How to Cultivate a Game

Initially, I imagined that I'd be seeing blood, bones, and flesh. Taking a step further, maybe I would see blood cells or even atoms.

But when I opened my eyes, I instead found myself in the middle of endless empty white. In front of me was the old Fu Shi, the original Fu Shi. I was stumped by the sudden development. Why was the old man inside me? I thought he had passed to the afterlife already. The 11th Stage, the Perfect Immortal was really a mysterious and powerful realm!

"Hey there, young man..." The old man said in a chiding tone. Somehow, I felt disapproval and a bit of joy from old Fu Shi's gaze.

I remained silent at old Fu Shi's words. I stroked my bare arm, touching my skin, trying to make sense of what was happening. My body was gone. I was as if a floating 'nothing' of thought. I simply existed because I thought I did. "What the fuck's happening!?"

Old Fu Shi raised his hand, summoning a crystal clear mirror. There, my image was reflected— a young man in his mid-20s with black hair. That was weird. Did I just become a ghost? I scrutinized the reflection who was blankly looking back at me.

His name was... my name was...

"Who am I?"

I saw myself in the mirror frowning. My thoughts were chaotic and without calm. With a thought, I made the mirror shatter.

*Crack!

The shards of the mirror vanished into thin air as the old man behind it, amiably smiled in my direction.

"You are you." Old Fu Shi suddenly spoke; his voice was soft and friendly.

"And I am me," He continued while he touched his long messy beard with an air of a sage.

"You see, young man... After I lost in Heaven's Game, I made countermeasures to preserve my life. You were the result of that."

Heaven's Game, I could remember it vividly in old Fu Shi's memories— a game of chess, then a puzzle, and lastly a toss of a coin. These three games were also called 'Three Heavenly Trade', as to why, only the Gods of Heaven knew.

I, as someone who shared old Fushi's body and memories, didn't even know what was this 'trade' all about. What I did know, however, is that if someone managed to gain a 'profit' in any of this trade, that someone would be granted immense power.

Old Fu Shi almost won all three games, but in the end, only managed to win one. Fu Shi should have been rewarded at least for anything, but he wasn't. That was how his cultivation was forcibly removed.

It was impossible to remove and destroy a Perfect Immortal's cultivation. Alas, the Heavens were above humankind. It was an established fact. But how exactly did it happen?

I could remember it happening, but not how it happened. This was all too bizarre. It was as if everyone knew that Santa Claus was the one giving gifts, but no one knew how. To the chimney? Maybe Santa knocked on the door and gave the presents to the parents? Or maybe Santa was either the dad or mom all along?

???

This dissonance between this reality and newly learned facts was unnerving.

All I remembered was a blur of events, and... that was it. Suddenly, I felt becoming lightheaded. The migraine struck my head like a hammer. It was terrible.

"Young man. In my stead, you shall fight the heavens..." Old Fu Shi told me in his tired voice. "Prepare yourself—" He added, a worrisome gaze encumbered me.

Why? Why would I?

My forehead creased, thinking of the reasons as to how it all came to this.

"Wait, wait, and wait! What is up to me? How about my past life? No, that didn't matter anyway... Tell me, how much of my life was I in control?" I was flustered. I was more panicked than I let on.

Old Fu Shi stopped caressing his beard as he intently gazed at me no longer with worry but with pity. Invisible pressure gathered in my surroundings, but I would not let up. "Tell me," I demanded.

"None, you have no control. Everyone did not have any... The Heavens dictated us, and we followed. As cultivators, we defied fate, sought longevity, and challenged immortality."

The old man's words were cryptic. Questions after question were piling over one another.

"It was a futile struggle. Why? It was because the Heavens forbid us. This was why you have to fight." He added, clenching his fist with his rage evident. The Old Fu Shi started to fragment.

"What if I would not do it? To not fight the heavens?"

In my mind, our conversation would not make any sense. But it didn't sound that strange either… as if the flow of our conversation was normal. I didn't understand how I understood. It was self-explanatoryly implicit!

"You have no choice. They would come at you with a vengeance. The Heaven's Chosen after all would want Fu Shi's death."

"How about my past life? Why were a lot of them blurred?"

"I did not know."

I remembered my past life, but not my name. This was too incredulous!

My nails dug into my palms. The pain stimulated me as the metaphorical blood flowed between my fingers. The old man in front of me then turned into ash as he vanished with the wind. I gazed unto the empty endless white that surrounded me.

This place was inside my mind, I was certain. This was somewhere in my Mental World. Was this just a fever dream? No. Even if it was a dream, I could not dismiss my conversation with Old Fu Shi. Because the stinging sensation within the gaps of my fingers felt too real, and so was the conversation… I concluded was neither a dream nor an illusion that I could just ignore.

It was real.

As if my time had run out, I was returned to my original body... The old man I talked to… He must be the remnants of old Fu Shi's consciousness. 

It could not be old Fu Shi himself since the old man had been clearly annihilated already after the Heaven's Game.

But who am I?

I am Fu Shi, right?

Since I did not even remember my name from my past life, I must be Fu Shi, right?

"Fucking shit… and here I thought— I have moved on from my past life…"

I opened my 'physical' eyes unaware of how much time had passed. But it was easy to check. I just have to check my system.

[Name: Fu Shi

Quintessence: 91

Players: 0/1]

It looked like about two weeks had passed since I last checked... given that my quintessence had increased by fourteen since my seclusion… Strangely, I didn't feel hungry at all.

Wait... Were my eyes playing tricks on me?

This—?

[Players: 0/1]

Zero over One?

What happened?

I used the Mind's Eye wanting to check on Bi Yuan.

NO!

NO! NO! NO!

NO WAY!

THIS COULD NOT BE!

I used my Mind's Eyes, only for fear to strike me down... and for anger to surge above and beyond the calm facade I always managed to project.

This couldn't be. In my rage, I unconsciously punched the hard cavern walls causing blood to flow from my fist. I was hurt, but not painful enough to rouse me from the immeasurable wrath clouding my mind. I was indignant! The little bunny was my pride and joy. She was my first player! She was intelligent, adorable, brave, and a rare specimen.

Bi Yuan... she... she died. This could not be. Through my Mind's Eye, I saw her current state. Her white fur was sullied with blood. The small thing that was deprived of life remained unmoving. The light in her eyes was no more except possessing the dull greyness of the dead.

SHE WAS DEAD! WHY!? WHO?

My eyes were bloodshot with fury.

Through my Mind's Eye, I saw Bi Yuan's carcass being dissected by a cultivator. Judging from his aura, he must be a practitioner of some sort of evil arts. This infuriates me further.

"Vengeance," I utter this one word, already decided on taking revenge.

Etched into my eyes was a cold gleam of killing intent.