At The Beginning, The Empress Grants Death, And One Hundred Thousand

The Great Zhou Dynasty

Northern Territory, Zhenbei Palace

Orion opened his eyes.

In front of him lay a woman whose eyes were as enchanting as silk. Her breath was heavy with anger, and she was sprawled lazily on top of him.

Despite her captivating beauty, Orion pushed her away and looked around in shock.

"Am I... traveling through time?"

A hint of surprise flickered in Orion's eyes.

The room was extravagantly luxurious. The furniture was crafted from red lacquer and gilded sandalwood, simple yet elegant porcelain adorned the space, and the curtains were made of intricately woven gauze.

Everything was opulent.

None of it resembled the shabby rental apartment he was used to!

At that moment, Orion heard a soft moan.

He snapped back to reality.

He recalled that upon waking, a woman had been lying on him.

He turned his head quickly.

The next moment, Orion's eyes widened in astonishment!

The woman before him was a peerless beauty, lying on her side with her waist delicately draped. Her figure was incredibly alluring!

Thin strands of silk barely covered her, revealing large expanses of snowy-white skin.

The woman frowned slightly, her small hands caressing her chest, which was partially concealed by a transparent cloth.

She looked even more enchanting in this state!

Orion swallowed hard.

This woman was mesmerizing!

The woman's eyes were filled with resentment as she spoke softly to Orion:

"My lord, why were you so rough?"

"You've hurt me so much..."

Though her tone was reproachful, her voice was incredibly seductive.

With her alluring appearance, it was impossible not to be stirred!

"Ah? Prince?"

Orion was distracted, his gaze fixed on the woman.

But upon hearing her address him, he was momentarily stunned.

Prince?

Had he traveled to ancient times and become a prince?

Orion was about to rejoice when suddenly, a flood of unfamiliar memories surged into his mind!

Jiuzhou Continent... Dongzhou...

The Great Zhou Dynasty...

King of Zhenbei... Orion!

...

After a long pause.

Orion's face was a mask of shock as he swallowed again.

He had indeed traveled through time!

Not only that, but he had also entered a fantasy world where cultivation was possible!

His predecessor shared his name—Orion.

He was the King of Zhenbei in the Great Zhou Dynasty!

The Great Zhou Dynasty was one of the most powerful realms in Dongzhou Continent, with vast territories and millions of subjects.

It was a dynasty of immense power!

Yet, his predecessor seemed to have had a rather miserable existence!

Orion frowned slightly.

Given his position, the King of Zhenbei should have had immense status!

Especially since he commanded a million elite troops in the Northern Territory!

But in reality, the predecessor's status was far from impressive!

In memory, though the predecessor was still the nominal lord of a million frontier troops, his military power had long since waned!

Holding the tiger talisman was meaningless—no one heeded his authority!

In a sense, he was a mere figurehead!

The predecessor had the title of King of Zhenbei but lacked the strength expected of such a role!

He was physically unfit, unable to cultivate, and showed no ambition!

His days were spent idly, indulging in frivolities, and he had even taken a married woman against her will, relying on his imperial privileges.

The reason his predecessor had become the King of Zhenbei was due to his father's disappearance during a battle with the Northern Barbarian Empire Mobei years ago.

The son inherited the title.

His predecessor, the only son of King Zhenbei, had taken the throne hastily.

In contrast to his father, a wise and powerful ruler, his predecessor was a complete failure.

Had it not been for some loyal veterans secretly assisting him, he would have been overthrown long ago!

After reviewing his predecessor's memories, Orion couldn't help but smile bitterly.

It wasn't a hellish start, but it wasn't ideal either!

As the nominal lord of the Northern Territory, he held power without the strength to back it up.

In a world where strength was paramount, that was a significant disadvantage!

...

"Oh, my lord, what are you thinking about? Why are you ignoring me?"

Just as Orion was feeling down, the beautiful woman leaned closer.

"You've hurt me!"

"My chest still aches a little. If you don't believe me, you can check for yourself…"

The woman's seductive voice brought Orion back to his senses.

Perhaps inheriting his predecessor's traits, Orion found himself captivated by the woman's alluring appearance.

His finger moved, and his abdomen felt a sudden heat!

The woman seemed to exude an irresistible charm.

Orion couldn't help but feel excited!

Never mind—let's enjoy this moment!

"If things turn out badly, I'll relinquish my military power and live a peaceful life as a prince!"

"It would be wonderful to stay away from court intrigues and bask in glory and wealth~"

Orion's heart was set on embracing a life of ease.

In his previous life, he had been a 996 worker with no hope.

Now, he had traveled to a princely family, with endless glory and wealth at his disposal. What more could he ask for?

And with a beautiful woman to accompany him!

Smiling at the woman, Orion said:

"Hey, little beauty~ I was wrong earlier!"

"Now, let me make it up to you!"

The woman let out a sweet cry, and Orion eagerly advanced.

In an instant, their clothes were in tatters.

However, just as Orion was about to proceed further, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, this servant has something to report!"

An anxious voice came through the door.

Orion was startled.

The interruption was like a splash of cold water, instantly dousing his enthusiasm.

"Xiao Anzi, you better have a good reason!"

"Otherwise, I'll break your legs!"

Orion was annoyed and shouted angrily.

Even if the eunuch who interrupted him had been with his predecessor for years, disrupting his moment was unacceptable!

He wanted to make sure the eunuch paid for his intrusion!

As if sensing Orion's irritation, Xiao Anzi's voice trembled slightly:

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, the imperial envoy has arrived!"

"It is said that Her Majesty the Empress has issued an edict and is waiting for you outside the palace gate!"

"An imperial envoy?"

"An edict from the Empress?"

Orion was puzzled.

Why was an imperial envoy visiting Zhenbei Palace unexpectedly?

In his memory, the imperial court had ignored the Northern Territory for years after his father's disappearance.

The current ruler of the Great Zhou Dynasty was Empress Zhou Linglong, the only female emperor in the dynasty's nine thousand-year history.

She was reputed for her decisive governance and beauty, comparable to that of a fairy.

He wondered if these tales were true!