1 Destiny

In an underground area, hundreds of meters under the surface was a cellar with a young boy curled up into a ball in a corner.

The young boy wore torn clothes and had black hair, his frosted eyes shimmered a just noticeable blue colour. His physique was somewhat frail as one could see rib bones showing in between the torn clothes of his.

The place smelt revolting, it was obvious this place hadn't been cleaned in many years.

Candlelight was the only source of light down here and illuminated the cellar room softly as well as the long hallways.

There were many other cellar doors with the same design as the young boy's cellar that were placed next to each along the hallway.

It seemed this place was a prison, as for what its purpose was, it was unknown.

Click

Clat

Swoosh

"Your luxurious food is ready"

At this moment a cold voice sounded, a small door of the cellar door opened and with it came to a bowl of what seemed to be a stew of some kind.

Clat

Click

After delivering the food and locking the door the warden turned around and left without even glancing back.

The young boy inside the cellar lifted his head up to glance the "luxurious" meal with cold frosted eyes.

Shortly after the young boy sighed, shook his head and stood up to begin eating.

The young boy sat down and began to eat the porridge, it was cold and it tasted bad as if someone had mixed dirt with it. It made one almost immediately regurgitate the food back up upon swallowing.

The young boy's body shivered all over in disgust as he forced the food down his throat.

"It's been a while since I've come to this world and nothing has changed, wouldn't I have been better to have just remained dead on Earth? Why was I given a second chance only to live like this? It would be better if I just had died"

Zhao Yun could only mutter under his breath annoyed with his situation. He had died on Earth after an accident and when he was aware of his surroundings again he woke up in a body that was not his with memories that weren't his and was in this dark room.

For these last ten days, or for how long he thought he has been down here for anyway, the only thing that kept Zhao Yun going was indulging himself with his newfound memories of this strange new world, not only that he has also been banging his head against the wall trying to figure out how exactly he was still alive.

He couldn't bear to eat another bite of that thing the man calls "luxurious food".

He placed the bowl back at the cellar door and went back to sitting cross-legged whilst pondering.

This world was one where humans could cultivate the spiritual energy that is in the air and draw it into oneself. After accumulating enough spiritual energy to a certain agree and with some training, even slicing mountains apart with a swing of a blade was not a difficult thing to do.

These inhuman people were known as cultivators and people who could slice a mountain in half were high-level cultivators. Those type of people would enjoy a high position in society and earned the people's praise and awe.

From Zhao Yun's memories it seemed in that in this world he was an orphan just like on Earth. However, unlike Earth, his previous self lived as a poor no good cripple.

Yes, a cripple, someone who wasn't able to cultivate the spiritual energy in the air.

Cripples were regarded as dead weight and in this world where power meant living, they couldn't survive for very long.

Even if they do their futures were restricted, limited to only a select few options that ultimately could only go so far.

He was raised in an orphanage but because he was a cripple many of the other kids bullied him to vent their frustrations and anxiety. It was understandable.

Although he was bullied he remained quiet and suppressed his feelings, it was how he protected himself and the only way he knew how to survive.

Several tick marks appeared on Zhao Yun's head just remembering those times. He was annoyed. However, he couldn't help see that his past selves life was a lot like his.

If it wasn't for the old man that trained him, educated him and gave him a reason for living again he could be said to be a spitting image of this bodies past self.

"Old man..."

As to how he ended up in this cell, from his memories he found the reason. He was set up. It was more accurate to say that there was a misunderstanding.

He was 16 and had been working as a herb collector, he had already moved out of the orphanage and managed to rent his own place.

One day whilst out collecting herbs outside the town, he heard a noise nearby in the forest and cautiously approached the sound curiously.

When he found the source of the sound he saw a young girl around his age injured and bleeding on the ground, what was in front of her was a shadowy small creature with a horn at the top of its head.

He looked around his surroundings for danger, when it was clear he picked up a big branch and sneak attacked the small creature in order to stop it from attacking the girl.

Indeed, after he made a move the small creature ran away and observed the situation from a distance. Achieving his goal he went to help the girl but who knew that before he could even take more than two steps that he would be ambushed.

The last thing he heard was "A cripple dares to injure our fellow Daoist Sister? Let's see how I play with you"

Zhao Yun shook his head with a wry smile, he spoke "I can only guess that whoever has captured me thinks very highly of that girl"

"To think those good intentions would instead get misunderstood leading to himself being killed"

"These people are too impatient!"

He cursed under his breath, after taking some deep breaths he managed to calm down.

He cuddled up and leaned against the hard metal wall, he buried his head into his knees and closed his eyes pondering.

"This world is indeed vastly different from Earth, what would the old man say about this situation? Life is unfair? Could it be true?"

He began to chuckle to himself whilst recalling his times when he was taken in by the old man.

"My past self and my life on Earth can be said to be very similar, we both don't know our parents, we start from the bottom and we both suffer more than a human should. However, you had suffered much more than I, in a world where cultivators are the norm and where living requires one to be strong. Anyone with spiritual veins can cultivate spiritual energy, even people from country side villages can cultivate, yet you are crippled from birth.

"Am I to die rotting in this cell?"

Unknowingly Zhao Yun slowly fell asleep.

...

"The world is an unfair and unjust one, as long as one is strong enough one can reach out and grab what one desires, however the weak are left behind and can only listen and obey. That is how the weak survive. Just like the rule of the jungle, the weak are fed on by the strong, only those with the better ability, win and stand at the top."

"But if the weak think their situation was unfair what if they were to suddenly become strong? Is it fine as long as one succeeds? Is it fine as long as one wins?"

At this moment an old man was sitting on the patio of a somewhat large building, cross-legged and gazing out towards his garden whilst speaking aloud slowly.

The flowers and plants of the garden were overflowing with vitality, the fireflies lit the area up in a warm yellow light whilst the crickets and cicadas clicked away, the frogs croaked.

This place seemed to be filled with so much vitality that it looked like it would give one energy just being surrounded by it.

It looked like holy ground, one with its own conscience.

The garden wrapped around in the shape of a circle only stopping for the entrance walk path.

There were patches of different coloured flowers, some yellow, purple and blue, some orange and red while one section was just long bamboo shoots.

The old man had long white hair as well as a white moustache, his skin was fairly tanned and although he appeared to be old, he was actually full of vitality just like the garden.

He was calm and composed and had the look as if he has seen everything that has happened under the sky giving him a mysterious aura.

He wore a traditional Chinese white Taoist long robe that matched his hair colour and had deep hazel coloured eyes.

A warm smile came upon his face when he turned his head to his side and glanced at the young boy sitting carelessly next to him.

The moonlight splashed down its white silver glow illuminating the young boys face as well as the surrounding area. This young boy was Zhao Yun and he seemed to be around the age of fifteen, he had black scruffy hair, his blue eyes shone brightly as the big white moon was reflected in his sight.

He remained quiet and although he seemed to be not paying attention to the old man he was listening to every word he said carefully.

The old man turned his head back to stare at the glowing garden, he continued talking slowly, "The problem isn't that life is unfair, it's one's broken idea of fairness. Unless you're winning, most of life will seem unfair to you. The truth is life is just playing by different rules. Even unfairness has its benefits"

"Do you understand? Yun'er?"

Zhao Yun finally looked away from the moon and looked down whilst pondering on the deeper meaning behind the old man's words.

After a long, while he spoke, "Hmm, I think I understand"

The old man nodded his head in approval, "That is good, also always to remember this, fate and destiny, the first is something you cannot change, while the latter is something you can choose"

Zhao Yun once again fell into silence, however, it wasn't long before he agreed with the old man's words.

"What is it that I will have to choose?" He mumbled. Although he mumbled under his breath, the old man could still clearly hear what he said. His lips curved up a little, but after a short moment, his face turned into a serious one.

He shook his head, "You will naturally know when the time comes to it, however, you must consider the choices presented carefully and persevere without regret"

Silence set in and Zhao Yun returned his sights back onto the moon, he asked: "Old man, have you ever thought that life was unfair?"

He looked to the side of the old man's face with curiosity.

The old man remained quiet, after a long time he sighed and spoke, "When I was very young, I did think this"

Zhao Yun listened and felt that the old man emphasised the "did" strongly. He looked back down and stared at his dangling feet.

Silence once again crept in and though no one was talking, it wasn't awkward.

Zhao Yun started to chuckle to himself before saying "Old man?"

The old man turned his head to look at the young boy who was still chuckling to himself curiously "What is it?"

"You are, very depressing you know that?"

A tick mark appeared on top of the old man's forehead and his eye twitched several times.

Smack

"Hmph" Snorting the old man looked towards the vibrant garden before looking up towards the moon. A small smile crept to the side of his face as he thought 'Boy, I wonder what you will choose, however, I doubt you will disappoint me. In fact, I am looking forward to the surprises you bring'

Zhao Yun was rubbing his head vigorously specifically around the area that was just smacked. He muttered in annoyance "Tsk, you always hit too hard"

The old man turned his head slightly, "Hm?"

Seeing the old man seemed to be preparing to smack his head again he quickly waved his hands pleading. "Alright, alright, you are wise, wise indeed"

The old man and Zhao Yun looked at each other in the eyes before they started chuckling together

...

"Hn? A dream?"

Zhao Yun awoke slowly and realised he had drifted off to sleep, he stretched his arms and yawned, "it's been a while since I've dreamt of that"

After yawning silence crept in, Zhao Yun's eyes couldn't help but land on the floating window screen.

"Is this what you meant by choosing? Old Man, did you know something like this was going to happen?"

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