《Black Star》 The Foolish Boy In the eastern region of Eryndal, nestled within the bustling city of Gale, the streets were alive with activity. Gale was a hub of commerce and cultivation, home to many great clans and a stone¡¯s throw away from the prestigious Second Career Society. Merchants hawked their wares, cultivators bartered for rare ingredients, and the air buzzed with the energy of ambition. Yet, amidst the lively crowd, one figure stood out like a sore thumb. A boy of about thirteen years old wandered aimlessly through the streets. His tattered clothing hung loosely on his lanky frame, and his muddled eyes seemed lost in thought. His hair was a messy mop, and his face was smudged with dirt, but his eyes¡ªthose striking, ruby-red eyes¡ªcaught the attention of anyone who glanced his way. They were like gemstones carved by the heavens themselves, glowing with an otherworldly light. Ren, as he was called, suddenly stopped in his tracks and let out a burst of laughter. The sound echoed through the street, drawing curious glances from passersby. His laughter wasn¡¯t born of joy but of irony. Memories of his past life¡ªa life on Earth¡ªflashed through his mind. He had been alone then, too, working a dead end job and having no luck in anything in life and now, in this new world, nothing had changed. He was still an outsider, a servant in training at the Rayner household, a small clan that ran an alchemy store. As he stood there, lost in thought, a sharp thud interrupted his musings. A rock had somehow found its way to his head. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± Ren cursed, rubbing the sore spot. He glanced around, bewildered. The street was clean, so where had the rock come from? Shrugging it off, he approached a nearby merchant. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with a bushy mustache and a twinkle in his eye, was arranging jars of herbs on his stall. Ren cleared his throat. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said, his voice polite but tinged with impatience. ¡°Do you know where I can find the library?¡± The shopkeeper looked up and grinned. ¡°The library? What¡¯s a lad like you need with books? Trying to learn how to take a bath?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Ren rolled his eyes. ¡°Very funny. Can you just point me in the right direction?¡± The shopkeeper chuckled and pointed down the road. ¡°Just head straight, young one. You can¡¯t miss it. But don¡¯t blame me if the books bite back!¡± Ren muttered a quick insult about his mustache and walked off, ignoring the man¡¯s laughter. He didn¡¯t have time for jokes, especially bad ones. When he arrived at the library, however, his hopes were dashed. A sign on the door read: Closed for Repairs. From the whispers of the people nearby, he learned that the library had caught fire the night before. Ren sighed. Of course it had. Deciding there was nothing else to do, he turned back toward the Rayner clan¡¯s courtyard. The courtyard was a serene oasis amidst the chaos of the city. A beautiful garden surrounded a grand statue of a domineering man¡ªlikely the clan¡¯s ancestor. Ren paused to admire the sight, but just as he was taking it in, a loud splat broke the silence. A flying beast had chosen that exact moment to relieve itself, and its droppings landed squarely on the statue¡¯s head. Ren couldn¡¯t help it¡ªhe burst out laughing. The absurdity of the situation was too much. Even with his memories of Earth, where such things were rare, he found himself marveling at the sheer randomness of this world. But his laughter was short-lived. A haughty voice cut through the air. ¡°You dirty servant! How dare you laugh at my ancestor?¡± Ren turned to see a boy about his age, dressed in fine robes and glaring at him with undisguised contempt. This was the young master of the Rayner clan, a spoiled and unruly child who had never been laughed at in his life. Without warning, the young master charged at Ren, his fist raised as if to strike him. But then, the unthinkable happened. The young master tripped¡ªover nothing¡ªand landed face-first in the dirt. The courtyard fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. Even the servants, who usually kept their heads down, couldn¡¯t suppress their amusement. The young master scrambled to his feet, his face red with humiliation. He shot Ren a hateful glare, as if the entire incident were his fault. Ren, still stunned, could only shrug. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± he muttered under his breath. But deep down, he knew better. This was just another day in the life of Ren, the boy cursed with the worst¡ªand most chaotic¡ªluck imaginable. Rude Awakening The young master gnashed his teeth, his face red with humiliation as he glared around the courtyard. The servants and retainers quickly averted their eyes, pretending to be busy. They knew better than to laugh openly at the young master¡¯s misfortune, but the stifled snickers and muffled chuckles were enough to make his blood boil. Ren sighed and gave a superficial apology, his tone dripping with sarcasm. ¡°My apologies, young master. I didn¡¯t mean to offend.¡± But the young master wasn¡¯t having it. His pride had been wounded, and he needed someone to blame. ¡°You think this is funny, you little brat?¡± he snarled, lunging at Ren with a wild swing. This time, the young master¡¯s fist connected, striking Ren squarely in the shoulder. The force of the blow sent Ren stumbling back, but he quickly steadied himself. His ruby-red eyes flashed with anger, but he bit back the retort on the tip of his tongue. Patience, he reminded himself. You¡¯re a servant. For now. Just as the young master raised his hand for another strike, a loud splat echoed through the courtyard. A flying beast, seemingly out of nowhere, had chosen that exact moment to relieve itself¡ªdirectly onto the young master¡¯s head. ¡°F***!¡± Ren exclaimed, unable to suppress his shock. The courtyard erupted into laughter. Even the most stoic servants couldn¡¯t hold back their amusement. The young master stood frozen, his face a mask of disbelief and rage. Slowly, he wiped the mess from his hair, his hands trembling with fury. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he hissed, glaring at Ren with venom in his eyes. If looks could kill, Ren would have been dead ten times over. Without another word, the young master stormed off, his robes trailing behind him like a banner of defeat. Ren breathed a sigh of relief, though he knew this wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. The young master wasn¡¯t the type to let things go, and Ren¡¯s bad luck seemed to have a way of making enemies for him. Still, for now, he was safe. As the laughter died down and the courtyard returned to its usual rhythm, Ren made his way toward the clan¡¯s library. If there was one thing he had learned from his past life, it was that knowledge was power. And in this world, power was everything. The Rayner clan¡¯s library was a modest building, but it was well-stocked with scrolls and manuals on alchemy, cultivation, and the history of Eryndal. The library was divided into two floors: the upper floor was reserved for the clan¡¯s bloodline, while the first floor was open to retainers and servants. Ren stepped inside, his tattered clothing drawing disapproving glances from the scholars and retainers browsing the shelves. He ignored them, his focus entirely on the task at hand. He needed to find something¡ªanything¡ªthat could help him cultivate. He might be a servant now, but he had no intention of staying one. He picked up a basic cultivation manual and began to read. The text described the process of gathering Qi, circulating it through the body, and refining it to strengthen one¡¯s meridians. It seemed straightforward enough, but when Ren tried to follow the instructions, nothing happened. He frowned and tried again, focusing harder this time. Still, nothing. It was as if his body refused to cooperate. Frustration bubbled up inside him, and he slammed the manual shut. ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?¡± he muttered under his breath. He grabbed another manual, then another, but the result was the same. No matter what he tried, he couldn¡¯t cultivate. It was as if the very laws of cultivation rejected him. Ren cursed loudly, drawing a few annoyed glances from the other library patrons. He didn¡¯t care. He was too busy seething with frustration. If he couldn¡¯t cultivate, how was he supposed to survive in this world? How was he supposed to protect himself from people like the young master? Just as he was about to give up, the library doors swung open with a dramatic flourish. A girl stepped inside, her presence immediately commanding attention. She looked to be about sixteen, with long, flowing hair and an air of elegance that set her apart from everyone else in the room. Her beauty was striking, but there was a coldness in her eyes that made Ren uneasy. Behind her stood the young master, his face still twisted with anger. He pointed at Ren and said, ¡°Sister, that¡¯s the one! That¡¯s the servant who humiliated me!¡± The girl¡¯s gaze shifted to Ren, and her expression turned icy. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who dares to mess with my little brother,¡± she said, her voice calm but laced with menace. Ren¡¯s heart sank. This was bad. Very bad.