Danial sighed deeply as he entered the training hall, the weight of the past few days pressing down on him. His encounter with the Curse King had left him feeling powerless, a sensation he despised. No matter how hard he had fought, he couldn’t even scratch his enemy. The memory of it gnawed at him like a thorn lodged deep in his chest. The hall was quiet, a peaceful contrast to the storm raging inside him. Soft light illuminated the polished wooden floors, casting long shadows along the walls. Danial made his way to the center, sitting down in a lotus position, closing his eyes as he prepared to meditate. He had to find the gaps in his technique, to understand why he had failed so miserably. As his breathing steadied, Danial’s mind grew calm, like the surface of a still lake. Slowly, he raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a small flame ignited on the tip of his fingers. He watched it flicker, the warm orange glow casting shadows on his face. The flame expanded into a
Danial blinked several times, adjusting to the new, strange environment that surrounded him. The ground beneath his feet was as dark as coal, jagged and uneven, with a sheen that made it look almost unnatural. Above him, the sky stretched endlessly, filled with countless stars, glittering in a blanket of dense constellations. He squinted against the brightness—staring too long made his eyes burn.“Where am I?” he muttered under his breath, his muscles tensing instinctively. His mind raced. Is this another trick of the Curse King? Did he do something to my consciousness? His heart pounded faster as he scanned the unfamiliar terrain, his senses on high alert.As if in response to his confusion, the familiar System panel appeared in front of him, floating in the void-like realm. A string of text scrolled across its translucent surface: "Your consciousness has been transferred to this realm to train in the Sword Drawing technique."Danial’s eyes widened in shock. Consciousness transferred
Danial’s tension eased slightly. So, this figure wasn’t an intruder but rather an avatar of the swordsman who had created the technique. His mind calmed as the System’s explanation settled in. He had nothing to fear—this was an opportunity.His heartbeat began to slow as curiosity replaced his initial fear. If this was the man who had created the Sword Drawing technique, Danial didn’t want to miss a single detail.The figure stepped forward into better view. The man wore simple robes, their fabric plain and unadorned, the color a faded gray as though worn by time. His face was humble, almost serene, with deep-set eyes that spoke of experience and wisdom. He looked more like a wandering hermit than a powerful warrior—an unassuming figure who might have gone unnoticed in a crowd. But as Danial stared, the man’s presence became increasingly overwhelming. Beneath that humble exterior was an aura of immense power, like a storm quietly raging beneath the surface.The hologram slowly drew th
Danial dumbfoundedly stared at the System panel, the words burning into his mind as if mocking him."1 billion???" His voice echoed through the empty realm, disbelief twisting his face. "What the hell are you talking about? Do you know how much 1 billion represents!?"The System’s cold, emotionless voice replied instantly, cutting through his protests. "This is the condition for leaving the Realm of The Broken Stars."Danial’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. He gritted his teeth, feeling the tension in his jaw. For a few moments, he stood there, fists trembling, before he exhaled sharply and collapsed onto the ground. The weight of the challenge before him was crushing. His mind raced, trying to come up with a loophole, an alternative, something—anything—that could get him out of this impossible situation. But as the minutes dragged on, the harsh reality began to settle in."There’s no other way," Danial thought bitterly. "I’m stuck here until I complete one billion repetition
Determined to make something of himself, Howland started practicing martial arts on his own, copying the movements he had seen. At first, it was crude and amateurish, but his dedication soon paid off. As he grew older, he joined a local martial sect, where his talent became apparent. His progress was swift, and before long, he had surpassed most of his peers. By the time he entered his thirties, Howland had crossed the Mortal Level and stepped into the Master Level of cultivation, a feat that elevated his family’s status almost overnight.People in his hometown began to look at him with awe, and his family enjoyed the benefits of his success. They were no longer the struggling merchants they once were but respected members of the community. And as his reputation grew, so did his ambitions. He wanted more than just local fame—he wanted to make a name for himself in the capital, where the true powerhouses resided.His opportunity came when he was offered a position at the prestigious Ph
Danial stood in the vast, silent expanse of the Realm of Broken Stars. The realm itself was disorienting—there was no sense of time, no wind, no sound other than the rhythmic swishing of his sword. Every swing reverberated through the arcane array, but the place was deathly silent otherwise.Danial had long since lost track of how many swings he'd done. One billion—the target the System had set for mastering the Sword Drawing Technique, a number that felt so incomprehensibly large that it almost mocked him.He swung the sword, the weight of each strike sending tremors through his body. At around 250 swings, his muscles gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, the sword slipping from his hand. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his arms felt like lead.Panting, he looked up at the counter that hovered in the air, glowing with an almost mocking brightness. The numbers blinked back at him, a mere 250."I’ll never reach it…" Danial groaned, letting his head fal
Danial stared at the fading soul of the swordsman, his mind swirling with questions. "What did he mean?" he thought. The cryptic words echoed in his head: "I hope we meet again, young man." He wanted to call out, to ask about the technique, about the realm, about the nature of the swordmaster's existence—but it was too late. The soul dissolved into shimmering wisps of light, drifting into the infinite void of the Realm of Broken Stars, leaving Danial alone.He exhaled heavily, the weight of the intense training and the surreal experience settling in. The silence of the realm wrapped around him once again, and he turned his attention to the floating System, its familiar presence a small comfort in this strange place."Can I leave now?" Danial asked, his voice flat with fatigue. He could feel every muscle in his body aching from the relentless training, despite the rapid recovery cycles the realm had provided.The System emitted a soft ding and its cold, emotionless voice answered, "The
Danial hurried out of the hall, finally coming to a stop just outside its entrance. He leaned against the stone wall and exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the near confrontation with Master Howland lift from his shoulders. As the cool breeze from the academy grounds swept over him, he glanced down at his hands, lost in thought. The memories of the Realm of Broken Stars flickered in his mind, and his fingers twitched reflexively as he recalled the sword drawing technique he had practiced there.“All those years in the Realm… It was real,” he mused, flexing his fingers. “But would I be able to replicate that Sword Drawing technique here?” The thought gnawed at him. “I couldn't use internal energy while performing the technique there, but I could when I was recovering. What would happen if I used it now?”His curiosity burned stronger than ever. He needed to test the technique. Without hesitation, he made his way to one of the training halls reserved for swordsmanship and other physi