Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

Outside the Imperial Capital, on the peak of a high mountain, Ling Fei was led by the eunuch to find the Celestial Emperor already standing at the precipice.

As Ling Fei landed, the eunuch silently withdrew.

Ling Fei walked to the Celestial Emperor's side.

"What do you think of this land?" Atop the peak, the Celestial Emperor turned to Ling Fei and spoke.

The mountain was so high it seemed to be amidst the clouds. Standing at the precipice, Ling Fei could not only look down upon the massive city before him but also survey the mountains and rivers in every direction.

As the Celestial Emperor's voice faded, Ling Fei's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the vast landscape.

At once, the majesty of the mountains and the beauty of the rivers and land filled his vision.

"The mountain ranges are majestic, the great rivers are vast, and your subjects live in peace and prosperity. This is a magnificent land, a rare era of great peace!" Ling Fei said, gazing out at the land.

"Since the founding of our Great Tang Empire, there has been little conflict. It is indeed an era of great peace. However, after prosperity, war is inevitable," the Celestial Emperor said.

"War?" Ling Fei's brows furrowed slightly. He sensed that the Celestial Emperor's mood today was somewhat heavy.

"Your Majesty, it seems you have something on your mind?" Ling Fei inquired.

"Heh, Ling Fei, if I were to ask you to stay in the Empire, would you be willing?" the Celestial Emperor said with a faint smile.

"Stay in the Empire?" At his words, Ling Fei frowned. "Your Majesty should know that my father is gravely injured. My current goal is to become a powerful expert to heal his wounds. As for the Empire, it isn't the best place for me to remain. This stage is not suited for my growth."

'The Empire is nice, but there are too few geniuses. I can no longer feel any competition here.'

'Without competition, without geniuses of my own level to test myself against, how can I ever unlock my full potential?'

'That's why so many geniuses yearn to develop in a wider world.'

"What if I gave this land to you to inherit? Would you be willing to stay then?" The Celestial Emperor's eyes flashed as he spoke. "I know you cultivate Dragon Qi. As it happens, my Li Clan possesses the Celestial Emperor's Technique and also practices the Cultivation of the True Dragon Body. If you were to cultivate the Celestial Emperor's Technique, you too could become a peerless expert of your generation. In fact, in Ancient Times, an Emperor once relied on it to unify the entire Southern Wilderness, creating an incomparably glorious Empire. His power was such that he could contend with some of the great Sects of the Divine Wilderness."

"There was such a formidable Emperor?" Hearing this, Ling Fei was inwardly shaken.

"Indeed. Back then, all the major Sects in the Southern Wilderness obeyed the Empire's command. None dared to defy it!" the Celestial Emperor said. "Unfortunately, that Emperor fell to the Demon Dao, causing the Empire to crumble. Ever since, the major Sects of the Southern Wilderness have carved out their own territories and now stand in opposition to the Empire."

"Even if I have Heaven-Devouring ambitions, I lack the power to rule all under heaven!" The Celestial Emperor sighed, a note of helplessness in his voice.

'Is the Celestial Emperor's Technique really that incredible?' Ling Fei's heart stirred.

'Even though I've read many ancient records, none of them mentioned any of this.'

"But of course," the Celestial Emperor said. "What is a Celestial Emperor? He is the Son of Heaven and Earth, who wields a Divine Artifact of the heavens to gather the Telekinesis of all his subjects, condensing supreme providence into his own being. The power of such methods far surpasses that of ordinary Cultivators."

"However, being the Celestial Emperor also comes with a restraint: you must always put the world first. Otherwise, the Celestial Emperor's Divine Artifact will not acknowledge you."

"Once you lose the Celestial Emperor's Divine Artifact, your power as Celestial Emperor will be reduced by seventy percent," the Celestial Emperor continued. "If you are willing, I can make you the next Celestial Emperor. If your talent is great enough, it would not be impossible for you to restore the might of the Ancient Emperors and unify the Southern Wilderness. Are... you willing?"

As he finished, the Celestial Emperor stared intently at Ling Fei, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.

From the look on his face, it seemed that if Ling Fei agreed, he would truly make him the Crown Prince.

'Make me the next Celestial Emperor?' Ling Fei was stunned, finding the whole thing baffling.

'When a Celestial Emperor names a Crown Prince, isn't it always his own son?'

'Yet the Great Tang Emperor wants to make *me* the Crown Prince.'

'And just before this, I indirectly caused the Ninth Prince's death!'

'Even though I wasn't directly responsible, that's still what happened.'

'As a father, he should hold a grudge, right?'

That was why Ling Fei had been so uneasy before coming here.

'But from the looks of it, the Great Tang Emperor might truly be a man who abides by his duty and puts the world first.'

"Since we've come this far, there's no harm in me telling you," the Celestial Emperor said suddenly. "I have a premonition that a great calamity is coming. It could be in ten years, or it could be in a hundred. When that time comes, I fear my strength alone will not be enough to save the world. That is why I wish to prepare now."

"And you would be my greatest asset."

"As for why I chose you, I've already explained. Your bloodline is extraordinary, making you perfectly suited to cultivate the Celestial Emperor's Technique, wield the True Dragon Divine Artifact, and become the supreme sovereign," the Celestial Emperor said.

Hearing this, Ling Fei nodded slightly, finally understanding why the Celestial Emperor had sought him out.

"Is this related to the Demon Emperor in Trapped Dragon Valley?" Ling Fei couldn't help but ask.

"It may not be that simple," the Celestial Emperor said.

Ling Fei fell silent. He sensed that this matter was of immense consequence.

"If I were to accept the position of Celestial Emperor, could I still go to the Divine Wilderness in the future?" Ling Fei asked after a moment of contemplation.

The future the Celestial Emperor described filled Ling Fei with anticipation.

It was the Celestial Emperor's Technique, after all—an art full of mystery that piqued one's curiosity.

But his heart wasn't in the Southern Wilderness, so he remained resolute.

"To be the Celestial Emperor is to take the world as your responsibility," the Celestial Emperor said. "If you leave the Empire, the power of the Celestial Emperor's Technique will be drastically reduced."

"So, you're saying that even if my Cultivation becomes Heaven-Reaching through the Celestial Emperor's Technique, I would still be unable to contend with the world's most powerful experts if I were to abdicate the throne?" Ling Fei asked.

"You could put it that way," the Celestial Emperor nodded.

"If that is the case, then I'm afraid I cannot accept this heavy burden," Ling Fei said with a hint of regret.

'Right now, I not only want to heal my foster father, but I also want to avenge him and settle his grievances.'

'But if I can't become a truly supreme expert, how can I go to the Divine Wilderness and uncover the truth of my own past?'

'So, while the Celestial Emperor's Technique sounds wonderful, it would make achieving my goals rather difficult.'

'After all, I can't just lead the Empire to charge into the Divine Wilderness and unify it, can I?'

'And even if I could, how many years would that take?'

'A hundred years? A thousand?'

'But can my foster father wait that long?'

It was clearly an unrealistic prospect.

Ling Fei was not willing to take that gamble.

"What a pity. The Southern Wilderness will not have you as its Emperor. If it did, this land would surely enjoy a thousand years of prosperity," the Celestial Emperor sighed upon hearing his refusal.

Even before seeking out Ling Fei, he had anticipated this outcome.

After all, Ling Fei's background was mysterious; he was bound to return to the Divine Wilderness Domain eventually.

It would be far too difficult for the small Southern Wilderness to bind him.

But for the sake of this land, he still had to try his best to persuade the young man.

"Your Majesty need not worry too much. If I, Ling Fei, truly manage to make a name for myself in the future, I will not forget the Empire. After all, this place is my homeland in a way," Ling Fei said with a serious expression. 'If something were to truly happen here, I wouldn't just stand by and watch. After all, many of my friends are here.'

'It's not just my childhood friends like Wu Dapang; Celestial River Academy also holds memories I can never forget.'

'Those people and those memories are all worth protecting.'

"Heh. Good. I will remember these words. If the Empire is ever in trouble, do not forget what you've said today," the Celestial Emperor replied, his voice tinged with renewed vigor.

It seemed Ling Fei's words had given him a glimmer of hope.

"Ling Fei will never go back on his word!" Ling Fei declared earnestly.