Chapter 9: Contemplations in the Imperial Palace
In the depths of the majestic Imperial Palace, Orion sat on a high throne made of white marble, adorned with ancestral runes that glowed with a soft, ethereal light.
Before him, enormous windows opened to vast gardens that stretched to the horizon, where the sky, tinged with golden and orange hues of the sunset, seemed to merge with the walls of the empire he had built from nothing.
The throne room was in absolute silence, only the distant sound of the wind blowing through the corridors echoed softly.
Orion remained still, his flame-like hair tied in a ponytail, cascading gracefully over his back.
Dressed in an imperial cloak embroidered with threads of gold and silver, he was the very image of majesty.
With his eyes closed, his mind wandered through the ages, contemplating everything up to that moment.
Eryndor, his empire, now flourished like never before; its inhabitants were stronger, its lands more fertile, and peace reigned.
He had transformed the fate of thousands, restoring the advisors and giving the people a chance to be reborn in power and purpose.
But even with all these achievements, something in Orion's heart remained restless.
"Is this enough?" he wondered silently. His gaze turned to the stars beginning to appear in the sky.
He could see beyond the stars, to other dimensions, to realities that mortals could not even dream of existing.
The vastness of the cosmos continued to expand, immeasurable in its complexity.
Orion then rose from his throne, his long steps echoing across the tiles of the empty hall.
He approached a window overlooking the gardens. The cold night wind began to blow in, and he inhaled deeply, feeling the air charged with magical energy around him.
"There is more to come," he said to himself in a low tone. "The empire is just beginning to understand its true potential."
Orion knew that although the people of Eryndor were enjoying times of peace, harmony never lasted forever.
Powerful empires had been destroyed before, not by enemies from the outside, but by internal issues, by the invisible corruption that grew slowly. He had seen this before, in other worlds in his use of Dao of space-time.
He extended his hand, and a holographic map of Eryndor appeared before his eyes, floating in the air.
The map detailed every corner of the empire, from its vast plains and imposing mountains to the most remote cities.
His eyes silently scanned the map, observing the power points, the vulnerable borders, the places where conflicts could arise.
"The advisors are stronger," he murmured, remembering the transformation he had performed in the square earlier. "But strength without wisdom can be as destructive as weakness. I need to guide them."
His mind turned to the nations beyond the borders of Eryndor, empires and kingdoms that might one day see the growing strength of his people as a threat.
He knew that external challenges were approaching, and it was necessary to prepare not only his advisors but also his armies and alliances.
Orion smiled slightly, amusement returning to his eyes. "Let them come," he said, his voice echoing softly through the room. "I am the Emperor of this empire, and there is no force in this universe or any other that can extinguish the flame of Eryndor while I am here to protect it."
Turning back to the throne room, Orion walked back to his chair, sitting calmly.
He knew that the game of great powers was just beginning, and although he possessed unimaginable power, the true challenge lay in using it wisely.
In his mind, he was already beginning to devise strategies, to anticipate possible attacks and alliances, to consider the next moves on a cosmic board that few mortals even understood.
Deep in his soul, Orion felt a growing excitement. What was to come would be a test, not for him, but for the empire.
Closing his eyes, he allowed his consciousness to expand, feeling the pulse of life in every corner of Eryndor.
The decisions he would make in the coming weeks would shape the destiny of millions.
"Let the future come," thought Orion, with a gleam and power in his eyes. "Eryndor will be a beacon of light or a storm of destruction... depending on how its leaders will walk from here on."
And so, in the heart of the Imperial Palace, Emperor Orion contemplated the fate of an empire he himself had helped forge, knowing that the true challenges were just beginning to emerge from the distant horizon.
---
Day 12 of Month 14, Imperial Eryndor Calendar, Year 10.
Months had passed since the awakening of the citizens to the heritage of their ancestors. The empire flourished, and the change was palpable in the streets and vast lands of Eryndor.
Orion, now immersed in his role, felt a deep satisfaction as he observed the growth of his empire.
Today, however, he was particularly excited. It would be the first time he would leave the lands of Eryndor and venture into the Immortal World to have fun, not counting the time he used his ability to bring more inhabitants to the empire.
Walking through the corridors of his majestic palace, Orion looked at his red robes, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Will the Immortal World be like the cultivation web novels?" he murmured to himself, as a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.
With a snap of his fingers, his clothes transformed into something beyond luxury.
The fabric became a fusion of sophistication and divine power, a garment that seemed woven by the hands of the stars themselves. Each thread radiated a soft and mesmerizing light, making Orion appear as a figure from ancient.
His new form was the very definition of perfection, but this was no ordinary body.
It was the embodiment of beauty and divinity. His face, sculpted with celestial precision, displayed striking, symmetrical features that exuded irresistible charm.
His skin was smooth and radiant, as if enveloped in divine light, while his deep, ice-blue eyes, with an ethereal glow, seemed to see through the very soul.
His hair, red as living flames, flowed to the ground, undulating with the slightest touch of the wind, giving him a majestic aura.
Smiling at his reflection in a crystal mirror in the palace hall, Orion laughed to himself.
"Will there be arrogant young masters whose egos will be shattered in the blink of an eye in the immortal cities? Or unreachable maidens, like those of the Celestial Ice Sect, waiting for a hero to lick their feet?" He laughed again, recalling the books he had skimmed through and the stories his soldiers told in their free time.
"Ahhh, I am absolutely looking forward to this journey," he said, with an excitement that made his now divine blood pulse faster.
The palace doors opened on their own as he walked toward the horizon, ready for his new journey.
The wind whispered his name as the stars, even in the light of day, seemed to bow before his passage.
The Immortal World awaited him, and Orion, with a sparkle in his eyes and a smile of anticipation, was more than ready to discover what this new adventure would bring.
---
Days of Walking After Leaving the Empire...
As he emerged from the vast and dense forest, Orion found himself before an ancient road that gently wound toward a distant city, its towers gleaming in the light of the immortal sun.
The road seemed alive, formed of irregular stones that, at the touch of his feet, emanated a subtle vibration, as if recognizing the divine presence now walking upon them.
The sky above, a deep and infinite blue, seemed to slightly bend at his passage, while lazy clouds drifted away, as if fearing to obstruct his path.
Orion, with eyes shining in a hypnotic ice-blue, observed everything around him with the curiosity of a primordial explorer.
Every detail, no matter how insignificant it might be to common mortals, captured his attention.
The trees along the way, tall and majestic, bent slightly, as if bowing in respect to his presence.
Some mystical flowers, with crystalline petals that sparkled like jewels, blossomed instantly as he passed, their colors shifting as the glow of his red hair reflected upon them.
The winds blew softly, bringing with them the distant sound of songs from immortal birds, creatures whose wings cut through the air like lightning, their feathers emanating sparks of light.
The very air around Orion seemed denser, saturated with a mystical energy that vibrated in harmony with his ancestral aura.
It was as if the world around him was responding to his presence, molding itself according to his will, even though he had not uttered a single word.
On the horizon, the immortal city rose, its walls of luminous stone radiating a faint glow, almost as if they were made of pure celestial essence.
The towers, with a sublime architecture that defied mortal logic, floated gently, connected by bridges of light that seemed ethereal, impossible to touch.
The sky above the city sparkled with constellations that did not belong to the mortal world.
Orion smiled slightly, his lips curling with a mixture of admiration and excitement. The road ahead seemed to call to him, each stone pulsing in unison with his own cosmic rhythm.
With firm yet serene steps, he moved forward, his cloak dancing in the wind, while the world around him silently acknowledged that a force beyond imagination was present.
---
It was an apparently ordinary day for the guards of Aurelion, the imposing immortal city that rose as a symbol of power and greatness.
At least, that's what they thought until they spotted a man who seemed more like a mirage than a reality.
He approached, with long flaming hair dancing in the wind as if they were living flames, his presence emanating an aura so powerful that even the hardest hearts of the soldiers faltered for a moment.
The guards, accustomed to visitors from all corners of the immortal world, found themselves, for the first time, confused and disturbed.
"My God," one of them thought, "this guy makes me question my heterosexuality."
Each one tried, in vain, to divert their gaze from the man before them.
Thoughts raced desperately to their beautiful wives at home, to the passionate sex of the previous night, anything to avoid focusing on the imposing and disturbingly beautiful figure before them.
The man stopped before the gate with a serene smile and a voice that was like poisoned honey, smooth but with an irresistible power behind it.
"Hello, how do I enter the city?"
His voice cut through the air with an unsettling calmness, as if he were merely asking something trivial, even though his presence screamed otherwise.
One of the guards, a robust man who rarely felt intimidated, felt the sweat trickle down his forehead.
He cleared his throat, trying to control the tremor in his voice, but without much success. "I... uh... sorry... it will be ten bronze coins to enter the city." His voice was choked with embarrassment, and his normally impassive face was now as red as the stranger's hair.
As he handed over the coins, Orion smiled with an almost playful look, sensing the discomfort of the guards but not caring.
He crossed the city gate with the same ethereal grace with which he had arrived, leaving the soldiers behind, relieved but strangely nostalgic for the brief yet intense presence of the man who had shaken their certainties.