What disappointed Ethan Brooks was that the breathing technique was not the kind of immortal cultivation method he had imagined, one that gathers the primordial purple energy of heaven and earth or the essence of the sun and moon. It was simply a rhythmic breathing exercise. He had no idea about its level, but after practicing it for a whole day, he felt nothing at all.

That evening, David Brooks pulled Ethan Brooks aside and asked, “You practiced all day today. How do you feel?”

Ethan Brooks thought for a moment and said, “Very tired, very exhausting.”

“Practicing martial arts is naturally tough. Will you come again tomorrow?”

Ethan Brooks had made up his mind and would not give up halfway. Besides, it was only the first day—if he quit after just one day, the image he had built up over the past year would be ruined. So he answered decisively, “I’ll come.”

“Are you really planning to stick with it?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, when you come tomorrow, have Henry come with you. I have something to say to him.”

“Got it.”

“Go on, or you’ll miss the last bus if you’re any later.”

As David Brooks spoke, he watched Ethan Brooks leave.

Even after Ethan Brooks had been gone for three or four minutes, David Brooks was still standing at the door.

Emily Brooks came up beside David Brooks, glanced curiously at Ethan Brooks who had already disappeared into the evening glow, and asked, “Grandpa, does Ethan have a lot of talent?”

David Brooks pondered for a moment and said, “He’s quite good, better than I expected. If he really sticks with it for another half month, I’ll help him with bone-setting.”

“Bone-setting!?”

Emily Brooks was a bit surprised.

Bone-setting, in more mystical terms, is called ‘washing the marrow and cleansing the bones.’ Not only does it require a lot of effort, but also many precious medicinal ingredients, some of which can’t even be bought on the market.

So far, only her second uncle in the Brooks family had received such treatment. Second uncle James Brooks was also the pillar of their branch of the family. Even Olivia and the eldest disciple of their master had never received such treatment.

“Let’s wait and see, let’s wait and see.”

With that, David Brooks put his hands behind his back, straightened his spine, and walked toward the inner courtyard.

Although he appeared calm, Emily Brooks could tell that her grandfather, who always hung the calligraphy “A heart as clear as ice, unshaken by the collapse of the sky” in his bedroom, was now moved.

Chapter 0003: Lord of Thunder

After a day of martial arts practice, Ethan Brooks’s body was very tired, but thanks to his special constitution, he had already recovered to normal during the half-hour journey home.

“You’re back. Did you spend the whole day practicing martial arts at your second grandpa’s? How do you feel?”

In the living room, his father Henry Brooks was watching TV.

Their family was of average means, but thanks to the prosperous coastal economy of Wuhe City, business was booming, and they had managed to buy a nineteen-inch color TV.

On TV, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was broadcasting a statement about the Aurora Empire’s attack on a border convoy.

“It was good. Second grandpa said he wants you to go over tomorrow.”

“Oh, alright. I should visit your second grandpa anyway. Since you’ve decided to practice, do it well. Don’t start complaining about how hard it is after just three or five days and refuse to go.”

Said Henry Brooks.

“Understood.”

“Mm, you seem to have grown up a lot this past year, looking more like an adult. I can’t manage you the way I used to. As long as you know what you’re doing, that’s good.”

“Okay.”

“Ethan is here? Come help bring out the dishes.”

Grace Brooks’s voice came from the kitchen.

“Okay.”

Ethan Brooks went to the kitchen and brought out the dishes one by one.

The Kingdom of Xia only declared independence from the Empire on which the sun never sets fourteen years ago. That period was chaotic and nearly escalated into a nationwide war. His mother died in that chaos, so all household matters were handled by Henry Brooks and Grace Brooks.

“Did Ethan really go to second grandpa’s to practice martial arts?”

At the dinner table, Grace Brooks asked.

“Yes.”

“That’s a pity. Actually, I think you have a real talent for music, Ethan. The song you sang the day before yesterday was beautiful—much better than the ones on the CD. If you put together a few more songs, you could go to a big company and release an album.”

“The day before yesterday, a song…”

Ethan Brooks’s thoughts drifted back to three days ago.

What song did he hum?

Long Time No See…

A tribute to a youth that never truly began.

A knowledgeable, gentle, sweet, and elegant woman, born into a musical family, was like a song herself. Just quietly watching her, quietly listening, could make one feel refreshed and delighted. It was a kind of heart-stirring feeling that touched the soul.

He listened to songs, learned songs, practiced songs, and wrote songs, all to get closer to her. But apart from the nodding acquaintance of music club classmates, their lives never intersected again, even until the end of the world.

“How did that song go? ‘Would you suddenly appear at the café on the corner? I’d greet you with a smile, wave hello, and sit down to chat with you. I really want to see you, to see how you’ve changed lately. I won’t talk about the past, just make small talk, and say to you, just say: Long time no see…’”

Grace Brooks softly hummed a verse.

Even Henry Brooks, an adult who didn’t understand music, thought the melody was nice. And since it was supposedly written by his own son, he commented, “Pretty good.”