Chapter 147 True Dragon: Dragon Emperor's Welcome Ceremony [VIP]
"Holy City? Queen?"
Xiao Yun frowned.
Due to the geographical barrier of the Death Desert and the Dragon Emperor's deliberate blockade, there is not much communication between the East Continent and the West Continent.
But even so, Xiao Yun knew that the capital of the True Human Empire was called the Imperial Capital, and the Dragon Emperor, who was given the title of "the eternal and only emperor of the True Human Empire", had no queen.
"The Holy City is the new capital of the empire that is being built."
Sarah explained carefully, "About forty years ago, His Majesty decided to build a new capital, called the Holy City. After more than thirty years of construction, the new city was nearly complete. However, eight years ago, His Majesty suddenly changed his mind and ordered the completed imperial palace to be demolished and rebuilt. Therefore, the Holy City is still under construction."
"Eight years ago...I suddenly changed my mind..."
Xiao Yun fell into deep thought.
He remembered what Yaris had said.
The first time I entered the ninth floor of the God Tower, He spotted me. It was the first time I accepted the gods into my body, and I had no idea how to observe the world while hiding myself from danger. As soon as my senses spread to the Eastern Continent, He discovered me and pursued me frantically, trying to keep me in His palace. I paid a heavy price to free myself from His entanglement, and was forced to stay in bed for a month afterward.
(…He wants me to be His queen, and rule the True Human Empire with Him forever.)
(The "Dark Night Mentor" also said something similar. He said that about a hundred kilometers away from the capital of the True Human Empire, a brand new city dedicated to the future queen was being built.)
Could it be that——
"How far is the Holy City from the current capital?"
"About a hundred kilometers."
Samit said without hesitation.
"What's going on with the Queen?"
"The Queen..."
The two young men fell silent together.
"As far as I know, the Emperor of the True Human Empire is called the Eternal and Only Emperor in vain. Therefore, He does not need a queen, and He does not have one."
"That's exactly what happened, but, but..."
"But what happened?"
"A month ago, the Imperial Capital issued an edict requiring each city under the Empire to select a pair of young, unmarried men and women and send them to the Imperial Capital. The most outstanding of these would be able to live in the soon-to-be-completed new palace in the Holy City and become attendants or maids to the Empress."
"We were all surprised to hear the news. We've been told since childhood that the emperor is a god, possesses eternal life, and doesn't need or have a queen. Why did the empire suddenly have one?"
"But Lily's family believes this decree can bring a bright future to the family. If a young man from the Bai family is successfully selected to become the Empress's attendant or maid, he or she will have more opportunities to get close to the Emperor, and may even become the Emperor's favorite or mistress, bringing practical benefits to the family. Even if they ultimately gain nothing, the family will only have lost a young man."
"—Imperial law stipulates that every city must regularly offer the Emperor young men and women who meet his requirements to serve him and meet his needs. This frequency is usually once every five years."
Samit added, holding his lover's hand tightly.
"Our city already offered a young, unmarried girl who met the requirements to the imperial capital last year, but now... and the person they are going to send this time is my Lily..."
"So you're not against the sacrifice system, you're against your lover being chosen."
Flo L laughed loudly.
Hearing this, Samit lowered his head in shame.
"...I admit my thoughts are quite selfish. However, in the hearts of lovers, their loved one is the most important existence that surpasses everything else in the world. Lily and I don't want to be forcibly separated, so we decided to flee to the Twilight Kingdom. If we can't find the entrance to the Twilight Kingdom before our pursuers arrive, we will use death to escape the terrible future!"
"Lord of the Twilight Kingdom, please save us!"
Lily covered her eyes and broke down crying.
"Your..."
"Your Majesty! Don't believe their words so easily!"
Flo L shouted, "Their words seem reasonable, but this place is adjacent to the Twilight Kingdom and has always been sparsely populated. Their appearance at such a coincidence! I have reason to suspect that they were sent by Your Majesty's enemies to deceive Him!"
"Your Majesty, we have already—"
"Even if it's a conspiracy, I want to find out what's happening in this country."
Xiao Yun said coldly.
"But……"
Flo L tried to stop it.
Xiao Yun asked Samit and Lily directly: "How far is the imperial capital from here?"
"About three thousand kilometers..."
Samit said cautiously, "If we use the magic carriage to travel, the journey that would normally take at least thirty days can be shortened to just three days."
"The Magical Carriage..."
"The carriage is now parked in the center of Qatar City."
"Do you want to ride on the magic carriage that takes the selected boys and girls to the imperial capital?"
Flo L put her hands on her hips, furious.
“We…we…”
"Flo L,
Xiao Yun took off his hood, revealing his bright and dazzling face.
The two were stunned.
"You, your face..."
"Now, put aside your curiosity and shock and tell me everything you know."
Xiao Yun said slowly.
"yes!"
…
…
After talking with Lily and Samit, Xiao Yun learned that this was the countryside of Anwo, a small border town in the True Human Empire, which belonged to Shangling, the southwestern border province of the empire. The previously mentioned Kada City was the capital city of Shangling Province. Lily and Samit both came from large families in Kada City.
More than three hundred years ago, the Dragon Emperor suddenly appeared and unified the fragmented East Continent in two hundred years.
The immortal "He" who is called God in white divided the vast True Human Empire into seventy-two provinces, each with twenty to thirty cities. Shangling Province contained twenty-seven of these cities, taking into account historical factors, natural geography, and ethnic groups.
Therefore, according to the emperor's decree, Shangling Province needs to select and send fifty-four young men and women this time.
"Five days ago, the clan leader asked a fortuneteller to predict the family's future. The results showed that sending me to the Imperial Capital would bring great honor to the family. So... everyone in the family... including my parents, supported this. Only Samit... only he didn't want me to be taken to the distant Imperial Capital..."
"Even if I die, I will not let the girl I love suffer a tragic fate!"
Samit choked up and said, "There are less than three days left until the other fifty-three young men and women selected by Shangling Province are taken to the imperial capital by carriage. Lily's family firmly believes that sending Lily to the imperial capital will bring honor to the family, and they have joined forces with my family to capture us. The Twilight Kingdom is the only safe place we can think of."
"Wait! Why are you so sure Lily will suffer if she goes to the Imperial Capital? Wouldn't it be great to become the mistress of an immortal god, squander the wealth of the entire empire, and bring glory to the family?"
Flo L snorted and asked the two of them.
Samit was stunned when he heard this, and whispered, "If He is really God and falls in love with Lily, and Lily also loves Him, then becoming God's mistress is certainly an honor, but..."
"But what?"
"For over a hundred years, all the girls chosen and sent to the imperial capital... once they entered the palace, there was no news of them. No one knew whether they were still alive or what had happened to them..."
"Is it true that no one has returned?"
Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, there has been no news since entering the palace, and no one has returned..."
"No one doubts this?"
"Except for the chosen girl's family, no one has any objections..."
"so--"
Xiao Yun fell into deep thought.
(...Combined with the information previously provided by the "Dark Night Mentor," the true purpose of the girls offered by each city every five years should be sacrifice... Therefore, all the girls entered the palace and were never heard from again...)
(He was about to hold a larger-scale sacrifice centered around the “Queen,” and needed more young boys and girls as sacrifices… So He suddenly issued an edict requesting young, unmarried boys and girls from all cities throughout the country…)
(The “Queen” is most likely Yaris. For Him, who aspires to become a god, Yaris, who contains the original darkness within her, is a crucial “Queen.” He did indeed say that he wanted Yaris to become the “Queen”…)
"—So what if no one comes back! Even I know that the Emperor of your True Human Empire has lived for at least five hundred years. A creature that has lived for five hundred years without aging—even if he is not a god, he is already a demigod. How could he possibly eat the food of ordinary people!"
Flo L said loudly.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Samit and Lily showed expressions of fear again and said tremblingly, "His sight is almost everywhere. We..."
"But He is not truly omnipotent."
Xiao Yun said casually.
As soon as the words fell, everyone, including Flo L, couldn't help but tremble violently - they clearly heard a burst of mocking laughter, so sharp and strong that it seemed to overturn the entire wooden house.
"I say, you are not omnipotent! Not only are you not a god! You are not even a dragon (loong)!"
Xiao Yun raised his head fearlessly and looked provocatively at the sky in the east which was gradually turning white.
"Since your vision is all-pervasive, there's no way you didn't know I was coming! If that's the case, why didn't you come out to greet me? Or—do you want me to meet you in the Imperial Capital or the Holy City?"
In an instant, the air became extremely heavy, and the wooden house creaked as if it could not bear the weight.
"--ah!"
Terrified, Lily screamed and fell into her lover's arms.
Samit was also very frightened at this moment, and he forced himself to hug his trembling lover.
Flo L was also terrified and trembled in fear while hiding in Xiao Yun's hood.
[Lucien, possessing stellar energy, you have indeed taken the initiative to come to my empire! I am delighted, extremely delighted. I will prepare a welcome feast for you that you will never forget!]
"Heh! Where is Yaris now!"
He is sleeping beside me... These days, I have to love him, satisfy him, and feed him every day... He is very tired every day because of this, but I am very satisfied...
“…”
[At first, he tried his best to resist me, but his body had already been tainted by the Demon Prince, and he had lost the protection of the gods... I could torture him in every way I could, feeling his pain, anger, and unwillingness... He wanted to die, but he also wanted to live to see you again... To survive, he had no choice but to put aside his arrogance, please me, and beg me...]
“…”
Unfortunately, the feeling of crushing his dignity was too good to pass up, so no matter how much he begged for mercy, I wouldn't stop. Once, perhaps in unbearable pain, he clutched the sheets and uttered the note "Mom." I grabbed his hair and kindly reminded him, "You don't have a mom. Your mom has never loved you. You're a monster that even your mom finds disgusting!" At that moment, his eyes were empty and hopeless, and I felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
“…You pervert!”
【In our evaluation system, perverted is not a derogatory term. 】
“…”
Playing with him is a test of strength. His body is too fragile, and even the slightest exertion will leave bruises or even bleed. His premature death could lead to horrific consequences that even I can't imagine. But precisely because the whole thing is so difficult, the pleasure he brings me is far more intense than any other man or woman.
"Shut up!"
Xiao Yun roared towards the sky: "Come out and see me immediately!"
"Sorry, although I welcome you, I don't have time to see you right now. My empire is too vast, and there are countless things and countless bugs to deal with. If you want to see me, come find me in the imperial capital! Yaris is waiting for you too, he has always been waiting for you, and for you, he is willing to endure any humiliation and torture."
“…”
You'd better come quickly, because his condition is getting worse. Although he desperately wants to live and see you again, his body is refusing to eat. The gods regard his body and the secrets within it as their private property. Once the restrictions they have placed on him are broken, his body will die at an extremely fast speed. In order to keep him alive and become the queen of the Dark Empire, I am considering using extreme measures...
“…”
[Yes, as you suspected, the more than 2,000 pairs of boys and girls that were summoned were one of the many methods I came up with to keep Yaris alive!]
"--you!"
【Come on, Lucien, Jarris and I are waiting for you! 】
"etc--"
Xiao Yun subconsciously stretched out his hand towards the east, as if to block something invisible.
However, His breath had completely disappeared.
When Xiao Yun came to his senses, it was already dawn and the sunlight filled the wooden house.
Samit and Lily hugged each other in shock and asked Xiao Yun: "...What just happened? Were you talking to Him?"
"Um."
"What did He say?"
Lily asked boldly.
Xiao Yun did not answer, staring at the sun in the sky in a trance.
“…Who is Yaris?”
Lily asked again.
“He is the most important person to me.”
"Do you love him very much?"
"Yes, I love him, more than anything in the world. He loves me too, and he can endure any pain just to see me again."
"And now he's been captured by Him?"
"Um."
"Are you planning to go to the imperial capital to rescue him?"
Xiao Yun nodded.
"Aren't you afraid of danger? He is... Although you are the Lord of the Twilight Kingdom and are very powerful..."
"If you truly love someone, and that person is steadfastly waiting for you, no matter how far away or how dangerous the person is, you will chase after him/her. If tragic fate cannot be escaped, at least let us die together."
"I see……"
Lily wiped her tears sadly and said to Samit, "I have decided to return to Kada City and accompany the Lord of the Twilight Kingdom to the Imperial Capital to find his lover as the girl presented by Kada City to His Majesty the Emperor. The rest will be..."
"I will serve as Lily's coachman and accompany His Majesty and Lily to the Imperial Capital. If dying for love is our fate, I will walk hand in hand with Lily into the underworld."
"Well, it is my happiness to die with you."
Lily held Samit's hand tightly, and the eyes of the boy and girl were shining with true love.
…
…
In this way, the three of them left the border town of Anwo and came to Kada City, the capital of Shangling Province.
Upon learning that Lily was willing to go to the imperial capital as a girl presented by Kada City to His Majesty the Emperor, the patriarch was delighted and readily agreed to Lily's additional request - "I want to ride alone in a magic carriage, and the two coachmen of the carriage must be chosen by me."
…
On the morning that the Demonic Caravan left Kada City for the Imperial Capital, the sky was unusually clear and a refreshing breeze blew in our faces, as if it was a blessing of good luck.
Xiao Yun and Samit, wrapped in black cloaks, sat side by side in the driver's seat, holding the reins in their hands.
"This is a dangerous journey. It's not too late for you to regret it now."
Xiao Yun said to Samit.
Samit smiled, turned his head to look at Lily in the carriage, and replied in a low voice: "It is our honor to play an important role in the love adventure story of the great Lord of the Twilight Kingdom."
"Even if it costs you your life?"
"Our lives belong to you."
"All right."
Xiao Yun nodded.
Flo L then flew to Lily's ear and said with a smile, "Although humans cannot become residents of the Twilight Kingdom, if you wish to visit the Twilight Kingdom in the future, I will open the invisible door to the Twilight Kingdom for you."
"Thank you, Master Flo."
…
The convoy from Shangling Province arrived at the imperial city of Taiki, about a thousand kilometers away from Kada City, in the evening.
Officials from Taiji City received them and arranged a room facing the street for Xiao Yun and Samit.
Through the window on the side of the street, Xiao Yun saw people from the East Continent dressed in various styles and attire.
Seeing this, Samit pointed at the pedestrians on the street and introduced Xiao Yun, "Lord of the Great Twilight Kingdom, the True Human Empire is a magnificent empire spanning the entire Eastern Continent. People in different regions have different clothing and customs, and their appearances, dialects, and aesthetics are also different."
"Taiji is located in the south-central part of the empire, slightly southwest. Therefore, the Taiji people's clothing style is very similar to ours in the southwest. Women like to decorate their hair with flowers and jewelry, wear long skirts with narrow sleeves and wide hems that reach past the ankles, and drape a long scarf at least five meters long over their hair and body as decoration. Men wear beautiful headscarves when going out, and wear long robes with narrow sleeves that reach down to their calves..."
Xiao Yun nodded. "The clothing here is indeed similar to that of people in Shangling Province, but the fabrics are thicker."
"The man with the short hair comes from the Southeastern region of White."
"Um?"
"The climate in the southeastern region of the empire is several times hotter and more humid than in the southwest. The people who live there—women wear their long hair in a bun and wear dresses that expose their arms, shoulders, and calves. Men often cut their hair very short or even shave it off. Their traditional formal attire is a long piece of cloth wrapped around the waist in an intricate manner, called a 'pan'."
(Similar to Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines?)
Xiao Yun secretly began to imagine.
"People living in the cold northwest and northeast regions usually wear fur-made clothing, wrapping themselves in layers of furry clothing. Only summer clothes are free of fur."
"The central region of the empire is called the Central Plains because of its vast plains and location in the heart of the empire."
"The Central Plains' climate is neither too cold nor too hot, the land is fertile and flat, and rivers and lakes are evenly distributed, allowing for the cultivation of all types of crops. Therefore, most people in the Central Plains live a prosperous life, wearing loose clothing made of expensive silk. Both the Imperial Capital and the newly constructed Holy City are located in the Central Plains."
At this point, Samit showed a complicated expression.
"Although His Majesty the Emperor is shrouded in mist and has enacted many harsh and strict laws, most people can live their lives in peace under His rule."
"A world without war and conflict would be wonderful for ordinary people."
"You are quite right."
Then, Samit lowered his voice again: "In fact, the empire is not completely free of war and conflict. In the wealthy Central Plains, there are rebels against His Majesty the Emperor, known as the 'Green Scarf Army'. In the mountainous areas, there is the Star Cult..."
"Star Cult?"
Xiao Yun inexplicably thought of the "Assassin's Order" led by the "Son of the Stars" Bai Ju, and the mysterious pharmacist Alans who came to Bai Dongfang and apparently forced rat poison on him.
"The Cult of the Star is a very strange sect. They claim their ancestors came from the depths of the White Star and refused to submit to the Emperor. They built their own cities deep in the mountains and even have their own language, laws, beliefs, technology, and currency system... The Emperor felt that it was uneconomical to attack the treacherous mountains just to conquer these strange creatures, so he allowed them to exist within the Empire as white cities."
Samit's words were filled with fear of the Dragon Emperor.
Xiao Yun's thoughts were——
(Did He give up attacking the city built by the Star Cult deep in the mountains and allow them to exist as a white city simply because He thought it wouldn't be worth the effort? Or was it... seeing that the members of the "Assassin's Cult" were completely unable to adapt to the ecological appearance and racial characteristics of the planet Ella, and he felt a sense of sympathy?)
(Various signs indicate that his ancestors also came from another planet... and have not yet integrated into our planet...)
…
As the night fell, Samit gradually fell asleep.
Xiao Yun leaned against the headboard and sorted out the events of the past few days, when suddenly—
He felt a force trying to invade his mind.
(Who! Who wants to enter my dream!)
We...we...are...
The plural voice trembled slightly, filled with pain and resentment.
[We, we are the undead spirits that wander this land. We cannot appear before Your Majesty, but we wish to see you... We wish to tell you our misfortune...]
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