Legends would be told for generations about the fateful night that befell the house of Nuli Fanzi. Hushed voices would whisper about the shocking insurrection that was sparked by a group of enslaved children - a rebellion that unleashed a wave of bloodshed and destruction on both sides.
In the years that followed, the tale of that harrowing night would be etched into the memories of all who heard it.
A tale of tragic violence.
Nothing more… nothing less.
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The main gates were far too conspicuous, so Liu had already made up his mind to take the back exit. It led to the woods, where they could flee with a lesser chance of being caught. It would also buy them more time to escape before any reinforcements arrived.
"The sects all around this region are allies of this establishment. We'd be dead meat if we go through the main route. In the end, this is the only way," Liu had explained to the surviving children who belonged to his dome. They had gathered the other kids, and they were now marching towards Liu's location, their innocent eyes filled with hope and trust.
It didn't take long for them to be reunited, and Liu counted only a little over an hour since the plan began. "Well done. I have the keys to secure our escape. We're going to the woods, and then we'll cut across to the mountains!" Liu declared with confidence.
The children were mere innocents, lacking any knowledge of the arts of escape or battle. The oldest among them was only ten, hardly old enough for proper education. They were all commoners, raised in some remote village, and had never seen the world beyond their tiny corner of it.
But Liu had a plan, and they trusted him implicitly. Even though he was just a six-year-old boy, his bravery and resourcefulness had earned their respect. Standing atop the corpse of their oppressor, he was their only hope for freedom.
"Beyond the mountains, we should be able to find rural settlements that would accommodate us," Liu explained. He had listened to conversations and knew that small settlements were not a rarity in this world. "If I can find a place like Weiji, I'm sure we'd be able to find refuge there - at least temporarily."
But for now, they had to escape. Liu led them to Nuli Fanzi's office and easily navigated his way to the lock which the key in his grasp fit perfectly. The small gate opened, and freedom beckoned beyond the imposing compound walls of their captivity.
The children - only about a few hundred - marveled at the sight of the forest of dead trees before them. It was a vast spread of dry, twisted trees, but they formed the perfect canopy to mask their escape. They followed Liu into the woods, their hearts pounding with excitement and fear, but with Liu at their helm, they knew they could face whatever lay ahead.
Even if they had pursuers, the grown men would have a harder time passing through such a tight knit of trees.
"Let's go," Liu told them, his breath leaking mist with every syllable.
The kids nodded and followed his lead. Their little legs trampled the cold, hard ground, and their racing hearts caused them to ignore the destruction left in their wake.
They forgot about the thousands of children who died so they could escape. They forgot about the despair they were leaving, and the uncertainty that awaited them.
They only looked to the one who led them—Liu!
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[A Few Days Later]
Liu staggered through the snow-covered forest, each step heavy and labored. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his eyes were barely focused on the path ahead of him. Regret swirled within his heart with every breath of icy air.
"I...I made a mistake," he muttered, the words barely audible.
As he trudged through the thick snow, Liu reminded himself that it wasn't entirely his fault. How could he have known that winter would come so harshly, with snow falling from the heavens like heavy rain?
He looked back and saw that he was alone. All the children who had accompanied him on this journey had perished, one after the other, succumbing to hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and, most likely, the brutal cold. They were just kids, after all. What did he expect?
Some had tried to hang on, pleading with Liu to help them, to save them. But what could he do? He was barely surviving himself. The only difference was that he had the will to endure, to push forward through the snow, while the children didn't.
"In the end, I couldn't help them," he murmured, his voice heavy with regret.
He knew that he had been ready to sacrifice their lives for his own survival. But now, he was dying too. Liu collapsed on the snowy ground, his body barely able to move. Frostbite covered most of him, and it was a miracle he was still alive.
"I've reached my limits," he whispered, his breath barely a whisper.
Liu looked up at the barren, dead trees surrounding him. He could see a clearing ahead, a little further, and he would be in the clear. But what then? More endless snow, more treacherous terrain?
He knew that he might die in this lonely forest, with nothing but snow and dead trees for company.
Liu's lips quivered as he struggled to form coherent words, his eyes widening with shock as he spotted a figure gliding through the snowy clearing. The person was both close and far away, their flowing white hair and pristine garment lending them an otherworldly air. Were they a ghost or a real person? Liu couldn't quite tell. Was this a trick of his mind, or was it real? He felt a shiver run down his spine as the figure drew closer.
"H-help...me," Liu whispered, his voice barely audible. What if this stranger was an enemy? What if they belonged to one of the sects he had been avoiding for so long? But then again, what did any of that matter if he was dead? Survival was all that mattered in the end.
As if in response to his plea, the person in white paused and turned around, their gaze locking onto Liu's. Even from a distance, Liu could feel their eyes piercing into his soul, their intentions inscrutable.
"Y-yes. Please..." Liu began, but before he could finish, the sound of multiple footsteps shattered the silence, and a group of men descended upon him.
"Over here!"
"I found one. It seems he's still alive!"
"A kid? He's one of the runaway slaves?"
"How did he make it this far? Talk about tough!"
"We'll use the corpses of the other kids for the ritual, but this one... he'll definitely be useful to the Sect."
As the Practitioners closed in around him, Liu's heart raced with fear. He had spent so long evading the Sects, only to be caught now. He couldn't bear the thought of being taken away, of being trapped in a world of darkness and despair.
"N-no...I don't want that...please..." he whispered, his gaze flickering towards the ghostly figure that stood nearby.
The figure seemed to draw closer with each passing moment, their flowing white hair and elegant white robe billowing in the wind. Liu was captivated by their grace and beauty, even as his life hung in the balance.
"You can...see me?" a voice echoed in his mind, as if reading his thoughts.
Liu was dumbfounded. Was he imagining things? But then again, with everything that had happened to him lately, anything was possible.
"Y-yes. Please...save me," Liu managed to choke out, his strength waning with each passing moment.
"You...want me to save you? Is that correct?" the voice asked, its tone both gentle and mysterious.
Liu struggled to find the words to respond. He couldn't deny the truth of his situation. He had fled from the Sects, leaving behind countless children to suffer in his place. Did he deserve to be saved?
Was it even possible?
"Why?" the voice pressed, its insistence driving Liu to the brink of desperation.
Hearing the question in his mind, Liu could not think of any proper response to give.
Did he even deserve to live? Hadn't he just sacrificed the lives of thousands of kids just so he could selfishly escape? Sure, they were most likely going to die in whatever Sect they were sent to, but that didn't change what he did.
Liu knew the repercussions of his actions quite well. insistence driving Liu to the brink of desperation.
Even then, when all seemed lost, he refused to give up. With a fierce determination burning within, he clenched his fists and let out a resolute cry.
"I...I must survive!"
Those words echoed in his mind, as if a divine force had answered his call. Suddenly, a warm energy enveloped him, lifting his spirits and granting him clarity.
Though his body was still paralyzed, he lifted his gaze towards the apparition before him. What he saw was a beauty beyond his wildest dreams - a vision of perfection that took his breath away.
In that moment, he knew that he was not alone. With a gentle smile and a tender voice, the apparition spoke to him, promising to save him from his plight.
"Very well," the voice said, echoing through his being. "I will save you."
As the apparition's clear, azure eyes bore into him, Liu felt a strange calm wash over him. It didn't matter that he was surrounded by dangerous men, who were eager to harvest him for their own purposes. It didn't matter that he was a broken and worthless person, responsible for the deaths of so many. The mere presence of this otherworldly being gave him a sense of peace he had never felt before.
As the ghost unsheathed their blade, Liu heard a haunting melody that seemed at once familiar and utterly foreign to his ears. The sound of metal against leather rang out in the eerie silence, sending shivers down his spine.
And then, as the apparition raised their sword, a voice as soft as a whisper filled Liu's mind.
"Swordcraft..."
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[A/N]
You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment.
No spoilers, but we're finally making some good progress with the story. I really want to speed up, but I can't help my need for writing the way I do.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please remember to support this book.
Cheers.
Bubing was an average ranked member of the Immortal Body Sect. When he and several of his peers were assigned to assist Nuli Fanzi's business, little did they know they were about to embark on a harrowing journey.
A sense of unease lingered in the air, and whispers of a terrible incident circulated amongst them. Despite being just a regular warrior, Bubing was determined to carry out his mission to the best of his abilities, knowing that his squad leader held him accountable.
Upon reaching Nuli Fanzi's premises, the scene that unfolded before them was beyond horrifying. As a member of the Immortal Body Sect, Bubing was accustomed to encountering corpses, but this was a sight that surpassed all his previous experiences.
Thousands of innocent children and guards lay lifeless, their entrails and carcasses strewn across the compound. The stench of gore was overpowering, and the mere thought of it made him want to retch. Bubing, however, held his composure, not wanting to show any weakness.
He was, after all, a Practitioner under the banner of the Immortal Body Sect, and even though he held a common rank, he had a duty to fulfill.
As they traced the trail of the culprits, Bubing and his companions tracked them to a forest of dead trees. The hunt was on, and they were determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. After a few hours of pursuit, they stumbled upon the first corpses.
Children who had succumbed to the cold were buried under layers of snow, lifeless for days. The sight was haunting, and Bubing couldn't help but wonder how many more innocent lives would be lost if they didn't act quickly.
Their team, consisting of around fifty warriors, split into two groups, with forty of them in pursuit of the culprits while the remaining ten attended to the grim task of handling the corpses.
The Immortal Body Sect had a peculiar interest in corpses, especially those of pure children and virgins, as they believed that such bodies held the potential to create the ultimate body free from defects.
Bubing was aware of this gruesome reality, but he knew better than to question the ways of his Sect. He was grateful for his place in this ruthless world, even if it was a modest one.
Despite the harsh winter conditions, Bubing and his companions relentlessly chased the trail, wondering who could have withstood such brutal weather and traveled so far. They assumed it couldn't have been a child, but they were wrong.
As they approached, they found a young boy, barely five or six years old, standing amidst the snow-covered trees. The sight left them in shock.
Bubing couldn't help but marvel at the boy's resilience, having survived for days on foot in such inhospitable terrain. However, their squad leader had no time for such contemplation, eyeing the young boy with a greedy expression. He knew that such a fine specimen would be highly useful for their Sect.
"Take him. We're leaving!" he ordered.
But before they could even make a move, an intense surge of white light enveloped the area, coalescing into an entity standing before the boy.
Bubing and his companions were stunned, unsure of where this being had come from and how it had such incredible power.
How could a mere footsoldier comprehend the answers to such mind-boggling questions? Bubing pondered this as he followed his squad through the dense forest.
The trees grew taller and thicker, blocking out the sunlight and creating an eerie atmosphere. The clearing that they had reached was wider than the others they had passed, but Bubing's heart felt constricted, as though he had walked into a trap.
Then, he saw him. The person standing in front of the unmoving boy was divine. Their long white hair flowed like a river, their robe danced like an unbridled bird, and their gaze was settled, exuding an otherworldly calmness.
In their hand was a simple sword that glowed pure white, like freshly fallen snow. This person was the embodiment of everything Bubing had imagined a deity to be.
"This child is now under my custody," the ghost-like entity spoke.
"Leave."
Bubing felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that retreating was the most rational course of action, given the mysterious nature of this strange man. His squad leader, however, was not so wise.
"We are from the Immortal Body Sect. That boy is ours. Deny us our right, and you court war with our Sect."
Bubing swallowed his objections, knowing that even a powerful Practitioner would back down when they heard the name of their Sect. But the Practitioner in front of them did not seem to care. "You would do well to retreat. If you do so now, no harm shall come to you."
Unfortunately, their leader was not one to back down.
"Then… you will die for your impudence. All of you, attack at once!"
Bubing watched in horror as his comrades charged towards the divine figure, drawing closer and closer. His squad leader seemed oblivious to the danger they were facing, screaming with confidence despite not knowing their opponent's strength.
Bubing knew better. He valued his life, and he was not willing to die for the sake of his Sect's honor. As his comrades attacked, he took a step back, watching from a safe distance.
The divine figure merely smiled. "Very well…"
The footsoldiers of the Immortal Body Sect were no match for the mysterious white-haired man. As they closed in, their bodies honed to perfection, their confidence high, Bubing couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of fear in his gut.
He couldn't shake off the memory of the strange burst of power that had radiated from the man earlier. And the glowing sword in his hand added to the aura of danger that surrounded him.
Despite the odds, the squad leader barked out orders to attack. But in one swift move, the man in white swung his blade and knocked them all out cold. Bubing fell into darkness, without any pain or fear, unable to comprehend the power that had rendered him unconscious.
When he came to, the white-haired man was still there, his attention fixed on the boy lying beside him. With a soft smile on his face, he picked up the unconscious child and spoke somberly to himself.
"So many children dead. It seems I was too late..."
Bubing watched in awe as the man carried the boy away, past the clearing and toward his goal. The man's ethereal voice echoed in the lonely vicinity, and Bubing couldn't help but wonder what sort of person this divine being was.
"You should wake up in a couple of hours. As Practitioners of the Immortal Body Sect, surely you should all survive winter's icy embrace during that time." This seemingly ethereal being spoke softly.
He unsheathed his blade and looked at the boy beneath him. The kid too was unconscious, and utterly oblivious to everything around him.
"I see now…" His voice echoed in the lonely vicinity.
"So many children dead. It seems I was too late…" The voice somberly stated.
With his gaze firmly fixed on the boy beneath him, the man in white smiled softly and focused on the rough face of the only survivor.
"You want to live, huh?"
He bent to pick Liu up, and then went his way—past the clearing and toward his goal.
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[A/N]
If you're all wondering why I chose the Bubing route, well… I thought it would be fun seeing everything through the lens of some average soldier.
And I enjoyed writing it.
If you have any problem with that, then… the comments are there.
Cheers!