The morning sun slipped through the thin curtains of a cramped two-bedroom apartment on the east side of Jiangnan City. The golden rays painted faint patterns across the worn wooden floor, mixing with the faint aroma of rice porridge simmering in the kitchen. Outside, the sound of horns blared as early commuters rushed through the streets, a symphony of the mundane world.
On the narrow bed by the window, Li Feng opened his eyes.
His dark pupils shimmered faintly—just for an instant—with a trace of starlight, like the endless galaxies hidden in the depths of space. Then the glow vanished, leaving behind the calm gaze of an ordinary young man.
So this is Earth… Jiangnan City, year 2025.
I, the Starlight Immortal Sovereign, truly… have returned.
He sat up slowly, his body aching faintly, reminding him of the weakness of the mortal shell he now inhabited. Gone was the indestructible physique tempered by millions of years of cultivation. In its place was the thin frame of an eighteen-year-old boy who had just recovered from a long illness.
"Feng'er, are you awake?" A soft voice called from the kitchen.
It was his mother, Li Mei, a woman in her early forties whose beauty had been worn but not extinguished by years of hardship. Her once-delicate hands were roughened from endless work, her clothes plain but clean. She carried herself with quiet dignity, even as her body bore the weight of raising two children alone.
"Yes, Mother." Li Feng's lips curved into a faint smile.
He walked into the small kitchen. His younger sister, Li Xue, sat at the dining table, swinging her legs while scrolling through her phone. She had inherited their mother's bright eyes and delicate features, her school uniform slightly wrinkled. Seeing him, she snorted.
"Brother, you finally woke up. I thought you'd sleep through the whole morning again. Don't tell me you're going to skip school on the first day back?"
Li Feng chuckled softly, his gaze sweeping over the familiar yet foreign scene. His heart, tempered through thousands of years of solitude, felt an unfamiliar warmth at the sight of his mother and sister.
So this is what I could not protect in my last life…
He sat down calmly. "I'll go. But Xue'er, you should fix your uniform before you leave. You don't want to get scolded again."
His sister blinked. Her brother had always been mild, often timid, never daring to lecture her. Yet today his tone carried an unshakable calm, as if it was the most natural thing for him to say.
"W-what's with you?" she muttered. "You sound… different."
Before Li Feng could reply, their mother placed bowls of steaming porridge on the table. "Enough, both of you. Eat before it gets cold. Feng'er, I'm just glad you're feeling better."
He nodded, lowering his gaze.
But inside, his thoughts stirred like an ocean storm.
The spiritual qi of this world… it's thin, almost nonexistent compared to the immortal realms. But…
For someone like me, even a barren land will become fertile. I will cultivate again, step by step. This time, no one will be able to destroy what I protect.
Later that morning, the siblings walked to school. The city streets stretched endlessly, a mix of neon billboards, roaring engines, and the chatter of students in uniforms. Yet to Li Feng's eyes, sharpened by centuries of Dao comprehension, everything seemed strangely fragile—like painted shadows on thin paper.
At the school gates, a group of students pointed and whispered.
"Hey, isn't that Li Feng? The sickly one who fainted during exams last semester?"
"Yeah, that useless guy. Surprised he even bothered showing up."
"Heh, maybe he thinks he's changed after a vacation. Some people never learn."
Their mocking laughter reached his ears clearly. Li Xue's face flushed, but before she could snap at them, Li Feng placed a calm hand on her shoulder.
"Don't waste your breath," he said quietly, his voice as steady as an ancient mountain.
She turned to him in surprise. For the first time, her brother's eyes didn't hold irritation or embarrassment. They carried an unshakable serenity, as though the mocking words of mere mortals couldn't possibly reach him.
"Brother…" she whispered.
Li Feng walked past the sneering students without a glance, his posture relaxed yet strangely commanding. Though his body was frail, his presence made the air around him feel heavier. Several of the mockers unconsciously lowered their gazes, confused by the sudden sense of pressure.
Inside, Li Feng allowed himself the faintest smile.
In my past life, countless kings, sect masters, and immortals prostrated before me. Do you think the laughter of a few children can stir me?
This life… I, Li Feng, will rise again.
And so began the return of the Heaven Defying Sovereign—hidden beneath the guise of a mortal student in Jiangnan City.
The city had no idea what kind of storm had just awakened in its midst.