[Warning: This chapter is filled with an overwhelming amount of information.]
"So, nothing of significance has happened in the last billion years..." Xia Tian's voice trailed off as he gazed at Evelynn, who stood before him, absentmindedly stroking her bum. It was clear that she wasn't permitted to use her Qi to heal herself.
Evelynn let out a sigh, "Yeah, there have been a few minor events, but they aren't worth your concern."
Xia Tian nodded in agreement, but his mind was already racing, trying to piece together the fragments of his lost memories. He had noticed an abnormality in Xia Shuiyao, but he would have to confirm it first.
Looking around, Xia Tian realized that Evelynn was the only one who had approached him since his return. He tried to act nonchalant as he asked, "Where are the other four?"
Evelynn's face contorted into a pout, and she let out an annoyed sigh. "Those bitches are throwing a tantrum because you disappeared without telling them for so long. Do you want me to drag them to you?"
Xia Tian pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Let them throw their tantrum. I can deal with them later." He ignored Evelynn's piercing gaze, knowing that she was included in the list of "bitches" throwing a tantrum. He couldn't help but wonder if they would all face consequences if Evelynn was disciplined.
Evelynn knew better than to argue with Xia Tian, so she obediently followed him out of his room, after confirming a few other things with him
The Xia family is one of the three ancient families that control all the mid-level realms of this world. Apart from them, there are two other ancient families, namely the Long family and the Zhang family.
Long Wanhui is the wife of Xia Leng and the birth mother of Xia Tian. There is an alliance by marriage between the Xia and Long families.
The Divine Emperor, who is at the peak of the Divine overlord realm, oversees the lower-level and mid-level realms. He rules the whole divine realm, which is the largest realm among the high-level realms.
No immortal can wreak havoc or travel to low or mid-level realms without permission from the guardians of the divine realm. If they do, they will be exterminated.
Regarding traveling between the low-level realm and mid-level realms, there is a bilateral agreement regulated by the three ancient families of the mid-level realm. Mid-level realms receive geniuses from low-level realms, and in return, the safety of low-level realms is guaranteed.
No high-level mortal cultivator can pass through the spatial tunnel that joins the mid-level realm with the low-level realm without prior permission. The purpose has to be clearly defined, and after completing it, they must return instantly.
Similarly, the Divine realm occasionally picks up young talents from the mid-level realm.
The cultivation levels in the mortal realm are as follows:
(A/N: Lower and mid realms cultivators are known as mortals, and high-level realm cultivators are known as immortals.)
1. True Qi Realm with a maximum lifespan of one hundred fifty years.
2. Condensation Realm with a maximum lifespan of two hundred fifty years.
3. Spirit Formation Realm with a maximum lifespan of five hundred years.
4. Earth Profound Realm with a maximum lifespan of one thousand years.
5. Sage Realm with a maximum lifespan of two thousand years.
6. Emperor Realm with a maximum lifespan of five thousand years.
7. Great Emperor Realm with a maximum lifespan of ten thousand years.
8. Overlord Realm with a maximum lifespan of a hundred thousand years.
Low-level realms only have enough spiritual energy to cultivate up to the spirit formation realm. Each realm has ten stages, and Xia Tian is currently at the tenth stage, which is the peak of the spirit formation realm. After that, one must move to the mid-level realm to continue cultivation.
After reaching the overlord realm, one must destroy their physical body and cultivate an immortal body to ultimately become immortal. Immortals can live forever, and the only way to kill them is to disintegrate their souls.
Immortal realm cultivation is divided into six levels: Divine Earth Immortal Realm, Divine Spirit Immortal Realm, Divine Tribulation Realm, Divine Monarch Realm, Divine Perceptor Realm, and Divine Overlord Realm. Each realm also contains ten stages.
The last realm, the Void realm, is not even known to immortals. Though immortals can live forever, they must also perish with the universe, which has a finite lifespan. When the universe perishes, all life forms are destroyed, and a new universe is formed in a continuous cycle.
The Void realm has no further stages, and its cultivators have boundless power. They can create their dimensions and basic life forms. Only Void realm cultivators can survive when the universe collapses because they are the only beings who can live in the void.
Void realm cultivators cannot approach the center of the void, which some believe to be the home of God, while others believe the void has no center. The truth is unknown, and even Destiny cannot see Void realm cultivators.
No Void realm cultivator has ever truly died since one can only enter the Void realm after transcending their soul. In the void, they can live without their physical bodies.
....
Xia Shuiyao's courtyard was merely a stone's throw away from Xia Tian's, and as the only two children of the mistress of the Xia household, they basked in the lap of luxury.
Although Xia Leng had many other children from his concubines, Xia Ying was the only one from his first concubine Wang Wenshu.
Compared to Xia Tian's elaborate front courtyard, Xia Shuiyao's was a picture of simplicity.
A stone table, flanked by four chairs, stood on the bare ground, and a pristine pond with a slanted lotus budding lay to the side.
The tranquility of the place was almost eerie, as if no one ever stayed there.
Xia Tian narrowed his eyes for a moment, but his face remained warm and friendly.
He withdrew his hand from Evelynn's waist and strode towards the slightly ajar room in the middle.
He pushed the door open gently.
"Get out!"
Even before he could enter, a frigid and unfeeling voice sliced through the air from inside.
The silence that followed was deafening, and not a sound could be heard.
"Interesting! A cold beauty. Even her threads of fate are messed up. Looks like there is a favored son of destiny in this world. Only those connected to them have their destiny messed up, Haha," Xia Tian chuckled inwardly, shifting his gaze slightly towards Evelynn.
Evelynn replied, "It's Xia Chen, the favored son of destiny and your half-brother, as well as Xia Ying's blood-brother. Xia Shuiyao must be one of his future women, but since you were interested in her, I made sure they can't have any contact."
"...Should I kill him?" Evelynn asked nonchalantly. For Void Realm cultivators, killing the favored son of destiny was hardly a big deal.
However, she had not killed him yet, knowing full well of Xia Tian's habits.
Xia Tian denied her proposal instantly, "No way. Are you trying to destroy my fun!?" he said, sounding slightly annoyed.
Xia Tian walked into the room without hesitation, as if he didn't even hear Xia Shuiyao's cold voice.
Evelynn stood there, smiling.
Void Realm cultivators all have peculiar personalities, and Xia Tian's was no different. He loved trouble and wherever there was trouble, Xia Tian was sure to be there.
And 'women' were synonymous with trouble for Xia Tian.
Naturally, the favored son of destiny would attract a lot of women, and Xia Tian couldn't let him die easily.
He was like this even before they were born. Though he played with women's hearts, it was only if they came in his way. However, Isabelle, one of Evelynn's sisters, had a significant influence on his personality. She threw the best women available at him whenever she got the chance, and it affected him deeply.
Isabelle once even threw the divine emperor's sister into his bed, but that was one of her biggest regrets. The sister was too clingy to Xia Tian.
Evelynn had a total of six sisters, and all seven of them were biologically related, but they never knew their parents. They never asked Xia Tian about it because they didn't care or their love for him overwhelmed their curiosity.
Even if they did ask, he wouldn't say anything. He only shared the amount of information that was necessary.
His standard reply to questions like that was, "Will it change anything?"
For any woman, it was a double-edged sword. If they said 'yes,' it meant they didn't trust him enough. It was said that a man could never win an argument against a woman, but he was an exception. He was the natural nemesis of women.
Evelynn had never given a second thought to her parents, and her sisters shared the same sentiment. They were self-absorbed and cared only for themselves. Their lack of concern for anyone else was palpable.
Xia Tian was a force to be reckoned with, always brimming with strength and energy. He was never one to sit still, always seeking new adventures. In fact, a few million years before his mysterious disappearance, he had single-handedly destroyed the heavenly demon king of their world. [A/N: Remember this for future reference.] When he wasn't off battling fierce foes, he would accompany Evelynn and her sisters, and they would attend to their assigned roles with the utmost care and responsibility.
Even though Xia Tian didn't take their roles seriously, they still followed them with unwavering dedication.
He had warned them when they were young that their behavior would shape who they became, but they continued to embrace their roles. [A/N: It is the Nurture side of psychology that is the behavior can be nurtured.]
The moment they opened their eyes at the age of seven, they saw Xia Tian's face staring back at them. His face remained unchanged even after his reincarnation. From that day on, Evelynn and her sisters followed him blindly. He trained them all and gave each one a specific role to play.
Evelynn's role was to care for Xia Tian and keep a watchful eye on women who contacted him. She was quick to sense when something was amiss, and she was never afraid to confront a suspicious character.
After all, only women can understand women best.
This was why she was the first to approach him after his reincarnation. Nyx was tasked with protecting him, while Isabelle was responsible for fulfilling his sexual needs.
All of them had a specific role to play, and they took it seriously.
Throughout the years, they had learned one thing for sure - the roles they played were given just for fun.
This person never needed anyone to take care of him since he could do everything by himself. He had been in the void realm even before they were born, three Chaos Cycle before.
His only habit was playing with people's brains and destroying their beliefs. Women were of no importance to him. They had seen all the women around him dying since none were able to achieve the void realm.
Not even a single emotion was shown in his eyes, yet he still kept smiling as if nothing happened. They thought he was broken and wanted to fix him, but eventually, they realized that's how he was and still is.
You could never guess his thoughts by his facial expression. It was as if he had a mask on, hiding his true intentions.
The only thing he seemed to care about even a bit was themselves, but even that was suspicious. Since they never remembered doing anything for him, why would he care about them?
It was one of their unanswered questions.
Even when the twin sisters died, he was indifferent, which shook them to their core. From then on, they became five from seven.
No one among them could forget the day of their death, which was three worlds before when they were still in the immortal realm. No one, other than Nyx and him, knew what happened that day. The only thing he said was, "Learn to accept losses."
Nothing changed in him, which shocked them to their core. They thought he needed help...
As humans, including women, it was a natural habit to think of people different from them as broken and to try and manipulate that person into a similar version of themselves.
They tried to impose their beliefs on others, thinking it was the right way to live. One felt most attracted to the person who had similar habits and beliefs as them.
This was the most effective way of building rapport.