Chapter 23: Obstacle course

[ POV Change ]

[ Black Lotus Cult - Demon Prison Cage ]

[ Trail of Kodoku ]

The training fields was filled with the sounds of clanging metal and grunts of exertion as the children trained. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and determination as each child pushed themselves to their limits. 

As the children trained, one red-haired child stood out amongst the rest. He was wielding a war saber, its curved blade glinting in the dim light of the cave. He was not just using one martial art technique, but two. The seven-star saber technique alongside the Thunder Hummingbird technique, courtesy of Alexander's collection of martial arts. The purple-eyed child's movements were fluid and deadly, his strikes hitting with a force that was unmatched by his peers.

As the training came to an end, the children's faces were etched with exhaustion. But that was not the end of it, as Xu Wen'an announced the next exercise, "Hurry and finish up your sets. It's time for your favorite exercise of all, the obstacle course." A collective groan echoed through the field as the children prepared for the grueling obstacle course that lay ahead.

The red-haired child, in particular, was using additional equipment, weights attached to his limbs, he was pushing himself further than anyone else. He was determined to improve himself, to become stronger. He knew that his low-grade spiritual roots were a limitation, but he was determined not to let that hold him back.

As he waited in line for the obstacle course, he focused on his spiritual Qi sense, trying to improve it. He knew that his sense was still weaker than that of Lee Min or Chun Jiao, but he was determined to close the gap. 

The obstacle course was set up in a large open field, surrounded by trees and the sounds of nature. The quintuple steps were made of smooth stone, polished by years of use. The water pit below was deep and clear, a refreshing sight for the children who had just finished the steps. The hill climb was steep, but the dirt was compact and provided a solid footing for the children to climb. The suspended log was made of thick oak wood, rough to the touch and covered in moss. The rail track was rusted and creaked with each movement of the log. The unstable bridge was made of bamboo, swaying with each step the children took, making it a test of balance and agility. The salmon ladder was made of metal, cold to the touch and slippery with sweat. The round metal bulbs were smooth and shiny, reflecting the sunlight. The warped wall was made of wood, rough and uneven, providing a challenging climb for the children.

"Master, it's your turn," said Xu Wen'an, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

I blinked and looked up at Xu Wen'an. "Huh? Oh, sorry about that. I was spacing."

"Just go," said Xu Wen'an, sighing and pointing at the obstacle course.

I stepped up to the line before I started at a sprint toward the quintuple steps, a series of steps angled 45° toward a water pit, my foot barely touching each before landing on a small hill climb that ran up to a suspended log with a few grip holes. 

I jumped onto the log gripping as hard as I could while the log glided down a rail track suddenly dropping every few feet trying to shake me loose.

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I then had to run across an unstable bridge with several platforms that would twist left or right if I stayed too long on any one of them. From there I had to grip a pole suspended by a series of pegs, known as a salmon ladder, and use the pole to jump up to the next peg and the next until I reached the top. At the top was a longboard suspended over a water and mud pit. From the bottom of the board were several round metal bulbs just large enough to grip. 

I grabbed the first and swung to the next grip and the next for about twenty meters until I reached another platform. I ran down a few steps to face a warped wall. A twenty-meter-tall wall of wood curved outward toward me. I ran as hard and as fast as I could up the wall hoping to gain purchase at the top. Once on top, I sprinted fifty meters to the finish line.

I tried to reclaim his breath, my hands firmly on my knees and gasping for breath.

These weights made my job a lot harder than it was.

The children were covered in dirt and sweat, their clothes were torn, and their weapons were tattered. They looked like warriors who had just come back from battle.

" Looks like you came in fifth place."

Xu Wen'an's words echoed through the field, causing some of the children to sneer and jeer at the red-haired boy. Ye Mo, amongst them, felt a sense of anger and frustration boil within him. He felt the urge to prove himself, to show everyone why they should never underestimate him.

With determination in his step, Ye Mo approached Xie Dongyi, a meek and timid boy who always seemed to be at the receiving end of everyone's ridicule. Ye Mo wrapped his hand around Xie Dongyi's shoulder, a gesture that was meant to appear friendly, but Xie Dongyi could feel the tightness in Ye Mo's grip.

"Hello there, trash," Ye Mo said, a sly grin creeping up on his face. "You want to join my group?"

Xie Dongyi stammered, taken aback by Ye Mo's sudden offer. "R, Really?" he asked, a mixture of fear and confusion evident in his voice.

"Yeah, but you have to do something for me," Ye Mo replied, still grinning.

Xie Dongyi looked at Ye Mo warily, unsure of what he was getting himself into. But he was desperate for acceptance, for someone to include him, and so he hesitantly agreed. Little did he know, this decision would change the course of his life for the worst.

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