Chapter 1: Xueying Territory

Year 9616 of the Longshan Calendar, Winter.

Anyang Province, Qinghe County, Within Yishui Town's Borders.

A boy around eight or nine years old, with fair skin and bright red lips, dashed nimbly through the snowy forest. He wore a finely tailored white fur coat and carried a quiver on his back. In his right hand, he held a black-handled short spear, his eyes locked onto a panicked deer sprinting ahead. As he moved, the surrounding trees trembled, sending cascades of snow tumbling down.

"Take this!"

While in full stride, the boy suddenly raised his short spear high. His body leaned slightly backward as the strength from his waist and abdomen surged into his right arm—then, with a sharp motion, he flung the spear!

Whoosh!

The spear sliced through the air, brushing past a few leaves as it hurtled over thirty meters. It barely grazed the edge of the deer's back, leaving behind only a shallow wound before plunging deep into the snow. The deer, now even more frantic, bolted deeper into the forest, seemingly about to escape.

Suddenly—whizz!

A stone shot through the air like a streak of light, traveling over a hundred meters in an instant. With a thunderous crack, it pierced through the trunk of a massive tree before striking the deer's skull with deadly precision. The impact was so great that even the beast's hardened skull couldn't withstand it. Stumbling forward purely on momentum, the deer managed a few more steps before collapsing with a resounding thud, shaking the snow-covered ground as flurries cascaded from the treetops.

"Father." The boy turned toward the distant figure, a trace of frustration in his voice. "You didn't have to interfere—I was so close to hitting it myself!"

"If I hadn't stepped in, that deer would have escaped." A deep, resonant voice carried across the forest. "Your aim is still off when throwing spears while running at high speed. When we return this evening, practice another five hundred throws."

Two figures strode side by side from the distance.

One was a robust middle-aged man with black hair and dark eyes, a weapons case slung across his back. Beside him towered an even more imposing figure—over two meters tall, with arms thicker than the average man's thighs. Yet, despite his massive frame, his head bore the distinct features of a lion, his wild golden mane draping over his shoulders. This was a rare sight indeed—a Lionkin, a beastman of formidable strength. Like his companion, he also carried a weapons case on his back.

"Brother Tongsan," the middle-aged man chuckled, glancing at his son with evident pride. "What do you think of my boy? He's only eight, yet he's already as strong as an average grown man."

"Mm, Xue Ying is indeed impressive. No doubt he'll surpass you in the future," the lion-headed warrior teased.

"Of course, he'll be better than me," the middle-aged man, Dongbo Lie, responded with a chuckle. "When I was eight, I was just a poor kid fooling around with the village children, knowing nothing at all. It wasn't until I joined the military that I even had a chance to cultivate Dou Qi!" He sighed, then continued, "I may not be able to give my son the best conditions, but everything I can give him, I will. I'll do everything I can to nurture him properly."

"Dongbo, you went from being a commoner to a Heaven-tier Knight. Not only that, but you even bought land and became a noble. That's already an incredible achievement," the lion-headed warrior praised with a grin.

This middle-aged man was none other than Dongbo Lie, the baron and ruler of a hundred-mile territory!

The title of Baron was the lowest noble rank in the Xia Empire, also known as the Longshan Empire. Back when the empire was first founded, noble titles were granted with strict standards. However, after over nine thousand years, the empire had grown corrupt, and even lower-ranking noble titles could be bought legally.

When Dongbo Lie and his wife had their first child, they decided to purchase a noble title and a plot of land. They named their territory Xue Ying Territory, after their son—a clear sign of how much they cherished him.

Of course, it was just a small domain within Yishui County.

"I only managed to cultivate Dou Qi when I was twenty," Dongbo Lie said, looking at his son with pride. "But my boy is different. He's only eight now, and I estimate that by the time he's ten, he'll be able to cultivate Dou Qi. Haha! He's bound to surpass me!" His eyes were filled with fatherly affection and expectation.

"Judging by his strength, ten years old seems about right," the lion-headed warrior agreed. They had both seen too much in life, and their keen eyes seldom misjudged potential.

Meanwhile, the boy stood beside the massive tree that had been pierced clean through. He reached out with both hands, trying to wrap his arms around its thick trunk—only to find that he couldn't even fully grasp it. His eyes widened as he examined the gaping hole in the tree.

"Father, you were that far away, and you still managed to throw a stone straight through this huge tree?" He marveled. "A tree this thick… Even if I tried chopping it down, it would take me ages!"

"Now you understand how powerful a Heaven-tier Knight is," the lion-headed warrior said. Dongbo Lie, standing beside him, gave a proud smirk—fathers always enjoyed showing off in front of their sons.

The boy, however, pursed his lips and asked with deliberate skepticism, "Is it as powerful as a god?"

"A god?"

Dongbo Lie and the lion-headed warrior, Tong San, were momentarily speechless.

After all, the founder of the Longshan Empire, the Great Emperor Longshan, was a true deity—this was common knowledge across the entire world. Dongbo Lie might have been a fierce warrior in the army, but compared to a god? There was simply no comparison.

"Seems like making you practice an extra five hundred spear throws tonight won't be enough. Hmm, let's make it one thousand instead," Dongbo Lie said, smacking his lips.

"Father!" The boy's eyes widened in shock. "You—you—"

"That's what happens when you argue with your father," Dongbo Lie said smugly. "Remember this—when you argue with me, you'll always lose. Alright, let's head back."

The lion-headed warrior, Tong San, pulled a dark flute from around his neck and blew a deep, resonant note. The sound echoed through the mountain forest.

Moments later, twenty armored soldiers quickly approached from the distance.

"Take the prey back," Dongbo Lie ordered.

"Yes, my lord," the soldiers responded respectfully.

Dongbo Lie and Tong San led the boy, Xue Ying, up to the highest point of the mountain. There, a large gathering awaited them—numerous warhorses and nearly a hundred soldiers stood in formation. In the middle of an open, snow-covered clearing lay an enormous white fur carpet, upon which sat a woman in a mystical violet robe, her presence emanating an air of otherworldly power.

Beside her, a small toddler—barely two or three years old—wobbled around unsteadily as he played. The soldiers stole cautious glances at the robed woman, their gazes filled with awe.

She was a powerful mage.

"Shitou, look who's here," the violet-robed woman said with a warm smile.

The toddler turned his head and, upon seeing them, his eyes immediately lit up.

"Big brother! Big brother, hug!" The little boy wiggled his chubby body and dashed toward them as fast as his tiny legs could carry him.

The violet-robed woman watched the scene unfold with a gentle smile.

"Shitou!" Xue Ying crouched down with open arms as his little brother, Qing Shi, leaped into his embrace.

"Big brother hug! Big brother hug!" Qing Shi chirped excitedly.

Xue Ying lifted his brother up and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Shitou, guess what? I hunted a deer today! Look!" He pointed toward the soldiers carrying the carcass of the slain deer.

"Dee-lu? Dee-lu?" Qing Shi blinked his large, dark eyes and mumbled in his babyish voice.

At just two years old, Dongbo Qing Shi was still learning to speak, struggling to pronounce words clearly, and not yet fully grasping their meaning.

"It's 'wild deer,' a type of beast from the mountains behind our home," Xue Ying corrected him with a chuckle.

"Xue Ying, hand your brother over to me," the violet-robed woman said as she stood up and approached them.

"Yes, Mother," Xue Ying replied, gently passing his little brother to her.

"I brought some fresh osmanthus pastries, and they're still warm. They're in the basket—go and have some," she said.

"Pastries?" Xue Ying's eyes instantly lit up, and his mouth practically started watering. Without a moment's hesitation, he dashed toward the basket.

"I want some too! I want some too!" Qing Shi wriggled in his mother's arms, suddenly bursting with excitement at the mention of pastries. Normally, he was a fussy eater, but when it came to sweets, he was always the most enthusiastic.

"Of course, there's some for you too, little glutton," the violet-robed woman teased, watching over him fondly.

She then turned her gaze toward Dongbo Lie and Tong San, who had just arrived at the gathering.

"You two, hurry up as well. I've prepared something for you to eat."

"Haha! Not only is our lady a powerful mage, but her cooking is amazing too!" Tong San laughed heartily.

The lion-headed warrior had once been a slave in his youth before becoming the violet-robed woman's servant and follower. Though many years had passed and their bond had grown as close as family, he still insisted on calling her "Master."

After eating his fill, Xue Ying gazed into the distance.

From their vantage point atop the mountain, he could see far and wide—distant hills, sprawling farmlands, and vast stretches of land, all belonging to their family.

His father and mother had once been adventurers, wandering the world in search of fortune. But when he was born, they had given up their life of adventure, choosing instead to purchase a noble title and acquire a vast estate. They had named the land Xue Ying Territory, after him.

Xue Ying stretched his arms and let out a contented sigh, his face brimming with joy.

He had a loving father and mother, an adorable younger brother, and kind-hearted people under his family's rule.

Life was perfect.

Dongbo Xueying was truly satisfied with his life—he had loving parents, an adorable younger brother, and many kind and loyal subjects in his territory.

The only thing that troubled him a little was that his father's training was too intense.

"An extra thousand thrusts with the short spear… on top of the original thousand… and then there's the spear techniques… and more…" Dongbo Xueying's small face twisted into a bitter expression.

Night had fallen, and a waning moon hung high in the sky.

The wind howled.

"Boom~~~"

Thousands of meters above the ground, a massive bird, resembling a dark cloud, streaked through the sky at high speed.

This enormous creature had a wingspan of over twenty meters and possessed a total of four wings. It was a terrifying and vicious magical beast—the Four-Winged Vulture. Its flight speed approached the speed of sound.

Atop the Four-Winged Vulture's back sat two figures, one clad in silver armor and the other draped in a gray robe, gripping a dark purple wooden staff.

"Where are we now?" the gray-robed man asked.

"Master, we have entered the territory of Yishui County. We should arrive at Xueying Territory in about half an hour," the silver-armored man replied, his gaze cold as he scanned the land below with precision.

"Half an hour more, and I'll finally see my younger sister again," the gray-robed man murmured, his voice tinged with complex emotions. "She really knows how to hide… Evading our family's pursuit for a full fifteen years…"

The Four-Winged Vulture flew straight toward Xueying Territory in the darkness of the night!