The night air boiled with intensity as a powerful qi flowed through it. A 100 feet tall spirit beast in the form of a wolf, tore through the ranks of cultivators tasked with holding it back. "I will devour your qi mortals and step towards the heavens." Its earth-rumbling voice shook the battlefield. Its paw swiped through the air pulverizing a squad of silver cultivators.
Further away lie a tower overlooking the chaos. Three village elders stood atop the tower looking out on the battlefield with terror. "Grand Elder Itov, Our forces are no match for this beast. Its power seems boundless, it is beyond the power of gold." The elder who spoke tried all he could to hold back the panic in his voice.
"I know what we must do. Have we sent word for help from the mountain sage monastery yet?" Grand Elder Itov raised an eyebrow anticipating the response from his juniors.
A presence appeared in the room behind them before he could answer. From the shadows, a mysterious man of average build stepped forth. He wore a long white robe that almost touched the ground allowing only his sandaled feet to be shown. On the back of his robe were two blue mountain peaks symbolizing the mountain sage monastery. His face was also obscured by the combination of the conical straw hat and tall collar of his robe. "Grand elder, you sent for me?" His tone was nonchalant, which angered the elders a bit.
"We are humbled by your arrival, honorary sage. Are more of your peers coming in behind you?" Grand Elder Itov asked.
"Just me." The sage yawned and stretched his arms. The other two elders' faces grew red with rage at his demeanor. "I'll take care of your problem as long as I can take it with me." His tone grew serious and almost demanding. The change in tone startled the younger elders in the tower.
The Grand Elder nodded in acceptance. "We gratefully accept this offer great sage." The Grand Elder pulled a scroll from the sleeve of his white and gold robes." He holds it out for the sage. "We have already prepared the sage contract."
"I hate bureaucracy, such a bothersome process." The sage grabbed the scroll and opened it. He nodded as he read through the contract. After reading he sighed and stowed it away in his robe. "I accept." He tried to sound formal but to no avail. The howling became unbearable and the elders dropped to the floor covering their ears.
Only the Grand Elder and sage were left standing. "I'll go shut that thing up." The Sage climbed out of the tower windows and his body turned as black as coal. He flattened into a shadowy puddle, this form allowed him to travel at high speeds.
"Good luck, Sage." The Grand Elder muttered.
///
The Screams of his comrades struck his heart. Blood, bodies, and scorched forests scarred the landscape. His head wanted to burst from the howling but he was the only gold cultivator from his unit left alive. "Curse you wretched beast." The man screamed. His robes marked with the insignia of the Itov clan were torn asunder. 'I'm sorry father I must use that technique.' He glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the watchtower. A tear rolled down his cheek for his clan and daughter he would leave behind. "I'm sorry Sara, your mother died too soon and so will I" He muttered.
From a pack he carried around his waist he revealed a shimmering white potion. 'Distilled lightning fruit.' His hands were shaking, even though he knew he would have to use it one day. He drank its contents. A feeling of shock pulsed through his body, beckoning every cell to take in its awesome power. As he cycled his core his body was engulfed in a blinding white light. Lightning natured qi coiled around his body.
This drew the attention of the howling beast before him. "Ah, a mortal uses the technique used to destroy the dragons of old. I'm honored, truly." Its tone was sarcastic and menacing. "Please, let me taste this qi you've cultivated for me" Its chuckles angered him.
Faster than light, the man's fist met the jaw of the beast sending sparks into the night air.
///
15 years later
"Cai!" The shouting startled the young man awake. "Cai!" The instructor slammed her fist against the podium she stood at. "Yes, teacher!" Cai bolted out of his seat and stood at attention. The class laughed at him. "How was the Great Wolf defeated?" Her tone turned sour with impatience.
'Thank goodness I know this one' Cai thought to himself.
"Don't make us wait longer please." The class laughed quietly again at Cai's embarrassment.
"A Sage and a hero from the Itov clan sealed the beast away!" Cai sat down in his chair feeling his face glowing red from the awkwardness of the situation.
The teacher nodded her head. "That is correct, thank you for participating." She paused as she looked at the rest of her notes for today. "I think that's all we have to cover today. Cai, please stay after class and everyone remember to check at least one book out from the library this week." Cai winced at the mention of his name.
All of the other people left the class murmuring about the incident in class today. One face, in particular, was shooting Cai a contemptuous glare. It was Sara. She seemed to make it her life purpose to make Cai's life a living hell anytime she had the chance.
Cai got up from his seat and walked up to the teacher's podium. She was going over her notes when she met Cai's gaze. "Why were you sleeping today?" Her tone made Cai uneasy like he could get a punishment any second now.
"I was…" Cai stuttered.
"You were reading cycling techniques again weren't you?" Her statement cut through the lie Cai was about to fabricate before he could even fabricate it.
"Yes, ma'am." Cai bowed his head in preparation for the beating he was about to get. To his surprise, she let out a heavy sigh instead of throwing a book to his head.
"Listen, I know your situation is unique." She motioned for me to raise my head. "It's amazing you weren't permanently delegated as a library assistant. You are clanless, so this is all the more reason you have to work hard at school too." Her eyes showed concern. Something Cai wasn't accustomed to getting from an angry teacher. "It's good to work on something to catch up with your peers, but you mustn't fall behind in other areas."
"I apologize ma'am." Cai bowed his head again out of courtesy.
"No more apologies Cai, only action." Her words stung, but she was right. He couldn't let something silly like this interrupt his path. "Now go home and get some rest please." She went back to gathering up papers so she could also leave.
"Have a wonderful day ma'am" Cai said as he left the classroom. 'Damn, I'm so tired. Maybe I should go to the dorm to rest for a bit before I tend to my library duties.' The thought was abruptly ended when he heard a commotion coming from down the hallway.
"Someone catch that thief!" A kid shrouded in a brown cloak carried presumably stolen spiritual fruits in his arms. He looked to be no more than ten years old. He sprinted directly at Cai with no intention of slowing down.