The Mockery of Weakness

Jian Mu's consciousness flickered in and out. His body felt like it had been crushed under the weight of a thousand mountains. The throbbing pain, the memory of failure, it all blurred together until everything seemed to be one endless, crushing wave.

'You lost'

The voice sneered, coiling like a serpent around his thoughts.

'So close to winning'

It was the same voice that had whispered to him during the fight, and now it had returned, mocking him even in his defeat.

'You are not even worth being called trash'

Jian Mu gritted his teeth. The shame burned in his chest. The fight had been his—he had put everything on the line. And still, he had failed. He had fought with everything he had, and yet—nothing.

'No power. No technique's. Just the blood of a worthless clan running through your veins.'

'Shut up...What do you know about me...?'

He wanted to scream, but his body wouldn't obey. He couldn't even lift a finger.

'Do you want to be strong'

The voice paused, and for a brief moment, the silence felt like an eternity.

'Then let me show you'

Jian Mu clenched his fists, the darkness swallowing him whole. The words echoed in his mind, a promise that somehow sounded both like an offer and a threat.

The last thing he heard before slipping into unconsciousness was the voice's final taunt.

'You would have never gotten this far if it weren't for me'

---

The Infirmary

Jian Mu's eyes shot open. The pain was gone, replaced by an eerie numbness. His chest still rose and fell with shallow breaths, but the intense aches had subsided.

He found himself lying in a bed in a sterile, quiet room. White sheets covered his body. He didn't recognize the scent of antiseptic that filled the air. The faint sounds of the academy echoed from outside—voices, footsteps, and the wind.

"You're awake."

A voice cut through the haze.

Jian Mu's eyes narrowed, and his blurred vision began to focus. There, standing beside his bed, was a familiar face.

It was his childhood friend, Zhao Lin.

"Lin..." Jian Mu muttered hoarsely, his throat dry.

Zhao Lin's expression softened, though his eyes were filled with something… almost unreadable.

"I thought you were done for," he said, taking a seat beside the bed. "You fought like a madman out there. It was reckless."

Jian Mu tried to sit up, but his body refused to cooperate. "I... lost. How am I here Lin..." His voice cracked, the weight of failure crashing over him once again.

"I shall explain how I saved your a**." Zhao Lin replied, his voice tinged with a rare seriousness. "You did lose. But it wasn't over for you—not yet."

Jian Mu frowned, the confusion evident on his face. "What do you mean?"

Zhao Lin sighed, glancing out the window. "You weren't the only one fighting, Jian Mu. I... had my own fight."

At this, Jian Mu's mind raced. His friend wasn't one to speak much, and certainly not about fighting. Zhao Lin was calm, collected—never reckless. But now, he looked different. Tired.

"You see," Zhao Lin continued, "I couldn't just leave you there to die, even if you were too proud to admit it. So, I fought. I fought for you."

Jian Mu blinked. "What do you mean fought?"

Zhao Lin met his gaze, his eyes hard. "I had to get the second talisman. The one you couldn't get since you were on the brink of death."

Jian Mu's mind raced again. "But... I thought—"

"You weren't the only one fighting for survival." Zhao Lin cut him off, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I didn't get it from the girl, though. That would've been hard since the sun was rising and trial was coming close to an end so I took it from a guy from one of the lesser clans, he was behind a rock looking for the right moment to run." His voice hardened. "I didn't intend to, but luck was on my side so I killed him and stole it."

Jian Mu's eyes widened. "You took it from someone else?"

Zhao Lin nodded. "Yeah. He wasn't as skilled as the others from the great clans, but he was still better than most. I got lucky, and I won. It was a risky play since it felt like his body was made out of iron but I aimed for the vital point on his neck poured all my Qi into my blade and stabbed right there. That's how I got the second talisman. It wasn't about skill—it was about survival."

---

Meanwhile, outside the infirmary, the instructors were deep in discussion. They had witnessed everything. The struggle, the defeat, and then—the unexpected.

Elder Mui, along with the other teachers, stood together, watching the younger students. There was an air of quiet curiosity about their performance. Most students were already being sorted into categories. The truly talented from the great clans had passed with ease. Their energy was palpable, their movements precise. They were ready.

But then there was Zhao Lin.

"Did you see that?" Elder Mui murmured, his eyes narrowed.

"I did," replied another teacher, a tall woman with a cold gaze. "The boy, Zhao Lin. He shouldn't have been able to acquire the second talisman. He's not from one of the great clans, and yet he is such a formidable foe."

The elder's lips twisted into a tight smile. "He shouldn't have had the power to do that. And yet, he saved his friend. He didn't just drag him out—he fought through the entire field to make sure Jian Mu made it back before sunrise."

There was a moment of silence before one of the younger teachers spoke up. "Isn't that... unusual?"

Elder Mui nodded. "More than unusual. It's unheard of. And it shows one thing—Zhao Lin isn't just a boy from a humble clan. There's more to him than we thought."

"Indeed," said the cold-eyed teacher. "That was an unexpected display of both skill and potential. Even with his rank, his talent shouldn't be capable of that kind of feat."

"I'll be watching him closely," Elder Mui said, his voice dark. "Perhaps... this will be more interesting than I thought."

---

Back in the infirmary, Jian Mu looked at his friend with a mix of gratitude and confusion. Zhao Lin was still staring out the window, his expression unreadable.

"You risked everything to save me..." Jian Mu said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why? Why would you do that?"

Zhao Lin turned to him, his eyes softening. "Because you're my friend. Yes we may have not seen each other in awhile but I've heard what happened and didn't want to leave you behind."

Jian Mu's heart clenched, a strange warmth spreading in his chest.

But Zhao Lin wasn't done. "That's not all. There's more at play here, Jian Mu. I didn't just save you—I made sure to make a point. The others won't know it, but I'll be watching. We'll be watching."

Jian Mu blinked, the weight of those words sinking in.

His friend wasn't just here to help him survive. Zhao Lin had bigger plans.

---

End of Chapter 10