Test 2

The phantom that just appeared with an iron sword again charged straight at Zhenya, not giving him any time to catch his breath.

Zhenya, still exhausted from his previous opponent, felt sluggish; his whole body felt like one huge rock. But he gritted his teeth and parried the phantom's first strike, flying backward when the swords collided.

"This is going to be difficult," he mumbled. readying his stance again for the phantom that was charging straight at him once more.

This phantom felt a lot stronger, faster, and more intelligent than the last one he had faced. The difficulty felt like it spiked after every round, gritting his teeth. Zhenya engaged the phantom in an intense battle.

"Am I imagining it, or is he copying my moves?" Zhenya stated, as he parried another slash of the phantom. "It feels like he's using the sword art I just learned? But how?"

But Zhenya didn't have much time to think; he kept getting pushed back bit by bit by the phantoms overwhelming assault.

Its blade racing through the air, aimed at Zhenya's right arm. Zhenya barely sidestepped it, his robe getting cut during the process. Then it aimed for Zhenya's right leg; its sword fluidly changed its trajectory after missing its mark earlier.

Parrying the attack, a loud clanking noise echoed around the island; the phantom, undisturbed by the parry, smoothly transitioned its stance, stabbing toward the center of Zhenya's forehead right between his eyebrows.

Ducking quickly, Zhenya barely avoided the strike, but the phantom didn't miss this opportunity to attack. Severing Zhenya's right tendon completely.

White-hot pain exploded through Zhenya's leg. A cry of agony tore from his throat as his leg gave out beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground. His vision blurred, the world spinning as waves of nauseating pain pulsed through his body.

The phantom slashed towards Zhenya's neck without hesitation; seeing this, Zhenya closed his eyes and tried to dodge or at least make it so the phantom wouldn't hit his neck. But right before impact, the phantom vanished like it was never there.

Solvara appeared behind Zhenya. "You did good for only starting your cultivation journey a couple of days ago." patting Zhenya's head lightly, he handed him a pill.

"This is a healing pill. Take it and circulate its energy throughout your body to let its effects heal you." Solvara instructed, tossing a small green ball toward Zhenya.

Holding his leg in agony Zhenya looked at the pill Solvara tossed right beside him; letting his leg go and biting through the pain, he grabbed the pill, sat straight up cross-legged, and swallowed the pill hurriedly. Then, following Solvara's instructions, he begins circulating his qi to activate the pill's healing properties.

Relieved the pain subsided relatively fast, he continued circulating his qi to not waste any of the pill's effects.

As the last of the pill's energy spread through his body, Zhenya couldn't help but reflect on the battles. "Can I ask you something, Solvara?" he said, looking up at Solvara.

"Sure, what do you want to know?" Solvara answered as he sat down next to him.

"I felt like that last phantom was using the sword art I practiced the last couple of days. Why is that?" he wondered aloud.

Solvara briefly glanced at Zhenya. "That's because of how the array is set up. It's a very special array that sends a stronger opponent that learns your techniques or, well, learns everything you show. So you need to be very cautious. Of course I could not tell you that beforehand." He explained, seeing Zhenya's expression change so drastically from intrigue to outrage, Solvara giggled a little.

"That's so unfair!" Shouted Zhenya, as he let his body fall flat on the ground. He turned away his face with a pout.

Stifling a laugh, Solvara just patted the pouting Zhenya on his head. "No! Don't go trying to comfort me now." Zhenya jumped to his feet, snorting as he distanced himself from the great spirit, stomping away angrily.

"Well, fine, shall I just leave then? And send you back to the tomb?" teased Solvara, making over-the-top gestures with his hands to make Zhenya believe he was really going to do it.

"No, I was just joking!" Zhenya shouted, turning around and running back to Solvara's side. He lowered his head, presenting it with a boyish grin, as if silently asking him to pat it again.

"See, you can continue patting me. Don't leave yet. Do I not get any rewards for beating two of those phantoms?" Zhenya said, grabbing Solvara's hand and placing it on his head. A triumphant grin spread across his face, anticipating his answer.

Solvara sighed, shaking his head with a smile on it as he patted Zhenya's head. "Alright, I shall give you your reward after that, though I will send you back to the tomb. My job will be finished then," he said softly, looking into the distance.

When Zhenya processed what Solvara had just said, his earlier enthusiasm vanished like it was never there. "When will I be able to meet you again?" he asked, looking at Solvara, his eyes wide and pleading.

Pondering for a little while, Solvara looked straight at Zhenya. "Just come find me in the Eternal Radiance Forest; it's close to the heavenly pavilion. So it's easy to find; just ask anyone from your clan; they should know where the heavenly pavilion is." Solvara said, his voice laced with pride.

"Okay, I will ask them. Now onto the rewards!" Zhenya said, practically bouncing with anticipation, his hands rubbing together as if he couldn't wait to get what he'd earned.

"So young and already so greedy. Well, you did earn it, so here it is," stated Solvara, taking out another small pill from the beautiful black ring on his middle finger. "This is the sword soul pill. It can help you understand sword arts or even help you awaken a martial intent."

"Martial intent, what's that?" Zhenya asked, as he looked at the pill in Solvara's hand. Like it was a godly treasure.

Solvara was shocked; how did he not know what martial intent was? 'To what kind of backwater region did that monster relocate?' Solvara wondered to himself, then threw the pill to Zhenya. "Ask your elders that little one; the time is up. If fate allows it, we shall meet again, and if not, all the best to you," he remarked as his figure faded.

Zhenya grabbed the pill, clutching it in his hand, and holding the iron sword in the other hand, he also started fading. "I will come find you; I'll become a famous cultivator. Just wait!" he said with a determined look in his eyes.