After what felt like an eternity, but was likely no more than ten minutes, a man who appeared to be in his late 50s entered the room.
He was bald and wore the simple robes of a monk, but they could not hide the powerful, well-defined muscles that rippled beneath the fabric. As he entered, he clasped his fists together in a respectful bow towards the masked city lord.
"Lei Kung pays his respects to the city lord," he said, his voice stoic and devoid of any unnecessary emotion.
"Lei Kung, where is the Dragon eye pendent of your family?" the city lord asked, his gaze fixed on the older man.
"Replying to the city lord, it was taken away by a descendant of mine who left the city when a breach was opened about two decades ago," Lei Kung replied, his expression unchanging.
"A descendant of mine..." The words echoed in my mind, a strange mix of relief and anxiety settling in my gut. My mother's family. They were real.
The city lord turned his gaze back to me. "So it appears the intruder is telling the truth. Then the matter of today will end here. He will be left to Lei Kung to deal with. Lei Kung, I will leave the boy with you. Dismissed."
As he spoke the final word to Lei Kung, the city lord vanished as quickly as he had appeared. The others in the room bowed and followed suit, leaving just me and the imposing figure of Lei Kung.
"Why are you here, boy, and why do you have my family heirloom?" the old man asked, his eyes, sharp and intelligent, boring into me.
"This is a relic from my mother," I answered, my voice steady. "I came here to find my grandparents and to find a way to strengthen myself."
"What is your mother's name?"
"Lei Xishi," I replied, pronouncing the name as she had taught me.
"I see. So you are the son of that rebellious Xishi." His tone held a hint of something I couldn't quite place—was it disdain, or was it a deeper, more complicated emotion?
"She knew my mother," I thought, a flicker of hope rising in my chest. "Are you my grandfather?"
"No," he said, and the single word was like a physical blow. "Your grandparents left the city the last time the gates of Kunlun opened to look for your mother and bring back the family heirloom."
I see. My heart sank. The hope I'd felt was quickly replaced with a hollow emptiness. "Then who are you?"
"I, my child, am your ancestor. I am the first of the Lei family. The Lei family line began with me."
Yeah, and I'm Christopher Columbus, I thought, a wave of cynicism washing over me. He looked to be in his late 50s, not thousands of years old.
"You don't look that old," I said, a hint of skepticism in my voice.
"I am ageless, my child. I don't age," he replied, a faint smile touching his lips.
That makes it reasonable, but is agelessness common? a small, logical part of my brain admitted, recalling the words about immortals I heard around the city from my prior encounter.
"I see." I said accepting the notion for the time being.
"Well, you certainly are a strange one," he said, the smile growing a little wider. "You are one of the few people I have seen that show no interest in learning about immortality."
"Well, I have my desires to fulfill, and I am too young to find immortality an appealing concept as of yet. All I am seeking is a way to get stronger," I said, the words coming out with a conviction that surprised even me.
"Interesting. Well, if it's strength you seek, then I can help you with that. Follow me." said the old man walking ahead as he gestured me to follow
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I followed him out of the room and through the winding, elegant streets of the city. He led me through one alley after another, the city a labyrinth of ancient wood and stone, before finally stopping in front of what looked like a dojo. The scent of sandalwood and old wood filled the air, mingling with the crisp, clean mountain breeze.
He entered the building, and I followed him into a large training ground where a few young men were practicing martial arts with focused intensity. We passed through them and went deeper into the building, where I saw a lone young man practicing a complex set of katas.
"Daniel, come here and lead him to an empty room. He will live here from now on. And you, boy, what is your name?" he asked, turning towards me.
"My name is Ryan Angelo. You can call me Ryan or Rudra," I said, a sense of new beginnings settling in.
The young man, Daniel, stopped his practice and walked over to us. He had a friendly face and a slightly rough voice. "Hi, Ryan. Guess we'll be neighbors from now on," he said, a deliberate cheerfulness in his words. "So, how did you get here?"
"I searched for the city with the help of my mother's relic," I said. "It also let me inside the barrier."
"Cool. So why did you come here?" Anked Daniel trying to sound casual but I could feel something underneath.
Acquiring information, are we? I thought, a small smirk playing on my lips. "I was looking for strength, and my search led me here, so now here I am," I said, revealing only a half-truth.
"Well, if you're looking for strength, my friend, you certainly came to the right place. Master Lei Kung is the best martial arts teacher I have ever heard about. Guess this is your place," he said, stopping in front of a simple wooden door.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. By the way, I am Daniel Thomas Rand. You can call me Danny," he said, extending his hand. We shook hands, and his grip was firm and calloused. "And just a heads-up, training begins half an hour after sunrise. Don't be late; it won't be pretty."
And so, my first day in Kunlun ended, not with a heroic declaration, but with a simple handshake and a warning.