Soon after, the boy arrived in front of his house.
"Mom, I'm home!"
Long Tianyu's voice echoed through the entire house.
A soft voice responded, "Welcome home, Tianyu. Are you back? Take a bath before eating, okay?"
His mother's voice came from the kitchen.
Long Tianyu smiled faintly, took off his shoes by the door, and then walked into the house with light steps. The warm scent of cooking greeted him, calming his mind after the intense training.
"Yes, Mom!" he replied as he walked toward the bathroom.
The cold water touched his skin as Long Tianyu poured a bucket of water over himself. The refreshing sensation quickly replaced the fatigue that had built up in his muscles after running while carrying stones all morning. He scrubbed his small body covered in sweat and dirt, letting the water wash everything away until it was clean.
After showering, Tianyu put on a simple, clean outfit and walked to the dining room with his hair still slightly wet. On the simple yet clean wooden table, a plate of warm rice, a bowl of herbal chicken soup, and several other homemade dishes were already set.
Long Ruyin smiled when she saw him arrive.
"Eat a lot, Tianyu. Your body is still growing, don't push yourself too hard," she said as she placed the bowl of soup in front of him.
Tianyu sat down and began eating slowly.
The warm rice steamed in front of him, and the aroma of the herbal chicken soup made his appetite grow. Long Tianyu took a pinch of rice with his chopsticks and slowly brought it to his mouth.
"Mom, your cooking is always delicious," he murmured while chewing.
Long Ruyin sat across from him, her soft eyes watching the boy with love. "What did you train today?"
"I lifted a 400 kg stone and ran around the city wall," Tianyu answered proudly, without realizing how unusual his statement was for a 6-year-old.
Long Ruyin only nodded as if this was perfectly normal. "Be careful not to get hurt. Your body is strong, but you're still a child. You need to take care of yourself."
She knew how abnormal her son's strength was. At a few months old, he could already walk. By the time he was 9 months old, he was already wandering around. At 2 years old, he could lift stones weighing up to 20 kg, and since then, his strength had continued to grow at an impossible rate.
Long Ruyin had secretly tested him. When Tianyu was 4, she asked him to try lifting an old iron vessel that would take three adult men combined to move. Tianyu simply asked, "This one?" and lifted it as though carrying a fruit basket. At that moment, Ruyin realized that her son was no ordinary child.
But despite knowing all of this, she still treated Tianyu like any other child—with love, care, and, as much as possible, a normal life.
"Would you like me to help massage your legs tonight?" Ruyin offered as she spooned some soup into her own bowl.
Tianyu nodded and smiled, his mouth still full of food. "Hehe... okay, Mom. But... don't press too hard, okay? My legs are still a little sore."
"Don't worry, I know the pressure points," Ruyin replied with a smile.
They continued eating in a warm and peaceful atmosphere. Occasionally, the sound of chopsticks touching the bowl or Tianyu's satisfied sighs as food entered his stomach could be heard.
After dinner, Tianyu helped clean the table, even though his mother had told him he could rest. While wiping the table, Tianyu suddenly asked softly, "Mom... if I want to become the strongest in the world, is that wrong?"
Ruyin paused her washing for a moment, then looked at her son with gentle eyes. "It's not wrong if your goal is for something good. But strength, Tianyu... must be used to protect, not to oppress. The world is not always fair. But as long as your heart remains pure, Mom will always support you."
Tianyu nodded slowly, as if keeping every word deep within him.
That night, after everything was finished and the house became quiet, Tianyu sat on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a deep gaze. Near his bed, there was a sword covered in rust. Yet, despite its appearance, the sword still looked beautiful, the intricate carvings on its hilt suggesting a noble origin that time and rust could not conceal.
"Sister Xue, how are you today? Sorry for leaving you alone in the room," Long Tianyu whispered to the old sword.
If anyone saw this scene, they might think Tianyu was crazy for talking to an old sword.
However, at that moment, a soft aura like golden sunlight slowly flowed out of the sword. The faint light spun slowly in the air, then condensed into the silhouette of a graceful woman. She appeared to be around eighteen years old, with skin as white as snow, phoenix-shaped eyes that were slightly narrow, a sharp nose, and a face that radiated authority. Her expression was cold and indifferent, yet still captivating. Her waist was slim, her chest was high, her hip curve was perfect, her bottom was firm and round, and her thighs were long and beautiful, extending downwards.
Despite her mesmerizing appearance, the aura surrounding her emitted purity and dignity, making anyone who looked at her reluctant to act recklessly.
The silhouette slowly floated closer to Tianyu, then sat cross-legged in the air, gazing at the boy with a calm expression. Her gaze appeared cold, yet hidden softness was concealed within.
"I'm not lonely," the woman replied in a clear and calm voice, like the flow of a mountain stream. "You returned. That is enough."
Long Tianyu looked up, his unique crimson eyes shining with pure curiosity. "Sister Xue… how did you end up in this sword?"
The atmosphere in the room immediately grew cold. Qian Renxue, who had been calm until now, suddenly sharpened her gaze, painful memories flashing through her eyes.
Qian Renxue stared at Tianyu in silence for a moment. Her golden eyes dimmed, as though holding back something she was unwilling to reveal. A few seconds later, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"Why are you asking that, Tianyu?" she asked gently, her voice enveloping the question with a subtle, restrained mist.
Tianyu furrowed his brows slightly, confused as Sister Xue did not respond immediately like she usually did.
"I'm just curious... You seemed lonely when I was training all day," he said innocently.
Qian Renxue nodded gently, then descended from the air and stood in front of the boy. She slightly bent down and touched Tianyu's hair with her palm, which seemed made of soft light.
"You're still too young to know the answer. Maybe one day... when you are strong enough, I will tell you." Her smile was thin, but this time, her eyes seemed softer. "But for now, there's something more important."
Tianyu looked at her with hope. "What is it?"
Qian Renxue turned around, taking light steps towards the window with thin curtains. The moonlight streamed through the gaps, reflecting her silhouette on the floor.
"You said you want to become the strongest in the world, right?" she asked while glancing back.
Tianyu nodded quickly. "Yes!"
"Then, you need to start learning to recognize your own strength," she continued, her voice slightly serious yet still gentle. "Your body is not like an ordinary human's. Perhaps... your destiny is not an ordinary human's destiny."
Tianyu tilted his head, confused. "What do you mean, Sister Xue?"
Qian Renxue now fully turned around, her long golden hair fluttering slightly, blown by the night wind entering through the window.
She gazed at Tianyu with deep eyes.
"When will you awaken your Martial Soul?"
Upon hearing that question, Tianyu's eyes immediately sparkled with excitement.
"My mother said she already reserved a spot for my Martial Soul awakening ceremony. Maybe tomorrow. What's up, Sister Xue?"
Qian Renxue did not answer immediately, as though contemplating something. After a brief silence, she finally spoke, "I'll tell you after you've completed your Martial Soul awakening."
Qian Renxue smiled again, this time more freely. "Now, go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day."
Tianyu climbed into his bed, covered himself with a blanket while watching the silhouette of the woman slowly merge back into the sword.
He forgot that his mother had promised to massage him tonight. When Long Ruyin entered, she saw Tianyu already fast asleep. She gazed at him tenderly, kissed his forehead, and then left the room, making sure to close the door behind her.
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