"Lingxiao Terrace" is the tallest building in Lin Feng's palace "Nine Heavens Embracing the Moon Hall".
It is not built on a mountaintop, but extends straight upwards from the core of the palace complex like a sharp sword, piercing through the atmosphere, and finally unfolds in near-Earth orbit a huge platform with a diameter of more than ten kilometers, resembling a lotus flower.
Standing here, looking up, you see the vast universe, with stars seemingly within reach. Looking down, you see the azure planet, with the outlines of continents and flowing clouds all laid out before you.
This is, in the eyes of mortals, the place where gods reside.
Lin Feng's "Floating Throne" is suspended in the very center of the platform.
Meanwhile, the royal orchestra from the constellation Vega—a group of exquisitely beautiful humanoid intelligent beings with four arms, capable of playing two instruments simultaneously—stood respectfully around them. The instruments they used were not ordinary objects, but peculiar creations capable of directly drawing upon various energies in the universe to produce sound.
Without a conductor, the moment Lin Feng sat down, all the musicians seemed to receive an invisible command and began to play simultaneously.
An epic interstellar song titled "Boating on the Milky Way" resounded throughout the rooftop.
That music is beyond description.
At times, it is the roar of a star exploding, which transforms into a stirring drumbeat, striking the soul.
At times, the pulses of a neutron star's rotation become precise beats, regulating the order of the universe.
At times, the whispers of nebulae converge, transforming into melodious tunes that tell of the birth of life.
As the music changed, the entire rooftop was transformed into a magnificent cosmic epic through holographic projection technology and real energy manipulation.
That was Lin Feng's "memories of his past life," presented as an artistic depiction.
A blue planet called "Earth." Ancient civilizations struggled and developed on it. Then, the apocalypse arrived, and civilization was destroyed.
Then, Lin Feng's soul, traversing endless time and space, was reborn on this new planet.
He rose from humble beginnings, acquiring godlike power known as the "System." He consolidated resources, developed technology, and with iron and blood, ended the barbaric and chaotic conflicts that had raged on this planet for tens of thousands of years.
At the end of the music, the image freezes.
The young Lin Feng, clad in a black imperial uniform symbolizing absolute power, stood atop the highest mountain peak. Behind him stretched the phantom of an interstellar fleet that blotted out the sky. Beneath his feet lay the subjugated masses of all races. Before him lay the boundless sea of stars.
The music ended, but the lingering melody remained.
Lin Feng's face, however, remained expressionless.
These past events, etched into epic proportions, are nothing more than a dusty memory to him. He is no longer the mortal who needed to rely on the "system" to gain power. Now, he is the "system," he is "god."
He waved his hand, signaling the orchestra to step down.
On the vast rooftop, he was left alone, along with the royal female guards who always stood behind him.
He looked down at the beautiful planet as if it were a bonsai in his own garden.
He felt a little... bored.
When everything is readily available, when all enemies are easily defeated, and when the whole world operates according to your script, life loses most of its fun.
"Pangu," he asked in his mind, "how's the list of those to serve you tonight coming along?"
"Your Majesty, based on your preference algorithm and a comprehensive evaluation combining multiple dimensions such as 'novelty,' 'rarity,' and 'potential for emotional resonance,' the 'Divine Consort Database' has selected three thousand candidates most qualified to serve you tonight. The information and holographic images of the top ten have been sent to your personal terminal."
Before Lin Feng's eyes immediately appeared three-dimensional images of ten stunningly beautiful women. They came from different races, each with their own unique charm and allure. Each one was a rare beauty, one in a billion, capable of igniting an interstellar war.
Their information was clearly marked on the side.
"Katarina, the cat princess, has a 99.7% genetic purity. She has a fiery personality, is skilled in close combat (for entertainment purposes), and can bring the most primal wild experience."
"Shuiyue, a holy maiden of the Merfolk, possesses powerful spiritual energy. Her singing has a miraculous effect on soothing the soul, allowing you to experience the deepest tranquility."
"Red Serpent Queen, whose physical flexibility surpasses the limits of physics, is proficient in over three hundred massage and entangling techniques..."
Lin Feng's gaze swept quickly over the descriptions that resembled "products," and finally, his eyes settled on the elven girl he had served that morning.
Her ranking was not high, only in the 300s.
Pangu immediately caught his gaze: "Your Majesty, are you interested in the goddess 'Lyra'? Her stats are fairly balanced, but she lacks any outstanding features. According to the algorithm, the peak 'pleasure' she can bring you tonight is not expected to exceed 8.7 (out of 10)."
"Algorithms are ultimately just data." A meaningful smile appeared on Lin Feng's lips. "They can't calculate the depth of history, nor can they calculate... the taste of despair."
He recalled the report about the elves that he had dealt with that afternoon.
"Her it is." He gave the order. "Have her wait for me in my palace, 'Primordial Realm.' Also, have her change into the traditional ceremonial robes that the elves wear during the 'Moon Goddess Festival.'"
"...Yes, ma'am. Although I don't understand your choice, your will is above all else."
---
Night falls.
But for the empire's core city, "Tian Shu City," the night is even more dazzling than the day.
The city's energy core, the towering fusion energy tower, radiates a sun-like light, illuminating the entire city as if it were daytime. Countless anti-gravity flying cars, forming dazzling rivers of light, shuttle endlessly along the three-dimensional aerial flight paths.
In the standardized community square where Wang Ze lives, a huge holographic projection is playing a recording of the afternoon's "Boating on the Milky Way" symphony concert.
When they saw Lin Feng's imposing figure appear at the top of the universe, all the citizens who were resting in the square spontaneously stopped, stood at attention, clenched their right fists and placed them on their left chests, performing a solemn civic salute.
Their eyes were filled with fervor and devotion.
Wang Ze was also in the crowd. Holding his son Wang Qimeng, he pointed to the towering figure and said to his son in an almost dreamlike voice, "Qimeng, look, that is His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor... our god! He created all of this!"
Wang Qimeng nodded as if he understood, and called out in a childish voice, "Heavenly Emperor... God..."
Just then, something unexpected happened!
The lights of the entire city, including the glow of the fusion energy tower in the sky, dimmed instantly.
A small commotion arose in the crowd, but it quickly subsided. For under the empire's rule, a "power outage" had never occurred before. Everyone believed this must be yet another miracle performed by His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor.
They were right.
The next second, everyone gasped, and then erupted in thunderous cheers!
Suddenly, countless dazzling ribbons of light illuminated the pitch-black night sky! These ribbons of light, like flowing rainbows or the flowing skirts of gods, intertwined and danced in the sky, transforming into various magnificent shapes. Sometimes they became soaring dragons, sometimes phoenixes spreading their tails, and sometimes galloping qilin.
An unprecedented, mythical aurora spectacle, covering the entire continent, has begun!
"It's a miracle! His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor is demonstrating his divine power!"
"May the Heavenly Emperor bless the Empire! Long live the Heavenly Emperor!"
"Thank you, Heavenly Emperor, for bestowing upon us such a magnificent sight!"
Countless people knelt on the ground, kowtowing frantically towards the sky, towards the "Nine Heavens Moon-Embracing Palace" that represented the pinnacle of imperial power, their eyes brimming with tears.
This "miracle," which could drive billions of living beings mad, originated from nothing more than a single thought of Lin Feng's.
Inside the "Primordial Realm" of his palace, Lin Feng stood by the window—a window that was actually a transparent crystal wall. He held a cup of "Star Tear Wine" and watched with great interest the grand aurora show he had personally directed below.
Behind him, the elven girl Lia had changed into a pure white ceremonial robe woven from moonflower grass, exuding a sacred and natural aura. She was barefoot, and her long silver hair was adorned with a wreath made of vines and starflowers.
She stood there uneasily, like the purest offering about to be sacrificed to the gods.
"Is it beautiful?" Lin Feng asked calmly without turning around.
“…Beautiful.” Leah’s voice trembled slightly. “Your Majesty, is this…a miracle you created?”
"A miracle?" Lin Feng chuckled, turned around, and slowly walked towards her. "Perhaps it is for you. For me, it's just adjusting the magnetic field parameters of this planet, letting the charged particles in the solar wind play a game with the atmosphere in a different way."
He walked up to Lia, his pale golden eyes gazing into her pure, emerald-like eyes.
“I have heard that your Elven race has a ‘Song of the Soul.’ It is sung by the purest saintess during the worship of your moon goddess. It is said that it can resonate with the stars and reveal the truth of the world.”
Lia's body trembled violently.
The "Song of the Soul" is the highest secret of their elven race, the ultimate legacy of their civilization and faith. Only the holy maidens of each generation are qualified to learn it.
"How...how did you know?"
“There’s no secret on this planet that I don’t know.” Lin Feng reached out and gently pinched her pointed ear, feeling the peculiar, delicate touch. “Now, sing for me.”
"No...no..." For the first time, resistance and fear appeared in Lia's eyes. "That...that's a song dedicated only to the moon goddess Elune! If you sing it for someone else, your soul will be cursed!"
"Elune?" Lin Feng's smile turned cold. "A false god who can't even protect her own followers, a mere phantom, dares to compare herself to me?"
He released his grip, and an invisible yet irresistible pressure enveloped Liya.
"I am your new god. Now, offer your sacrifices to your god." His voice, like a divine oracle from the heavens, resounded deep within Lia's soul. "Sing. Or I will silence your entire race."
The absolute and undeniable threat instantly shattered Lia's psychological defenses.
She knew that if he said it, he would do it.
A profound sense of sorrow and despair welled up within her. She slowly knelt down, closed her eyes, and two streams of tears slid down her cheeks.
Ancient, melodious, and ethereal syllables, tinged with a touch of sorrow, flowed slowly from her lips.
It is not a language, but a frequency that resonates directly with the spirit and the soul.
As she sang, a wondrous change seemed to occur throughout the entire "Primordial Realm." Tiny silver specks of light appeared in the air, dancing around Lia like fireflies.
Before Lin Feng's eyes, a series of illusions appeared.
That is the collective memory of the Elven race, etched into their blood and soul from the very beginning of their existence until now.
He saw the ancient forest, the enormous Tree of Life, and the first pair of elves born beneath it.
He saw it: they built cities, studied magic, worshipped the moon, and lived for tens of thousands of years in peace and tranquility.
Then, he saw... himself.
A massive, steel fleet descended from the sky. Devastating beams of light easily tore apart their prized magical shields. Their sacred ground, the Silver Moon Royal Court, was reduced to ruins in the hail of bullets. Their queen died before his eyes.
He could even clearly feel from the song the immense pain and despair that the entire Elven race felt at that moment—a pain that ran deep in their bones from the destruction of their homeland and the collapse of their faith.
The song grew increasingly mournful.
However, Lin Feng always wore that playful smile, as if he were appreciating a work of art.
He reached out his hand, and a crystal-clear tear, which had slid down from the corner of Lia's eye, landed right in his palm.
“I see,” he said, sensing the profound sorrow contained in the teardrop, as if savoring a uniquely flavored dish. “This is the lament of a civilization when it is conquered. Indeed, it is far more beautiful than those songs of praise.”
The singing stopped abruptly.
Lia looked up in disbelief at the demon before her, who treated the suffering of her entire race as a trophy and a pastime.
The last glimmer of light in her eyes went out.
Lin Feng bent down and, with an almost cruel tenderness, kissed away the tear stains on her face.
“Don’t cry,” he said softly. “You should feel honored. Because your suffering pleases me. As a reward, I will allow your interesting race to continue to exist.”
Outside the window, the aurora borealis was a miraculous sight, accompanied by the thunderous praises of millions of believers.
Inside the window, there is the final lament of an ancient civilization, and a new god, at the pinnacle of absolute power, in an endless, extravagant, and empty daily routine.
This glorious new era, created single-handedly by Lin Feng, has only just begun. But beneath its brilliance lie countless untold remains and tears, perhaps only he himself occasionally recalls them, and... finds joy in them.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com