On a hilly mountain area, where the rocks jutted out and roots bound the loose gravel, a group of five people was busy climbing the hillside. They wore long robes, open at the front, and straight-leg pants. Their long hair was tied into ponytails, and they each carried a sword on their back.
Despite the risqué nature of the climb, the men proceeded with calm depositions and confident gaits. Their climb continued to take them higher and nearer to their destination: a cave.
Among this group was a young man in his early twenties; he had long black hair and pitch-black eyes. He also carried a sword on his back, but it was considerably shorter than his fellow climbers. His name is Su Yan.
Su Yan grunted as he pulled himself upward, using the rock as leverage. At last they had finally managed to arrive at the cave mouth.
Thinking about the past few days filled him with righteous anger at this young master of his. The guy was a wastrel through and through, and just to prove himself of his minimal worth, he had decided to set out on a journey to enhance his cultivation.
For weeks they had traveled across the Rising Wind domain, passing many famous villages and cities. At last their search had led them here, to this place where a star had fallen ages ago. Su Yan did not believe the homeless vagrant that had provided them with this information. But apparently, his words held the same weight as a feather.
"Listen!" Young master shouted. "From now on, we will proceed with caution. I will keep our rear secure while you lot march ahead. If you happen to find anything, you will call me first. Understood?!"
"Yes!" The rest of them shouted back.
At last the moment of truth had arrived. Su Yan trudged ahead alongside another guy. The cave mouth was small, but once they were past the entrance, the space widened into a cavern. It was barren, with rocks littering the ground and dimly lit.
"There's a hole in the wall." One of the men called. Su Yan proceeded forward and found a small hole near the bottom. To cross to the other side, they would have to crawl within.
"Alright, you proceed first." Young master pointed at a shorter man with a scrawny build. The man gulped and nodded.
They watched as he climbed within, and after about a few seconds had passed, the man called out. "There's a passage here!"
Seeing young master beaming at the information, Su Yan sighed inwardly. After another man entered, he also followed quietly. Moments like these reminded him of that incident when he had banded himself alongside this waste of space.
The cultivation world was cruel, and to climb the ranks, one needed not only talent but also resources and guidance. Without someone backing you, it would be horrendously difficult to proceed through the ranks. At that time he had been barely 10 years old and a victim of bullying. He had grasped the first branch extended to him.
Shaking his head to rid himself of the useless thoughts, he realized that he had arrived on the other side. Crawling outside of the hole, he found himself inside a chamber with a number of pathways.
"What is this place?" He thought out loud.
"No idea." One of the men answered. "I'm not sure whether this place even has anything inside these walls."
"That's not for you to decide," a voice chided. Young master had also arrived. "You will do as I asked you to."
"Yes, young master." The man bowed deeply.
"Hmm." With a finger on his chin, the young master stood thoughtfully evaluating each passage with a scrutinizing gaze. "Three passageways. And there are five of us."
Su Yan and the rest waited by the side, letting the young master make his own decision. At last the man spoke.
"Very well, I have decided. Two of you will take a passage each, while the two of you will come with me."
Su Yan stared dumbfounded as he was singled out alongside the man who had spoken earlier. Logical reasoning was to band together to explore this place rather than splitting up, but once again, the young master had proven why he was a loafer.
"And remember!" He held a finger and glared at the two of them. "If you try to steal anything from me, I will find out. And if I find out, death will be the least of your concerns."
Nodding his head, Su Yan stared at the two remaining passageways after the young master had chosen one on the left.
"I will take this one." The only other man spoke.
Su Yan nodded and watched him disappear into the dark tunnel. Taking a deep breath, he unsheathed the sword on his back before proceeding forward. It was a rule in the cultivation world to always be prepared for any unexpected situation. Keeping a weapon at hand was advised.
Sometime along the path, he picked up a faint variation in the Qi of this place. There was a soft flow disappearing somewhere into the tunnel. Su Yan picked up the pace and rushed forth.
Like a candle in the dark, a pinprick of light suddenly came into existence. It was a shade of light green, and as he walked forward, the light expanded. Until finally he gazed upon a jade talisman hovering in the air, shining a soft green light whilst devouring a steady stream of Qi.
"There really was a treasure..." Su Yan muttered incredulously.
Feeling apprehensive, he first sent a strand of his own refined Qi and watched as it was devoured right before his eyes. Pushing past the mental resistance, he finally extended his hand and grasped hold of the talisman.
As the cold and smooth surface of the jade slip touched his hand, the glow vanished like it had never existed in the first place. Instead, the only proof of its existence now lay in his palm.
"Ancient Spirit Manual..."
Su Yan read the name on the jade slip and blinked rapidly. Somehow the intelligible characters inscribed on the jade slip were easily discernible to his eyes. This confounded him, yet also filled him with expectations.
"A cultivation manual!"