Sorrow Of The Wind

"Augh!" Inside a luxurious room, overflowing with costly and opulent decorations, Wudi Egun retched, his body convulsing as he expelled the contents of his stomach.

His fingers, trembling slightly, were thrust into his mouth, desperately trying to dislodge any remaining traces of the human flesh he had consumed.

His mask was slightly askew, revealing the lower part of his face as he vomited again and again.

Nausea washed over him in waves, his head spun, and his internal organs churned.

"Huff, huff," he gasped, his breath coming in ragged, shallow bursts.

The bucket he was using as a receptacle was already half-full.

"Damn," he cursed, his voice weak and strained. He felt a wave of self-disgust, a sickening realization of his own weakness.

His master had been right. He didn't possess the stomach, the resolve, the monstrous nature required to rule over the world.

After the violent purging, his small body, exhausted and spent, finally gave way. He collapsed onto the floor, his body limp and drained.

"I should...sleep for a while," he murmured, his eyelids growing heavy. A strange sense of calm settled over him despite the ordeal.

And then, he drifted into unconsciousness, his body falling still on the cold floor.

**********

The next day, Wudi Egun prepared to visit the Alchemy Field, eager to fulfill his promise to Wudi Meimei. He wouldn't break a promise to the little girl, not after everything.

He donned his black outfit, adorned with a simple yet elegant embroidered pattern. His faceless mask in place, he set off for the Alchemy Field.

The early morning was vibrant with life. Birds chirped merrily, their songs filling the air, and early risers strolled about, embracing the fresh start to the day.

A playful breeze teased him, gently brushing against his cheek.

The morning hue was cool yet invigorating, a refreshing contrast to the warmth that would soon follow.

Upon arriving at the Alchemy Field, Wudi Egun headed straight for the canteen to have his breakfast.

The canteen was relatively empty at this early hour, only a few patrons scattered around, enjoying their morning meals.

"Excuse me," Wudi Egun said as he approached the counter. "I'd like my usual." He then found a vacant table and sat down, waiting for his order.

Lu Jiang, the canteen lady, smiled warmly and nodded. While Wudi Egun waited, she prepared his regular breakfast: bread, milk tea, and an omelet.

"Here's your breakfast," Lu Jiang said, placing the meal on the table with a cheerful smile.

"Thank you, Lady Lu," Wudi Egun replied, a smile gracing his lips, though it remained hidden behind his mask.

"By the way, Fifth Young Master," Lu Jiang began, watching Wudi Egun as he ate. "Have you heard about the incident last night involving that little girl, Wudi Meimei?"

"What incident?" Wudi Egun asked, his curiosity piqued as he chewed on his omelet and bread.

"You don't know?" Lu Jiang blinked, surprised that he was unaware of the events of the previous night.

It wasn't his fault he was in the dark; he had been preoccupied with his own unsettling experience.

"That little girl was such a lovely child," Lu Jiang continued, a wistful smile gracing her lips. "Full of energy and laughter whenever I saw her." Her smile faded, replaced by a look of sorrow. Her voice grew softer, tinged with sadness.

"What happened to her?" Wudi Egun asked, his appetite suddenly gone. He sensed the shift in her emotions, a premonition of something terrible.

"Unfortunately, the poor child died too young," Lu Jiang said, her voice heavy with grief. "If only she hadn't had an uncle like that bastard, she might have lived a longer life."

"What happened to her?" Wudi Egun pressed, a dark premonition settling in his stomach. His body began to radiate a chilling aura, a sense of decay that seemed to infect the very air around him.

Sensing the sudden change in Wudi Egun's demeanor, Lu Jiang was startled. She felt a sense of dread, as if death itself loomed over her. She hesitated, fearing that if she spoke carelessly, she might invite a terrible fate.

"Alright," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'll tell you."

"Last night," she began, "the family guards found the little girl's body at her uncle's house."

"...." Wudi Egun remained silent, his expression unchanged. He calmly took another bite of his bread and omelet.

"The girl's body was… was found in seven pieces," Lu Jiang stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Her arms, legs, head… everything was separated. Her internal organs were… torn apart, as if some wild beast had… gouged them out." The gruesome details sent a shiver down her spine.

"When the Family Police investigated," she continued, "they uncovered a horrifying truth."

"What did they find?" Wudi Egun asked, his voice calm, yet the aura around him crackled with a dangerous energy.

Lu Jiang hesitated, observing Wudi Egun. He seemed calm, yet his presence radiated a terrifying power, like a god of death. She wasn't sure what to make of it.

"They… they found that she had been sent by her father to her uncle's house… to invite him for dinner," she stammered, a bead of cold sweat trickling down her neck. "But… her uncle was drunk that night… completely intoxicated."

"It seems that, just prior to that night, her uncle had received a very potent Spiritual Wine from a friend," she continued, her voice filled with sorrow. "It… it completely clouded his judgment."

"Because of his drunken state," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion, "he… he raped his niece… again and again… brutally… like a beast."

"As you know," she went on, her voice trembling, "a Great Cultivation Warrior is thousands of times stronger than an average adult human… his stamina… was inhuman." The memory of the horrific details brought a fresh wave of grief.

"She was raped… again and again… more than fifty or sixty times," Lu Jiang sobbed. "And… and finally… his ruthless nature… was unleashed… in his drunken state… He… he cut her flesh into pieces… dozens of pieces… and… and threw them around his residence." 

She couldn't fathom such cruelty, such inhumanity.

"Since he was drunk," she sighed, "he… he wasn't thinking rationally." She paused, trying to compose herself. "Meanwhile… when Wudi Meimei didn't return home… her father… he went to look for her… and… and he found his daughter… not just dead… but… brutally butchered… by the beast… his own brother."

*Creak* The sound of cracking porcelain shattered the tense silence. Wudi Egun's hand, gripping his plate, had crushed it.

His anger, barely contained, was on the verge of exploding.

Wudi Egun completely lost his appetite. The joy he had felt moments before had died, replaced by a chilling emptiness.

He stood abruptly, his movements stiff and unnatural, and turned to leave. His eyes were lifeless, devoid of any emotion.

Watching him go, Lu Jiang felt a pang of sympathy. She knew how much Wudi Egun cared for the younger children, how he treated them not just as siblings but as his own. She couldn't imagine the agony he must be experiencing.

Wudi Egun went to the Alchemy Field and began watering the plants, trying desperately to act as if nothing had happened.

He struggled to push the horrifying details from his mind, doing his best to block out the images that haunted him.

But as he tended to the plants, memories of the little girl surfaced: her bright smile, her innocent chatter, the way she called his name.

She was more than just a sister; she was like a daughter to him. He had thought of himself as a father figure, a protector.

He went to the Cultivation Pavilion, hoping to find solace in meditation, to calm his raging heart. But the more he tried to find peace, the more his anger intensified.

"What am I supposed to do with this immense anger?" he wondered, the question echoing in his mind. He was lost, unsure of how to extinguish the fire that burned within him.

"Perhaps I should see my master," he decided, seeking guidance.

He made his way to the Bamboo Forest and found his master, as usual, cultivating amidst the towering bamboo stalks.

"Master," he called out, his voice choked with emotion. "Your disciple needs your guidance." He fell to his knees, his forehead touching the ground.

"Master, please, Master," he pleaded, his breath ragged, tears welling up in his eyes, though they refused to fall.

"This anger… this hatred… this immense rage… I feel it tearing me apart," he cried out, his voice filled with anguish. "I don't know what to do with this pain… this ache in my heart." He begged for an answer, a solution, a way to escape the torment.

His master, serene and composed, opened his eyes and looked at Wudi Egun.

"My disciple," he said gently, his voice calm and soothing. "I have no answer to your question." He shook his head slightly, his words honest and without pretense.

"Then what should I do, Master?" Wudi Egun asked, his voice strained, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity.

"What do you want to do right now?" his master countered.

"I… I want to kill the man who killed my child," Wudi Egun shouted, his voice raw with pain and fury.

His cry was a mixture of agony and sorrow, rage and hatred.

"Then kill him," his master replied calmly, his words unexpected, causing Wudi Egun to freeze, his eyes widening in surprise.

"My child," his master continued, his voice calm and measured, "the more you try to suppress your anger, your hatred, the pain you are suffering now, the more vicious these emotions will become."

"This vicious cycle of hatred," he explained, "will eventually lead to regret. And this regret, in turn, will torment you for the rest of your life."

"So, instead of allowing this torment to consume you," his master suggested, "why not simply eliminate the source of this future pain?" His master's composure was unwavering, as if nothing could ever disturb his inner peace.

"But… is it right for me to do that?" Wudi Egun asked, his heart heavy with doubt. He wasn't sure if he should follow his master's advice.

Taking a life was a simple act, yet it carried an immense weight of guilt.

Wudi Egun, though destined to become a killer, was not one yet. He was still a child, grappling with the complexities of morality and revenge.

"Do not let it trouble you too much," his master advised, his eyes closing slowly. "Calm your mind and think about it peacefully." He settled into a meditative posture, indicating that he would say no more.

Wudi Egun nodded, a silent acknowledgment, and stood. He turned and left the Bamboo Forest.

As Wudi Egun departed, his master half-opened his eyes, watching his disciple's retreating figure. He seemed to possess some hidden knowledge, something he chose not to share with Wudi Egun at that moment.

Wudi Egun, meanwhile, was trapped in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. His heart seethed with boiling anger and hatred, yet it also ached with a deep, gnawing pain.

***********

The Nine Heart Severing Prison lay deep beneath the mountain, a place of shadows and despair. The Wudi Family's Mountain Police, under the command of Wudi Long, were responsible for guarding the criminals imprisoned within its depths.

Wudi Long, a middle-aged man of tall stature and military bearing, was the Senior Police Officer in charge of the prison. A man of strength and discipline, he wore a long blue cloak and uniform, his appearance always neat and organized.

This morning, as he was having his breakfast, he noticed someone entering the station.

He saw a small child, clad in a black outfit and wearing a faceless black mask, walking in with calm, measured steps.

"Young Master Egun?" Wudi Long recognized the child immediately. He stopped eating and hurried over to him, greeting him respectfully.

"Senior Officer Long, on duty, greets Young Master Egun, the Saint Child of the family," he announced, straightening his back and offering a crisp salute.

Wudi Egun was not just a prodigy or a genius within the family; he was a Saint Child, a title that carried immense power, far surpassing that of a mere Senior Officer like Wudi Long.

A Saint Child, and even more so a God Child, held almost the same level of authority as the Family Leader. Such was the significance of their position within any clan or powerful organization.

Moreover, Wudi Egun was a disciple of an exalted master of the family.

Exalted masters were individuals who had surpassed even the leaders of the family in both strength and status. They were often ancestors or progenitors of the clan.

Given Wudi Egun's supreme status, he was a figure Wudi Long could never afford to offend. He could show deference, but never opposition.

"I want to see the prisoner who was arrested last night," Wudi Egun said calmly. Though his voice was steady, his heart was a tempest of conflicting emotions.

He wondered what the criminal was feeling. Was it grief? Regret? Repentance?

Or perhaps something more sinister… a sadistic pleasure that would fill him with twisted ecstasy?

Upon hearing Wudi Egun's request, Wudi Long didn't hesitate. He immediately led the young master toward the underground prison.

The prison consisted of five subterranean levels. The uppermost floor housed ordinary prisoners, while the deepest level held the most dangerous criminals.

Wudi Egun observed the numerous guards stationed every few meters, their presence a stark reminder of the prison's purpose.

He had heard that each guard on the first floor was a Cultivation Warrior, a formidable force. Escape from this prison was virtually impossible.

The prisoners on the first floor were merely Cultivation Apprentices, while their guards were Cultivation Warriors, a realm above them.

On the second floor, the guards were Great Cultivation Warriors, while the prisoners were Cultivation Warriors.

The third floor held hundreds of Great Cultivation Warriors, both as guards and prisoners.

The fourth and fifth floors were reserved for Cultivation Master level criminals, powerhouses who could lead entire clans or sects.

Unlike the other levels, these floors were protected by profound and powerful formations and seals, designed to suppress the prisoners' cultivation and render them helpless.

Wudi Long, sensing Wudi Egun's urgency, wasted no time and escorted him to the underground prison.

As they descended, Wudi Egun's senses were assaulted by the harsh realities of confinement. Guards, their faces grim and impassive, stood watch every few meters, their eyes scanning the rows of cells.

The air was thick with the stench of sweat, stale air, and despair. From behind the iron bars, a cacophony of sounds echoed: the desperate shouts of some prisoners, the muttered curses of others, the unsettling silence of those who had given up hope, and the occasional outburst of violence.

After a short, tense walk, they arrived at the cell where the man Wudi Egun sought was imprisoned.

Wudi Egun turned slowly, his heart a battleground of conflicting emotions.

When his gaze fell upon the man, all the anger, hatred, and pain that had been consuming him seemed to vanish, replaced by a strange sense of… emptiness.

He saw a middle-aged man, tall but gaunt, his body withered and weak. Though he was a cultivator, his energy seemed to have been completely drained.

His hair was gray and thin, his skin wrinkled and pale, his entire being on the verge of collapse.

His eyes, once filled with life, were now dull and lifeless, reflecting no emotion, no spark of hope.

This man was, in a way, even more pitiful than Wudi Egun himself.

"I… I didn't do anything to her," the man murmured, his voice barely audible. His eyes, bloodshot and filled with a profound sorrow, seemed to weep tears of blood.

"She… was my daughter," he continued, his voice barely a whisper, lost in a daze of grief. "How… can I… how could I… Ah!"

Suddenly, he clutched his head, his eyes widening in agony. A heart-wrenching scream tore from his throat, a sound that resonated with unbearable pain and suffering.

Wudi Egun, witnessing this scene of utter despair, found himself unable to act. He didn't know what to do.

The immense anger and hatred that had been burning within him now threatened to consume him from the inside out. If he didn't release this storm of emotions, it would surely destroy him.

He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and bit down on his lower lip, drawing blood. The fresh, metallic taste filled his mouth, a small, sharp pain cutting through the numbness.