Journey of true Cultivation

A boring, normal day,yes, today was just like every other day before. Just standing here, waiting. But what else could he expect? This was the punishment he had received, after all.

He was the black sheep of a baron's family, a family that had once risen through his father's knighthood. But now, with his father retired, they had settled back in this quiet, little village,a place where barely 400 people lived. Peaceful. Tranquil. A paradise for an old man.

But for a young boy like him?

A living, boring hell.

So, naturally, he played a few pranks on the servants and villagers. Nothing serious, just the usual mischief of a restless child. But then… he went too far.

A single prank,too extreme. A dishonor to knighthood.

Something his father would never tolerate.

And so, he was punished. Forced to perform daily knightly duties guarding, patrolling, standing still before the village gate. For nearly a week now, he had endured this tedious routine. Every single moment of it, he hated. Every second, he cursed himself for his foolishness.

Why had he dishonored knighthood?

Had it really been worth it?

No.

But at least once this punishment was over, he would never do something like that again. After all, he didn't want to spend another week stuck with these miserable, menial tasks.

Today was supposed to be like every other day. Nothing ever happened at the village gate. Nothing ever changed.

But then,something different.

A stranger.

Someone he had never seen before.

The man's clothing was strange, unfamiliar,nothing like what the villagers wore. And not only that…

There was something unsettling about him.

For the first time in his life, the boy felt uncertain. He had never encountered an outsider before.

What was he supposed to do?

Panicking a bit, he didn't know what to do.

Should he call someone for help? After all, he wasn't really trained for this kind of task. Or… what else could he do?

The boy stood there, uncertain, his mind racing through countless scenarios each one more frantic than the last. And before he knew it… it was already too late.

The stranger was right in front of him.

The first thing he noticed was the boy's face,he looked young, no older than himself. But more than that, his eyes were strange.

Black? Or… blue?

He wasn't sure. The color seemed to shift in the light. But the boy's clothes were just as unusual,a bright blue outfit, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Now that he could see him clearly, he was certain.

This kid was a complete stranger.

And yet… he was just a child. Not even an adult.

Which meant,there was no danger.

With that final thought, the young knight straightened his back, gripping his spear firmly. His voice took on a more serious tone as he spoke:

"Kid, do you have a problem?"

Hearing a voice, Yuan's near mad state of mind lessened. The haze clouding his vision began to clear, and his unfocused eyes slowly locked onto the boy before him.

A fifteen year old kid with blond hair and green eyes, clad in armor made of mortal iron, holding a simple iron spear.

He wasn't wearing a robe. He didn't have the aura of a cultivator.

Yuan came to a quick conclusion.

This was a mortal kingdom. A land of knights.

But right now, none of that mattered.

His dry throat burned as he finally spoke,his voice hoarse and weak:

"Food."

The young knight blinked.

"What?"

Yuan's voice came out louder this time, strained but clear.

"Food."

The boy furrowed his brows, confused. Food? What was this kid talking about?

What problem could he possibly have with food?

But before he could ask, Yuan repeated himself, this time slower, as if speaking took everything he had left.

"Give… food… hungry."

The moment the words left his mouth, Yuan's body was wracked with violent coughs. His entire frame trembled from sheer exhaustion.

The young knight finally understood.

This kid,he was starving.

His mind raced. How could this happen? Where had this boy come from? Could it be… bandits? Had they started appearing near the village?

A flood of possibilities surged through his thoughts, but only one thing mattered right now.

He needed to give this kid food.

And once he did, he would report everything to his father.

If bandits really were lurking nearby… they needed to prepare for an attack

With that said, the young knight stepped back toward the wooden hut behind him. After just a few minutes, he returned, carrying a piece of bread and a bottle of water. Without hesitation, he handed them to Yuan.

The moment Yuan saw the food and water in the knight's hands, he lunged forward, snatching them away without a second thought. The young knight flinched in surprise,he hadn't expected such a desperate reaction.

But Yuan didn't care.

Slowly, he began to eat, savoring each bite, drinking carefully. And with every swallow, memories of his cursed fate resurfaced.

For nearly a week, he had wandered,from the Illusion Forest to here and in all that time, he had found nothing.

No animals. No water. No berries. No fruit.

Nothing.

If he hadn't eaten something soon, he would have died a dog's death. A humiliating fate for a cultivator.

Even now, he had only survived thanks to his Azure Basilisk Flame, which allowed him to store a small amount of spiritual essence, preventing him from dying of thirst or hunger. But even such a miraculous technique had its limits.

The young knight, however, said nothing as Yuan ate and drank, merely waiting in silence.

And so, he watched.

For a full ten minutes.

Ten. Long. Minutes.

If he weren't currently on knight duty he would have already lost his patience. But for now, he simply swallowed his irritation and endured.

Finally, Yuan drank the last drop of water, sighed in relief, and gazed up at the cloudy sky. A bright smile spread across his face.

"So… I wasn't forsaken by the Heavens after all."

Hearing those words, the young knight hesitated.

Forsaken by the Heavens?

Oh, Heavens… just what had this boy gone through to say something like that?

Feeling a strange unease settle in, the knight cleared his throat, coughing a few times to catch Yuan's attention.

It worked. Yuan turned to him.

Then, stepping forward, Yuan bowed slightly before him.

"I must thank you, young knight, for saving my life. Giving me food and water was truly an act of life saving grace."

Hearing such formal words, the young knight blinked in confusion.

Did… did a child just say that to me?

What kind of kid talks like that?

Awkwardly, he coughed again before finally replying.

"What life saving grace? Anyone would help a kid like you." He paused, then narrowed his eyes. "So… has something happened to you? Did your caravan get robbed by thieves? Or bandits?"

Hearing the young knight's question, Yuan suddenly realized something.

First,he had completely forgotten that he still looked like a child. Of course, people would see him as one.

Second,the knight's immediate assumption about thieves or bandits.

If he denied it, what could he even say?

Should he start scheming and lying now? Or should he tell the truth?

But who would believe a kid like him if he claimed to be a wandering rogue cultivator? Even rogue cultivators wouldn't be this young!

He was caught in a dilemma.

No option seemed good, so he chose the best possible lie.

It was time to act.

Taking a deep breath, Yuan's expression shifted,his eyes filled with fear and sorrow as he spoke:

"Yes, Sir Knight! Just as you said… my father's caravan was attacked by a group of black cloaked thieves. Although my father and uncle tried to reason with them, even offering them everything they had, those heartless villains showed no mercy!"

His voice trembled, his hands clenched into fists.

"They… they fought against my father and uncle! But thanks to my uncle, who was a martial expert, he was able to buy just enough time for me and my father to escape. My father… he stayed behind, fighting alongside Uncle, hoping to give me enough time to flee."

He sniffled, lowering his gaze as his voice cracked.

"I… I knew there was a village around here from a map I once saw. So I ran… and ran… until I finally reached this place."

As he finished, Yuan's eyes became watery, and then,tears began to fall.

His face flushed red, his small frame trembling, tears streaming endlessly down his cheeks.

Hearing such a heartbreaking tragedy, the young knight felt his own emotions stir.

How dare those merciless thieves kill innocent people!

Rage boiled inside him.

But then, he lowered himself to Yuan's height, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, boy! This big brother will help you! You don't have to worry about anything,I'll call another knight to take over my shift!"

The knight puffed up his chest, trying to reassure the young boy.

"I'll take care of you! And from now on, you can call me Big Brother Lucas! Okay?"

Hearing Lucas's kind words, Yuan smiled faintly, nodding just like a small child would.

Without hesitation, Lucas led him into the wooden hut, letting him rest on a chair.

He handed him more food and water, then stood up.

"Stay here and rest. Don't run away, alright? I'll be back soon with a more experienced knight."

With that, Lucas walked away, leaving Yuan alone in the hut.

Yuan waited for about half an hour before the wooden door creaked open.

Through the doorway stepped an older knight, his expression serious.

Behind him stood Lucas.