Seeing the astonished expression on Tongzi Xuan's face, Lin Qian nodded lightly. "That's right. I am indeed the Emperor of the Hua Xia Empire, the Renhuang Wudi you speak of."
"Thus, in private, you may refer to me as Master, but in public and during official state occasions, you will address me as Your Majesty. Do you understand?"
Lin Qian's words confirming his identity left Tongzi Xuan standing there, dumbfounded, unable to process it for a while. He could hardly believe that this was all real.
The name Renhuang Wudi was one he had long heard of, and he had even interacted with sea tribes who lived in the Hua Xia Empire. Hearing about their lives in the Empire had made him yearn to experience it for himself.
In Tongzi Xuan's eyes, a place like the Hua Xia Empire was the land of his dreams, a place where he longed to live.
He had always wanted to join the Hua Xia Empire, but considering that he led a large group of people, he feared that his sudden attempt to join might not be accepted.
Thus, Tongzi Xuan had focused on developing Ren Island, hoping that after establishing the island, they could eventually merge with the Hua Xia Empire.
Because of his admiration for the Empire, Tongzi Xuan had modeled some of his actions after them, governing with benevolence and treating the common people kindly.
Tongzi Xuan's plan was that once the Hua Xia Empire saw how Ren Island was governed, it would greatly improve their chances of being accepted into the Empire.
But never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the Renhuang Wudi, whom he admired so deeply, was none other than the master he had held in such high regard.
The person he both respected and admired was the same person. This realization filled Tongzi Xuan with a strange excitement, making him feel incredibly lucky.
Such a good fortune had unexpectedly fallen upon him.
Tongzi Xuan wasn't the only one feeling this way. The other soul warriors of Ren Island who stood beside him also looked at Lin Qian with newfound awe, some even feeling a bit anxious.
They hadn't expected that the master of their island lord had such a profound background, and it now made sense why his power was so terrifying.
"Focus on healing first!" Lin Qian said, his voice filled with concern as he glanced at Tongzi Xuan's injuries.
Hearing his master express concern for him, Tongzi Xuan felt warmth in his heart and quickly nodded in agreement.
After that, Tongzi Xuan retreated to his usual training chamber to begin his recovery. With the healing elixir provided by Lin Qian, it wasn't long before his injuries were fully healed.
Meanwhile, Lin Qian, with nothing urgent to attend to, remained on Ren Island and used his soul power to aid Tongzi Xuan in healing.
The results were evident.
Once Tongzi Xuan's injuries had completely healed, he led Lin Qian on a tour of Ren Island.
As they explored the island, Lin Qian noticed that it bore a resemblance to the Hua Xia Empire. Tongzi Xuan treated the common people with great care, ensuring their well-being and looking after their daily lives.
Lin Qian eventually learned about Tongzi Xuan's intention to join the Hua Xia Empire, and he couldn't help but chuckle.
When he had first received reports from Night Cat and Shen Yang, one message mentioned that Tongzi Xuan had a secret plan, one that was highly confidential and couldn't be uncovered.
At that time, Lin Qian had already been impressed by his soon-to-be disciple's capabilities and was curious about this secret plan.
Little did he know that this was the plan.
"If I had known earlier that this was your plan, you would've become my disciple much sooner." Walking through the dense forest of Ren Island, Lin Qian spoke while leading the way.
Behind him, Tongzi Xuan followed respectfully. Only now did he realize that his master hadn't abandoned him after their first meeting but had, in fact, sent people to protect him in secret.
Looking back, Tongzi Xuan recalled a few dangerous moments when he had narrowly escaped harm, now understanding the true reason behind his survival.
However, a look of guilt crossed Tongzi Xuan's face. "Master, if only I had been stronger, those two generals wouldn't have had to self-detonate to protect Ren Island."
"There's no need to blame yourself. Do you really think they self-detonated? They're alive and well." Seeing Tongzi Xuan's downcast expression, Lin Qian smiled slyly and waved his hand. Instantly, two figures appeared before them.
Tongzi Xuan was startled. He recognized the two individuals as the generals who had supposedly died in their self-sacrificing explosion. Yet here they were, standing before him, alive and well. Tongzi Xuan couldn't understand what was going on.
Watching Tongzi Xuan's bewildered expression, Lin Qian found the situation amusing but didn't offer any explanation.
He had no intention of explaining that in the Hua Xia Empire, military officers, civil officers, or war beast commanders could be resurrected on the Fantasy Star through a special altar.
The cost was simply some soul crystals and a few materials.
This strange and miraculous ability was something even Lin Qian couldn't fully comprehend, but he didn't bother to question it as long as it worked.
Later that evening, back in his room, Tongzi Xuan still seemed confused, frowning as he struggled to enter a proper state of cultivation. "How odd. I clearly saw them self-detonate back then."
After spending an entire night trying to figure it out, Tongzi Xuan eventually gave up. Regardless, the fact that the two generals were alive was certainly not a bad thing.
In the days that followed, Ren Island was enveloped in a wave of immense joy. Nearly every resident of the island was ecstatic.
They had all learned that their island lord's master was none other than the Renhuang Wudi of the Hua Xia Empire, and that soon, they would be heading to the Empire to become a part of it.
However, Lin Qian had his own thoughts on the matter. "In truth, after observing Ren Island closely, I see that everyone here is already living quite peacefully. There's no need to migrate to the Eastern Continent."
In the main hall of the village, Lin Qian sat naturally in the chief seat. Tongzi Xuan and several of Ren Island's strongest and most influential soul warriors sat with him, discussing their future.
Lin Qian's words made Tongzi Xuan nod in agreement. The people of Ren Island had been living there for over two years, their homes were well-established, and moving everyone to the Eastern Continent would render all their hard work meaningless.
Originally, Tongzi Xuan's plan was to run Ren Island for thirty or forty years before even considering joining the Hua Xia Empire.
However, events had unfolded far beyond his expectations.
"Master, what are your plans?" Tongzi Xuan asked respectfully after listening to Lin Qian's thoughts.
"Tongzi Xuan!" Lin Qian's expression grew serious as he looked at his disciple. "I will appoint you as the Governor of Xinghai Province and dispatch the Imperial Army and Beast Army to assist you in conquering the entire Chaotic Star Sea!"
His words left everyone in the hall utterly shocked.