Chapter 2: A Family
Waking up, Michael was greeted by another scenery that was new to him. The room was small and rather shabby. The spiritual energy around him is sparse. He was lying down a woven mat and he saw his keys and his phone at his side.
"Oh, I had my phone with me.", he exclaimed lightly.
He stood up thinking about the past events and felt bitter. He was abducted due to being thought of as an individual of talent, was treated by people reverently due to being thought of as someone possessing massive potential and now he was abandoned without even being returned to his world and now he can't think of what he should do. He once again tried absorbing the spiritual energy around him continuously and also failed continuously. No matter what he did, he can't even control a strand of energy to go towards him.
"You are pretty diligent aren't you? Its dinner time, follow me.", an old man in shabby, worn-out robes said.
Michael looked at him, not really sure of how he came to be here, he asked the old man, "Why am I here?", while standing up.
"You should thank Little Tigress for picking you up. I'll tell you the whole story later, so follow me first, you need to eat.", said the old man while laughing at the confused face of Michael.
Michael followed the old man into a hallway made of wooden floors with some parts of those actually rotting already. He smiled wryly at the vast difference of this place to what he previously saw but was grateful to have at least a roof above his head.
The old man was very talkative and bantered about many things but Michael just listened to him quietly, arranging the information he heard in his head. According to the Old Man, this sect was named the Sea God Sect, one of the three famous sects of the nation of Crimson Dawn. The place he was in at the moment was the Sword Sect, a small vassal sect under the Sea God Sect and the guards of the outer region, the area below the main mountain where the Sea God Sect was situated.
"Basically the higher your position in the mountain, the higher the area you live in. Is that right sir?", Michael asked.
The old man smiled bitterly at his question and slowed down his walking pace. He looked at Michael and saw the curious look in his face and sighed deeply.
"It pains me to say this, but yes, that statement is true. The Sword Sect has not produced a single Ascended Cultivator except me for the past 100 years. Most of the new generation are stuck in the Soul Purification stage.", the man said.
"Sir, what are these stages you speak of? I heard them a lot but I don't really know about them.", Michael asked once more.
"You see, there are many stages in cultivation, before ascension, there are three stages, the Body Purification Stage, the Soul Purification stage, and the Mortal Shedding Stage. These are the foundations. After ascension there is the Immortal Body Forming Stage, the Immortal Soul Forming Stage, and the Body and Soul Fusion Stage. These stages are the stages wherein you seek your Dao. The Patriarch is in the Body and Soul Fusion Stage, the strongest in our sect. Some say that there are other stages but that I do not really know for sure.", the old man said as he stopped walking and opened a door.
Beyond the door is a group of 3 people, an old lady and two little children, sitting around a wooden table filled with food. The woman placed a bowl of rice in front of one of the two empty seats. The old man smiled and looked warmly at the old woman and the two children.
"Come little friend, eat with us, my wife is a wonderful cook.", the old man said and gestured at him to sit down at one of the empty seats.
Michael was taken aback, this family was small, he can see that they were not rich by the food on the table. The food prepared was nothing extravagant, just some vegetables mixed into a stew, and yet the smell tingled his soul. The family had few to spare, and yet they shared to him what they have. Warmth seeped into his soul and he found that he felt at ease.
Not knowing how to express his thanks, he bowed deeply not uttering any words. This bow showed his utter gratitude to the old man and the old woman.
The old woman smiled and said, "Come, eat before the rice turns cold."
Not hesitating anymore, Michael proceeded and sat on one of the chairs, all the while thinking that this was the best meal he had seen.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
IFeelLazy
IFeelLazy The chapter's a little short but I just felt it was the right time to stop at that point. Thank you for reading.
I'll be uploading slowly as I have my classes and club activities to attend to but I hope you'll read them.
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