# Chapter Two
Chen Lin woke up slowly, feeling a sharp pain in his back. He opened his eyes to find himself in a small room lit by dim candles. He was lying on a simple wooden bed, and the smell of medicinal herbs filled the place.
"Finally awake." A voice came from the corner of the room.
Lin turned slowly, avoiding moving his injured back, to see an old man sitting on a wooden chair. The man had a long white beard and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. He wore a simple blue robe, but his demeanor suggested dignity and strength.
"Who are you?" Lin asked in a weak voice. "And where am I?"
"My name is Yang Wei, and you are in my hut deep in the Qing Long mountains." The old man answered calmly. "I saved you from those horsemen three days ago."
"Three days?!" Lin tried to get up quickly, but the pain forced him back into a lying position. "What happened to the village? And what about Mei?"
"Your village..." the old man hesitated for a moment. "Nothing remains of it. Prince Zhao's soldiers burned it completely."
Lin felt a violent shock run through his body. "And my family?"
The old man shook his head sadly. "No one survived that massacre except you and some people who managed to escape to the mountains."
"And what about Mei? A girl with long black hair, she was running toward the forest."
"I don't know," the old man answered honestly. "I only saw you fighting those horsemen. You were brave, but reckless."
Lin closed his eyes, trying to absorb what he had heard. His village destroyed, his family dead, and Mei... perhaps dead too. He felt a huge emptiness expanding in his chest, but he didn't cry. Instead, he felt a cold anger creeping into his heart.
"Why did they do it?" he finally asked. "Why attack a small, peaceful village?"
"Prince Zhao is looking for something," the old man answered as he rose and approached the bed. "Something he believes is hidden in that area."
"And what is this thing?"
"An ancient book... a book containing secrets of great power." The old man sighed. "But that's not important now. What's important is your recovery."
The old man approached Lin and gently uncovered his back. The wound was deep, but it had begun to heal in a strange way. Lin noticed that the old man was applying a green ointment to the wound.
"This ointment will help with healing," said the old man. "But true healing comes from within."
The old man placed his hand on Lin's chest, and suddenly, Lin felt a strange warmth spreading through his body. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, as if a current of energy was flowing from the old man's hand into his body.
"What is this?" Lin asked in amazement.
"This is the power of Qi," the old man answered with a smile. "The inner energy that flows in every living being. Some people, like me, can control and use it."
The old man withdrew his hand, and the feeling of warmth stopped. "I watched you while you were sleeping, Chen Lin. You have a rare talent. Strong Qi flows in your veins, but it's dormant, waiting to be awakened."
Lin looked at the old man suspiciously. "How did you know my name?"
The old man smiled a mysterious smile. "I know many things, my young one. I know you were born with white hair, and that the midwife said it was a bad sign. I know you used to steal from your villagers just for fun. And I know you're now thinking about revenge."
Lin was shocked. How could this stranger know all these details about him?
"Who are you really?" he asked cautiously.
"I told you, my name is Yang Wei," the old man answered. "But what I didn't tell you is that I've been waiting for you for a long time."
"Waiting for me? Why?"
"There is an ancient prophecy..." the old man began, then stopped and shook his head. "But this is not the time to talk about prophecies. Now, you need to rest and regain your strength."
The old man stood up and headed toward the door. "I'll return with food. Try not to move too much."
Before he left, Lin asked him: "Why did you save me?"
The old man paused at the door and looked at Lin with penetrating eyes. "Because I saw something in you... something rare in this harsh world."
"And what is that?"
"Potential," the old man answered simply, then left the room, leaving Lin alone with his thoughts.
***
Three more days passed, and Lin's wound began to heal at an amazing speed thanks to the old man's ointment and strange treatments. Yang Wei visited him three times a day, bringing him food and drink, and talking to him about ordinary things, avoiding mention of the prophecy he had previously mentioned.
On the morning of the fourth day, Lin woke up to find new clothes placed beside his bed. They were simple but clean and sturdy clothes: black pants, a white shirt, and leather shoes.
After putting on the clothes, he left the room for the first time since his arrival. He found himself in a small hut consisting of two rooms: his room and another larger room that looked like a kitchen and living room in one. Yang Wei was sitting on the floor, contemplating a bowl of water placed in front of him.
"Good morning, Chen Lin," said the old man without raising his eyes from the bowl. "It seems you're recovering quickly."
"Yes, the pain has lessened considerably," Lin answered as he approached. "What are you doing?"
"Practicing," the old man answered simply.
Lin looked at the bowl in confusion. It was just an ordinary bowl filled with water. "Practicing what?"
Instead of answering, the old man raised his hand over the bowl, and slowly, the water began to rise from the bowl, forming a small ball floating in the air.
Lin's mouth fell open in astonishment. "How did you do that?"
"The power of Qi," the old man answered as he gently returned the water to the bowl. "With enough training, it can be used to control natural elements."
Lin sat in front of the old man, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Can you teach me that?"
The old man smiled. "That's exactly what I was going to suggest to you. I want to teach you the arts of Qi."
"Why?" Lin asked suspiciously. He knew that people rarely offered something without expecting something in return.
"Because you will need these skills to survive," the old man answered seriously. "The world outside these mountains is harsh and full of danger. And you are now without family, without home, and without protection."
Lin knew the old man was right. He had nowhere to go, and no one to turn to. "And what do you want in return?"
"Smart as I expected," the old man laughed. "What I want is simple: I want you to help me find a book."
"The book that Prince Zhao is looking for?"
The old man nodded. "Yes, that very book. It's an ancient book called 'The Book of Five Spirits.' It contains secrets of great power, power that can be used for good or evil."
"And where is this book?"
"I don't know exactly," the old man admitted. "But I believe it's hidden in an ancient temple in the Qing Long mountains. The problem is that the temple is protected by ancient spells, and not just anyone can enter it."
"Then how do you expect me to help you?"
"There is an ancient prophecy that says a person with white hair and sharp eyes will be able to open the doors of the temple," the old man said calmly. "I believe you are that person, Chen Lin."
Lin laughed sarcastically. "A prophecy? Do you really think I'm special because of my hair color?"
"Not just because of your hair color," the old man answered seriously. "But because of what I saw in your soul. You have a rare ability to adapt and survive. You've lived a difficult life in your village, but you learned how to exploit others for your benefit. This skill, although not a virtue, will be useful in our journey."
Lin felt annoyed by the old man's words, but he couldn't deny their truth. He had always exploited others, stolen from them, lied to them. He wasn't a good person, and he knew it.
"And what will I gain from helping you find this book?" he finally asked.
"You will learn the arts of Qi, which is a rare and sought-after skill in this world," the old man answered. "And after we find the book, I will teach you its secrets as well. You will become powerful, powerful enough to take revenge on Prince Zhao who destroyed your village and killed your family."
At the mention of revenge, Lin's eyes gleamed. This was what he had been thinking about since he woke up. Revenge against those who had destroyed his life.
"Alright," he finally said. "I'll help you find the book, and you'll teach me the arts of Qi."
The old man smiled a satisfied smile. "We have a deal then. We'll begin your training tomorrow. Today, rest and prepare."
The old man stood up and headed toward the door. "I'll go gather some herbs. Stay here and don't leave the hut. The forest is dangerous for those who don't know its ways."
After the old man left, Lin sat alone, thinking about everything that had happened. A week ago, he was just a boy stealing from his villagers for fun. And now, he was the sole survivor of a massacre, training in secret arts with a mysterious old man, searching for a legendary book.
"Life is full of surprises," he muttered to himself sarcastically.
Suddenly, he heard a sound outside the hut. The sound of approaching footsteps. They weren't the old man's quiet steps, but heavy steps of several people.
Lin approached the window cautiously and looked outside. He saw three men wearing black armor approaching the hut. They were the same horsemen who had attacked his village!
"We finally found it!" he heard one of them say. "The hut of old Yang Wei. The Prince will reward us generously."
Lin felt panic sweep through his body. How had they found the hut? And what did they want with the old man?
He had no time to think. He had to hide before they entered. He looked around quickly, searching for a hiding place. He noticed a small door in the kitchen floor, which looked like a cellar door.
He quickly opened the door and descended into the dark cellar, quietly closing the door above him. The cellar was small and damp, filled with bags of herbs and roots.
After a few moments, he heard the sound of the front door of the hut being smashed, then the sound of heavy footsteps directly above his head.
"Search the place!" one of them ordered. "Look for anything related to the book!"
Lin heard the sound of furniture being smashed and papers being torn. They were destroying the hut in search of something.
"There's nothing here, sir," one of them said after a while.
"The old man isn't here either," said another. "Perhaps he knew we were coming and fled."
"We'll stay here and wait for him," their leader decided. "He's bound to return eventually."
Lin sat in the dark cellar, his heart pounding heavily. He was trapped, and didn't know what to do. If he stayed in the cellar, they might discover him. And if he tried to escape, they would surely see him.
Suddenly, he remembered the old man's words about the power of Qi. Could he use it to defend himself? But he hadn't trained yet, and didn't know how to use it.
"Calm down," he whispered to himself. "Think, Lin, think."
He looked around in the dark cellar, searching for anything he could use as a weapon. He noticed a small bottle filled with red liquid on one of the shelves. He took it and read the label: "Fire Acid - Extremely Dangerous."
Lin smiled a mischievous smile. Perhaps there was a way to escape after all.