The Sun Kingdom was vast, its lands stretching as far as the eye could see. Yet its vastness was less a blessing than a curse, for it occupied the worst possible position on the world's map: to its right stretched the shadows of the Dark Kingdom, and to its left shone the radiance of the Light Kingdom. Between these two kingdoms, which had been at war since the dawn of history, the Sun Kingdom was the weakest link, paying the price in every clash between them.
The war between Darkness and Light was not merely a passing conflict, but a deeply rooted struggle inherited through generations. And the Sun Kingdom, trapped between the grinding stones, was the one that tasted the bitterness of every round of that struggle. Until one day, the current King of the Sun Kingdom proposed an alliance with the Ice Kingdom. It was a simple proposal on the surface, nothing more than an alliance, yet its impact was enormous. The moment this three-way alliance between Ice, Darkness, and the Sun was formed, the flames of war between the two rival kingdoms subsided, and a peace settled over the region unlike anything it had known for a very long time.
However, that peace did not last. After some time, the Queen of the Rose Kingdom proposed a counter-alliance, and the Sword Kingdom and the Light Kingdom joined her. Thus, as if by fate itself, the drums of war echoed once again between the Kingdoms of Light and Darkness, and the Sun Kingdom found itself, as always, standing on the front line.
---
In the capital of the Sun Kingdom, specifically inside a gigantic garden filled with the fragrance of flowers, stood a little girl no older than seven years old. Despite her young age, her hair was long and enchanting, her skin was as white as snow, and her deep black eyes resembled a bottomless abyss. She was beautiful to an astonishing degree. Standing before her was a little boy of the same age. His hair was white, with every strand ending in a deep crimson red. His name was Baran.
Baran and Xueye Mi were playing with the innocence of children when a middle-aged man entered, smiling as he called out,
"Baran, your father is calling you."
Baran hurried away with his small, clumsy steps, running toward the palace. As for Xueye Mi, the gentle little girl, her father saw her smiling from afar. He let out a heavy sigh and said to her,
"Listen, my dear. You have to begin cultivation."
Xueye Mi's little face frowned the moment she heard those words. All she knew about "cultivation" was that it was a path that made you stronger, a path that eventually led you to kill people, and she did not like that at all. She looked at her father for a moment, then ran away into the palace, heading toward a room with worn-out furniture hidden away in a forgotten corner. There, lying on a simple bed, was a woman suffering from a severe illness, standing at death's door.
Xueye Mi poured out all the pain and confusion in her heart to her mother. Her mother listened patiently before saying in a weak voice,
"Xueye Mi... your father was born with a body that cannot cultivate, and you know that everyone in the family hates our presence here. The only solution for us is for you to begin cultivating, my dear."
Then she added, with a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes,
"Only then can we live peacefully. And when you cultivate yourself and rise through the realms, your lifespan will become much longer. Then you'll be able to play with Baran whenever you want."
Xueye Mi's father had been unable to cultivate since birth, and because of that he was known as the "Shame of the Sun Family." Everyone in the kingdom hated him. Even so, no one dared lay a hand on him, for one reason alone: his older brother was the current King of the Sun Kingdom. And when Xueye Mi was born, the news was never announced, not even within the kingdom's own walls. If she had been born with a body incapable of cultivation, or even with ordinary talent, the kingdom would have become the laughingstock of the entire world. Therefore, every piece of news regarding her birth was erased.
Xueye Mi said with innocent childish enthusiasm,
"Alright, Mother. I'll start cultivating from now on, and I'll become stronger than both of my cousins... But will you be alright? Will you come outside and play with me again?"
Xueye Mi was a gentle, innocent child who loved her mother dearly, unlike her father, who rarely spoke with her. And when her father, standing behind the door, heard those words, he smiled as overwhelming excitement filled his chest, and whispered to himself,
"I hope you're as talented as your uncle."
---
Immediately afterward, Xueye Mi's father headed to the family clan headquarters. His daughter was about to begin cultivating, and he had to find a cultivation manual for her. Since she belonged to the Sun Clan, it was only natural for him to request the Sun Manual itself.
But everyone in the clan rejected his request without hesitation.
"The daughter of the family's shame wants the Sun Manual? Impossible! I will never agree!" one of the elders declared loudly while standing inside a long, grand hall. Rows of elders wearing black robes embroidered with golden threads lined both the right and left sides of the hall. At the very end of the hall sat a tall man, his right hand resting on the arm of the throne, gazing toward the center of the hall. Between him and the others stood a thick curtain that prevented anyone from seeing the person behind it, allowing the elders to see nothing but his faint silhouette. That man was the King of the Sun Kingdom.
Xueye Mi's father sat in the middle of the hall, while every elder, without exception, rejected the idea of allowing his daughter to train with the Sun Manual.
"And what benefit could possibly come from teaching her the Sun Manual? There is none! The daughter is surely just like her father! Hahaha!"
The elders' mocking laughter filled the hall. The King did not react at all. Although he had the authority to grant the manual with a single word that no one would dare oppose, he respected the traditions of the clan, so he chose to convene a council instead of issuing a direct order.
"Very well, very well. I request that His Majesty issue an official decree forbidding that little girl from training with the Sun Manual," one of the elders said as he stood up.
At that exact moment, before the King could utter a single word, the enormous doors of the hall swung open. They were massive gates guarded by two powerful guards, and opening them alone normally required strength beyond what most people possessed. But this time, the doors opened, and standing behind them was none other than Xueye Mi, her hair flowing wildly behind her as she stood before everyone's shocked eyes, staring across the entire hall.