The Imperial Hall of yue was nothing if not dramatic. Golden pillars carved with dragons, burning incense thick enough to choke a phoenix, and attendants who looked like they'd been told to smile or die trying.
Yue Zihan walked through it in silence, blindfolded, calm, his steps steady enough to shame a metronome.
Each whisper that followed him was a melody of curiosity and gossip:
"The prince?"
"He does exist ?"
"Why is he blindfolded?!"
"Did he lose his eyes?"
Zihan smirked faintly.
If I had a coin for every rumor… I'd still refuse to pay attention.
At the center of the hall stood three thrones — the Emperor, the Empress, and just below them a seat left empty as tradition, belonging to the firstborn the Crown prince or princess.
Zihan's parents, Emperor Yue and Empress chu , were radiant with pride and love barely restrained by royal decorum.
The moment they saw him enter, both straightened — not out of authority, but relief.
"Zihan," his mother whispered, her voice trembling.
"It has been too long," his father said, warmth flickering behind imperial steel.
He bowed, low and graceful. "Forgive me for the delay. I was… adjusting."
[System:] Adjusting: euphemism for nearly exploding your body in chaos integration.
[Zihan:] Shh. They don't need to know that.
But before he could sit, the herald announced in booming voice:
"Chu chen of the Martial Chu Clan — bearer of the Burning Sun Battle Body!"
A young man strode into the court, his aura sharp and bright enough to make the gold walls glimmer.
Every step released faint embers.
He was handsome, proud, and already smiling like he'd won something.
Zihan resisted the urge to yawn.
Chu chen cupped his hands and bowed before the Emperor. "This humble one greets Your Majesty. It is an honor to stand before the sun of the empire."
"Your talent honors the world itself," said Emperor yue. "A Burning Sun Body has not appeared for a hundred years."
[System:] His temperature output: 1000 degrees.
[Zihan:] Cute. He's basically a walking candle.
Standing to the side, silent and poised, was Lan Xueyin, the Ice Lotus Sect's Saintess — graceful, cold, her aura gentle yet edged like a frozen blade.
Her robes shimmered with pale blue light, and frost followed her footsteps like reluctant admiration.
"Your Majesty," Chu chen said proudly, " this is my fiancee Lan Xueyin, she is the saintess of white lotus sect . Our alliance through my engagement with Saintess Lan will strengthen the empire's elemental balance — fire and ice united." You could practically hear the unconcealed smugness from it , he taught he had accomplished something. He was still wet behind the ears to understand the political intrigued that this engagement had created. Their alliance was meant to pressure the royal family but it was futile since their little schemes were easy for anyone to see. The Chu family had been sanctioned and some of their business took a hit hence their silence. The ice lotus could not interfere with due to the contract of non interference. The chu family was riding on their cocktails with a son who was basically a simp. Zihan could not put a finger on what the ice lotus had to gain from this engagement.
The court murmured in awe.
Zihan tilted his head slightly.
"Fire and ice, hmm?" he whispered, just loud enough for the System.
"Sounds like a marriage counselor's nightmare."
[System:] Statistically, they'll kill each other before the honeymoon.
"Balance through combustion," Zihan said. "Charming."
Empress chu reached out, eyes soft. "Zihan, come closer. The court has missed you."
He stepped forward, sitting down respectfully.
For a moment, warmth filled the room — not spiritual, but human.
He felt his mother's hand tremble slightly as it brushed his cheek.
"My son," she whispered. "How much you've grown."
He smiled faintly. "Enough to stop worrying you, I hope."
[System:] Lie detected.
[Zihan:] I said hope, not succeed.
His father studied him — gaze sharp but proud.
" Your presence feels… different. There's power in your calm."
Zihan chuckled softly. "Father, you always did have good instincts."
Below him, Chu chen shifted, noticing that faint ripple in the air — a presence that felt different foreign
His flames flickered uncertainly, as if sensing a superior predator.
"Your aura…" Chu chen said suddenly, unable to help himself. " May I ask your cultivation?"
Zihan tilted his head slightly, smiling under the blindfold.
"First stage of Body refinement."
The entire hall went still.
Then someone laughed nervously, thinking it a joke.
[System:] Truth: 100%.
Relative power: currently equal to mid-Core Foundation establishment cultivator if you fight.
[Zihan:] Let the mortals dream.
Chu Liang frowned. "First stage? Impossible. I can sense—"
"Ah," Zihan interrupted mildly, "that maybe your imagination.."
The silence that followed was delicious.
Zihan's smile deepened just enough to seem polite, just short of arrogant — which, ironically, made it far worse.
[System:] You're enjoying this.
[Zihan:] I'm not a saint. I'm a spectator.
Breaking the tension, Emperor Tianlan raised a hand.
"Enough. The court is not for contests. Today, we celebrate unity — between clans, between sects, and between my son and the kingdom."
This was an official introduction.
"Understood, Father."
Zihan bowed again, perfectly obedient — the model of humility, if you ignored the faint smirk at the corner of his mouth.
As the audience ended, and courtiers dispersed in whispers and curiosity, Zihan lingered looking at the departing officials and sect representatives , he could practically see how gossip about the prince being blind and at the first stage of body refinement spreading. They would think him as weak, The royal heir that seemed less talented than his peers.
He estimated chu Chen's cultivation level from the power he was leaking. He should be at the late stage of foundation established. Quite an accomplishment for a fifteen years old boy. He was among the most talented thanks to the Burning sun battle body.
The saintess,Lan Xueyin was also just as talented she was also at the late stage of foundation established. Truly a match made by the heavens. They looked more like typical protagonist In wuxia novel. Both were talents in the whole Yue kingdom maybe even the continent.
[System:] you do fall under the most talented in the universe if you can survive that to reach there.
As he left passing by the standing Chu chen, Chu chen caught his arm.
"Zihan," he said quietly, "we may both serve the empire, but don't mistake modesty for weakness. The Burning Sun does not dim for anyone."
Zihan paused, leaning closer, voice low and almost amused.
"Then you'd better burn bright, Chu Liang — because when the sun fades, chaos is what remains."
He left the hall without waiting for a reply.
Behind him every candle in the chamber flickered out for a heartbeat before relighting.
[System:] Subtlety rating: 0%.
[Zihan:] …I sneezed.