WEAPON SELLER IN THE WORLD OF MAGIC

Ever since he was eight years old, when he heard that their ancestor was blessed by the divine beast Phoenix, Emperor Shang always had a wish that is yet to be fulfilled. He wanted to see a divine beast.

That simple wish made him become fascinated towards the beasts. If someone claimed to witness a new species somewhere in the wild or a dungeon, he would send a team to capture it.

But, as he grows older, he would only get worried about seeing one before he dies.

Unfortunately, to this date, forget about the mythical divine beast, he couldn't even see a glimpse of a beast emperor.

Now that he heard of the existence of an emperor-grade beast that is living inside the Imperial City, the Emperor couldn't stop himself.

He left the royal meeting chamber, dragging the Grand Secretariat along with him.

The General of the North who was usually stationed at the Imperial City at all times, Ye Yin was notified about it.

It is mandatory for a General or a Supreme Commander to always escort the Emperor whenever he was going out for he was only an intermediate-6-circle Spirit Warrior despite the fact that he had awakened the Phoenix bloodline.

General Ye Yin and a handful of Imperial guards were making their preparations to head out.

Meanwhile, Emperor Shang and Grand Secretariat Li were on their way. They reached the end of the hallway, making a right turn that would lead him to the inner palace where the women of the Imperial Family and their maids live.

He was going straight towards the exit but when he saw the entrance of the inner palace, a thought appeared in his head. He halted his footsteps.

"Grand Secretariat Li, please go on your way. I will be here in a moment." Emperor Shang took a turn and went towards the inner palace.

Surprisingly, instead of going towards his favorite Queen consort, Lan Jingyi, he went to the Empress whom he rarely talked to during the past decade or so.

As he stepped inside the Empress' chamber, he found a woman in her late fifties who was busy playing an ancient board game known as Weiqi. As Chess became popular among the citizens of the empire, Weiqi almost became nonexistent. Only a few families who wanted to stick to the old tradition play it.

*Ahem*

The Emperor cleared his throat, interrupting their play.

"What is it?" The Empress appeared to be quite irritated. She didn't even move her head to look at the source of the sound.

The maid, on the other hand, immediately tried to stand up to greet him but her hand was caught by the Empress, "where are you going, sit down."

"It's me, Zhenya." The Emperor said to her, thinking that she probably misunderstood for an Imperial guard.

"I know that it is you, Shang Fu. Who else would dare to enter without getting permission," The Empress gave the maid, a shock to her life as she addressed the Emperor directly by his name and even talked in a rude tone. "I already told you before. Unless you plan on removing the house arrest on my son, don't bother to look for me. Just tell me and leave quickly."

Emperor Shang furrowed his brows. He was familiar with her temper but it still hurts when she talks like that.

She may not be his favorite but she is still his wife. But, what can he do? He was also a part guilty for proceeding with the marriage, several decades ago, despite how she wants to enjoy the life of a free bird, at her home, for a bit more time.

Empress Zhenya was from the most powerful major clan of the Phoenix Empire, the Yuan Clan. She was seven years elder than the Emperor but was engaged to him by her parents on the wishes of the late Emperor.

At first, she was good and all but after he started marrying more women, her actions became centered on politics with the main objective of retiring him and ascending the crown prince to the throne.

With the crown prince being imprisoned in the palace, the second prince publicly insulting her loyalty, the Emperor withdrawing his plans of stepping down from the throne, all of these only increased her anger.

The Emperor expected a little discontent from his wife but he didn't expect that she would go this far. Like him, she was also fond of beasts. In fact, her daily hobby is to take care of the Emperor's personal mount, not because it belongs to him but it is because the beast is of king grade.

This is the reason he came to invite her but seeing her mood with his own eyes, the Emperor decided against it, and without speaking anything, he turned around and left the chamber.

"Your Majesty…" The maid tried to speak something to the Empress but the latter doesn't seem bothered by it, "forget about him. You play."

After leaving the chamber, he went to his favorite consort for he doesn't want to feel like a loser returning empty-handed.

There, the ever-beautiful, Queen Consort Lan Jingyi was busy with her weaving.

Looking at her from the distance, a smile appeared on Emperor Shang, "no matter what she does, she looks very graceful."

*Ahem*

He cleared his throat like before. Unlike the Empress, Queen Consort immediately stopped her work and looked at him.

Her smile widened as she stood up on her feet, "Your Majesty?"

"Are you busy, Dear? I didn't disturb you, right?" He asked her, to which, she shook her head, "it's alright, Your Majesty. I was just passing my time."

The Emperor once again remembered Mark's words from the public trial. He thought his wife was probably bored all day.

He said in a soft tone, "I'm going out somewhere. Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure, Your Majesty. Give me a few minutes. I'll change into formal wear." She agreed right away without even asking where they are going.

Some of the maids think it was because of fear or respect but the Emperor believes that it is because of her utmost trust in him. After all, during the past 26 years of their marriage, he never took her to the hunting or weapon shopping, which she doesn't like.

Soon, both of them left the inner palace. Lan Jingyi boarded a palanquin while the Emperor mounted on a horse.

Surrounded by a general and a group of Imperial guards, they made their way to the backwater lake behind the palace, located about 500 meters away.

At the shores of the lake, a few soldiers in the 5-circle realm were stationed as if they are guarding the place.

They bowed to the Emperor and moved away as he stepped down from the horse and walked forward.

Upon reaching the shore, he spoke out loud, "Amara, it's time to go out."

As soon as his words fell over, bubbles appeared at the surface of the lake before a giant stingray came to the surface. It was in the six-circle realm but its aura far stronger than a typical 7-circle beast.

Some of the Imperial guards, who weren't unfamiliar with it, flinched upon seeing its presence.