The Ethereal Domains

The Unmatched Master of the World and the Preeminent Force in the Realm of Chaos . . .

"I, uh... I was just hanging out," Cha Eun Xiao explained weakly.

His explanation seemed feeble at best.

When it came to dealing with girls, Cha Eun Xiao realized he was at a disadvantage compared to the previous Ye Xiao – the playful and carefree womanizer. The Xiao Monarch had dedicated his entire previous life to cultivating the Pure Yang Martial Arts, leaving little time for interactions with women. Now, with a beautiful girl standing before him, a girl who radiated charm whether she was angry or happy, his mind seemed to go blank, and his tongue felt sluggish.

Thuck!

Yi Yue swung her hand and lightly struck Cha Eun Xiao's head. She admonished him with a hint of hysteria, "There's a disturbance going on right now, and you were just hanging around outside? Do you realize there's a significant event happening in the capital today? If you keep loitering on the streets, you might inadvertently find yourself in danger! Uncle Ye left me a whip, so I have the authority to discipline you. If you dare to defy me, I won't hesitate to use it on you!"

Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but think, "You certainly have some nerve! How dare you threaten me, the Xiao Monarch? Maybe I should be the one lashing you to your senses!"

However, he decided to play along, pretending ignorance. "Really? What's happening in the capital?"

Yi Yue gave an annoyed huff, rolled her eyes, and then continued, feigning nonchalance, "I heard that Zuo Xiang Fu was raided... Many thieves broke in, and Minister Zuo, who has lost a considerable amount of priceless items, is furious right now... The entire military force in the capital has been mobilized to guard the nine city gates, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. They're scouring for the assassins and attempting to apprehend them along with their loot."

The princess even giggled for a moment but quickly regained her composure, realizing that she was losing her regal demeanor in front of Cha Eun Xiao. She cleared her throat and added, "It appears that Minister Zuo will suffer significant losses. Capturing the assassins and recovering the stolen items seems to be quite a challenge."

Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but ponder, "Could the treasure I obtained be what they were after?"

After careful consideration, he thought, "Perhaps I should create a replica of that sculpture using a different material when I have the opportunity. Just in case Zuo Wu-Ji ever asks for it back in the future. Vigilance keeps a ship sailing for thousands of years..."

"Listen! You're not allowed to attend the auction scheduled for the day after tomorrow. I've invited some of my friends to join me, and your presence would surely embarrass me! Furthermore, you're forbidden from attending the Wen-Hua Event later this week... You won't find any suitable places to go during this period. Do you understand? Will you remember? Are you hearing me?" she demanded sternly.

After making her point and seeing Cha Eun Xiao nod repeatedly, she turned to leave, apparently satisfied.

Then she sighed and, in a voice barely above a whisper, uttered, "Ayy... You're not that bothersome, to be honest... but if only you'd try to mend your ways and address those flaws, how wonderful it would be... Ayyy..."

As Cha Eun Xiao watched, Cha Eun Yi Yue boarded the sedan chair and gradually receded into the night's dim light.

A sense of helplessness swelled within Cha Eun Xiao as he contemplated this young woman's situation.

In the world of noble families, daughters had little say in their own marriages. They were bound by their parents' decisions and the guidance of matchmakers. Since her parents had chosen Cha Eun Xiao as her future husband, she would eventually marry him.

Unfortunately for her, her betrothed was the previous, frivolous womanizer, and there was little she could do but sigh...

However, it was evident that Yi Yuedidn't harbor complete disdain for the previous Cha Eun Xiao. They had grown up together, after all. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so concerned for his well-being during such perilous times, visiting him to express her worry...

The lingering fragrance of her presence still hung in the air. Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but sigh, and an indescribable emotion welled up within him—a feeling he had never experienced before...

...

Cha Eun Xiao reclined in his room, letting his guard down momentarily. He suddenly felt utterly drained, as though he were on the verge of collapse. His body felt weak, as if it were empty. He had expended all his energy during the escape just hours ago. Moreover, dealing with Yi Yue had further drained him, so the moment he relaxed, maintaining his composure became an arduous task.

The poison still coursed through his body, like a looming threat hanging over his neck. Although the Pure Heavenly Crystal he had recently utilized had temporarily suppressed the poison, a mere push could force it out of his system completely.

Removing this hidden peril sooner rather than later was imperative. Cha Eun Xiao patiently and meticulously harnessed the remnants of spiritual power within his body. Though the intense outburst earlier had consumed ninety-nine percent of the spiritual power drawn from the Pure Heavenly Crystal, a tiny fraction remained—just enough for him to manipulate effectively.

Cha Eun Xiao guided the spiritual power to envelop the poison completely within his meridians. The minuscule vestiges of the dissociative power from the Pure Heavenly Crystal coalesced in his Dantian. From there, they traversed the meridians encircling his body. The stubborn Qing-Ming Fruit poison was gradually concealed and expelled through the meridians.

The poison, considered incurable in the mortal realm, was now ensconced by a thin shroud of spiritual power and compelled out of his system. Were cultivators from this world to witness this, their jaws would surely hit the floor in astonishment!

Finally, Cha Eun Xiao felt a swelling pain coursing through his meridians, and with a forceful exhalation, he spat out a viscous black fluid. The blackened liquid splattered onto the floor, carrying an indescribable stench.

The entire floor darkened abruptly.

In that moment, the Qing-Ming Fruit poison had been completely purged!

Relief washed over Cha Eun Xiao. "Thank goodness this cursed poison has finally been eradicated."

The sense of relief he experienced at that moment was truly indescribable. At least now, he could look forward to a peaceful night's sleep without the constant fear of being claimed by the poison.

Cha Eun Xiao reclined, allowing his body to relax completely as he sought to restore his strength through rest...

But in the next moment—Wooosh!—he sprang up, taking a seat on the bed.

Because as soon as he had reclined, he felt several words forming in his mind.

Golden words.

Where had he encountered them before? Cha Eun Xiao recalled that when he had first acquired the Pure Heavenly Crystal, he had experienced a moment of dizziness, and during that time, it seemed as though golden words had materialized before him before the crystal had completely vanished...

Cha Eun Xiao hastily sat upright and attempted to channel his soul power. To his delight, he realized that he could indeed circulate his soul power once more!

Moreover, from within the depths of his consciousness, there emanated a potent attractive force...

Shock overcame the typically calm and composed demeanor on Cha Eun Xiao's face.

His consciousness was enveloped in mist, and above this mist, a peculiar sphere radiated with dazzling brilliance.

Successive waves of purple energy flowed forth from the sphere.

"This... Isn't this the sphere I stumbled upon by chance when exploring the Death Domain in the Qing-Yun Realm? How did it end up in my consciousness? What's happening?"

Cha Eun Xiao widened his eyes in astonishment. He couldn't fathom how such a situation had come to pass.

However, a plausible theory began to take shape in his mind. "Is it possible that... in my previous life's final battle, I was supposed to meet my demise, but instead, I was inexplicably reincarnated here, and this peculiar sphere was somehow responsible?"

"Or could it be that the Pure Heavenly Crystal inadvertently fulfilled certain conditions set by this peculiar sphere... prompting it to reveal itself?"

Cha Eun Xiao, being well-versed, recognized the absurdity of his conjecture, but he was nearly ninety percent certain he had hit the mark. Otherwise, everything remained inexplicable. 𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚗ｏ𝚟𝚎𝚕.ｏｒｇ

If something as outlandish as reincarnation could occur, was there any other phenomenon beyond the realm of possibility?

Yet another subtle notion began to take shape within Cha Eun Xiao's thoughts—that this sphere was not a simple entity.

Neither its origin nor its purpose could be straightforward.

"Perhaps... it is highly plausible that after failing to reach the pinnacle of cultivation in my previous life, I am now destined to embark on the path of cultivation anew in this life, with this sphere as the starting point?"

Cha Eun Xiao entertained this whimsical notion. While he acknowledged the ridiculousness of his idea, he was brimming with enthusiasm. Even the well-informed Xiao Monarch had never encountered such a bizarre phenomenon!

Cha Eun Xiao stared at the sphere within his consciousness, still perplexed after ruminating upon it a hundred times. How could he have overlooked the fact that something he had chanced upon was, in reality, an extraordinary treasure?

At that moment, Cha Eun Xiao's eyes suddenly lit up.

It was as though a colossal bolt of lightning, capable of cleaving the earth and sky asunder, had struck him.

In the aftermath of this lightning strike, everything turned white.

In that very moment, Cha Eun Xiao sensed his body trembling, and a luminous orb manifested in his mind.

The light grew steadily brighter, and step by step, he realized that all the radiance originated from this orb.

It was akin to a sun rising on the horizon of his consciousness.

The orb revolved, and suddenly, ten golden words materialized, shimmering before the orb. They shone directly into Cha Eun Xiao's eyes.

All the pain within his body dissipated, as if a miracle had transpired at that precise instant.

"Peerless lord in the world, and foremost spirit in chaos!"