Chapter 1: The Emperor Awakens

“Dummy, here’s twenty yuan. Go buy me a box of condoms, and keep the change to buy some candy for yourself.”
“Buy condoms, eat candy, alright, alright.”

In Jiangcheng, outside the Liu family villa.

A man and a woman stood before Ning Chen, who was squatting on the ground playing with ants. The man pulled out 20 yuan from his pocket and tossed it on the ground. Ning Chen quickly picked up the money and happily ran out of the yard.

As he ran, he shouted, “Buy condoms, eat candy!”

This scene attracted strange looks from passersby, who sighed but secretly glanced at the woman standing in the Liu family yard.

She was none other than Liu Qingxue, the nominal wife of Ning Chen, the “dummy.” Beautiful and well-known in Jiangcheng, she had married into the Ning family three years ago and was once a hot topic in the city.

But the dummy was still a dummy — she was with another man now and had even made Ning Chen buy condoms for them. It was clear she didn’t see Ning Chen as a human being.

“What are you looking at? Get lost,” Liu Qingxue snapped angrily at the onlookers. After chasing them off, she put on a coquettish smile and leaned into the man beside her.

“Zhang Shao, I have condoms here. Why did you make that dummy go buy some? Are you afraid he’d see us and purposely sent him away?”

The man beside Liu Qingxue, called Zhang Shao, was Zhang Hao, eldest son of one of Jiangcheng’s four great families—the Zhang family. His status and background were prominent.

Zhang Hao scoffed disdainfully, “He’s a dummy. Even if he saw, he wouldn’t understand. I just want him dead sooner. If he doesn’t die, how will you control the Ning family’s assets?”

“He’s already a dummy. Give me some time, and I’ll control all Ning’s assets.”

“I’d rather he be bedridden. Let’s go inside. I took medicine before coming; it’s kicking in now—I can’t wait.”

The two hurried inside the villa.

Meanwhile, the naive Ning Chen happily ran toward a small store. Suddenly, a car sped towards him and struck him violently.

Ning Chen was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud.

Dizzy and disoriented, he saw someone quickly get out of the car holding a baseball bat.

Without a word, the man struck Ning Chen’s head again, knocking him unconscious.

After the attack, the man drove away quickly.

Passersby pointed at the injured Ning Chen but no one dared help.

Suddenly, a red Porsche stopped beside Ning Chen.

A stylish woman wearing sunglasses stepped out, instantly drawing countless gazes.

“He’s hurt so badly! Stop gawking and call 911!”

Xiao Qingcheng’s face showed urgency. She had been just passing by but felt pity seeing people mock the injured man on the ground.

She bent down to check Ning Chen’s condition.

“Miss, I advise you to leave him alone. He’s just a dummy—he was hit and then knocked out. Clearly, someone is taking revenge on him.”

“Yeah, even Ning Chen’s wife Liu Qingxue ignores him. Don’t get involved, or you’ll bring trouble.”

Some bystanders warned Xiao Qingcheng, surprised a beautiful woman cared about a dummy.

Ignoring them, Xiao Qingcheng turned Ning Chen’s head to the side to prevent choking on blood.

When she saw his face, her body trembled.

Even after ten years, she remembered it clearly.

“It’s you. I finally see you again.”

“I didn’t expect it would be here, and like this.”

Xiao Qingcheng murmured, but seeing his injury, she quickly helped him into the passenger seat.

The Porsche roared and sped away.

At Jiangcheng Hospital.

After settling Ning Chen in, Xiao Qingcheng sat dazed.

Looking at his sleeping face, memories flooded back. Ten years ago, she had visited the capital with her parents.

The young Xiao Qingcheng, suffering from hypoglycemia, got separated from her parents in an amusement park.

The crowded park made her dizzy and weak; she collapsed on the ground. Around her were other children whispering and watching, but no one helped.

At that moment, a little boy appeared.

He gently squatted and gave her a piece of chocolate.

“Here, this is for you. I’m Ning Chen. I used to be like you—just eat chocolate and you’ll feel better.”

Those were the only words he said.

That sentence and his gentle smile stayed with Xiao Qingcheng for ten years.

Later, she learned that the Ning family was one of the four great families of the capital.

Ning Chen was the legitimate eldest grandson—extremely noble.

She, however, was just the daughter of a small Jiangcheng family; their social gap was huge.

She thought they would never meet again.

But after ten years, they met again in Jiangcheng.

Knock knock knock!

The hospital room door opened. A doctor in a white coat hurried in.

“Miss Xiao, what are you still doing here? The old master is failing!”

“Go see him quickly. If you’re late, you might not even see him one last time!”

Startled by the doctor’s urgency, Xiao Qingcheng came to her senses.

“Take care of him for me.”

With those words, she hurried away.

Shortly after she left, Ning Chen slowly opened his eyes.

Suddenly, two rays of white light pierced sharply from his eyes.

A terrifying killing aura burst out, creating invisible waves in the air.

“Did my master seal my memories for three whole years?”

Rubbing his head, Ning Chen slowly sat up.

At the same time, flashes of memories came rushing back—from childhood to now, including the three years he was a “dummy” due to amnesia.

He was originally the eldest grandson of the Ning family in the capital.

At age twelve, his parents suddenly disappeared; his grandfather, head of the family, had a stroke and was bedridden.

Without support, Ning Chen was relentlessly targeted and harmed by a branch of the Ning family.

The old steward, unable to watch him suffer, secretly took Ning Chen away.

But the Ning family members wouldn’t give up; luckily, his master found him and took him to the mountains for five years of training.

His master didn’t let him descend the mountain but sent him to the army to gain experience.

In just three years, he grew from a soldier into the world-feared “King Ning”!

During his last campaign, according to intelligence, killing the ten kings of the Southern Region would pacify the area.

But in deep battle, sixteen knights from the Western Church and twenty-six masters appeared to trap Ning Chen.

In despair, he reversed his meridians, unleashed his potential, and broke through the siege.

The appearance of the Western sixteen knights in the South meant there was a leak unless someone didn’t want Ning Chen to know.

So he didn’t return to the army but went directly to his master’s mountain.

The master immediately used the “Nine-turn Reversion Needle” to suppress Ning Chen’s injuries.

But the wounds were severe; the heart meridian was critically damaged.

The only way was to seal his heart meridian to self-heal.

To protect him, the master sent him to the old steward’s house in Jiangcheng.

Originally, the master said the seal must last five years for full recovery.

But after this sudden attack, Ning Chen regained his memories two years early.

Ning Chen closed his eyes to sense his meridians.

“Though the seal lifted early, it’s a blessing in disguise—I’m just one step away from becoming a Grandmaster.”

His eyes were sharp, not grateful but filled with anger.

From past memories, he guessed this attack was deliberately planned.

He clenched his fists, rage surging.

...

The fifth-floor ICU at the hospital was crowded.

More than a dozen experts and professors sat together, frowning deeply, their faces grim.

On the central bed lay an old man with a darkened face, barely breathing.

Around him stood members of the Xiao family.

“Is there really nothing you can do?” Xiao Longshan looked around.

The doctors lowered their heads, looking troubled.

“You’re supposed to be Jiangcheng Hospital’s elite, and you can’t save one patient?” Xiao Longshan’s tone was angry and cold.

“How’s grandpa?”

At that moment, Xiao Qingcheng came in, looking anxious.

“He’s unconscious. Not looking good.”

Xiao Longshan’s brow furrowed in worry.

“The doctors have no other options.”

“Xiao Qingcheng, you really are something!”

Xiao Longhai, Xiao family’s second son, scolded her when she arrived.

“Grandpa wanted to see you before he lost consciousness. But you went to rescue that Ning family dummy and delayed coming. Are you trying to kill grandpa?”

“If anything happens to him, I won’t let it go!”

Xiao Qingcheng bit her lip, silent.

Xiao Longshan frowned, “Second brother, saying this now doesn’t help. The priority is to save him.”

“Save him? With you guys? Grandpa’s dead for sure.”

Xiao Longhai snorted coldly.

“I’ve sent for Southern Medical King Tang Hui. With him, grandpa still has hope.”

The crowd was shocked.

Tang Hui and Lu Tong, the Southern and Northern Medical Kings, are legendary figures in Chinese medicine, national masters and saint doctors.

Someone actually called Tang Hui?

The Xiao family members looked at Xiao Longhai with admiration.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Suddenly, the heart monitor alarmed.

“Condition worsening! Prepare for emergency!”

A doctor immediately commanded the rescue.

After a while...

With a beep, the monitor flatlined.

“We’ve done all we can.”

The attending doctor looked ashamed.

“It’s hopeless. Please accept condolences.”

Hearing this, Xiao Longshan trembled and almost fell.

Xiao Qingcheng’s eyes reddened but she held back tears.

“Let me try. There’s still hope.”

At that moment, a steady voice spoke.

Everyone looked toward the door.

A disheveled young man, dirty and unkempt, walked in.

It was Ning Chen.