The sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the barren landscape. Xu Mingyan trudged forward, his feet dragging through the dense underbrush. The long road from the village to the Celestial Dawn Sect was arduous, but he didn't mind. Pain had become an old friend to him. The road was just another path to walk on—another obstacle to endure.
The sect was known for its ruthless training, and for good reason. Cultivators who showed even the slightest weakness were discarded, forgotten. Yet, Xu Mingyan wasn't scared. He had no delusions of grandeur, no fantasies of grandeur. He didn't want to stand at the peak of the cultivation world. He only wanted one thing: to survive.
The wind howled through the trees as the final stretch of the path came into view—a towering gate of crimson stone, adorned with intricate carvings of dragons and phoenixes. This was the outer gate of the Celestial Dawn Sect, the threshold between the mortal world and the harsh trials of cultivation.
A sudden gust of wind kicked up dust, and Xu Mingyan coughed, wiping his face with a sleeve. His eyes narrowed, a flicker of determination crossing his features. He had reached the sect, but the real journey had just begun. He was only at the starting line.
The gate, massive and imposing, opened with a low groan, revealing a sprawling courtyard. Within, countless disciples moved about, performing various tasks. Some practiced martial arts, while others engaged in discussions. The air was thick with the aura of cultivation, a strange energy that hung in the air like a living, breathing force.
He stood at the entrance for a moment, taking in the scene, before walking forward with purpose. Despite the anxiety in his chest, there was a strange calmness to his movements. He had arrived.
A voice rang out from behind him, pulling him from his thoughts.
"New recruit, are you?"
Xu Mingyan turned, startled by the sudden interruption. Standing behind him was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, with a face marked by numerous scars. He wore the plain robes of the Celestial Dawn Sect, but the arrogance in his posture was unmistakable.
"Who are you?" Xu Mingyan asked, narrowing his eyes. His words were blunt, not because he was rude, but because there was no need to soften his approach. He was here to survive, not to make friends.
The man smiled, though it was more of a grin than a friendly gesture. "I'm Yan Qi, a disciple of the Outer Sect. You're just a new recruit, right? You'll be joining the others for the initiation ceremony, I assume."
Xu Mingyan nodded slowly. He had expected the usual procedure—an initiation ceremony, a test of strength, perhaps some token battle to prove one's worth. But he had no illusions about what would follow. He wasn't some hopeful, naive child thinking he could make it to the top. No, this was survival. And survival meant being useful to those in power.
"Don't worry, the first test is nothing too difficult. It's just a formality," Yan Qi continued, sensing the quiet intensity radiating off Xu Mingyan. "But you'll find the real challenge is fitting in. There's a hierarchy here, and if you're not at the top, you'll quickly get trampled."
"I'm not here to 'fit in,'" Xu Mingyan replied, his voice low. "I'm here to survive. That's all."
Yan Qi raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the bluntness. "You'll learn soon enough. No one survives alone here."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning. Xu Mingyan said nothing, his gaze shifting toward the distant courtyard. His path was already set, and no amount of talk would sway him.
As he made his way through the sect, the atmosphere grew denser, the air thick with a strange pressure. A few disciples glanced at him as he passed, their expressions indifferent. Xu Mingyan felt the eyes on him, but he didn't care. He had no desire to impress anyone.
He was escorted to a small, sparse room, where a simple cot and a wooden table awaited him. A single window offered a view of the training grounds outside. The walls were bare, save for a single symbol—an ancient seal of the Celestial Dawn Sect—etched into the stone.
The door slammed shut behind him, and Xu Mingyan stood still, taking in the room. It was small and unremarkable, but to him, it was a sanctuary—a place to rest, to gather his thoughts before the next step in his journey.
His mind wandered back to his time as a child, back to the village that had once been his home. The memory of his parents, their faces worn and tired from years of hard work, flashed across his mind. They had died young, their lives claimed by the unforgiving world of cultivation.
He had been left alone, abandoned to the merciless grip of fate. But he hadn't let it break him. No, Xu Mingyan was different. He wasn't some starry-eyed dreamer; he was a survivor. And if he was going to survive here, in this brutal sect, he would need to rely on his wit, his strength, and most importantly, his ability to endure pain.
A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts.
"Enter," Xu Mingyan called, his voice steady.
The door creaked open, and a woman stepped inside. She was tall, with dark hair tied into a tight bun, and wore the robes of an Outer Sect disciple. Her expression was unreadable, and her eyes, cold and calculating, studied him intently.
"I am Suyan, one of the Inner Sect disciples," she said, her voice smooth and authoritative. "I've been assigned to oversee your initiation process. I'll be testing your abilities soon."
Xu Mingyan regarded her with a careful gaze, sensing the power that radiated from her. She was a high-ranking disciple, someone to be wary of, yet he felt no fear. Fear had no place in his heart. Instead, curiosity stirred within him.
"What kind of test?" he asked, his tone cautious but not hostile.
Suyan's lips curled into a faint smile, a knowing glint in her eyes. "A simple one. I'll be assessing your ability to endure. You'll be tested physically and mentally. Only the strong survive here."
Xu Mingyan nodded, his expression calm. He had been through worse.
"Prepare yourself," Suyan said, stepping back toward the door. "I'll take you to the training grounds in an hour. Don't disappoint me."
As the door closed behind her, Xu Mingyan stood silently for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He had been tested before, in harsher conditions than this. The Celestial Dawn Sect may be ruthless, but he had survived worse.
When the time came, Xu Mingyan left his room and followed Suyan to the training grounds, his heart calm, his resolve unwavering.
The training grounds were vast, stretching out like a sea of stone and dirt. A few disciples were already engaged in practice, their movements swift and precise. Xu Mingyan felt the weight of their gazes as he entered, but he paid them no mind. This was his fight, his trial, and no one else mattered.
Suyan led him to a raised platform, where a circle had been drawn in the dirt. She stepped into the circle, her gaze never leaving him.
"Your test is simple," she said, her voice clear and cold. "You will fight me. If you survive, you will earn your place here. Fail, and you will be expelled."
Xu Mingyan stood still for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. He could feel the power in her stance, the confidence in her eyes. But he didn't flinch. This was just another challenge. And he had been through worse.
Without a word, Xu Mingyan stepped into the circle, facing Suyan. The air seemed to thicken as the two of them stood, measuring each other, the tension palpable.
Then, without warning, Suyan moved.
Her speed was incredible, a blur of motion as she lunged at him with a flurry of strikes. Xu Mingyan barely had time to react, but he instinctively raised his arms to block the blows. Each strike was like a hammer, each punch carrying the weight of her experience.
But Xu Mingyan didn't break. He endured.
Pain shot through his body as he deflected another blow, but he didn't back down. The more Suyan attacked, the more he understood her style. She relied on speed, on precision, but she underestimated one thing: his ability to endure, to survive.
With a grunt of effort, Xu Mingyan countered. He wasn't a great fighter—yet—but he was resourceful. He used her momentum against her, twisting her arm and forcing her to stumble. It wasn't a decisive move, but it was enough to get her attention.
Suyan stepped back, her eyes narrowing. "Not bad," she said, her voice tinged with approval. "You've got potential, but you're nowhere near strong enough. Your endurance is impressive, but it won't be enough in the long run."
Xu Mingyan's chest heaved as he caught his breath. He didn't answer her. Words weren't needed.
As the test continued, Xu Mingyan pushed himself further. He endured each blow, each strike, each obstacle she threw at him. He knew he wasn't strong enough to win, but that didn't matter. All he needed to do was survive.
(End of Chapter)