Atlas took the reins and led the soldiers down the path to destroy the phantom cultivator remnants. Nox saw them off and went down the other path. It was a meandering tunnel, and a while later, Nox smelled blood. 'This can't be good,' he thought solemnly.Nox ran at full speed, and the path eventually broadened into a spacious hall. The air was thick with blood. He cast Divine Sense and saw more than thirty corpses lying around, all clad in armor. "Heaven's Cage's guards. Who did this? Dammit. Warden, come out here!"Nox slapped the obelisk and unsealed the warden. The warden showed himself again, looking bitter. "Sir, I told you not to come in, but you wouldn't listen.""Shut it. I knew you were hiding something because the Mystia bastards were around. No one's here now, so tell me what happened," Nox said darkly.The confrontation between Nox and the warden back then was partly an act. The warden's multiple warnings told Nox he had something to say."Yes, something did happen he
"Quentin's an arrogant toerag who doesn't look before he leaps, but he's not this stupid. Well, I have more information for you. Not too long ago, after you 'died' in the Ocean of Death, the Limerents' patriarch defied divine rule and secretly left Mystia."The warden said, "He brought someone back from the Mortal World and chucked him into Heaven's Cage. The Path of the Sword's guy led the way. I couldn't get on anyone's bad side, and those guys threatened me.""You know how it is here. No one cares about a few extra or missing inmates unless it's a serious emergency, so I kept my silence."Nox looked at the mistreated warden and sneered. "What's so good about godhood? You have no freedom, and you slave yourself away to keep your neck. Keep talking. More people showed up, didn't they?"The warden pouted and almost cried. "Yeah. Everyone looks down on me! Even the Sect Alliance's elders talked down to me!" He sobbed."Ever since your 'death,' you've never been in contact with Myst
Nox and his group stepped into the prison.Heaven's Cage was divided into two sections.The outer section was for the ordinary exiles who could move about freely.The serious criminals of Mystia were locked up in the inner section. These were cultivators who violated the divine laws.A cultivator's guilt was entirely decided by Mystia, so the locked-up criminals might not all be the worst people around.Nox was at Heaven's Cage to set the criminals inside free for his own use.However, when he stepped into the prison built inside a mountain, he found it devoid of life.Heaven's Cage was spacious and located in the mountains thousands of miles above sea level. Cages were embedded in the cliff faces with an open top for the only light in the entire prison.Any prison that could lock up powerful cultivators was no ordinary prison. These cells were mystical artifacts refined by cultivators.They were now all destroyed, with their inmates rendered to a horrifying blend of blood and
"Greetings, Your Majesty, from Lord Nox of Faeast... No, the Defender Lord of Faeast.""Huh? Why are you being so formal, Nox? Rise. This is too much." The old man summoned a gust of Yin energy to bring Nox back to his feet, but Nox did not move."Sir!" Nox barked out a response with a stern look on his face as though he would never get up unless the old man accepted the formal greeting."Why are you being so serious? You're just too much!" The old man shook his head, feeling speechless.Nox was not happy to hear that. "Sir, how disrespectful to say that I'm too much."The old man smiled and glanced at the hole in the wall before turning back to Nox. "How interesting. You are on your knees before me yet allowing you to rise is disrespecting you. Why don't you elaborate on why that is?"The old man was smiling before his face suddenly twisted into a stern and solemn look.In a blink, he was once more a majestic being with a great presence.Nox finally smiled upon seeing that."
Mystia had done all it could to stop Faeast from being united. Afterward, Mystia did not even keep their word and gave the Phantom Tribe a chance to recover. The sect alliances, families, clans, and even the military, were intrinsically involved with Mystia. "Mystia refused to allow Faeast to return to peace because they were afraid we would rise back to glory."You know that before The Investiture, the entire land belonged to Faeast. Even the so-called gods had to pay their respects to us and accept their inferiority.Having Sariel give up his physical body and be cooped up in Mystia was the equivalent of holding him hostage. Unless he had no choice, Sariel would never have agreed to that condition. Back then, Faeast desperately needed peace. They could not afford to let the chaos go on any longer, or the entire nation might be exterminated. "Nox, I feel guilty for that. Still, you have made all of Faeast proud, Lord Nox! You exterminated the revived Phantom Tribe, elimina
With all the information, Sariel could tell at a glance what was going on.He had always known there would be a battle in Imperia. Quilo was not a man who could protect the providence, while Nox was just a man who could not do everything by himself. Hence, he decided to sneak the providence away."Nox, I'll keep it short. The one after the providence of the Limerents is the War God of Eastsun, Ronan Northstar."He used to be no match for me, but then he absorbed the Yin energy of the Phantom Tribe, greatly increasing his strength."The only thing I could do was burn my spirit away and seal him in a Supreme cultivator's corpse."Before Sariel could finish speaking, Nox was using Revival of the Eight Techniques to try to save him."Nox, don't waste any more time on me. You're a miracle doctor, but you can't revive the dead."My spirit is already scattered. The remaining parts of my soul are barely held together by the providence."I leave the providence to you. Don't even think a
Ronan had just been unsealed, and he already wanted to attack Nox's subordinate."Ronan, you refuse to kneel before me. Now, you dare to attack my man right under my nose. Who do you think I am?"Technique of Arts! Talisman!Nox swiftly struck back twice, and the cave Black Tortoise was in became enveloped by an even stronger barrier reinforced by talismans.The violent energy was dissipated by Talisman before it could crash into the barrier."Nox!" A ghastly howl filled the air.Ronan crash-landed onto the ground, shattering the wooden boards and shaking the whole prison."Call me Lord Nox."Nox's disdainful and disgusted glance infuriated Ronan."You Faeastian scum! How can you call yourself a lord? You should be the one on your knees!"Ronan's Yin energy spread throughout the prison as he tried to overwhelm Nox with the bloodthirsty nature of his violent energy."What a joke. Faeast is a vast land with a deep history. Who cares if I call myself a lord? There have been hun
That made the killing intent die down."Suffer? You're the one who should suffer!"He's in isolation? Very well! I will torture you to my heart's content so that his mindset is disturbed, making him deviate!"Black Tortoise, watch carefully as I torment your lord!"Ronan's entire body was blazing with an icy flame. It was a fire that burned yet released ice energy.The energy condensed into hundreds of ice spikes that darted toward Nox under Ronan's control."Eight Techniques, Technique of Arts."With the binding spell, Nox sent flames dancing in the air, melting the ice spikes."Hmph! You're quite skilled, but that's not enough! Nox, I'll admit that I only have a 30% chance of winning against you at Supreme."However, I am now at the Royal Path. Have you ever experienced its Celestial techniques? I will open your eyes today! Divine Frost!The Yin energy condensed once more into ice, forming bone after bone until icy skeletons stood before them.There were hundreds of icy sk
Back in the regular guards' camp, Harley spat blood. He was lying in the ruins of a building, his body covered in slash marks. His Celestial technique was broken. This man was leagues above him. Celestial techniques were useless. The swordsman was too powerful."Magic Mountain's techniques? But their swordsmen are on good terms with the lord!" Harley stared at the man in green. He defeated Harley using Magic Mountain's techniques.Magic Mountain and Mystia had always been at loggerheads. They had slain many demons and monsters throughout the years, and their swordsmanship was a bane for the cultivators."I wonder how Nox managed to make a Mystian like you loyal to him. Yes, I am a Magic Mountain swordsman. Was, to be honest. I was kicked out a hundred years ago. My master said my heart is astray. How laughable. I have killed demons over ninety years, and hundreds of them have died to my blade! My heart is not astray!"Your sins are innumerable, Harley, and you must be slain! White
All of a sudden, the soldiers let go of their weapons. They had a look of fanaticism on their faces as they throttled themselves to death. The party went on, and the bluebloods enjoyed every moment, oblivious to the incoming danger.The monk passed through the residence smoothly, with all the soldiers and guards throttling themselves to death. Suddenly, everyone noticed a monk in red robes in the party hall. The drunk guests thought this was an event arranged by Atlas."We have a monk here. Wonder what kind of show you're presenting," a portly rich man joked, laughing loudly."Show? I am the leader of an evil sect. No show, but I do have a scripture to share. The government calls my sect evil, and they claim the monks are agents of darkness. You are not much better yourself. Omitofo."The old monk chanted once more, and the look on everyone's faces changed. Some knelt and cried their hearts out. Some groveled and didn't even notice that their heads were bleeding. They talked about
Back in his residence, Atlas called a feast and invited the bluebloods of Imperia. He was glowing during the event and could never be happier. He used to be a declining aristocrat with nothing but the title of nobility.However, his luck turned for the better when he got older. He followed Nox into battle at Heaven's Cage, Vertolt, and Winterosch, making him a true lord. The Limerents controlled the nation, and he was a prince. He could even have some power over the nation or at least be one of the top dogs in Faeast.If Nox became emperor, then all the better. Perhaps he could be a more intimate part of the royal family. He drank to his heart's content and partied with the most desired people in Imperia. Nothing could be better."Life is short, people. Drink!"…The Ice Temple's vice-Lord was in the regular guards' encampment. This was a critical junction, and yet Atlas wasn't at his post. Instead, he was having a party. The vice-Lord had a bad feeling about this, but he had no p
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