Two years had passed, but Xu Hanyu remained affected by the incident. Although he had matured, he had grown reserved and trusted only his sister, Xu Lian. He feared that others would hurt him the way his brother Xu Rong had. Over time, he became aware of the resentment Xu Rong held toward him, fueled by rumors and the constant comparisons between them.

Whispers spoke of the mark on his left arm, said to be a curse that prevented him from gathering his wuqi. In a world where curses were considered incurable, the mark made him an anomaly. He was the only one unable to cultivate, and this made him feel hopeless and isolated from the other children.

Since the incident, Xu Hanyu had been forbidden to leave the residence, while his older sister Xu Lian was free to meet other children and play outside. This freedom only made Xu Hanyu envy her. The rumors spread that Lord Xu had issued this order, fearing that his cursed mark would contaminate others.

As he grew older, the weight of these expectations and the taunts from his peers became unbearable. At the age of eleven, Xu Hanyu began to take his training seriously, driven by the desire to prove himself. He pushed harder each day, not only to surpass his brother’s shadow but to show the clan he was not as weak as they thought.

Yet, despite his effort, gathering his wuqi remained elusive. The pressure mounted, but Xu Hanyu refused to give up, using it as fuel to drive himself further, even as doubts gnawed at him.

Now, he is currently participating in a Wuqi Demonstration, where children's gathering abilities are evaluated under the supervision of an Elder from the Xu Clan.

Elder Xu Bai, who was in charge of their training, walked slowly in front of the focused children as he began to speak.

“The world is vast and full of wonders. Use your energy to connect with boundless power. Just like a strong river, your strength will rise and take you to incredible places…” His voice echoed in the area.

They stood focused, knees slightly bent for balance, with their arms in front of their chests and palms facing inward, concentrating on gathering their wuqi energy.

“Take care of your mind and body with focus and care. Let the wuqi energy spark inside you, like a strong flame. Through this, uncover your genuine strengths and weaknesses…”

Xu Hanyu's brow furrowed in concentration, but his efforts were futile. No spark, no surge of his wuqi. His breath hitched in frustration.

Am I really just not meant for this?

He felt a tight knot in his chest as he waited for his wuqi to show up. His heavy arms and repeated failures fueled his self-doubt, and he clenched his teeth under the weight of Elder Xu Bai's gaze.

“Accept your true potential and let it radiate brilliantly.”

Elder Xu Bai’s disappointed and disdainful glance cut through Xu Hanyu, increasing the pressure on him. As he observed the young master’s struggle, Elder Xu Bai’s thoughts grew darker.

If it weren’t for you, Xu Rong wouldn’t have had to leave the clan. Now here you are, looking completely incapable, wasting the clan’s resources.

Later on, one of the kids shouted with pride, “I did it! Look, I did it!” All attention turns toward them.

Xu Hanyu couldn’t help but feel envious as he watched the other children crowding around the kid and managed to gather wuqi energy.

“Xu Liao, passed with Xin Shi level 6!” Elder Xu Bai announced.

“Woah! I got mine too!”

“Xu Jie, passed with Xin Shi level 6!”

The girl beside Xu Hanyu, slightly taller than him, said, "Elder Xu Bai, I got mine as well." Her calm presence was comforting, but the joy in her eyes revealed her vibrant personality.

“Xu Lian, passed with Xin Shi level 8!”

“I finally achieved mine!” Another kid shouted.

“.... passed with Xin Shi level 6!”

On the training ground, everyone was mastering on gathering their wuqi, voices cheerful with success. However, Xu Hanyu felt a heavy weight on his chest at their joyful calls, burdened by his own difficulties.

I’ll never be good enough. He bitterly thought.

No matter how hard he tried, he never showed even a hint of his wuqi. With that, Xu Hanyu surrendered. He bit his lip and looked down at his hands, feeling defeated.

Lost in thought, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw his older sister, Xu Lian, in her purple Xu Clan outfit, her long brown hair trailing behind her as she stood silently beside him.

“Hanyu’er," she whispered with concern on her face. “Are you alright?”

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The young man forced a smile, trying to hide his inner turmoil. “I’m fine, Sis,” he said, hoping his voice was convincing enough.

“Just feeling a little tired, that's all.” But deep down, he could feel his sister's gaze on him, knowing that she wasn’t completely fooled by his facade.

“Okay then... why don’t you go rest for a bit?”

Xu Hanyu began to speak,”I–” but was interrupted by a voice.

“Aii… Xu Hanyu, still no progress at all?” They looked over and saw Xu Liao, who appeared to be the same age as Xu Hanyu, accompanied by another boy named Xu Jie, who was glaring at Xu Hanyu with arrogance.

“What do you want?” Xu Hanyu asked, trying to stay calm.

“Nothing much, just checking,” Xu Liao said slowly, walking around Xu Hanyu with a condescending look. He paused to examine him, then added, “Still can’t gather any wuqi, huh? How disappointing. What’s it like knowing that you’ll always be the weakest in the family?” Xu Liao's laugh echoed in the air, and Xu Jie joined in.

“Ah, I also heard the curse on your left arm can’t be healed… How unfortunate. Guess that’s just another thing you’re stuck with,” he added, his voice dripping with mock sympathy.

Well, there’s no curse that can be treated in this world.

With that, frustration surged within Xu Hanyu as he clenched his fists. Without a second thought, Xu Lian moved to stand in front of Xu Hanyu, her voice steady but firm. “Leave him alone,” she said quietly. “If you want trouble, you’ll have to deal with me.”

“Sis, you don’t need to—” Xu Hanyu began, but Xu Lian interrupted gently, though with a firm undertone.

“No, Hanyu’er. You don’t have to take their words.” She briefly glanced at him with a comforting look before turning back to Xu Liao. “To keep this going, you’ll need to get past me first.”

Xu Liao grinned, but his confidence wavered at Xu Lian's unwavering determination. He scoffed lightly. “Tch. Fine, just you wait.” He motioned to Xu Jie. “Let’s go.”

Though Xu Liao backed down, Xu Jie shot Xu Hanyu one last look full of silent menace before they turned away.

Xu Lian whispered boldly, “Ha…! You’re scared, aren’t you?” Her eyes stayed fixed on Xu Liao and Xu Jie as they turned to leave.

Once they were gone, she turned to her brother, her face showing both worry and determination. After a moment, she asked softly, “Are you okay, Hanyu’er?”

Xu Hanyu inhaled deeply, trying to calm his feelings. "Sis, I’m thankful for what you did for me, but you really don’t need to go this far.”

He eased his fists, but a trace of annoyance stayed in his eyes.

“I just… need some time alone,” he added quietly, looking away from her.

Xu Lian took a moment, then nodded slowly, her expression softening with understanding. “Okay, Hanyu’er. I’ll be close by if you need me”

With that, he nodded back and walked away.

…

Now, the young man stood near the entrance of the Xu Clan, feeling a strong urge to step outside and find a moment of peace. He gazed at the door, willing himself to move forward, but just as he was about to take a step...

"Han'er." A commanding voice called from behind him. Turning around, he saw his father, with a serious expression, hands behind his back.

"Father... you're here."

"Hm," his father replied, slowly approaching him. "Where are you heading?"

The young master hesitated, glancing back at the entrance. "Father... I—"

"..?"

"I want to go outside..."

Lord Xu’s gaze softened, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something—guilt, perhaps? He quickly masked it with a stern expression, his voice cold and commanding. "How many times must I remind you? I’ve told you, Han'er, you can’t go outside. It’s too dangerous." He then began to walk away.

Before he could continue, Lord Xu halted and glanced back, stating, "Keep in mind, only the strong can endure in this expansive realm of power. You can’t navigate the world beyond these walls without power, Han’er,” before moving on. Clearly trying to imply that he must be stronger in order to survive the challenges that lie ahead.

As his father’s figure receded from view, a wave of sadness washed over the young master. It was always like this... He bit his lip and clenched his fists tightly.

At the end of the day, Xu Hanyu made his way to his training ground, which was conveniently located near his room.

He struck the boulder, "Hei!" a grunt escaped his lips. Deep within him, he felt a profound sense of despair—a longing for freedom and strength. And this curse had been holding him back, preventing him from experiencing the same opportunities as the other kids.

Striking the boulder with all his might using the training sword, he poured out every emotion he had been holding inside. He continued until exhaustion set in, leaving him unable to continue.

In the Wu Shu Continent, power reigns supreme; it’s the ultimate authority over all things. Yet, Xu Hanyu struggles to comprehend why, despite his simple desire to explore the world for adventure and enjoyment, power remains the only currency that matters for his father!

“Power, huh? I can't even grasp the kind of power that seems to be in everyone's hands! So what can I do to become stronger?!" he exclaimed in frustration.

Finally, he sank down beside the boulder, leaned against it, and took a deep breath, allowing himself to relax as he closed his eyes.

–

–

–

Lord Xu was tirelessly working late into the night at his clan’s armory business. The Xu Clan’s armory business was located close to the harbor that was five minutes away from their headquarters, as Tai Hua City was nestled between the shoreline and the mountains.

“We have such clients from the Shan Empire, this is a good thing.” he whispered quietly while looking at the papers.

“In a few months, our armory revenue is expected to surpass the Huo Clan's, but I'm uncertain if this is good or bad for us.”

When he decided to finally take a break, he leaned back in his chair and glanced at the letter he had received from last night. It was from his eldest son, Xu Rong, who had left for another empire seven years ago. He carefully reached for the letter and opened it.

He smiled while reading the message, but a hint of worry lingered.

“Xu Rong is finally coming home..”

While Lord Xu was focused on reading the remaining content of the letter, he suddenly sensed a familiar presence outside his office. Recognizing the aura, he quickly stepped out.

The streets were eerily quiet at dawn, with no one around except for him.

As he looked around, he noticed something moving in the shadows of the buildings. “Is that you?” he whispered softly while looking in the direction where he sensed a strange motion.

He then climbed up to the roof for a better view. Once he reached the rooftop, he spotted a cloaked figure that seemed suspicious.

When the figure realized they had been seen, they took off running. Lord Xu, determined to catch them, leaped down from the roof in pursuit. The chase continued as the mysterious person darted across the rooftops, but Lord Xu anticipated their moves and blocked their path, forcing the mysterious person in cloak to stop.

Now facing each other on the roof, Lord Xu spoke gently, “Zhong Tian, is that you..?” The man slowly pulled back his hood, revealing his face. Lord Xu gasped in shock, realizing it was his old friend.

“It’s really you..”"You caught me. Long time no see, my old friend, Xu Dan. You don't mind me covering my face with this..?"

"I don't..."