Grandfather Ying Feng Rao turned slowly at the sound of his grandson's voice. Despite his ninety-nine years, his eyes gleamed with a sharpness that seemed to pierce the very soul. For a long moment, the elder remained silent, as if seeing in his grandson's features the phantom image of his late son, Ying Zhan Tian.
"You have returned, Dragon of the Ying Clan," the grandfather said in a deep, solemn voice. A smile of pride spread across his face, tinged with a shadow of ancient sorrow. "There is no need for you to utter a single word... the aura that surrounds you now, and the density of the bloodline I feel from where I stand... they tell me that you have done it."
The grandfather sighed, gazing up at the dark sky. "If your father, Zhan Tian, were alive today, he would have roamed the earth in pride because of you. He and your mother passed away dreaming of this very day—the day the prestige of 'Qin' would return to shake the foundations of the earth."
Leaning on his jade-encrusted staff, the elder stood up and approached his grandson. "The world outside is in chaos, my boy. Everyone is wondering who obtained the legendary inheritances. Since you are the Emperor now, you are the star of our bloodline's destiny and the anchor of this nation. In you, we take our pride. Well done, Xiao Long, on securing the legacy. I am truly proud of you."
"Thank you, Grandfather. The trial of inheritance was truly exhilarating, and I passed it with absolute success. My rewards included a storage ring, a thousand gold pieces, an Epic-grade Village Core, and two maps. But I have news, Grandfather... something you won't believe."
"Oh? How wonderful, Xiao Long. Now, tell me, what is this good news?"
"While I was scouting my territory in the Forbidden Horror Forests, I found someone about to establish his village. I ambushed and captured him. Guess who it was, Grandfather? It was the heir of the Xia Dynasty, haha!"
"Oh, Xiao Long! Well done, well done! And what did you do with him?"
"He has sworn fealty to me and pledged his obedience. We will be in contact soon. I intend to send him to the Western Continent to be my hand there. What do you think?"
"Hmm... a brilliant move, Xiao Long. We must hold a grand banquet and gather all the sons and grandsons of the Ying Clan to celebrate you. We must proclaim your name as the true heir of the Great Qin. When is a suitable time for you? And tell me... before the crystals appeared, I heard the sound of gunfire near your wing. What was that about?"
"Just some flies from the branch families trying to poison me, Grandfather. But I handled it and eliminated them."
"Damnable assassination attempts... how persistent and bothersome they are. But now, through cultivation in the Heaven Awakening World, everything will change fundamentally. We are gaining superhuman strength and longevity; it is magnificent. Tell me, Xiao Long, what is your talent rank and the grade of your bloodline?" Feng Rao asked.
"My talent rank is Jade, and my bloodline grade is {15} peak Royal Sovereign ."
"Hmm... extraordinary, my grandson. You are Dragon among dragons. You were born with this destiny, and your personality reflects that Royal depth. A truly great grandson."
"Thank you, Grandfather. And what about you? What is your rank and bloodline grade?"
"My rank is Jade, like yours, and my bloodline grade is {13} Royal Sovereign ."
"Impressive, Grandfather. We are the elite of the elite. Soon, I will construct teleportation formations, and you will be most welcome in my village."
"I am eager to see it, Xiao Long. Tell me, which historical figures have appeared for you?"
"Li Si and Bai Qi, Grandfather. They are magnificent."
"Oh! Splendid! I look forward to meeting them," Feng Rao said, stroking his long white beard.
At that moment, Lin Mo appeared and spoke with professional grace, "My Noble Lords, dinner is served."
"Come, let us eat, Xiao Long," Feng Rao said warmly.
"Let's go, Grandfather."
Long Zai Tian and his grandfather walked toward the dining hall. Along the way, servants and guards bowed in greeting. As they exchanged conversation, Guardian Zhao appeared before them. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed his head deeply.
"High Lord, Your Imperial Majesty... I offer my greetings," Zhao said respectfully.
"Hmm," Feng Rao acknowledged with a nod.
"Welcome, Zhao," Long Zai Tian added. "How did you find the Heaven Awakening World?"
The captain of the guards replied, "It is a magnificent and rich world, My Lord—full of color and vitality, it breathes life into the soul. I have heard from Chief Steward Lin Mo that you have inherited the legacy of the Great Qin. I congratulate Your Majesty; may your glory overshadow the world."
"Hmm, thank you, Zhao. Now, excuse me as I dine with my grandfather. You may go and rest."
"As you wish, Your Majesty. I shall remain at the door to guard the hall. Should you require anything, I am at your service." The captain withdrew, leaving the grandfather and grandson alone.
As they sat to eat, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and they began to discuss various matters over their meal.
"So, my grandson," Feng Rao began, "what Imperial Title do you intend to take for yourself?"
"I am not truly sure," Long Zai Tian replied while chewing his food. "What do you think?"
"How about Zhenlong Huangdi—the True Dragon Emperor?" Feng Rao suggested optimistically.
"Hmm... a fine title, Grandfather," Long Zai Tian agreed with a nod.
The two continued to chat warmly, their bond strengthening as they planned for the future over dinner.
After finishing their meal, each went to their respective quarters to attend to their affairs. Upon reaching his room, Long Zai Tian opened his laptop and began searching for information regarding the Heaven Awakening World. The internet was exploding with news; a dedicated forum for the world had already been established, reaching over a hundred million users, with the numbers climbing by the second.
Long Zai Tian created an account and took a quick look around. Aside from general discussions, there were threads dedicated to the buying and selling of in-game items.
A single copper coin was being valued at 8 USD in the real world.
Naturally, the great influential families began pouring all their vast resources into the Heaven Awakening World. In fact, someone had offered hundreds of millions of dollars just to purchase a single Legacy Stone. The common people, having no idea what was truly coming, felt a deep sense of envy; they believed that owning such a stone would bring enough wealth to last several lifetimes.
However, those who actually possessed Legacy Stones could only sneer. They had endured countless trials to obtain their inheritances; to sell such a treasure for a measly sum of money would mean they were never worthy of it in the first place.
Moreover, while there were many major system cities, each was governed by its own City Lord. This meant that the regions were not interconnected, and the Heaven Awakening World was divided into many distinct territories. Moving from one region to another required immense personal effort.
Given the sheer scale of the Heaven Awakening World, regions were separated by tens of thousands of kilometers. One could only imagine the perils of attempting to cross such distances.
When people entered the Heaven Awakening World, they were distributed randomly across various locations. Even powerful families that invested massive resources found their members scattered across different regions.
Searching through the forums, Long Zai Tian identified the region where he was located: The Forbidden Horror Forests. This region contained three major system cities. To the east lay Holy Light City, to the south was Soldier Forest, and to the west stood Demon Tree City.
Long Zai Tian studied the descriptions of these cities. Each was massive, capable of housing over a million residents. Entering a city cost two copper coins, and while regular combat was forbidden, each city provided an arena for sanctioned duels. Typically, the city guards were experts whose cultivation levels exceeded the first stage.
The major cities also offered various types of equipment, such as Silver-grade weapons and the like. Beyond trade, each city had a Merit Point system; completing tasks earned merit, which could be exchanged for rewards or even official positions within the city.
Long Zai Tian read through the city introductions with intense focus before taking a deep breath. He was determined to enter the Heaven Awakening World once more. The real world seemed as calm as ever, but in truth, this was merely the silence before the storm.