3

Xiao Lin's Journey of Revenge

A heavy rain fell over the Bamboo Village as Xiao Lin rushed home, his heart racing with dread. He had just left the temple, hoping for a quiet day, but fate had other plans. As he pushed open the door, an unbearable sight greeted him—his beloved wife, Sakura, lay sprawled on the floor, a dark stain spreading across her abdomen.

"Xiao Lin!" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. "Please, don't leave me…"

Panic surged within him as he knelt beside her, cradling her frail body. "What happened? Why is there a wound in your stomach? Please don't leave me!"

Xiao Lin's mind raced as he contemplated carrying her to the village doctor. But as he attempted to lift her, a cry of pain escaped her lips, tearing at his heart.

"I… I can't survive this, my love. I have to tell you something before it's too late," she managed, tears mingling with the rainwater pooling around them.

"No! You will not die!" Xiao Lin pleaded, his voice breaking. "I will save you somehow. I promise!"

With a pained smile, Sakura continued, "I am the daughter of the sect master of the White Blossoms Sect. Born with a physique unfit for martial arts, I never trained. My sect was slaughtered by the order of the imperial family, and I barely escaped with my life. I fell in love with you the moment we met. But now… they've found me, and they sent assassins to kill me. I'm so sorry, my dear. I couldn't keep my promise of living with you until the end. I love you, Xiao Lin."

As her voice faded, life slipped away from her. Xiao Lin's heart shattered, and the world around him dissolved into a blur of sorrow. He felt his own tears mixing with the rain as he dug a grave near the house, a desperate act to honor her memory. He wrapped Sakura's body in a white cloth he had kept for her—a gift he had hoped to give her one day.

"Forgive me, my love," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. He placed her in the ground, feeling the weight of despair settle over him like the storm clouds above. The white cloth began to darken, soaked by the rain and his tears, as if heaven itself mourned the tragedy that had befallen him.

When he finally covered her grave, the storm roared around him, thunder echoing his pain. Xiao Lin fell to his knees, his cries lost in the tempest, each sob a tribute to the love he had lost.

Just then, a group of figures emerged from the rain. The leader stepped forward, smirking as he surveyed the scene. "So, you are here. We've been looking for you, husband of the woman we killed. How dare you take care of someone the imperial family declared dead? Just like your wife and child, this will be your last day on earth."

"Why?" Xiao Lin's voice trembled with fury and grief. "Why did you kill my wife?"

The leader laughed coldly. "It was easy. She begged for her life as I drove my sword into her abdomen. Such a pathetic sight—she was never lucky."

The familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind: Host, do you wish to sign in now?

"Sign-in," Xiao Lin growled, the rage boiling inside him.

Sign-in reward: 1,000 years of swordsmanship experience.

As the leader kicked him, Xiao Lin rolled onto the muddy ground, blood trickling from his mouth and wounds. The world blurred around him, pain throbbing through his body.

Host, do you accept the reward?

"Accept it," he gasped, feeling the surge of energy course through him. The physical pain was nothing compared to the agony of losing Sakura. A fury ignited within him, consuming his sorrow and replacing it with a burning desire for vengeance.

Xiao Lin stood, fueled by hatred. He picked up a nearby stick and pointed it at the assassins, his eyes ablaze with fury. "Come!"

Enraged, they charged at him, but he moved with a newfound grace, gliding through them like a shadow. The assassins froze in place, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness under the weight of his wrath. Not a drop of blood marred the stick in his hand; it turned to ash, consumed by his hatred.

With tears streaming down his face, he knelt before Sakura's grave, the pain of loss gnawing at his heart. For a month, he remained there, surrounded by the stillness of the tomb, mourning the life stolen from him.

Villagers who came to search for him were horrified by the remnants of the assassins strewn about. They understood the tragedy that had unfolded and burned the bodies, leaving Xiao Lin to grieve in solitude.

One day, when he finally spoke, it was a quiet vow. "I am going on a journey to wash away my guilt and hatred."

Determined, Xiao Lin set out for the capital of Meng, seeking to avenge his beloved and cleanse himself of the darkness that threatened to consume him.

He returned to his home, bathing to cleanse himself before leaving, honoring Sakura's wish for him to always remain clean. He carefully preserved her belongings in a box, ensuring her memory would remain alive. Closing the door behind him, he made his way to the mountain temple to offer his final prayer.

Upon entering, the head monk looked up, concern etched on his face. "We have not seen you for some time, Xiao Lin."

"I've come to find answers," Xiao Lin replied, kneeling before the golden statue of the mountain god. He remained in prayer for an hour, seeking guidance and clarity.

The head monk approached him as he stood. "You have chosen your path. Remember, do not let anger control you; you must control it."

The head monk then presented him with a katana. "This was gifted to me by a traveler. It belongs in the hands of someone who understands its weight."

"Thank you for this sword," Xiao Lin said, gripping the hilt firmly.

"May luck follow you on your journey," the monk wished, and Xiao Lin nodded, a newfound resolve coursing through him.

Before leaving the temple, he signed in once more. Host has obtained the skill: Unchangeable and Determined Heart. This allows the host to remain steadfast in their goals, no matter the circumstances.

With his heart set on vengeance, he began his journey towards the capital of Meng, where the imperial family awaited. He would confront the forces that had ripped his happiness away, determined to make them feel the pain of loss.

As he walked away from his village, the sun rose on the horizon, casting a shadow over the slain assassins left in his wake. The dawn bore witness to his transformation from a grieving husband to a vengeful warrior, a man driven by the need to cleanse his soul through blood. Heaven wept for his loss, yet it also marked the beginning of a reckoning.

Xiao Lin knew this journey would not be easy, but he would forge ahead, wielding his katana and a heart filled with unquenchable rage. He would make the world remember the name of the man they had wronged, and he would bring justice for Sakura, no matter the cost.