Zenki was in the middle of his work when Zhang Liang abruptly interrupted him with news about his eldest son. "What? Zhen Yi is being carried by a boy? On his way to the castle?" Zenki asked, clearly surprised and concerned.
Zhang Liang nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. One of the guards reported seeing a commoner carrying Zhen Yi on his shoulder toward the castle. They seemed to be in some sort of altercation."
Zenki's brows furrowed with worry. He quickly gathered his things and rushed out of his office, with Zhang Liang following closely behind. They made their way to the castle gates where they saw a boy, dressed in commoner's clothes, carrying Zhen Yi on his shoulder with ease. Despite the boy's arrogant smirk, Zenki couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for his strength and skill.
With a hint of arrogance in his voice, the boy locked eyes with Zenki and posed a question, "Are you the emperor?" Zhang Liang was quick to react and was about to berate the boy for his impertinence, but Zenki intervened and motioned for him to stand down.
Zenki inquired, "Yes, I am the emperor of this country. What happened that you have carried Zhen Yi like that?"
"Perhaps you should ask your 'good' son here what happened," the boy sneered as he threw Zhen Yi to the ground near Zenki, causing him to groan in pain. Zenki quickly went to his son and helped him up, asking for details about the altercation.
As Zenki looked sternly at him, Zhen Yi knew better than to withhold any information and proceeded to tell his father the whole truth about the altercation. Zenki listened intently, his expression growing more serious with each passing moment. He then promised to discuss the matter further with his son at a later time.
Turning his attention to the boy, Zenki spoke with a measured tone, "My son is at fault here, and we will do our best to compensate you for any damages incurred."
The boy was taken aback by Zenki's words. In his experience, nobles and especially royals were often arrogant and thought themselves above the law, bending it to their advantage. The fact that Zenki was acknowledging his son's fault and offering compensation was a pleasant surprise.
The boy locked eyes with Zenki and, to his surprise, saw a glimmer of sincerity in the emperor's gaze. It caused him to pause and reconsider his initial impression of the nobleman.
As they walked towards Zenki's office, he introduced himself and asked for the boy's name. "I'm Zhang Yitian, Your Majesty," the boy replied with a hint of arrogance still present in his voice. Zenki listened as the boy explained that he came from the Kingdom of Frosthold and was searching for his master who had disappeared without a trace.
As they approached his office, Zenki spotted Liu Yong, Liu Wei, Mingliang, and Mengting returning from their training. He greeted them with a nod and was about to continue with Zhang Yitian when he noticed the boy had stopped in his tracks, staring intently at Liu Yong.
Just as Zenki was about to inquire about Zhang Yitian's sudden outburst, he heard the young man exclaim "Master!" with excitement and rush towards Liu Yong. Liu Yong, taken aback by the unexpected greeting, turned to face Zhang Yitian with a look of surprise on his face. Zenki watched as they exchanged words, trying to piece together the unexpected reunion.
As Zenki welcomed them into his office, he listened intently as Zhang Yitian recounted the story of how he had been searching for his master for years. It turned out that Liu Yong had once stayed in the Kingdom of Frosthold when Liu Wei was still a child and had taken Zhang Yitian under his wing as a disciple. Moved by the reunion of master and disciple, Zenki couldn't help but smile at the touching scene.
Liu Yong turned to Zhang Yitian and asked, "What brings you here, Yitian?" Zhang Yitian responded with a tinge of sadness, "Master, when you disappeared without a trace, leaving only a note behind, I was determined to find you and learn the reason for your departure." Moved by his disciple's unwavering loyalty, Liu Yong recounted their circumstances to Zhang Yitian and the others.
"In a far-off continent lies the Kingdom of Qiandao, a sacred land of cultivation renowned for its abundant resources that aid in achieving the coveted Void Interpretation level," Liu Yong recounted with a heavy heart. "It is also where the Liu Clan, to which my son and I belong, resides." His voice trembled with emotion as he recalled the tragic events that had led him to flee his homeland. "Unexpectedly, my son and daughter-in-law perished when Liu Wei was just a babe, leaving me to care for him. His father was a prodigious cultivator, and the clan had invested heavily in his growth. But when he passed away, the clan's branches saw an opportunity to eliminate a potential rival and tried to assassinate Liu Wei. Fearing for his life, I had no choice but to flee with him overseas and raise him in secret, knowing that those in the clan possessed cultivation abilities equal to or greater than my own."
This was also the first time Liu Wei heard this story, and he was left in a daze. Mingliang tapped his shoulder, and together with Mengting, they smiled at him, assuring him of their support as his friends if he ever needs them. Liu Wei was moved and smiled back, grateful for their friendship.
Liu Yong's gaze fell on Zhang Yitian as he spoke. "When I received news that someone was looking for us in the Kingdom of Frosthold on behalf of the clan, I knew I had to flee immediately," he explained with a pained expression. "I couldn't risk bringing you along and implicating you in our situation."
"Master, they say that a teacher is like a parent for life," declared Zhang Yitian with a heavy heart. "I would have been grateful if you had brought me with you, especially since you saved me from a life of despair and uncertainty when I was lost in the bottomless abyss," he said, his eyes welling up with tears.
Liu Yong let out a heavy sigh and gently placed his hand on Zhang Yitian's head. "If that is what you truly desire, my disciple, then you may follow me from now on," he said softly. His heart was heavy with guilt for leaving his devoted student behind, but he knew that he could make it up to him by teaching him everything he knew and helping him become stronger.
Asking Zhang Yitian about his encounter with Zenki, Liu Yong couldn't help but smile wryly as Yitian recounted his altercation with Zhen Yi.
Liu Yong leaned in and spoke softly to Zenki, his eyes filled with sadness as he began to recount the story of Zhang Yitian's past. "When I found him, he was barely clinging to life," he began. "He told me that his parents were killed by a noble for a minor offense, and when he went to the royals for help, they turned him away because he was a commoner." Liu Yong's voice grew heavy with emotion as he continued, "That experience left him with a deep-seated hatred for both the nobility and the royalty." He paused for a moment, his eyes locking onto Zenki's, before adding, "That's why he is the way he is now."
Liu Yong then turned to Zenki and explained, "When I discovered that Zhang Yitian possessed the rare thunderstrike physique while I was treating him, I offered him the opportunity to train under me. I knew that with his potential and hard work, he could change his fate and seek justice for his parent's deaths."
With a sympathetic gaze, Zenki turned to Zhang Yitian and then asked Liu Yong about the thunderstrike physique. Liu Yong began to explain, "The thunderstrike physique is a rare type of physique that is loved by the lightning element. This allows the owner of the physique to easily use and comprehend lightning-based abilities and techniques."
After their conversation in the office, Zhang Yitian decided to waive the compensation that he was entitled to receive from Zenki. He did so because he learned about Zenki's kind treatment towards Liu Yong, and also because he was grateful to have finally found his master.
Liu Yong then asked Zenki if it would be possible for Zhang Yitian to stay with them in the castle. After learning Zhang Yitian's story, Liu Yong felt a sense of responsibility to take him under his wing and provide him with a safe and nurturing environment to cultivate his skills.
Zhang Yitian bowed gratefully towards Zenki for letting him stay with his master, who in turn gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
As Liu Yong, Liu Wei, Mingliang, and Mengting left his office, Zenki couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh. He knew that he needed to have a serious talk with Zhen Yi about his behavior and try to help him change for the better. It was going to be a difficult task, but Zenki was determined to do what he could to help him overcome his past behavior and find a better way to live.