The warm summer breeze carried whispers through Blackthorn village, hushed conversations that abruptly ceased whenever young Kai appeared. It had been months since he'd begun helping around the village, offering his assistance with various tasks. At first, the villagers had been cautiously optimistic about the change in the boy's behavior. Kai, once aloof and dismissive, now seemed eager to lend a hand wherever needed.
But as the days passed, an unsettling pattern emerged.
Old Man Chen wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning heavily on his walking stick as he watched Kai work in his garden. The boy's movements were fluid and efficient, his strength belying his young age. Yet Chen couldn't shake the feeling of unease that crept over him whenever Kai was near.
"Thank you for your help, Kai," Chen said, his voice wavering slightly. "I think that's enough for today."
Kai straightened, brushing dirt from his hands. His eyes, dark and unreadable, met Chen's. "Are you sure, Elder? There's still more to be done."
Chen forced a smile. "Quite sure, lad. You've done more than enough."
As Kai walked away, Chen couldn't help but notice how the plants seemed to wilt in the boy's wake. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought as foolishness. But the nagging feeling persisted, a whisper in the back of his mind that something was terribly wrong.
Similar scenes played out across the village. Farmers found their crops withering after Kai helped tend them. Craftsmen complained of weakness and fatigue after the boy assisted in their workshops. Even the animals seemed to grow restless and sickly in Kai's presence.
Rumors began to circulate, hushed conversations in the shadows of the village.
"It's not natural," Widow Lin hissed to her neighbor. "Every time that boy comes near, I feel as if years are being stripped from my life."
Her neighbor nodded vigorously. "My husband said the same. He worked alongside Kai last week, and he's been bedridden ever since. It's as if his very life force was drained away."
Unbeknownst to the villagers, their whispered fears were not far from the truth. Kai, hidden away in the seclusion of the forest, practiced his newly discovered technique with growing proficiency. The Essence Sucker method had become second nature to him, activating almost unconsciously whenever he made physical contact with another living being.
Kai reveled in the rush of power that flooded through him with each use of the technique. He could feel his cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds, far outpacing what should have been possible for someone his age. The warnings in the ancient text about Qi impurity and rank depletion seemed distant and unimportant in the face of such rapid progress.
In his youthful arrogance, Kai failed to grasp the true nature of what he was stealing. To him, "essence" was merely another form of energy, something to be harvested and used for his own advancement. He didn't understand that he was literally draining the life force from those around him, shortening their lives with each casual touch.
As the complaints mounted, Kai's parents found themselves increasingly cornered by their neighbors. The atmosphere in their small home grew tense, filled with unspoken accusations and mounting fear.
One evening, as Kai returned from another day of "helping" in the village, he found his parents waiting for him. His mother's eyes were red-rimmed, while his father's face was set in a grim mask of disappointment and anger.
"Kai," his father began, his voice low and controlled. "We need to talk about what's been happening in the village."
Kai's face remained impassive, but inwardly he tensed. Had they somehow discovered his secret? He quickly dismissed the thought. There was no way they could know about the Essence Sucker technique.
"What do you mean, Father?" Kai asked, his voice carefully neutral.
His mother spoke up, her words tumbling out in a rush. "The villagers, Kai. They're... they're afraid of you. They say that when you help them, they feel weak and ill afterward. Some even claim that you're draining their life away."
Kai allowed his eyes to widen in feigned surprise. "That's ridiculous," he protested. "I've been trying so hard to fit in, to be normal. You know how everyone used to see me as arrogant and aloof. I just wanted to show them that I can be helpful, that I can be part of the community."
His father's expression softened slightly, but the doubt remained in his eyes. "We want to believe you, son. But the complaints are too numerous, too consistent to ignore. Something is happening, whether you intend it or not."
Kai felt a flicker of anger at their suspicion, but he quickly suppressed it. This was an opportunity, he realized. A chance to free himself from the constraints of family life and pursue his cultivation without interference.
"I don't know what to say," Kai said, allowing a hint of frustration to creep into his voice. "I've done everything I can to be accepted, and still, they fear me. Perhaps it would be better if I left."
His parents exchanged a look, a mixture of relief and guilt passing between them. His mother reached out as if to touch him, then hesitated, her hand falling back to her side.
"Maybe... maybe that would be for the best," his father said slowly. "At least for a while. Until things calm down in the village."
Kai nodded, keeping his expression somber while inwardly exulting. This was exactly what he had hoped for. "I understand," he said quietly. "I'll go pack my things."
As he turned to leave, his mother's voice stopped him. "Where will you go?" she asked, a tremor in her words.
Kai paused at the doorway. "There's an abandoned hut at the edge of the village," he said. "I can stay there for now. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
With that, he left the room, hiding the smile that threatened to break across his face. His parents, too preoccupied with their own guilt and relief, didn't notice the glint of triumph in their son's eyes.
Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Kai made his way to the abandoned hut. It was a small, dilapidated structure, long since forgotten by the villagers. But to Kai, it represented freedom. Here, away from prying eyes, he could fully dedicate himself to his cultivation.
As night fell, Kai settled into a meditative pose inside the hut. He closed his eyes, focusing his attention inward, eager to assess the progress he had made. But as he delved into his inner landscape, he found something unexpected.
His Qi, once a steady, controlled flow, now roiled and churned within him. It felt wild, almost alive, pushing against the boundaries of his meridians as if seeking escape. Kai frowned, concentration deepening as he attempted to bring the turbulent energy under control.
Was this the price of his rapid advancement? The warnings in the ancient text about Qi impurity suddenly seemed far more relevant.
With renewed determination, Kai settled deeper into his meditation. He would master this turbulent energy, bend it to his will. And when he did, he would be unstoppable.