Time passed in the blink of an eye.
In the vast expanse of a lavishly adorned room, a handsome man sat in a cross-legged position, his golden hair cascading down his shoulders.
Clad in luxurious garments befitting his royal status, his golden pupils eyed the scroll in front of him in contemplation.
The room, though grand, exuded an air of simplicity and tranquillity, offering an ideal setting.
As the man finished reading, a contemplative expression settled upon his face, the lines of his brow smoothing in thoughtfulness.
His eyes were bright and filled with ancient wisdom beyond his years.
Within the serene ambience of the room, the silence was broken as the door swung open, revealing a beautiful lady adorned in a maid's outfit.
Trembling, she knelt before him, her gaze fixed respectfully on the ground. She was but one of the many maids entrusted with serving the young prince.
"Your Highness," the maid spoke in a hushed voice, her tone tinged with trepidation, "the Emperor and the Queen have summoned you."
The man frowned, a displeased expression settling on his face. "So?"
"You should go."
"Why should I?" he replied in a lazy tone. Despite his regal demeanour, he acted like a child.
The maid wore a bitter expression. 'Disturbing His Highness during his study, I'm in deep trouble. But I really can't do anything about it.'
The man withdrew his gaze from the maid and casually rolled up the scroll. While countless thoughts flickered through his mind.
"Sigh, Sixteen years have passed since I reincarnated into this world. And of all the fates possible, I had to be born into a villain clan, surname Long, no less. This might become far more troublesome than I ever imagined." He sighed inwardly, lost in contemplation.
In this cultivation world, his name was: Long Wuqing.
A perfect name for a villain, truly a perfect villain.
His gaze slowly shifted back to the trembling maid kneeling before him. His pupils shimmered with a strange, unreadable light.
Today marked his sixteenth birthday.
As he was gazing at the maid, a sudden haze clouded his vision. His body trembled uncontrollably, as if struck by an invisible force.
'What's happening to me?'
An unbearable heat surged within his pupils, sharp, searing, like molten blades slicing through flesh. It was as if blood were pouring out of his eyes.
Instinctively, Long Wuqing reached up and touched them. But when he looked at his hand, nothing. No blood. No wounds.
Then what were those images?
His golden eyes flickered with confusion, shadows swirling within their depths.
'Just what is going on…?'
And then, his gaze landed on the trembling woman kneeling before him. A chill ran down his spine.
Just looking at her, sent waves of unfamiliar emotion crashing into his mind. Disgust? Pity? Rage?
Thump!
His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum.
In the very next breath, the world shifted.
Everything around him faded, replaced by a boundless sea of white clouds.
A man stood before him. Sharp-browed. Stern-eyed. A spear gripped in one hand, its gleaming tip aimed straight at him.
The other arm? Wrapped protectively around the same maid from before.
What the hell is going on?
Before he could even begin to process it, reality snapped back.
He was in his chamber again. The air was heavy. The trembling maid still knelt on the ground. The scroll was still in his hand, as if nothing had happened.
Long Wuqing's expression twisted, a flicker flashing through his golden eyes.
If he were an inhabitant of the cultivation world, of course he wouldn't know what was going on. But as someone with a modern mind, he had only one word in his head:
Protagonist!
The classical hero of the cultivation world!
Long Wuqing was certain of it, the vision he had seen was about the protagonist. Curious, he spoke to the woman:
"Raise your head."
"Y-yes, young master," the maid replied in a trembling voice. She slowly raised her head, her beautiful face filled with uncontrollable fear.
As she lifted her head, the light caressed her flawless white skin.
Sharp brows, innocent eyes; cherry lips parted slightly. Her delicate nose and round cheeks gave her a doll-like innocence.
Standing around 5'6", she was petite in stature but the gentle swell of her curves pressed boldly against the fabric of her robes.
"How old are you?" Long Wuqing asked, quite curious in his heart as he slowly rose from his seat and walked up to her, his shadow casting a gloom over her.
The maid trembled as she strained her neck to look at him. "I am eighteen, Your Highness." However, as she carefully looked at his figure, his hulking body, sharp eyebrows, and regal demeanor, she couldn't help but blush.
"I see. Hmm."
Long Wuqing looked at the maid. "What's your name?"
"My name is Qin Xia." Qin Xia bowed.
"Qin Xia, huh." He rubbed his chin. "You will be punished for disturbing my study."
"Huh?" Qin Xia was stunned. Her mind went blank. She was just relaying the orders of the Emperor and the Queen, and yet she was being punished for it? The thought filled her with a deep sense of injustice.
"Hmm?" Long Wuqing furrowed his brow.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness." Qin Xia hurriedly bowed. Whether she liked it or not, she had to follow his orders. After all, such was the fate of a servant, a mere maid of the palace.
"Go sit in my room. I will punish you later."
Leaving his deep voice behind, Long Wuqing turned around and promptly left.
Qin Xia made a bitter expression but obeyed nonetheless.
After everything was said and done, Long Wuqing walked through the corridors, greeted by rows of guards standing watch.
The moment they saw him, they immediately bowed their heads with utter respect which he completely ignored. After a few moments, his eyes landed on a luxurious golden entrance.
Two women in qipao stood firmly guarding the door.
When they saw Long Wuqing, their expressions were cold before they slowly opened the door for him.
Long Wuqing still wore a smile on his face, but in his heart, it was extremely venomous. 'My two cousins... these two really have some guts, huh? Wait till I cultivate…'