When Cai Yan and Cai Yun arrived back home, Cai Yan headed into his room. He returned with a plain looking box with a single paper seal on the lock. The seal was special and made so that only the person it was intended for could break it. Even a Martial Expert could not break it by force.

Cai Yan took a deep breath. He flipped open the box, revealing a small black case and some clothes that belonged to a woman. Everything inside was things that belonged to Cai Yun’s mother, Lin Lijuan. It was his first time seeing this collection of items.

Cai Yan carefully took out the small black case. “This is it,” he said.

Cai Yun was nervous. This one box could change his fate. Cai Yan opened the box and revealed a small, shining, golden pill. This one pill had the power to change Cai Yun’s fate. This one pill could also have saved his father from his fate as well.

“This pill is made from the scales of a Golden Snake, the tail of a Crimson Lizard, and the feather of a Scarlet Phoenix,” said Cai Yan. “The result is a powerful medicine capable of undoing any injury.”

All Cai Yun could do was stare at it in amazement. He had never even heard of those creatures, but the Phoenix was a legendary creature to the people of Cloud City. The last one was seen hundreds of years ago. Cai Yun understood why the pill was so hard to make. It might as well be a one of a kind of existence. Cai Yan had to lock it away and keep it protected for all these years. If anyone knew of its existence, they would probably kill for it.

“It is yours,” said Cai Yan as he held the black box in his hand and presented it to Cai Yun.

Cai Yun took the box with both hands, accepting it as a gift. He stared at the pill before glancing at his father. “Are you sure?” Cai Yun asked.

“I am long past my prime,” said Cai Yan. “Even if I did take it, I would only have another ten years ahead of me before my age catches up. There would be no point for me to do so.”

Cai Yun picked up the pill carefully. He took a good look at it and saw numerous tiny inscriptions and engravings on the pill. It almost looked alive. He closed his eyes and dropped it into his mouth. He swallowed it and braced himself.

When someone consumed a powerful elixir, their strength would grow if their body could handle it. However, this pill contained neither soul force nor martial force. It contained a powerful healing power. There was a sudden pain in Cai Yun’s chest as his veins reconnected to his Dantian.

The pain was incredible as Cai Yun keeled over, grasping at his chest. Cai Yun could not bear the pain. The feeling of his veins being ripped apart was too much to bear and passed out. “Son!” Cai Yan shouted.

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When Cai Yun awoke, it was completely dark. He could not tell where he was. A single flame appeared before Cai Yun. It was on a pedestal and glowing with a blue color. As the light grew brighter, it revealed an entire platform. It looked like something that belonged in a temple. Behind it was something completely bound by heavy chains.

“About friggin’ time!” shouted the cage.

It was the voice of a woman. But, it was too dark to see it. Cai Yun carefully approached the cage of chains. There was only a tiny gap at one part from which it was possible to see inside. Yet, all that was visible was pure darkness. Not a single ray of light was able to reach inside the chains due to the many layers that comprised it.

Cai Yun stepped forward and looked into it. A pair of bright pink eyes stared back at him and it gave him an immense sense of dread. “It took you fifteen goddamn years you know!” shouted the woman.

“Sorry,” I said.

“It’s not your fault,” said the woman. “It’s your stupid mother’s fault!”

“Don’t talk about my mom!” I shouted.

“What are you going to do about it?!?” the woman shouted back.

BANG. The woman smashed the cage of chains on the inside, startling Cai Yun. But, the entire cage did not budge at all. It held strong and stood against the strike. The woman inside could not break out of the cage.

Cai Yun felt relieved. For a moment, he thought it would break out and kill him. That woman was incredibly bloodthirsty and if she was telling the truth, she had been locked inside of him since birth.

“Who are you?” Cai Yun asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Who am I?!?” the woman angrily shouted. She then sighed and realized that Cai Yun was too young to know. “I am a spirit that your mother gifted to you. I wish she’d at least wait until you came of age to hand me over instead of having me wait fifteen freaking years!”

Cai Yun felt his eyes starting to get heavy. It was like the strength was draining from his body. “My mother has been missing for many years,” said Cai Yun.

“Oh…” the woman’s tone suddenly changed. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“Where am I?” Cai Yun asked.

“This is your Dantian,” said the woman. Her tone had suddenly changed when she heard about what happened to Cai Yun’s mom. “As you grow stronger, that flame inside of you will grow and then all your spirits will grow stronger with you.”

“Even you?” Cai Yun asked.

“Of course!” said the woman. “When you become strong enough, I will help you become even stronger! Until then, just don’t die.”

Cai Yun was about to black out again, but from exhaustion instead of pain. “What’s your name?”

“Your mother’s treasure is in the maze!” the woman shouted as her voice faded.

THUD. Cai Yun fell to the ground once more. When he awoke, he was in bed. His father was sleeping in the corner sitting down, having watched over him the whole time.

Cai Yun could feel that his entire body was sore. The experience had drained his body immensely. He could not even move. Yet, he felt something strange from a spot between his stomach and his heart. That was the location of the Dantian. For the first time ever, Cai Yun could feel trace amounts of soul force that flowed from the Dantian to the rest of his body. The veins he had were larger and thicker than before, allowing his soul force to flow freely in his body.

Cai Yun was no longer an un-cultivator. He was now a proper cultivator with the potential to become a true martial artist. It was something possible only thanks to his mother and father. For the first time in a long time, Cai Yun felt happy and felt like he had a future worth something.