Chapter 17: One in a Million
\nIt was too dangerous. His troublesome master had countless enemies. Just imagining it felt perilous\u2014any random person on the road might harbor vengeance for a murdered father or slaughtered family, eager to fight to the death. Then they’d parade his severed head to provoke that cheap master, sparking a chain of grudges and revenge plots where Young Hero Zuo’s head would merely serve as the story’s opening act.
\nThis world overflowed with danger.
\nHe absolutely needed to grow stronger.
\nZuo Meng’s resolve hardened, his lazy fish mentality swept away. He decided to first try obtaining the cultivation methods of the Three Great Lords. Securing even one would let him exploit his world’s rules to find loopholes, reverse-engineer ancient techniques, and analyze advanced energies. Even without the methods, infiltrating Heifeng Fort would lead him to the dust powder source. With that energy supply, he’d modify his internal energy for a thousand years\u2014two thousand if needed. If the Three Great Lords still resisted, he’d push to ten thousand years, a hundred thousand. Quantity bred invincibility.
\nStep one was clear: infiltrate Heifeng Fort.
\n“Any alternatives?”
\nEarth Rat traded secrets for coin, though prices ran steep. To show commitment, Zuo Meng dumped his entire purse onto the table.
\nEyeing the money pouch, Earth Rat gulped and clenched his teeth. “If you’re serious, there’s a path. Dangerous, but exists. Your choice.”
\nZuo Meng waited silently.
\n“Black Tiger Forest near Jiang’an City’s outskirts holds the Fierce Tiger Stronghold. Sounds generic, but it’s actually the playground of Black Wind’s third disciple, Situ Nan. Every March, he ‘selects disciples’ there\u2014really just seeking entertainment. The stronghold recruits bandits in early March, hosting a ‘One in a Million’ trial. Toss candidates into beast swarms. Survivors become Situ Nan’s registered disciples, earning entry to Heifeng Fort to meet Human Respect, Black Wind himself.”
\nOne in a million?
\nThis wasn’t danger\u2014it was suicide. Even with Zuo Meng’s current skills, surviving a beast horde seemed doubtful.
\n“Don’t scoff. Crowds fight for this chance. The Three Great Lords’ fame drives immortality cravings. I’ve got a Fierce Tiger token here. Yours if you want it.”
\nEarth Rat slapped a black Token on the table. The message was clear: take the Token, leave the coins.
\n“Deal.”
\nZuo Meng snatched the Token and left.
\nEarth Rat pocketed the coins and vanished into the crowd.
\nDawn broke.
\nZuo Meng awoke in the inn bed.
\n“Still no dreams?” He frowned by the windowsill. He’d hoped to reenter the Dream World, seeking powers bleeding into the real world. But weeks had passed without dreams. The Dragon Clan civilization had likely ended after the Wilderness Resurgence, birthing a new epoch.
\n“Wait longer.”
\nGrabbing his Long Sword, he descended alone.
\nThe Fierce Tiger Stronghold lurked in suburban woods. Following Earth Rat’s directions along narrow paths, Zuo Meng advanced. Three months of partnership proved Earth Rat’s reliability, but deception mattered little\u2014Heifeng Fort’s territory supposedly began here.
\nSoon, rushing water echoed ahead.
\nPushing through foliage revealed a turbulent, muddy river.
\n“Hey, another corpse-to-be.”
\nA fishing boat slid from shadowed banks, steered by a scar-faced brute.
\n“Token?”
\nZuo Meng tossed the Earth Rat-acquired Token. The brute examined it, stuffed it into his waist pouch, and jerked his chin in command.
\n\u201cGet on the boat!\u201d
\nZuo Meng channeled his internal energy to his feet and leaped lightly onto the boat.
\nThis display startled the boatman.
\n\u201cDidn\u2019t expect you to be skilled, but it changes nothing.\u201d
\nThe boatman soon regained composure, refusing further conversation as he rowed across the river.
\n\u201cGet off.\u201d
\nThe brutish man steadied the boat, jerking his chin toward the shore.
\n\u201cHere?\u201d
\nWhen Zuo Meng turned after disembarking, the boatman had already left without a backward glance.
\n\u201cStarted already?\u201d
\nWithin steps, Zuo Meng caught the rancid smell of blood and saw beast-mauled corpses. The Fierce Tiger Stronghold\u2019s ruthlessness surprised him\u2014no warnings, no rules, just dumping recruits across the river. Careless ones would die ignorant of their mistakes.
\nSeeing no retreat, Zuo Meng pressed forward cautiously.
\nCorpses littered the path\u2014men and beasts locked in eternal combat. The scale suggested fierce battles.
\n\u201cPoison?\u201d
\nBy a pile of beast carcasses, Zuo Meng spotted traces of deadly poison. An expert toxin-user lurked nearby.
\n\u201cFresh meat arrives.\u201d
\nBefore Zuo Meng could straighten, voices rasped behind him.
\nFour men now blocked his retreat, standing at cardinal points. Victorious survivors of earlier fights, each exuded powerful energy. Zuo Meng rose slowly, internal energy circulating.
\n\u201cTime to die, brat! Next life, learn\u2014some chances aren\u2019t yours to take.\u201d A dwarf-like youth blurred into motion, becoming a Phantom Shadow.
\nBut!
\nZuo Meng moved quicker.
\nThree decades of internal energy erupted like shooting stars, etching white trails through air.
\nThwack!
\nThe dwarf\u2019s head arced skyward, blood raining down. The skull bounced near the others, dead eyes gaping.
\n\u201cFast blade.\u201d
\nThe survivors froze. Their leader\u2019s pupils contracted as he stared at Zuo Meng\u2019s blood-slicked Long Sword.
\n\u201cMonstrous energy.\u201d
\nThis single strike cowed the trio. None dared attack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 17: One in a Million It was too dangerous. His troublesome master had countless enemies. Just imagining it felt perilous\u2014any random person on the road might harbor vengeance for a murdered father or slaughtered family, eager to fight to the death. Then they’d parade his severed head to provoke that cheap master, sparking a chain of grudges and revenge plots where Young Hero\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3],"tags":[],"fcn_genre":[],"fcn_fandom":[],"fcn_character":[],"fcn_content_warning":[],"class_list":["post-1395","fcn_chapter","type-fcn_chapter","status-publish","hentry","category-dreaming-to-become-a-creator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fcn_chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1395"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1395\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1395"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_genre?post=1395"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_fandom?post=1395"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_character?post=1395"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_content_warning","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_content_warning?post=1395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}