Chapter 1 Senior Brother's Parting Words

"Finally I've made it."

"This is my first step on the road of cultivation!"

"Remember my name Xiao Hua, once I ascend to the Peak you can say you knew me in my youth."

"Heh you think you're special?"

"Haha, you're all buffoons, my father is in the Qi Gathering Realm, you bumpkins think you can beat me?"

At the gate of the Demonic Cliff Sect, numerous youngsters around 12 years of age were bubbling with excitement. Today would be the day they entered the most prestigious Sect in the Flood Dragon Kingdom. They had passed test after test to get to this point and naturally they couldn't be happier now that their dreams were coming true.

Eventually the acceptance ceremony was held, and the over a hundred new disciples entered the Sect and were provided a residence along with a small book detailing the rules and life within the Sect.

Days soon passed, and after settling down the youngsters had grown accustomed to life within the Demonic Cliff Sect. It was hard, but also quite pleasant at times. Despite the Sect's name the Demonic Cliff Sect wasn't all that "Demonic", rather its name came from the Cliff it was situated upon.

Soon a year went by. Although the youngsters weren't all that old just yet, they weren't the youngest now either as a new batch of disciples were accepted about a week prior. Life wasn't all that interesting or enjoyable to these disciples, but simply mundane.

"Have you heard, Senior Brother Zhang was challenged at Sea Glass City."

"Senior Brother Zhang!? Does the challenger have a screw loose?"

"That's what I thought at first, but apparently the challenger is from outside the Kingdom. They're probably unaware of his power."

Currently discussions such as this one were taking place throughout the Demonic Cliff Sect and Sea Glass City itself. After all Senior Brother Zhang, also known as Zhang Wuji, was one of if not the top figure within the younger generation.

Naturally any and all battles Zhang Wuji partook in would be watched by many eyes, and this was no exception. This was especially true for this fight, after all who would want to see the local champion get defeated by a foreign opponent.

---

Today was the day of the fight. The normally busy streets of Sea Glass City were even busier than usual as people rushed in droves to witness the fight.

"ZHANG WUJI!"

"ZHANG WUJI!"

"ZHANG WUJI!"

The people chanted vigorously filling the arena with their excitement.

At one end of the platform stood a boy about 15 years of age. He had black eyes, long black hair, and similarly dressed in large black robes. In fact the robes seemed to be a bit too big, almost as if the boy stole the robes of an older brother. This was the challenger. No one knew his name, but no one underestimated his power.

A few days ago the boy had cause a big ruckus within the City, but no one knew who he was or where he came from. This led to the conclusion that the boy came from outside the Kingdom, after all why wouldn't they know of such a young yet powerful person, only Zhang Wuji could compare to him in their eyes.

Standing opposite the boy, was a taller and more mature youth. This was of course Zhang Wuji. Clad in grey robes, his medium length black hair was tied into a small bun, while his brown eyes were locked onto his opponent. At his waist hung a sheathed sword with a golden hilt.

Zhang Wuji raised his hand, and in an instant the crowd quieted down. "Are you ready?" He asked the boy opposite him. To this the boy simply nodded. Seeing this, a man standing underneath the platform struck a gong.

"GONG!"

---

The atmosphere of the Demonic Cliff Sect was tense. Zhang Wuji was sat atop a boulder, overlooking the a number of the disciples. His hair was disheveled and his eyes seemed hollow, almost empty.

Scanning the crowd in front of him, Zhang Wuji couldn't help but let out a sigh. "I pity you." He then stood up shakily, the aura he gave off was that of a completely broken spirit.

Zhang Wuji had been unmatched, undefeated, and peerless. Keyword being "had". Yesterday he lost, and it wasn't a close loss either. To make matters worse his opponent was even younger than him.

Standing before them, a smile slowly crept onto Zhang Wuji's face before he began laughing hysterically.

"What's this all worth? Why did I put so much effort into cultivating, I am simply a big fish in a small pond. Even a 15 year old beat me, I've never lost to anyone my age, much less someone younger than me. One fist... all in one fist." Zhang Wuji could barely stop himself from breaking down there and then.

"....But I am also happy I lost, it woke me up. Cultivation, is pointless. We continue day after day, striving harder and harder, but guess what? There's always someone better. And its not just 1 or 2, or even 10 people, but 100s and 1000s. As you all know I lost, but you know what makes it even worse? That boy, he told me one thing after defeating me. He's not a Core Disciple of his Sect, not even an Inner Disciple, but an OUTER DISCIPLE!" He roared.

Hearing this the disciples' faces paled. They knew what it meant to be an Outer Disciple but be so terrifyingly strong. It meant that, that boy was not all that special, it meant that he was average or even subpar, but even he was leagues above their Senior Brother, the strongest genius in the Flood Dragon Kingdom.

What did that make all of them, trash? Worse than trash? What was the point of cultivating if there was such a large disparity? Was there a point in participating in cultivation in that case? So what if they could be above regular people, was it worth their time to strive endlessly and train tirelessly.

"So today I am here to make my final declaration as your Senior Brother. My road of cultivation ends here, and I hope you all will follow suit, lest you realise you wasted away your years for nothing." With that Zhang Wuji jumped off the boulder before heading out of the Sect, this was the end of his cultivation.

Simultaneously the disciples were processing his words. They were all undeniably worse than Zhang Wuji, if even he saw it as pointless why should they struggle on. Naturally they didn't all begin quitting there and then, but to say their mentality hadn't shifted would also be untrue.

Of course, while Zhang Wuji's speech had been seen as very depressing to most disciples, there was one boy, in a small corner of the crowd who had a different point of view.

'A big fish in a small pond. In that case what about the sea or the ocean. Looking at it this way cultivation would be pointless for everyone apart from a select few. In that case why cultivate? Lifespan? Why would one want to be mediocre forever. Zhang Wuji's perspective is simply wrong. Cultivating to surpass others, to dominate others, to live longer, they're all valid reasons, but the true reason to cultivate is to surpass oneself....yes this is it!' A boy concluded.

And thus his struggle began, not against the Heavens or any Heaven Defying Geniuses, but a struggle against himself. To push himself as far as he could.