chapter 04

By the end of the day, the sky, adorned with planets and artificial moons, granted the capital an extraordinary glow amidst the dark night. Particularly captivating were the three moons of varying sizes and colors, revolving around themselves and each other, as if dancing together in the imperial capital's heavenly sky.

A flying car halted at the palace's entrance, waiting for the Ling family.

Shen Ling Zhu stepped out, setting foot outside the Ling Manor for the first time. She walked behind the three: her father, mother, and sister. They all appeared elegant and impeccably dressed for the grand party.

Yet, no one could deny that she was the most beautiful among them. Her white dress wrapped perfectly around her figure, and her skin was almost as pale as the fabric itself. Her black hair cascaded down like the night sky, adorned with glittering jewels that resembled stars. Her dark eyes were more enchanting than anything else. There was no word to describe her—simply breathtaking, like a mischievous fairy or an alluring mermaid.

The car was of an exceptionally luxurious model, resembling the limousines Shen Ling Zhu used to see in TV dramas during her childhood. Its metallic white body reflected the city lights beautifully. Sitting in the back seat, Shen Ling Zhu let her gaze wander, taking in the details of this mesmerizing, unfamiliar world.

"A flying car… skyscrapers that nearly touch the clouds, with extraordinary architectural designs. Even the roads here are made of a transparent material, reflecting light like a mirror," she thought to herself. "If any engineer from my world saw this, they would cry in awe."

She caught sight of an enormous, imposing building, its name visible even from the flying car: The Guide Academy.

Dealing with guides seemed beneficial and tempting. Aside from the forced marriage law, there wasn't much to complain about. But she still refused to reveal her identity as a guide. She wanted to live freely, to play, and she would never step into that academy, which resembled a military boarding school. Impossible.

The buildings looked like they had come straight out of a cartoon, not something real. Skyscrapers with sleek designs glittered under the lights. Roads, houses, and geometric shapes evoked awe with their combination of high-tech sophistication and otherworldly beauty.

A short while later, the car stopped in front of the royal palace. Its design was a blend of Victorian style and futuristic technology. Its walls, made of crystalline materials, sparkled like stars. Ornate pillars intertwined with modern technology created a mesmerizing sight.

"The royal palace... wow, it looks like something from the Victorian era, but with more mystery and grandeur," Shen Ling Zhu whispered to herself.

Upon entering, she was met with the scent of rare flowers filling the air. In this era of robots and steel, such vegetation was a rarity.

It wasn't that there were no trees or flowers, but most natural plants were found on specialized tourism planets. Hence, vegetation was scarce here. Yet, in front of her lay an expansive, colorful flower garden. She adored the sight and strolled slowly.

Their car had stopped at the palace garden entrance, as only a select few high-ranking nobles were allowed to park their flying vehicles directly at the main gate.

After several minutes of walking, accompanied by her sister's complaints, they finally reached the gate.

"Who told her to wear such terrifyingly high heels?" Shen Ling Zhu thought with schadenfreude.

As they entered, the soft sounds of classical music drifted through the air.

Inside the main hall, her father wasted no time introducing her to members of noble families. He spoke with feigned gentleness, attempting to convince them of his daughter's beauty and her potential as a supportive wife for any man who married her.

He had no doubt about his ability to exploit his eldest daughter, a powerful guide who should stay in her place and watch nobles line up for her favor.

But this trash of a girl had nothing but a pretty face. He would have to work hard to sell her at the highest price.

"This is my daughter, Ling Ai. Isn't she as beautiful as the moon? She's my beloved daughter, whom I've always cared for and adored—my sweet little girl," he said, his voice oozing insincerity.

Shen Ling Zhu smiled calmly but felt nauseated by his lies. He didn't even flinch while spouting such blatant falsehoods.

The nobleman in front of her smiled greedily, extending his hand to shake hers.

Shen Ling Zhu was boiling with anger. If she weren't trying to stay unnoticed, she would have crushed his ancient bones.

This so-called "nobleman" was a wrinkled old man who still lusted after a girl young enough to be his great-great-granddaughter. Thanks to advancements in technology, humans here could live up to 200 years.

Under her cheap father's watchful eye, she had no choice but to quickly shake the man's hand. Her fingers itched to hit him, especially when he raised his disgusting hand to sniff it.

In the middle of the banquet, the main figures arrived: the King and Queen.

Their entrance overwhelmed everyone present. The King was tall, his golden hair shining under the lights like rays of sunlight, and his golden eyes radiated immense power and majesty.

The Queen, on the other hand, was the epitome of grace and beauty. Her indigo hair, styled in a side braid draped over her left shoulder and adorned with various golden ornaments, sparkled. Her serene blue eyes, reminiscent of a tranquil lake, exuded a calm befitting a queen standing above all. Her aura compelled everyone to take a step back in reverence.

In this world, the diversity among individuals was like something out of a fairy tale: blue hair, violet eyes, even green hair and white eyes.

Their eyes, hair, and even skin came in a multitude of colors, making the people here seem as though they had stepped right out of a fantasy.

The king was an S-ranked sentinel, while the queen was the strongest guide in the empire, also at S-rank—a level no guide had reached in decades. She walked beside the king with steady steps and her head held high, as if proving she was the perfect person for the role.

There were four rare 3S-ranked sentinels in this empire, the eldest of whom was approximately 150 years old—the former Marshal, Ouyang Feng.

Five years ago, his spiritual sea was attacked by a powerful astral beast, leaving him in a coma and dependent on medication to survive.

His position was inherited by his son, Ouyang Jian, who became the youngest marshal in the empire. And the second dark sentinel.

The third dark sentinel was the Duke of the South, Lan Tian Yi, known for his kind heart and warm smile. A loyal man with high morals and ethics.

However, not everything said about him was true, as our heroine would later discover upon meeting him. Beneath his fake smile lay an indifferent and mysterious personality.

The last dark sentinel was the crown prince, Lu Xian Yang—a reckless and playful man, yet an exceptional prince in every way. That is, except for his terrible personality, of course.

The Kiralis Empire was named after the spirit beast of its first emperor—a golden dragon that once saved the empire from extinction. It was named in honor of its protection.

The atmosphere of the banquet was lively, as Guardians began mingling with Mentors who matched their level of strength. For instance, a B-rank Mentor could not heal an A-rank Guardian, so it was rare to see such power disparities in any pairings.

Ling Xuan, Ling Ai's sister, began her embarrassing attempts to attract the crown prince's attention. Standing amidst the crowd with regal authority was the crown prince, Lu Xian Yang.

With sharp features, lustrous golden hair, and sun-like eyes reminiscent of his father's, his gaze seemed to pierce into one's soul. He ignored Ling Xuan but refrained from dismissing her outright out of politeness, leading the foolish girl to believe he was interested in her.

She grew bolder.

"Your Highness, I've heard of your exploits. You're the best and strongest person in our empire. I've always admired you so much..." she said, smiling and blushing.

A noblewoman with pink hair could no longer bear to watch and interrupted with a mocking laugh.

"You? Aren't you just a lowly B-ranked guide?"

"I doubt you could even calm the rage of a B-rank Guardian. How dare you even attempt to stand beside His Highness? Know your place."

Ling Xuan's face turned red with anger. "You... you... How dare you speak to me like that? Do you even know who I am?"

The noblewoman smirked disdainfully and replied,

"I speak to you as you deserve. Also, I am Yin Rui Xi, the daughter of the Minister of State. Do I need to know a nobody like you?"

"Don't make me laugh. Now, disappear from my sight."

Yin Rui Xi's cold gaze bore into Ling Xuan, who, frightened by her identity, quickly fled. She didn't notice the sarcastic smirk on Lu Xian Yang's face.

Having watched her sister's drama unfold and laughed enough, Ling Zhou chose to escape the chaos.

She exited the palace and wandered into a garden that had caught her eye earlier. Strolling along, she came upon a beautiful fountain reflecting the lights of the sky.

The phoenix perched on her shoulder, finally free after being hidden in the spiritual sea for fear of being discovered, flapped its wings in frustration. But after a few gentle strokes, it chirped happily.

Shen Ling Zhou sat down, removed her shoes, and took a deep breath, muttering curses under her breath.

"Ugh, my feet hurt so much.

It's all because of that damned family.

All they care about is status and wealth.

Sooner or later, they'll meet a miserable end," she said angrily, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she massaged her reddened feet.

The phoenix rubbed against her cheek as if to comfort her. Ling Zhou vented all the negativity in her heart:

"That cheap father of mine... How dare he try to sell me off to those disgusting old men..."

"I should've kicked that dirty old noble's ass when he looked at me like that."

Suddenly, loud laughter echoed from the other side of the fountain.

"Sorry, my lady, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," said a voice.

She quickly turned to see a tall man with short white hair and warm blue eyes. He wore a white suit adorned with various gemstones and smiled kindly as he looked at her.

Ling Zhou snapped out of her daze, realizing she had been cursing out loud. Her face turned red with embarrassment as she said,

"My apologies. I didn't realize anyone else was here."

She covered her face, regretting her loose tongue.

A moment later, she remembered the phoenix perched on her shoulder. Thankfully, it had sensed the noise and hidden itself immediately. Relieved, she exhaled deeply before looking back at the man.

"It's no problem. I'm the one at fault for listening in. My name is Lan Tian Yi. And you, my lady?"

"Ling Zhou," she replied with a smile. He seemed like a decent person.

As they talked, Ling Zhou felt that, despite his friendly demeanor, Lan Tian Yi was someone difficult to read—a mysterious Pandora's box whose contents were hidden. However, it didn't matter to her; she wasn't planning to befriend him and would likely never see him again.

"Sorry, it's getting late, and I should head back to my cheap fathe—uh, I mean, my father. He must be looking for me. I'll take my leave," she said, hastily correcting herself.

When she tried to stand, her gown's hem caught, and she stumbled. Lan Tian Yi swiftly caught her, and as his hand touched her arm, a surge of pure, powerful energy coursed through him.

For a brief moment, his mind felt clear, and his spiritual sea calm.

"What was that?" he wondered silently.

He released her slowly, not commenting on the matter, but he decided to secretly gather all the information he could about this young woman later.

After thanking him, Ling Zhou returned to the hall, where her father greeted her with an angry expression.

"Where were you? Do you know how long I've been looking for you? Didn't I tell you to stay by my side?" Ling Chi barked, his face red with rage, seemingly ready to explode.

However, he restrained himself when he remembered the deal he had made.

"Fine. Come with me and behave yourself. Don't ruin everything! Stay close until we leave."

As the banquet ended, the family returned home.

The next morning, they gathered for breakfast as usual. Ling Chi, sitting at the head of the table, looked at Ling Zhou and said,

"I have great news for you. I've found a suitable groom for you. You're getting older, and it's time to marry and start a family."

Ling Zhou stared at him coldly and replied with a mocking smile,

"A groom? A family?

Cheap father, why don't you just say outright that you've sold your daughter to some disgusting old pervert?"

Ling Zhou exploded in anger. She could no longer tolerate her family of hypocrites. 

If she didn't sever ties with them today, she would change her name altogether.