‘It’s… Luo Fan’

LUO FAN

 “Your Highness, forgive me.”

I heard the man’s voice, but it sounded like a distant echo I wasn’t sure if I was just imagining it.

My whole body was numb with pain. I was weak, so close to dying that I could not even open my eyes. I was slipping away, and I knew that the moment I fell asleep, I might not wake up again.

“We must separate from here,” the man continued. “I’ll lure the men away from you. May fate guide you and hope we’ll see each other again. Farewell.”

After that, I no longer heard anything.

I wasn’t sure what was happening. All I recalled was a group of men had been after me, wanting to kill me, but this man had rescued me. Now, his protection had come to an end.

Once again, I was on my own, unable to fend for myself.

But it did not matter anymore. I had already lost everything. Fighting was no longer an option for me. It was all over now. I’d leave this world as a failure.

I took a long deep breath, expecting it would be my last. As my mind slipped away, I felt the solid wood beneath my back moving. I realized that I was probably in a wagon or a cart, and it was now leaving.

I wondered where my corpse would end up.

But that did not matter anymore.

I’d be dead anyway. As long as they buried my remains, I’d be content.

*****

RUAN YANJUN

I stared at my disciple, my eyes glaring in anger after I had heard the news from him. “Are you telling me that Wei Yusheng had died?”

Huang Wen nodded with a worried look on his face. He had been my disciple for over a decade already. I had brought him in to join my sect when he was barely twelve. So of all people, he knew me the most, and he knew how unpredictable I could be whenever I was displeased.

I stayed silent for a moment as I tried to soften my hard facial muscles. I had been away for too long and my disciple had just joyfully welcomed me back. I should not spoil his day… for now, at least.

“When did he die?” I asked.

“A month ago, Master.”

Holding my cup of wine, I turned away from him and stood by the door to my private courtyard. The air was thick and warm and the wind was blowing strong. The rainy season was supposed to come to its end now, but it looked like it was here to stay for a little longer.

The big plum tree in the middle of the courtyard looked a little strange to me. It felt like it was only yesterday when I looked at that tree and it was barely five feet high, but now it had more than doubled its size.

Because for the last five years, I had gone into seclusion to restrain and fix the erratic behavior of my demonic core, so I was not cognizant of the passage of time. I thought that the moment I finished my locked-door meditation, Wei Yusheng would already be a grandmaster and I’d try to convince him to consider my proposal once again. If he insisted on refusing, I’d abduct him and force him to do as I wished anyway.

Who can stop me?

But things had happened unexpectedly, and it was suspicious.

How could a level six master cultivator die of poison, not to mention that he was the sect leader of Ethereal Frost, a light sect famous for its elixirs and detoxifying pills? I had also heard that two years ago, a new Divine Mage was proclaimed and he was also a resident of Frost Mountain.

There should be no poison in this world that Wei Yusheng did not know.

“What’s the name of that ungrateful disciple who had poisoned him?” I asked.

“The disciple’s name is Wei Fan,” Huang Wen replied.

“Are they related?”

“Not exactly. The disciple was an orphan and had no surname, so Chief Wei had taken him in and had given him his surname.”

The more that I was confused.

How could a disciple of the most righteous sect in the continent be so wicked?

Such a thing was unheard of even among the dark cultivation sects. Disciples were mostly loyal to their masters and would not dare bite the hand of the person who had fed and trained them.

“Actually, he isn’t just an ordinary disciple,” Huang Wen continued. “He is also the High Priest of Frost Mountain Tower. The healing elixirs that he had refined in the last few years had been widely acclaimed and proven to cure many diseases. That was why he was given the title Divine Mage. Aside from that, his martial talent is also exceptional. Rumors said he had surpassed his master’s cultivation level just a few months before the poisoning incident.”

I turned to stare at my disciple. The information he had provided was an unexpected surprise.

I did not care about that man’s refinery skill. I also did not care that he was the Divine Mage that I was just thinking about earlier, but the mention of his cultivation level was what captured my interest.

“He’s a level seven.” It was not a question but a conclusion. I knew that Wei Yusheng was a level six, otherwise called a ‘master level’, a level where a cultivator would then be worthy to take in disciples and even start his own sect. Since this disciple had surpassed Wei Yusheng as Huang Wen had stated, then this disciple had reached the grandmaster level, the pinnacle of cultivation for most.

Huang Wen nodded. “That is but a rumor, Master, and is yet to be confirmed.”

“Did you go to Frost Mountain to confirm?”

“I did, Master. In fact, before the poisoning incident had taken place, I and a hundred others had gone to Frost Mountain for the same purpose, but for some reason, the Divine Mage refused to come out. That was why many believed that the news was made up in order for the Ethereal Frost Sect to elevate its status since their rival sect in the West, the Blazing Sun Sect, has produced another grandmaster recently while the Ethereal Frost Sect only had Master Wei and the Divine Mage to carry their banner.”

It was indeed suspicious, but I had been searching this whole damn world for a light sect grandmaster for so long that I could not possibly let this pass.

Regardless if it was a rumor or not, I’d take my chances.

“Where is that priest now?”

Huang Wen was speechless, his mouth agape.

I scowled. “Are you going to answer me or should I rip it out of your tongue?”

He quickly closed his mouth and cleared his throat. “Master, Wei Fan has been banished from Kan Empire. No one knows where he is now, or if he’s even alive.”

“Where did they dump him? I’ll go find him myself.”

“M-master, there is another thing.”

“Speak now and stop wasting my time.” I was losing my patience.

“As punishment for his crime, Wei Fan’s cultivation… has been nullified.”

I darted my eyes at my disciple as if I would snare him. My jaws tightened. I was suddenly too furious I wanted to blast that Frost Mountain into dust for destroying my only hope.

However…

I took a deep breath to calm myself down and chugged down the remaining wine in my cup. I had heard of some cultivators getting their cultivation back after being nullified. It was a rare occurrence, but it was possible. I knew because it had happened to me before.

As long as that Priest is still alive, I will personally revive his cultivation.

I was probably too desperate that I was willing to go through such trouble finding a presumed dead priest so I could revive his cultivation. It would take a lot of time, effort, and resources on my part, but I was willing to gamble, even if the chances were so slim.

“Tell me everything you know about this Wei Fan. Tell me who had nullified his cultivation, who had sentenced him, who had investigated, and who had decided for his banishment.”

“M-master, I have one question if you don’t mind.”

“One question granted. Make it fast.”

“There are several other light-core grandmasters all over the continent, especially in the east. Why must you take the trouble of finding a missing priest if the only requirement is a grandmaster bearing a light core?”

I smirked. “I’ve gone through the names of all light-core grandmasters all over the continent and I found them all unworthy. So I started looking among the masters instead, and so far, only Wei Yusheng had qualified. But since he’s dead, I want to take a look at his ungrateful disciple instead.”

“How can you be certain that Wei Fan qualifies your criteria?”

I frowned at him. “We agreed on just one question. I did not permit you to ask another.”

He immediately lowered his head to apologize.

“Now, give me the information,” I demanded.

“Yes, Master.”

*****

LUO FAN

I opened my eyes but all I saw was darkness. The surrounding was so silent I could hear my own breathing.

Where am I? Am I dead?

Air still passed through my nostrils. My chest was rising up and down.

I am still breathing… still alive.

I was not sure if I should be thankful or be disappointed. I had already accepted my fate. I had not expected to wake up again and continue my existence as a pathetic failure.

I blinked my eyes several times but I still could not see anything. Darkness still engulfed me.

Is it nighttime?

I heard the door open, and then I saw a shadow loom over me.

Indeed, it must be nighttime.

Since I was able to see a shadow, I presumed the light inside the room was just faint.

“You’re awake,” a man said.

This man’s voice was different. It wasn’t that man who had rescued me. “W-where am I?” I asked, my voice soft as a whisper.

“You’re in an inn,” the man replied. “I found you unconscious in my wagon, buried under my merchandise. How did you end up there?”

At first, I had no idea what he was talking about. It had taken a while for me to recall those final moments before I had fallen unconscious in a wagon.

“S-someone…” I struggled to speak louder but I just did not have the strength. “…Put me there.”

He sighed. “I don’t know why that someone had to put you in a wagon instead of taking you to a healer. When I found you, you were not breathing. I thought you were a corpse.”

From the way he had spoken, I imagined that I must have looked so pale that he thought I was dead. “I apologize… for having troubled you.”

He sighed again. “It’s no trouble at all. I was glad I found you before it was too late. I brought you to this inn and called for a physician to check on you. You’ve been unconscious for the last two weeks.”

Two weeks?

I did not realize it had been that long already, yet, I still felt like I had not rested at all. I still felt weak. “C-could I trouble you to light a lantern, please? I can hardly see anything.”

“It’s daytime. The window’s wide open. Can you not see?”

I was dumbfounded. I blinked twice and still, my vision remained the same. I could only see shadows.

“You’ve gone blind?!” the man exclaimed.

I could not answer. A lump formed in my throat. I thought that the worst was over, yet I was hit by another catastrophe.

The man lightly tapped my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

“I’ve already sold all my merchandise,” he said. “I have to go back to my family soon. If you want to come along, I’ll take you with me. However, I’m concerned about your health. You might not be able to withstand the long travel.”

I pondered for a moment. “What place is this?”

“We’re in the town of Guishan. This is the last town at the border of Wun Empire before you cross to the South.”

The South. That’s how many people called it because it was located in the southernmost part of the continent, but its name was Xianru Empire, the most prosperous and most peaceful among the five empires in the entire continent.

I had gone quite far already… but not far enough. If possible, I wanted to go as far as possible from Kan Empire, and probably, I could move on from my past.

“Where are you heading to?”

“I’ll first head to the South to collect some debts, and then I’ll return to my hometown in Shishan at the westernmost part of Wun Empire.”

That was indeed very far. The South should be much closer.

“Where in South?” I asked.

“In the city of Yueshu. It’s somewhere near the capital.”

I was not familiar with the city, but I knew that the capital was located right at the heart of Xianru Empire.

That should be far enough from Kan Empire. My pursuers would not be expecting that I had gone all the way there.

“If you don’t mind, can I come along with you to the South?” I asked. “You may drop me at the most convenient location that you know.”

“What kind of location do you prefer?”

“I’m not really sure, but you’ve been to different places. Can I bother you to decide which place is best for me to settle down?”

He sighed. “Life in the countryside will be peaceful if you prefer that, but it’s a difficult survival. In your present condition, I don’t think you’re capable of growing your own food. Besides, it’s a hard life. No one may be willing to take you in. It’s probably best if you settle in the city. There, you might find some easy jobs to sustain you, or you can beg along the street for food and money.”

Beg?

The word left a bitter taste in my mouth. I hoped I would not be reduced to something like that. There should be some good people out there who would help me out. I still believed in the goodness of humanity.

“Alright,” I replied. “In the city then. Thank you.”

“We will leave tomorrow at dawn. Can you make it?”

“I’ll try my best not to be of burden to you.”

“Don’t think yourself a burden. I’m willing to help in whatever way I can. By the way… here.”

I felt him press a small pouch in my hand. “I took that from you when I found you. I’m just a simple merchant so I cannot afford to pay the physician. Your room is all that I can help you with. So I hope you don’t mind if I’ve taken a few pieces of silver.”

That man who had put me in this merchant’s wagon must have left me this money. “It’s fine. Thank you very much.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes.”

“Wait here. I’ll have someone bring you something to eat.”

“Thank you. By the way, what’s your name?”

“My name’s Li Yao. What’s yours?”

I pondered about it first. So far, very few people knew of my name. They only knew me as the High Priest of Frost Mountain Tower, but my surname…

Being attached to such a famous surname may attract unwanted scrutiny from curious people, or from those who were looking for me. I’d rather revert to the name that my father had given me.

“It’s… Luo Fan.”