Byron first heard the term "Sun Empire" in the memories of the Divine Son and Goddess, but it was only a vague reference.

Due to the strict prohibition by the Abyssal Horror Dagon, they were not to venture to the West Coast, which belonged to the Sun Empire, and could only go as far as the central rainforest.

They knew it was a powerful Native Empire, dreaded even by Fifth-Order [False God]s. This empire was currently in a standoff across the central plains with the various Kin occupying the entire East Coast. Beyond this, they knew very little about the nation’s political structure, population, Transcendent System, forbidden knowledge, and so on.

Their most striking memory was that whenever Dagon mentioned the Sun Empire, established amongst towering mountains, he would always add an allusive phrase:

"The Sun and the Storm are the sworn enemies of the Deep Sea!"

The Divine Son and Goddess were somewhat puzzled but dared not ask more.

However, from a third-party perspective, Byron felt that this mystically significant phrase must have another source; it didn’t sound like an original saying of Dagon’s.

It seemed more like some dream talk or uncommon maxim from an even higher-level Old God.

As to whether the "Sun" referred to the "Sun Empire," he was not sure at the moment. Only by seeing it with his own eyes could he find out.

As for that ’Storm,’ it certainly can’t be referring to us, the Storm Knights. Whether it is a Third-Order [Storm Admiral], a Fourth-Order [Storm Lord], or even the Fifth-Order Kingly Title, they are all far too inferior. It must at least be on the level of the Mad Hunt Deity to merit the title of a sworn enemy.

Pulling Violet along, he transformed into whale form, and they rode the Ammonite Snail on their return journey, seizing the time to check the intelligence attached to the letters from Edward IV:

* **[The Beagle]:** Funded by the York Family, it is one of the Miracle adventure ships, notable even among the second tier.

* **Primary Exploratory Focus:** Study of overseas animals, plants, and minerals.

* **Figurehead·Canes Venatici:** It can summon a pack of giant Spiritual Body sled dogs to pull the ship furiously across the seas. In times of lethal danger, it can also summon the astral power of Canes Venatici to imbue itself, performing a powerful transcendent ability called [Scatter and Be Gone].

* **[Scatter and Be Gone] Mechanism:** When the sled dogs are released from their bindings, they use any angle less than 120 degrees in the surrounding space. This allows them to carry the adventure ship through continuous, wave-like spaces, randomly teleporting it to a nearby location with treasure.

* **Risk:** If you’re not afraid to die, a few tries might result in a blind cat finding a dead mouse. However, the greater likelihood is accidentally entering a deadly Secret Realm and being completely annihilated on the spot!

* **Ship’s Captain:** Charles Robert, a Third-Order [Naturalist] from the Tower Sequence.

* **First Mate:** Louis Williams, a Third-Order Great Wizard [Mr. No].

* **Recent Incident:** Two days ago, while avoiding a bizarre attack, they activated [Scatter and Be Gone] and inadvertently broke into the sacred ritual lake of the Sun Empire. They encountered a group of Priests stationed there and suffered heavy losses. Afterward, they unexpectedly obtained a treasure called the [Sun Crown] and subsequently killed and performed necromancy on several Priests to acquire related intelligence...

Byron discovered that the common knowledge in the minds of the Divine Son and Goddess was even less than what this group of Adventurers had learned through their hasty explorations.

He scanned through the information and found that this Native Empire was far more powerful than the Aztec and Taya Empires, and not at all inferior to what he had imagined as the Sacred Golden Empire.

It resembled an ancient nation from the Mythological Era of two thousand years ago, where humans and gods coexisted and co-ruled.

The emperor of the Empire was the Divine King [Sun God] Inti, ruled by a noble group consisting of the Pantheon and numerous Divine Descendants, governing a vast empire with over twenty million citizens.

The most powerful individual among mortals was reverently known as Willaq Umu. This was, in practice, a secular official position combining the powers of Prime Minister, Priest, and administrator of the royal treasury.

He served in the stead of the exalted Sun God to manage the affairs of the multitude of humble mortals.

In the Old Continent, he would equate to a King in the secular world, except that in the centralized Sun Empire, there was only one King.

The [Sun Crown] they had unwittingly obtained is a symbol of authority. It is similar to the Seven Sacred Regalia of Authority used for King Hightins’s coronation (Chapter 317), the Thirteen Crystal Skulls of the Taya Empire, and the Episcopal Authority Ring and Fisher’s Ring of Authority within the Church hierarchy.

After every Willaq Umu passes away, the noble assembly forges a new [Sun Crown] and places it in the Holy Lake for veneration, hoping to receive a blessing from the Sun God.

Later, this crown will adorn the ultimate victor after a fierce battle of succession, becoming the Crown of the nation for a long time to come.

Leaving aside mysteries of infinite Gold and eternal life, its symbolic significance alone is powerful enough to make Edward IV’s heart flutter.

In different hands, it will have a completely different effect.

When ordinary people get their hands on it: Turn the treasure over to the state in exchange for two Gold Coins and a verbal commendation.

When it comes to powerful individuals: Hand over the state to me!

It is a legitimate symbol of the Sun Empire and a manifestation of the Mandate of Heaven for a time. An excellent Willaq Umu, upon retirement, may even turn it into a powerful Sacred Relic.

If it is possible to retrieve it, even if just for the sake of the Sun God’s dignity, the Sun Empire must certainly chase it down, but it’s unlikely that the entire nation would be mobilized for this.

After all, the Sun Crown is not something unique; a new one could be easily made if they wished to replicate it.