Queenie froze. "There's more?" She wondered what it could be.The Sanderses were terrified. They thought the Empire Corp would go back on their word.Mr. Larson smiled. "This is a takeover contract. Sign it, and you'll be the boss of Sanders Pharmaceuticals."Everyone inhaled sharply. Jezebiah, Hogs, and Queenie's parents were petrified. Even Queenie thought she was hearing things. "I beg your pardon?""Sign it, and you'll be taking over Sanders Pharmaceuticals.""I'm going to do what?" Queenie was close to screaming.Mr. Larson was still smiling. "You'll do exactly what you heard. Mr. Weeks' orders. This purchase is done for your sake. Of course, you'll be handling the company."Hogs, Jezebiah, and Queenie's parents exclaimed. 'What? The Empire Corp is handing over the company to Queenie?' they screamed in their minds.Queenie got the gist of it, and her eyes went wide. "You bought the company just to give it to me?""Yes, it is as you say, Ms. Sanders," Mr. Larson answered.
"Don't just stand there, girl. Sign the papers and thank them!" George gushed. He could feel his heart beating so fast that it could leap out of his chest.Even Yvette said, "Sign the papers, Queenie. Sign them."Jezebiah and Hogs were jealous. They did not expect the Empire Corp to pull this move. Queenie, however, did not sign right away.She held the pen dumbly, staring at the papers before her. Everything felt so unreal, as if it was a dream. Queenie had no idea what to do.Her parents were starting to get fidgety over her indecisive attitude. What they wouldn't give to take her place and sign the papers for her.If the contract went through, they'd get their company back just like that, and they would get Empire Corp's backing, too. Anyone else would've signed the papers right away.Everyone was waiting with bated breath, but Queenie turned her eyes to Nox. "Nono." She had no idea why she would think of him right now.Nox approached her.Queenie blurted, "Should I sign the
They did make a small fortune from the deal, but it was nothing compared to the partnership with Empire Corp and the absolute fortune of a starting fund. Jealousy would bring them nowhere, however. Queenie was the owner of the company now, not them."Congratulations, George. Your daughter got herself a great connection. The richest man in Riverton, no less." It was a lie. Hogs was filled to the brim with dismay and hatred.George knew very well the congratulatory remark was fake. "You can save the congratulatory remarks. I just want our company to get back on its feet." He then turned to Yvette. "Where's Queenie?""In her room with that guy," said Yvette."She's still with that charlatan? Really? After all that's happened? Ridiculous. We're talking to her." And George went to Queenie.…Queenie was in her exquisite room. While everyone else was over the moon, she alone looked brooding. Queenie rested her chin on her hands, staring ahead blankly. By her side were Nox and Blackshar
Once in the study, George closed the door and happily held his daughter's hand. "Queenie, take a seat. Let's have a chat."Queenie sat with her father quietly.George dragged a stool and sat with his daughter. "Tell me, Queenie. How'd you get to know Alexander?""I don't know Alexander," said Queenie honestly."You don't? That's not possible. Tell me the truth, Queenie. How'd you hook up with Empire Corp?" George didn't believe his daughter."Dad, I swear I don't have any connections with Empire Corp. And I don't know Alexander.""Really?""Yeah."Now that befuddled George. "If that's the case, why are they so generous to you? They even made you the owner of Sanders Pharmaceuticals. That company is worth tens of millions."Queenie shook her head. "To be honest, I have no idea why they're doing this."George could see Queenie wasn't lying, and he was at a loss for words. He wondered, 'They bought Sanders Pharmaceuticals at a price far beyond what the market is offering, and th
Queenie argued, "Dad, I'll say this once again. I can fall in love with whoever I want. I can date whoever I want, and it's none of your business. If you're still going to control me like you used to, Nox and I will leave this place right away."Since Queenie was starting to get mad, George had no choice but to hold it in. "Calm down, Queenie. I'm doing this for your own good."Queenie was still displeased. George added, "Fine. If you want to keep him around, keep him around. But before we find out who he really is, you're not taking this relationship any further. Understand?""Yeah, yeah.""Good."And they reached an agreement about Nox's stay."Now that you're the boss of our company, you should check things out tomorrow. We need to assuage the workers," George said.Queenie nodded. "Okay."…Nox stayed in the Sanders Residence that night. His room was near Queenie's, and Queenie had Blackshark stay with him."Just make yourself at home. I'm right next door if you need me."
When Queenie woke up the next morning, she found her room to be freezing. "It's just October. What's with the cold snap?" She flinched a little and got out of bed.The sun was glaring overhead, but for some reason, she found a layer of frost sticking to her window. "The weather's certainly going haywire," Queenie muttered, though she was unperturbed.She approached Nox's room and knocked on his door, but no one took it. A smile curled her lips. "He's sleeping well." She decided to leave Nox alone.Queenie freshened herself up and got changed. Her parents, Hogs, and Jezebiah were in the great hall, waiting for her. When she showed up, George quickly approached her."Finally awake. We've been waiting.""You could've slept in." Queenie entered the great hall."Did you forget? It's your first day taking over the company. We're taking you there to check things out."Queenie grunted."It's getting late. We should move out now," suggested George.Queenie wanted to bring Nox along, bu
"Calm down, Dad. She wants to manage the company? Fine, let's see how she rolls. Don't forget, the company's filled with our men." Jezebiah snickered.Hogs said, "True. She thinks she can steal what is rightfully ours. Never. Son, make some calls and tell them…"Hogs whispered something to Jezebiah, and Jezebiah smiled darkly. "No problem, Dad. Just sit back and enjoy the show." Jezebiah made his way to a quiet corner and started making calls.…While Queenie and her family were on their way to the company, Nox was still in his room, quietly cultivating. A long while later, his eyes snapped open.The slivers of inner energy swirling around him swam into his body. He stretched his arms and leaped off the ground. Nox came out of his room and was met with a blinding ray of sunlight.He wanted to see Queenie, but her bedroom was empty. Nox asked the servants about Queenie's whereabouts. He was told she and her family had gone to Sanders Pharmaceuticals.Nox smiled. "Good. She can fi
These mementos struck a chord with Nox. "Sir?" he called out quietly, but the old man gave no response.Nox checked his pulse. He ruminated, 'Very low frequency of heartbeat, barely any breathing, and his kidneys are close to failing.'But that was not the most important reason for the old man's condition. The real reason was a tumor in his belly. It was no ordinary tumor either, no. Instead, it was a ball of energy.Nox was experienced enough to know that it was inner energy the moment he touched the ball. However, the ball of energy hadn't made its way to the old man's elixir field. Instead, it was stopped and stored in his belly.Unable to be processed, the ball of energy dragged the old man into a weird illness."I see. He must've gotten himself into this because of an accident during training." Nox looked at the old man again. "You're lucky you met me. Since you've served the military your whole life, I shall save you."Nox extended his arm and held the ball of energy down.
Douglas worked through the night for the negotiation."One, you must apologize for your invasion of Faeast. Two, you will return all stolen relics to us and pay for damages. Three, you will open trade with Faeast, and it must be complete and total. Those are our demands. We promise not to interfere with your nation's administration. Once the aid is administered, our fleet and army will retreat from Brundela."And one more thing. Faeast recognizes you as Brundela's new ruler." That was interesting. It also meant that Faeast could rescind that recognition at any time. Elizabeth had no choice. Without Faeast, Brundela would be gone. In the end, the nations arrived at an agreement.At midnight, they called a press conference. Faeast helped Eropa settle a war and avert a world disaster. That news took the world by storm. The Eastern dragon was rising, and none could stop it. It wouldn't take long for Faeast to return to the top.Brundela's case was over. After they gave enough aid, Ferg
"They call you Great Generals?" the Ice Temple Lord laughed. "If I do want to betray him, how do you hope to stop me? You three had to take me on together, and it only ended in a draw. Now that I'm an Emperor and White Tiger is in a slumber, I can destroy you in a moment!"The Ice Temple Lord looked at Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise with disdain. Vermilion Bird's eyes were wide. She didn't care. She would fight the Temple Lord to the bitter end if she must.Black Tortoise was the calmer one, and he pulled Vermilion Bird back. "Calm down. Even if he wants to betray the lord, he at least would want to see the lord's body before he tries anything."Even a woman like Aphrodite lost this fight. He wouldn't dare try anything stupid."The Ice Temple Lord was still smug about being an Emperor, and now his celebration was cut short. Betraying Nox required a lot of courage. Nox's power terrified him. Even if he couldn't win the fight, Nox could at least come back safely.Besides, he only
The formation Nox created with the Sovereign Seal was on the brink of destruction. Once the formation was gone, the Sovereigns and the spirits would return to dust. In this final moment, Brundela's Faeastian called their friends and family in their homeland and projected the modern-day Faeast onto the gigantic screen in the plaza.The spirits cried when they saw how developed their nation had become. The Sovereigns and the rulers were meticulous people. They used to rule over a unified nation, so they knew how hard it was to create a dynasty. Every dynasty would have its peak and nadir.Every time a dynasty was on a decline, Faeast would be in danger. They didn't talk about the truth behind that video, of course. They admired the beautiful land of Faeast as they waited for their final moment to arrive."The hardest and darkest moment is behind us, sirs. Faeast has me now. You may rest in peace. I will not let you down. I will destroy the canker that infects Faeast and give it the pe
"You're going nowhere! Die!" The Sovereigns chased after the spirit, and a hundred rulers followed. They trapped the Titan's spirit and ripped him to shreds."Holy shit! That's the ancient Faeastian Sovereigns for you!" White Tiger roared with pride. He was on the roof of a tower somewhere.Emperor Elijah narrowed his eyes and exchanged a look with the other Sovereigns. He hurled the remaining essence of the Titan's spirit to White Tiger and stuffed him with it. The energy filled White Tiger up, and he ballooned. Black, rancid energy came out of his body, and he fell into madness.Nox cast Heaven's Demise and sealed White Tiger's consciousness. The Ice Temple Lord, realizing what the Sovereigns were trying to do, encased White Tiger in a coffin of magic ice."This is an impressive underling you have, Nine-State Lord. Devouring spirits gives him power. Anyone else would've lost their minds and become a killing machine, but White Tiger's already mad to begin with. There's no further
"The third kind of Emperor uses natural energy, the power of Yin and Yang, and the elements to become one. Since they use all kinds of elements and energy to become an Emperor, they are practically invincible."The Ice Temple Lord was excited. "So, you're saying I'm the strongest kind of Emperor?"Nox was speechless. "No, what I was trying to say was you took the wrong path. You could've absorbed the energy in the heavens, but you absorbed the Yin energy in the ground. You're stronger than Frostmir, but his level was higher, so you'd still be no match for him." Nox pursed his lips."Eh?" The Ice Temple Lord was disappointed. He thought he could be on par with Nox once he became an Emperor. The Ice Temple Lord wasn't the only one who gained power. The Ice Temple cultivators did as well. Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird gained a lot of power, too.Vermilion Bird was now a Flawless Supreme, Black Tortoise was an Advanced Supreme, while White Tiger was an Intermediate Pi
The fact that Nox could cast Sovereign Seal showed the Ice Temple Lord a new level of power. The Sovereign was more terrifying than the gods. 'No wonder they could rule the world in ancient times.'The ancient Sovereigns and rulers of Faeast attacked their enemies. The fate of Faeast gathered over their heads, piercing the clouds that hung over them. The weaker monsters were all slain, and Emperor Hans pierced the pharaoh with his spear, returning him to dust.Emperor Blade killed the god of another ancient civilization. The evil energy possessing them was purified. Moments later, the only gods left were the Titans. Unlike the possessed gods, the Titans were ancient cultivators.Even if they didn't master any spells or techniques, they'd trained their bodies to their absolute best. The Sovereigns and rulers didn't have much advantage against these enemies.These spirits were only summoned through the relics and the remnants of energy left within. Their bodies were gone, and their s
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