Sun Yunso did not reply nor move, he simply stared at Feng Anyu. They looked at each other for what seemed like eternity and said nothing at the same time. Sun Yunso's eyes slowly fell to the bowl of porridge he was holding, it just seemed so unappetizing now, the food that had just looked so appetizing was now bland to him.
He did not say anything and neither did Feng Anyu, there was nothing he could say that would help to ease the pain. Finally, the truth came out, Su Qing had passed away. Time seemed to drag on before Sun Yunso finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper.
"...Where is he?"
Sun Yunso looked at Anyu Feng
"...Where's my master's body?"
Clouds of grief passed over Feng Anyu's eyes before he answered.
"I buried him."
Sun Yunso's grip on the wood bowl tightened in his hands. It seemed as if he was about to say something else, but the moment passed, leaving an eerie silence. He slowly placed the wood bowl down next to him before he slowly looked up.
"Take me to where he is."
The request was simple, but the weight of it was more than any mountain.
Feng Anyu looked at the boy's face, and did not see any tears, but a sort of grief that seemed impossible to bear for a boy of his age. He waited for a moment before slowly nodding his head.
"Alright I'll take you."
Feng Anyu brought Sun Yunso back to his old home. It was very quiet along the way, but as they drew closer Yunso began to walk slower and slower. As he stood there, his eyes fell on the devastated fields, they once were so nicely taken care of, but now they only reminded him of the happy times he had shared with his beloved master.
The workshop where he had once learned the art of forge making was nothing more than ruins with burning scraps scattered around. Even the house that he once shared love, laughter and even heartache with his master was now only a shell of its former glory, with the sad memories of the past haunting him. The sight of everything left him speechless, and the pain in his heart had never felt so bad.
Bits and pieces of that dreadful night came flooding back to him, the pain that twisted in his eyes, the last moments with his master, the last words he heard. Sun Yunso unconsciously clenched his fists.
Feng Anyu walked in a steady pace, saying nothing, until they came to a stop in front of a small grave that was planted right under a tree branch.
"...He's here."
Sun Yunso slowly looked up, a wooden headstone with no decorations, just a simple name, stood before him. Sun Yunso stood there frozen, looking into something that seemed so distant to him. Then, in an instant, his knees buckled and he fell to the ground in front of the grave.
"Master."
Sun Yunso barely spoke the words with his voice barely escaping his lips. He thought he had cried all his tears, but they came again. They dripped down one by one in front of the grave
"I.I'm sorry, if only...If only I had been stronger.I could've helped you, I could've saved you from your death. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even save the one who saved me."
Feng Anyu walked up to Yunso quietly, his footsteps making no sound, before he gently laid his hand on his shoulder, his touch gentle.
"No."
Sun Yunso did not look up.
"It wasn't your fault. There's a reason why he died"
The breeze gently passed over the hill, carrying away the silence from the two.
Sun Yunso's head rose slowly, his eyes filled with tears locking onto Feng Anyu's.
"What do you mean?"
Feng Anyu paused, thinking for a moment, before he spoke.
"Your master didn't die by accident, it was an execution, someone made sure he was killed."
Sun Yunso's eyes widened
"Execution?"
Feng Anyu nodded
"There was an accusation, a man of great importance was murdered, someone had to be sent to blame and receive the punishment."
Sun Yunso listened to what was being said, not interrupting.
"The victim was none other than Su Ruogang, the supreme chancellor, who ranked above even the influential four great families."
Anyu's expression darkened
"The four great families said they already knew who the killer was, but they still needed someone to blame, someone who the people would believe in. And that person was supposed to be… "
Sun Yunso knew the answer
"...Was my master"
Feng Anyu slowly nodded.
"Su Qing, he was branded the murderer before they even searched for the truth, his sentence was decided before the execution"
Sun Yunso looked at the grave in front of him, his fists tightened until his nails dug into his palms
"They killed an innocent man"
There was a silent anger in his voice, one that had just begun to grow.
Feng Anyu nodded
"So if you want revenge, you must go after the Four Great Families and the people who were sent, most likely assassins since his execution was branded as a bounty. But you don't have to."
"No, I have to. I must...cut them all down."
Sun Yunso had chosen his path and there was nothing that Feng Anyu could have done.
"Okay if that's what you want then I'll let you go, in order to actually proceed in your revenge you need to learn how to use Seidan first."
Sun Yunso glared at Feng Anyu with confusion
"Seidan, what is that?"
"I can't explain much to you because it's too complicated but there are some books you can use, I think Su Qing had some in his storage. So you'll use them and get stronger in order to exact your revenge."
Sun Yunso did not know what to say and simply nodded his head. A few hours passed and Sun Yunso was holding a burning stick in his hand, the only job for it was to set it next to the estate gate and slowly it began to burn and the flames spread all across the place.
Sun Yunso and Feng Anyu both glared with sorrow in their eyes, most of the pain for Yunso as this was what he called home at some point.
"Yunso, it's time to leave."
"Alright Mr. Anyu."
Sun Yunso had the books he was told about and a sword in both of his hands and he tightly gripped them
The flames roared behind them. Sun Yunso did not dare to look back, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew if he did, he would lose the strength to do so and leave everything behind. The home he had laughed at, the forge he had learned at, the fields he had complained about every morning. All of it was disappearing into the fire.
As they walked, Feng Anyu walked ahead, his footsteps making no sound, until they came to a stop under a large tree where two horses were waiting. Without a word, he untied the reins and handed one of the horse's reins over to Sun Yunso.
"They're gentle."
"You don't have to worry."
Sun Yunso quietly accepted the reins.
For a moment he simply stared at the horse, then, with some effort, he climbed onto its back. Feng Anyu climbed onto his horse before he faced the road stretching into the distance.
"Ready?"
Sun Yunso's hand tightened around the reins, his face a picture of calmness, but his mind elsewhere, the memory of Su Qing's grave.
"Let's go."
With a tug of the reins, the horses roamed the path. Behind them the flames swallowed the last traces of the life Sun Yunso had once known. A long and difficult road lay ahead, one that would either make him a great warrior or lead to his death, and those he wanted to get revenge for. The horses just kept going along the quiet mountain road, no need to rush, they took their time. There was no destination that demanded haste but a road leading toward an uncertain future.
The sound of horse's hooves beating against the ground filled the air as they rode through the forest. It was quiet for a while until Feng Anyu finally spoke, cracking the silence that had passed over the two.
"We're on our way to my place now. You can stay there for a while, at least until things get sorted out."
Sun Yunso quietly listened.
"No."
Anyu blinked
"...No?"
Sun Yunso did not take his eyes off the road in front of him.
"I don't want to."
That response totally threw Anyu off, he turned to face the boy
"Why?"
Sun Yunso lowered his head
"I want to live alone."
The wind brushed past them gently.
Feng Anyu frowned.
"You're only twelve."
"I know."
"You have nowhere to go."
"I know."
"You can barely take care of yourself."
"I know."
Every answer came quietly, with no hesitation or feeling.
"I just....need to be alone."
He tightened his grip around the reins.
"No matter how long it takes I don't want to rely on anyone anymore and I don't want anyone to rely on me."
Feng Anyu gazed at the boy, and in that moment, everything made sense. He realized that Yunso was not pushing him away, he was simply scared of letting someone in, of losing them just like he had before. The fear of getting hurt was written all over his face, and Anyu's heart went out to him. He understood that Sun Yunso's silence was a cry for protection, a shield to protect himself from the pain of potential loss.
Feng Anyu exhaled a quiet sigh.
"You're more like Su Qing than I thought."
The horses continued down the lonely road, not speaking another word and just like that two days passed and the journey was not put on hold. The horses walked down a narrow mountain trail until the sounds of civilization had completely faded away, only the wind and songs of distant birds remained. As the ride wore on, Feng Anyu slowly began to rein in his horse.
"We're here."
Sun Yunso lifted his head.
A small wooden house nestled against the mountainside. It was not fancy, or extravagant in the least, but there was something soothing about it. A small stream flowed next to it, and tall silent trees encircled the home. Anyu raised a hand and pointed it out.
"How about that place?"
Sun Yunso quietly looked at the house.
This place has all the essentials, like a roof over your head, a fireplace to keep you warm, fresh water to drink, and plenty of land to grow your own food. If you're really looking to live alone and be self-sufficient, then this is the perfect spot for you. It has everything you need to take care of yourself.
A small smile appeared on Sun Yunso's face
"...I like it."
As he dismounted his horse, he approached the humble dwelling, his eyes fixed on the door. Sun Yunso then turned to face Feng Anyu, bowing his head, his movements courteous. The warm sunlight cast a gentle glow over the scene, illuminating the quiet moment between the two individuals.
"Thank you."
Feng Anyu smiled
"You don't have to thank me."
He looked toward the distant mountains
"You're the disciple of my best friend. If I can't even do this much for him then I have no right to call myself his friend."
Sun Yunso gave a silent nod, then turned to gaze back at the small house one last time. It wasn't home, well not yet but perhaps one day it could become one. Feng Anyu did not leave immediately, instead he stood beside his horse, gazing over to Sun Yunso, and let out a soft sigh.
"Are you certain about this? The path of revenge is cruel. It consumes people, changes them. And even if you succeed....what will it solve? It won't bring Su Qing back."
Sun Yunso looked down, his eyes fixed on the ground. He spoke in a calm tone.
"I know, I know my master won't come back, I know killing them won't erase my pain. But this is the kind of world we live in. A cruel one. If nobody hated, fought or shed blood then perhaps this world would be different."
He slowly opened his eyes again.
"I've come to terms with things, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with what happened. I still can't forgive those who took away my only family - it's a pain that's hard to shake off. I'm not going to pretend like everything will magically get better, because it won't. And I'm definitely not going to run away from my problems, that's just not who I am. I'll face them head-on, no matter how tough it gets."
Feng Anyu was taken aback by this realization.
The kid standing in front of him, the same one his best friend had always spoken so highly of, was gone. He was gone into thin air the night Su Qing passed away. He was replaced by someone who had already taken their first steps down a path from which there was no return, a path shrouded in darkness. Feng Anyu silently gazed at Sun Yunso, his eyes on him for what seemed like eternity before finally giving a subtle nod of acknowledgement.
"If you're determined to go down that road, I won't stand in your way."
He walked over to his horse and placed a hand on its neck.
"But promise me one thing."
Sun Yunso looked at him.
"I'll stop by every year to check in and make sure you're doing okay. If you ever need anything, don't think twice about reaching out to me."
Sun Yunso stood there, not saying a word, before he slowly nodded his head. Then a small smile appeared onto his face, and for a brief instant, his expression changed, showing a hint of something more, beneath his usual calm demeanor.
"Okay, thank you....Uncle Anyu."
Feng Anyu's eyes froze, widening a little, before a warm smile began to spread across his face.
"Take care of yourself, Yunso."
He swung his leg over the horse's back and settled into the saddle, before he gently tugged on the reins to guide his mount. As the horse made its way slowly down the mountain path, Sun Yunso stood perfectly still, eyes fixed on the two until they vanished from sight behind the trees.
The sound of their gentle descent faded into the distance, leaving an unsettling silence and he raised his hand.
"Goodbye."
The wind swept his voice away leaving only silence on the mountain. Sun Yunso turned slowly towards the small wooden house, his eyes scanning the peaceful surroundings that would soon become his home. The stillness was almost palpable as he took in the quiet beauty of his new surroundings, the trees standing tall and unmoving in the distance. He slowly moved, taking one step and then another, his face a picture of seriousness as he spoke.
"My journey begins here.”
Eight Years Later
A restaurant was filled with chats of guests.
Bowls would constantly clatter against wooden tables while the scent of steamed buns would fill the room. Seated alone by the window, a young man leisurely finished up the last of his meal. He wipes the bits of food from his mouth with a napkin before placing some money on the table.
"...Thank you for the meal."
He gets up from his chair and walks out of the restaurant. The streets were no different from before, merchants shouting their wares, children chasing each other while passing travelers would hurry by with their belongings strapped to their backs. The young man stares at the busy streets, watching the people pass by with a calm expression. That is before he hears a soft voice call out to him.
"Excuse me?"
He turns his head and he sees a young woman a bit of a distance away with an apologetic smile on her face.
"I'm sorry for intruding while you were eating but I couldn't help but notice and I had to say something - it was really catching my interest and I just couldn't look away."
She giggles, a bit embarrassed at her own words.
"You remind me of someone. And you have a very handsome face."
The young man stares at the woman without saying a word, saying nothing at all with his silence. A bright and cheerful smile appears on the woman's face, her smile bright enough to dispel even the darkest of nights.
"May I know your name?"
The young man says nothing at first, as if he did not hear her at all. The woman was about to speak again when the young man finally answered.
"Sun Yunso."
The woman's eyes sparkled at hearing his name, and she even said it out loud to herself with a smile on her face.
"It's a very nice name, and also fits you well."
She bows her head slightly in greeting.
"My name is Guo Yuxuan. It's nice to–"
"Guo Yuxuan!"
A loud voice boomed from the distance, stopping mid-sentence. Several men walk from across the street with dark expressions. One of the younger looking men was the one who shouted and he looked particularly annoyed.
He walks up to Sun Yunso, his eyes narrowing as he looks him over from head to toe. The men formed something of a semicircle around the two, the air around them tense. The young man continues to frown as he looks over Yunso's clothes, taking note of every detail. When he finally looks back up at Sun Yunso's face, his annoyance grows ten-fold.
"What is going on here, why are you even speaking to this person?"
Guo Yuxuan frowned at him.
"That is none of your business."
The man clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"None of my business? I've been looking all over for you and I find you talking to some nobody on the street?"
Guo Yuxuan ignored him and turned around, facing Yunso again, a bit flustered.
"I'm sorry about that."
Sun Yunso said nothing as he got up from his seat, grabbing his things as he stood. The young man, who looked particularly full of himself, frowned at him.
"Hey."
Sun Yunso walks on by him as if he wasn't there. For some reason, that annoyed the young man even more than Sun Yunso ignoring him.
"Did you just ignore me?"
The people around them stood still as they watched Sun Yunso walk by, his footsteps the only sound that could be heard. They watched as the young man disappeared into the distance, the annoyance on the young man's face burning with anger as he watched Sun Yunso's retreating figure.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Sun Yunso did not answer, his face tightening up. The annoyance on the young man's face turned into full blown anger.
"How dare you, take one step closer and you're dead, I'm not kidding, I'll do it right here, don't think I won't."
Sun Yunso's steps slowed.
"Kill me?"
He repeated, almost as if testing the weight of the word as he spoke it out loud. He continued walking, a small pause lingering in the air as he did not want to deal with this problem that was approaching him.
The young man's frustration boiled over and he shouted in anger.
"Bastard!"
He ran up to Yunso and grabbed him by the shoulder. In that instant, an elbow shot back and rammed straight into the noble's ribs, sending him flying back. The moment was over so fast that the noble's lackeys barely had time to react before their leader was already on the ground, coughing up blood.
The entire incident was over in the blink of an eye and the next thing the noble's subordinates knew was that their leader was already reeling in pain on the ground. Yunso's swift actions left the noble stunned, taking advantage of their moment of weakness.
"Ghk..."
Sun Yunso slowly brushed the dust from his shoulder and turned around, still maintaining his calm expression, devoid of any emotion.
"Sorry, I thought a bug had landed on me, it must have been my imagination."
The street was silent as everyone stared at him. The noble was on his knees, clutching his nose as blood trickled down his face while his lackeys could only gawk in shock at their leader.
"B-Boss!"
The people of the nearby town watched in disbelief as well as they turned to watch the young man in black. Wordlessly they exchanged whispers with each other.
"Did you see that?"
"He moved."
"No... I didn't see him attack."
Sun Yunso's face darkened slightly as he looked at the crowd, suddenly becoming very uncomfortable being the center of so much attention. He ignores the stares being sent his way, choosing to walk away instead.
"Wait."
The girl quickly runs up to him, falling in step beside him with a rather awkward smile on her face.
"Your name is Sun Yunso, right?"
Sun Yunso nods in response.
"And... your Guo Yuxuan."
Her eyes sparkled as she said this.
"You remembered!"
Sun Yunso looks at her for a brief moment before he begins talking, his voice as calm as ever.
"Will you do something for me?
"What is it?"
"Please stop talking to me."
The smile on her face promptly vanished.
"I don't like attracting attention."
He looked at the people around them, most of whom were still staring at him.
"Talking to me will just get you into more trouble."
His eyes flickered toward the downed young man, who looked somewhat hurt.
"You should go back. The person calling for you seems far more interested in your company."
With that he turns and walks away, refusing to deal with the situation further. Guo Yuxuan was left behind, blinking at him in surprise.
"Huh?"
She tilts her head to the side, confused at what he said. She thinks for a moment and realizes something.
"I think I just got rejected, but the weird thing is, I never even told him how I feel.”