Chapter 2 — The Girl in the Storm
By the time Liu Qingxue settled fully into the orphanage, life became… peaceful again.
Peaceful didn't mean boring.
Just calm.
Rhythmic.
Predictable.
Kids laughed.
Ran.
Ate.
Fought.
Got scolded.
Slept.
Meanwhile, I spent my days helping when needed, quietly strengthening my body, listening to travelers talk about the world… and thinking.
Liu Qingxue followed me silently most of the time.
Quiet.
Soft footsteps.
Always one step behind.
Like a shadow.
Or a tail.
At first… it was awkward.
After a while?
It became normal.
She rarely spoke, yet I could feel her gratitude. Not worship. Not obsession. Just warmth. I didn't rescue her from a dragon or slaughter villains for her. I simply protected her once and treated her kindly.
In a cruel world, sometimes that alone was enough to earn loyalty.
The old caretaker often smiled whenever she saw us.
"You two look like siblings."
I merely shrugged.
Life remained simple.
And simple lives?
Rarely stay simple.
The Sky Changes
That day… the wind changed.
Clouds rolled unnaturally.
Thunder rumbled without rain.
The air grew thick.
Heavy.
Charged.
A presence lingered within the storm.
I paused mid-step, lifting my gaze toward the sky.
Villagers continued their tasks like nothing was wrong.
To them?
Just weather.
To me?
No.
This wasn't nature.
This was definitely abnormal.
And I felt it.
Into the Forest
Normally, when storms loomed, I stayed near the orphanage.
That day… I didn't.
Something called to me.
Maybe fate.
Maybe curiosity.
Maybe stupidity.
Possibly all three.
I slipped away as the wind tugged violently at the trees, thunder crawling closer with every passing second.
The deeper I went, the quieter the forest became.
No birds.
No insects.
No beasts.
Just silence.
The kind of silence where even nature itself seemed to retreat.
Then I saw her.
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
Near a great boulder—
half-covered in leaves and dirt,
clothes torn,
blood staining her sleeve…
A girl.
Around twelve or thirteen.
Old enough to seem elegant.
Young enough to still hold innocence.
Her appearance?
Long black hair, silk-smooth even while drenched and dirty.
Delicate features.
Fair skin — usually, at least.
Now pale.
Exhausted.
Wounded.
But beautiful.
Her eyelashes trembled faintly.
Her breathing was shallow, yet steady.
A cultivator — without question.
Her clothes weren't from this region.
Her aura certainly wasn't.
Even unconscious, pressure radiated from her.
Invisible majesty.
A presence that shouldn't exist in a tiny mortal village.
Definitely not normal.
Decision
Logic whispered:
"Leave. This is trouble. You're a mortal child in a cultivation world. Stay alive. Stay low."
Another voice answered:
"Opportunity lies in danger. She's the first cultivator you've ever met. Maybe… this is your chance."
I sighed inwardly.
Sometimes, my brain was too rational.
Sometimes, too bold.
But once I decided something… I rarely backed down.
I checked her condition.
Heartbeat weak.
Body cold.
Severely injured…
But alive.
If she died?
No loss.
If she lived?
Information.
Possibilities.
Cultivation.
At the very least…
I couldn't just leave a beauty lying in the forest like abandoned cabbage.
That would be immoral.
And frankly… insulting to cabbages.
The Cave
I carefully dragged her to a small cave hidden behind hanging vines.
She was lighter than expected.
Terrifying aura or not, she was still just a girl.
I gathered wood kept dry beneath rocks and sparked a fire. Warmth slowly filled the cave.
Wind howled outside.
Thunder roared.
Rain poured down just as the flames stabilized.
Perfect timing.
Even gravely injured, cultivators weren't fragile like mortals.
She wouldn't die easily.
Still…
That pale face…
That weak breathing…
They reminded me of another world.
Hospital rooms.
Medical equipment.
Beeping machines.
Tired patients.
Quiet crying.
My chest tightened briefly.
"Tch. Didn't I leave that life behind?"
Apparently… not completely.
I crushed herbs I had collected earlier and brewed a weak medicinal soup, carefully feeding her.
Then…
I waited.
She Breathes Again
Time slipped by.
Thunder rolled endlessly.
Rain hammered the earth.
Inside the cave?
Calm.
Then—
Her breathing steadied.
Warmth returned to her skin.
Sweat rolled gently down her neck.
Her eyelashes trembled.
Good.
She was stubborn.
I leaned back against the wall and exhaled slowly.
"That's better," I muttered.
Her eyelashes fluttered again.
Then…
Her eyes opened.
Clear.
Dark.
Deep.
Wariness instantly flashed through them.
She didn't panic.
Didn't scream.
Didn't flail.
She calmly observed her surroundings like someone trained to face danger.
Her gaze finally rested on me.
A small mortal boy calmly sitting beside a fire, watching her with quiet interest.
"…You're awake," I said casually.
She tried to sit up.
Pain shot through her body.
She winced.
"Don't move," I replied calmly. "Your injuries are serious. Sit still unless you enjoy unnecessary pain."
She paused.
Then slowly relaxed.
Her eyes studied me.
Measuring.
Judging.
"You… saved me?"
I nodded.
"Why?"
"Do I need a reason to save someone?"
She fell silent.
So I added casually:
"And also because you're beautiful. Letting a beauty die is a waste of world resources."
Her lips twitched slightly.
Probably questioning my sanity.
"…Aren't you afraid? I am a cultivator."
"If you wanted to kill me, I'd already be dead," I shrugged. "So either you won't… or you can't. Either way, worrying is pointless."
Silence again.
Only the crackling fire and rain outside accompanied us.
After a while…
"…Thank you," she whispered softly.
Her voice lost its guarded coldness for a brief moment.
I nodded lightly.
"Su Xiaoyao."
She repeated slowly.
"Free and unrestrained… a fitting name."
Then she spoke:
"I am Gu Yuexin."
A noble name.
A heavy name.
She reached into her spatial ring, pulled out a pill, swallowed it, then closed her eyes to meditate.
I leaned back and closed mine as well.
Rest when you can.
Survive when you must.
The night slowly faded.
Morning
The storm finally passed.
Sunlight filtered into the cave.
The world smelled fresh and clean.
When I opened my eyes, she was still meditating — but her aura was stronger.
Breath steadier.
Presence heavier.
Good.
I stepped outside, set a trap in the nearby stream, caught some fish, roasted them, and returned.
From an outsider's perspective, it was a ridiculous sight:
A seven-year-old mortal boy calmly eating breakfast beside a beautiful teenage cultivator radiating faint pressure while meditating.
Two different worlds…
Sharing one cave.
Eventually…
She opened her eyes.
I held out a fish.
"Want some? I didn't poison it."
She stared briefly.
Then silently accepted it.
We ate quietly.
No awkwardness.
Just… natural calm.
After finishing, she spoke first.
"My family was alerted when I was gravely injured. They will send people to retrieve me. They should arrive within a week."
I nodded.
Reasonable.
"Before I go…" she continued softly, "…we likely won't meet again. Say what you want. I don't like owing favors."
Direct.
Honest.
Good.
"Then tell me about the cultivation world," I replied.
Her gaze lingered on me longer this time.
She didn't mock.
Didn't dismiss me.
Instead, she explained patiently:
Realm structures.
Foundations.
Cultivation methods.
Herb classifications.
Treasure grades.
Pill tiers.
Then…
She waved her hand.
A faint light flashed.
A book landed in my lap.
"This is a high-level technique for mortals to begin cultivation. It isn't weak. If your talent isn't trash, you can walk the path."
I looked at it.
Then at her.
"…Thank you."
She nodded once.
I stood.
"I should go. If I stay gone much longer, they'll worry,tomorrow i will come agian"
She didn't stop me.
Return
When I returned, the caretaker and Liu Qingxue rushed over.
They scolded.
They worried.
They checked for injuries.
I simply smiled.
"Rain caught me. Found a cave. Slept it out. I'm fine."
They sighed in relief.
I stretched lazily.
"I'm tired. Don't disturb me. I'm going to rest."
Only Qingxue pouted.
She missed me.
But she obediently went to help the caretaker.
Good girl.
First Step
I went to my room.
Sat cross-legged.
Opened the cultivation manual.
Slow breath in.
Slow breath out.
Time passed.
Then—
Warmth.
A faint, invisible current flowed through my body.
Soft.
Alive.
Qi.
I guided it as instructed.
Circulation complete.
I smiled faintly.
"I've officially stepped onto the path of cultivation."
The moment that thought formed—
The world froze.
And something happened…
that truly surprised me.