The Villain's Story



[Inside the Tower, 21st floor. Alan Peccator POV]

It was quite a struggle, But the dome I had constructed had managed to hold on until the trial ended.

[You have survived.]

The notification appeared in front of me and I relaxed.

[You have survived the Trial, reward has been given.

Advancing to the next trial.]

"Reward?"

I muttered. I was getting a reward for clearing the floor. What?

This has never happened before, the only reward I was given in the whole 20 floors was the reward for clearing the 20th floor.

'Does that mean it starts giving rewards for clearing every floor?'

If it was, then I was glad. 

[Rewards were given to you before.]

The tower's voice echoed in my mind. I struggled to understand what it meant. So I just asked it straightforwardly.

"When?"

However, it refused to answer me, as if it was angry or something.

[You wouldn't understand even If I explained.]

"..."

I silently entered the twenty-second floor. 

There is no use in trying to converse with this thing.

********

[22nd floor.]

I entered the 22nd floor with my guard up. I don't know what to expect here after all.

[You can lower your guard, nothing happens yet.]

The voice of the tower sounded calm, but I didn't trust this thing one bit.

The plains in front of me were desolate and dead, not a single speck of grass in sight but there was a visible path of paved dirt.

[Trial of the Forgetful, remind the Master of Wudang his glory.]

"Wudang?"

I questioned, finding the word unfamiliar.

[It's the name of a Taoist sect, one of, if not the greatest Taoist sect.]

The tower explained to me. I opened my inventory to check the reward gifted to me by the tower, whilst still keeping Mana Sense active in the surroundings so that I wouldn't be taken aback by any sudden threat.

"What's this?"

I muttered when I saw the reward.

[Diary of a Wandering Beggar.]

I opened the raggedy-looking book, and the characters within the book were directly translated by the tower. Thankfully I didn't have to use dragon eyes for that.

Most of the book was a movement technique, which was useless to me because I could literally teleport.

But the Movement technique is quite good, I have to admit that.

[Stride of the Beggar[4-star)]

[ A Movement art encompassing a dance of a beggar, begging for coins and worldly desires. It uses the principles of Earth and Metal to understand the properties of the Earth and respond accordingly in time with precision, In the hands of a wandering beggar, it is a form of Qinggong which can prove deadly.]

That was the description of the movement art given by the system. I was tempted to use dragon eyes but decided against it. I cannot risk it.

I cannot risk blinding myself when I haven't even cleared this tower halfway.

[You seem confident enough in your own abilities.]

The tower said, I ignored it and continued to read the book. There I was able to find something useful among many useless sentences.

[The beggar's sect has been overwhelmed, the Leader has fallen to the Heavenly demon.]

[The economy of Murim is falling, the Shadow Plague has dealt us a hand we can not imagine, and we require the assistance of the Heavenly demon to dispel the curse of Shadow.]

[The Sect Leader of Wudang, once the Sword of Wudang has clashed with the Heavenly demon, Ma Cheon, I observed the duel and the Lord Of Wudang lost in 10 strikes. The Heavenly demon had cut through the principles of Wudang in 10 strikes, he had understood the principles of Taoism in but a flash and laid waste to them. The heavenly demon has cut Wudang.]

[The Wudang sect's disciples have fallen again and again against the war of the Shadow. Murim lies divided…I fear we will all die if someone stronger than all the arrogant elders at the top steps up…]

From those, I was able to point out something related to the trial.

"Wudang had a clash of ten strikes with the Heavenly demon, and lost miserably huh…"

That was what I was able to understand from the writings, among the many others, that one seemed interesting to me.

'The Principles of Taoism?'

I questioned in my mind, hinting at the tower to explain. That thing can read my mind, and I don't know anything about Murim. So it would help a little if this thing was explained.

[There are different schools of Taoism but most focus on the principles of Yin and Yang, right and wrong, and Wu Wei And Ziran. Taoists follow these teachings and want to align themselves according to the natural flow of the world. It is the Dao of the natural order.]

Explained the tower, But I still didn't understand what Ziran and Wu Wei meant.

I could almost feel the tower sigh.

[You truly know nothing…Wu Wei…this concept can be translated as "non-action" or "effortless action." It suggests that one should align their actions with the natural flow of the Tao rather than forcing or striving against it. It's about living in harmony with the Tao. To follow the flow. It coincides with Ziran, which  means "naturalness" or "spontaneity." It encourages individuals to be their authentic selves and to act in accordance with their own nature, as opposed to conforming to societal expectations.

To be oneself, and not bow down to the evil of the world. To live a life worth living, a life of good.]

Thanks to the great explanations of the Tower I understood somewhat. But…

"It says here that the Wudang master lost, So this means that someone defeated the principles? I don't understand how someone can do that."

I expressed some confusion. Finally, I could sense the tower had an amicable expression.

[Yes, the Principles of Taoism, the principles that gave strength and purpose to Wudang and the other major sects of Taoism were understood in seconds by a man known as the Heavenly demons, he comprehended the concepts that took Taoist years fully and replicated…no even enhanced them. 

That is how he cut down righteousness and overpowered the flow.]

'Interesting…'

I smiled, finding these trials interesting, and had an urge to read what came next.

"Oh well, I'll find out when I clear the trials I guess."

I hummed as I followed the paved path.