The base of the White Stone. The ancient pillars of Gao Cai, the frescoed and painted palace walls, the Zuochou Square. The ninety-nine-story garden, the three-hundred-meter-high fountain—walking here, one encounters a spectacle at almost every step, grand in scale yet maintaining a delicate, exquisite detail. Flawless in both external form and internal artistic conception. The Empire’s long, distant history is sedimented within this imperial palace, which rivals the size of a city.

Beyond the main palace, the royal family maintains other temporary residences; some are built above the clouds, others situated in the deep void of space, each possessing its own unique character. However, the most frequently utilized is this Grand Palace, the most ancient and the one holding the deepest reverence in the hearts of the Imperial populace.

Yang Ying accepted the invitation and arrived at the Imperial Capital Star with the two Supremes. Blade remained in the Solar System; after repelling Sandover, the journey back was smooth, with no further untoward incidents occurring.

Upon their immediate return to the palace, the Empress first attended to the minor chaos stirred up by the sudden disappearance of Sandwater and the mother-daughter pair, which had interrupted the Triumph Ceremony. Tens of thousands of citizens had gathered in the square, and had it not been for the capable handling by the officials presiding over the ceremony, who temporarily stabilized the crowd, the resulting disorder could have been immense.

When the two Supremes returned, the ceremonial officials reported the situation on the ground. At that moment, both the officials and the populace were extremely anxious. The situation in the square was rapidly becoming uncontrollable, so the Empress went immediately to address it, declaring the Triumph Ceremony concluded and sending the citizens home. As for why Sandwater had not returned, finding an excuse to smooth things over was not difficult for her; if she couldn't handle even such a minor issue, she would not deserve to be an Empress.

In a side hall, the Empress Dowager and Yang Ying were seated according to their respective statuses. She summoned a trusted female attendant and instructed her to settle in with Langdon and Baibai first.

The return of the little princess was no small matter. Baibai was the next, and currently the sole legitimate heir to the Sea of Force. Many people cared deeply about her whereabouts; should the news spread, it would certainly shock the entire circle of high-ranking nobles. Therefore, the precise steps for bringing the little princess back required convening several cabinet ministers for careful deliberation.

To be born into royalty was this cumbersome, especially for a royal lineage as ancient as this one; the sheer volume of rules and etiquette could nearly suffocate a person.

After dispatching Baibai, the Empress Dowager began discussing substantive matters with Yang Ying.

“Is that so? Your Excellency is actually a mercenary?” The Empress Dowager found the concept rather incongruous at first; it defied common sense. A being at Yang Ying’s Fourth-Level Limit would be revered anywhere they went. To actually work as a mercenary was exceedingly rare.

However rare it might be, the Empress Dowager quickly discerned the advantageous nature of this fact. She had long been contemplating how to win over Yang Ying and Blade, as well as Sophie, the daughter of the other three Protoss Limit experts. While she had won their favor, this was ultimately insecure. She felt a need to solidify the cooperation with Yang Ying using more substantial bonds.

As both a mother and one of the Empire’s Supremes, the Empress Dowager had to consider the long term.

Since the passing of the former Emperor, the Empire’s situation had become increasingly disadvantageous for her and her daughter. Many high-ranking nobles coveted their positions, especially the various feudal lords possessing vast territories, who were wantonly developing armies within their domains while casting covetous, malicious glances toward the throne, eager to tear off a piece of flesh from them. Under these circumstances, the arrival of five Limit experts was like a powerful injection, enough to revive a heart on the verge of stopping.

And since Yang Ying claimed to be a mercenary, things became straightforward.

“Lord Yang Ying, there is no need for us to beat around the bush on some matters. Please listen to me.” She briefly laid out the current precarious state of the Empire, then continued: “Although the three of us—my daughter and I—seem to hold exalted positions, we are beset by hidden dangers. Should a change occur, the higher we stand, the harder we will fall. I wish to secure your assistance and will offer adequate compensation for it.”

“What exactly do you need us to do?” Yang Ying inquired.

“The royal family is currently short-staffed, lacking even a single male presence. This is the root cause of the high-ranking nobles’ burgeoning ambition,” the Empress Dowager stated. “This situation cannot be changed in the short term, so we must rely on strength to deter the ambitions of those individuals. I hope that you few Fourth-Level Limit experts can serve as official Enshrined Masters for the royal family.”

“Enshrined Masters?” Yang Ying asked. “What does serving as an Enshrined Master entail?”

“First, I will officially confirm your positions via document,” the Empress Dowager replied. “Simultaneously, we will secretly disseminate the details of today’s battle to the circle of high-ranking nobles. I assure you, the record of soundly defeating the Sandwater Group is more than enough to establish your prestige. At that point, merely announcing your public support for the royal family will be enough to deter a considerable number of them.”

“Is merely showing support sufficient?” Yang Ying mused for a moment. “That sounds quite easy.”

“Indeed. Enshrined Masters enjoy considerable freedom,” the Empress Dowager smiled faintly. “Should the need arise, we will request your intervention. This will be issued as missions, and you will be free to choose whether or not to participate. We…”

Beings at the Fourth-Level Limit represented the pinnacle of biological evolution in the galaxy; even the Emperor of the True Human Empire could not directly command them, and they each possessed unique temperaments. Beyond the general possession of great wisdom and tenacity, their personalities varied widely, and even extremely malicious ones existed. To secure an ally like Yang Ying through external means was, in the Empress Dowager’s estimation, already a significant accomplishment.

As the Empire’s royalty, they might not have much else, but resources were available in limitless quantities.

In Yang Ying’s view, there was little to deliberate over; the terms offered by the Empress Dowager could not have been more generous. Unlike the Fourth-Level existences within the Empire, he was not only a Limit expert but also the leader of the Human, Divine, and Insect races. For the development of the three races, resources were always welcome. Furthermore, beyond resources, he was deeply concerned about Baibai’s safety, and becoming an Enshrined Master was naturally the best option. He nodded: “It is a small effort; I accept.”

“That is excellent,” the Empress Dowager said with great pleasure. “What about Lord Blade and the three Lords of the Protoss?”

“I will persuade them,” Yang Ying stated.

Thus, Yang Ying, Blade, and the three Protoss Consuls were all added to the list of Enshrined Masters of the Imperial Royal Family. When the news spread, it shocked the entire True Human Empire.

The defeat of the Sandwater Group in the Solar System had already circulated through certain channels. While the Imperial populace was still discussing the anticlimactic Triumph Ceremony, the entire Imperial upper echelon knew that Sandwater, once invincible and unstoppable, had been suddenly struck down at the peak of his career.

And those five Fourth-Level Limit experts, who now stood at the apex of the galaxy, had immediately become the royal family’s enforcers. A wave of apprehension swept through the populace. The high-ranking nobles who had previously looked down upon the widowed and orphaned royals now hastily expressed their goodwill toward the royal family through various subtle means.

Of course, those referred to as nobles—or rather, human nobles—lived behind masks; discerning their true nature required more than just observing their actions.

At least, according to the royal family’s intelligence network, many of the nobles who had shown favor to the royal family had previously attended the emergency meeting convened by Sandwater upon his return.

“In truth, most nobles are two-faced. They lack grand ambition; they simply wish to align themselves with the winning power and enjoy the spoils of victory. Sandwater previously played the role of that dominant power. However, after his defeat in the Solar System, many nobles began to doubt him and started preparing to reinvest elsewhere. This is also an opportunity for the royal family.”

In the guest quarters of the palace, Langdon spoke to Yang Ying.

Upon returning to the Empire, the Empress reinstated Langdon’s status and promoted her three ranks, making her a pivotal figure within the royal intelligence system.

Langdon already held the title of a Court Earl; her father was a Duke fiercely loyal to the royal family, and their lineage was ancient in the capital circle, enjoying territories spanning three planets.

Langdon’s return brought immense joy to her family. The royal family offered no explanation for her whereabouts during those years, as the matter of Sandwater attempting to assassinate the little princess while the royal family remained helpless was not something to be publicized. However, most high-ranking nobles were well-informed, and they could largely guess the truth of the situation. After spending only a few days with her family, Langdon was summoned by the Empress and tasked specifically with managing communication and liaison with Yang Ying’s faction.

Now, she was explaining the basic structure of the Empire’s high nobility to Yang Ying.

After outlining these complex relationships, Langdon added, “Tomorrow is the day Her Majesty the Empress Dowager will formally announce the princess’s return.”

“Are there any movements from Sandwater’s side regarding this?” Yang Ying asked.

“Nothing detected,” Langdon shook her head. “Since his defeat in the Solar System, King Louzheng of Sandwater requested an extended leave from the cabinet and has remained in his territory ever since. That area is perhaps the hardest place in the galaxy to infiltrate, even more so than the Capital Star. We know absolutely nothing about what happens there.”

“That airtight,” Yang Ying shook his head. “In that case, so be it. I will personally attend the ceremony for Baibai’s formal acknowledgment tomorrow.”

“That would be wonderful,” Langdon smiled, and after a few more brief remarks, she rose to take her leave.

“Oh, yes,” Yang Ying called her back. “In a while, Blade and I will be visiting the residences of the major nobles. Please relay this intention to Their Majesties for me.”

“Visits?” Langdon’s heart stirred, and she replied happily, “I will certainly inform Their Majesties.”

At this critical juncture, Yang Ying’s intention was clearly to publicly align himself and show support for the royal family and the little princess. How could she not be pleased?

After Langdon departed, Yang Ying moved to the window, watching the beautiful sunset clouds intermingle with the evening light cast upon the palace, murmuring to himself, “Karagounis is dead, the Kustarians and the Berks are finished. I have to find something to do, something proactive.”