The twenty-third painting: The Celestial Emperor
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“I suppose it’s because the Celestial Emperor refuses to do it,” Tom shrugged, lifting the pot of stew and setting it aside. “Uncle Cain wants the Celestial Emperor to run for the position of Holy Son, arguing that his chances of success are higher than yours, but the Celestial Emperor insists on being your Captain of Knights.”
Poplar stood up and greeted the group, perhaps worried that Sang Sang might feel pressured, and explained, “The Celestial Emperor made the right choice; he isn’t suited for restrictive professions.”
“He truly isn’t. If he became a Holy Son, what would his medium of faith be? Books, painting, singing, and dancing are out of the question. Would he use spatial containers or a space orb sealed with a deadly move? But the path of the War God is also possible; the current Chief Holy Son wants to seal the War God anyway.” Sang Sang narrowed her eyes, sizing up the Thundercloud Star Beast. She understood the Celestial Emperor’s temperament well and wouldn’t misunderstand him, nor harbor any resentment.
Sang Sang raised her hand to catch the swinging green sprout, accepting her enthusiastic cheek kiss and gently touching her forehead with her lips. The green sprout giggled, climbing onto Ye Xiu’s back and leaving Sang Sang to the little Dragon Lord, whom she’d just tossed aside.
The little Dragon Lord had intended to wrap his tail around Sang Sang, but after being thrown by the green sprout, he took human form and lost his courage. He scratched the tiny horns atop his head, shuffled over, and after a long moment managed to say, “Sang Sang, my horns are growing… itchy.”
Sang Sang scratched around his little horns. “Everyone else gets smaller, but you’ve grown, and you’ve gotten thinner too.”
The little Dragon Lord grinned, his tail suddenly springing out and swaying. “I went through refinement earlier than all of you, so I absorb nutrients faster and grow quickly.”
Sang Sang smiled as well, scanning the area. “Where’s the Celestial Emperor?”
Normally, upon receiving her video call, the Celestial Emperor would answer right away and rush over to take advantage of the moment, so his absence was unusual.
Poplar looked back at the gaping hole atop the Thundercloud Star Beast’s head, amusement in his eyes. “He’s…”
The Celestial Emperor’s voice echoed from below the hole. “Sang Sang, I’m down here, wait for me…”
The green sprout’s hair quivered with laughter. “Tiantian, little brother.”
The Celestial Emperor snapped, “Who’s your little brother? Watch your words or you’ll go bald!”
The green sprout wasn’t fazed. “Anyone shorter than me is a little brother!”
Tom explained quietly, “Uncle Cain was only able to collect a limited amount of advanced nutrient solution from the church. The Celestial Emperor went through refinement earliest, but his gene remodeling required too many nutrients, so he let us use the solution instead. I guess he doesn’t want you to see him in his small form. Honestly, he’s adorable as a little bundle, but he threatened us not to take pictures to show you. Apparently, he wants you to remember him as fierce and imposing.”
Little Gold, though busy researching the principles of remote video transmission, still split off a data stream to eavesdrop on their conversation and interjected, “Impossible. Sang Sang has seen the Celestial Emperor’s bare bottom, and it was dry and scrawny, not cute at all. Sang Sang didn’t mind.”
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Sang Sang raised her brows with a smile, bending over to peer into the bloody hole. “Did you hear that? Get