Chapter 223: The Imperial Hall of Legends

The golden gates of the Royal Palace swung open with a deep, echoing hum that vibrated through the stone floor.

Inside, the grand corridor stretched far into the distance, lined with towering pillars of white marble veined with glowing lines of liquid mana.

The mana inside the marble moved slowly like rivers of light. It lit the whole hallway without any need for lamps.

High arched ceilings featured massive crystal chandeliers floating without support, casting brilliant, golden light across the polished stone. The light reflected on the floor and made it shine like a mirror.

On either side of the hallway, two rows of Royal Knights stood in silver armor, holding ornate golden halberds raised high in a perfect arch.

Their armor was clean and polished. Their expressions were stern, their eyes fixed straight ahead with absolute military precision. No one moved. No one blinked.

Lynx walked down the center of the arch, his steps calm, effortless, and unhurried. His boots made a soft sound on the stone.

His black coat swayed gently behind him, left open over his simple black shirt to reveal the broad lines of his chest and shoulders.

His heterochromatic eyes swept across the grand hallway with casual intrigue. He looked relaxed, like he was walking in a park, not in the most guarded palace in the empire.

Professor Selene walked slightly to his left, her cold blue eyes sharp and guarded. She scanned every knight and every corner.

Her long silver hair was tied back, and her white uniform was neat. While Professor Rose walked on her right. Rose carried her usual radiant posture, though her gaze lingered on Lynx with a quiet, proud smile.

Her red lips were curved up. She looked proud like a mother watching her son.

Directly behind Lynx followed Eleanor and her four enforcers, Layla, Iris, Rhea, and Nadia. The five senior beauties moved in synchronized grace, their skin still bearing that soft, luminous golden glow from the Yin Yang Harmony Method.

The glow made their skin look smooth and bright. Their hair shined. Their presence alone drew subtle glances from the standing Royal Knights, whose eyes widened slightly at the undeniable surge in the squad’s aura.

The knights tried to stay still, but they could not help looking.

Beyond the inner gates, waiting near the marble courtyard fountains, stood Lynx’s core group, Ophelia, Lira, Ava, and Kira.

They had agreed to wait in the courtyard lounge while Lynx, Professor Selene, Rose, and Eleanor’s squad handled the official royal court summons. The lounge had soft chairs and a view of the fountains. They could see the palace gates from there.

"Remember," Eleanor whispered softly, leaning slightly toward Lynx as they reached the massive double doors of the Grand Throne Room.

Her voice was low so only he could hear. "The high court isn’t like the academy. The men inside are the absolute peak powers of our empire. Keep your guard up. They will test you."

Lynx turned his head, looking down into her striking purple eyes with a smooth, untroubled smirk. "I’m always on guard, your Majesty."

"Don’t call me that here," Eleanor muttered, a faint blush touching her cheeks, though her fingers lightly brushed against his arm before she straightened her posture. She quickly looked forward again.

The elderly royal official in blue robes stepped in front of the double doors, holding his golden scroll high. He cleared his throat, his voice amplified by mana to resonate deep into the hall. The sound was loud and clear.

"Announcing Champion Lynx Azarion! Accompanied by Head Faculty Escorts Professor Selene and Professor Rose, and the Representative Squad of the Aether Blessed Academy!"

The heavy double doors creaked open. The doors were twenty feet tall and made of solid gold and white wood. They opened slowly.

The Grand Throne Room was a staggering display of absolute power and unimaginable wealth.

The chamber was easily the size of three football stadiums combined. Massive glass walls offered an unbroken panoramic view of the floating islands and cloudscapes surrounding the capital.

The sky outside was blue and clouds moved slowly. Along the elevated side balconies sat dozens of prominent figures, the ultra wealthy family dynasty heads, senior military commanders, and influential corporate leaders who controlled the economy of the Aether Empire. They all wore expensive clothes.

Among them sat Mr. Musk, the head of the Musk Industrial Empire and father to Peter and Ava. He was dressed in a pristine white suit lined with golden silk, his sharp, calculating eyes immediately fixing onto Lynx the moment he entered.

His immense wealth and control over the Musk Industrial Empire gave him a seat among the elite. Standing nearby was Julian’s father, a tall, well groomed man with slicked back dark hair and a formal suit.

Julian’s father was also a normal human with no Blessed bloodline, but his immense political influence in the civil government also gave him a seat among the elite. He stood straight and tried to look important.

However, the real power in the room didn’t come from the wealthy humans on the balconies.

It came from the elevated dais at the far end of the throne room.

Standing on the lower step of the dais were three imposing figures. Each of them wore magnificent ceremonial robes layered over heavy armor.

More importantly, their skin carried the distinct, visible golden glow, and etched clearly onto their foreheads was a glowing golden sigil, the sacred mark of Goddess Shiva, the deity worshipped by the Aether Empire. The sigils pulsed with light.

These were three of the legendary High Blessed of the empire, beings whose raw strength stood far above normal humans and standard Blessed, ranking directly beneath the King himself.

In the Aether Empire, there were no traditional noble bloodlines by birth. Instead, lands were ruled by Strong Blessed who acted like nobles and chiefs, powerful lords who earned their territories through strength and were sworn directly under the King.

Alongside them stood the super wealthy, massive family dynasties like the Musk family, who held immense corporate and military influence even without Blessed power.

And seated upon the high golden throne at the center of the dais was King Alistair.

The King of the Aether Empire looked to be in his late forty’s, with broad shoulders, sharp facial features, and hair as golden as pure sunlight.

He wore a heavy navy blue robe embroidered with golden dragons. On his forehead, the golden sigil of Shiva burned with an intensity that made the surrounding air distort. The air around him shivered.

The moment Lynx took his first step past the threshold, the atmosphere in the room changed completely.

HUMMMMMM!

An overwhelming, suffocating pressure slammed down onto the entire chamber like a falling mountain.

It wasn’t a general aura release, it was a concentrated, absolute pressure originating directly from King Alistair, directed entirely at Lynx.

The raw weight of the King’s power was so absurd that the surrounding space vibrated with a low, terrifying hum. The glass walls shook.

Even though the pressure was aimed solely at Lynx, the collateral bleed of the aura hit the side balconies.

CLANG!

THUD!

Several normal human guards lining the walls instantly collapsed onto their knees, their armor clattering against the stone. Their faces turned white.

Julian’s father gasped violently, his face turning pale as his knees buckled, forcing him to grab the marble railing of the balcony just to stay standing. His hands shook.

Even Mr. Musk, despite all his wealth and composure, wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead, his eyes widening in sheer shock as his legs trembled slightly under the faint stray pressure.

Both men were normal humans, so they felt the King’s power much more than the Blessed.

The three High Blessed standing on the dais narrowed their eyes, watching intently. They wanted to see if Lynx would fall.

Lynx felt the full weight of the King’s aura hit his shoulders.

For half a second, the sheer density of the King’s force made Lynx’s boots sink a fraction of an inch into the polished stone floor. His knees twitched slightly, a momentary waver against an absolute wall of pure power. The pressure was heavy like an ocean.

’He’s strong,’ Lynx thought internally, his heterochromatic eyes sharpening. ’Really fucking strong. Almost Like Nyx. So this is the ruler of an empire... he isn’t a King for nothing.’

In the next instant, Lynx stabilized his posture.

His Primordial body adapted instantly. The pressure that would crush a normal Blessed did nothing to him after one second. He didn’t bow. He didn’t collapse.

He simply exhaled a slow, calm breath, adjusted his posture, and took another effortless step forward, completely withstanding the pressure as if stepping through a light breeze. His coat moved gently.

Gasps echoed across the side balconies. People could not believe what they saw.

The three High Blessed on the dais exchanged wide eyed glances of total disbelief.

"He... he withstood His Majesty’s pressure?" one of the High Blessed muttered under his breath, his knuckles tightening. "An eighteen-year-old boy? No one his age has ever done that."

King Alistair leaned back on his golden throne. The suffocating aura vanished in an instant, replaced by a deep, booming laugh that echoed off the high marble walls. The pressure was gone as fast as it came.

"Hahaha! Outstanding!" King Alistair declared, his deep, commanding voice filling the hall with rich authority. "Not only did you single handedly crush the Void Empire’s finest in their own capital, but you stand upright under my personal domain without breaking a sweat! Step forward, Lynx Azarion!"

Lynx walked calmly to the center of the hall, stopping a respectable distance from the dais. Professor Selene and Professor Rose bowed politely, while Eleanor and her squad bowed elegantly behind Lynx. Their heads lowered with respect.

Lynx, however, merely offered a crisp, respectful nod of his head, maintaining his tall, upright posture. He did not bow fully. He stood straight.

King Alistair’s sharp eyes locked onto Lynx, examining him from head to toe. "Tell me, boy. How old are you again?"

"Eighteen, your Majesty," Lynx replied smoothly, his voice calm and completely unbothered by the grand setting. His voice carried clearly.

"Eighteen..." King Alistair repeated, a subtle glint of awe flashing in his golden eyes. "Unbelievable. To possess such absolute control and physical density at eighteen... you truly are a rare gem born unto our empire. You are the future."

Before the King could continue, one of the three High Blessed, a tall man with broad shoulders, dark hair, and a sharp scar across his left cheek, stepped forward on the dais. His eyes carried a heavy, probing glare as he looked down at Lynx.

"Your Majesty," the scarred High Blessed spoke, his voice heavy with caution. "While the boy’s achievement in the tournament is undeniable, his sudden spike in power is unnatural. A late awakening at eighteen, followed by absolute dominance over peak Void guards? We should conduct a full, deep soul check on him before bestowing imperial honors. He could pose a threat if his power remains unchecked. We must be safe."

Lynx turned his head slightly, locking eyes with the scarred High Blessed. A cool, lazy smirk touched Lynx’s lips. "A threat? If I wanted to pose a threat, old man, I wouldn’t have brought the championship trophy back to this capital. I would have lost intentionally, or quit the tournament."

The scarred High Blessed’s face flushed with anger. His scar turned red. "Presumptuous brat! You dare speak to me with such Disrespect."