The hundred seventy eight temple.

Exhusated, Big ear collapse it body on the ground. The wind was cold.

"Huff…hufff"

Big ear catching his breath. He could feel his heart beat even the cold air in his body; Every breath were sallowing it.

His heart pumping nonstop but he want it to stop. He really want it to stop, can't even bear a second longer. His nose were weak and red, breathing in hard and too fast.

His four limb feel so loose.

Even moving a finger is a pain. No more will or thought. His eye closed as the body goes to rest..

Unknownly serval hour had past, the owl howl as the moon goes.

Rubbing his eye, he notice several grass in his mouth.

"Pufff…"

He then cough, coughing out many thing: sticky liquid, soil, and grass. He use his hand, wiping the soil and dirt from his shirt

As he stood his body, he feel there something in his head, so he slap it.

"Buzz….zzz" I think it a buzzy sound but it slowly died out.

Rubbing his head then repeat checking his body, looking for injuries while do some cleaning.

....

Near the chief house, there a large courtyard: there a tree with many dead leaves.

There was a old man sleeping in a rocking chair. His hand holding a wooden fan.

"Snorrrrrr"

The old man snore sleeping

"Grandpa Sam"

"..aaahnnn…"

Yawning as he open his eye. His vision were blurry, rubbing his eye, the old man look around, trying to find where the voice was coming from.

A young man with plain clothes walking in toward him.

"Ah, Jun er, why you?..bothering me. Go..go..go find someone else."

Uncle Sam said but his voice seem very low energy.

He look very annoyed, feeling not awake.

"Since Uncle Sam said so."

He turn around and was about to walk out.

"Mmmm…What is it?"

Uncle Sam said.

"Cultivator"

"Huh???"

"Cultivator, Big ear saw one."

Uncle said stood up and look at Jun er.

He put his hand on Jun er shoulder and said " Jun er, I say, I noticed you grown taller.. huh!"

Nodding, Jun er push his uncle hand away from his shoulder.

"I don't know much" The uncle sigh as he and Jun er walk together. They had walk out the courtyard. Left was only a rocking chair but it stop moving.

...…

In the main road, I saw Big ear. He walk with his head looking down. Don't know why but he stoped.

"Who the young master talking to?"

Big ear thought, noticing two familiar figure.

He quickly hide behind a nearby tree, observing them secretly.

I saw a small shop near the main road. Only with one window but with no glass builded there; it was build like that for a reason. Inside was Uncle Sam who shuffling in a dusty old box.

"Oh!"

Uncle toke out a book. It was dusty and old.

"What smell…?"

"It my journal..Cough"

Uncle Sam nose accidentally breathe in some dust as he talk. He wave his hand, trying to get rid of the dust. He look at the book, trying to remember something.

The book cover was red and thick; the page look blurry.

"Ah! I remember! I remember! What was I thinking!" He said, turning his head around and facing Jun er.

"It him…. I remember he your dad…"

Huh! Just he was about to keep talking but didn't. He notice there a small boy hiding behind a nearby tree. Big ear felt that they noticed he peeking at them.

"Hey, kid what you looking at"

"Huh, Big ear why you here..Big eye and Big nose you too?"

Big ear was shocked but then stunned. What Big nose and Big eye, where? Just as he turned around, he feel something was behind him.

"Ahhh," he fell as two shadow collapse on his body.

"My head.."

"Arr…belly"

"Oh, the back, I think it broke." Several voice sounded at the same time.

Big ear feel speechless, he stand up and patting his clothes.

"Umm, two bro, why you doing here." Big ear say and very politely.

"Uhh.. mind your business."

Big nose say embarrassing.

A hour had pass, I saw a bird flying out from a branch.

Outside the shop, I saw a old man, he was laying on a rocking chair, his hand using the fan to chill. Several kid were inside his shop. They were finding, reading, and looking around." Big ear felt amazed, those drawing show a human body and it many organs and sturture. He then look around and found a book to read.

Meanwhile, Big nose would from time to time asking question and listen to Uncle Sam story. Wow! Uncle Sam, sure know a lot.

Uncle Sam yawn and notice big ear was scratching his head.

Shaking his head, I saw him walk to him.

The sun was going down, but Uncle Sam still teaching big ear how to read.

Maybe, Uncle Sam like kids or teaching but from then on, Uncle Sam began to teach the three kids how to read and write. Of course, not for free.

Day to day, I alway see the same three kids. Big nose and Big eye were massaging the old man while Big ear bringing him food and water.

"Uncle Sam! Uncle Sam! Is it true that sister can cultivate"

Nodding his head, he explain "she quite lucky to born a spiritual root, but compared to that opportunity is much worse."

Big ear look confuse.

"There a region far away from our village.. it ver far. It said there filled with magical beasts and herbs. Many had goes there, seeking for opportunity. Only few came out, but each had become a powerful expert."

Big ear gasp and said "doesn't that mean sister going to die."

"Hahaha, look at your face. Your sister won't die, the temple will train her strong enough to leave the magical region by herself."

"The temple? They live there?"

Nodding as he drink the cup of water that Big nose just fill.

"There were hundreds seventy eight temple builded there. Not anyone could survive and even live there but they different."

"Ah, but didn't you say few could came out and fill with many scary monster, why would they want to stay there."

Uncle Sam smack Big ear head.

"you ask too much questions"

The sun rose, early in the morning, Big ear was carrying two water buckets, using the wooden stick supporting the weight. It only thirty minutes but the boy already back.

The plain clothes girl were chopping wood. Cut! Cut!

She stopped and look speechless. She saw Big ear but already start chopping. He chop and chop, the wood cut in half.

"Here sister, I going" handing the pile of chopped wood to her, he run off.

Since when he so willing to work. Although confused, she still went back to work.

"Huff…huff"

Big ear had a tired look as he run.

"Village head, here …huf.huff..the 40 pound bag."

In the afternoon, Big ear was in Uncle Sam shop, he was craving word on a stone: It size of a book. Uncle Sam was talking to a costumer.

"See how sharp it is and look.. hard, enough for you" Uncle Sam said,handing a iron axes to a sturdy looking man. The sturdy man hand hold a small bag in his hand before handing it to Uncle Sam.

Looking satisfied, Uncle Sam turn his face around then walk toward the corner of the book self;where Big ear at.

Big ear had learned about hundred of carvings and their meaning.

It was difficult but through Uncle Sam guidance, he was barely able to read.

During the night, Big ear would read book that burrowed from Uncle Sam. He used the moonlight to read. He sat near the pond and start reading.