16 Sleep

Chang Guan was traveling through the forest. He wasn't rushing, but rather, leisurely walking across the landscape. He saw plenty of interesting points. He saw a small stream, with small animals drinking from the water.

He saw big wild cats, dangerous to a normal person, but only adorable fluff balls to Chang Guan. He saw a crooked tree. Bending just to try to reach the sunlight. All of these things were the charm of nature, something he would have been unable to appreciate were it not Itou Ayaka and the enlightenment.

*Squeak!*

Suddenly, Chang Guan heard a sound. He stopped, turned and looked over at the direction of the noise. Smiling, he stretched out his hand and extended his index finger. After waiting for a few seconds, a yellow-green bird flew down and casually landed on his finger. The noise had come from this very bird.

Although Chang Guan didn't know much about birds, or animals in general, he knew he liked them quite a bit. Before his clan was destroyed, back when it was a common sight to see him sleeping on a rock outside the clan.

It was also quite normal for small animals like squirrels and birds to accompany him. Well, although he liked animals, he wasn't a vegetarian. He still ate animals, and he wasn't hypocritical about it.

Suddenly, the bird flew away. Seeing the bird disappear, Chang Guan felt neither sorrowful nor glad. He thought, `What can I say? Things happen the way that they do because that's the way they have to. I cultivate hard because that's what is I have to do.´

Thinking this, Chang Guan sighed and walked once more.

After a few hours of walking, Chang Guan decided to take a break. Needless to say, Chang Guan wasn't at all exhausted, but he found this place pleasant to the eye.

Chang Guan had arrived in a clearing. There was a small open area with no trees, allowing the sunlight to get through. The clearing surrounded a small pond. The sight of the sunlight breaking through to the soil and water gave the area a refreshing feel.

Not only that, but there was even a rock where Chang Guan could lay down and sleep. Now that Chang Guan was thinking about sleep, it had been a while since the last time Chang Guan had taken an afternoon nap. He had been too busy with other things to think about that.

"Hmmm, this place reminds me of home..."

He wasn't lying. In fact, he himself didn't know why it just did. The 2 places had nearly nothing in common with each other, only the rock and trees, but the feel was completely different. Yet, for some reason, Chang Guan felt reminded of his original resting spot.

Suddenly Chang Guan had the urge to cry. It started as a large urge, but he quickly pushed it down into his stomach, slowly killing it, until nothing was left.

"Oh well, I have enough time anyways."

Chang Guan paced over to the rock and laid down. He slowly felt his eyes creeping down, further and further, until eventually they were shut.

Chang Guan didn't notice as the energy circulating around his Dantian began slowing down. It became slow, then slower until finally, it moved so slow, it was difficult to see it was even moving at all.

When Chang Guan opened his eyes, he was shocked directly out of his wits. Chang Guan was surrounded by absolutely nothing. He looked down and saw he wasn't standing on anything either. He let out a cry of surprise.

"!!!"

Followed shortly with a,

"What is this!? Where am I?"

At this point, Chang Guan's back was drenched with cold sweat. He looked down at his body only to scream from shock,

"Huh?! What is this?!"

His disguise had been removed, and he seemed once more like a handsome 14-year-old boy. Though indeed shocking, this was not the cause of his confusion.

"M, My body, it's... See through?"

HIs body was semi-transparent, if this scene were to be seen by others, they would immediately assume that Chang Guan was a ghost, and escape at that very moment. Chang Guan was himself, a little scared. This wasn't like the fear he got when fighting someone stronger than him, it was the fear of the unknown and supernatural.

Suddenly he thought of his grandfather. Whenever there was something he was scared of, the one who comforted him was always his grandfather. Deep inside, he wished that his grandpa was here to help him, but the moment Chang Guan thought of his grandfather, something in the space changed.

Noticing something was different, Chang Guan looked ahead, only to see his grandfather stood in front of him. His grandpa was just like him, semi-transparent, but unlike the usual grandpa from his memory, this one wasn't filled with gentleness, but rather a vicious killing intent.

Chang Guan merely stared at him. After about 5 seconds, his grandfather moved. He moved so fast that Chang Guan could barely see a blur before he felt a powerful strike knocking into him. Then, he died.

Chang Guan woke up in the exact same place, the only difference was that his grandfather was gone. Chang Guan looked down and felt his chest, only to feel no injuries. He frowned and wore thoughtful expression.

"Hmmm, how odd. I was sure he had killed me..."

He didn't know how, but he knew that at that moment he had died. So why then, if he had already died, was he still alive?

*Sigh*, `I just want to leave this place...´ The instance this thought happened, Chang Guan felt as though he was falling. He fell for but a few seconds before vanishing from that area and falling unconscious.

When Chang Guan woke up, he was back outside.