In the early morning, warm sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon the bed where Wu Tian rose. His expression was calm, unlike that of his peers; he was as steady as a mountain. A perceptive observer would have recognized that he was no ordinary person. Slowly, he dressed and stretched his limbs, muttering to himself.
Mom, really... I don't know where she found me a fiancée from an arranged child betrothal.
Yet, there was no helplessness in his tone, only amusement. He was like an adventurer returned home, for whom few things could stir his heart.
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he stepped outside. I must buy some gifts first; otherwise, meeting this fiancée would be too shabby, he thought, looking at the street before him. A wave of emotion washed over him—a feeling of having been away for a lifetime, something ordinary people could hardly understand.
Yes, in the eyes of my mother and the neighbors, I've only been gone for four years. I told them I went to work out of town, accidentally fell into a pyramid scheme, and barely managed to escape. How could Mom possibly know that those four years in the mortal world were eons in the Immortal Emperor Realm? To me now, all those years feel like a long, long dream… a dream of flashing blades and shadowy swords, of schemes and treachery, of ferocious, snarling beasts. Fortunately, my aptitude was exceptional.
He had only just returned from the Immortal Emperor Realm last night, appearing right at home. He chatted with his mother for half the night before finally going to his room to sleep. Only now, at this moment, did he have the chance to truly appreciate the sights of his hometown. He knew he had finally returned.
Even though much of my Immortal Emperor Cultivation was consumed on the journey back, I don't mind. My Realm is still intact, and my power will recover on its own.
He had immense confidence in himself. Back when I was still insignificant in the Immortal Emperor Realm, I once declared that if I were benevolent, I could shelter an entire world of living beings, and if I were malicious, I could seal the heavens and annihilate all life. At the time, countless prodigies laughed, mocking me for overestimating my own abilities. In the end, I did exactly as I said. As for those prodigies, some died. The ones who survived could only look up at me with the same complex gaze an ant gives a Nine Heavens Divine Dragon.
This time, shattering the Void to return to Earth was a journey through cracks in space, across countless star systems, and past the All Heavens. To have survived at all is an unprecedented miracle, unlikely ever to be repeated. In that light, my diminished strength, wounded soul, and weakened aura are minor setbacks. Besides, my physical body remains. It is, after all, the body of an Immortal Emperor. Although my Spiritual Power is insufficient to fuel its attacks, it grants me an invincible defense just by standing here. Moreover, after enduring those tribulations, the mystic treasure has finally acknowledged me as its true master—something I failed to achieve in the Immortal Emperor Realm.
He looked at the ring on his pinky finger. If one looked closely, they would see the intricate image of Nine Dragons coiling upon it. This was the mystic treasure. Inside it were the eggs of all the Primordial Divine Beasts, including many extinct, legendary titans capable of rivaling ancient Divine Kings and supreme beings of old. In the Immortal Emperor Realm, Wu Tian had relied on his own Spiritual Power to hatch ten of the Divine Beasts, but only seven had acknowledged him as their master.
But things were different now. All the eggs in the ring would revere him. Even the savage Taotie and the soaring Azure Dragon would have to submit to him, the Eastern Wutian Celestial Emperor, one of the four great kings of the Immortal Emperor Realm. Furthermore, Wu Tian often cultivated in the world within the ring, where one year was equivalent to a single day in the outside world.
Coming to his senses, he found he had already reached the street. He casually walked into a flower shop. The flowers here were fresh. Although they couldn't compare to the Spirit Flowers of the Immortal Emperor Realm, it was rare to find such vibrant and beautiful blossoms in the mortal world. It was clear the owner took great care of them.
"Qingren, you are the campus belle of Yang City University, and I am the campus heartthrob. We are a match made in heaven. Please, just agree to be my girlfriend. I'm being sincere," a man's earnest voice sounded from the center of the flower shop, a tone designed to convince any listener of his genuine affection.
Wu Tian glanced at the man and shook his head slightly. In the Immortal Emperor Realm, his strength wasn't his only exceptional quality; his Medical Technique was also among the best, making him one of the three great Divine Doctors. He could tell at a glance that the man's body had been completely hollowed out. His yang energy was far below normal levels, likely drained by women.
"Qin Yujie, do you think I can't see your true intentions? You just want to get your hands on my Liang family's Iron Line Fist Secret Scroll. Let me tell you, forget about it," the young woman refused. She hadn't expected Qin Yujie to find out so quickly that she was helping at the shop today and come looking for her. If she had known, she would have stayed in her room playing on her phone or reading, just like any other day.
Wu Tian's gaze shifted to the young woman. She was dressed in white sportswear, her face youthful and her figure stunning, with a proud chest and a pair of long, slender legs. Her appearance and physique would be considered top-tier in this city. Compared to overly made-up women, she possessed a refreshing, heroic air. Calling her the campus belle was certainly appropriate. Of course, Wu Tian was merely observing; he wasn't leering like some pervert.
But that wasn't the important part. The key was that Wu Tian could actually see Qi emanating from her body. Qi, the very source of Cultivation. For example, Cultivators in the Immortal Emperor Realm would absorb the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, converting it into their own Spiritual Power. The residual Spiritual Energy would then envelop their bodies.
Upon closer inspection, Wu Tian realized something was amiss. No, that's not right. This Qi... it isn't absorbed Spiritual Energy. It's... True Qi, formed from Inner Strength?
There are many martial arts dramas in the city, so I've heard of Inner Strength. When I was growing up, I thought the Martial Skills in those shows were fake. But now that I've embarked on the path of Cultivation, it seems Inner Strength might actually exist. But what does it matter if Martial Skills exist? It means nothing to me. Compared to the Cultivation methods of the Immortal Emperor Realm, Martial Skills are like a chick facing a monster. The difference is as vast as that between heaven and earth.
While Wu Tian was lost in thought, Qin Yujie assumed he was mesmerized by Liang Qingren's beauty, which was more than he could stand. The Qin Family was one of the four great families in Yang City. He had also studied under a Karate master from Japan. With his superior background and personal strength, he considered it a provocation if another man so much as glanced at a woman he fancied.
"Hey, kid! I'm not in a good mood right now," he barked. "I'll count to three. Get out. If you don't..."
"Why is it that some people seem to court death?" Wu Tian interrupted with a sneer. An aura suddenly emanated from him. Though it lacked the world-altering pressure of his former Immortal Emperor self, an indescribably ferocious, beast-like presence locked onto Qin Yujie.
Qin Yujie was both shocked and suspicious. What's going on? Why do I feel this way? Is it just my imagination? he wondered. In his view, this was impossible. Even his Karate master had never exerted such oppressive pressure on him. He nearly pissed himself in fear, little knowing that this wasn't even Wu Tian's full power.
"Are you here to buy flowers? It's not a good time. You should leave quickly," Liang Qingren said hurriedly to Wu Tian, worried that Qin Yujie would harm an innocent person.
Why is Qingren worried about him? Do they know each other? Or did she fall for this guy at first sight? Jealousy consumed Qin Yujie. Wu Tian's appearance alone completely outshone him; his handsome features and scholarly aura only fueled Qin Yujie's rage. Without a moment's hesitation, he charged.
He moved with startling speed, closing the distance to Wu Tian in a few breaths before unleashing a Karate strike.
Liang Qingren gasped. She never expected Qin Yujie to act so crazy, suddenly attacking a customer. She wanted to intervene, but it was too late. Qin Yujie's Karate had once won him first place in Yang City's tournament. She braced herself, certain she was about to witness a gruesome, bloody scene.
The next moment, a pained scream echoed through the shop—"ARGH!"—leaving Liang Qingren utterly stunned.
What did I just see? Qin Yujie barely touched the customer, who didn't even fight back. He just grunted, and Qin Yujie was sent flying backward? What just happened? she wondered, staring at the scene in disbelief, unable to comprehend how the customer had done it. Maybe... maybe Grandma will know what this is if I ask her when I get back, she thought.
"Courting death," Wu Tian said, looking at the unconscious Qin Yujie on the ground. He shook his head. I'll never understand why so many people are eager to die. If this had happened in the Immortal Emperor Realm, I would have already sent him to see King Yan.
His expression was incredibly placid, as if nothing had happened at all. He picked up a bouquet of flowers and went to pay.
"What's your name?" Liang Qingren asked boldly as she took his money.
"You don't need to know my name." Wu Tian left without a backward glance, oblivious to the shock in the campus belle's eyes as she watched him go.
Once on the street, he hailed a taxi and headed directly for the designated meeting place, Yang City's First Hotel. If he was late, his mother would kill him. He heard the girl's entire family was coming.
At that moment, a particular car stood out in the parking lot of Yang City's First Hotel. It was a limited edition model, with only 520 made in the entire country. Such a luxury vehicle was a rare sight in Yang City.
The driver's side door of the white Maserati opened, and a long, snow-white leg emerged. Had this been a more public place, many men would have been left with dry throats. That single, perfect leg, enough to spark the imagination, was enough to drive men wild and women mad with jealousy.
Finally, the beauty stepped out of the car completely. Everyone who was parking or preparing to leave stopped in their tracks to stare. Her beauty was breathtaking, far surpassing any celebrity. She was like a Fairy descended to Earth.
Qin Yuhan's expression was a mask of indifference, as if the phrase "to keep others at a distance" was tailor-made for her.
"Mama!"
Suddenly, a crisp, endearing voice cried out. Qin Yuhan bent down and, to the surprise of any onlookers, lifted a small, exquisitely cherubic girl from the car. She smiled and said, "Gugu, we're going to have tasty ribs soon."
"Gugu loves ribs the most!" Hearing this, the little one began to dance with joy in Qin Yuhan's arms.
If anyone who knew Qin Yuhan from the outside had witnessed this scene, their jaws would have dropped to the floor. At her company, all the employees called her the "Ice Queen CEO"; none of them had ever seen her smile. No one could have imagined that her smile could be so beautiful, nor would they have ever guessed she had such an adorable little Princess.
At that moment, all the worries in Qin Yuhan's heart vanished, melted away by her daughter's smile. Twenty years ago, my father made a verbal agreement with someone. If their children were a boy and a girl, they would be married. Today, he wants me to come here to meet the man I was betrothed to as a child. But I've already made my own plans. Dad, for my own sake, and for Gugu's, I will refuse, no matter who he is.