Chapter 1
A life in the snowy spring of water
Snow falls slowly. Harsh winds blow through the immensity of all-white, a never-ending haze. A human figure, deeply frozen, struggles to keep up with the cold, nearly reduced to a lifeless body. Shallow breaths force tired muscles, and the heart pumps in pain. Lips have turned blue, and the palms are deeply wrinkled. Is there any better way to fight hypothermia? Can you think of another way to survive, to escape this situation? How does it end?
No matter what it takes, no one dares to let go, not Yuwen Yue.
With a scream of life, she lets it out, rejecting death but resigning to the pain.
No! She can't die! Yuwen Yue must live!
But reality extinguishes any hope in the moment.
The frost in Chu Qiao's body cuts like a thousand knives. It traps heat beneath her skin while her prime energy spreads throughout her body. She feels it radiating from her back, as if it burns like hell. Is she losing her senses, or is this real?
She is truly losing, losing Yuwen Yue forever.
Fire and cold tear her body apart. Too much power. She won't be as lucky as she was the first time she encountered the snow jade dog. Her spirit is strong, but her body is weak.
A super-luminous light bursts from within the icy lake, overwhelming Yuwen Yue. It's a flashback in time, a dance of memories. She is certain she saved the weakened Fourth Young Master from the snow jade dog's opposing power.
In a burst of light, a powerful vibration fills the air.
It holds Yuwen Yue back from sinking into the deepest abyss of the lake.
Suspended in a dreamlike state, between life and death, Yuwen Yue watches Chu Qiao as if entangled in a memory from another realm, a realm unseen by anyone, belonging neither to Yanbei nor Wei.
Yuwen Yue utters a name: "Xinger…"
But the voice is lost, unheard. He looks at Chu Qiao's face, feeling a strange sensation. Her body appears the same, except for the dazzling light radiating from her face.
Shining like a phoenix, glowing in bright light, she becomes blinding.
Like a divine goddess, Chu Qiao looks serene.
Yuwen Yue struggles to recognize whether this figure before him is the woman he knows or someone else entirely.
A halo of yellow light emerges, pure and bright.
A small figure floats gracefully in the air, encircled by slow-moving white clouds. The clouds spin and rise, hovering in the air. Her droopy eyes are closed as she sits in a Zen position at the center of the spinning clouds, and she utters: "Go in peace, live well."
After hearing the voice, the blinding light overwhelms Yuwen Yue. He shields his eyes with his hands. In an instant, after the blast, Yuwen Yue disappears from the magnificent light.
Three days have passed since the tragedy at the icy lake. Yuwen Yue suddenly surfaces from beneath the ice, gasping for air. He finds himself breaking through the ice above him, floating on the surface of the frozen lake, trapped in a lagoon.
His thoughts run dry, but he must stay awake: "If I use all my strength to move, I might lose what little power I have left."
Instead, he lets himself float. Yuwen Yue remains still beneath the icy water. As if in a dream, his mind limits unnecessary movement, gathering all the heat in his body. It feels strange, and Yuwen Yue wonders where it is coming from. He stays still, allowing his body to float, drifting with the water.
In this state, Yuwen Yue begins to see a yellow light and a hazy human form. He hears words, ones he must not forget: "Go in peace, live well."
Those words continue to echo, awakening his senses, a source of inner strength. As he lingers in this state, he begins to whisper: "Xinger, Xinger, Xinger!" After the third call, Yuwen Yue opens his eyes.
Though it seems brief, it has been seven days since he began floating freely in the icy lake. He regains strength, able to move freely above the frozen lake. It connects to an open spring. He finds himself near the shore, breathing shallow but alive, with a promise of life ahead.
The spring forest is blanketed in snow. As the sun rises, the snow begins to melt.
Then the sun hides, and snow begins to fall again.
For the first time in what seems like ages, Yuwen Yue can move his hands and feet. With newfound strength, he crawls like a helpless child, struggling to reach the snowy surface. Finally, he rests his body on the snowy ground.
Yuwen Yue shivers as if the cold wilderness will never end. The snowfield feels even colder than the icy lake. Rubbing his hands together for warmth, Yuwen Yue notices a small panda playing nearby.
He thinks, "Where there's a little panda, there must be a bigger one around."
Yuwen Yue forces his still-shaky knees to stand and walk.
He thinks, "I have no time to check myself. For now, I must walk a few steps, better than engaging in a fight with an animal."
Yuwen Yue finds a perfect spot to rest his body. His clothes are worn out, but the bloodstains have been thoroughly washed away by the water. Tiny brown spots are visible on his chest, and his wound is still healing. Turning black, it seems destined to scar.
Yuwen Yue checks his head, shoulders, waist, hands, and feet. He notices his wounds are healing faster than normal.
After a physical check, Yuwen Yue remembers he must heal his spirit through meditation.
He squats down, leaning slightly against a fir tree. He chooses this spot because he believes fir trees symbolize hope, promise, and renewal. Amidst these long, dark winter nights, the tree is known to outlast many others. Meditating under this tree may help him find the determination and endurance to refresh himself and decide his next steps.
After an hour of meditation, Yuwen Yue feels well-rested. For the first time, he feels hunger. Yuwen Yue knows it's time to hunt for food. To survive the night, he must also build a shelter.
Inside Greenhills Courtyard, Yuwen Yue lived an extraordinary life, far from this impoverished existence. Yet, he was trained to survive in harsh conditions. Using only what is available, Yuwen Yue begins to create hunting tools and gathers firewood to stay warm at night. The small dagger hidden in his boot proves useful. From the driftwood of a fir tree, he crafts seven medium-sized spears, sharpening them carefully.
Though Yuwen Yue feels content, his expression remains grim. He cuts a small piece of fabric from his garment and tears a strip from his left boot, made of bearskin.
After shaping the fabric into a circle, he carefully sews it onto his forehead like a headband to keep warm and protect himself.
He knows this will be a long journey, and restoring his Qi flow will help prevent colds and illness.
With everything in place, Yuwen Yue heads out to hunt in the snowy forest.
Armed with seven spears, he must supply his body's needs. He carefully examines herbs and plants, smells and tastes them, finding edible mushrooms, his dinner for the night.
For water, the spring is sufficient, but he needs a container for his hunting trip.
He finds a bamboo tree, selects a heart-shaped leaf, and uses it as a funnel to filter water.
A deer suddenly appears before Yuwen Yue.
Its skin will make good shelter, and its lean meat is rich in nutrients. A bird also crosses his path.
He thinks the bird will supply his protein needs, and he can use the feathers to craft a bow and arrows.
Nothing will be wasted.
Everything must start small if he is to survive. Alone, Yuwen Yue knows he must do it all.
It is a total 360-degree change from his previous lifestyle, but he is grateful for the skills he learned from his nomadic ancestors. To him, it is no tragedy.
Can fate offer a second chance with a good outcome?
He doesn't worry about being alone anymore. All he knows is that there is no time to complain.
He must stay alive.
No comments:
Post a Comment