Inside the Lu Family Manor, Lu Cheng leaned lazily on the sofa, his gaze fixed on the exotic flowers and plants in the garden, a satisfied curve playing on his lips.
He liked this feeling, bringing the whole world under his control and shaping it according to his will.
"Master."
Ye Shuying's figure appeared silently. She respectfully presented a gilded invitation.
"Oh?"
Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow and took the invitation.
The invitation's material was neither gold nor jade, warm to the touch, with two large characters, 'Jiang Fu', written in an ancient script.
"Jiang Family? A hidden ancient martial arts family?"
A playful glint flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes.
"Yes, Master."
Ye Shuying's voice, devoid of emotion, reported:
"According to intelligence, the Jiang Family claims to be descended from antiquity and went into seclusion a hundred years ago."
"Recently, they suddenly made a high-profile return to the world, purchased a manor in the Demon City, and are hosting a banquet tonight, inviting various dignitaries from the Demon City, their intentions unclear."
"Intentions unclear?"
Lu Cheng chuckled, his finger tapping lightly on the invitation.
"Nothing unclear about it."
"It's just fish that have been kept in a pond for too long, sensing the coming storm and eager to leap out of the water to see how high the sky is and how deep the water is."
He could feel that as the date of his son's arrival drew nearer, this world was becoming increasingly exciting.
Even if the so-called spiritual energy recovery was privatized by him.
These guys with various abilities were still emerging endlessly.
Perhaps, this was the Golden Age?
These hidden families were probably the first pioneers.
Well, since he had nothing to do, he would go and see what interesting drama these self-important fellows could put on.
"Brother, are you going out? Take me with you!"
Lu Xuan appeared from nowhere, beginning to act coquettishly.
She couldn't let her brother inexplicably bring women home again, at least... she had to vet them!
"Alright, I'll take you to see the world."
Lu Cheng dotingly ruffled her hair... Meanwhile.
Inside a male dormitory of a certain third-rate university in Demon City.
Xiao Fan was looking at the live news broadcast on his phone with an excited expression.
On the screen was a stunning woman in a fiery red long dress with a tall, slender figure.
Her fiery red hair, as dazzling as flames, cascaded casually behind her. Her upturned phoenix eyes carried an innate pride and sharp edge, as if they could burn one's soul.
She simply stood there, yet she was like the sun, stealing the light from everyone else in the room.
"My god... how can there be such a perfect woman in this world!"
Xiao Fan felt his mouth go dry, his heart pounding wildly.
Ever since he bound the [All-Attribute Pick-Up System], his life had been like a cheat code.
He picked up the school bully's [Strength +1] on the sports field, breaking the school record.
He picked up the top student's [Intelligence +2] in the library, coming first in every exam.
Just yesterday, he even picked up [Fighting Skills +5] dropped by a few hooligans at the school gate, staging a hero saving the beauty, although he only received a thank you from the goddess.
But at this moment, his self-confidence had swelled to an extreme!
He felt that the campus belle was merely an embellishment on his life's path.
And the woman on the screen, like a fiery divine phoenix, was his, Xiao Fan's, destined true love!
Just then, in the live broadcast, a seemingly authoritative middle-aged man, apparently the master of a martial arts hall, challenged the Jiang Family's arrogance and stepped forward.
The woman in the red dress didn't even lift an eyelid.
She simply waved her jade hand casually.
"Bang!"
An invisible, scorching wave of air erupted!
The so-called martial arts hall master was like being hit by a speeding truck, screaming, flying backward, spitting blood, and fainting on the spot!
The entire hall fell into a dead silence!
And the woman in the red dress merely picked up a glass of red wine and spoke faintly, with an utterly contemptuous tone.
"This is what you mortals call a Martial Arts Grandmaster?"
"Truly... ridiculously weak."
"Next."
That domineering aura, looking down on the world and regarding all beings as ants, surged through the screen, fiercely impacting Xiao Fan's soul!
"Holy crap! So cool!"
Xiao Fan excitedly jumped up from his bed!
"Jiang Lian... what a great name!"
"You wait, I, Xiao Fan, will soon stand before you and let you know who is the only man in this world worthy of you!"
He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with the flame of "ambition"... At the Jiang Family banquet.
Lu Cheng, accompanied by Lu Xuan, quietly entered.
He didn't alert anyone, simply found a sofa in a corner and sat down, like an ordinary guest.
Lu Xuan, on the other hand, curiously surveyed her surroundings, especially the red-dressed woman, Jiang Lian, who was surrounded by others like stars around the moon.
"Brother, that woman is so arrogant."
Lu Xuan whispered.
"She's all red, looks a bit strange."
Lu Cheng swirled his wine glass, his gaze calmly falling on Jiang Lian.
Under his system's analysis, all of this woman's secrets were laid bare.
[Name: Jiang Lian]
[Identity: 'Urban Attribute Pick-Up: Starting from Conquering the Goddess' Destiny Female Lead]
[Physique: Nine Revolutions Divine Phoenix Body]
[Cultivation Method: Nine Revolutions Burning Heaven Art]
[Combat Power: 3200 (Qi Refinement Peak)]
[Luck Rating: Gold]
Interesting.
Unlike Immortal Emperor Ling Tian who appeared before, although both were at Qi Refinement, there was no 'Otherworld Cultivation Level' tag. It seems she cultivated in this world?
Her combat power is not bad, but later, you won't have any Qi to cultivate...
As if sensing Lu Cheng's gaze, Jiang Lian, whose eyes were on a group of ancient martial arts experts, furrowed her brows slightly and instinctively turned to look.
She saw a man sitting in the corner.
He just sat there quietly, his expression lazy, yet his demeanor was completely out of place with the mundane crowd.
What shocked her even more was that other men's gazes were either greedy, reverent, or adoring.
But this man's gaze... was calm, indifferent, yet that look made her feel as if she was seen through from the inside out, with no secrets to hide!
This feeling made her extremely uncomfortable!
Jiang Lian snorted coldly, and a scorching aura, mixed with the pressure of her Divine Phoenix bloodline, surged like an invisible tide towards Lu Cheng!
She wanted to teach this presumptuous man a lesson!
However, that pressure, which was enough to make ordinary people kneel on the spot, disappeared without a trace as it approached within three feet of Lu Cheng, like a mud ox entering the sea.
The man's expression didn't even change in the slightest. He simply elegantly raised his wine glass and toasted in her direction from afar.
As if everything that just happened was merely a gentle breeze.
"!!!"
Jiang Lian's pupils suddenly constricted!
How could this be?!
Just as her mind was in turmoil.
"Miss Jiang! I, Zhou Tong, have come to seek guidance!"
Another ignorant old man jumped out, wanting to rise to power by stepping on the Jiang Family's name.
"Seeking death!"
Jiang Lian was already angry, and now she unleashed all her fury on this unlucky fellow!
She let out a delicate shout, her cultivation method running to its extreme, and a scorching true qi, even more violent than before, erupted!
"Boom!"
The old man didn't even touch her clothes before he was sent flying on the spot, his fate even more tragic than the first.
Defeating an enemy in one move!
The entire hall once again fell into extreme shock and reverence!
Jiang Lian stood in the center, enjoying everyone's adoration, that pride of looking down on all beings returning to her face.
She subconsciously glanced towards the corner again, her phoenix eyes filled with strong provocation.
Look, this is my, Jiang Lian's, strength!
However, at this moment of her greatest triumph and pride.
A voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
"Nine Revolutions Burning Heaven Art's third revolution, Qi flowing through the Danzhong, reversing its course."
"If you had circulated even a fraction more Qi just now, your heart meridians would have probably shattered inch by inch."
"Little girl playing with fire, don't burn yourself to death."
Boom—!!!
These few light words exploded in Jiang Lian's mind!
The triumph and pride on her face instantly froze!
Replaced by endless shock?!
Just now, in order to show off and display her strength in front of that person, she had forcefully changed the circulation route of her true qi, indeed taking an unusual path!
If it weren't for that person's warning, which caused her mind to become chaotic and interrupt her cultivation method... No!
Who knew this cultivation method better than her?
Why should she believe him?!
"Who?!"
"Who is speaking?! Get out here!"
Jiang Lian could no longer maintain her arrogance. Like a startled phoenix, she shrieked in a loss of composure, frantically scanning the entire hall!
However, all the guests were confused by her sudden shriek, looking at each other.
No one knew what had happened.
Jiang Lian's gaze finally locked onto that corner.
But, it was already empty.
That man, and the girl beside him, had disappeared without a trace, as if they had never appeared.
Only Jiang Lian remained standing in place...