The night's restless unease lingered with Li long after he woke. The vivid dream of the red dragon weighed on him, its fiery eyes haunting the edges of his thoughts. He clenched his fists, staring at the faint light of dawn seeping through his chamber window. The sensation of the dragon's voice, the curse by the being of light which Li felt had significant relation to him, and the raw power etched into his veins were unshakable.
The scene of tearing space and the controlling the universe, the great power exerted by the red dragon were etched deeply in his mind. They kept distracting him from all his activities.
"I can't keep going like this," Li muttered to himself, the weight of his words echoing in the emptiness of his room.
Li decided to throw himself into his daily routine. Perhaps sword practice and cultivation would help clear his mind—or at least give him some reprieve from the troubling thoughts swirling in his head.
In the training yard, Zhang Wei awaited him. The senior disciple leaned casually against a tree, his sword resting lazily across his shoulder. "You're late, Junior Brother Li," he said with a sly grin.
"Apologies, Senior Brother," Li said, bowing slightly.
"Apologies won't make up for lost time. Let's see if your sword can do the talking instead." Zhang Wei tossed his sword into the air, catching it with ease as he stepped onto the practice field.
The two began their training. Zhang Wei was relentless, his strikes precise and swift, each one a lesson in control and power.
"Focus, Li!" Zhang Wei barked as Li narrowly dodged an overhead slash.
'Why are you so sluggish today? What's eating you up? Zhang Wei asked as he let loose a forward strike.
Li adjusted his footing, blocking the next strike in a clumsy manner, almost staggering. "I'm trying!"
"Trying isn't enough. What did I tell you about anticipation? Read my movements. Don't react—predict and focus!" Zhang Wei pivoted, swinging low.
Li saw the move coming, tried to sidestep and counter with a strike of his own but his movement was super clumsy and if Zhang Wei had not pulled back immediately, would have stroke him on the head.
Zhang Wei slashed forward again and this time Li managed to counter it. Their swords clashed, the sound ringing out like a bell in the quiet morning air.
Zhang Wei stepped back, lowering his sword. "Better. But you're distracted. Your body's here, but your mind isn't."
Li hesitated, debating whether to confide in Zhang Wei about the dreams. But something held him back. Instead, he shook his head. "I'll do better, Senior Brother."
"You'd better," Zhang Wei replied, though his tone was less stern this time. He gave Li a firm pat on the shoulder. "Whatever's bothering you, resolve it. A distracted mind can get you killed."
After the session, Li retreated to his chamber, determined to focus on cultivation. He still had ten more meridians to open and time was running out.
He crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and drew in the surrounding qi. The energy flowed through his body, steady and unyielding, the energy was intoxicating and he kept drawing harder and harder on it as he chanted the Qi controlling mantra but no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts drifted back to the dream.
He saw the motes of liquid coming out of his skin. He saw them form into the shape of a dragon. He saw the red dragon again, its gaze piercing and unrelenting as it fought its many adversaries and defeated them. Then that deep penetrating gaze and voice as the dragon turned to him. Its voice echoed in his mind: You carry my blood.
Li's concentration faltered, and he opened his eyes, frustration etched on his face. "What does it mean?" he whispered to himself.
By the fourth day of restless nights and uneasy cultivation sessions, Li decided he needed answers. The only person he trusted to give him guidance was the sect master, his master.
"I'll tell him everything," Li resolved. He adjusted his robe and stepped out of his chamber, his heart pounding with uncertainty.
As he made his way toward the sect master's quarters, a voice called out, dripping with mockery.
"Well, well, if it isn't the little prodigy everyone's whispering about."
Li turned to see Zhu Yan, one of Bai Chen's lackeys, leaning casually against a stone pillar. His smirk was as sharp as the blade strapped to his side.
Zhu yan was twelve years old. Had been in the sect for over five years but was just in the third stage of blood refining realm. He was from an average family and saw clinging to Bai Chen who was a young master from a prosperous family as a way of climbing the social ladder. He was there when Bai Chen had his fight with Li.
"What do you want, Zhu Yan?" Li asked, his tone calm but firm.
Zhu Yan pushed off the pillar, sauntering toward him. "What do I want? Oh, nothing much. Just curious how someone like you managed to earn all this attention. Three meridians in two weeks? Sounds like a fairytale to me."
Li's eyes narrowed. "Believe what you want. I have no time for your games."
As he turned to leave, Zhu Yan's voice cut through the air like a blade. "Running away already? I thought you were stronger than that. Or is it all just an act?"
Li paused, his grip tightening. "If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, step aside."
Zhu Yan laughed, the sound grating and full of contempt. "Oh, I have plenty to say, but I'd rather show you. How about we settle this here and now? Or are you afraid to face someone who won't go easy on you?"
A crowd began to gather, inner sect disciples drawn by the tension in the air. Whispers filled the space as Zhu Yan stepped forward, drawing his sword.
'Three meridians open! Is this a joke or something?' asked one of the boys in the crowd.
'I think it's a lie being spread by Li because of the sound beating he received from Bai Chen last time' replied another
'But to what end? Another disciple, seeming more sensible than the others asked
Seeing the crowd of inner sect disciples gathered, Zhu Yan became more cocky.
'Are you chicken? If not then come, lets spare. Afterall I see you training daily with the best sword disciple, senior Zhang Wei' Zhu Yan taunted
"Fine," Li said, unable to bear the taunt as anymore as his boil seem to boil. His voice was steady despite the fire building inside him. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
The two squared off in the courtyard, the crowd forming a loose circle around them. Zhu Yan's grin widened as he raised his sword. "I'll make this quick."
Li didn't reply, his focus narrowing to the blade in Zhu Yan's hand.
Zhu Yan lunged first, his strikes aggressive and unrelenting. Li parried and dodged, his movements fluid and controlled. The clash of their swords rang out, each strike a testament to their skill.
"You're not bad," Zhu Yan admitted, though his tone was still mocking. "But let's see how long you can keep up."
He unleashed a flurry of attacks, his blade moving in unpredictable arcs. Li countered each one, his training with Zhang Wei evident in his precision.
The crowd murmured in surprise as Li began to push back, forcing Zhu Yan onto the defensive.
'he actually seems to be having the upper hand' said an inner sect disciple
'Nah, I think senior brother Zhu Yan is just playing with him. Once he gets serious, he will beat him within two moves' replied another.
'I doubt it. Senior brother Zhu Yan seems to be having a difficult time beating him' the first disciple said
Li heard the surrounding argument and decided to end the fight decisively.
"You talk too much," Li said, his strikes gaining momentum.
Zhu Yan's smirk faltered as he struggled to keep up. "You little—"
Li saw his opening and took it, disarming Zhu Yan with a swift, calculated move. His sword tip hovered inches from Zhu Yan's throat.
There was an initial shocked silence as everyone present looked at Zhu Yan's prone figure on the ground. Then the crowd erupted into cheers and whispers, the tide of opinion shifting in Li's favor.
Zhu Yan stumbled back, his face red with humiliation.
"This isn't over," Zhu Yan spat before retreating into the crowd.
'Any time' Li replied, as he sheathed his sword, his breath steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. The crowd dispersed, but their whispers lingered, a mixture of awe and respect.
As Li turned back toward the sect master's quarters, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had forgotten something important he was about to do before being intercepted by Zhu Yan. But try as much as he could, he couldn't recall what it was.