The golden rays of dawn spilled across the valley as Ling Fei rose from his makeshift bed in the small hut he now called home. The events of the previous day lingered in his mind—Shen Tao's teachings, the system's guidance, and the burden of the path he had chosen.
> [Quest Reminder: Strengthen Your Core – Successfully perform 100 enhanced strikes.]
Ling Fei exhaled sharply. "One step at a time," he murmured, stepping outside into the crisp morning air.
---
The training grounds Shen Tao had mentioned were a short walk from the hut, a clearing surrounded by towering trees. A large boulder sat at its center, its surface smooth and worn from years of weathering.
Ling Fei set his satchel aside and rolled up his sleeves. He clenched his fists, channeling Qi into his arms as he prepared to begin his practice of the Iron Fist Strike.
The first strike landed with a dull thud against the boulder.
> [Strike Registered: 1/100.]
The feedback from the system brought a faint smile to his lips.
"Only ninety-nine more to go," he muttered, steadying his stance.
---
By the time he reached his fiftieth strike, sweat drenched Ling Fei's body, and his arms felt like lead. His Qi reserves were depleting rapidly, and the strain of maintaining enhanced strikes began to take its toll.
He collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.
> [Warning: Qi reserves critically low. Rest recommended.]
"Not yet," Ling Fei said through gritted teeth. He reached for the Qi Resonance Pendant hanging from his neck and focused on its calming warmth. Slowly, the flow of Qi within his body stabilized, though it was far from replenished.
Shen Tao's words echoed in his mind: "Cultivation isn't just about brute force. It's about endurance, strategy, and knowing your limits."
With a deep breath, Ling Fei decided to take a brief pause. He closed his eyes, entering a meditative state to recover what little Qi he could.
---
The Intruder
As Ling Fei meditated, the faint sound of footsteps disrupted his focus. His eyes snapped open, and he turned toward the source of the noise.
A figure emerged from the shadows of the trees—a young man clad in dark robes, his expression one of disdain.
"Well, what do we have here?" the stranger sneered. "A fledgling cultivator playing at training?"
Ling Fei rose to his feet, his body tense. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
The man smirked. "Name's Zhao Chen. I've been watching you, and I couldn't help but notice that pendant around your neck. Looks valuable."
Ling Fei's hand instinctively went to the pendant. "It's mine. Leave now, and there won't be any trouble."
Zhao Chen laughed, drawing a short blade from his belt. "Trouble? You think someone like you can stop me?"
---
Zhao Chen lunged, his blade glinting in the sunlight. Ling Fei barely managed to dodge, the weapon slicing through the air mere inches from his face.
"System, help me out here!" Ling Fei shouted internally.
> [Emergency Quest Activated: Defend the Qi Resonance Pendant.]
Defeat Zhao Chen and protect your pendant.
Reward: +20 Sign-In Points, +1 Beginner Technique Scroll.
Ling Fei gritted his teeth. He couldn't afford to lose. Channeling what little Qi he had left, he launched into the Iron Fist Strike, aiming for Zhao Chen's midsection.
The punch connected, sending Zhao Chen stumbling back, but it wasn't enough to stop him.
"You've got spirit," Zhao Chen growled, wiping blood from his lip. "But spirit won't save you."
The next exchange was brutal. Ling Fei was faster, but Zhao Chen's weapon gave him the upper hand. Shallow cuts began to mar Ling Fei's arms as he struggled to evade the blade.
Just as Ling Fei felt his strength waning, the system's voice rang out:
> [Bonus Activated: Qi Resonance Pendant's hidden effect triggered. Temporary Qi regeneration increased by 50%.]
A surge of energy coursed through Ling Fei's body. His senses sharpened, and his movements grew faster.
When Zhao Chen lunged again, Ling Fei sidestepped smoothly, landing a powerful punch to the man's wrist. The blade flew from Zhao Chen's hand, clattering to the ground.
Before Zhao Chen could react, Ling Fei followed up with a kick to his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground, unable to move because of pain.
Zhao Chen coughed violently, glaring up at Ling Fei. "You… You'll regret this."
Ling Fei grabbed the blade from the ground and then....slashed it at Zhao Chen's arms, cutting them and crippling him. Zhao Chen tried to dodge with his battered body but Ling Fei was too fast and swift.
He then feed him a qi recovery pill forcefully. The pill could help in stopping the bleeding.
"I wouldn't give you enough chance for something like this to happen again. Now eat it to stop the bleeding and scram to wherever you came from. "
Zhao Chen was furious, heartbroken and in despair. But he could only gritt his teeth and run away to save his life.
> [Quest Completed: Defend the Qi Resonance Pendant.]
Rewards: +20 Sign-In Points, +1 Beginner Technique Scroll.
...
As the forest grew quiet once more, Ling Fei sank to his knees, exhaustion washing over him.
The system's voice chimed in again.
> [Additional Quest Progress: Strengthen Your Core – 75/100 enhanced strikes completed.]
Despite his fatigue, a small smile formed on Ling Fei's lips. He'd survived his first real fight—and gained a newfound resolve.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the clearing in hues of gold and crimson as Ling Fei prepared to continue his training.