2 Lian Albedo

It was a dark and silent night in an area near the great Albedo Clan. Illuminated only by the pale moonlight, Lian Albedo, a determined fifteen-year-old young man, was engrossed in intense training. His sweaty and exhausted body reflected his tireless dedication.

With each strike of the sword against the training dummy, his breathing grew heavier, and his hands trembled from fatigue. Despite being on the verge of exhaustion, Lian showed no signs of wanting to stop. His eyes shone with unwavering determination as he persisted in his efforts to improve his skills, challenging his own limits.

Even before he was born, his father died. His mother was always worried, never allowing him to be far from her. About a year ago, his mother was severely injured when she received a call from the Albedo Clan. The Clan had reported that a demonic beast attack had left his mother gravely wounded, but she miraculously survived. However, her awakening never occurred, leaving Lian with a mix of hope and anguish.

"Young master, that's enough. If your body is exhausted, you won't be able to circulate Qi properly," spoke a slim young woman with a concerned tone.

"Training your Qi alone is not enough, Riria. I also need to improve my sword skills," Lian responded with determination. He then looked lovingly at Riria, recalling the moment they met.

Riria, a 17-year-old half-elf, was found by his mother when she was an orphaned child of only 10 years old. He and his mother were in the capital when they heard cries coming from a dark corner and decided to investigate.

She was visibly malnourished, with wounds and blood all over her body. Holding a rusty blade in her hands, she advanced against two adult men, emitting a roar that mixed endless sadness and indomitable anger. Her goal was to seek revenge for the smaller child lying dead beside her.

After intervening, Lian's mother identified in her the same feelings of loss, powerlessness, and loneliness that she herself had experienced. In a gesture of compassion, she welcomed Riria as her new daughter. When taken to the Clan's castle, Riria chose to be trained as a servant and defender. She took on the responsibility of protecting Lian, the young son, whenever they needed to be apart.

"I know you bear a heavy burden on your shoulders, trying to protect me," Lian added, looking into her eyes. "However, I started cultivating two years ago... I have to get stronger quickly," he declared, his eyes burning with flames, revealing his ambition to become more powerful as soon as possible.

"I want to try to awaken my mother... and I also want to protect you. You're my only remaining family." His voice carried the conviction that they still had a family, each other, and he would do everything in his power to protect them.

An expression of pain appeared on Riria's face, tears threatening to fall at any moment. Yet, the dramatic moment didn't last long. Riria suddenly tensed as she sensed a change in the atmosphere around her. In an instant, she slid her hand back and drew her sword, preparing for the imminent danger. "Reveal yourselves! Who dares to attack the heir of the Albedo Clan!" Riria spoke with a voice full of determination and a tone of alertness, assuming a combat stance.

Six mysterious shadows emerged from the dense forest, surrounding Riria and Lian. Their faces couldn't be seen; only their eyes were visible. A silence filled with anticipation hung in the air as they awaited the word of the mysterious leader.

"Hahahaha, heir of the Clan? What a joke. A bastard child of a peasant with no talent," the shadow scoffed mockingly. "You had two years to cultivate yourself, and you're still at the early stage of the Qi Condensation realm," he spoke with amusement in his eyes.

The shadow continued in a slow tone, closely observing the two as if savoring their reactions. "They even gave a chance to a useless person like you. After a year of cultivation, you've made no progress. We've removed your mother from the equation as an incentive. However, in the end, you've shown no improvement. Now we've come to eliminate the family's weed."

Upon hearing this, Lian's first reaction was disbelief... then his body, face, and eyes displayed an almost terrifying pallor... He now understood his mother's concerns. His own Clan wanted him dead... His father... Lian only knew that he was dead. Now he had a serious suspicion that his father was killed on the Clan's orders.

"You won't lay a finger on him!" Riria shouted with all her might. Her words served as a war cry for herself. Her heart was completely dedicated to him, willing to give her life for Lian to escape.

The shadow leader drew daggers from his waists as he said, "How laughable." In the blink of an eye, the attacker's swift and precise movement surprised everyone. The distinct sound of the dagger cutting through the air echoed in the surroundings. Lian witnessed the scene with wide eyes, his heart racing with anxiety.

As he turned his gaze to Riria, he saw scarlet liquid dripping from a newly opened wound on her face. It was a last-minute deflection, a movement that happened so quickly that Lian barely had time to process what had happened. On the lower and upper part of her left eye, there was a profusely bleeding wound.

"A mere half-human in the Muscle Transformation Realm. You have no power to protect anyone. It's time to die," the assassin said in a cold tone, making it clear his anger at her having escaped. He wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Lian watched the enemy as he spoke. Suddenly, one of the shadows vanished. He felt a soul-piercing pain before turning his gaze to Riria.

A sword he hadn't seen before was impaled through her right lung. The strike came from behind. Sure enough, another shadow attacked. Things had obviously taken a turn for the worse.