The Dark Palace. The Grand Hall.
Drums beat in a slow, rhythmic thunder.
"The ceremony begins now!" a herald's voice boomed.
Han Yuan entered the hall, Xiangling nestled in his arms. He walked calmly, his steps slow and deliberate, radiating a majestic, terrifying aura.
He reached the dais. Xiangling hopped down and boldly walked over to sit directly on the Obsidian Throne.
People murmured. "A rabbit?"
"Your Majesty," one of the Dark Elders whispered urgently. "I think that's inappropriate."
Han Yuan glanced at him. "It's okay. Proceed."
A cup of wine was presented to him.
"First toast to the heavens!"
Han Yuan poured the wine on the ground in a straight line, raised the empty cup in a toast to the air, and drank the remaining drop.
"Second toast to the Dark Realm!"
A woman refilled the cup. Han Yuan turned to face his subjects, poured the wine on the ground again, toasted them, and drank.
"Third toast to welcome His Majesty!"
Everyone in the hall stood up, raising their cups high. "Welcome, Your Majesty!"
They drank in unison.
Han Yuan turned his back on them and looked at the stairs leading to his throne. He walked up slowly, scooped Xiangling into his arms to clear the seat, and sat down.
All the people of the Dark Realm dropped to their knees, bowing their foreheads to the floor.
The Princes of the Light Realm, however, only bowed at the waist.
"May Your Majesty live forever and have a long, healthy life," they said stiffly.
Han Yuan took a single peek at the Princes.
BOOM.
He released his gravity pressure.
The Princes' knees buckled. They slammed into the ground, forced into a deep, humiliating kowtow.
Han Yuan smirked.
Xiangling shook her tiny head. "You immortals are really weak."
The Princes looked furious, especially the Second Prince, Gù Hóngyì, whose face was pressed into the cold stone.
Han Yuan stopped the pressure. "You may all get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" everyone said, scrambling to their feet and returning to their seats.
"Let the feast start."
The tension broke slightly. Music played, dancers swirled, and people began to interact, though no one dared cause trouble under Han Yuan's gaze.
Gù Hóngyì's personal guard, Zhào Fēng, hurried to his table and whispered, "We've found him."
Hóngyì stood up and left the hall.
The Crown Prince, Gù Xuānyè, noticed. With a subtle nod, he signaled his own personal guard to follow them.
A Remote Room in the Dark Palace.
Gù Hóngyì and Zhào Fēng arrived at a secluded room far from the courtyard.
"Where did you find him?" Hóngyì asked.
"He was trying to break into the Cold Palace," Zhào Fēng replied.
"The Cold Palace?" Hóngyì asked, idly playing with a green jade ring on his finger.
They entered the room.
Outside, the Crown Prince's guard pressed his ear to the door.
Inside, Gù Míng was tied to a chair with a glowing, golden rope—the Suǒ Xiān Shéng (Immortal-Binding Rope). So far, no immortal had ever escaped it.
"Third Brother?" Gù Hóngyì said, feigning surprise. "Why are you locked up here?"
"You are?" Gù Míng asked blankly.
"Ahhh, it has been a while since we've met. No wonder you have forgotten me. I'm your Second Brother, Hóngyì."
"Get to the point," Gù Míng said.
Hóngyì let out a small laugh. "You're still as straightforward as before. Let's do this. Since you got easily captured by my guards, it means you didn't find what you were looking for in the Cold Palace, right? If you work with me today, I will give you what you want."
Gù Míng looked at the rope.
Snap.
The legendary Immortal-Binding Rope shattered like cheap twine.
In a flash, Gù Míng was in front of Gù Hóngyì. His hand clamped around the Second Prince's throat, lifting him off the ground.
"How annoying."
Zhào Fēng tried to attack, drawing his sword. Gù Míng didn't even look at him. He waved his free hand, and Zhào Fēng was blasted backward, crashing through the wall.
"Since you know what I want," Gù Míng said calmly, tightening his grip, "you are going to give it to me."
He released Hóngyì.
The Prince fell to the ground, gasping for air, clutching his bruised throat.
"I'm giving you a day," Gù Míng said.
He walked out of the room.
Hóngyì pounded the floor in fury. Double humiliation. First Han Yuan, now this "useless" brother.
The Grand Hall.
Han Yuan lay lazily on his throne. On top of him sat Xiangling, who was relentlessly munching on a new carrot.
Han Yuan raised a hand.
Yè Liú, always on standby, snapped his fan shut. The music stopped instantly. The dancers froze.
"You have eaten, danced, drank wine," Han Yuan announced. "Now it is time for the most exciting part of the day."
He raised his left hand. A glowing scroll appeared—the Stars Map of the Realms.
A stir of greed and excitement rippled through the hall.
"This is not the only reward," Han Yuan said.
Two Dark Realm guards entered, escorting a furious woman in a wheelchair.
"Yáo Jǐng!" Her father, the Heavenly Elder Jìng Tiānmíng, stood up, knocking over his wine. "Han Yuan! What did you do to my daughter?" He raised his hand, spiritual energy flaring.
The three other Elders of the Big Four Families of the Light Realm stood up behind him, weapons drawn.
"How insolent!" Guǐ Yǐng roared. "Do you intend to disrespect His Majesty?!"
The Four Elders of the Dark Realm stood up, darkness swirling around them. It looked like a bloody showdown was seconds away.
"Mmmm," Han Yuan hummed, bored.
"Your Majesty, please don't be angry," the Crown Prince, Gù Xuānyè, said quickly, standing up and bowing. He looked at the Light Realm Elders and shook his head firmly. Sit down.
Reluctantly, they lowered their weapons and sat.
"I failed to teach my subordinates well," Gù Xuānyè pleaded. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Forget about it," Han Yuan said, standing up. Xiangling hopped onto his shoulder.
He walked to the center of the hall. He gathered a portion of his terrifying power in his hand and ripped open a tear in reality—a swirling, unstable portal.
He tossed the Stars Map into it.
The crowd gasped in horror.
"Here are the rules," Han Yuan said, his eyes gleaming. "Whoever gets the Map wins. It is theirs. No time limit. As for how you get it, everything is acceptable."
He paused, petting Xiangling.
"But if this rabbit gets it before you... you all die."
The hall went deathly silent.