I was sitting on the top of a mountain, a cold wind blew across my hair and swayed softly in the cool air, but I felt nothing. I had been standing there for days, staring at the stone under which my father lay.
(People die, none from a thousand years ago live in my world, yet the people should die in a warm bed, a chance for saying goodbye to their loved one,they deserved that much) I thought.
"How many more people suffer like this? If I train hard enough,if I fight along enough, if I can defeat the bad one, perhaps I can end it and bring peace." I muttered.
I walked down from the mountain and saw a soldiers placing lanterns, I said nothing as I walked pass them. One old soldier spoke up,
"I know who they were," The soldier said.
I turn to him in curiosity, breaking through my grief, "who?"
"From their clothing," the soldier said, "they are from Wuyin clan."
I make a fist and grit my teeth, "where can I find them? Why did they attack our sect?"
"They're assassin's," the soldier said, "they kill to prove their strength and to show their power."
"All that loss, all that blood… just for power?" I muttered.
The soldier nodded and said, " I saw one of their faces, he had a scar, cut from his eye down to his mouth, like a half moon."
I stood in silence, I know chasing after them now would be suicide, I was not ready not yet, but day would come.
"Which direction?" I finally asked.
"North" soldier said, "Go through the black pine valley and across the shattered ridge, beyond it lies a Wuyin Clan."
The soldier hesitated and said, "I'll come with you."
I shook my head, " no, going there now would accomplish nothing, just focus on your training."
Then I turned and walked away to the quiet place where I could train.
I sat under the old tree far from Tianjian sect, focusing on my breathing trying to build a strong qi. No matter how hard I try, it remains the same.
"Master…master…" I whispered in my head, there was no response, I feel heavy like I'm stuck at the same level, even though there's so much to do.
Finally master voice drifted in sigh, and said,
"Kid, you're thinking too much, even your qi has formed your impatience will trap you at the same stage."
"Master, is there a way to improve quickly?" I asked.
He looked at me the moment our eyes met, I looked down, I knew I was asking him too much.
But then master voice rang in sudden,
" There is a way." The master said slowly, "but it's dangerous."
"Master, I'll do anything,just tell me." I asked desperately.
The master gave me a look, " then let's go." master said.
I was following the master travelling north, deeper in the forest. At first the path looked normal, the trees, the sound of birds singing, everything seemed normal, as we reached deeper, the path was thicker not just a little but really dense. The moment we stepped in, I could feel the change, there was no wind but still the branches swayed without it. It's like whenever I take a step forward, the branches move the way too.
"Master… the trees they're moving, it's like they're following it." I asked.
"Don't look, don't think, just follow me, this Forest reacts to your thoughts and feelings, stay calm."
I followed him closely behind him, my heart was beating fast, but I had hope in myself and master
Suddenly, "wait…" the master raised his right hand, " quiet, look?"
I looked, it was cave and beneath a cave there was an animal but,
(What kind of animal is that?)
It has the head of a lion, body of a serpent, a feather from its back and two sharp horns.
"Master…what is that?" I asked.
" That is a spirit beast, it's sleeping, if it wakes you won't escape." The master said quietly.
(Why are you telling me, I won't escape? If it wakes up.) I thought.
Then I realized who else was there but me?
"You said you will do anything, now go silently and collect the liquid dripping from its mouth, the spirit saliva… it will be able to strengthen your qi."
After seeing that spirit beast, I completely forgot why I wanted to be here in the first place, all the confidence, it's just vanished
If it wakes up I'd be nothing to it, I will be like just an ant to him.
"Master, why don't you go and get some saliva from that spirit beast? You won't be seen and it'll be a win, win." I said nervously and tried to fake a smile.
The master looked at me and said,
"You said you wanted to be stronger, but you're afraid, if I had a body, I could kill that beast without moving my finger."
That's when I realized again, the master wasn't really there in solid form, the master was like a thick translucent shadow, where only I could see.
I moved slowly and quietly trying to not make a sound, my breathing was heavy but I kept my mouth closed and breathed only through my nose, to hide my presence. As I got closer I can feel the warmth breath of beast, my legs began to shake, I grabbed my knees and said to myself,
"Why am I like this? This is my chance, I have to take it."
I reached my hand to pocket then took out the jar, I collected the saliva of spirit beast inside it, slowly I started stepping back but my foot landed on an old stick,
Crack!... Right then, I heard my master voice in my head,
"Run!"
I looked at the beast, its body was still lying on the ground but its eyes were open now, they were staring at me furiously, nothing came to mind, I just ran.
"Graaar…"
The beast roared behind me, I didn't even look back, while I was running a huge tree blocked my path. I inhaled my breath, put my energy to my feet, then jumped and managed to get over it.
Behind me I heard the sound,
"Trang…crang…crack…"
The spirit beast was tearing the tree apart and destroying everything in its way.
My master voice came again, "just get out of this forest."
While running through the middle of nowhere, I saw an old man with few others, all I could shout was,
"Run!"
I didn't look back. I kept running, behind me I could hear,
"Go from the back! Use the sword!"
Some words were not clear but I could hear them, I couldn't make out the rest, I just kept going.
The ground suddenly opened up. I couldn't stop or fly… so I fell,
"Ahhhhhh…"
As I fell I tried to grab a root, I was too unbalanced to hold on, I hit another root, then lost my grip again,
"Blang!"
I landed on the ground, splashing into small water.
I quickly stood up and took a few steps but then I realized I couldn't hear anything, then I looked up,
"what? That's at least a hundred meters high…" I murmured.
I was lucky, even though I couldn't hold on, the roots slowed my fall, who knows what would've happened otherwise.
I took a deep breath and looked around. I was surrounded by a stone wall on all sides, I was
trapped in a cave and the only way out was above me, but with the spirit beast running on the ground, maybe I had a better chance down here.