Yan Ming, a young boy at the age of 16 years old lived with his parents at the foot of a quiet and peaceful town called Lotus Village–where mortal lived normal and happy lives along with the vibrant green field of crops that supported their lives. He had ordinary looks and ordinary skills except for farming.
They were poor yes, but life was simple.
Daily life in Lotus village was repetitive, but required for a long healthy life.
However to Yan Ming, this sort of life wasn't enough. It was far from his life of desire to explore the world and practice cultivation. Still, he kept all these thoughts hidden deep inside his heart. He was his parent's only son and if he were to leave, no one would take care of them. They could be considered old already and the more that years go by, they would only get older. As their son, he should be filial and take care of them.
From time to time, he would look up from his work–eyes wandering the cloud, dreaming of a life full of freedom, justice, and chivalry. Yan Ming remember the stories that his next door neighbor would tell him when he went to the capital. Heroes would exchange bows as they became friends over a cup of wine and laughed along the wind.
Such a life wasn't his though.
However...Today was different from his 16 years of being alive.
"Take this."
A bag of coins hit the wooden table filled with plates of rice and stir fried vegetables.
Yan Ming hadn't even swallowed the last bite as he placed his chopsticks down.
"What's this?" He asked in confusion. Yan Ming looked at his mother and father back and forth for answers.
His mother was dressed plainly with no accessories except for a carved wooden hairpin. Her hands were scarred from hours of work everyday, but she wore a bright smile on her face like the shining sun.
On the other hand, his father was more stubborn and kept a stoic face. It had always been that way ever since Yan Ming could remember. Though his father was harsh at times and not much of a conversation was held between them, he still felt loved. There was this one time in winter where Yan Ming had fallen down and hurt his knee while carrying a basket of wood on his back. His father didn't say a word and carried him from the forest all the way home.
Yan Ming's mother was the first to break the silence.
"Yan'er, this is the money that we managed to save." She puts it in Yan Ming's hand and place her hand on top. "Take this money and use it to join a sect."
Yan Ming looked at them both with shock.
"N-no, I'm not interested. Immortality? I can't even wake up on time! If immortality flew over my head, I wouldn't even know it!"
"Just take the money." His father spoke. "You aren't useful here at all. Go out and earn your keep."
"You're fathers just want you to go chase your dreams. I know, you're eye's always light up when Zhao Lin next door would tell you stories about the capital. From a young age, you've always listened to us, but we want you to live for yourself."
A hint of doubt still lurked in Yan Ming's heart.
Without letting him think, his father reprimanded him.
"If you're a man then don't be indecisive. This is all we can do for you. The rest will depend on you ability."
Yan Ming gripped his hand and got to his knees to kowtow.
"...thank you..."
Tears welled up in his eye. He quickly wiped it with his sleeves.
"Don't worry, child will definitely become a immortal! Then I'll make a house made out of gold for us to live in!"
His mother while still smiling was also crying. Her son was now an adult who would venture out to the world. All they ever wanted was to let Yan Ming to be happy, but over time they had unknowingly bounded him to this house. Everyday, they could see Yan Ming sighing while looking at the sky. What parent wouldn't know their child?
For the next 3 days, they prepared for his departure. Zhao Lin told them that a carriage would come at 8 in the morning. Yan Ming still felt a little on the edge about leaving his home. It felt like it had almost been ages since he even went so much as a mile away from the crops field and his home. Still, seeing his parents steel their resolve, he knew he had to do the same.
Finally, the day had come.
The cart rolled in as other like–minded young men boarded the carriage. Yan Ming looked at his parents one last time before getting on. They nodded while tears fell from their eyes. With one final wave, he entered the carriage.