"You may fool others, but you aren’t fooling me. Besides, we’re close friends. Whatever it is, I won't tell." Adrian patted his chest.Zector chuckled dryly. "Mr. Adrian, it's not that I'm unwilling to tell you but it's not the right time yet. Don’t worry, you'll know the truth soon." He teased Adrian with a hint of mystery.Adrian felt speechless and could only shake his head helplessly. Zector was really good at keeping secrets. No matter how he asked, Adrian couldn't get a straight answer out of him. But since Zector said they would understand soon, Adrian did not press the matter.They then arrived at a vast network of halls. There were outer halls, inner halls, and plenty of side halls. After a few more minutes of walking, they finally reached the inner hall. Inside lay a single towering demonic deity statue, enormous and majestic. Everyone inhaled sharply, the statue giving them an overwhelming sense of oppression."Who is this deity? And this statue is enormous!" Everyone ma
Sameer and the others were scared witless, their faces pale as they trembled uncontrollably, thinking, ‘The…The statue is alive?!’Meanwhile, Adrian remained remarkably composed. He watched the statue before him, his eyes narrowed.Swish...After a moment, a faint golden light emanated from the eyes of the statue. In front of everyone, it slowly formed into a human-sized, humanoid figure. A long, white-haired man clad in dark golden armor and exuding an extraordinary aura appeared, and Adrian observed him closely. He sensed that this man's aura was unlike that of most warriors. He recognized it as the aura of a demon, not a human warrior. But despite being a demon, the man looked very much like a human.Before this man, Zector appeared extremely humble. He said politely, "Father."With just one word, everyone present was shocked. Even Adrian could not help exclaiming, "Oh my, so he's your father!"The originally solemn atmosphere in the hall was instantly disrupted by Adrian's wo
Sameer suddenly shouted aggressively, "Mr. Adrian, why waste words with him?! He’s a demon! Let's just kill him!"However, the man shot Sameer a fierce gaze, instantly rendering Sameer’s group witless. The Valor Supremes dared not meet the man’s gaze, but the man did not move against them either. His presence alone was enough to intimidate them into silence.At this tense moment, Zector addressed the man, "Father, now that you have awakened, please return to the demon realm. There should be a spatial rift here. With your abilities, it should be easy for you to go back.""Oh? Are you that eager for me to be gone?" The man raised an eyebrow. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Zector.Zector replied calmly, "The Golden Creed cannot be without a king."The man paused, considering Zector's words. "Hmm, you shall come back with me then. You've spent enough time wandering in this mortal realm. It's time to return and fulfill your duty."With a wave of his hand, the
The man frowned and looked toward Adrian. Despite his scrutiny, Adrian appeared unremarkable to him, and he couldn't comprehend how Adrian had demonstrated such formidable combat prowess."Are you defending him?" the man asked.Adrian chuckled and replied, "Absolutely. Attacking someone who can't fight back proves nothing. It only makes you look small.""In all my years ruling the universe, I, the Gilded Tyrant, have never been called small. You're quite interesting, kid! Since you're so confident, let's change the terms.” Gilded Tyrant sneered."Go on," Adrian said calmly."We’ll settle this with a fight. If you can withstand three of my attacks, I won't take Zector away. If you fail, no one interferes," declared the Gilded Tyrant.Zector hurried to Adrian’s side and whispered, "Sir, this is between my father and me. You shouldn't interfere.""No, I wouldn't have intervened if not for earlier. Now, I want to see how strong this Demon Lord is," Adrian replied."My strength far
Adrian understood that confronting the blade energy head-on would be futile. Activating the Ancient Life Text, he searched for a way to navigate through the attack. While completely neutralizing it seemed beyond his current capabilities, finding an escape route remained feasible.Boom!A deafening roar filled the air as the Gilded Tyrant's assault enveloped Adrian."Mr. Adrian!" gasped Sameer’s group in disbelief.Dust and smoke shrouded the scene, obscuring Adrian's condition. As the haze settled, they discerned a figure still standing—it was Adrian.Coughing twice, Adrian faced the Gilded Tyrant and remarked, "Impressive strength, but if you think that level of power can defeat me, you're sorely mistaken."The Gilded Tyrant found Adrian increasingly intriguing. Despite his unassuming demeanor, he consistently defied expectations. "Boy, enduring my Sky-Splitting Slash is commendable, but you should brace yourself for what comes next," he warned.With those words, an even more p
"Excellent, very impressive!" The Gilded Tyrant chuckled as he regarded Adrian. "Your strength is commendable. Given that, let's call it quits for today. But next time, I won't go easy on you."With that, the Gilded Tyrant flickered and vanished from sight, leaving the others visibly stunned. They hadn't expected the battle to end so abruptly, leaving them speechless.Adrian turned to them and said, "The Gilded Tyrant has acknowledged my strength and showed caution. In a way, he kept his word. Now that he's gone, let's gather whatever we can find."Finally snapping out of their daze, the Valor Supremes realized this place, brimming with its treasures, was theirs to claim. Excitement filled the air as they quickly gathered their newfound riches and departed from this secret realm.When they got out, Adrian and Zector bid farewell to them and left to continue their journey. In the vast northern continent, they sought to uncover more truths, eventually arriving at the grand city of Aq
There were two rental options available: a short-term stay in a two-story duplex loft for twenty low-grade essence stones per month, or a long-term stay for an annual rent of one hundred and eighty low-grade essence stones for the same loft.Additionally, Nimbus had ties to Oxridge's Independent Immortals Alliance, allowing any immortal to set up market stalls without paying management fees or commissions, attracting many immortals in need of services and goods to the area."Can we really set up stalls here?" Adrian inquired."Yes, if you're skilled in alchemy or blacksmithing, you'll thrive here and be in high demand among immortals," the steward explained.Adrian pondered, then asked, "Are there any other housing options besides lofts?"The steward chuckled. "There are cave dwellings, but I wouldn't recommend them.""Why not?" Adrian questioned, "Why not save to accumulate as many essence stones as possible?"The steward was momentarily surprised before laughing. "You're quite
Two months passed swiftly. During this time, Adrian and Rozi delved into advanced techniques like the "Entanglement Technique" and "Rain of Arrows," enhancing their strength, though they hadn't yet reached a higher level.They often engaged in friendly competition, comparing popularity and earnings. However, alchemy posed higher risks and costs compared to blacksmithing. Rozi, particularly, faced intense frustration when her attempts to create Red Pills failed, sometimes venting her anger by smashing tables. But things changed when she successfully produced the Mind-Clearing Pill, significantly boosting her and Adrian’s power.After much discussion, the pair decided to leave Oxridge Market. Adrian believed staying there hindered their breakthroughs, citing that Rozi could support their training with her alchemy skills. Initially, Rozi didn't understand his decision though, causing her and Adrian to get into a heated argument. Eventually, she relented to his firm stance.The next day
The Daemon Emperor was startled."What is happening? This power..."Formless energy was surging forward, pressuring his nerves and senses.Below, Andy and the others trembled uncontrollably."Who is it?" Finnian stared into the crimson mist.Even Andy was horrified, his gaze locked on the unfolding scene in disbelief, and asked, "What is this? What exactly is happening?" At this moment, Adrian abruptly opened his eyes.Apparently, the Daemon Emperor had once conspired with Adrian's subordinates to ambush him.However, Adrian had managed to annihilate the traitors and sealed this Daemon Emperor. Now, fate had brought them together again."If I killed you once, I can kill you again." Adrian stood tall, his white robes fluttering in the air.The Daemon Emperor was stunned into silence."This is impossible! You're not that mortal boy!""Is that so? In this life, your end has come, and so has the era of the daemons." Adrian's voice was calm yet resolute. He stretched out his han
Adrian's face hardened at the words. He despised threats above all else. While he understood what the mysterious entity desired, he couldn't yet fully comprehend its implications or find a way to counter it. His only choice was to focus on growing stronger.Within the hot spring, waves of raw, terrifying power surged and crashed violently against Adrian's body.The force, though beneficial, was brutal and overwhelming. Adrian's body struggled to endure, cracking as though it were disintegrating."Arghhh!"A heart-wrenching scream echoed as Adrian's flesh was torn apart and his aura gradually dimmed."Ahhh!"His agonized cries echoed once more. He could no longer withstand the pain.In the distance, a towering figure appeared and sneered. "What's this? Can't take it anymore? Pathetic. Humans are truly the epitome of stupidity."Suddenly, Adrian erupted with an explosive surge of energy, and in that instant, he broke through to the pinnacle of the Void Stage."Hmm? He actually b
At that moment, the crowd was speechless.Adrian had ascended as if it were the easiest thing in the world.Faced with such a sight, no one could say much beyond admiration. Even if the Holy Son claimed Adrian had cheated, many secretly wished they could cheat the same way.Lacking Adrian's means, all they could do was envy him.Finnian chuckled. "Haha! You really caught us all by surprise, kid. Still, I'll count this as you repaying me a favor."For Finnian, the outcome couldn't have been better. With a broad smile, he seemed to have achieved his desired result. Adrian's successful climb was all that mattered to him.Once Adrian had vanished, the focus shifted to the rest of the group and their trials.When Adrian opened his eyes again, his entire body ached, but an oddly comforting sensation flowed through him. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was now in a pond."Where am I?" he asked.Though uncertain about the place, Adrian knew he had cleared the trial and arriv
The onlookers stared in bewilderment, their faces etched with confusion as they struggled to grasp the unfolding events.Meanwhile, Adrian seethed with barely contained rage. This wasn't his first encounter with such torment. Every few steps he ascended, another trial awaited.To Adrian, the relentless punishments felt suffocating. Yet he pressed on—this was the final stretch of the climb. "Adrian, hang in there!" Andy shouted, urging him to conquer the last step. To Andy, reaching that final step symbolized Adrian's growth. He had witnessed Adrian's remarkable resilience countless times and held unwavering faith in his potential. In Andy's eyes, Adrian was destined for greatness. Adrian's expression turned cold as he locked his gaze on the steps ahead. Determination flickered in his eyes. "If reaching the top guarantees a reward, it doesn't have to be me up there. As long as someone makes it, that's enough." With that, he shifted his focus to the void above and formed
Adrian felt as if every nerve in his body was beyond his control. A deep sense of grievance filled his heart as the divine thunder from the void relentlessly crashed down.Rage surged within him, but under the onslaught of endless forces, he felt weak and constrained.Still, he had no choice but to press forward. He knew victory was within reach if he could endure a little longer—giving up now would mean death.If he fell, the shame and humiliation would crush him.Below, the Holy Son and others waited, eager to see him fail and mock him. This left Adrian no option but to push forward, striving toward the void above and his ultimate goal.The violent forces continued to bombard him from the sky.With every step, the thunder's impact intensified tenfold. His soul, already battered from a fierce battle with a horde of beasts, now felt as though it was dragging his exhausted body forward.Anyone else would likely have succumbed to despair. After all, under such immense pressure, ev
The oppressive forces descending from the void seemed determined to halt Adrian’s ascent up the staircase.Yet he refused to yield. To him, these overwhelming challenges were merely obstacles to conquer.He pressed forward with relentless determination.Thunderbolts continued to rain down, but the ominous red light from before did not return—a relief, as he never wished to endure its crushing weight again.The memory of that light still haunted him, leaving a lingering sense of helplessness. Its suffocating pressure had drained his strength, reducing him to a gasping, powerless state.Despite the toll on his body and mind, Adrian remained singularly focused on reaching the final step. His burning desire for greater power drove him forward, unwavering and resolute.Step by step, he ascended, reaching the 95th step in what felt like an instant.Only five steps remained. His gaze locked onto the summit, and a wild glint lit his eyes. A daring idea sparked within him, consuming his
Adrian pondered his situation, his cold gaze reflecting simmering frustration. Yet deep down, he recognized that whoever had designed the staircase was far from ordinary.Creating such a formidable trial required unimaginable power.Even a pinnacle Void Stage expert—or perhaps someone of the Multiply Stage—might bow in reverence before the ladder's creator."He won't last much longer. The divine lightning in this void is utterly destructive. In moments, he'll be reduced to ashes," sneered the Holy Son, his sharp eyes gleaming with malice.To the Holy Son, Adrian's demise was inevitable. Adrian had dared to offend him, and he was certain such audacity could only lead to death.Adrian caught the Holy Son's words and cast him a frosty glare. His intent to kill was unmistakable, though now wasn't the time.The staircase was no place for personal vendettas—eliminating him here would require careful planning.He also knew the Holy Son carried seals of immense power. A reckless move co
Finnian's sharp gaze reflected a hint of admiration. "Kid, you owe me a big favor this time. You'd better treasure this opportunity."Adrian remained silent, unsure how to respond. His cold eyes revealed no emotion, though he fully grasped the challenges ahead.Fear was a luxury he couldn't afford—he'd come too far to back down now.Suddenly, a streak of red light surged from the void, hurtling toward Adrian with terrifying speed. His eyes widened in shock as the crimson beam struck him, slamming him against the staircase.Caught off guard, Adrian collapsed, sprawled helplessly on the steps.The crowd below watched in astonishment. No one had expected his seemingly indestructible body to be overwhelmed so easily.The Holy Son sneered. "Haha! It seems he's triggered some kind of taboo. Let's see how arrogant he is now!"His voice dripped with schadenfreude, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he relished Adrian's struggle.Despite the crushing force, Adrian refused
"What exactly is up there pulling me so strongly?" Adrian's expression hardened as he pondered the mysterious force drawing him upward.A surge of violent energy erupted across the sky, crashing down like a raging storm.Adrian advanced cautiously, each step deliberate and precise.Gone were the reckless strides of before—now he moved with steely determination, fully aware of the lurking dangers.He'd learned that the void's formidable forces seemed to target him directly, compelling him to proceed step by step. Any attempt to bypass its unseen barriers would provoke a devastating strike."Ridiculous," Adrian muttered. "If I've chosen to climb, nothing will stop me."The void's relentless power intensified.Bolts of thunder hammered down mercilessly, battering Adrian's body. Yet fear never crossed his mind.What was there to be afraid of?To him, the divine thunder wasn't an obstacle—it was a crucible, a tool to temper his body and strengthen his resolve.Despite the storm, A