The Corruption Dragon God: Lust System Chapter 564 Reconstruction (01)

Following the demise of three monarchs alongside the obliteration of the supreme authority within the immortal heavens' foremost faith, disorder among the ordinary masses became unavoidable.

Whispers of demonic forces echoed from some tongues, while others attributed it to celestial wrath.

However, the one indisputable truth stood firm: rebuilding efforts were essential.

The mighty influences of various empires swiftly seized command, quelling any whispers that could hint at their rulers' ties to the fiend responsible for unleashing such devastation upon the realm.

After all, the spirits of the populace hung perilously low already.

It proved wiser to let them dwell in blissful unawareness rather than confront such a horrifying reality.

Within the Rose Empire, the transfer of power unfolded without much strife.

The royal lineage remained unscathed, and the heir apparent, proven ignorant of his sire's fate, ascended to the throne as the fresh sovereign.

In the Enlightened Sky Empire, tensions simmered a bit higher. A vast portion of the royal kin had fallen in slaughter, leaving merely two princes alive in the aftermath.

Luckily, backed by the Gold King's allegiance to one, the handover proceeded rapidly.

That said, ruling would hardly prove straightforward, even under such patronage.

Nearly all forces loyal to the imperial house lay in ruins, and the Emperor's Hand, though it pulled back just in time to evade the clash between Qingyi and the heavenly fiend, endured grievous losses—ones demanding years, perhaps decades, to mend.

Ultimately, the remnants of the imperial family huddled in the shadow of

the Gold King and his formidable might.

Some thirty days later, the Enlightened imperial hub stood nearly purged of debris.

Fortifications underwent restoration, and bit by bit, those citizens who had escaped began trickling back to their abodes.

Needless to say, their numbers fell short.

A populace exceeding twenty million souls had dwindled to under two million.

Yet that shifted swiftly when the Five-Color Pavilion extended lavish incentives for fresh ventures and launched widespread recruitment for the revival works.

Unsurprisingly, this surge of funds, combined with the Gold King unlocking his vaults brimming with riches amassed over tens of millennia, ignited a massive wave of migration flooding into the heart of the city.

Still, amid this flurry of endeavors, one initiative in the city's core drew the sharpest gaze.

The Gold King's residence flanked the left of the imperial palace and reconstruction already buzzed there beside it.

The standout undertaking lay to the right and, setting itself apart from the rest, formed neither a dwelling nor a commercial hub.

Rather, it manifested as a gleaming golden effigy.

"Father-in-law... do you truly believe this is needed?" Qingyi inquired, observing the monument's initial raising.

"To be frank, I feel Jianming—" He halted, recalling the elder's preferred title. "I believe Grandpa merited a monument here far more than I do."

In truth, the old warrior had perished while steadfastly guarding the capital's barriers, rejecting any chance to escape.

The rites for his passing had occurred discreetly mere days prior, and Meilin lingered

at that instant in one of her estates alongside her mother, grappling with her grandfather's absence.

Thankfully, owing to the sprawling expanse of the Enlightened imperial seat, certain districts escaped the fray's worst ravages.

"That stubborn geezer despised such displays, hahaha." Jin Hao chuckled, his tone laced with sorrow over mirth.

"I recall the emperor once proposed a statue in the capital after a triumphant northern expedition, yet he declined. When the emperor pressed further, he vowed to step down, hahahaha."

"Hm... that's exactly the sort he was." Qingyi nodded, a wry smile twisting her lips as she stood by her father-in-law.

How could the passing of a figure he'd encountered so briefly inflict such profound grief?

In a realm teeming with immortals and those beyond mortality, existences stretched so vast and death-haunted that many simply armored themselves against the sting.

Yet Qingyi refused to numb herself that way.

The knowledge that he'd never hoist a cup with that irascible elder again stirred fury and a piercing sorrow within his chest. "Hm... shall we stroll? We've surveyed the site sufficiently, and the builders hold a portrait of you already." Jin Hao gestured for Qingyi to trail him.

Without a word, the pair wandered the reviving streets of the capital.

Avenues once flawless and immaculate now bore scars of ruin, vast sinkholes devouring whole blocks.

Ere long, they arrived at the fringes, distant from the bustling core, the noble clans, and the epicenters of clashes among the mighty.

This zone ranked among the sparsest hit, positioned just eastward of the imperial seat.

Jin Hao, striding with ease until then, came to an abrupt halt. His gaze locked onto a modest, secluded outpost.

It proved a dingy alehouse. The sort drawing rogues and wanderers, where nightly brawls stained the floors red.

This district counted among the capital's most ancient, and Jin Hao vividly recalled a tavern occupying that precise corner in his younger days.

Admittedly, over fifty thousand years had passed since, so it couldn't be the identical spot. Even so, the resemblance lingered strong.

"Time to quench our thirst." Jin Hao stepped into the tavern.

Sorrowful stares landed on him and Qingyi.

Guardians bereft of kin, youths orphaned in the chaos.

From callow youths to ancients teetering on death's edge, all gathered there,

seeking oblivion in their cups.

The proprietor wore a haunted, remote expression, echoes of that night's agonized wails still resounding in his thoughts.

He'd burrowed into the cellar and beseeched the heavens, pleading through the ordeal.

Among scant survivors, he stood alone; every companion and relative lay slain.

Yet existence demanded continuation.

Ale must still pour, and wretched hearts required a haven to submerge their woes.

Qingyi and Jin Hao claimed seats at the bar, tendering a modest spirit crystal to the aged keeper.

No lavish spirits or elegant vintages crossed their lips.

They savored the simple brew, akin to the throng of broken spirits around them.

Harsh and unrefined.

It mirrored the gloom enveloping the Enlightened

imperial capital.