Gray clouds cloaked the sky, casting a somber and oppressive mood. In the east, the clouds began to turn crimson, growing ever more vibrant until they blazed like a fiery inferno. A single ray of sunlight pierced through the darkness, illuminating the rugged mountain landscape in shades of glowing red.
Nestled amidst the encircling mountains lay a small village with no more than forty households. The villagers eked out a meager existence, farming sparse, rocky patches of land scattered between the peaks. As the first light of dawn spilled across the fields, a young man inside one of the humble homes opened his eyes. After a brief moment of confusion, his face settled into an expression of calm maturity far beyond his years.
Spring had just begun, and today was the day to journey into town to collect seeds for the coming year. Hastily rising, the young man, Xiao Chen, washed up and prepared to leave. He grabbed a small bundle of dry rations to ensure an early start, knowing that any delay could mean being stranded overnight on the return journey.
But as he stepped out of the house, he froze. His parents, Xiao Wenshan and his wife, were already up and waiting outside. Xiao Chen chuckled lightly.
"Father, Mother, why are you awake so early? Don't worry—I remember that today is the seed collection day. I won't be late."
Xiao Wenshan's eyes held a glimmer of expectation as he waved his hand. "Change your clothes. Today, I'll accompany you into town."
Xiao Chen was taken aback. Only then did he notice that his father was dressed in his most formal family attire—robes usually reserved for ancestral ceremonies. Though puzzled, Xiao Chen nodded obediently. He returned to his room and rummaged through an old wooden chest, pulling out a well-worn embroidered green robe. It was the best garment he owned.
The family ate breakfast in near silence. Xiao Chen's mother looked worried, her lips parting several times as if to speak, only to be silenced by her husband's firm gaze.
"Let's go," Xiao Wenshan said curtly as he stepped out of the courtyard. A blue horse-drawn carriage waited just outside, further deepening Xiao Chen's sense of unease.
"Ah, Mr. Xiao, ready to depart? Hop in, and we'll be on our way!" greeted Old Wu, the village's carriage driver. His sun-worn face bore the marks of a hard life, though he was only in his early forties.
Xiao Wenshan ignored his son's confused glances and climbed into the carriage without a word. Xiao Chen followed silently, his mind racing.
Villagers along the road began whispering as the carriage passed.
"Isn't the seed collection day delayed this year? What's the Xiao family up to, hiring Old Wu's carriage today?"
"Who knows? They've always kept to themselves. Maybe they're arranging a marriage for Xiao Chen. Look at their fancy clothes!"
"That might be it. Xiao Chen's a good boy—handsome, too. If only he weren't so frail, I might have considered him for my daughter."
Inside the carriage, Xiao Chen's heart pounded. Was his father truly taking him to arrange a marriage?
"Stop letting your imagination run wild," Xiao Wenshan interrupted, his tone weary but firm. "Save your strength. Today… today, you may find the chance to change your fate forever. Don't ask too many questions. You'll understand soon enough."
Suppressing his unease, Xiao Chen closed his eyes to rest.
Xiao Wenshan, meanwhile, gazed at his son's thin but determined face. His expression grew somber, and his hands clenched tightly. Muttering under his breath, he whispered, "Even if I must lower my head today, I cannot ruin this child's future... Forgive me."
The rest of the journey passed in heavy silence.
"Mr. Xiao, we've arrived in Xiao City," Old Wu announced respectfully.
Xiao Chen opened his eyes to see his father momentarily lost in thought, an uncharacteristic trace of sorrow on his face.
"Already?" Xiao Wenshan muttered before pulling himself together. He stepped out of the carriage, glanced at the imposing gates of Xiao City, and waved Old Wu away.
"You can head back. No need to wait."
Once the carriage disappeared into the distance, Xiao Wenshan turned to face the towering city gates inscribed with the words Xiao City. His gaze lingered on the calligraphy before he sighed deeply. "Follow me," he said, leading the way.
Though perplexed, Xiao Chen obediently followed.
They rented a modest room at a shabby inn on the city outskirts. After settling in, Xiao Wenshan warned his son not to wander and left abruptly, his face lined with tension. Suspicion gnawed at Xiao Chen's heart. Why was his father acting so strangely? Throwing caution to the wind, he decided to tail him.
Keeping a safe distance, Xiao Chen followed his father to a grand restaurant. After observing Xiao Wenshan enter, Xiao Chen hesitated briefly before stepping inside himself. His sharp gaze scanned the crowded first-floor hall, but his father was nowhere to be seen.
Determined, Xiao Chen climbed to the second floor, his bearing confident despite his thin frame and pale complexion. The innkeeper, wary of his fine attire and noble demeanor, chose not to stop him.
The upper floor was quieter, the atmosphere hushed. Xiao Chen slowed his pace, listening intently as he approached the private rooms.
"This is it," he murmured, spotting a room marked "Heaven's First Room." His father's voice emanated faintly from within.
What on earth was going on?
Positioning himself near a small ventilation slit, Xiao Chen peered inside.
The room's decor was elegant and understated—a round table of pearwood, a landscape painting on the wall, and a potted plant in the corner. Sitting across from his father were three middle-aged men in luxurious robes. Their faces were pale, their expressions cold and indifferent, exuding the unmistakable air of men accustomed to authority.
But what shocked Xiao Chen most was his father's demeanor. Despite being surrounded by such imposing figures, Xiao Wenshan appeared calm and composed, even carrying a hint of dignity.
"Why have you summoned us here today?" the leader of the trio sneered, sipping his tea. His tone was laced with mockery.
The other two chuckled quietly but said nothing.
"My dear brother," Xiao Wenshan began, his voice low and laden with emotion, "though I've been exiled from the Xiao family for twenty years, blood ties cannot be severed. We are still kin."
Xiao Chen froze. Brother? Xiao family?
These men were from the Xiao clan, the most powerful family in Xiao City!
The man at the head of the table, Xiao Wentian, raised an eyebrow, a sneer tugging at his lips. "Brother? You remember now that we share blood? Twenty years since your exile, and only now you call us kin? Or perhaps, life out there has grown too hard, and you've come groveling for scraps?"
His words were cold, laced with contempt.
Another man, Xiao Wenqian, chuckled darkly. "Enough, eldest brother. Why waste words with this man? Tomorrow the Immortal Master arrives, and we should be preparing for his visit, not indulging the whims of someone who's no longer part of the family."
The trio made to rise, clearly uninterested in further conversation.
"Wait!" Xiao Wenshan called out, his voice trembling slightly. He reached into his robes and pulled out a jade seal, no larger than a thumb ring but intricately carved in the shape of a lion.
"Even if you ascended to the position of family head with the help of our stepmother, this seal—this symbol of the family patriarch—was passed to me by our father. Surely, you've spent the past two decades obsessing over its absence, haven't you?"
The sight of the seal froze Xiao Wentian mid-step. His eyes burned with barely concealed greed as he stared at the jade emblem.
Xiao Wenshan tightened his grip on the seal, his voice steady despite the tension. "If you agree to my request, this seal will be yours."
Xiao Wentian hesitated, his expression betraying the calculations running through his mind. "Speak. What is it you want?"
"My son," Xiao Wenshan said firmly, "I want him to participate in the Xiao family's selection for candidates to present to the Immortal Master."
Xiao Wentian's eyes narrowed, and his brothers muttered in alarm.
"Brother, this cannot be allowed!" Xiao Wenqian exclaimed. "What if his son is chosen? If the Immortal Master favors him, it will disrupt everything!"
"Exactly! Eldest brother, think of the consequences!" the third man chimed in.
Xiao Wentian raised a hand to silence them, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiao Wenshan. His voice turned cold as ice. "Do you remember the insults you hurled at our stepmother, the one who raised us after our mother's death?"
Xiao Wenshan's face twisted with regret. Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground, bowing toward the direction of the Xiao clan's ancestral shrine.
"Yes," he murmured. "When I was young and foolish, I let my temper get the better of me. I disrespected our stepmother. I was wrong." He kowtowed three times, his forehead striking the floor with a dull thud.
"And do you remember how you belittled me and our brothers? How you refused to acknowledge our authority?" Xiao Wentian pressed.
"I was arrogant then," Xiao Wenshan admitted, his voice hoarse. "I beg your forgiveness."
"And do you recall the injury you dealt me?" Xiao Wentian demanded, pulling back his sleeve to reveal a jagged scar running from his chest to his arm.
The sight of the old wound made Xiao Wenshan tremble. Without hesitation, he raised his fist and slammed it into his own left arm.
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking filled the air. Xiao Wenshan's face went pale, beads of sweat forming on his brow as his arm hung limp at his side.
"Eldest brother," he said through clenched teeth, his voice trembling with pain, "is this enough to satisfy you?"
Xiao Wentian gazed at him coldly for a long moment. Then, with a sharp motion, he snatched the jade seal from Xiao Wenshan's trembling hand.
"Bring your son tomorrow," he said curtly, tucking the seal into his robes. "We'll see if the Immortal Master deems him worthy." Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room, his brothers following close behind.
The door slammed shut, leaving Xiao Wenshan alone. He collapsed to the floor, his body shaking as tears streamed down his face.
"Mother," he sobbed, his voice raw with anguish, "forgive my unfilial ways. For the sake of Xiao Chen, I had no choice but to endure this humiliation. Even if it costs me everything, I will give him the chance to soar. Mother, please understand."
Outside the room, Xiao Chen leaned against the wall, his body trembling. He covered his mouth to stifle his cries, but his tears fell freely.
He had seen it all—the scorn, the degradation, and the lengths his father had gone to for his sake.
"Father," Xiao Chen whispered, his voice choked with emotion. His fists clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms as a burning resolve ignited within him.
"A father's humiliation must be avenged by his son!" Xiao Chen vowed silently, his heart pounding with rage and determination. "I will not rest until those who wronged us pay the price!"