A Heavy Hand
The moment I stepped into the Shadow Pavilion's underground training hall, Master Hei's fist slammed into my stomach.
The impact sent me skidding backward, my ribs screaming in pain.
I barely caught myself before collapsing.
"What the hell.... " I gasped, clutching my abdomen.
Master Hei loomed over me, his expression cold.
"Tell me, Lu Tian," he said. "How did it feel?"
I gritted my teeth. "How did what feel?"
"Killing," he said simply.
The room fell silent.
....
The Blood on My Hands
I thought back to the rogue cultivator.
His eyes. His final breath.
The blood pooling beneath him.
I wasn't haunted by it.
But I wasn't numb either.
I looked Master Hei in the eye.
"I did what had to be done."
Master Hei studied me.
Then...
He grinned.
"Good."
...
The Real Training Begins
The next month was brutal.
Master Hei didn't hold back anymore.
Every day was a fight against death itself.
Blade Techniques.. I trained until my hands bled, until my strikes were as fast as lightning.
Stealth and Assassination.. Learning to erase my presence completely.
Qi Suppression.. Hiding my cultivation to seem harmless.
Close-Quarter Combat.. Fights where a single mistake meant death.
Master Hei broke me.
Then he rebuilt me.
By the end of the training.....
I wasn't the same Lu Tian anymore.
...
A Visit from the Sect
One evening, as I was sharpening my dagger, I felt it....
A powerful presence.
I turned.
Two men in Azure Sky Sect robes stood at the entrance to the Shadow Pavilion's hall.
Their golden emblems marked them as Inner Disciples.
"Lu Tian?" one of them called out.
I wiped the sweat from my brow. "Who's asking?"
The taller disciple frowned.
"The Sect Master has summoned you."
I blinked.
The Sect Master?
My pulse quickened.
Why was I being summoned now?
....
A Dangerous Invitation
Master Hei didn't seem surprised when I told him.
Instead, he chuckled.
"It seems the sect is finally paying attention," he mused.
I frowned. "Why now?"
"Your growth hasn't gone unnoticed," he said. "And the Azure Sky Sect isn't stupid."
My hands clenched.
"Is this a good thing?"
Master Hei's smile was cryptic.
"That depends," he said.
"On whether they see you as a disciple… or a threat."