As Xia Tian stepped outside, he noticed a small child, around four or five years old, standing alone. The child wore a tattered outfit, and his messy hair hung over his forehead.

As Xia Tian looked closer, he saw a piece of bread lying near the child's feet.

The child looked around nervously, but no one paid any attention to him.

Ethereal Cloud City was a breathtaking sight. The entire city was built on floating platforms, each capable of rising to a certain height.

However, the flying mechanism consumed a lot of spirit stones and was controlled by the city lord.

The city was made of white stone, which gave it a sacred appearance, and the people who lived there were mostly cultivators capable of flying.

Despite this, there were still some commoners without the ability to cultivate, and their lives were comparable to those of beggars.

Currently, the Hundred Cloud Restaurant was floating on a platform in the sky, and many people could be seen flying from one platform to another.

This sight was impressive, but it paled in comparison to the cities in the divine realm, where everyone could soar through the sky effortlessly.

The small boy must have been on the platform when it floated into the sky, and now he had to wait for it to return before he could move to his next destination.

This area was generally reserved for the wealthy, and commoners rarely lingered here.

The city was not very friendly to commoners, as they had to wait for a long time before they could move to their desired platform.

Alternatively, they could opt to pay a cultivator some spirit stones to take them to their destination.

This practice generated a lot of revenue and provided employment opportunities for cultivators who were not particularly strong.

The small boy's torn clothes signaled that he had stumbled upon this place by mistake.

The small child, who appeared to be about four or five years old, wore ragged clothes and had messy hair.

He looked around anxiously, his eyes darting from left to right as he clutched a piece of bread in his tiny hand.

Countless cultivators walked past him, ignoring his existence as they went about their day.

Ye Suyin's heart swelled with pity for the child. "The boy looks lost. Should we help him?" she asked the group of people around her.

Xuan Ruyan's unexpected response surprised everyone. "No need, he's already there for it," she said, causing many to turn their gazes towards her, looking in suspicion and doubt

Xuan Ruyan felt uneasy when she noticed the attention on her and squinted her eyes at Xia Tian's figure. 'Why isn't he helping the child?' she wondered.

Although Ye Suyin had a kind heart, even she found it hard to believe Xuan Ruyan's words.

In this world of strength, kindness was a rare commodity.

However, she secretly hoped that Xia Tian would show some kindness to the small child.

As Xia Tian approached the child and crouched down, Ye Suyin's eyelids fluttered in surprise.

The others who had been following Xia Tian's actions were similarly stunned, rubbing their eyes as if they had seen a ghost.

"No way!"

"So this monster has a heart!"

"Who are you calling a monster?" one of the women scolded a man for his rude comment about Xia Tian.

Her eyes shining with stars, Xia Tian's handsome face combined with his kind actions won the hearts of many women.

One woman even whispered to her friend, "I wish I was that bread!"

Another woman, overhearing the comment, burst out laughing and said, "I wish I was that child! Look at how tenderly he's being cared for!"

The man who had been scolded earlier by a lady for calling Xia Tian a monster shook his head helplessly.

Xia Tian looked down at the child, his expression unreadable.

The little boy looked up at him with big, teary eyes, his gaze darting nervously between Xia Tian and the piece of bread.

Xia Tian reached down and grabbed the bread, his eyes locked onto the child's. "Don't worry about what anyone else thinks," he said in a serious tone. "If you don't survive, no one else will care."

He tore the bread in half, giving one half to the boy while he ate the other.

The child ate his portion slowly, perhaps worried about being judged for eating food that had been thrown away.

But Xia Tian didn't care.

He patted the boy's head and flashed a rare smile. "Rule number one, kid: survival, no matter what," he said, to which the boy nodded, his eyes now determined.

As Xia Tian turned to walk away, the audience was left speechless, staring at him with a mix of shock and admiration.

One woman whispered to her friend, "Did you just see that? He just became my hero."

Another man couldn't help but mutter, "I never thought I'd say this, but...that guy's kinda cool."

As Xia Tian arrived at the restaurant's entrance, he opened his eyes and a newfound wisdom shone through them.

"Remember rule number 2, kid! Never trust anyone!" he exclaimed before striding inside, leaving the others baffled by his cryptic words.

Out of nowhere, a massive explosion rocked the establishment, jolting everyone present.

BOOM!

The deafening blast caused their hearts and minds to race in unison.

The spot where the innocent child had stood was now a gruesome scene of scattered flesh and gorei.

One moment, the atmosphere in the room was happy as the small child greedily reached for Xia Tian's piece of bread.

Yet the next moment, Xuan Ruyan and the other seasoned cultivators gasped in terror as the youngster's waist emitted an intense, blinding light.

The air grew thick with crackling energy as the child's body was savagely torn apart, spewing a grotesque shower of blood and flesh in every direction.

The thunderous explosion that followed sent shockwaves through the room, causing everyone to flinch and cover their ears.

The pungent stench of burning flesh filled the air, causing some of the less experienced cultivators to wretch.

Xuan Ruyan was transfixed by the gruesome sight, a profound sense of unease settling like a lead weight in her chest.

Xuan Ruyan gazed at Xia Tian with a complex expression, her anger boiling inside her but suppressed for the time being.

Her horrified gaze was shared by many others in the room, who dared not utter a single word.

Suddenly, a slow clap echoed from behind Xia Tian, and a figure appeared from a black mist.

Her face was hidden behind a cloth, making it impossible for many to recognize her.

However, the two individuals standing behind her were easily identifiable.

As soon as they saw the two figures behind the woman, the others gasped in recognition. "The Princess of Destruction!" muttered one, his breath hitching in fear.

In recent times, the Dark Soul Sect was the most significant threat to the Sky Jade Realm.

They had obliterated the Red Stone City, which had stood for thousands of years, leaving no trace behind.

Even the top sects couldn't ignore such a heinous act.

And now, the Princess of Destruction had appeared in public, right in the heart of the Ethereal Cloud City?

Didn't she fear the leader of the Holy Water Palace?

The top three sects had formed a treaty to counter the evil deeds of the Dark Soul Sect.

Were they insane to show up here like this?

The room fell silent as everyone pondered the implications of this unexpected development.

As the tense air thickened around Sword Fairy, some of the onlookers felt a sense of foreboding and quickly fled the premises.

The Sword Fairy's gaze narrowed on the Princess of Destruction, but the latter seemed to pay her no heed, which only served to further inflame the former's anger.

Soon, the restaurant was deserted except for Xia Tian, his companions, and the staff who were working there.

Su Yanling let out a bitter sigh and shook her head, "My once thriving restaurant... it may be sacrificed today..."

She had poured so much of her fortune and effort into building this place, but the impending clash between two peak overlords would likely erase it from existence without a trace.

In that moment, the princess gracefully lifted the mask from her face, and it slithered away like a serpent shedding its skin. As she did, her entire being transformed before our very eyes, as if touched by a celestial force. The once plain-looking princess was now a vision of unparalleled beauty, with her lustrous black tresses cascading down her back like a shimmering waterfall, and her piercing green eyes sparkling like precious emeralds. It was as if the very heavens themselves had blessed her with their radiance.

The moment the princess made her appearance, a wave of awe and admiration swept over the entire room, leaving everyone breathless and captivated.

Her stunning beauty was so overwhelming that even the normally stoic Xuan Ruyan couldn't help but feel a slight blush creeping up her cheeks as she averted her gaze. "She's a woman... What am I thinking," she scolded herself inwardly, feeling slightly embarrassed by her own reaction.

But it wasn't just Xuan Ruyan who was affected by the princess's enchanting presence.

Men and women alike were struck by her irresistible allure and charisma, unable to tear their eyes away from her.

It was as if she held some kind of magical power over them, drawing them in with her effortless grace and beauty.

As Xia Tian watched this from afar, he couldn't help but be reminded of why his daughters had chosen to conceal their own heavenly appearances from the world.

The attention and admiration that came with such unparalleled beauty could be a double-edged sword, capable of both alluring both men and women, alike.

As Xia Tian watched the princess bask in the adoration of the crowd, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy for her effortless ability to captivate and enthrall those around her.

'How dare she steal my thunder!' he thought to himself indignantly.

He was fine with his daughters garnering such attention, but a stranger getting more adoration than him?

Absolutely outrageous!

In a fit of narcissistic rage, Xia Tian spun around and marched right up to the princess of destruction.

The crowd watched in shock as he confronted her with a scowl on his face.

The princess, however, merely smiled widely, her smile causing many to stumble and fall from their places. "So finally you came... Esteemed ranger of evil, would you want to join the side of pure darkness, and become a member of our sect?" she asked, her voice dripping with sugary sweetness.

Her sudden invitation took everyone by surprise, but what happened next was even more unbelievable.

Without a moment's hesitation, Xia Tian smacked her on the head with the back of his fist.

*Crack*

"Stop making a scene," he commanded, before turning on his heel and striding back into the restaurant, leaving everyone speechless.

The princess rubbed her head with fake tears in her eyes, muttering in astonishment, "T-that was out of the script! ... Wait!" she exclaimed, as she chased after him, running like a young girl chasing her lover.

Xia Tian ignored her existence, as he took his seat without paying any attention to her presence.

The other two underlings of the princess were still in shock, and finally, they both sighed and stood in front of the restaurant door like guards, completely unsure of what to do next.

...

High above the fray, away from the chaos and conflict below, Eternal Sun was busy checking his body, making sure that everything was in perfect working order.

After a few moments of examination, he let out a sigh of relief. "What a monstrous young man," he muttered to himself, still in awe of Xia Tian's incredible power.

For long, he had been spying on Xia Tian, watching his every move from a distance.

Even now, he was disguised as the small child that Xia Tian had blasted into bits.

It was humiliating, but it was the only way to keep an eye on the powerful warrior without being detected.

In all his years of life, he had never imagined that he would be so easily tricked by someone like Xia Tian.

But with Nyx always around, he dared not take any direct action.

The mere presence of the recognizable figure was enough to give him pause.

After much deliberation, Eternal Sun finally made the decision to retreat and send someone else to do the task.

It was a difficult choice, but one that he knew was necessary if he wanted to avoid the wrath of Xia Tian and his powerful allies.

He suspected Xia Tian had already long detected his existence.

Eternal Star was still in shock, how Xia Tian was able to enchant that normal looking bread, sneakily, without even him realising it his covert operation.