"Please, esteemed guests, kindly have a seat." Elder Baise led the trio into one of the VIP quarters, where only the most influential people were allowed to stay.

 

Taiyang and the two siblings seated themselves around a luxurious square table that had a red, silk tablecloth covering it.

 

"Well, esteemed guests, what would you like to have? Our restaurant prides itself on possessing every delicacy the world has to offer," Baise said with a proud look on his face. Yet his confidence was not without reason.

 

No matter what delicacy one wanted to eat, they would be able to find it here. Alas, the only dish they did not have was—

 

"Dumplings and any other dish of your choice," Taiyang stated.

 

—dumplings.

 

Baise nearly fell on his face at the unexpected order. He didn't think these people would want such an atypical dish.

 

Noticing his awkwardness,Taiyang inquired, "What? Didn't you say you have every dish in the world?"

 

"*Cough* H-Hmm... of course we have them! In fact, dumplings are one of our main delicacies," Baise hurriedly blurted out a lie.

 

 

Back at the dining hall, they had also mentioned dumplings, but Baise hadn't paid much attention to it at the time. Now he felt like slapping himself for forgetting something like that.

 

 

Taiyang and the siblings looked at each other in confusion, wondering the same thing; then, why did the waiter from before act so strangely when they ordered dumplings?

 

"But I didn't see any mention of dumplings in your menu. It seems like you're lying to me, no?" Taiyang inquired with a solemn expression on his face. He absolutely detested when someone lied in front of him.

 

 

From an early age, his royal mother had taught him that lying was wrong. And although there were some exceptions, like when you had to so to save someone's life, lying about some dumplings ought not to be included in those exceptions.

 

 

A sudden chill ran down Baise's spine as he witnessed the powerful glint in the young man's eyes. The strength behind those eyes was unfathomable. "Aahh...of course, young master, I am not lying! Trust me, dumplings really are one of the main delicacies and are even served to other esteemed customers. Yeah! In fact, we are even serving dumplings today for free." Another lie escaped Baise's mouth. Not even he noticed that he had started to address Taiyang as “young master”.

 

"Hmm, that's interesting. I'd like to see it, if you don't mind. " Taiyang said with sparkling eyes. The concept of something being given away for free really intrigued him.

 

Seeing this over-enthusiastic young man who seemed ready to stand up and leave at any second, Baise hurriedly waved his hands around in a panic, "Please wait!"

 

"What now?"

 

His mind, now working at full capacity, was searching for various reasons and scenarios. Finally thinking up an excuse, he said,” *cough* I mean, I'd be glad to show you around but your presence there will disturb the customers right now. And you wouldn't want that to happen, right?"

 

 

Although the time he had spent with Taiyang was not much, with his understanding of the young man, he knew him to be of a high moral character, one who wouldn't even talk down to mortals while possessing such a godly cultivation.

 

 

And it seemed as if his assumption had hit the nail on the head, as Taiyang paused for a moment to contemplate, before sitting back down. "You're right…" Interrupting someone while they were eating was very rude and offensive.

 

 

Baise was about to heave a sigh of relief when Taiyang's next words caused his heart to almost stop.

 

 

"I'll just have to eat first before going around for a short look, then. In fact, I have a way of hiding myself from their eyes which means they wouldn't even notice me. That wouldn't be troublesome, right?" He innocently asked.

 

 

"Yes, of course. It would be no problem at all," Baise wryly answered. He didn't even question how the young man was going to hide his presence. In his mind, if the young master said he could do it, then that must really be true.

 

Just as Baise was about to leave the room, he heard another thingthat nearly caused him to lose his wits: "By the way, I think there's a problem with your menu because I didn't see dumplings listed as one of the main delicacies. So, I'd like to see it corrected before I leave."

 

 

Without saying a word, Baise quickly escaped the room.

 

******

 

The Main Kitchen.

 

 

"Didn't you f**king hear what I said?!" A mighty voice roared, sounding completely different from the subservient tone it had before.

 

The chefs winced, "But, lord, the customers would not like that and might even refuse."

 

"Refuse? Let them refuse; I'll force those dumplings down their f**king throats if I have to. Is that understood?" Baise commanded.

 

Almost every chef present in the kitchen was stupefied at Baise's unnatural demand. He wanted them to make dumplings and add them to the Main Delicacies section of their menu.

 

However, if it was only this much, they could have still endured it and complied. Yet, he also ordered them to serve all of their VIP customers dumplings and force them to eat them in case they declined.

 

Has the Lord gone insane?

 

Is he not aware that every VIP customer comes from some sort of esteemed and distinguished background? To force them is the same as creating unnecessary enmity.

 

Even if he was known for being eccentric, this demand was too outrageous.

 

"Lord…but-"

 

"I said no f**king buts. Do as you are told. Also, every one of you must serve the young lord with the utmost hospitality and care. If he is displeased, I'll personally kill all of your nine generations," Baise furiously glared at the staff members. They quickly averted their eyes in fear, not daring to meet his own.

 

He was going to fulfill the young master's demands even if he had to work himself (or, most likely, others) to death.

 

Suddenly, a realization hit him and he bitterly smiled to himself.

 

Who would have thought that I, the great Elder Baise, would be so scared because of a young man?

 

Still, this was also a good opportunity for him to advance. A burning desire flickered in his eyes.

 

*******

 

"So, esteemed guests, do you like our dishes?" Baise now stood humbly in front of Taiyang and the company with an expectant expression.

 

Taiyang took a bite from each dish and replied after a while, “They are not half bad."

 

Not bad?

 

 

The chefs' faces, alongside Baise’s, twitched. The table was filled with every dish imaginable, from roasted chicken coated in honey to slices of bread as smooth as silk. In the mortal world, even the king of a nation might not be able to afford such luxury.

 

Taiyang wasn't mocking them or anything, though. Compared to the delicacies he was used to eating every day, they truly were nothing special.

 

"They are awesome; I love them," the little glutton Qiao Nan happily said, as he ferociously gulped down dumpling after dumpling.

 

Seeing such a normal reaction, the chefs were finally able to smile a little.

 

"By the way, young master—"

 

"Lord, ah, ah, they, the customers, are not cooperating," a waiter suddenly entered the room, breathing raggedly.

 

Hearing this, Baise's face darkened.

 

"Hmm?" Taiyang tilted his head in confusion.

 

"What are they saying?" The anger in Baise's voice could not be concealed.

 

"They said they'd never eat peasant food, and that you..." the waiter hesitated.

 

"I what?"

 

"That you seemed to have gone mad."

 

The chefs' legs went limp from fear. They couldn't believe that anyone would try to insult Elder Baise.

 

"Mad? Hmm, good, good, good," Baise said.

 

"Do you require anything more from me, young master?" Baise asked Taiyang, who was looking around in boredom.

 

"Hm? No," Taiyang replied as he shook his head.

 

"Then, please excuse me for a moment," he said, leaving with a pleasant smile on his face.

 

The quiet atmosphere continued until it was broken by a number of screams.

 

"Ugghhh..what are you doing..?!”

 

"My arm..aahhhh!"

 

"F*ck! Get away from me! M-monster…"

 

"Someone help!!

 

"Hm?"  Taiyang frowned.

 

"?" The siblings seemed confused, while the chefs, who understood their lord's nature, had their heads lowered in fear. Just those agonized screams proved that whatever was going on outside was not something they wanted any part of.

 

The resentful screams continued for a while before silence, once again, prevailed.

 

A few moments later, Baise entered with a refreshing smile on his face. If one did not know anything, they would think that the previous noise had nothing to do with the old man.

 

"I heard some screams, Baise. What happened?" However, Taiyang (who could not read the room) asked in a straightforward way.

 

"Hohoho, a few customers seemed dissatisfied, so I listened to their complaints, that's all," Baise grinned as he rubbed his palms.

 

Taiyang stared at Baise's face deeply in puzzlement, but then looked away after losing interest.

 

 

The chefs' souls nearly left their bodies after hearing Baise's response, and they fervently hoped that none of the customers had turned into corpses.

 

"Hwmm, Qiao's stomach is full!" The little Qiao Nan happily announced while patting his full belly with his tiny hands.

 

"Little Qiao..." Yingyue protested weakly, though she also couldn't hide the satisfaction that was shining on her face.

 

 

In response, Qiao Nan playfully showed his little tongue.

 

 

"Hahahaha!" Taiyang laughed in a lighthearted manner. He truly enjoyed the siblings’ adorable banter.

 

Realizing that the time was right, Baise finally asked the question that he had wanted to ask from the moment he met Taiyang: "Young master, who are you exactly?"

 

The ears of everyone perked up as they listened with their utmost attention.

 

"Who am I?" Taiyang asked in dumb confusion.

 

"Indeed. I mean, someone like you must hail from a very prestigious background," Baise inquired with great curiosity and hope flickering in his eyes.

 

He would not even be surprised if Taiyang said he came from one of the Higher Thirteen Immortal Realms.

 

"Oh, I am not from here. That's all I can tell you," Taiyang said nonchalantly, but his words pierced Baise’s heart like a lightning bolt.

 

A moment of silence filled the room before a loud thud was heard. "I, Baise, request the great young master to accept my humble self as his apprentice... No, I am even fine with being your servant."

 

The jaws of the restaurants workers dropped to the floor. A few even forgot to breathe. Baise, one of the highest-ranking Elders of the Immortal Phoenix Realm and a Mid-Immortal, was now prostrating himself before a young man who couldn't seem any more ordinary.

 

"Why are you doing this?" Taiyang asked, the demeanor around him suddenly changing.

 

The chefs and waiter thought that something was amiss about Taiyang, but they couldn't exactly put their finger on it.

 

Baise, with his forehead still kissing the floor, replied, "I want to see the peaks that are above me."

 

Baise was not like other cultivators; he did not desire riches or women. He held all those cultivators who thirsted after such things in disdain. The only goal he strived towards was advancement on the path of cultivation.But, one day, he had unknowingly encountered a bottleneck. And no matter how hard he tried, he just could not move past it.

 

He had lost all hope until he met Taiyang. The young man had an aura about him that even his experienced eyes couldn't see through. Not to mention, if he was not wrong, then this youngster in front of him was most probably a young master from one of the families in the Thirteen Immortal Realms.

 

Though not even he, in his wildest dreams, would have ever imagined that this ordinary-looking young man hailed from the Heavenly Realm, the highest of all Realms, and was, in fact, the Crown Prince of the Tianshang family.

 

Taiyang stared deeply at the Elder, as if piercing into his soul. He knew what the man was thinking, yet he did not feel disturbed by his selfishness. He was, in fact, impressed by his sincerity. "Stand up," he commanded.

 

Baise obediently stood up and waited for Taiyang with bated breath.

 

"What are you willing to offer me in return?" Even the siblings, who, by now, had begun to almost worship the ground he walked on, thought the current Taiyang sounded rather evil.

 

But in Baise's ears, his voice was even sweeter than the freshest honey. "I'll offer you everything! Just say a word, and my soul is yours."

 

Baise said while once again prostrating himself on the ground.

 

Taiyang rubbed his chin, as if musing about this offer. Everyone watched with bated breath.

 

This young man only needed to say a word, and one of the most powerful Elders of the famous Phoenix Immortal Sect would really become his servant? What sort of fantasy was this?

 

Just thinking of such a scenario sent chills down their spines. Who in the world could claim to have a Mid-Immortal expert as his servant?

 

"Then, I'll have to..." Baise's ears perked up. "Reject your offer," Taiyang stated this nonchalantly.

 

"Why?!"  Baise shouted, nearly losing himself in a fit of anger.

 

"Because I don't find you worthy. Tell me, on what basis should I choose you as my servant? Based solely on that weak cultivation of yours? In my eyes, it is not anything special." Taiyang raised his voice a notch, his aura getting more and more suffocating with each syllable he uttered. A dense, imperial aura had enveloped the room.

 

The childish Yingyue and Qiao Nan were shocked to see the usually gentle and calm big brother Taiyang in such a fierce state.

 

Baise was also astonished. Taiyang said that his cultivation was 'nothing special’. Who, in all of the Immortal Realm, would dare say such a thing about him? And to his face, even! However, something soon dawned on him; it seemed like he was thinking about this from the wrong perspective.

 

Normal standards did not apply to someone like Taiyang, who had descended from the Upper Realms. Thinking like that, Baise comforted himself.

 

Realizing that the man had calmed down, Taiyang softly spoke, "But, to be honest, your cultivation does not matter to me. "

 

Catching on to the hint, Baise quickly asked, "Then..."

 

"My criteria for servants involves the issue of their character. If anything, their minds should be cleansed of any sort of malice towards those lower than them, something which I haven't seen in you yet."

 

"B-but... what if I prove to you that I am worthy to be your servant?"

 

Taiyang rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment before replying, "I'll think about it when the time comes."

 

Hearing that, Baise looked relieved. It seemed like he still had some hope left. Renewing his conviction to prove himself to Taiyang, he once again bowed to the young man.

 

As if he realizing his intentions, Taiyang's eyes seemed to sparkle for a second before he smiled and whispered, "Work hard."

 

**********

 

Meanwhile, in a far-off corner of the Heavenly Realm was a group of mountain peaks, isolated from the rest of the world. They were lush with greenery and teeming with life. Occasionally, one would hear the chittering of squirrels and the rustling of falling leaves. The whole mountain range was surrounded by a thick sheet of pristine white fog, giving it a mysterious, almost ethereal appearance. Except for a chosen few, almost no one in all of the Realms knew about this place.

 

 

In the center of said range lay a pagoda so high that it seemed to pierce the Heavens themselves. The way it was built would reminded one of a dragon's tail. Currently, in one of the rooms on the highest floor, a young girl was gazing out of the room's balcony. This maiden was far from ordinary. Just a single glance at her was enough to make a person lose their senses. Even if that particular person was one of the Lower Gods, possessing a cultivation to rule over lands and people, he or she would still be completely mesmerized. If one thought that it might be because of some secret bewitching art, then they would be sorely mistaken.

 

 

The correct answer lay solely in the girl's appearance. An ovular face as exquisite as a doll, thin, lovely lips as red as blood, blonde hair, long enough to touch the floor, smooth porcelain skin, and lastly, her figure, although still in the process of developing, showed hints of maturity and suppleness. All of this, combined with the imperial aura surrounding her, gave her an otherworldly appearance. Surely, when a person pictured a fairy, they'd imagine her to look like this young lady.

 

 

Nevertheless, even the world's greatest artist once admitted to not being able to imitate the beauty of this girl.

 

 

And right now, the girl possessing such an appearance was tightly knitting her brows as she stared out of the balcony anxiously. Suddenly, the door behind her creaked open, and a figure passed through it and silently knelt beside her. She cleared her throat and uttered something that was outrageous enough to shake the whole of the Heavenly Realm: "My lady, we have already made preparations. A hundred Celestial Dragons, two thousand High Dragons, twenty Gods, and five hundred Celestials have assembled outside and are awaiting your orders."

 

The girl, however, didn't say anything and continued looking over the mountain peaks. A long time passed before she opened her mouth to say, "Where do you think he is, Zong Ying?"

 

The servant didn't question the identity of 'he', because she knew exactly who her lady was referring to. Because in all of the Higher Thirteen Realms, there was only one man for whom her lady, the sole heir to the Long Family, pined for.

 

"Possibly in one of the Lower Realms, my lady," she said, hesitating for a moment before continuing, "because we haven't been able to find any of trace of him here, in the Heavenly Realm."

 

The young lady bit her lips in concern and said, "I just hope he is doing alright."

 

This time, the servant didn't say anything and calmly waited for her mistress. Minutes later, "Alright," the girl calmly ordered, "tell them to get ready to advance to the Heavenly Palace. We will leave in five minutes. "

 

"Yes, my lady," the servant nodded and quickly left the room.

 

 

 

Silence lingered for a few seconds before it was finally broken by a resolute proclamation: "For your sake, I am willing to fight against the Heavens themselves if need be. Just, please, be okay." A sudden change overtook the girl's face; her previously worried expression was now replaced with that of absolute nonchalance.

 

Her beautiful face now brimmed with the icy cold indifference of an empress.