Across the lame mountain ranges of the western kingdoms, most closely the Profound river kingdom, laid a small village. The mountains were sharp, and tall, and without a single use, neither gems, nor metals, nor even a single blade of grass could be found on these mountains, and though a thousand steps had been traced they still could not find a single hope. Thus this small village, and it's closest neighboring villages, laid packed tightly across this once travelled mountain, now stood nigh abandoned on the other side. This left these villages quite different from the kingdoms they served, and truly they had become more comparatively a tribal society separate from civility, and though they lacked education, and such modern things, they were seemingly truly happy. Though sickness was an eternal fear, and the roaming of beasts controlled them strictly, they were never without the colors of humanity. Neighbor's without the interests of gold, let alone the idea of it, shared woes, and joys togethers. Of course sex was as always an issue, with friend quickly turning to foe, however, such villains were quickly led away, and the village continued on, knowing surely that the bad eggs would rot in the cold outside.
Thus through such cruelties, and ignorance, they maintained, a thin, and fickle moment of happiness.
Yu Weiqi, a young boy, only eight this year, he was laid atop the green grass. The sun baked his flesh, and occasionally he would fetch a ladle of water and wash it over himself. He found that sensation particularly refreshing. In the lull of this place, without work, or fun, all there stood were the meager devices one could conjure to entertain themselves with. For Yu Weiqi, who was unnaturally shy, and thoughtful, he found himself always alone, and his doting parents would never let his soft hands touch the weight of a tool just yet. So, he spent his morning doing this often, and would only stop when his mother returned from her bouts of gossips, or else when his father had managed to con a few chickens from his good friend Old Zhang.
Yu Weiqi, heard the sound of footsteps, and quickly rose. He saw his mother, a heavy woman, with a unremarkable face, and thick black hair making her way back panting as sweat rushed down like a deluge.
He saw in her hands was a basket of vegetables, and what caught his eye was some meat, most likely pork, wrapped in some paper. He sprung up, and quickly rushed to help his mother.
Without a word they coordinated, and arrived at the house.
He tried to speak to his mother, only to find her already rummaging here and there preparing lunch.
Soon enough his father came, and he again tried to speak to him, only to be left dazzled as his father began yawning like an ox at his bedside.
Yu Weiqi shook his head with a sigh, and went outside.
The sun had at this time become too harsh for his little comforts, and so he could only stay in the shade throwing splashes of water onto anything metal. The heat of the sun caused the metal to hiss with each drop of water, and gave out a shriek of steam
Yu Weiqi found this repetition greatly cumbersome, and though he had tried again and again to change this, his temper rarely allowed it. He would say to himself often, that a man should not live like this. He knew if one truly enjoyed it, then silence, and isolation should be allowed, but if one disgusted it, if one wished to live dancing in the sun, but for one reason or another did not, then they were nothing but fools, and lazy ones at that. Yet how could he at his age ever reach back into the strangeness that lied outside these stone walls of his house. Here in the villages, there was nothing called change, a farmers son was a farmer, your childhood friends were your friends. They had not a simple idea of anything else. Hence for someone like Yu Weiqi, who at such an immature age had already found himself alone, it was difficult to find company ever again.
Eight was neither too little, nor too old, it was right at the middle, and so he was greatly burdened with the knowledge that it was his fault that at this moment that he did not have someone to speak to, or else play with.
Yu Weiqi had once tried, taking the burden of the afternoon heat, he had trekked the distance to the village center, a fair accomplishment considering his family lived near the outskirts, whereby there were hardly truly part of their village. He had hidden behind trees, spying on young boys, and girls exploring the open forests, and skipping over the rushing streams. Yet before he could step, he wondered why he ought bow and ask for companionship, he felt it was far too great a disgrace that he would need to ask. Perhaps a result of his parents great care, he felt he was something special. Thus though he felt it was rash, he still never moved a step closer.
Soon he would be nine, and then he and the rest of his generation would begin working. At that age, all the relationships among children had already hardened enough that he could not squeeze into them. He would then begin the long, and slow trail into loneliness.
He felt it truly frightening, after all he knew his parents would one day pass, and it was already heartbreaking to not have to speak for one day because no one would listen. How scary would it be to not even chance a hug, or a small chat every now and then. Left alone in the house, after working, as the sun sets, and only a cup of cheap wine to keep him company.
He heard his mother soon call him for lunch, and he quickly grabbed ahold of it. The smell of greasy pork belly soaked his mouth, and he rushed to stuff his face. He knew soon his father would awaken, and he would eat a large mouthful, and leave him with nothing more. So, he felt it necessary to at least eat two bowls, or else be left unsatisfied. He nearly choked a number of times, needing to drink water, and then quickly rushing again into eating.
He then felt heavy, and full of disgust for even the faintest thought of a meal, and walked lazily with heavy steps to his room. Lying in his bed, he stared at the ceiling for a short while, before then being taken ahold of by curiosity as he heard his parents chat.
His mother was talking about the local gossip, such as the bakers daughter hooking up with Fan Kishi, a local rogue who had been beaten enough times that his nose had turned perfectly straight.
He felt slightly ashamed that in light of something that he found so insignificant now, like eating the food enough to find his belly bulged, that he would miss out on something like this meaningless chatter. He thought about walking outside, and talking, but wondered about what he would speak. Certainly he knew that he'd grow uncomfortable as they spoke about all sorts of things that had not a single trace of him, yet he was truly spoilt, and he knew it so well.
He laid on the bed again, and took out a book to try and ignore the wants of his heart.
The book was a rare thing he had found when he had gone to meet those children. Tucked beneath a large tree was this book. It was called, "Nine stars of the Heavenly warriors," it told the romances of six figures that explored the mountains, and rivers. Smiles were laced with blades, and friends were quick to turn into enemies, and wives soon to betray. Yet within this dirty jianghu there was the beauty of humans, brotherhood, masters, one in a life loves, not to mention the gallant feats of traveling the long distances quickly with their spectacular qi control, or else carving a mountain with their enchanting sword skills. Pirates, thieves, rogues, great sects, it encompassed it all into a great tale, and stood as Yu Weiqi's greatest treasure. He had already memorized it completely, and would spend his time wondering about the teachings of the work, the magic of a journey.
He would at times, close his eyes, and wish desperately that a fateful wind would blow, and take him somewhere where all eyes would gather, where he could raise his head high, and all hands would reach even for the hem of his robe. Women, friends, and respect would be found like dirt for him, and his parents would look warmly, with filled bellies, and healthy cheeks. The villagers who ignored him would bite their sleeves, groaning about their failure to recognize such an esteemed sir.
Then he would open his eyes, and see it was all a dream. Again, and again, never changing, it was a dream.
He leaned against the window, and now the sun had lowered down, it was deep into the afternoon, and soon it would be the evening.
The sky was beginning to darken, with still a heavenly glow peeking across the edge of the sky.
Pink clouds scattered, and the wind hummed at it flew by.
He felt his bones ache, his mind racing with thought he jumped from bed, and out the door.
He felt his body churn with excitement as he watched the beautiful sky.
He then began chasing the wind, following it as it took his further, and further. Until he inched closer to the a large and dark forest, enclosed, and tight without any breath for easy movement. It was a deathtrap to a human, especially a child.
Within, even from a distance one could hear the groans of beasts, and the hiss of snakes.
Yu Weiqi day in, and day out stopped here. He would never move a step forward, knowing surely he would die with any foolish touch into this nest of death.
Today was no different, his toes bit against the dirt, and his chest quickly rose and fell.
He felt the forest was beginning to laugh, as if asking what was the point in dreaming if he hadn't the courage to even move a fickle step closer.
However, though his heart was burning, he felt a coldness reach from his brain, like a bolt of lightning stopping his body.
He sighed deeply, and looked back towards his home, and said, "What a coward."
Yet before he could wander back, a flash of light filled the darkening sky, and blinded the young boy.
He screamed as his eyes stung with intense pain. His brain was overwhelmed and an intense headache overcame him, causing his stomach to roll, and vomit rose into his mouth.
He fell to his side, and barely he could make out several lighter flashes of light filling the distant sky.
The light grew closer, and closer, he knew this because gradually the earth beneath began to tremble lightly, and then greater, and greater. At one point it felt as if the world would crumble, and break. The trees began to crash down, and though he felt fear at his lack of sight, and still sickly, he began crawling trying to move away from wherever he thought a tree could fall. His vision was slowly getting better, and yet he did not dare gaze at the distant sky.
He looked only at the forest. The darkness of the forest now uncovered, and within you could see countless insects, and animals stuck in place, with this sense of awe, or else servitude. Even man eaters, fierce tigers, and great large bears stood as humble as a child.
Yu Weiqi felt too frightened to turn his head, and yet slowly he felt consumed by a need to look ahead. He felt he could die, and at the very least wished to die staring death straight in it's empty eyes. He felt at the very least he should have courage in death.
There in the sky one could see amazingly a man. He had striking bright red hair, and a goatee. His purple, and gold robe was most likely made of something like thick, and hard leather, and yet seemed embroidered with gems, and jewels richer than coffers of any king. In his hand was a large mace, that was filled with a menacing dark black flame. He stood atop nothing. In front of him, in great battle, was a huge dragon, with pure white horns, and black scales. It's purple eyes, and hair hummed with a menacing glow.
The man was smiling brightly as he fought with the dragon. Their battle causing winds to rise up, and destroy everything around. Luckily they were far up in the air, and the damage was relatively contained.
Yu Weiqi knew that though he could not see them, most likely everyone he knew, including his parents were watching these same people. Most likely everyone this side of the mountain, and everything that had a breath within them.
Within moments they were above the village, and Yu Weiqi could see nearly all the features of the two of them.
Their battle seemed near the end, as the dragon was awash with blood, and the glimmer of it's dragon ball now something so pathetic it would not even be brighter than a lamp.
The red haired man laughed loudly, "Finally, I am close to obtaining your core, and once that happens I will reach the next stage, and can change my destiny."
The red haired man rose his mace, and said, "I can feel the winds of change blowing, and hence you must stop your struggle. If not by will, then by force!"
He slammed the mace down, and the dragon crumbled before it's strength and fell down, nearly directly above the village.
A wave of force rose from the center of the fall, and gathered into a energy burst that spread everywhere.
In a bright flash of light, in a second, Yu Weiqi felt waves of heat gather on his skin, burning him, and before he could even scream at the pain, his body was tossed like a thin piece of wood into the distance.
A mountain that had stood for a thousand years, longer than the history of a great dynasty, now was gone. All that laid near it was ash, and undying fire.
Not even a corpse, or a single bone laid, perhaps either devoured by the shifting ash desert, or else gone forever from the intense heat.
A sigh suddenly broke out, and the large squalls quieted down.
An old man wearing a blue, and white robe, crafted from the finest silk, fluttered down from a yellow cloud.
He grabbed ahold of the ash, and said solemnly, "The resentment of a thousand plus spirits now gather, in a few years this once human place will become a nest of ghosts and demons. The world is so bitter, one moment life spills forth unrestrained, and the next it is gone, without a single person to remember. These people must have had dreams enough to fill the heavens full, and now all that remains is ash. In search of the power of eternal life, is all this truly worth it? What shall stand in the end then? Ruin, and desolation."
He closed his eyes, and whispered a few strange words.
He then said angrily, "The person who did this, is indeed a villain. Not a trace remains."
The figure then seemed ready to retreat when suddenly, he felt a pulse in his spiritual sense.
He flew quickly to the sound, and saw that tightly in the ash, wrapped in melted flesh around his limbs, and half his face, was who else Yu Weiqi.
The old man hissed, "How terrible! He does not even have the mercy of a quick, thoughtless death. Instead marred with burns, and the memory of what once was, such a cruel fate…"
The old man placed his hand around the Childs chest, to see how severe the damage was. He closed his eyes, and a drop of true qi began to float into Yu Weiqi's body.
It roamed around for some time, before the old man jumped in amazement.
"I simply wished to see which would it be, a mercy kill, or else a medicinal pill, to imagine I would meet such a talent in such dire circumstances! A once in a millennium Heaven root talent, this must be a dream."
The old man suddenly slapped his mouth, "What dream old fool, this is obviously a nightmare. No matter how much happiness I feel, to speak that so callously, really I am a fool! This poor child, and these poor souls, I am ashamed."
He bowed to the Yu Weiqi, and then the distance.
He looked at the Yu Weiqi, and said, "It seems I cannot simply ignore this. Even if it breaks my back, and wallet, I'll do everything I can to soothe his heart. I cannot let a child like this suffer indignation, and hate! I will do it, don't worry child."
He looked to the heavens and thought, "Perhaps this was all destined. I am very much a fool, and would likely have done nothing. After all kindness is not cheap. Yet now at least I have an excuse now, at least this guilt can be relieved a bit."
He bowed again to the Heavens, and gently grabbed ahold of Yu Weiqi with a gentle wind, and placed him atop the yellow cloud. He jumped up, and the two quickly fell into the distance.