The Saiyan In The Cultivation World.

Our gazes locked for what felt like an eternity, neither of us willing to back down. Slowly, the Sword Deity began to release her aura, a powerful and oppressive force that instantly filled the banquet hall.

Her strength was undeniable—easily above level 10 Nascent Soul realm. The sheer weight of her presence was suffocating, pressing down on everyone in the room like an unrelenting storm.

In response, my Conqueror Haki surged to life, clashing against her aura with an intensity that shook the very foundation of the hall.

For the first time ever, I had to unleash the full power of my Haki against someone.

The air grew heavy and chaotic, a violent storm of energy as our wills collided. The walls of the banquet hall began to crack under the immense pressure, spiderweb-like fissures spreading along the stone. The ground trembled, and the lights disappeared replaced with only black and white.

Those who were unfortunate enough to be caught in the impact zone weren't spared. Cultivators at lower realms fainted almost instantly, their bodies unable to handle the sheer force of our duel. Even some of the stronger attendees found themselves gasping for air, their knees buckling under the overwhelming pressure.

A grin slowly spread across my face as I realized what stood before me—a true fighter, someone who could push me to my limits if the conditions were right. My heart raced with the thrill of potential battle, the desire to face someone worthy of testing my strength igniting like a fire in my chest.

But that grin quickly disappeared.

My senses honed in on Zhou Yu and Cherry, who were both dangerously close to death. Despite moving behind me to shield themselves from the direct clash, the sheer intensity of our auras was still too much for them.

The realization snapped me back to reality.

Today was my birthday, a day meant for celebration and not chaos. This clash, as thrilling as it was, didn't belong here. My guests had come from far and wide to honor me, offering their gifts and goodwill. To disregard their efforts and plunge this event into destruction would not only be rude but a failure on my part as a host.

I took a deep breath, calming the storm within me. A true sign of strength is knowing when to fight—and when to step back. This moment wasn't the time to let my pride or thrill-seeking nature take over. There would be plenty of opportunities to face this Sword Deity later, under more fitting circumstances.

I slowly retracted my Conqueror Haki, letting the storm subside. I wasn't worried about her taking advantage of the moment; the brief clash of our auras had told me enough about her.

A lot can be learned about a person in such moments—the way they respond to pressure, their level of control, and their intent. And as expected, she too withdrew her aura.

The room felt lighter almost immediately, though the lingering tension was impossible to ignore.

"Sorry, but this isn't the time or place for such things," I said with a calm yet apologetic tone, my gaze sweeping over the hall. "I apologize to all my guests; I lost control there."

A soft sigh escaped me as I took in the aftermath. Cracks lined the walls and floors, and many guests were still unconscious from the clash. Those who remained standing—including the emperors of their respective empires—wore uneasy expressions, their composure clearly shaken.

It was understandable. How could they not be uneasy when faced with such overwhelming pressure?

Turning my focus to Cherry and Zhou Yu, who had collapsed behind me earlier, I extended my hand. A warm glow enveloped the two, my healing skills working quickly to restore their vitality.

Their pale complexions slowly returned to normal, their breathing evened out, and the strain their bodies had endured vanished in an instant. Healing them was a simple task for someone of my skill.

"Indeed," the blonde-haired woman said sharply, her voice as cutting as the blade strapped to her back. "So, I would have to ask you to come in peacefully."

Her words carried a weight that brooked no room for argument, leaving the entire hall stunned. Even I was momentarily taken aback, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of the situation.

Why was she after me?

The Radiant Sun, as the strongest power in the human realm, had always been a staunch enforcer of law and order. They claimed to work tirelessly to ensure humanity's growth and maintain some semblance of stability in this small world. So, for one of their elite—a Sword Deity no less—to confront me during my own birthday banquet was beyond puzzling.

"You are hereby arrested for bullying the vulnerable," she declared, her voice sharp and unyielding. Her piercing gaze bore into me, filled with disgust. "While you had every right to confront the higher-ups of the Song clan who wronged you, your actions against those uninvolved were utterly unacceptable and disgusting."

Her words struck like a hammer, echoing through the banquet hall. The air grew tense once more as all eyes turned to me.

"I see..." I said softly, extending my hand. Lan Mei, ever attentive, tossed a foldable fan into my palm. With a flick of my wrist, the fan snapped open, and I began to fan myself leisurely, as if the entire hall wasn't hanging on my next words.

"You seem not to understand something about this prince," I continued, my tone calm and deliberate. "When I say I will do something, I will do it. Rarely—very rarely—do I take my words back and eat them."

The air grew heavier as I snapped the fan shut with a sharp motion, pointing it directly at her. My voice lowered, taking on a dangerous edge. "The Song clan was simply an example, a warning for those who dare disrespect me or the people under my protection."

I took a step forward, my gaze unflinching as it met hers. "So, I will give you this warning... and understand that I am 99% sure I will not take back these next words."

The room fell deathly silent, the tension so thick it was suffocating. Even the blonde-haired woman, with all her confidence, seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second under the weight of my words.

"Turn around and leave," I said coldly, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Whoever leads the Radiant Sun has three days to come here and personally apologize for your rudeness. If they fail, this world will soon find that its so-called strongest power is nothing more than a memory."

The hall was silent as the weight of my words sunk in. The blonde-haired woman's sharp gaze narrowed further, and her hand moved deliberately to the hilt of the sword on her back.

"I lost all interest in fighting you," I continued, my tone calm but laced with disdain.

"You know you're not my match," I said with a casual flick of my fan, my tone laced with complete disdain. "Your instincts are screaming at you to fall back, to abandon this hopeless task. But here you are, still standing, pretending otherwise. Why?"

Her narrowed eyes betrayed a flicker of surprise, though she hid it quickly behind a mask of composure.

"It's because you were given strict orders," I continued. "Your master told you to fetch, and now you can't even take a shit until you've completed the task, can you?"

The air grew quiet, and everyone was too scared even to breathe upon hearing my words. The blonde-haired woman's hand twitched at her sword's hilt, her expression remaining stoic, but I could see the subtle tension in her frame.

"You can read a lot from a person's body and their aura," I said, my voice calm but cutting like a blade. "And I have to admit, the Radiant Sun trained you well. They've turned you into the perfect bitch."

Her grip on her sword tightened, her knuckles turning white, but she didn't dare interrupt me.

"Normally, anyone in your position couldn't have such a strong Dao," I continued, my sneer widening. "After all, you lost your way long ago and didn't even realize it. You're nothing but a shell of your former self."

I sighed softly, flicking my fan open again as I took a deliberate step toward her. "They took you in, didn't they? Showed you the shiny benefits, the promises of power, the prestige of standing under the Radiant Sun's banner. They dangled it all in front of you, and you lapped it up like a dog."

Her aura flared slightly in response, but it was unstable. Her jaw clenched, and I could see the cracks forming in her composure.

"You became their loyal bitch without ever noticing what you gave up," I said sharply. "And now? Now, you can't make any further breakthroughs. Your strength is stuck at this level. You're the perfect pawn, strong enough for intimidation, weak enough to control."

My words hit their mark. Her aura faltered, and for a brief moment, the confident facade she wore so carefully slipped. No matter how hard she tried to block out my words, they seeped into her heart, forcing her to listen.

Her fingers flexed around the hilt of her sword, her body trembling faintly as she tried to maintain her resolve.