Chapter 307: A Monster's Heart, A Human's Struggle
"The Evil Emperor is too strong and must be sealed?" Jing Hongchen raised an eyebrow, half in disbelief. "With the current strength of the Soul Palace, we could crush the Evil Emperor outright. Are you serious?"
Xiao Qiang nodded. "He's a 790,000-year-old soul beast. He'll be my ninth soul ring."
"You're planning to absorb a soul ring of that level? Are you sure you can handle it?"
"It's not a big problem. My current physical constitution is more than enough to absorb a regular 300,000-year soul ring. With the soul spirit system doubling the absorption threshold, and using some special methods, I can handle both the Evil Emperor's soul ring and soul bone."
Jing Hongchen gave a satisfied nod. "It's good that you've considered everything." Then, his expression changed slightly as he added, "Now, another matter—have you thought about your relationship with Meng? Shouldn't it go a step further?"
"Eh?" Xiao Qiang froze, caught off guard.
Jing Hongchen narrowed his eyes and glared. "Don't play dumb with me, brat. Since the last All-Continent High-Level Spirit Master Competition, Meng's feelings for you have been crystal clear. Five years ago, you buried yourself in cultivation, which I could understand. But now that there are no enemies left on the continent strong enough to threaten you, it's time to face these things seriously. Tell me honestly—do you have feelings for Meng?"
Xiao Qiang scratched his head. "Of course I do… But I might not be a good match for Senior Sister Meng."
Jing Hongchen frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
Xiao Qiang hesitated for a moment, then looked him in the eye. "Teacher, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Jing Hongchen didn't hesitate. "You've always had a mature mind—thinking like an adult since childhood. Many grown men don't have the decisiveness you showed at that age. Even when you had no cultivation resources, you found people who could help you and convinced them to share what they had. That's not something a normal child could do."
He paused, then continued solemnly.
"You're a monster—one that's never existed before. At eighteen, you were already an eight-ring Soul Douluo, with strength rivaling a level-98 Titled Douluo. Now, at twenty, even without your ninth ring, your power is nearly on par with Limit Douluo. Once you fuse that ninth soul ring, you'll be truly invincible on this continent."
Jing Hongchen's voice softened slightly. "And you never forgot those who helped you. Look at Bai Qingshan—someone who should've never reached five rings. Now he's headed for Titled Douluo, a Super Douluo, thanks to your help."
"The destruction of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Instructor Academy and Mingde Hall would've ruined me… but because of the title you gave me as Soul Palace Grand Elder, I was able to gain access to soul resources, rebuild influence, and recruit new disciples. With Xiao and Meng's 100,000-year soul spirits… the Hongchen family survived because of you."
"If not for what you gave us, I would've been exiled from the power center of the empire already."
Xiao Qiang scratched his head, looking a little awkward. "Teacher, I'll take all of that as truth. But since we're being honest… you've told me the good. Now what about the bad?"
Jing Hongchen was momentarily speechless. "What do you mean 'take it as truth'? It is the truth! But as for flaws…" He paused, clearly struggling.
Xiao Qiang's tone shifted, becoming more serious.
"Because of some special reasons, I matured earlier than other children. But without considering talent, I'm just an ordinary person."
"I'm not perfect. Not evil, but not pure either. I just happened to be born with high talent, so I didn't become one of those mediocre soul masters with neither high nor low cultivation."
"Sure, my strength has skyrocketed. But mentally, I'm still a normal person. I've just been grinding for over a decade. Do you know what's driven me all this time?"
Jing Hongchen's expression tightened. "You… want to be emperor?"
Xiao Qiang's expression darkened. "…Where did that come from?! Why would I want to be emperor in a world like this?"
Jing Hongchen looked genuinely relieved. "Don't scare me like that. Then what do you want?"
"I want to be strong enough that no one can bully me, taste the best food in the world, sleep with beautiful women without needing to force them… and maybe live a long, leisurely life."
Jing Hongchen twitched. "That's really it?"
"What else would it be? I'm not cultivating just for the sake of cultivating."
Jing Hongchen shook his head. "With your current power, you could take anything you wanted—even by force. You don't need to be noble."
"That's just it," Xiao Qiang said calmly. "I'm not so noble… but I'm not despicable either. If I lowered my bottom line, life would be a lot easier. But I haven't—at least not yet."
"Yet?" Jing Hongchen narrowed his eyes.
"The me from childhood isn't the same as the me now. And I won't be the same person again when I grow old. Who can guarantee anything in the future?"
He gave a dry chuckle. "I can't promise I won't become a… let's say, a 'beef eater' in the future."
"What does beef have to do with anything?"
"It doesn't. Anyway, the point is—yes, I like Senior Sister Meng. But I'm not a good match for her."
"Why?" Jing Hongchen asked seriously.
"I like her because she's beautiful. That's all. If she had walked beside me when I awakened my martial soul, struggled through the hardest times with me, I might have stayed with her forever, out of responsibility. But I didn't meet her back then. I survived hell alone."
"I like Meng. But I also like Mu Qingxue. If I'm being honest, it's lust at first sight, not love."
"I won't act out of control because of my desires. I won't touch them unless they're willing. But if Meng marries me, she needs to understand—I won't change my nature."
"You don't want your granddaughter surrounded by other women, do you, Teacher?"
Jing Hongchen was silent. He could clearly see how much Meng cared about Xiao Qiang—but he also knew he couldn't change Xiao Qiang's will.
"This is who I am. You and Senior Meng should think carefully. You've helped me immensely—there's no doubt. But when it comes to emotional decisions, a cool, logical mind may not be good for her in the long run."
With that, Xiao Qiang got up, bowed slightly, and left the room—leaving Jing Hongchen alone to contemplate.
As Xiao Qiang stepped into the hallway, a cool voice floated into his ear.
"You just said… you like me?"
It was Mu Qingxue.