2 Hǎi

"I am born and I am destined to die." Such as the cycle begins and ends. I have no complaint with the current life I am given at the age of seventeen.

Even though I was abandoned by my parents, leaving me to be orphaned since birth, the only thing they have provided was a note attached to the basket that I was in as a newborn that told my name, Hǎi.

Since I was abandoned, I was given no surname. I often speculated that I got my dark hazel eyes from my mother and as well as my semi-sharp features and chestnut hair from my father. I wasn't short or tall, I was at above average height compared to the rest of the other boys in the village.

My supposed parents left me at the buddhist temple near the village of Rohan which was located far east from the capital, The Great City of Wei, or at least that's what I've heard from my adopted guardian, Uncle Ron.

Uncle Ron was a head priest that pitied me and took me in since I was abandoned in front of the temple's gates as a helpless and crying infant. He didn't force me into becoming a monk but did teach me the basics on cleaning and simple maintenance for the temple, which would become my daily chores throughout my youth.

Uncle Ron also taught me how to read and write so I could spend time in the dusty inner library of the temple after I finished all the chores and cleaning.

There were many books pertaining to the wide world around me beyond the temple gate. There were twelve bookcases and each bookcase had four shelves. Each shelf had around twenty books that talked about the vast oceans, the open plains, steep mountains, other civilizations, time periods, and even legends about cultivators and beasts.

I began reading at the age of five and until the age of twelve, I nearly read all of the books the temple had to offer. After telling Uncle Ron, he was astonished and allowed me to go down to the village since he realized I have only been talking to him and no one else.

When I first came down from the temple and entered the village, it was a bizarre experience for the first time.

Everyone was so close together. Some were farming, some were cooking, others cleaning, and some children were playing. All the kids I saw that were hanging out were close to my age so I mustered up some courage and went over to introduce myself.

They surprisingly accepted me quickly and I finally made friends. Especially with the short, stubby, fat kid named Li Ming.

We both shared an interest in books about the outside world. I was surprised Ming could read. The rest of the children could either only understand some characters or they couldn't read at all. Ming told me his father was a retired scholar and wanted to prepare him as early as possible to be also a scholar just like himself. Ming never had an interest in being a scholar but did have an interest in reading so there was some compromise.

Nearby out under a tree in the green fields, we would bring books from our homes and would share and talk about the contents within the pages that referred to the world outside the village. We slowly developed most of our discussions revolving around the world of cultivation and the Golden Age as we were entranced by its legends and interesting adventures. Sometimes we would imitate techniques and moves and role play them out.

Sadly, when Ming told his parents and I told Uncle Ron about the aspirations of becoming cultivators, we both were slapped with the harsh reality that we could not practice it.

After hours of long lectures, the reason being our loved ones did not wish to see us get hurt for the road of cultivation can be painful, dangerous, and lonely since we would gradually have to cut material ties to the world.

We were only kids raised in a small village, what chances did we have of being successful in the world of martial arts. Out of respect and some time of understanding, we obeyed their wishes and continued onwards.

As we grew up, Ming slimmed down, became pretty lean, grew tall around the same height as me, and became ridiculously good looking. Almost all of the girls chased after Ming but he refused them all.

I remember a moment where I confronted Ming on his continuous streak of rejecting all those women.

"Why the hell would you refuse all of those women Ming."

"If I accepted any one of them, I wouldn't have any more time to hang out with you."

"Bullshit, at this point I think you might just be gay." Soon after saying that Ming suckered punch me but I was well aware that would happen so I braced for impact. In the end, it was worth it.

"I'm serious. If I were to actually find a woman, I would just feel imprisoned and as though I've settled down already. We're only seventeen so we've got plenty of time ahead of us."

"That is true, but why haven't any of them asked me out at all! I'm not like borderline hideous or atrocious, I at least have personality, and I got all the confidence in the world. Just what am I missing Ming. Just what am I missing?" I soon began to sulk in jealousy and slight despise for Ming since looking at him now, he rose from being a round chubby kid turned into a chiseled, dashing, vagabond of a young man.

"Just-just don't worry about it…" as Ming said in the best form of comfort for me despite not knowing the pain.

"You still got a chance! The New Year Festival is coming up next week and I heard Chun say she still hasn't found anyone for the dancing event. So that's a thing!"

"What about you, you got a date as well?"

"Of course, two actually. I'm surprised they were fine with me taking them both out."

"So you're not gay." I quickly grabbed him by the collar and strangled him with the accumulated power of being alone for the past seventeen years.

Being furious again, Ming fought back and we roughhoused until we both landed on the ground and felt the cool grass beneath.

"It was just a joke. I don't have a partner for the dancing event so calm down. We can be loners together." Ming laughed but soon after in a somber tone Ming recalled. "How many times have we stared at this sky."

"More times than there are stars in the night." I reached my hand out to the blue sky and tried to grasp the forgotten dream we both once had as children. "To be a cultivator, soaring through the skies, and descending from the Great Empyrean."

"And with might so powerful, raw, and divine. Hǎi, maybe in the next life we could be cultivators."

"I hope so too." Ming and I laid down on the lush green grass underneath the same tree we did since childhood, not knowing our wish would be granted in the worst way to come.