"Wait, that's the guy who hugged Madison last time.""Oh yeah, it is! I see it now!""Gods, why is she with her boyfriend again? And there's luggage too. What's going on?"The paparazzi had questions, and then Madison announced, "People, people, settle down! I have something to say!"The fans fell silent. Madison walked up to the center, smiling happily. Then, she said loudly, "Friends and fans, I am very sorry about this, but I'm retiring from the industry from this moment on!"That was a bombshell, and it rippled through the crowd."She's retiring? Dear gods.""What? She's an international star, and she's retiring? Is this real?""Yeah, she said that!"The fanatical fans could not accept this. They cried the moment Madison announced her retirement."Madison, please, you can't retire. We want to see more of you! Your movies, your concerts! We have nothing but our support to give!""Please, you mustn't retire!"The fans were getting manic after the announcement. They could
Everyone watched as Madison and Nox left the hotel. Madison finally said goodbye to her old life. She was fully committed to following Nox.Nox would keep her safe as he promised. The fans and paparazzi were dumbstruck. They could not believe Madison would give up everything she had for a boyfriend.While everyone was immersed in their shock, two silhouettes appeared. They were Daniel and Claude."I like that celeb. She'd be a perfect wife for Nox." Daniel narrowed his eyes, seeing Nox and Madison off."Yeah. She gave up everything for Nox. She makes a decent wife. I think Mom would love her too," Claude said happily."Naturally. He has always been popular with the ladies, just like me. You know he also has a lover in Riverton and the princess herself." Daniel sighed."It's alright, Daniel. He can just marry them all." Claude smiled."Oh, I'm fine with that, but I'm not sure what the princess thinks." Daniel looked at Imperial City."You know how petty and spoiled the princess
That was Nox's explanation. Madison blinked. "Oh, so you're an Imperia local?""Yes.""I see. Don't take this the wrong way. I don't mind where you live. It's fine that I get to be with you," said Madison quickly, lest Nox thought she was a woman who only loved luxuries.Nox knew that Madison was not a materialistic woman. She would never have given up on her career otherwise."I'm no longer in the industry. You can stop calling me Madison. Call me Maddie." Madison looked at Nox. She did not want to feel distant, for she had decided to stay with him now."Okay then, Maddie.""That's more like it."Nox took Madison to the place where he and his mother lived. When they arrived, they saw Oldsmoke, Steely, and Redsleeve. The trio looked at the car curiously."Is that Master Nox?""Wait, he's with a hottie.""Ooh, she's beautiful."The car stopped before the courtyard, and Nox came out with Madison. "Master Nox," the trio said.Their attention was fully on Madison."This is Mad
Madison was now part of the team. As she was a celeb, her arrival cheered everyone up. Bear, Bard, Oldsmoke, and Steely showed her care. After all, Madison had a beautiful face and a likable aura.Awesome, however, looked sulky. Every time he saw Madison, he would run away as if he was shy. Madison decided to approach him alone when she had the chance.The monk tried to run again, but Madison stopped him. The monk turned around, looking shy. "I'm really sorry for what I said, pretty.""Why are you apologizing? You saved my life," said Madison earnestly."I had no idea you were the boss' lady. I thought…" Awesome wanted to hide in a hole."It's alright. I love Greenie, but he does not return that love. I am not his lady." Madison sighed."Eh?" The monk rubbed his head. "You are still his woman, anyway. I should steer clear of you," the monk muttered.Madison chuckled. She thought the monk was amusing. "It's alright. I've always seen you as a little brother," Madison added.The m
The princess would fly into a fit of rage around the same time every day. Drunk did not take the princess' curses seriously. He knew the princess would regret her curses the moment she was done venting.A moment later, Nineve scolded herself, "Why did he fall out of love with me? He said he would marry me. Why didn't he? Does he have a reason? Did he fall for someone else?"The thoughts filled Nineve with rage, and she couldn't take it anymore. The door flung wide open with a loud thud as the princess kicked it aside. She was in green attire and looked as gorgeous as ever.Drunk was also tossed aside due to her actions. Nonetheless, he rolled across the ground, got up, and dusted himself off. "What are you doing again, Your Highness?""Shut it, you old git. We're leaving!" Nineve left her place."Where are you going, Your Highness?" Drunk asked quietly, going with the princess."To the bastard's place, of course.""Eh? We're seeing that monster again?" Please, just spare me. Tha
The servants shivered in the presence of the princess. "Tell me, what about me were you talking about?" Nineve asked coldly."W-We weren't talking about you, Your Highness," said Sharon."Nonsense. I heard you. How dare you lie to me? Do you wish for me to punish you?" Nineve asked sharply.The servants were terrified. "Pardon us, Your Highness. I spoke out of turn. Please, spare me!" The round-faced girl fell to her knees and begged for pardon."You spoke out of turn? How so?" Nineve asked.Sharon was nearly in tears. Nevertheless, she remained tight-lipped, too scared to talk."Worry not. Speak your mind, and I will not punish you," Nineve consoled.Sharon took a deep breath. Then, she blurted, "I should not have said this, but Your Highness, you got your head scrambled by love.""What? I got my head scrambled by love?" Nineve chuckled, then roared in laughter.The servants were stunned to see their princess laughing instead of yelling. The princess rocked back and forth as
The princess was happily on her way to see Nox, with Drunk by her side. The driver was about forty years old and looked greasy. He was going through some shorts."Goddamn, the celeb retired from the industry for her boyfriend? What a joke," the driver muttered, his voice dripping with disdain."Have you guys been keeping up with the entertainment industry lately?" the driver turned around, asking his customers."Are you talking to us?" Nineve asked coolly."Yeah. The entertainment industry is going through an earthquake. Madison hugged a stranger in public, and now she's retired because of some random guy. Don't you guys know about it?"Nineve shook her head. She was the nation's princess. Therefore, celebrities were worth nothing to her. Besides, she did not like the entertainment industry overly much."Man, I can't believe a famous woman like her would retire for a regular guy. I don't understand her. Is that guy really good enough for her to sacrifice everything? Don't you thi
"Whoa, it's the little monster. Why is he in the picture?" Drunk recognized Nox as well.Nineve thought this was odd. She kept scrolling down and stumbled upon a link to a video. She checked it out and saw how Madison took Nox's arm and left the hotel after making her announcement.Nineve felt her blood grow cold. Any idiot could see what this gesture meant. She checked the comments, and her mind went blank for a moment.'So… that's Madison's boyfriend?''Handsome. Maybe he's a boy toy.''I bet he is. He could never have captivated Madison otherwise.''Man, I'm annoyed. I can't believe this loser stole Madison away. Who is he?'As she scrolled through the comments, Nineve turned a shade paler with each comment she read. Drunk noticed the change in her expression, but he had no idea what to say.He knew the princess loved Nox. Even though he rejected her in public, she still loved him. She would never have stayed in Moravia for ten years otherwise. She waited for him. Yet, Nox w
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