In the Eternal Continent, people commence the process of assimilating the original spirit into their being at the tender age of ten. After a span of five years dedicated to the accumulation of spiritual energy, when they reach the age of fifteen, they partake in the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony.

Once the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony is successfully concluded, it determines the future original - spirit - based vocation for each individual.

Should it prove unsuccessful, one must engage in another five - year period of spiritual - energy accretion and then undergo the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony once more at the age of twenty, which represents the final opportunity.

If failure strikes again and one is thus precluded from the three professions, then it is imperative to seize the opportunity to enter the workforce without delay.

However, those who manage to pass the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony at the age of twenty are, by nature, somewhat inferior in talent and are at a distinct disadvantage in the realm of cultivation.

Nonetheless, having something is incontrovertibly superior to having nothing at all.

"Knock, knock, knock!" The sudden, resounding rapping on the door abruptly interrupted Aiden's train of thought.

He opened the door, and as expected, there stood a sprightly elderly man. With a food box clutched in his left hand and a bottle of wine in his right, the man was beaming affectionately at him.

"Grandpa, why aren't you at the banquet? What on earth brings you here?" Upon seeing this somewhat disheveled old man, Aiden couldn't help but be amused.

The elderly man strode casually into the room and, without hesitation, began arranging the wine and dishes, saying, "I'm not accustomed to that sort of ostentatious occasion. It's far more agreeable for us, grandfather and grandson, to have a few quiet drinks together."

Gazing at the jovial old man, Aiden felt a rare warmth well up within his heart.

The old man before him was named Jesvin Charles, his own grandfather in this world and the sole individual within the entire family who was truly and wholeheartedly kind to him.

Aiden's growth environment in this lifetime was indeed rather convoluted.

His grandparents had a childhood - arranged betrothal. Both families were affluent and influential clans, and they shared a profound and long - standing friendship.

Regrettably, during his grandfather Jesvin's generation, the Charles family was suddenly engulfed by misfortunes, causing their family's prosperity to decline precipitously.

As the adage goes, "When wealthy, even distant relatives seek you out; when poor, even in the bustling marketplace, you're ignored." Sensing that the Charles family was on the verge of collapse, the burgeoning Wilson family harbored the intention of annulling the engagement.

However, to everyone's astonishment, his grandmother, Lola Wilson, remained resolute in her determination to fulfill the marriage contract.

After their union, Lola brought with her a substantial amount of resources, which ultimately rescued the Charles family from the precipice of ruin.

Yet, as the saying goes, "He who accepts a favor feels indebted." There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world; everything comes at a price.

With the woman wielding greater power than the man, Jesvin's status within the family was analogous to that of a son - in - law who resided with his wife's family, commonly referred to as a "live - in son - in - law."

His wife, Lola, was the undisputed leader of the family at present.

The couple had two sons. The eldest son, named Beal Charles, had been transferred to a distant location for many years. The second son was named Amos Wilson, bearing his mother's surname.

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This second son was Aiden's father.

During Amos' academic pursuits, he met a woman. However, the two families were not of equal social standing. Naturally, Lola would not countenance this union.

Moreover, since the line of her younger son carried her surname, Lola attached even greater significance to it and had more exacting requirements in all aspects.

Amos dared not defy his mother's command and thus chose to sever ties with the woman. Even though the woman was secretly pregnant, the situation remained immutable.

Consequently, on a snowy day, a baby was left abandoned at the doorstep of the Wilson family.

Regarding such a morally reprehensible affair, Lola directly instructed the servants to dispatch the baby to an orphanage or dispose of it in some out - of - sight location.

In short, the principle was "out of sight, out of mind."

However, the grandfather was kind - hearted. After all, it was his own flesh - and - blood grandson. He pleaded repeatedly and earnestly with his wife, and only then did she reluctantly consent to keep the baby.

Nevertheless, the baby was not permitted to adopt the surname Wilson. Thus, the name Aiden was bestowed upon him by the grandfather himself, which clearly attested to the fact that Charles was deeply invested in this grandson.

After this incident, half a year after graduating, Amos was promptly coerced by his mother, Lola, into a blind - date and subsequent marriage.

He married a daughter of a powerful family named Lisa. One year after their marriage, they were blessed with a pair of twin siblings, the elder brother Arthur and the younger sister Eva.

They were Aiden's half - siblings.

Due to his awkward identity, Aiden was naturally ostracized within the family from his earliest years.

However, Aiden himself was nonchalant about these slights. After all, within this youthful and tender - skinned body resided a shrewd and worldly - wise soul hailing from Blue Star.

After several rounds of drinking and savoring a diverse array of dishes, the grandfather was so inebriated that his speech became slurred, while Aiden maintained an inscrutable and composed demeanor. To an onlooker, one might have been led to believe that he was merely sipping water.

Once the grandfather started drinking, he would invariably open up. With a flushed face, he would engage in animated and wide - ranging conversation. Aiden patiently sat there, acting as a receptive listener, and occasionally refilled his grandfather's glass.

When the grandfather had spoken his fill, Aiden smiled and said, "Grandpa, I'm planning to leave this place."

Clang ——

The drunken grandfather froze in a state of stunned bewilderment, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the wine glass in his hand had slipped from his grasp and fallen to the floor.

"What did you say?"

"I said I intend to leave here and pursue my studies in another city."

Although somewhat loath to do so, Aiden still spoke his mind frankly and resolutely, and simultaneously stooped to pick up the wine glass from the floor.

"Oh"

In an instant, the grandfather's vitality and spirit seemed to wane and wither.

The room descended into a brief and palpable silence.

"Leaving here might be for the best."

As if having reached a moment of profound realization, the grandfather forced a smile, yet the desolation and melancholy in his eyes were impossible to veil or disguise.

How could Jesvin be unaware of his grandson's difficult and precarious situation within the family?

But he was utterly powerless to effect any change.

In the past, when his eldest son was transferred by his wife to another place, far removed from the core of the family's power, he had been equally impotent.

"Jesvin, Jesvin, you're far from being the heroic figure you should be."

Paying no heed to the presence of his younger generation, the grandfather uttered a self - deprecating sigh of resignation.

Gazing at the forlorn and dejected old man, Aiden was momentarily at a loss for words on how to offer solace or comfort.

His grandfather occupied an equally awkward and tenuous position within this family.

As a live - in son - in - law, he had no say in family affairs. Even his younger daughter - in - law and those two grandchildren would sometimes treat him with indifference and disregard.

On the surface, this family bore the surname Charles, but in essence, it had long been subsumed by the Wilson family.

Aiden was acutely aware that his grandfather harbored some pent - up grievances and frustrations. Otherwise, he wouldn't visit him periodically to drown his sorrows in drink and pour out his complaints.

In fact, in Aiden's view, although his grandfather had limited capabilities, he was truly a warm - hearted and kind - natured individual.

Within this cold - hearted and calculating family, such a person deserved to be cherished, for he was the one bringing blessings and good fortune to the family.

"Have you decided when to leave? Remember to pay your respects and bid farewell to your father and grandmother. Although they hold deep - seated prejudices against you, the necessary formalities and courtesies still need to be observed."

"Rest assured, grandpa. I'm well - aware of that. I plan to pay my respects to my father and grandmother tomorrow and then take my leave."

"If the outside world offers a brighter and more promising future, don't feel obliged to return."

The grandfather spoke from the depths of his heart. He was extremely loath to part with this grandson whom he had watched grow up from infancy.

But he also understood that perhaps leaving was a beneficial and fortuitous choice for this grandson.

It was just that in the days to come, there would be no one in this family to secretly share a drink and a moment of companionship with him anymore.