PREPARING FOR SECLUSION
The decision to enter seclusion wasn’t one I made lightly. The Nexus Valley trial had shown me the gap between myself and Wang Jian and Ming Lian. Both had reached Medium Tier after the trial, while I was just beginning to grasp the power of Low Tier. If I was going to lead this team, I couldn’t afford to lag behind.
Ming Lian met me in the chamber I’d chosen—a sturdy stone structure on the edge of the stronghold, isolated and secure. In his hands, he carried a small satchel and a vial that shimmered faintly, catching the low light in the room.
“These will help,” he said, handing them to me. His voice was steady, but there was a weight of expectation behind it. “The pills are designed to heighten your focus during meditation, and the elixir will enhance the flow of Chi through your pathways. Together, they’ll help you consolidate your Chi and push your cultivation further.”
I took the items and nodded, feeling the faint hum of Chi resonating from the satchel. “Thank you, Lian. I won’t waste this opportunity.”
Ming Lian hesitated for a moment, his gaze unwavering. “Jayson, seclusion isn’t just about isolation. It’s a journey inward. The hardest battles won’t come from external forces—they’ll come from within. Confronting yourself is the real challenge.”
I met his eyes and gave a firm nod. “I understand. And I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“You’ll have seven days,” he added. “Trust us to handle things out here. You focus on what needs to be done.”
As he left the chamber, the weight of his words settled over me. Closing the door behind him, I knelt on the mat in the center of the room, exhaling deeply as I prepared to begin. The air inside was cool, the faint scent of incense lingering. Mira’s voice echoed in my mind, a calm presence in the stillness.
["Prepare your barrier, Jayson. This will protect you as you cultivate. Let the resources Ming Lian provided guide you."]
I closed my eyes, forming the cultivation seal with my hands. A faint, glowing barrier of spiritual energy enveloped me, separating me from the outside world. The pills dissolved on my tongue, and the elixir sent a rush of energy through my pathways. My Chi began to flow like a river, steady and strong, carving new paths through me as I directed its movement.
Seven days. That was all the time I had. And I would make every second count.
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SHADOWS OF REVENGE: WANG JIAN STEPS UP!
On the fourth day of Jayson's seclusion, the atmosphere in the village shifted. The steady rhythm of life was interrupted by a tense stillness, and I felt it—a storm brewing on the horizon. From the watchtower, I saw them: a force of mercenaries and wild beasts emerging from the forest, led by two figures that made my blood boil.
The Black Hammer. He was alive.
His cracked armor and scarred face spoke of his near-death experience, but his rage burned brighter than ever. At his side was Baraabus, the brute who had been suspiciously absent during our last encounter. They had come for revenge, and their sights were set on the village—and Jayson.
“They’re here for him,” I told Ming Lian and Bao as we gathered at the gates. “And to destroy everything we’ve built. We can’t let that happen.”
Bao smirked, spinning his daggers in his hands. “Then let’s give them a reason to regret coming.”
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DEFENDING THE STRONGHOLD
The attack began with a deafening roar. Siege weapons hammered at our gates while wild beasts clawed at the walls. Our defenses held for a time, but the relentless assault took its toll. When the gates finally splintered, I stepped forward, my longsword gleaming as it caught the first rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds.
“Hold the line!” I shouted, planting myself at the breach.
The first wave came in a rush of steel and fury. My blade moved with precision, each swing cutting through attackers or deflecting strikes aimed at my comrades. A spear lunged for my chest; I sidestepped, twisting my sword to disarm the attacker before striking him down. Another charged at me, his axe raised high, but I parried the blow and countered with a quick slash across his chest.
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Beside me, Ming Lian wielded his glaive with practiced efficiency, each sweep carving through groups of enemies. When the enemy began to overwhelm his position, he hurled alchemical flasks that exploded in bursts of fire and smoke, scattering the attackers and giving us breathing room.
Bao darted around like a shadow, his daggers finding weak points in armor and flesh. “You’re missing all the fun, Wang Jian!” he called out, his tone light despite the chaos.
I didn’t respond, intercepting a strike aimed at Ming Lian and cutting down the attacker. “Focus, Bao,” I said sharply. “We have a job to do.”
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FACING THE BLACK HAMMER
Then he arrived. The Black Hammer strode into the fray, his warhammer smashing aside anyone foolish enough to stand in his way. Baraabus followed closely, his brute strength tearing through what remained of the gate.
“I’ll handle the Black Hammer,” I told the others. “Keep Baraabus away from Jayson’s chamber.”
The Black Hammer’s eyes locked on me, and he sneered. “You think you can stop me, swordsman? Let’s see what you’ve got.”
His first strike came with the force of a landslide. I dodged, feeling the ground tremble beneath me. My sword flashed as I countered, the blade finding a gap in his armor and drawing blood. He growled, swinging again, but I parried, using his momentum against him.
Strength without precision is a weakness. I exploited every opening, my strikes chipping away at his defenses. Each swing of his hammer grew slower, more labored, while my movements remained sharp and focused.
Meanwhile, Ming Lian and Bao worked together to take down Baraabus. Ming Lian’s glaive intercepted the brute’s powerful strikes, while Bao’s daggers struck from the shadows, their attacks relentless. Baraabus roared in frustration, but an explosive flask from Ming Lian staggered him, and Bao delivered the finishing blow.
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A HARD-FOUGHT VICTORY
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting the battlefield in hues of gold and crimson, the fight reached its brutal conclusion. The Black Hammer, his movements growing erratic with desperation, swung his massive warhammer in a wide arc. Wang Jian, ever composed, sidestepped the wild strike with precision, his longsword gleaming in the fading light.
Seizing the opening, Wang Jian stepped forward and drove his blade into the Black Hammer’s chest. The strike was decisive, piercing through armor and flesh. The towering bandit leader staggered back, blood dripping from the wound as his knees buckled beneath him.
“You’ll never…” the Black Hammer rasped, his voice choked with defiance and fading strength. Wang Jian’s expression remained steady, devoid of triumph or malice, as he raised his sword for the final blow.
Without hesitation, he struck true, ending the Black Hammer’s reign of terror once and for all.
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EMERGING FROM SECLUSION
On the seventh day, I emerged from the chamber, the barrier dissolving into faint traces of Chi as I opened my eyes. The transformation within me was unmistakable—my Chi was stronger, sharper, and more refined. I had reached Medium Tier. The realization filled me with both pride and resolve, but as I stepped out into the open air, the weight of my responsibilities returned.
The village was quieter than usual, though the marks of battle were everywhere. Walls had been breached, and the air carried the lingering scent of smoke and blood. Amid the repairs and cleanup, I spotted Wang Jian near the gates, directing a group of villagers with his characteristic calm precision. Despite the strain of the battle, his posture was unshaken, his resolve unbroken.
I approached him, and when he turned to face me, his eyes met mine—not with the deference of a subordinate, but with the steady confidence of an equal. “The Black Hammer’s forces tested us,” he began, his voice steady, though I could hear the undercurrent of exhaustion. “But we held them off. Ming Lian and Bao were remarkable, and the villagers showed courage. We protected the village… and your seclusion.”
He recounted the events with a calm detachment, but as I listened, I could see the weight of what he had carried. The battle wasn’t just about defending me—it was about safeguarding everything we’d built. Each word deepened my respect for him, and when he finished, I remained silent for a moment, absorbing it all.
Finally, I stepped closer and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder. “Wang Jian, you didn’t just protect the village or my seclusion. You safeguarded our future when it was most vulnerable. Without you, none of this would still stand.”
He inclined his head slightly, but I tightened my grip on his shoulder to emphasize my next words. “You’ve proven yourself in ways no one else could. Your leadership, your precision in battle, and your unwavering resolve have earned more than just gratitude. From this day forward, you are my second in command.”
His eyes widened briefly, and though his expression remained steady, I caught the faintest flicker of pride. “It will be an honor,” he said, his voice low but resolute.
“It’s an honor you’ve earned,” I replied, my tone firm. “And one I trust you will uphold.”
We stood there for a moment, the weight of the decision settling over both of us. Around us, the village worked to rebuild, the echoes of hammering and the murmur of voices a reminder of all we still had to protect. Looking around, I felt a renewed determination rise within me. Greater challenges lay ahead, but with allies like Wang Jian, Ming Lian, and Bao by my side, I knew we were ready to face them.