Kong Deming said to Jiang Shengyu:
"Xu Tiannan must never be allowed to take the throne! He has actually begun planting evil soul masters into the army! If such a man were to become Emperor, would not our Sun Moon Empire itself turn into a nation of evil soul masters?"
After Shengyu and the others returned that day, Kong Deming had ordered Jing Hongchen to investigate carefully.
What he found was shocking.
Not only the regular army—even within the five mightiest Guardian Hand Soul Engineer Regiments, there were evil soul masters hidden among them!
This discovery only strengthened Kong Deming's resolve to place someone else on the throne.
Following behind him, Jiang Shengyu listened to these words and could not help but feel helpless.
If not for his and Jiang Qingtong's arrival, Xu Tiannan would not be the only one colluding with evil soul masters to secure his future.
Kong Deming continued:
"The imperial clan has no one left suited for this duty. Therefore, my decision remains unchanged. You must ascend as Emperor!"
"Ah?" Jiang Shengyu froze in surprise.
Kong Deming glanced back at him and added:
"However, since you refuse to wed a princess of the royal line, the challenges you face will be greater still! Although your martial soul is the Moon in the Water, I can arrange for you to be given the identity of a distant royal branch. But do not forget—the old nobility of the Sun Moon Empire still hold vast power!"
Shengyu gave a helpless smile.
"Teacher, what if I simply do not wish to be Emperor?"
"You may not wish it, but others will not allow you that choice."
Kong Deming shook his head.
"If Xu Tiannan ascends the throne, and the Holy Spirit Sect uses his authority to rise to power, seizing every vital position within the Sun Moon Empire—do you really think they would spare you?"
"Then why not simply kill Xu Tiannan?" Shengyu asked in return.
"And who then would be Emperor?" Kong Deming countered. "There is no one more suited than you. Your talent is the greatest I have ever seen."
"Must there truly be an Emperor at all?" Shengyu pressed.
At that, Kong Deming fell silent. Only after a long pause did he reply quietly:
"Shengyu, only when you hold absolute power will you be able to realize your ambitions."
Shengyu stared at him in astonishment.
For Kong Deming, of imperial blood himself, not only did he not rebuke such a statement—but in his tone there even seemed to be a faint note of encouragement.
Honestly? You're royalty! And I just said perhaps there should be no Emperor at all!
Shengyu wanted to protest, but did not know where to begin. The truth was clear: if he truly wished to enact change, he had to wield even greater power—whether in his own cultivation, or in worldly authority.
He fell silent for a long time. Only when the silhouette of Shrek City appeared in the distance did he finally speak:
"Teacher, I have thought it through. Let us proceed as you say!"
Hearing Shengyu's agreement, Kong Deming let out a sigh of relief.
"Good! I will build your momentum within the Sun Moon Empire. Once the Emperor passes, your senior brother and I will spare nothing to support your ascent to the throne."
As he spoke, Kong Deming carried the four of them directly over Shrek City and descended into Shrek Academy itself.
This was an act of extreme provocation!
To assert its absolute authority, Shrek Academy strictly forbade anyone from flying over Shrek City without its permission—let alone directly crossing the city skies to enter the Academy!
The Three Kingdoms of the Douluo Continent had always honored this rule, both out of respect and out of fear for Shrek Academy's might.
But to Kong Deming, such rules were nothing but scraps of paper.
His brazen intrusion threw the Academy's Elders into disarray.
Kong Deming strode straight to the Sea God Pavilion. The Pavilion Elders rushed out to surround them.
Xuan Zi fixed his solemn gaze upon the man standing before Jiang Shengyu and the others.
"Sir, to suddenly intrude into Shrek Academy—are you not being far too discourteous?"
Kong Deming cast him a sidelong glance and gave a cold snort.
"So, you are the Pavilion Master of Shrek Academy, Gluttonous Douluo Xuan Zi? It seems Shrek Academy has declined. You are too weak."
Xuan Zi's expression darkened further. From Kong Deming's presence, he felt an overwhelming pressure—like when Elder Mu himself once stood before him!
Could this be the teacher Shengyu and Qingtong spoke of? The strongest figure of the Sun Moon Empire? Could he truly be a Rank Ten Soul Engineer?
"I am," Xuan Zi admitted with a nod, before frowning.
"May I ask who you are?"
In a voice as cold as steel, Kong Deming replied:
"I am the Silver Moon Douluo, Kong Deming."
As he spoke, the aura he released made every heart sink.
Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming!
Not once had such a name appeared in all of Shrek's intelligence reports on the Sun Moon Empire!
Xuan Zi's brows furrowed. After a long silence, he forced a smile.
"So it is the Silver Moon Douluo. A failure of courtesy on our part! That you would suddenly visit Shrek Academy has caught us entirely unprepared."
"Unprepared? Prepared for what? For something to oppose me with?" Kong Deming asked, voice cutting.
Xuan Zi's face grew grim, but he suppressed the fire in his chest. Though Kong Deming's soul power was only rank ninety-four, the pressure he exerted rivaled that of Elder Mu himself—perhaps even fiercer.
Though he stood alone, to all of Shrek's Elders his presence was like that of an entire army at their gates.
Elder Song stepped forward, her voice low and steady.
"Silver Moon Douluo, have you come to Shrek Academy to provoke us?"
Kong Deming gave her a dismissive glance, not even bothering to acknowledge her standing.
"I am merely here to deliver these youths to their studies—and to leave you with a word of warning. Do not think that just because the Sun Moon Empire lies far from Shrek Academy, you can mistreat our people."
"Of course not! You need not worry about such a thing, Silver Moon Douluo," Xuan Zi quickly replied, shaking his head.
"Qingtong and Shengyu are with us. We could never do anything but cherish them."
Jiang Qingtong smiled. This was her moment to play her part. She stepped forward and tugged lightly on Kong Deming's sleeve.
"Teacher, the Elders of Shrek treat us very well. Isn't that right, Elder Song?"
Of all people, she had to ask me?
Song Elder's face tightened. Of all the Pavilion Elders, she was the one most hostile toward the Sun Moon Empire's disciples!
But before Kong Deming, a man whose power rivaled the Ultimate Douluo, could she dare voice her true feelings?
Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and nodded.
"Of course. Of course we are fond of them."
Kong Deming watched her intently, easily seeing through her forced expression. At last he gave a faint nod.
"See that it truly is so."
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