The dawn light barely brushed the peaks of the Heavenly Cloud Sect's towering mountains. Zeth Etheris stirred from his sleep, the faint warmth of the rising sun spilling into his modest cabin through its rusted window frame. After the chaos of recent days, the simple rest had been a relief to him.
Zeth sat up, stretching his body and muscles. "It's early," he yawned, his voice rasp and tired. "But the others should already be training. I need to make myself useful. Senior Sister has done so much for me; I should gather herbs for her while she trains. Perhaps I can find minerals too something to express my gratitude."
He pushed open the creaky wooden door of his cabin and stepped outside. The crisp morning air carried the faint hum of Qi-infused cultivation in the distance. Zeth took a deep breath, savoring the tranquility before heading toward the sect's main gate. His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice of the Heavenly Cloud Sect Master.
"Zeth?" the sect master called, his tone both curious and authoritative. "Are you perhaps about to head out?"
Zeth immediately bowed deeply. "Greetings, Sect Master," he said respectfully. "Yes, I plan to gather herbs for my Senior Sister. She has shown me great kindness, and I hope to repay her in some small way."
The sect master's sharp eyes studied him for a moment as if weighing Zeth's sincerity. "Hmmm, I see," he said thoughtfully. "Be cautious. The forest beyond the gate is no place for carelessness. I must speak with you before you leave. Follow me."
Zeth nodded, curiosity and trepidation blooming within him. He followed the sect master to the grand hall, the air growing heavier with each step. Upon entering the private office, the sect master gestured for Zeth to sit.
"Zeth," the sect master began, his tone measured, "your dedication to my daughter and the sect has not gone unnoticed. Despite your current limitations, you possess a strength of character that is rare. I cannot fully repair your shattered meridians, but I can mend them enough to allow you to perform basic tasks. However, you must promise not to overextend yourself. If these repairs are pushed too far, they may break beyond any hope of recovery."
Zeth's heart raced. This was the opportunity he had dreamed of, however faint the hope. "Yes!" he said, his voice firm despite the emotions swelling within him. "I've always longed to walk the path of cultivation. Even a slim chance is worth taking."
The sect master gave a slight nod. "Very well."
Zeth sat cross-legged on the floor, his back to the sect master. The elder's hands glowed faintly as he directed precise threads of Qi into Zeth's meridians. Pain shot through Zeth's body, a searing agony that made him grit his teeth. Every nerve in his body seemed to ignite, and his breaths came in ragged gasps. Sweat poured down his face as he fought to remain still.
"Just a little longer," the sect master said, his voice steady yet tinged with effort.
Minutes felt like hours, but finally, the pain ebbed, replaced by a faint warmth. Zeth's body trembled as he gasped, his breath ragged. For the first time in years, he felt the flow of Qi within him a fragile, tenuous thread of hope.
"Remember," the sect master cautioned, his tone grave, "this is only a temporary solution. Push yourself too hard, and this gift will be for naught. May the Heavenly Way guide your Path."
Zeth bowed deeply, his voice trembling with gratitude. "Thank you, Sect Master. I won't forget this kindness."
With newfound resolve, Zeth left the grand hall and made his way to the sect gate. The dense forest loomed ahead, its shadows stretching long and mysterious in the early morning light. Zeth took a moment to steady his breathing before stepping beyond the boundaries. He gathered herbs diligently, his movements careful and purposeful. Each leaf and root he picked was selected with care, his mind focused on repaying his debt to his Senior Sister. He picked extra, thinking he could sell them for money to ease his burden on the sect.
As he ventured deeper, the forest grew denser, its air thick with the hum of life and the faint pulse of Qi. He stumbled upon a cluster of unusual fruits, their faint glow hinting at Qi-enhancing properties. Zeth hesitated for a moment, then reached out cautiously, marveling at the treasure he had found.
A sharp voice shattered the stillness. "Stop right there! Who are you, and why are you stealing from our grove?"
Zeth spun around, his heart pounding. A young female cultivator stepped forward, her expression stern and unyielding. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, bowing in apology. "I didn't realize I had wandered into someone's territory. My name is Zeth Etheris, a disciple of the Heavenly Cloud Sect."
The girl's eyes narrowed. "I am Shen Yue. Your robes don't match their current style, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Leave now, or I will take action."
Zeth's face flushed with embarrassment. "Ah, I forgot to collect new robes from the training hall," he thought. Aloud, he said, "Thank you for your understanding," and bowed again before turning to leave.
Before he could take more than a few steps, a mocking voice cut through the air. "Hold on, Junior Sister. This one might be a spy."
A male cultivator emerged from the shadows, his smirk dripping with malice. "Why would the Heavenly Cloud Sect accept someone as weak as him? He's barely in the Mortal Qi Realm."
"Bai Jingting," Shen Yue said sharply, her voice tinged with frustration, "there's no reason to suspect him."
"Better safe than sorry," Bai Jingting retorted, his voice laced with cruelty. Without warning, he struck Zeth, sending him tumbling to the ground. Zeth groaned in pain, clutching his side. The impact rattled his already fragile body, and a bitter taste filled his mouth.
"I'm telling the truth!" Zeth protested weakly. "Why are you doing this?"
Bai Jingting sneered. "Even if you're telling the truth, no one in your sect would care about someone as weak as you."
The words struck a chord of doubt in Zeth's heart. "Maybe he's right," he thought bitterly. "Would they even notice if I disappeared?"
"Stop it!" Shen Yue shouted, stepping between them. Her eyes burned with indignation as she faced Bai Jingting. "I'll report you to the sect."
"So what?" Bai Jingting snarled, his voice dripping with disdain. "They won't care about trash like him."
Before Zeth could respond, Bai Jingting grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the edge of a nearby cliff. The wind howled around them, the abyss below dark and foreboding. He held Zeth over the precipice, a wicked grin on his face.
"Put me down!" Zeth shouted, his voice filled with frustration and fear. He knew he couldn't risk using his fragile meridians to fight back.
"Oh? Talking back now?" Bai Jingting sneered. With a final laugh, he released his grip, sending Zeth plummeting.
Shen Yue's voice rang out in alarm. "Senior Brother, stop! What if he dies?"
Bai Jingting shrugged. "He's just trash. They'd have banished him eventually."
Zeth's body struck the rocky cliffside as he tumbled downward, each impact driving pain through him. When he finally came to a halt, he lay bruised and battered, barely clinging to consciousness. "If not for the sect master's repair, I'd be dead," he thought grimly, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. The weight of his helplessness crushed him as he lay motionless.
Summoning what little strength he had, Zeth tried to crawl toward trees for shelter. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. He looked up to see a massive jade-colored bird descending. The Jade Skylark, a creature old as its Legend, snatched him in its talons and took him to the sky.
"What now?" Zeth groaned, his voice filled with despair. "Am I food for this thing?"
The Skylark carried him to its nest atop a towering mountain. It deposited Zeth among its young before flying off. Struggling to stand, Zeth's eyes fell on an old scroll partially buried in the nest. Despite his injuries, curiosity drove him to reach for it. Stuffing the scroll into his robes, he began to search for a way out of the nest.
As he moved, Zeth caught a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. Mountains pierced the sky, their peaks shrouded in mist. The sun bathed the world in a golden glow. For a moment, the beauty of it all gave him a sliver of peace, a fleeting balm to his bruised spirit.
Finding a cavern nearby, Zeth settled in for the night. His injuries demanded rest before any further action. As he sat, he couldn't resist the pull of the scroll. He unfurled it, revealing faded characters written in a language he barely recognized however a voice began to ring through his head.
"I write this in my final moments," the scroll began. "I hail from a distant land, but my destiny ends here. I could not inherit that power left behind. To you who read this, I leave my hopes. May you succeed where I have failed."
Suddenly, visions flashed through Zeth's mind: The location of ancient ruins, a battlefield strewn with shattered weapons, and a power that called to him. The scroll disintegrated, its essence merging with the heavens.
Zeth gasped, his mind reeling. "What was that?" he whispered. Despite the pain and exhaustion, a spark of determination ignited within him. "If the ruins are nearby, I have to investigate. There might be something there to heal my wounds or help me rebuild my strength."
With that thought, Zeth began to lay down, allowing the pull of sleep to overtake him. Tomorrow he would set out to find the nearby ruins that shot in his mind.