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."
