"The map is no problem. When do you wish to depart?"
Xan Li Fang knew he needed time. To digest the sheer magnitude of the events that had just occurred—the loss of his mother, the world-shifting travel, and his ascension—he needed a moment of stillness.
"Mulo, if possible, I wish to stay for three more nights," Xan requested. "After all that has transpired, I need a little rest."
"Master Wang, you may stay in our village for as long as you desire! It is an honor for us villagers to serve you!" Mulo replied with a deep bow.
"The night has fallen. Could you leave me alone for a while?"
"Of course. Have a good night, Master Wang."
Xan Li Fang stepped out into the biting cold. He followed a small, winding path through the brush toward the village pasture, a gentle hill where the livestock grazed. Though the surroundings were pitch black to a normal eye, his vision—altered forever by the change in his bloodline—saw the world as clearly as if it were midday.
He walked to the center of the hill and sat down beneath an Old Apple Tree, turning his face toward the moon.
He looked up at the sky, and suddenly, tears welled in his eyes.
"Just yesterday, I was living happily with my mother in our old shack. Today, I don't even know where I am…"
He sat there for a long time, gazing at the heavens, lost in deep thought and yearning for the memories of his mother. His only and most beloved relative was gone.
"Li Fang, I made your favorite dish today…" "Hey, boy! What did I tell you? Stealing is bad! If I catch you stealing again, don't expect any kindness from me!" "Today, I asked Mr. Li Suagun to help you find a job…"
One by one, every word she had ever spoken echoed in his mind. He spent the entire night watching the moon, unable to sleep.
"Mother, don't worry. I will become a son you can be proud of!"
"Master Wang! Elder Mulo is waiting for you at his house! He asked me to call you!"
A boy of about ten, wrapped in thick black clothes, shouted from the crest of the hill.
"I am coming."
The world around the village had transformed into a vast expanse of white. Anyone seeing it would think the village had been buried, for a heavy snowstorm had raged through the night.
Xan arrived at the elder's home.
"Master Wang, you did not sleep in the room prepared for you last night. Are you well? You must be freezing, please, come warm yourself," Mulo said, looking concerned.
"It's not necessary. I simply enjoy the winter season," Xan replied calmly. "I was just watching the moon last night."
Mulo paused, looking confused. "Master Wang… how could you watch the moon when the sky was completely cloudy? Are you joking?"
"...Sorry, just joking," Xan covered quickly. "I was simply missing someone."
"Please, come have breakfast. I have two very important favors to ask of you."
"Indeed?"
"Based on your strength, Master Wang, we ask you to…"
"Go ahead, say it. As long as I can, no problem."
Elder Mulo hesitated. He didn't seem to know where to start, stretching the silence until he finally found the courage to speak plainly.
"Master Wang, for many years, our village has suffered here in the north. We struggle in both winter and summer... This is the coldest region of the continent. To be open with you, twelve years ago, after the Lindao Kingdom was defeated by the Sky Lord Empire, we were exiled to this distant north and stripped of our lands. If you help us, we might be able to reclaim our homeland."
Xan thought for a moment. He knew that not every story told is the whole truth. Furthermore, making an enemy of a Royal Household was not something Xan found appealing. Being friends with them would be far more beneficial.
However, he could not simply reject Elder Mulo, who had saved his life. He owed them a debt.
"You know that I cannot fight a war for you to get it back," Xan said carefully. "Tell me your plan."
"Then listen," Mulo leaned in, his voice grave. "Every year in the kingdom…"