Chapter 2: The Uprising Part 1

As he emerged into the light, he saw that he was not alone. All around him, other prisoners were standing outside their cells, staring at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

The prisoners and the guards alike had different expressions on their faces as they saw the man who had just emerged from the tiny cell.

Li Wuji possessed a striking appearance that reflected both his resilience and physique. Standing at nearly two meters tall, he had a lean and powerful build, honed by years of hunting and survival in the wilderness. His features were sharp and defined, with a strong jawline and piercing, calculating eyes that seemed to hold secrets within their depths.

Li Wuji's unkempt black hair fell to his shoulders, partially obscuring his face and adding an air of mystery to his countenance. He sported a short, well-kept beard that framed his lips, giving him a primitive and somewhat attractive look.

His attire consisted of worn and tattered clothing, remnants of his previous life before imprisonment. He wore practical garments, a mixture of dark earth tones and muted colors that seemed to allow him to blend into the shadows and conceal his movements. Li Wuji's hands, calloused and scarred from his struggles, bore a testament to the hardships he had endured.

Despite his disheveled appearance, there was an undeniable aura of resilience and strength surrounded Li Wuji. His demeanor exuded confidence, a silent reminder to all who crossed his path that he was a force to be reckoned with.

The only source of light in the corridor was a flickering lamp hanging from the ceiling, which cast deep shadows across Li Wuji's face and accentuated the many wounds and scars that marked his body. 

The two guards that were stationed just outside his cell found themselves unconsciously taking a few steps away from the man, who was several inches above them.

Bo Xi walked out of the cell and looked at the man, who had just come out before him. They were nearly the same height, with Bo Xi only missing out by a few inches.

'This one could be a problem.' Bo Xi rarely had difficulties in keeping prisoners on a short leash. However, there was nagging feeling at the back of his mind that the man would be difficult to tame.

Bo Xi bumped his shoulder against Li Wuji as he walked past him, but his provocation did not even faze Li Wuji, let alone cause him to lose balance. 

"Listen up, you worthless bastards," Bo XI snarled, pacing back and forth in front of the prisoners. "Your lucky to be alive; are you aware of that, In truth, you were meant to be executed."

Several prisoners were already shivering in fear, which caused Bo Xi to be inwardly pleased with himself. Of course, the vast majority still maintained poker faces, whereas others simply stared at the floor, avoiding Bo Xi's gaze entirely. 

"The Black Temple is no place for weaklings; I shall show you that in due time." Bo Xi once again turned his attention to Li Wuji, who had simply closed his eyes.

Bo Xi was a man who relished in exerting his power over others, a bully who found pleasure in watching those beneath him tremble in fear. He believed that fear was the ultimate tool to control the prisoners, and he intended to demonstrate his dominance once again.

With a cruel chuckle, Bo Xi took a step forward, his heavy footsteps echoing against the cold stone floor. He raised his hand, fist clenched, and his voice boomed through the corridor, filled with a sense of self-bestowed authority.

"Kneel!" he commanded, his voice dripping with venom. "Kneel before me, you pathetic worms!" Bo Xi burst out with an intimidating Qi presence that caused those closest to him to back off due to the forceful nature of his martial aura.

The prisoners were caught unprepared by the forceful Qi presence, as some of them instinctively fell to their knees in submission. They were others that froze in place, simply unable to move, let alone utter any complaints. 

Among the prisoners stood Li Wuji, his face a mask of cold fortitude. His piercing eyes locked with Bo Xi's, unyielding and unbothered. Li Wuji could feel that Bo Xi's presence was paper thin at best and would only affect those at the Origin Gathering stage, and he snubbed the idea of letting him carry on with such a pathetic performance

As Bo Xi stared at Li Wuji, a flicker of surprise and annoyance passed across his face. He had grown accustomed to seeing the prisoners cower and obey or simply avoid meeting his eyes the moment he burst out with his aura, but this one stood tall and resolute, a thorn in his side.

"You!" Bo Xi spat, pointing a finger at Li Wuji. "You think you're better than the rest, don't you? Well, I'll break you like I've broken so many others. Now kneel before I break your legs!"

"Hah!" Bo Xi used all his might and the pressure from his Qi Presence doubled in power, causing those already on their knees to sink even lower, It was obvious that the pressure from a practitioner in the Qi Shattering realm proved too much for those at the Origin gathering stage.

It wasn't surprising considering that Origin gathering practitioners had just begun the path of Martial Dao, while a Qi Shattering was already familiar with manipulating Qi and could even project their Qi Presence to easily cause those Origin gathering artists to lose all their combat strength. Let alone resist, it would be praiseworthy too even stand. 

A wicked smile played on Bo Xi's lips as he anticipated Li Wuji's submission. He believed that his Qi Presence alone was enough to crush any prisoner's spirit.

But Li Wuji remained unfazed. He stared directly into Bo Xi's eyes, a glimmer of pity shining within his own. The Blood pearl had boosted LI Wuji's cultivation from the mid-stages of the Origin gathering stage to the 7th Stage of the Qi Shattering realm.

When coupled with the Ardent Gates, which was a Sky-tier Cultivation technique, and the three Sky-tier martial arts manuals, Li Wuji was invincible below the Sky gathering stage, let alone Bo Xi, even the prison warden was a mere junior in comparison to him.

'If I had excavated the power of the Blood Orb earlier, I would have been able to fight against the Jie Clan. However, victory wouldn't be guaranteed.' Li Wuji remembered the beating he had received on his way to this prison and the pain was deeply engraved in his memory.

In order to progress smoothly on his path to the Martial Dao, Li Wuji had to eradicate the Jie clan in order to appease his soul and mind. With a tranquil and calculated demeanor, Li Wuji slowly raised his hand, palm facing outward. His voice, soft but laced with subtle authority, cut through the tense silence.

[1st gate of the Ardent Gates: Ardent push] 

"Bo Xi, lower your hand; this performance of yours is pathetic." LI Wuji burst out with the entry technique of the Ardent gates, causing Bo Xi's paper-thin Qi presence to fall apart, causing Bo Xi to stumble back and nearly fall.

"W-what in the... How did you?" The corridor fell into a hushed silence as all eyes turned to Bo Xi, who was the only one to react. The guard's face contorted in a mix of confusion and rage. His raised hand trembled, a battle between his consciousness and the stunning reality.

"Did you not hear me, I said lower your hand," Li Wuji repeated, his voice steady and commanding. "You are no ruler; you're just a pitiful puppet."

A flicker of shock crossed Bo Xi's eyes, the first crack in his confidence. "You dare…defy…me." His arm slowly began to lower, the once-forceful gesture now faltering. The poor guard's face developed a darker shade as he seemed to be losing the strength to even face the man that easily towered above him.

 The prisoners watched in awe and astonishment as they witnessed a shift in power that seemed impossible. It appeared that the scales were beginning to tip in favor of Li Wuji.

But just as Bo Xi's hand was about to descend, a growl erupted from the depths of his throat. 'I refuse to let a mere prisoner suppress him.' His eyes narrowed, and a battle intent ignited within him. It was a common ability for practitioners on the Battle path who had cultivated up to the Qi shattering realm.

With a sudden surge of defiance, Bo Xi snapped his hand back up, his face twisted with fury. "You have the audacity challenge me?" he snarled, his voice laced with anger. Although the gap between them was large, Bo Xi completely disregarded this and insisted on facing the opponent before him.

"Brother Bo has been walking the battle path for decades now; he isn't afraid of any opponent." One of the guards boasted out when he saw Bo Xi regain his confidence. It seemed that Bo Xi had a breakthrough in mindset when facing a stronger opponent. 

Li Wuji maintained his composure, his gaze cold. "What is there to challenge? I am only bringing to light the truth, Bo Xi." His tone did not rise or fall as he spoke in the silent corridor. "If you think a mere peasant like you can control us, you overestimate your strength."

[Berserker's Fist, Third Move, Frenzied Fist]

Bo Xi lunged forward, his rage fueling his actions. He swung his arm with a forceful strike containing all his might, aiming to bring Li Wuji down to his knees. In his mind, he believed that this powerful attack would injure anyone below the Sky gathering realm

 

"You see, Bo Xi." Li Wuji easily grabbed Bo Xi's left arm, pulled towards himself and used his right leg to deliver a crushing blow to his lower back. "Despite being in the Qi Shattering realm, you are but a novice in hand-to-hand combat." 

[4th gate of the Ardent gate: Ardent Rage]

A loud crack echoed through the corridor as the impact fractured Bo Xi's spleen, sending shock waves of agony through his body. The kick may have appeared ordinary, but it contained the intent of a Sky-tier Cultivation realm. Bo Xi's innards were completely jumbled up by the Ardent Rage Qi.

"AHhh… ahhh!!… W-what!!! AHhhh…. did you do!!!" Bo Xi let out a guttural scream, a sound that reverberated off the cold stone walls, mingling with the gasps and whispers of the prisoners. The once formidable guard now writhed on the ground, clutching his side, his face contorted with agony.

In that moment, the prisoners witnessed a shift in the balance of power. Bo Xi, once seen as an unyielding tyrant, was exposed as a mere bully who could not even last a single exchange with a prisoner. And Li Wuji, with his utter defiance and unwavering attitude, emerged as a beacon of hope for those imprisoned within the confines of the Black Temple.