Chapter 138: Fated?
After taking his bath, Liam decided to go back to the cultivation world. It was barely noon here on Earth, yet with the time dilation and difference between the worlds, he guessed that far more had passed on the other side.
By his own rough estimate, perhaps a full day — maybe even more. And after what he had caused with the infusion of the Myriad Armament Constitution, he wasn’t sure if the storm had passed completely yet.
Still, there was nothing pressing for him here. The Family Office would still take the whole day before it’s activated; Daniel had that under control. His friends were probably occupied with one responsibility or another, buried under family obligations or expectations.
With that thought, Liam vanished from his bedroom and appeared in the VIP suite in Great Yan Empire.
He walked across the room to the open balcony, pushing aside the heavy drape. The view below stretched wide: streets lined with lanterns, tiled roofs stacked like waves, banners fluttering in the faint wind.
Though the sky was dark, the streets were alive. Dozens — no, hundreds — of figures moved below.
So it’s night here... yet the city is awake.
He turned back inside, closing the drape. He couldn’t help but be curious about how time felt slippery between these two worlds.
He left the suite and descended the wide staircase into the lodge. The place was lively. Busier than the first day he had come. The main hall was filled with the clatter of chopsticks, the smell of roasted meats, and the low murmur of conversations.
An attendant, the same one who had served him on his first day, noticed him at once. His eyes brightened and he hurried forward, bowing with far more enthusiasm than before.
"Honored guest!" the man greeted, voice full of respect. "Congratulations on your breakthrough!"
Liam tilted his head slightly, offering a smile. "Thank you."
The words were polite, but in his mind, a question burned. Breakthrough? Can he sense the aura from the faint aura surrounding me?
After his training, Liam noticed that he was unconsciously releasing a faint aura that’s sharp and domineering at the same time.
He had done his best to conceal it afterward, drawing it inward until it was fain until it was barely perceptible. Yet the man’s greeting made him wonder if traces still leaked out. Or perhaps the attendant was simply parroting rumors.
Not that he had any intention of hiding his power. He despised that. He would use his strength whenever necessary and would never allow himself to be walked over or treated as a pushover because of some random nonsense.
He wasn’t here to seek anyone’s favor. But at the same time, he couldn’t go around flaunting himself in a way that would invite a mob. After all, they say the tallest tree is the one that gets hit hardest by the wind.
Either way, Liam didn’t dwell on it. The attendant’s words, though, did confirm something.
It’s morning here, Liam thought to himself curiously. He had thought that it was night but it was morning. Probably midnight or predawn, as the sky was still dark.
"How many days remain on my lodging?" he asked.
The man smiled. "Five full days remain."
Liam frowned faintly. That meant almost a month had already passed here. "How many days has it been since I booked the room?"
The attendant blinked, surprised at the question. But he quickly smoothed his expression and replied, "Honored guest, you arrived at little more than twenty-five days ago."
Liam nodded slowly, absorbing this. Twenty-five days here... yet only four days have passed on Earth. That means the ratio is at least six to one, maybe more.
The thought made him thoughtful. If I stay here two full days and compare, I’ll have a clearer picture.
He thanked the attendant and turned toward the door.
"Honored guest, please be careful," the man said suddenly.
Liam paused, glancing back. The concern in the man’s eyes was real. He didn’t need to ask why because he already knew. It was because of the storm he had caused with his talent infusion.
Still, He was kind of curious to know what the people of this world thought happened.
"Tell me. What do people say happened that night?" He asked the attendant.
The attendant hesitated, then leaned closer, lowering his voice. "They say... a supreme treasure was birthed in the Thousand Mist Forest." His eyes shone faintly with awe as he continued, "The heavens themselves announced it. Phenomena spread across the empire — phantom armies, blazing constellations and the lightning tribulation. The world believes... it was an Immortal-grade weapon. Perhaps the first seen in generations."
Liam listened in silence.
The man pressed on, clearly caught up in his own words. "Naturally, the great sects and clans all moved. They sent people into the forest, flooding Blackstone and other border cities. But when they arrived..." His expression shifted. "The treasure was gone. Someone claimed it before they even reached the place."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "No one knows who."
Liam’s lips twitched faintly. An Immortal treasure, huh? Well, not entirely wrong. He had read enough cultivation novels to know this was a reasonable assumption. The phenomena had to be explained somehow, and what else but a supreme weapon could stir such a storm?
But Liam also knew better. The world wasn’t full of fools. There were surely old monsters in seclusion, ancient cultivators whose senses pierced deeper than most. Those ones, at least, would guess the truth.
He inclined his head to the attendant. "Thank you."
The man bowed deeply. "It is my honor."
Liam pushed open the lodge doors and stepped into the night air.
Despite the predawn hour, Blackstone City bustled like a great market in full swing. The tension in the air was unmistakable.
So I shook them this much.
He took a long breath, savoring the crisp bite of the air, then chose a direction at random and began walking, and the streets swallowed him quickly.
His steps slowed when he heard a voice. It was a familiar and iritating one. His brows furrowed, as his eyes narrowed toward the sound.
Ahead, under the light of a tall lantern, a group stood gathered. At their center, dressed in fine robes far too gaudy for the early morning, was a youth Liam recognized immediately — the Xuan family young master.
Liam exhaled slowly, his patience thinning. Of course. But why is it always me?
The boy stood with his nose tilted high, attendants clustering at his side. But what drew Liam’s attention most was the man standing a step behind him. He looked older, broader and his aura far heavier. His gaze was sharp and his stance was poised.
He was clearly not a servant, but a protector. A senior of the family, or at least a hired expert tasked with keeping the young master safe amidst the chaos in the empire.
Liam smiled wryly internally in the faintest exasperated smile. Am I cursed to attract every troublemaker I brush against? Is this fate? Am I fated?
The young master turned at that moment, his eyes locking on Liam. His expression twisted instantly in recognition of the person standing from of him.
"You!" he spat, voice sharp enough to cut the night air.