This Was an Emperor in the Saint Realm!

There was a shabby little courtyard in the Seventh Ring of the Imperial Capital.

This was where Xiao Ming cultivated every day, and it was also one of the former residences of the Saint Remnant Soul in his necklace.

Inside was a secret chamber containing treasures the Saint Remnant Soul had collected in the past.

With these treasures and the Saint Remnant Soul's guidance, Xiao Ming had gone from a genius of a fallen aristocratic lineage to one of the foremost young talents in the Imperial Capital.

Early that morning, Xiao Ming was already cultivating diligently. Powerful energy circulated through his meridians, and his strength continued to rise, showing faint signs of a breakthrough to the mid Void-Breaking Realm.

Watching this, the Saint Remnant Soul was filled with emotion.

By his original estimate, Xiao Ming should have needed at least another two months to break through.

Yet these past few days of "humiliation-driven" cultivation had sent Xiao Ming's progress soaring.

As someone who had once stood among the continent's powerhouses, the Saint Remnant Soul had naturally noticed certain details.

Xiao Ming had been born in a frontier city of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty. From childhood, he had been a household name there, a genius who displayed considerable talent for cultivation.

But the good times had not lasted. One day, over a decade ago, enemies had come knocking.

His father had been killed, his mother abducted, and his lineage wiped out.

He had escaped their pursuit alone. It was during that period that Xiao Ming had truly shone as a genius, displaying an astonishing speed of cultivation.

On his journey from the frontier to the Imperial Capital, he had encountered countless dangers, repeatedly turning peril into safety while making qualitative leaps in strength.

From an ordinary genius in a small city, he had grown into a young talent who ranked among the best even in a center of power like the Imperial Capital.

As time passed, however, the Saint Remnant Soul had noticed Xiao Ming's cultivation slowing down.

Thinking back now, the Saint Remnant Soul realized it had probably begun when the boy met his first beautiful companion on the road, though it had not been obvious at the time.

He had met quite a few women along the way, but Xiao Ming had still persisted in reaching the Imperial Capital.

The problem lay in the Imperial Capital, where he had met Chu Ruoyan, a breathtaking beauty who had turned his soul upside down.

Ordinarily, at this hour, Xiao Ming would certainly not have been cultivating in the courtyard. He would have run off to the training grounds of the aristocratic scions to fight over Chu Ruoyan's affection.

He would have been pitting his abilities against those two geniuses, Liu Hao and Wu Qi.

The Saint Remnant Soul felt that, had Xiao Ming not wasted so much time, his cultivation would at least have surpassed Liu Hao's.

Still, Xiao Ming was young and had desires. As his master, the Saint Remnant Soul naturally understood-everyone loved beauty.

As long as he cultivated normally, barring any accidents, he could still attain a very high level. Eventually, he would find a way to resurrect the Saint Remnant Soul, who could then guide him in his attempt to reach the Saint Realm.

As for whether Xiao Ming could reach it before his lifespan ran out, that would depend on his fate.

As his master, that was all he could do.

But now, with Chu Ruoyan gone, the Saint Remnant Soul discovered that his disciple's cultivation was rising at a terrifying speed, even faster than during his previous peak.

If he maintained this pace, reaching the Saint Realm would be just around the corner!

The Saint Remnant Soul dearly wanted to say, "If you'd cultivated like this from the start, wouldn't that girl have been your woman long ago?"

The Saint Remnant Soul also felt somewhat guilty. It was his fault as the master for failing to notice. What could a youngster like Xiao Ming know?

Women would only slow his cultivation down!

The greater his humiliation, the more he could endure solitude, and naturally, the faster he would cultivate.

Thus, the Saint Remnant Soul began to hesitate over taking Chu Ruoyan away seven days later.

If the boy and that girl flew off together like a pair of lovebirds, cultivate, his ass! His head would be full of nothing but making babies.

Then he would not only be drained and physically weak, but unable to concentrate as well. His whole life would be ruined.

I'm still counting on you to resurrect me. That would go up in smoke too.

After turning it over in his mind, the Saint Remnant Soul decided that he not only had to stop Xiao Ming from taking Chu Ruoyan away, but even find a way to get her together with that emperor sooner.

Humiliation like that would spur Xiao Ming to cultivate!

To put it bluntly, the boy was a glutton for punishment. Unless his master did this, he would not cultivate properly.

The Saint Remnant Soul looked at Xiao Ming. It isn't that I won't help you. I'm doing this for your own good!

Having made up his mind, the Saint Remnant Soul began plotting his next move.

Hard at work cultivating, Xiao Ming never imagined that, in a few days, a world would emerge where everyone won and he alone got hurt!

Meanwhile, Li Chen was in an excellent mood. At last, he had a reason to skip morning court.

As the first sunlight spilled down, the capital of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty bathed in a golden radiance.

Today was Cloud Deer Academy's once-a-decade ceremony, and the entire capital was immersed in a festive atmosphere.

Many scholars who had traveled from afar even regarded today as a day of pilgrimage!

Amid the celebrations, nothing drew more attention than the imperial carriage slowly making its way toward the academy.

Above the carriage, a banner nine ren high fluttered in the wind. Twelve hanging streamers swayed lightly like tassels, while the sun, moon, and ascending dragon depicted on its surface looked so lifelike that they seemed ready to ride the clouds and mist straight into the heavens.

Drawing the carriage were six rare, extraordinary beasts. These offspring of qilin and dragons possessed exceptional strength and intelligence. Every step made the ground tremble faintly, proclaiming the majesty and nobility of the imperial house.

Imperial guards surrounded the carriage, clad in iron armor and carrying long spears. Their gazes were resolute, and they were sworn to defend Li Chen aboard it to the death.

Of course, this was also the escort duty that gave the imperial guards the least cause for concern. After all, Li Chen was in the Saint Realm. Who would be foolish enough to attack him?

Even so, the imperial guards remained doubly vigilant. His Majesty's dignity could not be challenged!

Wherever Li Chen's carriage passed, the people all knelt. Awe and devotion filled their faces, as though they were welcoming a heavenly god descended into the mortal world.

At last, the carriage slowly came to a halt outside Cloud Deer Academy's gates.

At that moment, a tall, straight-backed old man with a white beard and sixteen abdominal muscles slowly stepped forward.

He was none other than Master Yu, the Sage Master of countless scholars throughout the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty.

With his Saint Realm cultivation and mastery of both scholarly and martial arts, he could look down proudly upon heaven and earth in this world where strength reigned supreme.

Yet today, he had personally come to the academy gates to welcome the visitor, a gesture that shocked everyone present.

When great scholars from other nations visited, Master Yu merely brewed tea upstairs in the Star-Gazing Tower and waited.

Even when the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's late emperor had visited, Master Yu had only greeted him at the entrance to the Star-Gazing Tower.

No one had ever prompted him to come all the way to the academy gates in person.

As the crowd buzzed with discussion, the carriage curtains slowly parted, and a young man in dragon robes stepped out.

His bearing transcended the mundane, as though he shared the lifespan of heaven and earth and the radiance of the sun and moon!

A faint veil of immortal light mists seemed to shroud him. To call him a divine sovereign descended from the highest heavens would not have been an exaggeration.

Li Chen could not even be bothered to put on an act. He simply unleashed his Saint Realm pressure.

In an instant, the void itself trembled, as though waves ten thousand zhang high had surged through it.

That turbulent aura, thundering forth from ages immemorial, pierced the heavens!

Everyone present gazed up at the new emperor, their eyes filled with shock and awe!

Was this the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's new emperor?

Truly, he possessed extraordinary divine might, and his strength was beyond the fathoming of gods and ghosts!

No wonder even Master Yu had come to welcome him in person.

The strong did indeed have the right not to kneel before an emperor.

But this was an emperor in the Saint Realm!

Were you stronger than him? Did you dare refuse to kneel?

Now, whether they were great scholars from other nations, powerhouses of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty, or distinguished figures of considerable standing, all knelt on the ground.

The pressure instantly fell upon Master Yu.

For he was the only person present who had yet to kneel before Li Chen.

Everyone wanted to know: before this Saint Realm emperor who had already unleashed his aura, would he kneel or not?