Li Wei woke up early the next morning, his mind buzzing with the realization that the Immortal Dragon Sect was no longer just a dream. There were now disciples to train, and it was time to move beyond the basics and start giving them real challenges. No more playing around. If they want to get stronger, they need to face real tests.
As he walked to the training grounds, he found Zhou Tian and Chen Yu already warming up. Their swords gleamed under the rising sun, and their movements were full of purpose. Despite the challenges, the two young men seemed eager, as if the training had already begun to ignite a sense of pride in their hearts.
"Alright, gather around!" Li Wei called out, making his presence known.
The two disciples looked up at their sectmaster, who was still groggy but doing his best to appear authoritative. Chen Yu, always the confident one, immediately straightened his posture. Zhou Tian, on the other hand, appeared slightly nervous, wiping sweat off his forehead as he waited for instructions.
Li Wei cleared his throat and struck a dramatic pose, which he thought looked incredibly majestic. "Today is the day your true training begins. To get stronger, you must first face the Trials of the Sect. Only by overcoming them will you earn the right to cultivate with true intent."
Zhou Tian's eyes widened. "Trials? What kind of trials?"
"Simple," Li Wei said, gesturing to the surrounding area. "You must each complete three challenges that will test your strength, your mind, and your spirit. Only by completing them will you prove you are worthy of progressing."
Chen Yu chuckled, clearly unfazed. "Sounds easy enough."
Li Wei shot him a stern look. "Don't underestimate the trials. They are designed to push you beyond your limits. The first trial will test your physical endurance. I will send you to the nearby forest to gather herbs. But there's a catch—you must avoid any monsters you encounter along the way. If you fight, you fail."
Zhou Tian blinked, trying to suppress his excitement. "We're avoiding monsters? Isn't that a little... cowardly?"
Li Wei smiled. "Not cowardly. Smart. If you can't survive without drawing attention, then what good are you as a cultivator? You must learn to outwit your foes. I won't always be there to protect you."
Chen Yu cracked his knuckles. "Got it, Sectmaster. We'll handle this with ease."
Li Wei nodded, watching as the two young men headed off toward the forest. His grin faltered for a moment. Did I just send them into the wild, unprepared? He mentally slapped himself. Of course, they're ready! They've trained for this moment. Or have they?
As he waited by the sect, Li Wei couldn't shake the unease settling in his chest. What if something goes wrong? What if they get hurt?
But after a few hours, Li Wei was pleasantly surprised. Chen Yu and Zhou Tian returned, both panting but carrying a basket of herbs.
"Well done," Li Wei said, though he couldn't mask the relief in his voice. "You avoided all the monsters, and you've brought back what you need. You've completed the first trial."
Chen Yu grinned. "Told you it was easy."
Zhou Tian, on the other hand, wiped his brow and glanced around nervously. "Sectmaster, I didn't see any monsters. It was eerily quiet out there."
Li Wei raised an eyebrow. "Eerily quiet? What do you mean?"
Zhou Tian hesitated, clearly troubled by something. "There were no monsters. Not even a single one. It was... too quiet."
Li Wei's brow furrowed, his mind racing. That's odd. The forest is usually filled with low-level monsters. Could something be wrong?
Yu Zhen, who had been watching the situation from a distance, approached Li Wei. "Sectmaster, I believe the trials you have set are important, but it might be time to consider the bigger picture. The region is weak in spiritual energy, but there may be something more sinister at play. If the monsters are retreating, we need to investigate why."
Li Wei nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. "You're right, Yu Zhen. I've been too focused on making the sect strong. But something's wrong with this place. We need to find out what's going on."
Chen Yu and Zhou Tian exchanged nervous glances. "What do we do now, Sectmaster?" Zhou Tian asked.
Li Wei exhaled deeply. "For now, you've earned a rest. But tomorrow, we'll go to the outskirts of the forest. We need to uncover what's going on. I'll need all of you on high alert. We may not be facing monsters, but that doesn't mean we're safe."
The disciples nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation.
As Li Wei headed back to his quarters that night, the eerie quiet of the region gnawed at him. First, monsters are missing. Now there's something off about the spiritual energy in the air. He clenched his fists. Whatever it is, I will find out. I will protect my sect and make it the strongest, no matter the cost.