Chapter 4978 Golden Radiance Empire's Capital
Davis and Aila went alone to the capital of the Golden Radiance Empire after leaving the sanctuary. They had basically sneaked out, only informing Mingzhi and Stella for security purposes.
They journeyed in a flying boat, witnessing many sights.
Below them, the world stretched in vast layers of color and motion. Rivers gleamed like silver veins threading through lush lands. Golden-hued mountain peaks and ranges rose and fell. Cities passed beneath them in bursts of life, some adorned with radiant formations that shimmered like constellations.
Aila leaned against the railing more than once, her eyes reflecting the ever-changing scenery. Davis stood beside her, his gaze calm, occasionally shifting but never lingering too long, as his focus was only on Aila.
She was cheery and excited, but her new aura from the improvement of her physique also made him feel peaceful. He knew it was because of the Serene Spring Cherry Lotus.
It wasn't long before they arrived in the capital as they traversed quickly.
From afar, it looked like a sun resting upon the earth, its structures gleaming with a restrained yet undeniable opulence. As they descended, the details became clearer, and the sheer scale of the place was plain to see with the walls stretching endlessly, layered with defensive formations that pulsed faintly beneath their golden surface.
They aligned in a designated platform and walked to the gates hand-in-hand.
Standing before the gates, they didn't say a word but displayed the identity tokens Mingzhi gave to them.
The guards' expressions changed instantly.
Their initial vigilance dissolved into respectful solemnity as they stepped aside without question.
It was simply a token belonging to the imperial family, granting entry into the capital without any needing any checks to be conducted, obviously used to sneakily create wealth for the nobles and other kingdoms of the Allied Kingdoms and even the imperial family without the need to pay taxes.
It worked like a charm, and they were allowed inside.
They stepped into the capital.
Inside, the architecture made their eyes glimmer.
The buildings were unlike anything commonly seen across the other territories. Each structure rose in smooth, dome-like formations, supported by four grand pillars positioned at equal intervals. The design echoed an ancient majesty, reminiscent of golden desert empires, yet refined through cultivation and formations into something far more immortal-like.
The domes shimmered faintly under the light, some embedded with gemstones that captured and refracted sunlight into soft halos. Wide pathways stretched between districts, large enough to accommodate thousands moving side by side without obstruction, even with carriages and other constructs hurrying to and fro.
Above, aerial routes were just as active, with flying constructs and beasts weaving through designated currents in the sky.
Mingzhi had mentioned that the capital alone housed more than twelve billion people, yet it didn't seem packed at all.
"Waa~"
Aila looked around. After the events of the secret realm and returning home, it was her first time seeing so many people that she was momentarily taken aback. The entrance had many people, and there were numerous calls for people to board their constructs to roam around the city or get to a destination.
Davis grabbed Aila's hand and hired a private carriage and entered it.
"Amazing… even the main gate guard is at Empyrean Stage… and most of the people's cultivation appears to be from the Immortal Path instead of the Transcendent Path…" Aila exclaimed with interest.
"Obviously, this continent is hidden in the void and failed to integrate with the rest of the realms…"
Davis looked out the window with a faint smile, "I doubt they even know who I am."
"…"
Aila blinked before she opened the window, releasing the soundproofing formation, before she looked at the driver.
"Do you know what's going on in the city? Any special events?"
"Ah? Young lady, you don't need to open the window. You can speak to me by touching the core in the middle of the seat."
"Oh…" Aila sat back and closed the window before she held the short, pillar-like device in the middle of the carriage.
Davis remained silent, knowing Aila was looking out for him. After all, wherever he went, he would be recognized and vilified, but here, that would not happen. He wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but he saw that she wanted to make him happy and hence kept quiet.
Aila was talkative and usually didn't look down on people, so she yapped away and made the drive feel honored and blessed to hear the voice of a fairy. If she had revealed her looks, there might've been a kidnapping situation instead, since Davis could sense a few tiny formations that carried poison and sleeping power ready to explode within the carriage.
It was hidden well and was a Mid-Level Empyrean Grade Formation, difficult to find.
The capital was mostly secure, but it wasn't without its problems, ruled by lawlessness in certain areas, not to mention the bad nobles and unruly kingdoms that were full of unrest right now because Zenova had gone ahead and poisoned the heads of most of these powers to death. Even the capital was full of unrest since the surviving imperial family was at odds, their princes and princesses fighting for the throne.
Nothing would happen unless Zenova and Mingzhi willed it, since they now controlled the empire from the shadows using the Peak Stage Empyrean slaves they ordered around.
"Thank you, fellow cultivator~"
After hearing about the special events in the city worth visiting, Aila thanked the driver and then licked her lips.
"Do you know why the sky went completely black around two weeks ago?"
"No idea, but didn't you hear? The imperial astronomy divination- whatever it was- said that it was because of a Divergent, a calamitous being that wears the mask of a lifeform, mostly humans, so it could even be you or me. Ahaha!"
"Then- do you know who the Divine Emperor of Death is?"
"Who? Never heard of such a person. There is someone who claims to be the Emperor of Death? Must be a special kind of insane… hahaha!"
"Hehe~"
The driver laughed again, making Aila grin as she turned to look at Davis.
Davis couldn't help but nearly laugh out, his smile making Aila pounce at him and eye the outside as though asking if he wanted to walk outside with her.
"We'll do that after getting the rabbit."
"Ow~"
Davis flicked her forehead lightly, causing her to reel back and hold her head with a pout. She thought it would be fun to walk outside, but then remembered she was also a calamity magnet. If people saw her, an altercation with a young master would definitely be unavoidable.
Then it would be no longer having fun, but their day ruined, so she nodded reluctantly.
Soon, they moved through several districts, passing marketplaces that sold everything from spirit herbs to formation cores, from slave contracts to ancient relic fragments.
As they entered what seemed to be a forest with an enclosed farm ground in the distance, rolling fields stretched within their view, including protective barriers, small hills, and clear streams. Wooden structures stood scattered across the land, simple in appearance but reinforced with subtle formations.
The moment they alighted from the carriage, they could tell this was no ordinary farm.
This was a high-tier magical beast breeding ground.
A gentle rustling spread across the fields before they headed inside the open space.
Someone came to greet them while tending to a magical beast horse that sneered at them for no reason.
Davis and Aila were speechless. If they weren't suppressing their cultivations, this horse would turn tail and run, but even still, if it couldn't sense the danger of offending them innately, then it was pretty much stupid.
Was this even a good farm?
"Hehehe, welcome, fellow cultivators." A peasant in an ordinary white robe greeted them.
He appeared to possess an Immortal King cultivation, but it was clear he was working for a wage as he was tending to the horse and perhaps other personal magical beasts of the farm owner.
On the other hand, the man clasped his hands and bowed lightly, his smile easygoing yet practiced. His eyes flickered between Davis and Aila, attempting to gauge their background, but he found nothing. There were no tiles or insignias, making it difficult for him to guess their background, but he remained cautious.
He opened his mouth.
"This humble one is merely a caretaker here, but if you seek magical beasts, then you've come to the right place. Our farm specializes in breeding high-quality Saint Rank bloodlines with the potential to step into the Immortal Emperor Stage."
Aila nodded, her eyes wandering past him as she caught sight of various enclosures further within.
"What kind do you have?" She asked softly.
The caretaker brightened slightly, taking that as interest.
"Quite a few, quite a few. For offensive types, we have the Golden Horned War Rams, known for their explosive charge and metal affinity. They are extremely helpful with mining."
He gestured to the side.
A group of rams stood upon a rocky enclosure, their spiraled horns gleaming like forged gold, occasionally stamping their hooves as sparks flickered beneath them.
"For speed and scouting, there are the Gale Whisper Lynxes. Extremely elusive, wind-attributed, and capable of short-distance spatial skips when they mature and learn Space Laws, although that's rare. A single beast also serves as a great personal mount."
Aila's gaze shifted again as she spotted sleek feline figures flickering in and out of visibility between trees.
"And if you prefer aerial dominance, we have the Azure Feather Skyrays. Elegant creatures that were mostly used as carriages for nobles. Their feathers can be refined into high-grade flying artifacts."
A few massive bird-like beasts soared lazily in the distance, their wings leaving faint blue trails in the air.
The caretaker chuckled.
"Of course, these are just the more popular choices. We also take custom orders depending on what the esteemed guests require. Can I know your preference?"
Davis nodded and was about to say what they came from when Aila giggled.
"Do you have a Divine Emperor of Death for sale?"
"…" The caretaker looked so confused.
"Divine Emperor of Death? What's that?"
Davis turned to look at Aila, smilingly glaring at her while she silently giggled like a naughty child.
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