The Reincarnation of Dragon Emperor

Chapter 5: Mei, Who Exactly Are You?

Eight years later.

Rui carried firewood from the forest, walking leisurely to his modest home on the edge of the mountains. He still lived with Mei, but they had long left their old village after the incident with the bandits.

Now their lives were quieter, away from the hustle and bustle of humans. Rui spent his time training and hunting, while Mei lived out her days in peace, taking care of the house and occasionally going to the nearby village to trade.

Arriving at the front of the house, Rui placed the firewood near the door. He let out a long breath while stretching his muscular body.

"I'm back."

From inside, the sound of light footsteps could be heard. Soon after, Mei appeared with a warm smile on her face. She was now a mature woman, but her childlike nature was still there.

"You took so long," she said while crossing her arms.

Rui just shrugged his shoulders. "There is something interesting in the forest."

Mei raised her eyebrows. "Interesting?"

A small smile etched on Rui's face. "A beast that was quite powerful. I was able to fight with it for a while."

Mei sighed. "Don't make any trouble. You know we can't draw too much attention."

"I know, I know." Rui chuckled, then stepped into the house, leaving behind the outside world that felt more and more uncertain by the day.

During those eight years, Rui trained his body and searched for information about the current Empire.

Rui heard that the Tianlong Empire was currently facing a problem, but he didn't seem to care too much about it.

His life with Mei was currently his main priority.

That was it for now...

Rui did not know the conflicts that would occur in the future, he really could not guess. Moreover, the mysterious power of Luna Mei.

That incident when he was five years old he could not forget, Luna Mei was like a warrior who had already reached a different realm than him.

But when Rui was twelve years old, Luna Mei became weak, and was almost raped by Bandit. He did not know the thoughts of that woman.

Inside the simple house, Rui sat quietly, clutching the cup of warm tea Mei had made for him. The aroma of tea filled the room, giving a sense of comfort that was hard to explain. However, his mind was not as calm as it appeared.

He stared at the slightly rippled surface of the tea, images of the past surfacing in his mind. The incident when she was five years old was still hard for her to forget. Luna Mei, the girl who was always with him, was not just an ordinary teenager back then. Rui still remembered very well how she drew her sword, how the wind followed her in every swing, and that was not a technique that could be mastered by someone at her age.

Rui did not understand Mei's cultivation realm back then, but one thing was certain-she was on a level far above him. However, something strange happened when she turned twelve.

Luna Mei, who once seemed so powerful, suddenly became fragile. She was almost raped by bandits, showing no hint of the strength Rui had seen years before. It was such a senseless incident.

He raised his head, looking at the girl in front of him who was now smiling gently.

"You daydreaming again, Rui?" asked Mei, her voice sounding light.

Rui only gave a small smile. "Not really, just thinking about something."

Mei chuckled, then supported her chin with one hand. "You're always like this. Thinking too much."

Rui sighed and sipped his tea. It was warm. Calm. However, deep in his heart, he knew... this peace wouldn't last forever.

"How old are you, Mei?"

"Umm, maybe thirty-two years old? I didn't count anyway, what's the matter?"

Rui shook his head softly, he went back to sipping his tea. "Aren't you supposed to be married?"

"Huh? Get married? Who would it be with?"

"There are many men in the village you might like."

Mei shook her head quietly. "I'm not interested." As Mei drank her tea, she looked at Rui with a seductive gaze. "Is it only Rui who marries me?"

Rui almost choked on Mei's words. He looked at her with raised eyebrows, trying to look for signs whether she was joking or serious.

Mei just smiled, lifting her teacup gracefully. Her blue eyes shimmered in the dim light of the room, as if the moon itself was watching Rui.

"Are you joking?" Rui finally opened his voice, trying to stay calm.

Mei blinked her eyes, placing her cup gently on the table. "How about if I'm serious?"

The room suddenly felt quieter. Outside, the night breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of wet earth and wildflowers from the mountains.

Rui sighed. "I'm still young."

Mei rested her chin in her hand, her lips forming a faint smile. "You are already twenty years old. The age of young emperors who used to be forced into marriage for politics."

Rui chuckled, then turned her gaze out the window. "Huh? I'm not an emperor."

Mei laughed softly, the sound like a soothing night breeze. "But you know... I'm always watching you, right?"

Rui turned his head, looking at Mei with sharp eyes. For some reason, her words seemed to have a deeper meaning. As if there was something she had been hiding all this time.

However, before Rui could ask further, Mei just smiled softly and stood up. "I'm going to prepare dinner."

Leaving Rui with his mind starting to fill with questions.

A statement that confused Rui, was Mei someone from the Empire? Rui's follower? Or what?

...

The next day, Rui sat cross-legged on a boulder in the middle of the forest, letting the cool morning breeze hit his skin. The sunlight slipped between the leaves, creating patterns of light and shadow on the ground.

He took a deep breath, feeling the flow of Qi in his body. His current status was still at Heavenly Grandmaster, the highest limit before Emperor Realm. However, he felt that something was blocking his improvement.

'As if there is an invisible wall...' he thought.

He had surpassed ordinary humans, could sense the energy in the air, even control the pressure around him. However, compared to his strength in his previous life, this was far from enough.

Rui opened his eyes slowly. He needs a push. A real battle.

"Tch, I've stayed here too long," Rui muttered.

However, before he could think further, a soft voice sounded from behind.

"Rui, you're up so early?"

Mei stood there, wearing simple white clothes, her long hair flowing in the wind. Her gaze was gentle, yet there was something in it that was hard to guess.

Rui simply nodded, "I have to train myself."

Mei smiled slightly, then stepped closer. "Well then, how about I test you?"

Rui looked at her warily. "Are you sure?"

Mei's smile widened, and in an instant the atmosphere around her changed.

The air pressure dropped drastically. Leaves were falling as the air pressure began to drop.

Rui immediately narrowed his eyes. This wasn't the power of a Grandmaster.

'Has Mei been hiding her power all this time?' Rui thought. However, what was more surprising was the level of power he felt from her.

The Qi flowing from Mei's body was not something that an ordinary Grandmaster possessed. It was too pure, too suppressive.

However, Rui didn't move. He didn't take a stance, didn't raise his hands just in case. He just stood where he was, his eyes fixed on Mei who was slowly expelling her Qi.

The air around them vibrated, as if adjusting to the energy released by the woman. The wind that had previously stopped now swirled gently around her, as if following the rhythm of her breathing.

'This... isn't ordinary power.'

Mei looked at him with a faint smile, as if waiting for something. "Aren't you going to get ready, Rui?" she asked in a teasing tone.

Rui sighed softly. "No need."

Mei raised her eyebrows slightly. "Oh?"

Rui moved his shoulders slightly, relaxing his body. "If you're really serious, I'd like to see what the limits of your strength are."

Mei looked at him for a moment, then smiled.

"Alright... no regrets."

In an instant, the air pressure exploded. The fight began.

Mei raised her Qi-covered hand, she prepared to hit Rui who had not been in a stance.

Rui himself stared flatly at Mei who wanted to hit him, without the slightest intention to dodge.

However, right before the punch hit, Mei changed her movements. The powerful fist suddenly slowed down, her index finger moved quickly and...

It was only a flick that Mei gave Rui.

Rui was speechless.

A burning sensation spread across his forehead, not from pain, but more from shock? He looked at Mei with an expression that was hard to explain.

Mei just smiled slightly. "You don't need to be tense, Rui."

Rui let out a deep breath. "So, you just wanted to snap at me?"

Mei shrugged her shoulders casually. "Maybe. Or maybe I just want to see the expression on your stupid face."

For a moment, it was quiet. Only the wind blew past them.

Rui rubbed his forehead which was still throbbing slightly. "You could have beaten me up, but why are you doing this instead?"

Mei chuckled. "Believe me, if I was serious, you would've been knocked out."

The remark sounded like a joke, but Rui could feel something hidden behind her words. For some reason, he felt Mei was much stronger than she looked.

And maybe she hadn't shown her true strength yet.

Mei also pulled Rui's wrist. "Let's go home!"

"Just a moment!" Rui withdrew his hand. "Why is it that when that bandit was going to rape you, you didn't bring out your true power?"

Mei paused for a moment, and then smiled sweetly. "Because my hero will come to save me." Mei kissed Rui on the cheek, then pulled back his hand.

"Huh?! Hero?!" The young man froze, he felt a small peck on his cheek, and a word that made his chest rumble violently.

"Let's go home, Rui!"

For as long as he had lived as an emperor, he had never felt this feeling before.

End of chapter