Six years passed in the blink of an eye.
It felt as if it were only yesterday that Old Man Zeng had found the abandoned infant in the dense forest.
The dense forest was also called the Scarlet Forest.
This particular grove is the last place teeming with raw vitality; beyond it lie only barren wastelands.
A place rumored to be directly connected to hell itself, with gates standing as a barrier to protect the mortal world from pure bloodlust and destruction.
The air blew, but this time it carried something unique.
It was happiness.
Outside the forest, sounds of laughter and joy drifted through the air from where Zeng resided.
When viewed, tall trees surrounded the hut on all sides, with only one passage leading to it.
Inside, Zeng was sitting peacefully on a chair, slowly sipping his tea as he savored the delicate moment before him.
"Dai?" Zeng called out, his voice calm and steady.
He slowly got up and placed the tea on the table beside the rocking chair.
Dai, who was once tiny, seemed to have grown significantly. His amber-colored eyes fluttered, and his hair swayed gently in the breeze.
As he joyfully played with the dog, Zeng felt a profound sense of comfort. He had spent 20 years alone in this very area with his dog, Spring.
Both Dai and Spring were playing joyfully, as if nothing could stop them.
Dai answered quickly.
Dai came running toward Zeng, his eyes filled with love—so much so that they could melt even the hardest stones.
Then, he hugged him.
Zeng smiled at the sight, gently stroking his head.
Just then, their dog came as well.
Thud! Spring crashed down with them.
All three fell down together. Dai's laugh broke the stillness, then Zeng also laughed, both laughing to their heart's content.
It was now sunset.
Zeng tucked Dai into bed, gently covering him with a smooth red woollen blanket.
Then he gently patted Dai's forehead.
Deep down, he knew that a day like this would soon cease to exist, for he was aware that his death was just around the corner.
Dai soon fell asleep. Then Zeng rose with all his strength, using a wooden stick for support. His legs trembled, but he did not give up.
Just as he left the room, he saw the dog sitting there, wagging its tail as it noticed Zeng approaching.
"Do not disturb him for now, Spring."
Both soon went away from Dai's room.
Just as Zeng fell asleep, faint sounds emerged from within Dai's room. Inside, Dai wore a tense expression, even though he was asleep.
It felt as if he were dreaming—something extraordinary yet incomprehensible.
"What is this place?"
Dai wondered as he glanced back and forth, but all he saw was pitch darkness engulfing everything around him.
He looked down at his legs to check if he was still intact.
But just then, he heard sounds coming from the front. As he turned to face forward, he saw a glowing pedestal.
In the middle of that pedestal was a strange carving.
There were three stars etched onto it.
As he walked toward it, the darkness began to dissipate around it.
When he looked at it more closely, all he saw was an old, eroded book resting there. Some of its pages were already missing.
As he flipped through the pages, he felt someone staring at him from behind. He ignored it, too curious to look away from the book.
Just as he was about to read the contents, something pulled his soul backward, and the pedestal slowly vanished into the depths of darkness.
Dai couldn't understand what was happening to him. His vision began to blur, and he closed his eyes as if trying to escape.
Then, the sound of the wind blowing was heard, signaling the end of the dream.
Dai slowly got up, rubbing his tired eyes. He took a sip of water as he fixed his hair.
But just as he looked into the mirror, his eyes caught something quite unusual.
There was a golden mark on his forehead. He tried to reach for it, but it vanished.
Dai ran toward Zeng, the wooden floor creaking beneath his feet as he sprinted across it.
Finally, he reached the entrance and scanned the area for his old man.
Dai's ears perked up as he heard sounds coming from the back of the hut.
…
"One more log, and I am done," Zeng said with heaviness.
As he was about to chop the last log, Dai came running toward him. Zeng then felt his presence beside him.
"Same old dream?" Zeng asked Dai, as if implying this was not the first time.
Dai nodded.
"But Grandpa, this time it was different—I saw something else."
Zeng's interest piqued upon hearing his words.
"Ho-oh, what was it about?" Zeng said as he swiftly chopped down the last piece of the log left outside. Then he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the cloth he had in his pocket.
"Ah."
Dai wondered what that structure was called, as he didn't know; all he could do was remain silent.
Zeng froze midway as he wiped the sweat from his face. He looked at Dai with keen eyes, as if he understood what Dai was talking about.
Just then, he let out a deep sigh.
"Perhaps the right time has arrived."
Dai was puzzled, yet he was curious. Then he asked Zeng about the right time he just spoke of now.
"Before we begin, please sit down with your legs crossed."
Dai followed his words without question. His face glowed in the sunlight as he sat. Then Zeng began to tie Dai's hair.
"Dai, never be confused about this world," Zeng said. Though his voice was sharp, there was a hint of grief in it.
"Huh, why would I get confused, Grandpa?" Dai asked spontaneously.
The birds chirped as they flew past the hut.
"In this world, all they see is power, fame, and money; without these, you will be nothing—just a mere ant in front of them. They will not even hesitate to crush you." Zeng's voice now carried concern.
He stood up, walking away from him.
"You may not understand now, but a day will surely come when you understand everything."
Just then, he turned to look toward Dai.
Dai was asleep.
Zeng slammed his hand against his head.
He struck Dai on the head with the wooden stick he was carrying.
"Ouch!" Dai stroked his head vigorously. He looked toward Zeng with fiery eyes and clenched his jaw.
"Dai, now keep your eyes wide open," Zeng said. As he spoke, the air around them began to flow more ferociously.
Zeng held his right hand wide open and closed his eyes, trying to sense something.
Dai tilted his head and crossed his arms, his face puzzled. However, he felt something strange happening around him.
He looked around very carefully, his face a mix of shock and laughter.
Swoosh! Zeng was enveloped in a yellowish power.
Suddenly, something came flying toward his hand—it was the very rustic axe that he uses to chop logs.
Dai was now dumbfounded, his mouth shut due to the intensity of the moment, yet his eyes were wide open.
"Dai, this is the very force that connects every living thing together. Do you seek to learn it?" Zeng spoke with pride.
Dai felt as if a towering mountain were about to collapse upon him. The pressure from it was enough to crush all the trees around him.
"Why should I learn this?" Dai asked.
Zeng was too stunned to speak.