The next morning, a poor scholar named Zhang Yan jolted awake from his dream.
Half-believing and half-doubting, he hurried to the abandoned courtyard in the south of the city. But the moment he pushed open the creaking broken gate, he froze on the spot.
Books and seeds filled the entire courtyard, quietly stacked beneath the morning sunlight, yet somehow radiating a sacred brilliance.
Zhang Yan’s lips trembled as he dropped to his knees with a thud.
Facing the sky, he kowtowed three times heavily.
“Thank you, Sea Goddess, for revealing yourself!”
“This humble student, Zhang Yan, will never fail Your Grace’s expectations. I shall spread these divine treasures throughout Yazhou and benefit the people!”
Through the light screen, Feng Zexuan watched the scene while lazily stretching.
“One person’s strength is limited in the end. If you want to develop a hometown, you still have to mobilize the local intellectuals.”
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for life.”
“I’m only responsible for getting things started and giving them the tools and methods. As for the rest, they can compete among themselves.”
Shen Sangsang gave herself a thumbs-up.
“Xiao Ling, you’re the best!”
【Hehe, this is the highest level of being a hands-off boss!】
On the system panel, the progress bar for assisting the male lead’s career route steadily rose from 40% to 60%.
【Looks like the system evaluates completion based on predicting the final results of your actions!】
Feng Zexuan finally understood.
With the mission completed, Shen Sangsang insisted on seeing what the ancient sea looked like.
The two arrived at the coast, utterly enchanted by the magnificent natural scenery.
The shoreline was covered in mangrove forests they had never seen before. Towering wild coconut trees swayed in the wind.
The beach was scattered with colorful shells and strangely shaped coral fragments.
Untouched by anyone, they blanketed the shore in thick layers.
Feng Zexuan activated 【Shared Senses with Host】 and experienced nature’s most primitive and generous gifts together with Shen Sangsang.
Cool seawater washed over their ankles while the salty sea breeze blew against their faces.
It swept away the exhaustion of their long journey.
The two played by the sea for two full hours before reluctantly beginning their return to the capital.
Ten hours later, the flying carpet hovered above the imperial palace.
Feng Zexuan was hired once again. Concealing herself, she directly infiltrated the emperor’s sleeping quarters.
The emperor had just prepared for bed when his vision suddenly blurred.
A strange woman had appeared out of nowhere inside the palace chamber!
“Guar—”
Just as he tried to call for help, he discovered that his entire body had stiffened. Even his tongue felt tied.
All the dignity of an emperor vanished, leaving only overwhelming terror spreading across his face.
Feng Zexuan slowly walked over and spoke calmly:
“Your Majesty, don’t be afraid. I’m not here to kill you.”
With a wave of her hand, every guard and palace maid outside silently collapsed.
The emperor’s pupils shook violently as cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
Sorcery!
This was definitely sorcery!
Feng Zexuan sat opposite him and spoke indifferently:
“Your Majesty, I do not belong here. I come from… a place beyond your understanding.”
She pointed upward.
“Your world is merely a story written in one of our books.”
“And you are only a supporting character in that story. Your mission as emperor should now come to an end.”
The emperor’s eyes filled with shock and disbelief. The restraint on his body loosened slightly, and at last he forced out a hoarse voice:
“D-demoness… spreading heresy! I am the Son of Heaven! How dare you speak such nonsense before me!”
Feng Zexuan did not argue. She simply lifted a finger.
In an instant, the scenery before the emperor changed dramatically.
He saw the sky split open with a massive crack after Xiao Zhanfeng’s death.
The earth trembled and collapsed. Rivers overflowed backward. The capital turned into ruins.
The vast empire he treasured and the countless citizens under his rule were swallowed by endless darkness amidst agonized screams…
Until the entire world finally became silent void.
The illusion disappeared.
The emperor collapsed onto the dragon bed, gasping for breath.
His entire body was soaked in cold sweat.
“Th-this… this is real?”
His teeth chattered.
Feng Zexuan nodded calmly.
“This world exists with Xiao Zhanfeng as its protagonist. If he cannot ascend the throne, the world will be destroyed. Do you understand now?”
“So, Your Majesty…”
“Please abdicate.”
The emperor closed his bloodshot eyes. Struggle and unwillingness flashed across his face…
But in the end, they all turned into deep despair and fear.
He knew he had no choice.
“…I’ll write it.”
He spoke hoarsely.
After finishing the decree of succession, Feng Zexuan spoke again:
“Write another one. Appoint yourself Regent Prince.”
The emperor looked up in confusion.
Feng Zexuan curled her lips slightly.
“Xiao Zhanfeng is a pure War God, but he is not a qualified emperor.”
“The empire still needs professionals to govern it.”
“And you are the most suitable person.”
Inside her consciousness, Shen Sangsang nodded repeatedly in full agreement.
After settling everything, Feng Zexuan released Xiao Zhanfeng from the space and implanted an incredibly realistic dream into his mind.
Inside the dream—
In the Hall of Yama, sinister winds howled.
Shen Sangsang knelt on the ground, frantically kowtowing to the imposing King of Hell. Her forehead was already a bloody mess.
“King Yama! Please! Please spare Xiao Zhanfeng from exile!”
“Even if he only becomes a puppet emperor living in comfort, as long as he can live safely and healthily!”
“I beg you!”
Golden light of immense merit radiated from her body.
King Yama watched for a moment before slowly speaking:
“In your previous life, you accumulated boundless virtue through good deeds.”
“Very well. I shall grant your request.”
Then his tone changed.
“But as a mortal, you have defied heaven and altered fate. There must be punishment.”
“You shall enter the animal realm for three reincarnations before your sins are absolved.”
Xiao Zhanfeng stood nearby in the dream, unable to step forward even half a pace.
His heart felt like it was being carved apart as tears streamed down his face.
【No! Sangsang, don’t agree!】
【Wait for me! I don’t want anything else—I only want to be with you!】
Yet he could only watch helplessly as Shen Sangsang revealed a relieved smile.
She heavily kowtowed toward King Yama.
“I am willing!”
Two ghostly envoys, one black and one white, appeared and grabbed her arms, preparing to push her toward the dark and terrifying gate of animal reincarnation.
He screamed in horror:
“No—!”
The dream ended.
Xiao Zhanfeng slowly opened his eyes.
Before him stood a magnificent golden hall, with intricately carved dragons and phoenixes decorating the ceiling.
【Where… is this?】
He lowered his head and discovered that he was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons!
【What?!】
He abruptly looked up and realized he was sitting atop the lofty dragon throne!
Below him knelt rows upon rows of ministers.
And beside him…
sat the emperor himself?!
【Wh-what exactly is going on?!】
Xiao Zhanfeng’s mind was in complete chaos as he subconsciously tried to stand up.
At that moment, the heartbreaking scenes from the dream flashed through his mind.
He understood.
It was not a dream.
Sangsang had truly obtained the throne for him.
Even if he was only a puppet emperor…
【Sangsang…】
His eyes instantly turned red.
【Even after returning to the underworld, she’s still planning everything for my sake…】
【What virtue do I possibly have to deserve this…】
He wanted to die and follow her to the underworld…
Yet he feared wasting everything she had sacrificed so painfully to obtain.
Closing his eyes, he finally made up his mind.
He would live well for her sake!
And after a hundred years…
He too would beg King Yama to cast him into the animal realm so he could find his wife again.
Overwhelming grief drowned him as tears uncontrollably slid down his face, dropping one after another onto the brand-new dragon robe.
The ministers below exchanged bewildered glances.
None of them understood why this newly enthroned emperor was crying openly in front of them.
Beside him, the Regent Prince looked utterly speechless and could only casually cough, signaling the eunuch to continue reading the coronation decree.
Hidden inside the space, Shen Sangsang laughed so hard at Xiao Zhanfeng’s appearance that she nearly rolled on the floor.
At that moment, Feng Zexuan suddenly reminded her:
“Host! The career progress is only at 90% right now. There’s still one final task left!”
Shen Sangsang looked confused.
【He’s already become emperor, so what’s still missing? What’s the final task?】
Feng Zexuan fell silent for a moment before speaking in an extremely complicated tone:
“The final task…”
“To continue the bloodline and produce an heir.”
“You still have to… give him a child.”
Shen Sangsang: 【???】
“A nation cannot go a day without a ruler, and the court cannot go a day without a crown prince.”
“There must be an heir. It’s also an important part of the male lead’s career route.”
Shen Sangsang completely broke down.
【Have a child?!】
【But I’m still a baby myself!】
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