In the silent main hall, the only sound was the soft breathing of the people present. Xu Jiawei slightly lowered his gaze, so no one could tell what he was feeling or thinking at that moment.
No one understood better than he did what Shu Yan's words had just represented. The stated position of the two distinguished guests, the Ice and Snow Two Emperors—the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress—was a shock that rattled him to his very core.
This disbelief originated deep within his soul. A God was an existence known to everyone, yet incredibly distant. For the first time, Xu Jiawei felt as if he had truly experienced the existence of a God.
For an emperor, the path to godhood that Shu Yan was proposing was utterly astonishing, but in the midst of the shock, a fire seemed to ignite in Xu Jiawei's heart. What exactly did a God represent? Xu Jiawei took a deep breath, then spoke in a low, solemn voice:
"Two questions, A Yan. I hope you can answer me truthfully."
Shu Yan nodded gently, offering no refusal.
Xu Jiawei suppressed the strange mix of feelings and regained the calm, shrewd demeanor that was unique to an emperor. He said in a deep voice:
"The first question: Are you a 100,000-year Soul Beast that has taken on human form? More to the point, which side do your true loyalties lie with?"
Shu Yan answered without the slightest pause or hesitation:
"I am human. Perhaps I've been different since I was young, but I can guarantee, by my Martial Soul and by my life, that I am indeed human and not a Soul Beast."
Xu Jiawei nodded, letting out a small, quiet sigh of relief. He then continued:
"Second, I need to know why you chose to tell me and Jiu Jiu about such a monumental secret. What you discussed with the two distinguished guests is of the highest importance. If I were in your place, I would never easily reveal it to outsiders, as it could easily bring about a life-threatening disaster for myself."
Having said that, Xu Jiawei's gaze settled heavily on Shu Yan, as if waiting for Shu Yan to provide a solid, convincing reason.
Shu Yan gave a soft chuckle and then began to explain:
"It's simple, Imperial Brother. You and Jiu Jiu are my family. It's a fact that the Star Luo Imperial Family's welfare institution adopted me from a young age. It's a fact that my Martial Soul was awakened for free later on. And it's a fact that the Imperial Family has invested countless precious resources to raise me and teach me cultivation.
Without the Star Luo Empire, my life might have ended when I was abandoned on the roadside outside Star Luo City. Or perhaps I would have been picked up by ordinary commoners, but due to their poverty, I wouldn't have been able to awaken my Martial Soul and would have lived a mediocre life. While my own talent is certainly part of my success, the life-saving grace from the Empire is undeniably real. Of course, that's just one reason."
"Secondly, there are many things I cannot tell you directly, but I can tell you, Imperial Brother, that becoming a God in this era is extremely difficult. The specific reasons lie both in the God Realm and right here on the Continent."
"This entire matter involves the strongest person from the first generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters. He is now one of the major authorities in the God Realm. After ten thousand years of changes, Shrek Academy remains immensely powerful, and in fact, its momentum is growing stronger even now. Many things are related to too many deep-seated issues. The things involved are currently considered taboo subjects, and it is best not to get involved too early."
"In the near future, the Continent will once again experience a glorious era, much like the one ten thousand years ago. When that happens, geniuses will emerge in droves, and powerhouses will be everywhere. Wars, social unrest, and bloody conflicts will appear again, and behind all this, there will be immense opportunities. But along with those opportunities will come a colossal shadow..."
Xu Jiawei slowly raised his eyes, closed them for a brief moment, and then spoke again:
"So, you haven't just planned a path for yourself, but you are also preparing to bring about a massive, fundamental shift in the scale and situation of the entire Continent?"
Shu Yan nodded, neither confirming nor denying, and said softly:
"Why wouldn't I? Without the Sun Moon Empire, would the existence of Shrek Academy still be as significant? Star Luo is already the strongest nation among the Original Continent Three Kingdoms, Imperial Brother. I don't believe you harbor no thoughts about the word 'unification' in your heart. In fact, any emperor with any ambition would have a strong interest in achieving that goal..."
Xu Jiawei's breathing quickened slightly. Just as Shu Yan said, an emperor with true ambition and foresight always has a great desire and a deep pursuit for the word 'unification.'
However, Xu Jiawei also knew the difficulty of this matter intimately. He forcefully suppressed his surging emotions and spoke again:
"How confident are you in all of this?"
Shu Yan pondered for a moment, then detailed his projections:
"Based on my current cultivation speed, I am confident that I can break my spirit power through to the Spirit Saint level, which is Level 70, before I reach the age of nineteen. At that point, relying on my ultimate attribute and the power of my Martial Soul, I am confident in fighting against an average Titled Douluo."
"Before I turn twenty-one, I am confident in breaking through to the Titled Douluo realm, Level 90 to 99. By then, I will be able to face off against a Super Douluo below Level 99. If everything goes well, before I turn twenty-five, my spirit power level will be able to enter the Super Douluo or even Limit Douluo level. By that time, there should be few people on the entire Continent who can truly match me..."
Everyone present gasped. Seeing the seriousness and conviction in Shu Yan's eyes, Xu Jiawei's breathing couldn't help but quicken once more.
"The sheer national power of the Sun Moon Empire and the Soul Guidance technology it possesses almost completely overwhelm and suppress the Original Continent Three Kingdoms. Shrek Academy has even produced a God, and its disciples are spread almost everywhere across the entire Continent.
A Yan, I admit that everything you have said is extremely tempting to me, but reality is often much crueler than anything we can imagine. I am the ruler of a nation; I cannot casually gamble with the entire country's fate."
"But as you said, you are already the closest family to me and Jiu Jiu. Currently, I cannot give you too many promises or much concrete help, but within a reasonable scope, the Star Luo Empire will fully support all your actions. When you have demonstrated enough confidence, no matter what it is you want to do, the Empire will stand firmly by your side."
"An emperor… sometimes cannot only consider personal feelings. With the heavy burden of a nation on my shoulders, I must be cautious, and then cautious again. Once a wrong decision is made, dragging down the Imperial Family is a minor issue, but if it implicates the entire Empire, then I… I'm afraid I won't be able to atone for that sin even in the next life…"
Xu Jiawei thought for a very long time, so long that his hands gripping the armrests of his chair turned slightly white from the force. Finally, after exhaling heavily, he delivered his final words in a deep voice.
Shu Yan just smiled quietly after hearing this. He had anticipated Xu Jiawei's careful and reserved attitude long ago. Although his words seemed to carry a hint of refusal, what was the truth? His actions and attitude had already provided the answer.
Let's be honest, what emperor would accept his sister's future husband having such deep, terrifying schemes, and would also accept powerful, uncontrollable foreign presences like the Snow Empress and Ice Empress staying within the very imperial city where he lives? Yet, Xu Jiawei approved and accepted all of it. He even subtly revealed his expectations for Shu Yan and his own grand ambition toward the goal of unification.
However, in the end, he still needed some time for reality to overcome the mental hurdle in his heart. This was, after all, the first potential collaboration between humans and powerful Spirit Beasts so far. Xu Jiawei knew the stakes involved, and precisely because of that, he had to be cautious, and then cautious again...
From Shu Yan's perspective, Xu Jiawei might not be flawless, but he absolutely could not be called an unqualified brother or an unqualified emperor. He possessed a unique kind of courage and Spirit that the emperors of the Heavenly Soul and Spirit Empire did not have.