Chapter 79: A new beginning
When the red glow faded, everyone braced for chaos.
But instead of monsters or explosions, a scroll descended from the sky — glowing gold, landing right in Li Ming’s face.
Smack!
"OW! Again with the face attacks?!" he groaned, rubbing his nose.
The disciples gasped. "That’s the Sect’s Grand Summoning Scroll!"
Grand Elder Tian Shu stepped forward, eyes gleaming. "Li Ming, your exam results have reached the main hall. By order of the Sect Master himself, you are officially recognized... as an Authentic Disciple!"
Li Ming froze. "Wait... like, officially-official? Not accidentally?"
Bai Guo puffed his chest. "Finally! My descendant has climbed one more step on the glorious staircase of destiny. And with minimal tripping!"
Lan Yue smiled softly. "You’ve earned it. Be proud."
Li Ming blinked, still dazed. "So... this isn’t a prank? No hidden cabbage bombs? No trial disguised as a reward?"
"None," Tian Shu chuckled. "Though with you, one can never be sure."
The crowd erupted into cheers. Even disciples who used to laugh at him now clapped genuinely.
For once, Li Ming didn’t laugh it off. He bowed deeply, eyes steady. "Thank you, Elder. I’ll work even harder from here."
---
Later that evening, he stood before the Sect’s massive cultivation hall.
Golden lanterns floated above, runes glowing softly, and a warm spiritual aura wrapped around the place like a comforting blanket.
Bai Guo hovered beside him in his human form, hands behind his back like a proud teacher. "This is it, descendant. No more half-hearted training. You’re stepping into real cultivation now."
Li Ming took a deep breath. "Real cultivation, huh? Sounds painful."
"Oh, definitely," Bai Guo grinned. "But also glorious! You’ll push your limits, refine your core, maybe grow a beard of wisdom—"
"I’m fifteen."
"—a mental beard then!"
Lan Yue joined them, arms crossed. "Starting tomorrow, your daily routine will change. Authentic disciples must balance body refinement, spiritual meditation, and combat comprehension."
Li Ming blinked. "Uh, can you translate that into ’don’t die’ language?"
Bai Guo coughed. "It means: you’re going to train until you cry."
"Oh. Great."
Lan Yue smiled faintly. "Don’t worry. I’ll supervise your sessions."
Li Ming’s eyes widened. "Wait, you? The one who makes even elders sweat?"
"You’ll survive." She paused. "Probably."
---
That night, Li Ming sat in his new cultivation chamber — a quiet space filled with swirling Qi and gentle light. He crossed his legs and looked at his dantian.
His energy pulsed brightly — Level 4, Foundation Building. Stronger than ever.
He grinned. "Not bad, Li Ming. You’re actually catching up to the chickens."
Bai Guo’s voice echoed from the side, "Don’t compare yourself to poultry, descendant. They’re still traumatized."
Li Ming closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. The room fell silent.
Each inhale drew energy into his body; each exhale refined it, turning it smoother, stronger.
He could feel it — the power building, his core stabilizing, the flow becoming clearer.
He whispered to himself, "This time... no accidents. Just hard work."
A spark of light danced across his skin — his spiritual veins glowing faintly. He smiled. "This feels... good."
Then — boom!
The ground shook. A small crater formed beneath him. His hair shot up like a startled rooster.
Li Ming blinked. "...Okay. Maybe one accident."
Bai Guo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "And we were so close to looking competent."
Lan Yue appeared at the doorway, eyebrow raised. "Progress already?"
Li Ming scratched his head. "Uh... you could say that."
She sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Keep going. You’ll figure it out."
As she left, Li Ming chuckled softly. "Alright then... let’s do this properly."
He sat again, steadier this time. The energy swirled more gently now, responding to his will. For the first time, he wasn’t just surviving cultivation — he was shaping it.
And somewhere deep inside, a calm determination took root.
No more running. No more "accidents."
This time, he’d truly grow.
----
The next morning, the sun rose lazily over the Azure Sky Sect.
Birds chirped. Disciples trained. And Li Ming... wanted to crawl back into bed.
He yawned, dragging himself across the courtyard, hair sticking up like he’d just fought a lightning tribulation in his sleep.
Bai Guo hovered beside him in human form, sipping tea. "Descendant, why do you look like a corpse that lost a fight?"
Li Ming mumbled, "Because I am one. Who wakes people up before sunrise? Even chickens sleep longer!"
Bai Guo smirked. "Cultivators don’t sleep. They meditate."
"I meditate on the pillow, thank you very much."
Before he could yawn again, a shadow loomed over them. Lan Yue stood there, arms crossed, wearing her usual calm-but-terrifying expression.
"You’re late," she said simply.
Li Ming blinked. "But the sun just woke up!"
She pointed toward the massive training field ahead. "And it’s already waiting for you."
Li Ming’s shoulders slumped. "Can I go back to bed and wait there instead?"
Bai Guo grinned. "Nope. Welcome to Authentic Disciple training, descendant. Try not to cry."
---
The training grounds were enormous — stone platforms, hovering boulders, glowing runes, and wooden dummies that looked suspiciously violent.
Other authentic disciples were already practicing — spinning spears, summoning fireballs, slashing sword light through the air. The atmosphere buzzed with power.
Li Ming looked around, eyes wide. "They all look so... cool."
Lan Yue nodded. "Because they work hard. You’ll join them now."
She tossed him a jade token. "This will register your attacks and track your progress."
Li Ming caught it clumsily. "Wait, attacks? What exactly am I doing?"
"Simple." Lan Yue pointed to a set of floating targets ahead — glowing spheres drifting in the air, each radiating energy. "Destroy them."
Li Ming blinked. "That’s it? Just hit the glowing balls?"
"Yes," she said. "Each target will test a different aspect of your cultivation — strength, control, and focus."
Bai Guo folded his arms, smirking. "Oh good, three things you don’t have."
Li Ming shot him a look. "Thanks for the confidence."
Lan Yue stepped back. "Begin."
---
He took a deep breath, flexing his fingers. "Alright. Let’s start simple."
He gathered his spiritual energy, feeling it swirl through his meridians. A faint glow covered his hands — his Qi solid and sharp.
Then he struck forward, shouting, "Mountain Splitting Palm!"
The blast shot out like a shockwave —
— missed the target completely —
— and blew up a nearby boulder instead.
BOOM!
Smoke filled the air.
When it cleared, Li Ming stood there covered in dust, hair singed, expression blank.
The floating target hadn’t even moved.
Bai Guo clapped slowly. "You split a mountain, alright. Just not the right one."
Li Ming coughed. "Okay, okay... minor calibration issue."
Lan Yue rubbed her temple. "Focus, Li Ming. Don’t pour all your energy in one strike. Control matters more than power."
He nodded quickly. "Got it!"
This time, he steadied his breath, hands glowing faintly with refined Qi. He moved slower, focusing on balance.
"Alright... focus, not explosion..."
With a shout, he thrust his palm again.
BOOM!
The energy hit the target directly — and the sphere cracked before vanishing in a shimmer of light.
Li Ming’s face lit up. "Ha! Did you see that?!"
Lan Yue smiled faintly. "Better."
Bai Guo whistled. "Miracle of the century."
Li Ming grinned. "See? Progress!"
"Next test," Lan Yue said, pointing to another glowing sphere — this one darting around rapidly. "Precision. Use your Qi to lock onto its path."
Li Ming squinted. "It moves faster than Bai Guo’s excuses."
"Hey!" the chicken spirit squawked.
Li Ming inhaled deeply, summoning energy into his fingers. This time, instead of brute force, he visualized a thin stream of Qi — a thread of light.
"Alright... let’s try something new."
He flicked his fingers.
"Threading Needle Strike!"
A narrow beam shot out, curving mid-air — and hit the sphere dead center. It burst in a flash of blue light.
The other disciples paused, impressed.
Li Ming blinked. "Wait... it worked?!"
Bai Guo grinned. "Beginner’s luck!"
Lan Yue, however, nodded approvingly. "Not luck. Focus. You’re finally starting to control your energy properly."
Li Ming smiled proudly. "Guess I’m a genius after all."
Bai Guo coughed. "Let’s not go that far."
---
The final test orb appeared — massive, glowing, humming with pressure.
Lan Yue stepped forward. "This one tests endurance. Don’t destroy it. Contain it."
Li Ming frowned. "Contain? Like... hug it?"
Bai Guo sighed. "No, descendant. You must form a barrier. Channel your Qi around it, not through it."
"Ah. Right. Totally knew that."
He placed his hands out, focusing deeply. His Qi surged — rough at first, then steadier. A faint barrier formed around the orb, trembling like jelly.
The orb pulsed, pushing outward.
Li Ming gritted his teeth. "No... you don’t... move!"
He reinforced the barrier, sweat dripping down his forehead. The orb fought back, expanding violently.
The ground cracked beneath him. Air rippled with pressure.
Other disciples stopped to watch.
Lan Yue’s eyes glimmered with pride.
Bai Guo’s feathers puffed up. "He’s actually doing it..."
With a shout, Li Ming pushed one final surge of Qi —
The barrier shimmered gold, then stabilized. The orb calmed, sealed in place.
Silence.
Then — applause.
Lan Yue smiled softly. "Well done."
Li Ming collapsed onto the ground, gasping. "I... I did it! I didn’t explode!"
Bai Guo snorted. "For once."
Li Ming lay there, grinning up at the sky. "Authentic Disciple training... not bad."
Lan Yue stepped beside him. "Rest for now. Tomorrow, we start combat drills."
His smile froze. "Combat... drills?"
She nodded. "Yes. Against other authentic disciples."
Li Ming groaned, covering his face. "I knew it was too peaceful."
Bai Guo laughed. "Get ready, descendant. The real fun’s about to begin."
Li Ming sighed, staring at the sky — tired, proud, and a little terrified.
But deep down, he couldn’t help smiling.
For the first time... this wasn’t luck.
He was finally earning his place.
To be continued...