Great Emperor, What a Good Man!

Today was an important day for the Xiao Family. Their coming-of-age ceremony was about to begin, and the family's young men and women would face their fates. For certain people, it was also a day to get slapped in the face. To sum it up:

Today was a good day!

Inside the ring, Meng Chuan and Yao Chen watched the scene outside while streaming it live.

Looking at the young man and woman standing shoulder to shoulder, Meng Chuan clicked his tongue and said to Yao Chen, "Sure enough, if you want to arrange a marriage, you have to start when they're little."

"Hahahaha." Yao Chen laughed in agreement. "The kid was a bit of a pervert back then, but in the end, all I can say is: worth it!"

How could it not be? He had swept the little princess of one of the continent's mightiest powers off her feet. That was a colossal win.

At the same time, watching Xiao Yan draw all those mocking remarks outside, Meng Chuan hardly knew where to begin.

Every world really has people like this...

The Dou Zhi Qi test began outside. Beside the black stone stele, the cold-faced examiner stepped forward, took a roster from his robes, and called people up one by one to be tested.

"Honestly, isn't that the examiner from last year? I think he has a bright future," Meng Chuan said in an odd tone. "Second only to the blind-as-a-bat god of awakenings over on the Douluo Continent!"

"Don't you think so, Bibi Dong?"

The Chat Group members were speechless. They knew exactly whom Meng Chuan meant.

The tests outside went quickly. When Xun'er's turn came, the atmosphere reached a brief crescendo. After all, a one-star Dou Zhe was an extraordinary genius by the Xiao Family's standards, though Xun'er had most likely concealed her true strength.

But Xiao Yan had already been a Dou Zhe four years ago. Come to think of it, he really had been a little prodigy.

"Xiao Yan probably crossed over while wearing a Little Genius smartwatch in his past life," Meng Chuan suddenly said, leaving everyone baffled.

What did a watch have to do with Xiao Yan?

Seeing no response from the group, Meng Chuan sighed at how lofty music found so few listeners. He rather missed those other two bad apples in the group...

"Xiao Yan!"

The call came from outside. It was Xiao Yan's turn, and he strode up.

Under the gaze of everyone in the square, Xiao Yan's chest rose and fell slowly. He extended his palm and rested it lightly against the cold black stone stele.

"Dou Zhi Qi, third stage!"

"The five great characters shone on the black stone stele, so bright they almost hurt to look at, piercing deep into the young man's heart. His nails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists. How could he accept this? He..."

Zhang Sanfeng: Here we go again...

Daigu Madoka: You know, after not hearing it for so long, it actually sounds pretty good.

Fei Peng: Great Emperor... a man of passion.

Yao Chen stared at him without expression. Meng Chuan gave an awkward laugh and lowered his hand from his neck. Fine, he wouldn't say it!

In reality, Xiao Yan had already regained his Dou Zhe cultivation, even faster than in the original story, because his Golden Finger had grown stronger.

Damn it, you really can't get anywhere these days without a Golden Finger.

Meng Chuan grumbled to himself.

Setting aside the uproar outside, after Xiao Yan's bout of showing off and slapping faces, everyone sucked in a breath of cold air and marveled that his talent was as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns, terrifying beyond belief, and so on.

Late that night, in Xiao Yan's room.

"Teacher, what are we doing in the middle of the night?"

"Heh-heh. Today, I'm giving you the thing you've dreamed of."

"Hm? Could it be?" The young man's voice trembled with excitement. A year. A whole year. Did they know what he'd gone through this past year, waiting for this day?

Every day, he'd endured the thrill of his strength rising at breakneck speed. (Heh.)

Yao Chen felt gratified as he watched his disciple. His own help over the past year had certainly played a part in Xiao Yan reaching Dou Zhe, but the young man himself had worked tremendously hard.

Yao Chen took out the Burning Art and handed it to Xiao Yan.

"You can start cultivating the Burning Art today." Then Yao Chen raised his voice. "And today, you can evolve the Burning Art for the first time!"

"Teacher, you found another Heavenly Flame?" Xiao Yan grew excited. Over the past year, Yao Chen had told him a few things.

"I've been by your side the whole time. Where would I have found one?" Yao Chen shook his head, then added, "But a friend of mine found a Heavenly Flame!"

Xiao Yan: "..."

Teacher, just how many friends do you have?

From Xiao Yan's strange look, Yao Chen knew the kid was having those thoughts again.

"This friend is different from the first two. When he brought the Heavenly Flame, I told him about you, and he decided to meet you!"

"Then, Teacher, is he like me?" Xiao Yan asked hopefully. He was certain one of his teacher's friends had to be a transmigrator too.

"How would I know?" Yao Chen gave him no answer and told him to prepare to cultivate the Burning Art.

Bang!

A furnace landed in front of Xiao Yan. Inside it was the indistinct figure of a person.

Xiao Yan jumped. At the sight of the furnace, he instinctively stepped back, but when he saw how calm Yao Chen looked, he ventured, "Teacher, is this your friend?"

"Yes, the person inside is. Don't judge him by how he looks now. Both his strength and his Alchemy far surpass mine."

Xiao Yan found it rather strange. His teacher was a soul, and his teacher's friend was sealed inside a furnace...

"Greetings, senior!" Xiao Yan bowed to Meng Chuan. Strange or not, a friend of his teacher was his elder.

"Mm. You're quite good." Meng Chuan's mild reply radiated the bearing of a master.

"Kid, you can cultivate the Burning Art now. Here's the Heavenly Flame, the Mysterious Yellow Flame!" Yao Chen produced a yellow-brown flame, handed it to Xiao Yan, and urged him on.

Xiao Yan accepted the Heavenly Flame. Sensing that his teacher was in a hurry, he said nothing more and suppressed his questions and delight. He bowed to Meng Chuan again in thanks for the flame, then sat down and began cultivating the Burning Art to absorb it.

Meng Chuan watched Xiao Yan. He sensed the Heavenly Flame enter Xiao Yan's body and be absorbed by the Burning Art. Then the Burning Art began to evolve—an eerie evolution that defied ordinary understanding.

Divine light blazed in Meng Chuan's eyes as he watched the Burning Art change. Combined with his own insights into Heavenly Flames, the sight swept away his doubts. Even his primordial spirit surged with delight. He understood!

"So this is the Dao..." Meng Chuan sighed softly. The Burning Art might have been small, but the revelation it had given him was boundless!

"Great Emperor, did you succeed?" Yao Chen looked at Meng Chuan, excited and happy for him.

"I did. My supreme art, my... Dao!" Meng Chuan said with a joyful laugh.

"Old Yao, my time is almost up. One last gift for you!" With that, Meng Chuan reached out with a hand formed of the Great Dao. It plunged straight into the River of Time and drew out a drop of bright red essence blood.

"I found this Blood Marrow from a Dou Di-level Magical Beast in the history of the Dou Qi Continent. Even in the Great Thousand World, this beast's bloodline would rank among the very best!"

"And then there's..."

A pill overflowing with Emperor Qi and a set of Bone Remains joined the drop of Blood Marrow. Divine light enveloped them, and when it faded, a complete, flawless body brimming with powerful vitality appeared.

"Old Yao, I'm off! Take care!"

Meng Chuan's voice still echoed after he had vanished. The backlash from forcibly taking Blood Marrow out of the River of Time swept across the Dou Qi Continent and even the entire Great Thousand World, but with Meng Chuan nowhere to be found, it dissipated like smoke.

Meddling with the River of Time carried such immense karmic consequences that even a weak world could have made Meng Chuan suffer, let alone this one. Naturally, he had to make a quick escape. The backlash couldn't follow him to Shrouding the Heavens anyway.

"Great Emperor..." Yao Chen sighed as he gazed at the body before him. The pill was an Emperor Pill-grade Bone-Regenerating Blood-Melting Pill. The drop of blood and the Bone Remains both came from Dou Di-level beings. This was no small gift.

"Teacher, where's that senior?" Xiao Yan woke and, seeing only the two of them, asked curiously.

"He returned to his own world. Like you, he's a transmigrator, though he didn't cross over to the Dou Qi Continent. He's the one who told me certain things." Meng Chuan had asked Yao Chen to explain it this way so Xiao Yan wouldn't become wary of how his teacher had somehow learned he was a transmigrator.

Thinking of everything Meng Chuan had done for him and for the Chat Group, Yao Chen felt warmth fill his heart. Once more, he sighed:

"The Great Emperor truly is a good man!"

Thanks to Baobao Xiong Ni Gei Wo Gui Na, Xingzhe Zuomeng, and Tiangong Shei Shi Wo for the tips, and thanks to all you fine-looking folks for your recommendation votes! Please vote and bookmark!