Although his aura was unstable, Wang Zhan still felt a hint of a threat.

Not wanting to ponder it any longer, he asked directly, "Who are you? Don't test me. I've just been disoriented by this world and nearly died. I'm not in the mood for games."

The old man chuckled, his gaze kind and amiable. "Why don't you take a guess?"

Wang Zhan thought, Guess your ass.

Little did Wang Zhan know, the old man seemed rather familiar with him. His lips curved slightly as he said, "Just say what you want to say. Actually, I initially thought you'd be exploring for a while longer, but it seems you've adapted well to this environment…"

"What do you mean?" Wang Zhan's expression gradually turned calm.

Those who knew him well understood that this was his way of creating distance. After all, when it came to turning hostile, Wang Zhan was like a dog—quick to anger and unforgiving with his grudges. He held grudges over big and small matters, and enemies were no exception. If it were a friend, it would be fine. But an enemy? Heh.

Luckily, the old man didn't mind. He just chuckled good-naturedly, looked around at the furnishings and the scenery outside, then said thoughtfully, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. The mission I gave you... can't you figure out who I am?"

At this moment, the old man's aura changed. Although he still looked like a Dragon species, he now possessed a more noble spirit, inexplicably appearing a few years younger.

Feeling this aura, Wang Zhan was stunned at first, then his expression shifted. He stared intently at the old man before him, finding it truly incredible.

"Elder Wei…?"

The one who gave him the mission was naturally Wei Daoming, the Principal of the Federal Martial Arts Academy.

But if Wang Zhan remembered correctly, the Spirit of the Shield had told him that Wei Daoming had been targeted by certain powerful figures from the Beast Clan, which was why he had been forced to leave the Star War Battlefield.

In other words, how dare he appear on the Star War Battlefield again? Wasn't he afraid of attracting those powerful enemies?

This time, Wang Zhan finally understood. Wei Daoming's "powerful figures" were indeed truly formidable. Based on his own experiences, although those he encountered were quite strong, they were all below the Martial Emperor realm—on average, nothing too special. Even so, he had almost died at the hands of a pair of sisters, even though they hadn't harbored much malice.

Shocked, Wang Zhan asked, "Aren't you in the Earth Federation? Why did you suddenly come to the Star War Battlefield?"

Wei Daoming's expression didn't change. He just glanced at Wang Zhan and smiled lightly, saying, "Don't worry. Although your situation is a small part of the reason, in the final analysis, I had grown restless from inactivity and wanted to come out for a walk, and also to see if I could break through a minor realm."

What could Wang Zhan say to that? He just felt an inexplicable warmth. At the very least, Wei Daoming had come to the Star War Battlefield partly because of him. For a Martial Emperor, such concern was already an immense show of favor. Especially since Wang Zhan had truly begun to experience the real world of the Federation, Wei Daoming's existence seemed even more precious.

Thinking of this, Wang Zhan, not wanting to be too obvious, rather transparently forced a change of subject, saying, "Are you going to break through soon? What is the realm of a Martial Emperor like?"

On the other side, Lin Hao almost laughed upon hearing Wang Zhan's question, glancing at him several times. Is he serious? That's a Martial Emperor! Is he treating him like his father, expecting him to tell him everything?

However, much to Lin Hao's surprise, Wei Daoming actually pondered for a moment, then said solemnly to Wang Zhan, "Well, you shouldn't normally be exposed to this realm yet. But just now, I saw that your mental energy has accumulated massively, your foundation is stronger than most. So, I can reveal a few things to you…"

Lin Hao was completely dumbfounded. What the hell?! Could this Wang Zhan be the Principal's illegitimate son? Why is the Principal so accommodating to him? Why don't model students like us ever get this kind of treatment! And mental energy accumulated like a mountain…

Without dwelling on it, he quickly said to Wei Daoming, "Um... Principal, is it appropriate for me to listen? If not, I'll leave first. I won't disturb you, sir!"

Pretty self-aware, but…

HOLY SHIT! Wang Zhan was completely stunned. Such humility before a Martial Emperor? Wasn't Wei Daoming said to be just a low-level Martial Emperor? Does he have some other status that commands this level of deference?

Wei Daoming nodded. "You're only a level 3 Martial King. Listening to this won't do you any good; in fact, it could be harmful. It's better if you don't listen."

Wang Zhan's mouth twitched, his gaze fixed on Lin Hao. So, this guy who'd been acting like a senior in front of him for days was actually a sheep in wolf's clothing all along?

"Senior? Shouldn't you have a few words for me?"

If it were in the past, Lin Hao might not have felt any pressure under such a gaze. But it was different now. Knowing the truth, Wang Zhan's mental pressure bore down on Lin Hao, making him break out in a cold sweat.

Lin Hao quickly brushed it off, saying, "Isn't the weather wonderful today! Student Wang Zhan, I won't disturb your discussion with the Principal any longer. Farewell, farewell!"

Wang Zhan watched Lin Hao's retreating figure, almost stumbling as he rushed off, looking like a rat scurrying for cover. He snorted twice, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Well, well. It had always been him, Wang Zhan, who tricked others. Now, he was the one being tricked—it was like plucking a tiger's whiskers right under its nose! Alright, kid. You just wait!

Wei Daoming watched silently, not interfering, a faint smile on his lips as if reminiscing, while gazing at the city below. What ill intentions could Wang Zhan possibly have? As long as nothing goes wrong… it's good for the students to interact more. The pampered students of the Federal Martial Arts Academy really do need a ferocious tiger to keep them in check.

Let's get back to the main topic. Wei Daoming asked, "Before I answer your question, I want to ask you: in your eyes, what kind of power does a Martial Emperor truly represent?"

Immediately, the two of them sat upright. Wang Zhan bowed respectfully, deep in thought.

What kind of power is that of a Martial Emperor? Is the power possessed by those two sisters of the wood-based sacred race considered the power of a Martial Emperor? No, that's not right. Although they possessed immense power, Lin Hao's... pfft, his false bravado was enough to make those two sisters not dare to move. Perhaps the power of a Martial Emperor is even more terrifying than I imagine, and despite their strength, they are no match for a Martial Emperor. So, it must be an overwhelming, irresistible force, concentrated to its absolute peak. This means only a Martial Emperor can fight another Martial Emperor; King-level cultivators who faced them would just be lambs to the slaughter.

Wang Zhan then shared his speculations.

Wei Daoming nodded. "Your understanding isn't wrong. After all, existences at the royal level and above are not something those below can even fathom. However, you're still being a bit conservative. Why not expand your previous thought tenfold, or even a hundredfold?"

Wang Zhan's heart skipped a beat. Is a Martial Emperor really that amazing? If their power increases tenfold or a hundredfold, wouldn't that mean they could do as they please without any restrictions?

Wei Daoming continued, "Actually, the power of a Martial Emperor is, in essence, no longer a type of power that can be understood in conventional terms. It means that flesh, internal energy, and mental energy all fuse into a single entity. Moreover, it's not a simple additive relationship like one plus one equals two, but rather a multiplicative one, where one plus one results in several times the sum. We call this multiplication 'Favor,' meaning the favor granted to us by Mother Nature or the Heavenly Dao—that vague, traceless entity existing throughout Heaven and Earth."

Wang Zhan was taken aback. "Senior, what is Mother Nature?"

"A pan-consciousness. You can think of it as a dream, an idea, or a single thought. It exists within each of us, omnipresent and omnipotent, yet invisible and intangible..."

Pan-consciousness? Wang Zhan's eyes suddenly narrowed. He recalled what Lin Hao had said earlier. If Lin Hao hadn't mentioned that he (Wang Zhan) might have slipped into a deep slumber, perhaps he would have grown even stronger. Was it because the state of pan-consciousness is the closest to Mother Nature or the Heavenly Dao?

Wei Daoming, as if he could see through Wang Zhan's thoughts, said to him, "That's right. It's just as you and Lin Hao discussed earlier regarding pan-consciousness. However, if you truly became a pan-consciousness, you might just become a molecule, an atom within it. Although you would indeed become unimaginably powerful due to its power, at that point, your own existence would lose all meaning."

Wang Zhan understood. If he became merely a part of it, he would lose his independence, and there would be no sense of self left to speak of.

They didn't delve further into the topic. Wei Daoming simply said, "In any case, the power of the Martial Emperor Realm is this kind of power. You could say that every wisp of True Essence is a wisp of life force; or you could say, every wisp of mental energy is also life force. When these three are combined, it's not a simple sum of one plus one plus one; instead, they transform into a potent life force amplified geometrically. Therefore, an existence in the Martial Emperor Realm possesses such a special status; he is equivalent to a warrior who might, perhaps, never tire."

Wang Zhan suddenly raised his head and asked, "Then, Senior, what about this clone of yours?"

According to what Wei Daoming said, this clone probably also represents Wei Daoming's life force. In other words, it's essentially equivalent to his true body.

Wei Daoming nodded. "Indeed. This clone of mine is formed from one-tenth of my life force. As for your clone, in the final analysis, it's more like a tool—a tool directed by your mental energy. So, you mustn't become complacent, absolutely do not become complacent. After all, in the eyes of people like us, as long as our realm is sufficient and our own strength is adequate, we can see through to your true body's location at a glance. This is very dangerous. If you encounter a Martial Emperor, you are doomed; it's a dead end."

Martial Emperor… Wang Zhan froze. His true body was on Earth, yet a clone could reach the Star War Battlefield instantly! And its behavior and actions were virtually indistinguishable from the original, sharing all memories. What sort of heaven-defying technique was this?

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