Needless to say, Severin's wives were just as delighted as Selene after learning that they were going to have a barbecue for dinner. Before long, they left for the town at the foot of the mountain and bought many of the ingredients.When evening came, Wuhlricht arrived at Severin's residence with Gilda."My, oh my! It smells heavenly! Gilda and I caught a whiff of the delicious aroma right from the entrance! My stomach is starting to grumble," Wuhlricht remarked as he entered the yard."My dad brought a few jars of fine wine for everyone. He wants to enjoy himself tonight," Gilda added with a smile."Oh! Then I'd be happy to taste some of the wine that our sect leader brought. I bet it's going to taste fantastic," Sheila commented, licking her lips."I'm already looking forward to it," Diane said.The evening started on a good note. After tasting a piece of Severin's barbecued meat, Wuhlricht completely disregarded his image as a sect leader and ate gluttonously. At the same time
Gilda began to think that Severin would be repulsed by her if he found out that she was carrying someone else's child. He might still be averse to her even if she decided to abort the child.Gilda was so overwhelmed with fear that her mind was starting to buzz."No… this can't happen! There has to be another reason why my period is late. I'm not pregnant, right? It has to be a coincidence!" Gilda shook her head repeatedly and paced anxiously in her room. She did not dare to dwell too much on that and was desperately hoping that she was overthinking.She eventually sat down, closed her eyes, and used her mental power to check the situation in her womb. Her face paled with fright as soon as she found out the truth. Her worst fear had come true—she had gotten pregnant due to that fateful night."Why is the world doing this to me?" Gilda cried out in resentment. She did not even have the slightest idea as to who the child's father was!"I need to terminate the pregnancy," Gilda decide
Wuhlricht smiled and handed the twelve oriental zodiac tokens to twelve level eight and level nine saints."Take good care of these tokens. Each of you will be leading a team of one hundred individuals. You'll be scattered in different places once you enter the realm, so commit the names and faces of your team members to memory. Help your fellow sect members as much as possible, and locate the miniature black tower as quickly as possible. This mission will depend very highly on Elder Severin," Wuhlricht instructed after handing over the tokens.The disciples nodded in acknowledgment and turned their attention to Severin.Severin was one of the leaders who were given a token, and standing with him were the other eleven. All twelve of them were venturing into the Paradise Secret Realm for the first time, and only a first-tier sect could achieve their sort of numbers.Larry and a few others were part of Severin's group."The Soul Compass is with you," Wuhlricht said to Severin, "so y
Severin smiled and extended his hand toward Heidi. "You flatter me, Miss Heidi. Your team's overall strength is much greater than mine, and we're of the same attainment level too. It would be more accurate to say that we will have to look out for each other during this expedition."Heidi chuckled upon hearing that. "You're being too modest! I firmly believe that your combat ability far exceeds mine despite our similar attainment levels. I also have faith that you, as an alchemist, will make a breakthrough to level one royal saint."Severin did not anticipate her to be such a smooth talker. She grinned and replied, "Don't worry. We're all from the same sect, so it's only natural for us to look out for one another in there. Let's all have each other's back and remain vigilant."Heidi then produced a flying sword. She enlarged it and hopped on with her team before ascending into the air. Meanwhile, Severin took out his flying sword and got on with 1,200 of his team members."This will
Heidi was a very attentive woman. She knew that everyone—be it higher-level or lower-level disciples—regarded Severin highly within the sect. His presence was more beneficial to many of the disciples.Heidi smiled before continuing, "Even though this is my first time entering the Paradise Secret Realm, I've tried to get insights from my seniors who have ventured in there before. Aside from an abundance of fourth-grade spiritual herbs, there are equally as many fifth-grade herbs. Sixth-grade ones can be found there as well, but they're almost always very rare."Severin was taken aback when he heard that. "There's sixth-grade herbs too?!""Yes," Heidi said with a nod. "But the realm is teeming with spiritual beasts. It's important to be cautious and act in accordance with one's attainment level. Disciples with lower-level attainment are advised not to venture too deep into the forest."Heidi continued to explain different aspects of the Paradise Secret Realm, much to the amazement of
Wuhlricht nodded and said, "Those in the late and peak stages of level nine saint will probably only need one pill, while those in the early and middle stages will likely require two."Felipe chimed in with enthusiasm. "We might be a first-tier sect, but the gap between our sect and the upper-class first-tier sects is still rather big. This is especially so in terms of the number of royal saints, as other sects far outnumber us. Now that Elder Severin is a fourth-grade high-rank alchemist, we will soon see the addition of many royal saints in our ranks. This way, that gap I mentioned will narrow considerably even though we're still some way off from catching up to them."Wuhlricht commented admiringly, "Severin is full of surprises. I'm still in awe of his alchemical talent." Following a pause, he continued, "But it's important for us not to divulge the fact that our sect now boasts a fourth-grade high-rank alchemist, especially while Severin is away. If other sects are aware of his
Gilda nodded with a saddened look. "Yes, and I want to terminate it secretly. Even though Severin might be able to accept that I'm no longer a virgin, I'm pretty sure he won't accept that I'm pregnant with someone else's child, much less give birth to it."She had a pleading look in her eyes as she continued, "But I can't go through with terminating the pregnancy myself. This fetus inside of me is a living being, after all. Please do it for me, Dad. We'll just act as though it never happened."Rather than expressing his disappointment, Wuhlricht chuckled heartily, surprising Gilda. "Haha! I didn't think I'd become a grandfather so soon!"Gilda was left speechless by her father's reaction and asked coldly, "What do you mean by that, Dad? Do you want me to go through with the pregnancy?"Wuhlricht smiled and said, "I'm glad you couldn't bring yourself to do an abortion. Don't you worry about it. Severin won't mind at all. He might even be happy to hear that you're pregnant!"Gilda w
Wuhlricht smiled and replied, "Why would I ever lie to you about something like this? Everything I said is the truth. Severin is the father of your child. He was the man who saved you."Following a pause, he continued explaining, "You can't expect him to tell you the truth under those circumstances. He's simply been waiting for the right time to reveal everything to you, hoping that you'll understand. But now that things have come to this, I would have to be the one to tell you."Wuhlricht's explanation caused Gilda's emotions to shift from the verge of tears to a mixture of relief and amusement. "I see. I never would have thought that he was the child's father. Guess I no longer have anything to worry about then."All of a sudden, Gilda frowned again and asked worriedly, "But what if he only confessed to me and treated me well because of guilt and responsibility? I can't tell for sure if he genuinely cares about me."Wuhlricht burst into laughter and reassured her. "Haha, you don'
At that instant, Infernatur and Damnatur felt a sudden chill, as if an impending doom loomed on the horizon.Severin then said softly to them, "I'm gonna need you as a helping hand!"Infernatur and Damnatur recoiled as a horrifying realization dawned upon them."Have you taken that leap?" Infernatur's voice trembled with uncertainty.Severin remained silent and simply waved his hand gently. The 129,600 cosmic laws surged with boundless power, reducing the huge figures of Infernatur and Damnatur to dust.Within moments, two essences of pure primordial power flowed into Severin's inner world, while the desolate chaos sea crumbled and was consumed by his voracious appetite.Severin's form eventually began to fade until it became a flicker of light that vanished completely. His consciousness had been devoured entirely.Everything before him was empty and devoid of substance.An indefinite amount of time passed before Severin's voice echoed through the emptiness, "Chaos springs from
With a deft stroke of the bronze halberd, the path hovering above Severin shattered."This is a peculiar weapon," Severin recoiled in alarm, raising the Oculus Blade to defend himself "It has the ability to dismantle the great path!"Simultaneously, he utilized his space-time path to shield against potential assaults, especially any sneak attacks.Explosions reverberated, unleashing torrents of elemental energy and spatial turbulence throughout the chaotic sea. Time passed indeterminately amidst the chaos.For centuries, the trio engaged in combat, their auras undiminished by time's passage.Meanwhile, the four Dominus Nosters in the Celestial Realm waged war against the extraterrestrial intruders, reclaiming territories with unparalleled ferocity.Under the leadership of figures like Callide, the extraterrestrials were simply no match for them.The Southern, Western, and Devil Regions were reclaimed quickly, yet everyone from the Celestial Realm remained vigilant, for war conti
Outside the Heaven Palace, the few who had been appointed Dominus Noster along with a cohort of quasi-royal celestials were faced with the grim reality at hand.Clad in resplendent hues, Callide—who was their leader and carried the title Dominus Noster Arcanum—donned celestial attire woven from stars and the galaxy. With a regal bearing, she commanded from atop a cloud, "Follow me, my brethren! We shall vanquish the extraterrestrials in the Devil Realm!""At your command, Dominus Noster Arcanum!""Yes, Dominus Noster Arcanum!"With their resounding battle cries, streams of light surged across the Nine Heavens Ten Lands, converging upon the territories occupied by the extraterrestrials—they were the Devil Region, Southern Region, and the Western Region.Amidst the vibrant rainbow, a towering figure emerged, blotting out the sky and earth. Everyone recognized that figure as Severin, and knew that the battle against the quasi-celestial regents would soon begin.Adrian, who was alrea
Armin then spoke with a calm authority, "You cannot remain in this time and space, for you are from the future. It is time you return."As he uttered these words, Severin sensed an invisible force pushing against him and urging him to depart.Standing upon the river of time, he overlooked the tumult of the quasi-celestial regent conflict looming below. He mumbled Armin's counsel, "By receiving nourishment, shattering constraints, tearing open chaos, and reaching the other side…" As Severin pondered over those revelations for an indefinite amount of time, clarity dawned upon him like the sudden rising sun. "So that's the way!"By the time he snapped to his senses, he discovered that his primal spirit had traversed countless epochs in the river of time. "Did I spend that long in the river of time?" he asked himself. Fortunately, the duration he spent in the river of time was but a fleeting moment in the real world.Severin's resolve solidified. Though his brief discourse with Armin,
Severin could sense the mental connection between himself and the weapon, almost as if it was an extension of himself. Severin then raised his gaze to the celestial expanse beyond."I'm almost on Armin's level now that I've made a breakthrough to the rank of quasi-celestial sovereign. However, facing the extraterrestrials' quasi-celestial regents isn't going to be easy meat for me," he mused aloud.Armin was once the sovereign architect of the Imperial Court and the ruler of the Celestial Realm, yet even he found himself at the mercy of the attack of Heaven's Will. Even a mighty quasi-celestial sovereign was reduced to naught but dust.Severin felt the weight of the responsibility settle upon him. Confronting the two quasi-celestial regents would require him to transcend to the realm of celestial sovereign—a realm of which he had scant knowledge of.He understood the concept of the celestial sovereign only in the context of attaining liberation through enlightenment via the 3,000 p
In the vast expanse of the chaotic sea, occasional gusts of strong wind whipped up the formidable chaotic energy. A single whirlpool could claim the life of even a true immortal.Amidst that tumult, two colossal figures lay prone within the abyss. They emanated an aura of unparalleled power, commanding even the paths to heed their authority. The turbid breath exhaled in their slumber had the capacity to tear the fabric of the chaotic void, unveiling dreamlike cosmic chiliocosms.They were the progenitors of the extraterrestrial race, the alpha and omega of the enigmatic beings. Their names were Infernatur and Damnatur. To the uninitiated, and sometimes even to their own kind, it was widely believed that Infernatur and Damnatur were distinct entities. However, they were but facets of the same being.Infernatur could be deemed the primordial offspring of chaos itself, having borne witness to the most primitive and barbaric epochs of the Bleu Celestial Realm. Being born of chaos, he po
Heaven Palace could now boast four royal celestials, along with nearly 20 quasi-royal celestials and 5,000 true immortals. Those esteemed individuals once served the Longevity Alliance, Clear Wind Sect, Tri Celestial Island, and Ingeni Paradise. While their numbers paled in comparison to the 120,000 true immortals during the ancient Imperial Court's heyday, Severin was confident that he could revive that with time. After all, the new Imperial Court had only just been re-established, and there was still more work to do.Severin then addressed the assembly, "As you continue raising your attainment, you shall have to anticipate the looming threat of conflict with the extraterrestrials. Now that you have are bestowed with titles as the custodians of heaven and earth, it is our solemn duty to reciprocate the blessings bestowed upon us.""Yes, we shall!" echoed the resolute affirmation from the gathered immortals.Having concluded his address, Severin went to speak briefly with Diane and
In the Heaven Palace, Callide sensed that the aura emanating from Severin was simultaneously as vast the sky and ocean but as indiscernible as that of a mortal. Tremors of terror gripped her, as she knew that he had far surpassed the realm of a cultivator who had attained the perfect-stage royal celestial. It was no exaggeration to say that Severin could obliterate a royal celestial with a mere thought.Balke, Libra, and Creatia shared Callide's apprehension. To them, Severin embodied the very essence of the path—intangible, silent, abstruse, incomprehensible, and undetectable.As the imperial robe adorned Severin, Balke and the others bowed in reverence. "Long live the Celestial Sovereign!" they chanted in unison.A subtle wave of fortune floated toward the heavenly heart imprint as Severin acknowledged their worship with a satisfied smile. He raised his hand and lifted them effortlessly with an unseen force.With a thunderous voice that resonated in their ears, Severin proclaimed
The true immortals, quasi-royal celestials, and even the eminent royal celestials held their breath. Everyone observed in silence as Severin wielded the heavenly heart imprint.With each strand of luck infused into the heavenly heart imprint, Severin sensed his dominion over the Bleu Celestial Realm becoming stronger. He had the feeling that he could reshape the world with only a single thought.Once the destinies of tens of thousands of races were bound with the heavenly heart imprint, the golden tourmaline quivered violently and radiated an aura that could be felt across the Nine Heavens Ten Lands. Acknowledging the momentous occasion, Severin tapped his forehead and directed a fragment of his soul to command the heavenly heart imprint. The 3,000 great paths within him erupted from his being and materialized."Today shall be the day that I, Severin, rebuild the Imperial Court in the Nine Heavens! As wielder of the great path, the world shall be inscribed in me, and I shall embody