CHAPTER 647: WHAT HE LEARNED

Two days later, Aldrian floated above the Forest of Eternal Sanctuary, the new name given by many to the former Everlasting Silent Forest. That name was no longer used, as it had become outdated due to the forest’s transformation.

The current forest was no longer the deadly place it once had been. Now, it had become one of the most sought-after locations for cultivation and even residence. The rich heaven and earth energy that permeated the area greatly enhance one’s cultivation, making it highly desirable for many cultivators.

Moreover, the forest encircled the region where Aldrian resided. Although he had not officially claimed it as his territory, many had already reached a tacit understanding that the forest belonged to him as well. This was due to the forest and its core region being part of a vast, ancient land shrouded in mystery.

The Xin family, said to have guarded the core region since ancient times, had also lived in the forest for generations. Because of this, it made sense to regard the entire forest as part of Aldrian’s territory. That was why, when many people wished to establish their own dwellings within the forest, they had to seek permission either from the Xin family or from Aldrian himself.

Many of these people regarded Aldrian as their god and wished to live near him, but not too close, for fear of sullying his dwelling place.

With the time of Aldrian’s enthronement drawing nearer, even more people wanted to settle near the core region so they could be close to the ceremony. Even if they could not witness the enthronement directly, they were already satisfied just to be near the core.

Aldrian gave his permission, and the other major territories also decided to support the people who wished to settle in the forest. They planned to build cities near the core region, close to what would eventually become the center of the great empire and its future capital.

That was why, at this moment, in several areas near the core, large-scale city construction was underway, something Aldrian now observed from above. He looked down at the thousands of people from various races working together to build the city.

In his mind, he could already picture this place becoming a thriving, expansive city in the future.

After observing the construction for a while, Aldrian vanished from his place and reappeared in the garden of his palace, where he saw the three ladies, Sylphia, Baek Jimin, and Angelica gathered and talking with one another.

He didn’t disturb them and walked to the other side of the garden, where he saw his parents enjoying their time together. Because of his mother’s pregnancy, she had begun to reduce her intense activities, such as training.

Although she claimed she could still train, citing the strength of her womb and the fact that it was still early in the pregnancy, his father was deeply worried and had forbidden her from doing any strenuous training.

She simply complied, understanding his concern, and had no intention of arguing with him over it.

Aldrian nodded to himself, but then he sensed the teleportation formation on the floating land activate as a man appeared. Recognizing who it was, Aldrian immediately went to meet him.

Not long after Pope Claudius emerged from the teleportation formation, he was greeted by Aldrian, and he returned the gesture warmly.

"Young Aldrian, I’m here to discuss the details of your enthronement. The time is near, and I need to discuss the details of the ceremony with you to ensure everything is in order for the day itself. All of the leaders will follow any changes that come out of this discussion," Pope Claudius said after their greeting and brief exchange.

Aldrian nodded in understanding. His enthronement was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and most parts of the ceremony had already been agreed upon. This final meeting was only to discuss and confirm the remaining details one last time.

Pope Claudius and Aldrian moved to the guest room to discuss the ceremony. According to the plan, the enthronement would be held at Aldrian’s palace, signifying that it would serve as the central palace where the emperor who ruled over the entire continent would officially reside.

This palace would not only be Aldrian’s home but also a symbol of the continent’s shared faith.

Unfortunately, due to the limitations of transportation and teleportation formations, not everyone would be able to witness the enthronement directly on the floating land. Only a limited number of people would see Aldrian in person.

However, like Aldrey and Irene’s wedding, his enthronement would be broadcast across the continent using projectors, allowing everyone to watch the ceremony.

As Pope Claudius and Aldrian continued discussing the details of the enthronement day, some people elsewhere were busy studying the continent. The outsiders from outside the Barisan Continent and who had already become Aldrian’s slaves were carrying out their tasks in various parts of the Doria Empire.

After being enslaved by Aldrian using the Everlasting Demonic Follower, they had flown deeper into the beast territories. But when they spotted a towering world tree on the horizon, they assumed they were approaching the elves’ territory, something they wished to avoid. They knew they would not easily blend in if they entered elven lands.

They decided to take a different route and flew farther away from the world tree. With their speed, granted by their pseudo-Immortal Foundation and pseudo-Immortal Establishment stage, they could travel much faster.

As a result, they reached the border of the Doria Empire within a single day.

There, they found a border town, which became their starting point before they began to spread out. They also had to hide their cultivation to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

By now, these outsiders had already dispersed throughout the region, each with their own disguise.

The leader of these outsiders, for example, was gathering information in a tavern within the capital city of the Doria Empire. Although he concealed his cultivation level, the scar over his left eye and his commanding presence led those who saw him to immediately regard him as an expert. Because of that, the people nearby remained cautious and wary of him.

The leader, however, paid no attention to them. He appeared to be calmly enjoying his drink, but in truth, his senses were spread wide, capturing every word that slipped from people’s lips. He listened to everything, from idle chatter to conversations that piqued his interest, and quietly analyzed it all.

During his short time in the empire, he analyzed everything he saw, sensed, and heard. To be honest, he was somewhat surprised, and a little disappointed after arriving in this city, which was said to be the capital of one of the empires on this continent.

From what he sensed, the concentration of heaven and earth energy was quite high, but not to the point of impressing him. There were places on his own star with far richer energy than this. As for the average cultivation level, it was severely lacking, even when compared to other continents in this world.

This place was far weaker than he had expected. He had not sensed a single person who had entered the Immortal Transition realm. For a continent capable of producing someone like that monster, he had truly expected more. Yet reality was far from what he imagined, leaving him genuinely confused.

"Was the floating land the only special place on this continent?"

What he did see, however, was that the monster who had become his master and was said to live on that floating land was deeply respected, even worshipped. Statues and portraits of him could be found everywhere, and the leader finally learned his name.

"These people call him Aldrian the Great. He seems to be the leading figure of this continent," the leader thought.

He was not surprised by the reverence Aldrian received, after all, that man appeared to be the strongest person on the continent. The continent itself also seemed to be in the midst of great change, with all its power uniting under a single imperial banner, and that man’s enthronement as the first emperor was just two days away.

When he learned more about Aldrian, he was truly shocked by the stories surrounding him. It was no wonder the people of the continent regarded him not only as their leader but even as a god, placing their faith in him without question. But the most absurd part came when he discovered Aldrian’s age.

Still under twenty years old? With that kind of cultivation and power?

He nearly felt like he was losing his mind. There were still many questions about this continent that lingered in his thoughts, but he kept them to himself for now. After all, he had only just arrived.

What mattered most at the moment was continuing to learn everything he could about this place.