I Want to Introduce You to Someone

Ye Chenxing leaned back in Lin Jiayi's broad, comfortable office chair, surveying the surroundings.

Metallic walls, seamlessly joined flooring, and Soul Tool screens on the desk that shimmered with faint light.

He could not help sighing. "If I'd opened my eyes to a scene like this right after crossing over, I probably wouldn't have realized I was on the Douluo Continent."

At the same time, aside from Heroic Spirit Summoning and imitating the royal family with his Martial Soul, this was another reason he had come here.

The level of technology.

It could not be helped. As someone from Azure Star who had experienced twenty-first-century modern civilization, why would he pass up a Soul Tool metropolis and insist on going to the original Three Douluo Kingdoms to play tribal warfare? That would just be asking for suffering.

Besides, his foremost task now was turning resources into actual value. If he wanted to rapidly accumulate strength, he needed a powerful backer. Looking across the entire continent, there were only four top-tier factions that even caught his eye.

Noumenon Sect? Their rule was that they only accepted body Martial Souls, and the threshold was locked tight, so pass.

Shrek Academy? He had just offended them. Going back would be walking into a trap. Pass.

Holy Spirit Cult? Thinking of those Evil Soul Masters who carried out blood sacrifices, Ye Chenxing immediately shook his head. He did not consider himself a good person, but he would never associate with those inhuman lunatics.

What was more, if he really joined the Holy Spirit Cult, he feared the Angel God beside him would be unable to hold back the Angel Sacred Sword in her hand.

When it came to irreconcilable conflicts in this world, angels and Evil Soul Masters would definitely rank among the top three.

That was also why he had insisted that Qian Renxue disguise herself as having the Bright Swan Martial Soul. Aside from his small, mischievous tribute to Xue Qinghe, Evil Soul Masters were the main reason.

If the Holy Spirit Cult learned that the Six-Winged Angel, representing Ultimate Light, had appeared once more, they would surely go mad and spare no cost to erase her.

If Qian Renxue went all out, the Angel Martial Soul's suppression of Evil Soul Masters and darkness attributes might allow her to restrain the two ultimate powerhouses, Death God Douluo Ye Xishui and Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao.

But if the Holy Spirit Cult mobilized in full force, even ants could bite an elephant to death—let alone a pack of ferocious wolves. No matter how strong Qian Renxue was, she would struggle to handle them all and be drawn into a bitter battle.

Most importantly, his greatest enemy still hung over his head—the Tang God-King of the God Realm.

So, the Sun Moon Empire truly was his best choice at present.

Bang!

The sound of the door opening interrupted Ye Chenxing's thoughts. A round figure seemed to teleport in, stirring up a gust of wind as he instantly charged before Ye Chenxing.

It was Jing Hongchen, master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall and a Rank Nine Soul Engineer.

Seeing the white-haired, red-eyed youth before him, whose bearing seemed removed from the mundane world, Jing Hongchen's rushing steps faltered slightly. Understanding immediately dawned on him.

With a face like that, no wonder his precious granddaughter, who normally held everyone in such high regard, had been so flustered today that she had thrown a young lady's reserve to the winds.

That eye-catching appearance and composed bearing—it had to be this kid.

Having confirmed his target, Jing Hongchen had no time to care about the dignity of a hall master. He crossed the distance in a few strides, staring at Ye Chenxing as if he were looking at an incomparably rare Level Ten Soul Tool.

"Your Highness! You... good! Excellent!"

Jing Hongchen's voice trembled slightly from overwhelming excitement.

The Sun Moon Empire's royal family had been passed down for over ten thousand years. Every ruler had dreamed of breaking through the shackles that prevented the Sun Martial Soul from reaching "ultimate," yet all had failed in the end.

But now, Ultimate Fire and Ultimate Light—two miracles that defied the common sense of the entire continent—had appeared before his eyes at the same time!

Jing Hongchen's mind was already frantically calculating the future. He knew better than anyone that as long as they firmly tied this royal descendant of limitless potential to the Illustrious Virtue Hall's chariot, then tailored the finest Soul Tool technology for him...

What foundation could Shrek Academy possibly have that was worth fearing? The Sun Moon Empire's unification of the continent with unstoppable force would be a certainty!

Watching the plump old man before him, his face flushed with fanaticism and excitement leaving him unable to speak coherently as he only panted heavily, Ye Chenxing tugged awkwardly at the corner of his mouth.

"Hall Master?"

Lin Jiayi hurried over from behind with Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, both siblings panting for breath. Seeing the scene before them, he could not help calling out.

Jing Hongchen's mind, muddled by wild joy, finally cooled a little.

He suddenly realized that he, the dignified master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, had actually lost his composure so badly before a teenager. It was utterly improper!

"Cough, cough!" Jing Hongchen's old face reddened. He quickly straightened up, pretended to adjust his collar, forcibly suppressed the fervor on his face, and replaced it with a stern, dignified expression.

After taking a deep breath, he said in a low voice, "Your Highness, hearing is not believing; seeing is believing. Even with Jiayi and this most advanced testing instrument vouching for it, I still wish to see... your Martial Soul with my own eyes."

Buzz—

With an extremely faint resonant hum, a sun abruptly rose in Ye Chenxing's palm.

Though Ye Chenxing deliberately restrained its range, that pure, utterly flawless Ultimate Light and that Ultimate Fire, which seemed capable of instantly burning even a soul to ash, still filled the entire office in an instant.

Jing Hongchen, standing closest, bore the brunt of it. Even with the profound cultivation of a Titled Douluo protecting him, the hair on his forehead curled slightly under the terrifying heat.

"Hiss—" Jing Hongchen sucked in a sharp breath, his pupils suddenly contracting.

It really was Ultimate Fire! And beyond that, there was that flawless Ultimate Light as well! A mutated Sun Martial Soul with Dual Ultimate attributes—throughout the Sun Moon Empire's ten-thousand-year history, this was an unprecedented miracle!

He had seen the Sun Martial Soul released countless times in his life, but this time was different. He seemed to see the Sun Moon Empire's future flickering within that sun.

Jing Hongchen clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his flesh before he barely suppressed the urge to throw back his head and laugh wildly. He waved a hand, signaling Ye Chenxing to withdraw his Martial Soul, then clasped his hands behind his back and paced restlessly through the office.

His mind frantically weighed the gains and losses.

If... if this peerless genius before him had merely been a commoner without any background, or even an ordinary noble's child, Jing Hongchen would have spared no hesitation in pouring all of the Illustrious Virtue Hall's resources into him, raising him into the future pillar supporting the heavens of the Illustrious Virtue Hall!

At that point, the Illustrious Virtue Hall's position in the empire would become permanently unshakable. It might even rise above imperial authority.

But unfortunately... he possessed that Martial Soul! He was a direct descendant of the royal family!

That highly sensitive identity transformed this otherwise perfect "heaven-sent miracle" into a super bomb that could detonate the entire Sun Moon court at any moment.

Jing Hongchen knew the situation within the imperial palace all too well. Although Crown Prince Xu Tianran was disabled, he was ruthless and ambitious. The other princes were no pushovers either, and the struggle for succession had long reached a fever pitch.

At a time like this, if a "legitimate bloodline" possessing a Dual-Ultimate Sun Martial Soul was pushed into the open—or forcibly tied to the Illustrious Virtue Hall's chariot—what would the crown prince think? What would the emperor think?

The Illustrious Virtue Hall would instantly be dragged into that unfathomable vortex of imperial power struggles. One misstep could even bring catastrophic ruin upon the entire Hongchen Family!

"I can't let him get dragged into this... I absolutely cannot let the Illustrious Virtue Hall wade into the muddy waters of imperial succession because of this kid!"

Jing Hongchen gritted his teeth fiercely. His steps abruptly halted, and determination flashed in his eyes.

He needed to protect this promising talent capable of overturning the continent's balance while keeping the Illustrious Virtue Hall out of it.

Looking across the entire Sun Moon Empire, there was only one person who could ignore the struggle for imperial power, suppress objections from court and common folk alike, and wield absolute authority—someone even the current emperor had to treat with considerable respect!

Jing Hongchen turned to Ye Chenxing, a profoundly complicated smile appearing on his round face. "Your Highness, your talent and your identity are both... far too shocking. Though I am the master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, I cannot cover the skies with one hand in the Sun Moon Empire."

He paused, his tone becoming incomparably solemn and reverent.

"To ensure that you can cultivate in peace without being drawn into those filthy struggles in the palace, I have decided to introduce you to someone."

Jing Hongchen drew a deep breath and spoke each word distinctly.

"The true stabilizing pillar of the Sun Moon Empire, the foremost Soul Engineer of the present age—my teacher, the master of the Sun Moon Empire's Hall of Consecration, Kong Deming!"

Half an hour later.

After listening to Jing Hongchen's spit-flying, nearly incoherent account, Kong Deming slowly opened his eyes.

This old man, who had long ceased to reveal joy or anger on his face, now had turbulent waves surging in his otherwise placid eyes. His withered fingers trembled slightly, and only after a long while did he force out several murmured words.

"An Ultimate Martial Soul...!"

"The Martial Soul our Sun Moon Empire has sought for nearly ten thousand years, the shackles generations of former emperors exhausted their hearts trying to break, has actually appeared..." Kong Deming's voice grew louder and louder, faintly carrying uncontrollable ecstasy and desolation. "Good! Wonderful! These ultimate attributes finally no longer favor the original Three Douluo Kingdoms, no longer favor Shrek! Heaven blesses the Sun Moon Empire! Heaven blesses the Sun Moon Empire!!"

Seeing his teacher lose control so thoroughly, Jing Hongchen stood respectfully to the side, scarcely daring to breathe.

After his excitement faded, Kong Deming abruptly turned his head. His gaze was like blazing torches as he stared at Jing Hongchen, his voice carrying unquestionable majesty. "Hongchen, you must mobilize every foundation of the Illustrious Virtue Hall to give this child the highest possible level of training! Give him whatever he needs. You must not allow the slightest mishap to befall him!"

"Teacher, I naturally understand that." Jing Hongchen looked troubled. After hesitating, he still forced himself to say, "But his Martial Soul is a mutated sun, which proves that he is a direct royal descendant who had been living outside the empire. The current emperor is ruthless. If he learns that a descendant of the former emperor with such talent exists, I fear..."

"Hmph!"

A cold snort exploded through the secret chamber like thunder, making Jing Hongchen's eardrums ache.

Kong Deming's face darkened as he reprimanded him without mercy. "Hongchen, you truly have become more foolish with age! Have you become a hall master and lost your mind entirely?"

"Back when the current emperor used those underhanded methods to purge the former dynasty's bloodline in order to ascend the throne, I never interfered or asked a single question. Do you think that now, for the sake of shielding him, I would stand by and watch him target the future pillar supporting the heavens of our Sun Moon Empire?!"

Cold sweat instantly soaked Jing Hongchen's back. He could only lower his head sheepishly. "Teacher, your lesson is correct."

He could not help feeling ashamed. In the entire Sun Moon Empire, only the old ancestor before him would dare so brazenly disregard the imperial court and openly comment on the emperor's methods.

After all, one-quarter of Kong Deming's blood was royal blood. As the master of the Worship Hall, his status stood above all others. To him, it was enough that the realm bore the name Sun Moon; he did not care who sat upon the dragon throne. The only things he cared about were the Sun Moon Empire's stable continuation and the future of Soul Tool technology.

"This Dual-Ultimate Sun Martial Soul, as long as it grows steadily, will surely be invincible in this age!"

Kong Deming took a deep breath, a piercing light gleaming in his eyes. "An emperor with ultimate combat power! The humiliation of our forebears changing their name will surely be washed away!"

At this point, Kong Deming's tone softened somewhat. "Since he has returned to the Sun Moon Empire at such a time, whether he wishes to avenge those ancestors of his who were purged, or become a stabilizing pillar who suppresses the empire like I have, this old man will allow it! As long as his roots are in the Sun Moon Empire and his heart is with the empire, even if he punches a hole through the skies above Ming Capital, this old man will cover for him!"

"Go, bring him here." Kong Deming waved his sleeve, a rare trace of urgency entering his voice. "This old man wishes to personally meet this child."

"...Yes!"

Jing Hongchen agreed aloud, but inwardly, he wailed, It's over!

Before coming here, he had been carrying out his own careful plan. His original intention had been to use the great tree that was Kong Deming to shield them from the storm and deter the royal family. Then, by relying on Kong Deming's long-standing habit of not accepting disciples, he could naturally take Ye Chenxing under his own wing.

But he had still underestimated the appeal of these unprecedented Dual Ultimate attributes. They had directly ignited the long-dormant desire for talent in this old ancestor, who had been in seclusion for years!

Judging by Kong Deming's attitude, how could he merely want to meet the boy? He clearly wanted to personally take him as a disciple and raise him as his successor! With a seedling so heaven-defying, how could Kong Deming possibly feel at ease entrusting him to Jing Hongchen?

My peerless, wonderful disciple... Jing Hongchen inwardly wanted to cry but had no tears.

Yet faced with his teacher's order, even if he were given ten times the courage, he would not dare say no.

Helplessly, Jing Hongchen could only frantically comfort himself inwardly.

Forget it, forget it. Even if I can't take him as a disciple, there are other ways... This kid has already charmed Meng'er so thoroughly. If the two of them can get together, that would still keep the benefits within the family! Once he becomes the Hongchen Family's grandson-in-law, that outcome doesn't seem bad either, does it?

Thinking of this, Jing Hongchen finally felt a little better. He respectfully bowed. "Yes, Teacher. I will arrange a meeting between you and Young Master Ye at once."

"This matter is of great importance."

Kong Deming put away his earlier emotions, his expression becoming incomparably solemn. "For now, his talent and identity must be known only to a very small number of upper echelons. Before I arrange a reasonable identity and complete protection for him, not the slightest word must leak out."

"Rest assured, Teacher."

Jing Hongchen solemnly promised, "Aside from Jiayi and myself, only Xiao'er and Meng'er were in the confidential testing chamber today. As for the lower-level personnel operating the instruments, they are all trusted members of my Hongchen Family. They will not reveal a single word to the outside world."

Kong Deming nodded faintly. "Go make the arrangements. Bring that child here as soon as possible."