Reverend Insanity: Blood Lotus

The sun had barely risen when Ah Wu left the small wooden hut that had become his temporary home. The sea breeze was fresh, the cries of gulls echoing in the air as fishing boats began to drift toward deeper waters. But Ah Wu—Ye Wu—had another goal that morning.

He was going to meet the village chief.

He walked past muddy paths and simple houses built from driftwood and sea stones. The village was peaceful, small, and entirely ordinary. A place that had likely never witnessed the true cruelty of the cultivation world. But Ye Wu knew better than to judge a place by its surface. He had lived through too many betrayals for that.

The chief's house sat at the center of the village, a bit larger than the others, with red lanterns hanging outside—faded and rusted from time and salt. Two old men sat playing a game of pieces nearby, casting curious glances toward the boy.

Inside, the village chief sat on a low stool, sipping bitter tea from a cracked porcelain cup. He was an elderly man with sharp eyes, despite the wrinkles. His name was Old Ren.

"You're here," the old man said, gesturing for him to sit.

Ye Wu obeyed silently.

There was a long pause.

Then the chief finally spoke, "The couple who brought you in said you lost your memory. You remember anything yet?"

Ye Wu shook his head slowly, "No... Just pieces. Names, sometimes. Feelings. But nothing concrete."

The old man grunted, then leaned forward slightly.

"You've been quiet. Polite. Helpful, even. But some villagers are still wary. A child found floating near the rocks, in a place where monsters often appear... it's not something common."

Ye Wu nodded. "I understand."

Old Ren squinted at him. "What's your name again?"

"Ah Wu," he replied without hesitation.

The chief seemed to accept it.

But behind those old eyes, a thought passed quietly: He's just a child. No matter how strange, what harm could he really cause? So he said nothing more about his doubts.

After a few more words, Ye Wu was dismissed. He bowed lightly and left, never breaking the mask he wore so naturally. In truth, this entire conversation had been useful.

He now knew one thing clearly: they knew nothing.

---

The days passed.

Ye Wu, living as Ah Wu, grew familiar with the village. He spoke more with the fishermen, helped with nets, cleaned fish, and listened.

And always, he asked.

He asked about the outside world, about cultivators, and especially about Gu worms.

Most villagers didn't know much. To them, Gu were just magical bugs used by powerful people. Dangerous. Evil, sometimes. No one in the village cultivated. They lived quietly, away from cities, away from chaos.

One old man claimed to have seen a cultivator once, years ago. "He walked on water like it was ground," the man said, eyes shining with awe. "And behind him, hundreds of bugs crawled in the air like stars."

A child nearby screamed, "Were they poisonous?"

The old man just chuckled. "Who knows? We hid."

Ye Wu stored it all. Every detail. Every whisper. It was nothing compared to the knowledge he once held, but it was a start.

One evening, sitting by the fire, he turned to his adoptive father—the old fisherman who had pulled him from the sea.

"Father," he said, using the word naturally now. "Why do people fear those who use Gu?"

The man frowned. "Because they're not like us. They have power, and power always brings danger. Some say they control beasts, others say they control people. Either way, they bring trouble."

Ye Wu nodded. "Have you ever seen one?"

The man hesitated, then said, "Once. Long ago. He came to buy something—coral, I think. Didn't speak much. But the look in his eyes… it was like he wasn't seeing people, only tools. Stay away from those types, son. They're worse than the sea monsters."

Ye Wu thanked him, but his thoughts were far away.

Worse than sea monsters, he repeated in his mind.

That was exactly the kind of person he used to be.

---

Each night, Ye Wu went to the beach. The waves whispered to him, as if echoing voices from a life long past.

He trained.

Not with Gu. But with his body.

In his last life, he had been brilliant with manipulation. But physically weak. He had relied on others, on his Gu, on his mind. And in the end, that weakness had cost him everything.

Now, he would not repeat the same mistake.

He did push-ups on the wet sand, squats until his legs burned, and ran until his lungs ached. He remembered the breathing techniques he had learned from observing old martial artists—low-level ones, but good enough to strengthen a child's body.

He kept track of the villagers' strengths and weaknesses.

Who was strong. Who was lazy. Who was observant. Who liked to talk too much.

Everything was data.

A plan was already forming.

He would grow stronger. Hide in plain sight. And when the time was right, he would head to the cities. To the places where Gu Masters walked openly.

There, he would build his foundation again.

But not as the same Ye Wu.

This time, he would not be just a manipulator.

This time, he would not be so easy to destroy.

---

English is not my first language, and I'm still learning. This fanfic is something I'm writing just for fun and personal satisfaction. I appreciate your understanding and patience with any mistakes along the way!