Location: The Imperial Palace – The Hanging Gardens
Three days had passed since the opening of the Underworld Gate.
The capital of the Great Qin Empire, once a bustling hub of mortal commerce, had transformed. The sky was no longer a clear blue; it was a permanent, bruised twilight, tinted violet by the energies leaking from the World Tree.
To the common citizens, life had actually improved. The "Pale Alchemist" had decreed a tax exemption for the poor, subsidized by the liquidated assets of the Heavenly Sword Sect. The streets were clean, patrolled by silent, terrifyingly efficient Black Jade Guards. Crime had dropped to zero—mostly because criminals were terrified of being fed to the Emperor's "pets."
Aris sat in the Hanging Gardens, a cup of spirit-tea steaming in his hand. He wasn't wearing his mask. Here, in the heart of his power, he didn't need to hide.
[System Status Check]
[Host: Aris Thorne]
[Level: 57 (Nascent Soul - Late Stage)]
[Daily Passive Income: 450,000 Gold / 5,000 AP]
"Boring," Aris murmured, placing the cup down on a table made of white jade.
Opposite him sat Lin Chen. The former Hero was cleaning his blade, Solstice, with a cloth made of expensive silk. His movements were robotic, precise.
"The reports from the Northern Territory remain consistent, Master," Lin Chen said, his voice devoid of the passion it once held. "The Undead Laborers have increased mining efficiency by 400%. The Frost-Blood Kingdom has been... thoroughly pacified."
"And the resistance?" Aris asked.
"Minimal. A few 'Righteous' sects tried to form a coalition. I slaughtered three of them. The rest surrendered."
Aris nodded. "Good. But efficiency isn't everything, Lin Chen. We need stability."
Aris stood up and walked to the edge of the garden, looking down at the massive city.
"We have conquered the land," Aris said. "But we haven't conquered the culture. People obey us because they fear us. Fear is a good motivator, but it requires constant maintenance. I want worship."
The Cult of the Abyss
Aris turned back to his Shadow-Knight.
"I am establishing a new state religion," Aris announced. "The Cult of the Eternal Night."
"Religion?" Lin Chen paused. "You do not believe in gods, Master."
"No," Aris smirked. "But the peasants do. And gods are just another form of System Admin. If I want to ascend to the Upper Realms eventually, I need 'Faith Energy'."
He pulled up a holographic interface that only he could see.
[New Project: The Faith Farm]
[Objective: Convert 10 Million citizens to worship 'The Lord of the Abyss'.]
[Reward: Unlocks 'Divinity' Stat.]
"You will be the High Priest, Lin Chen," Aris said. "You still have that 'Holy' aura underneath the corruption. Use it. Tell them that the Heavenly Sword Sect was a false idol. Tell them that the Abyss is the only true salvation from the suffering of life."
"I... understand," Lin Chen nodded slowly. "I will write the scriptures tonight."
The Unexpected Visitor
Just as Aris was about to dismiss him, a ripple disturbed the air in the garden.
Nox, who was sleeping in the shade of a spirit-tree, instantly raised his head. His four violet eyes narrowed, and a low growl rumbled in his throat.
"Master," Nox telepathically warned. "Guest. Strong."
Aris didn't panic. He activated his Abyssal Eye.
Walking through the garden entrance was a woman. She wasn't a guard, and she wasn't a servant. She wore robes of deep azure blue, embroidered with drifting clouds. She carried no weapon, but the air around her warped slightly, as if reality was struggling to contain her mass.
The guards at the gate were frozen solid—not dead, just paused in time.
[Target Analysis]
[Name: Lady Yun]
[Identity: Emissary of the 'Myriad Beasts Mountain' (Middle Realm Faction)]
[Level: 65 (Nascent Soul - Peak / Half-Step Divinity)]
[Threat: High]
"A visitor from outside the map," Aris whispered.
Lady Yun stopped ten paces away. She looked at Aris, then at Lin Chen, and finally at Nox. Her eyes showed a flicker of surprise when she saw the Eclipse Hound.
"So the rumors were true," Lady Yun said. Her voice was like water flowing over stones—smooth, but eroding. "A Lower Realm cultivator has tamed a Void-Variant Beast. And... destroyed a Heavenly Dao Agent."
Aris sat back down, gesturing to the empty seat opposite him.
"Tea?" Aris offered calmly.
Lady Yun smiled. It was a sharp smile. "You are arrogant. Most mortals kneel when they see an Emissary from the Middle Realm."
"I killed an Angel last week," Aris replied, pouring a second cup. "My knees don't bend as easily as they used to. Sit."
Lady Yun's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she sat. She didn't touch the tea.
"I am here with a warning, Aris Thorne," she said. "You have made a mess. You destabilized the World Tree. You opened a gate to the Underworld. The energy readings in this sector are... disgusting."
"I call it 'renovating'," Aris corrected.
"The Myriad Beasts Mountain does not care about your politics," she continued. "But we care about the Four Divine Beasts. We sense that their seals are weakening because of your actions. If the Azure Dragon wakes up, it will destroy this continent."
"And?" Aris took a sip of his tea.
"And," Lady Yun leaned forward, her aura pressing down on the garden, cracking the stone table. "We are here to claim the beasts. You will hand over the keys to the four seals. In exchange, we will allow you to keep your little toy empire."
Aris looked at the cracks in the table. He looked at the arrogant woman who thought she could dictate terms because she came from a "Higher Realm."
This was the grind he was looking for. A new tier of enemy.
"Lady Yun," Aris said softly. "Do you know what 'Reverse Refinement' is?"
"What?" She blinked.
"It means," Aris stood up, his shadow stretching long and dark over her, "that you are made of high-quality Qi. And you just walked into my house."
[System Alert: Diplomatic Relations with 'Myriad Beasts Mountain' - Broken.]
[New Quest: The Hunter becomes the Hunted.]
"Lin Chen," Aris commanded. "Close the garden gates."
Lady Yun stood up, her face flushing with anger. "You dare? I am a Half-Step Divinity! I can flatten this city with a thought!"
"Nox," Aris smiled, his violet eyes glowing. "She says she's strong. Would you like to test that?"
Nox stood up, his size expanding until he towered over the pavilion. The Eclipse Hound opened his maw, revealing rows of teeth that shimmered with anti-light.
"This world is under new management, Lady Yun," Aris said, drawing a sword of pure shadow. "And I don't recall issuing you a visa."