The Council Room of the Imperial Palace was quieter than usual. Golden columns adorned with living inscriptions pulsed in a subtle rhythm, as if they too felt the tension in the air. Crystal torches burned with blue flames, casting dancing shadows upon the domed ceiling, filled with constellations that spun slowly above those gathered.
The Elders sat in a semicircle, clad in immaculate formal robes, but their faces were marked by expectation. At the center, imposing, stood Orion, the Eternal Emperor. His upright posture, half-closed eyes, and chin resting on his knuckles revealed a mind operating beyond mortal planes. Each thought altered the surrounding Qi, condensing the air into something ethereal and heavy.
An Elder broke the silence. His voice was cautious, yet full of reverence.
"So Your Majesty wishes to transfer the Empire's geniuses to another continent? Why can't they flourish fully here, where we've built so many foundations?"
Orion did not answer immediately. He allowed the silence to deepen, heavier than before. His deep blue eyes scanned each council member, weighing their reactions.
"Yes" he replied, his voice firm yet serene. "The Aetherion Continent is withering. The spiritual energy in this land has changed. Not even the great academies can overcome this decay. The Qi here... is dying."
His words fell like a blade upon the round table. A tense murmur rose among the councilors. The eldest — his hair long as threads of snow — leaned forward, his eyes clouded with doubt.
"Majesty... can this shortage not be contained? Draining Qi from other planes... artificial sources... elemental cores from the south... surely that would be simpler than a mass migration."
Orion rose. The air rippled with his movement, causing the runes on the columns to glow violet. His voice did not rise, but it reverberated like an ancient decree engraved into the world itself.
"I will not stabilize the decay. I will transcend it. This is the Empire's future. Keeping them here wastes potential. I won't tolerate that cost."
He walked toward the floating map above the central table. A living hologram of the world's geography expanded at his touch. Aetherion glowed in blue, but it was pale, faded. To the north, another land blazed in intense red-gold: Celestium.
"This is our new land. Celestium" Orion declared. "Its Qi is dense. Raw. Pure. Wild. And that wild nature forges genius. Higher cultivation realms cannot be reached in stagnation. In Celestium... the impossible becomes the starting point."
The councilors exchanged tense looks. Many legends surrounded that continent: living forests, ancestral spirit beasts, clans forgotten by time, chaotic artifacts buried deep below.
"But safety, Majesty?" the Elder insisted. "Legends speak of creatures. How will the students remain protected in the midst of the unknown?"
Orion smiled, an expression carrying the absolute certainty of one who shapes destiny.
"With veteran masters. Guardians. Imperial elite. But above all... with my presence."
The silence that followed felt different, heavy with a new weight.
"I will go with them. I will establish an imperial base in Celestium. A core of power. A sanctuary of progress. Where I am... the impossible becomes inevitable."
The impact was immediate. Some councilors clenched their fists, inspired by the vision. Others hesitated under the colossal weight of the decision. No one opposed. Orion was not merely a king. He was destiny made manifest.
"It is decided" he said, returning to his throne with firm steps. "Prepare yourselves. The top one hundred geniuses will be chosen. They will leave Aetherion under my care. Celestium will forge our new legends."
As he spoke, the map dissolved into particles of light. The constellations painted on the ceiling glowed in unison, as if endorsing the decision. A new era had begun.
Meanwhile...
At the far end of the palace, the jade bells of the hall chimed softly, announcing dusk. Lyra watched the sky turn orange and purple in the garden, gracefully seated between the pillars of the capital's most prestigious restaurant. The evening breeze caressed her hair with almost affectionate gentleness.
Orion approached. His casual white linen attire contrasted with the aura of authority that always surrounded him, but in that moment, he seemed lighter. He sat across from her — and for a fleeting moment, they were just two souls. Not Emperors. Not Gods. Just them.
"So what happens to the Empire on that continent, my love?" Lyra's voice was as soft as the breeze, but her words carried weight.
Orion raised his goblet, swirling the dark liquid in a thoughtful motion.
"Eryndor grows here. Conquers. Prospers. But talents... they need something greater."
He sighed, slicing his meat with a precision that seemed distracted.
"Letting them stagnate would be a waste no amount of conquest could redeem."
Lyra's gaze held a gentle reproach, mingled with concern.
"And leaving for another continent... just after returning? The Empire needs your presence."
Orion gave a wry smile, a mix of unshakable pride and deep fatigue.
"I'll leave a projection here. One of my bodies — perfect, thinking, capable of making decisions. A skill I avoided out of vanity... trying to prove I didn't need duplicates. What foolishness. Now I see the value of multiplicity."
She frowned slightly, an almost imperceptible gesture.
"Am I going with you?"
He looked at her directly. His smile widened, becoming genuine.
"Of course. I wouldn't accept any destiny without you by my side."
Lyra gently set her cup down, her deep gaze seeking his, a silent understanding passing between them.
"And after Celestium? Another universe?"
Orion paused dramatically. Then clutched his chest with an exaggerated expression of injury.
"It was supposed to be a surprise... You read my future again?"
She smiled, amusement gleaming in her eyes.
"Even before awakening as a Primordial, I could read you easily."
"Now, hiding anything is impossible" he laughed, the sound echoing softly in the tranquil air. "But that only makes the journeys more interesting."
The month passed like an orderly breath, each day meticulously marked by silent preparations. Under Orion's direct command, a discreet operation moved with surgical precision: one hundred geniuses selected from the academies and temples of Eryndor were gathered. Promising youths, talented adults, and seasoned veterans departed without fanfare. They crossed sleeping cities, dense forests, and arid deserts under the protective veil of night, guided by silent masters and elite imperial trackers. No announcements. No celebrations. It was a march of precious seeds toward virgin soil where new legends would sprout.
Crossing sacred mountains and spiritualized valleys, their silence spoke not of fear, but of intense focus, of restrained anticipation. Each step brought them closer to Celestium — mysterious, pulsing, palpably alive. Where Qi hung thick like liquid mist and the very ground vibrated with ancestral consciousness.
In the final stage of the journey, the group camped near Azuriel Peak — a towering ridge where the winds whistled songs of forgotten ages. There, two youths separated from the main group, sent by the Temple of the Tamed Dao for a specific task. They stood side by side atop the mountain, the strong wind tugging at their clothes.
Ângelo — third in the hierarchy of tamers — stood with arms crossed, eyes half-closed, observing the primordial forest stretching below like a sea of green. His dark hair fluttered in the wind; the silver cloak swayed like a natural extension of his focused presence. A cultivator noticed, saying nothing.
Beside him, balanced and relaxed on a smooth rock, sat Andrick. His face appeared sleepy, carefree. Messy brown hair and a lazy smile made him seem accidentally present, as if he'd simply gotten lost. Yet no one in that temple underestimated him. Apathy was his most convincing mask.
"The master wants us to capture and tame bird-type beasts to cross the forest to the coast" Ângelo stated firmly, eyes still locked on the landscape below.
Andrick let out a long sigh, cracking his shoulders with an idle motion.
"Ahhh... Why me? I just wanted to rest..."
He kicked a small stone that rolled down the mountain.
"You're still among the temple's top five. Hiding behind laziness won't work" Ângelo replied, stepping firmly toward the cliff's edge.
"Prejudice against low-energy cultivators" Andrick yawned, stretching. "Alright... let's get this over with."
With a casual step, like hopping off a curb, Andrick leapt from the cliff. His body floated briefly, defying gravity, before spiraling downward gently like a dry leaf carried by the wind.
Ângelo rolled his eyes, a quick gesture of impatience, and jumped after him in a controlled, powerful descent.
The forest swallowed them instantly. It was another world — leaves larger than war shields, thick roots pulsing with pure Qi, ancient trees whispering old words to one another. Luminous moss blanketed the ground, emitting a strange, soft light. Above, birds of pure energy streaked the sky between the canopies with glowing trails. The jungle breathed. Watched.
Andrick walked with his hands in his pockets, dodging low branches without looking directly at them.
"Feels like a dream... or a nightmare" he murmured, absentmindedly chewing a leaf he'd plucked along the way.
"Stay alert" Ângelo warned, his senses sweeping the environment. "Our target detects spiritual presence. It strikes hesitation first."
"Perfect" Andrick grumbled. "Another reason to stay disinterested."
They walked in silence for hours, the only sounds being the crackle of soil underfoot and the noises of the living forest. Until Ângelo suddenly stopped, his body tense like a coiled spring.
There, in a natural clearing surrounded by spiral roots rising like walls, perched a majestic winged creature. It had the noble form of an eagle, but it was colossal, with gleaming silver scales and eyes that burned like living embers. Its wings were made of condensed Qi — alive, pulsing, radiating power. Its breath made the surrounding air shimmer and distort.
"There" Ângelo's gaze locked onto the beast, calculating. "Target found. Level five. Naturally hostile. Ideal for primary taming test."
Andrick leaned against a massive tree, closing his eyes for a second.
"Go ahead. I'll cover you if things get ugly."
Ângelo didn't wait. A quick hand seal drew a golden circle beneath his feet, launching him forward like an arrow. His sword materialized in a flash, humming with razor-sharp Qi. He charged at breakneck speed, a direct test of the beast's agility and response.
The monster screeched a sharp challenge that echoed through the trees, its wings beating in furious gusts that nearly threw Ângelo back. He twisted midair with grace, landing softly a few paces away.
"Direct attack. No prior analysis" he quickly assessed. "Pure savage instinct. I must dominate it first."
The creature lunged, faster than lightning, flaming claws extended for the strike. Ângelo raised his sword horizontally, summoning a translucent wind barrier before him. The impact was brutal, shaking nearby trees and ripping leaves loose. A second strike came immediately — a sonic blast that shattered branches and kicked up a cloud of earth. Ângelo leapt above the shockwave, his sword tracing a silver arc in the air.
"Now..." he murmured, focused.
His blade spun rapidly, creating visible vortexes of pure Qi that surrounded the beast midair, attempting to contain it. The creature roared in wild fury, releasing a concentrated breath of black fire that collided with the vortexes.
The clash of energies made the entire forest tremble. A small crater left a black scar in the clearing. Ângelo slid back on the loose earth, barely keeping his balance.
Andrick sighed, a long and tired sound.
"Alright... that's enough."
He stepped away from the tree and slowly walked to the edge of the clearing, hands still in his pockets. The creature, sensing a new target, readied its final attack, wings igniting with spiritual flames.
Before it could launch, Andrick snapped his fingers. A pale blue light shimmered beneath his feet for a moment. With a lazy kick in the air, like shooing a bug, he traced an almost invisible line of energy. The serpentine force struck the beast's chest with a muffled impact.
THOOM.
The monster was thrown back like a ragdoll, slamming violently into the trunk of a divine tree, cracking its ancient bark. It crashed to the ground, motionless, breathing in ragged gasps.
Ângelo rose, staring at Andrick with a mix of disbelief and exasperation.
"Seriously? A lazy kick?"
Andrick smiled, leaning again against the nearest tree, his visible exhaustion returning.
"It worked, didn't it?"
They spent the next hour stabilizing the wounded creature. Careful sealing techniques and spiritual harmonization began the complex taming process. The forest's dense Qi seemed to respond to Andrick's very presence, despite his apparent apathy — as if the wild nature accepted his laziness as a peculiar form of balance.
Once finished, Ângelo wiped his forehead with his forearm and looked at the sky beginning to darken between the canopies.
"Mission complete."
Andrick yawned, wide and genuine.
"Let's head back. If we hurry, maybe I'll get a decent nap before dinner."