Imperial City.
It was a megalopolis of such staggering proportions that it spanned an entire solar system.
Its "streets" were like celestial currents, and its "neighborhoods" were more of a clusters of terraformed planets and moons, all revolving around the massive central star that is the Imperial Castle.
This was the unshakeable heart of the Central Region, the seat of the Xu lineage, and the ultimate symbol of human authority in the Tian Yuan Empire.
Yet, even in the center of the universe, there are shadows where the light of the sun never reaches.
Deep within the folds of the central planet's mountain ranges sat the Cold Palace.
It was a fortress of isolation, a place of damp stone and eternal winter where the Emperor discarded neglected concubines who had lost his favor, or where the Empress imprisoned those she feared might one day usurp her authority through their beauty or their sons.
