Chapter Five: The Policewoman Came to Arrest Him

Within the cavern, the spiritual energy in Wu Xingyan’s body was drawn forth as if by an invisible force, streaming into Chu Tian, while the corpse rapidly withered. The same fate befell the remaining pills, elixirs, and divine herbs—their essence was stripped away!

He was practicing the Devouring Heaven Demon Art.

This was Chu Tian’s supreme technique: in a single night, all life on the mountain was sapped dry. Only Chu Tian himself brimmed with vitality, his life force surging, his body strengthening on every front.

After a day and night of this transformative baptism, Chu Tian could distinctly feel the metamorphosis within. He was no longer an ordinary mortal of flesh and blood. If he were to meet his master again now, there would be no need for subterfuge—he could openly and instantly annihilate him.

Rising to his feet, Chu Tian began searching for useful items, guided by old memories.

Soon, he found a red wooden box.

Inside the box lay a black bank card, a jade thumb ring, and three photographs.

These were the very things Chu Tian sought, especially the first two.

The black card held his master’s immense fortune—trillions in cash. The jade ring was a symbol of identity; whoever possessed it commanded an organization known as the Temple of Shadows. Most of the wealth in the black card, too, belonged to this secretive syndicate.

The Temple of Shadows had roots in every corner of Central State. It was because of this power that Wu Xingyan’s merest anger could make the entire region tremble.

As for the three photographs, they depicted his three senior sisters—women of breathtaking beauty and grace, the very ones who had doted on Chu Tian above all others.

In his previous life, these were the legacies Wu Xingyan passed down to him. Yet no matter how much he was given, it was only the old man’s poisonous intent; all had been done to nurture and forge Chu Tian, until he was strong enough for his master to harvest his Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart.

“Old bastard…” Chu Tian’s gaze was icy as he looked at Wu Xingyan’s desiccated corpse. He calmly collected the three items, then, with a fingertip sharp as a carving knife, etched a rune into the stone table before turning to leave the cave.

No sooner had he departed than a wisp of black mist began to seep from the rune.

A thunderous boom erupted as the entire cave exploded and collapsed.

When he’d arrived, the mountain had been lush and verdant; upon leaving, Taiji Mountain was a ruined wasteland, lifeless and desolate.

Fortunately, it was a remote wilderness, rarely frequented by others.

As soon as Chu Tian reached an area with cell service, his phone began to ring incessantly.

He had over a dozen missed calls.

There were dozens of messages and notifications.

Some missed calls were from his teachers, some from his mother, others from close friends at school. Each message was filled with concern: Where was he? Why hadn’t he come to school? Had something happened?

At present, Chu Tian was still a third-year high school student at Tianmen First High School. With less than two months until the university entrance exams, the pressure of study was intense. He had already missed two nights and a day of classes, so it was only natural for his teachers to worry and inform his parents.

In his past life, Chu Tian had taken the entrance exams very seriously, ultimately gaining admission to a fairly good university.

But in this life, even the most important exam paled beside seeing his parents again. Judging by the time, his parents should have returned from their business trip. Upon arriving back in Tianmen City, the first thing Chu Tian did was hail a taxi home—a home he hadn’t set foot in for five hundred years.

Lakeside Villas.

The Chu family’s standing in Tianmen City was neither high nor low. As natives of the city, they’d received nearly ten million in compensation from a forced relocation a decade ago. Under the stewardship of the family patriarch, Chu Tian’s grandfather Chu Guanghui, they used the funds to establish a garment factory.

Over the years, the family business grew from a factory into a company, then into a conglomerate.

Today, Guanghui Group operated a vertically integrated clothing business—factories, stores, brands, everything was under their umbrella, with annual profits approaching ten million.

Chu Tian’s father had five siblings. After splitting the profits and salaries, his parents received about two million yuan a year.

On the surface, that seemed prosperous, but in reality, it was just enough to cover the family’s expenses. The higher the income, the broader the world one encountered, and the more extravagant the spending. Sometimes a single business dinner could cost thirty to fifty thousand, and these gatherings occurred several times a month—an unavoidable part of their lives.

As his grandfather often lamented, “If I’d known, I’d never have started a company. I should have just used the ten million to buy property and storefronts. Even doing nothing, with today’s inflation, it would have multiplied nearly a hundredfold! And spared us all this worry and toil.”

As Chu Tian reached his home, he saw several police cars parked outside.

Upon entering, he was met with the sharp, scrutinizing gazes of several officers.

Chu Tian ignored them completely. His eyes locked onto the middle-aged couple rising in the living room—the woman’s face gentle and kind, the man’s features square and dignified, with a tall nose and strong, defined lines. It was clear that in their youth, they had been an exceptionally handsome pair.

They were none other than his father, Chu Zhengqing, and his mother, Lin Yueru.

“Chu Tian, where have you been these past couple of days?” Chu Zhengqing frowned, his tone stern.

Lin Yueru rushed forward, her eyes full of worry. “Tian’er, why are you only just coming home? Your father and I have been frantic, asking everyone to help find you. We were so worried!”

“Dad, Mom…” Chu Tian had thought that, with his current state of mind, he would be calm upon seeing his parents again.

Yet in this instant, a tide of conflicting emotions welled up within him—longing, sorrow, excitement, and a sense of grievance.

He, who had not wept in years, felt his eyes grow moist.

Without hesitation, he spread his arms and, ignoring the startled looks from those around him, pulled his parents into a tight embrace. “Dad, Mom, I’ve missed you so much!”

In his previous life, though he had become a demon feared by thousands, before his parents, he would always be a child—a child forever.

Seeing his parents, still in the prime of life and in good health, brought about a profound shift in Chu Tian’s heart.

His demon’s heart remained unaltered.

But in this life, he had a family.

If anyone dared harm a single hair on their heads, he would show no mercy.

“Woof woof!” A bald little black dog ran over, wagging its tail at Chu Tian.

Yes… there was even a dog.

“Chu Tian, what are you doing, being so sentimental?” Chu Zhengqing pulled himself from his son’s arms, his stern gaze tinged with worry. Had something happened to his son during his disappearance?

“Tian’er, are you… are you alright?” Lin Yueru was even more concerned. Chu Tian had never acted this way before.

“I’m fine, Mom, Dad…” Chu Tian collected himself and turned to the police officers in the room. Though he could guess why they were here, he feigned ignorance and asked, “What’s going on? Why are they here?”

“Are you Chu Tian?” A woman stepped forward, her long, snow-white legs striding confidently. “I am Lu Xuelan, Captain of the Hongxing District Police Department in Tianmen City.” She flashed her badge, her voice cool and precise. “We need you to come with us to the station. You are a suspect in the homicide that occurred at the Bada Hotel.”