《Ancestor's Manual for Raising Idiots》


 Xiao Jun

    It''s the year 2125, about a hundred years since the reawakening of Qi on earth, the human civilisation that has forgotten the existence of Qi for nearly ten thousand years and has diverted on the path of science and laws of physics.


    An era of thousand years of prosperity as humanity recreated civilisations piece by piece, the emergence of new cultures and new eras


    But everything and everyone changed a hundred years ago with the awakening of Qi one night, leading to global chaos as mystical treasures reappeared over earth''s surface and lost cultivation techniques were rediscovered once again, leading to the reemergence of cultivators all over the world.


    The new civilisation was a mix of the convenience of modern science and the strength of ancient immortal cultivation. Since the awakening of Qi, human settlements have evolved at an insane pace.


    But it isn''t just humanity that evolved; the living creatures on earth also evolved¡ªthe animals, insects, birds, and fishes; they also evolved.


    However, due to various circumstances, they developed in different ways, giving rise to Monsters, Spirit Beasts, and Divine Spirits. In order to exist in this world that depends on balance like a needle, they can all use their incredible might to endanger the lives of the very cultivators.


    The people need to constantly grow stronger; there is a lot of competition, so much that people have long forgotten the concept of laws and morality. The pretence of morals is still seen in society, but in their hearts, everyone knows they won''t survive a day with those morals in this very society.


    Only someone as naive as a newborn or stupid as a retard would think that something like morals or laws will save them in this world.


    ''And that someone is me...'' A young man frowned; his limbs were tightly bound in iron chains as he was walking in the woods while being surrounded by several men around him.


    ''How stupid am I to fall for this?'' Xiao Jun grimaced as another sharp rock cut through the sole of his ruined shoe. ''An "investment offer," huh? Yeah, and pigs fly too. I should''ve known it was too good to be true...'' He let out a long, weary sigh, his breath fogging in the cold forest air.


    These people seem to be dressed up in modern clothing, some in flashy shirts, some with costly clothing, but the centre of attention seemed to be this young man, Xiao Jun, who was dragged along by this bunch of people inside the woods.


    He was a quiet, curly, white-haired young man wearing a black shirt and pants; his eyes were rare blue, like some sort of deep sapphire crystal.


    ''What''s with them?'' Xiao Jun thought, turning his attention towards the people who were dragging him along, ''They baited me while acting as investors and kidnapped me, and now they bring me here to this nameless countryside place? We have already been waking for 4 fucking days without rest already.''


    A deep sigh escaped his mouth. ''At first I thought, what''s the point of kidnapping me when I have no wealth or power to begin with? My family is poor as hell, but now I''m starting to think they are just a bunch of crazy bastards who want me to die of exhaustion and starvation by walking me around the woods for days...''


    Xiao Jun seemed seriously exhausted, his shoes already falling apart by now, but as he was about to fall apart himself too, suddenly one of the men paused.


    "We are here," he announced, pointing towards a wild cave beneath the cliff in front of them. The people nodded and quietly took out the torches in their hands, and one of them picked Xiao Jun over his shoulders.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ''I guess, they don''t want me to die of exhaustion?'' Xiao Jun felt confused and the people just brought him along inside the cave, insides of the cave were full of animal carcasses lying around in the corners


    The air was cold, humid, and thick with some strange pressure in the place that just made people not want to move further inside the cave, but these people didn''t stop and kept walking until they found themselves standing at the very end of the cave, which was a stone wall.


    Their leader signalled everyone to pause, and he himself stood at the very front of that stone wall while placing his arm over the stone wall, concentrating his attention over the wall.


    Xiao Jun, unable to comprehend anything, remarked, "What is this, some kind of one-inch punch audition?"


    The leader of the bunch opened his eyes, and with a chuckle, he turned his gaze towards Xiao Jun. "Something like that," he replied, and the next moment the palm placed over the stone wall suddenly transformed into a fist, all this while his wrist never moved an inch from the place.


    But the wall did; right in front of Xiao Jun, he saw as cracks started to form across the stone wall, and it fell, crumbling down into pieces, revealing the sight of an ancient jade gateway, which seemed to be almost a dozen meters high and thick.


    "Holy fuck ..." he muttered in shock but this time it wasn''t just him who was shocked, the people who brought him along were also stunned


    "We struck rich this time..." the leader muttered in awe, but holding down his composure, he signalled his subordinates to drag Xiao Jun forward.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Jun himself seemed dazed by the grandness of that jade gate, it was literally glowing by itself in the dark end of the cave; nobody has ever seen a jade that big and huge.


    ''Just this alone... is worth a few hundred million at the very least.'' Xiao Jun noticed with his mouth gaped, but the leader of the bunch who kidnapped him snapped him back to reality as Xiao Jun suddenly felt a cold sensation run down his wrist.


    "Hmm?" with a bit of a surprised look on his face, he looked down at his arms, still confused, and there it was, blood leaking all over the place from a deep cut over his palm as the leader of the bunch was carrying a blade in his hand.


    As the realisation of pain finally reached Xiao Jun, he jumped in pain yelling, "Are you crazy?!"


    "A little bit," the leader nonchalantly replied with a chuckle and, without hesitation, grabbed Xiao Jun''s bleeding arms and placed his blood-covered arm over the jade wall.


    "ACK?!" Xiao Jun screamed in pain, jumping and pulling back, but that man who was grabbing his arm, it was as if he was made of some iron; his arms didn''t even shake an inch despite all resistance from Xiao Jun.


    But finally, as a few seconds passed, the green, glowing jade absorbed Xiao Jun''s leaking blood inside itself; people could see the blood of Xiao Jun floating inside the semi-transparent jade gate, and the blood started to revolve in circles inside the gate before the very gate itself started to shake, and a loud sound was heard coming from the gate as it opened up like a grand entrance.


    The Dragon''s Nest welcomes the descendants of ''The Peerless Sage''!!!


    Xiao Jun lost his pain for a moment as he heard those words; they were very familiar despite not having heard them in his life. It was an unexplainable feeling, and the air, which was coming from beyond that gate, seemed to naturally attract him inside.


    "It was actually here?!"


    "Legends weren''t fake!"


    "To think there would be actual treasure here like the records..."


    "This wealth is insane?!"


    For the first time, Xiao Jun noticed these people so excited, but he himself was in awe as he witnessed the sight inside. Unconsciously he himself stepped inside those gates, arriving in an enormous chamber.


    The ceilings of this place were so tall that humans felt like some little ants, the whole place full of mountains of golden taels, hundreds and thousands of scriptures, books, and wooden and jade boxes everywhere, thousands of mystical weapons just floating around the walls.


    This was the greatest treasure house anyone has seen since several eras, the grandest of all of them, so much wealth that a person can lose their mind by mere sight.


    "... It''s mind-blowing, isn''t it?" The leader commented as he walked up to Xiao Jun and, with a soft smile, placed his arm around Xiao Jun.


    Xiao Jun stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat. Words failed him, and even breathing felt difficult in the presence of such overwhelming grandeur. A mountain of gold taels shimmered like sunlight on water. Weapons floated along the walls like sleeping dragons waiting to awaken. It wasn''t wealth. It was a kingdom.


    His mind was barely catching up, but the next words from that man left Xiao Jun even more stunned.


    "It''s all yours."


    He suddenly announced, just the mention of those words seeming to give Xiao Jun a little heart attack at the moment, but the leader didn''t stop there.


    "You know, Xiao Jun, I did some research about you. You are such a kind and honest man; I actually felt some guilt while doing all this to you.


    Your father lost his business when you were little; you, who were supposed to grow up in wealth, were forced to survive in poverty, picking up so many part-time jobs at an early age and whatnot.


    You¡¯re a kind one, Xiao Jun. A real ''hero''¡ªthe type that tutors kids and helps old widows. It¡¯s touching, really.


    Honestly, I''m starting to become a fan of your Xiao Jun; you have so much stress in your life, so I was thinking, How about you give me an opportunity to relieve you of all the stress?"


    "Opportunity?" Xiao Jun muttered in a daze, but suddenly he felt that familiar sensation of cold once again; his eyes slowly moved down, where he noticed a cold blade running straight through his chest.


    "No life... no stress. Isn''t that right?" The leader''s voice was soft, almost kind, like he was doing Xiao Jun a favor. He pushed the blade deeper. Xiao Jun felt something snap¡ªhis ribs, maybe his heart. His chest caved in. His breath stopped. Warmth spilt down his stomach in waves. His vision tilted, and his legs refused to move.

 Mountain of Treasures

    "No life... no stress. Isn''t that right?" The leader''s voice was soft, almost kind, like he was doing Xiao Jun a favor. He pushed the blade deeper. Xiao Jun felt something snap¡ªhis ribs, maybe his heart. His chest caved in. His breath stopped. Warmth spilt down his stomach in waves. His vision tilted, and his legs refused to move.


    "Aren''t you grateful, Xiao Jun? You don''t need to worry about anything. No family tension, no career problems, no need to waste your time helping out every pebble on the streets?!" The leader laughed like a madman.


    Xiao Jun''s body started to collapse; he fell down without control of his body, with vision slowly blurring down and the scythe of death right around his neck, ready to reap his soul.


    Xiao Jun''s breath hitched. His eyes flickered down, disbelief gripping him like a vice. Cold steel pierced his chest, warmth spilling down his shirt. His heart thudded in his ears, slow, sluggish, fading...


    "No..." Xiao Jun muttered with the very last breath of his, ''I can''t die like this... Father already died years ago; Mother barely manages to handle day-to-day expenses working multiple jobs; my sister hasn''t even finished high school. How will they survive if I die like this?''


    He could see his sister''s smile as she waved at him from the school gate. Their mother, face weathered but eyes soft with pride, calling him home for dinner. The image burnt, sharp as the blade now lodged in his chest.


    He frowned; even at his last breaths, he was worried about others; his heart was hurting way more with those thoughts than an actual hole inside the heart.


    He was losing more and more blood every moment, but as he thought this moment was his last heartbeat, suddenly the time paused for him.


    The hole in his heart suddenly closed; it healed back perfectly. The wound over his arm and chest also suddenly closed back up. It was as if his body had never been cut or stabbed by the blade; all blood and energy he lost, all regenerated seemingly in an instant.


    His blurry vision intently became clear like some jewel, and he stayed lying on the ground with his eyes blankly staring at white ceilings.


    ''What the hell just happened here?'' The question was constantly ringing inside his mind. He sat back up like some resurrected zombie, and his eyes moved over towards the bunch of people who brought him here.


    They were all going crazy, jumping into mountains of gold and grabbing the treasures and whatnot, even their leader, who seemed nonchalant; he was blankly staring at blades floating over the walls of the chamber.


    But these people and things weren''t the ones who caught his attention; what caught Xiao Jun''s attention was one man, one man floating midair near the ceilings of the chamber.


    ''... Who is that?'' The question rang inside his mind; his mind seemed blank and seemingly lost as he watched that man, and that mysterious man was also looking right back into Xiao Jun''s eyes.


    There was a strange silence; that mysterious man had long black hair tied at the top of his head and slit golden pupils like some dragon, which Xiao Jun can only remember from myths.


    The man was wearing some black hoodie, with his face hidden underneath that hoodie, but that gaze alone was enough to shake the laws of the universe and beyond.


    Xiao Jun lay still with a blank mind, eyes gazing at the man standing midair in a daze. His body felt weightless, yet every heartbeat echoed like thunder in his ears.


    *Thump¡­ Thump¡­ THUMP!*


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    A searing heat surged through him, filling his veins with molten fire. His sapphire-blue eyes flickered, the colour twisting unnaturally until his pupils narrowed into sharp, crystalline blue slits. He blinked slowly, unfocused, as if trapped in a dream.


    *Crack¡­*


    A dull pressure built on his forehead, then¡ªCRUNCH!¡ªsomething pierced through his skin. He felt it, but it was distant, like a sensation too far to matter. His gaze shifted lazily to his reflection on a golden plate lying on the ground. A sleek, black horn seemed to have emerged from the left side of his forehead, with a surface smooth like obsidian.


    ''Is that¡­ me?'' He thought his mind felt sluggish and numb. The world around him felt quieter, sharper. Every sound, every breath, every shift of movement echoed like ripples in a pond. He didn''t move. He just stared at himself, his golden, dragon-like eyes filled with confusion.


    ''What... happened to me?'' He thought in confusion, but then his eyes unconsciously diverted to that man standing in the air once again.


    "What are you doing?" Suddenly the man standing in the air questioned, "Did your parents not teach you to show respect to ancestors?" He questioned Xiao Jun.


    "Ancestor?" Xiao Jun muttered in confusion, staring blankly over at that man with a tilted head.


    "... I can''t believe it." the man in the air stated in disbelief, shaking his head as if he was stressed out, "Can''t believe I''m meeting such a fool of a descendant after awakening after centuries." he muttered with a deep sigh


    "I will teach you some manners..." With that said, he removed the hoodie covering his face, revealing a handsome, vital face. He was very well what one can address as prime state of a man; his eyes showed wisdom of infinite eras, yet the face, which seemed to have stopped growing old once it reached its prime.


    "But before that... I need to have some talk with strangers here," he said, turning his attention towards the people standing on the ground, extremely cautious and startled by his sudden presence.


    "I''m surprised¡ªreally surprised," the leader suddenly chuckled. "To think there will be another Nascent Soul Stage expert in a countryside like this?" he stated with a chuckle


    ''What the hell is this guy talking about?'' but the person in question just seemed confused; the leader kept talking.


    "I''m not wrong, right? You are some expert who has been living out here in the woods, but our presence caught your attention, and you followed us all the way here. Oh well, since you have seen all this. How about you just take a share of this and leave us alone?" the leader offered, but the man standing over the air just chuckled


    "With what authority?" He scoffed, "What authority do you have to be making such offers? Do all these treasures belong to your father or what?"


    "Not my father; they are mine. So I suggest you not cause trouble; just take a share and leave. I don''t want conflicts on joyous occasions," the leader shouted back, getting a bit more enraged as time went by.


    But the man in the air, he also didn''t have infinite patience; releasing a big sigh in cold breath, he growled in a low voice, "I don''t remember transferring my property over to you, mortal."


    "So you really don''t understand the language of peace, huh..." the leader''s voice lost all its patience; he suddenly took out his dagger again, along with all his subordinates, turning towards that man.


    Their eyes were ferocious, displaying their united bloodlust for that mysterious guy; they appeared to have already perpetrated all of humanity''s sins without hesitation.


    The leader''s eyes narrowed as a cold gust swept through the chamber. He sneered, "I have lost interest in peace treaties; I have fought way too many people and lived to tell the tale." He raised his hand, his fingers crackling with golden lightning. "You will be no different."


    The air buzzed with static as arcs of golden energy danced across his arm. With a roar, he slammed his palm forward, sending a jagged bolt of lightning toward the floating figure. The bolt cut through the air like a divine spear, illuminating the dark chamber in flashes of gold and white.


    But the ancestor didn''t flinch. He didn''t block. He didn''t move. He simply... stared.


    "Pathetic."


    The single word hung in the air like a judge''s gavel. The moment it echoed, reality twisted. The golden lightning, once fierce and wild, shuddered mid-flight and just vanished midair.


    The leader staggered, eyes wide with disbelief. "Impossible!" he choked, his words cut short as a pressure unlike anything he had ever felt crushed down on him. His knees buckled, his bones creaking like splintering wood. Blood leaked from his nose, his ears, and his eyes. "What...what is this power?"


    The ancestor lowered his gaze, the weight of his presence multiplying a hundredfold. His eyes shimmered like molten suns, twin orbs of cold detachment. He raised one hand slow, deliberate, uncaring¡ªand with a flick of his fingers, reality itself answered.


    *Crack!*


    The leader''s arms exploded at the shoulders, flesh and bone disintegrating into a mist of blood and gore. For a moment, he didn''t realise it. His mind hadn''t caught up with the sudden, absolute loss. Then... the pain arrived.


    "AAAAAAAGHH!"


    He screamed like a wounded beast, his eyes darting to the. His followers stared, frozen in a mix of terror and disbelief. None of them moved to help.


    "A Nascent Soul, you said?" the ancestor murmured, tilting his head slightly. "If this is all it takes to break one, then the standards of this era have fallen far." He exhaled slowly, as if bored. "Kneel."


    The word crashed down like a divine decree. It wasn''t a command¡ªit was a law. Every person present felt their legs buckle uncontrollably.


    Bones cracked as knees met stone, heads bowing as though unseen chains had yanked them down. Some tried to resist, their muscles trembling with futile effort, but resistance only brought sharper pain.


    The leader gasped, barely able to breathe under the crushing force. His face was pale, lips trembling as he forced himself to look up. His eyes met the ancestor''s gaze, a mistake. Those eyes were endless. Eternal. A storm of stars trapped in a sea of darkness.


    Terror bloomed in his chest. "No... no, please¡ª!"


    The ancestor''s eyes didn''t shift. He didn''t raise his voice. He only said one word.


    "Vanish."


    Silence, followed by a loud sound of bones cracking and shuddering, all the people there, including the leader and subordinates, their bodies suddenly started to overflow with blood and exploded, they all just vaporised before their blood could stain the floor.


    The ancestor sighed, brushing a speck of dust from his sleeves, making his way down towards Xiao Jun now.


    "Children playing war," he muttered. "How dull."

 Ao Shen

    "Children playing war," he muttered. "How dull."


    Dusting off his sleeves, he finally arrived in front of Xiao Jun, quietly stepping down over the ground with a deep sigh, "Still not showing respect; how arrogant?" he remarked while staring over Xiao Jun.


    Xiao Jun, on the other hand, was still as confused as when he died once here. "Who... are you?" he muttered in a daze.


    "... To think my bloodline will also have donkeys being born in dragon''s skin," he frowned, before releasing yet another deep sigh. "Remember the name and remember it well.


    The name of this venerable one is Ao Shen, the ancestor of your bloodline as well as the one who goes by the title of ''The Peerless Sage.''."


    "Ancestor?" Xiao Jun muttered in a daze, "My bloodline even has ancestors like this? I thought we were descendants of farmers, though?" He was lost in a daze, his thinking capacity incapable of comprehending its own greatness; it was pure chaos in his mind until finally the realisation hit his mind like a nuke.


    "The humble descendent greets the ancestor!!!" Xiao Jun fell over all four of his limbs, falling down over his knees as he repetitively bowed to Ao Shen''s feet again and again.


    "... This one is a bit slow in mind," Ao Shen muttered a bit hesitantly before a little smile seemed to have emerged over his face. ''But the soul seems pure enough.''


    Ao Shen nodded and finally commanded, "Rise." Xiao Jun immediately stood up, and Ao Shen turned back and questioned, "The situation of my descendants doesn''t look so good in this era, right?"


    "Uh? Well, our family was good a few years ago, but then my father''s business got lost, and we suffered some debt issues here and there, and now..." Xiao Jun sighed in exhaustion.


    "So ''you'' are the jinx bringing misfortune to my bloodline?" Ao Shen scoffed and turned his head away towards the huge chamber.


    "I''m not exactly a jinx, Ancestor! How should I put it?! It''s just the misfortunes started to happen when I was around; there is a difference!" Xiao Jun tried explaining, but all he got was a scornful look from Ao Shen.


    "Heaven has become arrogant, trying to punish me with such a descendent?" Ao Shen murmured and turned his arm towards all the treasures and fortune inside the chamber and what seemed like a vacuum.


    He devoured everything within the vacuum that emerged from the tip of his arm, sucking up every little thing in this huge chamber and placing it inside the sub dimension he commanded himself.


    And shaking his head, he diverted his attention towards Xiao Jun, "Either way, this won''t do. I have too much pride to just sit and watch as my children crawl and fall."


    Ao Shen nodded and started to make his way outside. "Do you have that device? It was called a ''smartphone,'' right?" Ao Shen questionedIf you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Ah? Yes!" Xiao Jun seemed a bit startled as he took out the phone from his back pocket, handling it to Ao Shen, who seemed to be using it as if he had been using it for years already.


    "Didn''t you say you just woke up recently?" Xiao Jun, who watched that sight, couldn''t help but to question, "I did," Ao Shen replied.


    "I just copied the memories from those guys I squished before," he explained lazily, and just some searches were all it needed for him to confirm the situation with the current world.


    ''It has really fallen, huh... Well, it''s recovering fast since even I have awakened now, to think while I was asleep there will come an era without Qi in the world, but well, maybe it''s fate? I got to see some funny devices without disturbing the laws of existence.'' Ao Shen chuckled with his eyes set on the smartphone in his hand.


    "I think I will love this era more than the boring peaks and mountains from before." Ao Shen chuckled, ''The ordinary people of the current world are only aware of 6 cultivation realms.


    Qi Condensation, Foundation Building, Core Formation, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul Realm, and Immortal Ascension¡ªthese little realms, like Nascent Soul, are considered a big deal; it''s truly pathetic.'' Ao Shen scoffed, but with a frown, his gaze fell over Xiao Jun.


    "But if the world has fallen this low... Just how in the world are my descendents still so weak in the world? I couldn''t sense a shred of Qi inside your body before; have you really never cultivated in life?" Ao Shen questioned, staring at Xiao Jun with widened eyes.


    "Of course I haven''t; the cultivation techniques are crazy expensive. Just a basic one costs more than my 8 months'' salary. How can I afford such a thing given my financial situation?" Xiao Jun explained


    "... So you are just broke?" Ao Shen muttered in disbelief, pinching his forehead with increasing stress. "To think there will come a day when I will watch the blood of a dragon crying about pennies..." he muttered with an increasing frown.


    "This won''t do! This won''t do at all," Ao Shen shook his head. "This pathetic descendent is hurting my pride more than any of my enemies ever did."


    "And you are hurting my emotions now." Xiao Jun frowned but was immediately smacked on his back. They finally stepped outside the jade gates, which also vanished the moment Ao Shen walked out; the chamber behind turned into stones and dirt, collapsing as both Ao Shen and Xiao Jun walked out of the cave, finally entering the woods.


    "Human settlements have developed, I see..." Ao Shen remarked with his glowing pupils; his eyes seemed to see more than just what was right in front of him; he could see through many things at enormous distances.


    "You can see all that from here?" Xiao Jun questioned in surprise, ''Even a mere village is at least a hundred miles away; he can see that?''


    "I can see things even beyond that; you can''t?" Ao Shen sarcastically scoffed, and with a finger, he quietly tapped Xiao Jun''s skull. The moment Ao Shen''s fingers touched his head, his dragon-like eyes suddenly lit up.


    His eyes vision instantly expanded up to several dozen miles, capable of looking at things in detail he never even imagined, just how monstrous a tiny ant can be when seen up close and how majestic an eagle can be while riding the clouds¡ªall can be seen without any effort.


    "It''s amazing..." Xiao Jun muttered in shock; Ao Shen, on the other hand, just scoffed at amusement, ''That''s another way to look at it; with weak descendants, I might have more time to have fun in this new era.''


    "There is so much more to explore, though." Ao Shen remarked with a smile, but his steps paused midway as he turned to look at Xiao Jun.


    "Learn to hide your horns," Ao Shen instructed Xiao Jun, and with just a snap of his fingers, the horn emerging from Xiao Jun''s forehead vanished as if it was never there to begin with.


    "Oh? We can do that?!" Xiao Jun said in surprise, and Ao Shen was just amused at his reactions and said, "Let''s visit your residence."


    "It would be an absolute honour! Ancestor! We just need to walk out of these woods; I will place an advance cab booking and¡ª"


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Ao Shen coldly scoffed, and with a snap of his fingers, he remarked, "When I said about visiting your residence, I meant right this instant."


    By the time he finished his words, both Ao Shen and Xiao Jun felt the space around them suddenly shaking and vibrating at an unknown frequency, and suddenly the two vanished from the middle of the woods, and in an instant both were seen standing in a dark, single-room apartment.


    "Huh?" Xiao Jun''s eyes seem to have lost light in them; he stood there like a petrified piece of rock, while Ao Shen, on the other hand, was just amused. He switched on the lights of the apartment.


    It was literally a very small space apartment with humid walls and a collapsing ceiling; it was as if this place was in ruins that could collapse any time.


    There was just a little bed over in the corner of the room and Xiao Jun''s clothes lying around all over the place along a bunch of quick instant noodle wrappers piled up in a corner.


    "Wow, my descendants actually live in gutters now. I''m not even enraged at this point." Ao Shen scoffed; Xiao Jun seemed too embarrassed to meet his gaze.


    An awkward silence took over the whole atmosphere, but just Xiao Jun was thinking it couldn''t get any worse; heaven heard his calling.


    *Bang! Bang! Bang!!!*


    "Xiao Jun!! I know you are hiding inside you rat!! Who the hell will pay the rent! It''s already the 5th date of the month! Where the hell have you been hiding for the last few days? You dare not pick up my calls?! That''s it! Take your garbage and leave my apartment! Hey! Open up, you little rat!"

 A residence?

    "Xiao Jun!! I know you are hiding inside you rat!! Who the hell will pay the rent! It''s already the 5th date of the month! Where the hell have you been hiding for the last few days? You dare not pick up my calls?! That''s it! Take your garbage and leave my apartment! Hey! Open up, you little rat!"


    A woman''s screeching voice was heard coming loudly from the other side of the door, as she seemed to be continuously banging that door as if she was ready to break it with just her fists if Xiao Jun didn''t open it fast.


    "She is a landlord, haha..." Xiao Jun awkwardly explained, and took a deep breath, before opening his apartment doors, and the moment he did so, a fist of that fat-skinned woman struck directly at Xiao Jun''s face.


    "ACK?!"


    But to Xiao Jun''s own surprise, it was the woman''s fist that got hurt instead of his nose.


    "What are you doing?!" She screamed while stepping back in pain; she seemed to be quite young by her age, yet her appearance seemed nothing less than some old witch.


    Her wrist had more fat than Xiao Jun''s entire body; wearing curtain-like clothes, she was standing there with a red face full of anger.


    "I warned you so many damn times. Why can''t you pay the damn rent on time! Fuck it! I''m increasing your damn rent by 10%. Pay me rent for this month and the next one in advance right now; otherwise, leave!" She shouted right over Xiao Jun''s face while spitting her saliva over the young man''s face.


    Xiao Jun said nothing, and while quietly wiping the saliva over his face, he turned towards that lady, "This is unreasonable, Mrs. Landlord; it''s literally my first time missing rent, and that''s because I was kidnapped by those fuckers. I just returned¡ª"


    "Kidnap? You? Hahahahahahahaha?" Cutting Xiao Jun''s sentence midway, she suddenly burst out laughing, "Why would anyone kidnap you? Are you the son of some rich man? Or do you have some ancient inheritance in your name?"


    "The Ancient Inheritance one sounds kind of true..." Xiao Jun muttered under his breath, but the lady didn''t even let him talk back. "That''s it! I''m done with your excuses; the world is getting more and more expensive a place to live in. From today, either you pay my damn rent or leave. I have many others dying to live here for my demanded price!"


    "Miss, how can you act like this when you know how hard it has been for me these last few months? I have been living here for the last 3 years. You know I''m an honest man, and¡ª"


    "Fuck!" she cursed straight over Xiao Jun''s face. "As if I care what kind of man you are?! Is this marriage interview going on here?! Huh?! If you are broke, then leave! What the fuck is an honest man? Does it save you from starvation or what?"


    Xiao Jun frowned while trying to negotiate in a calm tone, but each time that pig-skinned landlord argued back like a humping whale,


    Ao Shen, who had been watching it all from the dark corner of the room, couldn''t help but furrow his brows. ''... What the hell is that thing?'' he remarked. ''She has a punchable face; I''m starting to have an urge.''


    Ao Shen giggled and finally stepped in, pulling Xiao Jun''s shoulders back inside. He stepped out with his glowing pupils locked in over that woman.


    "Very well..." Ao Shen commented, "We will move out right this instant, stuff this apartment up your ass; I think you have potential."


    Ao Shen coldly scoffed, but his remark turned that woman''s face brimming red in anger, "Y-you! Who are you?! How dare you speak such words in front of my face!!? Do you know who I am?!"You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "A pig with human skin, rare indeed, but nothing to flaunt about." Ao Shen sarcastically remarked again and, turning back, commanded Xiao Jun, "Pack up your things, quick."


    Xiao Jun was a bit taken aback by this, but stepping back, he started to pack his things up, but it seems the woman wasn''t ready for such a quick resolution.


    "Hey, wait?! What''s this attitude?? Did your parents not teach you how to speak with your elders?!" She screamed, and her arms suddenly rushed out to reach for Ao Shen''s arms, but before she could do anything, the ground beneath her suddenly collapsed.


    "Aaahhh?!" She fell straight to the ground floor with a loud thud; Ao Shen even observed ripples forming from the very ground as she fell down.


    And with a body like that, she looked like an enormous piece of flesh lying flat on the ground. She placed enormous effort into trying to stand but remained stuck on the ground because of all the fat.


    But even as she was down, she had the ability to go even lower; glaring at Ao Shen, who was giggling watching her struggles, she screamed, "What are you looking at?! Help me stand!"


    "You wish?" Ao Shen scoffed, and his attention went back over to Xiao Jun, standing behind with a huge bag on his back.


    "I finished packing." Xiao Jun reported, but then his gaze fell over the collapsed entrance outside their door.


    "... How will we go down now?" Xiao Jun frowned, but before he could comprehend, Ao Shen had already tossed him over that woman. "Why are you worried? There is a trampoline right under us?"


    With that said, he released Xiao Jun. Right over that woman, Xiao Jun landed softly over her fat belly, and unexpectedly bouncing from her belly, landed like some acrobat on the ground.


    "Tada~" he exclaimed with a grin.


    "Aaaackk?!" The woman screamed in pain, but Ao Shen followed right after Xiao Jun, bouncing over her enormous belly; he also landed flat on the ground with a smirk on his face.


    "Rest, piggy~ rest~ it will regenerate all fat you lost screaming today." Ao Shen chuckled and, with a grin, walked away with Xiao Jun, leaving that pig-skinned human whale lying unconscious on the ground with a gold tael placed on her forehead as if she were a corpse.


    "But where are we going to live now, Ancestor?" Xiao Jun questioned as they both arrived over the streets outside; the neighbourhood seemed to be in the outer region of the city, with small houses and sketchy streets everywhere.


    "Residence?" Ao Shen questioned, "Residence, huh... It''s important in the current world, huh?"


    Ao Shen kept muttering some words by himself until finally a playful grin emerged on his face as he announced, "We will buy one, a residence!"


    Ao Shen giggled with something fun in his mind, "Bring me to some place that can afford my spending!"


    Hearing Ao Shen''s words, Xiao Jun couldn''t help but release a lost sigh. "... I''m afraid there is no such place in our Blue Jade City, but I do know the place where we can buy the greatest residences in the city!"


    Xiao Jun''s face lit up with a sly smirk resembling Ao Shen.


    "You truly are my descendant after all." Ao Shen sniggered, sensing the similar thoughts coming out of Xiao Jun; Xiao Jun also sniggered, rubbing his hands, "Hehehe, it''s my honour, Ancestor~"


    "Then move! Let''s move!!!" Ao Shen shouted with a bright grin, and both Ancestor and the descendent sped up, making their way towards the central region of the city.


    As they reached closer to the central region of the city, Ao Shen started to see the changes; it wasn''t just limited to the infrastructure of the city; the roads were wider, there were a lot of skyscrapers everywhere, and hundreds of vehicles were running all over the road.


    Busy streets and loud roads everywhere, but along with all such chaos, Ao Shen also noticed the difference in the people; there were way more cultivators here.


    Most of the people here have cultivated to some level, though the majority was barely around the Qi Condensation Realm and barely a few in the Foundation Establishment Realm, in that crowd of hundreds of people.


    "It''s way worse than I expected..." Ao Shen muttered while observing the people; his gaze could see through the traces of Qi in the surroundings; the density was indeed way thinner than what he remembered before waking up here.


    But at the same time, he could also see the laws of nature slowly but surely binding closer and closer, ''By this pace, it will take about 100 more years to recover the Qi in its previous state...''


    Ao Shen sighed, but as he was lost in those thoughts, suddenly Xiao Jun paused, "We are here!" he announced with his gaze over the grand title on an enormous building.


    "Jade Dragon Heights, they are the biggest luxury estate sellers in the city. What do you think, Ancestor?" Xiao Jun excitedly turned towards Ao Shen, but Ao Shen on the other hand didn''t seem surprised.


    "Just don''t embarrass this ancestor." Ao Shen muttered and with a playful nod he chuckled, "Let''s see what fun is hiding here?"

 All Gold

    "Just don''t embarrass this ancestor." Ao Shen muttered, and with a playful nod, he chuckled, "Let''s see what fun is hiding here."


    Xiao Jun smiled proudly, and both stepped inside the building, being greeted by the guards standing at the entrance. They reached inside the enormous lobby full of people.


    There was the smell of sandalwood and jasmine as they entered inside, a cool atmosphere and a spacious environment. But as they entered inside, their presence caught the attention of other customers dressed in high-end luxury clothing present in the lobby.


    "Are they lost?"


    "Must be beggars looking for work."


    "Tch, how shameless, walking in here with that outfit."


    Their whispers filled the whole lobby, with all gazes arrogantly scanning Xiao Jun and Ao Shen''s clothing and appearance.


    Xiao Jun''s face reddened for a moment hearing all those remarks; his confidence, which he came here with, seemed to shake. "A-Ancestor, I think we should get some clothes before--"


    "What?" Ao Shen''s expressions darkened. "You need to change clothes to buy things these days?" He scoffed, and his glowing pupils scanned the whole lobby.


    His mere presence seemed to shift the whole mood in the lobby; all those who had been arrogantly mocking diverted their gazes to the floor, and cold sweats filled their foreheads with unshakeable fear they felt from those eyes.


    "Do you realise how absurd it is, a dragon trying to impress ants?" Ao Shen''s voice resonated across the whole lobby; his words were clear, yet not one person dared to even lift his gaze, despite the mockery.


    A strange silence enveloped the room, and in a daze an employee was lost over Ao Shen''s commanding presence; suddenly Ao Shen''s gaze fell over her.


    "You," he said as if he was commanding, the female employee instinctively reacted, "I am Qian Ling, the senior sales consultant here. How can I help you!?"


    "I want to buy a residence; can someone assist us with available listings?" Ao Shen questioned, her gaze seeming to come out of initial surprise, and quietly observed Ao Shen and Xiao Jun.


    ''A hoodie and another one in a cheap shirt...'' an awkward expression seems to emerge on her face, "Our properties start at 10 million spirit coins, sir. Perhaps you''d prefer our affiliate company next door? They offer more affordable prices." She seemed polite, but the expressions looked exhausted.


    "10 million spirit stones?" Ao Shen muttered a bit confused, turning to look at Xiao Jun; suddenly his voice rang directly inside Xiao Jun''s head.


    ''What''s the most expensive price of a house you have heard?''


    "A--!" Xiao Jun almost shouted out loud, but he felt his composure on time, ''Is that you, A-Ancestor?! How can you be inside my head?!''


    ''I can be anywhere I want; just tell me your answer; you are making it awkward.'' Ao Shen scoffed.


    Xiao Jun looked flustered, but running around in his mind in panic, he came up with something from the back of his mind: ''250 million!''If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "My budget is about 500 million Spirit Coins," Ao Shen suddenly announced; the whole lobby was taken aback in shock, those sitting rose back up like ghosts in a daze with saliva leaking out from their faces in shock.


    Someone dropped papers all over the floor in shock; the whole atmosphere was full of daze before Ao Shen broke it. "Just show us what you can afford."


    His scoffing remark could be felt across the room; the employee somehow snapped out of her daze and immediately pointed at the upper floor.


    "T¡ªthen let''s discuss it in the private hall. You must be tired; let''s get you something cold up there," she said, and nearly tripping over her heels, she immediately pointed towards the path leading upstairs.


    Ao Shen sniggered, watching her shocked, and quietly followed with Xiao Jun behind him.


    His narrowed, cold eyes observed the shocked faces across the lobby, and he couldn''t help but chuckle, ''This is so much fun~.''


    They reached a private hall; it was full of luxury furniture and silence. Both Ao Shen and Xiao Jun sat down on the sofa as quickly as an employee brought them some ice-cube drinks, and Qing King took a seat in front of them with a list of available luxury villas on the device in her hand.


    "Take a look at this, sir; these are the greatest estates we have. All these villas come with cultivation chambers, herb gardens, and various kinds of arrays to ease your life," she explained.


    "I recommend this one; it''s called ''Blue Pearl Tears,'' worth 340 million Spirit Coins. It''s the one that is in most demand these days. It''s 25,000 square feet of land area and comes with all the facilities you can think of."


    "Hmm..." Ao Shen nodded along but didn''t seem much interested; scrolling down, there were various other villas at similar prices, but nothing seemed to catch his interest.


    ''340 million spirit coins? How many lifetimes can I live in luxury with that amount?'' Xiao Jun, on the other hand, was totally in a daze, sitting there with a blank face, drinking some soda drink with a straw.


    Qing Ling''s expressions became more and more nervous as she watched Ao Shen casually scrolling the options without even a hint of interest in any of the luxury, which made even the richest ones in the city go crazy.


    ''Am I really going to lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!? No! No! No! Please! Please heavens!!!'' There was a smile on her face, but inside her mind she was worshipping every god she could think of in that moment.


    Ao Shen''s eyes suddenly lit up, as with a chuckle he stared at her smiling face in amusement.


    "Is there some issue, sir?" She questioned Ao Shen; on the other hand, he just shook his head. "Nothing, I was just amused..."


    He remarked as he placed the device on the desk in front of him, and without batting an eye, he announced, "I''m buying the most expensive one."


    "Huh?" Qing Ling''s mind suddenly went blank the moment she heard it, "Most what?" Xiao Jun''s reaction was also somewhat the same, as all the drink in his mouth leaked out from his widened mouth.


    "Let''s proceed with the payment and ownership transfers." Ao Shen seemed to be having a lot of fun watching those reactions, and as he was about to stand, Qing Ling suddenly snapped out of her daze.


    "The most expensive one?! Sir?! That villa is almost 800 million Spirit Coins?! It isn''t really even expected to be sold in the first place!?"


    "Who cares? It''s up for sale, isn''t it?" Ao Shen scoffed and questioned, "You can take payment in gold, right?"


    "T-this is beyond my ca-capabilities?!" Qing Ling said in shock and in rush immediately grabbed her phone while making a plea, "Please just wait one minute sir! Let me confirm the details with the chairman!"


    "Granted." Ao Shen chuckled as Qing Ling rushed out of the hall while Ao Shen quietly grabbed his glass of juice while making a calm remark.


    "You don''t need clothes to be rich; you have to be rich to be rich."


    "I learnt a lot! Ancestor!" Xiao Jun replied with a serious nod, "Good boy." Ao Shen smiled, and just then, suddenly, the doors opened in a rush as someone around his middle ages stepped inside along with Qing Ling.


    "Are you the one planning to buy ''Celestial Dragon Manor''?" he questioned with disbelief


    "Why?" Ao Shen muttered, "You don''t want to sell it?"


    "How dare I?! Please buy whatever you like; I''m Zhan Tianyi! The chairman of ''Jade Dragon Heights,'' pleased to meet you."


    "Same." Ao Shen stood up and lazily questioned, "You can afford the payment in gold taels, right?"


    "Whatever pleases you!" Zhan Tianyi replied almost instantly; Ao Shen chuckled, seeing this middle-aged man losing all his composure like that.


    "Hmm..." Ao Shen stood up with a smile, and with his arms stretched out in the direction of the corner of the huge hall, he stated, "Indeed... Whatever pleases me."


    He chuckled as an enormous pile of golden taels emerged over that corner, filling up that huge space under the weight of several hundreds of kilograms worth of gold.


    Zhan Tianyi and everyone else present in the room all felt shook from very corners of their hearts; their mouths were wide open and their eyes shaking in disbelief.


    "Unbelievable..." Zhan Tianyi muttered, feeling his knees getting weaker. His steps unconsciously moved over to that pile of gold, and grabbing the golden taels, shivers ran down his whole spine experiencing the weight of that wealth.


    "Our Jade Dragon Heights Estate will always be at your service, sir! Please contact us if you require anything!" his voice of gratitude was so shaken it felt like he was screaming to keep his mind sane


    But sanity? After Ao Shen has finished a deal with them? That wasn''t something Ao Shen would be pleased with.


    "Very well then, first request: give me 5 more villas like this." Ao Shen chuckled, but his mere demand on a whim shook Zhan Tianyi to the deep corners of near insanity.


    "We¡ªwe don''t have such estates, sir; making villas like this requires a lot of capital; we don''t have such capability to keep several of them like this..."


    "Huh?" Ao Shen finally sneered with satisfaction as he watched Zhan Tianyi''s whole demeanour change to that of a peasant standing in front of the emperor, "Then I will just take what you have," Ao Shen commanded.


    "Payment?" Ao Shen stretched out his arm, creating another pile of gold over another corner of the hall, one which was ever grander than the last one, "All gold!"

 Celestial Dragon Manor

    The purchase of villas was successful; at the end of all the commotion, Ao Shen bought another 5 of the most expensive villas along with ''Celestial Dragon Manor,'' just on a whim and for amusement watching the expression of Zhan Tianyi and Qing Ling.


    Xiao Jun has long fallen unconscious with his eyes open, watching that venerable ancestor of his throw wealth as if he hated it, and not long after, Ao Shen finally left the hall with a satisfied grin on his face.


    "2.97 billion spirit coins? Just like that..." Zhan Tianyi muttered, watching all the gold piled up right in front of him, his knees falling weak as both he and Qing Ling collapsed right there on the ground beside the sparkling pile of pure wealth.


    "Well, that was fun!" Ao Shen giggled like some little boy as he left the building of Jade Dragon Heights Estate while placing the documents of the villa in his subspace.


    "But Ancestor? Is it really alright to buy all those villas under my name? You gave all ownership to me? I don''t feel it''s right." Xiao Jun suddenly questioned a bit hesitantly.


    "What can we do about that?" Ao Shen questioned and, releasing a deep sigh, stated, "The people in this era have developed things like citizenship? How ridiculous, striving for immortality while confining their souls in imaginary borders!"


    Ao Shen scoffed, "Well, since I don''t have any legal documents or whatever, I can''t have properties bought under my name. Do you have any issues being the owner of the 6 greatest villas in your city?"


    "Of course not?! How dare I disobey your wishes, Ancestor??" Xiao Jun shouted in panic, but for Ao Shen this was first-class entertainment after years of sleep.


    He giggled, and patting Xiao Jun''s shoulders, he stated, "Good, then now since we have finished the issue of finding your so-called residence, it''s about time you start cultivating, isn''t that right?"


    "Cultivate?" Xiao Jun muttered, "Can I really?!"


    "Your lack of common sense about how plot progress is embarrassing..." Ao Shen muttered, releasing a deep sigh while pinching his forehead, "Of course, if you don''t cultivate, you die; if you die, I become angry, and then everyone dies, so for the sake of world peace, you need to cultivate."


    "Ancestor..." Xiao Jun looked touched, with eyes wet in warmth, "You really adore me that much?"


    "Not really, I literally just met you in the morning." Ao Shen sniggered, and while laughing it off, he stated, "Just cultivate; nothing is fun when you are weak and poor, don''t you know?"


    Xiao Jun suddenly paused; those casual words of Ao Shen cut deep into his consciousness. Of course he knew it; how do you think Xiao Jun had lived his life till now?


    Facing disrespect from others because of little issues, working several part-time jobs, and whatnot? Even the worry for his family and almost being dead right this morning, who knew the life of the poor and weak better than him?


    "I know..." Xiao Jun replied, "I know better than anyone!" His voice felt full of energy and resolve as he said that. Ao Shen said nothing this time, just watching with a little smile on his face.


    "You are way more fun than anyone else..." Ao Shen remarked, "Very well!!! You wanted some clothes, right? Let''s go buy some! There is also a car showroom on the way! Let''s get one too! It doesn''t feel right to be walking like peasants everywhere!"


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "You are Overlord! Ancestor!!!" Xiao Jun praised, "Hahaha! Of course! Of course!!!" Ao Shen giggled, and as promised, they went and bought several dozen sets of luxury!


    And now both Ao Shen and Xiao Jun, dressed in luxury from head to toe and riding a luxury Pagani sports car, made their way straight towards the Azure Cloud Mountain, the highest landmark of Blue Jade City.


    Moving through the quiet sceneries and greeneries, they eventually reached the top of the mountain where the villa was located.


    "Good afternoon, sir!" The guards greeted them as the enormous gates of the villa opened automatically.


    The car rushed inside, moving through an enormous garden and stopping right over the doors of the villa where several servants were already waiting for the new owners of the villa.


    "Good afternoon, sir, welcome to Celestial Dragon Manor. I''m your butler, Yuan Mei!" A lady who seemed sharp and mature greeted them whilst fixing the glasses hung over her nose. She was dressed in a black professional dress, standing in the front with several maids and several behind her.


    "Yuan Mei, huh?" Ao Shen muttered as he stood in front of her with his eyes glowing in amusement.


    His gaze was as if it would pierce several dimensions to snatch out one''s soul from their body. Yuan Mei, who seemed quite professional herself, couldn''t help but feel nervous and a bit sceptical as her eyes met those of Ao Shen, who was staring as if he had found a new toy.


    "Good name," he suddenly remarked with a giggle, pointing over all the baggage of newly bought clothes and whatnot, and commanded, "Place those inside, and Yuan Mei, lead me to the Cultivation Chamber."


    "Right away, sir," she stated as several servants rushed over to park the car and take out the things inside the villa while she led Ao Shen and Xiao Jun inside.


    The villa was grand beyond imagination. Every inch of the Celestial Dragon Manor exuded an aura of opulence and ancient majesty. The floors were made of polished jade stone that shimmered under the soft glow of spirit lanterns embedded in the walls.


    A faint, refreshing fragrance lingered in the air, a mixture of rare spirit flowers that seemed to energise one''s body and mind with every breath. The feel in the air felt just right, somewhat cool and energetic.


    "Not bad," Ao Shen remarked, his eyes scanning every detail with keen interest. He walked with a strange confidence and smile, his every step echoing softly but firmly, like a king inspecting his newly acquired palace.


    Xiao Jun, however, felt a storm of emotions in his chest. There was an unsettling feeling of being out of place. Unlike Ao Shen, who fitted that place just right, Xiao Jun was not used to sudden luxury.


    "Oh, by the way~" Ao Shen suddenly remarked, "Don''t you have any companions? Wife? Girlfriend? Even some crush?"


    "Of course not?! Where did you come from?!" Xiao Jun felt completely flustered, but he paused suddenly as his gaze met that of Ao Shen, who was staring straight into his eyes, and suddenly a playful little smile emerged over his face.


    "No love companion, eh?" he giggled teasingly. Red in shame and surprise, Xiao Jun started to question in panic, "Why are you acting like this?! Did you read my mind?! That''s an invasion of privacy! Ancestor! Ancestor?!"


    "Keep walking, brat," Ao Shen said with a playful little grin, gesturing for him to follow as Yuan Mei led them deeper into the villa.


    "Here we are, sir," Yuan Mei announced, stopping in front of a grand set of double doors made of dark spiritwood reinforced with golden trim. The carvings on the door depicted a coiling azure dragon encircling a floating lotus. Yuan Mei stepped forward, pressing her palm against the door. A soft ripple of spiritual energy spread outward as she activated the formation lock.


    *Click!*


    The doors swung open with a deep, resonant hum, revealing a space that could only be described as an average cultivator''s dream sanctuary.


    The Cultivation Chamber


    The room was vast, its ceiling high enough to let an elephant raise its kids here. Glowing blue and golden spirit veins crisscrossed the floor, channelling Qi from the spirit springs below. The air was thick with spiritual energy, far more potent than the outside world, and even breathing it in gave a slight boost to one''s vitality.


    At the centre of the chamber was a large, circular, mysterious array, glowing faintly with symbols from scriptures. The entire chamber seemed alive, breathing in sync with the spirit energy that swirled in visible currents.


    "Good," Ao Shen said, nodding his head. His gaze swept over the array, lingering for a moment as he recognised the intricate runes embedded in the formation. "There are a few problems here and there, but~"


    He muttered as he walked over that array and casually took away several runes from the array, replacing them with that he made himself right there. The moment he did so, the density of energy inside increased several times higher. "I can just fix them."


    Yuan Mei, watching it all, couldn''t help but feel her brows twitching in shock, but maintaining professionalism, she just nodded, "I shall take my leave then," and left.


    Inside the Cultivation Chamber, once the doors closed, Ao Shen turned to Xiao Jun, his gaze sharp as a blade. The playful aura vanished.


    "Now," Ao Shen''s voice carried an undercurrent of dominance and authority, "Sit there, brat." He pointed to the centre of the array. Xiao Jun, still in a daze, did as he was told, sitting cross-legged on the meditation mat. The surge of spirit energy rushing into his body was immediate, causing his body to tremble.


    "It''s too much!" Xiao Jun gasped as his meridians strained under the pressure of the rich energy flooding into him. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his muscles tensed as if being stretched beyond their limits.


    "Too much? Hah, you''ve been living like a worm for too long," Ao Shen sneered, his eyes flickering with cold amusement. He made a gesture with his fingers, activating a rune on the Array. The glow intensified, and the spirit energy swirled in the air, condensing into tangible streams, all of which were drawn toward Xiao Jun''s body.


    "Aghh!" Xiao Jun gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot as the energy crashed into him like a raging river. He felt his bones creaking, his muscles straining, and his dantian churning violently. It was as if his body were being remoulded, his foundation shattered and reforged anew.


    "Stop crying, brat. This is just the beginning," Ao Shen remarked, his eyes cold but his grin wider than ever. "I will show you just how fun cultivation can be!!!"

 Bai Xianyu

    "Stop crying, brat. This is just the beginning," Ao Shen remarked, his eyes cold but his grin wider than ever. "I will show you just how fun cultivation can be!!!"


    Ao Shen watched with a mischievous grin as Xiao Jun''s face contorted with pain and determination. His body was shaking endlessly; it was like watching a ship hung in the air by little strings and the strings snapping with each passing moment.


    "Alright, that''s enough," Ao Shen chuckled, his golden eyes glowing brighter. He snapped his fingers, and the glowing array beneath Xiao Jun pulsed with a rhythmic hum. The energy flow instantly stabilised, shifting from an overwhelming torrent to a steady, controlled current.


    "Fuuu..." Xiao Jun gasped in relief; his tensed muscles started to loosen, and his breaths slowly turned more stable. Ao Shen smiled and observed as the particles of Qi from the surroundings slowly started to get absorbed inside Xiao Jun.


    "Can you feel the flow of Qi inside you?" Ao Shen questioned, and Xiao Jun just nodded in response.


    "Very well..." Ao Shen remarked, his amused look over the eyes was instantly replaced by the ancient wisdom, the gaze so deep it felt like a void in itself.


    "You mentioned you couldn''t cultivate because cultivation techniques are expensive, right?" Ao Shen smiled in amusement, "The technique that I''m giving you now is something one can''t obtain even if they are the God of Wealth themselves."


    Ao Shen smelt and crouched down; he placed his arm over Xiao Jun''s head. His consciousness instantly penetrated inside Xiao Jun; passing through several spiritual dimensions, he reached a place that seemed to be hidden under a thick mist; even Ao Shen couldn''t see through it.


    He could if he really wanted to, but, "There should be some mysteries in life," he giggled and took out a wooden scroll and released it in the air inside the mysterious place hidden in the mist.


    The scripture floated and slowly vanished into the mist. Ao Shen also jumped out of that place and opened his eyes. With a gaze over Xiao Jun, he stated


    "It¡¯s Dragon King''s Infinite Rebirth Art. Every drop of blood, every broken bone, every setback¡ªthey all become your fuel for rebirth. No technique is more fitting for a brat like you with ambition but no strength."


    As Ao Shen said, Xiao Jun''s mind was filled with endless unfamiliar information inside his head, the profound knowledge of Qi and cultivation, mysteries and enlightenment that would have taken a normal person a thousand years to explore; all of it was revealed to Xiao Jun right in an instant.


    Xiao Jun''s eyes suddenly wide open with his dragon pupils shining in the bright light of sapphire,


    The runes on Xiao Jun¡¯s body flared with light as if they were etched into his very bones. His mind was filled with visions of dragons soaring through endless skies, scales of jade and gold, their roars shaking the heavens. Memories that were not his own flooded him. He saw images of ancient dragons meditating within volcanoes, submerged in oceans of Qi as they refined themselves for millennia.


    "AAAAAAHHHH!!!"


    Xiao Jun''s scream shook the chamber as a surge of Qi erupted from his dantian, flooding every vein and bone of his body. The stagnant meridians within him, which looked small and brittle, expanded with an audible crack, like stone pathways shattering to make way for mighty rivers. Every channel was opened, wider and purer than before. It was as if the spiritual energy now had a grand highway to rush through his body.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    His body stopped convulsing, and he hovered in midair, arms spread wide, eyes aglow with sapphire sky brilliance. His muscles twitched, his bones cracked, and his skin glowed with vitality. A surge of energy erupted from his chest like armour, his body exuding an invisible, kingly aura.


    The chamber grew silent, the only sound being his steady, powerful heartbeat¡ªnow loud as a war drum.


    Ba-dump¡­ Ba-dump¡­ Ba-dump¡­


    Ao Shen clasped his hands together, grinning like a proud parent. "Congrats, hatchling."


    Xiao Jun slowly descended, his feet touching the ground softly. His breathing was steady, his eyes filled with clarity, confidence, and a hint of wildness. He clenched his fist, feeling the raw power surging within him. "I feel... free," he said, his voice carrying an edge of dominance. "All feels so unfamiliar as if I have been reborn."


    "Of course it does," Ao Shen chuckled, folding his arms behind his back. "You¡¯re no longer just some brat with dreams bigger than his wallet. You¡¯re a dragon cub now, and dragons do not crawl on the ground like worms."


    He stepped forward, placing a hand on Xiao Jun¡¯s shoulder. "The power is a flame that flickers fiercely, but it starves without ambition."


    "I have learnt, Ancestor," Xiao Jun responded with deep respect in his eyes. Ao Shen nodded, and suddenly the deep look of ancient wisdom in his eyes vanished, replaced by a playful grin.


    "But still to reach the ''1st Stage of Core Formation Realm'' by just awakening your medians, as expected, my blood doesn''t thin down even if placed inside the whole ocean!" Ao Shen chuckled.


    "Now that we are done with setting the foundation for your cultivation, let''s move on to---"


    *Knock! Knock!*


    Ao Shen was suddenly paid midway by a sudden knock on the door of the chamber.


    "Come in." Ao Shen commanded with a sigh, and Yuan Mei quietly opened the doors from the other side, and stepping inside, she reported, "Someone from the ''Great Bai Family'' is here to meet you, sir."


    "Great Bai Family?" Ao Shen muttered, tilting his head in confusion, while Xiao Jun, on the other hand, seemed to recognise the big name and immediately stepped in, "It''s one of the 3 big families in our Blue Jade City; the three big families hold a lot of authority in the city.


    They own several companies and industries, unfathomable wealth, connections, resources, and strength; everyone in the city is aware of them."


    "Is that so?" Ao Shen muttered; quite amused, he remarked, "Then I guess I can expect some fun from this person."


    "Lead the way, Butler," Ao Shen commanded as he removed the show-off fur coat he was wearing, and in a plain white shirt, he stepped out, followed by Xiao Jun in a similar manner.


    Walking through the big hallway, they arrived over the stairs from where they could see a man sitting over their hall with some snacks and tea, waiting for them.


    "Forgive me for appearing without any prior notice or appointment; it was quite rude of me." He apologised while standing up as he watched Ao Shen and Xiao Jun walking down the stairs.


    "At least you are aware," Ao Shen chuckled, hearing his apology, but then his gaze fell over an envelope that man was carrying. "But I will forgive you since you seem to have brought something amusing."


    Ao Shen quietly paused as he arrived in front of him, with his glowing pupils staring right through that man with an amusing grin; the man in front of him can clearly feel the emotions of unsettling nervousness, fear, and shock overtaking his mind.


    Sweats started to form over his neat face, the heartbeat growing stronger, even his arms shaking out of his control.


    "What business does ''Great Bai Family'' possibly have with us?" Xiao Jun''s sudden remark snapped that unknown man out of his daze; he blinked profusely, trying to find words and take out the nervousness.


    "I don''t remember ever crossing ways with the ''Great Bai Family.''" Xiao Jun questioned; his demeanour seemed suddenly much more aggressive and dominant after awakening his medians and blood.


    "Oh¡­ that?" The man was a bit flustered for a moment, but the experience of decades became useful. He smiled, holding on to his composure.


    "Haha, as expected, it seems I have offended you; my apologies. I am ''Bai Xianyu.'' I''m the second son of the Patriarch of the Great Bai Family, ''Bai Junfeng''."


    He extended his greetings first, "We can''t exactly just wait for opportunities to meet tycoons like you, sir; our family believes in snatching opportunities rather than waiting for them; that''s why we are what we are."


    Bai Xianyu''s amateurish behaviour that was felt while being in front of Ao Shen faded away, replaced by an experienced gentleman.


    "As an apology, I have brought you some gifts in return," he stated while extending an envelope and a car key towards Xiao Jun.


    "This is ''Bentley Continental GT Mulliner.'' Please accept it as a gift on the occasion of our first meeting." Xiao Jun was a bit taken aback; he knew wealth, but he wasn''t used to it yet.


    ''That''s... That''s a car worth about 350k Spirit Coins?! To give that much just as a gift?!'' Xiao Jun''s expressions slipped out for a second; Bai Xianyu noticed it with a grin.


    ''As expected, this is the right way to establish the position in our relationship! A casual gift worth 350k Spirit Coins will surprise anyone, no matter how rich you are, even if it''s you. Bai Xianyu''s gaze suddenly paused.


    A look of surprise flashed across his face as he saw Ao Shen''s unamused expression. "So there are traditions like that in this city, huh? Gift on first meetings?" Ao Shen muttered.


    "Ah? Yeah? Gifts signify goodwill, so it''s something like custom to bring gifts when trying to make friends..." Bai Xianyu explained


    "Is that so?" A playful grin suddenly emerged over Ao Shen''s face, and he suddenly took out some documents and a key from his pocket and handed them over to Bai Xianyu.


    "I wasn''t aware, so I didn''t get any thoughtful gifts..." he stated with a cunning smirk.


    "But a villa seems appropriate no matter what occasion, right?"

 A villa as a gift?

    "I wasn''t aware, so I didn''t get any thoughtful gift..." he stated with a cunning smirk, "But a villa seems appropriate no matter what occasion, right?"


    "A villa??!?" Bai Xianyu''s expressions suddenly lost their composure; he grabbed the documents in front of his hand; it was the ownership deed of one of the 6 villas Ao Shen had bought.


    ''Wh-what are these people?!'' Bai Xianyu''s widened eyes looked at Ao Shen in pure horror and shock; even his own knees felt weak with those papers in his hands.


    "My butler will take care of ownership handover issues." Ao Shen grinned as he sat down over the greatest seat, the one that was supposed to look like a chair in front of a huge sofa; it suddenly looked like a throne as Ao Shen sat over it.


    "Now then..." Ao Shen grabbed the teacup handed over by Yuan Mei standing beside him. "What possible ''real'' business does the Great Bai Family have with us?"


    "Ah? Business right..." Bai Xianyu tried, but his composure still couldn''t calm down; his heartbeat was jumping up and down rapidly. It took him a brief moment to get a hold of some words.


    "Our family is organising a grand party tomorrow night. It''s an occasion where all the big names of the city will gather. Our family thinks it''s only appropriate for ''Sir Ao Shen'' and ''Sir Xiao Jun'' to visit the party as new big tycoons in the city."


    ''But... I don''t think they are ''just'' on the level of Tycoons...'' Bai Xianyu seemed to have become more nervous.


    "I have heard about it; I heard it''s the birthday of the granddaughter of the Great Bai Family, right?" Xiao Jun remarked, his glowing sapphire pupils holding the same trace of dominant trace as Ao Shen.


    ''These two men... Both are terrifying.'' Bai Xianyu took a deep breath. "We will bring an appropriate gift too then." Ao Shen remarked


    ''Your casual gift might already be the most expensive one in that party; what more is there to see in the world?'' Bai Xianyu laughed dryly.


    "I won''t waste any more of your time then." Bai Xianyu stood up and respectfully took out his name card. "Please give me a call anytime you need anything in the city."


    Ao Shen took the card with an amused smile. "That''s quite helpful then."


    Bai Xianyu nodded and left the mansion led out by a servant; outside there was a classic Audi awaiting him with guards in another car behind the Audi.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    They entered the car and left. "Throwing money to gain wealth," Xiao Jun remarked as he watched Bai Xianyu leaving with a new car key in his hands.


    "It''s fun indeed," Ao Shen stated. Finishing his teacup and handing it over to Yuan Mei, Ao Shen stood up, fixing his shirt sleeves.


    "By the way, you still haven''t told me the name of your crush yet." Don''t you have any love interest?" Ao Shen suddenly sneered.


    "An ancestor?!" I told you I don''t have any--!"


    "Ah..." Ao Shen''s expressions suddenly darkened, and while looking at Xiao Jun with a deep frown, he stated, "I can''t believe there is a gay man in my bloodline--"


    "I''m only interested in women! Stop teasing! You aren''t funny!!!" Xiao Jun shouted; Ao Shen, on the other hand, just scoffed and pointed at Yuan Mei and the line of servants hiding their giggles.


    "Don''t try to hide it. I''m much more open-minded. If you are truly gay, at most I will just turn you into a eunuch; killing my own blood with my own hands doesn''t feel good, I tell you!"


    The moment Xiao Jun heard it, his expression grew serious. "You killed your descendants before?"


    "Did I?" Ao Shen''s giggles suddenly paused, with expression growing calm and deep, "Once... I did it once."


    For the first time, Xiao Jun could see the look of hurt in Ao Shen''s eyes, but that deep look in his eyes suddenly vanished, replaced by a bright smile. "Doesn''t matter, though; the dark past should remain in forgotten history! For now let''s think of what gift we can give to the little kid from the Bai family; maybe I can finally arrange some girlfriend or something for my descendent!"


    "Ancestor! You should really think more before you speak!" Xiao Jun tried to protest, but he was slapped away by a swing of Ao Shen''s arms.


    "Rude snake!" he remarked, and suddenly, as if enlightenment had emerged in his eyes, Ao Shen stood up, "I know what to gift!" he exclaimed and suddenly rushed upstairs, "Butler! Assist me!!!"


    "As you say, sir," Yuan Mei nodded along, and both left the floor.


    ********


    Time passed like flowing wind, and the night was there.


    The grand hall of the Great Bai Family¡¯s estate was buzzing with the clink of glasses and soft murmurs of conversation. Lush red carpets lined the floor, while the glittering chandeliers above cast a soft, golden glow over the guests, who were dressed in their finest. The most prominent names in the city had gathered for this grand occasion, be they business tycoons, high-profile families, or politicians.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the Bai family is planning something big this year,¡± one of the guests remarked. ¡°Their granddaughter''s birthday is just a pretext. They''re rumoured to be forging alliances, seeking out new prospects in the market.¡±


    "It''s a good move. With that ''time'' coming fast, it''s good to be prepared." They chuckled, and as the man was about to continue, suddenly another one stepped in. "But did you hear the rumours? Some money tycoon just spent about 3 billion spirit coins in a day; he even bought that Celestial Dragon Manor that the Wu family was eyeing.


    "It''s a new name in the city..." another one remarked with a deep sigh filled with jealousy and an impressed smile.


    But just then, suddenly, the broad wooden doors of the grand hall swung open, and the loud chattering suddenly seemed to pause as all gazes instinctively moved over towards the figures entering the place.


    ''Who are they?''


    ''Was there any bigshot this handsome?''


    ''... That watch? Wasn''t that listed as 220k Spirit Coins? Who are these tycoons?!''


    The moment these remarkable figures entered, it was as if air had suddenly tightened and grown heavy; their presence was like a magnet, yet gazes like sharp swords.


    The first was Ao Shen¡ªdressed in a perfectly tailored suit that seemed to shimmer under the lights. His golden eyes sparkled with a certain mischievousness, and his sharp jawline only added to his magnetic allure.


    And right behind him, Xiao Jun. Though not as tall or imposing as Ao Shen, his aura was no less captivating. His sapphire-blue eyes seemed to glow in the dim light, and his suit, though more understated, fit him like a second skin. There was something distinctly dangerous about his quiet demeanour and the sharp glint of confidence in his gaze.


    The entire room fell silent, with eyes centred on them, full of curiosity and admiration.


    "Who are they?"


    "I didn''t know anyone with such faces..."


    "New to the city?"


    "How handsome..."


    Tonight, many hearts of maidens were taken away to be never returned back to them; people were burnt away in jealousy, and some slipped off with curiosity.


    Ao Shen''s playful eyes scanned the hall, and he remarked with a smile, "This will be so much fun..."

 Let them dig their graves

    "Did you hear about the news of the recent tycoon?"


    "Oh, the one who brought 6 of the most expensive mansions of Jade Dragon Heights, right?"


    "Yeah, all six! Can you imagine the cost?"


    "I heard from someone on the inside¡­ It was just a whim."


    Even as Ao Shen and Xiao Jun were new faces in the party, they seemed to be already quite popular in that party.


    "News sure travels fast in high society." Xiao Jun remarked that his senses could pick up every little noise of even a sand particle falling on the floor; these murmurs were way louder.


    "That''s how it is..." Ao Shen chuckled whilst grabbing a drink from a walking by waiter, "The weight of your worth is felt, not spoken."


    Xiao Jun quietly smiled; both were standing over in the corner of the party hall, conversing among themselves, and more so because Ao Shen was interested in hearing others rather than speaking out himself at the moment.


    ''Every action has its own timing...'' Ao Shen smiled, with eyes quietly observing his surroundings, but just then one certain shrill and cocky voice caught his attention.


    "So what?" a young man seemingly not much older than 25 years old, he sneered, "What kind of idiot buys six mansions for show? He is probably just flipping them for profit."


    He chuckled, "After all, who buys 6 mansions, all worth hundreds of millions, just for show? They must just want to sell them at a higher price; it''s business! Business! Not a lifestyle! Even the three great families don¡¯t throw around money like that. You think some random guy can do it on a whim?"


    He scoffed, and drinking another sip of alcohol in hand, he remarked again, "You know who I''m doing you?! Zhan Wei! My uncle is the owner of Jade Dragon Heights, Zhan Tianyi! He told me about those poor bastards; they aren''t big shots like all the rumours you are spreading."


    "Huh?" Ao Shen couldn''t hold himself and stepped into that conversation between all the youngsters, "You say you are the nephew of Zhan Tianyi?"


    "Y-yes?" That young man, Zhan Wei, seemed shocked and somewhat intimidated as Ao Shen''s eyes fell over him. "Y-yes, I''m his second nephew... Why do you ask?"


    "Nothing, I just recently got to meet him yesterday." Ao Shen chuckled, showing off Zhan Tianyi''s name card over his hand. "Since you are here, I assume he must also be present at this party, right?"


    Ao Shen smiled softly looking at that young man with cold narrow eyes. Zhan Wei seemed a bit taken aback, but holding his composure, he explained, "M-my uncle isn''t here yet, but he did promise to be here before the party starts; he must be coming any minute now."


    "I see." Ao Shen chuckled, and with a smile, his attention diverted towards others gathered in that circle, most were of similar age as Xiao Jun, young 3rd generation of rich family and high officials.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ''As expected...'' the smile over his became deeper, ''The rich can indeed afford cultivation resources; even their cultivation techniques are better than the common folks outside.''


    "It''s nice to meet you all." Ao Shen extended his greetings; his light smile was like a peek into heaven, for a moment all women there seemed flustered with cheeks glowing red. "My name is Ao Shen; this is my nephew Xiao Jun."


    "Pleasure meeting you." Xiao Jun also greeted, though not as charming as Ao Shen, he himself was candy to female gazes; a sweet-looking, soft-faced man was quite the trending choice among the current women of this age.


    "N-nice to meet you."


    "I''m Liu Yan, nice to meet you!"


    "Zhang Yu..."


    "Pleasure to meet you."


    Everyone unconsciously accepted the greeting, exchanging their names, by the time Zhan Wei realised the focus of everyone around him had already been taken away by Ao Shen and Xiao Jun.


    ''What the hell?'' He frowned, "By the way, which family are you from? We never saw you here before." Zhan Wei questioned


    "Family?" Ao Shen questioned, "We aren''t from clans or family; I''m new to this city, just recently bought a residence, and decided to stay since my nephew seems to like it here."


    Ao Shen explained with a chuckle, "New to the city, you say?" a dark grin emerged over his face


    Xiao Jun noticed, so did Ao Shen, with an amused smile. He observed as Zhan Wei¡¯s grin widened, and he leaned forward slightly, swirling the drink in his glass. "Well, that explains a lot." His tone carried the smug arrogance of someone who believed he had already won.


    "You see," Zhan Wei, turning his eyes towards the others in the circle, "This city is quite wild. Just wealth isn''t enough to help you survive here; you need a lot of good connections. I assume you don''t have any."


    Some of the onlookers exchanged glances, but none dared to interrupt. Zhan Wei¡¯s uncle held considerable sway, and few wanted to be on the wrong side of that influence.


    Ao Shen smiled faintly, sipping his drink as if he hadn¡¯t heard a word. Xiao Jun, standing beside him, crossed his arms but remained silent, his sapphire eyes glinting with amusement.


    Zhan Wei took their silence as encouragement to press further. "People respect heritage, family, and connections. And you people¡­" He gave Ao Shen and Xiao Jun a dismissive once-over. "How do either of you not from any reputable lineage plan on surviving here if you offended someone here in the party?"


    One of the young women in the circle fidgeted uncomfortably, glancing at Ao Shen, clearly enchanted by his presence yet nervous about the confrontation.


    "I wonder how?" Ao Shen¡¯s smooth voice cut through the awkward silence like a blade.


    Xiao Jun snorted softly. "Is that how it works here? Lineage over actual capability?" His tone was light, but the sarcasm was unmistakable.


    Zhan Wei scoffed. "That¡¯s exactly how it works. You might be able to impress a few ladies with flashy cars and expensive mansions, but when it comes to real influence¡ª"


    "Who¡¯s been making judgements on ¡®real influence¡¯ in my name?"


    A new deep voice interrupted Zhan Wei, all attention suddenly diverted towards that well-dressed man.


    He was a familiar personality, Zhan Tianyi, Zhan Wei¡¯s uncle and the owner of Jade Dragon Heights.


    "U-Uncle Tianyi!" Zhan Wei straightened abruptly, his arrogance evaporating into nervousness.


    Ao Shen¡¯s eyes gleamed with amusement as he raised his glass in greeting. "Mr. Zhan, it¡¯s good to see you again. I was just getting acquainted with your¡­ nephew."


    Zhan Tianyi¡¯s eyes flickered toward Ao Shen, and in an instant, his demeanour shifted. His stern expression softened into a polite smile. "Mr. Ao Shen. It¡¯s an honor. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here tonight."


    Everyone noticed that shift in tone. Zhan Wei¡¯s jaw tightened in confusion as his uncle extended his hand toward Ao Shen with genuine respect.


    Ao Shen shook it, his grip firm yet casual. "I couldn¡¯t resist an invitation to the Bai family¡¯s party. And since you weren¡¯t here earlier, your nephew was kind enough to entertain us."


    Zhan Tianyi¡¯s gaze slid to Zhan Wei, and the younger man visibly flinched.


    "Entertain?" Tianyi repeated with a subtle edge to his voice.


    "Mm. Quite the lively storyteller." Ao Shen chuckled. "He was telling everyone about me, the mysterious tycoon who bought 6 of your mansions."


    ''?!?!''


    All those who heard suddenly widened their eyes; the realisation that the mysterious man who spent billions on a whim and Ao Shen were the same was tough to swallow.


    Zhan Wei¡¯s face turned pale. "I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean anything by it, Uncle. I was just¡ª"


    Tianyi held up a hand, silencing him. "Mr. Ao is an esteemed guest. You¡¯d do well to remember that."


    Ao Shen took a casual step closer to Zhan Wei, lowering his voice just enough for him to hear. "You might want to be careful with your assumptions. Some people¡¯s wealth isn¡¯t for ¡®show.¡¯"


    Zhan Wei swallowed hard, nodding stiffly.


    "I apologise for whatever my foolish nephew had been talking about; why don''t you join us in the VIP section?" Tianyi gestured for Ao Shen and Xiao Jun to join him.


    As they walked away, Xiao Jun turned his head back, watching Zhan Wei''s petrified face as everyone suddenly started to avoid him like a shit spotted in the middle of the road; he smirked. "That is one dead face."


    Ao Shen chuckled quietly. "You have to let them dig their own holes sometimes. It¡¯s fun watching them fall¡­"


    With light sniggers they left the hall, making their way to deeper parts of the enormous hall where real big shots were gathered, leaving behind a breathing dead man.


    "... I''m so fucked."

 Wanna Bet?

    "So Bai Family contacted you first, huh?" Zhan Tianyi muttered as they reached the deeper side of the hall. "I thought they would, Bai Xianyu is a sharp man."


    "I like him," Ao Shen suddenly remarked with a snigger, remembering the flustered look on that man''s face when he came to visit his mansion. "A bit impatient but known to find good opportunity."


    "Haha! He has been like this since a young age." Zhan Tianyi remarked with a chuckle, "We both are old friends; he really knows how to make connections with big names without offending them, down to earth despite coming from a family that won''t even touch the earth."


    Ao Shen took a note of that with a smile, and as they were still talking, suddenly a loud whisper filled the whole hall.


    "Hmm?" Ao Shen''s eyes moved over towards the stairs and centre of the hall, where he noticed a young woman dressed in a traditional Chinese white-blue gown, making her way down assisted by her father by her side. From looks, her father''s appearance matched Bai Xianyu quite a bit.


    "Is she the girl whose birthday it is?" Ao Shen questioned, watching that girl in amusement; Zhan Tianyi immediately nodded, "That''s the granddaughter of the Bai family, Bai Xiyue. By her side, her father, Bai Hao."


    "Hmm," Ao Shen nodded and watched as she arrived over the hall from a distance, as an enormous dozen-layered cake was brought over in front of her.


    "Happy birthday, Miss Xiyue!"


    "Happy birthday, Miss!"


    "Happy Birthday! Shine bright and stay happy, Bai Xiyue!"


    "Another year brighter! Happy Birthday, Bai Xiyue!"


    All sorts of greetings started to fly over towards her; the whole hall was full of chantings of her name, and her poise and elegance seemed to light up the room, each step down the grand staircase making her the undeniable centre of attention.


    "She carries herself well," Ao Shen remarked casually to Zhan Tianyi.


    "She does," Tianyi agreed with a proud smile. "Xiyue has always been the pride of the Bai Family. Intelligent, refined, and¡­ well, look at the line of young men itching to impress her." He chuckled, motioning toward a gathering of young bachelors vying for even a glance from Bai Xiyue.


    Before Ao Shen could respond, Bai Xianyu, standing behind his niece, Bai Xiyue, glanced in their direction. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto Ao Shen, and with a polite smile, he made his way over, weaving effortlessly through the crowd.


    "Mr. Ao Shen!" Bai Xianyu greeted warmly, offering his hand the moment he arrived. His tone carried both respect and a hint of curiosity. "You didn''t have any trouble making it all the way here, right?"


    Ao Shen accepted the handshake, his grip light but firm. "I wouldn¡¯t miss such an event, especially with an invitation as sincere as yours, Mr. Bai."


    Bai Xianyu chuckled knowingly. "You are so polite. Allow me to introduce you properly."


    With a slight gesture, Bai Xianyu guided Ao Shen and Xiao Jun, along with Zhan Tianyi, towards Bai Xiyue, who had just finished receiving well wishes from another group. As they approached, Bai Xianyu¡¯s voice softened.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Xiyue," he called gently, drawing his niece''s attention. She turned gracefully, her eyes curious as they settled on Ao Shen.


    "Uncle?" she enquired softly.


    "This is Mr. Ao Shen," Bai Xianyu introduced. "He¡¯s new to the city but already making waves. I thought it was only right that he offered his greetings to you personally."


    Bai Xiyue¡¯s gaze lingered on Ao Shen for a moment before she offered a polite bow. "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ao Shen. Thank you for attending my birthday."


    "The pleasure is mine," Ao Shen replied smoothly, his tone warm but distant enough to keep formality intact. He withdrew a small, elegantly wrapped box from his coat pocket and presented it to her. "A small gift. I hope it brings you luck in the years to come."


    Bai Xiyue hesitated briefly before accepting the gift with both hands. "You¡¯re too kind. Thank you."


    As she carefully set the box aside, Bai Xianyu observed the interaction with a faint smile. "I trust the gift is as remarkable as the man offering it?"


    Ao Shen chuckled. "It¡¯s just a small gift. Nothing as grand as the Bai Family¡¯s reputation."


    Bai Xiyue tilted her head slightly, curiosity flickering in her eyes, but she said nothing more, sensing the subtle dance of words between her uncle and Ao Shen.


    But just then, suddenly, a voice cut through the air, sharp and mocking.


    "You really think a small gift like that would impress Miss Bai?" The voice sneered, turning all heads towards the source. A man, roughly in his early thirties, with an arrogant air about him, strolled into the hall, his eyes glinting with disdain. He was dressed in a lavish robe, clearly of high status.


    Zhan Tianyi raised an eyebrow, and Bai Xianyu¡¯s expression flickered with a momentary irritation as the newcomer approached.


    Ao Shen¡¯s eyes briefly flickered, but an amused grin overtook that momentary frown. "Gifts are not measured by their cost," he said with quiet authority, with a smooth voice. "It¡¯s not the price that matters, but the rarity of thought and sentiment behind them."


    The man scoffed, curling up his lips. "Oh, is that so? And here I thought the people of this city had better taste. You truly think something so... insignificant could be of value to Miss Bai? A small box like that hardly anyone would even notice??"


    The words landed like stones in the room, and the murmur of voices around them grew louder as guests began whispering, curious to see how Bai Xiyue would react.


    Bai Xiyue¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at that new man, ''Liu Weihao... Why does this man go around causing trouble everywhere?!''


    "Yes, big brother is right?!"


    "How can a small box like that be comparable to the mansion our brother bought for Miss Bai as a gift?!"


    "Who is this guy who doesn''t know manners??"


    "Truly! What is this?! A peasant''s party?!"


    Suddenly a few underlings of that man also started to make noises; Bai Xianyu was about to step in, but Ao Shen stopped him with a gesture.


    "What''s the deal with this guy?" Xiao Jun questioned Zhan Tianyi with a frown, "That''s Liu Weihao; he wants to pursue Miss Bai, so he goes around mocking people he considers don''t have a background, just trying to gain attention and impress her."


    Xiao Jun''s face looked a bit surprised; he noticed Bai Xiyue herself was feeling secondhand embarrassment watching this prince in pig''s back trying to impress her.


    "He is just a clown then, isn''t he?" Xiao Jun remarked with an awkward frown, "He is..." Even Bai Xianyu agreed.


    "Hmm, perfect." Ao Shen chuckled as he heard the details and, with a dark grin, turned towards that man, "Wanna make a bet then?"


    "B-bet?!" Liu Weihao seemed suddenly taken aback, "What kind of bet?!"


    "Bet on whose gift is more expensive; the loser needs to fulfil one wish of the winner."


    "Deal!" Liu Weihao didn''t even hesitate before accepting the offer and immediately took out an expensive key along with documents.


    "This is my gift! Peace Pearl Mansion, worth 125 million spirit coins, is situated on Azure Cloud Mountain, which offers the best views of the city!"


    Ao Shen and Xiao Jun couldn''t help but chuckle, "Quite expensive." Ao Shen remarked on providing fuel to Liu Weihao, hyping his ego, and turning his attention towards Bai Xiyue.


    "It''s embarrassing for me to ask you for a favour already after a meeting just once, but can you open my gift too, Miss Bai?" he requested with a soft smile


    ''Ah...'' Bai Xiyue was a bit flustered for a moment, but now, forced with the situation, she had no choice but to open the gift. Her soft hands lifted the box given by Ao Shen.


    The hall fell silent as the clumsy wrapping paper fell away, revealing a stunning necklace¡ªa masterpiece that glimmered with rare, radiant gems of deep blues, greens, and whites. The centrepiece was an intricate pendant formed of translucent stones, resembling both ice and fire, layered in a pattern that could only be created by someone with unmatched skill. Each element seemed to pulse with its own ethereal glow.


    Gasps filled the room.


    "Is that¡­ the Celestial Ocean Necklace?" a whisper echoed, followed by several more incredulous murmurs. The rarest of the rare, a piece thought to have been lost centuries ago, said to be made from the fragments of ancient sky-shards and blessed by the fabled dragons of the west.


    "Impossible??!"


    "Just how much worth does it have???"


    "Worth?! That''s priceless! Do you even know how rare it is?!"


    "That''s a gem of legends?!! It can boost cultivation speed by 200%! Do you even know how precious it is?!"


    The whole hall burst into commotion.


    Bai Xiyue¡¯s fingers hovered over the necklace as she held it in her hands, her eyes shaking with disbelief, her whole body shivering with cold sweat. Her eyes, which were normally composed, were now filled with astonishment.


    Liu Weihao, who had mocked Ao Shen earlier, looked frozen on the spot, his confident smirk replaced by a pale face. "Impossible..."


    Ao Shen, on the other hand, just giggled with a subtle smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "The value of a gift does not lie in the price it commands but in the ''rarity'' of the thought it represents," he chuckled with a playful grin. "I thought the Bai Family would appreciate the rarity of its materials."


    Liu Weihao lost all strength over his knees, falling down on the floor as Ao Shen watched him with golden pupils and a playful little grin.


    "Now as for the promise of the bet..."

 Bai Family Patriarch

    "Now as for the promise of the bet..." Ao Shen chuckled whilst looking at Liu Weihao''s shaking pupils, "What should I do~ I wonder."


    "Hiieekkk?!" Liu Weihao flinched, feeling overwhelming goosebumps all over his body; his blood ran cold at that moment of pin-drop silence, but it seems he wasn''t truly the centre of attention at the moment.


    "Celestial Ocean Necklace..." Bai Hao, Bai Xiyue''s father, muttered in disbelief. He leaned over towards Bai Xiyue and injected his energy into that necklace.


    In an instant it felt like he was surrounded by the ocean of heaven and earth''s energy all around him, as if he was a lone man standing in a desert being drowned in a tsunami of energy.


    "This is the real deal..." he muttered, seemingly in a daze as his eyes flickered over towards Ao Shen, who was mysteriously staring over Liu Weihao''s horrified face.


    "Bai Xianyu!" Bai Hao instantly called out to his brother from the crowd, "Just who is this person you have invited?! Even the patriarch of our family never received such a grand gift! Who is it to dare gift such a thing for a mere birthday party?!"


    "I-!?!" Bai Xianyu himself seemed taken aback by the pull of that moment, "E-even I don''t know elder brother... At first meeting I thought I was meeting a business tycoon; after meeting him it felt like I was meeting someone from an ancient clan..."


    Bai Xianyu paused, taking down a big gulp down his throat, "Now it feels like we are watching the emperor judge the sinners..."


    Bai Hao said nothing; he couldn''t command the words out of his throat, just watching Ao Shen with eyes widened, but the crowd was different; their gazes were captivated by the beautiful necklace instead of the man who carved it.


    "It''s really Celestial Ocean Necklace..."


    "Does it really amplify cultivation speed by double?!"


    "This is absurd! Absolutely absurd!"


    "To think such a thing actually exists, I thought it was things from mere texts..."


    Their eyes seemed to be petrified as all were drawn over towards that necklace in Bai Xiyue''s hands.


    "I-i---!?" Bai Xiyue herself couldn''t hold the necklace without feeling like her heart would burst out; the crowd around her was like a swarm of dogs surrounding the mere smell of bone.


    And just as it had started to overwhelm her, suddenly the wind around her turned into a storm-like tempest, forcing everyone around to be pushed about a dozen meters away from her and the necklace in her hands.


    "What is this imprudence!?" All eyes immediately rushed towards the source; it was an old man standing on top of the stairs with a wooden stick with a candle carved in the shape of an elephant. "Where are your manners?!"This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Dressed in an elite traditional suit, he commanded the aura of a grand master; his fury can be felt by the wild wind surrounding him.


    "We greet Bai Patriarch!"


    "Greetings, elder!"


    "We greet Bai Family Patriarch!"


    "Forgive our rudeness!"


    All people who had lost their composures instantly snapped back; their bodies ran down with cold sweat as they felt the cold aura emitting from that old man. All bowed their heads in front of his presence, asking for forgiveness or greeting him with respect.


    "Greetings, Elder Bai!" even Liu Weihao, who was already on his knees, ignored his current embarrassment to say his greetings.


    The only two people who didn''t bend their heads were Ao Shen. "Hmm..."


    And Xiao Jun, ''That''s the Patriarch of the Great Bai Family?''. Both glanced over the dominant nature of the cold man, capable of tossing grown men like cotton balls with mere breath.


    His eyes pierced right through all defences of that old man; even he felt some pressure under those pupils, making him feel goosebumps down his spine.


    "Are these our new guests?" the old man noticed; his eyes landed on Xiao Jun, but the moment his eyes fell on him, his whole composure suddenly shattered.


    ''Core Formation Realm?! At this age?!!'' If it weren''t for the old bones and white hairs bleeding with experience, he might have truly lost it at that moment, but he somehow still held his flat expression and turned his gaze towards Ao Shen.


    ''If the young one is in the Core Formation Realm, then the older one is definitely¡ª!'' He was just thinking, but reality was way scarier than his imagination; the moment his eyes fell over Ao Shen''s gaze, it was like standing in front of an enormous world-destroying storm with naked arms.


    "Hufff!!!" He lost his breathing stability in mere moments, and taking in a deep breath, his eyes once again rushed towards Ao Shen to confirm the facts. But by the time his eyes could reach, Ao Shen had already vanished without a trace.


    ''Where---?!'' The elderly man''s eyes immediately rushed to find that man, but before just then, suddenly a sound of chuckle emerged right beside him.


    "Bai Family Patriarch" Ao Shen addressed the old man with a grin; the old man immediately moved his head towards Ao Shen, who was standing right beside him, before he even realised, "You indeed live up to your grand reputation."


    Ao Shen nodded, "It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    ''This person...'' the old man''s eyes seem to flinch with sensation of horror and disbelief, ''He is unfathomable; I can''t comprehend what kind of senior has taken interest over our family, but one thing is clear...''


    The old soul, fully experienced, knew what he was witnessing. ''At no cost... Can we afford offending this man!!!''


    The old man''s face was instantly drenched with sweat. "I-it''s a pleasure meeting you too."


    "Ao Shen!" He extended his greetings with a playful little smile; the old man nodded along awkwardly.


    ''Father...''


    ''He is stunned!?''


    Both Bai Xianyu and Bai Hao noticed it too; it was all their common sense was being wrapped and tossed away like garbage at that moment.


    "And as for you..." Ao Shen''s eyes once again locked over Liu Weihao, who was trying to escape the crowd, taking advantage of the sudden commotion. "I will deal with you when I feel like it."


    "Hiieeeekkk!" Liu Weihao screeched and immediately rushed away from the celebration hall without daring to look back even once.


    "Ahem!!!" The Bai Patriarch suddenly took back all the attention, "Let''s start the celebration for my granddaughter''s birthday!"


    He had that strange charisma on him, capable of influencing others with mere words and manner of speech; the people around him nodded while looking at one another and once again joined the celebration.


    "I''m extremely grateful to you, senior, for your consideration." Bai Xiyue expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards Ao Shen.


    "Haha! It''s no big deal!" Ao Shen chuckled and, laughing it off, turned back towards Xiao Jun.


    ''No big deal?!''


    ''You giving a gift even my whole bloodline can''t afford is not a big deal?!''


    ''What... What kind of wealth is that??''


    ''What''s not a big deal????''


    People who heard seemed to be coughing blood at the absurdity of that statement. Ao Shen chuckled, observing their reactions, and then his gaze fell on Xiao Jun, who seemed to be dazed at some sight inside the party hall.


    "Oh Xiao Jun~" Ao Shen stepped up beside, "What are you looking at with so much attention?" Ao Shen giggled, and his shining pupils traced the origin of Xiao Jun''s daze.


    And not much farther away, he noticed a glamorous maiden standing in the corner of the hall, surrounded by some of the same-age youngsters as hers.


    "Someone you know?" Ao Shen suddenly questioned right over Xiao Jun''s ears, and Xiao Jun jumped in surprise, snapping out of his daze as realisation hit him; his whole face lit up red, completely flustered.


    "An ancestor?!" I¡ªjust?!"


    Ao Shen''s eyes lit up with amusement as he stared over Xiao Jun with a chuckle, "Someone you desire, huh?"


    "Desire?! You shouldn''t use such deep words, Ancestor!" Xiao Jun protested with a beaming red face to the point stream was coming out of his head.


    "Let''s see about that now..." Ao Shen giggled.

 Shattering the Balance

    "Let''s see about that now..." Ao Shen giggled with his eyes scanning the mysterious maiden.


    The girl standing at the corner had a quiet, enchanting beauty. Her long black hair flowed smoothly down her back, and her lavender gown accentuated her graceful figure. Her dark eyes held a soft glow, and her faint smile seemed to brighten the space around her. There was an elegance to her posture, effortlessly drawing attention without the need for words.


    A silver bracelet on her wrist glimmered faintly; laughter was soft yet captivating, leaving a lingering warmth in the air. Though she stood among others, her presence felt distant¡ªlike a star that is admired from afar, serene and untouchable.


    But it seems outside of her beauty, Ao Shen''s gaze had taken interest over something deeper within her, "... How amusing." There was a cold, predatory hint over his eyes as he watched that girl.


    And Xiao Jun suddenly noticed that look. "An- ancestor??!" he shouted. "Why are you looking at her like that?? You don''t plan on pursuing he----!"


    "Stupid!" Ao Shen scoffed, "I''m a married man; why would I pursue little girls?"


    "Oh? Right, considering your age, you are indeed ancient." Xiao Jun remarked with realisation repeating inside his mind. "So anyways, who is she?" Ao Shen questioned grabbing a glass.


    "She?" Xiao Jun seemed a bit confused. "She is Yu Lian; she is from the university as I am. I''m an economics major while she is from medical; she is the most remarkable person in the whole university, good in studies, looks, and background. But someone as insignificant as me didn''t have opportunities to meet her..."


    "Lacking in opportunities?" Ao Shen''s face lit up with a playful smile. "I can provide those."


    As Ao Shen said that, Xiao Jun''s eyes seem to widen with surprise but he said nothing just standing there quietly like a statue with red face


    The party suddenly became lively, and the moment Bai Family Patriarch''s attention moved over to his granddaughter, a crowd of people rushed in to greet Ao Shen and Xiao Jun.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you! I''m CEO of Sunray Corporation!"


    "I''m from the Li family!"


    "I''m honoured to make acquaintances!"


    "It''s nice to meet you! I''m----!"


    The whole crowd seemed to be dying to give their greetings; the party ended on a high note as news of the Celestial Ocean Necklace being gifted to Bai Xiyue spread in the whole city, over the mouths of all the big names and the centre of attention of all the big shots in the city, suddenly becoming Ao Shen and Xiao Jun.


    The sudden big names that emerged seemingly out of nowhere. As time went on, people left one by one after saying their greetings, and the party finally ended.


    "Bai Xiyue..." Bai Family Patriarch addressed his granddaughter as they were riding in a car, on their way back to another one of their manors.


    His eyes were captivated by the necklace in her hands. "This Ao Shen, you must be careful not to offend him; stay on his good side."


    "I''m not that foolish grandfather, and I don''t go along offending people like you and father!" Xiyue scoffed, and as her eyes fell over the necklace, a smile once again lit up on her face.


    "Sigh..." The Bai Patriarch just released a deep sigh, and his attention went over to his two sons sitting right in front of him. "Bai Xianyu, just who is this man?"


    "Haha, father..." Bai Xianyu laughed a bit awkwardly. "Even I don''t know; all I heard at the party was that Ao Shen is a married man.


    I did a background check on them, and all I found was Xiao Jun; his nephew has been living like a poor, ordinary university student. Even his family is ordinary. I think Xiao Jun''s side people really are just ordinary people."


    "Ordinary?" Patriarch scoffed. "A family that can cultivate a Core Formation Realm youngster is ordinary?"


    "Co-core Formation Realm?!" not just Bai Xianyu; the whole family seemed taken aback in shock. "Th-that young man?! Xiao Jun?! He is a Core Formation Realm expert?!"


    "Hmph!" Bai Patriarch scoffed, "You both are in the Core Formation Realm, yet you can''t see through his cultivation; his cultivation depth is way higher than yours. Do you dare say they are ordinary?"


    "... I dare not." Bai Xianyu felt like the earth he was familiar with had just shattered and vanished, making him fall into an eternal pit of pitch-black darkness; even Bai Hao and Bai Xiyue were left in a blank daze.


    "And as for Ao Shen... Even if he can''t see through his cultivation, he is like a creature hidden in a storm..."


    "Father??!"


    Bai Patriarch''s next words left everyone even more stunned. "You all must remain on his good side; all the power balance that has remained in the city till now has all been destroyed tonight by the presence of a single man. Try to be in his good eyes; if you can''t... don''t be seen by his eyes."


    He warned them sternly with a frown; everyone nodded, especially Bai Xiyue. ''Senior Ao Shen is married already; then my only option is Xiao Jun. To think there is someone of the Core Formation Realm in our generation, I must get close to him!''


    She seemed to have made up her own mind too; Bai Xiyue herself was nothing less than beautiful as compared to Yu Lian, which Xiao Jun seemed interested in.


    Bai Xiyue¡¯s beauty was elegant and understated, with almond-shaped eyes, soft lips, and a fair complexion that seemed to glow under the lights. Her long black hair flowed like silk, and the dress she wore traced her slender figure with effortless grace.


    She carried herself with quiet charm, her presence subtle yet unforgettable¡ªlike the faint scent of orchids. Her gaze, calm and distant, made her seem untouchable, as if she existed just beyond reach, captivating all who looked her way.


    With such high standards, she herself was a moon among the stars; if she has made up her mind, then it''s only right to consider Xiao Jun''s life will be experiencing big changes.

 Qinghe University

    "Mom? Of course I''m living well." Xiao Jun stated as he was standing beside the balcony on a call, "Yes? I''m eating healthy, yes, even bathing every day; don''t worry! Oh, by the way, Xiao Mei was about to graduate from middle school, right?"


    [Yes, it''s next month.]


    "I was thinking about moving you all to the city. I started some business here, and it''s starting to show profits, so I thought you all would move in here."


    [How can we give you so much trouble, Jun? You are still in university; if we move in, then---]


    "Don''t worry about my issues. I have plenty of wealth! Anyways, I''m visiting home next month; I will discuss the moving plan then!" Xiao Jun chuckled, and before his mother could respond, he ended the call.


    "Did you finish the call?" Ao Shen questioned as he was sitting right over the balcony, enjoying the view from his villa with morning coffee in hand.


    "Yes, I think I can convince them to move by the next few months," Xiao Jun replied.


    Ao Shen didn''t have much reaction to this; there was a sense of happiness but also a feeling like something he lost. "Good..." Ao Shen remarked, taking another sip of his coffee.


    "Ancestor..." Xiao Jun seemed to sense something, but Ao Shen just stood up with a grin, "Okay then! Let''s get going to your university!"


    "University?" Xiao Jun questioned in confusion, "Why are you coming to my university? You aren''t even a student there! In the first place, why do you want to go to my university???"


    "Didn''t you want opportunities?" Ao Shen chuckled while standing back up, "Worry not; this Ancestor is the best Cupid the world has seen in the last million years!"


    "No! No! No! You aren''t coming to my university!!! My life isn''t a game for your amusement!!!" Xiao Jun immediately rejected the offer and grabbed his phone lying over the table and left in a rush.


    "You can''t use my life for your entertainment!!!" Even as he left, he was still full of denial about Ao Shen''s intentions, but Ao Shen, on the other hand, was just full of plain smiles.


    "Rejecting Ancestor''s generosity?" He chuckled, "How courageous!" he remarked before taking out his phone to dial up a number.


    "Mr. Bai Xianyu, I''m not disturbing you at your busy hours, am I?"


    [How dare I be busy when it''s you who is calling me?! What can I do for you?]


    Bai Xianyu responded full of laughter


    "Haha! You did some background checks on us, right?" Ao Shen remarked with a giggle, but his casual statement filled Bai Xianyu with cold sweats from head to toe. He suddenly jumped back up from his seat inside the cabin, wiping sweat from his forehead.


    "I-I! I apologise for offending--!"


    [Oh! Don''t misunderstand.]


    Ao Shen scoffed with a chuckle and with a hint of coldness in his pupils, questioning, "You must have collected some details about my nephew Xiao Jun, right? Why don''t you mail it to me? It will reduce some of my troubles."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    [Right away, sir, please just wait a moment! Secretary Wang----]


    *Toot*


    Ao Shen ended the call with a little smile; he was just humming, but it didn''t take even about a minute before all the data was Xiao Jun got mailed directly to his phone


    "What a helpful little guy~" Ao Shen giggled and opened the data, and as expected, there was a lot, right from his childhood to the days when he suddenly disappeared from the city.


    ''There is no mention of people who kidnapped him, huh? Are those little ants on a higher scale than the Great Bai Family?'' Ao Shen hummed some melody before a smile emerged back on his face, "Well, counting the length of grass under the feet isn''t really my way of walking over it."


    Ao Shen chuckled, and finally, with his eyes on what he wanted, he dialled up Bai Xianyu''s number once again. "I''m sorry for disturbing you again, but can you help me buy something? It''s a bit urgent, haha."


    [Of course, Sir Ao Shen! The Bai Family always ensures its benefactors are comfortable. What can I do for you?]


    Ao Shen smiled, "About that..." he muttered, his eyes watching as Xiao Jun left the estate of the mansion in the black car in his hand.


    *********


    About half an hour later, at Qinghe University, the campus gates buzzed with the morning rush of students, laughter and chatter filling the crisp air as groups poured in.


    The youngsters all full of light in their eyes, full of life and happiness as they walked with their friends


    And just then a sleek red sports car purred to a stop right at the entrance, drawing the eyes of all the students like bees to honey.


    "Whoa, look at that car!"


    "It''s an Aston Martin! That thing costs over a million!"


    "Who is the owner??"


    "Damn..."


    Stepping out from the car with exaggerated nonchalance was a youngster wearing a flashy blue suit over a white T-shirt inside; his whole demeanour was full of eye-catching things, be it the exaggerated expensive watch in hand or the flashy red-highlighted hair hanging from the left corner of his blonde-dyed hair.


    The people instantly recognised this familiar personality; most faces were full of tired frowns, and many with jealousy


    ''Liu Hao, the damn self-proclaimed star of the business department... He is trying to impress ''Yu Lian,'' the campus queen, again. The people who were already familiar just released a deep sigh and prepared for another session of self-worshipping.


    And as expected, Liu Hao adjusted his designer suit, flashing a grin at the small crowd forming nearby.


    "New year, new ride," Liu Hao smirked, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "Had to upgrade. The last one felt... outdated."


    ''Who asked?''


    ''Talking to himself? Is bro mentally alright?''


    ''Thank God my parents didn''t neglect me, or I would be also like him; I don''t even have wealth...''


    ''Cringe...''


    The people frowned but said nothing, because even as they were tired of this man. The car beside him was indeed still expensive and impressive.


    "It''s still impressive..."


    "Last I checked, this car cost 1.5 million, didn''t it?"


    "How did he manage to get it?"


    "I''m so jealous~"


    Students around made jealous comments; the guys were already busy taking pictures, and even several girls whispered excitedly, but one stood out¡ªYu Lian, the campus queen, passing by with her friends. Her beauty was like a quiet storm, elegant yet commanding attention wherever she went. The moment Liu Hao''s eyes saw her, they immediately locked onto her.


    "Lian! Fancy seeing you here," he called out, leaning casually against the car as if the vehicle was an extension of his charm. "Want to walk together to class?"


    Before Yu Lian could respond, a low, throaty rumble echoed down the road, coming to a halt a few meters away.


    A Black Pagani Huayra Roadster, smooth as liquid obsidian, glided up to the entrance. The type of car you didn¡¯t just buy¡ªyou had to know the right people to even get your name on the list. Its presence alone was enough to make the other red car parked beside it seem like an overpriced toy.


    Students suddenly froze the moment they saw that car.


    "Wait¡­ is that a Pagani Huayra Roadster?"


    "HOLY¡ªthose cost over 7 million!!"


    "Who the hell drives that kind of car here?!"


    The sleek vehicle came to a silent stop, and for a brief moment, the entire entrance hushed.


    The back door opened smoothly, and out stepped Xiao Jun, adjusting the strap of his backpack.


    But the whispers erupted instantly.


    "That''s economics department guy right? What the hell does his family even do??"


    "Bro pulled up like he''s a CEO!"


    "Is he secretly some young master?"


    "Forget Liu Hao¡¯s car. This thing¡¯s on a whole different level!"


    Liu Hao''s smile stiffened as he watched Xiao Jun ignoring all the crowd gathering over the parking at the entrance inside the campus walls; he tightened his grip over the key in his hand as he watched him leave with narrowed eyes.


    ''Who is this fucker?!'' his eyes glowed with hostility as he watched Xiao Jun leaving, full of hatred, but just then


    "Wait... isn¡¯t that Xiao Jun?" someone whispered. Liu Hao''s eyes instantly lit up as he heard the name, and his eyes scanned the crowd, also full of confusion; most didn''t seem to even recognise Xiao Jun.


    ''You damn no-name bastard...'' he scoffed, slowly losing his anger as he realised most people didn''t even know Xiao Jun, but just as he was ready to leave it as it is, his eyes fell over Yu Lian, whose eyes seemed to be captivated by Xiao Jun, just walking away, listening to music with earphones stuck in his ears.


    "Xiao Jun..." Yu Lian muttered, and her eyes just glanced at the two cars standing over the entrance, one like a giant''s declaration and the other like a cheap toy placed here to shine the black one even more.


    "What an interesting guy." Yu Lian giggled and left, but this little act of hers caught Liu Hao''s attention, the eyes that had relaxed instantly lit up with fury to the point of turning his whole body red in rage and veins popping all over his throat.


    "Xiao Jun... You are so fucked."

 New Professor

    "Hmm! Hmm~"


    Listening to music in his earphones, Xiao Jun finally arrived at his lecture hall, making his way to his seat somewhere in the middle without paying much attention to people around him.


    They on the other hand, looked seemingly dazed, while staring at Xiao Jun; his appearance was indeed quite different from before; unlike the bland looks from before, he was like a vibrant sun right now.


    Be it his curly white hair, which bounced softly with each step he took, his sapphire blue pupils hidden underneath the thick, long eyelashes, and that uninterested gaze as he scanned the hall


    The skin was so smooth, it felt like he was some newborn, like someone just polished a statue with some jade.


    His neat posture as he walked with confidence and adjusted the earphones as he sat down while humming some songs and adjusting his bag


    All the while, students were staring, unable to tear their eyes away. Some were whispering to each other, while others were just watching in silence, completely caught off guard by the striking figure that was blending into the background without even trying.


    "That''s Xiao Jun, isn''t it??"


    "What the hell happened?? It''s just been a week, right?!"


    "Just what sort of skincare is that???"


    "Should we go ask him?"


    Everyone was full of curiosity and awe as they watched him, and there were even more who couldn''t take back that curiosity.


    "Hey?" and among many, a girl finally stepped in with some courage, sliding the strand of hair hanging on corners, behind her ears, "How have you been?" she questioned with a soft smile.


    "It''s been a week; where were you?" She asked, and Xiao Jun, a bit taken aback and confused by this random conversation, took out the earphones from his ears while looking at that girl with confusion.


    ''Since when did these people become curious about me?'' He was confused, but just then his attention went to her hands, as she was slowly covering Xiao Jun''s hands with hers.


    "You are good in business studies, right? I had some questions." She said, trying to assert her presence, but to her surprise, Xiao Jun took out his arms and, with a scoff on his face, rejected her advances, "I''m not good at any studies; ask the front benchers."


    "You¡ª!!!" The girl looked extremely offended, but before she could lash out, the other students suddenly surrounded Xiao Jun, tossing that girl away from him.


    "Hey! Xiao Jun! Dude, it''s been a while."


    "Where were you?"


    "We were going out for dinner tonight; wanna join?"


    "What kind of skin care do you have?"


    They showered him with questions and offers; it was like watching bees buzzing around the honey. Even Xiao Jun was flustered with the sudden rise in his popularity, but the crowd instantly came to an immediate silence as a loud hand smashed over the wooden desk.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Get back to your seats!"


    The voice rang across the lecture hall; the attention of the crowd was instantly diverted towards the source of commotion, and there stood a mysterious man over the stage of the lecture hall.


    Dressed in an impeccable white shirt and black pants with a black vest and tie over it, he was like the radiant seal of heavens, short black hairs and these familiar golden eyes hidden under the transparent round glasses.


    ''An ancestor??!!??!!''


    Xiao Jun''s mind immediately went blank the moment he saw that familiar face; he almost collapsed on the ground even as he was already sitting down as he watched Ao Shen grin while turning his head towards the digital screen.


    "My name is ''Ao Shen''..." he introduced himself while writing down his name on the screen, "From today onwards I''m your professor for ''Games Theory'' and advanced Micro and Macro Economics. Nice to meet you all!"


    Ao Shen finished his introductions with a little soft smile on his face; the whole class was instantly mesmerised by his looks, and the lecture hall fell into stunned silence.


    For a moment, no one moved. The air felt like it had been sucked out of the room as every pair of eyes locked onto Ao Shen, who stood there with the kind of aura that didn¡¯t just command attention¡ªit demanded it.


    Even the girl who had been attempting to flirt with Xiao Jun was left staring, her irritation completely forgotten at the moment.


    "Wait¡­ is he a new professor?!" someone whispered, barely able to contain the disbelief.


    "Are you kidding? He looks like he walked out of a runway, not an economics department!"


    "Bro¡­ How is that fair? He looks younger than some of us!"


    "I thought professors were supposed to be middle-aged and balding¡­ not THAT."


    Murmurs began rippling through the class. Some students subtly leaned toward their friends, while others blatantly pulled out their phones to snap pictures, whispering theories and gossip.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Jun was the only one who seemed petrified in plain horror, internally screaming.


    ¡®WHAT IS HE DOING HERE???¡¯


    His eyes twitched as he shifted his butt into his seat, praying for invisibility. But Ao Shen¡¯s sharp gaze effortlessly cut through the crowd, landing directly on him with a playful little chuckle on his face.


    That small grin.


    The one that spelt trouble.


    ''Fuck!!!!! My!!!!! Life!!!!!''


    Xiao Jun nearly choked.


    "Hey¡­ Isn¡¯t he staring at Xiao Jun?"


    "Wait, wait¡ªyou¡¯re right!"


    "What kind of plot twist is this? How does he know the new professor??"


    As if on cue, Ao Shen gently placed the pen down and leaned casually against the desk, arms crossed as he scanned the crowd with lazy amusement.


    "Ah¡­ Xiao Jun." His voice dropped slightly, laced with playful menace. "You¡¯re not going to ignore your ''new professor,'' are you?"


    Every head in the room snapped toward Xiao Jun.


    His palms started sweating as he forced an awkward smile, sinking even deeper into his seat., "...Hello, Professor Ao Shen."


    "Oh? So polite. Since when?" Ao Shen smirked, visibly enjoying his discomfort. The whispers inside class suddenly intensified.


    "No way. Did the professor just call him by name?!"


    "Is Xiao Jun his relative or something??"


    People were full of curiosity, and out of dozens of random theories, the words of some students sitting right beside Xiao Jun caught his attention.


    "Relative as a professor? This screams trouble..."


    Xiao Jun immediately clenched his fists under the desk. ''He definitely is.''


    Ao Shen couldn''t hold his chuckle and, quite amused, finally turned his back towards the screen. "Don''t make big issues out of little things, students; Xiao Jun is just my nephew, but I assure everyone that I will treat every student fairly. Now then, let''s start with the first chapter of macroeconomics."


    Ao Shen started the class, but unlike the chaos brewing inside Xiao Jun''s head, Ao Shen was quite a good teacher. He explained definitions in deep detail, told stories about the names of specialists inside the books to make them more memorable, and explained every theory with made-up stories for more details.


    The students who had lost their minds temporarily over his mere appearance were now dazed at his teaching skills. Hours had already passed by as he taught his three subjects in a row, but even by the middle of the afternoon, when most students started to yawn and lose energy,


    Ao Shen''s lectures, on the other hand, made them even more energetic; even the students who had run away to the halls or gardens to pass their time returned back to the lecture hall.


    And the lecture hall, which is usually half empty, became full of a crowd, even many standing by the corners, who weren''t even economics majors in the first place.


    "So with this! Let''s end the first day of lectures!" Ao Shen finally ended the lectures, and while adjusting his glasses over his nose, finally snapped out the dazed students all over the lecture hall.


    "It''s already over?"


    "What''s the time?"


    "It''s 3:47 already?!"


    "What the hell? That fast!!!"


    Students were left stunned; even Xiao Jun stood up in shock; he himself didn''t realise when the shock of Ao Shen being his professor got replaced by the joy of learning at the moment.


    ''What the hell was that?! How the hell even was that?! Since when is he so good?! How is he so good?! When did he even learn all those subjects?! Isn''t he from ancient ages?!''


    There were numbers in questions flooding his mind, but his gaze was suddenly caught by Ao Shen''s playful smile.


    ''On the way here...''


    ''Ancestor?!'' Xiao Jun heard Ao Shen''s voice ringing directly in his head, ''What do you mean by on the way here?!''


    ''I learnt everything on the way here.'' Ao Shen giggled and, with a smirk, left the hall, leaving the whole lecture hall full of excited students and blank-headed Xiao Jun.


    ''What took humanity a thousand years... He learnt it just on the way here?'' Shivers ran down his very spine; with enhanced cultivation, he was also capable of something similar, but that will also take him at least a month, but for Ao Shen to do it casually while on the way


    ''Just what level of mystery over heaven and earth does he have?''

 New Chairman?

    ''Just what level of mystery over heaven and earth does he have?'' Xiao Jun was left mesmerised by these thoughts, but his daze came to a sudden end as his classmates started to bombard him with dozens of questions.


    "Hey?! Xiao Jun, is that really your uncle??"


    "Since when?!"


    "Why didn''t you tell us anything about him?"


    "I heard you came to university in a foreign car too!"


    Everyone was full of curiosity and excitement as they surrounded him with sparkling eyes.


    ''This won''t do! This won''t do!!!'' Xiao Jun stood up abruptly. "A moment! Please make a way! Get aside!!!"


    Pushing the people surrounding him aside, Xiao Jun immediately jumped down to the floor of the hall in a single leap and left the hall in panic, dashing in the direction of the principal''s office.


    ''You can''t do this to me! Ancestor!!! Don''t fuck with my life, you monster!!!'' Xiao Jun''s steps only stopped when he was inside the principal''s cabin.


    "Principal! I came here to talk about the new Professor Ao Shen! How can you let a person without any legal documents or teaching history be our professor in the middle of the year like thi---?" Xiao Jun came here to protest, but the moment his sight fell over the sight inside the cabin, the words got stuck right over his throat.


    "What are you doing here?!" Xiao Jun shouted as he noticed Ao Shen sitting over in the corner with a coffee cup in his hands, while the principal with a half bald head smiled over his seat.


    "It''s the principal''s office? Why can''t a professor be here?" Ao Shen scoffed, and Xiao Jun''s face instantly reddened, and he turned his head towards the principal, "You still need to answer, principal! How can you just appoint him as our professor???"


    "Haha! Don''t be an angry student. Xiao Jun, Mr. Ao Shen is a highly professional and well-qualified professor. He graduated from one of the top 3 universities in the world and was spending a few years doing military research and finally returned to our homeland to guide future generations. How dare I not hire him?"


    ''Graduated? From University? This old fossil?! Military research? Who dares make him do research???'' Xiao Jun felt his principal''s words smashing his sanity like a series of punches.


    "This is not possible?!" Xiao Jun protested, but the principal just smiled, taking out documents from his desk. "See for yourself; maybe his records will motivate you."Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "The hell..." Xiao Jun tilted his head in confusion and grabbed the documents; inside was a copy of the graduation certificate, an excellent marksheet from top universities and schools, even appreciation certificates from the military and whatnot, a record so high profile it can make most scholars look like shit in comparison.


    ''Where the hell did you get these??!'' Xiao Jun was absolutely flustered down to his soul; Ao Shen, on the other hand, just chuckled watching those reactions.


    ''Twisting the basic layer of reality is as easy as breathing, my little descendent.''


    "This can''t be¡ª!?" Xiao Jun looked horrified as he watched that devilish grin over Ao Shen; frustration finally overwhelmed him. "But I still won''t accept!!! He has no teaching experience! If you aren''t going to help them, I will ask the Dean!!!"


    He stomped his leg, and as he turned to leave, the Dean was already standing there. With grey and curly hair, she stood with a big smile on her face and a designer, expensive handbag too.


    "Dean?! Great timing! I was just coming to ask for your help! This person¡ª"


    "Oh? Professor Ao Shen, you mean? Haha, isn''t he an excellent professor? My daughter was over the moon hearing his lecture today". the Dean herself seemed absolutely sold


    ''You monster!!!!'' Xiao Jun glared at Ao Shen with all his frustration clear in his eyes, and smashing his suit on the floor, pointed his fingers over Ao Shen as if declaring a war.


    "You can''t use my life for your fun! I do not accept!!! If the principal and dean won''t help! I will take this matter to the owner of this university!!! I will complain to the chairman!!!"


    "Oh? Are you talking about Chairman Wang?" The Dean interrupted, "He just sold the university this morning! He is already on a trip to the Maldives with family," she chuckled.


    "What the?!" Xiao Jun was stunned. "Then who is the current chairman??"


    As he questioned, the room was instantly filled with awkward silence, with everyone looking at one another''s face in confusion.


    "Who is the current chairman?" Xiao Jun questioned more calmly and confusedly, but the silence remained just as tense and awkward until Ao Shen finally decided to intervene.


    "Hahaha, as expected, this will be fun!" Ao Shen chuckled, placing a cup on the table, and grabbing his glasses, he finally stood up.


    "Nice to meet you." Ao Shen placed his hand over Xiao Jun''s head. "I''m the new chairman of Qinghe University, Professor Ao Shen!"


    The moment Ao Shen said that, it felt like the ground had vanished beneath Xiao Jun''s feet, and the next instant a tight slap landed right over his shining cheeks, making Xiao Jun be sealed into the walls of the office.


    "First lesson: respect your elders." Ao Shen chuckled, waving his hands, and left the office with Xiao Jun stuck on the wall with a blank face and swollen red cheeks.


    *********


    Ao Shen stood over the roof of one of the university buildings with a great view in front of him and a candy ?? inside his mouth.


    ''Xiao Jun, that boy, he really inherited my pride trait quite a lot. To think he will resist this level despite respecting me so much...'' Ao Shen chuckled, ''At this point it feels like he will even try to kill me when I''m sleeping.''


    Ao Shen giggled just imagining him daring to try, but just as he was having this quite fun moment, suddenly yet another interesting sight caught his attention.


    His eyes noticed an imposing woman dressed in a luxury suit entering the university campus in an expensive car. The vehicle stopped right in front of the main building, and several guards rushed in to open the doors.


    The woman who stepped out of the car was a striking figure. Her long, deep purple hair flowed elegantly down her back, braided in one thick frame, a sharp, captivating face with piercing violet eyes.


    Dressed in a form-fitting, luxury blue suit, she exuded confidence and power. Her every step was graceful yet commanding, and her bold crimson lips curled into a subtle, seductive, thin smile.


    And around her, it was the faint but unmistakable ripple in the air. A distortion so subtle that ordinary mortals would overlook it entirely.


    ¡®Qi disturbance... but carefully restrained. Not bad.¡¯ Ao Shen''s eyes glinted with intrigue.


    For a brief second, her shadow seemed to elongate unnaturally beneath her feet before snapping back to normal.


    ''She''s concealing her presence¡­ how shy?''


    Ao Shen''s grin widened with a playful little grin as he purposefully revealed his presence from the rooftop.


    The woman¡¯s gaze flicked towards the rooftop, instantly sensing his attention. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment; it was as if she was watching a monstrous ghost in the roof, her eyes suddenly dried up with nervous sweats falling down from the corners of the forehead.


    She sucked in a deep breath before continuing towards the principal¡¯s office without breaking stride.


    Ao Shen chuckled, crunching down on the candy.


    ''Looks like today just got a little more entertaining.''