The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

"Haha, Senior Brother Fu, looks like you're not having much luck," one of the two male disciples grinned as they approached the elegant young man who had just returned to the group.

The elegant youth, now identified as Senior Brother Fu, merely shook his head with a wry smile and waved them off, saying, "This matter will take time; I can't rush it."

"With your status, Senior Brother Fu, you're a perfect match for Junior Sister Ye. After all, your grandmother is the Great Elder of the Divine Sword Sect, and your parents control the Punishment Sword Hall and the Northern Sword Pool. You're practically made for each other," another disciple chimed in.

"Exactly! With your family ties, marriage between you and Junior Sister Ye is only natural, especially considering your grandmother is the sister of her master."

Despite the praises, Fu Heng, the young man, only smiled and nodded, but his eyes betrayed a hint of malice as he gazed at Ye Xin from afar.

Fu Heng was the grandson of the beautiful woman who had spoken to the female sword saint at the sword pavilion. Although Ye Xin was indeed beautiful, Fu Heng had no real feelings for her. He preferred more mature and fiery women, unlike the gentle and demure Ye Xin, who was also younger than him.

However, his grandmother had specifically instructed him to secure Ye Xin and marry her. According to what he knew, his grandmother intended for him to use a secret technique that absorbed Yin energy to enhance his Yang energy, making Ye Xin's extraordinary talent his nourishment.

Forcibly taking her wasn't an option with the female sword saint watching over her, but if they were married, he could easily accomplish his goal on their wedding night.

Fu Heng had also learned from his grandmother that the biggest obstacle to his plans was a young man named Lin Qian, who was Ye Xin's childhood sweetheart and fiancé. Lin Qian was also the disciple of the dying War Emperor of Wanxiang Sect, earning him the title of "Little Emperor."

From what Fu Heng had gathered, Lin Qian was known for his strong physique, able to rival Nirvana Realm warriors despite being at the Elemental Core stage. However, he was supposedly unable to achieve weaponized soul armor, making him unable to break through to the Nirvana Realm. Beyond that, little information was available due to Wanxiang Sect's strict control over the matter.

In the eyes of outsiders, this secrecy suggested that the War Emperor Wei Wushuang had already died, prompting Wanxiang Sect to tighten security.

"With his master gone, he's just a cripple who can't even use soul armor. Even if he somehow managed to break through to the Nirvana Realm, he'd still be half-useless. If I meet him in the Ancient Relic, I'll take care of him easily," Fu Heng thought to himself, a cold smirk forming on his lips.

He had heard that Lin Qian would be participating in the Ancient Relic trials, and since only Nirvana Realm warriors could enter, this meant Lin Qian had indeed advanced. But without the ability to use soul armor, Fu Heng considered him no more than half a warrior.

As Fu Heng's thoughts churned, the commotion above drew everyone's attention.

A wooden yet metallic ship appeared through the clouds, descending toward the gathering. The long-bearded elder and the silver-haired woman both narrowed their eyes at the sight.

In Linhai Prefecture, only Sheng Tian Sect originally had cloud ships, but after War Emperor Wei Wushuang was poisoned and returned to his homeland, Wanxiang Sect's leader Qin Wushuang also obtained one. The glowing "Wan" character on the ship's hull marked it as belonging to Wanxiang Sect.

As the cloud ship landed on the plaza, a door opened on its side, and Qin Wushuang stepped out with a smile. "Haha, it seems Sect Master Hai and Sect Master Mei have arrived first."

"Elder Qin!" greeted the long-bearded elder of Jinghai Sect, Hai Xiaoyun, and the silver-haired woman from Divine Sword Sect, Mei Yuexia, as they exchanged respectful bows.

Hai Xiaoyun was of the same generation as Qin Wushuang's master, while Mei Yuexia was the younger sister of the female sword saint and the current sect master of Divine Sword Sect.

After exchanging pleasantries, all eyes turned to the disciples behind Qin Wushuang, curiosity evident on their faces.

Among them, Ye Xin was the most anxious.

"This is the entrance to the Ancient Relic?" one of the disciples, who led the group and wore a robe embroidered with the "Wan" symbol, asked as he stepped off the ship.

"Indeed, once the portal opens, you can enter the relic," Qin Wushuang replied with a smile, nodding at Lin Qian, who was at the front of the group.

Behind him, Lei Qian and the others, except for Ding Zhirong, curiously examined their surroundings.

"Why don't you seem curious?" Zhao Haiming asked Ding Zhirong, noticing his calm demeanor.

Ding Zhirong sneered, "I've seen it before during a mission outside the sect."

"Seeing it is one thing, but what's with that smug look?" Zhao Haiming retorted.

"None of your business. Want to settle it with a fight?"

Seeing the two about to clash, Lin Qian stepped between them and pushed them apart. "There are others watching. Don't make a scene and embarrass us."

After Lin Qian's words, Ding Zhirong and Zhao Haiming both turned away, fuming.

As Qin Wushuang approached after securing the cloud ship, he sighed with a bitter smile. "Those two are always at each other's throats."

Meanwhile, Hai Xiaoyun, observing from a distance, turned to the nearby young man with a ponytail and asked, "Yang Guang'en, what do you make of this?"

Yang Guang'en, the ponytailed youth, frowned and nodded. "It seems that Wanxiang Sect's strongest inner disciple, Zhao Haiming, and the renowned Ding Zhirong, both show great respect for that young man."

"A sixteen or seventeen-year-old at the first level of the Nirvana Realm... Could he be the Little Emperor, Lin Qian?"

"It seems this Lin Qian is no ordinary figure."

After hearing Yang Guang'en's analysis, Hai Xiaoyun nodded thoughtfully. "Once inside the relic, prioritize the trial and avoid conflicts with any party, especially with this Lin Qian."

"Xiao Qian..." Suddenly, a soft voice called out uncertainly from behind Lin Qian.

Turning around, Lin Qian saw the familiar figure who had been haunting his thoughts.

The girl blushed, nervously staring at him as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

Dressed in a simple white dress that complemented her gentle demeanor, with long black hair cascading down her back, she was as stunning as an angel descended from the heavens.

Lin Qian took a few steps forward, spreading his arms wide and letting out a familiar hum, "Hmm?"

Recognizing his familiar gesture, expression, and tone, Ye Xin's surprise and shyness turned her face even redder. But despite her embarrassment, she ran forward, allowing Lin Qian to embrace her in front of everyone.

This touching, beautiful scene reminded Lin Qian of something from his previous life that could deal a crushing blow to a certain type of being... the lonely single dogs!