The Realm of time and space spread in front of Fu Yang like a huge glowing river with no end. Right away, it seemed slow, dragged by something ancient. Light came from the top, but the source of light was not visible.
Deep dark holes like structures floated here and there, like fishs in a river, each one giving off dangerous signals.
Fu Yang drifted along, staring at the river below. His eyes blank, moving with the flow, like he was deeply swallowed what he was watching in the river.
Shhhhh… shhhhhh..
The river flowed and on it's surface, showing pieces of who he was in the past. Moments played out clear like the water which was making him face his past again and again. Harsh words rang up from the river.
"This is the bastard who defiled the flower of the Yan Clan!" a voice thundered, filled with righteousness.
"I will seek justice for the girl he tried to torment!"
Another voice, colder and more venomous, spat, "It's clear he wanted to kill her, shut her up!"
" We all know how she came running, scared because of him."
A third voice, authoritative and final, cut through the clamor. "Does this prisoner have anything to say? If not, we will decide his punishment."
Fu Yang spotted himself on the surface of river...still young, just past twenty,
cheeks sunken, skeletal like weak body.
He was trapped in a cage, wrists and neck locked in iron chains that made rattling sound on the icy ground each time he moved.
Young in age, yet his gaze felt tired, like years of hurt had drained whatever there was.
Ring, ring.
"I..... I don't even know who this lady is you're talking about!" the younger Fu Yang shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. "I wasn't even given a fair trial, and you're already deciding my punishment? What proof do you have? What proof do you have that I touched her? Huh? What prooffffff ?"
Ring, ring
The man sitting on a chair sneered "Oh, proof? We know who you are and what you do, you vile bastard. You want proof? Of course we have proof "
The younger Fu Yang looked down, thoughts moving in a lightning speed.Could it be ? he wondered. Maybe someone paid or scared people near me.
Another trap? What's the point? Ever since I got here, every one tried putting false blame on me, making fun of me… Do they wanna crush me with all this? Shape me into something tougher? Would I end up some so-called great champion just by pushing through? Still... isn't it way too heavy, hard, I will die like this?
Floating over the river, the real Fu Yang stared at his childhood and his mouth curled in a quiet smirk.
"Haah, what a fool i have been," he said, his words almost lost the constant hush of moving water.
Shhhhh shhhhhh
He turned his head slightly, looking up toward the sky.
"Mmm… wait, how much time has passed? I've watched my past countless times. I feel truly trapped here."
His gaze moved back to the river, waves filled. with old moments or what could've been.
Then something cold slipped into his head (again).
But he wasn't able to notice it.
(Perhaps i should assimilate my soul in this river.) But a sudden thought appeared in his mind. Which came from his own consciousness.
( But why did I waited, why didn't I tried it first.)
And an answer again slipped in his mind out of know where.
( May be I was scared, and waited somthing to happen.)
"Yes, yes that right. But what ever, it doesn't matter.
He than looked towards the river.
Fu Yang clenched his fists, resolve hardening. "I don't want to be trapped here," he said, his voice steady now. "It's time to take a risk. Even if it throws me back to hell, this is my only chance."
He breathed in deeply.
Woshhhh—
Then he leapt.
Shhhhh… shhhhhh…
The water didn't want him around. It rose fast, almost alive like it was pushing up hard to stop him, as if his sudden presence had no right being there.
The current hit hard, slamming into his spirit like tiny fighters rushing some foreign thing.It attacking at him trying to rip into pieces, dragging him without pause. Fire shot through every part, a howl bursting out as something deeper gave way. The water waves refusing to let go of him.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakhh.
Shhhhh shhhh shhhhh
Fu,Fu.
Oi, Fu Yang someone shouted, breaking the silence.
"Are you deaf? Look here this is an insect you hate the most, Hahaha"
"Let's put it in his mouth! Hahaha!"
Fu Yang's head spun. Where.. where the heck is this? The question hit hard. Didn't I end up in hell? Then got thrown into the Realm? Could this be another replay of my old memories? Only this time it doesn't seem like before.
" Oi, you bastard, look here " the mocking voice taunted. " Say aaaaaah "
Fu Yang shifted his gaze bit by bit. Over there - some kid gripping a bug, grinning in a mean way. It hit him hard, like an old cut that never healed right.
A nightmare.
But things felt different. Not merely looking this time but even sensing the surrounding felt different.
"Heh."
He didn't stopped to think just moved in fast. "Uam, crunch crunch crunch," came out quick. The bug got grabbed, gone down in a flash.
" Same as ever... it's not tasty " he said.
The kids nearby stopped dead, their giggles, laugh fading fast - suddenly quiet.
Fu Yang's thoughts spun fast. Hold on taste? Could he really feel flavor here, in the realm? But.. this place wasn't real, he was watching his past.
It hit him surprisingly like a shock through the bones.
"Have i lost my mind now"
Fu Yang tossed his head up, laughing loudly.
"Hahahaha… haaaaa… haahaaahaa!"