While in cultivation, the Qi inside of Ruoxue's body started moving to his upper Dantian and before he could stop it, it dragged him back into the pain-filled memories he tried so hard to forget.
Memories he wished remained buried.
It was another snowstorm in Yinfeng.
It was the farthest city that was included in the Murim world, a valley that was in between two large jagged peaks called the Wolf Fangs.
It was hundreds if not thousands of Li away from Baiyun, the city of scholars, the heart of the Murim world.
In the middle of the deserted streets was a small, short girl or at least, that's what everyone believed. She looked to be about 10. Her long silver hair clung to her and her black eyes stared blankly towards the ground.
She was walking barefooted through the streets, a large woven basket of charcoal on her back, bigger then her entire body and definitely more heavy then her.
She roamed the streets as she occasionally got called by men or women that bought some charcoal off of her.
She walked and walked around the whole cities quietly, her feet having turned blue but she didn't stop selling until the whole basket after which sat down in the snow, counting each coin she had.
She sat there for a few moments before standing up and walking towards the outskirts of the city. A pale and frail old woman wearing a simple blue robe was watching the small child through a window, a worried expression on her face as she turned to her husband who was half asleep while wearing the same type of robe as his wife.
"Dear, that child-" She said before getting interrupted by her husband sighing deeply
The husband ran a hand through his hair before speaking
"I know I know..." Her husband sighed deeply, looking at his wife with a small pleading expression "I understand your worry dear. But we can barely keep ourselves afloat, we can't help her."
The woman just sighed deeply, peeking out the window to check if the child was there anymore, but the winds had picked up pace, snow dancing too thick for her to see anything at all.
The child remained unbothered, staring at the snow that was flying across her face stoically. She continued walking for a few minutes, her feet hurting more and more but she didn't let out a single wince or reaction.
She eventually approached a small shabby hut in the slums of Yinfeng, it wasn't that big but it was her home so she didn't mind.
She stepped inside of the hut, the insides were modest and simple, the broken window was covered up by a wooden plank that was nailed onto the wall, the hut only need a small lantern to illuminate it.
There was a small bed in the corner and near the door was another large pile of charcoal for the girl.
"I'm back mother." The child spoke out to the woman who turned around to face her as she smiled. The mother was a near perfect copy of the young girl, only that her skin was much more pale and her gaze sharper.
"Ah... My little princess, you're back huh?" The mother said as she slowly picked up a stick from the ground, gesturing the girl to come closer.
The girl's stoic facade collapsed near immediately at the sight of the stick as she slowly took a few steps towards her mother, but instead of being happy like a normal girl would be at getting called princess. It seemed to irritate her.
"Stand in a shy way." Her mother commanded as she hit the girls forehead, the area reddening a bit but the mother continued to force her expression to be elegant and beautiful.
The girl let out a small cry of pain as her whole body started to shake, she slowly bowed her head, avoiding eye contact with her mother and started to fiddle with her frostbitten fingers, to replicate standing in a shy way.
The mother smiled in a twisted sense of satisfaction as she struck the girl once more, now on the legs making the girl's knees buckle as she stumbled to the ground.
"Sit in a womanly fashion." The mother commanded once more in a even harsher tone, nearly yelling at the girl.
The girl immediately adjusted her sitting position, accidentally sitting cross legged as her eyes reluctantly looked up at her mother.
The mother's beautiful and elegant demeanor immediately dropped as her face turned into a scowl as she stood up, grabbing the girls hair before slamming it onto the ground.
The girl let out a loud shriek but her mother didn't stop, she slammed her head onto the ground once more before making the girl look at her. The expression she had was one no less then a demon.
"I said in a womanly fashion you twerp! Damn it! I have no time for this! Just rot away under the bed!"
The girl immediately ran away, crawling under the bed as she breathed heavily, her forehead bleeding profusely but she remained quiet, a few sobs escaping her lips.
The lantern was turned off as the mother got on top of the bed, putting a blanket over her whole body, including her face, closing her eyes and slowly dozing off to sleep.
The girl beneath the bed took heavy, ragged gasps of the cold air, holding herself close in a hugging manner to keep herself warm as she silently sobbed, the blood dripping onto her white robe, dyeing it in a crimson red.
The hours passed silently as slowly the girl crawled out from underneath the bed as she looked at her mother, who was sleeping so peacefully after ruining his life.
"I'm Ruoxue... A man... I'm not a girl..." He mumbled under his breath, letting out a small sob before wiping the tears and dried up blood away.
Ruoxue stared at his mother silently, his eyes wide and blank as he picked up a shard of glass from the corner of the room, slowly cutting his hair as the strands fell to the ground.
A man.. A manly thing... Fighting, I'll fight. I want everyone to know I'm a man..
He stared at the shard of glass silently for a moment before throwing it onto the ground as he creaked the wooden door open, his pocket still filled with the coins he got from selling the charcoal
He started running in the dark as he felt something in his heart. It wasn't fear, nor was it anxiety.
"I'm free!!" Ruoxue yelled out in happiness as he left the thresholds of Yinfeng, officially being free.
The wind rushing past him whistled, it seemed like applause and the snow itself didn't hurt his feet anymore. It helped him wash the pain away.
Just then Ruoxue was awakened as he was shook by Yanwei who was grinning in both excitement and trepidation at him, his friend unaware of what Ruoxue had just went through.
"Hey! Wake up! You've been cultivating for the whole day without rest! Today's the Trial of Blood! Everyone's waiting on ya!"