Chapter 37: This One Is the Emperor of the Saint Realm!

In the seventh ring of the imperial capital, there was a dilapidated little courtyard.

This was where Xiao Ming practiced daily, and also one of the former residences of the Saint’s lingering soul within his necklace.

Inside was a secret chamber, hiding the treasures the Saint’s lingering soul had once collected.

With these items and the guidance of the Saint’s lingering soul, Xiao Ming transformed from a fallen aristocrat’s prodigy into one of the top talents in the imperial capital.

Early in the morning, Xiao Ming trained rigorously; potent energy flowed through his meridians, his strength continuously rising, with a faint trend toward breaking through to the Mid-Stage of Void Shattering.

Seeing this, the Saint’s lingering soul felt deeply moved.

According to his original estimate, Xiao Ming needed at least two more months to break through.

But these past few days of “humiliating” training had accelerated Xiao Ming’s cultivation speed dramatically.

As a former powerhouse of the continent, the Saint’s lingering soul had noticed certain details.

Xiao Ming was born in a frontier city of the TianCe Dynasty; since childhood, he was a well-known prodigy in his hometown, displaying remarkable cultivation talent.

But good fortune didn’t last. One day over a decade ago, his enemies came knocking.

His father was killed, his mother abducted, his family annihilated.

He escaped alone from their pursuit; during this period, Xiao Ming truly proved himself a genius, showing astonishing cultivation speed.

Along the journey from the frontier to the capital, he faced countless dangers, repeatedly turning peril into safety, and achieving a qualitative leap in strength.

From an ordinary provincial prodigy, he rose to become one of the top talents in the capital’s core region.

As time passed, the Saint’s lingering soul noticed Xiao Ming’s cultivation speed had begun to slow.

Now reflecting, the Saint’s lingering soul realized this decline likely began when Xiao Ming met his first romantic interest on the road—though it wasn’t obvious then.

He’d encountered many women along the way, yet Xiao Ming still pressed on to the capital.

The problem lay in the capital: he met Chu Ruoyan, a breathtaking beauty who left him utterly enchanted.

At this hour on any other day, Xiao Ming wouldn’t be training in the courtyard—he’d be racing to the aristocratic disciples’ training grounds to compete for Chu Ruoyan’s attention.

Dueling with Liu Hao and Wu Qi, two other prodigies.

The Saint’s lingering soul believed that if Xiao Ming hadn’t wasted so much time, his cultivation would already surpass Liu Hao’s.

But Xiao Ming was young and had his pursuits; as his master, the Saint’s lingering soul understood—everyone loves beauty.

As long as he cultivated normally, without incident, he could still reach high cultivation; eventually, the Saint’s lingering soul would find a way to revive himself, then guide Xiao Ming toward the Saint Realm.

Whether Xiao Ming could break through before his lifespan expired? That depended on his fate.

As his master, all he could do was this.

But now, with Chu Ruoyan gone, the Saint’s lingering soul discovered his disciple’s cultivation was surging at a terrifying pace—even faster than his former peak.

If this speed continued, achieving the Saint Realm was within reach!

The Saint’s lingering soul longed to say: If you’d trained like this from the start, wouldn’t that girl have been yours long ago?

The Saint’s lingering soul also felt some guilt—he, as the master, had failed to notice. After all, Xiao Ming was just a child; what did he know?

Women only slow down cultivation!

The more humiliation he endured, the more he could bear solitude—and cultivation speed naturally increased.

Thus, regarding the plan to take Chu Ruoyan away in seven days, the Saint’s lingering soul began to hesitate.

If this boy and that girl became inseparable, what cultivation would there be? He’d only think of making babies.

Then he’d grow weak, his kidneys drained, his focus shattered—his entire life would be ruined.

My revival? Even less likely. After much thought, the Saint’s lingering soul decided: not only must Xiao Ming not take Chu Ruoyan away, he must even find a way to ensure she quickly became the Emperor’s consort.

This humiliation would spur Xiao Ming to train harder!

Put bluntly, this boy was a coward—he wouldn’t train properly unless pushed by humiliation.

The Saint’s lingering soul looked at Xiao Ming: It’s not that your master refuses to help you—I do this for your own good!

Having made his decision, the Saint’s lingering soul began plotting his next moves.

Little did the struggling Xiao Ming know that in a few days, a world would emerge where everyone else won—and only he suffered.

Meanwhile, Li Chen’s mood was excellent—he finally had an excuse to skip morning court.

As the morning sun spilled across the land, the capital of the TianCe Dynasty basked in golden radiance.

Today was the once-in-a-decade ceremony of Yunlu Academy, and the entire capital was filled with festive joy.

Many scholars who had traveled from afar treated this day as a pilgrimage!

Amid the celebration, the most striking sight was the imperial carriage slowly approaching the academy.

Upon it flew a banner nine ren tall, its twelve tassels swaying like flowing silk; the sun, moon, and coiling dragon painted upon it were so lifelike they seemed ready to soar into the clouds.

Drawn by six rare, exotic beasts—hybrids of qilin and dragon—they possessed extraordinary strength and wisdom, each step shaking the ground slightly, exuding imperial majesty and dignity.

Around the carriage stood imperial guards clad in iron armor, wielding long spears, their gazes resolute, sworn to defend Li Chen at all costs.

!

Of course, this was also the least dangerous escort duty for the imperial guards—after all, Li Chen was a Saint Realm cultivator; who would dare attack him?

Still, the guards gave one hundred and twenty percent—His Majesty’s dignity brooked no doubt!

Wherever Li Chen’s carriage passed, the people knelt, their faces filled with awe and reverence, as if welcoming a god descended to earth.

Finally, the carriage halted before the gates of Yunlu Academy.

At that moment, an elderly man with a white beard and sixteen abdominal muscles stepped forward with calm dignity.

He was Yu Fuzi, the Sage of Learning for countless scholars of the TianCe Dynasty.

With Saint Realm cultivation, he was both literary and martial genius—in this world where strength ruled, he stood above heaven and earth.

Yet today, he personally came to the academy gates—a move that stunned everyone present.

When foreign scholars visited, Yu Fuzi merely waited for them, sipping tea on the top floor of the Star-Gazing Tower.

Even when the former Emperor of TianCe arrived, Yu Fuzi only greeted him at the tower’s entrance.

No one had ever made him step out to the academy gates.

As the crowd murmured, the carriage curtain slowly parted, and a young man in a dragon robe stepped out.

His aura was transcendent, as if he shared eternity with heaven and earth, radiating brilliance with sun and moon!

Around him shimmered a faint veil of celestial mist—calling him a heavenly deity descended from the Nine Heavens was no exaggeration.

Li Chen didn’t even bother pretending—he immediately unleashed the pressure of the Saint Realm.

Instantly, the void trembled, as if a million-foot tidal wave had erupted.

The overwhelming aura, forged through eons, pierced the heavens!

Every person present looked up at this new emperor, their eyes filled with shock and reverence.

Is this the new emperor of the TianCe Dynasty?

Truly divine and extraordinary—his power, unfathomable!

No wonder Yu Fuzi came out to greet him personally.

The strong indeed have the right to refuse kneeling to emperors.

But this one is an Emperor of the Saint Realm!

Are you stronger than him? Do you dare refuse to kneel?

Now, whether foreign scholars, TianCe Dynasty elites, or high-ranking dignitaries—all knelt on the ground.

The pressure fell instantly upon Yu Fuzi.

He was the only one in the entire crowd still standing before Li Chen.

Everyone wondered: Would he kneel before this Emperor who had unleashed his Saint Realm aura—or not?

(End of Chapter)