Chapter 21: It's About A Beggar

Next to a vast emerald green forest, its trees reaching for the skies, lay a shimmering blue lake. Its beauty was accentuated further by the sun, which shone down in all its grandeur, enveloping the area with a calming warmth.

The whispers of various wildlife added to the serene ambiance, and a myriad of fragrances dispersed through the air from flora. On the shore of the sky-reflecting lake were two figures positioned in a lotus stance.

The old man scratched his beard and, with a low voice, exclaimed, "Standing in the middle of a vast green field, next to a small town, were a young boy and his father. Snow fell from the skies, covering the green field."

The old man shook his head slightly and murmured, "Or was it autumn? Hmm."

Zhihui frowned. "Old man, enough jokes. This is the fiftieth time you've changed the setting. No, the entire story. One minute, you're talking about a battle between a massive dragon and an old guy with purple hair.

Then, out of nowhere, you switch to a rendezvous between a handsome old beggar and a redheaded beauty- Is this the kind of story to tell a six-year-old?

And once again, just as abruptly, the story changes into a life-or-death struggle between two beggars that ends with planets shattering.

None of this makes any sense."

Zhihui was well accustomed to his master's unpredictable nature. He would behave wise and insightful at one moment, then turn around and act the complete opposite.

Whether it was intentional or the old man truly had screws loose, he wasn't certain yet. However, right now, he was leaning more toward the latter.

The old man's eyes suddenly widened, as if a revelation had dawned upon him. "It was autumn!" he declared, his voice gaining newfound clarity.

Zhihui's words had fallen on deaf ears; the old man simply continued recounting the tale.

"Yes, the father-son duo were working tirelessly in the fields, preparing for the harsh winter ahead. After their toil, they returned home to a warm meal, surrounded by the loving presence of the mother and daughter."

As the first rays of dawn illuminated the sky, the young boy awoke to a startling realization: he had somehow transitioned into a woman's body. Overcome with shock and curiosity, he hurriedly shed his robes-"

"Old man!" Zhihui, who had been patiently listening to the old man's tale, couldn't contain his frustration any longer. "We've been sitting here for hours! I'm losing my mind."

The old man chuckled heartily, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Hohoho, be patient, Zhihui. This story holds great significance. One day, you'll look back on it with immense gratitude."

"Now where was I?"

His eyes locked onto his disciple; the old man said in a reminiscent tone, "Zhihui, picture a small village nestled in the embrace of vast fields. In this ordinary village, there lived a child. The sun rose and set upon the routine life of this child, and days passed like endless rows of crops, each one blending into the next."

"A normal story, at last," Zhihui replied. Though eager for martial arts, he valued the old man's wisdom, seeking insights from his seemingly nonsensical tale.

The old man wore a faint smile. "Normal, yes, but within that monotony, the child found solace." The previous smile erased from his face, he continued in a solemn tone. "Until one fateful day, a tide of beasts swept through the village, leaving death and destruction in its wake."

"A beast tide?"

"The beasts you killed, in Lusus, are referred to as demonic beasts. Different from cultivators, demonic beasts can cultivate naturally; they don't need breathing techniques or anything of the like, and, depending on their bloodline, are able to reach high stages without resources."

"Hmm, wouldn't that mean that demonic beasts are stronger than cultivators?"

"Indeed, in the same realm, demonic beasts tend to be a lot stronger. However, cultivators are much more intelligent than beasts. Still, they are not to be looked down on."

The old man turned his gaze upward, his eyes reflecting the azure skies. "Lusus is a big world, but at the same time, it is a small one. Every day, the number of cultivators and demonic beasts increases, but the size of the lands remains the same. Zhihui, what do you think happens when a territory of demonic beasts becomes full?"

Zhihui rubbed his chin slowly. "Well, even if they don't need resources to cultivate, I'm guessing they would still need food and would want resources anyway. If their territory runs out, they'd have to get it from elsewhere."

Zhihui's eyes widened in understanding. "I see..."

He knew that throughout human history, conflicts had erupted over resources; he wasn't surprised to hear that the same would unfold in this new world, where strength reigned supreme.

He wondered about the existence of institutions or laws to protect the weak from the whims of the powerful and about the nature of the beasts that roamed this strange land.

Zhihui's mind overflowed with questions—questions that he had asked the old man many times. Each time, he would receive his answer in the form of nonsensical ramblings.

The old man nodded and said, "Indeed, hungry and faminished, they would invade cultivator territory, leaving trails of disaster. Cultivators would also venture into demonic beast territory in search of resources, amongst many other things."

"What about this forest we're in at the moment? Is it demonic beast territory?" Zhihui questioned.

"Hohoho, it was before you killed the ursine. Now there are no others of it's level here. And that demonic core, well, if it can be called that, will aid in your cultivation. However, the Qi within it will disappear over time."

Zhihui's eyes flickered with anticipation. He pulled the brown orb out of his robes and asked, "How do I use it?"

The old man shrugged his shoulders. Zhihui squinted his eyes. "What does that mean?"

"How would I know? I'm just an old beggar." The old man stared at him with a confused expression.

"Old man, now's not the time for jokes."

"You're asking an old and fragile beggar about demonic beast cores... Is everything okay?" The old man expressed, wearing a disbelieving expression, a hint of pity behind it.

Zhihui's surprise turned to frustration as the old man continued his nonsensical ramblings. The orb, his only reward from the arduous battle, was about to become useless, yet his master seemed oblivious to his plight.

With a sigh of resignation, Zhihui hurled the orb into his mouth, only to feel an abrupt impact in his throat, forcing him to spit it back out. 'Fragile beggar, my ass.' Gasping for air, he slowly recollected himself.

Not long later, he looked around and noticed the orb was gone. His eyes met the old man's, who grinned and continued his tale.

"The young boy miraculously survived the beast tide. Then, driven by vengeance and a thirst for power, he embarked on a perilous journey," the old man narrated, his voice raspy with age and his eyes reflecting a lifetime of experiences.

"He arrived at a sprawling city, one he had heard many stories of, hoping to work his way into the world of martial arts." The old man's face contorted into a subtle frown as he uttered, scorn dripping from his words, "How naive he was..."

CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Holomez

Thanks for all the support, the comments, powerstones etc. Love you guys and once more, I apologse for slow the updates, re editing is taking alot longer than I thought. Be done soon though.

Thanks for reading.

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