Chapter 4: Martial Arts

The spring quietly rained down on Steam Village.

It was already late in the night, a slight breeze blowing with the light rain.

Steam Village wasn't shrouded in darkness; in fact, it was the opposite. Each street was lined with dozens of tiny lights that sparkled like a bright band, illuminating the night.

To every visitor's surprise, the streets weren't the only source of light. Even the tall buildings contributed, casting a warm glow that made the village feel alive, despite the late hour.

Which led the visitors to see that touch of human civilization. A village accommodating thousands of people, yet lively and full of energy.

In the heart of Steam Village stood a magnificent mansion. At an open window, a boy of six gazed out into the rain-soaked night.

' So how do I go about this hmmm...' Yone was incredibly sensible as he was pondering. With this thought, things started to feel complicated. After thinking for an unknown amount of time, his brows wrinkled deeper.

A completely different world with an entirely new power system was not something easily grasped. There were secrets, cultures, and countless rules he did not know of.

' The most important thing is cultivation. The current me has not even been allowed to touch the martial arts books my father keeps in his room, I still haven't stepped on the path to becoming a martial arts master yet. I'm just a mere mortal! I have to hurry and cultivate, catching up to this world's apex experts and seize everything to myself.'

Not to mention, his current situation was far from safe. At this point, he was literally walking into a wolf's den, courting death.

The problem in front of Yone right now was cultivation.

Nonetheless, that wasn't his sole problem.

His family itself was the biggest problem that's kept him a mortal till now.

He had to increase his level of foundation as fast as possible. If he were to not use his past experiences and move as slowly as he did in his past life, he would for sure not be able to attain Immortality.

He needed to stay several steps ahead of everyone else; otherwise, he wouldn't be strong enough to compete or act on his own terms.

But before he could do any of that, he had to begin cultivating this world's power system—martial arts.

Unfortunately, despite his family's noble reputation and the appearance of wealth, they were actually quite poor, in even worse shape than many peasant households.

His family were fallen nobles, stripped of all rights to own land anywhere. To make matters worse, their future generations were forbidden from accessing any martial arts books until the age of 20.

Ironically, the starting age for martial arts training in this world was seven.

This meant Yone would be thirteen years behind everyone else—a deliberate handicap.

Whoever imposed this rule on Yone's family intended to cripple them permanently, ensuring they would never rise to compete again.

" Rules huh..." He sneered, his gaze focused out of the window.

At this moment, the door to his room was lightly pushed open and a young teenager walked in.

"Little brother, why are you standing in the rain by the window side ?"

The youth was muscular, slightly taller than Yone. His face resembled Yone's features greatly. As Yone turned his head to look at this young man, a complicated look flickered across his face.

"It's you huh, my twin older brother." He raised his eyebrows, his expression returning to that of cold indifference. Tom lowered his head and looked at his own toes; this is his signature stance.

"I saw that younger brother's window was not shut closed, so I thought I'd come in here and close it. Tomorrow is the martial arts talent test, it's so late and you haven't gone to bed yet little brother. If mother and father knew, they would probably be worried and punish me for not taking care of you."

Tom was not surprised at Yone's coldness. Ever since he was a small child, his little brother had always been like that. Sometimes he would wonder, maybe a genius is just like this, being rather different from ordinary people. Even though he had the same face as his little brother, he felt that he was ordinary like an ant.

They were born from the same womb at the same time, and yet why were the heavens so unfair? Though he was born just minutes before his younger brother, the gap in talent between him and Yone was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Tom despaired each time he thought about his fate, feeling disgusted whenever he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

Fortunately, those feelings would fade the moment he remembered the punishment imposed on his family by the Kingdom of Elinar.

'At least talent doesn't matter, since neither of us is allowed to touch martial arts,' Tom sighed in relief, lifting his head as his eyes gleamed with a rare brightness.

" Worried..." At the thought of his parents, Yone lightly laughed. He could still recall how the woman who gave birth to him reminded him every year that, no matter what he did, he should never consider martial arts in his life, or else his life would be in danger.

At first, he thought his mother's constant advice was just normal concern—what mother wouldn't worry about her children facing dangers and life-threatening events?

It wasn't until later, when he overheard a conversation between his father and a visitor, that he learned the truth behind her words: everyone in their family was forbidden from practicing martial arts until the age of 20.

As for his older brother's behavior—the kindness and care he showed—it wasn't genuine affection.

It was merely respect and reverence for the talent he showcased as he was growing up, or else he wouldn't be this caring and loving towards him since both of them were doomed to be weaklings for life.

If Yone's experience with people was anything to go by, he was certain that Tom's kindness was nothing more than an attempt to secure protection for when their academy days began.

As a blue panel appeared before Yone, he cast a faint glance at his older brother. "You can leave."

Tom's heart trembled. His brother's gaze was as sharp as an ice blade, cutting into the very core of his being. Under that piercing stare, he felt exposed, as though standing naked in the snow, unable to hide any secrets.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow, little brother." Not daring to say anything more, Tom slowly closed the door and left.