Chapter Four: Hello, You're So Handsome

Tang Dao was, after all, a man of deep cunning and composure. His momentary imbalance did not last long, and he swiftly regained his poise, nodding politely to the guards, whose presence barely registered, as he made his way to the unremarkable private chamber.

“Greetings, Honorable One.” Tang Dao knelt, keeping his head bowed, but his eyes darted feverishly, yet discreetly, across the surroundings.

Before him was a child, eating and drinking in a most unrefined manner, without a single attendant in sight. The scene unfolded like a painting: a disciple, carefully and secretly groomed by his master, had reached the age of rebellion, seized the chance to escape his master’s watchful gaze, and, not yet content with his freedom, was found out. After a quarrel with his master, he dismissed the servants and ate with deliberate ferocity to show his displeasure.

“Tang Dao.”

“Your subordinate is here.”

Despite the tumult in his mind, Tang Dao’s reply came without delay.

“I have heard of you,” Chu Hanyu stood and turned his back, gazing out the window. “The last time your name reached me, you were at the Martial Emperor realm. In the blink of an eye, the Shadow Hall sent you to govern Umbrella City. Ah, yes, you renamed it Umbrella Demon City… Why did you do that?!”

The question grew suddenly stern, and Tang Dao felt a chill at his scalp; he struggled, yet finally managed to speak: “Because your subordinate believes the Highness also wishes to follow in your footsteps!” He then did his utmost to restrain his instinctive reactions.

Tang Dao undoubtedly understood what the Demon Lord was asking—this was all his doing.

Five years ago, after yet another battle between Honorable Ones, the Moonstrider Demon Lord fell, shaking the world. Upon his return, the Demon Lord of Myriad Phenomena added the word “Demon” to his own sect’s signboard. Though always known as a demonic sect, none had ever dared to proclaim it so openly.

This caused an uproar within the sect, even more than the Moonstrider’s demise. Gossip was scarce; the prevailing view was that the Lord’s perception of himself and his sect had changed, leading to an obvious consequence—war!

Rumors soon spread that the Demon Lord intended to wage war against all other Honorable Ones and Holy Lands. As internal debates reached fever pitch, the Lord retreated into seclusion. Everyone, including other sects who caught wind of this, watched the calm before the storm. Some minor sects even fled to the small worlds attached to the Azure Sky Realm.

Ever since the chaotic struggles among the eleven Honorable Ones two decades ago, everyone in Azure Sky Realm sensed that a sectarian war was brewing. Yet, in these twenty years, the supreme leaders fought like brash youths, but maintained an unspoken agreement to keep their subordinates in check. Actual conflicts between sects were rare. As for the true cause of strife among the great ones, it was as the saying went: “No one knows, and no one dares to ask.”

But the successive deaths of three supreme leaders was too momentous, casting a dark cloud over every learned person in Azure Sky Realm.

Tang Dao was certainly among them. With roots in the Demon Sect of Great Freedom, his hunger for power was immense. He had achieved great merit as a Martial Emperor but refrained from seeking an external post until his seniority permitted him to become an elder, then ascended to Martial Sovereign, and finally seized the position of Umbrella City’s lord. Upon gaining this special city, he immediately renamed it Umbrella Demon City, directly pursuing the Lord’s path. He had wagered all his chips in one go—his madness drew attention! And all of this was accomplished within the mere five years of the Demon Lord’s seclusion. The intrigue, manipulation, and maneuvering with the Shadow Hall’s appointments and schemes could fill a book on the art of strategy.

But Tang Dao ultimately won his gamble, and in a manner far better than he had ever hoped. Thanks to the sudden appearance of this Highness, he now had the opportunity to face his own Demon Lord directly! Far superior to explaining things via written reports. Tang Dao could not help but feel deep gratitude toward Zhang Ning.

“Oh? You think so?… In that case, you shall watch over him from now on,” Chu Hanyu said coolly, betraying no preference.

“Your subordinate obeys!” Tang Dao replied with utmost respect.

Both turned their gaze to Zhang Ning, who had just slowed his eating, gnawing on a large bone. Seeing the two look at him, he shot Tang Dao an impatient glare.

In truth, their conversation was not in Chinese, so Zhang Ning understood nothing. But he had grasped the situation perfectly: this young man, who wanted to dissect and study him, had now found someone to watch over him. How naïve, Zhang Ning thought, and thus gave the uncle a dismissive look.

This glare further convinced Tang Dao: this was a Highness spoiled by the Lord’s favor! (In this context, “Highness” was a term reserved for the Lord’s personally taught disciples.)

Chu Hanyu, reigning at the pinnacle of Azure Sky Realm, would of course not wait for a brat to finish eating before asking questions (especially since Zhang Ning had no intention of stopping). In truth, Chu Hanyu’s mind was still occupied with ideas left unfinished by his senior disciple, and perhaps this child from his own homeland might provide a breakthrough. But there was no urgency, so after a few instructions, he returned to his room.

No sooner had he entered than a figure emerged from the shadows—a handsome man in fitted attire, a silent cloak billowing behind him, its movement eerily like water rippling beneath lamplight.

It was the Netherworld Demon Lord—Xing Qiluo!

“You’re out of seclusion?” Xing Qiluo asked bluntly.

“Yes, I… Did you succeed?” Chu Hanyu suddenly realized something. Though longtime friends, even if Xing Qiluo betrayed no change, Chu Hanyu could discern something in the flicker of his eyes and tone.

“Yes, I succeeded. I’ve found a safe way in and out of the Netherworld Space!” Xing Qiluo’s gaze was ablaze.

Even with prior expectation, Chu Hanyu was still slightly taken aback, and smiled sincerely. “I should have known you’d be the first to take this step! The others are mere latecomers, none can match your insights into the Dao of the Universe.”

Xing Qiluo said firmly, “Let’s go and see!”

“Let’s go now!” Chu Hanyu replied, without hesitation.

All other matters became trivial. Even his own sect slipped from mind. Chu Hanyu did not utter a single instruction; together, they stepped out and shattered the space around them. In the next instant, both vanished.

An hour later.

Zhang Ning lay in bed, about to sleep, when suddenly—bang!—the door was kicked open.

A boy of fourteen or fifteen entered, his bronze skin radiating deadly aura, and stood silently before Zhang Ning. Due to the lighting, Zhang Ning did not see the blood on the youth’s boots. Zhang Ning, who had been lost in thought, sat up abruptly.

Could this be a second-generation here to show off and humiliate him? Zhang Ning’s mind spun rapidly. Time for some clever maneuvering!

“Wow, you’re really handsome, big brother!”

The youth’s face froze instantly.

Zhang Ning secretly chuckled. Earlier, he had managed to learn a shocking fact from the reserved uncle, whose Chinese was not entirely fluent—that the young man who abducted him today was, in fact, a figure at the apex of this world: the Demon Lord of Myriad Phenomena, Chu Hanyu! To be targeted by such a person… Zhang Ning felt utterly disheartened, his will to resist waning.

Yet he had not given up. He still had a few ideas, but for now his only trump card was the system. Unwilling to squander his attention points on early-stage tools and trivial matters, he could only cut down on opportunities to show off and humiliate others. Thus, as a grown man, he shamelessly resorted to acting cute… and it seemed to work well.

Zhang Ning watched for the youth’s reaction. The boy’s face remained rigid for a while, and only after some time did he force out the words, syllable by syllable: “What do you want?”

Zhang Ning asked, puzzled, “What?”

The youth replied, “What do you want as a meeting gift?”