The forest's shadows lengthened as Jian and Hu Win pressed deeper into its depths. The morning sunlight filtering through the canopy played tricks on Hu Win's eyes, casting fleeting shapes on the ground. Jian walked ahead, his movements calm and deliberate, while Hu Win trailed behind, his curiosity bubbling over with each step.
After what felt like an hour of silent walking, the trees thinned, revealing a clearing unlike anything Hu Win had seen before. In the center of the clearing lay a vast training ground. The area was marked by smooth stone slabs, weathered with age, surrounded by scattered remnants of old weapons and broken wooden dummies. A slight breeze carried the scent of dew and iron, and the quiet of the forest gave the place an almost sacred air.
"What is this place?" Hu Win asked, his voice breaking the silence.
Jian stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping across the training ground. His expression softened as if he were gazing upon an old friend.
"This," Jian began, "is where I trained. Where I became the man I am today."
Hu Win blinked in surprise. "You trained here? Alone?"
Jian shook his head. "Not alone. This place belonged to someone—a man who taught me far more than how to wield a sword."
Hu Win stepped closer, his curiosity piqued. "Who was he? And why does it feel like this place has been abandoned for years?"
Jian let out a slow breath, his gaze distant. "Before I tell you about this place, you need to understand something about me, Hu Win. You saw that mansion earlier, didn't you?"
Hu Win nodded. "Yeah. You said it was yours."
"It was," Jian confirmed. "But I never felt it was truly mine. That mansion belongs to the Huganfumba family. My family. The name once held weight in this region. Huganfumba wasn't just the name of the mansion; it was also the name of the village you know as Hiun. It was my family's domain, and for generations, they ruled it with wealth and power."
Hu Win frowned. "But you don't use the Huganfumba name. Why?"
Jian's expression hardened. "Because I want nothing to do with them. My parents... they were everything I despised. They were obsessed with power, wealth, and their legacy. They saw me and my brother, Dagai, not as sons but as tools to continue their name. I refused to be a part of that."
The bitterness in Jian's voice made Hu Win hesitate, but he pressed on. "What about your brother? Dagai... was he different?"
Jian's eyes darkened. "Dagai was everything they wanted. Strong, ambitious, obedient. He followed their orders without question, even when it meant sacrificing everything else."
Hu Win could sense the weight of the story Jian was about to share. He remained silent, letting Jian speak at his own pace.
"When I was a child," Jian continued, "I used to sneak out of the mansion at night. My parents had guards stationed everywhere, but I always found a way past them. I hated being trapped in that house, surrounded by their expectations. The forest became my escape. And one night, during one of my usual strolls, I found this place."
Jian gestured to the training ground around them. "It was here that I met Tin Xue. He was an old man, a swordsman unlike any I had ever seen. When I first saw him, he was practicing his forms, his movements so precise and fluid that it seemed like he was dancing with the wind. I was mesmerized."
"What did he say when he saw you?" Hu Win asked.
Jian chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "He said I didn't belong here. Called me a frail boy and told me to leave. I was furious. No one had ever spoken to me like that before. So I did the stupidest thing I could—I charged at him."
Hu Win's eyes widened. "What happened?"
"He threw me to the ground without even trying," Jian said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But I didn't give up. Every night after that, I came back to challenge him. And every night, he defeated me. This went on for four years. I was twelve when it started. By the time I was sixteen, I was stronger, faster, more skilled—but I still couldn't beat him."
Hu Win listened intently, hanging on to every word. "Didn't you ever think of giving up?"
Jian shook his head. "I was too stubborn. And eventually, my pride broke. One night, after yet another defeat, I fell to my knees and shouted that I wanted him to train me. I expected him to laugh or refuse, but to my surprise, he agreed. He said it wasn't because I had talent—though he admitted I had some—but because he had been waiting for someone to pass his knowledge on to. And so, my training began."
Jian's gaze softened as he looked around the training ground. "For a year, Tin Xue taught me everything he knew. He wasn't just a swordsman; he was a philosopher, a man who understood the balance between strength and wisdom. He made me see the sword not just as a weapon, but as an extension of myself."
Hu Win felt a pang of envy. "It must have been amazing to have a teacher like that."
"It was," Jian said quietly. "But it didn't last."
Hu Win frowned. "What happened?"
Jian's jaw tightened. "My parents found out about Tin Xue. They saw him as a threat, someone who was influencing me in ways they didn't approve of. So they sent soldiers to kill him. Tin Xue defeated them all, but then they sent Dagai."
Hu Win's breath caught. "Your brother?"
Jian nodded. "Dagai was twenty-seven at the time. He was the perfect warrior—strong, disciplined, and utterly loyal to our parents. He and Tin Xue fought for four days straight. In the end, Dagai won. He drove his sword through Tin Xue's chest, killing him."
Hu Win felt a chill run down his spine. "That's horrible."
Jian's voice was hollow. "It was. And it was my fault. If I hadn't trained here, if I hadn't defied my parents, Tin Xue would still be alive. That guilt stayed with me. Four months later, I left the mansion, determined to find my own path. When I returned a year later, I found the mansion destroyed, my family massacred."
Hu Win's eyes widened. "What happened?"
"It was Dagai," Jian said, his voice flat. "He killed them all after a heated argument. By the time I arrived, he was gone, and the mansion was nothing but ruins."
The silence that followed was heavy, the weight of Jian's story settling over them like a shroud.
"What did you do after that?" Hu Win asked softly.
"I searched for him," Jian replied. "For years, I traveled, honing my skills, learning the art of swordsmanship and magic. I wanted revenge, but as time passed, I realized that vengeance wouldn't bring back what I had lost. So I let it go."
Hu Win stared at Jian, his admiration for the man growing with each passing moment. "And then you found me."
Jian smiled faintly. "And then I found you."
They stood in silence for a moment before Jian spoke again. "Come. It's time to move on."
Hu Win nodded, following Jian as they left the training ground behind. But as they walked, he couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead—and what role he would play in Jian's story.