Han Xue, Two Seconds Away From Death

As the wind gently rustled through the lush trees of the Great Heavens Sect, Han Xue stood proudly, his sword gleaming in the sunlight.

As he walked forward, his fellow disciples greeted him, "Morning, senior brother Han Xue."

He was greeted by many disciples. They had respect and admiration in their eyes as they approached him because,

At the age of 17, he had already proven himself to be a remarkable talent with the blade, earning him the position of the personal disciple of the esteemed elder of the sword peak.

Han Xue had always been driven by his passion for the sword. He trained tirelessly, honing his skills with unwavering dedication.

His efforts paid off when he caught the attention of the sword peak elder, who recognized his exceptional talent and took him under his wing.

Life seemed perfect for Han Xue. He had achieved recognition within the sect, and he cherished a deep affection for his beautiful girlfriend, Mei Ling.

They had been together for years, and their love was the envy of many. Han Xue trusted Mei Ling implicitly, believing in the strength of their bond.

But his world came crashing down when he discovered the heart-wrenching truth.

His best friend, Xia Wei, the son of the sword peak elder, had betrayed him, stealing away his beloved Mei Ling.

The pain that coursed through Han Xue's heart was unbearable, shattering his trust and leaving him emotionally scarred.

To add salt to the wound, he discovered that the sword peak elder had played a sinister role in orchestrating this betrayal.

Consumed by jealousy and unable to accept the fact that Han Xue had surpassed his son in skill, the elder had conspired against him.

The elder's actions led to a fateful confrontation, leaving Han Xue crippled and broken.

The disciples who once respected and admired him now mocked and ridiculed him, finding pleasure in his misfortune.

"Look at him! The great prodigy reduced to a pitiful cripple," one disciple sneered, a malicious grin plastered across his face. "I guess his sword skills weren't as impressive as he thought."

Laughter echoed through the training grounds as Han Xue gritted his teeth, refusing to let the cruel words penetrate his spirit.

He knew he had to rise above their taunts and prove them wrong, even in his current state.

Han Xue stood before the Sect Council, their judgmental eyes scrutinizing his every move. The elders' gazes held a mix of pity and disdain as if they had already sealed his fate.

"You have one final chance," the sect leader declared, his voice heavy with authority. "If you can find a peak willing to take you in within the next twenty-four hours, we may reconsider your expulsion."

The weight of those words pressed heavily on Han Xue's shoulders.

His heart raced, knowing that time was running out, and the odds were stacked against him.

He had to find a peak that would accept him, despite his current condition.

As he left the council chamber, a storm of emotions raged within him.

The sect that had once supported him, providing him with resources and opportunities, turned its back on him.

Anger, sadness, hopelessness, depression. But he knew nothing would happen.

Desperation gnawed at his soul as he approached various peaks, seeking refuge and a chance to prove his worth.

But every door he knocked on remained closed. The other peaks, wary of taking in a crippled disciple, rejected him without hesitation.

Their disdain for his weakened state was evident in their cold, dismissive glances.

Hopelessness enveloped Han Xue as he realized the gravity of the situation.

He was about to be cast out of the only home he had ever known, stripped of his identity as a member of the Great Heavens Sect.

Now that no peak was accepting him, he decide to leave as he didn't want to be thrown out by force from the sect.

As he reached the outer doors of the sect. He one last time looked at the sect, his only home.

Tears welled up around the corner of his eyes. "Why...?"

As he bid his farewell, ready to leave his only home. He was stopped by a cranky voice, "Han Xue!!!"

As he turned around to see who was calling from him, he was met with a strange fellow.

The man in front of him, the stench of alcohol permeated the air around him. The man was so skinny, all his bones were showing. Despite his dishevelled appearance, there was an undeniable handsomeness in his features.

The man was Li Luo who was exhausted from running all the way here. He took a deep breath.

"Who are you?" Han Xue asked as he didn't know about his identity.

"I am Li Luo." Li Luo told his identity.

"The jade peak elder, Li Luo?" Han Xue asked to confirm as he had heard about Li Luo's tales. "He had also heard rumours about him."

"Yes, I am that drunkard." Li Luo said.

"This disciple greets the elder!!" Han Xue gave a 90° bow.

'He's a good person.' Li Luo was shocked when he saw Han Xue greet him, the drunkard.

"Han Xue, Be my Disciple."

"Huh...? Han Xue was surprised when he heard Li Luo ask him to become his disciple.

"Elder Li, you may have not heard about it but-" He was cut off by Li Luo.

"Yes, yes I know you are crippled but I want you to be my disciple. Answer me quickly." Li Luo was in a rush as he had only one minute left to live.

'Me being... His disciple?' Han Xue thought to himself. He was considering of declining the offer as he would gain nothing from accepting Li Luo's offer.

But when he thought about his betrayal. His blood boiled, and he greeted his teeth. How could he let them be? He has to take his revenge, right?

And right now he was getting the opportunity. If he really leaves the sect he would most likely die due to bandits or demonic beasts and secondly, he didn't want to leave his only home.

As he didn't hate the sect for expelling him. It was not their fault, to begin with. He knew he was being expelled because of the sword peak elder.

'Damn it!!! What's taking him so long.' He was getting anxious as his time was running out.

If it weren't for the system, he would have forced Han Xue to become his disciple.

But the system as rules as if he forced someone to become his disciple, the system wouldn't acknowledge that.

Han Xue bent his knees lowering his head "I, Han Xue from today onwards accept Elder Li as my master." Han Xue finally decided to become Li Luo's disciple.

'Master should be happy, right?' He thought to himself.

And as he looked at him, he saw Li Luo's tense face. He was grabbing his chest tightly as his breathing was uneven.

His death was just two seconds away. As Li Luo looked at him, he could not help but get angry.

"How the hell did you take so much time in deciding!!!"