The rays of sunlight pierce through the clouds.

Through the clouds, the radiance marches forward towards the lush green forests.

Among the numerous forests are mountains submerged in a purple mist.

And on one such mountain, under a maple tree, near a tomb, I sit.

My name in this world, this life, is Bai Han.

I was originally from Earth, but one fateful day, I transmigrated to this mysterious world.

Let me tell you a little about my story, although I have a bad memory and I do not recall a lot of things.

Initially, I was considered to be an unfortunate child. The one who could not speak like other children. In other words, I was a mute.

It felt as if a cold, rotten hand had grabbed me by my throat the first time I tried to speak. Blood left my face, leaving me alone to feel the drumming of my faint heart which, I felt as if, wanted to burst open my breast. For I knew deep down that it was akin to a death sentence in a medival world like this one, when life was already difficult to begin with.

I believe I was 8 at that time. Yes, then. It was then my parents wanted to sell me. I do not recall to who. However, I had never felt so betrayed.

Why?

Why are you doing this?

Am I not your child?

Mother, I have been a filial son, why did you do this to me?

Father, I have been a filial son, why did you do this to me?

Why? I ask. Even today. But what is the point...

Oh! Yes, back to the day when I was about to be sold, a young man, wearing discoloured robes, who claimed to have seen some talent in me came and just...took me with him.

He did not pay.

No, he did not.

That they are not worthy. He told me.

That I have destiny with him. He told me.

He brought me to this place. I was perplexed.

What are we here for?

Though I do not...can not recall much of the past, I can never forget any moment I spent with him.

That day, I remember, I was under the impression that I was about to be sacrificed to a mountian god.

But nothing of that sort happned. I became his disciple, and he, my Shifu. He gave me a blue robe, this one looked brand new too!

And thus my journey began. My journey of cultivating Immortality.

Learn this method. Absorb the essence of Sun at dawn and the essence of Moon at dusk

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Learn this technique. One must know how to conjure up a fireball, at the very least.

Memorize this matra. This increases one's lifespan.

Write this scripture a hundred times, he said. A good moral character is required to reach immortality, he said.

He would sit under the tree and preach. He would guide me in my cultivation.

Turns out, in this world, the act of cultivation, that is, absorbing the energy of Heaven and Earth grants immense lifespan to those who can harness it, for which one needs to have a 'spirit root'.

In just 2 months, through his guidance, I opened my 'spiritual eye'

You will no longer get sick, or tired. You can now live for centuries. He told me.

Shifu, you once told me, that my parents were not worthy to get money for me. Tell me, Shifu, did you even have money to pay them in the first place? Hehehe, I know you did not.

But I can never ask you this question. And I will never say any of this to your face even if I was not a mute.

Because you are my Shifu, and I am your disciple.

Days passed in a blink of an eye. I turned 10.

Everyday was the same. My Shifu would sit in one place all day, and would expect me to do the same. Well, at least for the dawn and the dusks sessions everyday, if not the entire day.

However, I would sometimes sneak away from him to take a stroll in the mountains.

One day, I did the same and went when he had told me that he would teach me something important in the evening. However, I did not mean to do this out of disrespect, I just...forgot.

I returned to him late.

I expected my Shifu to be angry at me. But he was not. No. Not in the slightest, he was merely...sad.

I felt as if I had committed the greatest sin.

Oh no, I'm sorry, Shifu, I'm sorry.

I should not have left. Please, don't leave me! Don't ditch me!

Perhaps my Shifu felt my distress, or perhaps my fear was plastered too clearly on my face, he told me not to worry. That I should learn from this instance and never repeat the mistake again.

After that, my Shifu taught me many things, but I knew it was never that one thing he wanted to teach me that eveing.

Shifu, what did you want to teach me that evening?

Shifu, why did you never bring the matter up again?

Shifu, were you upset? Of course you were! Why did you not punish me?

Why?

Why?

Why?

His warmth embraced me more than the sun ever could. For the next 60 years of my life, I lived with a purpose.

Learn as best as I can.

Serve as best as I can.

Be as filial a disciple as I can.

His words touched me...I wanted nothing more than to continue being his disciple.

And then...

and then he left.

No words.

No final teachings.

No instructions.

He just left.

I was devastated. But I did not give up.

My Shifu must be near.

Would he not want to take a stroll? Yes! He must be on a stroll, he will surely return by dusk!

I sat there. Waiting for him.

Time passed quickly, and he did not return even after 4 days.

I left the place and scoured the entire mountain with all my might.

My Shifu told me that I had now reached the realm that was a step below the True Spirit realm, at this point, I can live for a thousand years and have become half a diety.

The entire mountain trembled as my heart started drumming as loud as thunder bolts.

The entire night, I looked for my master. I searched up the entire forest, but I did not find him. I could leave the forest and look for him elsewhere. But I chose not to.

He will surely return. I know...or do I. That day, I decided I wanted to keep it a mystery never meant to be solved. A question never meant to be answered.

I made a tomb that I now sit beside.

I was too scared to see the cycles of dawn and dusk as with each passing day, and so was the hope of my Shifu's return diminishing.

So I chose to close my eyes and never open them again, until he returns.

As I close my eyes, there is only darkness.

I have no idea on how many days have passed.

I do not listen even to the air that brushes past me. But somehow I can tell that the mist around this mountain has grown thicker and has gained a dark purple hue.

I contemplate my previous life and this life and let my thoughts flow.

In this world, I do not have to give any exams.

In this world, I do not have my parents who nag at me.

In this world, I do not have a brother whom I have to barely tolerate the existance of.

No stress of the future. No societal expectations.

But if...

But if this life is so much better

"THEN WHY DO I ALWAYS FEEL SO LONELY".

BAAANG!!!

The thunder roars through the skies as the heavenly tribulation descends upon me.

I find myself floating in the air.

I slowly try to open my eyes, although its difficult to do so.

"Golden mist?"

It was everywhere around me.

Around my weak and now aged body. It appears a long time has passed. Perhaps 400 years since my Shifu took me in.

The golden mist was something called a heavenly phenomena that my Shifu told me about. You will experience it yourself someday, he told me.

ZOOOOHG!

A lightning bolt descends and scorches my entire being.

I did not die.

This was enough.

I have passed the tribulation.

I am now a True Person.

But this dosen't mean anything.

"I still feel empty..."

I decsend upon the mountain and sit beside the tomb once again, and close my eyes.

Time flies.

The tree under which I sit whithers away eventually, even after it had become a spiritual plant, it could not outlive a True Person.

"My dear disciple, open your eyes."

I expected my body to jolt.

I expected my heart to beat faster.

I expected...I expected...I expected something that now I can not recall, too much time has passed.

I opened my eyes to see that familiar figure.

It was my Shifu.

He smiled at me. His figure covered in a golden light.

"You have passed the tribulation."

All of a sudden, my heart aches. All the emotions welling up inside. I place my palm on my heart.

I now understand. I now understand what he wanted to teach me that day.

I do not feel alone. Because I never was.

All the people I missed. All of them have always been a part of me. There is no point in trying to stop someone from leaving, as everyone shall leave one day, this is the nature of the world.

My Master, you have returned.

The radiant sun shines its golden light on us.

My blood has become golden. A sign that I am now truly immortal.

But the tears that are welling up in my eyes are still mortal.

The End.