Before their attacks could land, a woman roared, "Who dares attack Mr. Greenshade?"A quartet of silhouettes charged into the battlefields. They were Faye and her men. A moment ago, she and her men were going to leave, given what Nox did to them.Before they could go far, however, they heard a gunshot. Curious, they quickly came to the spot and were met with the Voxlian killers attacking Nox. As a token of sincerity, Faye decided to deal with the killers for Nox.Mr. Inkheart, Larry, and the bald guy quickly battled the killers. Nox frowned. He was about to kill these bastards himself, but the Sovereign's Society's meddling stopped him. He was surprised they would help, given he almost killed them a while ago.The killers were caught by surprise as well. Screams dotted the air as Larry, and Mr. Inkheart took out five killers.The killers weren't weak, but they were no match for a Zen realm sorcerer and two Greater Combatants. Larry and the bald guy tore through the ranks of the ki
Faye pulled more masks down. The killers were all the warriors guarding the auction. "Voxlians. Dammit all! They tried to scam our money, and now they're assassinating you? Unbelievable! They should die for this!" Faye snarled.Nox said nothing. They could send in twenty Grandmasters, and he'd still be unfazed. Twenty killers were nothing. He'd killed more than a hundred Grandmasters before."Who are these guys, Nono? They just killed all those people. And who are those masked men?" A pale Queenie tugged on Nox's hem nervously. She was just a civilian who'd never seen any murders.Before Nox could say anything, Faye smiled at Queenie. "We're Mr. Greenshade's friend, lady. Don't take this the wrong way. These masked killers are our enemies.""You're his friend?" Queenie stared at the gorgeous Faye."Yes. It's the Sovereign's Society's honor to befriend someone like Mr. Greenshade. We'd love to know if he'd be our friend," Faye flattered.Nox wouldn't take that bait. He ignored Fay
Keith quickly approached Nox. "Milord, I apologize for my tardiness! I will take any punishment!""Nothing but small fries. Don't sweat it," said Nox."I have neglected your security, milord.""I said stop beating yourself up. There's no need to lead an army to war over curs," Nox said dismissively."Yes, milord. You alone tore through their ranks and stared down the Voxlian palace, forcing the royalty to sign a treaty. Of course these curs were no match for you," said Keith confidently."There's no need to bring up the past now," said Nox."I will forget nothing if it's about you, milord." Keith smiled.Keith and Nox were chatting while the Shadow Division members had their guns pointed at the heads of Faye and her men. Faye thought this was a bit unfair. She couldn't cross the Shadow Division or Nox.All she wanted was to get on Nox's good side and befriend him, but now the Shadow Division was arresting them. 'What should we do?' she wondered."Please, people, this is a mist
"Rank A members, huh?""Yes. That's the reason I left in a hurry. I didn't think they'd come so soon." Keith clenched his fists, an aura of murder rolling around him."I don't care what rank they are. Any intruders will die," said Nox."Yes, milord." They talked for a bit, and Keith told the Shadow Division members to take Nox back to Dragoncourt. He couldn't stay around because of the fight with the Rank A members.After Nox was taken home, Keith and his team members hurried off. Nox came back to the estate alone. Jebediah was in the courtyard, teasing Thalia. Both of them came up to Nox, but he said nothing.Nox went into his room. The attempt on his life didn't bother him, but something else did—Queenie's safety. He wasn't scared of any threats or assassins, but Queenie was a different story.She was a civilian, and Nox couldn't always stay with her. His priority now was to protect his girlfriend. 'But what can I use?' he mulled."Oh yeah. A protective item. If she has one, s
They then strolled down the streets. Lots of stuff was on sale. Some were real, some were fake, some were good, and some were bad.Most talismans and cinnabar were fake. The wooden swords were mainly made of wooden bats, and haphazardly too. They weren't even blessed. After a round of strolling, Nox found nothing he wanted. It was vexing.Jebediah noticed his look of displeasure. He mused over his options for a bit. "Milord, there's a shop in the northern part of the town. An ancient shop. They say almost everything they sell is real. Should we check it out?""Very well.""I'll lead the way." Jebediah led Nox on another trip. On the way there, Jebediah said, "That shop is famous. Peony Abode, it's called. Riverton sorcerers love to shop there. Even guys from out of town would buy from the shop."Nox didn't care about that. He just wanted to get an excellent component to refine. A while later, they saw an old courtyard house from afar. The place felt ancient, and a plaque from the
"He's the VIP for all the bluebloods in the north."A frown furrowed Jebediah's forehead. "Why'd the owner of this place hire a geomancy master?""Wait, you don't know? Are you from out of town?"Jebediah nodded.The man said, "Fine, I'll tell you. See the flowers?" He pointed at the parterre. It was home to peonies. Wilted peonies, however.Curious, Jebediah said, "Yeah. And they're all wilted. Peonies, I assume?""Righto, but do you know that the flowers have not wilted for a hundred years?" the man said."What? The flowers stayed in bloom for a century? Is that a joke?" Jebediah was stunned."No, sir. Do you know why the shop got its name? This is why: the parterre of peonies that haven't wilted for a hundred years—until half a month ago, that is. The boss was panicked, so he hired this guy to check things out."That answered Jebediah's question. 'So that's how this place got its name,' he mused. 'No wonder the boss hired a geomancy master to help out.'Nox said nothing, b
"Master Flame, you must help me. I'll give you a million and a half. And I'll give you everything my shop has!" Mr. Windsor buzzed with excitement."Of course. I'll make a formation to draw out the earth's negative energy and balance out the energy overflow. Your peonies will bloom again in no time," said Master Flame.Everyone was in a good mood, but then someone exclaimed, "What a load of bullcrap!"Shocked, everyone turned around and saw a regal, handsome man stepping forward. That caught their attention.Mr. Windsor glared at Nox. "Who are you, punk? What is the meaning of this?"He thought, 'I spent so much time and money to get Master Flame here. I will not let anyone mess it up!'A retail assistant noticed Nox. "Boss, he's a customer!""A customer? I told you not to let anyone in today! Kick him out!" ordered Mr. Windsor shrilly."A minute," Master Flame stopped Mr. Windsor. He looked at Nox, his eyes narrowed. "You claim what I said was… nonsense. Why do you think so? P
"Do you even know the techniques involved in this work? Dragon's Expedition? Hidden Gold's Search?" Seymour stepped ahead, the air around him fierce.Nox, however, was unfazed. "I've never read anything you said, but I know you're wrong." He pointed at the parterre."This is no Positive Cell, and you can't balance the energy with negative energy. That won't make the flowers bloom. If you do that, you'll kill them faster. Go ahead, try it out."Rage had enveloped Seymour's mind. "How dare you doubt my skills! When I was already a pro, you weren't even born yet! I'll show you what it means to be a pro geomancer!"Seymour let out a roar and quickly plucked a wilted peony. He made a hand seal and started chanting under his breath. Everyone stared at him unblinkingly."He's going to cast a spell! Look!"Seymour's chanting went on for five minutes, then he roared again and made another hand seal. He pointed at the peony, and an invisible sliver of energy shot into the flower.A retail
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