Chapter 2: Extraordinary

Night.

 Lying on a warm bed, Dongbo Xueying leaned against the headboard, engrossed in a book. The glow from the fire crystal lamp illuminated the entire room.

 The book was titled The Ten Legendary Extraordinary Knights.

 It was a biographical novel, and Dongbo Xueying loved reading stories—especially tales of legendary extraordinary figures. As a noble, with a mother who was a mage and a vast collection of books in their home, he had long been well-versed in various kinds of knowledge.

 For instance, knights were classified into seven levels: Human Rank, Earth Rank, Heaven Rank, Meteor, Silver Moon, Title, and 'Extraordinary'.

 Among them, Human Rank, Earth Rank, and Heaven Rank were considered ordinary knights.

Meteor, Silver Moon, and Title Knights were known as Star Knights.

Above the Star Knights, there was the Extraordinary Realm.

 The three major divisions were incredibly difficult to surpass. His father and Uncle Tong, for instance, were only Heaven Rank knights.

 But what exactly made a Star Knight? It was said that on the battlefield, they shone like celestial stars, immune to countless arrows, capable of charging through enemy lines, and utterly unstoppable.

 However, all of this was still within the realm of mortals.

 Even a Title Knight, capable of single-handedly destroying an army of a hundred thousand, was still bound by mortal limitations. Despite earning titles like "A One-Man Army," "The Pinnacle of Mortals," and "Power Nearing the Divine," they remained within the confines of human strength. With sheer numbers, even they could eventually be overwhelmed.

 But stepping into the Extraordinary Realm…

That was a fundamental difference—a leap in the very essence of life itself. Those who stepped into the Extraordinary Realm were no longer mere mortals; they had become extraordinary beings.

 For them, the sheer number of ordinary people no longer held any meaning. No matter how many mortals there were, they could not wear them down—oftentimes, they couldn't even harm them. These beings possessed inconceivable, reality-defying powers that transcended the physical world.

 Even gods held them in awe.

 Legends spoke of towering lava giants over a thousand meters tall, of abyssal purgatory demons lurking in the depths—these were all extraordinary beings. But humans, too, could cultivate their way into the Extraordinary Realm.

 The extraordinary human warriors repelled demonic invasions, destroying all who dared to defy them!

 They were the pillars of humanity, the forces that struck fear into all other races.

 "If only I could become an extraordinary knight…" Dongbo Xueying grinned as he read the biographical tale, his imagination running wild. "I'd capture a few demons for fun, tame a dragon to ride, and share a drink with the gods!"

 But suddenly—

 "Ding!"

 The fire crystal lamp beside him automatically went out.

 "Huh? Why did the fire crystal lamp go out so soon?" Dongbo Xueying pouted in disappointment, frustrated that his excitement had been cut short. "Having a mage for a mother is really pitiful… even the fire crystal lamps are enchanted to turn off automatically when it's time for bed."

 "Well, guess it's time to sleep."

 With no light left, there was nothing to do but sleep.

 As he drifted off, he dreamed of himself as an extraordinary knight, invincible and all-powerful. Even in his sleep, he couldn't help but smile—clearly, he was having a sweet dream.

 Meanwhile, Dongbo Lie and his wife were also preparing to rest.

 "Dongbo, I've been feeling uneasy lately," his wife murmured as she lay in her husband's embrace.

 "Ayu, don't worry," Dongbo Lie gently held his wife in his arms. "We've been living peacefully in Yishui City for eight years. Your family has never found us. Trust me, nothing will happen. Our family will continue to live in peace—ten years, twenty years… we'll grow old together. They will never find us. Never."

 His wife rested her head against his chest.

 She didn't say much. Deep down, she knew just how powerful her family was. Sooner or later, they would be caught.

 But a faint smile played at her lips. She had no regrets about her decision all those years ago. If she had obeyed her family back then, that would have been the true disaster. Instead, she had escaped, ventured across the lands, found the man she loved, and built a life with him. She even had two wonderful sons. She was already deeply satisfied.

 "Dongbo, do you regret it?" she asked softly. "If they capture us, they won't let you go either."

 "How many times have we faced life and death together? Why are you even asking?" Dongbo Lie chuckled.

 "Mm."

 …

 Deep into the night, the castle had fallen into silence.

 Aside from the guards on duty, almost everyone was asleep.

 Suddenly—

 "Boom~~~"

 A massive, cloud-like creature roared through the sky, its deafening sonic boom shaking the castle's windows.

 The Four-Winged Vulture hovered high above.

 From its back, a gray-robed man and a silver-armored warrior gazed down at the castle.

 "We're here," the gray-robed man murmured, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Little sister… I really don't want to take you away."

 "Alert!!!"

 A deep, thunderous roar echoed through the entire castle. Lionman Tong San had sounded the alarm.

 "A lionman from the beastmen race?" the silver-armored warrior asked curiously as he looked down.

 "He was a slave assigned to my sister back in the day," the gray-robed man replied. "I never expected him to remain loyal after all these years."

 His gaze settled on the towering lionman, memories surfacing—years ago, that very beastman had been a silent, caged slave, always following his sister wordlessly. But now, he had grown into a formidable warrior.

 Below, the castle spanned two miles, consisting of both an outer castle and an inner castle. The outer castle housed four battalions of soldiers, as well as servants and their families. Knights were permitted to bring their families to live there. At night, a full battalion patrolled the outer castle walls.

 Suddenly, a cry rang out—

 "Enemies!"

"Enemies!"

 The three hundred soldiers atop the castle walls immediately grabbed their massive, dark-red crossbows—each already loaded with a heavy, armor-piercing bolt—and aimed them at the Four-Winged Vulture in the sky.

 "You go," the gray-robed man ordered.

 "Yes, sir."

 Without hesitation, the silver-armored warrior leaped from the vulture, plummeting over fifty-six meters.

 With no attempt to slow his fall, he slammed into the stone ground, the impact shaking the earth. Cracks spidered across the stone slabs beneath his feet.

 His piercing gaze swept across the courtyard.

 By now, Dongbo Lie and his wife had emerged, and even Dongbo Xueying and his younger brother Qingshi had woken up.

 With all the roaring and the crashing outside, there was no way anyone could have slept through it.

 "What's happening?" Dongbo Xueying asked, holding his younger brother while standing behind his parents.

 The silver-armored warrior stood calmly in the courtyard, completely unfazed by the hundreds of crossbows aimed at him from the castle walls. His cold voice rang out—

 "Moyang Yu!"

 "At this point, do you still intend to resist?" His expression was emotionless. "Be smart and come with us willingly."

 "Look around you," Dongbo Lie said coldly.

 The silver-armored warrior's gaze swept across his surroundings.

 The castle walls were lined with soldiers, all ready to fire their dark-red crossbows at a moment's notice. Even on the ground, groups of armed men had formed a tight encirclement.

 The warrior's pupils contracted slightly, but then he chuckled. "Breaking Star Crossbows… impressive. For a mere territory in a small county, I'm surprised you have so many of them.

 "So many Breaking Star Crossbows aimed at me… Yes, they might actually have a chance of killing me."

 Dongbo Lie's expression was grave. "You are a Meteor Knight. In a one-on-one fight, none of us would stand a chance against you."

 "However," he continued, "there are five hundred Breaking Star Crossbows here. Every single one of them is capable of wounding you.

 "If they all fire at once… coupled with our own attacks… we have a good chance of taking you down."

 "This is the Dongbo family's territory," the purple-robed woman, Moyang Yu, declared. "You have trespassed upon a noble's land. This is an act of provocation against our family. We have every right to kill you, and if you die, it will be for nothing."

 According to the Empire's laws, nobles held special privileges, and their territories were strictly protected.

 The silver-armored man frowned. "You and your husband should come with me. Stop resisting."

 "Nobles are under the Empire's legal protection," Moyang Yu said coldly. "Are you truly willing to defy the Empire's laws and forcibly abduct two nobles?"

 Suddenly, a hoarse voice echoed through the night—

 "Xiaoyu."

 Everyone looked up.

 High above, the gray-robed man stood atop the Four-Winged Vulture, gripping his staff.

 A terrifying surge of power erupted around him.

 Dark clouds materialized out of nowhere, thick and oppressive.

 Lightning snaked through the sky, illuminating the night in flickering bursts. Below, within the castle grounds, tendrils of electricity crackled to life, spreading across the stone walls and courtyard.

 The spectacle was breathtaking—a sea of lightning dancing in the darkness.

 But then—

 The lightning struck the soldiers.

 One by one, they screamed in agony, their bodies convulsing before collapsing to the ground. Their Breaking Star Crossbows clattered to the floor, rendered useless.

 In a mere gesture, hundreds of soldiers had been incapacitated—and this was mercy. Had he truly unleashed his full power, they would have been reduced to charred corpses.

 The Four-Winged Vulture descended, landing within the castle.

 The gray-robed man stepped down, lifting his hood to reveal a pale yet strikingly handsome face.

 His features bore a clear resemblance to Moyang Yu—at least seventy to eighty percent alike.

 "Xiaoyu, will you still resist?" the gray-robed youth asked.

 Moyang Yu's eyes widened in shock.

 Her body trembled.

 "B-Brother…?"