Chapter 10: The Burden of Conviction
A father gone, a mother who sought a new life, and a son cast out into the world under the guise of pursuing cultivation.
Though the four youths surrounding her were merely teenagers, they understood the weight of those words perfectly.
Chen Zhao was the first to break the silence.
"You haven't been on the road long, have you? Looking at you, you clearly aren't from a village. Which city do you call home? We'll take you back."
To him, this child was nothing more than a common mortal. If he had possessed the talent to cultivate, it would be one thing—but as it stood, he was merely marching toward an early grave.
If the mother truly didn't want the child, there were countless ways to abandon him, yet she had chosen to feed him these vague, hollow hopes. A mother like a pile of dung, and a son as dense as a rock, Chen Zhao thought. Is that the right title for this tragedy?
Yan Tangtang felt a twinge of guilt seeing how easily these youths believed her fabricated tale. However, the unspeakable truth of her reality was far more convoluted and grim; she had no choice. If she told them that Foundation Establishment cultivators would eventually be hunting her down, they would likely flee in terror to avoid being implicated.
So, Yan Tangtang met Chen Zhao's gaze directly, her voice ringing with resolve.
"I'm not going back! I truly wish to seek the path of cultivation for myself!"
All eyes turned toward her.
Mu Yanxing spoke up, her voice softened by a comforting tone. "But you haven't even begun to cultivate. It wouldn't be too late to seek this path later, once you've confirmed you actually can."
The words Mu Yanxing didn't have the heart to say were: What if you are someone who simply can't cultivate at all?
Understanding their unspoken concerns, Yan Tangtang maintained her solemn, tiny facade. "I know I can't cultivate right now, but I am certain I will be able to in the future!"
Chen Zhao and the others had no idea where this child's ironclad confidence came from, but they couldn't help but feel a flicker of respect for such raw courage.
They tried to persuade her a few more times, but Yan Tangtang's resolve was firmer than they had anticipated.
Eventually, they had no choice but to drop the subject.
Soon, the questions turned back toward the group.
Mu Yanxing explained that while they were born into ordinary families, they had each managed to initiate their own cultivation journeys. The four of them hadn't originally been acquaintances; they hailed from distant places but, being the only ones in their respective areas to manifest talent in this era, they had heard rumors of one another.
Once you decide to walk the path of cultivation, living among mortals becomes impossible. Mortal lands are sparse in spiritual energy (Qi) and lack the resources or opportunities necessary for growth. One must head toward the territories of cultivators.
After hearing news of other youths like himself who had initiated their own cultivation, Chen Zhao had begun gathering them. Why stumble through the darkness alone when they could join forces?
They had formed an alliance to reach the border city of the cultivation world, with Chen Zhao acting as their leader.
Yan Tangtang couldn't hide her shock when she learned that Mu Yanxing and the youth in red, Mu Yanchen, were siblings. Two cultivators appearing in a single ordinary family at the same time? What kind of immense karmic virtue had the Mu family accumulated?
The fourth member was a quiet, reserved youth named Su Min.
The group had been traveling for about three months, yet they still hadn't found the correct path to the border. Ultimately, they were self-taught cultivators without a master to guide them. Their knowledge of the border was based entirely on hearsay, and they had yet to encounter a single "real" cultivator outside of their own circle.
Yan Tangtang clung to the kind-hearted Mu Yanxing, plying her with questions about their journey.
While Mu Yanxing wasn't a peerless beauty, she possessed a serene, steady grace that mirrored her kind nature.
However, her youth was still evident; she was only fourteen. Chen Zhao and Su Min were fifteen, while Mu Yanchen was the youngest at ten. Despite his age, Yanchen was built sturdily enough to pass for the same age as the others.
They were truly just a pack of teenagers.
Regarding their progress, Chen Zhao was the only one who had reached the first stage of Qi Condensation. Mu Yanxing was close behind, while Mu Yanchen and Su Min were still in the preliminary stages. Regardless, all four were genuine cultivators.
Upon learning their ages, Yan Tangtang couldn't help but sigh inwardly. In her old world, children this age would still be playing games and clinging to their parents. In this world, they were already carving out their own destinies.
Eventually, Yan Tangtang drifted off. She hadn't expected to fall asleep mid-conversation with Mu Yanxing, but the day's exhaustion had finally claimed her.
Mu Yanxing looked down at the sleeping boy and sighed. "Seven years old is so young. He's three years younger than Xiao Chen. If I weren't here, I could never let Xiao Chen go off on his own like this."
Mu Yanchen, hearing this, grumbled in protest. "Sister, look at him! It's not just a three-year difference. Our height and build are completely different. Besides, I've already started my cultivation and can absorb Qi, alright?"
Mu Yanxing shook her head. "You're still just a child."
Just as Mu Yanchen was about to retort that they were only four years apart, Su Min, who was tending the fire, spoke up.
"But this kid has conviction. He's stubborn. If he actually manages to cultivate, he'll definitely make a name for himself."
Chen Zhao snorted, disagreeing. "Is the path of cultivation really that easy? If he keeps going like this, he's more likely to end up as beast fodder in the woods, or get scammed out of every cent and end up a beggar—or worse, run into bandits and get slaughtered."
"Chen-ge, your words are so cruel," Mu Yanxing murmured.
"I'm just speaking the truth," he countered.
Mu Yanxing knew he was right, but as an older sister herself, her heart ached for this "abandoned" boy. "Even so, it looks like he's going to keep moving forward..."
Chen Zhao raised an eyebrow at her tone.
"Are you saying you want to bring him along?"
Mu Yanxing wanted to say no, but when she searched her heart, she realized she truly did want to help. After a long silence, she whispered, "He's just a child. He won't cost much to look after. And look, Chen-ge, he must have a few gold leaves on him; he can handle his own food. We just need to let him travel with us."
She added, sensing she hadn't convinced him yet, "Maybe he'll even manifest his talent on the way to the border. Even if he doesn't, we can have him tested at the border city. Once he has a definitive answer, he'll likely go his own way."
Chen Zhao let out a mocking laugh.
"Miss Mu, you really are too kind. I've heard the path of cultivation is long and perilous. Are you sure you can survive with a heart like that? And besides..."
He paused. "What if you meet more people obsessed with cultivation like this brat? Can you take them all in?"
Mu Yanxing bit her lip. Su Min and Mu Yanchen remained silent—Su Min busied himself with the firewood while Yanchen looked down, counting his toes.
In this group, Chen Zhao was the leader and Mu Yanxing was the advisor. The other two were content to just follow.
If you want to bring him, bring him. If not, leave him. We won't say a word. Just decide so we can pretend we aren't even here.
Mu Yanxing understood Chen Zhao's point, but she didn't give up. She tried a softer approach.
"Chen-ge, we all know you have a good heart."
Chen Zhao huffed.
"I've always had a good heart. I just don't want to give him false hope."
The conversation lapsed into silence again. After a long while, Mu Yanxing asked softly, "So... can we take him?"
Chen Zhao looked at the persistent girl and felt helpless.
"Like you said, he's just a kid. What if he becomes a burden?"
Hearing his tone soften, Mu Yanxing brightened. "He won't! If... if he does, we'll leave him."
Finally, Chen Zhao gave in.
"Fine. But when we reach Ren City, try to talk him out of it one last time. If he changes his mind, we can help him settle there. But if he stays stubborn..." He sighed in exasperation.
"Then just bring him along."