The Path of the Void

Li Jue sat on the cold, damp earth, his body covered in sweat, his breathing ragged. The night wind carried the scent of blood, mixing with the crisp air of the mountain forest. Around him, the remnants of his latest hunt lay scattered—a pack of Steelhide Boars, their thick, metallic fur hacked apart by crude yet effective strikes.

Ming Xian stood nearby, his arms crossed, watching with his usual inscrutable expression. "You're improving," he remarked. "But not nearly fast enough."

Li Jue wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes narrowing. "I killed them, didn't I?"

"Slaughtering beasts is easy," Ming Xian replied. "A true cultivator does not waste energy unnecessarily. You took too many hits, used too much strength, and let your emotions dictate your movements. You must refine your technique—control the power you take in, or it will consume you."

Li Jue clenched his fists. He had been practicing the Void Devourer Art for weeks now, and while he had grown stronger, he had also begun to realize its dangers. Each time he absorbed energy, he felt something shifting within him, an insatiable hunger that threatened to grow beyond his control.

"I understand," he muttered.

"Good," Ming Xian said. "Then you're ready for the next step."

He pointed toward the forest, where the trees grew denser, their thick canopies blocking out the moonlight. "Beyond this point, the real threats begin. The beasts here are not simple creatures—they are spiritual beasts, infused with the energy of heaven and earth. They will not fall so easily."

Li Jue nodded, stepping forward without hesitation. The deeper into the forest he went, the heavier the atmosphere became. The energy here was richer, more volatile. The creatures lurking within were far beyond the Steelhide Boars he had fought before.

A rustling in the bushes made him halt. He turned sharply, Void Devourer Art activating instinctively. The world around him seemed to slow as he focused, drawing in the surrounding energy.

Then it attacked.

A Silverfang Leopard lunged at him from the shadows, its speed blinding. Li Jue barely managed to twist out of the way as a set of razor-sharp claws slashed past his face. He countered with a strike of his own, his fist glowing with stolen energy, but the beast moved too fast, dodging effortlessly.

"Too slow," Ming Xian's voice echoed from the distance.

Gritting his teeth, Li Jue adjusted his stance. He couldn't just react—he had to predict. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, allowing himself to feel the energy of the leopard, the flow of its movements. When he opened them again, he could see it—faint traces of energy lingering in the air, marking the creature's trajectory.

The leopard leaped again. This time, Li Jue didn't dodge. He moved forward, catching the beast mid-air with a palm strike charged with void energy. The impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, the leopard crashing into a tree with a pained snarl.

Before it could recover, Li Jue reached out, his hand glowing with dark tendrils of void energy. He grasped the beast's body and pulled.

The Silverfang Leopard howled as its energy was siphoned into Li Jue's body. The sensation was overwhelming—like drinking molten fire. The power was wild, untamed, unlike anything he had devoured before.

He staggered back, panting. His limbs felt lighter, his body stronger, his senses sharper.

Ming Xian finally stepped forward. "You absorbed its essence. Good. Now tell me, what did you learn?"

Li Jue took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Spiritual beasts have purer energy than normal creatures. It's harder to control, but… it's stronger. More refined."

Ming Xian nodded. "Correct. And what else?"

Li Jue hesitated. "The energy... It wasn't just power. I felt the beast's instincts, its hunger, its rage. It was like it was trying to change me."

Ming Xian's expression darkened. "That is the cost of the Void Devourer Art. The more you take, the more you risk losing yourself. If you cannot master the energy you devour, it will consume you from within."

Li Jue exhaled slowly, gripping his fists. "Then I just have to master it."

Ming Xian smirked. "A bold answer. But ambition alone won't save you. We're not done yet."

For the next several days, Li Jue hunted relentlessly. From Ironclaw Bears to Windshadow Serpents, each battle pushed him to his limits. He learned to predict movements, to channel energy efficiently, to strike only when necessary. And with each victory, he grew stronger.

His understanding of the Void Devourer Art deepened. He learned to separate the stolen energy from its source, to refine it, to control it before it could taint his mind.

One evening, after a particularly grueling fight against a Stormhorned Stag, he sat beside Ming Xian, his body aching but his spirit unshaken.

"You've improved," Ming Xian admitted, tossing him a dried fruit.

Li Jue caught it, raising an eyebrow. "That almost sounded like a compliment."

"Don't get used to it," Ming Xian said. "You're strong now. But strength without wisdom is just recklessness. You must know when to fight and when to wait, when to strike and when to retreat."

Li Jue looked at his hands, feeling the pulsing energy within. "I understand."

"Good," Ming Xian said, standing. "Then your true test begins soon."

Li Jue frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ming Xian's expression was unreadable. "You'll see soon enough."

For the first time since their journey began, Li Jue felt an unease he couldn't explain. Something was about to change. And he wasn't sure if he was ready for it.

---

The wind howled through the dense mountain forest, rustling the leaves with an eerie whisper. Li Jue stood at the edge of a jagged cliff, his body still aching from the brutal training. His hands trembled slightly, not from exhaustion, but from the sheer power coursing through his veins. The energy of the beasts he had devoured lingered within him—wild, untamed, yet undeniably his.

Behind him, Ming Xian leaned against a boulder, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, as it often was, but there was something different about his gaze tonight. A quiet solemnity.

Li Jue sensed it before the old man spoke.

"You've grown strong," Ming Xian said finally, his voice calm.

Li Jue smirked, brushing some dirt from his robes. "You almost sound impressed."

Ming Xian shook his head. "Strength was never your problem, boy. Control was."

Li Jue turned to face him, his expression serious now. "Then what's next? Another beast to devour? Another battle to fight?"

Ming Xian was silent for a long moment before he exhaled. "No. This is where I leave you."

The words hit harder than any attack Li Jue had endured. He stiffened. "What?"

"You don't need me anymore," Ming Xian continued, stepping forward. "You've learned all I can teach you."

"That's a lie," Li Jue shot back. "I still have so much to master. The Void Devourer Art, the battle techniques—"

"And you will master them," Ming Xian interrupted. "But not with me at your side."

Li Jue clenched his fists. "Why? Why now?"

Ming Xian sighed. "Because you rely on me too much. As long as I'm here, you'll always have a safety net. That is not how true power is forged." His eyes narrowed. "Tell me, Li Jue—what happens when I'm gone? When an enemy stronger than me comes for you? Will you still look over your shoulder, waiting for someone to save you?"

Li Jue's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

Ming Xian continued. "You think you've grown strong, and you have. But real strength isn't just about power—it's about surviving when there's no one left to catch you when you fall."

The silence between them stretched. The wind howled again, colder than before.

Li Jue finally spoke, his voice quieter now. "So that's it? You're just walking away?"

Ming Xian smirked, but there was a sadness behind it. "I was never meant to stay, boy. You have your path, and I have mine."

Li Jue swallowed hard, his emotions a storm he refused to show. "Will I see you again?"

Ming Xian turned away, his silhouette blending into the shadows of the trees. "Maybe," he said. "Maybe not. But if we do, I expect you to be strong enough that you don't need me anymore."

And with that, he was gone.

Li Jue stood there for a long time, staring at the spot where Ming Xian had disappeared.

Alone.

Again.

But this time, the weight of it felt different.

He took a deep breath and turned back toward the forest. There was no time to waste. The world wouldn't wait for him to grieve.

He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination.

"If I must walk this path alone," he murmured, "then I will become strong enough that no one can stand in my way."

And with that, Li Jue stepped forward, the first true step on his path to power.