- Well, now that you and I are master and apprentice, I have nothing to hide from you. I'll be honest with you, I used to be a famous master, and I've seen a lot of young sprouts. And these sprouts were from all the noble families of our territory, even the descendants of the rulers of the empires under our control. - The old man boasted proudly, -But even they reached the initial stage of the Warrior at least twelve years old. They ate the best foods and took all sorts of pills to strengthen their bodies. If someone achieved such a thing at eleven, they were instantly elevated to the status of a genius among geniuses. You, at eight years old, have already begun to absorb energy... - He added in a mumbling voice.
- Old Man Mo, to be honest, I was raised in an orphanage since I was a child. I constantly had to run away to the village to steal food or something useful. Beatings were not a rare event for me. I was always tough and spry enough not to die on the streets. But I never felt energized... At least until I fell into the river when dying... - Kai explained thoughtfully.
- Hmm... Kid, sometimes a master needs life-or-death situations to break through. Hothouse plants and young gentlemen from palaces are far from the complexity of your past. Your life has not been easy, but it has allowed you to become stronger! Remember, this world is cruel.... Only the strong have the right to exist in it! - The old man said firmly and smiled slightly.
It was unclear whether he was reassuring the boy or whether he really thought that way. The old man was very eccentric, so what was going on in his head seemed to be a mystery....
- If you want to follow the path of a martial artist, you'll have to endure a lot more. Perhaps after my training, your old life will seem like a walk! - He added with a smirk.
- Master, don't worry, I have enough zeal and determination for that. All living and non-living things have a will, it's like an intangible essence that sets in motion all the laws of existence! - Kai said loudly, repeating one of the laws.
At the same instant, the old man's eyes glittered!
- Hmm... She is like an immaterial entity that sets in motion all the laws of existence... - he repeated mumbling. - You are right my boy... These are deep words, which should be memorized and thought over carefully... Surprisingly, even I have something to learn. Sometimes the truth is spoken from the mouth of a child. - He added thoughtfully.
- Old Mo, when do we start training? - Changing the subject, Kai asked. He was eager to become stronger, so he was eager to start training.
- First, you need to heal your wound so that you don't get hurt even more. After that, it will take us a long time to strengthen your body. Although you're already at the Warrior stage, your body is still childish..... You can see the lack of good nutrition. - The old man explained seriously.
He carefully evaluated Kai's body, looking him over from his feet to his head....
- Okay... Take those logs over there and build a fire, while I go to the woods to get something. And yes, don't leave the cave alone. Since you don't know, I'll warn you... - the old man paused for a moment and continued, "You are now in the Forest of Silent Death. And the fact that you made it here alive is already amazing! - The old man walked out of the cave and vanished instantly.
Kai looked at the exit and thought for a while.... He firmly decided that now he had to make every effort to become a martial arts master! But for now, he went to the wood and started to make a fire. It was a blessing that there was some dry moss for kindling.
Knocking the stone against the stone, he let out a spark on the moss and fanning it a bit, he put it under the branches. Fifteen minutes later there was already a nice fire burning. Keeping an eye on the fire, Kai slowly tossed wood into it and watched as it began to get darker outside. After another hour, he heard a noise near the cave and immediately lurked, looking cautiously at the entrance. The longer he watched, the more his eyes strained!
An old man appeared at the entrance to the cave, dragging behind him a beast whose carcass was three times larger than himself! On his shoulder he was carrying a sack full of something. As he looked around, Kai noticed that the animal looked like a boar, but its short hair was shimmering silver and it had spikes on its spine.
- I'm splitting up this pig, and you take those two cauldrons in the corner of the cave and go draw water over the cliff. I've done something about it, so it's as good as spring water. - The old man said nonchalantly, and pulled out a dagger to start skinning the beast.
Kai quickly took what he needed and went to the place the old man had indicated. It was on the other side of the river, so he didn't have to go down the cliff.
"Am I really going to eat meat?" - That was the only question he was asking himself right now.
When he walked a few dozen meters, he saw a small lake with a waterfall and crystal clear water. The sound of falling water could be heard, and there was a mist around the lake. Because of the constant flow of water that crashed against the rocks, the air was heavily saturated with moisture.
Kai walked over, and began to draw water near the shore. He felt that the water was just ice cold! There were some writing around the shore, but he didn't pay much attention to it. After getting some water, he quickly ran back.
When he entered the cave, the carcass of the beast was almost cut up. And from the bag that Old Man Mo had behind his back, there were two piles of plants spread out. One contained various herbs that Kai had never seen before, while the other contained something that looked like root vegetables.
Old Man Mo carelessly threw another knife to Kai and said:
- Peel the wild vegetables, and afterward throw them into the first cauldron, while throw the herbs into the second. This is for your wounds... Although not a miracle cure, the herbs are not bad. - Mo ordered calmly.
Kai was grateful and silently set to work. Half an hour later, the vegetables were already prepared and the herbs were being boiled into an infusion. Then Mo walked over and threw the pieces of meat into the boiling water, and sprinkled something strange on top. The smell immediately filled the entire cave, so much so that Kai felt like he was in heaven! He had never inhaled such a delicious aroma before!
- Why are you drooling? You need to eat well. While your body is growing, meat and vegetables are the best food for you. When we've eaten, I'll go meditate, and you wait for the herbal infusion to cool and drink it. It doesn't taste good, but I think it's better than your stinking herbs. Heh-heh-heh. - The old man laughed mockingly.
- Thank you, Master. - Kai bowed sincerely. He was truly grateful to this old man for caring.....
- Everyone, stop acting like this, I'm getting embarrassed. - Mo gave a slight grin.
- Okay, old man. - Kai laughed with a little joke at his master.
- You bastard!
Although they hadn't known each other that long, they felt like old friends. Their personalities were surprisingly matched and suited to each other. When they ate, Kai was over the moon! He even got a little sad when he thought of his siblings. They would also enjoy such a dish very much....
- No, I shouldn't be sad. I don't have the right to such a thing... I only have the right to a sense of revenge. One day, I will destroy these scum and my loved ones can rest in peace! - Gritting his teeth, Kai said to himself under his breath.
Until then, he had decided that he would seal any related emotions deep in his heart. To allow even the thought of revenge, one must first become at least a little stronger.
After finishing, the old man went to meditate deep in the cave, while Kai waited for the infusion to cool....
A few hours later, he was sitting on a cliff with his legs overhanging and looking at the stars. He drank the infusion directly from the cauldron and felt his body heal right before his eyes.
- The causelessness of Luck, there is a second law. It is impossible to grasp the causes and effects of the manifestations of the universe, as if everything is solved by throwing a dice with an infinity of edges, which gives birth to the most incredible patterns. - He repeated with glittering eyes.
"Now another life begins... Whatever happens, I must walk through it persistently and only forward! I will grow stronger and only death can stop me!" - Kai decided firmly in his heart.