Awesome made hand seals, and a manji appeared on his forehead. A gigantic barrier, golden in color, covered the courtyard. This was the Vajra Barrier, a technique exclusive to Enlightenment.The monk leveled up its power, however. The moment Augustus' sword energy hit the barrier, the air was rattled with a deafening boom, but the barrier was unbroken."Well, come on. Let's see how you can dice me!" Awesome grinned, provoking Augustus.Augustus was so angry his face turned red. "Forbidden Art, Seven Stars!" As Seven Stars was cast, a dark red aura burst from Augustus' body. The sky suddenly darkened, as if night had taken over. Seven stars twinkled in the skies above.At the same time, slivers of dark red energy flowed from Augustus."Oh, you know a Forbidden Art? Nice. Did boss teach you that? Damn, he's so unfair. Why didn't he teach me one of those?" Awesome taunted.Augustus did not care. The Forbidden Art had turned his body dark red, and his eyes were filled with bloodlust.
"And you!" Nox looked at Awesome coldly.The monk shivered. Nox strode up to him and smacked his head hard. "Why did you taunt my brother, you brat? Do it again, and I will whoop your ass, do you understand?" Nox said coldly.Awesome rubbed his head, but he didn't argue. "Fine. I'm sorry, boss. I'm sorry. Stop hitting my head. You'll make me stupid.""And you deserve it!" Nox knew how short-tempered these two could be. If he did not teach them a lesson, they would cause trouble.The boys hung their heads low and stopped arguing after they were scolded."Alright, leave. We have a VIP coming." Nox suddenly looked into the distance."A VIP? Where are they?" Awesome was confused."They're here." Nox raised his head.A figure appeared at the courtyard's entrance. He wore a tall hat and donned the attire of an eunuch. He had skin as fair as snow. "My humblest greetings, Lord Nox. I apologize for this intrusion."It was a surprising visit from Felcro. The one who addressed him first
It was more than four feet long. Nox narrowed his eyes."Take this, Lord Nox." Felcro handed the box to Nox with both hands.Nox took it and opened it. He was met with a sword that had celestial bodies and nature's panorama engraved on each side of its body. Nox's heart shook. "The Blade of the Emperor, which belongs to the emperor?" Nox gasped."Yes, and it is a gift from the emperor. Do take good care of it, Lord Nox." Felcro smiled.The mention of the Blade of the Emperor made Awesome and Augustus' eyes shine. Nox was looking at the sword with fire in his eyes. A long while of hesitation later, he held the weapon, and a wave of regal aura coursed through his body.Nox unsheathed the weapon, and a dragon's roar came from within. The sword had no tip, but a wave of powerful will-of-the-sword flowed from it.The will-of-the-sword made everyone shiver, including Awesome and Augustus. It was like this sword was born to rule.Nox looked at the weapon. "I expected nothing less from
Old Dragon's Peak was northwest of Imperia and connected to Moravia, but it wasn't very tall. Beyond the mountain was the vast and desolate desert of Moravia.Legends had it that the mountain was named so because there was an ancient well built upon it. No one knew how old it was, but it was said that a dragon was imprisoned within. Thanks to that, Old Dragon's Peak had always been a famous tourist spot.It was fall, a peak season for traveling. The base of the mountain was packed. Most of them were tourists. Oddly enough, the mountain was locked for a few days.The people at the ticket office were no longer staff members. Instead, there were eight warriors in black. They looked icy, and sabers hung at their waists.The entrance that stood before them had a wooden sign hanging over it. It read, 'The mountain is closed today. Authorized personnel only.'Many tourists who came to visit began to feel dissatisfied. The dense crowd at the entrance started to yell at the eight guards st
The town was only big enough to house a few hundred thousand people.The pair of warriors who came down the mountain quickly made their way to a hidden house. There were guards stationed all around it, though they were in casual attire. The duo gave the guards a look before entering the house hurriedly.In the dim room, Captain Zanther said, "Cassius Zanther, reporting for duty, Commander Nettleton."There was a burly man in the center of the room, seated. He had the face of a fierce panther, and his arms were as long as an ape's. He radiated the air of a Top Legend Realm and was imposing.This was the commander of the Forbidden Army, Quintus Nettleton. Legends had it that Quintus used to be a general in the military, but later, he was transferred to Imperial City and made the commander of the Forbidden Army."How's the situation on the mountain?" Quintus asked coldly."Commander, the families have shut the place down. Only authorized personnel are allowed entry," Cassius replied
Cassius was perplexed. He knew that Quintus used to work for the military and that he was only made commander of the Forbidden Army later. Cassius wondered why he called Nox his lord. 'Does he know Lord Nox?' he thought."I don't understand, commander. If Lord Nox is still alive, why did we crown a new one? Why would the Philosophers attack him so brazenly?" Cassius asked."Ask no more of this. Know that he is the only one who can subdue the chaos that is coming. He must be the one. That was why the emperor did this," Quintus replied.Cassius was more baffled than before. Eventually, he said, "Will Lord Nox really come?""He will, trust me." Quintus had a look of longing in his eyes."But the mountain is dangerous, and there are so many Top Legend Realms around. If he shows up, he'll be in trouble, won't he?" Cassius asked."Trouble? Eh, we're not the ones who should worry; it's the families," Quintus sneered.Cassius stopped asking questions. He was looking forward to meeting N
Did Nineve truly wish to see Nox die? Of course not. She was just throwing a tantrum to soothe her heart. The fact that Nox started dating a celebrity while she never stopped loving him all these years was unacceptable.Though that was her real thought, Nineve had to keep up appearances. "I want that bastard dead, and so what? He hurt me…"Drunk sighed and advised, "Your Highness, you can't take back some things. If you do go, I'm afraid there will be no turning back.""I don't care! It's fine by me! I just want to vent!" Nineve cried through tears.Drunk, seeing that he could no longer persuade her, shook his head. Quintus was in the distance observing Drunk and Nineve with his brows furrowed."Damn it, it's really the princess. Why is she here all of a sudden?"Cassius asked, "Should my team and I tell her now?"A somber Cassius looked at Nineve. Just as he was about to make a decision, a group of people appeared before the princess. The one in the lead was an old man in gray
Though not as famous as the Blackstones, the Magickas, or the Warringtons, they were still powerful in the eyes of the outside world. The one in the lead was the Blackstones.As the family that had been vying for power since the Warring States era, the Blackstones had always been a core part of the Philosophers.Horatio, clad in a brocade robe, was seated in the center. Beside him were two powerful Top Legend Realms, and they were unmoving, their eyes closed.A long while later, Horatio finally asked, "Is everyone present and accounted for?"One of his family's members walked up. "The Balancers and the Confucians have not shown up.""Very well. The Confucians have always been averse to the fight for power. I'm not surprised about their absence. However, why aren't the Balancers here?" Horatio asked."I don't know. The envoys we sent to their family have not returned."Horatio's face fell. The Balancers too had existed since the Warring States era, but they were mysterious. They
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