Xi Shu

June 13th, 2049, Henan Province, China

When I was just a small six-year-old boy, Master Xan told me… “There will come a day that Aether will shoot out of the top of the great white pyramid and fill the sky with bright blue light. And that will be the sign that it is time to make the journey to Mt. Huaguo. Go to the mountain, you must then find the Shuilian cave”. He went on to say inside this cave is where the real journey to enlightenment begins. He told me that I would step on to the path of a true martial arts genius, and that I would be the first person on this planet to do so in over 5000 years.

At the time I thought he was being metaphorical. I was to find out recently however, he was not. As the years passed, I was tireless in my pursuit of absolute martial arts mastery. I spent 5 years in the deepest jungle Thailand had to offer, training with the lost masters, who would only instruct me in the ways of their arts after a full year of daily fighting and constantly being on guard as an attack could come at any minute. After proving my worth as a competent fighter, they took me in, and no secrets were withheld.

I then spent another 5 years going from estate-to-estate, training with the True Masters in Japan. They gave me an intimate knowledge of the martial arts of both Okinawa and Japan proper.

The next 5 years were spent training with the Suseung-nim of Korea, they were hesitant to school me in their ways. But over time I proved myself to be the martial arts genius I claimed to be. I have incorporated all these systems into my Kung Fu, which I have been continually working on, and perfecting for over 30 years.

After dedicating my life to the pursuit of perfection, I sincerely hoped this day would come. How was I sure that this day may come, do you ask? Well, in my pursuit, I met a small handful of masters who appeared to be no older than I, but whose eyes and technique told a story of a master who had seen the turning of centuries. Each and every one of them had achieved a level of Mastery that only comes with time, a long time, lifetimes even. While I never brought up the subject with any of the masters in question. They knew, I knew they were more than they appeared to be.

Today June 13th, 2028, is that day, the pressure in the air is noticeably different, it must be what my master called the “Aether” that is flowing. Master Xan told me that Aether is the key to total Kung Fu mastery. I start my journey to enlightenment today, I am starting from scratch in this newly changed world, truly curious what adventures I will find.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

After a nice workout and a shower, I am still trying to get everything I might need for a week in a cave. First, I should probably read the instructions Master Xan left me in his will. I probably should have read them a long time ago, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Shu,

First, I must tell you how much of an honor it has been to walk by your side and help guide you on your journey through life. You have exceeded all possible expectations, physically, mentally, spiritually, and metaphysically. I think it is only proper for you to be aware of what lies ahead, and your role in the preservation of humanity. What you have accomplished up to this point is but a base, a base to harden your body, mind, and spirit for what is to come.

Shu, you come from a bloodline of warriors, scholars, and Emperors, not seen on this planet for over 5000 years. You are a direct descendant of the first Yellow Emperor, the original ruler of planet XIA major!! Shu, you are to become the great guardian and protector of XIA. For you to receive the training, knowledge, and equipment necessary for you to accomplish this goal, I have set out some instructions for you to help maximize your immense potential. Once the Aether amplification machines turn on, you should be able to pull Aether in through your body and start the circulation process.

Make your way to Mt. Huaguo, we have made the pilgrimage before, you should have some memory of this place. Once you are there, find the Shuilian cave, walk through the waterfall, there you will find an altar. Sit in front of that altar, circulate the Aether through meditation. I have guided you through this form of meditation countless times, it should be second nature to you by now boy. But it will be different than ever before, you will understand when the time comes.

Sit, Meditate, circulate, and at the stroke of midnight June 20th, a guide will come, this guide will help you on the path to enlightenment. I do not know much of this guide, other than the fact they will give you direction, information, training and put you on the beginning of your path.

Good luck to you, young master, it has been an honor and a privilege. Level up, make it through the tribulation and stabilize XIA for all of humankind.

Master Xan

P.S. Circulating Aether is a very messy business, you would do well to remember that.

Uh, XIA major? Ok, it should take me about two days to get there, that’s June 15th, that leaves me 5 days in a dark cave, lantern check, food check, toilet paper check, clothes check, sleeping roll check, water check, and most importantly, some rope!