I woke up under the dark cold sky.
The ground was dusty and very cold.
No one was near me, all was quiet.
Something inside me moved slowly and softly.
My shell cracked open like a flower.
I pulled myself out and breathed deep.
My eyes were closed but I could see.
The cold wind touched my soft pale skin.
I did not have a name yet.
But a thread inside called me forward.
My fingers curled tight and body bent.
I stood up crooked but I was alive.
I walked south alone without saying words.
No gods or spirits watched my steps.
I saw tall cliffs under the gray clouds.
Rivers twisted and climbed like long snakes.
The mountains were quiet and calm everywhere.
I heard soft music from the cold fog.
No footsteps came near me, just distant sounds.
Mist covered everything with thick cold air.
A glowing thread pulled me softly forward.
It called to me like a strong fate.
I found a small hut with a roof.
It smelled strange like old blood and silk.
Inside was a broken loom and girl.
Her hair was long tangled like thick vines.
She opened one tired eye and looked.
She asked, "Who are you, stranger here?"
I said nothing because I did not know.
She smiled and said, "You belong now."
An old man knelt with eyes closed tight.
His hands looked thin and fragile like thread.
He said, "You are too weak to live."
"You are soft inside, but you will stay."
He gave me a task to break cocoon.
I had to find the hidden spirit thread.
The girl watched me and laughed softly then.
"Don't die tonight," she said with smile.
I trained hard alone, pain burning my skin.
The cocoon fought back against my sharp blade.
My skin was hurt but I learned slowly.
She touched the thread and helped me feel.
"Feel the breath slow," she whispered to me.
I heard a heartbeat beating inside me.
A second heart was hiding beneath skin.
The thread went deep inside my weak body.
Pain burned like fire but I smiled still.
My body was cold but my mind calm.
I saw strange things beyond this broken world.
Old trees fell slowly down without sound.
Words floated softly in cold quiet air.
"You have started weaving your new fate."
The girl watched and said, "Wrong, try again."
"You bleed the wrong way," she said softly.
She licked my wrist burning badly now.
"Let me help you weave the right way."
Her mouth touched my skin and warm qi flowed.
A fire burned inside me soft and strong.
She whispered, "Don't be afraid now, Mochi."
"You are not ready to fight yet."
I woke shaking, chest marked with glowing thread.
The girl who helped me was gone.
The old man coughed and said, "You survived."
"You barely lived, but earned your true name."
I said my new name out loud.
"Mochi Jao," the name that stays forever.
I walked up the steep cliff alone slowly.
The wind hit face and cut deeply.
But inside my soul burned with strong power.
I held thread tight against my cold bones.
I started climbing higher into unknown sky.
Up and up I climbed with hope.
Toward the fate waiting just for me.
My steps disappeared inside the thick morning fog.
The cliffs around me moved and changed shapes.
Fog wrapped itself tightly around my body.
All sounds disappeared into cold heavy silence.
The thread hummed softly and called me forward.
I followed the slow pulse pulling me close.
Trees blinked many bright glowing eyes at me.
Branches breathed ash smoke into dark cold air.
Nothing felt real anymore, everything was strange now.
She appeared softly like mist sliding down mountains.
Her hair was dripping wet and dark rain.
"Nice walk this morning," she said with smile.
I nodded slowly, feeling a cold chill.
She took my pale hand in hers.
"Come meet them, don't be afraid now."
Six men knelt on the cold stone floor.
Bodies wrapped tight in rough silk thread bindings.
Sharp needles pierced pale skin in many places.
They chanted softly in low broken voices.
"No bones will break, only souls inside."
One man stood tall, eyes mouth sewn shut.
He bowed low and spoke softly to me.
"Join our silence, young one, join us."
The girl watched and mouthed, "Don't trust him."
"Not yet, Mochi. Wait for the right moment."
The first test burned hot like wild fire.
They gave me thread and heavy heavy stones.
"Move the stones or you will surely die."
I bled thread but stones moved slightly only.
They hit me hard when I failed again.
I got up slow and tried once more.
Again and again I fought through the pain.
The girl found me and washed my wounds.
She hummed softly a song full of power.
The threads danced gently inside cold water.
My chest burned hot fast with strong qi.
She whispered softly, "Never ever be afraid now."
I could not sleep all night darkly.
Thread beat wrong pulsing inside my dreams.
Darkness opened wide deep around my mind.
She climbed in silently wearing nothing but hair.
Only her dark hair covered her skin.
She sat on me softly with sleepy eyes.
Her eyes half closed but full of fire.
"You fear my touch, do you, Mochi?"
I stammered softly, almost could not speak.
She laughed sweetly with teasing gentle smile.
"Let's make warmth together and forget our fears."
Her fingers moved softly on my shaking skin.
Thread fused with our bodies and our hearts.
Our breath locked in steady soft rhythm.
Then silence came down softly over night.
She whispered softly, "I am broken too."
Lightning cracked open black sky above us.
Clouds ripped apart like thin silk wind.
Sharp needles fell like rain from sky.
It was omen sent by gods.
Sect gathered quickly, fear stitched hearts.
Threads glowed weak but bright in night.
She held breath, I met her gaze.
Neither of us spoke any word.
We climbed stone stairs past heavy gate.
Thread sang softly, led us down.
We went deep into cold roots.
Morning sky split open wide above us.
Old man sighed, "The gate cracked open."
They gathered quickly with hearts stitched tight.
Threads glowed faint but stronger than before.
She held breath tightly, I looked up.
Neither spoke truth or made sound.
We climbed stone stairs past cold gate.
Thread hummed softly, led us down.
Steps echoed loudly in hollow cave walls.
Silk hung softly like curtains around us.
Bones nailed fast on cold stone walls.
Strange words carved deep inside the bones.
Etched forever in cold bones were words.
"Thread breaks fate forever, no one stops."
We knelt still and forced to silence.
Each bound by fate to move forward.
She touched altar with bleeding red finger.
Thread spilled out like crimson river flow.
"Make solemn vow before the flame now."
I stared deep into the flame.
"I weave war now, never will stop."
Back above ground, I could not rest.
Qi flowed wrongly inside body and mind.
My skin peeled softly away, new skin.
New thread veins glowed faint in moonlight.
She found me outside sacred circle waiting.
Her eyes shone half-golden, glowing softly dark.
"You changed too," she said softly smiling.
She removed silk robe without any shame.
Thread tattoos moved slowly across soft skin.
Across pale belly they pulsed strong.
"Touch these, Mochi," she whispered to me.
I hesitated then reached out, obeyed.
My fingers moved slowly across warm skin.
Her breath grew soft deep against my neck.
Thread coiled tighter around her smooth legs.
Silk wrapped legs in soft warm waves.
Qi flared deeply inside both our bodies.
Our minds blended quietly in deep connection.
I moaned low with sudden pleasure.
She gasped sharp, "No more rules now."
We fused body and will in pleasure.
Pleasure came silent waves after long night.
Afterwards, we floated naked in thick fog.
Words felt heavy so she whispered softly.
"Now you are mine forever, Mochi."
I said nothing back, held her close.
An explosion shook entire sect hard.
Threads tore off roofs, fell like rain.
Sky rained black silk thick from above.
Elder died screaming loud in burning fire.
Another vanished into thin empty air.
Gate cracked open wide to world.
Yinmu came slowly with cold cruel steps.
Eyes pure white, mouth sewn shut tightly.
"Thread thief still lives here!" shouted loud.
"Bring him down now, no mercy here."
Old master blocked but died screaming quick.
One stab, silence came over place.
I clenched teeth, stepped forward slowly.
I said loudly, "Unravel me now."
Wind stopped, holding breath with us.
Needles flew fast sharp through cold air.
I dodged slow careful with each movement.
Yinmu smiled cruel cold dark face.
Thread pierced hard into cracked dry ground.
His cloak turned sharp deadly blade.
We fought without sound or words spoken.
Qi burned bright blue flames at night.
Threads whipped hard fast through empty sky.
Pipa shouted, "Don't block needles now!"
Too late for words to reach me.
Shoulder exploded red with heavy blow.
I stumbled back, blood dripping thread.
I knelt down, breathing hard but calm.
Thread veins screamed inside broken skin.
Breath stayed steady slow as flame.
I bound wound with rough cloth.
Flesh healed wrong, grew stronger now.
Power grew deep inside aching body.
My eyes glowed red burning fire.
Hair floated loose wild in wind.
Fingers gripped tight with strength will.
Yinmu frowned deep dark cruel hate.
"Too fast for death now."
"Should not live long anymore."
I charged fast with sharp spear.
Thread formed spear sharp deadly.
My strike true, cut him deep.
Yinmu blinked once, vanished air.
Night came heavy dark full pain.
I limped home bleeding slow tired.
Back to her waiting warm embrace.
Pipa lit soft lamp in dark.
She saw fresh blood on clothes.
"Again you bleed stupid boy," whispered.
I smiled weakly, "Still here with you."
She touched lips, "You owe me."
I nodded then leaned close kiss.
Our lips met burning soft fire.
Qi flowed backward hot inside us.
She moaned soft low deep pleasure.
We fell into warm burning fire.
Morning came quiet still with light.
She tied me tight red thread.
Red thread of union fragile strong.
"Not marriage," she said, "Don't die."
I tied knot strong steady true.
Pulses beat together steady loud.
I felt wind blowing nearby again.
New call came loud clear.
She frowned, "Feel that too?"
Another woman wakes pulling thread.
Another thread pulls tight calling me.
Another fate waiting to meet.
Far east mountain, dark cold room.
Silk eggs cracked slowly soft sound.
Qianse Qiu smiled wicked eyes violet.
Nails dipped sharp into thick gold.
She bathed in soup dead corpses.
Souls whispered haunting songs all night.
Her voice hummed low sharp dark.
"Bring me him now," she said.
"Mochi Jao, thread thief, bring alive."
She licked lips slowly smiled wide.
"Kiss mirror's cold face, come fast."
"Come find me or I come."
Night wrapped us tight cold threads.
Thread hummed deep secrets hidden well.
Silk whispered truths no one knew.
Qianse waited silent still in dark.
Eyes scanned dark empty wide sky.
Breath slow steady calm strong always.
Moonlight touched silk robes softly.
Fingers twitched grasping unseen thread.
Thread pulled sharp cutting fate deeper.
She smiled proud dark cruel.
"Tonight begins long war," whispered.
Darkness laughed loud full hate.
Door opened slowly very carefully.
Footsteps fell soft cold stone floor.
I stood frozen heart racing.
Pipa grabbed shaking hand tight.
"Not safe here, we must run."
Eyes darted watching shadows around.
Figure stepped forward flowing robes.
Face half hidden under hood.
"Friend or foe?" I asked calm.
She bowed low whispered urgently.
"I'm old master. Here to warn."
Master spoke slowly words heavy truth.
"Yinmu grows stronger than before."
"Thread of death spreads fast now."
"Your time running short, be ready."
"Trust no one, not close friends."
He stopped eyes wide with fear.
Pipa gasped, "Who is betrayer here?"
Master shook head no answer.
"Secrets stay hidden from young."
"Prepare for battle coming soon."
Darkness comes close closes fast.
Flames danced wildly through dark night.
Sect burned fast screams echoed air.
Screams tore thick heavy burning smoke.
I fought hard needles flying sharp.
Thread sliced flames blood stained ground.
Pipa pulled back "Run or die."
We fled burning sect into woods.
Qianse watched far away glowing eyes.
Her plans grew darker smiled wide.
Safe moment now by fire.
Pipa tied bleeding wounds strong thread.
Thread sealed pain deep inside body.
We sat close warm breath mixing.
Eyes locked steady no words said.
"I'm yours," whispered softly full trust.
"Not yet," I said firm gentle.
"But soon you will be mine."
Threads tightened binding our fates tight.
Destinies tied strong like strongest knot.
War waited close over horizon.