Chapter 1: The End of Hope

The sun was just beginning to rise over the mountains, casting a warm glow over the small village nestled at the base of the peaks. In one of the houses, a young boy lay asleep in his bed, his chest rising and falling steadily with each breath.

But as the first rays of sunlight touched his face, something stirred within him. His eyes fluttered open, and he sat up, gasping for air.

He looked around, confused, trying to remember where he was and how he had gotten there. But his mind was blank, and he couldn't recall anything from before he had woken up.

As he tried to make sense of his surroundings, he noticed a strange sensation in his chest. It was as if something was stirring within him, something powerful and ancient.

He touched his chest, feeling the pulse of energy that seemed to be emanating from within him. He had no idea what it was, but he knew that it was important.

As he sat there, trying to understand what was happening, a voice spoke to him, a voice that seemed to come from within his own mind.

"You are a cultivator," the voice said. "You have been chosen to embark on a journey of power and enlightenment. You will learn to harness the energy within you, to become an Immortal, a being of immense strength and power."

The boy felt a surge of excitement and fear at the words. He had no idea what a cultivator or an Immortal was, but he knew that whatever it was, it was something special.

He quickly got dressed and left the house, eager to begin his journey. As he walked through the village, he could feel the eyes of the other villagers upon him, as if they knew something he didn't.

But he didn't let their stares deter him. He knew that he had a destiny to fulfill, and he was determined to do whatever it took to achieve it.

As he reached the edge of the village, he turned and looked back at the place he had called home for as long as he could remember. He knew that he would never return, but he didn't regret leaving.

He was a cultivator now, and he had a new home, a new path to follow. He was ready to embrace his destiny and become an Immortal.

With that, he turned and walked away, ready to begin his journey of power and enlightenment.

His name was Chen Qi, a young lad with a bright future. 

The village where Chen Qi  lived was a small, isolated community nestled at the base of the majestic mountains. The villagers were simple folk, living off the land and surviving on what they could grow and hunt. They were a tight-knit group, always looking out for one another, and they had lived in harmony with the land for generations.

The village was surrounded by lush forests, teeming with life. The villagers would often venture into the woods to hunt for game and gather herbs and berries. They were also known for their expertise in cultivating crops, using the rich soil and natural water sources to grow bountiful harvests of rice, wheat, and vegetables.

Despite the harsh living conditions, the villagers were content with their simple lives. They had everything they needed, and they were grateful for the gifts the land provided.

The villagers were also deeply spiritual, believing in the power of the natural world and the spirits that inhabited it. They would often make offerings to the spirits, asking for blessings and protection. They also believed in the existence of Immortal, powerful beings who had transcended the mortal realm and achieved immortality.

The villagers had always known that there was something special about Chen Qi, even from a young age. They could sense the powerful energy within him, and they knew that he was destined for greatness.

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As Chen Qi set out on his journey, the villagers watched him go with a mix of sadness and pride. They knew that he would never return, but they were also proud of him for embracing his destiny and becoming an Immortal. They knew that his journey would be difficult, but they also knew that he was strong enough to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

With that, the villagers bid Chen Qi farewell, sending him off on his journey with the blessings of the land and the spirits. They knew that he would make them proud and that he would one day return to the village, a powerful Immortal, ready to protect and guide his people.

And so he began his wonderful journey…

Chen Qi had been on his journey for only a few days when he came across a group of bandits. They had been terrorizing the countryside, stealing from travelers and burning villages to the ground.

He was soon captured as he couldn’t stop himself from trying to help the captured villagers and he was caught during the act.

Chen Qi had been warned about the bandits, but he had not been prepared for the brutality he encountered. They were ruthless and cruel, with no mercy for the innocent.

"Please, let me go," the boy pleaded with the bandits. "I can help you. I can stop the screams you hear from the villages. I can stop the pain and suffering you see."

The bandits laughed in his face. "You? Help us? You're nothing but a weak and pitiful boy. You can't even save yourself, let alone help us."

The boy didn't give up. He knew that he had to try. "I understand that you are angry and hurt. But please, let me go and I will show you how I can help. I can bring peace and prosperity to the villages."

The bandits sneered at him. "And how do you plan to do that? You're just a weak and powerless boy. You can't possibly defeat us."

The boy's eyes glinted with determination. "I am not weak or powerless. I am a cultivator, and I have the power to harness the energy within me. I can use that power to stop the screams of the villagers and bring them peace."

The bandits were about to reply when a figure appeared out of nowhere. It was a man with a dark hood over his head, his face obscured by shadows.

He moved with lightning-fast speed, his sword glinting in the sunlight as he struck. The bandits were caught off guard and didn't have a chance to defend themselves.

The man quickly dispatched the bandits with ease, leaving the boy lying there, tied to the tree and unharmed.

The boy looked up at the hooded figure in shock and gratitude, "Thank you, thank you for saving me. I am grateful. I will repay you ten times when I become a true Immortal."

The hooded man turned towards the boy, his sword still in hand, and without warning, he struck the boy's chest, the sword piercing through his heart.

The boy's eyes widened in shock as he realized what was happening. He tried to speak, but no words came out. He felt a coldness spreading through his body, and then everything went black.

The hooded man looked down at the boy's lifeless body, his face expressionless. He then disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving behind only the echoes of the boy's screams.

The villagers who had been watching from a distance, were in shock and despair. The boy, who had been their hope for salvation, had been brutally killed by the hooded man. They didn't know who he was or why he had killed the boy, but they knew that it was a sign that their troubles were far from over.

The hooded man's voice echoed through the clearing, cold and emotionless. "This is my territory. No one is allowed to interfere in my affairs."

The villagers who had been watching from a distance, were trembling with fear at the hooded man's words. They had never seen anyone with such power and brutality before.

One of the villagers stepped forward, bravely facing the hooded man. "Who are you? Why did you kill the boy? He was our hope, our savior."

The hooded man turned to face the villager, his face still obscured by shadows. "He was nothing but a mere mortal, a weak and pitiful boy. He had no right to interfere in my affairs. He was nothing but an obstacle to be removed."

But one of the villagers, a wise old man, stepped forward, his voice calm and steady. "We understand that you are powerful, but please, understand that the boy was not trying to interfere in your affairs. He was trying to help us, to bring peace and prosperity to the villages. He was our hope, and you took that hope away from us."

The hooded man looked at the old man and the villagers, his voice cold and emotionless. "I agree, I will leave you and your villages alone, but know this, there is no hope left in this world. The boy was foolish to think that he could change anything. The world is a dark and cruel place, and there is nothing anyone can do to change that."

The villagers were horrified by the hooded man's words. They had never heard anyone speak with such cynicism and despair.

The old man stepped forward, his voice calm and steady. "That may be true, but we still have hope. We will not give up on our dreams and our desire for a better future. We will not let the darkness consume us."

The hooded man looked at the old man, his eyes hidden in the shadows of his hood. He didn't say anything, but the villagers could sense a hint of respect in his silence.

Without another word, the hooded man turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.

The villagers were left standing there, shaken and saddened by the events of the day. They knew that they had lost one of their own, and they knew that the hooded man was a powerful and dangerous enemy.

But they also knew that they couldn't give up hope. They would continue to fight for a better future, no matter how dark the world seemed. And they would remember the boy, who had tried to bring peace and prosperity to the villages, even if it cost him his life.

Without another word, the hooded man turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.

The villagers were left standing there, shaken and saddened by the events of the day. They knew that they had lost one of their own, and they knew that the hooded man was a powerful and dangerous enemy.

But they also knew that they couldn't give up hope. They would continue to fight for a better future, no matter how dark the world seemed. And they would remember the boy, who had tried to bring peace and prosperity to the villages, even if it cost him his life.