Chapter 64: The Underwater Palaces
Nestled at the pinnacle of the heavens, far to the south of the Eastern Continent, the Main Residence of the Cloud Dynasty sprawled across an immense territory where mountains floated in the air, suspended by currents of pure Qi. Celestial seas surrounded its majestic cities, their waters shimmering beneath the golden light of the twin moons. Each province of the empire was a jewel shaped by the hands of cultivators, where ancient pagodas and grand palaces rose amidst millennia-old forests and crystalline rivers.
The heart of this dynasty lay within the Domain of the Jade Emperor, a place where the sky itself seemed to bow before the power of its master. The Imperial Palace. Its walls of pure jade gleamed under the moonlight, and its golden dome reflected the stars. Staircases of clouds led to the throne where a man reigned, his will shaping the future of the entire empire.
Sun Yuhan, the Jade Emperor, embodied absolute power. His imposing stature sat upon the imperial seat, a crushing presence. His long brown hair cascaded over his broad shoulders, framing a stern face where a pair of sharp, soul-piercing eyes gleamed. A thick beard gave him an air both noble and intimidating.
He wore dragon-scale war armor, each piece engraved with ancient runes that pulsed with a golden light.
Unlike the Celestial Dragon Region, where ancestral families controlled their own territories and the Emperor held only nominal power, the Cloud Dynasty was subject to his total authority. All who lived under his sky were his subjects, whether they liked it or not.
Among the few forces he did not fully command were the Krakens, a powerful and autonomous ancestral family. Sometimes, Sun Yuhan considered annexing them by force, but they were already submissive, and their territory was not part of his official lands. He abandoned the idea, though deep down, he regarded them as nothing more than disguised vassals.
The first family to suffer the Emperor’s thirst for conquest was the Ancestral Qilin Family. Once pacifists with a policy of no enemies, no allies, they had become the backbone of his Imperial Army, only to be betrayed and reduced to slavery. A seal was carved into their souls, preventing disobedience. Their pure lineage dwindled to fewer than a hundred individuals, the rest diluted into the populace.
As for the main lineage, the descendants of the Yellow Qilin, they were exterminated to the last to prevent any future rebellion.
Thus, the Jade Emperor ensured that the Qilins, once a noble and proud family, were now mere tools in his hands, slave warriors at his service.
The Empire was divided into nine provinces, each entrusted to one of the Emperor’s nine children. They ruled over the Hidden Families, lineages of ancient cultivators who, though powerful, could not rival the ancestral families.
But their strength was not to be underestimated. Each Hidden Family had produced at least one Immortal, and one of them was even the founder of the Immortal Tao Sect, one of the most respected in the martial world.
As Sun Yuhan sat on his throne, a man in golden armor stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Speak!" the Emperor commanded in a grave voice.
"Your son, Sun Wukong, has returned from the Eternal Ruins."
The Emperor nodded, a slight smile on his lips.
"It’s good that he amuses himself from time to time. Uninterrupted cultivation can have adverse effects on a young man’s mind."
The general lowered his head slightly, as if hesitating to speak.
"He was severely injured."
A frigid silence fell over the throne room. The flames of the torches flickered, as if sensing the ruler’s anger.
"Did someone else interfere?" the Emperor asked, his voice cold and sharp as a blade.
"No, Emperor. According to rumors, he fought only against the younger generation. He faced Prince Qing Long and the heir of the Hu Family, Hu BaiShe. It’s even reported that the latter resisted assaults from your daughter, Yuying."
The Emperor slowly tapped the armrest of his throne, his expression unreadable.
"Well... I would never have thought my son would lose a fight, even against several opponents of his generation. After all, a Sage can easily kill hundreds of Nascent Souls."
"You are right, Emperor. But do not forget that their lineage is anything but ordinary. One is the reincarnation of the Azure Dragon, and the other is the son of the Predator of the Abyss."
At the mere sound of that name, the Emperor briefly closed his eyes. A blinding headache threatened to surface.
Not that he feared her... But this woman was a living calamity.
In conflict, one could always negotiate—that was his approach with the Celestial Dragon for centuries. But with her, either she gained the upper hand, or she destroyed everything in her path. And everyone lost.
"A walking hot stone... Try to grasp it, and you burn your hands," he murmured to himself.
He only hoped Wukong hadn’t crippled her son. He still didn’t know that a fool had already tried to play with this burning stone.
Lin Zhong hesitated before speaking again.
"And then, Emperor..."
"What is it?"
"Some of the Hidden Families now wish to participate in the race for the inheritance of the Immortal Tao Sect."
The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Why this sudden ambition? They had never shown such desire before."
The general cleared his throat.
"Well... According to the young master of the Naga Family, he would like to challenge the other so-called geniuses of this sect."
The Emperor closed his eyes for a moment, thinking.
"Hmm... Agreed. But let him not cause unnecessary trouble."
"Yes, Emperor. I will pass on the message."
Sun Yuhan rested his gaze on the horizon.
***
The underwater domain of the Ancestral Kraken Family stretched beneath the abyssal depths of the ocean, very near the Eastern Continent, hidden from prying eyes by thick barriers of aquatic Qi. Luminous corals dotted the seabed, casting a soft blue glow that bathed the vast submerged palaces in an otherworldly light. Immense arches of black coral rose like the remnants of a sunken ancient empire, while domes of nacre and crystal reflected the undulating currents of the water.
The buildings, constructed from the purest sea jade, seemed to float, supported by columns sculpted into the shape of kraken tentacles. Marine creatures swam in harmony with the family’s warriors, their silhouettes gliding silently between the obsidian towers. Every alley was paved with luminescent stones that pulsed faintly, reacting to the passage of inhabitants like a living network.
The palace of Patriarch Guan Heng dominated this aquatic citadel. An imposing structure, built over an abyssal trench from which mystical currents emanated, seemingly drawing and redistributing the energy of the entire ocean. At the entrance, two colossal statues of krakens coiled their tentacles, symbolizing the power and indomitable will of their lineage.
Hu Sijin stood at the center of the domain, his empty gaze fixed on the underwater palaces.