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Chapter 8 - Mind Games

The underground cave hummed faintly as Ye Tian sat cross-legged in his temporary quarters, recovering from the backlash caused by Soulburn Palm. His meridians ached like hell, but his expression remained calm.

He opened the system panel.

System:Recovery at 76%. Soulburn Palm cooldown: 18 hours.Optional Side Quest: Train Pain Resistance – Hold Qi Flow under pressure for 1 hour.Reward: +3 SP, minor passive endurance boost.Warning: Might feel like having your insides fried with chili oil.

Ye Tian: "Let's...Do it."

He focused, letting his qi swirl chaotically through his damaged meridians.

Crack.Ssszzzzzzt.

Pain surged endlessly. His face squeaked.

System:C'mon, Host! Suffer now, slap later!

Minutes passed. An hour passed by.

Ding!Pain Resistance (Passive) – Lv.1 unlocked.SP +3Mental Fortitude +1

Ye Tian collapsed backward, breathing heavily.

"I need to get more stronger. Fast."

Underground Ring – Duel Two

Two nights later, the arena roared again.

Masked announcer: "Tonight, our rising rookie Ye Tian takes on a dangerous opponent—Meng Zhi, illusion cultivator, 3rd-level Qi Condensation! Beware… not everything you see is real."

The crowd joined in.

Mo Yuyan, sitting high in the VIP seats, smirked.

"He might die this time. Or maybe bring out more surprises."

Ye Tian stepped into the ring. Meng Zhi, a girl with hauntingly blank eyes, greeted him with a whisper.

"You're already asleep, you just don't realize it."

The moment the duel started, everything changed.

The crowd vanished. The arena warped. Suddenly, Ye Tian was standing in a burning village. Screams were heard. He saw—

His parents, dead. Blood. Lin Yue, the girl he once loved, laughing coldly at him.

System:Warning: Host caught in a Class-C Mind Illusion. Suggestion: Trigger system clarity protocol or shatter illusion manually.

"Not real. I know this isn't real," Ye Tian muttered.

He quickly bit his tongue — hard.

SLASH!

He awoke in the real world just in time to dodge a dagger aimed for his throat.

Meng Zhi's smile twisted. "You broke it? Tch… most cry first."

Ye Tian moved.

"Tiger Fang Fist!"

BAM!

Her shield cracked.

"Soulburn Palm!"

Crackle—Boom!

She screamed as black flames warped across her arms. She fell down unconscious.

Ding!Victory: Ye TianRewards: 450 EXP, Illusion Resistance (Passive) Lv.1, +3 SPUnderground Reputation +10

Backstage, In the Shadows

Mo Yuyan leaned against a pillar.

"He's growing fast. Too fast."

A figure in black behind her said coldly, "He must not reach the core disciple trials."

She smiled. "Then send the next one. Make it interesting."

System Update

Level: Qi Condensation – 3rd LayerNew Passive:

Pain Resistance – Lv.1

Illusion Resistance – Lv.1SP: 16Underground Reputation: Feared RookieMo Yuyan: Interest Level – Medium 

System:Well done, Host. You overcame trauma, shattered mental chains, and kicked a psycho in the teeth. Brilliant stuff. Ready for Round 3?

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