Testing the limits

Xing Wuye wandered through the bustling streets of the city, his steps slow and aimless. His dark, cold eyes scanned the faces of the people as they passed him by—some busy with their lives, others suffering in silence, some even causing harm. His once fiery spirit had dulled, the spark that Mei Ling had nurtured inside him extinguished by her death. Now, as he walked among these mortals, he felt nothing but an empty void.

In the alleys, he watched as a man was dragged into a corner by a group of thugs. The man's pleas for mercy echoed faintly through the street, but Wuye didn't stop. He didn't intervene. He didn't care. His heart remained frozen, untouched by the cruelty around him.

On another street, a group of children cried as a merchant slapped their hands away, barking at them to get lost. He accused them of trying to steal his wares. Wuye's eyes flickered in their direction but quickly moved on. Strength, or the lack of it, dictated their fate.

"What's the point of power?" he muttered under his breath, his voice low and bitter. Power had done nothing to protect Mei Ling. Power hadn't saved her. But still, despite the coldness that had settled into his heart, a thought nagged at him—the realization that true power, the kind he had been too weak to possess, was the only thing that could change the world. The only thing that could prevent more tragedy.

As the hours passed, he grew sick of the city. The noise, the people, the smell of filth. It all clawed at his senses, filling him with a deep revulsion. He had seen enough. The mortals and their petty lives held no interest for him. They were weak, and he despised weakness. With a deep sigh, Wuye made his decision. It was time to leave.

He slipped out of the city without a word, passing through the gates and into the wilds beyond. His feet carried him toward the distant mountains, a place where he could be alone, where the quiet of nature could calm the storm raging within him.

It didn't take long for Wuye to find a location that seemed right for him. The mountain he stood before was tall, its peaks shrouded in mist, and more importantly, the air around it was thick with Qi. He could feel the energy in his bones, a natural flow that ran through the area like a river of power.

"This place will do," he whispered to himself, his gaze sharpening as he scanned the mountain for a suitable place to settle.

After a short search, he found what he was looking for—a cave hidden deep within the mountainside. The entrance was overgrown with moss and vines, but Wuye could feel the pulse of energy coming from within. It was an ideal place to seclude himself and cultivate, to regain his focus. But as he stepped inside, something stirred in the darkness.

A low growl echoed from the depths of the cave, and Wuye's hand immediately went to the hilt of his sword. From the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes locked onto him, filled with primal fury. The creature emerged slowly, its massive form stepping into the dim light filtering through the cave entrance. It was a tiger-like beast, its fur dark as night, its muscles rippling with power. Qi radiated from its body in waves, a clear sign that this wasn't just any ordinary beast.

"A demonic beast...no?" Wuye muttered in confusion, his eyes narrowing. He had heard that demonic beasta where at the level of body tempering daoist—beasts that had embarked on their own unique Daoist path, using their natural energy to cultivate and grow stronger. This one was different. He could feel its strength, its power equivalent to his own. It had reached the level of a Qi Condensation cultivator, just like him.

For a moment, Wuye considered using his sword to end the battle quickly. But then he shook his head. "No," he whispered to himself. "I'll use my fists." He threw his sword aside and clenched his hands into fists, taking a low fighting stance. He had always preferred hand-to-hand combat, and if he was going to challenge himself, it had to be this way.

The beast growled again, its muscles tensing as it prepared to lunge. Its massive body coiled like a spring, and then it shot forward, its claws outstretched and fangs bared. Wuye darted to the side, dodging the initial attack with ease. But as the beast's claws passed by him, its tail swung around like a whip. Wuye barely had time to raise his arms in defense before the tail struck him with a force that sent him flying backward.

His back slammed into the cave wall, the impact rattling his bones. But before the beast could press its advantage, Wuye planted his feet against the wall and launched himself forward, using the momentum to fly toward the beast like a cannonball.

The beast roared, opening its maw wide and firing a concentrated blast of Qi in his direction. Wuye's mind raced. He was in midair with no time to dodge, but he refused to be outmaneuvered. Quickly, he pushed a wave of Qi downward, propelling himself up and over the blast just in time. The ground below him exploded, sending debris flying in every direction.

But Wuye wasn't done. He was still flying toward the beast, so it swiped at him with one massive paw. In an instant, he rotated his body midair, sliding along the surface of the beast's paw as though it were nothing more than an obstacle in his path. His hand slammed into the beast's throat with a burst of Qi, causing it to let out a pained roar.

Activating Wind Stride, Wuye dashed out of the beast's sight, using the burst of speed to position himself at its blind side. But the beast was quick, reacting almost instantly by swinging its tail in his direction again. This time, however, Wuye was ready. He ducked under the tail and countered with a Gale Burst Fist, landing a solid punch to the side of the beast's face. The force of the blow sent the beast staggering to the side, its roar echoing through the cave.

But it wasn't done yet. The beast let out a deafening roar, filled with Qi, that sent a shockwave through the cave. The force of the roar blasted Wuye off his feet, slamming him into the wall once again. His vision blurred for a moment as the beast charged toward him, its jaws open wide, ready to clamp down on him.

Wuye's mind raced as he struggled to regain his composure. The beast was upon him, pinning him against the wall, its massive body pressing down on him with crushing force. Its fangs snapped dangerously close to his face, but Wuye reacted on instinct. He bit down on the beast's paw, his teeth sinking into the thick fur and tearing a chunk of flesh away.

The beast howled in pain, giving Wuye the opening he needed. With his dislocated arm dangling uselessly at his side, he slid out from under the beast, his free hand driving into the beast's eye. His fingers pierced through the soft tissue, causing the beast to thrash wildly in agony.

Breathing heavily, Wuye jumped back, assessing the situation. His arm hung limply at his side, dislocated from the beast's earlier attack. Gritting his teeth, he tried to pop it back into place, but the pain was too much. It would have to wait.

The beast, though injured, was far from defeated. It snarled, its one good eye locked onto him, its body coiled and ready to strike again. Wuye's gaze flickered to his sword, lying on the ground a few feet away. He needed it. Without wasting another second, he dashed toward the blade, his movements swift and precise.

The beast, sensing his intentions, lunged after him, its massive form barreling toward him with frightening speed. Wuye's heart raced, his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword as the beast closed in. Just as the beast was about to slam into him, he activated Wind Stride, the sudden burst of speed allowing him to grab the sword and spin around in one fluid motion.

The beast crashed into him, the force of the impact sending tremors through the cave. For a moment, everything went still. Then, slowly, the beast's body began to tremble. Wuye staggered back, breathing heavily, his sword embedded deep within the beast's eye socket, piercing through to its brain.

With one final, shuddering breath, the beast collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Wuye stood over the beast's body, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. His mind was racing, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. As he knelt down, he began to dig into the beast's corpse, searching for its core. His fingers wrapped around a small, glowing crystal embedded in the beast's chest—the core of its Qi.

"This will be useful," Wuye muttered to himself, pulling the crystal free from the beast's body. But as he held the crystal in his hand, his thoughts turned inward.

"I should have scouted the area more carefully," he said quietly, berating himself for his recklessness. "I should have set a trap, made a plan. Instead, I rushed in like a fool."

He clenched the crystal tightly in his fist, his eyes narrowing in frustration. His emotions had clouded his judgment. He had let his grief, his anger, and his emptiness drive him into a dangerous situation without thinking clearly. And he had rushed in recklessly, nearly losing his life in the process.

Wuye took a deep breath, pushing down the swirling emotions. He stared at the beast's crystal for a moment, feeling the faint pulse of energy within it. The battle had taught him something important—he needed control. He needed to keep his emotions in check, or they would get him killed.

Slowly, he stood up, tucking the beast's core into his robe. The cave was quiet now, only the distant sound of the wind howling through the mountain pass breaking the silence. Wuye's gaze lingered on the beast's lifeless body, and a grim realization settled over him.

Strength alone wasn't enough. It had to be tempered by intelligence, by strategy, and most importantly, by a clear mind. Power was essential, but it had to be wielded with precision. His feelings, his emotions—they were weaknesses he couldn't afford to indulge any longer.

"I have to change," he whispered to himself, his voice cold and detached. "If I want to survive in this world, if I want to become strong enough... I have to bury the part of me that hesitates."