The next morning.
Shan Hu woke up in the bedroom he hadn't seen in a thousand years. Despite possessing the body of an Immortal Emperor, lying in his old bed, breathing the familiar scent of home, brought him a sense of peace he hadn't experienced in an entire millennium.
He didn't cultivate. In the spiritual wasteland of Earth, it would be a waste of his Emperor time. He got up and walked to the kitchen, deciding to show his family a little something.
Wang Fang was tying her apron when she saw her son. "Xiao Hu, sleep in! Mom will make breakfast."
Shan Hu gently placed his hand on her shoulder, sending a warm pulse of Emperor Force into her body again, instantly making her feel lighter.
"Mom, let me handle it today. You have to try the cooking skills I picked up during my ten years of 'scientific exploration.'"
He moved around the kitchen. He didn't turn on the stove or reach for a pan. To an Immortal Emperor, the atomic structure and energy forms of matter were easily manipulated.
With a simple thought, the flour, eggs, and milk from the fridge instantly mixed, shaped, and baked in mid-air.
Three seconds. That's all it took.
The table was already set with three servings of hot, perfectly golden, cloud-like American pancakes, paired with neatly sliced fruit salad, and a steaming cup of freshly brewed latte.
When Shan Qing and Shan De walked into the dining room, the aroma stopped them dead in their tracks.
"Bro! When did you become a Michelin chef?" Shan Qing's eyes widened, and she immediately grabbed a fork.
Wang Fang asked in astonishment, "Xiao Hu, you didn't even turn on the stove? Where did this come from?"
Shan Hu didn't skip a beat, the lie rolling off his tongue effortlessly. "Mom, the food was terrible on the expedition, so we had to learn how to cook for ourselves. This is called 'Rapid Field Heating Technology.' It uses ambient thermal energy… Come on, dig in, it won't be as good when it gets cold."
The family was soon engrossed in their first heartwarming breakfast in a decade, only Shan Hu knew the "Rapid Field Heating Technology" was just a large-scale atomic matter reconstruction.
After breakfast, Shan Hu changed into his casual clothes.
"Dad, Mom, I'm heading out for a bit to run an errand."
"Xiao Hu, where are you going? Are you looking for a job?" Shan De asked, worried.
Shan Hu smiled. "Nope. I'm going to make that 'Ascent Group' you mentioned yesterday un-ascend a little."
Shan De's face instantly changed. "Don't be reckless, Xiao Hu! You just got back; don't look for trouble! They're connected! We can't afford a legal fight, but you absolutely can't go head-to-head with them!"
Shan Hu put a reassuring hand on his father's shoulder, his gaze firm. "Dad, trust me. The only thing I mastered in those ten years was 'winning with virtue.'" (A humorous take on showing overwhelming power).
Without further explanation, he turned and strolled out the door.
Shan Hu didn't bother hailing a cab. With a thought, the Longcheng Ascent Group headquarters—a hundred-plus story skyscraper—was instantly mapped out in his Emperor Consciousness.
The penthouse, CEO's office.
Shan Hu didn't bother with the main entrance or the elevator. He simply took one smooth step, and like a passing breeze, his entire being phased through the concrete and steel, instantly appearing inside CEO Lu Zhentian's office.
Inside, Lu Zhentian and his son, Young Master Lu (Lu Shaoxiong), were discussing the acquisition progress, both sporting the arrogance of winners.
"Dad, relax. There are only three stubborn families left in that old building. Especially the Shan family; we'll give his daughter a little more trouble, and he'll cave quickly," Lu Shaoxiong said contemptuously.
Lu Zhentian chuckled. "Good job. Tomorrow, have the legal department notify them, giving them one hour to sign. Don't let these trivial matters delay our major IPO plans."
"Who said you guys are going to have an IPO?" A lazy, slightly mocking voice suddenly broke the silence.
Lu Zhentian and Lu Shaoxiong almost jumped out of their skin. The office door was locked, the floor-to-ceiling windows were intact, yet this young man in a T-shirt was standing right there! How did he get in?!
Lu Shaoxiong mustered his courage and yelled, "Who are you? Security! Call security now!"
Shan Hu ignored him. He walked straight to the desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down.
"Lu Zhentian, right? I'm Shan Hu, from the third-floor apartment you're trying to seize. I'm here to give you guys some notice."
He placed his finger lightly on the glowing computer keyboard on the desk, not pressing a single key.
"The moment you decided to mess with my parents, your company was already dead."
Shan Hu finished speaking, and a fleeting flash of golden light crossed his eyes before everything returned to normal.
In that instant, he utilized his Emperor神通 (Divine Ability), bringing the entire building—and all of the Ascent Group's connected financial, legal, and auditing systems—under the control of his consciousness.
To the Emperor, this was simpler than flicking a bug—he was merely editing the foundational code of the universe.
The office phone suddenly rang. Lu Zhentian and Lu Shaoxiong looked at each other in shock.
"Chairman! Something's wrong! All of the company's offshore bonds just crashed instantly! They've been forcefully liquidated!" The secretary's voice was tearful over the line.
Before Lu Zhentian could process that news, another phone rang.
"Mr. Lu! We're done! The large parcel of land we just acquired has been designated a National Heritage Site by the City Planning Bureau! Development is permanently halted!"
Then, the computer screen in the office instantly flashed blue before automatically opening a document titled: "Longcheng Ascent Group: Evidence of Tax Evasion, Forced Demolition, and Racketeering."
Lu Zhentian and Lu Shaoxiong were utterly stunned.
Shan Hu stood up, dusting off his pants. The same smug smile remained on his face.
"Now, I have a third option for you."
Lu Zhentian slumped back in his chair, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. He looked at Shan Hu as if he were staring at an incomprehensible demon.
"B-Big Brother… just tell me! I'll do anything!"
"It's simple. First: Immediately announce the permanent cancellation of all old district development plans and issue a public apology to all residents."
"Second: Buy out my parents' and Grandpa Li's apartments at ten times the market price as compensation for emotional distress."
"Third, and most important: From today on, the Ascent Group is to be renamed the 'Kneel Group' and must permanently cease operations in Longcheng."
Lu Zhentian nodded frantically, his voice trembling. "Forget ten times! I'll pay a hundred times! I'll announce it now! I'll change the name right now!"
Shan Hu smiled contentedly, sparing him no further glance. With a brief shimmer, he vanished from the office as quickly as he had arrived.
Shan Hu returned to the housing complex where his parents and sister were watching TV in the living room.
"Xiao Hu, where did you go? You didn't cause trouble, did you?" Wang Fang asked anxiously.
Shan Hu walked over and sat on the sofa, his tone as casual as if he'd just run downstairs for a soda.
"No trouble, Mom. The Ascent Group issue is settled. They will personally come to apologize tomorrow and present you with a very generous demolition compensation contract. No one will touch this building again."
Just as Shan Hu finished speaking, his phone rang—an unfamiliar number.
"Hello, is this Mr. Shan? This is the Longcheng Martial Arts Association. Could you tell me if you released a powerful True Qi fluctuation near the Ascent Group headquarters this morning?"
Shan Hu raised an eyebrow. Just finished dealing with the mortals, and now the cultivation flies are buzzing around?
He glanced at his family, who were still watching TV, and a playful smile crossed his lips.
"True Qi? Oh, I'm sorry, I think I just… sneezed."