CHAPTER 215: THE IMPERIAL CITY

Chapter 215: The Imperial City

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To the south of Lushan Province lies one of the three largest provinces of the Human Empire, the Province of Yujing.

Unlike Lushan and the others, Yujing holds a unique and critical importance to the empire, for within its borders lies the capital, Tianjing,

better known as the Imperial City.

It is the seat of the empire’s main institutions, as well as a political and economic center of unparalleled influence.

The city’s streets, wide and orderly, teem with markets brimming with goods from every corner of the realm, while the grand residences of nobles and the imposing administrative halls stand as living proof of the empire’s power and prosperity.

Even the smallest architectural detail seems to reflect the dynasty’s magnificence and the city’s profound influence on the fate of the surrounding provinces.

At the heart of the Imperial City rises a majestic complex, its towers and pavilions cutting a sharp silhouette against the sky, this is the Imperial Palace, the ultimate symbol of imperial might and grandeur.

Its walls, decorated with golden carvings and reliefs telling the dynasty’s past glories, enclosed wide courtyards and carefully tended gardens.

This palace, emblem of imperial authority, has withstood the test of time, remaining steadfast and imposing ever since the ancient days, when the Human Empire was not yet fully united.

Many emperors have reigned since the first human emperor, yet few, if any, have ever matched his greatness.

Many believe no one ever will, especially considering how every successor throughout history has fallen, whether to natural death or to the schemes of both allies and enemies alike.

All of this led to the current emperor and his dynasty taking the throne. For the past millennium, they have ruled with an iron hand, crushing all opposition and solidifying their dominion across the empire.

To the younger generation, this is seen as a blessing, the empire has never been more stable.

But in the eyes of those who still remember the old days, this stability feels more like a prelude to something disastrous.

Yet none of them dare to speak their thoughts aloud, not after the massive, far reaching oppression the Emperor once unleashed.

At that moment, in one of the grandest halls of the Imperial Palace, a tense silence hung heavy in the air amid the faint murmur of whispers.

The hall, with its soaring ceilings and walls draped in tapestries depicting the empire’s triumphs, was bathed in warm, flickering light from crystal chandeliers.

Figures of high importance, ambassadors, ministers, and dignitaries of every rank, stood or sat along the perimeter and upon raised platforms leading toward the central area, where three thrones loomed on a slightly elevated dais.

Some were seated, others standing, exchanging quiet remarks.

The air was tense and heavy, as if everyone in the hall was waiting for something crucial, a moment that could change not just their lives, but the fate of the whole continent.

Today was the day of the meeting between the Three Emperors, summoned by the Human Emperor to discuss the threat beyond the long mountain range.

Time seemed to crawl as dignitaries and envoys waited in silence, each aware of the historic weight of the moment.

Finally, on one of the three raised platforms, a figure appeared,

a middle aged man with an air of authority, his black hair lightly streaked with gray, and eyes sharp with intelligence.

His presence filled the hall, calm yet suffocating, radiating a silent power that instinctively made all hearts tremble.

He was Wu Tian, better known as the current Human Emperor.

He did not sit on his throne.

He remained standing upon the platform, gaze turned upward, as if peering through the ceiling itself, and as though the heavens responded to that gaze, a thunderous rumble echoed through the air and the sky above the Imperial City darkened.

From within the clouds, a massive figure emerged, a black dragon, its scales glinting like obsidian, wings beating with such force they stirred a storm.

It roared mightily toward the heavens, announcing its presence to all, and then, slowly, its form began to shift.

The wings folded, the body narrowed, and before everyone’s eyes, the dragon took on human shape,

a tall, imposing man with cold, blade like eyes and skin faintly marked by small black scales. His very presence exuded authority and danger, enough to make anyone feel insignificant and frail.

He was Long Yan, the current Beast Emperor.

His narrow, jet black eyes settled only on the Human Emperor, dismissing everyone else in the hall as if nothing else was worth his attention.

"Wu Tian," his voice rumbled like restrained thunder, deep and resonant, echoing through the hall.

"I really hope you didn’t disturb my sleep over something pointless." he said, his voice gravelly and filled with arrogance and challenge.

His pride was palpable, yet his unwavering attention toward the Human Emperor was a silent acknowledgment of his power.

Had anyone else dared to utter such words in the emperor’s presence, their head would have rolled already, but that was of no concern to this figure.

Those words made everyone else tremble, yet the Human Emperor appeared completely unfazed.

His gaze instead shifted toward the third throne, empty until moments ago, but now occupied by a woman.

It was Lin Feiqing, the Elven Queen.

Unlike the Beast Emperor , her arrival was silent, so much so that no one had noticed her presence until now.

Only when the Human Emperor turned his eyes toward her did the others realize she was there.

A wave of awe and disbelief rippled through the hall as they laid eyes on the majestic elven woman, whose very presence seemed to captivate everyone’s hearts.

She wore a gown of white and silver silk, delicately embroidered with patterns resembling branches and wind-swayed leaves. Her long golden hair cascaded like strands of light to her waist, catching the glow of the crystal lamps.

Her skin was pale and radiant, setting off her emerald eyes, deep, serene, and unreadable.

Her expression was calm, but behind that serenity lay an aura of power and grace so overwhelming it crushed the spirit of any who dared to gaze too long.

With the arrival of all three, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavier still.

Now that everyone was present, a solemn silence fell and the whispers faded, as if the whole world was holding its breath, waiting for the important discussion to begin.

And so, the three rulers finally took their seats upon their respective thrones, marking the beginning of a discussion that would determine the future of the three empires.

All present knew the purpose of today’s gathering, as well as the key details of recent events that had struck the Human Empire, which to some extent also concerned the other two.

If not for this grave situation, organizing a meeting between the three rulers would have been nearly impossible. Yet given the severity of the threat, none dared take it lightly, and their presence here was proof of that.

While the three sovereigns convened in one part of the continent, elsewhere, another figure began to move.

Within the main mountain of the Yun Family territory, buried deep in the mountain range.

Yun She, the current Patriarch of the Yun Family, stood facing a row of five aligned cocoons.

Each one pulsed faintly with a crimson glow, all except the one in the center, which was empty.

Inside the others floated humanoid figures, suspended in liquid, curled in a fetal position, and now, slowly, they began to stir, as if awakening from a long slumber.

The more they moved, the brighter the cocoons glowed, as though heralding their imminent awakening.

The laboratory was empty save for the cocoons and Yun She himself.

The atmosphere was dim, illuminated only by the reddish light of the cocoons that grew stronger with each pulse. Yun She’s expression remained utterly blank as he observed it all, calm eyes betraying no emotion despite the scene before him.

The Yun Family had suffered greatly in recent times, especially after that expedition to the secret realm, where many perished, including every member they had sent.

It had been unexpected, but understandable, given what had happened within that place, details that had only been uncovered after extensive investigation.

Yet amidst it all, one matter in particular caught Yun She’s attention, the fate of his son, Yun Hao.

Contrary to what the investigations suggested, Yun She knew his son had not died inside the secret realm. He knew because he shared a spiritual bond with him, a link forged when he granted Yun Hao that power.

That connection had persisted for some time even after the incident, before being severed.

Not extinguished, as happens upon death, but cut off.

Severed, by someone.

And not by just anyone, given the nature of his power. Yun She knew that much.

This, combined with the strange circumstances of his son’s disappearance, had alerted him, telling him the nature of that incident was far from simple.

He knew what resided within the secret realm, as well as the presence of that drop of blood.

It was precisely for that reason he had sent his son, a simple task, one that should not have been obstructed by the return of that creature inside the realm.

Yet everything had gone wrong, and the only catalyst Yun She could find... was that woman’s appearance.

At the thought of that female figure, whose very name once struck fear and dread into countless hearts in the past, his eyes sharpened, and countless implications of her return surfaced in his mind.

"It seems, that I’ll have to act sooner than planned."