3 If I were to become the Celestial Emperor One Day, All Animals kept within My Household

The door slowly closed.

Chu Xiaolian went inside the Heaven Ascending Building.

The smell of faint incense worked to calm one's mind down.

Yet, he nonetheless able to clearly sense that his heartbeat was racing.

While he hated to admit it, he truly was being very nervous.

Or rather, one could say that few among the young were capable of not being nervous about meeting Li Hanguang.

That man was a legend, after all.

Even when Chu Xiaolian hadn't gone astray and lost his powers more than three years ago, his achievements still couldn't be compared to that man he was going to meet.

He was aware of that very much.

…

The building was very silent.

Chu Xiaolian could catch a glimpse of that man's silhouette through the blinds.

Li Hanguang was sitting down without moving, yet the vague silhouette had already felt like a mountain.

The scene right before Chu Xiaolian's eyes reminded him of a trendy phrase as of late.

It is tough to tell who would be the one at the top at the end of one's journey in becoming a celestial, yet nothing would matter anymore when one catches a glimpse of Li Hanguang.

It was said that those words came from some genius who had been thoroughly impressed by Li Hanguang after losing to him.

No one actually, however, was the one who spread it in the first place.

Chu Xiaolian had initially thought that they had made a bigger deal than what it truly had been.

Yet, at present, that was what he thought of when he saw that silhouette.

No!!!

You can't be like this!

Look sharp, Chu Xiaolian! Don't give in!

You are the man who would sur… surpass Li Hanguang!

Sweat began breaking out of Chu Xiaolian's back under the silent pressure. He encouraged himself deep down and told himself not to be in such a defensive position.

"So, you're Li Hanguang?"

Chu Xiaolian finally opened his mouth after looking at the silhouette behind the blinds for some time.

The man behind the blinds slowly turned around and said, "come, try this tea that just got here."

Ye Chengying walked out from behind the blinds as soon as he dropped a line. There was a cup of very fragrant tea in her hand.

The Mind-stilling Tea.

Chu Xiaolian's pupils contracted. He wasn't someone who knew nothing and had been out with his father, learning about the world as well.

The Mind-stilling Tea was the top-grade of spiritual teas.

Drinking that tea for prolonged periods would calm one's mind and dispel stray thoughts, which would bring about great benefits when it came to learning about cultivation.

The Chu Clan had kept quite an amount of the Mind-stilling Tea. Be it the aroma, color, or taste, that one back home was clearly different from the one Chu Xiaolian was holding at the moment.

Even so, the Chu Clan treasured all of that Mind-stilling Tea they had like some very precious treasures.

They would only make such teas when there were honored guests in the household.

Yet, at the moment, Li Hanguang was actually treating Chu Xiaolian to a tea that was even more precious than that kept in the Chu Clan.

Poverty has indeed limited my imaginations.

…

"Thank you."

Despite being very moved, Chu Xiaolian remained to look unfazed.

He then sipped on the Mind-stilling Tea in his hand and asked, "now that I've had tea, may I know what business would you have with me?"

Li Hanguang then asked calmly, "so, and you want to join the sect?"

The look on Chu Xiaolian's face remained unfazed. "If I say yes, would you be able to take me in?"

Li Hanguang then asked with a smile while remaining behind the blinds, "what do you think constitutes celestial fate?"

What do I think constitutes celestial fate?

Chu Xiaolian then sipped on the tea and pondered for a bit.

He then answered seriously, "one's the constitution and capacity to learn that are of high grade would gain celestial fate."

Heh…

A chuckle was heard from behind the blinds.

Li Hanguang didn't mind ridiculing Chu Xiaolian, but that answer was just so compelling that he couldn't help chuckling.

Li Hanguang then answered with a smile, "if I were to become the celestial emperor one day, all animals kept within my household would become ascended."

"How would you come your constitution and capacity to learn with that of animals?"

Chu Xiaolian was stunned.

If I were to become the celestial emperor one day, all animals kept within my household would become ascended.

If I were to become the celestial emperor?

A person's ascension bringing about that of the animals of one's household?

Just how magnanimous and overbearing one has to be to come up with such thoughts?

Chu Xiaolian had initially thought that the difference between him and Li Hanguang was but that of their birth.

Yet, he truly sensed just how different they were at that moment.

Li Hanguang's ambition alone was already something that Chu Xiaolian deemed that he could not compare to.

Cultivators have always had a hard time throughout the journey in cultivation, with even exceptional geniuses dared to only set their sights on ascending and becoming immortal.

Yet, that eldest disciple of the Unyielding Sword Celestial Sect actually sets his sights on becoming celestial emperor one day!

The celestial emperor, per its namesake, is an emperor among celestials!

Let's put the possibility of becoming so aside for the moment.

That magnanimity alone is already more than shocking and impressive.

I'm indeed inferior in comparison.

Chu Xiaolian then took a deep breath and answered, "while my talents couldn't compare with that of yours, Brother Li, but I would nonetheless say that my talents are definitely beyond that of animals."

Li Hanguang then grinned and continued, "the celestial fate is but seeking the path of celestial and that of fate. Being with the right person would bring one's path to new heights."

Chu Xiaolian eyed the silhouette behind the blinds and asked, "are you trying to make me your follower?"

Li Hanguang then asked, "what about it? Is it really that unacceptable?"

Chu Xiaolian was silent for a moment, not agreeing to it yet not rejecting as well. "Why me?"

Li Hanguang then answered, "one without far-reaching ambitions wouldn't dare to come to our sect. You're of decent constitution and capacity for learning."

"You could ignore the ridicule of the masses and seek to join the sect all the same, which means that you are of high-grade temperaments, but not of that are what matter the most."

Chu Xiaolian then asked, feeling puzzled, "what matters the most then?"

Li Hanguang then answered in a rather jesting manner, "simple. I happen to be in a good mood today, and I've taken a liking to you, so I thought of doing you a favor."

The corner of Chu Xiaolian's mouth twitched, "that simple, huh?"

Just because you happen to be in a good mood?

Just because you've taken a liking to me?

Li Hanguang then asked, "what kind of treatment do you seek? Becoming an outer disciple, an inner disciple, or a true disciple?"

Outer disciple?

Inner disciple?

Or true disciple?

Li Hanguang was making it all sound so superfluous that Chu Xiaolian couldn't help but felt ridiculous.

The grading of disciples of the sect was widely known to be exceptionally strict.

It was worth noting that Chu Xiaolian when he was at his most powerful three years ago, needed discussions among the elders to join as a true disciple.

Yet, at the moment, Li Hanguang made gaining a slot of becoming a true disciple as easy as picking eggs.

He's but a true disciple himself. What makes him think that he could throw his weight around like that?

…

Chu Xiaolian pondered for mere moments and answered, "my talents are such that I'd seek to become an inner disciple."

A chuckle was heard from behind the blinds. "You're really having quite a low opinion of yourself."

"If I were to hand you a True Disciple Token, would you dare to take it?"

A True Disciple Token?

Chu Xiaolian frowned slightly.

He had indeed recovered enough to begin training anew.

Yet, having wasted three years recuperating and powers reduced to Spiritual Qi Refinement level three meant that he would have difficulty getting back to where he was.

If he were to take the True Disciple Token at such a time, he would definitely cause quite a commotion in the sect.

The countless inner disciple would see him as nothing more than an eyesore.

Chu Xiaolian stared at the blinds and asked, "aren't you afraid of me threatening your status after becoming a true disciple?"

A chuckle was heard from behind the blinds. "I look forward to that day."

"I have been invincible for too long among my peers."

"Being invincible actually feels empty and lonely. I guess you wouldn't know that."

Chu Xiaolian was baffled.

It took quite a while for him to say in return, "if you're not afraid of me threatening your status, I don't see why I wouldn't dare to become a true disciple."

"Very well!"

A silverish white piece of token flew out from behind the blinds.

Li Hanguang then grinned. "I know a thing or two about you. You've had your marriage annulled not too long ago, no?"

"That is hardly a concern. A phoenix rises from its ashes, and I shall rise to prominence one day all the same."

"I would look forward to that day when you rise to prominence and avenge yourself."

Chu Xiaolian frowned and asked, "why would you look forward to that?"

…

The voice of the man behind the blinds sounded increasingly distant.

"Because only when that day comes would you barely gain the right to become my follower."