To outside observers, Yuan Yong, the third son of the Yuan family, was handsome, brilliant, and the envy of all. But to his family, Yuan Yong was a major headache.
Yuan's Father and Yuan's Mother had Yuan Yong undergo numerous psychological tests, and the results consistently indicated an extremely dangerous antisocial personality with almost no empathy, harboring murderous intentions towards animals and humans alike.
Under the guidance of psychologists, Yuan's Father and Yuan's Mother attempted to intervene and treat Yuan Yong, but he remained a killer at heart.
At the age of five, Yuan Yong began writing murder plans in his secret diary, brazenly listing the names of his entire family.
Unfortunately, he was still too small and weak at the time, and had misjudged both his own abilities and his parents' cunning.
After Yuan's Father and Yuan's Mother pried open the lock and read his diary, they became convinced that modern psychological treatment was a scam. To raise their child properly, they resorted to the traditional method - a vigorous beating for Yuan Yong.
Yuan Yong was forced to abandon his murder plan then and there, silently vowing never to keep a diary again in his life.
As Yuan Yong grew older and stronger, Yuan's Mother grew increasingly worried. This son was too difficult to control. If left unchecked, he would wreak havoc everywhere, and many innocents would die at his hands.
But the birth of Yuan Luoyi changed everything.
The nine-year-old Yuan Yong curiously asked, "Mother, what is this child?"
Yuan's Mother replied, "She's your little sister, Yuan Luoyi."
"Can I get closer and look at her?"
"No, you can't."
"Why not?"
"She's different from your brothers. She's a fragile child, and you might hurt her."
"I just want to take a look!"
"Absolutely not!"
As usual, Yuan Yong was excluded, unaware of what he had done wrong. Heaven had blessed him with this personality, which he wholeheartedly embraced, yet those around him were terrified.
But this minor obstacle was nothing, as Yuan Yong eventually saw his sister, albeit at the cost of losing a tooth after his elder brother Yuan Ao beat him up.
And then, a miracle occurred.
The good news: Yuan Yong developed empathy!
But only towards Yuan Luoyi alone.
When that little infant smiled, he saw a joyful light, only then realizing that he had been slowly drowning in darkness all along.
Incessant killing had been quite dull. He had been wandering alone in a sea of blood, unaware of the purpose of his existence.
But now, his life had meaning—Yuan Luoyi.
Since the family forbade Yuan Yong from getting near Yuan Luoyi, he would hide beneath trees, gazing at the child from afar, cherishing every beautiful second.
As if sensing his presence, the baby looked back at him, smiling happily and reaching out her tiny hands.
From birth, Yuan Yong had been a dangerous person. At home, he actively participated in the lethal sibling rivalries. Out in public, ordinary people would flee in terror upon seeing him covered in blood.
But Yuan Luoyi would smile when she saw Yuan Yong. She even wanted to touch him.
How wonderful—the one hiding in the corner had been discovered.
How could he ever repay her?
He would protect her for the rest of his life!
Dear sister, keep smiling and growing up like this!
However, contrary to his wishes, the three-year-old Yuan Luoyi often cried. Yuan Fa, the selfish second brother, would lock Yuan Luoyi in her room and run off to play games.
Enraged, Yuan Yong raised his fists at Yuan Fa, attempting to wrestle custody of his sister. After an intense battle, Yuan Yong was once again beaten senseless, nearly to the point of death.
In his most vulnerable years, he had encountered the one he most wanted to protect.
This caused Yuan Yong immense suffering.
Late at night, Yuan Yong heard his sister's cries again, twisting his heart with anguish and worry.
Trudging through the dewy grass, parting a thick cluster of blue summer wildflowers, Yuan Yong peered through the white lace curtains to see his shivering, huddled, and weeping sister.
"Don't cry, shall I tell you a story?"
Following the voice, Yuan Luoyi looked out the window in a daze, catching glimpses of the handsome boy amidst the blue blossoms.
He was like a merman from a fairy tale, emerging from an ocean spangled with stars, resting his hands on the ship's rail to merrily sing ancient ballads, inviting the human to witness his world.
Yuan Luoyi stopped crying and approached the window.
Yuan Yong asked, "Do you know who I am?"
Yuan Luoyi replied, "You're Third Brother, always watching over me from nearby."
To be remembered by his sister made Yuan Yong's heart soar. For the first time, he felt such joy, gradually sensing himself softening.
Tears still glistened on Yuan Luoyi's cheeks. Yuan Yong reached out and gently wiped away her remaining tears.
"Don't be sad anymore. Let me tell you a delightful fairy tale about a beautiful princess, a fearsome dragon, and a brave knight."
Yuan Luoyi nodded, eagerly anticipating a fantastical journey. No one had been around to play with her or tell her stories since her elder brother Yuan Ao went abroad. She gazed at Third Brother Yuan Yong with wide, expectant eyes.
"In a distant kingdom, a dragon kidnapped the little princess."
"The king wept bitterly, declaring that whoever could rescue his daughter would receive a mountain of gold."
"But all the swordsmen in the kingdom feared the dragon, for its mouth could breathe fire, its claws could pierce any armor, and its tail could cleave anything in two!"
"Even more terrifying was that no sword could penetrate the dragon's scales."
Yuan Luoyi was captivated by the ancient tale that all children loved, forgetting her earlier sadness as she curiously asked, "What happened next?"
Yuan Yong continued, "Then, a down-and-out wandering poet stepped forward."
"He said, 'Your Majesty, when I was near starvation, the princess gave me bread and water. So I come to repay that kindness—I will slay the dragon.'"
"The burly swordsmen mocked him, saying, 'Your leg is lame, your arm as thin as a reed. How could you possibly kill the dragon?'"
"The wandering poet said nothing, taking up a battered bronze sword and setting off for Dragon Mountain alone."
"The dragon coiled atop piles of gold, silver, and jewels, snoring with sparks flying from its nostrils with each breath, while the princess was chained nearby, silently shedding tears."
"The wandering poet approached the princess and said, 'Princess, I was once a holy knight, but due to a filthy curse, I lost my power. If you use your sacred power to purify my soul, I shall regain the strength to slay the evil dragon and rescue you.'"
"The princess remembered the wandering poet, who would play the organ to cheer her up when she was sad."
"So the princess swept back her golden hair and placed a sacred kiss upon the tarnished bronze sword. The stains of rust vanished instantly, and the silver blade shone with a dazzling light, restoring the holy knight's power."
"In the end, he slew the evil dragon and rescued the little princess."
After listening to the story, Yuan Luoyi clapped her hands joyfully, "He was the kingdom's mightiest knight!"
Yuan's family smiled and said, "Yes, with the princess in his heart and a sacred sword in his hand, he was unbeatable."
"Is the third brother also the mightiest knight?"
"Oh no, not at all... I'm nowhere near as strong as them..." Yuan Yong recalled the painful beatings he had endured, either from his brothers or his parents, unsure when he would ever become stronger.
Yuan Luoyi sensed her third brother's sadness. "Third brother, come closer."
Yuan Yong did as told. "Like this?"
Standing on her tiptoes, Yuan Luoyi pecked a small kiss on Yuan Yong's forehead, smiling happily. "Holy knight, now you have the princess's kiss!"
Yuan Yong was dazed for a moment. He had taken many small lives, but in that instant, he felt his innately sinful soul had truly been purified.
He was like a crescent moon, with sharp edges facing outward, but concealing a tenderness within for her.
He took Yuan Luoyi's tiny hand and said softly, "Then, Your Highness, please allow me to protect you forever!"
At three years old, Yuan Luoyi did not yet understand that Yuan Yong was pledging his soul.
And at that moment, Yuan Yong did not know that in the future, he would fail to protect his sister, losing to the evil dragon.
The princess would suffer a painful death in the darkness.
