Author's Note

This chapter is in Liu Wei's POV, you'll see different POVs every now and then as it helps develop the side characters and gives you an idea on how they view Kai.

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Liu Wei made his way through the forest, his eyes fixed on the back of his master. As they walked, Liu Wei's mind wandered to the events that had brought him to this point.

How quickly life can change, he mused. Just a few days ago, I was nothing more than a lowly bandit, trapped in a life I despised.

The memory of that day still sent chills down his spine. He had watched from his hiding spot as Kai, then a stranger to him, confronted the bandit leader. He had really thought that Kai would defeat the bandit leader in their duel, but when he saw the leader's blade slice through Kai's neck, his heart had nearly stopped.

I thought all hope was lost then, Liu Wei recalled. I believed I'd be stuck as a bandit forever.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he remembered his failed escape attempts. Each time, he had been caught and beaten, the bandits threatening to harm his family if he tried again. The thought of his village, of his family, made his chest tighten with longing.

I wonder if they're okay, he thought. It's been so long... I hope the bandit leader kept his word and left them alone.

No use dwelling on the past, Liu Wei shook his head, trying to dispel the gloomy thoughts. My life is so much better now.

His gaze returned to Kai, and a small smile tugged at his lips. Despite being Kai's servant, Liu Wei felt their relationship was something more. Yes, his master could be cold and distant at times, but he had also taken the time to train Liu Wei, helping him improve his Qi Sensing skills and combat abilities.

Even though we're both at the Qi Refining Realm, I wouldn't mind being his disciple, Liu Wei thought. In fact, I'd love it. There's something special about Master Kai, beyond just being a cultivation prodigy. It's like he has this aura... as if he's the hero of his own story.

His musings were interrupted by an excited squeak from the tortoise sitting on his head.

"Hey, hey!" Zhi-Zhi called out. "You two should really become my disciples! If you do, I guarantee you'll both become immortals one day!"

Liu Wei couldn't help but smile. When they first met the 100-year-old tortoise, he had thought Zhi-Zhi was wise beyond his years. Now, after spending time with him, Liu Wei realized the tortoise was still very much a child at heart.

"Oh really?" Liu Wei asked, humoring the little beast. "And how exactly would you make us immortals, Zhi-Zhi?"

The tortoise puffed up his chest proudly. "Well, first I'd teach you all about the profound mysteries of the universe! Then we'd meditate for a thousand years under a waterfall!"

"A thousand years? Liu Wei laughed. “That's quite a long time, Zhi-Zhi. What would we eat?"

"Eat?" Zhi-Zhi looked confused for a moment before his eyes lit up. "Oh, right! Humans need to eat. Well, we'd... we'd eat spirit fruits! Yes, that's it! Spirit fruits that grow only once every hundred years!"

As they bantered back and forth, Liu Wei kept glancing at Kai. His master's behavior had been puzzling him lately. Kai would often stare off into space, his face cycling through various expressions – excitement, annoyance, disappointment – for no apparent reason.

What could he be doing? Liu Wei wondered. Does he have some special technique that lets him see the future? Or maybe he can sense things far beyond our range? It would explain why we've barely been attacked by beasts on this journey.

Suddenly, Kai turned and fixed Liu Wei with an intense blue-eyed stare. Liu Wei felt his breath catch in his throat, startled by the sudden attention. But then Kai smiled, and Liu Wei felt himself relax.

"Liu Wei," Kai said, "how would you like to get some battle experience?"

Liu Wei blinked in confusion. He couldn't sense any beasts nearby, and a quick glance at Zhi-Zhi showed the tortoise looked equally perplexed.

Is Master Kai suggesting we spar right here in the forest? Liu Wei thought, alarmed.

"Master," Liu Wei began hesitantly, "isn't it dangerous to fight here? We could be ambushed by-"

Kai's laughter cut him off. "No, no. Nothing like that. Come, follow me."

Relieved but still curious, Liu Wei followed as Kai led them to a small clearing. A small lake stretched before them, its surface like a mirror reflecting the sky above. Liu Wei scanned the area but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"There," Kai said, pointing towards the water's edge.

Liu Wei squinted, following his master's finger. At first, he saw nothing, but then... movement. A small, crab-like creature scuttled along the shore, its shell glistening with moisture.

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"It's a spirit beast," Kai explained. "Qi Refining Stage 3. A perfect opponent for you, Liu Wei."

Liu Wei felt his mouth go dry as Kai and Zhi-Zhi turned to look at him expectantly. He swallowed hard and nodded awkwardly. "I... I understand, Master."

Taking a deep breath, Liu Wei started to walk directly towards the crab-like beast. He had only taken a few steps when he felt Kai's hand on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kai asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

Confused, Liu Wei replied, "I'm... going to fight it?"

Kai shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "This isn't a duel, Liu Wei. You can ambush it."

Liu Wei felt his face grow hot with embarrassment. Of course! How could I be so stupid? He remembered similar situations with the bandits, how they'd always been baffled by his direct approach.

"I'm sorry, Master," Liu Wei mumbled. "I'll do better."

Pushing aside his embarrassment, Liu Wei focused on concealing his qi signature. He crept towards the spirit beast, his footsteps light and careful on the soft earth.

The crab-like creature remained oblivious to his approach, busy scavenging along the lakeshore. When Liu Wei was just a few paces away, he pounced.

His fist, infused with qi, slammed into the beast's shell. There was a satisfying crack, and the creature let out a high-pitched shriek of pain and surprise.

But the battle was far from over. The spirit beast whirled around, its pincers snapping viciously at Liu Wei's legs. He jumped back, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws.

"Watch its movements!" Kai called out. "Predict where it will strike next!"

Liu Wei nodded, his eyes never leaving the enraged beast. It scuttled sideways, trying to flank him. Remembering Kai's advice, Liu Wei anticipated its next move and sidestepped just as the creature lunged.

"Good!" Kai shouted. "Now counter-attack while it's off-balance!"

Liu Wei didn't hesitate. He drove his heel down onto the beast's exposed back, channeling his qi for extra impact. The creature's shell cracked further, and it let out another pained cry.

"Ooh, ooh!" Zhi-Zhi bounced excitedly. "Now do a backflip and land on its head!"

Without thinking, Liu Wei attempted the acrobatic move. But as he twisted in the air, he realized his mistake. The spirit beast's pincer clamped onto his ankle, sending a jolt of pain through his leg.

Liu Wei crashed to the ground, wincing. The crab-like creature advanced, its remaining pincer raised menacingly.

"Ignore the tortoise!" Kai's voice cut through Liu Wei's panic. "Focus on your strengths. You're agile – use that!"

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Liu Wei rolled to his feet. He circled the beast, staying light on his toes despite his injured ankle. The creature turned to keep him in sight, but its movements were slower now, hampered by its damaged shell.

Liu Wei saw his opportunity. He feinted left, then darted right as the beast committed to its attack. In one fluid motion, he brought his fist down on the crack in its shell, channeling every bit of qi he could muster.

The spirit beast's shell finally gave way with a sickening crunch. It let out one final, weak chirp before collapsing.

Panting heavily, Liu Wei stood over his fallen opponent. His body ached, and his ankle throbbed, but a sense of accomplishment washed over him.

He turned to see Kai approaching, a smile on his face. "Well done, Liu Wei. You made that look easy."

Liu Wei felt his chest swell with pride at his master's words. "Thank you, Master. I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

Zhi-Zhi suddenly bounced into view. "Hey, don't forget about me! I helped too! My advice was super important!"

Liu Wei awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, forcing a smile. "Ah, yes... thank you too, Zhi-Zhi. Your, uh, input was very... interesting."

If by 'help' you mean nearly getting me killed, Liu Wei thought to himself. I'm pretty sure if I had followed all of Zhi-Zhi's advice, I'd be crab food by now.

"Every bit of experience helps, Zhi-Zhi,” Kai chuckled, patting the enthusiastic tortoise's shell. Glancing at the fallen spirit beast, Kai asked, “So, what are you going to do now?"

Confused, Liu Wei looked back at the creature. "I... I'm not sure what you mean, Master?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "You're just going to leave the corpse there?"

Liu Wei's eyes widened. "Oh! Of course not, I'll collect it right away!" He hurried back to the fallen beast, his face burning with embarrassment once again.

As Liu Wei carefully gathered up the spirit beast's remains, he couldn't help but reflect on the battle. Despite the pain in his ankle, he felt... alive. It was so different from his time with the bandits, where violence had only ever brought him shame and regret.

Is this what it means to be a true cultivator? he wondered. To face challenges head-on and grow stronger from them?

He glanced at Kai, who was now in conversation with Zhi-Zhi. His master's casual confidence, the way he seemed to know exactly what to do in any situation – it was inspiring.

I want to be like that someday, Liu Wei thought. Strong, confident, always in control.

As he finished collecting the spirit beast's remains, Liu Wei made a silent vow to himself. He would work harder, train more diligently, and do whatever it took to make Kai proud. Maybe then, he could become a disciple rather than just a servant.

With the crab-like creature in his possession, Liu Wei rejoined Kai and Zhi-Zhi. The little tortoise was bouncing around excitedly, recounting Liu Wei's battle with his usual, dramatic embellishments.

"And then he went whoosh! And the crabby went splat!" Zhi-Zhi exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement.

Kai chuckled, patting the tortoise's shell. "I'm not sure that's exactly how it happened, Zhi-Zhi, but Liu Wei did do well."

Liu Wei felt a warmth spread through his chest at Kai's words. It was a simple compliment, but coming from his master, the man who spared his life, it meant the world.

"Thank you, Master," Liu Wei said, bowing slightly. "I still have much to learn, though."

Kai nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "That's true for all of us, Liu Wei. The path of cultivation is endless. But you've made good progress. I think it's time we took your training to the next level."

"Really, Master?" Liu Wei's eyes widened with excitement.

"Yes," Kai confirmed. "Using qi-enhanced punches and kicks isn't going to cut it anymore. I'll teach you some proper qi techniques."

Liu Wei could barely contain his enthusiasm. "Thank you, Master! I'll work hard to learn them." Then a thought occurred to him. "Master, will I be able to read the scrolls we took from the bandits? I’ve always wanted to learn them, but the bandits, they never let me…”

At the mention of the scrolls, a flicker of embarrassment crossed Kai's face. It was gone so quickly that Liu Wei almost thought he had imagined it. His master quickly composed himself, shaking his head.

"No, not the scrolls," Kai said, his voice steady. "I'll just teach the techniques to you directly. It'll be more efficient that way."

Master Kai is going to teach me personally, Liu Wei thought, his heart swelling with emotion. He's investing time in my growth, just like a true master would with his disciple. Maybe... maybe I'm not just a servant to him after all.