Chapter 5: No Matter How Strong
It had been months since Ashen arrived at Willow Brook Village. Life had settled into a quiet rhythm: helping with chores, tending the garden, and observing the villagers as they practiced martial arts.
Two weeks after he arrived, Lian had returned to the Azure Sky Sect. Ashen remembered the farewell clearly. Lian stood beside his parents and Elder Rian, bowing respectfully.
"I'll train hard," Lian said softly. "So I can serve the sect and protect everyone here."
He turned to his little sister, Lina. "You need to become strong too, if you ever want to enter the sect."
Then, for Ashen alone, he added quietly, almost as a whisper:
"Don't you want to join a sect? I know you don't, but I get the feeling… someday, you might."
Ashen had said nothing. He simply watched Lian leave, the sound of hooves fading into the morning.
---
That day, Ashen ventured into the nearby forest to collect medicinal herbs. The scent of damp earth filled the air, and Qi flowed gently through the trees. But something felt wrong — a disturbance pulsed through the forest. Five shadows at first, then ten, then twenty. Among them, one radiated Qi at the peak of Martial Adept Realm.
Ashen's golden eyes narrowed. They are strong… yet they do not know what they face.
He ran toward the village. Smoke and shouts rose ahead. Villagers struggled; bandits attacked with cruel efficiency. Their goal was plunder and terror, targeting the unarmed and defenseless.
Ashen's jaw tightened. Fist combat will tire me too quickly.
He ran into the Han house and picked up an old sword, long unused, lying forgotten in the corner. Plain, simple, but solid. Its weight felt familiar in his hands, grounding him. He stepped outside, and the air around him seemed to still.
---
The bandits didn't notice him at first. His movements were faster than their senses could track.
The strongest bandit, radiating overwhelming Qi, moved to strike. Ashen assessed him in an instant — anticipating, calculating. One step, one precise strike — the bandit barely blocked, but before he could react, the follow-up pierced through effortlessly. Ashen's sword moved like water, cutting through the chaos, each motion deliberate and precise.
The other bandits froze in disbelief, fear flickering in their eyes. One by one, they fell or were incapacitated, unable to comprehend the speed and skill of the boy before them.
Elder Rian, Lian's father, and Lina watched from the edge of the village, stunned. Lian's father's jaw tightened, understanding at last why Ashen had never wanted to train with him before. The boy's skill was beyond anything in the village — perfect control, speed, and precision honed from countless battles.
The remaining bandits either fled or surrendered, their morale shattered.
---
Ashen lowered the sword, his body trembling slightly. He hadn't realized it, but tears ran down his cheeks. Relief, exhaustion, and the weight of countless memories overwhelmed him.
Lina stepped closer, eyes wide. "Ashen… are you okay?"
Without thinking, Ashen hugged her tightly, holding on as if afraid to let go. For him, losing anyone he cared about was unbearable — he would not allow it to happen again.
Lina hugged him back, her small hands pressing gently against his back. "It's okay… it's over. You're safe now," she whispered, comforting him.
Lian's father looked on, silent but understanding. He saw the depth of Ashen's strength and the burdens he carried, finally understanding why Ashen had refused training before.
Ashen took a shaky breath, slowly letting go, and returned the old sword to its place in the Han house. He lingered on the hilt for a moment, acknowledging both the weapon and the life it now symbolized.
---
Outside, Ashen walked calmly among the villagers, who were beginning to tend the wounded. He scanned the village, observing the flow of Qi around him. The hum was calm again.
I can protect this place. That is enough.
For the first time in months, Ashen allowed himself a small, faint smile. He was simply Ashen — a boy living quietly, learning, observing, and quietly guarding the world around him.
Even the strongest need someone to lean on.