Beijing, Daxing International Airport.
As Qin Xuan stepped out of the aircraft door, his emotions were complex.
There was nostalgia, and a sense of loss.
He was familiar with the land of Beijing.
Yet, Beijing was unfamiliar with the current him.
Three days apart, one should look at each other with new eyes.
What's more, three years had passed in the blink of an eye, like a fleeting moment.
But Qin Xuan had undergone a complete transformation.
The wind in Beijing was unlike that in Jiangbei.
Though not damp, it was bone-chilling, stinging his face.
Perhaps it was the nervousness of approaching home, or the uncertainty of the road ahead.
*Poof.*
"Hey man, what are you doing here, blocking the way?"
Qin Xuan was slapped on the back.
Turning around, Qin Xuan frowned.
The man behind him wore a brand-name outfit, though its authenticity was hard to tell. Only the Richard Mille on his wrist looked a bit crude.
"Are you going or not? If not, don't block the path."
Qin Xuan frowned, took half a step forward, and sidestepped to let the man pass.
"Damn." The branded man walked past, a mocking smirk on his lips.
"This idiot is a mute too."
Qin Xuan narrowed his eyes.
Beijing, in his memory, was not like this.
Perhaps, back then, he was a man in the clouds.
Unaware of the suffering of ordinary people, he couldn't understand their plight. Being high above made things even more absurd.
Qin Xuan felt a dawning realization: perhaps ordinary life was not as simple as he thought.
Taking a deep breath.
Qin Xuan's steps became more determined.
His return this time was not just for himself.
It was for the hundreds of wronged souls of the Qin family, for the father who had stood tall for him, and for the grandfather who had doted on him since childhood.
He, Qin Xuan, was not alone.
Now, he carried the Qin family on his shoulders.
Or rather, he *was* the Qin family.
Qin Xuan walked faster and faster, weaving through the crowd like a fleeting shadow.
Qin Xuan traveled light with no luggage, and headed straight for the exit.
"Excuse me, excuse me, big brother."
At the entrance, Qin Xuan lost his bearings.
The Qin family was gone. In this vast city of Beijing, Qin Xuan didn't know where he could go.
He had thought he would feel a sense of belonging upon returning to Beijing, but that feeling didn't materialize.
The urgent calls from behind refocused Qin Xuan's gaze.
The man behind him pouted and pushed his luggage cart past Qin Xuan.
"Hey, what bad luck, it's you again."
Coincidentally, it was the same branded man from before.
"Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"
Seeing Qin Xuan again, the branded man grew agitated.
"Good thing it's me again today, or else I'd teach you a lesson."
Qin Xuan saw that this man was arrogant and overbearing. Was he some rich second-generation heir from a certain family?
But he thought for a moment; he didn't recall this person from his past.
It was understandable. Back then, Qin Xuan was the eldest grandson of the Qin family, the foremost of the five great families. What level was that?
The people he knew back then probably had entourages following them everywhere now.
Qin Xuan shook his head slightly and didn't bother arguing with him.
After letting the branded man walk away, Qin Xuan wandered like a headless fly, without purpose.
He walked towards a white board with four characters written on it: Jiangbei, Qin Xuan.
He looked at the person holding the sign; they were sitting on the railing, lost in a dream.
Qin Xuan frowned. Was this person sent by Yu Yan to pick him up?
Although the Wang Corporation didn't have major industries in Beijing, they still had some connections.
Qin Xuan walked over and snapped his fingers.
"Hey, buddy, are you waiting for me?"
The person jolted awake. Seeing Qin Xuan suddenly appear before him, he immediately opened his eyes.
"You're Qin Xuan? From Jiangbei?"
"That's right, I'm Qin Xuan. Who are you?"
Perhaps annoyed that Qin Xuan had interrupted his dream, the man spoke with some temper.
"Does it matter? Just follow me. Jiangbei, what kind of third-tier city is that? Never heard of it. And you're representing it? Then I, Wu San, can represent it too!"
Qin Xuan watched the man before him and secretly clicked his tongue.
This man looked unremarkable, yet he was a genuine late-stage Houtian martial artist.
He was so young. If he were in Jiangbei, he would be considered a genius.
Yet here in Beijing, he was relegated to guiding people.
It seemed that what Dan Ben said was true; Jiangbei's martial arts were indeed somewhat backward.
From this man's words, Qin Xuan could roughly guess his background.
Beijing was truly a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
When he was in Beijing before, his family had never informed him of these matters.
What kind of strength did the Qin family possess to have held the top position among the five great families back then?