Tao stepped into his quarters, expecting the familiar calm of his sanctuary. Instead, chaos greeted him. His belongings were scattered across the room, the Veil of Stillness Array shattered into useless fragments. His cultivation resources—carefully stored cultivation guides and herbs—were either destroyed or missing. The room felt hollow, as if it had been violated.

For a moment, Tao stood frozen, his mind refusing to accept what his eyes were seeing. Then, like a storm breaking over a tranquil sea, rage surged through him. His Qi rippled uncontrollably, the air around him trembling under the weight of his fury.

“Wei.” The name escaped his lips like a growl, his voice low and dangerous.

Tao’s breath came in sharp bursts as he clenched his fists. His vision blurred at the edges, but his mind burned with a singular purpose. He stormed out of the room, his Qi flaring in violent waves. Disciples in the corridor stopped in their tracks, their gazes filled with unease as Tao passed.

“Where is Jian?” Tao’s voice was sharp, cutting through the murmurs around him.

Jian was sitting on the edge of a stone bench by the training grounds when Tao found him. The moment Jian saw Tao’s stormy expression and the wild fluctuations of Qi distorting the air around him, he sat up straight, his casual demeanour vanishing.

“What happened?” Jian asked cautiously.

“Where is Wei?” Tao demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Jian blinked, taken aback. “Why are you—”

“Where is he, Jian?” Tao interrupted; his voice low but trembling with suppressed fury

Jian hesitated, glancing around nervously. “He’s in the lower courtyard. Tao, what’s going on?”

Tao didn’t respond. He turned and strode away, his steps precise and deliberate, like the build-up of a tidal wave. Jian frowned but followed at a distance, muttering under his breath, “This isn’t going to end well.”

The lower courtyard was alive with chatter and activity, disciples sparring or meditating in the open space. But as Tao entered, the air grew heavy, his presence silencing the noise. The oppressive ripple of his Qi drew the attention of everyone present, their conversations fading into uneasy whispers.

In the centre of the courtyard stood Wei, lounging against a stone pillar, his lackeys gathered around him. He was laughing, his voice loud and grating, his posture exuding smug confidence.

Tao stopped a dozen paces away, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His voice cut through the courtyard like a blade. “Wei.”

The single word was quiet but carried the weight of a crashing wave. The laughter died as Wei turned, his smirk faltering for a fraction of a second before returning.

“Tao!” Wei said, spreading his arms theatrically. “What brings you here? Come to join the fun?”

Tao’s gaze was cold, unblinking. “You know why I’m here.”

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Wei tilted his head, feigning innocence. “I’m afraid I don’t. Care to enlighten me?”

Tao didn’t answer. His hand moved to the hilt of his sword, and the faint hum of Qi resonated through the air. The Raging Waves Sword Art began to stir, the pressure around Tao intensifying.

Wei’s smirk twisted into a sneer. “Oh, so it’s like that, is it? Careful, Tao. Attacking a fellow disciple without cause is a serious offense.”

Tao’s eyes burned with fury. “You crossed the line, Wei. This is your only warning.”

Wei chuckled, stepping forward. “And what will you do if I don’t back down? You think you can beat me? Don’t forget, my cultivation is higher than yours.”

Tao’s grip tightened on his sword. “We’ll see.”

The courtyard erupted into chaos as Tao struck first. A water infused arc of Qi shot from his blade, crashing toward Wei with the force of a tidal wave. Wei barely managed to dodge, the attack tearing through the ground where he had stood.

Wei retaliated immediately, unleashing a blazing palm technique. Flames roared toward Tao, but he sidestepped with precision, countering with another strike from the Raging Waves Sword Art. The clash of water and fire sent steam hissing into the air, shrouding the battlefield in mist.

The fight was relentless. Tao’s attacks were fierce and unyielding, each swing of his sword embodying the flow and force of crashing waves. Wei’s techniques were powerful but lacked the precision and adaptability of Tao’s movements.

“You’re stronger than I thought,” Wei admitted, his voice laced with frustration. “But you’re still beneath me!”

He unleashed a torrent of flames, but Tao met it head-on, channelling his Qi into a powerful surge. The water Qi engulfed the flames, extinguishing them with a deafening hiss.

Tao closed the distance in an instant, his sword slashing downward with the weight of a collapsing mountain. Tao’s strikes were relentless, each one heavier and more forceful than the last. The Raging Waves Sword Art amplified his fury, his movements like a tempest crashing against Wei’s defences. Wei’s cultivation was higher, but Tao’s sheer ferocity overwhelmed him.

Wei raised his arm to block, but the force of the strike sent him sprawling to the ground.

Wei struggled to rise, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “You... you’ll regret this,” he spat, his voice trembling with rage and humiliation as he glared up at Tao with venomous eyes.

Before Tao could respond, a voice rang out, cold and commanding. “Enough!”

The elders arrived, their presence like an oppressive weight on the courtyard. The disciples watching the fight scattered, bowing hastily as the elders approached.

“What is the meaning of this?” one elder demanded, his sharp gaze shifting between Tao and Wei.

Wei struggled to his feet, clutching his side. “He attacked me without provocation!” he shouted, his voice trembling with both pain and indignation.

Tao sheathed his sword, his expression unchanging. “He ransacked my quarters. Destroyed my belongings. He—”

“Do you have proof?” an elder interrupted, his sharp gaze pinning Tao in place.

Tao faltered, the words catching in his throat.

“Then this is nothing more than baseless accusation and reckless violence,” the elder said coldly. “Your actions are unacceptable. You will face punishment.”

Tao was led away in silence, his anger simmering beneath the surface. The elders sentenced him to solitary confinement, locking him in a dark, isolated chamber.

Sitting alone in the oppressive stillness, Tao’s mind churned with anger and frustration. His thoughts consumed by Wei’s smirk and the humiliation of his punishment. But as his anger began to subside, his gaze fell on the scroll tucked in his robes.

He pulled it out, the faint glow of its parchment illuminating the chamber. As Tao began to read, the words seemed to pulse with a power that resonated deep within him.

“Unyielding Mountain Spirit.”

The name echoed in his mind as he delved into the profound teachings of the method. The cultivation manual spoke of resilience, of standing firm against the storms of life and turning adversity into strength.

Tao’s breathing slowed, his focus sharpening. In the stillness of the chamber, he began the first steps of the Unyielding Mountain Spirit, the weight of his anger giving way to a calm, unshakable resolve.