Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

"In that case, let us strike our palms to seal this oath!" The Celestial Emperor smiled, extending a large hand to make a pact with Ling Fei.

"Alright!" Ling Fei also extended his palm, saying, "If the Empire is ever in peril, I, Ling Fei, will not stand idly by."

Right now, he was still just an ordinary Cultivator in the Celestial Spirit Realm.

He might be a genius, but he had not yet fully matured. In the eyes of truly powerful experts, Ling Fei was still an ant they could crush with a flip of their hand.

Yet this Celestial Emperor placed such high hopes in him. To Ling Fei, it felt as if he had met a kindred spirit who truly recognized his worth, and his heart swelled with delight.

CLAP!

The sound of their palms striking echoed.

Atop the mountain peak, the Great Tang Emperor and Ling Fei sealed their promise with a clap of their hands.

"Then allow me to be the first to wish you success in your rise in the Southern Wilderness." The Great Tang Emperor smiled after their hands met.

"I will not disappoint Your Majesty's expectations!" Ling Fei declared.

"Good. I shall be waiting for that day." The Great Tang Emperor was also filled with immense anticipation and excitement.

He was eager to see just how far this young man could go.

Looking at the youth before him, he felt as if he had become young again himself.

'If I were his age, perhaps we would have become the closest of friends?'

The Celestial Emperor then smiled.

'Then again, aren't we like the closest of friends right now?'

Ling Fei returned a knowing smile. He felt a deep sense of admiration for the Empire's Celestial Emperor.

It was truly rare for an expert of his stature to prioritize the world above all else. No wonder the people praised the current Celestial Emperor for his wisdom and virtue.

"If you cultivate Dragon Qi, the Cultivators of the Southern Wilderness will see you as a heretic and it will arouse suspicion. How about this—I'll arrange an identity for you," the Great Tang Emperor said suddenly, a glint in his eyes.

"Arrange an identity?" Ling Fei's eyes narrowed. He knew his true identity shouldn't be exposed; otherwise, his adoptive father wouldn't have been so cautious.

"Here's the plan: I can spread the news that you are my illegitimate son. That would naturally explain how you obtained the Li Royal Family's True Dragon Technique. This way, no one will question your background, and you'll be free to act as you please in the Southern Wilderness and compete with the other geniuses," the Great Tang Emperor said.

He had long suspected that Ling Fei's identity was extraordinary.

But for Elder Ling to have brought Ling Fei here, there must have been a great deal of trouble involved.

If Ling Fei's identity were exposed before he was strong enough, it would certainly be detrimental to his growth.

"That could work, but I'm afraid it would be bad for Your Majesty's reputation," Ling Fei said.

"Haha, it may seem bad for my reputation now, but in the future, you might be the one who feels wronged by this arrangement," the Great Tang Emperor chuckled.

"Since Your Majesty isn't concerned with such trivialities, how could I be?" Seeing the Great Tang Emperor so frank, Ling Fei smiled freely.

He had yet to fully mature, so it was naturally for the best if he could avoid some hidden dangers.

How could he not be grateful that the Great Tang Emperor was being so considerate of him?

"Indeed. The path of cultivation is fraught with hardship. Why care about minor details? The most important thing is that you can grow stronger," the Great Tang Emperor smiled.

The two had a pleasant conversation, and it was a long time before Ling Fei finally departed.

Soon after Ling Fei left, rumors began to spread through the Imperial Capital.

"The Celestial Emperor summoned Ling Fei again!"

"I heard Ling Fei is the Celestial Emperor's illegitimate son! That Sound Wave Secret Technique of his was passed down by the Celestial Emperor himself!"

"No wonder Ling Fei's Physical Power is so immense! He must have cultivated the Royal Family's True Dragon Technique!"

All sorts of discussions quickly spread.

"No wonder the Celestial Emperor didn't hold Ling Fei responsible for the Ninth Prince's death. So that's the reason." Many people had looks of sudden understanding.

This matter was being discussed not only in the Imperial Palace but throughout the entire Imperial Capital.

"Shh, let's just keep this between us. We can't be carelessly gossiping about the Celestial Emperor's affairs." Many were extremely wary of the topic.

But how could such a thing be suppressed?

The people from the major powers understood the situation but didn't dare say much.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to bear the consequences of the Celestial Emperor's wrath.

...

After parting with the Celestial Emperor, Ling Fei heard the news on his way back.

'It seems this matter will soon spread throughout the Empire. But that's fine. From now on, I can openly practice the True Dragon Technique.'

Hearing these discussions, Ling Fei felt much more at ease.

He then returned to the courtyard where the Celestial River Academy was staying, acting as if nothing had happened.

He paid no mind to all the talk.

At that moment, people from the Lingyun Sect arrived to tell Ling Fei and the others to prepare to leave the Empire.

As for Ling Fei, Steward Fang came to inform him personally, showing him great importance.

"We're leaving the Empire already?" In the living room, Ling Fei's brows furrowed slightly. Although he had been prepared, it still felt a bit sudden.

"If you have any other business to attend to, you can go take care of it first." Steward Fang appeared very reasonable.

They were always very patient with geniuses.

After all, such talent was rare and couldn't be treated carelessly.

Besides, by this point, he had also heard the rumors about Ling Fei's relationship with the Celestial Emperor.

Thinking about it now, he felt they had to be true.

Otherwise, why would the Celestial Emperor have repeatedly asked them to look after Ling Fei?

After all, even when the Eighth Prince joined the Lingyun Sect, the Celestial Emperor hadn't made any special requests!

This explanation was the most logical one.

"I want to go back to my old home and see my adoptive father," Ling Fei said.

Now that he was about to leave, he really wanted to see his adoptive father one last time.

After all, he didn't know when they would meet again after this parting.

"Of course. I've heard your adoptive father is quite a character. I would also like to witness his unparalleled presence. Since you're going to see him, allow me to take you." Steward Fang did not refuse. In fact, he planned to personally take Ling Fei to see his adoptive father. He had heard about Elder Ling since arriving in the Empire.

He was quite curious about this old man who dared to contend with the Great Tang Emperor!

One had to know, the Great Tang Emperor's Divine Techniques were vast and profound. Even the Sect Leader of the Lingyun Sect was wary of him!

"In that case, thank you, Steward Fang," Ling Fei said, cupping his fist.

"You're welcome." Steward Fang smiled, then added, "There's no time to lose. Let's set off early!"

"Alright!" Ling Fei nodded. "Let me say goodbye to some friends first."

He then went to find Shangguan Wan'Er.

"Though we part now, we can meet again in the Southern Wilderness. When we do, I hope we will both have made a name for ourselves in our respective Sects," Shangguan Wan'Er said with a carefree smile.

Despite the parting, she took it in stride and was instead full of anticipation for the future.

She believed that the Ling Fei of that time would surely give her a pleasant surprise.

"Alright. Let's make a pact to become famous in the Southern Wilderness," Ling Fei said.

"Alright, let's become famous in the Southern Wilderness together!" Shangguan Wan'Er nodded.

「The next day, Ling Fei and Steward Fang left the Imperial Capital together.」

Huang Xiaoman also went with them.

The people from Celestial River Academy also headed back toward their academy.

As for Shangguan Wan'Er, she traveled to the Southern Wilderness with the people from the Beiming Sword Sect.

Steward Fang took out a Flying Boat and brought Ling Fei directly toward Longtan Town.

The Flying Boat had Dao Patterns that formed a Light Shield, protecting those inside. This way, even at extreme speeds, the gale-force winds wouldn't harm the passengers.

The Flying Boat was extremely fast, capable of traveling forty thousand miles in a single day.

In just five days, Ling Fei arrived at Longtan Town.

Gazing at the familiar town, scenes from the past inevitably surfaced in his mind.

Huang Xiaoman also sighed with emotion.

When they left Longtan Town back then, they were just children from a Humble Family.

But now, they were about to enter the vast Martial Arts World—something ordinary people could never imagine.

"I'm going to see my parents first," Huang Xiaoman said to Ling Fei before heading toward her home.

Now that she was about to head to the Southern Wilderness, she didn't know when she would be able to return, so she naturally had to come and bid her parents farewell.

Ling Fei, on the other hand, went straight to Ling's Medical Clinic.

However, when he arrived at the clinic, Ling Fei froze.

The clinic's main doors were tightly shut. He extended his spiritual sense, but he couldn't find his adoptive father anywhere.

He could even see dust covering some of the doors and windows.

It looked as if no one had lived there for a very long time.

"Adoptive Father!" Ling Fei pushed the door open and rushed in, his heart filled with anxiety.

Steward Fang, standing beside him, was also filled with astonishment.

He entered the house and searched for a long time, but there wasn't a single soul to be found.

A moment later, an old man walked in from outside. It was the former manager of the clinic.

"Elder Xu, where is my adoptive father?" Ling Fei asked anxiously.

"Young Master, the Old Master passed away two months ago," Elder Xu said with a trace of sorrow.

"What? My adoptive father passed away?" Ling Fei's face was a mask of shock.

"Yes," Elder Xu said.

"How is that possible? How?" Ling Fei felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He was completely stunned.

His adoptive father had clearly been fine!

"After the Old Master returned from Celestial River Academy, he was utterly haggard. He passed away a few days later. He was buried near Dragon Pool Mountain, just outside of town," Elder Xu said.

"Before he passed, he gave special instructions that if you returned, I was to take you to his grave," Elder Xu continued.

"Alright, take me there! Quickly!" Ling Fei said.

Right now, his mind was buzzing and completely blank. He simply could not accept this reality.

Ever since he was a child, he had vowed to become strong enough to cure his adoptive father's illness.

But today, he was told his adoptive father was dead. How could he possibly accept that?

He felt his entire body go weak, as if he had lost his very soul.

Steward Fang, standing beside him, was also stunned.

He had wanted to witness the unparalleled presence of that legendary expert, but he never expected this would be the outcome.

Then, under Elder Xu's guidance, Ling Fei arrived at a mountainside just outside of town.

Dragon Pool Mountain had already collapsed, but the area was still shrouded in a lingering Cold Qi.

Elder Ling's grave was here.

The grave was simple, made of stacked stones. Ice crystals had formed nearby, a field of them, looking pristine and flawless.

"Back then, the Old Master was personally buried by Miss Xue Xi. After she laid him to rest, she left Longtan Town," Elder Xu said in front of the grave.

"Adoptive Father, did you really pass away just like that?" Ling Fei knelt before the gravestone, his face etched with grief.

"Did that battle exhaust your Essence Qi?" Tears welled in Ling Fei's eyes, and his heart filled with self-blame. "It's all my fault. I was unfilial. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had to use all your strength, and this wouldn't have happened! It's my fault! I was unfilial!" His mournful cries were heartbreaking to hear.

At the same time, he kowtowed before the gravestone.

His forehead hit the ground with a crisp sound, cracking the earth beneath.

Seeing this, Steward Fang couldn't help but take a deep breath.

He didn't know how to comfort the young man at this moment.

"Young Master, you don't have to be like this. The Old Master passed away peacefully. He didn't blame you," Elder Xu said.

"My adoptive father may not blame me, but how can I ever forgive myself?" Ling Fei sighed, tears streaming continuously from the corners of his eyes.

BUZZ!

Just then, a Light Pattern flashed from the gravestone and shot into Ling Fei's mind.

The light appeared and vanished so quickly that even Steward Fang, who was standing right beside them, didn't notice a thing.