SWORD OF FLAME

On a scorching afternoon at the edge of a forest, five twelve-year-old boys were seen lounging under a large, leafy tree.

One of them suddenly pointed toward another boy, about the same age as the five of them.

"Chong Li, look... there goes that loser!" he called out, his face beaming with excitement.

"Well, what a coincidence that he’s passing by here. He escaped yesterday, but this time, I’ll make sure he gets a beating from me!" said the largest boy in the group.

His name was Chong Li, the son of a wealthy merchant in the village. His martial arts talent was the highest among his peers, even surpassing those slightly older than him. For the past five years, his father had sent him to train at the Black Eagle Sect.

"Quick, block him from the front and the back! Make sure he’s caught, or you’ll be the ones I’ll beat up!" Chong Li ordered enthusiastically.

The four boys immediately ran to block the boy from both the front and the back, two on each side. Without resistance, the four of them easily captured the boy.

Chong Li puffed out his chest and approached them, "Hold him tight!"

Without hesitation, Chong Li swung his fist and landed a solid punch on the boy’s stomach, who was now completely defenseless.

Thud!

Crash!

"Tch, pathetic loser, Fang Yun! What’s the point of living if you have no talent at all? You’d be better off dead!" Chong Li spat out harshly, spitting in the face of the boy he called Fang Yun.

Mocking laughter erupted from the five boys as they ridiculed their playmate—or more precisely, their daily victim—who had just collapsed onto a pile of wood.

Fang Yun, the target of the group’s bullying, could only grimace in pain, clutching his aching waist and back. He had lost count of how many times he had been hurt by his tormentors. It happened so often that he no longer bothered to keep track.

There were times when he wanted to tell his parents about Chong Li and his gang’s mistreatment, but what could they do? His parents were just a poor couple with no influence and no martial arts skills.

He recalled one day when, after being bullied, he complained to his father. But the response was far from what he had hoped for. The father he wished would protect him turned out to be powerless.

"My son Fang Yun, all I can tell you is to be patient. We are poor and have no ability to fight back against them. If you want to stand up to them, you must become stronger—no matter what it takes."

Fang Yun lowered his head in silence upon hearing his father’s words. He knew his family’s life was far less fortunate than that of most others in the village. From that moment, he promised himself he would never complain to his parents again.

"I must become stronger!" he vowed in his heart.

Fang Yun stared intently at his father’s face. He saw a calm figure, one who bore responsibility for his family. Even though they lived in hardship, he never once saw his parents complain about their life. Smiles always adorned their faces, even though suffering could strike at any time.

"You two, lift him up!" Chong Li commanded.

Two of his companions—who by now were more like his lackeys—immediately grabbed Fang Yun’s arms and hoisted him up.

Thud!

Fang Yun remained silent as another punch repeatedly landed on his stomach. Even though he braced his abdomen and held his breath to minimize the pain, Chong Li’s punches still hurt terribly.

Thud! Thud!

Fang Yun collapsed to the ground as two punches struck directly at his solar plexus, making it hard for him to breathe. Without uttering a single cry, the poor boy clutched his aching chest.

"Hahaha… this is what happens when you have no martial arts talent. You’ll always be a loser!"

Hearing Chong Li’s mockery ignited Fang Yun’s anger. "I’m not a loser!" he whispered defiantly.

"A loser is always a loser. Even if you train for a hundred years, you’ll never be as strong as me!" Chong Li retorted arrogantly.

"Let’s leave this loser here!"

Chong Li walked away in satisfaction, followed by his four loyal followers.

Fang Yun and his parents were among the residents of Lufeng Village. He, like most villagers, was considered unfortunate for not being able to study martial arts. Economic factors played a huge role in their inability to pursue martial arts training.

Most of the villagers lived below the poverty line, and the distance to reach the Black Eagle Sect or the White Lotus Sect in another village was quite far.

Only a few villagers had begun learning martial arts in the past five years, and that was because they had enough wealth to afford the entrance fees and the living expenses during their training at the sects.

It was well known that joining and training in a martial sect required a substantial amount of money. For the people of Lufeng Village, who mostly lived in poverty, it was an almost impossible hurdle.

In Fang Yun’s case, it wasn’t just the financial barrier holding him back. There was also the statement from an elder of the Black Eagle Sect who once said that Fang Yun would never be able to learn martial arts no matter what.

This was because his pulse and blood flow were irregular, making it impossible for him to store inner energy in his body. No herbal remedies or therapies could cure this strange "illness."

For those who aspired to become martial artists, irregular pulses and blood flow were the worst nightmare. Economic problems could sometimes be overcome, but Fang Yun’s condition had no cure.

Fang Yun struggled to stand and limped his way home. His vision was blurry, and he felt dizzy from the beating. He picked up a fairly long stick, about the thickness of a big toe, to help support his body.

On his way home, Fang Yun passed by the ruins of an old, abandoned temple. His solar plexus still throbbed in pain, so he decided to rest for a moment in the temple ruins. He sat in what was left of a small building still standing within the temple grounds.

Still clutching his aching chest, he glanced around, observing the remains of the ancient temple.

Suddenly, his gaze stopped at a slightly raised wooden floor. Peeking out from underneath, he could faintly see what appeared to be a manual deliberately hidden there.

"What book is that?"