Enter The Empress

A trio walked down a massive crimson carpet lined on two sides with stripes of gleaming gold. The carpet was laid out across a truely massive chamber held up by massive gollum's 6 on each sides peached carved exquisitely with live depictions of serpentine dragons coiling with their heads bowed.

The end of the carpet was a set of stairs reaching 6 metres in height leading up to a throne that emanates enormous power. Without a doubt that chair is an Immortal artefact.

Within the boundless universe there exists certain items that could bolster someone's powers. These items could be made 2 ways either being created from heaven and earth or artificially made by a sufficiently powerful cultivator. These items all have grade assigned to them that ca be broadly categorised as mortal treasures and Immortal treasures.

They are further broken down into various levels. While mortal treasures are also broken down into seperate grades such as low grade and high grade. Immortal treasures are not and all roughly exist at the same level.

The Throne of the Hu dynasty is one such treasure. It was an item originally created by a True Immortal tens of thousands of years ago that was unearthed by Hu Wenxi sometime before the founding of the empire. This majestic throne was a True Immortal Artefact designed for the use of True Immortals.

However currently it was in the hands of Hu Wenxi who has yet to transcend the heavenly tribulation. Although Hu Wenxi could not utilise the throne's full power properly he does have a good handle of it. He was already the strongest Human Immortal by far, imagine how strong he is with a genuine Immortal Artefact.

"Your performance just then was admirable husband" the crowned female softly spoke. He demeanour was elegant and firm portraying the image of a proud empress who stood high above the masses. She looked to be in her late twenties yet still extremely beautiful with flowing platinum golden hair with a cold indifferent expression.

This was Qiang Mei Hua, daughter of Qiang Wang, a mighty Human Immortal powerhouse as well as empress of the Hu dynasty. She was also the de facto leader of the government as she was the one who signs all the papers and manages the empire and famed for her icy attitude.

"Hm, it was troublesome though, I will never understand how you manage. But in all honesty Jin Shen was the only reason I attended"

The man in question trailed behind both his parents. The emperor and empress were not that intimate in his view. He seldom spent time with both his parents together that's not a public event. One spent his days cultivating or adventuring while the other cultivated and ruled. He dared to say his step mothers were closer to his mother then father was.

The marriage between the two was originally one of convenience and politics. No true affection existed between them. Despite this they were an excellent working relationship. Still ever since his childhood Hu Jin Shen hanged out with one of his parents or the other. As such it was uncommon seeing them together like this.

"That's right, how was the competition Shen'er. Did you experience any hardship?" Qiang Mei Hua's indifferent expression shifted to one of worry as soon as Jin Shen was brought up.

"No, aside from a few minor incidence there were non"

"Nonsense, I see your energy levels are much more depleted, you also carry signs of injury. Tell me Shen'er who did this to you?" Her response was rapid and filled with fury. Qiang Mei Hua was always protective of her son, more so the Hu Wenxi.

"A confrontation with Li Changseng, but our boy held on. Despite the gap in cultivation he fought Changseng for quite a while". His father Hu Wenxi commented with a proud expression on the side.

"Hmph, that Changseng trash?" seeing his mother's furious expression Hu Jin Shen could only sign. "Mother, you don't have to worry. I'm fine. I just need a little rest and a week from now I will be able to compete".

Qiang Mei Hua was not calmed, instead she remained worried. Hu Jin Shen entered the Crossing Tribulation realm naught but a year ago. He wasn't even a century old. In fact he had been holding back his cultivation in order to keep a more stable foundation. He could've gone through a second tribulation earlier in the month.

"Very well, if you're sure" Mei Hua held a more relieved warm expression something seldom seen on her face. "Husband, do you mind if Shen'er use the time acceleration chamber, he will recover faster and maybe even break through".

Hearing this Hu Wenxi nodded, "All right, it's not a big deal. Stretching time can negatively affect Dao comprehension but at the Crossing Tribulation realm does not require such".

Hu Jin Shen cupped his hands and bowed "Many thanks father". Hu Wenxi led Hu Jin Shen away. Qiang Mei Hua smiled, truely those two were the bright spots in her life. She turned and left the throne room.

The imperial palace was a massive complex that housed the few thousand members of the Hu imperial clan, tens of thousands of servants and important royal officials. Even branches of the military used it as a base.

Qiang Mei Hua married Hu Wenxi for political reasons but has since grown closer to him even if she doesn't show it. This can be seen as he essentially have her all the powers of the emperor to do as she sees fit. It also helps that she is a wicked good manager.

She entered into her office on the right side of the palace and returned to work. There were still papers to sign even with the ongoing festive. Truthfully Qiang Mei Hua had three tasks she does regularly, work, cultivate and fussing over her son.

As the moon smoothly rode along a man dressed in skin tight black onesie and a black black mask walked into her office. "Your majesty, Blade 1 is here to report" this was one of the empire's black ops units. They were co-founded by herself and Hu Wenxi 190 years ago after members of Celestial Star kingdom tried to rebel. They were all orphans with talent in cultivation and trained to be spymasters and assassins. Blade was a peak 12 meridian Crossing Tribulation expert one of the strongest in the organisation. As he too was an orphan found by the emperor empress duo 190 years ago, he is fiercely loyal.

"Blade 1, what's interesting enough to report?" Questioned the empress. Her original orders was to watch the tournament and if he found anything suspicious or weird, report it. However Qiang Mei Hua did not truely expect anything too out of the ordinary.

"I am unsure if your majesty is aware or not but there was a certain young man during the first day who held". "Extraordinary abilities who could fight a Heavenly Connection expert despite his Xiantian realm I know. My husband mentioned him to me. Do not worry he is a minor threat at best." The empress finished for blade 1.

"Your majesty, that boy is only 16 years old. If this growth continues"

The empress however did not reveal a hint of worry, "That boy is nothing more a piece of trash that let his power get to his head. His abilities are known to mean while they are dangerous in the hands of a real cultivator that boys is not a true expert".

"He is not?" Blade 1 was shocked

"No, he is not. I confirmed it myself on the first day. He made such a ruckus in the Azure Sky continent that I personally disguised myself as a nurse of his. Little shit actually tried to grope me"

"He what?" At this point blade 1 was oozing killing intent if not for the empress to signal him to stop.

"I confirmed it myself, his meridians are non existent and his comprehension into to the ways of heaven and earth are minuscule at best. That is to say his cultivation is artificial, given to him. And you don't have to worry, I knocked him out before he even lifted his hand."

"There is another issue, he disappeared right in front of me earlier today" Blade 1 took out a report folder from his inter spacial ring. And handed it to the empress. Inside were images taken by a mini enchanted crustal on Blade 1 mask printed onto several pieces of paper. "It appears to be the same technique he used on Bai clan's young master's sword"

"He also complained to several guards to let him back into the competition before cruising them causing several Heavenly Connection guards to step in. He fled soon after"

"Hn" the empress nodded but continued to examine the images. "Looks to be a pocket dimension, could you not break into it?" She asked Blade 1.

Blade 1 shook his head "No your majesty, wherever he went it was certainly not in this plain of reality". In the vast universe contained not just the physical universe we all live in but also separate dimensions that exist alongside it. The universe is essentially like a cake with each layer being a different dimension. This idea was no stranger to the empress.

A Xiantian cultivator can already leave his planet, a Martial Saint is capable of visiting these other dimensions. On their own these dimensions were essentially universes themselves. The physical universe they all lived in was the largest and main one. All the trillions of minor worlds and 3600 major worlds were but fragments of the original primordial world.

The Thousand Flames upper realm was but one of many trillions of minor worlds. It was classified as an upper realm due to its ability to handle cultivators past the Heavenly Connection realm without breaking down. A lower realm cannot tolerate the existence of a Crossing Tribulation cultivator and will be destroyed because of it. Technically speaking upper realms aren't necessarily larger then lower realms but they were all classified as minor worlds. Of course the environment of an upper realm was leagues better then a lower realm.

"Interesting, my husband may be more familiar with this technique. Report to him regarding this" Qiang Mei Hua handed the folders back to Blade 1 who stored the away.

"By the by, there was also an interesting confrontation between that Yun Xiao Che guy and the princess of the Celestial Star kingdom earlier tonight." Reported Blade 1 before he was ready to leave.

Qiang Mei Hua raised her eyebrow, "I didn't know you were into teen drama?"

"I'm not, but their conversation had some fascinating detail we were not aware of"

At this Qiang Mei Hua was interested, "Oh? Do tell."