Ma Bo did not remember much about his childhood. His memories of that time were mostly blurry, but he did remember a few things that stood out.
For example, when he was young, his mother sewed a little tiger doll for him, and he loved it very much, hugging it to sleep every night.
Ma Bo also remembered that when he was young, he wanted to build a house for the ants and bugs so that they wouldn't have to sleep in his house. Of course, those ants and bugs didn't come to his house to sleep over. But Ma Bo was really young at the time and felt sorry for the ants and bugs, thinking they were homeless.
Ma Bo wanted to laugh at his own naivety.
Ma Bo also remembered that he always wanted to be a Righteous Cultivator, fighting for justice, protecting the innocent, and defending the weak. When Ma Bo first found out that he had a spirit root, he was overjoyed, thinking he was one step closer to fulfilling his dream.
However, those happy memories were overshadowed by darker ones.
He remembered the smell of sulfur, the bright red fire that stung his eyes, the piercing screams of the people around him... He remembered the dull ache in his legs as he ran and ran.
He remembered the sharp rock that scratched his feet as he ran mindlessly, leaving a trail of blood. He remembered Shu Ge's hoarse voice urging him to keep going.
But most of all... Ma Bo remembered what his heart felt at that moment. It was a strange, new feeling that he did not like at all: despair.
That feeling that weighed on his heart and sucked away his vitality like a bottomless pit... Ma Bo still shuddered every time he recalled how his heart felt like it was hanging by a thread and then crushed under the weight of a merciless rock.
Do you know what raw despair feels like? Ma Bo knew. It stuffed his chest, robbed the breath out of his lungs, and made his blood turn ice cold. It was an indiscernible, raw, emotion that he did not want to feel ever again.
But he still felt it, from time to time.
And it was this particular feeling that constantly reminded him that, other than his Shu Ge, he shouldn't trust anyone else.
The next few years of his life went by in a blur. Hardship, pain, fear... it was really a tiring life.
Sometimes, Ma Bo wondered if he was better off dead. If he died, his Shu Ge didn't have to worry about him all day long. He wouldn't be a burden to him, and no one could use him.
But he was a coward. He wanted to see what his future would be like. He didn't want to die... he didn't want to feel pain.
Ma Bo lied to himself; he told himself that he didn't kill himself for the sake of Shu Ge. If he died, Shu Ge would be sad... That's why he didn't want to kill himself. Of course, Ma Bo knew, deep down in his heart, that he was lying to himself.
But what could he do? Nothing, nothing at all.
Ma Bo wandered around with Shu Ge. They had lost their family and their home. Now, the street was their home. They ate scraps and huddled together to keep warm. They did anything they could to survive. Ma Bo became more and more tired of life.
One day, Shu Ge heard that the Immortal Pathway Sect would be receiving disciples. Ma Bo had long lost his dream of becoming a renowned cultivator and told Shu Ge he wasn't interested.
However, Shu Ge knew him really well. He knew that even after all those years of hardship and bitterness, Ma Bo actually had some hope in his heart. Hope... and a faint trace of expectation, that one day their lives would take a turn for the better.
Shu Ge obviously knew this. Shu Ge did not really want to enter a large sect, fearing that more exposure to the world would let others know about 'that'. However, he knew about Ma Bo's secret hopes and so he brought Ma Bo to the Immortal Pathway Sect.
Ma Bo was very grateful. His Shu Ge obviously could abandon him anytime, or simply disregard his feelings, but Shu Ge did not do any of those things.
In the Immortal Pathway Sect, they went through several trials and tests, advancing together to try to be accepted as a disciple. Who knew that the heavens were so generous, allowing both of them to be eligible disciples. Ma Bo thought they would be outer disciples, but for some strange reason... they caught the eye of a certain elder.
Initially, Ma Bo had been afraid. He had no idea how he would be treated, and he was prepared for the worst. Who would've thought that... their Master, Feng Yongrui, would be like this.
Ma Bo had never met a person like his Master. At first glance, Master gave others a cold impression. However, after spending time with Master, Ma Bo came to realize that he was... a very good person.
Master looked cold and stiff on the outside, but if he paid close attention, Ma Bo could sometimes see his Master's lips twitching, or Master's eyebrows curl into a frown. Master's face actually showed many colorful expressions.
Master was also a warm person.
When Ma Bo first accepted Feng Yongrui as his Master, Master had given him a jade pendant as a gift. Ma Bo was already touched when he got it, because the jade was beautiful, cool to the touch, smooth and refined.
It was obviously good quality. However, Ma Bo soon realized that the pendant was not ordinary. It would keep him warm when he felt cold at night and become cool when he was sweating during the day. When he found out about this, Ma Bo felt his chest grow warm, this time, not because of the jade pendant.
Master personally cooked for them every day and for every meal time, even though Master obviously didn't need to do so. Ma Bo thought the food from Master tasted like heaven. Exquisite, tasty, and nutritious.
Actually, Ma Bo wants to laugh a bit at his Master. As a cultivator, eating nutritious food is not important. Cultivating is what keeps the body clean and healthy. However, Master insisted that he and Shu Ge should sleep and eat healthily.
Haha, Master was sometimes like a nagging old mother. Ma Bo did not dislike it, though.
Master didn't make them do any menial tasks and he did not poke at their background. Instead, he ate with them whenever he could and chatted with them. Sometimes, Ma Bo almost forgot that he was their Master and thought he was their older brother instead.
Humans are really good at adapting. Ma Bo soon found that he was beginning to forget his painful memories. Instead, his head was filled with Master's stories, Master's jokes, Master's teachings... and his happy memories in the Mountain Peak. The painful past became something that happened long ago, drowned in his happy ones.
Ma Bo also noticed that his Shu Ge was beginning to smile more and more. Shu Ge was older and stiffer than him, so Ma Bo sometimes worried about his Shu Ge. However, with the time they spent with Master, Ma Bo could see that Shu Ge was happy here.
Ma Bo was glad too.
He felt warm and happy with Master. Even though Master sometimes talked strangely or used complicated words, Ma Bo would still listen attentively and admire his Master for being so knowledgeable. Even though his Master sometimes mumbled to himself or did strange things, Ma Bo still liked Master.
Speaking of doing strange things, Ma Bo noticed that his Master would always do something new and strange every day. Once, Master gave flowers to a female disciple for no apparent reason. The next day, he put on a scary mask and shocked the two of them.
Once, Master was insistent on bathing with ice cold water at night, and asked Ma Bo for help in drawing the water. Ma Bo had felt really incredulous at that time, and tried to persuade his Master to use warm water instead.
The weather was not freezing cold, but night time was significantly colder than daytime, and using ice cold water was strange and, in Master's terms, 'unhealthy'.
However, Master insisted, muttering that he needed more 'points', and so Ma Bo filled his Master's tub with cold water. When his Master entered the bath, Ma Bo could practically hear his Master's teeth chattering even from outside. He was really puzzled. His Master was a cultivator, so he obviously could warm himself, but he didn't...
Did he have to suffer this much?
Ma Bo could not understand his Master, and wondered if all elders were eccentric and had strange habits.
Ma Bo also remembered that several days ago, he and Shu Ge went down the Mountain Peak to run some errands. At that time, they had met several other disciples from other peaks, and chatted with them.
Ma Bo had asked them what their Master was like. Did their Master cook for them? Chat with them? Teach them?
The answer was no. There were no Masters who cooked and ate with their disciples. Also, other Masters simply gave one or two pointers for their disciples if they were in the mood or if they favored a particular disciple.
Ma Bo was once again filled with happiness and gratitude. His dreams of becoming a renowned cultivator were re-ignited as the flames of joy danced in his heart.
...But with joy came fear. He was scared. Whenever he thought of 'that', he felt like his heart was plunged into a chilling river of helplessness and despair. He was afraid that if 'that' was exposed, his happiness would dissipate and his Master would change.
So Ma Bo was determined. He could never, ever, let his Master find out about 'that'...
He wanted to bask in this happiness for a long, long time...
***
Ma Bo: Master has a lot of eccentric habits...
Feng Yongrui: It's all because of that System!!
System: *sneezes* I am innocent~~
***
When you were young, what did you dream of doing or becoming? Anyone dreaming to be a cultivator?
Comment below~