Chapter 46: Old World and New World

The Cheng family of Kyoto.

A great family that ranks among the upper‑middle tiers in Kyoto.

It began with cultivating Qi‑linking medicinal herbs for practitioners, and by chance obtained several formulas, producing pills beneficial to cultivation, turning from a raw‑material supplier into a cultivation‑resource supplier.

It amassed great wealth during the Qing Dynasty.

Later, seeing the Qing Dynasty falter, they decisively invested most of the family fortune… cough, especially since an ancestor exchanged his life for crucial intelligence.

That single move helped the once‑declining Cheng family, with state support, regain prosperity.

Now, among the Cheng family's younger generation, only two have awakened the Heavenly Authority, and they happen to be brothers.

Cheng Chang'an is one, and his older brother is the other.

But his older brother not only possesses the Heavenly Authority, he is also a Qi‑linking prodigy with talent surpassing Bai Ying!

He is only two years older than Cheng Chang'an, yet his cultivation already exceeds many elders, having attained the Night‑Wandering realm, holding a high post, and frequently undertaking secret missions abroad!

Thus Cheng Chang'an lives perpetually in his brother's shadow, constantly compared… which makes him deeply resentful.

He is resentful.

On what grounds is everything he does inferior to his brother's?

Yet he truly cannot match his brother; not even his brother's future achievements, and even his brother's accomplishments at this age, far surpass him…

Cheng Chang'an can only focus on those weaker in strength, lineage, or appearance than himself.

Finding some pleasure in that.

In other words, if I can't beat the strong, can I also not beat you, the weak?

He just didn't expect.

This time he truly slipped on the "weak" one!

"Damn!"

Cheng Chang'an muttered under his breath, raised his hand and flung the heavy mahogany furniture before him, growing more furious as he thought:

"Dammit, why can a single Qi‑draw produce such an attack? A spell? Impossible! Heavenly Authority? Even more impossible!"

"I don't believe he has dual Authority! Absolutely impossible!"

Bang!

He punched the wall again, smashing a hole straight through!

At that moment.

The previously shut door was slowly pushed open.

A man whose appearance resembled Cheng Chang'an's, yet more mature and with a colder gaze—Cheng Changshi—walked in.

"Chang'an, you lost control."

"Brother, I…"

"Hmm?"

"Yes." Cheng Chang'an took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself, then set the overturned table right, and signaled the trembling maid to come clean it up.

He sat down with Cheng Changshi.

"Brother, how long have you been back this time?"

"Two days." Cheng Changshi took the tea cup handed by the maid, gave a slight smile, "Thank you."

His handsome smile and gentlemanly bearing made the maid's fair face flush pink; she quickly replied "You're welcome," then stepped out, closed the door, stood quietly, and a flood of thoughts rose in his mind.

If it could be written, it would be the epic masterpiece "The Eldest Son of the Kyoto Clan Falls in Love with Me, the Maid."

He set the tea cup down.

Cheng Changshi's gaze fell on Cheng Chang'an's face, and he said softly, "Little brother, you went too far this time."

"Brother, I…"

"Listen to me first, okay?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"Do you know where you went wrong? It's not that you targeted him, nor that you used him to boost your own name, but…"

Cheng Changshi raised two fingers:

"1. King versus king, general versus general; those atop never fight personally. No matter how strong a pawn is, it remains a pawn."

"2. A lion fights a rabbit with full force; today you were too careless, too complacent, forgetting what I taught you earlier?"

"Furthermore."

"Since you already bear murderous intent toward him, given his decisive stance today, he won't spare you; I would act the same."

"Therefore, I want you to do everything possible to eliminate him."

"Understood?"

Facing his deep gaze, Cheng Chang'an swallowed, clenched his teeth and nodded, "Alright!"

"But brother, his ability is too bizarre, I… might not be able to defeat him."

"You certainly can't beat him," Cheng Changshi chuckled lightly, leaned back in his chair, and said calmly,

"He possesses dual Authority, a new kind of Authority."

"He is named—Chi Xiao, rumored to be the Chi Xiao of the founder of the Han Empire, meaning his Authority matches that of Han Gaozu!"

"Now everyone in the bureau believes that Han Gaozu's true Authority is this!"

"What?!" Cheng Chang'an exclaimed, then suddenly realized:

"I said, why did the Chi Xiao Sword I borrowed end up in his hands!"

"So that's it!"

Cheng Chang'an's Heavenly Authority is Third‑rank, No. 04—Borrowed Troops.

He can borrow the projection of a historically famous weapon using his fortune; the more fortune he lends, the stronger the borrowed weapon becomes.

The Chi Xiao Sword cost him twenty million fortune.

For poorer people, using this ability once would lead to bankruptcy and become a destitute ghost, but for someone of his background, it's just right.

Cheng Changshi raised his hand to signal him to be quiet and continued speaking:

"Because his deployment requires no cost and is immensely powerful, the bureau's preliminary estimate is that his Heavenly Authority will break the limit of the second sequence twelve."

"It may even rank within the top ten!"

"Not to mention he also possesses Heavenly Luck; if it were me, I would spare no cost to befriend him rather than offend him."

"But under the current circumstances, nothing can be changed."

"Therefore."

He pointed at Cheng Chang'an: "I want all your subsequent actions to be carried out as if they were of your own will."

"Do not involve the family, otherwise my older brother… you know I value our brotherly blood ties, but when necessary I won't value them that much."

"Our Cheng family aims to be a millennial lineage."

"Understood?"

Although his words were cold‑blooded, Cheng Chang'an knew it was the best approach and could say no rebuttal, only nod:

"I understand."

"If I cannot kill him, I will commit suicide before he comes after me…."

"Hmm." Cheng Changshi nodded, seeing his dejected demeanor, took a phone from his pocket and tossed it to him:

"This can help you. That's all, I'm leaving."

"Brother, don't disappoint your older brother."

He stood up, walked to Cheng Chang'an's side, patted his shoulder, and stepped toward the doorway.

The door opened and closed, disappearing from Cheng Chang'an's sight.

Cheng Chang'an lowered his head and turned on the phone.

The main screen contained only a single document.

Opening it, he saw:

It turned out to be a list of personnel sent by America for "friendly exchanges" with the Civil Affairs Bureau!

The difference was that, aside from the originally scheduled personnel, the list added one more person.

It was a black brother—Theodore Black Erudik.

First Sequence No. 09 Heavenly Authority—Old World and New World:

Old World Engraving: Upon entering the Old World domain, everything within the area will be pulled into the "Shadows of the Past," and all rules will be overridden by the Old World's laws.

Unless this rule can surpass the Old World's regulations, or the entrant can shatter their own past shadows.

Otherwise he and his ability will be etched by the shadows, sinking into them until the domain is lifted.

New World Nullification: Upon entering the New World domain, everything within will be judged by the "New World Rules," and any that do not meet the "New World Standard" will be forcibly nullified, rendering them ineffective.

What is this "New World Standard"?

In fact, it is the user's own standard.

If he believes that people must use their hands to walk, then within the domain, you cannot walk with your feet.

If he thinks people should defecate with their mouths, then……

One could say that is the ultimate cheating.

Of course, the user must also obey this rule, or it will immediately become invalid.

The moment he saw this Heavenly Authority,

Cheng Chang'an was so excited that he stood up:

"Steady! Steady!"

He hesitated not at all, turned and entered the bedroom, took out a satellite phone, and called Erudik:

"Hello."

"I understand your intention; I can kill a person, but what can you give me?"

"A location where an unclaimed Heavenly Bestowed Artifact is sealed, how about that?"

"Hiss, like that? Very well, our deal is done. I will fulfill your request. Pleasant cooperation."

"Pleasant cooperation, thank you."

He hung up the phone.

Cheng Chang'an sneered:

"Heavenly Luck? Dual authority?"

"This time, unless you are a Miracle, I'll see how you win!"

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