Chapter 396: Brother, thanks (22)

Huu~~

Luosen, Tilalin, Adela, and Patenuoluosi disappeared deep in the cave.

After a bout of absolute darkness, the four found themselves in a stunning garden.

This is a huge garden built indoors.

Above is an extremely tall and magnificent flowing-light dome, with light like a waterfall gently flowing down; the surroundings are transparent walls that refract light like diamond, and beneath their feet are various unknown but exquisitely beautiful flowers.

The air also carried warm, fresh music, and even more wonderfully, the flowers swayed to the music like dancing elves.

Tilalin whispered: "We are now in the Anya Garden of the imperial palace, built in memory of the Dawn Empire's first empress, Anya."

"Look, that humanoid light-shadow over there is the likeness of Empress Anya in life."

Luosen followed Tilalin's gaze and indeed saw a hazy light-shadow among the flowers.

She was dressed as a gardener, weeding, removing pests, and pruning in the flowerbeds, looking almost identical to a living person.

Adela softly remarked: "It seems the first emperor of the Dawn Empire loved his empress greatly."

Tilalin gave a faint smile: "No, not at all; the empress was actually tortured to death by the emperor."

"After the empress's death, the emperor, pressured by her clan, built this garden as penance."

After a pause, this imperial Sage spoke with a tone of seeing through worldly affairs: "Miss Adela, placing your personal affections on the emperor is doomed to receive no equal return, for every emperor's heart holds an entire empire."

Adela gave a slight shrug: "Thanks for the reminder, but I already know all that."

Luosen heard the conversation but did not voice his own opinion: "I say, what we should be discussing now is not how we should proceed next?"

Tilalin gave a light smile: "Indeed."

She immediately turned serious: "Everyone, carefully sense the magical rings; you'll find that the palace's restraint on magical rings is many times stronger than that of a half-plane."

"Here, casting any spell, including time magic, is nothing but a luxury."

Adela focused her senses, then looked dismayed: "Indeed, that's the case."

She couldn't cast a single spell.

Patenuoluosi outright cursed: "This is really damned."

Luosen then tried casting ordinary spells and found that a spell originally capable of up to eighth-ring power now equaled only a first-ring spell, with casting time increased severalfold.

One could say the power of ordinary spells dropped by an order of magnitude.

Testing space-time spells also greatly reduced power, but the reduction was smaller, roughly threefold.

Thus, he still retained considerable combat ability, but could no longer deal with the so-called purifying angels as easily as he could handle fodder in the half-plane.

This is also only natural.

After all, this is the Dawn Imperial Palace, the strongest defensive point of the entire Dawn Empire.

Tilalin continued: "What we need to do next is gain partial control of this Dawn Imperial Palace; there are two methods, one legal, one illegal."

"I'll try the legal way first."

Having said that, Tilalin looked up at the air and said: "Summon Alice."

Humm~

Instantly, a woman's light-shadow appeared in the air.

The light-shadow bowed to Tilalin: "I pay my respects, Miss Tilalin."

Tilalin showed a hint of surprise: "How come, has His Majesty Safinoss not revoked my status?"

Alice replied in a soft yet emotionless voice.

"Miss Tilalin, you have been promoted to the status of Dawnlight Sage; no one, including His Majesty the Emperor, can revoke it."

Tilalin showed a hint of surprise: "Dawnlight Sage. Who promoted you?"

"His Majesty the Emperor himself promoted you, at the main-plane clock's year 10,938, which is the second year after you left the Dawn Imperial Palace."

Tilalin grew even more surprised, her mind full of doubts: "Well, then where is His Majesty now?"

"His Majesty is currently at the summit of the Tower of Truth."

"Can I go see him? Not alone—I want to bring my friends as well."

"Yes."

As they spoke, a pitch-black spacetime passage appeared beside Alice.

"Please, everyone; His Majesty has been waiting for a long time."

This left everyone present feeling somewhat puzzled.

Patenuoluosi grew wary: "Could this be another trap?"

Luosen shook his head: "At this point, there's no need to set any traps. Let's go and take a look."

He stepped forward toward the spacetime passage, having taken a few steps, but Tilalin beat him to it: "After me, Your Majesty."

Having said that, she stepped first into the light conduit, Luosen closely followed, then Adela and Patenuoluosi.

In a flash of light and shadow, Luosen emerged from the spacetime passage.

He found himself standing on a circular platform about fifty meters in diameter, with no railings around it.

The wind was strong on the platform, and in the distance an endless sea of clouds could be seen, indicating they were now at a great height.

In the center of the platform stood a stone chair made of purplish-gold material with a high back, upon which sat a man.

The man had a gaunt face, a withered body, a head of similarly withered deep-purple hair, and dull deep-purple eyes.

He wore magnificent purplish-gold robes, his left hand holding a splendid scepter seemingly of pure condensed light, his right hand resting on a square seal.

He sat slumped in the stone chair, his gaunt face showing an expression of extreme weariness.

"Cousin, you've finally returned; I thought I wouldn't get to see you."

Tilalin's face filled with surprise: "Your Majesty, I thought you were already dead." She then added, "But you now look like nothing more than a desiccated corpse."

Obviously, the one seated on the chair is the last emperor of the Dawn Empire, Orales Safinoss.

The frail emperor on the chair let out a light cough: "An assassination from the Abyss has indeed inflicted an irrecoverable wound on my soul, and this pain has been tormenting me, constantly eroding my will and life force."

"I know you must be puzzled by the current situation, and you'll surely feel anger, thinking I betrayed our original oath."

Speaking of that, a deep bitterness appeared on the weak emperor's face.

Ti La Li Lin furrowed her brows: "It seems that many things happened after I left."

"Yes, a great many things happened."

Emperor Ao Laite Si's face showed a complex expression of both pain and relief.

"Since you left, the empire has not calmed; instead, it has grown ever more chaotic."

"The vassal kings continue their rebellions, the Abyss keeps invading, and the invasion intensity rises day by day."

"Seeing the plan we originally agreed upon on the brink of failure, I could only forge this subplane as a buffer for the prime plane world."

Ti La Li Lin had never imagined it would be like this, but upon reflection she felt it was reasonable, and guilt welled up inside her.

After all, she had only been in hibernation; a blink of her eyes let her traverse ten thousand years effortlessly, while the emperor before her bore his gravely wounded body, bearing the wear of ten thousand years of time.

Yet she still felt some confusion in her heart.

"Then within the subplane, why do you still attack us? Why not summon us directly?"

The weakened emperor gave a faint smile, his dim eyes revealing a cold indifference as if life were mere straw dogs.

"This is the final test I set; if you cannot even pass this, you are unfit to inherit the Dawn Radiance and unfit to confront the Abyss."

Saying that, he turned his head toward Luosen, a hint of displeasure on his face: "Of course, there are also some personal grudges mixed in."

"I respect my cousin, and I love my cousin; though I keep that love hidden deep inside, it does not mean I can stand by and watch you desecrate her."

Luosen spread his hands apologetically: "Your Majesty, I was unaware of this matter; I apologize to you."

One could sense that the emperor was not truly intent on killing him.

Otherwise, with his overwhelming control over the subplane, he would have lost a hundred lives.

Considering that the other side was already weak and dying, Luosen, who now knew the truth, harbored no desire for revenge at all.

Ao Laite Si waved his hand lightly: "Let's not speak of it; let it all pass. Even if I wished, I lack the strength to argue with you."

"Regardless, you have succeeded in reaching me."

"As the founding emperor of the newborn high‑energy empire, you also possess all the qualities a first‑generation emperor should have."

"Ruthlessness, courage, perseverance, and extraordinary talent."

"Everything aligns with my cousin's prophecy; barring any surprise, you should be the destined heir of the Dawn Radiance."

Speaking of this, Ao Laite Si seemed short‑of‑breath, coughing forcefully again, coughing up blood until it ceased.

"Sister, I regret to tell you that the Imperial Royal Creation Bureau has been almost entirely destroyed."

"It has been ruined for at least ten thousand years, not by automatic decay but by the wars with the Abyss."

"I gave my all, leaving only a small fragment, and almost all of that fragment's power is spent maintaining this subplane."

"Of course, the empire still retains some remnants."

As he spoke, Ao Laite Si summoned all his strength and tossed the luminous scepter in his hand to Luosen.

"This seal is nothing special, but this scepter is a true artifact from the Solar Ring. Its greatest function is to protect the holder's soul and keep their will clear."

"It is precisely because of its existence that my lingering soul has survived, allowing me to continually resist the True God's soul control."

"Now it belongs to you."

After saying that, Ao Laite Si coughed heavily a few more times.

"Moreover, it can greatly accelerate your cultivation, allowing you to reach the pinnacle of the 23rd ring."

"But note, in our world the living soul seems to cap at the 23rd ring, a limit set by the world's law."

"Relying solely on the power of the 23rd ring cannot ever oppose a True God from another world, so you need a truly great high‑energy empire and a way to harness a mortal's soul to wield the True God's power."

Before the words finished, the ground of the Tower of Truth trembled violently, and a thunderous roar surged up to the clouds.

The tower swayed violently, and those atop it struggled to keep their footing.

Ao Laite Si's face, however, showed complete liberation.

"The betrayers and invaders from ten thousand years ago have returned once more."

"I have endured for ten thousand years; I am utterly exhausted. From now on, all the troublesome matters are yours, Luosen Your Majesty~~"

After mustering the strength to finish that sentence, the extremely frail emperor exhaled his final breath, slowly closing his eyes.

A faint halo of fragmented light spread from his body, the glow of a soul disintegrating after collapse.

The last emperor of the Dawn Empire, Ao Laite Si Sa Fen Nuo Si, completely departed from the world.

"Da—da—da—"

Grand, desolate chimes rose from the air itself, echoing throughout the Dawn Palace, announcing the emperor's passing.

Ti La Li Lin stepped before the throne, kneeling on both knees in reverence.

"Your Majesty, you have fulfilled the sacred duties of the Dawn Emperor and upheld the glory of the Sa Fen Nuo Si family."

"I offer you my highest respect."

She bowed deeply, and when she lifted her head her face was wet with tears.

Luosen also stepped forward, bowed deeply to Ao Laite Si, and whispered silently.

"Brother, thank you."

(End of Chapter)