I was finished tending my crop and so it was time for my daily reading with my chubby little daughter. She wasn’t quite able to burn the unnecessary calories she got from all that rice, it was barely enough to keep her from malnutrition as it had no spiritual energy. Still she was happy and healthy despite the extra weight. I read to her as I usually did while she chased butterflies about, once she rebounded from near death I can’t recall a day I wasn’t happy, in fact it’s the only time I can recall being happy.

It was then I felt a wet trickle from my eye, I took it to be a tear of happiness as often happened as I read with my little one...who was looking at me in pale faced horror. “Wush owong?” I choked out as blood exploded from my throat. "Oh no, a Demigod realm cultivator." I thought to myself.

A man clad in stupidly embellished, gaudy golden armor lightly touched down on the ground. He stupidly blew his own glowing green hair in the air, obviously revealing his qi element to everyone just to look cooler...to a toddler and a farmer. How such a man, even with his incredible power, was alive was something beyond me but obviously hinted to incredibly cruelty to counter for intense stupidity. 

“Ahh! How incredible! One of the thousand of the twenty third batch survived. Come my daughter!” I felt angry for the first time in my life, so alien to me was this sensation I wasn’t sure it actually was anger. I knew there was absolutely no way to fight this man. I had made the first mistake of my life that was truly mine. I had dared to love, to think I would be allowed a single joy in this world would not be ripped away from me. Still, if my daughter could eat that would be solace, though our time had been short a life as a cultivator was always the direction she was destined for as she would eventually need food rich in spiritual energy. 

As the man reached for lianhua she ran to hide behind my leg. “Pig stink, why does my daughter cower behind you? To have survived alone she should cower behind no one.” I cup my fist. Despite the middle aged man’s arrogance, I must plead the case for Lianhua. Besides he can kill me with a thought, I must try diplomacy to the best of my ability.

“Honorable Senior, three years ago this child landed on this mountain. In that time I have healed and fed her. I hope Senior will take this wonderful child wi-” Is all of the pleading I can do before my sternum is crushed by a blast of wind pressure that sends me flying backwards into the tree I was reading under happily just moments ago.

“Incessant insect, you’ve infected my daughter, better she was dead than weak. I will take her back to my harem, if she is strong I’ll impregnate her after her first blood, if she shows enough promise I’ll allow her to bear my child naturally. Luck from heaven is after all it’s own strength, If not my kind foot shall strike her to the sky where the child will be birthed anew from a shooting star. If the child survives and is male they’ll be a soldier of mine, if not a new wife for the harem.”

“SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER YOU DEVIL!” I scream through the blood pouring from my mouth. 

He swings a wave of concentrated air pressure that cuts my entire right side off mere centimeters from my groin.

“So was her mother. Hush now insect, go to hell graced that I deigned to strike you twice, such honor is universes beyond what you deserve for chattering in my ear.”

“‘Elp me baba!” is that last thing the only being I cherish in this world cried before she was taken away.

I am in bad shape, that I am still alive is a miracle. I have mere seconds to begin cultivating or die. Yes, to cultivate. I read those many ponderous tomes for a reason. I long ago created a cultivation technique for myself. I have worked on it my entire life, I was just never sure I wanted to use it. I was content, stupid, stupid. I was so stupid. The moment I had her I should have started and damned the risks.

I have no idea if this will work, I have no idea if this can save my life. The entire technique is something I made up based on research and is severely lacking in everything from control techniques to movement skills. The alternative is to just lay here and die….

“ELP ME BABA!” I startle back to consciousness with a strange new emotion, it is actually perfect for my purposes. It’s something beyond anger and hate. Stronger. Cold. I feel the day I can name it will be the last day of my journey.