During this time, I trained, studied, ate, rested, and helped my parents with work at the restaurant.
Mostly, I practiced with the sword, but besides that, I also meditated, learned the arts of stealth, archery, and daggers.
I studied battle tactics and strengthened my Qi, eventually reaching the Body Tempering Stage.
(Thanks to my parents for providing me with resources.)
And so, a month and a half passed.
— Mom, Dad, it's time for me to go… Take care of yourselves, — I muttered through tears, my heart unwilling to leave.
—"Son, take care of yourself. May the bright moon light your path, and the mountain rivers guide you. May the eagles grant you a clear vision, and the dragons provide you with peace and tolerance."
— You are our only son, we are proud of you, don't stop surprising us, even if your path is full of pain, blood, and death, remember that you are always welcome at home.
No matter what happens, no matter which path you take, we will never stop loving you! said a calm mother.
— I swear to never let you down, let the great dragons be my witnesses, and let the great dao be my judge.
I will return home with victory and pride.
And so began my journey to Moonlight Peak. But before I left, Father gave me a map and a sword — so I wouldn't get lost and could defend myself if necessary.
Opening the map, I saw that the only path leading to the Peak lay through a vast forest called the Yin-Yang Forest.
It was named so because its northern part was filled with beasts, herbs, and energy of the Yang attribute, while its southern part was filled with beasts, herbs, and energy of the Yin attribute.
The only safe road was the one that passed between the two territories. Leaving the city, I headed straight there.
The path wasn't too long — about an hour and a half on foot, or forty-five minutes on horseback. Since I didn't have a horse, I walked on my own two feet.
Upon reaching and entering the forest, I felt an indescribable sense of peace and tranquility.
The singing of birds, the fresh air, and the gentle aroma of flowers only deepened that feeling.
A true paradise for introverts like me!
The road ahead was long, so I slowly admired the beauty around me.
The journey would take around four days. On the third day, while walking along the path, I noticed something odd — it was too quiet, unnaturally quiet; I couldn't even hear my own thoughts.
Suddenly, I was overcome by fear — a dreadful sense of imminent death.
My instincts screamed, and my mind turned into chaos. I couldn't understand what or who it was.
I froze in terror — I couldn't run, couldn't scream, couldn't even speak.
One thought echoed through my head:
Am I going to die!? Does that mean I won't be able to keep the vow I made to my creators — to my mother and father!?
But after a few seconds, everything vanished like a bad dream.
The forest came back to life — birds sang again, and my thoughts cleared, as if nothing had happened.
I tried to make sense of it, but found no answer.
Another day passed.
On the fourth day, just as I was about to leave the forest, panic struck again — the same feeling as before, but much stronger.
This time, however, I discovered what it was.
It was a monster of unimaginable size — it felt as though a single step from it could cross the entire forest.
But the strangeness didn't end there — the mark on my right hand began to glow with a bright blue light, enveloping me like a mother's embrace.
In that moment, I felt peace and warmth; the dreadful sensations vanished like clouds after the rain, leaving behind only puddles of memory.
Then I understood — this mark had been protecting me all along; it was the only reason I was still alive.
Thanks to it, the colossal monster didn't notice me and simply passed by.
After leaving the forest, my second goal was to find out what that creature was — but first, I had to pass the Selection.
Moonlight Peak was located in the northern part of the Yunhai Province.
The journey there would take at least five more days, across mountains and endless plains.
For the first two days, everything was fine: the sky was clear as a lake, and the warmth of the sun wrapped me like a favorite blanket in winter.
On the third day, while passing through the Misty Peaks Range, I stumbled upon something unusual — in the center of the five tallest mountains lay a lake.
But it wasn't an ordinary lake.
On the side facing the Endless Desolation Wastes, the water was boiling hot, like lava.
On the opposite side, near the Ancient Glaciers, the water was freezing cold, like ice.
You may wonder how I knew that. The answer is simple: first, I could feel the distinct energies from each side; second, there were people from both regions — those from the Desolation Wastes and those from the Ancient Glaciers.
And how did I know who they were?
Also simple — I worked at a restaurant where people from all over the world came daily. It's no exaggeration to say I've seen faces from every corner of the land.
There were about ten people on each side, most of them at the Qi Condensation Stage.
But two stood out — they had already reached the Core Formation Stage.
Now let me explain how things work in this world, where the main law is "Only the strong survive."
Mortals have access to eight stages of cultivation:
1. Qi Purification
2. Body Tempering
3. Qi Condensation
4. Core Formation
5. Soul Forging
6. Spirit Ascension
7. Heavenly Stage
8. Earthly Immortal
As for me, I was only at the Body Tempering Stage — no match even for their weakest members, let alone their commanders.
So I decided it was best to just walk past them quietly — even the weakest among them could knock me out with a single strike.
— Psst, hey kid, come here, — whispered an unfamiliar voice.
— Who's there!? Come out! I'm not afraid of you! — I shouted.
— Calm down, we mean you no harm.
— Wait… he said "we"? There's more than one!? — I thought nervously, scanning the area.
Then, out of nowhere, three figures appeared. Their faces were hidden behind masks, their clothing blended perfectly with the surroundings — one could easily mistake them for assassins or spies.
As they approached, they reached for their masks — I thought they were pulling out hidden weapons, but instead, they simply took them off.
The one standing in front introduced himself — clearly their leader.
— Yo! Name's Li Chen, the brain of this trio. I'm good with daggers and not too bad with a single-handed sword, — he said in a quiet voice.
— I'm Wei Long, swordsman and main battle power of our group, — he muttered proudly, holding his head high.
— My name is Yue Ling. I focus on healing, can fight from a distance, and know a bit of dagger work, — she whispered shyly.
— I'm Han Ji. I use various fighting styles — from stealth to ranged combat — but mainly specialize in close combat with single-edged swords. Nice to meet you, — I said cautiously.
(Of course, I didn't mention that I hadn't fought anyone yet — no need to reveal all my cards.)
— Wow, you're quite the multi-talented one! — Li Chen whispered. — You're exactly what we've been looking for.
— You must've seen those people about to tear each other apart like rabid dogs.
— Hard not to notice, — I replied.
— I've got an offer you won't refuse. Help us finish them off, and we'll split all the treasures four ways. What do you say? — he asked eagerly.
I wanted to refuse — who knew what dangers awaited us? But there could also be treasures that would make me stronger.
That mattered most right now — and who knew how strong this trio really was?
The risk seemed worth it, so I agreed.
— Alright, I'm in. What's the plan? — I asked, waiting for his reply.
— Simple as a sundial. We wait until they kill each other, then take all the loot. We just need to provoke them into fighting faster — they've been staring each other down for two days already, and we're running late for the Selection, — Li Chen explained.
— Selection? Don't tell me — at Moonlight Peak? — I asked.
— Exactly! But we'll talk later. For now, we need a plan to spark that fight, — he said seriously.
— I have a few ideas, but we'll need to wait until nightfall. Then we'll act, — I said with a sly smile.
Finally, the long-awaited night came. I explained my plan to the group.
Wei Long and I went to the north side of the lake, while Li Chen and Yue Ling went to the south.
Before I reveal the plan, one more thing — both sects, though at odds, had eventually fallen asleep after several sleepless nights of watching each other.
They guarded opposite sides of the lake, determined not to let the other gain even the slightest advantage.
They were evenly matched in power, but talent varied — and neither side was willing to take that risk.
When midnight struck, we began the operation.
Each of us took our positions.
Since both sides had archers, we simply fired arrows simultaneously into both camps — using copies of each sect's arrows.
That way, each side believed the other had attacked first.
On the Desolation Wastes side:
— Aghhh!?
— What happened!?
— We're under attack!?
— Everyone wake up!
— Scatter!
— Those damn Glacier bastards shot at us!
— What!?
— Form up! Battle formation!
Meanwhile, on the Ancient Glaciers side:
Guard 1: — Quiet night, isn't it?
Guard 2: — You always exaggerate... but maybe you're right this time.
(Sound:) — Aaaaah! — It hurts! — Arghh! — Ghhhk!
Guard 2: — Did you hear that?
Guard 1: — Not reall— gghk! (falls)
Guard 2: — We're under att— khhk! (falls too)
Soldier: — Commander! Those sand rats are attacking us!!
Commander: — What!? Proof!?
Soldier: — (hands over an arrow)
Commander: — That's their arrow for sure!! Gather everyone — we're going to war!
Soldier: — Yes, sir!!
And so, fooled by our trick, they clashed — slaughtering each other.
We went to collect the spoils.
Everything was perfect… until we suddenly felt a massive surge of energy.
It was their reinforcements — two Elders had arrived.
Though weak by cultivation-world standards, to us they were like death itself.
We managed to hide, but not far — and we knew they'd find us soon.
When they saw their people dead, their rage shook the air.
Elder of the Desert: — Hey, you icy bastard! Was this your doing!?
Elder of the Glaciers: — You senile fool! Can't you see my people are dead too!? You think I slaughtered everyone myself!?
Elder of the Desert: — Who else then!? Only you glacier scum could commit such madness!!
Elder of the Glaciers: — Idiot! Look closely — there's another unfamiliar energy here.
Elder of the Desert: — So a third party's involved!? Fine! A temporary truce — we'll deal with whoever caused this, then I'll deal with you, — he said, glancing toward our hiding spot.
Elder of the Glaciers: — I'd love to kill you now, but I agree. — Come out, brats, we know you're there. Do it, and we'll give you a painless death.
We were frozen in fear — every one of us thought the same thing: we're doomed.
But when I looked at the lake, I felt… salvation.
The only problem — two monsters blocked the path to it.
I signaled the others — they understood.
The risk was immense, but we had nothing to lose.
Elder of the Desert: — So, you won't come out peacefully, huh?
In gestures:
Me: — On three, we run to the lake!
Others: — Got it!
Me: — One! Two! Three! Run! — I yelled with all my strength.
Elder of the Glaciers: — Look at them run!
Elder of the Desert: — Watch your tongue, idiot! Then let's chase them together!
Elder of the Glaciers: — Let them — the lake's energy will tear them apart anyway!
Elder of the Desert: — Still, let's make sure they don't die too easily!
With a wave of their hands, razor-like Qi struck our backs.
We all fell wounded, collapsing just near the lake's edge.
As I sank into the water, I felt my body breaking apart, my consciousness fading fast.
The last thing I remembered was the mark on my hand shining once again, its light pulling my companions toward me —
and then… nothing but darkness.