Let's talk about the group of five great dynasties. Bui Tuyen is a genius martial general of the Tian Tzu Empire, having risen to the rank of martial general in 100 years, with strength on par with the realm. This time, he entered Strong Bull Mountain to be in charge of investigating the mystery behind what caused the long veins of the Empire to bow.
Although he knew that this place, this manor, was mysterious and that the lord was a powerful individual far beyond him, the events that followed—ranging from the enlightenment tree to the statue and that mysterious creature—were unexpected. The round-headed creature with many tentacles surely had combat power exceeding that of a martial general. This was certain.
In this world, martial arts were recognized as the strongest in combat. Yet, facing that monster, he felt no chance of victory; instead, he was completely overwhelmed. If that thing were to escape, it would spell disaster for humanity. Yet, that creature could not withstand a single blow from the stone statue in this manor. He wondered that with such strength, flattening the five great dynasties would be an easy feat. No. It should be said that it was as easy as turning over a hand.
With such formidable strength, why was it hiding here, and why was it displaying this 'order token, this game'? Its manner of operation did not resemble that of a great power...
Recalling...
Since being recognized with the order token, all information about the manor, his identity, the rules... were conveyed to him by the token.
This manor was called Tigers Leopard Manor, a strange name. Putting that aside, his current identity was that of a servant; all others were the same, equivalent to household staff. Servants in this manor were not bound by anything; as long as they did not break the rules of the manor, they could leave at any time, and their memories of the manor would be erased.
At first, he didn't understand. He was a martial general. A martial general at that, a realm where one could shatter Strong Bull Mountain with a single furious punch. No matter how much stronger the lord was, he could not be treated this way. And the scholars did not feel embarrassed; instead, they acted as if they had struck gold. Everyone wore joyous expressions just because of that enlightenment tree, losing all dignity.
And now, he realized how naive he had been... Even a stone statue could be so powerful. Furthermore, his assigned tasks were to chop wood and gather firewood, but these trees were incredibly peculiar. They were so hard that he spent half a day just to chop down one. With his powerful martial body, even if his cultivation and strength were suppressed to that of a mortal, chopping down a tree should not be so difficult.
As for the princes and princesses, their tasks were lighter: fetching water, planting vegetables, cleaning, and watering the plants. But it seemed that everything was not as easy as it appeared. The ground was too firm to be tilled, the water from the river behind the mountain was impossibly heavy, and in the courtyard, the wind blew incessantly, sweeping leaves that never seemed to end. He wondered if he was overestimating his role as a servant.
He was assigned two tasks: one was to chop trees and gather firewood; the other was to enhance his strength. As a peak martial general, advancing to the next realm, the martial emperor, was not something that could be done overnight. Moreover, the realm of the martial emperor was even rarer than that of a sage. The last recorded instance of this legendary realm was 10,000 years ago. Could there be clues about that realm hidden in this manor, prompting such tasks to be assigned? And yet, there were no guidelines provided; he was just given tasks and left to figure things out on his own.
Looking at the exquisitely crafted blade in his hand, this treasured sword was called the red dragon sword. It was a gift from the manor upon joining. It truly was a treasured weapon. It was thanks to this that he managed to chop down one tree.
Holding it in his hand, he felt vibrations as if a dragon was within the blade itself. Weapons were classified into five types: mortal weapons, treasured weapons, refined weapons, royal weapons, and divine weapons. Each type was further divided into three grades: low-grade, standard-grade, and top-grade. This sword was a standard royal weapon, worth its weight in gold, and even a martial general would drool over it. Yet in this manor, everyone received one... truly wealthy.
What did all of this mean? Was he being punished or rewarded?
Was he truly facing a crisis or was this an opportunity?
Everything felt so murky and unclear...
---
A fragrant scent wafted through the air as Noah slowly opened his eyes. The sweet fragrance, which could only come from beautiful women, was delightful.
Beside him, he noticed Lalatina, Luna Hart, and Liora had been waiting by his side for who knows how long. Their hair was damp, their skin cool and smooth. All three had changed into different outfits from that morning.
Lalatina, her hair still wet, hung down on both sides, her eyes gentle, and her lips like peach blossoms in spring, glistening as if inviting him. She wore soft silk, her fair skin adorned with floral patterns, making her look like a flower blooming after the rain—both stunning and fresh.
She had the perfect figure of a beauty with a curvy chest, slim waist, and dignified demeanor. A single peach blossom adorned her hair. She appeared as if she had stepped out of a painting, captivating anyone who laid eyes on her. She smiled brightly, her voice soft and considerate.
"Master, you're awake."
Noah stared dazedly at the beautiful woman before him. She was truly stunning.
Standing next to him, Luna Hart noticed the master was silent, his gaze fixed on Lalatina, a look of daze and longing crossing his face. What Lalatina said was correct; the master was indeed infatuated.
The atmosphere froze, silence enveloping the room, and Luna Hart felt she had to speak up.
"Master."
Noah shifted his gaze toward the voice; it was Luna Hart. She wore a pink-orange outfit with floral patterns. Her skirt reached just above her chest, and although a ribbon wrapped around it, it could not conceal the exquisite curves of the young girl. Her flawless, fair skin, gentle face, innocent eyes, rosy lips, and smooth, damp hair, neatly tied back with a flower on the left side, made her look endearing.
Unlike Lalatina, she was both innocent and beautiful, exuding a lively, sincere aura. He couldn't help but liken her to the younger sister of the main character in various anime.
Yet, he sensed her shyness as she discreetly stole glances at him.
Noticing her gaze, Noah unconsciously looked at himself. He was still the same, but he saw her bow her head in silence.
Noah??
Aurelius Liora, seeing that Luna Hart had been put in a difficult position, stepped forward hesitantly and spoke.
"Master, please don't blame Luna Hart. She had good intentions. Let bygones be bygones."
Before him stood Aurelius Liora, her soft, fair skin and bright, sparkling eyes radiated determination and affection. Her damp, silky black hair and rosy lips complemented her bright, white smile. She wore a simple, light blue silk outfit, with a greenish-white flower tucked into her hair. Neat, beautiful, and innocent, she resembled the image of a naïve little sister in need of protection.
Noah thought to himself, this girl was still as adorable as ever. But what had Luna Hart done?
Shaking his head, he rubbed his temples and said, "Did Luna Hart do something wrong?"
They had observed all of the master's gestures and actions very closely. He looked at Lalatina differently than he did at the others. Toward Lalatina, his eyes were dreamy and reminiscent, while with Aurelius Liora, his gaze was protective, completely different from the infatuation he showed toward Lalatina.
Lalatina stepped forward, her cheeks slightly flushed. Facing the master's calm, unperturbed gaze, she cautiously spoke.
"Master, it was my fault for telling them the reason we were allowed into this manor."
Noah, still in a daze, thought, the reason? What reason could it be??