We set out on a journey to the village and eventually arrived at a small, empty clearing where we decided to stay the night. That night, I felt a strange sensation, an uneasiness that I was sure the rest of the group sensed too — an unsettling feeling, mixed with an unshakable anxiety in the air. I decided to ignore it and sleep, hoping the feeling would pass.
When I woke up and went to inspect the area, I found several corpses scattered around, which only deepened my suspicion about this whole matter. I quickly woke the others, and we gathered our belongings before setting off toward the village again.
On our way there, I suddenly felt a surge of ominous energy leaking from somewhere near the village. I quickened my pace and finally arrived, expecting it to be like any other abandoned place, but there was still some faint sign of life — just a few villagers hiding in their homes.
I spotted an old man and approached him, saying, "We're here on a mission for the village."
He replied, "I just hope you don't end up dead, kids… Anyway, follow me."
The atmosphere grew heavier as we followed him; the silence was suffocating, the entire place oppressive and unnerving. We eventually reached a house where an elderly woman lay resting on a bed. She gestured for us to enter and said softly, "Welcome. I assume you're here to fulfill the request?"
I nodded. "Yes, we came because of the mission you sent out."
She sighed and said, "I was the one who posted it. For two whole years, no one came before you… Our problem is a strange disease that marks people's bodies with enormous black spots, spreading rapidly across their arms and everywhere else. According to the martial artists who came before, it's caused by a dangerous type of energy that seeps into the body, destroying veins and slowly consuming the mind. They suspect it's linked to the remnants of a beast from the Destruction Stage lurking nearby… Every passing day, my worry for the villagers grows."
I replied firmly, "Grandma, leave the illness to us. Stay inside and keep yourself safe."
After that, she suggested we stay in a large cabin about 800 meters away from the mountain and the village. She offered to send servants and cleaners with us and instructed us to set out for the cave in four days.
We arrived at the cabin, my companions, the servants, and I. As soon as we got there, Yan and Jin were already bickering as usual. I placed my belongings down and ignored their quarrel, heading outside for some fresh air.
I found Ling reclining lazily against a tree, drinking wine, one leg crossed over the other as he lay on the grass. I conjured a blade of energy and approached silently, placing it against his neck — only to realize he had already drawn his sword and placed it against mine beforehand.
I grabbed his hilt and twisted, striking him lightly, forcing him to step back slightly. At that very moment, a young boy nearby, sent as one of the cleaners, caught my eye. He looked around thirteen or twelve years old, with a pale, innocent face, soft brown hair falling just beneath his ears, and bangs brushing over his forehead.
He mimicked the motion of releasing energy, but due to his inexperience, the energy wrapped around the inner edge of the blade rather than outside it.
my jaw dropped in sheer shock.I said to Ling, "Do you see what I see?"
He shook his head. "No."
I added, "This boy… he may be working here as a cleaner, but he's born for the martial path. He possesses both the middle and upper dantian. However, there's a problem — his muscles are weak, untrained, and not yet accustomed to handling this much energy."
I turned to the boy and asked, "Kid, what's your dream?"
He replied innocently, "I… don't really have any specific goal, hmm… but I want to help this village. And to do that, I need to become stronger."
I smiled faintly and said, "Helping the elders with such burdensome tasks… You're still too young for that. You don't need to carry so much weight on your shoulders yet. Young saplings must grow strong first before they can support the old trees. Focus on yourself for now, and choose the path you wish to follow."
The boy hesitated briefly before replying, "Alright, uncle… then, can I join you? Will you teach me?"
I paused, studying him carefully, and finally asked, "Are you certain, little one? This path is not easy. It's filled with hardships, deceptive politics, and sights that aren't suited for someone your age. You must choose what you truly want… or what you truly aspire to."
The boy nodded firmly and said, "I already told you — this is my aspiration, what I want to strive for. As for the village, you said you'd handle its problem. So I want to focus on building myself first before I aim for any greater purpose. I want to become strong enough to stand on my own."
I chuckled softly and said, "Very well, if that's your choice, I'll honor it. You'll come with us."
Ling crossed his arms, grinning. "Alright then, I'll train this boy alongside you. I'm not about to let you get cocky later and boast that he became stronger only because of you."
The boy laughed, his smile pure and angelic, the kind of smile that could steal anyone's heart. I felt something stir inside me, but I kept it buried deep.
Ling Tian, on the other hand, kept a composed face outwardly, but inside, he was overjoyed, practically soaring with excitement: This kid… he's truly an angel. There's no way I'm letting that bastard Tian take him away from me. I'll train him with my own hands.