It was thirteen years after that fateful encounter. The sun was high up in the sky as the village do their daily routine. The river flowed with glistening water as the water wheel constantly spun. The grass was dancing with the wind's rhythm as kids played on the field.
Under a simple house, lived an old man and a young boy. The little baby that he received from his old friend was now turned into a fine young teenager. Inside his humble room, the said boy was staring at the window.
His black hair was now long enough to be tied a ponytail and his eyes were sharp as it contained the deepest abyss. He wore a black robe with golden clouds embroidered on it. His charismatic feature and well-built body should have brought the girls' heart in a snap of a finger, however.
He pouted his mouth as his chair swayed back and forth, "Why am I not as talented as the other."
Often did he ask such a question when he was alone. His peers had already started cultivation at the age of twelve and some even eleven but he was already two years behind.
*knock *knock
The door was knocked as the only family he had said, "Sein, can I come in?"
"Ah, of course, Grandfather Jing," said the young boy before he opened the door with a smile.
The old man seemed to not age that well as he was even frailer than thirteen years ago. However, his stature was still straight and upward despite the gray color of his hair. The old man smiled as he looked at the face in which he considered his own grandson. But soon, he noticed a hint of red in his eyes.
He patted Sein's shoulder as he said, "Let's sit first, I want to talk to you about something."
Sein furrowed his eyebrows before both of them sat down on the bed. He never heard this much serious tone from him since he did something naughty a couple of months back.
"I- I didn't do it, grandfather!" shouted Sein.
He didn't recall doing something that broke the law yesterday so he immediately refuted despite no accusations.
"Hahaha, do you think I come here just to do that? No, Sein, I have good news to tell you."
(Good news?) thought Sein.
"That's right, you see, I have set an arranged marriage for you, when you come at the age then you shall be married."
Sein immediately went agape before he asked, "Who is the girl grandfather?!"
Instead of refusing his grandfather, he immediately asked the girl in question as his eyes glistened with excitement. Even though he lived in a village, there were beautiful girls living there.
The old man rubbed his chin as he answered, "I think the lass's name is called, Nia."
"WHAT?!" Sein screamed in excitement as he jumped around the room.
Though he didn't care about the reason, he was happy that his grandson was smiling in full vigor. "Hohoho, I know, the youngsters said that she is the crown jewel of the village, the most beautiful flower in the flowerbed."
With his hands on his waist, Sein said, "Thank you, grandfather! This is the best news I've heard today!"
Though he was not as talented as the rest of them, the fact that the prettiest girl would be his wife in the future surely elevated his mood.
"Hahaha, now, now calm down. I have another good news, you are going to the cultivation school."
His words made Sein stopped his joyful expression.
Cultivation school as the name suggested was the school for cultivating. Though it was a small village, it was still mandatory for them to cultivate and gain knowledge about the real world. However, one reason that made Sein lost his interest was because of the condition to enter the school. One would need to be able to cultivate to enter the school.
"But, grandfather, you know I can't cultivate, I've read the instruction from the library and used the cultivation method mentioned within but nothing."
He didn't want to reject his grandfather but the reality was as such. He couldn't cultivate, meaning that Grandfather Jing pulled some string to get him accepted. Even if he did join, it would be for naught.
"Yet."
"Huh?"
Grandfather Jing held his shoulders and gripped it with his frail hands. His weary eyes looked at the young boy's as he continued, "You can't cultivate yet, don't lose hope."
"B-but I've tried everything, I-I, even the bronze cultivation beads that you give me become useless," said Sein as he glanced at the bronze cultivation beads on the desk beside the bed.
The bronze beads were stockpiled as the mana within were still contained. He couldn't even absorb the one item that most cultivators coveted.
"It's alright you don't need to depend on those things. It's a school, you will learn something, experience something different. A miracle might occur in places that you never expected."
Taking a deep breath Sein nodded with a smile. How could he betray such a kind person, nobody believed in him, not even himself but Grandfather Jing did.
The old man nodded, "Good, good, now off you go to school then,"
"Eh?"
Grandfather Jing furrowed his eyebrows, "Is something wrong?"
Sein twitched his mouth before he said, "Right now?"
"Of course, right now, hurry, you don't want to be late for your first class hohoho."
"Ah crap!" Sein immediately hurriedly went outside the house and ran to the cultivation school building.
Watching the figure turned smaller in his eyes. He lamented the fate of his grandson. His mind flashed as a memory resurfaced.
It was an odd year ago when Grandfather Jing met the village's physician. Seeing that Sein was unable to cultivate despite being over the minimum age, he had to ask the expert.
"I'm afraid, heavens might have cursed him. His meridians are crippled thus the inability to cultivate. Grandpa Jing, what are you going to tell him?" said the physician with a sigh.
Grandfather Jing took a deep breath as the echoes of his late friend filled his mind. (Please take care of him, you are my only true friend).
"I will tell him that he still has the chance."
The physician shook his head. He didn't shake his head in disagreement instead he shook his head to the cruel world that laid such a fate to those two.