A Narrow Victory
I had barely traveled a day's journey from Luoshan when I came across a group of rough-looking men on the road ahead. They were clad in tattered clothing and carried crude weapons, and their sinister expressions left no doubt in my mind that they were bandits. As I cautiously moved closer, I overheard their conversation and discovered that they were planning to plunder my village.
Rage filled my heart. There was no way I would let these lowlifes bring harm to my people. I took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the trees, blocking their path.
"Turn back now if you value your lives," I warned, my voice unwavering. "You won't lay a finger on my village."
The bandits laughed, clearly not taking me seriously. "Look at this little brat, thinking he can take us on," their leader sneered. "We'll teach you a lesson, kid."
Without warning, the bandit leader lunged at me, his sword swinging in a wide arc. I had yet to begin cultivating my Qi, so I relied on my wits and the low Mortal combat technique my parents had passed down to me: the Thundering Fist.
Though I couldn't harness Qi to empower the technique, I was determined to protect my village. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain that shot through my body as I mustered all my strength and launched a counterattack.
I barely dodged the bandit leader's sword, feeling the wind as it sliced through the air just inches from my face. I retaliated with a powerful punch aimed at his chest, putting all my force behind it. The impact sent him staggering backward, gasping for breath.
The remaining bandits hesitated, their eyes darting between their leader and me. They hadn't expected such resistance from a young, untrained boy. Emboldened by my success, I pressed my advantage.
I charged at the nearest bandit, narrowly avoiding his dagger as I landed a solid blow to his jaw. He crumpled to the ground, dazed and defeated. I turned my attention to the next assailant, ducking beneath his wild swing and retaliating with a swift kick to his midsection.
Despite my determination, my body began to protest. Every movement sent waves of pain through my limbs, a stark reminder that I hadn't yet started cultivating Qi. I struggled to maintain my focus, knowing that even a moment's lapse could prove fatal.
The bandits sensed my weakening and redoubled their efforts. I narrowly evaded a slash from one bandit, but another's blade grazed my arm, drawing blood. I winced in pain but refused to back down.
Fueled by desperation and sheer force of will, I mustered one final burst of strength. With a guttural roar, I struck the last bandit squarely in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The bandits exchanged panicked glances before scrambling to their feet and fleeing into the forest, leaving their injured leader behind. I stood there, panting heavily and clutching my bleeding arm, the adrenaline from the fight starting to fade.
As I watched the bandits disappear into the distance, I knew that I had taken the first step on my journey to protect my village and avenge my parents. But the narrow margin of my victory was a sobering reminder of just how much I had to learn.
Determined to grow stronger and master the Ninefold Celestial Realms, I continued my journey into the vast, uncharted world beyond my village, knowing that the path ahead would be fraught with challenges and danger.