Do You Want to Be Emperor?

"Good, good, good—truly dual ultimates!"

Having confirmed this once-in-ten-thousand-years talent, Kong Deming slowly withdrew his hand and gradually reined in his outward emotions. Yet even so, a trace of barely concealed excitement remained deep in his world-weary eyes.

He returned to the ancient wooden chair and sat down. After a brief silence, he looked at Ye Chenxing and spoke calmly.

"Child, do you know about your origins?"

Ye Chenxing casually recalled his Martial Soul into his body and shook his head.

"Only bits and pieces. Grandpa did not tell me everything before he passed away. He only instructed me that my Martial Soul came from the Sun Moon Imperial House and told me to come to the Sun Moon Empire. He also said that I did not need to hide my talents and should be as high-profile as possible, letting my gifts show."

Kong Deming's white brows twitched slightly as he fell into thought.

"Be as high-profile as possible, display your talent..."

He turned those words over in his mind several times and gradually grasped their deeper meaning.

With such peerless dual-ultimate talent, hiding it away in some small place would instead make it easy for people with ulterior motives to erase him in secret. But once he came to the Sun Moon Empire and displayed his talent openly, letting everyone know that such a genius existed, those who wished to act against him would have to think twice.

The person who had raised this child, someone suspected to have been a consecrated member of the previous dynasty, had truly considered everything thoroughly.

That person knew the Sun Moon Empire would never ruthlessly kill a child with such talent. On the contrary, the more people who knew of Ye Chenxing's talent, the more valuable he would become, and the safer his position would be. At the same time, the old man had not planted seeds of hatred in the child's heart. Instead, he had handed the decision regarding his origins, intact, to the empire—to people like Kong Deming.

It was simply that, no matter how carefully that old man had calculated, he likely had not accounted for one thing—the current emperor, in order to consolidate his throne and deal with the powerful soul masters of the former three nations, had long since invited wolves into his house and colluded with evil soul masters. This meant that Chenxing's ultimate light, while being the nemesis of evil soul masters, might also become a fatal calamity.

Kong Deming fell silent for a while before suddenly looking at Ye Chenxing again, his gaze growing somewhat complicated. Since this child had come to the Sun Moon Empire, there were some truths he would learn sooner or later. Rather than let him hear them from others in the future and develop resentment, it was better for Kong Deming to make them clear himself.

"Chenxing."

"You have lived in seclusion within the Heaven Soul Empire under your grandfather's protection all these years. I can think of only one reason... Your parents most likely died during the transfer of imperial power back then. They were killed by the forces of the current emperor. That palace coup implicated far too many people."

"Hiss—!"

Jing Hongchen, standing nearby, sucked in a sharp breath. The flesh all over his body trembled three times. He stared wide-eyed at Kong Deming, nearly thinking he had misheard.

Teacher! Can you really say that outright?!

His heart skipped a beat as countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Wasn't this far too cruel for a teenager? What if the child was overwhelmed by hatred on the spot and started crying and shouting that he wanted revenge? Then things would truly become impossible to resolve!

Yet Ye Chenxing's reaction greatly surprised him.

There was none of the anger, grief, or anything else he had expected. Ye Chenxing merely fell silent for a moment, as if digesting the news, then raised his head and calmly met Kong Deming's gaze.

"Elder Kong," he said in a low but exceptionally clear voice, "I grew up in the Heaven Soul Empire, relying on Grandpa and my sister for each other's support. To me, they were my true family."

He paused, a perfectly measured seriousness appearing in his eyes. "Grandpa's only wish before he died was for me to return to the Sun Moon Empire, use my talent here, and become someone remarkable. Compared with parents I never met and have no memories of... I would rather fulfill his final wish."

These words were not particularly impassioned, but they carried a clarity and composure exceedingly rare in someone his age. He neither deliberately avoided the fact of the "murder of his parents" nor let hatred sweep him away and cost him his reason. He simply stated his position plainly.

Jing Hongchen stood there in a daze for quite a while before letting out a long sigh of relief inwardly.

Ah, this child has truly suffered... he thought to himself, his gaze toward Ye Chenxing gaining a touch more sympathy. He possessed such peerless talent, yet had wandered since childhood in a backwater like the Heaven Soul Empire, never even seeing his birth parents. Now that he had finally returned to his roots, he learned that his parents had already died in a palace coup... Any ordinary child would likely have broken down long ago.

Just as his mind was wildly filling in the blanks and he was overcome with emotion, Kong Deming's next words immediately sent the heart he had just put down back into his throat.

"Chenxing, I have one more question for you."

Kong Deming slowly straightened in his chair. It seemed as though two dim flames burned in his profound eyes. He asked, word by word,

"Do you want to become emperor?"

Dead silence.

The air in the entire room seemed to freeze in that instant. Jing Hongchen felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

Teacher, do you know what you are saying?!

Should I not be standing here?!

The corners of his mouth twitched repeatedly. He wanted to say something to smooth things over, but his tongue seemed tied in knots, and he could not force out a single word. Because he belatedly realized a fact that sent chills down his spine.

His teacher was the master of the Sun Moon Empire's Hall of Consecration, effectively the empire's number one figure. Ye Chenxing, meanwhile, was a legitimate member of the imperial bloodline who possessed the Dual-Ultimate Solar Martial Soul. If these two truly wanted to do something, it seemed they really could turn Ming Capital upside down with perfect justification.

Jing Hongchen did not dare think any further.

He looked nervously at Ye Chenxing, his breathing unconsciously quickening as he filled with unease and curiosity over what answer the boy would give.

Ye Chenxing, under his gaze, was initially stunned upon hearing the question. He had not expected Kong Deming to ask something so direct.

But he quickly smiled.

Having read the original work thoroughly, he knew that the old man before him, who controlled the lifeline of the Sun Moon Empire, was fundamentally unconcerned with who inherited imperial power. There were only two things he truly cared about: the Sun Moon Empire's stability and the legacy of soul tool technology.

This was merely a simple test.

Or rather...? Was he truly considering that possibility...?

"Elder Kong." Ye Chenxing raised his head, the smile on his lips remaining calm. "I have no interest whatsoever in that dragon throne. In my view, the throne of the Sun Moon Empire... is nothing more than a burden, one where you must constantly guard against hidden arrows while being entangled every day in state affairs and those useless struggles for power."

A burden.

The supreme position of the Sun Moon Empire had actually become a "burden" in his mouth.

Jing Hongchen gaped, and even the flesh on his face stiffened. In all his years, this was the first time he had heard anyone use that word to describe the imperial throne. If the man in the palace and those princes fighting until their heads bled for the throne heard this, they would probably be furious enough to vomit blood.

But Kong Deming's reaction was entirely different. He was first slightly stunned, then an extremely obvious flash of surprise passed through his eyes. Immediately afterward, a smile unexpectedly appeared on his usually impassive face.

This child is very much like me!

"Then what do you want?" Kong Deming pressed, an almost imperceptible expectation entering his tone.

Ye Chenxing's smile faded. A deep radiance lit up in his clear ruby-like eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet every word struck the ground with force.

"I have only one wish—to cultivate to the pinnacle of this world. Like that generation of Shrek Seven Monsters ten thousand years ago, I want to become a god."

Great sound was silent.

The entire room fell into silence. Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen were both rooted to the spot by those words. A teenager could disdain supreme imperial power, yet possess such conviction toward godhood—something illusory that existed only in legends from ten thousand years ago.

After a brief silence, uncontrollable ecstasy finally burst from Kong Deming's eyes.

"Good! Good! Good!"

With such temperament, such talent, and such vision—this was the kind of person who could support the future of the Sun Moon Empire!

Kong Deming took a deep breath and stared intensely at Ye Chenxing as he asked, word by word,

"Ye Chenxing, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Ye Chenxing's eyes immediately lit up. He had originally thought that he would not gain the favor of this strongest soul tool master before displaying his talent for soul tools. It seemed he had still underestimated the appeal of ultimates—or rather, dual ultimates—to the Sun Moon Empire.

Without the slightest pretension or hesitation, he immediately stepped back half a pace, clasped his hands together, and gave Kong Deming a deep, solemn, respectful bow.

"This disciple, Ye Chenxing, greets Teacher!"

Watching this scene from the side, Jing Hongchen felt rather sour inside. He secretly lamented that he had ultimately missed out on a peerless prospect.

But the die had been cast. He hurriedly put on a smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Congratulations, Teacher, on gaining such an excellent disciple! Congratulations, junior brother!"

Kong Deming accepted Ye Chenxing's bow and nodded in satisfaction. He then turned to Jing Hongchen, his tone becoming imposing once more.

"Hongchen, make the arrangements immediately. Inform those people of the imperial clan at once that Chenxing is my disciple."

Kong Deming paused, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. "However, the matter of his dual-ultimate Martial Soul must be kept secret. Absolutely do not allow it to spread! It is enough for only a very small number of the Sun Moon Empire's highest-ranking figures to know Chenxing's true talent."

No matter what, Kong Deming did not want his newly accepted disciple to become entangled in the Sun Moon Empire's internal struggles. It would not benefit his growth in the slightest.

"Yes, Teacher." Jing Hongchen respectfully accepted the order.

"I have already had someone reserve a residence for you near the Hall of Consecration."

Kong Deming looked at Ye Chenxing, his tone gentle. "From this day onward, I will personally be responsible for your safety. In Ming Capital, no one will be able to touch even a single hair on your head."