Xu Shan arrived in the Royal City which was the centre of power for the Divine Realm. This was also the biggest city in the entire continent that was only ruled by one Empire.
Even though Xu Shan had just landed in the city, he could already see many gazes from strangers. Those subtle gazes were filled with suspicions, which was often the case for strangers.
Usually, most guards didn't check the identity of people who arrived from a portal since it was checked at the time of entry in a portal. However, in the Royal City, the Royal Guards directly under the Divine Queen checked once more, and even more thoroughly.
Initially, Xu Shan had some suspicions that he might get caught if a thorough checking was to take place. Fortunately, no flaws were discovered and he was allowed to pass through the guards.
In the city, his first objective was to look for a place to stay, since he was going to live here for some time. There was a lot for him to learn before making his move.
As he knew that most of the people here were fanatically loyal to the queen, he didn't even think about asking any questions from them.
Instead, he decided to use Soul Search on someone later, possibly a Royal Guard since they were more knowledgeable.
The Royal Guards here knew a lot about the security mechanisms and inner workings of the City. They at least knew more than the wife of a distant City Lord far away from the Royal City.
As he walked in the city, his eyes kept observing his surroundings. The security in the Royal City was even more strict. The number of Royal Guards was even higher than anything he ever saw before.
Every thirty metres, he could see one Royal Guard, not moving from their position. Moreover, all the Royal Guards were strong.
Peak Heavenly Celestial was an ordinary sight in the city. Xu Shan could see hundreds of them on the street alone. It was understandable why the security was so strict, since an unsupervised battle within the city could harm the City a lot.
The Guards were everywhere to maintain peace. If one even tried a fight, the party which attacked first was executed without any questions being asked. This was one of the rules of the City, along with a few which were even stricter.
If anyone was caught talking bad about the Queen or spreading rumours about the Royal Family, they were publicly executed, along with everyone in their family.
Soul Search was no different than killing the target. In a city that was so strictly guarded, day and night, Xu Shan wasn't sure if he could even kill a person without being caught.
"There is just no flaw in their security. It's like every single inch of the City is covered by the guards. Just what is this place?" Xu Shan thought in his mind, talking to Xun next to him.
"Not just what you see. There are also formations that are watching everyone. I can feel it..." Xun replied, being even more sensitive to Celestial Energy than Xu Shan.
"This entire City... It's a fortress," she further stated. "That makes me wonder... If the City itself is so secure, just how secure would the palace be? It seems almost impossible for you to enter that place, unless..."I think you should take a look at
"Unless I use the Book?" Xu Shan completed her sentence, before sarcastically stating, "Are you some kind of saleswoman or something? Don't tell me you get Royalty every time I use it."
He was in the Divine Realm. And the Queen's fate was more impactful. Even making a minor change in destiny related to her with his wishes was going to come at a heavy cost, which he really wanted to avoid.
"If only I got Royalty. I would've been so rich," Xun laughed, remembering all the time the Book was used by people in the past.
She remembered how the Book was used by hundreds of people throughout the years. All those people that had left their mark on history in one way or another, but they all had one thing in common. They didn't stop when they should've.
They came to rely too much on the Book, becoming greedy with time. And in the end, they all had a tragic fate at the cost of their wishes. All their fates were tragic.
Xu Shan continued walking through the city streets, lost in deep contemplation. He knew that the power of the Book was immense, but he was also aware of the dangers it posed.
As he pondered the situation, Xun's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Though you're right about one thing. The Divine Queen's destiny is intertwined with destiny and luck of this entire realm. Any changes you make using the Book of Desires would come at a much heavier cost than usual."
"I know," he replied with a sigh. " I came here with the intention of observing, learning, and understanding the situation before making any decisions. Unless needed, I will only be relying on myself."
He stopped one person in the city, and asked them the direction for the nearest inn. Since it was a normal question, he didn't have to be too careful.
After getting directions, he went straight to the nearest hotel. Money wasn't an issue, and he booked the most luxurious room in the inn for the entire week directly.
The inn owner inquired about Xu Shan's intentions of arriving in the city and other relevant details, which was duly recorded on a form.
Xu Shan had already thought about all the stories, and told the Inn Owner a story about him being a businessman, here to look for business opportunities.
The Owner didn't find him suspicious, at least from how Xu Shan behaved like a newly rich youngster who inherited their family's immense wealth and didn't know what to do with it.
He had seen many people like that, who came to the Royal City, thinking that they could be the next big businessman.
"One last question..." Just as Xu Shan went through all the answers to questions that he had known about, the Inn Owner further spoke, throwing him off his train of thoughts.