Alex scanned the square. Citizens were already gathering, their voices rising, their faces tight with anger and hope.Someone shouted for justice. Then another. The sound spread like fire.He turned his gaze to Zhuge Liang.The man was around forty, a familiar presence in the city—someone who seemed to know everyone, and in turn was known by everyone.His eyes were sharp and alive, burning with expectation. Alex could see it clearly—this man wanted him to act, to shoulder responsibility, to change things for the people.It would be troublesome. Very troublesome.Alex raised his hand.The City Lord’s seal caught the light.“People of Qingshui City,” Alex said.Silence crashed down instantly, as if the entire square had been frozen by an invisible hand.“This is my first command as City Lord.”Everyone recognized the authority in his voice, the weight of the seal.Zhuge Liang dropped to one knee without hesitation.A heartbeat later, the entire crowd followed, kneeling in unison.“I, Ba

Alex looked straight at Bai Yuhan.“So I’m not your real big brother. Is that it?”Bai Yuhan lifted her chin. Her face was serious, almost stubborn. “No. You’re not.”“Good.” Alex didn’t hesitate. “Then that gold isn’t real either. Give it back.”Bai Yuhan froze.For a split second, her fingers tightened around the wooden box in her hands.“No,” she said again, more firmly this time. “The gold is real. You’re not.”A sharp smile touched Alex’s lips, but there was no warmth in it.“Since I’m not your brother, and you’re not my little sister, I’ll just take my gold back.”He stepped toward her.Bai Yuhan immediately retreated, clutching the box to her chest. “No! This gold is mine.”“But you’re not my little sister,” Alex said flatly.“I am your little sister,” she shot back.“You just said I’m not your big brother.” His voice hardened. “So how exactly are you my little sister? Give me back my gold.”The tension snapped.“Big Brother!” Bai Yuhan blurted out at last, her pride collapsing

Li Qingxue raised her hand. The simple gesture silenced everyone at once.“Enough,” she said calmly. “This is nothing but mortal gossip. Those who seek immortality should not be affected by such petty stories.”“But it will damage your reputation,” one of her friends insisted, her brows tightly knit.Li Qingxue shook her head. “As long as my heart is pure, I don’t care what others say.”She turned her gaze toward a junior disciple standing nearby.“Junior,” she said evenly, “go and warn the Outer Disciples. Tell them to stop spreading rumors immediately. I will never tolerate fabricated stories. They are to stop disturbing mortals and focus on their cultivation.”“Yes, Senior,” the junior replied without hesitation. He bowed deeply, then turned and left at once.Those who truly knew Li Qingxue understood her well.She wanted nothing except cultivation. Cold. Detached. Untouchable.She had never shown interest in mortal affairs, nor in anyone beneath the heavens.Yet when the warning r

Alex was too stunned to speak as the fat woman led him away from the building and onto a nearby path, talking the entire time.Her voice was flat and practiced as she explained the basic rules and customs of the Wudang Sect, as if she had repeated the same words a thousand times before.The path beneath their feet was paved with smooth green limestone, winding through layers of courtyards and elegant buildings.Fragrant plants and blooming flowers filled the air, their scent light and intoxicating.The entire place felt unreal—serene, lofty, almost divine, like a paradise carved out of the mortal world.Alex felt it immediately.Once, he had been a cultivator. Even now, his instincts had not dulled.The natural energy here was astonishingly dense, the kind Xia cultivators called Heaven and Earth Energy. It pressed gently against his skin, seeped into his lungs, and soaked into his bones.Just breathing here refreshed his cells.His thoughts sharpened.On Earth, he had about five years

They kept eating.Hundred-year ginsengs. Rare spirit mushrooms. Spirit fruits and leaves that glowed faintly under the lantern light. Trays of precious herbs that would have driven ordinary disciples mad with envy.Alex ate everything they pushed toward him. So did the other fatties.He swallowed until his vision blurred. The rich spiritual energy surged through his veins like fire. His head spun. His face flushed red. Heat rolled off his skin, and soon white steam curled from the top of his head as if he were a boiling kettle.He felt drunk.No—worse than drunk.The more he forced himself to eat, the warmer Big Fatty and the others became. Their eyes softened. Their grins widened. They watched him like proud older brothers initiating a new recruit into a secret order.By the end, they leaned back, slapped their massive stomachs, and burst into booming laughter. The kitchen shook with it.“Everyone,” Big Fatty First announced, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “We follow tra