A Beautiful woman walked into the remote Village of Dong one morning. She was a Pristine beauty, most would say otherworldly, even with her pregnancy so far along. And if she was a little too pale, a little unsteady on her feet, well pregnancy can do that to a person.

One week later, her condition was much worse. The Village midwife tried to ease her symptoms, but it was clearly more than just a bad pregnancy.

Two Weeks later, despite her condition the woman was polite and kind to all around her. And weirdly strong too, even if she looked closer to death every day.

Three weeks later, the woman labored, breathing heavily. The Birth was long and hard, but the little boy survived, the woman didn't.

A Ceramony was held, a funeral pyre built, and the boy was adopted by the village. Such was the way of things, out on the Empires boarder. Life and Death slept under the same roof and ate the same rice.

Twelve years later. Dong Yi, named after the village, he was birthed in, and the word for Lost, wondered the countryside picking herbs. It had been only a year since he regained his lost memories of a past life and a strange encounter with a God? An Immortal? He didn't know.

While Most of his memories were intact, Yi could not for the life of him remember his old name. Maybe that was for the best, what if he had been named something like Eugene? He shivered at the thought.

So far nothing had really happened. He had Kind of expected to have to deal with something as soon as his memories returned. However, no bandits or rogue cultivators came, no earth-shaking treasures were discovered, no icy young Mistresses had been kidnapped in front of him. It was peaceful.

There was a Squeak from his shoulder and the little brown and green mouse there pointed with its nose. Yi walked in that direction for a time until he found some more herbs for his basket.

Bao'er, the mouse, had woken up at the same time his Memories came back. While she spent most of her time asleep in his dormant Spiritual Center, Yi took her out whenever he gathered herbs because of her nose.

Of Course, she was handsomely rewarded for her efforts with bread and dried fruit. A Tribute she graciously accepted. Other than the Mouse, none of Yi's other choices would really matter until he found a cultivation technique. And even then, he would need some kind of Qi Art to fully utilize his abilities.

His so Called Heavily Grade Dao of Tea had come into play only on cold nights when all the village grandmas would insist he brew them a cup. Well, he was the best tea maker in all of Dong, but that was hardly a heaven shaking ability. Or was it?

Fear me Oh heavens for I have an Army of Grandmothers at my beck and Call!

He waited for a thunder tribulation, but nothing happened. Well since the Heavens didn't mind then there was nothing wrong with building a Grandma Army, maybe that was his Protagonist way.

A few hours later he returned with a full basket only to find a handsome man in cultivator robes. Yi then thought that perhaps the heavens didn't approve of his grandma army after all. He ran over to one of the other youths who was not so discreetly sweeping the same spot over and over and she spied.

"Cao Cao" Yi Hissed at the slightly older teenager.

"Yi you little shit I told you not to call me that." Hong Cao whispered back.

"Everyone calls you that Cao Cao, you'll never be rid of it. In Fact, I'll personally slip a note to your husband on your wedding day to ensure that." Yi said, grinning evilly. He had no siblings in his first life, but all the Village children were basically family to him. Although sometimes he felt more like a mischievous uncle than a brother. He had been almost twenty-four when he died after all.

"Anyway, what's a big man like that doing in our little village?" Yi Asked. Hong Cao Glared at him one final time before answering.

"I donno, looking for disciples near as I can tell. Guess one of the Sects are short, Ma says a couple of them just had a war or something. Ma Say it was one of those hundred-year grudges that us little folk don't got nothing to do with."

"Hmmm, thanks Cao Cao" Yi said, and then slipped away through the buildings. He slunk around hiding behind walls and climbing obstacles until he was close enough to listen in on the conversation.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"-onered Cultivator" The Headman finished saying something, bowing deeply.

"I am aware that in a village such as this that finding someone with a Spiritual Root is unlikely. However, if that should happen the Raging Wild Moutain Sect would pay the village handsomely, and the child would receive the care and training the same as any outer disciple."

"It's as you say Honored Cultivator. This Lowly Shi Do will gather all those under fifteen as you commanded." The Village head bowed deeply. "If Honored Cultivator Wishes then he can rest in my own home while this unworthy Shi Do gathers them up."

Wow the Headman is really hamming it up. I guess this is a cultivation story, he is probably worried that the guy will slap him into next year if he thinks he is being disrespectful. Why couldn't I have been reincarnated into a nice Sci Fi novel... Actually, they all have weird alien brain worms for some reason, so better not.

"-Neccarcary" Yi Missed the Cultivators reply but the Village head went off and the Cultivator stood stoically in place. Yi stayed and looked the man over. The Cultivator stood tall and proud, steel grey robs fluttered slightly in a wind that wasn't there, probably some Qi Nonsense. His Face was stern, but handsome, even with a slightly too large nose and eyes that were kinda beady.

The Mans Long Green Hair flowed behind him, unrestricted by a tie. People naturally having weird hair and eye colors would have been a Suprise to Yi, but by the time he regained his memories he was already used to it.

After another minute of the cultivator just staring Stoically out into the distance, Yi Decided not to linger. He made his way back to the other end of the village and dropped off his herb basket at the old midwifes house. Then found where the children were being gathered by the headman and blended in with the crowd.

They all marched in a loose mass of a little over a dozen. The older children who still hadn't turned fifteen were in the front, the younger ones, those around seven and up, were in the back.

Yi found himself somewhere near the front standing between a boy named Gu Ran and Hong Cao. Technically the latter had turned fifteen a week prior, but Yi Supposed the Village head included her just to be safe. The Whole group ended up in front of the cultivator after only a minute of walking.

"Bow before the Honored cultivator children" The Village Head commanded. They all bowed, left fist at the side, right over the heart in a formal bow that all learned for when the Magistrate came. Their Magistrate wasn't very strict compared to most, but you could still be whipped for an informal bow.

One by one the children all went up to the Cultivator. For each he would simply place his hand on their head for a moment, then gesture for them to leave. He never spoke.

Soon Gu Ran, who had been beside Yi went, and then it was Cao Caos Turn. At first it looked just like the other attempts, and Yi felt a little sad that he would probably be separated from Cao Cao. While a little grumpy she was very caring, and most importantly, fun to tease.

As he thought this the Cultivator was just about to put his hand over her head. Suddenly and Strange set of flowing writing appeared in the air, it was a familiar warm green. Despite this nobody, not even the cultivator, seemed to notice.

The Plot Shifts

A Fate has been Changed.

The Cultivators hand landed on Hong Caos head. There was a pause and then he smiled slightly.

"Girl, you possess a Dual Wind and Water Spiritual Root. We will have to test the Grade at the Sect, but a good find." He gestured for the stunned Hong Cao to Stand behind him. Then the next child was called up, it was Yi. However, what he had seen was so startling that he was somewhat in a daze.

He Still walked up to the cultivator and bowed his head to be examined. Previously he was worried the cultivator would be able to Sense Bao'er in his soul space, so he had her hide nearby.

"The Heavens surely are generous today." Cultivator said. "Boy you have a Wood Spiritual Root. It is not as rare as a Dual Root, but still serviceable for our needs." He gestured for Yi to Stand next to Cao Cao. She smiled weakly at him, clearly blown away by the turn of events.

No more mysterious words appeared, and none of the other children had a Spiritual Root. The Village Head offered to host the cultivator for the night, and he agreed to give the two new Disciples time to pack and bid farewell.

When he was young Yi slept in whatever house had room to host him, often times switching homes twice a year. After regaining his memories, he felt like having a little independence and so built a small hut in an empty spot near the edge of the village. However, he still had things to do before he headed over there to pack.

After wondering the village for a few hours, bidding farewell to the families he liked, and even the ones he didn't, he arrived at the old midwifes home. She had raised him the longest, until he was four years old, but her joints were bad by that point, and she could barely walk yet alone raise a child.

Still, she was always exceptionally kind to him, and she would often teach him herbology and basic first aid. In exchange he went out to gather herbs for her and spent many of his evening brewing tea and listening to her stories.

She had an actual Apprentice who did most of the healing. But Chu Mei had her own family to watch over and thus couldn't spend much time with the old Midwife.

Once Yi had offered to move in with the Old Midwife. However, she strictly informed him she didn't need a minder and that she was not an invalid yet. He walked into her house without nocking as was normal for them, her voice rang out.

"Yi'er boy, I heard you are abandoning your grandmother to go defy the Heavens or some nonsense" The Old Midwifes voice sounded sharp but had no real bite to it.

"Granny, if it was up to me, I'd stay here and listen to your stories to the end." Yi Replied, he felt a little teary.

"Lip Service! And nothing more." The Old Midwife declared, but there was a tremble in her own voice.

Yi Walked up to the chair she spent most of her time in and gave her a long hug. They both cried, and then talked long into the night.