The Awakening

"Hey, good-for-nothing! What are you doing? We're going to a family event today! Do you want us to be late?!" The derisive shout echoed off the high ceilings of the Vale residence.

Kaelen Vance flinched, his shoulders jerking upward. The dishcloth in his grip slipped, nearly knocking a ceramic mug into the stainless-steel sink. A physical tremor traveled down his spine. He locked his jaw, staring down at the suds in the water, and fought to steady his shaking hands. He frantically grabbed a sponge and scrubbed the pristine marble countertop.

"I'm almost done, Mom!" Kaelen replied in a panic, his voice straining to sound accommodating. "I won't keep you waiting!"

Standing in the hallway, Martha Hollis adjusted her diamond earrings in the mirror. She glanced at his reflection through the glass, her upper lip curling into a sneer. "Seriously! I really don't know what Dad thought when he allowed you to marry into the family. You're really a good-for-nothing!"

Before Kaelen could formulate a response, the rhythmic click of heels sounded against the hardwood floor. A woman stepped into the living room. She had thin eyebrows, bright eyes, and flawless fair skin. She paused, looking toward the kitchen with an icy, impassive stare.

"Mom, there's still time," Brielle Vale said softly, her tone carrying a profound exhaustion. "You don't have to rush. Even if we reach there now, they still won't think highly of you anyway."

"At least I won't get scolded!" Martha retorted, turning her anger back to her reflection.

Kaelen stopped scrubbing. The tight frown on his face vanished when he caught sight of the woman in the living room. A deep, quiet fondness softened his eyes. However, the moment his gaze shifted to the middle-aged woman fussing by the mirror, his eyes turned freezing cold.

The beautiful woman standing in the living room was Brielle Vale, his wife.

Yet, she was only his wife in name. For three years, they had shared a roof, but he had never even touched a strand of her hair. Brielle was brilliant, capable, and stunning. Because of her beauty and intelligence, she had been heavily pressured by the family to marry well and secure their future. For the past three years, she had suffered endless nagging and ridicule for being chained to a man with no job and no prospects. Naturally, this constant humiliation made Brielle despise Kaelen even more.

Martha Hollis, his mother-in-law, was the primary source of the daily verbal abuse. She had looked down on him and disrespected him from the very second he stepped foot into the Vale household.

They didn't know the truth. Kaelen was not born a servant. He was a disowned son from the formidable Vance Family of Aldoria. Three years ago, he had been framed as a traitor by his own flesh and blood. Hunted and broken, he was forced to flee his home city to survive.

During his desperate escape, he stumbled upon the elder of the Vale family, Arthur Vale. The old man had taken one look at the red jade pendant hanging around Kaelen's neck and made an immediate, shocking decision. He decided to marry off his beloved granddaughter to the fleeing stranger.

Since that day, Kaelen had been married and settled into this family.

He just didn't expect Arthur to pass away a mere year later. The old man took the secret of the jade pendant to his grave. As a result, Kaelen's real identity was never revealed to the rest of the household.

Kaelen had been treated well when Arthur was alive. But as soon as the old man died, Kaelen was thrown straight into hell. Without Arthur's leadership, the Vale family's reputation fell into a steep decline, and they directed all their frustration at the live-in son-in-law.

Kaelen never stopped thinking about revenge over the past three years. The fire in his chest burned every single day. But his martial arts foundation had been destroyed during his escape from Aldoria. His internal meridians were shattered. No matter how hard he practiced in the dead of night, no matter how much sweat and blood he poured into his training, it was useless. He lived in agony, trapped under his enemy's control, far away from home.

When he thought of Brielle, who couldn't even bear the sight of him, and Martha, who was disgusted by his mere breathing, Kaelen kept his face blank. He had no expression.

He still couldn't recover from the devastating physical blow his enemies had dealt him. He had no power. So, he could only compromise.

"Good-for-nothing, are you done yet?! You're taking so long!" Martha's shrill voice came from the living room as she stomped toward the kitchen.

Kaelen cried out in a panic, breaking his train of thought. "Alright, Mom, I'm done!"

He rushed to dry his hands. He brought out all the breakfast dishes he had cooked since dawn and deftly set the dining table. He arranged the silverware and poured the hot tea with practiced, quiet efficiency.

Martha marched into the dining room. When she saw that everything was finally ready, she crossed her arms and muttered, "This good-for-nothing only knows how to eat! If we don't scold him, he won't do anything!"

Brielle took a seat at the table. She looked at Kaelen, who was skillfully setting down a plate of eggs, with a look of pure disgust.

If it weren't for the lingering respect for her grandfather's dying wishes and the Vales' crumbling reputation, she would have divorced Kaelen long ago. When Brielle saw the timid, subservient expression on his face, a sudden urge to stand up and slap him flared in her chest.

Even if he was a nobody from the streets, he could at least try to be a capable man. He could find a trade. He could build a career.

But it had been three years!

He had never done anything worthwhile at home besides cleaning the floors, doing the laundry, and cooking the meals!

Brielle stared at her teacup, her mind churning with frustration. She really couldn't imagine why this good-for-nothing was so attractive to her grandfather. The old man, who had treated her like the apple of his eye since she was born, had all but forced her to marry such a useless person.

Kaelen felt her glare, but he was used to it. Brielle had never been happy with this arrangement. They married without any emotional connection. It only became worse when she went from the proud, highly sought-after daughter of the Vale Family to a walking laughingstock in their social circle. Kaelen understood how she felt.

On the other hand, since he was kicked out of the Vance Family and hunted like an animal, Kaelen had repeatedly told himself to survive. He had to stay alive.

So, even if the Vales looked down on him, even if they regarded him as a mere caretaker or someone as low as a servant, Kaelen would grin and bear it.

He always kept the memory of his past close to his heart. He was disowned by the Vance Family, a family that possessed extreme wealth and terrifying martial power.

Now, he was just a useless son-in-law, barely living on the Vales' fading goodwill.

Martha pushed her plate away and stood up. "Once we leave, ensure the house is spotless before you go! When we get to the hotel, find a corner and only speak when spoken to! Do you understand?!"

"Alright, Mom," Kaelen replied softly.

Brielle frowned, grabbing her purse from the chair. "Does Kaelen really have to go today?"

"Do you think I want him to go?!" Martha chided angrily. "It's just a family rule that all family members have to attend the family event! Don't you know that it's always embarrassing for our family to attend? If you listened to me and went on the blind dates I've set up for you, do you think we'll still be the joke they laugh at?"

Kaelen squatted by the kitchen cabinets, holding a ceramic bowl in his hands as he listened to the harsh exchange between Martha and Brielle. There was not even a sliver of displeasure on his expressionless face.

He snorted inwardly. If it weren't for my internal injuries, do you think I would still stay here?

Life was just one big cycle. One should always do good. What goes around always comes back around.

He was used to this mistreatment. The only person in the entire family who didn't look at him in disgust was his father-in-law, Gideon Vale, who wasn't at home today.

After Brielle and Martha finished their breakfast, they headed for the door. They left the house without even a quick 'bye' to Kaelen.

He immediately stood up to clean the table. Even though he was faced with the messy remnants of their meal, he continued to tidy up the plates and wipe the wood calmly.

This son-in-law couldn't even be compared to a dog.

"Sigh!" Kaelen let out a big sigh, the sound echoing in the empty dining room.

If it weren't for the fact that he was forced to live in hiding for fear of his enemies' relentless pursuit, coupled with the fact that his internal injuries couldn't be healed even after three years of fruitless endeavors, why would he stay here to endure Martha's wrath?

Even though he loved Brielle, was the second son of the Vance Family from Aldoria someone who allowed others to bully him?

Ding!

A phone call interrupted Kaelen's heavy thoughts. He pulled his phone from his pocket. When he looked at Brielle's name flashing on the cracked screen, he muttered to himself, "She probably forgot something."

He answered the call.

"Kaelen, everyone has to give Grandma a gift at the annual event. You better remember to buy a gift!" Brielle's cold voice came from the other side of the phone.

"Oh, um... But..." Kaelen stuttered hesitantly, his grip tightening on the phone.

On the other line, Brielle frowned, her breathing growing sharp. She asked impatiently, "But what? Say it!"

"I don't have money!" he finally exclaimed.

A beat of silence followed. "Why can't you find a job?" Brielle's voice was full of annoyance and exhaustion. "You've been spending the Vale Family's money and eating our food... Forget it. There's no point in saying all these. You're so useless. I'll transfer money to you later!"

She hung up the phone. A second later, Kaelen received a notification from the bank on his screen. The money had arrived.

He looked at the time. He immediately began to quicken his pace as he cleaned the rest of the kitchen. After he finished, he retreated to his room, changed into some decent clothes, and left the house.

When he reached Relic City, the streets were bustling with crowds and vendors. Kaelen walked slowly, looking through the various antique stalls.

Unfortunately, Kaelen had limited money in his pocket. The funds Brielle transferred were not enough to buy anything flashy. He could only rely on his trained eyes to pick out a high-quality gift hidden among the junk.

After spending some time sifting through endless counterfeits, Kaelen finally chose a pair of authentic calligraphy pens and a weathered antique painting from a quiet corner stall. The grandmother of the Vales was born into a noble family. She loved calligraphy and paintings, and she went gaga for genuine historical artifacts.

When Kaelen left Relic City with his purchases wrapped carefully under his arm, he looked at the time and realized there were still two hours before the party would begin.

He didn't plan to go early. Even if he went right now, he would still be the laughingstock of the Vale Family the moment he walked through the doors. Not only would he bear the humiliation from the extended relatives, but Brielle would also suffer with him, along with his insufferable mother-in-law.

Kaelen couldn't help but shudder at the thought of the incoming mockery. He stepped off the curb to cross the street.

Screech!

There was a shrill, violent brake sound. When Kaelen looked up, he saw a speeding sports car hurtling right toward him. It was moving too fast. He tried to dodge, but his ruined martial foundation left his body too slow to react.

The heavy metal slammed into him before it crashed to a halt. Kaelen was thrown through the air, hitting the unyielding pavement with a sickening impact. The antique painting flew from his hands. He immediately lost consciousness.

The driver's side door flung open. A beautiful young woman in her twenties got out of the car in a blind panic. She had a great body, fair skin, and wonderfully shaped brows. She ran forward and looked at Kaelen, who was lying motionless on the ground.

Kaelen was sprawled on the floor with dark crimson blood covering his face. She couldn't tell where the blood was coming from.

"Why are you just standing there? Check if he's okay!" the surrounding pedestrians saw the panicked woman and hastily screamed at her.

Everyone rushed forward to help Kaelen up, and the trembling woman fumbled for her phone to call an ambulance.

Amidst the shouting and the chaos, no one noticed a thin trail of Kaelen's warm blood sliding down his collar. It seeped into the red jade pendant resting against his chest. Upon touching Kaelen's blood, the ancient stone began emitting a faint, pulsing light.

While his body lay broken on the street, Kaelen fell into a deep coma. His mind was violently dragged into the past, haunted by the memories of when he was about to die at the hands of the Vance Family three years ago.

"Kaelen, what have you done?! You b*stard!" an older woman scolded him harshly in his memories.

"Grandma, I..."

"Grandma, I'm going to kill this b*stard!"

"Kaelen, this slap is for my wife!"

"Young Master, don't worry about me! I'll keep on living!"

The voices of betrayal and sacrifice swirled in the darkness of his mind. He was trapped in the agony of his past, reliving the moment his martial foundation was shattered.

Then, the chaotic memories suddenly halted. A vast, dark space opened up in his consciousness.

Another voice, booming and ancient, echoed in Kaelen's mind, drowning out the ghosts of his family.

"Oh! The foundation of your martial arts was destroyed? Wonderful! Truly wonderful!"

A wave of sudden, mystical shock washed over Kaelen's dormant spirit. The oppressive humiliation vanished.

"I'll give you a boon," the heavy voice declared, vibrating through the dark space. "You're fated to be with the Sanguine Legacy. From now on, you will be my disciple! Your martial arts foundation was destroyed! You have the perfect foundation to practice my martial arts. This is fate! This is my life's practice, so you better listen to me carefully and learn it well!"

The darkness lit up with the phantom glow of the red jade pendant.

"You are the salvation of the people!" the entity roared with absolute authority. "You are sent here to save countless lives! My dear disciple! Remember! Remember! Go out to the world and save them on my behalf!"