Chapter 1: The Gift
All mortals have heard tales of legendary figures, like those distant, mystical gods who stand above all else. Beings of light, righteousness, and kindness who come to the aid of anyone who prays to them.
But that was not the case for Shoneyi Wen. In the terrible situation he found himself in as a child, no matter how much he prayed for help from these self-proclaimed deities, he received no answer.
The magical beasts had killed his parents. Blood was dripping everywhere in their small cabin. The magical beast tore down every tree nearby. Its sharp claws closed in on the boy, thirsty for blood; it simply needed to feed, and this family was the prey. The beast destroyed everything in its path.
Shoneyi ran in desperation, trying to flee as fast as his eleven-year-old legs would carry him. The boy started to feel his muscles scream at him to stop, but he knew that wasn’t an option.
When the small boy realized there was no longer any escape, he grabbed a branch from the ground. With all his strength, momentum, and madness, he aimed for the beast’s snout, failing to inflict any damage. This is where it all ends, he thought; his mind had already surrendered.
Blood was already spilling over the boy. A thick puddle took the place where the beast had stood moments before. Shoneyi, in turn, found himself bathed in a disgusting stench and a viscous liquid; it took him only a few seconds to understand that it was the magical beast’s blood. His face reflected shock and disbelief.
Opening his eyes, he thought: I just killed a magical beast with my own hands. His expression suggested he truly believed he had ended the beast’s life.
A figure landed in front of the boy. “I can acknowledge that you have spirit,” he shook his head, “but you should also understand the reality between heaven and earth,” replied a dark-skinned man with an appearance of righteousness.
Shoneyi, upon realizing that an Immortal stood before him, couldn’t help but shout, “You’re an Immortal! I can’t believe it!” His face was a flood of emotions.
Hearing the small child yell, the man blushed slightly as he replied, “Well… yes, I am. You don’t have to apprec—” Right in the middle of the man’s speech, the small boy began insulting him left and right.
“You’re an imbecile, a slow-witted fool, a good-for-nothing… You probably don’t know how to place one rock on top of another. Your parents must have dropped you on your head when you were little!” As the boy continued his insults, he kicked and punched the air in anger, trying to wipe the blood off his body.
The Immortal, seeing the boy’s behavior, was perplexed. This is the first time someone has been annoyed for having their life saved, he thought. Somewhat disconcerted, he placed his hand on the boy’s head. Energy in the air surrounded him, creating a faint silhouette around his body. Shoneyi’s body shuddered and, like a sudden hard blow, he was forced to calm down. This affected him strangely: all the madness, rage, and uncontrollable fury had vanished from his body, and though he wanted to rage over not being able to feel it anymore, he was grateful for not losing his life to the beast.
At that moment, the Immortal turned his head from right to left to see the devastation the magical beast had left in its wake. It was then that he saw the lifeless bodies of a woman and a man, resembling the boy. “Oh, little one, I am truly sorry for arriving late and failing to save your parents,” he paused before continuing: “I will give you a gift as compensation, and with it, you will change your life in a few years.” The man leaned close to the boy’s ear and whispered:
“My name is Yi Jui. You have four years to find the Heaven Sect, and by simply speaking my name, you will be able to enter without issue.”
Snapping out of his daze, Shoneyi took a long gasp of air and immediately began searching everywhere for the Immortal who had just departed. “Yi Jui, Yi Jui… Yi Ju… Yi J… Yi…” he repeated the name over and over, realizing the knowledge was fading. The boy grabbed a knife from the ground and decided to carve the name into his left thigh. An indescribable pain began to course through his body; despite the screams and the blood, the name “Yi Jui” could be clearly read.
“I’ll be an Immortal… I’ll be an Imm… I’ll…” Collapsing, he tumbled to the ground with a smile that was impossible to wipe from his lips.
