Young Master Qin

There is no greater crime than one against self

(By Unknown)

The days that followed wasn't exactly as I expected, I hungered for power but no one close to me seem to know the ways of cultivation. Xiao'er only had stories about cultivators each sounding more unbelievable than the rest.

"you can do adult thing and grow strong. The heavenly drunken immortal drinks to cultivate, ah, the dreamlord only cultivates in his sleep".

These didn't conform with the latent view I had on cultivation. What of cultivation technique? she didn't even know what those were. I have long since learned to take all she said with a pinch of salt. However, Xiao'er father Master Xiao Cheng, my foster Father seemed to know more but I found it hard to ask him questions as I feared being questioned myself.

So my days were spent entirely in Xiao'er company as she fed me inflated views of the world. she taught me the basics of everything and I could faintly guess directions now. She was a terrible teacher but an interesting one at that, it was also on those days that I found out her age, she was ten and according to her, I was only 5years old. I had a mind that was mostly adult but fairly childish as I found Myself playing tags with her and skipping robe. I never felt out of place in her company and a part of me already decided to be 5years old. The bliss of childhood however was lacking, I wanted more.

"Do you think I will become an immortal?" Xiao'er asked for the tenth time. I have long since noticed she doesn't always expect an answer when she ask questions.

I nodded my head but my thoughts were occupied by something else, according to Xiao'er, immortals can live without food and truth be told, I never felt hungry. The first few days I began living with the father daughter duo, I ate like a starved dog but ever since then, it had been two weeks already yet I wasn't able to bring myself to eat.

Foster Father checked my body and concluded I absorb Profound Qi to sustain myself. To put it bluntly, I am living entirely on the profound Qi. with further explanation, I got to know what profound Qi was and how it concerns cultivation. Initially, I was excited to have suddenly become a cultivator but as it turned out, I probably won't be able to cultivate as my body had already perverted the use of profound Qi and it was impossible to change. I could understand that, my eyesight was gone but the cloth I was wearing when I left the forest still appear faintly visible when I look at it. There are other materials that I could see but they were not that clear, just faint shadowy figures without form.

I wanted my eyes healed so that I could read and learn the answers to the questions I have. it was a craving that made me itchy. I still haven't figured out why I could see some things and not the other.

"you know, Mother is an immortal but she abandoned father and I to pursue her cultivation in an immortal school"

I paused, this was new to me, I turned towards her as my full attention was now entirely on her.

"I want to be an immortal, I want Mother to regret leaving us, I want her to come back and apologize to Father. But.., if I want to cultivate, I will still leave Father and Its.., I don't know, I just want to be different from Mother".

I found it hard to think of a reasonable response, her gentle words needed a reply to help set her heart in the right path. I knew it wasn't my place to interfer but as a prospective cultivator myself, I doubt anything should exceed it's importance in one's life.

"Maybe you should talk to Father." I offered.

she sighed, "I have already spoken to him about it and he consented to it, I am worried he will be too lonely"

I felt her grab my hands and hesitated for a while. "I, I want you...I mean..." she trailed off as her grip on my hands got tighter. She inhaled heavily and began again

"Father said you might not be able to cultivate, if, if you really can't cultivate, promise me you will look after my father".

I listened to her without much reaction, it was the least I could do. But a part of me felt unwilling, I must become a cultivator. Before I could reply, a voice from a distance boomed towards us, it was strong and high pitched, the voice of a child, a strong child if I may add.

"Little Xiao'er!!"

Xiao'er released my hands and jumped to her feet in surprise. she was really flustered but my calm stance and the fact I couldn't see her red face helped her calm down.

"who is it?" I asked as I began to stand up too.

"ha, you've heard of him, it's young master Qin, he came back, it seems we will be leaving earlier than I thought"

she was all shades of excited. her voice sounded more lovable than I know and remembered. Each word slow paced like a well raised lady. Not that she wasn't raised well but Xiao'er was the kind of lady that is loud once she is comfortable.

I said Oo and kept quiet. it wasn't long before the boy's form was before us, I could feel his presence, no, I could see him. I was shocked. I looked at him and blinked severally but he was there, tall and handsome. even with my eyelids closed, I could still see him.

Unknowingly, I stepped forward and made to touch him but a slap sent me crashing to the ground.

All I heard was Xiao'er screaming and my ears kept on ringing. I may have fainted for a while as it suddenly got quiet. After what seemed like forever, the sound came back and I moaned at the loudness.

"you slapped him just for touching you?"

"I thought he was going to attack me, even if he wasn't, this young master can't be touched by mortals!. he should be glad I didn't kill him"

"you, you, he is my brother!!"

"c'mon Xiao'er, I know all about you and you dont have any brother. I saw you holding his hand, is he your betrothed?"

They were really loud and didn't even notice me, I laughed in self mockery. A simple slap from a boy who didn't look older than ten almost killed me. I looked towards young master Qin and was relieved to know he was still visible. atleast, even the slap was worth it. Xiao'er was the first to notice me trying to sit up, she held my arms and helped me up. I tidied my robe by groping the edges and pulling it down, it was one of the several martial robes foster Father bought me and I hate to have it torn.

"Are you alright?" Xiao'er asked worriedly

"humph, he should be, I didn't even use ten percent of my Energy in that slap"

Xiao'er glared at Young Master Qin after his callous words before turning to me. I was busy staring at Young Master Qin and most importantly, something weird was happening in my body.

"I am fine, it merely hurts a lot" I said without sincerity, the pain was almost gone and I could feel a faint glow of energy moving from my cheeks down to my chest area where it disappeared into a depth of darkness.

I felt the urge to leave immediately , I wanted to find out exactly what was happening. I looked towards Xiao'er and took my leave. I knew how much tender feelings Xiao'er has for the arrogant Young master so I wanted to give them space.

I began to make way towards the house, I dimly felt that I wasn't as angry as I should be especially as someone who was slapped for no good reason but everything has always felt dull since I awakened, so I took it in stride.