The cold night air bit at her skin as she stepped beyond the towering gates of the Heavenly Pavilion. The massive doors behind her slammed shut with an eerie finality, as if severing her last connection to the world she had once known.
The child in her arms remained silent, his breathing steady, unaware of the storm raging within his mother's heart.
She walked forward, her steps steady despite the weight of the decision she had just made.
They feared him.
The elders—powerful cultivators who had seen countless prodigies, divine beings, and demonic entities—had looked at her son with dread in their eyes. Not admiration. Not curiosity. Fear.
And fear led to only one thing—destruction.
She knew the ways of the martial world. What could not be understood was either worshipped or eradicated. If the truth about her son spread, those who sought power would chase him to claim him, and those who saw him as a threat would do anything to eliminate him.
Her fingers tightened around his small body.
I will not let them take him.
She kept walking, her pace quickening as the mountain path stretched before her. The dark clouds above rumbled, and a cold wind carried the scent of approaching rain.
She needed to leave this place.
Not just the Heavenly Pavilion, not just this province—she needed to vanish from the eyes of the world entirely.
But where?
Her mind raced through the possibilities. The powerful martial clans would never accept him. The hidden sects would seek to exploit him. And the royal families? They would see him as either a weapon or a monster.
No.
She needed to return to where it all began.
To the one place no one would think to look.
The village.
The tiny, forgotten settlement where she had spent the past few years. Where she had hidden herself from the prying eyes of her family. Where she had prayed for a peaceful life with the man she had loved.
Her heart ached at the thought.
He was gone.
Vanished without a trace before their child was even born. No messages. No signs. Just… gone.
But she could not afford to grieve. Not now.
She had to protect the only thing left in her life.
Her son.
---
The rain began to fall as she descended the mountain, her clothes dampening under the cold drizzle. The once-clear dirt path turned slick with mud, but she did not stop.
The village was still far away, at least two days' journey on foot. She had little money left and even fewer resources. The only thing keeping her going was sheer will.
And then—
A presence.
She stopped.
The forest around her was silent. Too silent.
Her fingers instinctively brushed against the small dagger hidden beneath her robes. She shifted her son slightly, ensuring his tiny form was securely wrapped within the folds of her cloak.
She was being watched.
She could feel it.
A flicker of movement in the shadows. A rustling in the trees. The unmistakable sensation of eyes upon her.
Bandits? No. Their killing intent was far too subtle.
Cultivators.
Her breath slowed.
They were waiting.
Whoever they were, they had no intention of striking yet.
She took another step forward.
The air remained tense, but nothing happened.
She took another.
Still, no movement.
Whoever was watching her… they were testing her.
Her grip on the dagger tightened. If they made a move, she would not hesitate. She had fought before. She had killed before. She would do it again if it meant keeping her son safe.
The rain grew heavier, masking the sound of her footsteps.
She kept walking, her pace unwavering, her heartbeat steady.
And then—
The presence vanished.
As if it had never been there at all.
She did not slow. She did not turn to look.
She simply pressed forward, the village her only destination.
But deep inside, she knew—
This was only the beginning.
---