The grand hall remained silent. The atmosphere was heavy, yet one man stood unfazed, his gaze filled with amusement.

The prince, on the other hand, looked like he had just seen a ghost.

“No…” he muttered, his voice barely audible. Then louder, “No! That’s impossible! You can’t be Shen Yuan!”

Shen Yuan tilted his head, a teasing smile playing at his lips. “Oh? And why not?”

The prince clenched his fists. “The real Shen Yuan died in the Chrono Void three hundred years ago! There is no way you could have survived!”

Shen Yuan took a step forward, his posture relaxed. “And yet,” he gestured at himself, “here I stand, very much alive and still breathtakingly handsome.”

The prince’s eyes burned with disbelief. “You’re lying!”

Shen Yuan chuckled. “Now, now, Your Highness, I know it must be hard to accept. It’s not every day your long-dead nightmare comes back to haunt you, but denial is the start of eventual acceptance, so good job.” His voice carried an easy arrogance, as if he was enjoying this moment far too much. “But deep down, you already know the truth. Otherwise, why would Minister Zhao look like he just saw a ghost or is going to have a panic attack?”

All eyes turned to Minister Zhao, who had remained silent all this time. His face was ashen, his eyes trembling with restrained emotion.

“Minister Zhao,” the prince said slowly, his tone urgent. “Tell me this is a joke.”

Minister Zhao opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak. Instead, he looked at Shen Yuan, swallowing hard before sighing deeply. “It is no joke, Your Highness… this man… he truly is Shen Yuan.”

A deafening silence followed.

The prince inhaled sharply, his mind racing. After several moments, he exhaled, forcing himself to regain his composure. His voice was calmer when he next spoke.

“Fine. Let’s assume you are truly the Shen Yuan.” His sharp gaze locked onto Shen Yuan’s golden eyes. “How did you survive the Chrono Void?”

Shen Yuan tilted his head. “Now that’s the real question, isn’t it?” He let a moment of silence stretch between them before adding, “I don’t know myself.”

The prince narrowed his eyes. “You expect me to believe that?”

Shen Yuan chuckled. “Believe whatever you want. Even if I knew, why would I tell you?”

The prince’s grip on his throne’s armrest tightened.

“Still so insufferable after all these years…” he muttered under his breath.

Shen Yuan chuckled. “Why, Your Highness, you sound almost nostalgic.” He took another step forward, a playful glint in his eyes. “You missed me, didn’t you?”

The prince scoffed. “Miss you? I would rather get eaten by hungry vicious spiritual beasts!”

Shen Yuan placed a hand over his chest, mockingly pretending to be wounded. “Ouch. And here I thought we had something special.”

The prince’s jaw tightened. The way Shen Yuan carried himself—the same arrogance, the same confidence—only solidified the truth in his mind. This was the same man from back then.

The prince exhaled sharply, his expression growing cold. Then, after a moment of thought, his lips curved into a smile. “Shen Yuan, whatever happened in the past… is in the past. There’s no need for unnecessary hostility. If you dedicate yourself to serving the royal family, I will personally ensure that you are given the honor and position you lacked before.”

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Shen Yuan’s smirk vanished. His gaze darkened.

“Dedicate myself to you?” He let out a chuckle, but there was no amusement in his voice. “That’s quite the joke.”

The prince’s smile twitched. “Is that a refusal?”

“It’s more than that.” Shen Yuan’s voice was cold. “It’s a promise. I will finish what I started.”

A suffocating silence filled the hall.

The prince’s smile finally disappeared. His hands clenched as an overwhelming pressure began to leak from his body. The sheer force of his Elysian Realm aura caused the weaker disciples in the hall to tremble. The very air seemed to crackle with invisible force.

Just as the pressure was about to explode—

“Your Highness.”

Minister Zhao’s voice, though low, carried enough weight to halt the prince’s actions. He took a step forward and whispered something into the prince’s ear.

For a moment, the prince’s expression was unreadable. Then, slowly, a grin returned to his face.

“Very well,” he said, his tone lighter than before. “If that is how you feel, then let us settle this in a way that benefits us both.”

Shen Yuan raised a brow. “Oh? And how do you intend to do that?”

The prince’s grin widened. “The Sacred Sect Ranking Competition.”

The moment the words left his mouth, a wave of whispers filled the hall. Even the Twin Soul Sect masters, Wu Daozhen and Xue Linghun, were visibly surprised.

Shen Yuan, on the other hand, remained completely indifferent.

Seeing his reaction, the prince smirked. “You don’t even know what that is, do you?”

Shen Yuan scoffed. “Should I?”

Wu Daozhen sighed. “I suppose it’s only natural that you wouldn’t know. The Sacred Sect Ranking Competition is a once-in-a-hundred-year event that determines the strongest sects of this planet.”

Xue Linghun continued, “More importantly, it is presided over by the World Lord—an Origin Descent Realm expert who holds absolute control over this planet. Unlike normal Origin Descent cultivators, a World Lord has been acknowledged by the world itself, gaining control over its laws. They can reform or deform the planet as they see fit. Their power is akin to a god’s will within their domain.”

Wu Daozhen continued, “Sects rise and fall based on this competition. It is a battle that determines not just reputation, but power, wealth, and destiny. Every planet has its own world Lord and its version of ranking competitions. World Lord’s main purpose is more or less maintaining order in the world.”

Hearing this, Shen Yuan finally showed a flicker of interest.

The prince’s grin widened. “Since we have unfinished business, why don’t we resolve it there? You will be representing the Twin Soul Sect… and I will represent the Royal Family of Fengyue.”

Shen Yuan crossed his arms. “You really want to turn a personal grudge into a planetary event?”

The prince chuckled. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself. The world does not revolve around you.” He leaned forward. “But if you refuse, it will only show that you are afraid.”

A challenge. A high-stakes one, at that.

Shen Yuan knew what the prince was trying to do—trap him in a situation where backing out would be seen as cowardice. But he wasn’t someone who backed down.

More importantly…

The rewards of such a competition had to be beyond imagination.

Shen Yuan’s smirk returned. “Fine.”

The prince’s eyes gleamed. He thought he had successfully cornered Shen Yuan into fighting for the Twin Soul Sect’s honor.

But then, Shen Yuan chuckled and turned toward Wu Daozhen and Xue Linghun.

“So, what do you two think? Do you trust me with your sect’s entire reputation?”

Wu Daozhen and Xue Linghun exchanged glances. They both knew the importance of this event. Putting their faith in one person was risky.

But Shen Yuan wasn’t just anyone.

Wu Daozhen exhaled and gave a small smile. “If it were anyone else, we would hesitate. But you…”

Xue Linghun nodded. “After all, you are our greatest gift.”

Shen Yuan smirked. “Good.”

He then turned back toward the prince and Minister Zhao, his smirk deepening.

“Then let’s see if history repeats itself, shall we?”

The hall erupted into murmurs as everyone realized—

The Sacred Sect Ranking Competition was about to become far more than just a battle for rankings.

It was about to become a war of vengeance.