Chapter 2: A Leaf In The Wind

Truth be told, I can barely remember exiting the station. Everything was a blur. As soon as I got out, I began to barf. Yes, right there, in the middle of a busy street. And yes, I didn't care. It's a shame about auntie's luxurious homemade dinner. But not even that wanted to be with me. Lovely. Truly lovely. That's how every girl pictured her debut in the big city.

Big didn't even begin to describe this city, it was gigantic. Sect offices that had more than a hundred floors weren't a rarity here. It is said that in Kunlun Heights one could find opulent apartments where you can have clouds as neighbors but I didn't see them for myself.

It was difficult to spot anything on the horizon. The rainbow-colored signs blinked in my face, advertising wicked corporations, sexy establishments, expensive cyber interfaces, and shady cultivation manuals were blocking my sight and distracting my senses. It was absolute chaos.

The sheer amount of people was unbelievable to me. I never saw such a busy street! There were populations of mid-sized towns hustling and bustling about. They were walking, talking, laughing, and crying. I heard them whispering into each other's ears as well as shouting into their phones. The flood of emotions was overwhelming. Anger, happiness, sadness, angst, lust, and, most of all, an all-devouring apathy filled the air. Each one of them was a cultivator. As such, everyone saw themselves as the middle of the universe. I felt lost. So very lost. Alone in a cramped street. It made me sick. I would've vomited if I could've. But auntie's potato wedges were already being kicked by countless feet, only to disappear into the vast ocean of people.

"Wasted food is a true misfortune. A real pity. But at least you kept your head on your shoulders, eh?" Remarked a cackling old man from a dark corner on the street. Vagrancy was not surprising to me. After all, I'm in a city where people strive to stand at the peak of humankind. Where there are winners, there are bound to be losers.

I moved out of the stream of people onto the sketchy-looking alley. As disoriented as I was it seemed like a good idea. There in between two huge metal dumpsters sat the old man who talked to me. He had bright emerald eyes. They matched his worn-green walking stick. Every fiber in my body told me to stay away from weirdos like him, especially in a city like this. Who knew what kind of demonic cultivator was waiting to usurp an innocent beauty like me. But what can I say? Strange people always fascinated me. So I straightened myself and walked in front of the oldtimer. I didn't forget Confucius though, I pictured him looking above my shoulder judging my every move. It looked like he was the only constant in my life, so even though I cursed him earlier I took his life advice to heart and respectfully greeted the crazy-looking senior.

"Oh, how polite! You don't have to, you don't have to! But it's nice to get respect for once. Here let me offer this in return for your kindness... " The weirdo got even weirder. He rummaged through his linen satchel. "No-no a wooden sword will become useless. A copper mirror? No, I've had enough of that bird. A black dandelion doesn't seem fitting either. A Gu!? Yikes! I hate bugs! How about the Temporal Demon Spirit Book? Nah, way too convoluted."

Frustrated, he threw the satchel to the side. "Useless pieces of garbage! You are embarrassing me in front of a guest! Oh! What is this?

A single dried-up maple leaf landed gracefully on his head. He laughed out loud. Several bypassers were staring at the scene. That disheveled old man began dancing and clapping while balancing the leaf. What did I get myself into this time!? He jolted over to me.

"Hey, kid, take this leaf!" His greasy, unkempt and totally gross head was only a few inches in front of my face. Confucius brought me into this, so he can get me out. I accepted the leaf with both hands and thanked the elder with a deep bow.

He laughed again. But less manic. It was something different, It was genuine happiness. Somehow soothing, it eased my anxiety and calmed my mind. I witnessed a murder, saw a headless corpse being dragged away, vomited in front of thousands of people. How could an old man who is frolicking around make my day any worse? Screw it. I laughed with him. No one would believe such an absurd story.

"You are a kind soul." He looked at his dirty hand and scrubbed it on his rags the best he could before laying it on my shoulder.

"You are a strange senior," I said.

"Indeed! Indeed!" He snorted before getting all serious, "You should leave this place as fast as you can."

"I can't … My parents' wish was for me to attend school here."

The old beggar inclined his head in understanding. "I see. Then you can't. But let this old man give you two words of advice. That copper that you saw used a Thunderbird. Every copper has a cyber interface that houses a Thunderbird. They are one of the most dangerous cyber beasts in this city. If a copper asks you something, you do it. If not, well, you saw how it could end up for you."

I nodded.

"Also that leaf in your hands. Keep it safe. It's a lucky charm granted by the winds themselves."

"The winds?" I asked.

"Indeed! Indeed, the winds themselves, Athmos, Fujin, Huracan, Barbatos. Forget the last one! I don't like him! I like cocogoat"

"Okay… Thanks, I guess? I gotta go now."

"Hm? Yes? You are still here? Go, go!"

It's like auntie always said, "If you talk to crazy you get crazy." Right as I turned to be on my way, I remembered that I didn't know where to go. "Senior, one more question if I may?"

"You don't know where to, eh? Where do you live? No, don't answer, let me guess", he took his walking stick and embraced it like a puppy. It would've been a quite cute sight but for his subsequent world record-breaking toss of the poor old stick. As high as it flew as loud was its landing. The stick looked only a little bit more beaten than before, damn sturdy that thing.

The crazy old beggar pointed in the direction the stick fell. "Take a bus in this direction! Goodbye!" His dirty fingers grabbed the stick and then he sprinted off into the dark alley where he came from.

Weird people were the best.