When he was one year and nine months old, young Liam walked out of his room dressed in black attire. His mom wasn't in her chamber, which had been his living quarters since birth.
He had only recently started leaving the room, but he didn't venture far. The book vault was just a short distance away.
As he was about to step outside, two young maids carrying baskets of clothes entered the area.
Upon seeing him, they dropped their baskets, ran over to him, and began playing with his cheeks while calling him sweet names. However, Liam coldly walked past them, feeling belittled whenever he was treated like a child.
"Young Master Liam is so cold, even at such a tender age," one of the maids with braided hair remarked to the other.
"I thought I was the only one. He gives me chills. He'll surely become a heartbreaker and a lady-killer when he grows up."
Meanwhile, Liam had already left the area.
From where he stood, he finally had a clear view of his surroundings, which were meticulously maintained with tiled surfaces adorned with beautiful green plants and trees. Emerald's chamber was large, but compared to the other structures, it could be considered the slaves' quarters. Their family estate covered several hectares, with a large fence that limited his view to only a small portion of the property.
A few meters ahead, there was a grand penthouse where he could hear the clinking of glasses, music playing, and other sounds indicating a party was in progress. As a young boy who had never witnessed a party, his curiosity compelled him to check it out.
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice called out.
Liam frowned as he heard the voice of a child. His cute face twitched as he coldly stared at the intruder, who turned out to be a pretty young lady with pink hair and blue eyes, appearing to be around seven years old.
"I'm going over there. Is there a problem?" he asked, which only seemed to enrage the girl.
"You! You're a cursed child! What makes you think you're so special? I'm sure it's your mom feeding you false praise."
"A cursed child?" Liam asked calmly with his baby voice, seemingly unfazed by the insults directed at his mom and himself.
"Yes, my mom said you're cursed. That's why dad refused to let you out of your mom's chamber. Humph! If you know what's good for you, get inside before dad's guests find you here... cursed."
At that moment, Liam's older brother Xavier walked out of the penthouse, wearing a gloomy expression. His eyes spotted the two figures, Liam and the young girl named Amelia, his stepsister.
'Not good,' Xavier thought, his heart skipping a beat before he raced over at his peak speed.
"Emelia, why are you bullying my little brother? He's still a kid, and you can't control your tongue when talking to him. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"Humph, losers!" Emelia snorted and left.
"Did she do anything to hurt you? Don't mind her, Liam. She's just trying to make you feel inferior to her," Xavier reassured him, bending down to pat Liam's hair affectionately.
Liam was touched by Xavier's protection, so he rewarded him with a slightly less cold expression today.
Xavier then led him back inside their mom's chamber.
Sensing that his brother was bored, Liam ran out to fetch two wooden swords. From that day forward, they would engage in sparring sessions twice a week since Xavier was occupied with learning how to lead the family.
Liam wasn't the only sibling he had; he also had an older stepbrother named Galen, who was a year older than him.
Galen, aged nine, was believed to be a once-in-five-hundred-years genius. He had reached the first level of human martial arts at the age of eight, a remarkable feat even though there hadn't been any progress in his essence cultivation.
After Liam and Xavier finished their sparring, Liam made a decision to become stronger to defend himself the next time someone challenged him. Thus, whenever no one was around, he would secretly engage in daily exercises.
Previously, he hadn't seen his mom's presence as useful, and that perception hadn't changed. Her absence meant he had more time to study and exercise.
Time flew by, and now at three years old, Liam could handle a wooden sword and hold his ground against Xavier during their routine sparring sessions every Wednesday and Friday.
Liam had grown taller, and his body had begun to improve due to his secret training.
During this time, he reviewed all the history books and encyclopedias. With his body becoming slightly stronger, he started feeling something originating in his stomach, which he deduced to be the formation of his dantian.
Unbeknownst to him, it was not a dantian but a demon core.
On a fateful day, after bathing by himself and finishing his exercises, Liam sneakily approached the book vault. He scanned through the last history book and then opened the first book, which delved into real martial arts and cultivation. Unlike the others, this book, titled "Hundred Earthly Stance," contained genuine teachings.
The moment he placed his hand on the book, a strong pain ignited in his head, accompanied by a strange voice.
["Finally, I've been awakened after waiting for ages."]