VampiricRambo

For the next few days, Zhang Shuchang tended to the guest cultivators. The young man did so until the pair knew the temple well enough to wander around by themselves. At that point, the visitors mostly observed the disciples and sometimes discussed with them. Or at least, Hong Qianfan spoke with the students while Hong Haitao ignored whomever tried to entertain a conversation with him. From mouth to ear, the disciples learned that Hong Haitao was seeking pupils. This excited the young people. Eager to engage with the guests, the students without teachers sought guidance from the foreign masters. That is, until they met Hong Haitao's gaze and encountered a stone wall. The man would seldom speak. When he did, one word insults left his lips. Disheartening the students, they soon stopped trying to impress the visitors. The disciples would rather go without a teacher than a mute and mean one. The initial excitement around the visitors quickly died down. Life continued its usual course.

The novelty of Juhua Harbor quickly lost its luster. After his initial night at the dormitory, Zhang Shuchang discovered the life of a taoist disciple. Mornings were dedicated to literature and studies, afternoons to martial arts and swordplay, and evenings to meditation. In the advent of a respite, he was often tasked with miscellaneous tasks around the temple. Once a month, he would be rewarded with a day of rest. The young man would enjoy every second of that time off. His ruthless training left him sore, bruised, and mentally exhausted. The youth could barely keep up with the pace of the regiment. Time flew by however. Two years passed like water in a stream. Zhang Shuchang grew quite disillusioned of his potential as a taoist priest. Some of his juniors surpassed him and others, like Huang Junfeng, seemed to find the regiment effortless. Many came to seek enlightenment at the sect but few succeeded at catching the eye of a teacher. Zhang Shuchang seldom made new friends. The

"I am afraid I cannot help you" the headmaster declared as he inspected the wooden seal. Zhang Shuchang was sitting in front of a table, where a burly man lazily sat across from him. The youth's expression was painted with a tinge of disappointment. He had walked from the Hei forest, in the far West, all the way to the bustling port of Juhua Harbor. Trekking across the Mao Stone Forest that separated the wilds of the Bei Forest from where the mountain streams met the Chang River. He had traveled downstream until he arrived at the first taoist sect he could find. Only to be met with a dead end. To say that Zhang Shuchang was disheartened would be an understatement. Raised in the woods without contact with the outside world, the young man had no idea how large the world was. He thought that displaying his father's seal would be enough to be reunited with his father. However, this one did not intend to make his search easy. The country spanned over thousands of miles with even more people

The blossoming plum flowers were gently caressed by the wind. In the depths of the Hei Forest, spring had reached its peak. Lush greenery and budding life laid upon the ground as the towering trees reached for the sky. The dense foliage barely let the sunlight share its vitality with the living things below. Moss and mushrooms climbed on the stones and tree trunks, greedily claiming their place in this illustrious celebration of life. Amongst the pine trees laid a grove of flowering trees, defying the dark forest with unspoken beauty. A tall figure stood amidst the delicate rain of fairly colored petals. However, the petals were not alone in their journey towards the earth. His feet before the freshly labored ground, Zhang Shuchang's tears cascaded upon his cheeks. His hands were still stained with the dull shades of the earth he had dug. The youth's mind was numbed by grief. He threw one last handful of dirt upon the freshly dug grave. On this day, where nature frolicked with