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To become a ‘Hero’ means you will stand at the center of the storm.
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You will face countless enemies, from the darkness, and perhaps even from the light.
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You will witness the ugliness of humanity and the cruelty of the world.
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The justice you uphold may be worthless in the eyes of others.
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You may even discover that what you hated was not true evil, and what you relied upon was instead an even greater conspiracy.
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Samuel’s voice carried a hint of weariness.
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Before all this happens, tell me, what is your ‘Dao’?
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“Dao?”
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Luo Ling frowned slightly.
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“Your conviction,”
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Samuel explained.
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Is it only vengeance that supports you to keep going?
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Luo Ling fell silent.
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Vengeance…
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Yes, that was his strongest thought at this moment.
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Vengeance for Eve, vengeance for those innocents who were caught up in the conflict.
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But what if vengeance is achieved?
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What if all the enemies are eliminated?
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Then, where should he go?
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He looked at his own hands—hands that once only farmed and repaired tools, but now longed to grip a weapon and be stained with blood.
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What remained in his heart, aside from cold hatred?
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Eve’s smile resurfaced in his mind, warm and pure, carrying beautiful hopes for the future.
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“I…”
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Luo Ling took a deep breath, his gaze gradually growing resolute.
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I want to guard.
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“Guard?”
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“To guard those like Eve, who only wished for an ordinary life, but were mercilessly harmed.”
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Luo Ling’s voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.
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I want to make this world a place where the weak are no longer trampled at will.
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I want ‘ordinary’ to no longer be a luxury.
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This time, his eyes held not only cold hatred, but also a complex emotion.
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It was the inheritance of Eve’s last wish, compassion for the innocent, and a… heavier, more steadfast conviction.
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Vengeance is the starting point, but never the end.
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He wanted to build a world—a world where ordinary people could truly live in peace.
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Even if this goal sounded distant, even laughable.
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Samuel stared at him quietly for a long time.
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A trace of approval seemed to flicker in those deep eyes.
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“Good,”
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Samuel nodded.
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Guarding is more sustaining than simple vengeance on the long, dark road ahead.
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Remember what you have said today.
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When you lose your way in the future, it may be what brings you back.
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Samuel walked to the massive black rock, reached out, and pressed his hand gently against its surface.
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Vmmm——
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A deep hum sounded, and light rippled across the black stone, revealing countless intricate runes.
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The runes lit up, forming a strange Ritual Array.
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“This is the ‘Trial Stone’.”
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Samuel said.
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It reflects your truest desires and fears.
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Now, place your hand upon it.
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Luo Ling walked to the rock, gazed at the swirling runes, and took a deep breath before pressing his hand against it.
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A cold sensation spread, followed by a powerful pull from within the stone, as if it were trying to draw his very soul inside.
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Darkness instantly swallowed his vision.
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Chaotic images flashed in his mind: Eve’s falling figure, the sinister smile of a man in black, the fearful eyes of villagers, his own helpless cries…
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These scenes surged forth like a tide, threatening to drown him.
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“Ah——!”
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Luo Ling let out a cry of agony, his body trembling violently.
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Hatred, anger, sorrow, despair…
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Countless negative emotions battered his mind.
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“Hold on to your heart!”
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Samuel’s voice thundered in his mind like a bell.
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Remember your ‘Dao’!
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Dao…
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Guarding…
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Eve’s smile…
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The people who longed for peaceful lives…
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Luo Ling gritted his teeth fiercely, using all his strength to resist the onslaught within.
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He clung desperately to that faint light within him, the light named ‘guarding,’ as if protecting a flickering candle amidst a raging storm.
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He didn’t know how long it lasted—a moment, or an eternity.
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When Luo Ling opened his eyes again, the darkness had vanished.
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The runes on the black stone had faded, returning to their original state.
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Cold sweat covered his forehead, his body was still weak, but his eyes were clearer and more determined than before.
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“You have passed the first trial.”
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Samuel’s voice held a hint of relief.
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Your heart may be scarred, but it has not been wholly consumed by hatred.
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That is good.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Luo Ling panted heavily and nodded.
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The experience had been like a nightmare, but it made him understand himself more clearly and strengthened his conviction.
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“Now, we begin the first lesson.”
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Samuel took something from behind him and handed it to Luo Ling.
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It was a Wooden Sword.
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The blade was simple and unadorned, polished smooth, its wooden grain visible.
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“Grip it.”
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Samuel said.
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Luo Ling took the Wooden Sword.
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It was cool to the touch, and heavy in his hands.
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“The first lesson of a Hero is not slashing, not blocking, but… swinging the sword.”
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Samuel’s voice was calm and steady.
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From now until sunset, you only need to do one thing—swing this sword ten thousand times as quickly as possible.
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Luo Ling froze.
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Ten thousand times? Swing the sword? That simple?
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Samuel seemed to see through his thoughts and spoke lightly.
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Simple? Try it for a thousand times and tell me if it’s still simple.
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Remember, with every swing, you must feel it with your heart.
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Feel the strength of your arms, the coordination of your body, the path of the sword.
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Only when you can swing the sword ten thousand times as naturally as breathing will you be qualified to learn real swordsmanship.
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Luo Ling looked at the Wooden Sword in his hands, then at the setting sun in the distance.
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Time was short.
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He asked no more questions, only took a deep breath, gripped the hilt with both hands, and assumed the most basic stance.
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“One.”
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He muttered, swinging the Wooden Sword forward with a whoosh.
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“Two.”
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“Three.”
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……
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The evening sunlight spilled across the open ground, stretching Luo Ling’s shadow long and far.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
He swung the Wooden Sword again and again, his movements awkward at first, but gradually growing more practiced.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Sweat quickly soaked his clothes, his arms ached, and his muscles screamed in protest.
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Five hundred… One thousand… One thousand five hundred times…
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His arms felt as heavy as lead, every swing bringing sharp pain.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Sweat dripped to the ground, spreading into damp spots.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
His breathing grew ragged, his vision blurred.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
The thought of giving up slithered in like a venomous snake.
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“Ten thousand times… how is it possible…”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
He gritted his teeth, almost losing his grip on the hilt.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
At that moment, Eve’s smile, the villagers’ helpless eyes, and the cold faces of the men in black flashed once more through his mind.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Ah——!”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
He roared, pouring all his strength into another swing!
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
I can’t give up!
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
I must become stronger!
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Eve… wait for me!
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He bit down, letting sweat and tears—perhaps both—slide down his cheeks.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
His eyes hardened with resolve.
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Each swing now seemed to carry infinite strength and determination.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
The sound of the Wooden Sword cutting the air echoed over and over in the quiet valley, unending.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
This was Luo Ling’s first lesson as a Hero.
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Tedious and exhausting, yet vital.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
He was not only training his body, but forging his will.
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Night quietly fell.
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