The moon was a silent watcher piercing the abyss.
Everything was still.
He lay in the bed, awake.
The droplet of water lingered on the plastered ceiling.
His eyes averted to the pale paper window.
"Luck..." Softly ran through his head.
The icy droplet struck his forehead. He flinched, his brows drawing together.
He shook his head lightly.
His mind drifted again.
"The cultivation master arrives Tommorow..." he thought.
His chest grew heavy, rising and falling with uneven breaths.
"... I have to be at the young master's side at all cost"
Heat spread through his body.
He shoved the blanket away.
Beads of sweat rolled down his face.
"Whats happening?..." He thought while panting.
With every breath, the heat intensified.
He halfway pushed himself up, his hand just an inch away from the end of the bed.
His breathing turned frantic, each inhale shallow and strained.
He touched his throat with one of his hands.
His weight lay on his other hand.
Slowly it sank deeper into the bed until it slipped.
He lost balance and fell.
His hands crawled at his throat, fingers clenching against his throat as he struggled to breath.
Every movement, every cry made it even more painfull.
Tears made his vision weavy. As they slide down, warmth trailed over his face.
"Please... No more" he cried.
A memory surfaced in a sudden flash.
Elder zi.
The pressure.
The more he fought, the worse it became.
His hands lost power. He lay there, tears blurring his vision as saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Only the irregular pulses thudded at his chest.
Every thud felt like something was tugging at his lungs.
Slowly, his vision dimmed. The pulses grew more aligned—
until only one pulse beat at his heart's door.
A sudden tug pulled him out. A sharp gasp tore from his mouth.
His throat craved water.
There was none.
He rose with the support of his hands.
He curled up inside his bed.
His eyes widened, pupils trembling.
He wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
The night stretched on in silence.
By the time dawn touched the horizon, he had not slept.
...
Servants lined neatly on both sides of the path. Backs bent, heads lowered.
In the centre stood the third and the second young master.
The thirds eyes sparkle, his hands clasped before his chest.
The Second Young Master's hand gripped his collar, keeping him in place.
On the right, near the hedge wall stood a servant, watching the other side in anticipation.
His arm lifted, then dropped in a brief signal.
"Ahhh!" the young master shrieked, his voice rising higher and higher.
"Now let me go" he kicked and twisted.
The second released him.
The servant by the hedges lowered his head.
A moment later, a carriage bearing an emerald serpent carving on each side rolled out from the hedge-lined path.
The carriage driver's jaw tightened as he approached the servants lined along the path.
When the carriage stopped, sweat slid from his chin.
He twisted around on the driver's seat.
The gate stood perfectly centered before him.
Only then did he breathe out.
The door opened.
A brown boot stepped down from the carriage.
As it touched the stone path, a faint ripple stirred the air, tugging lightly at the servants robe.
The man followed with a quiet composure, his narrow eyes swept across the courtyard.
His dark hair was bound neatly behind his head, the long strands trailing down at his lower back.
—Clack—
The Second Young Master stepped forward and dropped to one knee.
"It is an honour to stand in the presence of a higher-realm cultivator."
The Third Young Master followed, kneeling beside him.
"I am Bai Jun, third son of the Bai family. It is an honour to meet you."
The man studied the kneeling boys for a moment.
A faint smile formed on his face.
"Very good," he said quietly.
The corner of the thirds mouth twitched slightly.
"You are gonna be my disciple, right?" the man asked.
"Yes. I have long been waiting for this very day, Master," the third said with a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"Are we planning to be here all day, Jun?"
the man asked with a faint smile.
"N-No!" the third exclaimed.
Bai Jun quickly rose to his feet.
"Please this way"
Just as they started moving, the man added
"Ah, I am Hu Mian. You may call me master Mian or anything would do really"
From the line of servants, one boy quietly stepped forward and followed behind.
Nobody batted an eye.
Footsteps echoed through the mansion hallway.
The hallway diverged into two paths — left and right.
The third young master led the group to the left.
As they turned the corner, chattering among themselves, the boy stopped.
He straightened his back, hands on his hips, the skin beneath his dark circles creasing slightly.
As he relaxed, he realized the footsteps had grown distant.
His eyes widened as he quickened his pace.
Just as he turned the corner, one of his legs crossed awkwardly over the other.
He stumbled, barely regaining control at the last second. In panic, he pushed himself forward with little control.
His forehead slammed into the wall.
He looked to the left, his face tightening as he rubbed his forehead rapidly.
Only a glimpse of a robe near the floor cought his eye as it disappeared around the corner.
His jaw tightened.
His heart fluttered.
A small smile crept in as he hurried quietly toward the corner.
As he turned, a servant gently opened a door while the group waited.
The smile vanished.
His face went blank.
He quietly stepped back in behind them.
The third young master sat across elder Mian at a round table.
He stood a few steps behind the third young master.
Master Mian smiled as he looked at the young master, one arm resting on the table.
He raised his index finger.
Young master's eyes widened.
A translucent sky blue wisp emerged from tip, faiding completely at about head's length.
"Can you see it?"
Elder Mian asked.
"Yes..."
Behind, the servant boy's jaw clenched.
His heart
warmth stirred through his chest, slowly expanding to every part of his body.
His gaze rose towards the wisp, faiding just below the ceiling.
His breath grew restless.
He didn't even realise but a sudden tug pulled him closer.
His body leaned slightly towards it.
Elder Mian's gaze settled on him.
"Can he...?"
Elder Mian thought, his eyes narrowed.
Elder Mian moved his hand slightly towards left, the wisp followed.
His gaze followed the wisp.
A smile cracked on elder Mian's face.
The young master saw elder Mian.
He turned his head.
He saw him.
Jun's brow furrowed.
A sudden heavy breath pulled elder Mian back.
The young master sat there, eyes closed, index finger raised. In deep concentration.
Elder Mian chuckled. "That will take time, we have a lot of things to do before this," he said.
"What do you think cultivation is, jun?" The elder asked.
"To extend lifespan and power,"
Jun replied.
"And what is qi?"
Jun hesitated.
"Energy... for cultivation..."
Elder Mian smiled faintly.
"That it is on the surface, but it's a lot more than that. Qi is in everything, whether it be a plant or soil or the atmosphere around us..."
As they continued, behind the young master, he stood with a straight face, though the faint warmth in his chest still existed.
"Your answer was also correct, but it isn't enough for your current level" elder Mian added.
"When will we start cultivating?" Jun asked, his eyes gleaming.
Elder Mian replied with a light laugh. "Do you know what body tempering, is?"
Jun straightened immediately.
"It is the first realm of cultivation!"
"Yes" elder Mian said, a drop of sweat slid down his cheek.
"Before a cultivator can command qi, the body must learn to endure it."
"And what is the first layer of body tempering?" Elder Mian asked.
"... Layer?" Jun replied with a hint of worry in his eyes.
Elder Mian smiled softly.
"It's tendon tempering. It is also called meridian tempering."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Do you know what tendons are?"
Jun's gaze lowered.
"No..."
After a small moment of silence, jun asked
"So... when do we start cultivating?"
Elder Mian gave a small smile.
"When you have proper knowledge"
Jun pouted.
Elder Mian spent the next few hours teaching the basics of the human body.
Behind, he stared at the shining moon.
By the time elder Mian finished, Jun's eyes had grown weary.
His head rested on the table.
"When do we start cultivation?"
Elder Mian leaned back.
"Cultivation is a long process, it isn't all power and immortality like you hear in stories"
Jun's lower lip curls outward.
Elder Mian gave a faint smile
"Although if you study hard enough, you could feel your meridians in a class, the day after tomorrow. But that's only if you study hard"
Jun's eyes lit up, he quickly straightened himself.
"Really! Let's not waste time then"
Elder Mian chuckled softly.
"Hold your horses, get a good sleep, we will start early tomorrow"
Jun's eyes grew weary again.
"Awww"
Elder Mian stood up from his seat.
"Now, where is my abode?" He said wondered aloud.
Jun shot up from his chair.
"Follow me!" he said as he ran in full speed out of the room. Leaving elder Mian and him alone.
His gaze shifted towards the door. The young master had left.
Just as he was about to take a step, a voice.
"Kid, what is your name?"
"Huh?" The boy blinked in surprise.
Elder Mian just stared at him.
"My-my it-it's lin mo" his gaze shifted elsewhere as he spoke.
A narrow smile formed in elder Mian's face.
"This child might be useful," he thought.
Mo shot a quick glance before escaping once again. Sweat formed on his face.
"I am the young master's personal attendant" one of his hands grabs the elbow of the other.
"I-I am to serve the young master for life... If he fails to reach the higher realm" his hands wringing.
He looked at elder Mian before drifting his gaze fell once again.
"Um that's what they told me-"
Bam!
The door slammed open.
Young master rushed inside, breathing heavily.
For a moment the world stopped for the young master.
"C'mon master Mian, let's hurry!" The young master spoke as he dragged elder Mian away with his tiny hands.
"Yes-yes I am coming"
As they left the room, the young master's eye met mo.
"You can return to your room," the young master said firmly.
Mo stared at them with a straight face, as they left.
As time went on, the night grew darker.
It was quiet.
Mo lay in his bed, staring at the plastered ceiling.
His eyes narrowed.
His thoughts drifted back to the lesson earlier.
The wisp of Qi
Elder Mian's words repeated in his mind.
The picture of the young master and Elder Mian sitting at the round table flashed before his eyes.
He turned to his right. His absent gaze stared at the paper thin window, pale moonlight falling across the corners of his bed.
The scene of elder Mian asking for his name ran through him.
His heart raced.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
His eyes widened.
"Could I..."
The warmth in his chest pulsed again.
He slowly sat up.
"What is this...?"
Suddenly –
BOOM!
The entire mansion shook.