The heavy rains battered the earth, turning the dirt paths of Zhenxi Village into rivers of mud. Beneath a leaky thatched roof, Xu Wei sat cross-legged, his eyes closed, his breath steady. He wasn't cultivating; he had no techniques, no manuals, and no talent. He was merely surviving.
Xu Wei's family had been farmers for generations. His father had worked himself to death in the fields; his mother followed soon after, worn down by the years of hard labor. Alone at fifteen, Xu Wei inherited nothing but a crumbling shack, a patch of barren land, and a life cursed by misfortune.
He had no Qi Luck. He knew that much. No fortuitous encounters, no divine guidance, no magical treasures falling into his lap. While others in the village dreamed of immortality, Xu Wei focused on the only thing that had ever kept him alive: his mind.
"Luck is a lie." He muttered to himself as he stared at the dying embers of his fire. "The heavens help no one. If I want to live, I must rely on myself."
---
That evening, Xu Wei dragged his body to the nearby forest. The village elders often spoke of beasts and spirits lurking in the woods, but Xu Wei knew better. The only danger here was starvation—and tonight, starvation would win if he didn't act.
He moved silently, his eyes scanning every shadow, every branch. His heart pounded, but his mind was sharp. Every step was deliberate, calculated. He paused by a trap he had set days before: a rudimentary snare hidden beneath fallen leaves. It was empty.
His stomach growled, but he ignored it. Hunger was a constant companion. His thoughts were already moving ahead, analyzing, adapting. "If there's no prey here, I'll move west. There's a clearing by the riverbank where the deer graze. Risk of predators is low this time of night."
Just as he turned, a faint sound reached his ears—a low, guttural growl. Xu Wei froze, crouching low. His eyes darted to the source: a shadow moving between the trees. A wolf. Alone, thin, desperate. Much like him.
Xu Wei assessed the situation. The wolf was injured—its gait was uneven, its ribs visible even in the dim moonlight. It was fast, but not fast enough. If Xu Wei was careful, he could—
The wolf lunged. Xu Wei rolled to the side, snatching a sharpened branch he had hidden nearby. The beast snarled and lunged again. Xu Wei's mind raced. "It's going for my throat. The injury slows its left side. Bait it. Let it overextend."
He stepped back, feigning a stumble. The wolf leaped, jaws snapping. Xu Wei twisted, driving the branch into its flank. The wolf howled, collapsing into the mud. Xu Wei didn't stop. He drove the branch down again and again until the beast lay still.
His hands trembled as he sat back, covered in blood and mud. His breath came in ragged gasps. For a moment, he allowed himself a grim smile. "The strong survive. The weak die. And I refuse to be weak."
---
The wolf's carcass provided meat for a week, but it also drew attention. Two days later, the raiders came.
Xu Wei saw them before they reached the village. From his perch on the hill, he watched as a dozen men, clad in crude armor and wielding rusty blades, approached. He didn't panic. Panic was a luxury he couldn't afford.
Instead, he assessed.
"Twelve men. Four with spears, the rest with blades. Their leader is the one in the red cloak. No visible Qi emanation. Low-level cultivators at best, or mortals relying on numbers. The village won't stand a chance."
Xu Wei clenched his fists. He could run. Slip into the forest and disappear. He owed the village nothing—they had mocked him, ridiculed him, called him a cursed child. But running wouldn't guarantee survival. The raiders would comb the forest for stragglers. No, the only way to live was to ensure the raiders were too busy with something else to search for him.
He waited until nightfall. The raiders, drunk on stolen wine, had let their guard down. Xu Wei moved like a shadow, creeping into their camp. He slashed the ropes of their horses, set fire to their supplies, and shattered their water barrels.
As chaos erupted, Xu Wei didn't celebrate. He was already moving, already thinking ahead. "They'll regroup by dawn. If I head west and cross the river, they'll lose my trail. But if they spot me..."
A sudden shout cut through the night. One of the raiders had seen him. Xu Wei cursed under his breath and ran.
---
Hours later, Xu Wei collapsed by the riverbank, his body bruised and bloodied. The raiders hadn't followed him this far, but his relief was short-lived. He had no food, no water, and no plan.
As he lay there, staring up at the stars, something glinted in the moonlight—a small object half-buried in the mud. Xu Wei crawled toward it, his fingers brushing against cold metal. He unearthed a medallion, its surface engraved with ancient runes.
For the first time in years, Xu Wei hesitated.
"A treasure?" He frowned. "No. Too convenient. Too dangerous. But..."
He couldn't leave it. His instincts screamed at him to discard it, but his mind, always calculating, refused. He slipped the medallion into his pocket.
As he did, a faint whisper echoed in his mind.
"Eternal life... whatever it takes."
Xu Wei's eyes widened. He didn't know what the medallion was or what it promised, but one thing was certain: this was no stroke of luck. This was an opportunity. And opportunities were meant to be seized.
With renewed determination, Xu Wei rose to his feet. His journey had just begun.
---
To be continued...