The hot twilight sun was giving way to the gentle breeze of the evening. The inhabitants of Reed Village all gave a collective sigh of relief, their sweat evaporating upon their selves under the rapidly cooling air. The summer months were always difficult, the heat sapping away the strength of the populace and making them groan about getting out to work. But it was also the best months of harvest for the village, especially the spirit rice that only grew during this season.
It was on such a summer evening that Yu Feng found himself manning his family's trading post in the village market. It had been a bountiful harvest this year, and the sacks of spirit rice beside him would help his family live for the next few months comfortably at the least. They were by no means wealthy, but having one of the biggest plots of land in the village made it so they always had enough food and basic necessities.
Yu Feng glanced towards the setting sun, squinting his eyes against the glare that escaped over the market entrance. The Immortals are late, he thought. Their village was one of the countless under the authority of one of the Great Sects that governed the land, and the spirit rice they cultivated was their primary source of food. Being mortals, the people of Reed Village weren't allowed to consume the spirit rice, but Yu Feng's family usually grew enough that they too were able to eat some once in a while.
The noise of angry shouting drew his attention towards the entrance of the market. The village Head seemed to be arguing with a group of people dressed in black robes. He strained his ears, trying to hear what the commotion was about, but he could only catch a few words. "...for Immortals" ... "not welcome"... "extra doesn't matter"
The Head suddenly turned on his heels and started stalking away, anger evident on his face, when there was a sudden flash of steely light. He continued walking for a few more steps, before a thin spout of red spurted from his neck, and his head rolled off his body. The now headless body took a couple more steps, before falling to the ground, blood pooling beneath it. The lead Black Robe now had a sword in his hand, which was dripping small droplets of blood onto the ground.
There was a singular second of silence. Then one person screamed, which devolved into a cacophony of voices. Then the stampede started, as people rushed to get out of the market, the Black Robes cutting down anyone who was closest to them.
Yu Feng was swept away by the tide, panic filling his face. Who were these people? Why had they started killing everyone? Questions swam in his mind as he hurriedly tried to find a hiding place. No place seemed safe enough to protect him. His eyes wandered, until they rested upon his family barn a bit of a ways away. There, he thought. That's a good place, and should also have something to use as a weapon.
Now free of the frenzied crowd, Yu Feng's feet thudded down the dirt road leading to the barn. In the distance, he could still hear screams and shouting. His calves burned with exertion, leading him away from the killing as fast as they could. A few minutes of running later, he finally reached the barn. It was locked, and Yu Feng fumbled with the key for a few seconds before inserting it into the keyhole and clicking the padlock open.
The dusty, still air of the barn greeted him as he opened the door just enough to let him inside. He slipped in, and quickly enshrouded himself in the darkness, latching the doors closed. Navigating his way through the familiar space, he quickly came upon a corner that held all the farming tools he had grown intimately familiar with.
Eyes now growing used to the darkness, he searched through the tools, before finding a sickle. Pressing his thumb against its blade, he drew a drop of blood, judging it decently sharp. Finding another corner, he hid himself behind some sacks of rice, the sickle gripped tight.
Yu Feng silently prayed to every God, Immortal and ancestor he knew of, hoping nobody would come to the barn. His heart beat too large inside his chest, the fear producing phantom pain in his ribs. He was glad that none of his family were at the village, having gone to visit his Mother's family in the nearest town. He could at least be assured of their safety.
As he was worrying about his family's well-being, a loud thud knocked him out of his thoughts. His heart jumped into his throat with another bang, as the barn doors strained against its latch. He turned his sickle in his hand, the sweat making the handle slick, when with a final bang the latch broke, and the doors opened inward.
Yu Feng shivered as a gust of air rushed inside, making the robe of the figure in the doorway billow. It was rapidly turning dark, but he could make out that the person was part of the group that had attacked the market.
"Come out little rat, wherever you are," a man's voice called out from the robes, making Yu Feng jump slightly in place. It was harsh and full of vicious glee, mocking his predicament.
Well, this is how I die I suppose, Yu Feng thought morbidly as the man stalked closer and closer to his position. The man inched ever closer, when he suddenly stopped, and gave the air a loud sniff. His shadowed face transformed into a victorious smile as he called out to his hiding prey.
"I can smell the blood on you, little rat~" he said in a sing-song voice, making Yu Feng's blood grow cold. He involuntarily glanced down at his thumb, where a drop of blood still lingered on the small nick he had made with the sickle.
His heart grew heavy, and he cursed his misfortune, when the sounds of the man's footsteps started travelling away from him. He peeked out from his hiding spot to see the robes travelling to the opposite side of the room. It was a bluff, was all Yu Feng could think in relief.
Knowing he would not have a better chance than this, Yu Feng slowly crept out of his hiding place, stalking his attacker's back, his feet silent on the dusty floor. Quiet as an assassin, he lifted his sickle and swung downward at his back, trying to take him by surprise.
The next second, he could feel the hard floor beneath his back, and a burning, burning pain in his gut. Fighting to open his eyes through the pain, Yu Feng saw the man in black robes standing over his body with a manic look on his face. He could see the sword that was now stuck in his stomach, stopping the blood from flowing too fast.
"Ohh you rat, did you really think I was bluffing?" he said in a patronizing tone. "I'm a disciple of the Eternal Willow Sect. A puny mortal like you was never going to catch me by surprise. It's just always so much more fun to play with your prey before you catch them, you know?"
He leaned down close to Yu Feng's face, his breath unnaturally hot on his cold skin. "And you, my little rat, were such good prey. Why, if not for me smelling where you were, you might even have got me!"
Yu Feng's eyes grew wide at the man's words. Of course, he was an Immortal. He never had a chance against him.
The man was of middling age, probably in his thirties, but the mad look in his eyes was one Yu Fe had never seen on anyone, of any age. It was an unnatural madness, and as he stared into the man's eyes, Yu Feng was certain that he could expect no mercy.
His hands were splayed onto his either side, but his right still held the sickle loosely. And so, with the last dregs of his energy, he swung it right into the neck of the Immortal on top his body.
The man's eyes went wide as he felt the sickle digging into his neck, Yu Feng's hand slipping off the handle, devoid of any strength. He stood up over Yu Feng with shaky legs, blood spurting in small bursts through the wound, as he raised a disbelieving hand to it. He opened his mouth slightly, but blood started bubbling out along with his air. Quickly shutting his mouth, he shakily fumbled for a pouch at his belt. His movements were growing more panicked now, as he desperately searched for something in the pouch. His mad eyes shone with relief as he pulled out a small round ball the size of his thumb. But his hands, slippery with his blood, lost grasp of the ball, were it went tumbling down onto the floor near Yu Feng's head.
Yu Feng, watched all this occur out of the corner of his now fading vision. He saw the ball roll centimeters from his eyes, and could hear the Immortal's panicky movements towards him. And with nothing but a final act of defiance in mind, he snapped his head up, taking the ball covered with blood and dust into his mouth, and crushed it between his teeth.
He could hear the Immortal give out a small groan of despair, and fall down at his feet. Yu Feng's body was growing colder and colder, with the only source of warmth being the blazing heat that was his stomach wound. It was in such a way that Yu Feng closed his eyes to the soft light of the moon shining onto his white, bloodless face.
"Huh, now that's an interesting sight!"
Yu Feng knew he was dead. It was slightly heartening to know that the old stories about souls existing were true. He was able to think and form thoughts, so perhaps he was in the afterlife. Then why did it feel like he had been kicked by a horse, then dragged around on the hard ground for miles?
He blearily opened his slightly crusted eyes, blinking slightly as the moonlight hit them. The dark ceiling of his barn greeted him, and it was then he realised he must still be alive. It was a miracle. His entire body was heavy as lead, and there was still a dull, throbbing pain near his abdomen.
"Hey, you. You're finally awake."
Yu Feng twisted his neck so fast that he popped a few joints. His eyes found feet right in them, covered in leather sandals. Travelling upward, he saw a blue skirt, embroidered with gold patterns, over a white top which was covered by deep, rich blue vest. And on top of this ensemble was a man whose face immediately filled Yu Feng with a deep sense of calm. Perhaps it was his eyes, a tranquil, bluish green that reminded him of the pond nearby on a spring day. Or maybe it was the soft and curious smile that was on his lips, gazing at Yu Feng as though he were something very interesting.
Yu Feng opened is mouth, but accidently inhaled a bit of dust and started coughing violently. The suddenness of the dust attack gave him a jolt of energy, through which he managed to sit up, ignoring the pain in his stomach. As the coughing subsided, he groaned out weakly, "W-who are you?"
The well-dressed man gave him a short bow. "The name's Li Qian, disciple of the Thundering Crane Sect, and one of the Regional Sub-Managers of the outer province."
Yu Feng's eyes widened slightly. Thundering Crane Sect was the Great Sect they traded spirit rice with. One of their disciples being here means the Immortals from their sect must have arrived, and that the guy in front of him was an Immortal too.
Yu Feng was nervous about meeting one, but it was overshadowed by the now growing anger in him, so much so that some slipped into his voice, "You are late."
His eyes immediately widened, realising his mistake. Oh great. Escaped death from one Immortal, just to get myself killed by another. All because I can't keep my stupid mouth shut, he panicked. His mouth started to form an apology, but before he could do so, the Immortal bowed again, lower than before.
"On behalf of the Thundering Crane Sect, I apologize for all the misery and loss of life you have gone through. It was due to our negligence that this event occurred, so rest assured that our Sect will take full responsibility and compensate you for the losses incurred."
Yu Feng's brain came to a sudden stop. He could not believe his ears. An Immortal was apologizing to him. Him, the son of a lowly, mortal farmer. Something must be wrong with the world. He had always heard from his father and other village people, that the Immortals who came to trade for the rice were haughty and arrogant, and that the villagers always had to tip-toe around them. And here was an obviously important Immortal -if his title was anything to go by- bowing before him and saying sorry.
Yu Feng quickly put up his hands in a placating gesture and said, "No, no. I don't deserve this. I'm completely fine see. Only suffered a little..."
As he was going to point at his gut, where her knew the sword wound was, he could only see ripped cloth, and a completely fine stomach, albeit a bit pink in the skin. His eyes must be playing tricks, because he was pretty sure there was supposed to be blood pouring out of the wound. Amazed at this miracle, he wondered aloud. "How?"
"That would be because of this," the disciple said, drawing Yu Feng's attention back to him. He reached into a pouch on his belt, and drew out a small ball the size of a marble. The smell of herbs immediately wafted into Yu Feng's nose, and he breathed in deeply, feeling slightly invigorated. "This here is a High Grade Healing Pill," he continued. "If I'm not wrong, you ate a lower quality version of this pill, which helped mend whatever injuries you may have had. Good thing too. If you had eaten what I have in my hand, you would have burst into red paste."
Yu Feng gulped loudly. He had been lucky. Very lucky. All that had been going through his mind when he ate the pill near his mouth was not giving his enemy an escape, and had no thoughts about his own life. Luckily, he survived. Still on the floor, he got up slowly, and gave the Immortal a small bow. "Thank you for the explanation, Honored One."
The Immortal waved a hand calmly. "No need for that. It is our fault you were in this situation in the first place. You did very well in surviving, and killing another cultivator, weak as he was." Yu Feng's face flushed at the praise. The Immortal looked outside the barn, and upon seeing the night sky said, "Well, time to be leaving."
He turned and started walking to the barn door, Yu Feng watching his back. At the door though, he turned around and asked Yu Feng, "Aren't you going to come? We are wasting moonlight."
Yu Feng looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "Umm, Honored One, I am... unsure about why I am to accompany you?"
Only the slightest look of confusion crossed Li Qian's still face, before he gave Yu Feng a new destiny. "Well, you are a cultivator too, aren't you? And probably without a master too. I'll bring you to the Thundering Crane Sect to learn how to be a proper cultivator."