Rebirth of the Abandoned Male Empress

Chapter 5

Chapter Five:
“The Egg Hatches?!”

___

In the eyes of many, status and power held immense importance. This sentiment was shared by countless individuals, except for one notable exception—the Emperor himself.

Emperor Cheng Ju Long firmly believed that power and status were burdens, not privileges. If one were to inquire why he held this unconventional view, he had a myriad of reasons to provide. One key factor was the loss of personal freedom.

For those who occupied positions beneath him, what Emperor Ju Long felt or thought seemed irrelevant. As long as he adhered to the established protocols and played the role expected of him, all was well. Those whom he ruled over cared little if he turned into a tyrant; all they wanted was a leader to follow and worship, which somehow made them feel secure.

Yet, one persistent question continually haunted the Emperor's thoughts: Was a nation truly incapable of existing without a leader? Why was there always a demand for leadership, even when the leader in question was self-serving?

Over the course of a decade, during which he presided over the realm of cultivation with the blessings of the gods, Ju Long found no enjoyment or satisfaction. The Ju Long that everyone loved was no longer the person he recognized. The true essence of himself had long since faded away.

On a dark, cold night within the confines of his palace, the Emperor awoke abruptly from a series of bizarre and vivid dreams that had been haunting him for the past month. An unshakable feeling gnawed at his heart, compelling him to search for someone.

In his youth, when he was merely a five-year-old child, an unknown deity had come to his father, the former Emperor, proclaiming that this young prince was destined for heaven's blessings and to rule the land alongside the fiery winds. It was a divine decree that entrusted the prince with the duty of ensuring the eternal flame remained alight, lest a great disaster befall the world.

From that moment on, the young prince began to experience visions of the future, a gift that became his advantage in countless battles against both cultivators and demons. To honor his heroic deeds, the Heavenly Dragon and the Beast God of East Qing Long bestowed upon him the gift of immortality. At the tender age of fourteen, the young prince ascended to the realm of the heavens, becoming the mightiest immortal to ever exist.

On his seventeenth birthday, the Emperor passed down the reins of rulership to him. However, the Emperor's prophetic visions, which had guided his early years, had inexplicably ceased. That was until recently when he began to dream of a future where, due to his negligence, tragedy was destined to strike. Only through the self-sacrifice of a certain individual would the world turn to ashes, offering the chance for rebirth.

As Ju Long awakened from that vivid dream, he understood that it was no ordinary dream; it was a prophecy, an omen from a divine beast. He was convinced that he had to locate the person tied to this vision before tragedy befell them. An unusual yearning swelled within his heart, one that suggested that this person was the key to the longing he felt.

Following consultations with his Prime Minister and Marshall, Ju Long resolved to seek out the person from his dream. With the guidance of the Celestial Jade egg he had laid, they managed to locate the oldest daughter of Governor and Sect Leader, Shen Changli who's was on the cusp of ascending to the Immortal state, making her a likely candidate to be the one he sought.

However, when he finally laid eyes on her, instead of feeling joy, his heart was consumed by an unexplainable resentment towards this woman. Bewildered by this unexpected emotion, he feared he might leave empty-handed.