Jing Hongchen & Ye Yulin

"Father, why do I remember Uncle Wu telling me that when you were in school, you slept through your morning classes every day and didn't even attend the afternoon ones? You'd skip class to go play with him, and every time you took an exam, you were on the verge of failing, only surviving because your instructors tried every trick in the book to bail you out. He even said:

'If you weren't a prince, you probably would have been expelled from the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy ages ago!'"

Qian Yuhan: "...", I never imagined that you, a thick-browed and big-eyed old Emperor, were such a handful in your youth!

Rakshasa Phantom: "666.", I never thought I'd get to see the legendary scene of an Emperor being exposed by his own daughter. Absolutely priceless.

In an instant, the air was filled with something called awkwardness. As an outsider, Qian Yuhan felt the corners of his mouth lift in a barely perceptible arc, only to return to a neutral line the next moment. He acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, turning his head to the side: "Eh, Rakshasa, look at this floor... it really is a floor, isn't it?"

Xu Kun: "!!", Wu Ergui, you absolute bastard! How could you say such things to a child! You've made me lose all my face!

With his dark history laid bare, Xu Kun's old face turned beet red from the direct hit of Xu Tianzhen's honesty. Given the steam vaguely rising from his head, it wasn't hard to tell he was currently overheating.

Realizing she might have caused trouble, Xu Tianzhen awkwardly stuck out her tongue, attempting to "cute" her way out of the situation. However, the faint, rhythmic sound of fingernails scratching against the table—emanating from Xu Kun—made her abandon the cuteness act immediately. She began to practice that ancestral family law known as: "Take the small rod and stay, take the big rod and run."

"Not good! Father is actually angry! Run!"

Before the words had even faded, Xu Tianzhen grabbed Qian Yuhan by the wrist and, like a horse that had broken its reins, sprinted out of the closed Wenhua Hall, disappearing around the corner of the corridor in a flash.

It was unknown how much time had passed before Xu Kun, as if drained of all strength and resolve, collapsed into the soft chair behind him, muttering to himself:

"What a disaster! (´A｀)"

"Someone, go! Go to Mingde Hall and invite Hall Master Jing Hongchen... no, don't just invite him. Go invite the Starry Sky Douluo as well! This Imperial One has matters to discuss with them!"

"Yes." The attendant whispered a soft acknowledgement, turned, and vanished from the Emperor's sight. Shortly after, another attendant who had been on standby entered the hall silently and stood respectfully to the side.

About two cups of tea later, two old men entered the magnificent Sun-Moon Imperial City from different directions, eventually meeting in the corridor in front of the Wenhua Hall.

The man approaching from the left was not particularly tall but was exceptionally rotund. A gorgeous black robe embroidered with gold was draped loosely over his frame; from a distance... one might mistake him for a mobile, gold-embroidered ottoman.

Perhaps because the short, stubby legs beneath the black robe were moving quite frantically, this mobile "black ottoman" reached the entrance of Wenhua Hall a step early. The black... ah, no, the Level 9 Soul Engineer stood with his hands behind his back, watching the other man approach with a smile, and spoke:

"I saw someone walking with the stride of a dragon and the grace of a tiger from far away. I wondered who it could be—it turns out to be Elder Ye Yulin. It's been a while; I didn't expect you to still be so full of spirit."

"So it is Hall Master Hongchen." The man addressed as Elder Ye nodded toward Jing Hongchen and said, "And you are as vigorous as ever!"

Compared to the short, round Jing Hongchen, who looked like a sentient ottoman, Ye Yulin's bearing was significantly better. He was tall and sturdy with a ruddy complexion, and his gaze was like lightning, as if starlight were flickering within his eyes. The only flaw was that he had a "tiny" bit of a bald spot.

As if waiting specifically for the two to finish their professional flattery, it wasn't until Ye Yulin and Jing Hongchen finished their pleasantries that Xu Kun's emotionless voice drifted out from the Wenhua Hall: "Come in."

"Elder Ye, you are the elder; seniority first, please go ahead." Jing Hongchen stepped back half a pace and extended a hand in a gesture of respecting the elderly, though anyone could see he was subtly reminding Ye Yulin: You're old!!

"Hmph (´3｀)!"

Unable to find a retort for Jing Hongchen, Ye Yulin could only let out a cold snort and walk straight toward the hall doors.

Without needing an attendant to lead them, Ye Yulin and Jing Hongchen walked one after the other to the imperial desk where Xu Kun spent his days reviewing memorials. They stood on either side, cupped their hands, and said, "Your subjects, Ye Yulin and Jing Hongchen, pay respects to Your Majesty. We do not know why Your Majesty has summoned us so suddenly."

"Ah, Hall Master Hongchen and Starry Sky Douluo have arrived. No need for formalities. Someone, bring seats." Xu Kun slowly raised his head, looking at these two "pillars of the state."

Well, they weren't exactly pillars; it was more that the Empire and these Title Douluo powerhouses were simply taking what they needed from each other.

As is not widely known, the relationship between Title Douluo and their respective empires is essentially the same across the entire Douluo Continent:

The empire provides Title Douluo-level powerhouses with high salaries, high status, and high-tier treatment in exchange for their loyalty to the Emperor, their labor for the state, and their help in cultivating talent.

As long as the empire stands and their benefits remain unchanged, then for these powerhouses who have already transcended ordinary people and common soul masters, it doesn't really matter which emperor is sitting on the throne.

What? You ask how Xu Kun knows this so clearly?

Nonsense, he was the one who, back in the day, orchestrated the entire "clearing the emperor's side" coup at the Xuanwu Gate, murdering his older brother and his entire household to finally seize the throne.

He knew exactly how these Title Douluo reacted and behaved back then.

How could he not know (눈_눈)?!

"The two of you, take a look at this." Xu Kun "laboriously and deliberately" fished two files out of the mountain of memorials on his desk, which were then taken by his attendant and handed to the two Title Douluo, who had already settled comfortably into their seats.

"This is... hiss—" Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin slowly opened the cover of the file and scanned the contents with a glance.

'Hmm, eleven years old, four rings.' Ye Yulin was just about to let his gaze slide down out of habit when his brain reacted in a blink. He hurriedly moved his eyes back to the first line, his pupils trembling:

'Wait... what is this? Eleven years old, four rings? Is this real? Your Majesty, you aren't playing a prank on this old man with a fake file, are you?'

Thinking this, Ye Yulin looked up, fixing Xu Kun with an incredulous stare. But there was no playfulness or mockery on Xu Kun's face—only unparalleled seriousness and certainty.

That firm gaze was clearly telling him: 'What is written here is true. This Imperial One is absolutely not joking with you.'