Our OP MC looked through the windows of the carriage and saw little boys and girls begging for food on the streets. Despite the city's apparent prosperity, this was not the case everywhere.
Wars had been fought, sects, families and clans had been slaughtered, and this rich city had become a famous gathering spot for many refugees in the region.
"Send a message to the servants at the house, Old Mason. I want all children and their parents, if they wish, to be given shelter in my courtyard. This will be only temporary, as I plan to buy a permanent home for them once the day is done," Julian ordered.
"This will be a hefty task, young master," Old Mason said, pausing before answering.
"No worries, Old Mason. I found a treasure trove a couple of months back. I could drown this city in gold and spirit stones if I wanted to," Julian replied with a confident smile.
"It shall be done, young master." Old Mason nodded, took a piece of paper from his pocket, and scribbled a message on it.
Moments later, the paper transformed into a paper dove, which flew away with an almost lifelike grace. The dove disappeared into the horizon, carrying Julian's instructions with it.
The carriage resumed its journey and arrived at the heart of the market. The scene was bustling with countless stalls and cultivators shouting their products.
Some vendors, disdaining such efforts, had posted large, colorful, and creative signs to attract interested customers.
Addison and Julian disembarked from the carriage and began walking towards the busy marketplace on foot.
They ventured into a maze of alleyways, and soon the chaotic noise of the market faded into the background.
"Are we lost, young master?" Addison asked, feeling as though they had already walked a thousand miles, despite just starting. She tried to remember the route they had taken, but it eluded her.
"No, we are exactly where we need to be," Julian replied, continuing to walk in silence. They proceeded for another thirty minutes before arriving at a desolate spot.
In stark contrast to the surrounding skyscrapers, a lone thatched house stood there. It seemed out of place, yet Julian approached it confidently.
Without knocking, Julian pushed open the door, which creaked as it swung inward. Addison followed closely behind him. The thud of the door closing behind them echoed loudly in Addison's ears.
What she saw next amazed her. Inside the thatched house was an entirely different world. Bottles of wine and jugs of various shapes and sizes filled the space, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Some of the special wines were encased in glass containers, protected but lacking labels or names to identify their contents.
But what caught Addison's eye most was an old, fat man sleeping soundly on a white bed in the center of the room.
The old man snored loudly, as if he had been inebriated with the very wines surrounding him.
The scene was a surreal contrast to the bustling city outside, leaving Addison in awe of the hidden world Julian had led her into.
"Wake up, Nine Domain Wine Emperor," Julian called in a whisper.
"Zzz." Still, the old fat man continued sleeping.
"Or should I call you by your true name... Lin Feng?" Julian continued.
"BANG!" The moment Julian uttered the name Lin Feng, the room full of wine bottles trembled. Divine brilliance erupted, and a deep red aura enveloped the space, emanating from the old man.
In an instant, the once-sleeping figure was on his feet, his white hair standing upright. The hair was so long it seemed to reach the heavens like a ladder.
It was then that Addison realized that the white bed from earlier was indeed the old man's head to begin with, revealing his true, formidable presence.
"Where did you hear that name?" the fat old man demanded, his body radiating battle intent. The chaotic energy he exuded was like a coiled spring, ready to strike at any moment.
The name Lin Feng had been forgotten by time, used by this old man eons ago. All who had known this name were long dead, and he was certain of it, having outlived them all.
"Oh? That's easy. Isn't that your true name?" Julian chuckled at the old man's anger.
"…" Lin Feng paused, not rushing into action. He seized the opportunity to use his divine sense to investigate Julian.
To his astonishment, he found a handsome young man who appeared mortal in every way. Even more surprising was the slight crack in Julian's Dao heart. Lin Feng struggled to believe the reality before him.
This place was known only to immortal emperors and loose immortals, so he naturally assumed Julian must be one of them.
Determined to uncover the truth, Lin Feng employed a secret technique to probe Julian's past, present, and future.
He glimpsed a vision of an exceptionally handsome man adorned in golden cultivator robes and a golden crown, his presence vast as the universe itself.
As the vision shifted, the man turned and stared directly into Lin Feng's eyes. It was then that he realized that he fucked up.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Lin Feng screamed in terror, his hands covering his bleeding eyes as he recoiled from the vision.
The pain lingered, but Lin Feng, wise as he was, knew how to handle the situation.
"Senior, please forgive this fool's impudence!" Lin Feng knelt on the floor, begging for forgiveness.
Despite the eternal burning sensation in his eyes, like ants gnawing at his flesh, he had the presence of mind to choose the best course of action.
"There's nothing to forgive. You've already paid for your ignorance," Julian said with a smile, surveying the vast gallery of spirits. "By the way, could you still sell me some of the wines in your storage? I'm curious to see how your collection compares to mine."
"I hear and obey, Senior! Please follow me to my most precious stock of wine!" Lin Feng responded with a smile, despite the blood still seeping from his eyes.
Even with the loss of his eyesight, his divine sense allowed him to see as clearly as ever.
And so, that meeting concluded with one of the greatest immortal emperors, who had once dominated an entire era, now serving and pleasing our op mc.