Fated Burden

A week had passed since Jian Mu's breakthrough. Seven days of relentless training, seven nights of pushing his body beyond its limits. His muscles ached, his hands were rough with calluses, and his body bore the marks of countless battles against the wilderness. He had spent his days in the secluded outskirts of the academy grounds, hunting, refining his movements, and testing the limits of his newfound strength.

Jian Mu sat on a large rock near a small clearing, gazing at his bloodstained hands. The remains of a freshly killed beast lay beside him, its lifeless eyes staring into the void. He exhaled, his breath visible in the cold morning air. It was a large wolf with two sharp fangs with a green substance dripping from its corpse.

"One week..." he murmured to himself. "One week of killing, surviving, and learning. I can feel my qi increasing. It feels more natural like apart of me."

He had hunted relentlessly, slaughtering beasts of all sizes, pushing himself to the brink. Every kill brought him closer to mastering his dark qi. Each battle taught him something new, how to move, how to strike, how to react. Without proper martial arts, he relied purely on instinct at first, but over time, he began to understand the basics of combat. His body was slowly adapting to the flow of battle.

Jian Mu flexed his fingers, feeling the faint traces of qi coursing through his veins. It was unlike before. He was no longer the weak, helpless boy clinging to survival. He was slowly evolving.

"I've learned how to hunt. How to fight without relying on others," he said, his voice filled with a quiet intensity. "My movements are sharper, my reflexes faster. Even without a proper technique, I can feel my body responding to battle. But I'm still no way near that girl or Zhao Lin..."

He stood up and stretched, feeling the soreness in his muscles. Despite the pain, a sense of satisfaction settled in his chest. He had been using the memories of the first Heavenly Demon's battle as a reference, mimicking the footwork, the slashes, the precision of every movement. Though it was far from perfect, he had started grasping the fundamental concept of combat.

"The first Heavenly Demon fought like a storm, his movements fluid yet devastating. I still have a long way to go before I can even begin to compare," Jian Mu admitted. "But at least... I've taken the first step."

The past week had also been a test of endurance. Without a proper sword, he had been forced to rely on crude weapons, crafting makeshift blades from bones and sharpened stones. Each time he swung, he adjusted his stance, remembering the way the mysterious figure in his vision had moved. He practiced endlessly, slashing at trees, at beasts, at anything that could serve as a test subject.

A faint chuckle escaped his lips. "Who would've thought... I'd end up living like a beast myself?" He looked at his tattered clothes, dirt-streaked and worn from the constant fights. "But even beasts grow stronger when forced to survive."

He turned his gaze towards the rising sun, its golden light spilling over the treetops. His expression hardened. "I got to get stronger... The next trial will begin in two weeks..."