After a thousand years of cultivation, he returns at the pinnacle!

Despite the reunion across a thousand years, Jiang Chen felt no emotion. He had finally managed to recall Liu Ruyan's appearance through this meeting.

It must be said that she is indeed very beautiful, at least at school, but compared to Jiang Chen's Daoist partners, she is not beautiful enough and lacks a lot of charm.

Having grown accustomed to delicacies, I no longer feel interested in decent food these days.

When everyone saw the main character of the banquet arrive, they immediately surrounded him. As for Jiang Chen? Let him just stand there in that unnoticed corner.

"Ruyan, you look stunning today! The radiance of an S-rank talent is truly extraordinary!"

"From now on, our class will be counting on you to hold its own!"

"Tell us, what did it feel like when you awakened your S-rank talent?"

"Yeah, yeah, is that illusion magic really as powerful as the legends say?"

Liu Ruyan smiled and handled the situation with ease, occasionally taking a sip of juice with a touch of demureness.

The topic quickly shifted from her talent, then inadvertently returned to Jiang Chen, as if using his downfall to highlight her brilliance was an indispensable side dish at this celebration banquet.

Chen Lu leaned closer to Liu Ruyan, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for half the people in the private room to hear: "Ruyan, you were right to have foresight, seeing through some people who are all show and no substance early on. Otherwise, wouldn't you be a laughingstock now?"

Liu Ruyan paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the cup. She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow on her cheek. She neither admitted nor denied it.

This silence was seen as tacit approval by everyone, so the gazes cast at Jiang Chen became even more unrestrained.

Jiang Chen leisurely ate the exquisite cold dishes that had just been served; the Emperor Hotel's culinary skills were indeed excellent. Listening to the buzzing noise around him and watching this vibrant yet insignificant human drama unfold before him, he felt no anger, only a faint sense of detachment, as if viewing something old through frosted glass.

Having cultivated immortality for a thousand years, he had witnessed stars fall, sects rise and fall, close friends turn against each other, and even ants trying to shake a tree. The mockery of these peers before him was like the croaking of frogs in a pond; it might bother passersby for a moment, but how could it shake his Dao heart, which had endured countless tribulations?

He even found it somewhat amusing. The vivid expressions on the faces of these former classmates, their eagerness to draw clear lines and their eagerness to step on others to climb the social ladder, seemed to possess a more human, vibrant quality than the straightforward, cutthroat competition of the old monsters in the cultivation world.

Liu Ruyan frowned slightly. Three days ago, Jiang Chen went from being a well-known prodigy to a good-for-nothing despised by everyone. Not to mention that she, as his girlfriend, broke up with him and awakened an S-level talent. He must feel a great sense of loss, and might even... hate her.

Today is her victory celebration, and to be honest, she doesn't want anything to go wrong. The reason she tagged everyone in the group chat is simply because she thinks Jiang Chen, given his personality, would definitely not attend.

But he... still came.

What is he here for? To question? To condemn?

Liu Ruyan couldn't see through Jiang Chen's thoughts, so while everyone was still chiming in and teasing him, she walked over and sat down next to him.

However, Jiang Chen didn't seem to react to this; he just quietly ate his food.

What is this guy trying to do?

"Jiang Chen." She spoke, her voice not loud, but carrying a deliberately maintained, clear coldness, "To be honest, I was quite surprised to see you here."

She finally turned to look at Jiang Chen. Her meticulously made-up face was expressionless, with only an undisguised scrutiny and a faint, condescending impatience.

"I think that, given your current situation, you should at least understand what it means to avoid suspicion and what it means to have self-awareness."

She paused, seemingly observing Jiang Chen's reaction. Seeing that he was still eating slowly and deliberately, without a flicker of emotion in his eyes, Liu Ruyan felt a surge of anger and her tone became even more sarcastic.

"Today is my victory celebration, to celebrate the awakening of my S-class talent. Everyone here is genuinely happy for me, or at least knows how to assess the situation."

She deliberately emphasized the phrase "assess the situation," implying something was amiss.

"Who are you here? A living, breathing example to remind everyone of the fickleness of fate? Or do you think you have the right to sit here given our pathetic past relationship?"

"Or are you still dreaming, wanting to get back together with me, still clinging to the tenderness of the past?"

Her gaze swept over Jiang Chen's simple and ordinary clothes, and a faint, mocking smile appeared on her lips.

"Look at yourself now, Jiang Chen. Three days ago, you were the center of attention, the pride of heaven. Three days later, you've become a known incapacitated person. I understand the fall from grace. But understanding doesn't mean acceptance, much less does it give you the right to appear at my celebration and ruin everyone's mood."

Liu Ruyan leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice, but the sharpness in her words grew even more acute: "I'm not discussing this with you, nor am I feigning concern. I'm telling you, Jiang Chen, you shouldn't be here. This place doesn't belong to you. You, the person you are now, are completely out of place in this circle, in everything we're celebrating today. Your very presence is an eyesore."

Jiang Chen remained calm, but Wang Kai beside him had already clenched his fists!

We've known each other for a while, and we've even talked, yet she speaks so harshly? Is she even human?

She looked at Jiang Chen's calm profile, and his unyielding attitude annoyed her.

Therefore, she made her point more directly.

"Lin Feng will be here later. You should have heard of him; he also has S-level talent and is the future heir of the Lin family. He doesn't like seeing people or things that are an eyesore, and he doesn't speak or act like I do, still considering past relationships."

"So, before things get too ugly, I hope you can leave on your own." Liu Ruyan's tone returned to its cold calm, carrying an unquestionable command.

"Be decent. It's better for you, for me, and for everyone. Don't make me have to ask someone to take you out; that would really make you lose all face."

Lin Feng...who is that?

A name Jiang Chen had never heard of before. Perhaps noticing Jiang Chen's confusion, Wang Kai quickly explained to him. The space was small, but enough for everyone present to hear.

"Brother Chen, Lin Feng is a descendant of the Lin family in the next class. He is one of only two people in the whole school to have awakened an S-level talent. It is said that Liu Ruyan has already hooked up with him. She hooked up with him not long after he awakened his talent."

"you!!"

Liu Ruyan felt somewhat ashamed and indignant. Although everyone knew about this, it would really have a bad impact on her if it were said openly. How could a mere follower of Jiang Chen speak so recklessly?!

Some people around couldn't help but laugh when they heard this.

A faint smile appeared on Jiang Chen's lips.

It was so...

When he first awakened, he was so dazed that he didn't know what to do. He had no idea who had awakened what talent. He just didn't expect that Liu Ruyan would have a new love in less than three days. When he himself transmigrated to the cultivation world, it took him at least many years to find a new love.

Liu Ruyan glared at Wang Kai, then continued coldly, "Since you already know, I'll just tell you directly."

"Lin Feng is coming, and I don't want him to be unhappy if he sees you, so... you should leave now."

Liu Ruyan has already issued the order to leave.