Nox stopped eating at once. Everyone else looked at the generals as well. Nox put his cutlery down and asked, "And what would that be?"Draco looked around. It was obvious there were too many unrelated people around for him to talk."Just spill it," Nox ordered."We got this from Imperial City just now. His Majesty has declared a Royal Retreat, and he is now in isolation," Draco said.'Royal Retreat?' Nox thought, a frown creasing his forehead. He knew how important that decree was. The fact that a Royal Retreat was declared meant the emperor wanted nothing to do with administration for a while."And Mr. Gaia told us something more worrying. Leaders of various sects have shown themselves in Imperia. They might be after you, milord," Draco said.'The sects?' Selina and Jebediah's faces fell. They were martial artists, so they knew how terrifyingly powerful these sects were. 'And they're after the lord?' they thought.While everyone looked nervous, Nox was calm. He picked up a gla
Upon hearing this, Awesome roared, "Then let's send those pigs to the next life!""Now?" Bear looked at the murderous Awesome. He was a little speechless about this."Yeah, now. If Nox finds out we snuck out of Imperial City, he's going to whoop our asses! If we want to get off the hook, we need to make up for our mistake! And killing these bastards will be our ticket!"Awesome thought that was a smart plan. Bear shared his sentiments as well. They had made a big mistake. If Awesome hadn't left Imperial City, Keith and the others might have never gotten hurt. After all, Awesome used to train in Mystia.However, because of their oversight, their comrades were hurt. If Nox knew about it, he would tear them apart. Bear said after pondering, " Yeah, you have a point. We'll have to tear those bastards apart, limb from limb.""Then what are we waiting for? Let's send them to the next life!"Just as Awesome was going to leave, Bear stopped him."What is it?" Awesome turned around, conf
With the Royal Retreat in effect, warriors from various families tasted freedom they had never tasted before. Rumors claimed that there were more than tens of thousands of warriors congregating in Imperia at this moment.The clans and families did send their representatives, and other warriors joined in the fun as well. In a gigantic manor on the outskirts of the west side of the city, a big group of warriors gathered. Their strength differed, though they were not here to fight. Instead, they were having discussions.Then, a clear voice announced, "Mr. Willow has arrived!"A middle-aged man in a resplendent robe appeared, escorted by a group of people. Mr. Willow looked to be a Legend Realm, and following him were some elderly Grandmasters. This man was the owner of this manor, and his name was Deshantes Willow.The Willows were part of the clan faction, though small fries like them were nothing in Imperia. When Deshantes made his appearance, many warriors bowed. "Hello, Mr. Willow
The warriors bowed to the old man. Mr. Ziggurance looked at them with disdain. "I have nothing but a message for you, warriors. From this moment onward, I need you to stay united to take down our common enemy."He declared, "This bandit has slain clans and slaughtered families. He obviously thinks very little of the Three Great Powers. We will not rest until we have his head!"The warriors started brown-nosing the old man. "Of course, Mr. Ziggurance. Say the word, and we will hunt the bastard down!""Who's the bastard behind this?" someone asked. "How dare he disrespect us?"These warriors came from all over the land, so they had no idea of the most recent events. They just wanted to be a part of this.The old man answered, "The once lord, Nox Greenshade.""What? Lord Nox?"The warriors trembled in disbelief."He's supposed to be dead!""How is he still alive?" someone asked."He's not dead. He's also the one who destroyed clans and families. He wants to go to war with the Th
They were Bear and Awesome. Bear narrowed his eyes and said, "Awesome, you're a monk. Try not to cuss."Awesome said, "Yes, of course. I'll try." He then put his hands together and grinned at everyone. "Omitofo, I apologize for my rudeness."The warriors were stunned. They were not expecting guests in the dead of the night.Deshantes looked at the intruders. Sharply, he asked, "Who are you? How dare you intrude upon my manor?""Oh, there's no need to know my name. Not like you know me anyway. Just tell me one thing. Which of you bastards said he wanted to kill my bro?"The warriors were furious. After all, they were martial artists, and the monk just insulted them twice. This was unacceptable.The man with the ringed saber asked, "Who died and made you king, baldy?" He stepped forth, looking intimidating."What did you just call me?" Awesome looked at the challenger.The man laughed. "What are you looking at, baldy?"Awesome's face contorted, and he leaped. There was nothing b
The warriors could not believe what they were hearing. This monk who came out of nowhere was way more powerful than they thought.Since everyone was silent, Bear said, "Stop wasting time with these idiots, Awesome. Just kill them."Awesome turned around. "Oh, so I can just send all of them to the next life?"Bear crossed his arms. "Of course. These bastards deserve it. They're going after the lord, remember? Just wring their necks."Awesome nodded with a smile. "Sure, Bear." He turned around and grinned at the warriors. "You heard the man. Time to send you to the next life. Die!"The warriors would not stand for this level of arrogance. There were a hundred of them and only one Awesome."You're dead, monk! Get him, men!" a middle-aged Grandmaster roared, and everyone whipped out their weapons, ready to attack.Awesome only grinned when he saw the warriors charging toward him. "Omitofo, this is not your day." He leaped ahead like a sliver of golden light. Awesome's techniques wer
Their powerful palm technique conjured a strongwind wall, attempting to stop the monk's attack, but it was destined to fail. Awesome slammed his fist into the wall, and the Grandmasters screamed.They bled from their faces and died right away. Seeing this, Deshantes gasped in shock. Metal clanged as a bronze sword appeared in his palm. Deshantes attacked, and swords rained on the monk.Awesome did not even dodge. Instead, a golden barrier appeared around him. "Let's see if you can break this barrier, old man," Awesome challenged with a smile.Deshantes was a Legend Realm. Though this monk was deadly, he had no choice but to attack. The moment his sword hit the barrier, it broke into two."My sword!" Deshantes exclaimed. At the same time, Awesome swung his fist at Deshantes.Deshantes could feel the heavy punch coming. Scared, he quickly retreated. "Mr. Ziggurance, save me!" he shouted.Right before the punch could kill Deshantes, Mr. Ziggurance leaped and attacked. A black palm w
That answered Awesome's question. "I see, but don't worry. We still have a survivor." He grinned at the fearful and incapacitated Deshantes.Deshantes was on the ground, filled with fear. Even a Top Legend Realm was destroyed so easily. The monk could kill him if he wanted to. "Please don't kill me, please!"On the verge of death, Deshantes went on his knees and begged for his life."You want to live? Then answer my questions. Annoy me, and you're done for." Bear chuckled."Yes, of course. I'll tell you everything!" Deshantes said with a trembling voice."Who told you to gather these people to attack my lord?" Bear asked."The Pavilion of Regality!"Bear clenched his fists and cursed, "Fuck these people! I can't believe the small fries would try to attack the lord! They think they're all that because they have the sects' support?"Bear mused for a moment and continued, "Who else is going after my lord?""A lot. At least ten thousand warriors, from what I know, and more are com
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