The Beginning

"OH NO!!! ... he's ... he's here ... we're all doomed... "

On a pleasant morning, in a flourishing city named Rising Sun, a loud voice resounded through the entire city, making every citizen panic...

"What happened Great Elder! ... who's here?"

Several people rushed inside a room, carved deep inside a mountain that was the center of the city.

"He's ... He's here... The Calamity Cultivator [1] is here ..."

Upon hearing this, All the people inside the room trembled and their faces drained of color...

"It's the end ... The prophecy is true ... I hope we can nurture her as quickly as possible..."

One of the people in the room said after recovering from his shock. He was received with several nods from others...

-=== 15 Years Later ===-

"I'm sorry Lu Xiu but this is all I can give you for today."

"It's okay mum it's more than enough for me."

Lu Xiu, a youth of 15 years, lived in a small tribe, known as Lu Tribe, which was located in a nice and tranquil place, amidst the vast mountains and lush forests far from most country ...

The tribe used to enjoy peace and harmony, but unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The tribe was invaded by bandits who enslaved everyone. The bandits found the tribe while pursuing some travellers into a forest. They were powerful as they were cultivators.

....

Humans are very adaptable creatures. At times of severe needs, humans will evolve accordingly to survive those harsh times, the same thing happened 10,000 years ago. Humans were very weak back then but living in that environment where they were always hunted by the strong, changes were bound to happen. They figured out the source of power of other races that resided in the world. This is how cultivation was invented.

The cultivational world is divided into 9 realms and each realm has 3 stages, early, middle and last stages respectively. To enter the cultivation world one must sense the energy of heaven and earth at an early age. Normally one will start sensing the energy when they are 5 years old or at most when they turn 7, later it'll be impossible to sense the energy once someome passed the age of 8...

...

There were not many cultivators in the tribe and those that were, were only at the early stages of the Stone Realm while the bandits were at the middle and last stage. Thus, they did not pose a threat to the bandits. Now the tribe had to give them a share of their resources or they start taking girls and killing the people of the tribe.

-=======-

"phew! It's getting harder and harder every day ... Hey brother Xiu you're here! Your little brother is getting sick of working alone with no one to talk to."

"haha. Don't stress it Chen, who told you to leave an hour earlier than usual."

"I was bored sitting in house.."

Lu Chen is Lu Xiu's best friend and like a younger brother to him. Lu Chen and is an orphan who has been living with Lu Xiu after his parents were killed.

"come on you guys, you're always nagging hurry up with the work ... you boys are so lazy."

"yes sis Yi, I'm doing it I'm doing it."

"haha. somethings never change... Yi'er don't you get bored of always complaining."

"humph, who wants to talk to you."

Lu Yi and Lu Xiu were of the same age and had been together since they were kids. Their friendship was something that anyone with observant eyes will know, was that of more-than-just-friends. Lu Yi was a very kind hearted person but she rarely showed that side to anyone. only Lu Xiu knew how kind hearted of a person she was.

"Come on let's get this over with. The faster we work the earlier we can finish."

"Yeah ..."

clop~ clop~ clop~.

Sound of hooves could be heard in a distance..

"Why have they come.."

"Why are they here."

Lu Chen and Lu Xiu both spoke almost at the same time and Lu Yi frowned. normally they come once a week but it hasn't even been 3 days since they last came but they have arrived here.

....

"All right hand everything over. you guys have been slacking lately so we decided that we'll reduce your aloted time... HURRY IT UP!! we ain't got all day."

A burly man wearing an animal skin robe shouted as he dismounted his horse. Everyone was frightened by his words. Mind you, even in a whole week they barely satisfied their requirements and due to them killing some tribes men now and then, the man power was significantly reduced such that even children had come out to work. Now that they had reduced the time, followed by the lack of man power, everyone was frightened that their life was now hung on a really thin piece of thread.

A glint of coldness flashed through Lu Xiu's eyes as he heard the burly man speak. This also happened at the time of his father which ended in the loss of his life.

"Please don't do this to us. we can barely hang on with a weeks time, if you reduce it we won't be able to..."

"SILENCE~"

"I don't care what you do I just want the resources in front of me now.."

An elder of the tribe spoke to the man in order to change the latter's mind but before he could finish speaking he was silenced by and angry roar from that man.

without any other choice they gave him everything they had including their personal savings to make up for the requirements.

"Nice Nice... I like it when people co-operate with each other. But it still seems a little less."

The burly man suddenly pointed towards Lu Yi and said with a weird look in his eyes...

"hmmmm, how about to compensate, I take that girl with me."

Hearing this Lu Yi's complexion paled, while suppressing his rage, Lu Xiu spoke with clenched teeth.

"You wouldn't dare!"

Lu Xiu knew he was no match for these bandits in terms of strength but he couldn't just keep quiet when he heard him say something like this about the person he loved.

"A puny Insect dares to speak up... hahaha looks like someone's gonna die."

A short man besides the burly man spoke with disdain in his eyes.

The burly man looked at Lu Xiu with a little interest and then said..

"hmm, looks like someone has some guts to refute me.. killing him won't bring anything ... kill his mother, maybe then he will learn some manners."

[1] ...by this type of 'cultivation' we mean a Taoist (search it on web if you want to know more about Taoism) concept by which humans can extend their lifespan through practicing a set of martial and mystical arts involving meditation and the cultivation of Qi. In many novels, the ultimate goal of cultivation is to become an immortal or attain godhood. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Cultivation world.)