Wei Ying stepped out of his room, only to be confronted by four bandits standing before him, with swords in their hands. Wei Ying regarded them with an air of indifference.
"We've come for you, Wei Ying," the first bandit sneered, his bald head gleaming in the light. His toned physique rippled beneath his skin as he flexed his muscles. "Today, you will die."
Wei Ying's calm expression never wavered. "And what reason do you have for wanting me dead?" he asked, his voice steady and even.
The bandit snarled, "Why would a dead person want to know?" and charged towards Wei Ying with his sword pointed at his chest.
Wei Ying reacted swiftly, dodging to the left and grabbing the bandit's wrist, twisting it with a precise motion. The bandit's sword clattered to the ground as he cried out in pain. In one fluid motion, Wei Ying snatched up the sword, his grip firm and confident.
Wei Ying smiled serenely. "Since you're here to kill me, it's only natural I do the same."
With a swift, deadly motion, he plunged the sword into the bandit's neck. Blood spattered across Wei Ying's face.
But he closed his eyes, savoring the warm droplets like a refreshing dip in a hot spring on a winter's night.
The rest of the three bandits watched in stunned silence as their companion crumpled to the ground.
They were frozen in shock, their minds reeling with a single, unifying thought: "Is this really a 15-year-old? He didn't even blink when he killed him."
"That's it, we'll attack him together!" the bandits shouted, charging at Wei Ying with fierce battle cries.
Their swords flashed in the light, but Wei Ying dodged and countered with precision, his movements fluid and calculated.
For a while, the fight remained at a stalemate, neither side able to gain the upper hand.
Although I don't lack experience, this body has its own limits," Wei Ying muttered to himself, his voice low and even.
Suddenly, a greyish aura erupted from Wei Ying's body. The bandits' eyes widened in shock, and they involuntarily blurted out, "Rank 1, mid-stage!"
Their resolve didn't falter, however, as they believed they could gain more benefits from the Liu Clan. With renewed ferocity, they launched a barrage of attacks.
Wei Ying's strategy shifted, as he began to defend more and attack less. Yet, whenever he did strike, his blows were precise and aimed at the bandits' vital spots.
"This brat is cunning!" one of the bandits exclaimed. "He's targeting our weak points!"
As the fight wore on, Wei Ying's movements began to slow, and the bandits sensed an opening. One of them seized the opportunity to strike, but as he approached Wei Ying, he was met with a sly smile.
A feeling of dread washed over the bandit as he realized he had fallen into a trap. In the next instant, Wei Ying swung his sword and beheaded the bandit.
With renewed vigor, Wei Ying shifted to the offensive. The remaining two bandits tried to resist, but ultimately, they too fell to Wei Ying's deadly blows.
Wei Ying stood tall, his body drenched in the blood of his vanquished foes. Despite his gruesome appearance, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. He had protected himself and proved his strength.
With a calm demeanor, Wei Ying made his way back to the sect to report that he had advanced to mid stage successfully.
The two guards at the gate eyed Wei Ying warily, their faces pale as they took in his blood-soaked appearance. Then, their eyes widened in shock as they realized who stood before them.
"Wei Ying, why are you here?" they stuttered.
"I've come to report that I've advanced to mid-stage," Wei Ying replied calmly.
The guards exchanged disbelieving glances. "Wei Ying, are you right in the head? It's only been one day, and you're claiming you've advanced to mid-stage?"
Wei Ying smiled serenely and released his aura.
The guards' eyes went wide. "This... this is incredible! He's really advanced to mid-stage!"
They hurried off to report the news to the Sect Elder.
"Sect Elder, sir! One of our disciples has advanced to mid-stage!" they announced.
The Sect Elder looked up, a hint of a smile on his face. "As expected from Zhang Mei. She must have been the one to advance to mid-stage."
The guards hesitated before correcting him. "N-no, sir. It's... Wei Ying who advanced."
The Sect Elder's expression froze, his eyes widening in shock as he said ''let me go and see for myself''
The Sect Elder's expression froze, his eyes widening in shock. "Let me go and see for myself," he said, hastily making his way to where Wei Ying stood.
A moment later, the Sect Elder arrived in front of Wei Ying. But instead of asking about his cultivation, he exclaimed, "Wei Ying, why are you covered in blood?"
Wei Ying bowed respectfully. "I was attacked by bandits, so I killed them."
His voice was calm and straightforward. Even the Sect Elder was taken aback by Wei Ying's nonchalant demeanor.
The two guards whispered to each other, "Did we hear that right? He said he killed them..."
One of the guards nodded, "How old is he, and he's already started killing? This is the behavior of a demonic cultivator..."
The Sect Elder's face turned red with anger. "Silence, you two! You're just guards, and you can't even cultivate. How dare you question his actions? He was attacked, and if he hadn't defended himself, he would have been the one killed!"
The guards bowed their heads, chastised.
The Sect Elder turned to Wei Ying. "Young disciple, we will investigate this incident and determine which clan or forces have ordered the bandits to attack you."
He paused, then asked, "The guards said you've advanced to Rank 1, mid-stage. Can you demonstrate?"
Wei Ying nodded and released his aura.
The Sect Elder's eyes widened in astonishment. "This cultivation speed is incredible! Good, good. As a reward, here are twenty Qi Stones, as well as an advanced combat system."
Wei Ying gratefully accepted the Qi Stones and the advanced combat system, then bid the Sect Elder farewell and left.
As he walked away, his mind began to wander. "Where is Hei Cheng?" he pondered. "In my previous life, he had a fortuitous encounter in this very village. If I can snatch his gains..."
A cunning glint appeared in Wei Ying's eyes as he contemplated the possibilities.