Chapter 3

As the crowd gradually dispersed, and the last person left, Uncle Fu closed the main gate.

Hesitating for a moment, he still pushed the door open and immediately saw Yu Linghe getting out of bed, peering out with a curious look.

With a bitter smile, Uncle Fu said, "Young Master Yu, what are you doing?"

Yu Linghe scratched his head, slightly embarrassed, and said, "Uncle Fu, I don't want to deal with those people."

In fact, in his previous life, he was only in his twenties, a young and vigorous age, far from being numbed by the many disappointments and darkness of society. Therefore, now that he had seen through the attitudes of his neighbors, he naturally wouldn't try to win their favor anymore.

Uncle Fu shook his head and sighed, "Young Master Yu, in life, eight or nine out of ten things are not as we wish. Moreover, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune is a natural instinct of ordinary people. You don't need to be too harsh on them."

Yu Linghe nodded repeatedly, but whether he truly listened was only known to heaven.

Taking a step forward, Yu Linghe suddenly bowed deeply to Uncle Fu, saying, "Thank you, Uncle Fu, for your help."

Uncle Fu was taken aback. He quickly stepped forward, his speed showing no sign of his age. With both hands, he lifted Yu Linghe up.

"Oh, Young Master Yu, what are you doing? You're really killing me."

Yu Linghe said solemnly, "Uncle Fu, just now, you were the only one who truly cared for me and was willing to stand up for me. Although I am young, I am not ungrateful. I will remember your kindness."

Uncle Fu's eyelids twitched, feeling very puzzled.

After Young Master Yu was beaten yesterday, he seemed to have changed into a different person today. The indecisive and hesitant young man had suddenly become decisive and open.

Could it be that being beaten hard really changes one's personality?

After bowing, Yu Linghe turned and entered the inner room, starting to prepare the meal on his own.

Although his sister had always taken good care of him, due to her frequent outings for training, Yu Linghe had also learned a decent cooking skill.

However, to his disappointment, despite his best efforts in preparing a large table of delicious dishes, only he and Uncle Fu were there to enjoy it.

Sister Yu Ziyuan and Shen Sheng, who had gone to the city lord's residence for a banquet, did not return all night and were kept overnight by the city lord.

With a hint of regret, Yu Linghe finished washing up and went to bed. That night, he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. When he finally managed to sleep, images of the various items in the stationery shop appeared in his mind again. He tried to reach out to grab them, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not get anything.

However, Yu Linghe had a strong will not to give up. He gritted his teeth and tried his best.

Finally, his fingers barely touched something. Overjoyed, he lunged forward, but in front of him, a huge black hole suddenly appeared, scaring him awake with a loud cry.

"Little brother, you had a nightmare," a very gentle voice whispered in his ear.

Yu Linghe opened his eyes wide and saw a familiar yet strange face.

Yu Ziyuan squinted her eyes, her beautiful face wearing a captivating smile. She held a handkerchief that smelled of a woman's scent and gently wiped Yu Linghe's forehead. She softly said, "Little brother, don't be afraid. Sister is back, and no one will bully you anymore."

Yu Linghe stared at Yu Ziyuan, feeling an indescribable excitement in his heart. This was clearly not his own emotion, but his body reacted genuinely.

"Ah..." Yu Linghe suddenly cried out, burying his head in Yu Ziyuan's arms and sobbing loudly.

Yu Ziyuan gently patted his back, comforting him silently.

After a long time, Yu Linghe finally stopped crying. He wiped his tear-stained face, embarrassed, and said, "Sister, I'm sorry, I dirtied your clothes."

He felt extremely ashamed, not knowing why this body would act so out of control.

However, Yu Ziyuan gently hugged him again and smiled, "You are my little brother, my only little brother. What's wrong with crying on me?" She sighed, "It's all my fault. To complete the city lord's task, I ventured deep into the swamp and only found a way out after half a year. This half a year... you've suffered."

Yu Linghe shook his head repeatedly, hugging her tightly, feeling deeply satisfied.

After a long while, Yu Ziyuan gently pulled him up, a proud smile on her face. "Little brother, look what I have." She flipped her wrist, revealing a porcelain bottle. She gently opened the lid, and a fragrant aroma filled the air.

Yu Linghe blinked, knowing that this item must be extremely precious, but he had no idea what it was.

Yu Ziyuan smiled and said, "Little brother, do you remember why you couldn't cultivate star power?"

Yu Linghe was taken aback, and countless memories flooded his mind.

In this strange world, only those who could cultivate star power were respected. Yu Ziyuan had been able to support the family because she showed talent in this area from a young age. Although he had also yearned for star power as a child, his meridians were naturally blocked, making it impossible for star power to flow, let alone accumulate.

Of course, this problem was not unsolvable, but it was extremely difficult.

After countless thoughts raced through his mind, Yu Linghe trembled and said, "Is this... the Star Marrow Pill?"

Yu Ziyuan clapped and laughed, "Little brother, you're so smart, you guessed it right away." She brought the pill to Yu Linghe's mouth and smiled, "Little brother, this is yours."

Yu Linghe took a deep breath, feeling his body tremble. His face turned red, and after being reborn, although he had a new body, sometimes this body did not cooperate.

"Little brother, don't you most desire to cultivate star power? Why are you hesitating?" Yu Linghe urged.

Yu Linghe's heart stirred, and he suddenly looked up, "Sister, how did you get this pill?"

Seeing her little brother's serious and somewhat unfamiliar gaze, Yu Ziyuan was taken aback for a moment before smiling, "Don't worry, I did a big favor for the city lord, and he rewarded me with this."

Yu Linghe immediately understood that her venture into the swamp had a reason. The city lord must have made some promise, making her take the risk to find some treasure.

This pill was actually obtained at the cost of her life.

Seeing her little brother's changing expression, Yu Ziyuan felt a vague sense of unease.

"Little brother," she gently pushed him, urging softly.

Yu Linghe looked up, took the pill, and swallowed it without hesitation. At that moment, his gaze was resolute, and he said firmly, "Sister, in the past, you protected me. From now on, it's my turn to protect you."

"Ah," Yu Ziyuan opened her mouth in surprise, her eyes filled with both joy and bewilderment, her expression indescribable.

However, she was not an ordinary person and quickly regained her composure, smiling, "Good, little brother, you've grown up. Sister will rely on you in the future."

Yu Linghe nodded lightly, though her tone was teasing, he made a silent vow to fulfill his promise. Of course, with his current strength, it was not something he could do immediately.

After swallowing the pill, he initially felt nothing, but after a short while, a warm current rose in his chest and abdomen. This current was not strong but spread throughout his body, reaching every corner without missing a single part.

Gradually, his face turned rosy, and even his entire body seemed to turn slightly red.

Yu Ziyuan's face showed a look of joy, and she said softly, "Little brother, the pill is starting to take effect. Sleep well, and when you wake up, your meridians will be unblocked, and you can cultivate star power."

Yu Linghe nodded weakly and fell into a daze, losing consciousness.

Yu Ziyuan looked at him for a long time, then finally got up and left the room.

Outside, Shen Sheng had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Yu Ziyuan's slightly haggard face, he said with concern, "Ziyuan, Linghe has taken the Star Marrow Pill, you don't need to worry anymore."

Yu Ziyuan smiled bitterly, "Shen, you should understand that although Linghe has taken the Star Marrow Pill, even if his meridians are unblocked, he still won't be as good as those who are naturally unblocked. If he starts cultivating star power and finds his progress far behind others, he might be even more heartbroken." She pursed her lips, "Sometimes I think, wouldn't it be better for him to live a simple and peaceful life?"

Shen Sheng smiled bitterly, knowing that this was not something he could resolve.

Yu Ziyuan sighed, then left directly. Shen Sheng hesitated for a long time before also bidding farewell and leaving with Uncle Fu.

However, they did not know that at this moment, Yu Linghe's body, after taking the Star Marrow Pill, was undergoing a tremendous transformation.

It was as if he had entered an unknown space. In this space, many items were floating. He looked closely and recognized them as the various items from the stationery shop.

However, these items were too far away for him to touch.

The only thing that gave him some comfort was the item in his hand.

This seemed to be the item he had finally managed to grab with all his effort.

Looking down, he saw a very familiar chess box in his hand.

It was a game that was suitable for all ages, a game that almost every child had played—Animal Chess!

PS: New book, please support with membership points and recommendations, and also add to your collection ^_^

Page break AD starts

Page break AD ends