The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

On the battleship, inside the most luxurious room in the upper structure, Ye Xin and the group from the Divine Sword Sect found themselves surrounded by several scholarly figures, all of whom were kneeling on both knees in front of her, apologizing profusely.

Ye Xin quickly moved forward, trying to lift the scholars to their feet. "Oh, please, you don't need to do this. It was just a misunderstanding. There's no need to blame yourselves."

"Even if the Empress forgives us, we cannot forgive ourselves for the earlier offense," said the lead scholar, full of self-reproach.

Seeing this, Ye Xin couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. The scholars remained kneeling, repeatedly repenting for their previous actions, and no amount of persuasion seemed to work.

Meanwhile, the Sword Saint, Mei Yuexia, and the disciples from the Divine Sword Sect watched the scene with curiosity.

They recalled that when Ye Xin had returned to the Divine Sword Sect, she had been accompanied by nine fully armed experts at the Ninth Stage of the Void Shattering Realm, who guarded her closely and obeyed her every command. Those nine women also addressed Ye Xin as the Empress, much like these scholars were doing now.

However, they noticed that the scholars before them felt different from those nine female experts.

Back then, the nine female experts around Ye Xin had shown no emotional fluctuations in their eyes, simply executing orders with a cold detachment, almost like living beings without emotions.

These scholars, however, seemed to possess emotions and awareness.

Of course, they were unaware that Lin Qian's empire's various military units, while possessing human-like bodies, were more akin to artificial intelligence puppets, lacking true life.

"Since the Empress has forgiven you, rise and return to your duties," a voice came from the doorway, breaking the tension.

Ye Xin turned toward the door and saw Lin Qian, dressed in a white robe, entering the room. She wasn't sure when he had arrived.

"Your Majesty..." The lead scholar wanted to say something, but Lin Qian raised a hand to stop him.

"It was an unintentional mistake, and you are forgiven. Focus on controlling the battleship and re-forming the clouds around us; that is what matters most right now," Lin Qian said as he walked forward. "Also, do not remain stationary. Continue to move slowly within the territory of the former Wanxiang Sect."

With Lin Qian's orders given, the scholars finally stood up, bowed respectfully to both Lin Qian and Ye Xin, and left the luxurious room.

"Phew, Xiao Qian, your people take things too seriously," Ye Xin said, letting out a sigh of relief now that the situation had been resolved. The scholars' overly formal attitude had left her feeling overwhelmed.

Lin Qian chuckled and shook his head. "You can blame my master for this. If he had told me in advance that you were coming, none of this would have happened."

"By the way, Xiao Qian, this is my master, the Sword Saint of the Divine Sword Sect, Wei Qingqing!" Ye Xin eagerly introduced Lin Qian to the beautiful woman standing beside Mei Yuexia. She then turned to her master and said, "Master, this is Lin Qian."

"Hmm?" Lin Qian was stunned by the appearance of the Sword Saint, momentarily at a loss for words.

The woman standing before him, known as the Sword Saint, was rumored to be over sixty years old. While it was true that those who practiced martial arts could maintain a youthful appearance, Lin Qian was more shocked by her resemblance to his own master, Wei Wushuang.

Their facial features, especially their eyes, were strikingly similar, as if they had been carved from the same mold.

"Senior Wei, could you be my master's mother?" Lin Qian blurted out, overwhelmed by the possibility.

Thud!

Before Lin Qian could process his words, he felt a sharp slap to the back of his head. "You brat! Wei Qingqing is my elder sister, not my mother. What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Your elder sister? But Senior Wei must be at least twenty years older than you, right? Is that even possible?" Lin Qian asked, even more shocked by his master's revelation.

Seeing Lin Qian's incredulous expression, Wei Wushuang shrugged nonchalantly. "There are reasons for everything, but that's not something I can explain to you. Just like you, I also have my secrets."

"Secrets?" Lin Qian pondered this for a moment. His master was indeed full of mysteries.

Lin Qian had always been keenly observant, a skill he had honed in his previous life of hardship. This skill allowed him to notice subtle details in people's expressions, which often revealed hidden truths.

Lin Qian had noticed something peculiar in both Wei Wushuang and Wei Qingqing's reactions to the battleship.

Unlike the other people who saw the ship for the first time, their surprise wasn't about the ship itself. While most people were astonished by its sheer size and majesty, and perhaps a bit envious, his master and Wei Qingqing seemed to focus on something else entirely.

Their surprise seemed to stem from the fact that someone at the Nirvana Realm could possess such a ship of this scale. They showed little interest in the battleship itself, only mildly impressed by the soul cannons.

According to Wei Wushuang, only the most powerful forces outside of Linhai Prefecture could possess such warships.

Why, then, would Wei Wushuang and Wei Qingqing, both from Linhai Prefecture, react so indifferently to this battleship?

Lin Qian recalled a conversation he had with Qin Wushuang when he had asked if Wei Wushuang had any family background in Linhai Prefecture. Qin Wushuang had shaken his head and explained, "As the leader of Wanxiang Sect, our master should have a known background. But it seems as though Senior Brother came from nowhere, with no trace of his origins."

With this in mind, Lin Qian shook his head. Everyone had their secrets, and his master was no exception.

What mattered most to Lin Qian was the bond he shared with his master, and that was more than enough for him.

"By the way, why did all of you come from the Divine Sword Sect to find us? Even Sect Leader Mei is here. Did something happen at the sect?" Lin Qian asked, noticing the unusual presence of the group from the Divine Sword Sect.