Reborn as an Immortal in a Martial World

Chapter 6: The Uninvited Guest

Ancient ginkgo trees lined both sides of the road, their yellow leaves drifting down in a thick carpet that glimmered pale under the moonlight. It was a beautiful sight.

Among the ginkgoes stood many maples too, their fiery red leaves stretching as far as the eye could see, like a vast, burning sunset.

In this season the grass and trees began to yellow, and most flowers had withered, leaving behind the quiet sorrow of autumn. Yet the golden ginkgoes and flame-red maples along the city roads were so dazzling that they gave the opposite feeling, one of life and vibrancy.

In this season, the city showed both its vitality and its loneliness at once.

Lucy's breath caught for a moment. She forced a smile and answered lightly, "I'm not going to Celestara. I think the mortal world is better, even if people call it the Wasteland."

"My family, my friends, and... the people I care about are all here. I don't want to leave. Even an ordinary life isn't so bad. At least there'll be someone beside me. Right, Aiden?"

Aiden said nothing. Lucy's innate talent had been tested at Grade A+. She was a rough gem for the martial arts. With the right guidance, becoming a Heaven-realm master would be no trouble at all.

He knew she was only trying to comfort him. Deep down, Aiden felt a flicker of fear about the girl's feelings. After all, Seraphina had hurt him far too deeply.

The gathering was not in the city itself. Lucy drove smoothly up to a hilltop villa estate outside the walls, where the view was breathtaking and the whole city lay spread out below.

Most students bound for Celestara were low-key, but a few came from remarkable families, so it was no surprise they had chosen a place like this.

The rented villa stood on the highest of the low hills. It covered several acres, with a vast lawn and a swimming pool. On the summit there were even two landing pads.

Aiden glanced out the window and saw two pink private airships parked there, sleek and gleaming. For a moment, he was speechless.

"You've met all my girlfriends. I only found out yesterday that Vivian Cross was actually born on Celestara. Her family sent her here to study."

Lucy parked and walked toward the villa, chatting gossip with Aiden as she went, letting out a happy laugh now and then.

Aiden chuckled. "A lot of our classmates come from Celestara, actually. But then, that makes them aliens, doesn't it?"

Lucy realized he was right and burst out laughing. She had never thought about it before, but now that she did, there were quite a few aliens in their class.

Vivian Cross had walked over and overheard.

"Aiden, you're handsome and your eyes are clear, but your mouth is so mean. You make us sound like an invasive species."

She was lively by nature, tall and graceful, in a light-blue short skirt that showed off her long, straight legs. She was young, lovely, and full of energy.

In the past, Aiden would have been too shy to answer. Now he only smiled. "You used to pay a lot more attention to me back at school. Now you're praising me like this. Are you up to something?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Vivian's face, but she stayed composed. "Don't change the subject. We're not leaving this unresolved."

Sophie Marlowe, a bookish girl who was usually very quiet, chimed in with a laugh. "I heard it too. You called us aliens, but our ancestors come from this world, and this is our homeland. How can we be aliens?"

Aiden cupped one fist in mock apology, then led them onto the great lawn.

Lucy's family was in trade, so they had some money. And nearly everyone who had come tonight, apart from Aiden, was a female classmate from those days. He was the only boy.

On the lawn, barbecue grills were already lit, and food was being laid out along the long tables.

As the only boy, Aiden naturally took charge of the grilling. He did not mind at all. It was a good chance to think about his next step while he turned the skewers.

With so many people gathered, the mood was lively, and there was no awkwardness between them.

But many of the girls were disappointed, because they did not qualify for Celestara. Their martial aptitude was average, and only those with a physique of Grade C+ or above were selected.

The more sentimental girls drank a little and started sobbing loudly, partly because they were destined to part, and partly because separation made it hard to control their emotions.

Rumors had also spread that martial manuals and methods for breaking through the Heaven realm had been unearthed in the ruins of Celestara. Soon, beings who surpassed the Heaven realm might appear among the five great kingdoms.

If that was true, some tycoons would spend any fortune to obtain such extraordinary methods, especially the hidden powers behind the scenes, who were nearing the end of their lives and clinging on with life-extending devices.

Who did not want to stay young forever? Life lasted only a few decades. When you reached the peak, you discovered your time was almost gone. What was the point of all that struggle?

Studies showed that a Heaven-realm warrior could live at most two hundred and fifty years. And since martial training had spread to all citizens, nearly two hundred years had passed.

Time was running out for those few Heaven-realm masters, and they grew more desperate. Aging women among them were surely even more frantic.

After all, anyone who rose to become a powerhouse in the Earth or Heaven realm had been gifted and beautiful in youth. What they chased was to keep that youth, remain young forever, and even live forever.

As the night went on, many drank too much and grew restless.

Those whose homes were in the mortal world but who had been chosen for Celestara were the most excited. They imagined their futures and longed for the day they would become powerful beings among the stars.

So most of them got drunk, and some let loose completely.

In the distance, the city streets glowed like interwoven silver chains, an endless sea of lights blending into one dazzling display.

Above, countless stars poured down their light in a brilliant spectacle.

Some of the tipsy ones could no longer tell the starlight in the sky from the lamps below. Heaven and earth seemed joined as one.

Aiden sat where he had been grilling, a glass of red wine in hand, gently turning his wrist as he gazed up at the bright moon, lost in thought.

Lucy and a few sober classmates helped the drunk ones into rooms in the villa. No one mentioned Aiden and Lucy, but everyone knew what was going on.

One was destined to stay in the mortal world because of poor aptitude. The other was ready to give up his future because of lingering attachments. This night would be a sleepless one.

Just then, a shrill screech tore through the quiet. The iron gates at the far end of the villa slowly opened, and a white sports carriage roared toward them.

Screeeech!

Its sleek body drew an elegant arc, and amid gasps of surprise, it stopped right in front of Aiden, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Aiden frowned slightly but did not move his feet. He squinted at the car, and the first thing that caught his eye was a pair of red high heels.

Then a pair of long, slender, fair legs stepped out of the driver's seat on the far side. Looking up, he saw a stunning woman in a brown trench coat, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, stepping out with an indifferent expression.