The air trembled.

That massive glowing orb—formed from all six Pride Shatter Orbs—descended like a falling star. Dust spiraled, ground cracked, and even the spectators held their breath.

Li Ming's aura blazed gold, his hair whipping in the energy storm. "Not this time!" he shouted, voice shaking but eyes firm.

He clenched his fists and let his cultivation energy burst outward, forming a shimmering shield. The golden barrier pulsed, glowing brighter with every heartbeat.

The orb crashed down—BOOM!

Shockwaves exploded in every direction. Tiles shattered. Students were thrown back, shielding their faces. But Li Ming stood firm, his feet digging into the ground, cracks spreading beneath him.

His shield shook violently. "Come on… hold… HOLD!"

The pressure was crushing. His arms trembled. Sweat dripped from his forehead. It felt like trying to stop a mountain with bare hands.

Then he remembered Bai Guo's words: "Don't just fight—fight with your power!"

Li Ming closed his eyes and let his Qi flow deeper, reaching the core of his dantian. A warm, powerful pulse shot through his body. His shield brightened, gold turning into fiery orange.

The energy burst outward. With a roar, he pushed his hands forward—

And the massive orb split in half!

The crowd gasped. Light scattered like fireworks. The courtyard glowed as the remaining shards dissolved into thin air.

Li Ming staggered, panting. His knees nearly gave out, but he stayed upright. His aura flickered but didn't fade.

The Head Mentor floated down, eyes wide. "You shattered my final orb… using your own cultivation energy?"

Li Ming grinned weakly. "Yeah… guess I got a bit carried away."

Bai Guo, perched nearby, flapped his wings proudly. "Heh! That's my descendant! Still alive and standing—barely!"

Students whispered from the sidelines.

"Did you see that?!"

"He just split the mentor's orb!"

"Wasn't he the cabbage guy?"

Li Ming rubbed his neck. "Yeah… that's me."

The Head Mentor folded his arms. "You've done well, Li Ming. But the test isn't over yet."

Li Ming's eyes widened. "Wait—what?!"

The mentor raised a hand. All around the courtyard, the floating orbs that hadn't been used began to spin wildly. There were dozens—leftovers from other mentors and students who had already failed.

The sky filled with spinning spheres, each one glowing with faint pride energy.

Li Ming's face went pale. "Oh come on! There's more?!"

Bai Guo squawked, "Surprise bonus round! Didn't see that coming, did you?"

The orbs locked onto him like hungry hawks. One by one, they began to descend.

Li Ming took a deep breath. "Alright… let's do this the smart way this time."

He closed his eyes, spreading his Qi evenly. Instead of brute force, he guided his energy with control. A faint breeze formed around him, swirling softly. Each incoming orb slowed as it entered the circle.

Li Ming smirked. "Heh, you're not so scary when you're this slow."

He flicked his finger. A small pulse of Qi bounced one orb off course, knocking it into another. BOOM! They exploded in the air.

He ducked, rolled, kicked another one away, and then used his cultivation energy to form thin energy threads, catching three at once. With a twist, he tied them together—sending them spiraling away in a glowing knot.

The students cheered. "He's controlling them!"

"He's actually fighting smart!"

Li Ming grinned, "Finally! Progress!"

But the Head Mentor smiled faintly. "You've learned control… now let's test endurance."

Suddenly, the remaining orbs started glowing brighter—dozens turning into hundreds of smaller ones. Like fireflies, they filled the sky and rained down like a storm.

Li Ming's grin vanished. "…I hate when they do this."

Bai Guo squawked, "Descendant, brace yourself! It's Pride Rain!"

Li Ming activated his energy shield again, spinning faster this time. He leapt from tile to tile, batting away the glowing spheres, using quick bursts of Qi to dodge.

Each hit drained his energy bit by bit. His arms ached. His aura flickered.

He gritted his teeth. "I can't give up now… not after coming this far!"

A sharp voice echoed inside his mind—his own inner thought. You're not that weak anymore. Don't forget what you've faced—dragons, chickens, grandmas! This is nothing compared to them!

Li Ming's eyes burned with determination. He raised his hand, letting out a roar—his Qi surged upward, a golden spiral reaching the sky. The orbs scattered, blown away by the sheer force of his spirit.

The courtyard stilled. Dust settled.

Li Ming stood at the center, breathing hard, body trembling—but smiling.

Bai Guo hopped over. "You're either brave or insane."

Li Ming chuckled weakly. "Why not both?"

The Head Mentor landed, arms behind his back. "Impressive, Li Ming. But this was only the second round."

Li Ming froze. "...Second?"

The mentor nodded. "Next is where pride truly breaks."

Li Ming's jaw dropped. "There's more?! AGAIN?!"

Bai Guo facepalmed. "Oh, descendant… your pain is only beginning."

Li Ming stared at the endless orbs gathering once again in the sky. He sighed deeply. "Great. Another day, another emotional breakdown."

He cracked his neck, clenched his fists, and smiled. "Alright then. Let's go again."

-----

The sky darkened again.

Clouds swirled above the sect's courtyard as if the heavens themselves were watching. The air was heavy, thick with spiritual pressure.

Li Ming wiped the sweat off his forehead. "How many more tests do they have? Are they trying to break me or build me?"

Bai Guo squawked from his shoulder. "Both. It's called 'training,' descendant. You either level up—or get buried under expectations!"

Li Ming gave him a deadpan stare. "Your motivational speeches need work."

Before Bai Guo could respond, the Head Mentor raised his hand. The sky lit up again as twelve colossal orbs appeared above. Each one shimmered with a different color and aura.

"These," the mentor said, voice echoing, "are the Orbs of Pride. Each one carries a weight of your own weakness. To pass, you must face them not with strength, but with honesty."

Li Ming blinked. "Wait—honesty? Not punching?"

"Correct. If you try brute force, they'll explode. You must break the illusion inside each orb."

Bai Guo tilted his head. "Sounds like a therapy session."

Li Ming groaned. "Oh no… emotional damage incoming."

The first orb floated down, glowing gold. It hummed softly before opening like a flower. A familiar scene appeared inside—a younger Li Ming standing in front of his first teacher, trembling.

The illusion teacher sneered. "You're too slow. Too clumsy. You'll never be a cultivator."

Li Ming frowned. "Oh great… this memory."

The orb pulsed. His chest tightened. For a second, he almost felt like that scared boy again.

Then he clenched his fists. "That's not me anymore."

He reached out and touched the orb. "Thanks for the reminder… but I've come far enough to know my worth."

The orb glowed brightly and burst into golden light, dissolving.

The students watching whispered, "He… broke it with words?"

The Head Mentor nodded. "Facing one's own pride takes more courage than facing any enemy."

The second orb floated down—this one a deep blue. Inside, Li Ming saw himself losing battles, running from danger, hiding behind jokes.

He sighed. "Ah… this one's accurate."

Bai Guo pecked his shoulder. "Admitting weakness is the first step to being strong."

Li Ming smiled. "You're starting to sound wise, old bird."

He stepped forward, placed his hand on the orb, and said softly, "I may run… I may fall… but I always get back up."

The orb cracked, then shattered into a thousand sparkles.

Two down. Ten to go.

Each orb showed him something new—a time he failed, doubted, or laughed to hide pain. He faced them one by one, with honesty, humor, and quiet resolve.

By the eighth orb, Li Ming's breathing grew heavy. Sweat drenched his shirt. His aura flickered. This wasn't a fight of fists—it was a battle of heart.

Bai Guo flapped his wings nervously. "You alright, descendant?"

Li Ming smiled weakly. "Yeah… just fighting myself. Turns out, I'm a tougher opponent than I thought."

The ninth orb appeared—black and swirling, darker than night. Inside it, Li Ming saw something that made his eyes widen.

It was… him. Standing tall, powerful… but cold, ruthless, prideful.

The dark Li Ming smirked. "You think humor makes you strong? You think smiling makes pain vanish? You're just afraid to fail again."

Li Ming stepped closer, frowning. "You're not wrong. I hide behind jokes because I don't want people to see I'm scared."

The shadow version crossed his arms. "Then stop pretending. Stop running."

Li Ming took a deep breath. "No. I'll keep joking. Because laughter is my courage. Even if I fall, I'll smile. That's my way."

The black orb trembled… then shattered with a thunderous crack!

Light spilled across the courtyard. Even the Head Mentor smiled faintly. "He's beginning to understand."

Li Ming dropped to one knee, panting. "Nine… done…"

Three orbs remained, hovering in a line. The tenth one pulsed red, radiating fierce energy.

Li Ming groaned. "Oh boy, what's next? Childhood trauma or embarrassing dance-off?"

Bai Guo tilted his head. "You never know with these spiritual tests."

The red orb drifted closer—and suddenly, it didn't show an illusion. It attacked.

A burst of energy slammed into Li Ming, sending him flying back across the courtyard.

Students gasped. "It's fighting him!"

The Head Mentor's eyes narrowed. "So the Pride of Wrath awakens."

Li Ming coughed, struggling to rise. "So… this one wants a fight, huh? Fine."

He stood tall, golden aura flaring. "If you want a battle, you'll get one!"

He gathered his Qi, forming golden lines across his arms. He dashed forward, weaving between the red blasts. The orb pulsed again—BOOM! A wave of crimson energy shot out.

Li Ming crossed his arms, forming an energy barrier. The explosion pushed him back, but he stayed grounded.

He roared, channeled his cultivation, and punched forward—his golden fist clashing with the crimson orb.

The orb cracked.

Li Ming smirked. "That's right. I'm not scared of my anger anymore."

He punched again—CRASH! The red orb shattered into light.

Only two remained.

But as the dust cleared, a massive shadow loomed behind him.

Li Ming froze. "Oh no… what now?"

The final two orbs merged into one—larger, darker, glowing with mixed gold and black energy.

Bai Guo's eyes widened. "Descendant… that's the Orb of Final Pride."

Li Ming turned, expression hardening. "Figures. It wouldn't end easy."

The orb pulsed once, shaking the ground. Cracks spread under his feet.

He stepped forward, jaw clenched. "Alright… let's finish this."

The orb pulsed again—this time firing a beam of light straight at him.

Li Ming raised his arms to block—

BOOM!

The ground exploded. A wave of light consumed the courtyard.

When the dust settled, everyone stared in horror.

Li Ming was gone.

The Head Mentor's eyes widened. "No… it can't be."

Bai Guo flapped his wings frantically. "Descendant?! Where did you go?!"

Only the glowing orb remained, pulsing silently in the middle of the crater.

To be continued...

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