Nox looked at the book and smiled. Jebediah handed Kingdom's Ranking to him. "Look. This is the Heavenly Ranking and Earthly Ranking of Faeast's strongest in the last hundred years."Nox took the book and flipped it open. The first page read 'Heavenly Ranking Top Ten Martial Artists.' Under that was a name. It read 'Lord Nox.'Nox then flipped to the top ten of Earthly Ranking. The first page still read 'Lord Nox.'When Kingdom's Ranking was announced, Nox took the top spots in martial arts and sorcery as Lord Nox. Such remarkable feat had never been achieved by anyone else but him.Seeing this ranking again made Nox lament the past. Jebediah, however, had no idea Nox was the one and only Lord Nox. Like all people of Faeast, he thought Nox had died in the Ocean of Death.Jebediah said, "Sir, that's Lord Nox, once the top man of Faeast. He's always been the strongest in sorcery and martial arts. Even our patriarch said Lord Nox's power outstripped anyone in the last hundred years."
"How'd Nono and Mr. Weeks do it? They dealt with Blackdragon in less than a day." Queenie racked her brain, but she couldn't find any explanation."Forget it. As long as Nono's fine, I'm alright." She started missing Nox again. "I wonder where Nono is. Wonder if he's doing okay."Queenie took her phone out and called the phone she left with Nox. A while later, she heard his voice. "Nono, what are you doing?""Nothing," said Nox."Can you come out, then?" Queenie asked."Come out? Right now?""Yeah. You have a problem with that?"Nox was quiet for a moment. "No.""Good." Queenie chuckled. "Give me your address. I'll pick you up.""Sure." Nox hung up, and he gave Queenie an address.When Queenie saw that Nox was at Dragoncourt, she was bewildered. "Why's Nono at Dragoncourt?" She was curious, but she didn't think too much about it.She put on some makeup and got changed. When she was done, Queenie picked up her bag and went out. George was watering his plants. When he saw Quee
"Let's not talk about that. It's my day off. Let's go shopping," Queenie changed the subject.Nox grunted, and Queenie drove them to the city center. They went on dates and had lunch like a couple. Queenie then asked Nox to go shopping with her. They held hands and made their way to Universal Shopping Center.The shopping center was located in the busiest business district in Riverton, and it was home to all things branded—Gucci, Chanel, LV, you name it. The young couple walked down the street holding hands and went by a Prada fashion store.Queenie wanted to check out the Prada store, and Nox agreed. They came to the entrance, where a young sales assistant stood at the doorstep.He was a fresh college graduate. He seemed rather shy but was polite. He served Nox and Queenie enthusiastically the moment they came in. "Hello, this is our shop's new arrival. Take a look. If you love it, you can try it out in the fitting room.""Thank you," Queenie said, and she started picking some cl
The woman standing with him was curvaceous and beautiful, but because of her choice of outfit, she looked like someone who worked in a brothel.The couple made their way to the shop. The portly owner was still lecturing Zeke, but when she saw the couple, she quickly approached them like they were kings."Mr. Coulson, Ms. Gunther, you're here. Please, come in!"The lad was a famous heir to a rich family. His father was Xavier Coulson, a hotel tycoon in Riverton. His family owned four big hotels under a franchise, and they had a dozen or so hotels all over the nation.The woman standing with him was Vanessa Gunther, a new actress who was rising to fame. Vanessa was embroiled in numerous scandals. It was said that she slept her way to fame.Even so, Vanessa was already going to venture into the film industry, and it was all thanks to the man beside her.Vanessa asked the portly owner, "Where's the custom-made dress I ordered?""It is done, Ms. Gunther. Don't worry. Look, it's right
A loud, clear smack echoed in the air. Vanessa was slapped.Silence fell over the store.No one expected Nox to slap Vanessa out of nowhere, not even Vanessa herself. Vanessa held her cheek in pain, and a moment later, she snapped out of it and screamed, "Did you just hit me?"The portly woman shouted, "You bastard! You hit Ms. Gunther? Do you know who she is? Sh—"Another slap rang through the air, and the portly owner's teeth flew out before she fell down with a thud. Everyone was stunned."Brandon, he hit me! He actually hit me!" Vanessa clutched her swollen cheek, crying to her lover. "You have to teach him a lesson today! Make him pay for this!"Brandon was caught by surprise as well, and he looked at Nox coldly. "You're bold, punk. No one hits my woman. Get down on your knees and apologize, or you're not leaving today."Nox smiled. "And you're going to stop me yourself?""Yes, myself." Brandon stepped ahead. "Do you know who I am?"Nox chuckled. "Why don't you spell it o
The call came to an end, and the secretary told Xavier, "Mr. Coulson, Mr. Brandon ran into some trouble at the shopping center. Do you want to go and take a look?""Again? That brat got into trouble again? I told him to stay out of trouble, especially at this time!" Xavier exclaimed angrily.The secretary said carefully, "Are you still worried about what happened at the villa?""Of course I am! I almost got killed!" Xavier was one of the guys who saw how Nox destroyed Blackdragon. He and some entrepreneurs wanted to butter up Blackdragon at that time, but then Nox showed up and killed Logan easily.Not only that, but Nox even managed to mobilize Zone: Draco's tanks and the commander himself. Ever since then, Xavier had been scared out of his wits.For the last few days, he had been hiding in his house. Meanwhile, nightmares haunted him at night, and the sight of Nox's face would jolt him awake every time. At this thought, Xavier took a deep breath."Mr. Coulson, what about your
"That's the guy, Dad. You have to make him pay!" Brandon was still jabbing a finger at Nox. He was unaware of his father's reaction.Nox turned around and saw Xavier, causing him to frown. He thought Xavier looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen the guy.The moment Xavier noticed Nox, he shouted, and his legs buckled. He fell to his knees before Nox and said, "M-Mr. Greenshade? What are you doing here?" Even his voice sounded shrilly, and he was trembling.Brandon couldn't believe his father was kneeling to Nox. Vanessa was dumbfounded, and the portly owner was flabbergasted as well. Everyone stared at the scene in horror.'That's one of Riverton's richest men. Why is he kneeling to that punk?' they thought."You know me?" Nox asked Xavier curiously."Yes, of course. A few days ago, at Singa Courtyard, a few guys and I were meeting up with Logan…"Nox finally remembered who this man was. He was among the people Nox let go after the fight at the villa. "So it
Nox spoke coolly."I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Brandon shouted hoarsely.Nox slowly turned around and stepped on Brandon's head, pushing him against the icy ground. "You're lucky this time. If this happens again, I'll kill you!"Nox turned to Vanessa and the portly owner. "And you. Killing you would only dirty my hands. Don't let me see you again, or else."Nox then turned back and held Queenie's hand. "We're leaving, Queenie."Queenie snapped out of her stupor and nodded. Striding, Nox led her out of the Prada store.Xavier was still bowing as he saw them off. "Safe journey, Mr. Greenshade." Once Nox and Queenie were out of earshot, Xavier fell to the ground, deflated and defeated.The bodyguards quickly helped Xavier up. "Mr. Coulson!"The bruised Brandon was groaning in pain. Through tears, he said, "Why did you hit me, Dad? Who was that punk?""I was saving your life, you brat!" snapped Xavier, stricken with pain."You were saving my life?" Brandon was confused."Do you know
The talismans were Magic Mountain's Forbidden Art, and Nox had fused them with Ultimate Sun Dragon Manual. Nox's mentors back in Mystia had taught him the Sovereign Seal earlier than expected.Their goal was simple. If Nox became the Sovereign, he could use the seal to command all the natural energy around him. If he didn't become the Sovereign, he would teach the Sovereign how to use the seal.The Sovereign Seal was a Saintly technique and the most ancient technique around. It was stronger than a Celestial technique.A golden seal brighter than the sun slowly rose into the air. It was the Sovereign Seal.As it appeared, natural energy gathered around it. The energy flew into the relics Brundela took from Faeast. Within a museum not open to the public, a bronze sword started to tremble as natural energy flowed into it. That got the attention of a professor."That sword belonged to Faeast's Emperor Elijah! What is going on?"A silhouette came out of the sword, and his aura was maj
Back in the navy command center, Fergus got the drone footage of Brundela's latest development. There were a few generals from the Nox Army with him. They could see that the monsters in the capital were far stronger than the ones they took out."It's a pity the capital is too densely populated. We have the weapons, but we can't use them." Fergus slammed the table in frustration. Even if the capital were to fall into enemy hands and the people torn apart by the monsters, Fergus could not order his men to fire at the capital, or things would be bad for them.Fergus could only open fire if the monsters were in a no man's land."Commander Parrish, the lord has orders. We are to keep the waters guarded. Once the capital's crisis is over, we are to make our way to the port and give humanitarian aid," a Nox Army general said telepathically. He just got Nox's orders."Is that so? Then Nox can stop this crisis." Fergus' eyes shone. He had no idea what Nox was planning, but he was the Sovere
Demons were walking the lands of Brundela. Legendary creatures were roaming the streets as if the end of days were here. The resurrected monsters were causing chaos everywhere. When the Titans showed themselves, despair washed over Brundela.There were too many monsters running around. Even after the Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators sent out everyone they had, it still wasn't enough to stop these creatures. The monsters went straight to the council hall, and so did the Titans.The Ice Temple Lord created a Magic Ice Formation and kept using Forbidden Arts and mystical artifacts to fend off the enemies. He had already done his best."You have to do something, Nine-State Lord. I can't hold on much longer!" the Ice Temple Lord said telepathically.Though monsters were about, they were not a threat to the Ice Temple Lord. he could leave anytime he wanted, but he had a deal with Nox. If he were to desert the battlefield, he would face a hell far worse than he could imagine late
Their targets were the relics around the altars. The moment the whirlpool showed up, the black energy conjured black walls and kept Brundela on lockdown, cutting off all communications.Possessed by evil spirits, gods from ancient civilizations came back to life. In the underground graveyard, the dead came bursting out of their coffins, and skeletons with phantom flames flickering around them charged at the holy knights and James' secret agents.Nothing more needed to be said. The holy knights' leader led the charge. The other knights resolved to fight to the death as they battled the skeleton gods.James and his secret agents fired off at the enemies, but the bullets did nothing to the skeletons. All they managed was to light a big spark. Only grenades and howitzers could deal damage to them, and even then, the damage was light.The battle was fierce. Though the knights did not fear death, they were still weaker than the prehistoric gods. These skeletons were nigh invincible, and
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,
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
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
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
'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