The siblings stood frozen, stunned by the sight awaiting them atop the Mountain of Halah. Still clutching their heavy biandan filled with water, they halted mid-step as their eyes fell upon the training grounds. Before them stood three massive jars, each one clearly marked with their names.
Shen Yue dropped to his knees in disbelief. "Elder Wujin… I take back everything I said," he muttered, his voice thick with despair.
Mei Lin exhaled sharply, her expression darkening. "We only have a two-day limit…"
Tian Dao was the only one who walked directly toward his assigned jar. Without hesitation, he poured the water he had carried into it. The liquid passed through the opening as effortlessly as a passing breeze, appearing as if the water had no weight at all.
Two days…
Tian Dao clenched his fists. He wasn't sure if Mei Lin and Shen Yue could endure two days of this and if he were being honest, he wasn't sure if he could, either. Yet, his resolve hardened. He had to prove he could overcome these trials. Without another word, he turned and ran back toward the Dao River to begin the task anew.
Mei Lin and Shen Yue exchanged glances.
"You complain too much," Mei Lin said coldly, pouring her water into her jar. "Tian Dao is six years younger than us, yet he hasn't uttered a single word of protest."
Shen Yue clicked his tongue in irritation, but he remained silent. Mei Lin was right. If Tian Dao could endure it, then so could he. Moving with renewed determination, he began the descent.
"Wait for me, Mei Lin!"
"Don't bother me! I don't even know you!" she shot back.
The entire morning passed in a blur of grueling repetition. Elder Wujin observed them from a distance, a faint, approving smile forming on his lips as he watched their persistence sharpen with every passing hour.
Eventually, Shen Yue rushed toward Tian Dao, gasping for air. "W-wait…" his voice trembled from exhaustion. They had worked for seven hours without food. "M-mother… she's waiting by the river. She brought us food."
When they reached the jars and saw they were barely half-full despite their monumental efforts, their confidence wavered. "Is this even possible?" Mei Lin whispered.
The task was especially difficult for her; her physical limitation—having only one arm—made balancing the heavy biandan a constant struggle. Tian Dao watched her silently, his mind already turning with ways to help her.
--
"Eat as much as you can," Ye Yin said softly, watching her children.
Mei Lin and Shen Yue ate ravenously, but Tian Dao remained quiet. He carefully pushed small portions of meat aside, eating modestly. Ye Yin opened her mouth to urge him to eat more, but she stopped when she saw him quietly wrapping the remaining food in leaves.
Tears welled in her eyes. Even when he was clearly starving, Tian Dao restrained himself.
After eating, he stayed behind to help his mother clean, ignoring her gentle insistence that she could handle it. Only when every scrap was cleared did he return to the river to drink and resume his loads.
Ye Yin watched him go with an emotional smile. She could hardly believe how much he had grown. The frail infant had become strong, disciplined, and kind. As she finished cleaning, she found the bundle of food he had left behind for her. Unable to hold back any longer, she broke into silent sobs.
As afternoon turned to evening, a drizzle began to fall, quickly turning into a steady rain. The siblings' exhaustion briefly turned into joy.
"It's raining! Woohoo!" Shen Yue cheered, spinning around his jar. "Pour harder! Maybe I won't have to wake up early tomorrow just to fetch water!"
Mei Lin sat on the muddy ground, watching him with a smirk. "Oh? And here I thought this was 'easy' for you? Are you already looking for a shortcut?"
Shen Yue cleared his throat, quickly regaining his pride. "It's hardly a challenge. I'm only maintaining this pace as a courtesy to you. Be grateful I'm waiting; I know all too well what it's like to be left behind."
Mei Lin rolled her eyes. "Fine, give me your portion then." She snatched at his biandan, and the two immediately began a playful scuffle over the small amount of water left inside.
Tian Dao watched them quietly. He rarely saw the two get along; they usually spent their time arguing or falling into frustrated silences.
Among the three of them, Tian Dao was often the only calm presence. The only "normal" one… or perhaps the only one who tried to understand them both.
By the time they returned to the village, gloomy surroundings fallen into darkness.
"Don't you think this is too harsh for the children?" Elder Xuan asked quietly, sipping herbal tea from an old porcelain cup.
The rain had stopped, but Zephyrron remained stiflingly hot despite the absence of sunlight. Thunder rolled across the dark sky, though the villagers had long grown accustomed to it.
"It is nothing compared to what they will face outside," Wujin replied calmly. "The world beyond these walls is far too cruel."
"But they are still children… especially Tian Dao."
Tian Dao was the youngest among them, yet instead of being a burden, he had become the one who pushed his older companions forward.
"He is different from ordinary children," Wujin said with a faint sigh. "You already know that."
Indeed, Tian Dao was unlike any child his age. He was thoughtful, intelligent, and unusually mature. He spoke rarely but when he did, his words were always respectful and precise. It was a trait Wujin deeply admired.
Sometimes, even Wujin found himself wondering whether they were truly abandoned by God. Before Tian Dao arrived, Zephyrron had been drowning in despair. Food had become scarce, animals were dying, and hope among the villagers was fading.
But everything changed the moment Tian Dao appeared. He became the light of the dying village, alongside Mei Lin, Shen Yue, and Xue Ying.
"I suppose I cannot change your mind," Elder Xuan said at last. "I will take my leave to tend to my granddaughter, Xue Ying."
Left alone, Wujin gazed at the dark heavens. Memories of his past life in the Holy City of Hadar resurfaced, bringing a pain he had tried for decades to bury. His fist clenched.
"You all fear him," he whispered to the sky. "A child who has done nothing but help others and show kindness."
His voice faded into the wind. For a moment, even the gods in the heavens seemed silent.