Michael quickly stepped forward to greet her.
His face carried a warm and genuine smile.
As a seasoned actor in the art of charm and subtlety, he possessed an unparalleled wealth of experience and insight.
Take this moment, for example.
Clara Frost had just disembarked from the flying boat and hadn't taken more than a few steps when Michael had already covered most of the distance between them, arriving before her.
In the original work, this scene was considered a small highlight of Michael's performance, one that he himself would always praise in retrospect.
Normally, at this point, the protagonist Ethan Carter should have been standing beside Clara, and Michael, filled with delight, would have rushed over, only to discover another man by her side.
The initial joy upon seeing her, the shock at spotting Ethan, followed by anger, shame, and eventual restraint—such a natural emotional transition could not be performed without at least a decade of experience in the art of devotion.
"Pfft… The Michaelson heir is at it again…"
A voice nearby let out a low snicker, dripping with disdain.
"This Michael is truly persistent with Immortal Frost. He doesn't even consider the fact that Immortal Frost could never be interested in someone like him."
"Do you think Immortal Frost will acknowledge him? I'll bet a hundred spirit stones she won't!"
"I'll match your hundred, she won't!"
"Hmph! What a prodigal son!"
Others snorted in contempt.
"Isn't this just Michael relying on his father's status? His father sacrificed who knows how many family interests to help him get close to Clara Frost."
"Exactly! Now he's even been squeezed into the Holy Land!"
"The Holy Land is the ultimate place for cultivation. What does he think he's taking this place for…"
Among the crowd, some were heirs of great clans like Michael, while others were cultivation prodigies from distant realms. All had pride, and none would engage in such open devotion.
That was why they looked upon Michael with such disdain.
So much so that they did not even bother lowering their voices.
Michael heard them, and inwardly rolled his eyes.
Tch~
If it weren't for the system's mission and the need to go home, who would willingly be a sycophant?
Sycophants got no house.
In the plaza, Michael walked quickly toward Clara, his gaze seemingly fixed on her, though in reality, he was constantly scanning for Ethan's presence.
Eh?
He's not here?
Is he hiding behind the crowd and I just can't see him?
Before he could think further, Michael had already reached Clara and delivered his lines with practiced emotion.
"Clara! I've come for you! For your sake, I specifically came to the Holy Land to cultivate!"
Clara Frost wore a snow-white gauze dress today, her dark hair swaying in the wind, her arms like polished white jade brushing against her hair, breathtakingly beautiful.
Michael already knew her reaction by heart.
She would completely ignore him, walk past without a glance back.
This was the skill of an experienced actor who had mastered the script.
Next, Michael should be looking for trouble with Ethan.
Speaking of which, where is Ethan? I'm right here! Why haven't you taken your position? You have no professional ethics!
"Thank you."
Clara stood still and smiled sweetly, as if she had been waiting specifically for Michael's arrival.
"Oh, right, I knew in advance you were coming to the Holy Land, so I specially prepared this for you."
Saying this, Clara took out an exquisite storage ring, attempting to place it in Michael's hand.
Her smile was like a blooming flower, radiating gentleness.
"What?!"
Michael was dumbfounded.
This plot development wasn't right. Clara giving him a gift? This news hit like learning that his immortal king father, one of the world's strongest, had suddenly perished.
It was like a mudslide of emotion.
"What did you just say?"
He had to ask again.
"Here, it's for you."
Clara extended the ring further, and seeing Michael's dazed expression, she smiled.
You're still like this, like a little fool.
Her gaze drifted, as if she had returned to a previous life, seeing the person who had always loved her wholeheartedly.
"Michael, reborn into this life, it's my turn to find you."
Clara silently vowed.
In her previous life, influenced by Ethan, she had always suspected Michael had ulterior motives, so she kept her distance.
It was only years later that she realized how much he had sacrificed for her, enduring contempt and disapproval, yet loving her from beginning to end.
Unlike a villain like Ethan… "You…"
Clara's gentle reaction made even a seasoned actor like Michael stumble.
What the hell???
This isn't right.
Michael looked behind her; aside from her personal maid, no one else was present.
"Just you?" he asked cautiously.
"Of course."
Clara smiled slightly, thinking of the past, of Ethan who had exploited her for resources, even attempting to kill her for Immortal Emperorhood.
She later discovered that Michael had also been targeted by Ethan, manipulated into a deadly trap, ultimately dying without even leaving a complete corpse.
Before Michael died, he had called her name…
Thinking of this, a murderous glint flashed in Clara's eyes.
"In this life, I will never allow anyone to harm you, Michael, wait for me…"
She drew a deep breath, reminding herself that now was not the time. Ethan still carried immense power, hidden behind layers she could not yet understand.
Clara stepped forward, closing the distance. Michael could already feel her subtle fragrance.
"Let me help you put it on. The ring contains the gift I prepared for you."
She took his hand, about to place the ring on him.
But then her delicate brows furrowed.
She noticed a strange storage ring already on Michael's hand, patterned delicately, clearly from a woman.
"This is… where did it come from?"
Clara pondered quickly.
Michael had always had only one storage ring since childhood. So where did this new one come from? And why so delicate?
Despite Michael's charming appearance, Clara knew his personality was unyielding, reserved only for her.
So whose ring was this?
Before she could think further, Clara placed her ring on Michael's left middle finger, their fingertips brushing briefly.
"This ring is…?" she asked casually.
"Oh, you mean this? Helena Winters gave it to me," Michael replied absentmindedly.
Helena Winters? Michael's older sister? In the previous life, if she hadn't infiltrated Ethan's side, how could Clara and others have seized that vulnerable moment?
An older sister giving her younger brother a gift seemed normal.
Clara took half a step back, still smiling.
"I see."
The atmosphere between Michael and Clara was harmonious.
But the people around them were completely bewildered.
No, buddy?
This isn't right. Nothing about this is right at all.