Sweet Spring Town

Sweet Spring Town is located in the northern part of the Apocalypse Empire on the Purple Cloud Continent. It is named after its pure and sweet spring water, and despite its remote location, the town is bustling with activity. The streets are always crowded, and carts loaded with fine wine can be seen leaving the town frequently.

Thanks to the spring water, the town is renowned for producing exquisite wine, which is highly sought after by nobles and officials. The wine is in such high demand that it is often sold out in the market. The spring water not only nourishes the town's wine industry but also sustains every resident of Sweet Spring Town.

In the northeast corner of the town, within the courtyard of a grand estate, a young boy of about ten years old sits on a stone bench, holding a thick book. The warm sunlight falls on his slender frame, and the book covers his entire face. His shoulder-length dark brown hair sways gently as he remains motionless, not turning a single page for half an hour.

This boy is Ryan, the young master of the estate. Sitting in the courtyard with a book in hand, basking in the sun, has been one of his favorite pastimes for many years.

"Hey... stop pretending. Mom is calling us for lunch," a girl's voice calls out from behind Ryan.

Hearing this, Ryan's hands loosen, and the book falls onto the stone table. He slowly opens his sleepy eyes, revealing a handsome face still marked by the innocence of youth. His brown eyes glance at the girl behind him as he retorts, "What are you talking about? When did you see me pretending?"

The girl, Leah, scoffs, "Come on... you've been 'reading' that book for half a month now. From morning till now, have you even turned a single page? At least put some effort into pretending, kid..." With that, she turns and walks away, leaving Ryan behind.

Ryan doesn't bother arguing further. He stretches lazily and stands up, following Leah. He's long been accustomed to his older sister's teasing. Aside from reading in the sun, bickering with Leah is one of the few things he enjoys. Since childhood, Leah has been the only one who can play and joke with him. In Ryan's eyes, his parents and the servants are rather dull.

For some reason, Ryan's parents rarely allow him to go outside or play with other children his age. This prolonged isolation has made the young boy appear somewhat aloof. Leah is the only person he can truly connect with, and the bond between the siblings is strong.

The two enter the dining room, where servants stand respectfully, pulling out chairs for them to sit. Ryan and Leah sit across from each other, neither speaking a word.

At the head of the table, a kind and elegant woman, Alice, watches them with a gentle smile. "Your father won't be joining us for lunch today, so we can start without him."

"Yes, Mother," both children reply in unison.

Ryan sticks his tongue out at Leah and begins devouring his food with gusto.

Seeing this, Alice shakes her head helplessly. Just as she is about to pick up her utensils, she seems to remember something and says, "Ryan, in three days, the Norton Academy will be recruiting new students. Your father has signed you up. You'll be studying at the same academy as your sister from now on."

"Academy? Why should I go to an academy when we have tutors at home? I don't want to study in the same place as her!" Ryan makes a face at Leah.

The thought of studying alongside his sister, who loves to expose his shortcomings, gives him a headache.

Leah, hearing Ryan's words, explains with a hint of disdain, "What do you know? The tutors at home only teach you how to read and write. The academy teaches much more than that. Most importantly, they teach elemental cultivation. Elementalists hold a significant position in this world."

"Elementalists...?" This is the first time Ryan has heard of such a term.

Leah smiles slightly, flipping her right hand gracefully. A clear droplet of water hovers above her slender palm as she looks at Ryan with pride.

"See this? This is elemental power. I cultivate water elements. The academy will test your elemental affinity and perception, then teach you how to gather and control elements. Got it?"

Leah gazes at the water droplet in her hand, clearly pleased with herself. In her eyes, no other element compares to her water element.

Ryan, however, looks at the droplet with disdain and says indifferently, "What can a tiny drop of water do? Why are you so proud of it?"

"You..." Leah is momentarily speechless, her face turning red with anger.

Ryan bursts into laughter, finally feeling like he's gotten the upper hand after losing the argument about the book. Still laughing, he picks up his soup bowl and brings it to his lips, casting a挑衅 look at Leah.

Leah, furious, flicks her wrist, and the water droplet transforms into a thin stream, shooting toward Ryan's soup bowl. In an instant, the bowl shatters, splashing soup and bits of food all over Ryan, leaving him in a sorry state.

Ryan had no idea that cultivating water elements could make one's skin smooth and radiant, something girls highly value. At the academy, Leah is quite popular. With her charming face, long black hair, and deep, dark eyes, she is adored by many, even though her figure is still developing. The water element only enhances her beauty, making her even more attractive. It's no wonder Leah is so proud of her abilities.

All girls take pride in being able to cultivate water elements. For Leah, her water element is her greatest pride, and she won't allow her little brother to belittle her talent.

Seeing a piece of vegetable still stuck to Ryan's forehead, Leah can't help but burst into laughter.

"Now you see how powerful my water element is? Don't you dare look down on it again."

Alice quickly stands up, wiping Ryan's face while scolding Leah, "You're too reckless! What if you had hurt your brother?"

"Don't worry, Mother. I controlled the force and temperature. He's not hurt. I just wanted to teach him a lesson so he won't underestimate me again," Leah says, still smiling as she looks at Ryan.

Alice, seeing that Ryan is indeed unharmed, relaxes and instructs the servants, "Take the young master to change his clothes and clean up."

The servants quickly comply, leading Ryan out of the dining room.

At this moment, Ryan is utterly amazed by Leah's abilities as an elementalist. For the first time, he feels a strong interest in elemental power...

As Ryan walks away, Leah dismisses the remaining servants and asks softly, "Mother, have you and Father really decided to send Ryan to the academy?" Since her first day at the academy, her parents had warned her never to reveal her elemental abilities in front of Ryan. It was clear they had been keeping the truth about elements from him, which is why Leah is asking now.

Alice sighs, "When Ryan was born, his body was burning hot, and he was barely breathing. We thought he wouldn't survive past three. We consulted many doctors, but none could cure him. They all said it was a problem with his bloodline. Although we tried many methods, we could only prolong his life. That's why your father and I have been hesitant about letting him pursue cultivation. We were afraid his body wouldn't be able to handle it, and something terrible might happen."

Leah already knew most of this. The only person in the family who was kept in the dark was Ryan. He was like a fragile candle flame, carefully protected by everyone. Leah had never dared to mention this to Ryan, as he now appeared to be as healthy as any other child. Sometimes, she even doubted whether her mother's words were true.

Curious, Leah presses on, "What happened next?"

She knows there must be more to the story, something that allowed Ryan to survive and thrive until now.

She had asked this question many times before, but her parents always evaded it with various excuses. This time, however, she can't resist asking again, unsure if her mother will finally reveal the truth.

Alice looks at Leah, hesitating for a moment before saying, "You're old enough now. There are some things we shouldn't keep from you anymore. When Ryan was two years old, your father happened to save a severely injured man. The man was in critical condition and stayed with us for half a year to recover.

Before leaving, the man gave us two identical pendants as a token of gratitude. He specifically instructed that as long as Ryan wore his pendant, it would suppress his strange illness, allowing him to live like a normal person."

Leah lowers her head, taking off the snowflake-shaped pendant from her neck and examining it closely. "This thing feels cool to the touch, but it doesn't seem special at all."

"At first, your father and I were skeptical too. But after Ryan started wearing the pendant, his illness disappeared. Over the years, we've observed that the man wasn't lying. Now that Ryan is older, it's time for him to see the world. We can't keep him sheltered forever."

"Then what about my pendant? Is it for healing too?" Leah asks curiously.

"Of course not. Although the two pendants look the same, they serve different purposes. The man only said that yours would be beneficial but not harmful.

He rarely spoke, not even revealing his name.

Your father said that cultivating water elements requires both training and insight to control and alter their temperature. But you were able to master both water element cultivation and temperature control simultaneously. This might be related to your pendant, so you must never take it off or mention it to anyone. You know the saying, 'A common man's wealth is his own ruin.'"

Seeing her mother's serious expression, Leah pouts, "You're overreacting. I can control water temperature because I'm smart, not because of this pendant..."

Alice's face grows stern as she whispers, "Don't be foolish. I may not understand cultivation, but your father said that any item that requires a blood bond is no ordinary treasure."

"A blood bond?" Leah exclaims, standing up in shock.

In the world of cultivation, items that require a blood bond are considered spiritual treasures of immense value. Even rare spatial rings only require elemental energy for bonding, far from the level of a blood bond. This shows just how precious the pendant is.

If word of such a treasure got out, it would undoubtedly bring endless trouble. No wonder Leah is so shocked!

"Of course! When you were young, we were afraid you might blab about it, so your father secretly took a drop of your blood while you were asleep and used it to bond the pendant to you," Alice explains.

"Oh... no wonder I always feel a strange connection to it, though it's somewhat faint. Maybe I'm just too weak to fully understand its power," Leah says thoughtfully, placing the pendant back around her neck and hiding it under her clothes.

Although she has her doubts, she knows her mother wouldn't make up such a story. Besides, her parents have always emphasized the importance of protecting the pendant.

"Then... according to Father, Ryan's pendant must be even more powerful, right?" In Leah's eyes, since Ryan's pendant can suppress his illness, it must be more potent than hers.

"No, Ryan's pendant is only meant to save his life. The man also said that Ryan would never achieve much in cultivation. He is destined to live as an ordinary person. Your father and I don't expect much from Ryan. We just want him to live a good life..."

Though still young, Leah can sense the underlying message in her mother's words. Her little brother may never have the chance to become a powerful cultivator. She can't help but feel a pang of sadness for Ryan.