Volume One, Chapter One: Fine, You May Change Your Surname
“What are you standing around for?”
“Call Lord Chu!”
In a room ablaze with neon lights and the scent of liquor, a row of stunning beauties in sheer outfits stood side by side, their pale skin dazzling, blood surging through the veins of any onlooker.
Such a seductive scene—one might mistake it for a selection of imperial concubines.
But in truth, this was the Fire Phoenix Women’s Prison, hidden deep beneath the sea.
A greasy middle-aged man watched the young man lounging on the sofa with a fawning smile. “Lord Chu, is there anyone here you fancy?”
“Bring in another batch,” Chu Ling Tian replied, not bothering to lift his eyelids.
“Lord Chu, this is the newest batch. The next won’t arrive for months.” The warden looked troubled.
“Is that so?”
“Never mind. It seems fate isn’t here for me.”
Chu Ling Tian sighed.
Five years ago, he went to prison in place of his younger brother.
It was originally in a local Eastern Sea prison, but inexplicably, he was transferred here. Only after arriving did he realize that the old man had orchestrated it all—his master.
His master claimed both of them possessed the rare Pure Yang physique; if they didn’t find a woman with the Pure Yin body for union, one day their bodies would explode and they’d perish.
Fearing the end of his lineage, the old man found Chu Ling Tian, who shared his constitution, and locked him away here.
In these five years, Chu Ling Tian inherited all the old man's teachings. Yet this was only a temporary solution; he faced the same dilemma as his master: he must find a woman of Pure Yin for union.
Otherwise, one day, he would be unable to suppress the Yang energy within him.
“Movement brings life, stillness brings death.”
Last night, Chu Ling Tian did a divination for himself.
His destined woman might appear in the South China region.
“Just as well, I can visit the Chu family on the way.”
Chu Jian Guo was not his biological father; he wanted answers about his origins.
“Lord Chu? Are you leaving? Quick, arrange a private jet at once to see Lord Chu off!” The warden’s face lit up with joy.
Chu Ling Tian shot him a glare as he turned. “After I leave, here, anyone—no, anything female—touch even one, and even if you’re a thousand miles away, I’ll return immediately to send you on your way. Do you understand?”
His first year, when the old man’s training left him battered and bruised, it was thanks to the women here that he survived. Perhaps outside, they were vicious, scourges upon the world. Perhaps the whole world condemned them, but so long as they remained here, Chu Ling Tian would protect them.
“I understand, I understand!” The warden replied with an awkward smile.
In truth, Chu Ling Tian had little luggage.
He simply changed into new clothes and fastened a jade token at his waist.
The token bore the characters “Heaven’s Secrets.”
It was the command token of the Heaven’s Secrets Sect.
The sect’s influence spanned the globe. On his deathbed, the old man appointed Chu Ling Tian as the Young Master.
But now, only the trusted inner circle remained under his control; the outer sect was in the hands of his “senior brother,” Lin Hao.
Years ago, Lin Hao betrayed them. He allied with the ten elders of the outer sect and grievously wounded their master, forcing the old man to hide in Fire Phoenix Prison, seeking survival.
“I will reunite the Heaven’s Secrets Sect for you.”
“I will purge the sect of traitors for you.”
“Old man, may you watch over me and keep me from death.”
...
At that moment, in the Chu family villa in Eastern Sea City.
Chu Jian Guo and his wife wore anxious expressions.
“Jian Guo, do we really have to send Hao Hao to the Jiang family for a marriage alliance?”
“If we do, Hao Hao’s life will be ruined forever.”
The Jiang family of South China—the region’s most powerful clan.
Last month, at Old Master Jiang’s ninetieth birthday celebration, Chu Jian Guo agreed to the Jiang family’s request for a marriage alliance to bring joy to their household.
But the bride in question was Jiang Wan, the youngest daughter of the Jiang family.
She was born disabled, her face marred by sores, hideously ugly, neglected and disregarded.
If Chu Hao married into their family, he’d not only be left without any resources, his future would be destroyed.
“You think I want this? The Jiang family named him specifically—what am I supposed to do?” Chu Jian Guo sighed.
Countless families in South China depended on the Jiang family. He had no right to refuse.
“Dad, I don’t want to marry into their family. Isn’t Chu Ling Tian still around? Let him go—by now, he should be out of prison, right?” Chu Hao cried out.
“Chu Ling Tian?”
Chu Jian Guo was startled.
He’d almost forgotten about the boy.
In truth, Chu Ling Tian wasn’t his real son.
“That’s right, that’s right. Isn’t that bastard Chu Ling Tian still around?”
“He should be out by now.”
Jin Lian, grasping at straws, chimed in, “Chu Ling Tian, a convict; Jiang Wan, a born cripple—what a perfect match!”
“But will he agree?” Chu Jian Guo frowned.
His younger son, Chu Hao, was spoiled rotten—gambling, drinking, whoring, and worse. When he raped a girl and the scandal couldn’t be contained, the family forced Chu Ling Tian to take the fall.
Five years in prison, and now they wanted him to take Chu Hao’s place in the marriage alliance. Surely he would resist.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“He has no right to refuse.”
“He’s lived off the Chu family for twenty years; what’s wrong with asking him to do something?”
“Frankly, he’s like a stray dog—after raising him for years, shouldn’t he be willing to die for his masters? Besides, we’re not even sending him to his death.”
Jin Cui was utterly indifferent.
Just like when they forced Chu Ling Tian to take the blame, his feelings and consent never mattered.
“Well said—a stray dog.”
Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from the doorway.
A tall figure strode in, coming into Chu Jian Guo’s line of sight.
It was Chu Ling Tian.
“Well said—a stray dog.”
His gaze grew colder.
Since childhood, not once had he received a warm look in this family.
He and Chu Hao were always treated differently.
The only time he remembered kindness was when they begged him to take the blame.
“Ling Tian, as the eldest, you’re like a father to your brother. He’s in trouble now—you must help him.”
“Even if we raised you for twenty years, you can’t turn your back on us.”
“If you don’t save your brother, your father and I will kill ourselves right now.”
...
They stood on the moral high ground, wielding the bonds of kinship as leverage, forcing him to take the blame. The memory of that day was still vivid.
He’d thought that after five years in prison, they’d feel some guilt, some gratitude.
But—
Chu Jian Guo gave an awkward laugh.
He knew he needed Chu Ling Tian, so he tried not to push too hard, forcing a smile as he stepped forward, “Son, you’re finally home.”
“How have you been these years? Your old father feels guilty—he was so busy he couldn’t visit.”
“Get out!”
“Who’s your son?”
Chu Ling Tian’s attitude stunned them all.
“You bastard, do you think you can overturn the heavens? How dare you speak so rudely!” Jin Cui dropped all pretense, as vicious and harsh as ever.
Chu Jian Guo put on a show of remorse, “Son, I know you’re unhappy. You can hit me, curse me, as long as you can forgive your father.”
He leaned his face in, feigning sincere regret.
Smack!
Chu Ling Tian slapped him.
“You really hit me?” Chu Jian Guo was dumbstruck.
“What the hell, you bastard! Want to die?”
Chu Hao rushed at Chu Ling Tian, fists clenched.
But before he could get close, Chu Ling Tian seized his wrist.
He sneered, “Got guts now? Come on, show me how tough you are.”
In the past, Chu Hao could hit, kick, or curse Chu Ling Tian at will, confident his brother wouldn’t fight back and their parents would always side with him.
He assumed nothing had changed.
But—
Bang!
In the next instant, Chu Ling Tian kicked him, sending Chu Hao flying over ten meters.
“Bastard!”
“You really hit him?”
Chu Jian Guo’s face twisted in rage—had this brute lost his mind?
“Bastard! I’ll strike you from the family register! You unfilial wretch!” Chu Jian Guo roared.
“Shut up and listen to me. Understand?”
Chu Ling Tian made a silencing gesture.
The icy light in his black eyes cowed the family into silence.
“I’m here for two things.”
“First, tell me the truth about my origins.”
“Second, I served five years in prison for Chu Hao. I owe you nothing!”
“And when I went to prison, I told you: after this, twenty years of grace are repaid, and the bond between us as father and son is severed.”
“I never planned to stoop to your level…”
“But now, please remove my name from your family register—and as for the surname Chu… never mind, after decades I’m used to it, so you change yours instead. Sharing your name disgusts me.”