Above Heavens I Stand

Chapter 3 - Answer

As Li Lan considered his answer thoroughly, his thoughts was interviened by the man in front of him. "You may think for seven days and seven nights. In that time I will be here. Come if you want, stay away if you do not."

The man calmly smiled as he stood up and jumped off the rock. Li Lan was in deep thoughts. As the man walked away he stopped. "Take this." The man threw what looked like an old book. It was torn and the letters could nearly not be made out.

As Li Lan read the cover he tried to make sense of it. "Qi, Qi cultivation guide!" He frowned his brows, to him this book could be his most precious. As he looked up to give his thanks, the man was gone.

He decided not to dwell on the matter. Sitting on the rock cross-legged, he did not bother to use the one in the lake. At this moment he was not cultivating, neither had he opened the book. Instead he rumbled through his thoughts.

Rummaging in his heads were all the grief, his hardships and his accomplishments. He was unable to fool himself. The grief and hardships bore deeper than his accomplishments. Until moments ago he had none.

The only thing he could finally be glad with, was that he had actually formed a spiritual core. His wits did not follow him, as he did not understand much about his spiritual core. He had heard that it was like a ball made of energy.

Supposedly it should have been a more solid energy, his conclusion were that his spiritual core was weaker than others. A sigh could be heard from him, his eyelids closed as he sat. His mind went blank and he just sat there.

For six days and five nights. All he did was sit. The moon shone on him, illuminating him into the lake. He opened his eyes and peeked at himself once more. A slight smile appeared, the first that had been there for almost a week.

To fully grasp his situation, he would need to open the book, or go see elders of the xingxiu sect. But he did not want to bother the man who had given him the book, and he did not want to feel indebted.

In the night could be heard a slight rustle, but it did not continue for long, the same as the night. It quickly passed. On the last day. Li Lan made his decision and waited for the man to arrive.

As the sun rose, he stood up and stretched his limbs. He went and washed his face in the lake, and could not fathom this indescribable feeling of calmness. Never before, had he felt like the decision he made could disgrace him.

Not only disgrace him, but his caring mother, and his fun witted father. With the two blurry figures in his mind, he realized he had not thought much of them the last two years. Sadness covered his face for a while.

Clenching his first he looked up, his body shone strong and face filled with determination. "Mother, Father, I will do my best to honor you in the future, please await me!" he said, calm and reserved as he stood there. He said his grace and turned around.

The man sat cross-legged on the stone, Li Lan was a bit shocked at first, then did not waver his mind with it anymore. He walked towards the man, as the man looked up he could see his strong smile.