Legend of Starlight and Poisonous Blessing

Under the blazing sun, the earth is scorched. Though it's already late August, the lingering heat of summer still makes its presence felt. A gentle breeze sweeps through, but it fails to bring much comfort; it stirs the bustling Jiangbin City and wafts into a residence in the East District. "Ugh..." A young man, slumped over his computer desk, rubbed his forehead in agony and opened his bleary eyes, gazing around in confusion. At this moment, a standard philosophical trilogy emerged in his mind: Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do? Oh right, my name is Ethan Cruz. Ethan massaged his temples, grimacing, oh, my head hurts... Looking around, whose room is this? Is it a pigsty? Clothes are strewn everywhere? Is that... uh, crumpled paper? Goodness gracious, this is remarkable. The young man's eyes fell upon a trash can overflowing with crumpled paper. No matter whose room this is, it truly sets an example for us youngsters! However, the playful thoughts in Ethan's mind vanished in an instant when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a blurry figure moving on the computer screen before him. The dark screensaver projected a silhouette—of course, it was Ethan himself. He recognized that the shadow on the screen was him, but... was that a child's face? Ethan skeptically leaned closer, and the shadow on the black screen mirrored his movements. "Glup." Ethan swallowed hard, cautiously tapping the mouse. The screensaver vanished, revealing a young man staring blankly at the screen, wide-eyed—this was precisely the expression Ethan wore at that moment. What video application is this? Ethan blinked; this didn't seem like a video chat, but rather a recording? Looking up, he spotted a camera. What had the owner of this body been doing earlier? Recording a vlog? Uh, Making a video? Clearly, the video was still in the recording process, which intrigued Ethan. If the owner of this body had been recording all along, hadn't his entire experience of crossing over been captured? Such a perk? Ethan hurriedly pressed the stop recording button and selected the play option. After a brief wait, the screen revealed a somewhat youthful face before Ethan's eyes. Dressed in a plaid shirt with a buzz cut, he looked around 15 or 16 years old, with a somewhat handsome countenance. This tidy appearance didn't resemble that of someone who would leave paper scraps strewn about. “Hello everyone, my name is Ethan Bell," the boy in the video finally spoke. "Unfortunately, I have a bit of a cold lately, so you won't be able to hear my magnetic voice." Ethan: ??? In the video, Ethan Bell casually pulled out a tissue, blew his nose, crumpled it up, and tossed it onto the floor. So that's where these paper scraps came from. Well, Ethan agreed with that assessment. What else would one do with a tissue? Isn't blowing one’s nose the primary purpose? Ethan too reached for a tissue from the box on the table since he had finally realized that “he” had caught a cold. In the video, the youth who introduced himself as Ethan Bell continued, “Let me reiterate, my name is Ethan Bell! Remember this name that you will admire for a lifetime!” “This is my first time using social media because I feel that my immense power no longer allows me to remain low-key.” Ethan quickly hit the pause button, watching “himself” on the screen, suddenly overwhelmed with a desire to knock some sense into himself. How had this child grown up? How had he managed all these years? Ethan composed himself after a moment, pressing play once again. On the screen, Ethan Bell shifted gears, saying, “Let me give you a brief introduction about myself.” “Well, children often ask their parents where they come from. The answers are varied: some were picked up from dumpsters, some came as a bonus with a phone plan, and some were received as gifts during holidays." Ethan Bell suddenly looked very serious as he gazed into the camera and declared, “And I’m rather impressive in this regard; I truly was picked up from a dumpster.” “My mom is a stunning beauty, gentle and lovely. Her name is Lily Cruz—just listen to that name, it’s so beautiful! That’s what a name should sound like! And look at mine, sigh…” On the screen, Ethan Bell pouted, frowning, and muttered, “The day I was picked up, my mom’s dog died. Its name was Lucky, and that’s how I got… um." With a look of displeasure, Ethan Bell suddenly brightened and spoke to the camera, “Fortunately, that dog was quite adorable—a cheerful golden retriever.” Ethan: “…” In the video, Ethan Bell rested his chin on his hand, silencing for a moment before adding, “Alright, I think you’ve remembered my name by now; it’s time to express my stance—I will be attending Bingtown High School, and now I’m going to address all my classmates in the first year!” Ethan looked at the screen with slight anticipation, curious about what Ethan Bell would say next. In the video, Ethan Bell proclaimed, “From today onwards, I am the boss of the first year! Anyone who disagrees, let’s meet after school in the woods! I, Ethan Bell, declare that I’m the biggest in the first year!” “Also!” Ethan Bell pointed at the camera, continuing, “Those in the second and third years, don’t think just because you’re older and awakened your abilities a year or two earlier, you can do as you please. I’ve already claimed the school beauty named Summer, so don’t even think of competing with me! Any dissenters, meet me on the playground or in the woods after school! I, Ethan Bell, have never feared anyone!” Ethan Bell glared at the camera, fiercely declaring, “I want you to know, beauty is only meant for the strong!” Ethan watched the screen, bemused by the utterly embarrassing portrayal of “himself.” Suddenly... The door behind Ethan Bell swung open, revealing a stunning figure stepping inside. Raising an eyebrow, Ethan thought, wow, this girl is beautiful. As pure as water lilies, she was naturally refined. Wearing a pristine white nightgown that suggested she was in loungewear, she appeared to also reside in this household. She seemed around 17 or 18 years old, tall with delicate features, yet her exquisite face was marred by a frost-like glare. Her long, jet-black hair flowed behind her as she stormed in. On the screen, the icy-faced girl kicked aside the crumpled paper and approached Ethan Bell from behind, who remained blissfully unaware as he bragged on. The girl raised a hand and slapped Ethan Bell hard on the back of the head! Thud! What a satisfying sound! With a dull thud, Ethan Bell’s forehead collided with the computer desk, and the cold-faced girl fixed him with an icy glare as if to check if he was faking his unconsciousness. "Get up! Do something useful! Train your star power, or clean your room! Stop recording these disgusting videos." Ethan Bell lay motionless on the computer desk. “Then don’t expect to eat!” the girl snapped before turning away, her white nightgown billowing slightly as she disdainfully kicked away the crumpled paper and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Meanwhile, the “playing dead” Ethan Bell seemed to be genuinely unmoving. Ethan sat at the computer desk, watching the figure of Ethan Bell lying on the screen. After a solid five minutes, he finally saw “Ethan Bell” rubbing his forehead, looking confused as he glanced around. At this moment, Ethan had crossed over? Wow! Remarkable! He had been slapped into this world? Ethan rubbed his head, assimilating into Ethan Bell’s body, diligently reflecting on the memories in his mind. This girl seemed to be Ethan Bell’s sister? Elena Summer? With a father named Summer, naturally, his daughter bears the same surname. Ethan Bell, being a child picked up by his mother, carries the surname of his mother under Rose Bell’s insistence. In Ethan Bell’s memories, it appeared that both parents had vanished three years ago during a mission. Hmm? The siblings relied on each other? Elena was breathtakingly beautiful? Were they not blood relatives? Hmm, it’s time to highlight some key points. Highlight... what the hell? At this moment, Ethan was utterly perplexed, having no mind to focus on highlighting anything. The crux is that Ethan transformed from a 25-year-old man into a 16-year-old youth, from a rookie stepping into society to a high school student? Moreover, this world... Ethan moved the mouse pointer to the lower left corner of the computer, glancing at the date: August 20, 2015. Hmm, there appears to be no discrepancy in time; it's the same as the world Ethan came from. But what did the terms “Awakening” and “Star Power” mean that the siblings mentioned earlier? Ethan furrowed his brows and carefully reflected on Ethan Bell's memories, only to be astounded to discover that this world wasn't the Earth he was familiar with! Instead, it was a realm filled with extraordinary abilities, miraculous awakeners, and dotted with dimensional spaces. Due to the presence of dimensional portals, this world differed significantly from the Earth where Ethan originally belonged. Behind those numerous dimensional portals lay an assortment of fantastical worlds, each inhabited by peculiar creatures. Regrettably, the vast majority of beings inside these portals were unfriendly. Throughout humanity's tumultuous history, humans faced not only internal strife but also invasions and disturbances from beings of external dimensions. Star Power is a marvelous energy that emerged alongside the appearance of dimensional portals. This extraordinary energy enhances individuals' physical capabilities while transforming their lifestyles. With the emergence of the first batch of Star Power awakeners, humanity, which once relied solely on “cannon and ship” to combat dimensional creatures, finally found a new option. Naturally, while this new energy surged into the world, altering human destiny, it did not change the fate of everyone. In reality, the vast majority of people remained ordinary, unable to bear such miraculous power. Carelessly attempting to cultivate only results in bodily harm. As time passed, humanity's understanding of Star Power deepened, and after rigorous validation, the age of “16” became globally recognized as the awakening phase. Sixteen marks a threshold; at this age, the likelihood of awakening is greatest, making it the ideal time for human intervention. Awakening too early or too late could result in physiological damage to the subject. Naturally, there are always scoundrels! They engage in behavior that enrages both gods and men; we label such individuals as “geniuses.” They require no effort, for one day they simply sense the ubiquitous Star Power on Earth, dubbed natural awakening, and their potential is limitless. They might even embark on their awakening journey at ages 10, 8, or even 6, which means they've cultivated for several years longer than typical awakeners. Of course, there’s no such thing as fairness in this world. Apart from a select few prodigies, the vast majority of awakeners emerge due to external intervention, making up the bulk of the awakening cohort; Ethan Bell evidently falls into this category. After turning 16, those awakeners can, with assistance, channel Star Power into their bodies, thus commencing their careers as awakeners. However, this must occur within a strict and regulated process, where understanding the nuances is essential for a competent guide. There are far too many who cannot awaken; unwilling to accept such a fate, they seek various means to attain their goals, the outcomes of which are rarely favorable. Those who forcefully pursue this path may suffer injuries or even death; more often than not, they fail to awaken, resulting in significant bodily harm that leaves them weak and frail. Just two months ago, during the final graduation ceremony of the third year of junior high, numerous awakeners stood in formation, assisting this cohort of children with their final evaluations. The principal had long since grown accustomed to basking in the waves of applause during his speeches; of course, the astute knew that the cheers were not for his lengthy address but for the successive awakenings of the children. That graduation ceremony finally heralded the beginning of Ethan Bell’s professional journey. Ethan Bell’s body was suited for cultivating Star Power. He successfully activated the Star Map! End of Chapter