Eli Shan and Xie Meng arrived at the imposing entrance of Central Plain, where a crowd of people queued to enter, their murmurs blending with the rustle of leaves from the surrounding forest.

"How can such a bustling place remain hidden from the ordinary people?" Eli Shan mused, his gaze sweeping over the diverse crowd. However, as he observed keenly, he soon found a pattern: most of the individuals entering were either merchants or possessed the minimum cultivation of the peak stage of the Zun realm.

"Is there some sort of restriction to enter this city?" Eli Shan pondered. Thinking about it, he realized that Central Plain was encircled by the life-threatening forest, where fearsome beasts of the origin realm roamed freely. It was obvious that no ordinary person could reach this place, and if one were to reach here, that meant he could not be ordinary, right?

Shaking off his thought, Eli Shan clasped Xie Meng's hand firmly and joined the queue.

As bystanders caught sight of Xie Meng's veiled appearance, a hushed reverence fell over them, their eyes drawn inexorably to her ethereal beauty. Yet, as their gazes met hers, an unexplainable dread seized them, gripping their hearts with icy fingers.

A strange sensation washed over them as if an invisible force held sway over their very essence. Their blood stirred restlessly within their veins, as though responding to some primal call. Hands and legs quivered involuntarily, as if in the presence of an ancient and incomprehensible force that regarded them with disdain

In that fleeting moment, they felt as though they stood face-to-face with their natural enemy, an instinctual fear coursing through their veins like a dark, foreboding tide. Unable to withstand the weight of her gaze, they averted their eyes, bowing their heads in silent submission to the enigmatic force that emanated from Xie Meng.

Eli Shan didn't notice it at all, or maybe... he pretended not to notice? Well, after what felt like an eternity, both of them finally reached the guards stationed at the entrance. Observing them, Eli Shan was astonished to discover that each guard possessed cultivation at the fifth stage of the origin realm.

The guard, standing before Eli Shan, examined him from head to toe before stating matter-of-factly, "Twenty gold coins."

Eli Shan was taken aback at the demand. He had to give twenty gold coins just to enter this city?

One had to know that his clan makes 30 gold coins in a whole year and in this place, just entry fee was 20 gold coins?

Fortunately, he had got thousands of gold coins from the king.

He retrieved twenty gold coins and handed them over to the guard.

The guard accepted the coins with a smirk, acknowledging Eli Shan's astuteness. "You're smart," he remarked with a hint of amusement.

Eli Shan chuckled. "Thanks for the compliment."

Eli Shan suspected that the fee was more than just an entry charge, with the guards likely pocketing a portion of the payment for themselves. However, he chose not to dwell on the matter. It was not worth causing a fuss over, especially with their journey into the city at hand. Instead, he took a decisive step forward, motioning for Xie Meng to follow suit.

At first, Eli Shan thought of bringing Xie Meng inside his universe and then escorting her out after entering the city if only he could exert complete control over his universe. However, he was not sure if this would work out. He had control over his universe better than before, but he wasn't sure if it would work on another person. What if he couldn't bring Xie Meng out after taking her inside? What if there was a time limit imposed on taking her outside again? Uncertain of the risks involved, he hesitated to proceed.

Meanwhile, the chief guard stationed behind the gate couldn't help but be captivated by Xie Meng's veiled beauty and couldn't help but exclaim, "So beautiful!"

His exclamation pierced the air, catching Eli Shan's attention. With time, Eli Shan had become accustomed to the constant stream of compliments directed towards Xie Meng's appearance wherever they traveled. Despite the twinge of anger that still stirred within him each time, he knew he couldn't resort to killing every admirer, could he? After all, most of them harbored no ill intentions. Yet, whenever he sensed any malice directed towards Xie Meng, he killed them without hesitation.

Swallowing his frustration, Eli Shan reached into his coin pouch once more, extracting another twenty gold coins. "This is for her too," he declared, passing the payment to the guard.

Accepting the coins, the guard granted Xie Meng passage without hesitation. He also felt Xie Meng was such a beauty, but as his eyes met with her, an inexplicable fear gripped him, rendering him unable to maintain his gaze upon her.

Behind the entrance, the chief guard snapped back to attention, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Xie Meng, who kept her face demurely lowered. A sinister smile curled his lips as he spoke, his tone dripping with malice, "She looks suspicious. I cannot allow her to enter the city. Send her to my office; I will conduct an inspection, and then she may be permitted entry."

Eli Shan's brow furrowed deeply, his eyes betraying the storm of emotions within. He shielded Xie Meng behind him, clenching his fists at his sides until his knuckles turned white with the force. Every muscle in his body tensed with restrained anger as he locked eyes with the chief guard, his gaze burning with intensity.

Surrounding onlookers also shot disapproving glances toward the chief guard. "He's truly despicable," they murmured amongst themselves in hushed tones.

They could already guess his intention, but they found themselves powerless to intervene. With numerous guards under his command and his formidable cultivation at the peak of the origin realm, confronting him was like sending themselves to their death.

"She possesses such beauty and purity," murmured many among the crowd. "I wouldn't want anyone to tarnish her."

"Yeah, I agree."

As they whispered among themselves, they suddenly saw Eli Shan stepping forward confidently, striding towards the chief guard. With each step, his aura seemed to grow stronger. Coming to a halt before the chief guard, Eli Shan narrowed his eyes. "You wish to inspect my wife?" he questioned, his voice carrying a subtle edge. "Send a female guard, and I will accompany the inspection as well."

As the word "wife" escaped Eli Shan's lips, the hearts of many bystanders shattered into pieces.

"What? He's her husband?"

"How could such a beautiful girl be married to him?"

"Did he force that delicate girl into marriage?"

"How dare he! I will confront him and liberate her!"

Eli Shan paid no heed to the murmurs around him, focusing instead on the chief guard's response. "What? I apologize, but we have no female guard here, and your wife appears suspicious to me," the chief guard continued, his tone laced with arrogance and self-assurance. "I have the authority to inspect anyone who arouses suspicion. Now, you have no choice, kid. If you attempt to flee, it will be seen as you really came to harm this city. Your only option is to hand her over for inspection—"

Before the chief guard could finish his sentence, he suddenly saw a lightning-fast punch launching toward him. The strike possessed such tremendous speed and force that, the sheer momentum behind the blow was enough to distort the shape of his face before the punch even reached its target, and before he could even blink, the punch landed perfectly and squarely on his face.

Boom!

The impact reverberated through the air as the chief was sent hurtling backward, propelled out of the entrance with a speed that defied comprehension.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. They had anticipated that the teenager might sacrifice his companion for his own safety, but to think he would strike the chief guard? And with such remarkable strength? Questions raced through their minds. How powerful was this teenager to deliver a single punch that the chief couldn't even evade or block? The unexpected turn of events left them bewildered and intrigued.

"Surround him!" the chief guard bellowed, his voice strained and bloodied, as he struggled to stand up.

In an instant, the soldiers encircled Eli Shan and Xie Meng, their weapons drawn and their killing intent clear.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Eli Shan's response was measured yet chilling, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "All of you can save your lives by turning back right now," he declared. His long black coat fluttered around him, and a terrifying dark aura began to radiate from his body. "Because I don't want to massacre just upon entering the city."

As the dark aura expanded with alarming speed, engulfing the entrance in its suffocating embrace, terror gripped those trapped within its grasp. They felt their blood running cold, their bodies freezing in place as if paralyzed. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't budge an inch; it was as though attempting to move would result in their bodies being torn into millions of pieces.

"Sword aura!" someone exclaimed in shock, recognizing the ominous energy permeating the air.

The chief guard's heart raced with a mixture of awe and dread as he felt the oppressive weight of Eli Shan's aura bearing down upon him. Despite his formidable cultivation, he found himself powerless to resist, his limbs rendered inert by the overwhelming force that pulsed through the air.

"The sixth stage of the origin realm! So young yet so high realm!" the chief guard muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief as he grappled with the magnitude of Eli Shan's power.

However, it was not merely Eli Shan's cultivation realm that astounded the chief guard; it was the raw power and sword mastery that radiated from him like an unleashed tempest. Despite being at the peak stage of the origin realm himself, the chief guard found himself unable to break free from the suffocating grip of Eli Shan's dark aura, his every movement stifled by the oppressive force that surrounded him.

Suddenly, terror seized the chief guard as he watched Eli Shan extend his hand toward him. In an instant, an invisible force enveloped him, dragging him closer to Eli Shan against his will. Fear gripped him as he realized the extent of Eli Shan's power. With a swift motion, Eli Shan's hand closed around the chief guard's neck, his grip firm and unyielding, effectively rendering the chief powerless in his grasp.

"You dare to lay your eyes on my wife, huh?" Eli Shan's voice was low and ominous, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly darkness that made him look like a demon.

The chief struggled to break free from Eli Shan's iron grip, but his efforts were futile against the overwhelming strength of Eli Shan. Even the emperor would struggle to match Eli Shan's physical prowess, let alone a cultivator at the origin realm. With a relentless grip, Eli Shan tightened his hold around the chief's neck, cutting off his air supply and sealing his fate.

Then, with a powerful thud, Eli Shan forcefully slammed the chief guard onto the ground, the impact sending shockwaves through the surrounding crowd. The ground shook beneath them, and gasps of astonishment rippled through the onlookers as they witnessed the display of Eli Shan's overwhelming strength.

"Aaah!"

Regret flooded the chief's mind as he realized the gravity of his mistake in provoking Eli Shan. Then, suddenly, a cold shiver ran down his spine as he watched Eli Shan extend his hand in a chopping motion toward him with disdain in his eyes. "No!" the chief cried out in desperation, a sense of impending doom washing over him.

Slash!

With a single motion, the chief's hand was torn apart, blood spurting from the gaping wound as he cried out in agony.

"Aaah!"

"Please, forgive me!" the chief pleaded for his life as he watched in horror as his other hand dissolved into nothingness, leaving him maimed and helpless.

"No... I beg for mercy, I'll be your slave for life, just spare me... Aaah!" he continued to plead, his voice choked with sobs as his body was torn apart piece by piece, each limb disappearing into oblivion with a sickening cry.

"Silence!" With a single word, Eli Shan silenced the chief's pleas, his command echoing through the air that sent shivers down the spines of all who bore witness.

Natural law!

Chief couldn't believe what he had felt. This monster can use natural law? Chief fear grew even more upon realizing it.

And then, in an instant, the chief's flesh began to disintegrate before his very eyes as if consumed by some unseen force. The sheer magnitude of Eli Shan's power left the onlookers stunned into silence, their minds struggling to comprehend the true extent of his abilities and cruelty.

At that moment, the chief resembled nothing so much as a zombie, with most of his flesh eaten away by the sword aura. Yet, Eli Shan hadn't crippled his cultivation; he hadn't intended for him to die so swiftly.

For the chief, any hope of survival seemed to have been extinguished. However, as if struck by sudden inspiration, he summoned every ounce of his strength, and, instead of running away, he flew inside the city gate with lightning speed.

He had no other choice. The city represented his sole refuge, where he might stand a chance of survival. As an Origin Realm cultivator, provided Eli Shan didn't cripple his cultivation or sever his head, he could still fly and had a chance to gradually recover his strength.

Inside, when people saw the dark mist appearing out of nowhere, they had already gathered to watch the show. They could vaguely feel that someone was fighting inside the dark mist, but none of them dared to go inside.

As they were looking forward for the black mist to dissipate, they saw a guy running out of the darkness, his body bathed in blood.

"Hey, isn't that the chief guard?"

"Yes, it's him! What happened to him?"

As the gasp and horror rippled through the onlookers, they saw another silhouette walking out of the black mist. His black coat fluttering in the air as with each step he took, his aura of menace seemed to intensify, his dark eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity that struck fear into the hearts of the onlookers with just a single glance.

As all eyes fell upon this person, an involuntary shiver ran through the crowd, and instinctively, each individual took a step back, unwilling to stand in his path.

As Eli Shan approached the chief, the latter used his last card of survival. "Y-You can't kill me within the city, it's against the rules. Otherwise, you'll be hunted down by the imperial guards."

Ignoring the chief guard's feeble attempt at bargaining for his life, Eli Shan's expression remained impassive as he extended his hand toward the miserable man. With a flicker of darkness, the chief guard was consumed by a torrent of agony, his body wracked with the sensation of a thousand swords piercing his flesh.

"Aaah!"

The chief guard's screams echoed through the air, his eyes filled with despair as he watched his body dissolving into nothingness, leaving behind only a pool of blood as evidence of his existence.

After the chief guard's death, the surrounding darkness dissipated into Eli Shan's body, returning his eyes to their normal state.

With that, he vanished from his previous location, reappearing beside Xie Meng. His terrifying gaze sweeping over everyone present, sending a chill down their spine. "If anyone dares to harbor malicious thoughts about my wife, next time I won't show mercy," he declared.

So, he was showing mercy right now? The onlookers exchanged a glance but no one dared to utter a single word.

Witnessing Eli Shan killing the chief because of his malicious thoughts toward her, Xie Meng felt a warmth bloom in her heart.

Tap Tap Tap!

However, before they could exchange any words, the sound of marching footsteps reached Eli Shan's ears. Casting a glance in the direction of the noise, he saw nearly twenty guards clad in royal armor approaching him.

"They're the royal guards!" someone exclaimed in shock.

"Let's move away from here."

"I really admire his courage, but I fear there's no escaping the consequences of killing someone within the city."

Eli Shan heard their conversation, and without even listening to them, he had already guessed the origin of the guards who were approaching. In an instant, the royal guards surrounded Eli Shan, however, his demonear remained as calm as water.

The commander of the battalion stepped forward, his voice tinged with authority as he addressed Eli Shan, "Didn't you know that you are not allowed to kill anyone inside the city except in the death arena?"

Eli Shan shook his head in response, "No, I didn't know. It's my first time here."

Royal guards "..."

"That's not the issue. Come with us," the commander ordered, his voice brooking no argument. "We will inquire about what happened here and punish you accordingly. If you try to resist, you will become an enemy of the royal family."

Eli Shan cast a glance toward all the royal guards standing and realized that every single one of them possessed the cultivation realm of the peak stage of the origin realm, while the commander cultivation was at the half stage of the emperor realm!

Though he could easily handle them, he saw no benefit in escalating the situation. With a nod, he took Xie Meng's hand and smiled. "Let's go."

Xie Meng returned his smile and nodded, walking alongside Eli Shan.

As they departed, the royal guards exchanged baffled glances, their confusion evident in their whispered conversations.

"Are they... going on a picnic?" one guard muttered incredulously, his disbelief mirrored by his companions as they followed in Eli Shan and Xie Meng's wake.

As Eli Shan walked through the streets, bystanders found it perplexing to discern whether he was being escorted or followed by the royal guards.

Looking around, Eli Shan's initial excitement waned. After observing for a while, he realized that the people of the central plain didn't possess as high cultivation as he had anticipated. "I thought everyone in the central plain would be at least in the Origin Realm, but it seems I was wrong," he mused with a hint of disappointment.

The commander of the royal guards, walking beside him, offered a nonchalant response without glancing in Eli Shan's direction. "It's evident this is your first time here. If you expect to encounter Origin Realm cultivators everywhere, you'll need to venture beyond the central plain and explore the universe."

Eli Shan nodded in acknowledgment.

With the cultivation of the Zun Realm, individuals attained the eligibility to leave their planet and venture into space. However, in the vast universe, Origin Realm cultivators and Emperors were so numerous that those below the Origin Realm would be akin to ants in comparison. Therefore, most individuals only embarked on interstellar journeys after attaining the Origin Realm cultivation.

Why not after reaching the emperor realm? Because it was already difficult to reach the origin realm, let alone the emperor realm. Most people couldn't break through to the emperor realm even after cultivating their whole lives, so they were left with a single option: to venture into the vast expanse of the universe and find some opportunity to break through to the emperor realm.

On an entire planet, there were no more than fifty Emperors, ranging from those in the first stage to the peak of the Emperor Realm. With billions of people populating the planet, the fact that only fifty individuals managed to attain this realm, showed just how challenging it was to become an Emperor.

Boom Boom Boom!

As they proceeded along their path towards the place of inquiry, they heard the voice of fighting.

"Hah, looks like the prince is at it again."

The battalion commander sighed, hastening ahead to intervene. "Prince, your father tasked us with maintaining peace in the city. Please don't make our job any harder. If you must fight, do it in the arena."

The prince, gripping a man and pummeling him mercilessly, turned towards the commander. "What a dull city. I can't even fight to my heart's content-"

Before he could finish his sentence, his gaze fell upon Eli Shan, and his words caught in his throat, his expression shifting from irritation to surprise.

Eli Shan, too, was taken aback by the unexpected encounter, his eyes widening in disbelief as he exclaimed in shock, "Lin Feng?"