Two cultivators were fighting in mid-air, while the other Ice Temple cultivators made an invisible barrier to keep them in, or the council hall would be destroyed from the impact of the fight.The battle was awe-inspiring, and Dickson became smug. So what if his enemy was a leader of gods? Perhaps he was no match for one, but the Assad gods could easily destroy him if a slave could fight him for a prolonged period.Ice Temple's Lord realized that Dickson couldn't feel pain as the essence had nearly devoured his spirit. He was nothing if not feral, and he did not fear death at all. A brilliant idea appeared in his mind. He could create an army of fearless gods if he could get his hands on this technique.Nox said telepathically, "How much longer are you going to take? He's just a useless tribute. Do you honestly want to keep this up until he burns himself away?"Ice Temple's Lord's pupils contracted, and he looked at Nox. Nox looked up from his book. The Ice Temple Lord thought th
Ice Temple's Lord didn't even look at Dickson. The man was so crushed that there wasn't even a hint of arrogance left in his soul. The Ice Temple's Lord's technique locked his spirit. So, it was not severely weakened. Thus, He would die very soon, even without the Ice Temple's Lord attacking him."Please, leader of gods. You are the only true god. I swear my undying loyalty to you. Spare me, please!" Dickson begged for his life.Dickson finally met his match. The arrogant would-be king couldn't even do anything against the Ice Temple's Lord."Oh, I can save you, but what makes you think you're worth it? You're lower than scum, and you think you have the right to ask for my favor? Repent and pray, then I might make it quick for you. Refuse, and only unending hell awaits."That threat scared Dickson. He cried and begged for mercy. He cursed his own soul and put his faith in a god stronger than his master."And you think you deserve the gift of life, maggot? Open your eyes, mortals
Now they had one, and it was Elizabeth. Her speech awakened the bravery and courage lying within the people of Brundela. An overwhelming majority of the council members stood up and chanted, "Long live the queen! Long live Brundela!""Good." Nox noticed something. The fate of Brundela stopped its downward shift and was stabilizing."The Mortal World and mortals. The Realm of the Gods has been here for millennia, and still, I can't figure out how mortals work." The Ice Temple Lord was confused. These mortals were prone to deception and scams. They were weak and frail. Yet, they had the potential to unleash strength that could shock even the gods."It's solidarity. You guys wouldn't get it. You call yourselves gods and lock yourselves up in the Realm of the Gods. You try to enslave the world despite being so out of touch with it."Do you know why I call you false gods? True gods are omnipotent. Their word is law. They can change the rules that govern this world just by saying it, b
'The beating heart of this land?' The woman's underlings looked grim. They were supposed to be the master tacticians here. Yet, Nox played them like a cheap kazoo. 'He's a far better tactician than we expected!'Nox began his counterattack not long after the Ocean of Death incident. This woman was none other than Aphrodite, Nox's old flame. When she saw Brundela's fate stabilizing, she knew right then that things had gotten out of her hands."Tell the Mousses in Eropa to retreat right away. There is no need to stay here any longer. He's not attacking us because he's waiting for us to do the same. The moment our men try to start anything, he'll swoop in and take them all out. "No one can beat him if he decides to go all the way. Not even me," said Aphrodite.Suddenly, the Mousses' powerhouse noticed something. "I sense bloodlust. Who goes there? Show yourself!" The powerhouses unsheathed their weapons and stood around Aphrodite, protecting her.A group of black silhouettes appeare
Aphrodite felt nothing but sorrow, and Vermilion Bird burst into laughter. "I expected nothing less from these people. Your men are just like their employers. Hey, knights, you guys want to find out more about Faeast martial arts? See those Mousse guys? They're masters. Deal with them."Vermilion Bird gave her orders. She knew these people would escape the moment she showed up. The knights flew off, going after the escaped Mousses. The Mousses were a family of warriors, while these knights were cultivators, to an extent. They wore mystical artifacts, and the Mousses' guys didn't have something like that.The battle was fierce but short. The Mousses' powerhouses were taken out, and the rest were dealt with by the Shadow Division."And now only you're left. Interesting, isn't it? Karma always bites you in the ass. You betrayed my lord, and now your men betray you. You deserve this," Vermilion Bird cursed."Yes, I deserve this, but as long as he wants to be the Nine-State Lord, then w
Aphrodite was a master manipulator. She knew the weaknesses of Nox's underlings, and she praised Bard, "At least you know where you stand, Bard. You never overreach. Though we failed to make you one of us, I still thought it'd be a shame to kill you."Bard smiled. "Oh, you're such an actor, Ms. Mousse. You know why we don't like you? Queenie is a genuine lady, just like our lord. You're far inferior to her. And don't flatter yourself. Of course, I know where I stand. I can't even reach the pinnacle of martial arts, let alone cultivation."No matter how smart I am, my lack of talents holds me back. I can never be made an important leader." He was only spared because he couldn't become a threat to the Mousses.Nox didn't use schemes because he didn't need them. Absolute power could trump any plot.Vermilion Bird clenched her teeth. "What is the meaning of this? The lord knows that the bitch is here?"Bard shook his head. Vermilion Bird was a smart woman, but Aphrodite made her lose
A sliver of energy flew out of the puppet and gathered natural energy around it. Then, the temperature rose at a blistering rate. Fortunately, Bard's reminder came just in time, and Vermilion Bird was prepared for this. She led her team away from the spot.A pillar of fire engulfed the building, and heat waves shot off in every direction, lethal and deadly. The light eventually faded, and all buildings in a few hundred yards were razed to the ground.If Vermilion Bird had killed the puppet without thinking just now, she would have lost all her men and suffered serious injuries. "That bitch! I'm going to make her into a human swine one day! I'll give her hell!" she cursed.Bard gasped. 'Yeah, women can be really terrifying.' Not one General was a normal person.This incident didn't escape Nox, of course. He saw it through his divine sense. "Heh, you can't fight the flow of history? You say that, Aphrodite, but you've done the same thing more than once. Schemes and plots when your ey
Nox was hovering higher than the Ice Temple Lord, and he got everyone's attention."Who's that?""It's a Faeastian!""My God, it's the Nine-State Lord!" Nox was known throughout Faeast and the world. Brundela's council members had recognized him the moment he showed up. They had nothing but fear for gods, yet Nox was the strongest man in the Mortal World, so they respected him.The clouds in Brundela's skies were hanging heavily over the ground, and the icy aura they radiated was making everyone shiver. Winter seemed to have come early for Brundela. The temperature was dipping fast.Back in the control center, intelligence agents were watching the surveillance footage closely, and they noticed the altar. The Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators were there, strengthening the altars' seal the best they could. There were soldiers guarding the altar as well.For some reason, the secret agents had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Murphy's Law, as they said.Suddenly,
'What?' The Generals were confused, and White Tiger was a little frustrated."Milord, do you think we won't be of help? If she can come with you, why can't we?" Azure Dragon pointed at the princess. "Azure Dragon and the others might be useless, but I'm not!" He just got on the princess' bad side and annoyed his friends."Can you shut the fuck up?" Azure Dragon smacked White Tiger's head. An angry Nineve kicked him too.'He's looking down on me?'"I don't have much time. Stay back and keep an eye on Faeast. I have my reasons for taking them with me, and I need you guys to do something for me," said Nox.Azure Dragon could guess what that was. "You need us to summon Kirin?"'Kirin?' White Tiger shut up and said nothing more."Yes. I'm not sure if I can come back alive. It's time for him to join us." Nox nodded."I understand." Azure Dragon did as he was told. The other Generals did the same."Shit. That monster's coming out again." White Tiger was nervous. Kirin tormented him a
Nox had no choice but to take the ladies along. Queenie was fine with it, but Nineve could be a problem. Nox asked solemnly, "Will you come with me? I can't promise your safety, though.""You think I'm a coward? I don't need your protection! Besides, I can't stop you from saving your grandpa. And if I die out there, I don't have to be the empress anymore. I don't want to work all day like my dad did!" she said angrily, but Nineve wasn't afraid. Her family had no cowards.Atlas's reputation was the worst of them all. He worked with the Mousses at one point, but he never betrayed the country even in its darkest hour."Come back, Aphrodite. I know you're still there!" Nox shouted into the distance. And he was right. Aphrodite came back looking all smug."You've always been efficient, especially when it comes to important stuff. I knew you'd come to a decision soon enough." She smiled."Enough. I don't have time to tell the family, but Grandma probably knows what I'm doing. She'll exp
'Grandpa went to Celestial Domain.' Nox looked solemn. Nineve and Queenie had never seen him looking so grim before."I see. So that was an SOS. He must've been in trouble last time, but I wasn't powerful enough, so he didn't tell me anything. That communication spell must've taken everything he had," said Nox darkly.Time was not on their side. "I need to go now. I know the place. You're not coming with me, Master. Besides the founder, no one's strong enough for the journey," said Nox."What?" Nineve's jaw dropped. The Masters were all Pinnacle Legend Realms, and Sealmaster was a powerful Emperor. If not even they were powerful enough, that place must be a dangerous one.Nineve made it obvious she didn't want Nox to go. Queenie grabbed Nox's arm tightly. She couldn't dissuade him, but she wanted him to take her along. Aphrodite watched the drama unfold. She wondered what Nox would do."No." Nox frowned."Damn right you are!" the Master interrupted. "I can't tag along, but Nineve
"I know. They don't want their family broken up, but death is a release for you, Penelope, especially if living itself is painful." The Master sighed. If Nox heard that, he'd curse him, but Penelope thought it made a lot of sense."You have to live for yourself once. Death is another form of life for people my age. I couldn't do anything for myself while I lived. Death is how I will fulfill the promise I made when I was young."…Back outside, Aphrodite sat on the stairs and lit up a cigarette. She went through three before she said, "I presume you know what happened back then."Nox frowned. 'She knows everything.'Nox's reaction was the answer Aphrodite needed. "You overestimate my power. I don't have any spies in Imperia anymore, and no one can keep an eye on you."Nox almost shouted. Aphrodite had no idea he knew about the truth. That was just a ruse so she could observe him and get her answer."The mission is simple. Save Cassian and retrieve a treasure," said Aphrodite."W
'One of us will die? I need to make a choice again? Will I repeat my father's mistake?'Nox stared daggers at Aphrodite. "That is nonsense! Even if that prediction is right, we'll either get out of it together, or we die together! We will not live if the other dies!"Aphrodite paled. "That hurt my heart. Well, you are the Sovereign, and you won't give in to anyone. Even in death, you will be glorious." She smiled sadly.Nox didn't care about Aphrodite's prediction, but Queenie took it seriously. She knew Aphrodite wasn't talking nonsense."Shut it. Did you come with the Master, or did he invite you?" Nox didn't like Aphrodite at all. He didn't want to see her unless it was something important.Aphrodite knew Nox didn't like her, and she couldn't blame anyone. She did it to herself. "I know you don't like me. I would never come uninvited," she said.Nox narrowed his eyes. So that meant the Master called her here. Then, the drunken Master sobered up. Penelope opened her eyes as wel
"She called you a commoner! A peasant!" Nineve snapped."But is she wrong? I am a commoner." Queenie clicked her tongue. She didn't really care about her background.Nineve felt like crying, and Nox pulled her back. He said coldly, "And why are you here, Aphrodite? Why were you with a Master?"Aphrodite arched an eyebrow and answered slowly, "I can come and go as I please, Lord Nox. Remember, I saved this clan once."Nox's temples throbbed. 'How dare she try to pull another one!'Before he could fly into a rage, Aphrodite added, "If I hadn't escorted a Greenshade back to her home, Cassian couldn't have communicated with you. Though Penelope has lost her powers, she can still cast some spells as long as she has the right tools."Nox's face was twitching. Aphrodite was a sharp woman. Even now she could keep him at bay easily. She did help the family once back when she was younger. No one could compare to her intellect, save for the heavens themselves.She was just like the legenda
Nox had no idea what the High Heavens looked like, but he wasn't answering Nineve. There must be a reason his grandfather tried to communicate with him. Faeast's threat wasn't defused yet. The path of the martial was still after them.Many of the path of the ancient divine's factions were keeping an eye on Faeast all the time as well. "What was he trying to tell me? What did he want me to do? Wait, Sealmaster summoned the founder back then. He must know something."Nox realized he could get some answers from Sealmaster, and he wanted to leave for Magic Mountain right away. Just when he was wondering how to settle the ladies down, one of the Masters and Aphrodite came to the Greenshades' abode.The Master told Aphrodite, "It's Daniel's wedding. I have to send my best regards. I represent Magic Mountain, after all."Aphrodite answered, "You know I can't go in, given my circumstances. Lord Nox must have some questions for me.""Very well. Then I shall leave you for now." The Master l
Neither managed to guess what Nox was thinking. One wanted him to look on the bright side, while the other wanted him to let it go, but Nox had reached the truth. He had ascended. He knew all of this, of course."They eventually ended up together? No, they're already separated by a veil of death. I will never give in to anyone. I will not repeat this tragedy. I will always, always finish the job. Even if I made a mistake, I would see it through!" Nox said. These were his true thoughts.Ironically, Aphrodite knew exactly the kind of man he was, and that was why she betrayed him. She knew no one could change his mind once it was made up. Alas, fate did not smile upon them.Though Queenie and Nineve couldn't guess his mind, they would try their best to keep up with him, especially Queenie. If Nox was going into hell itself, she would follow him."I think we can bring this case to a close for now. Grandma will handle the aftermath. You guys stay out of it as well. My clan's filled with
Daniel flew out of the house. The other Greenshades followed him as well. Queenie and Nineve helped Penelope to the entrance. More than a decade ago, the Greenshades mobilized to fight for their lives. Now, they were going to welcome their hero back home.On the street outside the house, a thousand Forbidden Army soldiers escorted the remains of Nox's mother home. They were all clad in white armor. The royal family members were in red. They were holding a red casket, while Atlas was standing before it, walking toward the Greenshades' abode.The accompanying band was playing a sad yet triumphant tune. Daniel remembered something, and he quickly went back inside to change into a tattered crimson shirt. This was the one he wore during the battle all those years ago. It was the one Nox's mother made for him.Nox's parents never had a wedding, so Daniel wanted to fulfill that wish. Atlas stabbed a banner into the ground and announced, "By the decree of the late emperor, His Majesty Quilo