Joy. 

It blossomed within his state of tranquility, of nothingness. 

Then, he could feel. 

For a time, Cifer did not understand. It took a long time for him to understand, in fact. His mind felt sluggish, blurry. Harder to concentrate, and instincts paved his every action. Most of the time. 

His unused muscles tired itself quite quickly, so sleep came naturally to him. Time was all he had. Unfortunately. 

When the first month ended, his eyesight slowly developed, as did his hearing. The world was bright, and the soft sunlight shown through the mud-brick window was blinding. He loved the light. 

It was the first time he laid eyes on his mother and his father. 

Cifer's mother was a beautiful young woman, and so very young. A girl, really, barely into her adulthood. His father was no less different of age, or in stature, though baring strong arms and tanned skin. He loved them instinctively. 

They lived in a single small dwelling, and a humble one. The straw-filled cots on the corner were well kept, and maintained. The fireplace kept them warm, and the walls kept the heat in. The thatched roof was constantly looked after, in case of rain or storms. They didn't have visitors often, and the neighbors were quite nice. The old woman down the street gifted mother with oils to soothe her legs, and the village guard brought ale to drink with his best friend, his father. 

His father would go out every day, and hunt for game, or work for the local merchant. He would come back, sometimes with game, or some oddity for Cifer to play with. They would carefully preserve the food for winter stores. A certainty that would befall them in the coming months. And sometimes, they would enjoy delicious fruits when the parts and materials of the game were traded or sold. Nothing was wasted, and the few times they were able to afford luxurious delicacies, most of the portions were fed to him. 

His heart ached from their generosity, but felt grateful all the same.

Cifer was in the care of his mother most of the day. Sometimes, in the moonlight, when he was awake, his mother would hold him close to her breast, and sang to him. Her voice was lovely, and sad. Otherwise, she would regale him with stories of fables and myths, and of the great mythical beasts. 

What interested him the most, was when she told him stories of their great nation of Song. The Four Great Immortals that rests upon the lofty seats of their great mountains. These four are the only known immortals to exist, closest to the heavens. Even the greatest noble houses of cultivators would serve the great immortals at their behest.

Then she spoke of the Jade dynasty, ruled by the Exalted Prince of Everlasting. He was known for his legendary battle prowess, and the three fabled knights that accompany him, the Song dynasty and the Jade Empire have been bitter rivals for over a millennium. 

His mother told him of many stories and fables, but they all had something in common. 

"And so, the strong shall rule, and the weak serve," His mother said, with a soft smile. "You will be a strong boy, one day. Gods are smiling on us, I think," 

Cifer was five when he first gazed upon the martial might of a cultivator. It was a lone man, and even young. A man of great beauty, with a strong, and graceful figure. His hair was long, and his eyes were a piercing green. While the farmers and the laborers were dirty, and wore dark wool and cotton, the cultivator wore an elegant white silk and blue cloak. It was as if a demi-god, or a prince himself, had descended upon their lesser lands to greet them. 

His name was Shan Feng. He was in need of a place to rest.

His father, and mother, bowed low. They offered their home freely. The lone traveler agreed, grateful.

It was in that same night, as his father held him, huddled in the back of their house, on a rainy night, that Cifer could hear the thump-thump sound that came from within. 

Cifer shut his eyes closed in dismay, and fear, and huddled closer to his father. The tarp covered them from the rain, but it did not hide the tears from his father. 

Shan Feng was gone the next morning, leaving them with a pouch of silver taels while his father was there to see him off. As was his mother. 

Finally out of sight, Cifer looked upon her mother. She looked miserable, in pain. There was fear, and sadness, and hurt. So much hurt, that Cifer could feel it in his stomach, as if a pit had opened up. 

His father staggered upon her, and hugged her fiercely. How could he not? They are weak, and the strong rule absolutely. The poor, and the weak, shall do naught but endure. And hope. For hope, was the greatest power they had. 

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Cifer looked upon himself and closed his eyes. 

The gods are cruel, and the world was unfair. To rule is to be mighty, so would they blame him should his ambitions to bear fruit? 

The boy shook his head slightly with a sardonic smile. 

That night, when his mother and father were asleep, Cifer pulled his legs into the lotus position. The mediation came to him, as easily as breathing. To cultivate Qi, is to cultivate and refine life itself through the three dantians; navel, heart, and the forehead. The refined Qi gets circulated through the vessels of his meridians, then it flowed back to the dantians. 

A never-ending cycle, and the first breath toward immortality. 

It was never as easy as it sounded. Cifer knew what he was doing. Anyone could achieve Qi circulation, but to achieve it requires time, nutrients, and a certain state of mind. 

He thought of teaching it to his family, and dismayed. They were too old, and have never received such training at a younger age. Furthermore, they were simply far too busy trying to survive the next season. Should he even try and teach to his parents, they would fail miserably.

It was the difference between the Heaven and the Earth. 

It had been five years since he began, mostly due to boredom. As a newborn, he didn't have many options to escape his boredom, and to cultivate his Qi was the only source of diversion. And so, Cifer continued to cultivate. 

Nine months later, Cifer gained a sister. 

It was a dampened affair. His father knew the truth, of course. They both did, but steeled themselves to love her all the same. Still, the hate was all but vanished. How can they not love her bright green eyes, and tufts of dark hair? She was their bundle of joy, and perhaps, Cifer felt, was the second happiest day of their lives.

They named her Ruo Fei.

Cifer smiled. 

On the tenth of his year, Cifer was surprised when Fei picked up cultivation so quickly. She was a natural! Despite her... giggling nature, and bright emerald eyes shining with mischief, Fei was a studious student. 

"I think I understand, brother," She replied, her voice squeaky. Fei closed her eyes, and as she cultivated her tiny flow of Qi, Cifer held her wrist. He checked her heart-beat, the navel, and the forehead. The channels were working perfectly, and the Qi she had been taught were being refined with perfect clarity. 

Cifer smiled, gratefully. 

Then, he pushed. 

"Hey! Big brother, what was that for?!" Fei rubbed her bottom, her eyes slightly tearing up. She sniffed. 

"Tag, you're it!" Cifer pivoted, and ran for his life! 

Fei stared at his back, uncomprehending. Then, she gathered to her feet, squinted her eyes in a frown, and quickly rushed off after her brother. With a squealing yell, "I'll get you!" 

Their laughter was like bells that echoed off the forest. 

Perhaps fate was a cruel mistress, when she tossed the dice across the board.  

"Cifer, do you know where we are?" 

Said Cifer, hoped he didn't show any worry on his face. That might scare his little sister. They have been walking for hours, with no luck at finding their way back home. That did not bode well for them, he knew. 

He glanced down at her with a smile, and said, "Of course I do, sis'." He mussed her hair for good measure. Fei squealed, swatting his hand away. Still, it brought a giggling smile to her tiny, heart-shaped face. 

Well, no. He doesn't know where he was. Cifer gazed into the... jungle around him. This place shouldn't be anywhere near their home, and he had spent years exploring the surrounding village almost on a daily basis.  

The trees were thick and as wide as his home, and so tall they seemed to reach the sky. The treetops were thick tangles of leaves and boughs, and only a few strays of sunlight beamed through the crown of the trees. 

Underneath his feet, he could feel the soft rich soil of the jungle floor, fed by the dead leaves, wood, and dead animal matter. This, in turn, was a place of incredible nutrients for growth of green foliage, plants, and vegetation.

In the distance, Cifer's ears caught the chitters, screeches, and hows of wild animals that have made their home here. 

Cifer looked down at his little sister. She was only five, and hunger had already set in. He knew this because he could hear her stomach grumbling like a tiny lion cub. Fei hadn't complained, of course. She had faith in him, and that disquieted him with a depth of guilt and worry. 

Food was the most important fact in their survival. Well, that, and a temporary home. He might be able to make a tipi from fallen branches and cover it with fur. Luckily, he had a knife tied to his waist. It was sharp, and it could easily skin a deer.

A rustle of leaves caught his attention. Then, through the brambles and bushes, it came through. 

Fei gasped, her hands covering her dropped jaw. There was a prettiness to it that Fei instantly fell in love with. 

It was a deer, but not like any animal he'd ever seen. It was a huge thing; with its curved and branched golden antlers, it stood over nine feet tall. Its fur had a golden sheen, almost as if it contained an inner light made of the very sun itself. Its eyes were the hue of a rainbow, given form and reality. 

There was a certain kind of grace to the creature, almost otherworldly and supreme in its stature. 

Her eyes stared at the deer pretty, awed at its beautiful golden fur and its graceful gait.

Then, everything clicked. His mother always told stories of certain kind of beasts that have lived since the inception of their world. When the beasts were born from the womb of the world itself, the very ocean boiled, and the earth was red hot with the rainfall of a million stars.

Earth Shakers. Ruination. Nature Gods. 

Cifer wrapped his arms around sister closer to his chest, and then, he ran.