"Is this a dream?" Ji Wuye mumbled in surprise, eyes widening and mouth agape. He stared blankly at the stunning, towering mountain before him, its majestic peaks piercing the azure sky.

The sun, high above, bathed his vision in warm, penetrating rays of golden light. It filled him with a profound sense of familiarity, both from seeing the familiar faces of these people and from witnessing the intense dedication of disciples in training.

He could feel the cool mountain breeze gently brushing against his face, the wisps of air carrying the rich, earthy fragrances of the surrounding forestry, confirming that this was not merely a dream but a visceral reality.

The disciples wore loose, ankle-length garments cinched at the waist, their turquoise stripes rippling in the breeze as they squatted in perfect form on the white marble surface of the expansive training ground. Beads of sweat glistened on their furrowed brows.

"Kunlun..." Ji Wuye muttered under his breath, lips curving into a faint smile of recognition. He had joined the renowned Kunlun Sect, a prestigious sect that focused on the mastery of sword-based martial arts.

In his line of sight, a massive plaque adorned with ancient Chinese characters carved into the stone facade read 'Cultivate Swords for Enlightenment,' indicating the Kunlun Sect's fundamental martial arts technique and philosophy.

Looking around again, he noticed no signs of desperation etched into the people's faces, unlike those who had entered the Tower of the Gods. This meant....that the Tower had not yet appeared.

His heartbeat, which had been pounding hard against his ribcage, became increasingly audible in his ears, causing his entire body to burn with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

THUD-!

But suddenly, the strength that had been sustaining his body dissipated, causing his vision to shake violently as his legs buckled beneath him, and he fell heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

“H…a…h…a” He panted roughly, chest heaving as his eyes widened in astonishment, staring up at the endless azure expanse overhead.

Only after falling did he experience a sharp, twitching agony lancing through his legs, the muscles spasming in protest.

"This dream is..." he began, words trailing off as a shadow swept overhead, obstructing his eyesight. Instinctively, his gaze narrowed into a murderous glare, muscles tensing in anticipation.

However, what appeared before him was a young man wearing the same martial robe as the others, but with darker blue stripes denoting his superior rank. He stared down at Ji Wuye with a gloomy, disapproving expression etched into his sharp features.

"Outer Disciple Ji Wuye! You're slacking off again!" The man bellowed loudly, droplets of saliva flying from his mouth to hit Ji Wuye's face, the sheer volume of his voice unnecessary for the short distance between them.

Ji Wuye remained silent, responding only with a shocked, bewildered expression as he recognized the man towering over him.

"Senior Brother Wu Gao?" Ji Wuye blurted out as soon as the realization struck him, his eyes widening further in a mixture of confusion and trepidation.

Wu Gao, noticing Ji Wuye's strange, dazed attitude, began to frown deeply, the creases in his brow deepening as his lips curled into a sneer of disdain. "Good, it seems your brain is still functional enough to recognize me. But you have the audacity to ignore me!"

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In response, a long, slender cane made from a hollow bamboo stem came into view, gripped tightly in Wu Gao's calloused hand.

Ji Wuye's pupils dilated upon seeing the implement of discipline, and his body reflexively tensed in anticipation of the impending trauma as the cane mercilessly struck his trembling legs with a series of sharp cracks.

SLAP-!

SLAP-!

SLAP-!

Loud slapping sounds echoed across the training ground, causing other disciples, who had been intensely focused on maintaining their grueling squat stances, to turn and stare uneasily at Ji Wuye's now bleeding, crimson legs.

No one dared to laugh or even crack a smile, instead persevering through the burning ache in their thighs, sweat rolling down their ashen faces as their legs shook uncontrollably, on the verge of faltering.

"Stop, Senior Brother," Ji Wuye exclaimed, abruptly awakening from what he had thought was a mere dream, his eyes snapping open wide as realization dawned upon him.

"Huh? You still haven't realized your mistakes? Then don't blame me!" Wu Gao's voice was laced with disdain as the sweeping bamboo cane rose once more, poised to strike Ji Wuye's prone form.

This time, Ji Wuye had enough of his fantasies and daydreams. Despite the throbbing pain pulsing through his legs and the warm trickle of blood seeping from the fresh welts, Ji Wuye managed to dodge the bamboo cane with a small, deft leap, followed by a swift evasion of the strike aimed at his unprotected back.

With the momentum from his earlier fall still propelling him, he quickly regained his feet, completely evading the punishing hit. He swiftly elevated his body, lowered his head in a show of deference, and cupped his palms together in a gesture of apology and respect.

"This Junior has realized his mistakes; please forgive me, Senior Brother!" Ji Wuye shouted loudly, his voice ringing out across the training grounds with sincerity.

Wu Gao and the other disciples who had taken a brief respite to gawk at the spectacle were taken aback by Ji Wuye's sudden acrobatics and agility, their eyes widening in surprise.

Ji Wuye’s legs trembled visibly beneath him as he scanned the intense atmosphere and the many curious gazes fixed upon him, a multitude of eyes watching his every move with a mixture of amusement and disdain.

'This familiar situation... those familiar stares filled with mockery... I'm truly back in my younger days!' The realization washed over him like a crashing wave, leaving him momentarily breathless.

They regained their senses a brief moment later, casting odd, sideways stares at him, silently questioning his strange behavior.

"Very well, as punishment for failing the morning exercise, do 500 push-ups!" Wu Gao barked, his tone laced with contempt.

"Thank you so much, Senior Brother!" Ji Wuye replied loudly, his tone earnest and sincere, as if eagerly anticipating the grueling punishment that awaited him.

"Hmph, it seems this cane is more useful right now," Wu Gao muttered under his breath before turning and leaving Ji Wuye, who immediately dropped into a push-up stance.

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A few hours later, most of the disciples lay sprawled across the marble floor in various states of exhaustion, their chests rising and falling rapidly with labored breaths.

Only Ji Wuye continued his relentless push-ups, his body drenched in a sheen of sweat that formed a slick puddle on the polished marble beneath him.

"Four hundred and ninety-nine..." He grunted out the count of his final push-up and slumped down, his entire frame trembling violently from the exertion.

His skin had turned a deep, flushed crimson, and his eyelids twitched spasmodically, but a broad smile spread across his features as he found delight in feeling the familiar, searing burn of muscle strain once again.

"Ji Wuye~"

"Junior Ji~"

"Are you alright~?"

Sweet, lilting voices and the delicate scents of plums and jasmine surrounded him as numerous maidens gathered around, peering down at him with concern and anxiety etched into their delicate features.

Their long black hair cascaded around him, nearly obscuring his vision from all sides, evoking a tumult of long-buried emotions.

'Ah... the reason I depended on my talent... because...'

As he caught sight of the blushing young women circling around him, he remembered that he was the only disciple with exceptional qualities that drew the envious looks and resentment from both Senior and Junior Brothers alike.

'Just to enjoy this peaceful life...'

But then, his smile hardened amidst the tangle of black locks obstructing his view, his gaze settling on a particular lady standing apart from the others.

She stared back at him with unveiled disgust and contempt writ large across her delicate features, seemingly unconcerned about his disheveled appearance or the grueling training he had just endured.