Shin’s ‘orientation week’ passed by in a flash.

Longyu Tian stayed by his side throughout, bringing him to various locations all around Longyu Reef. Since Shin was being ferried by a Spirit Saint, there was no need to worry about his transport. The Saint of Time could travel a thousand kilometres as if she was teleporting around. In the mornings, Shin would find himself in the legendary Longyu Lake. Then in the afternoon, he would be in Liheng Metropolis, the Capital city of Longyu Reef. Sometimes, Longyu Tian might even bring him to the principal fishing municipality, allowing him to taste some of the freshest fish that the youth had ever eaten for lunch. Finally, at night, the Spirit Saint would fly him back to the Headquarters, where she would let him party with a harem of women.

It was the dream lifestyle of every man. He didn’t have to work, he could visit many new places, eat a different style of cuisine and at night, he could fuck any woman he wanted. However, Shin wasn’t having any of that. Often times, he would have to lock the door to his own room by freezing the gate, preventing any young maidens from sneaking into his bed, which happened twice already. It was the hypothetical heaven that Longyu Tian thought would familiarise Shin to the Longyu Clan and pledge his allegiance to the Republic. However, all it did was to push the boy farther away.

At the end of her wits, the Spirit Saint decided to go all out in spending her final day with Shin. However, before they began their journey, Longyu Tian decided to spend some time talking with Shin. She walked into the living room of the youth’s apartment and waited for him to exit his room. It took some time since he had to unfreeze the locks, but eventually, the youth emerged out of his bedroom, wearing a comfortable, breathy robe, that was good for either exploring or training.

“So, tomorrow you’re going to move out into your Master’s house. How are you feeling?” Longyu Tian asked, almost praying for Shin to jump in frustration and denounce the move.

Alas, the Shin wasn’t that moved by this ‘orientation week.’ He grinned from ear to ear and said: “I’m looking forward to meeting my Master and friends again. I really miss them.”

“I see...” Longyu Tian folded her arms together and puckered her lips. Shin’s expression was one of pure joy, something that she had never seen throughout the week-long orientation that they had. The youth was still uncomfortable around her and the Longyu Clan.

“That’s it! I give up!” She flailed her arms up in the air in surrender. That sudden action stunned Shin, who had never seen this sharp-tongued side of the calm and gentle Aunt Tian. Bingbing hid further inside of Shin’s robes, fearful of what the Spirit Saint would do to Shin and her. So much for a Tier 8 Spirit Beast guard.

“I’ve been trying to make you like the stay here. We’ve been to some of the best places in the Lantis Republic, everyone here reveres you, the women want to bed you, what else are you unsatisfied with?”

Longyu Tian was never a devious person. She liked to be straightforward and get to the point. However, because she wanted Shin in her camp, the Spirit Saint had been wishy-washy throughout the week. However, enough was enough. Everything that she had spent on Shin had backfired on her. Each time she attempted to bring Shin over to her side, the boy kept pushing back. Eventually, it had reached the stage where he had to freeze the door to his own room, just to prevent the Longyu Clan members from entering it.

“It’s not that I don’t like the Longyu Clan...” Shin muttered, his voice a little fearful about the actions the Spirit Saint may take. “The food is great, the people are kind and somehow… Maybe it’s because I’m from the main bloodline, I feel a deep connection to Longyu Reef. Primally, of course.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“I think Aunt Tian… You’re misunderstanding all of my desires.” Shin turned down his volume, fearful to reply to the Spirit Saint’s question. However, if he wasn’t going to be honest, there was no way that the Saint of Time could understand his position.

“I… Don’t care about fame, fortune or women. I never wanted to be in this position. All of these people chanting my name, fawning over me, giving all this free stuff… I don’t want it! The reason why I came to the Lantis Republic is to improve my abilities!” Shin continued to holler, all while the Spirit Saint listened carefully.

“The Black Masks they… They have taken so much from me. My older brother, the love of my life… They ripped my family in half and destroyed so many other families! I saw the devastation they left behind in the Land of Dreams! The headless bodies… The river of blood… The destruction they caused… It’s something that will repeat itself! I have to become stronger! To defeat them and end this crazy war! That’s why I left the Himmel Empire a year early! I wanted to continue to raise my strength! I don’t need all of these luxuries!”

“...”

Longyu Tian watched the young man pour his heart out, his fists clenched and eyes misty. It took great courage to stand up to a Spirit Saint, especially one of Longyu Tian’s calibre. His body continued to tremble, and with his eyes closed, Shin couldn’t see what expression the Saint of Time made. However, he doubted that it would be of any good.

The Saint of Time sat down on the comfy sofa in Shin’s living room and stared at the young man. Eventually, her brows fell as she sighed. “So you just want to train in the Longyu Clan? That’s all our Clan is good for?”

“...”

This time, it was Shin’s turn to be speechless. He couldn’t deny that he saw the Longyu Clan as a convenient tool to bolster his strength. There wasn’t any loyalty there. How could there be? Shin had barely spent enough time in the Republic. In Shin’s heart, he still saw the Himmel Empire as his real home. The Capital, Lady Seph’s mansion, Yakkyoku Clinic and… Frie Mountain. He lived there all of his life. It was unreasonable for the Longyu Clan and Longyu Tian to think that Shin would change allegiances just because of some superficial luxuries.

“I… I can’t see the Longyu Clan as my home yet,” Shin answered honestly. The only knowledge he had of the Longyu Clan was that his great-grandfather had been exiled from the clan. The other things he knew were mostly by word-of-mouth, particularly from Meijing Bingying’s mouth. Though, even her information was severely lacking since she wasn’t from the clan.

“It’s hard to say how I’ll feel about the clan in the next five years, but I know one thing...” Shin looked Longyu Tian straight in the eye, the first time he’d ever done since the Spirit Saint started to question him. “Giving me all of this luxuries… Sending hordes of women after me… That’s not the way to buy my loyalty.”

“Hoho...”

This was the first time in a hundred years that anyone had talked back to Longyu Tian like that. Shin’s face was cramping up, his knees were weak, arms heavy, and was ready to vomit the spaghetti for dinner last night. Still, his eyes were as bright as Longyu Lake itself. The Spirit Saint watched the young man, the boy that she called her nephew. She had tried so many things to get him to like the country, but from the looks of it, Shin wasn’t going to back out.

Longyu Tian reflected on herself. Her icy heart was now beating with adrenaline, and her pupils dilated. “Shin, I’ve been underestimating you,” the Spirit Saint claimed. “I’ve been treating you as a child that I need to protect when I should’ve treated you as a cultivator that’s aiming for the apex. I finally understand how to end our little ‘orientation week’ now...”

“...” Shin’s throat visibly rose and fell, as a mouthful of saliva dripped down it. Longyu Tian was the only supporter he honestly had in the Longyu Clan. If she wanted to denounce him and throw him away, no one in the Longyu Clan would raise their hand in protest. A Spirit Saint was just that influential. Also, no one in the entire Himmel Empire congregation could beat the Saint of Time. If she wanted to kill Shin, no one could ever hope to stop her.

“Cultivate and prepare yourself… In the afternoon, I’m bringing you to train...”

❖❖❖

The Lantis Republic. Longyu Reef. Atoll of the Ancients.

The Lantis Archipelago was never a unified nation. Ever since the Lady of Water passed away, ancient warlords and chieftains spent the next few generations claiming as much land as they possibly could. Among them, the Eight Scions of Water led their clans at the top of the food chain. To gain as much control over the Archipelago as possible, the Eight Ancient Clans fought against one another endlessly. Alliances were made, and betrayal was second nature to the warring islands.

Eventually, when the great war that nearly ended all of the modern civilisation occurred almost ten thousand years back, the splintered nations all settled their differences and agreed to form three great superpowers. The warring kingdoms of the Lantis Archipelago were one of those countries. The Eight Ancient Clans had subdued any and all dissidents in the land and absorbed them into their own communities. Rogue nations were dismantled to their last bone and warlords became government officials.

There weren’t many historical landmarks to remember the fallen since they were all raided aggressively by the Eight Clans of Water, but there were still a few lying around.

The Atoll of the Ancients was one of those exceptions. Back in the days of the warring states, there was one island that almost everyone wanted to control, due to its strategic location. The country that controlled this island unlocked a vital trading route towards the other eight main islands, particularly the Prime Island that stood in the middle of the Lantis Republic. At the end of the warring era, when the unification of the Lantis Archipelago was formed, the Eight Ancient Clans had signed a treaty to share this island, never to tear it down in remembrance of their eternal alliance.

Now, together with being one of the busiest trading ports in the entire Republic, the Atoll of the Ancients is also the chosen location for annual competitions and sparring events. It has seen the rise and fall of countless heroes, especially young ones who compete in tournaments to determine who was the best in their era.

One arena, in particular, stood heads and shoulders above the rest in its history, capacity and overall historical significance. The Yingxiong Amphitheatre.

Renovated multiple times, the Yingxiong Amphitheatre was the preferred location for the best events in the Lantis Republic history. It has the best gym in the entire nation, the best training facilities and the largest capacity of any stadium in the country. A hundred thousand people.

Shin looked up in the stands, amazed by how vast the Yingxiong Amphitheatre was. It was perhaps the most extensive structure he had ever seen, barring the abnormal Deus Citadel. Still, he couldn’t be stunned for long. He glanced straight ahead into the front row seats, only to see over a hundred Longyu Clan members staring right at him.

Some were old, some were young. Some were Spirit Practitioners and Apostles, others were Spirit Emperors and Venerates. But there was no doubt about their intentions. They all wanted to see the young Prince of Water in action. Bingbing sat down at the side, watching Shin as if she were his own personal cheerleader. However, when Longyu Tian gave her a simple glare, the Kamaitachi calmed down a little and simply chirped yip in regular time intervals.

“You don’t have to worry about the spectators, they’re all from the main bloodline and will keep your abilities a secret.” Longyu Tian misunderstood the worried expression that Shin was wearing.

“No, I don’t really care about that...” Shin replied, his eyes still a little wavy. Either way, if he’s going to spend the next five years on Longyu Reef, his spiritual abilities would become well-known naturally. He turned the corner and saw the Clan Master, Longyu Dao, seated among the crowds. Although he was the highest authority in the Clan, Shin couldn’t differentiate him from the masses since they all looked so alike.

Satisfied with his reply, Longyu Tian beamed. “So, as you have requested, I’ve rounded up some of the most talented Spirit Spectres in the Longyu Clan for you to spar with. The rest are just here to spectate. They all had awakened the Sovereign Koi, so your exchange would be quite fruitful I hope.”

Ten young men and women, no one exceeding their forties, stepped up onto the platform where Shin was about to perform. Among them, Shin spotted a familiar face. He had seen the youth once during the Summit, standing inside of the Lantis Republic’s Luminary stands. It was the young genius from the clan… Longyu Linji.

‘He kind of reminds me of Ryner...’ Maybe it was the youth’s slanted eyes and venomous scowl, Shin could see the old version of Ryner, the one that was quick to rage and violence, within Linji. Of course, it was hard to judge someone just from one exchange, so Shin shook his head to push away those thoughts.

“It’s actually a good thing that you suggested to spar.” Longyu Tian smiled. “Many from the main bloodline have heard what you’re capable of but never had they seen your abilities. This is a chance for you to announce yourself into the world.”

“Yeah…” Shin bitterly smiled. Yes, he was the one who asked for this opportunity, but he never expected that the whole family would come and spectate him. Still, Shin was the one who requested Longyu Tian train him, so he couldn’t be complaining.

‘Take deep breaths… Just like the stadium in Imperius Academy… Treat it as if they aren’t there...’ Shin mentally calmed himself down. It took him ten seconds, for his shivering to stop and the timidness to dissipate. Now, he wasn’t the kind and innocent Shin Iofiel.

Now… He was the Black-Haired Tyrant.

“Okay… I’m ready...”