Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Departure
Deep within the serene, mist-shrouded peaks of the Flower Mountain Sect, a place renowned for its drifting cherry blossoms and righteous sword cultivators(and infamous for their wines), a young man sat slumped over a desk in a lavishly decorated manor.
This was Ye Feng.
To the outside world, he was the mediocre son of a prominent City Lord, a man whose presence in the sect was tolerated only because of his father's heavy donations.
At twenty-five years of age, he was a laughingstock among his peers, having only scraped his way into the 1st Stage of the Foundation Establishment realm.
In a world where true geniuses reached Core Formation by twenty, he was essentially a decorative ornament with a pulse.
However, the "Ye Feng" currently staring at the wall was no longer the original, as just a few hours prior, the original Ye Feng had suffered a violent Qi Deviation while trying to force a breakthrough, causing his soul to shatter into nothingness.
In the vacuum left behind, the soul of a modern college student—one who had literally worked himself to death while cramming for final exams—had slipped into the empty shell.
It took less than an hour for the new Ye Feng to realize the sheer absurdity of his situation, and when he finally did, he panicked.
He realized that this wasn't just a simple cultivation world, but that he was inside the pages of a novel he had once read to relieve stress: "The Abandoned Prince's Counterattacks."
In the story, the "Protagonist" was a man named Xiao Chen, and like Ye Feng, he was a transmigrator, but unlike Ye Feng, he was not a college student but a high-flying office worker, and he reincarnated as the neglected prince of a falling kingdom.
After suffering through the typical tropes of bullying by concubines and the tragic death of his mother, Xiao Chen had fled into the wilderness.
There, through sheer "plot armor," he witnessed two Heavenly Saints killing each other and looted their remains, kickstarting his meteoric rise to power.
And Ye Feng? In the novel, he was a third-rate villain—a stepping stone designed to be crushed.
He was destined to be killed by Xiao Chen early in the story simply because he had the audacity to leer at the main heroine, Xia Mengyao, the woman who had rescued the prince and brought him to the Flower Mountain Sect.
When the new Ye Feng first realized this, his survival instinct screamed at him.
He need to run. Now.
Perhaps going to the Desolate Eastern Region, buy a farm, and live as a mortal is not a bad idea.
He don't want any part of this protagonist-heroine drama!
But just as he was packing his spirit stones, a mechanical chime echoed in his mind, and a blue screen floated in front him with words that says the "Diary System" had awakened.
The system functions are very simple: write a daily entry, receive a reward.
'Fine,' he thought back then, sitting back down. 'If I can get strong without leaving my house, I'll stay. I'll just be the ultimate hermit.'
Now, he had just finished his very first entry and he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed because as he wrote, the stress of his previous life and the terror of his current one had merged, making him incredibly emotional.
Wirh that, he had spent half the diary slandering the "heroines" of the novel for their illogical behavior.
He especially tore into Luo Mingye, calling her a lovestruck idiot for allowing her clan to be wiped out for the sake of a man who viewed her as a tool for revenge.
As he closed the book, the system's interface flickered.
{Congratulations Host for writing your first Diary entry!}
{Rewards are being distributed...}
{Obtained: Foundation Strengthening Pill x10, Core Forming Pill x10, Golden Core Pill x10}
"That's it?" Ye Feng muttered, staring at the small jade bottles that appeared on his desk.
He felt a wave of disappointment, after all as the son of a City Lord in the resource-rich Central Region, he could practically buy these pills with his pocket change.
He had expected something world-shaking, like a Divine Physique or a Saint-Grade weapon.
{Host, rewards are based on your diary's word count and the emotional depth of the entry.}
"Ah, so that's how it is. It's a quantity and quality game," Ye Feng mused, his eyes narrowing. "Then can I write another one right now and increase the count? I have plenty of opinions on the other characters."
{Host can only write a diary entry once per day.}
"Damn. If I knew that, I would have been way more descriptive," Ye Feng grumbled. "I would have scolded Luo Mingye for another three pages and probably dragged that 'Prince charming' Xia Mengyao into it as well."
Xia Mengyao was a peculiar case. In the novel, she always dressed in men's clothing and hid her gender to maintain her position in her family.
The protagonist, Xiao Chen, was so dense he didn't realize she was a girl for years, even going through a crisis of orientation because he found "him" so attractive.
According to the original plot, they were supposed to have shared a life-defining moment two years ago where Xiao Chen found out her true gender and eventually confessed his feelings, and they made a promise to be together once he made a name for himself and can stand shoulder to shoulder with her.
"Wait," Ye Feng paused, tapping his chin. "According to my memories, that incident already happened. In the novel, everyone in the sect gossips about them being a couple. But from the original Ye Feng's memories, although Mengyao still maintained a degree of closeness, she still kept him to an arms length."
In the novel, they were inseparable and "lovey-dovey" at this stage, but in this reality, Xia Mengyao seemed to be maintaining a strange, deliberate distance from Xiao Chen, as if she were terrified of being misunderstood.
"Is it a butterfly effect?" Ye Feng wondered. "Did my soul crossing over ripple back in time? Or is this world just... slightly different?"
He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Whatever. It doesn't matter. As long as she stays away from me and the protagonist stays in his lane, I don't care if they get married or become enemies. For now, I have pills to swallow. I need to reach Core Formation before the 'script' tries to kill me."
*
*
*
Meanwhile, countless of miles away in the Eastern Region, the atmosphere was far more grand.
At this moment, the Seven Treasure City was now back to being a hive of activity, but the central courtyard of the Ning Clan manor remained quiet.
Shen Haoran stood with his hands behind his back, his expression one of calm indifference, and beside him, Qing'er stood like a silent shadow, her red eyes fixed on the horizon.
In front of them, a poignant family scene was unfolding as Ning Xueli was currently enveloped in a group hug with her father, Ning Xiao, and the two elders, Old Jian and Old Hu.
"Xueli, remember, you must look after yourself in the Central Region," Old Jian said, his voice thick with uncharacteristic emotion. "Don't let those city snobs look down on you. If they do, tell them your grandpa Jian is coming for their heads."
"Hmph, you do not need to worry about us," Old Hu added, patting Xueli's shoulder with a bandaged hand. "This old guy have a new body and I also gained some opportunity. We can handle the sect, so you just focus on reaching the top."
Ning Xiao stepped forward last, his eyes glistening as he placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders and smiled a father's bittersweet smile. "Be good, okay? You are entering a world far larger than this one. You must not allow yourself to slack off. Always be diligent, cultivate well, and remember who you are. Alright?"
Ning Xueli smiled brightly, her eyes shimmering with tears she refused to let fall. "I know, Dad. I'm not a child anymore. I've literally vaporized an army, remember?"
"Shush," Ning Xiao laughed softly, pulling her in for one last embrace and kissing her forehead. "You will always be my little girl, no matter what you do."
"Dad, you're embarrassing me!" Xueli grumbled, though she hugged him back tightly.
She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes darting toward Haoran to see if he was watching.
She was worried he would find her "childish" or sentimental.
Haoran caught her gaze and simply smiled—a small, genuine tilt of the lips that lacked his usual clinical coldness.
Xueli felt a massive surge of relief before she turned back to her family, a determined grin on her face. "Dad, don't worry. I'll come back and visit you from time to time. And when I do, I'll be so strong you won't even recognize my Qi!"
The three men nodded, their hearts full of pride and a touch of sorrow.
"We'll be going now," Xueli said, walking toward Haoran's side.
Haoran turned toward Qing'er and gave a slight nod.
The shadow woman didn't move her lips, but the air rippled as she summoned the Profound Ark—a massive, jade-encrusted vessel that manifested from a spatial rift, hovering silently above the courtyard.
Haoran gave a final, polite nod to Ning Xiao and the elders. "Until next time."
He boarded the ark with practiced elegance as Xueli followed him, pausing at the top of the ramp to wave one last time at the family she was leaving behind.
"Goodbye! Stay safe!" she shouted.
Qinq'er stepped onto the vessel last.
Then, the ramp retracted, and the protective formations of the ark began to hum with a low, rhythmic power.
Ning Xiao, Old Jian, and Old Hu watched as the massive vessel hovered for a split second, then, with a silent burst of speed that defied the laws of physics, it disappeared into a trail of golden light, heading toward the heart of the empire.
The "Desolate" Eastern Region was behind them, now the stage of the Central Region was waiting.
Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Three Sisters
Deep within the heart of the Imperial Capital, the personal palace of Chu Xueyu, sat like a silent, slumbering beast of white jade and ancient obsidian.
The air here was so saturated with spiritual essence that it shimmered with a faint silvery hue, a constant reminder of the Clan Head's absolute dominion over the clan's ley lines.
In the center of this massive palace, Chu Xueyu sat upon her High Throne, her eyes were closed, her breathing so shallow and rhythmic that she appeared more like a masterpiece of celestial sculpture than a living woman.
The golden hair that cascaded down her white robes seemed to catch the ambient light, glowing with a soft, noble radiance.
The silence was broken only by a subtle ripple in the space before the dais.
One of her shadow guards, a woman with flowing white hair and eyes like polished flint, emerged from the darkness as if stepping through a curtain of water.
She knelt instantly, her forehead nearly touching the cold jade floor.
"What is it?" Xueyu asked, her voice a low, melodic chime that didn't require her to open her eyes.
"Mistress, the young master has officially crossed the border. He is already on his way to the Imperial Capital," the guard reported, her voice steady despite the overwhelming pressure radiating from the throne.
"I see. You may leave," said Xueyu.
With a silent bow, the shadow guard vanished, merging back into the darkness without leaving so much as a footprint in the dust.
Chu Xueyu remained silent for a long moment, the only sound in the room being the distant, rhythmic hum of the clan's defensive formations.
"How long are you two going to hide there?" Xueyu asked suddenly, her voice laced with a touch of dry amusement.
A moment of absolute silence followed, until a soft, melodic chuckle echoed from the shadows of the corner.
"Fufu~, since when did you find out, little sister? Your senses are getting far too sharp for your own good."
From the darkened corners of the throne room, two figures emerged into the moonlight.
Their faces bore an unmistakable resemblance to Xueyu's, the same high cheekbones, the same aristocratic straightness of their posture, the same hair and eyes, but their auras were vastly, terrifyingly different.
The first was a woman of ethereal beauty with thigh-length golden blonde hair that swayed with every step.
She wore a black robe embroidered with golden accents that seemed to writhe like living snakes.
This was Feng Yuyan.
Beside her was a woman with rich, brown skin that looked like polished mahogany under the torchlight.
Her long, flowing golden hair was a stark, beautiful contrast to her complexion, and she wore a revealing red robe with golden accents that flaunted her powerful, lithe physique.
This was Leng Shuang.
These three—Leng Shuang, Feng Yuyan, and Chu Xueyu—were half-sisters.
They shared the same father, a man whose name was now a footnote of history, but they were born from three different mothers, each of whom had been a powerhouse in her own right.
Leng Shuang was the eldest, Feng Yuyan was the middle, and Chue Xueyu was the youngest.
In their youth, this trio had been the most feared and hated figures in the empire, known for their utter lack of respect for life and their complete disregard for the constraints of the Heavenly Dao.
Leng Shuang, the eldest, was known in the annals of history as the Conferred Tyrant of the Twelve Realms.
She was infamous for a campaign of conquest that saw her enslave twelve independent minor realms, forcing their entire populations to worship her as their sole deity.
She had then used the collective power of their faith to forcefully prove her Dao of Tyranny, shattering the barriers of the world to attain the Heavenly Saint Realm.
Chu Xueyu, the youngest, was known as the Ruthless Empress Who Commands Heavens Kneeling.
And compared to Leng Shuang, her path was even bloodier as she followed the Dao of Slaughter.
The heavens themselves had deemed her existence intolerable, for her path broke the natural cycle of life and death and to prove her Dao, she had systematically slaughtered nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine clans and caused the total extinction of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine races.
This sparked a Heavenly Tribulation of such magnitude that the sky turned black for a decade, but in the end, Xueyu had stood atop a mountain of corpses and literally forced the heavens to kneel, dyeing the very firmament with blood until the Dao of Slaughter was accepted into the world's order.
Feng Yuyan, the middle sister, was often considered the "tame" one simply because she didn't engage in mass slaughter or enslavement.
However, she was undoubtedly the most troublesome.
Known as the Empress of Forbidden Creation, she dabbled in the taboo arts of blood, corpses, and soul-stitching and she proved her Dao of Tainted Life by sewing together the flesh and souls of different species, creating monstrosities that had terrorized the Prime Origin Realm for centuries.
"Sister Xueyu, I heard you approved of the Heaven's Choice Tournament?" Feng Yuyan asked, skipping toward the throne with a playful hop before hoisting herself up to sit on the left armrest.
"I don't believe there is any point to that," Leng Shuang remarked, her voice cold and monotonous as she walked toward the throne and took her place on the right armrest. "It's a waste of the boy's time."
"Yep. Our Haoran is definitely going to win that," Feng Yuyan chirped, swinging her legs. "This tournament is just a formality at this point. Why let the branch families harbor delusions of grandeur? It's a waste of energy."
"What do you mean 'our'?" Xueyu asked, finally opening her golden eyes and rolling them. "He is mine. I carried him."
Feng Yuyan stuck out her tongue playfully. "Don't be stingy, Xueyu! I helped create him! Without my Forbidden Creation techniques, he wouldn't be half as perfect as he is!"
"Indeed," Leng Shuang added with a rare smile.
The truth of Haoran's birth was a secret that would have sent the entire Shen Clan into a convulsive shock.
Years ago, on the night of Xueyu's wedding to the previous Clan Head, there had been no romantic consummation, nor even a transactional one just to bear a child.
Instead, the three sisters had teamed up and completely immobilized the unsuspecting husband.
Feng Yuyan, using her mastery over the forge of life, had extracted the man's finest essence—his blood and flesh—and fused it with Xueyu's own origin, carefully weaving the threads of life to create the perfect vessel: Shen Haoran.
Once the "creation" was complete, Leng Shuang had stepped forward and ruthlessly extracted the husband's Heavenly Sword Dao Bone before ending his life, ensuring the "donor" would never speak of the night's events.
They thought that was the end of it, but now, thanks to that person, Haoran's cousin, they realised that the husband might've survived and living in the lower realms.
"Besides," Xueyu continued, her voice turning cold and calculating, "he can use this tournament to establish his prestige before the elders. After all, it is one thing to be the heir by decree, and it is another to stand atop the broken pride of every other 'genius' in the clan. And if he has any sense, he should subdue those branch family prodigies and make them his loyal subordinates."
"Well, that's fine as well, I guess," Feng Yuyan said, shrugging her shoulders. "It'll be fun to see the look on the First Elder's face when his 'Sacred Physique' protege gets turned into a stepping stone."
Unlike those weak elders, Feng Yuyan and her sisters, despite being in the Heavenly Saint Realm, naturally possessed combat power no weaker than even the Supremes.
They naturally felt the awakening of Haoran's physique, not to mention Haoran was the most perfect child the three of them have made.
When it comes to talent, there will never be anyone like him.
Xueyu turned her gaze toward her eldest sister. "Sister Shuang, is everything ready for Haoran's eventual departure to the wider realms?"
Leng Shuang, cold and emotionless as ever, gave a curt nod. "I have already notified my worshippers and the temple elders in the Saint Burial Realm. When Haoran descends there for his mission, they will be ready to receive him as their Young Lord."
"Thank you." Xueyu nodded, a rare moment of familial appreciation passing between them.
Feng Yuyan chuckled, "Oh sister, you really are ruthless. You already killed your husband once, and now you're not even letting go of his Reincarnation."
Leng Shuang stared at her, "One must cut off the roots to prevent a weed from growing again."
During her conquest, she didn't spare children and infants, as she doesn't want them to grow up and cause trouble later.
"I know that, I'm just messing with you." Feng Yuyan pouted.
Naturally, she knew that principle as well.
When she was grave robbing for her experiments and she was hunted down by the clansmen of the corpse she stole, she made sure that their entire clan will follow as well.
"Well then, we should prepare a welcome gift for our Haoran! He's been in that dusty Eastern Region for far too long," Feng Yuyan said, standing up and stretching her lithe frame.
She waved a playful hand toward Xueyu before her body dissolved into a swirl of black petals and vanished into the shadows.
"I should prepare as well," Leng Shuang added. she stood up, gave Xueyu a final, respectful nod, and stepped backward into a rift in space that closed silently behind her.
Chu Xueyu sat alone once more on her throne as she looked toward the entrance of the pavilion, her golden eyes reflecting the stars.
"Come home soon, Haoran," she whispered to the empty hall.
Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Reactions
The Shen Clan Domain was not a mere estate or a sprawling city; it was a fragmented shard of a higher plane, a separate dimension the size of an entire world.
Within this realm, the laws of physics were secondary to the density of the spiritual qi that saturated the air.
Countless cities, floating mountain ranges, and infinite forests thrived under a sky that lacked a sun, instead lit by the collective radiance of the clan's ancestral formations.
Millions of branch members and descendants lived out their lives here, all tethered by the golden blood that flowed through their veins, however diluted it might be.
In a city known as the Spear-Glow Fortress, a place where the architecture itself looked like a forest of upright blades, the First Elder of the Grand Enshrined Hall stood upon a high balcony.
His eyes, sharp and weathered like flint, were fixed on a lone youth in the central plaza below.
The youth was a blur of motion, every thrust of his spear caused the air to crackle with static, and the ground beneath him groaned under a localized gravitational pressure.
The first elder couldn't help but nod in appreciation.
Suddenly, the space behind the First Elder rippled, and a figure draped in shadow emerged, kneeling with practiced subservience.
"First Elder, Young Master Haoran has been spotted leaving the Eastern Region. His Profound Ark has entered the central transit zones. He will be arriving back in the clan domain soon."
The First Elder's brow furrowed, a sharp glint forming in his eyes. The heir's return basically means that the tournament will begin soon. "Alright. You may go."
The shadow nodded and vanished as silently as a dying candle.
"Shen Fei!" the First Elder called out, his voice echoing with the resonance of a Heavenly Saint.
Below, the youth froze mid-strike.
This youth, Shen Fei, had a long, golden blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail and striking blue eyes that seemed to hold the weight of the sea.
He flicked his spear, and with a shimmer of spatial energy, the weapon vanished into his storage ring.
He then walked toward the balcony, jumping hundreds of feet upward to land gracefully before his master.
"Master, have I made a mistake in the rotation of the 'Heaven-Piercing' form?" Shen Fei asked, his voice humble yet steady.
The First Elder stared at him, his heart swelling with pride, after all, this disciple was his masterpiece, someone he believed can defeat that youth and end the dominance of the main family.
After all, Shen Fei had begun his life as a nobody from a destitute branch family, bullied by his peers and neglected by his parents.
He harbors hatred to the main line due to the fact that he believes they are hoarding resources and corrupt, letting the branch family fight for scraps while they enjoy themselves.
At first he thought that he can only curse them silently, but two years ago, Shen Fei had Earth Suppressing Sacred Physique, a physique that when cultivated to perfection, gives one the weight of ten thousand worlds, distorting even space and time with casual movements.
And since that day, his cultivation had exploded in a way that defied the logic of the clan elders as he had reached the peak of the Golden Core Realm at a young age of 27!
Just this alone shows just how terrifying Sacred Physiques are, after all, they are only under the Divine Physiques, which are said to be born at the dawn of creation.
Then, for the past two years, through a series of brutal challenges and struggles, he had climbed to the 1st Rank of the Ten Crowns.
These Ten Crowns, within the Shen Clan, were the ten strongest and most talented descendants of the generation, ranked from 9th (the weakest) to 0 (the absolute).
The 0 Rank, of course, belonged exclusively to Shen Haoran.
"Shen Fei," the First Elder said, placing a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder. "Shen Haoran has been reported to be returning in the clan soon, and with his return, the Heaven's Choice Tournament will begin shortly after he finished a mission assigned to him. That will be your time to finally step out of the shadow of the main branch and defeat Shen Haoran."
Shen Fei's blue eyes burned with a cold, ambitious fire as he grinned, his teeth white against his tanned skin. "Don't worry, Master. My Sacred Physique had already achieved a Major Completion, along with everything you taught me, I will surely defeat that man and become the Heaven's Chosen. The era of the main branch's absolute rule ends with me!"
The First Elder smiled, a predatory expression. "Good. I am waiting for the day the heavens themselves bow to my disciple."
*
*
*
While the First Elder nurtured his spear-wielding protege, the Second Elder of the Grand Enshrined Hall was in a different part of the domain—a city of hedonism and red jade.
He stood in a lavish penthouse, staring with a mix of frustration and resignation at his own descendant, Shen Jian.
He was a handsome man with short, spiky golden hair and eyes as red as fresh blood, and unlike Shen Fei who was training, he was currently reclined on a massive velvet couch, his hands draped over the shoulders of two barely clothed women who were feeding him spirit-grapes.
"Huh? Shen Haoran is returning? So what?" Shen Jian asked, his voice dripping with arrogance that he didn't even look at his grandfather.
Just then, he flexed his fingers, and a faint, terrifying supreme qi emanated from his body, causing the wine in the glasses on the table to vibrate.
Despite only being ranked 2nd in the Ten Crowns, Shen Jian believes that he was strongest, and the reason why he was ranked below is because he didn't even try.
After all, ranks means absolutely nothing to him, especially since the position of the Heir was basically already reserved for Haoran.
But now, with the Heaven's Choice Tournament, he now have the chance to be the heir of the Shen Clan!
"Even if he and that 'Sacred Physique' brat Shen Fei were to join forces, I would still crush them both under my heel. The Heaven's Choice title is already mine. Tell my parents to save their breath."
The Second Elder sighed, the sound lost in the music of the penthouse.
He knew his grandson was arrogant, but in a world where might makes right, such arrogance was usually justified.
*
*
*
Far away from the cities, in a secluded forest where a waterfall crashed over obsidian rocks, the Third Elder sat on a mossy stone.
He was watching a young man meditating directly under the crushing weight of the falls.
This youth was different, as unlike the vibrant, sun-like hair of the other Shen members, his hair was a dull, faded gold—almost like straw.
This is because in the Shen Clan, the brightness of the hair was a direct indicator of bloodline purity.
Those with the most concentrated blood, like Haoran, had hair that looked like spun gold and eyes of the same hue.
In fact, only those from the main line possessed golden eyes.
So for this young man to have such faded hair means his bloodline was so impure and diluted.
This was Shen Hao, the Third Elder's great-grandson.
Actually, Shen Hao had been born a miracle, not only having the brightest golden hair, but also carrying a Supreme Bone that promised the talent of a future Emperor.
But that miracle had turned into a curse because the Second Elder's descendant had coveted that power and, in a night of blood and screams, had literally dug the bone out of the then infant Shen Hao's chest.
From that moment on, Shen Hao had lost his talent, his bloodline purity, his future, and nearly his life.
When Third Elder heard of this, he immediately flew into rage and went to fight the Second Elder, intending to kill the Second Elder's descendant and take back what should've belonged to Shen Hao.
Unfortunately, the reason why he was the third elder is because he was weaker than the second elder, and in the end, he was defeated and humiliated.
Just then, the waterfall suddenly split apart as if hit by an invisible sword as Shen Hao stood up, letting out a roar that drowned out the sound of the crashing water.
He didn't use Qi—he couldn't, for his meridians were shattered—but the sheer physical force of his voice was enough to distort the air.
He jumped onto the bank, landing silently beside his grandfather before cupping his hands in respect, "Grandpa."
The Third Elder looked at the boy's chest, where a jagged scar remained, and then at the powerful, dense musculature of his frame.
Deapite being a crippled, Shen Hao found another way to cultivated, and that through strengthening his body to an extreme that was considered impossible.
Through sheer will and determination, he became a Body Cultivator who had reached a level where his physical reflexes and strength could parry the spells of a Golden Core expert with his bare hands.
"Hao'er," the Third Elder said softly. "Shen Haoran is returning, so I believe that the tournament will begin soon. You have spent years years tempering your flesh in the most brutal environments... how confident are you in winning?"
Shen Hao looked at his hands, then toward the direction of the main line's palace. "Grandpa, I care nothing for the title of Heaven's Chosen, but what those people, the Second Elder and his descendant, did to me, and the shame he brought upon you... I will repay it. Not for the sake of revenge, but to prove a point."
He looked into his grandfather's eyes, his own dull golden eyes filled with an iron-like resolve. "I want to prove to the entire clan that the Supreme Bone they care so much about, the bone they would kill for, is nothing but discarded trash in my eyes. I will show them that piece of bone, I can still become an Emperor!"
"Isn't it just a piece of bone!? A Supreme Emperor isn't a title to be bestowed, it is not something a piece of bone can decide. It's something that you must achieve yourself by taking one painful step at a time!"
The Third Elder stared at him for a long moment before letting out a boisterous, lung-bursting laugh. "Hahahaha! That's right! That is what a real man of the Shen Clan should be like! Go prove it to them, Hao'er! I, your grandpa, will always have your back, even if I have to fight the entire Enshrined Hall myself!"
*
*
*
At this moment, one by one, through the myriad cities, the floating palaces, and the hidden cultivation caves of the Shen Clan domain, the word spread.
Like a ripple across a pond, the news reached every elder, every servant, and every ambitious descendant.
The Prince was coming home.
Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Reunion
The Profound Ark glided through the shimmering dimensional veil of the Shen Clan Domain, a scene like that of a starlight that looked like a needle stitching through the fabric of reality.
The Ark shot through the sky, and instantly arrived at the center of the Shen Domain, an entire city dedicated to the main line and their subordinates, along with the most talented and most influential figures in the entire domain.
As the ark descended, the sheer scale of the Shen architecture became clear—sprawling palaces of white marble and floating gardens that defied gravity, all bathed in the silver-tinted Qi of a world-sized pocket dimension.
The Ark settled with a silent, pressurized hiss onto the massive, paved field of Chu Xueyu's Palace.
Down there, the sight was enough to paralyze any outsider as hundreds of women, all dressed in identical, sleeveless, pitch-black skintight bodysuits similar to Qing'er, stood in perfect, terrifying formation.
They were the Shadow Guards.
They are the private legion cultivated by the three sisters—Chu Xueyu, Feng Yuyan, and Leng Shuang, and numbering exactly 3,333, this force was a nightmare made manifest, with every single one of them possessing the cultivation of a Profound Saint.
To put this into perspective, in the entire Tian Yuan Empire, which possessed the size of roughly an entire galaxy, with countless citizens, there were only roughly about 15,000 Profound Saint realm experts in total.
The Shen Clan's, or rather, Chu Xueyu and her sister's personal force numbered more than a fifth of the entire empire's Profound Saint experts.
And as mentioned before, Profound Saint Experts are the highest combat power that a force can call upon, that is because Earthly Saints guards their territory, while Heavenly Saints are almost in always in seclusion in hopes to breakthrough to Emperor realm.
And within the Shen Clan itself, despite its massive population, the number of naturally birthed Profound Saints haven't even reached a thousand.
Due to this difference in power, the Shadow Guards became one of the main reasons why the branch families remained obedient.
To be part of the Shadow Guards are actually rather easy, with almost little to no requirements for talent.
First, Chu Xueyu would select female orphans aged 4 to 6 years, and branding them with her mental imprints to ensure their absolute, unwavering loyalty.
Second, Leng Shuang would take them for ten years of "Hell Training," stripping away their individuality, turning them into a ruthless killing machine.
Third, Feng Yuyan would apply "Forbidden Creation" modifications—surgical soul-stitching and bloodline grafting—that would force their bodies to reach the Saint realm, even if they lacked the innate talent.
Of course, those rare geniuses like Qing'er were spared the physical modifications, although the psychological conditioning was still absolute.
Through this three stepped process, the sisters basically mastered the method to mass produce Profound Saint Realm experts with absolute loyalty.
At this moment, as the Ark's ramp lowered, Haoran immediately stepped out with Ning Xueli following half-step behind him, her eyes darting around in a state of perpetual shock.
Behind them, Qing'er walked with her usual stone-cold grace.
The moment Haoran's boots touched the ground, the hundreds of Shadow Guards assigned to welcome him moved as one, their voices rising in a synchronized, thunderous salute that shook the very air.
"We humbly welcome you back home, Young Master Shen!"
Haoran didn't break his stride as he walked, staring at them in amusement.
As the son of the Clan Head, he commanded a significant portion of this force; in fact, the ARC Foundation he had founded in secret was currently staffed and are being trained by veterans of the Shadow Guards.
He walked through the sea of black-clad warriors, the click of his boots echoing against the polished stone, until he reached the towering gates of the main hall.
Xueli remained silent, her mind reeling, still in shock.
The air here was so saturated with high-quality Qi that every breath felt like drinking a high ranking Elixir, she wondered just how fast her cultivation would improve if she cultivated here?
She looked at the silver-leafed trees and the hovering fountains and realized with a sting of humility that the "Seven Treasure City" she once called a paradise was essentially a garbage dump compared to this divine domain.
They entered the main hall, a space of infinite height where the pillars were carved from the bones of ancient celestial beasts.
There, at the far end, sitting nonchalantly on a golden phoenix throne, was a woman.
Xueli's breath stopped, her eyes widened in shock as she froze in her tracks, her heart racing.
How can anyone be this beautiful? Xueli thought, her mind spiraling into a frenzy of awe and internal worship.
Her hair flowed like liquid gold beneath the light, each strand catching the rays of the sun as if it had stolen its brilliance from the heavens themselves.
It fell down her back in a radiant cascade, framing a face so flawless it seemed carved from the purest jade—smooth, luminous, untouched by even the faintest imperfection.
Her skin held the quiet glow of something divine, the kind of beauty that made people forget to breathe when they first laid eyes upon her.
Her eyes were deep and calm like ancient lakes, holding both warmth and authority.
Her lips looked soft yet commanding, carrying the faintest curve of confidence that hinted she knew exactly the effect she had on the world around her.
She looked as if a goddess had grown tired of watching mortals struggle from the distant heavens and decided the world below needed proper ruling, so she descended, bringing with her beauty that could humble kings and a presence that made even the proudest warriors lower their gaze.
If perfection could ever take human form, it would look exactly like her.
Not a single detail wasted, not a single flaw allowed to exist, just like the kind of woman legends were written about and empires were built or destroyed just to stand in her shadow.
"Haoran..." Chu Xueyu spoke.
She stood up from the phoenix throne, her white and gold robes flowing behind her like a trail of light as she walked down the marble stairs slowly, a gentle and incredibly sensual smile playing on her lips.
"Mother..." Haoran walked toward her, and the two met at the base of the stairs, immediately falling into a deep, lingering embrace.
"It has been two years, Haoran. I never thought the time I usually spend on one secluded cultivation could actually feel this long," Xueyu murmured, her voice soft and warm, devoid of the coldness she usually gave to others.
Xueli, watching from a few paces away, felt her eyes almost pop out of her sockets as her internal monologue went into overdrive.
Mother and son? Are you sure? The way he has his hands on her waist... I'm pretty sure his fingers are brushing her perky butt!
And the way she's looking up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as if she's waiting for a kiss... if I didn't know better, I'd swear they were lovers returning from a long war!
Heavens, their intimacy was so thick it felt suffocating.
Haoran's posture was possessive, and Xueyu's gaze was hungry, devoid of the typical maternal distance that should be found in mothers like her.
Xueli leaned toward Qing'er and whispered frantically, "Sister Qing'er... is this... normal?"
Qing'er blinked, her red eyes showing a rare flicker of confusion.
"Don't people in your Eastern Region care about bloodline purity?" she asked matter-of-factly. "In the Shen Clan, the preservation of the Golden Lineage is the highest law."
The Second Enshrined Elder even had a child with his own descendants, and that child was now ranled Second in the Ten Crowns.
Compared to that, a mother and son... doesn't seem that weird?
Xueli was utterly speechless. Indeed, or rather, bloodlines were even more regarded highly in the Eastern Region due to their flawed cultivation method.
In fact, her own father and mother were cousins.
"You must be Ning Xueli?" Chu Xueyu's voice snapped Xueli back to reality.
The Empress had now untwined herself from Haoran, though he kept one hand firmly on her hip, and was now walking toward Xueli.
Xueyu bent down slightly, her golden eyes boring into Xueli's soul.
At that moment, Xueli felt like a mouse being observed by a dragon, making her very uncomfortable as she began to fidget, her palms sweating as a primal fear took hold of her.
"Don't be nervous, little one. I don't bite," Xueyu said, chuckling softly, her smile was radiant and seemingly kind.
Xueli let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief, her posture relaxing.
'Thank heavens,' she thought. 'Haoran's mother is actually kind and hospitable. I was worried she'd be a cold-blooded monster.'
If the souls of the races Chu Xueyu had hunted to extinction or the ghosts of the clans she had personally erased could hear Xueli's thoughts, they would have screamed in a chorus of spectral agony.
To them, the "kind" woman standing before Xueli was a Bloodstained Ruthless Empress, a woman who had once used the blood of an entire continent to paint her garden red.
"She's a very diligent girl, Mother," Haoran added, his voice smooth. "She's the one who inherited the Bright Silver Emperor's legacy, the one that appeared in the Eastern Region."
"Is that so?" Xueyu's smile widened, though it didn't quite reach her eyes as she reached out and patted Xueli's cheek. "A girl with a bit of fire in her spirit. I like that. We shall have much to discuss before the Heaven's Choice Tournament begins."
Xueli smiled back, blissfully unaware that she was being appraised not as a future daughter-in-law, but as a potentially useful tool in the Shen Clan's ever-expanding arsenal.
"Come," Xueyu said, turning back toward the inner palace while pulling Haoran along with her. "Your aunts, Yuyan and Shuang, are already preparing a 'welcome' for you."
"Is that so? I can't wait." Said Haoran, feeling a bit excited. "By the way, how did those people react upon hearing about my return?"
Xueyu frowned, "The branch families... they are quite noisy lately. They honestly think a few Sacred Physiques are enough to challenge my son."
Haoran's expression turned cold. "Let them make their noise, Mother. In the end, the one will reign over them, will still be me."
As they walked deeper into the palace, the atmosphere in the hall returned to its statuesque silence.
Outside, the Shadow Guards remained still, their presence a silent promise of the blood that was soon to be spilled in the Shen Clan's Domain.
Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Dinner
The massive dining hall of Xueyu's Palace was a testament to the Shen Clan's staggering decadence.
The walls were lined with white jade pillars entwined with golden dragons, and the ceiling was a magical projection of the starry sky, shifting in real-time with the celestial bodies outside.
A long table of polished obsidian stretched across the center of the room, groaning under the weight of hundreds of dishes—spirit-beast meats simmered in medicinal broths, glowing fruits harvested from floating islands, and wine fermented from the nectar of thousand-year-old snow lotuses.
Around the perimeter, hundreds of Shadow Guards stood like silent ebony statues, their presence ensuring that not even a stray breeze would disturb the family's reunion.
At the head of the table stood the other two pillars of the main line: Leng Shuang and Feng Yuyan.
"Aha! My little nephew is finally here! I missed you so much!" Feng Yuyan's voice was like a playful bell as she bounced toward Haoran.
She wore a bright, chaotic smile as she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace that smelled faintly of rare herbs and flowers.
Haoran let out a soft hum of acknowledgment, a rare relaxation appearing in his posture. "I missed you too, Aunt Yuyan."
Yuyan broke the hug, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief, only for Haoran to be immediately enveloped in the cold, oppressive aura of Leng Shuang.
The eldest sister's hug was brief and firm, but it was enough to feel her warmth.
"Welcome back. It has been two long years," Leng Shuang said, her voice devoid of inflection yet carrying a weight that made the floorboards vibrate.
"Yes, I'm back, Aunt Shuang," Haoran replied, dipping his head respectfully.
Leng Shuang released him and turned her gaze toward Ning Xueli, who was standing awkwardly behind Haoran.
The girl felt as though she were being dissected by a surgical blade as Leng Shuang's emotionless red eyes scanned her from head to toe, peering into her dantian and examining the very marrow of her bones.
"Decent foundation," Leng Shuang remarked, her voice clinical. "With the resources of the Shen Clan and the inheritance you carry, you have a genuine chance of reaching the Supreme Emperor realm if you work hard. But... that is it. Reaching for anything beyond that would be a statistical impossibility if you remain as you are now. Your soul lacks the 'weight' to transcend the mortal shackles."
Xueli shifted uncomfortably, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her blue dress. "Um... thank you?"
Isn't Supreme the highest realm anyone can possibly reach? Xueli wondered, her mind reeling.
Her confusion was understandable.
After all, even in the Imperial Capital, knowledge about the Immortal Realm was considered legends, and if it weren't for the artifacts and legacies left behind by Immortals in their lineage, then the Immortal Realm would've just become a myth even for them.
And for the people outside the Imperial Capital, Supreme was basically what they considered a myth, the pinnacle of Cultivation, beings who can truly be called invincible.
After all, Supremes were incredibly rare, and the last Supreme to emerge was the Sword Emperor from three thousand years ago.
But that person was said to have left the Empire and traveled the vast endless wilderness of the Prime Origin Realm.
So for the people in other regions, the term "Immortal Realm" basically refers to the Imperial Capital.
"Alright, enough critique for one morning. Let us eat," Xueyu intervened, her voice smooth as silk as she gestured toward the feast.
Just then, the massive double doors of the hall burst open with a resounding bang.
"I heard my cousin has returned! I, Feng Yanmei, welcome you home!"
The entire room turned toward the entrance.
There, a little girl, appearing to be no older than twelve, marched into the hall with the confidence of an empress.
She had long, vibrant golden blonde hair and piercing golden eyes, and a small, delicate tiara rested atop her head.
Most strangely, a small, fluffy golden chick was nestled perfectly in the center of her hair, chirping contentedly.
"Mei'er," Feng Yuyan smiled brightly, her maternal instincts flaring up as she walked toward the child.
Yanmei pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Mom! Why didn't you tell me that Brother Haoran had returned!? If it weren't for Xiao Feng hearing the Shadow Guards talking, I wouldn't have known until tomorrow!"
The golden bird on her head chirped in agreement, flapping its tiny wings.
"Alright, alright, Mom is sorry. I was just caught up in the excitement," Yuyan said, reaching out to pinch the girl's cheeks affectionately.
Feng Yanmei's origin was a closely guarded secret of the trio.
Technically speaking, she wasn't Yuyan's biological daughter, at least, not in the traditional sense.
It happened years ago, while Yuyan was out on a casual stroll, she had "accidentally" massacred a minor sect that had annoyed her.
In the aftermath, she found the corpse of a little servant girl, and then, realizing the girl possessed a rare, dormant Brightful Phoenix Sacred Physique, Yuyan's curiosity was piqued.
Without hesitation, she brought the body back to her laboratory, infused it with her own flesh and blood, and wove an entirely new soul to resurrect her, naming her Feng Yanmei.
Because she shared Yuyan's blood, the girl was essentially her daughter, and because she was so incredibly cute, she was doted on to an absurd degree.
The "chick" on her head was no ordinary pet, either; it was a Heavenly Phoenix in its juvenile form, a Nirvana Rebirth Realm beast that could incinerate a kingdom if provoked.
This chick, back when it was still an egg, was something that Yuyan stole from Heavenly Phoenix Empire, a vast empire at the same level as the Tian Yuan Empire, located 3 million light-years away, west of the Tian Yuan Empire.
It is an Empire ruled by the Heavenly Phoenix Clan, a clan of true phoenixes.
Of course, Yuyan made sure that she was being discreet, after all, if this was find out, the two empire would surely go to war.
Now, growing up as the "Little Ancestor" of the main line, Yanmei was completely out of control, she was a complete devil that will do anything that she finds fun, consequences be damned.
Six years ago, she had famously used her phoenix fire to cause an explosion that burned off the First Elder's hair and beard during a tantrum.
And when the First Elder had dared to scold her, causing her to cry, Yuyan had immediately flew into rage and she beat up the peak Heavenly Saint into a pulp before pinning him to the main city walls, completely naked mind you, for an entire year as a "main attraction."
That humiliation was why the First Elder had retreated into seclusion until Haoran's departure two years.
He dared to come out after hearing someone had awakened a Sacred Physique, so he decided to take him as a disciple, hoping that this disciple would allow him to get revenge on the main line by humiliating Shen Haoran.
"Cousin!" Yanmei ignored her mother and charged toward Haoran, tackling him with a hug and burying her face in his stomach.
Xiao Feng, the little phoenix, took flight and nestled itself comfortably in Haoran's silver-blonde hair, chirping a greeting.
"Cousin, you brought gifts for me, right? You didn't forget your favorite little sister in that dusty desert, did you?" Yanmei asked, grinning widely as she looked up at him.
"Of course," Haoran replied, a rare, soft expression appearing as he caressed her hair. "In fact, your new 'Big Sister' over there brought a very big gift. I heard she once used it to cause an explosion so large it wiped out nearly a million soldiers in a single breath."
"Explosion!? Millions!?" Yanmei's eyes sparkled like suns as she whipped her head around to stare at Xueli, her jaw dropping in pure, unadulterated excitement. "Is that true!? You made a giant boom?!"
Xueli blinked, caught off guard by the child's intensity, but eventually nodded. "Um, yes. It was a... very large explosion."
"Awesome! I couldn't even do that with my fire yet!" Yanmei scrambled over to Xueli, grabbing her hands and jumping up and down. "Show me! Show me! Show me! Can we blow something up right now? The First Elder's garden is really ugly, let's start there!"
It was a well-known fact in the Shen Domain: Feng Yanmei absolutely, obsessively loved explosions.
"That will have to wait for later, Mei'er," Xueli said, smiling at the girl's infectious energy. "For now, we must eat. I have ordered the best Gourmet Hunter of the entire clan to prepare this feast. You wouldn't want to blow things up on an empty stomach, would you?"
Yanmei paused, thinking it over with the gravity of a philosopher. "I guess not. Food first, fire later! Come on, Sister Explosion! Sit next to me!"
As the family sat down to the feast, the hall filled with the sounds of laughter and clinking jade, but beneath the warmth, the three sisters watched Haoran with pride.
Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Night Before
The feast had long since concluded, leaving the Palace in a state of tranquil, silver-lit grace.
However, for the younger inhabitants of the inner sanctum, the night was only beginning.
Feng Yanmei, fueled by a sugar high from celestial nectar and an obsessive curiosity, had practically dragged Ning Xueli by the arm toward the secluded testing ranges of the palace.
The little ancestor was relentless, her golden eyes wide with a manic shimmer as she begged to see the structural blueprints of the "Little Boy" or, at the very least, a live demonstration of a high-yield spiritual detonation to light up the midnight sky.
Qinq'er, ever the silent shadow, followed several paces behind them, after all her presence was a necessity, especially when Yanmei and explosives were mentioned in the same sentence, as the structural integrity of the Shen Domain was usually at stake.
Meanwhile, Feng Yuyan had vanished into her laboratory to check on her latest "stitching" projects, and Leng Shuang had retreated to the meditation spires to oversee the midnight shift of the Shadow Guard's training.
Haoran, left to his own devices, decided to wash away the travel-worn dust of the Eastern Region.
He spent nearly an hour in the palace's private hot springs, where the water was infused with Dragon-Blood herbs and Spirit-Gathering Incense.
The steam rose in thick, white plumes, clinging to the jade-carved walls.
And when he finally stepped out, drying himself with a flick of his Qi, a Shadow Guard materialized from the mist.
She knelt, her voice a low murmur, "You g master, the mistress has requested your presence in her private bedchambers once you are refreshed."
"I see. Very well."
With that, the Shadow Guard vanished into the shadows.
Following the summons, Haoran dressed in a simple, loose-fitting black silk robe as he navigated the silent, winding corridors of the inner palace until he reached the towering, dark-wood doors of Chu Xueyu's chambers.
He knocked twice, the sound echoing softly in the hall.
"Come in," his mother's voice sounded.
It was soft, melodic, and held a strange, underlying vibration that seemed to resonate directly with his bone marrow.
Haoran pushed the doors open and entered, closing them firmly behind him.
The room was illuminated by a single, floating "Moon-Pearl", a rare but otherwise useless gem that absorbs the light of the moon for hundreds of years, with its only effects being able to glow, which cast a dim, ethereal glow over the space.
The scent of sandalwood and a faint, floral musk—Xueyu's natural scent—permeated the air.
There, on the sprawling, oversized bed draped in purple silks, was Chu Xueyu.
She wasn't lying down; instead, she was perched in the center of the mattress, her legs tucked beneath her in an M-shape, her hands resting on the silk before her.
She was smiling, but it was a smile that held a thousand hidden meanings.
Haoran felt his heart skip a beat, an instinctive reaction that even his stoic cultivation couldn't entirely suppress.
The sight was, frankly, jarring.
His mother was wearing a black, see-through lace nightgown—a garment so delicate and revealing that it seemed to be made of shadows and spiderwebs, allowing him to completely see everything about her, especially those two beautiful mounds of flesh and those pink, nipples.
If her hands weren't covering her groin, he would've already seen everything that no one has ever had the pleasure of seein yet.
He honestly couldn't believe that his mother was bold enough to wear a style of clothing that is completely foreign to the Prime Origin Realm, where modesty and heavy robes were the standard for nobility.
"Mother... what are you wearing?" he couldn't help but ask, his voice slightly lower than usual.
"Hm? Does it not look good?" Xueyu asked, tilting her head and glancing down at herself with a look of feigned innocence. "I found the design from the memories of that cousin of yours, you know, the one who traveled from a minor blue planet in a lower realm whose name I already forgot. Apparently, this type of sleeping garment is rather popular among the elites there. It's quite breathable, don't you think?"
Haoran remained silent for a moment.
He could certainly see why it was popular.
The sheer fabric left little to the imagination, highlighting the divine curves of the woman who had forced the heavens to kneel.
She looked less like a Clan Head and more like a primordial succubus.
"...Is there something you need, Mother?" Haoran asked, reclaiming his composure.
"Lie down," Xueyu said, her finger pointing to the space on the bed directly in front of her.
Haoran followed her words without question as he moved to the bed and lay down, his black robe fanning out against the purple silk.
Before he could ask for clarification, Xueyu moved with the fluid, noble grace of a feline and climbed over him, her weight light yet authoritative, and sat directly on his waist.
Her slender, cool hands reached out, caressing his abdominal muscles through the thin fabric of his robe.
"Hmm... fifth stage Golden Core realm," Xueyu murmured, her golden eyes narrowing as she peered through his flesh to inspect his dantian. "You seem to be slacking off with your cultivation, Haoran. Two years in the Eastern Region, and you've only advanced this much?"
Haoran let out a short, tired sigh. "I guess... if you look at it strictly through ranks."
In truth, his original plan in the Bright Silver Emperor's Inheritance was to use the gravity of the staircase to force a breakthrough to the very peak of the Golden Core realm.
But during that process, his dormant physique had begun to stir, so he had made a split-second tactical decision to abandon the easy path of Rank-advancement and instead, he had channeled every ounce of that external pressure into his marrow, using it to fully awaken his physique.
After the awakening, the pressure from the staircase had become as useless to him as a summer breeze.
Advancing to the fifth stage while simultaneously rebuilding his entire physical foundation was a testament to his talent that would have made the branch family "geniuses" weep in despair.
"...You will leave tomorrow," Xueyu said, her voice suddenly lost its playful edge, sounding uncharacteristically reluctant, almost heavy. "Your Aunt Shuang has already prepared the coordinates and the gateway for your departure."
"Is... that so?" Haoran sighed, looking up at her. "Very well. Though I am curious, into which realm am I going to descend? It isn't another desolate wasteland, I hope."
"The Saint Burial Realm," Xueyu replied, her hands moved from his chest to his hair, her fingers tracing the golden blonde strands. "If you are lucky, you might find something truly useful there. Or at least, something entertaining."
Saint Burial Realm... Haoran's brow furrowed.
If he remembered correctly, that realm was a shattered fragment of a primordial realm, an ancient battlefield where Saints and even early Supreme Emperors had fought to the death during the Great Calamity.
It was a graveyard of civilizations.
Because of that war, countless saints and supreme legacies were lost to the sands of time.
And due to the loss of those complete legacies, the cultivators of the modern era were, in many ways, so inferior to the Cultivators from the ancient era.
A peak Nirvana Rebirth expert from that ancient era would have likely been able to slaughter a modern Profound Saint with a flick of their sleeve.
Of course, this gap in quality doesn't exist for those from an ancient hegemon powers like the Shen Clan, who kept complete legacies of their predecessors.
And in fact, because of the culmination of legacies from ancient era to now, modern Cultivators from ancient hegemon powers are far more superior to the ones in ancient past.
"The Supreme Seer of our clan has been burning his lifespan to trace the threads of fate," Xueyu continued, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He has deduced that your 'father' has reincarnated there."
Haoran couldn't help but let out a dry, mocking chuckle. "Heh, reincarnated in a world literally filled with the buried legacies and forgotten treasures of ancient saints... that father of mine is truly a 'Protagonist' of the highest order, isn't he? Let me take a wild guess—I bet he took over the body of a 'useless' young master in a falling clan, someone who possessed a rare, unawakened divine physique that everyone mistook for a crippled meridian."
Xueyu chuckled, the sound vibrating through Haoran's chest. "Most likely. They are always so predictable, aren't they? They suffer for twenty years, get a lucky break, and then spend the next fifty years shouting about 'defying the heavens' while they slaughter anyone who looks at them sideways."
She leaned down then, her long golden hair falling like a curtain around them, shielding them from the rest of the world as she lay her head on his chest, listening to the steady, powerful thrum of his heart.
"...Sleep here tonight," she murmured, her voice losing its empress-like authority and becoming something much more vulnerable. "Tomorrow, you will be a world away. Tonight, you are just my Haoran."
Haoran stayed silent for a moment, then his hands moved, wrapping firmly around her waist and pulling her closer.
He closed his eyes, the scent of the Moon-Pearl and his mother's presence grounding him.
"....Alright," he replied softly.
Outside, the moon hung high over the Shen Domain, silent and indifferent, as the gears of fate began to grind toward the Saint Burial Realm, where a father and son were destined to meet in a clash that would determine the future of the heavens.