The Boy's Circumstances

"Meow~"

Adil looked at the black cat and sighed.

"I'm getting pretty hungry too Cinder. I guess it is lunchtime after all"

"Meow!"

"Haha," He chuckled, "I guess that's the only world you know."

He held Cinder by her chubby cheeks.

"Lunch!" It was fun watching Cinder's ears perk up and eyes twinkle when he said the magic word.

"Alright, here you go," He said while pulling out a small grilled fish from out of his spatial ring.

"Be careful of the bones~"

"Meow~" Cinder responded. Adil had been feeding her ever since she was a small kitten.

She had been injured and skinny. The others in the sect were probably mistreating her since black cats had always been an omen of misfortune. Purposefully driving away her starving pleas for food, or even throwing rocks at her.

It was a miracle that she had even survived the abuse of cultivators. She could have died instantly in one of their whims and no one would have said anything. That individual might have even thought that he had done well by ridding this world of another bad omen.

Perhaps Adil had only helped her since he resonated with her weak and pitiful self. Maybe he had seen himself in her, a bullied outcast.

Adil watched on as Cinder greedily consumed the fish, expertly taking only the flesh and skin to leave the bone untouched.

"You're talented I tell you Cinder. I bet no other cat can eat as quickly or as cleanly as you can!"

"Meow!" Cinder responded confidently, her belly jiggling as she held her head up high.

"Haha, Cinder you never fail to make me laugh."

He pulled out a second, and even a third grilled fish from his spatial ring.

"That's why our special girl gets a treat today!"

Cinder sniffed the air in surprise. When she spotted the extra fish in her bowl in place of the bones she had left just earlier, she got to work doing what she did best. Eating.

Adil loved watching Cinder eat. She just seemed to eat so happily, and that happiness rubbed off on him slightly. It never failed to cheer him up when he felt down.

"Today's treat also acts as my apology Cinder," He said lovingly as he stroked Cinder's black fur. Her tail swayed slowly, left and right, showing how she didn't mind his touch even though she was eating.

Cinder had been fed ever since she was young and so she felt very comfortable around Adil.

"Today will be the last time I feed you, so you have to find someone else to feed you."

He called out to the cat:

"Cinder."

"Meow," the cat responded to his call, lifting her head out of her bowl to look into his red eyes. His red eyes were misty, but no tears fell.

"Cinder," He called out again.

"You're a lovely and cute cat. Despite people saying that black cats are the harbingers of misfortune, you have been my greatest fortune these past few years after Elder Sister left."

"Meow~"

"Yes, that's right Cinder. That's why I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm sure that someone else out there will find you just as adorable and loveable as I do. Maybe, you'll be even fatter than you are now!"

Adil watched as Cinder finished her food. When she finished her third fish of the day, she turned to look at Adil.

"Meow."

"Haha, Cinder, any more than that and you'll be sick."

As if she understood his words, Cinder slowly made her way to the wall to leave. Maybe it was because she ate two extra portions today, she was particularly lethargic and slow in her departure.

"Goodbye Cinder."

The boy observed the spot of the wall the cat had jumped over. His gaze lingered there for a short while before swiping his hands at the food bowl, putting it into his spatial ring.

"I guess it's time for my meal."

***

Adil exited his small house that was located in the outermost areas of the sect.

He lived as an Outer Disciple of the Sapling Sword Sect, a branch sect of the Divine Sword Sect that his father was an Elder in.

The Sapling Sword Sect acted as the training grounds for all the talented young cultivators who would then eventually move to the Divine Sword Sect.

The Divine Sword Sect was located in the central area of the continent, 'Central', where the heaven and earth energy was denser on average.

Since it is more efficient to cultivate there, it attracted many powerful cultivators.

The other large sects that held sizeable power were located there. Although it would be faster to cultivate there, it was dangerous for the young and weak disciples who had yet to properly start their cultivation journeys.

And so the large powerful sects who were constantly competing with each other for supremacy did one of two things:

They would devote a large amount of skilled personnel and resources to protect the young disciples from other rogue cultivators or competing sects.

Or they would outsource their talents to distant lands where they would have one or two powerful cultivators acting as protective deterrents, and have the disciples return when they were sufficiently powerful enough.

Powerful cultivators generally remained in Central so that they can further their own cultivation and so it was relatively safe. The Divine Sword Sect fell into the latter category.

Adil walked along the dirt path that led to the large communal cafeteria that was shared by all Outer Disciples.

As a child, Adil used to hate this walk to the cafeteria. Some days he would opt to simply starve instead of making this walk of shame.

He would cultivate desperately to take his mind off his hunger.

Hunger pangs were better than emotional anguish.

He could satiate his hunger whenever he wanted by eating, but the voices of his peers resonated in his memory even in the silence of his room. Echoing in their derision, hate, pity.

He got called names such as the 'Bottleneck genius' for being one of the fastest to reach the peak of Bone Cleansing realm, but 'failing' to break through to the Flesh Cleansing realm, the second realm within the Mortal cultivation realms.

He used to practice swordsmanship against the dummies present in the communal training ground and attend lectures given by the sect elders there.

However, compared to the rigid and powerful sword style of the Divine Sword Sect, Adil felt that the sword style he created suited him more. The ability to understand his deficits and strengths and make a suitable style should have been seen as proof of his genius.

But the sword style he created was frowned upon. The Divine Sword style was an arrogant style that used its overwhelming force to finish its opponents.

The powerful cultivators who used this style were known as walking calamities, not just because of their overpowering sword style but because of their characters.

Individuals who liked and cultivated this style tended to be head-strong and stubborn individuals just like the sword style itself.

The people around them should be the ones to bend, they should not be the ones who compromise. Ironically, this made them out to be natural leaders as they had the natural charisma that accompanied those with immense confidence and pride.

The sword style that Adil created was fluid and beautiful, but it was based on compromise. It balanced the will of the sword, the opponent, and the user in a harmonious manner.

And by understanding the balance present between the three, the user could upset the balance and tilt it in a way that was unfavourable to the opponent.

The way Adil spun his sword and body, his fancy footwork and constant change in his centre of balance, was seen as a sign of weakness and cowardice within the sect. The way he seemed to dance and almost prance about, coupled with his face that was cute rather than handsome earned him the name: 'Bunny Boy'

The name itself wasn't particularly cruel, but the intentions behind it were. Adil, a young boy who was used to the love and care he received as a child, was undoubtedly hurt by the malicious intentions of his peers.

Of course, not everyone was cruel and some pitied him. Some even thought that his swordsmanship was like art. However, those that spoke out would also essentially be speaking out against the sect's swordsmanship.

They quickly became targets for bullying as well and so people quickly learnt that it was better to just ignore him, or bury the small amount of pity they had for him.

After enduring this for a short while, Adil began to practice in his back garden by himself instead. It was cramped and rundown, but at least he felt at ease.

This way, there would be no one who would get targeted for standing up for him as well. Out of sight, out of mind: Those that pitied him quickly forgot about him and simply went on with their busy lives.

He continued to practice and refine this shunned swordsmanship.

Why?

He loved swordsmanship. He knew he was talented in it like his father, and perhaps it was this knowledge that comforted him. Even though everyone looked down on his sword, deep down inside, he believed that his swordsmanship was valid.

But what he hated the most wasn't the names the people called him, but the idle conversations that reminded Adil that his misfortune extended past himself to even those close to him:

"I heard that his father has been in closed-door cultivation ever since his condition became apparent."

"Whose? The Bottleneck genius? I would hide from the shame too if my so-called genius son couldn't make it past the Bone Cleansing realm!"

"Haha! Me too, but that's not it. Apparently, he went into closed-door cultivation to break through into the next realm. All just to increase his say within the Divine Sword Sect to use its influence to try and heal his condition!"

"Damn, Janus Ashford right? He was the youngest ever Elder at 60 something… What a loving dad. If only my Dad cared half as much as he did!"

"You wish man… With a face like yours, not even your mother could love you."

"You!"

"Anyway, it doesn't end there…"

"What!? It gets even worse?"

"It can always get worse. I've heard that due to the shock he received from learning about the condition of his son, he received a backlash. THE Janus Ashford, sword and cultivator genius who has never faced a bottleneck, failed to break through!"

"No way…"

"I heard that his cultivation that was supposed to be on the verge of breaking through regressed because of it. That's why he still hasn't left closed-door cultivation. I guess that he still hasn't given up on his son."

"It's not worth it for such a bastard. Have you seen his sword style?"

"I know. I reckon he thinks of himself as a genius for coming up with his own sword style but look at the wreck he made. How are you supposed to generate any power if you don't even have a solid positioning."

"Yea. He just flies about like some sort of bug. Does he think that swordsmanship is a joke? Swords are weapons made to kill, not dance with."

"He's more suited to performing in a brothel with his dance, he looks just like a gigolo as well. Good looking bastard."

"Hah! So you think he's good looking do you?"

"Heh, better than you at least."

Adil grew up hearing such conversations. In between the banter his peers made, he would become the gossip that fuelled their conversation if he ever reminded them of his existence by walking past them.

Even today, such conversations continued.

Adil walked straight ahead, with his head held up high.

He had become far too accustomed to their words, and he also believed in what they said. He was devastated about what his condition had done to his family.

That was why he had come to the decision he had.

He eventually reached the cafeteria area to have to enjoy what would be his last meal.