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Before the grand entrance of Saint-Cain Manor lay an expansive cobblestone plaza, at its center stood a solitary statue—a knight, impaled through the chest by a spear yet defiantly gripping his sword, eternally unyielding.
This statue depicted the illustrious ancestor of the Saint-Cain family, the revered Battle-God Sigrew.
As Du Cheng approached, an unusual scene unfolded beneath the statue. A muscular bald youth, dressed in sleeveless linen and dark shorts, was single-handedly overpowering a dozen armored warriors of the Saint-Cain family. His bare feet moved like a tempest, swiftly knocking each soldier to the ground while he sobbed loudly, “The young master is gone, what will Aliza do now?!”
This brawny youth was Aliza—Du Cheng’s only friend in this strange world. They were both merely fifteen, though Aliza was notably simple-minded.
Nearby, slumped on the ground, was an elderly man dressed like a priest, his white robes immaculate and his long white hair and beard cascading down to his chest. This was old Foye, the faithful servant who had cared for Francis tirelessly for years. Yet now, his eyes were vacant, lost in despair following Francis’s presumed death.
Du Cheng’s heart warmed at the sight of these two dear companions, but a peculiar sensation arose simultaneously—a tingling urgency from his tattooed lotus buds, reminding him it was time to perform another good deed.
Grinning at the unexpected opportunity, Du Cheng shouted, “Aliza, stop! I'm not dead! Let them go!”
Aliza froze in shock, while old Foye sprang up with surprising vigor for his age. Dropping his cane, the old servant stumbled forward, embracing Du Cheng tightly, tears streaming down his face. “Master, you're alive! Praise the heavens!”
Moved despite himself, Du Cheng found tears forming in his own eyes. Still, now was not the moment for sentimentality. He urged again, “Aliza, release them! That's an order!”
With a relieved laugh, Aliza instantly obeyed, releasing the battered soldiers. He joined Du Cheng and Foye, enveloping them in his bear-like embrace, crying joyfully, “Master, they tried to chase me away, but I wouldn't leave, and they couldn't beat me!”
The soldiers staggered to their feet in astonishment, hurriedly retreating toward the manor, shouting, "Francis is alive! Inform the Duke immediately!"
Even as joy and relief filled him, Du Cheng struggled internally against these unfamiliar emotions. Suddenly, an intense pain shot through his lotus tattoos, focusing sharply as one of the buds began to bloom. Beneath his robe, the first lotus flower gradually unfolded, stopping just short of complete blossoming—a reward from the Lotus Scripture for rescuing those soldiers.
The Lotus Scripture’s principle was simple—perform good deeds to progress. Until mastery was achieved, intimacy with women was strictly forbidden. Du Cheng had sacrificed himself heroically in his previous life, nearly achieving the first lotus’s bloom. Now, this unexpected act of kindness had pushed him even closer to that goal.
While Du Cheng grappled with the emotional turbulence brought on by friendship and family bonds, a small procession emerged from the manor gates. Leading them was a stern-faced middle-aged man in a distinguished military uniform adorned with numerous medals, flanked by two robust young men—all three with vibrant red hair. These were Francis’s father, Duke Anges, and his elder brothers, Steve and Charlie.
As they approached, Steve rushed forward, eyes moist with genuine relief. “Thank goodness, Francis, you're alive!”
Seeing his eldest brother's sincere happiness warmed Du Cheng briefly, yet a wave of discomfort washed over him when he met the indifferent gaze of his father and the disdainful expression of Charlie. According to Francis's memories, since his mother's death, their father had treated him with cold neglect, and Charlie openly bullied him, viewing his foolish brother as an embarrassment.
Du Cheng felt bitterness rise, yet resolved to change this narrative. He smiled confidently and bowed gracefully to his family, declaring firmly, “Father, brothers, I have not only returned to life—I’ve also regained clarity. From today onwards, I will no longer disgrace the Saint-Cain name!”
His family stared at him, speechless, stunned by the sudden transformation in the son they had all but written off.
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