"Is there something you need, Young Master Ye?"
Ji Lingxian looked at the heir of the Ye family with a hint of doubt. She had heard of his reputation within the royal court, though not for any good reason. The title of "the useless heir of the Ye family" was well-known throughout Da Zhou. Although he seemed to recognize her, she certainly did not feel familiar with him.
"No… nothing, really." Ye Chen gazed at her, nervous and yet brimming with adoration. To him, her face was both familiar and strangely distant, yet still as graceful as he remembered. "Is there something you're looking to buy? I'd be happy to cover it for you."
Taking a deep breath, he tried to suppress his anxious heart, reminding himself that this Lingxian did not yet know him as she had in his past life. In this new life, he would win her over slowly.
"Thank you, Young Master Ye, but that won't be necessary," Ji Lingxian replied with a slight frown. She was not close to this Ye family heir; why would he insist on paying for her? Besides, his gaze was unsettling. Growing up in the palace, she knew all too well what men thought when they looked at her that way.
"No need to be so polite," Ye Chen said with a smile, moving closer and signaling the attendant to pack up her items.
"I said it won't be necessary." Ji Lingxian's tone turned colder, with a hint of anger. Did this Young Master Ye not understand the concept of boundaries? They had no connection, so why did he act as if they were close?
"Oh…" Ye Chen hesitated, then managed a slight, self-conscious smile. It seemed Lingxian was indeed hard to approach, but he was confident. She likely saw him as a useless noble and had no interest in associating with him, which was understandable. But tomorrow, once he acquired the item he needed to unlock his War God Physique, he would progress rapidly in his cultivation. In time, Lingxian would surely have a different opinion of him.
"Lingxian, do you have some free time in the coming days? Perhaps we could take a walk together," he asked, flashing what he thought was a charming smile. In his past life, he had been a human emperor, not an ordinary one at that. A small glimpse of his cultivation insights could greatly benefit even the strongest human emperor, let alone Ji Lingxian, who was still in the Origin stage.
If he helped her a few times, she would undoubtedly come to admire him, and maybe, in time, she would even grow to love him.
"I don't—"
Just as Ji Lingxian was about to refuse, she saw two figures, along with a small bear, enter the Immortal Terrace Pavilion.
"How have you been?" the young man in the pair asked her with a gentle smile.
"It's been a while, my lord," Ji Lingxian responded, her cheeks flushing slightly, and she nervously shifted her feet.
"Yaya! Yaya!" The small bear, perched on the young man's shoulder, squeaked, seemingly muttering that it recognized the "oddly ugly creature" beside it and that she was as ugly as the one next to her. The bear quickly glanced around, hoping no one could hear its thoughts.
"My lord?" Ye Chen's eyes narrowed, his demeanor becoming sharper, resembling the fierce warrior he had once been in his past life. Although he had lost his previous cultivation, his keen intuition remained. He could tell that this man was no ordinary individual.
However, his main concern was why Lingxian had addressed this man as "my lord" and seemed so flustered, her cheeks flushed, and her hands restless.
"My lord, why didn't you visit the royal palace upon arriving in Da Zhou? My grandfather, the War Emperor, has been eagerly awaiting your arrival," Ji Lingxian said, glancing up at Qin Tian. She seemed unsure of what to say and could only bring up her grandfather's hopes that Qin Tian would visit.
Of course, her grandfather was genuinely looking forward to Qin Tian's arrival in Da Zhou.
"And is this… your Dao companion?" Qin Tian asked, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. He knew exactly who the young man was: the new Child of Destiny.
It was a game for Qin Tian, one he thoroughly enjoyed—watching and manipulating these so-called children of destiny.
"No, he… he's Ye Chen, the heir of the Ye family in Da Zhou," Ji Lingxian quickly clarified, her face paling as if she feared Qin Tian might misunderstand.
"Oh, I see. The heir of the Ye family—an impressive young man indeed," Qin Tian said casually, casting a glance at this Child of Destiny. He wasn't yet sure what type of "destiny" this young man held but planned to observe over the coming days to find out.
Would this Child of Destiny be like the last one, a mere weakling whose determination faltered over a single woman? This one seemed different; the last had been a "fallen prodigy" type, whose heart was easily swayed.
Ye Chen ignored Qin Tian's words, his expression turning increasingly serious. Watching Ji Lingxian rush to explain herself to this man, he began to wonder if Lingxian harbored feelings for him. But this raised even more questions. In his memories from his previous life, he recalled no instance of Ji Lingxian showing any romantic interest in anyone.
As the beloved princess of Da Zhou, any sign of romantic involvement from her would have become well-known. If Ji Lingxian had shown the slightest affection for anyone, rumors would have spread like wildfire among the elite of Da Zhou. After all, Ji Lingxian was deeply cherished by the War Emperor, and even without her beauty, her status alone would have made her a sought-after prize.
Ye Chen's expression grew darker, his gaze shifting subtly to Qin Tian. He could not recall encountering this man in his previous life, a man whose cultivation was so abnormal that it bordered on monstrous. A talent of this magnitude would have been well-known in his past life. This man's obscurity was troubling.
"May I know your name, sir?" Ye Chen finally asked, his lighthearted tone replaced with a grave one, as he resolved to figure out what was going on.
"Qin Tian," the man replied, smiling. He observed Ye Chen's shifting expression, inwardly speculating about what type of Child of Destiny he might be. Still, he needed a few more events to confirm his guess.
"Qin Tian…"
Ye Chen's pupils contracted. Rumor had it that the mysterious young man from the Upper Realm in the Eastern Desolate Immortal Land was named Qin Tian. Combined with Ji Lingxian's mention of the War Emperor's anticipation, there was no doubt—this was indeed the mysterious Qin Tian from the Upper Realm.