LRAB Chapter 19 Do you want to be the emperor?
Chapter 19 Do you want to be the emperor?
"Great, great, great! It truly is the ultimate in both!"
Having confirmed this once-in-a-millennium talent, Kong Deming slowly withdrew his hand, gradually suppressing his outward emotions. Even so, a trace of barely concealed excitement still lingered deep within his eyes, which had witnessed countless vicissitudes of life.
He sat back down in the rustic wooden chair, remained silent for a moment, then looked at Ye Chenxing and spoke softly:
"Child, do you know about your origins?"
Ye Chenxing casually retracted his martial spirit into his body and shook his head.
"I only have a vague understanding. My grandfather didn't tell me everything before he passed away. He only told me that my martial soul was the Sun and Moon Royal Family and that I should come to the Sun and Moon Empire. He also told me not to hide my talents, but to be as flamboyant as possible and show off my abilities."
Kong Deming's eyebrows twitched slightly, as if he were deep in thought.
"Be as flamboyant as possible, showcase your talent..."
He pondered the sentence twice in his mind, gradually appreciating its profound meaning.
Possessing such extraordinary dual talents, hiding them in a small place would only make one vulnerable to being secretly eliminated by those with ulterior motives. However, once one comes to the Sun Moon Empire and reveals one's talents in the open, letting everyone know that such a genius exists, it will make those who want to take action hesitate.
The person who raised this child, who was suspected to be a former courtier, had considered everything very carefully.
He knew that the Sun Moon Empire would never kill a child with such talent—on the contrary, the more people knew about Ye Chenxing's talent, the more important he would become, and the safer his situation would be. At the same time, the old man did not plant the seeds of hatred in the child's heart, but instead handed over the right to determine his origins to the Empire, leaving it to someone like Kong Deming to decide.
However, the old man, despite his meticulous planning, probably didn't foresee one thing—the current emperor, in order to consolidate his power and deal with the powerful soul masters originally from the Three Kingdoms, had already secretly brought in wolves and colluded with evil soul masters. This meant that the ultimate light of the Morning Star, while becoming the nemesis of evil soul masters, could also become a deadly calamity.
Kong Deming remained silent for a moment, then suddenly looked at Ye Chenxing again, his gaze becoming somewhat complicated. Now that this child had come to the Sun Moon Empire, there were some truths he would have to know sooner or later. Rather than letting him hear them from others later and sow seeds of resentment in his heart, it was better for him to reveal them to him personally now.
"Morning Star."
"The only reason I can think of for you to have lived in seclusion in the Heavenly Soul Empire for so many years under your grandfather's protection is that your parents most likely died during the power transition back then, killed by the current emperor's forces. That palace coup affected too many people."
"hiss--!"
Standing to the side, Jing Hongchen gasped, his entire body trembling with shock. He stared wide-eyed at Kong Deming, almost thinking he had misheard.
Teacher! Is this something I can just say directly?!
His heart skipped a beat, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Wasn't this too cruel for a teenager? What if the boy was blinded by hatred on the spot and started crying and shouting for revenge? Then things would be completely out of control!
However, Ye Chenxing's reaction surprised him greatly.
There was no anger, sadness, or anything else that I had expected. He was silent for a moment, as if processing the news, before raising his head and calmly meeting Kong Deming's gaze.
"Elder Kong," his voice was not loud, but exceptionally clear, "I grew up in the Heavenly Soul Empire, relying on my grandfather and sister for support. To me, they are my true family."
He paused, a perfectly measured seriousness flashing in his eyes: "Grandpa's only wish before he passed away was for me to return to the Sun Moon Empire, to use my talents here, and to become an extraordinary person. Compared to my parents, whom I've never met and have no memory of... I want to fulfill his last wish even more."
These words weren't exactly passionate and impassioned, but they contained a clarity and understanding rarely seen in a boy of that age. He neither deliberately avoided the fact of "the murder of his father," nor was he swept away by hatred and lost his rationality; he simply expressed his stance clearly.
Jing Hongchen was stunned for a long time before letting out a long sigh of relief.
'Sigh, this child has truly suffered...' he thought to himself, his gaze towards Ye Chenxing filled with pity. 'Possessing such unparalleled talent, yet he grew up in the impoverished backwaters of the Heavenly Soul Empire, never even seeing his own parents. Now, having finally been recognized and returned to his ancestral home, he learns that his parents died in a palace coup... An ordinary child would probably have collapsed long ago.'
Just as he was frantically imagining and overwhelmed with emotion, Kong Deming's next words made his heart jump back into his throat.
"Morning Star, I have one more question for you."
Kong Deming slowly sat up straight in his chair, two dark flames seemingly burning in his deep eyes. He asked, word by word:
"Do you want to become emperor?"
Dead silence.
The air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment. Jing Hongchen felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and her back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.
Teacher, do you know what you're saying?!
Should I not be standing here?!
His lips twitched repeatedly, trying to smooth things over, but he found his tongue was tied in knots, unable to utter a single word. He belatedly realized a chilling truth.
The teacher is the head of the Sun Moon Empire's Hall of Worship, practically the empire's number one figure. Ye Chenxing, on the other hand, possesses the legitimate royal bloodline with two extreme solar martial souls. If these two were to actually do something, it seems entirely plausible that they could turn Mingdu upside down.
......
Jing Hongchen dared not think about it any further.
He looked at Ye Chenxing nervously, his breathing quickening unconsciously. He was filled with trepidation and curiosity about what answer the young man would give.
Ye Chenxing, who was being watched, was taken aback when he heard the question. He hadn't expected Kong Deming to ask such a direct question.
But soon, he smiled.
Having thoroughly read the original work, he knew that the old man before him, who controlled the lifeline of the Sun Moon Empire, was completely indifferent to the question of who would inherit the imperial power. What he truly cared about were only two things: the stability of the Sun Moon Empire and the continuation of soul-guided technology.
This was just a very simple test.
Or rather...? Is he really considering this possibility...?
"Elder Kong." Ye Chenxing raised his head, his smile still composed. "I have no interest in that dragon throne. In my view, the throne of the Sun Moon Empire... is nothing more than a burden that one must constantly guard against backstabbing and be entangled in political affairs and useless power struggles every day."
burden.
The supreme position of the mighty Sun Moon Empire was, in his words, nothing more than a "burden."
Jing Hongchen's mouth gaped open, his chubby face freezing in shock. In all his years, this was the first time he'd ever heard anyone use that word to describe the throne. If the princes in the palace, those who had fought tooth and nail for the throne, knew this, they'd probably be furious enough to vomit blood.
But Kong Deming's reaction was completely different. He was slightly taken aback at first, then a very obvious look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then a smile actually appeared on his usually calm face for the first time.
This child looks just like me!
"Then what do you want?" Kong Deming pressed, a hint of barely perceptible expectation in his voice.
Ye Chenxing's smile faded, and a deep light shone in his clear, ruby-like eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but every word was firm and resolute:
"I have only one wish—to cultivate to the pinnacle of this world. I want to become a god, just like the Shrek Seven Devils of ten thousand years ago."
Da Yin Xisheng.
The room fell silent. Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen were both stunned by these words. A teenager, who could disdain the supreme imperial power, yet held such a belief in the ethereal and elusive path to godhood, a concept that existed only in legends from ten thousand years ago.
After a brief silence, an uncontrollable surge of ecstasy finally erupted in Kong Deming's eyes.
"Good! Good! Good!"
With such character, such talent, and such vision—this is the kind of person who can support the future of the Sun Moon Empire!
Kong Deming took a deep breath, stared intently at Ye Chenxing, and asked, word by word:
"Ye Chenxing, would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Ye Chenxing's eyes lit up. He had thought that he would not gain the favor of the strongest soul master before he showed his soul master talent. It seems that he had underestimated the attraction of the ultimate, or rather, the dual ultimate to the Sun Moon Empire.
Without the slightest affectation or hesitation, he immediately took half a step back, clasped his hands together, and solemnly and respectfully bowed deeply to Kong Deming.
"Disciple Ye Chenxing greets Master!"
Standing to the side, Jing Hongchen watched this scene with a sour feeling in her heart, secretly lamenting that she had ultimately missed out on a peerless talent.
But the die was cast, so he quickly put on a smiling face, cupped his hands, and said, "Congratulations, Master, on gaining such a fine disciple! Congratulations, Junior Brother!"
Kong Deming accepted Ye Chenxing's bow, nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at Jing Hongchen, his tone regaining its authority:
"Hongchen, make the arrangements immediately. Quickly inform the royal family that Chenxing is my disciple."
Kong Deming paused, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "However, the matter of dual ultimate martial souls must be kept secret, absolutely not allowed to spread! Morning Star's true talent should only be known to a very small number of the highest-ranking members of our Sun Moon Empire."
In any case, Kong Deming did not want his newly accepted disciple to get involved in the internal struggles of the Sun Moon Empire, as it would not be of any benefit to his growth.
"Yes, teacher." Jing Hongchen respectfully accepted the order.
"I have already arranged for someone to reserve a place for you near the ancestral hall."
Kong Deming looked at Ye Chenxing and said gently, "From now on, I will personally take care of your safety. In this Mingdu, no one can touch a hair on your head."