General Varak respectfully excused himself from the grand arena and left Li Yu and Garrick surrounded by a periter of elite guards. The general hurried into a secure command tent located just off the main training grounds. He pulled out a smooth, crystalline slab used for high priority military transmissions across the vast distances of the Hive Empire.
He channeled his Qi into the crystal. The smooth surface rippled and a projection of chaotic dark energy materialized. The sounds of a brutal battlefield imdiately filled the command tent.
Varak could hear the deafening roar of explosive techniques and the distinct and sickening sound of chitin being crushed. Emperor Xerxis was currently on the border personally dealing with an aggressive incursion from the Eclipse Court.
"Speak quickly, Varak." The voice of the Hive Emperor bood through the crystal. "I am currently tearing the wings off a very annoying moth commander. This better be a true ergency."
General Varak fell to one knee out of habit despite only speaking to a projection.
"Supre Emperor, please forgive the interruption." Varak spoke rapidly, his mandibles clicking with nervous energy. "An incredibly urgent matter has occurred in the training city. Two strangers violently crashed through the arena. One is a massive man with unbelievable physical strength. The other is a young human boy."
"You interrupted my slaughter for two lost vagrants?" Xerxis growled as the projection vibrated with rising anger. "Kill them and mount their heads on the wall!"
"I was about to execute them my Lord!" Varak defended himself quickly. He was sweating under his heavy armor. "But the young human boy produced a token. It was your personal dark tal token."
The chaotic sounds of the battlefield on the other end of the transmission instantly stopped. It was as if the entire war had been put on pause.
A heavy and suffocating silence stretched through the communication crystal for several long seconds. When Emperor Xerxis finally spoke again, his voice was completely devoid of its forr majestic wrath. It sounded thin, panicked and
a little bit terrified.
"A young human boy had the token?" Xerxis asked quickly. "Does his companion look like a brute?"
"Yes, Emperor." Varak confird. If the Emperor was worried, this situation was apocalyptic.
"Listen to
very carefully, Varak!" Xerxis ordered. "You will treat that boy exactly as if he were
standing right in front of you. No, you will treat him better than . You will give him absolutely anything he desires until I can get back there."
Varak swallowed hard. "I understand my Lord. We will provide him with our finest guest quarters."
"You do not understand!" Xerxis shouted through the crystal. "Nothing wrong can happen to him! Do you hear ? If he stubs his toe on a rock, I will execute your entire bloodline! If he looks at your arm and asks you to rip it off so he can eat it, you will rip it off and serve it to him on a silver platter! If he asks to sleep with your wife, you will step aside and allow it! Is that completely understood?"
General Varak was entirely taken aback by the extre and violent examples. His demon skin paled significantly. Just exactly who was this young boy to command such fear from their king?
"It is understood, Emperor." Varak replied but was still slightly confused by the situation. "Your will is absolute."
"I have to finish off the remaining forces here." Xerxis stated calmly but his breathing was heavy with anxiety. "It will take a little bit of ti but I will be there imdiately after. Keep him happy, Varak. Our entire empire depends on it."
The transmission cut off abruptly and left the general kneeling in the quiet command tent. Varak stood up slowly. He rushed back out to the arena and personally escorted Li Yu and Garrick to the grandest estate the military city had to offer. In addition, he gave a series of orders to bring over the finest things this city had to offer.
The estate was a sprawling architectural marvel. It was carved directly from a combination of dark rocks and giant petrified hive structures. The walls were lined with glowing amber crystals that provided a warm soft light. The furniture was crafted from polished bone and draped in the finest and incredibly soft spider silk. It was woven by the master artisans of the empire.
Almost imdiately after they arrived, a massive banquet was laid out in the central dining hall.
A legion of servants rushed in and were carrying giant plates that were piled high with the finest culinary delicacies the Hive Empire possessed within this city. Li Yu sat at the large stone table and looked at the spread.
There were platters of massive roasted grubs that were glazed in a thick, glowing blue sap. There were bowls of crystallized nectar that pulsed with rich spiritual energy and large cuts of at that looked suspiciously like the heavily armored thoraxes of giant insects.
Li Yu hesitated. The food did not look appetizing to his human sensibilities. It looked completely alien and slightly concerning. But Li Yu paused his own judgnt. He thought about his long journey and the countless different cultures he had encountered.
He criticized himself internally for being so narrow minded. He reasoned that everyone, everywhere wanted to eat good food. A supre empire would not serve garbage to their guests. He should not judge sothing so quickly just because of how it looked on the plate.
Adopting this new open mindset, Li Yu reached out and took a piece of the roasted thorax at glazed in the blue sap. He took a cautious bite.
His eyes widened in genuine surprise. It was absolutely delicious. The at was incredibly tender, lting in his mouth with a rich savory flavor that was perfectly balanced by the sweet tangy kick of the glowing sap. The crystallized nectar was even better, filling his ridians with a warm gentle wave of refined Qi.
Li Yu smiled happily. His new philosophy was correct. Looks were entirely deceiving and this insect cuisine was truly top tier. Then a servant placed a small, ornate bowl directly in front of him.
The bowl contained a violently bright green jelly that was actively bubbling and releasing a faint, slightly acrid smoke. It looked completely toxic. Like sothing an alchemist would use to lt through solid steel.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not ant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Li Yu looked at the bubbling green sludge. He rembered his recent revelation. He told himself not to judge a book by its cover. He bravely took his spoon, scooped up a generous portion of the smoking green jelly and put it directly into his mouth.
His entire face instantly contorted in agony.
It tasted absolutely awful. It was not literally toxic to his body but it was violently toxic to his taste buds. It tasted like rotting vegetation mixed with fernted swamp mud and bitter ash. Li Yu grabbed a nearby cup of sweet nectar and chugged the entire thing desperately trying to wash the horrific flavor away before he gagged.
Garrick on the other hand was having the best ti of his life since eting Li Yu.
The Great Sage was sitting at the other end of the massive table and completely gorging himself on every single dish. He grabbed a huge handful of the smoking green jelly and shoved it into his mouth. He was chewing loudly with a look of blissful ecstasy on his face.
Li Yu wiped his mouth and stared at his companion in disbelief before suddenly rembering a very crucial detail.
Garrick was currently in his human form but his true foundational body was an ancient Dragon Beetle. He was a supre insect beast. All of these strange alien flavors, the rich saps, the roasted grubs and the bitter fernted jellies were absolutely perfect for his natural palate. This was literally soul food for the giant brawler.
As they finished the feast, General Varak returned to the dining hall. The general clapped his hands together and signaled the next phase of their lavish hospitality.
Dozens of beautiful won filed into the room.
Garrick imdiately stopped eating. The Great Sage wiped his hands on a silk napkin and his eyes lit up with absolute excitent. Garrick was a notorious skirt chaser who rarely ever got the chance to fully indulge his vices while acting as a bodyguard.
The servants asked Garrick what his specific preferences were and the large man freely and loudly let them know exactly what he liked. Within minutes, Garrick was completely surrounded by a throng of beautiful won who possessed exotic features.
They were feeding him glowing berries, rubbing his tallic shoulders and pouring him endless cups of strong wine. Garrick leaned back and was completely in his elent. He had entirely forgotten about his job as a bodyguard.
For Li Yu, the empire had clearly utilized their vast resources in such a short amount of ti. They did their absolute best to bring won who possessed a much more human aesthetic. They were incredibly beautiful with soft facial features and smooth skin.
They still possessed so subtle insect traits to show their heritage like slightly iridescent skin patterns, delicate translucent wings resting against their backs or soft elegant antennae but they looked remarkably human in shape and form compared to the rest of the empire. It was clear they were picked out for having the least amount of insect features.
Several of these won approached Li Yu, kneeling gracefully beside his chair and offering to pour his tea or massage his arms.
Li Yu felt imdiately uncomfortable. He was a young wanderer focused on the Dao and survival, not a corrupt nobleman seeking endless indulgence. At least not that kind of indulgences so far. Even though the Empire tried, their looks were still not that appealing to him either.
He had told General Varak multiple tis earlier that such extravagant things were completely unnecessary but the general did it anyway. Varak was acting under the strict orders of the Emperor himself. Whatever Li Yu might possibly want, he was going to get it regardless of his polite protests. Just in case he was being modest but actually wanted them.
Li Yu gently raised his hand and stopped one of the won from pouring his cup.
"You are all very kind," Li Yu said respectfully. "But you can all leave now. I truly do not need this kind of service. I prefer to be left alone to eat and drink."
The won froze. A look of panic flashed across their beautiful faces. They did not stand up or move toward the door. They just knelt there and were looking completely terrified.
Li Yu was about to repeat his request a bit firr when one of the won spoke up. She had delicate features and soft golden eyes. Her hands trembled slightly as she looked directly at him, defying the strict protocol of silence unless asked or spoken to.
"Please esteed Lord." she whispered as her voice wavered with fear. "Do not send us away. We were brought here and told that we would be rewarded incredibly well by the general if we served you perfectly. If you reject us, we will receive nothing. I desperately need the money for my family. They are struggling and need it."
Li Yu stopped and was entirely taken aback by her honest but desperate plea.
From across the table, Garrick let out a low rumbling chuckle. The Great Sage paused his own indulgence and looked over at Li Yu with a serious and heavy gaze.
"Pay attention, kid." Garrick said while pointing a large finger at him. "Nothing in this vast cosmos is truly simple. Not even sothing like this. You might think you are doing the morally right thing by rejecting their servitude out of modesty but your high ground has a direct negative impact on them. Your refusal ans they fail their assigned task and their families go hungry."
Li Yu looked around at the other won kneeling beside him. Most of them nodded their heads in silent agreent but were too afraid to actually speak up like the brave woman who needed the reward.
Li Yu sat back in his chair and was feeling a heavy realization wash over him. Garrick was right. The world was incredibly complex. Actions could not always be easily divided into black and white or good and evil.
Sotis trying to refuse a gift because it felt decadent or inappropriate actually caused more harm to the people forced to present or be that gift. Rejecting them simply to protect his own sense of morals was actually an incredibly selfish act that would leave them destitute.
Li Yu let out a soft sigh and completely abandoned his rigid refusal.
"You can all stay," Li Yu told the won and offered them a gentle reassuring smile. "You may serve the drinks and arrange the food platters. I want you all to get your full rewards. But please do not touch
and I will not touch any of you. We will just enjoy the evening peacefully."
The palpable wave of relief that swept through the won was instant. The brave golden eyed woman offered Li Yu a look of gratitude before she quickly went back to ticulously arranging the crystal nectar cups on the table.
Li Yu leaned back and watched them work, his mind echoing with the lesson he had just learned. Nothing was ever simple. Over the course of the next week the lavish treatnt continued without a single interruption.
General Varak personally took on the role of tour guide and was showing Li Yu around the military city. The architecture was completely breathtaking but it also made Li Yu feel incredibly out of place. The archways, the training grounds and the weapon forges were all built to accommodate hulking insect demons.
Li Yu stuck out terribly. He was significantly smaller and completely different from every single being in the realm that he had t so far. Walking through the wide dark stone streets he felt like a tiny child wandering through a kingdom of armored titans.
However, their exploration was strictly limited. General Varak was polite but absolutely unbending on one specific rule. They remained entirely within the heavily fortified walls of the military city. Varak was not going to let Li Yu roam around the outside borders where rogue beasts or Eclipse Court scouts might be lurking. If sothing even scratched Li Yu while he was exploring the wilderness, Varak knew Xerxis would literally feed him to a nest of rabid centipedes.
So Li Yu spent his days touring the internal forges, watching giant beetle demons hamr glowing tals with their bare fists and eating the strange but delicious local foods while completely avoiding any bubbling green jellies. Garrick spent his days drowning in strong wine and the company of the local beauties. He was entirely content and delighted with their temporary situation.
This peaceful, completely pampered routine continued for about seven full days. On the morning of the eighth day the bright sky featuring the three close suns of the insect realm suddenly darkened.
A terrifying presence washed over the entire military city. The sheer density of the aura pressed the millions of soldiers down into the stone streets and forced them to kneel in reverence. The Domain King had finally returned from the war front.
Emperor Xerxis had arrived to properly greet his esteed guest.
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