Ch 2 - Awake

In a small, wooden building somewhere in the middle of town.

"Has he still not woken up?", a worried female voice could be heard from inside one of the rooms.

A boy lay motionless on a rattan bed with naught but a single blanket to cover himself.

"Sigh. We've already called the doctor to check on Xu Ming twice. There's no danger to his life, but we don't know when he'll wake up.", another female voice rang out.

A matured woman of ample age, with early signs of wrinkles and a kind, motherly disposition held his son's head in her arms as she sighed repeatedly to herself, muttering away.

"Sis Lu, there's no point. Xu'er will surely wake up soon, let him recover in peace for now.", spoke the other woman as she tried to pull the mother away.

But it was futile. Her grip wouldn't let loose, and she closed her eyes and chartered, "Oh, please, if you're listening, let my son recover from his coma soon. Take my life instead, please let him live."

Suddenly, there was a jerk as the boy on the bed moved.

"Oh! Ming'er moved!", cried the woman.

"Cough", the boy started with a jolt as he got up.

"Ming'er! Ming'er!", the mother frantically called out.

The woman held the mother back as she said, "Calm down, Shaoyue."

"Oh Ming'er.... you're awake?", the mother asked, holding back tears.

The boy stared motionless at the walls of the room, not responding at all, until he moved again with a start.

"Where is this place?", the boy gasped as he got up from the bed.

"Oh Ming'er, you're home, you're at home.", the mother held her son's hands in hers and patted his head.

The boy did not reply, but instead stared at his small arms, his tiny body and his legs. These appendages did not belong to him. Just shortly before, he had experienced the vilest torture from a sadistic god. And now, he was awake in someone else's body, perfectly fine. He still could not process this.

"Sister....Grandma....are you guys okay?", the boy thought.

The other woman went up to the boy and asked, "Are you alright, Ming'er? Do you need anything?"

Xu Ming hesitated for a second and asked, "I don't know where I am or who I am."

The woman looked at the mother, who simply shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that you're my son, my, Bai Shaoyue's son. And that you're fine now.", after which she went in to hug her son.

Xu Ming was actually shook and nodded at the woman calling herself his mother.

"Oh, make sure Ming'er is all right, Shaoyue. I'll bring some gruel and water for Ming'er.", the other woman said as she went out.

"Who's that lady?", Xu Ming asked.

"She's your aunt, Ming'er. You used to call her Aunt Shu. Don't you remember even a tiny bit?", Shaoyue asked with some hope in her eyes.

But Xu Ming merely shook his head.

"Oh, don't worry, everything's fine as long as you're alive. You can learn everything in due time."

Xu Ming didn't say anything, but nodded with a complicated look. He found all of this hard to comprehend, but he did not say anything.

--------------

"You're saying that Ming'er really doesn't recall the incident?", a deep male voice expressed with some shock.

"Yes, he doesn't remember anything at all

", said Shaoyue with a concerned look.

"Well, maybe that's better for his mental state. After all, the trauma from that incident could really break him if he remembered.", pondered the man aloud.

"I hate those damn nobles.", Shaoyue said through her gritted teeth.

The man panicked and said, "Calm down, Shaoyue. I also feel the same, but nothing good will come out of saying stuff like this. After all, you still have to take care of Ming'er."

Shaoyue didn't budge, and said, "Bai Long, I've had enough. First they pin false charges on my husband and execute him publicly, then they humiliate and torture my son as if they own the world. There's a limit to everything."

"Calm down, Shaoyue, I know your heart hurts, and mine does too. But there's nothing we can do.", said the man named Bai Long.

"Is there really nothing?", Shaoyue asked.

Bai Long hesitated for a second, before saying, "There might be a way. I saved the councillor of Tianming City once when I was younger, and he owes me a favour. If we can get Ming'er to him and ask him to accept him as a disciple, maybe Ming'er can seek revenge with his own hands."

Shaoyue's grim look loosened as she looked at Bai Long and said, "Can Ming'er survive the journey and the training?"

"Hmph. That's up to him. I don't even know if the councillor will accept Ming'er, but it shouldn't be difficult for Ming'er to get into a martial sect at the very least. As for the hardships he will face, they will make him tougher! If Ming'er cannot bear this small amount of pain, then he is not worthy of being my, Bai Long's nephew.", spoke Bai Long.

Hearing this, Shaoyue's eyes also became resolute.

"I will make the arrangements for the trip. You go and inform Ming'er to prepare too.", said Bai Long.

---

Xu Ming was in a daze yet again as he listened to his mother.

"...that's why, Xu Ming, you must head for Tianming City. Your uncle has already arranged for a travelling caravan to take you there. Once you reach the city, take this letter to the City hall and give it to the councillor. He'll make the arrangements for you."

Shaoyue's eyes loosened as she spoke, "You have to work hard, Xu Ming. Avenge your father and your past humiliation.", and she patted his head and went out of the room.

Xu Ming snapped out of his daze only a few seconds later, and thought to himself, "It seems like this world isn't the same as the old Earth I lived in. There are flying cultivators, gigantic beasts and magical places everywhere."

Xu Ming looked down at his clenched fists and vowed, "Maybe I can cultivate to the point of going back to Earth. It's not impossible. I have to work hard."

Xu Ming got up and looked for his Uncle, Bai Long, and asked him for some tips on cultivating. After all, his Uncle was a famous gold star mercenary in the area.

"Listen up, Ming'er. Cultivation is an act against the heavens, and you cannot stop halfway. You must dedicate your whole heart to it. Also, not everyone has the ability to cultivate. Only one in a hundred people have the right to bear Qi in their bodies. Even your Uncle here doesn't have that right.", Bai Long spoke.

"I don't have the tools required to check if you have a spirit root, and I don't have Qi, so I cannot tell. But even if you don't have Qi, you can still become a martial body cultivator! Don't look down on them! Lord Ping of the Titan Sect once cut a whole mountain in half with only his fists as a body cultivator. Don't look down on them.", spoke Bai Long with a stern look.

"There are multiple levels in the journey to Qi Cultivation and Body Cultivation. You'll learn more in the tutelage of Sir Councillor. Don't you dare to slack."

Xu Ming nodded as he said, "How strong do I have to be to take revenge for my father?"

Bai Long didn't reply this time.

"You might not ever get that chance, to be honest. But you have to work hard, still. Don't let down your father. If you have the talent of your father, it might be possible. After all, your father was once hailed as a rare genius across the Yan Empire.", Bai Long spoke after a short silence.

Xu Ming didn't say anything either. He was thinking of how long the journey back to Earth would be if he couldn't even deal with his enemies.

Bai Long's eyebrows finally relaxed as he said, "Well, you know best by now. Ming'er has never been dumb."

Bai Long stopped for a second and took out an old manual from under the bed.

"This is a silver tier martial art, the Heavenly Mountain Martial Art. Your uncle found it when he was roaming the Yan Empire when he was younger. Don't let anyone know that you're practicing it, and be careful of who you trust. Brothers often betray each other for the slightest bit of food. Trust me, your Uncle knows.", Bai Long said as he touched the scar that ran down his face.

Xu Ming nodded as he received the manual.

"Follow me! Your uncle will demonstrate the basics of this technique.", said Bai Long as he walked out of the room.

Xu Ming nodded and followed after Bai Long to the open training field in their backyard.

"Listen, Ming'er. The essence of martial arts lies in your technique, your concentration, and your dedication. Without one, you cannot have the other. Without all three, your martial arts will be mediocre at best. Observe me!"

Bai Long stepped into a horse stance, breathed out, and jumped two metres into the sky before slamming down his wooden spear onto a rock with a single hand.

Bang!

The huge rock crumbled into pieces.

"Hoo...", Bai Long breathed heavily.

Xu Ming's eyes opened wide.

"So this is what professionals are able to achieve in this world? Awesome!", Xu Ming thought.

"Have you seen?", Bai Long smiled.

"That's the third stance of the Heavenly Mountain Art - Rolling Boulder. I will teach you all the stances I know, but to practice them is up to you."

Xu Ming nodded.

Bai Long said in a stern voice, "Now, let's get started."

Bai Long taught Xu Ming all the stances he knew, and spent the next three days correcting his posture and training him in the Heavenly Mountain Art.

Xu Ming was exhausted every day, but did not complain a single time, which his Uncle Bai Long secretly nodded at.

The next day, Xu Ming's grabbed his luggage and his trainee Iron Spear that his uncle Bai Long gave him for protection and headed off to the docking station.

Shaoyue looked at Xu Ming with tears in her eyes and said, "Work hard, Ming'er! Don't let your father down. And do remember to write letters home every day! I love you."

Xu Ming paused for a second, smiled at her and left without saying a word. But one could slightly make out his trembling body as he made his way out of the small wooden doorway and lost himself into the dense crowd.