1 Tragic Past
Two figures could be seen in the air as rain poured down in the large clearing below them. In that clearing, was a young boy around the age of 6 or 7 years old. Tears unceasingly, rolled down his face as it blended in with the heavy pouring rain during the night.
Above the two, were enormous grey clouds, blocking the stars and only letting the bright glow from the moon, shine through.
*crackle*
*boom* *boom*
Taking a closer look, lights, fleetingly showered them. Showing glimpses of their features each time a thunderous sound and fast crack of lightning lit up the sky.
The first of the two figures was a middle-aged man wearing a black cloak and a rice hat that protected his long hair and body from getting wet. This middle-aged man had his hand outstretched, in front, while holding the second figure by the neck.
The second figure was a lovely woman who looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. For such a woman, being able to retain some of her youthful appearances while being older, was natural in this world.
Her beauty, a level so high, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say, countries might be willing to go to war over her. Raven black hair was spread out from her earlier scuffle, with an unnatural shine to it as it came to her waist. The white robes she wore, was stained with dirt and fresh blood.
Despite this, she tightly gripped the wrist of the middle-aged man while showing significant signs of struggling and trying to break free. If one were looking at her eyes, they would see them shoot to the young boy watching below pleadingly.
She wished, with all her might, he would escape as soon and as fast, as possible, from this place. In this way, there would still be a ray of hope. He could live a long life, find happiness, grow strong, and stand proudly before his peers.
The Talent he possessed, was something she never heard or saw before. She was positive; he would grow to have no rivals in the future. Even more possible, she had no doubts, it would be to a point where he might have the strength to avenge all of them.
If he didn't take this course of action, it would be even better. The influence behind this man was indeed something others, could not imagine. Without talent, resources, and relentlessly seeking strength, it was a pipe dream to want revenge against such an enemy.
She tried hiding in the Jie Clan, but they still found her after years of searching. The best she could do now was, stall for some time and wait for her son to run away. Unfortunately, seeing his mouth open to speak, she knew he didn't share the same thoughts as her.
"Nooooooo!" Jie Heijun yowled. "Don't hurt Mother! I don't want Mother to die too!" He sobbed as the middle-aged man's other hand rose in a strike position. If he lost his mother also, he would be alone.
The man in the sky had slaughtered so many people of the Jie Clan that, calling them a clan, had become an overstatement. This man even killed his father earlier when he took the elders to confront him.
"Jun'er, run! Live long, find happiness, and stay strong! Mother will take care of the bad guy!" The beautiful woman managed to shout, having got the hand to loosen its grip slightly. She knew she was helpless at this point but, she couldn't give up while her son was still in danger.
Escape? The old man could fly and move like lightning. Would he be able to run? Had mother suffered so much that she no longer could tell reason? What was the indescribable feeling he was having? Pain? Powerless? Despair?
All Jie Heijun's thoughts came to a halt, when the middle-aged man's hand and body, lit up with a majestic light brighter than the Lightning's. Colors of blue and purple from different shades flickered, forming an image. "Fatal Descend!" he spoke.
*groan* *cough*
The beautiful woman gave a short grunt and cough, before no longer being able to keep the blood inside. There, where the strike landed, was a badly burnt mark. The attack had eaten away her clothes in that area.
Jie Heijun watched all this as if watching a nightmare become real. It continued as the middle-aged easily let her go, before turning to face him. He didn't blink, and yet, the man now stood on the ground holding his shoulder while lifting him in the air.
*thump*
"Now to finish up loose ends. Since I now have the item and Young Master Chu is waiting, I should report back. But before that, Young Master Chu expressed not letting the 'victim' off with an easy death. Therefore, I shall bring both, despair and false hope to you. Be sure to live long like your mother's dying wished said. As waste and a failure to your clan for lacking strength. Remember boy; I killed her because you let me." At a joke only he understood, the middle-aged man gave a soft chuckle.
However, this was all lost to Jie Heijun because the sound heard, of a body hitting the ground. Everything became slowed down as he watched the emotions left on the face. Not even the hand raised by the middle-aged could sway his focus and attention.
*boom*
___
*boom* *boom*
*crackle*
Jie Heijun's eyes shot open with pain and anger inside. His heartbeat pumped blood at an accelerated rate while his body produced enough sweat to be drenched in. Taking his surrounding in, he was sitting on a thick tree branch.
Winds blew strongly, and a swooshing noise swayed back and forth repeatedly. A salty water scent filled the nostrils as drizzles splash on the surface every so often.
He remembered now. He was near his training area, which was near to the beach. Just climbing a tree would let him see the sea on the shores.
Beach Town, it was a small place located in the East Province, Enclose River City. The city land was near the ocean so Beach Town was usually seen surrounded by seas since it was on the edges of the city.
Not surprising, having a strong heat climate while being on the coastline, it would get many rain showers and thunderstorms. There were even chances of floods covering the large town. The surrounding areas in Beach Town were forest trees, and many beaches that drew people in.
These outstanding qualities gave it a place to train and relax when needing a break. Sadly, there was no relaxing when having nightmares of the past incident. The new Talent he gained during that event, helped him keep it memorized.
"The weather is becoming like that time." He said, looking up at the gathering clouds and falling sprinkles. "Mother, Father, your son will not be unfilial forever. You will be able to rest in peace one day." He murmured.
Nine years, it had been nine years since he got crippled by the middle-aged man. He was now 15 years old and still only in the Mortal Body realm. Before he took his break earlier, he had reached the last layer, Mortal Expert.
There were three layers to the Mortal Body realm; it was as followed, Mortal Novice, Mortal Intermediate, and Mortal Expert. Once he passed all these barriers, he could take his first steps toward becoming a real practitioner, the Martial Body realm.
The layers were then broken down into three stages that corresponded with the body levels. Each progressed to Early, Mid, and then Late. Having just entered the Mortal Expect layer, Jie Heijun was already at the Late Stage because a Mortal Body realm didn't count as a real realm.
There were no levels needed to farther progress the stages either. With the state of mind, of wanting to reaffirm the strength he possessed, he took the Identity Status stone resting in his hand and dropped a small drop of blood on it.
_Status_
Name - [Jie Heijun]
Life Span - [15/100]
Body - [Lv0]
Realm - [Mortal Body]
Layer - [Mortal Expert]{Late Stage}
Combat Rating - [~]
Abilities
-[Basic Refine Breathing]
-[Spear Thrust]
Talents
-[Body]
-[Restricted Qi]
Jie Heijun soon moved his hand to bring up the status for the talents and descriptions shown. With a small fuzz and flicker, the screen changed.
Talents
-[Body]
Description: Determinating the gathering speed of Qi and body enhancements. The gathering speed is the same as the body potential.
--[Mortal Body]
Description: The potential of the body is limited to the Mortal Body realm. While its possible to reach higher realms, the percentage chances go down each realm. The percentage for the next five following realms - (10%, 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, 0.00%)
--[Mortal Body Talent]
Description: The potential of the body is limited by fighting prowess. This talent can change the potential of the talent, Mortal Body, depending on the corresponding equivalent of the combat rating rank. The starting equivalent is rank - G3 and layer - Martial Novice
-[Restricted Qi]
Description: The ability to process and gather Form Qi has become restricted. Storing essence in the body is possible but shaping it to help produce Form Qi is a matter of individual ability. To produce Form Qi depends on the gathering speed of each person's Body talent when storing essence.
In the past, when the middle-aged man said he would give despair and false hope, he didn't know what he meant. Having seen the description for the Restricted Qi talent, he now knew it was the same as chasing after a fantasy.
There was no way of knowing what his gathering speed level needed to be to overcome the handicap. Being the person who he is, he naturally wouldn't give up. Chased by his guilty conscious, for being powerless, and knowing there was a slim chance to become strong, all that waited was despair and false hope.
He wouldn't be surprised for the requirement to produce Form Qi with his problem, to be having the best Body talent. The reason for this, each person in the world were born with a Body talent. If lucky enough, the ability could let them have unlimited potential.
There was even a myth, regarding a person becoming an immortal. One only needed to be born with the talent Immortal Body.
Feeling that he wasted enough time resting, especially when a storm was coming, he prepared to jump down from the thick tree branch. Right when he was in motion, a loud crackle and boom sounded out. With it traveled a fast descending lightning strike.
Even though he was about to make a move, there was no way he was faster than lightning with his current speed. As the distance closed, it split apart to branch out. One hit the ground below causing a great indentation, while another struck the tree of the branch he was sitting.
When it passed by, it nicked his shoulder very lightly without losing its momentum. Despite that, he still felt a numbing sensation as a strong jerk threw him backward, while his body started to spasm. How unlucky could he be?
With a burning pain near his shoulder and lost movement stopping him from gaining control over his body reactions, his body started falling from the tree branch. It headed right for the newly made pit in the ground.
He couldn't tell how deep it was or where it led. The only thing he was confident of was, with nothing to cushion his fall, he would die for sure. He was even headed head first to the pit. As he fell, he could make out a small light glowing.
Yep, his head was headed right for the sharp edge of that strange golden glow. "Sorry Mother, Father, I will see you soon." He said calmly. There were no panic reactions, even in the face of death. His only regret was not letting them be able to rest in peace.
