Chapter 212 - Huo Yu
When Luo Xiao was taken away from Jinwei Village by Jiang Yao, he had been a naive and innocent young man. His wish was for him and his family to live peacefully, but due to the disaster brought on by the corpse puppet, he had lost his way.
Jiang Yao was the one who brought him salvation. Throughout the many days alongside the demon prince's side, he had changed from a piece of blank canvas, unblemished by the world, to become a painting full of vibrant colors.
He had learned that the world was neither good nor bad, but if he had any dreams or hopes for the future, then he needed to grasp his fate by his own hands and move forward.
He was not going to be pushed around by others and become the weak point that could be used against his lover, so he had to improve himself so that no one could threaten him again.
The journey would be long and difficult, but the satisfaction he gained would be much more. His self-confidence was also much better than before, and he felt as if he had found his true path in life.
Even so, everything had to be done step by step. So far, he had depended completely on Jiang Yao's subordinates, but he wished to become self-dependent as well.
He had to stay here until his cultivation base was high enough for him to ascend to the higher realm and meet up with Jiang Yao once more.
Cultivating was a process that could not be hurried, and he knew that the most important part was to be thorough and not leave behind hidden dangers.
Since he had to stay in this world for so long, he needed to find his own followers and ensure that they would be strong enough to ascend to the higher realm alongside him.
These followers would become his confidantes and would be the ones to trust in the future.
Ye Chao and Ye Feng were both by his side for now. They were responsible and good to have around, but they belonged to Jiang Yao. Although Luo Xiao had no doubt about the demon prince's willingness to give these two experts to him, he knew that they were the best in his group of subordinates, and if he took them away, Jiang Yao would suffer.
Since this was the case, Luo Xiao had determined that he would spend the time in this realm personally nurturing his own guards.
He still had the many resources left behind from the dragon cave, so he was not worried about the financial pressure such a decision would put him through.
"What is your name?" Luo Xiao looked at the young man that remained behind alongside the two guards. He did not appear to be frightened or pressured by the sudden request, nor did he seem to question its purpose.
"I was named Huo Yu when purchased by the Gu family. The name uses the characters that are read as sudden rain, since on the day of my purchase, a downpour took everyone by surprise."
Looking at the steady expression on the young man's face, it was clear that he held no grudge against the Gu family for purchasing him, and this made the three somewhat amazed. To be this young but still able to accept his position was not easy.
Huo Yu seemed to be able to guess their thoughts, and his lips twitched slightly. He understood that to them, a life of servitude was not to be preferred, but in this world, there were almost as many slaves as free citizens, and his masters were not treating him badly. Compared to his life when he lived with his parents, this was much better.
"I gained early wisdom and remember everything from around two years of age. My parents had always planned to sell me as a slave, since sons sell for more than daughters, but they could not determine when would be the best time to sell me.
"The older I was, the better a price I would be able to fetch, but the longer they waited, the more they would need to invest in me.
"I was often beaten if I did not listen to their orders, as they felt that I needed to be subdued from an early age, and while they would not hurt my bones, I often gained wounds all over.
"They were not willing to provide me with much food as they were going to sell me anyway, so it would be fine as long as I did not die.
"Ever day, I would have to listen to their discussions of whether or not I was old enough to gain a good price for them, and by the time I turned four years old, I was taken to the slave market.
"It was the leader of the Gu slaves who came to purchase me, and ever since I was bought by them, my life has been much better.
"I have been wearing clean clothes every day, and always got to eat enough to fill my stomach. I learned many things, and I was never beaten.
"I understand that being a slave is not an identity to be proud of, but I have never been wronged after becoming one. While I cannot become a great hero in this lifetime, I am satisfied with my current situation, and when my soul enters reincarnation, I can always hope for another fate in my next life."
Luo Xiao's eyes were getting more and more excited as he listened to the young man's words. He was sincere while speaking, and no details were hidden either.. He genuinely felt satisfied with his life, as he felt grateful towards the Gu family for their nurturing.