"May I ask why the Holy Son has graced us with his presence today?"
Having regained his composure, the Qing Emperor spoke with a hint of flattery, "If there is anything this humble emperor can assist with, I will certainly spare no effort."
"You do have a silver tongue—no wonder that foolish woman Ye Qingmei was so easily manipulated by you, to the point she didn't even know how she died."
The corner of the emperor's eye twitched slightly as he hurriedly defended himself, "Holy Son, there is more to this matter—"
[Damn it! Could this man still hold lingering feelings for Ye Qingmei and seek revenge for her? If that's truly the case, I won't go down without a fight. Even if he is the Divine Temple's Holy Son, I'll drag him down with me.]
Hearing the emperor's inner thoughts, Xiao Feng sneered and patted his shoulder.
"Enough. There's no need for excuses. I understand what kind of person you are better than you do yourself."
"And unlike that fool Ye Qingmei, a mere Grandmaster like you isn't even qualified to perish alongside me."
"Do you think the cultivation techniques Ye Qingmei brought out from the temple were given to her by chance? If even she had Wu Zhu by her side, do you believe I would lack a Grandmaster-level guardian?"
"Or perhaps you assume I possess only one 'heavenly thunder artifact'? Little do you know, dozens of such weapons are already trained on you. The slightest suspicious move, and your head will be blown off."
Though Xiao Feng's tone remained calm, each word weighed on the emperor like a mountain, suffocating him. Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Only now did the emperor realize—compared to Xiao Feng, Ye Qingmei was nothing. Even as a Grandmaster, he felt utterly vulnerable under Xiao Feng's gaze.
"But there's no need to worry. I'm not here to trouble you over Ye Qingmei."
Seeing the emperor's pale face, Xiao Feng finally shifted his tone.
"Though she was once my most favored maidservant, I despise traitors most of all. Even if you hadn't killed her, I would have sent someone to do so."
Hearing this, the emperor exhaled in relief.
"Relax. My descent into the mortal realm is solely to temper my heart through worldly tribulations."
"Worldly tribulations?"
The unfamiliar term piqued the emperor's curiosity.
"Xu Chu, explain what 'worldly tribulations' entail."
"As you command."
Xu Chu bowed before turning to the emperor.
"This world is divided into two realms—the mortal realm and the cultivation realm."
"The mortal realm has sparse spiritual energy, unsuitable for cultivation, hence reserved for mortals."
"The cultivation realm, where spiritual energy is abundant, is home to cultivators. What you call the 'Divine Temple' is its gateway."
"Cultivators progress through five major stages: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation."
"Even the weakest Qi Refining cultivator can harness the power of heaven and earth, far surpassing mortal martial artists—what you call 'Grandmasters.'"
"Originally, no cultivators existed in the mortal realm. To become one, one must possess both suitable techniques and spiritual roots."
"Only those with spiritual roots can absorb and control the energy of heaven and earth."
[So that's why! No wonder only four Grandmasters exist despite all these years. Breaking through requires spiritual roots!]
The emperor's mind reeled as long-standing puzzles fell into place.
Though he had never taken disciples, others like Ku He had many talented students—yet no new Grandmasters emerged.
Moreover, the emperor's own aptitude was mediocre compared to prodigies like Haitang Duoduo. Yet he alone had reached Grandmaster status.
Clearly, for cultivators, spiritual roots outweighed innate talent.
Those without roots were doomed to mediocrity, no matter their effort.
"Beyond strength, the greatest difference between Qi Refining cultivators and mortal martial artists lies in lifespan."
Xu Chu continued methodically, "A Qi Refining cultivator can live up to 150 years. Foundation Establishment adds another 150, reaching 300."
"Core Formation experts enjoy 500 years of life. Even in the cultivation realm, they are influential figures capable of swaying a clan's rise or fall."
"His Holiness is at the peak of Core Formation. Once he overcomes his worldly tribulation, he will advance to Nascent Soul."
"Nascent Soul cultivators live for millennia, dominating entire regions as revered patriarchs."
"His Holiness's master—the Divine Temple's Holy Master—is a peerless expert at Nascent Soul's peak."
"One more breakthrough, and he will reach the legendary Spirit Transformation stage, ascending to immortality."
[Ascend to immortality… To think realms exist beyond Grandmaster! I must obtain post-Qi Refining techniques at all costs.]
The prospect of eternal life ignited unprecedented ambition in the emperor.
The greater one's power, the more one fears death—and the emperor was no exception.
For a man at the pinnacle of mortal authority, what could be more enticing than immortality?
"With His Holiness's talent, seclusion for another 20-30 years would have smoothly elevated him to Nascent Soul."
Xu Chu maintained his deadpan delivery.
"However, the Holy Master's ascension is imminent. He can suppress his cultivation for only 3-5 more years before breaking through to Spirit Transformation."
"Thus, His Holiness sealed most of his power, entering the mortal realm as an ordinary man to temper his Dao heart with worldly experiences."
"Only thus can he hope to reach Nascent Soul within three years and inherit the Holy Master's mantle."
[No wonder his aura feels so weak—barely sixth-grade. So his cultivation is sealed!]
Now thoroughly deceived, the emperor's mind raced with assumptions.
Feigning concern, he asked, "Holy Son, with your power sealed, what if danger befalls you?"
(End of Chapter)