Chapter 6: The Challenge Accepted
The intense pain slowly began to recede. The burning sensation in his eyes subsided, and the feeling of hammer blows to his head ceased. Duan Liyang took a deep breath, his body still slick with sweat, but this time he wasn't exhausted. Instead, a strange energy, a newfound vigor, flowed within him.
He opened his eyes. The familiar cracks in the room, the texture of the wood – everything was still visible with the same clarity as with his newly awakened senses. He touched his eyes, trying to feel the blue particles, but they remained invisible, perceptible only to his inner vision.
He focused inward. The faint hum was still there, but now it wasn't just a hum. It was a clear flow, a warm current coursing through his veins. He felt as though his "cultivation foundation" – the unseen bedrock upon which cultivation is built – had become more solid, more stable. It was as if a thin thread had now become a strong rope.
This was no illusion. Duan Liyang clenched his fists. He felt a new strength in his fingers, in his arms. It was more than physical power; it was an internal energy that felt more accessible than ever before. He didn't have precise knowledge of cultivation levels or principles, but he could feel that he had changed. He was no longer the weak 'Level 0' child whom Ren Hao could easily bully. He didn't know when he had reached Level 1, but this pain had only served to strengthen the power within him further.
The first rays of sunlight had entered his hut. Duan Liyang rose from his cot, a new vitality in his body. He needed to understand what all this was, but for now, he had to go to work. A new resolve had settled within him.
As Duan Liyang stepped out of his hut and headed towards the courtyard, his eyes immediately fell upon the group gathered near the main gate. Ren Hao was there, and this time, his face held not just anger, but a triumphant smirk.
He wasn't with his two old companions. Instead, beside him stood a taller, more confident boy whose cultivation aura was clearly far more powerful than Ren Hao's. Duan Liyang's heightened senses immediately told him that this boy was no ordinary opponent.
Ren Hao spotted Duan Liyang and shouted loudly. "Oh, look who it is! It seems you survived the last 'accident,' little worm. But today, your luck won't be so good!"
Duan Liyang walked towards Ren Hao, his gaze fixed directly on the new boy. The boy's eyes were arrogant, and his cultivation aura was distinctly that of Level 3. The energy within Duan Liyang immediately told him that this was an enemy he could not handle with his current abilities. He could fight a Level 1, he could evade a Level 2's attack, but Level 3... that was an entirely different tier.
"Don't be ashamed, Ren Hao," Li Xiao, in a condescending voice, looked at Ren Hao. "It's not shameful to ask for my help to defeat a 'Level 0' child, if that 'Level 0' is getting on your nerves." He laughed, his mirth causing his companions to join in.
Ren Hao immediately began to flatter him. "No, Li Xiao! I merely wished to witness a small display of your magnificent power. This trash is nothing before your greatness."
Li Xiao looked at Duan Liyang, disdain in his eyes. "So you're the child who shamed Ren Hao? You have some courage, but courage isn't everything."
Before Duan Liyang could say anything, Li Xiao raised his hand. He made no swift movement, displayed no complex technique. He simply sent a direct, powerful punch towards Duan Liyang. Duan Liyang's heightened vision saw the punch in slow motion; he could feel the flow of the air, but this time, the air itself was powering the punch. He could not dodge.
Li Xiao's punch landed squarely in Duan Liyang's stomach. Duan Liyang felt as if all the air had been knocked out of his body. He was flung into the air like a doll and landed several feet away, groaning in pain.
This was far deeper than any pain he had felt before. His bones trembled, and the energy within him was in disarray.
Ren Hao and Li Xiao's companions began to laugh.
"Look! This is your true place, trash man!" Ren Hao guffawed.
Duan Liyang looked at Li Xiao and Ren Hao from where he lay on the ground. There was pain in his eyes, but a far deeper fury. This wasn't just a personal insult; it was a painful demonstration of his weakness. He knew he couldn't defeat them now. Not yet.
Slowly, Duan Liyang got to his knees, gasping in pain. He looked at Li Xiao and Ren Hao. His voice was weak, but it held an iron resolve.
"I... I cannot defeat you today," Duan Liyang said, his teeth clenched. "But this is not over." He looked into Li Xiao's eyes. "Give me one month. In one month, I will take my revenge!"
Li Xiao's laughter stopped. For a moment, surprise flickered in his eyes, then arrogance returned. "One month? A Level 0 piece of trash, taking revenge on a Level 3 cultivator in one month? That's the biggest joke I've heard all day." He looked at Duan Liyang with contempt. "Fine, little worm. I'll grant you that month. But if, after one month, you can't even touch me, then I'll throw you out of the Xiao family forever. Remember that."
Li Xiao and Ren Hao laughed as they walked away, leaving Duan Liyang groaning in pain on the ground. Duan Liyang lay there, the resolve of that one-month challenge burning in his eyes.
Just then, a familiar figure swiftly moved through the crowd towards Duan Liyang. It was the chubby boy, his face contorted with worry. He knelt beside Duan Liyang, his heart sinking at the sight of his bruised and pained face.
"Duan Liyang! Are you okay?" the chubby boy asked anxiously, his voice laced with fear and concern. He helped Duan Liyang and slowly tried to lift him. "This Li Xiao is truly ruthless! You shouldn't have taken that challenge! He might actually kill you!"
Duan Liyang was still groaning with pain, but he used the chubby boy's support to stand. "I'm fine, Fatty," he said, his voice still weak. "I'm just a little hurt."
The chubby boy began to help him towards his hut. "You're crazy! Li Xiao isn't just arrogant, I've heard he's incredibly vicious. He might intentionally cripple you on the day of the challenge! You should leave this family, Duan Liyang! You're not safe here!" the chubby boy cried out, his voice filled with deep worry.
Duan Liyang looked at the chubby boy, a firm glint in his eyes that pain could not extinguish. "Don't worry, Fatty," he said, a stern resolve on his face. "I will teach him a good lesson. This is a matter of my honor, and yours too."
The chubby boy shook his head, his concern undiminished. "But... but how will you...?" He knew that Duan Liyang's current strength was nothing compared to Li Xiao's. "How will such a huge difference appear in one month?"
Duan Liyang gave no reply. He simply continued towards his hut with the chubby boy's support, only one thought in his mind: One month. In one month, he had to become powerful enough to defeat Li Xiao.
That night, back in his hut, Duan Liyang closed the door and sat on his cot. Today's fight had deeply affected him. He clenched his fist, trying to feel the energy within him. He focused on the faint hum, and began drawing air into his lungs, just as he had before.
As he immersed himself in cultivation, he felt a strange sensation. His eyes were closed, but he felt as if something was changing within his eyes, where his pupils were.
It wasn't pain, but a cold, subtle pulling. He opened his eyes and touched them with his fingers. He felt nothing, but as he removed his fingers and opened his palm to look at himself, he saw a change.
In the very center of his dark pupils, where they were deepest black, now tiny, microscopic blue particles seemed to float. They were so small that it was hard to see them without close attention, but they were there, swirling like an invisible, subtle vortex.
It was a transformation only visible to him, a sign invisible to the outside world, but to Duan Liyang, it was a profound mystery that something new and powerful was developing within him.
The next morning, it was still dark when Duan Liyang's eyes suddenly opened. There was no dream, but an intense, unbearable pain had returned to his head. It spread to his eyes, as if the blue particles swirling within his pupils were now burning like fire.
He was gasping, drenched in sweat, but this time there was no blurry vision or dream. Just pure, sharp pain gripping his mind and eyes. He gritted his teeth, clutched his pillow tightly, and waited for the pain to subside.
The pain slowly began to recede when Duan Liyang heard a soft knocking from outside his hut. He opened his eyes, still feeling a faint sting of pain. He rose from his cot and moved towards the door. As he opened it, he found Xiang Rui standing before him, her face etched with concern.
As Duan Liyang stepped out of the hut, Xiang Rui saw him, and for a moment, surprise flickered in her eyes, then it turned into anger and worry. "You foolish little boy!" she almost shrieked, her voice not of anger, but deep concern.
"You've only just reached the age for cultivation, and you've challenged a Level 3 cultivator? Do you have any idea how cruel and ruthless Li Xiao is? He might kill you on the day of the challenge!"
Duan Liyang was a little taken aback by Xiang Rui's profound concern. It felt remarkably good to know that someone cared so much for him. "I'm fine, Xiang Rui," he said, his voice still firm despite his body feeling battered. "I will defeat him. I will teach him a lesson in one month."
Xiang Rui looked into Duan Liyang's eyes. There was no trace of fear in those innocent eyes, only an unwavering resolve. Seeing his courage, a faint, understanding smile spread across Xiang Rui's face, a smile that held both admiration and a touch of mischief. She shook her head. "Alright," she said, her voice now carrying a light chuckle. "Then show me what you can do."
Xiang Rui finished speaking, then reached into her pocket and took out a small, white pellet. It looked like a tiny pearl, emitting a refreshing, faint aroma. "This is a 'Nectar Wind Pellet'," she said, placing the pellet in Duan Liyang's palm. "My grandfather made this. It will help stabilize the energy within you and ease the internal pressure from your practice. It's not particularly valuable, but it will be useful in difficult times."
"And listen, little brother," she said, her voice now very soft. "You can call me 'Big Sister,' if you like." She gave Duan Liyang's head a gentle pat, and then, with a final smile, she turned and walked towards the Xiao family's main compound. Duan Liyang stood there, Xiang Rui's words and the 'Nectar Wind Pellet' in his palm echoing in his mind. 'Big Sister.' He had never had a family, and that word, spoken with such intimacy, filled his heart with a strange warmth.
End of Chapter 6