Chapter 9: The Sign From Outside
2 years later
A new day arose, illuminating the entire Barisan continent and its inhabitants. The sound of rustling leaves, accompanied by the silence of the forest, made one's mind feel serene and tranquil. The Everlasting Silent Forest started to unveil the mystery that had always covered it. The forest that swallowed all kinds of life, including mortals, began to expel whatever it contained.
In a secret part of this forest, amidst some mortals and cultivators who had grown comfortable living there, a young man with red hair could be seen hanging upside down from a tree branch. He moved his upper body up and down in a consistent rhythm, sweat rolling down his upper body and face. Even though the young man was only in his early teens, the shape of his body suggested otherwise. His muscular upper body and visible six-pack abs were the result of his hard work.
"497... 498... 499... 500." After the last count, the young man stopped his movement, released his leg grip on the branch, and started to free fall from the tree. Falling from a 30-meter tall tree would surely spell death for a mortal, but not for him. Before he touched the ground, he moved his body in an agile manner and landed safely.
His blue eyes looked at the top of the tree, and he smiled before walking away. Aldrian, still in this secret realm, continued to train and develop at a terrifying speed that would leave others in the dust. His face no longer held the innocence of childhood, instead his handsome, charismatic features made others question if he was really just a 12-year-old boy.
After his parents left, he did not dwell on sadness for too long. He immediately created his own training program based on what his parents had taught him. With exercises and developments he added, coupled with his extraordinary comprehension abilities and the fact that he didn't always need to cultivate like others, he was able to set aside time to develop his own techniques.
After two and a half years, he had risen from the low viscount stage to the high viscount stage. A 12-year-old high viscount was unheard of in the entire history of the Barisan continent. If Aldrian ventured outside, he would either be recruited by masters or killed by envious individuals who couldn't tolerate another competitor.
Aldrian arrived at his home. What used to be filled with the voices of his father and mother was now quiet. Sometimes he still remembered those times and missed those moments. He then sat down for a moment on one of the chairs and began to look at the screen displaying his status.
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Aldrian Aster
Domain : The secret realm
