Chapter 2- The Girl in the Storm
By the time Liu Qingxue fully settled into the orphanage, life slowly returned to its fragile sense of peace.
Su Xiaoyao's days became routine—waking early, eating simple meals, doing chores, helping villagers, training his body, and quietly gathering information about the outside world. Every action had purpose. Every day was preparation.
And wherever he went…
Liu Qingxue followed.
At first, it felt awkward. Then, gradually, it became normal.
She rarely spoke, yet her presence carried warmth. It wasn't blind worship or dependence—just genuine gratitude. In a cruel world, sometimes a single act of kindness was enough to earn unwavering loyalty.
The old caretaker often smiled whenever she saw them together.
"You two look like siblings."
Su Xiaoyao would only shrug in response.
Life remained simple. Peaceful.
That day—
The wind changed.
Clouds twisted unnaturally overhead. Thunder rumbled without rain. The air grew heavy, oppressive.
Something was wrong.
While the villagers treated it as an approaching storm, Su Xiaoyao paused mid-step, his gaze sharpening. Instinct whispered both danger and opportunity.
Normally, he stayed close to the orphanage when storms gathered.
But that day…
He didn't.
He slipped into the forest as the storm strengthened. The deeper he went, the quieter the world became. No insects. No birds.
Only silence.
The kind of silence where even nature seemed to retreat.
Then he saw her.
A girl lay unconscious near a massive boulder, half-covered by leaves and dirt. Her white robe was torn and stained with blood. Raindrops slid down her pale face as thunder rolled above.
She looked twelve or thirteen—old enough to carry elegance, young enough to retain innocence.
Long black hair like silk. Delicate features. Even injured and filthy, her beauty was unmistakable.
Her breathing was shallow. Her eyelashes trembled faintly.
And around her lingered a faint oppressive aura.
A cultivator, Su Xiaoyao concluded.
Not from this region. Her presence was refined, noble—carrying weight and identity. Someone with a powerful background.
He understood his choices clearly.
Leave, and preserve his quiet life.
Or approach, and step into the cultivation world.
He sighed softly.
He had always been rational, always calculating risks and benefits. But opportunities rarely waited for cowards.
He stepped forward.
Her heartbeat was weak. Her body cold. If left here, she would either die… or be torn apart by beasts drawn to her blood.
And honestly—
Leaving a beauty in the forest felt immoral. And insulting to cabbages.
He carried her carefully to a hidden cave veiled by hanging vines. Despite her terrifying aura, she was surprisingly light.
He lit a fire. Warmth spread as rain hammered the world outside.
Cultivators didn't die easily—but her pale face reminded him of his past life, lying helpless in a hospital bed.
His chest tightened.
"…Didn't I leave that behind?"
Apparently not completely.
He crushed herbs, brewed a weak medicinal soup, and fed her carefully before leaning against the cave wall.
Time passed slowly.
Thunder roared. Rain poured. Fire crackled softly.
Her breathing steadied. Warmth returned to her skin. Sweat beaded on her neck.
She would live.
He exhaled quietly.
"That's better."
Moments later—
Her eyes opened.
Blue. Clear. Cold.
Beautiful, like moonlight over a frozen lake.
Confusion flickered briefly, then wariness settled in. She assessed her surroundings calmly—trained, composed.
Her gaze finally fell on him.
A seven-year-old mortal boy sitting beside a fire, watching her without fear.
"You're awake," Su Xiaoyao said casually.
She tried to sit up—pain surged through her body.
"Don't move," he said calmly. "Your injuries are severe. If you enjoy pain, go ahead. Otherwise, stay still."
She stared at him, then slowly relaxed.
"…You saved me?"
He nodded.
"Why?"
"Do I need a reason to save someone?"
She fell silent.
He added lightly, "And besides… letting a beauty die is a waste of world resources."
Her lips twitched.
"…Aren't you afraid?" she asked. "I am a cultivator."
"If you wanted me dead, I'd already be dead," he shrugged. "So either you won't—or you can't. Either way, worrying is pointless."
Silence returned, broken only by rain and fire.
Eventually, her eyes softened.
"…Thank you."
He nodded. "Su Xiaoyao."
She repeated the name slowly.
"Free and unrestrained… fitting."
Then she said, "I am Gu Yuexin."
She retrieved a pill from her spatial ring, swallowed it, and closed her eyes to meditate.
Su Xiaoyao leaned back.
Rest when you can. Survive when you must.
The storm eventually faded. Sunlight pierced the forest canopy.
When he opened his eyes, Gu Yuexin's aura had stabilized—stronger than before.
Good.
He caught fish, roasted them, and returned.
A strange sight emerged—
A mortal child calmly eating beside a beautiful teenage cultivator radiating faint pressure.
Two beings from different worlds, sharing a single cave.
Eventually, she spoke.
"My family will notice I was gravely injured. They'll send someone to find me. It may take a month."
He nodded.
"Before I go," she continued softly, "we likely won't meet again. Say what you want. I don't like owing favors."
Straightforward.
"Tell me about the cultivation world."
She studied him for a long moment.
Then she explained everything—realms, foundations, cultivation, herbs, treasures, pills.
When she finished, she waved her hand.
A book landed on his lap.
"A high-level mortal cultivation technique. If your talent isn't trash… you can walk the path."
His fingers tightened.
"…Thank you."
She nodded.
"I'll return tomorrow," he said. "Staying out longer will worry them."
She didn't stop him.
When he returned, the caretaker and Liu Qingxue rushed over, relief clear in their eyes.
"I got caught in the rain and slept in a cave," he said calmly. "I'm fine."
They sighed.
Only Liu Qingxue pouted.
He stretched lazily. "I'm tired. I'll rest."
Inside his room, he sat cross-legged and opened the scripture.
Slow inhale.
Slow exhale.
Warmth flowed through his body.
Qi.
The meridians started cracking strengthening
When the first circulation completed, a faint smile formed.
"So… I've truly stepped onto the path of cultivation."
At that instant—
The world froze.
And something happened…
Something that truly surprised him.