Listening to his sister chattering away like a melodic lark, Zhao Xuan responded with a soft smile. Gazing at the sunset that had dyed half the sky in a deep crimson, he felt an indescribable sense of comfort and tranquility.
At the same time, his mind drifted to the matter of Corviknight's upcoming breakthrough to the Gym Rank.
A faint blue light flickered across his dark, obsidian eyes, and a translucent interface of information materialized before him.
Level 39.Only one level left to reach the Gym Rank. Once we hit that, our strength will be considered mid-tier within the global Trainer community, Zhao Xuan thought to himself.
In this world, the hierarchy was steep. There were only about a hundred Champion-level Trainers globally, around three hundred Pseudo-Champions, and roughly five hundred Heavenly Kings, followed by Pseudo-Heavenly Kings and so on.
Champions and Pseudo-Champions were the apex predators of the Trainer world, serving as the ultimate "trump cards" for their respective nations. They were usually stationed at critical strategic locations and rarely moved for minor incidents. Consequently, the bulk of the heavy lifting fell upon those at the Heavenly King, Pseudo-Heavenly King, and Gym Ranks.
Once Corviknight reached the Gym Rank, Zhao Xuan would truly be a force to be reckoned with.
The Courtyard
Meanwhile, a small courtyard was buzzing with activity.
"Li Lin, help me wash these greens!" "Meng'an, Mengxin, get the bowls set out. We'll eat as soon as Xiao Xuan and Yunjie get back!"
A man in his sixties was busy in the kitchen, poking his head out the window occasionally to bark out instructions.
"Dad, I bought the things you asked for. Where should I put them?" A middle-aged man in a suit walked in, carrying several bags.
"Ah, Haowen. Go ahead and devein those shrimp. Xiao Xuan loves shrimp the most," a well-dressed, elderly woman said with a warm, beaming smile as she walked over.
"You got it, Mom. I'll get right on it," the middle-aged man replied cheerfully.
"Grandma, I like shrimp too!" A small boy about seven or eight years old ran over, tugging at her sleeve.
"Of course, of course. Our little Xiongxiong will have plenty as well," the old lady chuckled.
"Mom, look at how happy you are," a graceful woman in her thirties said with a smile as she approached. She had a gentle, maternal aura—the picture of a virtuous wife and mother.
"Naturally! That's Mom's precious eldest grandson. Of course she's happy," another younger woman teased. This one carried a more sophisticated, "cool older sister" vibe.
"Go on, you two! Always ganging up on your mother," the old lady huffed playfully at her daughters. "Xiao Xuan has been suffering in that Secret Realm for a month. Of course I have to make sure he's well-nourished now that he's home."
"If you're so worried about him suffering, Mom, you shouldn't have let him become a Trainer in the first place."
"If I could have stopped him, I would have. But Xiao Xuan has always been strong-willed. Once he sets his mind on something, there's no stopping him," the old lady sighed.
This was Zhao Xuan's family in this world: his Grandpa and Grandma (the Xus), his two uncles-in-law (Li Lin and Jia Haowen), his two aunts (Xu Mengxin and Xu Meng'an), and his young cousin, Xiongxiong.
Zhao Xuan was actually adopted. Years ago, when the Xu daughters had married and moved out, the couple felt a bit lonely. They went to an orphanage and adopted two-year-old Zhao Xuan, partly to carry on the family line. They had been too kind-hearted to force him to change his surname, so he remained a Zhao. Though Mengxin and Meng'an had been curious at the time, they respected their parents' choice. They were well-off enough to raise another child, and the family had welcomed him with open arms.
To Zhao Xuan, this family was everything. Having nearly been an orphan for two lifetimes, the warmth of the Xu household was a treasure he guarded fiercely.
"WHOA!!! GRANDMA!! MOM!! LOOK!! IT'S CORVIKNIGHT!! COUSIN IS BACK!!"
Xiongxiong's high-pitched, excited voice rang out. Everyone looked up to see a massive avian, shaped like a miniature fighter jet, sweeping over the courtyard and casting a gargantuan shadow.
"It really is Corviknight. Xiao Xuan is home," Xu Mengxin said, her face lighting up.
"Finally back. Thank the Buddha," Grandma Xu murmured, clasping her hands in prayer. Despite the news of his arrival at school, she wouldn't be truly at ease until she saw him with her own eyes.
"Old woman, I told you the boy has luck on his side. He's been to Secret Realms before," Grandpa Xu chuckled.
"Exactly, Mom," Jia Haowen added. "With Xiao Xuan's Elite-rank strength and Corviknight by his side, escaping is a breeze as long as they don't run into something that can completely crush them."
"That's right! Our Xiao Xuan is the best," Grandma Xu said proudly.
Whoosh... Whoosh...
As Corviknight descended, its seven-meter wingspan whipped up a fierce wind, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
"GAA!"
The steel-clad bird landed heavily in the open space of the courtyard, letting out a triumphant cry.
"WOW!!! CORVIKNIGHT!! SO COOL!! I WANT TO RIDE IT!!" Xiongxiong sprinted forward, showing zero fear toward the mountain of a bird.
"Ride what? Get back here, you little rascal! Let your cousin and sister get down first," Xu Mengxin scolded, pulling her son aside.
Grandpa and Grandma Xu approached as well. Even the grown men, Li Lin and Jia Haowen, looked at the towering Corviknight with undisguised envy. No matter the age, no man could resist the allure of a magnificent, powerful beast. It was a fascination on par with giant robots.
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