The path Lan Hai had forged through years of relentless hard work had finally borne magnificent fruit.
When the results of the college entrance examinations were officially announced, the entire city was thrown into an uproar.
The news spread across Beijing like wildfire, leaving countless people in disbelief.
Lan Hai had not only secured the top rank in his own school…
He had ranked first in all of Beijing.
Overnight, he became the capital’s Number One student.
The moment this unbelievable news reached their modest home, tears of overwhelming joy filled Lan Xiuan’s eyes.
Her son was no longer just an ordinary young man helping at a humble street food stall every night.
He had become a scholar admired by the entire capital.
Standing before the results on his phone, even Lan Hai found it difficult to believe.
A deep sense of accomplishment welled up inside him.
Years of hardship…
Years of sacrifice…
Years of unwavering determination…
Every ounce of effort had finally been rewarded.
Before he could even gather his thoughts, his phone began vibrating nonstop.
Calls.
Messages.
Congratulations poured in one after another.
Mu Chen.
Feng Hui.
Qin Shen.
Xia Qinue.
Everyone congratulated him from the bottom of their hearts.
None of them were willing to let such a historic achievement pass quietly.
Within minutes, they had already begun planning a grand celebration in his honor.
Yet…
Despite the joyous atmosphere surrounding him, Lan Hai couldn’t bring himself to feel completely at ease.
His thoughts repeatedly drifted back to that unforgettable night.
The night he had rejected Xia Qinue’s sincere confession.
Her voice…
Her tearful smile…
Her final blessing…
Every memory remained vividly etched into his heart.
He couldn’t help but wonder…
How was he supposed to face her now?
Would she smile at him as though nothing had happened?
Or would the distance between them only grow wider?
The more he thought about it, the heavier his heart became.
Part of him wanted to decline the invitation altogether.
However, his friends refused to give him that choice.
One call after another came pouring in, each accompanied by endless persuasion, relentless teasing, and heartfelt congratulations.
Faced with such overwhelming sincerity, Lan Hai could no longer find a reason to refuse.
A helpless smile appeared on his face.
“…Alright.”
“I’ll come.”
After ending the call, he changed into a fresh set of clothes and quietly stepped out of the house.
Completely unaware…
That the celebration awaiting him would become the final peaceful night before fate began to rewrite his destiny.
The group gathered at one of Beijing’s most luxurious private lounges.
Beneath dazzling crystal chandeliers, soft music drifted through the hall while laughter echoed from every corner.
Expensive drinks lined the tables, and the lively atmosphere perfectly reflected the occasion.
Tonight’s celebration belonged to Lan Hai.
For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to set aside every burden weighing on his heart and simply enjoy the company of his closest friends.
Mu Chen was busy selecting songs while Qin Shen enthusiastically joined him despite being completely tone-deaf.
Feng Hui, meanwhile, lounged comfortably on a sofa with a glass of cold drink in his hand.
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, he shook his head as though mourning the greatest tragedy in history.
Feng Hui: “Brothers… our Lan Hai has practically ascended to the heavens. Not only did he top his school, but he also ranked first in all of Beijing. And then there’s me…” He pointed at himself with a helpless expression before sighing once more.
“…who proudly secured the absolute last rank.”
Lan Hai glanced at him before placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
A mischievous smile spread across his face.
Lan Hai: “Brother… you’re looking at it all wrong.”
Feng Hui blinked in confusion.
Lan Hai: “You topped the exams too.”
For a brief moment, the room fell completely silent.
Mu Chen, Qin Shen, and even Xia Qinue stared at Lan Hai as though he had suddenly lost his mind.
Mu Chen frowned.
Mu Chen: “Wait… has becoming Beijing’s top student finally driven you crazy? Since when does the guy who ranked dead last count as a topper?”
Lan Hai looked at him as if the answer were painfully obvious before grinning.
Lan Hai: “It’s simple. I topped from the front… and he topped from the back.”
For a split second, absolute silence filled the room.
Then the entire lounge exploded with laughter.
Mu Chen laughed so hard he nearly fell off the sofa.
Qin Shen was clutching his stomach as tears streamed down his face.
Even Xia Qinue lowered her head, covering her mouth as she tried—and completely failed—to suppress her laughter.
Feng Hui’s expression instantly darkened.
He strode over without hesitation and delivered a playful punch to Lan Hai’s back.
Feng Hui: “You bastard! Are you seriously making fun of your own father?”
Lan Hai burst into laughter and immediately pulled him into a tight embrace.
Lan Hai: “So what if my son came in last? A father never abandons his son!”
Another wave of laughter swept across the lounge.
At that moment, there were no rankings, no wealthy families, and no worries about the future.
There were only five lifelong friends celebrating one another’s happiness, completely unaware that beneath the joy and laughter, fate was quietly preparing to turn their lives upside down.
As the celebration came to an end, Lan Hai and his friends stepped out of the lounge one after another.
The cool night breeze greeted them as they exchanged smiles and embraced each other before saying their goodbyes.
Just as Xia Qinue was about to enter her car, she instinctively turned around.
At that exact moment, Lan Hai looked up.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
Neither of them smiled.
Yet everything they had buried deep within their hearts seemed to pass silently through that single glance.
Qinue still loved him.
Lan Hai still loved her.
Nothing had changed.
The only difference was that Lan Hai had chosen to lock those feelings away, convincing himself that staying away from her was the only way to protect them both.
One after another, luxury cars disappeared into the brightly lit streets of Beijing, leaving Lan Hai standing alone outside the lounge.
After a long moment of silence, he slowly turned around and began walking home.
The lively laughter from only minutes earlier gradually faded behind him, replaced by the quiet rhythm of his footsteps.
His heart and his mind had once again begun their endless battle.
His mind constantly reminded him of reality.
The Xia Clan stood among the most powerful and influential families in Beijing.
Their wealth, status, and political influence were worlds beyond anything he could ever hope to reach.
He was simply the son of a woman who worked tirelessly every day to support them by running a humble street food stall.
Their worlds…
Could never truly become one.
Yet his heart stubbornly refused to listen.
Every smile.
Every conversation.
Every shared memory.
Everything about Xia Qinue had become impossible to erase.
The more he tried to suppress those feelings, the more fiercely they fought to resurface.
By the time he arrived home, exhaustion weighed heavily upon him, yet sleep refused to come.
Lying quietly on his bed, he stared at the ceiling while the memories of that unforgettable night replayed over and over inside his mind.
Her trembling voice ,the tears in her eyes ,Her final blessing.
Every single moment remained as vivid as if it had happened only seconds ago he slowly closed his eyes.
A bitter smile appeared on his face he had finally realized the truth.
Some people spend their entire lives searching for true love…
Yet when it finally stands before them, they are often forced to let it go with their own hands Outside, the city of Beijing slept peacefully beneath the quiet night sky Yet far beyond the mortal world…
A storm capable of changing countless destinies had already begun.
Meanwhile, far beyond the ordinary mortal world, a horrifying war was raging across the boundless cosmos.
When Sovereign Han Ji Shen had charged into the unstable spatial portal, a legion of demon soldiers and a colossal dragon had relentlessly pursued him into the void.
Ever since that moment, he had been forced to travel through countless shattered portals scattered across the universe, engaging them in one brutal battle after another.
An immeasurable amount of time had passed.
Now, from the entire invading force, only a single Demon Commander and the terrifying dragon remained.
Han Ji Shen had not been granted even a single moment to rest or recover.
From the instant he entered the spatial rift, he had fought without pause.
Endless battles had drained nearly all of his strength, leaving behind only a faint reserve of spiritual energy.
Even so, he continued to fight, relying solely on those dwindling remnants to sustain himself.
Wherever Han Ji Shen appeared, countless demons met their end beneath his blade.
He had crossed one galaxy after another, waging a solitary war against the abyss and protecting innumerable human civilizations from destruction.
Now…
Even someone as powerful as the Sovereign had reached his limit.
His breathing had grown heavy.
His robes were stained with blood.
Even the hand gripping his sword had begun to tremble from exhaustion.
Yet his eyes remained as sharp and unwavering as ever.
Retreat…
Had never existed in Han Ji Shen’s vocabulary.
Just then, another spatial portal slowly materialized in the endless void before him.
Without the slightest hesitation, Han Ji Shen stepped forward and entered it.
At the same moment, the Demon Commander and the colossal dragon let out deafening roars before charging into the portal after him.
As he disappeared into the swirling vortex, a single thought flashed through Han Ji Shen’s mind.
No matter where this portal leads…
my first priority is to recover my strength.
Only then will I be able to eliminate the Demon Commander…
and permanently slay that dragon.
The portal swallowed them all.
The boundless void fell silent once more.
None of them knew…
That the world awaiting them beyond the other side of the portal would become the beginning of a fate that would shake the entire universe.