39 years ago.

RuJin, 14 years old.

ShuYan, 15 years old.

"Jin-ah, I am going to become a disciple, of Li Shao, an elder at Mian Sect." ShuYan suddenly spoke up.

"Are you sure that you really want to do this? Although you can be granted with immortality, if you are able to successfully break through to the Black Rank, a cultivators path is extremely hard. Are you prepared for this rough journey?" RuJin's voice held worry for his childhood friend.

"I know that it will be hard, but, even that little hope of being able to gain immortality, will help me. I know that you have never thought about being a cultivator, and that you never will, but, I still want to. If I can become stronger, I will be able to protect you." ShuYan said, holding onto RuJin's hand.

"When are you going to be leaving?" RuJin asked ShuYan.

"I'm going to be leaving tomorrow." ShuYan answered.

"Silly. Why did you wait for so long to tell me?" RuJin asked, almost in a scolding tone.

"I was worried that you would get mad at me, scared that you would think I was betraying you. So I wanted to hide it, but I had to tell you before I leave." ShuYan replied.

"Jin, would you leave with me?" ShuYan earnestly asked, his eyes holding hope.

"ShuYan, you know that I still have to take care of my mother and little sister. And that I have never once thought of becoming a cultivator." RuJin could only reply as he shook his head.

"It was worth it to ask you, though." ShuYan replied, a small smile on his lips.

"Let's go to my house. Mother would be waiting for us." RuJin said, tugging ShuYan's hand as they walked towards his house.

The next day.

RuJin watched closely as ShuYan departed on his journey.

"ShuYan, you have to come back soon!" RuJin shouted, with a cheerful face and a happy smile.

ShuYan turned around, waving a goodbye, while smiling, and returned back to walking.

A shout was heard from the distance.

"Jin, when you need me the most, just say my name and I promise I'll be there!"

RuJin smiled as he watched until he could no longer see ShuYan's shadow, before heading back home. As he returned, he could only hope for the best for his friend.

1 year later.

RuJin heard the sound of numerous footsteps, hurriedly grabbing onto his mother and sister's hand, but never being able to run away with them.

The sound of a shout was heard.

"Kill all the people in this village. They have been contaminated by evil energy!"

Painful screams were heard, and RuJin saw people fall to the ground, endless blood flowing.

"ShuYan! ShuYan!"

"ShuYan, please, you have to fulfill your promise!"

He softly whispered these words under his breath.

He saw cultivators, dressed in robes with a bright symbol, killing the people that he had grown up with, the village that he called his home.

He knew the symbol. They were from one of the five strongest sect, they were from Tian Sect.

But why?

Why were they killing them?

His mother refused to move.

"Jin, run! Run and never turn around! If we can't make it out safely, you have to! Run and never come back for us! Go! Now!" His mother said, pushing him away.

"Mother!" RuJin refused to run away.

"Mother loves you. Your sister and I will not be able to outrun them, but you may have a chance to. Go now, grant this final wish of your mother's."

"But-"

"Go! Go before they start to chase you!" His mother desperately yelled.

RuJin took one long look at his beautiful mother and his only sibling.

With tears rolling down his eyes, he turned around and he ran.

"Chase after that boy! Don't let anyone of them escape!"

As he ran, he heard the painful cry of his mother, soon followed by his sister.

Running as fast as he could, more tears fell down.

Weren't Tian Sect a righteous sect?

Why, why would they kill innocent people?

Of course, how could he have believed them. Those cultivators all lie. Saying that they are righteous but doing such evil things.

But most of all, ShuYan lied.

He promised him that when he needed him the most, he would come back. Just how foolish was he to believe in those meaningless words.

Why? Why did he have to lose everything? What did he do wrong to be punished like this?

His mother, his sister, he had lost everything meaningful in his life.

As he ran, vines and trees blocked his path. Running and running, the branches of the trees whipped his body, cuts forming as blood appeared.

The sound of footsteps followed closely behind him, getting closer and closer to him.

RuJin didn't have time to think, he ran, and ran even when he felt like giving up.

Then, he came to a stop.

Standing at the edge of a bottomless cliff, he looked down.

It was a gamble.

A gamble of life or death.

Taking a look behind him, he saw the appearance of five Tian Sect's disciples emerging.

He turned back.

He was willing to take this gamble.

As he jumped, the wind around his body whistled as he fell.

If he had been honest, would ShuYan still be by his side today?

Would they have been something more than merely friends?

Falling and falling, farther and farther he got away from the top of that cliff.

Crack. His body met full impact on the hard ground. Pain rushed through him as he felt his bones break, a red liquid spread, dyeing his clothes.

As he tried to move, the pain rushing through him got even more unbearable.

He closed his tired eyes.

Then a strong energy was sensed around him.

With the little strength he had, he opened his eyes. Looming above him was a sword covered in black mist.

Without knowing why, he felt this impulse to grab onto that sword.

The last thing he remembered was his hand reaching towards that sword, before his whole world blacked out.