Xiao Yi leaped from Moon Gazing Platform, his body plummeting rapidly through the air. The fierce wind howled past his ears, as if mourning his despair.
"Perhaps it's better to end it this way," Xiao Yi closed his eyes, letting his body fall freely.
He thought of the beautiful times he had spent with Mo Wanxian and Ling Yu, remembering their blood oath of brotherhood on Moon Gazing Platform. But now, everything was over. Ling Yu had betrayed him, the sect had abandoned him. Only Mo Wanxian still believed in him, but he couldn't drag her down with him.
"Crash!" Xiao Yi struck heavily against the cliff wall, then continued falling.
Blood poured from his mouth as his consciousness began to fade. In the last moment before losing consciousness, he seemed to hear an aged voice:
"Young man, your destiny is not yet finished."
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Yi slowly opened his eyes. What met his gaze was a simple thatched hut with a leaking roof. He lay on a worn wooden bed, covered by a patched quilt.
"Awake?" An aged voice came from nearby.
Xiao Yi turned his head and saw a white-haired old man sitting beside the bed. The elder wore coarse cloth clothing, his face full of wrinkles, but his eyes were clear and bright.
"You are..." Xiao Yi tried to sit up but found his entire body in excruciating pain, unable to move.
"This old man's surname is Lin, given name Shan," the elder said, "You may call me Old Lin."
"Elder Lin, did you save me?" Xiao Yi asked.
"In a manner of speaking," Lin Shan nodded, "Three days ago, this old man was gathering herbs at the bottom of the cliff and found you. Honestly, surviving that fall is truly a miracle."
Xiao Yi tried to circulate his true qi, but found his body completely empty, unable to sense even a trace of spiritual energy.
"My cultivation..." Xiao Yi's face turned pale.
"Completely destroyed," Lin Shan spoke bluntly, "Your meridians are severed, your dantian shattered. Being able to preserve your life is already extremely fortunate."
Xiao Yi closed his eyes, despair welling up in his heart. Having his cultivation completely destroyed meant he had transformed from a cultivator into an ordinary person—even less than an ordinary person.
"However," Lin Shan's tone shifted, "it's not entirely hopeless."
"What do you mean?" Xiao Yi opened his eyes.
"Your foundation is excellent. Although your meridians are severed, there's still a possibility of repair," Lin Shan said, "It just requires time—a very long time."
"How long?" Xiao Yi asked.
"At least three years, possibly ten," Lin Shan said, "And even if repaired, you'll have to start your cultivation from the beginning."
Xiao Yi fell silent. Three to ten years was a very long time for a cultivator. Moreover, starting cultivation from scratch meant he would have to walk the path of immortality all over again.
"Why did you save me?" Xiao Yi asked.
"This old man has lived in seclusion here for decades, rarely seeing other people," Lin Shan said, "Seeing you fall from such a height yet still clinging to life, I was moved by your will to survive."
"Will to survive?" Xiao Yi smiled bitterly, "I jumped down myself."
"I know," Lin Shan nodded, "But at the moment of life and death, your body instinctively tried to protect itself. This shows that deep in your heart, you still want to live."
Xiao Yi pondered Lin Shan's words. Perhaps the old man was right; even in his despair, he still harbored a desire to live.
"What's your name, young man?" Lin Shan asked.
"Xiao Yi." Xiao Yi didn't hide his identity.
"Xiao Yi..." Lin Shan repeated the name, "A good name. Yi means perseverance and determination. Perhaps this is your destiny."
"Destiny?" Xiao Yi laughed bitterly, "My destiny is to be framed, expelled from my sect, and become a traitor everyone wants to kill?"
"Young man, destiny is not predetermined," Lin Shan said, "What matters is how you face it. Being knocked down doesn't mean you're defeated; only giving up means true failure."
"But I've lost everything," Xiao Yi said, "My cultivation, my sect, my friends..."
"You've lost some things, but you've also gained others," Lin Shan said, "You've gained freedom, gained the opportunity to see the world's true face, and gained the chance to start anew."
"Start anew?" Xiao Yi was puzzled.
"Yes, start anew," Lin Shan said, "Sometimes, losing everything isn't necessarily a bad thing. It allows you to see what's truly important."
Xiao Yi fell into deep thought. Lin Shan's words gave him a new perspective on his situation.
"Elder Lin, if I want to start anew, what should I do?" Xiao Yi asked.
"First, you need to recover your health," Lin Shan said, "Then, learn to live as an ordinary person. Finally, when the time is right, begin rebuilding your cultivation."
"How long will this take?"
"That depends on your determination and effort," Lin Shan said, "But I can tell you that this process will be very difficult, much harder than your previous cultivation."
"I'm not afraid of hardship," Xiao Yi said firmly, "As long as there's hope, I'm willing to try."
"Good," Lin Shan nodded approvingly, "This is the attitude you should have. Rest well now; we'll begin your recovery tomorrow."
Xiao Yi nodded and closed his eyes. Although his future was still uncertain, at least he now had a direction.
Outside the window, night was falling, but Xiao Yi's heart was no longer as dark as before. He had found a glimmer of hope in his despair.
Lin Shan sat quietly beside him, occasionally adding firewood to the stove. The firelight danced on his aged face, making him appear both mysterious and kind.
"Young man," Lin Shan said softly, "your path will be very difficult, but I believe you can walk it. Because you have something that many people lack."
"What's that?" Xiao Yi asked.
"An unyielding heart," Lin Shan said, "This is more precious than any cultivation technique or magical treasure."
Xiao Yi smiled slightly. Perhaps Lin Shan was right; as long as his heart remained unyielding, there was still hope for everything.
That night, Xiao Yi slept very peacefully. It was the most restful sleep he'd had since being framed. In his dreams, he saw himself standing on Moon Gazing Platform again, but this time, he was no longer the helpless victim, but a true strong person.
When he woke up, sunlight was streaming through the window. Lin Shan had already prepared breakfast—simple porridge and pickled vegetables, but it tasted better than any delicacy to Xiao Yi.
"From today on, your new life begins," Lin Shan said, "Are you ready?"
"I'm ready," Xiao Yi replied firmly.
Thus began Xiao Yi's new chapter of life. He didn't know what the future held, but he was no longer afraid. Because he had learned the most important lesson: as long as one doesn't give up, there's always hope.