Volume One: The Great Wind Rises

Chapter 1: The Great Wind Rises

　　Bang—! A sharp gunshot shattered the tranquility of the western border's primeval forest in Huaxia.

　　The sky was high and the clouds were light, a gentle breeze turning everything green. On a cliff edge deep in the dense forest, two heads—one old, one young—cautiously peeked out, warily surveying their surroundings. The old man had kind eyes and a benevolent face, with a hint of an immortal's bearing. The young man's tanned, handsome face was marked by a pair of clear, black-and-white eyes filled with curiosity, cunning, and calm.

　　Everything quickly returned to peace, as if nothing had happened. Only the towering trees rustled, and the startled birds soon flew back into the foliage.

　　The old and the young exchanged a puzzled glance, then slowly withdrew behind the cliff. The old man wore a coarse, gray-black hemp robe, exuding a scholarly air, and held a slightly yellowed thread-bound book, sitting casually on a huge rock. The young man wore a wolfskin vest, carried a large bow on his back, and his strong muscles glistened faintly in the sunlight. On the ground lay a wild goat, dead beyond any doubt.

　　Bang—! Another gunshot rang out. The two immediately dropped to the ground, crawling to the cliff's edge. In the distant canyon forest, they saw several people hurrying forward.

　　"Are those our soldiers?" the old man asked in a low, doubtful voice.

　　"Yeah, looks like they're being chased," the young man whispered excitedly.

　　The old man looked into the distance. With age, his eyes were a bit farsighted, so he easily spotted the pursuers about three li behind. Judging by the situation, there were quite a few of them.

　　In a short while, the four soldiers being chased appeared, one of them wounded and carried by another. They quickly crossed the cliff boundary and rushed deeper into the forest. After a while, more than a dozen fully armed soldiers appeared. Judging by their uniforms, they didn't look like locals, and they continued the pursuit, disappearing into the dense woods.

　　Atop the towering cliff, the two withdrew, leaning against the huge rock. The old man looked at the excited young man, pondered for a moment, and said, "It seems our soldiers are being hunted by foreign troops?"

　　"Yes, they've entered Wolf Gorge. Ahead is Miasma Valley—no one survives there. Grandpa, it's getting late, let's go back," the young man said, still excited. Young people are naturally drawn to excitement.

　　But the old man showed no intention of leaving. He sighed and said, "Boy, haven't you always wanted to leave these mountains and see the outside world? This is your chance. A real man should have ambitions far and wide. I won't hold you back anymore."

　　The young man was startled, looking at the old man in confusion. "Grandpa, didn't you say I should wait until my skills are fully trained? Besides, I can't leave you alone. I'm not in a hurry—let's talk about it later."

　　The old man didn't answer. Watching the two groups of soldiers disappear, he said, "The way of nature is always clear, the way of yin and yang is always calm, the way of man is always constant. This is called the 'Natural Classic.' Since you were three, I've taught you the Four Books and Five Classics. At five, you began cultivating the 'Natural Classic' techniques. It's been thirteen years now, and you've achieved much. Go. You should know that partings and reunions are also part of nature. Once you're out there, whatever you do, just remember that you are a son of Huaxia."

　　"Grandpa, I..." The young man yearned for the outside world, but couldn't bear to leave his only and dearest family member.

　　"What comes from nature must return to nature—that is the essence of the Dao. When the people's essence merges with nature's essence, their qi with nature's qi, their spirit with nature's spirit, then by exhausting reason, fulfilling one's nature, and understanding fate, one achieves perfection, transforms virtue into a golden body, and directly attains the supreme, boundless, natural sacred realm. Only then can one understand the root of all things, the mysteries of the universe, and the true nature of all beings. You are eighteen now; it's time to live your own life. Go. If you wait any longer, those soldiers will be in trouble. Remember to come back and visit this old man when you have time." As he spoke, the old man turned and drifted away.

　　Singing as he walked, the old man chanted, "How wonderful, the way of nature! Heaven and earth unite in virtue, sun and moon unite in brightness, yin and yang unite in Dao, the four seasons unite in order, all things unite in nature. When the method is complete, heaven and earth open; when the skill is complete, nature is achieved. Thus, the Supreme Boundless Natural Ancestor widely spread the Dao of nature, benefiting all beings, to illuminate the essence of the Dao."

　　With tears in his eyes, the young man watched the old man leave. The one who had raised him flashed through his mind in countless memories from the past eighteen years. Though he was reluctant, recalling the old man's teachings and expectations, he turned his head and strode off in the opposite direction. In his mind echoed a phrase the old man often said: "Boy, I taught you so much not so you would be buried in these mountains. One day, you must leave and make something of yourself. You only live once—don't waste it."

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