"Faeast hasn't risen to power yet. You cannot die, Aphrodite." Nox cast Revival. The saint power of life came raining out of the crucible and drenched Aphrodite's soul. At the same time, Nox flitted around to collect the memories scattered around Celestial Domain.As if something was working from the shadows, Nox couldn't find the memories of Aphrodite's betrayal. All he found were good memories of them while they were still a couple. "Can't find them all. This will have to do. You're coming back to life, Aphrodite! I will use the crucible and reform your body!"As long as the nation's fate prospers, you live. If any harm comes to it, you will be destroyed!" Nox stuffed the memories into Aphrodite's soul. The memories were incomplete, but it wasn't the time to think about that. The crucible was forming her body.It was the most crucial step next. The soul must be merged with the body and bring it to life. Dominic said seriously, "If Nox wants to breathe life into her, he'll have to
Nox did not look happy at all. He knew Aphrodite was up to something."Don't get mad. You've saved me, so you're getting something for it. I am keeping the memories about everything that happened after the Southern Sea incident not because I want to remember that you saved me, but because I don't want to forget any important clues. When I checked the empress' formation, I found something peculiar."I found the aura of your clan's ancestor. He was here once," said Aphrodite."The clan's ancestor?" Cassian couldn't stay out of this anymore. That was the reason he was tricked into coming here. "Nox, I walked into the empress trap because I knew one of our ancestors came to this place before. I guess she wasn't lying about that part." He was visibly excited.Nox asked, "Do you know who he is?""No, but judging from the situation, that person had the power to destroy Flame Emperor and the empress, but he left Celestial Domain after taking the Sovereign Bell. That's why Flame Emperor ha
Nineve, smart as always, joined in. She kept trying to show herself off to Cassian. Nox was introducing Queenie to his grandfather, while Aphrodite… was left to her own devices.Aphrodite coughed. She said coldly, "Everyone's happy, but you're all abandoning me. What am I, chopped liver?"Everyone was annoyed, especially the guy who was set up. Kirin snarled, "Yeah, you are. I'd have whooped your ass if you weren't still useful for the nation."Nox smacked him. "Shut it. What are you trying to say, Aphrodite?" He knew Aphrodite wasn't saying that just to make everyone accept her. She couldn't care less."Like I said, one of your ancestors came to this place before. Why aren't you asking the name?" Aphrodite fiddled with her lustrous hair. She was happy with the body Nox made for her."What? But I thought I asked you, and you didn't know!" Cassian frowned. He thought the girl was really weird."You're a fool, Cassian. The family only got this far thanks to Penelope. Yes, I don't k
Everyone was having a good time. Fergus wondered who the old gentlemen were. One devoured his food silently, while the other was being friendly with everyone. He hadn't even touched his food.Curious, Fergus blurted, "So who are these gentlemen, Nox?""Oh, right. I forgot I haven't done the introductions. This is Dominic Edge, the Master of Swords," Nox said.Fergus gasped, and he almost jumped out of his seat. 'The Master of Swords?' he thought. Mystia had three big factions. The path of the sword was number three, and its leader was the top swordsman of the world. He was a famous saintly swordsman too."Mr. Edge, it's an honor to meet you!" Fergus quickly bowed. Though they both seemed old and about the same age, Dominic was already a famous warrior in Faeast when Fergus was still a child.Even during Faeast's most recent turbulence, Dominic was already a powerful swordsman."Oh, you don't have to bow. I don't do that. I'm no famous man. You, Commander Parrish, are a great hero
Fergus was flabbergasted. 'So the gentleman is more important than I thought.'"I was locked up in that hellhole for so long, I almost forgot what meat tastes like. You're a good cook, just like your old man, Fergus." Cassian patted Fergus' shoulder, smiling.Fergus stood up, straight as a pole. "Who are you, sir?""I wish you could see the look on your face. You're overreacting. I am Nox's grandfather, Cassian Greenshade," answered Cassian, and he had a confident, heroic look on his face. Though he was old, he was every bit the hero he once was."You're Cassian himself?" Fergus went on his knees and bowed to Cassian with all the respect he could muster. Everyone thought this was sudden. And bizarre.Nineve said, "Cassian's my grandpa's peer, and he used to fight side by side with Gramps. Pity he died early. He could've seen a peaceful Faeast otherwise."Casian lamented, "Luck wasn't your grandpa's best trait, after all. He was the only child of his father, and his old man had hi
The two factions were Faeast's real enemies, and all of the personal grudges plaguing the nation stemmed from them. Some small talk later, the group disbanded. The fleet still had to patrol the waters. Nox and his group would go to a nearby island and take a flight back to Imperia.They went to the flagship's deck. Dominic said, "All good things come to an end. I must return to my faction now. We can deal with our own problems. Just so you know, we might ally with the path of the martial to keep the other faction in check. Be prepared for that."Nox nodded. "I know. You're still our ally deep down.""Naturally. One more thing. Though my faction can handle ourselves well enough, Fiery Ignis' temple is in trouble on Mystia. The Fire Temple is public enemy number one now. The remnants of the temples you took out might band together and attack the Fire Temple. Don't worry, they can still handle the assault for now."First, you must deal with Faeast's problems," said Dominic.Nox had s
Nox heaved a long sigh. Queenie was oversimplifying things, and things were never simple. Aphrodite was combing her hair, and she explained, "It's not that simple. Capwave Island is on international waters. They might plunder passing ships, but if we look into it, what they do is kidnap the ships' crew and demand ransom from their companies."They'd never try to fight any nation's navy.""Wait, so why isn't anyone taking them out?" Queenie was still confused."And who's going to do that? That island is in a special location. You can never kill all the pirates. Before the stateless navy took over, the island was ruled by other pirates. As long as the island stands, some other pirate will take over sooner or later. The only way to curb this problem is to destroy the island itself."The pirate's ransom demands are nothing compared to the amount of sea trade money we see every year. Sending in an army to take them out alone costs more than what they demand every year. Taking the island
"Voltaic, he's been extending his divine sense to you a few times. He must have something to discuss with you. Why are you ignoring him?" Mufasa asked curiously.Voltaic had been healing up. He said, "And it's never anything good. He's trying to make me work for him.""Huh?" Mufasa was stunned, but he snapped out of it and still felt confused. "Work for him? No, he's trying to partner up with you. You're a Faeastian anyway. It's your duty to serve your nation," Mufasa said.Voltaic scoffed. "What do you know? I left my nation so politics wouldn't drag me into their mess. If I go back, I'd run into the very thing I hate. I couldn't care less about fame and status."That answered Mufasa's question. "I know what you're thinking. No one can force you to do what you refuse to do. You want to go back, but you don't want to be seen as a mere worker. You want to be seen as a hero."Voltaic wasn't mad about that. He said slowly, "I've always wanted to help Faeast, but power alone isn't eno
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