The Star of Hope

The ox's eyes, which were originally dull and lifeless, suddenly flashed with sharp glints of light. Sometimes a thread of light lingered, and sometimes it vanished without a trace, but most of it remained. Its gaze grew more intelligent. Suddenly, it glanced at Zheng Donglin, who was muttering and complaining beside it, and let out a loud, disdainful snort.

To its surprise, Zheng Donglin did not understand. As the saying goes, 'a foolish teammate is more terrifying than a strong enemy.' The ox thought he would understand, but he didn't even turn to look, casually chanting:

“Oh ox, let me tell you this.”

The Green Ox stared at him as if saying, “Tell me then, I'm listening.”

*Oh ox, let me tell you this,*
*Go to the field and plow with me.*
*Plowing is the farmer's trade,*
*You and I, who would begrudge the toil?*
*When the rice plants bear grain,*
*There will still be grass in the field for you to eat.*

The Green Ox rolled its eyes, disappointedly lowering its head, its small ears drooping, its tail no longer wagging, falling silent like the deep night. Seeing this, Zheng Donglin praised it, realizing that this ox actually appreciated the folk songs of ancient farmers. He sighed in admiration; our ancestors were truly talented, possessing so many strange skills. Why then did they have to suffer the loss of their country for centuries?

The Jiang family was one of the few wealthy families in Xiangdong Village. Although only a wealthy merchant in the outskirts of Xiangdong City, their wealth was likely on par with the merchants inside the city.

The gates of the Jiang estate were twice the height of an adult, built from large gray stones with long veins, showcasing the owner's wealth. He knocked on the wooden door, and a voice echoed from inside: “Who is it?”

“Uncle Fu, it's me, A Bin,” Zheng Donglin called. The person inside quickly opened the door. It was an old man with silver hair and a kind face. Seeing him, the old man said warmly:

“A Bin is back. Lead the ox to the stable, wash up, and then get some food, otherwise the Second Young Miss will scold you.”

“Thank you, Uncle Fu, I know,” Zheng Donglin replied with satisfaction. In the past, he had no parents, and it was Uncle Fu who had taken him into the Jiang family. Although they were not blood-related, to the former A Bin, the kind Uncle Fu was no different from a parent, even surpassing them in some ways.

As for the Second Young Miss, she was quite playful and sharp-tongued, often bullying his predecessor, especially complaining about his dirty appearance. The First Young Miss, on the other hand, was rarely at home, busy with her studies in Xiangdong City. The First Young Miss's personality was the complete opposite of the Second Young Miss's—she was talented, diligent, and elegant, possessing many noble qualities.

Hearing of the Second Young Miss, Zheng Donglin's body shivered in a reflexive response. He found it strange; was the Second Young Miss truly that terrifying to the former owner of this body? He had been here for three days and had not yet seen her, as she was reportedly traveling, but coincidentally, she was returning today.

Returning to his room, which was quite simple, containing nothing but a straw mat and a pillow, he was surprised to see a brand-new set of clothes hanging on the wall. Did Uncle Fu buy this for me? Looking at his tattered clothes, he happily went to wash up and put on the new attire.

In the evening, the food was simple—two steamed buns and a bowl of soup, eaten in the dining hall with the other servants of the Jiang family. Zheng Donglin swallowed a steamed bun, the hot meat filling and savory sauce lingering in his mouth as he licked his lips in satisfaction. Having food to satisfy one's hunger in times of need was always a delicacy. Do not think that eating meat buns was cheap; in this ancient era, meat was not something the poor could afford.

Eating the remaining bun and finishing the soup, Zheng Donglin smiled with satisfaction, patting his stomach. Just as he was about to clear his dishes and return to his room, he saw a graceful figure. Her face still carried a hint of youth, but her eyes were like precious gems, and her curved brows made him daze for a moment.

“Ah!” the figure looked at him and giggled, “A Bin, looking at me like that, you must have missed me since you haven't seen me for a while.”

“Not at all,” Zheng Donglin blushed, quickly denying it. This person was none other than the Second Young Miss, Jiang Yu'er.

“Look at you, you look much cleaner now. Aren't you much more handsome than before?” Jiang Yu'er assessed him intently. “It seems my taste is not bad; the clothes suit you well. It is all thanks to my wisdom, haha.”

“Are these clothes from the Second Young Miss?” Zheng Donglin was surprised, holding the hem of his robe. He had thought they were a gift from Uncle Fu.

“Indeed,” Jiang Yu'er pouted. She found his appearance quite amusing. She and A Bin were of similar age, and when they were young, she used to play with him. As they grew older, he became foolish and messy, which she disliked, so she was often sharp-tongued with him. However, how could the foolish A Bin know that she truly wanted the best for him?

“Then thank you, Second Young Miss,” Zheng Donglin said. His appearance was indeed much more pleasing to the eye than before. Originally, A Bin was not bad-looking, just messy, with unkempt hair and a slightly foolish gaze. But now, the one controlling this body was Zheng Donglin. After a thorough grooming, his appearance had transformed—his hair was neat, his brows resolute, and his eyes shone with intelligence.

“Heehee,” Jiang Yu'er laughed happily, feeling that her efforts had been rewarded. Even a fool like A Bin could be reformed by her. It was only a pity that his skin was still a bit dark; if he were fairer, he would surely be a peerless young master.

“Three days from now, there will be a puppet show in Xiangdong City. A Bin, do you want to go watch it?” Jiang Yu'er suddenly said.

“I don't know, Young Miss,” Zheng Donglin shook his head.

Seeing Jiang Yu'er's face cloud over, and knowing that if he refused, she would throw a tantrum, he quickly said, “I'll go, I can go.”

“Good,” Jiang Yu'er nodded with satisfaction before leaving the dining hall. As the Second Young Miss of the Jiang family, she did not need to eat in the dining hall; servants would bring food to her room. But she had still come here, perhaps just to speak with him.

In other families, the boundary between servants and young ladies was strict, but Jiang Yu'er was different. She viewed A Bin as her childhood friend. Zheng Donglin thought this was perhaps the fortune of the poor.

In his bedroom, Zheng Donglin tossed and turned, staring at the dark wooden door, feeling a bit sad. 'I truly miss home, my friends, and my family. When will I be able to return to my own era? When I return, will they still remember me?'

“System,” he called out in his heart.

[- The most dedicated system, desiring to help the Host build a matchless Immortal Dynasty, is present. Please issue your command.]

“No need to be so dramatic,” Zheng Donglin's lips twitched. “Can I return to my own era?”

[- Regrettably, the system's authority cannot answer the Host's question. Please issue another command.]

Zheng Donglin was disappointed and asked no more. The system, having no new commands, gradually faded into the quiet night. A sorrowful night passed.

In many other places,

“Zheng Donglin, I am so excited. I want to quickly roam the world with you and establish an eternal empire,” Ding Boling murmured, unable to sleep.

“There will be such a day,” Cheng Xiu closed his eyes, his voice drifting.

“Great Tang, wait for me. I will not lose,” a youth beside a campfire whispered.

And many, many more, as numerous as the stars in the sky, combining into an eternal pattern, brighter than the constellations—the burning resolves for An Nam.

In an even more distant place,

In the center of the Imperial Court, inside the Heaven-Earth Star Hall, an old man looked up at the starry sky and suddenly cried out in panic, losing his composure: “Quickly summon His Majesty!”

“Rise, Elder Yi. What is the matter? Speak quickly,” a figure in imperial robes walked in. The old man clasped his hands in salute, and the figure quickly waved his hand, not understanding the situation.

“Your Majesty, please use the Heavenly Star Mirror to look toward our An Nam constellation,” Elder Yi said hastily, handing an ancient mirror adorned with emeralds to the figure in imperial robes threed with a five-clawed golden dragon.

“Ah!” the figure in imperial robes gasped in surprise. Through the Heavenly Star Mirror, he saw an abnormal change in the sky. The stars and constellations had shifted. Above the constellation that belonged to the An Nam Kingdom, a new star had suddenly appeared. The moment it appeared, it lit up several small stars around it, combining into a massive, vast pattern that enveloped the An Nam constellation.

On the other side, the Great Tang constellation shone brilliantly in the sky. Normally, it was the only one that dominated the starry sky, but now it was different. The newly appeared star, along with the An Nam constellation, began to emit dazzling rays of light. Though the light was still weak now, one day it would turn into an ocean of light, illuminating the entire sky.

“Your Majesty, do you see it? That is a lucky star descending to the world. There is hope for our An Nam Kingdom!” Tears flowed uncontrollably down Elder Yi's wrinkled face. It looked unsightly, but the figure in imperial robes did not care. He too could not contain his excitement, trying his best to maintain his composure as the Emperor of the An Nam Imperial Dynasty.

The greater the power, the heavier the responsibility. No one understood this better than the Emperor. For many years, he had worked himself to exhaustion to protect the An Nam Kingdom from the clutches of the Great Tang. A sense of loneliness and fatigue enveloped his mind. Now, a ray of hope flashed, a lucky star descended, and An Nam had an auspicious sign.

Fatigue and despair vanished, and the Emperor of An Nam could not help but shed a tear of happiness. He saw the vision of a powerful An Nam, its citizens like dragons and tigers, free from famine and foreign invasion.

“Let us call this lucky star the Star of Hope, for it appears with the long-held hope of An Nam,” the Emperor commanded in a grave voice.

Elder Yi nodded, recording the Emperor's words onto a piece of parchment, detailed without missing a single word.

Thus, in the year 938, a lucky star appeared in the An Nam Kingdom, approved by the Emperor of An Nam, and recorded by Yi Buxian.

After a good night's sleep, Zheng Donglin felt refreshed. Receiving his breakfast, he went to the backyard to practice the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.

Each palm strike was fluid, sometimes heavy, sometimes light. The palm strikes were like soaring dragons, and suddenly, a 'bang-bang' sound echoed.

Zheng Donglin was surprised. The palm strikes produced sound; could the power of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms have increased by another level?

He quickly asked the system: “System, the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms suddenly produced sound. I need to understand the situation.”

[- The Host has entered the Minor Achievement stage of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The Minor Achievement stage can strike the air to produce sound. Congratulations, Host.]

“So that's how it is,” Zheng Donglin smiled. If he were to fight Ding Boling now, he was certain it wouldn't be as exhausting as last time. He frowned and asked further: “Since this is Minor Achievement, what is Great Achievement like?”

[- At the Great Achievement stage, your palm strikes will produce the roar of a dragon. With each strike, the dragon's roar grows louder and the power stronger. At the highest realm, before the palm even strikes, the dragon's roar will cause the opponent's spirit to falter.]

[- At the Perfection stage, the palm technique is no longer within the scope of ordinary martial skills; it will possess its own spirituality.]

“That sounds incredibly powerful,” Zheng Donglin's mouth fell open. A dragon's roar sounded just like Hero Qiao Feng reborn, a single strike shaking the heavens. He grew even more determined to quickly reach the Great Achievement stage of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.

[- The Host does not need to overexert himself, lest this system becomes lonely, like a widow waiting for her husband.]

“System, are you female?” Zheng Donglin asked in surprise.

[- No, I just found that phrase very poetic, so I said it. Please do not flatter yourself, Host; this system truly has no affection for you. Please respect yourself, and we shall both be happy.]

Zheng Donglin's face turned as black as a pot. Ignoring the self-absorbed, crazy system, he decisively practiced the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms a few more times.

“Ah!” After reaching the Second Rank, his hearing had become exceptionally sharp. Zheng Donglin heard Jiang Yu'er's displeased cry. Although he had no movement techniques, the speed of a Second Rank was much faster than an ordinary person's.

“Second Young Miss.” In an instant, he appeared outside Jiang Yu'er's room, calling out softly from outside.

“A Bin, what are you doing sneaking around? You scared me to death!” Jiang Yu'er cried out in fright, startled by Zheng Donglin's sudden voice behind her.

“I just heard something in your voice, Second Young Miss, and thought you had run into trouble, so I rushed over to check,” Zheng Donglin said slowly.

“What trouble could there be? It's just the homework the tutor assigned me,” Jiang Yu'er said angrily, pointing at the stack of papers on the wooden table.

“What is it?”

“The tutor wants me to write a poem on any topic. I've been thinking for so long and can't come up with anything. It's infuriating!” Jiang Yu'er puffed her cheeks.

“Simple, let me help you, Second Young Miss,” Zheng Donglin said, looking at her with amusement, suddenly finding her incredibly adorable.

“You know how to write poetry?” Jiang Yu'er blinked her beautiful eyes, looking at him with disbelief. Since when did this fool become cultured? How could I not know?

“Of course, but I have a request, Second Young Miss,” Zheng Donglin said, rubbing his nose. Being looked down upon did not feel good. First by Ding Boling, and now by Jiang Yu'er. Was his face born to be looked down upon?

“Speak.”

“I want my food portions to be increased by double—no, triple,” Zheng Donglin said, holding up three fingers. A martial artist needed sufficient nutrients to cultivate. A Bin's usual portions were only enough to keep him full, not enough to train his body.

“Deal.”

“It's a promise,” Zheng Donglin said, leaning against the window sill and smiling.