CHAPTER SIXTEEN: BANDITS
The bandit camp was a collection of ragged tents and makeshift shelters, hidden in a narrow canyon in the heart of the Western Desolation. The bandits were a rough bunch—n and won who had been cast out by society, who had nowhere else to go. They were thieves and outcasts, but they were also survivors.
Shen Chen spent his first week recovering, his body slowly healing under Old Liu's care. The old man was a skilled healer, his knowledge of herbs and redies surprisingly extensive.
"You've got a lot of fight in you, boy," Old Liu said one evening, as they sat by the fire. "That's good. You'll need it out here."
Shen Chen nodded, his eyes fixed on the flas. "I've been fighting my whole life. I'm used to it."
Old Liu studied him, his eyes sharp. "What happened to you? Before you ca here, I an. What made you run?"
Shen Chen was silent for a long mont. Then he spoke, his voice low and raw.
"I was born into a cultivation clan. The Shen Clan. But I was never good enough. I couldn't cultivate, couldn't advance. Everyone looked down on , called a wastrel, a waste of space. And then, sothing happened. Sothing changed. I found a way to cultivate. I grew stronger. But it wasn't enough. It was never enough."
He paused, his jaw tight. "I infiltrated the Li Clan's expedition to the Secret Realm of the Heavenly Fla. I was trying to claim the legacy of the Blazing Sovereign. But I failed. I wasn't strong enough. And when I tried to run, my own family turned their backs on . They threw out, disowned , left to die."
Old Liu was silent, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded slowly.
"That's a heavy burden, boy. But you're not alone anymore. You have us now. We may not be much, but we're family. And family looks out for each other."
Shen Chen felt tears prick at his eyes, and he looked away, embarrassed.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I don't know what I did to deserve this."
Old Liu chuckled, a warm, fatherly sound. "You didn't do anything. That's the thing about family. You don't have to earn it. You just have to accept it."
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