The soldiers began clearing the road and removing the bodies of their fallen comrades.
It was a deeply humiliating task, but they were terrified, whether from Sarah and Yamir or from their leader's fear of the insignia Raed had displayed.
Raed paid them no attention. He took Roma to his family and left Meng Meng under his protection.
Roma's unease was evident; her shoulders were rigid, and her eyes flickered anxiously as she absorbed the unsettling details Raed had revealed about Sarah.
She was deeply anxious, knowing that Sarah was the only one who knew Raed's true identity and had kept it a secret.
As Roma and Raed entered Raed's dilapidated home, Roma was stunned to see Yamir, a colossal figure standing three meters tall, tearing into a beast with an almost feral appetite, his voracious consumption sending tremors through the room.
The scene was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
"Brother Raed..."
Seeing Raed, Yamir rushed to embrace him enthusiastically, like a child. Yamir's mind was indeed very childlike, reflecting his innocent and eager nature.
"Yamir, meet your sister Roma. You need to look after her just as you would Sarah."
"Which one?"
Yamir asked calmly, astonishing Raed. It seemed he could see Meng Meng.
"Both. This is Roma, and the other is Meng Meng."
"Hello, sister. I will protect both of you. Don't worry."
Roma and Raed smiled. Roma patted Yamir affectionately, growing fond of this sincere child. She then looked at Sarah, who was sitting nearby.
Sarah's eyes, a mesmerizing mix of red and blue, sparkled with a gentle, inviting smile.
She rose gracefully, embraced Raed warmly, and then turned to Roma with a look of astonishment.
"Haaa?... The Great Life Body, hmm... Wood Origin Bloodline, what a talent... Oh... Isn't this the Tree of Life? It's not a combat spirit; it has bonded... hmm... Step aside."
Sarah examined Roma's talent with a calm demeanor, leaving both Raed and Roma in stunned amazement.
She then called for something and said,
"Come out."
In the next moment, the Tree of Life emerged from Roma's right hand, moving towards Sarah with gentle movements.
The tree's branches softly brushed Sarah's face, causing it to shake with joy.
Raed and Roma stood speechless, their faces reflecting a blend of awe and disbelief as they took in the breathtaking spectacle.
Yamir continued eating with nonchalance. Roma was rendered speechless, her awe palpable.
"Oh, it's you. It's been a long time."
Sarah said affectionately, caressing the tree as if it were a child. She then turned to the tense Roma and said,
"Your name is Roma, isn't it? From now on, you'll call me big sister. If this fool bullies you, just tell me."
Raed was amazed by Sarah's comments about the tree and was about to ask but found himself unable to speak.
"Well, big sister, I hope you take good care of me."
Roma said with a happy smile, making Sarah smile back as she gently caressed her beautiful red cheeks with motherly affection, saying,
"You are very sweet, especially with those beautiful eyes. I hope you never lose their clarity."
"You are much more beautiful, my sister. Raed told me you were very beautiful, and you are even more stunning than I imagined."
Sarah smiled warmly and then looked at Raed's shadow, saying,
"Come out."
Meng Meng appeared, shyly greeting,
"Hello, sister-in-law."
"Oh... This lineage is here too. How can there be such talents in this desolate land? Impossible... unless..."
Sarah said with astonishment as she examined Meng Meng.
"Unless what?"
Raed asked curiously, intrigued by the desolate land they mentioned.
"Unless they are influenced by you to such an extent. All the people destined to become your friends or partners are affected by your luck and become extraordinary talents."
"That could be both good and bad because they will be influenced by your karma, which is indescribably terrible. You will realize this in the future when you reach the Blood Condensation realm. This karma increased when you practiced this technique."
Raed, Roma, and Meng Meng were left in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief as they processed the extraordinary scene before them.
Yamir continued eating with nonchalance. Raed asked with curiosity,
"So why did you stay by my side even knowing this? Isn't that dangerous for you?"
"Hahaha... Fool, I have been by your side from the beginning."
Sarah said with a serene calmness, leaving Raed in awe. He then smiled and hugged Sarah tightly, saying,
"Yes, you have always supported me."
"Big sister, when I was born, a shadow of a tree appeared in the sky, and then a majestic man appeared with only his black-gray eyes visible. Is this related to Raed?"
Sarah's eyes brightened with recognition at Roma's question. She then said calmly,
"Well, it is and it isn't."
Raed and Roma didn't understand and didn't ask further, but Sarah went to Meng Meng and gently stroked her cheek, saying
"The path you will walk is difficult. You need to think carefully. Your lineage will require you to become an assassin, even the most powerful one. Think about it seriously."
"Thank you, sister-in-law, but I need to protect all of you."
Meng Meng's words made Sarah smile as she continued to stroke Meng Meng's large cheeks.
The royal family of the Falcon State, known as the Jiang family, was once highly respected and had a close relationship with the Hegazi family, with the emperor even referring to Raed's grandfather as
"brother."
However, this changed in the past five years. The emperor went into seclusion, and the queen took control of the Falcon Kingdom.
The Carpenter family's status deteriorated, becoming targets of both the royal family and the Hegazi family.
....
Meanwhile, in the royal family, a man was kneeling on one knee in fear before a man in a clean, luxurious white robe who turned his back to him.
"Are you saying this child has the Golden Old Man Xuan insignia and you cannot capture him?"
The man in white inquired with a dispassionate tone, making the kneeling man tremble uncontrollably.
"It's my fault, sir. Please punish me."
The kneeling man was the commander who led the army to capture Raed, but now he was shaking uncontrollably, his anxiety evident.
"It's not your fault. It seems this child is lucky to receive support from the Alchemy Wing."
"Is the Alchemy Wing so powerful that you fear facing them, sir?"
When the man in white heard this, he turned around.
He was a young man in his twenties, handsome but with half his face and body disfigured, his hand and neck strange.
He looked at the commander coldly and said,
"The Alchemy Wing has a mysterious background and is responsible for making all the pills for practitioners. They are also stronger than you can imagine; even the sects dare not cross them."
"I'm sorry, sir. Please punish this fool."
"It's not your fault to be ignorant. After all, you come from the secular world. This time, we must kill this child legally to lure out that old beast, or all my plans will be ruined. We need to seize their back mountain without alerting the other sects."
The man in the white robe said coldly, then thought for a moment and looked at the commander, saying,
"Doesn't this child have a fight scheduled in a few days? Bring that child from the Hegazi family."
"And prepare for a competition with the state in a week. Use any excuse, such as they are preparing for sect tests and will choose representatives for the state, and kill all the Carpenter family's descendants there."
The commander, his face set in a mixture of determination and trepidation, departed to execute the orders, leaving the man in the white robe alone in the room.
"That child Raed seems to have a huge opportunity. I always found your mother mysterious, but it seems to be true after seeing you able to practice and handle alchemy despite being trash."
"Hmph... All of that will be mine..."