Beep, beep, beep… One car after another passed in front of the academy gate.

Luo Changsheng stared at his younger brother’s delicate face and sighed lightly.
“I knew it… some things just don’t change.”

Luo Qingchuan had no reply.

Luo Changsheng studied him and found it surprising that Luo Qingchuan didn’t respond with a hoarse, twisted voice full of sarcasm like he used to. Instead, he was simply silent.

The golden-haired teenager’s eyes were deep and dark, like they hid an abyss.

“Still mad about that slap last time?”

Luo Changsheng paused, raised his chin slightly, and looked down at Luo Qingchuan.
“Mom nags you because she cares. You have no respect for people—let alone our mom. If you act up again, I’ll still slap you. Don’t think that just because you joined the Seeking Dao class and started cultivating, I can’t handle you. With your pitiful talent, I could easily spend a little money to hire a freelance cultivator to beat you down with no effort. I usually just… don’t bother. Got it?”

His hands were in his pockets, his eyes under thick brows cold as ice.
“To be honest, I don’t want to be your ge. Don’t blame me for not doing my duty as one—I gave you your chance.”

Luo Qingchuan wasn’t short, but Luo Changsheng was clearly taller, and the identity of “older brother” added an invisible pressure.

“I understand, ge. I get it.” Luo Qingchuan gave a weary smile, unbothered by Luo Changsheng’s threats. “I was wrong.”

Luo Changsheng’s shadowed pupils narrowed slightly.
Faced with this obedient little brother, he suddenly… didn’t know what to say.

Was this really the same Luo Qingchuan who’d been called a born demon by a fortune teller when he was young?

Luo Qingchuan smiled carefreely. “I’ve got something else to do. It’s important.”

Luo Changsheng was silent for a moment.

“Where are you living now? Same place?”

“Mm.”

“Not going home tonight?”

“Nope.”

“What is it?”

“Can’t say.”

The man in the suit nodded, his expression cooling. “Illegal?”

“Of course not.” Luo Qingchuan chuckled and shook his head.

“Let’s go.”

Luo Changsheng turned and walked toward the black business van, pulling the door open.
“Come on.”

“I said I’m not going home.”

“I’m not taking you home. Just giving you a ride.”

……

“Where’s he going?”

“Probably home.”

On top of the academy’s wall, Zuo Tian stood with his arms crossed, looking down at the two figures below.

A faint white aura swirled around the youth, hiding his presence entirely.

Zuo Tian cultivated an ancient technique from within the Golden Tower: The Supreme Mystery Record.

The Golden Tower dated back to a primordial age, holding countless ancient techniques and treasures.

Now, with the resurgence of spiritual energy, Zuo Tian had become the master of this generation’s Golden Tower.
A bearer of destiny.

A divine tower that for thousands of years had never been opened by any Zuo clan member—
unseen, untouched.

Zuo Tian had opened it.

At the front of the first floor stood an ancient stone tablet, inscribed with grand characters:

“To set the heart of Heaven and Earth.
To secure life for the people.
To carry forward the teachings of the sages.
To bring peace for all generations.”

The old ancestor had said:
“To be bound with this tower is to carry Heaven’s mandate, to bear supreme destiny, and to lead the world.
Never stray from the righteous path. Never let the human realm fall.”

Yet now, the road of the Heaven-chosen one was being obstructed.

Zuo Tian stared at the moving black van, then flickered and vanished, leaving behind only an afterimage.

He dashed across rooftops on either side of the road, leaping and weaving through the air like a shadow, his eyes and body locked onto the vehicle.

“Luck’s on my side.” Zuo Tian smirked. “It’s better that Luo Qingchuan has family nearby—someone can rush him to the hospital if needed.”

The old ancestor suddenly spoke,
“Aren’t you going to use your divine sense to eavesdrop?”

“No. Luo Qingchuan is extremely perceptive.”
Zuo Tian’s short black hair whipped in the wind as he moved, his tone cautious.
“He might notice.”

The old ancestor sighed deeply. “Child… you’ve changed.”

“It’s not me who’s changed.” Zuo Tian replied softly.
“Old ancestor, everything is changing.”

……

“You’ve changed a lot.”

Inside the van, Luo Changsheng spoke while looking ahead.

“Not really, just outgrew my rebellious phase,” Luo Qingchuan said from the passenger seat.
“Everyone grows up eventually—boys become men.”

Luo Changsheng glanced sideways at his younger brother.
“Is it love?”

Luo Qingchuan was a little startled—and a bit nervous, like he’d just been caught doing something wrong. He fiddled with his seatbelt. “What?”

Seeing his brother’s slightly flustered look, Luo Changsheng couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“I waited for you outside the school gate. Figured since you joined the Seeking Dao class, you wouldn’t be wandering around much anymore. Thought I’d catch you here. Then I saw you laughing and chatting with that girl… you looked radiant. I’ve never seen that expression on you before. I almost thought I’d mistaken you for someone else.”

“Maybe you did,” Luo Qingchuan said.

“That wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Eh?” Luo Qingchuan smiled. “Then what about your old little brother?”

“Don’t need him anymore,” Luo Changsheng joked as he turned the steering wheel.
“Didn’t really want him in the first place.”

Luo Qingchuan was speechless.

“Ge, aren’t you being a bit cold?”

“Just average. In this society, you treat different people differently. Honestly, your saozi always says I’m too stiff, that I never lose my temper with subordinates, so I must be a bad leader. But I get it—life’s tough for everyone. Back before you came along, I went through hard times with Mom and Dad.”

Luo Qingchuan quietly listened, his body and heart unexpectedly relaxed. He slouched comfortably in his seat.

Luo Changsheng smiled faintly.
“I’ve told you so many things before, but this is the first time you’ve listened so quietly.”

The boy tilted his head slightly. “I really do have something important going on. I’ll come home next time for sure.”

“Mm.”

After another moment of silence…

“Do you need money?”

“Huh?”

“I’ll buy you a place near the school.”

“That’d… that’d be nice?”

Luo Qingchuan felt his ge was actually pretty great.

“What’s your little girlfriend’s name? She’s really pretty—like a fairy.”

“You’re surprisingly gossipy.”

“You two look good together,” Luo Changsheng said.
“I should thank her. She probably taught you how to love.”

Luo Qingchuan felt oddly embarrassed.

“Her name is Su Yingxue.”

“Nice name. Suits you.”

Strangely, the Luo Changsheng in his memories was always stern and silent, but now he wouldn’t stop talking.

He added, “Xiao Chuan, send me a photo of you two sometime. I’ll show it to Mom and your saozi. They’ll be thrilled.”

“Mm… next time we take one.”

“How’d you win her over?”

Luo Qingchuan thought for a moment.
“By relentlessly pursuing her… and using a few little tricks…”

He felt slightly guilty.

Luo Changsheng smirked, glancing at his brother’s gentle face.
“If your saozi saw her, you know what she’d say?”

“What?”

Luo Changsheng burst into laughter.
“She’d definitely go, ‘Such a beauty! Just looking at her adds ten years to your life!’ or something ridiculously over-the-top.”

Luo Qingchuan couldn’t help laughing too. “Saozi sure knows how to flatter people.”

With their conversation flowing, the brothers reached their destination before they knew it.

Luo Changsheng got out of the car and handed Luo Qingchuan a bank card.

“The password is your birthday.”

Luo Qingchuan blinked. “Thanks, ge.”

“Mom asked me to give this to you. There were over a dozen of them. I never gave you a single one.” Luo Changsheng laughed dryly. “Don’t hold it against me.”

Luo Qingchuan rolled his eyes. “Next time, give them all.”

“Depends on the situation.”

“I’ll head back now.”

Luo Changsheng suddenly pressed a hand to his brother’s shoulder.

His face, always so composed, turned serious—not with Luo Qingchuan’s coldness, but with a sense of authority.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Mm?” Luo Qingchuan raised a curious brow.

Luo Changsheng hesitated, clearly under pressure, struggling with the decision.

After several seconds,
he finally exhaled and said,
“Nini’s turning three this year. Come to the birthday. We never wanted her to meet you before…”

“Say no more, ge,” Luo Qingchuan replied gently.
“I’ll be there.”

Luo Changsheng stayed silent, then gave his brother two light pats on the shoulder.

“I’m off. Take care of yourself. Come home when you can.”

He looked exhausted, as if he still couldn’t fully believe what he’d just experienced.
He got into the car, expression complicated, started the engine, and drove off.

Luo Qingchuan looked down at the bank card in his hand, then up at the dark blue sky above.
He exhaled a long breath.

His heart felt heavy.

Night had fallen deeper, the autumn wind had grown colder—
and the air was no longer gentle.

…