The next morning.

  Orange sunlight filtered through the cracks in the shack, illuminating the pair of siblings sleeping on the straw mat.

  “It’s morning already?” Zu Xian mumbled in a half-asleep state. He tried to sit up, only to feel his body heavy and sore. The bruises from yesterday’s conflict throbbed painfully, reminding him of what had transpired.

  “With Uncle’s vengeful nature, it’d be bad if Brother Chu Yuan stayed any longer...”

  Worried, Zu Xian gnced around the shack.

  “Did he already leave?”

  There was no sign of his benefactor.

  “That’s good...”

  Just as Zu Xian said that, he caught faint sounds coming from the courtyard.

  The noise was subtle—almost inaudible. If not for his sharp senses, he might have missed it entirely.

  Curious, he approached the courtyard.

  There, beneath a tall pine tree, stood a young man—still and silent. Suddenly, the young man moved, throwing a punch at the tree.

  Bang!

  The pine trembled silently, sending a flurry of leaves cascading down from its branches.

  As the torrent of leaves descended toward the youth, his figure blurred, merging seamlessly with the shadows.

  The leaves passed harmlessly through his body, settling around his feet.

  “This...”

  Zu Xian stood frozen, wide-eyed.

  Could a human really turn into a shadow?

  “No... he’s just moving too fast for my eyes to follow!”

  He quickly reasoned it out. Still, awe and reverence filled him as he watched.

  “So Brother Chu Yuan is one of those extraordinary beings...”

  In the vast Star Kingdom, there existed individuals who had transcended mortal limits. Possessing immense strength and boundless stamina, they could face thousands of armored soldiers alone.

  Among them, the most powerful were rumored to have mysterious bodies blessed with divine abilities.

  They were known as—

  Knights!

  Zu Xian clenched his fists tightly. Becoming a knight had always been his dream.

  Not for fame or wealth, but for the strength to seize his fate—and protect his younger sister.

  “Brother Zu.”

  Chu Yuan, having long noticed Zu Xian’s presence, turned and approached him.

  He asked. “How was it?”

  Zu Xian remained dazed until Chu Yuan lightly tapped his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.

  “Ah!” Zu Xian gasped, then hurriedly shook his head to clear his thoughts.

  He looked at Chu Yuan and hesitated.

  Seeing the youth’s flustered reaction, Chu Yuan chuckled. "From the look on your face, it seems you're interested in becoming a knight."

  “Yes...” Zu Xian nodded. Words like ‘Can you teach me, Brother Chu?’ or ‘Becoming a knight is my dream’ hovered at the tip of his tongue but refused to come out.

  He remembered how much Chu Yuan had already done for him yesterday. It felt shameless to ask for even more.

  Despite coming from a poor background, Zu Xian had taught himself to read. Since losing his parents at eight years old, he had been forced to mature quickly.

  He knew how precious knight techniques were—sacred legacies held tightly by a small number of people, most being from noble families.

  Asking for such a treasure for free, after everything Chu Yuan had already done for him... was simply too shameless.

  "You want to learn knight techniques?" Chu Yuan asked, easily catching Zu Xian’s hesitation.

  In truth, he had already decided to teach Zu Xian basic protective techniques.

  Even though he had only spent one month with Zu Xian during the simution timeline, he knew the boy was genuine and good-hearted.

  Not only did Chu Yuan wish to repay Zu Xian’s past kindness, but he also felt responsible for helping him in this life.

  Chu Yuan lived by the principle of repaying kindness tenfold.

  “…If possible," Zu Xian finally squeezed out, clenching his teeth and closing his eyes.

  Opportunities like this were rare. Letting it slip out of fear of embarrassment would be foolish.

  Chu Yuan smiled warmly.

  Just as he was about to respond...

  Bam!

  The gates were smmed open.

  At the gates, a chubby teenager hurriedly bounced in, his eyes scanning the area anxiously.

  Upon seeing the unfamiliar Chu Yuan, he paused briefly. But spotting the frail Zu Xian, his eyes lit up, and he rushed forward, grabbing Zu Xian by the arm.

  “Zu Xian, good news! Good news!”

  Startled, Zu Xian opened his eyes and found himself being shaken left and right.

  It was Li Bai, his childhood friend.

  Zu Xian quickly stopped him and rubbed his temples, helplessness written all over his face.

  He said in exasperation. "What good news could make you rush in without even knocking?"

  “Oh, did I say good news? My bad,” Li Bai said, hastily covering his mouth. His face shifted dramatically from excitement to exaggerated sorrow.

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Brother Zu...”

  “Loss?” Zu Xian blinked, confused.

  “Ai...” Li Bai sighed, wiping away fake tears with a handkerchief. “Those damned heretics... If not for them, your uncle Zu Jiang might still be alive!”

  “What?” Zu Xian’s expression changed sharply. “What are you talking about?”

  His mind raced.

  He wasn’t stupid. He understood exactly what Chu Bai’s words implied.

  But...

  It was only yesterday...

  Even with a broken arm, his uncle had been very much alive.

  To think such a thing could happen overnight—it was too sudden, too coincidental.

  "I know it's hard to accept, Brother Zu," Li Bai said with feigned sympathy. "But what can we do? Even the local knights couldn’t trace the murderer. What can normal citizens like us do? All we can do is pray that Eastwind Town will be free of these heretic scum someday..."

  Off to the side, Chu Yuan rolled his eyes in amusement.

  He remembered this fatty from the simuted timeline. Li Bai had been Zu Xian’s closest friend.

  Back then, Li Bai had hated Zu Jiang for what he did to Zu Xian. Once, Li Bai had even confessed to Chu Yuan that he wished Zu Jiang would drop dead.

  Unfortunately, when tragedy struck, Li Bai had already left town after being discovered as a rare knight talent. He hadn't been there for Zu Xian’s final days.

  When Chu Yuan met him the second time, Chu Bai had already become a young True Knight. When Chu Yuan had told him what happened to Zu Xian, the fatty cried and bmed himself bitterly.

  Knowing this, Chu Yuan could easily see through Li Bai’s act now. If anything, the guy was probably ughing inside.

  After all, Li Bai had always wanted to do something about Zu Jiang—but, young and afraid of implicating his family, he had never dared.

  Now that someone else had done it for him, how could he not be secretly overjoyed?

  Chu Yuan chucked inwardly.

  If he told the people from the simuted timeline that the renowned Falling Star Knight had once been like this, they would probably think Chu Yuan had gone mad...

  FantasyThree