Even the densest man would have realized it by now. Anyone who could make his sister and Ning Yuan show such fear and respect toward a "Prince Yang" could never be just an ordinary native of the Wasteland Realm.
When he recalled how he had just sneered that "the natives of the Wasteland Realm are fit only to crawl in the mud," and that he had even told the man to "get down and crawl out," his face burned as if he'd been slapped hard several times. The sting of humiliation was unbearable.
Yang Cheng's calm gaze swept over Wang Taiyuan before landing on Wang Qiushuang. He gave a slight nod and said, "You're too polite."
Just three simple words, yet the air around them was instantly filled with an undeniable pressure.
The entire atmosphere of the banquet hall changed completely.
Wang Qiushuang still didn't know what had happened earlier. She turned to Wang Taiyuan and said, "Brother, this is Yang Cheng, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou in the Wasteland Realm. Not long ago, he single-handedly slew the top Yin God–level formation master Qin Mingcheng. Why aren't you kneeling to pay your respects?"
"What?"
"The Crown Prince of Great Zhou? The one who killed Qin Mingcheng?"
"He's actually that Yang Cheng!"
Her words hit like a bucket of icy water splashed into boiling oil, setting off an explosion throughout the hall.
The noble youths who had earlier looked down on Yang Cheng turned pale as sheets, their hands and feet turning cold.
They were all very familiar with the name Qin Mingcheng.
He was a top-tier Yin God–level formation master, publicly acknowledged throughout the Horn Constellation Realm. Even several cultivators of the Insight God Realm had once fallen to his arrays. Yet such a great figure had been slain by Yang Cheng "single-handedly"?
As they recalled their earlier scorn and mockery, each of them felt their throats tighten, wishing they could crawl into a hole and vanish.
Wang Taiyuan, meanwhile, stood frozen as if struck by lightning.
He stared at Yang Cheng, disbelief filling his eyes.
Qin Mingcheng was someone even the Wang clan dared not underestimate—and Yang Cheng was clearly even more terrifying.
When Wang Qiushuang saw him still standing there dumbly, her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone sharpened. "Brother, what are you waiting for? His Highness Prince Yang's status is exalted, his strength unmatched. Go and pay your respects!"
Wang Taiyuan's face turned purple with shame and fury.
To kneel to a "native of the Wasteland Realm," and admit his earlier arrogance? That was worse than death.
He was the legitimate son of the Wang clan from the Horn Constellation Realm—a Heaven's Chosen among his generation, a cultivator of the Insight God Realm!
"I…"
He opened his mouth, but it was as if a stone was lodged in his throat; not a single word came out.
Outside the crowd, Lu Lingyi trembled all over, her nails digging deep into her palms.
At last, she understood—what she had missed was not a mere "rough gem," but a dragon who ruled the heavens.
Even the Wang clan's direct daughter treated Yang Cheng with such reverence. That alone proved his influence had already spread far beyond a single realm—beyond anything she could have imagined.
Yan Qingzhi stood beside Xu Letian, a faint look of regret flashing in her eyes.
She had admired Yang Cheng before, but she had still thought that, no matter how strong he was, he was just a native of the Wasteland, and could never compete with the top powers of the Horn Constellation Realm.
Now she realized how gravely she had misjudged him.
For Wang Qiushuang to treat him with such deference, Yang Cheng's position in the Horn Constellation Realm must be far greater than she had ever imagined.
At that moment, Wang Qiushuang finally sensed that something was wrong.
Her brother's expression, the evasive looks of the people around them, and Yang Cheng's cold indifference—all pointed to one thing: something had happened before she arrived.
"Taiyuan."
She abruptly turned her head, eyes sharp as blades. "What exactly happened?"
Wang Taiyuan's eyes flickered. He stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Yang Cheng spoke in an even, calm tone. "Nothing much. Your brother here simply ordered me to get down and crawl out."
"What?"
Wang Qiushuang's mind went blank, as if thunder had exploded inside her skull.
He told Yang Cheng to crawl out?
She couldn't believe her own ears.
No matter how strong the Wang clan was, their power was confined to the Horn Constellation Realm.
This was the Wasteland Realm—Yang Cheng's domain.
And Qin Mingcheng, a man capable of slaying Yin God–level experts, had still been destroyed by a flick of Yang Cheng's fingers.
Wang Taiyuan might be an Insight God–level cultivator, but before Yang Cheng, what did that amount to?
To offend Yang Cheng in his own realm—was her brother tired of living?
"Pa!"
A sharp slap rang through the air. Without thinking, Wang Qiushuang swung her hand and struck Wang Taiyuan across the face.
The slap was swift and merciless. Half of his face swelled up visibly within moments, turning bright red.
"Idiot!"
She trembled with anger, pointing a shaking finger at him. "Kneel down this instant and beg His Highness Prince Yang for forgiveness!"
"Sister, you hit me?"
Wang Taiyuan clutched his cheek, both furious and humiliated. "I am the Wang clan's legitimate son, an Insight God–level cultivator! You want me to kneel to some native of the Wasteland? Impossible!"
He turned toward Yang Cheng, his voice shaking with forced bravado. "Yang Cheng, so what if you killed Qin Mingcheng? Do you really think my Wang clan can be bullied so easily? I admit you're strong, but dare you touch a single hair on my head?"
In his mind, even if Yang Cheng was powerful, he still had to think twice before offending the Wang clan.
Wang Qiushuang's vision darkened with rage, and just as she was about to speak, Yang Cheng calmly raised his hand.
A faint strand of sword qi curled around his fingertip as he said coldly, his tone like ancient ice, "The Wang clan? So what?"
"Y-you…"
Wang Taiyuan's pupils contracted sharply. Instinctively, he summoned his true essence to defend himself.
As an Insight God–level cultivator, he was confident he could take at least one strike.
But in the next instant, he realized how wrong he was.
That seemingly faint strand of sword qi ignored all his defenses, slicing through them like a hot knife through butter. In a flash, it pierced straight through his brow.
"Pfft!"
Blood sprayed outward as Wang Taiyuan's body froze in place.
He stared at Yang Cheng in disbelief, eyes filled with horror and confusion.
He couldn't understand it at all. How could a cultivator like him—an expert of the Insight God Realm—fail to block even a single finger strike?
The other party was clearly just a young man. How could he possess such terrifying power?
What he couldn't believe even more was that Yang Cheng actually dared to kill him! He was the legitimate son of the Wang clan!
"Ah…"
Wang Taiyuan opened his mouth, trying to say something, but all that came out was a rasping, broken sound. His body slowly tilted backward and fell to the ground, his life completely extinguished.
The entire hall fell silent.
So quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone stood frozen in shock, terrified by the suddenness of what had just happened.
Wang Qiushuang stood there like she had been struck by lightning. All the color drained from her face.
She had expected Yang Cheng to get angry, maybe even humiliate them a little, but never had she imagined he would act so decisively—killing Wang Taiyuan outright!
That was her own brother! The legitimate heir of the Wang clan!
The young nobles trembled so badly that their legs cramped. Some even collapsed on the spot.
Now they truly understood—Yang Cheng was not someone they could ever afford to offend. The arrogance and mockery they had shown before now turned into a deep, bone-chilling terror.
Gong Yi lay on the floor, his soul already half gone from fear. He didn't even dare to let out a single groan.
Looking at Wang Taiyuan's corpse lying in a pool of blood, and remembering his own earlier shouts and provocations toward Yang Cheng, he felt a cold chill creep up the back of his neck, as if his head might roll off his shoulders at any second.
Lu Lingyi shut her eyes tight, so full of regret she wanted to claw her own guts out.
Yang Cheng casually withdrew his finger, as if he had only crushed an ant beneath it.
He turned to Wang Qiushuang and said calmly, "I've killed your brother. Do you have any objections?"
Wang Qiushuang's whole body trembled as she suddenly snapped out of her shock.
She looked down at Wang Taiyuan's corpse lying motionless on the floor, then lifted her gaze to meet Yang Cheng's calm, rippleless eyes. A chill rose from the soles of her feet and shot straight up to her skull.
Revenge? Could she even dare?
Just moments ago, Yang Cheng had killed Wang Taiyuan—an Insight God realm cultivator—with nothing more than a flick of his finger. That effortless, terrifying display of strength had shattered every last illusion of defiance she might have had.
No matter how powerful the Wang clan was in the Horn Constellation Realm, their influence couldn't reach here in the Wasteland Realm.
And this realm… was Yang Cheng's domain.
"I wouldn't dare."
Wang Qiushuang took a deep breath, forcing down the lump in her throat. She lowered her eyes and said in a trembling voice that carried unmistakable reverence, "My younger brother was ignorant. He offended Your Highness, Prince Yang. His death was his own doing."
As her words fell, the hall was once again filled with stunned silence.
The legitimate daughter of the Wang clan—had she really just admitted defeat without a single protest?
Yang Cheng gave a faint nod, his gaze sweeping coldly across the room.
Every one of the arrogant young nobles who had just moments ago been shouting to "cripple him" or "throw him out to feed the dogs" now stood with their necks drawn in, wishing they could dig a hole and bury themselves. None dared even lift their heads to look him in the eye.
The swaggering arrogance from before had been completely replaced by bone-deep fear.
"Let's go."
Yang Cheng withdrew his gaze and said calmly to Xu Letian and Yan Qingzhi, then turned and walked toward the exit of the banquet hall.
Xu Letian and the others hurried after him, their steps unsteady. The shock of what they had just witnessed still made their hearts race, and their respect for Yang Cheng had only deepened further.
Chu Xianyin hesitated for a brief moment, then quickly followed as well.
As she passed by Wang Qiushuang, she didn't dare raise her head. The aura radiating from the Wang family's eldest daughter was so cold it made her hair stand on end.
Lu Lingyi stood frozen in place, her eyes locked on Yang Cheng's back as he left. Her emotions tangled together—regret, fear, admiration—all twisting into a knot that burned in her chest.
In the end, all she could do was let out a soft, barely audible sigh.
Biting her lip, she forced herself to follow him, each step heavy and uncertain.
Only when Yang Cheng and his group's figures completely disappeared through the doorway did the tension in the hall finally ease.
"Phew…"
No one knew who exhaled first, but in the next instant, the air was filled with the low rumble of whispered voices.
"That was terrifying. That was the Wang clan's heir—he killed him just like that?"
"How strong is Yang Cheng, exactly? An Insight God realm cultivator looked like an insect before him!"
"No wonder Qin Mingcheng died. If it were me, I probably wouldn't survive a single finger strike from him either."
Someone glanced nervously toward Wang Qiushuang and whispered, "So that's it? Miss Wang isn't going to avenge him? The Wang family won't retaliate?"
Before the words had even finished, the speaker was met with a fierce glare from a man beside him. "Shut up! Are you tired of living? Didn't you see Miss Wang submit herself? Prince Yang is not someone you can gossip about!"
The man fell silent immediately, his face turning pale as death.
The image of Yang Cheng's ruthless strike still burned in everyone's minds.
And besides, the Wang clan was no merciful family either.
On the other side of the hall, a black-robed elder of the Wang family hurried to Wang Qiushuang's side, his expression dark. "Miss, the young master, he…"
Wang Qiushuang closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her face had regained its calm. Yet deep in her gaze flickered a faint red glint.
"I'll speak to Father personally," she said quietly. "As for revenge…"
Wang Qiushuang let out a cold laugh, her tone carrying a hint of self-mockery. "Revenge? How? In this Wasteland Realm, those stronger than the Insight God realm can't descend. What do we even have to fight Yang Cheng with? Qin Mingcheng was already at the Yin God realm, and he still died in his hands. Taiyuan's level of strength wasn't even worth mentioning before him."
The old man beside her fell silent.
She was right. The Wang family's foundation lay in the Horn Constellation Realm. Here in the Wasteland Realm, they weren't Yang Cheng's match at all.
"It's not just that we can't take revenge."
Wang Qiushuang's tone suddenly shifted, her eyes sharp and calculating. "We have to find a way to build a connection with him instead. The opportunities in the Wasteland Realm have already begun to unfold. If the Wang clan wants a share of it, we'll need someone like Yang Cheng on our side. Go call Wang Bingrou here."
A short while later, Wang Bingrou arrived.
"Wang Bingrou."
Wang Qiushuang spoke calmly. "Didn't you say before that you wanted to get close to someone powerful? Well, here's your chance."
Wang Bingrou froze. "Miss Wang, you mean…?"
"Yang Cheng may have women around him," Wang Qiushuang said coolly, "but with your looks and your skills, it's not impossible for you to find an opening."
Her tone was calm, but her words were edged with command. "Get close to him. Earn his trust. Once you succeed, the Wang family will reward you generously."
Wang Bingrou's heart shuddered.
She wanted her to get close to that man? The one who had killed without blinking last night?
But one glance at Wang Qiushuang's cold, unyielding eyes made her realize she had no choice. She gritted her teeth and lowered her head. "Understood. I will obey."
Meanwhile, Yang Cheng and his group had already left the banquet hall.
The night air was cool, sweeping away the suffocating tension that had filled the place earlier.
Xu Letian rubbed his hands together, his face full of awe as he looked at Yang Cheng's back. "Master Yang, that was incredible! That Wang Taiyuan, an Insight God cultivator, got killed by you with just one finger strike!"
Yan Qingzhi nodded quickly, agreeing.
Before, she had thought Yang Cheng was strong—but not necessarily a match for the top geniuses of the Horn Constellation Realm. Now she realized how naive her view had been.
Chu Xianyin walked beside Yang Cheng, her pretty face slightly flushed. She said softly, "Your Highness, thank you… for what you did today."
If not for Yang Cheng, she wouldn't have known how to escape Wang Taiyuan's harassment.
Yang Cheng's reply was calm. "It was nothing."
Behind them, Lu Lingyi followed silently. She wanted to speak several times but couldn't find the words.
Watching Yang Cheng's composed figure, thinking back on her past actions, her face burned with shame. Regret welled up in her heart like a rising tide.
Only now did she truly understand how laughable her so-called "choices" had been—when faced with someone whose power and status were absolute.
Yang Cheng seemed to sense her gaze. He turned slightly and glanced at her.
Lu Lingyi's heart jumped. She quickly lowered her head, her pulse racing uncontrollably.
But Yang Cheng said nothing more.
By the time his group returned to the Great Zhou Empire's manor, night had grown deep.
Xu Letian and Yan Qingzhi wisely excused themselves first. Chu Xianyin also claimed she needed to organize her zither scores and went back to her courtyard. Only Lu Lingyi remained standing awkwardly by the gate, not knowing what to do.
"Something you need?"
Yang Cheng turned to look at her.
Lu Lingyi bit her lip, her voice low. "Prince Yang… I was foolish before. Please don't hold it against me."
Yang Cheng gave a faint "Mm," then turned away and headed upstairs to the third floor.
Lu Lingyi watched his back disappear into the manor, letting out another quiet sigh.
As expected, the thoughts of someone like this Crown Prince were far beyond her reach.
The next morning, a report came from outside the manor—Wang Qiushuang requested an audience.
Yang Cheng was meditating on the third floor. Upon hearing it, he slowly opened his eyes. "Let her in."
Moments later, Wang Qiushuang entered the courtyard with Wang Bingrou following behind.
She had changed into a plain, elegant cyan dress. Her expression was calm, and though she hid it well, a trace of exhaustion still lingered beneath her eyes.
Behind her, Wang Bingrou wore a crimson gown, her makeup flawless, her expression demure yet deliberately restrained, concealing a hint of seductive charm.
"Prince Yang." Wang Qiushuang bowed deeply, her demeanor even more respectful than yesterday. "I came today to personally apologize for my younger brother's offense."
Yang Cheng's tone remained flat. "No need for formalities. As long as the Wang family doesn't cause trouble again, the matter with Wang Taiyuan ended the moment he died."