"Put on your upper clothing and come meet me in the courtyard." As soon as she finished speaking, Mei Lie left the room.
Fang Yichi, now alone, once again felt embarrassed. He realized he wasn't wearing a shirt, but quickly set that aside upon seeing his wounds.
"Will these scars go away?" He hoped so. While it was nice to keep memories of life, this kind he didn't want.
Putting on his white shirt again and tying his black hair with a ribbon, he walked to the door.
As he crossed it, he saw in front of him a small hallway with several flowers planted in pots and bees collecting nectar.
"Shhh..." Fang Yichi inhaled the fresh air through his nostrils.
Many might find it strange — he did too — but because of his mother, who died five years ago, he came to like flowers.
Having them around made his heart feel more at peace and his mood lighter.
Feeling refreshed, Fang Yichi walked more happily through the hallway. His house, made of clay and wood, had five rooms: two bedrooms — one his and the other his parents', who were no longer with him —, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a flower shop, built by his father to please his mother.
"I miss them..." Fang Yichi felt his eyes fill with tears. But remembering his parents' last words — almost identical, spoken at different times —, he regained his spirit.
Five years ago, at the beginning of winter, a cold front swept through White Wolf Village, killing many people. Fang Yichi's parents were among the victims. His mother, frail in health, died first; his father, overtaken by depression, passed away two months later.
Fang Yichi, only thirteen at the time, also wanted to follow his parents to the afterlife… but couldn't do it.
Before leaving, they left him with a few words.
"Live well, Yichi. Just as your father and I had a life without regrets, live the same way. Enjoy your youth, my love, and take care of our son." Words from his mother.
"I broke the promise I made to your mother. I'm sorry, Yichi... this old man couldn't live without the love of his life. I'm sorry. Live with Elder Song until you come of age. If you want to blame me for leaving you at thirteen, that's okay. But don't drown like I did. Live well. Enjoy your life to the fullest." Words from his father.
"I will live well!" Fang Yichi wiped his tears. "I will embark on cultivation. If one day I reach an immeasurable level, I will enter the underworld and bring back my parents' souls! I will revive them!"
His expression was now determined.
His parents had died unjustly. They still had much life ahead of them.
"Damn cold..." Fang Yichi hated it more than anything. Winter had become a trauma in his life.
After growling, he headed toward the house's exit. From the moment he stepped outside, his life would change forever!
****
In the courtyard, Mei Lie was sitting on a bamboo chair, occasionally looking at the door, waiting for someone.
It didn't take long for the person to arrive. Fang Yichi came out with a serious expression and eyes thirsty for power.
'What caused this boy to change?' Mei Lie was confused, he wasn't like this just moments ago. 'Is this his true personality? Someone who will do anything to become stronger? What kind of motivation does he have to become like this?'
Mei Lie wondered. And Fang Yichi, now in the courtyard, changed his face, making it gentle.
"Master, what should I do first to embark on cultivation?" He asked with eyes shining with excitement.
"Haa." Mei Lie didn't reply, only sighed and followed the boy's act.
"So, brat, as I said before: cultivation is something divided, from the lowest to the highest. Each realm you break through increases your strength and longevity. But that's not all. Each major realm has its own specialty that must be cultivated.
The first great realm is known as the Nine Realms of Body Refinement. The goal here is to strengthen the human body.
It begins with the five human stages: skin, bones, blood, organs, and viscera. Then come the four spiritual stages: meridians, arteries, apertures, and finally, the refinement of the Dantian."
"How do we do that?" Fang Yichi was thrilled! His heart yearned to begin right away.
"Don't rush, disciple! First, cultivation is long and arduous. In each of these sub-realms, a lot of time is spent. And for us in the desolate region, the situation is even harder, due to the low amount of Spiritual Qi."
"So is it impossible to reach a great realm here?" Fang Yichi looked disheartened.
"I said it's difficult, not impossible. Especially in the first realm, where the focus in the first five sub-realms is only refinement. The spiritual part is a bit more complicated, but we won't talk about that for now."
"Master, teach me." Fang Yichi recovered his spirit. As long as he has hope, he will cling to it! 'I will do anything to become stronger!'
His eyes, once again, revealed an insatiable thirst for power.
'This disciple...' Mei Lie was worried about Fang Yichi. At this rate, it's easy for him to fall into the demonic path. 'I hope it doesn't come to that. I'll do my best not to let him become evil.'
"Disciple, have you ever heard a saying? Once a master, like a father for life." She approached Fang Yichi. "I'm with you. I don't care what you do, but don't forget you have a master! Someone to support you."
"Master?" Fang Yichi regained his senses. Seeing the woman so close to his face, he focused on her. "Thank you. I'll keep those words in my memory, I'll never forget them."
Fang Yichi smiled a pure smile. Being a young man with a special temperament, who had always learned everything about flowers since childhood, he brought a sense of calm to people.
Mei Lie was stunned. 'How? This disciple changes faces like this?'
At that moment, in her eyes, Fang Yichi was a benevolent Immortal. The avenger who would cleanse the world of all injustices.
"Stop that." Mei Lie knocked him to the ground. Feeling frustrated, she no longer knew whether the one before her was a potential demon or a kind Immortal.
"..?"
"What did I do?" Fang Yichi, who had fallen to the ground, was confused.
The only thing he was sure of was that the sky above him, at that moment, was beautiful, with a lovely infinite light-blue stretch, with clouds of all shapes and a sun illuminating the whole scene.
"It's beautiful."
"What is beautiful?" Mei Lie, still with confused feelings, asked the boy lying on the ground.
Who said nothing, only pointed his finger at the sky.