The third day of playing the fool began with yawns.
Lián Xù sat slouched upon the Dragon Throne, chin propped lazily against his palm, eyes half-lidded as ministers droned on below. Gold screens shimmered behind him, incense curled in slow, sleepy spirals—and beneath the grandeur, boredom clung to the hall like dust.
He sighed loudly.
A few officials stiffened. Others exchanged looks.
Then Lián Xù spoke.
"I'm tired."
The words landed like a dropped cup—small, but loud in the silence that followed.
"I won't be attending court today," he continued, stretching as though he'd just woken from a nap. "Or tomorrow. Or the rest of the week, really."
A ripple tore through the court.
"I'll be sleeping," Lián Xù added helpfully. "The Regent, will handle things."
Shock.
Then outrage.
"What—?!"
"This is absurd!"
"Your Majesty, this is highly improper!"
Lián Xù waved a dismissive hand, already rising from the throne. "You'll live. The Regent always does things better anyway."
Before anyone could stop him, the young emperor turned on his heel and strolled out, robes swaying, posture loose—careless.
As Lián Xù stepped out of the throne room, the sweet, familiar chime rang softly in his mind.
Ding!
[Misjudgment Points +100]
[Misjudgment Points +50]
[Misjudgment Points +100]
A slow smile tugged at his lips.
He didn't even bother hiding it.
Hands clasped behind his back, Lián Xù strolled down the marble steps and—without realizing it—let out a light, cheerful whistle. The sound echoed faintly through the grand hall, irreverent and utterly out of place.
Time to cultivate myself secretly...
Behind him, the court stood frozen.
Mouths slightly open. Faces stiff with disbelief.
For a heartbeat, no one spoke.
Then, as if the spell broke, whispers erupted.
"Did… did His Majesty just leave?"
"He didn't even look back!"
"This is outrageous—!"
Lián Xù, meanwhile, was already gone, the hem of his robes vanishing around the corner.
Perfect, he thought, utterly pleased with himself.
By abandoning court so openly, so shamelessly, he had achieved exactly what he wanted—absolute freedom. No ministers hovering. No memorials to review. No one daring to interrupt a "sleeping emperor."
His royal chambers would become his sanctuary.
A place to cultivate in secret.
To grow in silence.
To sharpen his claws while the world laughed.
He smiled to himself, savoring the brilliance of the plan. Let them think I'm lazy. Let them think I'm useless.
Back in the throne room, an elderly minister slammed his sleeve against the railing, voice trembling with despair.
"Why… why would the Dragon Throne choose someone like this?" he cried. "Has Heaven truly abandoned Azure River?!"
No one answered him.
Hidden among the ranks of officials, several figures exchanged subtle glances.
Enemy spies.
Their smiles were small, restrained—but unmistakably satisfied.
So the rumors were true.
The new emperor was nothing more than a gilded waste.
A puppet with no ambition.
A dragon without claws.
They quietly committed the scene to memory, already drafting reports in their minds.
Azure River poses no threat.
The moment Lián Xù's presence fully vanished from the hall, the System chimed again.
Ding!
[Misjudgment Points +50]
[Misjudgment Points +100]
[Misjudgment Points +200]
[Misjudgment Points +80]
Lián Xù paused mid-step.
Then his grin widened.
"Ah," he murmured under his breath, eyes gleaming. "Keep underestimating me."
He resumed walking, lighthearted and unbothered, every step carrying him closer to power no one believed he could ever possess.
The useless emperor façade was holding perfectly.
************
The doors to the imperial chamber shut softly behind him.
The moment they did, Lián Xù's shoulders straightened.
The laziness drained from his eyes like water poured from a cup.
"Finally," he muttered.
Layers of isolation formations flickered faintly before settling into silence. Only then did he sit cross-legged upon the jade bed, breath steadying, expression sharpening into focus.
From within his sleeve, he withdrew a fragment of jade.
It was warm to the touch—ancient, heavy with unseen authority. Even without light, it seemed to glow faintly, as though aware of its own importance.
The Authority Fragment.
Lián Xù closed his eyes.
Alright, he thought. Let's begin.
He followed the breathing method the Regent had provided—breathing slow, deliberate, guiding intent inward. He searched for warmth. For movement. For even the faintest ripple of Qi.
Nothing.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Silence.
No response. No resonance. His body felt exactly the same—empty, stubbornly mortal.
His brows furrowed.
"…Again."
He tried once more. Focused harder. Pushed deeper.
Still nothing.
The jade fragment remained warm. Silent. Mocking.
Lián Xù opened his eyes, irritation flashing across his face. "System," he said flatly, "why isn't this working?"
A brief pause.
Then—
[Because you are too weak.]
The words were crisp. Emotionless.
Lián Xù stared. "…That's it?"
[Yes.]
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Wow. Thanks. That explanation helps a lot."
[You are currently a mortal with zero cultivation.]
His frown deepened. "I'm aware. That's why I'm trying to cultivate."
[Your logic is flawed.]
Lián Xù blinked. "…Excuse me?"
[Cultivation is a structured progression. You are attempting to climb a staircase you have not yet built.]
The System's interface expanded, lines of light forming a clear hierarchy.
[The seven known Cultivation Realms are ranked—low to high:]
[Mortal Foundation
River Initiation
Spirit Domain
Law Ascension
Divine Authority
Realm Authority
Heavenly Dominion]
"These are the known realms," the System continued. "Each contains multiple rank stages."
Lián Xù's gaze sharpened as more information unfolded.
[The powerhouse of the River kingdoms of this world are based on the number of Martial Saints. Martial Saints exist within the Spirit Domain Realm. At this stage, the Qi Core is formed.]
Images followed—condensed Qi, glowing cores, manifestations of power.
[Spirit Domain ranks, lowest to highest:]
[Spirit Core
Spirit Manifestation
Spirit Domain
Spirit Sovereign]
[Lián Wèi and Lián Hào are both at the Spirit Domain rank.]
Lián Xù exhaled slowly.
"So Uncle and Brother… And Azure River's strongest," Lián Xù murmured, more to himself than the System.
[Correct.]
A pause.
Then the interface shifted again.
[There exists another realm.]
Lián Xù stiffened.
[Unknown. Unrecorded. Unattained.]
"…Unattained?" he echoed.
[The Origin Realm.]
The words lingered, heavy with implication.
Lián Xù felt a strange tightening in his chest. "So… if I want to cultivate," he said slowly, "I need to strengthen my body first."
[Correct.]
His gaze dropped to his own hands—pale, slender, soft.
"And my current state?"
The System did not hesitate.
[You have not reached the lowest stage of the Mortal Foundation Realm.]
Lián Xù closed his eyes.
"…Which is?"
[Body Tempering.]
Silence filled the chamber.
Then—
A soft, humorless laugh escaped him.
"So," he murmured, lips curling faintly, "I'm not even qualified to begin."
The jade fragment glowed faintly in his palm.
Outside, the court fumed. Enemies watched. Spies recorded every misstep.
And the useless emperor sat alone in his chamber, smiling faintly as a new path—brutal, painful, inevitable—unfolded before him.
Fine, Lián Xù thought.
If I must start from nothing…
Then I'll build something no one has ever seen.