From the lineage of the Dao-Gu royal house, it was decreed that on the eve of each empress’s coronation, a Luminary Feast should be held. This feast, commencing with the setting sun and drawing to a close with the break of dawn, served as a prelude to the grand ceremony.

It was at this Luminary Feast that the Dao-Gu Emperor, accompanied by his betrothed, would make their first appearance before the assembled court. The betrothed, soon to be empress, would receive the blessings of all those present.

Once the blessings were bestowed, the empress-to-be would retire, leaving the Dao-Gu Emperor to revel with his subjects until the feast’s conclusion, after which the coronation would proceed.

The venue for this grand affair was the vast Plaza of White Earth, nestled outside the main palace hall. Under the setting sun, countless palace servants busied themselves arranging thousands of tables of verdant pine. Seen from afar, these tables formed a dense, orderly array, as if paying homage to the palace.

These tables were arrayed in a fan-like formation, bowing towards the main hall of the palace. Above, hundreds of small platforms hovered in the sky, each adorned with nearly a hundred tables, prepared to welcome the arriving dignitaries.

As the appointed hour approached, a chorus of drums echoed throughout the palace. The sound, thunderous and resonant, emanated from the palace’s heart, where a massive drum, hundreds of feet in size, stood. Fashioned from the hide of an unknown beast, the drum exuded both ancient wisdom and a savage aura.

Upon the drum, nine figures clad in black robes hovered. Each possessed power rivaling that of a celestial sovereign. With each resounding beat, the nine unleashed their combined strength, forming a colossal, spectral hand that struck the giant drum.

The drum’s resonance spread, engulfing the palace and extending outwards in ripples, eventually encompassing the entire Sky City and its surrounding platforms. Every clan and family within the city and beyond could hear the drums.

The thunderous rhythm continued, punctuated by echoes, for many hours. It was when the echoes started to fade that the drumming was repeated. As the third drumbeat reverberated, people streamed from the palace, their numbers so great as to be uncountable. Though few possessed the power of a celestial sovereign, they were all formidable cultivators.

With each table chosen, laughter and lively conversation rose from the Plaza of White Earth, a vibrant tapestry of revelry.

As the fifth drumbeat echoed through the heavens, trails of light streaked across the sky, heralding the arrival of guests. Among them were members of the Dao-Gu lineage, as well as representatives from the other two bloodlines. Some chose tables in the plaza, while others ascended to the platforms floating above.

As more guests arrived, the seventh drumbeat sounded. As the sun set, the sky was crisscrossed by thousands of trails of light, seeming to split as each group settled in.

Simultaneously, a hundred and eight blinding rays of light descended, transforming into a hundred and eight warriors clad in white Dao-Gu armor!

These hundred and eight warriors bowed in unison towards the main palace hall, then descended to select tables near the front of the plaza, where they sat in silent meditation.

“The Hundred and Eight Shackles of Dao-Gu!”

“The lineage of Dao-Ze is divided into Shackles, Saints, Wraiths, Kings, and Deathless Generals! Now that the Hundred and Eight Shackles have appeared, the others should follow!”

“It is said that each of these Hundred and Eight Shackles is a master of slaughter, their bodies wreathed in a killing aura, hence their title.”

Whispered speculation mingled with the sound of the drums, yet it could not hide the myriad eyes that scanned the newcomers, filled with envy, suspicion, and scrutiny.

Hardly had the Hundred and Eight taken their seats when seventy-two whirlwinds rose from the earth outside the palace, each carrying a single warrior as they sped towards the plaza.

A palpable aura of power descended, enveloping the palace, as the seventy-two whirlwinds arrived. The warriors, male and female, young and old, exuded the presence of ancient beings. In their eyes and between their brows were twenty-seven stars.

“The Seventy-Two Saints! Those who have brought glory to the Dao-Gu clan!”

“I have heard that the Seventy-Two Saints are always seventy-two in number, no more, no less. These families have guarded and protected the Dao-Gu for countless ages!”

As the murmurs rose, the eighth drumbeat resounded. The earth trembled as if awakened, and against the sunset sky, thirty-six crimson trails of light descended, bathing the heavens in red.

“The Thirty-Six Staves!”

“The Thirty-Six Staves are the royal family’s elite guard, forged by the Dao-Gu from the clan’s strength into thirty-six mighty warriors!”

“It is said that they are like death knights. Under the will of the royal family, they are ready to die.”

“These are the Thirty-Six Wraiths!”

From the crimson light emerged thirty-six warriors. Obscured by red mist, their features were indistinguishable. They bowed towards the main hall before seating themselves in front of the Seventy-Two Saints.

The drums continued to beat. Suddenly, the sky above was rent by eighteen colossal cracks, forced open by eighteen pairs of black-red claws!

Terrifying roars reverberated as, before the eyes of all, eighteen black-red dragons burst forth from the rifts!

These eighteen dragons, possessed an aura of ancient demons. These were dragons of ancient demon power!
Eighteen pairs of silvered eyes, gleaming with eldritch power, twisted the features of the eighteen dragons into grotesque visages. Upon their arrival, they spiraled through the heavens, coalescing into a colossal vortex of roiling shadows.

“The Eighteen Kings of Daogu!” a voice cried out.

“Indeed! Those are the demonic steeds of the Eighteen Kings. Their presence heralds the arrival of the Kings themselves!”

“Beneath the Daogu Emperor, stand the eighteen royal Kings, each said to possess immeasurable might. Twelve of them are forbidden to reside within the capital, instead, they guard the Twelve Provinces across the land!”

A wave of whispers rippled through the assembled throng as the demonic dragons descended. In the distance, standing a league from the Imperial Palace, Wang Lin watched with a keen gaze.

The arrival of the eighteen dragons stirred the very fabric of the heavens, their vortex-like formation creating a tempest that obscured divine senses and stifled clairvoyance.

“The Eighteen Kings of Daogu… I wonder if Ye Mo was once among them… Perhaps, beneath this night sky, a sign will appear.” Wang Lin stroked his chin. He had arrived in the Daogu lineage some time ago, only to retreat for three months of seclusion upon his return. Time had been short to seek out the descendants of Ye Mo, yet the matter remained etched in his heart.

Lost in thought, the echo of the eighth drumbeat still ringing in his ears, Wang Lin began his measured walk towards the Imperial Palace. But with each step, the inexplicable unease within him grew stronger.

It was not the premonition of immediate danger, but rather an unnameable sensation. With his cultivation, Wang Lin possessed the ability to sense the foreshadowing of momentous events in his life.

He pondered, racking his mind for an explanation of what awaited him at this Imperial banquet.

As Wang Lin moved forward, his brow furrowed in contemplation, the eighteen demonic dragons circling above the Daogu Imperial Palace began their descent. Upon closer inspection, a figure was seated atop the head of each beast!

Eighteen in number, each with their own distinct features yet bearing a subtle family resemblance, adorned in serpentine robes, they exuded an air of undeniable authority. With a fluid motion, they dismounted from their demonic steeds, landing upon the great stone plaza nearest the main hall, and took their seats at the meticulously arranged tables.

The moment they settled, the eighteen dragons roared in unison, plunging through a rent in the heavens and vanishing, sealing the rift behind them, and restoring the sunset to its former glory.

Then, the ninth drumbeat echoed across the land, its resounding boom merging with the echoes of the previous eight. This singular resonace carried such power, that it could slay ordinary cultivators, or at the very least severely wound the most ancient of beings. Yet, strangely, all those present heard the deafening sound, but felt no ill effects from its vibrations.

Wang Lin continued his measured pace, and arrived above the Imperial Palace as the ninth drumbeat reverberated. With a sweeping glance, he suddenly looked up, his pupils contracting ever so slightly.

Nine beams of pure black light plummeted from the heavens. These dark shafts resembled colossal pillars, as if holding the sky aloft, lest it should fall. Layer upon layer of ebony ripples cascaded from the beams, and, in an instant, nine figures clad in jet-black armor stood before the palace.

The nine warriors radiated an aura of profound malice, their forms wreathed by the phantoms of countless tormented souls. They did not offer obeisance to the main hall, but instead exchanged knowing glances, then strode toward the first nine tables before the Sixteen Kings.

Before them, four more tables stood vacant!

“The Undying Generals!” A gasp escaped the crowd.

“They must be the Nine Undying Generals of the Daogu Clan!”

“Each of them rivals a Celestial who has conquered the thirteenth layer of the Transcendence tribulation! And one, in particular, emanates a power akin to someone who has bested the fourteenth!” Wang Lin averted his gaze, his pace never faltering, and continued his approach to the front.

His presence immediately drew the attention of many from across the courtyard!

(To be continued)