2 Incident in the Imperial Capital
Three years have passed since the heavenly phenomenon occurred. The Endless Continent was full of chaos. Old monsters left their closed-door cultivation to investigate the heavenly phenomenon. Countless mortals and rogue cultivators are abducted by top alchemists. What were initially blessings for the mortals and rogue cultivators turned into curse when the cultivators and alchemists started using them to investigate the heavenly phenomenon.
The demonic path cultivators started blood sacrifice ceremony in many regions. They sacrificed millions of mortals to get the violet radiance but alas with no results. It was as if the violet radiance was a blessing which could not be stolen. The experiments of alchemists were in vain as well.
Ancient records were searched but with no luck. Many ancient ruins were investigated to discover any hints but all in vain.
In the world only four people knew that the heaven-shaking incident was created by the arrival of a newborn! The maids and doctor were killed to hide the secret. Outside people were told that an "assassin" tried to murder the grandchild of Zhen Ling, and the maids & doctor died while protecting the newborn. A massive search operation was launched to find the companions of assassin but with no results. The families of maids and doctor were given rich compensation for their "bravery and noble sacrifice".
Zhen Ling is the twenty-fith imperial prince of Skyrise Empire. Even though the probability of him becoming the crown prince is zero but it didn't mean he is weak. He has lived for more than a thousand years and the influence he created in the Empire was something no one can dare to underestimate. Even the Crown Prince would agree on that. For an old fox like him faking records of an assassination attempt was nothing. He made sure to leave no loopholes.
Skyrise Empire is one of the strongest Empire in the Endless Continent. The Empire has 108 states with the smallest state having an area of 5 million sq.km. Even for cultivators such a figure was horrifying much less mortals.
Zhen Ling rules over one such state in the name of Emperor. So how can a man ruling over such a large territory be lacking in cover-up?
In an open field outside the castle, Zhen Ling was holding his grandchild. They have named him as Zhen Han. By Zhen Lin's side was his daughter-in-law Lin Li. Her eyes were full of love when she saw the smile on her son's face. She knew that her child was happy to be outside the castle as ever since his birth she kept him inside due to her worries. She wanted him to enjoy the world but was afraid that his secrets would be revealed if he was outside. But now...her child has to leave.
For her Zhen Han was everything, and thus she couldn't help but worry when she thinks of the upcoming trip to Imperial Capital. She has to go with her three-year-old son to the capital so that her son's genealogy can be registered in the official imperial records.
She was afraid that the powerful cultivators in the Empire would notice the mystic origin of Zhen Han. What would happen if those power-hungry monsters in the capital found about the origin of that worldwide phenomenon? The very thought of it gave her chills. The capital was full of wolf in sheep's clothing. For gaining longevity they would do anything. Sure her child has a strong family background but could they face an entire Empire? In fact, she didn't trust her own clan or her husband's clan. Royalty and nobility are devoid of kinship. That was an eternal fact. People kill each other for small profits but her son carried a heaven-defying fortune. Would they spare him? She knew the answer.
Zhen Ling also knew about the worry of her daughter-in-law. In fact, he was also worried, but he didn't let it show. He was the head of the family so how could he show a weak side of himself?
"Lin Li, you don't have to worry. Even I couldn't notice anything strange about Han'er. I have inspected him through my divine sense multiple times and didn't notice anything strange even though I know that he is anything but ordinary. So how would other people notice when they don't know about his mystic birth? Even if they searched him through their divine sense the only thing they would notice is his extraordinary latent talent and that's nothing to worry about."
Hearing her father-in-law's words, Lin Li realized that her worries were unfounded. Besides having superior talent wasn't anything surprising as her son has the bloodline of Skyrise Emperor. Most importantly the talent of most youngsters has increased due to the violet glow phenomenon. Anyone who absorbed the violet glow got some sort of blessing. For the younger generation, the blessing was in the form of an increase in talent. Everyone believed that the present era would be the age of heroes.
In the Endless Continent, the path of cultivation starts at the age of five. There was still time before her child starts his martial journey.
Zhen Ling felt relieved when he saw the worry from Lin Li's face disappearing.
"The holy beast would arrive soon. You should get ready. "
"Yes."
Soon a giant blue phoenix arrived and took the mother-son duo to the capital. For mortals, it was impossible to cover the trip distance in their lifespan but for the sage beast a week was enough.
Throughout the journey, Zhen Han was sleeping in his mother's arms with occasionally waking up for daily necessities. After a week they arrived in the capital.
The imperial capital was divided into nine zones with the Imperial Palace in the first and inner-most zone. The second zone was open only for royalty and nobility. Of course, it also allowed their servants and guards. Even still the second zone was full of people. It has a population of more than 100 million! Cultivators had a long lifespan and their ability for breeding can't be underestimated especially when one is of high status.
The holy beast left Lin Li and Zhen Han in the outermost section of the second zone as afterward flying was restricted. There were magical arrays in the sky which made flying impossible unless you have the permission from the Emperor.
The imperial guards were ready for escorting the mother-son duo but Lin Li refused the offer. She wanted to make up for her earlier mistakes and let her child enjoy the market. Lin Li introduced her son to the various merchandise. Zhen Han's eyes were full of awe when he saw magic beasts in the city. Golden-horn Horse, Bloodwing Dog, Six-eyed Monkey, Cerberus, Winged Tiger and many others. Back in the state, his mother didn't allow him to leave the castle due to her worries. Now he left her mother's arms and started running around on his own.
There were no restrictions. He can now finally see how the world was. He can see the beasts he saw in the books. Perhaps soon he can see the beautiful scenarios the books described?
Zhen Han's daydreaming was broken when he heard a loud shriek. Some distance away he saw a muscular man in rich attire dragging a female. From the attire of man, it was sure that he was from imperial family. As for what he was going to do with the female it was obvious to the people nearby, but they did nothing.
Lin Li soon caught up with her child and took him in her arms. Even though she despised the shameless actions of the male she could do nothing. That young man could have taken the woman through a chariot or had made her unconscious. But he didn't, which means he was enjoying the despair of woman. He was at the Blood Transformation stage, and yet he enjoyed harassing a mortal slave. How despicable.
Lin Li was strong enough to kill him, but she couldn't. It was obvious that the female was a slave. In the empire, slaves have no rights. In all honesty, she supported the slave system but was against the immoral acts of forcing oneself on another. The young man was from royal family just like her so their status was somewhat equal. So how can Lin Li take action? If she did then she would bring the wrath of the Empire laws. She has to think about her child and her husband. A life of a slave wasn't worth enough the risk.
"Mother, why is that woman crying?"
Lin Li was surprised by the question and didn't know how to answer him. He wasn't old enough to understand the working of the world, but she also knew that she has to guide him to the right path so that he doesn't become a lecherous man in the future. Far too many people in the royalty lost themselves to the carnal pleasure. She wanted her son to be a perfect gentleman.
"That man is going to force himself on the woman. He is going to do something horrible against her wishes. Something a true man would never do."
Even though Zhen Han didn't understand what was the "horrible" part...he knew that it was absolutely bad if his mother said so. His mother has always been right.
He has seen his father always agreeing with her mother. His father had once told him that he would never admit defeat to anyone even if he was killed.
'A true man never admits defeat or apologies' were his words. Next day he has seen his mother shouting at his father followed by his father apologizing. Later he asked his father why he apologized as a true man never admits defeat. Strangely his father's face was twitching. His father then said that his mother was an exception as she is always right.
"Mom does that means that man is not a man?" questioned Zhen Han. He now felt disgusted at the man who was dragging that female.
"Yes. He is not a man. He is more beast than a human being. People like him deserve to mate with only beasts."
"Mate with beasts?" Zhen Han knew the meaning of the word 'mate'. So he is surprised at his mother's words.
"Yes. Only when he is mating with the beasts and on receiving end would he understand." Lin Li regretted her words as soon as she has spoken. How could she let herself use such a language in front of her son?
"I understand, mom. He deserves to mate with beasts." Strangely when Zhen Han said these words, his eyes were full of violet glow. If a Divine Manifestation stage cultivator was present he/she would notice that as soon as Zhen Han said these words the natural laws of the heaven and earth were changed.
Lin Li was only at Golden Body stage, so she didn't notice the change in natural laws, but she noticed the violet glow in her son's eyes. She had a bad premonition as she hastily closed his eyes, and prayed that no one noticed the change in her son. She used her psychic abilities and made him fall into sleep.
Soon the entire city was full of beasts roar. The chariots were broken as the beasts started getting berserk. Beasts discarded their confinement and the duties they were given. The buildings in the city were being trampled by the beasts. Even though most people in the second zone were cultivators, but not everyone was powerful than the beasts. Besides, truly powerful cultivator wasn't bored enough to rome in the city.
The beasts killed the cultivators who tried to stop them. Even the Slave Seals inside the beasts stopped working! In ordinary situations, the Slave Seal makes it impossible for a beast to rebel otherwise the beast would face a tragic death! Without Slave Seal, it was impossible to stop beasts who were at Golden Body and more advanced stages of cultivation.
Even the beasts who had a harmonious relationship with the humans lost their sanity. They started going on a rampage. It was as if the Heavens themselves wanted the rebellion of beasts!
Some unlucky fellows died just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Beasts throughout the city were rebelling and running towards the direction of that robust young man.
The robust young man was dragging the female through an intersection when he suddenly had a large sense of crisis. Cultivators develop their perception, and when one reaches Blood Transformation stage he/she can develop Divine Instinct. A sixth sense which gives premonition of danger in advance. That young man's Divine Instinct was going crazy! The divine instinct was as if telling the man that he is going to suffer a fate far worse than death!
Within a flick of second that young man was surrounded by beasts. Their eyes were full of blood threads and passion.
Passion?
The young man didn't dare believe his guess. He dropped the female slave and dashed away when he made a small opening with the help of an exploding-type spirit talisman. The beasts instead of chasing the young man started fighting among themselves seem as if they were rivals in love. They all wanted the young man for themselves without sharing! I
Alas, the young man wasn't lucky enough. Other beasts who were lurking for their chance took the advantage of the quarrel and started chasing the young man. Without any surprise, he was caught.
Soon there were shrieks of horror coming from the mouth of young man. The passersby in the city had their jaws dropped. Many of the passersby were killed during the chase of beasts. The surviving ones couldn't believe the things they were seeing.
The beasts who were fighting among themselves noticed that others took advantage of their battle. They stopped fighting and run away towards the young man. The young man has used away his full powers and mystic treasures to kill away the beasts. His body hardly has any clothes left. Instead, his body was full of holes.
Just as he was taking a moment rest he noticed more beasts coming. His scalp was exploding from the imminent sense of crisis. Soon again the city was full of horrible screams.
The beast masters were trembling in fear when they realized the status of the young man with whom the beasts were sharing the love.
The city guards and beast masters started attacking the beasts to protect the young man but alas that only increased the troubles for the young man. The beast started getting more violent.
Far away Lin Li was holding her son in her arms and gazing at the unbelievable scene. Even from such a distance, she could hear the shrieks of the young man. For the first time in her life, she felt pity for a lecherous man.
