"No way this is happening. No way." Houston ran down the mountain.When the Woods' servant saw him looking crazed, they asked quickly, "What happened?""I saw a ghost! A ghost!" Houston said tremulously, but he didn't stop running. He didn't even bother getting into the car.The Woods' servant saw him off in confusion. A moment later, Kristoff, Thalia, Mouse, and Pig came down. Thalia kept staring back at Dragoncourt.'It'll be a long time before I see him again,' Thalia mused, and she started crying.Kristoff had no idea what happened between Thalia and Nox, but he was shocked. 'Riverton has someone this powerful hiding among them? And he recognized our most well-kept secret?'"Is he also one of us?" Kristoff had no answer. "Thalia, I need to ask you something." He looked at the weeping Thalia."What?" Thalia raised her head."How'd you run into that guy? Who is he? What's his name?" Kristoff asked.Thalia wiped her tears off. "Greenie? It was an accident, really."Thalia th
The Woods started returning home, but Kristoff noticed someone missing from the car. "Where's Mr. Pear?" he asked curiously.The driver said, "He ran away, sir.""What do you mean he ran away?" Kristoff was surprised."For some reason, he said he saw a ghost before he began running like no tomorrow. We tried to stop him."Kristoff had more questions now. He knew Houston all too well. He was a lewd person, but he knew how to navigate the world of politics. Now, he was the deputy head of logistics. 'But he ran away like he saw a ghost? What's going on?'Kristoff looked into the distance, then he turned to Dragoncourt. For some reason, he thought Nox was related to this matter. "This is kind of creepy. We need to go," said Kristoff."So, we're not going to avenge Lorelei?" Mouse and Pig asked."You want revenge? What can you even do?" Kristoff mocked.Mouse felt humiliated, but he knew he could do nothing. For now, he must wait.Back in Dragoncourt, Nox was standing with his hand
Imperia was the center of Faeast's political and financial world. It was also the world's largest trading hub. This place was inhabited by the rich and powerful. Anyone out there could be a millionaire.In the western part of Imperia stood a group of grand palaces. It was resplendent and took up dozens of miles. Everyone knew this place. It was the central command center. The navy, army, and air force took commands from this place.This was where the king of the military lived. The first thing people would see was the nine pillars stretching into the skies. Every pillar was dozens of feet wide, and a golden dragon was engraved on each one of them.Nine was the most revered number in Faeast, with dragons being the most respected beast. The pillars stood tall, with dragons overseeing the land of Faeast. Behind the pillars were grandiose palaces, with the first being the Nox Chamber.The Nox Chamber was made for the first lord of Faeast, but now it was empty, with only a dozen soldier
As time went by, the golden light around Aphrodite slowly dimmed. In the end, she trembled, and the light scattered into the winds. She spewed a stream of blood and wobbled weakly, trying to catch her breath."I still can't cultivate it?" she said in disappointment as she raised her head, a bitter smile hanging on her lips."This might be a powerful manual, but it is not suited for you. This is his manual, not yours." A vague shadow appeared in the chamber. It was something like a ball of fog or a blob of dark soul, though it was clear the one behind the shadow was an old man. His face, however, was obscured.Aphrodite didn't panic at the sudden appearance of the shadowy figure. She sighed. "Is he the only one in this world who can cultivate this, Grandpa?"Her voice noticeably changed at the mention of "he."The shadowy figure nodded. "Yes. Not only must the cultivator be a Legend Realm, but they must also cultivate using the inscriptions on the token, or they will fail. This man
When the shadowy figure was finally gone, Aphrodite raised her head, her eyes closed."Greenie, we'll be together forever!""Greenie, teach me how to fight!""Greenie, I love you. We'll travel the world someday. We'll be together forever, won't we?"Memories flooded Aphrodite's mind, and a drop of tear slithered down her cheek. It fell onto her hand. She looked at it and chuckled bitterly.Aphrodite swung her arm, and an air of violence roared around her. The tenderness she had a moment ago was gone, replaced by a cruel gleam in her soul.…At the same time, a car was swerving toward the military. It screeched to a halt, and someone hopped out in a hurry. He was none other than Houston. The sight of Nox scared the soul out of him.Houston left everything behind and hopped onto a private jet to Imperia. He'd gone a full day without eating, but the first thing he did was report to the military. He charged toward the entrance, but a quartet of armed guards pointed their gun barrel
"He claims it's urgent, and he saw a dead man. A guy who's supposed to be six feet under, but he's in perfect health."A frown creased Aphrodite's forehead. "A dead man?" Silence ensued for a moment. "He's cleared for entry.""Yes, milady."A moment later, Houston showed up. He saw the sallow man near the Phoenix Chamber's entrance. He sat there with his eyes closed, quiet as a rock. Even so, Houston's legs trembled.Houston quickly went around without giving the man a look, and he ran into the chamber, where a beautiful figure sat. Aphrodite.When Houston entered, he dropped to his knees. "My humblest greetings, milady."Aphrodite gave him a look. "Rise. What brings you back here?"Houston quickly said, "I bear urgent news. Traveled all the way back without stopping.""And what is this urgent news you speak of?"Houston paused for a moment. "Whatever you hear next, you must stay calm, milady. You mustn't let rage take over. This is bigger than I can imagine."Aphrodite smile
Houston knew very well how cruel the new lord was. During her crowning, a lieutenant general claimed she was unworthy to be lord. The next day, that person was decapitated and he was disemboweled. The body was hung in the lieutenant general's home, little more than a bag of skin.Houston shivered. "Y-Yes, milady." He told Aphrodite how he saw Nox in Riverton. He told her how the Woods were there to pick Thalia up and how Nox was in Dragoncourt.Aphrodite was already black as thunder, and at that point, the murder around her was becoming palpable. "Are you sure it was him?"Houston nodded. "I am very sure. Though I was just a regular unit in logistics, I saw him a lot of times. And he possessed a regal air no one else has. That's how I'm sure it's him."Aphrodite's face turned grim. "He's alive? But how? He's afflicted with Kirin Firepoison, and the ten nations' Legend Realms beat him into the sea."She mused over it for a moment, and her heart trembled. "Still, he is a lord and th
"Fine, I'll do it, you lazybones." Queenie jotted down the items for her wedding on her tablet. She then put it aside and turned to Nox. "I have a big question for you, and I need you to think long and hard before you answer.""Shoot," said Nox."Okay, then. Did you have any girlfriends before we met? Or any crushes?"Nox was stunned. He was caught by surprise and had no idea how to answer.Queenie asked, "Say something. Did you forget about your past relationships?""That's not it." Nox took a deep breath."Okay, so…" Queenie was still staring at him."To be honest, there is one before you."The look on Queenie's face changed, but only for a moment. "Go on."A pause fell between them for a moment. Nox answered, "I'd rather not talk about her. I've forgotten about her, but if you want to know, I don't really care about her. I hate her, in fact.""You hate her?" That was confusing."Yes. She almost got me killed. She's also the reason you ran into me." The air around Nox got
Queenie didn't care about the big picture. She would do whatever Nox told her to. Flames burned her again, and the fires of a phoenix covered the mountain, suppressing Flame Emperor once more, stopping his release."You are my clan's emblem, phoenix! Why are you doing Greenshade's bidding?" Flame Emperor was furious. At his core, he was as short-tempered as the empress.The empress saw what was going on, and she mocked, "Seventy thousand years, and you are at the mercy of the new Sovereign! Not even your phoenix listens to you now!"Nox's astral form descended and stood before the empress. The bloodlust he radiated made her shake. "You're killing me? Can you really do that? My life is tied to Celestial Domain. Even if it is destroyed, I will not be harmed, but if I die, Celestial Domain will fall. Kirin and Aphrodite will die as well."One is the smartest mortal I've seen all my life. The other is the only cultivator who managed to merge with a sacred beast completely. My life for
For Nox, she could give up everything, even her life. This pain was nothing. "The man I love is a hero. Someone who can stand tall and proud. But even if he's no lord or Sovereign, I love him all the same. Not even death can douse the fires of my love."The pain heightened to its peak, and the flames were now a tribulation. They flew into Queenie's soul. At the same time, a blinding crimson light shone from Queenie's body. The light came from her chest."What?" The empress was trying to kill Dominic, but she sensed something terrible going on, and she froze. "She's my lost heart? Why? Seventy thousand years, and this is what I get?" She was losing it. Her determination was crumbling.Dominic laughed. "You know why? Because you're trying to take over as Heavenly Dao, and it will fight back, hard. Nothing good will come for you! To cultivate means to do good and stay just. Evil will never triumph, and you will die!" His laughter turned into a cackle.No one saw this coming. Who'd hav
"Worry not, Queenie. As long as the phoenix's heart is not destroyed, she will be reborn in flames. Every time a phoenix is reborn, they will gain greater heights." said Flame Emperor.'Yes, that's the legend of the phoenix.' Queenie was once again in awe of nature's magic. 'So Faeast's legends are true. Phoenixes are immortal!'"So where's the heart?" Queenie quickly asked. If she could find it and help Flame Emperor get out of his prison, he and Nox could kill the empress."Silly girl. It's right here. You are the missing heart."Queenie's mind buzzed, and she froze. 'I am the phoenix's heart? Wait, so who or what am I, really?'"That witch enslaved the phoenix's body, but she could never control her heart. No one can. The legends of a phoenix's immortality are not entirely true. Every time they are reborn, they will have died once. The new phoenix will inherit their predecessor's power, but they cannot represent their predecessor."Just like reincarnation, once someone goes in
Queenie did as she was told and flew into the mountain. She was met with a gigantic furnace, and Flame Emperor was trapped within, suffering the burn. His astral form was extremely weakened."Look closely. This is not your usual fire. It's making me into an elixir, slowly refining my providence and funneling it into the coffin. The coffin's connected to Celestial Domain, and that place transfers my providence to the witch. She wishes to use my providence to gain greater heights."The empress is now a Five-ring Minor Saint. One step, and she'll be a Great Saint," explained Flame Emperor."She's using Nox to become a Great Saint?" Queenie asked."Exactly. If Nox relents and sacrifices himself for her, she can absorb his providence and become a Great Saint. The moment she does, she will activate Celestial Burtial and absorb the providence of all civilizations around the world. She wants to sacrifice the whole world for her own success."Queenie had her answers, but what confused her
Dominic was fighting with his life, buying time for Queenie. Suddenly, the empress' eye power weakened, and it couldn't even fight Dominic's will-of-the-sword. "What is this? What's Nox doing?"Dominic's will-of-the-sword noticed the scent of death coming from Nox. This mustn't happen. Nothing must happen to Nox, or his sacrifice would've been for nothing. "Stand up, Nox! You're not giving up here!" Dominic called out to Nox with his will-of-the-sword. As a fellow swordsman, Nox noticed the call."I want you to live Nox. I don't want you to die with me. I know this is all fake, but I just want to confirm what my father told me before. If someone's dying here, it's me!" Nineve lunged at Nox and held him tightly."Very well, then we're killing our way out of here!"Nineve nodded. Nox used his eye power to break the formation by force. With will-of-the-sword, he carved a path out of the formation. At the same time Nox and Nineve ran for their lives, Queenie was making her way to the m
"Nineve, Queenie is at risk right now! If I don't stop the empress, she will use her spell to control the whole world! Faeast will be gone! We will never rise again!" Nox said solemnly. He was worried this might happen. He wasn't scared of any illusion, but the rules would change if Nineve was in the picture.Her wish would affect Nox. When Nox brought Queenie up, she cried. "So you care about her the most. Go to her, then! No one loves me! I deserve this! I did this to myself! I should've given up everything to save you! I don't care about anything now. I just want to stay right here and be with my father!"Nineve had given up, and Nox wanted to scream. He wasn't sure how he should explain it to Nineve. Love needed no explanation, however."What do I do, Your Majesty?? I can't give her up for Nineve, and I can't give up Nineve for her. I can't make a choice." Nox was in a dilemma. No matter the decision, he would regret it. From a big picture perspective, he should save Queenie. Ho
Dominic's energy formed a barrier, and his sword merged with his astral form. This was a true fusion between man and sword."Do you want to die that much, old man? It's not too late to back out. I can set up an exit, and your astral form can leave. Refuse, and I will snuff you out." The empress' face contorted. She was a demoness, and not an ounce of her beauty was left on her face.Dominic laughed. "Death does not scare me. It is not the end. Glory is what I seek. Generations to come will know me as a saintly swordsman, but none will remember even your name. You failed even after seventy thousand years. You will not get what you want! Give up on your delusions and accept reality!"There was a hint of death wish in Dominic's will-of-the-sword. Should he die in this battle, his name would be known throughout Faeast. He wasn't scared at all."Damn you. I will kill you! None of your faction will live!" The empress' third eye was bloodshot, and then the crimson strings came crawling ou
Aphrodite didn't react much. She said, "If she kills you, it's a good thing. Proves that you're a capable person. It's easy to kill someone. Not so much when it comes to controlling the heart. She doesn't have the power to control your soul just yet.""What the hell are you talking about? Same difference. Just tell me what I should do now. My sacred beasts are running out of energy. I can't ask them to put their lives on the line. They're practically an endangered species! They mustn't die!" Kirin had no choice but to call back the sacred beasts that'd exhausted their energy and dispel them.The Generals weren't sacred beasts, but they were Kirin's friends. He couldn't watch them die here."Oh, pipe down. There's nothing to worry about." Aphrodite snorted."So you have a plan?" Kirin thought they had hope, seeing that Aphrodite was so calm."No. I did everything I could. Everything is in fate's hands now," said Aphrodite."Dammit! What do you mean you did everything you could? I
"We're out." Dominic and Queenie were back in the real world. He saw the demonic mountain and the desolate world around him, and he wondered if this was another formation."We're out, master. This is the real world. Nono said Flame Emperor's trapped under the mountain," said Queenie solemnly."No, it's not the mountain that has him trapped; it's the empress." Dominic gasped. "No, that's not right. She doesn't have the right or authority to do that." He frowned. "And where's Nox?" he asked curiously. He only got out thanks to Nox's guidance, but the guy was nowhere to be found.Nox and Nineve fell into another illusion formation, and this time, they were transported back to Imperia. The formation carved out the whole city, and Nox was surprised it managed that. Nineve's head was spinning. She grabbed Nox's arm and wouldn't stop talking."Are we back in Imperia? You killed that bitch, Nox?"Nox was speechless. "No, we're in another illusion. Dammit, this can't trap me, but figuring