Maston spat a glob of blood as he shakily got to his feet. Most of his meridians had snapped, and his aura was a mangled mess. His face was covered in blood. He held his saber as tightly as his hand allowed. "Daniel, at least tell me why you're doing this!" he roared."You wish to know the reason? Fine, I'll tell you. One, you should never have crossed my son. Two, it's high time we cleanse the rot infesting the clans. I have to say, this is a good opportunity."Maston opened his mouth to retort. However, Daniel had swung his sword before he could say anything. Sure enough, a crimson sword energy had sliced through his throat like a knife through hot butter.Maston's eyes bulged as he clutched his spurting neck. In the end, he fell into a pool of crimson, drawing his last breath.His eyes were wide, his questions unanswered even in death. Daniel sheathed his sword after eliminating Maston. He then turned to his left. "You're here."Nox slowly came out of the shadows. He looked at
Slivers of rampaging auras turned into energy swords. They promptly flew ahead as Nox thrust his sword at Daniel. It was as if he was genuinely trying to kill his father.Daniel didn't move. His eyes were still shut. Although the pain was weighing him down, he said not a word about it. All he wanted was to release his son from the pain he felt, even at the cost of his own life.The wave of swords charged ahead, carrying the might of Nox's hatred. However, Daniel didn't die. That was because Nox flicked his hand away before the sword could slice through Daniel's throat. As a result, the energy sword fell upon the mountain behind Daniel.The air was rattled with explosions, and the mountaintop was sliced off. Instead of Daniel, it had become the victim of Nox's years of grudge. In the end, Nox couldn't bring himself to do it. How could he? Daniel was his father.The air was thick with dust and debris. Nox and Daniel stood face to face, but the gaze in Nox's eyes lost more warmth with
An Indus Top Legend Realm roared through the struggling battle, "Mr. Gaia, the other clans will start a riot if we're slaughtered! You cannot stop them!"Douglas looked away and pretended he didn't hear that. "That's none of my business. You should've known this would happen the second you crossed Lord Nox."The Top Legend Realms were exasperated with Douglas's attitude. The rain was getting heavier. Suddenly, a wave of crimson bloodlust drew closer to the battlefield. It was stronger than Keith's aura by tenfold.Even the rain was swept away under the pressure. Douglas looked into the torrential downpour as the bloodlust weighed down on him, his face white. "That bloodlust is so thick. Who's coming?"Augustus, Bear, and Bard grew nervous. They also felt the bloodlust and how intense it was. They were cooked if this was an enemy coming after them.A silhouette slowly walked through the rain."Nox?""My lord?" Augustus and Bear blurted as they realized just who it was. However, N
Nox took out a Top Legend Realm in a matter of seconds. All his allies and Douglas were utterly stupefied.Douglas stared at the murderous Nox with wide eyes. "What happened to…" he started, but he trailed off before he could say anything else.The other Top Legend Realms battling Keith couldn't believe what they were seeing either. They had not expected Nox to kill one of them so easily. To make matters worse, that guy was a Top Legend Realm as well."Brother!" The other Indus Top Legend Realm shouted in agony. The guy Nox killed was his twin brother. Thus, the remaining twin charged at Nox the moment he was burned into nothingness. "I'll kill you, you bastard!"He held his saber tightly and swung it at Nox. In the blink of an eye, a torrent of sabers covered Nox. Top Legend Realms were leaps and bounds ahead of regular Legend Realms.The sword technique the old man cast was imposing and powerful. Black sabers tore through the air, pressing down on Nox.The still murderous Nox d
The rain still didn't let up after the battle. Everyone was still in shock. Something must've happened during his little excursion for this drastic change to happen.Nox killed off all Top Legend Realms from the ancient clans right away. Feeling the disturbance, Keith could tell that Nox wasn't acting like himself. "Are you alright, milord?"Nox waved him away. "I'm alright. You guys go back."Everyone nodded and left, just like Nox told them to. Before they could leave, Nox blurted, "Mr. Gaia, stay."Douglas shivered as he wondered why Nox asked him to stay. Nonetheless, he still said respectfully, "Of course, Lord Nox."Everyone save for Nox and Douglas were left. The Right Minister told the Black Flag Army to leave as well. Frontal Gates had the scent of death lingering around them. Nox and Douglas stood in the rain silently.The Right Minister carried himself carefully before Nox. He wouldn't say a word until Nox did.A long while later, Nox slowly said, "Mr. Gaia, there are
"If the emperor refuses to handle it, then I'll take things into my own hands," said Nox. "Mr. Gaia, I have a message for the emperor. Tell him I will slaughter anyone from the Three Great Powers if they try to start anything in Faeast.""I don't care how many people there are. I don't care how powerful they are. If they cross the line, they die!" Nox thundered.Douglas quickly nodded. "I will do so. However, there is something you must know. It's…" Douglas trailed off."Speak," said Nox curtly."As far as I'm aware, only the clans of the Three Great Powers have taken the Mousses' side, or most of them, anyway. I don't think you should attack the families or sects unless absolutely necessary.""If something does happen to them, Faeast will be plunged into absolute chaos." As the Right Minister, Douglas had to prioritize the nation before anything else.The martial arts world was divided into three factions: the clans, the families, and the sects. Up until now, Nox only took out t
Nox turned around and looked Douglas in the eye before he enunciated carefully, "My sources told me you were close to the Greenshades sixteen years ago."The Greenshades were the number one clan in Faeast. Even the emperor himself praised them as 'The Greatest Family of All Time.' I still remember seeing the golden plaque they received."Douglas felt his anxiety rising as he looked at Nox in the eye. So, he looked away and coughed. "Yes, I was on good terms with them sixteen years ago. They were the number one clan in Faeast, after all. Even Faeast's Ancient Four respected them.""If you know the Greenshades so well, then tell me this: do you think Daniel should die?"Douglas' legs buckled. "W-What are you thinking, Lord Nox."Nox's eyes weren't on Douglas anymore. Instead, he looked at the rain. "You heard my question. Do you think Daniel should die?""I… well… you can't expect me to answer that!" A moment of musing later, Douglas said, "He's a genius among geniuses. Thirty year
As Nox had said, Douglas led the Black Flag Army into the Greenshades' abode sixteen years ago. Soon after, Daniel kicked Nox and his mother out of the clan. He needed an answer to that.The question only struck fear into Douglas' heart. He was shivering in his boots. He had no idea what to say. Nox slowly turned around. "Tell me, Mr. Gaia."Although his voice was calm, Douglas could feel bloodlust lacing his tongue. So, he promptly fell to his knees. "Lord Nox!""And what is the meaning of this?" Nox asked, wondering why Douglas was being so dramatic."I beg of you, Lord Nox. Ask no further about what happened sixteen years ago. If you insist on doing so, you will have to kill me!" Then, he cowered as if he was waiting for death to fall upon him.Nox said, "You'd risk your life to protect the truth?"Douglas held his lips tightly. He couldn't say it. He mustn't. Death did not scare him, but if he were to tell Nox the truth… Gods knew how much chaos Faeast would be in. He could n
Harley sneered, having nothing but disdain for Atlas. "I can't believe the master would employ a shithead like you."Atlas laughed. "You think you're so high and mighty, but you're also Lord Nox's lapdog now. I am his subordinate, and we have a close relationship. I'm also the uncle of the emperor. That makes me Lord Nox's great-uncle," bragged Atlas."Dumbass. Just do your fucking job. Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise told me the Mousses might try something," Harley cursed.The mention of the Mousses made Atlas panic, but he calmed himself down and snored. "The Mousses? They won't dare do anything when I'm here. If they show up, I'll kick their ass! I command thirty thousand units. If they come to Imperia, it'll be the last thing they see!" Atlas was confident.Harley was speechless. 'My word, how can he be such a braggart?'With thirty thousand Nox Army units in Imperia, combined with the Forbidden Army, the regular guards, and 200 thousand elites protecting Imperia, nothing co
Vermilion Bird said, "Azure Dragon used to be an Advanced Eight Gates. After the Mousses had him under their control, he became a Supreme. Judging by these photos, he's gotten more powerful since then."'More powerful?' Nineve knew how the cultivators were ranked. Top Legend Realms were another kind of life form entirely. In Faeast, a Supreme could be made a lord. An undefeatable Supreme would be made a ruler. A Sovereign was made every five hundred years, while a ruler was made every century.Supremes appeared once every decade or so. "I don't get it. You three obviously found some power source, and with Nox's help, you leveled up. Azure Dragon only has the Mousses. How'd he level up so fast?"If the Mousses were so powerful, they wouldn't have to resort to assassinations or betrayals."Not the Mousses. It's all Azure Dragon. He's our captain. He's a very talented and cunning man. Emphasis on talent. He's so strong that not even three of us can compare to him, combined. The only g
Elizabeth said nothing but went red and hung her head low, causing Black Tortoise to panic."Uh oh. If you want him, you'll have to fight for him. That's all I can say, but the lord does think highly of you." He laughed."Shut it, Black Tortoise. You're talking nonsense here!" Vermilion Bird snapped. "See you, Your Majesty." She then took Black Tortoise and left the room quickly. They had work to do.The duo led most of the Shadow Division members back to Faeast. After the incident of Brundela, Faeast's fate was going strong, and the people were excited. However, beneath that excitement was unseen danger.Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise came back to Northstate's governor-general's place and met up with Nineve. Black Tortoise said solemnly, "What happened, Your Highness? We need the details."Nineve looked exhausted, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She had been working hard in Nox's absence. "Honestly, Atlas… I mean, the Defender of the Lord hasn't been pulling his we
Douglas worked through the night for the negotiation."One, you must apologize for your invasion of Faeast. Two, you will return all stolen relics to us and pay for damages. Three, you will open trade with Faeast, and it must be complete and total. Those are our demands. We promise not to interfere with your nation's administration. Once the aid is administered, our fleet and army will retreat from Brundela."And one more thing. Faeast recognizes you as Brundela's new ruler." That was interesting. It also meant that Faeast could rescind that recognition at any time. Elizabeth had no choice. Without Faeast, Brundela would be gone. In the end, the nations arrived at an agreement.At midnight, they called a press conference. Faeast helped Eropa settle a war and avert a world disaster. That news took the world by storm. The Eastern dragon was rising, and none could stop it. It wouldn't take long for Faeast to return to the top.Brundela's case was over. After they gave enough aid, Ferg
"They call you Great Generals?" the Ice Temple Lord laughed. "If I do want to betray him, how do you hope to stop me? You three had to take me on together, and it only ended in a draw. Now that I'm an Emperor and White Tiger is in a slumber, I can destroy you in a moment!"The Ice Temple Lord looked at Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise with disdain. Vermilion Bird's eyes were wide. She didn't care. She would fight the Temple Lord to the bitter end if she must.Black Tortoise was the calmer one, and he pulled Vermilion Bird back. "Calm down. Even if he wants to betray the lord, he at least would want to see the lord's body before he tries anything."Even a woman like Aphrodite lost this fight. He wouldn't dare try anything stupid."The Ice Temple Lord was still smug about being an Emperor, and now his celebration was cut short. Betraying Nox required a lot of courage. Nox's power terrified him. Even if he couldn't win the fight, Nox could at least come back safely.Besides, he only
The formation Nox created with the Sovereign Seal was on the brink of destruction. Once the formation was gone, the Sovereigns and the spirits would return to dust. In this final moment, Brundela's Faeastian called their friends and family in their homeland and projected the modern-day Faeast onto the gigantic screen in the plaza.The spirits cried when they saw how developed their nation had become. The Sovereigns and the rulers were meticulous people. They used to rule over a unified nation, so they knew how hard it was to create a dynasty. Every dynasty would have its peak and nadir.Every time a dynasty was on a decline, Faeast would be in danger. They didn't talk about the truth behind that video, of course. They admired the beautiful land of Faeast as they waited for their final moment to arrive."The hardest and darkest moment is behind us, sirs. Faeast has me now. You may rest in peace. I will not let you down. I will destroy the canker that infects Faeast and give it the pe
"You're going nowhere! Die!" The Sovereigns chased after the spirit, and a hundred rulers followed. They trapped the Titan's spirit and ripped him to shreds."Holy shit! That's the ancient Faeastian Sovereigns for you!" White Tiger roared with pride. He was on the roof of a tower somewhere.Emperor Elijah narrowed his eyes and exchanged a look with the other Sovereigns. He hurled the remaining essence of the Titan's spirit to White Tiger and stuffed him with it. The energy filled White Tiger up, and he ballooned. Black, rancid energy came out of his body, and he fell into madness.Nox cast Heaven's Demise and sealed White Tiger's consciousness. The Ice Temple Lord, realizing what the Sovereigns were trying to do, encased White Tiger in a coffin of magic ice."This is an impressive underling you have, Nine-State Lord. Devouring spirits gives him power. Anyone else would've lost their minds and become a killing machine, but White Tiger's already mad to begin with. There's no further
"The third kind of Emperor uses natural energy, the power of Yin and Yang, and the elements to become one. Since they use all kinds of elements and energy to become an Emperor, they are practically invincible."The Ice Temple Lord was excited. "So, you're saying I'm the strongest kind of Emperor?"Nox was speechless. "No, what I was trying to say was you took the wrong path. You could've absorbed the energy in the heavens, but you absorbed the Yin energy in the ground. You're stronger than Frostmir, but his level was higher, so you'd still be no match for him." Nox pursed his lips."Eh?" The Ice Temple Lord was disappointed. He thought he could be on par with Nox once he became an Emperor. The Ice Temple Lord wasn't the only one who gained power. The Ice Temple cultivators did as well. Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird gained a lot of power, too.Vermilion Bird was now a Flawless Supreme, Black Tortoise was an Advanced Supreme, while White Tiger was an Intermediate Pi
The fact that Nox could cast Sovereign Seal showed the Ice Temple Lord a new level of power. The Sovereign was more terrifying than the gods. 'No wonder they could rule the world in ancient times.'The ancient Sovereigns and rulers of Faeast attacked their enemies. The fate of Faeast gathered over their heads, piercing the clouds that hung over them. The weaker monsters were all slain, and Emperor Hans pierced the pharaoh with his spear, returning him to dust.Emperor Blade killed the god of another ancient civilization. The evil energy possessing them was purified. Moments later, the only gods left were the Titans. Unlike the possessed gods, the Titans were ancient cultivators.Even if they didn't master any spells or techniques, they'd trained their bodies to their absolute best. The Sovereigns and rulers didn't have much advantage against these enemies.These spirits were only summoned through the relics and the remnants of energy left within. Their bodies were gone, and their s