beneath him. The gentle tingle of something unseen trying to enter through his skin but finding no entrance. He had to let it in.

  He didn't know how much time had passed. It could have been several hours, or it could have been 10 minutes. Regardless, Xai felt his body begin to warm as a strange density welled just beneath his chest. Almost like he had eaten a small ball of metal, but not quite at his stomach. He only opened his eyes when he heard the faint ping in his inner ear as a scroll unfurled itself above his face.

  ~~~~

  [Sufficient amount of Ki has been absorbed to create a dantian]

  [Skill 'Ki Foundation (F)' has been gained]

  [Skill 'Ki Reinforcement (F)' has been gained]

  ***

  [Vitality has increased by 10]

  [Endurance has increased by 10]

  [Strength has increased by 10]

  [Dexterity has increased by 10]

  [Intelligence has increased by 10]

  [Willpower has increased by 10]

  [Perception has increased by 10]

  [Charm has increased by 10]

  ~~~~

  Xai's eyes widened as his eyes scanned over the script. He had obtained Ki. The one thing that can accelerate the warriors of the realm to greater heights than the system could allow.

  Beneath his chest, he felt the faint denseness of his dantian- the non-physical store of his Ki. Just as the heart pumped blood through the body, the dantian moved Ki within it throughout the body as needed. The amount he had was minuscule, seemingly just enough to have manifested his dantian to begin with.

  More knowledge flooded into his mind, this time more clearly. An innate knowledge of how to coat his body and equipment in Ki. While the technique was basic, and almost useless due to the immense lack of control and amount of Ki within his dantian, it was at least something.

  With the small essence of Ki flowing through his body, the pain across his body lessened. However, it didn't stop his shoulder from being dislocated or his arm being broken. But it was enough for Xai to lift himself to sit against a tree. With his relatively un-injured arm, he grabbed his other arm and- with a breath- shoved his shoulder back in place.

  Xai was about to scream as pain rocketed from his arm, but he bit his tongue, letting out a grunt instead. Next, Xai looked at his arm. "Fuck me..." he muttered as he grabbed his arm to push it back into place.

  Over the most painful minute that Xai has ever felt, he repositioned his arm to the point of functionality. While he probably had a small break in his arm somewhere, it was at least usable for light activity. Luckily, it wasn't his dominant arm. Regardless, he wouldn't be blocking any more blows from the jué.

  At that thought, Xai looked around him.

  "Fuck."

  His sword was still lodged in the jué's back.

  With a sigh and a substantial amount of willpower, he listed himself to his feet. Nausea surged through his head. He took two steps before needing to hold himself against a tree as he wretched up that morning's breakfast onto the dirt.

  Over the next several minutes, he regained his ability to walk as he followed the direction the jué had gone.

  Another hour passed, and the sky was beginning to turn a faint hue of orange. Finally, he came across the beast. It still had the three blades sticking from it. Its arm was still bent at an odd angle. When Xai came upon it, it was sitting on the ground trying to forcefully shove the bone back into its leg.

  Xai moved as silently as he could, keeping a wide birth around the jué as to not be spotted. Now to the back of the beast, Xai spotted his blade loosely sticking from the creature's back. The side of the blade was shipped off, likely due to a combination of him blocking so many powerful attacks and falling down a cliff.

  Xai's body was still shrouded in a veil of pain, but he doubted he was as injured as the jué was, given a bone was sticking from its leg.

  Xai shook away the pain as best he could before breaking into a sprint towards the jué. He coated his legs with a shallow well of Ki, reinforcing the muscles and increasing the power of his legs.

  The mix of his increased strength, dexterity, and Ki shot him forward faster than he ever had before. He quickly zipped passed the jué, prying free his blade as he did.

  The jué winced as the blade was pulled free and stood. As he skidded to a half and turned to the jué, he moved the Ki from his legs to create a loose coating over his weapon; a thin veil of light blue mist that was nearly completely transparent.

  The beast stood from where it had been, noticeably putting its weight on its uninjured leg. The beast roared at Xai, a translucent red light surrounding its body.

  The jué swung as Xai got close, however, the cultivator leaped over the beast and cut across the beast's shoulder. The Ki-reinforced blade cut into the jué's shoulder with ease; cutting cleanly through the loose layer of red Ki. The jué turned and swung behind it as Xai landed, however he ducked to the ground and landed a cut across the jué's arm. Xai then flipped backward, dodging another slam. As he landed Xai rushed forward again, this time landing a stab on the beast's chest that penetrated several inches. He then quickly backed away as another swing aimed at his head.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Xai stayed back to catch his breath. With a newfound adrenaline coursing through his body, the pain that had held him back had mostly faded though he doubted it would last much longer.

  The jué leaped forward in one final attack, its body covered in vibrant red Ki.

  Xai steadied his breathing before reinforcing his legs with half his well of Ki and his sword with the other half. He leaped into the air to meet the jué. The creature reared back a hand. As it brought it forward, Xai twisted his body in the air and spun his blade toward the creature's neck.

  As Xai fell to the ground, the Ki surrounding him vanishing into the atmosphere, he looked back to see the now headless corpse of the jué. A moment later, dozens of slips of paper clouded his vision.

  ~~~~

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  [Level Up]

  ***

  [You have 20 unspent stat points]

  ***

  [Level 30 Reached]

  [You have 1 skill reward of rank 'F']

  [You meet the requirements for 8 skills]

  [Select one of the following skills to acquire]

  - Analyze (F)

  - Focused Strike (F)

  - Adrenaline Rush (F)

  - Ki Control (F)

  - Strong Man (F)

  - Acrobat (F)

  - Perceptive (F)

  - Durable (F)

  ***

  [Level 40 Reached]

  [You have 1 skill reward of rank 'F']

  [You meet the requirements for 8 skills]

  [Select one of the following skills to acquire]

  - Analyze (F)

  - Focused Strike (F)

  - Adrenaline Rush (F)

  - Ki Control (F)

  - Strong Man (F)

  - Acrobat (F)

  - Perceptive (F)

  - Durable (F)

  ~~~~

  Xai waved away most of the floating parchment as pain began to grow across his body. His Ki reserves had been reduced to 0 from the fight. While it would replenish itself over the next few hours, he wouldn't be able to use it for the rest of his ascent.

  Xai began to walk towards the closest path up the mountain he could think of. Technically there was the cliff he'd fallen down previously, but with an injured arm, he didn't want to risk it.

  While he walked, he looked over the new skill options. He passed over 'Analyze' and 'Focus Strike' as he'd already read those before.

  ~~~~

  [Adrenaline Rush (F)]

  [Description: You feel a surge of power when in a desperate situation. While critically injured you can enter a state of adrenaline rush, temporarily negating pain and fatigue across your body while giving a slight increase to stats. Once this skill ends, your stats will be reduced until you are healed.]

  ***

  [Ki Control (F)]

  [Description: Any wielder of Ki, even beasts, can surround themselves with Ki to defend from attacks or increase their striking power. But it takes a certain technique to refine the control over the Ki within oneself. Grants base knowledge over how to control and alter the flow of Ki throughout one's body.]

  ***

  [Strong Man (F)]

  [Description: Through means of immense force, you have pushed your body beyond its normal limits. Grants 1 point of Strength per level.]

  ***

  [Acrobat (F)]

  [Description: Through means of agile movement, you have pushed your body beyond its normal limits. Grants 1 point of Dexterity per level.]

  ***

  [Perceptive (F)]

  [Description: Through means of sharpened awareness, you have pushed your body beyond its normal limits. Grants 1 point of Perception per level.]

  ***

  [Durable (F)]

  [Description: Through means of enduring injury, you have pushed your body beyond its normal limits. Grants 1 point of Vitality per level.]

  ~~~~

  He waved away 'adrenaline rush'. While useful, he didn't want to rely on a skill that only worked when he was in critical condition.

  'Ki Control' seemed good. While it would prove useful in the long run, he didn't need it at the moment. His Ki reserves were so low he wouldn't get any use out of it before he reached the sect hall.

  Finally, there were the real choices. The ones that gave him a stat at every level. These would help far greater than any of the other skills he was given. But the real question was which of the two would he choose. He could waive away 'perceptive' for now. He hadn't needed perception all that much. 'Durable' was a top runner on the two he would pick, followed by 'Acrobat'. While extra strength was useful, he could always take the skill later.

  Ultimately, he chose 'Durable' and 'Acrobat'.

  The next question was what to do with his 20 extra stat points.

  A jolt of pain jolted through his body as he stepped slightly wrong, cast his mind from the thought of his stats. He would just deal with them later. His body hurt.

  Xai looked up at the orange sky above. It was going to be a long trek to the top.

  Half an hour of walking later, his body didn't feel any less sore. Despite his vitality nearly tripling since he got the system, it didn't seem to have too much impact on his body's natural regeneration. At least not yet. He was sure the difference would be more noticeable once it got beyond 50 or so.

  Xai looked down at the sword in his hand. The side of the blade was still chipped. If he was forced to block another strong attack, as he had against the jué, it would likely break, even if he tried to reinforce it with his meager amount of Ki.

  He thought of resting, but the sun beginning to dip below the horizon told him otherwise. He had already wasted enough time awakening his Ki. Then again, was it considered much of a 'waste' if it ultimately saved his life? He just waived the thought for now. He doubted he would face anything on the level of the jué as he continued up the mountain, at the very least nothing else that could use Ki. Most beasts weren't able to harness Ki, the jué had just been an unfortunate occurrence.

  Xai suddenly stopped once the trees began to open up to a small waterfall. It was only about 20 feet high and came down to a crystal clear stream that continued down the mountain. The cultivator knelt near the stream and took a sip of the water. Then another. Then another. He hadn't realized how thirsty he'd been until then. As he finally got his full, his stomach rumbled. Turns out, he was also hungry.

  Xai sighed before getting to his feet. He was sure some form of meal and celebration was happening within the sect hall. But, he still had some climbing to do.

  ***

  At the summit of the mountain rested the Silver Mist sect hall. Within its central tower lay a celebration for the many junior disciples who had made it up the mountain. A few stray members were still making their way in despite the time limit nearly being over. Most were treated for whatever injuries they had upon entry. The ones who made it to the summit the earliest were often the least injured, but either still level 1 or hardly above level 10. While not taking away from their accomplishments, it was an unspoken contest amongst the senior members of the sect as to who would arrive with the highest level. Until then, the highest anyone had seen was 27.

  On the second story of the central building, overlooking the main courtyard of the sect was its master, Youshan Wu. Next to him was one of the senior disciples, Qin Jie. Despite having the title of 'senior' disciple, unlike most of his peers, he was merely in his mid-30s. Qin's skin was smooth and shined in the distant sunlight. His high stage of cultivation had refined his body, flushing it of impurities, giving him a look any woman would faint at the sight of.

  "How many more are left to arrive?" Youshan asked. He sat at a small circular table drinking a small bottle of sake as he watched the sunset.

  "9 Master Wu." Qin's words were soft. A particularly strong breeze could have carried his words away if it wished.

  "And we started with over 50." Youshan sighed, taking another sip from his drink. "If I had to guess, all but a few of those yet to arrive were killed on the way up here. Who were our most recent arrivals?"

  "Liang Warshai, level 21. And Toya Katrina, level 14. They arrived slightly over half an hour ago. Toya was sent to the medical wing. Liang, last I checked, went to rest in his quarters." Qin stated.

  Youshan raised a brow. "Isn't there a third part of their group? Or am I misremembering?"

  Qin shook his head. "Xai Faung has not arrived yet." His gaze was turned to the ever-darkening sky. "Should I conclude the test?"

  Youshan held up a hand. "Not yet, senior Jie. I believe there is one more arriving."

  Qin looked to his master before following his gaze to the courtyard near the entrance of the sect buildings.

  Walking- or rather, stumbling- towards the central building, was a young man in the sect's blue and white robes. His body and clothes were flecked with dried blood, and a nearly broken sword was held in his hand. Qin's brow rose in surprise as he read the boy's level: [Level: 40 (F)]. However, that wasn't the most surprising part. Within his chest, both Qin and Youshan saw the swirling mass of Ki within his dantian. It flowed aimlessly around his body, only loosely condensed on the point. It lacked control as well as abundance, but it was undeniable that it was still there.

  "It's Xai Faung," Youshan stated arising from his chair. In but a moment his body turned to mist that quickly shot towards Xai, only to materialize into the sect master once again, followed shortly by Qin.

  The junior looked between the two sect members, his eyes looked slightly glazed over, as if he wasn't fully processing what was in front of him.

  "Good, you've made it just in time Xai Faung," Youshan stated with a smile. "I am impressed you excelled so much during the test. Your friends are..." he stopped abruptly when Xai tried to take a step forward and promptly collapsed onto the tiled ground beneath them.

  Youshan pursed his lips. "Senior Qin, take him to the medical facility, and tell Liang his friend has arrived."

  Qin hoisted the junior disciple to his feet and began carrying his body like a sack of spuds. He then picked up the sword from the ground and seamlessly slid it into the scabbard on Xai's waste.

  As he began to walk away, Youshan spoke again. "And tell the other seniors that the level record has been surpassed from last year's performances."