"Who are you? Where are you taking me?"
"Shut up, or I'll kill you!"
… …
Ahh, why is my life so messed up? Is this a dream? If so, I'd better wake up and get ready for my shift before I'm late.
"Ouch, ouch—it hurts! So it's not a dream…"
One day earlier…
Planet Earth. Australia — desert region.
Under the scorching sun, where not even a single cactus or insect stirred, three figures suddenly appeared.
The first was a tall woman in exquisite robes, her long hair tied in a ponytail, her beauty so radiant she seemed like a goddess who had descended from the heavens. Her name was Su Liana.
Beside her stood two men—one middle-aged, the other old.
The old man wore majestic robes with intricate patterns and a small sword emblem embroidered on the chest. His sharp gaze swept across the barren landscape, analyzing carefully. Though his eyes carried the weight of vicissitudes, he stood calm, as though nothing in this world could disturb him. He was Elder Zuo Tianhe, a High Elder of the Azure Edge Pavilion.
The middle-aged man stood respectfully behind the two, head slightly lowered. Despite his fine clothing, his aura screamed servant. His next words confirmed it.
"Young Lady, the coordinates are correct. This is where the Young Master escaped to." He held a mysterious device in his hand. "But for some reason, I cannot trace him further."
"No need to worry." Su Liana's voice was cold yet confident. "That dumb brother of mine must have actually used his brain for once and hidden from the bloodline-tracing device. I have other means to find him. But first, we need to understand what kind of place this is."
She pulled a talisman from her space ring and tossed it into the air. The group waited cautiously, watching the glowing paper absorb the ambient essence of this strange world.
Their wariness was not without reason. They had sensed weak life forms—creatures utterly different from those in their realm. Yet, disturbingly, they found no sign of powerful beasts despite deliberately leaking their auras. To cultivators, this meant one thing: truly strong beings were concealing themselves, biding their time.
In reality, this was merely a mortal world, barren of any higher existence.
After an hour, the talisman shone brightly—it had gathered sufficient information. Su Liana caught it and examined its contents.
"Let's see what this place hides…"
Her expression changed instantly. Eyes widened in disbelief, she gasped. "Impossible… it can't be!"
Elder Zuo frowned. "What is it, my Lady? Has something gone wrong?"
"This world is strange," Su Liana whispered. "It's a mortal world—but there are countless hidden spaces scattered around it. Strangely, no mortal has ever discovered them. And according to these records, all life here is destroyed every few hundred thousand years, only to start anew!"
Elder Zuo's brows knitted tightly. "What? How can such a thing be possible? If your reading is correct, then someone is plotting in the shadows. To turn all life into mere mortals… this is an elaborate scheme! We must not linger here. Let us find your brother quickly and return. I will inform the Ancestors—they will decide how to deal with this world."
"Agreed, Elder." Su Liana turned to the servant. "Master Hu, we'll seize control of a nearby power. Once we have a safe place, I'll use my artifact to track my brother."
"As you command, my Lady."
The trio soared toward the nearest mortal settlement. They subdued the local authority not with force, but with a simple gift: a rejuvenation pill. A pill so basic in their world it was barely worth mentioning—yet here, it was enough to win the devotion of a billionaire family.
"Honored guests, please rest here." The head of the household bowed deeply. "I am William, patriarch of this family. Please tell me your needs, and I will see them fulfilled. Though I may appear old, my family's influence spreads far and wide in this world."
The rejuvenation pill had already restored some of William's youth. His humble tone was not born of fear alone—he knew the truth of this world better than most mortals. There existed powers beyond human understanding. While the public dismissed them as myths—gods, ghosts, or aliens—many governments had long since confirmed their existence, covering it up with lies.
Now, standing before true beings who had casually flown through the skies, William knew he had found a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. One he dared not let slip.
As he fantasized about the benefits, a voice dragged him back to reality.
"Mister William," Master Hu said coldly, "our Lady seeks her missing brother. If you aid us, your rewards will be beyond imagination. The pill you received earlier is worthless compared to what awaits."
William's heart pounded. The notion of more potent treasures thrilled him beyond words. Without hesitation, he pledged his full support, vowing to use every resource at his disposal.
Su Liana handed him a slip of paper with coordinates. "This is the last trace of my brother. Investigate this place."
William immediately set his vast resources into motion. To everyone's surprise, the location was not a cave or wilderness, but a luxurious hotel in the heart of a major city's CBD.
At first, William was stunned. But after thinking it through, it made sense. Why would a young master waste time in some random hole when he could enjoy the best luxuries this world offered?
"Master, should we obtain the guest records of the hotel?" asked Anna, his assistant.
William shook his head. "He'll have disguised himself. Instead, we'll take over the hotel entirely tomorrow. That way, no one will slip through unnoticed. The Lady can judge for herself."
"As expected, Master is wise!" Anna bowed and rushed to make arrangements. Within hours, the entire hotel—rooms, restaurants, event halls—was booked under William's name. His cover story? That he was testing the staff before making a long-term investment.
When Master Hu heard the plan, he nodded in approval. "Your foresight is impressive. If this succeeds, your rewards will be doubled."
William's eyes gleamed as he bowed low. He immediately called in favors with police officials, secured extra security, and placed his own men throughout the hotel.
Tomorrow would be his chance. A chance to rise above all mortals.
And he would not waste it.