Chapter 1: The Fiancée

"Young Master Zhou, don't be in such a hurry. That useless Xu Yang will need at least half an hour to get back."

"Oh~ Young Master Zhou, be gentle, don't use so much strength, you're hurting me."

"Heh, isn't this exactly what you like?"

Inside the room, a man and a woman were flirting and teasing each other.

Outside the room, Xu Yang stood frozen at the door. In an instant, all color drained from his face, leaving him as pale as death.

For three years, he had cared for his girlfriend Zhao Ya with utmost devotion, attentive in every detail. Today, he had left work early and specially gone to the cake shop to buy her favorite mousse cake, hoping to surprise her.

Who could have expected that, before he even entered the room, Zhao Ya would give him such a "surprise"?

Bang!

The solid wooden door could not withstand the force of his furious kick and crashed to the floor.

"Zhao Ya! I've treated you so well, and yet you do something like this behind my back! Do you have any conscience left?"

Zhao Ya, caught red-handed, paled for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. Her voice turned cold.

"Since you've seen it, I won't hide it anymore. I got together with him half a month ago."

"Xu Yang, do you know who he is? Zhou Jian—the eldest son of the Zhou family! He's worth over a hundred million!"

"Look at him, then look at yourself! Just a pathetic little office worker! Hmph! I can't even be bothered to argue with you. You're not even worth a toe of Young Master Zhou!"

"Now that you've seen everything, stop whining and get lost! Don't delay my time with Young Master Zhou!"

Having latched onto a wealthy heir, Zhao Ya was full of confidence. Though she was clearly in the wrong, her manner was aggressive and unashamed.

How could a person be so shameless?

Staring at Zhao Ya's guiltless face, Xu Yang was utterly stunned.

Seeing Xu Yang rooted to the spot, Zhao Ya's tone turned sharp.

"Aren't you leaving yet? Xu Yang, I'm warning you. If you breathe a word about what happened today, neither I nor Young Master Zhou will let you off!"

Recovering his senses, Zhou Jian's face twisted into a sneer.

"You pathetic fool, if you don't get out now, I'll have my men beat you to death!"

"Idiot, being cuckolded by me is an honor for you. Why the long face? Did your mother die or something?"

"I'll kill you!"

At this string of humiliations, Xu Yang was finally consumed by rage. With a furious shout, he lunged at Zhou Jian.

Bang!

He landed a solid punch directly on Zhou Jian's face.

"Go to hell!"

As he vented his fury, a cold voice suddenly sounded at his ear.

Xu Yang turned his head just in time to see Zhao Ya gripping a fruit knife, stabbing toward him.

There was no time to react. He heard a sickening squelch, then a searing pain exploded across his back as bright blood gushed out.

At that moment, Zhou Jian, who had been pinned down, recovered his wits and kicked him viciously.

Bang!

With a dull thud, Xu Yang was sent sprawling to the floor.

Then Zhou Jian, clambering up from the ground, grabbed a wooden chair and smashed it down hard on Xu Yang.

Bang! Crash!

The chair shattered to pieces.

In his dazed state, Xu Yang heard Zhao Ya and Zhou Jian's voices.

"Young Master Zhou, that's enough."

"What, feeling sorry for him?"

"Heh, even if I pitied a stray dog, I wouldn't pity this penniless loser. I'm just worried for you—if you really beat him to death, it could get troublesome."

"Heh, it's just one useless trash. I have money, I have power—so what if I beat him to death…"

Blood welled endlessly from Xu Yang's mouth, staining most of his shirt scarlet.

The crimson spread quickly, soaking into the jade pendant hanging at his chest.

Then, a faint glimmer flashed.

Boom!

His body shuddered violently, and a strange vision burst into Xu Yang's mind.

Amidst swirling mists, a towering figure appeared, as imposing as a mountain. Though his face was hidden, his eyes were as sharp as blades.

"The blood of the Xu family has fallen to such disgrace! Xu Yang, you've truly shamed the Imperial Sovereign Clan!"

A deep, thunderous voice resounded, filled with boundless authority.

"Who are you?" Xu Yang asked, bewildered.

"Hmph! As you are now, you're not worthy to know my name."

"Today, I will impart to you all I have learned in my life! Let you stride across the universe, and restore the might of the Imperial Sovereign Clan!"

"Remember this: the Imperial Sovereign Clan never suffers humiliation! The blood of the Xu family never admits defeat!"

A deafening roar echoed—

The overwhelming voice faded, and a torrent of information flooded into Xu Yang’s body—profound martial arts, supreme medical skills, Daoist techniques, arts of divination…

His empty mind was suddenly overwhelmed. The flood of knowledge sent agony lancing through his skull; with a scream of pain, he lost consciousness and blacked out.

...

When he awakened again, Xu Yang was startled to find himself lying in a pile of garbage behind the apartment complex.

The air was thick with stench, flies buzzed everywhere, and his own body was covered in blood and filth.

He struggled to his feet, and to his astonishment, found that his wounds, though his body was filthy, were almost completely healed.

Even the stab wound Zhao Ya had given him in the back was gone, leaving only a faint scar.

"Could it be that everything just now… was real?"

Recalling the vision in his mind, Xu Yang was shocked.

Screech!

Before he could process this mysterious event, he heard the sound of brakes.

Turning his head, Xu Yang saw a red Lamborghini pull up by the curb.

The door opened, and a woman of extraordinary beauty stepped out.

Her hair cascaded like silk, her features were exquisite, her figure tall and graceful, her bearing elegant—she was every bit as stunning as a film star, a true goddess.

It was the first time Xu Yang had ever seen such a beautiful woman, and for a moment, he was utterly dazzled.

The goddess noticed the filthy man staring at her feverishly, and her delicate brows drew together in a frown.

Still, remembering her purpose here today, she composed herself and spoke.

"Excuse me, but does someone named Xu Yang live in this complex?"

Her tone carried a trace of aloofness, but her voice was as clear and melodious as silver bells.

"Ah…"

Hearing his name from her lips, Xu Yang exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm asking if you know someone named Xu Yang. I have business with him."

Seeing his dazed expression, the woman pursed her red lips in annoyance.

"I… I am."

Xu Yang was still bewildered.

"You are?"

Hearing this, Su Yanran’s expression shifted dramatically. She looked Xu Yang up and down, then glanced at a photo in her phone’s gallery. An exasperated look crept across her flawless features.