The throne room of the Phoenix Empire was eerily still.
Not because of a lack of movement—on the contrary, dozens of courtiers, generals, and envoys stood in their ceremonial places—but because every breath was measured and every blink carefully timed. The air was too thick with tension for any casual gesture.
Liu Shen strode forward, his boots ringing against the polished obsidian floor. The grand chamber stretched toward the horizon in gilded splendor—carved phoenixes soared along the ceiling beams, and great braziers burned with eternal flames that gave off no smoke. Yet behind the grandeur lay something darker, a subtle oppressive aura woven into the very foundation stones.
Yu Meixing walked beside him, her steps feather-light but unyielding. Lei Qing flanked their rear, his eyes scanning every shadow. The court's stares followed them like spears—whispered accusations, fear, and barely concealed hostility.
On the throne sat Emperor Ji Rongxuan, the so-called Sun of the Phoenix Empire. His crown gleamed, set with a great fire-jade that pulsed like a heartbeat. His eyes were the color of molten gold, but there was no warmth in them—only calculation.
"Liu Shen," he said at last, voice carrying easily across the massive hall. "The Empire welcomes you."
It was a greeting in form only, each word sharp enough to draw blood.
Liu Shen did not bow. "Your welcome feels… restrained." His tone was smooth, but the faint curl of his lips made the insult clear.
A murmur rippled through the court. One of the phoenix-armored generals stepped forward, slamming a halberd's butt against the ground. "Insolence before the Emperor will not be tolerated!"
"Sit, General Wei," Ji Rongxuan said without looking at the man. "Our guest is accustomed to different customs. Are you not, Demon Sovereign?"
Liu Shen's gaze was level. "I am accustomed to truth. And here, the truth is that you did not summon me to honor me."
The braziers flickered, their flames shivering as though caught in a sudden draft. Some courtiers instinctively stepped back.
Ji Rongxuan leaned forward slightly. "You are correct. The Phoenix Empire has long endured its own enemies—both external and internal. And now… the heavens whisper your name again."
It wasn't an accusation—it was an opening move.
"The heavens have whispered my name for centuries," Liu Shen replied. "They've also screamed it in fear."
The silence afterward was heavier than before.
Yu Meixing's hand brushed subtly against Liu Shen's sleeve—a quiet warning to measure his next words. But Liu Shen's eyes had already fixed on something beyond the Emperor…
At the base of the throne, hidden in plain sight, was an intricate formation etched into the stone—lines of molten gold shaped like phoenix wings, curling outward in perfect symmetry. It pulsed faintly with the same rhythm as the fire-jade in Ji Rongxuan's crown. Liu Shen could feel it now, like a deep heartbeat buried beneath the palace. A seal. And it wasn't meant for protection—it was meant for imprisonment.
"You're sitting on a cage," Liu Shen said suddenly.
The murmurs turned into outright gasps.
The Emperor's gaze sharpened. "You see more than most."
"It's hard not to when the flames are bleeding through the cracks," Liu Shen replied, his voice almost lazy—but Yu Meixing knew that tone. It meant he had already pieced together part of the truth.
Lei Qing's expression hardened as he too glanced at the formation. "That's no imperial seal… it's suppressing something alive."
The Emperor's fingers drummed once against the arm of his throne. "And if it is?"
Liu Shen took a step closer. "Then the real ruler of the Phoenix Empire isn't you… it's whatever you've locked beneath your own throne."
The braziers flared as if struck by a sudden gust of wind. Courtiers stumbled back, and several guards raised weapons.
For the first time, Ji Rongxuan's carefully crafted calm cracked—just for an instant.
"You think you can waltz into my court and tear open secrets buried for generations?" the Emperor asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"I don't think," Liu Shen said. His eyes glowed faintly with abyssal light. "I know."
Beneath them, the sealed heartbeat quickened. And from deep below the palace, something answered Liu Shen's presence with a pulse of heat so intense it made the air shimmer.
Whatever was under the throne… was waking up.