Sin City

Ch – 2 Ceremony

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As the new spring arrived, childish nature of Xiao Li Cha also started to dissipate. Hunting knife on his waist is no longer visible. He also started to go with village hunters into the mountains for hunting. Although it would still not be possible for him to venture too deep inside the forest. Also, while confronting magical beasts it would be unlikely for him to stand at front lines. His work is much more of a supporting role, like setting up traps and collecting prey. Still, it could be said that he is already a hunter. Blacksmith Bao Bi is also exceptionally happy, because he spent several nights forging Li Cha’s hunting knife by using several precious alloys. Every time Xiao Li Cha uses his hunting knife to kill a magical beast, Bao Bi will be happy for a long time.

Hunting will always have many dangers. No one knows how many beasts might be hiding in vast sea-coast mountain ranges. It is also possible that occasionally from deep mountains, a lost magical beast find its way to Lu Se Lan village. Xiao Li Cha similarly by chance encountered an ash grey magic wolf. This is a genuine class two magic beast. Even village chief has to be serious while dealing with it. At the time of encounter, there were only a few village hunters present with Xiao Li Cha. Naturally, it was a difficult fight. Three people even suffered heavy injuries, but they were finally able to return with the dead corpse of the wolf to the village, earning praises from villagers. In that life and death struggle, Xiao Li Cha was exceptionally calm, not making any mistakes, even the best hunter might not have done better than him. Moreover, if it were not for Xiao Li Cha’s knife to chop off wolf’s rear claw’s muscle, then there would have been certainly a different outcome.

No matter what anyone say, this year Xiao Li Cha had come across several dangers and he always calmly responded with the right way, never once did he cowered away.

At nine years of age, Xiao Li Cha learned “courage”. This year was supposedly the most relaxed year because kids never showed lack of courage. However regarding his courage, mother’s thoughts were a bit different, ‘Li Cha is so good, therefore from now on mother will no longer call him Xiao Li Cha rather she will call “My Li Cha”‘

“My Li Cha has already become a true man!” every time Yi Lian look at Li Cha she would be like this, beaming with smiles.

However one day Li Cha while swelling his chest, unexpectedly answered ” True man also requires wisdom.”

Yi lian was eating,  she suddenly became alarmed, eagerly looking at Xiao Li Cha asked ” Tell mother, who told you this? ”

” Written in a book! ”

” well, which book? ” Yi Lian patiently asked, ‘please don’t say magician…’

A magic practitioner’s knowledge is also pretty good, so Li Cha took after his mother to study various kinds of languages, even learning extremely hard and unfathomable languages of ancient times. Reading was a not a problem for Li Cha from a long time, he was finished reading several introductory books of magic during dull and boring winter.
However Yi Lian cannot remember which book has this line written in it.

” That one! on shelf, it has many interesting things inside it. I for the first time recognized how big this world is ” Li Cha excitedly said

” That book? ” Yi lian started to recall, afterwards also smilingly said ” Yes, that book is very interesting. My Li Cha, a true man obviously must not lack wisdom, but perseverance, strength and courage are even more rare. My Li Cha is so clever, after growing up will definitely not lack wisdom. Therefore mother has already taught these traits to you. Got it? ”

” Also happiness! ” Li Cha argued.

Yi lian smilingly touched Li Cha’s head and said ” That’s right, also happiness, My Li Cha these years has been happy?”

Li Cha unenthusiastically said ” Not always. Pi Lu bullied me, I also dont like jackfruit and also mother, finally what kind of person is father.”

Yi Lian’s complexion changed suddenly. She gently said ” Your father is a true man. ”

Li Cha catching on to it immediately said ” I know he is the worst man, mother’s most disliked person. ”

Yi Lian just continued to smile, Every time Li Cha will ask these kind of questions, she would always respond like this.
For now, Li Cha backed down, however he is a very bright kid, he can realize the bitterness of Yi Lian at every mention of his father. So, he also similarly hate his father.

Because many times, waking up in the middle of night he can hear her soft weeping.

A child’s mentality is originally very simple, mother loves him the most and also his favorite person. Mother’s dislike is his dislike. Every now and then Li Cha would ask about his father’s affairs, one reason is due to curiosity, as long as he grows up by a bit his mother would talk a little bit more about his father and the other reason is that he wants to know much more about his father, as long as he grows up, he will take revenge for his mother. As for how to take revenge, the present him is only a child, he doesn’t know the details, but this matter is already been deeply engraved in his heart.

Only this time Yi Lian hasn’t told him anymore about his father. She said that his father and her were together for a very brief period of time, she herself doesn’t know that much.

“In future, there will be a day when you will find a lot about your father. “ Unknowingly why, Yi Lian suddenly said this line. As soon as this sentence came out, her complexion changed right away like her mind caught on to something. Yi Lian herself also doesn’t know why she would say those words.

Li Cha sharply perceived the sudden worsening of her mother’s mood, he clicked his tongue and after saying ” I will go to read “, quickly ran inside the rear room. That room is Yi Lian’s study room. On other side of the room is her medical laboratory. Inside the study room, books are not that much in quantity, just a few basic magic, introductory medical and continent’s history, geography etc knowledge related books. Very fitting with Yi Lian’s identity as a magic practitioner. Li Cha is very fond of reading books here at night. Study room has a magic lamp, it’s light is not that bright. Filling up the lamp with Yi Lian’s magic for one time is enough to let make it shine for one evening. Since oil is very expensive, aside from village-chief, blacksmith and most formidable hunters inside the village, only Yi Lian can light the lamp for a long period of time at the night.

Just at this simple and not so good-looking yet comfortable small room, Li Cha spent his entire childhood.

In those thick books, he looked at a different world, a world that is bigger, complex and much more magnificent than Lu se Lan village. Young Li Cha  always secretly thinks that when he grows up into the best hunter inside the village, he will leave the Lu Se Lan with his mother to go look at the world outside the mountains.

Yi Lian was sitting alone in the living room. A sound of flipping of pages brushed through her ear. Xiao Li Cha is again eagerly reading a book . His basic magic foundation is already extremely strong, however he still haven’t genuinely studied magic. Yi Lian don’t even allow him to  meditate. In continent, personnel aspiring to become good magician generally start primary meditation at the age of four-five years. From here on, ten years of age should be enough to accumulate sufficient spiritual force to start studying magic and cultivate mage force. Still, Xiao Li Cha don’t feel anything wrong with this, the reason being he doesn’t understand much and at the same time he feels whatever mother says is right.

Yi Lian is sitting quietly precisely due to the words of the line that she said. Doors of memory suddenly opened, allowing many past events which were lying in dust to appear before the eyes one by one unrestrained.

Head beginning to somewhat hurt. As she slightly massaged her forehead, a tiny inaudible sigh escaped her mouth. Her vision fell upon the calendar on top of the desk, she suddenly looked at an eye grabbing symbol (bookmark). In a few ten days, Li cha’s tenth birthday is coming. Ten years is the dividing threshold between a boy and a teen, thirteen – fourteen years is barely enough to be called as an adult.

‘Unknowingly ten years have passed?’

Yi Lian was blankly looking at the dancing light rays inside the lamp. She cleaned the body of brass lamp which was reflecting her facial features. She definitely can’t be considered as beautiful, can be only said pretty. However at Lu Se Lan village, she is the most beautiful woman. Ten years had passed by, however time was not able to leave a single trace on her face. If not for her dressing style being close to that of a middle aged woman, almost no one can guess her age. If someone unacquainted were to see her, he can easily believe her to be barely over twenty.

Facial features reflected in lamp actually feels very unfamiliar and too ordinary to Yi Lian. When she was born, her face was completely different.

Long ago she never even thought that it would be possible for her to live this kind of normal, simple and yet hard life, moreover living it for entire ten years. However, looking at Li Cha growing up day by day , she feels rich from the bottom of her heart.

Yi Lian entered the study room, looked at Li Cha. He was holding a thick magical beasts illustrated handbook, looking at it with keen interest and pleasure. She smilingly said “My Li Cha will be ten years old very soon, mother will prepare a special ceremony for you, celebrating My Li Cha’s growth. ”

“Ye! there are presents?” Li cha excitedly jumped up, showing that he is still a boy at this moment.

“There is, a present that will follow you for a lifetime, but you should rest well for these few days. You know it’s quite late, why don’t you go to sleep.”