Chapter One:

Xiao Clan was powerful. In this small town, the “Floating Crown City” the entire clan was celebrated as the almighty and powerful overlords. Thirteen elders headed the clan, each with power equaling to the Soul Cultivation Realm. The other clans could not even begin to compare, where the strongest was just at body refinement realm.

The patriarch was rumored to be even more powerful then the thirteen elders who headed the clan.

Xiao Clan was one of the few clans, affiliated to a sect. Being affiliated to a sect meant, to be protected by a great power. There were only thirteen sects in the entire world, they knew of.

Moreover, considering, that the thirteen sects were actually powerhouses where even the weakest was in Soul Refinement stage, the stage just above the Soul Cultivation stage. That was strong. Such a protection from sect only came, when these small clans either showed explosive growth or had owed favors to these sect.

Xiao Clan was one of the later. Moreover, the favor they owed them was due to Altarius, a doctor. Apparently, Altarius had saved one of the young masters of some sect. As a favor, Xiao clan was now part of their, “Lithe Sect”, a sect that seemed to treat martial cultivation as graceful way of living itself.

The entire building of the Xiao Clan subsumed twenty percent of the town itself. Training areas, hostels, food mess, grounds, offices, personal houses etc. was part of the land owned by the Xiao Clan.

In one of the training areas of the Xiao Clan, twenty-three youth were standing. In front of them, was a man who looked older then the world itself. Wrinkles ran like snakes covering his face. His skin, lagging down like loose clothes. His eyes sparkled of great wisdom and knowledge. A slight smile covered his face.

The old man said, “You seem ready to me.” The old man, brought a beautiful looking scroll from somewhere under his clothes. He opened it and started to read out,

“Xiao Clan.

The Lithe Sect will soon be holding a small competition, from whom we will be selecting few individuals to be nurtured by our sect. As a clan, under our protection it is natural that you send twenty-three of your strongest to our place. We guarantee at least the Soul Refinement stage, to any of the candidate selected by us.

We will also be offering a small gift of twenty-two soul gems, to the clan per candidate selected. We hope for a favorable reply.

- Waxen Lithe

- Elder, Lithe Sect”

-

The old man, face who seemed to be so full of wisdom just a while back was now covered in a sinister smile that seemed to reek of lust and greed. The elder however himself was not only so. Even the twenty-three individuals, were drooling. The prize was so great, that no one could resist so.

The old man controlled himself, and the peaceful look returned. He coughed, and called in a peaceful tone, “Mei.”

A woman with a gorgeous face, clad in a purple kimono with wooden sandals slowly emerged from behind all the individuals. She walked slowly, in a very graceful manner. She, then bowed and said, “Elder. What shall be your command for me?”

The elder laughed and said, “No need to be so formal with your own Grandpa. You are the shiny star of our clan. Even though I expect none of them to actually make past the selection ceremony, however you are different. I wish for your best performance. Promise me, not to hold back at all.”

Mei laughed and said, “Naturally.” The elder smiled and asked, “How’s your Dao? Any injuries that might affect your performance?” Mei sighed and said, “It still hurts. Flame Dao is sure a pain. It’s powerful and all, but I still need to reach peak of body refinement realm before these injuries stop.” She slowly uncovered here sleeve where a deep burn mark etched the presence of Flame Dao.

The elder sighed and said, “Foolish girl. In this entire decade, you are the first person in the town to actually have the capacity to identify a Dao itself. In addition, at that, one of the most destructive Dao, the Flame Dao. In addition, you still complain about these small burns on your skin.”

Mei giggled and said, “But what if they look this ugly burn marks on body and decide not to take me in the sect. This mark destroys my natural beauty, grandpa…”

The elder sighed... This girl has become excessively proud of her beauty…

He said, “Fine. Go to Altarius and get treated by him. Happy?” Mei pouted and said, “I don’t like slaves coming any close to me. But fine…” She mumbled, “For this beautiful skin… For this beautiful skin…”

“You call him so disgusting, but wasn’t he the reason you got affinity with a Dao?” The elder smirked and said. Mei replied in disgust, “He’s a slave. That is his duty. Humph…”

“Ha-ha… That’s my Mei.”

In a small hut, near the town a boy sat in a cultivation pose. His body was trying to absorb the natural energy of Heaven and Earth. His body attracted enormous amount of energy, but the veins refused to collect so much. They were only able to absorb miniscule amount of energy. Rest was dissipated back into the atmosphere.

This is what being a cripple is like. People had a slight misconception about cripples in this world. The basic thinking went as that, the cripples were people who had no way to absorb the energy of the Heaven and Earth. However, this was a great myth.

This can be compared to normal handicapped humans. Suppose a human have lost his feet against any beasts attack. Would be unable to move? That is not so. It depends on the extent of damage. If the legs were removed to stop the infection, the person would still be able to walk, if he can create a perfect balance. Many humans have shown such capacity. Even if this is not so, one can place a sturdy stick below their feet, the so-called prosthetics.

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This boy was so. The damage was not bad. He could flow the ki absorbed from the atmosphere with ease. However, he could not properly absorb the ki. This resulted in a powerless situation, where the ki could be absorbed, however the rate was about one twentieth of a common cultivator. It would take him about 100 years to achieve what even the most average of cultivator could achieve in a mere 5 years. Despite training from age of four, he had just reached the body cultivation stage, a stage where even average cultivators reached before age of eight. This was terrifically slow. He estimated that to even reach the, next body refinement stage, it would take him at least about 180 years. He would not even be alive until that period.

Yet, something was different about him. A peaceful aura radiated out of his body. He looked as if the entire world did not matter to him. The weak, of the Floating Crown City would not be able to recognize this aura, but the truly powerful may be able to… It was a domain. In addition, domains, only came when any individual has mastered a supremely powerful heavenly Dao. Not a basic Dao or the later step, an Inner Dao but a legendary powerful, Heavenly Dao. So great his talents were, yet with those cripple veins he was nothing.

Suddenly, the gate to the hut flanged open as a gorgeous woman entered the hut. A bitter smile covered her face.

“Hey Slave.”

The boy, trembled as he heard her voice. He then politely said,

“Lady Mei… How may I serve you?” He smiled, as he said those words. That smile came from the bottom of his heart itself. It was a truly mesmerizing smile, which may make one feel comfort and warmth.

Yet, what covered Mei’s face was a disgusting smile. It was so as if the smile came from the vilest of the demon itself looking at its prey. Her face looked so sadistic, as if a fox found a rabbit to toy with.

Her bitterness came to relief when she remembered that she was alone. In addition, that she was the number one child of her clan.

“Altarius, come here for a bit.” She commanded. Her face, now devoid of any emotion. Altarius did so as he was commanded. He was trembling, or to say more correctly tremors ran through his body. Yet, that smile never left his face.

BAMM!

A very loud sound resonated throughout the wilderness where the hut was located, as Altarius was thrown to a huge wall where large cracks appeared.

‘Ouch. That was a fracture.’ Altarius thought. His back was now a mingled piece of skin and a bone, pierced out of his back. His injuries were nothing, but serious. Yet, that tiny smile never left his face, his eyes though sad.

“Humph. That is what a slave like you deserves. Now, you are to make a Skin Treating Potion for the burn mark, the shit Dao you made me get brings. I will be back in ten days. Be sure, you are ready with the potion, or I will maul you to death. “Mei spat and gracefully went outside the door. Flowers bloomed throughout her face.

As she went outside the door, Altarius slowly raised himself up. He then sat at a dirty bed, located at the side of the room.

“Brother. I’m back.” A voice resounded throughout the room, as a middle-aged woman slowly entered the room. “Oh god!” She cried, as she saw Altarius injuries.

She rushed towards him and asked, “Who dared to do so?” She paused, and said, “It was Mei, right?” She looked him, waiting for an answer.

“It’s nothing. Such injuries are healed in a few days... Don’t worry.”

“Why shouldn’t I worry?” She cried. “My father, found you. Took you as his own son. Now, he is dead, they scorn you and when I am away, they hurt you. And that Mei, haven’t she been doing so for like a year?”

“That bitch! She thinks so high of herself, knowing she is the prodigy child of our clan. She dares to even harm you. Urghh… If patriarch was not in secluded cultivation, I am sure she would have been punished for such audacity. She takes so much after that shitty grandpa of her…”

Altarius smiled and said, “Sister Ru. You are an elder. Such words, do not suit someone of your demeanor. Please expel your anger.”

He laughed and said, “Indeed. She hurts me. Nevertheless, that is because she is suffering even more than I am. I have seen the pain, the great responsibilities she carries. Even if I had all the power in the world, I find no reason to dislike her. She’s just a little girl…”

“Brother…” Ru said, worried. “Why you always take her side? If you complain to patriarch, she would have been long punished.”

Altarius laughed. His laughter rang throughout the entire hut. He said, “Ha-ha… Sister do you think I do not know of this? It is not difficult to destroy, neither difficult to create. I do not wish to destroy her personality, or to create a new one. Such I could do, even with my feeble body.”

Ru gasped in shock, hearing such things coming out of her brother. He looked so different, so intelligent, so experienced in the way of world that even the patriarch of the clan seemed so inferior. She always felt as if she was a frog in a well, when talking to her. As if she knew nothing, despite being 34 years older than his brother.

“Then why bother?”

He said, “Father, Patriarch, You and all other elders call me a healer. It is so easy to kill. So easy to create. Yet, what is difficult is to save. I am no healer, Sister. Do you know who I am?”

He smiled, “Just a small time doctor, who wishes only to save."