The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

Lin Qian's promise left Lei Qian feeling skeptical. Among the six disciples who had earned a slot for the Ancient Relic exploration, aside from Lin Qian, the other five were the top-ranked inner disciples. To this day, no fewer than a hundred disciples had challenged these five, hoping to take their slots. Every challenger was a formidable Ninth Stage Nirvana Realm cultivator, with some even concealing their strength, waiting for the perfect moment to make a name for themselves. Yet, all of these challengers had failed, with not a single one succeeding.

Lei Qian knew his own strength ranked tenth among the inner disciples, and the thought of challenging any of the top five, let alone the first-ranked disciple, seemed hopeless. That first-ranked disciple was like an insurmountable mountain, towering over all the inner disciples.

"Maybe... just maybe Lin Qian could defeat him," Lei Qian thought as he stood by the wooden tub his servants had prepared. The image of Lin Qian's ten-layer soul power aura still echoed in his mind, making his heart race.

Shaking off his thoughts, Lei Qian uncorked the crystal bottle Lin Qian had given him and poured its contents into the tub. To his surprise, the water turned a light red and began to bubble as it gradually heated up.

This was the Nirvana Flame Bath, albeit a weaker version. Lin Qian knew that if Lei Qian were to use the same concentration he used, it would likely kill him. The diluted version, however, was just right for Lei Qian, carefully calculated by Zhuge Ming.

Staring at the bubbling red liquid, Lei Qian hesitated for a moment, but remembering Lin Qian's confident words, he gritted his teeth and stepped into the tub.

The next morning, Lei Qian could hardly wait to finish breakfast with his grandfather before rushing off to Maoqing Mountain. Watching his grandson rush out the door, Lei Heng murmured to himself, "This kid came back looking like a beaten-up pig last night, but today he's perfectly fine. Strange."

Arriving at Maoqing Mountain, Lei Qian couldn't contain his excitement as he asked Lin Qian, "Boss, is this the secret behind your strong body and pure soul power?"

Seeing Lei Qian's overexcited expression, Lin Qian shook his head. "Of course not. It's just a training method."

Lin Qian's terrifyingly strong body and pure soul power were mainly due to two factors: being reborn with the memories of two lifetimes and the resources of the Hua Xia Empire. His powerful soul gave him a body capable of withstanding intense training and refining, far beyond that of ordinary people. That was why after a full day of sparring, Lin Qian was merely exhausted, while Lei Qian was left nearly dead.

Moreover, Zhuge Ming and his team in the Hua Xia Empire's Engineering Department meticulously customized Lin Qian's training regimen, including refining baths and techniques that others couldn't even fathom.

"But this medicine does help with refining your body and extracting soul power," Lin Qian added as he looked at Lei Qian. "Have you told your grandfather about it?"

"No," Lei Qian replied, stepping closer to Lin Qian and speaking earnestly. "Boss, you should be careful with this medicine. Don't let too many people know about it, or it could attract unwanted attention."

Hearing this, Lin Qian smiled approvingly. "Good. You're thinking ahead. If you had said yes, I would have killed you right here."

A chill ran down Lei Qian's spine. He could tell Lin Qian wasn't joking.

"Since I've decided to follow you, I won't betray you," Lei Qian said firmly. Then, with a puzzled look, he mumbled, "For some reason, I just naturally want to look out for you."

Lin Qian suddenly stepped back, his expression odd as he looked at Lei Qian. "You're not... you know..."

Realizing what Lin Qian was implying, Lei Qian shouted angrily, "Of course not! I'm perfectly normal!"

Relieved by Lei Qian's certainty, Lin Qian thought about another possibility. The Hua Xia Empire's intelligent generals had always been loyal, unaffected by his low cultivation level. Coupled with the system interface only he could see, Lin Qian confirmed that his game account's "Imperial Might" talent had carried over with him into this world.

"What if this 'Imperial Might' talent doesn't just affect the Hua Xia Empire?" Lin Qian considered the bold possibility. Lei Qian had chosen to follow him, and he had accepted. From a certain perspective, that could be seen as a subordinate relationship, which might explain why Lei Qian instinctively cared for him and so easily called him "boss."

"Alright, let's start training. Show me how much you've improved," Lin Qian said, moving forward to spar with Lei Qian again. This was how the War Emperor had trained him—sparring with others instead of practicing soul techniques alone. Wei Wushuang, believing himself close to death, had passed down all his experience to Lin Qian through brutal training.

Seven days later, in the courtyard of Maoqing Mountain, Lei Qian sat on the ground, pointing at Lin Qian in disbelief, too shocked to speak. Nearby, Wei Wushuang trembled as he stared at his disciple, as if looking at a monster.

"Twelve cycles of Nirvana!"

Three days earlier, Lei Qian had come to Maoqing Mountain as usual but found that Lin Qian hadn't emerged from his room. Even Wei Wushuang was puzzled, unable to sense anything from within. When Lin Qian finally emerged, the eleven-layered soul power aura around him had shocked them both. But that wasn't the end of it. Today, Lin Qian had given them an even greater shock.

"Completing eleven cycles of Nirvana was already unheard of, but twelve? How did you do it?" Wei Wushuang rushed up to Lin Qian, grabbing his shoulders in excitement.

Lin Qian simply chuckled. "I just tried scattering my soul power again, and it somehow worked."

"Somehow?" Wei Wushuang was left speechless, sighing deeply. His disciple was becoming more and more extraordinary.

Lei Qian, on the other hand, rubbed his face in disbelief, still shaken. "I actually fought a life-and-death battle with this monster... Was I insane?"

"Isn't today the day Liu Ming challenges me?" Lin Qian said, retracting his soul power as he patted Lei Qian on the shoulder. "Let's go. I'll deal with him and then we'll continue training."

"What a freakish kid!" Wei Wushuang muttered as he shook his head and returned to his quarters to continue recuperating.

Lei Qian was still in shock, but when Lin Qian started to leave, he quickly followed. As he watched Lin Qian's back, Lei Qian thought, "Twelve cycles of Nirvana... Liu Ming, you're really out of luck."