Chapter One

Chapter One

As Shen Wang opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of a modern crystal chandelier. Lying in bed, the surroundings felt eerily familiar, almost making him believe he had entered some strange illusion.

Faint laughter and conversation drifted in from outside the room, a scene both intimately familiar and strangely alien.

Shen Wang's mind felt numb, and it took him a moment to remember that this familiar yet strange place was his nominal home.

But all of this belonged to his past life.

Thinking back on these memories, Shen Wang had long since let go of his initial resentment and indignation. Shaking his head slightly, he slowly opened the door of his room and saw a warm and harmonious family scene.

A steady and dependable father, a beautiful and gentle mother, and a young, spirited, and dashing son sat at the dining table, the atmosphere brimming with harmony, each face wearing a radiant smile.

But those smiles vanished the moment they saw Shen Wang.

The light and cheerful atmosphere instantly froze. They all turned to look at Shen Wang in unison, as if he was an intruder or, more precisely, an enemy.

The air became so tense it was suffocating.

His father's tone was impatient: "Why have you come out?"

As if Shen Wang stepping out of his room was an unforgivable act.

"I'm hungry," Shen Wang said, somewhat dazedly, observing the scene.

Without waiting for a response, he walked over and sat down: "Add another set of cutlery and ask the kitchen to cook a few more dishes."

"Shen Wang!" his mother exclaimed with a furrowed brow, "This is the Tang household. Such rudeness... do you think you're still fooling around in the slums?"

Not long after bringing Shen Wang back, both Mr. and Mrs. Tang regretted their decision.

They never imagined that, with their excellent genes, they could have a child who turned out to be so useless.

With a low educational background and a poor temperament, since returning to the Tang family, Shen Wang hadn't tried to bond with his parents. Instead, he got along well with the servants... and most importantly, he had no talent for cultivation!

To the Tang family, Shen Wang was a complete waste.

Hearing Mrs. Tang's undisguised disdain and contempt, Shen Wang looked up at the elegantly dressed woman and raised an eyebrow: "Don’t I even have the right to sit at the table and eat in my own home? Mrs. Tang, if you despise me so much, why bother bringing me back?"

Shen Wang genuinely found it strange, but his words changed the expressions of everyone present.

Mr. Tang glanced at Mrs. Tang and said, "We don’t look down on you. It's your behavior and manners that are too impolite. It's one thing at home, but outside, how do you expect others to view our Tang family?"

Under Mr. Tang's gaze, Mrs. Tang discreetly wiped her mouth with a napkin: "It's not that I look down on you, it’s that you are too self-deprecating. If you don't respect yourself, who will?"

In just a few words, they shifted the blame back onto Shen Wang. He marveled at their hypocrisy: "I’ve seen hypocritical people, but never someone as hypocritical and face-saving as you."

"You clearly feel I've embarrassed you, yet you find a noble excuse to suppress me. Is this the etiquette of your esteemed family? Then, I really don’t understand such etiquette."

Shen Wang tore off the façade of his biological parents, causing a change in the expressions of Mr. and Mrs. Tang, and the false young master, Tang Jiu, who all showed restrained displeasure.

Mr. Tang was most dissatisfied: "I've said it before, we don’t look down on you, nor are we suppressing you. Shen Wang, don’t make false accusations and disrespect your elders!"

"Ah, right, right, right, you certainly don't look down on me," Shen Wang responded noncommittally.

"You just haven't announced my existence to the public."

"You just didn't let me sleep in the master bedroom on the third floor, nor even in a guest room on the second floor, but had me sleep in a servant's room on the first floor."

"You just didn't let me sit at the table for meals, but had me eat with the servants... that's all."

Shen Wang, noticing the beaming smile of Tang's mother, offered a friendly smile in return, yet his smile seemed more like a provocation in her eyes.

At this moment, Tang's mother deeply regretted agreeing to bring Shen Wang back to the Tang family.

Theoretically, Shen Wang was a part of her flesh and blood.

Yet, seeing her own child who is always defiant and unruly, compared to the obedient and outstanding Tang Jiu, she saw no issue with her favoritism.

Any set of parents would have their preferences!

A child with a bit of self-awareness, when faced with someone as outstanding as Tang Jiu, would naturally feel ashamed and give up any absurd hopes. But Shen Wang, oblivious to his status, dared to compete for attention and sought the same treatment as Tang Jiu!

Leaning back in his chair, Shen Wang couldn't help but find the situation amusing.

Having grown up in an orphanage and struggling on his own since he was older, Shen Wang was finally recognized by the Tang family at the age of twenty-two as their lost wealthy heir.

As the unfortunate real heir, with no parents and no warmth of a family, Shen Wang did harbor some expectations towards his newfound parents.

To his surprise, upon being brought back to the Tang family, the first thing his birth mother said to him was, "You and Tang Jiu are both my children. You must get along well. Don’t harbor resentment just because he has taken the position that should have been yours."

The second thing Tang's mother told him was, "You've been wandering outside for too long and picked up bad habits. Change them quickly and don’t disgrace the Tang family."

In just one month, any faint hope Shen Wang had harbored was thoroughly extinguished.

Tang's mother, with her every move exuding elegance and a pair of peach blossom eyes emitting a cold indifference: "We have not neglected your basic needs. Your life now is a thousand times better than when you were wandering. You don’t even have the grace to be thankful..."

Unsure if it was due to the subtlety expected of a wealthy lady or realizing her words were too harsh, she swallowed the words 'ungrateful wretch.'

Seeing Tang's mother's remarks becoming increasingly excessive, Tang's father spoke up unhurriedly: "Alright, that’s enough. Butler, add another set of utensils for him."

Tang's mother frowned slightly, but her expression softened slightly when her gaze shifted to Tang Jiu.

Tang Jiu offered a subtle smile, discreetly soothing his irritated mother. He carried himself with pride and politeness, barely acknowledging Shen Wang, the true heir.

Shen Wang leaned back lazily in his chair: "I'll just use chopsticks, no need for a knife and fork. Also, prepare some extra dishes for me... The Tang family is wealthy; you won’t mind providing a little extra food and drink, right?"

As Shen Wang uttered these words, it seemed as though not feeding him would be akin to mistreatment. The three members of the Tang family all darkened their expressions, choosing not to retort.

While waiting for the meal, the other three at the table resumed their harmonious facade of filial love and parental affection, but this atmosphere unmistakably excluded Shen Wang. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't blend in.

Shen Wang slowly closed his eyes, sorting through his memories, unknown to others that he had accidentally traveled to the cultivation world and then returned.

After coming back from the cultivation world, he had additional memories... or rather, a story in his mind.

The protagonist of this story was Tang Jiu, the impostor who had stolen his identity.

In this mystical world, the Tang family, superficially a noble household, was actually involved in mysticism, and Tang Jiu was the rare genius capable of cultivation. He progressed rapidly, winning the hearts of countless women, and eventually became a grandmaster.

Shen Wang was merely the first sacrificial character in the beginning of this story.

Although Tang Jiu was capable of cultivation, he couldn't accept the family's legacy. It was only after the true and false heir incident was revealed that everyone understood it was because he wasn't a real member of the Tang family.

To secure the family's secret techniques, Tang Jiu persuaded his adoptive parents, who had no affection for Shen Wang, to conduct a blood exchange.

After the exchange, Tang Jiu’s cultivation soared, gaining the coveted family legacy. From then on, his path was smooth and unobstructed.

Shen Wang, however, died in the hospital from excessive blood loss, his death filled with resentment that haunted the Tang family. But as a powerful exorcist, Tang Jiu suppressed Shen Wang’s vengeful spirit within the family’s grounds.

Since then, Shen Wang’s resentment paradoxically nurtured the Tang family’s ‘fortune,’ binding him to them for generations, unable to transcend.

Reflecting on his fate in the story, Shen Wang slowly opened his eyes.

Tang Jiu covertly observed Shen Wang, frowning slightly whenever he saw Shen Wang's face, feeling discomfort.

Shen Wang, combining the best features of both Tang parents, was even more outstanding. His sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, especially the peach blossom eyes inherited from Tang's mother, added a carefree charm. Even his lackadaisical demeanor was heart-fluttering.

Standing beside his parents, anyone with eyes could see their blood connection.

Fortunately for Tang Jiu, his parents only loved him, the child they raised. No matter how handsome or son-like Shen Wang was, they remained unmoved.

Most importantly, Tang Jiu pitied Shen Wang. He was a cultivator; Shen Wang was just an ordinary person who couldn’t cultivate. They weren’t from the same world.

For an ant to challenge an elephant was merely a source of amusement. Tang Jiu never took Shen Wang seriously; his rivals were only the geniuses of the mystical world.

The Tang family's servants were well-trained; it didn't take long for Shen Wang's meal to be served at the dining table.

The stir-fried lobster at the typhoon shelter was fragrant and golden crispy; the steamed yellow croaker was light and savory, tempting one's appetite; the king crab legs were neatly shelled and plated, their meat white and lustrous... Preparing such an elaborate Chinese meal in a short time truly showcased the exceptional skills of the Tang family’s chefs.

During his time in the cultivation world, Shen Wang was busy with cultivation, alchemy, and treasure hunting in secret realms. He couldn't even remember the last time he had properly enjoyed a meal.

Probably since he practiced abstaining from grains, he hadn't relished the sensory pleasure that food provided.

Now back in his own world, Shen Wang didn’t want to bother with concerns about mundane food carrying impurities. He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

He was truly famished, both physically and psychologically.

Seeing his way of eating, Tang's father frowned again and said, "Eat slowly, no one's competing with you."

"Can’t even use a fork and knife, only chopsticks. What will people think? Find time to learn dining etiquette..." Tang's mother also criticized indifferently from the side.

Immersed in his meal, Shen Wang couldn’t care less about arguing with them and affecting his appetite. He quickly finished all the dishes, then asked the butler for two more bowls of rice. After contentedly eating two bowls of plain white rice, he put down his chopsticks, looking thoroughly satisfied.

The rice at the Tang family was of the highest quality, each grain distinct, richly aromatic, and sweet aftertaste. Shen Wang was very pleased.

"What kind of behavior is this!" Tang's mother felt like Shen Wang was deliberately provoking her, her face turning pale, "If outsiders see you eating like this, they’ll think we’re mistreating you in the Tang family."

"Who made me a wild child raised without a mother." Having finished his meal and understanding the current situation, Shen Wang smirked and said, "Mr. Tang, let’s make a deal."

Tang's father looked at him.

"I see you aren’t exactly keen on having me as a son. How about this: give me five million and from here on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other. What do you think?" Shen Wang said nonchalantly.

His words took everyone by surprise. For the Tang family, five million wasn’t a significant sum... But was Shen Wang really ready to leave the Tang family for a mere five million?!

Clearly a slum kid, accustomed to poverty. He thinks five million is a huge amount, utterly oblivious to the wealth and opportunities he could have if he stayed with the Tang family. Tang Jiu lowered his head, his disdain for Shen Wang deepening.

“You’d prefer five million over staying with the Tang family?” Tang's father looked at Shen Wang, his expression unreadable, betraying neither shock nor anger.