An hour later

Ryan heard a knock on the door.

Wung Dao had long already returned and was now meditating on the floor with his eyes closed.

In the 4 months Ryan spent with Wung Dao, Ryan had never seen Wung Dao have any visitors and he hadn't mentioned to Ryan before that he would soon have one, but then again, Wung Dao didn't say much to begin with.

Ryan heard the knock again, louder than before.

He instinctively glanced at Wung Dao - who still seemed to be meditating.

'Eh, should I open? It'd be a bit rude to make a person wait. Wung Dao probably isn't saying anything because he expects me to naturally open the door'

Ryan stood up, placed down the book he was reading and walked over to open the door.

On the other side was an old man who had his arms intentionally placed behind his back, he had a white tang suit on with red edges and the image of a coiled dragon in front.

'This guy's clothes looks a bit like Bruce Lee's'

Ryan thought of him as an old man due to the white hair on his head and beard.

The man silently stared at Ryan as he opened the door.

"Hello, how can I help you? "

Ryan asked in the politest voice he could master.

A second later, Ryan felt as if he was being combed by the man's fierce eyes. It was as if every secret Ryan had over the course of his life was discovered and seen through by this old man at that moment.

'The fuck was that?'

" Where is the man who lives here? "

The man finally spoke in a deep voice, his eyes closely observing Ryan.

'This guy feels dangerous, I can't afford to mess around with him!'

That was Ryan's evaluation of the man, after all - any person acquainted with Wung Dao could never be simple.

" Master is insid-"

" Step aside "

The man cut Ryan off, he moved and tapped Ryan's chest with a tip of a finger - lightly poking him, however, Ryan was sent catapulting and hitting a wooden table, immediately breaking it.

'Ah fuck..what the hell is wrong with him?'

Ryan felt his body aching all over, however he managed to drag his body and limp on a nearby wall.

As he stared across the room, he saw his master who was meditating not so long ago near the man - Katana in hand.

" What are you doing here, Xue Lan? Shamelessly breaking in, you must be looking for a fight."

Wung Dao said in a voice laced with slight bitterness, there was anger in his eyes Ryan had last seen in their encounter in the middle of the forest.

" On the contrary, yes, have you forgotten about my challenge I issued not so long ago which you completely ignored? I have grown tired of waiting, Fight me right at this instant! "

The old man - Xue Lan threw a sudden fist at Wung Dao, who immediately responded with a frontal kick , deflecting the fist.

There was a brief pause as Xue Lan's fist made contact with Wung Dao's kick - a shockwave reverberated across the house after the initial contact, tearing everything near a 5m radius to shreds.

Ryan was sent flying along with the fragments of the house.

However, unlike the fragments, there was a green light which surrounded Ryan. He knew in that moment that he had only managed to survive the shockwave due to the Jade necklace Wung Dao had given him a month ago which now was shining and lighting in a similarly green light.

Ryan's momentum was broken by a row of trees which were splattered beyond repair after.

Despite being sent flying , Ryan wasn't that far from the initial position of the house hence could still make out the two silhouettes of Xue Lan and Wung Dao.

There was nothing but a large crater where the wooden house was originally positioned.

"Xue Lan, are you testing me? You know very well killing the disciple of another man can end in bloodshed and war. "

Wung Dao spoke to Xue Lan, his Katana was unsheathed and inches away from the neck of Xue Lan who simply calmy stared at Wung Dao, seemingly unconcerned.

His head turned to stare at Ryan.

'I am fucked.'

Ryan thought as he lay there, not moving an inch - not that he could anyways with his aching body.

"Your disciple, you mean him? He looked so weak I assumed he was your slav-"

What happened in the next moment was like a blur to Ryan's eyes as Wung Dao seemed to initiate an attack and the two began moving around the place. Ryan could only see Xue Lan and Wung Dao when they made very brief pauses. It looked like they were teleporting all over the place.

Ryan had no doubt that the two were fighting as nearby trees suffered the throttle of their attacks; some several rows of trees were cut clean - this was no doubt from Wung Dao's Katana and others were completely demolished and reduced to fine splinters. It was like a thousand grenades were exploding all at once from different positions.

Ryan felt so glad he had chosen to wear the jade pendant that day.

'When he gave me this, I thought it was simply an ordinary gift - I didn't know it was an item that could allow me to keep my life in this situation.'

The jade pendant illuminated Ryan's body in a green circular light, the light deflected most of the shockwaves that hit him, along with the flying debris. Although at every massive shockwave that reverberated all over the forest, Ryan saw the pendant's light gradually dimming.

'if this thing runs out of whatever energy source it's using, I'll become grounded meat almost instantly if a shockwave hits me'

Wung Dao and Xue Lan finally stopped, neither of the two had attained any injuries whatsoever - the attacks which looked fierce and fatal in Ryan's eyes they threw at each other were probably just warmups.

" Are you holding back due to him, Wung Dao? Both you and I know you could split the nearby mountains in half with just a single wave of your sword. Yet , you aren't doing so. Is it because of that pathetic mortal? Where is your pride as a man and the holder of the title of Heavenly Sword Saint! "

Xue Lan spat out at Wung Dao who seemed to have reverted to his perfectly emotionless expression.

Wung Dao didn't say anything, but Xue Lan seemed to get the message - Wung Dao he would never go all out as long as Ryan was around since going all out was the same as endangering the life of his disciple. Only a person of similar power as the two could afford to be a spectator when the two fought seriously. The current Ryan would have to pay with his life if he was ever in such a situation.

'Dammit, these two are too close, fight far away from me, will you?!'

Ryan grunted to himself, his jade pendant was extremely dim, Ryan was sure it could only tank one last attack at best before it gave away. If it did give away, Ryan would be a sitting duck.

Ryan heard Xue Lan sigh.

" Forget it, I don't want to fight you like this. I will be back one day, I will force you to fight me seriously when that day comes, disciple or no disciple. "

Xue Lan bitterly said before turning around to leave, he disappeared in Ryan's eyesight in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, Wung Dao instead instantaneously appeared before Ryan and silently placed his hand on Ryan's chest. Ryan felt his body gradually becoming lighter. Ryan's aches were also slowly disappearing, and he felt that he could now move a limb or two.

'Woah , is this magic? That's strange, he didn't use cast words.'

Two minutes later, Wung Dao removed his hand from Ryan and calmy stared at him before saying-

" It is about time you started your training, your first task will be to collect the wood around this forest - thanks to my and Xue Lan's efforts, the trees are more or less already nicely cut for you. Bring the wood back to where I shall be sitting, I shall inform you when it is enough. "

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Wung Dao then walked to the crater and sat down near it in a lotus position, he then started to meditate with his eyes closed - as if he hadn't just been in a devastating fight just minutes ago.

'First task my ass, you're just too lazy to bother collecting the wood yourself!'

Ryan complained inside his head. However there was nothing he could do to challenge Wung Dao's words and more than that, he was actually grateful that Wung Dao had saved his life with the jade pendant.

'If I didn't have this little thing, I would have met my maker today - and in the most horrible way too!'

Ryan thought as he stared at the jade pendant necklace which now had cracks all over it. Once again, he had dodged the grasp of death at a hair's breadth.

'I guess my luck isn't that bad after all - but for how long will It last, I wonder'

**

For the 140th time , Ryan placed a pile of wood right next to Wung Dao.

" Master , is this not enough now?"

Ryan said through gritted teeth.

"No , go again. "

Wung Dao didn't even bother to open his eyes to look at the pile , but flatly replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ryan had been collecting piles of wood and placing them next to Wung Dao and asked if they were enough for about 12 times, and in each cycle Wung Dao wouldn't even look at the pile to determine whether they would be enough but flatly reject his question.

'This guy, he wants me to work me to death!'

Ryan complained in his mind as he went on to collect another pile.

During that , his mind started replaying the events that had happened not so long ago when a 'kind' stranger decided to pay them a visit.

'That Xue Lan was too brutal. Now that I think of it, he could have killed me with that poke when he walked inside if he put in just a bit of more strength'

Ryan slightly paled. The jade pendant had only activated after the poke, meaning that if Xue Lan had attacked Ryan with the intention to kill and not swat away - Ryan would have been six feet under by now.

'Being a villain is hard, I may be somehow lucky for now but most of it was due to the presence of Wung Dao in one way or another'

Ryan once again instinctively glanced at the meditating Wung Dao. He was the one who gave him the pendant which saved him from being torn to shreds by the shockwaves from his and Xue Lan's fight. Ryan was also sure that Xue Lan had actually restrained himself when he was poking Ryan due to the presence of Wung Dao.

'This guy actually saved my life twice.'

Wung Dao's image shined in a brighter light now in Ryan's mind.

'But still though, it's kinda crazy what Xue Lan said when they were fighting.'

" I know you could split the nearby mountains in half with just a single wave of your sword "

Xue Lan had said, this made Ryan realize that his master was actually far stronger that he imagined him to be. Splitting mountains with just a single wave of a sword was no ordinary feat, anyone would be worshipped if they managed to pull it off.

'Well, given that there are no villages with inhabitants on the mountains. Otherwise, they'd probably be tagged as a murder due to the mass genocide and be criticized by half of the world if they manage to avoid being chased by whatever police equivalent here.'

Splitting mountains was something too far out of reach for the current Ryan, he couldn't even punch through a tree.

'Once again I am forced to admit my weakness, I've only managed to survive so far due to the external help of others. I am sure no one will save me from being beheaded by the hero if I am ever tagged as a malevolent villain when that time comes, unfortunately. '

Ryan made a resolve to get stronger. Even though he wouldn't actively try to become to a villain, he wanted to be strong enough that even if somehow, he got identified as one, he could hold his own against the hero of this world.

" Master. I've finished collecting wood now. "

Ryan placed the pile he had been absently collecting right next to Wung Dao, once again he didn't even bother to look at them and Ryan had a premonition of the words he was about to say.

" No , go again. "

'This guy, I've been doing this for 2 hours now and he hasn't even looked at the pile even once, and somehow he says It's not enough?'

"Master, I think you should take a look. The pile is basically a mountain now."

Ryan protested.

" Disciple , are you questioning me? "

Wung Dao said in a serious tone, this made Ryan instantly swallow the refutes he already had in mind,

" This disciple is sorry for crossing his boundaries, I shall continue to do as asked. "

Ryan apologized before he went out again.

He collected multiple piles for 20 more times, by the time he reached the 19th time, his arms and body were aching all over and he was very short of breath.

He immediately collapsed right next to Wung Dao after placing the 20th pile.

" Now I know it is enough. "

Wung Dao finally said, standing up before taking a glance at the pile.

Ryan didn't believe it.

'So this guy really did want to work me halfway to death!'

He thought as he looked at Wung Dao who was in turn looking at the pile.

" Watch closely disciple."

Wung Dao made multiple gestures with his right hand. every wave of his hand caused a portion of the pile to separate and then combine - seemingly forming different parts of something?

It looked very eerie, unusual, and very similar to telekinesis which Ryan had seen in some movies. By the time 2 minutes had passed, an actually decent cabin was before Ryan.

'Unbelievable, this guy is a real-life magician! How convenient it would be back on earth to build a cabin this big with just a few waves of your hands!'

Ryan thought as he stared at the cabin. The wooden house they were living in before was rather quite small as it had been modelled to inhabit Wung Dao only. The cabin now was probably 3 to 4 times the size of the wooden house.

However, there was a bit of a concern - How strong was it?

No matter how you thought about it, it was a bit unrealistic to hope to strongly bind together piles of wood using only just telekinesis and further more make a house out of that, Ryan wouldn't be surprised if the cabin was actually as strong as a Lego toy - in such a case the cabin would collapse at the slight touch of a breeze.

" Master, how strong is this house? "

Ryan finally asked.

Wung Dao looked at him and then back at the house.

"Hmm, I'd say it's strong enough to tank getting hit by 2 or 3 of my attacks and continue to stand."

'2 or 3? Isn't that a bit too ridiculous for just a wood cabin to tank?'

Ryan thought. As a spectator to Xue Lan and Wang Dao's fight - he identified the attacks they threw at each other as fierce and brutal, based on the shockwaves which came from them anyways.

And now Wung Dao was saying a construct made of the same wood from the trees which initially failed to stop their attacks could tank 3 of his attacks, that sounded a bit ridiculous. This was just wood after all.

" Eh, master. How? Isn't it just wood. "

"Dear disciple, appearances can be deceiving - with the right foundation, even a house made of thin paper can tank a hurricane. Do you understand?"

'Understand? I don't understand anything! Is this the part where the experienced old monster speaks in riddles?'

" I don't understand master. "

Ryan admitted.

Wung Dao crouched in front of Ryan and started lumping some soil into one place, seemingly building - a stick figure ?

'Huh?'

It took the fast cultivator about 5 seconds to finish a rather disfigured stick figure.

" Kick it."

Wung Dao instructed to Ryan.

Ryan wasn't so sure about kicking it. It took a few seconds of hesitation before Ryan actually kicked the thing, which collapsed and reversed to the disorderly soil immediately after impact.

" Why do you think the doll collapsed after you kicked it? "

Wung Dao asked Ryan, his eyes shined in wisdom - the kind an adult had when they were about to explain to a child why the sky was blue.

" Because it wasn't strong enough to tank my attack? "

Ryan answered.

'Isn't this common sense?'

" No, it's because it had no foundation. That doll right now is you, you have no foundation supporting you hence you are forced to become the effect rather than the cause. "

Wung Dao said before he continued -

" You could rebuild this stick figure with foundation to make it stronger therefore more resilient to attacks, however the kind of foundation you pick is also important. If you pick a weaker foundation, the stick figure will only be able to tank a few attacks before Inevitably collapsing. However, if you pick a stronger foundation, the stick figure may collapse at first but with more reinforcing, it will eventually grow strong to the point that even a lightning strike cannot tear it apart. "

Wung Dao said , staring directly at Ryan. He seemed to be waiting for Ryan to digest what he was saying to him.

'Argh , cultivators and speaking in riddles.'

Ryan complained inside his head. He was getting the gist of what Wung Dao was trying to say to him, but he couldn't exactly see the entire picture he was painting.

After a few minutes of silence, Wung Dao finally spoke.

" Disciple.. you have a C-grade aptitude in mana, consider this as your foundation. With your C-grade aptitude surely you will be able to advance at the beginning, there won't be that much difference between your peers. However, as time goes on, the power gap between you and your peers with higher aptitude will continue to increase as time goes on, you'll find yourself having lesser choices of advancement and you'll be forced to make ugly decisions to attain power. In that case you would become a villain and be beheaded in public should a powerful expert of the righteous path collide with you. "

Wung Dao said, as if predicting Ryan's future.

It couldn't be, was there truly no hope for him? Wung Dao seemed to be experienced, surely, he knew about pills or elixirs which could boost talent.

" But master, aren't there elixirs or pills I could use to advance or boost my grade?"

Ryan asked. He had after all seen an MC in one manga once drastically become stronger by eating a pill.

Wung Dao stared deeply at Ryan before he answered his question.

" You are right, there are elixirs which you could use as strength alternatives. However, do you think they'll be easy to find like the grass we step on? And even if you do find them after several decades - do you think they won't be under the control of someone else stronger? Wake up! Hoping for such a convenient way out is just foolish thinking. "

Wung Dao harshly said.

Ryan felt as if a stake had been driven into his heart.

'Wung Dao is right, I've been placing my hopes too much on the future rather than what I have now. If I can't get anything to boost my talent, then doesn't mean I'll become cannon fodder one day?'

Ryan gritted his teeth.

Only the strong could live a stress-free life, with his C grade talent Ryan would become a weakling and probably become a stepping stone for stronger people in the future. That was the nicest thing that could happen in comparison to him being used like a pawn, the weak didn't have the strength to refute after all.

Once again Ryan thought of the events that had happened earlier during the day - he was almost killed by Xue Lan. He also remembered how he had easily been swallowed by a Viper 4 months ago.

Ryan had actually become more mature during these 4 months, back then he had seen being transmigrated as a chance to play his deepest desires in a fantasy world but after finding out he had C-grade talent and could potentially be slain in the future due to the villainous title he had - he was like a Phoenix which had fallen from the heavens and straight into a hellish despair.

Was there truly no way? Was Ryan doomed to either become a stepping stone or a pawn?

'So much for being transmigrated'

At that point Ryan slightly cursed being sent to this crazy world, he hadn't expected he would face this level of harshness in just under 4 months. Atleast back home he could game whenever he wanted without fearing of being brutally killed at any moment.

"Do not despair, there is still a way. "

Wang Dao suddenly said, his words were like a bright light which illuminated the darkness which was slowly starting to swallow Ryan.

'Way, what way?'

" However , the choice is not for me to make.. In my right hand there is nothing, for you this is the mana path - the path which you currently walk in. "

Wung Dao said, his right hand was stretched out to Ryan - and just as he said, there was nothing on it. Wung Dao then stretched out his left hand and opened his palm. There was a round black orb on it which looked like a well-shaped marble.

"On my left hand is another path, a path different from the mana path. If the mana path is like walking on sharp thorns, then this path I am offering you will be like walking on live coal. However, there will be plenty of benefits at every break, you'll also find that you will gradually adapt to this path, and in the future and it will be like your closest friend - "

" The mana path is a kinder path, but a dead-end for you with a C-grade. This path is a harsh one but with plenty of benefits and the last string of hope for you. It is up to you to decide the path you shall tread. "