The Aurora God Emperor calmly accepted the source shard, inspected it twice, and nodded. "Not bad. It is indeed a Heavenly Dao Source Shard. It came from the same source as the shards I possess, and it produces a powerful resonance when held in my hand. The more source shards, the better. Shards from the same plane can be combined, and the resulting effect will be far greater—not as simple as one plus one equaling two."
Fan Lang merely listened in silence.
The two remained silent for several breaths, and the quiet felt somewhat oppressive.
At last, the Aurora God Emperor broke the silence. He returned the source shard to Fan Lang and clasped his hands behind his back. "Fan Lang, though you are a student, I have actually regarded you as a subject. Between ruler and subject, there should be honesty. Over the past two years, you have risen like a meteor, advancing at an astonishing pace and accomplishing all manner of feats. You have achieved many famous victories, and your name has spread across the land. Even the surrounding countries have taken notice of you. The Armor Whisker Bug Nest alone has arranged several assassination attempts against you. For you to have achieved what you have today, you must possess some immense secret. It is what enabled your rise, but it is also the root of the calamity that may bring about your death. You should understand this well."
"This subject understands." Fan Lang simply referred to himself as a subject.
"To be frank, people began whispering in my ear long ago. They said you possessed a great secret and that I should find an excuse to arrest you, uncover that secret, and especially discover why you can improve so quickly. If that secret could be mastered and