Emperor's Reckoning

Jinu was creating distress amongst the onlookers as he finished explaining how he was sucked in by the vortex and puked out into the Blue World, North City once more.

Lun gulped his saliva before he asked once more, "He, the kid broke your huge mallet with his fist?"

Jinu shook his head, "He didn't break it, he turned it into scrap right before my very eyes!"

"But who, what is his name?"

Jinu shook his head before he stood up. The onlookers instinctively made way for him to walk. One slap from those chubby palms could send them into another world. Yet, even someone of his stature was beaten.

Lun stood up before he followed Jinu after him. Both of them had their heads hung down but the spirit of cultivation was not easy to be put off. Though they lost today they wouldn't lose in the other. After all, they were the Crown winners, they were very well above average than the others. Not to mention their young age and the huge potential to grow.

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West City.

"Ah!"

The old man suddenly shouted before he shook his head. Tuey was a bit startled by his sudden act before he tugged his arm, "Hey, uncle, are you having a heart attack?"

"What? Oh, no, I'm not! Heck, do I even look that old and fragile?!"

This was the first time his feeling was hurt. Not to mention that the words came out from a little girl's mouth. He darted his glance and looked at the old skin on his arm before he shook his head. (Damn, I am getting old, I need to catch up to my cultivation level, but enough about that for now!).

"Alright, alright, no need to shout or you will look exactly what you just said," muttered Tuey as her eyes squinted a bit. 

"I forgot to tell Lyon something important."

Lumina immediately raised her eyebrows before her eyes glared at the old man with killing intent enveloping those weary skin of his. 

"Wait, wait! No need to put on that much cold on me!"

The old man pleaded before Lumina at the instant moment he felt the killing intent raining down on him. The desire to kill from those of a dragon race was quite severe, especially the one coming out from Lumina who had the best genes from both her father and mother.

"Calm down, I just forgot to tell him how the battle royal works."

The temperature inside the atmosphere immediately warmed up the moment he laid down those words. There was a significant increase in the stabilization of his breathing too. The old man gulped as he looked at the young beautiful dragon. (Lyon my boy, if this gal gets jealous, at least give me a grandchild or two before you die).

"*Ehem, the battle royal on the other plane is built differently than ours. Inside there killing is almost impossible so the worst that could happen was Lyon being kicked out of the plane through the vortex just like how he came. There is a defense mechanism where when you feel like losing and there is no hope of winning, A vortex will immediately form behind you and sucked you out of there for safety."

"Wait, so it's all mentality? How strong is one heart rather than just beating them?"

"That's right, to sit on the ultimate throne for the youth generation, you must have a solid heart even against foes that are significantly stronger than you. I mean, an elephant is bigger than a tiger but you don't see an elephant hunting a tiger do you?"

"Well... I never see a tiger hunting an elephant, to be honest."

The old man had black lines over his head as he heard what Tuey had just said. He never would have thought such come back.

"You get the idea."

"Hey! Look, the leaderboard is showing something!"

Lumina and the rest of the group raised their eyebrows before they saw the onlookers were gathering and made a crowd over a nearby tall board that anyone could see. The board was made out of well-crafted woods with mana surrounding it.

"Hoo, the leaderboard is activating, it means someone already got kicked out of there."

The old man chuckled as he joined the crowd before squinting his eyes to read the name that was written there like magic.

"Hmm... Whisper of Leaf, Lun and Falcon of Mount Her, Jinu. Sadly, it doesn't ring a bell for me."

The old man shook his head before he returned to the group as the crowd spoke among themselves.

"The evening is still long yet two had already kicked out."

"I wonder who will get kicked out next, it's such a shame that we cannot see what's happening in there."

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In Center City.

"Jinu and Lun have been kicked out of the competition, Empress."

The empress acted as if she didn't hear what Sophia just reported. Her mind and her glance were fixated on the item that he held in her hand. The platinum ring with 'C' engraving on it looked quite simple but only she knew how powerful and fate-changing this mighty item was. 

Sophia's heart thumped as she saw that platinum ring along with the glowing expression from the woman she revered the most. 

"Heh, want to know something unbelievable, this ring in my hand is much more valuable than the entire Treas Family's fortune. Even Heaven themselves coveted this type of ring, let alone the  Mortal  World. Fortunately, their knowledge is quite shallow regarding the skill to forge a spatial ring."

Sophia took a deep breath. Now was probably the best time to ask and clarify their relationship that didn't make sense at all. 

"Empress, can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?? About what?"

Sophia gulped before she held her breath and asked, "Are you two really, married?"

"Hmm...? Oh, are you jealous?"

The empress sneered with a smile. Her tease made Sophia's cheeks blush before the latter quickly shook her head in cute denial.

"N-No! Of course not, I, I wouldn't dare."

"Hahaha! No need to get so worked out over it."

The empress smiled before she muttered under her breath, "Yes, I was married to him."

"Was?"

"Yes, 'was', there was a time that I am indeed his wife."

Sophia was further confused by her statement. Considering how young Lyon's actual age was, she sent into a chilling fact that she ultimately refused to acknowledge as she shook her head. (No way, is she, no!).

"Have you ever fall in love with someone you would never think you would ever fall in love with?"

The words that were coming out of her mouth sent a jolt to Sophia's heart. She could feel the sorrow and happiness in her tone. Now she was even more curious than a cat as to what really happened.

"I... don't."

"Heh, that's what happened to me."

Sophia's eyes opened wide as she saw a single streak of one tear running down that cheek. A beautiful woman that could easily topple kingdom and empires was shedding a warm tear. (She is crying, the empress, the sadistic and cold Empress as everyone knows it, is crying. How would the world react if they were to witness what I'm witnessing right now).

"Oh? Would you look at that, I finally shed a tear and I didn't even notice it."

The empress cooly wiped it off her cheeks with her thumb before she stood up.

"Alright, that's it for today, I'm going to sleep on my fluffy bed now."

She stood up from her chair before she stretched with a yawn.

"Empress, can I ask you one last question."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Sophia gulped before she asked, "Who is he? Who is Lyon Torga exactly?"

Treas Family. The family that was dubbed blessed with the most fortune in the world. There was nothing that could contest the wealth that could make up its own world. However, the treasure of such quantity and quality, only a few had seen them.

"I told you before, Treas is not the only strong family that ever existed in this world. There are many others and stronger even. And I did tell you, Lyon, he came from such a family."

"Torga? I'm sorry Empress but I've never heard of a family named Torga."

"Of course you wouldn't!"

The empress smirked before she turned around and faced the night sky, "If you do, then Heaven and Hell have failed to keep it a secret!"

Sophia's eyes opened wide at her revelation as words stuck in her throat. She couldn't believe what's coming out of the empress's mouth but she knew she was not the type to boast about a family name. Heaven and Hell, they kept the family name a secret, and judging from the latter's expression there was a deep hatred and fuming vengeance inside that glance alone. 

(Empress, you never ever saw Treas Family as something significant do you? From that eyes of yours, I could see that there is something grand, a grand goal that you wish to accomplish) thought Sophia with a gulp.