Chasing The Dream Of World Domination

Raindrops fell slowly over Lin'an County, soaking everything they passed. The air, which had once felt hot, gradually turned cooler. Along the road stood simple wooden houses where the villagers lived, one of which belonged to the Chen family. In the yard of the modest house, a sixteen-year-old boy was practicing swordsmanship. His expression looked serious. "Swish!" The first swing. "Swish!" The second swing. "Swish!" The third swing. His movements were fast, but still stiff and heavy. The young man's hands trembled slightly from exhaustion, yet he forced himself to continue practicing. The sixteen-year-old boy was Chen Yu, the eldest son of the Chen family. Sweat mixed with rain soaked his face. His breathing grew tired and heavy. “I should train again after resting for a bit.” He paused for a moment, planting the tip of his sword into the ground. His chest rose and fell irregularly as he tried to regulate his breathing. Not far from where Chen Yu stood, several village youths of the same age stood by the roadside watching him. "Look! Chen Yu is practicing again with that trash sword of his!" one of them shouted while pointing. "Every day it's the same," another replied with a mocking smile. The oldest among them crossed his arms with a disdainful expression. "No matter how long he trains, Chen Yu will never be able to enter the Changyun Sect. Because Chen Yu has no talent." "Chen Yu isn't like Brother Sui, who has been talented since childhood," another added. Sui Yuanqing pretended to tidy his already neat clothes and replied confidently, "Of course! Who in Lin'an County doesn't know that I, Sui Yuanqing, am talented? One day, I will bring glory to Lin'an County." "Unlike someone who comes from a poor family yet still dreams of becoming a disciple of the Changyun Sect," another added, and laughter erupted among them. Chen Yu knew the village youths were mocking his dream of becoming a disciple of the Changyun Sect. Despite his family's poor financial situation—especially since his father had passed away when he was still young—his mother had struggled tirelessly to raise him and his younger sister, Chen Qing'er. Even so, Chen Yu believed that poverty would not limit his dreams. "You people only know how to disturb Brother Yu while he's training!" shouted a fifteen-year-old girl as she threw small pebbles at the group of boys. "Ouch, that hurts!" they cried in pain. Their hands and feet were scratched by the sharp pebbles. They moved quickly to avoid the stones thrown by Qi Min. "How dare you throw pebbles at me!" protested Sui Yuanqing while rubbing the small scratch on his hand. "Leave! Or I'll throw more stones at you!" Qi Min threatened, hands on her hips. "If you can't behave gently, I doubt any man will ever want to marry you!" Qi Min instead smiled widely, her expression somewhat frightening. Her eyes stared at Sui Yuanqing intently. "Leave! I don't need your lecture!" Her hand lifted again, ready to throw another stone—this time bigger than before. "Alright, let's just go!" Sui Yuanqing said, shivering slightly at the sight of the larger stone. The others, now frightened, obediently followed him and left. "Thank you, Min. You've helped me again," Chen Yu said sincerely. Qi Min smiled sweetly. "You're welcome. As long as I'm here, they won't disturb you again!" A moment later, she added, "Oh right, don't listen to what Sui Yuanqing and the others said. You should focus on training to increase your chances of passing the selection test." Chen Yu returned her smile. Every time Qi Min came, she always supported him. "But will you get into trouble for throwing stones at the magistrate's son?" Yes, Sui Yuanqing was the eldest son of the county magistrate of Lin'an. Qi Min laughed. "If he complains to his father, he'll be the one embarrassed. After all, he lost to a girl." "You're right." Chen Yu smiled. "Yu'er!" called a beautiful woman standing at the wooden doorway. Her face looked tired from working all day. She was Lin Wan'er, Chen Yu's mother. She had just finished cutting wild vegetables to sell at the market the next day. "Stop training for now. You'll get sick training in the rain," she advised. "No, Mother. I still need to train. In three days, the Changyun Sect will open its disciple selection." Lin Wanrou shook her head helplessly. As a mother, she was naturally worried. But she also knew that her eldest son was stubborn once he set his mind on something. He was just like Chen Daniu, Chen Yu's father, who had passed away years ago. "I know the selection is coming soon. That's exactly why you must take care of your health. Don't get sick!" "Just a little longer, Mother." Lin Wanrou's gentle gaze then turned to Qi Min, who was still standing nearby. "Oh, Miss Min, please come inside and warm yourself. It's raining outside. Let Yu'er keep training." "Alright, Aunt Lin." The two of them sat in the living room, enjoying warm tea while watching Chen Yu continue training under the rain. "That child is really hard to persuade," Lin Wanrou sighed before sipping her tea. "Brother Yu has been like that since childhood. He's stubborn, but he's kind-hearted," Qi Min said while watching Chen Yu. "I'm afraid Yu'er will get into trouble someday because he's too kind. I'm afraid he'll be taken advantage of by bad people." Concern was clear on Lin Wanrou's face. "Don't worry too much, Aunt Lin. Brother Yu will be fine." Qi Min gently held her hand to comfort her. "Brother Yu is kind, but he knows how to distinguish between good and bad people," she added confidently. "Were you talking about me?" Chen Yu asked with a smile as he looked at the two women. He sheathed his sword and walked inside. "You're done training? Look at you, soaked from head to toe," Lin Wanrou said. Chen Yu smiled slightly, wiping the rainwater from his hair. "I'm almost done, Mother. Besides, if I keep training while wet, my sword might rust." Qi Min smiled, holding back laughter. "You only realized that now? I've wanted to say that since earlier." Chen Yu shrugged lightly. "I was too focused on training." Lin Wanrou stood up and took a dry towel from the wooden shelf. She handed it to Chen Yu. "Dry yourself quickly and change your clothes." "Thank you, Mother," Chen Yu replied softly. He dried his hair first, then wiped his face and neck. Although he looked tired, his eyes still shone with determination. He changed into dry clothes. Outside, the rain continued to fall, though less heavily. Raindrops fell from the wooden roof, creating a rhythmic and calming sound. Qi Min looked at Chen Yu for a moment before speaking. "Brother Yu, I heard that this year's Changyun Sect selection is more difficult than previous years." Chen Yu paused while drying his hands. "More difficult?"