Above the sea of clouds, only a man and a woman remained.
Fairy Luo's flowing robes and slender figure floated amidst the mist. Her expression was cold, and her voice calm as she spoke:
"What do you want?"
Her voice was steady and melodious.
Wu Chi glanced at her and found himself unable to look away.
Her perfectly proportioned figure was hidden beneath a crimson gown, and below the hemline, a pair of delicate, flawless feet seemed to hover just above the mist.
"What am I even staring at?"
Wu Chi gulped and quickly snapped out of it, focusing on what he needed to ask for.
However, Fairy Luo noticed his brief distraction. She furrowed her brows slightly, then relaxed, a faint smile forming on her lips.
"Would you like to touch it?" she teased.
"???"
Startled, Wu Chi reflexively reached out.
To his astonishment, his hand met something soft, warm, and impossibly smooth. Unlike ordinary human skin, this was the epitome of perfection, a texture that seemed to transcend mortal limits.
Fairy Luo's expression froze in disbelief.
The next moment, her brows knitted together, and a surge of invisible force erupted around her.
Boom!
With a single glance, Wu Chi was flung out of the small world entirely.
"This brat…"
Back in the clouds, Fairy Luo clenched her teeth, her eyes a mixture of embarrassment and fury.
She never expected Wu Chi to actually dare touch her.
"Such audacity!"
"No wonder all his soldiers are women."
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her initial intention had only been to tease him slightly, but she ended up being taken by surprise.
"I can't let this slide," she muttered.
A gleam of amusement crossed her eyes. "Perhaps the treasury has just the thing for this."
With a gust of wind and a swirl of mist, Wu Chi found himself hurled back into the academy's auditorium.
Looking around, he saw that most of the students had already left. Only a few remained to register their results, while several teachers were still busy tidying up.
"Wu Chi, you're back!"
A voice called out, and Wu Chi turned to see Teacher Hu approaching him.
She was a composed and intelligent-looking woman, dressed in mature attire, her face lightly made up.
"The principal probably has a separate reward for you since your name isn't on my list."
Wu Chi's face twitched at her words.
A reward? If being kicked out of the small world counted as one, then sure.
Just as he was about to respond, a cold voice echoed in his mind.
"When you get home, log into the World Forum. I've granted you temporary access to Cloud Dream Lake."
Cloud Dream Lake?
Wu Chi's eyes widened slightly as he quickly pieced things together.
This had to be Fairy Luo's domain!
Luo Yunmeng, Cloud Dream Lake—it all clicked now.
Without a doubt, she was preparing to give him his reward. But why use her domain for it?
After a moment of thought, Wu Chi replied to Teacher Hu, "Yes, Teacher Hu."
"Congratulations on taking first place," she said with a faint smile. Then, after a moment's hesitation, she added with a smirk, "You'll be famous now. Shenhe Academy's brightest prodigy—it's a title you can't avoid anymore."
"It's just a pity you're not a girl."
Wu Chi's face twitched. "Why would you say that?"
"Because recently, there's been a female legendary lord making waves. The entire world is searching for her. If you were a girl with your level of talent, you'd already be a global sensation."
"Instead, you're a shining gem overlooked amidst the galaxy of stars. The attention you'll get now can't compare to what it could have been."
Wu Chi wasn't particularly bothered by this.
He had reached his current position through his own effort, talent, and a little help from his mysterious "cheat." Public recognition was never his concern.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the teachers, Wu Chi walked out of the auditorium.
On his way home, he passed some of his classmates.
The freshmen who had participated in the battle avoided his gaze, unwilling to meet his eyes.
The others, who hadn't joined the war, were curious about what had happened. Many were discussing the simulated combat footage that teachers would later use for instructional purposes.
For now, though, Wu Chi's victory remained relatively under wraps, sparing him from immediate scrutiny.
But he knew it wouldn't last. Soon, not just Shenhe Academy but all of Silvermoon City would hear about his exploits.
Returning home, Wu Chi collapsed onto his couch, taking a moment to relax.
"All I wanted was to be a lazy fish…"
He sighed deeply. "Regretful."
Still, he decided not to dwell on it. The current situation had already exceeded his expectations, and it was time to reevaluate his plans for the future.
Taking things one step at a time would suffice.
As he composed himself, Wu Chi's body vanished from his home, his consciousness transported to a new realm.
Cloud Dream Lake.
Silvermoon City.
In a well-manicured villa complex filled with rare plants and spiritual energy, sixteen people were gathered for a meal.
Suddenly, a phone rang.
Among them, a graceful woman apologized, picked up her phone, and stepped into the hallway.
"Still using a phone? That's so outdated—like something from a past era," a girl around 12 or 13 scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Xiao Ke!"
A stern man shot her a sharp look. "Silvermoon City's customs are different. Watch your mouth!"
"Hmph," the girl huffed but said no more.
In the age of the Lords of All, humanity had ascended to a higher plane of existence.
But the immense changes had yet to unify completely, resulting in a diversity of lifestyles.
Each city developed its own unique culture.
Silvermoon City, for instance, retained the technological style of its planetary era. Other cities leaned toward futuristic designs, mystical landscapes, or even magical constructs like floating cities, undead capitals, or mechanical metropolises.
With every lord ruling their own domain—whether it be a small land or an entire universe—the cities of the real world were equally diverse, shaped by the preferences of their inhabitants.
"WHAT?!"
Suddenly, the woman's sharp cry interrupted the gathering.
Everyone turned to look, their expressions curious and concerned.
The young girl muttered disdainfully, "What's all the fuss about now?"
"Xiao Ke!"
The man glared at her again, and she fell silent.
The woman, visibly shaken, returned to the table, her face a mixture of disbelief and apprehension.
The man beside her patted her hand reassuringly. "What's the matter?"
"It's Wu Chi… Wu Chi…" she stammered, her expression complex.
The man smiled. "Is he asking you for resources? Don't worry; I can provide them.
"After all, he's your biological son. The path of a lord is difficult and full of obstacles. If someone can help early on, it spares them countless struggles later.
"I'll prepare some resources. Just send them to him when you're ready."
The man's tone was kind and calm, but the woman shook her head vigorously.
"No…"
She couldn't bring herself to say more.