That morning, a thin mist still cloaked the village of Ziran.
The cold air bit at the skin, but Li Yuan's heart felt warm.
He woke early, swept the small yard of his home, and began preparing a simple breakfast from the leftover vegetables he had bought the day before.
His hands moved skillfully—cutting, sautéing, and boiling—skills he had learned ever since his mother passed away.
Not long after, footsteps echoed from inside the house.
Li Haoming emerged, his hair still messy, but his face carried a firm resolve.
"Li Yuan," he said as he sat near the stove,
"I'll teach you only the basics. I don't know much, and... I can't send you to a martial arts school. We just don't have the money."
Li Yuan was silent for a moment, staring at his father—
a man who had worked hard without complaint for as long as he could remember.
Then, he nodded firmly.
"Father… even the foundation is enough."
Li Haoming smiled—bitter, yet warm.
"This foundation… might become your footing. When it's strong, your body will be like a wall—solid, unshakable, and able to support many things."
When the food was ready, they ate in meaningful silence.
That simple meal felt like strength, flowing into Li Yuan's body along with new determination.
After eating, they stepped outside.
The sun was beginning to rise, its rays piercing through the trees, lighting the ground that would become his first training ground.
Li Haoming stood tall, then said:
"First, you must learn to stand."
Li Yuan raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Stand?"
"Yes. But not ordinary standing. This is the basic stance."
Li Haoming demonstrated the position—
legs slightly bent, back straight, hands at the waist.
"If you can hold this stance for an hour each day, that's enough. No need to rush. Remember, the foundation is the beginning of everything. Many want to become strong, but they skip this little step. In the end, they collapse."
Li Yuan followed. At first, it felt easy—
but after five minutes, his legs began to tremble.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead.
But his eyes—those calm gray eyes filled with resolve—remained focused ahead.
"The foundation…" he thought.
"Like roots to a tree… like the first stone of a temple…"
That day, the first training began.
There were no swords, no grand techniques—
only a small body standing against time.
And a father… quietly smiling.
"Perhaps… you will surpass me, Yuan…"
After the exhausting morning training, Li Yuan's body felt heavy.
His muscles were tense, sweat still dripping,
but a sense of satisfaction lingered in every step.
He walked toward the river,
where the water flowed calmly and the air carried the scent of leaves.
There, as always, two figures were waiting—Mu Yi and Fan Tu.
"Li Yuan! You're late!" shouted Mu Yi, cheerful as always.
"Did you fall asleep on the stove?" he added with a laugh.
Fan Tu, as usual, simply smiled calmly.
Li Yuan sat on a large rock by the stream.
He dipped his feet into the cool river, letting his fatigue wash away with the current.
"Why were you late?" Mu Yi asked,
looking at Li Yuan's face, which seemed more serious than usual.
"I was training… martial arts," Li Yuan replied shortly.
Mu Yi furrowed his brows, then exclaimed,
"Why are you suddenly training?! Didn't you say before you weren't interested?"
Li Yuan gazed at the surface of the water, then answered softly but firmly:
"I want to explore the world. I want to walk… to feel… to understand. The world is vast. I don't know what I'll encounter… but I want to be able to protect myself."
The sound of flowing water became a silent background to his words.
Mu Yi, usually full of jokes, fell silent for a moment.
Then, he looked at Li Yuan with different eyes—deeper.
"Do you… want to be someone great?" he asked quietly.
Li Yuan shook his head.
"No… I just want to protect myself… on the journey."
Fan Tu, who had been listening the whole time, nodded slowly and added:
"I'm training too… not to be the strongest. But so I can protect my family… and you both, too."
The three of them sat in silence for a while.
The wind blew gently, carrying the sound of leaves falling into the river.
Their conversation was simple, yet held something much greater—
an early awareness, a step toward maturity.
That day, the three of them sat by the river…
not just as ordinary children,
but as three young souls
who had begun to gaze upon the paths of their own lives.