Year 2020.

A small, beautiful garden lay in the backyard of a large mansion. There were blue lilies—a lot of them.

A young boy played with these lilies and happily chased the butterflies. He had long black hair, cheerful silver eyes, and porcelain skin.

Young Xuirong smiled happily as he chased a pink butterfly. The beautiful insect seemed to enjoy the harmless chase and continued swaying mid-air as if teasing the little boy.

Xuirong’s smile only widened, his laughter echoing in the ears of his elder brother, who stood at the door to the backyard watching Xuirong with a light smile.

Xuirong’s elder brother was a young man whose hair was red and extremely, if not unnecessarily, long, tied into a ponytail that reached his ankles. He had vibrant red eyes and the same porcelain skin as Xuirong. He wore a fitted black tuxedo, and beside him stood a young teenager with a stern expression, adorned in fearsome and elegant red armor.

The pink butterfly darted gracefully over a cluster of blue lilies, its wings catching the afternoon sun. Young Xuirong lunged forward with a joyful gasp, his small hands reaching out, only for the insect to drift just out of reach, continuing its playful dance as his bright laughter filled the quiet garden.

Watching from the stone doorway, his elder brother, Xuiyang, kept his vibrant red eyes fixed on the boy. The long ponytail resting against his black tuxedo shifted slightly as he turned his head toward the armored teenager beside him. Despite the elegance of his tailored suit, Xuiyang carried the unmistakable posture of a man who had spent a decade fighting for every breath of air.

"He doesn’t understand what today means," the armored teenager said, his voice flat and stern. His fingers rested lightly on the hilt of the blade buckled over his fearsome red plating.

"He shouldn’t have to," Xuiyang replied softly, his voice calm but carrying an immense weight. "Not yet."

Today was the day the world would officially change forever.

It had been exactly fifteen years since the day humanity’s reality fractured, merging violently with the Frontier Realm. The sudden cataclysm had brought monstrous Gates to Earth, along with supernatural abilities that blessed a collective few while throwing the rest of civilization into absolute chaos. In those early, brutal years, survival was the only currency. Xuiyang had been forced to grow up on the blood-soaked battlefields of the new world, watching cities fall and humanity retreat into fortified zones.

But Xuiyang had done more than just survive. Through sheer willpower and tactical brilliance, he had stabilized his position, rallied the strongest surviving Hunters under his banner, and systematically began to push back. They didn’t just defend the borders; they cleared the high-rank Gates and actively marched into the unknown.

Their greatest achievement had culminated just months prior. Xuiyang’s forces had successfully conquered and secured the very first region within the Frontier Realm—a vast, dangerous territory known as the First Jianghu. It was the first piece of land humanity could truly claim as their own within the supernatural realm.

Now, the world was ready to recognize that feat. In just a few hours, Xuiyang would step onto a massive global stage to be publicly announced as humanity’s first official hero, and his faction would be crowned as the world’s very first registered Guild... The First Pavilion.

Xuiyang took one last look at Xuirong, who had finally given up on the pink butterfly and was now curiously poking at a beetle on a blue lily leaf.

He adjusted the cufflinks on his tuxedo and called out to his younger brother.

"Xuirong, come here."

Xuirong, noticing him, smiled widely before rushing toward his brother. He embraced his brother in a tight hug and hesitantly let go.

Xuiyang bent down and patted Xuirong on his forehead. "What are you up to?" he asked with a smile.

"I’m playing with beautiful butterflies," Xuirong answered with excitement. He paused and glanced at his elder brother’s clothing in amusement and curiosity, then noticed he was also wearing the same thing.

His eyes lit up. "Are we having a big party today?"

Xuiyang nodded, the smile never leaving his face.

"Oh, that’s great, but what’s the party about?"

Xuiyang didn’t reply immediately. For some reason, the question made him emotional. He had promised his deceased parents to keep Xuirong safe and give him a good life.

For the past few years, that motivation had driven him to achieve everything he had become today.

"I’m getting rewarded for being a good big brother."

Xuirong raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t plan the party? Do you have another brother?"

Xuiyang threw his head back and laughed. "No, no... people are awarding me, not a different brother. You’re my only brother."

Xuirong calmed down.

His elder brother held his hand as they both walked out of the garden. They passed different elegant passages while being escorted by the armored teenager.

Various servants bowed to them and continued with their specific jobs.

As they walked, Xuiyang’s expression slowly darkened.

"Xuirong..." he called out without turning to his brother.

Xuirong turned to him with an expectant look.

"What is it, Xuiyang?" he asked.

"The world we live in is broken," Xuiyang said, his voice flat and devoid of the warmth he had used just moments ago in the garden. He didn’t look down at his younger brother; his vibrant red eyes remained fixed entirely on the grand hallway ahead.

"People are going to call me a hero today. They will cheer, they will throw flowers, and they will act as if the monsters outside our walls are the only threat we face. But you must never believe the story they tell on the screens."

Xuirong’s small hand felt incredibly fragile inside his brother’s grip. The armored teenager walking behind them maintained a perfectly steady march, the metal plates of his gear clicking softly against the marble floor.

"Humanity is worth saving, Xuirong, but do not mistake that for humanity being good," Xuiyang continued, his expression hardening into a cold, unreadable mask.

"The only reason these people are bowing to us right now is because we hold the biggest blade. If the First Pavilion falls tomorrow, these same servants, the same people cheering in the streets, will tear each other apart just to inherit our scraps. Survival in the Frontier Realm isn’t just about killing beasts. It’s about ensuring you are never the one weak enough to be swallowed."

Xuirong blinked, the cheerful silver in his eyes dimming slightly as he tried to process the heavy words. "But... if people are bad, why did you fight so hard to save them? Why did you clear the Gates?"

Xuiyang stopped walking. They had reached the massive double doors that led to the front courtyard, where the thousands of waiting reporters and citizens could be felt right through the thick wood.

The red-haired leader finally turned, crouching down so he was at eye level with his little brother. He reached out, his porcelain fingers adjusting the collar of Xuirong’s small tuxedo.

"I didn’t clear the First Jianghu to be a saint, Xuirong. I did it because order is the only thing that keeps you safe," Xuiyang whispered, his vibrant red eyes boring into the boy’s silver ones.

"To protect humanity, you have to control it. You must become the ceiling that they cannot cross, the force that dictates their peace. If you want to keep the people you love alive, you cannot afford to be kind to your enemies, and sometimes, you cannot afford to be kind to the people you are protecting either. When the time comes for you to stand where I am standing, remember this: a true protector doesn’t keep his hands clean. He does whatever is necessary, no matter how dark, so that the people behind him can continue to chase butterflies in the light."

Xuiyang stood back up, his long red ponytail swaying against his back as he turned toward the grand doors. The armored teenager stepped forward, placing his hands on the brass handles, waiting for the signal.

Xuiyang smoothed down the front of his fitted black tuxedo, the dark, suffocating pressure of his latent power flaring for a fraction of a second before settling back beneath his skin.

"Smile, Xuirong," Xuiyang said, his face instantly shifting back into the flawless, inspiring grin of humanity’s greatest hero.

"The curtain is going up."