Sword God in a World of Magic

Yet, even though the Lightning Emperor understood Shang better now, the problem still hadn't been resolved.

Naturally, the metaphor the Lightning Emperor had given couldn't completely cover all the aspects of the problem.

For example, while the beast in the metaphor could help the person become more powerful, Shang couldn't possibly help the Lightning Emperor become more powerful.

The Lightning Emperor was already at the peak of what he could achieve. Even if Shang became a Warrior Emperor and even if he decided to help the Lightning Emperor with everything, what would that accomplish?

At most, the Lightning Emperor would become the strongest Emperor after Shang, but that didn't make much difference to him.

Not everyone was like Shang, and the Lightning Emperor was fine with the power he had.

He could do what he wanted, talk with whomever he wanted, and go wherever he wanted.

Becoming the strongest Emperor wouldn't change that.

As for reaching Lucius' power, that was impossible. The Lightning Emperor knew that much.

Sure, Shang could become an incredibly powerful Warrior King, which would boost the Lightning Manor's prestige and soft power.

But then what?

They would have a bit more power for 100,000 years, and then Shang would die, and everything would return to normal.

And if he hadn't died by then, it meant that he had become an Emperor, in which case every other Emperor needed to fear for their lives.

There was nothing positive about supporting Shang.

"Your goal is to become powerful?" the Lightning Emperor asked.

Shang nodded.

"Powerful in what sense?" the Lightning Emperor asked. "Do you want to rule over others?"

"No," Shang answered.

"Do you want the freedom to do whatever you want?"

"No."

"Do you want to use your power on others?"

"No."

"Then what do you want with that power?" the Lightning Emperor asked with furrowed brows.

Everything Shang had said up to now was in tune with the world, which meant that he wasn't lying.

Yet, exactly that confused the Lightning Emperor so much.

a goal, but a

It was a tool.

powerful, one could do whatever one wanted without having to fear

Shang only wanted to have the power without actually having a reason to

like he was trying to hoard the

Look at them?

Have them?

do you want to have power?" the

I want to be the strongest,"

the status?" the Lightning

Shang didn't immediately

Shang answered

Emperor blinked

assuming there were no people or beasts in the entire world,

"Yes," Shang answered.

don't care

"No."

you are at the Fifth Realm, and it is completely impossible for anyone else to even reach the Fourth Realm? Would you still dedicate your entire life to searching for an illustrious Sixth

"Yes," Shang answered.

"Why?"

to be the strongest," Shang said. "I don't expect you to understand. I don't know why I want to be

like this is why I

feels like this is what I am supposed to do, and if I can't achieve it, nothing else matters," Shang

ignoring his tea at this point since he was too enraptured by this enigma of

Lightning Emperor said.

"Mind control?" Shang asked.

question every conscious action of a human with a why, and you would always get an answer, assuming the other party

"You want power, right?"

Shang nodded.

you

"Because I want power."

problem," the Lightning Emperor said. "Your action is self-referential. The reason for

because it

actually have this reason for existing, a human's action

and even if you don't know the reason, you can be assured that it is still

that something

what's my reason

know since I haven't seen

far from the actual topic. Let me

Shang nodded.

the top of your Realm, what would you do next?"

to become an Emperor,"

what would

a way to become a God," Shang answered

want to become