Yunqin’s mountains were extremely famous. To the north was the Heaven Ascension Mountain Range and to the east was the Dragon Snake Mountain Range.

Central Continent Imperial City also had an isolated peak named True Dragon.

True Dragon Mountain originally had a temporary imperial residence named Long Life. Later on, another imperial residence named Boundless was built on an even higher position.

These two imperial residences were both made out of a large amount of jade and glazed tiles, the palaces scattered across various precipitous or beautiful areas. A silver waterfall poured down between these two imperial residences, its height exceeding that between these two palaces. Countless silver splashes and mist spread through this place. Even if it was extremely hot, these two imperial residences would still remain cool, like heavenly palaces.

This was especially the case when rainbow arcs would appear from time to time between these palaces.

Towering, majestic, graceful, splendorous… None of the best words of praise used to describe buildings in this world would be wasted on these two imperial residences.

Yunqin’s Emperor Changsun Jinse was currently sitting in the Boundless Imperial Residence.

In the palace he was currently in, apart from the nine dragons sculptured bookcase in front of him, there was no other furniture. He himself was also sitting on a soft golden mat.

This palace didn’t even have doors or windows, only jade pillars supporting the sky dome-like ceramic glaze roof.

At the sides of the jade pillars was a curtain made of golden silk and silver threads, on the curtains were embroidered seven-colored threads, flowers, plants and birds.

All sides were wide open, not having any obstructions, as if they were in the heavens above, the earth below the emperor’s feet.

The ground beneath him was completely sleek jade of various colors, flat and smooth like a mirror, like a sea of jade-colored water that extended in all directions. However, upon closer inspection, the jade of different colors actually formed a diagram of the mountains and rivers.

This sleek mirror-like spotless ground was actually a massive map of Yunqin Empire’s territory!

The mountains, valleys, rivers and various cities were all beneath him, extending out in all directions, as if there were no boundaries.

One could see the entire Central Continent Imperial City from his current location.

City walls, corners, great streets, countless palaces, houses, all of this extended in all directions. This was truly a grand and imposing large city, difficult for one to even imagine that it was built through the power of man.

In the fifteen years after the late emperor officially established Yunqin Empire, this massive Central Continent Imperial City’s total population already exceeded two and a half million.

Now, together with those who came and went, the population already exceeded five million.

Sixty years ago, a city of a million was something completely unimaginable.

Meanwhile, now, even if the entire world was searched, there was no city with over a million in population like Yunqin’s Central Continent Imperial City.

Meanwhile, he was precisely the ruler of this Central Continent Imperial City, this massive empire’s emperor.

Yunqin’s imperial princess who was currently dressed in a beautiful gown slowly entered this Boundless Great Hall from the jade stairs in the back.

In this entire Central Continent Imperial City, the only two people who could enter this Boundless great palace were her and the emperor.

Central Continent Imperial City’s buildings and infrastructure were expanding every year, but there was only a single True Dragon Mountain in this Imperial City. Moreover, the Changsun lineage, for the sake of making the emperor’s prestige known, always claimed that within True Dragon Mountain flowed the same True Dragon bloodline as in the Changsun family. Together with the fact that this was the place with the highest elevation in all of Central Continent Imperial City, that was why even this mountain’s guards were made up of those extremely close to the emperor.

Changsun Muyue’s facial features weren’t especially exquisite and beautiful, especially those thin lips which would always give off a type of ice-cold and harsh feeling. However, because of her status and unique temperament, she was extremely beautiful in the eyes of most people in this world, it was unknown just how many people secretly had thoughts of defiling her, but didn’t dare show even the slightest hint of it.

The mist that spread from the distant silver waterfall sucked away a large portion of the heat. Because of the natural coolness of the mountain winds and jade below their feet and also becaause this seemingly endless map only had her and the emperor alone, it seemed especially cold and secluded.

…

Yunqin’s territory was also the largest in this entire world since the beginning of history. For a caravan or ordinary travelers to travel from the eastern extreme Dragon Snake Border Pass to Central Continent Imperial City, if everything went smoothly, it would take them at least a month of time. However, some especially urgent military intelligence would be transported by fire beacons, flying pigeons and some other methods, able to reach this majestic city in just a few days, reaching the emperor’s ears.

The imperial princess Changsun Muyue who many people wanted to defile, but didn’t dare do so sat down in front of Yunqin Emperor Changsun Jinse. When she saw that Changsun Jinse wasn’t reviewing any documents, she frowned, looking at him and asking, “Brother Emperor, why have you only placed Mu Chenyun under house arrest, only making him wait for further investigations?”

Changsun Jinse’s gaze also shifted to the imperial princess’ pure white, jade like face, with a calm and naturally dignified voice said, “I know that you came precisely because of this matter.”

The imperial princess looked at Changsun Jinse, knowing that he was definitely going to answer her question. As such, she didn’t say anything, only waiting.

Changsun Jinse’s calm eyes began to reveal an expression of mockery. “Muyue, you only know that these thirteen Sky Devil Heavy Armors are real, that Lin Xi’s intelligence is also real. With his nature and ability, there is indeed no way for it to be fake… However, have you thought about who Mu Shenyun is acting in place of? If it is in the west, perhaps there might be someone who dares engage in this type of transaction with Great Mang, in the east, who has this type of guts, daring to transport thirteen sets of Sky Devil Heavy Armor in one go? Mu Chenyun isn’t someone weak, but it is precisely because he isn’t weak that this is an issue. Who can make him do this type of thing?”

The imperial princess suddenly raised her head, looking at Changsun Jinse with an inconceivable expression.

Changsun Jinse instead looked at her and nodded, saying, “He is doing things in my place, these thirteen sets of Sky Devil Armor were to be brought over in my place. Am I supposed to have the Dragon Snake Border Army and Deer Forest Province capture and investigate him? What am I investigating for? For me to investigate myself?”

The imperial princess looked into the emperor’s eyes, slowly lowering her head. She looked at the dragon on his dragon robes, this dragon seemingly about to jump straight off his robes and even tear her apart.

“I thought that Brother Emperor and I didn’t have any secrets between us, but I didn’t expect that there were still many things I had no idea about.” She revealed a forced smile, and then said, “Why… what exactly do you wish to do?”

“The reason why I didn’t tell you some things is only because I didn’t wish for you to have to go through as much as me.”

The emperor released a sigh, but after saying this, his tone instead became resolute, “As for the reason… it is the same reason as why I haven’t placed an imperial throne here.”

He took a deep breath, calming some emotions that were hard to speak about within him. He reached out a finger, pointing at the grand and majestic city in the world before him, his calmness carrying a bit of self-mockery. “Everything under the sky is mine, Yunqin’s endless heroic soldiers and all of those powerful cultivators are mine as well. These civilians all believe that I am the one with the greatest authority in this world. However, do they know that the person sitting here has to constantly worry about his own safety, worry about possibly being chased off the throne?”

“Those old but still alive things, what kind of power do they have under them? Respected Cang Yue has the Sky Wolf Guards, Dragon Snake has the Black Flag Army, what do I have, Central Continent Guards? Those are Zhou Shoufu’s and they aren’t all that astonishing either.”

The imperial princess raised her head, looking at her own brother, the emperor, with a somewhat cold expression, the voice even a bit unfamiliar to herself. “If you cannot trust even Zhou Shoufu, then who can Brother Emperor still trust under this sky?”

Changsun Jinse shook his head, seriously saying, “This has nothing to do with trust. We are the rulers of this empire. While outsiders ensure our safety, ensure our imperial power, I still must have my own power, I have to seize my own fate with my own hands. Also, it isn’t only because I am surnamed Changsun that those people respect me.”

“Muyue.” The emperor gave the imperial princess a deep look and said, “Could it be that you wish to always see me scared of the slightest thing, to never be able to do anything great?”

The imperial princess remained silent.

She understood this Brother Emperor’s ambitions, knowing that when he built this imperial residence, it was precisely to make this country prosperous, endlessly expand Yunqin’s territory.

She originally thought that in this extremely spacious hall, while looking at this Central Continent Imperial City’s period of prosperity, even if there were some unhappy things, he would still become a bit happier. However, only now did she know that this instead made him unhappy, instead made his ambitions increase endlessly.

When he saw that she was quiet, the emperor also remained quiet for a bit, and only then did he speak again. “Respected Cang Yue has already sent out people to assassinate the people I sent out to replace his generals, preventing my will and my people from even entering his territory. If I cannot even deal with him, how am I supposed to subdue this world? ...We’ve already received some reports from Dragon Snake’s side, clearly stating that some cultivators from behind Great Desolate Swamp have joined the cave barbarians. When matters are too strange, there will definitely be evil behind it, if I consider these cultivators evil, the Dragon Snake’s side might become more and more hard-pressed… If I don’t plan properly, establish enough of a backing myself, create a force only I can transfer, how can I sit steadily in Central Continent Imperial City during these troubled times?”

“Then what about Lin Xi?” The imperial princess gently bit her lips, seriously looking at the emperor and saying, “Why did you have to pass down that type of order? It sounds like he is rewarded with a promotion, yet you sent him to Dragon Snake Border Army, that type of place, isn’t this the same as having him die there?”

The emperor’s brows furrowed slightly, saying softly, “I merely didn’t express my opposition… it is he himself who has antagonized too many people, just that there were too many people underneath who wish to deal with him. Moreover, he ruined my plans of obtaining thirteen sets of Sky Devil Heavy Armor, ruining a chess piece I placed with great difficulty. You should also understand that these thirteen sets of Sky Devil Heavy Armor aren’t worth much, but the key lies in the fact that there is the Green Luan Academy behind him. For Green Luan Academy to know about this matter, that is the most dangerous thing.”

The imperial princess shook her head. “But he is someone I recommended… and you should also understand his potential.”

“No matter how great his potential, right now, he is still nothing more than an insignificant person with extremely weak cultivation.” The emperor saw the stubbornness in the imperial princess’ eyes, releasing a light sigh as he said, “You have to understand that what I want is only a loyal empire, people who are loyal to me, and not people who are loyal to an academy. However, since you are still persisting with this matter, I will retract that order, give him a choice. My decree and Yunqin’s laws won’t allow him to kill Mu Chenyun, but I will give him a chance to kill Mu Chenyun. As for what kind of choice he will make, it will depend on him.”

“Mu Chenyun actually dares kidnap women from respectful families, do such vile things, but he has still done many things for me, so I will also give him this chance.” Yunqin’s emperor’s voice became cold. “No one can look down on Yunqin’s laws, look down on Imperial City’s will.”

The imperial princess saw that the emperor already wouldn’t change his mind, so she asked the last question she had. “Then what about what Lin Xi reported last time, the Great Mang cultivator Xu Ningshen colluded with? This is also one of your men?”

“I am still not that foolish.” The emperor shook his head, saying, “Conducting business with enemy countries is something the people can still barely accept, using the enemy’s people… I still do not dare. Only, this person’s methods are quite great, so I am unable to uncover him at all.”