At the same time Nox was healing Henry, Queenie and her family were on their way to Sanders Pharmaceuticals. The factory was on the outskirts.Queenie and her family were in two cars. The one in front housed Queenie and her parents, while the one in the back housed Hogs and Jezebiah.George pointed at the road leading to the factory on the clearing ahead. "We're here, Queenie. And good thing Queenie's the company's owner now. If Dad finds out that Empire Corp bought out the company, he's going to have a heart attack."Yvette said, "What are you talking about? Henry's been in a coma for nearly a year. He can't even get angry at anything.""True." The thought of his wizened father made George sigh.A moment later, they arrived at the factory. The first thing they saw was over a hundred workers huddled in the factory.When Queenie came out of the car, someone shouted, "They're here! Surround them!"The workers quickly surrounded Queenie and her parents. The sudden confrontation sho
"You're the one who owes them, not me. The company belongs to your daughter now, remember?" Hogs answered.George thought he would blow up in fury. He couldn't believe his own brother would do this to him, but he couldn't argue. Queenie was the one who owned the place now, and Henry was still in a coma. He couldn't pay the workers."Give us our money!""Pay us, or you're not leaving!"The workers shouted and screamed again. They closed in on Queenie and her family, weapons at the ready. Hogs and Jezebiah smiled darkly.Just when things were about to get out of control, Queenie stepped forth. "I'll pay you guys."All the workers laid eyes on her. Queenie's parents were flummoxed.They thought, 'You're paying them? With what money? We owe them nearly a million. Collectively.'"You're paying? Fine, then show us the money." One of the worker's leaders stepped ahead. The man's name was Hudson Swines. He was a distant relative of Hogs' wife.When Hogs was the boss of Sanders Pharmac
The reignited wrath of the workers prompted Queenie to take more action. "If you don't believe me, I can swing by the bank and withdraw some money."Hudson sneered. "You're going to withdraw some money? Why should we trust you? What if you run away?"Angrily, Queenie said, "Then, you guys can come with me.""We're not going. We want cash, and we want it right now. Pay us, or you're not leaving," said Hudson, and he riled up the workers. "Listen up, people. We can't let them run away this time!"The workers were convinced, and things got out of control again.Queenie's parents were scared by the sight of this chaos. If they pushed the workers to the brink, they knew these people would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.George had to step in. "Honey, you need to call the family. We need to take whatever cash we have. And call all our friends. We'll have to take a few loans."Yvette was tearing up, but she quickly made the calls. Queenie, on the other hand, was blowing up wit
"Take me to Queenie right now."The servant paused for a moment. "But Master George told me to raise the funds. If they can't pay the workers today, something bad is going to happen.""Don't worry about the money. Just take me to Queenie, and I'll handle it," Nox said.The servant was hesitant. After all, she didn't know Nox. She didn't think she could trust him so easily.In the end, Henry had to step in. "What are you waiting for? Take Queenie's husband and go."The servant shivered and looked at Nox again. "Yes, of course, sir.""I leave Queenie to you, lad. Take her home in one piece," Henry told Nox.A smile curled Nox's lips. "Of course, Henry. I'll bring her home safely." He then left the house quickly and hopped into the car.The servant was driving. On the way there, Nox borrowed a phone from her and called Alexander. "Alex, do you still have the cash I told you to bring along last time?"Alexander was in his office. "Yes, milord. I still have it.""Good. I need some
"I do have money. The card is legit!"Queenie tried to explain, but Hudson wasn't going to listen. "Either you pay up, or I'll make you. We worked our asses off for you, and you're withholding our salaries? Guys, what say you? Should we make them pay?"Their emotions stirred, the workers roared, "Yes!"A venomous sneer twisted Hudson's lips. He held his steel bar tighter and jabbed it at Queenie. "One last time. Pay up!"Queenie was crying from fear now. She had no cash to pay everyone."You're not paying? Then you're asking for it." Hudson approached Queenie.George darted ahead and tried to stop him, but Hudson kicked him away. George fell, the pain keeping him down.Queenie roared, "Dad!"Hudson raised his weapon.The steel bar swung away at Queenie, but the split second before Queenie was hit, someone grabbed the weapon."You filthy bastard. How dare you attack my woman?" A towering figure stood before Queenie.It was none other than Nox.Hudson froze. Jezebiah and Hogs
The sight of Ferguson petrified George while Queenie's eyes went wide.Ferguson approached Queenie and smiled. "We meet yet again, Ms. Sanders.""M-Mister, what brings you here?" Queenie stared at Ferguson, dumbstruck.Ferguson answered, "My employer has heard of your financial woes. He sent me here to aid you. Monetarily speaking, of course."'Monetary aid?' Queenie's parents were speechless, and so was Queenie.Ferguson then snapped his fingers at the armored cars. The great vehicles roared closer to the factory. A dozen armed officers leaped out of the vehicles and pulled the doors open, revealing wads of cash stacked in the storage.Four armored cars brought a total of 150 million dollars. The impact stunned everyone once more. The workers, Queenie, and her parents, everyone. Yes, Jezebiah and Hogs included. Eventually, Hogs' legs buckled, and he almost fell unconscious.Nox was the only one standing still."A hundred and fifty million, Ms. Sanders. Take it. If you need mor
And with Empire Corp's help, the fiasco came to an end. The workers were paid, and the Sanderses could rest easy.Queenie, however, was still staring at the armored cars and the mountains of cash within. She was still basking in disbelief, but Ferguson eventually came up to her and broke her out of her stupor."Now that your financial woes are settled, what will you do? Do you require more assistance?"Queenie stared at Ferguson for a while. She shook her head."Very well. We shall be taking our leave, then."Ferguson was about to leave, but Queenie blurted, "Hey, wait a minute."Ferguson turned around, smiling at Queenie. "What might you need, Ms. Sanders?"Queenie pointed at the armored cars. "Can you tell me the reason you guys keep helping me? I don't think I know anyone in Empire Corp."The smile on Ferguson's lips remained. "But my employer knows you.""You mean Alexander, the richest man in Riverton?"Ferguson nodded, but that only added to Queenie's pile of questions.
Queenie didn't stop scolding her uncle.Since they were having a falling out anyway, Hogs sneered. "You think you can lecture me, girl? Empire Corp might be backing you up, but I call the shots in this household. You're already exiled, girl. You're not a part of this family.""You call the shots? Grandpa is still alive. No one but him can exile me," Queenie retorted snarkily."Dad? He's been bedridden for years. If you're trying to scare me, you're doing a bad job."And then a roar exploded through the air. "You think I'm bedridden?"Hogs knew that voice all too well, and he froze in shock. Then, he saw a familiar silhouette strutting into the scene. The man was none other than Henry."Dad!""Grandpa!"Queenie and her parents couldn't believe Henry just showed up out of nowhere. Jezebiah and Hogs were both shocked. They were staring at Henry unblinkingly, their blood growing cold.'Henry is awake?' That was the thought that went through their heads."Dad, you're awake. I thou
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