Without further ado, the Grand Elder spoke, "We have come bearing the ancient decree of the Heaven Profound Order for the Heaven Monarch."
Direct, without a single unnecessary word.
The elder was a smart man, having served under many noble young masters. He knew precisely how to earn the favor of someone as exalted as Chu Wuchen.
Chu Wuchen accepted the ancient decree, a slight smile gracing his lips. "This identity as Heaven Monarch... it's not bad," he thought.
A rare feeling of happiness stirred within him. In his past two lives, he'd never enjoyed such an honor. Despite his natural charisma and handsome appearance, his past statuses were a far cry from the power he now wielded.
"Let's go."
With the decree in hand, Chu Wuchen gave a quiet command. Instantly, his grand chariot, drawn by nine mighty white jade dragons, let out a low roar before launching forward. Like a streak of lightning, they surged into the depths of the Heaven Profound Secret Realm.
Behind him, the crowd knelt and bowed deeply. "Farewell, Heaven Monarch!" they chanted in unison.
As Chu Wuchen departed, silence fell over the ancient city. Yet countless beings continued to gaze upward, awestruck, as the figure of the Heaven Monarch lingered in their minds. The power and majesty of his departure had etched itself deeply into their memories.
Some among them sighed dreamily, "To marry, one should marry someone like the Heaven Monarch Wuchen."
A woman clad in dark robes, her face obscured, allowed a pale, jade-like hand to emerge from beneath her sleeve. She gently touched her face, her fingers cool and luminous as moonlight. If her family could find her such a husband, perhaps she wouldn't have had to escape her own marriage.
Inside the Heaven Profound Secret Realm
Boom!
The land, vast and ancient, was already embroiled in fierce battles. Young prodigies and renowned scions clashed, their powerful abilities ripping through the air. Outside, onlookers watched as names on the Prodigy Ranking shifted moment by moment.
The ranking was no mere honor—its rewards were highly coveted. Every moment, some names ascended, breaking past barriers to catch the eye of others, while others dropped, and still more... vanished altogether, erased from the ranking upon their defeat in combat.
The mighty white jade dragons roared across the skies as they pulled Chu Wuchen's chariot through the realm, their regal, crystalline scales gleaming in the light. The noise reached the ears of many prodigies scattered throughout the realm, who looked up in surprise, their faces shifting to expressions of recognition and awe.
"Is that...?"
Some of the young cultivators gasped. "The Heaven Monarch himself... Chu Wuchen!"
In an instant, expressions varied. Most were stunned, their pride softened by the understanding of the vast gulf that separated them from him. They, too, were talented in their own right, renowned champions in their circles, yet they couldn't deny that Chu Wuchen belonged to an entirely different league.
Yet, among the shocked faces, some were determined. Their gazes burned with fighting spirit.
"The undefeated dual-pupil prodigy… I want to test my own limits against him."
Even if they knew the outcome, the desire for battle was ingrained in them. They would never back down, for without an unshakable heart, how could they continue their journeys?
Chu Wuchen, however, had no intention of lingering. The chariot, with the white jade dragons roaring at its helm, hurtled past them, a mere flash in their eyes before it vanished into the horizon.
"Perhaps the Heaven Monarch entered the realm seeking the ultimate inheritance," some speculated.
"No," another corrected, shaking his head. "For someone like him, this journey is likely just a passing curiosity."
In the distance, the sky was ablaze with light as a battle erupted, filling the air with a pulsating energy. Even from afar, Chu Wuchen could see the shimmering void, thick with spell symbols and power woven together. The jade dragons didn't pause, speeding straight through the spectacle without a hint of hesitation.
Elsewhere, amidst the fierce battle
Bang! Bang!!
The clash raged on, the sounds of heavy strikes ringing out one after another.
A young prodigy clad in golden armor, a valiant figure with sharp, unyielding eyes, was the last one standing among a dozen others who had fallen. His head throbbed, yet he remained defiant, even as his vision blurred from the blow he'd received. He looked forward, his gaze landing on a woman, and for a moment, he was struck.
The woman before him was beautiful beyond words, her presence otherworldly. Her aura was ethereal, as if she'd descended from the heavens themselves. No woman he had ever seen could compare to her.
But his admiration was short-lived. His mind was clouded with anger. "Why would she... resort to a sneak attack?"
"Not going down yet?" The woman, known as the Dragon Maiden, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Fine. Let's give him one more."
Beside her, a small creature—barely larger than a fist, yet brimming with electric energy—raised its spiked club. This was the Thunder Spirit, a mischievous, thunder-wielding entity with a penchant for adding insult to injury. With a glint in its eye, it swung its club at the back of the youth's head once more.
Bang!
The blow echoed sharply, and this time, the young man's vision went black as his legs gave out from beneath him. He collapsed with a thud, unconscious.
"Calling my tactics underhanded when I can take on ten of them at once…" the Dragon Maiden muttered with a smirk as she dusted off her hands. Surveying the fallen young men, her delicate face radiated a quiet pride. Another batch down.
The Thunder Spirit, too, shared her sense of accomplishment, its tiny eyes glinting with satisfaction as it glanced at the fresh lumps on the heads of the defeated prodigies. It mentally tallied the swollen bumps, reveling in its handiwork.
"Quickly now, let's gather their treasures and make our escape!" the Dragon Maiden urged, a smile spreading across her face.
"As usual, seven parts for you, three for me," the Thunder Spirit reminded, crossing its tiny arms as if the matter were of utmost importance.
"Fine, fine, I won't cheat you." With that, the two began their routine, deftly relieving the defeated of their spatial pouches and valuables with practiced ease.
Suddenly, a low rumble filled the air.
The Dragon Maiden paused, looking up in surprise. In the distance, she saw a grand sight—a chariot of brilliant white jade, flanked by nine majestic dragons, racing through the sky.
In front of the chariot, a young man with a strikingly noble bearing, his presence like that of a true immortal, stood out against the sky. Chu Wuchen.
Even from afar, she could feel the unique power he emanated. His gaze met hers, lingering briefly.
The Dragon Maiden's heartbeat quickened. There was something utterly mesmerizing about his presence, a rare purity in his spirit. What struck her most was the faint aura of dragon energy that surrounded him, almost like her own bloodline but... more refined. Her hands rose instinctively to the delicate, translucent horns atop her head, twin symbols of her own dragon heritage, barely peeking out like new spring buds.
For a moment, the vast realm seemed to pause, the tension between them hanging in the air.