The morning mist clung to the forest as Lian climbed the familiar hill with his basket. His steps were steady, but inside, his heart beat with a secret fire.
He had done it—he had felt the spark. The Qi Core had stirred within him.
Every breath he took now carried weight. Every step whispered of possibility.
And yet, fear followed close behind. If they ever discover me…
A sharp cry broke the silence. Steel clashed against steel, echoing through the trees.
Lian froze. His instincts screamed at him to run, but curiosity rooted his feet. Quietly, he crept closer.
In a clearing, three masked men in black surrounded an old warrior. His hair was white as snow, his movements weary yet sharp as lightning. Blood stained his robes, but his sword cut with deadly precision.
One foe fell. Then another. The last managed a desperate strike before the old man's blade pierced his chest.
Victory—but at a cost.
The old man staggered, coughed blood, and collapsed onto the earth.
Lian's breath hitched. This… this is dangerous. I should leave.
But his eyes lingered on the fallen figure. His father had risen from nothing but a soldier. This man—clearly a cultivator of great strength—might be more than chance.
Before he realized it, Lian was dragging the old man into a nearby cave, covering the tracks with trembling hands. He crushed herbs with stones, wrapping wounds with strips of cloth.
Hours passed. Finally, the man's eyelids fluttered open. His gaze was sharp even in weakness.
"...A servant?" he rasped. "Why save me?"
Lian lowered his head. "I only gathered herbs. I saw you fall. If you die here, beasts will eat your body."
For a long moment, silence. Then, the old man chuckled, low and bitter.
"Your hands tremble like a boy… but your eyes…" His gaze pierced Lian's soul. "Those are not the eyes of a servant. They burn. Like someone who refuses to kneel."
Lian's chest tightened. He said nothing.
The old man smiled faintly, before closing his eyes again. "Interesting. If you dare… come back tomorrow. Perhaps I'll show you a path your master's son will never touch."
That night, as Lian returned to the mansion with his basket of herbs, his heart pounded louder than ever.
A spark had been lit—one that might change everything.
The old man of the mountain… who exactly is he?
✨ End of Chapters 4 ✨