Apprenticing Under Kong Deming? Xu Tianran: We Hit It Off at First Sight-Why Not Become Sworn Brothers?

After arriving at Jing Hongchen's office, Jing Hongchen looked at Meng Hongchen and spoke gently.

"Xiao Meng, go out first."

"Alright."

Meng Hongchen nodded, leaving only Jing Hongchen and Lin Yuan behind.

"Xiao Yuan, entering the imperial palace today may bring some trouble. I'll do my best to smooth things over for you."

As Jing Hongchen made this promise, Lin Yuan nodded as well.

Afterward, Lin Yuan followed Jing Hongchen outside, where a luxurious carriage had long been prepared.

Once they boarded the carriage, it gradually made its way toward the imperial palace, passing through several inspections along the way.

They officially entered the palace. Unlike those of the other great empires, the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace appeared far more modern.

Rather than flaunting extravagant splendor over vast areas, it incorporated the aesthetics of soul tool technology into its design.

As they entered the palace, Lin Yuan could not help recalling a Sun Moon Empire tradition.

The Xuanwu Gate bloodbath...

He Caitou's parents had been the losers. Even now, Xu Tianran was still carrying on this tradition with his own brothers.

While he silently lamented this, the two had barely spent any time in the palace before an imposing procession of guards and eunuchs gradually arrived.

A middle-aged man wearing a dragon crown slowly approached.

In Lin Yuan's memories, this was the old emperor, Xu Tianxing, who had barely appeared a few times even in the original work.

As soon as the man appeared, Lin Yuan and Jing Hongchen both bent ninety degrees at the waist and respectfully said,

"Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long, long live Your Majesty."

Seeing this, Xu Tianxing smiled warmly. With a wave of his hand, he said softly,

"Rise. This time, you two are the empire's heroes."

"We dare not accept such praise."

Lin Yuan responded modestly.

Xu Tianxing looked toward Jing Hongchen, his brow seeming to furrow as he spoke in apparent reproach.

"Beloved Minister Jing, it seems you and I both kept something hidden. Even I never learned this young hero's true strength."

Hearing this, Jing Hongchen gave an embarrassed chuckle and hurriedly explained,

"Your Majesty, I had originally intended to keep Little Lin as a trump card as well, but I never expected such an accident..."

As he spoke, Jing Hongchen embellished that so-called miracle as much as possible.

After hearing him out, Xu Tianxing's somewhat haggard face flushed with excitement once more.

"Hahaha, Heaven truly blesses the Sun Moon Empire!"

"It seems our predecessors' aspirations may yet be realized."

After briefly indulging in his emotions, Xu Tianxing seemed to recall something else.

"Little Lin, let me introduce you to someone. He should be arriving shortly."

Not long after Xu Tianxing finished speaking,

an elderly man slowly approached, his silver-white hair coiled atop his head and a long silver-moon robe with white patterns draped over his body.

Deep wrinkles covered his face, making him appear to be in his twilight years. Yet his eyes were as clear and bright as cold moons.

He carried an air of pride and authority. As he approached,

even Xu Tianxing gave a slight nod. Yet this old man merely nodded in return to the reigning emperor.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Minister Kong, you really ought to fix that overly polite habit of yours."

Xu Tianxing teased him as he spoke.

At this moment, Lin Yuan was certain that the man was the Sun Moon Empire's ultimate trump card, the future Level-Ten Soul Mentor—

Kong Deming.

"This is Lin Yuan, the first young member of our Sun Moon Empire to possess Twin Martial Souls. And this is Elder Kong, the First Consecrator of the Sun Moon Empire Consecration Hall."

After Xu Tianxing spoke,

Lin Yuan bowed slightly. "Greetings, Elder Kong."

Kong Deming looked at Lin Yuan. A trace of complexity flickered across his expression before he sighed softly and said in a gentle voice,

"Since you are a genius of the Sun Moon Empire, there is naturally no need for such formalities."

"His Majesty has already told me about your circumstances."

"Therefore, I have appeared today because I wish to accept you as my disciple. Are you willing?"

Kong Deming did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

Lin Yuan was briefly stunned, but quickly came to his senses. Indeed, Kong Deming was currently the Sun Moon Empire's only other possessor of Twin Martial Souls.

Whether in terms of understanding Twin Martial Souls or soul tools, he was the only person qualified to be Lin Yuan's teacher.

Faced with such an invitation, Lin Yuan naturally would not refuse.

He immediately offered another respectful salute and said,

"Greetings, Master."

"Rise. From now on, there is no need for such grand formalities between master and disciple."

As Kong Deming spoke, he gently lifted Lin Yuan with his soul power.

Before they could continue their conversation, another group of guards appeared.

A figure then slowly emerged.

A beautiful young woman pushed an ornate wheelchair into the hall. Seated in that wheelchair was the Sun Moon Empire's crown prince, Xu Tianran.

He was only a little over twenty, with an exceptionally handsome face and sharp, distinct features. His golden crown prince's dragon robe was embroidered with sun-and-moon patterns, its luxurious fabric accentuating the innate imperial majesty he carried.

However, his lower body was completely confined within the wheelchair. His legs were covered by an exquisite brocade blanket, and he was crippled from the waist down, unable to stand or walk.

"Greetings, Father Emperor. Greetings, Elder Kong."

As Xu Tianran respectfully offered his greetings, he instinctively tried to rise, only to helplessly clasp his hands in salute instead.

That unconscious gesture made him seem even more pitiable as he sat in the wheelchair.

When Lin Yuan saw him, his gaze darkened slightly.

Well, it seemed what was meant to come could not be avoided after all.

Xu Tianran was a formidable tyrant of his generation, and his methods were indeed ruthless. To ascend the throne and unify the continent, he had even been willing to cooperate with evil soul masters.

"Your Highness need not stand on ceremony."

Elder Kong waved his hand with a faint smile on his face, though the smile did not reach his eyes.

On further thought, this was hardly surprising. Kong Deming carried royal blood himself.

Yet Xu Tianran had turned his hand against his own royal kin, with a ruthlessness no less severe than the struggle for the throne at Xuanwu Gate.

Naturally, that made it difficult for him to earn Kong Deming's favor.

"Elder Kong, greetings. I heard just now that you intended to take on a disciple, so I came to offer my congratulations."

"This must be the empire's hero, Lin Yuan? I truly regret not meeting you sooner."

"You helped our Sun Moon Empire seize the first championship of the All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament. Could it be that you have now become Elder Kong's disciple?"

Xu Tianran was still pretending not to understand despite knowing perfectly well.

At this moment, Lin Yuan could only nod in response.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Oh, then I must congratulate Brother Lin Yuan once again. The more I look at you, the more I feel we are destined to meet. Why not become sworn brothers?"

As Xu Tianran smiled and teased him, Lin Yuan silently added,

Becoming your brother would mean being doomed beyond redemption, wouldn't it?

Lin Yuan also realized how clumsy this performance was. Xu Tianxing had not even exposed it, which could only mean

that aside from the emperor's guilt toward him, Xu Tianran's current power and influence were really only waiting for Xu Tianxing to fall.

Thinking about it now, Xu Tianran's arrangement for him to apprentice under Kong Deming was not only meant to deepen Lin Yuan's ties with the Sun Moon Empire. It also gave Lin Yuan a layer of protection, allowing him to avoid hastily declaring his allegiance before Xu Tianran.