Xiang Lingtian and Fan Yisheng instructed some of their people to wait above the Abyss, while they descended into its depths with a smaller team. The journey from the top to the bottom would take at least two days.

While Xiang Lingtian and his group were still making their descent, Wu Tian and his companions had already returned to the city.

Since Wu Tian’s rise to fame, the Martial Path had flourished. Many schools had even abandoned traditional academics, replacing language arts and mathematics with curricula focused on Martial Skills.

Today, the director of Eastern operations for the Onassis Family, one of the top ten families in the West, had come to the Yang City Herbal Company. The company’s herbal bread and children’s herbal skincare products had been selling out worldwide, and the Onassis Family hoped to form a partnership.

The Onassis Family was a unique dynasty of wealth. Its founder, known as the king of world shipping, had started in the tobacco trade before making a massive leap into the global shipping industry. He hoped the Herbal Company would let his family handle the worldwide distribution of their products. He also wanted them to develop a special herbal cigarette for his family. Money was no object.

The person visiting the Herbal Company today was the Onassis family’s second son, Lai En.

Although Wu Tian was the richest man in the world, he hadn’t been seen in some time. The public face of wealth was now a member of the Golvin Family.

In Wu Tian’s absence, Dugu Fa was the strongest expert in Dragon Country and the new leader of the Seven Saints of Dragon Country. He had cultivated in the deep mountains for many years, vowing not to emerge until his sword skills were unmatched. After thirty years of dedicated Sword Training, he came down from the mountains and instantly became number one. Some called him the Sword Demon, while others gave him the nickname "Dugu Qiubai"—he who seeks defeat.

During this period, the powers in the West had also shifted dramatically. The Rothschild Family, once ranked first among the top ten families, had now fallen to tenth. The top spot now belonged to the Golvin Family, which held immense influence in the United States of America. Its founder, Paul Golvin, also known as the father of Motorola, began his career selling popcorn and rose to become the company’s chairman, establishing a family that remains prominent to this day. He created numerous world-firsts, led Motorola to become a leader in its industry, and made huge contributions to wireless communications.

「Inside the Herbal Company」

Lai En and Xia Qian were about to sign the contract when Lai En suddenly asked curiously, "Miss Xia Qian, I heard you know Wu Tian?"

Wu Tian? Hearing the name, Xia Qian froze for a moment. She no longer spoke his name, but she hadn’t forgotten him. She had merely stored the name away in the deepest corner of her heart.

It’s like the lyrics of a song... like a star a thousand miles away, we can only gaze at each other. Believing love doesn’t lie, just keeping it stored separately.

"Yes, I know him. Why do you ask?" Xia Qian replied with a smile, an indescribable sparkle in her eyes.

This irked Lai En. It was his first time meeting Xia Qian, and he had never believed in love at first sight.

Love at first sight is just lust, and affection that grows over time is just a calculation of benefits! But after seeing Xia Qian, I feel like I’d love her even if she were disfigured. This is the woman I’ve been looking for.

"You admire him that much?" he pressed. "But Xia Qian, you have to understand, he already has a wife! Besides, the Underground World is full of powerful experts. There are probably countless people stronger than him. With his arrogant personality, he might already be dead."

Lai En puffed out his chest. "A truly distinguished man isn’t someone arrogant and self-serving like Wu Tian. It’s someone like me."

As the second son of the Onassis family, Lai En had been designated the heir by his father, who had passed over the eldest son. Many believed he must possess extraordinary qualities. However, when faced with a beautiful woman, Lai En proved to be no different from a fool.

Wu Tian won’t be back, he thought. If he does return, it won’t be until Murong Yezi’s birthday next year at the earliest. That gives me a whole year to impress Xia Qian and win her over. Once it’s a done deal, what can anyone do about it?

Hearing Lai En’s words, however, Xia Qian was not pleased. Logically, he was a guest and a potential business partner, so she should have maintained a smile. Instead, her face filled with disgust. "Can you please not view Wu Tian through such a worldly lens? He’s different from everyone else. Don’t think for a second you can actually measure how powerful he is!"

"What?" Her response made Lai En even angrier, and his voice rose. "Is he a god in your eyes that you defend him like this? Let me tell you, I’m a very good judge of character. In my eyes, he’s just a man courting death. My intuition is very strong. With a personality like his, he was probably killed a long time ago."

He had spoken in a fit of pique, but now that the words were out, Lai En tilted his chin up, adopting an expression that said, ’I have seen through everything.’

Even though I know, deep down, that what I just said might be wrong, I said it in front of a woman. So, it must be right.

Such was Lai En’s nature.

At that moment, an employee from the Herbal Company rushed in. "President, good news! He’s..."

Before Xia Qian could respond, Lai En cut the employee off. "He’s what? I am the president’s only guest today! Tell everyone else to get lost!"

Lai En’s bodyguard nodded, preparing to escort the employee out and ensure his young master’s attempt at romance was not disturbed. But halfway across the room, the bodyguard froze, his footsteps ceasing.

What happened?

Lai En turned and saw a young man had already entered the office. He had fair skin, yet there was nothing effeminate about him; his style was completely different from the pretty-boy idols. He had an elegant, refined air. The moment Lai En and his bodyguard saw him, their legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Wu... Wu Tian?" Lai En’s face went pale with terror, and he was filled with regret.

My heart is pounding... how can this be? How could he have returned so suddenly? And why is he at the Herbal Company?

"I heard everything you said, crystal clear," Wu Tian said calmly. Then, he looked at Xia Qian and remarked, "One doesn’t forget an old sword."

"I... I know!" Xia Qian understood the allusion immediately. She couldn’t help but sigh, her breath catching in her throat. She knew the story behind the phrase: An emperor, pressured to take a new empress from a powerful family, instead issued an edict to ’find an old sword’ from his days of poverty. This was a clear message to his court that he would not abandon his first wife, the woman who had stood by him through hardship. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Although Wu Tian was speaking of his loyalty to another, Xia Qian was overjoyed that he had still come to see her. Her eyes grew moist, and she began to weep with happiness.

Love’s origins are a mystery; once it begins, it only deepens. I want to forget him, but I can’t.

Wu Tian wasn’t sure what else to say to Xia Qian. He turned his attention back to Lai En and said flatly, "Choose your own way to die."