The world around us was nothing but movement. The courtyard, once a place of quiet contemplation, had become a battlefield—a place where the clash of wills, the manifestation of power and purpose, reverberated through the very air. Every step I took, every breath I drew, was part of a larger rhythm, a dance of survival against the man who had shaped me into the warrior I had become. My teacher, Qin Shi Huang, stood before me, his blindfolded gaze as steady as ever.
We had been fighting for what felt like hours. Every strike, every counter, was a test of everything I had learned. My body, once weak and untrained, now moved with precision. The Mount Tai Dragon Claw met his every movement, while my Tortoise Ripple held off his relentless attacks. The White Tiger Crescent Moon formed arcs in the air, striking with brutal efficiency. He was unyielding, pushing me harder with each passing moment, and yet, I could feel the change within me, a sense of inevitability rising with every strike I landed.
Qin Shi Huang, despite his age, despite the blindfold covering his eyes, was an unparalleled force. His mastery over the Chi You forms was evident in the fluidity of his movements, and each of his strikes felt like the weight of history itself bearing down upon me. His Shi Huang Yan Cut—the sword form—was a blur of sharpened intent, cutting through the air with the precision of an emperor's will. It was the form of someone who had conquered nations, shattered the very foundations of the world itself, and molded it to his vision.
I could feel the burn in my limbs, the exhaustion threatening to overtake me, but I refused to let it. I had come too far, learned too much, to let it end here.
My feet slid across the stone, my body swaying with the movement, finding the rhythm in the chaos. Each form, each stance, I remembered the countless hours spent practicing, refining, pushing my limits under the harsh tutelage of Qin Shi Huang. And now, all of it—everything I had endured, every sacrifice I had made—was leading to this single moment.
We collided again, our forms a blur of motion. I could feel the weight of his energy, the oppressive force of his presence pushing against me. He was stronger than I had ever imagined. I had believed, at one point, that I might be able to surpass him, but now, as our blows connected with earth-shattering force, I realized just how far I had to go.
A strike came from him—too fast for me to fully counter. I raised my arm to deflect it, but the blow landed with the force of a mountain crashing down upon me. The impact sent me sprawling backward, my feet skidding across the stone as I tried to regain my footing.
I could hear the faintest hint of amusement in his voice as he spoke. "You are strong, Christopher. But strength alone is not enough. Resolve, willpower... it is your mind that will determine if you truly have what it takes to lead."
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to my feet. The pain was unbearable, but I had no choice. I couldn't stop. Not now. Not after everything.
The fight continued.
Minutes passed. Hours, maybe? The passage of time no longer seemed to matter. My body was on the edge of collapse, but I pushed forward, determined to prove to myself that I had earned my place. The fear, the doubt, the uncertainty—all of it had been replaced by something stronger. A singular focus, a relentless will to prove my worth.
And then, in a moment of clarity, I saw it—the opening.
Qin Shi Huang, despite his immense skill, had made a mistake. The tiniest of openings in his defense, a crack in the impenetrable armor of his will. My body moved before my mind could catch up, the Mount Tai Dragon Claw slicing through the air toward his chest.
The impact was immediate. My hand pierced through the cloth of his attire, cutting through the air with the precision of a practiced hand. It struck deep, my hand sliding into the heart of my teacher, my mentor. The world seemed to slow as I watched him stagger back, the look on his face not of pain, but something else.
Something far deeper.
I stood there, my chest rising and falling rapidly, my hand buried in his chest. My heart pounded in my ears, a mixture of disbelief and triumph roaring within me. I had done it. I had won. I had defeated Qin Shi Huang.
But then, he looked at me, and I felt something inside me shift. His eyes, even hidden behind the blindfold, seemed to pierce through me. There was no anger, no resentment in his gaze—just something almost… approving.
I couldn't understand. I had just struck down my teacher, the one who had taught me everything I knew. The one who had shaped me into who I was. Why was he looking at me like this?
Then it struck me. "You could have dodged it." My words carried an immense weight, the kind that seemed to hang in the air like a force. "Why didn't you?"
The question hung there, unanswered for a moment, as the weight of the situation began to sink in. I had struck him down, but why had he let it happen? Why hadn't he stopped me?
Qin Shi Huang smiled, the faintest hint of pride in his expression. "You are worthy." His voice was a mere whisper now, but the words held more weight than anything he had said to me before. "You have learned everything I have to teach. You are ready."
And then, the words I had been waiting for, the words that would change everything.
[You have slain ascended human Qin Shi Huang]
[Your soul grows stronger]
[You have recieved a memory: Veil of the Sovereign's Sight]
[Wake up Christopher! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal...]
The world around me seemed to shudder, a deep rumble reverberating through the ground beneath my feet. My body felt heavy, as if the very weight of what had just happened was catching up with me. The fight, the bloodshed, the victory—it was all over.
I had done it. I had passed the final test.