C8 The Birth of Fan Spirit

Wu Shanbao, reeling from a series of blows, had lost all faith in those around him. Even the neighbors who had supported him in the past now shunned him as if he carried the plague. More despicable still was the betrayal of his childhood friends. But what truly infuriated him was the audacity of the shopkeepers who had taken over the Wu family's assets without a hint of pity or shame.

In just a few days, Wu Shanbao felt he had witnessed the full extent of human selfishness and heartlessness. With a heart heavy with scars, he found solace by the lakeside, silently observing the ripples dancing across the water's surface.

Suddenly, he felt something unusual beneath his foot. By the light of the moon, Wu Shanbao picked it up and realized it was his mother's Breeze Fan. Overwhelmed with joy amidst the betrayal and cold-heartedness of those he once knew, the sight of his mother's keepsake sent him into a frenzy of happiness.

Clutching the fan, Wu Shanbao lay awake on his hard bed, tormented by the gnawing hunger in his belly. He pondered over how he could survive.

After much thought and no clear solution, Wu Shanbao reluctantly decided to focus on the fan in his hands. "This fan is quite beautiful. Perhaps I should pawn it to get through this immediate crisis. Later, when I'm able, I'll buy it back," he resolved.

Driven by the pangs of hunger, Wu Shanbao rose before the break of dawn, intent on pawning the Breeze Fan at a nearby market. It was still dark, the hour before dawn the most somber, as he set out with the fan in hand.

Stumbling along the way, Shanbao was soon so weary that his vision blurred. Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he tumbled to the ground, landing on a stone. His chest struck the rock, but fortunately, the fan absorbed some of the impact, sparing him from injury.

Rubbing the sore spot on his chest, he lamented, "What rotten luck. I can't even walk without falling!"

"Oh no! The fan!"

Wu Shanbao felt for the fan at his chest and anxiously inspected it.

"It's ruined, completely ruined! Even this last fan is damaged!" He grieved as he observed the fine cracks on the fan's surface and the split in its frame.

"What am I to do?" Wu Shanbao fretted, his last glimmer of hope nearly extinguished by the accident.

"Ah, I've finally emerged! Where is this place?" An unfamiliar, ancient voice seemed to echo across eons.

Wu Shanbao jumped at the unexpected sound. He scanned his surroundings, but there was no one to be seen.

"Hello! Who's speaking?" Wu Shanbao called out, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Little fellow, what's your name?"

"Who's speaking to me?" Wu Shanbao's pulse quickened.

"I am a deity!"

"Why can't I see you?"

"I reside within your Breeze Fan. Will you open it?"

With a mix of belief and doubt, Shanbao cautiously opened the fan. As he did, a vague figure materialized, clad in unusual attire, radiating an otherworldly aura.

"Who are you? Are you the one speaking to me? Why are you inside my fan?"

"As I mentioned, I am a deity! It's only natural for a deity to be able to enter your fan," the Fan Spirit said, stifling a chuckle at the sight of the youthful Wu Shanbao. "Aren't you afraid?"

"What's there to fear? Could you possibly be as dreadful as the murderer who slaughtered my family? Are you as vile as those who usurped my inheritance?"

"Your plight does sound quite dire."

"First, tell me who you are! Why are you in my fan?"

"Well, it's a long story. I am the Fan Spirit from the Ninth Heaven. Pursued by my foes, I destroyed my own powers and sealed myself within this fan..."

"So you have enemies too? Are they formidable?"

"Indeed, they are. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been driven to such lengths."

"Alas! It appears we're both castaways of fate."

"Could you share with me what's befallen you?"

"I'd be glad to. No one else dares speak with me anymore, so it's a relief to have your company."

Wu Shanbao recounted his misfortunes in detail, yet the Fan Spirit remained silent.

"Hey! Don't you find my misfortunes grievous enough?"

"They are certainly grievous, but not as much as mine. I'm contemplating how to assist you."

"Let's not kid ourselves; in your current state, how could you possibly help anyone?"

"Young man! Are you underestimating me? Would you believe me if I said I can make you incredibly powerful?"

"Is that so? I aspire to be a Dao Attendant, but there's a fee for apprenticeship, and I can't afford it. How could you possibly make me powerful?"

"You're considering paying a fee to a mere Dao Attendant? You might as well take me as your master instead!"

"Take you as my master?"

"Yes!"

"Are you that powerful? As powerful as those Dao Attendants?"

"Hehe, have you ever heard of the Nine Heavens?"

"No, I haven't!"

"Well, let me enlighten you. The Nine Heavens are the pinnacle of power. Cultivators in this world are categorized as Dao, Buddhist, and Confucian practitioners. Each capable of reaching the heavens, piercing the earth, and achieving immortality! I'm not sure which path you wish to pursue, but perhaps I can assist you?"

"I'm not familiar with what you're saying, but I want to learn the most formidable technique in the world. I want to be extremely powerful!"

"The most formidable in the world, you say? Let me think..."

"That's it! After I was sealed, I realized a cultivation technique that no one has practiced yet! I'm certain that once it's mastered, one will be unmatched under the heavens!"

"Is that so? Teach me, quickly!"

"Patience is a virtue. This technique is incredibly profound, with a unique method of practice. The journey is far more challenging than the other paths—three times as difficult, at least..."

"I'm not scared! Please, teach me!"

"I don't even know your name yet."

"I am Zhang Shanbao!"

"Well, you should at least perform a proper gesture of respect for your master."

"Master, please accept your disciple's three kowtows!" Wu Shanbao said, and then he genuinely knelt and kowtowed.

"Ah! I can't tell if you're naive or just playing the fool! But seeing as you have a good heart, it seems we are destined to meet. I will impart the technique to you." Fan Spirit said, gesturing from a distance, and a stream of cryptic knowledge flowed into Wu Shanbao's mind.

"Master, how do I practice this technique? It seems a bit beyond my grasp."

"For now, it's not suitable for you to practice this technique. Once you truly embark on the Dao, you'll understand the essence of it. But before you begin this practice, there are some things you ought to know."

"Oh! Please go on, Master! And could you also pass on the method of cultivation to me?"

"Hey! Do you think I'm in any condition to teach you a cultivation technique right now?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Shanbao noticed that the figure within the Breeze Fan, which was already somewhat indistinct, had become even more blurred, and his voice sounded fainter.

"Master, what's happened to you?"

"Didn't I tell you? I've sealed myself inside the fan at the cost of my own cultivation. After millennia of wear and tear, I've become incredibly weak. This cultivation technique isn't just about strengthening you; it revitalizes me as well. We are essentially linked by the same life force..."

"Ah? I'm not sure I follow."

"In essence, by successfully cultivating the technique I've taught you, you're also aiding me!"

"If you impart your skills to me, it's only natural that I help you in return."

"Commit this to memory! The technique is known as the Breeze Fan Technique. Once you've mastered it, you will be unmatched under the heavens, and I, too, will regain my former peak strength and form."

"So, what should I do now?"

"I'm at the brink of depletion, so I'm unable to offer you further guidance. Only by performing a sufficient number of good deeds will I be able to sense it. At that point, I'll send you some information. You'll need to help me find the scattered essence of the fan in the Ninth Heaven. As I absorb the essence of the fan, my strength will grow, and your power will also increase significantly due to the Breeze Fan Technique..."

As he spoke, the Fan Spirit seemed to have expended all his energy. His voice grew weaker and weaker until only a thread-like whisper reached Shanbao's ears. "You must safeguard the fan and swiftly perform enough good deeds. That way, you'll be able to meet me sooner..."