On the slopes of the hill where the Heavenly Dragon Sect stood in its majestic glory, the air was thick with laughter and mockery. In the center of the training grounds, a thin youth in tattered clothes lay sprawled on the earth, pushed down by a group of fellow disciples. Xiao Yi, a seventeen-year-old boy, lay there with his hand tightly clutching a simple, worn-out black necklace.
"Come on, get up, Xiao Yi! Didn't you want to become a great cultivator too?!" mocked a disciple with long, neatly tied hair, as he kicked a wooden sword toward Xiao Yi.
"Or perhaps you'd prefer to keep crawling on the ground like a worm?" another added, followed by a burst of raucous laughter.
Xiao Yi rose slowly, biting his lip to suppress the pain. His thin body was covered in dust, but his eyes remained fixed forward.
"Don't touch me again," he said softly, his voice sounding more like a plea than a threat.
"Don't touch you? Ha! Who do you think you are, speaking to us like that?" The long-haired disciple stepped closer, grabbing Xiao Yi by the collar and pulling him until their faces were inches apart. "You're a nobody, you know that? Your dantian is crippled. Why are you even still here?"
"Hey! Look, what's that in his hand?" one of the disciples pointed at Xiao Yi's necklace.
"Ah, this thing again! You hold onto it like it's a treasure, when it's probably just a piece of scrap metal. Let me see it!"
Xiao Yi tightened his grip on the necklace, but two other disciples grabbed his arms, forcing his fingers open.
"Let go!" he cried, his voice hoarse. He struggled, but his body was far too weak to resist.
"You really are pathetic, Xiao Yi." One of them snatched the necklace and dangled it in the air. "Did you think this thing would make you strong? Even if you held a heavenly treasure, that broken dantian of yours remains useless!"
Xiao Yi tried to stand, but a disciple swept his legs, sending him crashing down again.
"Give it back!" he urged, his eyes reddening, on the verge of tears. "It's... it's the only thing I have left."
"Sure, come and get it!" The disciple holding the necklace feigned a hand-off, then pulled it back just as Xiao Yi reached out. Their laughter erupted once more.
"Well, you want it? Then go fetch!" He hurled the necklace into the muddy ground near a small stream at the edge of the courtyard.
Xiao Yi crawled toward his necklace, ignoring the escalating jeers. When he finally grasped it, he carefully wiped away the mud with trembling hands.
"Look at him, like a dog scavenging for a bone!" a disciple shouted, followed by an echoing laugh.
"A dog? I think 'rat' fits him better!" another added, fueling the collective mockery.
However, Xiao Yi did not respond. He rose slowly, clutching the necklace tightly to his chest. With his head bowed, he walked away from the crowd.
Their laughter continued even after he vanished from sight, heading toward the small shack at the edge of the sect complex. It was the only place he could call home—a dilapidated structure reserved for disciples without family or status.
As night fell, Xiao Yi sat on his thin mattress, staring at the necklace under the dim light of a lantern. His fingers traced the faint engravings on its surface, searching for answers from the small object.
"Father... what should I do?" he thought. "Why do I stay here, in a place that brings me nothing but pain?"
But, like every night before, there was no answer. Only the sound of the wind whistling through the cracks, as if joining in the mockery.
Outside the shack, heavy footsteps approached, followed by a familiar, sneering voice.
"Xiao Yi, are you in there? Don't forget your duty to clean the Main Hall tomorrow morning! Don't think you can slack off just because you're weak!" The voice trailed off with a snicker before the footsteps receded.
Xiao Yi clenched his fist. The necklace in his hand felt heavier than usual. In the darkness, he could only stare out of the small window, trying to endure the ache gnawing at his heart.
Yet, in the depths of his eyes, a spark of hope remained unextinguished. Though his body was frail and his crippled dantian made him appear helpless, Xiao Yi made a silent vow. One day, the world would stop looking down on him. One day, he would prove he was more than just a broken boy used for target practice.
The Following Day...
The morning sun had just begun to pierce the mist shrouding the Heavenly Dragon Sect. Xiao Yi was already standing before the Main Hall with a broom in hand. The magnificent hall, where elders gathered to discuss matters of great importance, was currently empty, yet it radiated an aura of majesty that made anyone feel insignificant.
Xiao Yi began to sweep with slow movements, his arms heavy from yesterday's bruises. The sound of the broom brushing against the marble floor was the only thing accompanying the morning silence.
Before long, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. Xiao Yi turned to see Elder Bai, an old man with a long white beard, standing in the doorway. His expression was impassive, but his eyes carried an authority that forced Xiao Yi to immediately bow his head.
"Xiao Yi," Elder Bai's voice was low but firm. "You are here early."
"I was assigned to clean the Main Hall, Elder Bai," Xiao Yi replied, his voice small but clear.
Elder Bai stepped inside, surveying the hall before stopping near the boy. "Hmph. You know, a child like you has only one use here."
Xiao Yi remained silent, but his grip tightened on the broom handle.
"You are only useful as a servant," Elder Bai continued without hesitation. "Cleaning halls, washing clothes, carrying food. That is the only reason you are still permitted to stay."
Xiao Yi bit his lip, suppressing the rage boiling in his chest. He knew that talking back would only make things worse. He bowed his head deeper. "I understand, Elder."
Elder Bai snorted. "It is good that you are self-aware. You know, don't you? That crippled dantian of yours means you will never cultivate like the other disciples. You are merely a burden. The only reason you remain is because Elder Yuan insisted on bringing you here."
At the mention of Elder Yuan, Xiao Yi's eyes softened slightly. He was the only person in this sect who had ever shown him kindness. Four years ago, when Xiao Yi was only thirteen, Elder Yuan had found him in a small village ravaged by famine. At that time, Xiao Yi was so emaciated he was barely alive, clinging to nothing but the black necklace around his neck.
Elder Yuan had brought him to the Heavenly Dragon Sect, providing him with food, shelter, and a sense of security he had never known. However, Elder Yuan was no longer there; he had passed away a year ago.
Elder Bai stepped closer, looking down at Xiao Yi with cold indifference. "Remember this, young man. You will never be among the great cultivators. Accept your reality and perform your duties well. That is all you can do to repay Elder Yuan's kindness."
Xiao Yi did not answer, but the words felt like a dagger to his heart. He bowed even lower and resumed his work without looking at Elder Bai again.
Elder Bai snorted once more before turning and leaving, leaving Xiao Yi alone in the silent hall.
Xiao Yi stood in the center of the vast room, his broom motionless. His eyes were fixed on the polished floor, but his mind was miles away. He gripped the black necklace hanging from his neck, his fingers tracing the fine patterns.
"Father, Mother... Am I truly worthless? Am I nothing but a burden to this world?"
But in a corner of his heart, a small voice whispered, refusing to surrender to fate. Xiao Yi took a deep breath and returned to his sweeping. No one knew what the future held, but one thing was certain—he would not give up.
"If this necklace is all I have, then I will protect it and find the truth. One day, I will prove that I am more than just a servant."