Chapter 36

Numerous seasons, from the vibrant hues of spring to the icy grip of winter, came and went, marking the passage of time.

Days seamlessly transitioned into weeks, and weeks into months, each tick of the clock a reminder of life's relentless march forward.

Months, in turn, merged into years, a steady stream of moments adding up to a significant seven-year span.

Throughout these seven years, an array of events unfolded, painting a rich tapestry of the Croceus Group's steadfast dominance, leaving no room for even the slightest tremor in its position.

The group maintained an unyielding grip, weathering challenges and ensuring its unshakable stance in the corporate realm.

Nestled within Country A's bustling capital city, a grandiose mansion stood, epitomizing extravagance in every way.

The edifice was a hub of activity, alive with the buzz and hum of daily life.

Every corner of the mansion was abuzz with a flurry of activity, a testament to the thriving environment within.

At the heart of this mansion, a delightful little girl of around seven years old charmed the surroundings with her innocent exuberance.

Her eyes, akin to the brilliance of rubies, sparkled with youthful curiosity, reflecting the wonder of the world around her.

Adorned with cascading waves of jet-black hair, two fluffy ears perched atop her head, adding an adorable touch to her youthful charm.

As she playfully darted through the grand halls, a dozen maids merrily chased after her with anxious looks on their faces

"Y-young miss, Stop, Madam will punish Us"

A maid pleaded remembering about a woman with white wavy hair, same red Ruby eyes as the girl she was chasing yet different making her feel chill just from that realisation.

Little girl kept running without turning back as if her only destination is the room at the end of such big hallway, her three tails fluttered in air with their messmerizing black colour with white end, making her cuteness enhanced as she stopped outside the room, outrunning dozens of maids,she felt victorious, " Finally "

*BANG*

She kicked the rooms door open with her kick making a loud sound before she inhaled all air her lungs can muster and parted her small mouth

"MmmOoothhheerrrrr!!!"

...

In a large room within the opulent Grand Mansion was an epitome of luxury and sophistication.

Bathed in soft, golden hues of light streaming through massive windows adorned with lavish drapery, it exuded an aura of prestige and elegance.

The walls adorned with intricate wooden panels and tasteful paintings added to the room's grandeur.

A vast table, crafted from rich mahogany, stretched across the length of the room.

It was polished to a mirror-like sheen and comfortably accommodated the numerous attendees, comprising the Board of Directors and esteemed investors of the Croceus Group with some businessmen of particular fields came to request their .

The table's size was substantial, easily seating around twenty people, allowing ample space for documents, tablets, and refreshments.

Plush, high-backed leather chairs surrounded the table, offering both comfort and an air of authority to those who sat upon them.

Each chair had a golden nameplate, indicating the positions and titles of the occupants, further emphasizing the importance of the meeting.

The air carried the scent of fresh flowers, carefully arranged in crystal vases placed strategically across the table.

A sophisticated array of refreshments was neatly laid out, including an assortment of beverages and snacks to keep the attendees energized throughout the meeting.

"Mrs. Croceus, I hope you reconsider," the man in the professional suit politely urged, aware that the fate of his business hung in the balance.

His manner was a result of a previous encounter with a red-eyed demon, etching a memory he wouldn't forget.

The woman at the head of the table, her demeanor calm, met the man's gaze with her emerald eyes.

The sun's rays cast a gentle glow on her blonde hair, adding an ethereal quality to her beauty. Her lips, resembling delicate rose petals, parted as she maintained her icy composure.

"So, you can speak, can't you, Mister Malveer Caroleeia?" she inquired.

Upon hearing those words, the man trembled, looking down and joining his knees, his confidence dwindling as he felt a loss of vigor in his posture, as if the strength had been sucked out of him.

"I-i..."

Before he can continue the room's door opened with a loud bang revealing a small girl seemingly inhaling a lungfull of air

"MmmOoothhheerrrrr!!!"

"""Ugh!"""

The sheer force of the little girl's voice echoed in the room, causing everyone present to reflexively cover their ears.

The power behind her exclamation made them wince, with some struggling to endure the auditory assault.

However, amidst the reactions a man looking at those Ruby eyes, swiftly and instinctively, he covered his groin area, his face contorting in agony.

A sudden and excruciating flood of memories assaulted his mind, recalling a past encounter where his delicate parts had suffered an unfortunate and painful blow. The memory haunted him, leaving him in visible discomfort.

He couldn't lift his gaze, consumed by the mental pain surging through him before he heard the woman's voice, though soothing, carried a cold, domineering edge.

"The meeting is over," she declared.

Everyone in the room respectfully bowed and exited, understanding that the woman's words held paramount importance.

Malveer too followed suit, purposefully avoiding any eye contact, especially with the little girl standing by the door, awaiting an empty room.

Once the room was deserted, only two figures remained.

The little girl looked down, her expression displaying a subtle pout, awaiting someone to break the silence.

"Guess, my daughter hates me~," the woman remarked, breaking the silence. She began to move towards the little girl, who quickly found her strength and sprinted towards her.

"Mother!" the girl exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the woman's legs in a tight embrace.

"Oh my~ it's just a week, Rika," the woman gently chided, lifting the girl into her arms.

Their eyes met - the woman's emerald eyes and the girl's ruby ones - creating a mesmerizing scene. Rika pouted, voicing her concerns.

"Mother, that woman hurt Rika, wuuuhh," she whimpered.

"Oh my, how dare she,"

Instead of correcting her daughter's address. She was more inclined to shower her daughter with affection and also happy about her daughter's align towards her more than her rival — Meiyue Croceus as known as Rika's real mother.

....

Underneath a vast expanse of open sky, bathed in the golden hues of a setting sun, a man sat cross-legged on a small, grassy knoll.

The air was charged with a sense of anticipation as the realm of Golden Core cultivation beckoned.

His breathing was calm and rhythmic, a result of years of disciplined practice. The world around him seemed to hold its breath in reverence.

Man's aura pulsed with an intense energy, a testament to the immense internal power he had harnessed over the years.

Closing his eyes, he visualized his dantian, the core of his cultivation, where his spiritual essence swirled like a tempest.

He focused on condensing this swirling mass of energy, compressing it, purifying it. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he pushed his limits, delving deeper into the core of his being.

Moments felt like an eternity as he teetered on the brink of a breakthrough.

Suddenly, it happened—the swirling tempest of energy within his dantian began to coalesce, forming a shimmering golden core, radiating a warm and vibrant light.

Man's Obsedian black eyes snapped open, the intensity of the newfound power flooding his senses.

The once turbulent sea of spiritual essence now felt calm, as if it had found its true form and purpose.

He could feel the resonance with the world around him, a newfound connection that surpassed anything he had experienced before.

With the successful formation of his Golden Core, the journey did not end; it had only just begun. Now, with a foundation stronger than ever, he set his sights on the next phase—Golden Body Cultivation Realm.

Shifting his focus inward, he directed the golden core's energy to permeate his entire body.

The energy flowed through his meridians like a river of liquid gold, reinforcing muscles, bones, and organs. It was a delicate dance, a fusion of his core essence with every fiber of his being.

He could feel the metamorphosis taking place. His muscles tightened and grew more defined, the golden light seeping through his skin. His bones felt sturdier, resonating with newfound strength.

He was transcending the limitations of his mortal vessel, ascending into a realm where flesh and spirit harmonized.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the transformation was complete.

He opened his eyes that seemed to gaze into one's soul before moving towards a blue and black beauty.

The Bugatti Chiron stood as a marvel of engineering and elegance, with sleek lines and a glistening surface promising tales of speed and luxury.

*VROOM*

Car accelerated with tearing the air apart making the way for both the beasts — the beauty and the man sitting inside it.

....

Laila, a young girl exhausted from a taxing day at school, hoped for a moment of relaxation on her way home. The weight of classes, homework, and exams bore down on her.

As she turned a corner, however, she was confronted by a distressing sight: a group of boys, known tormentors who had been bullying her relentlessly for months.

They targeted her appearance, mocking her weight and subjecting her to cruel words and actions.

She attempted to avoid them, but they maliciously blocked her path.

"Hey, look who it is! It's the chubby girl!" one of them shouted.

"Yeah, the one who eats all the food in the cafeteria!" another one added.

"Hey, Laila, why don't you share some of your snacks with us? We're hungry too!" a third one said, reaching for her backpack.

Their taunts and jeers cut through the air as they hurled hurtful comments her way.

The situation escalated when they tried to grab her belongings, adding further distress to Laila's already troubled day.

Overwhelmed with frustration and sadness, she fiercely clung to her backpack, tears welling up in her eyes.

The presence of these boys only deepened her desire for them to leave her be and stop making her life a living nightmare.

"Leave me alone!" she cried. "You have no right to take my things!"

"Aw, don't be so stingy, Laila. We're just having some fun with you," the first boy said, grabbing her arm and twisting it.

"Ow! Stop it! You're hurting me!" Laila screamed.

Struggling to fend off the tormentors, Laila cried out for them to cease their cruelty.

The pain inflicted upon her was both physical and emotional, making her feel defenseless and desperate for the assault to end.

The boys, callous and unrelenting, continued their assault, ignoring her pleas for mercy and subjecting her to more suffering.

Laila curled up in an attempt to shield herself from the onslaught, tears streaming down her face as she endured the torment inflicted upon her.

From a distance, a boy observed the scene, his eyes calm and expressionless, fixed on his wristwatch as if waiting for a particular moment.

Slowly, he made his way toward the bullies.

"I guess you guys didn't take my words seriously," he calmly stated, addressing the bullies.

As the girl lying on the ground heard that voice, her eyes welled up with relief.

She had become accustomed to these situations, always thankful for the boy who had been saving her these past few weeks.

Yet, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of shame for her physique and the circumstances that continually placed her in these bullying situations.

"Y-young Master !?"

"w-we were just....kughhhhh!"

Before the boy could respond, a strong hand clamped down on his neck, cutting off his words. Gasping for breath, the struggling boy looked up at his assailant.

The new arrival had obsidian-black hair that shimmered in the sunlight, and cold emerald eyes that bore into the struggling boy.

In just 12 seconds, a second before any human held by neck looses their consciousness, he dropped him.

*THUD*.

"Haaaa.....haaa...."

"You can leave," the boy coldly instructed, his gaze unwavering as he dismissed the bullies.

They quickly helped their fallen comrade and left the place, intimidated by the presence of the enigmatic figure.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?"

The boy turned his attention to the girl, her state clearly showing the effects of the recent altercation.

He used this sentence instead of 'are you fine' giving a psychological impact of care on her unconscious mind.

"I-i am fine," she stammered, mustering her strength to stand, not wanting to display any signs of weakness before the boy who had come to her aid.

"I was on my way to eat something. Would you like to join me?" the boy asked, maintaining his composed facial expression, devoid of any emotions, as he extended the invitation to the girl, using her interest to accompany her while not making her feel ashamed of her foody nature by using his interest in eating too.

She nodded, grateful for the company and a chance to spend time with someone who had consistently been her savior.

*RING*

Boy stopped in his track as he heard his phone ringing before picking the call.

"Yes, Dad"