Whoosh!

A strong wind brushed past Li Ming's face. His eyes blinked open. He was floating—no, falling—through a golden mist.

"What the—where am I?!"

Before he could gather his Qi, he hit the ground with a loud thud!

"Ugh… I really need to learn how to land properly," he muttered, rubbing his head.

He looked around. Everything was strange. The sky shimmered like glass, the ground was smooth and glowing faintly. Trees grew upside down, and rivers flowed through the air like threads of silk.

"This isn't the sect… is this some kind of illusion realm?"

A soft voice echoed through the mist.

> "Welcome, challenger. You've reached the Place of Broken Pride."

Li Ming spun around. A glowing silhouette appeared before him—it looked like him, but calmer, older, with eyes full of wisdom.

Li Ming blinked. "Wait… are you my ancestor? Or like, my future self? Please don't say ghost, I've had enough surprises today."

The figure smiled faintly. "I am what you could become… if you understand your heart."

Li Ming crossed his arms. "So another trial, huh? Great. Just what I needed—more philosophy."

> "This is not a fight of fists," the voice said. "You've faced your fears, your anger, your doubt… but not your pride."

"Pride?" Li Ming frowned. "What's wrong with a little pride? I mean, I did split a rock once—"

The figure cut him off. "That pride blinds you. You laugh to hide fear, you brag to ignore pain. You must see pride not as strength… but as a chain."

Li Ming went silent.

The figure stepped closer. "To grow stronger, you must break that chain. Only then will your Qi flow freely."

Suddenly, the ground trembled. Cracks spread beneath his feet. From below, dark versions of himself emerged—each carrying a heavy chain.

One of them smirked. "Remember us? The part that wants to prove you're better. The part that hates losing."

Another spoke. "We are your pride. You feed us with every joke, every show-off moment."

Li Ming stepped back. "Great. I'm arguing with myself again."

Bai Guo wasn't here. There was no audience, no teacher—just him.

He clenched his fists. "Alright. You want me to break pride? Then let's end this."

The dark copies attacked. Their fists were fast, their aura sharp. Li Ming moved with them, blocking, dodging, pushing back.

But each strike he threw came back stronger. It was like punching a mirror—every attack bounced off, reflecting his own energy.

He gritted his teeth. "So I can't beat them with strength…"

He stopped moving. Closed his eyes.

The dark copies surrounded him.

Li Ming took a deep breath. "You're right. I am proud. I act like I'm invincible, like everything's a joke. But I'm scared of failing again."

The copies froze.

Li Ming opened his eyes. "But that's fine. Pride isn't bad… if I use it to stand tall, not to look down."

A soft glow surrounded him. The chains on the dark copies began to crack.

He lifted his hand slowly. "I won't deny you anymore. You're part of me. But you don't control me."

Crack! The first chain broke.

Crack! Another snapped.

The copies smiled faintly before fading into light.

The mist cleared. The figure of light nodded. "You have learned humility. Your heart is lighter. Your path forward is open."

A beam of golden light surrounded Li Ming. He floated up, feeling his Qi stir and swirl. His aura grew brighter, steadier—stronger.

He smiled. "So this is real growth, huh?"

The world around him began to fade. The figure's voice echoed once more.

> "Remember this feeling. True power comes not from pride… but from knowing when to bow."

Li Ming chuckled softly. "Guess I'll be more careful next time I brag about beating a chicken."

The figure smirked. "About that… are you sure you beat the chicken?"

"Huh?!"

Before he could reply, the light flared—

and the world vanished.

----

The light faded.

Li Ming blinked. His feet were once again touching the ground of the Azure Sky Sect's courtyard. The cracked tiles from the explosion were still smoking faintly.

Bai Guo flapped his wings and nearly burst into tears. "Descendant! You're alive! I thought the orb turned you into roasted buns!"

Li Ming dusted off his robes. "Relax. Just took a little trip through my feelings."

"Your feelings nearly destroyed half the courtyard!"

Around them, the students stared wide-eyed. Even the mentors, usually calm and cold, seemed impressed.

The Head Mentor stepped forward. "You have passed the final trial of the Heartbreaker Games, Li Ming. Few face the Orb of Pride and return whole."

Li Ming gave a small bow. "Thank you, Senior. I… learned something important."

Bai Guo nudged him. "You? Learning something? Quick, write it down before you forget."

Li Ming rolled his eyes but smiled. "I learned that true strength isn't just punching hard—it's knowing when to stop pretending."

A faint cheer rippled through the crowd. For once, they weren't laughing at his accidents. They were actually proud.

The Head Mentor nodded approvingly. "Good. Then you have truly grown. But remember—every lesson comes with a new challenge."

Li Ming blinked. "Wait—what challenge? Can I at least rest for one day?"

The mentor raised his hand. A glowing scroll appeared and floated toward Li Ming. "The next round begins now."

"The next what?!" Li Ming yelped, clutching the scroll.

The Head Mentor smiled. "Round Two—The Battle of Hearts."

Bai Guo tilted his head. "Battle of Hearts? Sounds… romantic."

The mentor shook his head. "Not love, foolish bird. This test breaks the heart of arrogance, not affection. You will face opponents who mirror your worst habits—and only humility can see you through."

Li Ming stared at the scroll. "Opponents that act like me? Oh no. I can't handle another me!"

Bai Guo cackled. "Finally! You get to see how annoying you are!"

Ignoring the bird, Li Ming unrolled the scroll. The ink shimmered, forming a map of the sect with glowing dots.

The mentor continued, "Each dot marks a field where challengers wait. To advance, you must defeat three mirror opponents. Fail, and your progress resets."

Li Ming groaned. "Resets?! You mean all this effort for nothing?"

The mentor gave a sly smile. "Growth is never wasted. But pride will make you start again."

Li Ming sighed. "So… no naps, no buns, no breaks."

Bai Guo hopped on his shoulder. "Think of it this way—if you win, you get bragging rights."

He raised a brow. "Didn't we just learn bragging is bad?"

Bai Guo coughed. "Uh… humble bragging, then."

Li Ming smirked. "Fair enough."

With a deep breath, he activated his Qi. A soft golden glow surrounded him—steady and strong. He felt different now. Clear-headed. Balanced.

No more running. No more hiding.

"Alright," he said, gripping the scroll. "Let's start round two."

He followed the map, heading toward the first glowing dot. The path led him through a bamboo forest, the air calm and still.

But the moment he stepped into the clearing, the light shifted. Mist rolled across the ground, and a faint echo whispered through the air.

> "Welcome, challenger…"

Li Ming froze. The mist thickened, forming a familiar shape.

Out of the haze stepped a figure wearing dark robes, a confident smirk on his face.

Li Ming's eyes widened. "Wait a second… you look like—"

The figure grinned. "Of course I do. I'm you. But better."

Bai Guo's eyes went wide. "Descendant, that's… a mirror version of you!"

Li Ming pointed. "Oh no. He's got my face and my smugness! This is gonna be bad."

Mirror Li Ming twirled his sword with flair. "You think humor and luck got you this far? I'm what you'd be if you actually trained seriously."

Real Li Ming frowned. "Excuse me?! I do train! I just… get distracted sometimes."

"By food," Bai Guo muttered.

Mirror Li Ming laughed. "Pathetic. You call yourself a cultivator? You're a clown wearing robes!"

The words stung—but Li Ming didn't snap back. Not this time.

He steadied his breathing, drawing on his newly balanced Qi. "If you're my pride, then beating you won't take arrogance—it'll take honesty."

Mirror Li Ming smirked. "Then let's see how honest you can be… when I crush you!"

He dashed forward, sword flashing with golden energy.

Li Ming raised his hands, channeling his own Qi. The air around them rippled as two identical figures clashed—one fueled by arrogance, one by growth.

Their blades met with a boom, sending shockwaves through the forest.

Li Ming slid back, eyes fierce. "Guess it's time to prove I'm not the same as before."

The mirror version grinned. "Then stop talking—show me!"

Their auras collided again, sparks flying—

And above them, unseen by both, another shadow watched from the treetops.

It smiled faintly. "Let's see if you can truly handle yourself, Li Ming…"

To be continued...

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