1 Awakening (1/2)

The evening sunlight washed over Yellow Valley city making it look like it was on fire. In the orange after glow, the dancing shadows the trees cast seem to make the walls look like dancing flames.

In one corner of the city there was a large mansion. The mansion existed outside the city, and on the slopes of the Blue Moon mountain range.In a corner of the of the mansion, a teenage boy was lying peacefully on a bed in a simple unadorned room. He wasn't particularly handsome. It was the kind of face that if you saw in a crowd you would simply pass your glance by. Yet if you were to look at him again, you could see that his sharp features had a kind of charm that could hold your eyes in place. A middle aged lady was sitting next to him on the bed stroking his cheeks with tears in her eyes. A middle aged man was standing next to the two of them with a complex look in his eyes.

”Let him rest. Come, let us go.” He said to the woman.

”But look at him. What if he needs us.” She replied.

”There is nothing we can do. You know his situation as well as I. Even though he is now fourteen years old, his mind is barely that of a four year old. We know that he is often muddle headed on top of that. It is not a big surprise that he fainted.”

”But how was he in the clan garden. He is very obedient. He knows not to wander about without us. He never goes outside and always spends his time here. What if someone did this to him. What if he fainted because someone attacked him.” The woman was hysterical. She could barely keep her tears from flowing.

The man chucked sadly. ”Attack him. Why would anybody attack a mentally deranged child like him.”

The sadness in his eyes was apparent for anyone to see. If anyone who had seen the Iron Tiger Bai Mu like this, no one would be able to associate that fearsome figure with this frail man.

The woman took one last look at young man and got up tearfully. ”I am just worried about him” she said.

”Don't worry. With my resources and prestige, we can make sure that he lives an entire life without worries.” The man replied with an iron voice.

Suddenly the door opened and an old man in a long tattered robe walked in. Behind him walked a young man in a similar white robe holding a large suitcase. From the look of the frail body of the young man, it almost seemed as if he wouldn't be able to lift the suitcase that was larger than him by two sizes, but he managed to do so easily. And along with the two of them came a thick scent of medicinal ingredients.

The couple quickly stood up. ”Doctor Mu, thank you for coming. There seems to be something wrong with Xiao Yun's body.” The middle aged man stood up and said respectfully.

The old man, doctor Mu, sighed as he looked at the couple. As the head doctor for the Bai clan and the best doctor in the entire Yellow City, he had looked after the child for years. He knew exactly how much the couple cared for their child and just how bad his situation was. When the child didn't grow up and behave like other children of his age it was he who had diagnosed the toddler with having a damaged soul and informed the couple. He remembered the lost and despairing look on their faces like yesterday. He also remembered that when he went to look for them the next day, the young and lively Xiao Mei had the very first wrinkle on the edge of her eyes, and the imposing Iron Tiger had his first grey hair.

Then the two of them had said that they would have no other children and if necessary would spend the rest of their lives taking care of their child.

The old man sighed and took the teenagers hand into his. He could feel the weak but vibrant life force in that body. He once again lamented that such a perfect physique suitable for cultivation was the body of such a mentally challenged boy. If not for that , this child might even become the most talented of all the younger generation in Bai clan, no the entire Yellow City.

”Xiao Shi why are you lunging around such a large suitcase, don't you have a space ring.” The middle aged woman asked the young man. He was doctor Mu's apprentice. Doctor Mu had a high requirement toward his apprentices. He had only taken three in his entire life. Not only did he require an adequate power of soul or spiritual force, he also required him to have a good heart.

”No Madam Bai. Only master has one. Besides master says that the reason he wants me to carry it is for training.” The young man replied.

”Training?” they asked confused.

”Master says that in case of a emergency, it is not always possible to use ones eyes. Sometimes when we are doing a procedure our eyes as well as spiritual force would have to be focused on the patient. We may not have any way to figure out which medicinal ingredient is which and where it is because of this, and may also be lacking in any assistants. Thus he wants me to figure out the medicinal ingredients and pills by smell alone, so that I can quickly react in an emergency.”

Understanding quickly appeared in the couples eyes. Then they turned towards doctor Mu with worry.

For a short while longer doctor Mu sat down and probed with his spiritual sense. Then he let go of the teenager's hand and stood up with a sigh.

”There is no need to worry too much. His body is fine. His damaged soul on the other hand seems to be fluctuating.”

”Wha-what should we do.” The middle aged man blurted out, worry obvious in his words.