Dawg raised his head, and he saw a man standing at the elevator's entrance. He was aloof, icy, and dashing, but more importantly, he radiated the air of a king. One look, and the thugs were already quivering."Who the hell is that guy? When did he show up?" the man with a scar asked.Dawg said nothing, but alarm bells were ringing in his head. He felt danger incoming.Yes, the man who came was Nox himself. The moment he knew where the SUV was going, he came after it. And he finally arrived. He scanned the thugs coldly and recognized who they were—Queenie's kidnappers.Nox strode over quietly. The thugs stood, alarmed and on guard. Dawg even secretly took out the dagger he'd been hiding. He glared at the incoming Nox, questioning, "Who are you?"Nox ignored him."Hey, we're talking to you! Who the heck are you?" The man with the scar stepped ahead, trying to shove Nox away, but before he could do much, something lashed out at him, and he found Nox's hand around his throat.Nox cr
"Queenie!" Nox called out to her, but Queenie did not respond. He darted over to her and checked her pulse. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. "Just a regular drug."And then someone opened the bathroom door. Out came Silas, draped in nothing but a towel. He was drying his hair, humming a tune happily, but that was cut short when he saw a stranger standing in the room.He glared at Nox and demanded, "Who are you? How did you get in?"Nox slowly got up and turned around."God—" When Silas saw who he was facing, he slipped and almost fell. "Y-You?" He couldn't believe Nox would show up.Nox looked at Silas coolly. He hissed, "I distinctly remember our last meeting. I told you if you tried to hurt Queenie again, I will kill you myself. That time is now."Silas felt fear settling in. He knew how powerful this man was. "Guards? Guards, come in!" Silas shouted at the door.Nox interrupted icily, "Save your breath. I've slaughtered your thugs."'What?' Silas wondered in fear. 'Dawg an
Nox didn't even look at Silas' body. He turned around and approached Queenie. Carefully, he picked her up and put his hands on her back. He injected slivers of energy into Queenie, and not too long after, Queenie spat the drug out.Still, she needed rest before she could wake up. Nox looked at her again and took her away from the hotel.…It was eleven at night. George and Yvette were in the courtyard, waiting for Queenie."Why isn't she home yet, honey?" George was pacing around, looking at the entrance with worry."Oh, what's the rush? It's only eleven. Rich people's parties always take a long time," answered Yvette."You have a point, but I wonder how far she's gone with Mr. Weeks," George muttered."Don't you worry. Queenie is a nice and pretty lady. I bet Alexander is going to reward us well."And then someone opened the door. George and Yvette watched Nox coming in, bringing their unconscious daughter. They wondered what happened."What? Queenie? What did you do to my da
And George left. Nox didn't take what he said to heart. Just like that, the night came to an end, but the aftermath was just beginning to take place.The next morning, Silas' death was exposed, and it sent ripples throughout the city. Centersea's heir's death was bound to do that. However, Queenie was still peacefully asleep in her house. But eventually, she was woken up by some noise.Her eyes snapped open, and she shouted, "Help!"Yvette was holding a cup of honeyed tea. Shocked by her daughter's scream for help, she asked, "What's wrong, Queenie?"Queenie was surprised to hear her mother's voice, and she stared at Yvette, wide-eyed. "Mom? Why are you here?""Where else would I be, child?" Yvette handed the tea to Queenie. "Did you have too much to drink last night? You're not even a drinker. Why'd you drink so much?"'I had too much to drink?' Queenie wondered in confusion. She massaged her head and stared at the room around her. It looked familiar. 'I'm at home? But didn't Si
Nox scratched his head and came up with a random excuse. "Just a coincidence."Queenie frowned. She had a lot of questions, but she asked none of them. "Thanks for saving me again, Nono," she blurted.Nox answered, "Don't mention it. I promised I'd keep you safe forever."Queenie went red. "Damn that Silas. That bastard. He waited until I was alone outside and kidnapped me. Thank God you came just in time, or I…" Her heart was racing, and she shuddered at the memory of what happened the night before.Nox consoled, "It's alright. That scum won't be harassing you again.""Did you whoop his ass?" Queenie asked."In a sense." Nox didn't tell her Silas was killed. After all, civilians like Queenie would absolutely find murder to be unacceptable.Queenie brushed the ordeal aside. Unbeknownst to her, if Nox hadn't arrived in time, Silas would've assaulted her. She had no idea what Silas had in mind for her.After some small talk, Queenie went for breakfast. She wanted to bring Nox alo
The TV was showing Riverton's news. The announcer was in a hotel, holding a microphone in their hand. "Latest news. A murder took place at Royal Hotel at ten last night. The victims are Silas Joshton, heir to the Centersea Corporation, as well as four thugs."George's cutlery fell out of his hands. "What? Silas is dead?"Queenie's eyes went wide, and they were glued to the screen. "Silas got murdered?"The announcer went on with the news. The screen showed the bodies of Silas and the thugs, but all of them were covered in white cloths, though the blood in the room still oozed.Queenie's heart sank. 'Silas is dead? Who did it? The thugs kidnapped me last night, and Nono saved me. Did he kill—' She cut off that thought, and panic settled in.Queenie charged off, and her parents watched in confusion."Nono! Nono!" Queenie ran up to Nox's room.Hearing the shout, Nox opened his door. "Queenie? What's wrong?"Queenie screeched to a halt and grabbed Nox's hand. "Tell me, did you kill
Gold consoled his grieving wife, "Calm down, honey. I'll find out who the killer is, and I'll make them pay tenfold! Take the lady to her room. She needs to rest."A servant took Sarah to her room quickly, and then footsteps echoed in the air. Gold raised his head only to see his brother coming in. A couple of armed soldiers followed him. Rivera quickly asked, "What happened, Gold? I heard Silas is…"Gold plopped down on his chair, his eyes red. Tremulously, he said, "Yes. He was murdered last night.""What?" Rivera slammed his fist on the wooden table before him, and it was crushed into pieces. "Who's the bastard? How dare he kill Silas?"Gold shook his head. "All I know is he went to Royal Hotel last night. As for the reason? I have no idea."Rivera said, "It's alright, Gold. I'll tap into my connections and find out who the killer is. They'll pay with their lives."…While the Joshtons were looking into Silas' death, Nox was living a quiet life in the Sanders Residence. He di
The mention of Queenie stirred up a storm in Gold's eyes. Rivera asked, "Why was he with that wench?"The bodyguard looked at Gold, and he stammered, too scared to answer."Speak!" Rivera harrumphed.The bodyguard answered, "According to our investigation, Silas and a team of four thugs kidnapped Ms. Sanders and took her to Royal Hotel.""What?" Rivera was shocked. "Silas took her to Royal Hotel? What is the meaning of this, Gold?"Gold knew how cruel his son could be. He wasn't surprised Silas did that to Queenie. He took a deep breath. "Rivera, Silas was young. Sometimes he could be a bit impulsive, but that is no reason for them to kill my son!"Rivera knew what his brother was getting at. He mused over it for a moment and decided to stay quiet about it. "So what will you do, Gold?"Gold was black as thunder. The memory of his son's lifeless body stirred up hatred in his soul. "They will pay with their lives. I am sure that bitch has something to do with Silas' death."River
Three months later, Nox declared Faeast as the leader of all nations, ushering in a true era of peace and prosperity. Then, he abdicated the throne, passing the throne to Nineve. Nox proclaimed that this nation was neither the Greenshade nor the Limerent family's, but a world that belonged to its people.One year later, Nox and Queenie lounged under the warm sun on the sandy shores of the Ocean of Death, enjoying a rare moment of tranquility. The world had finally settled into peace, allowing them to take a well-deserved rest."Nono, what's Aphrodite up to?" Queenie asked, her brows furrowed as she leaned against Nox. "Is she planning something shady again? She's been building alliances all over like she wants to imitate the Three-Eyed Empress.""Death changes people," Nox replied calmly. "Don't worry about her. She knows exactly what she's doing."Old Aphrodite would've killed Jacques and run off to save herself without a second thought. Instead, she spared him, stripped his cul
The Nine-State Crucible hovered majestically over the heavens, drawing all the spiritual energy from the Nine States and Five Domains into itself. As the ultimate artifact of Faeast, the crucible was unmatched—a legendary relic that had never known defeat.The origins of the Nine-State Crucible were shrouded in mystery. No one knew who forged it nor why it disappeared over the ages. For centuries, many dismissed it as a mere myth. Yet now, it reappeared, proving its existence—and, by extension, the truth of all the ancient legends tied to it.The sight left every cultivator present in awe, bowing in reverence to the artifact."The ancient sovereigns of Faeast forged the Nine-State Crucible to safeguard the Nine States and Five Domains. "Its power ensures that Ascendants cannot interfere with the mortal realm. It has crushed even Ascendants in the past, and you, still merely a mortal cultivator, think you can stand against it? I promised to crush you, and I will!"With Nox at it
However, only Nox himself could sever the celestial providence. Only by cutting off the Celestial Lord's celestial providence could Faeast's providence be restored to its peak."Damn it! Nox Greenshade! Do you really think you can defy the heavens? I didn't want to damage my cultivation, but it seems I have no choice but to go all out! You think a one-ring Minor Saint can defeat me? I am the Celestial Lord—the apex of mortals, the Great Saint of Dao and Virtue, ordained by the heavens themselves!"The Celestial Lord's furious roar resonated across Mystia, drawing in vast waves of spiritual energy from the realm that converged upon him alone."Great Saint of Dao and Virtue? If the so-called heavens of the Transcendent Firmament made you, it only proves that even they have failures," Nox retorted coldly.Even the Celestial Lord, enraged as he was, could scarcely believe Nox's audacity—daring to disparage the mighty figures of the Transcendent Firmament."I am indeed a one-ring Minor
'What? Griffin was a sworn brother to Magic Mountain's founder?!'"That's right," confirmed the formation master. "He only told us recently."As the first to learn of this connection, he had shared it with the Saints of the Five Elements, ensuring they wouldn't betray their alliance. Using the promise of ascension as leverage, he managed to secure their cooperation. After all, the Great Saint of Fire had already reached the threshold for ascension.The risks were minimal, and upon ascending to the Transcendent Firmament, the Magic Mountain's founder would surely offer his guidance. For that reason alone, the five mentors had rallied to aid Nox.With such mighty forces gathered, morale on Nox's side soared. Meanwhile, the Whitefield family's spirits plummeted, crashing from the heights of hope to the depths of despair in mere moments. The mental strain caused several of their weaker-willed members to break completely.With dread settling over them, the Whitefields could only place
The Whitefields were getting cocky, but then they realized the powerhouses that came weren't responding. The aura was powerful, but there was no life in it. On closer inspection, they noticed that the leader of the group only had half a body left. His soul was missing. The quartet behind him was nothing but a pile of mincemeat.The portal buzzed again, and seven silhouettes came out. Five of them felt domineering, and they looked prideful. It almost felt like they were peerless. These people were none other than the Saints of the Five Elements.Four of them were Pinnacle Minor Saints. While one had an aura so strong, this place couldn't handle it."A Great Saint! Great Saint of Fire!" Fiery Ignis, Dominic, and Achille couldn't believe their eyes.It had been too long since Mystia saw a Great Saint, and he was Nox's mentor."So, he's the one who broke through first. But now he's already hit his bottleneck. The other four's power isn't enough. If the Sacred Beast Seal isn't upgraded
The Montgomerys and the Byrds decided to see Nox together, but they were refused. They were cursing Nox and calling him disrespectful, but then they saw Nox and his team taking a portal to the path of the ancient divine."What? He went right to them? Why? He's going to fight the Celestial Lord now?" The representatives were shocked.'How dare they!' they thought.Nox and his team went through the portal quickly and appeared right over the Whitefields' place. The Whitefield family was the newest member of the divine four and the real mastermind behind the Inkdarks' demise."Kirin, I told you I'd take you back here someday. I told you that when we come back, the Whitefields will be no more. If you can't do it, I can wipe them out for you." Nox looked at Kirin."Don't look down on me, milord. You don't need to dirty your hands for them. I'll do it!" Kirin summoned his avatar, and with Saint power infused, the avatar turned into a real beast. The sacred beast itself descended upon the
"Time to finish this. My lord's going to the path of the ancient divine next. You should decide who's going to take over after the Celestial Lord is taken down. That's all. Now let's talk about our personal business. Listen up, anyone who had a part in attacking my family, tell your clans that I'm coming for them. I'm killing all of you!"Bloodlust filled the air, and the representatives were shocked. "You killed your own family. Yes, we made them attack you, but we never wanted to wipe it out!" the Whitefields' representative said.Kirin flew into a rage. "How low can you go? You forced them to kill me, or you would wipe us out instead! You think I'm stupid? You'd have killed my family either way! I know how you guys function. You're crueler than any beast out there. Listen up, there's still time to plan for your funeral. You'd better make a good plan."Kirin chased everyone away. The families were going back to prepare for battle, but two remained behind. One was the Byrds' repres
Nox's Magick Sword crushed the enemy leader's soul. "I said I would cut you down, and I did. Now do you see who's the ignorant one?"The enemy leader realized that Nox was the man at the pinnacle. Perhaps the moment Nox became a faux Saint, he was already no match for him. "So what if you can kill me? You are Faeast's Sovereign, and you have a duty to push Faeast to power. But the Celestial Lord still exists. As long as he is around, your wish will never be fulfilled." He sneered."Is that so? Well, he's next on the list to be culled. If anyone tries to make an enemy out of me, I will destroy them and their families, even if they are from the path of the ancient divine!"Nox shattered the remains of the soul, and the path of the martial's leader was no more. The problem harassing Faeast for millennia could be solved at long last. Achille was stunned. It hadn't been that long, but Nox had surpassed him.Nox was better than him in every way. He was an even better swordsman than Achil
The enemy leader was waiting. One technique broken wasn't enough to take Nox out. He wanted to wait until Nox had cast all he knew and find an opening to take him down, but Nox wanted to take him down with the power of the sword."You're stubborn. Very well, this makes things easier for me. I'll kill you, or at the very least, wound you!" He'd be stupid not to take advantage of this. The enemy leader's avatar morphed into a gigantic fist and slammed into Nox's chest.The impact shot through his body and reached his soul. Nox spat blood, and his soul was injured.Achille couldn't stand by anymore. Nox just told him not to push himself, but he wasn't taking his own advice. Then, Nox's weak will-of-the-sword shone blindingly, and then Unto the Origin appeared once more."Even under my pressure, you can use this technique? You're strong, but you're as stubborn as your mentor. You've lost your chance! Die! You'll never get here in time, Achille! Shadowkill!"The enemy leader's avatar t