51.

Standing in the air, Yang Ze looked at the scene below him. The city of Yuyang looked like a small circle decorated with Christmas lights. Compared to the outer circle which was engulfed in darkness, the inner circle was lit up with paper lamps. The paper lamps were not only placed outside the houses but on the streets too.

Taking a deep look at the city in front of him, Yang Ze sighed in melancholy. This was perhaps going to be his last time in this city. Though he had only lived here for a month, this was still a place that hit close to home. There is a saying that no one ever forgets their first love. The same could be said of the place you live. No matter how many cities you change or how many countries you roam to, the place where you spent your childhood, will always be the best place in your heart.

Yang Ze didn't rush to the house or anywhere but sat on the air cross-legged. There were a thousand thoughts going through his mind, but in the end, he just sat there motionless.

It wasn't until the dawn broke that Yang Ze came out of his stupor. He could hear the birds chirping and the voices of people that were beginning to wake up.

Straightening his legs, Yang Ze slowly descended into the small house where he lived. In the Yang family, there were already a group of people rushing to the nearest training fields, joined by some excited children.

This time Yang Ze didn't take a rest or stay in his house, but instead changed into a new set of clothes before taking a walk around the family's manor.

During his short walk, he could hear many people pointing fingers at him. Some were filled with the expressions of envy and hate, while some were filled with the expressions of scorn. Well, at least this was the thing that he wasn't going to miss after leaving the city.

Walking around the family for a while, Yang Ze reached a small garden in the corner of the main manor. The garden was as simple as it could have been. Other than a peach tree, there were some flowers and grass. The overall appearance of the garden was much better than his own garden.

At this time, a young man who was the same age as he was practising quietly. Though he appeared to be practising the Seaheart art, his breathing was irregular. Every time, he tried to practice, he would frown and then open his eyes. No matter what he tried, he just couldn't seem to concentrate.

"Damn it." Cursing in a low voice, the boy stood up in anger. Before he could say anything further, he noticed the presence of a person behind him.

"Yang Ze? It's you..." Looking at the newly arrived person, he was surprised for a moment before sneering.

"Have you come here to mock me too? A waste like YOU?"

With every sentence, his breathing grew heavier and the expression on his face turned into anger.

"Hello, my dear cousin Yang Deyi." ------(chapter 1)

Contrary to his expectations, a soft voice replied in a gentle tone.

Looking at Yang Ze whose eyes were as clear as water without the slightest hint of mockery, Yang Deyi felt his anger subsiding before he asked him. "Why are you here?"

"No reason." Yang Ze shook his head. "I was on a morning walk when I saw you."

After a brief pause, he spoke softly. "You seemed upset. What happened?"

If it were any other day, Yang Deyi would have shouted and cursed at Yang Ze. But today, perhaps due to his depressed mood or perhaps due to the soothing voice of Yang Ze, he didn't lash out.

"What do you think happened?"

With a self-deprecating smile, he shook his head.

"Is this about the entrance examination for the Xuanwu Academy?"

By now, Yang Ze had already guessed the reason for this eerie behaviour.

Yang Deyi didn't reply, but his silence itself was an affirmation of his question.

"You must be quite happy seeing me fail."

"Why should I?"

"Because we both hate each other."

"You... Yes. Me??? Not so much."

"Heh. What a joke, does that mean I, the grandson of the third elder, Yang Deyi is more narrow-minded than you?"

"Well... I never said that, did I?"

"Hmph..."

Both of them went silent for a long time. It wasn't until a few minutes later that Yang Ze broke the silence.

"How about I tell you a story?"

"Heh... Trash like you want to cheer me up? Go ahead... Amuse me."

Yang Ze seemed to be in deep thought before sitting on the ground beside Yang Deyi and narrating the story.

"This happened many years ago, in a time that has long been forgotten."

"Two brothers used to live in a small village. The elder brother was muscular while the younger brother was frail."

"The difference between two brothers lay not only in their physique but also in their way of thinking. The elder brother believed that all problems in the world could be solved with a fist, if not, then two fists."

"Compared to the elder brother, the younger brother was much more meek and gentle. He wasn't as strong as his elder brother, but his thinking was the complete opposite of his elder brother."

"One day both brothers went to the forest for some gathering. It took them an entire day to gather herbs and wood. By the time they were done, it was already night."

"The distance back to the village was far, so, the younger brother made a suggestion to spend the night in the woods. Without hesitation, the elder brother agreed."

"Both of them lit up a small fire and took a rest there."

"Just when both of them were sitting there, they heard a burst of wild laughter in the distance. The laughter seemed to be getting louder and louder with the passage of time. It was as if the owner of that laughter was growing close on them."

"Needless to say, both brothers were afraid. They have never encountered such a weird thing in their entire life. So, in the end, they just huddled on the corner silently."

"Soon, they saw the owner of the voice in front of them. And as soon as they saw it, both of them were scared out of their wits."

"It was a snake with the head of a man. Its size was the same as an ordinary dog."

"Standing in front of them, this creature didn't speak any word, but just laughed wildly."

"Who... Who are you!?" The elder brother gathered his courage and spoke in a trembling voice, yet what came in the reply was the same wild laughter.

"The elder brother was terrified. He began to ask questions, like who he was and what he wanted."

"But every time, the response was the same old wild laughter. And with every question, the elder brother asked, the size of the creature grew. From the size of an ordinary dog to the size of a building. He had grown to a mind-boggling size.

"In the end, the elder brother couldn't help but kneel on the ground for the life of him and his younger brother."

"Yet even after kneeling and pleading for his life, the creature laughed wildly, and its size growing constantly."

"Just when the elder brother thought they were going to die there, behind him, his younger brother started laughing too."

"Both the elder brother and the creature were confused. Perhaps it was the dire situation that made the younger brother mad."

"But even then, the younger brother continued to laugh. The creature in front of him came dangerously close to the younger brother and laughed, and yet, what responded to him was the laughter of the younger brother."

"It was then, that an incredible scene played out in front of the elder brother. Every time the creature laughed, his younger brother would laugh even louder. And every time he did that, the size of the creature began to shrink. From the size of the building to the size of an ordinary dog and at the end reduced to the size of a small worm."

"Still laughing, the younger brother squashed the bug under his feet."

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After finishing the story, Yang Ze took a deep breath and looked at Yang Deyi with a smile.

"In our life, we all face a monster like that, and it is known by various names: Failure, difficulties, setbacks."

"The more we try to run away from them, the more they grow up to be intimidating. The more you fear them, the more desperate you become."

"So... The lesson of the story is that... One shouldn't be afraid of failure or lose hope just because of a small setback. But instead should embrace them with a smile. After all, just like happiness and sorrow, both success and failures are a part of life."

"So... My dear cousin Deyi. Stop feeling sad about yourself. You are only eighteen years old. You still have a long life ahead of you. Get yourself together and focus on the future. These are the last words of wisdom that this brother of yours impart to you."

"Umm." Nodding his head, Yang Deyi tried his best to avoid Yang Ze's gaze. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hold back the tears.

No one knows better than him how hard he worked, how many sleepless nights he spent just to progress a bit. He didn't hesitate to offend Yang Ze for resources, just so he could improve further. To outsiders, he was a gifted young kid who had the support of the third elder, but only he knew the truth. Even if his grandfather was the elder, he had to fight for the resources. He didn't hesitate to become a minion of Yang Hai, just for the sake of progressing further.

And even after all this blood and sweat, all these sacrifices, when he was rejected, his heart seemed to shatter into a million pieces. He didn't know what to do. Till now, he was holding himself back because of the saying, 'real men don't cry.' Yet at this very moment, his emotions burst out like a tide.

And perhaps the biggest irony was that the only person who came to console him and told him not to give up was the very person he used to ridicule.

"Take care."

Patting his back, Yang Ze stood up slowly and patted his clothes.

"Thank you."

Just when he was about to leave, he heard the words he never expected to hear from Yang Deyi.

"It is a beautiful story. Where did you hear it?"

It was at this moment Yang Ze's eyes changed. He seemed to be lost for a long time. Closing his eyes gently, he controlled the emotions raging throughout him and spoke in a gentle voice.

"This story was told to me by the only person I hold dear in my life."

Looking at the disappearing back of Yang Ze, Yang Deyi wiped the corner of his eyes before standing up and bowing to his back. At this moment, his eyes seemed to regain their lost luster and were now filled with an incomparable bright light and hope.

Hope... for a better future, hope... for another chance...