The forest was quiet in the aftermath of fire. Too quiet. No birds sang, no leaves rustled, no water trickled from the streams. It was as though the world itself mourned the destruction of the village. The once-familiar sounds of home had been swallowed by silence, leaving only the memory of flames and the echo of screams.
Li Wei sat at the mouth of the cave, staring at the faint glow rising in the distance where his village had stood. His small hands were balled into fists, his knuckles white. His heart felt like it was being torn in two, half of him wanted to run back, to stand with Old Man Zhao in the flames, while the other half knew that his teacher had given his life so he could escape.
Beside him, Madam Chen's face was pale, her eyes red from weeping. She held him tightly, but even her embrace could not warm the chill that had settled into his bones.
"Mother," Li Wei whispered, his voice trembling, "why do they want me?"
Madam Chen's throat tightened. She had no answer that could comfort him, only the bitter truth. "Because you are marked, my son. The heavens gave you a star, and men will always reach for what they do not understand."
Her words cut deeper than she intended, but Li Wei did not flinch. Instead, he lifted his head toward the night sky. The same stars that had marked his birth still burned above, cold and distant, as if watching to see what he would do.
"I will not run forever," he said, his voice stronger now. "I will grow strong. I will protect you. And I will honor Teacher Zhao's sacrifice."
His words were small, yet they carried the weight of an oath.
For days, mother and son wandered through the forest, avoiding paths and villages, living off berries, roots, and whatever Madam Chen could gather. Li Wei carried no complaints. Each hardship only fueled his resolve. He practiced the breathing exercises Zhao had taught him, grounding himself in the rhythm of the earth even as his stomach growled from hunger.
Madam Chen watched him with both pride and sorrow. He was still a child, yet his eyes no longer carried the innocence of one. The fire had burned it away, leaving in its place a glimmer of steel.
On the fifth night, as they camped beneath a fallen tree, Li Wei closed his eyes and listened. At first, he heard only the wind. Then, faintly, a hum beneath the earth, a low vibration that thrummed like the heartbeat of the world. He focused, and for the first time, he felt qi gather faintly in his chest a spark, no bigger than a candle flame, yet real.
His eyes shot open, and his breath came fast. "Mother," he whispered, "I can feel it. Teacher Zhao was right. The river he spoke of… it's flowing inside me."
Madam Chen pulled him close, tears welling in her eyes. "Then you must learn to master it, Li Wei. Because the world will not stop chasing you."
Their wandering soon brought them to the edge of the forest, where a small market town bustled with life. The contrast was jarring, children laughing, merchants shouting, the smell of roasted meat drifting through the air. For a moment, Li Wei almost believed the horrors of the past were a dream.
But reality returned swiftly. As they moved through the crowd, Madam Chen pulled her son's hood low, whispering, "Do not draw attention." Her gaze flicked constantly from face to face, searching for danger.
Yet danger found them first.
At a stall selling trinkets, Li Wei felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned to see a man in dark robes, his face partly shadowed by a bamboo hat. The man's lips curved into the faintest of smiles before he turned away. To anyone else, he seemed like just another traveler but Li Wei felt his blood run cold. The same chill he had felt the night the village burned pressed down on him.
That night, as they sheltered in a small inn, Madam Chen spoke in a hushed, urgent voice. "We cannot stay here. Already, they are watching. Tomorrow, we move on."
Li Wei nodded, but sleep came slowly. He dreamt of flames, of Zhao standing alone against faceless enemies, of the star above him burning brighter until it consumed the sky.
The next morning, as they prepared to leave, fate struck again. A group of armed men blocked the road at the edge of town. Their leader, a tall figure with a scar across his cheek, sneered as his gaze fell on Li Wei.
"There he is," the man said. "The star-born brat."
Madam Chen's breath caught. She pulled Li Wei behind her, her eyes darting wildly for an escape. But the men closed in quickly, their weapons glinting in the sun.
Li Wei's heart pounded. His body trembled with fear, but deep within, that spark of qi flickered again. He heard Zhao's voice in his memory: Balance between strength and gentleness. Between patience and action.
The leader stepped forward, reaching out to seize him. In that instant, Li Wei's fear turned to resolve. He stomped his foot, exhaling sharply. The qi within him surged, raw and uncontrolled. A shockwave burst outward, knocking the man back several steps and sending dust spiraling into the air.
The crowd gasped. The armed men staggered, their confidence faltering.
"What.... what was that?" one of them stammered.
Madam Chen didn't wait for an answer. Grabbing her son's hand, she bolted into the forest, dragging him through the underbrush as shouts erupted behind them.
They ran until their legs burned, until the voices of their pursuers faded into silence. At last, they collapsed by a stream, gasping for breath. Madam Chen's hands shook as she clutched her son.
"You see now," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You cannot hide what you are. Even if you do nothing, they will come. You must learn, Li Wei. You must grow stronger, faster than fate itself."
Li Wei wiped his face, his young features set in determination. "Then teach me. Or find someone who can. I will not let them take me, Mother. I will not."
Her heart broke, for she knew his path would not be one of peace. But she also knew she could not stop him. His destiny had already begun.
Far away, beyond mountains and rivers, sects stirred at the news. Whispers of the boy who repelled grown men with a burst of qi spread like wildfire. Some saw him as a threat to be crushed early. Others as a prize to be claimed. The heavens had cast their stone, and the ripples were reaching far and wide.
In the cave where they rested that night, Li Wei closed his eyes once more. He could still feel the spark of qi, faint but alive. He placed his hand over his heart and whispered to himself:
"I swear… I will rise. I will avenge Teacher Zhao. I will protect my mother. And I will never bow to those who would chain me."
The stars above flickered, as though in silent acknowledgment.
The boy who once only watched the heavens now carried their fire in his veins. And with every breath, he stepped closer to the path that would one day shake empires.