A world of Spirits

The exciting day came to a close, as Huang Yang returned home with his family. They walked along the northern mountain road, happily chatting about today's events. By his mother's side was his younger brother Huang Xianjun in the spitting image of her, foolishly smiling. He was about to turn four, yet the events today seemed far more interesting.

"You did great today son, just what I would expect from you", said his father, not even trying to hide his white smile. He had always looked at Huang Yang as his real son. Which father doesn't love to see their children succeed.

"Thanks, Dad, but I can still feel the hate coming from uncle Qiang, is there really nothing I can do?", Huang Yang asked with a somewhat tired voice.

"I'm afraid not Yang'er, unless you save his damn life, and maybe not even then", Huang Shi said while shaking his head, "Big brother's small brain will one day bring him suffering I'm afraid".

They soon arrived at their house, located at the foot of the mountain behind the Huang family's main hall. It wasn't grand or luxurious, as they had always enjoyed the peace of a happy and relaxed household. A bird's wings could be heard flying through the sky before a black crow landed on Huang Yang's shoulder.

"Go give Xiaotian some food before going to bed", said his mother after taking a look at the little black crow. Huang Yang had found it some time ago, and due to a wound, he had to nurse it back to health. Since then, it had stayed with them. The name had been given to it by Huang Yang himself.

"Since you have entered the Opening realm, I will tell you about this great world we live on son," said his father with a faint smile, yet quickly corrected himself, when he felt the gaze of his wife land upon his neck.

"I mean that I'll tell you tomorrow, now go to bed", he said before sending Huang Yang of with Xiaotian. Xiao Shu walked with Huang Xianjun, personally putting him under his covers, leaving Huang Shi alone with his foolish smile.

.....

As Huang Yang entered his room, Xiaotian took off from his shoulder, gracefully landing on a branch Huang Yang had placed. Huang Yang slowly gazed outside the room, as the day's events passed by in a flash.

He had felt anger, fear, and joy. He was now seen as the genius of the Huang family, yet he still felt the hate of humiliation within his heart. He did not know if he could look at the Huang family as anything besides an adoptive family. He felt love for his parents, his brother, his second uncle, his grandfather, and so on, yet a big part was nothing more than a mop.

"Hey, Xiaotian do you think people only see others' power and status, fully ignoring who they actually are?" He quietly asked the crow, who gave him no reply. He sighed before finding some grapes and throwing them to Xiaotian.

Before long he found himself laying under the covers, taking in the warmth. "I need to forgive, yet I cannot see them as family", he thought to himself. Had anybody heard his thoughts, they would no longer have seen him as a six-year-old.

His life had been tough, yet it will not be known by others outside his family. Life changes and what he has felt the last three years may have left a mark, however, he would not let it break him. His story would not be about a fallen genius regaining his glory like the legends. This would be his story of breaking down the world and rebuilding it in his own image.

.....

The next morning the sun had risen, when Huang Yang heard the crocked singing coming from XIaotian. His eyes shone with energy and expectation for the day to come, he would finally learn about this world he lived in. Most of all, he would understand the world of martial arts.

He quickly ran out the door to the garden before dolphin diving towards the pool they had to build before he came to be. What he did not notice, was the pair of eyes looking at him, from behind the bushes, trying to be as quiet as a mouse.

Water droplets fell from his hair, before being fed to the lustrous grass. He hastily found some robes before taking a look at his appearance. Like most of his family, he had short brown hair and eyes, just slightly darker in tone. He wore thin white robes tightened by a black belt, along with a couple of armguards.

With fast steps, he tumbled out the door, ready to start his training with his father. What awaited him was a young and handsome man, with brown long hair and brown eyes standing side by side with an elderly man. Both his father and grandfather seemed to be waiting.

As their eyes landed on Huang Yang his father chuckled, while his grandfather roared with laughter, "There's my good grandson, great show yesterday my boy HAHA!", a giant smile, which the people of the Huang family had never seen, revealed itself.

Huang Yang displayed an embarrassing smile, as he heard those words. How could a child like him not be happy when praised. He ran into his grandfather's abdomen with superhuman speed, causing Huang Canfeng's laughter to intensify.

"It's good to see you actually acting like a six-year-old child Yang'er", his father said by the side. He had seen his son suffer from the age of three, yet it didn't seem to matter. His little boy's life would now begin. With a cough, he stood straight with closed eyes.

"Huang Yang, the training shall now begin!", he said while trying to display a stern face. Surprisingly the one who showed unwillingness was his father the patriarch, not the young boy wrapped within his arms. With a sigh, Huang Canfeng let go of his little grandson and backed up.

"You are now a cultivator and will one day join a sect, so do make your family proud", He said with firmness in his eyes. Without the least bit of hesitation, Huang Yang promised to do so. He wanted to reshape the world, so of course, he needed the power to do so.

"You are now at the opening realm, clearly showing off your limitless talent, as you know, not even Huang Long has reached this step. A normal genius will only reach this stage at the age of 10, which is already amazing, however, this is but the first realm".

As he continued Huang Yang understood that the opening realm had twelve levels. This is due to the opening of the 12 basic meridians spread out across the physical body, the most difficult levels are naturally the first, followed by the fourth, eighth and twelfth. After this, a person will move on to the eight stages of the awakening realm.

"In my opinion, the awakening realm is the most important, as the martial spirit of each individual will be awakened within this stage, that is if they even possess one", he said, secretly pitying the unfortunate people.

"What is a martial spirit?", Huang Yang asked with shining eyes. He had heard the word before, yet had never heard the explanation, as he was not a cultivator.

"You have already seen one, it was the flaming Lion your grandfather displayed just yesterday, that is his own martial spirit, it sort of runs in the family you see", he said with a toothy smile.

Huang Yang would never forget that lion, it had soared towards the heavens with its fierce flames, even making him sweat while he was still in hiding. He secretly wished to pet it. Who can blame him for being a kid?

"Then what about you dad?", he asked with peak curiosity. He had long heard that his father was the Huang family's pride, almost reaching the patriarchs level at the age of 25. A true talent, who could have married a lady from a great clan, yet had chosen a simple girl from a common origin.

"Well it's normal to inherit spirits through blood, yet I have a mutated one, likely due to my mother's genes. The name is the Skyfire Lion!", he said with pride as a lion emerged from his body. Like the patriarchs, the flames went from red to yellow as they showed themselves from the dark red body of the lion, yet upon its back were two crimson feathered wings. While the patriarch's lion may have been a king, this was an emperor.

Stars seemed to shine within Huang Yang's eyes as he stared in wonder and a dream of freedom once again appeared within his head. He dreamed of fighting this world with his own martial spirit. Having the power to cover the heavens with nothing more than his spirit. He knew that he did not share blood with his family, yet he did not doubt that within him was a martial spirit, waiting for him to reach the awakening. Perhaps a simple feeling, a dream to him, however, it was reality, he would one day awaken his own martial spirit.