In the small courtyard, the large locust tree sprouted tender buds, shimmering with vitality under the spring sunlight.

After hearing the words of the young servant in green, Xia Chen fell silent, his mind filled with the information about the Second Master mentioned by Xia Qian.

The Second Master, Marquis Andong Xia Yuan, was Xia Chen's biological father.

***

In Xia Chen's childhood memories, before the age of three, his father Xia Yuan showered him with love and affection. However, after the martial arts test at age three revealed his crippled physique, Xia Yuan fell silent, but his gaze remained resolute.

"Though my son has a crippled physique, as my eldest, I will surely find great fortune to defy fate for him."

The day after saying this, the Eastern Wasteland demon tide erupted. Xia Yuan was appointed as the Demon-Suppressing Marshal, commanding an army of a hundred thousand in the eastern region. Xia Chen's mother, Su Xiaoxue, a powerful arcanist, accompanied the army.

Young Xia Chen, not understanding what this meant, only wished to follow his parents to the Eastern Wasteland.

But he was sternly refused, told that the Eastern Wasteland was too dangerous.

At just three years old, Xia Chen was left alone at the Marquis Manor, and this separation lasted for 14 years.

In the first three months, letters frequently arrived at Marquis Zhendong's Manor, along with demon blood essence to temper Xia Chen's flesh and blood.

Five months later, the letters became less frequent.

Young Xia Chen only thought that the chaos caused by the great demons of the Eastern Wasteland made the battlefield unpredictable, consuming his parents' energy, leaving them no time to write.

A year later, Xia Chen learned from the servants at Marquis Zhendong's Manor that a new direct descendant was to be added to the family.

Upon inquiry, he discovered he had a brother.

His mother, Su Xiaoxue, became pregnant again a month after accompanying Xia Yuan to the front.

After having a brother, the letters from the Eastern Wasteland changed from one every three months to one every six months, and after Xia Chen turned six, they came only once a year. The medicinal and flesh essences were no longer sent...

The original Xia Chen still believed that the Eastern Wasteland battlefield was perilous, with great demons emerging endlessly, and his father, as the army's commander, had no time to care for him.

It wasn't until later that he learned from the manor's servants that his brother, born on the Eastern Wasteland battlefield and always kept by his parents' side, was found to have peerless potential and was hailed as a prodigy.

Only then did Xia Chen realize he had been abandoned!

***

Xia Chen's memories drifted until the young servant Xia Qian called out again, bringing him back to reality.

"The Second Master has a letter for you, Young Master!"

Xia Qian's face showed a hint of joy. The Second Master finally remembered the young master. If he remembered correctly, the last letter was three years ago.

Xia Chen calmly took the letter from Xia Qian's hand, neither joyful nor sorrowful.

He was just a bit surprised and said, "Has something happened outside?"

There had been no letters for three years, and this sudden one made Xia Chen feel that things might not be so simple.

"Young Master, you truly have foresight. There's great news. The Second Master has slain a third-grade peerless great demon in the Eastern Wasteland. It's said to be a dominant figure in the Eastern Wasteland mountains. With this victory, the demons have retreated a hundred miles, and the demon calamity in the Eastern Wasteland has been swept away, greatly enhancing the prestige of our Martial Kingdom."

Xia Qian, not much older than Xia Chen, had just turned 16 this year. With youthful exuberance, he spoke excitedly, as if he himself had slain the third-grade demon.

"Everyone says that perhaps in a year or two, the Eastern Wasteland can be completely pacified, and then the Second Master and Second Madam can return triumphantly."

Young Xia Qian was visibly excited. After 14 years, the young master could finally reunite with his family.

Hearing this, Xia Chen's eyes showed no joy. He had fully inherited the memories of the previous Xia Chen, unlike in his past life where game logins did not include the original owner's memories.

He felt as if he was born and raised here, possessing all of Xia Chen's previous emotions, as if he was Xia Chen himself, only awakening memories of his past life two months ago.

He had grown accustomed to his current life of freedom and lack of restraint. Although not valued in the Marquis Manor, he was not subjected to the melodramatic plots seen in dramas, such as servants bullying their masters or looking down on people.

Now that his parents were returning, along with the brother he had never met, could his life remain as free and unrestrained?

After 14 years apart, even information about the Eastern Wasteland reached the manor's servants before him. So, despite the blood ties, they were no different from strangers!

"You may leave now. Also, inform the kitchen to double the portions for lunch today!"

Xia Chen smiled and nodded at Xia Qian. This young man had been with him since the age of four, and they had spent twelve springs and autumns together.

In a way, Xia Qian was also part of the family, though from a collateral branch that split off over 200 years ago, making the bloodline somewhat distant. But he still bore the Xia surname, which allowed him to be sent to the Marquis Manor for training from a young age, staying by Xia Chen, the direct descendant of the manor.

Xia Qian nodded, knowing that his young master had recently been diligently practicing martial arts, increasing his appetite significantly. Yet he was still surprised by the request to double the portions, wondering if one person would eat over 20 servings.

Watching Xia Qian leave, Xia Chen slowly lowered his head, focusing on the yellowed envelope with the Qilin pattern in his hand.

After a moment of silence, he extended his finger, lightly slicing his fingertip with the crimson long saber in his hand, allowing a drop of hot, red blood to fall.

Immediately, the Qilin pattern on the envelope seemed stimulated, glowing brightly, with the faint sound of a Qilin's roar.

This process lasted for a breath or two before the light subsided, and everything returned to calm.

Xia Chen knew this was the handiwork of his mother, Su Xiaoxue.

Though the world had not yet undergone a Spiritual Energy Revival, it was still a High Martial Era.

Some individuals could rival an army of a hundred thousand, and a single sword could sever a great river. But those who reached such a level could be counted on one hand in the entire world.

Most, even if powerful, still fell within the realm of ordinary people.

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "p𝑎wread.com".

The system was relatively crude, divided into Martial Warriors and Arcanists.

In his past life, Xia Chen had simply categorized these two as warriors and mages when he considered this world a mysterious and interesting game.

Besides, this world also had demons.

And Su Xiaoxue was a powerful arcanist.

This letter was specifically sent to Xia Chen, so only his blood could unseal it. This was a spell to prevent interception and prying by outsiders, a spell that crude Martial Warriors could not master.

Xia Chen opened the envelope, finding high-quality Xuan paper, smooth and soft to the touch, but with only a few words written on it.

"Father will return home in as little as half a year, or as long as two years. Also, the Emperor has bestowed a marriage. As my son, you are to marry the Second Princess. Behave well and do not disgrace our Marquis Manor!"

Such brevity!

This was Xia Chen's first impression upon seeing the letter.

The first half of the sentence did not surprise Xia Chen. With the great victory in the Eastern Wasteland, where everything was ranked from one to nine, whether Martial Warriors, Arcanists, or demons, all fell within these nine ranks.

A third-grade great demon was rare in the world.

Slaying such a demon meant that the war in the Eastern Wasteland, which had lasted 14 years, was coming to an end.

Moreover, Xia Qian had already informed him.

What made Xia Chen's pupils contract was the second half of the sentence: he was to marry a princess, the Second Princess, the future Empress?

---

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan