Ah. So boring. When will we leave..

  In a clearing in the Grey Mountain, a cultivator adorned in red robes was sitting on a stump lamenting his fate for the past few weeks. Though he looked like a young man in his early twenties, he was thirty five years old, just breaking into Foundation Establishment realm recently.

  Establishing his foundation at this young age meant that the cultivator had high aptitude and must be some from a huge background. Indeed, he was the son of an elder of Burning Asura Cult, a high demonic path sect. His name was Fen Xichen.

  It had been more than month since he came to Jiang region with his uncle, a week had passed in the Grey Mountain.

  "Xichen accompany your uncle on his journey. It would help you to gain experience and temper your Dao heart."

  He sighed as he remembered his father's words before parting. Having recently reached Foundation Establishment realm, Xichen was on a high horse. This lead to an incident during a friendly spar.

  Xichen and the other disciple were rivals pursuing the affection of Fairy Chu. While sparring, tensions flared and then Xichen suddenly attacked the fellow disciple viciously.

  He was grievously injured. All the elders were furious. His father sent Xichen away on this trip so he can pacify this matter.

  His uncle during his early days while travelling had found a blood orchid on this mountain. The blood orchid would've taken 50 yrs more to fully bloom. Since it was very difficult to transplant, his uncle sealed the cave then.

  Now they are here to harvest the flower, waiting for it fully bloom. It had been a week since they came to this mountain. Fortunately his uncle had confirmed that the flower would bloom today. He had gone to harvest it leaving Xichen sitting here completely bored.

  Xichen has been itching for a fight, to draw blood for a long time. Throughout this trip he has been forced to keep a low profile under the gaze of this uncle. The only relief came when he gave some villagers a thrashing when they came to bother him.

  If not for his uncle, he would've incinerated them on the spot.

  Xichen wanted to go back to the cult, where he could fight to his heart's content. Also, the Qi in this lower 1st grade spirit land made him feel filthy.

  Heavens let this trip end as fast as it can.

  While he was idly musing, a voice called out to him.

  "Exalted senior, please save my sister."

  On looking he saw a young boy in his teens carrying a little girl on his back. The boy had a few scratches on his face and arms and he was breathing heavily. He put the little girl on the ground against a tree, then knelt bowing deeply, his forehead touching the ground.

  "Exalted senior, please help us. My sister is very sick. If Senior can save her, this Ling Yun will do anything to repay this favour."

  Looks like the Heavens have sent some amusement after hearing my plea.

  *****

  Ling Yun remained on the ground kneeling waiting for the cultivator's answer. A drowning man will clutch at a straw. He had brought Yaoyao to this unknown cultivator hoping for a miracle.

  He heard the sound of clapping. "Good, very good. This lord is touched by this profound display of sibling love. Boy, you can stand up."

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  Ling Yun stood up and joyfully exclaimed, "Thank you, Exalted Senior. Senior is like a deity sent by Heavens to save us. This Ling Yun will always remember-"

  "Wait a minute, boy. Aren't you running off too far?. This lord only said he was touched. But only a tiny measly bit touched.

  "Why should this lord lift his finger to save some peasant? Hmmm?"

  Ling Yun's joy instantly evaporated and his heart was filled with dread.

  "Exalted Senior, please have mercy on us. If you save my sister, I am willing to spend the rest of my life serving Senior as a slave."

  "A slave, Hah! This lord has people queuing up to become my dog and you dare offer to be my slave. Such arrogance."

  Ling Yun froze and started sweating under the killing intent emitting from Xichen. He was looking at Ling Yun like a cat looking at mouse, ready to devour at any instant. His hands started shaking and he was about to apologise when the killing intent suddenly disappeared.

  The atmosphere became calm as he saw Xichen giving him a gentle smile as if he wasn't just about to turn him into mush the previous instant

  "Since this lord is so merciful, he would give a chance to prove yourself worthy of his help."

  Xichen snapped his fingers and suddenly the clearing lit up with flames. Strangely, instead of spreading uncontrollably causing a forest fire, the flames burned calmly forming a narrow path 30 meters long. The flames reached a height of only a few inches just under his knees.

  "If you can reach from one end to other barefoot, then this lord will save your sister. Otherwise you can only blame your incompetence. Come on, prove yourself worthy of receiving this lord's favour."

  *****

  Xichen was laughing internally at this clown show. This boy was only at the third realm of Qi Refining. Apart from his exceptional looks, he doesn't seem to have anything special going for him.

  Infact the boy also knew in his heart that it was impossible for him to succeed. But Xichen knew that the boy will definitely try. Because he knew the look in that boy's eyes.

  Xichen had seen that look many times. Many people came to his demonic cult to rise up. They came from poor backgrounds, had poor aptitude but still believed they could soar to the heavens. Their eyes were filled desperation ready to grasp onto any false hope.

  These fools try to fly high but all come crashing down in the end. Xichen himself had sent many of them to their graves. He loved to see the look of despair on the their face as the hope disappears from their eyes and they realise they were just insects born to be stepped on by people like him.

  This young man was of the same category. He was going to die trying.

  Boy atleast before you die, give me a good laugh.

  *****

  Ling Yun removed his shoes and put them next to Yaoyao. He brushed a few strands of unkempt hair and kissed Yaoyao's burning forehead. He stood at his end and he could feel the heat from the flames shimmering infront of him.

  Deep down he knew that the cultivator was just toying with him for amusement but maybe, maybe, if only to not go back on his words due to pride, the cultivator would save Yaoyao if he passes this trial.

  He took a deep breath, steeled his resolve as he ran on the path ignoring the burning pain on his feet. After ten meters his skin turned red and blisters formed at his feet.

  Endure it.

  At twenty meters, he saw that his feet had blacked. His skin had completely burned and he stopped after seeing this horrifying visual. His feet had no strength as he couldn't even run any more, just precariously maintaining his balance took his complete concentration. As soon he out his right foot down, Ling Yun let out a blood curdling scream.

  His body was shaking refusing to take a single step further. A single step was like going deeper into hell. Ling Yun wanted to run away, wanted to go back to the time of happily playing his flute. He had closed his eyes afraid to look below. His feet must be completely charred as he couldn't even feel the heat of the flames licking his legs. Before he could try run away in fear, he heard a voice from his heart.

  Only 5 meters are left. Am I going to give up after coming this far?

  Let Yaoyao die...

  Endure it.

  Ling Yun clenched his fists, took a deep breath and gathered his shattered resolve. He bit his lips, lifted his right foot and took a single step.

  He swallowed back the pain and took another. And then another. And another. Slowly but steadily moving towards the end, towards his sister's salvation.

  4 meters. Two meters. 1 meter. A single step.

  Yaoyao, look at me. Big brother promised to save you right.

  He opened his eyes and was shocked. So shocked and confused that in that moment he even forgot the pain. The path which should've ended was still streching onwards.

  "Hahahahahaha!!!"

  He turned and saw Xichen laughing at him mockingly, his right hand lit on fire.

  "Boy, why are you stopping? Don't you want to save your sister? Only 5 meters are left. Go on, you can do it.

  "Hahahahaha!!"

  Ling Yun closed his eyes. His soul crushed and then he fell, fell into the fire, into the abyss of despair.