1 Leaving Home
The Desolate Wastelands, a boundless primitive forest.
A misty fog spiraled around the treetops of the tall, olden trees. The fog reflected the rising sunlight, creating colorful rays of light that merged into a gorgeous rainbow.
Below the forest was a village with a circumference of several hundred miles. Xiao Tian Wen opened his eyes and stared at the mud and thatch roof over his head with a daze. The blanket covering his body had lost all its previous green color showing how old it has become, it also had a musty smell.
He had that dream again. In the dream, he lived in a city filled with towering skyscrapers; he was an experimental physicist who was working on a particle accelerator to study space time continuum but apart from his research he also liked to collect antique objects about immortal fantasies.
It was during this time he got a book called "Cultivator's Compendium" on one of those online auctions making a dent in his wallet due to its high demand. The book contained cultivation techniques and immortal techniques which took him a whole year to fully understand despite his level of intellect.
It was a one or two years later that he found out that the cultivation technique he learnt in the book was nothing but gibberish since there were no changes in him after practicing the breathing techniques accordingly, this led to him throwing everything about it on the back of his brain.
At his workplace while working on space time continuum experiment using highly moving subatomic particles at an infinitesimally speed an explosion occurred due to an accident. Afterwards, he jerked awake. That was right, he was somehow reborn. Over a dozen years later, the matters of his past life had seemingly become a fleeting dream.
Speaking of which ten years have passed since then. Next to him lay his first brother, Xiao Hu, who appeared to be in a deep slumber. Snores erratically floated over as he slept, he was like a morning crow for Xiao Tian Wen.
Five feet from the bed was a mud wall that had suffered from a few cracks despite it appearing like it was just fixed. From the other side of the wall came the nagging voice of his mother and the occasional deep breathing of his father who was smoking his pipe.
Xiao Tian Wen slowly got off from his blanket, it was at this time that his friends explore the boundless forest in search for wild fruits and firewood. After all those tasks were over he would go study under Uncle Hui.
When Uncle Hui was young, he had attended school with the wealthy children in the city in order to be a scholar. As he was the only one in the village who knew how to read a few words, Xiao Tian Wen went to him to learn everything in order to someday go for provincial exams in the city and improve his parents and sister's lives. He also wanted to get more information about this world but alas apart from scholars and ancient civilizations nothing was worth it.
Physically, Xiao Tian Wen was very ordinary. He was tan and matched the generic descriptions of a child born in a farming village. Deep in his heart however, he had matured faster than others of the same age due to the reoccurring dream of his past life. Ever since he had seen those memories of his past incarnation, he had yearned that one day, he would be able to leave his small village and explore the fertile lands of the outside world that Uncle Hui had always talked about.
Xiao Tian Wen had never dared to speak of his dreams to anyone else in the village because they would be deeply shocked. After all, leaving this place was a notion that even adults didn't easily think about, let alone a small child. Children around his age only knew how to chase chickens and pet dogs. They had never entertained the strange notion of leaving the village.
Xiao Tian Wen's family had a total of five members, including one older brother and one younger sister. He was the second eldest in his family and turned ten this year. Together, they lived a hard yet honest farming lifestyle. Very rarely did they get to eat meat, but the entire family was content with living with the meager resources they had.
The scorching sun and sound of cicada despite it being morning made Xiao Tian Wen to shield from the scorching sun overhead in the shade casted by the pile of wood logs on his back. Wrapped around his chest was a pouch filled to the brim with red berries that bounced with each step as he walked home. He had no idea that at this moment, there was a guest in his home, a guest that that would change his destiny forever.
This guest was actually someone who had very close blood ties with Xiao Tian Wen. It was his First Uncle!
It was rumored that his First Uncle was a martial arts expert in the nearby city working under the mayor. According to his parents, First Uncle was the most capable within their family. After a few hundred years, the Xiao family had finally produced someone like his First Uncle, a figure with status and respect that was unrivaled within the family.
When Xiao Tian Wen was young, he had only met his first Uncle a few times. Every so often, this First Uncle would even gift some food and clothes to his parents to bring home. Because he had looked after Tian Wen's family with great consideration, Xiao Tian Wen had a very good impression of him. Even though his parents never said anything, he knew that in their hearts, they were very grateful.
Xiao Tian Wen's eldest brother was also a promising figure in the family, due to his First Uncle he would start his apprenticeship under some blacksmith in the city thus improving the family condition.
Looking ahead towards his home, Xiao Tian Wen saw his First Uncle's burly figure making his heart leap with joy. He was after all the only person who kept in touch with the outside world and brought them new clothes for his family and meat once in a while.
Setting down the firewood in a corner outside of the house, he went to the front of the house to greet his First Uncle after getting him a stool to sit on. "First Uncle, Xiao Tian Wen greets you." After doing so, he obediently stood to the side and listened to his First Uncle chat with his parents about his exploits.
First Uncle beamed at Xiao Tianwen as he opened his mouth, praising his nephew. "What a sensible child!" After complimenting Xiao Tianwen, he sat down while turning his attention back to Xiao Tianwen's parents and explained the reason for his visit.
As Xiao Tianwen listened, he was brimming with excitement because it was the first time he heard of such mythical things spoken by his First Uncle.
It turned out his First Uncle saved the mayor's favorite son as a bodyguard making him earn meritorious favor and fortune. He was consequently given a recommendation slot of the Heavenly Mist Sect. This sect was were an immortal can fly up the skies with a sword and live a long life better than mortals. The recommendation slot meant that he could choose to bring a child between the ages of 7 and 12 to take an examination.
Once every 10 years, the Heavenly Mist Sect would formally issue invitations for youngsters with immortal fate to take the test to become a disciple. The 10 year duration has elapsed meaning in a month an official test would begin. First Uncle was a chivalrous and astute man despite his burly physique who was childless, so he naturally thought of Xiao Tianwen who met the age requirement.
When the usually meek Tianwen's dad heard the words "Immortal" and "Sect", along with many other phrases he had never heard before, he felt very hesitant. Bringing his smoking pipe to his lips and giving it a puff, he sat down without saying a word.
According to First Uncle, the Heavenly Mist Sect could be considered one of the best sects within the Desolate Wastelands of the Zhou Country, if one was successfully selected as a disciple of the immortal sect one can have their mortal family become prosperous for a thousand years. It was of course not easy to become a disciple as one need to have a spiritual root.
Upon hearing the possibility that his son could receiving prosperity for the Xiao family and probably become more prosperous than the mayor, Tian Wen's father finally decided to give his approval.
Tian Wen's father started crying. He heavily patted the First Uncle's back, nodded his head, and sternly said to Tian Wen, "Remember, Xiao Tian Wen, never forget what your first uncle has done for us, or else I will not consider you my son!"
Tian Wen's heart trembled. Although he was ignorant towards immortals, he could tell from his parents' expressions that they viewed this matter with great importance. He knelt in front of his first uncle and kowtowed a few times.
The old-aged man pulled up Tian Wen and praised him. "Good child. You get ready and I'll pick you up at the end of the month."
That night, Tian Wen went to bed early. He could still hear sounds from his father and first uncle. Father was very happy. Even though he rarely drank but smoked his pipe, he had to drink a few cups with First Uncle today.
At the dawn of the new day while the sun rays are piercing through the forest leaves First Uncle left behind a couple of silver coins, he said that he would return in a month to escort Tian Wen to the testing area.
Tianwen fully comprehended his First Uncle's words, he could understand that he would be able to earn prestige for his family but stepping on an immortal path and pursuing dao be would be more worthwhile. It was something deeply wanted to comprehend; The Apex. The Heavens, what were they exactly but it is nothing but a farfetched dream even as an experimental physicist in his past life so immortals fantasy books he always read about felt closest to the truth that is why he pursued those books.
After one month had passed, First Uncle returned to the village, wanting to escort Tian Wen to the place where they will be taken by immortals. Before he left, Tian Wen's father repeatedly instructed Tian Wen on the ways of properly taking yourself.
One must be honest, have the capacity to endure, and avoid unnecessary conflicts with others. Meanwhile, Tian Wen's mother urged him to take care of his health and to eat and sleep well.
On the carriage, Tian Wen watched the silhouette of his parents gradually disappear from sight. Soon the village also disappeared, he knew that stepping on this road of immortals was nothing but a thorny road. It was something he read about in the "Cultivator's Compendium" but he was prepared to get answers, for a 10 years old kid to think this its unimaginable but for a person with his previous incarnation's memories and photographic memory it was merely a pursuit he dreamed to catch.
While the carriage which Tian Wen was riding was disappearing from sight, his family was standing in front of the village gate.
"Tian Wen has never left home before. Will he be bullied?" Tian Wen's mom said while biting her lip. Her eyes were filled with sadness as the disappearing carriage.
"Despite his childlike appearance Tian Wen has his own dreams and fortune." Tian Wen's father picked up his pipe and inhaled deeply. Wrinkles appeared on his face despite his words, he could not stop worrying about his son.
