Leaving the mansion as the sun dipped beneath the horizon, Jian moved with calculated discretion. He had seen firsthand how brutal the cultivation world could be—and he wasn't about to die so soon after transmigrating into this new body.
The royal capital buzzed with life. Walking through its bustling district, Jian couldn't help but smile. It feels good to be alive.
Two of his personal guards trailed him in silence. Taking a chariot would have drawn unnecessary attention, something he was determined to avoid.
"Take me to the Heaven's Protection Guild," he said, glancing briefly at his guards.
They nodded and slipped away toward a nearby stablehouse, returning shortly with a hired carriage.
Jian leaned back as the carriage rolled smoothly through the lively streets. But the moment of peace didn't last long. The vehicle jerked to a sudden halt, and Jian's brows drew together.
"Mo Heng," he called calmly, without raising his voice.
The guard stepped down from the carriage immediately.
Peering through the small window, Jian saw the carriage rider had dismounted, standing stiffly beside the road, head bowed low.
Further ahead, an entourage approached—nearly fifty royal knights, their polished armor catching the dying light. In their midst rolled a grand carriage bearing the royal emblem, flanked on all sides by elite guards.
Mo Heng returned swiftly. "It's the royal family, young master. The rider stopped to pay his respects. As commoners, it's expected of them."
He paused, then added, "And… the Lou family, though we've met every noble criterion, have yet to receive formal recognition from the crown. So we must show respect as well."
Jian nodded. "Understood. Let's pay our respects."
He stepped out and stood by the roadside like everyone else. The scent of the city, incense, food, and smoke—brushed past him as he gazed at the gilded horizon.
Maria called herself a commoner, he mused with a dry smile. And yet, here I am—bowing like one. What really separates us if the system still treats us the same?
As the royal procession drew closer, the air grew tense. The knights marched with crisp precision, their gazes sweeping the crowd like predators sniffing out a threat.
Then… a breeze shifted. A faint, delicate fragrance danced through the air—light, ethereal… and painfully familiar.
Jian's eyes widened slightly.
That scent.
He dove through the haze of memories—his memories—three hundred and fifty years' worth. And there, tucked between fragments of past atrocities and broken hearts, the name surfaced:
Princess Hua Xiang.
Unaware he had muttered the name aloud, Jian's voice sliced softly through the heavy silence.
And just like that—he was surrounded.
The royal knights closed in without hesitation, swords half-drawn, their presence cutting off air and space. Shock flickered across Jian's face as he looked around in confusion, unable to grasp what he had done to warrant such sudden aggression.
The identity of the princess in the carriage had been kept secret. This was her first public appearance in three years—ever since she was allegedly assaulted by none other than the infamous Jian Yu.
"Who are you?" came a deep voice, sharp as steel. "And how did you know which princess is inside the carriage?"
A man descended from the royal carriage, clad in white, heavy imperial armor. His presence alone made the earth feel heavier.
Jian's breath caught in his throat.
He knew that man.
Commander Lang Fang—head of the King's Guard, and the fifth-strongest cultivator in the entire empire.
Lying wasn't an option. The man before him could sense falsehood in a heartbeat. Worse still, Jian's current mortal body, still in the fifth stage of the body refining realm, was already buckling under the crushing pressure the commander radiated.
And yet… he remained standing.
Lang Fang narrowed his eyes.
"You've got mental fortitude," he said coldly, clearly intrigued. "For someone at your level, you should be unconscious by now. So speak—now."
Jian swallowed hard and gave a steady nod. "I am the young master of the Lou family. Lou Jian."
He paused only briefly before continuing, "I recognized the princess by her scent. I met her three years ago, during an event beneath the crimson peach tree near the palace. That's how I knew."
Lang Fang said nothing, but the weight of his silence was suffocating.
---
Meanwhile, back at the Lou family mansion…
Jian's father Lou Shen came down to the enormous dining hall once more, "call me Jian let's have breakfast while we catch up." He said as he digged in on the already prepared meal.
My Lord, the young master left the mansion as soon as he woke up this morning .
Xue Lou who almost stepped into the dining hall halted her step as she had over heard the conversation.
Seemingly in thought she stood still in the corridor, eyes narrowed.
Jian was gone?.
Her brows furrowed in displeasure as she turned on her heel and returned to her room. Reaching for her jade talisman, she activated it with a flick of her finger.
"He's out," she whispered coldly. "I don't know where he's headed. Find him—and end him."
The talisman flared briefly with light, sealing the command.
Letting out a breath, Xue dropped onto the bed, a smirk forming on her lips. Her limbs relaxed against the silk covers, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.
---
Back in the capital…
"What did you just say?" a soft voice asked, startled.
The royal carriage came to a halt.
And then—Princess Hua Xiang emerged.
Her expression, once calm, was now shaken. She scanned the crowd until her eyes locked onto Jian.
He stood quietly by the roadside, arms behind his back, gaze lifted just enough to meet hers.
"Being a princess… is far harder than people think," Jian said softly, voice like a whisper against the evening breeze.
"Sometimes, I wish I were just a noble. Free to live without these golden wings."
The moment froze.
Her lips parted, but no words came. That sentence—those exact words—had once been said in secret, beneath the crimson peach tree, whispered only once in her entire life.
And only one man had heard them.
Her heartbeat stuttered. Her composure returned in an instant—but the crack in her mask was already visible.
"He's an old acquaintance," she said to Commander Lang Fang, her tone now calm, but her eyes still locked on Jian. "We're already late. Let's return to the palace before Father grows anxious."
She turned back to Jian—voice softer now.
"Bye… Jian."
All the commoners and passersby gasped in shock as it was a rare sight to see a princess on friendly terms with a noble talk less about a commoner.
His name had fallen from her lips like a memory she had buried but never forgotten.
As the royal procession resumed, Commander Lang Fang remained unmoving—eyes narrowed.
Princess Hua Xiang was famous for her frigid detachment. And yet… she had just smiled.
For him.
For a commoner.
Lang Fang studied Jian's face, quietly. Even though he couldn't tell he had the feeling that Jian will be trouble.
A fifth-stage body refiner.
No threat.
And yet…
He filed the moment away like a sharpened blade—ready to draw it the next time they met.
Author note:
like it, then add it to library. And don't forget to leave a power stone, I will be motivated and happy if you do that.