The first light of dawn, tangled within the delicate mist, revealed brilliant specks of color that appeared and vanished with each blink, a breathtaking sight.
The dazzling lights rekindled a sense of nostalgia within him, but it was not yet over. Amid the radiant glow, he saw the overwhelming vitality of life, the vast sunrise, and the golden-red hues.
With the wind swirling, the lights were drawn down by some unseen force, flowing like water, forming over a hundred streams of golden-red spectacle.
Beneath the golden-red light, the view became even more magnificent. Upon closer observation, a faint, chilling aura emanated from the light.
The source of these ominous energies was unmistakably tied to several familiar places.
Zhao Lun widened his eyes, intent on seeing through it all. Eventually, he discovered a few hidden traces of purple mist among the golden-red world.
This purple mist, edged in gold with a hint of crimson, was difficult to spot amidst the overwhelming golden-red brilliance unless one looked closely.
It was less conspicuous than the golden-red hues, almost like a mischievous child, elusive and full of vitality.
Following its trail, some concealed auras flickered and vanished in an instant, evading his grasp.
"Truly, hidden dragons and crouching tigers," Zhao Lun muttered, observing with awe. He had never encountered such a powerful presence during his time in Great Britain. But here, he was surrounded by them—many, it seemed.
Why would there be so many masters in such a small place? Zhao Lun couldn't fathom it, yet he was grateful he had not caused any trouble to draw their attention.
"It seems the Mulan competition is more intriguing than expected."
In an instant, the thought of the Mulan competition crossed his mind. Reflecting on it now, it was certainly not a simple matter.
"Is this purple aura unique to their cultivation method?"
The cultural differences between East and West created divergent worldviews, which directly influenced their understanding of power.
Zhao Lun had accumulated numerous books and had once believed that complexity hindered purity, so he set it aside. Now, witnessing such phenomena, he felt the urge to delve into learning about the powers at play.
But would there be conflict? He dismissed the thought after a brief consideration.
With the divine nation keeping things in check, what would conflict matter?
Resolute in his decision, his mind found peace.
As the sun rose, the scorching heat made the light uncontrollable, and the distant glow began to fade.
Suddenly, he noticed a patch of golden-red light dissipating within his mansion.
"Are there hidden masters here?"
Zhao Lun paused, realizing he had failed to sense an expert so close by. Who could it be? Mulan? That seemed unlikely—if it were her, she would have noticed by now. So who was it?
With a sense of doubt, Zhao Lun returned to the living room.
Inside, Angela was talking animatedly with Maria and the others, looking quite cheerful.
"Sister Zhi, weren't you supposed to go home? Why are you back so soon? Did something happen?"
Was there another argument at home? Zhao Lun refrained from asking, but the implication was clear.
"What are you thinking? Cursing your sister?"
Angela smiled and playfully glared at him.
"Is everything okay? A harmonious home brings prosperity! Peace is the most important! Congratulations, Sister Zhi!"
Her smile was sincere, without a hint of pretense, and Zhao Lun could feel her genuine happiness. He immediately congratulated her.
Angela often appeared indifferent, but Zhao Lun knew she was the most caring of them all.
"My mom has invited everyone over for a visit. Would you like to come?"
"Visit? As long as it's not too much trouble, I'll go. But why did you come back so early, Sister Zhi?"
"My house is nearby. It's just a few steps away. Do you think it's troublesome?"
"Ah, I see. My mistake."
Everyone was happy for Angela, and they continued enjoying breakfast, the time dragging on a little longer than expected.
"Do we need to prepare a gift for the visit?"
"Of course, a gift is essential. It's never wrong to show respect!"
"What should we bring? What if they don't like it?"
"We can ask Angela or check with the boss."
Having spent a lot of time with Zhao Lun, everyone had been influenced by his customs, always bringing gifts when visiting friends or family. Now, they were determined to leave a good impression on Angela's family.
"This gift should be neither too cheap nor too extravagant. Something moderate would be best."
"Fruits, cosmetics, jewelry, tea—anything along those lines would be appropriate."
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Lun shared his thoughts on suitable gifts, and the others went off to prepare, satisfied.
Their discussion had taken up a lot of time, and by the time they were done, it was nearly noon. Zhao Lun finally had a moment to focus on matters that interested him.
"Athena, bring up the latest news regarding Nicole and the others."
"Yes, sir!"
Without further ado, the news about Nicole and others appeared before him. It included reports from Great Britain, Japan, and Hong Kong—anything relevant was gathered.
"Filter out the Hong Kong news; I only want those."
Zhao Lun's eyes were starting to blur from scanning the articles, so he hastily had Athena exclude the irrelevant reports.
The remaining news was much easier to digest. Zhao Lun clicked on one, and it was quite positive. Even though it was from a tabloid, it wasn't defamatory and was full of praise. Angela, being a local, received the most acclaim. Nicole and Monica were overshadowed.
The article then switched to praising Hong Kong as a land of heroes before turning the spotlight back on the locals, praising them endlessly.
Zhao Lun couldn't help but blush at the exaggerated flattery. Embarrassed, he set the article aside and turned to the television reports.
It was perfect timing—entertainment news had just started covering the latest movie release, "Beauty Combat Team 3."
On a bustling street, outside a luxurious cinema, a crowd of passionate young fans had gathered.
Celebrities appeared, and the flash of cameras filled the air, fans cheering excitedly.
A beautiful female reporter was explaining the scene, fulfilling her duty as a journalist, interviewing fans in the crowd.
With so many people, no one paid attention to her until she finally found a young man who was being squeezed out of the crowd. She approached him for an interview.
"Sir, hello, I'm a host from Hong Kong TV..."
"Go away! Don't waste my time! I'm looking for my goddess!"
The young man had a short temper and shouted impatiently, before continuing to push forward.
"...The atmosphere here is electric, and the fans are extremely passionate!" The female reporter adjusted herself and, trying again, approached a more refined young man with glasses.
"Sir, hello, I'm..."
"No need to introduce yourself, I know you're from Hong Kong TV. Miss Huamei, please, don't delay me in finding my goddess!"
Although the bespectacled young man wasn't as rude as the previous one, his response was no different—just as fervent in his obsession.