Nox laughed. "Is that a joke? I am the Sovereign of Faeast, and I rule the Nine States and Five Domains. You are but the queen of a minor nation. You have no right to make me your slave."The maidservants burst with demonic energy, and the energy morphed into evil spirits. The palace was now more like a den of ghosts. The empress was still as gorgeous as ever. Nox thought, 'I can't see through her. Her eye power vastly overpowers mine.'The empress waved her hand, and the den of ghosts returned to its previous form. The demonic maidservants raised their heads and smiled at Nox seductively."And that is why I am changing my terms. You are the only foreigner who has the privilege to sit at the negotiation table with me. I will give you an opportunity. Become as one with me. You shall be my clan's emperor, and I shall be the queen. We will rule the world equally."If we combine forces, we have nothing to fear from the path of the martial or the path of ancient divine. With time, even
The empress smelled something she disliked from Nox. The 'innocent' empress' eyes had a flash of bloodlust within."I was just praising you, you know. Still, don't you think you sound insincere? 'I want this to work' my ass. You're just trying to get to me because you've seen through me. You think just because of my flaws, I desperately need the thing you're offering me? Yeah, you've cultivated your eye power for seventy thousand years, but you still don't understand the human heart."You see, that's why you're stuck at this level. Let me guess. The moment I say yes to your proposal, you'll devour my body. This whole ritual is just a way of stealing the sacrifice's talent and aptitude." Nox looked at the woman calmly. He thought she was… pitiful."What? You think you can see through me? Stop messing around. Either take my offer, or lose everything. I will not let you die. You don't care about yourself anymore. Refuse me, and the people who came with you will die! And you're making o
"Is that so? Well, you might be able to do that, but what about them?" The empress then showed Nox a vision of Nineve having her mind tortured.Nineve was trapped in another hallucination. She was in a sea of chains. Though they didn't chain her body, she couldn't get out either. Every chain radiated demonic energy, eating away at Nineve's willpower. She was just a regular woman with no power and knowledge of defeating hallucinations. Her willpower was the only thing keeping her sane.However, the empress was eating away at her willpower. She was losing ground fast. Nox said solemnly, "Don't give in, NIneve. You're the descendant of a Sovereign. Your grandfather is a hero who saved Faeast. Your father found hope for Faeast in its darkest moment and led it to prosperity."You cannot let this hallucination beat you!" However, his voice couldn't reach her."It's useless. Only you can find a way out in a situation like this. Only you have the stubbornness needed to break through every
This was a dilemma. No matter the choice, it would scar Nox forever. "You want me to make a choice? Sorry, but we don't do that here. I know what you're after, wench. You used Flame Emperor to get closer to your goal, and now you want my body to finally achieve your ambition, but I'm telling you, that's never going to happen!"I will show you that all your waiting has been for nothing! Death is the only way out for you! That is the reality you will have to live with!" Nox summoned royal providence and crushed the illusion with righteous energy. Beneath the resplendent palace was just a world of decay and desolation."You're done for, Greenshade! Not even Emperors are a match for me! Even Sovereigns are my slaves! If you're not going to do as I say, then you shall be punished!""Punish this!" Nox lashed his fist at the empress, and she burst like a bubble. That body was nothing but an illusion. No one could be sure what was true in this world. He flew out of the desolate world and ra
"Oh man, I'm in hell!" Nineve inhaled sharply. She'd never seen anything so terrifying her whole life, but then she calmed down and thought about it. Then she realized this monster looked like a villain from a horror movie she saw."No wonder Nox told me to stay alert. Dad told me the best eye technique users can see through their target's heart. They'll show me what I fear most. That bitch saw through me!" Nineve cursed. That was the only way to bolster her courage.She was just a regular woman and hadn't seen too much of the world. She had no idea that the empress before her was, to an extent, her true self.The empress noticed Nineve's response and thought that Nineve had some good parts, albeit being mediocre overall. She didn't expect a woman born to royalty could be so resilient. Most princesses were weaklings and had no other virtue other than beauty."Maybe it's because of her bloodline, but she's still nothing to me. Greenshade only cares about you because he thinks he owe
"Ah, seventy thousand years have done a number on my descendants. You are… unsightly," muttered the titan, scanning Nineve.The tian's low echo seemed to have magic in it. His voice infused Nineve with determination. She froze and remembered what Nox told her. Dumbly, she asked, "Who are you? Am I really a descendant of Flame Emperor? So you're my ancestor?"The titan said nothing. He looked beside him, and Nineve followed his gaze. She was locked out of the golden barrier and was using her eye power to break the Sovereign aura. Nineve's eyes shone. 'So Flame Emperor is my ancestor!'"Quick, take that empress down, ancestor!"Flame Emperor's pupils contracted, and he looked defeated. If he could break the empress' eye technique, he'd have gone free a long time ago. "Listen to me. We don't have much time left. I can't hold on much longer. You kids are the key to defeating the empress," said Flame Emepror.Nineve was flabbergasted. 'What, we're the key?' she thought."Do I look lik
If anything were to happen to Nox because she couldn't pull her own weight, she'd never be able to face her father. Quilo might spoil her, but even she could be sacrificed for the nation's good.If anything were to happen to Nox, Mystia would attack Faeast relentlessly. War would come for the nation again, and the people would be slaughtered. Her father would never forgive her if that happened."No, I can't give up. If Faeast is hurt because of me, my ancestors will kill me! Dammit, fine, I'll suffer just this once. Come on, me. Hold on!" Nineve would not die a sinner, nor would she hold back her lover.It didn't matter if Nox truly cared about her. Even if he did it just because he thought he owed her or because he wanted to become Faeast's ruler easier, he was still nice to her. She was born to royalty and had never gone through any hardship, but she had seen deception all her life.Even if Nox was nice to her because he had something to gain, she couldn't complain about it."He
The empress could wait no longer. Nineve was the weakest among the trio, which made her the perfect place to start. Demonic energy appeared, eating away at the Sovereign's energy."You're the only hope of turning this around, Nineve. We're all counting on you." Flame Emperor kept powering up his energy, but he succumbed to the empress' attacks. Once the Sovereign's barrier was gone, the empress attacked Nineve.Right before the attack could hit, Nineve's bloodline awakened. The wandering Saint power swam into her body."Perfect! Now's the time! I'll give you seventy thousand years worth of energy!" Flame Emperor infused all the energy he'd gathered over the last seventy millennia into Nineve. It would be useless for any other cultivator. They'd have to refine the energy over time, and the quality of the energy was just mediocre.Nineve was no normal woman. In ancient times, the descendants of a Sovereign could inherit part of their ancestor's power and abilities. Like a dried-up s
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