Him and their stars.

Chapter 2139 Visit
Excellent! The butler beside a master is also a master. What a classic scene!

Of course, the reason Yu Lian wasn't surprised at all wasn't because the premise was so classic, but because in his previous life, after Brunhilde ascended the throne, this seemingly amiable middle-aged man had transformed into a cardinal inquisitor of the Inquisition. By the time (in his previous life) Yu Lian was preparing to leave the galaxy for a trip to the New World, the amiable, chubby middle-aged man had become a kind-faced, plump old man, and was even preparing to assume the position of Chief Inquisitor.

It sounds like a huge crossover, but upon closer inspection, it seems like a fairly reasonable job transfer between the Palace Steward and the head of the Imperial Guard.

According to the more classic setting, there should be a pre-boss battle before the final boss battle.

However, it was quite obvious that the count had no such intention at all.

He gave a humble yet warm smile, bowed slightly, and politely invited Yu Lian to follow him before turning and entering the audience hall.

Clearly, Lord Conrod, whose power level was only at the Saint level, was not prepared to wage war against him. Yu Lian also did not believe that there would be any traps within the main hall at the heart of the empire.

He could not sense the presence of anyone else. It was also almost impossible for the Imperials to commit blasphemy against the gods and ancestors here.

This is certainly a good thing. If there is anyone in this vast Dragon's Descent Palace worthy of my respect, this amiable Earl Conroy must be one of them.

During his tenure as Cardinal Judge, he instructed the courts to clear up numerous wrongful convictions from the previous dynasty and punish a large number of high-ranking criminals, thus greatly improving the atmosphere of the imperial court.

Although he has a very amiable appearance, he is actually the type of upright and just official. This is truly an art.

Yu Lian followed Earl Conroy, his gaze sweeping over the man's back. To be fair, from behind, the man looked like a Snorlax in a tuxedo, but his gait was anything but casual; in fact, it possessed a certain dignified elegance, which was, of course, art.

In fact, after the inexplicable and sudden demise of Emperor Elithel in his previous life, this royal steward, along with the court guards of the Sun and Moon Guards, completely sealed off the three major palaces and provided very effective protection for important facilities such as the Heraldry, the Heavenly Palace, and the Royal Library.

These two palace guards together numbered only about 10,000 men, all of whom were nobles or even members of the royal family. They were well-equipped, well-trained, and imposing, but lacked practical combat experience. It was obvious that they were not very good at fighting.

However, when they stood guard waving the dragon flag, their deterrent effect was considerable. At least, during the subsequent years of the struggle for the throne, these imperial treasures were well protected.

...So, where are the imperial guards of the Sun and Moon Guards? Although they are outwardly strong but inwardly weak, they are still well-equipped regular troops.

Yu Lian observed that the guards maintaining order in the palace were just palace servants and police officers acting as substitutes, and the heaviest weapon they carried was a ceremonial halberd.

Furthermore, where are the Knights of the Astral Realm and the other psionicists? Yu Lian estimated that, apart from the garrisons and fleets in various locations, there should be at least 200 Knights of the Astral Realm in the Sky Domain, and the Judges and Star Sightseeers should number around 40 to 50.

As for the saints, there should be more than thirty of them. The overlords of half the universe, the first civilization to enter the universe, the first people to master the secrets of mysticism, and the first nation to be enlightened by the legacy of the Enlightened Ones, should have accumulated such mystical knowledge.

Yu Lian had initially assumed that the psionicists would gather at the Hand of Glory fortress to give him a big surprise, so he acquiesced to the swarm's actions. Even if they had served as an early warning, their deaths would have been worthwhile.

However, the fact that they are about to take down the entire Glory Hand is indeed an unexpected bonus.

So, where are these psionicists?
The vast Dragon Palace was surprisingly indefensible, appearing somewhat desolate, much like the indefensible Heavenly Realm.

Even though there are nearly 100,000 staff members in this palace, and even though this magnificent capital city has more than 100 billion residents, Yu Lian still felt this subtle desolation and loneliness.

These ordinary people, to him, were like insignificant background NPCs. This was not a good sign.

As Yu Lian pondered, he followed the Count through the magnificent yet deserted audience hall. Their footsteps echoed through the grand yet desolate space, like walking through a barren valley. He looked at the ornate coats of arms of past emperors adorning the walls and felt they were nothing more than cheap plastic decorations. The statues of the gods from the mythology of Tyreiro stood on either side of the royal aisle, as if guarding the history of the Galactic Empire.

But now, they looked down at Yu Lian as he passed through the passage, their appearance solemn and dignified, but their eyes were empty, like those of puppets.

Yes, yes, they were puppets after all.

What a barren land! Yu Lian thought, there's not a single hair out of it. For someone as imposing as myself, to receive no honor guard at all—isn't that a huge disrespect to the final boss battle?

“Please forgive me, Your Excellency,” said Earl Cornrod. “His Majesty has already ordered me to transfer the palace guards from both flanks.”

Yu Lian felt that the kind uncle was being sarcastic, but he had no evidence. The uncle looked very sincere, as if he really felt that he had been very rude.

"Transferred?" Yu Lian asked with a smile, hands clasped over his shoulders.

"Yes, Your Majesty believes that the Empire has even more important treasures that need to be protected."

"Could it be that you're preparing to deploy troops to Lucheng to protect the Privy Council and the Senate?" Yu Lian laughed.

"These are the Grand Library and Eternal Museum of Wanjuan City, the Heavenly Palace Academy and its twelve other research institutes on Tu City, and the biological research institutes on Ruixing and Guxing. If possible, I implore your fleet not to bombard these facilities, nor to attack the atmospheres of inhabited planets."

So I've been put on a moral high ground? Who's the villain here, and who's the victim?

"Is this a formal diplomatic request from the Privy Council and the Prime Minister's Office?"

“They will make a formal diplomatic request. Even now, we are still members of the Galactic Civilization Council,” the Earl said.

He meant that while fighting is one thing, it's best not to violate interstellar conventions or anything like that.

Yu Lian laughed: "But your country's Privy Council Grand Chancellor has already declared, on behalf of the conquerors, that the Blue Star Community no longer exists. From the Empire's perspective, isn't the community's exiled government, which I represent, illegitimate?"

Earl Conroy could only manage an awkward laugh, his expression somewhat uneasy, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

If it were only the former, that would be understandable, but with the latter, Yu Lian was almost certain that this person was from Brunhilde. Of course, it was more likely that the emperor had assigned him to Brunhilde.

Very well, the age-old mystery (from a past life) can be solved. The orange cat is Emperor Elithel's chosen successor. Hmph, what's with this talk of electing an emperor? Isn't it still a matter of being appointed by imperial decree?

At this point, Yu Lian actually developed a little sympathy for King Wei.

Yu Lian said, "I promise not to attack any civilian space cities. As for Ruixing and Guxing, they will be safe if you haven't installed anti-aircraft turrets on them."

The count showed gratitude and sincerely praised, "You are indeed a noble hero. No matter how politics change in the future, your virtuous and courageous name will be passed down to posterity, living as long as civilization itself. Although you do not have such noble blood, you possess such a noble character." The beginning was fine, but why did the latter part start cursing?
Yu Lianzheng said, "Isn't this just common sense? Besides, I consider my own moral level to be at most at the human average. The person I've ever met with the noblest character is a worker's brat who always likes to use vulgar language."

The count nodded slightly, ending the argument that was destined to have no conclusion.

He then added, “As for the Wisdom Palace University in Mingxi City, although it has your people, as well as observers from the Alliance and the Serpent, it also has many loyal ministers and generals of the Empire. Your Majesty believes that everyone can reach a consensus on protecting these technological assets, thus ensuring that nothing goes wrong. Once this matter is resolved, the outstanding young people of the University Student Union can research ways to serve the Empire.”

Even if the emperor is overthrown, and even if the entire space city of the celestial realm is destroyed, a powerful galactic empire will continue to exist. Perhaps the count wanted to express this on behalf of the emperor.

Furthermore, he probably also wanted to say that war is war, and peace is peace. After this battle, is everything over?

Yu Lian scratched his head. This boss was so optimistic that he didn't even know what to say. If this was also part of the boss battle play, he had to admit that he was probably at a disadvantage.

However, he inexplicably became excited.

Since it's a boss battle, isn't this expected?
The two passed through the audience hall, which had appeared countless times on television, and passed the imperial throne standing in the hall from the left. Led by the count, they entered the long corridor through a hidden door.

Yu Lian knew that this was probably the emperor's bedroom.

To be fair, since they are called Dragon Kings, the emperors and chosen emperors of the Dawn Royal Family are all the type to live in extreme luxury, including many Holy Lords with the title of "Great Emperor." The orange cat, which is rushing towards the Heavenly Realm, is no exception.

She always sports a dazzling array of custom-made jewelry and headdresses, different for every appearance; she loves gardening, but only grows rare and exotic plants from all over the universe; she likes iced mead, but only drinks the precious honey brewed at a specific time of year with specific spring water from a specific planet; she even keeps over a dozen giant dragons on her own private property, and has even drawn up vast hunting grounds on her fiefdom to raise mythical beasts as prey. All of these are just Miss Brunhilde's basic operations.

Even on that virtual timeline, she was actually the type of person who ruined the country with her spectacle.

Of course, for the empire's supreme ruler, luxury was by no means a weakness.

As for Emperor Elithel the Great, he was perhaps a very rare type of emperor among imperial emperors, with little interest in material desires.

The scene beyond the long corridor was certainly not the magnificent palace with its towering domes and ornate carvings that most people would expect. The further one went, the more secluded and tranquil it became, with the soft carpet underfoot even swallowing up all footsteps.

At the end of the long corridor lies a secret garden surrounded by a dome.

Through the dome, you can see the distant Milky Way, the blue imperial home planet Rui, and even the other space cities with their lights twinkling.

The garden as a whole is arranged in a stepped pattern, divided into seven or eight tiers. The fountain gathers into a clear pool of water on the first tier, flowing down in layers to form a waterfall in the center of the steps.

The starlight pierced through the dome, falling on the waterfall and creating a magnificent, shimmering effect. It also fell upon the flowerbeds in the courtyard, transforming the colorful blossoms into vibrant specks of light.

The waterfall forms a clear lake in the middle of the tiered structure. The clear lake reflects the starlight and the colorful flowers, surrounding the central pavilion.

This is a remarkably well-designed garden. Although it doesn't use any expensive materials or exotic plants, it is elegant, exquisite, and beautiful; although it is not large in scale, it is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and has a magnificent atmosphere.

Yes, the garden inside the dome isn't very large.

It's not that big, at least by the standards of a supreme being who rules half the universe.

Yu Lian's gaze swept over a seemingly simple door at the end of the garden.

He knew this must be the emperor's bedroom. Structurally, it was right next to the outer edge of the garden, and one could probably see the starry sky through the windows. Unless one possessed extraordinary spatial manipulation skills, the space behind this door was probably only two or three hundred square meters.

For an emperor, this was equally simple and even rudimentary.

Furthermore, the location here, so close to the outer wall of the palace, hardly meets basic security considerations. Of course, considering that this is a nine-ringed deity, everything seems quite reasonable.

Yu Lian had assumed the count would open the door, but he simply stood at the top of the steps, making way for him: "His Majesty is waiting for you inside, General. Please forgive me for only being able to escort you this far."

His voice was low, respectful and solemn, yet it seemed to contain endless sorrow.

Why is he sad?
Yu Lian glanced at him, roughly understood what was going on, expressed basic gratitude, and then stepped inside.

The garden gate closed quietly behind him.

Okay, this is a very typical setup before a boss battle. Of course, the gate looks like it's carved from white jade, with gold patterns outlining graceful and exquisite designs, like flowers and branches supporting stars.

The entire gate is a fine work of art, so of course there is no sense of horror or tension at all.

Only then did Yu Lian finally sense someone else's presence. A blurry figure vaguely emerged from the pavilion in the center of the garden.

It wasn't a physical object, but rather a semi-transparent outline, much like a communication medium projected from a communication terminal.

But that was Emperor Elithel, his spirit, his manifestation of his consciousness, and a projection of his information. That was his true form.

Yu Lian could sense this.

Thus, even though he was in a spirit form, he appeared remarkably full, with facial details even more "perfect" than his physical body in life, as if all the flaws of mortals had been removed, leaving only the outline of divinity and endless majesty.

Those eyes, composed entirely of spiritual light, gazed calmly at Yu Lian, seemingly devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

So, he really is just a spirit now.

Yu Lian stared at the emperor, bowed respectfully with a serious expression, and wore a professional smile that had been honed through Fei Fei's rigorous training.

"It has been a long time since I last greeted you, Your Majesty."

"Laugh if you want. I have indeed suffered a severe blow, Yu Lianqing. Your prophecy of 'bloodshed' might just come true soon." The emperor's voice rang out directly in Yu Lian's mind, clear and steady, like that of a kind and benevolent elder.