*Content Warning: This chapter contains mature themes, violence, blood, and morally dark actions. Reader discretion advised.*
***
The elders and the father of the boy stood utterly shocked, for the light emanating from him was none other than the legendary Heavenly Fate Physique, a radiant golden aura that seemed to warp the very fabric of destiny around the birthing hall, drawing gasps from all present.
The elder who had been stunned into silence suddenly spoke, his voice trembling with shock and joy.
"Ha-hahaha! Our sect is blessed again! Hahaha—to think we are lucky enough to have such a magnificent child in our Heavenly Fate Sect. We are truly blessed!"
The father of the child mumbled with a deeply worried face.
"No... why did my child have to be the one to inherit this physique? I just wanted him to live a normal, peaceful life. Only the Eight Ancestors possessed the Heavenly Fate Physique, and now my son has inherited it too."
He continued, his face etched with stress.
"What worries me more is that while our sect will invest every fortune in raising my son, at the same time he will have to face so many dangers in the future."
"Just because someone is blessed by the heavens doesn't mean they are invincible. They too have to face hardships—and more hardships than a normal person."
All the elders smiled warmly while looking at the baby.
"Just look at this little guy—he is still wondering what is even happening. And now that I think about it, we still haven't given him a name yet, right?"
The father said while flinching.
"Y-yes, elder. We should name him now."
The elder smiled kindly while looking at the child and said.
"How about **Lyreen**."
All the elders smiled and nodded their heads, saying.
"Yeah, yeah—Lyreen is good! The heaven-blessed son Lyreen! Hahaha!"
The father smiled at the child and said.
"Hello there, child. That old man standing in front of you is your father, and your father's name is Levi. Nice to meet you."
The child mumbled with a confused face.
Hm, so is that my name? Lyreen sounds like a girl's name...
His mouth suddenly widened like he was freaking out, and then he mumbled.
W-wait! Wait wait wait—hey system, I can't get up so I can't see. Please tell me which gender I am?
The system didn't appear for a moment and then said while appearing.
"Wow, host—your awareness skills are literally god-level. You just thought about it now? Well, the answer to your question is you are male."
The child's face suddenly turned with relief, and he mumbled.
Oh damn, I was so damn scared. If I had been born as a girl, it would've been quite troublesome.
He continued mumbling with a proud face and a smug look.
Hmph, not that it would've mattered. Hehehehe.
The crimson dunes stretched eternally under the merciless sun, heat waves distorting the horizon into a shimmering mirage of blood-red haze, where jagged stone monoliths stood like forgotten sentinels from a bygone cataclysm. Leon trudged forward, his face a mask of utter exhaustion, sweat carving salty rivers down dust-caked skin, each step a defiant rebellion against collapsing limbs and gnawing hunger that clawed at his insides like a living beast.
Leon kept walking without looking anywhere, mumbling with a serious expression.
"Good grief, good grief—to think the weather is getting so damn hotter with each moment passing by. And damn it, I haven't even felt a single aura yet. I wonder, are there even humans in this world?"
Miles blurred into tormenting sameness, the light-reddish sands whispering secrets of ancient desolation, until finally—a faint pulse pierced Leon's senses, fragile yet unmistakably human.
"Hahahahahaha! Finally! I just felt an aura, and it's so much like that of a human this time. This time, I am not gonna let this chance go—I don't care about the pain anymore."
Legs screaming betrayal, Leon discarded caution, surging forward like a feral beast unleashed from chains, sand exploding in crimson plumes behind him, heart thundering primal rhythm as town silhouettes sharpened against blazing sky.
Leon mumbled while his eyes narrowed like closing doors.
"Hahahaha—at least I was able to see a town again! Just a few steps more..."
Threshold crossed in desperate lunge—the world spun into void, exhaustion's black tide swallowing Leon whole, body crumpling like discarded rag amid curious townsfolk gasps.
The town people were shocked and wondered what was happening, all gathering together like a circle forming around Leon.
An old lady, yet with a kind personality, moved forward and bowed her head a little to check Leon's condition.
She spoke with a kind smile.
"Don't worry—the boy is just unconscious because he is exhausted. Let me take care of him."
Through reed-woven hut's humble confines, where herbal steam curled like benevolent spirits and elixir vials glowed faint luminescence, the old lady tended tirelessly—days melting into devoted vigil, salves soothing ravaged flesh, potions coaxing life back from brink.
After the old lady kept taking care of Leon for quite some few days, Leon's eyes suddenly opened up.
As he woke up, all he saw was an unfamiliar roof. He suddenly flinched and looked around him—there was an old lady making something with some strange leaves.
Leon asked with a confused and suspicious face.
"Who the hell are you?"
The old lady looked at Leon and smiled widely yet kindly. Then she said.
"Oh my, you have woken up finally! How are you feeling, child?"
Leon said with a suspicious gaze.
"I will ask again—who are you, and where is this place? What am I doing here?"
The old lady spoke while smiling.
"Oh my, nowadays young children sure do have a lot of energy. Well, to put it simply, I am just an old lady who took care of you for quite some days, and you haven't even thanked her! Hahaha. Well, and about this place—this is my house, and while you were unconscious, I was taking care of you."
She said while looking at Leon with a serious gaze.
"Tell me, boy—are you from one of the Great Sects?"