The following days passed in silence, but it was a different silence from before. The villagers, who had once avoided him, now watched him with a mixture of fear and awe. No one dared approach Li Shen; they merely observed him from a distance. Even the children who had once thrown stones now hesitated, their innocent gazes filled with uncertainty. They didn't know what to make of him, and that uncertainty unsettled them more than anything.
Li Shen, however, had long since stopped caring for the opinions of others. The world, once so small to him, now stretched out like a vast ocean, and he was a lone vessel on its waters, sailing into unknown realms.
That morning, as the village began to stir with the first rays of light, Li Shen stood at the edge of the valley, staring into the distance. The mist had lifted, revealing the distant peaks of the Skyward Mountains, their snow-covered tips rising like jagged teeth against the horizon. The mountains were ancient — older than the village itself, older than the legends that surrounded them. They were said to be the home of the Immortal Sect, the most powerful cultivation sect in the world. No one had ever seen one of their disciples in person, and most believed the sect was merely a myth, a tale passed down through generations to keep the curious at bay.
But now, standing on the edge of the valley, Li Shen felt a strange pull towards them. It wasn't just the allure of power — it was something deeper. The Lotus inside him hummed, its presence growing stronger with each passing day. And with it came the calling.
> "Find the source," it whispered. "The root of your power lies beyond the mountains."
Li Shen didn't fully understand the meaning of the voice, but he had learned long ago to trust it. It had never steered him wrong.
He turned and walked toward the village square, his steps steady and deliberate. The people parted for him as he passed, their eyes wide with suspicion, awe, and fear. Even the village elder, who had once been wary of his existence, now watched him with a mixture of concern and reverence.
The village elder, Elder Hua, had aged in the years Li Shen had known him. His hair, once dark and thick, was now streaked with gray, and his face was etched with the deep lines of age. But his eyes — his eyes were sharp, always searching, always calculating. They had never missed a detail, and they never missed Li Shen's growth.
"You're leaving, aren't you?" Elder Hua's voice broke the silence as Li Shen approached him.
Li Shen nodded, his expression unreadable.
"You've already changed," Elder Hua continued, his tone low, almost sorrowful. "The moment the lotus awakened inside you… I knew this day would come."
Li Shen didn't respond. There was nothing to say. The path ahead was clear.
"The Skyward Mountains…" Elder Hua said, his voice trailing off as if the words themselves were heavy. "Many have sought them, but none have returned. The Immortal Sect is not a place for mortals. The dangers are beyond what you can imagine."
Li Shen met the elder's gaze, and for the first time, a flicker of something — perhaps curiosity, perhaps defiance — flashed in his eyes.
"I know," he replied quietly.
Elder Hua sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Then take care of yourself, Li Shen. Don't lose yourself in the power you now possess. Even the lotus, beautiful as it is, can bring destruction if wielded carelessly."
Li Shen said nothing. He turned and walked away, leaving the elder standing in the square, his heart heavy with a mixture of pride and fear.
---
The journey to the Skyward Mountains took several days. Li Shen traveled alone, carrying only a small pack with supplies. As he ascended the rocky paths, the landscape became more desolate, the air thinner, and the trees scarcer. The path wound higher and higher into the mountains, where the cold began to bite at his skin, and the wind howled like a restless spirit.
At night, Li Shen camped alone under the stars, the Lotus within him always a quiet presence, its pulse a steady rhythm in the silence. The deeper he traveled, the stronger the pull became, as if the Lotus was guiding him, urging him to move faster, to reach the summit.
It wasn't until the fourth day that he encountered something that made him pause.
He had been walking along a narrow cliffside when he saw a figure in the distance, standing alone on a rocky outcrop. The person was cloaked in silver robes, their back turned to him, as if they were waiting for something — or someone.
Li Shen felt the familiar tug of karma around the figure, a thread of power that was different from any he had encountered before. It was bright and pure, but it was also filled with an underlying darkness, as if the person was bound by something beyond their control.
The figure turned slowly, as if sensing Li Shen's gaze. When their eyes met, Li Shen felt a surge of recognition — though he couldn't say why. There was something familiar about them, something he couldn't place.
The figure smiled slightly, their lips curving into a knowing expression.
"You've finally arrived," the figure said, their voice soft but carrying the weight of an ancient truth. "I've been waiting for you, Li Shen."
Li Shen said nothing. He had learned long ago to remain silent, to let his actions speak louder than words.
"I am Xiao Ming, a cultivator," the figure continued. "And I've been following your progress for some time."
Li Shen's expression didn't change, but his mind raced. Following him? How could anyone have been following him? And why?
Xiao Ming's smile faded, and their eyes hardened. "You have awakened the Black Lotus, haven't you?"
Li Shen nodded slowly.
"The lotus is not something to be taken lightly," Xiao Ming said. "It is an ancient artifact, created by the first Immortal Sect. It is a symbol of both great power and great danger. It binds you to fate in ways you don't yet understand."
Li Shen felt the weight of those words settle heavily in his chest. He had known the lotus was dangerous, but hearing someone else acknowledge it only heightened his awareness of the peril he faced.
"Why are you here?" Li Shen asked, his voice as quiet as the wind.
Xiao Ming's eyes glinted with something darker. "To stop you."
Li Shen didn't flinch. "Stop me from what?"
"From reaching the Immortal Sect," Xiao Ming replied, their tone resolute. "The lotus is not meant for someone like you. You are not ready for the power it offers. And you certainly are not ready for what lies at the summit of these mountains."
Li Shen's gaze remained unwavering. "I don't need your protection."
Xiao Ming's smile returned, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Then you will understand the consequences soon enough."
Before Li Shen could respond, Xiao Ming turned and began walking away, their cloak billowing behind them. "We will meet again, Li Shen. When the time is right."
Li Shen watched them disappear into the distance, the figure's presence lingering in the air like a shadow that refused to fade. He could feel the pull of fate, of the lotus, urging him forward.
He didn't know who Xiao Ming was, or what their intentions were, but one thing was clear: they were not the only ones who were watching him.
And whatever trials awaited him at the summit, he would face them alone.
---
The next morning, Li Shen reached the base of the Skyward Mountains, where the path to the Immortal Sect was said to begin. The air was thin here, and the rocks were jagged, but there was something else — a presence. It was as if the mountains themselves were alive, watching him, judging him.
He took a deep breath, drawing in the crisp, cold air. The Lotus inside him pulsed in response, its power resonating with the very stones beneath his feet.
And then, as he took his first step toward the summit, a strange silence fell over everything
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