The Crystal Pond

"What are you offering?"

"First get away from the edge." Right at that moment is when Peng Deng Realized that he could easily slip and die. He felt less alarmed about the masked person. You could call him stupid but he felt like he could trust this stranger. Maybe it's because he never had anyone to rely on.

He walked away from the edge and closer to the masked man because of the dark night he wasn't able to see the girl's eyes. He knew she was a girl from her voice, well at least he thought she was a girl.

"Before I tell you my offer you must give your loyalty."

"Okay, you have my loyalty." Peng Deng didn't think much about her statement. He was inexperienced in this asset.

"I mean spiritually give me your loyalty."

Peng Deng was once again startled. "Are…are you the devil? Are you asking for my souls?"

Li Jiao Lei was left speechless. She seemed to have forgotten that he was just an orphan.

"I don't want your soul I want your loyalty. So will you give me your loyalty?"

"I…I need to think about it."

"If I didn't intervene you would have been died by now and you would have nothing to think about."

"Okay then, yes, I'll give you my loyalty but how?"

Li Jiao Lei reached for him and he flinched back. Why is he so scared?

"I won't hurt you." For some reason, Li Jiao Lei sounded like she as talking to a scared puppy.

"Okay." Peng Deng stood still and looked at Li Jiao Lei's approaching hands.

He could help but notice her jade-like skin and how small her hands were. They looked so cute!

Li Jiao Lei's fingers came in contact with the muscle and skin over his heart. And just like that Peng Deng felt like something bloomed within him.

He was a poor boy who had never thought of cultivating, because of this his spiritual root was not opened. Li Jiao Lei was able to see the shine under the rust and helped him open his spiritual root. Just from the simple contact, she knew she made the right decision.

"Now kneel, fold your right hand into a fist then hit your chest and vow your loyalty."

Peng Deng did as Li Jiao Lei said and felt nothing.

Nothing?

He felt nothing but Li Jiao Lei could feel his broken-heart break even more by the second but it was just for a second.

"Follow me."

..

A bright river drifted unceasingly from the mountains. Clouds of mist soared into the sky. The sound of slow-moving water was in the air.

The thick mist looked so enchantingly. The stream started at the top of a mountain peak were a cristal pond was.

Li Jiao Lei and Peng Deng were at the bottom of the valley. The top part of the mountain was blanketed with clouds. Peng Deng looked up then swallowed. Before I reach there I will have died? Is this woman blind? Can't she see how malnourished I am?

Even though he gave her his loyalty, Li Jiao Lei needed to get his trust. The moment Li Jiao Lei said that she wanted his loyalty Peng Deng thought that she wanted him to do her dirty work for her.

Li Jiao Lei started walking but Peng Deng didn't follow he was to busy regretting his decision.

"I said follow along." Li Jiao Lei sounded irritated and angry but she wasn't she just needed to put on that tone so he could follow along. If Li Jiao Lei gave him the opportunity to complain he couldn't take her seriously.

Peng Deng shivered. Why was this miss so scary?

Peng Deng swallowed back his complaints and followed Li Jiao Lei.

…

5 hours later

Peng Deng was panting while lying on the soft and comfortable grass. He glanced up at the girl he chose to follow. He couldn't even hear her breath. During the expedition up the mountain, he kept screaming and panting about how she should have slowed down but his screaming only made her walk faster.

Li Jiao Lei felt like canning him, how could he be this unfit but all of that was going to change.

Li Jiao Lei came to this mountain because of the crystal pond, she wanted it.

She wanted to recruit people with zero talent. Yes, zero talent but even without talent one can gain skills and become better than the most talented person.

In short, she didn't want talent, she wanted skillful individuals.

Peng Deng had fallen asleep on the soft grass when Li Jiao Lei spoke.

"Get up and come to the pond." Her voice was soft yet frosty and firm.

Peng Deng felt like crying. This grass was the softest thing Peng Deng had ever rested on.

Li Jiao Lei saw his behaviour and decided on showing hi the truth. The truth might have been tough but at least his stupidity would be cleared out. Peng Deng stood up and walked to Li Jiao Lei's side.

"Sit next to the river and look into the water until I come back."

What kind of request is this?

"Okay." Peng Deng had a horrid impression of Li Jiao Lei thus didn't use any formalities.

Peng Deng Looked into the water for some time before he sat down and concentrated on the water. The pond was made out of crystal thus making one's reflection more vivid. Peng Deng didn't identify whether he was presumed to observe the reflection or what was inside the water.

As he heard Li Jiao Lei's footsteps getting lighter her stopped looking at the water instead he went back to the soft grass and slept on it.

What a stupid girl? Does she take me for a fool?

Peng Deng smirked at his thoughts, he then floated to the world of dreams.

His Dream:

"Pe-Peng Deng, t-take care of your sib-siblings …*S-sob Sob*… Your f-father and I won't be able to… to… to be with the six of you…*Sob Sob*" His mother's tired voice flowed into his ears.

"Peng D-Deng take care of your si-ster well. You k-k-know how she is. We l-love the six of… of you." Peng Deng's father's voice cracked as he spoke, he sounded so overwhelmed,

Peng Deng saw himself but as a small crying boy.

Once in his life, he wasn't poor. There was a time when he was a young master. They were once called the great Peng family but something happened.