Immortal's Paradox

The bandit leader charged at Lei, his axe attached, modified kusarigama whirling like a deadly storm. His every strike carried the weight of his mid-foundation establishment realm cultivation, but the sheer force tearing into the ground, showed the peak of the foundation establishment. Lei dodged each blow with razor-sharp precision, his movements fluid and unyielding, but the relentless onslaught left him little room to counterattack.

The axe's massive blade came down in a powerful arc. Lei spun to the side, his new movement technique, Silent Cloud Steps, making him as untouchable as the wind. He countered with a blazing kick, his Molten Iron Kick aimed squarely at the leader's ribs. The impact sent a ripple through the man's body, but it wasn't enough to slow him down.

"You've got skill, boy," the leader sneered, his voice guttural. "But you lack the strength to end this."

Lei smirked. "We'll see about that."

Lei's fists and kicks glowed faintly red as qi surged through his limbs, the intensity of his attacks increasing with every strike. The predictive abilities he learned the Nanospirit, the Molten Iron Fist & Kick and the movement techniques made a deadly combo.

Every step, every strike, was calculated and deliberate. His punches were like thunder, shaking the air with their force. His kicks were like iron hammers, unrelenting and precise. The red hot axe couldn't take it anymore it shattered like petals of a royal poinciana scattering in the wind.

The leader made a last attempt with his fists, but Lei sidestepped and landed a devastating uppercut to the man's jaw, sending him stumbling. Lei lunged forward, his fists glowing brighter than ever. With a final roar, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one stronger than the last.

The bandit leader fell to his knees, his axe slipping from his grasp. Blood trickled from his mouth as he glared up at Lei.

"You... damn brat..."

Lei didn't hesitate. With one last punch, he ended the fight.

Lei stood over the lifeless body of the bandit leader, his breath steady despite the grueling battle. His new martial arts, a seamless combination of this world's techniques and his old-world knowledge, had turned the tide. The unpredictable flow of the new art was exactly like Sun-Tzu wanted, impenetrable like night and as deadly as thunder.

The bandit leader's body slumped to the ground, his shattered axe right beside him. Lei leaned down, searching the leader's body, and retrieved a storage pouch. He pocketed it and exhaled deeply, allowing the adrenaline to ebb away.

"Impressive," Mao's voice broke through the silence, laced with a rare hint of approval. "You're not just bold—you're learning."

Lei glanced down at his bloodied hands. "Boldness is one thing, Mao. Survival is another."

---

The tunnel loomed ahead, dark and foreboding. Lei's steps echoed as he ventured deeper, his senses sharp. The air grew colder, and the faint scent of damp earth filled his nostrils. He came to a divergence—a fork in the path.

From the left, he sensed movement. Shallow breaths, weak but present. His brows furrowed as he followed the sound, his guard up.

The narrow passage led to a small chamber, dimly lit by a single torch mounted on the wall. A group of women huddled together, their forms thin and battered. Their clothes were torn, their faces gaunt with despair. They looked up as he entered, their hollow eyes filled with fear and resignation.

One of them, her voice trembling, whispered, "Please... kill us. End this misery."

Lei stopped in his tracks, his jaw tightening. The sight before him was enough to churn his stomach, but he didn't let his emotions show.

How like every other Isekai novel's bandit camps, he thought grimly. Always the same damned atrocities. Perhaps this is how it was everywhere, even in his world too, living a sheltered life like every most of the people in his old life, he was ignorant of such fates.

Before he could respond, Mao's voice cut through his thoughts. "You've tested yourself in battle. But this… this is a test of morality. Choose wisely, Lei."

Lei took a step forward, pulling out the dagger he had taken from the bandit archer earlier. The women flinched, some turning their heads away. Without a word, Lei tossed the dagger to the ground in front of them.

"Do it yourself," he said coldly.

The women hesitated, their tear-streaked faces filled with confusion. One of them, trembling, picked up the dagger. She held it in her hands, staring at the blade as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Her hands shook violently, and after a moment, she dropped the dagger, her knees giving out beneath her.

Lei crossed his arms, his expression stern. "Suicide may seem like an easy way out," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "But it's never the solution. Taking a life—any life, even your own—isn't easy. And it shouldn't be."

The women looked down, shame and sorrow etched into their features.

"You've suffered. More than anyone should. But giving up now means letting them win," Lei continued. "You think your pain ends with death? It doesn't. It just transfers to someone else—your family, your friends, the people who still care about you."

One of the women, her voice barely above a whisper, asked, "What... what do we do then?"

Lei knelt down, meeting her gaze. "You live. You fight. Not for revenge, but for yourselves. For the chance to rebuild. For the people waiting for you, if they're still out there. And if they're gone, then for the memory of what they would have wanted for you."

Tears streamed down their faces as his words sank in. The woman who had dropped the dagger whispered, "You're right... we've been weak... but no more."

Lei stood, his expression softening. "Good. Now go. Find your villages. Your families. And if I ever visit, I'll expect a feast in my honor."

The faintest smiles appeared on their faces, and one by one, they stood and began to leave the chamber, their steps shaky but purposeful.

Mao's voice was calm, almost approving. "You're full of surprises, kid. Maybe you're not as reckless as you seem."

Lei sighed, picking up the dagger and sliding it back into its sheath. "Reckless or not, I'll do what I think is right. No more, no less."

---

As the women disappeared down the tunnel, Lei pulled out the storage pouch he had taken from the bandit leader. He began rifling through its contents as he continued deeper into the cave. 500 low grade spirit stones, a few jade bottles with qi refining pills, healing pills, stored dried medicinal herbs and a rolled-up map caught his attention.

"Looks like this wasn't just a random bandit camp," he muttered to himself. "There's more to this place."

Mao's voice chimed in, amused. "Those yellow flowers, that is the jadeleaf primrose. Looks like you are quite lucky"

"Really? This is some protagonist's luck", he laughed. But his grip on the bottle tightened as he pressed forward, the darkness ahead promising more challenges to come.