The cursed fate

Feng Mian's POV

"You should not have been born in the first place, you're a devil" 

The words slither through the air like a serpent, cold and venomous. It kept ringing in my ears. 

I forced myself to keep walking as I tightened my grip on the woven basket in my hands. The morning mist was all over the place and my feet felt as if it sank slightly into the damp soil. 

Qinghe Village is beautiful in the early hours, in fact it's too beautiful for a place filled with such fear and such hatred. 

Wooden and mud houses with curved rooftops sit beautifully between the high mountains that appear jade colored. Red coloured lanterns hung on bamboos and they swayed gently in the wind 

A river, just beside the mountains, was glistening with the remains of last night's rain, wind through the village like a golden ribbon, the fragrance of wild ginseng filled the cool breeze, someone must be preparing some herbal medication 

But its beauty means nothing at all when everyone here despises me. 

As soon as I pass the first row of houses the whispers started again 

"Her hair… silver like the demons of old."

"And those eyes… blood red. An omen of death."

I lowered my gaze in shame, allowing my long bangs to cover my eyes. It doesn't matter what I do or say, they'll alway see me as nothing but a cursed being. 

I was born under the Blood Moon. The moment my mother brought me into this world, the heavens wept with heavy storms and the sky burned crimson, to the villagers it was nothing but a sign, an ill fated prophecy carved into my very existence. 

Demon child. Monster. Curse.

I've heard it all.

Reaching my home, a small wooden hut at the edge of the village, i opened the wooden door, the familiar scent of dried lavender and ginseng washed over me, the herbs which my mother once hung from the ceiling still remain with their brittle stems swaying away slightly in the draft. Traces of her warmth still filled the space she left behind even after all these years. 

I set down my basket, exhaling slowly.

Then i heard a scream that pierced the air around me 

My body moves before I can even think properly. 

I rushed outside just in time to see a small boy stumbling at the edge of the riverbank.

His tiny fingers were clawing at the wet soil before he slips 

A splash.

The current swallows him whole.

The villagers stand frozen.

The recent rains made the river swollen, it's waters was splashing hardly against the jagged rocks, it'll definitely kill the boy before anyone even thinks to move 

I did not hesitate, i ignored all the gasps around me and jumped off towards the water 

"Feng Mian, stop!" 

Xiao Lian's voice rings out, one of the few villagers who doesn't look at me with complete hatred.

But I ignored her at that moment. Once my feet leave the ground, time slows.

I jumped into the river, the impact was like ice piercing through my skin. 

The current was surging against me, dragging me down, but I fought my way through it, breathing very fast as I broke the surface.

There… just ahead!

The boy flails, his terrified eyes barely visible above the waves.

"Hold on!"

 I shouted, forcing my limbs to move faster. My muscles burn, my breath comes in short, desperate bursts, but I refuse to let him drown.

I reached him and wrapped an arm around his small body, I pushed upwards and at the same time kicked so hard to keep us both afloat. 

The river resists,It wants to pull us under.

I gritted my teeth and forced my way toward the shore.

Then,a hand reached down.

Someone grabbed the boy, hauling him to safety. 

Relief washes over me, then suddenly something cold wrapped around my ankle.

My breath hitches.

An unseen force, powerful, unrelenting.

Panic surges through me as I'm yanked the world tilting as darkness swallowed me whole

I wake to the sound of hushed voices.

My whole body was aching and my clothes were all soaked, sticking to my skin and making me feel a bit uncomfortable . The scent of damp earth fills my lungs.

Slowly, I blinked, my vision adjusted to the glowing red lanterns that were hanging on the bamboo which cast long shadows across the village square.

 A group of elders stood a few feet away from me and their backs turned to me.

"We should have let her drown."

"She is a bad omen."

"She should never have been born under the Blood Moon."

My fingers dig into the damp ground.

I saved a life. And yet, they still look at me as if I'm a curse.

Pushing myself up, I forced my trembling legs to hold my weight. Just as I turn to leave, a voice very sharp and commanding, cuts through the night.

"What is happening here?"

The crowd parts instantly.

A man was standing at the edge of the square, his white robes nearly glowing under the lantern light. Golden embroidery swirls across the silk, A sword rests against his back with its jade hilt glinting.

A Jinghua Sect disciple obviously 

I inhaled sharply.

Everyone in Tianyi knows of the Jinghua Sect, the most powerful sect under the heavens. Warriors who wield celestial energy, sworn to maintain the balance between mortals and gods.

His sharp gaze sweeps over the villagers before landing on me.

"Who is this girl?"

The village elder steps forward hesitantly.

"She is the cursed child," he said in a cold voice "Born under the Blood Moon. Demon blood runs in her veins."

I stiffened. 

The disciple studied me for a long moment. Then, he speaks words that make every villager freeze.

"The Jinghua Sect Leader has announced a disciple selection. Any young one with potential may apply."

Shock ripples through the crowd.

The sect chooses new disciples only once every few years. To be accepted means a path to power, honor… even immortality.

But they don't want me to go.

"Not her!" an old woman cries. "She is dangerous!"

The disciple remains unfazed.

"It is not your decision," he says coolly before turning to me. "Do you wish to enter?"

My breath stopped for a moment 

This is my chance.

A chance to leave behind the whispers, the hatred. A chance to carve my own fate.

But before I can answer, the village chief steps forward.

"No," he says firmly. "She cannot go."

Something inside me snaps.

For years, I have swallowed their hatred. I have endured their scorn.

But not this time.

Lifting my chin, I stepped forward, my voice steady.

"I will enter."

Silence.

Then, a murmur of disbelief filled the air 

The disciple regards me for a long moment before nodding.

 "Then prepare yourself. The trials will not be easy."

With that, he turned and left , his white robes billowing behind him.

The villagers stand frozen.

I clenched my fists.

This is only the beginning.

Jinghua Sect.

I took a deep breath in as I stepped forward through the massive gates.

The sect stands high above the clouds, its pavilions are floating and it glows in the golden sunlight. 

Towering waterfalls cascaded from the tall jade cliffs and the waters were showering with spiritual energy. Golden dragons, massive ones, coil around the stone pillars, with their carved eyes gleaming as if they were alive, the air around vibrates with power and it feels chilly. 

Hundreds of candidates stood in the courtyard, their faces tense with anticipation.I could feel their stares.

The girl with red eyes. The outcast.

Let them stare, I didn't care. 

High above, in the grand hall, Sect Leader Yang Zhaoxuan sits on his throne.

His gaze sweeps over the candidates until it lands on me.

For a fleeting moment, I felt something in his expression 

Recognition. Unease.

He does not know why.

But he knows one thing.

I will change everything.