O'Brien Empire, Martial Arts Hall.
This hall was where the emperor of the O'Brien Empire received important guests. A dark red carpet covered the floor, and stone pillars stood along both sides. Several magic lamps hung from the vaulted ceiling, their soft light illuminating the hall without dazzling the eyes.
The emperor of the O'Brien Empire, Joanne O'Brien, sat on the throne in the center of the hall. She wore deep purple imperial robes. Her fingers were short and thick, her nails neatly trimmed, and an enormous ruby ring adorned the index finger of her right hand.
The person she was about to receive was the O'Brien Empire's rising genius warrior-Wharton Baruch.
Joanne had deliberately brought her most beloved daughter, the seventh princess, Nina. Nina sat on a small chair beside the throne, wearing a pale pink dress, her hair pinned up with a white jade hairpin. Her face was rather round, her eyes large, and her lashes long. When she looked at someone, she had a delicate, pitiful air. Her fingers twisted the hem of her dress on her lap, twisting twice before letting go, then twisting it again.
Wharton was twenty-two that year. Two years had passed since he graduated at the top of the academy tournament and was made an earl, but he had not left the empire. Instead, he had chosen to remain at the academy to continue cultivating, occasionally venturing out to gain experience and train.
His cultivation had progressed rapidly. In his normal form, he was already a peak eighth-rank warrior, and after transforming, he could be called invincible below the Saint level. The Dragonblood Warrior bloodline within him had fully awakened, and azure Dragonblood Battle Qi surged in his dantian like a sleeping dragon.
Joanne's purpose today was clear-she wanted to keep this