The Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom let out a soft sigh, filled with boundless helplessness. "What a pity. My aptitude is lacking. Perhaps among the tens of millions of people in Xi Kingdom, I might be considered outstanding. But if we look across the vast continent with its myriad kingdoms, I am merely ordinary. Not to mention the Thirty-Six Sovereign Kingdoms, the Seven Great Empires, and the supreme imperial clans, or even the boundless cosmos beyond. I am simply an ordinary member, nothing more. How can I speak of transcending above and breaking these shackles?"
"I have grand ambitions in my heart, yet they cannot be realized!"
"Not that they cannot, but that I lack the capability."
Ye Chen glanced over and shook his head with a faint smile. There were far too many people like this. He only paid a little attention, but wanting to break through the nine layers of clouds above was easier said than done.
He was just about to turn and leave when the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom spoke again: "Now, there is only that method to implement. Although the risk is great, it is the only feasible path given my poor aptitude. It might even offer a sliver of hope for the future, allowing me to strive for a future as vast as the sea, advancing toward the supreme domain of the Great Emperor."
Hearing this, Ye Chen's figure immediately halted. He turned around, looking at this Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom with great interest. Seeing the determination in his eyes, he knew this was not empty talk; the prince truly had such a method.
His heart stirred. He detached from the spatial distortion, appearing within this command tower, even appearing right before the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom.
Ye Chen's sudden appearance greatly startled the Crown Prince, who had no idea when this person had arrived.
"Who are you?"
The Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom asked sharply, his sword-like brows slightly furrowed. However, he did not immediately summon guards. Instead, he looked coldly at Ye Chen, remaining composed in the face of danger, indeed possessing an extraordinary bearing.
Ye Chen smiled, not answering but asking in return: "Just a passerby. I only wish to ask one thing—"
"You wish to become a Supreme Great Emperor!"
It was not a question but a statement of certainty, causing the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom to be taken aback before he nodded heavily. "I do!"
"I just heard you have a method to achieve the rank of Great Emperor. Could you speak of it?" Ye Chen asked casually.
Though shocked that the other party had been present all along without him noticing, the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom looked at him and shook his head. "This is my method, a secret. I cannot divulge it. Moreover, this is an important location of my Xi Kingdom. For you to intrude without reason, do not blame me for being merciless."
His tone carried a hint of cold indifference.
Ye Chen chuckled lightly. "If I wanted to kill you, no one in the entire Xi Kingdom could save you. You can try if you don't believe me."
The Crown Prince's expression changed slightly. He attempted to send a divine sense message, but soon discovered the surrounding space was distorted. Any call for help could not be transmitted.
In other words, he knew he was completely trapped here. Moreover, this man before him, seemingly as young as himself, was undoubtedly extraordinary, possibly even more powerful than a Saint.
Otherwise, with all their kingdom-level and city-level warships constantly under the surveillance of Saintly divine senses, he could not have avoided detection and appeared here. The Xi Kingdom Saint would have certainly intervened.
Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning. The Crown Prince was astonished by the other's youth and fearsomeness, unsure of his true identity. But he appeared to be a rather peaceful person, without any hostility, not an ill-intentioned visitor.
Despite the storm of shock raging in his heart, the Crown Prince's handsome face showed no trace of fear. On the contrary, he looked calmly at the uninvited guest, Ye Chen, and said, "Senior, you wish to know this junior's method?"
One 'senior,' one 'junior'—the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom cleverly established their respective positions.
Such composure indeed made Ye Chen nod slightly in approval. "Then let me hear it."
The Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom said, "Faith Power. This junior wishes to use Faith Power to prove the Dao and become Emperor, achieving eternal greatness!"
"The Faith Power method to become Emperor!?"
Ye Chen was slightly startled. He had learned of this method long ago. Indeed, there were rumors that some Emperors or supreme immortals had used Faith Power to prove the Dao and become Emperor. But those were just rumors. Even now, he dared not claim how much success rate this method had.
But what shocked him even more was that this Faith Power method to become Emperor was generally only understood by those who had reached sufficiently profound realms or attained a certain status. Although this Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom had reached the Divine Transformation Realm in his early thirties, considered young and talented, and was the crown prince of a kingdom, even so, he should not have had the qualifications to learn of the corresponding Faith Power method to become Emperor ahead of time.
Could he have comprehended it himself?
Ye Chen asked, "How did you learn of it?"
"Not learned, but comprehended by this junior," the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom replied. "As the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom, I have cultivated beside the Xi Saint Ancestor since childhood and have seen him use Faith Power in his cultivation, achieving twice the result with half the effort. I have personally experienced it. Moreover, as a crown prince, I have some understanding. I have heard that many people establish kingdoms and undertake great endeavors to gather Faith Power, thereby aiding their own cultivation. Over the years, following the Xi Saint Ancestor, I have also discovered that Faith Power, aside from being a form of power, is also the power of human hearts, the mental power of all living beings. If used appropriately and with sufficient mental power from all living beings, it can be applied to oneself, allowing one to achieve the rank of Supreme Great Emperor in one fell swoop, ascending to the supreme imperial greatness!"
Ye Chen looked at the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom, not expecting his understanding of Faith Power to be so profound.
"But you must know, Faith Power can allow your cultivation to advance rapidly, but ultimately, it is merely an external force that prevents you from walking far enough," Ye Chen said.
"This junior knows," the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom replied, his gaze toward Ye Chen filled with determination. "But aside from this method, there is no other path to imperial greatness. With this junior's aptitude, perhaps reaching sainthood and attaining the Saint Treasury Realm is the limit. Without opportunity, it is difficult to break into another realm."
"This is currently the only method. This junior cannot give up."
"At most, I can only cultivate Faith Power while continuously solidifying my foundation, allowing more room for future growth, enabling me to withstand more Faith Power and proceed along the Faith Emperor's Path!"
Ye Chen clapped his hands twice vigorously. "What a fine Faith Emperor's Path! Although your aptitude is ordinary, your will is firm, earning my admiration. However, this path is destined to be filled with hardships. You are merely the crown prince of a small kingdom among the myriad kingdoms. Your Xi Kingdom alone cannot provide you with much Faith Power. To continuously grow stronger in the future, you must collect more Faith Power. You must march toward other kingdoms, wage wars across the vast myriad kingdoms. In the future, you must even wage war against the Thirty-Six Sovereign Kingdoms, the Seven Great Empires, and even the eternal Jiuyan Imperial Clan, regardless of the cost."
"Do you know that the Jiuyan Imperial Clan has produced a Supreme Great Emperor like the Jiuyan Great Emperor? Their foundation is unfathomably deep, with countless powerful experts. Any one of them could easily annihilate your Xi Kingdom with a flick of a finger. Will you still persist?"
Ye Chen immediately posed two questions, his gaze sharp, looking into the heart of the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom, interrogating him, even interrogating his inner self.
Facing Ye Chen's gaze, the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom did not retreat in the slightest. On the contrary, his eyes were equally sharp and filled with determination. He said solemnly, "I will persist!"
"Good, what fine persistence!" Ye Chen looked at the Crown Prince of Xi Kingdom with appreciation. "Your name is Yan Wushuang, correct?"
"This junior is Yan Wushuang!"
Ye Chen clapped his hands and smiled. "You have satisfied me. Would you be willing to become my disciple, to be my student?"