The imperial carriage cut through the fabric of space itself bypassing the use of the conventional cities teleportation formation this was more secure, its mystical properties allowing it to traverse vast distances in a fraction of the time a normal journey would require.
The spiritual beast pulling it moved with supernatural grace, its phoenix-like features glowing with ethereal light as it navigated the compressed spatial corridors.
Within the luxurious confines of the carriage, Imperial Aunt Feng Mei sat in contemplative silence while Princess Feng Rong remained pale and shaken from their encounter with Wei Tianshan.
The memory of that overwhelming presence still lingered in their minds like a half-remembered nightmare.
As they approached their destination, the carriage began to slow, emerging from the spatial distortion into normal reality. Before them stretched the most magnificent sight on the continent the Imperial City of the Sacred Beast Empire.
The city was a testament to both mortal ambition and divine power, its immense size defying comprehension. Built in three concentric rings, each section represented a different level of prestige and power within the empire's hierarchy.
The outermost ring, known as the Temporal District, housed temporary residents, merchants, and visitors from across the continent.
Here, towering trees that reached hundreds of meters into the sky provided natural canopies over bustling markets and restaurants.
Rivers dozens of meters wide flowed from the inner districts, their waters crystal clear and teeming with spiritual energy. Small businesses and floating pavilions dotted the waterways, creating a network of commerce that never slept.
The middle ring, the Inner District, was reserved for permanent residents of significant standing sect leaders, wealthy merchants, and skilled craftsmen who had earned their place through talent or service. The buildings here were more substantial, constructed from rare materials that gleamed with subtle enchantments.
At the heart of it all lay the Core District, where the seven great Phoenix Houses maintained their primary residences. Each house's territory was protected by specialized formations that created separate spatial domains, allowing the spiritual attributes within to perfectly match their bloodline's resonance.
These formations provided the optimal cultivation environment for each house: volcanic forges surrounded by fire-attribute spiritual energy for House Ignis.
Stone fortresses bathed in earth-attribute qi for House Terran, storm-touched spires crackling with lightning spiritual energy for House Fulmen.
Verdant gardens rich with wood-attribute essence for House Sylvan, shadow-wreathed towers filled with dark spiritual energy for House Umbra.
Radiant palaces glowing with light-attribute qi for House Solaris, and blood-red battlements saturated with blood-attribute spiritual energy for House Sanguis.
The entire city was protected by a thin, glass-like membrane that shimmered with protective formations. Additional barriers separated each ring, their intensity increasing as one moved toward the center, demonstrating the empire's multilayered security measures.
The carriage passed through the first barrier with ease, Feng Mei's imperial authority granting them immediate passage. The transition was seamless, though both women could feel the subtle shift in spiritual energy as they entered the city proper.
The outer ring buzzed with activity even at this late hour. Cultivators from distant lands mingled with local merchants, their conversations a symphony of different dialects and languages. Pavilion branches of major sects displayed their wares, while restaurants served exotic delicacies from across the continent.
As they approached the second barrier, the carriage's phoenix insignia glowed brighter, marking their passage into the Inner District. Here, the atmosphere was more refined, the buildings taller and more elaborate.
Spiritual energy flowed more freely, nourishing the cultivation of those privileged enough to reside within.
The final barrier, separating the Inner and Core Districts, required the highest level of clearance. Only members of the seven Phoenix Houses and their direct retainers could pass through without special permission.
The carriage's passage caused ripples of recognition among the guards few possessed the authority to travel so freely through the empire's most secure zone.
Finally, they arrived at the Imperial Palace, a structure that defied conventional architecture. Built to accommodate whichever house currently held the throne, the palace was a masterwork of adaptive design.
When each emperor or empress ascended, the palace would transform to reflect their house's nature, and when they were eventually displaced, it would change again for their successor.
Currently, the palace bore the unmistakable marks of House Sanguis. Blood-red spires pierced the sky, their surfaces carved with intricate phoenix motifs.
Rivers of what appeared to be liquid crimson flowed through specially designed channels, though anyone with spiritual perception could sense they were formations designed to enhance blood-based cultivation techniques.
Feng Mei exited the carriage with practiced grace, her movements revealing none of the inner turmoil she still felt from their encounter with Wei Tianshan.
She gestured for several servants to escort Princess Feng Rong to her quarters, noting that her niece still hadn't fully recovered from the evening's shock.
"Rest well, Rong'er," Feng Mei said gently. "Tomorrow will bring new challenges, and you'll need your strength."
The princess nodded mutely, still processing the implications of what she had witnessed.
As she was led away, Feng Mei turned toward the palace's main entrance, steeling herself for the conversation ahead.
The palace's interior was a maze of corridors and chambers, each designed to showcase House Sanguis's power and heritage. Blood-red tapestries adorned the walls, depicting scenes of ancient battles and phoenix transformations.
The very air seemed to thrum with vital energy, a testament to the house's mastery over life force manipulation.
Feng Mei passed through several checkpoints, each guarded by members of the Imperial Guard. These elite warriors, drawn from all seven houses, maintained strict neutrality regardless of which house currently held the throne. Their presence served as a reminder that the empire's stability transcended individual house loyalties.
After navigating through various halls and passing through multiple security barriers, Feng Mei finally arrived at the empress's private quarters. Two female cultivators stood guard at the entrance, their blood-red phoenix armor gleaming in the corridor's ethereal light. The crimson spears they carried towered over them, measuring eight feet in height and radiating an aura of deadly competence.
Upon noticing her presence, both guards bowed simultaneously. Their spears struck the floor in perfect unison, activating inscriptions carved into the stone beneath their feet.
The double doors before them, carved with an intricate crimson phoenix design and covered in protective formations, swung open with a low, resonant voice announcing, "Imperial Advisor."
Feng Mei nodded respectfully to the guards and stepped inside.
"Did you find her?" a subtle but undeniably commanding voice carried across the chamber. The tone was distinctly feminine yet carried an edge that spoke of absolute authority the voice of someone accustomed to being obeyed without question.
Feng Mei moved toward the source of the voice, her senses guiding her through the opulent chamber to where she could sense the empress's presence.
The room was decorated in House Sanguis's signature style, with flowing fabrics that seemed to move with a life of their own and furnishings that gleamed with subtle enchantments.
"Where did she go this time for her adventure?" Empress Feng Rong asked, a note of maternal exasperation creeping into her royal composure. Her daughter had always been one to sneak off when the desire struck her, whether to escape the turbulent life of the imperial palace or simply to find moments of peace away from court politics.
"She went to the Wei clan's young master's eighteenth birthday celebration," Feng Mei replied, settling into the formal stance appropriate for addressing the empress.
"Wei clan?" The empress's eyebrows rose slightly. "Why would she go there?"
"We received a secret message from one of our external information sources," Feng Mei explained. "She took a peek at it and then wanted to set off immediately."
"What information could possibly motivate her to run off without guards again?" the empress inquired, her tone sharpening with both curiosity and concern for her daughter's safety.
Feng Mei nodded and continued, "The information contained news about the young man making a major recovery after being sickly for many years. Furthermore, the recovery was thunderous he awakened a special physique and heaven-grade spiritual roots."
The empress's attention immediately peaked. Such a combination of talents was extraordinarily rare, the kind of potential that could shift the balance of power within the empire itself.
"Did she go to recruit the young man?" the empress asked aloud after a moment of thought.
Feng Mei nodded. "With the upcoming tournament for the crown princes and princesses of our clan, before the battle of the imperial houses to select the next emperor or empress house to sit on the throne..." She trailed off, knowing the empress was already well aware of the political implications.
"How was the recruitment?" the empress pressed.
"It was successful," Feng Mei said, though her tone suggested there was more to the story. After a pause, she continued, "I also met Teacher as well. He's still as strong as ever he's broken through to the Soul Transformation realm."
The empress's expression grew more interested. Wei Tianshan had been both her and Feng Mei's instructor in their youth, before he left the Imperial City and House Sanguis. His reputation as a martial genius was well-known throughout the empire, but his departure had left many questions unanswered.
"I was excited and asked for a spar," Feng Mei continued, her voice growing quieter. "He had always beaten us up in training you remember, Rong'er. I thought I'd show off for a bit. Instead, I was suppressed completely."
The empress leaned forward slightly, intrigued by her sister's obvious distress.
"He deployed his nascent soul," Feng Mei explained, her voice carrying a note of awe and lingering fear. "It was so vivid and lifelike, looking at it reminded me of how he looked back then. Such an aura... it suppressed the spiritual qi and soul in my body completely. To fully explain it, it's comparable to the suppression of bloodline concentration like an emperor beast facing a slightly powerful subordinate."
The empress's eyes widened. Such a description suggested power that went far beyond normal Soul Transformation realm capabilities.
"That teacher of yours was always extraordinary," the empress mused. "He probably grasps rules before reaching the Void Realm, or perhaps he's just about to take that step. With you at the middle stage of Soul Transformation and him at the peak of the realm comprehending rules along with it, it's natural you would face such suppression."
She paused, considering the implications. "Is the young man his descendant?"
"Yes, his great-grandson," Feng Mei confirmed.
The empress released a long sigh, the weight of political calculation visible in her expression. Such a connection changed everything the young man wasn't just a talented recruit, but someone with direct ties to one of the empire's most formidable figures. Her mind drifted to another consideration, a person she knew would be interested in such news, someone with their own connection to these developments who would likely visit soon.
"Just manage it properly," she said finally. "And if you can get him to join my daughter's side, then do what you must. You have my authority." She paused, her expression thoughtful. "Also... inform that person about this development when they arrive. They'll want to know about Wei Chen's awakening."
Feng Mei, hearing this, felt an internal wave of relief. The empress's backing would provide the resources and political protection necessary to properly cultivate their relationship with the Wei clan. She also understood the subtle reference to "that person" someone whose connection to these events ran deeper than political convenience.
With a respectful nod, Feng Mei bowed and took her leave, her mind already working through the implications of the evening's events. As she made her way back through the palace corridors, she couldn't shake the image of Wei Tianshan's nascent soul and the casual display of power that had shattered her understanding of cultivation realms. The reunion with their former teacher had stirred memories of their shared past, back when he was still part of House Sanguis and the Imperial City.
The Sacred Beast Empire's capital never slept, but as dawn approached, even the most ambitious cultivators and merchants began to wind down their activities. In the depths of the Imperial Palace, plans were already being set in motion that would affect the fate of empires.
The Sacred Beast Empire had endured for millennia through careful balance between its seven great houses, but the emergence of Wei Chen and the revelation of his great-grandfather's true strength suggested that change was coming whether the empire was ready for it or not.