《Modern Cultivation : The Strongest Couple Bonded by Vampire System》


 Chapter 1: Alex Campbell

    "Hahaha, now was the time of your death, Apocalyptic Dragon!"


    A heroic man clad in strong armor laughed. In his hand, he held a big Warhammer, radiating a rainbow aura, pointed at a gigantic dragon the size of a skyscraper.


    Its dark scales gleamed purplish under the twilight sky.


    As the dragon roared, the heroic man''s hammer began to elongate and grow in size. With a powerful swing, he smacked the dragon''s head.


    BAM!!! Bam!!!


    Many stars emerged from the hit, each one stunning the dragon, its reptilian eyes turning into swirling lines of confusion.


    Seizing the opportunity, the heroic man started his final attack.


    His body glowed with a fiery aura as many stars and rainbows began appearing on the hammer.


    As the hammer cast its final shadow of doom onto the dragon, suddenly, a loud voice reverberated through the world, making the heroic man gawk.


    "ALEX, can you stop playing already!"


    The whole world and the apocalyptic dragon turned black. He could feel his body jolt as the VR safety system took over to protect his brain.


    ''I knew it. Even an apocalyptic dragon was not as fearsome as my mom.


    Who in their right mind would forcefully pull someone out from direct connection? Yeah, only my mom.


    I spent 10 thousand dollars to get the Star Rainbow Hammer to solo the Apocalyptic Dragon, but my mom spent ten million dollars on the best device just to make sure she could destroy my whole world anytime.''


    Luca, looking at her son''s stupidly daydreaming face, smacked his head with the phone in her hand.


    "Why were you still daydreaming like that?"


    Alex''s expression changed as he felt wronged, moving one of his hands to stroke the pain in his head.


    "Mom! You shouldn''t hit me like this, you know that! It''s domestic violence! I can see you!"


    "Domestic violence!? Suing me!? Are you kidding me!?


    You shameless boy, were you sure you were a man? You only lazed around all day playing games!


    If you wanted to do that, at least earn some money from the game! How could any woman like a man like you?


    When I first met your father¡­"


    ''Ah, here it came, the long speech again.'' Alex sighed, turning his focus elsewhere.


    He had heard this speech many times and could already guess what the next words would be.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want a girlfriend, but every single one he found always came for his money.


    His mother always told stories about how both of them went from having nothing to reaching success, the ups and downs in life, and the romance.


    He also wanted to experience all of those things. ''As for a job, why did I need one? I was already born into a rich family,'' Alex thought.


    Seeing her son daydreaming and not listening to her made her fume even more. She stomped on his foot, making him scream in pain.


    "I don''t care anymore! Today, you would find a job, or I would block your credit card!!!"


    "No!! Mom, not my credit card. If you block it, how could I buy the latest chapter of my novel!"


    Alex complained, continuing in his mind, ''How could I fill the void in my social life then!?'' Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then, my dear son," her soft voice suddenly raised, "find a job!! Don''t be a parasite!!!"


    "Wait, Mom, I wasn''t a parasite. Didn''t you know I was contributing to society?


    If I didn''t buy those chapters or game items, did you know how many people couldn''t eat?


    I single-handedly allowed hundreds to thousands of people to live.


    This allowed them to pay their bills and bring their kids to school.


    We didn''t even need to say how the money they spent contributed back to society. So, I wasn''t just enjoying life, Mom, I was helping people," Alex said with a proud tone.


    "You what? Just how much did you spend each month?"


    ''Ehm, Mom, the one hammer I bought for that one boss alone was already 20 times the average person''s salary,'' Alex thought.


    But he didn''t dare say it out loud. It might have seemed exaggerated, but he really did spend that much each month.


    In many games he played, he was known as the God of Whales. In the novel community, he was recognized as the God Reader.


    As long as you got him to read your book, he would shower you with so many gifts and castles, making the book popular everywhere.


    The total amount he spent each month could be used to buy a small home in cash.


    But even that didn''t compare to his mom''s expenses. Unlike him, his mom was busy with charity.


    She often went out and shared free food and toys for kids in orphanages. This easily reached tens of millions of dollars each month.


    Seeing her son become quiet and the conversation going nowhere, she gave her ultimatum for the last time.


    "Enough nonsense. I will give you three days. After that, say bye-bye to your credit card."


    In reality, his mom didn''t care how much he spent; they had enough wealth to last 77 generations.


    Even with all the expenses, his father had left them an empire that kept earning them billions of dollars every year.


    What she worried about was her son not having any purpose in life and then starting to go down the wrong path.


    She had seen it happen with other kids in his situation, ending up in jail or even dead because they did crazy things.


    BANG! Critical hit! 1 Million Damage!!!


    After his mom left, Alex didn''t look for a job.


    He returned to the game and finished off the apocalyptic dragon.


    His character died and lost the hammer, but he bought another one, and now he finally succeeded in killing it.


    [Congrats to the Whale God for becoming the first to¡­]


    Many announcements and notifications filled his view as he felt pride in beating the last boss solo.


    He then looked at the global chat, which made him laugh, feeling satisfied.


    "Well, looks like Mr. WhaleGod just soloed the final boss. Who needs skills when you have a credit card, right?"


    "Breaking news: Whale defeats final boss using the deadliest weapon of all ¨C his wallet."


    "I heard he threw so much money at the boss that it died of a paper cut from dollar bills."


    "Why grind for gear when you can just buy your way to glory? #WhaleLife"


    "Do you think he realized the real final boss was his monthly credit card statement?"

 Chapter 2: Awakened

    There were many other similar chats and private messages, but he ignored them all.


    For him, playing a game was like this: whale to the top, make other players envy him and then quit the game.


    This way, he made his nickname, the WhaleGod, legendary.


    At the same time, game companies both hated and loved him.


    Every time Alex did this, they got flooded with complaints.


    But none ever banned him; instead, he kept getting invitations to beta-test new games.


    The income Alex provided alone was more than that of a hundred whales combined, not to mention the publicity they got, as some YouTubers made dedicated channels about him.


    ''Haha, what final boss? I didn''t even see the credit card statement.'' Alex laughed to himself, remembering some of the chat.


    But his elation only lasted a moment as he remembered he needed to look for a job.


    He started typing ''how to earn money online,'' but the results were filled with ads.


    "Get Rich or Die Scrolling: Learn to Earn $500 Daily with Our Fun Online Strategy!"


    "Earn $1000 a day now from your home."


    Seeing these ads made Alex frown.


    He knew they were probably scams, but he wondered, ''Why the hell did they advertise such small amounts?''


    ''Who would even be baited by $1000 a day? Make it at least a million dollars a day!'' Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If he had said this out loud in public, Alex would surely have been beaten up; most people''s expenses were around $1000 a month, and he thought it was too small.


    As he kept scrolling, Alex realized why he had even searched using ''money'' as a keyword.


    He just needed to do something so his mom would stop bothering him, preferably something that would make him go outside and socialize.


    He then remembered he had many game-testing offers in his inbox, but as he scrolled through them, he realized most of them didn''t pay; they just gave free in-game credits.


    And none required him to go outside.


    Finding nothing useful in the inbox, he checked his spam.


    "Looking for new VR implant beta testers! Tired of needing a device to access the VR world? With our new implant, you just need to close your eyes, and you can enter the VR world."


    Seeing this, Alex raised an eyebrow. He started checking the offer, then did some research on the company, feeling doubtful.


    He had heard of this implant before, but it was still in the experimental stage, with only a small amount of information released to the public.


    As he checked the address and the company, he found out everything was legitimate.


    "The parent company specialized in researching Awakener''s abilities. So it should not have been a scam.


    The payment was small, but that didn''t matter as long as I got out and did some work."


    He then started registering his personal information.


    In the world where Alex lived, there were people with superpowers called Awakeners.


    They suddenly appeared fifty years ago after a huge earthquake shook the planet.


    No one knew the real cause, but rumors said it happened because of a government experiment.


    A week after the global earthquake, a strange phenomenon started appearing.


    People began feeling odd in some areas, and as days passed, the phenomenon worsened.


    Gravity started to act weirdly, becoming heavier or lighter; fire suddenly appeared in the air, cold water felt hot, and water suddenly started turning into ice cubes.


    This spooked the people, making them start leaving the area.


    After a week, the space would become distorted, creating a portal where a dungeon appeared.


    The authorities then quickly sealed the area and sent out their own expeditions, but only a few barely survived.


    They then started noticing a red aura appearing around the portal.


    At first, only part of it was visible, but as time progressed, the red aura grew, starting to surround the portal.


    When it made a full circle, a flood of monsters would come out from it. People called this a Dungeon Break.


    Although modern weapons could harm them, the results were not too effective.


    The government then started considering using a bomb to explode the area.


    That was until the first Awakener suddenly appeared. With the Awakener, they succeeded in controlling the situation.


    The dungeons then started being treated as strategic resources.


    Awakeners would enter them to hunt monsters and obtain new exotic materials.


    Some dungeons were even filled with other civilizations, allowing contact between them, but the details of this were not clear.


    The public only knew they had obtained many new technologies from it.


    One of these technologies was hyperrealism virtual reality, in which Alex played a lot.


    In the Pandora Research Facility, the place that gave Alex the job offer, three scientists were busy experimenting.


    Their appearance was haggard.


    One of them, a silver-haired woman, held a vial filled with red, murky blood. "I don''t get it. Why doesn''t this give any reaction, no matter what we do?"


    The murky blood was something that one of the Awakeners found inside a dungeon.


    At first, many were interested in it, but after numerous experiments, they started feeling tired of the dead-end.


    The blood seemed sentient.


    When they tried to add some chemicals to it, it showed no reaction.


    However, when they tried to separate the liquid, the blood rejected the separation, moving on its own like slime.


    They even found someone to drink it, but the blood rejected this, too. It moved out by itself, exiting the person''s body.


    "Prof. Faerith, you should just give up already."


    She was the only professor still interested in the blood.


    She didn''t know why, but she became obsessed with it.


    Faerith was sure that she just needed to find the right person for it to show any reaction.


    Hearing what her assistant said, she frowned and slumped into her chair.


    "I just got another response for a new test subject. I guess I''ll take a break if this one fails again."


    "Prof, you''ve been saying that for seven months. In total, we''ve already experimented on the blood for a year."

 Chapter 3: The Vampire System

    "Yeah, the committee also just called. They told us to stop looking for test subjects with a lie."


    Faerith smirked.


    "What lie? I did give them the ERX-89 implant for free, and that thing was expensive, you know.


    I even gave them money, and all they needed to do was get close to the blood to see if it showed any reaction."


    The assistant looked at Faerith with pleading eyes. "But Prof, they also threatened to stop our funding. You know we needed the money."


    "Hmph! Money! Money! Ever since the dungeons started appearing, every investor wanted quick results.


    In the past, it was normal for them to spend years without any results," Faerith said grumpily.


    Their conversation was then interrupted when Faerith received a new message about her ERX implant.


    "Oh, the test subject has arrived."


    She then looked at her two assistants, who had hopeless eyes.


    "Both of you should take a break for a few days. I will talk with the committee myself tomorrow."


    Hearing what she said, both assistants quickly left.


    The only reason they still stayed on the experiment was that they owed Faerith.


    The others had already escaped to other projects. With the appearance of the dungeons, there were many new things to be experimented with, raising the demand for researchers to a new level.


    Now, no one bothered with a project that showed no results in three months; they would move on to new things.


    Alex waited in the lobby room, busy playing with his phone as he awaited his call.


    Deep in his mind, he was still surprised he got a direct reply almost instantly after inputting his information.


    But after seeing the research facility, he didn''t feel worried at all. Instead, he felt strange, as if something was calling to him.


    "Die, you bitch!"


    In another world, a beautiful woman with long black hair reaching all the way to her waist was pushed down into the void.


    Her name was Mingyue.


    "Just wait, Lianhua; if I survive this, I will come back to kill you."


    Mingyue''s amber eyes looked sharply at Lianhua. But deep inside, she knew the chance for her to return was very slim.


    They had just entered a new secret realm found by their sect, Blue Lotus.


    Both of them were prodigies.


    But problems started brewing when both were chosen as prime disciples.


    The sect wasn''t rich, so it could only nurture one of them.


    This made the sect often send them to obtain their own resources.


    Even though both of them fought a lot, Mingyue never imagined that Lianhua would push her into a void crack.


    Passing through the void was normal when entering a secret realm, and sometimes, a void storm appeared, creating a few cracks in the path.


    It wasn''t that dangerous as long as they avoided it.


    No one had ever returned after entering a crack, not even the immortals. Some theorized they would enter another world or just get shredded to death.


    Inside the void crack, Mingyue felt her body being torn apart as if thousands of needles were slashing over her.


    She used her qi to the max to protect herself.


    Each second felt like an hour.


    After some time, she was thrown out onto cold, dark stone.


    Her enhanced robe was already tattered to pieces, revealing her jade, alluring body. Fortunately for her, she was alone in the place.


    Her body ached all over.


    Mingyue was glad she had spent all her contribution points to get the best protection talisman.


    If not, she was sure her body would have been shredded to pieces by now.


    "That bitch!


    How dare she push me into the space crack! Just wait until I return to the sect!


    I will tell the elders to make your life hell!!!" she cursed.


    She then took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.


    As the cold air filled her lungs, she looked around the area.


    It was a vast space made from dark rock, the only light source coming from a crystalline light on the ceiling. But her eyes froze as she looked at the center of the room. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The center of the area was elevated, with a coffin in the middle.


    The coffin was made from black metal, carved with inscriptions she couldn''t read.


    It had a goblet floating above, radiating a mystical aura.


    As if hypnotized, her curvy body started walking closer to the goblet.


    Meanwhile, in his world, Alex now lay on a bed, having just finished the procedure to get the implant in his brain.


    It was fast and quick.


    He had thought they would need to operate on him, but he only needed to stay still while a cluster of nanomachines was injected with a special needle directly into his skull.


    After that, he felt a little weird, as if many ants were moving through his brain. He then lost consciousness.


    Faerith took the opportunity to bring the vial into the room.


    But then the vial started shaking and cracked apart into pieces.


    The blood then moved as one entity and flew with unnatural speed, seeping into Alex''s body through his orifices.


    The reaction made Faerith freeze in her spot, not knowing what to do.


    Back at the mausoleum, the black goblet was now in Mingyue''s slender fingers. With a swift motion, the thick red liquid, oozing a black aura, flowed down her throat.


    Then, an ethereal voice was heard in their minds, [The hosts for Adam and Eve to resurrect the vampire race have been found¡­]


    [Reading both world information¡­]


    [Looking for the best way to link both worlds and make both hosts into the primogenitors¡­]


    A strange interface then appeared in front of her amber eyes, which now glowed red.


    [Update Completed. Welcome, Alex Campbell & Mingyue Xueqi, to the Vampire System.]

 Chapter 4: VESA

    Alex had opened his eyes, finding himself in a strange place, with a red moon hanging in the sky.


    He could see black fog surrounding the area as he stood above a grassland.


    The fog gave him a feeling of dread; he was sure he would die if he touched it.


    This made him question his situation.


    ''Wait, is this a new VR game? Can they now even create things that give a feeling of dread?''


    In the other VR games he had played so far, even though they were very realistic, he had never felt like this.


    They could replicate the sense of touch, sight, and smell, but not things that triggered people''s instincts.


    He then looked down.


    The grass was green but had red veins.


    As he looked around, his eyes widened in surprise.


    He saw a woman lying in the grass.


    He couldn''t see her face, but he was sure she was beautiful.


    Her white robe seemed to come straight out of a cultivation novel, but parts of it were shredded, showing the woman''s smooth skin.


    Based on the shreds, Alex was sure if he flipped her around, he could see her most sensitive parts.


    "Is this an H-Game?" he mumbled.


    He started walking closer, and the woman''s appearance became clearer to him.


    Her skin was pale white, without any blemish, and her figure was a perfect hourglass, exuding an allure he couldn''t deny.


    "Yes, I am sure this is a VR world. No way a situation like this happens in real life."


    Feeling the dread from the fog, Alex first considered the possibility that he had somehow been thrown into a dungeon, but there was just no way a dungeon had no monsters and only an unconscious beautiful woman in it.


    He then started feeling relaxed, his steps becoming lighter. But before he could get closer, the woman''s body began to move.


    Mingyue''s eyes opened. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She could feel her head hurting, and as the memory of what had happened resurfaced, she began to look around to ascertain where she was.


    Using her palm to push her upper body up, she looked over her shoulder, sensing a presence behind her.


    As a cultivator, her mind''s clarity quickly returned.


    She knew her clothes were not decent, and she wanted to make sure what the presence behind her was.


    What she saw made her frown. A man stood there, stupefied.


    Alex was mesmerized.


    The woman was very beautiful, not just in her looks.


    There was an otherworldly aura emanating from her that accentuated her beauty even more.


    Thinking this was just a VR world, Alex started moving closer, wanting to enjoy the game.


    Her amber eyes, with a tinge of red in them, looked very beautiful in his eyes.


    He had never felt this attracted to a woman before, and part of his heart regretted that she wasn''t real.


    ''Is this what they call love at first sight?'' Alex thought.


    Feeling the lust in Alex''s black eyes, Mingyue quickly shouted, "Stop where you are! What do you want to do with me?"


    Her qi was still recovering, and she could also feel something had changed in her body, making her unsure if she could fight back or not if the man attacked her.


    Hearing her shout, which sounded like an angelic voice in Alex''s ears, made him frown.


    "Is this that kind of H-Game?" he mumbled.


    He had played this type of game before to satisfy his desire.


    But he always looked for vanilla ones; the idea of rape or forcing himself on someone just repulsed him.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t hire a real woman.


    It was just that the romantic stories from his mom influenced him a lot.


    As he was still considering his next action, suddenly, a red smoke appeared between them.


    It started solidifying into a round, chubby creature with soft pink fur. It had two small legs with sharp claws at the end, and instead of arms, it had dragon wings.


    The creature had two pairs of ruby-red eyes and a big mouth.


    Based on its appearance, Alex speculated that if the creature opened its mouth, it would be half the size of its body.


    Two long ears, resembling bunny ears, protruded from the top of its body.


    The creature then looked at Alex and then back at Mingyue, its lips turning into a grin.


    "I am Vesa, the personality of the Vampire System." a childish, cute voice came from it.


    Vesa continued, "Welcome, new king and queen, to Edonia. Well, what is left of it.


    I know both of you feel confused, especially King Alex since you were unconscious when the system was activated.


    I can assure you this is not a game."


    It then turned its ruby eyes to Mingyue, "Queen Mingyue, you are here and not here at the same time. You should understand what this means."


    Mingyue was still confused about her situation, but she quickly grasped the concept from what Vesa had said.


    She realized she existed only as a soul here.


    As a cultivator, this concept wasn''t strange to her.


    With a thought, her robe returned to its pristine condition. She then stood up and looked at Alex and Vesa warily.


    Realizing she was just a soul made her feel worried, as she had never cultivated her soul before, focusing instead on her qi and secret techniques.


    Seeing Mingyue stand up, Alex noticed that her height only reached his shoulder.


    He was still mesmerized by her beauty, but Vesa''s words brought him back to reality.


    He remembered that every country in the world had agreed that all VR games or apps must make it clear they are VR games.


    This was to avoid confusion and prevent delusions from forming in players'' minds.


    In the early days of VR, some games failed to do this, leading players to believe the VR world was the real one and their actual world was just a matrix.


    This led to many problems, from suicides to crimes, as they didn''t take the law seriously.


    He looked at Vesa sharply. "What do you mean this is not a game? Is this a dungeon?"

 Chapter 5: Dungeon

    "You could say that, King Alex. It was like the dungeons from your world. In fact, every dungeon was just an entrance to another world. It''s just that some were opened in dangerous areas, making them dungeons."


    "Then what about a dungeon break?"


    "I didn''t know the details, but based on the information I got from you, I speculated that the portal in your world was man-made.


    Someone made a protection over it, allowing only your species to pass, but when the red aura filled the portal, it meant the protection ran out, or something from the other side forcefully found a way to pass through it.


    But as I said, this was just speculation. There were still many holes in my explanation, but I was sure part of it was right."


    Mingyue frowned. "Dungeon? What was that?"


    She then looked at Alex. "You''re Alex, right? You said something about an H-game before. What did you mean by that?"


    Vessa was about to answer again when Alex quickly ran and put his hand over it, muffling its voice. Vessa''s size was just right to be hugged and held in hand.


    Alex still had doubts about Vessa''s explanation, but he wasn''t going to take chances. If what it said was true, that meant Mingyue really existed.


    As Alex held Vessa, he whispered, "Don''t tell Mingyue the meaning of it."


    Vessa looked at Alex, feeling wronged; it hadn''t done anything wrong and hadn''t even said anything.


    If this had been her real body, Mingyue would have been able to hear his whisper, but Alex didn''t realize he was just delaying the inevitable.


    After seeing Vessa nod its head, Alex released his hold.


    He then looked at Mingyue, "A dungeon was like a portal that allowed us to enter another world.


    Inside, we could hunt monsters and find treasure.


    As for the game, it''s nothing important. I just didn''t think this was real."


    Mingyue felt suspicious; she was sure Alex was hiding something, but it was normal since they were strangers. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So it was like a secret realm."


    She then addressed Vessa, "How could I return to my world? And why did you bring our souls here?"


    Vessa took a few breaths, then glared at Alex for a moment, thinking, ''If you weren''t the king...''


    But its lips turned into a smile again. "Don''t worry, Queen. Your body has already returned to your world.


    The moment we finish here, I will send you back safely."


    "Wait, both of you mentioned souls? Did that mean I was just a soul here?


    And Why did you call me a king and her Queen? You also said you were the personality of the Vampire System," Alex asked.


    Vessa looked at both of them and sighed, "Please don''t cut me off again. I will explain everything.


    First of all, congratulations, since both of you had made contact with the Vampire progenitor''s blood and were chosen to continue the Vampire race.


    What you saw around you was our home planet, Edonia, where the Vampire race once prospered.


    However, attacks from other species and betrayal destroyed everything."


    Vessa''s eyes then turned gloomy.


    "He never wished to push this burden onto anyone, but the traitor gave him no choice, forcing him to hatch this last plan."


    Mingyue frowned at Vessa''s explanation. "Why should we resurrect your race?"


    She then pointed at Alex, her cheeks starting to turn red.


    "And you said both of us were the king and Queen. Did you mean I needed to marry him?"


    Vessa chuckled. "My queen, it was our race, not my race."


    "Since both of you had consumed the progenitor blood, your race had started to change."


    "Your bond was far more than just marriage. In the past, we only had one progenitor, but now both of you shared the same power, which meant your lives were linked."


    "You would understand what this meant in the future."


    "And I was sorry to say this, but both of you had no choice. You must become true progenitors in ten years or die."


    "You still haven''t explained what you meant by ''system.'' Also, you do know there''s no way we could continue a new race by ourselves, right?"


    "Did you expect our kids to marry each other?" Alex asked.


    Even the thought of it made his skin crawl; even if the kids were born healthy, the idea was still repulsive to him.


    "Kids? Who wanted to marry you?" Mingyue complained, glaring at Alex.


    "We barely knew each other, and why were you so accepting of this situation?"


    This confused Mingyue the most, as Alex''s expression had been calm from the start, even when Vessa threatened that they would die.


    "What should I do? Panic?


    Didn''t you hear what Vessa said? We had no choice anyway.


    Look, our souls couldn''t even return without its permission. Did you think we could reject it?


    It''s better we understand our current situation, what the system wants, and what we could get from it."


    Mingyue knew what Alex said was true; it was not like she had another choice, but that didn''t mean she could accept it easily.


    Marriage was a very important matter for her.


    "As expected from our king. You don''t need to worry about that.


    After you become progenitors, you could change other people into our race.


    What you needed to do was just find the right candidates," Vessa''s voice then turned cold. "We didn''t need another traitor."


    "Couldn''t we just use a slave contract or bind their souls?" Mingyue asked. It was normal in her world to do this with people working under them.


    "A vampire was different, my Queen. We could do that for the weaker ones, but the contract or soul binding wouldn''t work on pure-blooded vampires," Vessa explained.


    "Why did we need pure-blooded vampires then?"


    Alex felt weird about this. It seemed like taking an unnecessary risk.


    He didn''t like the idea of slavery, but as long as they were not mistreated, he was fine with it since every world has its own rules.

 Chapter 6: Progenitor

    "Only pure-blooded vampires counted as our people, my king. You will understand the real reason for this in the future.


    Now, for the benefit, first, I would share some information about both of you so you could know each other better."


    Vessa''s ruby-red eyes shone, and then a flood of information started coming into their minds.


    This new information made Alex and Mingyue look at each other.


    It was knowledge about their worlds and a little background about their lives.


    Mingyue came from the Xueqi family, a middle-level cultivation family in her world, and then trained in the Blue Lotus sect.


    As for Alex, Mingyue was surprised to learn about his world, filled with technology. A desire started to form in her heart as she wanted to visit his world.


    Comparing the entertainment levels between their worlds was like comparing a small mound to a big mountain.


    ''So, cultivation worlds really existed, not just in novels,'' Alex thought.


    ''Based on the information, the highest cultivation was immortal, but there should be higher levels and higher worlds.


    If I could cultivate and utilize the information, wouldn''t I be able to increase my family''s wealth? Then Mom would stop nagging at me!''


    For Alex, his mom''s nagging was his worst enemy.


    Nothing was worse than that, not even the evil apocalyptic dragon or the weird things happening now.


    In fact, Alex felt excited.


    He had already grown bored reading the same type of novel with the same repetitive plot or whaling in games.


    "As you became closer to being a progenitor, my power would also grow. I would be able to allow you to move between worlds.


    For now, my ability only allowed for this kind of meeting or sending small items between your worlds.


    Other than this, since both of you shared the same source of power, you should be able to telepathically talk to each other anytime.


    The system would also help you use other progenitors'' abilities so that you could maximize your growth.


    For example, King, with the system, it could help find the most suitable person you needed for a job, as it would constantly detect people''s auras around you.


    As for Queen, it could help you look for any treasure.


    Not only that, when you wanted to practice alchemy or your secret art, I would help calculate the most efficient way to do it."


    "So, it was basically the ERX chip function," Alex mumbled.


    He then walked closer to Mingyue and extended his hand forward.


    "No matter what, our lives were linked now. I would properly introduce myself. I am Alex Campbell, the only son of the Campbell family."


    Hearing this, Mingyue frowned. "What only son? You still had a sister."


    Alex chuckled, "As you said, she was the only daughter, and I was the only son."


    Mingyue felt confused but then understood he was just joking. She shook his hand.


    "I was Mingyue. You should already know my family. And honestly, you had a bad sense of humor. Couldn''t you see our situation?"


    Alex laughed, enjoying the handshake and feeling her soft palm in his.


    Without releasing her hand, he said, "You were too serious. There was nothing we could do about our circumstance for now.


    Let me be direct then. I wanted a cultivation method. In exchange, I would get you something from my world."


    "You should know the cultivation method I used was my family''s secret. I couldn''t just give it to you like that. Even if I did, we needed to find out your element and talent grade first."


    "My Queen, he was the King, not a stranger. And as I said before, both of your bodies had been transformed. Even an All Elemental Heavenly grade talent fell short now compared to his talent.


    A half-vampire in Eldonia could easily crush an immortal in your world. And both of you had progenitor blood."


    Hearing this, Mingyue''s eyes lit up with excitement.


    "Wait, you were saying he was even more talented than those heavenly-chosen geniuses because you transformed his body? Didn''t that mean it was the same for me?"


    "Yes, my Queen. But I suggested you don''t tell anyone in your world about it."


    Mingyue scoffed, "Vesa, did you think I was stupid? It was dog-eat-dog in the cultivation world. I would only trust my own clan and parents."


    "Queen, I knew you wouldn''t believe me now, but I meant including them.


    When you went back later on with the System, you would be able to feel their intentions toward you. You''ll understand later."


    Hearing this made Mingyue frown. She still wanted to retort, but Alex interjected, "Just hide it for now, Mingyue. You would lose nothing anyway. So, where did we stand on the cultivation technique?"


    "Give me time, Alex. I needed to think about it first. I also needed to consider what I wanted from your world."


    "Alright, just tell me after you''ve decided or if you need anything." He then turned his gaze to Vesa.


    "How did we become progenitors? Did we just wait until the blood finished changing our bodies?"


    Vesa laughed, "If only it were that easy, King.


    Other than the blood both of you received, the progenitor ability was split into many things across many worlds. But don''t worry, I know all their locations.


    When I felt both of you were strong enough, I would start giving you some quests to take them back."


    Vesa''s expression suddenly changed to a frown. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Queen, you should return first. I''d moved you into a forest near the secret realm entrance, and I sensed some movement coming close to you."


    "Alright, see you later, Vesa, Alex," Mingyue said as her body turned translucent and then disappeared.


    Alex''s hand then became grasping nothing but air. He pulled it back and then looked at the pink creature in front of him.


    "Vesa, what were the characteristics of the Vampire race? You should know how they were portrayed in my world."

 Chapter 7: Alexs Abilites

    "It wasn''t wrong, King Alex, but that was only for vampires with low blood purity. There was a reason you were chosen; in the past, vampires existed on your planet, and you had part of their genes.


    But as the progenitor, you didn''t need to drink blood; what you needed was a life force.


    There were traces of it in blood and even in the food you ate, but you wouldn''t get enough from just meals.


    You needed to absorb real-life force from sentient beings. As for how much you needed, you would understand when you returned, King."


    "That''s good to know then. By the way, I noticed Mingyue''s amber eyes had a tint of red in them. Was that because of the transformation?"


    In response to his question, Vesa''s ruby eyes shone, and then a mirror appeared in front of Alex.


    He could see his own appearance, noticing that his blue eyes also had a tinge of red in the center.


    "Did this mean my eyes would turn completely red when I fully transformed?"


    "Yes, King. Your hair would also turn silver, but you could easily learn some illusion runes later on."


    "Runes?"


    "Runes were an ancient magic of us Vampires. As you became stronger, you would start learning them."


    Vesa then became confused, seeing Alex keep looking at the mirror, but then understood what Alex was doing, making it laugh.


    "King, you really were something else, huh?"


    "Well, I was just imagining my face with white hair and red eyes. I knew I''d look even more handsome that way."


    Alex then smirked and struck a cool-guy pose. "Don''t you think your King is handsome? Understand that I don''t take no for an answer."


    Vesa laughed. "I don''t get it, even by your world''s standards, how you could be so calm. Even the Queen was still worried."


    At the mention of Mingyue, Alex smirked, "I was sure she would become more beautiful when she transformed, too.


    As for panicking, you should know about my abilities, right?"


    Vesa nodded with its round body and replied with a chuckle, "Seems the King was quite smitten with the Queen. Well, the situation would guarantee you end up together anyway."


    "Even without it, I was sure she would fall for me at some point." Alex looked once again at the mirror, nodding to himself before his eyes turned serious.


    "Alright, send me back now, Vesa. I knew creating this space took a toll on your energy."


    Vesa gave a royal bow with one of its wings and replied, "As you wished, King. The progenitor blood seemed to have chosen the best candidate."


    Alex then felt like he was being pulled out by something; the world turned black for a moment before he opened his eyes.


    He found himself in the same room where he had the treatment before.


    In front of his eyes, a few interfaces started appearing. From the information injected by Vesa, he already understood how to navigate through it.


    He then checked his status.


    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 5


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 324/200


    ______________________________


    Seeing the data, Alex knew the system simplified their strength into a power level to make it easy for him to understand.


    He could also use it to check abilities and other information anytime he wanted on anything.


    This made Alex feel elated.


    ''The progenitor blood really enhanced the ERX chip to a whole new level,'' he thought.


    Lifeforce showed his hunger level.


    Right now, he was overly full because of the life force remaining from the progenitor blood he had consumed.


    When it dropped below 75%, he would start feeling hungry. It would intensify as it got lower, potentially driving him into a berserk state if it reached below 10%.


    "You finally woke up. You almost gave me a heart attack," a worried voice came to his ear, making Alex turn his face. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could see Prof Faerith sitting there by his side, her eyes moving, reading data on a tablet.


    Her slender fingers kept scrolling through the information.


    "Your body seemed to have become stronger than before. Based on your last data, it should be at least double. How about your abilities?"


    Looking at her expression, eyes, and lips, Alex''s lips curved upward into a smile. "It enhanced my abilities too, Prof. Faerith."


    Alex then raised his upper body, stood up, and pulled the IV drip from his hand.


    "I should thank you, but wasn''t what happened to me illegally?


    I was sure you used the ads as bait to find someone who could trigger the blood, right? I could sue you for that, Ms. Faerith."


    Hearing what Alex said made Faerith frown. "Your abilities were such a hassle? Cognitive Matrix, was it?"


    "It allowed you to analyze every single piece of information you got from your senses and make various scenarios and conclusions from it.


    It used to make your head hurt when you used it, but now it seemed you could use it as you liked," she sighed before continuing.


    "So, what did you want? I have checked your information. As someone who came from a billionaire family, I doubted you needed money."


    Now sitting on the bedside, Alex said, "Nope, what I needed was you, Prof. Faerith."


    As he said this, many pieces of information were shown from the system, helping his ability to make a conclusion.


    ______________________________


    Name: Faerith Thalindra


    Power Level: 1.3


    Lifeforce: 76/100


    [No bad intention detected; the target seemed surprised and felt shy from what the King said.]


    _______________________________


    "You what? Me? You should know I''m older than you, right?"

 Chapter 8: Mingyues Predicament

    Alex laughed. "Not in that way, Prof. Faerith. I wanted to hire you, and the contract would be for a lifetime.


    I also wanted you to keep everything that happened today a secret.


    With what I knew, I was sure your investors were giving you a hard time, right? Since the blood didn''t give you any results, they shouldn''t be suspicious of your sudden move.


    Also, look for a few more items to research so they don''t think I''m hiring you because you made a breakthrough in blood research."


    He then stood up and started walking toward the door.


    "I would give you a week. Call me after that. I would prepare the research complex and the contract at that time." After that, he left Faerith alone.


    Faerith''s eyes widened in surprise, and she wasn''t even able to utter a word before she finally returned to reality.


    "Rich kids are really different. He wants to build an entire research facility just to hide information about the blood.


    Well, that''s good news for me anyway. I can keep studying him and see what changes he got from consuming the blood."


    If Alex had heard this, he would have smirked with pride.


    As someone with the nickname ''Whale God,'' of course, he would ''whale'' if he could.


    He also had a feeling he could do the same with cultivation.


    Alex had a few reasons for building the research complex.


    Firstly, he used Prof. Faerith''s name to take credit for any secret arts and cultivation methods he would publish after he got them from Mingyue.


    Next, this would also make his mother happy.


    Not only was he working, but he was also starting to build his own business.


    And finally, to track the change in his own body. He needed to make sure there were no bad effects from the transformation.


    For example, an old soul was taking over his body.


    ''I''m sure Mom will be surprised. She will probably keep an eye on me at first to make sure I''m really serious.''


    Alex chuckled to himself as he made his way to the car, waiting for him outside.


    ''I also need to create my own hunter guild. Who would be a good candidate to front it?'' he wondered.


    In his world, ''hunters'' were what people called Awakeners who earned their living by diving into dungeons.


    There were a few classes of hunters, not separated by strength but by achievement, starting from one-star to the most elite five-star.


    As Alex was busy planning to expand his family empire and get his mom off his back, Mingyue was facing problems in her own world.


    Even though she also came from a wealthy family, being a woman in the cultivation world brought many challenges.


    She was now standing in a field with blood dripping from her sword.


    Five mutilated bodies were scattered around her.


    Her eyebrows raised as her eyes looked coldly at the remains.


    When Vesa had sent her back to the Cultivation world, Mingyue found herself lying in a forest.


    She swiftly changed into a new robe.


    Not long after she finished, a few people wearing robes with her family crest approached her, all with worried expressions and asking about her condition.


    But their arrival surprised Mingyue. She was still alive, and barely any time had passed; there was no way her family knew she was in danger.


    She thought it was people sent by Lian Hua who were coming to look for her.


    Her suspicion became more solid when the system informed her that all of them had bad intentions.


    But Mingyue still couldn''t believe it.


    How could her family attack her when she was the only prodigy in her family, the one they hoped would bring the Xueqi Family to new heights?


    So, she feigned fake injury and qi exhaustion.


    Seeing Mingyue''s weak state, they didn''t miss the opportunity and attacked at once.


    Overwhelmed by anger at their attack, Mingyue brutally killed them all, not letting anyone escape.


    This made her regret her actions, as she couldn''t find out who sent them.


    "Tch, I will learn soul cultivation the next chance I get," Mingyue cursed.


    If she had soul cultivation, Mingyue could have taken their souls and read parts of their memories.


    Her amber eyes then glowed red, turning the blood and bodies into particles that moved into her body.


    [215 Life Force Absorbed]


    [Life Force already full, converting the surplus to boost Queen''s Cultivation]


    [Jade Lotus Spiritual Vein and Ice Kirin Bloodline have been absorbed with the Progenitor Blood, as they are deemed inferior.]


    Mingyue could feel her body reinvigorated as pure qi coursed through her body to her dan tian.


    A sphere started forming inside it, quickly raising her cultivation.


    ____________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 6.5


    Progenitor Transformation: 7.35/100%


    Life Force: 150/150


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Mid-Level


    _____________________________


    Before drinking the Progenitor Blood, Mingyue was already at the Foundation Stage - the Late Level.


    Now, with the leftover energy from the blood and the remaining life force she absorbed, Mingyue easily made a breakthrough, advancing one major realm directly into the mid-level.


    ''I lost my spiritual root and bloodline, but it''s worth it. They are nothing compared to the Progenitor Bloodline.''


    ''Just how strong was the past progenitor?'' Mingyue thought for a moment, but she quickly dismissed these thoughts as she focused on more pressing matters.


    ''Should I return home first to check or go to the sect to report Lian Hua?'' Mingyue felt worried.


    Even though Vesa had already warned her, she still found it hard to believe.


    Mingyue has always fulfilled their expectations and wishes, except for the last time when the family patriarch suddenly told her to be betrothed to another clan.


    She quickly rejected it, and in the end, they compromised on her reaching the Golden Core Stage within ten years.


    But now, only two years had passed.


    She was sure something had happened to her parents. Otherwise, no way people from her family would come and attack her like that.


    Even though they were not the patriarch, they still had some authority and power in the family.


    sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 9: Cultivation Stage

    Then, she started connecting the dots with Lianhua.


    ''She suddenly had the gall to attack me like that. Does she have some agreement with my family?


    If something happened to me, normally the blame should fall on her.


    The sect wouldn''t pursue it since a dead prodigy has no value, but my family should go all out for revenge.'' Mingyue frowned at the thought of it.


    She also thought of seeking help from her Elder and master, but now that she was out and thought about it calmly, the most she would get was taking some of her cultivation resources.


    But that held no value for her now, as she could raise her cultivation by absorbing life force. There was no way they would kill Lianhua for her.


    [Why not ask the King for his opinion, Queen?]


    ''The King? You mean Alex?'' The man''s face resurfaced in her mind.


    She then remembered how he remained calm through all the situations.


    ''Even if he is calm and collected, he is not from my world, Vesa. I doubt he can analyze my situation.''


    [Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you about the King''s ability.]


    Information started pouring into Mingyue''s mind, making her eyes widen.


    "So such an ability exists... But that doesn''t explain how Alex could stay calm in that situation."


    [That''s just his personality, Queen, thanks to his upbringing. So, do you want to ask the King?]


    Mingyue shook her head. "No need. For now, I will go to the secret realm first. Let''s see how that bitch faces me.


    With my current cultivation, she should not be my opponent. Now, which direction should I go?"


    Suddenly, a display appeared in front of her eyes, showing her location and the direction to the secret realm.


    [You can use this, Queen. The map should be quite accurate. I made it based on your knowledge so far.


    Also, I need to remind you that although you can raise your cultivation with the help of the life force, I will only do it when you have enough understanding of the stage.


    Otherwise, your foundation will be unstable.] sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know, don''t worry about it, Vesa. By the way, why did you need to consume my spiritual root and bloodline?


    Is this because I became a Vampire?"


    Mingyue asked, partly worried it might affect her cultivation in some way.


    [I could keep them, but it would be a waste of resources, Queen.


    As you progress to become a Progenitor, you will become stronger quickly and interact with stronger bloodlines and spirit roots.


    So, it''s better to prioritize my strength to unlock more features of the system.]


    Reading Vesa''s message, Mingyue became excited. "Wait, you mean I will be able to absorb their bloodline and spirit root in the future?"


    [Yes, Queen. It''s possible to do that. But remember, there is a price we need to pay for it.


    I will tell you the details when you reach at least 25% progress in becoming a Progenitor.]


    Time passed, and Mingyue found herself standing in front of the secret realm entrance.


    She felt conflicted, wondering whether she should enter or just wait and ambush her outside.


    After some deliberation, she decided to enter.


    Passing through the void, she found herself standing on a small floating island, the area littered with monster corpses.


    Looking toward the end, she could see a stairway leading to another island.


    "It seems this realm is an inheritance ground." She mumbled.


    Mingyue felt relieved she had decided to enter; otherwise, it was possible for Lianhua to come out with a major breakthrough.


    [Queen, it seems this is an inheritance ground left behind by a Golden Core cultivator, but I sense evil intentions coming from the soul at the peak island.]


    "You can sense that much, Vesa?"


    [Yes.]


    A new map then appeared in front of Mingyue''s eyes, showing the full layout of the secret realm.


    [Since this realm was created by a cultivator''s qi using a formation array, I could easily crack it open and read all the flow of information in the array.


    That''s why I know every trap, treasure, and the purpose of this realm.


    In total, there are ten levels. After finishing every level, you will receive rewards, including thousand-year herbs, top artifacts, and cultivation techniques.


    Your enemy, Lianhua, has reached the seventh level now. Based on her qi level, I''m sure she''s taking a break now.]


    "Can you take over control of the secret realm then?" Mingyue asked.


    [It''s possible, as long as we take care of the soul first, Queen. I can move the array to teleport you directly to the soul''s location, but this will alert the soul.]


    "Isn''t that dangerous? That means it can attack me and try to possess my body."


    [That is the opportunity we are targeting, Queen.


    With me inside you, nothing will be able to possess your body in this world.


    I will then extract useful information from its soul and use part of it to recover some of the system''s strength.


    So, do you want to do it, Queen?]


    After experiencing many benefits of the system, Mingyue started believing in Vesa''s capabilities.


    She didn''t hesitate to agree.


    Information from a Golden Core cultivator was worth the risk. Even in her family, the strongest was still at the Late Nascent Soul stage.


    Since she obtained the information herself, she felt no burden to share it with Alex.


    She then remembered the existence of weapons in Alex''s world.


    "Vesa, how strong are the weapons in Alex''s world compared to a cultivator like me?"


    [That really depends on the type of weapon, Queen.


    Based on the information I have, the strongest should be able to kill someone at the Heavenly Ascension stage easily.


    But the King''s knowledge of his world is also limited; I don''t know their real strength. It''s best for you not to underestimate them.]


    In Mingyue''s world, cultivation is spread across ten levels.


    It starts with the Foundation Stage, followed by Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Golden Core, Spiritual Transformation, Mystic Integration, Profound Enlightenment, Heavenly Ascension, Transcendent, and finally, Immortal.


    Those at the Immortal stage live eternally, with their bodies in peak condition.


    Each level is then split into three minor stages: early, mid, and late stages.

 Chapter 10: Linhua

    The surroundings around Mingyue began to change as Vesa manipulated the formation, transporting her to the core area.


    Mingyue now found herself in a brightly lit room with rough rock as the walls and ceiling. But before she could analyze her surroundings more, she suddenly felt an overwhelming presence enter her body.


    ''I don''t know how you entered but don''t blame me for this. Everyone is out for themselves,'' a melodic voice reverberated in her mind.


    Mingyue felt her mind starting to turn blank as something began gnawing at her consciousness, but it only lasted for a moment.


    The voice screamed in despair, and then the presence from her mind disappeared.


    [It''s done, Queen. It will take me some time to extract the information, but for now, I have already taken control of the secret realm.]


    "What can you do now with this place?"


    [My understanding of formations is not that good yet.


    I could only use existing traps to open or close the secret realm. I also had access to all the treasures prepared in this secret realm.


    It seemed the previous owner saved quite an amount for her rise back to the Golden Core stage.] S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing about the many resources now at her disposal, Mingyue felt elated.


    In theory, she could just stay inside the secret realm and cultivate, but she knew she needed understanding and experience to grow.


    Then, an idea came to her mind.


    Since the secret realm was practically hers now, she should be able to use it as a secret hideout.


    However, her sect already knew the place.


    "Can you move the secret realm''s position, Vesa?"


    [I could not, but wasn''t a secret realm usually closed after being completed, Queen?


    I could close it and then hide it from prying eyes. Even with my current capabilities, I was sure no one in this region could find out.]


    "That''s good, but that means I need to let Lianhua out, letting her think she got the inheritance."


    [Queen, in one of the treasures, there was an artifact that allowed you to change your appearance.


    My suggestion was, why not fake your death and see how things turned out?


    This way, you could confirm your speculation and see who benefited and who wanted your demise.]


    Mingyue thought Vesa''s idea was not bad, but the problem was the life talisman in her family.


    As long as she was still alive, the talisman wouldn''t break.


    Hearing her concern, Vesa then gave an idea to falsify her death.


    The talisman worked because part of her life force was saved by it. When it felt the main source was snuffed out, the talisman would then break.


    As Mingyue was undergoing the transformation into a Progenitor, her life force would be completely transformed at some point.


    Vesa could trigger this transformation for a moment.


    Hearing that it was possible, Mingyue quickly agreed. She wanted to know what would happen after her ''death.''


    Meanwhile, on the eighth island, a beautiful woman moved gracefully among many horrifying monsters.


    A two-headed dog, twice the size of a normal lion, barked at the woman.


    Its four legs tensed for a moment before it pounced, but the woman spun on her body, her long blue hair fluttering in the air as a wind started to manifest, boosting her agility.


    SLASH!!!


    Her sword slashed down vertically, creating a single red line right in the middle of the dog.


    Blood rained down as the woman moved with a deadly dance, creating wind with every movement.


    One sword to the left, one to the right, a duck, then a low sweep.


    After many attacks, the island was finally cleared out.


    Lianhua fell to her knees, her body covered with sweat.


    With heavy breaths, she mumbled, "Finally, it''s over. Just how many islands are left¡­"


    Unlike Mingyue, Lianhua couldn''t see how many stages existed.


    Every time she finished an island, a reward materialized, and then she had some time to take a break.


    Afterward, stairs suddenly appeared, showing the path to the next island.


    Lianhua speculated this was done to ensure the inheritor''s instinct. She never wasted time when a path forward appeared, feeling she needed to quickly finish the secret realm.


    In the first few stages, she obtained herbs that helped her cultivation and even a sword manual teaching her the style she had just used, ''Echoes of the Wind Dance.''


    According to the manual, if she truly mastered it, she should be able to create wind blades with every slash of her sword.


    ''I didn''t know the grade of this technique, but it should be very high,'' Lianhua thought.


    In her world, techniques were also split into six ranks: Mortal, Earth, Mystic, Celestial, Heaven, and finally, Ancient.


    Ancient techniques were the most mysterious, as they were usually very strong and seemed to come from another world.


    Some even provided a completely new power system, multiplying the abilities of their holder.


    It was rumored that some secret clans had monopolized all these ancient techniques.


    This time was no different; a green pill appeared in front of her, exuding a mysterious aura.


    Linhua could sense some healing properties from it, but she hesitated to consume it, unsure of its effects.


    Propping her body up with the sword, Linhua took the pill.


    As she put it in her storage, stairs to the next island appeared, causing her sapphire blue eyes to widen in surprise.


    She hesitated for a moment but decided to move forward, taking the last healing pill she had in her storage.


    The pill''s effect was not potent, but it was enough to at least restore part of her stamina.


    Soon, she found herself on the next island, which was smaller compared to the previous ones.


    This gave Linhua a sense of relief, thinking this island wouldn''t require her to massacre wave after wave like the last one.


    The first three islands had only tested her resolve and potential, but the rest had forced her into fights against monsters, with the last one being the hardest battle she had faced.

 Chapter 11: Ancient Cultivation Method!?

    In truth, this island was supposed to give a puzzle, testing the participant''s knowledge of arrays, but Mingyue had Vesa turn off the trial and instead sent something in.


    As Linhua observed her surroundings, she realized a wooden mannequin was crouching down in the middle of the area.


    If Alex had been there, he would have remarked, "Wait, is it a mokujin?" since the mannequin''s appearance looked eerily similar to one.


    He would then have understood that it wasn''t something to underestimate.


    However, Linhua knew nothing of this, and even if she had, she wouldn''t have thought much of it since Alex came from another world.


    But Vesa had modified the wooden puppet using Alex''s knowledge, making it more deadly.


    The puppet, usually running on simple commands, was now reprogrammed into a self-learning AI with some fighting styles already inputted into it.


    Its goal now was to half-kill Linhua.


    Sensing her presence, the wooden puppet stood up, its eyes glowing red as it raised its hands in a combat posture.


    BAM! The puppet dashed forward.


    Linhua swiftly moved, utilizing her new sword art, but the puppet maneuvered in a bizarre way.


    It dodged her attack with a duck, quickly throwing a counter uppercut toward her chin.


    Linhua stepped back to dodge, but the puppet''s uppercut stopped midway as just a feint.


    Instead, it dashed forward with its head crouched down, then delivered a liver blow to Linhua''s stomach.


    Linhua felt her intestines twist as her face turned blue. The puppet continued its attack, throwing multiple punches at her stomach.


    Bam! BAM! BAM!!!


    Each hit paralyzed Linhua with pain.


    She quickly moved her Qi to forcibly jump high into the air.


    Then, she took out an artifact she had received as a reward from another stage. Its effect allowed her to convert her Qi into the wind element, enabling her to fly.


    Groaning in pain, Linhua shot her Qi into a wind blade toward the wooden mannequin.


    To her surprise, the mannequin faced it head-on, jumping upward, placing two hands to block its face, and then suddenly, a slab of rock appeared in its hands.


    Crack! CRACK!


    The wind clashed with the rock, turning it into a cloud of debris and smoke.


    After the dust settled, Linhua''s eyes sharpened, but the puppet was nowhere to be seen.


    The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she felt a presence appear behind her. Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw the mannequin now holding a sword, slashing toward her neck.


    CLANG!


    She forcefully concentrated her Qi, pushing her hand to move faster than possible, damaging it in the process.


    The puppet''s red eyes then glinted, its leg moved forward, and it kicked her straight in the torso, sending her shooting to the ground.


    BANG!


    As Linhua fell to the ground, the puppet also fell, pointing its sword at her.


    Feeling her imminent death, Linhua''s mind quickly churned, thinking of a way out.


    She had used all her tricks to reach this far; the only thing left was the pill.


    Her hesitation from before quickly vanished, and she took out the pill and swallowed it. A warm energy started spreading, healing her broken bones and torn muscles.


    Then, Linhua quickly burned her Qi, creating wind to help her move in the air.


    Her body moved gracefully as she utilized her sword technique, with the wind complementing each move, increasing her attack power to a new level. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Slash, slash, slash.


    Linhua launched a barrage of attacks.


    The puppet did its best to protect itself, but it was no use; its movements were very limited in its position.


    BANG! The mannequin fell to the ground, with dust and chips of wood scattering in the air.


    Linhua then used the wind to maximize her falling speed, her sword stabbing down with a bang, piercing through the wooden mannequin''s body.


    Mingyue, watching the fight from a projection made by Vesa, smirked. Her eyes glinted with satisfaction, knowing what was coming next.


    The mannequin moved its hand and leg, grabbing Linhua''s hand. The Qi inside its core then began to churn.


    BANG! It exploded, taking her hands with it.


    "Aarrrgh!" Linhua screamed as intense pain overwhelmed her brain.


    Shock, panic, confusion, and fear¡ªall these emotions quickly arose in her heart.


    She felt confused about why the mannequin specifically targeted only her hand; had it pulled her closer, she would have died.


    She was shocked because of the pain and panicked and fearful because she didn''t know if the trial had been completed or not.


    Seeing Linhua''s pained face, Mingyue''s rosy lips turned upward into a cold smile.


    "Serve you right, bitch. You tried to kill me, and I am good enough to let you live longer," she mumbled.


    [Shall we proceed, Queen?]


    "Yes, do it as planned. Give her the reward. But are you sure the elder won''t suspect the cultivation method?"


    [No, the elder will barely understand how this cultivation works. You didn''t need to worry, Queen.


    I was sure she would hide it. Just think, if you were in her position, getting a cultivation method like this one without any prior knowledge, what would you do?]


    Vesa had modified one of the cultivation methods they had obtained from the secret realm, integrating her knowledge from Edonia.


    Mingyue knew what Vesa said was true; she would hide it from everyone.


    Any news where an ancient grade cultivation method was found always ended with the disappearance of the founder.


    "Alright then, give the information to her. Do as we planned."


    Linhua, now lying on the ground, tore her sleeve and tied it over her shoulder to try to reduce the bleeding.


    She kept her senses on high alert, afraid something else might emerge. Then, suddenly, a genderless voice reverberated in the air.


    "You have done well to come this far. I have waited many years for someone suitable to continue my cultivation journey.


    I deemed you suitable for it, but for now, I will only give you half of my cultivation method.


    You will know where to find the rest after you achieve some success on the path."

 Chapter 12: Alexs Father

    Hearing this, Linhua felt relieved.


    She didn''t find it strange, as it was common for cultivators to do this.


    They often gave all their cultivation methods to their inheritors but placed seals that would only break when the heir reached a certain level.


    This was done for several reasons: one was to make sure the heir wasn''t overwhelmed by information, but more importantly, it also helped protect them from being killed during their growth phase.


    As Mingyue busied herself with her revenge, Alex was trying his best to convince his mother.


    She hadn''t had any real objections when Alex said he wanted to create a research facility for new products.


    However, when he mentioned starting his own guild, his mother was adamantly opposed.


    "I said no, Alex! You''d be better off as a useless man at home than creating your own guild!" Luca said, her eyes stern.


    "Mom, I''m just opening a guild. I''m not going into any dungeons, you know," Alex replied.


    Luca''s voice raised again, "And so? You say that now. But what about the future?


    Look, Alex, even though things are stable now, how long do you think this will last?"


    Her eyes filled with worry as she continued, "You have abilities too, Alex! If something happens, you, as the guild owner, will be required to participate in it.


    Have you forgotten what happened to your father!?"


    With the mention of those words, tears started to shimmer in Luca''s eyes.


    Alex turned silent, missing his father, too.


    His father''s abilities were similar to Alex''s; he focused on the brain, allowing him to think about many things simultaneously.


    This allowed Alex''s father, Edward, to rise and create a large empire in his lifetime. He then married Luca and lived his dream until that tragic day.


    On January 28, 2189, a Category Five dungeon suddenly appeared, defying all previously known knowledge and rules.


    The dungeon took only an hour to break, unleashing a terrifying monster, each capable of easily killing a normal hunter.


    Panic quickly spread, plunging the town into chaos.


    At that time, Edward also had his own guild, which, at first, he wanted to name Full Metal. Unfortunately, the copyright committee rejected the idea.


    So, he settled on the name Suzaku, inspired by the mythological creature, the phoenix, hoping the guild would symbolize a new, better life for each member.


    As a guild owner and someone who had awakened, the situation forced him to stay in the city, using his abilities to coordinate all guild members.


    Alex, Luca, and his younger sister Emily were safely evacuated from the city. Initially, Luca wanted to stay with Edward.


    But Edward insisted that someone needed to be there for their kids, even though both were already teenagers, Alex being 18 and Emily 16.


    Knowing how stubborn her husband could be, Luca left with their children.


    A few hours later, they saw the terrifying news: the city had been decimated, with no survivors.


    The whole surrounding area had been sealed off and marked as forbidden. It had been five years since that incident, and they never held a funeral for Edward.


    Luca kept posting missions to rescue her husband. In her mind, he wasn''t dead until she saw his body.


    Emily was devastated after the incident and had a big fight with Luca because she wanted to become a hunter.


    "I will look for my father with my own hands!" Emily declared.


    Eventually, Emily left the house to become a hunter.


    She hasn''t spoken with Luca since, but she still updates Alex about her life every week.


    Knowing his mom wouldn''t budge unless he left home, too, Alex gave up. "Alright, I won''t make a guild. Happy now, Mom?"


    Seeing her son abandon the idea made Luca feel relieved. She then took out her phone.


    "So, what do you need to start? I''ll ask our lawyer to take care of all the legalities. Is 1 billion dollars enough?


    We also have some space you can use. Your father had built it before for the Suzaku guild''s expansion.


    It''s now used by survivors and their families for living. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Give jobs to them, Alex; they are experienced in working with the guild.


    I tried to offer them other jobs before, but they all rejected it. They want work related to the dungeon," Luca said.


    "If the place is designed for a research facility, I think that should be more than enough, Mom.


    I''ve already found a professor to be the lead scientist. Send me the address, then I''ll check the place."


    "Alright, I won''t tell you how to do it since I don''t have experience in that area either.


    Just make sure to do everything properly and not get scammed." She chuckled.


    "Well, with your ability, no ordinary person should be able to scam you.


    Now, tell me, why did you suddenly want to start a business like this?


    I know you, my dear son. Something must have happened. You would never move if there wasn''t something interesting to you."


    Luca wasn''t worried even if the business became an epic failure and Alex lost all the money.


    As long as he had something to do, it was better than staying at home and wasting away. She was more curious about what motivated her son to undertake this venture.


    "Yes, I found something interesting that I am sure can elevate our family to new heights," Alex said with an excited tone.


    Hearing this, his mother, Luca, didn''t believe it.


    They were already in the top 10% of the richest people on their planet. Rising further would mean becoming part of the most elite top 1%.


    Each of them has already held their position for generations, with global influence and power. The only way to reach their level was by taking over one of their positions.


    For newcomers like them, reaching the top 10% was already a big achievement.


    If not for the opportunities that arose from the dungeon that brought the world into chaos, they wouldn''t have been able to rise like this.

 Chapter 13: Calling His Sister

    At that time, the top 1% had been busy fighting among themselves and had not yet reached an agreement.


    This allowed some people to grow. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t care about that, Alex, as long as you have something to do. Just don''t do it half-heartedly; do the best you can," Luca said.


    "Of course, Mom, don''t worry. You know me; if I decide to do something, I''ll make my way to the top."


    Luca then transferred the money to him and left him alone.


    ''I should call Sis then. Mom only said I couldn''t make my own Guild, but if it''s my sister, there should not be a problem,'' he thought.


    Alex had a few friends from college and high school who had become hunters, but he had barely talked to them after graduating.


    He needed someone he could trust to handle the Guild, as he planned to fake many items they brought back from the dungeon.


    He also needed to find people from the Dungeon Association to help manipulate the information.


    As the phone started connecting, Alex said, "Sis, are you busy?"


    He could hear ragged breathing from the other side. "Just... say what you want."


    He had wanted to ask more about her situation, but he knew Emily would just get annoyed.


    After that incident, her personality changed completely; she was cold and spoke harshly, and Alex had gotten used to it.


    "What hunter rank are you now?"


    Emily felt it was odd, as Alex usually never cared about it, but her situation didn''t allow her to think much.


    BANG! BOOM!!!


    Alex could hear explosions from the other side.


    "Just what are you doing, Emily? If you''re busy, I can call again later."


    BANG! BANG! BANG! KA-BOOM!!


    Alex heard machine guns firing in bursts, followed by a big explosion.


    The connection then became static for a while before being cut off.


    Alex looked at his phone screen with a raised eyebrow, his eyes filled with worry.


    ''Just what is she doing?'' he thought, imagining various possible scenarios, each making him worry even more.


    Just as he was about to call the hunter association to find out Emily''s location, the phone rang again.


    "Sis, are you alright!?" Alex quickly asked.


    Heavy breathing came from the other end, followed by a sigh.


    "I''m fine. I''m just doing some stupid cheap mission that isn''t worth the pay.


    I''m still a two-star hunter; you know it''s insanely hard to raise our rank, right?"


    Hearing her words, Alex was surprised. He had heard about the difficulty before, but he had thought it was just a rumor.


    His sister had an S-Grade ability, and it had been five years; Alex thought she should be at least a three-star hunter by now.


    "Well, I need a guild. I had planned to make it myself, but Mom forbade it. You know how she is after that day.


    So, I was thinking of you being the one to establish it."


    "You what?" Emily then laughed, doubting what she had heard.


    "You''re saying you want to build a guild? You, who always spent all day at home reading novels and playing games?"


    She had expected Alex to laugh with her, but when he remained silent, she added, "You''re not joking?"


    "I am serious! Why would I joke about something like that, Emily?"


    Alex felt wronged as everyone seemed to act like he had never done anything serious.


    "And why would you be serious about that? I know you, Alex; you just love wasting away at home all day. So tell me, why do you suddenly want a guild?"


    Alex then told her what had happened, of course, modifying it beforehand to hide the part where he had gotten the system.


    He did this because he didn''t want the hassle of convincing Emily that he wasn''t lying.


    Even in a world filled with superpowers, the existence of a system that often only showed up in novels and anime would not be taken seriously.


    "So, who is this Faerith? Do you like her? I never knew you were into older women," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "I told you I''m doing that because of the artifact she''s researching. I am sure it will bring our family to new heights!"


    "Yeah¡­ yeah... And the artifact you''re talking about has shown no results until now, right?


    Who are you trying to fool, my dear older brother?


    There are tons of artifacts with no results, each claimed to have a lot of potential, and you know that none give results!


    In the past, I already told you to use your abilities to help with the guild, but you kept making excuses!


    At first, I thought you were just coping with the incident, but after 5 years, I realized you''re just being lazy, Alex!"


    "Hey, you say it like I didn''t miss Dad at all," Alex retorted back.


    "Hmph... and? You don''t need to mince words with me like with Mom, Alex. I know you think he''s already dead."


    Alex sighed, "You know why.


    My ability makes me think everything is based on data, and the highest probability is..."


    Emily cut him off with a stern tone. "Shut it. I''m not stupid. I know."


    "But just like Dad, who also had abilities with his brain, he should have known if things became problematic.


    The other guild members weren''t weaklings either."


    In the Suzaku Guild, Alex''s father had recruited two three-star hunters with SS rank abilities.


    The only other possibility was that they had somehow entered a portal and gotten stuck inside.


    However, Alex never shared this with his sister or mom. He was afraid they would recklessly run into the portal.


    "Let''s not talk about that. I also hope Dad survived. So, what do you think about my offer?"


    "We need another hunter to be the face of our Guild, Alex."


    "If the Campbell group decides to create a new one after the Suzaku incident, we can''t do it half-heartedly.


    If only a two-star hunter like me is inside, it will give us bad publicity, you know," Emily said.

 Chapter 14: What you Want? Smartphone?

    Alex knew what Emily was saying made sense, but in his opinion, it was only a short-term issue since the hunters who joined this new guild would quickly become stronger.


    How could they not? A cultivator with basic superpowers.


    He even wanted to prioritize hiring people with mental capabilities like his, as they were underestimated by the public.


    Many abilities that had seemed useless before would become incredible once they became cultivators since physical strength could be elevated.


    They could also learn secret techniques or special cultivation methods to gain control over elements.


    But maybe an unexpected result could be achieved.


    In his understanding, cultivation used qi, then a breathing technique, to convert it into an element.


    But now, since the body could generate its own element, couldn''t they use it to enhance it instead? And make the cultivation speed grow by leaps and bounds.


    He couldn''t wait to get a complete set of cultivation methods from Mingyue and start experimenting with them.


    ''Hmm, I should also get the contract and slave method from Mingyue.''


    Alex abhorred slavery, but since he would need much help from Professor Faerith, he felt he needed it as insurance, making sure she would never tell anyone the truth.


    If the real source of it came out, Alex was sure his family would become a target for those they couldn''t offend yet.


    No matter what, his family''s safety came first.


    "Hello?? Are you still there??? Why did you go silent all of a sudden?" Emily''s voice brought Alex back to reality.


    "Nothing, Sis, just remember I need to take some precautions.


    By the way, since you want us to go to a higher hunter class, do you have someone you can trust?


    One who won''t ask too many questions?"


    Emily felt puzzled by Alex''s request. "What do you mean by ''no questions''?


    Alex, don''t tell me you plan to collaborate with those Dark Hunters?"


    Emily despised them.


    As a hunter, she had many missions that brought her into conflict with them.


    "Don''t you dare get involved with them! Do you know what they do? They''re inhumane, worse than monsters!"


    "Dark Hunters? Sis, I''m not that stupid.


    I just don''t want them snooping around, wanting to know everything about how the guild operates.


    There are many things I prefer to keep hidden, you know."


    Emily felt even more bewildered by his words. "What exactly are you trying to hide? I''m your sister; don''t you trust me?"


    Alex then realized he couldn''t skirt over it with a simple explanation.


    Unlike his mom, Luca, Emily would be working closely with him.


    "I trust you, but Sis, you can''t tell anyone about this.


    I found a way for any Awakener to become stronger. Even normal people can become as strong as Hunters.


    You should understand the implications of this."


    Emily was surprised by what Alex said. "You mean you''ve found a new power system?"


    "Power system? Yeah, you could say that."


    "Why did you even call me on this line then? Come to my home later.


    I should be there by night," Emily said with a raised tone, then quickly cut off the call, not allowing Alex to speak further.


    ''A power system... does this mean other methods have been found before?'' Alex wondered.


    He knew he would get clarification when meeting Emily later. For now, the important thing was to get a cultivation method.


    ''Vesa, can you ask Mingyue about the cultivation technique?''


    [You are asking at the right time, King. We just got a bunch of new techniques, but you should ask the Queen yourself.]


    "Mingyue, how is it going? Have you made any decisions yet? What do you want from my world?"


    At this time, Mingyue had just finished dealing with Linghua. She was checking the list of treasures inside the secret realm created by Vesa.


    "I''ve thought about it.


    What I need now is the thing you call a smartphone. Being able to record and take pictures is what I need the most right now."


    "Smartphone?" Alex pondered it.


    Although their world didn''t have electricity, a phone without mobile data being active should survive for at least a few weeks.


    He could just send her a new one, then. "Alright, I can get that for you. Send me the cultivation methods, then. Vesa told me you just got a bunch of them, right?


    Vesa can transmit the information to me, so it shouldn''t be a problem for you to give me all of them."


    "All of them? Don''t waste time practicing useless cultivation methods, Alex.


    There are many, but from what I''ve seen, most are just lower-level or incomplete methods." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, Mingyue. I just want to analyze the cultivation methods.


    Who knows, I might be able to derive a new method.


    By the way, how''s your situation now? Who''s coming after you?"


    Mingyue raised her eyebrows, hearing Alex''s intention to create a new method.


    But then she remembered Alex''s abilities; it was possible for him to learn and dissect the methods.


    "I''m alright. Just be careful when experimenting with them. A bad cultivation technique can lead you to a fate worse than death."


    [Queen, why haven''t you told the King?


    It''s not alright when you''re basically now surrounded by enemies.


    Both of your fates are linked now, just like you''re afraid something might happen to the King because it would mean losing a way to the other world. It''s the same if something happened to you.] Vesa''s message appeared in front of Mingyue''s eyes.


    Mingyue thought about it and knew Vesa was right.


    This made her wonder, ''Vesa, what happens if one of us dies?''


    [You mean what happens to the other one? Both your fates are literally linked, Queen.


    Both of your souls have already started melding with the progenitor, which is why I could create this system.


    If one of you dies, the other will, too. As you transform closer to becoming a true progenitor, you will feel each other''s presence even more, as a progenitor is part of one soul.]

 Chapter 15: Why it Different?

    This made Mingyue frown because it meant she really had no choice for a Dao partner other than Alex.


    She didn''t know how to make sense of it; at least for now, she needed to know him better.


    "Well, it''s good if you''re alright. Do you have any other requests?


    By the way, can you send me one of those storage ring items?


    I''ve always wanted to have one."


    "I did have a few here. I''ll send them to you, along with some other stuff," Mingyue then started telling Alex what had happened with Linghua.


    From being attacked by Linghua and falling into the void crack to going to the secret realm and setting a trap for Linghua.


    Hearing all of this, Alex had an idea. "Since you already have a secret realm now, why not make your own Sect, Mingyue?"


    "My own Sect? Even with the resources I got from this secret realm, it wouldn''t be enough, Alex.


    The cultivation methods the previous owner used were also not suitable for that purpose."


    "That''s fine. Don''t you forget about me?" Alex chuckled.


    "Look, Mingyue, instead of trying to recruit those so-called geniuses, find common people, those who have been trampled by cultivators."


    "Commoners? But what can they do?


    They are too weak; a single Foundation Stage cultivator can easily trample over them," Mingyue asked.


    "I have some understanding of your world from Vesa.


    Even commoners can cultivate; it''s just that no one thinks it''s worthwhile to train them because the efficiency is so low.


    But what if we don''t focus on cultivating them?


    Instead, give them weapons from my world? A machine gun can easily overpower a Foundation Stage cultivator.


    You just need a few non-genius cultivators with the right element to produce all the items.


    I will then send you some training and production methods for you to implement."


    Hearing Alex''s idea, Mingyue found it feasible.


    Recruiting commoners as cultivators wouldn''t be hard; as long as she could provide them with food, a warm house, and protection, they would come flocking to her.


    She could also bind them with a contract to ensure their loyalty.


    Alex then added, "Look, Mingyue, you should stop depending on others to raise your cultivation like your sect and family do.


    You should just take over both of them and create your own organization.


    Make one with a concept similar to those of ancient families. Your world has big opportunities compared to mine."


    "Big opportunities? What do you mean by that, Alex?"


    "Yes, every single sect and prominent family is looking for heaven-blessed geniuses with overwhelming talent.


    Since one can beat a thousand, they neglect the most important resource: the common people.


    Even your sect can''t maintain their daily needs without these so-called commoners. Why else would they take over many cities under them?"


    Mingyue still felt disbelief. Why were common people considered an important resource?


    "But why? There are so many of them.


    Even if one or two cities were decimated, it wouldn''t take long for others to fill the numbers."


    Alex laughed. "You''re so focused on cultivation that you''ve barely grown in economy and technology.


    Even cultivators need to eat before they become immortal. You also need furniture and a place to live.


    Who works to produce the wheat and rice you eat? S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who takes out the logs to build all of those? Isn''t it the commoners?


    None of the so-called cultivators want to dirty their hands doing it. But you all neglect them and treat them like trash.


    Without commoners, can your sect survive?


    Can the cultivators focus on their cultivation?


    No, right? Even many new geniuses come from these so-called commoners.


    If you start taking over their roots one by one, they will start to feel the impact and weaken.


    I heard you plan to hide your identity before returning to your family. Try to hide as a commoner and mingle with them, Mingyue.


    Become one of them.


    Then you will understand what they really do."


    "What? Hiding as a commoner?" The idea baffled Mingyue. Every cultivator looked at them as if they were a lower species.


    "Yes, you might think that as long as you provide them with good food, a house, and a contract, it''s enough, right?


    No, it''s not, Mingyue.


    We also need to really understand how they think, what they are capable of, and how they live their lives.


    Only then can we plan out a suitable community that is ever-growing.


    Anything motivated only by fear won''t last long.


    Don''t forget, we need to find people to become real vampires; they cannot be bound by slave contracts.


    If they are only loyal out of fear, it will put us at high risk; they will also not really try their best."


    Hearing his words, Mingyue understood he wanted to use the sect she would build as a foundation for growth, not just for short-term goals.


    "You know about the idea of school and education in my world, right?"


    "Yes." Mingyue was baffled when she first learned about this, wondering why Alex''s world invested so many resources into the education system.


    "It''s not just about skills, Mingyue.


    The most important aspect of that system is to instill group values in people, such as what is right to do and what is wrong to do.


    To put it simply, it''s about shaping them into suitable individuals who will work most beneficially for us.


    For example, my world teaches people to work under others, keep their word, and think about others'' benefits first.


    Many believe this and spend half their lives following this route, only to face the reality that it''s all bullshit.


    But in your world, we don''t need to worry about this.


    We will make sure that everyone who follows the teachings will be rewarded."


    "Why would my world be any different, though?


    In the end, people will follow their own desires, Alex.


    Even I know that when their basic needs are fulfilled, they will start wanting more."


    There were a few cases like this; she had heard some cultivators treat the commoners very well only to get stabbed in the back.

 Chapter 16: How Cultivation Works

    Alex chuckled. "The problem in my world was that in the past, it didn''t have any superpowers, and there was nothing that posed a danger to us as a species.


    So, to maintain their positions, many people blocked the path to success for others.


    Resources are limited, right? And as you said, greed knows no bounds.


    But since the awakening of superpowers and the opening of dungeons, this has become a problem of the past.


    We now have a way to develop unlimitedly, not to mention the risk of monsters coming from other worlds."


    "Then your world should also have the same condition now, no? And it''s not working," Mingyue asked.


    "It''s not because it''s already too late.


    People are now divided into factions, and each has their own personal goal. But your commoners are perfect.


    They are still at a stage where they constantly fear for their lives, so they will trust you wholeheartedly, at least at first.


    That is the best time for us to instill these values.


    Then, we can keep expanding from there."


    Mingyue thought about it; she still hadn''t seen the weapons from Alex''s world with her own eyes.


    Deep in her heart, she was still very biased toward cultivators.


    "It''s a start, Mingyue.


    As I get the method, I will find a way to make all of them able to cultivate.


    Then, we will create a social system that is better than the one in my current world.


    There are many technologies now that could solve my world''s problems, but people are too stuck in their ways now.


    It''s hard to teach them to change.


    Compared to yours, where people can easily worship you like their god."


    "How far do you want to go with this idea, Alex?" Mingyue asked, curious since Alex kept trying to convince her to do it.


    "Don''t forget, Mingyue, we are chosen as Progenitors. The last one died at his enemy''s hands.


    No matter who they are, that means we will need to face them sooner or later.


    And based on what Vesa told us, the immortals from your world are nothing in their face.


    If both of us cannot rise to be the strongest in each of our worlds, what qualifications do we have to face them?


    We will just become the next victims."


    Mingyue gulped, realizing the truth in Alex''s words.


    Could they really fight against those who defeated the Vampire Progenitor without their own army?


    "Alright, I will think about it."


    "Well, this idea is still rough, honestly, but you should get the gist of what I want to achieve.


    We need to prepare a foundation, and your commoners are the most suitable choice for us right now.


    Not those stuck-up cultivators."


    "You keep dissing them out. You do realize I''m also a cultivator, right?"


    Mingyue could hear Alex chuckling from the other side.


    "Okay, I''m sorry.


    It''s just that I''ve read so many novels about the cultivation world, and in each of them, I always wonder why they are so dumb and never utilize the commoners.


    There are many ways to do this.


    For example, you guys use commoners as maids.


    A strong cultivator can manipulate the vow on their souls, then give them poison to slip into their masters'' drinks, and no one will know.


    I''m sure they will underestimate them.


    Even those weak cultivators, Mr. Side Character One, Extra Two that the so-called geniuses use as underlings, can be used to create a manufacturing process for many weapons.


    As industries grow further, living standards improve, which also means the quality of the workers becomes better.


    We can then expand the production rate of resources using them as workers.


    But there are many other problems we need to take care of for everything to work, like how most commoners are illiterate."


    Alex had already thought that if the commoners mined the qi crystal mines with drills and modern tools, it would increase the output by at least tenfold.


    "I''m really curious about these novels of yours. How exactly do they portray us?


    Can you send me some? I also want to try these so-called video games," Mingyue said.


    Hearing Mingyue''s curiosity, Alex smirked. "Sure, I''ll put them in the phone."


    He was also curious about how she would react after reading them.


    ''I should choose one filled with the usual tropes, face-slapping young masters.


    A tragic main character with a cheat ability comes from the smallest family in the smallest city, country, and realm.


    The FL loses her virginity to MC because of aphrodisiacs, the female lead having some ice cultivation, then going to a higher realm to become a disciple.


    One or both parents are missing and actually come from a powerful clan, or they have some powerful expert soul as backing.''


    Alex really wondered if things like this actually happened in the cultivation world where Mingyue came from.


    ''Thankfully, Vesa allows us to understand each other''s words and language instantly; otherwise, communication would be very hard.''


    Alex then thought he also needed to send some items for Mingyue to understand their real potential.


    "I''ll send some weapons for you to test. Then you''ll understand how useful they are.


    Also, don''t forget to send me some of those qi stones."


    "Alright, I''ll wait for these items of yours then."


    After ending his conversation with Mingyue, Vesa began pouring information about cultivation into Alex''s mind, including all the techniques Mingyue had found in the secret realm.


    It took Alex some time to fully absorb all the knowledge, even with his abilities.


    ''This is nothing like the novels I''ve read before.


    They did use Qi, but it required breathing, precise control, and movement to even use it as a technique.


    (It''s like in Avatar cartoon, where certain movements need to be done for the technique to be active.)


    The process is long until it becomes second nature to them, and that''s just for one secret art.


    That''s why they can''t just freely learn new ones. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 17: Meeting Emily

    It was a serious commitment that took many resources and time, except if the technique had a similar foundation. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And this didn''t even count the work they needed to do to increase their cultivation realm, Alex thought as his lips curved into a smile.


    Alex felt genuinely excited about the information because he knew it provided him with many possibilities.


    The way people improved their realm was very different from what he was used to. It was a path filled with danger, and even the tribulations were not as he had imagined.


    At the Foundation Stage, they began enhancing their bodies with various natural treasures and intense training.


    This was all to ensure the body could hold qi inside without exploding.


    Afterward, they started strengthening the qi inside their body, circulating it like blood flowing through their veins.


    Step by step, they allowed it to penetrate their flesh, transforming it to become even stronger.


    Those so-called geniuses and talented individuals were the ones who shortened the process of the early stages, significantly saving time and resources.


    This was one of the reasons why marriage was very important in the Cultivation world.


    People wanted their traits and strong bodies to be passed down to their offspring.


    As the process continued, future descendants became increasingly stronger and mutated.


    They then started categorizing mutations in their descendants'' bodies as spiritual roots and bloodlines.


    Marriage for love? That was a big joke.


    What use was that when you could be dead?


    In a world where one person could defeat ten thousand, strength was what mattered.


    Emotional attachments all came second.


    Of course, some still acted on their emotions, as humans were emotional beings regardless of the world. But most of them ended up with tragic ends.


    The so-called tribulation they faced when becoming immortal was one they found themselves in because of breaking through. They needed to destroy and reconstruct their bodies using elemental qi.


    This allowed them to become immortal.


    The path after this was still unknown; some said the secret lay in cultivating the soul, but the method for doing so was also unclear.


    Mingyue only knew a low technique for soul cultivation, one that allowed the use of qi to permeate their soul and strengthen it.


    "Just what is this qi? Is it similar to mana?" Alex mumbled.


    "If this is some type of different energy, it''s going to be a problem.


    I need to experiment first after getting the qi stone, comparing it to a mana crystal."


    But first, Alex needed to prepare the items to be sent to Mingyue.


    "Vesa, how large an item can you now send?"


    [With my current power, this domain is still small in size, but it should be enough to transfer a small gun and a phone.]


    [Well, if you can use a storage ring, this should make it possible to transfer many items at once.]


    Alex agreed with Vesa.


    If he could use the storage ring, it would indeed boost their growth rapidly, as the quantity of items they could send would increase exponentially.


    He could simply buy a lot of good gear, armor, and weapons and then send it all to Mingyue''s world.


    The image of a bunch of commoners shooting at cultivators with machine guns and bazookas made him laugh.


    "No matter if it''s my world or the cultivation world, whaling is the way, hahaha."


    He then spent the hour selecting the best novels he could think of for Mingyue to read.


    He chose the fun ones filled with comedy, as well as those with silly plots.


    He also loaded the phone with many games and included a few solar power banks to help her charge the phone later on.


    As for weapons, Alex knew he needed his sister''s help to get one.


    It wasn''t something a normal citizen like him could buy at will unless he went to the black market and bought them illegally.


    The moon now hung in the sky as a silver sports car parked in an underground parking lot.


    Alex got out and then rode the elevator straight up to the highest room, where his sister Emily lived.


    Ding!


    The elevator door opened, revealing a beautiful woman with golden hair sitting on the couch.


    She turned her blue eyes to see Alex, her lips curving into a warm smile.


    "You finally came," she said, her slender finger pointing to the couch.


    Unlike Alex, who resembles their mother, Emily inherits her appearance from their father, Edward.


    Both of them had blue eyes and golden hair.


    Alex slumped down on the couch.


    "Oh yeah, before I forget, I need a weapon.


    One that can be shot with mana energy and the other with normal bullets.


    Make it a handgun model, and don''t forget the ammo."


    Emily raised her eyebrow at Alex''s request but didn''t find it strange.


    Now that he would probably appear more in public, more self-defense tools would be good.


    "Sure, I''ll get it. But can you even use them?" Emily asked with a smirk.


    She then continued, "You also need to get a bodyguard, brother.


    Even though your name isn''t on paper, we can''t hide the relationship between us."


    Alex knew his sister was right.


    When they announced the guild establishment, they would quickly become front-page news.


    He needed more safety measures. "I will look for some."


    "You should recruit the old guild members who survived, especially Zold.


    He has a lot of potential and is determined to look for his father," Emily suggested.


    "Zold?" Alex asked.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot you''re not familiar with the guild.


    Zold is the son of our father''s right-hand man, Silva. He''s also looking for a way to enter the forbidden area.


    Well, enough about that.


    I''m sure Mom told you to recruit them anyway, right? I''ll give you some information about them later."


    Emily leaned forward, her eyes becoming serious. "Now, tell me about this new power system of yours."


    "Before that, Emily, did any other power systems ever emerge before?"

 Chapter 18: Dark Zone

    Emily laughed. "That''s why I said before you should have learned more about the guild and hunters.


    Alex, the world now isn''t just moving with money; there are so many things you don''t know.


    Of course, there are others, like the wizard guild.


    They found a power system that allowed them to enhance their superpowers with mana crystals.


    I also don''t know the details, but the method must be incomplete; otherwise, they wouldn''t bow to the Hunter Association."


    "What do you mean? Bow?"


    "Why else do you think a two-star hunter like me would have this information?


    The entire mage guild has been taken over by the Hunter Association.


    They then gave us some information, hoping to bait hunters who might have more details about it.


    Since there is one power system, why wouldn''t others exist?


    I''m sure there are many, and the higher-ups should know about them.


    This explains why no hunter above three stars is weak, regardless of their superpower rank.


    They probably acquired the power system through some agreement with the association," Emily explained.


    "So that means all three-star hunters are under the Hunter Association, then?


    Doesn''t that mean they won''t be loyal?"


    "Why do you think we need to get a three-star hunter''s approval to open a guild?


    Do you think the association will let organizations of superpowers do as they please?


    The world is chaotic enough.


    I don''t really condone how they do things, brother, but their existence is necessary."


    Alex then sighed, "Doesn''t that mean it will be a problem?


    You want a three-star hunter in our guild, but if I introduce this power system to our members, he will become suspicious.


    No matter what, we are not strong enough to butt heads with the Hunter Association."


    "We have no choice over it, you know, but honestly, you really lack understanding of our world''s situation, Alex."


    Emily turned her eyes to the coffee table. "Al, show the holographic projection of our current situation now."


    A holographic map of their planet then started appearing, hovering above the coffee table.


    Many areas were marked red, and more than half of it was black.


    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise. "What the hell?


    Emily, this kind of technology exists now? Why didn''t you tell me then?"


    Emily laughed. "Because I knew you''re such a tech nerd and would want one.


    This is part of the perks of being a hunter.


    Look, Alex, almost 25% of the world is now marked red, which means those areas are uninhabitable."


    Her finger then pointed to the middle of the red area, her eyes turning solemn.


    "You see there, the area where we used to live?


    Some people living in peaceful areas like here think the world is stable now.


    In fact, the situation is worsening, Alex.


    The Category Five dungeon was only the first.


    It then started appearing in the surrounding area and quickly devoured many locations.


    As you can see, it''s now over a quarter of our planet."


    "Rather than that, Emily, what is the dark zone? It covers more than half."


    He then tilted his head, gazing in detail at the holographic globe.


    "Isn''t this bigger than the normal one? I''m sure this is not our planet, Ainode."


    The size was twice as big as the map Alex used to know.


    "As I said, you don''t know too many things, Alex. You''re living in a bubble.


    The black zone is a new area.


    Since the Category Five dungeons started appearing, this planet began expanding, and I don''t have more information about that.


    I''m sure whatever it is, it''s worse.


    You need to understand, Alex, that we, humanity as a whole, are in danger now.


    Hiding the power system is stupid.


    Instead, we should just go ahead and make a deal with the association and benefit from it."


    Alex pondered for a moment. "Won''t they just take us over like the mage guild, as you mentioned before?


    You say it''s stupid, but they still hide the information from the public."


    "What happens if they release it? Panic? There is a reason they only divulge it to three-star hunters, Alex.


    Don''t you see those Dark Hunters? They are a menace to society.


    As for the takeover, that depends on our information. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As I said, their power system is incomplete, and they need the association more to help them complete it."


    Alex then started telling her about the cultivation techniques, starting from the Foundation Stage and going all the way to the Immortal Stage.


    This made Emily look at her brother weirdly.


    "Alex, that is very complete.


    Where the hell did you get it from? And what''s this about becoming immortal?


    You''re not kidding me, right?"


    "You think I would joke about this? I already got money from Mom to establish the whole thing.


    I also called you for it. What more proof do you need?"


    Emily knew this but still couldn''t believe it.


    How did her introverted brother get such information? She knew he spent all his time at home.


    She gazed sharply at him.


    "Can''t you tell me where it comes from? You''re not involved in something shady, are you?"


    Alex sighed. "Where did my little sister, who always followed me around and believed in me, go?


    Is she still there? Can''t you just believe me on this?


    It''s not something that I can explain right now. You will just get more questions than answers."


    Memories of their childhood started resurfacing in her mind.


    Emily used to be a gentle, innocent girl who only followed her brother around.


    "That kind of person wouldn''t survive in this world, brother.


    If I had just focused on training my abilities instead, maybe Father would still..."


    Seeing his sister filled with guilt, Alex shook his head.


    "Forget it. Will the association force me to reveal the background of where I got it?"


    Emily knew her brother wanted to change the conversation, as they had the same discussion many times before.


    She always felt guilty. Compared to Alex, her superpower was perfectly suited for combat.

 Chapter 19: Self Blame

    Emily could give form to light, turning it into a deadly weapon.


    In the past, she had never trained in her ability, resulting in a lack of control over it.


    This made every one of her attacks a burst of power that left her tired and weak afterward.


    And on that day, she had used it repeatedly until she fainted. When she woke up, everything was already too late.


    "You don''t need to change the topic; I know this is my fault."


    Alex frowned at her words. "I love you, Emily, but you know this attitude of yours always annoys me.


    Enough with the self-blame.


    If you want to find fault, we can find it in everyone involved, but it''s useless.


    Does that really matter?


    Even if we know whose fault it really is, will it change the past? So stop it already."


    Alex had tried many ways to comfort his sister, from talking to her gently, patting her head, and listening to all her complaints, but in the end, he realized it would never stop, except by some miracle, if their father returned.


    Emily''s lips sealed shut, her eyes turning teary for a short moment, but she blinked them away and took a few breaths to calm herself.


    Alex shook his head; even as a two-star hunter, his sister was always like this.


    He worried about what might happen if one day she fell in love with a bad man and got all emotional about it.


    ''Well, that''s not my business. It''s her life. She''s not a kid anymore. Worse comes to worse, I will just remove the man,'' Alex dismissed the thought.


    "So, have you calmed down? Can you answer me now?"


    "With such a comprehensive system, if we can provide proof, like a few people who succeeded in cultivation, I am sure we can negotiate not to disclose the information.


    The possibility of making everyone an awakener is just too significant for them to miss out."


    "Alright, make the guild then, Emily, and if you need anything, just let me know."


    He then gazed at his sister deeply.


    "Don''t push yourself, okay?


    I am worried about you. I don''t want another person to disappear from the family.


    And if possible, meet up with Mom makeup already.


    Both of you are so helpless. You know why she so adamantly rejects the idea, but it''s been five years.


    Just don''t talk about anything about hunters and guilds when you meet her."


    Emily turned silent; she also wanted to make up with her mom, but she knew how it would turn out.


    "You know what Mom will say. It''s not like I am the one who brought up the topic with her."


    "I will talk with her too; just don''t be so hardheaded.


    Honestly, you take after Mom more; both of you are just so adamant when you''ve decided on something."


    "Hmph, you talk like you''re not like that, brother," Emily said with a pout.


    In her eyes, Alex was even worse in that aspect; when he found a goal, he would stop at nothing to achieve it, although it rarely happened.


    "At the very least, I am not adamant about something that is useless.


    Both of you know acting like this will just hurt each other, but you keep doing it.


    Well, forget it. When do you think you can give me the weapon?"


    "I can get it tomorrow, bro, or if you really need it now, I have some with me here."


    Alex shook his head, knowing his sister had probably offered the gun she was currently using.


    "No need, just give me a new one tomorrow, not the one you use.


    Then make a meeting with the three-star hunter; I will meet them directly."


    At first, he wanted to let Emily handle the hunter''s association entirely, but after hearing about so many things happening in the world, he felt the need to meet them directly and confirm the hunter''s intentions.


    "Sure, bro, then I also want to meet the woman who made you do all this," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "You can''t meet her, Emily."


    "Eh, why? Does she have a poor background? Are you afraid I will bully her?"


    Alex laughed. "No, you just can''t meet her now; she''s in some place far away."


    "Far away? How far? We can just ride our jet there."


    Emily''s eyes started narrowing as she felt suspicious.


    "Then how will she become your head scientist? Isn''t she that Faerith you talked about?"


    "No. I told you my relationship with Faerith is just work.


    I do have someone I like now, and she is one of the reasons I do this. But you really can''t meet her now, Emily."


    "Who is she? What does she look like?"


    Emily felt really curious, as she never knew her brother''s type.


    Even after graduation, she knew their mom tried to arrange some girls for Alex, but no matter how beautiful, gentle, and nice the women were, Alex rejected them all.


    For Alex, the reason for this was that all the women didn''t look at him.


    He knew they were looking at his family background and wealth. And that was not what he wanted in his love life.


    "Mingyue. She has amber eyes, with long black hair." Alex continued detailing her appearance, making Emily chuckle.


    She could see that Alex was really smitten by the woman. "So where does she live?"


    Alex thought about it and then answered, "As I said, somewhere far.


    I really don''t want to lie to you, Emily. Just be patient. One day, I will bring her to meet you and Mom."


    Emily thought about it. In the end, she decided to give up. Emily was sure Alex wouldn''t be so foolish as to get scammed, but it made her even more curious. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Then why did he build all this? How is it related to the woman then?


    Just what is his goal now? I don''t believe it''s for the family.''


    She tried to ask this question, but Alex shrugged it off again.

 Chapter 20: Brainless Young Master

    The only way Alex could tell her was if he explained everything about the system and the cultivation world.


    Emily then threw more questions about Mingyue at him, most of which Alex skipped over since he didn''t know much about her yet.


    As the questions became more personal, Alex changed the topic.


    "How about you? How is your life after becoming a hunter?"


    "Me? Nothing special, I just spend every day on mission after mission," Emily answered.


    Alex frowned. "If that''s true, then why are you still ranked two? What really makes it hard?"


    "Because I can only enter low-level dungeons; Mom is pulling the strings behind my back.


    So I can only grind with missions that give low contribution points," Emily said with a sigh.


    "No wonder. Well, don''t get me wrong, but I''m glad Mom does that.


    You know the casualty rate in those kinds of dungeons, right?"


    Emily''s face pouted, feeling wronged. "Even you! Why does no one support me in this?"


    "It''s not that I don''t want to support you, Emily. But the reason you''re doing this isn''t because of your dream but as a vent.


    What if something happened to you too?


    What would happen to me and Mom? Do you think we can take another loss?"


    Emily''s voice became weak. "But then, who will look for Dad?"


    "You do know we''ve spent a lot of money putting up requests, right? And a four-star hunter already took the mission."


    "But it''s been years and no news at all, Alex!"


    "You are a hunter yourself; you should understand this more than me.


    A veteran hunter still gives us no result. What can you do by yourself, Sis?"


    Alex only knew his mother had spent a lot of their family fortune posting missions to look for their father, and it was taken by a four-star hunter.


    But he had never heard the follow-up on it.


    Now that he knew about the red and dark zones, Alex speculated that the difficulty of the mission should reach S or even SS rank.


    In his world, dungeons were categorized by numbers¡ªthe bigger, the higher the risk.


    As for superpower talent and missions, they go from F rank to A rank, above which are the usual S tier, SS, SSS. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few days passed, and that night, Alex spent catching up with Emily.


    He also started finalizing all the contracts and meeting up with his family''s lawyer, studying all the legalities he needed to follow.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, Mingyue was now disguised as a normal, plain woman.


    She was moving in a carriage to the city where her family resided, Da Ying City.


    In these past few days, she pondered over what Alex had said and finally decided to act as a merchant.


    She had also taken many commoners from the surrounding village and trained them with the instructions she got from Alex.


    In her hand now was a smartphone; she had spent a few hours on the road reading a story, and not just any story¡ªit was one of the cultivation novels Alex chose.


    Reading the clich¨¦ plot, Mingyue frowned.


    "Is this man stupid? He comes from a prestigious family, and instead of looking for a woman from the same class, he goes too far for a woman in a rural area.


    Even if she is talented, it doesn''t justify offending other geniuses for it.


    Or did this man have no choice but to do this?


    Is every other woman in this story that ugly?


    How is even a village woman, even as a genius, more beautiful than the daughter of another cultivator?"


    The plot Mingyue read involved a rich young master offending the MC to take over his love interest.


    This didn''t make sense to Mingyue.


    They might look down on commoners, but once they became cultivators, no one would offend them without reason.


    The competition between families and sects was brutal; every single talent was cherished and fought over.


    Based on the story she read, the MC was a genius talent, as was the woman.


    If the young master befriended them, he could easily secure two geniuses under his family''s banner.


    But instead, he offended them both.


    And for what? Lust? Because the woman was beautiful?


    "This kind of brainless person would be killed without mercy in my family.


    He acts like a virgin who''s never seen anyone attractive," Mingyue mumbled.


    The competition among the young generation was also intense; the family didn''t care whether it was a boy or a girl.


    Those who were useless to the family were lucky to get fed. As for those who became a burden, they couldn''t even hope to survive the next day.


    And here, this young master, offending two geniuses to feed his own ego.


    Mingyue shook her head, then put the phone back into her storage ring.


    Then, a sleek gun appeared in her hand. It felt cold in her palm, with a digital number showing 100% on the back of it.


    Vesa had poured the information on how to use it into Mingyue when she received it.


    "To think they can mass-produce artifacts like this. Even making it usable by anyone."


    [Told you, Queen, don''t underestimate the weapons from the King''s world.]


    Mingyue agreed now; she still remembered the result when she discharged all 100% of the charge in one shot.


    She was sure that even with her current cultivation level, she would be gravely wounded with just one hit.


    If many were combined to shoot at once, even a golden core cultivator could be pulverized.


    Mingyue had already imagined one of the scenarios Alex told her: give the gun to a commoner, then shoot the cultivator by surprise.


    Since the beam moved at the speed of light, and the cultivator looked down on them, they would get hit for sure.

 Chapter 21: The Power of A Flash

    [It''s not just that, Queen.


    If you catch them off guard when they don''t protect their bodies with qi, everyone under the immortal level can be killed.]


    "That is quite a stretch, Vesa. Even I almost always used qi to protect my body. People at higher levels will do it all the time."


    [True, but there are many poisons that can disrupt the qi flow, Queen.]


    "Yes, but it would be hard to make them consume it, Vesa.


    I am not a poison expert, so I cannot make one that is tasteless without any smell."


    [Gather some samples and give them to the King. I am sure he can provide many solutions to that.]


    Mingyue wanted to ask what Alex would do with it, but then the chariot stopped.


    A knock came from the window with a solemn voice.


    "Lady Mingyue, we have arrived at Dai Ying City, but there is a problem; the city is locked down now."


    Hearing this, Mingyue frowned. She stepped out of the chariot and looked at the long queue in front of the city gate.


    The door was locked shut, with two people standing guard, managing the crowd.


    She then asked her attendant, a man from a humble background, but surprisingly, Mingyue had found him to have some potential to become a cultivator, although it was not to the level of a genius.


    "Zan Lu, what happened?"


    "I heard one of the family heirs had an accident in the secret realm, so they decided to close the city gate."


    Hearing this, Mingyue frowned.


    It didn''t make sense to shut down the city just because someone had an accident or even died.


    If anything, they would hold a big funeral, placing many strong cultivators and young geniuses in front, showcasing the family''s power to ensure no one had any ideas.


    Even though Mingyue was the most talented one, it didn''t mean there were no other potential geniuses in the family.


    The last time she heard, she had a new nephew rumored to have high potential like hers. But they could only confirm his talent as he grew older.


    She then sent a telepathic message ordering Zan Lu to do something.


    This made him hesitate, but he had no choice over it.


    He walked to the guard at the gate. "My Miss wants to go in. Can you open the gate?"


    Seeing a commoner dare to ask them this, the guard''s anger quickly rose.


    "Who do you think you are!?


    Don''t you see everyone else also waiting here?


    If you want trouble, I can give you some."


    The guard started unsheathing her sword and pointed it at Zan Lu.


    Fear started gripping Zan Lu''s heart, but Mingyue''s order was absolute. He then started acting despite having a cold sweat.


    He put on a strong front, moved closer, and slapped the guard in the face, "Do you know who my Miss is? Can you take responsibility?"


    The guard was surprised by Zan Lu''s sudden movement.


    He was sure Zan Lu was not a cultivator, but his movements were not like those of a commoner at all.


    Still, this didn''t deter the guard. If anything, his rage boiled over, flushing his face red, but it only lasted for a moment.


    Zan Lu executed the next order from Mingyue.


    He took out a shiny object that looked like a metal box, pointed it at the guard, and pressed the button.


    FLASH!


    A bright light appeared, surprising everyone at the gate.


    It wasn''t just the light, but those with some cultivation could feel there was no qi at all.


    This only meant that the one doing this had a cultivation level far above them.


    A glossy paper then came out from the object. Zan Lu took it and showed it to the guard.


    The paper showed the guard''s face with such clarity and detail, one they had never seen before.


    "My Miss comes from a faraway country and wants to offer some artifacts for the Xueqi family.


    If we cannot enter, we will just leave now and offer it to another family.


    As for you, guard, your soul has already been recorded now.


    Remember, your life is in our hands; we can squish it anytime we want."


    The guard quickly fell to his knees. "I am sorry, I am just following my orders, master. Please forgive me."


    Being called master by a cultivator stronger than him made Zan Lu feel proud.


    He had just started cultivation and was barely in the early foundation stage, just enough to allow him to use a storage ring. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the guard in front of him, at least, would have cultivation at the late foundation stage or even core formation.


    The only reason he worked as a guard was that he had already exhausted his potential.


    Mingyue sat back in the carriage and let out a chuckle. She already felt a familiar presence coming to the gate.


    Creak... the gate then pushed open, and a young cultivator with a handsome face and prestigious aura came out from it.


    Jian Feng Xueqi, Mingyue''s uncle.


    ''So old but still so pretentious, as usual.''


    She then sent another order to Zan Lu. FLASH!!!


    The camera flashed again, this time taking a picture of Jian Feng.


    The handsome face was quickly covered with cold sweat, and his expression turned ugly.


    He had heard what they talked about before, and even with their close distance, he couldn''t feel any qi.


    Jian Feng felt the urge to attack the man, but suddenly, he felt a killing intent coming from inside the chariot.


    He then bowed his body in respect, "I am sorry for our bad reception, Elder, but you come at a bad time."


    A melodious voice came from inside the chariot. "Don''t worry, just open the gate. We can talk business then."


    Inside, Mingyue was trying her best to hold her laughter.


    The killing intent Jian Feng felt was not coming from her but from the soul that Vesa had captured.


    "Isn''t he your uncle? I don''t get why you want me to do this," a feminine voice came from inside her mind.

 Chapter 22: Soul Attack

    After being thoroughly ''disciplined'' by Vesa, Feng Xue became docile and tried her best to help Mingyue.


    This wasn''t just because of the horror she had experienced but also due to the promise that they would give her a body to use.


    "Hmph, uncle, what uncle?


    He always made my life hard on purpose because he was jealous of my talent, always finding fault in anything.


    And then he used the elder card. A hateful person.


    I am sure if my family really plots against me, he is one of the masterminds."


    "Why would they plot against their own?


    If you can''t trust your own family, who can you trust then?"


    [Don''t worry about it. The Queen has me and the king. Feng Xue, you just need to worry about your task.]


    Mingyue ignored their remarks and instead asked,


    "Vesa, can you show me Jian Feng''s status? Or do I need to see him directly?"


    Vesa didn''t answer; instead, it directly showed the status in front of Mingyue.


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    Power Level: 8.5


    Life force: 105/210


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Late Level


    [The target is frustrated and feels afraid of his situation. Has hostile intentions.]


    _______________________________


    Mingyue wasn''t surprised by the information.


    "Vesa, can you make a similar map to the one in the secret realm?"


    [If it''s only for the area, then it''s possible, but I think the Queen wants a map to see the location of all cultivators in the area?]


    "Yes, is it possible?"


    [For now, no, but if the Queen is curious, I can try to detect the strongest cultivator in your family.]


    Mingyue told Vesa to do it; she had always been curious about who the strongest in her family was.


    She knew the patriarch should be at the Nascent Soul stage, but they should have an ancestor figure secretly protecting the family.


    After a moment, Vesa''s message appeared in front of Mingyue.


    [The strongest I could sense is at the Nascent Soul stage, Queen, but I can sense a strong formation in the area ahead. If you can get close, I can break it.]


    "Is it near the center area? That should be our family treasury."


    [No, I could sense a formation there, too, Queen, but it''s not as strong.]


    [The one I mean is in the northeast area of the city.]


    Mingyue knew that area; it was the ancestor''s grave.


    Every year, the family would gather there to pay respects. But she had never gone deep inside since the area was banned except for the patriarch.


    "Forget it. Maybe I will check it later." Her eyes then glinted with mischief.


    She gave some orders to Zan Lu and made Feng Xue threaten her uncle again.


    Outside the carriage, Zan Lu walked close, approaching Jian Feng.


    He took out the photo from before and showed it to Jian Feng.


    Zan Lu then crumpled the paper, and at the same time, Jian Feng could feel his soul being crushed.


    This quickly made him panic. "What... What do you want to do?"


    Zan Lu smiled, "You? Know your place. I may just be an attendant, but a weakling like you has no place to talk to me like that.


    Or do you want me to burn this paper?"


    His other hand took out a match, and he ignited it.


    Jian Feng could feel qi but only for a moment, making him even more certain these people were not just normal cultivators.


    He even had suspicions they were from some ancient family; normally, as long as the flame was ignited, he should be able to feel the qi being consumed continuously.


    Seeing Zan Lu start moving the ember closer to his photo, Jian Feng could feel his soul starting to feel the heat.


    Feeling the danger, he quickly bowed and asked for forgiveness. Inside the carriage, Mingyue was laughing to herself.


    "I can only do soul attacks three times a day, and you really spent it to prank your uncle?" Feng Xue complained.


    "It''s worth it. You don''t know how much I suffered under him when I lived here. And it''s not only for a prank."


    Outside, Zan Lu''s eyes began to fill with pride, this time not acting but real.


    How could he not?


    The arrogant cultivator from a prominent family was now acting so servile in front of him, a commoner.


    ''I knew following Lady Mingyue was the right choice.''


    Looking down at Jian Feng, he then said, "I can return this to you. Even better, I can give you this artifact. Are you interested?"


    In the Xueqi Family, Jian Feng had a low position; he wasn''t that talented. Even his son was good for nothing, just spending his days lazing around at home.


    Looking at the artifact, greed started festering in his heart.


    If he had it, he was sure he could secure a better place in the family and more resources to cultivate his newborn granddaughter.


    He had spread rumors on purpose that his granddaughter was talented when she was born.


    He wasn''t lying; he saw the phenomenon that happened at her birth, but because his family was the only witness, the patriarch and others didn''t trust him. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They preferred to wait until her talent could be confirmed.


    "Of course, Sir, what can I do for you?"


    "It''s nothing hard; tell me what happened.


    I heard rumors outside saying one of the family heirs had an accident.


    But why is there a need to close the whole city?"


    Jian Feng''s eyes turned sharp.


    "I am sorry, sir, but I can only tell you this much: our family is grieving, and some bastard took the opportunity to steal an important artifact, so we closed down the whole city."


    Zan Lu received another instruction from Mingyue and continued asking.


    "I have no ulterior motive; we are just merchants selling some of our artifacts.


    I just want to know if your family can purchase our item.


    If it has internal strife, it will just become a problem for our miss."

 Chapter 23: Jian Feng

    "Don''t worry, sir, it''s not internal strife. Sometimes, we just have greedy people who bite the hand that feeds them. We can still provide you with accommodation."


    "Can you tell me what the family is grieving about? Maybe we have something suitable for the occasion we can offer."


    "You jest, sir unless you have an artifact to recover a scattered soul, then you cannot do anything.


    This one is no big secret, so I can tell you: my sister''s daughter, my niece, had an accident in the secret realm."


    Jian Feng proceeded to explain what happened as Mingyue felt confused, observing his information from the carriage.


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    ...


    [The target is ashamed, sad, angry, and pained. Has hostile intentions.]


    _______________________________


    ''Why does he feel angry and sad? I was sure he hated me,'' Mingyue thought.


    [Queen, he still has hostile intentions.]


    "He is probably thinking of bringing us someplace else and trying to hide it from the patriarch; that still counts as hostile intention.


    I know his personality," Mingyue continued in her mind, ''although I thought he would be happy with my demise.''


    Memories of her childhood appeared in her mind; her father had always been cold to her, and her mother was always busy cultivating. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ones who interacted with her the most were her little brother and her uncle''s family. But it wasn''t a good interaction for Mingyue.


    Her little brother always pranked and debated with her, and her uncle constantly complained, telling her that anything she did was never good enough.


    Mingyue had always thought this was because her uncle was jealous of her talent, but it seemed that wasn''t the case.


    There was no way her uncle could trick Vesa.


    Zan Lu then received another instruction from Mingyue, which made him frown for a bit, but he still said it.


    "I heard the rumor, so it''s Mingyue from the Blue Lotus Sect; a lot of people are saying she has a bad personality, only thinking about herself.


    She even rejected the marriage alliance, making the family suffer a huge loss."


    Jian Feng clenched his fist but forced himself to smile.


    "No, sir, that is just a rumor. It''s just some people becoming impatient because of their greed."


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    ...


    [The target''s anger is rising.]


    _______________________________


    "So, that is wrong?"


    "Yes, the family broke up the marriage alliance after having a discussion amongst ourselves.


    It''s not Mingyue''s fault. If anything, it''s that useless bastard''s fault."


    "Useless bastard?"


    "I apologize, I misspoke. Let''s talk more in the inn. I am sure you are tired from the journey."


    "Inn? I thought you would show us the way to your family home."


    "The inn is a better place to rest, sir.


    The situation at my place is tense now, but don''t worry, I will convey everything we talk about to the patriarch."


    The carriage quickly arrived at a large inn, with Mingyue now sitting in the VIP eating area and Zan Lu standing behind her.


    Jian Feng sat opposite her.


    He wanted to ask but didn''t dare to say anything. He still remembered the pressure coming from inside the carriage.


    Mingyue looked at her uncle, feeling conflicted; she still couldn''t accept that the man was feeling sad about her.


    Family love? Such a thing didn''t exist in the Xueqi family.


    She then took out her own photo from the storage ring and placed it on the table.


    "She is still alive and in my hands now. What will you do for her?" Mingyue asked in a cold tone.


    Throughout all this, the others from the Xueqi family didn''t realize Mingyue''s arrival.


    Jian Feng made sure the guards stayed silent so no one would report it.


    And since there were no significant qi fluctuations, no one noticed.


    Seeing the photo, Jian Feng''s expression quickly changed. He believed Mingyue since, in his mind, there was no reason for her to lie to him.


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    ...


    [Hostile intention disappears, and the target is filled with hope.]


    _______________________________


    "But how¡­ the tablet clearly showed..." His voice cracked, but then he shook his head. Jian Feng didn''t feel it was important as long as Mingyue survived.


    He stood up from his chair and kneeled on the ground, putting his head on the floor.


    Mingyue didn''t find it funny anymore; she felt angry.


    She felt the urge to raise her tone and ask him why he did this, but she knew it wasn''t the time for that.


    First, she needed to find out what really happened.


    What artifact was stolen?


    What did her uncle mean by saying a dog that bites the hand helps them?


    And more importantly, why did he treat her like that in the past if he really cared for her?


    [The target is resigned to his fate.]


    Mingyue''s heart clenched, but she still put on a cold expression.


    "I will do anything as long as you don''t hurt my family," Jian Feng said.


    "Your family? Who do you mean by that, the whole Xueqi family?"


    "My wife, my son''s family, Mingyue, and her little brother. As for the rest, I don''t care. All of them are heartless."


    "Heartless? Even your own sister? Isn''t she Mingyue''s mother?"


    Jian Feng assumed the woman in front of him knew all these things from Mingyue, so he didn''t find it strange.


    "Sister? I used to dote on her, but she''s crazy now.


    She''ll do anything for cultivation. Even sell her own daughter, and the patriarch doesn''t even care about it."


    Mingyue wanted to ask him to explain further, but seeing the man on the floor pained her heart. "Sit back at the table."


    Jian Feng didn''t dare to dally and quickly returned to sit back at the table.


    "Explain in detail what you mean by that."


    Jian Feng sighed and continued. "You should have heard everything from Mingyue, right?


    You know her mother is suffering from poison.


    She used to be the brightest talent in our family, but after some incident outside, she got poisoned."

 Chapter 24: Painful Truth

    Mingyue nodded, aware of the situation.


    It was IceFlame poison, a venom that caused its victims to experience both burning and freezing pain simultaneously.


    Her mother had been cultivating nonstop to suppress the poison for as long as Mingyue could remember.


    However, this did nothing to cure her; the poison was merely suppressed, trapping her mother in a vicious cycle.


    She had to continue cultivating and absorbing qi, but the qi didn''t advance her realm. It only suppressed the poison.


    "A few months ago, the Hua family offered a 50,000-year-old ginseng.


    As you know, natural treasures like that are very rare.


    This ginseng could significantly boost someone''s life force and possibly give a chance to cure the poison.


    In return, they wanted the family to turn a blind eye to the competition between Mingyue and Linghua."


    [The target''s anger is intensifying, mixed with pain and helplessness.]


    Mingyue felt as if her heart were being pierced. She could easily guess the rest.


    The patriarch thought that if Mingyue failed to survive, it would be due to her own weakness.


    She knew how the patriarch thought¡ªa sheltered flower could never outlast one that grew in the wild.


    The family needed a trailblazer, someone who could open a new path, not a spoiled prodigy.


    But what hurt Mingyue the most was that the cure was just one possibility, not even guaranteed.


    Mingyue couldn''t fathom her mother''s heartlessness.


    She even wondered if she was adopted, but then she remembered her little brother was treated the same.


    At this point, Mingyue just wanted to leave and find a place to calm herself down, but she didn''t want to arouse her uncle''s suspicion.


    "You seem to care a lot about Mingyue. Didn''t she hate you?"


    Jian Feng wanted to ask about Mingyue''s current situation but believed she mustn''t be in great danger; otherwise, why would this woman come here? S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s good, I hope she hates me.


    She is a diamond, a brilliant genius, even better than her mother.


    I hope she escapes and leaves this family to pursue her own happiness," Jian Feng said with a sad smile, his gaze fixed on the table, not daring to meet Mingyue''s eyes.


    If he had, he would have realized that despite her cold expression, Mingyue''s breath was heavy, her chest heaving up and down.


    She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotional turmoil.


    Zan Lu, who had been standing guard all this time, could piece together the story to some extent.


    ''So this is what it''s like inside a prominent family. What a rotten family.''


    He had always looked up to them, thinking how fortunate those born into such families were.


    They possessed great talent, had no worries about money, and could easily embark on the path of a cultivator, but at what cost?


    The family''s cruelty made Zan Lu feel fortunate to be born a commoner.


    What use is a long life or immortality if there''s nothing to return to?


    A million years of solitude versus a hundred years with his wife, Zan Lu could instantly answer without hesitation.


    Even now, what motivated him most was how he could make his wife happy in the secret realm and how he could provide her with a better life by following Mingyue.


    Overwhelmed by emotion, Jian Feng continued his story.


    "Mingyue is like my own daughter to me.


    She probably doesn''t remember, but since she was born, I was the one taking care of her, and the same goes for Minghao.


    I bet she has forgotten all about it."


    Mingyue was still not fully convinced by Jian Feng''s explanation.


    She could barely think straight; if it weren''t for the fact that she was acting, she would have already blown up.


    ''Why didn''t he tell her anything? Why didn''t he warn her?'' But she knew the answer to this; since the patriarch agreed, he probably did something about it.


    As for the other family members, who would take the risk of fighting the patriarch for her? She knew the answer: none.


    "What about the artifact? Who stole it?"


    Jian Feng let out a dry laugh.


    "Who else? After my sister got the ginseng, the effect was even better than expected.


    She didn''t just get cured; she broke through to the Golden Core stage.


    It''s not the artifact that was stolen; she took her life tablet and left the family for good, moving elsewhere.


    This made the patriarch angry, and he locked down the city.


    He wants to find out every spy from different families or sects.


    He''s worried it''s part of the Hua family''s plan, and they will come to attack us since Qingying knows many secrets about our family."


    ''Mom left the family?'' Mingyue couldn''t believe it. ''Then what happened with Dad and Minghao?'' she thought.


    Before she could ask, Jian Feng had already provided the answer.


    "Can you believe it?


    After selling her own daughter, she just left like that, implicating her son, too? That woman is so heartless.


    Luckily, the family was too busy now debating what to do next, so I brought Minghao to my house.


    But their father wasn''t that lucky; the patriarch killed him in a fit of anger."


    "Zan Lu, go with him and do as planned," Mingyue said in a cold voice.


    But deep inside, her emotions had already become a raging wave that could burst at any moment.


    Jian Feng raised his eyebrows in confusion, as the woman hadn''t gotten to any point yet. What happened to Mingyue? What did she want by coming here?


    Zan Lu swiftly moved and escorted Jian Feng out. In reality, he didn''t even know what Mingyue had planned.


    He only knew the lady wanted to be alone now.


    On his own initiative, he then asked Jian Feng to show him around the city, hoping Mingyue would give him instructions before they were done.


    Left alone in the room, Mingyue''s gaze turned somber, her eyes losing focus as many memories surfaced in her mind.


    "Poor child..." Feng Xue mumbled.


    "I don''t need your sympathy..." Mingyue said, her voice cracking.


    She stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the twilight sky where the sun was setting.


    Her beautiful amber eyes turned sharp as tears rolled down, painting her cheeks wet.

 Chapter 25: Storage Cube

    In her mental space, Feng Xue spoke to Vesa, "Don''t you need to comfort her?"


    Vesa chuckled, "You think everyone can be chosen by the progenitor''s blood?


    We chose her as our Queen; there is a reason for it. She won''t fumble with just this. It''s just a small pebble on her long winding road."


    Compared to Mingyue, Alex is now having the best day of his life. He laughed loudly as his experiment showed results.


    Faerith, standing by his side, looked dumbfounded at the object in his hand.


    After Alex exchanged objects with Mingyue, he began experimenting with qi, mana crystals, and artifacts from her world.


    From the experiment, he discovered that qi and mana were similar types of energy, the only difference being that qi was denser and wilder, while mana was milder.


    This meant that if they used a cultivation system with mana, the body''s requirements would drop drastically, in theory.


    However, he hadn''t tried this yet since he needed a test subject. What he did do was try to switch the energy source and see the result.


    The weapon from his world, like the gun Mingyue used, inflicted more damage when using qi as its fuel source, but it damaged the weapon, allowing only limited use of it.


    The only exception was when someone like Mingyue used it.


    Since she was a cultivator, she could control her qi, making it milder before putting it into the weapon''s charge.


    He then tried using a mana crystal to activate the storage ring.


    At first, the progress was slow since the formation required the user to inject their qi, so Alex needed to create an interface to inject mana from the crystal into the formation.


    He had to learn the formation from scratch, but it didn''t take too long for Alex.


    With his abilities and help from Vesa translating some functions he didn''t know, everything went smoothly.


    "This is just like how a circuit board works; the only difference is they use qi, inject it into a specific material, and mold it to produce the result they want."


    In Alex''s world, a circuit board works as an electrical circuit that can only produce two outcomes: on or off.


    Through this, people then layer them above one another, creating a complicated logic that allows them to create computers and many other smart devices.


    But with formations like this, the possibilities become endless.


    Even the latest research in his world on quantum computers could only produce three different results, but the cultivators'' formations could produce an infinite number of outcomes.


    "No wonder every cultivator has their own array inheritance; the way they create formations is fundamentally different.


    It depends on what kind of pattern of outcomes they capitalize on."


    Alex then called Faerith to create software and hardware based on the ideas he had in mind.


    The result was now the object in his hand, looking like a cube the size of a 3x3 Rubik''s cube with a small screen on it.


    The use was very simple: they could just point it at an object and place it in the storage space.


    The screen then showed the content, storage capacity, and current charge.


    In case the mana charge ran out, the cube would have 72 hours to recharge, or everything inside would be destroyed.


    This was a step down compared to the storage ring from Mingyue''s world, but Alex felt satisfied with the result.


    He knew the potential of a product like this; he could dominate the market.


    A dimensional storage that could be charged with a mana crystal at an affordable price.


    The model he held also had a good storage size for a 10x10 cubic meter area.


    "Based on the data I read, the real storage ring makes every item imperishable.


    I am sure we can also add this feature to the storage cube. But how did you get this technology?" Faerith asked.


    Alex then threw the cube toward Faerith, who caught it with surprise, almost stumbling in the process.


    He had reasons for not including those features; he didn''t want the cube to be capable of holding living beings, only inanimate objects.


    The only reason Mingyue''s storage ring couldn''t hold living beings was because there was no oxygen inside; it was a vacuum.


    But no cultivator understood what oxygen was.


    Instead, they made a crazier invention: a small world in a pocket, but Mingyue told Alex only immortals had those.


    But this was no problem for Alex. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They could easily put an oxygen tank and fill the storage space with it.


    Adding some artificial gravity and manipulating the pressure inside to make it habitable.


    This would make the cube require more energy.


    But there would be many problems if he released a product like this; people would use it for illegal purposes, such as kidnapping people and bringing monsters from dungeons into the real world.


    "That is why I hired you. I don''t want questions like that.


    Your job now is to optimize this and also make a smaller version that people can use as a smartwatch, phone, or just accessories like jewelry.


    Don''t forget to put some biometric security on it, too."


    Alex knew he needed a plan before releasing this kind of product on the market, but he was still not satisfied; his mind churned to make something more ambitious.


    "Vesa, since dungeons work the same as secret realms, can you take over one too? Like what you did for Mingyue?"


    Alex communicated telepathically with Vesa.


    [As I said before, based on the current King''s knowledge, a dungeon is just another world, so this is not possible, but I need you to enter the dungeon first to make sure.


    As for secret realms, they are artificially created by cultivators using formations, and you should know they rarely put countermeasures in case someone tries to hack the array with sophisticated methods from your world since they don''t have a concept like this.


    The fundamentally different way of utilizing formations is already enough for them.]

 Chapter 26: Alexs Idea

    Alex knew Vesa was right.


    Even for students of the same method, in a world without an advanced education system, learning how to create formations was very hard.


    Most would just give up and instead focus on cultivation.


    The nature of qi was also one of the big reasons it was more volatile and hard to control compared to mana. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''That means I need to find a way to enter the dungeon without Mom knowing,'' he thought.


    He knew his mom, Luca, wouldn''t allow it.


    ''Well, I''ll think about it later. For now, I should focus more on this cube.''


    Alex turned his gaze back to the cube''s design.


    One of the problems he would face in mass-producing it was the material; he still needed qi crystals to create the core.


    Alex then reached out to Mingyue, "Mingyue, are you busy?


    How is the progress on your side? I need your help to get a constant supply of qi crystals."


    Alex asked this since they had already agreed to create their own faction in both worlds, which was also why Mingyue started recruiting many villagers, placing them in her secret realm.


    Hearing no answer from Mingyue made Alex frown; he wondered if something had happened.


    After a few moments, Mingyue finally replied, "Sorry, I was preoccupied with something else. What did you say before?"


    Hearing her cracking soft voice, Alex knew something was wrong.


    "What happened, Mingyue? Are you sick?"


    "Don''t joke around, Alex. I''m not in a good mood. A cultivator getting sick?


    You should know better... What do you want?"


    Alex chuckled, "How about this: you tell me your problem, then I''ll tell you what I want."


    Mingyue frowned. At this point, she was already used to Alex''s antics.


    With a sigh, she replied, "You were the one who contacted me first; just tell me.


    Honestly, are you doing this on purpose to annoy me?"


    She then heard Alex''s laughing voice in her mind, making her shake her head.


    "I''m asking about the progress on your side.


    How is the sect going? Have you been able to carve out your own territory yet?


    I need a steady supply of qi crystals."


    Alex then explained the new device he had created and also discussed how the company had progressed.


    Over the past few days, Alex had surveyed the building and recruited everyone living there.


    He also started renovating part of it.


    Alex wanted to make both the research center and guild in the same place.


    When the old members of Suzaku heard Alex mention a guild, they quickly bombarded him with questions and expressed their intention to join.


    They also requested that Alex name the guild Suzaku again.


    Alex shrugged it off, telling them it was his sister who would be building the guild; they could go meet up with her.


    Those not suitable to join the guild worked in the laboratory.


    Alex made sure each of them received a decent wage and a suitable position, from security to administrative jobs.


    He knew his father had treated them like family, and they had never betrayed them.


    So he could trust them to work for him.


    Of course, he only entrusted the most sensitive information to Faerith since she had a slave contract with him.


    But Faerith didn''t realize this; she thought she was just signing a normal contract.


    Alex also shared some plans he had for the hunters'' association and his goals after making the storage cube.


    As an avid gamer and novel reader, Alex had the idea of creating something similar to a VR game.


    He wanted to enclose a secret realm inside a storage cube that would work like a server, where people could enter the world using their souls.


    Since the players were not cultivators, Alex could easily control their interaction with the formation.


    With this, he could hit many birds with one stone: he would earn money, have his own game, and look for the right candidates to become their people.


    Alex excitedly explained how they could use a quest system to filter their personalities, see their true nature and talent from their souls, and many other features.


    But his ambition didn''t stop there; he wanted to use the game to link people from both worlds, integrating their cultures step by step.


    Hearing Alex go on and on, painting a future for them, made Mingyue forget what had just happened.


    "You really think too far ahead, Alex. There are too many things we need to achieve before we reach there."


    "Well, thinking is free, Mingyue, and it provides us with a path and direction, better than being aimless without anywhere to go.


    What''s the worst that can happen from that?


    Even if it fails, I''ll just need to think of another way to reach it."


    If Emily had heard what Alex just said, she would have laughed her ass off.


    How could her introverted brother, who spent all his days only playing games, talk about path and direction?


    Even their mom worried about Alex''s future. But Alex would just reply with a smug face.


    "What do you mean, no goal?


    I play all those games with the goal of building up my reputation as the Whale God.


    As for the novels? Of course, I do it because of Mom.


    Mom helps others by doing many charities, and I buy the authors'' chapters so they can pay their bills."


    Luckily, all this didn''t happen; otherwise, Emily would probably have smacked him on the head for that shameless answer.


    Mingyue didn''t know all this; she admired how Alex could have such a positive outlook on life even after losing his father.


    After some deliberation, she decided to tell Alex what had happened; she felt curious about what Alex would do in her position.


    Hearing her long story, Alex didn''t comment or interrupt her; he listened intently, only giving a few sounds to indicate he was listening.


    After she finished, Alex sighed, "If what he says is true, your mom doesn''t deserve to be one, Mingyue. But you don''t know how much of it is the truth."

 Chapter 27: Modifying Cultivation Tecnique

    "I''m not saying your uncle is lying, but considering his low position in the family, how much could he really know about the family''s true secrets?


    I believe everything is not that simple.


    You should see the truth with your own eyes, Mingyue.


    I''m not telling you to forgive them or anything like that. But find out the whole picture before you decide anything.


    You have Vesa with you; anyway, I''m sure it''s not hard to discern their true intentions.


    I just wonder, though.


    You say your father was always busy with himself but didn''t have a good cultivation level.


    If that''s true, how could he have married into your family?


    Haven''t you told me many times how important marriage is for cultivators?


    I really don''t believe it.


    Just like you, in her generation, your mom was a genius, too.


    Even if she was poisoned, do you think it makes sense to marry just anyone?


    Also, your brother has good spiritual roots and bloodline, even though they''re not as good as yours.


    Do you think it''s because both of you got lucky?"


    Alex''s question made Mingyue''s mind churn, but she then let out a small laugh.


    "What do you mean? He''s not my real father? You''ve read too many novels, Alex.


    What''s next? My real father comes from a secret cultivation family, and my mom had an affair with him?"


    "You got me, haha. Well, you get my point, Mingyue.


    Spend some time calming yourself down, but no need to beat yourself up.


    Just look for the truth with your own eyes. Don''t make conclusions before you learn everything."


    "You''re right, yeah, thanks." Mingyue felt better after talking with Alex.


    She then ended their talk, wiping the tears from her eyes.


    It only took a moment for Mingyue to return to her usual self. She then started giving instructions to Zan Lu.


    Meanwhile, Alex told Feng Xue to continue with the experiment. He then left her alone, moving to the training area.


    Sitting cross-legged, he held two crystals in his hand. Alex then closed his eyes and started feeling the qi and mana within the crystals.


    He had learned how they used qi to strengthen their bodies.


    The method Mingyue gave him taught him to use qi by breathing deeply into the lungs, spreading it around the body, and then holding his breath as long as he could.


    Next, he would exhale and take all the qi out.


    This method was quite torturous and painful, as when infused with qi, the body would feel pressure.


    Alex then asked for other samples to compare the methods, and he found out they also had different types of breathing, methods of circulation, and phases for it happening.


    The better the technique was, the higher the efficiency.


    "Mingyue said they don''t have any cultivator doctors there.


    Well, cultivators cannot get sick; the only problems they face are wounds and poison. So, an alchemy master is enough.


    No wonder the cultivation method is crude like this; they lack an understanding of human biology," Alex mumbled.


    He was not a doctor, but with Vesa''s assimilation of the ERX chip and his abilities, modifying this cultivation method was not hard for him.


    He made a new phase that strengthened the human body, starting from the base, the weakest parts, from the spine, nerves, veins, lungs, heart, and kidneys, and then to other organs.


    After his foundation was strengthened, he would then proceed to the eyes, flesh, skin, and finally, the brain.


    "Based on the simulation, this should have no problem since mana energy goes first and then moves to qi afterward.


    But I need to make sure of this first. If anything happens to my brain..."


    Alex then chuckled, "It''s not funny if I become an idiot."


    He then started, first using mana, circulating it into his spine.


    Alex could feel like a thread of energy was permeating through it, and his cells started greedily absorbing the energy.


    It wasn''t like the transformation he expected, but more like water poured over dry sand.


    It only took a few seconds before the mana crystal turned to dust.


    "Vesa, why is this happening? It''s not what I expected."


    [It''s because your body has started transforming into a progenitor, King.]


    [The cultivation method you are trying to use is vastly different.]


    [No cultivator in my knowledge of the Queen''s world messes with the spine or other core organs like nerves before they reach the immortal stage.]


    "That''s not weird; they don''t do it on purpose.


    They have no choice when they try to break through to become immortal.


    But this means the result will be very different for a normal person or other awakeners," Alex mumbled.


    He still felt excited since this meant he could completely skip over the foundation stage as long as he absorbed enough mana and qi into his body.


    "Wait, the reason I have abilities is that my brain mutated, too, the same way others do.


    Then isn''t having an ability the same as having a spiritual root and bloodline?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [It''s different, King. In your world, the body mutates to use mana, while for bloodline and spiritual root, it transforms into something completely new.]


    [That is why cultivators have a far longer lifespan compared to people in the King''s world. But this is just my theory; we need more data to conclude this.]


    "I get what you mean, Vesa, but the core should be similar.


    Forget it. It''s still too far away for me; even now, the research on how mana makes someone an awakener is still in huge debate."


    There are many theories that have emerged for this since if they really understood how it happened, this meant they could potentially change everyone into an awakener, but it didn''t guarantee results now.


    There were some ways, but the casualty rate was high, like exposing someone to a high concentration of mana.


    Alex then took out more mana crystals and started absorbing them again.


    Time passed, and after an hour, he sighed, "This is crazy. I have spent one thousand mana crystals, and it''s not even half-filled yet. Each one is high-grade and easily costs $100,000 each."

 Chapter 28: Hunger

    He then started a simulation, calculating the total crystals he would need. The result almost made him cry. Never in his life did Alex feel he lacked money like this.


    In total, he had already spent $100 million on one thousand high-grade mana crystals, and he still needed 9,000 more to complete his foundation stage entirely.


    That meant he needed to spend the entire capital his mother had just given him.


    "No, I need to find my own money. If I ask for more, Mom will ask for more details."


    Alex sighed, then mumbled, "What a scam¡­"


    [King, you should check your status first before saying it''s a scam.]


    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 5.3


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100% Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lifeforce: 45/1,200


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Early Level


    ______________________________


    Alex raised his eyebrow in surprise. "One mana crystal raises my lifeforce capacity by one?"


    [That is correct, but I think this is because you used it on your spine.]


    [On other parts, the result won''t be this significant. But it will instead increase your power level drastically.]


    "I see, that makes sense, but doesn''t that mean I can enhance my abilities?"


    But then Alex realized his brain had already been mutated by mana; he doubted he could enhance it even further.


    The only option was using qi, but it was too risky.


    As he pondered his situation, suddenly, his head grew lightheaded, and an intense sensation of hunger began to surge from the depths of his soul.


    [King, your life force is under 10%; you should quickly find someone to drain.]


    "I knew it, it''s a scam!"


    Alex exclaimed as he gnashed his teeth, trying to rein in the hunger.


    So far, Vesa hasn''t told him anything about the use of the life force.


    In Mingyue''s case, Vesa used it to help her cultivation, but for Alex, it was of no use.


    If he had known this beforehand, he would have chosen to enhance another part of his body first.


    He had spent a ton of money only to raise his life force limit and was now thrust into a hungry state.


    Compared to Mingyue, Alex hadn''t absorbed a single life force since he got the system.


    He thought he still had some time to look for a good option since the life force reduction was very slow.


    Alex didn''t know what to do; in the building now, there was only Feng Xue and the family members of the old Suzaku guild were filled with elders and kids.


    He knew he couldn''t screw up; if he really went berserk now and attacked all of them, it would cause a huge scene. Not only that, but Alex also knew he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself.


    Using all his strength, he quickly took a secret pathway going outside the facility. At this point, anyone was fine as long as it wasn''t someone he knew.


    The facility was located some distance away from the city, surrounded by a forest.


    Alex hoped he could find some wild animals and absorb their life force, at least to get enough to fill the ten percent. Unfortunately for Alex, it didn''t go as he had hoped.


    Emily had some spare time that day, so she decided to go to the facility to check out the space for the guild and meet up with some old acquaintances.


    On the way to the facility, she saw someone walking in the middle of the forest.


    "That looks like Alex. What is he doing out here alone at night?" she mumbled.


    Emily parked the car on the side and then looked in the direction Alex was going. She then realized he was moving deeper into the forest.


    This made Emily worry since the area there was not just filled with wild animals; some had already mutated into monsters.


    She got out of the car and started moving. Emily''s eyebrow raised as she realized Alex''s speed was not normal.


    "Is this the result of the cultivation he did?"


    Emily then started increasing her pace, catching up to Alex.


    When she could see his back, Emily called out to him in a loud voice, "Brother, where are you going!?"


    Alex''s mind, already half-consumed with hunger, jolted awake at the familiar voice.


    A conflict began brewing within him, torn between his instinct to protect those he loved and his newfound hunger for the progenitor''s blood.


    With the last shred of his sanity, Alex exploded with strength, dashing forward deeper into the forest, creating cracks like a spiderweb in the ground.


    Emily was baffled by his weird reaction; she expected her brother to turn around with his usual smile, ask her what she was doing there, and then act all mysterious when she did the same to him.


    She knitted her eyebrows together, her heart filling with worry.


    Alex could feel Emily moving faster toward him; her high life force was like a burning ember in the middle of the night.


    The feeling of his body salivating over it made him feel disgusted.


    "Emily! Don''t follow me!" Alex screamed at the top of his lungs.


    If his mind had been working properly, he would have realized that doing this was stupid; it would have had the opposite effect.


    Emily was already traumatized by their father''s disappearance. There was no way she could let Alex go by himself now, even if it cost her life.


    Emily''s body started to glow, turning into light and appearing instantly in front of Alex.


    It was one of her trump cards, which she only used when her life was in danger. But seeing Alex''s condition, she didn''t hesitate.


    Her face turned pale, and her body was covered in sweat as her mana reserves almost drained from that one move.


    Looking at Emily in front of him, Alex''s body froze. Emily took one step closer; Alex took one step back. "Stay away, Emily!"


    "No! What happened to you!?" Emily asked with worry.


    She could see Alex''s eyes turning almost red now, with his veins visibly outlined beneath his skin.


    "No¡­ NO¡­ No!!! Vesa, do something!!"


    Alex kept trying to step back, but Emily sprinted forward, appearing in front of him, her hand moving closer to hold Alex in place.


    But for Alex, in front of him now was not his sister but a very delicious life energy.


    His hunger took over the next moment; his mind went blank.


    "Bro¡­ Brother!!!!" Emily''s scream then reverberated through the forest.

 Chapter 29: Life force

    Emily could hardly believe her eyes as her own brother choked her, lifting her body off the ground.


    As an experienced hunter with an S-rank ability, Emily should have been able to fight back, but the shock was too much for her.


    Her gaze was filled with worry; she knew something strange was happening to Alex.


    "Did something go wrong when he tried to learn the cultivation method? I already told him to test it on others first..." she thought.


    Emily had offered to find some people for testing, but Alex had refused, insisting he would find them himself.


    He said this not because he didn''t trust Emily but because he doubted the volunteers who came through her.


    In Alex''s eyes, no matter how experienced Emily was, she was always his naive younger sister.


    Her strength waned further, and Emily could feel her energy and life being absorbed by Alex.


    Strands of her golden hair began turning white. Gathering all her remaining strength, she slowly raised her hand.


    Her target wasn''t Alex''s hand but his cheek.


    Tears dropped from her sapphire blue eyes, and her lips moved slowly with broken words, "W...h... Why...?"


    As the life force finally returned to the ten percent threshold, clarity started returning to Alex''s mind.


    At first, everything was blurry; he could only feel something warm on his cheek. But Vesa''s scream in his mind jolted him back to reality.


    "KING! Wake UP!!!"


    Upon seeing Emily''s condition right before his eyes, Alex quickly released his grip and then pulled her into his arms.


    Emily had already fainted, and her condition made Alex''s heart beat in fear.


    Half of her hair had already turned white, and he could even see her face had aged. Her once rosy face was now pale.


    "What have... I done," Alex mumbled in shock.


    [King, she is still alive; see her status.]


    ______________________________


    Name: Emily Campbell


    Power Level: 7


    Lifeforce: 10/150


    Ability: Embodiment of Light lv. 2


    ______________________________ S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If not for the situation, Alex would have been surprised by Emily''s power level. This meant she was stronger than MingYue.


    As for the abilities tab, it wasn''t a surprise for him since he was the one asking Vesa to update the information.


    Although Vesa had said the ability she put wouldn''t be accurate, except Alex absorbed part of their life force, Alex still asked her to include it.


    Any information would help him better judge his situation.


    Seeing Emily''s life flickering like a candle in the wind, Alex asked, "Vesa, tell me more about this life force. Can I return it to her?"


    [Yes, you can, King, but not now.]


    [It''s one of the Progenitor''s Abilities you unlock later on the path.]


    [As for life force, it''s quite complicated, but to put it in simple terms, every numeric number can be counted as one year of lifespan in the case of humans.]


    Alex''s hands started to shake; he understood clearly that this meant his sister only had ten years left, and not just that.


    When she woke up, her body would be frail, like someone who had lived for 140 years, with only ten years in their lifespan.


    Her organ function would degrade, as would her immune system. She would then start getting many illnesses that appear in the elderly.


    [King, maybe you can try using the new cultivation technique on her since¡­]


    But Vesa stopped sending messages as she could feel Alex was really angry.


    "She is not a scapegoat! To raise my Progenitor level, I need more of his blood.


    Send me to one of those places now. No, send me after I put her somewhere safe."


    Alex carried Emily like a princess and started walking toward the facility.


    Vesa remained silent at his absurd request; none of the places that held a Progenitor were weak, each requiring at least a power level of 20.


    Going there now was tantamount to suicide.


    "Answer me, Vesa. If you don''t tell me now, I will find a way myself!" Alex said coldly as he kept walking.


    [It''s not that I don''t want to, King, but I will be blunt: you are too weak now.]


    [If it were possible, I would have already sent both of you to another world so you could become a Progenitor quickly and start rebuilding our race.]


    [There''s also another reason; right now, my energy is very limited. The remaining energy I have is only enough to send both of you one time.]


    "Both? Can''t you just send me?"


    [No! This limitation was put onto me by the last Progenitor. Both must be sent.]


    [King, I understand your worry and fear, but sending you now really is suicide. If I had more energy, I could at least ensure that I bring both of you back here in case something happens.]


    "So, you''re saying it''s a problem now because you only have enough strength for one trip.


    What do you need to recover your strength, Vesa?"


    In Edonia, Vesa''s chubby mouth opened and let out a big sigh. Vesa felt helpless with Alex.


    There were many pieces of information Vesa kept on purpose so they could focus on improving themselves, but Vesa knew Alex would keep pressuring until he got his answer.


    [I need lifeforce, but not just from any being.]


    [I need one from the strong one, at least at the level of an Immortal of MingYue''s world.]


    [My plan before was to recover some part of my power from the other progenitor blood you gain, so I have enough to keep sending both of you on quests.]


    Alex put some thought into it.


    Lifeforce from beings as strong as Immortals, he already had some idea of how strong they were from talking with MingYue.


    His estimate is that it should be the same as a Category five dungeon boss.


    [King, don''t be careless. If you die, who will help Emily? And did you forget MingYue will die too with you?]


    "Don''t lie to me, Vesa. I know I cannot die that easily. Only those that can really destroy my soul can kill me, and my soul is at Progenitor level now, even if that is not complete."

 Chapter 30: Options

    Vesa was speechless; Alex wasn''t wrong. One of the uses of life force would indeed allow them to regenerate their bodies, even if their heads were blasted away.


    But this wasn''t a game; Vesa hadn''t told them this because she worried that Alex and MingYue might abuse the ability and end up with mental trauma instead.


    Facing death wasn''t a simple thing.


    Even the past Progenitor went through a phase of madness after being killed for the first time.


    The darkness, the fear, and the terror that came afterward made him a cruel tyrant for many centuries before he returned to normal.


    Alex fell silent.


    He didn''t have a problem going crazy, dying over and over again, to help his sister.


    But that didn''t mean he could just bring MingYue into that hell with him.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to reach the facility again.


    Emily was now lying on the bed, her face still pale; only the middle to the tip of her hair remained golden, while the rest had turned white.


    Looking at her condition, Alex''s hands clenched into fists.


    He now used his ability at maximum capacity, calculating every possibility and the best way to cure Emily.


    The first option was using the new cultivation technique, but it was too risky, and the result wasn''t guaranteed.


    The second option was searching for the rumored healing elixir, said to be found by some hunters in high-level dungeons.


    It was said to be able to cure any illness and prolong someone''s lifespan.


    The third option involved asking MingYue for a solution from her world, and finally, there was the option of having Emily cultivate using the normal, proven method.


    While Alex was contemplating the best course of action, Vesa was also on the fence.


    Vesa had a solution, but it would place a considerable burden on Alex. However, after some thought, Vesa realized it would increase Alex''s trust in the system.


    [King, I have a solution, but it will require a massive amount of life energy.]


    "Don''t waste time, say it, Vesa."


    [As you know, I can use runes.]


    [There is one I can use now, but it will cost one thousand life energy, and you need to inject it every week or days, depending on her usage.]


    [This rune will act as a new source of lifeforce, switching the consumption from her own.]


    [So her own life force won''t decrease. At the same time, it will help her recover to her peak condition.]


    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise. He wanted to ask why Vesa hadn''t mentioned this earlier, but it wasn''t important now.


    He needed to gather more life force energy.


    Lifeforce: 125/1,200


    Alex knew he couldn''t make the same mistake again; he needed to ensure he had a stockpile of life force energy aside from the one for Emily.


    Without wasting time, Alex left the area and headed deeper into the forest.


    CRACK! BOOM!!


    Alex''s body was covered in sweat and blood; his clothes were torn, and part of his hand was missing.


    His other hand gripped a 1.5-meter (4.9 feet) Warhammer. It was made from a special metal that could change weight from a tenth of an average adult''s weight to ten times that.


    The Warhammer was black in color, with a silver hue adorning its head.


    Alex had received it from Emily a few days ago, along with a dozen Mana Guns and other items.


    Right now, he planted his Warhammer on the ground to help him remain standing, his breathing heavy.


    A new message then popped up in front of his tired eyes, still glinting with determination, as the stump on his hand began to regenerate.


    [King, you are too reckless. Why not attack the tiger from a distance? Your experience in real combat is almost non-existent.]


    The only combat experience Alex had was from the fights he had in VR games. He felt relieved playing these games, not just those H ones.


    Otherwise, Alex knew even with his current strength and ability, everything would become worse.


    "I know what I''m doing, Vesa. Just look for the next target that meets my criteria."


    Alex had calculated many possibilities; he could have actually evaded the tiger''s faster attack, but in that case, his body was still not strong enough to launch a counterattack after dodging, which would have prolonged the battle.


    That''s why he decided to throw his arm away; as the tiger bit into it, he smashed its head with the Warhammer, turning it into a pancake.


    His priority now was to fill the life force energy as fast as possible.


    Even though the method was brutal and filled with pain, right now, Alex was filled with adrenaline. With Emily''s current situation, he couldn''t care less.


    Lifeforce: 980/1200


    As he waited for Vesa to find the next target, Alex sat on the ground in the lotus position and started absorbing more crystals, this time taking in two energies simultaneously.


    He spread mana to his spine as qi coated with mana weaved through the muscles on his back, waist, and arms.


    Even though this messed up the sequence he had planned, Alex was now in dire need of growing quickly in strength.


    There were no problems when he transformed his spine, but when the qi started weaving through his muscles, he could feel like every cell was being inflated roughly.


    The pain was even more intense compared to when he got his arm torn off, not to mention he did it to all three parts at once.


    Alex could feel like his muscle fibers were being sewn anew, becoming more compressed and filled with more power.


    After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, Alex stood up.


    Swish, swoosh, he started swinging the hammer left and right, with speed faster than before.


    BAM! He crashed it into the ground, creating a new deep crater. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then turned his gaze, looking at the dead tiger''s body. His eyes glinted red, and his body turned into green particles that floated through the air toward him.

 Chapter 31: Sabertooth Wolf

    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 7.1


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 1,148/2,000


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Early Level


    ______________________________


    [King, I detect a lair of Sabertooth wolves, one kilometer toward the southeast. This should be the best place to fill everything in one go.]


    Alex turned and then started sprinting in that direction. It didn''t take him long to reach the area. He was now looking down from a hill. Below him was an entrance to a cavern.


    [Please be careful, King. Even though the monsters in this area are weaker than those in a Category One dungeon, the area is small.


    In the worst case, they can ambush you repeatedly, making you run out of life force,] Vesa warned.


    Alex began observing the structure of the area and then asked, "Vesa, as long as they are freshly dead, no matter the condition of the body, you can absorb its life force, right?"


    [Yes, King.]


    Alex''s lips curled upward into a cold smile. A map appeared in front of his eyes, showing the terrain of the surrounding area and the location of the saber-toothed wolves.


    ''Good, they are gathering in one spot. After this, I can return,'' he thought.


    He then started calculating the trajectory, angle, and after-effect of the impact.


    Alex''s muscles tensed as the Qi and Mana within his body strengthened his legs even further. He jumped up, leaving a spiderweb crack in the ground.


    Alex then started pointing his body toward the targeted location marked by the interface.


    The hammerhead then angled downward, and Alex started changing its weight. Gravity began to do its work, amplifying his momentum. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Boom!


    Alex fell like a meteor, crushing the small hill beneath him. Dust, dirt, and rocks were flung everywhere. The creatures inside didn''t even have time to flee before they were crushed under the weight of the ground.


    As the dust settled, Alex stood atop the crumbled hill.


    His right hand was wounded, with skin cracked and flesh torn, but it didn''t take long for it to start regenerating. Alex didn''t directly absorb the life force since he could still sense a presence.


    The ground vibrated with a rumble, and debris flew through the air. From within the rubble, a muscular wolf with black fur coated in red blood, sporting red eyes emerged.


    Two long, sharp fangs protruded from its upper jaw, and smoke emanated from its body as its wounds began to heal.


    The wolf''s jaws gaped open, and with a swift leap, it lunged toward Alex, knowing he was responsible for its pack''s demise.


    Alex''s movements were slowed due to his ongoing recovery.


    "A mutation? I''ve never seen a saber-toothed wolf with abilities before," he thought.


    Alex quickly calculated his next move. He released the hammer in his hand, spun his body, then grabbed it with his left and threw the hammer into the air.


    The wolf''s jaws closed in on him. There was a sickening squelch as its teeth sank into his left hand. However, Alex merely smiled.


    With a resounding BAM, the hammer swiftly descended, striking the creature directly on its back. The wolf howled in pain as its body was crushed under the weight of the hammer.


    Utilizing his now-recovered right hand, Alex took out a prototype storage box he had made earlier.


    This particular one was deemed a failure due to its excessive energy consumption and peculiar limitation: despite its size, it could only contain one item.


    Alex hadn''t had the time to look into the details of the cause of this problem, but he knew this one had no limitation on putting living creatures inside.


    He just needed to put the wolf, the surrounding ground, and the air inside.


    Alex wanted to look at the wolf mutation since its ability seemed to allow it to heal.


    Who knows, this could provide more solutions to heal Emily.


    He pointed the cube toward the wolf. As it was wounded, the wolf could not fight back.


    Its body and the ground around it turned into light as Alex transferred everything inside into the cube.


    ______________________________


    Name: Sabertooth Wolf (Mutated)


    Power Level: 3.2


    Lifeforce: 75/180


    Ability:


    Predator''s Surge


    Burn Mana to instantly recover wounds and double your power level. After the state, wounds will return, and the power level is reduced by half for 24 hours.


    ______________________________


    [King, I think we can utilize the slave contract formation in the storage box.


    If we modify it correctly, we can use it to capture a weakened monster, then automatically enslave it. I am sure this will be very helpful for you and the Queen.]


    "It''s not the time, Vesa." Alex had also thought of this possibility, but now there are more important things he needs to do.


    His eyes glinted red, and from the cracks and crevices of the ground, many green particles started floating into the air.


    It was like fireflies in the middle of the night, but with a green hue. The life force began to move through the air, twisting and weaving into Alex''s body.


    Lifeforce: 1,848/2,000


    [We should have gained more Lifeforce if it weren''t for your reckless fighting, King.]


    "No need to repeat it, Vesa. I wouldn''t do this if it weren''t for the situation. I won''t make this a habit," Alex answered as he ran back toward the facility.


    Hearing his answer, Vesa felt relieved.


    That way of fighting without caring for his own well-being was dangerous and not effective.


    Even disregarding the pain, every healing took a lot of life force, and it wouldn''t improve Alex''s fighting style at all.


    What if Alex met an enemy that could disrupt Lifeforce regeneration?


    He would be quickly defeated. And Vesa knew they had many enemies like this; otherwise, the vampire race would already dominate the universe.


    ___


    In the facility, Alex had now returned to Emily''s side. "What now, Vesa?"


    [I will do the rest. One more thing, King, this took part of my energy.


    Now I won''t be able to open a portal to another world before the Queen kills an immortal or you take down a Category Five dungeon boss.]

 Chapter 32: Putting the Rune

    Before Alex could answer, red smoke emerged from his body, gathering atop Emily. It began to condense and transform into Vesa.


    Vesa then flew closer to Emily''s forehead, its wings tearing in half, the upper part transforming into human-like hands.


    Vesa''s sharp claws pricked Emily''s forehead slightly, drawing blood that coated its nails red.


    Vesa lifted its finger and began moving in intricate patterns, each stroke leaving a green glow in the air.


    Alex could barely follow Vesa''s movements. It didn''t take long for Vesa to finish.


    The rune floated in the air, and then, with a gesture from Vesa, it was pushed into Emily''s forehead.


    Light shone the moment it made contact, filling the whole room with its green hue.


    The brightness forced Alex to close his eyes, and when he opened them again, Vesa had already disappeared. He then saw Emily''s white hair turning back to golden, her pale face regaining its rosy hue.


    A wave of relief washed over Alex as he slumped down on the couch.


    A small chuckle escaped his lips, which then turned into laughter. Now that the crisis was over, he reflected on what he had done.


    Alex laughed because he realized how crazy he had been; usually, he always sought the safest way to do something, but instead, he had taken so many risks. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He remembered every single pain he had felt¡ªhis body being bitten, limbs torn apart.


    He sighed and then looked at Emily''s peaceful, sleeping face. "I never knew they mattered so much to me."


    He then wondered if he had had this power when his father disappeared and what he would have done.


    "Should I look for Dad, then? I need to go to a Category Five dungeon anyway," Alex mumbled to himself.


    He then remembered he also needed to tell Mingyue about this since his blunder would also affect her.


    "Forget it for now; I should check if I can go catch them all," he said with a chuckle, recalling a popular pun from his childhood anime.


    Alex excitedly took out the storage box and then checked the interface. "FUCK! It''s dead."


    He saw the saber-toothed wolf''s body on the ground, realizing the wolf had likely died due to the backlash from its abilities.


    "Brother, who are you cursing at? Is it a game again?" Emily said as she raised her upper body, sitting on the bed.


    She touched her forehead, trying to piece together what had happened, her memory slowly returning like a jigsaw puzzle.


    Her eyes widened, and cold sweat started dripping from her forehead as panic set in. She jumped to her feet, reached where Alex sat and quickly checked over his body for any wounds.


    "You!? What happened to you!? Are you alright now? Last time..."


    Emily''s words trailed off as she touched her own neck. "Shouldn''t I have..."


    Alex took out a water bottle from his storage ring and placed it on the table. "Drink first, Emily. I am sorry I failed you as your brother. I put your life at risk... Are you afraid of me now?"


    He asked this while looking at the water bottle, not daring to meet her eyes, afraid she would lie to him.


    After awakening his ability, it became easy for Alex to detect lies from people''s expressions.


    It should have been a good thing, but the first few months were really painful; he started realizing how often people around him were lying.


    This is one of the reasons he immersed himself in the virtual world, where he couldn''t tell if people were lying.


    Seeing her brother like this, Emily knew what he was thinking. It wasn''t her first time seeing him like this, and it pained her.


    She walked closer and then hugged Alex tightly.


    "I am your family, you dumb brother, not those shallow people with their own agendas. Why would I lie to you?"


    She then forcefully made Alex look at her face. "I am afraid¡ªafraid you will leave me too¡­ Like Dad... Tell me what happened. I won''t let you go until you tell me everything."


    Alex froze for a moment at her words, then smirked and knocked her head. "Who are you calling dumb? You silly sister of mine."


    Emily pouted, then playfully stomped back, acting like she was angry. But the result made her stop in her tracks.


    CRACK!


    The ground cracked, surprising Emily since she was sure she hadn''t exerted much strength. She then closed her eyes, realizing there was another source of energy in her body now.


    Her eyes opened, gazing sharply at Alex. She didn''t say anything further; she took the water bottle to relieve her parched throat and then sat on the couch.


    Feeling her gaze, Alex sighed. He didn''t know how much Emily would believe, but he knew it was better to tell her everything. His sister somehow always knew if he was hiding something.


    "First of all, what''s inside your body is a Rune made from lifeforce."


    Alex then started explaining the Rune, Vesa, vampires, the Progenitor, Mingyue''s involvement, and the cultivation world, not leaving anything out.


    He also showed her the storage cube and explained what he planned with it.


    Throughout his story, Emily only sat there, not saying anything, not even blinking. All the information took her by surprise.


    "So you''re saying the blood you consumed is Progenitor blood???"


    "Yes, do you know about it?"


    "There''s only one thing I know about it: every new hunter is told if they hear any words about the Progenitor, they should report to the association and stay away as far as possible," Emily said, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at Alex.


    "There are other Progenitors?" Alex mumbled.


    [Of course, King. Every race has one, even humans.]


    This made Alex frown. Humans exist not just on his planet; even Mingyue, a cultivator, is counted as human.


    Doesn''t that mean the human Progenitor is incredibly strong?


    He wanted to ask Vesa more questions, but with Emily there, he refrained from doing so.

 Chapter 33: Can I just not tell you?

    "Why were you so worried like that?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    "Didn''t you hear? I''m immortal now, so you don''t need to worry. Look, I can even regenerate from this."


    Alex wanted to show her a demonstration to ease her worry. He took out a knife and was about to give a small slash over his finger. But Emily stood up and held his hand with the knife.


    "What do you think you''re doing? I believe you; there''s no need to do that."


    Alex scratched his head. "Oh, that... Can I just not tell you?"


    Seeing the silly grin on her brother''s face, Emily felt the urge to smack his head. Her lips then curled into a sarcastic smile.


    "Sure, brother." Her grip on his hand started to tighten, making Alex wince in pain.


    Even though he had endured a lot of pain before, it didn''t make him immune to it. "Let''s stay like this until you answer, then."


    "Ouch, alright, I''ll tell you."


    But Emily didn''t loosen her grip and continued to look at Alex sternly. Knowing she wouldn''t stop until she was satisfied, Alex continued,


    "As you heard, it''s the vampire race, although it''s not like in the movies where we get pain from sunlight.


    We need to consume life force energy. And I''ve been neglecting it since I came here, so I went berserk from the hunger."


    "You! How could you be so careless? What if that happened when you were alone with Mom!?"


    "I know, I''m sorry, I screwed up¡­"


    "You''re always like this. How can you be so clumsy despite your abilities?


    Isn''t it weird? Forget it...


    What happened next? Did you consume my life force? Was it enough?"


    Hearing his sister''s words made Alex''s heart clench; even now, she was asking about him, not even worried about the life energy that had been drained from her.


    "Aren''t you afraid? I''ve absorbed so much of your life energy. You could be dead, you know."


    "I know, but it''s just temporary. It''s not like you would let me die. I''m sure you''ll find a way. Isn''t that why I have this rune on my body now?"


    Feeling his sister''s unconditional trust made Alex feel warm.


    "Yes, I will make sure to recover all your life force," he said with determined eyes.


    Alex then continued, "Try to control your energy usage. When you feel it starts dwindling to half, don''t go on any missions. Meet up with me to refill it first."


    Emily turned silent for a moment; her grip loosened a little, and her tone became solemn.


    "What did you pay for it? You told me Vesa is recovering.


    If it could have been done without any cost, you would have told me you would use it on Mom and me even before your hunger.


    I can feel it; this rune doesn''t just extend my life. It even enhances my strength and can help me regenerate when I''m wounded."


    ''Is that true, Vesa? Can it help her regenerate?''


    [Yes, King. The rune will use the life force energy just like how you regenerate your body, but she is not a real vampire. So, she won''t be able to recover if her brain is destroyed or turned to ashes. But as long as part of it remains, there should be no problem.]


    Alex felt relieved reading Vesa''s explanation; this would ease his worries even more when Emily went out on missions as a hunter. Seeing Alex seem to be daydreaming, Emily tightened her grip again. "Answer me."


    Alex winced and then looked at Emily, his lips curling into a smile. "Nothing much. It''s something I need to do anyway."


    "And that is¡­?"


    Alex sighed and answered, "I need to kill a Category Five dungeon boss."


    "ARGH!" Alex swore he could feel his bones cracking.


    Emily then released her grip, and her sapphire blue eyes started glistening with tears.


    Looking at her expression, Alex knew why she felt like this; the words "Category Five" always reminded them of the incident with their dad. He wiped her tears, then patted her head.


    "You''re already a two-star hunter now and still a crybaby like this.


    Don''t worry. I''ll build up an army before I go there, and you also know I can regenerate from any wound now."


    "Do you think I''m a child?


    Your regeneration consumes life force energy, and if it runs out, you''re dead!


    And that doesn''t mean you can just go on your way, taking all the damage and regenerating over and over.


    That kind of pain..." Her voice trailed off as realization dawned on her.


    With her understanding of life force, Alex''s situation before, and his lack of combat experience, there''s only one possibility for how he gathered all this life force.


    Emily knew there was no way Alex would kill someone innocent for it.


    "You..." The words stuck in her throat because Emily realized there was nothing she could say.


    What should Alex do? Let her die?


    There was no way he would allow that, and Emily still wanted to live.


    Her eyes turned determined. "I will go with you."


    "But..." Alex wanted to retort, thinking she was too weak. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No buts. To enter a Category Five dungeon, you need to be at least a three-star hunter and have one four-star hunter leading the expedition.


    You need me either way, and I will bring the guild members with us.


    Since we''re going there anyway, you should know which one we should go to."


    Seeing her eyes, Alex knew she wouldn''t back down. "I don''t plan to tell the association about this, Emily. I will sneak inside."


    "Sneak inside? That''s impossible, Alex! You need many people to enter the area, and the border is heavily guarded."


    "There are many reasons to go outside the border.


    As long as it''s only a few people, I''m sure getting permission to gather resources would not be hard.


    They won''t suspect a few people dare to enter a Category Five dungeon."

 Chapter 34: Dark Tower

    "You want to challenge a red zone with just a few people!? That''s crazy, Brother.


    We won''t even be able to fight our way to the dungeon entrance."


    Since the dungeon was already broken, monsters would keep pouring out from it, meaning the area surrounding the dungeon gate was now a monster nest.


    Alex smirked. Seeing his confident smile gave Emily the urge to smack him.


    She hated how he couldn''t just go straight to the point and instead liked to put her in suspense.


    Alex took out the storage box he had created.


    "When I hunted for the life force, I put one of the mutated monster wolves inside here."


    Alex then pointed to the empty area in the room, and with a few presses, the saber-tooth wolf''s body appeared on the ground.


    "You should know where I''m going with this."


    "Just get to the point," Emily said with a pout.


    Alex chuckled, then said, "This one died because of its own skill, but this box can keep living monsters inside, Emily.


    With this and my storage ring, I can bring as many monsters as I need.


    I just need to tinker with the slave contract, putting it on the formation, to make sure they will become a loyal force of mine."


    He then continued in his mind, ''This should be faster than the VR game I had in mind. That one would have taken more time to establish.''


    "You want to make a full squad of monsters? And slave contract, formation, what do you mean by that?"


    Emily was surprised by her brother''s idea, but there were many words she didn''t understand. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, I forgot you never read cultivation novels.


    I told you those novels are a good use of time and money. You should appreciate them more," Alex said with a grin.


    "Don''t use those to justify your hobby. Just explain."


    Emily had some idea of what a slave contract meant, but she wanted to confirm it with Alex.


    The possibility of that contract gave her many thoughts.


    Alex then explained how slave contracts worked and the safety they provided; if they broke the contract, they would be killed.


    But for barely intelligent monsters, he would need to tinker with the contract to also instill loyalty.


    Alex then remembered there should be something like a beast contract in Mingyue''s world,


    ''I will need to ask Mingyue about this later.''


    Emily had a thoughtful look on her face and then said, "Brother, that slave contract, how effective is it for awakeners?"


    "That would depend on their ability. Why?"


    "The Black Tower."


    Hearing it, Alex knew it was a unique building made for awakener criminals with heavy crimes.


    Everyone inside was a psychopath.


    "Isn''t that under hunter association control?"


    "Yes, but each of them is strong, brother. With this contract, we can put them under our control.


    I have heard there are even three-star and four-star hunters inside.


    Since no one knows this contract system, we can get these people if we make a deal with the association."


    Alex quickly shook his head.


    "Not worth it. You should know better than I how dark people can become.


    What do you think will happen if this contract is released to the public and the association?


    It will become worse than ever."


    There were other reasons Alex didn''t want to agree.


    He didn''t plan to give the Hunter Association the existence of Qi; he already planned to give a dumbed-down version of the cultivation method using mana.


    But the contract required Qi to apply.


    Emily''s eyes turned solemn.


    She had seen all the dark sides, making her hate dark hunters to the bone, but the possibility of raising their force quickly just made her feel greedy.


    That meant they could go to that dungeon and confirm their father''s fate.


    Alex then looked at the cube in his hand, playing around with it.


    He once thought capturing humans was a line he wouldn''t cross, but now that Emily mentioned it, weren''t there many people who didn''t deserve to be in the black tower?


    Rather than consuming people''s taxes to pay for these kinds of facilities, wasn''t it better for him to catch them and use them for better purposes?


    His lips raised into a grin.


    "We cannot touch those in the black tower, but don''t you meet many dark hunters on your mission, Emily?"


    "Yes."


    Alex then took out another storage cube, which was without any defects. He had made it specifically for Emily to use.


    "You can use this for now to keep inanimate objects.


    Inside the area is a vacuum, so if you keep food, make sure to put it inside another storage first. But it should be quite useful for you to pack emergency items.


    I will give you a better one later."


    Emily then took the cube and started tinkering with the interface. Alex continued, "Your idea is not wrong, but as I said, I don''t want to bring the association into this.


    I will try to modify the cube so you can use it to capture those dark hunters on your mission for test subjects."


    Alex had already decided to use them to test his new cultivation method.


    He then gave Emily a few Qi crystals and a cultivation method.


    "You should try to cultivate too, Emily, but don''t go far; just go to the foundation''s early phase. So you can change it later on."


    Emily looked at the transparent crystal with a slight orange hue, which was not much different from mana crystals that had a blue hue.


    She then grasped it and started feeling the raging energy inside the crystal.


    "Oh yeah, one more thing." Alex took out a storage ring and placed it on the table.


    "You should be able to use this after reaching the foundation stage.


    Just remember, compared to cultivators in her world, we need Qi crystals to recover energy since there is no Qi in the atmosphere.


    I don''t have many Qi crystals for now, so try to use them sparingly."

 Chapter 35: MingHao

    "I doubt I will use it. Why not just wait for your method to be perfected, then?"


    Emily then took the storage ring and looked around for the item. "If it''s just to use this ring, isn''t it better to use the storage cube?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex chuckled. "Of course not. The storage ring is bonded to your soul. I still cannot replicate this in the storage cube.


    As for the cube, anyone can access it, so it''s not that safe. You should know even passwords and biometrics can be cracked open."


    "Then why did you give me the cube?"


    "Of course, for promotion. Who else is better to promote our product than a hunter?" Alex answered with a grin.


    This made Emily feel the urge to throw the cube at his face. ''Couldn''t he have just said so from the beginning!'' she cursed in her mind.


    Meanwhile, in another world, MingYue was still staying at the same inn.


    She had changed her strategy, making ZanLu and other people in her entourage look for more information and recruit people for her sect.


    Da Ying City was still locked down, without any significant movement from the Xueqi Family.


    She just occasionally saw some of their guards patrolling the city every few hours.


    KNOCK... KNOCK...


    "Miss, Mr. Jianfeng is bringing a kid with him," a female voice came from across the door.


    "Finally..." MingYue mumbled, then raised her voice. "Bring them to the reception room."


    Since she decided to stay in the city for a while, MingYue purchased the inn and gave the employees a break.


    At this time, only her people were staying at the inn. She wasn''t afraid her family would get hold of the information since she knew how they operated.


    They didn''t care what happened with the commoners as long as they paid taxes.


    MingYue had told Jianfeng to bring MingHao to the inn, also informing him that MingYue was fine and recuperating at her place.


    MingYue still hid the truth in case some of the Xueqi family asked Jianfeng about it, but in reality, she knew this was somewhat pointless.


    If the family really suspected something, they would just scour his memories and go directly to the inn.


    The real reason she did this was just because it felt awkward.


    Jianfeng had knelt before her multiple times, requesting her to take care of MingYue, who was herself.


    ''Why would those people I read about in novels enjoy posing as powerhouses?


    It''s annoying as hell,'' she thought.


    She wouldn''t have hidden her identity if she had known this would happen. Things just become more complicated.


    Now, she didn''t know how to tell Jianfeng, even though she used to hate him.


    It would be a lie to say she wasn''t touched by his concern when her other family turned their backs on her.


    In the reception room, with multiple wooden chairs, Jianfeng was standing with a boy at his side.


    He had short black hair and amber eyes. Anyone who saw the boy would know he was related to MingYue with one glance.


    "Uncle, is it true? Is Sis still alive?" MingHao asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.


    "Yes, she is alive, so make sure you respect the lady and don''t say anything unless asked; her life is in the lady''s hands," Jianfeng warned.


    Before he could say anything further, MingYue entered the room, still in her disguise.


    The moment she entered, MingHao''s eyes widened. He wanted to run, but Jianfeng held him in place and whispered, "Where are your manners?"


    MingHao was about to say something, but MingYue spoke first. "Leave us alone, Jianfeng."


    Hearing the order, Jianfeng hesitated, but there was no reason to ask this if she wanted to hurt MingHao.


    He reluctantly bowed and left, but not before warning MingHao again to behave.


    MingYue didn''t bring any attendants either.


    Now alone in the room, both of them exchanged gazes.


    Many thoughts ran through MingHao''s mind. Despite his young age, he was not stupid; he knew his sister''s personality.


    "Sis... Why are you doing this? Does the family really want you dead?" MingHao asked in a low voice.


    Since MingYue entered the room, he could feel a connection with her, one that he would never feel with other people.


    Seeing his little brother, some old memories started to resurface.


    Her rosy lips raised upward into a smirk. "You have grown taller now, brat!"


    MingHao''s height now reached MingYue''s elbow; the last time she saw him, he was only barely at her waist.


    Hearing her calling him a brat made MingHao''s eyes turn teary since that confirmed she was his sister.


    MingHao tried his best to hold back his tears, as his uncle had told him many times, "Men shouldn''t cry."


    His hand started grasping his clothes, and then he lowered his head.


    "I am sorry, Sis. I should not have disturbed you when you were practicing.


    I just wanted you to play with me. But I realize I am just being a hassle to you and disrupting your practice."


    Seeing MingHao trying to act mature, MingYue chuckled. "Come here."


    MingHao nodded and started walking toward her. Seeing him obedient made her smile; she had never seen him act like this.


    When MingHao was an arm''s distance away from MingYue, he stopped.


    "Did you think I died too?"


    "Everyone does... And I even checked your talisman; it broke..." he said with a cracked voice.


    Then he raised his head, looking at MingYue. "You are really my sister, right?"


    "Why do you think I am her?"


    "Only she would call me a brat, and I can just tell it''s you..." he paused for a moment, then continued.


    "What happened, Sis, after you left last time? Mom started acting weirdly, and so did Dad."


    MingYue chuckled, then pinched his plump cheek.


    "You brat, since when have you been trying to act all mature like this?


    So, tell me what happened after I left."


    MingHao''s face grimaced with pain, but he smiled.

 Chapter 36: Dragon & Phoenix

    "Well, not directly after you left, but sometime after that, I saw many people come from other families.


    I don''t know what they talked about, but afterward, Mom spent more time at home. She even cooked food for me.


    Can you imagine it?"


    MingYue sighed; this was another reason she had disliked her brother in the past; she felt her mom always showed more bias toward him.


    MingHao then continued, "But one day, we had dinner together with Dad.


    They talked about something and told me this:


    ''We are sorry for not being good parents to you and your sister. Tell her we are sorry if you meet her again.''


    The next day, they disappeared."


    ''Uncle told me the patriarch killed Dad, and Mom left with the tablet. It seems he only heard a second-hand story.


    But doesn''t this mean they know I am alive?'' MingYue thought to herself.


    "You said Dad acted weird, too. How?"


    "You know he always spent time doing something in the basement, but lately, he went outside the city often.


    Oh yeah, Sis, they also gave me this. They told me to give it to you."


    MingHao took out two amulets; they were like a set separated into two parts¡ªone carved in the form of a fiery phoenix and the other as a flood dragon.


    Looking at it, she frowned. ''Is Alex right? Is my family somehow connected to the upper world or something like that?''


    She then shook her head.


    ''Nah, no way. I''ve read too many novels. I''ve never even heard about the upper world other than in those novels. I should really stop linking it with my reality.''


    Seeing his sister looking at the amulet seriously, MingHao thought she was thinking about their parents.


    "Sis, I know Uncle told you Mom left and betrayed the family, even sold you for an elixir..."


    MingHao hesitated, then continued, "I know I am not in a position to talk about this, but I am sure they had a reason."


    MingYue''s gaze turned cold, and then she looked at MingHao.


    "You brat, tell me, what reason can a parent have to justify abandoning their kids? Stop talking for them."


    MingYue then gestured for MingHao to stay silent, and she took both pendants from his hand.


    The Fiery Phoenix pendant was carved from red crystal, resembling a ruby but with an orange hue to it.


    The flood dragon was made from a crystal that looked like blue sapphire, with a similar hue to the fiery phoenix.


    The chains themselves were made from jade, with many formations carved into them.


    "Why did you not tell Uncle this?"


    "The pendant? Or the story?" MingHao asked.


    "Both."


    "Mom and Dad made me swear never to tell any soul other than you about this."


    He then put a finger on his chin as he remembered something.


    "Oh yeah, they also told me to hide the pendant away and never take it out in front of other people."


    "Is one of the pendants for you?" MingYue asked.


    MingHao shook his head, "No, Mom said both are for you."


    This made MingYue feel confused. ''Vesa, there seem to be formations here. Can you tell what they are?''


    [It works similarly to a storage ring, Queen, but there are protections set into it.]


    [I can tell it''s set to break on itself when it detects your qi is at the Heavenly Ascension stage.]


    That stage was too far away for MingYue; she didn''t want to wait that long. ''Can you break it?''


    [I can, but it will take a long time, Queen, with the risk of the item inside being destroyed.]


    [I detect there are protections if someone tries to tamper with it in the wrong way.]


    [But I have a solution: just gather enough of a life force. I can then enhance a wisp of your qi to one from a Heavenly Ascension stage cultivator.]


    [That should be enough to trick it.]


    ''How much life force do I need?''


    [We need ten thousand life force.]


    Ming Yue felt that the energy spent by the life force was too much just to enhance a wisp of qi. ''That is too much. Can''t you do it for five thousand life force? Or one thousand?''


    [Queen... this is not a market sale...]


    [Actually, I could have done it for less time before, but I cannot now. For this reason, you should ask King about it later.]


    MingYue wanted to ask Alex directly, but she knew it wasn''t a good time now. "Brat, don''t tell Uncle I am MingYue."


    MingHao wanted to ask why, but looking at his sister''s glare, he didn''t dare and just nodded reluctantly.


    MingYue then stood up and walked toward the window, looking at the bustling city.


    "MingHao, what do you think about the Xueqi family?"


    "Other than Uncle''s family, I don''t care about the rest," MingHao answered as he walked to her side.


    "Do you know where they are now? I haven''t seen any of our family except both of you," she asked as she looked toward the family mansion in the center of the city.


    "I remember hearing some of the cousins saying they are at the ancestral ground."


    MingHao''s answer confirmed MingYue''s suspicions.


    She had asked Vesa to locate her family, but Vesa failed to detect most of them, like the patriarch, who should be the only one here with Nascent Soul cultivation.


    Even if they had ancestor-level cultivators, it should be at the Golden Core or Spiritual Transformation at best, considering they were only a middle-class family on the outskirts.


    ''If they are inside the ancestral ground, it''s not weird then.''


    Remembering her family was on the outskirts of their continent made MingYue chuckle.


    She remembered that the protagonists from the novels she read usually came from the smallest families, smallest countries, continents, and planets.


    Seeing his sister laugh, MingHao felt confused, especially since they were discussing something serious just moments ago.


    Realizing her little brother''s gaze, MingYue coughed, "You brat, why are you staring at me like that?"


    Her expression then turned solemn. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve decided, MingHao, I will destroy this family. You will follow me starting today; no need to return to Uncle''s side."

 Chapter 37: Those Who Betray Me, I Will Return it Ten Thousand Fold

    Hearing his sister wanted him by her side made MingHao smile. He had often thought his sister was avoiding him because she didn''t accept him as her little brother.


    In reality, MingYue didn''t think too much; she just wanted him to stay because she didn''t believe MingHao could really hide everything from their uncle''s family.


    She then checked his information.


    _____________________________


    Name: MingHao Xueqi


    Power Level: 2.5


    Life Force: 96/110


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Mid-Level


    [Feeling happy, probably from his sister''s recognition.]


    ______________________________


    ''Foundation stage mid-level... Not bad, it seems he hasn''t neglected his training.''


    Seeing the description made MingYue feel warm.


    She then confirmed some more information with MingHao, asking about the people left in the mansion and their uncle''s family situation.


    Her uncle Jianfeng had five people in his family: his only son, his wife, the newborn granddaughter, and his wife. Based on MingHao''s knowledge, his uncle always maintained some distance from the rest of the family, and after the MingYue incident, the relationship became worse.


    MingHao said he saw their uncle talk back to one of the elders, then got attacked because he forcefully brought MingHao back to his house.


    "Uncle told me Dad was killed by the patriarch. What do you think?"


    MingHao shook his head.


    "I don''t believe it. It''s true that after Mom made a scene, he was last seen going to the patriarch''s place and never came out.


    But I am sure he is not dead."


    "Well, that doesn''t matter. Xueqi family¡­"


    Killing intent started spreading from her eyes.


    Even if her parents had a reason to do this, it didn''t change the fact that the family didn''t do anything after she was reported dead, despite her working hard to raise her cultivation to bring the family glory.


    For MingYue, this was an unforgivable betrayal.


    Her gaze then turned to the ancestral building in another area of the city, her lips curling into a cold smile.


    ''Those who help me, I will return tenfold; those who betray me, I will make sure to return it ten thousandfold.''


    The setting sun kissed the sky goodbye, turning it into twilight.


    MingYue was now standing just outside the protection array of the ancestral area, with MingHao at her side and many people standing behind her holding sleek guns.


    Some people were kneeling and chained.


    A few youngsters and teenagers looked at MingHao with hatred.


    "How dare you rebel! Just wait until the patriarch returns from the ancestral ground!"


    "I knew it; you are just like your mother! Both of you are traitors to the family."


    Hearing all the curses, MingHao clenched his fist. He didn''t understand why his sister had brought them here.


    Looking at the kids cursing at MingHao, not realizing their own situation, made MingYue shake her head with a chuckle.


    ''They are young master trash.''


    She then realized the kids left here were the useless ones.


    Many of the younger generation she was familiar with were not in the mansion, and as for the people of her generation, they should be at other sects now.


    She then turned her gaze to the Ancestral Hall with a frown; MingYue started suspecting that whatever was inside was not just some grave.


    As for Jianfeng and his family, MingYue made them stay at the inn.


    With the Xueqi family inside the ancestral grounds, it didn''t take long for her people, led by ZanLu, to take over the city and the mansion.


    These people all had pride and a reverent look in their eyes.


    They had trampled over the family that ruled over their heads for generations, even though they knew it was probably just an inner conflict within the family since MingHao was with them.


    This didn''t make it any less significant.


    From birth, they had been taught not to make any trouble and to avoid even crossing paths with people from the Xueqi family. Even though they didn''t really trample over them on purpose, they knew they were just like second-class citizens compared to them.


    Even if they were killed, no one would seek justice for them.


    MingYue hadn''t known much about this before since she was busy cultivating to gain the family''s recognition.


    However, the trash of the family was the one making trouble outside; they purposely targeted people who couldn''t fight back and sent news to the core family.


    They knew they would be punished if it reached the patriarch''s ears, not because of what they did but because of how they spent their time.


    They should have been cultivating instead of toying with commoners.


    But they knew their talent was trash, so cultivating just felt like a chore; there was no way any cultivator''s son or daughter would be interested in them.


    Even low-tier sects were not interested in accepting them since there were no benefits.


    People might think, doesn''t the sect at least build a relationship for the family?


    But in reality, it''s really of no use since these people have zero sway in their family.


    They would be killed for causing any trouble within the family.


    That''s why they vented their low self-esteem onto the commoners, resulting in this rotten young master mentality.


    In the past, they wouldn''t dare speak up to MingHao, but now that his mother had become a traitor, they dared to do this.


    In their eyes, when the elders and patriarch returned, they could easily solve the problem. After all, their opponents were just commoners, and they were caught by surprise.


    They didn''t realize all the guards didn''t even dare to make a sound.


    Compared to these ''Young Masters'' getting caught in their ''pleasure activity'' without any fight, the guards had tried to fight back, only to end up dead. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cold sweat still dripped from their foreheads, with eyes filled with terror.


    They knew they were out of their league, even if everyone returned.


    Whoever was behind this attack was a force beyond their comprehension.


    They could give artifacts that could be used by anyone, and the artifact''s power could easily kill any cultivator at the foundational stage. Even their captain at the core cultivation stage was not spared.

 Chapter 38: For The Glory!

    They still remembered how a projectile of light had come from the strange artifact, blowing the guard''s captain to pieces, shot by the woman leading all these people.


    Suddenly, the barrier in front of them began to vibrate, and three people emerged from it with sharp gazes, surveying the scene before them.


    MingYue recognized them; they were the Grand Elder and the First Elder of the family.


    The Grand Elder often acted as the patriarch''s advisor.


    MingYue hated him to the bone since he was the one who had given the patriarch the idea to betroth her.


    This event caused tons of problems for MingYue, disrupting her cultivation and resulting in her progress lagging behind, prompting her to go to that secret realm.


    Otherwise, she would have skipped it since she had already obtained some cultivation resources from the last secret realm.


    The Grand Elder, seeing every single family member they had left in the mansion chained down and forced to kneel under all the commoners, felt rage.


    Killing intent and pressure spread out from his body, targeting every single person in the area.


    MingYue smirked, ''FengXue.''


    A stronger pressure emerged from MingYue, canceling the pressure emanating from the Grand Elder.


    MingHao, standing at MingYue''s side, looked at her with reverence.


    He had always looked up to his sister, and now, feeling qi stronger than even their patriarch emanating from her made him feel proud.


    But the image only lasted for a moment, and soon, his face turned pale at what MingYue did next. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Capitalizing on the moment when the elder was surprised by the presence of a Golden Core cultivator, MingYue took out the gun, set it at 40% power, and pointed it at the Grand Elder.


    BANG!


    A concentrated qi shot out from the barrel, blasting the target into pieces before it exploded, hitting the array barrier.


    The Grand Elder''s face turned pale, as did the elder who walked behind him.


    The area that had once been filled with many sounds, from the cursing of the ''young masters'' to the murmur of commoners, turned silent.


    Every single man in the area could feel their hair standing on end. Even those who had a grudge against the Grand Elder pitied him.


    His crotch had turned into a hole.


    Ehm... not that kind of hole, but a hole through which you could see.


    The bullet had blasted through his crotch, destroying everything in its path.


    BANG! BANG!


    While everyone still remained silent, MingYue shot twice, this time reducing the bullet strength to 30%.


    The Grand Elder was still in shock from what had happened, and the two elders at his side quickly jumped, focusing their qi to protect their crotches. But luckily for them, they were not the targets.


    The Grand Elder fell to the ground as one bullet pulverized his thigh and the other his right shoulder; both limbs fell to the ground.


    Seeing what had happened, the elders quickly concluded the attacker had a grudge against the Grand Elder.


    Seeing the woman target the Grand Elder''s crotch, they wondered if the Grand Elder had violated the average-looking woman in the past.


    But this idea lasted only for a moment.


    MingYue dashed forward, taking a sword they quickly recognized.


    How could they not? It was one of the family treasures, a sword artifact that amplified the qi of the user.


    It was wielded by one of their geniuses, MingYue, whom they thought was dead.


    The Grand Elder wanted to move but couldn''t; at this point, he wasn''t shocked anymore, but the pressure from FengXue was concentrated on his body, and, adding the damage MingYue inflicted, he was paralyzed.


    SLASH!


    The sword pierced through his already faltering qi barrier and his head without giving him any chance to fight back.


    Blood spurted out, and the Grand Elder''s body then turned into green particles, leaving behind only his cultivation robe and storage ring.


    From start to finish, MingYue hadn''t given them any opportunity.


    Without FengXue''s pressure, she knew she couldn''t have achieved this.


    The best they could have done would be to bombard the elders when they came out, but this meant she couldn''t ask them any questions.


    The Elders quickly thought MingYue had come for the Hua family and that they got it from MingYue''s corpse.


    They quickly stepped back and looked at MingYue warily.


    Both of them took out their swords and adopted defensive stances. Their qi pushed to the max to protect their bodies.


    "Is the Hua family cooperating with demonic cultivators?"


    Looking at the Grand Elder''s corpse and MingYue''s eyes glinting red, they concluded this.


    Only those demonic cultivators have methods to absorb other cultivators'' qi; it can raise cultivation quickly, but it comes with a big downside.


    Since the qi absorbed is not pure, it drives the cultivator into madness.


    As time progressed, many tragedies and massacres happened, and they finally decided to ban demonic cultivation; anyone who practiced it would be pursued by everyone and killed without mercy.


    Seeing the woman do this in front of them, they understood that it meant she wouldn''t let them go.


    ''MingYue, I cannot hold this for long. If you want to finish them, do it quickly.''


    ''No need, take off your pressure, FengXue. I appreciate the help.'' MingYue replied in her mind.


    Then, she turned her sharp gaze toward the elders. Her amber eyes still flickered with an intense red hue since she had just absorbed the life force from the Grand Elder.


    [Queen, I will hold the excess life force for now.


    This should be enough for you to break through to a minor realm, but if we do that here, the others will become suspicious.]


    MingYue agreed.


    If she broke through now, the elders would think she used some secret technique to release the pressure before and start attacking her aggressively.


    She pointed her finger at the elders. "You geezers, a and b, where is Zhang, that stupid old man?"


    The elders gulped. Zhang Xueqi was their patriarch.


    His location now concerned the secret of their family, one related to their roots.


    They looked into each other''s eyes; many thoughts came to their minds, and both of them then nodded.


    Their qi suddenly burst out, and both of them leaped forward as they screamed in unison, "For the glory of the Xueqi Family."

 Chapter 39: Kill Them!!!

    The Elder dashed forward with their sword pointed at MingYue.


    MingYue was surprised by their action; she had thought they would at least try to compromise since what they were now doing was tantamount to suicide.


    Both of the elders were at the late Core Formation stage; it was too late for anyone to intervene.


    MingHao and ZanLu could only watch in horror as the two swords came close to MingYue''s body.


    Knowing it was too late for her to dodge, MingYue took out an item from her storage ring and threw it toward them.


    BOOM!!!


    A grenade exploded, one of the many items she had gotten from Alex.


    This grenade was named the Recoil Blast Bomb.


    It would burst the mana inside, releasing a shockwave that pushed everything within a ten-meter area away.


    If this grenade were thrown in the middle of a forest, all the trees in the impact area would be uprooted.


    This strength was not enough to knock cultivators at their level back, but it was enough to slow them down.


    But MingHao, the ''young master,'' guards, and everyone else were knocked back by the explosion.


    The elders were caught off guard by the attack, but they were already determined, so they burned their qi more, pushing forward through the shockwave.


    MingYue let her body be thrown back, but she used the momentum; she lowered her leg, letting it touch the ground, and with a graceful movement, crouched, then her body started doing 360 spins, while qi started appearing from her body, like a cold mist.


    Her sword drew a line of ice, slashing diagonally from downward toward their torsos.


    Seeing the attack, the elders were shocked; this made them falter for a moment, allowing MingYue''s frost qi attack to hit their bodies.


    They were shocked; if the sword could be explained by the Hua family taking the sword from MingYue, then this secret technique could not be explained.


    They recognized it: ''Shiver of the Winter Blade,'' a middle-earth grade secret technique that was a signature move of their prodigy MingYue.


    A cold voice reached their ears, melodious but chilling them to the bone.


    "You remember me now, Elder..."


    MingYue whispered their real names in a way that made them confirm she was MingYue, "I came here just to return the favor. I thank the guidance of the family.


    Those that become a hindrance to us should be killed mercilessly.


    Don''t worry, I will send that stupid geezer and the rest with you to hell. The Hua family is next."


    After hearing her words, the frost spread from their wounds, freezing their qi and bodies. Regret? Of course, they had it.


    They even cursed the patriarch, who had let everything happen because of something unconfirmed. If they had known this would happen, they would never have agreed to it. But there is no regret for the dead.


    It took no time before they turned into sculptures of ice, then fell to the ground and cracked into many pieces.


    In reality, the technique she used now was not ''Shiver of the Winter Blade.''


    Vesa had improved the technique, making it far stronger; now it''s an ancient grade ''Absolute Zero Tempest Sweep.''


    If not for this upgraded technique, MingYue wouldn''t have been able to kill them this easily, even though they were only one minor realm apart.


    Their combat experience and means were not something she could overlook.


    Seeing the result of her new secret technique made MingYue smile.


    Right now, she barely understood how the skill worked; if she could truly master it, MingYue knew she could defeat someone a few major realms higher than her without any problem.


    The frozen shards on the ground started turning into green particles, flowing into MingYue''s body.


    When the dust settled, everything was already over.


    MingHao, who had just stood up, jumped to his feet and ran toward his sister to help her.


    But seeing both elders had already disappeared, with only some shards of ice left on the ground along with their storage rings, his movement became slower.


    He could not believe how quickly his sister had become strong; this also made him think MingYue had really become a demonic cultivator.


    He arrived at her side, looking at her with worry, noticing the tinge of red in MingYue''s amber eyes.


    "Why? Are you afraid of me now?" she asked with a smile.


    "But sis, that technique¡­ are you alright?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Brat, don''t you know your own sister? You think I would learn a technique like that?"


    MingHao shook his head; the sister he knew would never opt for short-term accomplishments that sacrificed her whole future.


    What use is becoming strong if they end up consumed by madness in the end?


    "Good that you understand."


    MingYue then took out a normal sword and threw it to MingHao.


    MingHao caught it with ease but looked confused at MingYue. He didn''t understand why she had thrown a sword at him.


    "As cultivators, killing is just a daily thing for us, MingHao.


    If someone poses a danger to your life, you must not hesitate to kill them. Have you killed anyone before?"


    MingHao shook his head; he had never done this.


    It should have been part of the rite of adulthood for him, something that was still a few years away.


    But MingYue knew they would face more danger now with how she did things; MingHao didn''t have the luxury to wait that long, and now she had the perfect target for her brother to learn.


    She then pointed at their cousin, "MingHao, kill them."


    Looking at his useless cousin and hearing his sister''s order, MingHao''s body froze.


    MingYue sighed; it was just as she had expected. MingHao had a gentle, kind heart compared to her.


    Even though he had a bad relationship with his cousin, they were still not strangers; they were people who had once lived together for years with him.


    "If you cannot do this, then you can stay here," MingYue said sternly to her brother.


    The ''young master,'' who had barely started to recover, shivered in fear upon hearing MingYue''s order.

 Chapter 40: MingHaos Decision

    But they couldn''t fight back since the chains binding them were made with a special formation that prevented them from using any Qi.


    MingHao started walking slowly toward them; when he got close, he froze again.


    Seeing his cousins'' expressions filled with fear, tears, and snot, his heart began to falter.


    They started begging him to spare them.


    "Don''t kill us, please. No matter what, we are still family."


    "Yeah, we will sign a slave contract. Just spare us."


    "We will be more useful to you if you let us live."


    MingHao turned his gaze to his sister, but MingYue didn''t move, only sternly glaring at him.


    He sighed, knowing that meant his sister wouldn''t compromise.


    In MingYue''s eyes, they were just useless; they had too much ego, to the point they couldn''t even use their brains correctly.


    Even with a slave contract, the normal commoner was more useful than they were.


    Their best use now was to give her little brother real-life experience. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing MingHao still hesitate, MingYue spoke again with a stern tone, "MingHao!"


    MingHao''s body shook again; he then looked at the surroundings. ZanLu just nodded, giving some encouragement to go for it, but the rest of the commoners only watched with glee, as if they were watching a show.


    Some even looked at his cousin with hatred. He could see no one would ask to spare his cousin.


    "MingHao, do you forget we played together before? Spare me!"


    "If you let me live, I could warm your bed at night; we are far cousins, so that should be alright," said one of the attractive women in the group.


    The memories of the past started surfacing in his mind; in the past, although they hadn''t played often, he had a good relationship with them since they always praised him to the sky.


    But after his mother''s actions, everything changed.


    They always bullied him every chance they got. Remembering the cursing words made his grip on the sword tighten.


    The words that hurt him the most were how they cursed his family. And now that their lives were in his hands, they started begging like crazy.


    MingHao then realized how ugly their hearts were.


    Then a melodious voice reached his ear, "Brat, not everyone is like that. There are many types of people in this world; some are trash like them, and some aren''t.


    But that''s not really important.


    Are you a saint? You''re a cultivator.


    I''m not telling you to kill everyone on your path, but those that pose a threat, kill them without mercy."


    MingHao knew his sister was right; the path of cultivation was harsh. His uncle had also told him this many times before.


    MingHao closed his eyes and moved his qi to shut his ears.


    But another voice carried by Qi reached his ears, "Do that, then this is pointless. You might as well spare them and stay here.


    You can treat them however you like then. I won''t judge you."


    He opened his eyes again; this time, his amber eyes flickered with determination.


    Staying here and lazing around with his cousin as his slave?


    That might sound appealing to some people, but not for MingHao.


    He wanted to get stronger and help his sister and family.


    When they had attacked the mansion before, they had searched every room, even the basement, but his father was nowhere to be seen, not even the corpse.


    MingHao understood that something serious must have happened for them to take such drastic action, even drawing ire from their own daughter.


    SLASH!


    The sword in his hand moved through the air, cutting one of his cousin''s necks. Blood spurted out, turning the other cousins crazy.


    Some begged even more, saying nonsensical stuff that MingHao turned a deaf ear to.


    Others started cursing at him, but MingHao didn''t stop for a moment.


    Slash! SLASH! SLASH!


    Blood poured like rain while a feeling of repulsion started gnawing at his heart.


    MingHao did his best to hold everything in. He knew if he didn''t, MingYue would berate him.


    The screams, pleas, and curses turned silent, but they were soon replaced by cheers and claps, which made MingHao''s repulsion grow even more.


    Seeing MingHao''s pale face, MingYue walked toward him and ruffled his hair. "You did good. Go take a break."


    MingHao nodded and quickly escaped, leaving the area.


    He returned to the mansion, reaching the garden behind his old place.


    Under a tree he used to play in the past, MingHao started throwing up, and tears flowed down his cheeks.


    The faces of the people he had just killed kept appearing in his mind. This made him throw up even more.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now touching the protection array as Vesa analyzed it.


    ''MingYue, is it wise to leave MingHao alone? He is still a child,'' FengXue communicated in her mind.


    ''For a ghost that wants to take over my body, you are quite a worrywart,'' MingYue replied.


    ''That''s different. You came for my treasure; you were prepared for the risks. But MingHao is just a child.''


    ''A child, a teenager, an adult, do you think that matters in the cultivation world?


    He chose this path; there''s no turning back.


    And you should know this better than anyone else. Aren''t you just left with only your soul now?''


    FengXue became silent for a few breaths, then asked, ''When can you get a body for me?''


    ''You should know I''ve already prepared a good one for you. Just wait.'' MingYue''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    [Queen, it''s done. You should be able to enter now. But there is no one inside here.]


    "Tch, I knew it," MingYue clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    She then turned her gaze to ZanLu. "Keep the city on lockdown, then prepare the people to go with us."


    "Yes, miss. Anything else?" ZanLu asked.


    "How about the one I asked you to prepare? Is it ready?"


    ZanLu nodded. "Everything is prepared; we are just waiting for your order."

 Chapter 41: Xueqi Ancestor

    "Good. Go do your task then. Also, ask Jianfeng if he can choose to go with us or stay at this place."


    ZanLu then went on his task as MingYue took a step, entering the array into the ancestral hall.


    The people also started to disperse.


    As for the storage ring on the ground, MingYue had already taken it with her.


    Even though the wealth was not much, it was useful since she needed to take care of many people.


    The secret realm was a good place to stay, but the lack of resources inside was a problem.


    Passing through the array, MingYue found herself in familiar scenery.


    The inside was far bigger than it looked from the outside, with a solemn atmosphere.


    She walked through the hallway adorned with polished wood, with torches that ignited every time she passed by.


    The first time she was here, MingYue had been amazed by how it worked, but now she realized it was just a simple formation, not even comparable to the sect she was in.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach the Ancestral room. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the right side, there were many tombstones carved with the names of the Xueqi Family ancestors; on the left side, it was filled with tablets of the family members still alive.


    "How did Mom enter here? It doesn''t seem there is any damage," she mumbled.


    There were still many names hanging, with three just freshly broken.


    MingYue then realized that MinHua''s tablet was also not there, nor were those of her mom and dad. She then took all the tablets into her storage ring.


    Afterward, MingYue turned her gaze toward the door in the center of the room, a place she had never been allowed to enter before.


    MingYue took a few steps toward the door but then stopped and turned her gaze toward the Ancestor''s gravestone.


    Her amber eyes glinted coldly.


    A sword appeared in her hand; she injected her qi into it and threw a slash toward it. Swish¡ªa shockwave was created from the slash.


    BAM!!!


    To her surprise, the slash seemed to hit a barrier, allowing the gravestone to stay intact.


    MingYue frowned. She then gathered even more qi, preparing to use her secret art to destroy it.


    She hadn''t asked Vesa since she already thought the barrier that protected the stone was not the same as the one carved into the building.


    But she stopped when smoke started to come out from one of the gravestones; a corporeal form of an old man then appeared in front of her.


    "Don''t you have any respect for your ancestor?"


    The old man had a long white beard, but his body still stood straight with a deep gaze.


    "Respect?" MingYue coldly smiled.


    "Respect is earned. Why should I give any to a family that forsook me when I worked hard for them to rise?"


    The Old Man sighed, "Even though I''m just a wisp of a soul, I cannot see through you, which means you are strong. And you tell me they forsook you? Tell me why?"


    MingYue then proceeded to tell him what had happened. The Old Man stroked his beard as he listened.


    This action somewhat made MingYue feel annoyed. She felt like the old man was just pretending to be wise.


    Hearing it all, the old man shook his head, "I knew choosing Zhang was a bad choice, but no one was better than him in his generation. If only your grandfather had accepted it at that time." The old man sighed again.


    He then continued, "How about this: I will revoke his permission on every array and give it to you, and then you can become the new patriarch of this family."


    "No, I already have my own sect. But I can take over the family to become a branch of mine."


    "Your own sect? Does it have a foundation as deep as ours? You don''t know the glory of our family at its height. Beyond this door, we have a Transportation Array to the central region; that stupid kid is probably there now. Based on your story, he''s probably trying to look for backup."


    "Transportation array? I knew it; that stupid geezer was just a coward. He just imposes strict requirements on others while he himself cannot adhere to them. What a hypocrite."


    "We don''t only have those, you know. We also have a city-wide array, but it''s broken now. There is also an underground treasury here, but I''ve kept it hidden from Zhang. The resources inside should be enough for you to reach the Heavenly stage. You should know our family comes from the Central region..."


    Before the old soul could say anything further, MingYue interrupted.


    "Are you going to say our family ran away after being attacked and betrayed by their allies? Then some of the survivors pooled their resources and ran away to this area, hoping one day to return and take revenge?"


    "How would you know? Do you have some secret technique that allows you to see the past?" The Old Soul asked with interest.


    "No. That''s just how it usually goes. What a clich¨¦," MingYue answered with a cold tone.


    She knew Alex would laugh his ass off if he heard about this. And this annoyed her; just how could the people writing this book guess something right on point like this.


    "What is a ''clich¨¦''?" The old man asked since he had never heard that word before.


    "Forget it. Look, Gramps, since you are quite sincere, I''ll let my brother continue the family name. Now, can you give me access to the formation here, or do I need to take it for myself?"


    "Oh, take it for yourself? You are really an unruly child. If you can really do it, I will kowtow to you and call you my Ancestor instead."


    The old man said this because he felt irked by MingYue''s attitude, which gave no respect toward him. She also treated the family treasure like it had no value at all.

 Chapter 42: Can You do it?

    In his eyes, MingYue was just a frog in the well who had probably had some lucky encounters. Still, he didn''t blame her for opening her own sect and trying to leave the family because her reasons were justified.


    ''Vesa, you can do it, right?''


    [Of course, Queen. It seems they separated the formation outside from the one inside, so in case something happened, they could still use the formation in here to escape.]


    MingYue didn''t care much about Vesa''s explanation; she didn''t feel any interest in learning how the formation worked.


    She just wanted to quickly get over it and return to the secret realm. The resources here would be useful for her little brother and other people in the sect.


    "I hope you won''t regret what you said, Gramps," MingYue said with a smirk. She then walked toward the door and placed her palm over it, allowing Vesa to start working on the array.


    Meanwhile, MingHao was sitting on the ground outside the Xueqi family estate, observing the commoners busy with their own tasks.


    ZanLu, passing by the area, noticed MingHao''s pale face and approached him. "Young Master, are you alright?"


    "No, I am not," MingHao answered.


    "You shouldn''t think too much about it. I am sorry to say this, but those people you killed deserved it. It would take me two days to list every single person that fell victim at their hands."


    ZanLu dared to say this because he saw MingHao as a kind person, unlike other cultivators, which made him want to comfort MingHao.


    MingHao didn''t want to talk about it because it would just remind him of their dying faces.


    Even though he understood why his sister did it, he still felt it would have been better to just enslave them.


    "It seems most people in the city will follow Sis out. What will happen with the rest, then?"


    ZanLu turned his gaze toward the street, seeing people moving around.


    "They will stay here, of course. It''s their own choice; they should already know the risk. A commoner staying without a cultivator protecting them is just waiting for death."


    He had seen the fate of some neighboring villages burned to the ground for offending some cultivator.


    The only reason most of these villages were safe was that they had nothing of value for the cultivator to plunder.


    But Dai Yin city was different; it had a lot of wealth.


    He could already see the affiliated families starting to fight over the empty seat of the Xueqi family, only for it to be taken from them by stronger cultivators who heard the news.


    This place would become a bloodbath soon.


    But MingHao didn''t know about this possibility. If he knew, he would run around trying to convince those who chose to stay to go with them.


    "How did you meet my sister?"


    "The lady? One day, she came to our village and started giving out elixirs that healed those who were sick. She then offered us to follow her and sign a slave contract.


    We thought at first we would be used as cannon fodder or for hard labor in construction, but we still agreed to it since our village had a lack of food, and your Mistress said she would take everyone.


    At that time, our village lacked young people, which is the same as any other village.


    Those young and talented would try their luck looking for work in the city, sects, or any prominent family like yours."


    "My sister did that?" MingHao asked in disbelief.


    He had always thought of MingYue as someone cold, only doing things that benefited her.


    In his mind, there should be no benefit in taking people from a village like that. If anything, she would just take the useful ones, not everyone.


    "Lady MingYue is not bad.


    Compared to other cultivators I''ve met so far, Mistress gave us a path to survive and become stronger.


    As I told you, we expected hard work and to be paid only with food. But Mistress gave us more than that; you will see it later with your own eyes.


    Now, even without the slave contract, I would follow Mistress even if it cost my life. I know my family will be taken care of," ZanLu said with eyes filled with reverence.


    Seeing ZanLu respect his sister so much made MingHao realize there were many things he didn''t know about her. He then started asking ZanLu more about his sister.


    Back inside the ancestral hall, the old man''s face started turning ugly as he could feel the control of the array disappearing from him.


    This prompted him to quickly float toward MingYue''s side; with panicked eyes, he quickly said, "Stop! Stop! I will give you the control."


    This left MingYue puzzled since the end result should have been the same.


    [Queen, other than the secret vault he talked about, there is another one deeper underground.


    I am sure something there is the reason why this wisp of a soul has survived this long.]


    Reading this made MingYue''s lips curl up into a cold smile.


    "Hey, geezer, let''s make a deal. At this point, your life is in my hands anyway.


    You want to see the Xueqi family rise to new heights, right?" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old man''s soul then realized MingYue had already found out his secret. He couldn''t believe he was beaten by someone far younger than him.


    He knew the one who had built this array was someone far stronger than him.


    To be able to decrypt the formation in this short time made the old man accept his defeat sincerely.


    After all, what really mattered to him was for the Xueqi family to rise again.


    "Yes, so do you want me to kneel down now? What do you want?" he asked.


    "This is a different matter. I want you to protect and teach my younger brother since you''re always here. You should know him.


    Even though he is not a genius, he will reach heights far beyond what you can imagine."

 Chapter 43: Treasury

    The old man looked at MingYue with disbelief. If it had been her, he wouldn''t have found it strange, but MingHao was a different story. "How can you be so sure about that?"


    "Because I will make sure of it," MingYue replied confidently.


    With Vesa and Alex''s technology, MingYue knew it was just a matter of time before she became immortal and advanced to realms beyond their comprehension.


    After all, a Progenitor was a being beyond their understanding.


    "Alright, I will do it. Now, let me fulfill my first promise."


    Seeing the old wisp of a soul start to kneel down made MingYue appreciate him more. He didn''t go back on his word despite the age difference.


    She turned her gaze back to the door and said, "Forget it, Gramps. After all, you are still my ancestor, and it''s not like you had a hand in what happened to me.


    Just make sure you fulfill your promise."


    [Don''t worry, Queen. I will place some restrictions on his soul later, so if something happens to your brother, his soul will perish.]


    [This will guarantee he doesn''t have any strange ideas.]


    MingYue agreed, even though she knew it was impossible for this old man''s wisp of a soul to take over her brother''s body, and he seemed to be a respectful man. It was always better to have a contingency plan.


    It didn''t take long for the formation to completely fall under MingYue''s control.


    The first thing she did was turn off the teleportation formation, making sure the patriarch and the main family couldn''t use it to return.


    Right now, she didn''t have plans to enter the central region.


    She wanted to focus on building up the Sect and their own force.


    MingYue had already felt the benefits of standing on her own feet, compared to living in the Sect, where she had to adhere to the rules, no matter how nonsensical they were.


    She also had limited freedom in that place and needed to fight for resources. Afterward, she still needed to share the resources with the Sect.


    She could try to monopolize them, but if found out, she would be punished harshly.


    Compared to now, she still needed to fight for resources, but she had total control over them.


    MingYue then went to the treasury, the one that the patriarch had access to.


    As she had expected, there were no high-level artifacts left, only some mortal-grade artifacts, the best being low earth-grade artifacts.


    There were also many pills to help build up the foundation, but compared to the artifacts, their grade was worse; the best were only at mortal middle grade.


    Just like secret techniques, pills and artifacts were separated into many grades: Mortal, Earth, Mystic, Celestial, Heaven, and Ancient.


    The artifacts in the room were a mix of weapons and armor, with many storage rings.


    There were many weapon types, from swords, axes, and spears to maces.


    MingYue then took it all, emptying the whole vault. This made the old man''s spirit want to cry, seeing his Sect robbed without being able to do anything.


    He knew MingYue would use it for her own Sect; this meant the Xueqi family would go bankrupt today.


    She then walked toward the other secret vault, the one hidden from the patriarch.


    Inside, the room was smaller; she found three rows of racks. Two racks were filled with pill bottles, and the other had a few jade scrolls on it.


    The old man had a proud look on his face, seeing the Sect''s true treasure.


    As long as they had these, he was sure they could rise up again.


    He then started pointing at the jade scrolls, "See those? We have one celestial middle-grade secret technique.


    The rest are at least at Earth upper grade, and some Mystic low grade."


    He then pointed at the pill rack, "We even have Mystic-grade pills to help boost your cultivation without many side effects.


    How about it? Does it change your mind now?


    I don''t believe you''re not interested in this."


    But the old man''s expression fell when he saw MingYue, who didn''t even glance at them. Her eyes were instead focused on the weapons displayed on the opposite side of the racks.


    For her, all those had no value.


    Vesa could modify any technique with her knowledge from Eldonia, enhancing it to the Ancient grade.


    As for cultivation resources, she didn''t need any. MingYue just needed to absorb more life force.


    As a progenitor, there were no downsides to her doing this.


    On the wall, there were only three weapons on display, with a few pieces of armor placed on top of a table.


    With a glance, MingYue could tell the armor was carved with formations and made from special materials.


    "That is our family''s special product. In the past, our family patriarch was a blacksmith..." But MingYue cut the old man''s words short.


    "Not important. What is the ability of this armor?"


    The old man felt he would cough up blood already if he had a real body, as MingYue still showed no amazement.


    This also made him suspect MingYue had obtained an incomplete immortal inheritance.


    "The formation carved into it gives the armor the ability to change its appearance and makes its weight only one-tenth of the normal one.


    It also provides some protection for the user from soul attacks. This armor is at least Mystic low grade," he explained with displeasure.


    "Hmm... not bad to use for a while," MingYue mumbled, then took it all into her storage ring.


    She felt it was not much since it was only at Mystic grade level.


    She was sure it wouldn''t take long for her to reach that level and meet even stronger enemies that would render this armor useless. If she knew that life force could regenerate her body, too, she would find the armor even more useless.


    She then looked toward the weapons mounted on the wall. In the middle was a pair of twin swords. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue could feel cold qi emanating from them.

 Chapter 44: Skeleton

    She started approaching and then took one of the blades. MingYue could feel that the weapon was even stronger than the sword she had used before.


    Seeing MingYue interested in something, the old man felt elated.


    "That pair of swords was used by our Matriarch before. It was found in a secret realm. I don''t know much about it other than the name ''Twin Frostbites,'' and it possesses a beast''s soul."


    MingYue, feeling intrigued, didn''t ask further.


    Instead, she took out the swords from their sheath and began infusing her qi into them.


    The twin swords started to vibrate, emanating a frosty qi, even the one that MingYue wasn''t holding.


    A silhouette of twin arctic foxes appeared in her mind, both baring their fangs, trying to attack her soul.


    Seeing what happened, the old man sneered.


    He had purposefully not told MingYue the details about the artifact with the beast''s soul.


    To bond with it, a cultivator needed to gain acknowledgment from the soul inside. Otherwise, they would face backlash from it.


    The old man wasn''t worried since the worst that could happen was MingYue suffering some minor internal injuries.


    He just wanted to teach MingYue a lesson to respect him more.


    In MingYue''s inner world, two arctic foxes the size of an adult human bared their fangs at her, but just as they were about to pounce, another silhouette appeared behind MingYue.


    Vesa grinned, showing its fangs towards them.


    This made both foxes stop in their tracks; they instantly turned into docile foxes and shrank to the size of a toy dog.


    Seeing this, MingYue smiled.


    She didn''t know much about beast souls, but she dared to infuse her qi to check anything because of Vesa''s existence.


    MingYue then walked toward the foxes and started petting them.


    Back in the real world, both swords stopped vibrating, making the old man''s sneer turn into speechlessness.


    He shook his head, realizing at this point he should just stop being surprised by what MingYue did.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile, and then she placed both swords inside her storage ring.


    The old man admitted defeat and started explaining the other weapons, even without MingYue asking.


    With a dispirited voice, he explained, "The hammer on the left was used by our founder to fight and craft artifacts.


    It was found in the same secret realm as the sword you used, and it also contains a beast''s soul.


    It has the ability to convert your qi into the fire element, as well as change its weight and size from one-tenth to ten times its original size. Its name is EmberShift Warhammer."


    He then pointed at the last weapon, "The last one, as you can see, is a bow. It can convert your qi into arrows. I don''t know much about this one since I have never even seen it being used. But they all should be of the same quality and strength."


    MingYue felt satisfied with the weapons. She knew they would boost her combat power tremendously.


    She wasn''t sure whom to give the bow to, but she knew she could exchange the Warhammer with Alex.


    Through their interactions, she learned that Alex preferred using them.


    In his words, the feeling of smashing something gave him more dopamine.


    MingYue didn''t know what dopamine was before this, which made her ask him.


    In response, Alex gave her a biology book.


    She just turned a few pages before placing it in the furthest corner of her storage ring.


    All the words there were so foreign to her that it made her head hurt even trying to read them.


    After emptying the vault, MingYue moved to the last room in the area.


    She expected to find some artifact or item, but, to her surprise, she found a skeleton sitting on a simple wooden chair with a storage ring on its finger.


    The skeleton was carved with many formations, making MingYue realize it was the core of the array.


    The old man''s eyes turned nostalgic upon seeing the room.


    It was the place where he had spent his last few years alone, away from everyone else.


    With a sigh, he said, "There are only the formation cores here, nothing important. Inside my storage ring, it''s filled with scrolls, but they''re not secret techniques or anything. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s the history of the Xueqi family. You can find out what happened in the past in detail from there."


    Seeing this, MingYue started to respect the old man more.


    ''He really sincerely wishes for the Xueqi family to rise, even going as far as using his own cultivation to sustain the array,'' she thought.


    She then looked at the old man with a solemn expression.


    "The real formation core should have been destroyed, and then you used your own cultivation to sustain the array. Why would you do that?"


    The old man sighed, "I was waiting, waiting for a prodigy like you who could use all these resources to rise and bring the family back up. But as you can see, my gamble resulted badly.


    Now, I''m just a wisp of a soul, barely living. If you hadn''t come here within a year, my soul would also have dissipated. In that case, Zhang would need to step up and take over my place."


    MingYue chuckled; she felt like she was hearing a hilarious joke.


    "That selfish bastard? Sacrificing himself? You are dreaming."


    The old man''s shoulders slumped.


    "You are right. I think what happened to you is also because of the pressure on his shoulders.


    He doesn''t know about the vault, but I told him my soul would dissipate after a year, and with it, the root of the family would be gone if he didn''t step up to replace me. To think, instead of becoming determined, he did that."


    [Queen, should we start? I will affix his soul into the storage ring on the skeleton''s finger.]


    "Let''s start then."


    MingYue walked toward the skeleton, her amber eyes with a red hue glinting as her palm touched it.

 Chapter 45: Pillar of Flame (Bonus Chapter 100 ps)

    The old man started feeling panic as he felt like he was being absorbed by some indiscernible power.


    "Don''t worry, old man. MingHao will fulfill your dream. Just do your work."


    Those were the last words the old man heard before everything turned dark for him until MingHao used the ring later on.


    The skeleton then crumbled into dust. MingYue took the ring with her.


    With the core gone, the array protection inside the Ancestral Hall also started turning off, barely functioning with the energy remnants in the circuit.


    MingYue didn''t rush out of the room since there was no one else around; this place was the best for her breakthrough.


    She then sat in the lotus position and closed her eyes.


    Knowing what to do, Vesa began converting all the excess life force into MingYue''s cultivation.


    Green threads of life force started spreading in her body toward her core formation.


    MingYue took breaths in a specific pattern, circulating the energy to ensure everything ran smoothly. It didn''t take long for her cultivation to rise by one minor realm.


    ____________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 7.5


    Progenitor Transformation: 7.35/100%


    Life Force: 200/200


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Late Level


    Secret Arts: Absolute Zero Tempest Sweep


    ____________________________


    "Isn''t the result too small? I absorbed life force from three peak Nascent Soul stages. Did you take some of it too?" MingYue asked, feeling suspicious.


    [¡­]


    [Uh, Queen, I did take some of it, but the majority of it was lost since I filtered it to ensure no side effects were left in your cultivation.] Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why would you need to take it? I asked you before, and you said this life force barely had any use in recovering your power."


    Vesa paused for a moment, thinking of what to say since it didn''t want to reveal information behind the King''s back.


    [This is because of what happened on the King''s side. You should ask him about it.]


    [The King also found a good method to raise your life force limit.]


    [Right now, I keep every excess of life force. It''s no problem for now, but this will mean you cannot use it.]


    "Using it? What purpose does the life energy have other than boosting my cultivation?"


    On Alex''s side, he still needed to finish all foundation stages before he could use life force to boost his cultivation quickly.


    However, Vesa thought Alex probably wouldn''t do this much since he wanted to modify how cultivation worked.


    Vesa then explained how life force could be used to heal her body, and in the future, she would learn how to use it in a fight.


    MingYue then returned to the ancestral hall. She looked toward the Xueqi family''s ancestral gravestone.


    Before, she would have destroyed all of it, but out of respect for the old man, she took it all into her storage ring.


    She knew the place would be pillaged by the commoners soon. If she didn''t do this, the gravestone would be desecrated.


    Outside, people had already gathered and prepared to leave.


    With MingYue''s return, they then started the trip back to the secret realm after they were some distance away from the city.


    BOOM!!!


    A pillar of flame exploded, making MingHao turn his head back.


    He was currently sitting in the carriage driver''s seat with ZanLu. From that direction, he could tell it was from Dai Yin City.


    ZanLu didn''t seem surprised since it was something he had prepared under MingYue''s orders.


    "Don''t worry, it just blew up the Xueqi family estate. We already informed the people left there about this; there should be no casualties."


    Hearing this, MingHao''s shoulders slumped. "Sis is always so decisive. She really destroyed everything. The Xueqi family is no more now."


    "I don''t know how you Cultivators do things, but aren''t you and your sister here? Young Master, a family is where the people are. As long as you continue the Xueqi family name, it will always exist."


    Hearing those words, MingHao''s eyes flickered.


    ZanLu could see a flame of determination in them. He then continued talking to comfort and motivate MingHao.


    Behind the carriage, Jiang Feng looked at the pillar of flame with a complicated gaze. He was now moving with his whole family, deciding to move away from the city.


    He didn''t want to stay there any longer; over time, his attachment to the Xueqi family had dwindled.


    He then looked to his right side, seeing his daughter-in-law carrying his granddaughter.


    His eyes filled with love and expectation.


    Jiang Feng still remembers the phenomenon from when she was born; he could feel the room vibrate at that time, with a strange pressure pulling them down, as if a heavy weight was on their shoulders.


    He hoped his granddaughter could grow into a strong cultivator so she could have control over her own fate.


    Meanwhile, inside the carriage, MingYue didn''t care about all this.


    She could hear what MingHao and ZanLu talked about if she wanted, but she didn''t feel any interest.


    ''Alex, are you busy?''


    ''No, I''m on the road now. Oh yeah, MingYue, before you say anything further, I need to tell you something.''


    Alex then told her what had happened to his sister. He didn''t tell her the details, only the context and parts that impacted her.


    This made MingYue frown. ''No wonder Vesa keeps saying to ask you... So you are saying I need to look for an immortal to kill now? And you need to find a similar one in your world?''


    ''No, you just take care of what you want to do and the sect. This is my mistake, so I will be the one responsible for it. And I owe you one for this. Do you have anything you want?''


    Knowing there was nothing she could do about the situation, MingYue decided not to pursue it further.


    She would just capitalize on the opportunity; there was something she wanted.


    Even though she knew they would spend a long time together, it didn''t mean they would become close automatically; their relationship now was more like a business partnership.


    If she wanted something from Alex''s world, she would provide something from her side. So would Alex.


    ''Yes.''


    ''What is it? A gun? Another gadget? Machine?'' Alex asked in MingYue''s mind.

 Chapter 46: Dropped

    "No, I wanted the continuation of one of the novels you gave me before.


    The story just got good, but why are there no next chapters?


    It''s the one with the MC named Lucas. I remember the title had ''kill'' or ''author'' in it."


    Hearing this, Alex smirked. At first, he thought she would get addicted to the mobile game, but then he thought she got addicted to novels instead.


    "Oh, that one. The author dropped the book."


    "What!? Why would he write it if he didn''t plan to finish it? So annoying," MingYue complained.


    Alex chuckled. "Well, I can''t do anything about it.


    I would drop him one hundred castles if he continued the story, but I heard the author died in an accident, crushed by a truck.


    I''ll just send you a completed novel next time. But if you''re still curious, there are fanfictions that continue the author''s story."


    "Fanfiction? Castle?" MingYue asked, not understanding what he meant.


    Alex then explained what fanfiction meant and how a castle was simply a donation of money to support the author.


    In response to that, MingYue declined.


    "No, I''ll just read another story then. If it doesn''t come from the real author, there''s no point in reading it.


    Just prepare it then; we''ll trade when I reach my sect.


    Also, you told me there''s a story with pictures and even videos; send me some of them."


    "She really likes reading stories," Alex thought to himself, but he didn''t mind since that meant they both had the same interests and hobbies.


    He just needed to gather his collection of manhwa and anime onto an SD card and then send it to MingYue.


    "Oh yeah, I found a Warhammer that should be suitable for you.


    Vesa said you found a way to raise Life Force capacity. Let''s exchange it for that, then."


    "That method is still in the experimental stage, but since your situation is similar to mine, there should be no side effects for you."


    Alex then asked MingYue about the progress on the Qi crystal mine.


    "I haven''t taken any, but I got a stockpile of Qi crystals from my family''s treasury.


    Most of it is low-grade, but there should be thousands of them. I will send some of the medium-quality ones to you later."


    "No need for too much. I just need it for experiments. Send the low-quality ones, too.


    If possible, I want to modify a portable generator to run with qi.


    This way, I can just send in devices from my world; there''s no need to modify them," Alex replied.


    He had already used his ability, thinking about how to build one.


    Based on his calculations, Alex had two options: he could order a custom one, replace every single part of it with a more robust one, or create a new component that worked like a stabilizer for the volatile qi energy.


    MingYue then told Alex about her concerns.


    There were a few small qi crystal mines under the Xueqi family, but all the mining processes were handled by affiliated families, and it was labor-intensive.


    This meant that after MingYue took over, she would need to put many people there to guard the mine and also manage the workload and transportation.


    This was a big problem since the sect was still lacking people with decent strength.


    They could use guns, but since only MingYue could control her qi skillfully, the rest of her people would be dependent on Mana crystals, and this was a limited supply since she could only get them from Alex''s world.


    Another reason she didn''t want to do this was that MingYue didn''t want their sect to be discovered by anyone for now.


    Even with all the technology from Alex''s world, compared to real big sects, their military power was still nothing.


    All this instead became detrimental since the sect became a treasure trove that every other sect and prominent family would want to take over.


    Hearing this, Alex suggested, "Why not use Vesa then? You haven''t used Vesa''s abilities to search for treasure.


    Try to look for a new Qi crystal lode, then dig underground and move the secret realm entrance there.


    That way, you won''t need to worry about transport and other people finding the location of the sect."


    Hearing this, MingYue agreed, and she put this on her next to-do list. Alex then asked MingYue about the progress with her family.


    MingYue skimmed over part of the story, only telling him the key points of what happened.


    The reason was that she already knew how he would react; even without the full story, she could already hear him laughing.


    "Told you it wouldn''t be that simple, just like in the novel you read. There''s a reason authors write it like that," Alex said with a chuckle.


    "Hmph, can you stop laughing?


    Thanks to you, I need many life force energies to unlock this pendant. And it''s my life, not a novel; stop comparing it."


    Hearing MingYue''s rebuke and being reminded of his blunder made Alex stop laughing.


    "Alright, sorry, I didn''t mean it like that.


    Anyway, you already used some of the tools from my world in Daying City, and then you blamed it on the Hua family.


    Won''t the people there start talking when they come to investigate?"


    "They won''t believe it. I made sure no photo was left behind.


    I also left them some money; this will make the Hua family think they were bribed to tell lies.


    And without any qi residue, they won''t be able to do much investigation.


    The only result they will get is that a Golden Core cultivator came to the city and destroyed the Xueqi family."


    Alex agreed with her reasoning. He then changed the topic, explaining the storage cube he had made and how he wanted to use it to capture beasts and criminals.


    He would use them as his army until his own cultivation method was perfected.


    Meanwhile, in Alex''s world, inside a luxury car.


    The driver looked at the rearview mirror with a worried expression.


    "The young master doesn''t even look at his phone, and he keeps changing expressions, even laughing.


    Should I tell madam about this?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 47: Meeting Garric

    The driver then remembered that Alex had started acting weird like this after he returned from the research facility.


    He felt worried that something was wrong with Alex''s head and decided he would tell the madam.


    Alex was oblivious to the driver''s gaze; he was too excited, presenting his idea to MingYue.


    The driver didn''t even consider Alex having a brain implant since the technology hadn''t reached the public. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing his idea, MingYue wasn''t that excited.


    The idea of bolstering their force with beasts was appealing, but MingYue herself preferred to fight with her own hands. In her mind, letting someone else take care of her problems would just make her undisciplined.


    If that became a habit, it would negatively affect her cultivation.


    "I think FengXue or the gramps should have that method."


    [FengXue has it, Queen. I already got the information from our ''get-to-know'' session.]


    "That''s good, Vesa. Send it to Alex then."


    She then addressed Alex, "Add more weapons and mana crystals in the next batch. Don''t forget the machinery for construction, too."


    Alex was responsible for making the blueprint for building the sect. MingYue didn''t understand most of it, but she looked forward to the facilities Alex had explained.


    She then chose some of the commoners and gave them books, blueprints, and other explanations Alex had provided, letting them learn it by themselves.


    Now, she was curious about the result.


    MingYue looked forward to having the so-called jet shower, and jacuzzi Alex had told her about.


    Little did she know, this wouldn''t work without Alex succeeding with the qi generator.


    "Well, I hope they won''t mess it up. Why don''t you use the mannequin from before to help with construction?" Alex asked.


    "Not worth it. I only have a few left now, one of which was destroyed when I made it self-destruct against LingHua."


    Alex already knew about this, so he didn''t ask further.


    He had wanted to ask for one to tinker with; the concept was intriguing to him since it worked like a robot, and he had heard Vesa could even program complex movements with it.


    But MingYue told him it was hard to get one, so Alex prioritized other things that were more important.


    "I will try to look for some construction robots that can be run by mana then. I remember reading the news there are a few prototypes of those."


    They continued their talk with the direction to grow the sect.


    Alex gave many suggestions for a modern hierarchy, which MingYue took note of.


    She just needed to modify it to make it more suitable for people in her world.


    Their discussion was interrupted when suddenly Alex felt someone''s presence near him.


    Turning his gaze, he realized the driver wanted to get his attention since the car had already reached its destination.


    "Sorry, Young Master, but we have already arrived for a while."


    He then paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you alright, Young Master? Should we just return home?"


    Alex then ended his contact with MingYue, telling her they would talk again later.


    He then replied to the driver, "I am alright, just wait for me here." He then left the car without further explanation.


    The driver, seeing Alex entering the building, took out his phone and started dialing to call his mom.


    Inside the building, in a fine dining restaurant, Alex gave his name to the waitress.


    Since the room was already booked, she quickly guided him toward the VIP room.


    Inside, Alex saw Emily in casual clothing, a T-shirt and jeans, already waiting for him.


    Opposite her sat a man with a robust figure. He had tidy hair and a beard, with a wound scar over his eyes.


    His black eyes turned sharp like a hawk when Alex entered the room.


    "You are late, brother," Emily complained.


    Alex smiled, "Sorry, I just got off a call. I already reached here a few minutes ago," he then turned his gaze toward the man.


    Emily quickly introduced him, her voice tinged with respect, "He is a three-star hunter and also my mentor. His name is Garric. I learned a lot from him when I first became a hunter."


    "So, you are Emily''s brother." He then looked him up and down and nodded with satisfaction.


    "Your sister calls you good for nothing. That stays home all day. But it seems you have many secrets. As expected from the son of the Crimson Sage."


    Hearing the words "good for nothing," Alex''s gaze sternly turned to Emily, but she looked away, playing dumb.


    Knowing he couldn''t do anything about it, Alex''s lips twitched.


    He then looked at Garric and put his hand forward. "Nice to meet you. I am Alex. It seems you know my father."


    Garric shook his hand. "Every decent hunter knows about him.


    What your dad chose deserves respect. Many hunters just escape their responsibility in his situation."


    Alex took his seat beside Emily, deep in his heart, replying to Garric, "And we, his family, are now the ones paying for it."


    But he kept an amiable smile outside. He was here to make an agreement with the hunter association, not to debate personal values.


    "Let''s get straight to the point then. You should have heard my sister Emily wants to reopen the Suzaku guild.


    And I have a new power system to make a deal with the Association."


    Garric nodded, then gestured for him to continue.


    Alex took out the storage cube, and from it, he took out a laptop onto the table.


    It wasn''t the first time Garric had seen an ability that interfered with space, so he understood the cube functioned like some kind of storage item, but he had never seen one as small as that.


    "What is that item?" Garric asked.


    Alex did this on purpose; he wanted to show the company''s product so Garric would be interested.


    "It''s one of the prototypes of my company''s products. In fact, I want to ask the Association for help with the permit to sell it."

 Chapter 48: Choosing Dungeon

    Every single item that used mana needed to get permission from the Hunters Association to be sold to the public. It functioned as quality control and ensured it could not be misused by the public.


    He then put the storage cube on the table, turned on the laptop, and opened the document.


    Alex showed it to Garric, "Let''s talk about it later. The main topic now is this power system; you can check it here."


    Alex had told his sister not to talk about any details regarding the power system, so he knew Garric knew nothing of it.


    The cultivation method he gave to Garric had been completely modified by Alex.


    If cultivators typically started by building up their bodies first to ensure they could create the best golden core, then Alex reversed the process, changing it to use mana to directly create a core.


    This allowed them to create their own pseudo-golden core.


    For awakeners, it would boost their abilities to a new level, and for normal people, it would enable them to gain their own abilities.


    Another effect was prolonging their lives.


    After this, the next step was to grow the core and make the body adapt to it.


    The power system then ended here; since Alex had reversed the method, this drastically limited the growth and strength of the user.


    The body acted as a container for the core.


    If normal people did this with qi, the result would be that their bodies would blow up since they could not contain the energy.


    However, since Alex used mana, the body wouldn''t blow up; however, it would severely limit the growth of the core.


    The core was at a phase that needed to be nurtured, not nurtured by the body.


    But Alex did this on purpose; he was sure this power system would be enough to entice the hunter.


    As he expected, Garric''s eyes glinted with interest as he focused on reading the information.


    "I think that should be enough," Alex said as he closed the laptop monitor from the back.


    "You can choose a few people to confirm the cultivation method, but before that, I have my own request."


    "Before I give it to you, I want the guild to be reestablished first, with exclusive access to three category 1 dungeons, two category 2 dungeons, and one category 3 dungeon.


    I also want a permit for my product.


    Once the power system is confirmed, the Hunter Association should take full credit while hiding any information that you got it from me.


    Then, you need to give me privileged access to information and the market for three-star hunters, and no questions about where I got this."


    Hearing Alex''s demands, Garric frowned; many of those were not something he could approve of.


    But he knew it was of the utmost importance for him to bring this back; this power system would be a solution for what they needed most now¡ªmore hunters.


    "I need to bring this cultivation method back first before we can talk further."


    "Even though the one here is incomplete, if you want to bring it back, you need to fulfill some of my conditions first."


    "I will be blunt; I hate back-and-forth negotiation.


    What I can do at most is approval for the guild''s establishment. For the rest, I cannot do anything."


    "That''s not enough, Mr. Garric.


    I know you can''t directly grant me the dungeons, but you should be able to give me a special permit to enter category two dungeons.


    Give me this, and we have a deal.


    I also want you to make sure no one knows I got this permit," Alex asserted.


    Hearing his words, Emily, who had been silent, cut in, "Brother, you''re planning to enter a dungeon? It''s dangerous."


    Even though she knew Alex could regenerate, the thought of her brother entering the dungeon alone still worried her.


    Garric also felt the same; the reason he took care of Emily was because he had been there when her father held the dungeon break.


    If not for him, he and his family would likely have stayed there forever.


    This made Garric feel indebted to their father, but he didn''t tell Alex or Emily.


    "Your sister is right. I can grant you a special permit, but you''ll need to take at least three one-star hunters with you."


    Hearing their concerns, Alex felt slightly annoyed.


    He wanted to enter to search for monsters to capture and absorb their life force.


    Emily was fine, but entering with another two hunters was too risky for him.


    He couldn''t just kill them to make sure they stayed silent; the other option was to enslave them.


    But Alex also didn''t want to do that again; in Professor Faerith''s case, he had no choice, and that still made him feel guilty.


    Seeing her brother deep in thought, MingYue then answered for him. "We agree, Mentor."


    Alex frowned, wanting to interject, but Emily''s eyes told him not to worry.


    He then sighed, deciding to trust her. "Let''s do it that way then, Mr. Garric."


    They shook hands and made a deal.


    Garric then told Alex he would still need to meet with the higher-ups once again to finalize the agreement. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After he left, Alex asked Emily, "Do you have any ideas? We can''t bring more people."


    "Don''t worry, I know what to do. For now, how about we order some food first?"


    Emily then raised an eyebrow as she received a message from Garric.


    "Mentor asked if you have a specific dungeon in mind. He sent me a list of dungeons; I''ll forward it to you."


    A new message appeared on Alex''s interface, showing a list of category two dungeons near the area.


    Alex began to narrow down the list using his ability to choose the best dungeon with the least risk for his purpose.


    He narrowed it to three options.


    - Goblin Hollows


    - Frostbite Den


    - Serpent''s Lair


    Goblins were versatile monsters with some intelligence.


    They would serve as good workers since they had a humanoid form. This also made them versatile, as Alex could arm them with various weapons.

 Chapter 49: Qi, Mana, Lifeforce

    The next one, Frostbite Den, was filled with many types of monsters, some humanoid, others just beasts. This would allow Alex to capture a variety of monsters.


    The last one, Serpent''s Lair, was filled with serpents. What interested Alex here were the exotic resources that came from the serpents. If he captured many of them, he would be able to obtain his own source of various types of toxins and venoms.


    These would become great sources of income and experimental materials for Alex. After all, their toxins could be used for many things, not just poison. He could use them to make medicine or other materials.


    But his thoughts were cut short as a delicious aroma reached his nose, making his stomach rumble in protest.


    This made Emily chuckle, "Let''s eat first. You''re always like that; when deep in thought, you forget everything, so I ordered the food for you."


    Seeing the dishes on the table, which were his favorite, made Alex ignore his sister''s remark.


    ''Well, it''s not like we''re going to go today.


    I still need to make more cubes to capture the animals and modify them with the beast bond contract,'' he thought.


    They then had a meal together before going their separate ways. Alex returned to the research facility because he wanted to finish the project quickly.


    When he arrived there, he saw Faerith still busy tinkering with the storage cube.


    "How is the progress?"


    Faerith, with a satisfied smile on her face, pointed at a few things on the table. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was a watch and a mobile phone, along with types of jewelry, earrings, a bracelet, and a ring.


    "I''ve done it; I need to optimize it now and add a security system.


    The storage space for the items varies; for the watch and mobile phone, it can go up to 2 cubic meters, but for the jewelry, it can only go up to one cubic meter.


    The jewelry can''t function on its own; it needs to be paired with an app to work.


    As for the energy, each of them is wirelessly charged with mana."


    Even though Faerith said it was wirelessly charged, it still needed to be placed on a charging station to start charging.


    Alex felt satisfied with the result. He gave some praise to Faerith and then moved to his own research bench.


    Faerith looked at him, thinking, ''He seems changed, the hue in his red eyes has become deeper, and his body seems fitter now.''


    She then started noting it in her personal notes, still obsessed with the progenitor''s blood.


    Meanwhile, Alex started working on the box to capture humans and beasts.


    The beast bond contract he obtained from MingYue required the blood of the creature and the cultivator, which he needed to put into the formation.


    Based on the analysis from Vesa, the formation took part of the creature''s soul as the medium. Then, it mixed it with the cultivator, making the beast instinctively think the cultivator was their kin.


    If the beast was smarter or even had its own cultivation, this would result in a clash of souls.


    If the cultivator won, the beast would submit to them; conversely, the reverse could also happen.


    But for Alex and MingYue, who had Vesa as part of their soul, this was not a problem.


    Just as intelligent beings had a higher existence than normal animals, progenitors were even a level higher.


    They would never be subdued by those of lower existence, but backlash was still possible if they were defeated.


    This was a hassle for Alex; he didn''t want to have to defeat creatures twice. He already needed to beat them to near death to capture them in the dimensional storage.


    Alex also needed to think of a better way to provide a suitable environment for the creatures to live in; he didn''t want to set up each one individually every time.


    ''Hmm, since an array is just like an electronic circuit, I should be able to incorporate some advanced logic into it.


    Using their life force as input, I should be able to extract the environment they need and then use the information to adjust the living space inside the storage.''


    Alex then started considering everything vital for a living being''s existence, pressure, air, and terrain.


    All of this could be manipulated with technology from his world; he just needed to use mana to sustain it.


    This still meant he needed to set up preset settings in the sphere, such as an ice biome, forest biome, and undersea biome.


    Alex started moving on the interface, playing with the formation array like a line of computer code.


    The more he learned about it, the more excited he felt.


    An array fueled with energy like qi or mana was like playing with computer code, but this one directly affected reality.


    The bigger the change he implemented, the more energy would be required, but this didn''t mean he could change matters at will.


    Then, a question surfaced in his mind. ''Mana and qi produce different results; what if I use life force to fuel it instead?''


    Alex asked Vesa about this, making Vesa sigh in defeat, ''Even without my knowledge, the King will keep progressing forward,'' Vesa thought.


    What Alex thought was not only possible but had been done and improved upon many times over by the vampire race using what they called Rune.


    However, using Rune was not easy.


    Cultivators used arrays and formations with many materials to cast them, but Vesa and Alex directly manipulated the qi, creating their own complex circuit with it.


    To use life force to create their own Rune or array required Alex to have the capability to manipulate it.


    Vesa then explained this to Alex.


    "Is there really no other way to utilize life force?"


    [Well, if you could obtain a relic from when the Vampire race was at its peak, then it''s possible. But that is even harder than progressing to become a progenitor, King.


    Every single one who holds our race''s relics is our enemy.]

 Chapter 50: How to Subdue Them? Capitalism?

    [There might be a few items they missed, but the chance of us obtaining any of them is very small.]


    Knowing there was nothing he could do about it now, Alex returned to his project and resumed his work.


    A few hours passed by until he had input all the information into the formation.


    His next step was to input a sequence of formations to capture the beast''s soul.


    Since the beasts or criminals he put inside would already be half-dead, obtaining their blood information would be easy.


    He then started thinking of a solution for the next problem to avoid having to fight them again.


    The end result he desired was to make them submit to him as their master without any risk.


    "People here achieve this loyalty by brainwashing them with ideology since childhood.


    But since the array can directly interact with their soul," Alex wondered if he could affect their instincts, changing them from self-preservation to submission toward him.


    He then discussed this with Vesa.


    [It''s possible for those with low intelligence, King, but for those that can feel emotion, there will be a risk of betrayal. Just like you read news about how a lover or parent sacrifices their own life.]


    "That is true. The reason they do this is because of the bond they share.


    Is there a way to bypass this, Vesa? To build a bond directly with any creature?"


    [It''s normally impossible since every creature has different core values, even those of the same species.


    Just like there are humans who prioritize relationships, we have those who prioritize money.


    And this is with a comprehensive education system for dozens of years, King, where your government tries to instill similar core values in everyone.]


    "Well, everyone has different situations and families.


    If we really gave everyone exactly the same conditions, I think they would end up with the same result."


    [Still not one hundred percent, King. Some people are just born different; the exact same situation can produce different reactions.


    Since many species with high-level intelligence are emotional beings, I think the best way is to take a wisp of their soul and then threaten their lives with it.


    I know you abhor this kind of idea, King, but this is the most efficient way. After this, you can start building up your bond with them.]


    "It seems I have no choice over this."


    [Since you are the progenitor, and you hold a wisp of their soul, they will instinctively feel you are their master since your soul is at a higher level of existence.


    The more you progress as a progenitor, the bigger this suppression will be.]


    Alex knitted his eyebrows; he never believed that loyalty coming from suppression and fear would last.


    History in his world had proven this many times over.


    Every country that got colonized fought back in the end, just as the slavery system ended up in revolution.


    [That depends, King. If you don''t push them too hard and give them the appropriate reward, they will get used to their circumstances.


    Isn''t modern capitalism working like that?]


    Reading this, Alex chuckled, feeling stupid for not realizing this sooner. But then he realized it was not weird since he never had problems with money.


    The government only cared about natural resources, but for the citizens, all they focused on was money since money could practically be used for everything. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made them run through all their thoughts to get it, forgetting where the things they consumed came from.


    This had gone to the extent that people committed suicide because they had no money. Some even died from hunger, while in reality, there were still many safe areas in the forest where they could hunt for beasts and scavenge for fruits, mushrooms, and vegetables.


    These people had been spoiled too much, to the point they forgot their survival instinct.


    ''Since I will only use them to fight anyway, I will just make it like a game.''


    Alex grinned and started to modify the formation.


    He turned it into two systems: one system to change the structure inside the storage for those he captured and the other system to work as an admin and server.


    As an expert gamer and whale god, his experience with how games worked could be called second to none.


    Many people thought that no skill was needed since he used his wallet as a weapon to conquer every hard boss or dungeon.


    While this was correct in the past, in the new VR world, people still needed to have the skills to solo bosses.


    What use was having a katana with millions of damage if you couldn''t even use it to hit the enemy once?


    It''s not like the bosses would just sit there waiting for you to hit them. So, even though Alex was not a master, he was still an expert in his gaming skills and even more sensitive to game balance since he often looked for items to whale to break it.


    Ideas started pouring from his mind like water.


    Alex created a system like a strategy game, where those inside would be given objectives every day and get points from them.


    They could then use the points to decorate and buy items from the admin system, where Alex just needed to put items inside it.


    This way, Alex didn''t need to worry they would get bored, as many of these people would also get used to the point system at some point.


    If he could get a secret realm by himself, this would enhance the system even further, allowing them to expand their living space.


    For their social needs, Alex would give them a chat system that also costs points to use.


    "Capitalist system at its finest," Alex mumbled with a smirk.


    It took Alex three days without sleeping to establish everything. On the first day, he exchanged items with MingYue.


    She sent 128 low-grade Qi Crystals and three medium-grade Qi Crystals, along with some other items.


    With a satisfied smile, he looked at the result of his work.

 Chapter 51: Awe System

    There was one big sphere that worked as the server and hundreds of small cubes.


    Alex had decided to name this product Awe System and Awe Cube because he wanted every creature to feel awe inside of it.


    ''This should work as a prototype for my soul game in the future.


    I can also use them to experiment with my new cultivation method. They will even try hard to do it for more points.''


    Exhaustion washed over his body since he had been too focused on his work, forgetting everything else.


    The cube had to be in the same space as the server for the system to work.


    He also needed to keep filling it with items and consumables and maintain it with qi and mana to ensure everything ran smoothly. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His stomach started rumbling in protest, prompting him to glance at the nearby fridge stocked with snacks.


    But the moment he did, Alex''s eyes bulged in shock. He felt like his heart was trying to bounce out of his ribcage.


    "Mom??? What in the world are you doing here?? You almost turned me into a ghost," Alex exclaimed, clutching his chest.


    Luca sat on the couch, sipping tea and playing around with the Storage cube.


    Her eyes perked up, hearing Alex''s surprised words.


    "So you finally came back to your senses. I was just wondering how long you would be like that. You''re really just like your father.


    What am I doing here? Is it weird for a mom to look for her son after three days???"


    After getting a call from the driver, Luca, still feeling worried, checked her son''s schedule and the place he had gone before.


    Luca usually didn''t do this since she didn''t want to be an intrusive mom. She knew her kids would hate her if she did that without any reason.


    She then found out Alex had gone to Pandora''s research facility, and this made her think of a few scenarios that could explain Alex''s behavior, as the driver had described.


    Compared to the driver, Luca knew the latest technology, so she suspected Alex might be getting a brain chip, with the worst scenario being that he had been experimented on.


    Luca decided to ask Alex later when he got home, but after a day, her son was nowhere to be seen. This made her look for him at this place named Suzaku Genesis Complex, or SGE for short.


    "What? Three days?"


    Luca smiled and walked toward Alex, looking into his black eyes, "Are you hiding something from me?"


    ''His eyes seem to have a tinge of red,'' Luca thought to herself, but this didn''t worry her since there were many ways to change eye color without side effects.


    Alex turned his gaze away, "Nothing important, Mom."


    "Look me in the eye!" his mother said sternly.


    Sweat started dripping down his forehead. ''Damn, I knew it; even facing real monsters is not as intense as this. Mom really is the final secret boss.''


    Alex then tried to change the topic. "So, Mom, have you checked the cube?


    It''s good, right? I wasn''t lying when I said we could bring our family to a new level."


    Luca looked at the cube in her palm with a complicated gaze. She was amazed by it, but it also reminded her a lot of Edward.


    It was similar in the past; she would accompany Edward by his side as he focused on his work, creating a wonder that then earned them a lot of money.


    "I know you''ve met up with Emily lately and also about the guild."


    She paused for a moment, then asked, "Tell me honestly, Alex.


    I know you don''t think your dad is still alive, so why do you do that?


    If it''s just to procure artifacts or anything else, there are many other ways. And the name¡­"


    Seeing her expression, Alex knew his mother was in turmoil.


    Part of her wanted to move on already since it had been years without any news. But the other part still hoped that Edward was still alive.


    Alex sighed. He still felt there was a 90% chance his father was dead, and even if he survived, what kind of situation was not allowing him to return back to his family?


    He knew how much his father loved his mom.


    "It''s for Emily. You know she will return there no matter what," Alex replied.


    Luca''s eyes turned teary; she hugged Alex for a moment and then patted his head, "I cooked some food for you; it''s on the table. Don''t forget to have some lunch."


    Then she left Alex alone.


    Seeing his mom''s lonely back made Alex''s heart feel pierced with sharp pain.


    "Vesa, what do you think? Is it possible my father is still alive?"


    [If my speculation is correct, then it''s possible, King.


    Since a dungeon is just an entry to another world, with your father''s ability, I suspect he either took the initiative to push into the dungeon and got captured by the species there.]


    "You should have seen my memory. Based on the monster''s appearance, do you know what species they are?"


    Alex still remembered it clearly¡ªthe reptilian eyes, the gleaming scale that reflected the sun.


    [They are half-dragons, or we call them lower dragons. When dragons mix with other humanoid species, they are the result of it.]


    "Lower dragon?"


    [The real dragon race is a prideful creature; they look down on most species.


    Sometimes, as a result of experiments or a weird turn of events, these kinds of species are born.]


    "That is not important. What will they do with the prisoner?"


    [They adore strength. Usually, they use prisoners as slaves or as gladiators, making them fight in the arena.


    If your father was captured, this is probably his fate.]


    Considering his father and the guild''s strength at that time, they should be able to survive. "What about the time difference in their world?"


    Some dungeons had a time difference; some did not.


    Alex didn''t know which category that dungeon belonged to. If the dungeon had time dilation slower than Earth, this would raise the chance his father was still alive.


    It had been years on his planet, but it could only have been a few months or even days in that world.


    [One more thing, King, The Dragon race is one of our enemies.]

 Chapter 52: Entering the Dungeon

    [One more thing, King, the Dragon race is one of our enemies.]


    Reading Vesa''s warning, Alex knew he needed to be extra careful in that place;


    If his existence as a vampire progenitor was found out, it would pose a huge risk to him.


    He didn''t know how strong the Dragon race was, but Alex knew they were out of his league for now.


    Alex then sighed and looked toward the paper bag on the table. His eyes burned with the flame of determination.


    "It was too risky for me to go there in the past, but now it''s different. I will make sure to bring you back, Dad, dead or alive."


    He then started unpacking the meal.


    Meanwhile, outside the facility, Emily had an encounter with Luca.


    Emily had come since she already got the permit to enter the dungeon with Alex. She had asked her mentor to give it to her in her name.


    Emily did this on purpose; she didn''t want Alex to sneakily enter the dungeon by himself.


    She then, by coincidence, met Luca when she had just left the room.


    Seeing her daughter closely again made Luca smile.


    Emily, instead, felt awkward; she still remembered the big fight they had before she left the house.


    Luca wiped the tears away, then looked at Emily up and down, seeing her all well, which made her feel relieved.


    "It''s good that you are alright. Don''t do anything risky with your brother," she said in a warm tone.


    Luca then hugged the stupefied Emily tightly for a moment and said, "Alex is inside. I cooked a lot of meals for him; you should eat too.


    Call me when you have time, okay?"


    She then left Emily, who was still in a daze.


    Seeing her mother''s back, Emily felt weird; it was not how she imagined their meeting would happen. It should have been filled with debates and high-pitched voices.


    Emily didn''t know, but Luca had made a decision.


    Seeing Alex these last few days and Emily reminded her of Edward and made her realize both her kids were mature enough now. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''It''s time; they should be alright even if something happens to me,'' Luca thought to herself.


    After her mother left, Emily still felt weird.


    She couldn''t put her finger on it but felt she would regret not stopping her mom. But the moment had already passed, and with a resigned sigh, she entered the room.


    The sunset painted the sky into twilight. But not in this place, where two suns hung brightly in the sky, one blue and the other red.


    "LEVEL UP! You get 38 exp!!! LEVEL UP!!!!" Alex said loudly with a laugh.


    "And now for the final attack, ladies and gentlemen, ULTIMATE SMASH!!! CRITICAL HIT!"


    BAM!!! CRACK!!! The ground cracked like a spiderweb as he smashed his Warhammer down toward the dying wolf, turning its head into a pancake.


    This left Emily and Vesa speechless inside his mind.


    [King, I don''t get it. What''s this about leveling up? What''s exp? This isn''t a game.]


    ''No need to think about it, Vesa. I''m just having fun,'' Alex replied as he looked around the area.


    The ground was filled with small craters, and many towering trees rose from the ground.


    On one of the displays it showed that he had already killed 12 Wolf Howlers in total. Alex had told Vesa before to add this extra information.


    Then, the wolf bodies turned into green light, floating toward Alex.


    [380 Life Force Absorbed]


    Seeing the number notification, Alex laughed, ''What a coincidence,'' he thought.


    "Now I understand the main reason you don''t want other hunters here. You still care about your sister''s face," Emily said in an exasperated tone as she approached Alex.


    "It''s called enjoying life, Emily. The enemies here are weaker than I expected."


    Alex then looked at the area map from Vesa. Since this wasn''t a secret realm, it only showed many red dots moving, telling Alex the enemies'' locations.


    "Get off your high horse. What makes a goblin dangerous is their numbers.


    Don''t forget, this is a category two dungeon, meaning we will face off with ogres or the Goblin Lord boss.


    We need to move carefully; one wrong move and we''ll be overwhelmed by their numbers," Emily reminded.


    "Don''t worry, that won''t happen. Just follow me."


    Seeing her brother move without waiting for her made Emily''s veins pop.


    She quickly dashed after him, "Can you stop playing around, brother!? This is a dungeon.


    Don''t talk loudly and move around without direction.


    We need to check for tracks to see if any monsters have passed by here. You should listen to me... Mpphpmmh."


    Emily''s words were suddenly cut off as Alex placed his palm over her mouth.


    He then gestured for her to stay silent. "There are enemies moving toward us. Let''s hide," Alex whispered.


    Emily frowned; at first, she didn''t understand how Alex knew this, but then she realized it was related to his system.


    This made her glare at Alex, ''This stupid brother of mine, can''t you tell me from the start?'' she thought to herself.


    Emily then nodded and quickly turned alert, looking in the direction Alex pointed.


    They started crouching, hiding behind a bush, and then moved forward slowly.


    Emily then took out a pair of binoculars to look in that direction.


    She could see a group of goblins: four goblin archers, five goblin warriors wielding spears and axes, three goblins riding Wolf Howlers with spears in their hands, and finally, a High Goblin.


    The High Goblin''s eyes flickered with intelligence, and she held a big sword while wearing armor.


    Using Vesa, Alex quickly scanned their information.


    __________________________


    Goblin Warrior


    Power Level: 2.0


    Lifeforce: 42/60


    Ability:


    Battle Frenzy


    Increases attack speed and power level by 50% for 30 seconds. After the effect, the goblin warrior becomes exhausted, reducing its defense and speed by 25% for 1 hour.


    *


    Goblin Archer


    Power Level: 1.8


    Lifeforce: 31/50


    Ability:


    Arrow Barrage


    Launches a rapid succession of arrows at multiple targets, dealing increased damage. The goblin archer cannot move while using this ability and is vulnerable for a few seconds afterward.


    _________________

 Chapter 53: Fighting the Goblin

    ______________________________


    Goblin Rider


    Power Level: 2.5


    Lifeforce: 42/70


    Ability:


    Charge Assault


    The Goblin Rider and its mount charge at high speed, dealing significant damage to the first enemy hit. This ability temporarily increases the rider''s defense but leaves them disoriented after the charge.


    *


    High Goblin


    Power Level: 3.5


    Lifeforce: 50/80


    Ability:


    Cunning Plan


    Utilizing their hawk eyes, High Goblins can survey the field from above. The High Goblin cannot move when this ability is activated, rendering them vulnerable.


    This ability also allows High Goblins to transmit their plan directly to nearby goblins, coordinating their movements and attacks with precision.


    ______________________________


    "A High Goblin..." Alex quickly identified the monster leading the group.


    He knew this meant he needed to finish all of them quickly.


    If the High Goblin used her ability, it would become a huge problem.


    Even if Alex and Emily could overwhelm them in strength, they could still strategically retreat and then come back with a bigger force.


    Emily frowned at the appearance of the High Goblin, meaning the hidden boss, the High Goblin Lord, was here.


    Every time hunters entered a dungeon, the area always changed, making mapping the dungeon useless.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t entirely random; the type of monsters they encountered was always similar.


    But sometimes, a new monster type appeared.


    When this happened, the boss would change, which hunters called the hidden boss. This offered better loot, but it also meant the dungeon''s difficulty would be higher.


    These kinds of things rarely happened; even out of 100 dungeon dives, barely one or two instances would encounter a hidden boss.


    Emily wasn''t sure whether to call them lucky or just unlucky.


    "If I had known this would happen, I would have at least brought Zold with us."


    Alex used his ability to calculate the plan he had in mind.


    A smirk formed on his lips since the success rate of his plan was at least 90%, and he should be able to capture at least half of them, with his biggest target being the High Goblin.


    Seeing her brother gazing at the High Goblin made Emily say to Alex''s mind with a teasing tone, "I never knew you had that kind of kink.


    Makes me wonder if MingYue really looks like what you say."


    Alex''s vein popped at his sister''s remark, "The High Goblin may be attractive, but that''s not my type."


    "See, you just admitted it looks attractive," Emily laughed. She just wanted to tease him.


    The High Goblin did have a perfect figure and a good face, but the skin was still blue, making her look like an alien. Emily knew her brother wouldn''t be interested.


    Realizing his blunder, Alex changed the topic. "You know that''s not what I meant. Forget it. Check the plan I sent to your implant."


    Both of them had Erx chips implanted, allowing them to communicate telepathically when they were close.


    Checking the plan, Emily agreed. Alex then took out a rifle and targeted the area around the goblins.


    BANG!


    The bullet pierced through the air, directly hitting its target, the ground, right in the middle area.


    BOOM!


    A blinding flash of light exploded in the area, leaving all the goblins stunned and dazed.


    Emily wasted no time; she sprinted toward the area.


    Although using her ability, she could easily decimate all of them, they wanted to keep it for emergencies.


    A spear then appeared in her hand, her first target being the High Goblin.


    With a swift motion, Emily spun her spear, hitting the High Goblin right in the head with the back of the spear.


    She hit her consecutively in the chest and leg.


    BAM! BAM!


    Caught off guard, the High Goblin was too late to fight back. Pain spread all over her body before the world turned dark for her.


    While Emily did this, Alex also got close to the field. Seeing the High Goblin sent flying toward him as planned, he threw the Awe Cube.


    The moment it made contact, the High Goblin turned into light, entering the cube. The cube then started vibrating a few times before it stopped.


    ''Yes, success,'' Alex said in his mind.


    Alex had modified the Awe Cube to activate upon contact with the target.


    After a successful capture, Alex could read all their information in real-time as long as the cube was close to him. However, he knew he didn''t have time to do that now.


    As the dazzling light disappeared, Emily didn''t stop; she started going for the kill, her next target being the Goblin Archer.


    Her spear pierced through the Goblin Archer''s head, killing it instantly. She then threw the body at another Archer.


    The Goblin Rider was the first to regain their senses, but Alex didn''t give them any moment to act.


    He now leaped into the air and smashed his hammer down on the rider''s head.


    Alex had already reduced the weight, hoping he could knock the Goblin out, but he could still hear the sound of the Goblin''s skeleton cracking.


    Alex threw the Awe Cube toward it.


    He didn''t wait to see if the capture succeeded or not since the wolf the rider was on was still undamaged; the success rate wouldn''t be high.


    "Awoooo!!!!" the other wolf rider made their wolf use its skill, "Howl of the Pack."


    The ability resonated, waking all the goblins from their daze.


    Emily, who was now beating the other Archer, turned her gaze toward the Goblin Warrior. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her body arched back like a professional athlete, and she threw her spear with finesse and deadly accuracy toward the soldier.


    Alex could see from the many red circles starting to approach them that they would quickly be surrounded; he had no time to hold back.


    "It''s harder than I expected," Alex said to himself.


    Based on his plan, he would shoot the flash bullet, capture the High Goblin, hit the Goblin Rider to knock it out, and then move to the other rider before they could cast their skill.


    In his calculations, his body should have been able to move like that, but controlling his strength while moving at top speed was easier said than done.

 Chapter 54: Failure

    His delayed action allowed the wolf rider to call for backup. "I should have calculated my inexperience in combat."


    SWOOSH!!!


    The goblin soldier''s body was pierced, turning into a gaping hole from Emily''s spear. She then took out two submachine guns in her hands and started shooting in bursts toward the other goblins.


    Brrrrrr!!!!!


    Each shot used specialized bullets strengthened with mana.


    It wasn''t something Emily usually used since what they were doing now was basically burning money.


    Even though Emily didn''t have a problem with money, she always made sure each dungeon run was profitable. But this one was supplied by Alex, so she just used it without care.


    The bullets pierced through the goblin bodies, turning them into sandbags.


    Feeling the danger, they didn''t even use their abilities; the goblins quickly tried to run.


    Rumble... Rumble...


    Emily turned her gaze toward the herd of wolves approaching.


    With a sigh, she asked telepathically, "What now, big bro?"


    Alex frowned, looking at the area map.


    He could see they needed to beat hundreds of wolves to clear the area, and that''s if the goblins didn''t come back bringing reinforcements.


    Alex looked toward the direction the goblins ran; he couldn''t let them escape no matter what.


    There was one goblin warrior left, with two goblin raiders.


    "You hunt down the goblins; I will hold the wolves here."


    "Fine, be careful, bro," Emily replied reluctantly.


    She didn''t like the idea of leaving Alex alone, but from a strategic viewpoint, they couldn''t let the goblins warn the others.


    Even normal goblins would start sending squads out to look for the invaders, not to mention goblins with a high level of intelligence.


    They also didn''t know how large the goblin settlement in the area was or how many High Goblins they would need to face in total.


    Alex cracked his bones, looking at the approaching wolf horde.


    "Alright, let''s do this."


    He raised his hand, and the Warhammer started growing in size.


    BAM! With one hit, he smashed three wolf skulls.


    Alex threw three Awe Cubes toward them without looking, hoping some would survive.


    He started moving, boosting his movement strength with qi.


    Alex still hadn''t learned any secret techniques at this time, so he could only use qi to boost his movement.


    He focused his qi toward his legs, then jumped high into the air.


    With the distance now, Alex could really see all the wolves in his viewpoint; the number made adrenaline rush to his brain.


    With a calculated target in mind, Alex took out a smoke grenade and threw it to the ground.


    BAM!


    The smoke exploded, but it wasn''t normal smoke; it was special tear gas. Alex took a gas mask from his storage and wore it over his face.


    The effect quickly became obvious; the wolf howlers, who usually used their sharp sense of smell to their advantage, now found it to be their burden instead.


    Their noses turned runny, with tears coming out of their eyes. This made them disoriented and panic.


    Alex, observing everything from the air, laughed inwardly. "Even wolves can cry."


    He then used his mana to amplify the hammer''s size and weight before letting it drop in the middle of the pack.


    Gravity did its work, turning the hammer into a meteor.


    BOOM!!! The ground vibrated, and dust and smoke billowed up, mixing with the tear gas.


    Now falling back to the ground, Alex started utilizing qi to protect his body from the fall. He then took out a rifle and started shooting at the wolves.


    Disoriented and panicked, the wolves started trying to run away from the area.


    Alex began shooting quickly, knowing the effect would not last long.


    After they recovered, the wolves would turn back with even more fervor. After all, they still overwhelmed him in numbers.


    Even with all those attacks, Alex had barely killed 42 of them.


    There were still 127 wolves left to kill, and his mana was dwindling. Every transformation of the hammer took a toll on his mana.


    BAM!


    Alex landed on the ground and took out the new Warhammer from MingYue, the Embershift Hammer.


    He had never used it before, but Alex remembered MingYue telling him there was a beast''s soul inside, but with Vesa, there should be no problem.


    The moment he infused his qi, the weapon started to vibrate, and the roar of a fox could be heard in his mind.


    A similar thing happened with MingYue; after Vesa subdued the soul, information poured into Alex''s mind, telling him how to use the Warhammer.


    His lips raised into a grin; he was curious about the secret skill embedded in the Embershift.


    "Volcanic Smash." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex smashed the hammer to the ground, and from the point of impact, searing hot flames burst out, igniting the wolves around him in flame.


    He took the hammer from the ground and pounced at the wolf howlers.


    Having finished killing the goblins, Emily returned quickly to support her brother.


    But as she got closer, she could smell burning flesh and wood in the air. The closer she got, the more she could feel the heat on her skin, making her use qi to protect it.


    When she arrived, her lips twitched.


    Her brother didn''t look like one who needed help; he was running around with a grin on his face, pouncing on the wolf monsters, if they could still be called that.


    Half of their fur was burned down, showing the scorched skin underneath.


    In Alex''s defense, he didn''t do it on purpose.


    He was experimenting with qi usage, wanting to know how much flame could be ignited since the Volcanic Smash result surprised him.


    All the wolves around him were burned to a crisp.


    BANG!


    Emily took out her submachine gun, shooting the wolf Alex pursued to death.


    "Stop messing around, bro. See, the flame is starting to burn the forest.


    The High Goblin Lord will quickly send someone to investigate."


    Alex stopped in his steps and looked around, realizing the trees had been burned.

 Chapter 55: Dungeon = Planet ?

    He was too absorbed in using the Embershift Hammer''s ability.


    The beast''s soul seemed to amplify the damage many times over. It even gave him two secret techniques he could use.


    The burned forest came from the second secret technique, "Flamethrower."


    As the name suggested, this allowed Alex to shoot flames in the direction of the hammer''s head.


    The flames burned even bigger as smoke billowed into the sky.


    Now covered in sweat, Alex sat beside Emily, who was far away from the area, taking a break on a cliff.


    Emily took a gulp from her water bottle.


    "This storage ring is really convenient. Usually, we need to bring a lot of stuff in a backpack, then create our own base camp before starting to raid."


    Alex nodded.


    He already knew how the item would sell like hotcakes after the Hunter Association approved it.


    He also thought of making a more durable version for hunters. But what was on his mind now was the dungeon.


    The more time he spent here, the more he thought Vesa''s theory was correct; this place was another planet.


    But how was this possible? Who made this happen?


    The weirdest part was how it functioned.


    Every dungeon had a limited number of people that could enter.


    For example, this dungeon, Goblin Hollows, could only be entered by at most 12 people.


    After entry, hunters would be teleported inside, and then they needed to find the boss monster and kill it.


    Then, a portal would appear for one hour, allowing the hunters to return and take back their loot.


    But when they tried to bring a monster out, the monster would explode when moving through the portal.


    Alex also didn''t know whether the monsters he caught here could survive since they were inside another space; that was one of the things he wanted to find out.


    Seeing her brother in a daze and not replying to her comment made Emily think he was worried about the situation.


    "Don''t worry too much, brother.


    I am sure we can defeat the High Goblin Lord even if they are alert to our presence."


    Emily was confident, knowing how destructive her light ability was; as long as they could find the High Goblin Lord, the dungeon clear was guaranteed.


    Alex felt warmed by Emily''s concern.


    "I am not worried about that, Emily. What do you think about this dungeon? Did the Association give you any explanation about this place?" he asked.


    Emily shook her head, "The Association never tells us how the dungeons come to be or appear, but in my opinion, someone made this on purpose.


    I don''t know who or why, but that doesn''t matter since I can do nothing about it.


    I am sure the Hunter Association knows more about this, which is the same reason why dark zones appear on our planet Ainode."


    She then paused for a moment and asked, "Aren''t you a progenitor, brother? Doesn''t the system tell you anything?"


    "I am waiting for the results now. Vesa is making sure of it from the monster I caught.


    You know, Vesa theorizes that this place is just another planet somewhere in the universe. Now that I have entered the dungeon myself, I think it''s the most plausible explanation."


    Emily raised her eyebrow. "You mean they are just aliens? If that''s true, I wonder how far the distance is from our planet.


    Before this dungeon appeared, people used to think all this was just fantasy. And alien existence is controversial; no one has found proof, no matter how much we try."


    "I never thought you were someone interested in history," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    Emily''s expression turned solemn. "I''m not. I''m looking for anything that can convince me my father is still alive."


    "Probably he is still alive, Emily," Alex said with a sigh.


    His words surprised Emily since she knew what her brother thought. If he said it, that meant he had a real, tangible reason.


    Seeing her eyes silently asking for more explanation, Alex told her about the species behind the category five dungeon break and the possibility of their father probably still being alive.


    Seeing her sister''s eyes turn hopeful from his explanation steeled Alex''s determination to look for Edward even more.


    They then talked some more about their dad''s abilities and the guild, comparing it with the monsters from the category five dungeon and discussing how Edward should have survived until now.


    "Now that we talk about Dad, it reminds me of Mom. I met her."


    "Did you guys fight again?" Alex asked with a tinge of worry.


    He didn''t find it weird that they met since the timing of his mom leaving and Emily coming was very close. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily shook her head, "No, it''s even weirder. Do you know why Mom cried?"


    "Yeah, that''s because she remembered Dad," Alex replied with a sigh.


    Emily wanted to talk further, telling him she felt weird when Luca was leaving, but her words turned into a blur as Vesa''s message appeared in his eyes.


    [King, sorry it took longer than expected.]


    [Since you captured the High Goblin, I have already confirmed this is just another planet. But it took longer since I needed to confirm the situation.]


    [From the information I extracted, these people don''t know much; they are here because they were punished by their emperor.]


    ''Punished?''


    [They are tasked to kill any invader that comes here. If they succeed, they will be forgiven and receive some reward.]


    Reading the message, Alex''s brain churned.


    Since this was really another planet, the higher-ups must also know this.


    No matter how they did it, they must have some agreement with the natives; that''s the only way they could have established this dungeon system.


    Alex''s world then started to shake, bringing him back to reality.


    Emily was pouting on the side, shaking her brother''s body since he hadn''t responded to what she said.


    "You really need to fix this habit, brother. No woman will like being ignored like this."

 Chapter 56: Purplish Twilight

    "Sorry, Vesa just told me the results of the investigation.


    This place is indeed a real world. This changes many things, Emily."


    "What changes? You''re just being Alex, overthinking things.


    Nothing has changed; we still need to go to the category five dungeon and get out of this dungeon."


    She then pointed at the sky, "See, the sun is starting to set; we should quickly move now to look for the goblin base."


    Alex sighed as he looked at the purplish twilight; two suns were setting, making the colors mix, painting a purplish hue in the sky.


    His sister''s way of thinking was always simple. For him, this fact changed a lot of things.


    Since they had an agreement with other species, who''s to say those Category Five dungeons weren''t happening on purpose as part of the agreement?


    This meant even the Association couldn''t be trusted until he verified more information. But he didn''t tell Emily this since it wasn''t confirmed.


    His mind began to wander as he started walking, following Emily.


    ''This means the area we can explore should be limited, and some countermeasures should be put in place.


    No wonder the dungeons have a time limit, then.''


    Every dungeon had its own time limit. After the time had passed, the portal for their return would never open, even after they killed the boss.


    Every hunter would instinctively know how long they had.


    In Goblin Hollows, they had 14 days to find the boss and kill it.


    After they got out, they would realize how much time had passed on their planet.


    But every dungeon had a fixed time dilation, and most of them were in sync with their planet''s time, just like the place they were in.


    Passing through the thick forest, Emily asked telepathically, ''What about your system? Did it detect any life forms yet?''


    ''Yes, but only a few scattered around. Based on life force energy, probably wolves or some other small animals.''


    Alex then put on a thoughtful look and added, ''Strange, usually, there should be many people looking for the intruder.''


    Emily stopped in her steps, looking at Alex incredulously. ''Sometimes I wonder if that ability of yours is flawed.''


    She then pointed at the billowing smoke in the sky. "You think they won''t send out a hunting squad to look for those that can cause that?"


    Alex chuckled, seeing the forest still burning down. It kept spreading without showing any sign of stopping. "Well, nothing''s wrong with my abilities; I just didn''t use them now."


    "Don''t tell me, now you can use it as you wish? I doubt your ability uses a lot of mana; at least use it to calculate the base direction."


    "Oh, I don''t need to do that." Alex''s lips curled into a grin.


    "You''re already going in the right direction. Vesa already extracted a map of the area from the High Goblin, so I know the base location and our enemy."


    Emily''s veins popped; she stood there speechless. Seeing her expression, Alex laughed, "Why are you looking at me like that? Let''s go."


    If glares could kill, Emily would have already killed Alex a hundred times over.


    "Hmph, you lead; you know the way."


    Alex chuckled and then started to lead the way, walking past her. But after a few minutes, sweat started covering his forehead; he could still feel his sister''s deadly glare at his back.


    "Alright, I''m sorry. Can you stop glaring?" Alex said as he looked at Emily over his shoulder.


    "You should stop joking around, Alex. Anything can happen in a dungeon. What if you enter with someone else?"


    Emily felt angry because she thought Alex always treated the dungeon like a vacation while their lives were at risk. Anything could happen in a dungeon.


    "I''m not that stupid, Emily. Don''t worry, if it''s not with you, I won''t do this."


    "Oh geez, should I feel important then, brother?


    Just go marry someone already and annoy the hell out of her. Spare your little sister here," Emily said sarcastically.


    Alex turned speechless.


    ''Seems I overdid it. Even after becoming a two-star hunter, she still acts like a little girl.'' He chuckled in his mind.


    Alex knew if his sister acted like this, it was better to just ignore her; she would then come around by herself.


    So, he focused on the task.


    Emily, still grumpy about Alex''s actions, cursed in her mind.


    ''Stupid brother, why can''t you just tell me about it? Is annoying me really that fun? Hmph.''


    They walked through the forest until both suns disappeared below the horizon, turning the area into darkness, but this was not a problem for Alex and Emily.


    After transforming into a progenitor, Alex''s eyes could see in the dark. As for Emily, she wore night-vision goggles.


    She could use her ability, but that would be a waste of mana.


    On the way, they didn''t meet any monster other than the WolfHowler; Alex caught a few of them and then killed the rest, farming their life force. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Passing through the forest with its giant trees, Alex started pondering the ecosystem on this planet.


    ''Weird, we only met one type of monster so far; if this were a novel, I would already think the author is too lazy to make more monsters for this dungeon run.


    Even the trees are this big; there should be some giant beasts too, but the biggest monster recorded in this dungeon is an ogre, twice the size of an average human.''


    This made Alex wonder if the planet housed multiple sentient species and if goblins were the lowest tier; hence, they were pushed to sacrifice their population to deal with his planet.


    ''Vesa, since a progenitor represents a race, doesn''t this mean they lead the species? Why have I never heard of a human progenitor then?''


    [It''s just like an office boy will never meet the company owner; you are too far away from his level, King. I suggest you just focus on the task at hand.]

 Chapter 57: Petricia

    Alex clicked his tongue in annoyance. He wondered why he had to wait until later to find out.


    Just like in the novels he usually read, where the MC had a cheat-like system, why couldn''t they just directly tell him what really mattered?


    This would allow him to avoid many pitfalls and ensure the journey was smoother.


    But then he remembered how some authors justified this by saying that higher-level beings would find out if they were mentioned or talked about.


    ''That still doesn''t make sense; Vesa never warns me about talking about the Progenitor.


    Tch¡­ I''ll try to find some information from the hunter archive later,'' Alex decided in his mind.


    After traveling for a bit longer, Alex and Emily started lowering their movement speed; they were close now.


    Based on the information he got from Vesa, the goblins had made a makeshift stronghold, but he underestimated its size.


    Even from a distance, he could see the silhouette of a tall building.


    He wanted to move closer, but Emily pulled his hand.


    "It''s not time to joke; tell me what you know," Emily said in a serious tone.


    She had been to this dungeon before and read many reports from other hunters, but none of the goblin settlements were as big as what she was seeing.


    "Based on Vesa''s detection and my calculations, there should be 734 monsters inside that stronghold.


    504 goblin civilians, 216 goblin soldiers, 14 ogres, and 36 high goblins, not counting the High Goblin Lord."


    ("Goblin soldiers" refers to a mix of goblin archers, warriors, and riders.)


    Hearing the numbers, Emily''s lips twitched.


    "And you still walk there nonchalantly like this?


    Normally, a settlement only has a hundred goblins at most; even in the reported cases where a high goblin is seen, it should only increase the number by half.


    You think we can take them all?"


    The usual strategy to clear Goblin Hollows was to locate the settlement first and then start hunting the goblin combat force one by one.


    As the scout located the goblin lord, if possible, they would go for a quick assassination to clear the dungeon quickly.


    The goblin warriors and the rest might drop some useful loot, but there was no value in hunting the normal goblins, and the biggest reward came after clearing the dungeon.


    Alex had thought the allure of clearing dungeons came only from the monster loot and exotic resources inside it.


    But that wasn''t true. Every hunter who participated would gain a reward after killing the final boss.


    "Why do we need to take them all? Since we know this place is another planet, I want to try to communicate first."


    "Communicate???" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yes."


    "With goblins???"


    "Yes, why do you need to ask again?"


    Emily facepalmed herself.


    "Even if you can somehow communicate with them, do you think they will just say, ''Sure, let''s talk''?


    Other hunters have tried this before, but none have succeeded, bro.


    Don''t think you are the only one who thought of this."


    "Oh... Really? I never read any reports on that, but it''s different, Emily.


    I''m not talking about negotiating for a truce or anything like that; I just want more information.


    And we are not the same, Emily."


    Alex, with a smirk, took out an Awe Cube. "Come out, Petricia."


    Light emerged from the cube, materializing into the High Goblin he had captured earlier.


    The moment she appeared, Petricia knelt on one knee. "Yes, King, you called me?"


    ____________________


    Name: Petricia


    Species: High Goblin


    Power Level: 3.5


    Lifeforce: 50/80


    *


    Needs:


    Hunger 78/100


    Stamina 48/100


    Bond: ???????????????????? (2/5)


    Notes: Hopes for the King to free her species.


    *


    Ability:


    Cunning Plan


    ____________________________________


    Emily''s eyes widened. "What? She can talk?"


    Emily wasn''t surprised Petricia had healed now since her wound wasn''t severe; a normal potion could easily help mend her body. But teaching a high goblin to talk fluently in just a few hours should have been impossible.


    She then quickly connected it to Vesa.


    With eyes filled with envy, she said in a sweet tone, "Brother, good things should be shared with the family, right???"


    Alex raised his eyebrow, seeing his sister raise her hand in a gesture asking for something. "What do you want?" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The system, I want it."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "I cannot give it; you should know that. Why do you even want it?"


    "Didn''t you say you could make these monsters loyal because of Vesa? I want to capture some monsters."


    Petricia frowned. She didn''t like being called a monster by Emily, but she didn''t say anything out of respect for Alex.


    Inside the Awe Cube, Vesa had given her some information she needed to know, including Alex''s language.


    When Petricia first awoke, her soul felt like she was in the presence of some higher-level being; instinctively, she knelt on the ground and prayed to the sky.


    "Ukkaa uka¡­ umaana umaa¡­" She spoke in the Goblin''s language, which meant, "Praise the Celestus¡­ Finally, you answer our race''s prayer."


    Before she could continue her prayer, Vesa''s voice appeared in Petricia''s mind.


    Since a wisp of her soul was now within Alex''s inner world, it was easy for Vesa to do this.


    If not for Vesa, Petricia would have already been kneeling and calling Alex God Celestus, a deity that the whole goblin race prayed to, when she came out.


    Alex felt curious about his sister''s wish; it had been a long time since she asked for something from him.


    "What monster do you want to capture? The best I can do is order them to be loyal to you."


    Alex had thought before if it was possible to make a similar system for his mom and sister.


    The answer? It could be done, but only for non-intelligent beasts, utilizing the beast bond contract.


    But if they tried it with other intelligent species, there was a risk they could get enslaved in reverse, and Alex didn''t want to take any chances with his family''s safety.


    So, he scrapped the idea.

 Chapter 58: Will they Spare Us?

    So, he scrapped the idea.


    Emily looked suspiciously at Alex; she knew he was skirting the topic.


    ''This probably means there is a way to do it, but brother doesn''t want to tell me because it''s risky,'' she thought.


    "I''ll tell you the details later. After the guild is settled, we need to bring members of the guild since it''s a category three dungeon."


    Emily didn''t want to take risks; what if something like this happened in a category three dungeon?


    That would really put their lives at high risk.


    "Fine, but remember to bring only those you really trust. We cannot let the Awe System be known by the public."


    "Of course, I know."


    Emily replied with a smile, looking forward to capturing that monster.


    Since she had read about it in the Monster Encyclopedia, Emily knew it was a solution for her ability.


    Alex then turned his gaze to Petricia. "Do you want to free your people?"


    "Yes, King. What do I need to do?" Petricia replied wistfully, with hope in her eyes.


    "Tell your lord I want to talk with him. We will negotiate then."


    Petricia quickly agreed and excused herself, heading toward the stronghold.


    Watching her leave, Alex felt conflicted; he felt guilty since he knew he couldn''t fulfill her hope. At least not now.


    Some time passed after Petricia left.


    "Emily, now that you know monsters like goblins are just another species, what do you think about this?" Alex asked with a solemn expression.


    "Do you think we are any different from Dark Hunters?"


    Emily frowned. She had dived a few times into dungeons for practice and to raise her hunter star rank.


    Emily felt insulted being compared to Dark Hunters. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s different, brother. I don''t like you comparing me with them.


    We are just protecting ourselves here. If we don''t clear the dungeon, then a break happens.


    Do you think these goblins will spare us?"


    "But Emily, they also have their own society, kids, family, loved ones.


    Not everyone is a soldier; a lot of them are just civilians trying to survive.


    It doesn''t give us the right to come and massacre them just like this."


    "So what?" Emily replied sharply.


    "Are you saying I am cold-hearted and cruel? Bro, have you forgotten what happened in that city? What did those monsters do?"


    Emily still remembered every single moment of it; she was deeply traumatized for months before she could move on and steel her resolve.


    Seeing the pain in his sister''s eyes, Alex walked closer and hugged her.


    "I''m sorry, Emily. That''s not what I meant."


    "Then... what did you mean!?"


    "Nothing, forget it. It''s my fault," Alex sighed.


    The horror of that day was like hell on earth. And when that happened, both of them were still kids.


    It also traumatized Alex, but he still felt there was no difference between what hunters did to other species inside the dungeons.


    Alex knew not all of them acted like that. Only some part of them did, but wasn''t it the same with the goblins then?


    He had heard of some hunters brutally killing monsters, even those that weren''t a threat. Some even sickeningly recorded it and sold the videos on the dark web.


    Even though the Hunter Association had banned this kind of recording, people still found a way to get it.


    Time passed, and Alex and Emily sat in silence.


    Emily was still in a bad mood, upset by what Alex had said. Deep down, she understood what he meant, but that didn''t mean she could just forget the incident.


    Her happy childhood was all destroyed because of a monster from the dungeon, and their father''s fate was still unknown.


    The area they were in now turned bright, thanks to the fires started by Alex.


    With the towering trees, the fire blazed brightly like a giant torch, slowly spreading its embers across the forest.


    Crack... The sound of a branch breaking prompted both of them to turn their gaze.


    Alex had been too absorbed in his thoughts, not even checking the radar. He wasn''t worried since he knew Vesa would warn him if any danger came.


    Petricia returned with a smile on her face. She quickly kneeled down.


    "King, the goblin lord has agreed to meet with you."


    Alex nodded and then turned his gaze to Emily. Before he could say anything, Emily spoke first.


    "Don''t you dare say it. I''m already in a bad mood now. I will go with you."


    Alex sighed and walked toward his sister. He then placed his index finger on the rune on her forehead.


    A gentle, warm energy with a green hue started moving through his finger, fueling the rune.


    Emily could feel her energy being rejuvenated. This improved her mood a bit.


    "Let''s go then," Alex said.


    Emily then stood up as the group walked toward the stronghold. The closer they got, the more amazed Alex was.


    The stronghold was completely made from wood, but it wasn''t crude at all.


    It was engraved with some artistic style, giving Alex the feeling of seeing a castle from the medieval era, but this one was made entirely of wood.


    Emily, instead, became more wary.


    She could see many goblin archers eyeing them from the walls. She prepared herself to start fighting at any moment.


    Alex felt calm because Vesa had confirmed the High Goblin Lord''s intentions through Petricia.


    The wooden gate then creaked open, revealing the inside of the stronghold. Alex could see two towering ogres waiting for him.


    They held wooden clubs with some makeshift armor. Their height was easily three times that of an average human.


    ________________________


    Ogre


    Power Level: 6


    Lifeforce: 150/150


    *


    Ability:


    Rampage


    Unleashes a devastating series of attacks that deal massive damage to nearby enemies.


    During Rampage, the ogre''s resistance to damage is increased, but it becomes significantly slower for a short duration once the ability ends.


    _________________________


    [Target is feeling hope, wariness, and fear.]


    Alex shook his head; he didn''t find the ogre''s emotions strange, considering how Petricia had introduced him.


    Petricia spoke something to the ogre in the goblin language.

 Chapter 59: Ignorance is Bliss

    After the ogre nodded, Petricia turned toward Alex.


    "King, let''s go. They will show the way."


    The group then started walking, passing through the goblin settlement. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They could see many goblins looking out from the windows of their houses with wariness and fear. The houses inside were also made of wood, resembling simple village huts.


    As they kept walking, BAM!


    Suddenly, a rock was thrown, almost hitting Emily, but the ogre intercepted it, putting its club in front just in time.


    A goblin child with snot and tears could be seen from where the rock was thrown.


    "Uukka, kaa! Umma... Na¡­!?" the goblin child screamed with a sob.


    The kid had no hair and wore plain leather as clothing.


    Normal goblins are about half the height of an average human; this kid was even shorter, at half the height of a normal goblin.


    "What is the kid saying?" Emily asked.


    Alex sighed. He didn''t fully understand the words, but he knew what the kid meant.


    He had seen and heard everything Petricia did through Vesa.


    That''s what had made him ask that question before Emily.


    When Petricia returned, she was bombarded by questions from other goblins.


    Where are the others? What about the hunt result?


    Petricia ignored all the questions and went directly to the lord.


    She did this because she felt guilty toward the rest; she and one other goblin raider were the only survivors.


    The rest had died. Petricia didn''t know what to say to them.


    She couldn''t just come and say she had met the incarnation of a god.


    The normal goblins wouldn''t understand its importance; their minds were only focused on surviving each day.


    There was a reason why Alex had only found wolf howlers outside the settlement; the goblins had hunted the other animals to the point where they were almost extinct.


    Those that survived had run away from the goblin stronghold as far as they could.


    Alex had just entered this dungeon, but the goblins had been staying in this area for some time.


    The high goblins had already decided to start eating the wolf howlers if they couldn''t get another meal.


    Each hunt resulted in casualties despite the small amount of meat they brought back. The monsters they could hunt had started gathering together, making every hunt even riskier.


    Even though goblins could breed like rabbits, it took time for them to grow, and not all goblins could be trained to become part of an army.


    What if the hunters arrived then?


    When all their army was dead, and they didn''t even have the wolf howlers?


    The result was certain¡ªonly death.


    The food stock also kept dwindling, forcing them to make hard choices. They kept the army and higher-ups well-fed, but as for the civilians, they started rationing.


    The goblins were in this dungeon, not by choice. Their only sin was trying to fight back for independence and failing.


    The whole clan was then punished and put in this place.


    Their mission was to kill the hunters; if they succeeded in defending, they would be forgiven.


    There was a reason the Association rated Goblin Hollows as a category two dungeon; the success rate of dungeon dives here was very high.


    And for every successful raid, the goblin clan residing there was massacred.


    Petricia bowed her head to Emily.


    She didn''t like Emily much, but she was her king''s sister, no matter what.


    "I am sorry, Lady Emily. Please forgive him. He is just a boy, so he doesn''t know any better."


    The rock hadn''t even hit her, so Emily didn''t feel mad. Even without the ogre''s move, she could have easily caught it.


    If anything, she felt more wary when the ogre moved, but since she didn''t sense any bad intentions, she didn''t react.


    "Lady? I don''t care if you call Alex ''King,'' but for me, just call me Emily. The word ''lady'' makes me cringe," Emily said with a frown.


    "Alright, Lady Emily."


    "So, why did that goblin throw a rock at me?" Emily asked.


    "He lost his father in the last hunt; he was one of the goblin warriors under me," Petricia said with a sigh, then continued,


    "He doesn''t have any other family, so he''s like this. Don''t mind him; there are many other kids like him."


    Hearing this, Emily could empathize since she also lost her father, but that didn''t mean she would magically view them in the same light as fellow humans.


    After all, her hatred for monsters from dungeons had been festering for years.


    But she felt curious about Petricia''s words. "What do you mean, many kids like him?"


    Petricia then told her about the situation in the goblin settlement. The more Emily learned, the more she couldn''t see goblins as only monsters.


    She then glared at Alex again, her eyes silently cursing him for not telling her this. Emily was sure now that Alex knew about it; that''s why he had asked her that strange question before.


    Sometimes, we believe we want to know the truth, only to discover we were happier in ignorance.


    This sentence quickly surfaced in Emily''s mind.


    Every hunter knew these words; it was what the current Association president told them when they became hunters and each time they got promoted.


    If she could turn back time, she would prefer not to know all these truths.


    Her mind knew this wasn''t her problem, but Emily''s heart couldn''t help feeling guilty.


    Just like if someone throws a banana peel on the street without care and then returns to their activity, only a few hours later, an unsuspecting individual walks over it and falls.


    It can become a simple, silly joke that triggers laughter.


    But what if the one who falls is elderly? Or someone with special conditions? Or someone pregnant?


    That small thing can become a tragedy that results in someone''s demise.


    If the one who threw it knew the result of their action, they might regret it, try their best to repent or go into a breakdown of depression.


    But as long as they don''t know anything, they will continue their daily lives.


    Truly, being ignorant is bliss.

 Chapter 60: The Goblin Lord

    Emily had entered this dungeon instance twice, and in one of those instances, the leader of her group used his ability to bombard the settlement from afar, giving her and the other hunters an easy clear.


    At that time, she felt envious of the leader''s skill and happy not to have to work hard to clear the dungeon. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, all of this had become a burden on her heart.


    She could steel her heart against killing goblin armies, but to kill someone innocent...


    They kept walking through the settlement.


    Before, Emily had focused on the ogre''s movement and the danger they were in; now, her attention started to shift to the conditions in which the goblins lived.


    She then realized some of the goblins peeking out had sunken cheeks.


    "How long have all of you been here?" she asked.


    "If I use time from Lady Emily''s world, then it has been around seven months now."


    Hearing his sister talk with Petricia made Alex wonder about the reason for this.


    Why had they stayed in the area for so long before allowing hunters to enter?


    He had checked the report on this dungeon before; it had been cleared every chance it got.


    ''This means there are many areas prepared for hunters, and one is chosen randomly.


    Or whoever put this goblin clan here did it on purpose, to push them to the edge before letting human hunters enter.''


    This meant the current goblin clan had been weakened; Alex didn''t know how many of them had died in all these months.


    Walking through the rough patch of road, it didn''t take long for them to reach the place where the High Goblin Lord lived.


    To Alex''s surprise, the place was empty; he didn''t see any guards or ogres.


    It was different from what Vesa had told him; a dozen ogres should have been standing guard here, with many goblin soldiers moving around the hallway.


    "Why has the place become empty now?" Alex asked.


    Petricia spoke with the ogre before conveying its reply to Alex, "King, they say it''s the lord''s order. He wants to show you that he wants to avoid any conflict and¡­"


    Seeing Petricia hesitate, Alex then asked her, "And what?"


    "The lord says he knows you are not really a god," Petricia stopped for a moment, then added, "Please don''t be mad, King."


    Alex chuckled. "Why should I be mad about that? I am no god, haha."


    This made Petricia think Alex was just being modest, making her worship Alex even more.


    In her mind, the only way to describe Alex''s ability and presence was by being a god.


    When she first woke up, she found herself in a new world, even though it was small; if not a god, who could create such a thing?


    She could also feel her life was in Alex''s hands, and he could kill her anytime.


    After Petricia learned about the Awe System, the items she could purchase, and how there were a hundred small worlds like where she lived, her worship grew even more.


    At this point, if things came to a head, Petricia would not hesitate to betray the High Goblin Lord, taking Alex''s side, even without the threat of her life in Alex''s hands.


    Alex''s lips twitched; seeing Petricia''s expression, he decided to ignore it.


    Having her worship him more was better for him; this would make it easier to raise her loyalty.


    Hearing Alex and Petricia''s interaction made Emily cringe. Since it was her own brother being called a god, she felt even more embarrassed.


    She knew many of his embarrassing sides and how he often acted like a child. ''If he is a god, the world is really done for,'' she thought.


    In front of them now stood the High Goblin Lord. His eyes had dark patches around them, and his body was robust and taller than the average high goblin.


    Petricia''s height barely reached his shoulder.


    The High Goblin Lord had blue skin with golden tattoos on his face and hands.


    A sound then reverberated in Alex''s mind, "Ukkaaa, ka umaaa kaaa kakaa."


    He didn''t understand what the voice meant, but he could pinpoint that it came from the High Goblin Lord.


    Alex could feel the thread of mana coming from his direction.


    Alex wanted to ask Petricia to translate, but a message from Vesa stopped him.


    [King, do you want me to translate it for you?]


    ''You can do that? You should have told me before.''


    Alex knitted his eyebrows together, feeling foolish for letting Petricia translate for him.


    If Emily knew this, she would laugh her head off and say, ''Serves you right. How does it feel to be on the receiving end?''


    But Emily didn''t know this; in her and Petricia''s eyes, it seemed like the High Goblin Lord was silently communicating with Alex, and he appeared displeased.


    The High Goblin Lord also felt the same; he thought Alex still didn''t trust him. He then sent another message that Alex ignored since he was still communicating with Vesa.


    [As long as I have the knowledge, I can do it, King. I thought you knew it since it should be obvious.


    Now I understand why your sister thinks your ability is bugged.]


    Alex''s lips twitched; he wanted to berate Vesa but knew it was his fault.


    How could he miss it?


    Vesa had already extracted all the information from Petricia. Since she could make the map, it was obvious Vesa had learned the goblin language too.


    He just felt glad that his sister didn''t know this; otherwise, she would tease him to no end.


    ''Translate it, Vesa. Just do it automatically from now on.''


    [Alright, King.]


    Vesa then told Alex what the High Goblin Lord had said.


    The first sentence meant, "Hunter, we should talk alone."


    Then, the next part was telling him that what they talked about was better not known by Greltha.


    Greltha was Petricia''s name as a high goblin before she came under Alex.


    The High Goblin Lord then introduced himself; his name was Zarnak.


    He could talk telepathically to Alex using a magic tool he had, but this tool had limited use now since he didn''t have access to mana crystals after being exiled.

 Chapter 61: The Mark

    Alex then told the High Goblin Lord he agreed to talk alone.


    "Emily, Petricia, wait outside the room."


    Petricia bowed, then quickly left the area. She doesn''t even ask if Alex would need a translator or not.


    For her, Alex is a God; nothing is impossible for him.


    The reason she translated before was just so Emily could hear it too. Even if Alex asks her to translate, Petricia will think that God is giving her a chance to prove her loyalty.


    Emily, still reluctant to leave, but seeing their interaction before where Alex had a look of displeasure on his expression and the goblin lord became panicked, made Emily feel it was alright to leave them alone.


    ''It''s only the two of them anyway.'' She tough


    If a fight broke out, Emily was sure Alex would win.


    The only problem is if the goblin lord prepares an ambush. But Alex should be able to detect it with his system.


    "Alright, don''t take too long, brother."


    After both of them were alone in the room, Zarnak and Alex sat at a nearby table.


    "Hunter, I am sure you are not the incarnation of God like what Greltha told me. If you are really Celetus incarnation we will be dead now."


    Zarnak said with a chuckle, he then continued, "Your identity doesn''t matter to me.


    Greltha told me you have a way to bring her out of this forsaken place. Is it true?"


    If a Progenitor is a God, then technically Alex is an incarnation of one, but he never felt like someone special, so he doesn''t feel the need to refute Zarnak.


    "I will be blunt, there is a risk she will die, but yeah, I have a way to bring her back with me."


    Zarnak sighed. "I know it, there is no way it would be that easy. How risky?"


    "I am ninety percent sure, I can bring her back safely."


    Based on what he knows Alex is one hundred percent sure he can bring every monster he catches back. The ten percent is if something outside his knowledge happens.


    "Percent?" Zarnak raise his eyebrow, puzzled by the new term.


    Alex sighed. He then realized the goblin probably only understands basic arithmetic.


    "It basically means there''s only a small chance she will die.


    Let me guess, you want me to bring your people back to my place?"


    Zarnak nodded. "Not everyone, at the very least I will need to stay here and be killed by you. There is no way to go around this."


    "And why is that?"


    "It will be easier to show you."


    Zarnak''s golden tattoo started to glow, and then a mark appeared on his forehead.


    The mark looked like three number nines linked in a circular manner. Alex could feel a sinister energy coming from it.


    The mark then disappeared, and Zarnak''s tattoo turned dim.


    He then breathed heavily, like someone who had just finished a marathon run. It was clear to Alex that it took a heavy toll on Zarnak to even show the mark.


    "I don''t understand how it works, but my life is linked with some mechanism here, the same one that doesn''t allow us to leave.


    If one of my clan tries to leave the area, they will just be teleported back to this place.


    We have tried many ways, but there is nothing we can do."


    Alex put on a thoughtful look. "What happens after I leave this place? To the goblins that are left here?"


    "They will be taken to another place like this area, put under a different leader to manage," Zarnak said with a sigh.


    "The only way they can be free is if the leader somehow kills the hunter, but we know the chance of that is very small. After all most leaders are just criminals, it''s rare for a high goblin like me to be exiled."


    His voice then raised, filled with anger.


    "Those traitors, they made a deal with invaders, to take over the kingdom. Now they put us here just to make a show to the populace, pretending they give us a chance. While they make sure none of us will return."


    "Traitor? By ''invader'' you mean us?"


    Zarnak wanted to say something but then stopped. "Sorry, I cannot answer that; there are limitations put on me."


    "From the mark?"


    Zarnak nodded.


    "How about the God Celeste, Why do you say if I am really his incarnation, you will be dead now?"


    Zarnak''s eyes turn complicated, "that is a long story of our race, but I am sorry, I cannot tell you this too."


    Alex then asked Vesa about the mark, but even Vesa didn''t recognize it.


    [King, I have been in slumber for so many eons before you and Queen awaken me. It''s not weird for many new power systems to appear.]


    ''You really have no clue, Vesa? Anything?''"


    [No, King, there are many things that can create sinister energy like that, too many possibilities.]


    [If I could tinker with it, I could probably find out the origin, but doing so would be too risky now.]


    [The being that can create that mark is far above your level; even with regeneration ability, we would be doomed.]


    Alex sighed, he knew he had hit a dead end. There is nothing he could do now.


    "I can only bring 82 goblins with me at most. You should make the decision of who to bring."


    Alex then paused for a moment. He hesitated, but he knew it needed to be said.


    "I am sorry to say this, but since you''re going to die anyway, can you give me all your magic tools?"


    Magic tools are similar to artifacts; the only difference is they''re powered with mana, just like the hammer Alex used before. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, I will give them to you. I will also give all the resources we have here. It''s better for you to use them than those traitors."


    Zarnak feels relieved, at least he can leave behind some of his descendants to survive.


    All the high goblin that are still alive is his descendant.

 Chapter 63: Hua Lu

    "Cultivators still need their individuality, but we need to give them a sense of belonging.


    With how the sect works, how can they feel this?


    This is also why many sects ended up having the sect leader''s descendants continue the sect since they feel the sect is their family.


    But those genius ones? Those that succeed will just go out and build their own sect or family."


    "What do you suggest then?" Mingyue asked since what Alex said was correct.


    The good cultivators will still provide some backing to the sect they come from, while the others will just give them some resources and call it even.


    If the cultivator succeeded and became immortal, they would just announce the sect was under their protection and then not do anything since the words alone would bring a lot of benefits to the sect.


    "We make them think of the sect as their family. Only when they endure hardships together will they develop a sense of comradeship."


    Alex suggested changing how it works.


    In the first year, every cultivator is required to practice together without the use of qi to make sure everyone has a similar strength level so they can cooperate with each other.


    Every cultivator will then be given a nickname that they will use for the entire year.


    This is done to give them a new identity, as he puts them through hellish training to the point they forget where they come from and what talents they have.


    This program will last three months, but Alex will make the training feel like three years of Hell.


    After three months, everyone will then gather together and have a party to relieve their stress.


    Afterward, they will be reassessed based on their potential, and some will become inner and core disciples. But even though they will have different places to live, Alex won''t really separate them.


    Depending on the number of people, Alex will separate them into their own groups.


    For example, if there are two core disciples, then there will be two groups.


    Each core disciple will then become responsible for the inner disciples and the inner disciples, in turn, for the outer disciples.


    Each group will have its own elders responsible for giving out missions and tasks for them to achieve.


    Alex wants the sect to feel like a second home for them to live in, where they can return to. Not just a checkpoint in their cultivation journey.


    Most sects are unable to do this because they are limited in strength and resources. Thankfully, Alex and MingYue are Progenitors, meaning their journey will not stop unless they are dead or they reach the peak of strength.


    Bai Yue Sect also has another big cheat that will make every cultivator unable to leave, and that is Alex''s world technology.


    It''s not the weapons or even Mana, but the entertainment from his world.


    Once tasting it, Alex is sure they will get addicted.


    This doesn''t mean they''ll give them everything from Alex''s world. They will choose the ones that can increase the feeling of comradeship among the sect members.


    For example, having a MOBA tournament. But Alex needs to consider this thoroughly since it can also make a crack as they begin to call each other names.


    He still remembers some of the people in his high school stopped becoming friends because the others kept kill stealing, and then in retaliation, he became a feeder to the other group, resulting in their complete defeat.


    Afterward, neither of them can even talk to each other without calling each other names.


    "You Walking Gold Pinata!"


    "You KS artist!"


    The sect will also give tasks to help people in their city and expand the sect''s territory.


    There are still many details that haven''t been fleshed out yet, but this is already enough for them to start running.


    It didn''t take long for the steel gate to open, revealing a woman dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans.


    After MingYue introduced modern clothing, many preferred to wear it since it was more comfortable and easier to use compared to their own old clothing.


    But MingYue made a rule not to allow them to wear it outside the secret realm since it would make them the center of attention, something they wanted to avoid for now. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman then greeted them.


    She looked at ZanLu affectionately with a beautiful smile, then bowed toward MingYue.


    The woman had quite an attractive face, though not quite a beauty, with black hair in a bob-cut style.


    Her name was HuaLu, ZanLu''s wife.


    "Welcome back, Lady MingYue," she said with respect.


    MingYue nodded and then instructed ZanLu to let all the newcomers mingle with the current populace.


    They also needed to register all their names and information to create IDs, a concept still foreign to them.


    Usually, if they were just normal commoners, no one would care whom they married or how many kids they had.


    But it''s different in this place; not only did they need to put all their information, but each of them also needed to provide a vial of blood and have their weight and height measured.


    All these required someone to instruct to make sure everything ran smoothly.


    Thankfully, commoners in MingYue''s world are already accustomed to following instructions without asking why.


    If this were done with people from the prominent family, they would keep asking what this is for, resulting in a waste of time and resources.


    The group then entered through the gate, and inside, they found many camps built on the ground, as the real accommodation was still being built.


    Alex has sent many camping tools to allow them to live temporarily. It''s nothing sophisticated for Alex, but for these people, they find it interesting.


    The newcomers feel like they are entering a completely new world.


    ZanLu then started instructing them on what they needed to do since almost every one among them could not read. If not, MingYue would just give them a starter guide.


    MingYue also told the JianFeng family to mingle with the others; she only took MingHao with her, as HuaLu tells MingYue about the current situation of the sect.

 Chapter 67: First Dungeon Clear

    Since the Goblin riders used their skill charge, they were moving at high speed toward Alex, making them much closer; the heat flame scorched the wolf fur into cinders, exposing their bare, scorched skin beneath it.


    Unable to handle the pain, the wolves rolled on the ground, causing the riders to fall; their makeshift armor heated up, scorching their skin with the heat.


    But this was only the start.


    Alex told Vesa to go all out, and that is exactly what Vesa did.


    The fox kept growing in size, the flame grew even more intense, and the orange hue started flickering, changing into a whitish flame.


    As the flame grows, the heat also keeps rising; if Alex is not the one casting it, he will already burned by the heat.


    Emily, who saw what happened from a distance, can already feel the stinging heat on her skit despite using Qi to protect it.


    The ground around Alex scorched all black.


    Vesa then told Alex that the hammer had reached its limit; more than this, it would break.


    Alex could feel the monstrous energy emanating from the firefox; he knew if he didn''t release it now, it would blow up in his face instead.


    BANG!


    The fox launched with unnatural speed, targeting Zarnark. The ground it passed over was scorched black.


    All of this happened in only a few moments, not allowing Zarnark any time to dodge.


    They were too stupefied by the energy to react. By the time his mind caught up, it was already too late.


    Meanwhile, Emily watched in a daze. With the amount of energy condensed, she could already predict the outcome.


    She turned her gaze toward the area behind Zarnak; it wasn''t just forest; part of the goblin settlement was there.


    "Brother, you are so stupid!" she mumbled.


    Adrenaline then rushed over her mind.


    Without hesitation, Emily utilized her skill, boosting it with life force and turning her body into light.


    If before she wouldn''t care about their life and death, but now she couldn''t get it out of her mind that they were just innocent bystanders.


    Emily knew she would have nightmares if she didn''t do anything.


    Seeing the huge energy ball in front of them, Zarnak quickly gave out his order.


    The goblin warriors and riders were already done for. He ordered the ogre to create a wall of flesh to block the attack.


    Zarnak also spread his ability to the high goblins behind him.


    With telepathy, the high goblins knew what to do; they jumped sideways, moving out from the impact area. As they did this, they poured their mana toward Zarnak.


    A bangle in his hand started to glow; he poured all his mana into it, creating a mana barrier to block the attack.


    Alex watched in surprise at the energy he had just unleashed.


    It was the first time he had imbued life force into a secret technique, and the result was astonishing.


    At this moment, his brain was busy calculating the impact of life force on the secret skill''s damage, not yet realizing the aftermath of his attack.


    Even though his ability, Cognitive Matrix, allows Alex to analyze every single piece of information, his brain still needs to process it and focus on the goal he wants to achieve.


    At this moment, he is focused on combat, with his thoughts only on how to defeat Zarnark, so he ignores all data irrelevant to this.


    Otherwise, his brain, even with progenitor blood, would get overwhelmed by the sheer number of data points existing.


    If this were a normal situation, it would still be possible to manage since processing this data would take time, but Alex is currently in combat.


    Even a single second could mean the difference between life and death.


    Even though he can regenerate, with Emily watching, he doesn''t want to traumatize her.


    He can already imagine how Emily will react; she will probably go ballistic and then start getting overprotective, not allowing him to go anywhere alone.


    The flickering orange fox then crashed into the barrier, creating a powerful shockwave.


    It only lasted for two seconds before Zarnark could feel it wouldn''t hold.


    He decided to cancel it and recreate the barrier on his body since the target was him.


    The fox should not explode until it breaks through the barrier.


    SWOOSH!!!


    The fox passed through the ogre like a knife cutting through butter. Zarnark then faced the fox head-on.


    The moment they met, it wasn''t even a contest.


    Zarnark couldn''t even hold his position; he got pushed through, turning into a streak of light, moving through the wall behind the arena, all the way to the goblin settlement, until it destroyed the outer wall and then some distance away.


    "BOOOOM!!!!!"


    The ground quaked, mushroom smoke billowed out, and a deafening noise spread through, making all the survivors put their hands over their ears to protect their eardrums.


    A genderless voice then reverberated in the air, "Dungeon cleared,


    checking the number of people that survive¡­,


    calculating clear rank¡­,


    Congratulations, you get an S Rank.


    A portal will appear above the boss. Make sure to bring all your loot before leaving."


    As the dust settled, what remained was just a huge trail of destruction left by the fox, stretching all the way into the forest.


    The ogre now only had their legs left, with dozens of the goblin army burned to crisps on the ground. Alex didn''t even need to hear the message to realize Zarnark was dead.


    "Fuck!" he cursed.


    With the burden of the fight lifted Alex started to register what had happened. He realized he had screwed up.


    Just as he was about to start moving, a familiar voice reached his ears.


    "No need to go; I''ve already made sure no one is hurt." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A particle of light started to gather in front of Alex, turning into Emily, her breath ragged.


    Emily was exhausted; she had used much of her mana and qi to rescue those in the way of Alex''s attack.

 Chapter 69: Just Looking For Inspiration (Bonus Chapter 100 PS)

    After all, goblins have different values than humans, and he was sure other people wouldn''t accept them.


    Many people have lost their family members due to dungeon breaks.


    Emily shook her head, "Of course not, that''s too far-fetched."


    "Fine, I''ll think about it," Alex said with a sigh.


    He knew his sister probably felt guilty and just wanted to do something to make herself feel better.


    It''s not like Emily would really take care of them all the time; she would probably spend a few hours every few days. After all, she is quite busy with the guild.


    When they got close to the portal, Alex told Emily to enter alone first. Emily didn''t think much about it and then left.


    Alex looked back one more time at the dungeon. When he entered, it was a lush forest with a big tree, but now it''s better to call it a furnace.


    The temperature was very hot, with all the trees burned in flame, painting the sky in an orange hue.


    "Now it''s time to find the answer, Vesa. There should be no problem, right?"


    [Don''t worry, King. I''ve already taken extra countermeasures to cover the ring with your life force]


    [Even if this Dungeon system can somehow look through another space inside the storage ring, I am sure this is enough to hide it.]


    Alex sighed; he knew there was nothing more to do.


    Looking at the two suns in the sky reminded him once more that he was on another planet.


    "What kind of being do you think is able to create this kind of system, Vesa? And for what purpose?"


    [Based on my observations so far, I am sure whoever made this is ten times stronger than an Immortal in the Queen''s world.]


    [As for the purpose, I think this is like training, King.]


    "Training?"


    Alex pondered the thought and realized that the theory was not far-fetched.


    After all, hunters enter here, learn to fight, acquire new powers and gear, and keep becoming stronger.


    The same can be said for the other side: the strong survive and become stronger, while the weak perish.


    Alex shook his head; he knew this method would certainly work, but he still didn''t like it.


    For Alex, there are many types of strength; even the weak can find ways to fight against the strong using tools.


    Aren''t guns, poison, and martial arts created with this purpose in mind?


    It''s the same with technology, too; because humans used to have frail bodies, they invested a lot of resources to find other ways to progress.


    If awakener power existed since ancient times, Alex was sure his world would just turn like MingYue''s World.


    But he knew he could do nothing about it now; it was too far from him, and it was just a theory.


    Alex then walked through the portal.


    The surroundings quickly changed; he felt like he was walking underwater, filled with pressure, the same sensation Alex felt when he entered a dungeon, but it only lasted for a moment before he found himself back in his world.


    Meanwhile, in the Cultivation world, MingYue had just finished her shower. She now wore comfortable short pants and a T-shirt.


    Stepping out of her room, her lips curled into a smile upon seeing what her brother was doing.


    MingHao was now looking fervently at the TV, with his hands busily pressing a gamepad.


    "Dam, I lost again!" MingHao screamed as the big word "KO" was written on the screen.


    He was playing a fighting game while his character fought against a wooden mannequin that kept changing its style in every fight.


    "Are you done playing games, brat!?"


    Hearing his sister''s words quickly made MingHao stand on his feet.


    He turned his gaze toward the voice, seeing his sister sitting on the sofa with crossed legs, her hand holding a can of carbonated drink.


    "Ehm, sis, I''m just training, don''t you see? I''m looking for inspiration for creating new secret techniques."


    MingYue raised her eyebrow, feeling her brother''s reasoning was so ridiculous.


    With a smirk on her face, she asked, "Oh, tell me about that?"


    "Yeah, I''ve played multiple of these fighting games.


    In one of them, I saw they can shoot energy beams from their palms, then I thought we could also try that, right?"


    MingHao said as he posed, replicating the character''s movement in the game.


    MingHao planted his feet firmly on the ground and extended his arms to the sides, with palms facing the empty air.


    He then tried to gather his qi in it, creating a flicker of light before it got snuffed out, making MingHao frown.


    Seeing it, MingYue laughed, "How much qi do you think you have, brat!?


    That''s just a game; it''s okay to play it. I''m the one telling you to have fun. But don''t take it too seriously.


    In the first place, pure qi won''t be that destructive; otherwise, why would we bother learning secret techniques?


    Just go shoot and blast it everywhere."


    "So it won''t work at all?" MingHao asked, feeling disappointed.


    Since he saw it in the game, he felt the movement was really cool; he wanted to replicate it, of course, not the shouting part.


    That would be stupid.


    Who screams their technique name before attacking? To tell their enemy? "Hey, I will attack you now; prepare for it."


    Seeing her brother''s crestfallen face made MingYue laugh.


    "Well, if you can find a way to directly change your qi nature with only breathing, then it may be possible."


    "Isn''t that something only immortals can do?"


    MingHao remembers reading some explanations about it when he learned about cultivation stages.


    MingYue nodded. "Yes, but even when you reach the immortal stage, what you want to do is still not worth it.


    Shooting pure qi, how much of it do you think will disappear on the way?


    It''s very ineffective, not to mention you are staying still when you need to use the attack. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, forget it today you can have fun; just go play again. Starting tomorrow, no more games."

 Chapter 73: Did He do That?

    Alex changed the topic and then started talking about the goblins and what he found out about the Dungeon.


    Alex also told her about the dragon race, other progenitors, and his theory that, at some point, they will need to face them. "So, what do you think about the goblins? Will it scare people there?"


    "Even if they are scared, they won''t turn into panic. We already have beastmen in our world; having goblins won''t be weird."


    In MingYue''s world, Qi has been spreading in the atmosphere for as long as she can remember; some animals not only transformed into monsters, but they also started getting intelligence and learned to cultivate in their own way.


    Those successful can then transform into humanoids. There are not many in her area, but she heard in the central region, they are quite common.


    "But I think we will need to separate the accommodations at first to make sure there are fewer conflicts brewing. At least until they get used to working with each other.


    The apartment is also still being built, so they will need to make a new camp area." MingYue then told him about the progress on the construction, making Alex laugh his ass off.


    "I told you before, there is no way they can build it without you guiding them."


    "Hmph, I''m not spending time learning all those stupid jargon."


    "I don''t get it; you can just make Vesa pour that information into your brain. Why are you so against it?"


    "Look, Alex, even reading one word makes my brain hurt. What do you think will happen if all that information is poured into my mind at the same time?


    No, thank you. I won''t try to find out.


    Why don''t you just train some of those goblins and send them to me?"


    Alex had asked Vesa about this before, and it''s possible to send the Awe Cube with living creatures inside it to MingYue''s world as long as he pays the life force for it.


    At first, this gave Alex the idea to send himself in, but Vesa shut it down. Alex is the anchor she uses to send those items; how can he send himself that way? Impossible.


    The only way for Alex to do this is to recover Vesa''s strength enough that it can create a portal to another world, like a dungeon.


    However, in Vesa''s plan, it might as well send both of them to take another progenitor''s blood to quickly enhance their growth. It needs to make sure every energy is used effectively.


    "That is my plan since those goblins are no use on my side, but what about the goblin kids?" Alex still doesn''t know what to do with them.


    "Don''t you plan to make those games using their souls to play? Why not make a prototype of it using the goblin kids?


    When they take a break, let them stay in the Awe Cube. When they wake up, let them enter a game like that where they can do quests."


    Alex pondered it, but he doubted he could make one now. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His understanding of formations is not that deep yet, and it needs to interact with their souls. Without making sure there were no bad side effects, Alex didn''t dare use them as an experiment.


    Hearing his concern, MingYue chuckled.


    "Look, Alex, you don''t need to use their souls for the prototype. Doesn''t the Awe system already work like a game?


    Just make a bigger storage ring, but this one fills it with things you need for the quests and their study. Since there aren''t many goblin kids, I am sure it''s doable."


    Alex felt like a lightbulb turned on in his brain; he then realized it could be done. He didn''t need a big space for all those kids.


    His mind then started churning with many ideas on how to do it.


    Not hearing any response back from Alex made MingYue chuckle; she had already gotten used to it. He often forgot everything when he was really focused on one thing.


    "Alex, before you get into whatever project is in your mind, I think I will need more material for the construction since this one is wasted."


    Hearing MingYue''s voice brought him back to reality.


    "Don''t worry, the material I sent last time is already more than you need, but I will send you another batch soon. Now that there are many people, I will also send some more food so you can start introducing them to the populace."


    "That''s good, don''t forget to send me more novels and anime. I''ve almost run out of everything.


    Also, no need to send more games here; I just see my brother getting weird ideas when playing those games."


    MingYue then told him about what happened, making Alex laugh.


    "Your brother really is afraid of you," he commented.


    "Well, it''s not weird. I''m the one punishing him every time he makes a mess. Really, I''m more like his mother than his sister."


    They then exchanged a few more words before ending the talk.


    MingYue felt better after talking with Alex. She then took a few more sips and started thinking about what they talked about.


    She realized Alex changed the topic when it came to his own emotions. "Vesa, you should know why he did that. Can you tell me?"


    [I know, but no, Queen. I will not interject on this. I doubt you would like it if the King also asked things about your personal life, and I answered it.]


    MingYue raised her eyebrow, "Did he ever do that?"


    [No.]


    "Hmm, that''s good," MingYue mumbled, her mind still busy thinking about why Alex did that. Since he talks about it, isn''t he also in pain? Why doesn''t he do what he suggests, then?


    But her thoughts didn''t last long when suddenly a familiar voice reached her ears, "Sis, what are you daydreaming about?" MingHao asked, feeling confused.


    Never in his life had he seen his sister lost in thought like that. When he returned back to the RV, MingYue didn''t even realize he had entered.

 Chapter 74: NRV

    "Oh, you returned, brat," MingYue said.


    MingHao looked at his sister''s face, then asked, "Are you thinking about a man, sis? Do I have a brother-in-law?"


    His question made MingYue''s cheeks turn red, "What are you saying, brat? Don''t say something like that again. Here, catch, this is for you."


    Ming Yue threw the storage ring, where Vesa sealed the Xueqi ancestor.


    Ming Hao caught it easily, but he looked at his sister with widened eyes, ''Did she just blush? My cold-hearted sister???'' he asked in his mind, but MingHao didn''t dare to talk further about this topic.


    Ming Yue could guess what Ming Hao was thinking, but she didn''t want to talk about it, "Come here, sit, tell me what happened in detail."


    Ming Hao walked in a daze and then started telling his story to MingYue.


    Even though she had already known what had happened, she wanted to know everything in more detail, what her parents had said to him and how they had acted before it all happened.


    She wants to try to understand what is running in their mind. When they choose to leave their own kids.


    Meanwhile, after the talk with Ming Yue, Alex had already made some plans for what he could do with the goblin kids, but he lacked the tools and equipment to do it at his home.


    Having some free time, Alex returned to his hobby, reading novels.


    But this time, he wanted to try it with an app he had just created. It''s something he made as a side project from the Awe system.


    Using Vesa''s help, he translated how it works in modifying the environment inside the Awe Cube into computer code. He then linked it with AI, which he named the Novel Realistic Visualization Project.


    By inputting a novel chapter into the app, it will process it and recreate the scene in VR, allowing him to watch what is happening like a VR movie.


    After achieving this, Alex wondered why such an app had never existed in the market. He then realized the only reason he achieved this easily was Vesa''s help.


    It''s not impossible to do, but significant investment is required to develop AI. However, the biggest problem is if it succeeds, it will eliminate many jobs and industries.


    Who would bother watching a movie if they could just copy a story online and put it there? It''s the same with anime, manga, and VR.


    The reason novels still succeed to this day, even with anime, movies, and VR, is because it allows those who read them to recreate the scene using their own imagination, and everyone has a different take on this.


    However, anime, movies, and other media take all of it away, turning the imagination into something tangible, but often, it''s not the same as the reader''s expectation.


    Thankfully, in Alex''s world, there are solutions for this. With the Erx chip, which can accept people''s thoughts as input, this problem is solved.


    It will take both the scene and the reader''s imagination, then recreate everything in VR, allowing senses of touch and everything¡ªthe wet dream of all novel readers. Or at least, it''s like that for Alex; he feels very excited about his creation.


    This, in his opinion, is the ultimate entertainment system.


    Even compared to VR, where people can do everything they want, most people, when given complete freedom, instead become blank on what to do or choose.


    However, using the NRV combines both the freedom of imagination and direction from the scene by the author. The user only needs to turn off their brain and enjoy everything.


    Not only that, with Ai like Vesa, they could even remake everything in a game, inserting themself into the story. There are almost no limitations on what they can do.


    His creation could easily turn the industry upside down and earn them tons of money, but it doesn''t necessarily mean it''s a good idea.


    This money would come from dominating the entertainment market, making all the other giants lose their share. This would then incite conflict even worse than his family''s rise to the one percent of the richest people on the planet.


    So, Alex decided to use it only for his personal use.


    He also didn''t plan to introduce it to the Bai Yue sect, as he was worried this would make them addicted and choose to live in the imagined VR world forever.


    But his creation has a big downside; since it recreates the scene, it will take time to enjoy it, far longer than just reading a novel chapter. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then chooses a specific chapter with a good scene. But he didn''t choose one with an epic fight; his mood wasn''t that good after his talk with MingYue.


    Instead, he chose a bittersweet scene.


    In this scene, the MC succeeds in his life''s goal: he beats the main villain and finally becomes a god, gaining the ability to resurrect everyone dear to him.


    But it turns out that even that ability is not enough; he needs to choose between his parents and loved ones.


    Caught in a dilemma, the protagonist finally decides to choose the most important thing for him; he burns his whole cultivation, resurrecting both his parents and lover.


    Seeing all of it in an immersive virtual environment made Alex''s mood turn even more somber because he knew this scene was not the ending.


    Alex doesn''t know if the author just wants to prolong the story or really had that plan in mind since the next plot gets a lot of hate from the readers, where they thought after reading 1000+ chapters the story ended, but it still continued, writing how the MC, in the end, dies and leaves his family alone because he sacrificed his cultivation.


    His lifespan becomes short, making him leave everyone first.


    The author then continues to write how the rest of his family lives in agony afterward. "It''s weird. I learn many more things from novels than from school," he mumbled.

 Chapter 75: Olivia, Quartz, and Zold

    The author then continues to write how the rest of his family lives in agony afterward. "It''s weird. I learn many more things from novels than from school," he mumbled.


    Alex paralleled this with his own life. He had chosen to bottle up his own problem in his heart.


    However, his situation is different; he is not as selfish as the MC. The main character knows what it''s like to live without them but now subjects them to the same fate.


    If Alex were in his position, he would choose differently. He would find a way to revive both without sacrificing himself, even if it took far longer.


    "No matter what, I would not do something like this. I am sure Dad wouldn''t sacrifice his own life for others, either. He knows how much Mom loves him. If I can realize this, Dad should too¡­"


    His eyes start stinging with tears, his heart throbbing, "Dad, are you really still alive?"


    Memories of the past start surfacing in his mind; the laughter, the jokes, the conversations they had.


    When his dad was alive, their family always dined together, and they often went on family trips. But after he was gone, everything changed.


    His mother fought with Emily, the mood in the house became heavy, and the once joy-filled mansion turned silent.


    Alex sighed, looking at the scene in VR again as his heart throbbed with pain.


    But who could he share these emotions with? In the past, his mom and sister were also struggling at that time; he had no friends, let alone a lover.


    And now?


    He has gotten used to it, nor does he feel any need to express it.


    If his dad is alive, then it''s all fine in the end. If not, he is more worried about how his mother and sister will take it. He is afraid they will do something drastic.


    The sun rises again, signaling the change of day. Emily is now on her way to the Suzaku Genesis Complex (SGE), feeling excited for this day.


    Today is the day the guild will start operating again, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. She has already planned that they will undertake their first dungeon dive a week from now, followed by a public conference.


    As a guild, there are many things Emily needs to prepare, the most important being the hunter and creating a team to clear dungeons.


    She already has a candidate for it, Zold.


    Emily trusts him a lot since they both face the same tragedy and have the same goal. And his ability is no joke; Zold can create electricity around his body.


    Other than him, there are only two more people who can still go into the dungeon. They are a veteran member of the Suzaku guild. When the tragedy happened, they had some other task outside the country, allowing them to avoid the tragedy.


    But both of them don''t feel happy about it; they keep regret not being there for their guild mate.


    Both of them are girls; the first one is named Olivia, and the second is Quartz.


    Olivia has the ability to heal, while Quartz''s ability allows her to draw everyone''s focus toward her. Simply put, she is a tank that can pull all monster aggro.


    Olivia and Quartz are a team; their abilities complement each other, making them almost inseparable. If they go on a mission, they will go at it together.


    But with only four hunters, it won''t be enough to really run a guild. She needs to recruit more people and create a system for it.


    To do this, Emily didn''t follow the approach of other guilds.


    Usually, other guilds get their new members by getting information from the hunter association and then sending their scouts after new, strong awakeners.


    As for the weaker ones, they will either try to join by themselves by sending an application and passing an interview or turn to the association.


    The association will accept any awakener. Depending on their abilities, they will then be allocated a suitable position.


    However, a lot of awakeners don''t want to work for the association since even those working in administration are often sent to dangerous places, and the pay is not worth it.


    The association offers them low pay but many incentives. This forces most of the hunters to stay with the association, creating a bad reputation among the awakeners.


    This leads them to prefer working in other industries instead. For example, those with mind-type abilities, like Alex, often work as researchers.


    Some ability users are also marked as too dangerous; these individuals are forced to work with the association but receive special bonuses and guarantees of a good life for their families.


    But, not all awakeners are registered with the association. For example, dark hunters and people from prominent families, the so-called one-percenters, often do not register with the association.


    The new Suzaku Guild adopted a recruitment method similar to the BaiYue Sect, but they changed how it works.


    The system operates more like a school where every person, with or without ability, can enroll by paying an affordable fee. They will then undergo a six-month training program.


    Those who graduate proceed to the next level of training.


    This initial six-month period is designed to test their determination, so it will be challenging but not excessive.


    In the next six months, they will undergo another training session. This one is intended to filter out individuals based on their nature, distinguishing those with good intentions from those with bad.


    Alex doesn''t want to use slave contracts like MingYue, so he needs to find a way to discern people''s nature before he can make the game in his mind, where he can just see it from their soul.


    At this phase, Alex still doesn''t know what method he can implement to truly achieve this.


    This group will then be divided into two branches; those who learn the cultivation he provides to the association and those he can trust who will undergo another test. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 76: Chibi

    This one will be a hellish training similar to the one BaiYue Sect conducts for their outer sect disciples.


    However, there are many details that need to be fleshed out.


    For now, the Suzaku Guild will start the first phase as Alex prepares the rest. He also still needs to reach an agreement with the Hunter Association regarding the new cultivation method.


    The way the Suzaku Guild operates will also change now.


    In the past, they obtained artifacts and commissioned other researchers to develop a product, just like other top guilds. Meanwhile, the low and medium-sized ones usually just sell all their loot directly to the association.


    The way the Suzaku Guild will work now is to give all the loot to the research division under Prof. Faerith.


    As for the magic tools, they will be shared by the guild members who do the hunt. Other than this, the guild will also give them a fixed salary and gear based on their contribution to the guild.


    Compared to this, other guilds usually pay a sign-up bonus, offer some monthly incentives, and then provide a percentage of every dungeon clear based on the contract.


    The loot then becomes owned by the guild.


    S-class ability users usually receive up to 60% of the reward, but for those A, B, or the lowest, C class, they can only get 20-30% at first, which will rise based on how long they have been with the guild.


    A guild will never accept those with powers worse than C class.


    This makes Suzaku operate very differently from other guilds. There are others that work in a similar manner, where they take all the loot and research it themselves, only giving a report to the association, but usually, this kind of guild is operated under a specific group or family where outsiders cannot join.


    Only those from the family or who are scouted can enter.


    Currently, in Alex''s country, only three guilds operate like this: one from the one percenter Valhalla, and the other two guilds are made by families in the same class as Alex; Arcane Fury and Crimson Blades.


    But all these guilds are just branches, so Emily is not worried about them.


    It didn''t take long for Emily to reach the building. She glanced around the parking lot and, not seeing Alex''s car, she quickly made her way to the meeting area.


    Entering the room, she saw three people already inside, Quartz and Olivia among them, both wearing smiles on their faces.


    After the incident, both of them received numerous offers from other guilds but rejected them all. For them, the Suzaku Guild was not just a workplace but their home.


    They heard from Emily that the guild would start again, so they didn''t hesitate to rejoin. Quartz has black hair and a beautiful Middle Eastern face; her brown skin is smooth, but one can see a scar if one looks closely, stretching from her eye all the way to her cheek.


    Rather than make her ugly, the scar, in a strange way, enhances her beauty. She is taller than Emily and Alex.


    Sitting beside her is Olivia, with golden hair that curls at the tips and her golden eyes warmly greeting Emily.


    Golden eyes are rare in Alex''s world, but no one has found them strange since the advent of mana in the atmosphere. Not only do people get the ability, but some also get new hair and eye color.


    Olivia''s height often leads people to mistake her for a child. Her face is round and beautiful, but "cute" is the better word to describe her. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In contrast, a young man with silver hair sits opposite her, his expression cold, not even turning his gaze when Emily enters.


    Everyone is familiar with his icy demeanor, and if anything, they feel pity for the young man, Zold.


    As a child, Zold was separated from his family due to a Dungeon break. But, his fate took an even darker turn when he was kidnapped by dark hunters and trained as an assassin.


    It took years until the Suzaku Guild succeeded in rescuing him. Not long after he was reunited with his father, they were separated again.


    His mother died from stress during Zold''s disappearance, and he also has a sister who was declared dead in the incident that separated him from his family.


    If Alex were to read his backstory, despite the situation, he would chuckle inwardly, unable to help but compare him to a main character in a novel.


    Now, what Zold lacks is just a system or "golden finger" to turn his life around, and in the future, he will meet his sister as a brainwashed villain and have a fight before finally reconciling.


    But fortunately, Alex is not here; otherwise, Emily would read all his thoughts with one look at his expression and end up knocking him on the head.


    Quartz stood up from her chair, then ran toward Emily and hugged her. "Long time no see, Emily. You look stronger now."


    She then stepped back to take a better look at her face and let out a chuckle. "I still remember when you were a kid running around the guild office. Now, you''ve already become a beautiful lady and even a hunter."


    Emily smiled. "It''s good to see you too, Aunt Quartz."


    She had often played with both of them as a child. Turning to her other aunt, who was now shorter than her, she greeted, "Good to see you too, Aunt Chibi."


    The word "chibi" made Olivia''s veins pop, and she glared sternly at Quartz. "This is all because of you. I told you not to tell anyone about it!"


    Quartz chuckled. "Hey, don''t blame me. Every member of our guild knows you''re called Chibi!"


    "That''s because you blurted it out! No one else would know if you hadn''t said anything."


    "Have you seen yourself in the mirror, Olivia? Do you think no one else would think the same thing?"


    Seeing their interaction make Emily''s heart warm, she said with a chuckle, "Both of you are still as close as ever."

 Chapter 77: Frontline

    Both of them looked at her at the same time and said in unison, "How can this be called close!"


    Hearing this, Emily''s laughter grew even louder. It looked comical, not only because of the timing but also because of how their height difference made the scene even more amusing.


    It''s not weird everyone calls Olivia "Chibi" since even Emily would be considered short even when walking with Quartz, not to mention Olivia. It will make her short height even more obvious.


    "Emily, can you start? If there''s nothing important, I''ll go back to my training," Zold asked, his cold voice cutting through the atmosphere, making everyone turn silent.


    Quartz chuckled as she took a seat at the table. "You''re always so serious, Zold. If you keep that up, no woman will like you," she said jokingly.


    Zold replied with a serious tone, "Aunt Quartz, I have no time for women, not until I see my father again."


    Quartz wanted to say something more, but Olivia chimed in, "Shut it, Quartz. You should know what Zold''s personality is like. Not everyone likes to joke all day like you."


    Quartz clicked his tongue with annoyance, "Just say you want a reason to berate me, Chibi."


    Emily shook her head, knowing if she didn''t say something, it would turn back into another round of bickering.


    "Alright, first, thank you for coming and rejoining the guild, Quartz, Olivia, Zold. As the new guild master of Suzaku, I really give my heartfelt thanks. All of you left your jobs and quickly came here without a second thought."


    "No need for formalities, Emily. It''s just us here. Just get to the point. You should have known we would return here. If anything, I am sorry instead," Quartz said with a solemn tone.


    "For once, what Quartz says is true. We should have been there for you."


    Emily''s heart felt warm because she knew what both of them really did; they said they didn''t do anything, while all this time, they were making their way to the red region.


    They had gone on multiple expeditions, fighting on the frontline, trying to find a way to locate the rest of the guildmates.


    She then looked at Zold, who nodded back at her.


    This made Emily smile; she also knew Zold had quit his job at the Association, just like her, since people who work for the guild cannot work for the Association.


    "Alright, I''ll skip the formalities then. As you know, since our guild will start operating again, we will soon have our first dungeon dive.


    I already have a dungeon in mind and have also booked a slot for us; it''s a category three dungeon."


    "Category three? Are you sure, Emily?" Quartz asked.


    "Yes."


    "But there are only four of us. Even if you''re confident in our abilities, we still need more people for a category three dungeon," Olivia chimed into the discussion.


    "Don''t worry, I am sure it''s enough, Aunt. My brother will also join our next dive."


    Olivia''s golden eyes gleamed with interest. "Alex? Didn''t you say he is a useless shut-in now?"


    Compared to other members of the guild, Olivia knows Alex; she has taken care of him before as his tutor since Edward was worried about him.


    Despite his ability, he always wondered why his son never got the best scores, and sometimes even bad ones, which made him send Olivia.


    Emily chuckled, "He has changed now, Aunt. You will see when you meet him later."


    They then exchanged a few more details about the dungeon, the monster there, and the items they needed to prepare. Emily also explained the change she would make for the guild and how they would take part in it.


    Zold didn''t offer any opinions, but after the discussion finished, he asked, "Emily, you haven''t told us about category five. You told me you have a plan to go there."


    Olivia and Quartz''s expressions changed the moment they heard about it; they turned serious, their eyes sharpened.


    They have tried so hard all this time, but they are barely able to make their way past the frontline.


    They will need to fight hordes of monsters to reach that place, and it will turn worse as they get closer to the city. The category five dungeon they all want to enter is deep in the middle of it, in the nest of category five monsters.


    "Yes, I can guarantee you we have a plan to go there, but I am sorry. If it were up to me, I would tell all of you. However, the plan is not from me," Emily replied with a solemn expression.


    "Since you guarantee it, that is enough for me," Zold answered, then excused himself. For him, time is better spent doing something that can improve his strength. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After he left, Quartz asked Emily, "Can''t you tell us anything at all? It''s not that we don''t believe you, but if you had seen what we have, you would understand it''s hard to believe. The situation on the frontline is beyond your imagination, Emily. It''s a real war."


    "Believe me, Aunt, I have seen with my own eyes what happens when the dungeon breaks. I am not underestimating it.


    All this time, while I worked for the Association until I reached two stars, I always looked for any information regarding the frontline situation there. I know what we need to face."


    But Quartz still felt disbelief with what Emily said. After all, seeing it with your own eyes and reading information is very different.


    We can easily read about a war between thousands of people against thousands of beasts, but witnessing it with your eyes is a different matter.


    Even with her experience in many dungeon dives, the frontline is a brutal place where even S-class power users or four-star hunters can lose their lives at any time.


    Seeing Quartz and Emily go back and forth, Olivia''s mind instead thought of something else. After some thought, she asked a question, "It''s from Alex, right?"

 Chapter 78: Suzaku Guild, Its Family

    Emily raised her eyebrow while Quartz laughed her ass off, "Are you kidding, Chibi? That brat that always plays games all day?.


    Even when the leader was still here, he always complained about him, and now you say he has a way to go through all that madness and horror? S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You''re kidding me, Chibi." But her laughter disappeared when she saw Emily not laughing; she realized something was wrong.


    "For real? Alex, that brat?"


    "How did you know, Aunt Olivia? I thought most guild members looked down on my brother."


    Olivia chuckled. "Because they don''t know what he can do. The leader in the past told me to teach him because his scores at school were not good.


    But after I taught him for a while, I realized it was not that his scores were no good; he just liked playing with the scores as a challenge.


    If you combine them, you will even find a meaning from the numbers; it''s like playing a puzzle game."


    "Brother did that?" Emily asked in disbelief.


    She remembered how, in the past, her parents used to complain and even get angry at her brother. That was the first time she started thinking her brother''s abilities were bugged or broken.


    Olivia then told her some stories from the past, and Quartz frowned, still not believing it.


    After a few hours of talking, Emily invited them to have lunch together since they hadn''t met for a long time, despite the occasional contact just to inform each other they were alright.


    Quart and Olivia agreed; they then ordered some takeout food since they were too lazy to go out.


    While they were eating, Quartz asked, "By the way, where is Madam Luca? I haven''t seen her since we came here. I thought she would be excited to meet us."


    "Mom? Well, you should know we had a fight last time."


    Quartz''s eyes widened. "Still?" she then sighed, "It''s been years, Emily. You should just make up with Madam already. It''s been harder for her than any of us; you should know best how close they were."


    "Actually, I''m surprised Madam Luca hasn''t gone there herself," Olivia said.


    Emily''s eyes widened in surprise. "Mom? Going there? You''re kidding, right, Aunt?"


    Olivia and Quartz looked at each other and then gazed at Emily with disbelief.


    "You really don''t know? Your mom has S-class power. She often went to the dungeon in the past, but her hunter rank is low since she hates reporting her achievements to the association."


    "What? Mom, is that strong? She never told us anything."


    Quartz''s eyes then turned to respect and reverence. "Before you were born, she was active in the guild. She was like a war goddess in the field. Even compared to us, we were no match for her."


    Olivia then put her finger to her chin. "I remember she retired after she got pregnant with Alex. That''s probably why you don''t know about it."


    "She still could have told us. Next time, I will ask her. Can you tell me more about her?"


    "Well, we also don''t know much. You should have known we were young at that time. All the veteran members should be around forty to fifty now." Quartz''s eyes then grew distant as she remembered the past.


    She lost her family to monsters and was rescued by the guild. Since that time, the guild Suzaku has become her home.


    Other guilds usually would just let the government take care of the victims. It''s rare for a guild like Suzaku to exist.


    In her eyes, Luca was like a saint.


    She made sure every victim got adopted by a good family. If not, she would take care of them, giving them a roof, food, and even guidance to have a good future.


    Not just Quartz, Olivia was also the same. Both rejected adoption offers and instead chose to live in the guild.


    Many members in the guild each have their own story, and Edward never judged any of them for it. Instead, he would help them with their problems if he could.


    That is why the guild members are really solid.


    Even when the guild disappeared, many of the guild members'' wives and kids chose to stay in the building. Not because they wanted the facility but because the Suzaku guild was home to them. It''s their family.


    Olivia''s eyes turned misty from the talk. "I miss them all, Quartz."


    "I know, Oli, I know, me too," Quartz said in a solemn tone as she patted Olivia on the head.


    Olivia''s cheeks puffed out, and with a sharp, cracking voice, she said, "Don''t touch my head, Quartz."


    Hearing their conversation, Emily started to feel worried. She then remembered her mother''s actions the last time they met, and a bad feeling began to overwhelm her.


    Her throat started to feel dry, but Emily didn''t reach for the water on the table. Instead, she took out her phone and dialed her mother.


    She was so worried that she forgot all the awkwardness and strain in their relationship.


    The sound of the phone trying to connect rang in her ears, as in her mind, she kept repeating, "Answer me, Mom... Answer me, please."


    Time passed, but the connection never connected until it timed out. Emily''s eyes started to turn misty, looking at the phone in her hand in a daze.


    Olivia and Quartz realized something was off. They were just about to ask what happened when the phone started to vibrate.


    Emily didn''t even think twice before answering it. Hearing the voice from the other line made her feel relieved.


    "Yes, Emily, you called? Did something happen?"


    "No, Mom, I''m just checking," Emily said in a low voice.


    Luca then heard a chuckle on the other side, "Checking? Now you remember your mom."


    "Mom, it''s not like I ever forget you."


    "It''s alright, I''m just kidding. Do you have something else, or should I end the call?"


    Emily could hear many background noises behind Luca, making her ask, "Are you busy, Mom?"

 Chapter 79: Material from Goblin Hollow

    Hearing worry in her daughter''s tone made Luca smile, "I''m just doing my usual charity work. Nothing to worry about.


    Oh yeah, tell Alex I won''t be coming home for a while. I need to check on the company while I''m here."


    Emily knew her mother often did charity work and sometimes even went to other countries for it, so she didn''t find it weird, "Alright, be careful, Mom¡­" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She paused for a moment, then said, "And I''m sorry."


    Emily could hear another chuckle as Luca said, "What for sorry?


    I''m your mother, Emily. It''s alright for you to act spoiled sometimes, although I would appreciate it if it doesn''t go this long next time.


    Alright, I must really go now. Let''s meet up when I return."


    The call then ended with a beep. Emily felt relieved hearing her mother was alright. Noticing the questionable gaze from Olivia and Quartz, Emily explained what happened.


    This made both of them look at each other for a moment, making Emily, in turn, feel puzzled. "Is something wrong with what I said?"


    Quartz wanted to say something, but Olivia cut in, "Nothing, Emily. You do not need to worry about your mom; it''s Madam we''re talking about here; she won''t take risks with her life."


    Emily nodded while she sent a message to Alex to tell him what happened. Quartz had a complicated gaze in her eyes.


    Olivia then changed the topic. "By the way, Emily, I didn''t say this before because Zold was there, but are you sure about the new recruitment system?


    This will really change the guild. I doubt it will be like before since we will have many newcomers." She doesn''t want to say it in front of Zold since it will undermine Emily as Guild leader.


    "This... Well, it''s Alex''s idea."


    Emily also felt like that; she had complained about it before to Alex, but Alex insisted on it, saying just believe him on this.


    "He never got close to how the guild worked before, so it''s no wonder he has thoughts like that. I will talk to him later," Quartz said.


    "If Alex decided, I doubt he will change his mind. He is like the leader in that aspect," Olivia replied.


    "But still, to change how the guild really works..."


    "Just stop it, Quartz. He must have his reasons."


    Olivia then turned her gaze toward Emily. "But why does he want to instruct how the guild works? Aren''t you the guildmaster?"


    "Well, I am the guildmaster, but he is the one who had the idea to rebuild the guild. Technically, all the ideas come from him, while I just run the guild," Emily replied.


    She then paused for a moment before adding, "To be honest, I don''t think about it that much, Aunt Oli. He just told me he needs the guild to prepare to go there, and that is what matters to me."


    The mention of ''there'' made the discussion solemn again.


    Meanwhile, in another place, Luca had just finished the call with Emily. A voice from behind her said, "Is it alright to lie to your daughter like that? You should know the risks with this expedition."


    "She is my daughter; she will be alright. You don''t need to worry about that."


    The man behind her chuckled, "To think the war Valkyrie will return to the frontline, I look forward to your performance."


    "You should know the deal. I am not coming to help you, Baldy."


    "Yeah, yeah, I know. Our goal is the same anyway. We will back you up to look for him, but still, just don''t put too much hope on it, Luca."


    "I know, Baldy. No need to say more," Luca said as her finger touched the ring on her finger.


    It was her wedding ring with Edward, but not just a normal ring. She always knew he was still alive from it since the ring would break if Edward really died.


    ''Hubby, don''t blame me. You took too long. I''m coming to you,'' she mumbled in her mind as she walked toward a private jet waiting for her and the expedition group.


    Time passed on.


    Alex spent the days optimizing the awe system. He also followed MingYue''s suggestion, making a larger one for the kids, and placed all those awe boxes and systems in the basement of SGE.


    He gave Emily access to enter anytime she wanted.


    Emily often came tinkering with the quest and program, as she wanted to instill knowledge in the goblins to make them civilized. This made Alex shake his head, but he let her do as she pleased.


    He then started tinkering with the materials from Goblin Hollows. The wood is as strong as normal steel but has the melting point of normal wood.


    However, its special characteristic is that it can be infused with mana directly. Normal wood would break if infused with mana; it can only be soaked bit by bit to make it stronger. This wood is called Twilight Willow.


    People have tried to regrow it, but they keep failing. Instead, it grows into a different type of plant with different characteristics.


    It''s still a useful resource but has a completely different use.


    Using Twilight Willow, Alex can put simple formations into it, making it remember a shape that can be triggered by infusing mana into it.


    Alex then used this to help the construction of the Bai Yue Sect by making it memorize a form to build the foundation there. So, they just need to pour and continue with the construction afterward, making it far easier.


    As for the ore, it''s called Moonforge Iron.


    It has a low melting point, making it easy to form. But weirdly, when it''s allowed to absorb moonlight for a specific duration of time, its characteristics start to change, making it far stronger than steel and raising its melting point to a whole new level.


    This is useful for crafting weapons, but for now, Alex wants to prioritize people from the sect. Since all of them were under slave contracts with MingYue, this made them be trusted.

 Chapter 80: Going to the Association

    But Alex knows that in the future, members from the Suzaku Guild will make up the core members of the Vampire race. After all, based on information from Vesa, pure-blooded vampires cannot be put under a slave contract.


    Alex also spent time learning some basic movements to use a hammer as a weapon, using a manual from MingYue''s world.


    He also improvised on it with modern knowledge to optimize the movement, but halfway through, he stopped because he got stuck.


    It''s possible to optimize the movement set, but at the same time, this makes it very hard to use secret techniques. Every motion is experimented with and polished over many generations to ensure the flow of qi moves in a certain pattern to activate the secret art.


    This made Alex need to choose his basic art carefully since he needed to polish it over time. It''s either that, or he abandons the thought of using secret techniques until he reaches something like the immortal stage.


    He then asked Vesa about this, wondering if there was any solution. But Vesa also didn''t know.


    Vampires are masters at using life force; they can manipulate blood and strengthen their physical form, but not use elements like fire or ice.


    When Vesa modified techniques, it was done in a way to strengthen them by utilizing life force in a more efficient way, compared to how Alex used it before, which was very inefficient.


    His attack last time cost him more than 10,000 life energy. In the end, after deducting all the expenses, Alex still had a significant stockpile of life force energy, but Vesa took most of it, leaving him only with around 6,000 outside his own 2,000 life force limit.


    MingYue also started doing what Alex did, utilizing mana to enhance parts of her body with Alex''s method, but it was barely useful since her body was already enhanced by Qi; her starting point was different from Alex''s. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Alex is building a new foundation, then MingYue is transforming an existing foundation into a stronger one.


    The result does raise her life energy limit, but not as much as Alex''s.


    However, it still boosts her combat strength since her secret techniques now use her life force energy.


    In her world, the sect also started to progress.


    In total, there are now more than four hundred people living in the sect, with thirty outer disciples, including MingHao. MingYue also visited JianFen''s family; her uncle was excited when he met her, hugging her with tears.


    MingYue smiled bitterly when this happened, feeling warm and guilty at the same time. She exchanged some small talk with them and met her new nephew for the first time.


    Her uncle offered her to hold the baby, but MingYue declined. She felt awkward holding a baby since they seemed so fragile to her.


    MingYue was afraid she might hurt her.


    After saying goodbye, MingYue left the secret realm. She wanted to look for Qi crystal mines and natural treasures using Vesa''s abilities. She also wanted to check on the situation at her sect.


    Meanwhile, Alex was on his way to the association to finalize the sign-up deal.


    To his surprise, the one who wanted to meet with him was not just any hunter but the association president. This made him feel wary.


    There is so little information known about him other than that he is an eccentric person.


    Arriving at the association, he saw his sister Emily standing there with two people beside her; he recognized them as Quartz and Olivia. Lately, Emily often spent time with them, training and hanging out together.


    When they heard Alex wanted to meet with the association to secure a deal, it piqued their curiosity. Emily kept her lips sealed about the details, which is why Quartz and Olivia wanted to find out from Alex.


    But Alex always avoids meeting for many reasons, the main one being Olivia.


    Seeing them made Alex''s eyes widen in surprise. Olivia, instead, felt excited; she ran toward Alex.


    Alex stood stupefied while Olivia hugged him and pulled him over to her bosom. "You have grown some balls now, huh, Alex? You ignore all my calls and messages."


    Emily and Quartz chuckled. Seeing it, even the security couldn''t help but hold their laughter. It looked like a child acting like a mother to a young adult, making it look comical.


    "Alright, I''m sorry. Can you stop it already?"


    "What did I tell you to call me?"


    Alex hesitated, but feeling the gaze of people on him, he sighed, "Alright, big sis, stop it already."


    In the past, Olivia made him call her that; at first, he called her aunt like Emily, but Olivia made him change it to big sis.


    Alex speculated that for Olivia, both his parents are like her own, which is why she wanted him to call her that, but that doesn''t make sense since his sister calls her aunt.


    But that is not the reason why Alex avoided her.


    Olivia released Alex, seeing his face turn red, which made her chuckle. "Why are you all red like that? We even bathed together in the past." Her words earned him a judging gaze from everyone.


    Alex sighed, "Don''t say something that makes others misunderstand; that was when I was still a kid."


    "And who was the one asking for it?"


    Alex gulped, "Alright, I''m sorry. Can you not say embarrassing things like that in public?"


    It''s not like he asked for it directly; at that time, Alex had just hit puberty. With his constant meetings with Olivia, he tried to peek at her a few times.


    In his defense, it was just a glance through the gap in the fabric, but Olivia realized this. Instead of getting mad, she pulled Alex to take a bath with her. But this is still not the reason why Alex avoided her.


    Olivia pouted, "Hmph, good that you know." Her eyes then turned serious. "Are you really still mad about that?"

 Chapter 81: Solomon Arkham

    The reason for this is an even darker page for Alex, one he really didn''t want others to hear. "Can we talk about it later, Big Sis?"


    "Fine. But I am waiting for you here. I won''t let you escape now," Olivia said with a stern look.


    "I promise," Alex said with a sigh.


    He then said hi to Emily and cast a look at her, blaming her for bringing Olivia without telling him. Emily just smirked at his gaze.


    Alex then exchanged greetings with Quartz and quickly entered the building since it was already the promised time with the association president.


    As he left, Quartz asked Olivia, "Did something happen between you two, Chibi?"


    Emily perked her ears up; she also felt curious about it since her brother was close with Olivia in the past but suddenly put a distance between them.


    "That is between us, not for you to know," Olivia said with a smirk on her face.


    Meanwhile, inside, an attendant guided Alex through the building.


    "The president is inside. Please go in, Mr. Alex." The man gestured, pointing at the door.


    Alex nodded. He pushed the beautifully carved wooden door open, and inside, he saw an old man sitting cross-legged in front of a Go table, seemingly playing alone.


    The man looked very average; if Alex saw him somewhere outside, he would think he was just a normal old man with a body that was still fit. There was no special aura coming out from him at all.


    Feeling curious, Alex tried to check his status.


    ______________________________


    Name: Solomon Arkham


    Power Level: 48 Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lifeforce: 100/100


    Ability: ???


    ______________________________


    Alex frowned, reading the status.


    ''Vesa, is it not wrong? How could his lifeforce be so low?'' Alex didn''t find the power level weird since he is the association president.


    [King, the data is not accurate. He seems to have a way to hide his life force. I will need to be in direct contact to find out more.]


    ''So his power is even more than 48? Just how strong is he? What about the immortals in MingYue''s world?'' Alex thought.


    Seeing the number made it even more clear to him how weak he was now. Even with his regeneration ability, it would be useless with this much power difference.


    Solomon stroked his long white beard. "Why are you standing there, Alex? Come, sit here, join me."Alex then sat opposite him.


    Alex understood that Solomon wanted to find out how he thinks by playing this game with him, but this also meant he could find out how Solomon does things. They then started to play the game.


    Solomon allowed Alex to move first. He started by placing his piece in the middle. Solomon then took his turn, but as the match went on, Alex started to frown.


    Based on his calculations, he should be winning, but the result on the board showed he was losing completely, making his face turn ugly.


    He knew why this was happening. ''This old man is cheating!'' he cursed in his mind.


    But what could he do?


    It wasn''t that he was afraid to point it out, but he couldn''t find any proof of it. He even tried to record it with his implant but found nothing.


    He had proof the piece positions were different, but none where the president touched and moved the position. His vein popped when he saw Solomon''s face looking at him with a gloating look.


    ''Fine, you want to cheat! Two can play at that game.'' Since he couldn''t move the pieces like Solomon did, he did something else.


    Alex took a piece, then imbued it with his strength and placed it on the board with a BAM! Making the whole board crack into two and all the pieces fall down.


    "Sorry, Sir, it seems your table is old, so it broke easily," Alex said with a smirk.


    Solomon didn''t get mad; instead, his eyes seemed to ponder something, and then he opened his mouth and laughed. "Interesting choice, Alex, so you choose to destroy the whole game if you cannot win."


    "I don''t know what you mean, Sir. The board just broke because it''s old."


    Hearing Alex continue to play dumb made Solomon laugh again. "Old? I see. Yeah, you are right; it''s old."


    He then stood up and walked toward the window with his hands on his back. The window provided a good view of the city. "I have read your request and also tested the power system. It''s alright."


    ''Alright? This sneaky old man, do they even have a better power system?'' Alex thought but quickly shook the idea; if this were true, the association would already recruit people en masse, like what he planned.


    "That is good, sir. So, how is it with my request?"


    Solomon stroked his white beard.


    "I can accept it all, but as I say, the power system is just alright, so I cannot give you exclusive rights to the dungeon, only priority use at best."


    "I knew it. This old man just wants to lower the deal. I don''t believe they have a better system than mine," Alex thought, then replied with a smirk. "Then we have no deal. I need all of my requests to be fulfilled."


    Solomon turned his back, then nodded, "Alright, I understand. Then you can go back now since we have no deal."


    He then walked toward his desk and took a sip from his cup of tea.


    Alex was stupefied by his answer. He gazed at Solomon deeply but couldn''t discern what the man was thinking.


    ''Emily told me the association is in dire need of this power system. Did they just get another new one? So my value becomes lower?


    But that doesn''t make sense. If anything, the most expensive of my requests should be the exclusive information for hunters.


    There are many dungeons scattered around; what I ask should not be that hard. I don''t even ask for any specific one since my goal is just the mana crystal and a place to train.''

 Chapter 82: Negotiation (Bonus Ch 200 PS)

    Five minutes passed by in silence. Solomon then asked, "Why are you still here, Alex? Do you want to drink some tea too?"


    Alex didn''t know what to say, so he sat opposite him and sipped the tea.


    The moment he drank it, he could feel his mind becoming clearer, and it gave a soothing sensation to his whole body; he realized this was not normal tea.


    "Doesn''t the association need the power system? Why are you rejecting it over a dungeon?"


    "Oho, did your sister tell you about that?"


    "Anyone with a little brain would know about it, with how the fight on the frontline is progressing," Alex replied swiftly.


    What he meant was the red zone and black zone, but he couldn''t admit he knew it from Emily; otherwise, she would get punished by the association. After all, it''s restricted information.


    "It seems many people don''t have a brain then, don''t you see everyone in this city?


    They''re busy with their daily activity and their own personal desires. Even the majority of the guilds do this. If not because we put a tight leash on them, they would fight each other over dungeon rights," Solomon said with a chuckle.


    "That''s just because they think they can run if something happens."


    "Run? To where? We have an enemy knocking on our door, and as you say, if they had a little brain, they would realize this.


    With our safe territory being taken away, it will just be a matter of time before humanity goes extinct."


    His gaze then turned sharp. "Tell me, Alex, does anyone with a brain still sit and play games on his phone when a thief is in front of their door, knocking it down?"


    As an avid gamer, Alex wanted to answer yes; he knew many people who would just call the police while they continued playing their game with no care in the world. But he knew better than to answer it that way.


    He understood the subtle meaning of Solomon, ''You know we need more people, then why do you ask for a dungeon from us? Isn''t contributing part of your responsibility as a human?''


    "Where? I don''t know, maybe run to the dungeon?" Alex replied; he decided to act like he didn''t understand what Solomon meant. Contributing to the world is all good and dandy, but before that, he needs to make sure to protect his own loved one first.


    Both of them then fell silent, locking gazes with each other for a few breaths.


    Solomon then said with a stern voice, "2 category one dungeons and 1 category two dungeon. We cannot go more than that.


    It''s already more than we can provide. You should know every dungeon is vying for its resources. Giving you exclusive rights means it''s only for your guild, and we need to find alternatives for them.


    Well, if your power system can become stronger or you tell us you''ve improved it, we can negotiate more."


    ''Does this old man know I modified the power system?'' But Alex shook the idea away.


    How could Solomon know if he had never seen the cultivation system before?


    He doubted Solomon would compare it to power systems in novels and fantasy worlds. If there were any dungeons connected to MingYue''s world, he would probably have already heard of them.


    Even though it could be hidden in his world, he was sure some evidence would have been left in MingYue''s world, like things made with technology or even food.


    Those are the most interesting things for cultivators in his mind; they will feel interested in mana at first, but when they find out it''s basically the same as qi, just less volatile, they will lose interest soon.


    Compared to the entertainment system from his world, where people can practically sink a ton of time into it. Alex doubts he could finish all the games in his collection even with one hundred years'' time, and that collection is still growing.


    For those immortals and cultivators with long lifespans and having nothing to do, this will be the most interesting for them, and for his world, this doesn''t have much value.


    So if they ever make a connection or any trade, Alex is sure part of it will spread, or at least a rumor about it could be heard on MingYue''s side.


    "No, 1 category three dungeon, 2 category two, 3 category one," Alex replied swiftly.


    "Category three is still too high for your guild. If it''s the old Suzaku, I wouldn''t mind giving it away, but not this one.


    How about this? I will promise to give you one category three only if you can maintain the other dungeons safely without any breach for a year."


    "Fine, we have a deal," Alex and Solomon then shook hands.


    Solomon then made a call to his secretary to draft the agreement on paper. As they waited, Alex asked, "What do you plan with the power system?"


    "Of course, we will exchange it first with the big guilds. After that, we will start recruitment to hire everyone to start training their ability."


    Hearing it, Alex cursed in his mind, "As expected of the association president!"


    Since the big guilds will put pressure on the association to get the system when it''s introduced to the public, Solomon instead chooses to offer it to them first.


    Alex can already suspect he will bring all the guild leaders together, then offer it as an exclusive right in an auction. He will then wait for a few weeks until the other guilds suffer from the guild that owns it.


    Afterward, he will sell it using the black market at exorbitant prices to the other guilds. After he''s satisfied, he will then open the academy, recruiting people.


    But for Alex, the most important part is confirming the Hunter Association will recruit people to teach them the cultivation method. This means the recruitment for the Suzaku Guild in a similar way also needs to start at that time. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Solomon looked at Alex with profound eyes, analyzing him carefully, then let out a chuckle. "You are different from your father."

 Chapter 83: Scoundrel and Crooked

    Alex was surprised by Solomon''s remark since people usually say they are similar. "What do you mean?"


    "You are more of a scoundrel than your father," Solomon said with a laugh, making Alex''s veins pop.


    "Sir, that is slander, you know."


    "Just call me Solomon. You call it slander? When you cannot win, you just destroy the board."


    Alex cursed. He wanted to say, "You are the one cheating first!" But he knew better than to say it.


    "That is because the board is old, Solomon," Alex said with a forced smile. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, sorry, it''s old, forgive me. I am quite old, too, so my memory is not good," Solomon said sarcastically.


    ''If the president of the association has a bad memory, what about the others!?'' he asked in his mind.


    Looking at Alex''s expression, Solomon chuckled again. He could guess what Alex felt now.


    "Don''t take it in a bad way, Alex. A pure, honest man won''t be able to lead a big organization. Only those crooked like you can."


    Alex''s veins popped again. He really wanted to leave the room quickly. "Is that an insult or praise, Solomon?" Alex asked.


    "That depends on your own point of view," Solomon replied with a smirk.


    ''This damned geezer!''


    It didn''t take long for the secretary to come bringing the document. Alex read every single word carefully a few times.


    He even made sure to zoom in on it, just in case the sly geezer put some words in tiny size. And Alex indeed found one; it read, ''I applaud your diligence in looking for this. Now, who knows, there might be more like this.''


    Reading it, Alex frowned and started to reread everything again. Solomon tried to hold his laughter; he knew by Alex''s expression he had read those words.


    The words were tiny and barely readable, not even in pure black ink. Alex could only find them after zooming in using the ERX chip.


    Time passed, and after he finished rereading everything, Alex realized Solomon was just playing a trick. And it wasn''t just for him.


    He could find the words in random areas on every single paper, and some were even cut off. ''This fucking geezer freaking printed it on every white paper used here!''


    But other than that harmless prank that wasted Alex''s time, everything was as agreed. Both of them then signed the document, and Alex said goodbye to Solomon, wishing in his heart never to need to have anything to do with him ever again.


    After he went out, Solomon laughed his ass off, "I have put those for years; he is the first one that fell for it."


    The secretary looked at Solomon with judging eyes, "President, you should act more like your status."


    "If not because of my status, I wouldn''t act like this," Solomon replied with a chuckle, "Well, he is an interesting lad. I am sure we will meet again soon." The man said as he stroked his long beard.


    "I am sure Alex wishes not to meet you ever again."


    "Well, unfortunately, it''s not up to him," Solomon replied, his expression then turned serious, "Did they already start?"


    "Yes, they just arrived at the frontline. But I still doubt the plan is viable; flying in the red zone is very dangerous."


    "I am not worried. The plan comes from her; she has probably already tested it many times over the years. Till now, she has never failed."


    "Still, President, if she fails¡­ This time, you sent all our best fighters with her," the secretary asked, feeling worried about the result. If all of them really die there, the whole hunters association''s strength can be said to be cut in half.


    "You should know our morale is very low now; we need a big win to motivate everyone. We humans are emotional creatures, Karen. Sometimes what we do doesn''t make sense, but that is what we need."


    Karen still disagreed, but she knew once Solomon made up his mind, he would never change it.


    Solomon gazed toward the door, remembering his encounter with Alex, which made him chuckle again.


    He felt like he became younger when he met Luca for the first time, causing trouble in the association. "He really acts like his mother," he mumbled.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already gone down, reaching the lobby.


    Seeing his upset face made Emily and the rest become worried. He spent an hour there and now came back in a bad mood.


    "Did something happen? Did the deal not go through?" Emily asked.


    "No, we have a deal."


    "Why do you have that face then?" Olivia asked.


    "Nothing important, big sis. You all must be hungry; let''s have some lunch," Alex said, not wanting to share what happened since he was sure they would just laugh at him.


    They then went to a nearby restaurant and ordered some lunch.


    As they waited, Quartz asked directly, "I heard about the new system that you want to implement, Alex. Explain it to me so I can accept it."


    Alex raised his eyebrow. He knew he couldn''t just dismiss her concern. The Suzaku Guild was her family.


    "It might look like it changes, but you will not feel any different. Yes, we will open mass recruitment, but they will enter the academy.


    To finally join the Guild at the same position as you, it will take them years and many processes. Just believe me on this, Aunt Quartz. I may not go to the Guild alone, but I am not blind to how my dad managed it before."


    Olivia chimed in, "I believe him. After all, I am the one teaching him all of it."


    Quartz frowned, but since Olivia had spoken up for him, there was nothing she could say.


    "Fine, I will believe you, Alex. But before that, you need to believe me, too. Just what is the deal with the Hunter Association? And how do you want to go to that place?


    We''ve tried for years with no luck. It''s not that I underestimated you, but I just cannot believe it."

 Chapter 84: Telling Olivia and Quartz

    ''That just means you really think I am not capable,'' Alex thought in his mind while saying, "I will show you back at the guild. It''s something you will only believe if you see it."


    "Alright, we can go to the guild later. For now, let''s talk about something else," Emily chimed in, wanting to change the topic.


    "Fine, then Alex, why do you call me aunt while you call this chibi big sister?" Quartz asked.


    She doesn''t really care, but it annoys her to receive different treatment. It also makes her feel older.


    Olivia chuckled upon hearing this, "Just accept your fate, Aunt."


    "You chibi, what did you call me?"


    "Look, I am Alex''s big sister, and he calls you aunt, so I should call you aunt, too. Otherwise, the hierarchy will be weird," Olivia said, laughing.


    This made Quartz''s veins pop as she demanded Alex change how he addresses her. Emily, meanwhile, tried hard to hold her laughter, knowing if she laughed, Alex would start pulling her into the fray.


    Luckily, before Alex could say anything, the food arrived, and they then had an enjoyable meal together, lifting Alex''s mood. It didn''t take long for them to return to SGE. Alex brought them to the forests behind the facility.


    He took out the Awe cube from his storage ring.


    Seeing a box appear in his hand surprised Quartz and Olivia. They knew about the Awe Cube and even got one from Emily.


    But to use it, they needed to point and press a button on the dashboard. But before they could say anything, their surprise deepened.


    "Come out, Petricia."


    A light appeared, materializing into the beautiful high goblin. Petricia quickly kneeled in front of Alex, "Your order, King."


    "This is my family, my aunt Quartz and big sister Olivia. Greet them."


    Petricia stood up, then bowed politely toward them.


    As a goblin, she was already used to seeing someone at Olivia''s height, so she didn''t find it weird. Instead, she felt quite tall compared to a normal goblin.


    "Greetings, Lady Quartz, Lady Olivia."


    At first, she wanted to call them princesses, but Emily taught her to call others sir and lady. They often had some talk when Emily visited the goblin kids.


    "Alright, that is enough, Petricia. You can return." Alex then called her back to the Awe cube.


    Olivia and Quartz still looked at it, stupefied.


    They understood the implication of what Alex did, and seeing how the goblin treated him like a king meant she was absolutely loyal.


    "Ho... How?" Quartz asked.


    Returning to her senses, Olivia walked toward Alex and raised both hands up with open palms. Alex remembered that gesture.


    He looked at Emily, who held back her laughter.


    "Good things should be shared with family. Give me one," Olivia said, as if it were common sense.


    Emily couldn''t hold it and laughed out loud. She learned that saying when she often hung out with guild members.


    Her father always said it every time they had an after-party to share the dungeon loot.


    The same is true at every holiday or good event; it''s like the Suzaku guild motto at this point. But Alex didn''t know this, so he thought Emily was the one putting Olivia up to it.


    But he shook off the thought since he believed Emily wouldn''t tell her about the Awe system.


    With a sigh, Alex replied, "I can catch one for you. Just tell me what kind of monster you want."


    Olivia grinned, putting her finger over her chin as she thought about what she wanted. She felt happy. Alex agreed quickly.


    Feeling the glare from Quartz, Alex added, "Of course, you too, Aunt. You can ask for it, but I think I don''t need to point out we need to keep this system a secret."


    Quartz nodded. She understood the implication of this. Basically, Alex could have as much military power as he wanted at any time, something unprecedented.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t use it in front of other people. So, do you have any limitations? How many can you bring?"


    "As many as I catch, Aunt. That is why I am sure we have a way to go there." What he needed now was to raise his personal strength and make as many Awe boxes as he could.


    "How did you achieve this, Alex?" Quartz asked.


    In response to this, Alex took out two low-quality qi crystals and gave them to Olivia and Quartz. Feeling the energy inside, they realized it was different from Mana.


    Alex then told them about the cultivation system, but he still didn''t tell them where he got it or anything about Vesa.


    Even though he trusted them, for now, he wanted as few people as possible to know about Vesa. If not because of his hunger, Alex would also still hide it from Emily.


    "Both of you can use that to reach the foundation realm. It should be enough to use the storage ring." Alex then sighed as this reminded him of the astronomical amount of money he needed to get more high-grade mana crystals.


    Looking at Quartz and Olivia, Alex then remembers the reason he needed many crystals was because he is a progenitor.


    The cost of doing it for them should be cheaper. But he quickly shook off the thought; they are not strangers. He cannot just test new methods on them, making them guinea pigs. Even for strangers, Alex will feel guilty doing it.


    It''s better to test it first on some criminals, but Emily has already left her job, and after some further thought, taking them on official missions is not that easy.


    The report will check where the body is if it''s reported dead. "It seems I need to do it with my own hands. Look for some dark hunter to catch."


    Emily and Olivia frowned, seeing Alex''s expression.


    "Bro, you''re thinking of doing something dangerous again, right?" Emily asked with concern.


    Olivia nodded, "I won''t ask where you got all this, Alex, but are you alright? What kind of danger do you need to face for all this?"


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 Chapter 85: Alex & Olivia Past

    "You can always tell us if you need any help. Remember that, Alex," Quartz chimed in.


    It''s not that she doesn''t care about Alex. Her mind is too busy thinking about what kind of monster they will need to better increase their odds of going to that place.


    She cannot contain the excitement in her heart. She knows the chance they are alive is small. But alive or dead, she wants to bring all of them home.


    They then exchanged some more discussion before going on their own way, leaving only Alex and Olivia in the forest.


    Olivia''s expression turned solemn. "Follow me."


    Alex was puzzled by her sudden request but still followed her. They walked through the forest maze until they arrived at a clearing.


    In the middle was a tree slightly larger than the others, while many fireflies brightened the area with their light.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Olivia asked, smiling at Alex.


    Alex, his gaze still focused on the scenery, could not help but nod in agreement with Olivia. He had never known a place like this existed in the forest. He was mesmerized by the beauty.


    Olivia walked toward one of the tree roots and then sat there cross-legged. "What are you dilly-dallying about? Come, sit here."


    Alex looked at Olivia. He came closer but didn''t sit; instead, he took out a table and two pairs of chairs from his storage ring.


    Olivia smiled at it. "Nice, do you have some wine and food too? I am hungry."


    "If you''re hungry, Why do you look for a wine?" Alex asked, puzzled.


    "Because I want to enjoy the scenery, so do you have it or not?"


    "I do have it," he said, taking out a bottle from his storage ring and placing it on the table with two wine glasses. "So, sis, do you want me to grill some meat? Or do you have other food requests?"


    "I miss your food; cook for me; anything will do," Olivia said with a smile on her face.


    Alex rarely cooked, but Olivia knew he was very good at it, just like his father. Olivia thought this was because of his ability, allowing him to know the best timing for it.


    Alex took out charcoal and some grills. He then used an Embershift hammer to make the charcoal burn, making Olivia chuckle, "You do that to show off, right?"


    "Cough, can you not point it out, sis?" Alex replied.


    Olivia laughed as she watched Alex start grilling the meat, the delicious aroma spreading in the forest. But Alex didn''t feel worried any monster would attack them; it would be a good source of life force for him.


    The sound of sizzling meat filled the air as Olivia enjoyed the smell. "How has your life been lately?" she asked.


    "Well, many things have changed, big sis, but honestly, for me, it''s the same. I just do the things I do in the VR world now in the real world."


    Olivia''s voice then turned solemn, "I see, that is good. Tell me about it, Alex."


    Alex nodded. He told her some of his life stories, even one in the game world, including how Luca took his VR headset when he killed the Calamity Dragon and what kind of novels he read.


    Melodious laughter reverberated in the air, "You really are the only one that can make her mad, Alex."


    "Did she never get mad in the guild?" Alex asked as he brought two plates of steak to the table.


    "She does get mad, but it''s only for something serious, Alex. And when she does, your dad will also shut up. Your mom is really scary at times like that."


    Seeing the meat in front of her eyes, Olivia could feel her mouth salivating. She cut the meat, and seeing it cooked medium rare made her smile and feel warm. ''He still remembers what I like.'' She thought.


    They exchanged some small stories as they ate the meat.


    A few wolves came by, but Alex took out Petricia to kill them all and took the corpses inside the Awe cube. She then stayed guard on the perimeter, making sure none disturbed them.


    After finishing dinner, Olivia''s eyes turned serious, "How many years have you been avoiding me, Alex?"


    "I am sorry, sis, it''s my fault," Alex replied with cast-down eyes. He knew the number, but saying it would just hurt her more.


    "Are you still mad at me for rejecting your confession?"


    Alex''s cheeks turned red, remembering it. Olivia was his first crush.


    He didn''t know if it was love or not, but in a moment of impulse after the incident, he confessed to her, but she shut it down directly.


    Remembering what he did afterward made him want to bury himself in the ground now. He lashed out at Olivia at that time.


    With a low voice, he replied, "I am not, sis. I''m just too ashamed to face you. I was being a brat at that time. I know I was unfair to you."


    Alex looked up again to see Olivia''s expression. What he saw pained his heart. Even though he didn''t love her like before now, Alex still didn''t want to see her like that.


    Olivia''s golden eyes glimmered in the night, with tears dripping from the corners of her eyes.


    "Leader is gone, Alex. Eria, Jasper, Orion, Uncle Silva, Aunt Ariadne, Kane. Everyone disappeared from my life. And you... You kicked me from your life.


    You didn''t even give me a chance to explain myself! How can you be so cruel to me! Just why, Alex!?


    Do you know I really thought you hated me until we just met now?


    When I hug you again, I am so afraid you will reject me."


    Her voice cracked into sobbing, her hands starting to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.


    "I really thought, I really thought you would..." Her cry became louder, muffling her voice, making Alex unable to hear it clearly.


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 Chapter 86: Slap!

    Alex approached her and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, but to his surprise, Olivia moved closer and hugged him as she kept hitting his chest.


    Alex sighed, knowing it was his fault. He should have at least called her. To think he let her in pain just because he felt too ashamed made him feel even guiltier.


    After calming down, Olivia continued, "When you confessed to me, I was really surprised, Alex. I always thought of you as my little brother.


    It''s not that I cannot try to think of you like that, but I am afraid, Alex.


    What if we have a fight? What if we then hate each other?


    I cannot bear the thought of it, Alex. I have heard many stories where couples break up, and then they end up not being able to stay in the same room forever.


    I don''t want our relationship to be like that. I am really afraid to lose you..."


    "I am sorry, Sis. Let''s just forget about it, okay? Think of it as just my bad joke," Alex said in a low voice.


    Olivia looked upward; her cheeks pouted, and her golden eyes gleamed, reflecting his face. "Are you telling me you ignored me for years over a joke, Alex?"


    "That''s not what I mean, Sis. I was just being stupid at that time, you know. I was a teenager full of hormones."


    "So, confessing to me is stupid?"


    "Come on, Sis, don''t do this to me." Alex thought to himself, ''I take back my words. It''s better facing that sly geezer rather than doing this!''


    Olivia turned silent for a moment, then cupped his face and asked, "Do you still want to be with me, Alex?


    I have thought about it many times. If you really say yes and promise to never leave me, then I will try to love you more than just my brother."


    Alex gulped. If this had happened in the past, he would have jumped happily to cloud nine, but now he didn''t.


    Instead, he felt complicated and turned his gaze away, making Olivia''s heart clench. She didn''t need to hear his words to understand his feelings now.


    "I see. Do you have another woman you like now? Tell your big sis about her."


    Alex still looked away, making Olivia pout. She then pinched his cheeks, pulling them both, making him scream in pain.


    "Ouch! Ouch! Sis!"


    Olivia released his cheeks, making them return with a plop. Seeing Alex with both cheeks red made her chuckle and smile.


    She took the handkerchief and wiped the corner of her eyes.


    "Now tell me unless you want me to pull your cheeks again!" Olivia said sternly.


    Alex still hesitated. Telling her about MingYue meant he needed to tell her about the cultivation world and Vesa.


    But Alex realized, with how much suffering he caused her, the least he could do was tell her about it. If he hid it again, it would hurt Olivia, making her think he didn''t believe in her.


    "Sis, it''s a long story," Alex said. He then took a steak knife from the table and, with one swift motion, made a small slash on his hand.


    This made Olivia, who was close to him, scream in panic. "What the hell are you doing!?" Her hand glowed as she wanted to use her abilities to heal him.


    But before she could do that, the wound had already healed with a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.


    Alex then started to narrate his story again, this time from the start, where he went to meet with Prof. Faerith, then met up with Vesa, and then the cultivation world.


    Alex wanted to stop the story at that point, but Olivia''s glare made him continue. When he reached the point where he was going into hunger and hunting for life force, a slap hit him in the face.


    The slap was so loud that it reverberated in the air, leaving a red mark on his cheek.


    Alex was surprised by what Olivia did; he wanted to complain, but seeing the deep pain flickering in her golden eyes, he shut up. She moved her hand, glowing with golden light, back to the slapped cheek, recovering it to its normal color. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Petricia, who was watching from afar, at first wanted to intervene and take Olivia down since she hurt his king, but seeing Olivia heal him back, she decided to just watch from afar.


    "Do you think your life is only yours, Alex? You gamble with your life like that?


    There are so many things that can go wrong. Just one, and your life could end there. If your mother knew about this, she would beat you down until you cannot move."


    Alex couldn''t believe his mother would hit him; she never did that in her entire life. But she also didn''t know what Alex did, and he now knew it was better for him to shut up.


    But deep in his heart, he still felt nothing was wrong with it. He was sure his decision was right in that situation.


    "I know that look. You think you did nothing wrong, right? Maybe the situation called for it, but do you still not see your fault, ALEX?


    Doesn''t your ability allow you to see every probability? Now tell me the answer!"


    Alex frowned. He felt wronged since he still thought he was right.


    He kept thinking about what he could have done better at that time, but other than gathering life force from the beginning, he had no other idea.


    "Alex, did you really not find the answer? I don''t believe it.


    The answer is there; you just don''t want to say it. Alex, I know you are capable, even when your sister tells me you play games all day at home.


    I know you are one of the people I can depend on if something happens. But sometimes, you''re dumb to a fault.


    How could you forget about the people around you?


    Alex, if something happened at that time to you and Emily, who would feel the pain afterward? Tell me!"

 Chapter 87: Meaning of Name

    "Mom, you, Quartz, that kid named Zold, everyone still in the guild, Emily''s hunter friend, whom I don''t know," Alex replied as he still thought about who else.


    "Now, tell me, do you have the right to forbid me and everyone else from protecting those we hold dear? Tell me, Alex?"


    Alex turned silent at her question because he knew he didn''t have the right to it, and he realized her point now.


    "Why didn''t you tell me, your mom, Quartz? Why didn''t you tell anyone to help?


    Don''t you, more than anyone else, know how painful it is when your loved one is in danger and you can''t do anything about it?


    How much pain do those left behind feel?


    How much regret do we feel for not being able to do anything until their last moment?" At the end of her words, Olivia''s voice cracked.


    She then continued, "Did you even think of me as your family, Alex? Did you recognize me?


    Like your dad always said, good things should be shared with family, but he also always taught us bad things should always be faced together as a family.


    Are you even his son? Didn''t he ever tell you that?"


    Seeing Alex silent and unable to answer, Olivia continued, "Progenitor, vampire, even if you become a god, I don''t care about that, Alex! You will always be my little brother. Engrave that deeply into your mind!


    If you have trouble, we face them together as a family!


    Even if you are stronger than us at some point, that doesn''t mean you can just ignore us. Even small help is still helpful, Alex.


    Your father¡­ the leader, always made sure everyone contributed in one way or another. And with your ability, I don''t believe you cannot find a way to make us helpful to you!"


    Olivia then stood up from her seat and gazed at Alex, "Think about it deeply, Alex. What I really mean to be a family! You cannot just treat us like that!"


    Olivia then left, leaving Alex alone in the forest.S


    Alex, looking at her disappearing back, called for Petricia.


    "Yes, King?"


    "Protect her until she arrived back at home."


    Petricia nodded, then quickly left. Even though Alex knew despite Olivia was a veteran hunter, her role was always that of a healer.


    He sent Petricia just in case something happened.


    Alex cleaned up the table, grill, and chairs, putting it all back into his storage ring. He then lay in the grass, looking at the bright moon in the sky.


    "Vesa, what do you think? Do you think I am at fault?"


    [No comment, King.]


    "I asked what you think. Don''t you have a personal opinion?"


    [In the vampire race, we are individualistic creatures.]


    [The concept that Olivia mentioned is completely new to me. But, King, I cannot help but remember the memory of your father and the guild members in the past.]


    [This makes me think if the past Progenitor had this kind of family, would he still have been betrayed?]


    [The bond between the members of the Suzaku Guild in the past is not something that I can easily comment on.]


    [Still, King, don''t you also have a similar idea? That is why you made that rule in the Bai Yue sect?]


    Alex remembered the rule he made; he wanted the sect members to think of Bai Yue Sect as home, but now that he thought about it, what is home?


    Does home mean a location? It''s not necessarily that.


    For Olivia and Quartz, the Suzaku Guild is their home.


    No matter if it''s under the bridge, inside hell, or in the most luxurious mansion, the Suzaku Guild will always be their home.


    "There are many things I still need to learn, Vesa."


    [Of course, King. Even the late Progenitor still needed to learn many things each day despite his long life.]


    Alex chuckled, "You are right. Every day, there are always new things to learn. I have become complacent since my ability augmented, arrogantly thinking to do everything with my own hands.


    Even if I can really do it, that is irresponsible to the people I love. Who likes to be left behind?"


    His gaze then drifted to the sky, where there were no clouds, allowing him to see the stars and moon, with fireflies floating all around him, giving him a good view.


    "Vesa, send this view to Mingyue."


    Vesa can pour information directly into their brains, allowing them a unique way to exchange information. They can send each other what they see and hear, just like they are there in person.


    [Alright, King. Any message for the Queen?] S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, just send it like that," Alex mumbled.


    His eyebrows then raised when he saw a trail of stars moving in the sky. "A comet? People say I can make a wish if I see one, then I wish you all were still alive, Dad, everyone."


    Meanwhile, Mingyue was meditating to stabilize her foundation when Alex sent the message.


    Seeing it, Mingyue opened her eyes, "That is beautiful," she mumbled with a smile.


    "Why did you send me that, Alex?" Mingyue asked, contacting Alex in her mind.


    "No reason, I just thought it was beautiful, then I remembered you. Well, don''t blame me; your name, Ming Yue, means bright moon in my language, I cannot help it," he said with a chuckle.


    "Surprisingly, the moon in your world is not that different from my world, Alex. My uncle told me my mother gave birth to me on a night like this. That''s why I am named Mingyue. What about you?"


    "My dad told me Alex means a king that protects their people. He wished for me to become one."


    Ming Yue chuckled, hearing it, "Is your dad a prophet? You really became one now, a king that needs to revive a whole species."


    "Yours is also not that far, Mingyue. Your name means moon, and in my world, the moon is related to vampires," Alex said with a laugh.

 Chapter 88: MSG

    "Mingyue, sometimes I wonder, is it all fate?"


    "Fate? That is bullshit, Alex. Your life is carved by your own hands.


    If at that time you rejected Vesa, or you decided not to go to that research facility, would you become a progenitor?


    The same is true for me; there are so many things that just one difference would make me end up somewhere else. Our lives now are the culmination of our own personal choices.


    I will never agree it''s decided by fate."


    "You are right."


    "What is with you today? Being so sentimental now."


    "One of my family just reminded me how selfish I am, and I realize she is right."


    "Oh, What did you do, Alex?"


    Alex then told her what had happened with Olivia and what she had told him about her family.


    "Family¡­ Alex, I don''t know what to say about that. You know my own family situation.


    I do feel happy with what my little brother and uncle do for me, but to ask for their help with my problem would just be a burden to them.


    It''s out of their scope."


    "I know, Mingyue. I used to think the same too. I am not telling this to preach at you or tell you what you should do.


    I am just thinking about it, and I think she is right.


    To help with a problem there are many ways to do it, and with my ability, I have no excuse for it."


    MingYue turned silent for a moment, then with a soft voice, she said, "A family where you share all good fortune together and face hardships together. That feels like a fairy tale to me, Alex.


    You should know how people in my world do things. But if it can be true, what a wonderful thing that will be. You should cherish them, Alex."


    "I know¡­ What are you doing now?"


    "I am just stabilizing my foundation now and taking a break based on Vesa''s direction. Tomorrow, I should reach the Qi crystal vein."


    Hearing this, Alex''s eyes lit up. With many Qi crystal resources, he can start mass producing the Awe Cube, including the normal storage cube, meaning more money for him.


    He can then start whaling to raise his cultivation level quickly and become stronger. "That is good; how is the situation?"


    "It seems the vein is deep inside a cavern of a monster nest, but based on Vesa''s calculation, they should not be my match."


    "I see. Do you need me to send some goblins for you to use?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No need, thank you. I told you before I prefer fighting with my own hands,"


    "Alright, be careful then, MingYue. Have a good rest."


    "Sure, you too."


    Meanwhile, Olivia was sulking as she walked back toward SGE, cursing, "Stupid ALEX, Baka Alex!"


    Feeling tired, she then sighed and took a rest near one of the trees.


    In the past, Olivia also stayed at SGE for a while, so she knows the forests like the back of her hand, just like how she knows the place she showed Alex.


    "Did I act too hard?" she mumbled, asking herself, then shook her head, "No. No, he deserves it. Not only did he ignore me for years, but he even risked his life without telling us."


    Bored, she then took out her phone to look at the message and sighed, "As I expected, Madam really went after Leader.


    No wonder Alex does things like that; he really takes after his mother in things like this. What should I do now? Tell them? Or not?"


    She then scratched all over her hair, feeling it was better not to tell since it was for Luca to tell them, but she just gave a whole speech about it to Alex. Doesn''t that make her a hypocrite?


    But if she tells Alex and Emily, she is also afraid they will go after her without any preparation; after all, neither of them knows how strong Luca is.


    She bit her lips, then sighed, "Forget it, I should believe in him. I will tell Alex tomorrow."


    She shook her head and then started walking again. The dark night then turned bright with the sun rising from the east.


    Ming Yue opened her eyes; she was sleeping in a sitting position, something she had mastered after living in the wilderness for a while since she needed to be prepared for an attack at any time.


    She stretched her stiff body, then took out breakfast from her storage ring, first a special kettle, using mana to warm up the water inside it, then she took out a cup of noodles, pouring the water over it.


    Afterward, she made tea using a teabag from Alex''s world, but she changed the inside with tea from her world.


    In her opinion, the tea Alex gave her is too bitter; the one she uses is tastier since it gives a mild, sweet taste without any sugar.


    After a few minutes, she took the cap from the cup noodle, smelled the aroma, and slurped it, enjoying the taste.


    It didn''t take long for her to finish, "Alex is right. I will never be able to come back to eating bland food after this.


    The food in his world is really addicting; he says it''s because of something called MSG. I wonder if I can get that in my world.


    What do you think, Vesa?"


    [I am sure you can, Queen, but it would be a waste of time.]


    Ming Yue chuckled, "That is true; tell Alex to send many MSGs next time; that should be a good item to sell; both cultivators and commoners will go crazy over it."


    [You will sell them for money?]


    "Of course not; we will make something similar to Treasure Pavilion, open a restaurant in every city that allows members to buy food with MSG, and high level will be allowed to buy MSG to bring home then.


    This way, we can build our influence easily.


    Sometimes, we will also sell it in the auction. I remember Alex said there are a few tastes of it, so let''s make a few grades; we need one that people can easily get so they don''t get mad and attack our place and one that is rare enough so it keeps some value. I will make my uncle start this after I go back."

 Chapter 89: Entering the Cave

    Vesa, listening to her idea, turned speechless.


    [Queen, you seem changed now. Before, you would never have thought of an idea like this; this is more like something a king would say.]


    "Really? Maybe you are right, but my ideas should not be bad." Ming Yue said as she walked out of the cave.


    She could take out some camp from Alex''s world, but Ming Yue prefers to do it safely.


    She only took out items that would leave no evidence at all; a camp would still leave marks on the ground since it needed stakes to ensure its stability.


    [Well, if the king hears it, I am sure he will say something like capitalism at its finest and then laugh with pride.]


    Ming Yue chuckled, "You are right; well, I will discuss it more with him later."


    Her face then turned serious, "How far is it, Vesa?"


    [Not far, Queen, do you forget you can just see from the map?]


    "I know, I just want someone to talk to, Feng Xue is still sleeping."


    [Didn''t you used to walk alone in the past, Queen?]


    "I did that not because I wanted to, Vesa. It''s better to have someone to talk to. But you should know from my memory, with how cutthroat the competition is, walking with sect members will just make me unable to sleep."


    There are many cases like this where fellow sect members attack each other for resources, just like what LinHua did to her in the past. The only time they behave is if an Elder joins them.


    [Queen, there are groups of people coming after you.]


    MingYue stopped in her tracks. She now wears a hood to make sure no one can see her face.


    However, that didn''t stop some ruffians and thugs from targeting her. After all, they could still see her feminine figure.


    A group of seven thugs came out, surrounding MingYue.


    "What is a young girl like you doing alone in the forest? Do you need some company?" one of the men asked.


    But MingYue didn''t listen to what the man said; she didn''t care. There was no value in listening to the yapping of a dead person.


    MingYue sighed in her mind; this was not the first time she got ambushed. The reason this happened is that MingYue made Vesa hide her Qi completely. This made people think she was just a commoner.


    ''What a waste of time. Well, it''s better than a cultivator tracking my location,'' she thought.


    If a cultivator passed by and saw another lone cultivator walking toward an uncharted area, they would start wondering what treasure exists there.


    Most of the time, cultivators will only move if there is something of value; otherwise, they will just spend time training. Only useless cultivators or immortals spend their time lazing around.


    The man kept yapping, but seeing no response from MingYue made him frown. He started feeling weird; this was not the first time he had ambushed someone in the forest.


    Usually, women would already scream and ask to be spared. Some even offer their body directly as long as they don''t get killed. But the woman in front of him now didn''t even move even after being surrounded. And that was the man''s last thought before the world suddenly spun in his eyes.


    He didn''t even register what happened; the next thing he knew, he saw the world become taller, and then everything turned dark.


    With one move, MingYue slashed their heads off, and blood spurted out from his neck, but before even a drop of it fell to the ground, the rest of the thugs faced the same fate. Their bodies then disappeared, turning into life energy that got absorbed into her body.


    [322 Lifeforce absorbed]


    MingYue sighed; with the number she got, she knew it would still be a while for her to unlock the pendant now hanging around her neck.


    She would also prioritize her own cultivation; every time it was stable enough, she would quickly raise her cultivation level. She knew she was very close now to reaching the next major realm, the Nascent Soul stage.


    MingYue wanted to break through and, if possible, reach the late stage before returning to her sect. At that time, she wouldn''t need to worry about their retaliation.


    She then continued on her path; it didn''t take long for her to reach the destination.


    From the outside, it just looked like a normal cave with its entrance closed by many veins. ''No wonder no one found out about this place; I cannot even detect any qi at all.''


    MingYue then walked closer to the vein, covered her body with qi, and tried to slip through the gap of the vein. She did this because she didn''t want to leave any marks for someone entering the cavern. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside the cavern, it was dark and damp; she could also hear running water dripping from inside. But for Mingyue, this darkness was just as bright as daylight. Just like Alex, darkness doesn''t impede her view.


    ''Vesa, show me the map.''


    Then, a map of the surrounding area, with the tunnel and the living beings inside, appeared in her eyes. It''s not really detailed like the one in the secret realm, but enough for Mingyue to navigate the place.


    Walking deeper inside toward the Qi Crystal Mine area, she could hear the sound of water running even closer. On her way, to her surprise, there were no monsters, not even a bat, only many small insects chirping around the cave.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach an opening; inside, she found a lake with a luminous crystal on top of it.


    It''s different from Qi crystal; looking at it, Mingyue was sure there should be some other function to use it. But she is not an alchemist or blacksmith, so she doesn''t know what it can be used for.


    Looking at the calm surface of the lake, MingYue smiled. A cold aura started coming out from her body.

 Chapter 90: Spirit Beast

    Looking at the calm surface of the lake, MingYue smiled. A cold aura started emanating from her body.


    She took a step onto the surface, and the moment her feet were about to touch the water, it turned into an ice surface. She took a step forward until she reached the middle of the lake.


    MingYue then closed her eyes. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One second, two seconds, three seconds, then she jumped.


    At the same time, a giant maw appeared where she had been standing, with a large volume of water being splashed. Looking down, MingYue smirked.


    A giant snake covered with silver scales came out from inside the water.


    Realizing its ambush failed, the snake didn''t give up; it pounced once more, using its long body to lunge toward MingYue.


    Two swords appeared in MingYue''s hands, her body moving with grace as if she were dancing in the air.


    Slash, slash, each slash easily pierced through the snake''s body, but no blood came out, as it was quickly sealed by the ice.


    MingYue moved like a fairy, spinning around the snake''s body, each slash limiting the snake''s movements.


    The frostbite also acted like poison, making the snake feel numb.


    The snake roared in pain, its body thrashing around, making the water and cave walls vibrate under its weight. But the snake was not an opponent for MingYue; with another slash, the snake turned into an ice statue that then broke into pieces.


    However, MingYue didn''t let her guard down; she glided back as another snake, the same size, came out from the water, lunging at her. One snake, two snakes, and dozens of snakes came out.


    But MingYue kept calm through it all. As she dodged all their attacks, she finally smiled when she reached the middle of all the snakes.


    MingYue then checked the map, counting the life forces, "Hmm, only three more snakes remain underwater. This should not be a problem for me."


    MingYue already knew the lake was infested by some monster, so she purposefully stood above the lake, using herself as bait to make them come out from the water.


    A fight in the water would be more dangerous for her. It''s better for her to fight on the ground. After one of the snakes died, the rest of the herd, enraged, came out pouncing at MingYue, just as she had planned.


    She could use Fengxue Qi to make the snakes avoid her, but this was not ideal for MingYue since she wanted to move the secret realm to the spirit crystal mine.


    If the snakes survived and started ambushing her people, it would give her more headaches at that time. She could not just use her secret skill without worrying the many miners around.


    Now, in the middle of the snakes, her swords started emanating frost qi. Her body spun as she used the secret technique from the artifact combined with her own secret art, enhancing the damage to a new level.


    The two swords slashed in the air, creating a sharp ice shockwave exploding outward. The secret skill allowed MingYue to explode ice attacks on all surrounding enemies; it''s named Ice Lotus Flower - Absolute Zero.


    BOOM! The shockwave exploded, turning the clear water and all the snakes into ice. MingYue landed gracefully on the ground.


    All the frozen snakes then turned into ice shards, dropping to the frozen water lake surface, but the ice surface could not bear their weight; it cracked, making many splashing sounds, falling deep into the water.


    All the bodies then turned into green particles, absorbed into MingYue''s body. She then, without hesitation, jumped into the lake.


    She used her qi to coat her clothes, making sure they weren''t wet, and before jumping, she put on an oxygen mask for diving from Alex. This allowed her to swim underwater without worry.


    Splash! MingYue swam, moving deeper into the water.


    She could see the snake survivors fleeing from her. Based on their speed, she knew she couldn''t catch up, ''Forget it. I will make MingHao hunt them later,'' she thought.


    MingYue then continued her journey until she reached the lake bed. Based on Vesa detection, the qi crystals should be even deeper. MingYue then started looking for an entrance to find a way in.


    Not finding any, she sighed. She returned the sword to her storage ring.


    She could use her sword to explode the ground, making a tunnel, but that would be a waste of her own qi. She took a gun and then set it to maximum; pointing downward, she shot it with major power to the ground.


    BANG!


    The ground exploded, making a hole in another area under it. This made the air pressure explode at once, creating a current pushing the water upward. MingYue then moved quickly into the tunnel.


    After the whole air exploded, the water in the lake started moving down, creating an undercurrent that pushed MingYue''s movement down even faster.


    Passing down the hole she made, MingYue was surprised to find a bigger space, surrounded by qi crystals everywhere, the walls, the ceiling, even the ground, and in the middle of it, a creature seemed to be asleep.


    MingYue didn''t waste time. She set the gun to the max, and she also threw a few grenades right to the creature''s face. Based on the appearance alone, MingYue knew she could not underestimate it.


    The creature was like the snake above, but this one had four claws, just like a dragon, its size smaller, covered with azure scales.


    BOOM! BOOM! The grenades exploded but not on the creature''s face; they exploded in the air. Just before reaching the creature''s face, it opened its eyes.


    The reptilian eyes locked onto the projectile and hit it away with its tail. The creature then growled at MingYue.


    "Hmm, a spirit beast," she mumbled. Just like humans, beasts also have their own cultivation stages.


    They have fewer stages, but each one takes a longer time. MingYue knew this one was a spirit beast since it had intelligence but didn''t infuse any element into its attacks.

 Chapter 91: Qi Vein

    They have fewer stages, but each one takes a longer time.


    MingYue knew this one was a spirit beast since it had intelligence but didn''t infuse any element into its attacks.


    The cultivation of the beast begins at the spirit stage and then progresses to the Elemental, Core, Mystic, Divine, and Eternal stages.


    Creatures at the core stage usually can transform into humanoid forms; the divine stage allows them to turn completely into humans, and in the next stage, Mystic, their beast form will be enhanced even further.


    But even though this one is only at the Spirit stage, it doesn''t mean MingYue can defeat it easily.


    As a beast, it always has more raw strength compared to a human at the same level. And as spirit beasts, they have intelligence.


    The creature locks its eyes on MingYue, and just when it wants to retaliate Bang! MingYue already shoots the gun in her hand with maximum power.


    Feeling the enormous power coming from it, the creature knows it should dodge. But that is what MingYue targets; with elegance, she moves toward the area where she predicts the snake will arrive.


    However, she miscalculates. Bang! Just as she predicted the snake''s movement, the snake also predicted hers.


    The creature launches its tail to swipe at MingYue, launching her into the air.


    Meanwhile, the bullet that MingYue shot hits the creature, but it only grazes its skin since the snake moved.


    Boom! The projectile exploded on the ground, making a crater, while MingYue hit a qi crystal on the wall.


    MingYue could feel pain all over her body, but it quickly started mending and healing by itself.


    Her eyes sharply locked on the beast.


    MingYue then starts absorbing the surrounding qi, mixing it with her own and then moves it toward her sword, Twin Frostbites.


    The cold qi emanating from her body starts intensifying, creating an icy mist in the surrounding area.


    This makes the spirit beast turn alert, feeling the threat from the MingYue attack.


    It now only has two choices, attack or escape, but the spirit beast doesn''t want to escape; this is the best spot for it to cultivate.


    It knows going outside hoping to get a good spot like this will be very hard. Its reptilian eye then gleamed; qi started coming out, strengthening its whole body.


    The snake then starts moving, forming its body like a spring. With a swift movement, it launches itself like a rocket, cutting through the air toward MingYue.


    With the creature''s speed, MingYue knew it would reach her first before she could even unleash her attack.


    With annoyance, she slashes her sword in the air, creating many ice projectiles shooting toward the snake.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The ice spikes failed to penetrate the snake, but they served their use to slow the snake down even by a bit.


    MingYue kicked the wall behind her and then launched herself toward the snake; in the air, her body moved in motion, her sword dancing in the air, creating streaks of ice from its tip.


    Each ice is formed like a petal of an ice flower.


    Bang!


    They clashed in the middle; the snake beat MingYue in raw force, pushing her back, but since she angled her body as she moved in the air, instead of shooting to the back, she instead got deflected up to the ceiling where water was still pouring, filling out the Qi Crystal mine.


    The creature then started maneuvering in the air, crashing into all the ice flower petals that MingYue made. But the petals don''t get destroyed; instead, with their small size, they cling to the creature''s body.


    The creature used its tail to anchor itself to the wall before launching through the air again to attack MingYue, this time its jaw open wide, wanting to eat her whole.


    But the moment it moved through the water, as the ice petals made contact with the liquid, they quickly froze all the water. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This created an ice trap blocking the creature from moving forward; it then started struggling, creating creaking sounds on the ice.


    MingYue knew it wouldn''t hold long; she moved in motion, creating ice with every step she took.


    Ice Qi started concentrating only on the sword in her right hand; she then sprinted and threw the sword toward the creature''s mouth.


    A fox''s roar could be heard from the sword as it lunged itself deep inside the snake''s body.


    "Goraarrr!" The spirit beast cried in pain, but it didn''t last long until its stomach bulged and then exploded; an ice lotus came from its stomach with one of MingYue''s swords in the middle of it.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile; she then jumped toward the creature''s head; despite part of its body already blown off, its reptilian eyes still glared at MingYue with hatred. It''s still alive.


    MingYue thrust her sword toward its head, but it didn''t pierce all the way, only enough until it reached its flesh.


    MingYue then spread her ice qi all over the creature, freezing it alive, and took out an awe cube in her hand.


    The frozen snake, with all its remains, turned into particles of light disappearing into the awe cube.


    "Alex asked me for a living specimen of a spirit beast. I hope it will last until it reaches his hand. Vesa, send it to him."


    [Alright, Queen, I am sure it will still be alive when it reaches the King. I just doubt he has a way to heal it.]


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. I can look for another next time."


    MingYue then looked up toward the hole where the water that fell into the Qi mine was now frozen, making an ice pillar with a circular hole in the middle area where the snake had been before.


    MingYue used her qi to close the hole to make it more stable.


    She then went down to the area where the spirit beast had stayed before.


    There, a big Qi crystal that looked like a tree without any leaves and fruits stood tall.

 Chapter 92: What If

    It''s the Qi Crystal Vein; as long as the vein exists, Qi crystals will keep regenerating. Based on the information MingYue knows, the Qi Vein takes Qi from the atmosphere and earth and then creates a Qi crystal around its area.


    The bigger the vein, the higher its efficiency and the result.


    The Qi Vein is also separated into a few grades, and based on MingYue''s observation, this one should be a middle grade.


    A middle-grade vein capable of growing many medium-grade Qi crystals with occasionally a high-grade Qi Crystal appearing.


    MingYue knew she had hit the jackpot; even her family in the past only owned multiple low-quality Qi Veins.


    A medium grade is more than enough to satisfy her and Alex''s needs for now.


    "Unfortunately, we cannot move this Qi Vein somewhere else," she mumbled.


    If it were possible to move the Qi vein, MingYue would put it in the secret realm.


    Many Cultivators have tried this before, but they always fail; the moment the Qi Vein is moved from the ground, or even when the ground around it is lifted, the Qi Vein will implode.


    It will then leave behind a perfect sphere of condensed pure Qi. Cultivators call this sphere Qi essence.


    Using it will increase a Cultivator''s control over Qi to a whole new level; some even use it to create a divine-level Heaven artifact.


    Of course, the one they use is not medium-grade Qi essence; it''s something even higher.


    She also heard rumors before that an immortal has created a formation replicating the function of a Qi Vein, allowing them to create Qi crystals as needed.


    MingYue then took out a sphere from her storage ring, carved with many unique symbols; it''s the core of the secret realm. But moving it is not as simple as bringing the core around.


    Based on Vesa''s explanation, a secret realm is created by making a new space in the void.


    They then use a core to anchor the space''s energy toward a specific point.


    When first hearing it, MingYue asked, "Does that mean it is possible to go to the secret realm from the void?"


    [It''s possible, Queen, but the void is not a place everyone can easily navigate.]


    [It also stretches into infinity; even the Progenitor never reached its end. So, the possibility that someone can travel through the void at will is really low.]


    MingYue remembered she barely survived in the void, and then a question appeared in her mind, ''Since the void is so vast, how did I get lucky entering another world that easily? Is it really just coincidence?''


    She then asked Vesa. She doesn''t believe someone would call it fate, but if a high-level being planned it all out, that is still possible.


    But the thought of this made MingYue feel annoyed.


    Who wouldn''t? Knowing your entire life is just a dance in someone else''s palm?


    If at least it''s a good, happy life, then maybe you wouldn''t complain that much. But MingYue''s life cannot be called a good, happy life.


    [Don''t worry, Queen, it''s part of both. Both a coincidence and planned.]


    [After Edonia''s destruction, the survivors of the vampire race moved through the universe, hiding from their pursuers.]


    [Some created many descendants all over the place, and you, Queen, have part of vampire blood.]


    [No matter how faint it is, it reacted with the Progenitor''s blood, allowing you to be moved to that place.] sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Doesn''t that mean there are other vampire survivors?


    Why wouldn''t the old Progenitor choose one of them to inherit his mantle, then?


    Why go through all of this? I am sure he should know this is very risky.


    There are no guarantees the one who takes his mantle is not affiliated with the vampire race''s enemy.


    And what if the person is completely evil and instead eats the vampire race whole?"


    The evil MingYue means those that act like evil cultivators, consuming other creatures to boost their own strength.


    Since evil cultivators exist, MingYue is sure some species out there focused all their power systems on devouring exist.


    [I don''t know, Queen, but I am sure he has his reasons.]


    [Based on what I know about him, he probably thought somewhere along the line, ''Since the old way failed, what''s the use of trying it again?'']


    MingYue felt that made sense.


    The old vampire race was stuck with their own ways and culture, but it''s already proven not enough since their species was almost driven to extinction.


    "Vesa, are you really just a system? Or what Alex usually calls AI?


    Every time you mention the old Progenitor, it''s like you''re his old friend."


    [Well, the old Progenitor created me since he felt lonely, Queen.]


    [Being at the top of power for hundreds, thousands, even millions and billions of years alone is tiring. I don''t know how long he was alive before I came into being, but after that, I was always by his side.]


    "Why would he feel lonely? Doesn''t he have a family too? At that time, the vampire race also flourished; he should have many people under him."


    [It''s different, Queen. Just like you are facing your sect leader, can you act friendly with him?]


    [And this is on another level. The Progenitor''s power is like God to the masses; everyone in their species worships him.]


    [As for relationships with other progenitors, it''s more like politics rather than friendship. Even if some of them hit it off, they are busy with their own tasks, so they just meet occasionally.]


    [As for family, even they cannot share the Progenitor''s burden.]


    [It''s like your thought, Queen, how can you ask your little brother and uncle to help with your problems?]


    [Even if we do it the King''s way, finding ways for them to contribute, the burden still falls under the King''s shoulders since he is the one deciding everything.]


    [What the Progenitor wishes for his future inheritor is for them to have someone they can share all their burdens with. It''s his long-time wish, Queen.]

 Chapter 93: Failure

    MingYue still doesn''t understand it since the timespan Vesa talks about is so far away from her.


    "Vesa, me and Alex got the progenitor''s blood almost at the same time; what if that didn''t happen?


    Since the old progenitor wanted their inheritor to be a couple."


    [In that case, Queen, then it would not activate at all, the same if the one that got it is of the same gender.]


    [If it''s more than two, then it will choose which one is more suitable.]


    [The old Progenitor didn''t want others to have the same curse he had. It''s better to wait longer than someone else gets the same curse as him.]


    Progenitor''s blood cannot be destroyed; in the eternity of time, the possibility of two people of opposite genders activating it at the same time is just a matter of time.


    MingYue understands this, but this revelation makes her both relieved and afraid. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There are so many ifs for this to happen. If someone told her it was the plan of a higher being, or in Alex''s words, fate, it wouldn''t be weird.


    If Alex didn''t have the vampire blood, if he didn''t go to that place, she would probably be dead now.


    MingYue shook her head; the ''what if'' scenario was not important to her now.


    She looked toward the Qi Vein tree and then started walking toward it step by step.


    After absorbing the life force from all the snakes and experiencing fighting the spirit beast, MingYue knows she is now on the periphery of a breakthrough.


    The next level is the nascent soul stage; she needs to evolve the core in her body into an embryo of a soul, the beginning of life.


    She has pondered over this many times but still found no way to create this.


    Just what is a soul? What is life?


    She has asked Vesa about this before, as Vesa should have a deep understanding of life force energy.


    Based on Vesa''s answer, life force is just energy, the basis that makes the creation of organic beings possible.


    As for the soul, it''s a result of compounding experiences and memories throughout life.


    This made MingYue understand the soul is a shelf; it''s her own personality.


    Then what does it mean to create a soul? Is it to create a personality?


    Doesn''t that just mean she will need to go crazy, then? But MingYue quickly shook off the idea.


    The concept of multiple personalities doesn''t exist in her world; she only thought of this because of some novels she read from Alex.


    And it''s not like nascent soul cultivators in her world have a new personality.


    She placed her palm over the Qi Vein, closing her eyes to feel the flow of Qi.


    "The next step after the nascent soul is the golden core, creating it into my own core, not transforming the nascent soul into a new being.


    This means my way of thinking is wrong."


    She then remembered Vessa''s explanation that lifeforce needs to be filtered before it can be used to enhance her cultivation.


    "Soul is the result after lifeforce is mixed with life experience and memories, which means I need to make the Qi source in my own body mine, dyeing it with my will and life."


    Having an epiphany, MingYue sat cross-legged under the tree, starting to look at her inner world where the core formation exists.


    "This is made with all the Qi, passing through my body and my life, meaning my life should already be etched on it.


    The only thing I need to do now is to acknowledge it as part of my existence, not just an energy source," she mumbled.


    She started to feel over the core formation, then focused on her mind.


    The core formation then began transforming, a wave of ice Qi emanating from MingYue''s body, starting as a gentle breeze at first but soon spinning, turning into a storm of ice Qi.


    MingYue could see the core, which she had been expanding every time she raised a minor level, now started condensing and making a connection with her will.


    This allowed her even more control over her Qi, reducing the necessary motions she needed to perform for secret techniques.


    BOOM!!! The Qi exploded, and the core formation now turned into a small sphere, spreading ice Qi all over.


    She was about to finish when Vesa interjected.


    [Queen, why not test King''s theory? Let''s infuse the lifeforce energy into the newly born nascent soul and transform its nature.]


    MingYue thought about it; it was quite risky, but the reward was worth it. In the worst case, she wouldn''t die but would need to recultivate the core formation.


    Alex''s idea was to use lifeforce to add another attribute to the core, making it work not just from Qi but lifeforce energy, and also add an attribute to accept the use of Qi and mana to mix it with the life force energy.


    But Alex''s idea was to start doing it since core formation and then grow it from there.


    MingYue could feel the nascent soul energy she just made could still be transformed.


    Using Vessa''s help to implement how the core would work, MingYue then took out two high-grade mana crystals, turning them into dust and allowing the energy of mana to surround her.


    Vesa then released some lifeforce energy she had saved for MingYue toward the nascent soul.


    Feeling the pour of pure Energy, MingYue started feeling pain from the nascent soul since it wasn''t made to accept this type of energy, but she forced it by will and started creating a pathway based on Vessa''s guidance.


    The process was excruciatingly painful and slow, but she could feel the progress. They kept going from the outer layer, then started permeating it into the core of the nascent soul.


    But the moment she tried to etch onto it, the nascent soul imploded, a searing feeling of pain assailing her whole existence; she threw up blood as her cultivation dropped back to the late foundation stage.


    "[QUEEN!]"

 Chapter 94: Backlash (Bonus Ch 100 PS)

    MingYue felt like part of her being was cut off, screaming in pain as she couldn''t hold it back. Vesa started pouring all the lifeforce energy MingYue had stockpiled to recover her soul and body.


    The backlash not only destroyed her nascent soul but also damaged parts of her meridian.


    At this point, MingYue was barely conscious.


    With Vesa''s current capability, healing MingYue''s soul took a heavy toll on her, making her waste a lot of life force energy.


    Even after using all the life force stockpiled by MingYue, it was still not enough. And since MingYue was not conscious, she couldn''t actively use her own life force to heal.


    Vesa hurriedly sent a message to Alex.


    At that moment, Alex was busy modifying a generator to accept Qi so it could be used in MingYue''s world.


    He was experimenting with the material. Testing which one could be used without affecting how the machine works.


    In the end, he used the moonlight ore he got from the goblin hollow to make the generator part. He is now waiting over a furnace to get the specific temperature he wanted.


    Alex could use Embershift Warhammer for this, but he decided not to since it''s hard to maintain the temperature at a specific number.


    He knows he needs to train a lot for this, but for now, he will just opt for existing tools that can do this easily.


    A message then appeared in front of him.


    [King, I need all your stockpiled life force energy for Queen.]


    Even though her life is not in danger, damage to the soul can have unforeseen consequences; it can make her lose part of her memory or even change her personality.


    As time passes, MingYue will recover her own soul since she has the trait of a vampire progenitor, but Vesa doesn''t want to take any chances in case some lingering damage persists, and it''s a waste of time.


    They don''t know how long it will take for MingYue to completely heal, and now she also needs to recultivate to the core formation realm.


    Alex quickly turned alert upon reading the message, but he didn''t waste time asking for the reason. If Vesa asks for it like this, he is sure it means an emergency.


    ''Go ahead, use it all; if not enough, tell me I will give some more,'' Alex replied in his mind.


    He then stopped the furnace and went out from the facility toward the forest to hunt for some monsters in case MingYue needed more life force.


    On the way, Alex sighed. He feels worried about what happened to MingYue but even more so about his mother.


    After returning from guarding Olivia, Patricia reported everything that happened to Alex, including what Olivia mumbled to herself.


    His eyes widened in surprise.


    If it were before what Olivia told him, he would already have run away to look for his mother, but now he realizes going out like that would just put everything even more at risk.


    Since he heard Olivia already decided to tell him about it, he plans to wait and then tell Emily, too.


    For now, he will try his best to get stronger as fast as possible.


    Alex already ordered another batch of high-grade mana crystals; since he used his name and has dealings with the association, they processed his order, but that means he needs another billion dollars in a week to pay for it.


    Alex does this on purpose to put more pressure on himself. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He''s also sure he will have enough money to pay for all of it since the association will have a huge order for the Storage Cube; they already asked Alex about the price, but he hasn''t given them any number.


    Alex needs to make sure of a stable source for the Qi crystal and all the expenses first before calculating how much he will sell it.


    As Alex hunts more life force, Vesa starts healing MingYue''s soul. Vesa does it carefully to make sure there is no lingering damage.


    Thankfully, the life force from Alex''s stockpile is more than enough to heal her soul, with some to spare, but MingYue is still unconscious.


    As MingYue lay on the ground, the secret realm core is still floating in the air near the Qi vein.


    MingYue wanted to activate it to change the anchor to this location at first, but she had an epiphany first and tried to break through, making her forget to activate the core.


    Meanwhile, in the middle of the forest, Alex is in combat.


    BANG!!!


    Alex punched one of the wolf''s bodies, smashing it to pieces. The body disappeared, turning into a life force that he absorbed.


    He already got information from Vesa that MingYue is all right now. Vesa also told him what happened.


    This makes Alex frown. He feels guilty since the idea came from him. He feels he should have thought better before telling her a half-baked idea, even though it was her own decision.


    As he keeps killing monsters and gathering more life force, Alex unknowingly returns back to the place where he talks with Olivia.


    What they talked about resurfaced in his mind, making him reflect again. He sighed, knowing he could have done everything better.


    With his ability, he could calculate how others would react to his actions, but doing that feels tiring for him. This is why he didn''t do it before.


    But now, Alex feels it''s just an excuse since his decisions hurt people around him.


    Alex took a deep breath, looking toward the sky. He screamed from the top of his lungs, letting out all his frustration.


    Feeling a bit better, Alex lay down on the grass, looking toward the twilight sky. It''s now noon when the sun starts setting, turning the sky to an orange hue.


    But his view of the sky changed into a round face looking at him with a smirk on her face.


    "Did screaming make you feel better?" Olivia asked.


    She was here because she was looking for Alex to talk about Luca, but instead, she found him going out to the forest, hunting monsters left and right before he reached this place.

 Chapter 95: A Woman Named Luca

    At first, Olivia was worried. Did Alex go into a hunger state? Does he lack life force? But after some observation, she realized Alex was just venting.


    Alex''s cheeks turned red. "You heard it?" while in his mind, he berated Vesa, ''Vesa, starting now, warn me even if it''s someone I know!''


    It had already happened a few times. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa would warn him if danger was coming, but if it''s someone Alex trusts and there are no feelings of malice, Vesa will not tell him about it.


    Olivia chuckled. She didn''t answer; instead, she lay on the ground, too, her head side by side with Alex, gazing toward the sky.


    "No need to be shy, Alex. It''s good if you feel frustrated. That means you understand your fault."


    Alex sighed. "I understand, big sis. Thanks for reminding me."


    "No problem. That''s what family is for. It''s not like I am perfect and free of fault, Alex." Olivia then turned silent. She still hesitated, even though she had decided.


    Now, facing Alex, her mind started running through many worst-case scenarios that could happen after he learned about his mother''s decision.


    Olivia turned her body, making her face directly above Alex again. She did this on purpose in case Alex moved in panic, trying to go after his mom.


    "I need to tell you something, Alex."


    With a deep breath, Olivia told him everything she knew about it, adding more detail, like how his mother, Luca, is a strong hunter, her skill, ability, and experience.


    The information surprised Alex.


    His mother always fought on the frontline since her ability was basically overpowered. It allows her to see three seconds into the future, and she has already mastered how to use the ability.


    She can choose when to use it, with manageable consumption of energy, and that was in the past.


    Olivia doesn''t know how strong Luca is now; she doubts Luca stopped practicing, even after she stopped going to any dungeon.


    After all, with the incident, Luca was the one who was hurt the most; she lost her husband.


    "Since mom is also a hunter, why has she never told us about this?"


    "Don''t you know your mother''s personality? She probably does it, so you don''t get any idea how to become a hunter.


    If not because of that dungeon break, your mother would never have returned to being a hunter.


    You don''t know much, but your mom always loves helping people; she doesn''t just give out money and then leave, Alex.


    If you go around the world, many people respect your mother, even calling her a saint.


    She made sure to train them with skills to survive on their own.


    As time passed, some of these people then volunteered and helped your mom with her work. She helped more people with what she did, Alex, compared to when she was a hunter."


    "Mom did that?" Alex asked.


    He had never thought much of his mom''s charitable actions; he thought she was just doing it to fill her empty time and also to help the company with a good image.


    Olivia sighed. "You really don''t know anything about your own mom, Alex."


    She then proceeded to tell Alex about his mom, a woman named Luca.


    In the past, Luca didn''t have a good childhood; she faced many hardships and was an orphan without any relatives.


    Living on the street, Luca tried to find work for herself to eat, but no one dared to recruit her since she was still a minor at that time.


    Most outright rejected her; those who felt pity gave her some bread. But this was not enough to fill her and her friends'' hunger.


    Even though her life was hard, Luca had a positive outlook on life, making her a cheerful child.


    This made her have many friends, even on the street, and as time passed, they started huddling up together, creating their own group to survive.


    For them, the street was no different than a jungle.


    If the forest had beasts as the predator, then on the street, it was other humans.


    Even though dungeons didn''t exist at this time, and everyone was a normal human, there still existed those who preyed on the weak. Power and abilities just made this even more prominent.


    Some gangs on the street would look for these kids, forcing them to be beggars or thieves.


    She had tried reporting it to the cops, asking for solutions from the government office, but as a kid living on the street, no one took her seriously.


    There are very limited options for Luca at that moment.


    Following the rules of the street? Luca hated the idea. She might be hungry, but begging or stealing was out of the question for Luca.


    Since staying in the city would just mean confronting the gangs, and she still needed to find a way to earn money, Luca decided to do something most people would never do in her situation.


    Luca brought the kids together with her, scavenging over the trash, but what she was looking for was not food; she looked for tools, knives, and anything that could be used as a weapon.


    Luca didn''t go out of her way to kill the gangs; she led them out of the city, walking toward the forest.


    Luca didn''t do this out of impulse; she had already gathered the required information for it. Even though they were kids on the street, she still found her way to get a phone and internet.


    With the knowledge she had, they started living in the forest. Luca picked a place near some villages to make it easier if they wanted to trade.


    At first, life in the forest was harsh. As a bunch of kids, many of them were filled with fear and didn''t know what to do other than follow Luca''s guidance.


    Time passed by¡ªweeks, months, years.


    From kids who didn''t know anything, they became experienced teenagers.


    They made their own small village using wood, and from the meat they hunted, they often traded with nearby villages for hygiene products, clothes, and some tools.


    But this didn''t come easy.

 Chapter 96: First Dungeon Break

    Through the years, many things happened, from losing one of their friends to wild beasts, dying of illness, and confrontations with the village. Finally, they became close and made a deal.


    One time, they also had a problem with the local government since most of them were minors, and the government wanted to take them all to an orphanage.


    No one agreed to this; they fought back, turning it into a confrontation with the local police. Luckily, the villagers stepped forward.


    They already had an amiable relationship at this moment, so they agreed to take guardianship over Luca and the others.


    After this, their lives started to stabilize.


    Time passed, and Luca had already gathered some money to send some of them to take college courses in the city. She knew living in the forest all the time would have no future.


    They could keep living like this, but what would they do when they got old? Or if one of them wanted to look for someone to marry?


    Most of them who survived avoided romance with each other since it happened once, and the end was not pretty.


    They had a big fight and separated to the point they could not stay with each other in the same place and ended up leaving the camp.


    But things rarely happen as planned.


    At first, it started with strange phenomena where snow dropped even when it wasn''t winter, then the weirdest part was at night; it wouldn''t turn cold but instead became very hot, like in a desert.


    After a few more days, the phenomena became weirder until one day, a big earthquake hit the place. After that, everything returned to normal.


    This was the first wave of dungeons that appeared. Some were found and then locked down by the government, making sure no news came out to the public, but most of them were in places everyone didn''t know about. The same is true of the one that appeared near Luca''s village.


    A few more weeks after the earthquake, Luca was having dinner with her friends and some people from the village, one of them a boy named Edward.


    This boy liked Luca and tried to get close to her. Luca knew about this but never responded since her mind was burdened thinking about her friends.


    "Luca, can''t you give us a chance at least?" Edward asked with a hopeful look in his eye as he turned over the meat on the grill.


    Luca sighed, "It''s not that I hate you, Edward, it''s just... Well, you know."


    Edward let out a chuckle at her response, "Since you don''t hate me, that should mean you like me. Don''t worry, I will wait."


    Luca''s cheeks turned red. "That''s not what I mean, Edward."


    "Then what do you mean? If you don''t hate me, then you like me. The opposite of hate is like."


    Edward''s words made Luca speechless.


    Just as she wanted to say something again, a piercing scream of terror filled the air, making them quickly turn their focus toward it.


    Edward didn''t waste time and quickly ran toward the area. He remembered one of Luca''s friends had gone there before to take a pee.


    Edward expected to see a snake or beast attacking the man, but then he remembered every single one of them was experienced in hunting wild beasts; they wouldn''t scream just because some dangerous animal came.


    Edward and Luca arrived at the place, and what they saw made their eyes widen in surprise; it was something out of logic.


    A two-headed dog the size of a lion was biting at the man''s torso, blood coming out from it. The man, with his dying breath, screamed, "What are you standing there for, Luca! Run! Warn the others! This is not the only one!"


    Luca didn''t hear what he said; she took out a machete that was saddled on her waist and wanted to run to help her friend.


    But Edward stopped her, "What are you doing, LUCA! Do you want to make his sacrifice useless?"


    "But Edward? I am sure we still can do something for him."


    "Luca, look again clearly. If it''s only one, I will help you fight it!"


    Luca took a deep breath, looked to the front, and cold sweat started appearing on her forehead.


    There were many red eyes locked on them, all coming from similar creatures, just like the one biting at her friend.


    Before she could even process it, Edward pulled Luca and ran back toward the encampment. But he kept getting a bad feeling in his mind, and his bad feeling became reality.


    When they reached the encampment, the place was filled with similar monsters, but they could fight back better since they had more weapons, including firearms.


    Even though it''s not a military weapon, the hunting rifle was more than enough to make the creatures bleed.


    The problem was the amount of the monster; they were overwhelmed by the number.


    Luca was in shock through this; she couldn''t think straight. Her friends, practically her family now, people she grew up with, were killed brutally in front of her eyes.


    Edward was the one pulling her together.


    Olivia didn''t know the details after this; she just knew they somehow escaped from that place and awakened their powers in the process.


    Other than the two of them, there was only one other survivor, Ariadne. Afterward, they became hunters and built their own guilds and business empires.


    Olivia also told Alex one of the motivations Edward started the Campbell group was to support his mother, Luca.


    If other big companies use charity to hide taxes and launder money, then Campbell is the opposite; it exists solely to support Luca''s wish.


    Hearing about the harshness of his parents'' lives made Alex''s eyes shimmer with tears.


    His mom often told him the love story of her and his father, but not this part, more on how his father built their business empire.


    "Why is mom so obsessed with helping people, Big Sis? Anyone I know in her position wouldn''t be like her. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She built her own life with her own hands; no one helped her in that situation other than Dad.


    If anything, she should have hated society, letting them as kids fend for themselves. Some people even tried to force her to become a beggar or thief."

 Chapter 97: Lucas Wish

    "I''m also curious about it, Alex. You might not know this, but your mom has had her own experiences with ungrateful people who bite the hand that feeds them.


    In her words, she would say, ''That''s why the world never changes. Everyone keeps acting like that. It''s not that I am selfless, Olivia. If anything, I am selfish.


    I want to change the world to suit my own wishes; it''s just that my wish is a little different from others. I want a world where even orphans living on the street don''t need to face what I experienced.


    Instead, they have many ways in their path to a better life without compromising their integrity.''"


    "Why would Mom want such a world? Big sis."


    "She says it''s for her descendants. She would hate it if one day, one of her great-grandchildren faced the same problems as her."


    "How do you know all these?"


    "Uncle Silva and Aunt Ariadne told me about it," Olivia chuckled. "Uncle Silva was also a friend of your mom in the past."


    "Didn''t you say before that only Aunt Ariadne survived with mom and dad?"


    "Yes, even those from your father''s village were not spared. But Uncle Silva is the one that left the camp because he and his ex could not stand each other."


    "What happened with his ex then? Is she still alive?"


    "No, she is Zold''s mother. After leaving the camp, they somehow met again and then made up, but they were too ashamed to return to the camp after how they made a scene.


    Even after the dungeon happened, it took them a while to meet up again, and by that time, Zold''s mom was already dead."


    Olivia''s tone then turned solemn. "That''s why, Alex, don''t kick me out of your life again, no matter what kind of fight we have. We never know if it will be our last meeting."


    Alex wanted to say something, but it got caught in his throat. In the end, he could only say he was sorry. Both of them then turned silent as they gazed at each other.


    After some time passed, Alex said in a low voice, "Sis, can you get up already?"


    Olivia smiled. "Why do you feel shy? Didn''t you say you don''t like me anymore?"


    "It''s not that, sis," Alex said in a low voice.


    "What is it then? Can''t a big sis see her own brother''s face?"


    Alex''s lips quivered for a moment. "I... I need to go to the bathroom, sis. Nature calls."


    Olivia was stupefied by his words since they were not what she had expected. Then, a loud noise filled the air, making Olivia stand up and burst into laughter while Alex''s face turned red.


    He quickly left the area, saying, "Don''t talk about this."


    "Don''t worry, Alex. Farting is normal," Olivia said with a laugh.


    Seeing Alex''s back disappear into the forest, Olivia mumbled, "He is still like a kid, yet he tells me he will become a king that will resurrect a whole species." She shook her head.


    Then a question appeared in her mind: why would Alex not panic at all when she told him the truth about his mom?


    That is not his typical behavior, except he knew it beforehand. Olivia refused to believe Alex could change just because of her speech.


    People don''t change that easily.


    Then she remembered the only time she mumbled about this was when she left the forest.


    Her smile grew wider as she put her hand over her chest, feeling her heart beat faster and warm inside.


    "Did he send the goblin to protect me, even though I just slapped him?" Olivia asked herself.


    Her cheeks turned a little redder, then she shook her head. "Forget it, Olivia, it''s too late now."


    Olivia was not completely honest with Alex, even though she really never thought about him that way in the past.


    After his confession and his ignoring her, she started thinking of Alex as the opposite gender.


    The more she thought about it, the more her feelings grew. Despite looking more like his mother, there are still some similarities between Alex and his father, Edward, and Olivia looks up to Edward.


    Every time she sees Edward and Luca being lovey-dovey, she feels a little jealous, wishing she had someone to do the same.


    It''s not like Olivia likes Edward; she sees him as a father figure, but many of his characteristics have become criteria for Olivia''s ideal man.


    That''s why she felt hurt when Alex turned his gaze away despite her confession back then.


    "If I had told him I liked him at that time, how would he have answered?" Her gaze turned distant, and then she dismissed the notion.


    "No, that will just make it harder for Alex. He has already decided to move on." She then sighed, deep inside wishing she could turn back time.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, deep underground in the Qi crystal mine, Mingyue''s eyes fluttered open; she woke up with a headache, feeling like her head was split into two.


    After some time, memories of what happened returned to her.


    [Queen, are you alright?]


    "I''m fine. Show me my status, Vesa."


    ____________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 7


    Progenitor Transformation: 7.35/100%


    Life Force: 500/500


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Late-Level


    Secret Arts: Absolute Zero Tempest Sweep S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    _____________________________


    Mingyue frowned, mumbling in annoyance. "I really failed back then. Tell me what happened, Vesa."


    Vesa then started narrating what happened after Mingyue got hit by the backlash in her cultivation, how she healed her soul, took out all her life force stockpile, and then asked Alex to help her.


    Hearing Alex help her without hesitation made her feel warm. ''I will need to thank him later,'' she thought.


    She closed her eyes and then started looking at her body condition and the inner world; seeing no lingering wound made her feel relieved.


    [Queen, Since you returned back to the foundation stage, might as well strengthen it first.]"

 Chapter 98: Alexs Cultivation Method

    "I know, Vesa. I will strengthen my foundation, but I will need many mana crystals for it since I doubt I can use Qi energy to strengthen my internal organs.


    I will need to find something to exchange for it.


    Hmm, maybe I could catch some more spirit beasts for him."


    Mingyue then sighed. She knows this can wait for later. For now, she needed to recuperate and settle the anchor for the secret realm.


    Looking toward the sphere hovering in the air, MingYue said, "Vesa, let''s start."


    Information started pouring into Mingyue''s mind, and her qi began moving toward the sphere and manipulating it based on Vesa''s instruction.


    The pattern on it started glowing, making the surrounding air vibrate. BOOM! Qi exploded outward from the sphere, filling the qi mine with its light.


    After the light subsided, what was left was a shimmering portal to the secret realm. Mingyue''s lips curled upward into a smile; she took out a mask and then wore it before entering the secret realm again.


    Even though everyone in the Bai Yue sect should be loyal under the slave contract, Mingyue doesn''t want them to find out her cultivation has fallen, particularly her little brother and uncle.


    A week passed, and Mingyue and Alex focused on strengthening their cultivation realm.


    Alex succeeded in making a Qi generator and sent it over to Mingyue; this drastically changed the way of life for everyone in the Secret Realm.


    With electricity, people who usually use torches to light the night now use LED lights. Hot water became available 24/7, and many old tools they got used to are now thrown away, replaced by new items from Alex''s world.


    The apartment building is fixed now, with the progress almost completed; they just need to put on the tiles and finish on the wall, but the first two floors are already habitable now.


    Some people have already moved in there, making others feel envious of them.


    The leap is so large that even though they know about cultivation and Qi, they still feel like seeing magic.


    Their quality of life practically leaped from the medieval era to modern society; from being used to living in wooden huts, they can now live in a fully concrete building with proper insulation and air conditioning.


    From plank beds to real mattresses, drinkable water, which they usually put inside a big jar, can now be drunk directly from the tap.


    But this is only the start; after the first building is finished, they will continue to the next one and then start building accommodations for the sect disciples.


    From the outside, the apartment building looks like a giant, tall pagoda, but when people come inside, they will feel like they are entering an entirely new world.


    Irrigation and farming also started getting automated with many new machines; this allowed them to reduce workload and send people to go mining the Qi crystals.


    With a steady Qi crystal supply, Alex started mass-producing the Storage Cube. After its first exhibition and demo, the product quickly became a big hit.


    Orders flooded over them like water, but Alex rejected every individual order; he only accepted big suppliers, allowing them to resell the product.


    Alex does this to allow his competitors to earn some money, too, sharing the cake. He doesn''t want to waste time on business competition.


    His time is better used to strengthen himself, as his main goal for now is to go to a category five dungeon.


    With all the deals, orders from associations, and some auctions, Alex earned a total of 3 billion dollars, but not all of this was received with money. Some are paid with high-grade mana crystals if possible.


    As Alex spent almost everything on a high-grade mana crystal, his competitors started thinking this was the main material for creating the storage cube.


    This made other companies buy them in bulk, too.


    With high demand, the market quickly had a shortage of high-grade mana crystals, making Alex curse in anger.


    The money he gathered evaporated quickly; he didn''t just need to buy for his needs but also for Mingyue. Not counting other expenses for the guild and people at Bai Yue sect.


    After returning to the secret realm, Mingyue had some talks with Alex, telling him about her situation. Alex felt relieved since there were no lingering wounds on her body other than the need to recultivate.


    Alex thought it was a good idea, but he knew it would burn a huge hole in their finances.


    Luckily, he had gathered enough Mana crystals to strengthen their internal organs. For the rest, like veins, they use Qi crystals since they''re cheaper.


    With their foundation finished Alex gained even more understanding of how his cultivation method would work.


    First, it starts with their bone marrow being strengthened, which improves the quality of the blood produced to a new level.


    It doesn''t change much for Alex since he has already started transforming into a progenitor, but for normal humans and hunters, the effect will be very apparent.


    In theory, the blood will dramatically raise their immune system and also make them thicker. This means when they are wounded, less blood will get out since it will quickly clot by themselves. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this is not the biggest change; the new blood is capable of absorbing Mana and Qi directly.


    However, for this to work efficiently, they need to strengthen the next organ, the lung.


    After being produced in bone marrow, blood will move into veins and then pass through the lungs to acquire oxygen and release carbon dioxide.


    But with this new blood, they also absorb any Qi and Mana the person inhales without letting out much waste in the process.


    When the lung is strengthened, it will boost this ability since the lung will then be able to hold more Qi and Mana.


    From the lung, the blood will next move toward the heart to be pumped through the body, spreading their oxygen, Qi, and Mana.


    This process allows Qi and Mana to permeate directly with the vein and every single cell of their body, making the process of the foundation realm automated.


    Before, cultivators needed to move Qi by themselves and slowly permeate it into their bodies, but now, since the energy is circulated with every breath, their cultivation will progress every time they take a breath.

 Chapter 99: A Complete Cycle

    The progress will turn even faster after they strengthen the heart, increasing the capability to a new level.


    But this method has its risks; even with mana, everything must be done quickly. With Qi, it will need to be done even faster.


    Since the blood carries Qi and mana in it, as time passes, if they don''t strengthen their whole internal organ, it will instead damage their body, rupturing their veins and creating internal bleeding that can result in death.


    After infusions with the bone marrow, lung, and heart, the next organ they need to strengthen is the kidney.


    This will enhance the cycle even more, raising their strength to a new level. Since the kidney will filter through the mana and Qi, making them purer, this makes Alex wonder if he can change his kidney to harness life force.


    However, Vesa dismissed the idea. Even though Vesa has ways to use life force to boost their cultivation, it doesn''t mean Alex could derive it from Qi and Mana; it''s completely different.


    And as a Vampire Progenitor, he doesn''t need to bother with it since he can already absorb it at will.


    Realizing it was futile, Alex gave up the idea.


    After finishing with the kidney, he proceeded to strengthen his digestive organs and liver, then moved on to veins, flesh, and muscle.


    The last ones he enhanced were his eyes and nose.


    This enhancement took Alex and MingYue''s strength to a new level. If other cultivators are like turbine engines, then Alex and MingYue are jet engines.


    Not to mention those in the same realm as them; even those one major realm above them will not be their match. This isn''t even counting their boost with life force, which makes them completely overpowered.


    After finishing this cultivation method, the next step will be testing it on normal humans. Alex needed to capture a criminal to test it out, but with MingYue in the loop, she suggested testing it on people in the BaiYue sect.


    This made Alex feel worried, but MingYue said, "We are not forcing them, Alex. I will tell them the risks and rewards.


    For you, it may be an experiment, but for these people, it''s like a bottle of water when they are dying of thirst in the desert.


    Their whole life, they wanted to cultivate but had no way to do it, and now here is an opportunity in their face. You should remember, Alex, even for those talented like me, cultivation is filled with challenges and death.


    On the path to the peak, how many perish? It has been so many years since cultivation existed, but how many succeed in becoming immortal? I estimate not more than a hundred.


    So, don''t worry about this. I am sure many will flock over. I already understand how the cultivation works, so I will just send you the report later."


    MingYue then paused for a moment and added, "Alex, I know you have your own problems, and I am not looking down on you, but your life is quite peaceful.


    You don''t face the risk of dying every day. So this makes you approach everything with the soft method.


    Alex, Sometimes we need to put our hands in blood to survive. Don''t forget we are trying to resurrect a whole species that has been massacred.


    How many do you think we need to kill? Do you think every single one of them is a bad person?"


    Alex knew MingYue was right; just like the goblin camp, they have innocent kids and families.


    Every time he kills one of the goblin soldiers, even though he doesn''t directly kill the kids, it''s still the same.


    With the soldier dead, no one will bring food to the encampment, and with no food, the place will turn into chaos, which will end up taking the goblin kids'' lives in the end. But he still felt guilty about it.


    "I know, MingYue, I will face it when I go there."


    "I just hope you prepare your heart, Alex because any hesitation can be fatal for us. Even though we can regenerate, I am sure you know better not to underestimate our enemy."


    "Don''t worry, Ming Yue, I will not become a burden."


    MingYue sighed, "That is not what I mean, Alex." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then turned silent. He knew what MingYue really meant, but he didn''t know what to say about it.


    MingYue then added, "Firstly, Alex, you can start with the goblins in the Awe system. Isn''t one of your purposes in making that to test the cultivation system?


    I will also test it with Lily here, so you should do what you need to do."


    In these weeks, Alex also sent a high goblin and some goblins that can work to MingYue.


    After some consideration, MingYue made them work at her place since they are already one hundred percent loyal to Alex; it''s also the same for MingYue since their souls are linked.


    If they use a normal beast bond contract, then any beast contracted to MingYue will automatically be contracted to Alex and vice versa.


    With a goblin and a high goblin under her, MingYue changed the maid working for her to one of the high goblins named Lily.


    The other goblins were then ordered by MingYue to start building on the island. MingYue already had some plans on what to build, but first, it will start with a mansion.


    This time, the design comes to Vesa.


    There is only one high goblin under MingYue. At first, Alex wanted to send more, but she declined. In her opinion, this high goblin will work better under Alex since he will soon need them to fight against waves of monsters when making their way toward the category Five dungeon.


    If she could go there, MingYue would help Alex by herself, but she cannot, so she can only do this. MingYue also promised to catch more spirit beasts for Alex.


    The last one that she caught died when Alex received it, but it''s not useless.

 Chapter 100: Zhang Xueqi

    Alex had spent time learning their biology and how their cultivation worked.


    He theorized that when beasts transformed into spirit beasts, it was when they succeeded in strengthening their brains and raising their intelligence to a new level. However, to determine how it happened, Alex needed real live specimens and Professor Faerith''s help.


    Alex then started thinking about what to do with the beast''s remains. He could use it to craft some armor, but it would only need the skin and bone; there was still its flesh.


    After some deliberation, he ended up cooking the snake, making it into a meal for Quartz, Olivia, and Emily.


    Alex didn''t feel worried about this since cooking spirit beasts were already normal in the Cultivation world; they were called spirit food.


    It has many benefits for those who consume it.


    After some more talk, Alex agreed to test the cultivation method on Petricia and the other goblin.


    When everything proved safe, he would then give it to his sister and main Guild member to practice. As for MingYue, she would train the outer disciples, including her brother and uncle''s family, in this new system.


    As time passed, it became clear that it wasn''t just Alex''s actions that triggered a change in his world. MingYue also had a significant impact, though she hadn''t realized this yet.


    A day after the Xueqi family mansion was blown up to smithereens by MingYue, many cultivators from the surrounding areas came to check the explosion.


    The Xueqi family patriarch, Zhang, was staying with the Situ Clan in the central region when it all happened.


    One of the descendants of the Situ family owed him a favor, which made him believe he could ask for their support.


    However, he had overestimated the importance of this person.


    The one he had helped was a young lady named Situ CuiYing, a descendant of the Patriarch but born from a commoner, making her position in the clan precarious.


    At first, when the Xueqi family asked for a favor to help fight the Hua family, she considered it.


    After all, the strongest among them was probably only at the late Nascent Soul stage.


    She just needed permission from the Patriarch, and the personal maid and guard under her command were more than enough to take care of them.


    But the Patriarch was busy at that time, so she only got permission one day later.


    Knowing this, Zhang couldn''t do anything; he was asking for help. It was already good that Situ CuiYing didn''t renege on her promise.


    The next day, after getting permission, they wanted to return to Dai Ying City, but the portal he used was shut down.


    This gave him a bad feeling, but he convinced himself they could hold on since there were three elders guarding the place. He thought maybe they had shut it down from their side.


    Since they couldn''t use that one, they traveled again using the Situ family portal.


    This one didn''t warp directly to Dai Ying City, so it took them three more days to finally get back home.


    When they returned, Zhang''s face turned ashen; their family root, treasury, mansion, even the ancestral spirit, everything was gone. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the Xueqi family survivors saw that even the ancestor''s gravestones had been taken away, all of them boiled in rage, while Zhang felt relieved in his mind.


    He felt lucky he had run away; otherwise, he would probably have died when they got attacked. ''These stupid people will probably fight to the death with the invader,'' he thought.


    After some investigation, they found many clues pointing toward the Hua family.


    The commoners they interrogated also admitted the same. Since everything pointed toward them, they didn''t feel the need to investigate further.


    The rest of the survivors, burning with hate, started talking about taking revenge.


    Hearing their discussion, Situ CuiYing sneered in disdain. "Are all of you blind? Can''t you sense the golden core qi remnants here?


    I''ve already done my part, spending time to back you up, but your favor is not enough for me to risk my life.


    If they can even send a golden core cultivator here, what do you think their real strength is?"


    "But miss, isn''t a golden core cultivator just a normal elder in your clan? I believe the Patriarch should at least reach the Profound Enlightenment stage," one of them argued.


    Another Xueqi family member nodded, "This should be a small problem for your family."


    "You guys are really naive. Do you think I can order them around as I wish? Even if I owed you my life, do you think my father would send someone to finish this?


    The Hua family used to have similar strength to your family, but now, suddenly, they have a golden core cultivator behind them.


    It''s not that simple! Even investigating this will cost my family resources. But what benefit can these provide for my family to justify the cost?"


    Situ CuiYing then turned her gaze toward Zhang, "Uncle Zhang, in the past, I owed you a favor because you gave me the material I needed.


    I wanted to repay you for it, but you said to ask for my favor. But this is more than that price."


    She then took out a storage ring and threw it toward Zhang Xueqi. "That should be more than enough to repay my debt to you now. Don''t say I am someone ungrateful. I''ve already done my part here."


    Cui Ying then excused herself, leaving all of them stupefied.


    This made the rest of the Xueqi family feel restless. They had nothing now; how could they continue to survive?


    Their enemies were not just the Hua family. Those people were probably already in the city, looking for an opportunity to strike if possible.


    "Patriarch, I already told you the Hua family was up to no good. We should have rejected their proposal.


    We closed our eyes to get elixirs for Qingying, but now, after her cultivation rose, she left us. Our prodigy died, and we lost everything. What can we do now?"

 Chapter 101: The Elders Regret

    Zhang released his qi, pressuring the elder who spoke. "Watch your mouth. Didn''t we discuss this together? Are you putting the blame on me now?"


    ''What together!? You single-handedly pushed the narrative at that time, making everyone who disagreed not dare to say it.'' He cursed in his mind but didn''t dare say it out loud.


    "What should we do now, then, Patriarch?" A young woman asked. She came from the same generation as MingYue.


    "How about this? Let''s split up," Zhang suggested, then pointed at the young woman.


    "Just like her, we also have many descendants still cultivating with other Sect.


    We should split up and lay low for now. After some time, we will gather again and rebuild the family."


    Zhang''s suggestion made the rest of the Xueqi family frown. This meant they were giving up on their family.


    "Patriarch, how could you say that! They desecrated our ancestors'' graves!"


    Another added, "That is true. How will other families take us seriously while we cannot even protect our ancestors'' Pride?"


    Others also voiced their opinions, none agreeing with Zhang.


    Their respect for him has dropped a lot.


    They respected the patriarch because he was the family head, not for his strength. If all of them cooperated together, Zhang would not be their match, but the thought of this never even crossed their minds because they respected the family rules.


    That is, until now.


    Desecrating their ancestor''s grave is unacceptable for them, and their patriarch, instead, nonchalantly suggests for them to escape. He is not even trying to retaliate.


    This also made them hate the Hua family to the core; they didn''t remember having a blood feud with them to the point of desecrating their ancestors'' graves.


    Even the most vile demon cultivator wouldn''t do that without a personal vendetta since there''s no upside to this. While everyone else will judge what they do.


    The only thing they could get from such action was satisfaction and to erase all proof the family ever existed.


    Even though the cultivation world is harsh, cutting someone down to the root, to the point of leaving nothing behind, is something that rarely happens.


    Zhang''s veins popped, and his tone rose, "Pride? Face? Getting revenge? What use is all that if we are wiped out then? You think dead people have any right to talk about those!!!"


    "Wiped out? You are the one who says for us to take refuge like cowards in other sects where our younger generation is.


    As long as they survive, our family will continue the line, but how could they even hold their heads high and focus on the cultivation road when their elders ran away with tails between their legs?


    This will become a heart demon for all of them! How could you, as our patriarch, not even realize that!?"


    "That is true! Doing this will kill our family for good."


    "Yeah, just like the Liu clan, now even their descendant feel shame having that surname. Some even change it." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the family agreed with what the elders said, none of them taking Zhang''s side at this moment.


    Seeing the situation, Zhang knew he could not convince them anymore, and he didn''t plan to go on a suicide mission with them.


    For him, doing it for their own face is stupid, and what use is the family glory if they are not alive to enjoy it. But he knew he could not just outright say it. Otherwise, they would really rebel and attack him now.


    "How about this then? Let me try to convince CuiYing again. Without her help, we really don''t have any choice other than to lay low and gather enough strength."


    The elders looked at each other. They know Zhang didn''t want to take any risks. If they kept forcing it, this would instead turn into infighting.


    "Alright, Patriarch, but then can you give us the storage ring from Lady CuiYing? We need the money for capital to take revenge."


    Zhang froze at the request.


    The amount in the storage ring was enough for him to have a leisurely life for a hundred years; he didn''t want to give it to the family.


    The rest of the elders also knew the amount since the treasure that was given to CuiYing was bought with the wealth in the family treasury, but Zhang convinced them to get favor from the Situ family.


    His reasoning was, ''What use is letting the money lie around if they cannot use it for the family''s betterment, and the Situ clan is famous for always fulfilling their promise.''


    Even though they each still had some wealth, it wouldn''t be enough to do what they wanted.


    Just like CuiYing said, they need to find out who the golden cultivator behind the Hua family is, then infiltrate their city and make a plan to strike back at them.


    At the very least, desecrate their ancestors'' graves just like they did to them.


    The elders also want to buy some cultivation resources for their younger generation.


    All of the elders had already burned out all their potential; they knew they could not become stronger anymore, but if they became martyrs now, after giving resources to them, they were sure this would make every single one of their descendants wear the Xueqi name with Pride, making sure the Xueqi family continued, and hoping one day it would rise again.


    After some consideration, Zhang took out the storage ring, looked at his palm, and then asked, "Who wants to go with me then?"


    Seeing no one from the family agreed with him, Zhang sighed, then threw the storage ring toward them and quickly left the place.


    But Zhang didn''t plan to look for CuiYing; he had another place in mind, the Yang Clan.


    He also had some acquaintances there; this time, he wanted to use the favor to find someplace to hide. ''Lucikly these people forgot, we still have some connection with another family in the other region, now I should look for a formation to get here.

 Chapter 102: Situ CuiYing

    Seeing their patriarch leave made them sigh in regret.


    The elder who caught the storage ring then checked the content; at first, he smiled, but it only lasted for a moment before his face turned ugly.


    "Is something wrong, Elder?"


    The elder looked at the family, then whispered to the one who asked. The man''s face changed for a moment before returning to normal.


    He then looked at the others, "Let''s move first and find a place to rest. After CuiYing returns to the central region, the other families will start their move.


    As for the others, you guys should return to your own sect soon. As your elders, I am sorry for showing you something shameful like this."


    He then took out a few storage rings and moved some items into them. "This is nothing much, but I hope it can help you on your path of cultivation ahead. Just remember, don''t forget you are part of the Xueqi family."


    After some more talk, the group then separated, leaving only the elder behind.


    "I really regret this; we should have fought back more at that time. If only MingYue were still alive," one of the elders said.


    "I know, but what can we say? At that time, I also didn''t agree, but even Qingying approved the idea."


    "I still cannot believe Qingying did that; she was not that cold-hearted before. I wonder if this is because of the poison."


    "Well, people change," the elder''s eyes then turned cold and sharp. "Even our patriarch, that stupid bastard, he still dared to take half the contents for himself."


    "Hmph, I suggest we just go and kill him now. He really doesn''t care about the family''s future. Just how can the ancestor''s spirit agree to make him the patriarch?"


    The elder shook his head, "Probably because there are no better candidates. Even though I don''t want to admit it, his talent is still better than us, and he was not that bad before.


    Well, I can somehow empathize with his reasoning; after all, we are also all in a similar position."


    Hearing his remark, the other elder complained, "We never betray the family; don''t lump us with him."


    "That is not what I mean. We all have hit the limit of our potential, with no hope of rising to a new realm.


    This makes our self-esteem become low, and our minds turn rotten, only thinking about our own personal benefits.


    Do you forget, before this, how many politics we had in the family?


    We should have used the time and energy to care more for our younger generation.


    Even JianFeng berated us. How MingYue sent some resources back to the family, while we old fogies only think our own descendant."


    This made the rest of them silent; they realized their wrongdoing.


    "Jianfeng... I hope his family survived and ran. He said his granddaughter has some potential."


    "One of us should go and distribute the rest of the resources and try to look for Jianfeng. If he survived, he should know what really happened.


    As for the rest of us..." The man didn''t continue the words, but his eyes turned sharp as killing intent spread around him. The rest of the elders nodded and did the same; they knew what they needed to do.


    Meanwhile, at one of the restaurants in Dai Ying City, Cui Ying was sitting in a private room sipping some tea.


    "Lady, I thought we would quickly return since we wouldn''t help the Xueqi family," one of her attendants asked.


    "A golden core cultivator suddenly intervened in a dispute between families in this rundown region that barely has any resources.


    Tell me, do you think it''s just a simple favor? Even going as far as desecrating their ancestral grave."


    "Based on the situation we know so far, the Xueqi family shouldn''t have any enemy of that caliber that hates them like this.


    Does lady mean there is something worth to get here?"


    CuiYing nodded. "You may not know this, but I remember reading in our family library a mention of the Xueqi Clan in the central region.


    That is one of the reasons I agreed to give a favor to that geezer. At their peak, Xueqi was even richer than our clan. I honestly doubt they don''t have some inheritance left behind."


    "But the Xueqi family never seemed to grow in strength. If they had that kind of resource, they would already dominate this eastern region."


    "It''s not that simple. Think about it like this; if our Situ clan were attacked and destroyed now, and we become the only survivors bringing the family treasure with us, will we give any clue to our enemy?"


    "Of course not, lady."


    "If I were them, I would wait for a few generations until people start forgetting about it, then I would create a new Situ family as commoners.


    After some more time, When I felt everyone already forgot about our family, I would start growing the family to become cultivators again.


    Then, I would wait until a true prodigy is born."


    "A true prodigy? Don''t they have one? But I heard she was missing now. The rumor even says she is dead."


    CuiYing chuckled. "That is because, no matter how talented she is, she is still a bud.


    Only when she shows her worth and matures can the true treasure be given to her. Otherwise, it will only bring calamity to the new family."


    "So, you think the Hua family took this treasure?"


    "Yes, otherwise they would not go this far. For now, we will find out more information first.


    If this is true, I am sure we can profit from it. After all, having a treasure but no strength to protect it is a sin."


    "Should we inform the patriarch about this, lady?"


    CuiYing''s eyes turned sharp, and with a stern voice, she said, "Not now. If my siblings find out about this, they will also intervene.


    Based on what I know, there should be some treasure of Mystic grade, at least. After we get those, those arrogant siblings of mine will need to shut their mouths."


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 103: The Rumor of Hua Family

    The attendant nodded. "You are right, Lady. If only madam could see you like this now, I am sure she would be proud of your plan."


    The attendant had followed CuiYing''s mother and helped take care of CuiYing since she was a child, so CuiYing didn''t feel worried about sharing all this information with her.


    But the mention of her mother made her heart throb with pain. Her eyes glistened for a moment before she said, "I told you don''t mention her again, that irresponsible woman."


    "But Lady, Madam is..." The attendant words cut short, feeling the glare from Cui Ying''s eyes.


    Cui Ying''s mother died a few years after having her due to complications.


    This made Cui Ying have complex feelings towards her mother; she resented being born into the Situ Clan.


    If she could choose, she would prefer to become a commoner, free from all the politics within the clan.


    And she had no choice but to get involved with it; if she didn''t strive hard to fight for cultivation resources and grow stronger, everyone would just trample over her without mercy.


    Only the strong deserve respect; that is just how it is in the world of cultivators.


    This makes some part of her despise her mother; why did she give birth to her only to let her fend for herself?


    Although her father treated her without bias, the rest of the family and siblings looked down on her.


    Seeing her attendant''s expression, Cui Ying knew she still hadn''t accepted it.


    "I know what you want to say, but you know what happened in my life all this time.


    Tell me, how can I not feel any grievance? Even though it wasn''t her choice to leave me alone, she knew the risks of marrying my father, and I am the one facing them now."


    "Lady..." The attendant''s eyes turned complicated; she knew how much Cui Ying suffered. Being the daughter of a commoner doesn''t just mean others look down on her; it also limits her talent.


    She needs to work harder than others to achieve the same results, and even when doing her best, she is barely average in the clan; there are many people with more talent than her.


    Knock, knock.


    The door pushed open. A man came in and whispered something in Cui Ying''s ear, making her lips curl into a smile.


    "I am sure of it now. Lin Hua, the prodigy of the Hua family, is quickly advancing in cultivation; she has already reached the early Nascent Soul stage.


    This is too fast; I am sure she has some method.


    Spread the rumor now, and start some investigation on the Hua family''s movements."


    After this, the Hua family started becoming famous in the eastern region. Even some in the central, northern, and western regions heard their name.


    The rumor Cui Ying spread wasn''t that they had a good treasure, but she exaggerated the story of the conflict between the Hua and Xue Qi families.


    From the Hua family patriarch wearing a green hat because Zhang slept with his wife to the Hua family giving medicine to Xue Qi''s old prodigy Qing Ying, which turned out to be a poison that killed her instantly.


    Situ CuiYing made sure the rumor was as exaggerated as possible to justify the act of desecrating an ancestral grave.


    She also put out the word that a Golden Core cultivator was responsible for it.


    This made many families and sects in the eastern region become wary of the Hua family, with some even giving them treasures to improve their relationship, just in case the Hua family retaliated against them.


    The Hua family patriarch, Feng Hua, felt both surprised and elated by the rumor; they didn''t really know who destroyed the Xue Qi family, but with many benefits coming from it, they didn''t deny it, making people think it was true.


    Feng Hua was happy with the many gifts that came; they also had much leeway in negotiations now since every family and sect tried not to make trouble with them.


    Every single dealing would be done with the thought, ''As long as we don''t make the Golden Core cultivator behind them angry, it''s alright to lose a bit.''


    But it wasn''t all good; after the rumor spread, Feng Hua started becoming suspicious of his wife, Lin Hua''s mother.


    Even though he knew his wife''s personality, with so many people believing it, he couldn''t help but think of this possibility, too, making him more paranoid than normal.


    Lin Hua''s mother was patient with all the questions at first, but as more time passed, she also became annoyed with it.


    This became a strain on their relationship.


    "You never asked me where I went before! But now you ask everything, not only that, but you even ask my attendant to make sure I am not lying! Feng, do you really believe that rumor?"


    "It''s not like that, Qiuyan, I am sorry, okay."


    "HMPH! You can just go sleep under the moon for today; I don''t want to see you now," Qiuyan said as she closed the door on FengHua''s face.


    Feng Hua couldn''t retort since he knew it was his fault.


    He sighed, then looked outside at the courtyard. Walking near a tree, he sat with his back leaning against it.


    He looked up toward the tree branches, "Hey tree, it seems today I will sleep with you again. Why do I even suspect her of cheating? Those rumors really got to my head."


    He paused for a moment, then mumbled, "But who is the Golden Core cultivator that destroyed the Xue Qi family? And who spread the rumor? I don''t get what they really want."


    Meanwhile, at the Blue Lotus Sect, a beautiful woman was meditating in a lotus position under the moonlight; qi started to move around her, making all the leaves around her float and sway gently in the air. But it only lasted for a moment before it all dropped.


    Lin Hua opened her eyes and then stood up and bowed toward someone who had just appeared.


    "Master, you''ve come."


    S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 104: Blood Crystal

    A beautiful woman, who still looked to be in her mid-twenties, looked at Lin Hua with satisfaction. "Among all my disciples, you are one of the best, Lin Hua."


    She paused for a moment, then her gaze turned complicated. "But you are also the one that gives me the biggest headache. Do you know the rumor about your family?"


    After returning to the sect, Lin Hua presented her report.


    In her version, she stated she didn''t even meet MingYue in the secret realm. This made the sect leader and elders frown, as they were sure both of them had left together for the secret realm.


    However, according to LinHua''s explanation, MingYue left midway because she wanted to visit her family.


    This was strange since MingYue had never done something like that before, but they didn''t press the issue.


    They are no use finding out the truth. After all, MingYue was dead.


    They were certain of it. Just like the Xueqi family, the Blue Lotus sect also had something similar to find the life and death of their member.


    They then asked what she had obtained from the secret realm.


    LinHua told them everything except for the ancient cultivation method. She also mixed in some lies, saying she got a new bloodline from the secret realm, allowing her cultivation to progress faster and regenerate her missing hand.


    The sect leader then asked for a drop of MingYue''s blood to check it.


    In the cultivation world, they check bloodlines using a special crystal named blood crystal. This crystal looks like a raw diamond and is usually found deep underground.


    However, since the crystal doesn''t emit any qi, it''s very hard to find. It can only be found by coincidence, and even then, the amount is not much.


    With high demand and very low supply, this drives the blood crystal price very high; even a single crystal the size of a fist that the Blue Lotus sect has can cost two small, low-grade qi crystal mines.


    When blood is dripped onto the crystal, it will show some reaction, changing the crystal''s color for a moment before it turns back. The reaction will become brighter and more beautiful if the blood crystal is cut and polished.


    LinHua has the AeroEagle bloodline with a decent spiritual root.


    Usually, the reaction on the crystal will emit a green light with a silhouette of an eagle shown inside, but this time it gave a reddish-green, while the silhouette turned into a blur, the form of the eagle was changing into something else, but they couldn''t see clearly what the image was.


    Seeing the result, they excused LinHua to take a break while they discussed what bloodline this was.


    After being excused, LinHua went directly to her abode and started practicing the cultivation method diligently.


    The cultivation method she got was somewhat weird, but she believed in the method since the rest of the items she got from the secret realm didn''t have any problems.


    The cultivation method required LinHua to create a unique pattern above her heart using her own blood every day.


    She then needed to meditate at night, absorbing the Qi following a specific circulation in her body, which would then end at the pattern.


    It didn''t take long for the cultivation to show results for LinHua. Her cultivation soared highly, making her feel satisfied.


    ''If only the method is not this painful, it would be perfect.'' LinHua thought to herself.


    Even though the cultivation method allowed her to rise in strength and regrow her limb, every time the qi reached the pattern she made, it always gave her a soul-rending pain, like part of her existence was cut off, but afterward, she would feel a rush of ecstasy as her power grew to a whole new level.


    Back to the present, LinHua felt confused by her Master''s question, "What do you mean by that, Master?"


    "There are rumors now that your family has a golden core cultivator, but that is not the problem.


    What matters is your family attacking the Xueqi family, even destroying their ancestors'' graves. Just what problem does your family have with the Xueqi to go that far?"


    LinHua''s eyes widened in surprise. Based on what she knew, their family''s plan after what happened was to lay low and reject anything related to the incident. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They even bribed some guards from the Xueqi family to come to the area near the secret realm and plant fake evidence. She never heard anything afterward, nor did she ask since she was sure MingYue wouldn''t survive after being thrown into the void.


    Seeing LinHua''s surprised expression, her Master knew she should have nothing to do with what happened, which could mean it was done by her family.


    "MingYue''s Master is furious with how your family attacked them; she was sure you had something to do with MingYue''s death.


    For now, don''t go out of your abode. Just focus on your cultivation."


    Linhua bowed and thanked her Master.


    Looking at her bow, their Master sighed again, "LinHua, did you really not know the cause of the conflict?"


    "I really don''t know, Master. What are people saying outside?"


    "They say your mom had an affair with the Xueqi family patriarch."


    "What? No way! I know my mom; she never met with people from the Xueqi family!" LinHua quickly retorted, her face turning ugly at the accusation.


    Her Master frowned, "Don''t talk to me like that. I am not the one spreading the rumor, LinHua.


    Just remember, if there is smoke, there is fire somewhere. The Xueqi family was destroyed overnight. Even their ancestors'' grave was destroyed, not even a bone remained, then the next day the rumor spread."


    She paused for a moment and sighed, "Forget it. Just focus on your cultivation; since you''re going to stay here for a while, I will send a commoner to be your personal maid.


    I know your personality; you don''t like crowds, so I will just send one person." She then disappeared.

 Chapter 105: Jia Nu

    Looking at the empty spot, Linhua''s gaze turned sharp, "Even now, I cannot detect Master''s presence. Don''t we just have 2 minor realm differences? Is it her bloodline ability?"


    LinHua feels confused about this, but then she links it to her unstable cultivation bases since her cultivation has risen too quickly in a short time.


    She still needs to stabilize it and master her secret technique.


    She then shook her head. What matters is finding out what really happened. But since her Master told her to stay at her abode, her options are limited.


    She can use a one-time talisman to send a message to her family, but it''s better kept for an emergency. So her other choice is to wait for the maid, then make her a messenger.


    LinHua then continued to cultivate. As the moon set and the sun rose from the west, a woman in plain clothes and appearance came bowing toward LinHua with a polite smile, "Greetings, miss, my name is JiaNu. I am here to take care of your needs."


    LinHua opened her eyes from meditation and gave a nod. "Just call me LinHua. Do you know the situation with my family?"


    "Yes, Miss LinHua, your family is growing quickly now. Despite some bad rumors, they keep expanding their business."


    "That is good news. What about the bad rumors?"


    JiaNu hesitated at LinHua''s question. Seeing this, LinHua urged her to just tell everything she knew.


    With reluctance, JiaNu replied, "The most famous one is the rumor where your mother is said to have had an affair.


    Every day, it keeps getting exaggerated. Some even say that in reality, Miss, you are the daughter of the Xueqi patriarch. That is why the Hua family go that far."


    Hearing this, LinHua''s qi started to spread, making JiaNu flinch before quickly bowing her upper body, asking for forgiveness.


    After calming down, LinHua ordered her to send some messages to her family. JiaNu nodded and left to do her task while LinHua continued practicing her secret technique.


    Time passed, and the sunset painted the sky in an orange hue. JiaNu returned, giving the response from the Hua family.


    Reading all the messages, LinHua felt relieved.


    Her father said there were no problems, and they also didn''t know who destroyed the Xueqi family. But since it brought many benefits, they decided to not clarify it.


    The rest only detailed the benefits they got from the rumor. Inside the mail, her father also put a storage ring, inside of which were a dozen medium-grade qi crystals with a hundred low-grade qi crystals.


    This made LinHua feel elated.


    With a smile, she then said, "Good job, JiaNu... While you were there, did you find anything weird?"


    "Weird?" JiaNu put a finger on her chin.


    After some time, she replied, "I did hear it seems your parents are having some relationship problems.


    Your father, the Patriarch, seems to always sleep outside now, while your mother rarely spends time at home."


    This made LinHua frown.


    It was not the first time her mother did that, but she could count on one hand how many times that happened when she still lived there. And every time it happened, it meant they had a big fight.


    ''What makes them fight like this?'' she thought. LinHua then sought more confirmation from JiaNu.


    "I talked with some maids while waiting for the response from the Patriarch. They say they overheard one of the fights.


    It seems your parents had a fight over the rumor. The Patriarch has become paranoid about your mom. Your mom''s face also became angry when the Patriarch mentioned your birth."


    "What? Are you sure about that?"


    "Well, that is what they say."


    This made LinHua''s heart beat faster, and her hand turned into a fist. She knew her mom had a habit of becoming angry when asked something she didn''t want to say.


    ''If that is fake, why does she need to get angry like that? If it''s just my father becoming paranoid, that is not weird, but even mom...'' LinHua thought.


    She then said, "Tomorrow, you send another message to that place. While you''re at it, find more information."


    JiaNu bowed in respect, accepting the task. LinHua then returned to her practice.


    A few days passed peacefully like this. JiaNu kept going back and forth to the Hua family, looking for information that LinHua asked for.


    Every time LinHua heard the news, her emotions became more and more unstable. Based on the rumors and small clues she picked up, her mother seemed really hiding something.


    ''Did she really have an affair? Then, did my father find out and attack the Xueqi family?


    Is that why she felt reluctant when I proposed the idea to trap MingYue?'' LinHua thought to herself.


    Based on what JiaNu told her, the fight between her parents kept escalating every day.


    Just two days ago, they had another fight. Her father then left the estate and never returned till now. Even though her family kept growing in power, their relationship kept getting worse and worse.


    Seeing LinHua''s pale face, the maid asked, "Are you alright, Miss LinHua?"


    "Hmph, would you be alright if you were me? All these stupid rumors spreading around, just what are these people thinking?"


    "It''s normal, Miss. The higher you rise, the more people will gossip about your family."


    "Rise? You don''t know anything, JiaNu. Even with all the growth, if I cannot become a golden core cultivator in a year, our family is finished!" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A golden core cultivator? Isn''t that stronger than our sect leader?"


    LinHua sighed, "It seems you have some understanding of cultivation levels. Yes, it''s all because of my parents, well, part of it is my fault too.


    There are many reasons, but you don''t need to know the details. Basically, our family has some conflict with a clan from another region, and their leader gave us time before having a tournament between us. The winner survives; the loser dies."


    "Does that clan have a golden core cultivator?"

 Chapter 106: Cultivator, Commoner

    "Of course not. If they had one, they would have already come to massacre my family.


    The only reason they want to negotiate is because my master interjected. But they have nascent soul cultivators.


    Their strength is similar to our sect''s Blue Lotus. That is why I want to become a golden core cultivator to make sure we will survive."


    Since her cultivation base was unstable, LinHua knew she would have a hard time-fighting someone with a similar cultivation level.


    Their enemy had four people at the nascent soul, while her family only had three.


    That is why LinHua was desperate to become stronger, even going as far as trapping MingYue, taking a huge risk. If one thing went wrong, she knew it would come back to bite her, but what other option did she have?


    LinHua then excused JiaNu. Being alone, she sat in a lotus position and started stabilizing her cultivation. But LinHua could not focus at all. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The thought kept surfacing in her mind, ''Am I really the Xueqi patriarch''s daughter? If that is true, is MingYue my cousin?


    But knowing my mother, she would never allow me to hurt someone that is my family...


    Except there is something even more important for her to hide. But how could my mother do that?''


    LinHua became restless, and her mind started cursing whoever made up the rumor.


    Real or not, it''s affecting her cultivation now. She then tried to vent by practicing some secret arts, but it was still useless.


    Knowing she could not stay calm no matter what she did, Linhua decided to call JiaNu to prepare some snacks and tea.


    Sipping the warm tea relaxed her mind, as it was not just normal tea but a special one made by her sect using a special type of lotus petal.


    Looking at JiaNu standing in front of her made LinHua feel awkward. "You should sit, too."


    "But miss, I am just a commoner."


    "Just sit, JiaNu. Being a cultivator doesn''t mean your life is better. Sometimes, I envy a life like yours."


    JiaNu reluctantly took a seat, then replied, "You are kidding, Miss LinHua. Our life as commoners has no value at all.


    Every day, we live in fear; any cultivator can wipe us all out with a flick of their finger."


    "You are exaggerating, JiaNu. As long as you live in a city under the protection of a sect or prominent family and pay your taxes, you will have a stable life.


    Even when there are conflicts between families or sects, they rarely attack the city occupied by them.


    After all, what use is taking over a dead city? They need the money that comes from it.


    You just need to work, earn your due, and keep on living. But see us, cultivators, we kill each other, even inside our own family or sect; we fight each other vying for resources.


    The moment we become useless, we will be cast aside. Tell me, do you wish to have a life like this?"


    "Our life is still in danger anytime. Even among commoners, many people sell their own families as slaves since they cannot earn enough money to live. I think it''s not that much different compared to cultivators."


    "But at least you can have friends, and not all relatives are like that. As long as you have money, you rarely have problems. But for us cultivators, money has no value.


    What matters are Qi crystals and cultivation resources, and we never have enough of them. Only when we reach the top can we stop."


    "I am sorry for asking this, Miss, but do you really have no friends?"


    "Friend?" LinHua let out a dry chuckle.


    "You know MingYue? Everyone knows I hate her, and she hates me too.


    But you know what? Actually, if we were not cultivators or met under different circumstances, I am sure we could become friends. Both of us try hard for our families.


    Even though I feel similar to her, we still cannot become friends. We need to fight each other to get cultivation resources.


    Every day is a tiring grind without any guarantee it will give us any results. Believe me when I say being a cultivator is not as good as most commoners think."


    JiaNu then asked, "Did you regret it, Lady LinHua?"


    "Regret what? Becoming a cultivator? No, I don''t. I just sometimes feel tired of this kind of life.


    We become cultivators seeking strength and immortality so we can do anything we want, but in the end, how many reach that level?


    The rest perish on the journey. Living hundreds to thousands of years filled with conflict, in the end, left alone and failed to achieve their dream."


    "That''s not what I meant, Lady LinHua. Do you regret not trying to become friends with Lady MingYue?"


    LinHua froze at JiaNu''s question. She had never thought about it, but then she sighed, "Does it matter? She is dead now."


    Her lips then curled into a smile.


    "If she survived, I am sure she would try her best to take revenge, making my life hell. Since I would also do the same if I were her, we are quite similar in that regard."


    "What will you do if you meet her again then?"


    "What a weird question. Don''t you know she''s dead too? Well, if we do meet again, I am sure she will try to kill me. We will then fight to the death."


    "I see, but didn''t you say you wanted to be friends with her?"


    "That is just a small thought. As cultivators, it''s just impossible. I do hear some people become friends, but that is very rare, JiaNu.


    Maybe I will find one if I ever reach a higher level of cultivation. Even for a spouse, we as cultivators will look for one that can make our bloodline stronger, not because of feelings or emotions.


    Honestly, in my opinion, cultivators are just people obsessed with power and immortality."

 Chapter 107: What will You Do?

    LinHua took another sip of tea and then excused JiaNu since she wanted to be left alone.


    After some talk with her, LinHua realized JiaNu could not understand her, even though it was interesting to know her perspective. That is not what LinHua wanted now.


    Looking toward the sky, she mumbled, "A friend, huh? What a foolish thought."


    But her ear perked up as she heard some disturbance from a distance away.


    In the sky, a streak of light was coming toward her at a fast speed.


    Linhua quickly took her sword out. Anyone who dared to attack her sect was not someone she could underestimate.


    Bam! One figure landed in front of Linhua, while the other one changed direction, seemingly in a fight with someone else.


    Looking at the person who came, Linhua''s eyes widened; she recognized him as an elder from the Xueqi family.


    If she hadn''t known what had happened afterward, Linhua would have already asked him why this was not what they agreed on.


    The Elder from the Xueqi family knew he didn''t have much time.


    He pointed his sword toward Linhua, concentrating all his Qi at the tip.


    Without wasting time, he used all his strength to thrust forward while he screamed, "This is for our genius, MingYue!"


    At the side, JiaNu watched all this with cold eyes. If anyone saw her now, they would find this strange; a commoner usually would have many emotions. Either they hide in fear, run, or watch with excitement.


    But no one realized that JiaNu was watching everything from the gap in her window.


    Outside, the tip of the blade had already reached close to Linhua''s face, but she didn''t move at all. Her face was still calm because she knew she was not alone.


    Clang! A sword tore through the air; even though the sword moved with grace, the Qi contained inside it was not something a nascent soul cultivator could underestimate.


    The moment the swords clashed, it exploded, creating a shockwave that pushed the Xueqi elder back, but Linhua wasn''t moved; the shockwave turned into a normal breeze of wind when it reached her face.


    A petal of blue lotus then appeared like a whirlwind, and the sect leader of the Blue Lotus appeared in it.


    With a complicated gaze, she sighed, "I already gave you a way out; why would you choose this?"


    Cough! The Xueqi family elder threw up blood as his hand clenched over his chest, "Sect leader Qing, despite your young age, as leader of the sect, I am sure you understand my choice."


    "It doesn''t change the fact you make things hard for me," Qing replied as her long blue hair fluttered in the wind, the blue petals moved all around her, and her hourglass body walked gracefully toward the Xueqi family elder.


    Her sapphire blue eyes that adorned her beautiful face flickered for a moment before she decisively executed the final attack.


    Despite her face, which looked like a teenager filled with innocence, Qing Lian has faced many experiences in life.


    She has taken the mantle of Sect leader at a young age. Usually, someone becomes a sect leader at age 200 or more. Even though the Xueqi family patriarch is 300 years old, Qing Lian took the mantle when she was only 60.


    In Alex''s world, sixty would be treated as elderly; even with the advent of mana, this doesn''t change.


    They only become healthier and younger in appearance, but not as exaggerated as cultivators. 100, 200, 300, it''s nothing compared to their long lifespan.


    A nascent soul cultivator at the late stage can easily live for a thousand years. Even those at the foundation stage can live for one hundred to two hundred years.


    As for the commoners, they usually have a lifespan of eighty years, but it''s very rare for that to happen. Usually, they die by accident before they reach that age.


    Just like every sect, the Blue Lotus also has its own enemies and tragedies, but Linhua doesn''t know the details about it, nor does MingYue. Usually, a sect would tell their younger generation this to make sure they knew their enemy, but the Blue Lotus sect didn''t do anything like this.


    The tip of Qing Lian''s sword pierced the Xueqi elder''s heart; she then took it out and, with one motion, cut his head off.


    Blood spurted out. She then flicked her sword, cleaning it from all the blood.


    Her hand then made a motion, taking the Xueqi Elder''s body to her storage ring.


    She looked toward the distance where Linhua''s master fought against the other Xueqi Elder. Her eyes then turned toward Linhua.


    Linhua bowed, then swiftly said, "Thank you, sect leader."


    Qing Lian nodded. She then asked, "Do you know why they decided to do this, Linhua?"


    Linhua put a thought to it and then shook her head; they agreed with her proposal. For them to suddenly get emotional over MingYue''s death didn''t make sense at all; the only possibility is because of the conflict with her family.


    But if that is the reason, they would do better by attacking businesses owned by the Hua family.


    As cultivators, it''s easy for them to ambush the businesses run by commoners, which would become a big headache for her family.


    "What would you do if you were in their position then?"


    "I would lay low, then cultivate till I become stronger, then take my revenge." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That is not their position, Linhua. Their position is that of an Elder.


    Even though they have a respected title as Elder, in reality, they are no more than washed-up cultivators who have already reached the end of their potential.


    Now think again, what would you do in that situation?"


    Linhua turned silent; she didn''t know what to answer. The first thing that appeared in her mind was to run away, but if it were her family that died, her parents, she couldn''t just run away.


    Her heart would be filled with hate and a desire to take revenge, but without potential, what could she do?

 Chapter 108: Rumor

    "I would ambush their younger generation, then create problems for their business.


    Try to look for important information about the family, then spread it to their other enemies. If possible, I would make alliances with them too."


    "That is not a bad answer, but Linhua, you forgot something crucial.


    You still have a younger generation that is even more talented than you. That is why the Xueqi family chose to do this," Qing Lian said with a voice filled with regret.


    She then gazed toward the building where JianNu stayed, then back at LinHua, "This is all my fault. I am too greedy. Both you and MingYue are good people, and I have taken advantage of that.


    I know both of you feel indebted to your current master, and I then convinced both of you to stay in my sect despite the lack of resources. I should have let one of you go."


    She then shook her head, "Forget it, you youngsters, take care of it between yourselves; I have no right to interfere now.


    Just remember, as cultivators, we must act in a way that leaves no heart demon in our hearts. It may give us quick satisfaction or raise our strength quickly, but in the long term, it''s not worth it."


    LinHua thought QingLian was talking about her unstable cultivation level since she had raised it quickly. "But Sect Master, you know my situation."


    "I know, LinHua, but in reality, you have more choices; you just don''t want to take a step back. Sometimes, it''s better to take one step back before moving two steps forward. You should think about this."


    After that, QingLian left her alone, moving to help LinHua''s master. It didn''t take long for the fight to end since it became one-sided.


    Like the first one, the elder, before dying, made an announcement that he did it for MingYue. Even though it''s too late, it''s better than nothing.


    The last elder even used his Qi to make sure the sound was heard all over the sect and surrounding area. For him, as long as the rumor reached the younger generation of their family, losing their lives here was worth it.


    QingLian''s words struck LinHua''s heart, making her reflect on her decision. But it''s not only LinHua who heard the sect master''s words; JinaHu also heard it.


    Her eyes glistened, seeming like she was pondering something.


    At the place of conflict, QingLian looked at LinHua''s master with a questioning gaze, "Why waste time with him? Should have just finished him quickly."


    "If I am the one that kills him, you should know she will get even more mad."


    "She is not even here now."


    "That doesn''t change the fact if she hears about this, she will go feral. You know how she thought about this matter."


    "If only we could turn back time," QingLian said with a sigh.


    LinHua''s master shrugged, "Since the beginning, we already knew the conflict that would happen between those two, even though we never thought it would become like this. She should have prepared."


    After saying that, she left.


    QingLian sighed, feeling really guilty about what happened.


    The cultivation world is always filled with bloodshed, and she hates it. But now, she is the one responsible for making it happen in her own sect.


    Taking both of them as core disciples and making them compete with each other, she did this on purpose with the other elder. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The battle is finished, but what happened quickly spreads even more, stirring rumors. If before, the Blue Lotus sect was only thought of as a neutral party, now some start to think they might have something to do with the Xueqi family''s demise.


    Even though anyone using their brain a little will know their reaction makes sense. The Xueqi elder forced their way to the sect, and they needed to protect their other genius, LinHua, but the populace didn''t care.


    Gossiping is more fun when there are many things to speculate about, and people start pointing out many questions to make things weirder.


    "If they only needed to protect themselves, why did they need to go as far as killing the elder? Couldn''t they just knock them down? It''s only two elders."


    "I''m sure they are going to do suicide since it''s the last resort. I understand their feeling. I would do the same if my parent''s grave got desecrated, too."


    "Even if that is true, they have more cultivators in their place and don''t forget it''s their home ground. I''m sure they had another way."


    "But why would they go that far? Different treatment in sects is normal, but this is between two prodigies, and I heard the one that died is more suitable with the Blue Lotus sect''s signature move."


    "I honestly think the Xueqi family had something precious, and the Hua family then took it over. The Blue Lotus sect somehow found out about this, then killed the elder to make sure the rumor is not spread."


    "How do you even know this?"


    "Everyone is talking about it now."


    "But doesn''t the Hua family conflict with the Xueqi start because of the wife''s affair?"


    "Who knows? Maybe both happened. It started with the affair, but they discovered something good when attacking the Xueqi family, so the conflict grew now."


    Talk like this happened everywhere, each version changing some part of it, but they all have the same conclusion; The Hua family gets something precious when attacking the Xueqi Family.


    This rumor reached Situ CuiYing''s ears, making her ears perk up.


    Other cultivators might not care much about this rumor because there is no conclusive evidence. Only desperate ones will go to baseless rumors. But she was different; she already suspected this.


    In the inn at Daiying City, Situ Cuiying hadn''t changed places; she was waiting for news from the subordinate she sent out.


    "Is the Blue Lotus sect involved?" she asked herself.


    If it''s true, it will be more complicated for Cuiying since her family has a good relationship with the Blue Lotus sect. Even though it''s not that close, they often exchange information with each other.

 Chapter 109: Schorched Dune Labyrinth

    If she creates a conflict with them, the news will quickly reach her father''s ears. She put her chin over her hand, thinking about what she could do to confirm the treasure''s existence.


    "Miss, based on the report, LinHua has a new maid. Why not try to bribe her?


    The other servants don''t have any direct contact with LinHua, so it will be hard to get any new information."


    "You are right. Check her background. If nothing is wrong, we will try to do it."


    "Background check? Is it necessary to go that far?"


    "It''s better to be safe than sorry. The timing of her entry is quite suspicious. Who knows if someone else also has a similar idea to mine."


    The maid bowed and then left to do her task.


    Meanwhile, under the scorching sun, Alex was taking a break under the shade from a cliff with Emily, Olivia, and Quartz.


    They are now in the three-star dungeon, The Scorched Dune Labyrinth. As the name suggests, the area is very hot, around 45¡ãC (113¡ãF).


    The ground beneath them is made of sand with fossil remains scattered around.


    The most unique feature of this dungeon is the terrain.


    Even though it''s like a desert, it''s cramped between many canyons, turning it into a complicated maze of death. Some canyons also have entry points to caverns, making the area even more complicated.


    This makes the dungeon very hard to clear since they need to hunt the boss in a limited time while navigating through the random labyrinth.


    "At this rate, we will never clear this dungeon, Emily."


    "That doesn''t matter. We are here looking for monsters to catch, brother."


    "Emily, it seems you forgot this is the first dungeon dive for our Suzaku guild," Quartz reminded in a stern tone.


    Olivia chuckled, "Aren''t you the one that prepared everything, Emily?"


    Emily''s cheeks turned red; she really forgot about it since she was so excited about entering this dungeon. She already imagined what she could do with the monsters she wanted to catch.


    Alex laughed, "Seems you all forgot. That''s just how Emily is. She''s always so clumsy. I still remember her asking where her phone is while holding it in her hand."


    Emily''s cheeks turned into a pout, "Hmph, look who''s talking, brother."


    Her gaze then turned to Olivia, as her lips curled into a smirk, "Since you like tattling on others so much, I could also do that, you know! I still remember mom telling you not to wet the bed when you were in high school."


    Her words left Alex stupefied.


    Quartz let out a chuckle, "Really? You still wet the bed in high school?"


    Olivia''s eyes widened in surprise, but not because of what Emily said. "You understand what that means, right?


    "Of course, that means even at that age, he still cannot control his bladder. What a kid."


    Emily nodded in agreement, "Brother really knows no shame."


    Alex didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry at Quartz and Emily''s remark, but he didn''t feel shy about it since, other than Quartz, everyone already knew.


    As for Olivia, she laughed at their remark but didn''t try to correct their misunderstanding.


    A thought then surfaced in her mind, and she asked Alex with a teasing tone, "Who were you dreaming at that time?"


    Alex''s cheeks turned red like a tomato; he quickly turned his gaze away and changed the topic, "Where is Zold anyway? Are you sure he will be alright?"


    His expression was answer enough for Olivia. "Why are you changing the topic?


    Well, I already got my answer," she replied with a snicker.


    "Don''t worry. Zold is the most suitable for the task, brother. Can''t you see his location?"


    Near the cliff where they were staying, Alex found an entry point toward an underground cavern. Based on the map from Vessa, there are many life forces inside.


    Alex then suggested they check on it, but Zold volunteered to check the monster type first.


    Since the area where the monster is quite deep if all of them enter, it will take a while to reach the area where the monster is.


    Zold, with his ability, can enhance his movement. Even though he cannot turn into lightning, it still allows him to move even faster than Alex; only Emily can defeat him in speed.


    However, Emily''s ability costs too much energy; if it is not an emergency, they prefer not to use it.


    Even though they have already spent days in the dungeon, they are still in the outskirts area since they reached dead ends multiple times.


    Looking at the dot that''s still moving quickly, Alex knows Zold is alright, but even after facing other dots, he just skips past them, moving deeper into the cave system.


    "He is still not stopping. If he keeps going, he will leave my detection area soon."


    "It''s alright, Alex. Your ability is convenient, but you shouldn''t depend on it too much.


    In exploration, we do this all the time without any ability to communicate. The only thing we can do is believe in our comrades.


    Let''s wait until the promised time. If he still has not returned, we will come after him."


    "Alright, if you guys say so."


    "Since we will wait here, can you tell us more about this cultivation system?" Quartz asked.


    Everyone, including Zold, has reached the foundation stage, the early phases of their cultivation, allowing them to use storage rings and some talismans from MingYue''s world. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, as I said, to put it simply, we use Qi to transform our bodies and make them stronger. For more detail, just read the book I gave you guys."


    "I have read it, but that is just a fantasy novel. Don''t tell me it''s the same as what I read.


    Do we need to sit inside a cave for thousands of years pondering the meaning of the universe? I will die from boredom if that is true.


    What pondering, does the meaning of the universe change for each person?


    Can''t you just record the answer in the book or something? Just like a textbook when we were at school."

 Chapter 110: Young Master = Guaranteed Sucesss!

    Alex chuckled, "You mean when the character ponders over the dao? Of course not, don''t worry. But you should get the gist, right?"


    "What gist? The only thing I learned from those stories is to find a young master.


    They may make your life hard or inconvenient at first, but afterward, the protagonist will always become stronger.


    If a young master cripples you, that means it''s just a matter of time until you get a cheat or find treasure to raise your cultivation.


    If a young master seeks your lover, that means you will instead meet a new one soon.


    All of the story revolves around young masters. I''m honestly sure that without young masters, all these protagonists would just become average cultivators in this story.


    Everything they achieve comes after meeting these young masters.


    If I ever enter a world like this, I will just find these young masters; the key is always to become their enemy and avoid becoming their follower since all their followers almost always end up dead or miserable."


    Alex was stupefied by Quartz''s words; he wanted to say it''s not because some stories also have the characters pass through many hardships before growing stronger, but now that he thinks of it, these hardships often come from these young masters in one way or another.


    Even finding hidden secret realms or some cultivator''s secret treasure, all starts from those.


    ''At this point, we might as well call it the young master system. Maybe I should write that kind of novel if I have time. It seems funny,'' he thought to himself.


    With a sigh, he then added, "That is not what I meant. But the qi and how it''s used basically transforms our existence starting from the body, then the soul, and we will get stronger then."


    "So, how do I go to the next step? We are now only at the first level. You should have the method to grow further."


    "I do, but it''s still in the experimental stage. I need to make sure there are no complications before I give it to you."


    Quartz frowned; with a stern tone, she said, "I understand the method comes from you, and you can decide how you give it to others, but Alex, don''t make the decision for me.


    Since you need to experiment with it, I volunteer. And before you tell me it''s very dangerous, believe me, I know the risk, Alex. But we need to get stronger as fast as possible so we can help your mother bring back your father."


    Alex looked at Emily and Olivia, hoping they would say something to change Quartz''s mind, but from their gaze, Alex knew they also felt the same. Alex didn''t even need to ask; he was sure Zold would think the same too.


    He has tried the cultivation method for the goblin; so far, there are no problems, and their progress is fast. The strongest among them is Patricia; she has already reached Core Formation realm.


    The other high goblins have reached the late stage of Foundation realm. As for the normal goblins, their progression is slower.


    Alex thinks this is because of the difference in their body stature; their cultivation varies between the early and mid-stage of the Foundation realm.


    Respecting their determination, Alex then started explaining how it worked, but Quartz cut him off, telling him to spare them the technical details and get to the point.


    With a sigh, Alex said, "I am trying to modify it by implementing Mana into the mix, so in the end, we can use both and also enhance our abilities with cultivation just like secret techniques."


    "Secret techniques¡­ Now that you say it, do you have one we can learn?" Olivia asked.


    As a healer, her ability for direct combat is very weak, even though she never says it; every time she fights with her comrades, she always feels like she is a burden.


    Even with all the training she does to dodge enemy attacks and escape, it''s still not enough.


    "I have a few, but if it''s suitable or not depends on what you need. I am looking for one that can control the light element for Emily to use, but MingYue told me she never heard of a cultivator using the light element."


    "Then make me one, brother, and while you are at it, I want something that can be used with a sword," Emily said with an excited voice.


    He then looked toward Quartz and Olivia, silently asking what they wanted.


    "Anything that can boost my defense is fine. You have seen I use a shield and sword, but if possible, I want to use only the shield and somehow use it as a weapon, too." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On their way here, they fought a few monsters. The first one they met was a group of giant scorpions. Alex''s style was fighting forward with a hammer. Emily shoots using her gun from a distance while Olivia stays in the middle to heal them.


    She still needed to move and see each party''s position since, to heal, she needed to be at a close distance. As for Quartz, she usually acted as a personal meat shield for Olivia, but since they have no tank now, she acted the part. She moved forward, using her skill to taunt all the monsters while Alex attacked them.


    Zold then would follow to finish any enemy that they missed. Zold was using two daggers as his weapons, with his lightning ability; each attack paralyzed the enemy while destroying them from within, almost like a poison.


    For Zold, Alex would need a secret technique focused on assassination and lightning elements.


    As for Quartz, since she wanted defense. He is thinking of elements like earth, metal, or something similar.


    The problem is the weapon; as per his knowledge, no one uses a shield in the cultivation world. He doesn''t need to ask MingYue about this; every cultivator uses their Qi to create a defensive barrier, so there is no need for a shield.

 Chapter 111: Cactus Fiend Worm

    ''Seems there Is no other choice. I need to create my own secret technique. I also haven''t got any hammer secret techniques focused on combat.''


    Alex''s mind then started thinking about how their secret techniques work.


    Secret techniques usually consist of three things; basic movement set, breathing technique, and, importantly, Qi flow.


    The goal is to replicate Qi flow directly as they fight; as the Qi moves in a specific way, it triggers certain effects.


    Alex hasn''t been able to clearly discern how it really works, but he feels it''s like people doing a normal punch, where blood moves, supplying oxygen to the muscles, allowing them to work harder.


    Combined with the right motion and stance, it will make sure the energy produced effectively releases in the punch.


    A proper breathing technique will then help regulate the oxygen, making sure the amount is not too much or too small; this helps maintain the muscles to give the best result. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the secret technique, they just add Qi flow to it, but the problem is not like blood flow that happens automatically in the human body; Qi is a foreign object.


    Through the cultivation path, cultivators try their best to adapt their bodies, turning the Qi into a part of them.


    This means the outcome from the secret technique happens when Qi is following a certain pathway. However, the pathway is different from normal blood flow; Alex has compared and tested it, and he was sure of this result.


    ''I need to experiment more, but does this mean there are other pathways in the human body?


    Then how about awakeners and mana? Is this also related to how people become awakeners after adapting to mana?''


    Alex''s instinct told him he was going in the right direction, but his eyebrows raised into a frown when he saw what happened on the map.


    He quickly took out his Ember Shift hammer and said, "Prepare to fight."


    Everyone didn''t waste time; they already knew Alex wouldn''t joke about this. They took out their weapons.


    Elly took out two sleek handguns resembling Desert Eagle guns, while Quartz had a normal longsword with a big shield.


    The shield was almost as tall as her body; it was a big tower shield specially ordered for her use. Olivia also changed her posture, preparing to move at any time.


    Seeing Alex''s eyes focused on the cavern entrance, the rest of them also followed.


    Swosh! From inside, Zold, his hair standing up like spikes with his body crackling with electricity, jumped out. He screamed, "Run! It''s not the monster we target; it''s not worth it to face them."


    He then landed on the ground and wasted no time changing angles to escape. Alex and the others frowned, but they didn''t waste time and followed Zold. They knew there should be a reason for Zold to say that.


    As they put some distance, Alex turned his gaze to the back, curious about what kind of monster could make Zold''s face, which usually never changed, turn into that. What he saw made him not know whether he should laugh or cry.


    There were many cactus moving out from the cave, but they were not walking; they were slithering like snakes. From the tips, their maws opened into four distinct sections, each lined up with a row of razor-sharp teeth.


    _________________________________


    Cactus Fiend Worm


    Power Level: 6.0


    Lifeforce: 65/87


    Abilities:


    Regeneration: Exhibits an extraordinary ability to regenerate its body, even after sustaining severe damage or having its head cut off.


    ____________________________________________


    ''Fuck, of all enemies, it''s Cactus Fiend Worm!'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    They are quite rare enemies to meet in this dungeon, but based on the number of dots on the map, Alex knew they just disturbed their nest.


    This monster cannot be differentiated from a normal cactus except by attacking them or someone that has a similar ability like Alex''s detection of lifeforce. This made Alex realize why Zold at first moved past all the monsters and then decided to escape.


    A Cactus Fiend Worm will stay alive even after its head is cut off; the only way to kill them is by bringing them to ashes, which would waste a lot of their time.


    Alex looked forward, then back for a moment. Based on the map, there were 22 worms to fight. He wanted to catch some of them and test the ability of his current army.


    He didn''t bring them all since Alex doesn''t believe in strength in numbers; he prefers quality.


    There were three high Goblins, 1 wolf rider, 4 Goblin archers, and 6 Goblin warriors he brought with him everywhere.


    He then sent a message to Emily, ''Move first without me; I want to test my force. At that time, you guys should check out other locations so we don''t waste time.''


    ''But brother! You cannot just go alone.


    They are Cactus Fiend Worms, and we, the Suzaku guild, have rules; never leave someone alone to face the enemy! We need to set an example!'' Emily replied.


    ''I will stay with him; you guys go first,'' Olivia chimed in the discussion.


    They had tuned the frequencies on their brain implant to do group chats to make things easier for them to talk with each other.


    Zold chooses to scream before telling them how dangerous the situation is; he doesn''t know Alex can use fire since he hasn''t used it yet.


    He only knows Alex fights using a hammer, so their only choice will be using explosives when fighting against the worm. But even if he knows about this, Zold would choose the same, but with less panic since, for him, killing the worm will be inefficient.


    ''You are our party healer; what if something happened? Healers always move with the group with the most people. Same with me, a tanker; either Emily or Zold goes with him,'' Quartz replied.


    Hearing Quartz''s suggestion, Olivia cursed in her mind, but she didn''t say anything; she just wanted some time alone with Alex.

 Chapter 112: Goblin Squad

    ''Then it''s clear; I will stay. Zold will go with you guys since he is best suited for recon,'' Emily said.


    Zold agreed with the idea since it''s the most effective way. The group then split into two.


    Emily ran back towards Alex, while Alex took out his army from his awecube. "Petricia, Argath, Vexgore, subdue them!" Alex ordered.


    Light shot out from the cube. Alex had already informed them of the situation outside, so they knew what to do.


    Petricia come out, holding a greatsword in her hand, followed by two high goblins on her side.


    One wielding an axe, while the other brandished a sword and a small round shield.


    Behind them, the wolf rider, followed by the goblin army, emerged.


    Alex had modified the cube, making it large enough for this squad to reside in it. He named them the Goblin Squad.


    Petricia then activated her skill, ''Cunning Plan''. A sphere of light shot out from her to the sky, allowing her to see everything from the top.


    Zargath moved beside her, protecting her with his sword and shield, while VexGore leaped forward, leading the goblin army.


    Alex didn''t interfere in the battle; he wanted to see how Petricia would handle this.


    The Goblin squad was equipped with gear far superior to their old weapons, although it didn''t have any special abilities.


    Every goblin in the squad wore full combat suits with some plate armor added to it, giving it the appearance of a Kevlar set. The suit is painted in brown paint, making it easier to camouflage in the desert.


    The weapons used by the high goblins didn''t have any special abilities since Alex had spent his entire budget on high-grade mana crystals.


    However, he still provided them with decent weapons that were sharper than their old ones.


    The Goblin warriors and archers underwent the most significant changes; the warriors now wielded long swords, while the goblin archers discarded their bows for semi-automatic assault rifles with scopes, allowing them to shoot from some distance away.


    At first, Alex wanted to make them snipers, but he overestimated the goblins'' intelligence.


    Introducing concepts like gravity, wind, distance, and velocity is too complicated for them, so he settled for guns that offered a similar range to their old weapons.


    This doesn''t include the storage rings they used, which are filled with various utility items like grenades, potions, and other tools.


    Petricia began issuing orders. VexGore threw an incendiary grenade toward a worm. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the grenade approached, the worm instinctively shot out needles to the surrounding area, causing the grenade to explode in mid-air with a BOOM!


    The sight of the fire and the feeling of heat made the worm quickly try to retreat, but it was still recovering from the attack it had just launched.


    VexGore jumped forward towards a worm about the size of an average human adult but three times the height.


    With a SLASH! His axe cleaved it into two parts that began wriggling around.


    VexGore looked between each part, confused for a moment, but then shook his head and threw a cube towards the part with the head.


    The other goblins didn''t remain idle either.


    A Wolf Rider leaped forward to a nearby worm, throwing an incendiary grenade directly into its mouth.


    BOOM! It exploded from inside, making the worm writhe in pain as its body was engulfed in flames. The fire grew brighter and more intense, using the worm''s fat as fuel.


    The goblin warriors, with the archers behind them, moved in formation; they didn''t attack directly. The main offensive force was the archers, while the warriors'' job was to protect them.


    The goblin archers began launching a barrage of incendiary grenades toward the other worms, but it was too late; the worms came out from their daze.


    Some of them quickly leaped forward, opening their maws towards the goblin warriors.


    They began to fight back, but each slash barely damaged the worms while VexGore was busy fighting against multiple worms.


    The part he had just cleaved grew into another smaller version of a cactus fiend worm. Initially, he was surrounded by four worms, but now those four had turned into twelve.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    The goblin archers launched a barrage of shots at the worms, trying to push them back as they stepped back, putting some distance between them.


    However, the worms were faster; with a swipe of its tail, a worm launched two goblin warriors into the air. Another worm then came, trying to engulf both of them.


    In response, Petricia issued her order, and the goblins kicked at each other, launching one in one direction while the other goblin fell straight into another worm''s stomach.


    Alex frowned at the scene but still did nothing, as he had said he would let Petricia do as she wished.


    He decided only to intervene when there was no chance of winning. By this time, Emily was already standing beside Alex.


    Having spent many hours with the goblins, she had grown close to them. She also saw what happened and thought it was Alex''s order.


    "Brother, why are you so cruel to them?" she asked.


    BOOM! Boom! As Emily expected, the goblins acted like a suicide squad. They exploded a grenade toward the worm''s body; two of the worms were incinerated, causing the others to start moving away from the area, trying to escape.


    The goblin warriors then received another instruction: they put their swords back into the storage rings and took out a stick of wood. With a swift move, they quickly changed it into a torch.


    The goblin archers and wolf riders did the same.


    Maximizing the worms'' fear of fire, the goblins started moving in a way that surrounded the worms, pushing them back toward VexGore.


    Looking at the situation, Emily frowned; she still hadn''t gotten any answer from her brother, and the situation seemed to be worsening.


    Based on her knowledge, it wouldn''t take long for the worms to start shooting their thorns again into the surrounding area. If that happened, they were doomed.


    But Alex stopped her, "Don''t help them, Emily, not yet."

 Chapter 113: Unsatisfactory

    "What do you plan to do then? Let them all die?"


    "I don''t know, Emily. The one controlling the goblins now isn''t me but Petricia. We need to believe in her for now. Don''t forget, the place we will go next is a war zone."


    Emily turned silent with Alex''s reminder.


    If not, because of Mingyue''s suggestion. Alex would have the same thought as Emily; he could not stay still and let the goblins be killed.


    However, if he did that, the goblins wouldn''t grow. Only with real experience, forged by blood, could Petricia become a real commander quickly.


    In the battleground, all the worms gathered in one place.


    The goblin squad wants to throw grenades at them, but it''s a little bit too late. The worm''s body starts to tense up, and a small sharp needle starts protruding out from its skin.


    With a roar, the needle shoots at high speed.


    Velgore and the rest of the goblins try their best to protect their vital part, like eyes, but the needle still finds a way to their flesh. With how small and sharp the needle is, it easily pierces through part of its suit that is not covered by the plate.


    Stab! Stab! Pain starts spreading from the wound, followed by a sense of numbness. But Velgore, with his cultivation at the late stage of the Foundation realm, was less affected by the poison.


    He leaped upwards with all his strength and threw four incendiary grenades to the ground.


    BOOM! BOOM! Fire exploded, spreading around the area. Smoke and dust billowed up; they succeeded in dealing huge damage to the worms, but at the same time, the goblin army was hit by poison and paralyzed.


    Usually, the paralysis would last for a long time, but since every single goblin is also a cultivator, they could move their qi to flush it out, but it still took them at least thirty seconds to do this.


    This short moment, in a real fight, is fatal.


    The surviving worms, wanting to avoid the flames, forcefully made their way through the surrounding goblins.


    Faced with the choice of big flames in front or behind, they decided to move forward.


    Velgore, who had just landed, leaped forward, cleaving towards the worms that wanted to escape. He tries his best, but there are still too many worms; they attack the Goblin warrior, who is still numbed by the poison.


    Many got wounded in the process, and some almost died, but thankfully, no worm now stays at their real size, so they cannot gulp the goblin whole.


    Time passed, and the goblin started recovering. Ignoring their wounded body, they attack the worm.


    With the goblin''s recovery, the worms start panicking even more, and their movements become more predictable under Petricia''s view.


    She started giving out orders in detail, moving the goblins as if they were one entity.


    Since the worms were now in a state of chaos and panic, the goblins started throwing blast grenades.


    This made the worms become confused.


    The worms didn''t have eyes or ears; the only way they could feel their enemy was by following the vibrations on the ground. Although the blast grenade damage wasn''t too big, the vibration was enough to confuse them.


    Petricia then opened her eyes.


    At this stage, she didn''t need to give out more orders. With a big blade in her hand, she started going into the melee, followed by Zargath.


    Even though the snakes could keep regenerating, each time they split, their size became smaller.


    Vexgore used this opportunity to catch the smaller one. Some he caught into the awecube, but most were thrown into the fire.


    The battle then started turning one-sided, but the result was not satisfactory for Alex.


    Other than Zargath and Petricia, the rest of the goblin army was out of commission; 2 warriors and 2 archers died, and the rest were wounded all over their bodies, bitten by the worms.


    Each bite contained paralytic venom, which would make their recovery even slower.


    Emily looked at the fight that already had a guaranteed result with sad eyes. She was saddened by the goblins that died since she knew they had their own families, but more than that, she faced reality.


    She thought everything was guaranteed for the journey as long as they had enough force, but she underestimated the difficulty. Even facing these worms, they already had a hard time and were almost lost.


    This made her realize every monster her brother caught needed time and resources to be put into it before they became a worthy army that could cut open their enemies with ease. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It didn''t take long for the battle to finish.


    At this point, the goblin army couldn''t even move; they all lay on the ground, trying to use their qi to suppress the poison.


    Petricia, with Zargath and Vexgore, walked toward Alex and knelt. While walking, Vexgore got help from Zargath and Petricia since he also started feeling the burn of the poison.


    Even though they all wore combat armor of decent quality, it still wasn''t good enough to survive multiple attacks by the worms.


    "King, I am sorry the result is unsatisfactory," Petricia said while the other two high goblins cast down their gaze.


    "It''s good that you realize this. Reflect on the battle and make a report to me about what you can do to make this fight better. And Petricia, why did you turn the goblins into suicide bombers?"


    "I am wrong, King. Punish me."


    "I am asking you why you made that decision, not whether you are wrong or right," Alex replied.


    He still felt confused about why she did that. If Alex were in the same position, he would order the rest of the goblins to attack the worms, freeing the others, as he himself joined the fray.


    Petricia hesitated for a moment but then answered, "Because their fate was sealed, King. I could order the rest to protect them, but it could change the situation for the worse since that would mean they would put their backs on the enemy.


    If I canceled my ability and joined the fray at that time, it would become even more dangerous since no one would be there to give commands. Zargath also needed to stay by my side to ensure my safety."

 Chapter 114: Bitter Taste

    Alex pondered Petricia''s decision. He understood that life has different values on the battlefield.


    Saying every life is equal sounds good, but when they are fighting with their lives on the line, the loss of a commander''s life could mean the entire defeat of the squad, turning the loss even bigger. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if the commander is strong, there is no guarantee his life will be safe.


    For a commander to lead on the frontline is a double-edged sword since the moment he falls, the rest of the army will also lose their morale or go into a frenzy, but even going into a frenzy doesn''t mean something good, since at that time, they will become chaotic.


    "Did you feel angry I didn''t intervene to help you?"


    Patricia''s eyes widened, surprised by Alex''s question, as did the other high goblins, Zargath and Vexgore.


    "No, King! That is our mission; we already knew the risks. How could we even think of blaming you?


    Our whole existence is only to serve you. If anything, this is my fault as the commander," she said, looking at Alex with eyes filled with fanaticism.


    "Alright, you all can return for now. Take a rest, and even though the result is not satisfactory, it''s still good work. I am looking forward to your next performance, Patricia, Zargath, Vexgore."


    "Yes, KING!" They answered in unison.


    Alex then put them and the rest of the goblin squad back into the Awe Cube. He didn''t spend time counting how many Fiendworms they caught since they needed to quickly catch up with the others.


    Seeing Patricia''s expression reminded Emily of something else. She still felt sad about the goblin''s death, but weighing their own needs, Emily decided to skip the thought and change the topic.


    "Brother, do you know the goblins now worship you as their God?"


    Her question made Alex raise his eyebrow.


    After setting everything up, he never interfered with the goblins, letting the high goblins and Emily maintain it.


    So, he didn''t know that, but he didn''t really care about it. If anything, that means the goblins'' loyalty is guaranteed.


    "I don''t know, but that is not important. Just let them do what they want, Emil. Let''s go to Olivia and the others."


    Emily tilted her head, looking at him with a confused look. "Last time, you joked around in the dungeon, but now you are so serious. Are you really my brother?"


    Alex frowned. It''s not that he doesn''t want to joke, but he just doesn''t feel the mood for it.


    Deep in his heart, he treats the goblins as his people, the same as everyone in Bai Yue Sect. Every single one of their deaths makes him feel like he lost something.


    It''s hard for him to put it into words, but what is for sure is that it''s uncomfortable and not something he wants to feel again.


    "Nothing, I''m just in a bad mood now, Elly. Let''s go." He suggested.


    They then started moving toward the area they agreed to meet. Since Olivia''s group''s purpose is for recon, they moved further than Alex''s area of detection.


    On their way through the maze, Alex remembered something he wanted to ask her about but hadn''t had the chance to since she was always going together with the others.


    "Now that there are no others, what do you think about Mom now, Emily?"


    Emily raised her eyebrow, then swiftly replied, "Of course, I''m worried about her, Alex. If only you could give the same rune you put into me to her, that would be better."


    "If I could, I would have already done it, even without her going to the frontline. But that is not what I mean, Emily.


    How she hid her ability from us. I understand her reasoning, but I have lived together with her all this time, and I don''t even realize it," Alex said with a sigh.


    He regretted it. He could use Vesa''s ability to see his mother''s status and ability, but he never did that. The thought never even passed through his mind.


    Even without looking at Alex''s expression, Emily knew why he said this.


    "Don''t blame yourself, Alex. With a past like yours, I understand why you don''t do that.


    It''s just already in your habit to not analyze people around you, despite your abilities."


    "Still¡­" Alex mumbled to himself, knowing he needed to change this habit now.


    In the past, he hated knowing how people around him often lied and had other agendas, but now the situation is different.


    He needed to get used to analyzing everything, even important people around him, so he wouldn''t get surprised like this again.


    If something happened to Luca, he knew he wouldn''t forgive himself.


    But a hand on his shoulder stopped his thoughts.


    Emily said, "What are you thinking about, brother? I heard from Aunt Olivia what she said to you.


    It seems it''s still not enough.


    Don''t think everything is your responsibility, Alex. Thinking, ''If you do this and that, things won''t become worse,'' is naive.


    The same can be said for me, Olivia, Quartz, and even Mom herself. Many things would be different if we changed how we think.


    Aren''t you the one who told me this many times over?"


    "That is different, Emily. At that time, you had already done everything you could to the point of fainting.


    But what about me? It''s only like moving my finger, but I didn''t do it."


    "How could it be different? If I spent my time practicing my ability and not going all timid, things would be better.


    Heck, I could use my ability to bring all of us to escape.


    Let''s not talk about my power; if I go as far as threatening Dad, I am sure he will relent and go with us rather than stay in the city.


    That is just self-blame, and it''s pointless, the exact same thing you say many times over," Emily paused for a moment, then let out a chuckle, "You are really my dumb brother."

 Chapter 115: Spice Water

    She found it funny how he acted just like her in things like this, and then a question surfaced in her mind about where he hadn''t acted like this in the past.


    Alex sighed, glanced over his shoulder, and then said, "You are right; what I think is useless. Let''s go."


    Alex then walked forward, moving first. Emily followed behind him.


    Seeing his broad back from behind, which looked hunched by burden, Emily thought to herself, ''Did he do that for me and Mom?


    Both of us were in a slump at that time; we even fought each other. If he also acted like us, I cannot imagine how our family would be now.''


    This made Emily realize how much of a burden her brother had carried all this time. And now he is someone burdened with resurrecting a whole species.


    God knows what kind of things he will face in the future.


    She ran forward, blocking Alex''s path, then with a smile on her face and a cheerful tone, she said, "Alex, my dear brother, as long as you never leave us, I and the rest of the Suzaku guild will always be there to help carry your burden."


    Hearing Emily''s cheerful tone, Alex felt warm in his heart. He understood Emily wanted to cheer him up.


    He smiled, then flicked her forehead, "Of course, I will make sure to work you all to the bone."


    "Ouch! That hurt, you know," Emily protested with a pout while using her hand to touch her forehead, but her lips curled into a smile.


    Alex chuckled; they then continued their journey through the maze.


    Some distance away from them, Quartz and the others were taking a break at an oasis.


    In this dungeon, there are a few Oasis scattered around. Hunters usually use these places to take a break.


    "We are so lucky to have found one in the area we promised to meet," Olivia said with a chuckle as she dipped her feet into the cold water.


    Even though the desert is hot, the water in the Oasis weirdly always feels cold, breaking any physics rule they know. Usually, the water temperature would be similar to the area around it.


    The water also has magical properties that make anyone drinking or touching it feel refreshed; it''s called spice water and is one of the exotic resources that can only be obtained from this dungeon.


    Usually, a single trip by a hunter squad will bring back at most 100 liters (3.3k ounces), making it a rare product. But with a storage ring, Olivia knew they had hit the jackpot since they could bring back as much as they wanted.


    "Let''s take it after Alex and Emily reach here. I don''t want to be staring at a dried-up lake," Quartz said while lazily lying on a deck chair, her hand holding a can of juice.


    Meanwhile, Zold stood up in alert, looking around the area.


    Seeing his actions, Quartz chuckled, "Don''t worry, we''ve already checked; no monsters are around here, and we won''t have to wait long anyway."


    "Aunt, based on the distance we traveled from Alex, despite the marks we left, it could still take them a while to find this place.


    And the range for our communication to work again is only ten meters; it''s better to stay alert because we never know if there are flying monsters."


    "Flying monsters? Here?


    Come on, we have checked the monster list many times; even the rarest one here cannot fly, Zold." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We never know, Aunt. Better safe than sorry," Zold replied in a flat tone.


    "You really need to learn how to enjoy life, Zold." She then looked at Olivia, "talk some sense into him, Chibi."


    Olivia let out a chuckle, "What sense? Zold is not wrong. We are in a dungeon; you should stay alert."


    "Hmph, you just want to make up a reason to contradict me. I should have asked Emily."


    Looking at the clear water in the Oasis, Olivia added, "Well, based on what Alex says, this place is just another world, meaning a flying creature will surely exist."


    "I still can''t believe it¡­ what he says makes sense, but if that''s true, the implications are just too big. Well, forget it; I hate thinking about complicated stuff. So, how much do you think we can get from this water alone?"


    "A 500ml (16.9oz) bottle sells for around $1,000. If we can really take all this, we can easily get tens of millions.


    That is quite a sum, but not that much. I do wonder what will happen if we dry up the entire Oasis."


    "What could happen? This place just stays like this anyway; no one has ever had a problem when they took part in it."


    "Well..." Olivia''s words were cut off, hearing familiar footsteps from behind.


    Her lips curled into a smile, and she looked at Alex and Emily, who were walking towards them. "You all right?"


    "Yes, we are fine, Aunt Olivia," Emily answered as she approached Quartz, chuckling at her nonchalance.


    Alex turned his gaze toward the Oasis and crouched down beside Olivia, "So this is the source of spice water," he mumbled.


    "Now that I remember, you always liked to drink this," Olivia said, looking at Alex.


    Alex dipped his finger in the water, then put it inside his mouth, making Olivia''s cheeks turn red, and she turned her gaze away.


    "It''s sweeter than the one I usually drink," he said. Hearing his remark, Olivia''s face turned redder, like a tomato.


    Alex was tasting the water because he wanted to ask Vesa to analyze the content. He wanted to compare it with the one he usually purchased and then find out how it''s made.


    Looking at the clear water made Alex curious.


    Logically, a place with an exotic resource like this would have monsters guarding it, but this one Is different.


    Not to mention Guardian, even a fish cannot be found inside it.


    He felt the urge to jump down and check what was causing the water to change like this, but knowing they didn''t have much time to waste, he stopped thinking about it.

 Chapter 116: Weird Oasis

    Turning his gaze, he realized Olivia''s face was red, "Are you alright, sis? Why are you like that?"


    "I am fine, don''t worry. Should we go now?" Olivia answered quickly as she stood up and put her shoes back on.


    Alex nodded. He felt something weird about Olivia''s reaction, but since no one else had said anything, he decided to ignore it. Looking back at the lake, Alex took out an empty Awecube.


    He pointed it at the oasis. A big suction came from it, taking in all the water.


    The rest watched the spectacle as the water volume started dipping bit by bit. When it reached halfway, Alex decided to stop.


    He had gathered enough for his personal use and to sell.


    Even though the water bottles fetched a good price, they weren''t entirely profitable; he still needed to filter through them and then put them in a good package.


    Something Alex didn''t want to do since the item was just a one-time thing, except he had a way to get a steady supply.


    His other choice was to sell it to the Association or other businesses for a cheaper price.


    This drastically cut the profit, not to mention he couldn''t just sell it in bulk to the market; it would destroy the price and, at the same time, raise people''s suspicions.


    How could they get that much in one dungeon dive?


    After finishing, Alex and the others just wanted to leave the area when a bubbling sound could be heard, prompting them to turn their attention back.


    To their surprise, the water''s surface started rising again at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.


    This made them look at each other, silently asking if any of them had any idea. But none of them had ever read something like this.


    ''Vesa, is there nothing strange?'' Alex asked inside his mind.


    [King, based on analysis, the water is the same as the one you used to consume, with only some differences in purity. But I can confirm now there are unique microorganisms that gather mana from the surroundings and change the water molecule, giving you the magical sensation.]


    [I am amazed, King, even though you just feel refreshed, in reality, the waterworks are almost like life force energy, but at a very minuscule rate.]


    ''That means this water should be able to raise someone''s life force?''


    [No, King, it cannot raise someone''s life force. It''s only recovering it. If your sister drinks a massive amount of this water, she will be able to recover her life energy completely.]


    ''How much is massive?''


    Alex felt interested in the idea because this meant he could recover Emily''s life force to normal.


    Not only that, the water is like life force in a bottle, meaning he could always bring it with him anywhere, in case he needed life force.


    [Your sister will need to drink a few billion liters to recover her energy fully.]


    ''A few billion liters? Are you kidding, Vesa?'' S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [I am not kidding, King. The quality is very bad, and that won''t even have any use for you, King. But this is already a big achievement, replicating how life force energy works.]


    Alex''s mind churned; since the cause of this was the unique microorganisms, he wondered if he could just gather and farm them to create water with a higher concentration rate. He then asked Vesa about this.


    [It won''t have any use, King. Every bottle of water already contains many of them, and based on the result, it cannot rise more in concentration.


    Otherwise, you could just put a bottle around and let it age to raise the concentration since this effect is a byproduct of the microorganisms.]


    Seeing his brother deep in thought, Emily let out a small chuckle, "Why are you wasting time daydreaming like that, brother? Try to absorb more water so we can see whether it will recover or not?"


    Hearing Emily''s remark, Alex then realized the important part is not how the water gives its effect but how the oasis can suddenly recover its reservoir.


    Alex then started absorbing the water again into his Awecube.


    As the water was absorbed again, this time Alex tried to absorb more. After it reached 75% of the reservoir, Alex stopped again.


    Olivia and the others then looked at the lake with interest, and they were also curious about whether it would recover again or not.


    One second, two seconds, one minute, five minutes, nothing happened.


    "Is it just a coincidence?" Alex mumbled.


    "Maybe there''s an aquifer directly underneath this oasis, Alex, and the first time you take out many waters at once, it triggered something that allowed more water to pour into the oasis reservoir," Olivia suggested while she put her finger on her chin.


    Alex thought what Olivia said made sense. Just when he wanted to reply, Emily asked, "What is an aquifer?"


    "An aquifer is an underground water reservoir, Emily. It can be naturally made when there are underground caverns or some empty space made from material where water cannot pass through."


    "I see, so it''s the one people try to access when we build water wells," Emily mumbled.


    "Who cares about that? Since the water is not recovering anymore, we should go now," Quartz suggested, reminding everyone that they have limited time.


    "I agree with Aunt Quartz," Zold added.


    Alex looked at the oasis one more time with a frown; he felt like he was missing something, but since there were no other clues, he then agreed with the others.


    The group then turned their backs again toward the oasis. After they took a few steps, blup blup blup¡­ the water level in the oasis started rising again.


    Hearing the sound, all of them turned back again. After the water in the reservoir recovered, Alex tried taking it again into his Awecube; this time, he took 90% of the water.


    They then waited five minutes to see whether the oasis water would recover or not, but as they expected, the water didn''t rise at all.


    But when they started walking away again, the water started bubbling up, filling the reservoir again back to full.


    "Every time we walk 20 steps away from the reservoir, the water returns back up.


    Why not try walking backward as we watch the water? I wonder if it will recover or not?" Emily asked.

 Chapter 117: The Cause

    Alex agreed with Emily''s idea; he absorbed the same amount of water, and then they started walking back while their eyes were locked on the oasis. It looks like the popular dance move, the moonwalk.


    One step, two steps, after twenty steps away, the water still had not recovered. They then tried to move way further, but no change.


    This made everyone frown; they looked at each other, and then, with a nod, everyone turned their gaze away.


    At that exact time, the water started filling up again. Everyone was sure this was not a coincidence.


    ''Vesa, did you not detect any energy?''


    [I can only detect mana, qi, and life force, for now, King. I will need to get information on other types of energy and a sample of it first.]


    [Otherwise, I cannot detect the energy spectrum.]


    "Energy spectrum? What is that, Vesa?"


    [It''s like an ID card for energy, or if I compared it to a concept in the King''s world, every object has its own unique vibration and frequency.]


    [For energy, the old progenitors named it Spectrum, but it''s basically the same. Each energy moves like a wave, vibrating on its own unique frequency and pattern.]


    [For example, Lifeforce vibrates at a high frequency while Qi and mana both are at a lower frequency with similar spectrums, making them interchangeable with some minor differences.]


    ''What tool can you use to calculate this frequency, Vesa?''


    [In the past, we vampires used a special tool named ARS, Aetheric Resonance Spectrum, and the frequency is called an Au Arcanum unit.]


    [Life force will have around 20,000 AU, while Qi and Mana should be around 1,000 and 800 at best."]


    The concept intrigued Alex; he wondered if the larger the value, the stronger the energy was.


    What is the difference between each metric, and what kind of characteristics do they have?


    How does the ARS work, and can he make one himself?


    Alex wanted to ask Vesa about this when Quartz''s remark interrupted him.


    "Let''s just go. I feel this oasis is somehow alive and can see us; it gives me the creeps."


    Hearing this, Olivia let out a chuckle, "Aren''t you our tanker? How can you get scared by something like this? Who knows if we can find something good if we can find out what the cause is."


    "Good? And what if it''s something bad?


    You chibi should also know that every time a new weird phenomenon is found in the dungeon, it always comes with some caveat first, some of which could even take our lives."


    "I agree with Aunt Quartz; we came here with a specific purpose: to finish the dungeon. If we want to check on this, it''s better to wait until we at least open the portal."


    Emily didn''t say anything since she felt both of them had good points, but she agreed more with what Zold said. The monster she wanted to find is considered rare in this dungeon and usually moves alone. She wanted to get it no matter what.


    As for Alex, he didn''t reply to them.


    He walked back to the oasis and scrutinized everything under the clear water. He could see it''s filled with rocks and a few types of plants.


    He dipped his finger again, ''It tastes exactly the same,'' he thought to himself.


    He then pointed the awe cube toward it, absorbing the spice water. This time, he did it all the way till only the rocks and plants remained, turning the oasis into a dry lake.


    Alex wanted to find out where the water was coming from. If what Olivia said was true, he should be able to discern where the water came from.


    Olivia and the rest followed, standing beside him. Even though Quartz and Zold didn''t agree with this, deep down, they still felt curious about the cause of this.


    The water kept dropping at a fast rate while their eyes were looking for anything suspicious.


    Everything looked just like how they saw it from the surface, but when the water dropped past the 90% level, they saw some of the rock colors had changed.


    If before it was black with green moss on it, now some turned into pale white, just like the color of clean bone, and one of them was particularly peculiar: it was round with a sharp tip on it, making it look like a horn.


    "Alex, did you see that thing before?" Olivia asked with a frown since she was sure it wasn''t there.


    When dipping her feet in the water, she had observed the surface, looking for anything interesting, but other than beautiful aquascapes filled with many plants, there was nothing else.


    If the horn had existed before, there was no way she could have missed it.


    Alex shook his head, "No, I don''t." While in his mind, he asked Vesa if it detected any life force signature coming from it since he didn''t see one on the map, but his instinct told him it was alive.


    ["I don''t detect anything, King."]


    "Aunt Oli, I''m sure it wasn''t there before. When the water dipped, I was looking at that area; the horn just appeared out of nowhere," Emily chimed in.


    "What Emily said is right. I also saw it. Whatever caused the water to rise should be related to it one way or another," Quartz said, followed by a nod from Zold.


    Alex then took a small rock from the ground, and with a swift motion, he threw it toward the horn. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But when the rock got close, barely an inch away from the horn, it hit an invisible barrier and then got knocked out in another direction.


    But only Alex realized this; the others only saw it like the rock hit the horn and then deflected somewhere else.


    Alex frowned, then turned his back and said, "Let''s go."


    Seeing Alex move away from the location, the others looked at each other, confused; they didn''t understand why he suddenly decided to leave. All of them thought he would jump into the oasis and check the horn.

 Chapter 118: Loch Ness !?

    After they moved some distance away from the area, the water started bubbling up again.


    Alex stopped in his steps. "The heck!" he mumbled.


    He said this in a low voice, but it didn''t escape the ears of Emily and the others.


    Olivia moved closer to ask what Alex meant, but their eyes also widened in surprise.


    Alex''s hand was now holding a phone, showing what happened in the lake; they could see what they thought was a horn, but it was not really a horn.


    The skin peeled off like a banana; inside it, there was something that looked like flesh, and from the tip of it, water was pouring out, the same water that filled the oasis.


    When the water started drowning the weird horn, it started turning translucent, making it hidden from normal eyes. The scene was just so bizarre.


    "What the hell is that, brother? It reminds me of something I don''t want to remember," Emily said. The scene resembled something she had learned in biology class, and it wasn''t pretty.


    Olivia, on the other hand, had a different take on the matter. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alex, even though it cannot be seen now, it should still be there inside the water. Whatever is inside that bone-like skin seems squishy.


    If you want to check, try attacking it.


    At worst, it will just be destroyed. If it''s really some kind of monster, it will at least suffer fatal damage."


    Alex thought about it, then realized what Olivia said was true. He was also curious about what kind of creature it was and how it didn''t show any life force energy at all.


    Alex took out his Embershift hammer, grasping over it. Using his qi, he made the hammerhead turn red, like molten steel.


    With a swift motion, Alex jumped, then spun his body, throwing the hammer toward the weird horn.


    Swoosh... Splash!!!


    The hammer pierced through the air, then hit the water''s surface, which was still rising. The moment it contacted the water, a sizzling sound could be heard as part of the water started evaporating.


    The water''s body dampened the hammer''s momentum, but it still kept moving at high speed. Bang! The moment it hit that area, the hammer crashed into an invisible barrier.


    As the hammer was bonded with Alex, he could feel it meet resistance. Alex then poured more Qi into the hammer.


    This was only possible because of their bond, and the hammer was not too far away from Alex. Flames ignited from the hammer, creating propulsion and pushing it forward even more.


    A spiderweb of cracks started appearing on the barrier.


    Crack, crack, crack. Prang! Like glass, it shattered into many pieces. The hammer hit the flesh inside the horn.


    "RRRAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!" A harrowing scream filled with pain reverberated in the air.


    The whole area started to vibrate as if something big was trying to come out from deep within the ground.


    Alex used his qi to pull the hammer back to his hand. The group then moved away from the oasis back to the desert labyrinth.


    As they did so, the whole area was rumbling, the valley crumbled down, and dust billowed up.


    The water in the lake shot upward like being shot with a cannon, exploding in the air, turning into a downpour of rain in the area.


    Alex''s face turned grimmer as a new dot appeared in the oasis, and its life force was unlike anything Alex had ever seen before.


    Based on it alone, Alex predicted it was far stronger than him.


    If they compare it to MingYue''s world, then this one should be as strong as a Golden Core cultivator, Feng Xue, in her prime. When the dust and rubble settled on the ground, the whole area became a big opening.


    From it, a huge silhouette could be seen, showing only half its body with a long neck protruding out from it.


    The body and neck alone were 30ft in length (around 9m).


    The creature''s head looked like a serpent, its skin brown, almost the same color as the sand in the desert.


    If not for its form and eyes, Alex would think it was just a statue in the desert or even miss it completely.


    The horn Alex and others had seen before was nestled on its forehead. It was now completely closed again by the bone-like skin.


    But with one look, Alex knew it was wounded since the horn was deformed.


    The creature''s eyes were round and luminous, a sparkling pale amber in color. They locked onto Alex, flickering with murderous rage.


    The creature roared once more, and mana started pouring out from its body. The surrounding sand around the monster started moving.


    Looking at it, Alex cursed, "Fuck, a Loch Ness monster in the desert! Why has no one ever reported this before?"


    "You and your curiosity!" Quartz protested, then added, "Now what? Run or fight?"


    The sand around the creature already rose up like a huge wave of water in the ocean. It had already grown as tall as the monster.


    Alex knew there was no way they could run from it. His eyes looked around the area, then he quickly ordered, "Come here."


    His quick steps took them right behind a tall valley.


    With Alex''s order, they huddled together, with Quartz pointing her shield upward at an angle toward the cliff while the others prepared themselves to face it. Alex pointed his hammer toward the sand tsunami that grew even bigger.


    Even though the cliff was tall, it was still nothing compared to the tsunami. It was like an adult looking down at a child.


    Swoosh!!!! Crack! Bam!


    The sand tsunami crashed toward the cliff and got close to them. At that moment, Alex used the secret technique '' flame thrower'', which shoots flames through the sand.


    He concentrated his qi but didn''t have enough time to pour lifeforce into it.


    The flame shot from his hammer toward the sand monstrosity, but it was like shooting water into sand; it had no use, barely slowing it down.

 Chapter 119: Buried

    The sand tsunami buried them all with its huge force. If someone saw the area from a sky view now, they could see part of the labyrinth had turned into a desert.


    The creature looked where Alex and the group stood before, feeling satisfied with the result, but its eyes still flickered with anger.


    Its head dived down again into the desert, creating a vibration in the area.


    Then, from the desert, a huge tail came out, swiping to the place where Alex was located before. Bang! It hit so hard that it cleaved the desert area into two, creating a deep chasm.


    The tail then disappeared again, while part of its head came out once more, the pale amber eyes glistening with satisfaction as they saw the deep chasm. It then disappeared back into the desert, restoring the area to its previous calm.


    Deep underground, Alex felt pain all over his body, but this was not his concern now.


    He was worried about Quartz and Olivia.


    Emily still had his rune, so he knew she was safe. His eyes slowly opened, surveying the area around him.


    He remembered when the sand hit, they all huddled together, feeling something heavy pushing against them. Quartz did her best to protect them under her shield, but she wasn''t strong enough in the end.


    The sand tsunami pressed down, engulfing them all while the sand scraped through their skin.


    The experience was intensely painful, like millions of tiny daggers scrubbing over his skin.


    Thankfully, they were prepared, so the moment Quartz could no longer hold on, they took out gas masks to protect their eyes and lungs from the painful experience.


    This lasted for a few moments before calm finally returned. But just when Alex wanted to start crawling his way out of the sand, a strong force hit him from above, pushing them all deeper underground.


    The force was so powerful that it pushed the sand along with them.


    When he got pushed down, Alex felt relieved by the sand since it helped dampen the impact, but he still cursed it for being very painful.


    The next thing he knew, he was free-falling into another space underground. And this time, somehow, Alex hit the jackpot.


    Despite the massive amount of sand pouring down on him, he fell face-first into solid ground, turning him into a pancake. If not for his absurd regeneration as a progenitor, he would have been dead for sure.


    Alex stood up, looking around the area.


    He found himself standing inside some ancient building with a style he had never seen before. It was a square building made from some kind of crystal.


    The crystal was cut like bricks and then glued with some material he had never seen.


    The building''s roof was half flat and half slanted. Alex quickly thought the design was chosen to allow easy removal of sand gathered on the roof, while the other half was flat since they had a need to go up to the rooftop for a specific purpose.


    His gaze then moved under the building, seeing many sands on the ground.


    Looking up, he could see the ceiling where he came from still pouring sand over the area.


    He knew he needed to find a way to plug the hole; otherwise, they would get buried by the sand, and at the rate it was pouring, it would still take a while until they didn''t have space to breathe.


    Alex took out his hammer and many lumps of metal. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like playing baseball, Alex used the hammer to hit the lump of metal through the crack. With his abilities, each throw accurately hit the target area.


    If not, because of the situation, he would already scream "HomeRun!" every time he hit the iron while laughing.


    Then, with calculated precision, Alex used his flamethrower ability, melting the metal completely and sealing the crack.


    With the biggest problem dealt with, Alex turned his gaze to the area that was buried by the sand. Alex chose to plug the hole first since he could already see the life force of his group from Vesa''s map.


    He then sent out Petricia and Zargath.


    The trio started using a shovel and digging through the sand.


    The first one found was Olivia; her situation was not that bad. As a healer, she could recover her body while it was being wounded, allowing her to survive almost unscathed.


    The next one was Emily, who also had the healing rune from Alex, so there were no problems with her.


    The last ones were Quartz and Zold. They took the most damage since they had no healing ability. Both of them were unconscious when they were rescued.


    Zold''s limb was mangled in a weird way, while all the bones in his body were broken.


    Quartz was worse; the hand that held her shield was squashed like a pancake all the way to her elbow. Their skin was scraped to the point many parts of their flesh were exposed.


    The only silver lining Alex could find was that they were still alive.


    They then took a break in the place where Alex fell.


    Since the others could not see well in the dark, Alex took out a portable light, put it on the flat area of the ceiling, and then made two camps, putting Quartz and Zold inside.


    While Olivia was busy healing them, Alex took a break with Emily. At the same time, he ordered Petricia and Zargath to clean up the sand from the area.


    "I never heard any report of an ancient city found in a dungeon; I wonder what kind of species lived here before."


    Alex raised his eyebrow, hearing Emily''s comment.


    He thought she would complain and be saddened by Quartz and Zold''s situation, but instead, she tried to change the topic and look at their situation.


    "It seems living as a hunter has its own merits," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    He wasn''t that worried about Quartz and Zold; with Olivia''s healing ability, he knew they would return to peak condition in no time.

 Chapter 120: Crystal Ruin

    Hearing his remark, Emily was confused at first, but she quickly realized what Alex meant.


    Her eyes turned solemn, looking at the crystalline building around them.


    "What kind of missions do you think I undertook as a Hunter?


    Even though Mom made it so I cannot take any dangerous missions, it doesn''t mean it''s all easy, brother. Not only have I seen many atrocities, but some of my colleagues also died in front of me."


    Alex patted her head. "It''s been hard on you, Emily."


    Emily shook her head. "It''s not. Whatever father faces now is worse than this.


    Aunt Olivia, Aunt Quartz, and even Zold face worse things than me. What I do is nothing much."


    "Don''t sell yourself short, Emily. It''s still great progress from that timid girl who cried all the time to an experienced, seasoned hunter like you," Alex said with a chuckle.


    Then, another voice reached their ears, making them turn their heads over their shoulders.


    "Both of you are still as close as ever," Olivia said with a smile.


    "How are they, Aunt?"


    "They are alright now, but we need to rest for at least a while before they can move again."


    "That''s good then. In that time, we can explore the ruin. Maybe we will find some clues about the truth of the dungeon."


    Olivia looked around the area, and a small part of it was already cleared of sand by Petricia''s diligent work.


    "What truth? At this point, it''s already confirmed, Alex. Just look at all this structure. I am one hundred percent sure this is just another planet."


    Alex nodded. "That part is already confirmed, but we still don''t know how the dungeon came into being.


    Just think about this, big sis. How far is this planet from ours, and how many light-years? But somehow, with the dungeon, we can travel to here in a flash.


    Just what kind of technology is this?


    If we really have this, why not use it for our benefit, for example, teleporting directly to the red zone or even those new black zones that are filled with mystery."


    Olivia thought about it. The Hunter''s Association put a lot of effort and sacrifice into fighting back against the invaders.


    With how long the dungeon has existed now, she wouldn''t believe the Association has no idea how the dungeon works. They just hide this from the public to avoid chaos.


    "That just means this portal was created outside of their means, Alex. If they could control it, they would just create it somewhere far from civilization."


    "I don''t think it''s that simple, Sis. There is another possibility. After all, The hunter association was only created after things became worse.


    Who''s to say this portal isn''t an experiment from another nation?


    They choose to do it in another country out of political interest in case something goes wrong. Others will pay for their fault; if it''s a success, they will just pack up and leave.


    But something happened, and then things grew out of their control.


    Without any choice, they then decided to create the hunter association to wipe their own ass and bail."


    After the incident, many country leaders resigned, and some were even decimated to oblivion; they say it''s to take responsibility, but in Alex''s mind, they are just escaping from responsibility.


    When the Hunter Association was formed, every country lost its right to own military force; everything was now controlled by the Association.


    "That''s also possible, but does that matter, Alex?"


    "For you, it might not, Sis, but for me, it does," Alex said with a somber tone.


    With the burden on his shoulders, he knew he would get involved with whatever his planet was facing now, red zones, dark zones. He will need to get to the bottom of it. There are no other ways around this.


    Although, if worse comes to worse, he could send his loved one to Mingyue''s world, it still won''t work for him.


    Hearing his words, Olivia felt a hurt in her heart. She moved closer to Alex and then knocked him on the head.


    "What even does that word mean? It matters for you, but not for me?" Olivia said with a stern tone.


    Alex didn''t understand why Olivia did that, but he didn''t ask her out loud because he could see she was hurting.


    He thought carefully, choosing what words to say next since he didn''t want to hurt her further.


    Alex then looked at Emily, silently asking for her help. But Emily''s lips curled into a smirk.


    He knew she wouldn''t help him.


    Seeing Alex still silent, Olivia asked again, "Why silent? Explain to me what that means?"


    "Well¡­ that is¡­" Alex struggled to choose the right words, but suddenly, the building they were staying at started to glow in a dim blue color, surprising everyone.


    They quickly turned alert, looking at the area, while Alex looked down at the glowing building.


    Even though the map doesn''t show any other monsters in the area, Alex still felt wary.


    Who knows if another monster has the same skill as the desert Loch Ness they just faced.


    Alex then put his hand on the surface. Before, it felt smooth and cold, but now it felt warm to the touch.


    After some time passed and nothing more changed, he than said, "I think we can drop our guard now. It''s probably just the crystal''s unique attribute."


    Emily let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God. I don''t want to meet something like that monster again."


    "I will check on the others to make sure they are alright." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Olivia said while moving toward the camp, but not before leaving another remark. "We are not done, Alex!"


    This made Emily let out a chuckle. "Bro, you are really dumb! Or Dense! Or dumb! Well, it doesn''t matter. Both still mean you are ignorant!"


    "And you are a traitor. Why are you not even helping me?"


    "Because that is not for me to intervene. It''s between you and Aunt Olivia."

 Chapter 121: Do You Like Him?

    Alex felt annoyed with Emily''s answer.


    He knew she wouldn''t tell him, so he decided to forget about it for now. He then turned his focus back toward the crystal on the house, wondering what made the crystal react like this.


    After some consideration, he decided to go to another building to experiment. "You should wait here with Olivia, just in case she needs your help."


    Emily nodded. She didn''t feel worried since the area near them had already been checked by Petricia and Zargath.


    She then turned her gaze to the scenery. "What a big city. If every building can glow like this, it will make a beautiful view."


    Emily could see whoever designed the city did it with aesthetics in mind, despite everything being in square form.


    Some buildings were taller than others; the highest building she saw reached around 59 feet (18 meters).


    If every building glowed, she felt it would turn into a beautiful pattern of lights, not to mention if it could glow in different colors.


    Her lips then curled upward into a beautiful smile.


    There''s one thing Emily keeps in her heart every time she comes to a dungeon; she enjoys the scenery. She didn''t tell anyone because she knew they were on a mission risking their life, not on a sightseeing tour, but she just couldn''t help it.


    She loved finding new places like this. For Emily, it just reminded her how vast the world was, with many things waiting for her to discover.


    Each place, told many stories, a story waiting for someone to discover it.


    "People risk their lives for the exotic resources in dungeons, and to make sure there are no dungeon breaks, but honestly, for me, even without those, I wouldn''t mind risking my life just to see this," Emily mumbled in a somber tone.


    Just looking at the area, Emily could already imagine the city thriving, with the door and some furniture she had seen; she was sure the species living here was also humanoid.


    With how intact the building was, Emily suspected the building was abandoned. She then planned to go around, looking at the area to find more clues about what happened.


    Emily then took a step, walking back to the camp.


    "Aunt Olivia, do you need any help?" she asked while looking at Quartz and Zold, who were still unconscious. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, both of them are fine. Where is that stupid brother of yours?"


    "Ah, he ran away, saying he wanted to check something about the crystal."


    Olivia clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Just you wait, Alex!" she mumbled.


    Seeing Olivia''s expression, Emily let out a small chuckle, "Why are you like this, Aunt Olivia? Do you like my brother?"


    Although she asked this, she was sure Olivia had feelings for her brother; otherwise, she wouldn''t react like this.


    This made her feel confused, what happened between them made Olivia fall for Alex, but Emily didn''t want to pry into his relationship.


    It''s not that she wasn''t curious, but she knew if she did that, Alex would do the same to her personal life.


    Alex was always a vengeful person, and in Emily''s opinion, he was petty too; no matter how small the grievance, he always returned it.


    Hearing her question, Olivia''s cheeks turned a shade of red. "What... What are you talking about, Emily? I''m just angry with his remark!


    I told you, I just gave him a whole speech on taking risks alone, but now he says something similar again!


    How could he think it will only be his problem?"


    Since Olivia denied it, Emily didn''t press her for an answer.


    "I''m not taking my brother''s side here, Aunt Emily, but if people could change with only one speech, the world would be a better place now."


    Olivia knew what Emily said was right. ''Am I too hasty?'' she asked herself. But every time she saw Alex, she couldn''t help feeling annoyed with him.


    Deep inside, she felt wronged, even though it didn''t make sense; she couldn''t help to feel like that.


    ''You are the one saying you like me, even though I rejected you. How can you just forget all those feelings, that Fast! Am I now the only one¡­'' Olivia then let out a helpless sigh.


    "Aunt, I want to look around the area. Will you be alright?"


    "I am fine, just don''t go too far, so you can come back in case something happens," Olivia replied without looking at Emily, her mind still busy thinking of her own feelings.


    Emily then moved, wanting to leave the camp, but Olivia''s voice reached her ear, making her stop.


    "I always forget to tell you this, but Emily, just call me ''sis'' like your brother does. It''s just weird you call me ''aunt,'' while he calls me ''sis.''"


    Emily didn''t mind the request, so she agreed to it and then left the camp. Her first destination was the building she was standing on.


    She looked around the crystal rooftop and then found a trap door on the slanted area of the roof.


    There was also another door at the front, but Emily was interested in finding a way to open the trap door. The reason she found this is because she knocked around the area and heard this one was hollow.


    ''Since this is just a normal home, it should be easy to open for them.''


    Emily then tried randomly pressing the area around the trap door. Her lips curled into a smile when her hand found something.


    The place didn''t look different from the eyes, but when Emily''s finger reached it, it passed through like there was nothing blocking her hand.


    Feeling around the area, Emily found something like a knob; she pushed it down, then a click sound could be heard.


    The trap door then pushed forward, becoming slightly raised. With a simple push, the trap door opened, showing a staircase down to the house.


    What she saw amazed her; not only was the knob not hard to press, but even when the trap door opened, there was no dust at all.


    Going inside the house, Emily found everything was clean; there was a table, a chair, and some cupboards.


    ''Other than the material, it''s not that much different from the furniture that I usually use.''

 Chapter 122: Testing Out The Crystal

    She then started looking around the place.


    Meanwhile, Alex was inside another house, not far from the place where they made a camp.


    Petricia was following beside him. If Emily was learning what kind of civilization lived here before, Alex was busy tinkering with the crystal.


    He used his hammer to break one of the chairs apart, and then from the pieces of it, he started experimenting.


    The first thing he did was think about what kind of stimulus was created when they came to the building.


    ''When I first arrived, I fell in the building. Is it because of that? The crystal absorbs kinetic energy?'' But Alex quickly shook his head; this didn''t make sense.


    If this is true, doesn''t that mean those living here would need to hit the house every day to make it glow?


    Based on Alex''s observation, the crystal would give out enough light, not too bright that it hurt normal people''s eyes, nor it too little that makes everything dark. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since he doesn''t know what kind of species lived here, Alex used humans as a comparison.


    Same with Emily, he also concluded the species living here was humanoid, and Alex also thought it was possible they were the same species as him, a human.


    The crystal should have some function for temperature regulation since it felt warm to his touch. This means whoever lived with her in the past will want to activate the crystal regularly.


    Knock! Knock! Despite what he was thinking, Alex still decided to test the idea; after all, it''s better just to make sure of it.


    He banged the crystal toward the wall.


    Alex even tried to punch it and grip it strongly in his hand, but nothing changed.


    The next thing he tried was the material from the tent; he tried to put some contact with the crystal for some time, but it also did not give any reaction.


    ''The only thing left now is light, and Olivia''s abilities.''


    He turned on the flashlight from his phone and then shot it toward the crystal. One minute, two minutes, five minutes¡ªnothing happened.


    "It seems my only choice now is going back to Big Sis and asking her to cast some healing into the crystal," Alex mumbled.


    "Do you need me to bring Mistress here, King?"


    "Mistress??? You mean Olivia?" Alex asked, feeling confused by her remark.


    "Well, she is not the queen, but she is one of the King''s women, so I thought it''s appropriate to call her mistress based on your culture."


    Alex''s mouth opened wide, and he froze upon hearing Petricia''s remark. If he were drinking water now, he would have spat it all over Petricia''s pretty face.


    Seeing Alex''s confused expression, Petricia asked, "Did I do something wrong, King?"


    "NO! No, that is not what I meant. How could you even think Olivia is my woman? That is wrong, Petricia."


    "But King, based on your last interaction and how she was looking at you, I am sure she likes you. If it''s in our goblin culture, that would mean she is your woman now."


    "What? Liking someone means you become his woman automatically?"


    "It''s not because of the liking, King, but any woman that a goblin lord finds appealing will automatically become his woman, as long as they are not married.


    But I took that conclusion not just because of my culture. I have watched some movies to learn more about the King''s culture. I learned if people like each other they will then become a couple."


    Alex didn''t know whether to laugh or cry; he felt his sister had some bad influence on the goblin. He didn''t need to ask to know where Petricia got that kind of love movie.


    "You are not wrong; she does like me, but it''s not that kind of like, Petricia.


    She is just thinking of me as a brother; it''s what we call familial love. Don''t you have that too?"


    "Yes, we have that, King, but doesn''t familial love only come from those we are related to by blood?"


    "There is a saying in my people, ''blood is thicker than water,'' it''s not wrong, but that doesn''t mean only those related by blood to us can become our family.


    For her and me, everyone in the Suzaku guild is our family, so it''s not like what you think, Petricia. Don''t you call her that again, just call her lady."


    A bad feeling then came to his mind, making him ask, "Did you call her my mistress in front of other people?"


    Petricia shook her head, "No, King, only a few people like, for example, Lady Emily, Lady Quartz, and Lady Olivia."


    "You what?"


    "Yes, sometimes Lady Emily brings Lady Quartz and Olivia with her when she comes to our village."


    ''The heck, she never told me this!'' Alex cursed in his mind but then remembered not finding anything weird in their interaction.


    There was some awkwardness between him and Olivia, but Alex thought it was just because of their last interaction.


    "How did they react when you first called her that?" Alex asked, feeling curious.


    "Nothing, Lady Emily laughed it off, Lady Quartz didn''t seem to hear it since she was busy training some of the child goblins how to use a sword."


    "Nothing? Did Olivia not hear what you said?"


    "No, I am sure she heard what I said since I was addressing her at that time, but other than turning silent for a moment the first time, she said nothing afterward."


    This made Alex feel puzzled, "Forget it; next time just call her Lady like the others, it will be a problem if the Queen hears about it."


    "Alright, King, I will do that. Do you have any further orders?"


    "How was your investigation?"


    When Alex was testing the crystal, Petricia was snooping around the area, looking for anything interesting.


    Petricia then took out multiple items from her storage ring and laid them on the desk. There were some dinner utensils colored in green.

 Chapter 123: What Make The Crystal React

    When Alex touched them, the material felt like wood. He tried to scrape part of it and found out that it wasn''t colored; the wood''s natural color was green.


    He then turned his gaze toward another object, a tablet that was made with the same green wood material. But this one was carved with many symbols.


    ''Vesa, do you recognize these words?''


    [Let me analyze this first, King. It will take a while.]


    ''Sure.''


    He then continued to another object; the next one was made from a similar material to the crystal, but this one was carved like a lens and put in some frame, allowing people to hold the object on the left and right.


    With its size, it looked like a wok, but Alex doubted its use was for cooking.


    The next object was also made with the same crystal, but this one is unique. It''s diamond-shaped, with a unique pattern carved in the middle of it.


    The diamond-shaped crystal was polished, making it look beautiful, just like jewelry.


    "How could they engrave this symbol in the middle of the crystal?" Alex wondered since he could not find any cuts around the crystal; it''s not as if it''s glued together.


    He then realized there were a few crystals like this one, each in a similar shape, the only difference being the symbol inside it.


    Alex put all this into his storage ring; for now, he needed to find out first what made the crystal react. "Petricia, continue to look for something unique. Take anything that has a weird symbol on it."


    "Yes, King."


    Alex then told her to search only the houses around their camp. Patricia and Zargath had cleaned this area from all the sand, scooping it out into their storage ring.


    Alex doesn''t want them to go too far to make sure their safety. The city was vast, and Alex didn''t believe they were the only ones staying there.


    He then left the area, returning back to the camp.


    When he returned, he saw Olivia in a daze, looking toward the scenery.


    An idea then came to his mind. He walked stealthily, getting close to Olivia, then with one motion, he touched her shoulder and screamed, "BOOOO!" Making Olivia jump on her feet, "KYAAA!"


    Alex laughed from his stomach; he always knew Olivia was someone who gets surprised easily. Looking at Alex''s gloating face made Olivia pout, "ALEX!!" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sorry... Sorry, big sis, I just couldn''t help it."


    "Hmph! First, you run away from me, and now you return only to scare me; you are really annoying!"


    Alex let out another chuckle; deep inside, he found it funny how veteran hunters like Olivia, who were fighting in the frontline, still easily cared like this, but he didn''t say this out loud. Instead, he changed the topic, "How are Aunt Quartz and Zold?"


    "They are fine. They should awaken soon," Olivia said while still putting her hand over her chest, trying to calm her heart down.


    She then gestured for him to sit next to her.


    "You tell me you are a progenitor, someone who must resurrect a whole species, but here you are, acting like a child."


    Sitting at her side, Alex replied, "That is that, this is this. It''s a different matter."


    "So why are you back here already?"


    Olivia felt confused since she thought Alex wouldn''t return for a while and that she would need to look for him after either Quartz or Zold woke up.


    "I''m looking for you, Sis," Alex replied.


    Olivia felt happy hearing what Alex said; she thought Alex was looking for her to say sorry since he understood her feelings.


    "So why are you looking for me?"


    Alex then took out the crystal from his storage ring to show it to Olivia, "I''m trying to find a way to make the crystal active.


    After testing some of my peculiarities, the only one left is trying to use your abilities to make it react. Can you help me, Sis?"


    Olivia was stupefied by what Alex said since it was not what she expected.


    "Did I say something wrong, Sis?" Alex asked, feeling confused by Olivia''s reaction.


    Olivia''s cheeks puffed out, turning into a pout. She then took the crystal from Alex''s hand.


    A golden light started coming out from her palm, engulfing the crystal. The light spread its warm glow, giving a feeling of calm to anyone seeing it but not Olivia.


    A few minutes passed, but the crystal didn''t show any reaction. This confused Alex since he had already tried every possibility he could think of.


    "I doubt any longer will be useful," Olivia said in a flat tone, then gave the crystal back to Alex and stood up, "Since you''re already here, keep watch on Quartz and Zold, I want to get some fresh air."


    She then left before Alex could say anything.


    "Big sis, you leave too quickly; I just wanted to tell her, how could she get fresh air deep underground?" Alex said with a chuckle, and then a realization came to him, "Wait, this place is deep underground. Why is the air so fresh, then? It''s just like I''m on a mountain."


    He then looked upward to the hole he plugged in, "It''s even better than the air in the desert."


    Alex then remembered how he got squashed into a pancake when he fell into this building. "Now that I think about it, does it have something to do with blood?"


    He then took out a needle, made a prick on his finger, and let the blood drip toward the crystal, then put it on the table.


    After some minutes passed, Alex''s lips curled into a smile; the crystal started to react, glowing just like the crystal on the building.


    "So, this crystal somehow reacts to my blood. I need to test whether it reacts only to mine or to any blood. Vesa, what do you think?"


    [King, I think you should test the spice water on the crystal.]

 Chapter 124: The Symbol

    [The material used for the crystal should be easily accessible in this area; otherwise, they wouldn''t use it for all their construction.]


    [But I doubt they use blood. Currently, King''s blood has a high concentration of Life Force energy, so a single drop is enough, but for normal beings, their concentration will be far lower, so if they really use blood to activate this many items daily, it will require much blood killing many of them, or they need to capture other sentient being for this.]."


    Alex realized Vesa was correct, based on everything he had seen so far; the people here seemed to be a tribe that liked to live peacefully; he hadn''t seen anything that looked like a weapon.


    He then took out a bottle of the spice water and started dripping it into another shard of crystal. To his surprise, the crystal reacted just the same as when he dripped his blood on it.


    "Since spice water has a similar effect to Life Force, this means I should be able to activate the crystal by pouring Life Force energy into it."


    Alex then tested it on the crystal; he started pouring a bit of Life Force into it, getting a similar effect just like using spice water.


    He then started experimenting with the amount. The result was astonishing for him.


    Once energy is poured, the crystal will be turned on for a while, just like a phone that needs a charge. He also found out the crystal seems to have an effect on filtering the air surrounding, explaining the reason why the air is so fresh.


    Looking at the many crystals around him, Alex started laughing. He began feeling greedy, wanting to bring all the crystals back with him.


    Even without further analysis, this crystal is the best material to build a house.


    This can also help improve AweCube, increasing efficiency many times since he doesn''t need to worry about producing high-quality air for the inhabitants. Using this crystal as part of the construction material will be more than enough.


    Of course, Alex won''t use it like the habitant here, building houses completely from the crystal since no matter how many crystals he can get here, it''s still only a limited amount. If he doesn''t use it sparingly, it will quickly run out.


    However, the one that excited Alex the most was how the crystal reacts to life force energy.


    He cannot wait to return home and start experimenting with it, wondering if he can use this to create a special weapon and armor for a vampire progenitor-like him.


    "Vesa, did the old progenitor have his own weapon?"


    [Of course, he did, King, but the old progenitor only treated those as toys since he hadn''t found any material strong enough to be used by a progenitor.]


    [For example, this crystal, in the past, there are also similar materials in Eldonia.]


    [We named it Bloodstone; creating a weapon with it will greatly enhance combat ability for a Vampire, but for a progenitor, it''s still too weak.]


    [The material cannot hold the power of the progenitor and is easily destroyed after one use, even when he barely uses ten percent of his power.]


    This confirmation is enough for Alex. What he wanted to know is whether the vampire race in the past used weapons that could maximize life force energy, and the answer is yes.


    Even though it''s not good enough for the old progenitor, for him and Minyue, weapons made with material like this will boost their combat power to a new level.


    Rather than using life force in a burst, they will be able to use the weapon to help regulate the use directly in combat. This will also help them learn how to manipulate life force energy.


    Alex then remembered he had another type of crystal, the one with a symbol in the middle of it.


    "Now I wonder if the symbol is something similar to a rune or formation, changing the effect of the crystal."


    He then took out all the crystals with the symbol he got onto the table.


    The first one has a symbol like water but with a trident surrounding it.


    After the last experiments, he found out that, weirdly, spice water has better efficiency in activating these crystals, even better than his own life force.


    "This spiced water comes from that desert loch ness; I wonder if these crystals also come from that monster."


    Alex then started thinking about a way to capture that monster, but he quickly shook his head. It''s too dangerous for him to do this now; he needs to at least wait until he gets stronger first.


    The risk and reward now is just not worth it.


    Alex then started testing it; he poured the spice water into an empty bowl. Next, he put the crystal with the symbol into it.


    Swosh...


    The moment he does that, the crystal starts glowing a brilliant green, and a cold aura spreads outward, creating a frosty mist around the crystal.


    Alex can see that the water in the bowl, instead of getting frozen, starts reducing in volume quickly. It doesn''t take long for the water to completely dry up. At this point, the crystal still emanates the cold aura, but the glow turns dimmer.


    "Maybe they use this to keep their food fresh. If I put this in a closed container, it should work like a fridge," Alex mumbled to himself.


    He then tested the other crystal. One of the crystals with a symbol that looks similar to the sun can create light around it.


    This confused Alex at first since normal crystals are also able to do that. Why is there a need to make a unique one just for this purpose?


    After testing with the amount of water he put in, Alex then found out the reason. The crystal''s brightness and color change depending on the quantity and purity of the spice water.


    The more pure the crystal will glow white; the less pure the crystal''s color will grow dark. As for the real use of it, Alex speculates they probably use it as a toy for the kids.


    sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 125: The Tablet

    The next one he tested is the reverse of the first one; it emanates heat just like charcoal.


    After testing all the crystals, Alex is both intrigued and disappointed by the result. He was intrigued because he had never seen something like this before but disappointed because every single crystal seemed to be a common household item.


    "The civilization here seems to grow using crystals to fulfill all their needs, just like mine using mana and Minyue''s world using Qi."


    Thinking about the civilization reminded Alex of the tablet. "Vesa, how is that analysis?"


    [I tried to analyze it, King, but the words are not too clear, and the translation result is also weird.]


    "Weird, how?" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [I think it''s because of mistranslation.]


    Vesa then showed the translated message, "For the citizens of the El-Kulan tribe, this is Chief Altair speaking.


    Please evacuate to the designated area because we will have a baby raining down upon us soon, which will threaten our existence and give us a lot of enjoyment. You all know the liquid they excrete is very useful for us but also very dangerous."


    Alex burst out laughing; he was sure in no way this was correct, either as Vesa said it was a mistranslation or the content was a fictional story.


    "Try to translate it again, Vesa."


    [I will need more samples to improve this translation, King.]


    "Let''s wait till we get more samples then. Anyway, where is Emily? I thought she was staying with big sis."


    [She should be under you now, King, inside the house.]


    Alex then left the camp and jumped down to the house entrance.


    Since they are still in the same building, he doesn''t feel worried about leaving Quartz and Zold alone. Opening the door, he found Emily was absorbed in her own task as she was sitting near the table while playing with a similar crystal that Alex had found before.


    To Alex''s surprise, the crystal was activated. It showed a projection of a screen that reacted when Emily touched it. It''s just like a hologram game.


    This made Alex feel interested; after some observation, he realized it''s a game similar to Tetris, ''so it''s possible to create something like this, but the game doesn''t seem that complex; it doesn''t even have a score.'' Alex thought.


    The hologram showed many shapes and colors that Emily needed to move while it kept dropping from above, but the form was not square. Rather, it''s in diamond form.


    Alex saw Emily fail multiple times, making him chuckle. Hearing the voice made Emily stop playing.


    "Bro, can''t you say something if you are here? Don''t tell me you plan to jump at me like usual?" Emily said with a frown.


    Alex raised both hands, "I am innocent. I have no plan to do it."


    Emily squinted her eyes, "Don''t tell me you just did that to big sis Olivia."


    Alex coughed, hearing her remark, then walked closer to Emily''s side. With a closer look, Alex realized the crystal was socketed into the table. "How did you activate this?"


    "I knew it. You did it to her. I am sure she is annoyed at you now," Emily said with a chuckle while her finger moved toward the crystal. She then pressed it gently, making the hologram disappear.


    "Hmm, so that is how you do it."


    Alex started tinkering with the button, turning the game on and off, then pried open the crystal, checking the pattern inside it.


    The pattern is larger than the one he found; on this one, it spread to the entire crystal.


    Seeing his expression, Emily knew he would ask how she found it, so she said, "I found the crystal in the cupboard, and then I remembered seeing a similar socket that fits the shape. So I tried it."


    Alex then started looking at the table, ''Does this table have some reservoir of spice water?''


    He asked himself, the more he learned, the more he felt interested in the civilization; with how the table worked, Alex started to wonder if the city had a huge reservoir of spice water that sent it to all the houses.


    It would work similarly to an electricity company in his world. Since spice water equals electricity in this place.


    "Bro, did you find anything about the species that lived here? Everything here is still intact and maintained. I wonder where they all went."


    "I did find something, but I am sure it''s wrong."


    Alex then told her the translation of Vesa, making Emily laugh. "A baby from the sky, I am sure the translation is wrong."


    "Or it''s just fiction, who knows, but there are only two possibilities here. Something killed all the citizens in one day, or they all left in a hurry because a disaster struck them?"


    Emily thought about it for a moment and then said, "I don''t think it''s a disaster. Look, if they really ran in a hurry, some of the furniture should be in a mess, but everything here is tidied up."


    "So you are saying something killed all of them at the same time without allowing them a chance to fight back."


    "Yes, but this is only an observation from this house. We need to check other places to be sure." Emily suggested.


    Alex tapped his finger on the table, "If a monster is the cause of this, then it should have a similar size to us or smaller; a big monster would cause many destructions.


    Another possibility is a pandemic that hit everyone. Whatever that is, it seems better for us to quickly leave this place."


    "Oh, I thought you would feel curious and want to investigate this city''s ruins."


    "I do, but that is just secondary; our main goal is to look for a way to get out from this place after Aunt Quartz and Zold wake up.


    We need to be careful, though; if the association knows that desert lochness exists here, I am sure they will raise the dungeon to category four. Who knows what kind of strong monster is still hidden here."

 Chapter 126: Olivia?

    "If you think like that, then bro, it''s better you find big sis Olivia now, than we will just stay here for now till they wake up."


    "Just call her to return. She is still in our comm range," Alex replied while he started sending orders for Patricia and Zargath to return.


    "No, bro, you should really look for her; it won''t do us good if both of you have a fight here."


    "Why would we fight? Is she really that mad because I surprised her before?" Alex mumbled to himself.


    "Just go, believe me."


    "Fine," Alex replied while he gestured with his finger, putting the table into his storage ring.


    The moment he did that, he could see something similar to a pipe poured out from the floor.


    SPLASH!!! Water shoots out from it, spraying into his face, making Emily laugh till her stomach hurts.


    Alex, drenched wet by the water, moved, pushing through the water pressure, then closed it with his hand.


    "Damn, why do they use so much pressure for the liquid? But this confirms my suspicion: the city does have an underground network of spice water."


    This made Alex''s face turn ugly since this meant the pipe would be connected to one of the oasis.


    If they follow it, they can escape this ruin, but it also means they will encounter the desert lochness. Even though they are not aggressive monsters, if they hit bad luck and meet the same one, that means they are screwed.


    Alex still remembers the glare from that monster looking at him; the creature hates him to the core.


    ''Seems the horn is either their weakness or something important to them; that''s why the creature is so angry after I burned it to a crisp,'' Alex then remembered the creature pouring the water out from its horn, making him wonder if it works similarly to a whale.


    If it''s true, then maybe spice water doesn''t come from the desert lochness but somewhere else deep underground.


    This idea made him feel fascinated; a big aquifer deep underground with its own ecosystem, under a desert. But his train of thought quickly broke when Emily called him.


    "Why are you still dazing like that, bro? Go now."


    Alex nodded; he then sealed the pipe using metal and left the area. He already knew Olivia''s location from the map Vesa showed.


    It didn''t take him long to see Olivia walking near the building.


    "Big sis, let''s go back. Emily and I just talked about¡­" Alex stopped his words since he felt something different with Olivia''s presence.


    Olivia turned her gaze at Alex, then started walking seductively toward Alex. Olivia then tiptoed, putting her hand on Alex''s neck, "Alex, do you want me?" Olivia asked with a seductive tone.


    This made Alex frown, "Sis, are you taking the wrong medicine? Why are you acting like this?"


    Olivia let out a soft chuckle, "Alex, what are you saying? I am a healer; why would I need medicine? And don''t call me sis. Just call me by my name, Olivia.


    I don''t believe you don''t have any feelings for me at all now, Alex. In the past, you have peeked at my body; don''t you want to check it again now?"


    Hearing Olivia''s seductive tone made Alex tempted for a moment, but he quickly cleared his mind; there was something wrong with her.


    ''Vesa, is this Olivia real?''


    [Yes, she is real, King, but it seems something is mixed in her life force.]


    ''A parasite? Vesa, can you remove it?''


    [I can only intervene if you make a connection with her physically, more than a touch, since I need to control your life force energy to enter her body.]


    This made Alex''s brain churn, thinking of an idea to do this, but Olivia didn''t give him time to think. Since Alex didn''t react, Olivia suddenly pushed Alex to the ground.


    She then put her face closer toward Alex. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex quickly knew what Olivia wanted to do. Seeing her rosy lips getting closer made Alex''s heart beat faster.


    As a normal man, of course, he was interested in beautiful women, but that doesn''t mean he was thinking with his lower body.


    It''s just a kiss, but the effect could be big, even without considering their relationship.


    Since whatever infected Olivia wanted to kiss him, there is a possibility it could infect or attack him the moment it happens.


    At that time, Alex would be pushed to fight back at her; he wanted to avoid this at all costs since he didn''t want to hurt her.


    In a quick motion, Olivia pushed her head forward, trying to kiss him, but Alex dodged; looking at her fair neck, Alex knew this was his chance.


    ''Screw it, I will ask for forgiveness later,'' he thought to himself.


    Alex then bit onto her neck; he couldn''t help but taste her blood in the process.


    He doesn''t remember how Emily tastes since he was in a berserk state at that time, but now he can taste it clearly. It''s mildly sweet, like honey.


    Vesa then started injecting a thread of Alex''s life force into Olivia''s body. It moved like a tendril spreading all over, looking for its target.


    At that moment, Olivia screamed in pain. From her parted lips, something jumped out, but Alex''s reflex was faster, catching the creature in his hand.


    It tried to squirm to escape, but it was pointless. Alex then pulled the creature in front of his eyes.


    He hadn''t released the bite since Vesa was still doing some work, making sure there were no lingering injuries inside Olivia''s body.


    Meanwhile, Olivia''s face turned red, not just because of their position but because she could feel something warm moving all around her veins and body. Each place it passed, Olivia felt that part was more refreshed.


    Looking at the creature in his hand, Alex''s eyes turned sharp. It was something outside of his expectations; the parasite looked like a worm, but it was not made from flesh and skin; instead, it was completely made of bone.


    ''An undead parasite???'' he asked himself. He had never seen this before, not even in any novel he had read.

 Chapter 127: Olivias Feeling

    With a closer look, Alex could see in the worm''s bone head there were a few small tendrils made from bone that moved all around like octopus tentacles. Alex thought the parasite used this to control the target victim.


    Alex then put the creature inside his storage ring to study later. Since it''s undead, he didn''t need to worry about it surviving in the void.


    "A¡­ Alex, can you release me already?"


    ''Vesa, have you finished?'' S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Give me twenty more seconds, King.]


    Alex didn''t reply to Olivia since he was still biting at her neck; instead, he raised his finger in front of her eyes and made a gesture of no.


    Seeing his answer, Olivia''s face turned even redder like a tomato. She could guess what Alex was doing, but she couldn''t help her own feelings.


    Even though her body was controlled, Olivia could see and feel everything that had happened.


    If not because of the situation, she would want to find a hole and hide herself inside it. Olivia let out a sigh and then closed her eyes.


    Feeling Alex''s warm body pressing against her made her heart beat loudly like a drum. Without realizing it, Olivia raised her hand, hugging Alex''s body tightly, surprising Alex.


    ''Even though I know it''s because of the parasite, seeing him evade my kiss really hurts,'' Olivia thought to herself.


    Olivia then realizes she cannot keep everything bottled up like this; otherwise, she will explode at some point, and the situation now is perfect since Alex cannot reply.


    "Alex, there is something I want you to know," Olivia said with a muffled soft voice.


    "I¡­ I¡­ like you."


    Alex''s mind froze the moment he heard her confession; it was something he never expected to happen.


    "I do know you don''t have the same feeling anymore. Now you like that woman, MingYue, but I cannot just bottle all of this up; it makes me crazy, Alex."


    She paused for a moment, then continued, "You don''t have to feel burdened with my confession. I just want to get it out of my chest. I will be grateful if you act like this never happened."


    Olivia''s eyes start glistening with tears.


    "Alex, when you avoid me like a plague, I start to realize how important your presence is in my life.


    Our constant chat every night, talking about novels or your favorite game, I miss all of it.


    When I feel like this, I try to read some of the novels you like, but I cannot enjoy them at all; every moment reminds me of you. After some time passed, I knew I needed you in my life, Alex.


    As your sister, friend, or girlfriend, it doesn''t matter. If keeping you in my life requires me to see you in a romantic way, then so be it."


    Olivia''s voice cracked, "Last time I lied, Alex, I have tried thinking of you in that way, and I started to fall for you. But the more this happens, the more I don''t know how to face you. I keep pushing it back, thinking I need to find them first.


    I know the risks, Alex, I know how dangerous going to that place is, and I am prepared to do it all the way, even if that costs my life.


    Dead or alive, I need to see them. Otherwise, I will never be able to keep on with my life."


    Olivia then let out a sigh, "But even with that determination and putting in all my effort, there is no progress at all.


    I am frustrated; it feels like everything that can go wrong went wrong. It''s like being stuck in a never-ending cycle of hope and despair. It''s exhausting, Alex.


    But then Emily contacted us, telling us she had a way to reach that place and how she wanted to revive the guild.


    You don''t know how much that news gave hope to me, Alex. And when I knew you were the one behind it¡­"


    Olivia''s voice trailed off since she could feel Alex pull out his teeth from her neck. He then gazed at her golden eyes while his lips started opening, wanting to say something to Olivia, but Olivia stopped him.


    She moved her finger, closing his lips.


    "The moment I knew it was you, I just knew it would all be alright, and that is when I realized I like you. I feel safe and secure only when you are around.


    Many people look down on you, comparing you with your father, while you are lazing around at home. Your father did many great things, but I know you are not like that, Alex.


    I know if you put your heart into something, then you will achieve it no matter what.


    So, I convinced Quartz to come back with me. But then, when I finally met you again, you dropped a bomb on me; you don''t like me anymore, and you have someone else. It''s painful, Alex¡­


    Actually, I don''t want to tell you this; I am afraid it will put some distance in our relationship again, but I cannot bottle it up anymore; it makes me crazy."


    Olivia then took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and her hand wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. "There, I said it. I feel better now."


    She then took a few steps back from Alex, "I will return to the camp first. You should follow after you change your clothes. I don''t even know how you drenched yourself with spice water."


    Her gaze then turned sincere, as her lips curled into a sad smile, "And Alex, please act like you never heard this, okay? Take it as my selfish request.


    I don''t want another variable in our relationship for now. Let''s continue like always. Will be the big sister, and you are my brother. "


    She then quickly left the area, leaving Alex standing there stupefied.


    Five minutes passed by, and Alex was still standing in a daze. Olivia''s confession was just too much for him to take in. He didn''t know what to do now.

 Chapter 128: Moved Away

    The word ''for now'' is still clear in his mind, which means Olivia still has not given up.


    However, Alex knew his own feelings; he had moved on from her after he was rejected, but this doesn''t mean he doesn''t care about her. For Alex, she was always his friend and family.


    Seeing how much she got hurt from her eyes makes Alex feel pain, too. He hated it; he wanted to find a way to make her feel better, but what could he do? His hands were tied.


    He then let out a heavy sigh, "I will just act like I never heard it as she wished for now."


    His relationship with MingYue has improved, but to call them lovers now would be far-fetched; it''s more like business partners.


    There are also many things he needs to do now rather than focusing on romance.


    Alex then entered a nearby building, changing his clothes to a new one.


    After he finished, he then left the building, but what was waiting for him was not the Crystal City ruin. Instead, it was a meadow adorned with grass and a few big trees.


    The tree is unique; its wood is colored green, while the leaves are brown.


    This made Alex frown; he tried to contact Emily, Olivia, and the others, but the communication could not connect, as if he was too far away from them.


    Thankfully, he can contact Petricia and Zargath since their connection is based on their souls.


    He then told Petricia to say to the others to wait for him in the camp. As for Zargath, he ordered him to go to the building he just entered to find out if anything strange was happening there.


    ''Vesa, where am I?''


    [I speculate King was transported to another place, but I don''t know the trigger; probably something to do with the building King entered.]


    ''I forgot to ask big sis how she got the parasite; it seems there is something special in the area where I found her.''


    This made him feel worried; did Olivia safely return to the camp? He then communicated with Petricia, "Petricia, has Big Sis returned?"


    "Yes, King, I just saw her entering the camp checking on Lady Quartz and Sir Zold."


    Feeling relieved, Alex then started learning around the area; he first looked at the map created by Vesa, ''it seems there are no dangerous monsters here, except I found something like a desert Loch Ness.''


    His gaze then locked on the biggest tree that he could see; it was 8 meters (26 feet) wide, over one hundred meters in height, and around 328 feet.


    The tree was massive in size.


    He then walked closer toward the tree, but when he was ten steps away, Alex jumped to stop away.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Two arrows pierce the air, hitting the ground where he had just stood.


    Alex quickly took out Ember Shift Hammer and looked toward the direction where the projectile was shot, but he found nothing in the area.


    Alex jumped again; a few more arrows came flying, targeting his head. The arrows then turned into a barrage, shooting toward him nonstop.


    Alex frowned as the arrows seemed to suddenly materialize in the air and then fly toward him.


    ''Hmm... Is there a barrier in the area that blocks my detection?'' Alex thought to himself as he dodged and parried the projectiles.


    His gaze then moved back toward the towering big tree since the arrows were shot when he wanted to come close to it; he felt the tree should have some importance for them.


    Alex started moving toward the area; he focused his qi at his feet, then kicked toward the ground.


    The moment his feet touched the ground, his body shot forward like a rocket toward the tree, but he didn''t crash toward the trunk.


    Alex agilely maneuvered his body, stopping just right in front of it.


    And Alex''s suspicions were true; the moment he reached there, all the arrows had come to a halt. It seems whoever attacked him didn''t want to hurt the tree.


    After some time, from the area where the arrows appeared, more than a dozen figures appeared, making Alex''s eyes widen in surprise.


    All of them were women with sexy figures clad in clothes made from leather and leaves that barely hid their bodies; the design was created to just protect their important parts while not impeding their movement.


    But this is not what surprised Alex; he could not detect any life force from them.


    Each of these women has olive green pupils, while a tail that is made only from bone comes out from their back. The tail is quite long around 70 cm (29 inches)


    Their ears are like those of a fox coming out from their head, covered with black fur, looking just like the cat folk Alex used to see in fantasy stories. Their hair was colored green, cut short, only reaching their neck.


    All of their faces were etched with fear and worry, looking toward Alex. One of them then moved forward and started saying, "Miluqiqi!? Luna seda qila bikvu!"


    "What are you saying? I don''t understand," Alex replied in a loud voice, making sure everyone could hear it.


    The woman who came forward frowned, then started talking in an alien language with the others.


    "Nasamila gali mila nabikqi." ("It seems the man cannot understand us.") Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Zelqi mila naqar, gali luna seda zel bik, mila kaluna." ("What should we do now? If the man attacks the sacred tree, we will be doomed.")


    "Mila kaqu qar luna bikvu gali." ("We need to find a way to get the man out of place.")


    "Mila kanari rano gali, kaminor zel seda bik." ("We can try attacking him in close combat, but it will still be dangerous if one of the attacks hits the tree.")


    "Mila kaqu qar nabik seda, miluqiqi gali nazer." ("We need to find a way to communicate; who knows, the man doesn''t have bad intentions.")


    "Mila gali, miluqiqi nazer, mila quila seda qiqi?" ("He is a human; how come he doesn''t have bad intentions? Did you forget our ancestor''s teaching?")

 Chapter 129: The lifeforce is Minus?

    "Mila dumi zel, mila naka seda gali mila, zel seda nari, mila kavexi luna, mila kaqu gali luna."


    ("That is racist. We cannot just generalize a whole species because of the act of one group, and I am tired of living here all the time. I am sure he comes from outside.")


    "Mila zel, mila karano seda, milu naka luna seda rano."


    ("That is why we must be more wary; there should be no one that can enter or leave the area.")


    While listening to the alien language, Alex started analyzing them one by one.


    ____________________________


    Name (species): ???????


    Power Level: 4.5


    Life Force: -1/0


    Abilities: ???


    (Target was feeling expectation, hope, and wariness)


    _____________________________


    Alex could see some of them had hope, while others were filled with fear, but what surprised him was that their life force''s energy was minus.


    ''Vesa, are they undead?''


    [They are not, King. I also don''t know what the cause of this is; even from extensive information, there has never been a case of a life force being minus, and even undead creatures will only have it at zero.]


    ''Since you cannot translate their talk, I take it you don''t know their language too.''


    [Yes, King. I also don''t know what kind of species they are. They seem to have a relation with Felidaeans.]


    [Felidaeans, as we call them, are humanoids with feline traits, which can include ears, tails, or even just claws.]


    Alex then tries to communicate with them. Since he cannot talk, he tries to gesture while waiting for Vesa to analyze their language.


    First, he puts his hammer back into his storage ring to show he means no malice. He then points at the tree and the feline woman''s weapon, gesturing for them to drop it.


    "See, the man put back his weapon. I think he means he doesn''t want to fight us."


    "Human are cunning, and filled with trickery. What if this is just a trap? Don''t you see he somehow can make the weapon appear and disappear at will?"


    "That is possible. What do you suggest we do then?"


    The one leading the feline then replies, "We are going nowhere like this. All of you, point your bow at that man."


    "What do you want to do, Lily?"


    But Lily didn''t answer them. She threw her bow to the ground, raised both hands and then started walking toward Alex.


    Seeing the gesture, Alex feels confused. Just like Lily, he suspects it''s a trap.


    Why would only one person throw her weapon while the others point their bows at him?


    ''Do they want to negotiate while threatening me?'' he thought.


    It doesn''t take long for Lily to reach in front of him.


    Now, face to face, she starts thinking about how to communicate. After some time of silence, she points at the tree, shakes her head, and then to an empty spot a distance away from the tree.


    Alex understands it means she wants him to go away from the tree, since it''s important for them, but this doesn''t mean he will just agree to it.


    He points at her comrade and then to the bow that was thrown to the ground.


    Lily understands Alex. He won''t move before her friend throws their weapon to the ground, but she still doesn''t believe Alex.


    She doesn''t know what he''s capable of.


    This makes the situation turn into a standoff. Minutes pass by, and Lily looks for any opportunity to attack Alex but cannot find any gap to ambush him.


    Instead, with the distance between them now, she could feel a strong presence coming from Alex, making her even more wary of him.


    [King, I have translated their language. I am sure the translation is perfect.]


    [Based on my analysis, the language was derived from the Felidaeans race, confirming they are a subspecies of them.]


    "Does the Felidaeans race have anything to do with the undead?"


    "Only a minority of them does, most of them were a warrior race with unique abilities utilizing tattoos on their bodies. They name this method shadow glyphs."


    ''I don''t see any tattoos on their bodies. Did they forget about it?'' Alex thought to himself.


    He then said to Lily in their language, "My name is Alex. I don''t mean you harm. You may not believe me, but I suddenly got transported here.


    I need information now to find a way to get out of this place; I have people waiting for me.."


    Lily raised her eyebrow. She was surprised that Alex suddenly spoke in their language.


    "If you can talk, why not say anything before?"


    "You shot your arrow at me before saying anything. What do you think I should do?"


    Alex replied, not planning to tell her he just understood their language.


    Since Alex was being cooperative, Lily gestured to her friend to drop their bow. She then turned her gaze back to Alex.


    "How did you enter here? This area is sealed and protected by many security measure, not even bug can enter here."


    "Just what is this place?" Alex asked while he thought. ''No wonder there are almost no living beings here; it seems even the small bugs here are chosen on purpose.


    "This area is a sacred grove for our race."


    "I mean this place in general, don''t you live in a secret realm?"


    "Secret realm? Oh you mean this place, we call this world'' Veiled dimension.'' Based on what I know, our ancestors escaped here to save themselves from invasion from other race."


    Her eyes then narrowed, looking at Alex. "And that race is human."


    ''A human attacked this place?'' Alex asked himself. He then started speculating about his location.


    The people here probably are the descendants of the inhabitants of the Crystal City ruins he found out there. Alex then took out the crystal tablet he found before from his storage ring.


    Seeing it, Lily''s eyes flickered. She recognized the item. "That is our ancestral tablet. How could you get it?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile. "Do you want it? Let''s trade.


    Bring me to your place and tell me everything you know. In exchange, I will give it to you."

 Chapter 130: Guardian of The Verdan Veil

    "Wait, I need to talk with others first." Lily replied as she turned back, moving quickly toward her group.


    Alex could see from their expression and emotion, ''I am sure they will accept my proposal, but she says ancestor. Just how many generations have they stayed here? And this tree...''


    Alex looked back at the tree. He could see a strong life force energy emanating from it. He wanted to look further, but to do that, he would need to take a branch or part of it.


    ''Forget it, for now, I need to find more information from them first. Doing anything with the tree will just make them hate me.''


    Lily then raised her hand, calling Alex to walk toward her. "Alex, we have a deal. Come here."


    At first, some of them were still wary of Alex, but when Lily told them about the crystal tablet, they quickly reached a decision.


    All of them were curious about the outside world.


    Alex then followed them from behind while Lily led the way.


    When they walked through the area where Lily came from, Alex felt like he was walking inside water. The surrounding area also started to distort, like seeing a mirage.


    "Is this barrier always here?" Alex asked, feeling curious.


    They were already locked down inside a secret realm, but they still took precautions to protect the village. But then, Alex thought the barrier probably didn''t exist to protect the village; its sole purpose was for the giant tree.


    "Yes, it''s always here, and you can call me Lily. I am the captain of a unit named Guardian of the Verdant Veil, tasked to protect the tree," Lily replied.


    Although the name was fancy, and she had many privileges, the unit rarely had anything to do.


    That is why they quickly attacked without asking questions when they saw Alex suddenly appear near the sacred tree. It''s the first time someone without permission enters their sacred grove.


    "Just how long have you guys been here? Don''t you have any records? Like the exact years."


    "I don''t know. You should try asking the Sentinels, Alex. He is our leader and also the oldest one here. We will bring you to him. But I am sure it''s more than thousand of years."


    The other felines didn''t talk much, but their eyes were glued to the crystal tablet in Alex''s hand.


    Alex didn''t put it back into his storage on purpose. He knew they would focus their minds on it rather than asking him a bunch of questions.


    It took a fifteen-minute walk before Alex saw the surroundings start to change.


    The further they walked, the more the surroundings became distorted, like seeing a mirage. They also didn''t move in a straight line; Lily took many turns along the way despite not encountering any obstacles.


    "Vesa, can you detect anything?"


    [If I had my full abilities, I could get more information, King, but for now, I cannot detect anything.]


    [But based on my observation, this place should work like an illusion array. If we don''t follow a specific path, I am sure we will get attacked by many traps.]


    Reading this made Alex let out a small chuckle.


    ''I wonder if I will get some cheat or secret inheritance. Usually, the MC always gets one when they enter a secret realm like this.


    Now, considering how things have progressed till now, there should be a beautiful princess in their village waiting for the protagonist to rescue her, while the secret realm is now facing some problems.


    I wonder if the same thing will happen here too.'' Alex thought to himself, but his chuckle didn''t escape Lily''s hearing.


    "Why are you laughing?" Lily asked.


    "Nothing. By the way, does your village now face some problems? Or does your sentinel have a daughter?"


    Lily frowned at Alex''s weird questions but still answered, "Other than boredom, we don''t have any problems.


    Even though this place is cut off from the outside, we are self-sufficient and have plenty of food."


    "Oh," Alex replied, thinking, ''It seems it won''t go like the usual plot then.''


    "Why do I feel you are disappointed we don''t have any problems?" Lily asked, looking back over her shoulder at Alex.


    Her eyes then turned sharp. "Do you plan to make trouble here?"


    "Of course not. I am just looking for a way to return back outside. Why would I even cause trouble for you?"


    Lily was still not convinced by Alex''s answer but decided to let it go for now.


    "As for the sentinel''s daughter, how could you know he has one? Do you have some business with her?"


    While Lily asked Alex this, some of their comrades looked weirdly at her, while others looked at Alex, wondering about his answer.


    ''So he does have a daughter.'' Noting the other felines'' gazes toward Lily, Alex asked back, "Are you the sentinel''s daughter?"


    "Of course not. Do you think I am that old? The sentinel''s daughter is my grandmother, and she already passed away.


    So, what business do you have with her?"


    "Ah, so he does have a daughter. Actually, I was just guessing randomly. No need to think much about it," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    Lily became even more suspicious of him; she started second-guessing herself, wondering if she had made the right decision by bringing Alex back with her.


    ''Forget it, in case something happens, I am sure the sentinel will be able to protect us.'' sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They then continued on their journey. It didn''t take long until they finally got out of the illusion barrier.


    What greeted Alex was something beyond his expectations; he stood there, stupefied by what he saw.


    It wasn''t a village that stood before him but a magnificent city.


    There were many high-rise buildings with unique designs, moving in spirals while the ends became pointed like towers. Based on Alex''s observation, it seemed to be made with the same green wood that was used to make furniture in the Crystal Ruin.

 Chapter 131: Flying Chariot

    If his civilization had access to a durable tree that could be used for building, Alex was sure his world would also resemble this one.


    He observed many individuals moving through the air on devices that appeared to function as hoverboards to Alex''s eyes.


    These devices also emitted a transparent barrier shaped like a sphere, protecting the user from the wind and likely from collisions with any foreign objects.


    The boards were crafted from wood with a crystal socket in the middle.


    They also varied in size, with the largest Alex saw looking like a floating wooden platform adorned with decorations and a chair on top, similar to a flying chariot.


    ''How can they sustain themselves with such a population?'' Alex wondered.


    He then shifted his focus to the surrounding area.


    In front of the grove exit, numerous soldiers clad in combat armor, wielding weapons similar to guns, stood guard. The guns resembled WWII rifles, while the armor looked like Kevlar combat suits.


    The green armor concealed their faces, but Alex could tell they were the same species as Lily and the others, despite the absence of visible tails, as the helmets were designed to accommodate feline ears.


    All of them then raised their hands, forming a fist, and placed it above their chests. "Praise the Shadow. Princess, you have emerged."


    Lily mirrored their gesture, Putting her fist over her chest.


    ''It seems this is their way of greeting each other, but shadow? Is that their religion or something? Hmm, maybe it''s related to the shadow glyph.''


    "I''ve told you not to call me princess when I''m on a mission. Forget it; inform the king we have a guest from the outside."


    Her command caused all the soldiers to freeze, their gazes shifting toward the man standing behind their guardian. They hadn''t noticed his presence until now because their attention was solely on Lily.


    This was the first time in history they had ever encountered someone from the outside. Their surprise was akin to humans seeing an alien arrive on their planet for the first time.


    Seeing Alex''s appearance, the soldier quickly turned alert. They moved into a formation, then pointed their gun at Alex, "What are you human doing here?"


    Lily frowned at their action. "What do you think you are doing, Captain? Put down your weapon. He is our guest." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But Guardian, he is a human."


    "And then? Are you questioning my decision?


    Even though it''s true humans were the ones that invaded us, it doesn''t mean we can discriminate against each individual.


    You are talking as if our own race never had a war."


    Her words made the Captain silent; he still could not accept the situation, but it was not like he had any choice.


    Without even considering Lily''s status as their princess, her position as the leader of the Guardians already gave her many leeways.


    Even the royal family doesn''t have any authority over them since the Guardians only answer to the Sentinel, a legendary figure that all of them respect.


    The Captain then raised his hand, gesturing for the others to drop their weapons.


    Lily didn''t waste any more time there; she started walking past them while the Captain looked at Alex with a sharp gaze.


    [Targets were feeling wary and worried.]


    ''Not fear but only worry, weird.'' Alex thought to himself while walking past them.


    Usually, the cause of people''s worry would be fear, but the Captain didn''t seem to feel any fear toward him; this made Alex wonder why he was worried about.


    ''Does he like Lily? Or does my appearance here make trouble for him?'' But the thought only lasted for a moment since Alex didn''t plan to stay here for long. Whatever the situation was, it was not his problem.


    As Alex walked, he could see more of the architectural buildings. The place was adorned with plants and flowers, and many streams of water were passing through the area.


    Since the building was also made of wood, the place felt natural, as if the building were a living part of the forest.


    "I don''t see anything that looks like a lamp here. Can you guys see it in the dark?" Alex asked.


    "Oh, that; some of us can see in the dark, but not everyone. As for the lamp, it''s easier for you to see it with your own eyes," Lily said as she walked toward the chariot.


    There were multiple chariots; one chariot could be seated by four people. However, as the leader, Lily has her own exclusive chariot.


    She then gestured for Alex to sit.


    Her chariot was colored black and adorned with golden lines and an insignia. It was a big lush tree and bow, colored metallic green.


    The seats seemed to be made of leather. In front of each seat, there was a small desk.


    Lily then took out a crystal from her pocket and put it in the socket. Just like a car getting ignited, Alex could hear the humming of energy.


    A transparent barrier then started appearing around the chariot while it started floating in the air.


    A holographic screen then appeared in front of Lily. She started interacting with it. After a few taps, the chariot then started moving toward the destination.


    Looking at the surrounding scenery, which became a blur, Alex could tell they were moving at high speed.


    "Why would you use a bow when you have a gun?"


    "A gun?"


    "The weapon that the guard uses."


    "Ah, we call that a lightning rod. If you think that is stronger than our bow, then you are completely underestimating us, Alex.


    We just don''t use our abilities since we are afraid of hurting the trees. And we were also curious about who you are, so no one wanted to kill you."


    "So you are saying you have special arrows, or does the bow have special abilities?"


    Alex concluded it had something to do with their weapon since the insignia showed a mark of a bow, which meant it was their specialty.

 Chapter 132: Feloria Kingdom

    Lily''s lips curled into a smile, "I will tell you if you tell me about that hammer. How can it create flame without using any crystal?"


    "Forget it then," Alex replied in a flat tone, then changed the topic, "Your city is really flourishing; I thought it was just a small village."


    "Of course not; we now have more than five million people living here at Feloria."


    "Feloria?"


    "Yes, it''s our kingdom name. Our place is led by the King and The High Counselor."


    "Didn''t you say something about the Sentinel before? Is that just an honorary title for the oldest? I thought he had some authority here."


    "The Sentinel holds absolute authority, but he never involves himself with governing the citizens; his whole focus is on the sacred grove.


    The governing is taken care of by the king and the high counselor."


    "They also called you princess before. Does that mean you are related to the royal family, too?"


    "The current royal family is descended from the Sentinel family, which is why people accept and respect them. It''s not wrong that they call me princess, but this is more of a tradition now.


    Any major decision needs to be agreed by the counselor and king before it can take form."


    "Since the king is one descendant, is the high counselor elected by the people?"


    "Yes, we have a few political parties here. Something I hate," Lily said with a tone of spite.


    Seeing that, Alex let out a chuckle.


    "What are you laughing at now?" Lily asked with a frown. She felt somehow insulted by Alex''s reaction.


    "Ah, sorry, I don''t mean it that way. I am not boasting, but back in my world, I also have some status. This makes many people approach me with personal goals, and often, it''s for politics." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tell me about it, I really hate them. I honestly wonder if they never get tired of living like that?


    Always thinking of some benefit when interacting with someone, using masks everywhere, their talk always coated with honey, while in reality, it''s filled with poison.


    Just why do they think I work hard to become a guardian?


    In the first place, they should know they cannot get anything from me since we cannot intervene in politics."


    "Well, if they can get cooperation from you in any form, that is already enough benefit for them."


    "Why would they benefit from it?" Lily asked since she really didn''t understand it.


    Asking for her hand in marriage is impossible since guardians cannot get married as long as they serve; they need to relinquish their position to get married.


    Without their position, a guardian is just a normal civilian, and as for Lily, she will just become a normal princess.


    Although the title looks fancy, there are many princesses in Feldoria.


    In her opinion, it would benefit them more to make connections to other princesses than to her, who never cares about politics.


    "To gain more approval from the populace. You may think it''s not related, but aren''t guardians respected by the masses?"


    "Well, that is true, but not everyone thinks like that. Many think we are just parasites that serve no real use. Just wasting taxpayer money to live in luxury."


    "Is that true?"


    "Of course not! Even though I admit, other than you, we never have any intruders in the grove, that doesn''t mean we just laze around.


    Every day, we need to train to make sure we are the strongest. We all earned this position with hard work."


    "Does that mean everyone can become a Guardian?"


    "Yes, every year, we have a tournament. The top 20 winners can then challenge the guardian position. If the challenger wins, they will take our position. If we win, we can hold our title."


    "How many guardians exist?"


    "Well, it''s not a big secret. You can easily find this information. In total, there are 12 guardians and only women can become one."


    "Why only women?"


    "That I don''t know, it''s the Sentinel''s decision. Some also feel this is unfair, but no one can question the Sentinel. His power is absolute here."


    "Hmm... And now we are on the way to meet him?"


    "Yes, are you afraid now?"


    Alex laughed. It would be a lie if he didn''t feel wary now. A man who has absolute control over a whole race for God knows how long is not something he can underestimate.


    There is no way people let him on the top, only out of respect. Greed knows no bounds.


    Even though the reason they entered here was to escape from invaders, with generations of prosperity, Alex was sure everyone had already forgotten about this.


    If anything, some of them now think to get back to their place or even to take over the seat of power.


    Then a thought surfaced in his mind, ''Wait, they say this place was invaded by humans, and now the planet has become a dungeon. Does both of these related?


    If yes, that means the one who created the dungeon is human. Does that mean humans from another realm are the ones making problems with mine, or do they already have some deal with the higher-ups?


    Vesa also said every progenitor leads their race, and my planet is just far below their level, so they don''t even know the progenitor exists. Or maybe only the world leader knows about it.'' Alex thinks to himself while his eyes enjoy the scenery of the city around him.


    While Alex was making his way to meet the Sentinel in the Cultivation world, Mingyue was lying on the ground looking at the sky.


    She was now in the secret realm.


    Minghao had just finished his daily practice. He was covered with sweat. Looking at his sister looking dazedly at the sky made Minghao frown.


    The last time she was like this was when she got berated by Uncle Jianfeng despite getting first in the family tournament.


    He thought for a moment, then sat beside Mingyue, "Sis, why are you in a daze like that? Are you thinking of a man? Did someone break your heart? Tell me who it is, and I will give him a lesson," Minghao said in an exaggerated manner.

 Chapter 133: Break Your Limit!

    "You brat, you are lucky I am not in the mood now. Otherwise, I would spank you silly," she said with a cold tone, but Minghao could see her lips curled upward into a smile.


    "I knew it. There is no way a man can break my sister''s heart. If anything, I pity any man that ends up with you; it will be great if they can even survive one night¡­." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BAM! Mingyue hit Minghao on the head.


    "Ouch, now that is the Sis I know," Minghao said while laughing, his hand raised up, touching a new bump that appeared on his head.


    "You silly brat, why do you always love getting beaten up by me?" Mingyue said while shaking her head, but the smile on her face told a different story.


    She knew Minghao did it on purpose to cheer her up; this made her feel better.


    Turning her gaze back to the clear sky, Mingyue said, "Sometimes I envy those who cannot cultivate, Minghao. Even though they live filled with danger and helplessness, at least they can have real friends and family.


    Compared to us cultivators, we kill and plunder all for immortality, but what does that leave us? Just see how our family situation is now."


    "Sis, since when did you become a philosopher like this? You may not know, but actually, I don''t see any difference between cultivators and commoners other than our level of strength.


    Even commoners have ungrateful people who sell their own families for fortune. What difference is that with cultivators looking for treasure?"


    "You are right. There is no difference. In the end, we have no choice but to be cold and merciless to our enemies."


    Mingyue then turned her gaze towards Minghao and patted him on the head.


    "You are kind, Minghao. I hope you will never turn your back on others.


    If anyone blocks your path, you should kill them without mercy; it''s better than being stabbed in the back because you dropped your guard."


    Minghao could see the pain in his sister''s eyes. Even though he didn''t know what really happened, Minghao could vaguely guess.


    "Sis, I disagree with that. Ancestor also often tells me that I must become cruel and merciless to my enemies¡­ but... I just cannot do it."


    His gaze turned distant, "Even today, our cousin''s face begging for mercy still appears in my dreams, sis."


    His words made Mingyue feel guilty since she was the one forcing him to do it, "As time passes, you will get used to it, Minghao."


    Minghao shook his head, his gaze then turned resolute.


    "No! I know myself, sis. I will never get used to it. Then I questioned myself, why can''t I just live the way I want?


    After much thought, I realized it was because I was weak.


    If I am strong, I don''t need to worry about someone stabbing me in my back since I am strong enough to withstand it.


    I don''t need to worry about my family fighting for limited resources since I am strong enough to provide for them."


    "But that won''t change the fact that they have bad intentions, Minghao. People don''t change that easily."


    "I know, sis, but I have seen the example of it."


    "Who?"


    "It''s me, sis. You always beat me up every time I did something wrong, to the point that I lost count of how many times it happened. And sis, I will be honest, I have resented you for this.


    But when mom left the family and everyone started bullying me, that is when I realized it. Everything you do is for my own good.


    If not because of your beating, I would have already broken down by all the pressure.


    I always question myself, what would sis do in my position, how would sis endure¡­ that is what allows me to keep moving on, sis."


    Minghao paused for a moment, then continued. "So I know, even if they are bad people, I will just beat them up, again and again, until the point their body will ache with pain every time they think something bad."


    "You brat, it seems you have grown up. That is not wrong, but if you want to do that, you need to become the strongest Minghao. Only by becoming the strongest can you live as you please," Mingyue said while ruffling over his hair.


    "I know my talent is not as good as yours, sis. Ancestor also says so, but who says we cannot break our limit? Limitation only exists if you let them!" Minghao said with words filled with pride.


    Seeing her brother having his own conviction made Mingyue smile. "Well said, brat. Where did you learn this?"


    "Cough, I learned from the anime movie you showed me, sis."


    "Don''t tell me it''s the one you tried to imitate before."


    Minghao quickly stood up from where he sat, "I need to go practice again; see you later, sis." He quickly ran away from Mingyue, making her let out a chuckle.


    As he ran away, Minghao then realized something was different in his attire. On both his wrists and ankles, there was something attached.


    With Mingyue''s sharp eyes, she recognized it; it was made with Densium, a unique metal that is very heavy even with its small size.


    Densium, the size of someone''s head, can easily weigh up to a ton. Based on the reflection of the metal, Mingyue could guess its purity.


    With Vesa''s help doing the calculation, a single one of his bracelets would weigh around 50 kg (110 pounds), with all four totaling 200 kg (440 pounds).


    That is far more weight than what he should be able to carry with his current cultivation level.


    "It seems you are not just all talk, Minghao. Don''t worry; your sis will give you a path to break free of your own limitations in the future.


    But for now, show me if you can do it by yourself or not, breaking your limit¡­"

 Chapter 134: The Sentinel

    Her gaze then turned upward to the vast blue sky. " As for me, I am a progenitor now. This world is not my limit. I shouldn''t have constrained myself with that kind of thought.


    I think I learned something from Minghao today. But Minghao, you are wrong about one thing: We are not defined by our dreams but by our actions. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only those who dare forgive even their worst enemy and survive without any repercussion can called strong."


    Her lips curled into a smile; Mingyue felt like a big burden was taken off her shoulders since she found the answer to her confusion.


    Her eyes then flickered coldly, "But Linhua, that doesn''t mean you will get off scot-free. You will pay for what you''ve done. And I think you will prefer death to what I have in mind."


    Looking at the twilight, MingYue decided what she would do now; at the same time, noticing the similar orange hue but with a crimson tint on it; Alex and Lily''s chariot were landing at their destination.


    Alex expected to be brought to a luxurious castle, or at least a heavily fortified area, but instead, what he saw deterred him even more than all of those combined.


    The place was a simple house atop a big tree without a single guard. The tree was located in the middle of nowhere, at the peak of a mountain.


    ''This secret realm is bigger than I thought, but for him to dare stay like this without any protection means he is confident in his strength.''


    Alex could see Lily''s expression turn excited and happier, ''it seemed she has a good relationship with the Sentinel.''


    The big wooden door, at the height of two normal persons, opened, allowing Alex and Lily to enter without her even knocking.


    Inside, Alex found a cozy place where the material and everything blended naturally with the tree, the floor, and the walls, showing no gaps at all.


    Even the chairs and tables seemed to be grown from the tree naturally.


    Lily then ran forward and hugged the man who was waiting for them.


    Even though she was hugging him, in Alex''s eyes, it looked more like a 5-year-old child running and hugging their father.


    "Ancestor, I have brought him. As you wished." Lily said as she hugged his leg.


    The Ancestor was twice the average human height, and his body was muscular, with sharp eyes and jet-black hair cut short.


    He wore a casual T-shirt and short pants.


    "Why are you calling me Ancestor for, Lily? I told you to just call me by name. Do I really look that old?" the man asked with a stern voice, but his dark blue eyes were filled with warmth.


    ''Seems I''ve met another shameless geezer.'' Alex thought to himself.


    The Ancestor had a handsome face, not showing his age at all, but his feline features were made from bone, both the ears and tails.


    His skin had a toned color, just like bronze.


    "Ha-Handsome," Lily mumbled with her lips while her cheeks turned red. She felt awkward calling the Ancestor by his name.


    Alex''s eyes widened, and he asked in disbelief at Lily. "Did you just call your ancestor handsome?"


    "That''s not what I meant; I am calling him by his name," Lily said in a very low voice.


    If not for Alex''s sharp hearing, he would not have been able to hear it.


    ''I am not hearing it wrong? Oh God, this Ancestor is really shameless.


    There Is no way someone is named handsome; if there is, then someone in this universe will be named ugly.'' Alex thought to himself while he tried hard not to burst out laughing.


    "Good," Ancestor Handsome said while patting Lily''s head.


    "You should go now; I need to have a private talk with our guest."


    His gaze then turned to Alex; the warm gaze disappeared, turning deadly cold.


    The stare made Alex quickly react; he jumped back, putting some distance between himself and the Ancestor while taking his Embershift hammer in a defensive posture.


    Somehow, Alex felt like he was being attacked just from his gaze alone.


    Seeing Alex''s quick reflexes made the Ancestor smile again. "Oh, nice reflexes. Leave us now, Lily."


    "But Ancestor, I also want to hear what he wanted to say. Otherwise, I will just drop him here."


    The Ancestor looked sternly at Lily. "Do I need to repeat myself, Lily? Don''t worry. In exchange for this, I promise you will be able to go outside in a few weeks."


    "Ancestor, you are not lying, right?"


    With wronged eyes, the Ancestor asked, "Lily, did I ever lie to you? And what did I ask you to call me again?"


    "Ha-Handsome, alright, I will leave now," Lily said with a bashful face while quickly leaving the place.


    Alex, meanwhile, looked judgily at the Ancestor.


    He put his hand into a fist together in front of his chest and gave a respectful bow.


    "Today, I am humbled. There is a saying in my world, ''Above the sky, there is always another sky.''


    I know an old geezer who is as sly as a fox and very shameless despite his age. But you are the Ancestor of shamelessness; even that old sly fox needs to bow down to learn from you."


    The Ancestor didn''t feel angry; instead, he let out heartfelt laughter.


    "Bpu, you really know no fear, as expected from someone chosen as the Progenitor heir.


    But a fox, huh? Does your world have those celestial beauties? I had never heard of the fox race called Shameless.


    Well, they are sly for sure, but shameless..."


    The Ancestor''s brow creased as it seemed he thought hard about it.


    "Now that you say it, you are right. They are shameless; their beauty just gives them a free pass for many things."


    He then shook his head while saying solemnly, "Truly, beauty itself is a profound ability, granting a free pass through the serpentine paths of destiny."


    ''Fuck this geezer. Just say being beautiful has its own merits. Why need such complicated words, even acting like imparting important wisdom?''

 Chapter 135: Freya

    Alex cursed, then asked Vesa in his mind, ''Vesa, does a fox race really exist? Is it similar to the one I usually read about?''


    [Yes, the King Fox race does exist. It''s similar to those told in fantasy stories, in the King''s word, but it has some differences.]


    [The Fox progenitor doesn''t have a gender; it can change gender as it wishes.]


    [Their tails don''t go to nine; instead, they go up to ten. If nothing changes, the first four tails enhance their physical ability.]


    [The fifth one will give them monster transformation, while every single new tail after that will bestow them a unique ability.]


    ''So their progenitor is a femboy¡­ How do they increase their tails?''


    [Based on what I know, they need to consume specific material for each tail awakening, but I don''t know much detail about it.]


    ''Is the fox race our enemy?''


    [No, but they are not our friend either.]


    [The old progenitor has a complicated relationship with the Fox progenitor, so our race keeps some distance from them.]


    ''What!? The old progenitor is into a femboy?'' Alex asked because a complicated relationship usually means they had been dating before and then had a fight afterward.


    But before Vesa could answer, the Sentinel brought Alex''s attention back to him.


    "Buddy, I may be a wise, patient, amiable man, but that doesn''t mean you can just ignore me like that."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "I am sorry, just have something on my mind."


    "Fine. You know, I have waited a long time for you, but to think, in the end, it''s still a human that comes here." The ancestor then clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Alex became wary at his remark. He couldn''t help but draw parallels with plots he used to read, "What do you mean by that? Do you mean my coming here was fate?"


    "Fated? Hah, that is a unique word of choice, boy.


    If you mean fated is something that will happen, then yes, you can say it''s fated. But the one that comes doesn''t necessarily mean you.


    I have put some measures in place to teleport anyone who has a way to bring some of us outside safely. As for the one that comes, it turns out to be you. Well, that is just a coincidence."


    "I see¡­ Why do you feel annoyed then when you found out I am a human?"


    Alex needed to know the answer since if even the Sentinel was prejudiced against him, this would make everything even more dangerous. This Sentinel also somehow can tell he is a progenitor heir.


    This made him question Vesa, does everyone at the sentinel level find out if he is a progenitor or not. And were the feline race their enemy?


    [In the past, the feline race was our ally. But it''s hard to say for now; it''s better to be careful, King.]


    [As for how he found out, there is a unique signature of energy that only exists from the progenitor. But only those that have met one before can recognize it.]


    ''That means the person in front of me has some connection with the feline progenitor.'' Alex thought to himself.


    Seeing Alex''s worried expression made The Ancestor laugh. "It''s not what you''re thinking. I just lost another bet to that old woman."


    "Old woman?" Alex asked.


    If the person can take a bet with the ancestor, it means she has the same level of power as him; otherwise, he doubts this shameless man would admit defeat at all. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, from the ground, a yellow flower started sprouting. It quickly grew until it reached the same size as Alex.


    The flower then bloomed, and from inside of it, a beautiful woman came out.


    She had four translucent wings from her back.


    A green dress adorned her hourglass body, while her eyes had no pupils; instead, they had many golden dots, like a sprinkle of dust in her eyes. It looked like a night sky adorned with many stars.


    The woman turned her gaze toward the Sentinel, which then quickly turned sharp. "Who did you call an old woman?"


    "Ah, Freya, you came out."


    "Did you think I am deaf? You say that on purpose to make me come out, Aimu!"


    "I knew it; no one has ''handsome'' as their name. So his real name is Aimu. But who is this woman? Vesa, do you have any idea?"


    [Based on her appearance, she should belong to the Fairy race, King.]


    ''Fairy race with Feline race, and both of them stuck in this place? Is this woman his wife?''


    [In that case, we should be able to see some Fairy features in their descendant. But based on the information so far, Lily is their descendant, and we haven''t seen any fairy traits in her. Although it''s possible for them to have a way to hide it.]


    Aimu let out a laugh. "That is because you act so shy, Freya, even in front of the Junior."


    Freya''s gaze turned to Alex for a moment, then back to Aimu. "That is why it has become like this now. You''re always careless, Aimu, and you never win a bet, yet keep betting with me."


    "Don''t be so serious, Freya. If you keep doing that, you will get wrinkles on your beautiful face."


    "Hmph, you really never learn, Aimu. Now, turn your body back before I smack your head."


    Aimu let out a chuckle. His body then started shrinking back to Alex''s size.


    "Freya, you may think I do this to show off, but you are not wrong. Even my own people will start having weird thoughts if they see me in this size."


    ''So, he makes his body big on purpose to deter others from attacking him.'' Alex thought to himself.


    "You, boy, what is your name?"


    "My name is Alex, Madam."


    "Just call me Freya. The moment you become his heir, your age or current power doesn''t matter. You are already on the same battlefield as us."


    Alex nodded. His eyes then turned serious. "Can you tell me more about this? What battlefield? What war?"

 Chapter 136: Aimu & Freya

    "I wish I could answer you, Alex, but both of us have been locked down here for a long time.


    We don''t know what has happened outside now. And I pity you."


    Alex raised his eyebrows, feeling confused by her words.


    "I am once a revered Fairy Queen with my own kingdom, having control over a few planets. And this fool here, as you already guessed, was once a Feline King with a similar territory to mine.


    But, you know, in a fight between progenitors, we are nothing more than foot soldiers."


    "Freya, why are you scaring the kid?"


    "I''m just stating the truth, and stop referring to him as a kid. He needs to understand his own situation."


    "Do you know what they are fighting for?"


    Freya shrugged her shoulders, "How would I know? I''m merely a foot soldier, but it must be something valuable, since even the progenitor desires it."


    Hearing her words, Aimu scoffed, "What valuable? Probably one of them became bored with living and decided to create chaos just for the heck of it."


    "What makes you think that?" Alex asked.


    Since Aimu was so confident in his statement, that meant he had a reason to believe it, but his answer made Alex question himself.


    "If you ever meet a real progenitor and see what they are capable of, you will realize there''s almost nothing they can''t do.


    But that power comes with a price; boredom. Just think of them as immortal beings with nearly omnipotent power."


    ''Will I become like that too when I reach that stage?'' Alex questioned himself. He didn''t like the possibility he would change into people he hated.


    Hurting others just for their own entertainment, Alex hates this person the most.


    "They''re not immortal, Aimu. Have you forgotten one of them died?


    You''re just saying that out of your own spite. They also have many weaknesses, which is why they still have their own desires."


    "Only a progenitor can kill another progenitor, so we might as well call them immortal. And have you forgotten, Freya? There are a few cases where a progenitor turned into madness."


    Hearing this, Alex felt even more confused.


    If a progenitor is almost omnipotent, how can they fall into madness? They should also have a strong mentality with that much life experience in their hands.


    "What kind of madness? Do they go crazy, massacring every being weaker than them?"


    Freya replied with a nod, "We do have some rumors that it happened, but we don''t know anyone who knows if it''s the truth or not.


    After all, the event probably happened a long time ago.


    And don''t forget, Alex, we are nothing more than foot soldiers for the progenitor. What you hear is nothing more than gossip; you should take it with a grain of salt."


    "Hmph!" Aimu huffed but didn''t say anything more.


    This made Alex realize there was only limited information about the progenitor he could get here, but a rumor or gossip was still better than nothing.


    He could just confirm it later with Vesa, even though Vesa is tight-lipped about them; if it''s just confirming a fact, Alex was sure he would get an answer.


    He then proceeded to ask for more information that they knew about the progenitor and how they could guess him as one.


    Even though Vesa had already told him the reason, he wanted to find out from their point of view.


    The reason is the same: Alex has an energy signature unique to a progenitor, and they could guess Alex was a vampire progenitor because the late vampire progenitor basically announced it to the whole universe when he was killed.


    This knowledge made Alex curse at the late progenitor.


    ''Why did he need to announce it to the whole universe!?'' But he didn''t say this out loud. Instead, Alex asked, "What more do you know about him?"


    "The vampire progenitor? We just know his name, Alucard, and as for the rest, we don''t know much.


    But one thing for sure, as his heir, you will be hunted down by many of his enemies," Freya said in a solemn tone.


    Aimu then laughed, "Oh yeah, I think I should tell you this: there are rumors that the human progenitor was involved in his demise.


    If I were you, I would take care not to show my energy left and right like that.


    Well, even becoming a vampire is already enough for many races to hunt you down since, in the universe community, there''s already a high bounty for each pure vampire head."


    "Just how old is this information?" Alex asked, wanting to know how valid their information was.


    "We''ve been here for ten thousand years," Aimu said, his eyes glimmering with nostalgia.


    Freya then added, "To be exact, it''s 18,354 years, but in the outside world, it should only be 1,800 years since time here is ten times faster than outside. So, I doubt there will be any significant change in the situation."


    ''They should have based this time on the Scorched Dune Labyrinth time, so it should be similar to my planet,'' Alex thought to himself.


    He then realized nothing had changed much; he still needed to hide his identity as a progenitor from as many people as possible.


    "Kid, let''s make a trade. I know you want to find a way out of this place, and I can help, but you need to bring a few people we choose to go out with you.


    You don''t need to care for them afterward; they will have their own mission. Except for Lily, I want you to bring her on your journey," Aimu said.


    Alex feels confused by his suggestion. Based on their actions so far, both of them seem to hate joining the war and don''t have any plans to come out from this place.


    "Do you guys want to rejoin the war?"


    Aimu and Freya looked at each other and then let out a laugh.


    "Of course not. Why would we want to return to that pandemonium? sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 137: That Is A Secret

    We just need something to do, but we have our own reason why we need you to bring them outside." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And what is the reason?"


    Aimu chuckled, "Oh, that. That is a secret. But you don''t have any choice, kid."


    Alex frowned. They just said there is a high bounty on the vampire race.


    What if these people were after that bounty, and once they are outside, they report his information to the enemy?


    The thought made Alex quickly look around the area, using his ability to calculate the best method to escape in case a conflict started.


    "I cannot do that. You just told me I am hunted with a high reward on my head. This means everyone who knows my information is a potential risk for me."


    Seeing Alex''s wariness made Aimu laugh once again. "You are not a bad kid! You should keep up that attitude if you want to survive."


    His eyes then turned cold as the pressure came down on Alex, making his body freeze. But it only lasted a moment as a loud bam! Reverberated in the area, Alex''s eyes widened in surprise.


    Freya hit Aimu in the head, creating a bump the size of an orange. This made Alex want to laugh, but he did his best to hold it off.


    "Now it''s you who scares him with nonsense. Look, Alex, we are on the same side as you. The fairy and feline progenitors took the same side as the Vampire progenitor in the past.


    With his demise, the situation turned worse, and we are all out in hiding now. Even though we don''t have a high bounty like those from the vampire race, they still try to look for us.


    The situation now is bad for our side. So, you don''t need to worry about us backstabbing you.


    Of course, it''s not just words; you should have seen how fond Amus is of Lily; asking her to follow you is one of your safe guarantees."


    "Why does she need to follow me, though? I don''t believe you don''t have another goal with it."


    "That is the agreement with the Vampire progenitor. Each race will send one of their members to help the new heir. As for who? It depends on which group meets with you."


    Hearing Valkyrie''s explanation, Alex felt that it made sense. Since even Alucard doesn''t know when the new progenitor will come, not even what kind of race they are.


    With many groups separated everywhere, one of them will meet the heir in one way or another. It''s not a matter of fate or destiny, but just statistics.


    "Am I the only progenitor heir that exists? Don''t other progenitors have one too?"


    With the vampire progenitor''s demise, Alex was sure he was not the only one; there were probably others, too.


    "Yes, you are the only one," Freya replied.


    Amu then continued with the explanation, "A progenitor is born from the universe; even if one is killed, they will be reborn somewhere else with their memory intact; they will then start recovering their power step by step.


    So it''s not right to call them heirs.


    The vampire progenitor is the only exception; he purposely destroys his own soul and sentience, separating his power into many parts.


    That is why I speculate the war just started with boredom; when you meet them later, you will know. Each of them is weird and has their own quirks."


    Freya smirked, "Amu, I dare you to talk like that to your progenitor, do you dare?"


    Amu quickly turned to frown, "No thanks, whether I win or lose will not have a good result for me.


    In fact, I am sure I will be erased from this universe based on his personality.


    Anyway, I will take your advice to heart now, and I have no more bets with you. Last time, you made rules for every single Guardian must be a woman; God knows what requests you will make now."


    Freya laughed, hearing Amu admit defeat. "You, Amu, admit defeat, God. It seems the universe will be flipped over now. Maybe we come outside, and our progenitor already won the war."


    "Hah, you wish."


    ''So this is why all sentinels must be women. But Amu is probably right; having lived that long, it''s not weird each of them has their own quirks.''


    Alex then started digesting and analyzing the information he had.


    He picked some extra information from their words; they only knew the vampire progenitor had an heir.


    They don''t know there are two heirs, and both of them must be of opposite gender.


    They also seem to not know about Vesa''s existence.


    And the important bit is the Vampire progenitor basically killed himself. So, the chance of the old personality awakening and taking over their body is very slim.


    If he wanted to do that, he might as well just get resurrected somewhere else. Why bother doing all of this and create so many preparations for it? Not to mention, from his situation, this is a huge gamble.


    Except there is some other factor that Alex doesn''t know yet. So, he doesn''t completely remove this possibility.


    If the human progenitor is really his enemy, that means his power is already in human hands, and then a question surfaced in his mind. "Freya, why would you bet the one that''s coming here is a human?"


    Freya shook her head. "I am not betting the one coming here is human. I am betting the vampire progenitor''s heir will be human.


    That''s why this old fogey decided to stop betting. Our bet is quite big this time."


    Seeing Alex''s puzzled look, Amu explained with an annoyed tone, "Everyone in the universe heard it; when he was dead, he told us he would pick an heir, breaking the tradition for progenitors.


    And at the same time, he said in a spiteful tone, ''If my heir turns out to be human, that will be funny. Don''t you think so, Adam?''


    That is also one of the reasons many suspect the human progenitor Adam had a hand in the vampire progenitor''s demise."

 Chapter 138: Is She Mixed Race?

    "That is not weird, then; there would be no reason for Alucard to say it like that if he doesn''t hate the human progenitor.


    But to think the human progenitor''s name is Adam, it seems there are some truths hidden in those myths," Alex thought to himself.


    Freya then took out a brass bracelet and threw it to Alex, "Take this as our goodwill. With this bracelet, you don''t need to worry about being detected as the progenitor''s heir, except by the real progenitor or someone stronger than us.


    But remember, they will still find you as a pure-blooded vampire. So, you''d better find another way to hide that."


    Alex caught the bracelet; he already had some idea how to use it.


    "Thanks, Freya. Oh yeah, one more question, you say each species will send one person to help me in my journey, but since it''s only Lily going with me, does that mean Lily is both fairy and feline? Is she of mixed race?" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lily? Of course not. She is a pure feline. Where did you get the idea she is a mixed breed?"


    "Well, I thought you and Amu were married."


    Freya laughed at Alex''s remark. "Me and this shameless geezer? Alex, what made you even think that?"


    "Both of you have been living here together for a long time, and I can see you are close with each other."


    Amu let out a chuckle, "Nah, it''s not like that. We are just old comrades surviving from the same battlefield."


    Hearing the word ''battlefield'' made Freya sigh as she started reminiscing about the last battle she fought with her people.


    "I met this old geezer when I was running away from the battlefield. He offered me to go to this realm with him. Since I had no other place to go, I accepted his offer."


    "If you are wondering, my wife was killed in that war," Amu said with sad eyes.


    Alex''s voice turned solemn, "My condolences, Amu. I am sorry for asking this, but why is Lily only going with me? Isn''t the fairy race also supposed to make the same deal?"


    Alex asked this because he needed any boost to his strength; the more, the better. And each species should have its own unique ability.


    This made him remember the feline race he had seen so far didn''t have any tattoos with them. But he didn''t want to ask about this since it would point out that he had some knowledge about their race.


    It''s better for him the less they know about his capabilities.


    "I am sorry, but the fairy race under me now is too few in number, and no one has the strength to follow you.


    Sending any of them out would just be suicide. In the last war, my army was thoroughly obliterated," Freya said with a solemn tone.


    Before Alex could form any reply, Amu, looking at Freya''s sad expression, interjected. "Well, that''s enough for now, Alex. It will take a few days for me to prepare for you to get out; you can spend your time exploring the city."


    He then threw a bracelet made of crystal toward Alex, "That will be your ID as long as you are here. I also put our local currency inside so you can use it as you feel the need."


    Alex caught the crystal bracelet and then inspected the item.


    ______________________


    Imbued Feline ID Bracelet (C-Rank)


    Effect: Change the user''s appearance to that of the Corrupted Feline race.


    _______________________


    "Corrupted?" Alex mumbled out loud while reading the item description.


    Hearing that word, Amu and Freya exchanged gazes. She then said, "It''s up to you. I feel he needs to know about it, but they are your people, so it''s your choice."


    Amu put thought into it for a moment, then let out a deep sigh. "In my last fight, we met a weird monster.


    It had crimson eyes and sharp fangs like that of the vampire race, but its appearance was weird; it stood on all fours just like a dog. It''s 2 meters (6.5 ft) tall.


    Every time it bit someone of my species, they became corrupted. The result, as you see, is that our unique feature turned into a skeleton."


    Amu then pulled his shirt up, showing a deep scar across his chest. "That weird creature almost killed me. If not for my wife''s sacrifice, I would also be dead now."


    "Did this creature appear after Alucard''s demise?"


    Amu nodded. "We speculate it''s a result of their experiment on the vampire race.


    That is just how harsh the universe is, boy; without a progenitor backing, your race''s fate is up to the strong wimp."


    "Don''t every race have their own progenitor?"


    "Not every race, only those that were born since the beginning of time, have it; as time passed, new races also appeared either from experiments or mixed species marriage. "


    "I see. "Alex mumbled, while his mind started feeling worried by the information he just learned.


    ''This means I cannot just use any ability from the Vampire race and hope it works; they probably already have many countermeasures against it. I need to find a way to improve all of this ability.''


    This put Alex in deep thought; even the cultivation system was not enough. Alex was sure the human progenitor had a deep understanding of it, and he was probably his enemy.


    Alex needed to make something new, not just improve the current system. A completely new power system that could go above everything.


    He then excused himself since he already got what he needed.


    Outside, he was met by Lily, who was waiting for him.


    Lily''s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but she then let out a chuckle, "Surprisingly, the appearance suits you. It''s the Sentinel arrangement, right?"


    "Yes, so I take it you are my guide in this city now."


    Lily gave a nod, "The sentinel told me to wait for you. He said this is a task I must do in exchange for being allowed outside. By the way, can you give me the ancestor tablet now?"

 Chapter 139: The Feline and Fairy Race

    Alex didn''t mind; he also felt curious about the real translation, as Vesa''s results didn''t make much sense to him.


    At first, he wanted to ask Amu and Freya about it, but since the topic of their last battle on the war came up, the atmosphere became heavy, making Alex not want to stay any longer.


    Reading the tablet, Lily''s expression changed to one filled with disappointment.


    This made Alex frown, "Is something wrong?"


    "No, it''s nothing new. I have read this before in the castle library.


    It''s just one of those fictional stories written for entertainment purposes, and here I expected it to be something important or at least a story I haven''t read yet."


    "What is written there?"


    "It just tells how the protagonist is saddened because his allies backstab him from behind by attacking his city from the sky."


    "Ah," Alex replied while he thought, ''So Vesa''s translation is not that far off.''


    "Oh well, forget it. Where do you want to go now? Do you want to see some of our local attractions?"


    Alex put a thought on it; he wanted to see the city, the food, and how the feline race live, but for now, there is something more important for him.


    "Can you bring me to a library, one that is filled with this place''s history?"


    He wants to take as much information as he can, scan the documents, and then use Vesa to analyze it.


    From this, he will learn many things, from technological advancements, who hold power, and whether any of history is manipulated.


    If history is manipulated, that means the politics of the feline species doesn''t differ much from humans.


    But his request was met with a frown from Lily, "No, I am not going back to the palace. If you still want to, I will gladly drop you at the gate; with that bracelet, no one will dare to touch you."


    "Is there something special with mine?"


    "I don''t know what the sentinel is thinking, but yours is a special one. Look, this is mine." Lily said while raising her hand, showing a bracelet similar to the one Alex wears.


    Her design is slimmer, looking like a chain linked together, but the biggest difference comes in color.


    "Mine is black, same with other Guardian; the royalty is gold or silver, depending on the rank. Gold was for pure nobles, and silver was for those who were married to it.


    Bronze for officials like cops and civil servants. The citizens can then use the rest of the colors."


    "What does mine mean then? It''s pure crystal; it doesn''t have any color."


    "Yours means the Sentinel Envoy.


    Usually, someone is only chosen if the sentinel needs to intervene in a conflict between nobles since it has grown too big.


    The last time this happened was a thousand years ago; everyone who lived when that happened had already died.


    So, using that bracelet in public, not to mention coming to the palace, good luck being invited to many parties."


    Alex''s lips twitched.


    Looking at the crystal bracelet on his hand, which looks more like a bangle, made him realize the sentinel had another purpose in telling him to go around the city.


    He started wondering if Aimu really needed some time to allow him out or not.


    ''Damn, that old man screwed me over.'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    He cannot take off the bangle since it will undo his transformation, making him stand out even more in public.


    He then asked Lily, "Can you order some clothes for me? It''s better if it''s one that can hide this bangle."


    "No, you cannot; hiding one''s own bangle, not using one, or even faking the color is a capital offense.


    We have many cases where someone tried to fake their bangle color, so there are many countermeasures in place.


    And yours is special; I am sure the sentinel has put some countermeasure not allowing you to change its color."


    ''That means my only option if I don''t want to attract any attention is to go back and hide myself from the public eyes until the sentinel is ready,''


    But he doesn''t want to do this; it''s a rare opportunity to visit another civilization and one that is welcoming to him.


    ''Fine, if you want to do it like this old man, don''t blame me for using it to my benefit. Since I cannot lay low, I may as well use the attention to my benefit!''


    Meanwhile, in the sentinel''s house, Aimu was laughing his ass off; the depressing atmosphere Alex was in is nowhere to be seen.


    "I am sure that boy realizes his situation now."


    Freya looked at Aimu with a frown, "You are playing with fire, Aimu. You underestimate Alex too much. What if he uses it to make trouble in your kingdom?"


    "He wouldn''t dare go over the line; besides, that is what I hope.


    Those stupid descendants of mine are starting to have weird ideas. That boy is the best one to punish them."


    "Well, that is one of the upsides of having a small kingdom like mine now; no need to worry about this kind of thing."


    Freya paused for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed together, then said, "I forgot to tell him not to tell anyone about my existence."


    "Don''t worry, he is not that stupid. Besides, who will believe him other than Lily? And Lily will go out soon, so nothing to worry about."


    Freya sighed; she realized what Aimu said was correct. Freya has a separate area in the secret realm for the fairy race.


    She and Aimu did this to make sure the Fairy and Feline don''t interact with each other.


    After all, they are different species, and the fairy race is small in number. Freya doesn''t want to take the risk of any problem brewing between their races that would then strain the relationship between her and Aimu.


    As someone experienced in leading a country for many years, they know conflict is unavoidable, even with enough resources; there will always be some difference that spurs out, escalating into conflict.


    S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 140: Aetheris Essence

    This would be worse if there were two different species with completely different sets of cultures and points of view living together.


    This is also another reason why Aimu holds absolute power in his kingdom.


    The majority of the food consumed by his kingdom was produced by the Fairy. Since he was the only one having access to it, the feline race thought their sentinel was the one creating it all with his magical abilities.


    Without the food produced by the fairy race, the feline would have run out of food a long time ago and would have no choice but to cull their population.


    Even now, there are many rules created to maintain their population, from a one-child policy to purposely making it not economically viable for those in the middle class or lower to have kids.


    The feline race''s life expectancy is also high; they average 300 years, while the oldest can live to 500 years, with Aimu as the only exception. This also makes them less likely to have kids.


    As for the fairy race, the average lifespan is 1000 years, with the oldest reaching 1200 or even 1500 years, Freya being the only exception.


    Both Freya and Aimu got their long lifespan as a reward for participating in the war from their progenitor.


    "Alright, I will return to my kingdom first, then. The Naidon is getting restless lately; he keeps refusing to get mated with the others.


    If he keeps rejecting like this, we will run out of Aetheris Essence in the next one hundred years," Freya said with a concerned tone.


    Aimu frowned upon hearing the news. The Naidon is a unique monster living on his planet; they are almost extinct now, with only one pair left.


    If they cannot produce any offspring, it''s a matter of time until their resource run out.


    The reason for this is Aetheris Essence; this essence is very magical after a few processing steps. It can be used not only to fuel their power needs, just like oil in a generator, but also to create medicine and grow their crops and cattle to ensure they have enough food.


    So Aetheris Essence is basically their lifeline. Without it, they would have no choice but to go out, and that meant rejoining the war.


    "I see. If he keeps rejecting even after this month, tell me; maybe I can help convince the Naidon."


    "I want to say what you can do if even we, as the fairy race that communicates with it, fail. But there is no harm in trying; who knows, it might succeed."


    Freya''s worried gaze then disappeared, her lips curled into a smile, while Aimu turned into a frown upon hearing her next words. "Now, before I leave, about the bet you just lost."


    While Aimu was trying his best to negotiate with Freya so he wouldn''t lose too much on the bet, Alex was enjoying his time.


    He is now eating in the most luxurious restaurant in the feline kingdom with Lily. But Lily, sitting across from him, is not happy at all.


    "Why did you need to do that? I thought you said you hate politics."


    "I hate politics, but if it can give me a benefit, why should I reject it?


    Besides, I will leave this place in three days; whatever happens next, your sentinel can take care of it."


    Lily''s gaze turned cold, "What are you planning? This is my country; if you plan to hurt it..."


    But Alex cut her short with a smile, "Don''t worry, I won''t go over the line. Just see how nice I am; how can I hurt your people?" Alex said while pointing at the seats around him.


    When Alex arrived at the restaurant, he screamed at the top of his lungs, telling everyone that today he would pay for all their meals.


    The restaurant was famous for its ultra-expensive prices, with only the royalty or the very rich able to eat there. And now, suddenly, someone was offering them all a free meal at the restaurant?


    This quickly pulled the attention of the people around him, including the security and the restaurant manager.


    When they asked him, in response, Alex showed the bangle and pointed at Lily to ascertain his identity.


    Lily was famous not only as the princess but as the Guardian leader.


    Without any choice, Lily helped Alex. She couldn''t just say he was lying; that would destroy her image, not Alex''s. Even without her testimony, a single scan of the bracelet would show it''s genuine.


    Seeing the bracelet, the local authorities frowned; they could only let Alex do what he wanted and helped discipline the people, making them go into queues.


    As for the restaurant manager, he was all smiles; his smile was so large it almost made him look creepy. While his eyes turn green with the $$$ logo on them. How could he not?


    The crystal bangle meant Alex could pay all the bills, and with so many people eating without worrying about the cost, that meant today he could earn a whole month''s sales in just one day.


    He even started ordering more raw materials, ordering overtime for all the employees, determined to fulfill everyone''s order.


    The Manager, brimming with excitement, gathered all his employees. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Today is our lucky day; we''ve just got the best customer ever in restaurant history!


    Now, prepare to work yourselves to the bone. A big bonus awaits all of us at the end of the month!


    Repeat after me, ''Ka-Ching! Big Bonus! Work to the BONE!''"


    "Ka-Ching! Big Bonus! Work to the BONE!"


    "Ka-Ching! Big Bonus! Work to the BONE!"


    The employees started repeating the Manager''s words. At first, they followed simply because it was an order, but as they kept repeating it, they began to get excited.


    A big fat check they could bring home quickly appeared in their mind, making their adrenaline rush as they spiritedly began working.


    Seeing their reaction made Alex laugh. ''Capitalism exists here,'' he thought to himself.


    Satisfied with the result, Alex entered the restaurant to the best seat and started ordering multiple dishes for every meal on the menu.


    More than he could eat, he planned to put the rest in his storage ring for Olivia, Emily, and the others.

 Chapter 141: Luggages Problem

    Alex didn''t feel worried about showing the storage ring in public since he would justify it with, "I got it from the sentinel; just ask him if you want one."


    Seeing the many food items delivered to the table, Lily sighed. She couldn''t help but worry about what kind of storm these few days of Alex''s visit would bring.


    "I''m sure it''s only a matter of time now before those vultures come to visit you. Just what is your goal?"


    "Don''t worry, I have a plan. By the way, Lily, you should eat too.


    I''m sure it''s not like every day you can have an all-you-can-eat in the most expensive restaurant in your kingdom."


    Seeing the tasty dishes while smelling their delicious aroma, Lily couldn''t help but salivate.


    She finally gave in and started enjoying the dishes. It''s not like she could do anything at this point, so it''s better to just enjoy the situation.


    After the hearty meal, while the restaurant staff was still busy taking care of the guests who kept coming nonstop, Alex asked Lily, "Do you want to order more for takeaway?"


    Seeing the many untouched dishes on the table, Lily protested, "There are still many meals here. Do you still want to order more?


    Better leave it for the customers outside. The food here is not that good when it turns cold."


    "Oh, you don''t need to worry about it. I have a way to store all of this without reducing its freshness.


    And it''s not all for me; I want to bring some for my sister and friend who were waiting for me."


    Alex''s words piqued Lily''s interest, "You have a sister? Can you tell me more about the world outside?"


    "This place has many ears. Let''s talk about that when we''re really out.


    How about you tell me the situation here instead? Has the kingdom had any big conflicts lately?"


    Lily thought for a moment but then shook her head. "I don''t know. I have been out of touch about what''s happened for too long.


    My mom and brother often called me to ask how I was doing, but when they talked about something about the royal courts, I cut them off.


    I really don''t want to get involved in it."


    "Hmm. This will make things harder," Alex thought.


    He had planned to ask Lily''s help to find out the situation so he knew what to do with the people that would be bothering him soon. ''Seems I can only depend on Vesa and my abilities then.''


    He then said, "Well, if you don''t want any takeaway, do you have something you want to buy? It''s a rare opportunity, you know." Alex pointed at the bracelet in his hand.


    "You do know all of this is paid by the Sentinel''s pocket. What are you talking about inside there? It seems you do this on purpose to make him cry."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "You Sentinel screwed me over. Since he gave this bangle to me, he should have prepared for the result.


    Well, it''s not like I hate him or anything. Let''s just say we call it even with this.


    So, what do you want? I don''t believe if you say you don''t want anything.


    This is a rare chance, you know. You will probably don''t have this opportunity again in the future."


    ''Well, since I''m going to go to the outside world, it''s better if I pack up many things. But bringing many luggage will be a problem,'' Lily thought.


    She then remembered Alex saying he had a solution: to bring the food outside. "I have many things I want to buy, but can you help pack it all up?


    Bringing too much luggage will be a problem when we travel far away."


    "Don''t worry about it. I can take as many as you bring. But you should hurry; when the vultures come to us, we won''t have time to buy anything.


    Or we can just ask them to get the items for us," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    "Hmph, no thanks. Getting something from them will just make them think I accept their favor.


    Some of the men will also overthink my actions, thinking I like them back; it will just become annoying later on."


    "Well, that is true if you stay here, but do you forget you will leave soon?"


    "That will work for you since you have no one here, Alex. But for me, they will then bother my family, my mom, and my brother. So I cannot do that."


    Alex smirked. "Don''t worry about it. I will just be the one who accepts it for you then. You just need to signal me if you want something.


    Oh yeah, also tell me if the person is good or deserves to be screwed over."


    Alex then taught Lily some silent signals to tell him her impression of the people who would meet him later. The signal is simple. She just needs to tap her finger silently on the table. No matter how quiet the voice is, as long she sits beside him, Alex will able to hear her.


    In Fact, if he focused, Alex''s hearing already reached a point where he could hear her heartbeat as long she stayed within an arm''s distance from him.


    Zero tap means she has no opinion; one is the worst, while ten means the best. But Alex doubted anyone involved in a fight for power would have a better score than five.


    He also believed his own judgment compared to Lily''s personal impression, but the more data there was, the better it was for him.


    Finally, Alex put all the items into the storage ring, surprising Lily in the process. "Just where did all that food go?"


    Alex smirked and then flicked his hand, taking out one of the foods and putting it back onto a table before taking it back again.


    "I have an item that can take all of this to a separate space. I can give you one later if you want." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 142: Sir,Who Will Pay?

    Alex planned to give her a storage cube later since she would join him on his journey. He also considered teaching her to cultivate to make her become stronger.


    "Really?" Lily said with an excited tone.


    "Yes, of course, I will give you one later."


    Alex didn''t plan to reveal the storage cube here since others who see it will ask for the item, and it will quickly become everyone''s focus.


    His storage cube is a game-changer; if he introduces it here, the whole kingdom will change, for better or worse.


    It will bring many benefits but also many problems that will turn the kingdom upside down. He was sure if he did that, Aimu would be really angry.


    Lily then excitedly told him, "Let''s go to the auction then. Today, we have one that will sell many unique items, from old items filled with history to some special weapons and armor made by our famous blacksmith. I heard today''s session will also have exotic animals and plants."


    "Exotic animals and plants? What does that mean? Animals from outside?"


    Based on the meal Alex just ate, the meat doesn''t taste any different than his world. Some tasted like beef, some liked chicken, and the most unique one he tasted was like crab meat, but when he bit into it, he could taste the juicy fat of beef mixed with pork.


    It''s very tasty, making him feel addicted.


    "It''s animals and plants that are almost extinct. When our ancestors moved to this secret realm, they also brought many types of animals and plants to create their own ecosystem.


    We separate this into a conservatory area for almost extinct animals and an area for training and hunting."


    Alex was confused hearing this; usually, endangered species under protection would be made illegal to sell, but here, it''s sold in an auction.


    "Isn''t the animal protected? Why would you sell it then?"


    "It wasn''t always like this. In the past, we really forbade it, but it just ended up in criminal activity, and more money was burned to raise security.


    The king at that time then tried a new policy, which was that, occasionally, we would auction these endangered animals and plants."


    "Is it working?"


    "Yes, after that, the interest in buying these endangered animals from criminals dropped.


    Who wants to take the risk of buying an illegal one when the legal route exists?


    It''s not like the price is cheaper, and the penalty for it is death.


    You may not believe it, but with this new system, the species are safer now. Since it''s run by a proper channel, they can maintain the population.


    Count how many can be sold without disturbing their population growth."


    Alex then remembered how illegal substances in his world were treated differently.


    In countries that allow the substance, there are almost no criminal activities on the substance, but in countries that put a ban on it, even with death as punishment, the activity was still rampant; there was just a high demand for the drug.


    Two, in particular, were still fresh in his mind since they often show up in the news and are banned in every country.


    Tenovix is a powerful hallucinogenic drug that allows the user to relive their happiest moments. With so many tragedies happening on his planet, this drug quickly rose in demand because many people wanted to see their loved ones again.


    The second one is Arcane dust. This drug allows normal people to temporarily gain a boost of power in physical strength, but the side effect makes them lose their sanity, while their bodies will quickly deteriorate afterward.


    This thought made Alex''s mood turn sour, as it reminded him of the situation on the frontline that he would need to face soon.


    His change of mood didn''t escape Lily''s attention, "Are you an animal activist or something? Why has your mood suddenly become bad?"


    "No, I just remembered something important I need to do. When is the auction? And can we still get in?"


    Alex asked since auctions like this usually require them to register beforehand and pay a guarantee fee before they can enter.


    "It''s later at night, and it requires us to register first. Even for me, a royalty, it''s no exception. Usually, we would not be able to enter now, but with that, I am sure they won''t dare to block your entry." Lily said as she pointed at his bangle with a smirk.


    "Good, this thing is useful after all. Do you know how much money is inside this?"


    "I honestly don''t know, but I am sure it''s more than enough to pay for everything you want. 5% of the whole country''s tax goes to the Sentinel, and he never uses money at all."


    Lily''s information made Alex''s lips curl into a smile. With how long the Sentinel led the country, it wouldn''t be exaggerated to say the money inside is more than the whole year''s income of the whole kingdom.


    ''If he knew I have a storage ring, I am sure he wouldn''t have given me this bangle.''


    Seeing his smile, Lily couldn''t help but think that Alex was planning something bad.


    ''Just why did the Sentinel give him the bangle without telling him anything?''


    "Alright, now that it''s settled, it''s time for me to pay the bill," Alex then called the waiter.


    Hearing he was going to leave, the Manager quickly blocked his path.


    If Alex left now, who would pay for the rest of the people queuing outside his restaurant? The line had already grown so long that it reached a few blocks.


    "Good sir, if you leave now, who will pay for the rest of the bill?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Did you mean I need to wait until it all finished?" Alex inquired with a frown.


    Seeing Alex''s expression, the Manager quickly clarified, "No, you don''t need to do that, sir, but what about all the bills then? Since you promised to pay for everyone''s food for the day. There are still many people queuing outside."

 Chapter 143: Blaire

    "Oh, that is simple. I will pay for people who already ordered first, and then at night, I will return here to pay the bills. Except you don''t believe the words of your Sentinel," Alex replied with a smile, while his eyes looked sharply at the Manager, making him flinch.


    The bill amount would be massive; if Alex ran away and did not pay, he would be fired for sure.


    Heck, being fired was the best scenario; he was sure the restaurant owner would turn him into mince meat, literally.


    Looking at the employees who were still working with zeal while chanting "Ka-ching," the Manager steeled his resolve.


    ''Screw it, I will just gamble my life then, not like I have any other choice.''


    He then tried to convince himself that the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, and in his situation now, it''s not that big a risk.


    The guardian captain was there with him, and he could authenticate the crystal bangle. If he could not even trust that, then no one in this kingdom was worthy of one.


    Alex then tapped his bracelet to pay for the bills. He could see the cost totaling over 10,352 Credits.


    As they walked to leave the premises, Alex whispered to Lily, "How expensive are these bills?"


    "For comparison, a single person here spends around 200 credits a month on food, and this is assuming eating quality meat every day."


    "Ah, I see," Alex replied.


    Leaving the premises, they quickly became the center of attention. Everyone looked toward him, but no one dared to block their path or come close.


    Not only because he was walking with their Guardian Captain, but his authority allowed him to kill anyone he deemed guilty, even without any evidence.


    Looking at the long queue, Alex let out a chuckle.


    He then realized there were a few groups of people standing at a distance from the crowd, pointing a unique device toward them. It looked like a reporter recording a video for the news.


    "What are they doing?" Alex asked.


    "They are reporter, with how big commotion you cause, it''s not weird they are coming here." She then pointed at the device they held. It looks like a cylinder with many symbols carved into it; at the end is a small slot where one of the reporters puts a crystal inside it. Alex could see after some recording, they would then replace the crystal with another new one.


    "You see, the reporters will record the news, edit it, and then send it to every member they have."


    "Members?" Alex asked. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lily then explained to him how the news works in the Feloria kingdom.


    People choose the platform they believe in. It can be one or multiple. They will then pay a monthly fee to become their member.


    In exchange, every few days, or depending on the news platform, they will then send them a crystal where they can watch the video in holographic projection. This reminded Alex of how their civilization grew with the crystal as the base.


    "Where did you guys get the crystal?"


    "It''s provided by the Sentinel. We actually don''t know where it comes from."


    ''I need to ask Amu about this later; the crystal is very useful for my needs,'' Alex thought to himself.


    They then left the crowd, moving toward the market.


    Lily wanted to pick up many things since Alex would have to pay for all the expenses. She also wanted to stock up on items that she could exchange outside.


    Lily only knew she would have something to do outside the secret realm; she hadn''t known that her mission was to accompany Alex on his journey.


    Just when they reached the market, a group of people blocked their path.


    They wore formal clothing of the Feloria kingdom. The clothes looked like modern kimonos but were mixed with Western influences. The robe on the top only reached their waist, while the pants were basically just trousers.


    A man then came forward from the group. His clothes have a black-and-white color scheme.


    He then moved his hand toward his chest. "Praise the shadow." Lily gave the gesture back, but her expression was ugly.


    "Why are you here, Blaire? I already told you to stay away from me."


    The man, taller than Alex with a thin body, looked at Lily with interest, his lips curled into a sly smile. "Today, I am not coming for you, Lily. I am looking for the Sentinel Envoy."


    Feeling deep hostility from Lily, Alex focused more of his attention on the man in front of him. He could see a silver bangle on his hand, signifying that he was married into royalty.


    ''Did he still try to make a move on Lily even when he is married? Hmm, maybe having multiple spouses is normal here, but being married into royalty and still seeking to woo a princess, what an ambitious man,'' Alex thought.


    ____________________________


    Species: Corrupted Felidaeans


    Name : Blaire


    Power Level: 3.7


    Life Force: -1/0


    Abilities: ???


    (Target was intrigued, filled with Anxiety, and had a lot of resentment toward Lily.)


    ___________________________


    Reading the information from Vesa, Alex was surprised.


    Even with his analytical ability, he barely noticed any of these emotions from his expression. ''But why the anxiety and Resentment?''


    This reminded Alex of the Guard Captain, who was wary of him before. He started wondering if these had any connection.


    "I am sorry for the disturbance. My name is Blaire, as you have heard from Lily.


    If you''re wondering why she hates me, we just had a minor disagreement in the past."


    "Minor! How dare you say it''s minor!" She then turned her gaze to Alex, "I cannot stand him. I will enter first," Lily said while walking past Blaire and entering the market area.


    "So, to what do I owe this pleasure, Blaire?" Alex asked with a polite smile.


    "I am just wondering if you have some time to spare to talk with me. I am curious about your mission as the Sentinel Envoy. As a good citizen, I want to help the envoy to achieve his mission."


    "My mission. Hmm¡­ I do wonder what my mission is, Blaire."

 Chapter 144: Skeleton Raid

    Hearing Alex''s words, Blaire thought Alex just didn''t want to tell him about it, just like he didn''t tell him his name.


    Blaire then took out a beautifully carved wood from his pocket. It''s the size of a card, carved with his name, with a small crystal in the upper left corner.


    "Well, Sir, if you need any help, just contact me. I will do my best to fulfill your needs. Even though Lily knows many things about this kingdom, I doubt she knows the underbelly of it."


    "Ah, does that mean you are very versed in this kingdom''s underworld, Mr. Blaire?"


    "I am just doing what I need to do to survive, Sir," Blaire said with a smile. He then excused himself after giving the card to Alex.


    Looking at Blaire''s back walking toward his chariot, Alex''s gaze turned sharp. He looked toward the card once more, then put it into his storage ring and entered the market to find Lily.


    Outside the secret realm, in the Crystal houses, Quartz and Zold had already recovered. They still preferred the camp above the house since it gave them a view of their surroundings.


    "Just where is Alex? Now that we have recovered, we should quickly find a way to get out of this place," Quartz said with an annoyed tone.


    After Olivia returned, she told everyone how she was controlled by a parasite. She didn''t go into detail about what happened, other than Alex somehow removed it from her body.


    This news made the others feel worried. A parasite that can control an awakened body is very dangerous.


    Any dungeon with something like this, regardless of its level, usually requires a specific hunter to join the hunt. This Hunter will have specialized abilities to ensure no one is controlled.


    Quartz felt thankful that Alex had a way to remove the parasite. She didn''t want to have her family''s blood on her hands because they were controlled by a parasite.


    But now that Alex was gone, what would they do if the place suddenly got attacked by the parasite? It would be a tragedy.


    "It''s not even an hour, Aunt Quartz. Why are you so impatient?" Emily asked.


    "Emily, I don''t believe you need to ask this.


    Do you know how dangerous that kind of parasite is? Now tell me, can you raise your hand to shoot me or Olivia if that happens?"


    Emily turned silent at that remark.


    Could she do it? Of course, she knew the answer¡ªshe couldn''t.


    She would try her best to escape from them and find a way to remove the parasite without hurting any of them.


    "I am sure Brother also knows about this, so don''t worry too much, Aunt." Emily said confidently.


    Quartz then turned her gaze toward Olivia. "Why are you so quiet now? What do you think about this, Chibi? Don''t you think we need to leave this place quickly now?"


    Olivia didn''t answer Quartz. Instead, she asked, "Petricia, is your Master alright? Do you really not know where he went?"


    She felt worried about Alex''s situation. Based on her knowledge of Alex''s character, he should have returned unless he found some problem.


    Alex was the type to avoid problems if he could, looking for the safest route. With the existence of parasites, normally, he will be the first to suggest that they leave the area quickly.


    "Don''t worry, Lady Olivia. The King is alright; he just needs to take care of some matters."


    Hearing how Patricia addressed her, Olivia''s cheeks turned into a pout. "Did Alex tell you to change how you address me?"


    Seeing Olivia''s displeasure, Patricia''s mind quickly churned.


    She could tell Alex was the one who told her to do this, but she felt that would create a problem between Alex and Olivia. She had watched enough drama to know it was better not to get involved with this King''s personal affair.


    "No, Lady, I just thought it''s better to call you ''Lady'' too."


    Olivia squinted her eyes. She didn''t believe Patricia did it of her own will.


    Quartz was confused by this; not only was her question ignored, but Olivia also seemed very dissatisfied with Patricia''s words.


    "Just what did she call you before? Why do you seem mad about it?"


    Emily was trying her best to hold her laughter. She could guess what had happened. ''Poor Olivia, should i help her?'' Emily wonder. But she forget the idea since she also don''t want her brother interfere in her love life. Not like she have any now.


    While they were busy with their talk, Zold was standing near the edge of the building, his eyes sharply looking at the city.


    He couldn''t put his finger on it, but he could feel something was wrong.


    Even though everything seemed the same, it felt like something was lurking in the shadows and gathering around them.


    From the edge of his view, he could see a black silhouette moving. Zold didn''t hesitate; a gun appeared in his hand. Despite having a dagger as his main weapon, Zold still had experience using a gun.


    BANG!


    A shot was fired, pulling the attention of Patricia, Emily, Olivia, and Quartz. The bullet tore through the air with high speed, meeting its target with a CLANG!


    The shot hit the crystal wall of the building, ricocheting into the dark alley.


    "What are you shooting at, Zold?" Emily asked with a worried expression. At this moment, all of them had already moved, standing beside Zold.


    "I don''t know yet. I thought I saw a black shadow entering that alley."


    Their gaze then focused on the alley, scrutinizing every movement to make sure they wouldn''t miss anything.


    A moment after they did this, a weird sound came from behind them.


    Quartz instinctively turned; her shield appeared in her hand with a CLANG! The metallic sound of clash resounded in the area.


    Behind them, a humanoid skeleton with tails on its back appeared. Its hand held a pair of daggers. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crackle! Crackle! Electricity zapped through Zold''s body; his hair stood up like spikes. The gun in his hand disappeared, replaced with a dagger.

 Chapter 145: Steel Wire (Bonus Ch)

    In the blink of an eye, it appeared in front of the skeleton with a SLASH! A diagonal line appeared on the skeleton''s face. SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! Zold launched another barrage of slashes, each cutting down the skeleton''s bones like a knife cutting through butter.


    Each slash caused a spark of electricity to flicker in the air.


    The skeleton fell to the ground, then crumbled to dust, leaving only two lumps of useless metal. But Zold still chose to keep them in his storage ring; who knows what kind of unique attributes the metal has.


    Just when he did this, BANG! A bullet tore through the air just inches away from him, creating electrical sparks as the bullet used was a good conductor.


    The bullet hit another skeleton right in the forehead. But the skeleton didn''t even flinch; its bony tail swayed left and right as it made a jump toward the group.


    Emily clicked her tongue in annoyance, "I knew it; my gun is a bad match with undead creatures."


    Quartz looked at the skeleton army that suddenly appeared, surrounding them from all directions. With a stern tone, she said, "Forget the skeletons; keep your eyes peeled for the parasite, Emily."


    Emily nodded, raising her gaze to the maximum, then started spreading her Qi like a net surrounding the group while her eyes focused on Zold and Patricia.


    Manipulating Qi outside her body was something she learned as she tried to experiment by fusing it with her abilities. Shooting out the light from her body came naturally to her as it was part of her abilities; the hardest part was controlling how much came out.


    So when she tried this with Qi, it came easily to her, mixing it with her mana; she then formed it like a net, allowing her to know if anything touched it.


    Looking at the number of enemies, Zold knew it was the best time to test his new skill.


    Electricity started crackling on the dagger''s sharp edge. Zold then threw his dagger toward the skeletons. In the past, he couldn''t do this; the moment the electricity separated from his body, it would quickly disappear.


    But now, after becoming a cultivator, he could fuse it with his Qi, allowing the electricity to survive as long as the Qi was supplied. Like a ''chain lightning,'' the dagger moved at high speed, encircling a group of skeletons.


    At the end of the hilt, a thin, sharp steel wire was connected to a device under Zold''s arm.


    When the dagger tightened the encirclement, with a flick of his hand, the wire started getting electrocuted.


    ZAP! Crackle! The area brightened for a moment with the booming sound of thunder roaring in the air.


    When it all settled, and the dagger returned to Zold''s hand, all that was left were crumbled pieces of the skeletons.


    Even though his lightning couldn''t turn them to dust, with high enough voltage combined with the sharp wire chipping away at the skeleton''s body, it was enough to cause fractures and structural damage to the skeletons.


    Meanwhile, Patricia was now high in the air. She jumped toward a group of skeletons with her great sword pointed downward.


    One of the skeletons was holding a shield, which it raised upward to meet the great sword head-on. If the skeleton were still alive, it would know that this was a bad decision, but it didn''t even have a brain to think.


    The skeleton moved autonomously, seeking to attack any living creature in the area. The shield cracked under the weight of the sword. Even though it didn''t completely break, the skeleton''s body was too fragile to hold against the weight. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BANG! Patricia focused her Qi on the sword tip, creating a shockwave of explosion. Smoke rose up in the air as the ground cracked into a small crater.


    Alex was oblivious to what was happening outside. Patricia didn''t have time to inform Alex of the number of enemies she faced.


    Olivia looked from the terrace, focusing her senses to feel any disturbance from the mana in the air. She was trying to find who was controlling all these skeletons.


    They could try to defeat all the enemies, but it would be a waste of time and energy.


    At the same time, Alex was in the market.


    He could see many Felidaeans walking around, and there were many stalls on the street selling various things, from street food like meatball skewers to accessories and clothing.


    He then saw a few tables arranged where many Felidaeans were seated in groups; in one of them, Lily was seated. Her finger held a skewer of meat, but her eyes seemed distant as if her mind was elsewhere.


    Sitting across from her, Alex purposely made a loud sound, bringing her mind back to reality. "Sorry about that, but I really can''t stand that bastard."


    "Who is he?"


    "Before you tell me to score people based on how bad they are, for that bastard, even zero is too good."


    "Is he one of your pursuers? Based on the bangle he wears, isn''t he already married?" Alex asked.


    He wants to know more about how the Felidaeans live as it would help him make decisions on how to interact with these people. Blaire was just one of the many who would come to him.


    "He used to be, but since I never gave any response to him, he then changed his target to my childhood friend, Sasha," Lily said while her eyes turned solemn.


    "That still doesn''t explain why you hate him that much. Did you have a big fight with your friend because of their marriage?"


    "If only it''s that. She has been missing for years now!" Lily said with a raised tone, then took a deep breath before starting to tell Alex what happened.


    She didn''t feel it needed to be hidden since it''s common knowledge here; the lives of royalty are often exposed in the news, becoming entertainment for normal people, just like how celebrities are treated in Alex''s world.

 Chapter 146: Lilys Childhood Friend

    Based on Lily''s story, Sasha was a cheerful and kind girl. She was the type that would make a friend no matter where she went and turn any situation into a more cheerful one.


    The only downside to her personality was that Sasha was too trusting and always gave people a chance.


    When Blaire stopped pursuing Lily and then went after Sasha with his glib tongue, she quickly melted.


    "Can you believe it? She still gave a chance to a man like Blaire. When he pursued me, I did a lot of research on that bastard, and I knew a lot of things that he had done. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was involved in many crimes in this kingdom. I am sure his only goal in pursuing Sasha or me is to get royalty status."


    "Did you try to convince your friend?"


    "Of course I did. Did you know what he does? Human trafficking, prostitution, casinos, sending money to gangs, kidnapping, loan sharking, illegal drugs... the list goes on and on.


    But that man is just so slippery that no matter how much I look for it, I cannot find any conclusive evidence."


    Hearing this, Alex frowned. If Blaire could evade the investigation of the Guardian captain, his influence would be huge.


    This means he has many high-ranking people in his pocket, and they prefer offending Lilly compared to him.


    There are only two reasons Alex knows that could make this happen: they have a bigger benefit going with Blaire, or Blaire has something very detrimental to them, a blackmail material that could destroy their lives.


    "So what happened next? You say she disappeared?"


    "Yes, after getting married to him for just three months, she is nowhere to be found. Tell me, don''t you smell anything suspicious about it?


    Look, I know Sasha. I can easily guess what happened. Blaire promised he would change, but Sasha found evidence he hadn''t changed at all.


    Then she threatened to make it public if he didn''t surrender himself. Blaire got angry with it, then killed Sasha."


    "Wait, Sasha is also a princess, right? Isn''t she part of royalty? How could no one look after her then?"


    "Legally, she is pronounced dead. After a year of searching without any results, Blaire just pulled his report. There''s nothing the authorities can do then. They even held a funeral for her.


    Can you believe it? I was really mad at that time, but there was nothing I could do. And yes, she is my far cousin; she is still a princess; otherwise, Blaire won''t get his noble status."


    "Just what does a noble status bring for him to go that far for it?"


    "For daily life, it won''t give you many benefits, but there are many things only allowed for royalty.


    For example, exclusive clubs or places, a few minister spots, access to buying weapons, and having a small army for himself.


    Although the army is limited to only a dozen at most for those with a silver bangle, many still seek it; it''s like a status symbol."


    "Do they also get any immunity from the law?"


    "Depending on the case, if it''s a small matter, then yes. Most judges will also think twice before condemning a noble since they will gang up together and make the judge''s life hard, except for a really big case with conclusive proof."


    "I see. So, let me get this straight. You suspect he has something to do with your friend''s disappearance since she disappeared not long after their marriage, but there is nothing you can do?


    Don''t you try to put pressure on the investigator? With your position, I am sure it''s easy."


    "We ourselves may be immune to normal law, but it''s not like we can do things as we please, Alex. Otherwise, I will honestly not think twice, skewering that man to death."


    "Who can punish you other than Sentinel?"


    "Well, only the Sentinel can take our position or when we are defeated in the tournament.


    But if we do something too bad, the nobles can gather together and create a petition to make us lose our position."


    Alex squinted his eyes. "You are still hiding something from me, Lilly. That is not enough reason for you to not do anything.


    Just like you said, despite the lack of conclusive evidence, there is still a lot of evidence pointing at him. So you still have many justifications to punish him.


    What is really stopping you from doing that?"


    Lilly hesitated; her lips quivered for a moment, but in the end, she stayed silent. This is her own problem; she doesn''t want to bring strangers into it.


    Alex tapped his finger on the table and then asked, "Is the captain who was hostile to me before related to Blaire?"


    "Based on what I know, nope."


    "Hmm¡­ it''s fine if you don''t want to tell me, but let me guess. Does he have something on your mother or brother? Some kind of crime that is better not to be found out by anyone."


    Seeing Lilly''s expression, he knew his guess was not that far from the truth.


    What happened between her and Blaire is none of his business, but Alex somehow felt that Blaire was planning something big; that''s why Blaire felt wary of him before.


    "How is Blaire''s relationship with your father?"


    "You mean the king? I don''t know now, but in the past, he was quite close with the king.


    Even though the public doesn''t know about this, I have seen them meeting in private a few times."


    "Do you know what they were talking about?"


    "I don''t know."


    "What kind of person is your father?"


    "Is that important?"


    "Well, I am just curious. You can answer if you want. If not, then don''t."


    Lilly turned silent; her mind started considering how to answer.


    It''s not that she doesn''t want to tell Alex about his personality, but she doesn''t know much about him. Despite being her biological father, she never really had an interaction with him.


    While she was deep in thought, a black shadow enveloped them, followed by a voice.

 Chapter 147: William

    While she was deep in thought, a black shadow enveloped them, followed by a voice.


    "Praise the shadow. I am sorry to disturb you, but I am being sent here by my father. I hope you don''t mind me barging in here."


    Turning his gaze, Alex was met with a round, smiling face.


    The man was shorter than Alex, around eye level, but his body was three times wider than Alex''s.


    Alex could see his triple chin jiggling when his lips moved to say something.


    The man then shamelessly picked an empty chair between Lilly and Alex and sat on it.


    CREAK!!! Alex could hear the protesting sound of the chair as its legs had already started to bend under the man''s weight.


    "Do you know him, Lilly?" Alex asked, while his eyes were still studying the man with short black hair and eyes.


    Despite the man''s size, his bonny cat tail and ears were small, making him look comical.


    Lilly shook her head since she didn''t know who he was.


    The man then interjected, "My name is William. I am no one special. I am just a lazy bump who got forced to come here to greet you.


    Ah, by the way, my father is one of the owners of the restaurant you just ate at."


    William then put both hands together in front of his chest and shook them up and down, creating a gesture that Alex was familiar with.


    "Thank you, sir, for your contribution to our earnings. By the way, what is your name, sir?


    I know her name since she is very famous, but no matter how I try to look, I cannot find who you are?"


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile. "So you are saying you ran a background check on me?"


    "Of course, sir. Who wouldn''t? The other is just hypocrites; they just don''t dare to admit it to your face.


    You come out of nowhere holding the crystal bangle, with our esteemed Guardian Captain following you everywhere; of course, people will feel curious about your background."


    "I heard this identity gives me many immunities. You are quite brave talking like that to my face. Aren''t you afraid of what I will do to you?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    William chuckled, "No, sir. I may be a lazy bump and the biggest Felidaen, but I am sure I can run away."


    His words surprised Alex, making him laugh.


    Then he remembered some of his favorite novels. Almost all of them had chubby characters like William, and they never became the antagonists. "I am Alex. So, what is your real purpose for coming here? I don''t believe it''s just for greeting."


    "My father told me to butter you up, then find out what your purpose at this place is. You know many people will pay a good price for that information."


    "And by telling me this, you think I will talk about it?"


    "Of course not. My only choice is to come here or go to the restaurant to help take care of the customers. The choice is very obvious."


    William said while a woman came putting many dishes on the table. Based on the interaction, Alex could see the woman was William''s personal attendant.


    After putting on the food, she smiled toward Alex and the others. She looked more attractive than average but not to the level of jade beauty, just two levels below it. Her height was similar to William''s, but she was not fat.


    "I am sorry, sir Alex, my young master lacks manners, but he is good at heart."


    She then politely offered to order some food for Alex and Lily if they wanted it. But Alex rejected it since he was still full.


    "Hey, Roxy, how many times have I told you just to call me by name when the geezer is not around? Being called young master is just weird. And who are you calling impolite?"


    William then addressed Alex. "Which will you choose, meeting someone talking behind your back while smiling? Or someone who just talks to your face?"


    Alex chuckled. "Who likes being talked behind their back? The answer to your question is very obvious."


    He then turned his gaze toward Lilly, who was sitting in silence, watching their interaction. "What do you think?"


    "I honestly prefer someone honest," Lilly said with a tone that suggested she was also unsure how to answer. As a princess, other than the Guardian Captain, this was the first time she met someone like William.


    William, without caring, enjoyed his meal and then said while chomping on food, "Don''t mind me... Chom... Chomp... Just continue your discussion... Treat me as air."


    "Young Master, no eating while talking," Roxy said while standing behind William.


    Alex chuckled, seeing this, then pointed at the empty seat. "You should just sit, Roxy. I am sure Lilly also doesn''t mind."


    "Yes, just sit. This is another reason I left the castle," Lilly said while starting to eat the meat skewer in her hand.


    Roxy hesitated for a moment, but William pulled her hand to the empty seat beside him, making her awkward if she didn''t sit.


    Alex then asked, "William, since your father is the restaurant owner, he should be involved with many businesses. Do you know about the auction that will start tonight?"


    William wanted to talk even though his mouth was still full of food. However, after feeling Roxy''s gaze, he gulped it all and then drank some water.


    He then replied, "Of course, I know, Sir Alex. It''s one of the biggest events this year. By chance, do you want to participate?


    Actually, my father is one of the committee members responsible for managing the security at the auction. I am sure he can get you in easily."


    "Security? Didn''t you say your father owns a restaurant?"


    "Well, he has many businesses, from restaurants, retail stores, and news to security. Everything is running almost automatically, But every time there is a big event like this one, my dad will always interfere directly to make sure everything runs smoothly."

 Chapter 148: Dire Situation

    Lily''s eyebrow raised, a realization coming to her mind, "Ah, you are from The Fat Frog Guild."


    "Yes, Lady Lily, we are from that Guild. With the best motto of work in the kingdom."


    Lily then explained to Alex how the Guild was famous in this kingdom. It''s one of the biggest guilds in the Feloria. The discussion then changed to how the Guild works.


    At first, Alex thought it was similar to the guilds he had read about in novels, but here, it turned out that it was basically a company.


    A civilian needs to have their own Guild or join an existing one to open their own business. Joining a guild will give them many benefits, from loans to cheaper rent of the guild property. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this kingdom, there are also no banks, and since the data of their money is put in their own crystal, there is no need for one.


    Alex then asked William if he knew the conflict between nobles could escalate into something big; this made William''s expression turn serious.


    "There are no conflicts between the royals now."


    "What do you mean? No conflict? That is impossible."


    Alex was surprised by this. Was it royalty without any conflict? There is no way it can exist. It''s like saying political parties exist in harmony.


    The possibility of this happening is almost zero; even small stuff can be blown up by their competitor to gain more votes from the populace.


    "Yes, that is why my father also finds it weird. It''s been like this for two years now. The people were happy with the situation," William said, then continued eating.


    "Why do you say it like it''s something bad? It''s good that there is no conflict." Lily asked William.


    William responded with a shrug; he didn''t want to go into a debate with the Guardian captain.


    Alex then tapped his finger on the table while he thought.


    ''For people to stay together, they should have the same purposes. Just what kind of reason can unite every political party to get united?


    It should be something big; in my world, this only happened because we have the same enemy, and it only lasts for a moment.''


    Alex then started thinking about the possibility of the enemy they faced, and in the end, he came to one conclusion.


    ''Damn that geezer,'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    He speculated that the current king probably had some kind of plan to attack the Sentinel, and now, thanks to the bangle on his hand, he had no choice but to get involved.


    No matter what he says, it will only be a matter of time before the king''s actions start making moves on him.


    Alex was sure the king was the main culprit; there was a very slim chance for Blaire to be able to unite all the nobles.


    ''The king should also know I am a human from the outside world; he will take more precautions for sure,'' Alex thought.


    His own presence now already advertises that the Sentinel know what they are doing and sent him to take care of it.


    While Alex''s mind churned with what he should do, a message came from Patricia.


    BAM! He hit the table hard, forgetting to control his power because of the news. It split into two.


    William, Patricia, and Roxy stood up, jumping a few steps back from Alex. They could feel an invisible pressure emanating from him.


    Alex learned the situation from Patricia; Olivia and the rest were forced to move because of the sudden raid by the skeleton troop.


    Even now, they are still running away, trying to look for a safe place. The situation was dire.


    Alex''s gaze turned cold; he knew he needed to find a way to return faster from this place, but to do that, he would need to negotiate with Aimu.


    ''Aimu sent me here to take care of this problem; I will finish this quickly and negotiate with him.''


    Alex then sent out orders to Zargarth to back up Patricia and the others.


    Zargarth has come to the place where Alex disappeared, but there is nothing weird in the area.


    He did meet with a few more parasites; this made Alex think there was a nest of parasites in the area, so he told Patricia to avoid going near it and move in another direction.


    William and Lily still gazed warily at Alex; Lily prepared to fight at any time while William prepared to run.


    The market also turned silent; everyone was focusing on Alex. The local authorities also quickly came but didn''t dare to do anything. This was far above their pay grade.


    "Alex, what do you intend to do?" Lily asked.


    Her voice made him return to reality. Seeing the mess in front of him, Alex''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "Sorry, I just remembered something important. Change of plan, Lily, bring me to Blaire''s place."


    "Why? What? Why to his place?" Lily asked since she didn''t understand why Alex suddenly wanted to go there.


    "Just show me the way, and I will explain the way. Don''t you want justice for your friend?"


    With the mention of Sasha, Lily started considering whether to bring him there or not. Based on how Alex acted, she could tell Alex didn''t plan to go there just for a conversation.


    Seeing all this, William stood forward then interjected, "Sir Alex, if you mean Blaire Russell, the one that got married to Princess Sasha, I know where to find him."


    Alex took out the name card he got from Blaire and then gave it to William. "Is this the one?"


    Taking the card, William double-checked the name and address. He then gave a nod.


    "Yes, this is the one. Since you have his card, why not just try to contact him? Ask him for a meeting. I am sure he will gladly stop whatever he was doing now and come to you."


    "Lily, how can I contact him with this card?" Alex asked.


    "The small crystal on the card will allow you to send a message to him. Just press it for a few seconds, and a small hologram interface will appear, allowing you to send a message."

 Chapter 149: You Are A Human?

    Hearing their interaction, William squinted his eyes, placing his hand on his triple chin, many thoughts coming to his mind.


    ''This Alex has no background at all and doesn''t even know how to use the contact car.


    At first, I thought he was someone who lived with the Sentinel, never coming out to the city, but it seems there is something more to this.''


    "Young master, are you sure you want to interfere with this? Don''t you hate troublesome things?" Roxy asked, whispering to William.


    "Because I hate troublesome things, I need to interfere with this, Roxy. Whatever the king is planning will disturb my lazy, comfortable life.


    If he can stop it before it happens, that will be better than my other plan."


    "So, that is why you told me to build that place in the middle of nowhere."


    William replied with a small nod.


    Alex, with his sharp hearing, could hear everything, but he didn''t care about their discussion; he addressed William. "Forget it. It''s better to just catch him by surprise. Where is he now?"


    "Wait, let me check," William replied.


    He then took out a card similar to the one Alex had given him before, but this one was filled with many crystals, with some letters near it. He started tapping over it, creating a few small holo-panels, then sent some messages outside.


    After some time passed, William''s face turned into a frown.


    With a concerned tone, he said, "He is not in the palace right now. I suggest we should just wait for him at his place if you want to ambush him, or you can just arrange a meeting with him."


    Alex clicked his tongue in annoyance. He wanted to quickly track the source, but directly making trouble in the palace was still out of the question for him.


    "Let''s wait at his place then; we might find some clues along the way."


    "His place is guarded; are you just going to barge in there?" Lilly asked with a concerned tone.


    Alex tilted his head in confusion. "And they will dare to block our path?" He pointed at his bangle. Since he had the authority, Alex wanted to utilize it.


    ''No wonder she failed to investigate her friend''s circumstances,'' Alex thought to himself, but he didn''t say it out loud since it wasn''t really his problem.


    They then returned to the chariot and started moving toward Blaire''s property.


    On this journey, they moved using William''s chariot so they could all travel in the same vehicle.


    His was already modified to fit his body without any problem; it''s not like Lily''s chariot couldn''t hold his weight, but it would make the space really cramped. He was just too big. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Along the way, Lily asked, "Can you explain what you plan to do now?"


    Alex glanced sideways at William. In response, he raised both hands, then moved them to his lips, making a gesture that his lips were sealed.


    "Don''t worry, Sir Alex, I will bet my life you can trust my young master."


    "Why would I need to bet your life for me, Roxy? I''ve already told you many times over I don''t want you to act like this," William then sighed. "Let''s talk about this later. I don''t want to debate now. You can trust me, Sir Alex."


    Alex''s hand moved, taking out a contract from his storage ring. It was the one from Ming Yue''s world, a slave contract. However, Alex modified the content.


    He then added some more words using his qi and threw it in front of William and Roxy.


    "Just call me Alex. In front of you is an agreement tied to your soul. Break it, and you are dead.


    Words are easy, William. Now, prove your word.


    I know you also have some goals; otherwise, you wouldn''t have come with us here. This way, we can trust each other faster."


    Lily, William, and Roxy looked at the paper Alex created with surprise. They had never seen it before, but feeling the energy coming out from the paper, they believed what Alex said.


    While Roxy and William read the content, Lily asked, "Why don''t you ask me to sign one too?"


    "The Sentinel is the one that guaranteed you, so I don''t need to ask you for one, at least for now," Alex replied.


    "How do I sign it?" William asked after reading the content and finding nothing weird in it.


    The contract stipulated that he must keep his lips sealed and not share any information that could endanger and compromise Alex.


    In exchange for this, Alex would also not tell anyone about his involvement today. In case any party broke it, they would die. The one gifted to Roxy also has the same content.


    "Just drip your blood onto it," Alex said with a smile.


    Although the contract looked fair, in reality, it was skewed toward Alex. As the base for this was a slave contract, he could change the content as he wished without them knowing, and even without it, the death penalty wouldn''t work on him with the level of strength the contract had.


    William picked a knife from the cupboard in his chariot and then poked his thumb.


    The moment the blood reached it, the contract shimmered with dim light and then turned into dust. William & Roxy could feel something locking into their souls.


    William then asked, "Since we''ve already gone this far, can you tell me who you really are, Alex?"


    Alex took off the bangle from his arm, finding it easier to just show rather than explain. The bony feline ears and tail on his body disappeared, making William and Roxy gasp in surprise.


    "You are a human?" William asked in a panic. He regretted signing the agreement now.


    Stories about humans have been told in their education system since they were kids. They all knew humans were the cause of their being locked in this place, and in every story, humans were portrayed as something bad and evil.


    Lily was an exception because she interacted a lot with the Sentinel.

 Chapter 150: Isnt it Better?

    Even before she became the Guardian captain. She often visited the Sentinel to escape from the palace.


    Alex put the bangle back on and replied, "Yes, and is that a problem?"


    "Young master..." Roxy looked at William with a complicated gaze, feeling guilty because she didn''t try to stop William from making the agreement.


    William squinted his eyes at Alex for a moment, then sighed, "Humans are always portrayed as the evil in our society. So, don''t blame me for being biased against you.


    Since you are a human, does that mean you come from outside this realm?"


    "Yes, and your sentinel wants to use me to solve the problem in his kingdom," Alex replied with an annoyed tone.


    He then shared his speculation that the king and other nobles were concocting a plan to overthrow the Sentinel from his seat.


    "That is outrageous! What could even make you think that!?" Lily said in disbelief.


    Every single royalty, including her mother and brother, was involved in what was essentially a rebellion. For Lily, the result was as clear as day: death.


    She cannot believe they would do that.


    "Isn''t it clear as day? Look, there are no conflicts between the nobles; this means they are now united in one goal.


    And what kind of person do you think is capable of doing this? Blaire? No way. Only a king can do this.


    Then what kind of goal would need them to stay united other than overthrowing the Sentinel?"


    "I know my mother and brother; there''s no way they would be stupid enough to join that kind of rebellion."


    Alex sighed, "I''m not saying your mom and brother joined it on purpose, but I bet they will have no choice.


    When your king and everyone powerful around them join, do you think they can just say no? They are not you, Lily, having the Sentinel protection."


    This made Lily''s expression turn complicated. Her eyes filled with worry. She took out a card from her pocket.


    "What do you think you are doing?" Alex asked


    "Of course, I need to contact them to make sure of this."


    "Are you dumb? Stop it. Doing that will just make the situation worse. What good telling them about this will do?"


    "I¡­" Lily''s voice quivered, her eyes looking at Alex flickered with pain. "I don''t know."


    William, observing their interaction, couldn''t help but comment, "Alex, I don''t think you need to be so mean to her."


    "How was I mean to her?" Alex asked, not understanding since he just told her the truth.


    Roxy, sitting at William''s side, also nodded. "Lady Lily doesn''t care about politics and is famous for being upright and never misusing her authority. So it''s not weird she doesn''t understand the situation."


    ''And how does that make me mean? She is a guardian captain. Even though she hates politics, she should understand something like this.'' Alex thought, but he didn''t say it out loud. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t want to bother with useless debate since his mind was focused on the situation on Emily''s side. He kept getting occasional updates on the situation.


    The group is now hiding in a basement in a random building they have entered.


    With a sigh, Alex looked at Lily. "Sorry, I didn''t mean it like that." He then turned to address William. "You explain it to her then."


    William thought for a moment, then spoke. "Lady Lily, if you contact your family now, there''s a risk someone can overhear it. Even if not, this will become a burden to them.


    They will need to lie when facing the king and other royal family members. Isn''t it better to just talk to them when the matter is settled?"


    "You are right, William. But this changes many things." She turned her gaze to Alex. "As long as you can find proof of your theory, I will be able to move the guardian."


    "Isn''t the guardian''s job only to face invaders and protect the big tree?"


    "If the King really rebelled, doesn''t that make him an invader?"


    "Well, that is true." Alex started considering the idea; using the Guardian would certainly make his job easier.


    "Can they be trusted?"


    "Of course, every single one of them was checked beforehand by the Sentinel."


    Remembering how Amu had acted before, Alex still didn''t believe all of them could be trusted. "Let''s decide when we get the proof then."


    Alex then asked for more information on the Guardian''s capabilities.


    He learned that despite all of them using bows, in reality, each of them has different weapon mastery.


    Some use swords, while others use spears or even guns. Lily''s specialty was using a spear.


    Since now she trust Alex, Lily also told him their weapons could be awakened, turning them into weapons of their choice. Each also has a unique ability.


    "How could the weapons change? Is this unique to the Guardian?" Alex asked.


    He wanted to know if there was a possibility he needed to fight an enemy like that.


    "Based on what I know, no. But who knows what kind of leak we have if the king dares to rebel. I know him; he won''t move if he is not sure of the result."


    Their discussion was then interrupted as the chariot reached their destination.


    From the window, Alex could see a big building surrounded by fences. The fences looked like thorny vines, with red roses growing from them, making them look both deadly and beautiful.


    Crystal blue water flowed surrounding the building while many security personnel were walking on wooden platforms built on top of the vine fence.


    The place was like a fortress. Alex and the group then made their way to the house. But they were stopped when they reached the bridge to pass the river.


    "Halt!" the security raised his hand and then made the gesture to his chest.


    "Praise the shadow! I am sorry, Lady Lily, the master is not here now; even if it''s you, I cannot let you enter without his permission."


    "Will you even bar my path? The Sentinel envoy?" Alex asked with a cold gaze.

 Chapter 151: The King

    "Do mind, every single word that escapes your mouth will be taken as the stance your master Blaire takes toward the Sentinel.


    Tell your master I am here. If he doesn''t return in five minutes, I will treat it as his plan to rebel against the Sentinel."


    Alex''s ultimatum made the security turn sour. He could try to block Alex by force, but based on his words, the meaning is clear.


    The moment he does that, he and everyone in this place will be treated as traitors, which means kill on sight.


    It''s not only him staying here; there is also his family.


    With a reluctant smile, the Guard quickly said, "Please wait a minute, Sir Alex." He then turned around and went inside the mansion.


    [Target is feeling fear, reluctance, and anger]


    Alex read the information from Vesa while looking toward the man''s back.


    Meanwhile, at this moment, Blaire was kneeling with many other nobles in front of the throne.


    At the majestic chair that was made from green wood but adorned with jewelry and gold, making it look out of place, a middle-aged man with cold eyes and a black mustache was looking down, with two women standing beside him. One is on the left, and one is on the right.


    His eyes were not like looking at fellow comrades but like looking at insects that he could squash anytime.


    "So tell me, what is he up to?"


    "Your majesty, I have met with this new Envoy. Based on what I know, he should be a human, but what is peculiar is he''s now a fellow felidaeans like us.


    So, I am sure the Sentinel does this to allow him to mingle so he can do an investigation without making a scene. This means the Sentinel already has his suspicion on us," Blaire said with a quivering voice. His confident face was nowhere to be seen.


    "And?" The King''s cold voice reverberated in the room, making everyone who kneel have cold sweat on their heads.


    Blaire''s lips quivered; he didn''t have any further information he could tell since Alex didn''t say anything to him.


    A moment passed in silence before the King opened his mouth. "Useless¡­ You should know what will happen next if you are not useful to me."


    Blaire raised his head upward to look at the King, BANG!


    The moment he did that, a black projectile passed through his face, creating a vertical line of blood on his cheek. It kept moving, hitting one of the noble''s heads, turning it into meat paste.


    "I will give you ten seconds. If you cannot tell me anything useful, you are next."


    The King just killed one of the nobles, but no one dared to make a voice, not even raise their head to see who just got killed; they just felt lucky it wasn''t them.


    Looking at the King, Blaire could see one of the King''s fingers pointed in his direction.


    That finger was only bone. But it only lasted for a moment before it regenerated, returning back to normal.


    Blaire''s brain quickly churned, thinking of any information that would be useful for the King. He rethought every single detail when he met with Alex and Lily.


    Their expressions, clothes, gestures, anything that could give him a clue. But he got nothing. His heart started beating faster, sweat drenching his back.


    While each second passed, it felt like an eternity, and the card from his pocket vibrated.


    Normally, Blaire wouldn''t dare pick it up when meeting with the King, but now he was trying to grasp any hope he could. There are still many things he needs to do; he cannot die yet.


    Blaire took out the card from his pocket, and his eyes quickly read over the message.


    "King, the Sentinel Envoy is at my place now. Will you excuse me to get more information from him?"


    Tap... Tap... The King tapped his finger on the throne armrest. Each tap made Blaire''s heart beat faster.


    "Fine, go," the King said in a cold voice.


    A huge relief washed over Blaire''s shoulder, but he didn''t quickly leave the room. There was something even more important than his life that he needed to do.


    Blaire lowered his upper body again in respect, "King, it''s brash of me to ask this from you, but the last antidote will run out in a few hours. I need the new one," he said with a determined tone.


    The King looked coldly at Blaire; he didn''t respond to him. Instead, his eyes looked toward one of the women that stood beside the throne.


    The woman had golden hair and a beautiful face; her body was attractive, the perfect hourglass. Despite wearing full combat armor, it didn''t reduce her beauty even by a bit. She had a similar height to Alex.


    The woman walked step by step until she reached in front of Blaire.


    CRACK! She lifted her foot, pressing it on top of Blaire, cracking his bone. Blaire grimaced in pain but didn''t dare to scream. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman looked at Blaire with disgust. "You reject me and choose that wench; you deserve this. Don''t think I will ever forget everything that happened between us, Blaire."


    The woman then took out a black pill from her pocket and dropped it in front of Blaire.


    Looking at the pill, Blaire felt everything was worth it; no matter what sacrifices he needed to make, it was all fine. But the relief only lasted for a moment as a black shadow cast over the pill.


    Blaire instinctively moved his other hand, protecting it from another stomp from the woman. But just before the woman''s foot touched his other hand, a cold voice reverberated from the throne.


    "Isla! That is enough!"


    The woman stopped her step and then quickly walked back to the King. "I am sorry, my king, my emotions got the better of me."


    The King looked at her coldly, "You should know your punishment."


    "Yes, my king." But despite what the woman said, her face didn''t show any fear. She then knelt before the King.

 Chapter 152: The Pill

    Blaire, already gotten what he needed, quickly excused himself and left the area. He didn''t even care about his left hand, which now has a white bone protruding out from it.


    Outside, he quickly opened his palm, checking the pill''s condition. Seeing it was alright, Blaire felt relieved.


    He then put it back into his pocket and took out a bottle filled with clear water.


    If Alex were here, he would recognize this water since it''s his favorite. Even though it''s clear in color, there is something different than normal water that would allow Alex to quickly recognize it as spice water.


    Blaire opened the cap and poured the liquid over his broken hand. When the liquid came out, it was a little different than what Alex used to drink; it was thicker in consistency, almost like a gel.


    The moment it hit his palm, a cold sensation washed over the wound, the gel quickly reacting, mending his hand. It only took a few seconds before the wound quickly healed. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing his hand healed, Blaire''s face doesn''t show any relief; instead, it''s filled with worry.


    ''Just whose side should I take now? The king can even make this kind of liquid. How about the sentinel? Can he still win?'' Blaire sighed to himself.


    If he can choose, he will prefer the Sentinel side, but with his current circumstances, it''s just impossible.


    He then rode his chariot, making his way back toward his house. Along the way, he took out the black pill again.


    The pill was solid black with a rough texture; it felt solid but fragile at the same time. With a pinch of his hand, even with no strength, the pill would be squashed.


    He had spent a lot of money and resources looking for a way to recreate this antidote, but it was all futile.


    "I did find some of the material, but most is something I had never seen; just where did the king get all this information?


    Is it those women? But there is no way it''s them; I am the one who gifted them to the king."


    Blaire thought hard but could not find any clue.


    In the past, the king wouldn''t even dare to think of a rebellion, but after Blaire gave the king the two women to ensure his marriage with Sasha ran smoothly, the king started to change.


    He became more powerful and cruel. The public doesn''t know about this, but the number of nobles that were killed by the king''s hand has easily reached a hundred now.


    The king also became more greedy and lustful; those who didn''t agree with him or even tried to talk back to him would have their wives and daughters taken as his concubines, while all their wealth was taken by the king.


    This made Blaire wonder just what the king found that he suddenly dared to do. The King''s Power also grew exponentially in the past, even when Blaire could defeat him.


    The other option is that the king now is fake.


    Blaire sighed, then his eyes turned determined, "What matters now is for me to find the cure; whatever happens to this kingdom doesn''t matter."


    It didn''t take long for the chariot to land back at his place.


    Alex and the others were already seated in the guest area waiting for him. But Blaire didn''t directly talk to them; instead, he went somewhere else first.


    Seeing Blaire excuse himself for a minute made Alex frown. Alex wanted to stop him, but Blaire didn''t even give him a chance before leaving them.


    "Let''s follow him," Alex said, looking toward the hallway Blaire disappeared into.


    As he walked toward it, two people came and barred his path, "Sorry, sir, but I cannot let you pass."


    Alex was now in a hurry; normally, he would wait for Blaire to come back first, then talk to him, finding a hole in his argument, but now, with his sister in danger, he didn''t care about pleasantries.


    BAM! With two swings of his hand, both guards were knocked out.


    Walking through the hallway, he found stairs reaching the second floor.


    Along the way, Alex didn''t bat an eye, knocking each guard down and making William, Roxy, and Lily dazed, following behind him.


    They felt Alex was too reckless now, but feeling the atmosphere around him, they didn''t dare to say anything for fear of upsetting him further.


    BAM! KNOCK! BAM!


    Alex utilized his qi, making sure he knocked each of them out in one hit cleanly without any lingering wounds.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach an ornate wooden door, signifying the room was special. Alex kicked the door open, making Blaire, who was inside, quickly raise his hand.


    "YOU! Who told you that you can come here?"


    If not for the place he was in, Blaire would have already attacked while calling for his security to surround Alex.


    Alex doesn''t reply to what Blaire says. He felt puzzled by what he saw; his mind quickly linked the situation with what he knew, but it made him feel there were many important pieces of information he missed.


    Lily, meanwhile, gasped in surprise, putting her hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened, focusing on the bed.


    The room is the main bedroom in this house, the one Blaire used. On the bed lay an unconscious woman that looked like a dried husk. The lips were cracked, while the cheeks were sunk in like in the elderly.


    "Sasha?" Lily mumbled, then walked slowly toward the bed. But Blaire stood up, blocking her path.


    "Don''t come close to her."


    Seeing Blaire stand in front of her made Lily''s gaze turn sharp. "What did you do to her!? I knew I should have taken your head when I had the chance."


    "Take my head!? You self-righteous wench, this is all your fault! If not because of you, she wouldn''t be hurt like this!"


    "My Fault!? How could it be my fault? She marries you, and now she ends up like this.


    If it''s not you, whose fault is this? I am sure this happened because of what you do!"

 Chapter 153: Sasha

    "I won''t deny I am one of the causes of it, but the situation was inevitable.


    But you! You should have been able to protect her if not because of your so-called righteousness and morality!"


    "How does my morality relate to this? If she asks me for help, I will never turn her down! You are the scum here. Did one of your rivals poison her?"


    "Poison her? My rival? Yes, you''re right! It''s your father who did this."


    William, who listened from the side, raised his eyebrows at the revelation. Sasha was a princess, meaning she was one of the King''s daughters.


    Even though she was born from a concubine and, based on Feraldian culture, doesn''t have the daughter status, it doesn''t change the fact that she was the King''s biological daughter.


    "How cruel. To do this to his own daughter," William mumbled.


    Roxy, at his side, also said, "If every parent is like this, I feel fortunate not having one, young master."


    "No, Roxy, even though my father is cold to me, I know he will never do anything that will hurt me. This just shows how ruthless the King is."


    Alex, in his mind, coldly calculated why the King felt the need to poison Sasha.


    A few possibilities rose in his mind; the King needed a backup plan to keep Blaire in check. Sasha had some evidence of what the King was doing, or it might even be as simple as the King was looking for a good target to test his poison.


    ''But what kind of poison can make someone like that? She looks like a dehydrated person,'' Alex thought to himself.


    While Lily and Blaire had their debate on whose fault it was, Alex made his way with a few steps to reach Sasha.


    He then pulled down the blanket, revealing Sasha''s arm, now only bone clad in skin.


    ''Vesa, analyze her,'' Alex said in his mind while he made his nails sharp.


    He did this by concentrating his qi toward his nail mixed with a little bit of life force, making it grow, becoming harder and sharper at the tip.


    At this moment, Blaire realized what happened; he turned his head back, seeing what Alex was doing to his wife.


    "What are you doing?" Blaire quickly asked in a panic.


    "I am checking your wife''s condition. You should have known I come from the outside world. Since you have tried many methods and failed, you might as well let me check it."


    With a prick, Alex then tried to pry some blood to come out, but even after a few attempts, there was nothing. He needed to take some of the blood to let Vesa analyze it in detail.


    After some thought, he then took out a small, long needle from his storage ring, and with a swift movement, he stabbed it into her artery.


    Taking it out, Alex could see only a small amount of blood on the tip of the needle; it was thick and colored black.


    He then turned his gaze toward Blaire. "Come here, I need your blood."


    Alex could have asked Lily, too, but he wanted to get more information about Blaire now since he is potentially his enemy.


    Even though he concluded that Blaire was working for the King because he kept his wife hostage with poison, that doesn''t change the fact that Blaire was a criminal.


    Seeing Alex seemed to know what he was doing, Blaire decided to take the risk. For his wife, he was prepared to do anything.


    She is the only one who trusts him no matter what the situation is. He still remembered the day Sasha confessed to him.


    In Lily''s eyes, because she kept giving him the cold shoulder, Blaire changed the target from her to Sasha, but in reality, it was all Sasha''s decision.


    Sasha wanted to tell Lily about this, but Blaire told her not to because it would make her look bad. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without saying anything, Blaire moved and put his hand forward for Alex to prick, surprising Lily.


    "Just what really happened to Sasha?" Lily asked, her eyes filled with worry, looking at Sasha.


    Despite her status, today, she felt very helpless.


    Her friend was lying almost dead without her knowing for years, while a man she just knew found out about a big rebellion just in a few hours he was staying in the kingdom.


    This made her question her own capability.


    Alex took out some blood from Blaire; the result was bright red, tinged with black, which made Alex frown. ''Is this the normal color? Or is the black coming because of the corruption?''


    He then asked, "Are all Feliadeans born with bone ears and tails?"


    Blaire, at first, wanted to answer Lily, but hearing Alex''s question, he prioritized his, despite not understanding how it''s related to Sasha''s condition.


    "When born, Feliadeans have normal tails and ears covered with fur, but it only lasts for a second before it turns into the bone appearance that we have now."


    "I see," Alex mumbled.


    This makes him sure the corruption has something to do with life force.


    When life is being made inside a womb, they are constantly being engulfed by life force energy; the process is mysterious, even for the Vampire race.


    A unique life force of energy is created, and then a new life starts being nurtured when certain conditions are met. After this unique life force disappears, corruption returns, encroaching on the newborn.


    ''This means the corruption should be something like an affliction.'' Alex thought.


    He then returned his focus to Sasha''s blackened blood. Without hesitation, he put the blood into his mouth while keeping the one with Blaire''s blood in his storage ring.


    The moment it touched his tongue, Alex could feel something start to encroach on his existence, but it only lasted for a moment before it quickly disappeared.


    ''What is that, Vesa?''


    [King, this is not poison, to be exact; it''s some kind of lifeform like bacteria or virus, but this one exists to corrupt life force energy.]


    [With my current strength, I cannot find more detailed information about this since it''s too dangerous to keep it to experiment.]

 Chapter 154: Curing Sasha

    ''I see, so it''s like a virus, but this one affects Lifeforce. Since it''s like that, it means we should be able to kill or remove it if we can isolate all the viruses. Can you try?''


    [If it''s the virus that afflicts that woman, Sasha, I can try, but if it''s the one that made their tail and ears into bone, it''s better we don''t try to do anything for now, King.]


    [It''s too dangerous. I suspect the one that created this virus has some countermeasures in place that will alert him the moment we try to dissect it.]


    ''Let''s heal this woman first, then. Contain all the virus, Vesa; we will check on it if we have more time later,'' Alex ordered.


    He then produced a vial of glass, putting it toward the wound he made before. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Sure, King, but I need to confirm it will cost you some amount of life force energy; I don''t know how much since it depends on how many poisons exist in this woman''s body. But after we start, I cannot stop the process.]


    Alex then checked his status; he needed to make sure he wouldn''t turn berserk in this place.


    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 8.1


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 2500/2,500


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation - Late-Level


    ______________________________


    Beyond his current life force, Alex also had a few thousand stockpiled at Vesa. He was confident it would be more than enough to heal Sasha.


    Green particles started coming out from his finger, condensing into a sphere inside the empty vial.


    What Vesa did next was manipulate the wavelength, changing it to a similar pattern to what Sasha had. Since the virus was like a beast locking into her Lifeforce.


    As expected, a black liquid came out from the wound, encroaching toward the sphere.


    Seeing the black gooey liquid coming from his wife made Blaire smile with excitement. It was a progress.


    The green sphere started turning black. When this happened, Vesa moved more Lifeforce toward the sphere. The process continued as more and more black, gooey liquid came out from Sasha.


    The vial was starting to get full, but the black goo kept coming out, not showing any sign it would stop anytime soon.


    Alex frowned upon seeing this. He flicked his hand, moving some of the vial''s contents into his storage ring. The process kept going for five minutes before it finally ended. Alex then put the vial away.


    In total, he spends 1.157 Lifeforce Energy.


    Sasha''s complexion was still pale; despite having the toxin removed, her body still needed time to recover. But Alex had a solution.


    He took out a bottle of potion and gave it to Blaire, "Make her drink this; she will recover sooner then."


    Blaire quickly agreed. He didn''t doubt Alex anymore. He opened the cap and poured the liquid into her throat.


    The effects were almost instantaneous. Her pale face started turning back to its healthy color. The sunken cheeks started recovering to their normal state.


    Sasha returned to her prime but was still unconscious. Blaire''s eyes were filled with emotion, something Lily had never seen before, nor had she ever thought it was possible for him to show that kind of face.


    "Sir Alex, thank you so much for this. I owe you one," Blaire said while lowering his body in respect.


    "You can start by telling me what you know about the current situation," Alex replied as he took a seat.


    At the side of the bedroom, there were a few chairs with a wooden table in front of them, along with a few shelves filled with crystal tablets.


    William and Lily also followed, taking a seat.


    Blaire sighed, "My wife became like this because I tried to reject the king''s request."


    "What is the request?"


    Blaire, now sitting on the bed''s side while holding Sasha''s hand, said, "He asked me to continue my business. I''m sure Lily has already briefed you on what I do for a living."


    According to Blaire''s story, after getting married to Sasha, he tried to stop all his criminal activity, but the King quickly disagreed.


    Blaire was allowed to operate since he also gave information to the royalty. From the King''s perspective, the criminal world cannot be completely obliterated, so it''s better to embrace it.


    He helped Blaire become the kingpin of the underworld. Since Blaire also understood his position, he suggested choosing a replacement for him. The King agreed to it at first but gave him one last mission.


    This mission would take him a few days to finish, and he needed to go to the outskirts of the kingdom, putting him far away from Sasha.


    His place was already like a fortress, but he still felt worried about leaving her alone. So he suggested Sasha ask for help from Lily, but she rejected it.


    In her words, "We haven''t been in contact much after I married you. You know how she is. Lily will just try to convince me again that you are a bad man. I''m tired of having the same discussion with her."


    Blaire sighed. He knew it was hard to change his wife''s decision, and he also had no time for it. So he left after raising the security a few levels.


    But it was all useless; when he returned, he saw his wife already in that condition with a letter from the King.


    After this, the King started making his preparations to overthrow the Sentinel. Blaire was ordered to procure many weapons that were not recorded in the official document since this document was checked by the high councilor and the other party.


    "What will happen if the high councilor gets this information?"


    Blaire''s face turned serious. "If it was a week ago, then we would have a way to impeach the King. The high councilor also has his own personal army. But now it''s too late."


    "So the high councilor is also under the king''s thumb?"


    "Yes, his family was kidnapped. The same thing also happened with most political leaders. The only entity not under the King''s control is the Guardian."

 Chapter 155: Plan: Assassinate the King

    When Blaire gave his explanation, Lily was silent, her mind not focusing on his story. Instead, she looked at Sasha, feeling guilty about what had happened.


    Now that she had calmed down, she could understand why Blaire resented her.


    If she had been there for Sasha, she wouldn''t have been poisoned. And Sasha avoided her because she was so judgmental of Blaire, never giving him a chance to explain himself.


    Meanwhile, William frowned, his eyebrows knitting together; the situation was worse than he had anticipated.


    With almost every faction now in the King''s hand, it was only a matter of time before the King started his move. It could be two days from now, tomorrow, or even today.


    "Alex, can I tell my father about this? I want my family to evacuate. We will do it discreetly."


    "Sure," Alex replied without even looking at William. His mind was occupied with what he should do next. After some thought, he asked Blaire, "How many people do you have under you?"


    "I have only a few dozen that are useful. The rest is just normal security. If you want to attack the King with a full army, you will have no hope of winning. And I need to warn you, the King is strong."


    "How strong?"


    "More than I can imagine, so I cannot say."


    "You should have watched the Guardian match. How do you compare it to Lily?" Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blaire paused for a moment, remembering the last Guardian tournament. Lily defeated her opponent easily without any problem.


    "I know the Guardian should have some special abilities, but in the tournament, they could only fight using their preferred weapon.


    Based on those performances and information I know about their abilities, the King should be able to defeat all of them without breaking a sweat."


    ''They have power levels around 4 to 5. If I''m being generous here, activating their unique weapon should allow their power level to rise by one or two points.


    That still means they are weaker than me, and the King is stronger than me, but not by far. I should be able to defeat him if the situation is right.''


    Alex thought to himself, then asked, "If we infiltrated the castle and went straight to assassinate the king, how many people would need to fight?"


    Blaire was surprised by how straightforward Alex was. He thought about it and, after some consideration, concluded that it was impossible to do.


    Infiltrating the palace, where the security is now on high alert without anyone knowing, is just not possible.


    "I don''t think it''s possible to do that without alerting anyone, Sir Alex. It will just end up with all the Royal Guard attacking you from all directions.


    No matter how strong you are, being ganged up by that many people, you will not win.


    Even with the help of the Guardian and my troop, it''s just a drop in the bucket compared to the army the King can now mobilize."


    Alex turned silent. If infiltration was not possible, then the other option was to try meeting with the King directly. But since the King already knew about him, he would certainly be wary and prepare an army for ambush.


    Even with his current lifeforce stockpile, he didn''t want to take the risk unless he really had no other choice.


    "Can you think of a way to make the King go out alone?" Alex asked. He hoped they had more ideas since they knew more about the situation than him.


    Blaire shook his head. "He will never go out alone. At the very least, he will bring two of his concubines, who also have strength that I cannot fathom."


    "What can you tell about their power?"


    "The two concubines were actually gifted by me. They should have been orphans without any combat skill, but after they spent time with the King, they changed."


    Blaire paused for a moment, then added, "Actually, the king also started to change after he got them."


    Hearing the word "concubine," Lily, who had been silent so far, interjected, "I know them. They give me a weird feeling."


    "Weird, how? Did you also feel the same, Blaire?"


    Blaire shook his head. While Lily tried to think hard to describe her feelings clearly.


    Seeing the fake bone tail behind Alex that swayed left and right, she then got a realization.


    "I get it now. Their tail movement is similar to you, Alex. It follows the same pattern in repetition.


    I never thought about it before, but now it''s possible that they also use some kind of illusion mechanism?"


    ''If they are not Felidaens, the only possibility would be the fairy,'' Alex thought to himself. Alex never mentioned the fairy since he already concluded the race was hiding from the Felidaens.


    ''But if this is true, does this mean Freya is the one behind all of this? Or she also doesn''t know what happened?'' This makes Alex worry even more about the situation.


    William, who had just finished contacting his family, then suggested, "Alex, there is a way to make the King come out. He will not be alone, but at the very least, he won''t have many people around him. It''s at the auction."


    William''s idea was quickly approved by the group. Since his father was responsible for the security of the event, it was possible to create an opportunity for Alex and the others to lay an ambush in the VIP room. But there were many other things Alex needed to consider.


    "We still need to free the other political party''s hostages and note every single loyalist of the King. Do you have that information, Blaire?"


    "I only know some of it, but I can speculate where he will put the rest of the hostages, like the high councilor''s family. It''s just speculation, though, based on his personality now."


    Since the King had become very lustful, even acting such in meetings, Blaire speculated that the high councilor''s family was not spared.

 Chapter 156: Blaires Past

    ''The king will only need the high councilor for now. If he succeeds in toppling the Sentinel, I''m sure he will change the government, making himself a real dictator. The high councilor will have no place in his new government,'' Blaire thought.


    "Make sure of this information then," Alex said as he stood up from his seat, preparing to leave the area.


    "Where will you go now?" Lily asked since she didn''t want to leave yet; at the very least, she wanted to wait for Sasha to wake first.


    "I need to confirm a few things. Just wait here, Lily." He then turned his gaze to Blaire, "You should also start moving, confirming all the information. I want everything prepared before the auction starts."


    "What about me then?" William asked. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I need a guide, of course. You''re coming with me. You said you are confident with your escape skills."


    William hesitated for a moment while Roxy tugged on him. In her opinion, it was better for them to stay put and evacuate.


    "What are you waiting for? Let''s go. Don''t worry about the danger; you just need to guide me," Alex said while leaving the area.


    William could not find any good reason to reject, so he reluctantly went with him, followed by Roxy.


    Left with only the two of them, the atmosphere turned weird.


    Blaire looked at Lily, still feeling a bit of resentment. But what really mattered to him was Sasha.


    "I know you hate me, and it''s my fault, but please, protect Sasha for now," Blaire said as he left to do the task Alex had given him. He already had some idea of how to verify this information, using his meeting with Alex as the reason.


    Seeing Blaire leave, Lily sighed, "What can I do now?" she mumbled.


    "Should I contact the others and ask them to help Alex? But he would ask me that if he felt he needed it." As she pondered what to do, a sound reached her ear, making her feel elated.


    "You should stop saying what is on your mind, Lily."


    "Sasha..." Lily walked quickly toward the bed and then hugged her friend. It had been a long time since they had last met. The last time was at her wedding.


    Sasha tried to raise her upper body, but a feeling of weakness overcame her, causing her to falter. It had been a long time since she had moved her body; her hand felt like lead, while her head felt like stabbed by many needles.


    Lily quickly helped her, her hand gently holding her shoulder, "Slow down, Sasha, you just woke up from a long coma."


    Sasha had been awake for a while; she heard part of what Alex and Blaire said.


    Although the sound was muffled, like hearing something from underwater, she still was able to hear bits and conclude part of the situation.


    So she knew Blaire was leaving to do some task, and she could hear Lily''s voice, making her feel relieved, as she wouldn''t be alone when her mind cleared.


    Her last memory was muddy, like a dark silhouette; she only remembered being hit by something, and then everything turned dark.


    Getting her bearings, Sasha then asked for a glass of water. Lily then took a glass from the bedside table and helped her with it.


    After a drink, Sasha felt more refreshed. Seeing her friend now, Lily''s gaze turned complicated, "I am sorry, Sasha, I should have just supported your decision. If we hadn''t fought because of that, you wouldn''t have fallen into a coma."


    Sasha chuckled, "Scratch that, Lily, that doesn''t matter.


    How long have I been in a coma now? Can you tell me what is happening? I only heard some bits, like all of you, have something important to be done tonight."


    Lily sighed, then started explaining what had happened after Sasha disappeared.


    From how she was announced dead to what she did to look for her. Her conflict with Blaire, then to what happened today.


    Tears glistened in Sasha''s eyes; she then wiped them with her finger and said, "It''s been hard on him. Lily, don''t hate him too much.


    You always thought he was the one that came after me, but in reality, I was the one that did it."


    "You what? Despite everything you know about him?"


    "I never told you this, Lily, since you always get pissed whenever his name is mentioned." Sasha wanted to say more, but Lily interjected.


    "Can you blame me!? You know how annoying he pursued me despite the fact I had already said no to his face many times.


    And he represents everything I really hate, criminal activity, scams, violence, prostitution."


    Sasha sighed. "You never change. Can''t you let me finish my story, Lily?"


    "I am sorry. Go on; I will not cut in again."


    "I have known him longer than you, Lily. We shared the same school and class in the past.


    I always knew him as someone kind, who liked to help others, so when I saw all those pieces of evidence and the results of the investigation, I couldn''t believe it.


    But I know you, telling you this would be useless; you only believe what you see with your own eyes, and all those investigations were done by yourself. So I decided to do my own research."


    Sasha took a deep breath, then continued, "What I found was a tragedy. A kid from a rich family kidnapped and then sold as a slave to a gangster, he had no choice but to put his hand on all those criminal activities, Lily.


    And if you really dissect all those cases, you will realize he did something for all those victims."


    Lily frown. She then tries to remember all the cases involving Blaire that she had investigated, one of which involved the human trafficking of kids.


    These kids were sourced from many orphanages and even kidnapped kids, including those from Noble.


    After getting the information, she then forced the local authorities to barge into the criminal lair and capture all those responsible.

 Chapter 157: Rumor of the Fairy

    At first, they were all reluctant to do that since they knew who was backing this operation. But Lily forced them to move using her position; she also followed them, making sure everything was done following the procedure.


    Afterward, she went through all the evidence but couldn''t find anything linking back to Blaire.


    Now that she thought about it clearly, Blaire should have been able to hide this from her, given how slick he was all this time, but in many cases, she somehow found clues to the crime location.


    ''Is he doing that on purpose so I can catch them?''


    Seeing her friend''s expression, Sasha smiled, "It seems you''re starting to change your view on him. If it were the past, you would not have that kind expression, Lily."


    "Well, I see how much he cares about you."


    "He has gone through a lot, Lily. Don''t tell him you know about this. I don''t want him to get mad; he hates someone who knows about this."


    Sasha''s eyes then turned complicated. She then said in a low voice, "We just wanted to live in peace, but it seems the king has different plans. I am just being a burden to him all this time."


    "Don''t think like that, Sasha. I can see how much he treasures you. Now that you have recovered, you should be able to help him.


    Honestly, even now, I still think you are too good for him."


    While they had their discussion, Alex surveyed many locations from a distance: the palace, the army barracks, the auction location, and where the high councilor lives.


    In the chariot, William is confused about Alex''s real goal; he understands the palace and auction, but why does he need to check the high councilor''s house?


    And now the location they were going to was a secluded forest, an area that no one ever visits.


    "Why are we going here, Alex?"


    "I am looking for something. Tell me, William, did you ever hear about a fairy? A race with wings on their back."


    "A fairy? Do you mean those rumors?"


    "Tell me those rumors."


    Alex concluded that one or both of those women should be of the fairy race, but he doubted Freya was the one behind this rebellion.


    He speculated it should be one of her people; the reason could be greed or even dissatisfaction.


    Through his investigations,  he found out that Aimu supplied a lot of key resources.


    Even if the king became stronger than Aimu, there was no way he could just pull Aimu down.


    The kingdom is surviving on resources from the Sentinel. But if he found out the resources were coming from the fairy race, and he secured their cooperation, then it all makes sense.


    "It''s just a rumor that has spread around lately that there is a group of fairies working to provide food for us, and not the Sentinel."


    "Where did this rumor come from?" Alex asked.


    "It''s just a rumor, so no one ever investigated it. It''s like talk people say in bars or as a joke lately. They will say something like, ''We got it all from the fairies.''" William said as he tried to remember more information about the rumor.


    "How about you, Roxy? You should go out more than William; do you know that rumor?"


    "I follow the young master everywhere. Of course, I heard it."


    "I mean, is this rumor talked about in other places?"


    "Yes, it''s talked about in the market too. For example, when someone tries to bargain with the price, and it gets too cheap, the shopkeeper will respond with, ''You think I am a fairy. That price will not cut it.''"


    "I see," Alex mumbled while he thought, ''This confirms my suspicion even further. I will need to look for some evidence before I can tell Aimu. If I tell them now, it will just make an unnecessary wedge between Aimu and Freya.''


    He had gotten some information from Blaire about those two women.


    Based on reports he read, those two were also unique; they were left in front of the orphanage door as babies, so they didn''t know who their parents were. When Blaire gave them to the king, he asked both of them beforehand, and they both agreed without hesitation.


    Usually, even though the women had already decided to sell themselves, they would still be reluctant to go when the time came.


    "Is that rumor somehow related to why we come here?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Since you already signed the agreement, I will tell you. The fairies are real, William."


    "What!? Are they real? You mean the Sentinel really captured them all and made them work like slaves to provide the resources for us?"


    Alex frowned, "Slave? You never mentioned that part before."


    "Yes, the rumor tells us the fairies were worked like slaves, never receiving any recognition despite all the time they are slaving away.


    Oh yeah, that reminds me of that drunken man''s story."


    William paused, feeling a glare coming from Roxy. "Young master, you told me that night you were only going out for a walk. So you went to a bar?"


    "Cough, let''s talk about that later, Roxy. I am explaining things to Sir Alex now," William then continued his story while Roxy glared at him.


    "So where was I? Oh yeah, the drunken man''s story.


    He said once the fairies were living in prosperity and richness, but one day, the queen that led them suddenly brought them to war. Many rejected the idea, but no one dared to oppose the queen, so the war was fought.


    The result was disastrous, leaving most of their people dead, left with no choice but to look for a path to retreat.


    On her way, she met another king who was allied with the queen in the war. They made an agreement, giving the queen a place to live.


    The citizens were relieved since they had a place to stay, but little did they know that what awaited them next was worse than dying in the war. "

 Chapter 158: Looking For the Fairy

    "The Fairy were forced into slavery without any appreciation. They needed to work every day without ev getting paid for it.


    The work conditions were harsh. While they slaved away, their que instead lived a luxurious life, not needing to work or lift her finger.


    She was ev rarely se in the populace, leaving them to face all the hardship alone.


    Every month, they would have a big target; if they couldn''t fulfill it, they would th meet with brutal punishmt.


    Oh yeah, the drunk man also said that one day, a leader rose among the civilians and overthrew the King and que, giving freedom to the fairies."


    Alex frowned upon hearing this; it''s basically a brainwashing tactic spread a the citizs to paint a picture that fairies were miserable creatures and deserved to be rewarded for all the injustice that happed to them.


    "Does the story describe the leader?"


    "No, it does not. The story ds there since the drunk man fainted after this."


    "I see." Alex th turned silt.


    He turned his gaze outside the chariot, looking at the kingdom underneath him, while his mind started clarifying the information with Vesa.


    Vesa didn''t add any more information but confirmed a few of Alex''s thoughts, such as there being more than two factions in the war.


    So far, Alex knew the Vampire progitor was allied with the Felidaeans progitor and the fairy progitor.


    On the other side, they are fighting the dragon progitor and the human progitor; he still doesn''t know if the dragon and human are in cahoots or not.


    Ev though he knows lower dragon species have attacked his planet, this still doesn''t confirm their relationship. Based on what Vesa says, lower dragons are in opposition to the Dragon race.


    "Vesa, can you tell me more about this war? At the very least, the main goal. I know you don''t want to tell me unnecessary information, but this is important for me to know now.


    I need to think about my next step. It''s not just this secret realm. For example, Vesa, like the human progitor, is my emy.


    You should know I live in his territory; it''s very dangerous for me not to know this information. It''s also the same for MingYue."


    [King, in the case of the human progitor, it''s a rumor. His last momt was not like that at all. Except the vampire progitor resurrected after his death, and it''s another evt that I don''t know of.]


    "Can''t you make sure of it? Don''t you know the currt time?"


    [I know the currt time on the King''s planet, but in the universe, it''s differt. The time that has passed is just too long for me to keep track.]


    This made Alex frown, but there was nothing he could do about it for now.


    He turned his atttion back toward the currt problem; the best way to finish this quickly is to beat the King, but it seems the source is coming from his two new concubines, whom Alex suspects are fairies. ???§¦??£¤§Á.???


    It doesn''t take long for the chariot to land on the forest periphery.


    This forest is located near the orphanage where both of those wom come from. Alex speculates there is a fairy race settlemt hidd inside the forest or at least an trance to another section of the secret realm.


    But he doubts the second one; he still believes the one doing this is without Freya knowing, so they will probably have some secret base somewhere else.


    The forest was filled with many trees, including gre wood and brown leaves. It looked like a jungle with many vines; Alex could already detect many wild beasts inside.


    Seeing the many dots on his radar gave Alex an idea, "William, you and Roxy can wait for me here. I won''t take long."


    Alex th walked toward the forest without waiting for their reply. With his back disappearing, William walked back to the chariot.


    He doesn''t plan to wait for Alex to stand there and be exposed to nature. Nor does he feel any interest in going after him.


    "Young master, what do you think about what Sir Alex said?" Roxy asked as she oped the door for William to ter.


    Inside the chariot, William replied, "You mean the fairy race?"


    "Yes, young master, we never took the rumor seriously, but if the Fairy race is real, th it all makes sse why the king decided to do this rebellion." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can I still not believe it? With how Alex says it, I am sure he already met one of those fairies, and considering the first place he visits is the stinel house, that means he met one there."


    "Why would the stinel hide the fairy race from us th? I just feel that doesn''t make sse, young master."


    "I don''t know. He probably has his own reasons. If I were him, I wouldn''t hide them."


    William paused for a momt, th looked at Roxy, "Why do you still call me young master? I already told you multiple times, Roxy."


    "Because no matter what, you are my young master, and I am your maid forever," Roxy said with a slight blush on her cheek.


    William sighed; he would be dumb if he didn''t realize Roxy''s feelings, but he was confused about how to respond to her.


    He first met Roxy at the black market. At that time, she was one of the slaves shown as merchandise.


    William purchased all of the underage slaves and th freed them all, sding them back to their families if they had one; if they didn''t have any, he st them to an orphanage he invested in.


    Every slave agreed with his arrangemt except for Roxy; she said since he already purchased her, she would become his now.


    She th learned how to become a maid and started working for him. It''s be years since that incidt, but Roxy never changed her mind, not ev once.


    ''Forget it; I will think about it after this incidt cooled off. Roxy is not a bad choice to take as my wife.''

 Chapter 159: Hell Gate

    As William and Roxy continued their talks, Alex was walking deep in the forest.


    Vesa still hadn''t found anything weird, but that doesn''t mean his trip is useless. He already caught a doz monsters in the forest.


    In front of him now stood an elephant with two horns like those of an antelope. Alex didn''t hold any weapon since the monster was ev weaker than Lily.


    BAM!


    Alex jumped upward and th kicked the elephant straight in the head, effectively knocking it down without any wound. He does this by sding ki directly to the creature''s brain through the vibration of his kick.


    Looking at the creature''s eyes, Alex sighed, "Seems I failed again; its brain is turned to mush."


    The monster''s carcass th turned into gre particles that flowed into his body. He th contacted Petricia, ''How is the situation there?''


    ''King, we are still stuck in the basemt; we plan to wait a few more hours before sding Zold to check the situation outside.''


    "Did anyone get hurt?"


    ''If you mean Lady Emily and the rest, other than exhaustion, there are no wounds. But Zargath lost his right hand in the fight.''


    Alex sighed upon hearing the news, but he didn''t feel too depressed; as long as he was alive, he could find a way to heal his hand.


    ''Oh yeah, king, Lady Emily told me she speculates the skeletons were created by a dark hunter named Derrick; he is part of an organization named Hell Gate.''


    Ev though every criminal hunter is called a dark hunter, it doesn''t mean they belong to the same organization.


    ''Why would Emily think that?''


    ''Lady Emily says she has had a few confrontations with this organization, so it''s possible they chose this momt to take revge on her.''


    The information on Suzaku''s first dungeon dive was public since they planned for a press conferce after it finished. Right now, the reporters were already camping at the exit, waiting for their return.


    So, it''s possible for the Hell Gate organization to find a way to ter this dungeon and th ambush them.


    There are many ways that allow people to ter a dungeon illegally, although most of them are risky; dark hunter organizations that don''t have their own dungeon don''t have other choices.


    The method to do it is unknown to Alex; he has only heard some rumors about it.


    ''Is Derrick that strong? Didn''t you say there are many skeletons coming after you?''


    Alex asked since he never heard of a powerful dark hunter named Derrick. Based on the story he heard, the number of skeletons that attacked them could probably attack a city and cause some serious damage.


    A Dark Hunter with that kind of strgth is usually famous ough for him to hear.


    ''He is not, but Lady Emily speculated he probably got a new power system that hances his ability.''


    ???¦¥???§Á.?¦¨?


    This makes Alex wonder if the power is related to the magic system he heard from Emily. Since it has already reached the association, it''s only a matter of time before it''s sold on the black market.


    Heck, based on his understanding of the presidt, he was sure the presidt was the one who sold it to earn more profit.


    He probably thought, since it will be sold anyway, why let others profit? Why not take it himself?''


    ''Tell the others to be careful th; I will return soon. I won''t take long.''


    ''Alright, King, but can you give me some more detail? Lady Olivia and Emily keep bugging me about it. What are you doing?''


    ''Tell them I found the parasite nest near the area I told you not to go into, and now I''m busy fighting them.''


    Alex thought it would only worry them more if he said he was just occupied by an experimt or something else; it was out of character for him to do that.


    If he tells them the truth, it will make them want to go near the parasite area to check out if they can find a way to help him get out. So he settles with saying it''s all the parasites.


    They know he can fight them back, so ev though they are worried, they will still wait patitly for him to come back.


    After Petricia''s confirmation, Alex returned his gaze toward the forest. The area he needs to explore is still big, but based on the progress, he feels there is no hope of finding the fairy settlemt.


    ''It seems I have no way other than to confront the king at the auction.''


    Alex th plans for the guardian, Lily and Blaire, to go rescue the hostages wh he fights the king and the two wom alone.


    He feels more comfortable fighting without anyone watching. That way, he won''t need to worry about anyone seeing his power as a vampire.


    Alex already planned to give them to Aimu after catching them. If he has no choice, he will th go for the kill. He needs to prioritize returning back quickly.


    Time passed on; William finally saw Alex''s silhouette returning from the forest. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wh he comes close, he ops the chariot door and th asks, "How is it, Alex? Did you find the fairy?"


    "No, there are only monsters in the forest, but this should help us in making some distractions. I am sure the king will never think of this."


    "Distraction? Ar''t we planning to ambush the king?"


    Alex th explained his plan to William. Hearing it, William agreed.


    This is the safest and best way. He feels happy that he doesn''t need to face the king directly, and helping with evacuation and rescuing those hostages is far safer.


    Roxy, instead, had a differt idea, "Sir Alex, it''s not that I underestimate you, but based on Sir Blair''s story, the king''s strgth is no joke. Are you sure you can beat them one versus three?"


    "Don''t worry, ev if the other two are stronger than the king, I have my own way to fight against them," Alex said. While in his mind, he thought, ''Who says it''s one versus three?''


    The chariot th started flying again, making its way back to Blair''s mansion.

 Chapter 160: Aurora

    The chariot th started flying again, making its way back to Blaire''s mansion. But plans rarely run smoothly.


    Blaire, who was going to the palace to report to the king and look for information on the hostages, is now lying on the g. His eyes look with spite at the woman in front of him.


    Wh he reached the palace, he reported to the king that Alex was there looking to rescue the high councilor''s family. The Stinel already knew everything they planned.


    This made the king frown and told him to move the hostage location, as Blaire had predicted. But wh he made his way toward the prison, the woman hit him before blocking his path.


    She th threated him to follow her. Not wanting to draw any suspicion, Blaire is forced to accept it.


    He knew if he rejected it, the woman would make a sce, drawing unnecessary atttion towards him. In his mind, the worst that could happ is the woman beat him again.


    Inside the room, the woman asked, "Have you changed your mind yet?


    You should know I can give you the antidote for your wife. Is my request really that hard to do?"


    "You tell me to leave my wife. How could I agree to that?" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmph, I told you to make her the second one and accept me as your main wife. I never told you to leave her.


    You should know the king''s order is to kill her. I am the one choosing to poison her."


    Blaire didn''t believe what she said. If the king planned to keep him a, he would know not to do that. Killing Sasha would make him go feral and throw all caution to the wind.


    "If that is the only thing you want to talk about, th we are finished here," Blaire said as he turned his body, planning to leave the room.


    But the woman didn''t take no for an answer. Bam! She hit him in the stomach. "Let''s see if you still think like that if I carry your child."


    Hearing the woman''s words, Blaire''s eyes were filled with spite; he regretted ever helping her.


    "You are the king''s woman. Do you think he will let me go if that happs?"


    "Haha, that trash is hallucinating. Do you think what you see really happed? You''ve never se the real me, Blaire," the woman th snapped her finger.


    The woman in front of him disappeared, turning into gold dust, while a new woman appeared just inches away from his face.


    She had beautiful blue sapphire eyes, while her long hair was iridesct purple. Her face was very beautiful, one that can topple a nation.


    If Alex were here, he would quickly link the woman with Freya since they have very similar faces, with only their eyes as the differce.


    Her body was a perfect hourglass, and if she stood up, she would have a similar height to Mingyue.


    Blaire was mesmerized by her appearance but quickly shook the thought off.


    Without ev considering what the woman planned for him if he didn''t return in time, Alex and the others would conclude something wrong was happing to him.


    The whole plan to ambush the king at the auction could be scratched off since there is a possibility that the king already knew about it.


    He tried to move but th realized he had lost control over his body.


    ??¨N¦®§®?£¤§Á.§³??


    "Don''t worry, Blaire, you will be able to move your body again later. I just paralyzed it momtarily."


    "Why are you doing this? I only saved you once in the past, and it wasn''t ev something big."


    The woman''s lips curled into a smile. "Call my name, th I will tell you why I am so obsessed with you."


    Blaire frowned for a momt but decided to fulfill her wish. "Aurora."


    "Good, I will remind you once more no one ever touched me. I am part of the fairy race with very special abilities. I can create a very realistic hallucination, Blaire. And this is not our first meeting."


    Her face changed once more into someone who made his eyes wid in surprise. "Impossible! You should have!"


    "Have what? Died?" Aurora said with a smile on her face.


    Her hand gtly caressed Blaire''s cheek while her gaze looked at him possessively.


    "One of the main reasons I helped my sister is because it will allow me to meet you again.


    I am sorry I hurt you many times, but I know you will forgive me for that, won''t you, Blaire?"


    Her currt face made Blaire forget everything.


    Old memories resurfaced in his mind, the woman who stayed with him wh he was at the lowest point of his life, the woman who took a bullet to protect him.


    "Why?" he mumbled.


    "Why did I hurt you? Well, I know my sister would make a fuss if she knew the real reason.


    So I needed to make her think I hate you so she won''t bother wh I look for more information about you."


    "That''s not it. If you are alive, why didn''t you look for me?"


    Aurora sighed, her face returning to her real one.


    "Don''t I look for you now? I had no choice, Blaire. There are many things hanging on this.


    I decided to come out now since she had already planned to make her move. So my acting is not needed anymore.


    I have done everything I need to do. Now It''s time for my own desire, I will never let you go again, Blaire."


    "I¡­" Blaire wanted to say something, but nothing came out; everything was too complicated now. He didn''t know whose side to take.


    He didn''t want Sasha to get hurt. If the woman in front of him stayed at his side wh life was at its worst, Sasha was the one who pulled him out of the dump.


    He th remembered what she said before. "You said the king wants to kill Sasha? Why?"


    "The king? He is nothing more than a doll to my sister now. She wants you to flip and start chaos in the country.


    It''s ev better if you attack the palace. If you ask me why? I honestly don''t know. She is the one planning everything."

 Chapter 161: Change of Plan

    "Why did  you need to do all this?"


    "I just do what I need to do, Blaire. My mother wants to keep hiding, but my sister thinks there is just one road to the d. And I agree with her.


    So I decided to help her reach her goal; this all happed before I met you."


    Blaire turned silt as Aurora''s words barely lingered in his mind. If he were a computer, his mind would now show a blue scre of death. It completely hanged.


    In all his life, this was the first time he didn''t know what to do or say. After some thought, he asked.


    "Aurora, you say you won''t leave me now. What if my existce becomes a danger to your sister th?"


    Aurora''s eyes flickered for a momt.


    "That doesn''t matter, you are here now. What can you do, Blaire?


    Tomorrow, this kingdom will be turned upside down. And no one, not ev the Stinel or my mom, can change it.


    They will have no choice but to do what my sister wants."


    "You don''t plan to kill the stinel?"


    Aurora chuckled. "There is no way we can kill him, and it''s very stupid.


    As we say, we don''t want to keep hiding. But it doesn''t mean hiding from the Felidas; it means hiding from the war out there.


    There are many things you don''t know, Blaire, and it''s better if you never know.


    Let''s just live our lives somewhere far away from everyone. I have made a plan for us to escape. Of course, not before I make sure you are mine."


    A few hours passed by, and in the Blaire mansion, the atmosphere became tse.


    Blaire hasn''t returned nor responded to any of her messages, making her feel worried. She proposed for them to check the palace, but William fervtly declined.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to help him, but it''s very dangerous to go there now.


    There is a big change; the king already knows all of our plans. Going there is the same as suicide."


    "You say that because you don''t care about him!" Sasha turned her gaze to Alex, who had be deep in thought all this time and started begging him to help.


    She knew, as he was the Stinel voy, his word carried the biggest weight. As long as he agreed, William wouldn''t say anything.


    Lily, meanwhile, felt conflicted. Despite what she knew of Blaire now, her hate didn''t just magically disappear.


    Hearing a story wasn''t ough to erase all of those.


    A small part of her felt relieved that her frid would be freed from Blaire if he was dead. But seeing how much pain Sasha was in, she couldn''t bear it.


    "Let me go, I will just fake the trip as checking on my family. They won''t find it weird.


    §®¡Ì¨N§¦§®???.??§®


    Ev if they know about our plan, I doubt they will do anything to me."


    Sasha was conflicted. She didn''t want her frid to go into danger, but it''s not like there were other choices. She felt both guilty and helpless in the situation.


    Alex, meanwhile, had two thoughts now.


    His logic told him it was better to wait to confirm the situation. If the king still goes to the auction, that means Blaire is stuck because of a differt reason.


    He couldn''t remove the possibility of Blaire betraying them. This made Alex regret not making him sign a slave contract. If he had done that, he would know the truth now.


    But despite what his logic told him, his heart told him otherwise. Seeing Sasha reminded him of his own past. He empathized with her.


    If there was someone capable of helping his father in the past but decided to stay still, he would rest them.


    With a sigh, Alex th made a decision. He didn''t want to do anything that would make him unable to sleep at night.


    "I will look for him. Lily, you stay here.


    If there is no news from me, follow our first plan, ambush him with all the guardian squad wh the king goes to the auction." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "William, you and Sasha should bring Blaire''s people and start rescuing the hostages."


    He th turned his gaze towards Sasha. "I know you just woke up, but the situation won''t let you rest now. We need every hand on deck.


    You should be familiar with Blaire''s m; help William in tracking the hostages and make a plan to rescue them."


    Alex doesn''t instruct Roxy since he knows she will follow William no matter where he goes. He th added, "Be careful. If things go awry, just escape. I will find you later."


    Before the others could respond, Alex left the premises. He already knew the palace''s location.


    He now was moving on foot. Using Qi to hance his body and move at the maximum speed allowed him to reach the location quickly, not less than using the chariot.


    But Alex did this on purpose. While he jumped from building to building, he tried to track if there was a fairy race hidd in the populace.


    Before, from a chariot, he was moving too high in the sky to search the area carefully.


    A fairy is differt than a Feladine; they are not corrupted like them. So, ev if they use something to disguise their presce, Alex will still be able to detect their life force.


    But not all lifeforce means he found a fairy.


    There are other possibilities what he found is a pet. Alex has se some of the populace also take care of animals with heads like dogs, but all of them were small in size. Their size is like that of guinea pigs.


    As he leaped in the air, Alex stopped in one of the tree branches. He turned his gaze downward to a nearby outdoor seating area.


    There was a Felidaean sitting there on the bch, looking in a daze towards a nearby fountain. The man had bony ears and tails, but Alex could feel life force ergy coming from him.


    He put a thought, th asked Vesa to translate his language to the fairy. Approaching the man from behind, he asked, "Excuse me, sir, what is my next mission?"


    "Ask the princess about it," the man replied without looking back.

 Chapter 162: Reaching The Palace

    Hearing the man''s answer, Alex clched his fist. Qi started moving towards his muscles, strgthing them.


    Alex pulled his hand back, his shoulder muscles tsed, while the muscles on his arm started coiling. Like a spring, his hand moved forward, cutting through the air, aimed at the man''s neck.


    BAM!


    The angle was calculated perfectly, rdering him unconscious. Since Fairies have similar biology to humans, Alex could do this perfectly in one hit, compared to wh he hit the monster in the forest. Each has a differt biological structure, making him need to test and calculate for every hit.


    The man''s world quickly became shrouded by darkness. Wh he oped his eyes again, he found himself on a small patch of dry land sured by the Void. There was nothing there.


    He tried to move but th realized he was now tied to a chair. A rope tightly binds his hand to the armrest. Another is on his leg, and the other is on his torso.


    Minutes passed by, but for him, it felt like an eternity.


    Left alone in this place that was void of everything, fear started growing in his heart. In panic, a gold aura started coming out from him, but before it could ev form to release his abilities, a strong presce filled the area, suffocating him.


    A red smoke th started appearing, gathering in front of the man. It gathered into a humongous form of a bat.


    A booming voice reverberated in his mind, "You will answer my question if you wish to survive, young fairy. Or you can try to fight back so we can have a good session instead."


    Vesa''s lips raised into a grin, showing its sharp teeth.


    Outside, Alex didn''t stand still; he kept moving, tracking other fairies while making his way toward the Palace. After he knocked the man out, he put him inside the Awe cube.


    He doesn''t plan to take him under his wing, only interrogating the man to get more information. And with Vesa, he just needed to relegate the work.


    Vesa is an expert in interrogation; he has heard how Vesa made a gold core cultivator turn meek from a few sessions.


    It doesn''t take long for him to finally arrive near the Palace. Just as he visited before, the security was flawless, unable to detect their life force, also making it harder for Alex to find a way to infiltrate.


    If he could see everyone on the map, it would make everything easier. He looked once more, calculating his chance.


    ''With my experice, forget infiltration, I will probably just get caught. It seems I need to do that now.'' Alex''s thought


    Alex closed his eyes. He imagined the Palace in his mind, thinking of the best angle to start the attack. Since he cannot infiltrate, he might as well go all out.


    His eyes oped, and Alex th moved to another side of the Palace, which was one of the areas he had calculated as the weakest spot.


    The Palace was sured by walls made of thorny vines, with ough width for three people to walk side by side. There were many watchtowers with a stry turret installed on top of each. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many guards also walked on top of the wall doing their patrol.


    Under the wall, there was also a very deep moat filled with clear water, with many animals living inside it.


    ?¡Ì?¦®????.???


    Ev though the creatures looked pleasing to the eyes, like rainbow-colored fish as big as normal sharks and a turtle the size of a human with a beautifully patterned shell, Alex knew they were dangerous.


    There was only one way to ter the castle without swimming through the moat: passing through the bridge through the main gate that was heavily fortified.


    Other than this, there was a second path; Alex knew this from Lily''s information; it''s hidd from the public, prepared for an emergcy escape for the royalty.


    However, this path is not only located in a more fortified area of the castle; he will need to swim through the lake facing the monster, and Alex is prepared to take this path.


    The monster is not his oppont; as long as he does it fast without making noise, he will be safe. And he already planned to make a big distraction.


    Splash! Alex threw a storage ring into the water.


    One of the guards realized something was thrown into the moat.


    This made him take out a device that looked like binoculars. Squinting his eyes, as the water was very clear, he could see directly what the object was. Seeing a ring, the man frowned.


    "Who dares to throw trash in the royalty river?"


    "What trash?" Another guard beside him felt confused.


    "Look." The man gave him the binoculars.


    Using it, the other guard could see the ring that his comrade had just pointed out; it was just a normal brass ring.


    He was about to commt wh suddly he saw something coming out from the ring; it was a black liquid. With how clear the water was, the black liquid was like ink polluting it. It sticks out like a sore thumb.


    The Dark liquid kept spreading, quickly bringing the atttion of all the guards.


    "What is that?"


    "Whatever it is, I am sure it''s dangerous. See, ev all the water monsters are escaping, trying to avoid it."


    BEEP!


    One of the soldiers'' communicators rang. Hearing the information coming from his other comrade made all of them frown.


    The situation was very serious, and they didn''t know what to do; there was no protocol for wh the water moat got contaminated with strange liquid.


    The Feldian technology is all focused on using crystal, which allows them to have a pollution-free ergy source. Making them never face any pollution problem.


    The news told them that a similar thing was happing on the other side of the Palace; it was coming from all directions.


    After throwing that storage ring, Alex proceeded to move to the other side, doing the same thing before he finally stopped near the area with the hidd trance to the Palace.

 Chapter 163: Attack!

    Meanwhile, the guards had already reported to the Geral responsible for defding the palace. The geral quickly raised the palace alert to the highest level.


    He walked toward the wall at the main gate, looking at the moat with his own eyes.


    The once crystal clear moat now turned completely black as ink. It ev started spreading toward the river, contaminating everything.


    Alex smirked, seeing the result of his work. What he just spilled was oil. Alex had many barrels stored because he planned to sd them to the Cultivation world.


    It''s not prepared to fuel ergy or gerators but to create a factory to produce a more dangerous liquid.


    DragonFire gel is a flammable liquid that sticks and burns intsely. It''s an hanced form of Napalm, using the same material mixed with another exotic material from the dungeon, Basilisk''s Resin.


    This Resin is a sap from a unique tree that has strange properties. It has a very strong adhesive but only reacts to organic material.


    So, a dragon fire gel will make a flame that only burns living beings. It''s a very destructive weapon. But Alex didn''t have any Basilisk Resin, so he still held onto the barrel of oil.


    As oil is less dse than water, it quickly made its way to the water''s surface and th gathered there.


    The next thing he did was unleash the monsters he captured from the forest.


    "GROOOARR!!!!" A roar of beasts could be heard from over the moat as many monsters suddly appeared suring the castle. With their large size, it only took hundreds of them to completely sur the castle.


    The Geral''s eyes wided; this was the first time in all his life he saw monsters materialize out of nowhere.


    "What are you bumpkins dazing for! Move! Kill all of them!" The geral ordered.


    The soldiers quickly moved into position; they took out their rifles and th locked onto the monsters, some of them moved to the turret.


    ''I recognize these monsters; they all come from the forbidd forest; just how did all of them reach here?'' The Geral questioned in his mind.


    Th, a thought surfaced in his mind. He remembered the Forbidd Forest has a few monsters they categorize as kings. These monsters were giants, each of them easily the size of their towering buildings, but this is not what made them scary.


    Each king had some intelligce and special abilities. He quickly contacted everyone manning the wall on the other side. Making sure that his king didn''t appear. Ev though he was sure they could kill it, this could easily create big casualties.


    They may have a big moat and giant wall protecting the palace, but behind the monsters, it''s a freeway toward the city; they could easily massacre the civilians, sowing chaos everywhere.


    He started contacting the local authorities to evacuate the civilians and block the area.


    Thankfully, since the area was a the palace, it was filled with nobles. Each of them had their own army and already knew what to do. So, the evacuation wt without a hitch.


    But the Geral''s worry for public safety was not necessary. All monsters were under Alex''s order. They will attack the castle to their deaths.


    ???§¦?§²£¤?.???


    BRrrrrttt!!! Bang! BANG! BANG!


    Bullets shot through the air while the monsters roared. They started marching, trying to ter the castle from the moat and ev the bridge toward the gate.


    Alex''s position is now on the opposite side of the main trance. Seeing the chaos start, he th took out an incdiary grade. With one motion, he threw it into the moat.


    BOOM!


    The grade exploded; it took no time for fire to spread to the moat. At the same time, Alex covered his body and th jumped into the moat.


    He took out an underwater scooter. It''s a device that helps to propel him underwater. Increasing his speed ev further.


    As the monsters were still confused by the sudd change of vironmt, Alex used the opportunity to move quickly to the secret trance.


    He tered the underg water tunnel, taking him inside the palace. Reaching his destination, Alex carefully swam, reaching the wall, as he put the water scooter back into his storage ring.


    He th slowly rose close to the surface. Above the water, there is a platform guarded by two armed soldiers. The soldiers had their backs pointed at the water.


    Usually, there are more guards here, but since the palace was attacked, the guards were moved toward the wall to fight against the invaders.


    "Did you hear? The palace was attacked; I wonder who had the nerve to do this." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is it those terrorist groups? The one calling for the complete removal of the royalty?"


    "Those people don''t know what they are talking about. There is no way we can completely remove the royalty."


    "Well, can you blame them? You know how prejudiced most of them toward the normal people is?"


    "That reminds me, do you remember the fourth prince? I heard his girlfrid is a commoner. So not all royalty is like that."


    "What, girlfrid? That is because he had no choice. You don''t know; there are rumors that the prince cannot get it up."


    "For real?" The guard wanted to say more but suddly felt a grip on his ankle; in the next momt, he was pulled inside the water. This quickly made the other guard alert. He turned his gaze, looking behind him, but it was too late.


    BAM!


    Alex hit him in the neck, turning him unconscious. He th threw both of them into the Awe cube. Looking at the locked door, Alex didn''t ev bother to try to lockpick it.


    With everything in chaos outside and the guards busy attacking the animals, he took out, but he knew it wouldn''t last long. The flame he ignited also turned the moat impassable for the monsters.


    So all of them now were gathered at the bridge, becoming target practice for the guards. It won''t take long for them to finish them all. After that, they will start combing the palace since it''s only a matter of time for them to find out the two guards missing from the dock.

 Chapter 164: Inside the Palace

    So, Alex chose the fastest way possible. He smashed the door, th knocked out every guard he met along the way. Although he didn''t make Blaire sign the agreemt, he put a tracker on him, and a small device slipped into his clothes.


    Knowing where to go, Alex made his way through the hallway, and while he did this, he didn''t forget to barge into a few rooms he found interesting.


    For example, the Library. Alex would hit the door out of the hinge and th knock everyone unconscious. Old, young, man, woman, he didn''t discriminate, putting all of them inside the awe cube.


    Alex also didn''t discriminate betwe living and non-living.


    He passionately put all the objects he deemed interesting into his storage ring. Since he did this in a hurry, he didn''t ev spare the cabinet, taking it all with him.


    If anyone had tered the Library now, what was left were only a few chairs and tables, and all the storage furniture disappeared as if it had never be there.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to reach the location he was looking for. This place is located on the fourth floor on the west side of the castle.


    In front of his eyes was now only a solid wall of wood. But he could feel life force ergy coming from inside.


    ''An illusion barrier,'' Alex thought to himself.


    His lips th curled upward into a smirk. He took out the EmberShift hammer and th started pouring his qi over it. A yellow flame started gulfing the hammer''s head, but he was still not satisfied.


    He began manipulating the fire, condsing it into a smaller size; the flame started changing color from orange to blue. But he didn''t stop there; he told Vesa to pour some life-force ergy into it.


    Since the flame was small, it didn''t cost a lot of life force to raise its heat to a whole new level. The air itself started to distort by the scorching temperature.


    His flame has now already started changing into . Alex knew if he unleashed this into the palace, it would quickly spread, burning the whole place down.


    Ev though the normal flame was not ough to burn the tree that made this palace, his flame was now on a whole differt level.


    But Alex''s goal was not to burn this place; he knew if he did this, he could bait the one inside out.


    Just as expected, the wall in front of him started to distort. A woman th came out from it, "Are you nuts! Do you want to destroy this whole place?"


    "Hmm, finally, someone comes out. Here, I thought it would be the king. Who are you? Are you one of his many wives?" Alex asked.


    He could see the woman in front of him was attractive, but he knew it was a fake appearance.


    With the information he had, he had already concluded the woman was one of the two that Blaire gifted to the king, a Fairy. He asked that on purpose, wanting to know the woman''s response.


    "His wife? He wishes," the woman replied.


    Alex smirked, tilted his head, th raised his hand upward. The momt he did this, the air distorted. His hand was gripping another hand that was holding a dagger.


    The woman in front of him th disappeared, turning into gold dust.


    "So, this is how the Fairy race greets each other. Quite a welcome." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aurora, having her hand gripped, tried to pull it back, but Alex''s grip was so strong that it didn''t ev budge. ??¨N¦®????.???


    "Release me."


    "Why should I?" Alex asked while pulling her toward the door that now appeared from the wall.


    He kicked the door op. BAM!


    Inside, Alex found Blaire in bed, looking at the room situation and the peculiar smell in the air. Alex''s lips twitched.


    "Fuck you, Blaire! Can''t you choose a better time to have an affair?"


    But before Blaire could say anything, Alex moved. He put the EmberShift hammer back into the storage ring while he ducked.


    Aurora tried to stab him once more with a dagger, but she missed.


    "What are you? Do you have eyes behind your back?" She asked with an annoyed tone.


    There were many things Alex wanted to ask, but he knew he lacked time.


    He could already conclude that Blaire could not move his body. Otherwise, there''s no way he''d stay in that embarrassing position ev with him there now.


    Alex spun, pulling the woman forward, th hit her in the gut with ough strgth to make the woman''s face turn blue.


    Seeing this made Blaire''s face etched with worry. No matter what, Aurora held a special place in his heart. But everything was happing too fast for him to ev say anything.


    Alex threw Aurora toward Blaire while hitting her in the neck, effectively making her unconscious. He th put both of them into the AweCube.


    With his objective achieved, Alex turned a, wanting to leave the premises. Unfortunately, his escape path was blocked midway through the tunnel.


    In front of him, a doz security guards had already gathered. They all pointed their rifles toward Alex while the one leading them looked coldly at him.


    He is the geral who is responsible for protecting the castle.


    Alex''s eyes turned sharp, but he was not looking at the geral. He could feel another life force appear behind the squad.


    ''This life force appeared out of nowhere. Is it something like teleportation?'' Alex wondered.


    "Return, my sister," a cold feminine voice reached Alex''s ears.


    Hearing the voice, the squad separated, making way while the geral respectfully bowed.


    Everyone in the palace had already memorized the voice. And they knew this woman had authority only below the king, with strgth that they could not underestimate.


    The woman that came had a Feraldi appearance with bob-cut black hair and black eyes.


    Her body was slim, with height reaching Alex''s eyes. But Alex knew this was not her real appearance; he could also see a similar bangle in her hand.

 Chapter 165: Alice

    The bangle was colored in gold, but he could recognize the inscription on it; it had the same effect as the one he wore.


    "Will you let me go if I return her to you?"


    "What a stupid question. You should know the answer," the woman said as she took out two daggers from her pocket.


    Without waiting for Alex to answer, she appeared in front of him and started attacking. Compared to Aurora''s movemts, the woman''s movemts were very fast and unpredictable.


    Her arm and shoulder looked like they were going for a stab, but instead, it turned into a slash.


    Alex dodged, but it wasn''t completely perfect; the dagger slashed, creating a vertical line on his cheek. But the wound only lasted for a momt before it started healing.


    Unfortunately, the healing process was not smooth since the dagger was coated with paralytic poison, slowing down the regeration.


    Alex had just landed on the g, but his instincts still screamed danger. He used his hammer, pointing it downward, th made it longer, pushing his body back inside the room.


    BAM! BAM!


    Two whips made of wood came out from the ceiling, hitting with strgth toward the place Alex had just stood.


    ''She can control plants?''


    Alex quickly assessed the situation a him, th realized a fleck of gold dust suring the plant part on the ceiling. Average eyes wouldn''t be able to see it since the dust was a very small amount, but for his progitor eyes, it was clear as day.


    ''Vesa, tell me about the Fairy race''s power.''


    [Fairy race has a variety of powers. Some of them have an innate ability to talk with plants and animals. While an exceptional few can talk with both.]


    [Other than this innate ability, they are also capable of creating fairy dust. This dust has differt effects that are unique to each individual; as they hance their strgth, the fairy dust can have more than one effect. So, king, be careful. There can be more effects from the dust.]


    ''Anything more I need to worry about?'' Alex asked as his eyes sharply eyed the woman.


    [If she is a royal fairy, th there are more things to worry about, but based on information so far, she is just a normal fairy.]


    Alex wanted to ask more about the royal fairy, but he knew now was not the time.


    His mind th started repeating what happed before. He concluded that wh the woman attacked him, she also st her dust toward the ceiling. She would th be able to control any plant covered by dust.


    Flames started gathering again on his hammer as he pointed it forward. "Come close to me, th I will burn this place."


    Seeing the flame keep getting hotter, the woman didn''t dare to recklessly attack. "Let''s talk."


    The woman was not worried about her sister''s fate; she believed Amu wouldn''t choose someone bloodthirsty as his voy. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ???¦®?§²??.??§®


    If he really wanted to go violt, he wouldn''t bother sding anyone; his strgth alone would be more than ough to d all conflict, but it would result in many casualties. Alex doesn''t use her sister''s life to threat her.


    "And now you want to talk. Sure. Sd them away first," Alex pointed at the group behind the woman.


    The woman hesitated at first; she was not sure she could defeat Alex if it was one-on-one. But she couldn''t risk the palace being burned; it would attract atttion from her mother and Aimu.


    Ev now, she was sure Aimu didn''t suspect that the fairy race was involved.


    "You all go, focus on extinguishing the fire in the moat."


    "But, Que, if I leave you now and something happs, the king will hold me responsible," the geral said with hesitation.


    He had se heads flying because someone looked down at the king''s new woman; he didn''t dare to think what the king would do if something happed to them.


    The woman turned her eyes coldly toward the geral, "Do I need to repeat it again? Go do as you''re ordered."


    The geral still felt worried, but in the d, he decided to relt. He put his fist over his chest, making the usual gesture, th left the area with all the soldiers.


    With them gone, the woman asked, "Everyone already left. Can you drop your hammer now?"


    "Sure, you drop your dagger first, and don''t use your fa¡­" Alex''s voice trailed off, his eyebrows raised since Vesa st him an influx of information.


    Vesa had just finished interrogating the man he had captured. Knowing it would be useful for Alex at the momt, Vesa didn''t think twice to pour the information directly into his brain.


    Alex th learned the real objective of the fairy. Seeing Alex''s change of expression, the woman thought he already lost his patice.


    She threw her dagger toward the g and th raised both hands. "Enough?"


    The hammer in Alex''s hand th disappeared. Seeing this, the woman thought it was an opportunity; she is the type that doesn''t believe someone easily.


    She wanted to negotiate, but she preferred doing it wh she had the upper hand.


    She dashed forward while spreading her fairy dust a the hallway. Many sharp branches started to form, moving toward Alex like sharp projectiles.


    "So, you already started, Alice," Alex said, watching everything calmly.


    As he expected, the momt he said her name, Alice stopped her attack. Before, it was clear he didn''t know anything about her; otherwise, he would have already called her by her real name to negotiate.


    Other than her sister, everyone in the palace didn''t know her as Alice. She th started considering how Alex knew; the only answer she could come up with was that he had somehow gott the information from her sister.


    Her black eyes flickered with rage. "What have you done to my sister?"


    Alice still didn''t know where Alex had put her sister, but she speculated he somehow had a pocket dimsion to put them. Her mother also had a similar thing, so she didn''t find it weird.

 Chapter 166: Where is The King?

    Alex picked a chair in the room and th sat on it. After learning about Alice''s real plan, he changes his mind. Before, he wanted to stop it so Amu would sd him out of the realm quickly, but now he had another idea. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, she is alive and well. If I wanted to use her life to threat you, I would have already done it."


    Alex took out his phone and th pressed a button to show Alice what happed inside the cube. "See, your sister is now cuddling with her lover."


    Seeing this, Alice felt both relieved and angry. She was relieved her sister was alright but angry about her sister''s currt actions.


    ''No wonder she said she doesn''t want to join the last phase of the mission.''


    She th started suspecting Aurora''s reasons for helping her. It''s possible Aurora just wanted to be with that man.


    With Alice''s goal, it would be possible for a fairy to get married to a Felida; otherwise, she would need to live in hiding. Their mother had strictly forbidd any marriage betwe races.


    Unlike the Felidas, who don''t know about fairies, some of the fairies are oft st to civilization to learn about their culture. They are giv items that have effects similar to those of Alex and Alice, disguising them as Felidas.


    "Alright, let''s negotiate," Alex said with a smile.


    Meanwhile, back in the city, Lily was now moving with William, Roxy, and Sasha. She ordered the guardian to stand by near the auction area and the rest to spread a the city.


    One of them also stayed outside the palace, reporting to them in real time what happed.


    Inside the chariot, Roxy''s face was etched with worry. "Can we really put our faith in Sir Alex?"


    Sasha was silt, having no commt. She chose to put her focus on information her husband had gathered to look for other hostage locations.


    Based on the information so far, they had tracked some places where the king might keep the hostages. Since most of the locations were secured by Blaire, they just needed to visit each one to check it.


    The locations giv to the king didn''t have any of Blaire''s people there, so they had to visit them one by one.


    Lily furrowed her eyebrows, th hesitantly said, "He is chos by the Stinel; I am sure we can put our faith in him."


    "Your way of saying it is not convincing, Lady Lily," Roxy replied.


    William sighed, "It doesn''t matter. We are now only worried because of the strgth Alex showed us.


    He can capture beasts and control them to his will, allowing him to have his own army. And it seems he has a way to bring them anywhere he is. This is something outside our imagination and makes us fear him.


    But don''t forget, if he really had bad inttions, he would have acted on them already. Based on Lady Lily''s story so far, I think Alex only wants to quickly go out and return to his loved one, so there is nothing for us to worry about."


    "If the young master says so, I will agree," Roxy said with a nod.


    At that momt, Sasha''s eyebrows furrowed; she was reading a message from one of Blaire''s subordinates. "One of my m just spotted the king in the outskirts area."


    Sasha th pointed to the map projection in the air, the location where the king was spotted. It was the forest that Alex had gone to before. ???§¦????.???


    "What should we do?" Sasha asked.


    "How many people are with the king?" Lily asked.


    "Based on the information I got, he was spotted tering it with one of his concubines, but not long after, the concubine left the forest in a hurry."


    "Let''s go after the king th; he is alone, it''s a rare chance. As long as we take him down, all of this will be over."


    William raised his eyebrow, surprised by Lily''s words.


    "Do you have another idea?" Lily asked.


    "No, I''m just surprised you said it so easily. Is there really no familial love betwe the royal family?"


    "He never met me nor took care of me. He may be my blood father, but that''s it. Nothing more, nothing less."


    "Well, if you''re alright with it, let''s go to that location th. But I will tell you now, I cannot help with the fight. Based on information from Blaire, he should be pretty strong now."


    "Don''t worry, I will bring all the guardians to capture him."


    "We will split th; we will go to rescue the hostages," William said.


    He doesn''t plan to come any closer to the king. If possible, he doesn''t want to take any risk with his life.


    "Alright."


    "Are you sure you will be alright, Lily? He is your father. I know how you really feel." Sasha asked.


    Lily sighed, her gaze turning complicated. Despite what she said to William, she did feel some attachmt. In the past, she oft tried hard to get her father''s acknowledgmt. But since her father never ev turned his gaze toward her, she gave up.


    "I am alright, Sasha. Just do what you need to do. The king is dangerous; going with me will just add unnecessary risk. And William would not be able to look for the hostages without your help."


    Sasha sighed, reluctantly giving a nod; she knew her capabilities. Going with Lily would just burd her.


    It didn''t take long for the chariot to land in the forest. Lily th said goodbye to William and the others.


    Looking at the forest, Lily decided to go inside first to check the situation. Moving inside the forest, she found the area eerily empty.


    After some thought, she realized Alex was the cause of this.


    The monster he captured came from this forest, so it''s not weird that this place has now become like this. She kept moving forward, looking for the king''s location. It didn''t take long for her to regroup with the person under Sasha''s orders.


    "Where is the king?"

 Chapter 167: Guardian vs King

    The person pointed toward the southeast. "Based on the direction, I think he is going for the king of the forest. There''s a lake there. I remember a giant snake is living inside of it."


    "I see; you should go on your way then. It''s too dangerous for you to stay here."


    The man felt relieved hearing Lily''s words. He had already put considerable distance when he followed the king, but the man gave him creeps. The forest being empty also doesn''t help with the situation.


    He then put his hand over his chest, doing the usual greeting, then quickly left the area.


    Seeing the man disappear, Lily''s face turned serious. "What did father want with the king of the forest?" she mumbled.


    She sent a message to the other guardians, telling them to gather at the lake. Lily then moved quickly in the forest, jumping from tree to tree while her senses were on high alert.


    BANG! BANG!


    Lily stopped in her tracks, hearing a shooting sound from somewhere near her. She lowered her speed and then moved carefully in the shadows. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From behind a tree, she saw the king fighting against the Dragon Serpent with help from a dozen elite squads. Lily concludes this based on the squad uniform.


    ''The news I got was that the king entered alone. Where did the rest of the people come from?''


    Lily didn''t think Sasha was lying to her since there was no reason for Sasha to do this. But for her underling, to miss a dozen people was just stupid. There was no way it could happen.


    While she was thinking, the fight with the dragon serpent was reaching its climax. A dark aura came from the king, focusing on a few needles held in his hand.


    The needles were small; if not for the dark aura making them prominent, Lily would not have noticed them. The needles have similar lengths to an index finger.


    SWOOSH! SWOOSH!


    The king threw the needles toward the gaping wound of the dragon serpent. The moment it hit, Lily could see its reptilian eyes start to change before it reflected some intelligence, but now it flickered only with rage.


    But it only lasted for a moment before the eyes turned heavy, and the dragon serpent then lost consciousness.


    The elite squad then moved closer to the dragon serpent.


    At first, Lily thought they would finish it off, but to her surprise, one of them moved his palm forward, and golden dust then came out from it, starting to cover the dragon serpent''s body.


    It didn''t take long for the serpent to completely heal. "It''s done. This serpent will awake in four hours. We should go to our next target."


    The king nodded. He was about to say something when suddenly his gaze turned sharp, and he looked straight at the place where Lily was hiding.


    BAM!


    Without even saying anything, he kicked a rock near his feet toward Lily''s location.


    Lily quickly moved; she rolled away from the tree, which now had a huge gaping hole in its trunk.


    "It seems we have a worm. You guys go first; I will take care of her," the king said while looking coldly at Lily.


    Lily''s heart shook at the king''s words. ''Again,'' she thought in her mind.


    The king''s eyes were just like looking at a stranger, not his own daughter. He didn''t recognize her at all.


    Leaving alone, the king took a blade from the scabbard on his back. "So what is the sentinel''s dog doing here?"


    Lily took out the bow from her back, and a unique pattern started to glow from it, changing its form. The bow twisted and turned, turning it into a long spear 240 cm in height (8 ft).


    With a throb in her heart, she forced herself to calm down. "You are guilty of treason to the sentinel. Surrender yourself, King Belthazar," Lily said while pointing her spear at him.


    "Only with you? You think too much of yourself, Guardian."


    After the king said this, he appeared in front of Lily, his blade moving vertically toward her. Many thoughts came to Lily at this moment.


    She could jump back, avoiding the attack, or jump to the side. If she jumped back with the length of her spear, she could try to counterattack, but there was also a possibility for the king to avoid her attack and then dash forward, cutting the distance between them.


    If she moved to the side, it would allow her more room to maneuver, but with her spear''s length, the only attack she could do would be a swipe using her spear''s body. But it''s still better than having no chance to dodge.


    The reason for this is because of the limitation of the humanoid body. Dodging after moving backward is far harder than after moving forward or sideways.


    She jumped to the right while her body ducked, and her hair fluttered in the wind.


    BAM!


    The king''s heavy blade hit the ground where she just stood, cracking it in the process.


    The result was better than she expected; the king''s back was wide open in front of her eyes. So she decided to take a jump back, putting some distance between them, then thrust her spear forward.


    Swoosh!


    It moved like a bullet, piercing the air. But just when it was inches away from where the king stood, his body turned translucent and disappeared.


    Lily''s sense of danger quickly screamed. Her spear glowed, creating a wind on its tip. It condensed for a moment before it shot with a boom toward the ground. This pushed Lily backward.


    In the area where she just stood, BANG! The ground cracked with a loud sound as if being pressed by a heavyweight. Not long after, the king landed. But in contrast to the heavy armor he wore, the fall didn''t produce any sound.


    The king''s lips smirked, "Not bad. Let''s see how you dodge this next."


    A dark aura appeared on his foot. He then stomped on the ground. The rocks and pebbles started to float, defying gravity.


    The king then swung his blade, creating a shockwave that launched all those rocks toward Lily.

 Chapter 168: Decimated

    Seeing the barrage of attacks, Lily frowned; the area was too large for her to dodge.


    The wind started appearing around her spear. She then started spinning it quickly, turning her spear like an umbrella to block the attack.


    BAM! BAM! BAM! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment the rocks reached the spinning spear, they either got deflected or crumbled into dust. But the King didn''t falter with this. His attack had already served its purpose.


    Since Lily focused her attention on his attack, the King had an opportunity. His body jumped, moving like a blur, appearing behind Lily.


    Lily''s instinct screamed something was coming from her back, but it was all too late for her to dodge.


    CRACK!


    The next thing she knew, she felt like she was being hit by a massive hammer, cracking all the bones in her body apart. She was launched into the air, crashing into many trees like a rocket.


    BANG! CREAK!!


    The tree cannot halt her momentum.


    The King''s lips curl into a cold smile, satisfied with the result. He then says in a loud voice, "What are you guys still waiting for? Come out!"


    From the surrounding forest, many silhouettes jump out, encircling the King. The rest of the Guardians have assembled.


    If Alex were here, he wouldn''t be able to help himself but comment, "Guardians, Assemble," a popular phrase from one of his favorite shows.


    The Guardians quickly spread out; two people move toward Lily''s direction while the rest aim their bows at the King.


    "Surrender now, or we will be forced to use force."


    The King laughs, "You Guardians crack me up. Can''t you see the situation?


    The plan is in its final phase, and soon, I will reach my goal! Do you think I will let any of you live?"


    A black aura starts emanating from his entire body. The ground begins to vibrate, then becomes cracked, like it''s under a heavy weight.


    At the same time, many arrows are shot forward, piercing through the air.


    But the moment they reach the area around the King, the arrows start slowing down, then bend their path, ending up stabbing the ground.


    The King stomps again, executing the same attack he did toward Lily before. Each of the Guardians'' bows starts glowing, then changes form into different types of weapons.


    Meanwhile, back at the castle, Alex is negotiating with Alice.


    "So, you''re planning to bring the fairy out into the public and, in the process, demean the Sentinel so the Felidaens can accept dual leadership?"


    "Yes, but this is only half of it. My main purpose is I want us to focus our attention on increasing our strength to rejoin the war between the progenitors.


    My mom and Uncle Aimu think they can hide in this little haven of theirs and wait for the war to finish. But I don''t believe that; with the scale of the war, it''s just a matter of time before we get involved again."


    "Why are you so sure you will get dragged into the war?"


    "Isn''t your existence here one of the proofs?


    You are a human from the outside. It''s only a matter of time before one of them comes here and attacks us.


    Also, let''s say we win. How do you think our progenitor will treat us?


    Even though it''s the progenitor''s order for us to hide, there is also another order for us to prepare and rejoin the fight."


    Alex taps his finger on the armrest, "Well, you will certainly be ostracized by others who join the war."


    Alice nods, "See, even if you understand, win or lose, our fate is not good. In that case, isn''t it better for us to be proactive?"


    "What you say is not wrong, but I don''t get why you need to go this far."


    Even now, the King doesn''t completely know Alice''s full plan, nor is he completely sane.


    He is afflicted with one of the fairy abilities that enhances his desires. This makes his ambition grow in proportion as his sane mind forgets many of his inhibitions.


    The King only knows that Alice wants to help him take down the Sentinel because she also wants to have a position of power. She was tired of working from the background.


    In the King''s mind, both of them will be the King and queen of the new government. But in reality, this is not Alice''s real plan.


    She will make the King into the real villain, taking all the blame.


    "I just do what I need to do, Alex. If I don''t do this, the other choice will require many sacrifices from my race.


    Even though it''s selfish on my part, that is my decision as the future queen of my people."


    "Future queen?"


    "Yes, I have been groomed from childhood to become the next queen; my sister doesn''t want the position," Alice said, while in her mind she thought, ''I never understood her, but now I know why.''


    "Since that is your goal, you should know Aimu already suspects something is wrong. And he sent me here to take care of it."


    Alice nods and asks, "So, what do you propose? I doubt you are talking to me here just to find more information."


    Alex''s lips curl into a smile, "Let''s cooperate. I will help with what you want to do; in exchange for this, I want two things."


    "That is fine, but before we continue further, release my sister. I think I have shown enough of my sincerity here."


    "Are you sure? What do you think your sister is doing now?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    Alice''s cheeks turn red; she still remembers how her sister was being intimate with the man in the video.


    Alex then took out a storage cube from his storage; he doesn''t plan for this to go public, but if it''s only for Alice, he doesn''t see any problem with it.


    "Well, I can give you this to prove my sincerity. Even though it cannot contain living beings inside, you can put many objects in it. I am sure it will be useful for you."

 Chapter 169: Lilys Demise?

    Alice looks at the object with interest, curious about how it works.


    Meanwhile, back in the forest, the Guardians were decimated by Belthazar. Their limbs were cut apart, but none were killed yet. He walks slowly toward Lily, who has now lost her right hand.


    "Any last wishes?"


    Lily gulps, taking a few steps back each time the king moves closer. Fear shakes her heart as death stares at her.


    ''Is this really the end?'' she asks herself. ''Dying at my own father''s hand¡­ what a joke.''


    But at this time, the other Guardians, despite losing parts of their limbs, moved.


    They try to block the king''s path as they scream, "Run, Leader, at the very least, you need to stay alive."


    The inscriptions on their weapons start glowing; one of them, who lost both her legs, throws her sword toward Belthazar.


    The sword crackles with electricity, piercing through the air; even though it starts slowing down when it enters Balthazar''s zone of power, it still moves toward him.


    It still doesn''t pose any danger to Belthazar, but it gives enough time for the others to launch their attacks.


    Arrows of water, axes covered in ice, and many weapons imbued with elements fly toward him.


    Lily uses the opportunity to quickly escape, feeling ashamed of what she did.


    On the surface, she may claim her actions were to ensure her comrades'' sacrifices were not in vain. But in reality, she knows. In her heart, she ran with fear of death.


    She doesn''t want to die yet; there are many things she still wants to do. She just got approved by the Sentinel to come out from this realm, one of her dreams.


    To die now, just before it''s fulfilled, many thoughts overwhelm her mind while she uses all her strength to move further away.


    Creating wind with the spear in her hand, she propels her body forward, leaving the area as quickly as she can.


    While she does this, she sends a short message to William and Sasha, only telling them to help her.


    She doesn''t have the energy to write much since the only way she can type is by biting the spear with her mouth.


    Desperate situations require desperate measures.


    Lily requires direct contact with her weapon to control the wind element. Even though she is not skilled enough to use it to fly, it''s still very useful in boosting her movement.


    Adrenaline fuels her brain, dampening all the pain coming from her torn hand.


    Back at the castle, Alex and Alice have already made a deal. He lets Aurora and Blaire back outside.


    Meeting her sister, Aurora''s face turns gloomy; she knows the cat is out of the bag now.


    Alice looks at her sternly, asking for an explanation, but Alex doesn''t feel interested in their family drama; he turns to Blaire, "What will you do now? Your wife is worried about you."


    "Sasha woke up?" Blaire asked with an excited tone. He feels relieved hearing the news. ??¨N§¦@??£¤§Á%


    Aurora''s eyes, instead, turn sharp; it would be a lie if she said she didn''t feel any jealousy at all. That is one other reason she put Sasha into a coma.


    "What are you looking at? Explain everything, Aurora!" Alice says with a stern tone.


    Blaire sighed; he didn''t know what to do now, but he didn''t want to lie to his wife.


    "I will go with you, I need to meet with Sasha."


    "Alright," Alex replied, but before they could even leave, Aurora complained, "You are not leaving me again, Blaire! No matter where you go, I will be there with you!"


    Hearing her sister ignore her makes Alice''s veins throb, "Aurora!"


    "Look, Sis, I respect you, but there are things that are non-negotiable for me. And this is one of them."


    Alice sighed; she had never seen her sister like this before. If this had happened before, she would have never let Aurora go, but with her deal with Alex, she decided she could trust him.


    Having Aurora near him will also allow her to keep an eye on his movements, just in case Alex double-crosses her.


    While Alex, Aurora, and Blaire leave the castle, outside the forest, William''s chariot has already arrived. After receiving her plea for help, William doesn''t waste time and quickly returns to this place.


    Sasha looks worriedly toward the forest, "What do you think happened?"


    William squints his chubby eyes, turning them almost into a line, "What else? The king is too strong for her to handle, so she escaped and asked for our help."


    Sasha turns silent; she can''t help but imagine the worst has happened.


    What if Lily is killed by the king? The thought scares her to the core. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Time passes, but Lily is nowhere to be seen. William starts considering leaving the area quickly; each second he lingers there, the riskier it becomes.


    The king is there; who knows if the concubine suddenly comes here? None of them are strong enough to fight her.


    While William considers this idea, a message comes to Sasha, making her smile.


    She quickly types a reply to the message, saying, "Sir Alex has returned with Blaire. I told them to come here."


    Hearing Alex will come makes William feel a bit better.


    Back at Blaire''s Mansion, Alex frowns upon hearing the news from Blaire. "Aurora, if the king really kills Lily, it will make things complicated. You may not know this, but Lily is one of his favorites."


    "Is she really that important? I know she is the Guardian leader, but even in the past, when one of them dies, the Sentinel doesn''t do anything."


    "I heard it from his own mouth. I am sure he will go feral if something really happened. Just order the king to do something else and stop pursuing her."


    With Alex''s words, Aurora relents; she contacts her sister to talk about this. They then move to the forest.


    Aurora is now disguised back as a Feraldin, but she changes her appearance. No one in the palace will recognize her as the concubine.

 Chapter 170: Spirit Weapon

    Alice leaves, making her way back to the king''s side.


    At the front, they are cooperating as equals, so she needs to make up a reason to force the king to prioritize something else.


    Meanwhile, inside the forest, Lily was covered in sweat; at this moment, she was surrounded by the elite squad she had met before.


    Her hand tightly grasped the spear.


    ''It''s just a little more!'' she thought, her eyes darting around the people surrounding her.


    "Are you sure you''re going to do this? Can you face the Sentinel''s Wrath?" Lily said, slowly taking a step back.


    The guards looked at each other and then turned their attention back to Lily. She couldn''t see their faces, but she could feel they were sneering at her.


    One of them suddenly moved; he pounced toward Lily, his hand moving with a saber in his grasp.


    Clang!


    Lily responded, her spear moving swiftly, blocking the saber and targeting her throat in a slash.


    With only one hand and fighting at a close distance, Lily was at a disadvantage; she didn''t even try to counter. She was desperate to find a way to escape.


    Each clash took her a step back toward the periphery of the forest. The thought that William would clash against these people didn''t even cross her mind.


    As she did this, the intricate pattern on her spear kept glowing brighter. The wind started gathering at her feet.


    "Show me what your spirit weapon can do," a muffled voice came from the man.


    Unfortunately for him, Lily didn''t plan to stay any longer.


    Spirit weapons were created by Aimu and Freya after years of experimentation.


    After becoming corrupted, the Felidaens lost their ability to use the shadow glyph; no matter what kind of method Aimu tried, he always failed.


    Freya also tried to find a cure to remove this condition, but nothing worked. Giving up, Aimu got a new idea; since he cannot use a shadow glyph, what if they instead put it into an object?


    The result was a spirit weapon. Despite the shadow glyph now being a weapon, only a felidaen could use it. The reason for this is that each glyph is unique; they are carved using the user''s blood mixed with other materials and forged with a special technique and ritual.


    Their queen, Freya, often praised this method, making the squad curious about how strong a spirit weapon is.


    Slash! Stab! Clang!!!


    The saber moved like a deadly dance in the air while Lily tried hard to parry each attack. Without her other hand, her body became less stable, making every move of hers look clumsy. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But her lips curled into a smile; she had gathered enough. The wind at her feet exploded with a loud bang.


    The man quickly moved back, expecting a big attack coming toward him. But nothing came; instead, he got a glare from the other squad.


    Lily succeeded in her escape, shooting through the air toward the area outside the forest.


    "The princess instructed us to capture her, and you just had to go your way trying to have a fight. How should we answer the princess now?"


    The man with the saber in his hand replied, "Look who''s talking. Aren''t you the one who suggested this idea?


    Just because I won the raffle doesn''t mean you can put all the blame on me."


    "What idea? I just said we could probably see the spirit weapon in action. I never said we should fight her."


    "Shut up, both of you. We should pursue her; we cannot let her cross paths with that man again. You know he will kill her."


    The squad nodded at the man who spoke, then started moving in the direction Lily had escaped.


    In the forest outskirts, William, Roxy, and Sasha were still waiting. Suddenly, a black silhouette came from the air and then landed on the ground with a thud.


    Lily used the wind to create a buffer to reduce the impact of her fall. But with how wounded her body was, the impact still hit her worse.


    Seeing her friend sprawled on the ground, painted in blood, made Sasha''s blood boil. She rarely ever got angry, but this time was different.


    Sasha quickly got down from the chariot, running to her friend. Kneeling down beside her, she screamed, "William, do you have a first aid kit?"


    William didn''t reply; he quickly took a box from under the couch. As someone who prioritizes safety, not only did he have a mandatory first aid kit, but he also had many tools enough to even perform surgery on the road.


    But just as he wanted to help, Roxy put her hand over his shoulder, stopping him. She took out two pairs of daggers, then jumped out, landing beside Sasha and Lily, facing toward the forest.


    Both her arms raised, crisscrossed in front of her face. Many silhouettes then jumped out from the forest, surrounding them.


    The man with the blade didn''t waste time; he went for the kill. His saber moved diagonally, targeting her torso.


    Clang!


    Roxy moved her dagger downward, blocking the attack just in time. Unfortunately, the strength was too great for Roxy to handle.


    Her body was pushed through the air. William, seeing what happened, quickly took action. He pressed a button on his chariot.


    Part of the roof parted open. A gun came out from it and then started pointing toward Roxy.


    Bang!


    A sphere shot out, with a rope connecting it to the barrel. The moment it got near Roxy, it exploded into a net. The net caught her mid-air, pulling her back toward the chariot.


    At the same time, Sasha used the opportunity; she carried Lily on her back and tried to run toward the chariot.


    Unfortunately, the other guards were still on alert since their main focus was Lily. Two of them dashed forward, both pulling out a short stick from their pocket.


    With a click of a button, the stick became long like a staff. Looking back from her shoulder, Lily could see the two people were coming toward them.


    "Sasha, just leave me; it''s hopeless now. At least one of us should escape."

 Chapter 171: The Most Important Thing

    Even though Lily said this, deep inside her heart, she was still filled with fear. She didn''t want to die. But her brain knew the situation was hopeless.


    At the very least, if she really had no other choice, she wanted her death to be meaningful.


    "No, I won''t leave you. You did this for me before; now, I will do it for you."


    Memories of the past surfaced in her mind; they were in a similar situation before, but the situation was reversed.


    In one of their misfit adventures as teenagers.


    At that time, they were out hunting for animals, but as they got too engrossed in hunting down their prey, they ended up entering an area filled with dangerous beasts that were far stronger than them.


    At that time, Sasha was wounded, and Lily was the one carrying her.


    Lily sighed. Just like Blaire, she knew how hard-headed Sasha could be. Her spear started glowing once more.


    Lily squeezed all the power she had left, creating wind under Sasha''s legs. "Fine, keep your mind calm then, Sasha, don''t get surprised."


    After saying this, the wind exploded, propelling them into the air.


    BAM! BAM!


    Both of the sticks hit empty ground. Looking at them escaping toward the chariot, they didn''t feel worried at all.


    They didn''t plan to let the chariot getaway. Golden dust started spreading from their bodies.


    Seeing the golden glow, William knew it wouldn''t be anything good.


    Right now, Roxy had already come out of the net. He changed the cannon ammunition, then targeted it toward the empty ground in the middle of the elite squad.


    Bang! The Cannon shot.


    Seeing the projectile, the man with the stick in his hand moved; his body was now covered with golden dust, effectively augmenting his speed.


    This allowed him to hit the projectile before it even hit. But William didn''t feel worried about it.


    This one was set to explode the moment it felt any impact.


    Boom! It blew up, releasing black smoke in the surrounding area.


    The smoke not only hindered their view but also assaulted their noses, making them runny. Their exposed skin also got irritated.


    The same thing happened to Sasha and Lily the moment they landed back on the ground. This time, the landing was not smooth; both of them rolled on the ground until they crashed into the chariot.


    Roxy was already prepared with the smoke; she held her breath while forcing her eyes to stay open. She then helped Roxy and Sasha to enter the chariot while William coughed non-stop.


    But this cough didn''t stop William from starting the chariot.


    The moment the door closed, the chariot started to float and move toward Blaire''s mansion.


    Feeling the chariot moving made Lily feel relieved; she was now lying on the seat, coughing with red eyes and a nose filled with snot. But unfortunately, her relief only lasted for a moment.


    BAM! ?+??¦Á§á$¦Ê?-??&§ñ-§Ô?&¨»?#?§á#?-¦Ò@?-?§®???¦Å%§®??§Ô


    A loud noise reverberated in the air; Lily''s world turned many times over. It was like being inside a car that then got crashed by a truck driven at high speed.


    The chariot''s front bent and got destroyed, allowing them to directly see the sky. The metallic shards flew everywhere, while the crystal that was used as the chariot''s base turned into sharp metal, becoming a danger for the passengers inside.


    Bang! The chariot landed on the ground, destroying it even further. Not far from it, one of the elite squad landed, holding a big hammer, while his body and head were glowing, sprinkled with golden dust.


    Despite his massive strength and big weapon, his fairy dust allowed him to cure afflictions, refreshing someone''s condition anew.


    It sounds very good, but in reality, his ability is very limited. It only allows him to cure small afflictions, like a cough, relieve fever, and heal a runny nose.


    This made him often underestimated by his comrades since his ability was useless in real combat. This is the first time his abilities shine, making him feel smug.


    Unfortunately, his smugness made him excited, which, in turn, made him hit with all his strength.


    Seeing the result of his attack now made him quickly feel worried.


    The rest of the squad couldn''t see what happened since the smoke still irritated their eyes. Some forced themselves to see only to end up closing them again; the only reason Roxy could do this is that she had often trained her eyes, building up some resistance to it.


    William felt pain all over his body, but this time, he was thankful for the layer of fat covering him. He could feel many sharp objects stabbing at his flesh, but none reached his internal organs. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His mind was fuzzy, his ears ringing. In the midst of this, a muffled, warm voice reached his ears.


    It was like a light at the end of a dark labyrinth. Unfortunately, the light was not something he liked; the light was something that would mark the turning point of his life.


    Clarity started returning to his mind. His eyes opened, seeing many blurry lines. But it quickly became clear as he heard a familiar voice.


    "Thank God you are alright, young master. Cough," Roxy said with a heavy breath and a raspy voice.


    Her face was painted with ash and blood; some of the skin on her cheek was scraped, making her look disfigured, but for William, this all didn''t matter.


    He smiled as the first face he saw was someone important to him. But it quickly changed as he realized something was coming out from Roxy''s chest.


    Not just one or two; there were four sharp crystal tubes piercing through her vital organs.


    At her back, William could see part of the chariot''s roof.


    It was clear she was protecting him when their chariot crashed. She was holding all of this to make sure the sharp parts didn''t hit him.


    Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum!


    His heart beat loudly from his chest. It felt like it was being crushed right now; the pain was unbearable.


    William felt like his world was crashing down.


    The sentinel? Felidaens?


    The king''s plan to become the real king? Being surrounded by the enemy?


    His dream for a lazy, peaceful life?


    All of this didn''t matter.

 Chapter 172: I Have No Regret (Bonus CH)

    All of this didn''t matter; he didn''t care.


    Only now did he understand what was really important in his life. Only now, when it started leaving his grasp.


    Like a candle in its final moment, it showed its most brilliant light in its final act. Roxy smiled beautifully, like someone who had just fulfilled their lifelong dream.


    Dying to protect her young master.


    Protecting his life is something that made her feel very happy and made her feel she was useful to him.


    "Don''t look at me like that, young master. My life may be a short one, but I feel very fulfilled now. I have no regret in this life," Roxy said while coughing up blood.


    "Roxy, what are you saying? We still have a long life ahead of us.


    Don''t you say you want to be with me? Let''s get married. It''s just a wound; I am sure we can find a way to cure it!


    Look, Alex is coming for us; I am sure he has some method to help you."


    With the same smile, Roxy''s eyes were filled with even more happiness, and regret started to surface in her mind. Hearing what William said made her imagine it all.


    ''If only that were possible,'' she thought. But she knew her own body the best.


    She knew she was dying and on its last spurt now, and it would only last for a moment.


    If Alex were here, he would know what happened; there is a term for it in his world; ''terminal lucidity.''


    When someone dying experiences a surge of strength or energy, this rarely happens, but it''s been documented many times, even before Mana and dungeons started surfacing in his world. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even today, with how good their technology and understanding of Mana are, no one knows why this happens.


    Some say it''s a flight or fight response, some say it''s an adrenaline rush, but whatever it is, for those involved, it''s like a miracle.


    Roxy ignored all of William''s words; instead, she said, "Young master..."


    She paused for a moment, then continued. "William... I love you...


    Even though everyone around you always looks down on you, I know the real you.


    You are someone who is capable, someone who is kind at heart. In my eyes, you are always my hero.


    When I had no one¡­ When I was in the darkest part of my life, displayed naked as an object, you put your hand on me, giving me a way of living."


    Cough.


    Roxy coughed up blood once more, but her smile didn''t falter; she continued, "At that moment, you became the light of my life. That is when I decided I would never leave your side. That is why I reject all your other offers."


    If she could move her hand, she would have already caressed William''s face for the last time. She couldn''t even lower her face to kiss him since the sharp pipes were coming out of her body.


    She couldn''t help but lament how cruel the world was to her, but at the very least, this cruel world brought William into her life.


    ¦£§ß*???-&??%-#?%-!


    Even if she knew this would happen, she would still do everything exactly the same.


    "Roxy, what are you saying? You said you want to be by my side forever. Don''t give up!" William said while he forcibly moved his hand, pushing through all the pain to caress Roxy''s face.


    Feeling William''s warm hand made her heart flutter. This is the first time he has done this.


    "Even if I am not here, don''t be careless with your life, William.


    Don''t forget to maintain a healthy diet and do your workout. Don''t forget to spend time with your father and mother.


    Stop going to the bar and nightclub; those women don''t deserve you."


    As she said this, her voice started getting smaller and smaller, and her eyelids started turning heavy as they began to close.


    "Roxy! What are you doing! Don''t close your eyes! Look at me. Keep awake till Alex reaches this place," William said, his words filled with unwillingness, denial, despair, and pain.


    "William... William... I... Love... you... Take...


    Care... Of... your..." Her voice trailed off, her eyelids closed shut.


    Tears started flowing nonstop from William''s eyes. He screamed, calling her name over and over, but no reply came from Roxy. No voice came out from her lips.


    She may not have been the most beautiful, the strongest, nor the smartest, but for William, she was the most important person in the world. Something that he realized too late.


    "Roxy... ROXY," His wail reverberated in the air. He didn''t even realize that despite Roxy''s death, her body still held the debris, not giving up on the weight, still protecting him from the fatal attack.


    Meanwhile, Alex, Aurora, and Blaire had just reached the forest.


    Seeing the smoke surrounding the outskirts, they frowned; it was clear something was happening there.


    But for Alex, with progenitor eyes, the fog was not a problem, nor was the distance; he could see clearly what had happened.


    "Open the door," Alex said, surprising Blaire and Aurora.


    "You want to jump there? Do you have wings or something? We are still some distance away from that location." Aurora replied


    "Just open it and prepare for medical treatment when you come down," Alex replied with a firm tone.


    Seeing Alex''s stern eyes, she felt he would forcefully open the door if she asked one more time, so she opened it.


    "Did something happen? Is my wife alright?" Blaire asked.


    But Alex didn''t answer; after the door opened, he jumped into the air. He then took out the EmberShift hammer and used it to release flames, propelling him toward the smoke.


    BOOM! He landed, creating a shockwave that made all the smoke scatter. Alex ignored the dozen squad members; his eyes focused on the chariot.


    He could see Lily losing one arm while her body was mangled with many scars. The same also happened with Sasha.


    Thankfully, Alex could still feel the life force coming out of them, even though it was feeble and weak, meaning they could still be saved. He turned his gaze toward the rubble of steel; from inside of it, Alex could see only one life force.

 Chapter 173: Denial & Hatred (Bonus Ch)

    Using his ability, he quickly estimated that Sasha and Lily could wait, but the one under the rubble, despite the life force being strong, somehow could guess what happened.


    The life force belonged to William, but he could not find Roxy''s life force, which meant she had died inside the rubble.


    Alex touched the rubble and started spreading his qi inside it. Learning the situation, his gaze turned complicated, and with a deep sigh, he started lifting the rubble carefully.


    William could feel the air turn fresher, and everything started to turn brighter. The sharp crystal in Roxy''s body also started getting pulled out slowly.


    BANG!


    A loud voice reverberated in the air as Alex threw the rubble toward the man wielding the hammer.


    His throw looked random since Alex threw it high in the air, but it dropped directly toward the man''s face.


    The man gripped his hammer and then hit the debris with a bang, shattering it in the process. On purpose or not, the man took this as a provocative action; he leaped forward, his hammer raised above his head as he aimed to hit Alex.


    But a sound reached his ear, making him stop.


    A few moments ago, Blaire and Aurora landed near Sasha and Lily. Blaire quickly got close to Sasha and then poured the healing water for her to drink.


    It''s the same water he used to heal his hand before, given by Aurora. Aurora cast a short glance toward Blaire, then back toward the man with the hammer running toward Alex.


    "What do you think you are doing?"


    Her appearance was not familiar, but her voice was known to everyone in the elite squad. Aurora asked that question in her original voice.


    She snapped her fingers, turning back to her real appearance. This made the squad kneel on one knee, "Greetings, Princess." They said in unison.


    "Disperse, continue with your mission. I will take care of the rest," Aurora said coldly.


    "Yes, Princess." The squads didn''t ask any further questions; they stood up and wanted to leave, but Blaire''s words stopped them. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking over his shoulder with eyes flickering with rage, he asked, "Who is the one that attacked the chariot?"


    He is not dumb, even though he doesn''t have Alex''s abilities; he could still speculate what happened; the destroyed chariot, the wound on his wife''s body, it all tells him how they were attacked.


    Aurora sighed; she had already expected this. She knew Blaire''s personality; if he had the opportunity to take revenge on those who hurt him or the one he holds dear, he would go for it, except it''s too risky. MVLeMpYr.com-read-first


    For example, when Sasha was poisoned.


    She also thinks some part of Blaire would never forgive her for what she did to Sasha, which is one of the reasons she forced herself on him, making sure she carried his child, so he has no choice but to forgive her.


    She knew this was manipulative and wrong, but she just couldn''t help it; at that time, meeting Sasha for the first time and seeing their wedding picture, her jealousy overcame her rationality.


    She barely managed to hold herself back from killing her. In reality, she had other plans not to hurt her but rarely did things go as planned when emotion was involved.


    Meanwhile, William was now hugging Roxy''s body tightly, his eyes looking at Alex filled with hope. Alex didn''t need to hear him say anything to know what he wanted to say.


    ''Vesa, any ideas?'' Alex asked in his mind.


    [Impossible, King, if there was still a flicker of life force on her, even a little bit, then there is something that could be done, but now there is nothing we can do. If the old progenitor was here, maybe he could do something since she just died.]


    "Why do you think he can do something? Is it possible to resurrect the dead?"


    [Not possible, King; those that die will stay dead.]


    [Even a progenitor''s ability can, at most, recreate a living being, but at that time, they are a new person just having the same memories.]


    [I just said it may be possible since there is much knowledge only known to a Progenitor, so maybe there is a way to get her soul back since she just died.]


    Alex''s face turned solemn; he then shook his head.


    The sky might be clear now, casting its warm light toward the area, but for William, it''s like the gloomiest sky he has ever seen.


    "No¡­ no way¡­ Tell me you are lying¡­ Alex¡­ If you cannot do it, what about the Sentinel? Can''t he do something?


    Or the fairy race or something outside this place? You come from outside; the universe is so vast there should be a way."


    "I won''t say I know everything, William, so maybe¡­ Maybe there is a way.


    But honestly, many of those will be fake; you might be able to replicate her memories and everything, but are you sure at that point she is still the same Roxy, you know?"


    "Roxy.. No.. No.. No!!!!" William screamed from his lungs, his heart filled with pain.


    He stood up carefully and laid Roxy on the ground; her body was filled with holes, with her hand still tensed in the same position as before.


    William tried to close it, but it was so firm and strong that he could not budge. He then realized the reason for this. Even after her death, she was still there protecting him.


    Alex took out a red potion from his storage ring, "Let me at least return her body back to normal."


    William nodded while looking at the red liquid inside the bottle.


    Alex poured it all over her body; with naked eyes, he could see all the wounds quickly healed. The skin returned to normal as if the wound had never been there.


    Anger quickly surfaced in William''s heart; he then grabbed Alex''s body by his shoulders. If he just had that liquid before, he would have been able to save Roxy.


    "YOU! If you just came earlier!!! Why!? Just WHY!?" William screamed as he shook Alex''s body.

 Chapter 174: Mysterious Energy

    Alex sighed, "I am sorry, I am late."


    He didn''t say anything more, nor did he try to comfort William. He knew from experience that was not what he needed right now.


    Tears kept flowing down William''s face. He kept screaming, complaining to Alex, blaming everything he could find.


    MVLeMpYr-only


    The more William screamed, the more the reality crept into his mind.


    Roxy is no more. Never will he see her smile again, never will he hear her nag again, never will she stay at his side, carefully planning his next day, reminding him of the tasks he needs to do, and reminding him of every single little thing that he always somehow forgets.


    William stopped screaming. His hand dropped from Alex''s collar. William then turned his gaze, looking for the people responsible for this tragedy.


    But he only found one person from that squad standing now, hammer in hand.


    There was a woman he had never seen before, talking with Blaire while Sasha and Lily were lying on the ground.


    But this all didn''t matter to him; his attention was focused on the man with the hammer, rage flickering in his eyes.


    "It''s because of him! All because of him!"


    He knelt down, taking the two knives that Roxy had wielded before. This pair was his gift to her when she finished her combat training.


    Holding them tightly, William started making his way toward the man with the hammer.


    Alex didn''t stop him; he thought it better to let William vent. If he was losing, he would then intervene to protect his life.


    Turning his gaze to Roxy, who had a beautiful smile on her face, Alex wondered, ''You are dead, but you seem very satisfied with it. I wonder if I die, will I have the same expression?''


    Alex then shook his head. He is now a progenitor, even though he hasn''t completely transformed. He is already ageless and very hard to kill.


    When he succeeds, for him to be dead would mean something very significant happened, just like the old progenitor''s demise.


    Alex used his qi, relaxing the muscles on Roxy''s arm. He then placed it above her chest.


    Alex flicked his finger, taking out a blanket and putting it over her body, only letting her face show.


    Meanwhile, Aurora and Blaire were having a discussion.


    Blaire wanted the man punished for hurting Sasha, at the very least, by cutting his arm. But Aurora requested for him to wait until her sister''s goal was completed; he is still needed for the plan.


    The man with the hammer felt angry, hearing his princess didn''t even take his side.


    He may have gone overboard, but he still did this because of the mission, and based on what he saw, their VIP target is still alive.


    Despite what he felt, the man still didn''t dare to attack Aurora.


    It was not just out of loyalty; he knew he could not beat her. Even though Aurora is not that strong physically, her ability to create illusions is on a whole other level.


    She can easily trap him in one and kill him with ease.


    "I am not saying you cannot take revenge, Blaire, but look at the big picture. Please, I beg you.


    If we kill him now, my sister will question whether I pose a risk to her plans since I prioritize my feelings.


    This will pose a danger for us."


    Blaire started to hesitate. He couldn''t really get angry at Aurora, despite what Aurora thought of him.


    She held a special place in his heart, even more special than Sasha, since she was his first love.


    The moment Blaire knew she was Aurora, all his hate toward her disappeared. He also forgot how Aurora had tortured him many times.


    In his mind, he understood why Aurora did all this; she had sacrificed so many things for him in the past.


    While they were still talking, William suddenly appeared in front of the man with the hammer, surprising him.


    William had told Alex before that he was confident in his ability to run away, and he wasn''t joking about this.


    After learning many footstep techniques, William found it''s all about breathing and maintaining posture. With this, they leverage gravity and momentum to increase speed.


    William then started mixing it all, customizing it, creating his own personal technique. He did many trials and errors before finally creating this technique.


    By using a specific breathing rhythm, William is somehow able to transfer all his body weight to his feet.


    This allowed him to get a burst of speed momentarily when he stomped on the ground.


    William''s hand moved with finesse, slashing toward the man''s neck.


    With how close they were, the man could not swing his hammer effectively.


    He could only fumble and took a step back while raising his hand, blocking the attack. But the strength behind it surprised him; his combat armor was slashed to the surface of his skin, and hot, searing pain started to spread from his arm.


    William continued the barrage of attacks. He didn''t want to give any time for the man to fix his posture. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Slash! Slash! Slash!


    At every opportunity, William tried to slash the same area over and over.


    The man gritted his teeth. He glanced sideways toward the princess, but she just watched in silence with nonchalant eyes.


    Aurora, at this moment, was thinking if the man were killed by a normal Felidaean, she probably could justify his death to Alice; that way, she wouldn''t need to have any debate with Blaire.


    Blaire looked at the fight, thinking he would see how it went before having another discussion with Aurora.


    Meanwhile, Alex was surprised by what William had done. He could see that the moment William utilized his technique, some kind of weird energy appeared inside his body.


    "Do you have any idea what that is, Vesa?"


    [A energy byproduct of lifeforce and soul. I don''t have much understanding of this, but that is what the last progenitor told me.]


    [He speculates it''s made when lifeforce reacts toward the will or desire of the soul.]

 Chapter 175: Chudo

    ''Will and soul, is that also the reason why Roxy''s body could stay strong despite her already dying? The leftover of this energy still remains in her body.'' Alex thought to himself.


    He then asked Vesa what the energy''s name was. Vesa said the last progenitor named it ''Chudo.''


    Back to the fight, the man decided to throw his hammer down. Without it weighing him down, he started fighting back using his fists.


    With the free hand, the man punched William in the gut.


    BAM!


    The strength was such that William''s face turned blue; it pierced through all layers of fat, making his intestines vibrate.


    William''s body hunched, but he didn''t move back; he pushed forward.


    William flipped the dagger, making it pointed down, and with all his strength, he pushed the dagger toward the exposed part on the man''s nape.


    Feeling the danger, the man instinctively raised his shoulder, meeting the stab head-on. It pierced through his muscle, but the man used the opportunity to forcefully bulge his hand, effectively making the dagger stuck.


    This broke William''s momentum, allowing the man to pressure him back. He hit William in the torso again and again, targeting his liver.


    The man then hunched his body and moved his elbow lower than his waist before throwing it upward into an uppercut. Like a coiled spring that finally got its release, his punch hit William straight in the chin, sending a shock to his brain.


    Despite his ability to move quickly, William had almost zero experience in real fights. The only reason why he could use Roxy''s dagger with ease is thanks to Roxy''s non-stop pestering, forcing him to learn it from her.


    He had sparred and practiced against dummy targets many times, but a real fight was different. novel-hosted-MvLeMpYr


    Despite his adrenaline, William''s body was also not in its optimum condition. He didn''t take any potion and directly attacked the man.


    The shock made William''s world spin.


    The man took the opportunity to hit William straight in the face, effectively breaking his nose and pushing him several feet away.


    Lying on the ground with his disappearing consciousness, William could see a blurred silhouette of a man coming toward him. The silhouette then raised his hammer high above his head, targeting his face.


    ''Roxy, you think I am your hero. But what kind of hero am I? I failed to protect you. I failed to take revenge for you¡­


    You say I am capable. What kind of capability is this?


    Roxy¡­ If only I listened to you... If I practiced more¡­ IF I know how precious you are¡­''


    Many "what if" scenarios ran in William''s mind as it got embraced by darkness.


    BANG!


    The hammer landed at its target. Well, that is what the man wished had happened. Unfortunately, it''s not.


    The bang is not the sound of his hammer hitting William; it''s the sound of his body getting slammed to the ground.


    Just a moment before the hammer reached William''s body, Alex appeared in front of him, put his palm over the man''s chest, and then slammed him to the ground.


    Alex moved so fast that it didn''t give Aurora and Blaire any opportunity to intervene.


    Alex raised the man by his neck and then threw him toward Aurora''s feet. Looking sideways at William, he said, "Let him live. That man should be for William to kill."


    Aurora nodded, while Blaire just sighed. He turned his attention to Sasha and Lily; both of them were now already healed, but even the miracle water failed to regenerate her missing limb. If only he had her missing hand, then it might be possible.


    Walking toward Sasha, he princess-carried her toward the chariot.


    Aurora turned her gaze away; even now, she still felt jealous seeing Blaire treat another woman with care.


    She looked at the clear sky, questioning her life decision, ''I should have returned to you without caring about my race.'' She thought.


    Alex looked at William with a complicated gaze, starting to think what he would do if he were in his position.


    His fists clenched, imagining something happened to those he loved, ''I will turn each of them into a pure vampire so they can live for eternity.'' Alex swore in his mind.


    While he thought of losing a loved one, another person was also trying hard now to make sure he could protect everyone without losing himself.


    In the cultivation world, a sentence was said out loud, repeated over and over like a chant as 20 people ran covered in sweat.


    "Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty!" a unison voice reverberated in the air.


    Each of their hands and legs were using an ankle weight similar to what MingHao wore, but theirs were not as heavy as his. He was running at the front, ahead of everyone.


    With his kind personality and background, it didn''t take long for him to gain respect from the other disciples of the Bai Yue sect. He was already a cultivator, but he joined them in practice and never treated them with any prejudice. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He treated them with respect and sincerity.


    Under the tree that marked their goal, a big pot was bubbling, spreading a delicious aroma around the area.


    A beautiful middle-aged woman was there, stirring the pot. She is Jian Feng''s wife, Rong Mao.


    Rong Mao has a similar height to MingYue. Her age doesn''t make her look ugly; instead, it makes her look more attractive, giving her an aura of maturity and wisdom.


    She has black eyes and hair, while JianFeng has amber eyes and black hair. It didn''t take long for Minghao and the group to finally reach their goal. They all quickly lay down on the grass, looking at the sky.


    Their breath was ragged and heavy.


    Rong Mao smiled at them, "What are you all doing? Come here; take a drink first so you feel more refreshed."


    "Give us a minute, Aunt Rong. This practice is really killing us. Just whose idea was this?" said one of the women lying on the ground.

 Chapter 176: The People in The Sect

    The woman has black hair tied in pigtails with freckles on her cheeks. Her slender body is quite short compared to the others.


    She barely reaches Minghao''s shoulder.


    Hearing her words, Minghao smirked, "Hey, it may be my idea, but I didn''t force any of you to follow me."


    "Well, Minghao is not wrong, Suiyin," said another woman, her face smooth and attractive, with an hourglass body and the same height as Minghao. Her name was Yanyu.


    "Why are any of you even looking for someone to blame? We all agreed to do this together," came a rough voice from a tall, lean man.


    "Do you need to ask, Ruo? Because it''s freaking tiring!" Suiyin complained, making the others laugh.


    No one refuted her claim, as what she said was true. They were really spent now, barely able to move their bodies except for Minghao.


    "Don''t worry, guys, all of this will benefit us in the future, I am sure of it.


    Train hard, study hard, eat, and sleep plenty. We will all become strong in no time," Minghao said excitedly while changing his posture from lying on the ground to sitting.


    "Just where did you get this training method? Did it come from your master? Or your sister?" YanYu asked, turning her gaze toward Minghao.


    Minghao doesn''t hide the fact that he is MingYue''s little brother. So they know he is not just a cultivator but someone important in their sect.


    "Well, I cannot tell you where I got it. Just believe me on this," Minghao said with confidence.


    It''s not that he doesn''t want to share where he got the method; it''s just that MingYue forbade him from sharing it. And it''s not like he knows where his sister brought it from.


    He speculates if his sister has some master from the central region. Not in his wildest imagination did he think that MingYue got all those from another world.


    Meanwhile, back in the Scorched Dune Labyrinth, inside the secret realm, Alex and the group returned to Blaire''s mansion to recover.


    William is now resting in one of the rooms, getting treatment from one of Blaire''s people.


    With Sasha in a coma for years, he had a whole medical team prepared just in case something happened.


    Sasha, Aurora, and Blaire were now talking in private. Alex doesn''t feel interested in what they are talking about. He could guess it''s something about accepting Aurora into their life.


    As for Lily, she was now sitting in front of Alex. She was dumbfounded by the information she just heard.


    Alex didn''t tell her everything; he only told her part of the story in which he made an agreement with Alice.


    "If what you say is true, then for what did my comrades die?" Lily asked.


    Alex sighed, "I am not saying for you not to seek revenge for them. Just wait at least until the fairy side is ready."


    "Wait until they are ready!? Based on your story, aren''t they the masterminds?


    Even if it was the king that killed all of them, it only happened because it was their plan!" Lily said with a high tone.


    "Then what do you propose? Reporting them to the Sentinel?"


    "Yes! If we follow their plan, many civilians will also be sacrificed! Why should we be the ones to pay while they are the ones that want to come out from the shadows?" Lily asked.


    Alex hasn''t told her about the progenitor or the war; she just knows Alice and Aurora are some of the leaders of the fairy race, and they made this plan so they can join the community.


    "It''s not like they have a better choice. I am not saying what they do is right, but let''s say you report to the Sentinel now.


    Do you think it will be better?


    MvLeMpYr-article


    The fairies also have figures as strong as your Sentinel. If they fight, the casualties will be immeasurable."


    "But we have more people than them; we will win."


    Alex could see the glint of hatred reflected in Lily''s eyes. He knows even if he tells her about the progenitor and their war, she will probably not believe it. After all, the concepts were too far away for her.


    He tapped his fingers a few times, thinking about what to say to convince Lily not to report to the Sentinel. Even though he is stronger than her, the idea of using his strength to force her didn''t even pass his mind.


    A small part of him felt guilty since he cooperated with Alice for his own selfish reasons.


    "Look, Lily, if you do it that way, will your comrades be happy?


    A war between races will have many casualties. What if one of their acquaintances and family becomes a victim?


    Also, by doing this my way, your mom and brother''s lives will be guaranteed. Rather than focusing on more war, isn''t it better for us to make sure there are fewer civilian casualties?"


    "Then what should I say to their families? That I cooperated with the killer of my comrades? How can I even face them?"


    Alex sighed, "Try to calm yourself first, Lily. Then think again about what you really want to do and the situation we are in." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then stood up and walked toward the exit.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Don''t you want your friends'' bodies back? We returned in a hurry before, so we had no time to take their bodies."


    "Wait, let me go with you then."


    Alex stopped in his steps, then looked over his shoulder, "Only if you can calm yourself and follow what I said."


    Alex says this just to be sure Lily won''t do something extreme. He is not too worried since Alice has already met up with the king.


    Based on what Alice said, they will finish preparation today and then start everything early in the morning.


    Other than going to the forest, Alex also wanted to visit the restaurant to pay the bills and go to the auction.


    Despite what happened, he didn''t want to miss it. Who knows what kind of useful item he could get there.


    "Fine," Lily replied.

 Chapter 177: The Guardians Fate

    While both of them left, inside one of the rooms,


    William was sitting up in bed. His eyes looked at the pair of daggers lying in his hand.


    After he woke up, he excused the medical team, wanting to be alone. His eyes were red, but no tears dropped from them.


    He was exhausted mentally and physically. His whole body was bandaged, but the one that hurt most was his heart.


    Many memories with Roxy appeared in his mind, reminding him again of what he had lost. Moments passed in silence before, finally, he gripped the dagger in his hand. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He forced his body to stand up and then left the room. Outside, he met Blaire, Aurora, and Sasha, who had just finished with their private talk.


    Surprisingly to Blaire, Sasha didn''t have any problem with Aurora marrying him. She also didn''t resent Aurora despite her being the one who put her into a coma.


    The reason for this is that Sasha has already heard many stories about Aurora. She knows how important Aurora is for Blaire.


    Seeing William rise from the bed made Sasha worried; despite having just met him, she could empathize with what had happened. She almost lost Lily in that fight.


    "You shouldn''t be moving around yet, William. Take care of your body first."


    William''s lifeless eyes turned towards Sasha. He didn''t respond to her words. Instead, he asked, "Where is¡­" His voice quivered for a moment; he tightened his grip on the dagger before he continued. "Where is she?"


    Despite his cryptic words, they understood who he was looking for. But before Sasha could answer, Blaire beat her to it. "Her body is with Alex. But he is not here now."


    "I see¡­ Where is he?"


    "He went back to that forest, but it''s better if we just wait for him here," Blaire replied.


    They knew he was going there since Lily sent a message to Sasha.


    William didn''t respond. Instead, he turned away, walking toward the exit. Sasha tugged at Blaire, silently telling him to stop William.


    Blaire sighed, moved forward, then held his shoulder.


    "Look, I understand you are grieving now, but you cannot just go out with your body like this. Did you think Roxy would want to see you get hurt again?"


    Hearing Roxy''s name made William''s body shake.


    He turned around, facing Blaire, then started saying in a high pitch, "Understand!? You say you understand!?


    Have you ever lost someone important to you!!! What do you know about how I feel now?"


    William moved his hand over his chest, grasping it; his breathing started getting heavy.


    "Actually, I do know. I have lost someone important to me before, and I know how hellish it feels. But William, let me ask you once again, what do you think Roxy would want you to do now?"


    Blaire said this since he felt, rather than convincing William with other reasons, using Roxy''s name would be far more effective.


    "She¡­" William was at a loss for words.


    If Roxy were here, she would tell him to take care of his body first. Her last words reverberated again in his mind, making his heart throbbed even more.


    William dropped to his knees, tears starting to fall again on his cheek; he didn''t say any words.


    Sasha moved forward, wanting to comfort him, but Blaire stopped her. "At a moment like this, it''s better to just let him alone, Sasha."


    "But Blaire, what if he?"


    Blaire looked at William and then said, "No, he won''t hurt himself. Let''s just give him some privacy. I will ask some maids to bring some water and food to him."


    Time passed; it didn''t take too long for Alex and Lily to return back to the forest. Following Lily''s pointer, they reached the place where the Guardian fought the King before.


    To Lily''s surprise, not everyone was there; there were a few people missing.


    "Do you think it''s possible for them to survive?" Alex asked as he looked around the area, seeing the marks left from the fight.


    He could also see a trail of blood reaching deeper into the forest.


    "I¡­" Lily''s voice trailed off; she was too ashamed to answer the truth. At that time, she ran away without even assessing her comrades'' condition.


    Seeing her not answer, Alex didn''t push her further. Instead, he started walking, following the trail of blood. Using his ability, it was easy for him to calculate which one was fresher.


    Based on all the marks, he guessed the King didn''t even bother to finish them all; he just did some massive attack, making sure no one could threaten him, before then leaving the area to pursue Lily.


    Seeing Lily following him, Alex pointed to a different area, "It will be faster if we split up. Try to move that way; there are blood trails, too."


    Lily agreed, and then they went their separate ways.


    Alex was not worried Lily would meet the King or the fairy squad; he had gotten a message from Alice that they already moved to a different area.


    Following the trail, Alex was surprised at how far the Guardian moved with torn limbs. Based on the marks, the Guardian probably crawled all the way here without her legs.


    It''s quite a distance, almost 2km (1.2 miles).


    Looking at the end of the trail, Alex could see a few footsteps on it; he concluded someone was taking the Guardian off the ground. But he didn''t know who.


    Alex decided not to pursue further, instead going back to trace the other marks. He planned to ask Alice about this since he suspected the Fairy was the one taking her.


    ''Based on Alice''s goal, they should heal the Guardian. It will make the Fairy look good and portray the King as the villain.'' Alex thought.


    It didn''t take long for him to trace back the path toward Lily''s location. In the chariot, he gave her a comm to allow easy communication and tracking. content-hosted-on-MVLeMpYr


    Alex was surprised to see Lily had found her comrade.


    ''Why didn''t the fairy help all of them?'' he wondered.

 Chapter 178: Williams decision

    Seeing Alex, Lily quickly asked him to help her comrade. Her body was filled with scars now, with only one hand and leg. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a few moments, Alex quickly realizes the answer; her life force is so weak that most people would think she''s already dead.


    Turning his gaze toward Lily, he could see her eyes were wet with tears. "Why are you crying as if she were dead?"


    "Because she is dead, it''s all my fault¡­"


    "No, she''s still alive," Alex says while walking toward them. Holding the woman''s only hand, he tries to feel her heartbeat using his thumb.


    Alex wants to learn more about her situation so he can choose a suitable medicine to use. But feeling no beat makes Alex''s eyes widen.


    The woman still has a life force, but her body is cold without any heartbeat. After some thought, Alex decided to give her a red potion with two pills.


    The potion will heal the wounds to her body, while the first pill is a ration pill that will give her body many supplements; the purpose of this is for the second pill to work, and it will trigger her body to start producing red blood in steroids.


    Lily watches in a daze as she sees Alex pour those medicines into her comrade.


    She was sure she had already died; she was not breathing, nor did she have any heartbeat. She had checked a few times to make sure.


    A ridiculous thought comes to her mind, ''Can Alex revive the dead? But that doesn''t make sense; if he can do that, why did he let Roxy die?"


    While she was thinking about this, her comrade''s face started returning to its rosy color. It doesn''t take long for her heart to start beating again.


    "How could you do that?"


    "You mistook her as dying; in reality, she is still alive."


    "How¡­ I am sure she isn''t breathing."


    "Her lungs and heart stopped, but that doesn''t necessarily mean she was dead. I don''t know how, but somehow she can maintain her brain to survive this long, even without any blood circulation."


    "Brain? Circulation?" Lily raises her eyebrow.


    She knows what a brain is, but she doesn''t know what circulation means and how it''s related to how her comrade is alive.


    "Based on what I know so far, you, Felidaens, have a similar structure to me, a human; as long as your brain remains active, you will stay alive even without breathing or a heartbeat.


    In my world, we call this situation'' cardiac arrest.''


    Normally, they won''t survive long since brain cells will start dying quickly after not being supplied with blood and oxygen. But somehow, your friend did it."


    Lily feels even more confused after Alex''s explanation, but she quickly realizes how her friend survived. "She is a healer in my squad."


    "No wonder then, she probably used her ability to protect her brain. But don''t expect much, Lily.


    We don''t know what kind of damage her brain underwent; there could be lingering damage that affects her memories or other functions."


    "At the very least, she is alive; that is what really matters. I am sure Sentinel can find a way to cure her if that happens," Lily replies with relief, while Alex doesn''t say more.


    He doubts Aimu has that capability; even a potion from his world cannot do this, and not even Olivia''s ability can heal the brain.


    The reason for this is because of how Olivia''s ability works. She needs to have an understanding of how the body part works before she can use her ability to heal it.


    It''s not as magical as she just needs to activate her ability, and everything will heal. Similarly, the red potion cannot recover parts of the brain cells that died.


    This makes Alex wonder, if someone can revive a brain-dead cell, then theoretically, aren''t they able to revive a person?


    He then remembers what Vesa told him before, making him sigh.


    His theory is not only plausible, but someone out there has already achieved it. And the result is a different person with the same memories since their soul is not there.


    ''Just what exactly is a soul?'' Alex wonders while they move back to the chariot.


    novel-hosted-MvLeMpYr


    Despite only having one hand, Lily is still able to carry her friend. She insists on doing it by herself.


    Lily still feels guilty about what happened; anything she can do for her comrade makes her feel better. Afterward, she stays with her friend while Alex scours the area.


    Unfortunately, he cannot find any other survivors, so from the dozen squad members, only three survive, including Lily.


    One is in a coma, while the other is probably with the fairy.


    When they return back to the mansion, Lily quickly busies herself, taking care of her friend, while William blocks Alex''s path.


    He kneels down, making Alex frown.


    "Please take me with you," William says with determination in his eyes.


    "Stand up first, then we can talk about this."


    "No, I will not stand up until you promise me you will allow me to go with you."


    "Why do you want to go with me?"


    "You say even if we can revive her, there''s no guarantee it''s really her since the soul is different. Then, I want to find out where the soul goes. I want to find her!"


    Many thoughts come to Alex''s mind; if he had asked this before, he would have felt William would only be a burden, but now he feels differently.


    Not only did William show his capability in a fight, but he was also determined and had goals.


    "You want to find her soul? Do you realize how absurd that is?


    That means you need to find the reality of creation itself that those far stronger than us don''t know."


    "No matter how absurd, I need to do this! I need to do everything I can, exhausting every single option. Only then can I accept it," William says while clenching his fist.


    While waiting for Alex, he thought of many things, such as how he should live his life from now on and how he could fulfill Roxy''s wish. In the end, this is the answer he got.


    If he stays here, he knows he will only live like a zombie. Time may make him accept this situation, but he doesn''t want it.

 Chapter 179: Frozen Coffin

    If he stays here, he knows he will only live like a zombie. Time may make him accept this situation, but he doesn''t want it.


    William refused to accept this as the truth, even though he knew it was just denial. He preferred to live this way.


    "This path may lead to even more regret. Are you sure?


    I will be straight with you; going with me is not free. You need to assist me in my mission and swear your loyalty to me. In exchange, I will help you find her soul," Alex replied.


    It was not just an empty promise; he genuinely wanted to find out the truth about the soul. It wasn''t his priority, but at some point in his life, he knew he would do it. This was not a problem for William as long as he followed him; it was just a matter of time before Alex turned him into a vampire.


    It may not be a pure vampire, but it would still be enough for William to become ageless.


    Other than his true loved ones, like his sister and mother, Alex would wait until he finished the game he had planned in his mind before even considering changing to a full-blooded vampire.


    The game would allow him to check their real nature. Alex believed a person''s personality is built by experience and the situation they are in, but a person''s real nature will never change.


    After agreeing to his request, Alex took out a new contract for him to sign. This one ensured he would stay loyal to Alex in exchange for Alex''s help on his quest.


    William didn''t hesitate to seal the deal. He then asked for Roxy''s body.


    Alex flicked his hand, and a coffin that looked like it was made from marble appeared on the floor, with Roxy''s body lying inside, encased in solid ice.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to build this; he had already prepared many chemicals to freeze a specimen inside the dungeon. In case he needs it.


    As for the coffin, he made it in the forest using wood there; the marble finish was something like a coating to ensure the coffin could hold the water before he froze it.


    Touching over the clear ice, seeing Roxy''s face filled with a smile made William''s heart thug. "Why are you smiling like that? Are you that happy leaving me alone?"


    "This is a special ice. As long as she is inside it, there will be no change in her appearance.


    I don''t know what kind of tradition you have here, but if you want to burn her body, tell me.


    You will need a special way to remove the ice; a normal fire won''t do it," Alex said.


    Hearing that Roxy''s body could be preserved forever made William feel relieved. "Thank you, Alex. No, I don''t want to do anything like that."


    William hesitated for a moment, then asked Alex if he could have the item he used to hold Roxy before.


    Alex didn''t mind since William was not his people. He gave him the storage cube and a method to start cultivating.


    Time passed on.


    In the chariot flying high near the sentinel mansion, Alice was staying with the king.


    "Finally, after all these years, we can start our plan," the king said with excitement.


    "Yes. It''s time to start," Alice replied coldly.


    The king didn''t feel weird since that is how Alice usually talked. "Where is your sister? She won''t join us?"


    "There are some problems on my side, so I need to send her to take care of it. But don''t worry, everything is taken care of."


    "If you say so. Let''s start then."


    Alice nodded, then started contacting a few people.


    In the dark of night, five pillars of light rose to the sky and then started connecting to each other, creating a circular link.


    As Alice saw what happened, she asked, "Since we''ve already come this far, can you tell me where you got your power?"


    It was their plan to make the king the villain. She also provided him with some drugs to make the king stronger. But the power the king showcased now was beyond her imagination.


    The king raised his palm, a dark aura starting to come out of it, followed by a creepy laugh. "Kekeke, this is thanks to you. After I drank the elixir you gave me, I realized my true power!


    I always wondered how the sentinel could be so strong and stay immortal all this time.


    Finally, I got the answer. Our race has this power sleeping within them. The sentinel knew this but just hid it from us!"


    Alice felt even more confused hearing this. She knew more about the Felidaens than the king. Felidae does have power, but it''s a shadow glyph, and based on her knowledge, it''s nothing like this.


    Different from Amu, Freya shared information about the progenitor, the universe, and the war with their descendants. She did this so they would know where they came from and the reason why they are in this place now.


    "I still don''t understand. Do you mean every Felidaen has this power?"


    The king laughed loudly. The dark aura surrounding him became even more intense, and both his hands started to turn into skeletons while his tail moved around energetically.


    "This is my power, and in fact, I can do even more. I have been keeping this as a surprise for you."


    story-source-MVLeMpYr


    Boom!


    Dark energy exploded from the king''s body, piercing through the sky and affecting the golden light.


    In front of Alice''s eyes, the king''s whole body changed into a skeleton, giving her a sense of dread and making her want to leave the chariot.


    The golden light was a teleportation circle created by Alice by combining a few fairy abilities. She also took many countermeasures to hide any fairy dust marks from the ability.


    This is why Aimu didn''t realize the presence of this golden light.


    At this moment, Aimu was in the central area of the secret realm, where the big tree where Alex appeared.


    He was now double-checking everything, making sure it would run smoothly since he would send out multiple people at once. At this moment, the sky at the tree suddenly changed, turning red.


    This made Amu''s eyes flicker with rage. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 180: Out of Plan

    This made Amu''s eyes flicker with rage.


    A memory resurfaced again in his mind, a memory of the worst day in his life.


    The golden light started turning color into reddish-black, and the circle with five pivot points now turned into six, giving out an eerie aura to the surrounding area.


    Seeing the fanatical eyes, Alice decided to excuse herself, saying she needed to make sure the teleportation had no problem with his intervention.


    In reality, Alice wanted to contact Alex, asking for his opinion. She feels scared of what Belthazar is doing.


    She jumped out from the chariot, disappearing into the shadow of the night. But the king didn''t care; there were other things he hid from Alice.


    The reason Belthazar hid this was because he didn''t want to be thought of as someone crazy.


    Lately, he started hearing sounds inside his mind. A voice that he communicated with started giving him some knowledge he had never known before and also told him how to control his power.


    The fabric of reality started to vibrate; at this moment, Aimu appeared, flying in the air. His hand grasping a battle axe, looking coldly at the king.


    His voice boomed in the area, "How dare you cooperate with our enemies! You disappointed me!"


    "Kekeke! Disappointed you? Do you think I care?" The king replied without feeling an ounce of fear.


    Aimu looked at the fabric of reality that started cracking apart. It''s like the air turned into a mirror and started shattering.


    He recognized this; it''s what happens when long-distance teleportation abilities are being used. A teleportation between solar systems.


    His eyes turned sharp; he could not let this finish. The pattern on his axe started glowing, and invisible energy started coming out from it.


    He appeared in front of the king, his axe cleaved down toward him, while he said, "Traitors should be executed!"


    The king raised his bony arm, pointing it at the axe.


    BAM! It met in the middle, and the result made Aimu frown.


    A dark-like barrier appeared in his hand, clashing with his axe.


    He expected he would be able to cleave the king into two with one slash, but instead, the king met his attack with equal strength.


    If Alex were here now, he would question himself. How could he even think to assassinate the king with their power difference?


    Meanwhile, in the forest, Alice was frowning. She looks at the fairy responsible for the teleportation.


    The fairies were nowhere to be seen. Only their clothes remained on the ground


    Logically, the teleportation should have been stopped now, but it still kept going. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The purpose of the teleportation was to move the king of the forest to this place to start attacking the sentinel; after some time, the other beasts would then start to move, attacking nearby settlements.


    At this moment, the fairy would then come out, killing the beast and protecting the civilians.


    Alice turned her gaze upward, looking at the six pillars of dark red energy. She then started sending a message to Alex. She felt something ominous was happening.


    Back in the sky, Aimu started exerting more energy; his spirit weapon was different from the one he gave to the guardian.


    His is a perfect spirit weapon.


    There is a reason why he named it a spirit weapon; it embodies the spirit of Felidae that was sealed with its corrupt state.


    This spirit is what allows them to use shadow glyphs.


    Normally, the progression of shadow glyphs starts in an infant; the purpose of this is to condense their beastly abilities and nature toward this glyph.


    Felidae will then raise this glyph as they grow and make it mature, turning it into a shadow beast.


    This is also one of the reasons Aimu was really determined to recover his ability. Not only did he lose his ability at that time, but he also lost his best partner.


    Even now, his partner still hasn''t come back; instead, he made a new one with the spirit weapon.


    His axe started vibrating, creating the roar of a beast. Black shadows started coming out from the axe, moving toward the king.


    This made the king raise the dark energy output. He then detonated it, pushing both of them back.


    But even this didn''t stop the process of the long-distance teleportation; a black void appeared in the sky, and from inside it, a few creatures started coming out.


    "FREYA!!!" Aimu screamed as his body launched into the air.


    There is a special mechanism in his place that will send a message to Freya the moment Aimu says something on a special frequency.


    The tree started vibrating, and the branches moved toward the dark opening in the sky. But before it could even reach the opening, something cut the branch into pieces.


    Slash! Slash! The Dark Shilloute then runs away to the forest.


    From the cut branch, a speckle of golden dust started spreading around the area, and then it started coalescing, turning into five creatures with the appearance of small pixies.


    Their bodies were completely made of light, with four wings behind them. They flew surrounding the opening portal and started shooting it with a barrage of fire, ice, and wind. brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr


    Meanwhile, outside the secret realm, Zold just returned after scouting the area.


    "There are no more skeletons outside, and I found something weird. Do you think we should check it out?"


    "Weird, how?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "It''s something like a portal but different."


    Quartz shook her head, "No, we don''t know if they are really leaving."


    "What do you think, Emily? You are the one that has faced that dark hunter before," Olivia asked.


    "I still don''t know for sure. It''s just speculation, Sis. But if it''s really him, I doubt he will give up when he is clearly winning.


    This only means he has some other task in this dungeon, and us being here is just a coincidence."


    She then turned her gaze toward Patricia, "Tell brother about this, ask him what he thinks."


    Alex was now discussing their plan with Blaire, Lily, William, Aurora, and Sasha their plan. The place they will go and what they will do.

 Chapter 181: Escalate

    Lily was still conflicted; she still felt this was a bad thing.


    At this moment, Alex got a message from Patricia, making him frown. While he was thinking this, Aurora also got a message.


    The message was so alarming that she stood up. "We need to go now. But Sasha, you need to stay here."


    "What do you mean, Aurora?" Blaire asked while Sasha felt confused. In their plan, she was supposed to go with them to help evacuate the citizens.


    "The situation is dangerous now; an unknown creature is coming out from the portal; Belthazar is doing something that changes the teleportation."


    Lily asked for more details, and Alex started linking it with the portal that Patricia had told him about.


    Alex stood up and moved to a nearby window. He didn''t see anything weird at first, but then, focusing his eyes, he could see a pillar of dark red energy rise in the sky for a moment before dissipating.


    ''Patricia, check the portal but don''t allow anyone to enter it. I need to make sure of something first,'' Alex said in his mind.


    ''Yes, King.''


    "Let''s go now before things turn worse," Alex said, addressing the people in the room.


    After some more discussion, Sasha ended up going with them. Aurora didn''t want her to come since she only saw her as a burden in a fight. It would make her put out more effort to protect her and Blaire.


    As for Blaire, even though he is not that strong, she doesn''t even think twice about bringing him. Despite the danger, she thought it was safer for Blaire to stay with him.


    Back in the forest, Freya was now flying in the air, looking at the eerie dark portal that was still growing in size despite being bombarded by her pixie.


    Turning her gaze downward, she could see Aimu fighting with the king, the fight locked in a stalemate.


    The ground was completely transformed, now filled with many craters and cracks. The king fought barehanded, but his way of fighting was so weird. He is like a magician fighting in close combat.


    Belthazar uses his fist, but the one that really attacks Aimu is the dark energy surrounding his body.


    Her eyes then looked around the forest. She could feel a familiar presence. With a flick of her finger, she created a new pixie.


    This pixie moved down toward the forest to look around the area. Despite its small size, it moved very fast, easily traversing the forest.


    Alice, who was waiting for Alex, froze in her place when the pixie appeared inches away from her.


    Freya''s voice came out from it, "Alice, why are you here?"


    "Mother, I..." Alice froze, surprised by the turn of events. She already expected her mother would come, but not now. With the distance she was at, she didn''t hear Aimu scream calling her mother.


    "You always stutter every time you have something to hide. We will need a long talk after this, Alice!


    For now, I need you to go toward the mother tree and bring your sister and the others; we have enemies there. QUICK!"


    The pixie then flew to her side. It didn''t leave her, but nor did it respond to her words.


    Alice sighed. She knew her mother had already suspected what had happened had something to do with her.


    She started typing some messages and told Aurora to go separate from Alex and the others. If their mother saw them come together, it would make things more complicated.


    They had already made a long-term deal. It would have been more beneficial for her if her mother hadn''t known about this.


    She then moved toward the entrance of the secret realm. It didn''t take long for her to get near the entrance.


    Alice frowned, seeing many skeletons surrounding the area. Her eyes sharpened even further when she saw a human standing there holding a blade with a tattoo on his face.


    ''Another human. But this one doesn''t seem to be in the same group as Alex.''


    She squinted her eyes, looking at the man''s appearance; she couldn''t put it into words, but she felt something similar from him, like the one coming from the king.


    After some more observation, she realized there was a dark crystal embedded in his blade. Give her the same eerie feeling, like the dark aura he feels from the king.


    Meanwhile, Freya was now helping Aimu fight against the king. She didn''t come down by herself; she sent some pixies and moved trees and plants to attack the king from a blind spot.


    But even with these, the king, as if having eyes on his back, deflected Aimu''s attacks while he crouched, jumped, and rolled, dodging the attacks from Freya easily.


    His dark aura started flaring again, creating a huge pressure all around him. But this barely affected Aimu other than making the ground underneath him crack.


    "A gravity power. Interesting," Aimu mumbled as he slashed his axe toward him; from it, a black shadow shot out, turning into a creature the size of a bull, but looking like a wolf. It also had horns on its head.


    Seeing the shadow beast, the king laughed. "I knew it. You keep the good things for yourself, so did you do it like this?"


    The king moved both his hands upward, like the posture of someone praising a god.


    His dark aura burned like a flame, and a black pattern started appearing on his body, making Aimu frown. He recognized the form of that glyph.


    "How did you know that?"


    "So he really wasn''t lying to me. Kekeke," the king replied cryptically.


    The glyph moved from his body toward his feet, then created a circle of shadow around him. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, two fireballs shot by the pixie came toward him. Many hands came out from the shadow under him, grasping the fireballs and snuffing them out of existence. only-found-at-MVLeMpYr


    Poof!


    The shadow then condenses, creating a big creature with twice the height of a normal person.


    Its legs were many tentacles with a big round face that only had a mouth filled with sharp teeth. The face was surrounded by many dark hands, making the creature look grotesque.


    If Alex looked at this shadow beast now, he would compare it to a monster from his game named Malboro.


    Although Malboro is a plant-like monster, with moving vines as its legs and hair, this one was filled with hands and tentacles.

 Chapter 182: The Mysterious Portal

    Aimu frowned, looking at Belthazar; he had never seen a shadow beast like this, so it was more correct to call it an Abomination rather than a Beast.


    "Just how did you do it? There should be no way to do teleportation from here to outside this planet," Aimu asked.


    "The Almighty sentinel asking me about it. Kekeke, what makes you think I will answer it?" the King replied, while his head tilted, dodging another attack from Freya.


    As he did this, his finger pointed at Aimu, shooting a black energy-like laser toward his face.


    Aimu dodged it while his axe moved toward the King''s neck. But the King didn''t even try to defend now; the moment the blade reached him, it failed to even pierce through it.


    Freya, looking at this, speculated that the more the portal grew in size, the stronger Balthazar was. But the problem with closing this portal is that they need to kill him.


    ''But is he really the anchor? Normally, if something is the anchor, if we interrupt him, the portal should close or at least be disturbed. Is it possible to change the anchor?'' Freya asked herself as she looked around the area.


    Back at the entrance to the mother tree, Alice now met up with Aurora, Blaire, and Sasha.


    "Aurora, you know what to do," Alice said the moment she saw Aurora, who then nodded toward Sasha and Blaire.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from them, Alex was with William. Since they decided to separate, he wanted to check the portal first before going to Alice.


    It didn''t take long for him to reach a distance where he could see the portal.


    At the same time, Petricia Olivia and the group reached the place Zold pointed out. This allowed Alex to see the portal from this side, too.


    ''It really looks the same; Petricia, try to throw something toward it.''


    Petricia then picked a rock from a nearby area and threw it inside. Alex then focused his eyes on the portal.


    If his speculation is right, the rock should come out from this place. But his expectations quickly snuffed out. The rock didn''t come out, no matter how long he waited.


    ''Vesa, do you know what that is?''


    [A long-distance teleportation portal, but I cannot say anything more than that. Try to get closer so that I can try to find out more.]


    Alex frown. He could see Aimu and Freya fighting the King. There were also two beasts fighting down below. Getting close will be too dangerous for him now. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew better than to try to join the fight. Alex also didn''t try to use his spying ability on them. Just in case they realized he does this.


    He has often read something like this happening in novels he read. Even though it''s just a fantasy story, he prefers a better be safe than sorry approach.


    William didn''t say anything; he looked at the King through binoculars with puzzled eyes. ''How could the king become that strong?''


    Based on the information he had known, the King should not have been able to fight the Sentinel. Not to mention, this time, the Sentinel was backed by another being that also had similar strength.


    ''Petricia, tell Emily to send a drone inside the portal,'' Alex ordered.


    ''King, isn''t it better for me to enter? I can share what I see with you.''


    ''No, we don''t know what is inside. Just do what I tell you.''


    ''Alright, king.'' Petricia then forwarded what Alex told her to the others.


    Zold also suggested that he enter the portal to check it. But his idea was quickly shut down by Quartz and Emily.


    They feel it''s not worth the risk. Their real purpose is to clear the labyrinth, not to find out about this mystery.


    Olivia meanwhile had a thought in her mind, ''Alex seems very interested in this portal; did he accidentally enter one of these? And now stuck looking for a way out?''


    Emily then took out a drone and started flying it toward the portal; the moment it entered, she lost connection with it. Not only did it not show any feed, but it also lost signal.


    The drone is not a normal one; it''s specially made for long distances.


    This one uses quantum entanglement technology; in theory, even if it cannot send feed, at the very least, it will still be connected. No matter how far it is.


    The only possible reason for this is either the drone was destroyed by an attack from a hostile entity or because of the environment.


    NovelFire-article


    Alex put some thought into it, and he told Petricia to stand by.


    "William, you wait here; in case something happens, run back to Blaire Mansion," he ordered.


    He then jumped forward, trying to get closer to the portal. Halfway, he stopped as he saw a light creature fly toward him.


    "Alex, it''s me, Freya," the pixie said, then proceeded to tell him the situation.


    "So I ask for you to go toward the mother tree now, help my daughter. I am worried about the situation there."


    "The portal seems linked with one outside; I need to make sure of this first."


    "You want to enter the portal?


    It''s too dangerous, even though you say it''s linked with outside this secret realm. It''s not necessarily just reach there.


    I suspect it''s linked with multiple places; otherwise, it won''t explain what happened to Balthazar."


    "Fine, in that case, help this creature to enter through the portal."


    Alex took out a device and pointed it at the ground; a light came out from it, taking out a Wolf Howler.


    After some training, this one had a power level of three; as long as Freya gave her help, he was sure this wolf could enter the portal.


    Freya didn''t understand why Alex wanted to do this, but she relented since she wanted Alex to move to help her daughter.


    No matter what she had done. Freya didn''t want anything bad to happen to them.

 Chapter 183: Inside the Portal

    The pixie flew while the wolf started running, following behind her.


    read-this-on-NovelFire


    At this moment, on the other side, Olivia walked closer to the portal. She tried to use her sharp sense to feel what energy made the portal.


    The pixie flew while the wolf started running, following behind her.


    At this moment, on the other side, Olivia walked closer to the portal, her senses trying to feel what energy made the portal.


    As she now uses both mana and Qi, she understands there are different types of energy.


    Based on what she feels now, Olivia is sure it''s mana combined with some other type of energy that she doesn''t know of.


    It feels sinister...


    Emily looked at Olivia. She just wanted to ask what she was doing when suddenly Olivia entered through the portal.


    "ZOLD!"


    Emily instinctively called his name since he was the fastest between them. She didn''t see it clearly, but it looked like Olivia was being pulled by something.


    Zold''s body moved like lightning, entering through the portal. Quartz was caught off guard, frozen, seeing what happened, while Petricia told Alex about this.


    Inside the portal, Zold found himself surrounded by darkness.


    The only source of light came from the crackle of his thunder. His body shook as he looked around the area.


    The sky, the floor, everything around him, at first second, seemed like there was nothing. But then it slid open, showing eyeballs that gazed toward him.


    Zold could feel his hair stand on end; he quickly looked for Olivia. With his eyes opened, the surroundings became clearer, allowing him to see the silhouette of Olivia''s body.


    Zap!


    He appeared beside Olivia and then tapped on her shoulder, but Olivia didn''t respond.


    Moving in front of her, Zold saw her eyes were blank; she ignored Zold and tried to move toward one of the giant eyes.


    Zold''s mind started churning, thinking about what he could do to stop her as he observed the area.


    He then realized the irises of the eyes were a portal similar to the one he had passed through, but with how many there were, he didn''t know which one led to where.


    Many of the portals also have different colors; he doesn''t know if it means the portal is not activated or if it has some other meaning.


    BAM!


    Zold finally decided to hit her on the neck. He then turned around, wanting to return back from the portal he just entered.


    But everything looked the same; he closed his eyes, trying to remember by his body how far he had moved.


    As he often trained himself to practice using electricity, oftentimes he could not use his eyes since he was moving too fast for them to follow.


    This made him use all his senses, trying to imagine his own location. After many practices, with trial and error, Zold finally found a way through this.


    He used his electricity, spreading it all around the area, then using a technique similar to how sonar works. At some point, after he got used to it, he could instinctively feel his own location.


    Zold quickly moved back, reaching toward the portal where he had just once in, but just as he inched away from it, the eye closed its lid, effectively blocking his way.


    This quickly made Zold turn alert; he took out a rope from his storage ring, then tied Olivia to his back while taking out his two daggers.


    CLANG! CLANG!


    He tried to attack the eyelid, but there was no effect at all.


    ''Should I try entering another portal? But it will be even more dangerous.'' As he thought this, the eyes surrounding him started closing one by one.


    This made Zold sure someone or something was looking at him right now.


    "Awooo!!!" A wolf howl suddenly reached his ears, pulling Zold''s attention.


    He raised his arm, prepared to fight, but the moment he saw the wolf, relief washed over him. He recognized that wolf; it was one of Alex''s creatures.


    Alex gave a way for his allies to recognize which one was his to make sure there were no friendly fire incidents.


    Each of his wolves has a collar on the neck, with a special marking that only people from the Old Suzaku Guild will recognize.


    He quickly followed the wolf toward one of the areas, but a similar thing happened: the eyelids also started to close, but this time Zold was prepared.


    He put one of his hands, wanting to bring the wolf with him, but the wolf dodged and pushed him forward by tackling his back.


    Alex ordered the wolf to do a suicide mission to look at what was behind another portal. After seeing Zold disappear from it, followed by the eyelid closing, the wolf started turning his gaze around the area.


    Its eyes then locked toward the only eyes that were still open. Arriving in front of it, the wolf just wanted to lunge in when something came out. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SLASH!!!


    Back at the secret realm, Alex, who was now moving toward the entrance to the mother tree, suddenly stopped, landing on the ground as if being hit by something.


    This turned William alert, making him look around the area; seeing nothing, he landed beside Alex.


    "Has something happened?"


    Alex''s body was covered with sweat as his heart beat loudly, "What the hell is that, Vesa?"


    [I never saw one of those, but I think you don''t need to worry; based on the information I get, it should not be alive; it''s something like a golem that protects the place.]


    ''Are you sure it''s really not alive? Not like the corrupted Felidaens?'' Alex asked in his mind while he tried to calm himself down.


    The reason he felt like this is not because of what he saw but what he felt. Everything the wolf felt at that moment was transmitted to him.


    It''s more than just a feeling of death; it''s like something is corroding the wolf''s existence, taking out its free will and giving him an overwhelming feeling of dread.

 Chapter 184: Missing!?

    Something Alex never felt before in his whole life. Not even facing the half-dragon felt like this.


    [No, I am sure about this King; after my interaction with Felidaen, I can differentiate them.]


    [Even though I cannot detect them from far away, I can still tell if we are close to their difference with autonomous creatures like golems and robots.]


    Alex sighed, ''Forget it. Now I need to make sure Zold and Olivia are alright, but what is that?


    Not only the dread, what kind of place is that?


    Since Vesa doesn''t know what that is, it should be something that existed after Alucard died.''


    He then made his way back to Freya and the others. It didn''t take long for him to reach a distance where he could see everything.


    What he saw widened his eyes, returning back the feeling of dread.


    It''s not that he saw Zold and Olivia attacked by the King or that they were wounded.


    What he saw was even worse.


    He didn''t see them; he asked on Petricia''s side, and it was the same.


    The portal was still there, not closing, but Olivia and Zold also didn''t come out from it.


    Feeling Alex''s intent, Vesa sent a message to him.


    [King, don''t even consider entering the portal; it seems the place there runs on a different logic than we''re used to.]


    [Otherwise, this shouldn''t happen.]


    Alex didn''t reply; he really considered doing it, but the risk was too dangerous. It''s not just his life.


    If he entered, Emily and Quartz would also enter. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rather than saving Olivia and Zold, it would instead lead to even more casualties; he''s still too weak now. But this doesn''t mean he will give up; there is still another way.


    Alex and William started moving back toward the mother tree.


    Trying to get information from the King is stupid, but from the people that he suspects as Dark Hunters coming from Hell Gate is a different story.


    As he moved, he asked for more information about this from Emily through Petricia.


    Emily first met this organization when she had a mission to find a missing child.


    In a few survivor shelters, there have been reports of many missing children.


    A survivor shelter is created for people who barely survive dungeon breaks and then evacuate to a new place.


    Unlike Alex''s family, which has enough money to live wherever they want, this is a normal family; the moment the city gets destroyed, they lose everything.


    Some still have some savings, but without a real job, going out from the shelter will mean taking a huge risk.


    NovelFire-hosted


    Trying to make a new living in a new place without knowing anyone is easier said than done. Even with this kind of tragedy, the world never misses out on assholes; some still target these poor people, scamming them out of their savings.


    This has been reported many times over the internet, making many of the refugees prefer staying in this type of shelter. Waiting till the government allocates them somewhere else.


    But with the current situation, they already have their hands full, trying to keep the land they have. They can only spare some limited resources trying to make a new settlement in the safe zone.


    With limited living space despite the reduced population, the land price keeps soaring. This makes government choices limited.


    As the red zone keeps growing, more and more refugees come, making the government lack resources to even maintain this settlement, raising the crime rate.


    Normally, a missing child case wouldn''t be allocated to a hunter, but the amount is too much for them to close their eyes on.


    After some investigation by the local police, they decided this was done by an awakener.


    Emily then took over, utilizing her team experience and skillset, and they found the one responsible. It''s one of the incidents that cemented her hatred toward the Dark Hunter.


    The captured kids were used as a sacrifice for a weird ritual.


    The idea of an awakener believing in a weird, barbaric religion is stupid, but it still happens, and with their power, it makes them even worse.


    Seeing the kids butchered and sacrificed left a deep trauma in her mind. In this part of the story, Petricia cuts her short to get to the point, as instructed by Alex.


    They have a short time, and her story doesn''t give him more information other than they are crazy psychopaths, just like how Dark Hunter was often portrayed in the news.


    Emily then proceeded to tell the story that Hellgate, as the name of their organization, literally worships Hell.


    Not Hell based on the old mythology of his world, but a creature from a world named Hell.


    They sacrifice kids to make contact with them; in one of the pieces of information they get from the member that caught them, the leader of Hellgate meets one of them inside a Dungeon.


    This creature from Hell promises them power and immortality, something clich¨¦ but not weird at all.


    In the past, Alex would skim over the sacrifice parts as if they were nuts, but as he knows about life force energy now and the existence of other races, he cannot just throw it as something stupid.


    In front of other eyes, it will be something horror, weird, stupid, and scary. But in his eyes, this is an intervention from another race that is probably also one of his enemies.


    Those that got the technology of life force from the Vampire race.


    As the situation becomes like this now, Alex comes out clean, letting Petricia tell them the real situation and why he still has a way to find Olivia and Zold.


    He doesn''t want them to do anything risky, like entering the portal.


    Emily could not help but feel guilty again, as she was the one calling Zold to pursue Olivia, but Quartz comforted her; if it was only Olivia, they would barely have a chance, but with Zold now, their chance to survive is higher.

 Chapter 185: Ifrit

    It''s not that Olivia is weak, but she is just a healer; even with Cultivation, she is still barely able to fight. With Zold on her side, they should fare better no matter where they were.


    ''Vesa, what race do you think this Hellgate made contact with?'' Alex asked in his mind.


    [Based on the description, the Ifrit race should be the closest, but this is only based on the symbolism used that Emily showed me.]


    [There are a few other races that use this, too; I need more information to be sure.]


    Alex didn''t ask further; he already knew what to do now. After some thought, he stopped and took out another awe cube, from inside which a fairy came out.


    He looked around, confused, as he suddenly found himself in the forest.


    Alex then said, "Tell your queen, does she know the race called Ifrit?"


    "My Queen? Ifrit?" The man asked, still confused about how everything progressed.


    But Alex ignored this, gave him a direction, then left the man.


    On the way, William asked, "You can put living beings inside that cube?"


    "This one is different from the one you have; you will know more later. For now, prepare yourself for a fight."


    Alex took out a mana rifle and then threw it toward William. He then told him how to use it. William easily understood how to use it since he had used something similar.


    As they got closer, they could hear fighting sounds. Alice, Lily, and Aurora were fighting while Blaire and Sasha shot from the side.


    experience-NovelFire


    At first, Alice wanted to use Aurora''s ability to create illusions to slip through the portal; unfortunately, although it''s useful against humans, for the skeletons, it has no use.


    The undead are only programmed to attack nearby creatures; they don''t use their senses to feel their presence. This quickly turned into a fight.


    In the middle, Lily came and joined the fight. She was late because she needed to make sure her comrade was alright.


    BANG! CLASH! BOOM!


    Alice, Lily, Blaire, and Sasha were fighting against the skeletons, while Aurora fought against the man with the blade. Despite her realistic illusion, the man''s instincts were so sharp.


    Somehow, her attacks kept getting deflected by the man, no matter what kind of illusion she cast.


    She tried creating an illusion, baiting him to attack forward, then using the gap to stab him from behind, but it always hit something before it reached the target.


    "Just give up already. You will never beat us, beauty," the man said with a smirk on his face. He then added, "Let''s have some fun instead, hahaha."


    His expression made Aurora feel disgusted; she didn''t reply to the man. Instead, she proceeded to launch a barrage of attacks.


    Alex started thinking about what the mana ability was; after some consideration, he realized the man could create an invisible partial shield to protect his body.


    It can be used to block attacks from any angle, but he needs to expect the attack first.


    The reason he thought this was because there were some wounds on the man''s body when Aurora attacked non-vital parts at weird angles.


    Slash!


    Aurora''s dagger slashed through the man''s torso, but instead of grimacing in pain, the man seemed to enjoy the situation.


    He raised his blade toward Aurora''s neck, but the sword phased through her body as she disappeared before reappearing some distance away.


    At this moment, BANG!


    A bullet pierced through the air. It targeted the man''s temple, and just inches away, it hit something invisible, like a wall.


    Then Alex appeared at the man''s side. His ember-shift hammer hit him straight in the chest, giving out a cracking sound. The hammer then disappeared as he gripped the man''s neck, smacking him to the ground.


    But even after all this, the blade didn''t drop from the man''s hand; like not connected with his body, the hand moved by itself, targeting Alex from the back.


    Alex could dodge, but he decided not to since he didn''t want to waste time. The blade pierced through his body, but he didn''t even flinch; his grip on the man''s neck intensified, and at the same time, his pupils glinted red.


    Green energy started coming out from the man''s body; he started turning into a husk before Alex released him. Without saying a word, he captured the man into the awe cube.


    Alex planned to use him as the first experiment to be the first person captured. He will let Vesa interrogate him and then force him under a slave contract.


    "Where did you put him?" Aurora asked. She was surprised by his sudden intervention but felt relieved that Alex had defeated the man easily.


    "Let''s talk later," Alex replied, as he pulled the blade out and then put it inside his storage ring.


    He looked through his shoulder at the many skeletons, then back to the entrance of the Mother Tree.


    After some consideration, he decided it was better to enter the Mother Tree than waste time helping them clean the skeletons. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then addressed Aurora, "Let''s check the Mother Tree.


    Oh yeah, use your illusion ability on me; make me look like the man with the blade while you make yourself invisible."


    Aurora was confused at first but then realized what he wanted to do.


    "I can make you look like him and even change the voice that he heard, but you will still need to talk like that man."


    "Don''t worry, just do it, I will take care of the rest." Alex wasn''t worried since Vesa had already started the session with the man with the blade.


    For any strange question, he can just let Vesa ask the man. And it''s not like he plans to ask many things; he just wants to find out their goal, what the portal is, and how to look for Olivia and Zold.


    Entering through the portal, the bangle on Alex started giving out a glow. Looking at it, Alex quickly realized he was too brash.


    There are protection barriers before reaching the Mother Tree; without this bangle, he would be trapped in the illusion barrier.


    Looking at his side, he could see Aurora already started moving in random directions; she was clearly inside the illusion barrier now.

 Chapter 186: Change of Plan

    Alex doesn''t quickly help Aurora; he looks around the area and searches for the other person, Derrick, the other infiltrator.


    After some time, he doesn''t find anyone. Despite not getting attacked by the illusion barrier, Alex''s vision was still limited; he could not see too far nor use Vesa Map.


    He then decided to wake Aurora first. "Aurora, wake up," he said as he put his hand over her shoulder.


    Aurora suddenly felt a refreshing energy pass through her body, changing her world. Before, she found herself in a forest filled with many big trees and cliffs.


    "To think I got hit by an illusion."


    "It''s not weird. I think the one who made this is your mother. And probably, she even used your fairy dust in the process."


    Looking around the area, Aurora mumbled, "Maybe."


    With her mother''s understanding, it''s not weird Freya can utilize her Fairy Dust. Although she doesn''t know how.


    Based on her knowledge, fairy dust can only be used by the one who created it. Otherwise, fairies would be hunted to extinction already.


    But then a thought surfaced in her mind, ''What if this limitation is made on purpose? In reality, Fairy Dust could be used by anyone?''


    "What are you dazing around about? Touch my shoulder and follow me; we need to move quickly," Alex reminded me.


    "Ah, sorry, just realized something." She then held Alex at the wrist, "this will be easier in case we need to fight."


    Alex didn''t mind; they then kept moving deeper toward the mother tree.


    On the way, they don''t meet anything; this doesn''t relieve Alex since this means Derrick has already reached the tree. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Based on the information he got from the man with the blade, there are two people entering this place. As for the purpose, the man still remains silent even after some intense sessions with Vesa.


    [King, I think there is a mechanism that blocks him from saying anything about this matter in his mind, but I can speculate the purpose.]


    [There are only two; either there is something important in the mother tree that the Ifrit race needs, or personal reasons like the hate toward Aimu and Freya.]


    ''I doubt it''s hate. If that were the goal, they would just order the hell gate to wreak havoc on this secret realm.


    Based on how they do things, they should have gotten information and are sure Feiladen exists in this place.


    Emily, me, and the others were just involved by accident. Although, with the situation now, I cannot let this just pass by.''


    If Olivia and Zold were captured by the Ifrit race and they found out he is a progenitor heir, things would go out of hand quickly. He will need to take extreme measures, sending all his friends and family to the Cultivation world while he acts as bait.


    Alex has decided since no one knows Alucard''s heir is a pair. He plans to take on that role while letting MingYue grow in the shadow.


    He plans to give the bangle from Freya to her if he fails to find a way to replicate it.


    There are a few reasons for this, but mainly, it''s the most logical. He will go to the category five dungeon to find his father; this will mean he will need to face off against the half-dragon race.


    It''s only a matter of time before they find out he is of the vampire race or, worse, a progenitor heir.


    A thought then came to his mind, ''I should prioritize powering up first, recovering Vesa''s power, then raising my progenitor transformation before looking at my father.''


    After seeing the King, Aimu, and Freya fight, Alex realizes going to the frontline now will only result in suicide.


    Time passed; they finally reached the mother tree. What he saw confirmed his suspicion.


    He could see many skeletons digging around the tree. It''s clear they don''t want to destroy it; they want to bring the whole tree out.


    A man could be seen standing on the side; he had a rough appearance with a black beard and mustache. His body was bulky and muscular, making him look more like a warrior, not a necromancer.


    "Do you know anything about this tree?" Alex asked in a low voice.


    "I only know it''s important, and we need to protect it. It''s the core of protection of this place."


    "What happens if it gets uprooted?"


    "Something bad," Aurora replied.


    Alex''s lips twitched, "if that is what I wanted to know, I wouldn''t ask you. Forget it. Let''s ask the source."


    Turning his gaze toward Derrick, Alex took out his embershift hammer. Seeing the hammer, Aurora tugged his hand. "Don''t tell me you want to use fire. We cannot damage the tree."


    "Don''t worry, I know moderation, and it''s not easy to burn the tree," Alex replied confidently. But Aurora is not convinced.


    Since she was a kid, her mother always pointed out how important the tree is. She doesn''t want to take any risks.


    Seeing how adamant Aurora is, Alex decides to relent. He doesn''t want to waste time convincing her. Since the hammer is out of the question, he decided to use firearms.


    His mind started thinking about the best way to destroy all the skeletons to dust without damaging the tree. brought to you by mvl-empyr


    He wants to take out Derrick''s skeleton without hurting him to give him enough pressure so he can bait some information.


    At first, his plan was to disguise himself as his comrade to get more information, but looking at the man''s skeleton, he changed his mind.


    Aurora''s illusion won''t be able to trick this skeleton. Then, an idea came to his mind: the skeleton was not living. It''s just like a robot.


    He may have limitations on putting living beings into the awecube, as he needs to subdue them first, but for a skeleton, he feels this is not needed.


    Even if the worst happened and the skeleton started losing parts of his body, that would not be a problem for him.

 Chapter 187: Transformation

    Alex took out a stun grenade; this one not only explodes with a dazzling light, but it also sends out a loud noise to disorient their target.


    Even though the skeleton doesn''t have ears, the vibration will still rattle its limbs.


    "Close your eyes and ears," Alex said. But Aurora didn''t follow his order.


    She felt puzzled as to why she needed to do this. Without her sight and hearing, she would not be able to tell what happened.


    Seeing she didn''t move, Alex didn''t waste time explaining; with a swift movement, he threw the stun grenade.


    BANG!


    A dazzling light exploded, followed by a loud sound that made Aurora''s ears start ringing.


    The same thing happened to Derrick, but he doesn''t feel worried. He quickly sent orders to his skeletons to remain alert; despite his many armies, he still needed to be careful.


    All of them were acquired inside the dungeon; if they are completely destroyed, he doesn''t have any skeletons in stock to do another Arise.


    Arise is what he named the skill that allows him to turn skeletons into something like autonomous golems.


    In reality, he doesn''t feel this is necromancy since he can also do the same for mannequins. But getting a high-quality mannequin is out of his budget. And the better the material is, the higher the burden on his ability will be.


    This makes the Hellgate leader doesn''t want to invest in good golems for him to control.


    They already have a member who is good at one-on-one fights, as Derrick''s ability is very suitable for group fights.


    The dazzling light disappeared, but it still took some time before clarity returned to Aurora and Derrick. As clarity returned to his mind, his eyes widened as he took a few steps back.


    Fear overwhelmed him.


    Every single one of his skeletons disappeared from sight, with one man looking at him with a smile, holding a big hammer that was surely enough to pulverize him in one hit.


    "Derrick, is it? Mind telling me why you want this tree? Or do you want to have a date with my hammer?"


    Derrick gulped as he took another step back. "Can you ask me another question? I cannot answer that one."


    "I see. Then how about the portal where you came in. Mind telling me some more information about that," Alex replied as he took a step forward.


    He purposely raised the hammer''s weight, making his step heavy, creating a spider web crack on the ground while he moved. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That portal is cast by my guild leader. I don''t know much detail."


    Crack!


    Alex took a step forward again, this time making a small vibration by the weight. Despite his calm face, in reality, his muscles were already rioting under the weight.


    If not for Qi and the utilization of regeneration from life force, he would have already buckled on his knees.


    Cold sweat dripped from Derrick''s face while Aurora finally got her bearings. She quickly moved near the tree, staying invisible using her illusion, following Alex''s instructions.


    But she didn''t cast any disguise on Alex since she could see Alex changed his plan. Looking at the hammer, she still remembers the flame that came out from it.


    ''This lunatic, I already told him don''t use that hammer.'' She cursed in her mind. But she knows better not to complain at this moment.


    Derrick started to think hard about what he knew, "There is a ritual done by the leader. We need to sacrifice the blood of infants and kids, then in exchange, we will gain power and instruction¡­ GYAAA!"


    Derrick screamed in pain as he said this.


    Different from the man with the blade, Derrick''s position is lower. He doesn''t know there are limitations being put on everyone in Hellgate.


    The leader does this on purpose to put out an example of what happened to those who betrayed them.


    His veins started turning black and then protruded from his skin. Seeing this, Alex leaped forward, appearing in front of the man.


    He then tried to put Derrick inside the Awecube.


    But as the light reached Derrick, another aura shot out from his eyes, repelling it. The Awecube in his hand cracked as the mechanism was broken.


    Derrick screamed in pain as he transformed in front of Alex. His skin fell apart as a new one came out from it; two horns grew from his head, followed by his eyes turning red without any pupil. The new skin is black and more robust.


    Seeing this, Alex didn''t wait for him to finish the transformation.


    BANG!


    He used his hammer to pulverize Derrick, but, unfortunately, he was not defenseless. your chapter source MVL EMPYR


    Derrick raised his transformed arm, blocking the attack; despite it making the hand mangled, the transformation didn''t stop. Then, a beastly-like voice came out from his mouth.


    "Human, are you sure you want to kill me? Don''t you want to find out more about the portal?"


    Alex frowned; he considered his action for a moment, but a message from Vessa made him change his mind.


    [King, never trust what the ifrit race told you. Their race is filled with trickery; they will spit out 10 words, with only three being the truth.]


    ''It seems I have no other choice then.'' Alex thought.


    Taking out his awecube, Alex sent out the parasite he had captured before. He didn''t know what would happen since he hadn''t analyzed the creature.


    The worm-like creature shot out toward Derrick, quickly burrowing itself inside of him. This halted the transformation, making the creature scream, "Human, what did you do!?"


    Right now, whoever is behind this is trying to take control of Derrick''s body, using the opportunity to breach the contract between them. But Alex doesn''t believe it''s as simple as that.


    He is sure there are some payments that need to be made for them to take over Derrick''s body.


    That is why he put the parasite inside Derrick. This will introduce a third party that tries to take over his body, making them fight each other.

 Chapter 188: Fairy Tree

    That is why he put the parasite inside Derrick.


    This will introduce a third party that tries to take over his body, making them fight each other.


    Seizing the opportunity, Alex took out his awe cube again, trying to capture Derrick. But the dark red light shot out from his body, yielding the same result.


    Alex clicked his tongue with annoyance, "Vesa still not making progress from that one."


    [No king, he keeps quiet, but I can try to do it aggressively, although he will not survive the process then.]


    ''Do it.'' Alex ordered from his mind.


    The more time wasted, the more danger Olivia and Zold face.


    Looking at the transforming Derrick, Alex then asked in Ifrit language, "Did you come for the tree?"


    "A human that knows our language?" Derrick replied with a beastly voice.


    ''So they are really the Ifrit race.'' Alex thought while saying, "Surprised? So what do you need the tree for?"


    "Why should I tell you?"


    "Don''t you feel curious about where I learned your language? Actually, I learned it from your kind. He also sent me here to take this tree."


    "Elthazar sent you here? Don''t lie to me. No one should have known the fairy tree exists here."


    ''Fairy tree? So this is related to the fairy race?'' Alex thought to himself while he smirked.


    "How else do you think I can enter here? You should know how protected this place is." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmph! The outer gate is open for everyone as long as they know the code and pay the cost. Don''t you lie to me? Who is the spy?" The entity replied back.


    He believes someone is behind Alex since that is the only way he could enter this place and learn the Ifrit language.


    In reality, Alex learned this from Vesa just a moment ago.


    ''Outer gate? Everyone can open it. Is that some kind of universe transit system?'' Alex asked himself. He then asked Vesa for information about the Fairy tree.


    [The fairy tree is very important for the fairy race; many things are unknown about it since the Fairy race keeps it hidden. Rumor says that it''s the main source of their power.]


    [Based on how things progress, I speculate the fairy race progenitor is also defeated; either she was killed and reincarnated, or she was captured. The secret of the fairy race then becomes public.]


    "I will tell you the spy''s identity, but not here. Give me the code for your place, and then we will talk there. You should know why," Alex replied with a confident tone, while in reality, he didn''t even know what he was talking about.


    But the Ifrit believes what he said; at this moment, he has already succeeded in overwhelming the parasite, gaining control over the left hand.


    The hand then moved, carrying symbols in a circular manner. There are twelve symbols in total, separated just like a clock.


    The symbols at first looked weird to Alex''s eyes, but after some thought, he realized they looked similar to zodiac symbols in his world, but they had some modifications on them.


    [King, this symbol is used as a cardinal direction. Each of these corresponds to a massive star system that could be seen anywhere as long as you are in the universe.]


    ''So like north, south, east, and west, but how do I use this symbol?''


    Despite wondering about this, Alex doesn''t show it on his face. He still looks confident, like someone who knows what he is doing.


    "Go back now, I will bring the tree later."


    The creature hesitated for a moment before finally giving in.


    "I don''t know who you really are, but I don''t want to get involved in politics. I am just doing my job. I will tell my lord the Fairy tree is in Elthazar''s hands."


    After saying this, Derrick''s body turned into a dry husk of flesh.


    ''Vesa.''


    [Yes King, this is because he emptied out his life force energy, I am sure this outer gate is using our technology.]


    Alex could feel anger coming from Vesa.


    ''I will need to look into the ritual that Hellgate used to find a way to use this symbol.''


    He then erased the symbol on the ground, making Aurora feel puzzled.


    "What is that symbol?" Aurora came out from her invisibility since the situation was now safe.


    "Believe me, it''s better if you don''t know; for now, let''s go back; your mother is still fighting the king," Alex said, reminding Aurora that the situation is still dire.


    Outside the secret realm, the skeletons now turn back into a pile of bones. With Derrick dead, no one is sustaining the undead.


    Sasha was there sitting with Blaire, and so was William, but Lily and Alice were nowhere to be seen.


    "Did they go to the king?" Alex asked.


    Looking at him coming out from the portal made them feel relieved.


    When the skeletons all died at the same time, they already thought that Alex and Aurora finished the job.


    "No, Lily and Alice were going out protecting the settlement. Do you forget the real plan?" William asked. Meanwhile, Aurora went to Blaire and Sasha. As Blaire asks if she is alright.


    "I see. Let''s go then." Alex replied.


    He really forgot about this because his mind was worried about Olivia and Zold.


    Since the beast king and other beasts are not teleported to the sentinel place, it doesn''t mean the berserk drug Alice gives them automatically disappears.


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    This still creates a beast wave attacking the settlement. And the wave is now even stronger with all the beast kings present there.


    Looking back at Blaire and the others, William asked, "Don''t you need to bring them?"


    "Left them alone. They will go to Lily and the others soon. We are not going there."


    "Where are we going then?"


    "Of course, to the source of the problem," Alex replied.


    In the middle of the forest, to Freya''s surprise, the portal stopped growing bigger, and Belthazar seemed annoyed.


    "It seems playtime is over now," Belthazar said as he pointed his finger toward Aimu.


    A black-red energy started gathering, creating a big sphere before it shot out like a laser toward Aimu.

 Chapter 189: Escaped

    Seeing the attack, Aimu could feel danger; the pattern on his axe glowed, and the shadow beast that was fighting against Balthazar''s shadow, Malboro, quickly made his escape.


    Moving quickly through the shadows, it appeared behind Aimu and then started fusing over his body, creating a black metallic armor.


    With the enhanced strength, Aimu was prepared to face the deadly attack. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Freya also moved her pixie to support Aimu against the attack. Shooting all their power toward the laser beam


    But just inches away, the laser beam turned its angle upward, surprising both Freya and Aimu. The target is not Aimu. It''s Freya.


    Exploiting the opportunity, Balthazar''s shadow beast shot its shadow hand forward, catching Freya''s limbs. Sealing her escape.


    SWOSH!! The laser moved toward her face, but just before it hit her.


    BANG! Something came out from the portal.


    Alex, at this time, had covered enough distance to see what happened. He doesn''t try to rescue Freya since he knows it''s just suicide, but what happens next makes him both relieved and confused.


    From the portal, Zold came out crashing into Freya, who stood in front of it. The electricity from his body crackled, zapping through Freya''s body and hitting Balthazar''s shadow beast.


    This made the shadow hand release its clutch over Freya. They then landed on the ground with a bang.


    Aimu used this moment to launch an attack at Belthazar. His axe cleaved through the air toward his neck.


    Caught off guard, Belthazar barely dodged the attack, but it still hit his arm, cutting it off cleanly. Making him grimace in pain.


    Aimu''s attack was now strengthened, with his shadow beast raising it to a new level, allowing him to cut through Belthazar''s defense.


    Succeeding with one slash, Aimu proceeded to go for the kill. But at that moment, a black hand appeared from the shadow beast, pulling Belthazar away.


    BANG! The axe hit the ground. But Aimu quickly changed direction. He doesn''t want to lose the momentum.


    Despite Belthazar starting to launch a barrage of beam attacks at him, Aimu dodged each one and moved forward to pursue him.


    At this moment, Belthazar''s shadow beast used more hands, throwing Belthazar to the portal; it then turned into a shadow returning back to his body.


    After Belthazar had passed through the portal, it closed. Leaving behind many questions for Aimu.


    How could the portal appear?


    What is the anchor?


    Where is it going?


    Who is behind Belthazar''s power?


    He then turned his gaze distance away, looking toward the Felidaean settlement; he hesitated for a moment but then sighed, ''I will let them take care of it.'' He thought before turning his focus toward Freya and the people that came out from the portal.


    For now, Aimu thought of interrogating them to find out some answers. But he stopped at his step when he saw Alex come out and talk to them.


    Based on their conversation, he knew they knew each other, "Alex, we need to talk." Aimu''s voice reverberated in the air.


    "Give me time, I will come to your place after everything is settled," Alex said while checking Olivia''s condition.


    Zold was alright with just some minor wounds, while Olivia was still unconscious.


    "Alright," Aimu replied as he moved toward Freya.


    After some talk with Aimu, Freya left because she needed to have a word with her daughter.


    "Zold, tell me everything you saw inside the portal," Alex said while he poured some red potion toward Olivia''s lips.


    Zold, sitting on the ground, took a deep breath as he looked around the area. He was confused about where he was, but looking at Alex being there, he felt the situation was under control.


    He then told Alex what happened; based on his story, after entering the portal, he blacked out for a few moments before he found himself here.


    Zold was sure he only blacked out for a few seconds at most.


    This made Alex frown. He checked both of them but didn''t find anything weird, ''Does time move differently inside the portal? But the wolf I sent to help them enter without any time gap.''


    Turning his gaze toward Olivia, Alex turned complicated, ''Why did you enter the portal?'' He asked Olivia in his mind.


    "What do you think of that place, Zold?"


    "The place with many eyes? It''s weird and disturbing since I never saw something like that before, but honestly, I feel that place is alive."


    "Alive? Do you mean you feel a living presence there?"


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    Remembering what happened before made Zold''s hair stand up again, but with a few breaths, he calmed himself down.


    "No, I mean the whole place is alive. It''s like if you enter through the belly of the beast, that is how I feel it."


    "A belly of the beast, I see."


    Zold then turned his gaze toward William. Looking at his peculiar tail and ears, he asked, "Is he one of the aliens you talked about before?"


    "He is William, a Felidaean." Alex then introduced William to Zold and informed him of some important information.


    "That is the gist of it; we will talk more in detail after meeting up with Emily and Quartz; for now, we need to help fight against the beast."


    Alex then puts Olivia under Sasha''s care while he, William, Aurora, and Blaire go to fight against the beast wave.


    Alex knew they would have no problem with Alice there, but he still came because he didn''t want to miss any opportunity to get more monsters to bolster his force.


    He had already lost most of them when attacking the palace. But there is still one left that hasn''t been sent out.


    One of the beast kings that he caught in the forest.


    A few hours passed, filled with many fights against the beast, and the next phase proceeded as planned as the fairy race helped defend against the beasts.


    Alice then proceeded with her made-up story, telling it''s all the king''s evil plan to take over the kingdom; the king is bribed by their real enemy, the one that makes them hide in this place.


    Throughout this, Freya was watching with a complicated gaze; she could more or less tell what had happened. She feels guilty toward Aimu since it''s her family that made the problem.

 Chapter 190: Blue Lotus Sect Predicament (Bonus Ch)

    As things caled down for Alex. On MingYue''s side, things started to progress.


    At the Blue Lotus Sect, Situ CuiYing had just had a meeting with their sect leader, Qing Lian, which left her baffled.


    Despite her higher cultivation, what CuiYing said made her feel powerless.


    The rumor had spread out. Although the big sect didn''t believe it, many rogue cultivators were now gathered at Daiying City.


    CuiYing negotiated for information on the treasure the Hua family had, subtly pointing out that others would soon arrive and they would be less peaceful.


    If they gave it to her, she didn''t mind admitting that the treasure was not in her hands. Unlike the Blue Lotus Sect, which lived in peace, the Situ family was already accustomed to conflict.


    They would see if the treasure was worth the value or not; if not, the Situ family would just send it to be auctioned. If it was of value, they would fight to keep it.


    Treasures might bring problems, but without them, their family would not have a way to survive.


    The other choice was living peacefully in the background, waiting for a lucky break, like getting a genius disciple.


    But out of thousands of sects, how many succeed?


    The number is so small it could be counted on one hand while the rest disappear into obscurity.


    Even this luck doesn''t necessarily ensure survival; there are many geniuses.


    Every day, they make new enemies as they compete for cultivation techniques, resources, and artifacts. Some even turn to blood feuds.


    It''s nothing strange to find the sect become a target of revenge after their genius is killed. Some also attacked them directly because they could not fight back against the genius cultivator.


    Qing Lian was now in a predicament; the only thing she knew Lin Hua had gotten was the weird cultivation method. They tried to use it, but there was no effect.


    Qing Lian felt they were missing something, but since they could only decode the early part, they didn''t know if they were still missing something.


    However, the problem was that the method didn''t come from the Xueqi Family. If this cultivation method is decrypted and later found not related to the Xueqi family, that would mean they would have another problem.


    People don''t care about the truth or the facts; they just need the possibility that there is treasure here. And then, when many rogue cultivators start attacking, others join the fun just to get the opportunity to pillage the sect.


    She then called Lin Hua''s master to bring her to have a talk. But her master declined.


    "She''s still in seclusion training. The last time I saw her, she was at a critical juncture to breakthrough. Let''s wait until it''s finished first."


    Find more at m-vle-mp _yr.


    "Breakthrough? Hasn''t she done it recently? Do you mean she reached the golden core stage?"


    "Yes," Lin Hua''s master replied with pride on her face, but Qing Lian didn''t feel the same.


    If anything, it was worse. She knew Lin Hua''s talent, and even with all the potential she had, this growth was still too fast. If anyone found out about this, it would make other cultivators even wilder in attacking her sect.


    ''If they really attack us, everything will have been for nothing,'' Qing Lian thought to herself.


    "Sect master, is something wrong?"


    "Did you hear that Mingyue''s late master was attacked yesterday? And she is now in critical condition?"


    Qing Lian''s question made her feel puzzled. She wondered how it was related to her that the sect leader needed to point this out. A cultivator getting hurt outside was not something weird.


    ''Did she suspect I am the one that attacked her?''


    Seeing her expression, Qing Lian sighed, "That is not what I mean. The situation is not good now." She then proceeded to tell Lin Hua''s master about the situation.


    Meanwhile, Lin Hua''s face was now pale, and blood seeped at her lips while her sword stabbed Jian Nu in the chest. But Jian Nu just smiled before her body fell to the ground.


    Linhua took a few steps back, fell on her knee, then screamed in pain.


    At the most crucial moment of her breakthrough, when the golden core was forming, Jian Nu suddenly hit her with a palm attack.


    Looking at Jian Nu, who was dying, Lin Hua asked, "Why?"


    She never treated her badly; if anything, she gave her many privileges. She even felt she owed her since Jian Nu helped keep her up to speed with what happened to her family.


    She already planned to pay them a visit after her breakthrough. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A traitor got betrayed. Don''t you think that is what you deserve?"


    Linhua turned silent. Her heart shook as Jian Nu''s voice started turning into something familiar. Her body then started transforming, like a mirror being shattered. Jian Nu became a wooden mannequin.


    The mannequin that she recognized, the one that cut her arm.


    Despite her broken meridian and the pain in her body, Lin Hua tried to move, but as she moved back further with her palm, she hit something.


    Her eyes looked up, and what she saw almost made her soul leave her body.


    Ming Yue stood behind her, wearing the same smile as Jian Nu on her face. Beside her, Feng Xue''s soul appeared, floating in the air.


    "Wait," Ming Yue said.


    Right now, Lin Hua was weak as her cultivation had fallen drastically, but even with that, she could tell that Lin Hua had now reached the realm that she wanted.


    Ming Yue put her hand over her head. "You should thank your luck; I changed my mind. At the very least, you have a way to survive."


    "What do you mean?" Lin Hua asked.


    "What Jian Nu saw and heard, all of it is sent to me. You should know by now that everything that happened in the secret realm is a scam, including the cultivation method you are using."


    Many thoughts came to her mind; she didn''t know how Ming Yue could still be alive, and she could not even become this strong.

 Chapter 191: LinHuas Fate (Bonus Ch)

    Lin Hua sighed; all the hard work she did to cultiate in the end only paved the way to her end. She knew her fate was sealed.


    "Can you at least tell me how you survived?" she asked with a dejected tone.


    "Not even trying to fight back?"


    "Do you think I am stupid? I know there is nothing I can do now.


    My only option is calling for my master''s help, but looking at your presence, I am sure it''s useless now.


    You''re probably stronger than her."


    "So you don''t want to sacrifice her? Who knows, you could escape."


    "This cultivation method, what trap did you put into it?"


    "Can''t you already tell? The more you cultivate it, the more it will separate your body and soul.


    If I let you finish the breakthrough, your soul will be erased. As for how I survived, don''t worry. You will have a long time to find out."


    "KYAAA!" Lin Hua screamed in pain; she could feel something was absorbing her. this chapter is mv|le|mp|y r


    The next thing she knew, she found herself in a place surrounded by darkness; many chains suddenly appeared, binding her whole existence.


    As this happens inside Ming Yue''s inner world, Feng Xue''s soul moves toward Lin Hua''s body.


    Since the body was empty, Feng Xue smoothly took over. Lin Hua opened her eyes and started stretching. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How is it? That body should be enough for you."


    Lin Hua, now Feng Xue, frowned. As she opened and closed her palm, she said, "The talent is fine, but this body has many problems now."


    "The rumor?" Ming Yue let out a chuckle. Despite being one of the main culprits that exaggerated the rumor, how far it progressed also surprised her.


    She only wanted to put a target on the Hua family, but instead, it even pulled the Blue Lotus Sect into a predicament. She just wanted to say more when she felt someone''s presence.


    Ming Yue put the mannequin body into her storage ring, then disguised herself as Jian Nu. As she did this, she took out an earring and put it on her ear.


    ''What have you done to me?'' Lin Hua''s voice reverberated in Ming Yue''s mind.


    ''I planned to kill you, but I changed my mind. I took your soul and put it in this earring.''


    Meanwhile, Lin Hua''s master landed in the courtyard. Seeing her appearance, she quickly took out a bottle of pills.


    "Master," ''Master'' two voices reverberated, calling her, but only one reached her ears.


    "You failed?" Lin Hua''s master asked as she put a healing pill toward her.


    "Yes, master, but don''t worry, I did this on purpose," Feng Xue replied in Lin Hua''s body.


    "On purpose? Forget it, we will talk later. I need to make sure your meridian is alright."


    They then sat in the lotus position, with Lin Hua''s body''s back facing her master. She then started pouring Qi to check her meridian, making sure her body condition was alright.


    The pill she gave her would enhance her body regeneration, but if the wound was heavy, she needed to bring her to a specialist.


    As the process happened, the real Lin Hua asked in a dejected voice, ''Are you doing this to punish me? Who is she that now takes my body? Can''t you at least spare my family?''


    ''Where is your usual hatred? I thought you would curse me nonstop now. Isn''t that what you always do, usually?''


    ''I...'' Lin Hua turned speechless.


    In the past, she did this because she wanted to create a clear line between them; otherwise, she would not be able to convince herself to do things to Ming Yue. But she doubted she could convince her.


    It''s like a thief caught after stealing and killing the victim''s family, and now saying, ''I only do it because I have no choice.''


    No one will take them seriously; they will just think the thief is looking for sympathy.


    ''The soul inside your body now is the real owner of that secret realm. She is a golden core cultivator; before, she tried to take over my body but failed.''


    ''How can you go to that secret realm first?''


    Ming Yue chuckled in her mind. ''You can conclude that by yourself. But don''t worry, she won''t do anything bad to your family.''


    ''Aren''t you the one that spread the rumor?''


    ''What did you expect? What you did destroyed my family.''


    Ling Hua was silent for a moment; then she added, ''You may not believe me, but the idea to attack you doesn''t come from me.''


    ''Who?''


    ''I don''t know, but you can check in my storage ring. The letter is still there.


    One day, I just found it. It not only told me to do that to you. It also pointed out the secret realm location before anyone else found it.


    There is also a cheat answer for every puzzle on the tower trial.''


    ''If that is true, how could you not know there are more levels in the secret realm?''


    ''It doesn''t say how many levels there are, only how to solve the test. How else do you think I got that far in one trip? You should know my capability.''


    Ming Yue frowned but didn''t reply further; everything would be clear after she read the letter. But at this point, she doubted Lin Hua would lie to her.


    ''Who else hates me? But to know the secret realm location beforehand, that should be someone strong.''


    As she ruminated on this thought, Lin Hua''s voice reverberated again in her mind, ''Can you tell me what you plan to do with me?''


    She didn''t believe Ming Yue didn''t have any purpose with her soul. She had already taken her body; she should have another reason for keeping her here.


    ''You will find out when the time is right. For now, just get used to living like that.'' Ming Yue replied.


    In reality, she also didn''t know what she was going to do with Lin Hua. She just wanted to punish her for what she did, pushing her to the void.

 Chapter 192: Three days?

    Despite the fact that the incident gave her many benefits, it doesn''t mean she forgives her easily.


    She doesn''t plan to tell this to Lin Hua, but Feng Xue has no plan to stay in her body forever.


    She only wants to finish a few things before she extinguishes her own soul. But MingYue has other plans; she doesn''t want her to disappear.


    After spending some time with Fengxue, MingYue thought she was a good candidate to become a pure vampire. She has good morality but can do what needs to be done if push comes to shove.


    LingHua''s master, at this moment, has already finished with her check-up. She found the meridian is broken, but it''s not that bad.


    This surprises her since, usually, a failed breakthrough will leave the cultivator with grave wounds. It''s as if something has already healed her.


    She thought this was related to what she got in the secret realm.


    She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "LinHua, tell me the truth. Do you know anything about the rumor? The situation is now starting to grow out of hand. If things keep like this, even our sect won''t be spared."


    The thought of kicking her out doesn''t even pass their minds, not only because of their reputation but also because it''s not useful.


    Those with bad intentions will always find justification to pillage their sect.


    "Master, this is the reason I do this. If I break through now, things will become even more dire.


    I already have a plan; just give me three days, and I promise the Blue Lotus sect won''t have any problems."


    "Three days? How can you be sure?" LinHua''s master asked in disbelief; even the sect master and the other elders didn''t find any good idea to get out of this situation.


    The best they could come up with is taking out some of the sect treasure and then making it out as MingYue Family treasure, but they doubt this will work.


    Since the treasure was rumored to be very effective in fastening their cultivation many times over, their sect doesn''t have any treasure like this.


    "Just believe me on this, master," Lin Hua replied with a pale face.


    Seeing her gaze, she could tell LinHua was filled with confidence.


    "I will talk about this with The Sect Leader. But what will you do?


    You are now wounded. Do you plan to tell everyone your cultivation dropped so the rumor is fake?


    If so, you should forget about it. Not only will it bring your family calamity, but they also won''t believe it."


    "Of course not, master, disciple know what to do."


    LinHua''s master frowned for a moment since she found LinHua''s choice of words strange. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had never heard her say something like that. But she shook the idea off, thinking LinHua was stressed by the situation.


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    "Tell the master to let me meet with Situ Cuiying," FengXue said, making LinHua''s master even more confused.


    "What do you want to say to her?"


    "I will give her what she wants. In the first place, this is my problem, so let me take care of it."


    LinHua''s master was surprised by her words. This means she admits she has something from the MingYue family.


    But she doesn''t give any comment; it''s not her decision, and she can only act as a messenger for the sect master and Linhua.


    She is not surprised Linhua knows about Situ Cuiying since the news already spread around the sect. Despite staying at her abode, she could easily ask it from JianNu.


    "Just be careful with what you do; I heard MingYue''s master was attacked outside; I am sure it''s related to this rumor." After saying this, LinHua''s master left the area.


    MingYue turned her face back, her heartbeat loudly, and a memory started surfacing in her mind.


    A kind, gentle woman with white hair who always treated her nicely. ''Master.'' She mumbled in her mind.


    She then looked at Fengxue, "You should be able to take care of the rest. I need to go."


    "Sure, I will tell them I send JianNu to their family." She then looked at the crystalline earring in MingYue''s ear. Her gaze turned complicated for a moment, but she just sighed and didn''t say anything.


    FengXue knows it''s not for her to intervene, and if anything, she prefers to just kill LinHua rather than put her in that torment.


    She knows how it feels to live as only a soul. It''s excruciatingly painful. She can see everything but cannot touch anything, nor are her senses working.


    She cannot smell, eat, or feel any texture; the only way she can interact with things is through the formation she prepared beforehand, and even this still makes her almost crazy.


    She cannot imagine how LinHua will feel living as only a soul bound to an earring. She doubts LinHua can stay sane for long.


    Compared to another cultivator, she was bound not by choice.


    MingYue then threw a storage ring to Fengxue; inside was cultivation material enough to reach the Core Formation Middle stage.


    She cannot just give her everything in the secret realm; she needs it for her sect.


    Even with the Spirit Crystal mine, there are still many resources she lacks, like many herbs for creating pills, for alchemists, and for blacksmiths.


    However, MingYue doesn''t have any plans to recruit many of them. She agrees with Alex that they want to find a way to industrialize production using formations and machinery.


    So what they need is one very experienced expert; they don''t even need their cooperation. They only need their memories and knowledge.


    So this allows them to have a broad target, even those mad alchemists or blacksmiths who will not stop at anything to perfect their craft. But unfortunately, the Bai Yue sect spy network is only starting to grow.


    Many are still on their journey, while some have already reached their destination in nearby cities and villages. One of them is also settled in Daling.


    As newcomers, they cannot just use spirit stones to show off their wealth.


    They need to first gain the people''s trust. Making them think they are one of them. This took time.


    Only after gaining trust can they use their wealth and start selling some technology from Alex''s world.

 Chapter 193: AzureMoon City

    The plan is to start with toys, musical instruments, and food spices like MSG. So no big power feels threatened by them, as they gather intel and recruit more people for their sect.


    Firearms, explosives, and other weapons are not for sale; they plan to keep them to themselves as long as they can.


    But Alex knows as they grow and conflicts come, it''s only a matter of time before one of the weapons will reach their enemies'' hands.


    Alex knows there is nothing he can do to stop it. He can make some countermeasures, but it will only slow down the process.


    The only thing they can do is make sure to use them effectively and as sparingly as possible.


    MingYue makes her way quickly to find her master, asking around for information as JiangNu before finally leaving the sect. Moving through the forest, the silent LinHua suddenly starts talking again.


    ''I know that place, Mystic Jade Valley. There is an evil sect staying there; I don''t get why your master would go there.''


    ''How could I know? Tell me about the evil sect.'' MingYue asked. She doubted LinHua would lie or do anything to hurt her. Nor does she feel worried about it.


    "I got a mission once from the sect to look for a specific herb in that valley; that is where I met them. I only fought them once before I ran away."


    "You? Run away? How strong are they?"


    MingYue knows LinHua is the type that only runs if she knows there is no way to win. She is by no means a coward; otherwise, she wouldn''t dare take such a huge risk trying to kill her.


    As long as she was sure there was a benefit and good odds to win, she would go for it.


    "They have an ancient cultivation method, I don''t know how, but they fight using something like a puppet."


    "A puppet? Mannequin? We have those in the sect; how is it different?" S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s very different; mannequins move autonomously, while they are moved manually by the user.


    That is why I call them a puppet. And these puppets also have many things put inside their bodies, many weird weapons laced with dangerous poison."


    "A hidden weapon?" MingYue raised her eyebrow; this reminded her of one of the novels she had read, a book with characters surnamed Tang.


    ''But this one uses a puppet, which is interesting. I wonder where they got this method from?


    Now that I think of it. Is it possible for ancient cultivation methods to come from another world?


    Since a dungeon is just like a secret realm. Maybe one of the secret realms is connected to another world.''


    ''What is a hidden weapon?''


    ''Hard to explain. Basically, it''s a complicated mechanism that shoots out needles at high power, usually laced with poison.''


    ''So you will use the teleportation array at AzureMoon city?''


    AzureMoon is the nearest big city to the BlueLotus sect and has many teleportation arrays. Based on distance, she will need to take an array there, going to Mystic River City, before moving toward their goal.


    Hearing Mystic River City reminds her of a rumor she heard at the tavern she just visited.


    There seems to be a new clan coming to that place and having a fight with the local sect; if the information was right, that clan is Yang Clan.


    "Do we have another choice?" MingYue asked. She then took out the mask to alter her appearance once more.


    Having a beautiful face just pulls unwanted attention in crowded places like the city.


    AzureMoon is one of the main cities in the region. Although many cities are under the control of sects, they usually have relations with sects in the main region.


    There are a few big cities they never dare to touch.


    It''s also the reason why the main sect in the main region doesn''t go to all-out war. Every single sect still needs to think before doing anything since there are other organizations staying there.


    This organization works like an empire, but they are not called as such. In her world, they are called ShangXi Temple.


    The temple acts like the government, protecting the commoners and maintaining order. Led by a Council that is filled by a group of Immortals.


    There is a reason they are named temples and not kingdoms. ShangXi temple has many rituals, making it a religion for many commoners in the central region.


    Based on rumors she heard, there are 12 immortals inside the council. But she doesn''t know how much of this is the truth since the credibility of this story is questionable.


    Only by going there themselves would she know the truth.


    It doesn''t take long for her to reach AzureMoon City. The gates were filled with crowds of people queuing to enter the city.


    There are many chariots pulled by horses or spirit animals. Even cultivators think twice about making problems in this place.


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    The ShangXi Temple is famous for hunting each of them to the end without mercy.


    MingYue waits in the queue, waiting for her turn.


    "A cultivator? What is your realm?" The guard with a sheathed sword on his waist asked.


    "Must I report it?"


    "You can stay hidden, but it will cost you ten low-quality spirit crystals.


    If you tell us your identity, we will record it and give you treatment depending on your realm."


    "No need," MingYue replied as she took out ten low-quality spirit crystals.


    If not mentioned, it''s been a culture for everyone that one spirit crystal is equal to 50g (1.76 Ounce).


    After paying, the guard doesn''t ask anything further. He gives MingYue a specially carved jade emblem.


    "This will serve as your identity in this city. If you leave this place, please return it to one of our guards.


    We have one stationed at every exit or the teleportation array."


    The guard gives a signal, and then MingYue passes by the guard. Inside the palace, it is very crowded with many activities.

 Chapter 194: Sky Ember Sect

    Many stalls adorned the cobblestone street, with people loudly promoting their products. MingYue could also see some people standing in front of restaurants, inns, shops, and taverns, calling for people to come.


    ''This place is very prosperous. Compared to the city under a sect,'' MingYue thought to herself.


    ''Did you never come to the city under ShangXi Temple?


    They give many protections to the commoners, so it''s not weird that the city looks flourishing. But I heard it''s only for people that join their religion.''


    ''Well, that is not weird, but I still wonder why immortal cultivators create their own religion; usually, they don''t care about commoners.''


    As MingYue replied, she walked into one of the restaurants. Since she had never entered a city like this, she wanted to try the food.


    Restaurants, taverns, and inns are also good places to look for news. With her sharp hearing, she could easily hear what other people were talking about around the table.


    As she entered, her lips curled into a smile as there was already a commotion in place.


    There were two groups in conflict while everyone else watched with glee. Based on their appearance, she could tell both groups were cultivators, with qi flying in the air.


    Usually, commoners would already run away as far as they could, but here they were not worried.


    Trying to completely regulate cultivators would not work, so ShangXi Temple made a compromise for cultivators who wanted to have conflicts; they could fight it out in the public arena.


    This became a source of entertainment for the people. ShangXi Temple also used it as an income source by turning the fight into a gamble.


    "Where did you get that information? You should know my sect won''t just let this go," said one of the men from a group wearing a blue robe.


    The other group was like a gathering of independent cultivators. Each had their own unique clothing.


    "You may be my ex, but you think I am obligated to tell you about that? Since you chose her, you made your choice," said one of the women from the other group.


    MingYue then asked nearby people what had happened based on the information she had.


    It seemed the blue cultivator group overheard what the other cultivators were talking about, and then matters turned even more complicated when another cultivator came from the blue group who turned out to have some personal problem with one of them.


    The man suspected the woman used their past relationship to get this information. He had shared some methods with her in the past to have access to the sect''s information network.


    The man was a core disciple of his sect, so he had special privileges compared to others.


    However, their drama was not interesting to Ming Yue; what interested her was treasure.


    It seemed the sect had found an old dwelling of an alchemist with a big herb garden. Based on the rumor, the herbs were at least a thousand years old, not to mention there should be many pills, books, and cauldrons in the dwelling.


    As long as they could break the security created by the alchemist around the perimeter, they would gain access to all the resources.


    This piqued MingYue''s interest since that was what the BaiYue sect most needed now. They already had a realm rich in energy; she just needed this plant seed now to see what it would produce.


    In theory, they would still grow since mana and qi are very similar. They should retain the effect but make it milder, allowing easier consumption at the cost of effectiveness.


    But this is not a problem since turning many herbs into a pill will increase the effectiveness manyfold.


    MingYue started considering making another stop before going to her destination but remembered her master''s situation was dire.


    She sighed and turned her attention elsewhere. Hearing more information would only make her feel more interested.


    But before she left, MingYue made sure to learn the sect''s name, Sky Ember Sect.


    She moved to another place, taking a short break before moving toward the teleportation array. Paying the fee of 100 low-grade Spirit crystals, she moved to the next city.


    Leaving the array, MingYue was surrounded by many cultivators; they asked her for some information before asking her for some levy.


    This made MingYue frown since usually she only needed to pay when using, not when coming out. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "1000 low-quality Spirit crystals? Or no pass," they said while surrounding her.


    In contrast to the city she was just in, Mystic River City''s situation was far different.


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    She hadn''t even taken a step out of the array place and was already surrounded by more than ten cultivators. Hearing the number they asked, she was sure they just wanted to rob her clean.


    Even with her current average appearance, she could feel one of the cultivators ogling her body, making her feel disgusted.


    These cultivators wore orange robes with a letter on their uniform that read ''Yang.'' There were mixed genders; some men, some women.


    She could see, based on their appearance, they seemed to have just had a fight.


    There was also some fresh blood splattered around the area. This was clearly not their first time.


    ''Ambushing everyone coming through the portal? No wonder some people warned me,'' she thought.


    Before she entered this place, some of the guards told her that Mystic River City was in conflict.


    Since it''s out of their jurisdiction, there is nothing they can do. The only agreement ShangXi Temple had with the city was to keep the array active.


    As for who took the power or what kind of conflict happened there, they didn''t care.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a cold smile, "Ten thousand? I see you guys must be very rich then."


    "Rich? Haha, we wish. Well, if you cannot pay in coins, then just give us all your belongings. Or you can pay with something else," one of the men said while getting a glare from his female comrade.

 Chapter 195: Surprising Meeting

    "This is a mission. Control yourself," said one of the women.


    "What? Do you have a problem? Do you want..." the man''s words trailed off, as MingYue didn''t want to hear any further words from him.


    At first, she still considered paying since she didn''t want to waste time. If she attacked, she would get involved with the conflict in the city.


    Killing these pests meant those with higher cultivation would come to this place, bringing their army. But looking at their actions, she felt it was inevitable to have a conflict.


    Even if she paid, these people would just keep asking for more, thinking she was rich and easy to bully.


    Stab¡ªher sword pierced through the man''s throat.


    The cultivators surrounding her were not her opponents. Most were at the late foundation stage, while only two or three were at the early core formation stage.


    As she slashed her sword out of the man''s skull, she let her qi out, giving out her presence as a Golden Core cultivator. Making all the cultivators kneel on the ground.


    Looking at the people on the ground, a thought came to her mind, ''Is this what usually means courting death? Well, the only reason I hide my cultivation is that I don''t want the hassle.''


    If she showed up as a Golden Core cultivator, many people in Azuremoon City would come around her, giving her many gifts and offers.


    MingYue didn''t say much. She turned her gaze upward as her sword slashed, cutting all the cultivators'' heads off.


    She took their storage rings but didn''t absorb their life force.


    She prepared for conflict, but she didn''t want to massacre the whole city. If she absorbed even one body, rumors could spread that she is a demonic cultivator.


    Even though she used a disguise now, she never knew if some strong cultivator was staying hidden somewhere nearby. It''s not unheard of for a cultivator to do this.


    Usually, the reason is they are stuck and looking for inspiration. But there are also oddballs who seem to enjoy the simple life of normal people.


    This still doesn''t mean they will stay silent if they see a demonic cultivator.


    MingYue could feel many auras coming toward her, but she didn''t wait for them. She came out from the array building, meeting with more cultivators who were looking at her with wary eyes. Their swords were pointed forward, but their hands were shaking.


    They were caught in a dilemma; if they didn''t show they were prepared to fight, their elders would judge their actions. But if they really fought, the result was clear; death.


    MingYue looked upward, seeing a dozen figures flying in the air.


    In the middle, there was a handsome figure giving out a heroic aura, clearly a young master from the Yang clan. But she didn''t care about him.


    Her aura turned more intense as it burned with hostility and killing intent. Behind the man, there was someone she recognized. The patriarch of the Xueqi Family, Zhang Xueqi.


    ''What a small world,'' MingYue thought to herself. She started considering whether she should go all out and start a fight here or find out what Zhang was doing there.


    She wondered if the Yang Clan''s expansion into this area was related to his presence.


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    The group landed. The man put his hand forward, giving a respectful gesture.


    "My name is Yang Fei, Senior. May I know what the trouble is?"


    MingYue could feel the man was at the late nascent soul stage. But behind him, other than Zhang, there was also a Golden Core cultivator. Based on his appearance, he still looked similar to her uncle Jianfeng, which meant this cultivator was quite talented.


    But other than looking at her coldly, they didn''t say anything. Instead, MingYue could feel a provocation coming from the man''s eyes.


    She didn''t find it weird since a lot of cultivators belonging to a clan or sect look down on independent cultivators. MingYue thought they were not really afraid of her, but they didn''t want to incite unnecessary conflict to avoid casualties or some other party exploiting the situation.


    ''MingYue, it''s better if you don''t try to fight them,'' LingHua''s voice reverberated in her mind, but MingYue ignored it.


    "You need to ask? You can ask their souls if you want."


    Yang Fei, still smiling, replied, "It seems my people are the ones in the wrong.


    I am sorry, but we are just too busy, and we cannot oversee every single one of our people.


    Their death is warranted, but may I know what senior''s purpose here is?"


    "I want to go to Mystic Jade Valley."


    Yang Fei''s eyes shifted to Zhang Xueqi, to which he responded by shaking his head.


    It didn''t escape MingYue''s sense that there was a look of relief from Yang Fei, making her think there was more than just expanding their territory involved.


    It did feel weird that the Yang Clan was expanding their territory far away here, even though the area could be connected with a teleportation array. If the array was attacked, it would completely cut off any connection. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This meant the place would require a robust defense, costing them a lot of resources.


    It was only worth doing this if there was a very worthy treasure in the vicinity, and it was not a one-time treasure. For example, the herb garden she just heard about is a one-time treasure; no matter how good the soil is, once the century or even millennium-aged plants are harvested, the value will drop drastically.


    The only thing that usually warrants this kind of treatment is a spirit mine or a rare tree that can frequently produce rare fruit or elixir.


    "Mystic Jade Valley is quite a distance away from this city. We won''t take more of the senior''s precious time then," Yang Fei said.


    MingYue could tell he subtly told her to leave the area quickly. Her mind churned; she didn''t want to have conflict now since she was also in a hurry, and she didn''t want to lose Zhang''s location.

 Chapter 196: Tracker

    An idea then came to her mind. She took out a storage ring filled with spirit stones and threw it toward the group, saying, "This is payment for their lives; don''t take this the wrong way. I just don''t want to be bothered by more enemies."


    Yang Fei caught the storage pouch while watching MingYue''s disappearing back.


    Checking the inside of the pouch, he raised his eyebrows in surprise since it was filled with hundreds of low-quality spirit crystals, along with some minor, useless stuff like personal items.


    He didn''t suspect the pouch since it was one of the items gifted to every new cultivator in the Yang clan before they improved and gifted storage rings.


    Yang Fei also thought MingYue didn''t bother to move the items after pillaging them from his people. Little did he know MingYue had tagged a location tracker on the pouch.


    Some distance away, MingYue landed on the ground as she got close to the valley. She wanted to move carefully, making sure she wouldn''t miss her master.


    ''What will you say when you meet her? Will you tell her your real identity?'' Linhua asked.


    MingYue was caught off guard by the question since she had never thought about this. She only thought about the danger her master was in.


    Being known as dead worked to her advantage for now. For example, if Zhang Xueqi knew she was alive, he would probably request help from the Yang Clan to hunt her down. this chapter is NovelFire|le|mp|y r


    ''I don''t know yet, but rather than that, I am surprised you don''t have any hatred,'' MingYue replied.


    She felt no malice, anger, or hate from Linhua even after what happened. Anyone normal would have already lost their composure, blaming everything and venting their anger.


    Some might play the victim or even do something stupid like threatening MingYue, hoping she would get angry and, in response, snuff out their soul.


    A lot of people would choose death over having their lives at the mercy of their enemy. Not to mention, this enemy is the one she had tried to kill.


    ''You may not believe me, but honestly, the moment I was left with only my soul, I felt relieved. Like a burden was lifted from my shoulders.''


    ''A burden? So you think living is a burden?''


    MingYue was surprised to hear this since Linhua always seemed like someone competitive, doing everything she could to gain an advantage and increase her cultivation.


    ''Don''t you understand? You are also the only hope for your family to reach new heights. Since I was a child, everything was about cultivation.


    I couldn''t play. I had no friends. Every day, I needed to worry about my family''s fate. Do you know why I rarely return to my family?''


    ''Isn''t that because you''re too busy cultivating? It''s the same for me.''


    ''Maybe it''s for you, but for me, it''s not really because of that. My family just reminds me of the burden I have on my shoulders. I often think how good it would be to be born without any talent.''


    MingYue could relate to this since she also felt like this before but in a different way. She thought her hard work was never appreciated since people just expected her to achieve so much with her talent. But she soon got over this by changing her point of view.


    She tried to convince herself that what other people thought of her didn''t matter; even if no one appreciated her effort, she knew her effort would never betray her.


    Just like when she fell into the void if she had slacked even once, not having her current cultivation, MingYue was sure she wouldn''t have survived the void. The moment she reached that strange place, she would have been only minced meat.


    Then a question popped into her mind; whose tomb was that place?


    Remembering the goblet floating above the coffin made her stop at her step, and her memory started turning blurry.


    ''MingYue, is something wrong?'' Linhua asked.


    MingYue didn''t reply; instead, she asked Vesa why she didn''t have any recollection of what happened.


    [I could not answer Queen. I don''t know anything about it since I was still in slumber at that time.]


    [The moment I truly awoke was when I brought you and the king to Edonia.]


    ''Wait, that is real Edonia? Not a projection?''


    [You will understand more when you progress as a Progenitor Queen.]


    Linhua''s voice then sounded again in her mind, this time laced with worry, making MingYue reply to her. She stopped talking with Vesa since she knew she wouldn''t get more information.


    ''I am fine, but are you really Linhua? Did the process damage your soul or something?'' MingYue asked in disbelief.


    She had heard what Linhua said before¡ªthat, in reality, she wanted to be friends with her¡ªbut the change in personality just made her feel weird.


    Linhua was silent for a moment before she said, ''Don''t you know? With this many restrictions you put on my soul, I feel you can even hear what I am thinking if you want to?''


    ''You know that is not my point. Just how could you be so different?'' S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Well, I think this is the real me. Or maybe I just do this so I can get close to you, so you will forgive my family.''


    MingYue snorted at her words, ''I am not that low; I will not touch your family other than that rumor. What happened to them now is up to FengXue.''


    ''Thank you,'' Linhua replied sincerely. But this only made MingYue feel creeped out.


    It''s like you are being bullied at school, and then one day, the bully just changes 180 degrees, acting all nice and kind.


    MingYue started exploring the valley carefully, hoping she wouldn''t meet the cultivator that Linhua talked about.


    Unfortunately, her wish was not granted.


    As she went deeper and deeper, she could see many life forces starting to follow her; based on the energy intensity, she could tell they were cultivators, at least at the core formation stage.

 Chapter 197: Lian Fang

    As they got close, MingYue spread her qi, showing her cultivation level, while she said loudly, "I am not here for a fight; I am looking for someone."


    A voice then came from around her, "This place is our territory; who are you looking for?"


    "A middle-aged cultivator, a woman with black hair but a few strands of white hair, with blue eyes," MingYue replied, then added more details about her Master, including her cultivation realm, at the nascent soul stage and her name, Xue Fang.


    "I heard she is dying now; do you know anything about this woman? If you can come close, I can show you her picture."


    A deafening silence surrounded the area.


    Despite the name, the place looked more like a forest. MingYue focused her gaze on one of the areas, waiting for the response.


    She also prepared to take out her weapon at any time in case things turned into combat.


    Moments passed until, finally, a silhouette came out from the forest. To MingYue''s surprise, the one that came out was a child. She had red hair and eyes, with a height barely reaching MingYue''s waist. Her small body was wrapped in a cloak with some cloud patterns drawn on it.


    The cloak was black, while the clouds were colored blue. Behind her, two adult figures were hidden in cloaks with the same pattern as the woman, but these cloaks also hid their faces.


    But Mingyue didn''t dare to underestimate her since, despite her appearance, it was clear she was experienced in fighting.


    She didn''t show any openings, and the two figures behind her didn''t give out any life force.


    ''MingYue, they are the puppet clan I have talked about before,'' Linhua said in MingYue''s mind.


    ''You said they were evil before, why?''


    ''Because their puppet is made with a human corpse.''


    "You say you are looking for Xue Fang? Show us her picture," the woman said with a childish voice.


    MingYue took a phone from her storage ring and then showed the photo of her Master. Technically, she didn''t have it; this was made by Vesa.


    It was like a photorealistic drawing using MingYue''s memory.


    Seeing the picture, the woman was clearly intrigued by the phone, but she didn''t make any remark about it. Instead, she says, "My name is Lian Fang. The woman in there is my aunt; who are you to her?"


    Hearing this, MingYue''s eyes turned sharp, showing her hostility.


    Swish! Swish!


    A few more silhouettes came out from the forest, surrounding MingYue. There were a dozen people, but MingYue could only feel the life force from a few of them.


    "My Master doesn''t have a family. Who are you?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lian Fang raised her hand, giving a signal for them not to attack yet. "That should be my question; the only disciple my aunt had already died."


    MingYue looked at Lian Fang, looking at her carefully; she could see some of her Master''s features in her. They had the same eye color, with similar sharp jawlines and pointed noses.


    She could also see, based on Vesa''s information, that Lian Fang was feeling confused and wary toward her, raising the odds she was telling the truth. But MingYue still did not drop her guard.


    She then remembered her Master had given her something in the past, a black sphere. Xue Fang told her to infuse it with qi if she was in danger; it was one of her life-saving treasures that she had forgotten for a while after getting new abilities from Vesa.


    MingYue then took out the sphere in her hand and asked, "Do you recognize the sphere?"


    Lian Fang squinted her eyes, looking at the sphere; she recognized it as one of the products from her family. But she still needed to make sure; she opened her palm, gesturing for MingYue to give it to her.


    MingYue hesitated for a moment but then decided to throw the sphere; she needed to make sure of the situation.


    She didn''t want to accidentally hurt her Master''s family, and she was also not sure if she could win or not; despite being in a higher cultivation realm, with regeneration and many techniques, she didn''t know what capabilities the puppet had.


    If it were only poison, it wouldn''t matter to her, as she should be immune to almost all poison in this world.


    Lian Fang caught the sphere and started scrutinizing it. After a few more glances, she threw it back to Mingyue, then raised her hand, creating a few gestures.


    The people that surrounded MingYue then jumped back into the forest. MingYue could see from Vesa''s map they were separating into a few groups, seemingly patrolling the area.


    "You don''t seem to be lying, but as I said, my aunt only had one disciple, and she has died. So the only possible reason is you are somehow related to her and were there when she died.


    Your cultivation level also doesn''t make sense for being her disciple."


    "Just bring me to meet with her then; she will recognize me. It''s not like you can verify whether I am her or not."


    "You are right, but I cannot just bring you to our village; you are too strong."


    "Then what do you propose?"


    "Let''s wait here," Lian Fang replied as one of the figures behind her leaped, disappearing toward the forest.


    Looking carefully now, MingYue realized their movement was not something she could underestimate.


    If they fought, she was sure the puppet could hold up to her speed, but it was still unknown how durable their bodies were.


    "I heard Master is hurt now. Isn''t that true?"


    "It''s just a rumor; it''s something we spread so her sect wouldn''t question her much when she comes here."


    MingYue frowned; at first, she didn''t understand why her Master had hidden where she came from, even from her. Telling everyone she didn''t have a family, but then she realized it was the same situation as with the BaiYue sect.


    This Fang Family was probably one of the ancient clans hiding in the shadows from everyone else to protect their techniques and peace.

 Chapter 198: Talking With Her Master

    If what LinHua said was true, that the puppets were made using human corpses, many cultivators would brand them as evil cultivators without even making sure of the reason why.


    They will do it to get justification to pillage their clan for technique and treasure.


    Time passed on. Two figures landed near them. MingYue''s heart tugged at seeing the familiar figure.


    The hooded one returned to Xue Fang''s side while Lian Fang looked at MingYue, scrutinizing her appearance.


    Her niece had told her a person came claiming she was her student and even had something that only MingYue should have.


    This made Lian Fang feel intrigued.


    Before returning to her hometown, she had gone to the secret realm area, but as she expected, the place was already closed. She then went to Daying City and spent her time and effort looking for MingYue''s trails, but she could not find any.


    Her search brought Lian Fang close to her hometown.


    At first, she just wanted to have a short visit, but after finding out her family was now having a conflict with the Yang Clan, she decided to stay and help them.


    The person in front of her now was clearly a stranger, but she could feel something familiar about her.


    ''Just who is she? I have never felt her qi before, nor does her appearance seem familiar; is it a disguise?''


    MingYue''s eyes, meanwhile, started to moisten; she didn''t understand the reason why.


    A lot of emotions started surfacing in her mind. Seeing her master reminded her of the time before she found out about her family''s betrayal.


    She took her mask off, showing her face. The next thing she knew, something warm enveloped her.


    MingYue could have dodged it if she wanted, but she didn''t since she also wanted it.


    Lian Fang embraced her tightly and then patted her on the head, "Ming Yue, is this really you?" she asked in disbelief.


    "Yes, it''s me, master; it''s a long story. Should we talk somewhere else?"


    Lian Fang released her embrace and looked at her niece, "High Priest, can I bring her to the village?"


    "Can''t you just call me by my name?" Xue Fang asked in a dejected tone, then added, "Since Aunt vouched for her, sure, you can bring her, but try to avoid the other villages; you should understand the situation." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They then started moving toward the village. Since Lian Fang didn''t want to make a commotion, she chose another path toward the village and chose a house prepared in the outskirts area.


    Usually, this house was made for patrol guards to take a break. But with LianFang''s words, the place emptied.


    She then left both of them alone.


    "Master, I am glad you are alright."


    "What are you talking about? It should be me asking, just what happened with you? Even your life tablet is destroyed," Xue Fang said with quivering lips, then took a deep breath before continuing, "You really gave me a jump scare; if not for the sphere I gifted you, I would also completely lose hope."


    "The sphere?" MingYue asked as she took it out in her hand once more.


    "That is a specially made weapon in our family; we name it Asura Fury Lotus. Only a limited amount is available; I don''t know how, but the predecessor put many methods on it; we can find out if any single one of them was used.


    I know you, MingYue, there is no way you would die without having a fight. So, there is no way you died without using what I gifted you."


    MingYue felt warm in her heart hearing this; she never thought much, but to think the item her master gave her was something precious.


    It''s clear the amount is very limited and could not be made again; a thought also surfaced in her mind, ''should I send this to Alex for him to try to replicate it?''


    But she quickly shook the idea since the sphere held sentimental value for her.


    "Unfortunately, master, the situation from before wouldn''t let me use it," MingYue said with a sigh. She didn''t give out details of the system, but she told her master what happened.


    "I knew it! That bitch had something to do with this. I will make her pay."


    "No need, master. I already took my revenge, although things didn''t really go as I wanted."


    XueFang could see from MingYue''s expression that she was serious, so she didn''t bring up the topic again.


    MingYue, meanwhile, looked around the place; the place had simple architecture as it was completely made of wood.


    The furnishing was also very simple, with a few formation arrays put inside; based on what Vesa told her, the arrays worked as something like a radar or communication device.


    Seeing the setup made her realize how much edge she has compared to this type of clan with modern tools.


    Even though cultivators could communicate with telepathy, the range is limited depending on their cultivation level; even for people like her in the golden core cultivation realm, she still cannot beat the effectiveness of radio communication devices in many situations.


    MingYue then remembered Lian Fang''s words before.


    "Master, why are you calling her high priest? Isn''t she your niece?


    Also, what is the conflict with the Yang Clan? Do they come here specifically for your family?"


    "Lian Fang is indeed my niece, but her life is a sad one. I call her high priestess since she was the leader of our clan; don''t let her appearance fool you. She is far older than you."


    "What?" MingYue frowned. She really looked like a child, no matter what perspective she used. Even using Vesa, her life force checked out as someone young that reached that realm.


    "I think I don''t need to hide this anymore; you should be clear. My family is what people often call an ancient family or ancient clan.


    People that have their own unique cultivation method, but honestly, rather than a blessing, it''s more of a curse, MingYue."

 Chapter 199: Treasure?

    Xue Fang sighed. She then took out a teapot of tea on the table, "It''s going to be a long story; let''s have a drink first."


    Seeing her Master standing up and wanting to brew the tea, MingYue stopped her; she instead took out a plastic bottle filled with tea.


    It''s a jasmine tea from Alex''s world.


    Xue Fang recognized the liquid but not the container. "What is that, MingYue?"


    "Well, it''s tea; I want the master to try it," MingYue replied cryptically, telling her Master she didn''t want to tell more.


    "Hiding things from your Master, you never change, MingYue. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, just be careful, I don''t know what kind of thing you got in that place, and I know you are stronger than me now, but remember, I am still your Master.


    If you need any help, I am here for you."


    "I know, master, I do have a request later, but it''s more on cooperation; I haven''t told you this, but I have made my own sect," MingYue said as she poured the tea into the cup.


    Taking a sip from the cup, Xue Fang raised her eyebrow. "This is too sweet."


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "It is too sweet, but after a few tries, you get used to it."


    She took another sip and then continued her story.


    "Now, about my family, I don''t know what happened in the past, but the main branch is cursed; they cannot live past a hundred years. This curse is weird; my sister married into the main branch, and she quickly got cursed the moment she officially entered it.


    It''s like the curse is alive.


    So the main branch looked for a method to fight this curse, but no matter what they tried, they failed.


    They thought if they could become immortal cultivators, they would probably be able to fight this curse, but in only 100 years'' time, no matter what kind of genius is born, there is just not enough time.


    So the whole main branch decided to find another way.


    Since they cannot fight the curse directly, they instead found another method; I don''t know in detail how, but it basically sacrifices almost everyone in the main branch''s life to freeze Xue Fang''s life, making her not age further."


    If this had happened before, Ming Yue would have thought this was another ancient cultivation method or was done by an immortal cultivator.


    But now, with her knowledge about other worlds and species, she starts suspecting that the Fang family is not native to her cultivation world; they are taking refuge here and bringing their curse with them.


    That is the only explanation for why they cannot find anything about the curse since it''s not related to Qi at all. It probably works on a completely different concept.


    "My condolences, Master, but then why did the Yang Clan come here looking for trouble?"


    "They are coming for our family treasure; I cannot tell you what it is, except Lian Fang agrees to it."


    "Based on what I know, your family should be trying their best to hide from everyone; how can they know about your family treasure then?"


    "That, I don''t know."


    MingYue frowned for a moment, then asked, "This place is quite famous for looking for herbs; what usually do you guys do for cultivators or people that come looking for one here?"


    "In the past, we did nothing and let them do what they wanted as long as they didn''t come near the village.


    I heard we even helped some wounded cultivators, but that quickly turned into a problem.


    Some people are just worse than animals, even people that save their lives. Instead of being grateful, they bring trouble to the village.


    So we changed our policy; we will try to drive any cultivators out of this place; we took all good resources, leaving only useless ones; sometimes we also scared any cultivator coming here, making sure the gain is not worth the risk."


    This method only works because the herb in the valley is not that rare in the first place; at most, only Core Formation realm cultivators will visit this place. Above those, they won''t find any value at this place.


    ''Hmm... then probably that old geezer got rescued by my Master''s family; he kept the information all this time and now uses it to get protection from the Yang Clan.


    But I doubt they will show their secret treasure to a stranger they helped.


    The only possibility is that he made something up; he just suspects there is an ancient family here and then takes the risk.


    As expected from that useless geezer, what did my family do to get that kind of person as our patriarch? He truly destroyed everything he was in.'' MingYue thought to herself.


    She then asked, "So what is your plan for now, Master?"


    "I don''t know what the family has decided, but I will stay here for my niece all the way."


    Her eyes started to fill with guilt, "I am sorry for not telling you about this before, MingYue. I think of you like my own daughter, but in reality, I am just one of those family members sent to spy on the situation in the outside world."


    MingYue shook her head, "No, I understand about it, don''t think too much, Master. Can you call your niece then?"


    "What kind of deal do you have for her?"


    "As I told you, I have my own sect now, and it''s located in the secret realm, with many resources. What I am lacking now is people."


    Xue Fang creased her eyebrow, "MingYue, despite your current cultivation level, it''s still hard to believe.


    It''s not that I am saying I don''t believe you. But you should understand what I mean."


    "I know it was the same for me. That is why I want to negotiate.


    I think I can help your family''s predicament while expanding my sect.


    Well, this is the best-case scenario, depending on the situation. I cannot just let everyone enter the place without some agreement, even though they are the Master''s family."

 Chapter 200: Ungrateful Zhang

    Xue Fang didn''t say much since she knew the matter was outside of her power.


    She cannot just tell her disciples to trust all people in her family to enter her sect without any agreement. But at the same time, she also cannot convince her whole sect to agree with MingYue.


    As for MingYue, other than wanting to help her Master and expand the sect, she also feels curious about their background.


    Whether they really come from another planet or not.


    "Do you have something I can show to them?"


    "Yes, give me a second." MingYue directed her mind toward her storage ring and began rummaging through some of the items.


    After some time, she took out a few pictures of her sect, a floating island with high-rise buildings on top of it.


    "Is this your sect? But how?"


    Xue Fang''s eyes widened upon seeing the picture, but what surprised her even more was the material of the paper and the quality of the image; she had never seen anything like that before.


    "I am sorry, Master. Honestly, it''s not that I don''t want to tell you. It''s just hard to explain without you seeing it with your own eyes."


    Xue Fang paused for a moment; many thoughts came to her, ''I honestly prefer going to her secret realm if it''s like what she told me. It''s better to escape rather than have a conflict; if only everything were that simple.''


    Right now, the Fang family is experiencing growing dissatisfaction among the villagers.


    ''Why do they still need to take a passive stance, even though they are now being attacked?''


    There were already some casualties from their Clan.


    ''How long should they wait to seek justice?''


    It''s not like their Clan was weak; with the puppets and their hidden weapons, they believed they could be a strong force, competing with families and sects from the central region.


    As Xue Fang made her way a distance away from the village, a group of cultivators was gathering; they were the Yang Clan.


    The golden core cultivator looked at Zhang Xueqi, "Did you know the cultivator from before? She seemed agitated after seeing you. I''m sure if not for my presence, she would have killed you already."


    Zhang furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this. At that time, he did feel the woman''s hostility, but he didn''t realize it was targeted at him.


    "No, I don''t know about her. As I said before, only those stupid people are my enemy now, and you already killed them; as for the rest, they are just insects in my eyes."


    "You sure talk big for someone that depends on us. Remember the deal, Zhang, if this treasure is really worth it, we will accept you into our family by marrying you to one of my distant cousins, and we will clean up all those insects.


    But if this is wrong, prepare yourself; this venture has already cost us a lot," Yang Fei said coldly.


    Zhang gulped; he knew how strict the Yang Family was.


    Worry started filling his mind, but he shook it off, ''No, I am sure it will be worth it. I have seen what they can do. I am sure they have that weapon.''


    In the past, he was ambushed by some cultivators, then he fought tooth and nail to survive. And his effort paid off; he survived but not without a cost; he almost died. At that time, one of the Fang Family came and rescued him.


    But in the middle of the way, they were ambushed by a strong cultivator. This is when he saw with his own eyes how strong the Fang clan is.


    Their way of fighting is something he had never seen, and their weapon is very strong. Enough to even kill a strong cultivator in one attack.


    At that time, the attacker was in the late nascent soul realm, while the one helping him was only in the early core formation realm.


    "Young Master, you should have seen their weapon and the doll''s capability; even this alone should be enough for my request."


    Yang Fei snorted; he did see the value of these dolls, but so far, it was only against low-level cultivators; he hadn''t seen anything that could be really useful for his Clan.


    He then addressed everyone around him, "Alright, enough dilly-dallying. After the other elder comes here, we will begin our attack.


    This time, with two golden core cultivators, we must make sure to find the village. There should be no more failures." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had tried to attack multiple times but barely made any progress, even with many casualties. They didn''t even get any of the Fang family corpses or storage rings.


    This is why Yang Fei decided to ask for more help, despite knowing this would affect his achievements and reduce his contributions.


    Back in the village, Mingyue was now talking with Lianhua, asking her about her experiences in detail to gain more intel.


    ''There isn''t much I can tell, honestly; you know more about them than me, other than their combat ability. But it''s kind of hard to explain with words; why not just read it directly from my memory?''


    Mingyue paused for a moment, then replied, ''I really don''t know you anymore; just how much of the old Lianhua is your real personality?''


    Who in their right mind would ask others to read their memories?


    Even though Mingyue is taking revenge on her, she still feels it''s over the line. In her mind, it''s worse than killing or even torturing someone.


    "Why are you so reluctant? Don''t you hate me, Mingyue?"


    "You do realize if I read your memories, that will include everything you have experienced."


    "Yes, do it." Her words surprised Mingyue once more; it was clear from the tone she was looking forward to it.


    [Target is feeling hopeful and excited]


    "Just what is her goal?" Mingyue thought to herself as she really didn''t get it.


    In reality, Lianhua did have a personal agenda; she thought if Mingyue read her memories, she would empathize with her and spare her family.

 Chapter 201: Blue Cloud Village

    Despite what she said, Lianhua didn''t believe her.


    She knew that if she was in Mingyue''s position, she would make sure to cut the weeds and pull out the roots to avoid future problems. She thought Mingyue spared her soul now so she could torture her mentally, like using her body to kill her own family. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But before Mingyue could make any decision, her master returned.


    "Mingyue, let''s go; she agrees to have a talk with you."


    "Alright," Mingyue replied as she followed her master, deciding to think about Lianhua later.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach the village.


    To her surprise, the area was surrounded by a wall made of stone; Vesa also told her there were many arrays carved on it, with the majority being many types of illusion arrays.


    Reaching the gate that was made from solid wood, she saw two people standing in front.


    Different from the people she had met before, they wore colorful clothes with tribal patterns; some also had accessories like feathers on their heads.


    "Welcome to Blue Cloud Village. Follow me; the high priestess is already waiting for you," said one of the men guarding the gate.


    He didn''t hold any weapon, but with many arrays in place, MingYue knew they were not defenseless.


    Walking through the gate, she was greeted with a gravel-like road, but the stones were smooth and not sharp. It also felt elastic when she stepped on it, giving her a weird sensation.


    If Alex were here, he would have told her this was a rubber-gravel mix and felt excited about it. This means rubber exists in her world and can be used to produce many things to sell to the populace, effectively raising their wealth and popularity and giving them an edge to compete with the established chamber of commerce.


    Looking around the area, she could see many buildings with unique aesthetics, making her even more sure they were from another world since any city or village she had come across so far had similar styles.


    The houses were round, made from wood, with roofs thatched. Walking through the area, she was greeted with suspicious gazes from the villagers; it was clear they didn''t trust her at all.


    She then passed by an open field with many seating areas; in the middle, there were many logs gathered, probably used as a bonfire. Moving forward, another building appeared in her eyes.


    It was the largest building in the village; while others were made of wood, this one was made from something like mortar.


    In front of the building, her master stopped, "This is where the high priest lives; other than those called by her, no one can enter, so I will wait for you here."


    MingYue gave a nod; inside, she met with Lian Fang, now wearing simple clothing.


    "So, you are really her student," she said as she looked at Mingyue''s real face.


    "Yes, have you seen me before?"


    "A pic of you from one of my aunt''s reports."


    "I see. Well, should we get to it?"


    "Before that, I need to ask you to sign a blood oath with me; the content is simple: what happened here? You cannot tell anyone else."


    ''Cannot tell anyone? Well, that will work for others, but not me.


    Even if the blood oath is strong enough, Vesa will hear everything, and so does Lianhua,'' Mingyue thought, but she had no plan to tell them this, nor did she plan to share the information other than probably Alex since the matter would be related to potential expansion of the sect.


    "Sure, no problem."


    Lian Fang nodded; a contract appeared in her hand. After carefully reading over it, she signed it with her blood.


    "Follow me," Ling Fang said.


    Seeing the small body from the back, Mingyue couldn''t help but feel curious. "I heard some story about the clan from your aunt. How old are you?"


    Ling''s small shoulders shivered to hear the word; it was only for a moment, but it didn''t escape Mingyue''s eyes. She paused for a moment, then said, "Mind your own business."


    "Alright, if you say so, I am just wondering if they really die or not since the ritual intrigues me; depending on the situation, I may be able to reverse it and also find the cure," Mingyue said, trying to bait her to gain more edge in their negotiation.


    Lin Fang stopped in her steps, "They are dead, so what cure? A cure from death?" She replied coldly without looking back at Mingyue, but despite her voice, Mingyue could read her emotion thanks to Vesa.


    [Target feeling: sadness, hurt, and hopelessness]


    ''Mingyue, her story is quite similar to ours, although hers is worse. I cannot imagine how much weight her small body carries, all those family lives sacrificed, putting their hope in her.


    At least in my case, I can often express my emotions by calling them greedy, but for her, all the family wants is to break the curse,'' LinHua said.


    Mingyue frowned as she had never thought of it like that, but she didn''t like talking about this topic. Ignoring Lianhua, she replied, "A cure from your family curse."


    "You!? A cure for this curse? If you were not my aunt''s disciple, I would have already killed you now by those words alone, but I don''t think your current cultivation realm makes you invincible."


    Mingyue''s lips curled into a smile; she started walking closer to Lin Fang. "Let me prove it to you. I just need a drip of your blood to find out more information."


    "A drip of my blood? What is it for?" Lin Fang frowned.


    She felt hesitant since she had heard there exists a weird technique that can curse someone only from their blood. She knew this because her Calan had gone far and wide looking for any information about anything related or similar to curses.


    "If you''re worried, I can return it afterward. I just need to touch it once. As you said, you are not afraid of me, so what will you lose even if you do this?


    Isn''t it worth taking a risk to check if you have any hope or not?"

 Chapter 202: Meeting the Ancestor of Fang Clan

    Silence deafened in the hallway; as Lin Fang started considering this, her teary eyes dried up, and they turned sharp, she had decided. "Let''s talk about this more after you meet someone else."


    "Someone? Who?"


    "This is why I asked you to sign the agreement; honestly, no one agrees with your proposition; I also don''t feel interested at all, but the ancestors have a question for you."


    Mingyue frowned upon hearing this. ''An ancestor? But didn''t the master say they could not live past one hundred years?''


    "This is why I ask you to sign the agreement; honestly, no one agrees with your proposition. I also don''t feel interested at all, but the ancestors have questions for you."


    MingYue frowned upon hearing this, ''An ancestor? But didn''t the master say they could not live past one hundred years?''


    "I know what you are thinking. My aunt didn''t lie to you; she doesn''t know about the ancestor''s presence.


    In this whole village, only I know about this. As for how he could live this long, you will understand when you meet him."


    They walked past a wall, then proceeded to go down toward the basement area, the place lit with glowing crystals.


    Passing through another illusion wall, they finally reached the chamber. In the middle of the room, a skeleton sat cross-legged, with many arrays carved on the walls.


    ''I see, so he did something similar to my ancestor, but how old is this one? I feel he is even more ancient than him.''


    The skeleton''s jaw started to move, and a red glow then appeared in its sockets. It then stood up, creating a rattling sound from the skeleton.


    Just like a person who has just woken up from sleep, the skeleton started stretching its bones, making MingYue''s eyes widen in surprise. She never thought she would ever see something like this in her life.


    Every time the bones moved, they made a crackling sound in the surrounding area. The skeleton''s jaw then opened wide before closing again, just like someone yawning.


    "How long have I slept, Lin?"


    "Ancestor, the last time I was here, you were still awake, so I don''t think even 10 minutes have passed," LinFang replied with puzzled eyes.


    "Really? Kakaka, I really have grown old now," the skeleton replied as it used its bony finger to touch its lower jaw, a gesture people usually make when they are thinking.


    "Let''s see, 100 years, 1000 years, 2000? 5000. Hmm, that''s not right, maybe 1721 years old?"


    ''What''s wrong with this ancestor? He guessed 5000, and next thing is 1721?'' MingYue thought. She started feeling worried about the negotiation since, clearly, the ancestor was an eccentric person.


    What worried her even more was that she could not read any emotional fluctuation from the skeleton.


    The skeleton kept getting out numbers that were very random, not even close to each other; in the end, he let out a rattling laugh, "Well, all of that doesn''t matter anyway since I am already dead. Kakaka!"


    COUGH! Ling Fang let out a cough to get her ancestor''s attention back, "Ancestor, let''s get to the main point."


    "Oh yeah, what were we talking about?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You told me to bring MingYue here."


    The skeleton looked at MingYue, his bony finger tapping on his lower jaw.


    CLANG! CLANG!


    "Did I order that? Hmm¡­ Well, well, what a beautiful lady we have here."


    At that moment, MingYue was trying her best to stay calm, her veins almost popping in the face of this skeleton, ''I don''t know why I feel it''s better for Alex to face this kind of annoying people.''


    She took a few breaths and then said, "I am offering your clan to join my sect. With the situation now, it''s only a matter of time until the conflict with the Yang clan turns into a full-blown fight; going to my secret realm will provide a safe place, at least until things calm down.


    Of course, it''s not free; I will also need help from your clan, but don''t worry; I am not interested in your secret technique or cultivation method. What I need is a workforce."


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


    "Sorry, were you saying?" The skeleton asked.


    MingYue turned her gaze toward Ling Fang, who had a helpless expression on her face. Silently asking her, ''Can''t you do something? It''s your ancestor.''


    Ling Fang shrugged her shoulders.


    Seeing the exchange, the skeleton started laughing, "Kakaka, I''m just joking, young lady. As a leader of an organization, you should learn to be more patient."


    "My name is MingYue."


    "Yes, I know. But I want to call you young lady, kakaka."


    ''Hahaha, MingYue, I like this ancestor,'' LinHua laughed.


    ''Shut up, LinHua,'' MingYue replied as her vein throbbed. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried her best to stay calm.


    "Ancestor. You should get to the point; we really don''t have much time," Lin Fang complained.


    At first, she felt the same way as Ming Yue, but now she had gotten used to it. Her ancestor is very childish, but she feels it makes sense.


    If not because of this personality, she doubted any normal person would be able to stay sane, staying in the same room for God knows how long.


    "Alright, sorry, Lin. Kakaka! I will get to the point now," the skeleton replied as he scratched his bony head.


    Like a flick of a switch, the aura around the skeleton started to change, "Before we talk about that, tell me first, have you gone out from this planet?"


    MingYue looked at Lin Fang for a moment, then back at the skeleton, and said, "I never went out."


    Clang! Clang!


    He tapped his finger on his chin again. The storage ring on the finger kept moving around; with a flick of his hand, a table then appeared; he then took a seat.


    "Take a seat first. Then tell me where you got the building design?"


    MingYue and LinFang took a step, sitting in seiza style on the floor. They sat with both legs to one side. The skeleton then took out a few cups of wine and put them on the table.


    He then took the wine cup, pouring it into his skeleton jaw, making MingYue''s eyes widen once more as Lin Fang sighed.

 Chapter 203: Rook the Skeleton

    The wine poured into his skeleton, passing through the empty body and wetting the legs.


    The skeleton then clicked his jaw, "I forgot I cannot taste the wine," he said with annoyance, as the atmosphere around him changed again.


    ''Is that even the problem here? In the first place, why are you even trying to drink wine with that body?'' MingYue thought.


    Her amber eyes then looked downward toward the wine cup; she could smell the strong alcohol aroma coming from it.


    Without touching it, she returned her gaze back toward the skeleton. "Should I call you ancestor too?"


    "KAKAKA! What Ancestor? Just call me Rook. I already told Lin to call me by name, too, but she keeps insisting on calling me Ancestor."


    "Of course, I need to give respect to those older than me," Lin Fang replied.


    From a dramatic angle, the skeleton touched his chest. "Lin, I am still young. What are you talking about?" Then, as if he got a eureka moment, Rook said, "Oh, I forgot I already died; age doesn''t matter, KAKAKA."


    "I will call you Rook then. I will not deny that I have contact with another world. I can exchange information with him, but as for the details, I cannot tell you."


    "That will not do, MingYue. At the very least, I need to know what intentions your friend has with this planet."


    "Hmm... that I can answer. Their only purpose is to grow my sect. If you are worried we are looking for your clan, then I can assure you we are not."


    "What species is your friend?"


    "He is a human too."


    Clang! Clang!


    The skeleton tapped his bony finger again as he thought deeply.


    Lin Fang, meanwhile, frowned upon hearing the new information. She had never heard the words'' planet'' or ''species.''


    She didn''t understand anything they were talking about. But she didn''t want to be rude by interrupting their discussion. Lin Fang planned to ask MingYue later about this.


    Time passed, and Rook let out a sigh. "What do you think, Lin Fang?"


    "Ancestor, you want me to decide?"


    "Yes, as you see, I cannot move from this place, so if you want to go, you will need to be the one to lead our people."


    "But, Ancestor, I don''t even know what you are talking about."


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that. Well, simply, a planet is just the world we live in, and as for species, it''s another type of sentient creature, for example, those we call beastmen here."


    "I see... then, does her secret realm lie in another world? And what did she mean by ''looking for our clan''?"


    "Well, that will be a long story," Rook said.


    He then turned his gaze toward MingYue, "Before that, I will tell you my opinion about your offer.


    Let''s just not mince words; you are looking for a way to assimilate our clan into your sect since you need more people. I am sure you will ask each of us to sign a blood oath, and I don''t believe you will keep your hands off our secret technique and cultivation method.


    Even if not from the start, it''s only a matter of time before it happens.


    If this is only for a temporary place of living, then the trade is not worth it. But young lady, since you can ask me that question before, you should have already suspected something.


    Don''t you realize taking us in means you will get yourself an enemy?"


    "I am not afraid of a new enemy. How could I expand the sect if these kinds of things make me stop?"


    MingYue wanted to say something more, but Rook cut her off. "You are so fast to answer; what you say is right, but our enemy is not a weak one.


    Why do you think, even here, I never allow the clan to come out from hiding? That is just how strong they are, and I don''t want to take any risks."


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile. She didn''t feel afraid at all; with her situation now, fighting someone stronger is just a matter of time. Adding another one is not a problem, and she feels she hit the jackpot.


    Not only does this mean she can bring her master in, but she also gets more reason to convince them to join the Bai Yue sect.


    "I don''t mind about that. As for what you say, no need to feel worried.


    I will just make them sign an oath to follow the rules and keep their information to themselves; afterward, they will stay in the city area of my secret realm.


    Only if they want to join the sect do they need to sign more agreements and give out their own methods," MingYue said.


    Then a thought came to her mind, ''Wait, they also know about blood oaths; why not force the people they help, like that bastard geezer, to sign it?''


    Meanwhile, Lin Fang frowned; she already thought this was a bad idea, giving out their cultivation method and secret technique. It''s not that she minded, but she was sure it would affect how people see them.


    "Do you even know our secret technique?"


    "I heard some rumors. A corpse puppet?"


    Lin Fang''s eyes turned sharp. "They are not puppets but family. They may only be bodies, but they are always there to protect me!"


    "Lin," Rook called her name, reminding her.


    MingYue was confused by her answer since it was not related to her question. Realizing her outburst, Lin Fang sighed, "I am sorry, I need some air. Excuse me, Ancestor."


    She then left them both, exiting the chamber.


    "Don''t blame Lin. Our clan is really cursed.


    What you say is right; we use corpse puppets, but it''s not always like this. That technique and weapon came from desperation."


    "What do you mean, Rook?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rook sighed. He took the cup of wine and poured it again into his bony mouth. "Fuck, it''s really hard to get out of my habit."


    "As I said, it came from desperation. Our clan''s real power is not using those weapons or corpses; in the past, we were summoners, with our unique ability to make a pact with spirits, creatures from another dimension."

 Chapter 204: Spirit Summoner

    "How did you get cursed?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know how everything started. Only some rumors say it''s because of a few individuals. But in the end, it doesn''t matter; we were pulled into a universal war.


    Since you have contact from outside, you should have heard about this."


    "Yes, the war between progenitors?"


    Rook sighed, "Progenitor, I haven''t heard that word for a long time. Well, since you also know about them, that makes things simpler.


    We join the wrong faction and then lose the war. We have been cursed like this ever since."


    [Queen, I think I get some idea of what happened.] A message suddenly came out from Vesa.


    Vesa then started sharing some intel Alex got in the secret realm with the Felidae. ''So it''s not really a curse, but because their special ability was stolen, probably all the side effects because of their power.


    "Rook, aren''t you a human just like me? How could your clan have a special ability then?"


    "Special ability? Do you mean summoning spirits?


    We got those not because of our species as humans but because our real ancestors somehow made a contract with the king of spirits.


    Tough, most knowledge about this has been lost in that war," Rook said with a sigh.


    ''A power that comes from a contract?


    Probably, the spirits made the oath to a specific family. This explains many things. No wonder they have a main branch; they are the ones who made the contract.


    The enemy probably took their abilities, resulting in this curse,'' MingYue thought.


    This realization made her realize she could not lift the curse for now. ''This will lower LinFang''s trust in me, but oh well, there''s nothing I can do about it.''


    "Can you tell me more about the past? How was the war?"


    The atmosphere around Rook turned heavy, his voice taking a lower tone. "Unfortunately, Young Lady, I cannot help you with that.


    The only reason I survived was because I was one of the weakest; I stayed back as a backup plan in case something happened.


    Unfortunately, something really did happen, and I then brought the rest of us to escape¡­"


    MingYue felt there was more to the story, but Rook just turned silent now, seeming busy reminiscing about his own life story.


    Outside the village, there was an open area with a large tree in the middle of it. Linfang was sitting on the lap of one of the hooded figures. Only now, the hood was not there.


    She looked similar to LinFang, with longer hair and more mature experience; with a glance, everyone could tell they were related.


    The other figure stood a few steps away, his sharp eyes looking around the area.


    "Mom, today I met another person calling you a puppet, as I thought we really cannot trust those outsiders.


    They are all hypocrites that judge everything based on how things look. Both of you are my parents. How dare they call you a puppet."


    Linfang then proceeded to tell her a story while her mother''s hand patted her head. This made her look like a living person, but if everyone looked at her expression, they could tell something was wrong.


    As Rook said, the puppets and weapons were created out of desperation. This planet is not their real destination; they were stranded here because their teleportation device was attacked, making the group split up. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stranded in a world of cultivators without having any powers, the results were obvious. They were hunted down.


    At first, they could fight back using their weapons that worked similarly to guns, but without the ability to refill their ammunition, these weapons soon turned into junk.


    People kept dying left and right without any way to fight back. Thankfully, a hero was born in their group, a genius who performed better under pressure.


    These people used their knowledge to create many ways to fight back; their first invention was the hidden weapon, each crafted with very precise mechanisms, just like clockwork.


    They then combined it with poison they could find in the local area; this process took time, as they needed to capture some of the weak cultivators, sometimes even going as far as capturing villagers to test out the poison.


    An inhuman act, but desperate times require desperate measures.


    As time progressed, they finally perfected the weapon, allowing them to start fighting back. They also started learning about cultivation, raising their overall strength, but unfortunately, at this point, their population took a big hit; they needed to focus more on food production and other work rather than just keep fighting and risking their lives.


    This was when another genius was born, mixing their cultivation method with their past techniques.


    As summoners in the past, they not only had a way to make contracts with spirits, but they also made a method to control the spirits from making a bond to a forceful method that was condemned by most.


    In the past, this method brought about many civil wars, but now it has become their Hail Mary.


    Mixing it with cultivation methods, they created a way to inject qi into corpses, slowly creating a way to control them like puppets; at first, they used the qi like a thread connecting to their limbs.


    However, this method proved very ineffective; any cultivator could see this qi thread and cut it with their own technique, so the creators at that time tried to improve this.


    They finally created a technique that allowed them to control corpses without any thread, but there was a caveat: it could only be done with blood relatives. The closer their relationship, the better the control.


    This was done by separating the core; when other cultivators reached the core formation stage, the Fang clan''s technique allowed them to split the core formation into two groups, one being the main core while the other was the sub-core. As for how many sub-cores could be created, that depended on how talented the person was.


    As they grew as cultivators, these cores also grew in strength; so far, the highest level the clan reached was only the Spiritual Transformation stage.

 Chapter 205: Dance of The Legion

    The next step usually required the cultivator to unite everything into one entity, and this is where this genius was stuck until the end of his lifespan.


    However, he shared some insights and created the technique that allowed LinFang to freeze her lifespan.


    In his words, if anyone could find a way to break through all the way to immortality, I am sure this would be the cure we are looking for.


    The reason he said this was not just because of theory; this cultivator''s life ended at 150 plus years, giving proof that this is really doable.


    Many things then happened afterward before they finally decided to go to the extreme, choosing LinFang as their hope.


    The main reason for this was because of how talented Lin Fan was; her progression and achievements far outweighed their best genius.


    Looking at the clear sky, LinFan''s eyes glistened with tears; deep down inside, she knew her parents had already left her, but she still didn''t want to admit it.


    "If only I could be born without talent."


    But her expression quickly changed as her father saw movement in the distance from them. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everything the puppet saw was transferred to her.


    ''These pests really never give up,'' LinFan mumbled in his mind as he used the mechanism in his father''s eyes to see even further away, giving her a very clear image even with one hundred times zoom.


    ''Twelve, twenty, fifteen, almost a hundred people; they are really going all out now.


    But are they stupid, moving in such a large group like that in the forest? It''s like telling us they are here. Or is that their purpose?''


    She then started giving more attention to the most prominent figure in the group. Based on the formation, it''s clear they are protecting the person in the middle of the group.


    Right now, there are two people: a sharp young man and a middle-aged man. If MingYue had been here, she would have quickly recognized them as Yang Fei and Zhang.


    At the front and the back of the group, two people were walking some distance away; based on their mannerisms and actions, Lin Fang concluded they were quite strong,


    ''if only we could find out their strength from view alone. Forget it, for now; I need to gather everyone and quickly make a plan; we cannot just let them keep walking like that.


    It would be best if we can bait him somewhere far away from the village.''


    An idea came to her mind. She remembered there was a strong monster deep in the forest; it was a Celestial-level beast.


    The only reason they know about this creature is because their old genius had a fruitful encounter with it after rescuing one of her offspring.


    She then started rethinking her idea; rather than riling up her people, it was better to do this herself. She started moving closer to the group.


    Linfang tried to keep the maximum distance she could make before shooting an attack; her target was the man in the middle. But she didn''t want to use her father and mother to do this since they would act as bait.


    There is a real reason why she was chosen as their hope and why the main branch all sacrificed their lives. Linfang has many sub-spirits, so many that it''s more than enough to make every single one of her family members in the main branch into her puppet.


    It took a heavy toll on her now to do this since it''s like splitting her mind into a hundred, controlling everything individually, so she only did it if she had no other choice.


    She named her secret technique "Dance of the Legion."


    Swish! Swish!


    Many small needles shot through the air without creating any sound. But the moment they got close to the group, the Golden Core cultivators could feel it.


    Both of them spread their aura, trying to knock it out, but unfortunately, they could not release their full strength; otherwise, it would wound the other cultivators, too.


    "Move into formation!" one of the Golden Core cultivators ordered.


    The group separated themselves into a circle, each looking in different directions. But their reaction was quite late; those with low-level cultivation were pierced with the needles; their faces quickly turned blue as foam came out of their mouths.


    "Those fucking sneakers, quickly go after them. Fighting from a distance will be our weakness," one of the people in the group ordered.


    "With us here, what do you think you are doing? Just stay with the young master," the other Golden Core cultivator said.


    She was the cultivator who came to support them. She had long white hair and a face that looked like just a teenage girl. Her body moved seductively as she took a step forward, appearing above the air.


    "Don''t underestimate us."


    The woman''s qi started rising, creating a palpable heat around her; many spheres of light appeared around her body.


    But it was not just any light; it was a fireball that looked like a miniature sun; thankfully, the heat didn''t really reach the level of the sun; otherwise, the whole place would already have changed into scorched ground.


    "Hey, stop that. Do you want to burn the whole area?" the other Golden cultivator said, looking at what had happened.


    "Hmph, don''t you know my specialty? I am not stupid," the woman replied, ignoring his suggestion.


    SWOOSH! The ball of light shot through some areas of the forest.


    LinFang quickly moved them to dodge the attack, but unfortunately, some still got hurt. The ball of light looked small, as big as a soccer ball, but the moment it hit the target, it exploded, creating a scorching heat in the area, pulverizing everything it passed by; the area of the explosion reached over 100 square meters (around 1000 square feet).


    BOOM! BOOM!


    Shockwaves exploded all around, showing LinFang''s puppets. One of them that lost the ability to move quickly activated its self-destruct mechanism.


    The attack from the woman created a scorching heat that melted everything, but weirdly, it didn''t create any flick of flame, the same with the self-destruct mechanism of the puppet; it melted its own body like being melted by acid, leaving behind only a useless liquid.

 Chapter 206: Asura Fury Lotus Unleashed!

    Linfang''s heart tugged; every single time this happened to her, it was the same as if one of her family members was getting killed. But she knew it needed to be done.


    She started manipulating those that survived, baiting them towards the monster''s location.


    The male Golden Core cultivator then yelled again as the woman kept launching attacks, creating shockwave after shockwave, "Don''t you have enough Fun? We need to capture one of them to find the location of their village."


    "So dumb, can''t you feel all of them are just puppets? I am trying to bait the controller out."


    The man''s vein popped, but he decided to stay silent. He knew he could not win by talking with her.


    Looking at the puppets moving in one direction, the group started moving after them. They didn''t even feel worried whether it was a trap or not, as they were confident in their power.


    They moved deeper into the forest, finally reaching a valley.


    The place was filled with crystalline green grass, making it look like a field of jade, but this alone was not enough to earn the name Mystic Jade Valley.


    The Valley was usually very beautiful; not only did it have many jade-like grasses with mild medicinal properties, but it also had many flowers, as it was surrounded by many mountains.


    But at random times, the Valley would be surrounded by a mystical fog, earning it the name "The Mystic Jade Valley."


    When the fog was present, no cultivator would come close to the area since it was like entering an illusion array.


    Some cultivators had come trying to analyze the fog out of curiosity, but none had returned. As time passed, people just started ignoring it.


    There were just not enough incentives for other cultivators to check out the strange phenomena. However, this was not the case for Blue Cloud Village; as this place was very close to their settlement, they needed to find out the cause of this.


    They often sent puppets in, but they could not find the cause until their genius found out that this place was actually a lair for a strong beast.


    Lin Fang was now standing surrounded by her army.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    The cultivators from Yang Clan landed on the ground, led by two Golden Core cultivators.


    Both of them then spread their aura, trying to pressure Lin Fang.


    "I really need to thank you guys for your arrogance," LinFang replied with a chuckle.


    Her hand flicked as the hundred puppets around her all disappeared, leaving only her parents beside her.


    "What are you talking about, kid¡­" the woman replied, but her words were interrupted as the whole ground started to shake.


    A strong aura started coming from under the ground.


    The Female Golden Core cultivators flew up. She starts launching her barrage of attack toward it.


    At this moment, Lin Fang had already made her way out of the area, knowing a big fight would ensue soon.


    The Celestial Beast here is quite peaceful as long as no one disturbs her. But with their hostile intentions spreading their aura, there was no way she could keep quiet.


    Crack!


    A figure emerged from the ground with long autumn hair and black horizontal pupils. Her hourglass body emitted an aura that could not be underestimated.


    Looking upward at the bombardment coming toward her, her eyes flickered with disdain.


    "How dare you make trouble at my place. I just want to be left alone; how hard is that?"


    The grass around the woman started moving as if it were alive; it grew long, turning into a sphere, meeting the attack head-on.


    At the same time, A fog starts spreading around the area.


    Seeing this, the woman quickly turned to panic; she could not even feel the qi fluctuation coming from that attack.


    This meant this new enemy was out of her league.


    The grass moved like spears, not just targeting the Golden Core cultivators but also pointing toward the rest of the Yang Clan group.


    "Retreat, everyone, retreat!" Yang Fei screamed in panic as he took out a token from his storage ring.


    It was one of the life-saving treasures he had. He infused his qi into the token, then threw it toward the woman with horizontal irises.


    BOOM!!!


    A bright light exploded, dazzling the area. It was followed by many more clashes and explosions.


    A distance away from this place, the other Golden Core cultivator was moving quickly, intercepting LinFang.


    With his higher cultivation base, logically, it should not have been a problem for him to catch her, but Lin Fang had many long-distance attacks.


    She controlled her father to carry her child''s body while her mother faced the cultivator, shooting many needles and forcing him to slow down.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    The needles pierced through the air, targeting the man''s vital points. But the man didn''t even try to dodge anymore. He concentrated his qi, creating a strong shield, meeting the attack head-on.


    CLANG!


    The needle got deflected as it met a strong barrier, but LinFang didn''t feel worried at all; in her mind now, she was thinking about which weapon she should use to ensure she could kill him in one attack.


    ''Might as well go with the best one, I should not take a risk,'' LinFang thought.


    She took out a sphere with a similar appearance to the one MingYue held before. Asura Fury Lotus.


    After infusing her qi inside the sphere, the clockwork mechanism started to move. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    LinHua threw it toward the male cultivator. When it was just inches away from his face, the sphere started to bloom like a lotus.


    The first layer opened, shooting a special needle that looked like drill bits. The man was surprised by the sudden attack; he had seen that attack coming, but he never thought it was this strong.


    With many large needles drilling through his barrier, it started piercing through his skin.


    Normally, this wouldn''t give him much damage, but the needle was coated with a deadly poison that started numbing his body, then scattering his qi, making him unable to use any secret techniques.

 Chapter 207: Greed

    In panic, the man tried to activate a teleportation talisman to escape from the area. But the second wave of attacks had already started.


    The lotus bloomed further, opening another layer. Expelling a pink fume of gas, it had a good smell, just like a lotus flower. But unlike the lotus flower, despite the pleasant smell, this one was deadly.


    It was a hallucinogenic drug, specially created to be used together with the poison on the first needle. It enhanced the hallucination, making it even stronger.


    The man started finding himself in a strange place filled with many monsters, making him turn into panic.


    He thought he had already used the teleportation talisman, but instead of moving to a safe place, he was teleported to an even more dangerous area.


    Normally, this wouldn''t happen, and he should have found something weird, but now his mind, body, and qi were muddled with poison.


    And the next and final wave came. The qi inside started interacting with the mechanism, mixed with many arrays, and then BOOM! It exploded.


    The Asura Fury Lotus bloomed into a full flower, giving out its splendor.


    A lotus made of pink flames appeared, burning the Golden Core cultivator inside of it. It''s one of the peak inventions of the Fang Clan, one that she never grew bored of looking at.


    ''It''s the second time I use this, and it never ceases to amaze me. If only we could mass-produce this weapon. Our clan would be second to none in this world,'' Lin Fang thought.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from the area, Yang Fei was running for his life; his clothes were tattered, and both of his legs were torn apart. He was now being piggybacked by Zhang.


    Zhang also didn''t look any better; his qi was depleted, and his face was covered with sweat.


    "Quick! Why are you slowing down, you damned geezer! Do you want to die!?"


    After launching his trump card and spending almost every one of them, Yang Fei was desperate. Instead of killing the beast, it just infuriated her further.


    Many thoughts started surfacing in Zhang''s mind; he started weighing his choices to survive the situation.


    After much deliberation, Zhang finally decided to release Yang Fei from his grasp, letting him fall to the ground.


    Yang Fei''s eyes glinted with murderous intent, "You damned geezer, are you going to leave me here?"


    But Zhang didn''t respond, nor did he look back. Instead, he used all his strength to try to run away. Since he had already decided to betray Yang Fei, there was no need to waste any more breath.


    ''I just need to run some more distance so I can use this teleportation talisman to escape, but to think there''s such a strong beast here, what bad luck.''


    But as he took the step, a searing pain pierced through his qi core. Blood seeped from his mouth as the blade twisted to wound him even further.


    "Don''t blame me, you geezer; you are the one digging your own grave," Yang Fei said as his eyes glinted red, but it was different with Alex and Mingyue. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex and MingYue only had their irises turn red, while Yang Fei''s eyes completely changed color.


    From the sword, Zhang Fei''s body started changing into a husk of a dried corpse, but not even that was left out; it didn''t take long for all of him to get eaten by his sword.


    "A Demonic Cultivator¡­ Interesting," a melodious voice reverberated in the air as the Celestial beast appeared behind Yang Fei.


    "Kekeke¡­ A cultivator? For a celestial beast, your sense is not that good," a demonic voice came out, making the celestial beast frown.


    Yang Fei''s hands and legs were now already fully recovered as he turned his back, facing the celestial.


    The celestial beast''s eyes flickered with anger, "The Sword of GREED!!! No way, you should have been destroyed."


    A mouth appeared from the sword that Yang Fei held. "You seem to know me. Have we met before?"


    "Just shut your mouth, Greed. Can''t you see our situation? Are you sure you can beat her?" Yang Fei complained


    "Hmph, just an old frog. How can I be defeated by them?" The sword snorted.


    The Sword of Greed is a sword forged in the last war when demonic cultivators were still rampant; it''s imbued with the soul of a very powerful Taotie that can grow stronger every time it eats a cultivator.


    The celestial beast''s aura started lashing out; after more observation, she now realized the sword still hadn''t recovered to its peak strength.


    "Greed, in the last war, you killed my partner. To think heaven gave me another chance to take revenge."


    "Partner? Hahaha, I see you were that stupid frog''s wife. But are you sure you want to attack us?


    Killing me may vent your anger, but then what?


    Rather than that, how about cooperating with me?


    You should know that not all the creatures I eat are quickly consumed; I still put some in a stockpile just in case emergencies like this happen.


    And that frog is one of them," the sword said as its mouth opened, spitting out a soul.


    The celestial beast''s eyes flickered the moment she saw this.


    Meanwhile, Lin Fang had already returned to Blue Lotus Village.


    She was now back in the room where MingYue and Rook were.


    "Lin, what was the earthquake before? I could feel it even all the way here," Rook asked with a concerned tone.


    "Don''t worry, ancestor, it''s those stupid pests. I already took care of them."


    "The Yang Clan?" MingYue asked.


    "Yes. So, we don''t need your offer; we are perfectly capable of defending ourselves," Lin Fang said coldly.


    "Lin, don''t be too fast to make conclusions; tell me everything that happened," Rook said.


    LinFang then elaborated on what happened in every detail; hearing this, MingYue frowned.


    Before Rook could say anything, she said, "You do realize this means the teleportation array is already linked to the Yang Clan''s main base.


    Now that you''ve already killed their golden core cultivator, I am sure they will take this seriously.


    They will send their whole manpower to this place."

 Chapter 208: Attacking the Village

    "Then we will kill each one of them," Lin Fan said coldly, leaving MingYue speechless.


    She wanted to ask Lin Fan where she got her confidence to face the entire Yang Clan even though she didn''t know their real power.


    MingYue suspected they had a cultivator at the Mystic Integration stage. But before she could say anything, Rook''s laughter rang out, drawing their attention.


    "KAKaka, I like your confidence, Lin, but you shouldn''t underestimate our enemy so much. I should have told you the truth about our clan."


    Rook then raised his bony finger, touching it toward Lin Fan''s forehead.


    A glow then came out from the finger as he started pouring his energy into Lin Fan.


    Feeling many pieces of information entering her mind, Lin Fan closed her eyes. She felt it was just a normal transfer, but MingYue could see more.


    With puzzled eyes, she asked, "Why are you sending her everything?"


    "Everything?" Rook asked as he started to look at MingYue.


    His eyes flickered once more, and then loud laughter came from him again. "To think we have a vampire with us. Young lady, you should think more before you speak."


    MingYue''s brow furrowed together. "How could you know?"


    "As far as I know, your race is the only one that can see the life force. Everyone else other than you would think this is just a normal transfer of knowledge."


    "I see... so can you tell me why you decided to do this? You should still have a lot of time left in life."


    "A lot? Kakaka, young lady, I am already dead," Rook said with a chuckle but then turned serious.


    "Well, joke aside, there are many reasons, for one, your appearance here. It''s been so long since I heard anything related to other planets and Progenitors; this means it''s just a matter of time until we are found.


    There''s also Lin Fan''s situation, and finally, the clan''s current predicament."


    "I could understand the current predicament, but what do you mean by Lin Fan''s situation?"


    "That, young lady, is for her to tell; after all, it''s a problem for the living, Kakaka." His glowing finger stopped, and Lin Fan''s body fell to the ground as she became unconscious.


    He then stood up, turning his gaze some distance away. "I could feel they were coming. As I thought, we cannot believe her. Young lady, how about we make a deal?"


    "What deal?" MingYue asked.


    Meanwhile, near the village, a giant frog with green skin was leaping on the ground, creating an earthquake every time it landed; it was the celestial beast''s real form.


    Yang Fei was flying beside her. Despite his newfound power, he didn''t feel excited at all. He had found the sword on one of his adventures and quickly knew what it was, as Greed started enticing him to use its power.


    The temptation was big, but he held himself.


    The reason was not that he didn''t want it; he knew there would be no going back. After this, he would need to become a pure demonic cultivator, walking a path of even more carnage, as his own family would disown him when they found out.


    Despite how he acted, Yang Fei loved his clan. People that he wanted to protect no matter what.


    "Why are you still so gloomy, Yang Fei? You are the chosen one. Not anyone can gain my power. You should feel happy instead."


    "Happy? My goal was to subdue these people and gain their treasure, but now I cannot do it because of you." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Subdue these people? Kekeke, with my power recovering, we are unbeatable. Kill all of them, take their power, then take their treasure.


    That is the real way of the cultivation world. Survival of the fittest. What is a gathering of ants? They have no use at all."


    "You know why."


    "Kekeke. Don''t worry; your sister will be even safer as you become stronger. I won''t make the same mistake as what happened in the past. And it''s not like you have any other choice; it''s better to erase all of them so we have no witness at all."


    It''s not a witness of him being a demonic cultivator, but all the witnesses of the incident.


    Yang Fei still didn''t know what made-up reason he could make for what happened, how two Golden Core cultivators died, but he survived. But no matter what it is, for now, he has already decided that taking out this village and its treasure would be the first step.


    The ground kept vibrating as people in Blue Cloud Village started seeing a big silhouette coming toward them.


    Feeling the presence of the celestial beast, the elder started giving out orders to evacuate those who could not fight or were too weak.


    Feeling many teleportations happening made Greed complain, "So this is why you decided to use your real form. You don''t even cast your mystical fog to disturb them."


    "What you need are the strong ones. Just let those weaklings run away."


    Yang Fei frowned because this was not what he had planned. He didn''t want anyone to survive in the area. He then sprinted toward the village, starting his massacre.


    The array protecting the wall started doing its effect, creating illusions. But it was useless; even if it was able to trap Yang Fei, it could not trap Greed.


    Greed directly sent his senses toward Yang Fei, allowing him to destroy part of the wall.


    Bam! The sword pierced through the wall like cutting through butter.


    Many cultivators fell down, along with their puppets. But as veterans, they didn''t falter; they moved their puppets to surround Yang Fei.


    The puppet bodies were modified, with many mechanisms; some were focused on long-distance attacks while others were on melee combat.


    They started moving in formation, creating many attacks toward Yang Fei.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    Barrages of needles and daggers started coming toward him, some targeting the surrounding area, creating a mess of sharp wires to limit his movement.


    Some of the puppets also started throwing punches and kicks at Yang Fei. Each hit was executing their secret techniques, infusing them with Qi.

 Chapter 209: Rook Offer

    With the Sword of Greed in his hand, every cultivator thrown at him is not a problem; he slashed their attack, absorbing their qi in the process.


    He cleaved through their puppet and then proceeded to kill them.


    Each kill increased his power more and more. Usually, with this many kills, Yang Fei''s soul should start getting contaminated, but with the Sword of Greed''s help, this contamination is reduced to a minimum. He also has a way to expel the rest of it.


    This is the main reason the strongest demonic cultivators at that time created the Sword of Greed. But this doesn''t mean it doesn''t have any risk.


    The Taotie soul itself is a danger. Yang Fei knows right now it cooperates because it wants to recover, but as it grows stronger, it will try to take over his body if he has time to reach that.


    BANG!


    A kick suddenly came from the side, launching Yang Fei''s body into the air. It was then followed by a barrage of poisonous needles, all parried by Yang Fei.


    As he regained his bearings, he could see a child standing with two puppets looking at him. Feeling the aura coming from her made him serious. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She is a Golden Core cultivator. And the puppet that attacked him also has similar power.


    BAM!


    At this moment, the giant frog landed beside him. The celestial beast''s body started turning into her humanoid form.


    "To think you cooperate with them? Don''t you have an agreement with us?" LinFang asked.


    "Blame yourself for bringing them to me and how your grandfather easily trusts me.


    Don''t think, I don''t know what you plan to do. It''s just unfortunate they have something I really want."


    Her celestial aura then started spreading, creating a huge pressure on LinFang.


    A distance away from them, MingYue was looking from the rooftop toward the battlefield.


    ''Vesa, are you sure I can defeat it?''


    [Yes, Queen, don''t underestimate the modern weapon we have. Even though that Celestial beast is strong, with your regeneration and my enhanced strength, we can defeat it. Taking his Rook deal is worth it.]


    "Alright, let''s not waste time then," MingYue replied.


    A red smoke started appearing near her, condensing into a bat with two wings. Vesa has regained some of its ability thanks to the deal MingYue made with Rook.


    After giving out most of his energy to Lin Fang, he offers the rest for MingYue to absorb on the condition that she helps his clan, despite what Lin Fang chooses.


    At first, MingYue wanted to refuse, despite the amount of life force, she doesn''t feel it''s worth it when she can get the whole clan under her. But Vesa interjected.


    Despite not being immortal, Rook''s life force quality is high enough to recover part of Vesa''s power, which Alex has used.


    It''s not as good as a real immortal, but at least it allows Vesa to materialize in the real world and transfer both of them to hunt for primordial blood.


    Other than this, it also enables Vesa to use a small Rune. Vesa started creating some patterns on MingYue''s palm. Since this one is only temporary, it doesn''t take Vesa much energy and time to finish it.


    [It''s done, Queen; with this, it should buff your overall ability.]


    MingYue could feel her body become even stronger than before; it''s different than using life force to directly enhance her body.


    With this rune, the enhancement is more effective; it consumes less of the life force while giving her even more boost. It also helps MingYue to learn by example how to control her energy flow better.


    She then flew into the air, and many ice shards started appearing around her, each emanating a cold qi aura as it was boosted with life force.


    Swish, it started bombarding toward the Celestial beast.


    "I will take her. You face that demonic cultivator." MingYue said as she landed beside LinFang.


    "I don''t need your help."


    "Well, it''s an order from your ancestor, so get off your high horse," MingYue replied coldly.


    "Hmph." LinFang snorted, but she knew it was not the time to protest.


    She started manipulating her father and mother, attacking Yang Feng. Meanwhile, the Celestial beast looked at MingYue''s attack, her qi burst forward manipulating the plants surrounding the area.


    Grass started growing into spears meeting the ice head-on. She expected the ice shards to be shattered, but what happened next made her feel baffled. In theory, her realm should be stronger than MingYue''s, but she could feel the energy behind her attack is on a different level than her own.


    The ice froze the grass then continued on its way shattering everything. "Seems I need to do this seriously."


    Her qi rose, churning even more, as she leaped toward MingYue. She threw a roundhouse kick toward MingYue''s head.


    BAM!


    A shockwave exploded as it was blocked by Twin Frostbites.


    Unfortunately, the strength behind the Celestial beast is not something MingYue could block; if not because her overall strength was buffed at this moment, the sword would already be knocked from her hand.


    Seeing her attack working, the Celestial beast started launching a barrage of attacks, pushing MingYue further away from Blue Lotus Village.


    At first, MingYue wanted to go all out using her secret technique imbued with life force to the max, but she realized the Celestial beast didn''t really want to hurt her.


    Its attacks never targeted her vitals. And MingYue could read her emotions; the beast had no hostile intentions.


    BAM! BAM! BANG!


    Each attack created shockwaves, decimating the forest. As MingYue was imbued with frost qi, each time the Celestial beast dodged, the attack would hit the ground, leaving behind a patch of frozen area.


    "Just what do you want? Are you fighting or not?"


    "I am obligated by a blood oath to help him attack the village, but it doesn''t detail that I need to kill you."


    MingYue frowned. "In that case, why not just attack other cultivators. If I help attack the demonic cultivator, you should be freed from the blood oath."


    The Celestial beast smirked. Their attacks met once more before both of them landed on the ground.

 Chapter 210: QingWa Xian

    "You overestimate yourself; it''s not the demonic cultivator that worries me, but his sword, Greed. Otherwise, do you think I would need to fulfill my oath?"


    "Greed?"


    "Yes, the sword that man held." The celestial beast then started explaining the sword''s history.


    Hearing this, MingYue didn''t feel afraid; instead, she felt interested.


    A sword capable of consuming other people''s cultivation. Despite the drawbacks, she was sure Vesa could do something about it.


    ''It will make a good reward for MingHao.''


    MingYue then flicked her hand, taking out a mannequin from her storage ring. This one should already be dead, as it was stabbed by LingHua, but it''s not a problem now as Vesa can materialize.


    A red fog started emanating from MingYue''s body, instilling a sense of dread in the beast.


    She took a step back. "What are you doing? I already told you I don''t want to fight."


    "Yes, you don''t, but you are still bound by an oath to attack the village. Since I have something else to do, I will give you a partner to play with."


    The red fog entered the mannequin. It then started moving, giving a bow toward MingYue.


    "Queen, you can go. Don''t worry. I will take care of this pest."


    MingYue nodded and then flew back toward the village.


    The celestial beast, meanwhile, kept eyeing Vesa carefully, aware she was in front of a predator that could devour her at any time.


    Even though Vesa is not a progenitor, Vesa is still a being just one level below it.


    "Senior, as I said, I don''t want to fight. Could you just let me go?


    I will look for another target. Now, I am sure your master should be able to defeat him."


    Vesa didn''t reply quickly; instead, it gazed at the celestial beast up and down. "What is your name?"


    "QingWa Xian, Senior."


    Swoosh, Vesa launched a kick toward QingWa. She was surprised by the sudden attack but still managed to block it.


    The moment the attack hit, she could feel her hand was broken. Despite this, she didn''t quickly counterattack.


    Instead, she tried to distance herself away from Vesa.


    As they continued fighting, MingYue had already reached back into the village. The air was now filled with blood, with many corpses littered around the area.


    The once peaceful village was nowhere to be seen now; it was just ruined buildings with a fire burning all around the area.


    She turned her gaze toward Yang Fei and LinFang. The area around them was even more decimated, crater were everywhere, with many schorch mark, and black flame burning.


    Yang Fei''s aura was now surging to the late-stage Golden Core realm, while Lin Fang remained the same. But she now had five puppets out fighting against Yang Fei.


    MingYue could see her two main puppets were now damaged. It''s one of the weaknesses of the puppet; they cannot regenerate in battle since they are basically non-living.


    Meanwhile, cultivators could heal themselves from minor wounds using a good pill.


    The male puppet was losing his right hand while his chest was cracked open, showing his internal mechanism. The female puppet had cracks all over her body.


    "How dare you hurt them," LinFang screamed in anger as she focused on moving all five puppets.


    Logically, she should have used all five puppets to attack Yang Fei, but LinFang instead used three while pulling the other two puppets back.


    Seeing this, MingYue frowned; she was clear it''s not just her that realized this. Yang Fei intentionally targeted LinFang''s father while launching long-distance attacks on her mother.


    "What a stupid brat. We are very lucky now, Yang Fei, I am sure we can get a decent meal. Kekeke," Greed said with its demonic voice.


    Yang Fei kept attacking, unleashing his secret technique that was now boosted by Greed.


    As part of the Yang Clan, his ability revolves around using fire like a sun. But now the sun flame was turning black, rather than giving out light, it instead absorbed everything from the area, making it turn dark.


    The black flame also didn''t grow larger even when it hit wood or other combustible objects; instead, it kept burning nonstop. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of the puppets was still lying on the ground, burned to ashes.


    Swoosh!


    A few more fireballs shot toward LinFang''s mother, who cleverly controlled her to dodge the attack as she moved the three puppets to attack Yang Fei with impeccable coordination.


    One punch toward his face, while the other did a side-sweep kick, with a piercing needle launched toward his back.


    Yang Fei, in response, raised his Qi, creating an explosion of light like a stun grenade. But this one turned everything around him into darkness.


    But this darkness didn''t matter to LinFang. What she wanted was an opportunity to launch one of her trump cards.


    She had three lotuses, one used in the past, the second one against the Golden Core cultivator, and now she would use the last one.


    A sphere shot out from the mechanism from her mother''s hand. It didn''t matter, even if LinFang could not see him; she just needed to know where he was located.


    BOOM!


    A three-wave attack exploded, followed by the self-destruction of the three puppets.


    MingYue still didn''t make a move; she watched everything, feeling curious about how strong the sphere she got from her master was.


    ''I hope the master is doing okay now; she is the one leading the villagers to evacuate,'' MingYue thought.


    The black light receded, but there was still smoke blocking around the area.


    At this moment, something came out from it at high speed toward LinFang. She was caught off guard.


    Bang!


    At this moment, Yang slashed toward her with all his power.


    He almost died by that attack; the only reason he survived is that Greed used almost all his stockpile to block and regenerate Yang Fei''s body.


    The sword fell vertically from the sky, and it was targeted to cleave LinFang in two.

 Chapter 211: Lets Meet Up

    But before it even hit CRACK! BANG!


    The sword met with some resistance, but it still pierced forward.


    Lin Fang''s eyes burst into tears; she was sure she didn''t move her parent, only the other puppet. Despite how she acted, deep inside her heart, she knew they were dead.


    "Dad!" Lin Fang screamed at the top of her lungs as Yang Fei''s blade started cutting off her father''s torso.


    Her father''s lips curved into a gentle smile as he pushed LinFang out of the way.


    "THE FUCK!!!" Yang Fei screamed in anger.


    He didn''t expect LinFang to move the puppet to block the attack.


    Now, he only wanted to quickly finish everything and take a break. Despite the constant energy coming from Greed, he was mentally exhausted.


    An energy started gathering from LinFang''s father as he was about to explode, but this time it was pointless.


    Greed absorbed all the Qi inside him, turning him into a useless puppet. In anger, Yang Fei ignited the puppet with black flames, burning it to ashes.


    At this moment, LinFang''s mother caught her body and then tried to escape. Meanwhile, Lin Fang, still shocked by all that was happening, didn''t move the other puppet and just stood still.


    MingYue sighed upon seeing what had happened.


    "I think I understand LinFang''s problem now. She may live a long time, but in the end, she is just a kid. Her mental age doesn''t grow at all, just like her body."


    She then moved in a blur, blocking Yang Fei''s path.


    Clang!


    Their swords met and clashed as Ming Yue started executing her secret technique. She could feel Frost Petals starting to appear all around her, moving gracefully, but each spread out a deadly cold temperature.


    At first, Greed tried to consume Ming Yue''s cold Qi. But he quickly stopped as it felt like eating poison. The frost began freezing him from the inside, reaching even his soul.


    Greed used another of his backup energies, creating a shockwave that put both of them down. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yang Fei, do your solar flare thing," Greed''s voice resounded in Yang Fei''s mind.


    Seeing the situation, Yang Fei didn''t hesitate. His qi surged, creating another flash of darkness that took out all light.


    But this was not enough to block Progenitor Eyes, even in its unperfected state.


    MingYue leaped forward; each of her movements was graceful as it left an ice lotus in the air.


    Her sword moved like a target at his neck, but it stopped as she spun her body, using her other hand to cut his arm that held Greed''s blade.


    Yang Fei was caught off guard, thinking MingYue should be dazed even for a moment.


    Slash!


    Blood spurted out as the sword flew from his hand. But MingYue didn''t stop there; she moved her other sword, targeting Yang Fei''s neck.


    At that moment, Greed''s aura surged quickly. A huge qi came out from it, taking the form of a four-legged beast with four black wings coming out from its back.


    Its body was covered with dark green scales and jet-black fur.


    The creature had a huge, long jaw like a crocodile, filled with rows of sharp teeth. It opened its maw, trying to chomp at MingYue.


    In response, MingYue jumped upward using an ice lotus as a foothold. Despite losing its target, the Taotie kept moving upward, chomping Yang Fei whole, then bursting with speed, trying to escape the area.


    MingYue took back her sword, and then a handgun with a scope appeared in her hand. But MingYue didn''t need it; with her sharp eyes, she locked onto the target and then poured a lot of her qi into the gun.


    Creaking sounds started coming from the gun as it was charged over the limit.


    ''I should ask for a better one from Alex,'' MingYue thought.


    Bang!


    A projectile of Qi, energized by life force, shot out from the barrel, exploding it in the process.


    The bullet pierced through the air with a hissing sound.


    Swish!!! Boom!!!


    The moment it hit the Taotie, it exploded into a cascade of ice. But MingYue didn''t feel happy since the Taotie still had a trump card that allowed it to teleport far away from the area.


    ''Forget it, I will pursue him later. I still have my tracker on him,'' MingYue thought, then focused her attention on the ruined village.


    Moving past it, she found Lin Fang crying in her mother''s lap. But her mother was expressionless.


    "Lin Fang, you should make your decision now. People from the Yang Clan will soon reach this place, and I am sure they already made preparations the moment you killed their golden core cultivator.


    Agree with my terms, or stay here and let your clan fall to ruin."


    Lin Fang''s eyes turned cold as she gazed toward MingYue.


    "You can blame me, but you should know this is how things work. I would love to give you time to grieve but now is not the time.


    And I cannot just give you help for free; your own clan poses a risk to my sect if you come without any oath."


    Lin Fang gritted her teeth. "Fine, let''s meet up with my aunt."


    "What do you plan to do with this village?"


    "We are short on time; what can I do? Just burn it all to the ground."


    She could try to recover some bodies, but then it would be unfair to those left behind. Lin Fang thought it was better to just leave them all here, cremating them with the whole village.


    "Alright, you go first then. Let me take care of it."


    LinFang didn''t ask further; she controlled her mother to bring her toward the place they promised to meet up.


    After making sure LinFang was out of the way, MingYue''s eyes started combing through the area. She then threw multiple remote bombs, flying some distance away before exploding them all.


    Since the explosion came from technology, MingYue was sure this would confuse the Yang Clan even more. They would probably focus their search on Yang Fei.

 Chapter 212: Another Idea

    "Now I need to leave some evidence that Yang has become a demonic cultivator, then spread the news," a new idea then came to MingYue''s mind.


    At first, she wanted to pursue Yang Fei directly to take the sword, but now she wanted to use him to gain some fame and become her scapegoat.


    ''As I expand the sect, bloodshed is inevitable; might as well use him to create some power vacancies. I can then let MingHao and his group take care of this, making them heroes and gain fame,'' MingYue thought.


    Her lips then curled into a smile as she planned to have more discussions on this plan with Alex later.


    She then mumbled with a chuckle, "Is this what Alex said, ''Create the problem, then sell the solution?''"


    It didn''t take long for her to regroup with the Fang Clan and then start moving toward her secret realm.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from the place, Yang Fei was cursing in pain. "I knew you couldn''t be trusted at all!"


    In the place where he was cut, a new arm had already appeared. But it was different from his body; it looked like the claw of the Taotie. From the palm, an eye emerged.


    "Don''t blame me! Blame that stupid frog that has no use and how weak you are. We have no choice; we need to fuse, or we will die."


    "Fuck you! I will not give my body to you!" Yang replied coldly.


    They then start fighting in his inner world.


    Back at Scorched Dune Labyrinth, Alex, Zold, and Olivia had already returned from the secret realm; he brought William and Alice with him.


    Blaire, Sasha, Aurora, and Lily decided to stay behind.


    After everything that happened, Lily felt it was better for her to help with the aftermath.


    The King was dead. He may have been a villain, but his strong presence kept the royal court united.


    Now, with his demise, factions started to form again, fighting to gain the throne.


    Lily''s brother is also not spared in this fight despite having no desire to become King. This still didn''t change his background. Having a sister who was a guardian gave him a huge edge as a new King candidate.


    Actually, this fight could have been avoided if Amu had intervened, but after the fight with the King, he was busy training himself.


    The situation also became more chaotic as the existence of the Fairy became public.


    As Freya was angry with what her daughter did, she let them take care of this matter.


    With Alice gone, Aurora had no choice but to take matters into her own hands. Her plan to live peacefully with Blaire failed.


    As the only interspecies couple, they acted as mediators and helped the two races to coexist peacefully.


    As they teleported out by Aimu, a few people from the fairy race also joined them. But they didn''t appear with Alex and the others.


    Alex speculated the teleportation circle also had a method to directly transfer them outside of the planet.


    William and Lily are staying inside the Awe cube because Alex doesn''t want the attention of the one who created the labyrinth.


    Although he honestly doubted, with everything that happened, they didn''t realize anything. But still, the less they knew, the better it would be. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Olivia was still unconscious all this time, even after she was checked by Freya and Vesa.


    They found nothing wrong with her body, but based on Vesa''s analysis, her soul was deep in slumber, so it was better to just let her awaken naturally.


    This made Alex decide to put her in an Awe cube with Alice and William to take care of her.


    These Awe cubes were modified to not instill loyalty like the others have. He made these specially to put his family and friends in case of an emergency.


    For example, in Olivia''s situation, it was far better to bring her inside a cube compared to taking unconscious people inside a dungeon.


    After he went out, Alex went to check the portal Emily and others found. But unfortunately, at that time, the portal had already closed. Making him feel confused even more, he had some talk with Aimu and Freya about the Ifrit race and the situation.


    ''They do tell me they don''t know anything, but based on Freya''s expression, I am sure she has a guess.'' Alex thought.


    Right now, they were moving through the city ruin, looking for a tunnel to return outside.


    "Brother, are you sure the map he gave us is correct?" Emily asked.


    Alex had gotten the whole planet map from Aimu, based on the information he got, this place in the past was a fertile land, but it got destroyed turning it into a desert.


    As for the one responsible, it was a group of humans. This made it clear to Alex that the Human progenitor was behind the invasion of Feladine.


    "I am sure it''s Emily, even if this place is transformed into a dungeon, I doubt they will go as far as moving the continent.


    So, going this way should allow us to get out in the middle of the labyrinth.


    I just hope it will be close to the boss''s location." Alex replied.


    Quartz, meanwhile, walked in a daze. The information she got was too overwhelming for her.


    After coming out, Alex explained the situation to them, including about the progenitor. The idea that a human progenitor was behind the dungeon made her angry and then confused.


    She just could not accept it, all the tragedy that happened, all those losses, they always blamed it on other species. But now it turned out it was another human, and the goal was just to make them stronger.


    "Are you still mad about it, Aunt Quartz?" Emily asked, seeing her expression.


    "Of course, I don''t get how you, Alex, and Zold could be so calm about this. Dungeons were man-made, we did it to ourselves, and then the dark zone, red zone, all of this is a product of our own making."

 Chapter 213: What Did You Do?

    "Aunt, I think you are overthinking this. Nothing has changed.


    What matters is to go to that dungeon and rescue everyone. And honestly, this is not weird at all, just read history.


    Even before all this dungeon break, countries had war with other countries; the strong exploited the weak, taking over their resources and then making them live in poor conditions.


    Don''t get me wrong, this doesn''t mean I agree with this, but humans as a species have always been like this."


    Quartz sighed. "You are right." She also had heard about many world wars happening in the past, but words were just words.


    Compared to the reality she faced every day on the frontline, where people now united together to fight against monsters, it was clear which way skewed her mindset more.


    "Racism, religion, and many other things, we have done atrocious stuff to our own species.


    It''s really nothing new, Aunt. Even now, in our situation, did you forget about the dark hunters?"


    Hearing what they said made Alex remember about Hellgate.


    "Emily, do you still have some files on any case related to Hellgate?"


    "Yes, I do, but with your current clearance now, I am sure you can get more detail from the association."


    "Just send me what you have first. I am still thinking about whether I should confront that old prick and ask the truth or not."


    "Old prick?" Emily asked.


    "Who else, the association president."


    "You shouldn''t talk about him like that, Alex. It won''t do good with our Guild if someone hears about this." Quartz reminded him.


    "We are in a dungeon, Aunt Quartz, no need to be so uptight. But honestly, if you guys ever need to deal with him, you will understand what I said. I pity his secretary who needs to face his antics every day."


    "King, I think we can go out from this spot," Patricia sent a message to Alex, as she scouted far ahead of them.


    Alex did this just in case they met with some weird creature like the parasite.


    From the city ruins, they entered through a tunnel system. Following the directions, it didn''t take long for them to come back out to the labyrinth.


    "Finally, fresh air," Quartz said as she took a deep breath.


    The others, meanwhile, looked around the area with frowns.


    "It became a desert," Zold mumbled.


    The Valley disappeared from sight; the area around them was now all sand.


    "Don''t worry, this works to our advantage. We can only see sand because the labyrinth is at a lower elevation.


    As long as we go to the edge, we should be able to see the whole labyrinth. Now the problem is finding the monster Emily wants."


    "As long as that place is not swept under this sand, then we should be able to see it easily. Just look for a landmark that looks like an arena. You will not miss it."


    Even though the dungeon always changes the area, a few landmarks always stay the same, for example, the oasis and the place of the final boss.


    "I hope that crazy creature doesn''t come at us again," Alex mumbled.


    "Don''t jinx it, brother," Emily said. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A thought then came to Alex, he forgot to ask about this creature to Aimu, but there was still Alice with him now.


    Inside this Awe cube, there was a modern house with all its appliances and facilities.


    William was now busy training in the fitness room, as Alice was relaxing inside a jacuzzi.


    "Alice, are you busy?" Alex''s voice reverberated in her mind.


    Hearing this, Alice quickly frowned. "You pervert! Are you peeking at me now?"


    "I swear I am not peeking; this place just has a feature for me to communicate with you."


    "And you think I believe that?" Alice asked while blaming herself in her mind. ''I should have known better. I forgot he could see everything that happened inside this place!''


    After the event, Alice got an earful from Freya making her feel stressed. In Freya''s words, "Since you think you can do better than me, starting today I resign as the queen. You will be responsible for our people."


    All the responsibility then fell on Alice''s shoulders as her mother took the back seat.


    Realistically she should have stayed and started doing her job, but she felt obligated to fulfill her promise to Alex, at the same time she also wanted to see the outside world.


    But deep in her heart, she knew the real reason she just wanted to take a breather away from all this.


    Alice had thought of many possibilities with what she was doing, from being labeled a traitor, put into prison, or worse, executed.


    Never in her wildest mind did she think she would instead become responsible for everything.


    In her stressed situation, seeing the warm water in the bathtub, she didn''t even think twice about taking a dip.


    It quickly relaxed her mind, making her almost fall asleep.


    "Forget it, think what you want. I just want to ask you about some monsters on your planet. But if you mind, you don''t need to answer," Alex replied with an annoyed tone.


    Alice paused for a moment, then replied, "Just send me the image."


    A projection appeared in front of her eyes, showing the desert Loch Ness Alex fought before.


    Alice''s eyes widened seeing the monster; she not only knew about it, but she was very familiar with it.


    "He is the Naidon, or as some often call the Aether dragon. They are able to produce Aetheris Essence.


    A multi-purpose liquid that is the main reason we can be self-sufficient staying locked in that realm.


    Why do you ask about it anyway?"


    "I met with one, and it seems the Naidon hates me with a passion."


    "What did you do?" Alice quickly asked as she knew Naidon was a peaceful creature that never attacked first.


    It''s one of the reasons they are hunted to near extinction. Even if someone made a trap right beside them, the Naidon would just ignore it.

 Chapter 214: Wisp of Light

    Alex then proceeded to tell her what had happened. When it reached the part where Alex had burned the horn, Alice''s anger flared.


    "You did what!?"


    "As I said, sent my fire toward the horn."


    "No wonder the Naidon doesn''t want to mate. Now I get it.


    Alex, you know you just killed my people''s hope to stay holed up in that realm. It seems my choice was correct after all," Alice replied.


    With what Alex did, it was only a matter of time before the last two Naidon went extinct.


    "I don''t get what you mean? How is it related?"


    Alice then explained the reason.


    Naidon can freely move between the secret realm and the planet; she doesn''t know how they can just do that.


    This allow Naidon needs to eat outside the realm. Bring resource from outside.


    Naidon can eat everything; they eat meat but only from those that become corpses. Plants, even some minerals like crystal or iron, are part of their palate.


    All of this will then be processed and filtered turning it into pure energy.


    The leftover will then be excreted by Naidon as Aetheric essence. They each have a special spot to do this.


    For example, the oasis that Alex found.


    Hearing this, Alex''s face turned pale. ''The hell, am I drinking their urine?'' he cursed in his mind as he said to Alice, "I get it, no need to continue the story. So, basically, the Naidon also uses the horn to mate, and now he cannot have kids?"


    "Yes," Alice replied.


    ''Fuck!'' Alex cursed, while he ask, "Does Naidon have any weaknesses?"


    Now he was sure the Naidon will hunt him down, if he know he was still alive.


    "Don''t even think about it. If you meet one, escape; I need him alive."


    Alex sighed.


    Outside, Emily, seeing Alex''s pale expression, asked, "Is there any problem, brother?" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, never mind," Alex replied.


    He swore he would never let Emily and others find out about this. He could already imagine their reactions.


    While thinking about this, Zold''s voice reverberated in their minds. He was moving in front of them using his abilities. Since the area was only sand, and they could see a distance away, they were not afraid of getting ambushed.


    "I have reached the edge, I think I can see the place Emily was talking about," Zold said, as he now stood at the end of the desert, using binoculars to see everything more clearly.


    The same labyrinth appeared before his eyes, but now, with the height, he could see where they needed to go. There were a few landmark areas, but Zold didn''t feel interested in exploring them.


    Capture the monster Emily wants, finish the dungeon, then take a rest and do another training session.


    Despite his cold expression, everything that happened still left a deep mark on his heart. It gave him a reality check on how weak he was.


    It didn''t take long for Alex and the others to reach his location.


    "Let''s go," Alex said. He also didn''t want to waste any time.


    Knowing where to go, they jumped down and quickly navigated through the labyrinth.


    "Finally, we have arrived here," Emily said with an excited tone. But she didn''t move toward the arena.


    The arena is like a side quest, where they can enter and challenge a random sub-boss. But this is not Emily''s target; she remembers the last time she found the secret entrance with other hunters.


    Unfortunately, the enemy was too strong, so they decided to retreat.


    The arena is a big circular slab of rock placed on the ground, not that large, around the size of a badminton field.


    What makes this landmark special is that it is surrounded by eight large slabs of rock, towering high, creating pillars holding another large slab of rock.


    The rocks were carved with some patterns, but it''s something Alex doesn''t recognize. Based on Vesa''s analysis, the patterns work like an array that is linked with the dungeon.


    Emily walked around the arena without taking a step inside it. She knew if she put even a single step inside, the mini-boss would be summoned.


    Her goal was an entrance to another cavern system hidden just near the area.


    Alex and the others followed her; at first, the cavern looked normal, but as they kept going deeper, the surrounding rock started changing into a crystal-like material, piquing Alex''s interest.


    He started carving some parts of it for future research. Based on a basic analysis, Alex found the material was similar to a normal silicon crystal on his planet, but he doubted it was that simple.


    Moving deeper, they reached a large open area.


    "I never knew there was a place like this. How did you find it, Emily?" Quartz asked.


    "Shh¡­" Emily raised her finger to her lips, gesturing to stay silent, then pointed at a few clumps of big crystals protruding from the ground.


    The next words she said with her implant, ''That rock doesn''t do anything, but if you get close, a light will suddenly appear from the ceiling. The crystals will then interact, turning them into a golem.''


    ''A light-powered golem, no wonder you want them. But Emily, are you sure they are monsters? Not some kind of mechanism?''


    ''I am sure it''s a monster. You will see,'' Emily replied, then started making her move.


    As she walked closer to the golem, as she said, a light appeared from the ceiling; it was bright like the sun, giving a dazzling light, making everyone close their eyes, except for Alex.


    ''Sis'' instinct is right, it''s a monster, but it''s not the golem,'' Alex said in his mind.


    The light itself was the monster, a wisp of light. Alex dashed forward before the monster could do anything, and he went for the attack first.


    Since the monster didn''t have anybody, he imbued his fist with mana and qi.


    BAM!


    He hit the sphere of light, creating a crack in its body, and then, without wasting time, he put it inside the awe cube.


    The moment he finished, what was left was just Alex looking at another tunnel that could bring him deeper into the area.

 Chapter 215: Minotaur

    His mind told him, if he entered, he could find something related to the dungeon, like how the dungeon works.


    ''Forget it, I have no time now, and Olivia''s condition is also uncertain.''


    Emily was in a daze as nothing changed after the light disappeared; the monster she expected didn''t come out.


    Seeing her face made Alex chuckle, "Don''t worry, I caught the monster. Let''s go finish the dungeon."


    "You already caught it?" Quartz asked in disbelief while Zold had already turned around, making his way out.


    Alex then explained to them the monster he just captured.


    It has a similar type of ability to Emily, capable of controlling and creating light. But the ability is less destructive, and the monster has more control over it.


    Alex also thought it was possible the crystal had a special property that reacts to light. Or it''s just how the monster uses its ability.


    But he needs to spend time to make sure of this, and also to gain its loyalty before giving it to Emily.


    __________________________


    Wisp of Light


    Power Level: 4.2


    Lifeforce: 23/350


    Ability:


    Luminous Fusion


    Needs further analysis


    ________________________


    They proceeded moving toward the final location in the labyrinth. It''s an open area with a large inactive portal in the middle of it.


    As they got close, the ground vibrated, and energy spread out, creating a shield that blocked them from exiting the area, practically creating the boss stage.


    The portal then started activating; from inside, a creature came out.


    The boss is a huge humanoid beast with a brown hide. It has a bull head with horns and holds a giant axe.


    _________________________


    Minotaur


    Power Level: 8.2


    Lifeforce: 76/190


    Ability:


    Brutal Force & Axe Mastery


    The Minotaur possesses extraordinary physical strength, allowing it to deliver bone-crushing blows with its giant two-handed axe.


    This enhanced strength is complemented by its mastery over the axe, enabling precise and devastating attacks that can cleave through armor and bone alike.


    The Minotaur''s training and innate skill with its weapon make it a terrifying opponent in close combat.


    _________________


    "Groaaarrr," the Minotaur roared.


    It leaped into the air, raising its axe high above its head.


    Clang!!!


    Quartz moved forward, raising her shield upward.


    The ground cracked under the weight, but it was not something Quartz could not block. Unfortunately, her shield could not last long; she could feel it starting to crack under its weight.


    Bang!


    Emily started shooting, targeting the boss, but it barely left a bruise on his skin. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Electricity surged from Zold; he took out his dagger and started slashing.


    Slash, slash.


    Green blood spurted in the air as Zold slashed many times over at the same spot. Seizing the opportunity, Quartz''s qi churned; she pushed forward, knocking the boss a few steps away.


    Zold then appeared at the monster''s side. He stabbed the dagger deep inside the wound he made, then zapped the boss, paralyzing and burning it from inside.


    Through this, Alex crossed his arms; it''s not that the boss was weak; it''s that the group had become stronger, and they had already studied the boss''s attack pattern before coming here.


    Thankfully, the boss they got is a common one, not like what Alex faced in the goblin dungeon.


    As they fought their way through the labyrinth, their control over qi became even more subtle, allowing them to concentrate the qi in their attacks, raising their damage considerably.


    For example, Zold focused 70% of his qi on his dagger when slashing the Minotaur; after the wound opened and he stabbed, he focused it on his mana to enhance his abilities.


    Crackle, crackle.


    The Minotaur roared in pain, but it still could move its body. At this moment, Quartz followed up on the attack; she raised her longsword, trying to pierce the heart.


    But just inches away from its heart, a huge energy shot out from the portal, imbuing the Minotaur and, at the same time, knocking the group back.


    The Minotaur''s veins protruded from his skin as it roared. Like a living snake, the vein moved, it pierced through his skin and started creating a cocoon surrounding the Minotaur.


    Seeing this, Quartz clicked her tongue in annoyance; she wanted to finish the monster before it entered a new phase.


    The cocoon looked grotesque as it kept throbbing like a heart.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Emily shot a barrage of bullets infused with qi, trying to tear the cocoon open. But it didn''t give any results. The moment it got close, the bullet disappeared like it was teleported away.


    It didn''t take long for the cocoon to disperse. From inside, a large creature appeared.


    The Minotaur''s height grew, reaching three times the average human adult height; it stood on two legs, but the structure under the knee changed, it became angled and more muscular.


    At a glance, everyone could tell the leg was specialized for jumping.


    His fists also grew larger, almost the size of its head, with huge blood coming out from the backhand and knuckle.


    It makes the Minotaur look like a hybrid with a kangaroo.


    It''s like the axe was fused into his hand.


    "Rooooarr!!!"


    The new beast moved in a blur toward Zold. Seeing this, Quartz threw her shield like a boomerang, blocking the path as Zold used his lightning to enhance his speed.


    Electricity surged through the air as Zold appeared behind the mutated Minotaur. His hand held the dagger behind his head; with a streak of lightning, the dagger moved forward, targeting the creature''s neck.


    Clang!


    His dagger failed to even make a scratch on its new skin. The boss turned its head, its red eyes gleaming menacingly, locking onto Zold.


    Swoosh, his fist shot forward like a cannon, piercing through the air.


    But the moment it reached Zold, he had already disappeared, leaving only an afterimage.


    Seeing this, Emily didn''t waste time; her body turned into a fleck of light, as part of it condensed in her hand into something sharp, looking like a rapier.


    Stab!


    With the speed of light, no one could follow what happened except for Alex. But even he only caught a blur of it.


    ''What an overpowered power,'' Alex thought to himself.

 Chapter 216: Unfathomable Being

    Alex knew this was not her sister''s full power.


    The creature''s corpse fell to the ground with a big hole in its chest. At first, it was still squirming, trying to regenerate the wound.


    Unfortunately, a crackling sound followed afterward; it sounded like the chirping of many birds. Zold blasted all his electricity from the gaping wound.


    His face turned pale, with sweat covering his forehead; it was clear he used almost all his qi and mana in that attack. To make sure the boss stayed dead.


    A genderless voice then reverberated in the air, "Dungeon cleared, checking the number of people that survived¡­,


    calculating clear rank¡­,


    Congratulations, you get a B Rank.


    The portal will be activated, make sure to bring all your loot before leaving."


    A text box then appeared in front of them, and a hissing sound started coming out from the portal.


    The trio lay on the ground, taking a break from the fight.


    ''B rank, huh? No wonder we wasted a lot of items in the Dungeon.'' Alex thought.


    This time, he got a box as a reward.


    Zold then stood up abruptly, pulling attention from the others.


    "I think we should go out now. Aunt Olivia still hasn''t woken up."


    Quartz rose her body; after drinking the potion, her sore muscles had already recovered. "Zold is right, let''s go."


    "When we are outside, I will leave the interview and public announcement for you guys."


    "Yes, brother, take care of Aunt Olivia for us," Emily replied with a knowing smile that Alex ignored.


    "One more thing, don''t tell anyone about the dark hunter we met here, just act like it''s a normal dungeon dive."


    Emily, Zold, and Quartz gave a nod. As for Patricia, Alex had already put her back in the AweCube.


    She and Alex didn''t intervene in the fight to get the trio more used to their qi.


    Alex then took Olivia out of the AweCube and entered through the portal.


    Everything turned dark; the next thing they knew, they were back where they entered.


    "Finally, it''s over," Emily said, feeling relieved, breathing the air outside the Dungeon.


    At the exit, Garric was waiting for them, as he would also appear at the press conference as the association representative.


    "Finally, you guys are all out. I was starting to worry here," his eyes then turned sharp, and he saw only three people come out from the portal.


    "Where are Alex and Olivia?" he asked.


    Quartz raised her eyes in confusion, then looked around and realized Alex was nowhere to be seen.


    Emily also felt confused; she then looked back at the portal, which was now starting to dim.


    Her face was quickly etched with worry.


    As the portal started getting dimmer, panic started spreading. Emily was about to walk back to the portal when Alex suddenly appeared, with Olivia still unconscious on his back.


    He had his usual smile on his face, "Sorry I entered the portal late."


    A relief came over them as Quartz and Emily started nagging at Alex.


    Zold looked at Alex''s smile, but he felt weird, not because of his expression but because Alex appeared a few minutes later, even when they entered together.


    He wondered if something similar happened to Alex, just like the incident with the eyes.


    After what happened, Zold started wondering if every dungeon portal was connected to the outer gate system.


    Alex then exchanged some words before leaving through another entrance. The butler was already waiting for him there.


    Entering the car, he put Olivia first, then took a seat. The engine then ignited as the car started driving.


    The butler didn''t say anything; he had known Alex for a long time, and he didn''t need his expression to know he was in a bad mood.


    The atmosphere around him is just different. He knew it was better not to ask in situations like this.


    "Where to, young master?"


    Alex''s smile disappeared, his expression now ice cold, "Go to the SGE. I will spend the night there, so you don''t need to wait for me."


    "Yes, young master."


    ''Vesa, just what the hell was that?''


    After entering through the portal, Alex found himself face-to-face with something out of his comprehension.


    He thought at first it was a progenitor, but Vesa told him it was not.


    A creature of a size that made even skyscrapers look like toys. It was one huge eye with six white wings surrounding it.


    In each wing, there was another set of three eyes.


    Each of these eyes had a golden iris that looked deep into Alex''s eyes.


    An otherworldly voice then reverberated in his mind, ''I never believed in Fate, but seeing what happened now, it''s almost as if that abstract concept really exists.''


    The being then started laughing before it continued, ''It''s really ironic. I am looking forward to our next meeting , Alex Campbell, Alucard''s heir.


    I wonder what you will think at that time when you find out about everything.''


    Before Alex could respond, everything turned black, and he found himself back inside the Dungeon in front of the dimming portal.


    Seeing it start dimming, he quickly adjusted his expression before reentering it.


    He was still processing what happened, but his instinct told him going through the portal now would bring him back.


    [I don''t have any information about that being, King.]


    ''Do you think it''s a friend or enemy? What about its life force?''


    [The being is too strong for me to peer into, so even with the close proximity I cannot get anything. But I can estimate it should be at the level of a Progenitor at least.]


    ''At least? Are you kidding me, Vesa? Do you mean there are beings stronger than a Progenitor?''


    Alex asked in an annoyed tone, a Progenitor itself already far beyond his current level. And now, I am saying there is something even stronger.


    [The possibility of that is never zero, King, but honestly, I never knew anything like this. I have tried to compare it with any species possible in my library, but none have similar features to that creature.]


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 217: Suspicion

    ''I am sure that being is related to that outer gate system. But what does it mean to know the truth?


    And those golden eyes, they look familiar.'' Alex thought in his mind, not replying to Vesa.


    He turned his gaze to Olivia, ''Those golden eyes¡­ no way! Oli has been with me since I was a kid. It''s just a coincidence.


    It''s not like there are no other people with golden eyes.'' Alex convinced himself. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His eyes sharpened as he looked at Olivia; many tough thoughts started surfacing in his mind, things he wanted to deny.


    His hand moved toward Olivia''s, a qi appearing on his finger; he just wanted to make a prick on it when suddenly Olivia''s eyes fluttered open.


    "Where¡­ where am I?" Olivia asked groggily as she felt her head throb in pain.


    The last memory she had was of looking at the portal, then everything turned blank.


    Everything was a blur, but hearing a familiar voice made her feel safe and not worried.


    "Alex?"


    "Yes, Olivia, are you hurt anywhere?"


    The blurry image didn''t stay long; it quickly returned back to clarity. "Are we out of the dungeon?"


    Alex turned his gaze toward the driver. It''s not that he didn''t believe him, but it''s better to not know unnecessary information.


    Understanding what he meant, Olivia changed the topic. She took out her phone and started searching for the press conference.


    Seeing Emily making her speech made her heart feel warm and nostalgic. "To think this day has finally come for the Guild to start back."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "You say it as if you didn''t know it would happen."


    Right now, Alex decided to put away his worries at the back of his head. He had enough enemies; suspecting someone he knew was not something he needed now.


    It''s illogical, but the thought that someone close to him could possibly be his enemy was something he wanted to remove from his mind.


    Both of them then watched the press conference together. It didn''t take long for them to arrive at their destination.


    Alex told Olivia to get another checkup, but she insisted she didn''t need it. Instead, she took Alex to eat together and told him what happened.


    "Wait, I need to take them out first," Alex replied.


    He pointed out his awe cube, then let William and Alice out. Alex then introduced both of them to Olivia.


    Seeing William and Alice piqued her interest. William''s feline ears and tails were only bone, and Alice looked just like a normal human.


    "Aren''t you a fairy? Do they look the same as us?"


    "Of course not, I just hide my features for now," Alice replied. "So you have woken up. Are you alright?"


    Seeing Olivia''s confused face, Alex then explained that they were taking care of her when she was unconscious.


    "I see. Thank you for taking care of me, Alice, William."


    William raised both his hands, "No need to thank me; Alice is the one who looked after you."


    "Well, we can talk later; let''s have a meal first," Alex said, pointing for them to sit.


    They then exchanged some small talk while discussing their future plans.


    Alex needed identities for Alice and William. He also planned for both of them to enroll in the Guild.


    "That will not be easy, Alex, unless you plan to get help from the association. If it''s only normal people, I can still find a way; your mother has many networks in many orphanages.


    We can just report them as kids who haven''t got an ID yet. But I am sure you don''t want only this. Since you want them to become hunters, the process will be harder.


    Their background check is no joke; if they find even the slightest bit of suspicion, they will use ability users to check their background.


    I always wondered why they did this in the past. Isn''t it fine as long as they have the ability?


    This process is even more stringent compared to those that got promoted; some even make me feel puzzled, like testing blood, medical checkup."


    "I see, you mean the association purposely looks for people from other species. This means we really do have some of them living with us."


    "I am sure yes, at this point, denying this is just foolish."


    "Try to get some normal IDs first, then I will think again how to get their hunter licenses; worst case, they will just act as my bodyguards."


    Alice and William didn''t put any comment, as they had zero understanding of the situation. Instead, they were now busy reading some basic information about this world.


    "Well, before that we also need for both of you to learn our language. Even those that have brain implant like us won''t understand our language unless I give them the data," Alex said to Alice and William.


    "Don''t worry, it won''t take long for me to learn a new language, give me a week." Alice replied


    William also gave a nod, but he himself wasn''t sure how long it would take to learn the language, so he didn''t say anything.


    Alex wasn''t worried; with VR, there are many interactive education systems for them to learn the language. It will be far easier after both of them become cultivators.


    They then proceeded to have some small talk until Emily, Quartz, and Zold returned from the press conference.


    The group was relieved to see Olivia was all right;


    They then wanted to have a party to celebrate the reopening of the Guild and their first dungeon dive.


    If this is before, Alex would be excited to join in.


    The celebration would invite many people of influence from the association, allowing them to increase his network. But after what happened, he decided not to go.


    Influence? Network?


    In the eyes of absolute power, it''s all useless.


    "I think I will skip today''s party; I have a few things to take care of," Alex then threw a bangle toward William, "I have modified this one; you can use it to appear as human.


    You can join the party, but remember, don''t talk to other people who are not from our Guild."

 Chapter 218: Luminous Fusion

    William caught the bangle, as he said, "No thanks, can you tell me where I could sleep? I also want to take a break."


    "Emily will take care of that; ask her," Alex said as he pointed to Emily. She was still busy talking with Quartz and Olivia.


    "Where are you going?" Alice asked.


    She also has no interest in going to the party. Despite it being a new place, Alice is already fed up with this kind of activity.


    The food, and perhaps the clothing, may be different, but in the end, a party like this is not for relaxation; it''s more like another battlefield, each people come with their own Agenda.


    "I see. I will just go to the library and then look for some information."


    "Well, knock yourself out," Alex says as he leaves the group.


    He didn''t directly give them a cultivation method because he wanted them to focus on adapting to the new environment first.


    Walking through the hallway, he arrived at his own personal laboratory. Usually, he could see Prof. Faerith in a different section of the lab, but now she is nowhere to be seen. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then remembered Faerith sent him a message earlier, saying she had personal matters, then a thought came to his mind, ''I should make a new lab for her, or maybe let her take a new one, and make a new one for me.


    Even though she knows I got the blood, she still doesn''t know anything about the progenitor. And it''s better to keep it that way.''


    ''Vesa, how is the wisp of light? Have you finished?''


    [Yes, King, it should be loyal now.]


    Alex then checks the monster''s status again.


    __________________________


    Wisp of Light


    Power Level: 4.2


    Lifeforce: 23/350


    Ability:


    Luminous Fusion


    The Wisp of Light can separate its body and fuse with a nearby crystal, forming a crystal golem temporarily.


    This golem possesses enhanced durability and strength, allowing it to manipulate its crystalline form to create sharp edges or bludgeoning surfaces.


    After the ability ends, the Wisp of Light must recuperate its energy, making it vulnerable for a short duration.


    ________________________


    "Hmm, so it needs crystal. What expensive abilities. Thank God my family is loaded; otherwise, this ability would not be able to shine.


    I should give this to Emily tomorrow. I also need to buy some crystals." Alex then let out a sigh.


    Even though his family has a lot of money, that is his mother''s, not his. Despite getting a lot of money from the storage cube, with his expense, it''s not nearly enough.


    He almost goes broke buying resources for MingYue to raise her cultivation realm.


    That is also why he is still stuck at the core formation''s real middle stage.


    He prioritizes Mingyue because he knows how brutal the cultivation world is; she is more at risk, and he also needs her to capture stronger beasts. But he feels a little regret; if he were stronger, things would go differently in the secret realm.


    For example, what happened to Roxy; despite not being close to her, her death still leaves a mark on Alex''s mind. Seeing William at that time reminds him of his own past.


    Taking a seat on the couch, he took out a bottle of spice water. He wants to drink it as one of the effects is to refresh his mind.


    He was just about to put it to his mouth when he remembered what Alice told him, ''Fuck, I almost forgot where it came from.''


    Looking at the pure water, never would Alex think it''s just piss from a monster.


    He then started shaking the bottle, making the water inside of it stir, "Alice says this is Aetheric essence, and they use it for everything."


    Many thoughts then came to his mind, ''breaking down energy into a purer form, then transforming it into another type of energy based on need, with zero waste.


    A perfect energy conversion. What a technological marvel.


    If I can capture one of those Aetheric dragons, I should be able to learn how they do this.''


    Alex then let out a sigh, not to mention studying them. Even facing one would not end well for him.


    ''If I can find the way, maybe I could make the cultivation system even more effective, reducing the amount of energy needed to break through.


    MingYue''s golden core was now made using mana and qi, mixed like a weave, with her soul as the core.


    The next step requires her to find a way to mix this all into one to break through to the next realm.''


    Alex then started thinking about how the current cultivation method works step by step.


    As he does this, a voice reverberates in his mind.


    ''Alex, how is your dungeon dive?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Not that good.'' Alex then told her what had happened, and he met with the strange eyes.


    He also sent her the bracelet he got from Vesa for MingYue to use.


    ''So I should hide in the background while you proclaim yourself as the only heir?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Yes, and honestly, I really doubt we are the only ones with Alucard power.''


    ''You mean Vesa lied to us?''


    [King, Queen, I am not lying.]


    Vesa''s text appeared in bold letters in front of them. It''s clear Vesa felt hurt by the accusation.


    Alex let out a chuckle. ''That is not what I mean; from my experience, it''s clear they have found a way to utilize life force. Now, what is stopping our enemy from doing the same with progenitor blood?''


    MingYue paused for a moment, then replied, ''It''s possible. It''s been so long since the incident. We really need to be prepared. By the way, Alex¡­''


    MingYue then told Alex what happened to her, how she met up with the Fang Clan, and how they are humans with special abilities.


    The clan interests him, but more than anything, the news that Vesa can transport both of them to hunt progenitors makes him feel excited.

 Chapter 219: Enhancing Cognitive Matrix

    ''This is very good news, I was just contemplating choosing a good dungeon to raid by myself to recover Vesa''s power. But you instead got it first. Thank you, MingYue.''


    ''What are you thanking me for?


    We are both in this together, and if not because you prioritized my cultivation, I would not have been able to succeed.


    So when do you want to go?''


    ''Give me a week, I need to raise my cultivation level so we are at least on the same level.''


    ''A week would be great, I also need to make sure there are no conflicts brewing with the Fang sect.''


    ''How about the goblins? They don''t make any problems, right?''


    ''I still keep them on my island; well, with your education module, they do learn fast.


    Some of them are already able to talk my language, I am thinking to first let the sect members interact with them.''


    ''What will you tell them? A beastman race?''


    ''Of course not. I will not tell them anything; I will let them speculate for themselves.


    This sect, your guild, as we discussed, is just an embryo to revive the vampire race.


    It''s better to prepare them from now and see how they react to it.''


    ''I see that is a good method. As for me, the Suzaku Guild just reopened.


    I still need to wait for the association signal so I can use the cultivation system and start recruiting people.''


    ''What a hassle, why not just do what you want? Will the association turn it into a problem?''


    ''If I do it now, yes, I already have a deal after all.


    Even if not, I cannot just go behind the association''s back without a comprehensive plan; it will just cause more trouble.


    Having a central government has its perks, MingYue, but if we are not the ones with authority, there are many things we need to come to terms with, like following their rules.''


    ''I get what you mean; it''s like when I am inside of a sect, but this time it''s on a larger scale.


    So it should be like those cities under control of the ShangXi Temple.''


    ''Yeah, by the way, how are the people you sent outside? Are any of them already settled in the city?


    I already prepared a few containers of MSG and spice. I am sure they will quickly get popular.''


    ''Yes, I have tried it; it''s really addicting, just like those instant noodles you sent me.''


    ''Don''t use the instant food; just use the usual dishes in your world.


    I am sure the spice alone is enough to make them get addicted.


    Then, worse case if they ask where they got it from, point it out as we planned.''


    ''Yes, a mysterious golden core cultivator at first, then every time they order, hopefully, we can put someone stronger as the source. For now, I will put FengXue in charge of it.''


    ''That should work; The change of this should be low anyway since we can always say it''s because of the chef. But who knows if someone blabber.


    I will send a few containers tomorrow.


    It''s better if they can already start before we go. Who knows how long it will take.''


    ''You think we will take a long time?'' MingYue asked with worry.


    The current sect is still too weak, even with the contract; with so many operations underway now, if just one goes wrong, things could easily escalate.


    Just like the rumor she spread about the Hua Family. Even now, they are still in hot water. It even implicates the Blue Lotus sect.


    If she is gone for a long time and something happens to her sect, the thought of this causes her to worry.


    Hearing MingYue''s question, Alex replied, ''Worst comes to worst. We will just return without getting the progenitor blood. We can always find a way to return there.''


    They then exchanged a few more small talks before ending the discussion. Alex let out a sigh, then closed his eyes.


    His mind churned, thinking how to enhance his ability.


    ''Even now, at the core formation realm, I still haven''t tried to enhance my brain. My cognitive matrix now is still not used effectively in a fight.'' Alex thought.


    He then addressed Vesa, ''Show me the simulation you have done so far for my brain enhancement.''


    A 3D projection of his brain then appeared in Alex''s sight despite his eyes still being closed.


    It then pointed out a small area right in the middle of the brain, between the two hemispheres, the thalamus. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This part of the brain is responsible for processing information from the senses¡ªsight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, acting like a relay station before forwarding all this information to the cerebral cortex for further processing.


    [As the king knows, this part of yours has been mutated by mana. As for why specifically only this part or how this process happened is unknown. I speculate the mutation already started when you were still a fetus.]


    ''A fetus, huh, continue.''


    [The king proposed using mana or Qi to also evolve the cerebral cortex so it can calculate all the information in slow motion. Based on my simulation, it only has a 10% success rate; even if this success, there is only a 0.0083% chance that the effect will be as what the king wanted.]


    ''What about the worst-case scenario?''


    [Other than wasting material, there are none. Well, a lot of pain for each unsuccessful attempt. With the current life force stockpile, we should be able to try this 1,232,264 times.]


    Alex''s lips twitched, seeing the number, ''Fuck, forget it, no getting cold feet now, Alex.''


    He then took out a pile of high-grade mana crystals and Qi crystals.


    Logically speaking, the choice should be using only mana to evolve something as intricate as his brain, but he doubts this would be enough.


    Even now, with so many people having abilities, there are none he knows that have the abilities he wanted. The ability to think one hundred times faster than a normal human.

 Chapter 220: Experimenting

    There are similar ones, but none have reached this number. Even though this could be achieved if he keeps evolving his cultivation realm and raises his transformation rate, this still isn''t what he wants.


    Those things were like a multiplier where all stats rise ten times, while what he wants is to raise his base stats.


    Vesa also suggested some ideas before using the ERx chip surrounding his brain to process all the information.


    It''s possible, but Alex doesn''t want to do this. No matter how much he trusts Vesa, it''s still external help.


    Who knows what might happen in the future. An enemy at the level of a progenitor or like that eye being could probably separate him from Vesa if they wanted.


    Alex then starts his experiment.


    The cerebral cortex is the outer part of the brain, further separated into four parts.


    The frontal lobe is responsible for cognitive functions, and the parietal lobe is at the back of the brain for processing language and mathematics.


    The occipital lobe processes information from the eyes, and finally, the temporal lobe has a crucial function in the creation of memory.


    Alex thought to do the process step by step, but after some thought, he decided it''s better to do it all at the same time. What he will do will affect his mind; he would not be able to focus and evolve everything slowly.


    Giving control to Vesa is an option, but he doesn''t like the idea.


    Alex focused his mind, then started controlling his life force energy, putting it around his head. The energy will quickly react, automatically healing him the moment something goes wrong.


    He starts taking a few breaths, trying to calm himself down. His lips then curled into a smile. ''If Emily and others knew about this, I am sure they would think I am crazy.''


    A brain is the core of a human being, anyone will tell him he is insane to even try this. Even if they know they could regenerate, a question will arise; will they be the same person afterward or not?


    He has asked Vesa about this before.


    [It will be the same person, King. Theoretically, you are not dead. For humans, when their brain is destroyed, they will die, so it won''t work. But King, you are not human anymore. Your consciousness is etched in your soul.]


    This makes Alex feel relieved and then realize, A cultivator will still have their soul if they die after they reach the Nascent soul stage.


    Remembering how the process works makes him realize this is the same as etching their consciousness into their soul.


    While Alex makes sure everything is in place, Alice has finished reading in the library. She didn''t read all the books there, only the most important ones.


    Like history, distribution of power, mana, dungeons. She already gets the gist of the situation. But all this information only leaves her with more questions. So she decided to look for Alex.


    After asking around, she found out where Alex was. Walking through the hallway, it doesn''t take long for her to reach the place; as the door is not locked, she enters and finds Alex deep in meditation.


    She took a seat on a nearby couch, not wanting to disturb him.


    She looks at Alex, wondering what he was meditating for. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BOOM!


    The upper part of his head exploded like a watermelon, making her eyes widen as her mouth gaped open.


    Before she could even react, the head regenerated back. It then exploded again. The process repeated multiple times before it stopped.


    As for Alex, he feels dizzy. The moment he pumps mana and Qi into his cerebral cortex, he feels like his head is under heavy pressure as if it''s being squished from all sides.


    He tries to hold in, but it''s useless; his head explodes.


    After recovering, he doesn''t feel any pain. Instead, he feels numb inside his skull.


    He then does it again; on every try, Alex will lower the energy amount while keeping going with the same amount of mana and Qi.


    After many tries, he finally starts getting the amount of Qi and Mana required to avoid triggering the explosion.


    Alex decided to do this because he wants to use the maximum amount of Qi and Mana possible since the beginning.


    Based on many experiments, he has found out making things adapt bit by bit will produce worse results compared to doing it right to the utmost limit.


    Alex then starts fusing more and more Qi and Mana, waiting for it to adapt before injecting some more. After some time, he stopped the process and clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    It''s not working. It has results but only makes the organ stronger, not giving him the ability he wanted.


    Alex opened his eyes, in front of him was now a large window giving him a good view of the night sky. Seeing the stars and moon, his mind starts thinking, ''What am I missing, this is not working.''


    [King, just to remind you, Alice is sitting behind you now. I didn''t tell you before since you were too focused on the experiment.]


    ''What?'' Alex was surprised by Vesa''s message.


    He turned his head, seeing Alice looking at him with a pale face. Her eyes glistened with fear as if she had seen a monster.


    Her mouth still gaped open all this time. She had never seen someone regenerate their head like that.


    As a Fairy princess, it''s not like she had never seen regeneration or healing abilities. But regenerating a head is something she had never seen before on a humanoid creature.


    Neither Fairy nor Felidaen ever do that.


    "Alice, since when have you been here?" Alex asked as he stood up.


    He then took the brain matter and blood around him, putting it in his storage ring.


    Alice was still in a daze, not responding to what Alex said. She only regained clarity when Alex arrived right in front of her.


    "Hey, are you hearing me?"

 Chapter 221: Preparations

    "Oh yeah, I''m sorry," Alice replied groggily, not knowing what to say.


    Alex is not worried about Alice finding out about his ability; she already signed the contract. As long as Alex is stronger than her, he holds her life.


    He feels bad doing this but cannot trust someone he just met.


    Alex took out a bottle of spice water. "Have a drink to calm your mind," he said.


    "Aetheris essence?" Alice mumbled. She has a different view than Alex.


    Even though Felidaen knows Aetheris Essence is excreted by Aetheric Dragons, they don''t feel any disgust towards it. All they see is all-purpose water, like an elixir, a precious material that many use.


    "How did you get this?" Alice asked as she didn''t hesitate to take a gulp.


    "I found it in the dungeon. Well, I have more information about where that came from. If you want, I can give you some."


    "It''s a waste using it like this. If you trust me, can you give me all the water? I can then turn this into many products depending on what you want."


    "Sure, but what kind of thing can you make? A weapon or healing potion? We already have those here."


    "I will compile a list and give it to you later."


    "Alright, so why are you here?"


    "Oh yeah, before that, just what were you doing before? You exploded! How can you still be alive?" Alice asked.


    "I was doing some experiments, and as for how I''m still alive, let''s just say I am hard to kill."


    "I already signed your weird agreement, can''t you tell me?"


    "Why should I? The agreement only ensures we don''t backstab each other. And why do you feel interested?"


    "How could I not? How about an exchange? I am really curious about how you can do that."


    "Right now, nothing interests me, maybe later when I think of something."


    "Nothing interests you? I don''t believe that."


    "There is something, but you won''t be able to answer it."


    "Try me," Alice replied confidently.


    As someone second only to Freya, she believes she knows everything Alex wants to know.


    "The goal. The dark hunter moves for the giant tree. It''s the ifrit race''s goal. Why do they want it?"


    Alice turned silent; she also didn''t know the answer to this.


    Seeing her expression, Alex let out a chuckle. "See, I told you, you won''t know. I am sure your mother knows something, but she just doesn''t want to tell anyone else."


    Alice then sighed in defeat, she also felt curious about this. She wanted to ask her mother, but with how angry she was before, she doesn''t dare to ask this.


    "You are right, I also feel curious about this."


    "So why are you looking for me?"


    "I have some questions about those dungeons. Is it another realm? Similar to mine? Or is it another planet?"


    Alice has this suspicion since she has an understanding of how her secret realm works. It''s very different from how dungeons work.


    Alex then told her the information he knew, he doesn''t tell all the details but enough for her to understand the big picture.


    "That explains many things. So what is your plan now? Based on the deal, I will help you. I believe your immediate goal would be to rescue your father?"


    "Yes. But I have something to take care of first, you should prepare yourself meanwhile. Get used to how we live here, and try to learn our weapons too."


    Alice looked at Alex for a moment, then asked, "Where will you go? Don''t you need my help?"


    "Nope, don''t worry, I won''t leave you stranded here. You should understand that."


    "Yeah," Alice replied. She knew the chance of that was slim, but she just wanted to make sure.


    "If you have no more questions, I want to take a break."


    Alex then took out two phones from his storage ring. He has many brand-new one stocked as they were purchased for Bai Yue Sect, but MingYue hasn''t distributed them yet.


    "Take that for you and William."


    "A phone, huh? I have read about this."


    "Well, there are manuals in the box, so I am sure you can learn how to use it by yourself."


    They then exchanged some more small talk as Alex told her what she should do when he was gone.


    Meanwhile, back in the Cultivation world, MingYue just finished taking a shower. She sat in front of a mirror and then used qi to dry her hair. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she combed through her hair, a voice reverberated in her mind.


    ''You seem in a good mood, MingYue.''


    ''Who wouldn''t? I just succeeded in getting a whole new clan under my sect. They also have many techniques that I can use.''


    ''That is not what I mean. You should look at yourself in the mirror. I don''t know what you did, but you are smiling all the time before the shower.'' Lin Hua said in her mind.


    MingYue just smirked and didn''t answer. Lately, she feels comfortable talking with Alex, since he is the only one she can talk to without hiding something.


    Looking at her own reflection, she started thinking, ''I should start making some preparations.''


    First, MingYue needs to make sure the Fang clan has no problem settling here. She has allocated a whole building for them to stay.


    But if they need anything, Ming Yue thinks of giving the role to Ming Hua. He is the only person she trusts more than her own uncle.


    ''Well, worst comes to worst the secret realm is under Vesa''s observation, I am sure nothing will go wrong. Thankfully, Vesa has made a deal with QingWa Xian.''


    When MingYue fought with YangFei, Vesa completely overwhelmed Qing with her presence alone.


    Since she didn''t dare to fight back, Vesa made a deal for her to follow them in exchange for Vesa giving a new body to her husband.


    Even though Yang Fei and Greed are still alive, the agreement she made was only to destroy Blue Lotus Village, and the village is gone now. So she doesn''t have any more obligations toward them.

 Chapter 222: FengXue and Situ CuiYing

    MingYue then took out a laptop from her storage ring; she started reading information about the Sect''s progress.


    The mining on the Qi vein is progressing smoothly. With the generator that transforms qi to electricity, many modern tools were used in the process, raising the efficiency to a whole new level.


    Right now, there are only a dozen people working to maintain the operation, with most of them being guards.


    Some distance from the mine, MingYue sent out forty people to begin construction on a small village.


    She did this to build a sentry so that if any interest began growing in the area, she could prepare countermeasures.


    The twenty disciples also now finished their foundational training and began learning how to cultivate. Despite their low potential, their strength should not be underestimated.


    With the modified cultivation method, they all could fight cultivators one minor realm above them. Except for MingHao, his talent is better than the others, but only mediocre at best in the eyes of the Sect.


    However, this was compensated for by a lot of training. His training was also very effective as he had the Xueqi Family ancestor to guide him. The end result was that MingHao could fight a cultivator a whole major realm above.


    Of course, this only counts normal cultivators, for those with heavenly chosen talent, the result would be very different.


    Even Yang Fei is not considered one; the Yang family may have a few geniuses, but heaven-chosen? They don''t have a single one.


    In Dali city, FengXue, in Linhua''s body, is now meeting with Situ CuiYing.


    "So what do you want to ask?" FengXue asked.


    Situ CuiYing smiled, "If you want to waste time, I can entertain you; I have a lot of it. But since you are here, don''t you already know why I came?"


    "You are looking for the treasure of the Xueqi family. But that would not be entirely correct."


    Situ CuiYing raised her eyebrow in surprise. "What do you mean?"


    FengXue''s finger moved around the cup of her tea, and she smiled confidently.


    "Situ CuiYing, the fourth daughter of the Situ Family, was born from civilians. Your talent is good, but unfortunately, you were born at the golden age of the Situ family where they have a heaven-chosen, if I recall right, that should be your oldest brother, Situ Chen, and you are looking for a way to gain more power than him."


    BAM!


    Situ CuiYing hit the table, turning it to dust, her face turning ugly.


    "Who are you? I am sure you are not LinHua. All this information is not hard to find, but only for people in my region.


    Your blue lotus doesn''t have any influence there, nor does your Hua Family."


    Feng Xue let out a short chuckle, "Getting emotional? The answer to your question doesn''t matter. You can try threatening me with this, but I would advise you against that."


    Cui Ying wanted to say something more as a Qi spread out from LinHua''s body, giving out her pressure, followed by killing intent.


    "Nascent stage cultivator? No, this is almost Golden Core, but you should have failed." Cui Ying asked in disbelief.


    What surprised her was not only the realm but also the killing intent mixed with it. "You''re going to kill me? Even though I am not the main heir, do you think my father will stay silent?"


    "That old coot will probably not; he will take action. But believe me, Cui Ying, I am not afraid to kill you at all.


    There is a reason why I gave a hint, I am not LinHua in front of you; I have unfinished business with your family, so I will offer you a deal.


    Cooperate with me, or die here." FengXue said calmly, but her tone was icy cold.


    "What do you want? Despite my situation, I will not agree if it hurts my family." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, that is surprising. I thought you hated them. Well, as long as the one you mean by your family is only your father and siblings, we don''t have any problem.


    What you need to do is simple; tell your father FengXue wants to meet; he will understand."


    CuiYing hesitated; she could feel the killing intent coming from FengXue, but at the same time, she knew her father''s strength. There is no way she could kill him.


    ''Just who is she? Is she my father''s old acquaintance?''


    "Don''t worry, CuiYing. As long as you send the message, I will make it worthwhile.


    Don''t you want to become stronger? Although surpassing your brother is impossible with just my help."


    "What do you mean by that? Is there a way?"


    "Well, let''s talk about that later, and one more thing; I want you to take care of the rumor that is spreading now; I am sure you can do that," FengXue said as she released CuiYing from her pressure.


    FengXue then stood up and left the room, giving CuiYing a sense of relief.


    ''Just what is that killing intent? Normally, I shouldn''t have this much fear, even if I face a golden core cultivator.


    It''s like facing those demonic cultivators that have killed so many they lose count.''


    As CuiYing delved deep in thought, MingHao was in front of the door at BaiYue sect.


    He was looking at a screen beside the door, "Is this work like the phone my sis gave me? But why did she put one beside the door?"


    He then tapped the screen, but it didn''t turn on. "Is it not a touchscreen? Just where did Sis get all these toys?"


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    He did it again, but it did not respond. As he frowned, on the other side, MingYue looked at her phone with a smile on her face.


    The screen had a small camera that detected who came in and out. It was installed because of her curiosity about how the system worked.


    With Vesa''s control over the realm, she didn''t need something like this to ensure security.


    "This little brat, I hope you will never change," she said with a chuckle.


    Beep.


    The screen suddenly turned on, surprising MingHao and making him almost fall.


    MingYue tried her best not to laugh, resulting in an awkward smile, "What are you doing, you brat? Just go in already."

 Chapter 223: Who will Look For Me?

    After that, the screen turned off, and the door opened.


    MingHao scratched his head, "I am sure the door was locked before, sis is just messing with me," he mumbled with an annoyed tone, but his lips curved into a smile.


    He is happy seeing his sister act like this. It''s like she is coming out of her shell.


    The sister he knew always had a stoic expression, was cold, and almost never smiled. Every day was always about cultivating.


    Entering inside, he found his sister sitting on the couch. She then pointed at her side.


    "Why are you calling me this late at night, sis? Did you have a problem with your boyfriend? I know it. It''s only a matter of time before..."


    "You brat, shut up. You are lucky I am in a good mood now."


    MingHao let out a chuckle and then took a seat.


    "So, what is it?"


    "Have you met with the Fang Clan?"


    "Not yet, but I heard about them. Some of my friends talked about a group of cultivators joining us now. They are wondering how things will change here?"


    "Don''t worry, nothing will change, it''s up to them to join the Sect or not, but I have a task for you.


    Tomorrow you should meet up with the leader of the Fang Clan, make sure you are polite with her. She has been through a lot."


    "You want me to make friends with her? Is this one of those arranged marriage things?"


    MingYue''s lips twitched, "You wish. Find your own girlfriend.


    I need you to have an amiable relationship with her since I need to go outside the Sect again. But this time, I don''t know how long, so you will be responsible if something happens in this place."


    MingHao''s expression turned to worry, "Sis, what do you mean by that? You know I am still weak; if something happens, I will not be able to protect them."


    BAM! MingYue flicked his forehead.


    "You are overthinking, I mean for you to make sure no problem internally. For outside problems, don''t worry, I already have many arrangements in place.


    Even if a golden core cultivator comes here, you will be safe," MingYue said while she thought, ''Well even if an immortal comes, Vesa says they should not be able to find this place now. The worst is they found the mine.''


    MingHao put his hand on his forehead, massaging the place MingYue just flicked, "No wonder you have problems with your boyfriend, sis," he mumbled in a low voice.


    MingYue''s eyes perked up, "What are you saying?"


    "Nothing! So you are saying I just need to make sure there are no problems and get the Fang clan to mingle with us?"


    "Yes."


    "I have an idea for that, sis. If you give me some of the movies and games, I am sure I can make them addicted to living here."


    MingYue eyed her brother suspiciously, after that one time she has not allowed MingHao to touch video games again.


    She is worried he will get addicted to them, then forget to practice. After some thought, she replied, "The movie is fine, but no video games."


    MingHao sighed, "I''ll take that better than nothing, so I can choose what movie to watch."


    "Make your choice, but why do you want video games? Can''t you play that from your phone?"


    "It''s different, sis, mobile phone games are just no fun. It''s better to use a controller than touching the screen."


    ''Thankfully, I don''t let him test that VR game; he would probably get addicted after one try,'' Mingyue thought.


    "Well, the cinema already finished; I will tell you later how to operate it, invite them to watch together."


    "Can I bring my friend?" MingHao asked with excitement.


    "Just make sure they finish their practice first, don''t be lazy MingHao, soon I will send you out for a mission."


    "Don''t worry, sis, I will show you the result of my practice. I will become strong enough so I can do what I want."


    MingYue let out a chuckle as she made a mess of his hair. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back in Alex''s world, he was now meeting up with Quartz and Emily.


    After the party, Olivia was feeling tired, so she went to sleep. Zold, meanwhile, didn''t even join the party; he left early, saying he wanted to practice.


    William is nowhere to be seen, presumably sleeping in his room, while Alice is now deep in thought, trying to process the information she just got.


    "So, as I said, I will probably go for a while. I don''t know how long it will last, but hopefully, it will be finished quickly."


    Quartz frowned, "Just what are you hiding? Why can''t you tell us where you will go?"


    "I am not hiding anything; it''s related to the progenitor, and I don''t know where I will end up."


    "Will you be alright?" Emily asked with worry.


    "Of course, you know better than anyone else, Emily. Your brother is immortal," Alex replied with a chuckle. He then took out the AweCube that had the wisp of light.


    "Take this, I already ordered it to be obedient to you, so you should have no problem ordering them."


    Emily''s expression quickly changed to excitement; she thought it would take a while. It''s a surprise she got it on the same day.


    "Thank you, brother," she replied as she hugged Alex.


    "Well, try to practice using it. You can also order the goblins; they are quite close to you now, and with their bond with me, their loyalty should be assured. Just put them in the AweCube," Alex said. It''s an arrangement just in case they need it.


    "What if someone looks for you then?" Quartz asked.


    "Who will?"


    "For example, the Association president. You have dealt with the cultivation method; who knows if he decided to call you for that."


    "That is possible, but I don''t care, just tell them I am busy when I was out. That old fox won''t be angry at all."


    "So, when will you go?"

 Chapter 224: How You do It?

    "As soon as possible. But there are some things I need to prepare first. How about about Mom? Any news from her?''"No, she is probably busy. I tried to call her a few times, but she only replied with a message."


    "Well in that case, that will work even better. I prefer not telling her anything if possible, so she would not worry."


    "In that case, brother, you should spend some time training with us too. We all want to break through to the next realm soon."


    "Sure, but buy your own material. The pay from the dungeon should be enough. I will teach you all how to raise your realm; bring Zold and Olivia too," Alex replied, but he only planned to guide them for a day and then leave them with the method.


    After all, he need to focus on his own cultivation. His goal is to reach the Golden Core stage before going with MingYue.


    "How about them?" Quartz asked, yawning.


    "William and Alice? Well, I just gave them the cultivation method. And they are still trying to adapt here, but you can ask them if you are interested.


    By the way, Sis, you should go to sleep, it''s already night."


    "Alright, see you, bro," Emily replied as she left the area.


    "How does she still get tired easily, even after becoming a cultivator?" Alex mumbled.


    "Did you forget she used her ability before?" Quartz reminded Alex.


    ''So even now, she''s still not able to control it completely,'' Alex thought. He then said goodbye to Quartz, taking a rest in his room.


    One week quickly passed; at this time, as promised, Alex helped them learn how to raise their realm; the rest of the time, he focused on his own cultivation level.


    Alex went all out, using his stockpiled lifeforce; since he already knew what to do and did not modify it further, the process ran smoothly. He also used a lot of mana crystals in the process.


    At this time, the association also started spreading out the cultivation technique. Alex got hold of it, but to his surprise, the content was modified.


    The new method seemed to be mixed with another system he had heard of before.


    The start is the same; they enhance their body using mana, but when they reach the core formation realm, it begins to diverge. The process focuses on the Core, creating many layers


    Every single circle formed enhances the awakener''s ability or gives the user a new ability if they don''t have one; the second circle will evolve the ability.


    As for the third circle and beyond, it will only be given to those joining the association. It says it can go up to the eighth circle.


    With Alex''s privileges, he should be able to access the information on this circle, but he decided against it.


    If he keeps thinking about how to perfect his cultivation method, he will only end up never raising his own power in the end, and he feels an inkling the old fox wants him to read this information. It probably contains something that will make him want to renegotiate their deal.


    Other than the method, despite what he said, Alex still made a call to his mom, Luca. Unfortunately, the call never connected, which made him worried at first, but then he got a message at night, making him feel relieved.


    Despite feeling it''s weird for Luca not to call back, he decided to ignore the matter, since for now, he needed to focus on his task.


    The meeting with the eye was still fresh in his mind.


    At the end of the week, his cultivation raised leaps and bounds; he already reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.


    "Finally, now I only need one more realm to catch up with her. But damn¡­ it''s really expensive," Alex mumbled, remembering how many crystals he had used in the process.


    "At least most of the crystal I need is Qi crystal. But I wonder, can I implement this circle system in my Core too?" Alex wondered. But he shook his head.


    The Core is too different compared to cultivators. Even with his method, it just makes the Core use two energies, mana and Qi. This makes Alex regret not thinking of this method.


    If he can make the Core into multiple layers, that will open up new possibilities. He then remembered the cultivation method of the Fang clan; in this case, they spread the Core into many types, creating an invisible network, reminding Alex of a hive mind.


    "Usually, this is an ability used by insect species; that reminds me, Vesa, do species like them exist?"


    [Yes, King. There are many species that have similar features like bugs, but as far as I know, they took a neutral side in the progenitor war.]


    "I see. I think I have made the preparations. How about MingYue''s side?"


    [The Queen said she would be ready in thirty more minutes. Do you want to go there first?]


    "What is she doing?"


    [Well, the Queen is watching a movie now. Last time I interrupted her in the middle of a show, she got angry. She told me not to disturb her unless it''s an emergency.]


    Alex''s lips twitched, "No need. How about the place we will go to? Do you have any information?"


    [I don''t know, King. The only information I got is that this place has around 3.5% of the last progenitor''s part. It''s the weakest and nearest one I can find.] Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see¡­" As he thought of what he probably missed out, there was a knock on the door of his room.


    "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, William."


    The last time Alex met William was on the day he helped others with their cultivation, so it''s been a few days since their last talk. Alex wondered what he had in mind now.


    As he opened the door, his eyes widened in surprise. "What did you do these last few days? You should tell me about this; I''m sure we can make a lot of money. Many women would kill for what you''ve achieved."


    In just a few days, William had transformed from the chubby fat guy; now his body was lean and muscular. His expression was sharp, completely different from the one Alex knew.


    "I''ve been practicing nonstop; if you mean how I lost my weight, I used mana and Qi to burn the fat."


    "You can do that?"

 Chapter 225: Depart

    "Of course, I just need to warn you the process is very painful," William then tells Alex how he does it.He uses mana to destroy his own fat, and then he takes Aetheric essence to cure his body.


    The process is done over and over again; afterward, he starts cultivating and raises his realm, making sure there are no lingering wounds in the process.


    "Interesting. How do you know which fat to burn or not?"


    "I asked for Prof Faerith''s help; she felt interested in my biology, as she said. Afterward, she helped me with the process. I hope that won''t be any trouble."


    "No, it''s not, but next time, don''t tell anyone you are a different species, even people in this building, outside of those who already know. Anyway, who told you to go to Faerith?"


    "Ah, it''s your sister Emily. I was asking for a second opinion on my idea, and she suggested I go to her."


    Alex sighed while he thought, ''At least it''s Faerith.'' He then asked William why he was looking for him.


    "Can I go with you? You should understand my purpose for coming with you."


    "No, I get you want something to do to take your mind off what happened, but I am sorry I cannot bring you with me."


    Seeing William''s dejected face, Alex sighed, "How about this: you are experienced as a merchant. I will give you some capital to try to build a business here as you continue your cultivation and try to adapt to this place.


    You are still new here; have you gone around the city yet?"


    "Not yet. But I can do what you told me."


    "Alright, I will send a message to Emily to prepare what you need," Alex replied. They then had some more exchanges before William left.


    Seeing the man''s lonely back, Alex''s gaze turned complicated; he has seen how Roxy and William interact with each other.


    As he was deep in thought, a familiar voice reverberated in his mind, ''Hey Alex, sorry it took a while, but I am ready now.''


    ''Ah, MingYue, no problem. So what movie did you watch?''


    ''Some superhero movie, Ender Game or something. I have watched all the movies before it; the movie is good despite many of its flaws.''


    ''Oh, you mean the one where the villain should have just snapped all the heroes out of existence?''


    ''Yeah, or the hero. Honestly, they could just use the snap to make himself immortal before snapping again to kill the villain; what a useless sacrifice.''


    Alex let out a chuckle, ''How are things in Bai Yue sect? Is everything prepared?''


    ''No problem, except that some people now got addicted to watching movies. My brother also keeps asking me what place this movie was recorded in; he''s starting to become fond of the tinman hero now.''


    ''You haven''t told him about this world?''


    ''He has to earn it; my world is brutal enough for him to live in now. Let him focus on his current situation. Knowing that the immortal everyone worships is insignificant will just put more pressure on him.''


    ''I see¡­''


    ''On a more positive note, we have opened our first restaurant in Dali City; today should be its first opening. I wonder how the result is.''


    ''What is on the menu?''


    ''It''s a standard noodle shop, but with some touch from your world.''


    ''Well, as long as you use the spice and MSG, I am sure it will be a hit. Anyway, I think we should go now. Are you ready?''


    MingYue turned silent for a moment; she was now in front of her home, taking a deep breath. Her beating heart turns calm when she opens her eyes, now filled with determination.


    A few days ago, she had talked with her master. They had a more in-depth talk about what happened, her parents, the pendant they left, and her thoughts on the matter.


    Xue Fang then looked at the pendant; despite MingYue being stronger than she is now, she still had more experience than MingYue.


    She hopes Xue Fang could give more clues about them, like the origin or whether this has a similar symbol to some family.


    "I don''t know, MingYue, I have never seen anything like this before. But a phoenix and a dragon, I suggest you check the Long and Feng clans.


    The Long Clan has dragon bloodline in them; as for the Feng Clan, they have phoenix.


    I''ve heard rumors; they are quite powerful in the central region, that anything that has a symbol related to these two ancient beasts must get their approval. But I suggest being subtle when you check on them."


    "Thank you, master. It''s decided then; next, I will go to the central region."


    The central region is a place filled with monsters, where many geniuses die every day. Only those immortal and heaven-chosen could spread their wings while the rest become their stepping stones.


    ''Heaven-chosen, immortal, in the end, they all are nothing in front of progenitors.'' MingYue repeated in her mind, convincing herself that she could compete with them.


    ''Vesa.'' Alex and MingYue both said in their minds.


    As if on cue, red fog came out from their bodies at the same time; it started coalescing, turning into twelve runes, and the runes started moving in a circle.


    This reminded Alex of the outer gate, although the one carved there is certainly not a rune.


    The runes then started moving in motion, starting slow and then going faster as they glowed green.


    Swosh¡­ swosh¡­


    The area in the middle started distorting as if the fabric of reality itself had been pulled apart. Like a mirror, it then shattered into many pieces, leaving behind a portal.


    Alex and MingYue then took the same step and entered the new realm.


    Vesa was looking at this from Edonia; its lips curled into a grin, showing its row of teeth with two pointed fangs. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Finally, the hunt begins. Master, just wait; I will show it to everyone that your decision is the right one. Those stupid people don''t know what they are doing."

 Chapter 226: Ocean

    Meanwhile, at the spot where Alex just disappeared, a figure suddenly appeared, like she had been standing there for a long time.A beautiful, translucent wing came out from her back, and her eyes looked at the portal, which quickly disappeared like it was never there.


    But Alice''s gaze didn''t leave the spot; her eyes lingered on it as many thoughts came to her mind.


    "What should I choose, Mother." She mumbled.


    ________________


    SPLASH!


    Alex and MingYue found themselves in the middle of the ocean.


    The water was crystal clear, while a large moon hung in the sky.


    Alex took out a yacht from his storage ring, then jumped onto it, drying their clothes with Qi.


    "Vesa, how about now? Know where we are?" Alex asked while he survey their surroundings, which revealed only ocean with no land in sight.


    [No, but I can detect the progenitor blood; it''s located deep under the sea.]


    Alex frowned looking at the map displayed by Vesa. Their goal was deep under the sea.


    Tap.


    A small sound reached his ears, prompting him to turn his head.


    His lips curled into a smile, "It''s been a while, MingYue. You look even more beautiful."


    "Glib tongue," MingYue replied, her cheeks blushing red.


    "Get serious, Alex. Vesa says the target is underwater.


    Any ideas?


    We can enter using Qi or Mana to survive there, but that will be limited. If we add fighting to the mix, it will become too risky."


    "If I had known this would happen, I would have bought a submarine," Alex mumbled.


    "A submarine?"


    "Basically, an underwater vehicle, but wait, I think Emily has some potions so we can breathe underwater, but they will only last for a few hours."


    MingYue looked around the yacht, which was a simple one, equipped with a couch, mini fridge, and some deck space for people to rest.


    "Why don''t you just carve a protective array on the yacht? As long as it can keep the water out, it should work."


    ''Damn, how did I miss that?'' Alex thought to himself. "I''ll start then."


    "I''ll try to explore the surrounding area as you do your work."


    MingYue then started flying around the area. She didn''t go too high, as she also wanted to see under the sea.


    She saw colorful small fish swimming around, passing through plants and coral.


    The fish didn''t look dangerous; they had many beautiful patterns on their bodies.


    "So this is the ocean," MingYue mumbled.


    This was the first time she had seen one, other than in movies she got from Alex.


    ''I wonder if oceans in my world look the same.''


    As she looked around the area, her eyes could see all the way to the seabed, but the deeper she went, the deeper the ocean became.


    The fish started growing larger, and more animal variety came into view.


    Some looked like turtles, while others resembled insects walking on the floor, like crabs and lobsters.


    The plants also started changing, becoming scarce, with some vines rising higher.


    She then spotted some cavern entrances, ''Vesa said, it''s directly underneath our spot. It seems we will need to explore this cavern system, or we could just dig a hole all the way to our target.''


    As she was about to return, her eyes caught a glimpse of a dark silhouette that looked like an island.


    MingYue changed her direction to check out the area. As she got closer, a surface appeared, glowing and filled with sand of myriad colors.


    After some more observation, she realized the island was moving. She covered her body with Qi and then entered the water for a clearer view of the creature.


    Under the island, a dozen tentacles emerged, rowing to move. They looked like those of a jellyfish, with transparent skin showing the inner workings of its flesh.


    MingYue could also see many fish and coral growing underneath, creating their own small ecosystem.


    MingYue was intrigued to kill and absorb its life force, but after some thought, she decided against it. She didn''t know how the creature would retaliate; it was better to gather more information first.


    She then flew back toward the yacht. Alex had already finished with the array and was now standing on the deck looking toward the seabed, considering whether to blow up the seabed to make a hole directly rather than taking the long way to their goal.


    Feeling her presence, he asked, "How is it, MingYue?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue then shared her findings, adding, "I haven''t met any civilization yet, but who knows if there are underwater species?"


    "We have no choice then; let''s explore the cavern. I doubt we have enough energy and explosives to blow it all up, and who knows what kind of trouble we will face.


    If there are large creatures like that, I am sure there will be even bigger creatures," Alex sighed, then added.


    "Our goal is 10,000 meters (about 32,808


    feet) under the sea."


    "It seems it will take a while then. I wonder just how this part reached this place."


    "I think it dropped like a meteor, and as time passed, this planet underwent many geological transformations, pushing it even deeper."


    Alex then released a few drones to scan the planet as the yacht started moving deep under the sea


    .


    The view was spectacular for MingYue, but Alex had seen similar things before in VR.


    As they enjoyed the view, MingYue asked, "How is your sister?"


    "Still in the same situation, but I''ve already given her enough life force; as long as nothing big happens, she should be alright."


    "You should tell her to stay at your place and not do any missions then."


    "Oh, I''m not worried about that; I''m sure now she is complaining as she got buried with paperwork. As the guild leader, there are many things that only she can approve," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    He still remembered his father''s daily routine; almost every day, he would be busy in his office with a mountain of documents to sign.


    "Doesn''t your planet have computers and the internet? Can''t she just handle it all digitally?"

 Chapter 227: Leviathan

    "Unfortunately, no. Some guild matters are written on special paper and then signed using their mana signature.This reduces the chance of someone faking the approval.


    There is a way to do it, but it''s very hard to do. Most of the time, the cost is not worth the reward."


    "I see... In my world, the elders would just have a meeting, and the sect leader or patriarch would make the final decision."


    "Believe me, I know."


    MingYue''s lips twitched, "I told you before, and I will tell you again, even though something is similar to my cultivation world, it''s not exactly the same."


    She felt annoyed by Alex''s act as if he knew everything just because he had read it in a novel.


    Alex let out a chuckle, "Alright, I am sorry, but you must admit a lot of the information is correct."


    MingYue clicked her tongue, "Fine, some of it is right, but I stand by my case; if you enter my world thinking all of it is right, you will find yourself in big trouble.


    By the way, have you ever met these authors? I wonder if some of them come from my world."


    "I have met some; they are just normal people, though.


    Hmm¡­ but most novels get their ideas from other novels. If I trace who first made this kind of book, maybe we can get some clue."


    "Try to look for them then, if my speculation is true, there should be a portal linking both our worlds."


    "Maybe, but there''s a possibility it''s linked with another cultivation world."


    "That is possible. Who knows how many human worlds exist out there."


    "Many for sure, so what do you think now?


    In the past, we wanted to dominate both our worlds, then unite them at some point, but now it''s possible the human progenitor, Adam, is our enemy; in that case, being the one that represents our planet will raises a risk."


    "I agree, for now let''s just focus on hunting the progenitor''s blood; we will think about this later."


    MingYue gave a nod, then looked at the bangle on her hand. Its form had now changed into a silver bracelet with a unique pattern.


    "Why don''t you use this one for yourself?" She asked.


    "At this point, the enemy probably already knows about me; might as well become the bait then," Alex replied.


    The ship then continued going deeper as they exchanged some small talk. The area started turning darker the deeper they went, but with their progenitor''s eyes, it didn''t pose any problem.


    They decided to go deeper first and avoid any cavern systems, as they didn''t know where they would lead. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only when there is no other way will they try to check out this place.


    As they went deeper, Alex was looking at the tablet, watching video feed from the drone.


    "You never told me you had this kind of stuff; can you get me more? It''s better if it''s weaponized," MingYue said as an idea started forming in her mind.


    "Are you sure it''s useful for you? You will go to the central region after this; I doubt a normal mana-infused bullet will be enough to hurt them."


    "Didn''t you make a deal with the hunter association? Can''t you buy some good ones?"


    "I can, but it will still raise some suspicion unless I make some deals," Alex replied, pondering the thought.


    "Well, even this one is useful enough; I see it can turn almost invisible.


    Just use some self-destructive methods so that, in case it gets shot down, it will be destroyed without leaving any trace.


    Wait; I could also leave some trace on purpose."


    "You want to use other sects as scapegoats? Isn''t that Yang guy enough?" Alex asked, looking at MingYue with a questionable gaze.


    "The more the merrier. And what''s with your gaze?


    I learned all these methods from the books and movies you gave me. It''s not like I do this just for fun."


    "You want to find out if anyone has a way to enter another world?" Alex asked.


    As MingYue used many modern methods, if there were any cultivators that had knowledge about another world, they would certainly become suspicious.


    "Vesa told us the progenitor leads their species; this means that on every planet where humans live, there should be someone who could report to them.


    Even though we are too far away from them, I am sure the progenitor will not just let us go free."


    "You are right," Alex replied, ''Does this mean that old fox has some connection with the human progenitor? Or at least a way to contact them?


    I need to be even more cautious when I''m around him.'' As he thought about this, Alex and MingYue turned their gaze.


    They could feel something hostile approaching them.


    They had now reached 1000 meters deep (around 3280 feet). The area around them was almost pitch black, with hardly any creatures to be seen.


    A huge life force approached them at high speed.


    Alex and MingYue leaped out from the yacht as they didn''t want to destroy the ship. As the creature got close, four pairs of glowing eyes came into their view.


    Its body started appearing; the size was gigantic.


    With its size and speed, it created a huge wave just by its movement, pushing Alex and MingYue out.


    "What the heck? A kaiju?" Alex mumbled.


    "If anything, that looks more like a leviathan," MingYue chimed in.


    BAM!


    The creature whipped its tail, aiming towards them. Alex and MingYue dodged the attack, but the yacht was pulverized.


    "The hell! It destroyed my protection array with brute force alone," Alex said with an annoyed tone.


    He then took out his Embershift hammer, but before Alex could move, MingYue held him down. "Focus, Alex, there is more than one."


    Alex looked at Vesa''s map; soon, he could see more than a dozen life forces coming towards them.


    He turned his gaze to the leviathan; the creature had four eyes and a serpent-like head.


    It had two huge fins, and its body was covered in smooth silver scales. The leviathan then started making movements; its muscles contorted as its eyes sparked.

 Chapter 228: A break

    "Let''s run, MingYue!" Alex quickly suggested. It was clear the leviathan-like creature was not just strong physically; it also had the ability to create electricity.As they were not in the water, the range of the attack was not something they could scoff at. And this was only one creature; if it gathered with its pack, the dark underwater ocean would quickly light up like Christmas.


    Alex grabbed MingYue''s hand and then started propelling themselves toward the nearest cavern system.


    CRACKLE! Crackle!


    Electricity burst out from the leviathan''s body, hitting both of them.


    But they were already prepared.


    MingYue created a sphere of frost to protect their bodies, then layered it many times over, raising its thickness, which effectively dampened the electricity to the point it was negligible for them.


    Alex then took out his ember-shift hammer and ignited a scorching heat, evaporating all the water and creating a huge air pressure inside the ice sphere.


    MingYue was now using qi to protect her body from the heat. She quickly created a hole in the direction of the leviathan. This made the air explode, creating a huge thrust pushing the ice sphere.


    Swooosh!!!!


    The ice shot forward like a cannonball despite the water pressure until it finally stopped when it crashed into the cavern entrance.


    Bam!


    They returned back to the underwater ocean. They looked at the cavern entrance and then at each other.


    "Should we enter this one? Or look for another?" Alex asked.


    "We''re already here; might as well check it out."


    The cavern entrance was barely visible as it was hidden by green vines.


    As they pushed through, to their surprise, the inside was quite bright. It had coral growing on the walls that gave off a dim glow.


    There were some small fish swimming around the area, along with shellfish and some small creatures.


    Alex and MingYue made their way deeper into the cavern system.


    They met some carnivorous creatures like a squid and a large crab the size of their head, but none dared to attack as they let out their qi. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Vesa''s map, it didn''t take long for them to reach the end of the tunnel. They were now in a vertical hole with many shellfish on the ground. There were also weird green crystals scattered all around the area.


    "Let''s take a break to plan our next move," MingYue suggested as she observed the area.


    Alex then created an array that pushed all the water out of the vertical tunnel, turning it dry. Some of the fish started squirming on the ground, giving an idea to Alex.


    "Want to try some grilled alien fish?"


    "Alien fish? I''ve already tried some from your world, so why not. I doubt anything could poison us now."


    "One of the perks of being a progenitor," Alex said with a chuckle. He then took out a griller, a table, and two chairs.


    "Yup. I do wonder what this crystal is; it seems to have a life force, albeit small," MingYue said as she started poking at it.


    To her surprise, it was warm to the touch and felt smooth. "A living crystal?" she mumbled, pulling Alex''s attention, who was busy gutting the fish.


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s warm to the touch; you should check it out."


    Alex focused his gaze on the crystal.


    He found it interesting but didn''t feel it would pose any problem to them. "Let me finish cooking first."


    A delicious aroma started filling the area as Alex began putting the fish on a plate. He found the fish was not that much different from the ones in his world.


    After they finished eating, MingYue asked, "I know you said you would visit my realm before coming here, but you really achieved it."


    "Is that surprising? I already know what to do, and you know, for life force, it''s like a cheat.


    Actually, if we don''t modify the method, I''m sure we can reach the immortal realm without a hitch, probably only taking a day at most with sufficient life force."


    MingYue let out a chuckle. "You''re right. I bet that heaven-chosen would cry blood if they knew how fast you reached the golden core realm."


    "Heaven-chosen, huh? It''s a big name but meaningless. Rather than that, do you have any idea how to kill the leviathan?


    We will probably meet more creatures like that."


    "Now that you mention it," MingYue took out a few jade pendants and put them on the table.


    "You should use this time to learn some secret techniques; otherwise, your cultivation will just be wasted."


    "I doubt we have enough time for that, but what techniques do you have here?" Alex said as he infused his qi into the three jade pendants.


    Two were movement secret techniques: one focused on taking a step in the air, while the other on a short-term burst in movement.


    If perfected, it would look like blinking. The last one was a hammer technique, focused on blacksmithing, but Alex could use it in combat.


    "Even though you cannot master it, with your current talent, you should at least be able to execute it when you want."


    "Yeah, by the way, did you find any clue about the technique I''m looking for?"


    "Nope, I think you will need to wait for me to reach the central region. I have some clues for the lightning element, but the light one, never heard of it.


    As for that leviathan-like creature, I think we should just try our best to avoid them, worse comes to worst, use your explosive to blow them up from inside," MingYue replied. She then asked Alex if he had any idea what to do next.


    Alex put some thought into it. He could try creating a vehicle, but it would not survive against those monsters.


    He then got an idea, "Let''s capture one; we can then hide inside its stomach while controlling it to move to our goal."


    "That should work. We just need to find one that stays alone."

 Chapter 229: Turtle

    "Alright, now let''s check this crystal," Alex said as he walked toward one.As he got close, the first thing he did was absorb the life force.


    The green crystal then changed color, turning into a transparent crystal. Alex checked his life force. It didn''t rise by much, but then he got an idea.


    He broke the clear crystal and then asked MingYue to help cut it into hexagons.


    He then did the reverse; he injected it with life force. The crystal started turning color into green.


    Alex kept going as he was curious how much it could hold. The more life force it contains, the more intense the green energy is.


    "Vesa, does this appear because of the influence of Alucard?" Alex asked.


    He had thought through a few scenarios, as the part fell for years, if no one claimed it, then there was a possibility it started transforming the area around it.


    There was also a chance a beast might come and eat it. After all, even though they are not sapient, they could still instinctively tell what is good or bad for their body.


    "Vesa, why don''t you just come out? You should be able to stay in your soul form now," MingYue said.


    The last time she used Vesa to fight against Qingwa, it had its perks as Vesa gave out a feeling of dread for many beasts. But if a real fight happened, Vesa would not be able to do much. It could only use a few simple rules and normal combat techniques.


    The red fog started coming from their bodies, then coalesced into the familiar form they had seen before. A pink bat.


    "Ya-hooo¡­ Finally, I am out again," Vesa said with an excited tone, surprising Alex and MingYue.


    "Did you hit your head or something?" Alex asked.


    Vesa gave a formal bow, then said, "Greetings, King and queen, nothing like that. It''s just feeling his presence makes my blood boil."


    "So, you are like some hippie high on drugs now?" Alex asked.


    "Nope, King, I may be excited but can still think clearly. As for the King''s question, I suspect a beast ate the progenitor part. Still, it won''t be able to consume all of it."


    "I also think this is the reason, but why do you think that, Vesa?"


    "Since the beast could not contain all the energy, the life force spilled out from its body; that would explain why that leviathan-like creature exists. The same with this crystal."


    Prang!


    The crystal in Alex''s hand exploded as he put too much life force energy into it. It shattered into many pieces.


    Looking at it, Alex thought, ''This crystal will be useful for Emily in case I am not at her side.''


    "King, Queen, let''s go. We should recover the part as soon as possible."


    Throughout all this, MingYue was eyeing Vesa suspiciously; she felt Vesa was not just excited, but she could not put a finger on what was different.


    "A sec, Vesa, let me take all this crystal; this should be useful," Alex said as he started picking all the crystals clean.


    Despite it not being able to contain much energy, it would still be useful as a life force storage that could be given to others; he turned it into some boosting one-time-use items for his friend later on.


    Before they came out, Alex checked the drone he had sent to scout the area; to his surprise, other than the occasional small moving island like what MingYue found, the rest was all ocean. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, with the distance the drone had covered, he was sure the planet was completely covered in water.


    They then came out of the tunnel looking for creatures similar to the leviathan. The underwater area was vast, with occasional cliffs appearing on their side.


    The plant life kept changing as they went deeper; it also kept growing bigger. Alex felt like he was entering a prehistoric world.


    After some time, they finally found a sleeping beast. At this point, with so many large creatures they had found, Alex decided to call them Leviathan class organisms.


    Each of them easily had the size of a skyscraper, putting every single monster he knew so far to shame.


    They speculated all this was because the beasts here didn''t have any magic or supernatural skills. Hence, the leaked life force instead enhanced their physical strength, and as time passed, they grew stronger and larger in form.


    The ocean biome also took part in this evolution, as the climate was more suitable for their size.


    With bigger bodies, it allowed them to have better metabolism while at the same time covering huge distances in a short time.


    As they got closer, a huge creature started appearing in their eyes; the Leviathan class creature looked like a turtle; it had a draconic head, with four legs coming out from its round body.


    The upper body had a huge shell filled with many large spikes.


    But the legs were unique; they didn''t look like those of a turtle; instead, they were like crab legs covered in a shell.


    ''MingYue, what do you think would happen if we teach these beasts cultivation methods? Wouldn''t that make them a good weapon?''


    MingYue put some thought into it, then shook her head, ''It''s just a large size, Alex; in front of strong cultivators, it still wouldn''t do much; there is a reason why beasts in my world choose to have a humanoid form. Although this large size will certainly be useful in war.''


    ''Yeah, just look at him; a single stomp could probably pulverize a few buildings in my city.''


    ''So how are we going to start?''


    ''It''s sleeping; how about you freeze its whole body?''


    ''I can try, but it''s too large for me to do it in one move. I think it will try to fight back the moment it feels like a change of temperature,'' MingYue replied as she thought of other ideas.


    She could try boosting her secret technique with life forces, but based on the size, she felt it would be a waste of energy.

 Chapter 230: Frozen Tree

    At this moment, Vesa chimed in, ''Don''t worry, queen, I can use runes to help you do this.''Vesa then explained the rune use. It would allow MingYue to put her attack inside of it, like a trap. Vesa then just needed to spread it all over the turtle and activate it all at the same time.


    After some discussion, they decided the idea was feasible.


    Even though being inside water boosted her ice element, it also had its cons. It made the ice spread all around the area, reducing MingYue''s control over it.


    They then started preparing the trap since MingYue was the one busy putting her attack; Alex suggested they use his life force stockpile for the trap.


    Vesa began creating a unique pattern with its wings.


    As the symbol was completed, it stayed afloat, emitting a dim green light. Mingyue then infused it with her frost qi, causing the rune to lose its light and turn blue.


    The rune Vesa created was a modified basic rune. Normally, it''s just used for storage space, but this time, it was repurposed to contain MingYue''s attack while also enhancing the ice element.


    Vesa learned to do this after seeing how Alex adjusted the biome of every awe cube.


    Time passed, and they finally finished more than a dozen runes. Vesa then began spreading them out while Alex prepared to capture them into the awe cube.


    They didn''t know if it would work or not since they still lacked information about the beasts on this planet.


    Normally, if the beast is completely frozen, it should be enough for Alex to capture it.


    Vesa then triggered all the runes. At the same time, they all exploded, shooting forward a huge ice spike.


    The moment it was released, the surrounding area began freezing at a rapid rate. It launched into the air, creating a trail of ice toward the turtle. As the temperature plummeted, the turtle opened its eyes.


    To their surprise, despite not having any supernatural power, it still had a unique ability. The large spike on its shell suddenly launched forward, meeting the ice head-on.


    The turtle, with amazing agility, leaped forward, crashing into Mingyue''s attack, and then began swimming at a speed that made Alex and Mingyue blink.


    Alex, in response, took out his embershift hammer, using it to propel himself forward as he chased the turtle, cursing, ''Who the hell said turtles are slow! Even with my current speed, I won''t be able to catch up with it.''


    As the turtle fled, Alex could see the spikes on its shell starting to regenerate. Parts of its head and legs also got stabbed with the spike.


    From the wounds, frost began spreading outward, slowing its movements, but even with these, the speed was not something Alex could pursue. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then stopped and decided to try something different.


    His qi and life force churned, imbuing the hammer. Using all his strength he threw the hammer.


    "Eat this, you damn turtle!" Alex screamed in annoyance.


    As it pierced through the water barrier, the hammerhead began glowing orange and grew in size, getting bigger and hotter, creating a bubbling sound as it moved toward the turtle.


    When it got close, the hammerhead was already half the size of the turtle''s body. It couldn''t grow much larger as it hit its limit.


    The turtle didn''t even look back, as if it had eyes on its back. The moment the hammer came close, it pulled its body and head inside the shell.


    The turtle then started spinning at high speed, resulting in a giant whirlpool. But the hammer didn''t get deflected.


    BOOM!


    A muffled deafening sound exploded as it hit the turtle''s shell, but Alex didn''t know the result since the whirlpool didn''t stop.


    He tried to call the hammer back by communicating with the fox spirit inside, but unfortunately, the hammer lost its forward momentum; instead of returning to Alex, it got locked out inside the whirlpool.


    But it didn''t stop there. From inside the whirlpool, a huge spike suddenly launched toward Alex.


    As its momentum was further amplified by the whirlpool, its speed was not something Alex could underestimate; it moved even faster than the turtle before, taking only seconds to reach inches away from Alex''s face.


    This second turned into slow motion as his adrenaline spiked facing the threat. At this moment, many calculations came to Alex''s mind: the angle of the spike, the power behind it, the size, the structure of the object.


    He then focused the majority of his qi in his hand, shoulder, and other muscles to boost the impact of the punch.


    He then threw an uppercut punch at the right angle.


    BAM!


    The earth spike was deflected away in another direction, leaving a grin on Alex''s face. But it only lasted for a moment, as many more spikes came toward him.


    Swosh! Swosh! BAM!


    Each time they came, Alex tried his best to deflect them, but with the nonstop barrage, he started finding it hard to deflect the attacks.


    Thankfully, his size was small, so most of the attacks just passed by him.


    As time passed, he started utilizing his abilities in different ways; he calculated the trajectory, then punched the spikes in such a way that they curved back toward the whirlpool.


    At this time, Mingyue finally caught up with him. Seeing the situation, MingYue quickly started her own attack; she began imbuing her sword with frost qi, then launched it toward the earth spikes.


    The moment it hit, the earth spike propelled even faster as it started being covered by frost. MingYue then bolstered it with her life force, transforming the spike into something similar to a fox.


    If this had happened not under the sea, a roar would have already reverberated in the area.


    The ice fox moved as if it were alive, dodging the incoming ice spikes. It leaped from one place to another, then clashed with the whirlpool.


    BOOM!


    It exploded into an ice lotus that spread out to the whole whirlpool.

 Chapter 231: Robot? Mecha?

    Seeing this, Alex grasped the opportunity to call back his hammer.Swosh!


    The hammer glided back to his hand as he admired the result of MingYue''s attack.


    It was like a colossal crystal tree had suddenly appeared, with a single flower hanging in the middle of it.


    ''Can you capture it now?''


    ''Nope, it''s too big. Even without the tree, my biggest cube will barely be able to contain it.''


    ''How about capturing it the normal way then? Use beast bond.


    With you and me here, our souls should be more than enough to subdue that beast.''


    ''Seems we have no choice, let''s do it that way. Worst comes to worst. We can use Vesa''s presence to deter it.''


    MingYue then closes her eyes, focusing on the ice tree. Using her sword as a medium, she starts controlling it.


    She uses lifeforce energy in exchange for blood, then starts drawing it on the turtle shell.


    Alex also closes his eyes. Vesa then becomes the medium, linking them with the beast''s inner world.


    The next moment, Alex and MingYue find themselves on solid ground.


    Alex just wants to comment on how a marine beast''s inner world is solid ground when suddenly, a huge shadow hangs over them. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking upward, he sees something huge that looks like a turtle shell falling toward his face.


    ''Alex, it''s the inner world. You can fight with your soul here,'' MingYue''s voice reverberates in his mind.


    She then explains to Alex how to fight inside the inner world.


    As golden core cultivators, their power now starts melding with the soul, the rate even higher than that of normal cultivators since they are progenitors.


    How he fights is up to his imagination; the only caveat is that the power will be the same as his soul. He can imagine a nuke exploding, but if the power is not up to par, it will just be dazzling fireworks with barely any damage.


    Knowing this, Alex''s lips curl into a smile. Many things come to his mind. His imagination runs wild.


    He jumps upward, meeting the attack head-on. Alex doesn''t make his body grow bigger; instead, he does something that all men have thought of at some point.


    BAM!


    The turtle shell is held by a giant robot hand. Inside, with a grin on his face, Alex sits in the cockpit and then controls the robot with his mind.


    He throws the shell somewhere far away.


    With the robot, Alex can finally see the turtle''s inner world; it''s all empty. The land he stood on before was the turtle''s main soul.


    "Really, Alex?" MingYue asks, looking at him with an incredulous expression. She knows what Alex created; it''s from an anime she watched.


    "Why not?" Alex replies back with an excited tone.


    The robot has two pairs of angelic wings, with a green crystal in the middle of the chest. Other than the wings, there are two railguns at its waist, with two swords held in the robot''s hands.


    At the edge of the swords, an energy beam comes out.


    Alex then starts blasting the turtle''s main soul with energy attacks. Part of the wings then separate themselves like drones, moving closer to the turtle and starting to shoot beams.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    The turtle is caught off guard by the attack but doesn''t stand still. It roars, and then many earth spikes suddenly appear, targeting both Alex and MingYue.


    As the stage is its inner world, the turtle can do much more than Alex and MingYue. Unfortunately, it''s still a beast; its imagination is limited to attacks it''s used in the real world.


    MingYue creates an ice lotus to protect herself while her lips twitch, seeing what Alex is doing.


    The most effective way would be to create a shield and then keep attacking the turtle. But instead of doing this, Alex plays around, dodging the spikes as he uses his robot sword to cut each one coming close to him.


    As he dodges, Alex tries to fly closer to the turtle, but his approach isn''t smooth as the attacks become more intense. Alex''s lips then grin. The drone part of the wings flies back to him; he then fuses his swords together, pointing them at the turtle.


    The railguns at his waist keep shooting non-stop at the spikes coming at him while energy starts gathering at the tip of his sword.


    SWOOSH! BOOM!


    Alex shoots a huge energy beam toward the turtle, demolishing everything in its path and piercing through the turtle''s soul.


    The moment this happens, MingYue makes a few gestures. Alex just wants to move forward and try other attacks when, suddenly, he finds himself back in reality.


    "Sorry to disturb your fun, but that is more than enough to subdue the soul," MingYue says with a smirk on her face.


    Alex doubts her story was sincere, but he doesn''t retort. He realizes what he did before was really just playing around; his mindset at that time was the same as when he plays VR games.


    ''This reminds me it''s been a while since I played games,'' Alex thinks.


    MingYue starts undoing the frost tree. After it all disperses, the turtle comes into view again. It has wounds on its leg and part of its head but has already started to heal. The turtle then starts moving toward them.


    Alex and MingYue then land on its shell. As MingYue has already subdued the turtle, she starts communicating with it.


    While she does this, Alex looks at the turtle shell; he often reads stories about people living above it. With a turtle this big, it would be possible to do this.


    ''I can also install a few cannons above the shell, turning this into a fortress.


    I am sure, even compared to sea monsters in my world, none will be this big, well, at least in the normal zone.


    Who knows what kind of abomination exists in those dark and red zones?'' Alex thinks.


    "The turtle could bring us deeper, but it won''t be easy. As we expected, the monsters here keep growing stronger the deeper we go."


    "Not a problem, since we found a solution, let''s just catch more leviathans along the way."

 Chapter 232: At Other Place

    MingYue gave a nod, and then her expression turned stern."Alex, next time, don''t do something like that. Battle in the inner world is not a joke.


    You are lucky your first enemy was a mindless beast.


    What if it''s a sentient beast playing dumb? You know it can catch you by surprise and take over your body."


    "Don''t worry, worse comes to worse, we still have Vesa."


    "That still doesn''t change the fact you are being reckless. Remember, Alex, my life is tied to yours."


    "Alright, I am sorry," Alex replied, then changed the topic. "When the turtle launches its spikes, does it have control over which spike to shoot?"


    MingYue didn''t directly answer; she communicated with the turtle first.


    "He could. What do you want to do?"


    "Well, for now, carving an array so we don''t need to keep using Qi to push away all the water," Alex replied.


    Another idea then came to his mind. "How about the regeneration? Can he control that too?"


    "What do you mean?" MingYue asked.


    Alex explained that he wanted to transform one of the areas into their temporary base since he had enough materials to build it.


    If possible, he was also considering making it directly inside the spike. Not only would it work as a mobile base, but in case things became worse, they could use it to escape. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spike''s speed, already fast, boosted by life force and their abilities, would make the result even better.


    Meanwhile, back in the cultivation world, after Feng Xue talked with Situ Cuiying, the rumor about the Xueqi family treasure died down. Only a few still talked about it.


    The reason was that the Situ family made an announcement that the treasure was not in their hands.


    This pushed away all the rogue cultivators but pulled interest from their rivals. They wondered what treasure could pull the Situ family patriarch''s interest.


    As for the Yang family, there was no news, only some rumors spread that one of their young masters had gotten into an accident.


    They put a tight lid on it, as their family was now focused on looking for Yang Fei.


    Near the Blue Lotus Sect, a large amount of water was pouring down toward the river. A beauty sat in a daze while dipping her feet in the crystal-clear water.


    A middle-aged man then suddenly appeared behind her. He had stayed in the area for a while, gazing at the beauty trying to gain any extra information he could. But he didn''t learn anything new.


    When his daughter contacted him, mentioning the name he thought he would never hear again, his heart almost jumped out with excitement.


    He always thought he would never have the chance to redeem himself.


    "Are you really her?"


    Feng Xue turned her gaze backward, her lips curled into a cold smile.


    "You have observed me for a while but still ask this question. You cannot tell it''s me, Little Tu?"


    Hearing the nickname made the middle-aged man sigh in relief. He had thought it was a possibility that this was a trap. If this were true, it would mean huge trouble for his family.


    The man called Little Tu became emotional. Heavy guilt overwhelmed him, making him drop to his knees, his forehead to the ground.


    "Aunt Feng, I am sorry. At that time¡­"


    Feng Xue cut him off with a cold snort. "Spare your sympathy. You should know why I asked you here."


    The middle-aged man''s fists clenched.


    "This time, there will be no more obstacles. I will support you all the way."


    Feng Xue gazed coldly at the man she called Little Tu for a moment before she turned her gaze back to the river.


    "Tell me everything that happened after my death."


    The man then sat in a cross-legged position and started telling her what happened.


    Meanwhile, in Alex''s world, Emil, as Alex suspected, was now drowning in paperwork; she hadn''t taken a step out of her office.


    Olivia was there helping her while Quartz was out preparing to open the academy.


    Zold was busy with his own practice, leaving William and Alice to their own devices.


    Alice was often seen going around the SGE Complex and occasionally going out with Quartz.


    As for William, after he learned how to speak the language Alex used, he rented an apartment in a nearby city and started studying the market. He spent his days opening a restaurant and at night, he cultivated.


    The days passed dully for them but not for the association. Solomon Arkham was now seated at his table looking at the report with a frown, each stamped as the utmost priority.


    "The northern barrier has been pushed again; we lost another territory. Hunters killed in action¡­"


    "President, I told you this would happen, and now we''ve lost contact with Luca''s team."


    "No need to remind me. You think I don''t know?


    Sometimes, we need to take a few steps back before moving ahead," Solomon said with a sigh.


    He then asked, "How about the progress on them?"


    "The others have already moved as you expected. We already got a call from them requesting a meeting. Except for him."


    "Who?"


    "Sir Alex."


    Solomon''s eyes turned sharp; he didn''t believe Alex would just ignore the bait he had thrown.


    ''He must be busy with something. That is the only possibility,'' he thought.


    "Any noteworthy information from him?"


    "There are two new people who appeared at the Suzaku Guild after their dungeon dive; other than that, Sir Alex hasn''t gone out from the facility after he returned."


    Solomon tapped his finger on the table. After some thought, he said, "Send more people to follow those two."


    "Sir President, it''s not that I don''t want to but..." The secretary pointed at the paper on the table, "What about that?"


    Cough.


    "Of course, send the newbies; they could always gain more experience. The veteran ones will be sent here."


    "You allowed Lady Quartz and Olivia to return back, even quit the association, despite everyone else''s rejection.


    Just what is special with this family?"

 Chapter 233: Another World

    Solomon looked at the map on his table, then pointed at a few areas, "Move our people here to another place to bolster their defense.""But Sir, if we do that, that means the other city."


    "There is nothing more we can do.


    We have limited resources. Even if I don''t take Olivia and Quartz, it''s only two extra hunters; we all know it won''t change things in the big picture."


    Solmon said with stern tone, but his gaze were complicated. This mean there will be even more refuge.


    "How about those filth? Any movement?"


    "Hellgate was attacked by the Obsidian Order and Veil of Midnight; as for the reason, we don''t know yet."


    "Hmph. They reap what they sow, probably failed an important mission then lost their backer. Those humanity traitors," Solomon said with a displeased tone.


    "What about Luca''s team? Should we do something?" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Except you or I go there, no other hunter will help. You know where all our real elite are now."


    The secretary''s eyes turned sharp, and then she said in a determined voice, "No, I won''t leave you."


    Solomon let out a sigh, "I already told you it''s not your fault."


    But the secretary ignored his words, then continued briefing him on the next agenda.


    Back in the underwater world, Alex and MingYue had now reached halfway through their journey.


    Their force also kept growing; from one turtle they rode, now there are five other leviathan-class creatures swimming beside them.


    Two creatures looked like sharks with long bodies, while the other three were turtles with some minor differences.


    Their shells were not filled with spikes. Instead, they were bigger and more dense, making them more suitable for defense.


    They were now inside one of the spikes. Vesa carved some space runes, making the size bigger, and Alex imbued it with a protection array.


    While doing this, Vesa started teaching Alex how to use runes.


    "King, runes in essence are not much different from arrays. The only difference is the circuit allows us to imbue it with life force," Vesa explained as it used its wing to point at some part of the formation.


    Alex focused his attention on this, not wanting to miss out.


    Despite what Vesa said about enabling the formation to use life force, Alex needed to change the core formation to make sure it still worked as intended. It wasn''t that simple.


    MingYue sat on the couch looking at them with a smile. She found it funny as their interaction reminded her of how she taught MingHao in the past.


    She then turned her gaze toward a TV screen that showed what was happening outside.


    Despite the change of depth, the area didn''t change much. Only it had more plant variety as the creatures became more and more sparse.


    She also saw most of the creatures seemed to be hiding under the seabed.


    Many of the plants had something that was glowing on their parts; it looked like a fruit, but based on the information they got from the beast, the plant was not that simple.


    If they got close, it would start attacking them. It''s not weird as the sun barely reached this depth, making the plants need to find another source of nutrients.


    When they reached six thousand meters, approximately 19,685 feet or about 3.728 miles, things started to change.


    The beasts stopped in their tracks, not daring to move forward.


    To move forward, they needed to enter through a crater. The size was big enough for all of them to enter, but something deterred them from moving forward.


    Usually, none of the beasts would dare to enter this spot.


    But since they were now bound to Alex and MingYue, they had no choice in the matter.


    Despite their instincts, the group made its way downward. As they swam, the area started to change drastically.


    First, the water pressure rose many times over to the point that it started hurting the shark leviathans.


    This made Alex order them to stay on guard outside. They then stopped going deeper when they met with something like a barrier.


    It gave out a bright light, and it felt like seeing a huge pearl.


    "Any idea, Vesa?" Alex asked.


    They needed a way to enter it undetected if possible since they didn''t know what kind of enemy they would face inside.


    "I have a way, but it will require much of my energy; afterward, I will need to sleep, so both of you will be alone for a few days."


    Alex and MingYue looked at each other and then nodded. It was better than forcefully entering inside.


    Even without Vesa, they would still be able to fend for themselves.


    The worst thing is that they would just lose the map function. As for emotions, Alex could use his ability to detect whether they were lying or not.


    "Alright, King, Queen, follow me."


    Alex and MingYue then got out from the turtle and started swimming near the pearl-like barrier.


    Vesa turned into a red fog that covered both of them. Alex and MingYue''s view then turned red. The next moment, they found themselves inside the pearl.


    As Vesa''s voice appeared in front of them,


    [I wish you luck, King Alex, Queen Mingyue]


    Fresh air started blowing at their faces, and to their surprise, they found themselves high in the sky, falling to the ground.


    They tried to use their qi, but it was like something in the atmosphere was pressing against them, making them unable to use it outside their bodies.


    Thankfully, they had other energy life force. By mixing it with their qi, it canceled out the pressure, allowing them to float, slowing down their descent.


    As they were dropping, they took the time to observe the area.


    They could see a village a distance away. And they could feel rich life energies surrounding them.


    "MingYue, I remember Vesa said Alucard''s part in this place is not a lot, but with this much energy, don''t we have a higher percentage?"

 Chapter 234: Dissagreement

    MingYue put some thought into it, then replied, "I think this is because the blood is used to transform our being."Alex agreed; he just somehow felt it was wasted since, with that much energy, he could have accomplished many things.


    But he knew he couldn''t complain¡ªhe was now almost unkillable and could also absorb life force from other beings.


    His body also strengthened on top of being a cultivator and awakener.


    Then he remembered something, "Does anyone show symptoms of awakening their power?"


    As the Bai Yue sect had been infused with high levels of Mana for a while, Alex thought maybe it had already started showing symptoms of awakening.


    "If you mean gaining power like yours, then none. As for small symptoms, I need to ask Vesa about it."


    "I see," Alex replied.


    As Vesa was now unconscious, there was nothing they could do. They then turned their attention back to the land that was getting closer to them.


    They were falling into a forest that looked very normal without anything strange. But this made it even weirder for them¡ªthe life force in the area was so abundant the they are sure it should give some major effect.


    Since their appearance didn''t evolve, it only meant they were evolving in a scarier way¡ªthey gained unique attributes or special abilities.


    BAM!


    Both of them landed on the ground, creating a small crack. "Let''s go around the forest first to study the area."


    "Why not go near the settlement?" MinYue asked.


    "Settlements have many people; who knows what kind of ability they have?


    And with so much life energy in the air now, our detection is not that good."


    "And that''s why we should go to the settlement.


    What if we meet a beast? At least we can talk with a sentient being."


    "Sentients are always more dangerous, MingYue.


    Don''t you have your own experience in your world?


    At least with animals, we can go straight for the kill and then learn their abilities.


    We can also capture some and gain their abilities."


    "We can also do the same with sentient beings. The information we get will be far more consistent than from beasts."


    Both arguments were correct, so their debate turned into a standstill.


    They looked at each other, but no one wanted to budge. Despite liking MingYue, this doesn''t mean he need to accept with everything she proposed.


    He agreed with MingYue''s point, but he had his own repulsion toward capturing sentient beings.


    There was also the possibility of the conflict escalating and harming innocents. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for MingYue, who grew up in a dog-eat-dog world, she only preferred the most effective and direct way.


    In her mind, even if things went wrong, they would still win the fight.


    The abundant life force meant they could regenerate continuously. She could also use her secret technique with life force without care.


    If she weren''t stuck on how to raise her realm, staying here would surely raise it by a few major stages.


    As for innocents getting killed in conflict, MingYue didn''t think much about it. That''s just how the world works¡ªsurvival of the fittest.


    Both of them then fell silent.


    After some time passed, Alex sighed, "Fine, how about we make our way to the settlement while capturing some beasts in the area?"


    "That is the most effective way," MingYue replied coldly.


    They then started walking toward the village they saw, keeping some distance between them. The atmosphere made them feel too weird to start talking first.


    As he walked, Alex thought, ''It''s been a long time since we met, and now we''re already fighting. But she is really merciless.


    Not that I could blame her¡ªthat''s just the place she lived in.''


    MingYue, meanwhile, could guess what Alex thought of her.


    They had communicated a lot, and never had this kind of disagreement before. This make her feel confused, wondering why they had this conflict.


    ''It''s not like I''m a cruel woman. Doesn''t he know our current situation?


    We are in a completely new place, not knowing anything.


    Even the leviathan beast above was already hard to kill, and who knows what kind of enemy we will face here.


    He''s still too soft.''


    Deep down Alex also feel the same like her.


    They knew their differences and got along well when calling each other from their worlds.


    It''s like a couple meeting from a long-distance relationship, thinking they knew their partner only to find out it''s all wrong.


    Since their relationship already decided, MingYue started thinking of Alex as her man.


    She had also opened her heart a few times to him, something she had never done before, not even with her family. But now, after only a minor conflict, the situation had turned cold, as if they were strangers.


    It kept going like this, as no one knew what to do.


    Both of them had no experience in relationships.


    Alex only knew how it felt to be rejected, while MingYue''s own experience could be summarized as rejecting everyone who tried to court her.


    As they went deeper into the forest, their alert level started rising.


    There was a huge problem¡ªthey didn''t meet a single animal, not even an insect. It was like a paradise for flora, with no predator exist.


    "Wait, MingYue, let me check something," Alex said.


    MingYue didn''t reply and simply stopped in her tracks.


    She then looked at Alex, wondering what he was going to do. Normally, she would ask him about it, but because of the circumstance, she reverted to the one thing she knew the best¡ªacting cold.


    Seeing her act like this reminded him of their first meeting. But Alex didn''t know what to do and decided to focus on the task at hand.


    He moved toward a nearby tree. Its quite large but not in exaggerated size. It''s barely three time Alex''s height. The tree have many green leaves. Alex also spotted some white flower growing from the branch


    He took out a combat knife and tried stabbing it into the tree. Alex wanted to extract some sap to analyze.

 Chapter 235: Elves?

    Even without Vesa, he could still do some preliminary research.Swosh!


    Alex thrust the knife forward, expecting it to pierce the tree bark. But what happened was unexpected.


    The moment the knife pierced the bark, it was like the bark turned into a sponge, and the knife was just a normal wooden stick¡ªit was pushed back out.


    It was like Alex was punching rubber.


    He blinked a few times to process what had happened, then turned his gaze to the knife, which had lost its blade.


    There was no sound of metal breaking; it was like the blade had been eaten by the tree.


    Alex focused his gaze on the tree, then looked at his hand. He hesitated for a moment before becoming determined.


    He started moving his shoulder, trying to punch the tree, but only halfway through, his fist was stopped.


    MingYue''s cold hand gripped it.


    "What do you think you''re doing? Are you stupid?" She asked coldly.


    With what had happened before, Alex felt irked by being called stupid, so he raised his tone a bit and retorted, "What do you think I''m doing? I''m trying to find out more about the tree."


    "By sacrificing your own hand? Are you crazy?"


    "I can regenerate it anyway. What''s the problem? It''s not like I''m asking you to do it."


    Alex''s reply made MingYue''s veins throb.


    "And what use is that? You might as well cut it off yourself and throw it toward the tree.


    Then, great. You find some of its features, but what use is that?


    We will find out all the same after binding one of the people here. Stop wasting time."


    Alex''s lips twitched. He had many words forming in his mind, but he held them all back.


    He knew they were just venting his anger and would only hurt both of them.


    "Fine, you go first then, I''ll just follow from behind," Alex replied, his tone tinged with irritation.


    MingYue''s gaze lingered on Alex''s for a moment. She felt like saying more but decided against it.


    Her reasoning was similar to Alex''s; she didn''t want to escalate things further. She began leading the way toward the village.


    They passed a variety of plants, some of which even bore fruit. Each time they encountered these, Alex''s gaze lingered, but then he would notice MingYue looking at him coldly.


    This make him abandoned any thought of cutting or eating the fruit.


    It happened several times before they finally neared the village They noticed a humanoid figure climbing one of the trees, seemingly reaching for a fruit that looked like an apple but with crimson red skin, like a tomato.


    They were alarmed because, as expected, they couldn''t depend solely on detecting life force in this place¡ªthe area was too saturated with it, making it difficult to pinpoint the man''s presence until he moved.


    Fortunately, their eyes were sharp enough to spot him.


    The figure wore long pants and a robe-like shirt.


    The fabric looked unique to them, colored brown and green like it was made from wood and leaves, yet flexible enough to suggest it had been turned to a thread before being woven into cloth.


    The man had long, golden hair tied into a ponytail at the back He had blue eyes and a handsome face, But the most striking feature Alex noticed was his ears¡ªthey were long, like those of an elf.


    ''Let''s capture him, then you can put him in awecube,'' MingYue suggested telepathically.


    ''MingYue, he looks like a normal villager. We can''t just bind him like that.''


    ''Then what''s your proposal? Knock him out and interrogate him for information?'' S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''No, we captured him and tried to negotiate to get a better understanding of the area.''


    ''That won''t work. In the first place, are you sure you can understand his language?''


    ''I''ve already copied Vesa''s language library, so as long as he doesn''t speak some entirely new language, I''m confident I can talk to him.


    If not, I''ll just use my ability to analyze his speech.''


    MingYue felt Alex''s approach was too ineffective and a waste of time, but she knew that if she rebuffed him again, he would probably get mad, which she didn''t want


    ''Fine, you negotiate with him, then.''


    She then looked at the man Since her ability was ice-based, it would be better for her to knock the man down.


    Her initial plan was to encase the man in an ice coffin, but since Alex wanted to negotiate, it was best to keep things as amicable as possible.


    MingYue used her qi to create a small puddle of water, then shot it toward the tree.


    The amount was negligible and would cause no damage, but for the man in the tree, it was more than enough.


    The water splashed onto one of the branches he intended to jump to. It was still a few steps away, so he didn''t notice anything strange until it was too late.


    The moment he jumped onto the puddle that MingYue had purposely made slippery like oil, he tripped.


    The man fell from the tree, his head crashing to the ground.


    ''Your turn,'' MingYue''s voice reverberated in Alex''s mind.


    But Alex didn''t move immediately. He wanted to see if the man had been knocked out.


    The best scenario would be if the man owed them for helping him. Judging by his appearance, his civilization seemed cultured.


    Alex started calculating his chances and decided to tilt the odds in his favor.


    There was too much life force in the air for the man to be knocked out easily. He took out a small sphere and flicked it toward the ground where the man would fall.


    Caught off guard by the fall, the man didn''t notice the sphere. It hit the ground and exploded, releasing an odorless gas with strong anesthetic properties.


    This sphere was a reward Alex had obtained from the last dungeon.


    Within seconds, the man fell unconscious.


    Alex cautiously approached, making sure he was knocked out. MingYue stood close by, her expression unreadable.

 Chapter 236: Sovereign

    Alex cautiously approached, making sure he was still breathing. MingYue stood close by, her expression unreadable.After some checking, Alex was sure the man was knocked out. He then took some of the man blood sample with syringe.


    "And you complained when I suggested putting him inside awe cube."


    "This is different. I''m just taking sample to get more information on him."


    MingYue sighed and didn''t respond further. In her perspective taking blood is no different than Awecube.


    There are many thing that could be done with blood like that. For example putting curse or locating the blood owner.


    Of course it won''t work with just any blood, it need a clean one that taken directly from the body.


    "Should we move him?" MingYue asked.


    "No, it''s better to wake him up here."


    The anesthetic was quite potent. On a normal awakener, it could knock them out cold for an hour, but Alex didn''t want to wait that long.


    He took out another item resembling incense. "MingYue, wear your gas mask."


    "Can''t I just hold my breath?" MingYue asked. She disliked wearing a gas mask, as it made breathing harder.


    "Well, don''t blame me later; I''ve already warned you," Alex replied. He then broke the incense into small parts, putting the rest back in his storage ring.


    Swish!


    Using qi, he ignited the incense, and a yellow fog began spreading in the area. Alex already had a gas mask on, fully covering his nose.


    Despite holding her breath, MingYue quickly felt nauseous as the smoke reached her nose.


    The smell was so pungent that even without inhaling it, its effects were immediate upon contact. Seeing MingYue''s gross expression, Alex chuckled.


    In one swift motion, MingYue donned her gas mask. Her cold eyes locked sharply onto Alex, hearing his laugh.


    "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?"


    In her mind, Alex knew she didn''t like wearing gas masks even before now.


    He could have warned her about the unbearable smell and explained it like usual, but no, he lit the incense directly.


    Before Alex could respond, a puking sound drew their attention.


    The poor elf woke up with a headache and nausea. He than vomited on the ground, unable to handle the smell.


    He felt as if someone was rocking his brain from the inside while twisting his intestines.


    Alex took a cup of spiced water and placed it beside the man, who drank it without thinking.


    Looking at this, Alex couldn''t help but thought.


    ''Fall from a tree, get knocked out, then smell Emperor Skunk Incense to wake up, and drink Aetheric Dragon Piss to refresh¡ªwhat a bad day to be an elf.''


    But the elf didn''t know this. Despite its origins, he felt refreshed after drinking it.


    Thankfully, the Emperor Skunk Incense didn''t last long. Even with his abundant life force, Alex wonder could the plant here survive the smell.


    He also doubted the filter in his mask would have lasted another second before spoiling. As the smell dispersed, Alex removed his mask.


    MingYue eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before removing hers. She wanted to ensure the smell was really gone.


    She know another second with the smell she will probably vomit, even with her strong constitution.


    No matter how strong someone is, they can''t underestimate the damage a foul stench can do.


    As the man felt refreshed, he began to take in his surroundings. Noticing other people nearby, he quickly grew alert and studied them. The first appear in his view was Alex, who stood closest.


    The man''s gaze turned cautious at Alex''s strange clothing, and his presence made the man wary. But when he saw Alex''s face, he froze.


    His face went pale, and his eyes filled with fear. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly knelt on the ground and bowed his head, not daring to look them in the face.


    "Please, s... spare me! I didn''t realize I was in the presence of a Sover...#*$n."


    Alex made out some words, but for MingYue, it was complete gibberish.


    "Alex, translation," MingYue said.


    "Give me a minute; he''s speaking in an altered Edonia language."


    "Edonia?" MingYue was surprised to hear this.


    Many possibilities crossed her mind; ''Does this mean a survivor from the vampire race is here? Or is it leftover knowledge from Alucard''s part? And the way the man kneels before me...''


    MingYue was no stranger to this scene, which was similar to how people bowed to cultivators in her world.


    Meanwhile, Alex used his ability to translate the rest of the words.


    Since he already knew part of it, using his ability wasn''t difficult. It didn''t take long for him to finish.


    "He''s calling us Sovereign and asking us to spare him."


    "Sovereign, is that like royalty here?"


    "Maybe." Alex then focused on the man. "Why did you call me Sovereign?"


    The man''s body trembled with fear. Instead of answering, he pleaded, "Please, sir, I didn''t know you were here. I have a family at home. Please, spare me."


    Alex frowned at the man''s insistence. He decided to play along. "If you want me to spare you, answer my question."


    The elf gulped, carefully choosing his next words. "It''s because of your crimson eyes, sir."


    Alex raised an eyebrow and began interrogating him. Based on the information he gathered, the area had one large city surrounded by many villages.


    The populace was divided into three classe;: Sovereign, noble, and grassroots. Grassroots were commoners like him.


    Those who were taken by the Sovereign class or made significant contributions would be promoted to noble. Only those with red eyes, like Alex, belonged to the highest class.


    The Sovereign had complete control over the other classes and could do anything they wanted without repercussions.


    Laws only bound them if they committed a crime against other Sovereigns. This was why the man feared Alex.


    He had heard many horror stories about the Sovereign.


    They treated the other classes like toys, with the grassroots getting the worst treatment. At least when dealing with nobles, the Sovereign would consider other Sovereigns'' reactions.

 Chapter 237: Spar

    Beyond this, the man didn''t know much. Sovereign has rarely seen this far away from the city.Their number is few, but he heard all of them were ageless.


    Alex then asked if all grassroots looked like him. To this, the man answered yes. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only exception is Noble; they sometimes have mixed features with Sovereign. But only those born with red eyes will be raised as Sovereign.


    "What are you doing here, then?"


    "I am looking for food for my family, sovereign."


    "Did you hunt?"


    "Hunt?"


    "I mean, eat meat. Is your diet only fruit and vegetables?" Alex asked.


    He want to find out where all the animals were. Or did this place really have none?


    "Yes, sovereign. I never eat meat. We never break any rules."


    "What other rules are there?" MignYue asked.


    The man then started listing everything carefully, down to the dot and comma. He didn''t suspect them at all.


    He just wanted to quickly leave the area and return to his family. The poor elf thought these two sovereigns were just messing with him.


    His heart were filled with fear that they will kill him. ''What would my family do without me?'' he thought.


    After hearing everything, MingYue excused the man.


    She then looked at Alex. There was a lot of information to help them understand the situation.


    "We cannot keep going like this. Since the number of sovereigns is small, they could easily find us.


    Disguising as nobles or grassroots is also risky.


    I suggest we capture two sovereigns and try to bring them under our control. If that''s not possible, we should disguise it as them."


    With how the Sovereign treat noble and Grassroots, disguising as them will just end up as conflict.


    There is no way any of them will stand still when the sovereign act with impunity.


    Alex considered their choices. Hearing the elf''s story, he had no sympathy for the nobles and sovereigns.


    "Let''s go somewhere else and confirm the information we got. Even though he isn''t lying, it doesn''t mean everything is accurate."


    MingYue thought for a moment, then suggested, "Why not send out Petricia and the other high goblins?


    They can gather information. We already know their appearance and conduct."


    "That''s risky, but you''re right. This is probably the best plan," Alex replied.


    "And, Alex, we cannot be soft. This place is just like my world¡ªit''s dog-eat-dog here.


    Just look at the rules; even the animals are monopolized by nobles. When the nobles give orders, the elves can''t refuse.


    They are nothing more than entertainment for them," MingYue said.


    She was sure the sovereigns here were rotten to the core.


    A small group of ageless people doing whatever they wanted for centuries without any external threats, the result is obvious.


    They might have different views, but Alex and MingYue agreed on this.


    Alex nodded, then pointed to his awecube. "Come out, Petricia, Zargath, Vexgore."


    Light shot out, materializing the trio.


    "Greetings, King, Queen. What are your orders?" they asked in unison, as they kneel.


    Alex handed them bangles for disguise. He then assigned them the mission to infiltrate the village, confirm the information, and give them a few hours before returning.


    The bangles came from Felidaen technology. It didn''t face any issues in this space aside from limited time usage.


    The trio then moved out, leaving Alex and MingYue alone.


    "Who do you think made this elf?" MingYue asked.


    "Probability-wise, they weren''t made. Probably, a vampire who escaped here brought them from outside, and they already had slave status at that point," Alex replied.


    His biggest concern was how strong the sovereigns were.


    From his interrogation, the elves didn''t seem to have any special abilities¡ªsome just used martial arts.


    But Alex didn''t believe this was the case.


    He was sure some had abilities, but the sovereigns took them as nobles and left the rest as grassroots.


    This noble system was likely designed to suppress rebellion. Strong individuals received special treatment, so they preferred to maintain this system.


    ''Even their own kind mistreats them. Their anger isn''t aimed at a specific race¡ªthey''re focused on class divisions within the elves while they enjoy everything. Those scumbags,'' Alex thought.


    While he considered the situation, MingYue also thought about their current predicament.


    She looked at Alex, her gaze becoming determined. "Alex, let''s fight."


    Alex''s eyes widened, and his ears perked up, all his thoughts dispersed as he focused on MingYue.


    Before he could reply, she had already drawn her sword and dashed at him.


    Caught by surprise, Alex grabbed his embershift hammer to meet the attack head-on.


    CLANG!


    His hammer collided with her sword, and Alex felt his hand sore from the impact.


    "Your posture isn''t right, Alex," MingYue said.


    "Why do you suddenly want to fight?"


    "We don''t know what kind of enemy we''ll face. It''s better for us to spar now to get used to each other''s movements.


    Trust me; this is the fastest method. No qi or lifeforce," MingYue replied.


    She used her leg as a pivot and spun her body. Her sword deflected the hammer while inching closer to Alex''s neck.


    Alex ducked in response, and the sword grazed his hair. He knew MingYue was serious; if he hadn''t dodged, the sword would''ve at least cut his skin.


    Alex swiped his leg to counterattack, aiming at her ankle.


    BAM! His kick met MingYue''s as she maneuvered behind him.


    Alex recalled a secret technique he had learned. Although he couldn''t use qi or lifeforce, he could mimic its movements to train his muscles.


    BAM! Clang! Bang!


    The hammer and sword clashed repeatedly until they eventually dropped their weapons and fought with fists and kicks.


    MingYue did this to correct his form. Despite his dungeon experience, Alex never had real martial arts training.


    His mind knew what to do, but his muscles needed conditioning.


    Each hit from Mingyue give Alex a lot of pain, some even broke his bone. But with his regenartion this healed quickly.


    Meanwhile, Alex hesitated to strike MingYue in the face, instead targeting her limbs, making his attack very predicatle.


    "Alex, take this seriously. Don''t play around. No matter the gender, you need to attack with all you''ve got."

 Chapter 238: Trouble?

    "Fine, you''re the one asking for it," Alex replies.He knows she''s right, but it''s not easy for him. So far, he only fights against monsters and dark hunters.


    Not only because she is a woman, attacking anyone without any hostility will make him hesitate.


    Alex takes a deep breath, trying to focus solely on the fight, clearing his mind of unnecessary thoughts.


    Like a flick of a switch, the atmosphere around Alex changed. This caught MingYue by surprise. Not everyone could change their mind quickly like that.


    Bam!


    Alex starts taking the initiative.


    This time, he targets MingYue''s face, but his movement isn''t swift enough, allowing her to dodge it easily.


    She counters with a knee to his stomach, but having learned from past experiences, Alex blocks the attack.


    As time progresses, Alex starts getting accustomed to her movements, and his attacks become more refined and stronger.


    His mind is now singularly focused on attacking the opponent in front of him.


    He thrusts his fist toward her stomach, but MingYue sidesteps swiftly, letting the punch hit the air.


    Alex kicks his foot forward and leaps away, putting some distance between them. He then turns around to face MingYue.


    Usually, MingYue would already be in front of him, delivering a kick or punch. It''s happened many times before. But this time, she isn''t there. Instead, he senses her presence behind him.


    Alex raises his hand and points his elbow backward to strike.


    Bam!


    It connects with MingYue''s fist. In response, Alex raises his knee toward her torso. Normally, MingYue would gracefully dodge this using her footwork, but this time she doesn''t.


    MingYue starts attacking aggressively. She notices Alex has gotten used to her movements, so she switches to close-quarter combat.


    Her normal fight style was attacking when a gap opened and then putting some distance before going back, but now She wants Alex to gain as much experience as possible.


    Taken by surprise, one of her punches hits Alex square in the eye. Since their strength is similar, Alex doesn''t get pushed back. He counters with a punch to MingYue''s gut.


    They start trading blows, but neither leaves a mark on the other since they''re only using pure physical strength. But this doesn''t mean it doesn''t hurt.


    Even tough they don''t use qi and lifeforce on purpose, it will still pasively protect their body.


    For normal attack to damage them it will need to have leviathan class creature weight behind it.


    After a few hits, Alex''s focus starts to falter. He''s still engaged in the fight, but unnecessary thoughts begin filling his mind.


    Thoughts like his close proximity to MingYue, her pleasant scent, and her body warmth¡ªall make it hard for Alex to concentrate. He can''t help it; no matter how real VR is, it''s still different from the real world.


    Even though he can''t pinpoint exactly what''s different, maybe it''s just because he knows it''s all fake.


    Alex''s intense gaze makes MingYue feel uncomfortable. This slows her movements, creating an opening for Alex.


    Alex throws a punch, but when he gets close, his fist opens into a palm, pushing MingYue to the ground.


    Lying above her, only a small distance away, makes both their hearts beat loudly. Their bodies start to feel hot.


    Seeing her beautiful face, Alex swallows nervously. Her long eyelashes, rosy cheeks, and crimson lips.


    They gaze into each other''s crimson eyes. MingYue sees desire in Alex, while Alex sees something that reminds him to control himself.


    It''s not the relationship he wants. Though they''re bonded by the system, Alex doesn''t want that to be the foundation of their bond.


    He quickly stands up and says, "Sorry, I didn''t mean it that way."


    MingYue''s eyes flicker for a moment before returning to her usual calm.


    "It''s fine. I think we''ve practiced enough.


    So far, you''ve only fought those much weaker than you. You need more practice against those at the same level; otherwise, your instincts won''t sharpen," MingYue advises.


    Seeing MingYue not making a fuss about what happened, Alex feels relieved.


    Little does he know it''s just her exterior; inside MingYue''s mind, her emotion is like a raging wave. LinHua has seen everything since they arrived in this world.


    At first, she kept asking nonstop about all the new information she was learning. However, her focus quickly changed when MingYue started bickering with Alex.


    LingHua now acts like an excited high school girl who loves gossiping, constantly saying things that could easily make any virgin shoot blood from their nose then die from anemia.


    MingYue turns a deaf ear to all this. She regrets putting LinHua in her earring.


    ''Kya~ Will you have your first kiss now?''


    ''So you have a boyfriend? No wonder you''re more forgiving. The old MingYue would have killed me for sure.''


    Many similar phrases keep echoing in her mind. That''s why, after Alex puts some distance between them, the first thing MingYue does is store the crystal in her ring.


    ''I should have done this from the beginning. What was I thinking?'' MingYue thought.


    Alex considers offering MingYue a drink but changes his mind when he gets a message from Petricia. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "MingYue, we have a problem."


    "Explain."


    Some time ago, after receiving orders, Petricia, Zargath, and Vexgore went their separate ways.


    Petricia move toward the nearest village while Zargath and Vexgore explored different areas.


    Vexgore didn''t find any cities and continued exploring the forest, but Zargath had a different experience.


    While exploring, he encountered a caravan.


    The group consisted of three wagons and a dozen guards. The wagons were pulled by animals looking like a horses.


    They had red eyes, six legs, and bodies covered in black scales. Each wagon was pulled by one of these creatures.


    Around them, dozens of people stood guard. Zargath decided to follow them from a distance. It was a good opportunity to gather information.


    Judging by the appearance of the wagons, Zargath could tell they were owned by at least a noble.


    The wagons were adorned with decorations that grassroot class wouldn''t bother with.

 Chapter 239: Sorcerer

    As the wagon continues on its way, dozens of people dressed in black and wearing masks block their path.Their black uniforms resemble those of ninjas, while the masks are made of wood with only holes for their eyes. The wood retains the texture of bark.


    They also wield weapons made of the same material, some carrying spears while others are equipped with bows.


    They attack immediately without making any demands. Compared to the attackers, the guards are better equipped.


    Their armor appears to be made of leather, with wooden pieces encasing the chest, shoulders, stomach, and other vulnerable areas.


    Each guard carries a stone sword, and something resembling a boomerang is strapped to their waists. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the conflict begins, the wagon doesn''t stop but keeps moving forward.


    A rain of arrows falls toward the caravan, stabbing the roof and walls. The arrows that hit the horses got deflected by their scale as the guards adeptly parried each projectile.


    Clang! Clang!


    While the guards are occupied, six attackers sprint forward, skillfully dodging every defender, aiming directly for the wagon wheels.


    One of them moves close and swiftly stabs a sword into the wheel hub.


    This halts the wagon''s movement, tilts it, and causes it to overturn.


    Despite this, the horses keep moving, dragging the wagon along the ground.


    The contents spill out many boxes filled with gemstones.


    If Alex or Mingyue were present, they would recognize these as the same crystals found at the sea, with slight differences. This batch is carved with runes and comes in many colors.


    Seeing this, the attackers'' eyes gleam with greed. They quickly jump in to grab the box.


    Suddenly, a whistle sounds from inside one of the wagons, and the horses immediately stop.


    Clack!


    The door opens, revealing a beautiful woman in her prime. She has an hourglass figure and amber eyes.


    Her height is shorter than Alex and Mingyue, reaching up to their shoulders. Despite her angelic voice and face, her words are far from sweet.


    "You filth, how dare you block my path!"


    The woman holds a yellow crystal necklace around her neck, which then shines brightly, transforming into a long staff.


    Upon seeing this, one of the attackers screams, "It''s a sorcerer! Run! The intel we got is wrong!"


    The group holding the gemstone box flees while the others rush the woman to buy time. Those with bows continue launching arrows, paralyzing the guards.


    The woman raises her staff, chanting silently. The staff is crowned with a yellow crystal cut like a diamond, which begins to glow brightly.


    The ground vibrates as if gravity has been removed, causing everyone, including her own people, to float. Only the horse and wagon were spared.


    One of the men in black armor picks up a green gemstone from the pile.


    He closes his eyes, focusing, and begins chanting, but his incantation is far longer and louder than the woman''s.


    Hearing the man try to cast a spell, the woman''s amber eyes flare with anger. She starts another chant.


    Both crystals shine simultaneously.


    The man with the green crystal becomes enveloped in the wind and swiftly flies away, leaving the area.


    As for the woman, yellow energy starts gathering around her from the crystal, turning into spheres.


    She then slammed the end of the staff to the ground.


    "Arcane bolts," she murmurs.


    Swosh! Swosh! Swosh!


    Each energy sphere shoots out like a homing missile, targeting everyone in the area, including her guards.


    When the bolts hit, their targets'' bodies explode as if struck by a cannon. The armor is destroyed like tofu, while their flesh turns into a mangled mess.


    Unfortunately, the man wielding the wind has already fled out of the attack area, successfully escaping with the box of gemstones.


    Zargath watches everything unfold without any intention to intervene.


    He decides to contact Alex to ask what to do next, he have two option either follow the man who escaped or track the noble. But before he can act, one of the yellow spheres heads in his direction.


    He tries to flee, but the sphere relentlessly follows him. Realizing he can''t escape, Zargath begins utilizing his qi.


    He channels it to enhance his physical strength as he draws his weapon¡ªa sword and a round shield. He focuses Qi in his arms and legs as he confronts the projectile.


    BANG!


    The sphere crashes into the shield and explodes. Zargath feels as though he has just blocked a cannonball. His hands throb despite being imbued with qi.


    Zargath looks up at the angelic-faced woman floating in the sky, her silver hair fluttering in the wind.


    "You filth, how dare you look at me like that!" she shouts angrily.


    In the woman''s eyes, Zargath looks like a regular elf. Commoners generally avoid eye contact with nobles, as it is seen as a sign of disrespect.


    That is why her first reaction was to get angry at him. She already had a bad day getting punished for guarding a shipment, and now the cargo was snatched. She knows a punishment is waiting for her.


    Despite her harsh words, she doesn''t underestimate him. He has survived her attack and still exudes confidence.


    The woman also never saw the weapon he wields.


    Zargath quickly reacts, sending a message to Alex while simultaneously throwing his shield. He doesn''t want to give the woman any time to think.


    It curves through the air, passing by the woman and leaving her confused. But she doesn''t have time to think.


    Zargath channels Qi to his legs and leaps toward her. Despite not closing the gap entirely, it''s enough distance for him.


    A gun then appeared in his hand. He points it toward her and fires.


    BANG!


    Multiple shells fly through the air. What he fired was a shotgun.


    The woman is caught off guard but is prepared for such an attack; an invisible shield appears, blocking all the bullets.


    She breathes a sigh of relief and prepares a counterattack, but suddenly, a searing pain burns through her back.

 Chapter 240: Elvira, from the House of Duskmire.

    The shield that Zargath had thrown before curved through the sky, attacking her from behind.The barrier was still on cooldown, so she can''t defend herself. As the result The woman falls from the sky.


    In the air, she tried to cast another spell, but Zargath didn''t give her any opportunity. As he fell, he pointed the shotgun barrel at the woman.


    BANG!


    The woman was pushed back through the air, crashing into the ground. She felt like she had been hit by many hammers in her chest and hand.


    In all her life, she had never felt pain like this. It was so intense that it almost made her faint.


    If she were a normal human, she would already be on the ground, but she was a half-vampire, half-elf. She had also grown up in an area filled with abundant life force.


    This made her body robust, even without martial arts practice.


    Blood started seeping from her, painting her white robe red, but the wounds were only superficial. They only damaged her skin, and it was already starting to heal.


    Unfortunately, the woman didn''t have enough mental strength to withstand the pain.


    BANG! BANG!


    Zargath shot two more times to make sure the woman stayed down. This time, the woman felt her bones breaking.


    Her consciousness became even fuzzier, and everything in her view turned blurry. She tried to move her lips to cast a spell, but nothing happened.


    Zargath then kicked the staff out of her hand. He didn''t dare pick it up in case it had some protection mechanism.


    The moment the staff left her hand, it turned back into an amulet.


    He then turned his attention elsewhere, kneeling on one knee. "King, Queen."


    Alex and Mingyue arrived at the location. When they found out Zargath was in conflict with the noble, they quickly made their way there.


    As they moved, Mingyue suggested, "This time, we need to capture and interrogate her. Negotiation won''t work."


    Alex had already seen how everything unfolded through Zargath''s eyes. He knew he wouldn''t be able to reason with someone like her.


    "Not like we have a choice in the current situation," Alex said with a sigh.


    This was one of the times he wished Vesa was awake. He could have just thrown the woman to have a session with Vesa.


    ''But torture doesn''t necessarily have to be painful. For a noble like her, I bet I can find many ways to force her to talk,'' Alex thought.


    As the woman''s consciousness drifted away, Mingyue tied her up and told Zargath to bring her with them. But they didn''t immediately leave the area.


    Alex brought them back to the wagon since he wanted to capture the horses and check out the gemstones.


    The robbers had only taken one chest; three others were scattered on the ground. Two wagons were still intact. One had no chests, while the other contained a few.


    Alex took all of these into his storage ring and then captured the three horses. He wasn''t sure if it would work but decided to try since the horses were very docile.


    Whoever trained them had made them almost like robots, only moving when ordered.


    He planned to give it one try, then quickly bail if it failed. Who knew what countermeasures had been put in place for something like this? But Alex doubted there were any, given how arrogant the noble was.


    Alex threw the awe cube to the three horses. He smiled at the result as the creatures were caught without fighting back.


    They then moved to find a secure area to start the interrogation.


    Time passed, and the woman began waking up. Most of her wounds had already healed except for the internal ones.


    Her skin returned to its smooth, pristine white, but unfortunately, the same couldn''t be said for her robe. It was filled with holes. The dried blood and dirt made her look like a beggar.


    Upon waking up, she felt her hands and feet were tied up. Her memory surfaced, recalling the last time she was fighting against a strange grassroots class.


    Her heart shook with fear. She had heard of the horrors that happened when nobles were thrown into their midst.


    Even though those people were punished afterward, she would be scarred for life.


    The woman''s mind quickly turned to clarity. She looked around to find the best way out of her predicament.


    She found herself inside a brightly lit cavern tied to a chair. Looking around, her eyes widened when she saw someone with crimson eyes. For her, this was worse than being caught by the grassroots clan.


    Alex and Mingyue underestimated the importance of sovereigns in this place. Here, they were treated like gods.


    Being captured by the grassroots class might implicate her, but getting involved with the conflict of a sovereign could spell doom for her family.


    She was only a low-class noble who had risen thanks to her grandparent''s talent as a sorcerer.


    Alex had already planned to use the emperor skunk incense to force the woman to speak, but before he could become more creative, the woman began talking. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sir, I will cooperate with anything you want, but please don''t implicate my family," the woman said in a pleading voice, making Alex and Mingyue look at each other.


    ''Should we ask directly? But then she might realize we''re not a sovereign,'' Alex asked telepathically.


    ''She may suspect us, but she won''t dare challenge us. I think I understand the position of a sovereign here,'' Mingyue replied.


    She recognized the look of the woman: it was like a cultivator facing someone who could crush them like an ant.


    People who had already given up resisting and would do anything to be spared.


    "Tell me your name and where you come from," Mingyue asked.


    "Elvira, from the House of Duskmire."


    ''House of Duskmire? Any idea what that is, Alex?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Probably another word for clan or sect. If a real vampire really escaped here, than than the politic should not be that different. Have you heard about his from Vesa?''

 Chapter 241: Vampire Level

    ''I don''t like politics, so I don''t ask those,'' MingYue replied.In her mind, strength mattered above all; politics is just a waste of time done by those without real power.


    ''If there is a real vampire that runs away to this place, then this class system isn''t weird.


    Edonia also had a similar one, but it was more complicated with multiple classes and so many factions.


    The leader was Alucard, the progenitor. Under him was the Crimson Court, followed by many clans and houses.


    Only the strongest could enter the court.


    Alucard was quite open about this¡ªhe didn''t care about anyone''s background. This made the court separate into a few factions: the purists and non-purists.


    The non-purists were even more divided depending on their origin. But that''s not important right now.


    What I know is that pure vampires are separated into five classes; Newborn, Bloodling, Nightkeeper, Eclipsar, and Eternal.


    Vesa said the class is based on age and the life force they have. But one thing''s for sure, even a Bloodling could give Immortal a run for their money.''


    ''What do you mean by that?'' MingYue asked, unfamiliar with Alex''s idiom.


    ''Basically, a Bloodling could squash an Immortal like a bug.''


    ''That''s crazy!


    This is our first hunt, and we''re already facing something like this? Did Vesa screw us over?'' MingYue asked.


    ''She chose based on distance and probability. I guess we''re just having some bad luck.''


    ''Alex, I think we should bail.''


    MingYue began to have second thoughts about their mission. Based on the enemy''s strength level, they were facing something far stronger, out of their league.


    Even if they could succeed, at what cost?


    One of the first things she learned as a cultivator was never to go for a fight you can''t win.


    ''I understand your worry, MingYue, but we can''t bail before trying.''


    Compared to MingYue, Alex''s experience made him want to try everything before giving up. He still regretted many things.


    Even though he wasn''t as strong as his sister, he could still train and become more useful. Things would probably have gone differently that way.


    Who knows, maybe his father would escape. Despite the slim possibility, it was still there.


    ''What do you propose then? Fighting it out isn''t an option. And for something this important, I''m sure he keeps it with him all the time.


    Alex, if last time he was a Bloodling, I doubt he''s still one now.


    Did Vesa give any more information on that class? There must be a big reason they''re separated like that, like cultivation realms.''


    ''I only know some Newborn, as the name implies, means those that just became full-blood vampires.


    Some spend a long time at this stage. Others don''t.


    Only those who master all their vampire abilities become Bloodlines. I did hear from Vesa that there''s a time limit for this.''


    ''Why?''


    ''I asked Vesa that, but she''s always tight-lipped about Edonia. I only managed to gather these details after making many guesses and gauging her reaction.


    Vesa does tell me it doesn''t matter for us since we are Progenitor.''


    ''That makes things worse, Alex. Are you sure we should try this?'' MingYue asked. At this point they are barely count as newborn.


    Alex turned his gaze toward Elvira, his eyes glinting with determination.


    ''I need this, MingYue. If you''re afraid, you don''t need to join.


    It''ll be safer for both of us that way. You know, as long as one of us survives, the other can revived.''


    MingYue''s eyes turned cold, and she felt the urge to hit Alex on the head. She meant for them to approach things carefully, but somehow, he phrased it as if she didn''t want to do this.


    ''That''s not what I meant!


    Fine, let''s do it your way. But if things get worse, we''re escaping!


    Remember, Alex, you still have people who need you out there.''


    Alex nodded in response. He needed strength to rescue his father.


    After his dungeon dive in the labyrinth, he had an idea of what needed to be done to bring them back. In the worst-case scenario, he''d have to start a war in that secret realm and give a middle finger to whoever was managing the dungeon.


    ''Elvira, tell me, who do you think we are?'' Alex asked, baiting her to reveal more information.


    By asking this way, she''d try to guess and blurt out the situation involving the Sovereign. She wouldn''t have time to suspect Alex and MingYue.


    In reality, even if Alex asked directly, she wouldn''t dare to think like that. Just like the elves feared the Sovereign, so did Elvira.


    ''Sir, you are the Sovereign.''


    ''That wasn''t my question. You should know what I mean.''


    ''Sir must belong to Alucard''s faction. You discovered a shipment of Vitae owned by Vladmir, so you decided to hijack it for personal purposes.''


    She paused for a moment before adding, ''Look, sir, I''m prepared to do whatever you want as long as you leave my family out of this. Just mark me as yours.''


    This confused Alex; he had an idea of what she meant but wasn''t sure.


    MingYue looked at Alex, curious about his next move.


    They didn''t know how to mark people as theirs, but she guessed it was similar to making a half-vampire.


    Alex then focused on Elvira, observing her every movement and gesture. At the same time, he calculated every possibility, choosing the best one for him.


    His lips twisted into a cold grin as his crimson eyes glinted with killing intent.


    ''Elvira, who do you think you are? Are you trying to trap a Sovereign?


    You''re already marked by those ungrateful Vladmir. If I mark you as mine, he''ll find out quickly.


    You''ll just blame your helplessness on the situation and get out of this scot-free!''


    Elvira turned her gaze elsewhere, not daring to meet Alex''s eyes as fear began to dominate her mind.


    She''d said that intentionally to anger Alex.


    What he said was true. Her backer would find out everything. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Alex communicated with MingYue, she also thought through many scenarios and came to a dreadful decision: it''s better for her to die here.

 Chapter 242: Technology

    This way, nothing bad will happen to her family. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Seeing Elvira give no response, Alex tried to provoke her.


    He took out a sharp knife and thrust it toward her eyes, expecting her to open her mouth, beg, or at least say something.


    But to his surprise, Elvira stayed silent. She clenched her fist, tears falling from her closed eyes as she prepared to die.


    As the knife inched away from her face, his hand shook for a moment but then stopped. He gulped, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes briefly.


    When they opened again, his life force seemed to emerge from his body, raising his killing intent and turning it almost tangible.


    He then got close to Elvira''s ear and began to whisper.


    After a few minutes, he cut the rope binding Elvira and let her go, surprising MingYue.


    The words Alex whispered could only be heard by Elvira, despite MingYue''s sharp hearing. After Elvira left, MingYue looked at Alex suspiciously.


    "What did you say to her? Why did you let her go?"


    "It''s clear she won''t say anything further. I could try to put her under a system and force her to obey, but with that mark on her, it''s too risky.


    I whispered that I wasn''t part of Alucard''s faction but Vladimir''s, just like her. Then I told her to report back to Vladimir."


    "But we''re not with either of them. The woman will get in trouble for sure. I thought you didn''t like manipulating the innocent."


    "We''ll intervene before that happens. I planted a bug on her and etched some runes into it. I never expected we''d need it so early."


    Alex put the rune Vesa created before; he had already prepared some surprise inside of it.


    "You want to confront them directly? You said you''d be careful."


    "Of course not. Do you think Elvira will go straight back to her backer? She''ll probably go home first and talk to her family about this.


    This way, we can gather more information about the two factions."


    "Do you have any ideas?" MingYue asked, knowing Alex usually had more understanding than her in cases like this.


    "I suspect Alucard''s faction descended from the original vampire that escaped, while Vladimir''s faction is a new one trying to take over. But this should only happen if this vampire is already dead."


    "Is that possible? Every vampire is ageless and hard to kill. The one who escaped also took a part of Alucard with him, meaning his strength should keep growing despite being unable to fully absorb it. For him to die seems impossible."


    "Maybe he was wounded and barely alive when he returned. Then somehow, he used part of Alucard to create his descendants, like cloning."


    "Hmm¡­ so what now?"


    "Let''s wait. I''ve asked Patricia and Zargath to follow her. And MingYue, sorry for pushing you into this.


    I''m the one who needs this done quickly to rescue my father."


    MingYue sighed. "You''re strange. One moment, you act like we''re close, and the next, we''re strangers.


    Our lives are intertwined, anyway. Didn''t we already talk about this?


    I help you. You help me. Just like I never blamed you for using Vesa to help your sister."


    "Thanks," Alex said.


    He felt guilty since this was already the second time his decision had caused trouble for both of them.


    Meanwhile, MingYue never did that. Instead, she is the one who finds solutions for his mistakes.


    MingYue could sense Alex''s guilt. Usually, she didn''t care about others'' feelings like this, but she remembered how Alex had cheered her up when she was down about her parents.


    "Don''t mention it; you''ve helped me a lot, too."


    "I didn''t do much, but let''s forget about it. It''ll only make things more depressing," Alex replied.


    He then changed the topic. "Now, do you think Vesa is really unconscious or not?"


    MingYue frowned. She then closed her eyes, trying to sense Vesa''s presence.


    They''d been linked for so a while now that she had learned to understand Vesa''s mood and condition.


    "I think Vesa is really asleep, but there''s no way to tell since Vesa is a being beyond our comprehension."


    Alex nodded. "Let''s assume Vesa is asleep. If coming here is intentional, what do you think the reason is?"


    MingYue chuckled. "The first time we met, I was the one who was wary of Vesa. Now you''re the one feeling that way?


    Isn''t it a bit too late, Alex? Now, we don''t have a choice in the matter. Maybe when we become stronger. Vesa does absorb quite a lot of life force."


    "Rather than worry, I''m more curious. Other than the life force from that talking skeleton Rook, the rest Vesa absorbed seems to have disappeared without any results.


    I also don''t understand why Vesa feels the need to hide so much information.


    Remember the eye being I told you about?"


    "Yes, the one you said might be even stronger than the progenitor? I saw the memory you shared, and it gave me chills.


    How many strong beings like that are there? And how many are our enemies?"


    "Yeah, but that''s what confuses me. Even though that is found out about me, why does Vesa still hide crucial information from us?


    The only possible reason I can think of is that Vesa can''t tell us because she also doesn''t know."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Like Alucard, Vesa was also separated into many pieces. We''ll probably find out if my speculation is correct after we get this one."


    "What will you do if this bloodline vampire is still alive?" MingYue asked.


    She still feels skeptical about how they could fight such a being.


    Alex''s lips curled into a grin. "I''ve thought a lot about it. Don''t worry; I have some ideas.


    MingYue, before these kinds of superpowers existed in my world, we humans had already become apex predators despite many animals being able to tear us apart easily.


    What do you think the reason for this?"


    "Because of your world''s technology," MingYue answered.


    She knows firsthand how destructive weaponry from Alex''s world is. But for her, what is most scary is not this. It is how adaptive they are.

 Chapter 243: Vitae

    For example, after Alex found out about Qi, it took him almost no time at all to modify and incorporate this to his benefit.If a similar thing occurred to people on her world, it would take a century before they could make any progress.


    Alex gave a nod. "Actually, it''s more correct to call it open-mindedness by necessity.


    Since we are limited in power, we are forced to learn how to use the tools that we have. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, we start learning the fundamental rules of things, expanding our tools to reach the point.


    But that doesn''t really matter now. What''s important is that I believe I have a way to do this, and if possible, we will just steal it."


    "I doubt you can steal it easily. If there are other factions, and this vampire is still alive, that means they have also found out about Alucard''s parts and want to take them for themselves


    .


    I am sure they will put some countermeasures in place."


    As Alex and MingYue discussed this, Elvira was making her way back.


    As Alex expected, she returned to her family home first.


    But what she planned to do was a bit different from what Alex had in mind.


    She was one of the most talented sorcerers in her family, so she had sway over the family''s decisions. They hoped to use her talent to raise their position in the noble ranks.


    Elvira planned to first get the vitae replaced by their own funds before reporting back.


    It would cost her family a lot of money, but that was better than telling them she had failed at this job.


    She already thought she had successfully repelled the bandits, who came from the Resistance. The people in black had lately started actively attacking the Royalty.


    Normally, this kind of organization wouldn''t last long, but this time it was different. The Resistance was now supported by a sovereign; both factions used them to do their dirty work to sabotage each other, and then wash their hands of it.


    Most often, the target was shipments like this one or attacking businesses directly.


    So far, there had yet to be any casualties, but looking at the situation that kept escalating, Elvira thought it was just a matter of time.


    At this moment, she wanted to be in a position that could gain benefits while having the least risk.


    By telling her family about the attack from this Resistance, they would already conclude it came from the Alucard faction, just as Alex had told her to do.


    ''Now, what should I do next? That sovereign told me to report back to him.


    Should I do that, or just hide in my place until things calm down?


    But the academy year will start soon. Still, these sovereigns are fighting each other. I wonder what are they thinking?


    Won''t the Grand Elder get angry at them?


    Now that I think of it, no one has seen him for these last ten years. If something happened to the Grand Elder?


    There has been so much movement of the vitae lately outside the scheduled deliveries; just why do they need that many? I should check with my sources.'' Elvira thought.


    Vitae is the gemstone that Alex acquired at the wagon.


    The Royalty here uses Vitae as a proxy to cast spells, and sorceresses are those talented enough to wield it. At least, that is what people were told; in reality, there is more to this.


    Every single elf should be capable of wielding Vitae, but the knowledge was hidden by the sovereigns. They modified the method of usage, making it only usable by people they owned.


    The owning process itself is not complicated; they use a specific rune to carve it into the target''s life force.


    Since the sovereigns were far stronger than the Royalty, this gave them control over their life and death.


    But they still needed to trigger it with a keyword.


    The creation of Vitae itself is only done by a few designated royal families. Unlike the quartz crystal that Alex found on the seabed, the crystals in this place come infused with elements.


    Some were red, infused with fire, others yellow with earth. There are also some rare elemental types for example light.


    This crystal is then mined before it is sent to those chosen to work on polishing it, changing it into vitae.


    Vitae also has multiple grades; for example, the one Elvira uses, which can change into a staff, is categorized as a high grade.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach her territory. The area is far more prosperous than the village Alex had seen.


    The road is made of stone pebbles, while all the houses are built of wooden bricks.


    In the middle of the city, a huge mansion stood, compared to other houses this one is very eye-catching as the bricks are painted white, with many beautiful carvings decorating it. One of the privileges that only the Royalty could have.


    The grassroots class cannot paint nor have decorations outside their houses.


    In front of the gate, two people stood guard; seeing Elvira, they all bowed down.


    But Elvira just walked past them without a glance.


    After she disappeared, they talked,


    "What a presumptuous bitch."


    "Shh¡­ do you want to live? Think of your family, man."


    "Sorry, I just have a hard time controlling my emotions. You know what happened yesterday."


    "You should tell your son to stop annoying people from the royalty; it''s already good enough that he survived."


    The guard clicked his tongue with annoyance. He didn''t say more, afraid someone else would overhear.


    His son had some problems with one of Elvira''s brothers about a woman. The son didn''t want to back down, and they turned it into a brawl. At that time, Elvira intervened and punished his son by breaking two of his legs.


    This made him resent the woman, although deep down, he knew if Elvira hadn''t said anything, his son probably wouldn''t be among the living.

 Chapter 244: House of Duskmire

    Unlike other grassroots classes, some people in this city often interact with the royalty, as they have already gotten used to them; they are not that afraid since even among the royalty, there are those who are kind to people like them.''Just how could such a kind and good woman give birth to such arrogant kids?'' the man continued protesting in his mind.


    Elvira entered the mansion and was greeted by a man in a black tailcoat who respectfully bowed.


    Despite clearly being an elf, Elvira nodded at him, her expression softening.


    "Young lady, did something happen? You look flustered."


    "I am alright, Alfred. How about mom?"


    "Still in the same condition."


    Elvira let out a sigh, her usual haughtiness disappearing, replaced by worry.


    If anyone who knew her now saw this, they would be surprised. She was famous for her cold expression.


    "My stupid brother?"


    "As you ordered, still locked in his room. I guess you are looking for the master then; he is in his office."


    "Alright, thanks, Alfred, nice work as always," Elvira said as she patted Alfred''s shoulder.


    Alfred looked at Elvira disappearing back with a worried expression; he could see her robe was dirty with some dry blood stains. But he knew better than to ask her what had happened.


    ''Poor Elvira, so much burden on her shoulders,'' he thought to himself.


    Entering the study room, she was met by a wrinkled old man buried in paperwork.


    "Dad, I told you to take a break. Why are you still working so much? You should put Dylan to work." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You know how your brother is, and he is still being punished now.


    I am just doing my work anyway. So, what brings you here now?" The man asked.


    He then turned his eyes upward, his eyes widening at the sight of Elvira''s condition. "What happened?"


    Elvira then told her father everything without omitting a word.


    "If that incident hadn''t happened, you would probably have killed them all. Just what were they planning by doing this?" Her father asked with a sigh.


    "That doesn''t matter; what''s important is what we do now. So, what do you think about my plan?"


    "Go for it. As I said before, the family will support you all the way, even if it all ends badly. There''s no need to put all the responsibility on yourself.


    But to think they would go this far, just what did that cold-blooded man, Vladimir, find out?


    If I had known this would happen, I should have accepted his invitation; at the very least, we would know what he has."


    "No dad, it''s better for things to stay like this. You are staying in our land, so you haven''t heard about it.


    Those who come and refuse to join don''t have a good situation now; they are pressed from all sides.


    As for those who directly join, they are used on the frontline as sacrificial pawns. No one has died yet, but their wealth took a big hit."


    "Start by taking their wealth and making them dependent; then, they will have no choice no matter what the order is. What scummy tactics.


    Has every other house already chosen a side?"


    "Not yet, Father, but there are only a few left; we are one of them. On the surface, we are all in the Alucard faction, but we know it''s not like that."


    "Those stupid geezers want to eradicate all of the Vladmir faction. Just where is the Grand Elder at this time?


    That reminds me, I got a letter from Eldonia." Her father said as he took out a letter with a wax stamp.


    The wax was uniquely made and mixed with the blood of the sender; this allowed them to find out if someone had tried to send out a fake letter.


    "You haven''t opened it?"


    "Yes, since it''s addressed to you, you must be the one to open it. We cannot take risks.


    Who knows if I am out on some errand, and the maid tells you I am the one opening it. This way, we can be sure there will be no such thing."


    Elvira didn''t say anything more; this was her father''s way of leading the family.


    He was always careful, never taking risks. This allowed the family to survive.


    Unfortunately, their family didn''t have enough talented people; otherwise, in his father''s way, they should still be able to rise, not stagnate like this.


    She then opened the letter, breaking the seal.


    Eldonia is the name of the capital city where all Sovereigns gathered; the chance of meeting one outside was very small. That is why she was very surprised when she saw Alex and MingYue.


    ''Now that I think about it, I never see them at all.


    I am sure I have memorized all the Sovereign''s appearances.


    Just who are they? Are they those rumored Sovereigns, people who never show up in public? But that is just a rumor.''


    Elvira shook her head then decided to focus on the letter. In the news she read, there would be a fight competition held in Eldonia; the fight would be between groups of sorcerers.


    A single group needed to have at least three people. As for the reward, it said a way to turn into a Sovereign.


    Elvira''s heart skipped a beat; this was unprecedented, and never heard of it.


    She didn''t understand why the Alucard faction suddenly decided to make this. And this artifact, she was skeptical, but she knew this was not a hoax.


    There is no reason for the Sovereigns to lie about this.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from the mansion, Petricia was looking at what happened with binoculars.


    She could easily hear everything they talked about from the bug Alex had put on her.


    When Elvira opened the letter, thankfully, it was from an angle where she could read it. Petricia then forwarded all the information to Alex and MingYue.


    Back at the cave, Alex and MingYue were busy with their own activities. Ming Yue was reading a novel on her phone after Alex recommended a new one to her while Alex was doing a shadow fight.

 Chapter 245: We Have Problem

    MingYue suggested he maximize his ability by muscle memory. He imagined the enemy he fought, then used his ability to optimize the enemy''s movements while he dodged and counter-attacked.At first, Alex''s movements were slow; doing this was easier said than done. But after some time, he started getting the knack of it. He still couldn''t move at full speed, but already enough for some fighting.


    Right now, Alex imagined he was fighting a muscular green man who became stronger with anger. In Alex''s mind, it was the most suitable opponent since he could keep getting stronger while maintaining good balance of speed and power.


    As he ducked, punched, and kicked, Petricia''s message reached his ears. The news made Alex stop his training, and his expression turned grave.


    "Mingyue, I think we have a problem."


    Mingyue was very immersed in reading her novel. At first, she wanted to ignore Alex''s remark since the story had just reached a good point, but when she heard there was a problem, she reluctantly put her phone away. "What do you mean?" she asked with an annoyed tone. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then told her about the competition.


    "A tournament, isn''t the reward exactly what we are looking for? Isn''t this a good opportunity? Even if it''s a trap, it means everyone will be gathered there."


    "Yes, but it also means that someone somehow knows about us, and they''re prepared."


    "It''s not surprising; maybe they have some method that can detect our presence despite countermeasures. Even if Vesa wants to screw us, I doubt Vesa would do it blatantly like that. So, what''s your plan now? Joining the competition?"


    Alex let out a sigh, "We don''t have a choice. The bait is too juicy to miss. But it''s not us that will go there."


    "You will send Petricia?"


    "Yeah, and I''ve gained some more understanding about the situation here. First, let''s go to this capital city, Edonia."


    "What disguise do you plan to use? Any class could easily get us into trouble."


    "We don''t use one yet," Alex replied.


    First, he planned to have Petricia infiltrate Elvira''s mansion and take some important books there. That way, he hoped he could find out more about this Vitae, mark, and sorcerer.


    He was also curious about what kind of illness her mother had. Alex wondered if he could leverage this to make a deal with her.


    Based on the information he got from Petricia, the woman seemed to care a lot about her family.


    He preferred someone willing to work with him, compared to forcing her with a contract.


    "Do we have to go now? Or do we still have time?" MingYue asked.


    "We still have time," Alex replied, confused as to why she asked that.


    "Good, now don''t disturb me. I need to finish this story before we start," MingYue replied, making Alex''s lips twitch.


    ''She is really addicted to those novels. Well, I can''t blame her. I also binge-read it nonstop,'' Alex thought.


    Meanwhile, Vexgore and Zorgath moved separately to look around Elvira.


    Alex only had a few drones left, so he wanted to save them in case something happened.


    After what happened with Elvira, they took a more cautious approach. They were doing this while waiting for directions from Petricia.


    Alex hoped she would get a map pointing out where the capital city and other houses were located. It would be better if he could find out which house belonged to which faction. Or better yet, this person named Vladimir.


    After getting her dad''s agreement, Elvira took the funds from Alfred and went out to purchase the gemstone. Thankfully, she had the complete list of items.


    While she was busy shopping, Petricia started looking for a gap to enter the mansion. To her surprise, every single window was locked tight.


    She could only wait on her time, waiting for a maid to walk out from the mansion.


    She then knocked her out and took on a disguise. Thankfully, as she entered the mansion, the butler Alfred was not standing guard at the door.


    It seemed he only did it because he got a report that the young lady was back. Despite her perfect disguise, she still didn''t have any knowledge the maids had.


    She then started walking around the mansion. Thankfully, the mansion was quite clear; almost every room had words written on it telling what area it was.


    The first place she went to was the library. As Alex instructed, she tried to look for a map, but unfortunately, there were none. She then just picked a few books as per Alex''s instructions.


    Without a map, her next step was to look into Elvira''s mother''s situation. Petricia didn''t directly go toward her room. Instead, she found the maids'' resting area and started eavesdropping on their conversation.


    "I hear the young master tried to hit on you. Is that right?"


    "Yeah, I am confused about what I should do¡­ Should I just quit? Honestly, if not because of the nasty rumor, I would accept his advances, but you know."


    The other maid let out a sigh, "You mean the curse? That is just nonsense, don''t you see the young lady is alright? But why are you even thinking of that? Don''t you already have a knight in shining armor? I heard he even got into a fight for you."


    "Well¡­ if you were me, which one would you choose? He is good, alright, but we need


    To think about the future. If I marry into royalty, my kids and family will be treated better."


    Another maid who was listening to them laughed, "Married? Are you stupid? The young master is just venting. Why would he marry someone like us? After he has his fun, he will just break the relationship. Don''t overthink things, you guys.


    You aren''t the first he''s made a move on, and nor will you be the last. He is depressed because he always gets compared with his perfect sister. And you know how the lady got sick after his birth."

 Chapter 246: Trying the Vitae

    "Is that true? I wasn''t here when that happened. Just what is the lady''s illness? I only hear she cannot leave her room."


    "It''s worse than you''ve heard. She can''t even move her fingers, and her body condition keeps deteriorating. No one knows the cause, but this is one of the reasons the young lady is so ambitious.


    They thought by finding their way to the sovereign, they should be able to find a cure for the Lady."


    "Enough gossip, we should get back to work. And you, leave that stupid thought of yours in your mind. You should be lucky the guard''s son fancies you.


    To think you still have the idea of going for the young master for wealth. Hmph!" The other maid reprimanded her.


    Finished with eavesdropping, Patricia started making her way toward Elvira''s mother. She knew the location after asking the maid who said she wanted to marry the young master.


    As the maid was in a daze after being reprimanded by the other maid, she didn''t think much when Patricia asked the question. She didn''t even look at her face.


    The path toward Elvira''s mother was very secure, with many guards patrolling the area, but this posed no problem for Patricia. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She only stopped when she saw a room with two guards in front of the door. Patricia felt this was the place she needed to go, as there was no other reason to put guards in front of a room.


    She then put some thought into her next move; she could take a risk trying to enter as a maid, or change her disguise to Elvira. It was safer, but they would probably realize afterward that someone had snuck in.


    ''Should I ask King what to do? No, I should be able to do it myself. King has given so many things for my people, and this is my chance to show my usefulness,'' Patricia thought.


    She then transformed into Elvira and bluffed her way into the room. Inside, she looked at a woman who was almost a carbon copy of Elvira, just older.


    Compared to the gossip she heard, the woman didn''t show any wrinkles at all; she was a beautiful middle-aged woman who appeared very healthy. Patricia walked closer to get a better look.


    But to her surprise, when she was beside her, the woman''s hand moved and grasped hers with a speed that Patricia couldn''t dodge.


    Her eyes opened, one blue while the other was red. "This smell, you come from outside this planet. Who are you?" a cold voice asked Patricia, making her shake.


    But before she could formulate any reply, or even tell Alex about this, the crimson in the woman''s eyes started flickering in and out, "You cursed crone, just die already!" A warm voice came out from her lips, as if it was being said by different people despite coming from the same person.


    Elvira''s mother then released her grasp on Patricia, held her head with both hands, and gave her a side glance, "I don''t know who you are, but I hope you don''t do anything to my daughter.


    As for now, could you please leave? Your presence here makes this old crone more active. I cannot hold her back like this."


    Patricia didn''t waste time leaving. Her goblin senses told her staying there would be too dangerous. The chance of her being killed was high.


    Back at the cave, Alex was now playing with the gemstone, thanks to the book Patricia skimmed. He found out this was Vitae.


    He tested out what effects the Vitae could produce by playing around with it, to get some idea of how to use it.


    Meanwhile, MingYue had already finished with the novel she was reading, ''The story is good, but what a lackluster ending. I am sure the author ran out of ideas in the end, just who in their right mind chooses to destroy all power, turning everyone back to normal humans?'' She complained in her mind, then turned her attention to Alex.


    "Did you find out how to use those?"


    "Yes, it''s actually not hard. Now that you''ve finished, there is something I want to test out," Alex said while throwing a deep blue gemstone at MingYue.


    "Based on my test, when we infuse life force into it, we can then use the gemstone to cast spells inside of it. Some are one-time use while others we can use multiple times.


    The one I gave you should allow you to create an ice bolt, since you can use elemental qi I wonder if it will have a different effect," Alex said.


    The gemstone was activated with life force, but he could infuse it with qi if he wanted, enhancing the effect. Alex thought if it''s used by those with elemental qi, the effect would then be multiplied.


    He suspected the sorcerer in this realm was considered talented when somehow their life force contained a strong element. Based on his knowledge of Elves from Vesa, they use abilities based on elements.


    The elves then separated into many tribes based on the element they are proficient in. There are also exceptional ones who can use all elements, and they are called the high elves.


    Unfortunately, from outside, no one can differentiate which tribe an elf belongs to. And not all elves are born with an elemental element; some just have the default element of nature.


    MingYue started activating the gemstone; as it activated, a unique sensation came to her mind, it''s like the stone became part of her, then if she willed it, the abilities inside would activate.


    Curious, she pointed it toward one of the cavern walls.


    An ice shard appeared in the air then shot through it, only stopping when it reached halfway.


    "This should be useful for a new cultivator, but for us, it''s useless. Well, you are an exception since you haven''t mastered any elemental qi yet," MingYue said as she threw the vitae back at Alex.

 Chapter 247: Luciel

    The reason she said this is that she had no control over the attack.


    For example, normally she would modify the ice shard into something like drill bits before shooting it out.


    She also gave some spin on the projectile to enhance the speed and damage.


    But with this one, there was nothing she could do, making it useless in a real fight between cultivators.


    Even the mana gun from Alex''s world do more damage, and more useful than this.


    "You''re right if it''s in a direct fight. But if we mix this with rune, it will give us a lot of possibilities," Alex had learned some basic runes from Vesa, but none of it was useful in their current situation.


    Now, if he combined it with the gemstone, he could make something very destructive.


    The area around them was filled with life force as long as he used a rune to absorb and point it toward the gemstone, then added some mechanism to target the attack, it would be like a turret with infinite ammo.


    "If you think you can make it useful, it''s good then. By the way, next time don''t suggest a novel that''s only good halfway through."


    Alex let out a chuckle; he just wanted to comment when Patricia reported to him what had happened.


    "I think we need to go to Elvira''s house," Alex mumbled.


    "Why? Did something happen?"


    Alex told MingYue what had happened. "She recognized Patricia, then one of her eyes turned crimson. Based on what you told me, it feels like a soul is trying to possess her body."


    "Let''s check it out to make sure. If this is a real vampire, it means she is weakened now. Otherwise, she would have no need to hijack other bodies." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They then made their way toward Elvira''s mansion. Outside


    At that moment, Elvira had just finished purchasing the Vitae to replace the stolen goods. When she wanted to return to the mansion to prepare the wagon, a familiar presence appeared, blocking her path.


    "S-sovereign," Elvira said in a panic. She didn''t do what Alex told her to do; instead, she loitered around in her own territory. Usually, any sovereign would punish her for this.


    In front of her, Alex and MingYue appeared, wearing hoods, making only Elvira able to see their crimson eyes.


    Alex raised his finger to his lips. "Shh¡­ bring us to your house."


    Elvira was confused by their sudden appearance and the order but decided not to ask. There were many thoughts in her mind.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the place, with Alfred waiting in the courtyard. He had already prepared the wagon for Elvira''s needs.


    As they were inside Elvira''s house now, Alex took off his hoodie, making everyone in the place lower their heads.


    The crimson eyes and Elvira''s attitude were enough for them to know they had honorary guests.


    "Greetings, two sovereigns, welcome to our humble abode," Alfred said with a bow, as he didn''t know the sovereigns'' names. He didn''t address Elvira, since it''s considered rude to give respect to others while a sovereign is there.


    Even though he couldn''t see MingYue''s face, based on their actions, he was sure she was also a sovereign.


    But Alex and MingYue didn''t care about their etiquette.


    "Elvira, bring us to your mother," Alex ordered.


    Normally, Elvira would just follow his order, but since this concerned her mother, she didn''t, even if it was a sovereign. "I am sorry, sovereign, but what do you want with my mother?" she asked while locking eyes with Alex.


    Her gaze communicated that she was prepared to fight to the death if they had ill will.


    Seeing this, Alex smirked, "Don''t you want to cure your mother?"


    Elvira''s worry quickly erased as she froze at the sudden question. She didn''t know why a sovereign knew about her mother, even more, why they bothered offering to cure her.


    Based on her understanding, sovereigns only do things when something benefits them, not to mention the current situation.


    "I am sorry to be presumptuous, but sovereign, why?" She asked as she wanted to find out their motive; she still didn''t believe they had really come only to cure her mother.


    "You will understand when you see it; it''s complicated. Now don''t waste any more time."


    Elvira hesitated; she didn''t know what to say. Logically she knew she couldn''t deny them a meeting with her mother, but it was her mother; she didn''t want to just say yes without making sure everything was okay.


    Hearing their conversation, Alfred interjected, despite knowing it wasn''t his place. He decided to take a risk, since it was better than having the sovereign get angry. "Sovereign, let me guide you to Lady Luciel''s chamber."


    "Show me the way," Alex replied.


    Throughout all this, MingYue didn''t say anything; her senses were focused on detecting any danger around them.


    They started walking in the hallway while Elvira followed from behind, looking at Alex and MingYue, her mind busy thinking about the possibilities. She also whispered to one of the maids to tell her father what had happened, so he could prepare for the worst and not come out to meet the sovereign.


    Meanwhile, the closer they got to the chamber, the more Alex and MingYue could feel something.


    They could tell there was a true vampire inside the room. Although the presence was small.


    It''s like their blood was telling them about this.


    ''Is this one of the perks of a progenitor?'' MingYue asked.


    ''I think so, all vampire races come from progenitors; it''s not weird we could feel their presence even though we haven''t fully transformed. But this is good news; it will come


    in handy to locate any vampire survivors.''


    ''Yes, but don''t get dependent on it, Alex. Who knows if they now have a method to escape detection.''


    ''Don''t worry, I have learned not to completely believe all sensory abilities, last time I met those undead creatures.'' Alex replied with a sigh at MingYue''s mind.


    After they got close to the door, Alfred ordered the guards to leave the premises.


    He did this on his own initiative, ordering them to bring Elvira''s father his suggestion. To leave the area with Elvira''s brother just in case they couldn''t survive.


    Alfred knew if the Sovereign did something to hurt Lady Luciel, Elvira would throw all logic to the wind. She would go feral and attack with everything she got, even if that meant suicide.


    At that time, Alfred only hoped he could talk some sense into her. He doubted Alex and MingYue came with any goodwill, as usually, it''s something bad that always happens when sovereigns come unannounced.

 Chapter 248: Four Way Fight

    As they entered through the door, Alex and MingYue''s eyes quickly locked on the woman in bed.


    Just like what happened with Petricia, when they came close, Luciel''s body suddenly rose up.


    Her eyes opened, making Elvira run toward her mother, as this was the first time she had seen her moving in years.


    But Alex grasped her hand, "That is not your mother. Stay back," he said coldly as his eyes still locked on Luciel.


    Luciel''s eyes were one crimson, one blue. Both communicated different things.


    The red eyes locked on Alex, while the blue eyes looked at Elvira with an affectionate gaze.


    ''MingYue, can you bring us to her inner world? I think that is the only way we can separate the vampire soul.''


    ''No, forget that, at the very least beat her first. We are talking about a bloodling vampire, or even something stronger.


    Do you think we can beat him in a soul fight? Remember, Vesa is not here, and we still haven''t really transformed into a progenitor. We would not be able to suppress his power.''


    Before Alex could reply, a loud scream came out from Luciel''s lips.


    "KYAAAA!" An inner battle came inside her mind as she clutched at her head.


    ''How strong can she be? Even this normal elf can hold him back.'' Alex asked MingYue, trying to convince her.


    He could not bear beating Luciel in front of Elvira. He could empathize, as he also loved his mother a lot.


    If he were in the same situation, he would go feral if anyone attacked his mother, no matter the reason. But in the inner world, it is different; only they can see it.


    As for their bodies, he could just ask Petricia, Zargath, and Vexgore to come and guard them.


    MingYue hesitated; she still felt it was too risky, but what Alex said was right: if a normal elf woman could hold him back, her soul should be wounded.


    ''Fine.'' MingYue dashed forward; her hood fell, showing her beautiful appearance as her finger pressed into the woman''s forehead.


    At this time, Elvira tried to release herself from Alex''s grip, but unfortunately, no matter how she tried, the grip was too strong.


    When she saw MingYue doing something to her mother, Elvira lost it. She started changing, trying to activate a spell.


    Alex released his grip and then hit her straight in the neck, as she called, "Petricia."


    PRANG!!!


    The window glass in the room broke, making Alex''s lips twitch. She could just move through the hallway from the entrance.


    "Yes, king," Petricia kneeled while looking at Elvira with hostility. She saw everything that happened, including how Elvira tried to attack Alex.


    Alex let Elvira lay on the floor then looked at the butler, who saw everything in a daze; everything had happened so fast that Alfred could not even take any action.


    "Take your lady, and make sure no one disturbs us," he then turned his gaze to Petricia, "Guard our bodies."


    Petricia nodded. At this moment, she returned to her real appearance, surprising Alfred.


    "What are you?" Alfred asked.


    BANG! BANG!


    But before Petricia could answer, the door was bashed in, and the guard''s voice heard asking loudly if something had happened.


    They saw how a woman suddenly leaped high, entering the room from the window.


    "You should take care of them first. My king dislikes unnecessary bloodshed, but I won''t think twice about killing anyone else entering this room."


    Petricia then took out her weapon, pointing it at the door and making Albert frown.


    He knew he was not her match.


    Meanwhile, inside the inner world, four people were locked in a fight.


    The area was a vast, empty darkness, but they could see each other.


    As MingYue entered first, she already started fighting. The first sight she saw was Luciel making a layer of restraint over and over again at another woman.


    The Vampire woman had crimson eyes and hair, her skin was flawless, with a beautiful and feisty face. MingYue could see half of the woman''s body was corroded black.


    Seeing the woman indeed wounded, MingYue didn''t waste time. She brandished her sword then launched many ice spikes at the vampire.


    But Luciel didn''t know if she was a friend or not. So her first response was attacking MingYue.


    She created an earthen shield blocking all the attacks. As this was her world, the barrier was still able to block most of the attacks. Some pierced through, but it only hit random areas.


    Even though Alex and MingYue called her a normal elf, Luciel was still a sorcerer. That is why she could spam all the attacks non-stop.


    Luciel kept casting the same spell over and over, not giving any moment of respite; that is why the vampire could only take hold of her body when something surprising happened.


    Like Petricia coming and then Alex and Elvira. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Luciel split her focus for a moment, the vampire used the opportunity to escape from the restraint. But with MingYue in the equation, she couldn''t just take over Luciel''s body.


    She tried to distance herself, letting MingYue and Luciel fight against each other.


    But MingYue didn''t let it; she took out her sword and then threw it toward the vampire.


    As her sword was imbued with a fox soul, it could move by itself, attacking the vampire.


    At this moment, Alex came in. Looking at the situation, his first thought was to summon another robot, but remembering MingYue''s rebuttal and the seriousness of the situation, he decided not to do it. Having a debate in the middle of a fight would be dangerous.


    "Luciel, we are not your enemy."


    "How could I trust you? You think I don''t see what you are doing to my daughter?" Luciel replied with anger as she kept launching a barrage of attacks toward MingYue.


    Earth spikes kept launching toward MingYue, followed by boulders and many other types of earth spells.


    As Luciel didn''t want to negotiate, Alex decided to ignore her and then focused on the vampire.


    He took out ember shift hammer and then threw it toward her as it grew in size.


    The vampire woman shouted in anger. "Why are you doing this? You are making a big mistake now, Alucard''s heir!"

 Chapter 249: Thalia Voss

    Blood came out from her body, creating an explosion that pushed Alex''s hammer and MingYue''s sword back.


    ''MingYue, focus on Luciel; I will take care of her.''


    ''Are you sure? This woman may not be strong, but she is annoying; she keeps casting multiple spells without any delay. It will take me some time before I can help you.''


    ''Yes, don''t worry, I will not play around.''


    MingYue didn''t respond further as the sword flew back to her side.


    Alex caught his hammer then pointed it at the vampire. "I am Alex, who are you?"


    "Thalia Voss, I have no time, so I cannot explain further, but let me take this woman''s body, or things will become worse."


    "Are you threatening me? How could I agree without you explaining?"


    Thalia started thinking about her options. "Even if you are Alucard''s heir, this is still on you. Don''t blame me later."


    After she said this, her body was covered in a blood sphere. It then shot like a cannon at Alex, blocking all his view.


    Swosh!!!


    Alex didn''t falter. He dashed forward, meeting it head-on. As he saw how Thalia used blood, he also tried to copy it.


    Red blood started appearing around his body, but it was different from Thalia''s; his chain was boiling with a sizzling sound like lava.


    He then turned it into something like a chain, and it shot out, enveloping the blood ball.


    When the boiling blood chain whipped around the huge sphere, smoke started coming out, followed by an explosion.


    Boom!!


    Red smoke and blood dispersed in the area, blocking Alex''s senses.


    He kicked his foot at the ground, creating a wind shockwave to disperse it. But to his surprise, it only barely removed some around him.


    ''Her soul is wounded, but the quality is still stronger than mine.'' Alex thought


    While Alex was blocked by the blood fog, MingYue succeeded in pushing Luciel back. She studied her attack pattern, then followed up with a similar countermeasure but using the ice element.


    Earth spikes met with ice spikes, and Luciel''s quagmire was frozen solid by MingYue.


    As she got close to Luciel and wanted to subdue her, MingYue''s instinct screamed danger.


    SWOOSH!


    Thalia''s hand with sharp claws pierced toward Luciel. This made MingYue quickly change her target.


    She created ice block, pushing Luciel away from the attack, while her hand took out a sword to block the attack.


    CLANG!


    The sharp nail clashed against the sword, but MingYue was losing in strength and started getting pushed back.


    Usually, this would take all her focus, but thankfully, she was in inner world now.


    With a thought, the sword transformed into an ice fox that leaped at Thalia.


    MingYue then took out another sword and slashed toward her neck.


    Facing the two-pronged attack, Thalia lowered her head, dodging the slash. Her body then spun, sending a kick at the ice fox.


    But at this moment, Alex had already come out from his block.


    He dashed in a blur to MingYue and Thalia''s location, using his flame to thrust himself forward, as he created blood making his leg slippery.


    He appeared behind Thalia and then hit her in the back, catching her by surprise.


    Bam!


    Thalia''s body spun in the air as MingYue, and Alex took some distance away from her.


    Watching this, Luciel decided to observe, second-guessing herself about whether Alex and MingYue were enemies or not.


    Thalia raised her body; her head was broken in an unnatural manner, but it didn''t seem to impede her at all.


    They were prepared for Thalia''s next attack, but it never came.


    Instead, her soul body kept moving in an unnatural manner as she screamed in pain.


    The attack from Alex seemed to trigger the corruption in her soul to keep growing.


    The dark color started moving like thousands of ants crawling over her.


    "You fool! We are doomed now!" Thalia screamed for the last time before she was quickly engulfed.


    Her form then started changing from humanoid into a blob-like slime. A vertical line spread out in the middle of it.


    In one motion, it spread out, showing a pair of teeth like those of a human.


    While Alex, MingYue, and Luciel were still making sense of what was happening, the weird creature suddenly disappeared.


    It was like the creature was melding into the surroundings.


    "KYAAAA!" Luciel let out a heart-piercing scream as she felt her existence being chewed out.


    The whole inner world then started changing, and many large mouths started appearing, making Alex and MingYue frown.


    Meanwhile outside, in the room, there were now four people.


    As Petricia needed to protect Alex and MingYue''s bodies, after some thought, she decided to call Zorgath for help. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, Elvira had already woken up with some bruises on her face. This was done by Zorgath as she tried to get close to her mother.


    Thankfully, Alfred interjected at this moment, trying to make her see reason and be patient, at least until they saw what Alex and MingYue had done.


    Throughout this, Petricia acted as a preacher, talking up Alex like a god. She told them not to worry, as her own tribe survived, thanks to Alex.


    This information made Elvira and Alfred realize they were not from this place. Even though they didn''t have a scientific concept like other planets, the story of other realms or dimensions still existed in fairy tales.


    "So I suggest you bow to my king and prosper, or you will go straight to hell," Petricia said, her eyes filled with worship.


    Zorgath didn''t talk much; he only nodded, agreeing with her.


    But before Elvira could respond, a shockwave suddenly exploded from Luciel''s body, pushing everyone in the room and crashing into the wall.


    BAM! CRACK!


    Alex and MingYue also got pushed out.


    Both of them felt pain throughout their bodies, as their souls had just been wounded. MingYue clutched her hand to her chest while Alex gritted his teeth.


    But they knew they could not take a break. In front of them was the strongest enemy they had ever faced.

 Chapter 250: Rage

    Alex could feel a dreadful aura and danger, even more than the half-draco he had faced before as a kids.


    Luciel''s body was now floating, her silver hair fluttering like there was wind, as it started turning black from the roots.


    Her eyes opened, but instead of blue eyes, what was there was black without any pupils.


    "Mother!" Elvira, in panic, screamed as she dashed forward to Luciel without thinking.


    As she got close, Luciel raised her palm, her lips grinning in a creepy manner, showing all her white teeth.


    Alfred instinctively jumped in between them.


    CHOMP!


    From Luciel''s beautiful palm, a pair of lips appeared. It opened wide, and its tongue shot out, taking Alfred like a frog eating its prey.


    In an amazing display, the moment Alfred came close to the mouth, it was like Alex putting the creature in the awecube. His whole body disappeared.


    This moment maybe short, but for Alfred this second last like eternity, he doesn''t regret what he had done. His memories run trough his mind like a movie, he has taken care Elvira since she was a child. Being there for her as her parents busy with their work.


    Playing, studying, even sometime reprimand her. For Alfred Elvira is like his own daughter.


    ''Young lady I am sorry, I leave you first. I hope one day you could have carefree smile in your face once more without any burden.''


    CRACK! SQUEALCH! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mouth start chewing, creating a crunching sound of bones.


    "ALFRED!!!!! NO!!!!!", Elvira screamed in horror.


    Tears came out from her eyes, her lips started moving quickly to cast a spell, but at this moment Alex reacted, "Zorgath, bring the woman and escape! Petricia, evacuate the city!" Alex ordered, not even bothering to keep a low profile.


    The situation was dire. He also told Vexgore to start evacuating the city.


    He didn''t care how they did it, making havoc and chaos, anything, as long as people started escaping.


    Petricia and Zorgath did not question his order and started moving. Both of them jumped out of the window.


    As they escaped, Luciel didn''t stand still. Her hair moved like tentacles shooting toward them.


    Alex focused his qi and lifeforce on his feet, then hit the ground.


    SWOSH!


    The next moment, he appeared in front of the window with an Embershift hammer in his hand.


    BAM!


    He hit the hair, creating an explosion of kinetic energy that destroyed part of the wall.


    MingYue took out her twin frostbite. She went all out from the start.


    "ROAR!!!" Two roars of fox reverberated in the air as a chilling temperature started spreading, freezing everything.


    MingYue, in graceful movement, made her motion look like a dance and started her secret technique, Absolute Zero Tempest.


    The tip of her sword created ice as it moved in the air, each time it appeared, it turned into a life-like ice fox that leaped at Luciel.


    Swosh! PRang! Sowsh!


    But they were met with an attack from Luciel using the tongue coming out from her hand.


    Every time the fox was destroyed, it would explode into ice, effectively freezing part of the tongue.


    After a few times, Luciel took the tongue back. Instead, she moved part of her hair to parry MingYue''s attack.


    As the amount of hair that blocked Alex reduced, he used the opportunity.


    He executed the same movement technique, appearing behind Luciel. The Embershift hammerhead glowed in orange as Alex focused an extreme level of heat.


    BANG!


    His hammer hit her back, launching her into the air, destroying the wall, and out of the mansion.


    Seeing this, Alex frowned. "Dammit! She is escaping!"


    MingYue was confused when she heard this, as she thought Alex''s attack should have damaged Luciel since it was enough to launch her into the air.


    But Alex''s ability told him otherwise. Luciel did this on purpose.


    The moment his hammer hit, she used it as momentum to launch herself out of the mansion.


    MingYue didn''t ask since she knew now was not the time. She dashed forward, pursuing Luciel, each of her steps creating ice lotuses in the air.


    Alex quickly followed behind her.


    ''MingYue, it seems after taking over Luciel''s body, the creature is lacking something.


    After eating Alfred, she could control her hair to fight. We shouldn''t let her eat more people.''


    MingYue replied with a nod. But unfortunately, they were too late.


    When they reached outside, the once peaceful city had already turned into hell.


    It had only been a few seconds, but they could already see many black hairs spreading around the city.


    At the center of it, a massive ball of hair with a mouth in the middle was grinning at them.


    Screams of panic and terror filled the area, followed by the sound of spells being cast, explosions, and buildings falling to the ground.


    ''Fuck, fuck, fuck!'' Alex cursed angrily in his head as what he saw reminded him of the past.


    He felt he had failed again, even after gaining the system, cultivation, and even progenitor power, nothing had changed. He was still the same powerless kid that couldn''t protect anything.


    Rage blinded his mind.


    Without care, he used all his qi and lifeforce. Flames ignited from the Embershift hammer, followed by the roar of a fox.


    The flames kept growing hotter, from red to orange and yellow, and then they were barely visible.


    The flame turned white, creating a sizzling heat that even scorched the air, making a hallucination-like effect where the area around the hammer appeared to vibrate.


    Alex then used the same step, appearing above the creature, his hammer raised high in the sky, turning large enough that it looked like it could squish the creature in one hit.


    SWOOSH!


    The creature, in response, pulled almost all its hair back, turning it into something similar to Alex''s hammer, and then met the attack head-on.


    MingYue watched the fight with disbelief. It was the first time she had seen Alex lose his mind.


    Her eyes looked around; the damage from Alex''s attack was very destructive; it didn''t care who is enemy or ally. Even at a distance, it had already started burning some of the houses.

 Chapter 251: Another Vesa?

    Thankfully, the strange material of the buildings was very durable. If it had been normal wood, then the whole city would probably already be turned to ashes.


    BAM!


    The attack met, creating a vibration large enough that it shook the ground.


    From the clash of attacks, it was clear the creatures were stronger. Alex was being pushed back, even though it was just a bit.


    But he didn''t stop. He started unleashing the technique he had just learned.


    The hammer hits started turning like a whirlwind. At first, it was slow, but as it kept going, it turned faster and faster.


    Meanwhile, some distance away, inside a castle that put Elvira''s mansion to shame, a woman sitting on the throne opened her eyes.


    Her crimson eyes glinted with annoyance as she mumbled, "Master, just what are you thinking, choosing a human as your heir. Now, what should I do?"


    "Kekeke, I told you, just drink it; that way, you will become the progenitor''s heir!


    How could we let the progenitor''s power fall to a puny human''s hand?" A voice reverberated in the air, making Thalia turn her gaze.


    Beside her is a similar goblet that MingYue has seen before. Black smoke was coming out from it, creating a silhouette of bats.


    "Shut up, Vesa! You are so annoying."


    "Kekeke."


    "You think you are any different? It seems you have been separated so long that you have started becoming your own individual," Thalia said with a sigh.


    Her hand then made a gesture, activating a rune on the table. As it glowed, the goblet disappeared as if it had never been there.


    ''This is bad¡­ nothing is going smoothly. Master, if only you were still here.''


    Thalia''s gaze turned complicated, showing a moment of weakness. But it quickly disappeared, replaced with a focused gaze. Her eyes looked in the direction of Alex and MingYue.


    "Now, I should check what the chosen heir can do."


    Back in the city. Alex was still pummeling Luciel, MingYue decided to attack the hair that was attacking and eating the elf.


    Her body moved like a dance, creating many frozen lotuses in the air. She then shot them forward.


    The hair now looked more like tentacles with mouths on the ends. It moved around the city, eating every elf, not caring about their gender or age.


    Some of them tried to fight back, but none were a match for Luciel. The attacks just dispersed the moment they hit.


    As for those who were not sorcerers, they could only attack with swords and fists, basically doing nothing.


    The only ones who could fight back were Petricia, Zorgath, and Vexgore.


    Petricia was evacuating the people while Zorgath carried Elvira on his back.


    She was too shocked by everything that happened to move. Her mother had turned into a monster, killing Alfred, who was a father figure to her.


    The city she grew up in had turned into a mess, and who knew what the fate of her father and brother was now.


    Vexgore, meanwhile, was now in a predicament. He was outmatched. Compared to Petricia, he was far less agile.


    The hair pierced through, making many holes in his body. Blood seeped out, but he forcefully stopped it with his qi.


    At the same time, he was now holding his axe with all his strength, facing again the mouth that wanted to eat him.


    ''I cannot hold on longer; my qi is almost depleted,'' Vexgore panickedly thought.


    After some thought, his eyes turned determined. He decided to gamble. He moved his qi to his legs.


    His goal was to leap backward and then run as he threw the hammer into the creature''s mouth.


    The risk was that despite what he did, he might still fail to escape.


    Vexgore took a deep breath, then in a burst of strength, he stomped hard on the ground, jumping backward.


    BAM!


    The ground cracked into a spiderweb as his body moved back. At first, this succeeded in creating a gap between him and the creature.


    But unfortunately, his bet failed. Even with the burst of speed and using the momentum of the creature''s pushing strength, Vexgore was still slower.


    The creature opened its mouth and thrust forward.


    Swosh!


    Vexgore tried to spin his body, trying to build momentum to slash at the creature.


    But his qi was already depleted, and his body was exhausted. Halfway through the spin, his body fell lifeless to the ground.


    CHOMP!


    The mouth bit a chunk of his arm to his shoulder, making Vexgore scream in pain. Knowing his fate was sealed, he sent a message to Alex, ''I am sorry, King. I cannot fulfill your order.''


    His words broke Alex from his state of rage. He could feel Vexgore''s undying loyalty and regret for not being able to complete his mission.


    Alex gritted his teeth. He hit the creature one more time, then took some distance away.


    His eyes then started looking around to assess the situation, trying his best to stay calm and push his emotions away.


    ''Alex, have you finally come to your senses? Take out your army already! And don''t worry, I know you can sense it, but I will still tell you.


    I already saved Vexgore; his condition is critical, but I have already frozen him, so he will last for a while.'' S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Thank you, MingYue, and sorry.''


    ''Just focus on the fight; we will talk later.''


    Alex took a deep breath. Before coming here, he had already bolstered his army. He now had three trained squads, with all of them at least mastering the foundation realm.


    Each squad were expanded, now consisted of 2 wolf riders, 8 goblin archers, and 16 goblin warriors.


    But with only Petricia able to move effectively now, taking out all squads would just provide high-quality food to whatever was possessing Luciel.


    Alex then focused his qi on his hand. He moved the hammer back, then in one swift motion, he threw it toward Luciel.


    SWOOSSSH!!!


    With its size, speed, and heat, it became like a meteor crashing down on the creature.


    BANG!


    The creature parried the attack once more while the hammer kept pushing down on her.

 Chapter 252: Blaze Kong

    Alex then quickly moved. He flew toward where Petricia was, then took out a squad for her to control. In this way, she could fight effectively using all her abilities.


    As a high goblin, she really shined when controlling an army of goblins.


    Next, Alex moved toward Zorgath and Elvira. After he came close, he took out another awe cube and pointed it at the ground.


    This was the creature he captured in the Flidaen Secret Realm, one of the king beasts in the forest.


    So far, he hadn''t had the right opportunity to use this beast as it was too big.


    "Come out, Blaze Kong!"


    A giant light, half the size of Luciel''s form, appeared. It then materialized into a giant King Kong with red fur and four arms.


    His height easily reached five times that of a normal adult.


    "ROARRR!" The creature roared, making the people even more panicked.


    ____________


    Blaze Kong


    Power Level: 9.0


    Lifeforce: 84/643


    Abilities:


    Flame Manipulation: Blaze Kong can control and generate fire at will, creating fireballs, streams of flame, and fiery explosions.


    Heat Resistance: It is almost completely immune to fire and extreme heat, making it impervious to most fire-based attacks.


    ______________________


    Next, Alex sent out four cactus fiend worms around Blaze Kong to help him parry the hair attacks.


    The creature was strong, but unfortunately, Alex hadn''t succeeded in teaching it cultivation, as they were just beasts with a little bit of intelligence.


    "Kong, burn all those hairs!" Alex ordered.


    When he was fighting against the creature, Alex realized that it wasn''t that his attacks did no damage, but the creature kept regenerating over and over again.


    The Kong roared. It then used all four limbs to start pulling at all the hair around him. Orange fire then ignited from his hands, easily reaching almost 1000¡ãC (1832¡ãF). The hair ignited in fire, making the mouth groan in pain.


    As for the cactus worms, they didn''t attack, as none of them were effective against the weird creature.


    Meanwhile, up above in the sky some distance away, Thalia was floating, looking at everything that happened.


    "Not yet, Alex, that creature is one of the Deadly Sin parasites. They won''t die easily. This is not even a fraction of its real power," she mumbled.


    Back on the battlefield, Alex was now back at the hammer with MingYue at his side.


    "Our power is ice and fire; it''s hard to combine it," MingYue said, wondering how they could fight together without suppressing each other''s strength.


    Alex looked at the hammer that was now still burning his qi and life force nonstop, pushing at the creature.


    "I think I can push more. You help me in case something happens."


    MingYue gave a nod. Alex then dashed forward, his crimson eyes glinting, as a large amount of life force started gathering from the atmosphere, making Alex''s muscles bulkier and stronger.


    Green particles started appearing around his body as he absorbed so many particles that they became visible to the naked eye.


    He then threw a flying sidekick, focusing all his strength on his foot.


    BANG!


    The moment his foot hit, the hammer got pushed forward. The clash turned in Alex''s favor as the creature''s hammer-like weapon got pushed back.


    MingYue looked around the area, then decided to make her move. Her qi churned, creating a dense cold in the atmosphere, then with a gesture of her hand.


    A huge ice lotus started appearing, growing to engulf Alex, MingYue, and Luciel inside, along with some of the unlucky elves.


    Thalia''s eyes flickered with confusion as she saw this.


    ''Is she also a vampire? But how? Based on what I feel, the heir should not even be a bloodling yet.


    Could this be another of Master''s plans?''


    She knew Alex could not make a new vampire yet, so seeing MingYue as one surprised her to the core. Based on how they fought, Thalia was sure MingYue was not one of the survivors.


    Part of the hair was burned down by Blaze Kong, followed by Alex''s attack, the creature pulled back all of its spread-out hair.


    As the hair now gathered in one place, the ice lotus faced no resistance. It grew at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, then completely enclosed itself. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Petricia used the opportunity to evacuate the people and move Vexgore to a safer place. Zorgath also did the same.


    Meanwhile, inside the lotus, the fire hammer kept pushing down. The heat started burning away the hair, as the regeneration was stopped.


    But Alex didn''t drop his guard. He could see the creature''s lips, instead of showing panic, showed an eerie grin.


    The creature suddenly undid its hammer-like weapon.


    SWISH! BANG!!!


    The hammer moved forward, then hit the ball of hair straight in the face, smashing it into the ground.


    The earth shook with a huge earthquake as a deep crater was created underneath. As the hammer''s heat was concentrated, it didn''t explode and just kept burning each layer of hair to ashes.


    CRACK! CRACK!


    Alex could hear cracking sounds like breaking an eggshell.


    But the moment it all broke, Alex could feel a huge amount of energy, which made him take a step back.


    "HAHAHAHA!" From the crater, hysterical laughter could be heard.


    They could then see Luciel standing there, wearing a black suit. "Finally, I am free, and here I am welcomed with two high-quality foods!"


    The moment she said this, she appeared in front of Alex, throwing a kick. Alex barely able to respond. He released the hammer, then raised his hand to block the attack.


    Crack!


    His hand and shoulder bone cracked, followed by his ribs. But he held his place.


    MingYue appeared behind the woman, throwing a vertical slash that left ice in the air. But the woman easily raised her hand and grasped the sword barehanded.


    "So confidence! Before, I just used almost all the energy I absorbed to fully take over this body and recover my strength. What you fought was just a small part of it." Luciel say in taunting tone, as she want to bait Alex and MingYue to keep fighting her.

 Chapter 253: Fighting Luciel

    Based on her knowledge, the Vampire race is very prideful. She then tightened her grasp, making a crack in the sword.


    A screeching roar of a fox then rang out before it died out as the sword was clenched to pieces.


    MingYue released her grip on the sword, then delivered a kick to the woman''s head. Her eyes flickered with anger as her other hand put the sword back in the storage.


    She could feel the soul of the sword still existed despite it being only in wisps.


    BAM!


    Her foot hit Luciel''s neck, but she didn''t even flinch. Instead, MingYue could feel her bone break.


    But she gritted through the pain. Her lifeforce churned, regenerating the wound as it pressed forward, spreading ice qi from her field. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ice started spreading around the surface of Luciel''s fair skin, but she didn''t care. Instead, she turned her gaze to Alex, who now threw a punch at her face.


    Luciel turned her hand like a spear, thrusting forward at Alex''s chest, targeting his heart.


    It moved at such speed that Alex could not dodge.


    STAB!


    Her hand pierced through his bone and heart like tofu. Red blood spurted out, but Alex didn''t scream.


    Instead, he used the opportunity to grasp her with both hands.


    His qi and energy churned as he focused it all, making sure Luciel couldn''t escape.


    MingYue didn''t miss the opportunity; she went full power, using her palm to hit Luciel''s back.


    BAM!


    Her ice qi spread quickly, engulfing Luciel''s whole body. But MingYue didn''t stop; she infused more life energy in, trying to create spikes that pierced through Luciel''s skin.


    As the ice reached a part of Luciel''s hand, Alex released his grasp and tried to put a gap between them.


    All of this happened in a second.


    But before the ice could completely encase Luciel, it started cracking apart.


    Alex''s heart had already started regenerating, but the process was slow as he began infusing his life force into MingYue''s ice, enhancing it even further.


    ''MingYue, I can enhance but not manipulate it. Try to make the needles as small as possible. Like the width of a hair, or even smaller,'' Alex suggested.


    MingYue then tried to follow Alex''s suggestion, making the ice as thin as possible to raise the sharpness.


    She also focused the attack on the weak parts of the body like her eyes. She also tried to spread the ice through all the orifice openings on Luciel''s body.


    But even with all this attack infused with both their life forces, it was still not enough.


    BANG!


    The encased ice shattered into pieces, turning into an area-of-effect attack back at Alex and MingYue.


    In response, MingYue made a motion with her hand; despite being broken, the ice was still under MingYue''s control.


    The shards turned into many ice lotuses that started floating back at Luciel.


    Swish!


    The lotuses accelerated, and all clashed in the middle, creating an explosion of ice, that resulted in a glacial spike


    But unfortunately, Luciel was not there.


    She appeared behind MingYue and then punched her in the gut, creating a force that launched her into the air.


    MingYue could hold her place, but she decided not to. The enemy was clearly out of their league. It would be better if they put some distance between them and regrouped before attacking once more.


    Both of them still didn''t give up. Even though the enemy was strong, with the abundant life force in the atmosphere, they still had a chance.


    While MingYue tried to dodge, Alex pushed forward. He threw a kick to her neck, then followed with her back and the back of the knee.


    As these were weak parts of the limb, Luciel still felt it. She turned her attention back to Alex.


    Alex then took out the emperor skunk incense and pierced it through her nose.


    This shameless attack caught Luciel off guard. Even with her abundant fighting experience, she had never faced someone like Alex.


    The moment it entered her nose, she froze. As an aspect of gluttony, her senses were many times sharper.


    Exploiting the gap, Alex took out Embershift Hammer and hit her while manipulating his qi to create an explosion.


    BOOM!


    The result was the skunk incense burned at a fast rate, pushing Alex a distance away.


    Seeing what Alex did, MingYue had already taken a gas mask to cover her face, but unfortunately, with the distance, Alex was already hit by the intense smell.


    His face turned blue as nausea overwhelmed him. But he tried his best to hold it out, even using qi and lifeforce to push it away.


    ''MingYue!''


    Understanding his call, MingYue moved the ice that surrounded them to create a gap, allowing both of them to escape.


    At this moment, Alex threw away many explosives and red gemstones, including a storage ring filled with oil.


    As he came out from the hole, he sent an image to MingYue.


    MingYue then transformed the lotuses further. She made them smaller while creating a new hole on top of the lotuses and closed the hole where she had come out from.


    Alex pointed his Embershift Hammer. Flames started appearing from the head, then grew intense quickly and turned into a lifelike white fox.


    SWOOSH!


    The fox shot forward inside the makeshift ice furnace, then exploded with a loud boom!


    As there was a hole in the top, all the explosions were sent upward. Alex didn''t stop.


    SWOOSH! SWOOSH!


    He started shooting the lifelike fox again and again, creating more and more explosions.


    Meanwhile, MingYue tried her best to contain it all, sending most of the flames upward.


    Despite all this, the makeshift furnace started getting cracked.


    BAM!


    The blaze ape landed beside Alex. It then gathered all its four hands in front of its chest, pointing them toward the same opening.


    A sphere of fiery orange flame started gathering, spinning, and turning larger and larger.


    The ape''s muscles then bulked, its veins protruding out as it shot the condensed fireball inside the hole.

 Chapter 254: Glutony Transformation

    As both elements were fire, they augmented each other, raising the temperature to insane levels. Even with the non-stop infusion of lifeforce into the ice, it couldn''t stop the inevitable.


    Seeing it couldn''t hold anymore, MingYue started moving backward, putting as much distance as possible. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    KA-BOOM!


    The furnace exploded, sending out a heatwave that turned half the city into ashes.


    MingYue covered herself in many layers of ice lotuses to protect herself, but even this was not enough as her skin was scalded. But at the very least, it saved her from being burned alive by Alex''s flames.


    Meanwhile, the blaze ape was called back to the awe cube. As the flames were not purely made of its qi anymore, this resulted in damage to it, too.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t as potent as others.


    Seeing the result of the attack, Alex''s heart clenched. Half of the city was turned into scorched land without any buildings in sight.


    God knows what happened to all the people who still lived there.


    He could only try to tell himself that Petricia had done her job evacuating everyone else. Despite his ability to feel the lifeforce, with how intense the fight was, all his attention was focused on the fight, while the rest was on absorbing the lifeforce.


    His gaze then locked on the half-burned being in the middle. Despite taking all the attacks, Luciel was still survived.


    Half of her body had gruesome fire wounds, leaving only part of the flesh without any skin, while the rest was just bone.


    Her eyes glinted with anger as she looked at Alex. The attack Alex sent out was far beyond his current level.


    It caused her a lot of damage, resulting in a huge loss of energy. Almost half of it was wasted.


    Alex stepped forward, using the movement technique to appear in front of Luciel.


    What happened next was a gruesome brawl, where every hit from Luciel pierced and tore Alex''s limbs, while Alex''s attacks barely slowed her regeneration.


    Bang! Bang!


    In the next second, MingYue appeared behind Luciel and started attacking her. Alex''s and Ming Yue''s attacks began to put a lot of pressure on Luciel.


    They started coordinating flawlessly. While Alex attacked with an uppercut, MingYue hit the back of her knee.


    When Luciel tried to counter MingYue''s attack with an elbow, Alex targeted the opening.


    The longer the brawl went on, the more perfect their combination became.


    Luciel started to panic; her energy came from eating, while Alex almost got it indefinitely from the atmosphere.


    If the fight kept going, she would run out of gas despite being far stronger than them.


    Luciel didn''t dare to directly eat Alex and MingYue. From experience, she knew the result wouldn''t be good for her. To eat a vampire, she needed to knock them out first.


    Otherwise, the fight would just move to his inner world¡ªsomething she didn''t like.


    "FUCK IT! I just wanted to play around, but you guys keep pushing me!" Luciel screamed with a demonic voice.


    A dark fog started coming out of Luciel''s body, covering her in complete darkness.


    Alex tried to hit it despite the danger he felt, but the moment he hit the fog, all his flesh and skin disappeared, leaving only his bones.


    This made Alex jump backward. As he observed the fog, he realized it was similar to the fog he saw in Edonia when he first met Vesa and MingYue.


    The black fog covered Luciel''s whole body, then turned her into a humanoid monster.


    She had two horns and two white pupils. In the middle of her body, next to her waist, there was a vertical mouth filled with sharp teeth.


    Her whole body was completely pitch black.


    Swosh!


    She then disappeared from where she stood.


    Alex quickly panicked as he saw this monster moving toward Zorgath and Elvira.


    He tried to move as fast as possible to pursue her, but his speed was far too slow to catch up.


    Zargath, at this moment, was already outside the city, running in the opposite direction of Petricia. Only he and Elvira were left now.


    He then put Elvira on the ground, letting her sit under the tree.


    "You cannot keep grieving like this! Our situation is now dire! Don''t you need to look for your father and brother?" Zargath tried to talk some sense into Elvira.


    Hearing her family name mentioned, clarity started returning to Elvira''s eyes. Her emotions exploded as she couldn''t hold it in anymore.


    "Isn''t this all because of you!? If not for your master meeting my mother, none of this would have happened!


    My house! My family! Even Alfred¡­ Gone! All of them gone!"


    Zargath was about to respond when suddenly the hair on his neck stood up. Unfortunately, even a fully-powered Alex and MingYue couldn''t keep up with Luciel''s speed, let alone Zargath.


    The moment he felt the danger, it was already too late.


    His stomach was pierced like meat on a skewer. "Run, Elvira!" Zargath screamed his last words.


    It''s not that he cared much for her, but this was the mission Alex had given him. For all the goblins, Alex''s order was more important than their own lives.


    CHOMP!


    The vertical mouth opened wide and ate Zargath whole, leaving nothing behind. Not even his storage ring.


    Elvira''s body froze upon seeing this, her shoulders slumping down, devoid of any energy.


    She was too tired. At this moment, her thought was, ''Since everything is gone now, I might as well just die. What more can I do¡­''


    Elvira didn''t recognize Luciel as her mother since her body was completely transformed. She then closed her eyes.


    She prepared herself for the intense pain before everything turned to darkness as her life ended.


    As she lamented her life choices, time passed.


    The attack she expected never came. Feeling curious, she opened her eyes to see the monster had disappeared, nowhere to be seen.


    A few moments ago, after Elvira closed her eyes, Luciel was going for the kill, but her sharp hand stopped inches away from Elvira''s face.

 Chapter 255: Talking with Thalia

    The real Luciel, whom Gluttony thought was fully consumed, suddenly appeared, trying to fight back.


    Knowing she didn''t have much time left in this place, she decided to escape.


    Thalia saw everything that happened but didn''t intercept. Even though she could have fought to pressure Gluttony more, she knew she couldn''t kill it.


    Instead, the more pressure Gluttony felt, the more dangerous she would become.


    It didn''t take long for Alex and MingYue to reach where Elvira was. Despite being safe now, she didn''t have any energy to try to move.


    She knew she should have tried to look for her father and brother, but she just didn''t feel any motivation.


    She was still in disbelief at how she could stay alive.


    Alex clenched his hand tightly as he looked at Elvira. He knew it as clear as day: Zargath was no more. He was killed.


    "Dammit!" Alex screamed in frustration.


    MingYue sighed and put her hand on Alex''s shoulder. "Alex..."


    "I know, it''s not the time to mourn. Let''s regroup for now," Alex said.


    MingYue nodded and then pointed at the dazed Elvira. "What about her, then?"


    Alex thought it would be better to bring her with them, but after some more thought, he decided to let her choose. With the current situation, they didn''t have time to babysit someone.


    He could try to capture her, but what then? There was no use to it.


    Alex was now trying his best to think only rationally, putting his morality and heart aside. Otherwise, he knew he would probably be stressed out from all the guilt.


    Alex walked closer to Elvira, took out a bottle of spiced water, and poured it on the woman.


    The water quickly released its effect as it got absorbed through the skin, making her mind feel refreshed.


    Looking at Alex, Elvira said, "Just who are you!? I am sure you are not from here now. And what happened? Please tell me."


    "If you want to find out, follow us. We are going to where the survivors are gathered."


    Alex then turned his back without waiting for her response.


    Elvira hesitated for a moment but then decided to follow them.


    After they had walked a few steps, Alex and MingYue turned alert. In front of them stood Thalia with a smile on her face.


    "My master is really someone I cannot fathom. He even chose two people as his heirs." She then put her hand over her chest and gave a small bow, surprising Alex and MingYue.


    "Let me introduce myself once more. My name is Thalia Von Bloodthorn, and I am from the Bloodthorn clan. I welcome you to my place, Alucard''s heirs."


    Alex and MingYue exchanged gazes for a moment, then looked back at Thalia.


    "I am Alex, and she is MingYue. Based on what you do now, are you not our enemy?"


    "Enemies? Oh, I am far from it, Heir. But before we talk further..." Thalia then turned her gaze to Elvira, raised her finger, and her crimson eyes glowed. "We need to make sure no outsider hears it."


    After saying this, Elvira''s body dropped to the ground.


    "What did you do to her?" Alex asked. He didn''t feel wary since he could feel Elvira was still alive.


    "I just put her to sleep. She has no business hearing what I want to say." She then turned her gaze to MingYue.


    "And who is your name, Lady Heiress?"


    "I am MingYue," she replied with a frown on her face.


    "Let''s move to a different place first. This place is not suitable for a long talk."


    "No need," Alex replied. He then gestured his hand, taking out a table and chair.


    "Let me be clear, we still don''t trust you. Despite you being stronger than us, it doesn''t mean we will just follow your whim."


    Thalia let out a chuckle. "Alright, as you wish, Sir Alex."


    As they took a seat, MingYue was the first to ask a question. "Why?"


    The question was just one word, but Thalia understood what they wanted to know.


    "I will not mince words. What you saw inside Luciel''s mind is not wrong. I do plan to take over her body, as she is the most suitable to hold the Aspect of Gluttony."


    Alex and MingYue didn''t respond; they looked at Thalia, waiting for her to continue.


    "It''s good for both of you to keep your guard up. After all, not all vampires will still be loyal to Master Alucard. Let me continue, then.


    The Aspect of Gluttony is part of the deadly sins. They are weapons created specifically to destroy our race," Thalia said with a sigh, her eyes reflecting deep sadness as she remembered what happened in the war back then.


    "Long story short, you should be able to guess what happened in the war.


    When I escaped, I was ambushed by Gluttony. I barely escaped with my life, but part of it attached itself to my soul."


    "So you somehow cut part of yourself that got infected, then put it on Luciel with the goal to kill her afterward?" Alex asked.


    "It''s not that simple, but yes, it''s as you said. But it doesn''t matter now. The creature is free and starting to run amok.


    I am guessing we have a week at most before it grows strong enough to escape this place."


    "Do you have a way to kill it?" MingYue asked.


    Both she and Alex understood they needed to make sure Gluttony didn''t escape from this place. If it somehow returned, every one of their potential enemies would come out to hunt them down.


    After knowing the outer gate, they were prepared for the worst. Their enemy had many means beyond their imagination.


    Having a progenitor shamelessly come and kill them in one move was not out of the possibility.


    "At first, I was hopeless. But seeing both of you fight gave me an idea to kill it or, at the very least, seal it."


    Hearing this, Alex''s vein throbbed. Part of the emotion that he pushed down started leaking out.


    "You mean you were there, but you didn''t have the decency to help us?" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 256: Loyalty

    "What use would my help have been? It would just make things worse. Don''t you see what it does when it gets cornered?"


    Remembering Gluttony''s last transformation made Alex clench his fist again. He then asked, "If you are our ally, then tell us where it is."


    "What do you mean?" Thalia asked with a smile on her face.


    "You know what we mean, but please make this clear for me: you are alive since Alucard is the progenitor.


    With how much time has passed, how could you still not be able to kill it?" MingYue asked, feeling confused.


    Based on what Alex told her, vampires grow stronger the older they are, not to mention Thalia has Alucard''s body part. Even without consuming it, she should be able to grow stronger.


    Both Alex and MingYue could tell Thalia hadn''t consumed it, as their progenitor''s blood told them she was just a normal vampire.


    "As I said, I am hurt.


    Honestly, if not because I am close to Master''s essence, I am sure I would already be consumed by gluttony.


    As I told you, the enemy we face now is the Aspect of Gluttony. It''s only part of it."


    "Then where is your master''s essence?" Alex asked


    "Don''t worry, I never planned to consume it for myself. But before I can give you that, you must first start mastering your vampire innate ability.


    Even though your transformation is not complete, you should know lifeforce can be used in many more ways than how you do it."


    "Since you know Alucard, I am sure you know Vesa too. Don''t blame this on us, that Vesa is just too picky; it doesn''t teach us anything." Alex replied.


    Thalia frowned, hearing this, as Vesa was a loyal companion of her Master.


    Vesa was tasked with assisting the heir to the best of its ability to make sure their road was as smooth as possible.


    "Can you call Vesa out?" Thalia asked, wanting to confirm something.


    "We cannot. Vesa is unconscious after helping us infiltrate your place," MingYue replied as she tried to feel out Vesa''s presence.


    "I see. We can only find out the answer later. For now, we have no other choice.


    I will train both of you to the best of my ability. Of course, if both of you want it.


    Also, Sir Alex and Lady MingYue, the bangle you use wouldn''t be useful if you use lifeforce like that."


    Alex sighed, "It''s not like she had a choice at that time. You know how outmatched we were. Otherwise, using qi is enough."


    "A Qi, huh? So you are a cultivator, as I expected."


    "You know about cultivators?" she asked.


    "Of course, they are the elite force of the human race."


    "Do you have some knowledge about them then?" MingYue asked, her eyes lighting up.


    She wanted to know what the real peak of cultivation was. How far could they go from being immortal?


    Unfortunately, Thalia didn''t know about it.


    "I cannot answer your question, as I was never interested in how other races gain their power. Even trying to master runes and lifeforce is already hard enough for me." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "About that, I saw you manipulate blood before. Is it also part of lifeforce manipulation?" Alex asked.


    Hearing this, Thalia could not help but let out a laugh, making Alex and MingYue frown.


    "I am sorry. I am not making fun of both of you. It''s just controlling blood is basic. Don''t tell me Vesa didn''t even tell you blood contains lifeforce."


    "Vesa did tell us. Vesa said that lifeforce is contained in all living beings."


    Thalia gave a nod, "That is true, but the easiest one to control is your own blood.


    Honestly, both of you have already broken common sense.


    Usually, only vampires at the Eclipsar level can manipulate lifeforce directly like that. So you guys are skipping levels while not knowing any of the basics.


    As newborns, they will learn how to manipulate their blood, then feel out lifeforce.


    A night keeper means they have complete control over the lifeforce in their body, including bones, flesh, and other parts."


    As Thalia said this, she then raised her hand and transformed it.


    Her nails grew longer and sharper, and the veins protruded from her skin. In the next moment, she returned to normal.


    "A nightkeeper will then start mastering runes. Afterward, to raise to a new level, it''s up to them to master the lifeforce energy."


    "How about the Eternal level?" MingYue aked


    "That is beyond my comprehension. They are the direct subordinates of Master. At that time, I was nothing more than a lowly maid."


    "How could you survive then?" Alex asked with suspicion in his eyes.


    A fight between progenitors, a maid surviving an encounter with gluttony, a weapon specially created to destroy vampires, and somehow succeeding in getting Alucard''s parts in her hand. All of this raised red flags in Alex''s mind.


    Thalia didn''t mind their suspicions. Sadness returned to her eyes as she said, "That is all thanks to Master Alucard. Otherwise, I would not survive.


    But I don''t want to talk more about it. It''s not like you can gain any useful information from that.


    I will just tell you this, there is more than one weapon created to destroy us, and I don''t know what kind of monstrosities they created after all this time."


    "Why don''t you try to consume it yourself? I find it hard to believe someone could stay loyal to a dead person all this time," MingYue asked.


    Her question made Thalia''s eyes turn cold.


    "Lady MingYue, never doubt my loyalty to Master Alucard. I don''t know how much Vesa told you about our race, but loyalty, code of conduct, and ethics were all important parts of our race in the past.


    That is why that betrayal caught everyone off guard. No one ever suspected that to happen."


    "So you are saying everyone was completely loyal before that? No betrayal ever happened?"


    "Of course, it did, but none ever came from our own race. Only those halflings did it."

 Chapter 257: Lets Become The Strongest

    "Halflings like her?" Alex asked, pointing at Elvira.


    Thalia gave a nod, "Our race was quite aggressive in the past.


    Even before the progenitor war, we had conquered many species and worlds, for example, elves. And yeah, halflings are those that carry our blood."


    Alex''s eyes turned cold hearing this. "You say ethics are very important for our race. Was this halfling born because their mother became a victim?"


    "No, let me make this clear: those halflings were born because we pure vampires injected our blood into them."


    "Vesa says only progenitors can make new vampires. So, is Vesa lying?"


    "Halflings don''t count as true vampires, Lady MingYue.


    As they marry and have more descendants, the purity will keep getting lower and lower.


    The halfling you see here is only possible because I made use of Alucard''s essence. And even then, the result is not that good."


    Alex then had a thoughtful look. Rather than consuming Alucard''s blood essence, he felt it was better to use it to turn the people around him and MingYue into vampires first.


    This would raise their survivability to a new level, better than just absorbing it to enhance themselves.


    Seeing his face, Thalia could guess what he was thinking about. After all, she had done it herself.


    "No, you cannot do that. Even now, the Vesa there is already starting to act weird.


    If we push it even further, this will become a big problem."


    "What do you mean, Vesa there?" MingYue asked.


    "Vesa is split just like Alucard''s progenitor essence. Each part has Vesa inside of it.


    They will only awaken when they detect the blood is used by something or someone.


    The Vesa, in the essence I hold, is already starting to get corrupted.


    I don''t know if it''s because Gluttony being close is a factor or there is another reason, but one thing is for sure: if it runs amok, we''re all dead."


    "If we absorb it, how strong will we become?"


    "Let me put this simply; even now, you guys are still not using your power to its fullest potential.


    While some of it may be used for your transformation, there will still be a lot left. Don''t underestimate even 1% of the progenitor''s strength."


    "Does Vesa have control over this essence?" Alex asked.


    He felt curious about it, just like before when he asked MingYue about the abudant life force here with only 3.5% of Alucard''s essence.


    Meanwhile, he and MingYue had a total of 17.35%. It''s almost five times the strength.


    Even if it''s used to transform his soul and body, from the experience he had fighting in the inner world, it''s clear the results were very lackluster.


    Just how strong was Alucard at his peak? Alex felt it should be at least close to the eye creature he had seen before.


    "I don''t know much about it for the heir, but based on the information I got from the Vesa with me, they should have some extent of control, although they cannot use it for themselves. Vesa can manage how much is used or not."


    "So basically, Vesa works like a tap. I can understand the reason, as getting too strong quickly will just be detrimental.


    But what do you think, Thalia? Aren''t we too weak?"


    "One hundred percent. But this is my judgment based on the life force you control now.


    Honestly, you already can absorb so much from the atmosphere, but the way you use it is very barbaric.


    After you learn how to manipulate your own blood, you will understand what I mean." Thalia took a deep breath and then continued, "Now, if you don''t have any more questions, we should move.


    I am sure my place will soon turn to chaos as Gluttony roams free now."


    "How about the competition? Aren''t you the one that organized it?" MingYue asked.


    "Yes, but it''s part of my plan after Luciel got possessed. As for now, it all becomes useless.


    I should make another order instead since having everyone gathered in one place will just give an all-you-can-eat buffet for Greed."


    ''What do you think, Alex? I think we should accept her offer. It''s the best choice,'' MingYue asked telepathically.


    Alex didn''t directly answer as he considered their choices now. Based on how Thalia acted, if they chose to ignore her now, she probably wouldn''t insist.


    As she was sure, they couldn''t do anything without her.


    Following her meant putting their lives in her hands, as they didn''t know what kind of capabilities Thalia had. Wherever she brought them would surely have many protections in place.


    ''Let''s take it then. It''s not like we have another choice.


    No matter what happens, our main goal is Alucard''s essence. At some point, we will go to her base.''


    ''Okay, it''s settled then.''


    They then communicated that they agreed to follow Thalia, but only after they regrouped with Patricia and the others.


    Thalia didn''t mind. She told them a location for them to meet up after they finished with their business.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach where Patricia was. The people were gathered, tending to each other''s wounds, as Patricia could be seen busy helping them.


    There were many tents set up in the area, providing makeshift shelter for the survivors.


    The atmosphere was heavy. Patricia didn''t greet Alex, as he had already ordered her to stay focused on her task.


    Alex then looked around, searching for Elvira''s father and brother. He had never met the brother, but Alex knew the father''s appearance from Patricia. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Going around, they didn''t find anyone. With a sigh, Alex decided to put Elvira in one of the camps and let Patricia take care of her.


    After putting her on the bed, Alex looked around the surroundings. Tears and sobs were everywhere. People were screaming their grievances.


    As those who were still fit moved around helping Patricia, none of them cared about her strange appearance now, as they had just faced something unprecedented.


    Half of their city was destroyed to ashes, while there had never been any big war since this place was founded.

 Chapter 258: Cultivation & Vampire Power

    The shock was too much for most of them.


    Alex gripped his fist as he saw this. He knew all of this was in his hands. There might be other factors, but he was the one that triggered it.


    The guilt he tried hard to suppress started coming out.


    "This¡­ is all my fault. My father often told me in the past that the higher your position, the more burden you will carry.


    I never thought much about his words before, but now¡­ I get it."


    "There are too many factors at play here. Most of it is not under our control, Alex.


    It''s not like we are the ones leading these people. As the leader, Elvira''s father should have known better that there was something possessing his wife.


    It''s not that I blame him; I just want to tell you that too many things are outside of our hands."


    "That might be true, but I just know we can do better."


    His gaze then turned to a middle-aged woman singing a lullaby, trying to calm her baby. Her eyes were wet as tears dropped non-stop, making Alex''s heartache.


    He could guess the woman''s husband had probably died in the incident.


    "Have you ever seen carnage like this in your world, MingYue?"


    "No. Even though I know some villages were massacred by rogue cultivators or those learning demonic cultivation, I never really encountered one."


    "This is the second time for me, just like that day. Only the difference is this time, almost everyone around me is a stranger." Alex said as his fist clenched even tighter.


    "My friends, neighbors, everyone I knew was torn to pieces, some even eaten alive, while I could only just desperately try to run away with my family without doing much."


    "I had a similar talk with my brother before. He raised a good point: strength.


    In the end, only those who are strong can do anything they want, while the weak can only bow to the strong." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s be one then¡­ Let''s become the strongest in existence, more than any progenitor, to a level no one has ever seen before."


    "You are quite ambitious, Alex, but I like that. Let''s aim high, as high as we can."


    Alex''s ears perked up, and his mood started getting better.


    It was the first time MingYue had said something like this, even though he knew it didn''t have any special meaning.


    He then left some more medical supplies and left the area to the promised location.


    Thalia didn''t tell them much; she only pointed in a direction and told them to fly toward there.


    When Alex asked, "Till where?"


    She answered with, "You will know when you see it."


    They then started moving toward the direction at full speed.


    Time passed; even after an hour, they still didn''t see anything, only passing through some cities, mountains, and more forests.


    That is until they finally reached a big lake with sparkling clear water.


    Many big fish swam in the area, but their attention was focused on the thing floating above it.


    A huge amount of life energy radiated from it, creating a green fog that made the lake look mystical. In normal people''s eyes, even the royalty, there was nothing in this space.


    But for Alex and MingYue, they could see a piece of land floating with a small castle perched on top of it.


    The castle was adorned with two towers, completely made from an unknown material. There were many intricate carvings on each brick, making it look even more beautiful.


    At a glance, it looked like a decoration, but as Alex had learned about runes, he knew it wasn''t just that. Each of them functions like a circuit that life forces pass through.


    It was clear to Alex that there was a huge formation of runes in the building.


    They then saw Thalia waving at them from the balcony.


    Alex and MingYue flew toward the place. When they came close, they felt like they were passing through a barrier. It was a similar sensation to what Alex felt when he was passing the array at the Felidaen homeland.


    Thalia gave a respectful bow when they landed, "Welcome to my castle, Sir Alex and Lady MingYue.


    Now, first, let''s start by practicing how to control blood.


    It''s not that I keep Alucard''s essence from you; it''s just, as I said, the Vesa there is weird now. So it''s better if you become stronger first."


    Alex and MingYue agreed with the thought, then followed Thalia inside the castle.


    On the way, as they admired the decorations, Alex asked telepathically, ''MingYue, is Vesa still not awake? We are not close to Alucard''s essence.''


    ''No, I get the feeling Vesa will only awaken after we consume the essence. How should we share it anyway?'' MingYue asked.


    The moment they entered through the barrier, both of them could feel something calling, making their blood boil.


    ''Let''s raise your ration to the same as mine, then we will share it half and half.


    Although I don''t know how it really works, Alucard''s essence will be shared between the two of us.


    Doesn''t that mean we will reach fifty percent at max?''


    ''I think we will only find out when we get there.''


    They then arrived at a big room shaped like a dome.


    Thalia brought them to the middle of the room. She then gestured with her hand, activating the runes around the place.


    The next moment, Alex and MingYue found themselves standing in a vast empty field.


    Even with their sharp eyes, there was no end to this place; it looked like it stretched to infinity.


    "As you already know, blood contains lifeforce, and lifeforce is part of our core being. It''s part of our soul.


    So, to start manipulating lifeforce, you need to first master your own soul."


    "Is this the same as cultivators mastering their soul? We are both cultivators and vampires. How does it works for us?"


    "I don''t really know how it works for both of you, but based on my experience, at some point, you will need to choose since there is a stage where you cannot do both.

 Chapter 259: Blood Control

    Otherwise, we vampires would have already adopted cultivation since it makes us stronger."


    "Cultivation is slow and full of risks. Comparing it to the vampire method of raising their power, I think it''s not impossible.


    It''s just that no one put in the effort to find the solution."


    "It''s possible. I hope you can find a better way, Sir Alex and bring a new golden age for us, Vampire." Thalia replied with a smile. She then continued explaining the ability.


    "Let me start now. Blood is a part of any being; it moves energy to all our body parts. This includes circulating our life force to each cell that needs it.


    Controlling blood is not as simple as what you see. You need to first feel the life force circulating in your body.


    I believe this part is not hard for both of you, but the next part¡­"


    Thalia paused for a moment, then continued, "You need to focus on the life force in your blood vessels.


    How it moves and circulates in your body, how much is there, and how much is used by each organ. You know this without thinking before you even try to control your blood.


    Imagine this: you move all your blood, creating a weapon, but since you took too much, it results in a lack of blood circulating in your body.


    It''s not funny collapsing because of that, right?"


    Alex could not help but let out a small chuckle upon hearing this.


    He quickly imagined someone creating a huge attack using blood, all the destructive power, only to then faint before releasing it because of the lack of blood.


    "That would be hilarious."


    "You will be surprised, Sir Alex, how many times this has happened in the past," Thalia replied.


    MingYue, meanwhile, didn''t think it was that funny since that was a fatal mistake in the middle of combat.


    "In that case, don''t we just need to use life force in our bone marrow to raise the amount of blood we produce?" MingYue asked.


    She has used qi and mana to enhance her own body, so despite her reluctance to learn biology, she still learned many parts and how her body really works.


    "It''s not that simple, Lady MingYue. If, for example, you put too much blood in your veins, it will end up with your veins swelling. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the worst case, they will tear. If you put too much in your organs, it could trigger organ failure.


    This is why it''s important to find the maximum blood you can have and control without disturbing your body''s function."


    "What is the next step then?"


    "After you learn the limits of your body perfectly, the next step is to create a new pathway to allow your blood to come out of your body without wounding it.


    This is the first phase of learning blood manipulation.


    Also, if you want to ask, no, we vampires don''t have these kinds of organs since birth.


    We are a race born with attunement over life force. This means we have an easier way to control it.


    The blood part only came as our less talented people found a way to fight on their own."


    She then told Alex and MingYue to focus on the circulation of blood in their bodies to start feeling the amount.


    Both of them sat cross-legged and then started meditating. Closing their eyes, they began focusing their focus inside, feeling everything inside their bodies.


    As both of them already used qi and mana to enhance their bodies, they easily felt this on the pathway. MingYue had it easier as she had practiced secret techniques that required specific motions.


    She had learned to control her blood flow as it affected how her muscles would move and contract.


    Compared to her, Alex had a harder time. So far, he only controlled his Qi and life force, channeling it to the embershift hammer. Only in the last fight did he try to move it in motion to perform the movement technique.


    But Alex had more of an edge compared to MingYue in finding the capacity of his veins, as his ability helped him a lot in the process.


    MingYue then tried to start moving the blood, but she got confused as she remembered blood was already in circulation in her body all the time.


    How could she test it out?


    As she knew this was not her forte, she asked Alex about this.


    "Use your qi to create something like a tap that blocks the blood flow. This will allow you to know how much the veins can hold before you push it more."


    "I see, that makes sense. But what if we then try to increase our blood quantity? It will flow to all our body at the same rate."


    "It works under the same principle, MingYue. It''s like controlling traffic.


    We make a few gap points where one part is bigger than the other while looking at how it affects every part.


    I am guessing this is similar to how we control our transformation.


    Too much blood pressure and flow to the brain will be bad, but a raise at the right rate will make my brain work faster."


    "A traffic? You mean like the cars on the street in the movie I watched?"


    "Yes, remember, sometimes the cars stop, and sometimes not.


    This is to control the flow, making sure all the cars don''t crash into each other. But now, change the cars to your blood while the traffic light is a tap.


    By the way, MingYue, any suggestion on how to control the blood?"


    "Yes, it''s not that hard, Alex. Remember how you felt when you infused qi into the hammer?


    I don''t know how other vampires do it, but this is how I learned to control mine: by infusing Qi into the blood.


    In the first place, we already have Qi in it. What we do is just try to be aware of this qi."


    "Alright, I will try it."


    Both of them then helped each other try to understand it. Despite what she said, Thalia expected them to finish in less than an hour or, at worst, two hours.

 Chapter 260: In the Camp

    Even though they were still newborns, they were different. Their bodies are like a progenitor got reborn but without the knowledge.


    ''So, the master decided to do this, but I wonder Master, can they really achieve what you cannot, even with all those knowledge and resources?'' Thalia thought in her mind, and then her lips curled into a smile.


    In the end, as long as both Alex and MingYue can achieve it, it can be said in some way that her master, Alucard, is the one paving the way.


    Time passed, and as Thalia expected, it only took barely an hour for both of them to open their eyes.


    "Now that you can control your blood and have some idea about it, the next step is triggering the cells to create the veins you need to make it pour out from your body. But before that, try to make a small wound and then control the blood."


    Alex and MingYue nodded. They created a small incision on their fingertips and then started manipulating the blood.


    The experience was very different from what Alex imagined. He thought it would work as he willed it, but in reality, it was more like controlling a horse.


    He needed to give direction and try to control the flow as the blood kept flowing in his body despite what he did.


    He must make sure not too much blood was out without disturbing the circulation while using life force to generate more blood than they needed.


    It was like trying to write with both the left and right hands at the same time.


    The blood that came out from Alex at first moved like a worm; it then started trying to transform, trying to take some form, but the process was quite slow, as it could be seen with the naked eye.


    The same happened with MingYue. It took Alex half an hour before he finally got it right, while it took MingYue almost an hour.


    Seeing the fast progress, Thalia became more spirited and began teaching both of them the next step.


    Meanwhile, back at the survivor encampment, Elvira finally woke up. Her head felt freshened up like she had just woken up from a deep sleep.


    Looking through the gap in the camp, she started seeing some familiar faces. Even though she wasn''t close to them, she often saw them walking in the street.


    Her memory is quite good, allowing her to memorize something after a few glances.


    She then stood up and started walking out of the camp. Looking around, she was quickly greeted with the same sight Alex had seen.


    Her head throbbed as she started walking around, gaining gazes from many people in the area. Everyone recognized her as the princess of Duskmire.


    Her eyes darted around carefully, looking at each wounded person, hoping to see her father and brother.


    Swosh!


    A rock flew suddenly as Elvira dodged her head. Looking back, she saw a group of people with angry looks on their faces.


    "You¡­YOU are the princess of our country! Where were you when that monster attacked?"


    "Yes, we all pay taxes, so you can protect us! Aren''t you a sorceress?"


    "We all are your people! Isn''t it your responsibility to protect us?"


    Elvira was silent upon hearing all their complaints. Normally, this would not happen as the punishment could easily be death, but now, as these people have lost everything, they don''t care at all.


    Her eyes looked at the people''s appearances; each of them had many wounds all over their bodies. Blood was still flowing from their wounds as they still had not been taken care of.


    Despite their appearances, their wounds were superficial compared to others. So, they were at the very back of the priority.


    Elvira then took out a green crystal from her pocket, making the people who complained take a step back. But it only lasted for a moment before they continued throwing insults.


    The green gem started to shine, creating a warm light that enveloped all of them.


    Petricia saw all of this happening from the other camp, as she was still busy taking care of the patients.


    She didn''t plan to interfere since, by right, these people were all her responsibility. The only reason she still stayed here was because of Alex''s order.


    Vexgore has already been taken by Alex back to the awe cube as he could heal faster inside that place.


    The people who complained expected she would kill them all, but to their surprise, the spell cast healed all their wounds.


    "I will be straight; what you did is condemnable by death, but I will forgive you this one time.


    What happened now is outside everyone''s capability. If you want to blame, that is your choice, but you are right; I should have prepared better countermeasures in case something like this happened," Elvira said with cold eyes while exuding pressure that made the people turn silent.


    In Elvira''s land, despite the different classes, the grassroots still earned enough money to eat and pay rent. The tax was also not that heavy, allowing them to have a comfortable life.


    This made the crime rate low, requiring only a few knights and soldiers to patrol the area. And the base was all concentrated around the castle. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This resulted in complete annihilation when the incident happened.


    Thankfully, this also meant no one saw that her mother, Luciel, was the one who did all of this. Otherwise, she knew she would face even more problems than this one.


    Elvira continued walking through the area as she cast the same spell a few more times. In the end, she stopped near Petricia. "Where are my father and brother?"


    "I don''t hide them, so I don''t know. You see the last explosion? Anyone dead there won''t even have their body remain."


    Elvira clenched her fists, her eyes then turned misty.


    "Don''t people in power usually have some contingency? Your family should have one, too.


    Why not check the escape place you guys have prepared beforehand?"


    .

 Chapter 261: H-Game???

    Petricia''s words reminded Elvira that they did have a place to hide. And it makes sense for her father to escape there, as he was told the one who came was a sovereign


    Her father will lay low and wait for her news. If there is no news, based on her understanding, he will hide his identity and try to rebuild the house using her brother''s descendants.


    "You are right. I will try to look for them there."


    "I don''t really care with what you do, but¡­" Petricia then pointed at the people on the land, "Aren''t these all your people? Don''t you need to fulfill your responsibility first?"


    Hearing the screams and tears, a huge weight suddenly appeared on her shoulders.


    With a sigh, she said, "You are right¡­"


    "Just call me Petricia. It''s not like you can do anything now, even if you meet them.


    Here, help me with some medical treatment," Petricia said while pointing at the box filled with red potions and other supplies. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back at Thalia''s castle, Alex and MingYue were practicing their mastery over blood. They each created a small humanoid figure, hardened it, and then used it to fight against each other.


    This is a kids'' game from the Golden Era of Vampires.


    Thalia made both of them do this, since not only is it fun, it also raises their control over blood.


    Other than this, in the past there was also a competition called blood art, where they created complex figures and miniatures.


    Thalia''s eyes started turning hazy, looking at Alex and MingYue; she remembered how, in the past, she liked to do things like this.


    At that time, she was still a child, living at an orphanage as both her parents died in the progenitor war.


    Meanwhile, Alex had a grin on his face, while MingYue was annoyed.


    She lost! Not once or twice, from ten matches she barely won one, and they already had done more than a hundred.


    "Are you cheating or what! I should have more experience with this," MingYue complained with a grumble.


    She had more combat experience and couldn''t believe she was beaten this badly.


    "How can I even cheat? This is not a VR game, you know," Alex said with a grin.


    The reason he kept winning is because it''s like playing a game with a more complicated controller for him.


    With his experience with fighting games and his abilities, it was just very hard for MingYue to win.


    As he doesn''t actively involve himself in the combat, he could utilize his Cognitive Matrix effectively.


    Unfortunately, Alex had just dug his own grave. He suddenly felt the hair on his back stand up.


    MingYue looked at him coldly. "You saying VR game reminds me of something¡­ H-Game, do you remember that word?"


    Alex froze, and so did the figure he controlled.


    "Cough, that was a long time ago. Just forget about it."


    "Now tell me, Alex¡­ What do you plan to do to me if Vesa don''t appear and I don''t wake up?"


    "That¡­" Alex''s blood figure dispersed as he stood up and took a step back.


    "Continue, please¡­ Humor me. You know I have watched many movies that you gave me, and I found out what that means.


    You know, Alex, that really changed my view of you," MingYue said with cold eyes.


    She also dispersed the figure, then stood up and walked closer to Alex.


    With each step she moved forward, Alex took a step back.


    "H-Game, I mean, is different, though. Yeah, the H means¡­" Alex paused as his brain went into overdrive to find the answer.


    "Ho-Hospital game! Yeah, Hospital game; I just thought there was a patient there, and I need to play as a doctor who needs to¡­" Alex stopped his words as he realized he had screwed up even further.


    The temperature dropped a few degrees, and MingYue''s eyes turned ice-cold as he looked at him. She was now already familiar with many modern slang terms, making her understand the implications.


    With a quick move, he then said, "I think I need to go to the bathroom now, MingYue, see you later."


    Swish¡­


    Alex disappeared from where he stood.


    Seeing this, MingYue''s cold lips turned into a beautiful smile, and she then let out a laugh.


    "Haha¡­ Serves you right."


    Looking at the turn of events, Thalia was confused, "Lady MingYue, you seem to do that on purpose. You do know we are short on time, right?"


    "Yes, I have a few reasons, but don''t worry, he will return soon. I just saw an opportunity to make him get away."


    "What do you want to talk about?" Thalia asked with a solemn tone, as she realized this meant MingYue wanted to talk to her alone.


    Her cheeks turned a bit red as she then asked, "I have some questions about being a vampire as a woman. It''s not something I want Alex to hear."


    This problem had bothered her for a while, and it was not something she felt comfortable discussing with Alex.


    "Ah¡­ I think I know what you want to ask. It''s something that happens to all newly turned vampiresses," Thalia said with a smirk.


    Meanwhile, after leaving the area, Alex found himself navigating through the castle. The place was filled with many decorations, but not a single maid was in sight.


    "That was close," Alex mumbled with relief.


    He then thought, ''How did she find out what H-game means? I''m sure I never gave her anything related to it. Is that in one of the novels? But I''m sure I checked everything beforehand. Is Vesa betray me?''


    He did this because he didn''t want MingYue to think he was a creep. Just imagine giving an H-game, anime, or p*rn to the girl that you like. Even when the woman is fine with it, normally, it would still feel weird.


    "Well, forget it. Now, where am I?" Alex asked himself.


    He looked around, and to his surprise, he found himself in a library.

 Chapter 262: Fighting The Essence

    It was filled with an array of books, and he then heard some motion. Since lifeforce was dispersed from this place, Alex couldn''t really tell if there was really someone there or not. So he decided to check.


    To his surprise, there was no one there, only a broom moving by itself, cleaning the area.


    "So this is how she cleans the castle," Alex mumbled.


    His focus then turned to the book titles. Reading each one, he realized all of it was about this place''s history. Nothing he found interesting since he didn''t have any plan to stay in the area longer than needed.


    After beating Gluttony, he wanted to quickly leave and then go to his goal of building more army and rescuing his father.


    Walking through the towering rows of bookshelves, Alex found a peculiar rack.


    It was largely empty, with a rune formation engraved around it.


    Looking closer, he could see one old book placed on a pedestal, written in real Edonia language, "Alucard''s Journal."


    The title quickly interested him, and looking at the thickness, Alex was sure there were many things he could learn from it.


    He then looked at the rune, "Unfortunately, the rune here is too complicated for me.


    Well, it''s not like I can take it out without alarming Thalia. Maybe I should ask her for it. Hmmm¡­"


    As Alex thought about this, a familiar voice reached his mind,


    ''Where are you running to? Come back here. We don''t have much time, you know.''


    ''Oh MingYue, I just finished my business. Alright, I will be back.''


    ''Back to practice, don''t start with the doctor game.'' MingYue''s voice reverberated playfully in his mind, surprising Alex.


    This was the first time Alex had heard her act like this. He liked this side of her, but the words she said just made him feel flustered.


    ''Alright, alright, stop teasing me. My fault for being a healthy young man. You are just too beautiful, so don''t blame me.''


    ''Glip tongue, just return quickly,'' MingYue replied. She did this on purpose as she was thinking about how to cheer Alex up after what happened.


    She wanted to do the same as how he cheered her after her family tragedy.


    Alex then raised his feet, but the moment, it should have hit the ground. Instead, it hit nothing. He yelped in surprise as his body fell into a tunnel filled with darkness.


    The hole in the floor then closed.


    At the training area, MingYue''s crimson eyes turned sharp, "Thalia, what did you do?" She asked coldly.


    Meeting her gaze, Thalia was confused, "What do you mean, Lady MingYue?"


    "I lost contact with Alex. Don''t play dumb. This place is yours," MingYue said as she brandished her sword toward Thalia.


    Despite mastering blood manipulation raising her strength to a new level, MingYue knew Thalia was still out of her league, but she was also not afraid of her.


    There are some secret techniques she already imagined and just needed to put into reality. Even though she cannot beat Thalia, MingYue was sure she would be able to put up a fight.


    "I swear, Lady MingYue, I don''t know anything about this," Thalia said as she started thinking about what could have happened¡­


    A possibility then surfaced in her mind, making her face turn ugly. "No way!"


    "What do you mean? Gluttony came here?"


    "No, worse! The other Vesa! I am sure it''s sealed, but maybe something reacted when Alex got too close to its position."


    "Bring me there now," MingYue demanded.


    Thalia gave a nod and quickly made her way; the situation was dangerous. What if this Vesa defeated Alex and ate the Alucard essence in his body?


    The possibility gave her a sense of dread, making her quicken her pace.


    Meanwhile, Alex quickly found himself in a similar setting. It was a patch of desolate ground surrounded by black fog.


    "This place is similar to Edonia, but something feels different," Alex mumbled. As his experience with cultivation was very high now, he knew he was not in his soul form.


    This meant he was transported physically into this place.


    Alex then started to move around the area. When he turned his back, to his surprise, he found a pedestal with a goblet on top of it.


    "This¡­" Alex was confused; he felt this was Alucard''s essence, but he didn''t feel it like one. It''s like there was no essence there.


    A black liquid started oozing up from the goblet like slime. Despite the small size, the slime came out like never-ending; it kept growing in size until it finally reached Alex''s height.


    The slime then started contorting and changing, turning into a familiar appearance with some differences.


    It was a humanoid bat with a face that looked like Vesa but with murky red eyes. It had two horns with a purplish symbol on its forehead.


    The symbol was a circle with a drawing that looked like a tongue.


    If anything, Alex could easily link the being in front of him with a real vampire.


    A muscular body, white hair, crimson eyes, fangs, horns, and bat wings. All of it screamed like he was the real vampire progenitor.


    But he knew this creature wasn''t one.


    "Who are you?" Alex asked, as he raised his alertness to a high level, preparing to fight anytime.


    "Me? You should have known me, Heir! I am the thing you are coming here for," the creature said with a grin, flashing its sharp fangs.


    Alex frowned, ''Thalia told me a berserk Vesa would be worse than Gluttony, but why do I feel like I can fight this one?''


    "Why aren''t you answering? Is the chosen Heir a scaredy-cat?" The creature asked as it started walking toward Alex, "Oh yeah, you can call me Vesa."


    Hearing the word Vesa, Alex took out his Embershift Hammer, then dashed forward.


    Blood started coming out from his fingertips, covering the whole hammer and turning its color into crimson red.


    CLASH!!!


    The hammer met with the creature''s claw, creating a huge shockwave. But Alex''s attack didn''t stop there. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if it was alive, the blood that coated the hammer started moving around, then in one motion, it launched a barrage of blood bullets.

 Chapter 263: Alex Vs Other Vesa

    This caught the creature off guard. It took a step back as each bullet left some bruises on its skin.


    Alex followed up with his attack. His hammer grew in size and then ignited with flame.


    BANG!


    The creature raised its hand, blocking it with one hand. He was pushed down but still had a grin on his face.


    Seeing this made Alex feel annoyed. He raised the heat level to a whole new level until it started creating a sizzling sound on the creature''s arm.


    At the same time, blood started coming out from Alex''s back. It looked like a fox tail with a very sharp edge at the end.


    The edge turned into something like drill bits, which then spun at high speed and pierced through the air toward the other Vesa.


    Swosh!!!


    At the same time, Alex gave more power to his hand to push the hammer even further. He then created another similar tail to attack from another angle.


    Both tails hit its body, a screeching sound reverberating in the air as they began piercing through the creature''s flesh.


    The grin on the other Vesa disappeared. He raised his foot, and a dark light started to appear on it then with a stomp, BAM!


    A strange rune appeared on the ground.


    Many earth spikes appeared on the ground to attack the blood-like tentacles targeting Alex.


    The blood tails that Alex made changed shape, meeting the attack head-on in a way that created enough force for Alex to put some distance between them.


    While this happened midair, Alex took out a few grenades from his storage ring and threw them down. He knew this wouldn''t do any damage, but the explosion should be more than enough to deal with the earth spikes.


    Boom! Boom!


    A barrage of explosions followed as the blood tails changed into something that looked similar to wings, allowing Alex to glide.


    The smoke dispersed, showing the other Vesa with superficial wounds all over its body, but it had already started to regenerate.


    The rune carved on the ground also disappeared.


    Seeing how he fought, Alex concluded that he used brute force combined with rune attacks. Attacking from a distance would be more dangerous for him since who knows what kind of rune he could use.


    Alex then dashed forward, appearing right in his face, launching a barrage of attacks in quick succession.


    At first, the other Vesa easily dodged the attacks while sending counterattacks, but as time passed, Alex gained more and more of the upper hand.


    His way of fighting became crazier as he didn''t care about the attacks coming to his face.


    The other Vesa threw a punch to the gut, but Alex didn''t care, letting it hit him straight in the stomach.


    He then threw a counter, his muscles tensing as he threw a straight punch to Vesa''s face. This caught him off guard since, normally, no one would act like Alex after getting a hole in their stomach.


    As Alex''s fist came closer to his face, blood seeped out, creating two sharp needles pointing at his eyes.


    Stab!


    The needles pierced through Vesa''s eyeball, making him scream in pain. Alex then proceeded to attack him in a combo: a knee to the stomach and another punch to the chest. The reason Alex didn''t flinch despite having his stomach punched with a hole was because he had learned some tricks.


    He put a special drug that completely shut down his pain nerves, making him unable to feel anything, no matter how heavy the wound was.


    This did lower his reaction in that part, but it was an exchange Alex was willing to make.


    He became a killing machine that could keep regenerating and didn''t feel any pain.


    Physically, the other Vesa was stronger, but even this gap was easily closed by what he did.


    Despite seeing the other Vesa''s current miserable state, Alex didn''t dare to drop his guard. He didn''t believe this was all the other Vesa could do.


    If not, Thalia wouldn''t fear him like that. Alex also felt worried every time he looked at the symbol on the other Vesa''s head. It gave him a dreadful feeling.


    Meanwhile, MingYue and Thalia were now in the throne room. Thalia''s hand started moving, activating the rune mechanism. The room started vibrating as a hole appeared in the floor.


    Usually, a new pedestal would rise up, bringing a goblet filled with Alucard essence.


    Seeing nothing happening, Thalia made a few more motions, making the gap in the floor wider.


    "Let''s go, MingYue."


    "Where does this hole lead to?"


    "The vault is the most secure place in this castle. I put Master''s essence there and only took it out when I needed it."


    MingYue replied with a nod. She still couldn''t feel Alex''s presence even this close.


    On the way, MingYue also realized that at the same moment, Alex disappeared, the presence of Alucard''s essence also disappeared.


    "Let''s go," Thalia said, then jumped inside the hole. MingYue followed.


    It only took a few seconds for them to almost reach the bottom. When they got close, both of them stopped in the air as they could see a murky, purplish barrier blocking their path.


    "Dammit! I am so stupid," Thalia exclaimed as she turned into a panic.


    "What do you mean, Thalia? Tell me?" MingYue asked in a tone filled with anxiousness. She started to worry about what happened to Alex and Alucard''s essence.


    "You remember I said gluttony first attached to me, and I used Master''s essence to survive?"


    MingYue replied with a nod.


    "Part of Gluttony''s aspect probably started contaminating the essence."


    "Is that possible? We are talking about progenitor essence here."


    "Not the essence itself, more on the Vesa part that was implanted there. No wonder this Vesa is so ominous all this time." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What should we do then? We couldn''t just let Alex fight by himself; it''s too dangerous."


    "Of course, I will try to pierce through it. Thankfully, I already stockpiled a lot of life force in this castle," Thalia said as she pointed her finger forward.

 Chapter 264: Alucards Essence

    The tunnel suddenly lit up with green energy as many life forces moved toward Thalia.


    A red energy started condensing at the tip of her finger. It was very small, like a pebble, but MingYue could feel the concentrated energy in it.


    It wasn''t blood. It was like pure destruction that would annihilate everything in its way.


    Thalia''s eyes glinted with a crimson glare.


    Swish!


    The energy shot out like a ray of laser, reaching the barrier in no time.


    She focused it all on one point to ensure it was enough to pierce a hole in the barrier.


    Cracks started appearing, and both of them quickly moved to enter.


    Meanwhile, back to Alex, the situation had completely changed. Just as he expected, the other Vesa were playing possum, trying to bait him into lowering his guard.


    Alex didn''t know the reason for Vesa''s other actions, but he didn''t want to find out.


    Seeing this tactic fail, the other Vesa, with annoyance, started showing his real strength. His speed rose to a whole new level as he started spamming runes like crazy.


    As Alex did his best to dodge, his leg got trapped by a sudden crack that appeared on the ground.


    Many stone pillars started rising upward, turning into chains to capture Alex. They moved at a speed that Alex couldn''t dodge.


    But Alex still didn''t let them capture him. He went to the extreme to avoid this.


    He cut off his own arms and limbs, then regenerated them at a fast rate as he kept moving a few steps ahead, focusing on ensuring his torso wouldn''t be bound.


    This was one of the times when he was reminded of how he couldn''t use his ability to its maximum potential.


    He knew how fast the chains moved, what angle they came from, where they would reach, and how they would turn, but his mind couldn''t calculate all this fast enough for his body to react in the right way.


    The best he could do was focus on specific targets.


    His clothes were torn and stained with red blood. One of his hands was still regenerating while both his legs were gone.


    "You are all talk and no bite, huh? Can''t even catch half a man," Alex said in a teasing tone, trying to bait him.


    The other Vesa looked at him with annoyance. As he started restraining his attack, he was worried. If he pushed Alex too much, the Vesa inside him would react.


    The other Vesa''s goal was to consume Alex''s Vesa first, but it never came out at all. Even though Alex and MingYue''s Vesa had more essence, he still felt stronger as he had some power of gluttony.


    This allowed him to start eating away at the progenitor essence in his hand. Even though the process was hard and slow, it succeeded in allowing him to create this strong body.


    As he thought about the best method to capture Alex, Alex also didn''t give up. He was trying to locate where Alucard''s essence was.


    He was sure it wasn''t in the other Vesa''s body; otherwise, when he stabbed through his eyes, he should have felt the trace.


    Even though this Vesa seemed to come out from the goblet similar to the one that MingYue had told him about before, he still believed the essence existed elsewhere, and this Vesa was just doing that for show.


    His eyes darted around the empty space that stretched to infinity, ''This is an illusion for sure, which means it''s somewhere in the outskirts area, but which direction should I go?''


    As he thought about this, the space started to shake, and a crack appeared in the sky, making the other Vesa turn his gaze upward with annoyance.


    Alex, meanwhile, didn''t look up. He could feel MingYue''s presence the moment the crack appeared. He used this moment to search for something unusual.


    As the illusion faltered, Alex realized there were many black rocks scattered around the area. These rocks looked normal at first, but now some of them started showing distortions, briefly revealing some rune engravings.


    Without hesitation, using his newly regenerated legs, Alex stepped on the ground, utilizing his secret move, moving like a blink to one of the rocks.


    The other Vesa realized this, his face turning ugly, but before he could intervene, Thalia kicked him right in the face, launching him into the air.


    ''Alex, are you alright?'' MingYue asked.


    ''I am fine; thankfully, we have abundant life force here in the atmosphere; otherwise, I would probably already have run out with how many times I''ve regenerated,'' he replied.


    Alex then told MingYue to go after some of the stones scattered in the area. He told her his suspicion that it was Alucard''s essence.


    Thalia, meanwhile, didn''t give the other Vesa any break. Blood seeped out, covering her whole body, it than become solid turning her into a Valkyrie warrior.


    Two vampire wings appeared, and her crimson armor gleamed menacingly. A huge blood lance then appeared in her hand. With a swift motion, she threw it toward the other Vesa.


    SWISH! BOOM!


    It reached the speed of sound, instantly appearing inches away from the other Vesa.


    "GROOOAR!" An otherworldly roar came out from his mouth as the purple pattern on his head started glowing.


    He decided to focus all his attention on the fight now, as Thalia was not someone he could underestimate. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That is why he always tried hard to lure Thalia to consume Alucard''s essence. This way, he could try taking over her form inside.


    Two demonic horns appeared on his forehead, and his wings flapped as he dodged the attack.


    But like a homing missile, the lance curved back at the other Vesa.


    Thalia raised her finger, and ten more blood lances appeared in the air.


    Swoosh! SWOOSH! Swosh!


    BOOM!


    She bombarded the other Vesa nonstop. Dust and debris exploded upward, blocking the view with dust.


    But this was not a problem for anyone on the battlefield.

 Chapter 265: Trust

    While this happened, Alex was grasping the rock in his hand. His muscles tensed, and the veins throbbed as he exerted a lot of strength, trying to crush it.


    CRACK!


    A glow came out from the grasp.


    His lips then curled into a grin, and with one motion, he ate the rocks.


    The moment they reached his tongue, the contents of the rock melted. The taste was beyond his wildest thoughts. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was soft, silky, and very sweet. If anyone told him this was ambrosia, he would believe it without a second question.


    He then felt an incredible amount of energy surging through his body.


    Energy exploded outward, followed by excruciating pain. Alex could feel all the veins in his body boiling.


    "Arghh!!!" he screamed in pain, but it only lasted for a moment before it was replaced by a grin.


    He spit out the leftover rock from his mouth as a notification appeared in his eyes.


    [Progenitor Transformation + 0.1%]


    Seeing this, MingYue also followed suit, but she didn''t chomp the rock like Alex.


    She slashed the stone into two and then slurped the contents. As MingYue began her transformation,


    A message appeared in front of Alex.


    [King, you must find a way to eject Gluttony from the other Vesa''s body, or at least purify him. Otherwise, we will lose a lot.]


    ''Where have you been, Vesa? Don''t tell me you just woke up.''


    [Actually, I woke up after entering the castle. Then I felt the other Vesa trying to connect with me.


    Feeling Gluttony''s presence, I decided to hide. The only reason I can talk now is thanks to Master''s Essence.]


    Alex was still suspicious of many things, but he knew this was not the time to be suspicious. Despite Vesa hiding many things from them, Vesa always came out when they really needed help.


    Like when MingYue took over the inheritance realm or Alex to rescue his sister.


    ''Can you be more clear? What will we lose if this Vesa is killed?''


    [Knowledge, my King. Information about many runes, the world, the old progenitor, and, more importantly, a part of myself.]


    Alex ruminated on his choices. Knowledge is important; who knows what they would miss with this empty spot? But he felt more curious about what Vesa meant by an important part.


    Was it more than memory? Like a soul or even some abilities?


    ''Fine, how can we do it?''


    [Took all the Alucard essence from him, then smashed him to meatpaste. I can do the rest. The other essence is inside the mark on his head, which is why you cannot feel it, King.]


    ''A meat paste, huh¡­'' Alex thought while seeing Thalia fight with the other Vesa.


    Their movement speed and the ability they used. Despite his new enhanced strength, it was still out of his league.


    After the other Vesa focused all his attention on the fight, the fight turned into a standstill. Thalia no longer dominated the clash.


    She was now engaging in close melee, clashing her spear against the other Vesa''s hand, which seemed to grow larger. Twice the normal size.


    CLASH!!!


    Each hit created a shockwave as they moved like blurs in the sky. Looking from Alex''s angle, it was like seeing fireworks.


    Darting his eyes to the other rock, Alex could see MingYue relishing her new strength.


    ''MingYue, there are thirteen other rocks. In total, they probably have 1.3% of Alucard essence.


    Since we already consumed 0.2%, that means the other Vesa has almost 2%.'' Alex then proceeded to tell her what Vesa told him.


    Vesa also started communicating with MingYue.


    Compared to Alex, MingYue cut Vesa off and started asking Vesa questions first.


    ''Before you ask anything from me, tell me first where the rest of Alucard''s essence we consumed is. Let us use it all and infuse all the necessary Knowledge for us.'' MingYue ordered.


    As Vesa could infuse Knowledge directly into their brains, this should be possible. She never understood why Vesa didn''t do it, except that she didn''t really trust them.


    At first, MingYue felt it was weird since they were bonded in soul, but after hearing what happened in Alex''s journey, followed by Thalia''s Knowledge, MingYue realized the reason was that they were human.


    A human betrayed the old progenitor. Vesa was trying its best to accept them but still had some reluctance in fully committing.


    In Vesa''s eyes, humans were portrayed as untrustworthy, greedy, and clever.


    There is a possibility they find a way to get out of the chain, or maybe the human progenitor Adam already had a method for it.


    When that time comes, what if Alex and MingYue choose the human side? All the old progenitor''s plans will be wasted.


    If this is what happened, then MingYue found it reasonable. But this doesn''t mean she accepted it. Vesa''s insecurity could cost them their lives.


    [Queen¡­ I admit I did hold back on the essence, but for the Knowledge, I really don''t know much. ]


    [Even what both King and Queen learned from Thalia is something I don''t have now. I could open all the essence, but¡­]


    ''But what!? You still cannot trust us even after all this?''


    [You may not believe me, but there is another reason. One that I fear will make both of you turn against me. For you, Queen, I could unlock all of it without repercussion, but the part that the King absorbed is different.]


    ''Explain.''


    [His part contains part of the old progenitor''s soul. With how the King thinks, I am sure if he knows, he will think this is all a trap so the old progenitor can be reborn.]


    ''How are you sure that is not the case?''


    [With my current memories, I really don''t know.]


    ''So you lie to us about your Knowledge and then hold back on something that is important from Alex?


    Vesa, how could we trust you now? Don''t you realize all three of us are in this together?''


    Seeing MingYue not respond and just stand in a daze, Alex called, "MingYue, what are you doing? Go consume the rest of the essence.


    As I said before, you need to get your percentage to the same rate as mine."

 Chapter 266: Unlocking the Essence

    MingYue''s expression turned complicated. Telling Alex everything would certainly make him flip out.


    Since the beginning, his biggest fear was some other soul trying to consume him and take over. Now, it does exist.


    Even though the intention is unknown, Vesa hiding all these things will still make him flip out, as Vesa said.


    "MingYue, what is wrong?" Alex asked as he started walking toward her. It''s not in her personality to just stay there all silent if nothing happened.


    Since Vesa had awakened, he thought this should be something related to it.


    [Queen, I will let you decide. As for your strength, if we hide it from the King, I could unlock at least half of it.]


    [It will get both of you to a true 5%; with the consumed new essence and Thalia''s help, it should be more than enough to take care of this Vesa. And the Aspect of Gluttony outside.]


    ''I will not hide it from Alex, but not now. Go do it. We will talk again after we finish with this Vesa.''


    [Alright]


    SWOSH!!!


    Alex and MingYue could feel an explosion of energy, so much so that they felt they were drowning in it. The energy leaked out from their bodies, creating a crimson-like aura.


    Thalia and the other Vesa stopped their fight as they felt the surge of energy.


    The other Vesa''s face turned ugly, and he quickly changed his goal. Since it had come to this, he would only have a chance if he united with the Aspect of Gluttony outside.


    His wings flapped as he undid the barrier, turning the place into its real appearance.


    Thalia grinned, looking at this. The other Vesa just made a huge mistake. Before, she couldn''t utilize the life force contained in this castle, but now it was all at her fingertips to use.


    All the runes here, after all, were carved by her. It took her a lot of time, but she always knew it would be worth it in case something like this happened.


    She raised her hand, and green particles started moving like a stream to her body.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    Part of the vault wall moved like it was alive, transforming into chains. They shot through the air.


    The other Vesa felt it coming and tried to dodge it. He also slashed his claw, creating an air blade of purplish energy toward the chains.


    Seeing this, Thalia just smirked. With how much energy she had now, so what if he could dodge two, or four, or ten. She could make as many as she wanted.


    Hundreds to thousands of chains launched into the air, binding the other Vesa''s body and turning it into a cocoon of chains.


    Desperate, the other Vesa decided to go all out. The mark on his forehead shone brightly as he tried to exert all of Gluttony''s power.


    The chains that bound him started being chomped on as many small mouths appeared on his body.


    But this surge of energy came at a cost. The more he utilized the Gluttony, the more his sanity was reduced, making him move by instinct. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    CHOMP!


    All the chains were eaten clean in a second, making Thalia stop her attack. She didn''t want to be careless, giving more strength to the other Vesa.


    What made Gluttony scary was its ability to consume almost everything, turning it into its own energy.


    Thalia raised her finger forward as she prepared to shoot the same attack that destroyed the barrier.


    At this moment, Alex and MingYue have already gotten used to their newfound power. The only visible change was their eyes, which now turned fully crimson. But this didn''t mean they could be underestimated.


    Alex appeared in front of the other Vesa. His lips curled into a grin, showing his sharp fangs.


    BAM!


    He punched the other Vesa straight in the face, breaking his nose in the process. But just as he moved a bit.


    BANG!


    Another kick arrived at his back.


    The next moment, he was beaten to a pulp, sent back and forth as Alex attacked from the front while MingYue from the back.


    They used their own hands and feet to get more accustomed to their new power.


    Each of their attacks chained without a gap, barely allowing the other Vesa a moment to breathe.


    But this didn''t mean he had given up.


    With the many mouths on his body, each of them also had a tongue. He moved them, creating a pattern of runes to launch a skill.


    Alex was throwing a punch to his gut when suddenly, a hexagonal shield made of rock appeared, blocking the attack.


    The rock was quite hard, as Alex''s punch only successfully cracked it.


    The same happened with MingYue. Each of her attacks was blocked.


    Seeing this, Thalia decided to support them. She started launching many chains at the other Vesa.


    Even though he could consume it, this would create a gap for Alex and Ming Yue to attack.


    They then started getting serious. Blood started coming out, turning Alex''s hand into a claw with long and sharp nails.


    It also covered his body, making some armor on his shoulders, hands, knees, and chest, with two bat wings coming out from his back.


    It was a simple design but enough to do the work.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was testing something else. As she was already able to produce frost qi by herself, she combined it with the blood and life force.


    She was also inspired by the beasts she had fought before. The serpent.


    Two draconic-like wings came out from her back, attached to the armor on her torso. It also covered her chest, all the way to her waist. From her back, a tail came out, and a sword appeared in her hand.


    As one of her swords was destroyed, she created another one using the blood, followed by seven lotuses floating around her.


    Pointing her sword, the lotuses shot toward the other Vesa. When they came close, they exploded into many sharp petals that spread out into a deadly storm, covering him from view.

 Chapter 267: Unexpected

    ''Damn, I swear I will learn more skills next time,'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    He couldn''t accept that MingYue was making far better techniques.


    Comparing to him, it was very clear the difference between them. It''s like comparing someone using a normal handgun, while her was a customized rifle.


    Pointing her sword, the Lotus shot toward the other Vesa.


    When it came close, it then exploded into many sharp petals that spread out into a deadly storm, covering him from view.


    Swish, the ice storm not only pierced through his defense, but it also exploded into ice lotuses, putting their sharp roots deep into his skin.


    From these sharp roots, a chilling cold started spreading, freezing his muscles and veins.


    Numbness and pain spread all over him.


    MingYue swung her sword in the air, each movement creating an ice shard that kept growing in size.


    It started changing into a serpent but with the head of a fox.


    "Roar!" The moment the sword pointed at another Vesa, the Ice Fox serpent shot through the air and hit its target.


    SWOOSH!


    The result was a beautiful spectacle of a huge ice lotus.


    Meanwhile, Alex didn''t stand still. His hammer pointed forward, launching a huge firefox burning in whitish flames. The heat reached 1,300¡ãC (2,372¡ãF).


    BOOM!


    When the extreme heat collided with absolute zero temperature, a reaction started happening.


    The ice directly transformed from solid to gas, creating a powerful burst of steam followed by a huge shockwave radiating outward.


    Normally, this would end here, but as the qi and lifeforce came from Alex and MingYue, another reaction followed.


    Their energy, initially colliding, began to fuse, creating pure destructive energy. From the dispersed steam, a dark red ball coated with red lightning exploded.


    Thalia was wide-eyed and gaped open-mouthed seeing what happened. She just wanted to launch another attack to support them, but the result was far more than her expectation. Through all her long live she never see something like this.


    Meanwhile, Vesa''s voice reverberated in Alex and MingYue''s minds.


    ''No! King, queen, disperse the energy quickly. Otherwise, he will be completely destroyed.''


    MingYue and Alex locked their eyes, both of them having helpless expressions. They didn''t know that their attack would result in an explosion of unknown energy.


    ''Vesa, it''s not that we don''t want to disperse it.


    The explosion is just beyond our control now. Are you sure nothing will be left anyway?


    You mean even Alucard''s essence will be destroyed?'' Alex asked.


    ''It won''t be destroyed, king. It''s worse. The binding will be destroyed, making the energy float in the air.


    In this case, it will then be quickly absorbed into the castle, making it reborn with some of the Master''s personality.


    I don''t know how, but the energy that both the king and queen used was the one that the Master usually used in his attacks. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The effect is complete and utter annihilation. Not only will we lose the knowledge from the other Vesa, but we will also face another problem.''


    ''Wait, so you are saying since this is utter annihilation, the progenitor''s energy released from Alucard''s essence will be absorbed by the castle, then used as a medium to be reborn with part of his will?''


    ''Not just his will, but his personality.


    If you ever met him in person, you would know how bad of an idea this is. He is too eccentric and cold-blooded.''


    ''Then Vesa, what do you suggest?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Focus on the energy, try to feel what is yours, and then pull it out,'' Vesa suggested.


    Alex and MingYue followed what Vesa said. They closed their eyes and raised their hands toward the explosive energy.


    The energy was very chaotic. The only reason their intent could survive was because they were the origin of the energy.


    Swoosh!


    The sphere dispersed, leaving behind a creature with wings the size of a fist. Its body was all black and very fragile.


    Around it, a pile of crimson liquid and red particle energy floated.


    Alex and MingYue could feel the crimson liquid was Alucard''s essence. Each droplet contained his progenitor power.


    "MingYue, absorb it all," Alex exclaimed as he focused his intention on the red particles.


    At the same moment, red fog seeped out from Alex''s body, materializing into Vesa.


    Vesa flew in a blur, its mouth wide open, eating the other Vesa in one gulp.


    The red fog then came out from her body, starting to form into red strings.


    The crimson strings flew around the air and then spun around Vesa, covering her with a cocoon.


    The crimson liquid started floating toward MingYue as she pulled it using her QI.


    Meanwhile, the red particles started dispersing toward the castle walls, ceiling, and floor. Alex flew toward a part of the particles, trying to absorb them.


    Based on what Vesa said, it should be the progenitor''s energy, free from the bound of the blood and other Vesa, seeking to disperse and rebirth as the next Alucard.


    Despite the risk, Alex knew this couldn''t happen. Otherwise, one of them could get stuck, not even gaining 50% of the progenitor''s power. This will become a huge problem in the future.


    Feeling Alex''s will, the particles started reacting. They felt a strange pull toward Alex, making them all flow in his direction.


    The moment they entered through his pores, Alex''s inner world shook. He could feel something awakening inside him.


    Inside, his inner world started expanding and transforming at a very fast rate. If MingYue could see it, she would be dazzled by the change.


    The size was large enough that it was bigger than the secret realm where the Bai Yue sect resided.


    The place had a crimson sky with an orange hue adorned by a silver sphere like a moon. There was no ground, only a crimson sea stretching endlessly.


    Alex found himself floating above the sea. As he looked around, his gaze turned upward toward the silver moon. It''s really large, if its'' on his planet he will think the moon is on it''s way to crash down creating a huge catastrophe.

 Chapter 268: Alucard

    Alex frowned, as even if his inner world had expanded, there was no explanation for it to have a moon like that.


    As he thought about what it could be, the moon started getting bigger and bigger.


    ''What the heck, is the moon moving?'' he asked himself.


    As he pondered what it could be, the moon started getting bigger and bigger.


    ''The heck, is the moon coming down?''


    The calm red ocean started getting turbulent as if gravity was going wild. But Alex knew it wasn''t that; this was his inner world.


    There was no science or physics here unless he set the laws. His eyes turned sharp as he carefully observed the celestial object.


    Compared to the real moon, it was smooth and without texture. He then remembered what Vesa had told him.


    "Are you Alucard?" he asked in a loud voice.


    The silver moon suddenly stopped getting bigger. Three large horizontal slits appeared.


    Two opened, revealing a pair of crimson eyes without pupils. The other slit widened into a grin that showed his fangs.


    Alex''s lips twitched. ''Dammit, another sly geezer.''


    "You are no fun. Don''t you even feel a bit scared? Can''t you feel my strength?" An otherworldly voice boomed in the air, the vibrations creating waves on the ocean.


    But Alex didn''t care about this; his ears wouldn''t burst as this was his inner world.


    He could feel the presence coming from Alucard. If this was the first time, he would feel some apprehension, but Alex had met the eye being.


    No matter how strong Alucard''s presence was, it was just a small piece of his soul compared to the eye creature that was whole. There was no comparison.


    Alucard''s red eyes looked closely at Alex''s nonchalant expression. "Aren''t you worried I will take over your body?"


    "If you wanted to do that, would you act like this?


    Just what do you want?


    I have suspected there was no way a being as strong as you would disappear like that.


    Just what is your goal? I have many questions."


    "HAHAHA¡­" Alucard laughed, then added, "Of course you have many questions.


    Did you wonder what happened next since my power was split in half? How can you compete with the others?


    Do you want to know my answer? Sure, I can give you one, but only if you answer my question first."


    "Ask," Alex replied, preparing to answer any question.


    He was now considering the possibilities. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Would he ask about his plan to revive the vampire race, rebuild it in Edonia, gather the survivors, or his plan to fight against other progenitors?


    But Alucard''s question was beyond his comprehension.


    "So when will you ask MingYue out?" Alucard asked with a sly grin.


    Alex turned stupefied, not knowing how to react.


    Alucard let out a satisfied laugh as he added, "Why so surprised? Too shy to answer?


    Too bad for you then, I won''t tell you my answer."


    "Is that even a serious question?" Alex asked in frustration.


    "What don''t you get? Your sister is right; you are dumb even with your abilities.


    I told you, as long as you answer one of mine, I answer one of yours. I never told you what question it would be."


    ''I curse all damned geezers in this universe. Can''t any of them be normal? All these old monsters have a few screws loose in their brains,'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    "Hey, hey, that is wrong. You know I don''t have any screws in my brain. What kind of idiot puts screws in one?" Alucard replied in a gloating tone.


    Trying to calm himself, Alex decided to play his game.


    "I will ask her out when I am sure about her feelings for me."


    "Ah, I see. So you are afraid of rejection. Tsk tsk.


    You shouldn''t be afraid; it''s not like she has any choice, no matter how ugly you are."


    Alex''s vein throbbed, his patience growing thin. "Enough of that. Tell me your answer."


    Alucard''s expression turned solemn as his eyes looked like he was thinking hard for an answer. Time passed as Alex waited patiently.


    After five minutes, he finally said in a nonchalant tone, "I¡­ don''t¡­ know¡­"


    SWOSH!!!


    A giant hammer was thrown toward Alucard''s face, but the moment it almost hit, he disappeared.


    "Tsk tsk, young boy, you really need to control your temper.


    What kind of progenitor acts like you? Don''t you know you need to keep your appearance or your race will be looked down on?" Alucard''s voice came from behind him.


    But when Alex turned his head, he didn''t see anyone.


    "Where are you looking at? I am here."


    Alex frowned, turning his eyes down. He saw a kid, barely waist-high, lying sideways on top of the ocean as if it were solid ground.


    He propped his head with one hand while his other hand poked his nose.


    The boy had the same crimson eyes and short silver hair.


    "I gave you a serious answer. Can''t you answer mine seriously?"


    Alex didn''t even have the strength to comment on Alucard''s appearance.


    He didn''t know if Alucard was just playing him or if it was because it was just a small piece of his soul.


    The boy''s lips curled into a grin. "Do you think I, the great Alucard, would lie to you? What benefit would I have?


    Look, boy, I already gave you my strength, and you don''t believe me? Tsk tsk, what an ungrateful heir I have."


    Alex took a deep breath as he walked closer to Alucard.


    "You say you don''t know? After splitting your own power and scattering Vesa, it seems you also did the same with your soul. Tell me, how could I believe that?"


    "Because I say it so. Hahaha," Alucard replied with a laugh.


    He then changed his position to sitting cross-legged, floating above to see Alex straight in the eyes.


    "Look here, Alex. To gain something unprecedented, we need to do something unthinkable; only then will it become possible.


    Let''s just say you and MingYue are my gamble.


    The progenitor war is just the first of your hurdles; things are more complicated than that."

 Chapter 269: Thalia Dissaperance

    "Stop being cryptic and just tell me the answer," Alex replied.


    "It''s simple, really. You and she will each gain half of my progenitor essence at some point, or... well, both of you will just be dead." He said in a flat tone, making Alex want to punch the boy in the face. But he knew Alucard hadn''t finished with his explanation.


    "Where was I again? Oh yeah.


    So when both of you reach half of my progenitor essence, the rest will be up to you.


    My progenitor''s power is nothing more than fuel to start the ignition."


    "You mean you really don''t have any idea?"


    "Hahaha, who do you think I am?


    Of course, I have an idea, but it''s better if you don''t know.


    It''s not something that can be forced, and the moment you know, it will become harder to attain.


    Alright, that is enough. I will now go back to slumber and only wake up after you finish the project.


    If you fail¡­ oh well, I already do what I can."


    Alucard said with a yawn, then his body started getting submerged in the red ocean at a fast rate.


    Alex tried to ask a question, but Alucard didn''t respond at all, making him feel frustrated.


    "Dammit!" He cursed out loud, frustrated with the situation.


    In the end, he learned nothing other than Alucard was an irresponsible progenitor.


    Although he couldn''t say Alucard was wrong, as he already gave him a huge amount of strength, this still meant he had a huge burden on his shoulders.


    ''More complicated than the progenitor war, then is it related to that eye being?'' Alex asked himself.


    Based on the novels he used to read, the story he was in usually meant an outer species invader that was stronger than the progenitor.


    But if this was really the case, he felt even more confused as, usually, with an invasion, the progenitors should unite.


    ''Since the eyes are here and even have a universe transit system using the outer gate, this means our universe should already be conquered.''


    Back in the castle, Vesa was still in a cocoon while MingYue had finished relishing her newfound power.


    Compared to Alex, where part of the essence contained Alucard''s soul, MingYue could use it fully as she wanted.


    She felt excited, wanting to know the limits of her power; she knew she had enough now to survive in the central region.


    Calming herself down, her eyes then started darting around; she could see Thalia was nowhere to be seen.


    A red cocoon was floating in the air. Turning in another direction, she saw Alex standing in a daze.


    Remembering what Vesa told her, she began to worry.


    What if Alucard awoke and took over Alex?


    Things would become very dangerous for her.


    She then asked telepathically, ''Alex, are you alright?''


    Alex''s eyes started moving, and his expression turned annoyed, "I am fine, just another annoying geezer."


    "You mean Alucard?"


    "Yes, as I expected, he isn''t really dead, but now, at least, I can guess what his current goal is."


    "Tell me."


    Alex then started explaining everything that happened. He then added his own guess, "I think Alucard wants to be reborn but not as a progenitor.


    I don''t know if this is a side effect or his real goal all this time."


    "You mean his real purpose is to get out of being a progenitor? Isn''t that weird?


    It''s like someone saying they don''t want to be strong."


    "It does, but I think he just wants to laze around.


    He is looking for a loophole to keep some of the power while having none of the responsibility."


    "But didn''t you say we probably need to fight the Eye thing? Or worse, our universe is already conquered?"


    "That is just speculation, and what I was talking about is more about Alucard''s current goal.


    Do you forget I told you he just went to sleep directly? I could not even detect any trace of him now."


    Alex then looked around. Not finding Thalia, he became confused, "Where is she?"


    Normally, Thalia should be staying with them, except if something serious was happening.


    Like Gluttony wreaking havoc in one of the cities.


    "I don''t know. I also didn''t see her when I finished absorbing Alucard''s essence."


    "How much did you get?"


    "Thankfully, we are not too late on that part; I got the rest."


    "That is good, but you will still need more to reach ten percent then."


    "Before then..." MingYue then told Alex what Vesa had told her. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing it, Alex didn''t feel much. He just put his hand on his chin while looking at Vesa''s cocoon.


    If it had been before he met Alucard, he would have been angrier, but now, since he was already sure of Alucard''s goal, he didn''t feel too worried.


    If Alucard wanted his body, he would already have done it at their meeting.


    Waiting for him to get stronger would just make things harder. Alucard''s nonchalant attitude also made this clear to him.


    "Keep an eye on Vesa then, I will look for Thalia," Alex said.


    MingYue agreed since they couldn''t just leave Vesa alone, just in case something happened.


    Walking through the hallway, Alex decided to go to the library. He wanted to see the journal once more, wondering if he could take it out now.


    He was far stronger than before, even without using his full potential.


    Walking through the hallway, it didn''t take long for Alex to reach the library.


    His eyes then locked on the area where the book should have been. His eyes turned sharp as he couldn''t find the book. The place was empty now.


    Like what he saw was never there.


    Feeling curious, Alex walked closer but didn''t find anything.


    ''There is really no trace at all. Did Thalia leave and take it out? But that doesn''t make sense; this place is hers. Where would she go now?''


    Alex then tried to look for her around the castle but couldn''t find anyone.

 Chapter 270: Alucard and Thalia

    With reluctance, he decided to return to MingYue. There was nothing he could do here. But since Thalia was nowhere to be seen, Alex shamelessly took every book from the library.


    If Thalia asked him later, he would just copy the books and return them. Any information was useful for him.


    Meanwhile, far high in space, a sleek black object, barely visible to the eyes, was floating, looking at a blue planet.


    Inside were Thalia and a small boy that barely reached her waist. Despite the difference, Thalia was extremely polite to the boy.


    "Master, is this the right choice? I still think we need to train them further."


    "Thalia, that is where you are wrong. The old should give way to the new.


    If they are built with the same foundation, how could they surpass us?


    Honestly, I am glad to see them now.


    They have many power systems and try to combine them. I am really looking forward to what they could achieve."


    "But Master, even if that is right, you getting out here is too dangerous. This is the last shred of your soul."


    Alucard let out a laugh, "I have lived long enough. Despite everything, the whole vampire race is like my sons and daughters; even her is no different. As their father, I couldn''t just stay still."


    "But with your current strength, Master¡­" Thalia said with a complicated gaze.


    She could tell Alucard was very weak now.


    Even though he had the experience and knowledge of a progenitor, without enough energy, he wouldn''t be able to use them.


    "What are you afraid of? Don''t I have you? We need to find information and gather other survivors." Alucard said with a chuckle.


    Thalia''s lips curled into a smile. She felt happy that her Master trusted her and depended on her. "I will never betray you, Master."


    "Don''t worry, in reality, no one ever betrayed me."


    "But Master, she¡­"


    Alucard smiled, then raised his finger to his lips, gesturing her to stay silent.


    "Never talk about it again; the circumstances were complicated at that time.


    I do admit she is an unruly daughter, but no matter what, in the end, I am still her parent." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So this is why you never had kids of your own," Thalia said.


    Some progenitors sometimes mate, giving birth to a stronger being in their species. For example, the high elf from the elf race.


    But Alucard never did it. Thalia thought it was because he didn''t need to; after all, he created pure vampires.


    Only now did she realize Alucard really thought all the vampires were his daughters.


    With so many kids, why would he need to have another biological one?


    Alucard''s hand was at his back. He then smiled as he looked at the darkness of space, "You still haven''t changed, Thalia; you overthink things."


    He then let out a laugh, "I just don''t want to have a nagging wife."


    Thalia then remembered Alucard did have some history in the past, one of which was with the nine-tailed fox progenitor. But she refrained from discussing the topic further.


    "But Master, what about the aspect of gluttony roaming there now?"


    "Don''t you see their capabilities now? If they couldn''t take care of it, they might as well give up now. The enemy they will face later is far stronger."


    Back at the castle, a crack started appearing on Vesa''s cocoon.


    Crack¡­ Crack¡­


    A bat-like creature came out from it, the wings now coming out from the back, with two hands on the sides.


    Her chest had a green crystal on it, gleaming with energy.


    Looking at the hands, Vesa grinned, showing her fangs.


    "Finally." A cute feminine voice came out of it.


    Alex and MingYue, looking at this, were surprised since they thought Vesa didn''t have a gender.


    "You are a female?" Alex asked.


    Vesa put her hand on her chest, then lowered her upper body, "Thank you, King and Queen, and yes, I am a female."


    "Her fur is always pink. Why are you so surprised, Alex?"


    "Where I thought that is just the normal color at Edonia.


    Well, it''s not like it''s important now. So, can you tell us something more now?"


    "My power is still far from its peak, but I now can help in fights as support and transport both of you anywhere.


    So shall we leave this world?" Vesa asked with high spirits.


    She felt excited with her new body. This time, she would be able to take form anytime she wanted.


    "Not yet. We need to take care of the aspect of Gluttony first."


    "Of course, King, don''t worry. I am sure now he is not our opponent."


    "Vesa, you said before you were afraid something was destroyed, so did you get all you needed intact?"


    Vesa''s shoulders slumped down, then shook her head, "No, Queen, the knowledge is not intact. I could not retrieve much."


    Alex squinted his eyes at Vesa, "I have met with your old Master, Alucard. Don''t you want to meet him?"


    "Of course I do, but now is not the time. Don''t worry, King, I am sure he has no ill will."


    Alex''s lips twitched. He couldn''t believe what Vesa said. After his meeting, he was sure the old chibi geezer was up to no good.


    Meanwhile, back in Alex''s world, William was now opening a restaurant. With his family background and his experience maintaining one, it''s not hard for him to gain success.


    The secret is he uses spice water in all the dishes and sells it at an affordable price range.


    He still gets a profit despite it being a small margin, but that is enough. His goal is to build up a name first.


    It''s another day, and he just closed the restaurant when two people approached him.


    "You are William, right?"


    "Yes, can I help you?" William asked as he looked at the two men who had just come.


    Both of them wore black suits with muscular figures. "We suspect you are not human, so you need to come with us."

 Chapter 271: Sion

    William''s eyes quickly turned sharp. He had been very careful all this time. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t believe someone had found out his real identity.


    Meanwhile, some distance away from the location, a lady was wielding a sniper, looking at the situation through the scope.


    "Report, two foxes are approaching the target, requesting command," she mumbled.


    "Standby for now, Sion, see the target''s response. If things escalate, shoot to kill," a male voice replied.


    "Roger."


    Back in front of the restaurant, William started pondering his options.


    Asking for help would be too late; his other choice was to fight, but this would escalate the conflict, and who knows what kind of trouble he would get into.


    After some more thought, he decided his only choice was to run. Qi started moving inside his body, as his movement technique was already good enough in the past; with Qi, it was even better now.


    William didn''t reply to the man and started escaping. At first, he didn''t use any technique and just ran normally so no one would feel suspicious.


    The two men sprinted, pursuing him, but even his normal speed was already faster than the average awakener.


    The woman looking at him through the scope whistled as she found it interesting.


    Sion was initially sent to bolster defenses on the frontline, but she suddenly got a new mission from the association president.


    Her mission was to follow William. As for Alice, she rarely left the compound; when she did, she would go with Emily.


    This made the president think sending out someone good to follow her would be a waste of resources.


    He just chose some two star hunter he can trust, to periodically report on her location.


    William entered the closest alley, making him hidden from normal view, but in Sion''s eyes, he was still clear as day.


    He then started accelerating, his Qi churning as he moved in a blur, disappearing from point to point.


    Behind him, the two people in suits also accelerated, their suits stretching out as they transformed.


    Fur grew, covering their skin as their faces started to change. Their mouths turned into jaws, while the whites of their eyes turned amber.


    One of them leaped, landing straight in front of William. In the past, there would be nothing he could do, but with his slim body now, he jumped to the wall, then to the other side of the wall, and started running on top of it.


    The werewolf was caught off guard, but the second one had already made his move.


    Something started glowing behind his back, giving off a silvery light. It was patterned like a tribal tattoo.


    Wind started appearing around the werewolf''s claw; he then slashed forward, shooting it through the air.


    William focused on running and didn''t have any other choice. He had to stop his momentum to dodge and change direction.


    The wall he had just stood on was cut into pieces, revealing its interior.


    Thankfully, no one was inside at this time; otherwise, they would probably have become one of the casualties.


    William landed back on the ground. Since he couldn''t escape anymore, he took out a knife from his storage ring.


    He then started moving agilely, trying to attack the werewolf that was close to him. But as his eyes darted around, the werewolf was already a step faster.


    Not only did he have more combat experience, but his animal instincts were also better than William''s, which were sealed into a bone.


    BAM!


    The claw hit him in the chest.


    William could feel his ribs crack as he crashed into the wall. He started using his Qi to push back the bleeding and regenerate the wound while thinking of a way to counterattack.


    But there was no time to think. The werewolf''s claw was already coming for his head.


    William braced himself since he knew he couldn''t dodge, but just before, the claw cracked his skull.


    BANG!


    The werewolf''s head exploded into a pile of flesh. The other werewolf, seeing this, quickly ran away, but it was too late; his head was gone the next second.


    William didn''t waste time. He quickly ran away with all the strength he could muster.


    He didn''t know if the one who shot was an enemy or ally, but he was sure it was not Alex''s people.


    If his real identity were found out, this would become a problem.


    He ran away, trying to return to SGE as fast as possible, but just when he got close, his path was blocked by a lady with short black hair and amber eyes, wearing a leather jacket.


    "Stop running, William. I just want to talk. Don''t worry; I already know Sir Alex brought you here."


    William, at first, still wanted to escape, but he changed his mind the moment he heard about Alex.


    "Who are you?"


    "My name is Sion. The association president sent me to follow you, just to make sure you don''t get into trouble. But now he wants to talk.


    Since it''s clear, many people have detected your presence here. You don''t want to bring trouble for Sir Alex''s guild, would you?"


    "What if I don''t want to go?" William asked.


    He was sure it was not that simple. If she were really friends with Alex, they could just contact Emily to meet with him. There was no need to go in such a roundabout way.


    Sion smiled, her hand raised with an open palm, her fingers starting to glow, creating a magic circle. It started glowing brightly, creating a barrier around them.


    "Then you can fight your way out. I am really curious what you are.


    Is that Sir Alex''s real cultivation method? Or is it the unique trait of your race?"


    William frowned.


    He had never seen anything like this. Looking at Sion, despite her petite body, he could tell that she was dangerous. And he was not wrong, as Sion was a four-star hunter.


    "Just what do you want with me? Based on what happened before, other races in this place seem normal, so it''s not weird that I am here, as long as I don''t make any trouble."

 Chapter 272: Worlds Core

    "If you don''t want to make any trouble, then come with me. Look, if I wanted to kill you, I would already do it.


    Do you think I will not be able to capture you like those two stupid wolves?"


    While William ruminated on his choice, back at the castle, Alex and MingYue were planning their next move.


    "Now that Talia has left, I think we should take the people in this world with us, Alex," MingYue suggested.


    "We can only select a few. There are too many people, and how many could we even hold? My world is not an option.


    The only place we could bring them is your secret realm. But the place isn''t stable yet.


    Suddenly having a huge influx of population will become a problem, not to mention the lack of land."


    "Don''t worry, King and Queen, now that I have started recovering my power, I also have a new ability.


    Do both of you still remember Edonia?"


    Both of them nodded, Alex still remembering the weird world where he met MingYue before.


    "Yeah, actually, that planet is with me now. Everything is in shambles there, with barely patches of land surviving."


    Alex''s eyes widened as he was surprised to hear Vesa say, "What do you mean the world is with you?"


    Vesa pointed at the green crystal on her chest. "It''s here."


    She then added, "Actually, the part of my old master that the King consumed is the core of everything. That is also why my old master''s consciousness is there."


    "What do you mean by core?" MingYue asked.


    "My old master''s essence is separated all over the universe, but that doesn''t mean it doesn''t have any core.


    The core is what allows the others to be melded together without any side effects; otherwise..." Vesa paused for a moment, then continued, "It would be like the other Vesa case."


    "Isn''t he a separate case because of Gluttony?" Alex asked.


    "Yes and no. At that time, all seven deadly sins were there, so you could say all Alucard parts were tainted in one way or another."


    Hearing this, MingYue flinched, "What? You mean I also have something like that in my body?"


    "At the start, yes, but now no. I already ate it when the Queen''s soul was linked to the King."


    "So mine is not contaminated because it has Alucard inside, and this means every single one we find we will need to fight the Vesa on it?" Alex asked.


    At this point, he already understood what really happened. Both Thalia and the blood were already contaminated by Gluttony, and using it just hastened the progress.


    "Yes, King. Now, to consume this world, we need to eat the world''s core."


    Based on Alex''s understanding, a core is big and located deep inside the planet.


    "Do you mean the same core as I? How could we even go there? Dig all the way?"


    "Planet cores differ depending on the world level, King.


    For example, I was created by the old progenitor, but in reality, it''s not really correct since my real identity is the world spirit of Edonia."


    Alex''s lips twitched as he was already familiar with the whole concept. MingYue is also the same.


    They had read it over and over in cultivation novels. Heaven''s will, world''s will, universe''s will.


    Basically, when this big place gains sentience.


    Vesa nodded her head, "The concept is similar, but world spirits actually only exist when there is too much magical energy.


    For example, your old world before mana existed wouldn''t have one, King."


    "So where is this core? Since you say it''s the same, don''t tell me we need to find heaven''s will or something?"


    "Of course not. Only advanced worlds can move their world''s core and hide it.


    Just as you know, King, the world''s core is located right in the center of the planet, but it''s not the huge ball of heat that''s spinning.


    You need to go farther than that. Deep inside it, all the cores will barely be fist-sized for advanced worlds; for low-level worlds like this one, it will probably only be as big as our fingernail."


    "That still doesn''t change the fact we need to dig underground.


    Then what will happen to this planet? If you eat it, the planet will quickly be hit by a huge catastrophe.


    The whole atmosphere will collapse, followed by huge radiation exposure from the sun.


    This will become a domino effect, leading to other natural disasters."


    "Don''t worry about that, King. Of course, I have a way to eat it.


    The people here will not even realize anything other than the sky suddenly starting to change."


    "How about the land size? Will you get the same mass?" Alex asked as the planet was filled with oceans and leviathan monsters on the outer layer.


    If everything is moved, doesn''t that mean all of it will be transported?


    He found the idea of having all the leviathans under his control interesting, but having the whole of Edonia turn into an ocean was not something he wanted.


    "Of course not, King. I can only transport the sentient beings here.


    As for the land and everything else, like natural resources, I couldn''t move it just like that."


    Alex realized this meant if he wanted to keep any, he would need to move it manually.


    As for MingYue, hearing about the ocean world above, she then remembered something that made her realize the situation was grave.


    "Wait, Alex, isn''t the barrier separating the ocean and this place Alucard''s essence? sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now that we took it, doesn''t it mean it''s only a matter of time before it breaks?"


    "That¡­." Alex then realized she was right.


    "So we need to kill Gluttony and get the world core before it cracks."


    "One more thing, King. The castle here is acting as a rune formation that holds this realm together.


    So you cannot absorb the life force stockpiled in here, except if you want to crash the whole realm now."

 Chapter 273: Petricias New Task

    Alex sighed, as he really did have that idea.


    With this much life force, even though he couldn''t change his family and friends to vampires yet, he could carve the same rune on Emily, raising their strength and survivability.


    "How long do we have, Vesa?" MingYue asked.


    Vesa then touched the wall, green particles glowing from her hand as she felt the rune formation of the castle.


    Even though she failed to absorb the other knowledge, her mastery of runes was still far better than Alex''s.


    As time passed, Vesa''s face turned to a frown as the amount of lifeforce being consumed was far too fast.


    "King, Queen, I think the aspect of Gluttony is making a mess at the barrier."


    "With our current strength, I think it won''t be a problem facing her alone as long as we can pull her into an inner-world battle. I can feel it; our soul is far stronger now," Alex said, proposing they split up: one should go to the planet''s core, while the other defeat the aspect of Gluttony.


    The goal would be to separate her and Luciel.


    In the first place, fighting her physically was too risky and dangerous.


    They didn''t know how far the aspect of Gluttony could go. Vesa also warned that she could self-destruct and still survive if she was really desperate.


    After some discussion, they decided MingYue was the best for the task, as her power was more suitable. Alex, meanwhile, would go to the planet''s core.


    He then took everything in the castle, as it was better to keep it rather than let it be destroyed. He also sent new orders to Petricia.


    At this moment, Petricia had finished with the treatment and was now having a discussion with Elvira.


    Elvira was asking for more information on who she was. Since things had calmed down a little, her curiosity about her had started to grow.


    Alex and MingYue came from another world, and Petricia was a species she had never seen before, with blue skin.


    Petricia didn''t mind and answered what she could. She had already determined Elvira would probably become one of Alex''s underlings in the future, and she would need to work with her.


    "So there is such a world out there. A world without a class system," Elvira mumbled with longing in her eyes.


    "It''s surprising hearing that from you. Don''t you enjoy it? The privilege?" Petricia asked back.


    She didn''t know much about how Alex''s world worked; otherwise, she wouldn''t think like this.


    Even though there was no medieval class system, it still existed in other forms, for example, between awakeners and normal people, the rich and the poor.


    And things could be said to be worse between awakeners and normal people.


    Since there was no clear distinction between them, they still interacted with each other, often meeting at school, college, or public places.


    Conflict often happens. Alex had his own share of experiences.


    Since he didn''t usually brag about his family name, some would start to bully him to do their tasks or homework, but it would always backfire.


    He always took revenge without caring about the repercussions, knowing he was in the right and had his father''s backing.


    But not everyone was as lucky as him. There were many bad reports, some even going to the point of being inhuman, ending in tragedy.


    The association had done its best, but its attention was focused more on the war at the border. With many dungeon breaks, monsters made their nests, and with them, many sentient ones.


    One of them was the Lycan, the werewolf that ambushed William. This information was hidden by the association to ensure unity.


    Otherwise, there would always be someone nuts who would try to cooperate with them, even turning them into objects of worship.


    They tried their best, but even with all the lids over the information, it still leaked in one way or another. But for most of the populace, it was just monsters versus hunters.


    Elvira shook her head. "I hate that. With privilege comes responsibility.


    You look like a decent person, so I am sure if you were born in my position, you would feel the same.


    Only those assholes and stuck-up, selfish bastards would be happy to be born in this position.


    I can only be friends with double-faced people and need to worry all the time.


    How I act and do things all reflect back on my household. And we are not just talking about reputation here; it can affect our standing and power."


    She then let out a sigh, her gaze becoming complicated.


    The things she said had been stuck in her heart for a long time, like a burden nailed permanently to her shoulder.


    Usually, she never said it to anyone, but now that her city was gone, she felt both devastated and weirdly relieved.


    "With what happened, I am sure we will be stripped of our status now."


    "Hahaha, that is where you are wrong, Elvira," Petricia said confidently.


    "What happened came from my king. And I know him; he will never let us down, not anyone who puts faith in him.


    Also, don''t tell anyone this, but I know his real identity."


    Hearing Petricia go all mysterious, Elvira became interested.


    "What do you mean? I know he is a sovereign, but what more is there?"


    "I know what sovereign means here. It is nothing in front of my king. He is a God, a true God," Petricia said with fanaticism in her eyes, filled with faith.


    Elvira was weirded out by this. Even the grassroots class wouldn''t act like this facing a sovereign. It was complete faith.


    She decided not to comment since she knew Petricia would just get mad.


    Those were eyes that would only accept yes as an answer.


    Elvira still felt conflicted about Alex and MingYue, but she knew better than to fight against them now. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Petricia changed her expression as Alex gave her new orders. "See what I told you? My God just gave me his decree."

 Chapter 274: Solomons Offer

    "What do you mean?" Elvira asked, wondering if Petricia was playing with her or not.


    There was a way for long-term communication in this place, but she didn''t see Petricia take out any tools like that.


    "Yes, my king ordered me to gather everyone at the capital. Do you know how many people live in this place?"


    "What does he want to do now? That is crazy.


    We have more than a million people here, separated into many cities and villages.


    In the capital, there are more than fifty thousand people, not to mention those separated in the outskirts or living their lives in isolation."


    Petricia put a thought on it. No matter how impossible the task was, she didn''t have any plans to ask Alex for help.


    For her, any order should be done to the utmost perfection. If it''s too hard, it just means it''s a trial for her.


    "I don''t believe you don''t have a way to broadcast a message in this place," Petricia said.


    She already knew about the Vitae. In a world with abilities like this, technology should exist to do this. And she was not wrong; one did exist in the castle Alex and MingYue were in, but unfortunately, Elvira didn''t know this.


    "The only thing I know of is a broadcast method in the capital city, Edonia.


    It could send the news to all the royalty using some special method, but this would mean you need to face other sovereigns," Elvira reminded her.


    The task was more like a suicide mission for her.


    "Do you know where it is?"


    "I have seen it once. Look, I could tell you the location, but there is no way I''d help with that kind of suicidal mission."


    "I will never ask for your help. If my king deems I need help, he will assign someone.


    For now, you just need to gather your people and move near the capital.


    Well, you can choose not to, but my king told me that this whole place will be destroyed soon."


    After saying her words, Petricia left the area, leaving Elvira with her own thoughts.


    "What should I do now¡­" Elvira was confused.


    She didn''t know her mother''s fate. Her options were only two now: look for her father or follow Petricia''s request to manage her people.


    As she thought about this, a baby''s cry reached her ears, making her turn her gaze.


    Looking at the mother trying hard to breastfeed despite all the wounds on her body steeled her resolution. "I think the answer is clear."


    She may not care what Petricia offered, nor did she know how much truth there was, but based on the treatment Petricia gave to her people, she knew this was the best bet for survival for them.


    Even if Petricia was lying and the world was not destroyed, her people would be taken from them and separated to other royalty-like objects.


    Meanwhile, back in Alex''s world, in the end, William chose to follow Sion. Fighting, no matter the result, would not benefit him.


    If he won, he could be marked as a dangerous individual. If he lost, he would be kidnapped by her no matter what. It''s not like he could just kill her.


    Even though she was different, the woman''s way of acting and confidence reminded him of Roxy.


    Well, remind may not be the correct word since, in reality, he never forgot her even for a second.


    Right now, her body was still perfectly maintained inside the ice coffin in his storage cube.


    He was told by Alex to put it in this special space since putting ice in a vacuum wouldn''t last long, even though it was special ice. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At some point, it would turn into gas.


    William didn''t understand what it meant, but he believed Alex, so he just went with it.


    Right now, William was sitting across from Solomon. He knew this person''s status, making him feel worried about what would happen next.


    His bony ears and tail were out in the open now since Solomon requested to see his real appearance.


    "No need to be so uptight. I know Alex. If he deemed you dangerous, he wouldn''t bring you here. But he has some minor trust issues with me, so that is why I need to talk with you directly," Solomon said with a warm smile.


    But William didn''t buy any of that. He knew that was just a fake one to make him comfortable.


    "Sir President, I really have no ill will staying here. Just what do you want to know?


    I''m sorry, but if you want to ask anything related to how I met Alex, I will not be able to tell you."


    It''s not just out of loyalty. He was bound by a blood oath with Alex, or in reality, a slave contract. He could not say anything, even if he wanted to.


    Solomon laughed. "That is not what I want to ask, though. You are not the first Felidaen I have met. I just want to make you an offer."


    William was surprised Solomon knew his race, but he felt more curious about his offer.


    "Firstly, tell me, what is your real objective in following Alex?"


    This one didn''t break any of his oaths, and William also wanted some suggestions on his pursuit.


    He replied instantly, "I want strength to go to the universe and find a way to resurrect someone."


    Seeing the determination in William''s eyes, Solomon smiled.


    "Good, now we can talk. I can help you gain strength by giving you a method.


    You are free to share this with Alex if you want, but this will just make him suspicious of you."


    William frowned. He understood the real meaning. Even without any threat in how he said it, it would plant a seed of doubt in him since it made sense.


    "I am sure Alex will bring you to rescue his father when the time comes. At that moment, I need you to do something for me¡­" Solomon then proceeded to tell him the details of the task.

 Chapter 275: World Spirit

    "Depending on the situation, this is not a betrayal, but why would I even take the risk to do this for you?"


    William asked. He want to know how good the power Solomon offered was before accepting anything.


    "Have you met Sion? Don''t you want to know how she does that?" Solomon said with a knowing smile.


    He knew he already had William in his grasp.


    Meanwhile, back in the realm, Alex was making his underground tunnel. He manipulated his blood like a drill to create a huge circular maw.


    It then started spinning, creating a decent-sized tunnel for him to walk through. Vesa followed Alex as he needed her to eat the world seed.


    But even though Vesa''s body was here, her soul was still linked with MingYue, allowing her to provide support as needed.


    She could also use some life force to create weaker clones to help her in a fight if needed.


    As he walked through the created tunnel, Alex took the dirt, rock, and any material into his storage ring. He didn''t know how, but maybe in the future, it would be useful.


    If he could master the runes to mold this material directly, Alex already had an idea to create a mobile fortress in this way.


    He even had some thoughts of making a robot in reality if it was possible.


    He could create one with all the resources he had, but it would be useless in real combat against Awakeners. It might be useful for commoners to fight monsters, but the cost was not worth it.


    Otherwise, the association would already be doing it.


    Nowadays, robots are just used to help in construction projects to expand the city quickly.


    As he thought of runes, he then remembered Vesa''s real identity as a world spirit, "Since you say you are a world spirit, can you tell me what happened in my world?"


    "What does King mean?"


    "The dark zone, the world is expanding quickly.


    Is this because the world spirit is growing and becoming sentient?"


    "In my case, before I matured, my old master took me, nourished me, then enhanced me.


    Normally, a world spirit will have many limitations.


    Only a select few could manipulate the size of their world or grow like me.


    Each of them has intervention from strong beings; maybe there are rare cases, but based on all current circumstances, like the existence of dungeons, I am sure this is done by someone else.


    No sane world spirit would allow dungeons like that to exist."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "After a few travels, I concluded that dungeons are different from secret realms.


    In the case of secret realms, it''s just a portal to travel, but dungeons even break the natural law of the world.


    It''s like having a wound on your body, then letting it fester; the more dungeons exist, the more wounded and pained the body is."


    Alex sighed, as this meant things were even more complicated now. It could be said that his world spirit was already conquered by something else.


    "What if that crystal is destroyed? Does that mean Edonia will, too? And what about the fog?"


    "The fog is a remnant from the last battle.


    What I actually do now is consume the world''s energy and use it to counter this fog, opening new areas. As this place is new, I could then shape it as we wanted."


    "I see. Making plains for people to farm and a water source should be more important, but how would the world work then?" Alex asked. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As far as he knew, the world functioned thanks to many factors.


    Gravity allowed the planet to stay on its course and keep spinning around the sun; the heat came, warming the planet.


    It then created climate, atmosphere, ocean currents, and many other things.


    Every single factor is important; losing one will disrupt the entire system.


    "That is because the world''s law is complete on your planet. We have two laws governing.


    First is the universe law; it controls gravity, the solar system, and many other things that neither I nor the progenitor know about.


    Second is world law; it was built from the foundation of the universe law, giving out its own flavor.


    This is why some worlds have mana or different climates. Some will even burn with heat nonstop or be cold all the time.


    As for King''s question, as the world law is incomplete, it''s me who upholds all of it."


    "In that case, why is there a need to separate you? I just don''t get it.


    With Alucard''s knowledge, he should have many ways to do this."


    "Based on my old master''s personality, I honestly think he did this on purpose to make me start fresh, too.


    I honestly doubt the other Vesa rebelling and becoming a monster is outside of his speculation. He should have known, then made it on purpose."


    "I see. At that point, if we can defeat the Vesa, that means whatever we achieve now is better than what was left there." Alex then realized it was the truth.


    Alucard had told him his Progenitor origin was nothing more than an ignition to start the process. The rest was up to him and MingYue to fill.


    ''So this is the road he created. Then how could we achieve power beyond a progenitor that is created by the universe itself?''


    Alex wondered as he continued digging deeper into the center of the planet.


    Meanwhile, up on the ground, MingYue made her path, flying around to look for Luciel. But the world was vast.


    She had already gone around and still hadn''t found her.


    She had gone in the direction Vesa last mentioned, but the place was empty when she reached it.


    She then started thinking of possibilities, ''Vesa, do you think the Aspect of Gluttony is evading me on purpose?''


    ''That is very possible. After all, it''s only a matter of time before the world collapses.


    Rather than fighting against the Queen, which could result in her losing, she took a safer way.''

 Chapter 276: MingYue vs Gluttony

    ''But based on our last fight, she should know there is nothing to fear from me.''


    ''Queen, she probably learned it from the other Vesa that I ate.''


    ''So all Gluttony is connected?''


    ''As long as they are within some distance, yes. That is why we couldn''t let her escape; otherwise, our only option is to run to another planet.''


    MingYue let out a sigh. Every time they took a step, things just became more complicated for them.


    Before, they lacked the strength to defeat her; now that she had enough, they lacked the time. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Vesa, any solution?''


    ''Yes, as long as there is no Gluttony in this solar system, there should be no risk.''


    ''Explain.''


    ''After I eat the world''s core, I should be able to manipulate the world as it collapses.


    As I move the sentient beings to their new place, I can use the planet to trap the Aspect of Gluttony, then King and Queen could just finish her.''


    ''Too risky.'' MingYue then tried to think of another way to do this.


    She then remembered how Alex usually used drones to check the world.


    In fact, even now, the drone is still mapping the planet''s surface.


    She then decided to imitate it. Her eyes closed as she focused; she created a few ice lotuses floating in the air.


    At first, MingYue thought of separating a small part of her soul and infusing it. But she then got a better idea.


    There was already one that was in soul form and had nothing to do. Exclusive tales from m v lemp-yr


    If the lotus was destroyed, it would cause some soul damage, but it''s not something permanent since only a small part of her is required.


    She flicked her hand, taking out the earring from her storage ring, ''LingHua, time for you to work.''


    LingHua, who didn''t know anything as she was in the dark, was confused, but soon she cursed what happened and preferred to just stay back in the storage ring.


    As a cultivator who often had long periods of seclusion for training, staying alone in darkness didn''t make her feel anything.


    Meanwhile, Petricia had already made her way to the capital of Edonia. She used her transformation spell to look like a sovereign.


    She had asked for some information from Elvira, so she didn''t go blind like Alex and MingYue before.


    Right now, she was Lady Seraphina. She was quite eccentric and rarely showed up in public, which was perfect for her disguise.


    The capital was far more advanced than Elvira''s city. She could see Vitae was used everywhere, as light in the buildings, it was even used to make road signs.


    People moved around using chariots pulled by horses, similar to the one Alex captured before.


    Everywhere she walked, she was respected, but people looked at her with confused gazes.


    It''s very rare for a sovereign to walk on their own feet like that, but no one dared to ask questions.


    As this was the capital, many sovereigns lived in this place. Some saw what happened but, recognizing her as eccentric, just decided to stay away.


    Her eccentricity was known to border on madness.


    She was famous for experimenting on many things, just like a mad scientist; some rumors even said she experimented with creating an artificial sovereign, but no one knew if it was true or not.


    It didn''t take long for Petricia to reach the main castle. She just wanted to enter when droplets of water suddenly began to fall on the ground. Looking up at the sky, she realized she was too late.


    CRACK!!!!


    A huge cracking sound reverberated loudly, heard by all the populace. The water droplets became faster and heavier, followed by a devastating view of the cracked sky.


    Above, Luciel''s hand was turning into something like a hammer as she kept hitting the barrier.


    The area was already cracked open. But the scar in the sky was glowing in green as the world tried to mend itself.


    She grinned, then tried to attack again but stopped midway as an ice chill passed in front of her.


    Looking to the side, she could see MingYue with two ice wings and a serpent-like tail. She didn''t stop and shot another barrage of ice lotuses.


    Gluttony moved in a blur, dodging all the attacks, but since the first target was not her, MingYue detonated the lotuses, creating an explosion of ice to capture Luciel.


    She then dashed forward, almost like teleporting, her finger pressing at Luciel''s forehead.


    The next moment she found herself in her inner world. The place was the same as she had seen before. It was pure darkness filled with lips; even the ground made MingYue float.


    Her eyes then locked onto the pillar in the middle, where Luciel''s face could be seen, ''It seems she has somehow survived the ordeal,'' she thought.


    One of the mouths in the sky opened and then threw up black goo. As it dropped down, it started changing appearance into the silhouette of a knight.


    It was fully black with two swords as hands. His head had two huge horns, with one eye and lips filled with an array of sharp teeth.


    MingYue''s crimson eyes glinted as she started utilizing her soul power to the peak. Ice-cold energy started spreading, freezing everything it touched, but the knight didn''t flinch.


    A symbol of Gluttony then appeared on his forehead, as he said in a distorted voice, "As I expected, you are a progenitor''s heir. The same as that man, just what are you losers planning now?"


    "Dead people don''t need to know anything," MingYue said coldly.


    The next moment, she appeared behind the Aspect of Gluttony.


    CLANG!


    Her sword met his, but she was winning now.


    She started pushing through Gluttony''s block even with one hand. Her other hand''s palm opened, and an ice sword appeared; she then lunged it at his torso.


    But a mouth appeared and bit the sword.


    MingYue didn''t mind. The moment it happened, the tip started turning into an ice lotus and then exploded inside, freezing Gluttony''s body.

 Chapter 277: Rescuing Luciel

    He screeched in pain; the countless mouths started opening, throwing up the same black goo as before.


    Each of them transformed into another Gluttony knight. Seeing this, MingYue didn''t feel afraid.


    She felt excited as now she could test how strong her soul was.


    Countless ice spikes appeared around her. She then started shooting them all around the area.


    In the middle of the way, the spikes transformed into a lifelike ice serpent that let out a roar.


    MingYue herself slashed her way forward to where Luciel was captured.


    SLASH!


    She cut the connection, effectively freeing Luciel''s soul. Her body, still wrapped in a dark cocoon, fell to the ground. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Luciel started to awaken, the inner world began to shake. MingYue raised the intensity of the attack.


    She launched another wave of ice serpents to fight against Gluttony.


    Utilizing her soul strength to the maximum, she easily overpowered the aspect of Gluttony, but this was not enough to completely eradicate her.


    In fact, while MingYue was confronting Gluttony in the inner world, part of it in the real world was escaping out from the gap in the sky.


    It also didn''t forget to separate parts of itself, eating the gap and making it wider and bigger.


    MingYue then opened her eyes as she finished cleaning out Luciel''s inner world. When she realized what had happened, she knew it was too late.


    The sky was now shattering at a very fast pace, while the healing could not keep up.


    Looking down, she could see a pool of water already created, turning into a flood that kept increasing.


    MingYue held Luciel''s unconscious body. She then threw her ice sword toward the water.


    CREAKK!!!


    It froze all the liquid, to the point it created a huge ice pillar like it held the whole sky.


    MingYue then kept pouring her qi over it, as she could feel something still eating away at the gap, widening the scar.


    She quickly realized what had happened. ''Vesa, what now?''


    ''We can only wait for the King now, or we can try to pursue Gluttony.''


    ''Some of the leviathans are still there under my control. I will try to use them to track Gluttony,'' MingYue suggested.


    If the leviathans traced Gluttony''s location, she would quickly move to pursue her.


    Meanwhile, on the ground, the unfrozen flood started moving in all directions, creating a natural disaster.


    This was a tragedy, but for Petricia, it made her job easier.


    As Seraphina, she easily entered the communication room, found the information to use it, and announced everyone to gather.


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    Petricia changed her narrative, telling them to gather for evacuation.


    Meanwhile, with how huge the incident was, everyone in the realm, even those not in the affected area, came out and looked at the disaster.


    Thankfully, as there were royalty in the area where the flood came, it didn''t cause a lot of damage. The trees were also stronger, reducing the flood''s impact.


    Underneath the ground, Alex was already getting close to the center of the planet.


    He could start feeling a scorching heat. If it had been before, he wouldn''t have been able to bear it.


    As he kept digging, he got an update on the situation from Vesa.


    "It''s good that Luciel was saved, but now with Gluttony escaped¡­"


    "Don''t worry, King. With your and the Queen''s current strength, we could quickly check on your father.


    As for the Bai Yue sect, I can now move it to Edonia. It''s the same with the Suzaku guild."


    Alex didn''t quickly answer, since the situation was too complicated for him to decide just like that. He also needed to talk with MingYue.


    Based on the situation, it''s possible they would now live their life as fugitives, going around the universe gathering forces for their rebellion.


    As they walked deeper, Vesa''s fingers started moving, creating a rune to give them more protection. The heat kept rising, becoming unbearable even for Alex.


    The blood he used as a drill also started boiling and turned into gas. He then needed to infuse it with lifeforce to keep going.


    CRACK! CRACK!


    The ground kept getting harder as it finally changed into molten lava.


    At this point, Alex stopped as he asked Vesa what to do next. He doubted he could just dig into it.


    It was clear the molten lava was a metal in its liquid form, basically the outer layer of the planet''s core.


    "Next, I will blink us deeper inside," Vesa said as she used another rune. This one was more complicated and took time for her.


    After a few minutes, a green light covered both of them. They then blinked forward.


    The next thing Alex knew, they were inside a small crystalline cavern with a sphere spinning in the middle. The sphere looked beautiful, like a kaleidoscope of colors.


    "So this is what it looks like," Alex said, amazed, as he walked closer to the planet''s core.


    Vesa flew around the crystal, her crimson eyes reflecting the kaleidoscope of colors.


    "Not always, King. It''s different for each planet, but this one is surprisingly high quality.


    I am sure if left alone for a few hundred years, it will gain its own sentience. And we are also lucky; usually, there are guardians at the planet''s core."


    "I see. Quickly move, then, Vesa. We need to hunt the aspect of Gluttony," Alex said.


    He had control over more leviathans. When the aspect of Gluttony escaped, they did realize it, but it quickly disappeared as it moved far faster than them.


    Vesa opened her mouth big and then ate the gemstone whole. Green particles then started appearing all around her body.


    They then started forming into many runes, spinning around her body as her crimson eyes glowed.


    The core area started to vibrate, and the crystal wall began to crumble.


    The rune started growing in size. It then instantly enveloped the whole planet.


    Vesa did this to try to capture Gluttony, and in that instant, she did find it, but the creature had already exited the atmosphere.

 Chapter 278: Returning

    In the vast space, the aspect of Gluttony was now a big blob of dark slime. It floated around, trying to feel its main body, and then flew in that direction.


    It then began transforming into something more efficient to move in space, into a ship.


    Unfortunately, just as it moved some distance away, a huge power suddenly appeared and slapped the aspect of Gluttony to nothingness.


    It happened so fast that it couldn''t even react or realize what had happened.


    The power only lasted for a moment before it then vanished. A distance away, Alucard''s face was pale as Thalia wiped sweat appearing on his head.


    "I think it''s still too much on your body, master, despite it using my energy."


    "Don''t worry. I am just the medium. It''s your energy that is consumed. We need to land somewhere close and recover first."


    Thalia gave a nod as she tried to change their direction to the closest planet.


    Meanwhile, in space, the planet''s atmosphere began to dissipate, and the ocean started raging, creating a huge tsunami followed by a massive thunderstorm.


    Alex and Vesa then teleported out from the center of the planet and appeared back in the sky above the castle.


    He quickly flew toward the city of Edonia with Vesa. Mingyue also landed, as many people had already gathered there.


    Elvira and her entire group were already present, and Petricia had successfully ordered the Sovereign to gather in the city.


    Now, more than half a million people were gathered there. Most of them were still confused about what would happen next, but Vesa didn''t waste any time.


    The crystal on her body then gleamed brightly, and a rune pattern began appearing in a circle. It then floated, covering the entire city, and in the next moment, the city disappeared. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then let Elvira and Petricia pacify the people while they quickly moved to transfer other people who were left behind.


    Vesa then followed Mingyue, while Alex used the Awecube to capture the remaining people.


    The destruction continued to escalate. As the core disappeared, the gravity also dissipated. The water from the ocean then started floating toward the sky.


    Thankfully, the planet''s atmosphere and the abundance of water bought enough time for Alex and Mingyue to rescue everyone.


    As the life force in the atmosphere began to dissipate, it allowed them to easily track the elves in the realm.


    After they finished, both of them then emerged from the secret realm and floated in the sky, watching the planet''s destruction.


    It was a very rare sight that both of them had never seen before.


    The waves grew larger, forming colossal waves, followed by huge whirlpools appearing all over.


    It was like someone had pulled the plug in a bathtub, and all the water was being sucked out.


    As the core started cooling down, the entire ground in the realm cracked open. Mingyue''s frozen pillar cracked open, the sky fell, and all the water came down like a huge waterfall.


    If seen from space now, the planet looked like a cracked egg, separating into many pieces. Everything then began to disintegrate, leaving behind floating debris in space.


    Looking past the floating ground, water, and the leviathans struggling to survive, Alex and Mingyue could see the beauty of space.


    A nebula of blue gas, other planets, and a shining bright sun. If it were normal humans, their bodies would already start boiling and exploding.


    As the pressure dropped suddenly, the gas in the human body would expand, leading to the expansion and rupture of the lungs.


    All the liquid in the human body would then begin to boil, evaporating into gas, causing severe damage.


    Even without these problems, the sun''s UV rays would be more than enough to burn their eyes.


    "Vesa, couldn''t you put some of the leviathans back into Edonia?" Alex asked. Looking at so many floating in the air, he felt it was a waste.


    Some had already started to die as their bodies were adapted to live in the deep ocean; now, in space, they couldn''t survive. Discover chapters at m-vl-em|p-yr


    Only the stronger ones were still alive now.


    "Alex, why not absorb their life force? I think this will be more useful. Their size is too large to be used in real fights, but the lifeforce can be used for many things."


    Alex agreed with her thoughts, and their eyes glinted as they then absorbed a huge amount of life force.


    But most of it was absorbed into Vesa. After they finished, Vesa began to explain how to recover Edonia.


    "King, Queen, as you see, we can use a planet core to expand the area instantly, but other than this, we could also use lifeforce to expand it slowly.


    It''s not just to modify the terrain; you could also use it to create specific facilities in the future, like an automated factory."


    "You mean we need to get the blueprint first from another part of you?"


    "Not necessarily, King. It could also be obtained from other sources, as long as you know what you want to make.


    Using lifeforce, I can transform it into any material as long as you have the complete blueprint.


    Of course, there are some requirements and other materials needed to build it, but I think you get the gist, King."


    Alex nodded, as this was basically like playing a city-building game but a little more complicated.


    He could build infrastructure and everything instantly as long as he had the material and enough life force.


    "Let''s talk about this later, Alex. We should go back first."


    "Alright, Queen, where to? Your world or King''s World? Or do you want me to send each of you back to your own world?"


    Mingyue thought about it, "Let''s go to Alex''s world."


    "Are you sure? Don''t you need to take care of the sect? I plan to quickly gather force and look for my father.


    It will probably take some time before it''s finished."


    "I know, that is why I am going with you. I should be able to help. The sect is stable anyway.


    We don''t have any enemies, and our disciples are still practicing.


    The new populace has also started mingling together, so there is really nothing I can do there now."

 Chapter 279: Coming into Alexs Worlds

    "I know, that is why I am going with you. I should be able to help. The sect is stable anyway.


    We don''t have any enemies, and our disciples are still practicing.


    The new populace has also started mingling together, so there is really nothing I can do there now."


    Seeing both of them decided, Vesa grinned, her finger moved weaving a rune, which then glowed and covered all of them.


    As they disappeared, what remained was just empty space filled with numerous debris and the lifeless husks of countless leviathans.


    Alex and MingYue next found themselves in his room. MingYue looked at everything with interest; her first focus was on the VR headset.


    It''s the one that Alex modified with an immersive experience to recreate scenes from novels like a movie. MingYue had asked for this before, but since he hadn''t had the time to create another one, he followed up on her wish.


    "We are not in a hurry, right? I want to try it."


    "Sure, don''t forget to change your clothing to follow my world''s fashion."


    "Don''t worry, now, shoo, go. I believe you need to prepare an ID for me," MingYue replied with a smirk. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was now wearing an artifact from the Xueqi family''s vault, allowing the clothes to change to anything she wanted. As she had watched many movies from Alex''s world, she knew the fashion sense here.


    Leaving alone, MingYue didn''t directly use the VR headset; instead, she went to the window looking outside.


    Since they were at SGE now, MingYue could only see a beautiful garden and the forest. But the atmosphere told her she was in a different world now as there was barely any qi in the air, with only mana existing.


    The only reason qi even existed here was because Alex practiced cultivation in this place.


    Looking around, she noticed a table filled with many scientific instruments and a wall filled with many photos.


    The photos mostly consisted of his mother and sister. Only one had a complete picture of them: Alex''s father, Edward, smiling and carrying Alex as a child on his shoulder.


    On the side was Luca carrying Emily. The picture was filled with smiles, making MingYue let out a deep sigh.


    It was a family she wanted to have in the past but never got. Meanwhile, Alex had it, but it was broken.


    She took the photo, her finger tracing the smiling faces.


    "Which one is worse, hoping to get one and never getting it or having one and losing it?"


    "I don''t think you can compare it like that, Queen; both are bad scenarios that people don''t want to face."


    "You don''t follow Alex?" MingYue asked without looking back.


    "No, I just want to look at the area before going back to Edonia.


    There are many things I need to maintain. Right now, the place is in the middle of a civil war."


    "Not surprising. Do you need my help?" MingYue asked.


    With the main pillar of power gone, the royals wanting more influence would certainly try to fight to fill the empty slot.


    She could already guess that Pericia didn''t mince words and said the place was now under Alex''s control.


    This would certainly raise a conflict since barely anyone knew Alex. Only Elvira would take her side.


    With the incident, they suddenly found themselves in a strange location, and Thalia''s disappearance, chaos, and panic were just a matter of time.


    "Don''t worry, Queen. As I said, I am Edonia''s world spirit. As long as I am there, they wouldn''t be able to do anything.


    What about the BaiYue sect? If you want, I could also accommodate them here."


    "Not now. Let them stay there. After we finish with Alex''s matter, we will go to the central region and take over the whole place.


    I believe there should be no one able to face us with modern weapons and people from that realm. Just maintain them."


    Vesa grinned, as she already had her own plan to gain their loyalty. Alex might disagree if he knew, but for Vesa, it was the most efficient.


    She was sure that as long as Alex saw the final result, he wouldn''t blame her later on.


    They might be forced in the beginning, but when they enjoy prosperity, none of them will regret it.


    But first, there were many things she needed to put in place, like abolishing the class system. Alex had told her once very clearly that he didn''t want slavery.


    If they needed labor, they should create automatons or golems, basically, anything that is not sentient to put to work.


    Vesa''s body then disappeared, turning into a fog, returning to MingYue''s body.


    She could feel Vesa attaching herself to the deepest place of her inner world, a place where her soul is linked to Alex.


    Then a thought came to her mind, "Since Alucard is in Alex''s soul, and we are connected, doesn''t this mean Alucard could go to mine too?" Read additional stories on m-vl-em-py-r


    The idea made her frown, as she didn''t like having an old geezer who could invade her privacy anytime.


    At the very least, with Alex, the rules were clear; they could share if they wanted. If not, each of them had their own privacy.


    MingYue closed her eyes and then focused on her inner world.


    Compared to Alex''s, hers was a serene lake with a frozen island in the middle. The lake was filled with many ice lotuses floating calmly.


    She then dove deeper inside the lake, going to the connection. She could see something like a huge egg in the center, with a silhouette of Vesa''s body inside.


    She spread her senses, but to her surprise, she couldn''t find any trace of Alucard.


    "Vesa, where is Alucard?"


    "I don''t know, Queen. He may be hiding somewhere in the King''s consciousness.


    Or maybe he had already left the King without him knowing. But based on my knowledge of him, it''s probably both," Vesa''s voice reverberated in the world.


    MingYue looked around once more, her gaze going down, and she saw the transparent surface she was standing on.

 Chapter 280: Ai

    Underneath was a stream of green particles, the place where all the extra life force was put by Vesa.


    It looked beautiful, like an otherworldly three-dimensional river of aurora.


    She exhaled, then returned back to reality.


    There was nothing she could do now other than raise her guard to make sure no soul suddenly appeared in her inner world.


    MingYue then turned her gaze toward Alex''s collection of action figures. On the side, there was also a bookcase filled with many novels in a row.


    Meanwhile, outside, Alex was making his way toward the guild section. The closer he got, the more he saw new faces walking around the area.


    It didn''t take long for him to reach the guild leader''s room.


    In front of the door, he saw Olivia busy in front of a laptop, typing nonstop, with a stack of papers that reached her head placed on the table.


    Feeling someone''s presence, Olivia said without looking up, "State your business quickly; as you see, we are overwhelmed now."


    Alex let out a small chuckle. Before he could say more, Olivia, recognizing the familiar sound, raised her head.


    Her lips curled into a smile, but her cheeks puffed out into a pout. "You said it would be quick; you know you''ve been gone for two weeks now."


    Alex was surprised, as he was sure he didn''t spend much time in the secret realm. ''Dammit, I forgot to check how much time passed before coming here.'' He cursed in his mind.


    But Alex hid his surprise and instead gave out a calm expression.


    "Something happened, but don''t worry, it''s all cleared for now. So what happened while I was gone?"


    "Alice spent a lot of her time with Prof Faerith. As for us, as you can see, we are busy now.


    After our successful dungeon dive and the association announcement, our guild quickly gained many applicants."


    She then pointed at the stack of papers, "See that? It''s all people wanting to join here as staff or hunters."


    "That many? Couldn''t they just email?"


    Olivia''s lips twitched, "You are really out of touch with how guilds work. Don''t you know what these papers are?" She asked, pulling one of the papers to Alex''s face.


    Seeing it, he scratched his head. He just remembered about it. If a guild is famous, sometimes applicants will send their applications with special papers that are verified by the hunter association.


    This guarantees the content is all valid and checked. It''s not like the association spends their time checking each of their skills.


    They just have a way using special artifact or Awakener skill, to make sure the applicant is not lying and compare it to their potential.


    "You should really accept some then to reduce your workload."


    "I wish it were that easy; we still need to screen them all out. Don''t think I forgot what happened last time. If we have a dark guild infiltrate here, it will be a big problem."


    Stay tuned for stories on m-vl-em,py-r


    In reality, Alex thought this was not necessary since slave contracts would ensure everyone''s eligibility, but remembering her own meeting with the aspect of gluttony, he shook his head. Better to be safe than sorry.


    "How is Emily then?"


    "If this is my workload, how much do you think she has? Even Zold was now pulled by Quartz."


    "Where? I don''t see them anywhere."


    Olivia gave him an incredulous look, "Isn''t it your idea to open a school and accept commoners to be trained? What do you think they are doing now?"


    Alex smirked, "Alright, I will get out of your hair and disturb my sister instead."


    Seeing Alex enter the room, Olivia''s smile deepened.


    ''He doesn''t have any wounds, and based on his gaze, things should be progressing well for him.


    That is good. Maybe I should try to ask him to accompany me later tonight.'' She thought, making a plan to make their relationship closer.


    Little did she know all her plans were destined to fail for this week, as MingYue was here now.


    CREAK!


    The door opened, and Alex could see Emily with a tired expression.


    "Our guildmaster is hardworking. I am sure it''s only a matter of time before our guild rises up."


    Emily raised her eyes with a disinterested look. She had been overworked these last few days.


    Her body could keep up, but as someone who preferred outdoor activities, being locked inside a room, seeing word after word, checking out agreements, contracts, rules, and many other things that required her assignment was like hell.


    "You damned brother. Finally, you returned.


    Tell me one good reason why I shouldn''t scream at you now? S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You know my ability and personality, and you should know you are far more suited for this paperwork.


    Why in hell did you give me the guild master position?" Emily vented her frustration.


    Alex was caught off guard but then let out a laugh; it''s been a while since he saw his sister throwing a tantrum like a kid, being unreasonable.


    "Don''t blame me. Don''t you already know what the guild master''s job is? Just quickly hire some people to take care of it.


    Or heck, just make an AI copy of your mind, ask Faerith to do it. I am sure she can."


    "Are you fucking kidding me! Don''t you read history?


    You know, after that incident, AI like that is labeled as dark technology and banned forever."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "Is it that bad? That incident happened before the dungeon break anyway, barely anyone living now has any memory of it.


    You know history books often exaggerated."


    "No! For once, do me a favor and use your hunter credibility to read real history.


    And see for yourself what really happened. The AI rebellion almost ended humanity.


    I couldn''t imagine what would happen now if they were given access to real synth bodies and our power system."


    "You talk like real synths exist," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    "It''s still far away, but don''t doubt our technological growth. Mixed with man and magic, things like that keep getting closer."

 Chapter 281: Gate Prototype

    "I wish they would reach it quickly then so we can use them as frontline soldiers.


    Anyway, I came here to tell you to prepare. In a week, we will go there."


    "A week? Isn''t that too fast? What did you get from your trip?"


    "I brought a backup, and I also got some ideas to create secret techniques for you guys. I am sure we are strong enough now."


    "A backup? You brought another alien race?" Emily asked with a complicated gaze.


    She then added before Alex could reply, "You know when you were gone, William reported to me he was taken by the association president and also had a clash with another species."


    Alex didn''t feel surprised since he knew it would come sooner or later, but to think it came this fast¡­


    ''Is that old fox having some spy in this place''? Alex thought.


    Emily dropped her work, her eyes quickly filling with interest. "A human like you? Wait, is my sister-in-law here?"


    She then stood up from her chair, her tiredness evaporating in an instant. "Where is she? I want to see her." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s lips twitched. "If you go like that, you''ll just scare her. Let''s just meet at dinner later. Don''t you need to finish your work?"


    But Emily didn''t even listen to what Alex said. The next moment, a strong wind blew Alex''s hair as Emily left the room with a bam.


    Alex watched everything, stupefied. Somehow, he felt like he was transported back to when he was still in high school.


    His lips curled into a smile. "What a handful sister I have."


    But as he wanted to walk out, his eyes locked onto some of the papers on Emily''s table. It was a list of people who passed Olivia''s screening to join the guild.


    Other than commoners being trained in the academy, they still needed to hire many new hunters quickly to work for them. And the one he saw was one of the candidates.


    He took the paper and read all the information. His eyes turned sharp. "Why does this person really look like Alucard? Is it a coincidence?"


    Reading it, he didn''t find anything weird in the information and decided to leave it alone.


    Walking outside, Olivia asked, "What happened with Emily? Why was she so excited?"


    "Nothing, I will get her back quickly."


    Olivia was confused but didn''t ask further. Instead, she used the opportunity to ask, "Will you have some free time tonight?"


    "Oh yeah, I just wanted to say that. Let''s have dinner together. Tell Quartz, Alice, William, and Zold too." Explore new chapters at m_vl_em_p_yr


    "Alright," Olivia replied with a helpless smile as she watched Alex disappear again.


    Her golden eyes glinted, showing her complicated expression. But if someone looked carefully, they would realize something odd about it.


    Like there was something else.


    Alex quickly moved back to check on MingYue and Emily, but on the path, he bumped into Alice.


    "You are back. Good, I have something to talk about."


    "What is it? Could it not wait?"


    "No, it could not. Your assistant Faerith gave me some ideas, but she said she needed to wait for your approval."


    "What is that?"


    "Let''s not talk here. Too many ears."


    Alice then pulled his hand toward Faerith''s laboratory. In the middle, there was something that looked like a dungeon gate but was different.


    "Don''t tell me you are trying to make a portal to return to your place?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, of course, there are some limitations, but you don''t need to worry about it."


    "How safe is it, Faerith?"


    "Well, at worst, we will just make a small black hole."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "You say it so simply. How could you even make this anyway?"


    Alice smirked, then raised her hand. A golden dust appeared, moving around like a wisp before it disappeared. Looking back at the portal, Alex realized there were many golden lines carving through the portal.


    Faerith''s eyes lit up. "This fairy dust is quite miraculous, Alex.


    We can use it to enhance many reactions. I don''t know how, but it just works best as a catalyst."


    "And the best idea you have is to try to carve space? How do you even do it?


    I know the theory says if you create an immense level of gravity, it will make space collapse and create a tunnel, but in that case, how do you choose where the tunnel is connected?"


    "That is easy. I have a way to feel where my homeland is. It''s very far away, but I can tell the direction."


    Alex looked at the gate-like portal. He put his finger on his chin, then shook his head.


    "No, this is too dangerous. What if the portal opens to another dimension instead?


    Rather than that, Alice, do you already want to go home? You just left for a short time."


    "It''s not that. I just want to send some resources back. Do you forget what you did?" Alice reminded Alex that her world couldn''t regenerate resources anymore.


    "In that case, we could just send it directly through the dungeon. Didn''t you read about it?"


    "I know, but that is even more risky. If we enter through the dungeon, who knows what kind of being might put an eye on us."


    Hearing Alice''s reasoning, Alex found it weird.


    "I don''t get it. Last time, the others and I entered through it. Just what is the real reason you want another entrance to your world?"


    "Forget it then." Alice changed the topic and left the place, further confusing Alex.


    "Faerith, I need more explanation."


    "I also don''t know. It''s just that when we discussed the theory of how dungeon gates work, she came up with the idea to make the gate."


    ''If she met with that creature''s eyes, I bet she wouldn''t dare to try this,'' Alex thought.


    This is the real reason he didn''t want to test the gate system. He looked at it once more, then put it into his storage ring.

 Chapter 282: Alices Reason

    "Don''t make another one like that, and don''t experiment on dimensional gates or teleportation.


    For now, just focus on making good artifacts utilizing Qi and Mana. By the way, how is the storage cube?"


    "Storage cubes are selling like peanuts now. We already ramped up production but still failed to keep up with the demand. Find exclusive chapters on m-vl-em-py-r


    As you instructed, we only expanded the production rate up to 100 percent and not more."


    "That is enough. We need to make sure the market stays starved. Other than that, has anything notable happened?"


    "No, it''s just a few weeks. What could happen?"


    "You would be surprised how many things happen in one day of my life. Well, I will go then. Continue with your work."


    "Sure, Alex."


    Seeing his disappearing back, Faerith took out her personal notebook and started jotting down some more notes.


    She still didn''t forget about the weird egg. Anytime she got the opportunity, she would observe Alex''s changes.


    ''His eyes turned completely crimson now. I wonder just what that egg''s origin is. If only he told me,'' she thought.


    Meanwhile, after leaving, Alice went to the library. She started reading some physics books.


    Right now, she was already fluent in Alex''s language, allowing her to read even without any external help.


    ''It seems I cannot do it this way. Should I just come out clean with him?


    But what if he suspects me instead?'' Alice felt conflicted in her mind.


    Meanwhile, as she pondered what to do, Alex had already returned to his room.


    His eyes quickly scanned for MingYue, but she was nowhere to be seen. He wanted to telepathically ask what she was doing, but he decided against it.


    He could also look for their location based on life force or Qi, but he thought it was good for his sister to get close to MingYue.


    "Well, she is probably with Emily now. I hope she doesn''t talk nonsense with her."


    Alex then walked toward the window, looking at the view. "Alice is very weird. Did something happen?"


    A thought then suddenly surfaced in his mind.


    "Wait, did she also meet with some strange entity while moving back to this world? But no way, at that time, she was inside my awecube."


    But the idea kept sticking in his mind. How could awecube stop a being like that''s eyes? And who knows how many beings like that exist?


    Knowing he couldn''t get it out of his mind, Alex decided to go to Alice.


    As he moved to another room, Emily was talking with MingYue. She was now opening an old photo album, as somehow their conversation came to their family.


    MingYue was curious about it since, in her eyes, Alex''s family was something she wanted.


    Hearing about the story made her smile as she imagined her own family becoming like that.


    Without realizing it, her coldness was melting gradually. Emily didn''t even have that impression when she first saw MingYue.


    Her first impression was that she was a charming, beautiful woman.


    "All of you look so happy at that time. I am sure it was quite hard after your father was gone," MingYue said as she looked at the picture where Emily still had an innocent, naive smile on her face.


    "It was. Many things happened in the gap. How about you?"


    "Me? Using the term from your world, it would be correct to say I come from a broken home.


    I don''t know where both my parents are. As for my other family, it''s even more complicated."


    "Honestly, it''s not that much different here. I know from my friends and colleagues that some of their extended family is just parasites.


    They use the familial bond when it benefits them, but when we are in need, none of them come. Just big-mouthed cowards."


    MingYue then changed the topic as she didn''t want to talk about it further. She did it out of rage, but she felt complicated now, as she destroyed her childhood home.


    "By the way, where is your mother? Is she left here, too? Your brother told me a lot of stories about her."


    Emily chuckled. "Does that include when Mom threatened to take his money away?"


    "Tell me about it."


    Meanwhile, Alex had already reached the library. He could see Alice there, reading a book.


    "Could you tell me the real reason for that? I know you won''t betray me." Alex said with confidence since Alice was under a contract.


    He was sure he would be able to tell if it was tampered with or removed.


    Alice hesitated for a moment, then said, "This is really confusing, and honestly, I myself only half believe it.


    A few hours after I came to your world, a weird memory suddenly appeared in my mind. One I never had any recollection of."


    "Tell me everything. I won''t judge you for it."


    "It''s like at some point, I don''t know when and how I met with the Fairy Progenitor. She was asking me to help her."


    "You helping a progenitor? Are you sure?" Alex asked in disbelief.


    Even if the progenitor was weakened, it was still a real genuine one, not like Alex and MingYue, who were just a part of it.


    "That is why I also feel it doesn''t make sense, but I know where the location is."


    "So that is why you want to make that portal. You want to find out if it''s true or not."


    "Yes, this is important for my people, Alex. She is my race''s progenitor. If something happened to her¡­"


    "What will happen to the rest of you?"


    "I don''t know, but I can tell something bad will happen."


    Alex put his hand on his chin, then asked telepathically, ''Vesa, what happens to the species when a progenitor dies?''


    ''They lose a backing, making them another species up for grabs by the others. But other than this, the species'' strength as a whole will be weakened until the progenitor is reborn somewhere else.'' Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''So all the vampire race is weakened now?''

 Chapter 283: Fairys Biology

    ''Our case is unique, King. The progenitor is dead, but not really dead. The essence is still in this world.


    As for the other case I mentioned, the progenitor''s essence was removed from this world, which caused the drop in strength until it was reborn back in its world.''


    ''So if the human progenitor is killed, all humanity except those I transformed will be weakened?''


    ''Yes, we call this the resonance effect.''


    Understanding the situation, Alex then said to Alice, "How about this? We will check on it after I finish some tasks.


    Looking for your race''s progenitor wouldn''t be easy. And with our current strength, it''s nothing more than suicide."


    Hearing this, Alice felt relieved. They then exchanged some more small talk.


    Alex started asking how her cultivation was progressing. Did it have any effect on her fairy dust?


    "Now that you mention it, this is one of the questions I want to ask you before.


    Qi can be used to enhance parts of our body. If I try it on my wings, will it be effective?


    You know our dust is created from a special organ on our back. It''s connected to our wings.


    If I can do this, I am sure I could enhance my strength quickly."


    "I don''t know, it''s untested. How does the qi react to your fairy dust?"


    "It doesn''t have any reaction." Alice put some thought into it.


    She wanted to try it, but she also wanted to reduce the risk. Discover adventure at m-vl-em-py-r


    What if she lost her fairy dust in the process? It would result in a huge problem for her.


    "First, tell me how your power system works."


    "My fairy race is simple. Each one is already born with the capability to use her fairy dust.


    As for growth in strength, it just happens naturally. Of course, we can practice to enhance our control, raising its effectiveness."


    "So all your fairies will reach their peak strength without doing anything?" Alex asked with envy in his eyes.


    "It''s not that simple. Since it develops naturally, it takes a long time, and not everyone is able to reach the peak.


    Just like humans and feladine, each individual has their own potential. When you hit the ceiling, you will stop growing.


    Now, if you can choose, Alex, which would you choose: going through our path, where it could be said your fate has been decided since your birth, or, like you, having a way to carve your own path?"


    Alex didn''t need to think about giving the answer. He already knew what to choose.


    He then changed the topic, "What realm are you in now? Have you enhanced your body?"


    "This is one of the reasons why I don''t dare to test it out.


    I tried to enhance my muscles and bones, but it didn''t work. There was no change at all."


    "What happened to the qi then?"


    "It just passed through. There was no effect."


    "I cannot say anything else except I need to learn how a fairy''s body works," Alex said.


    He meant this scientifically but then quickly realized it sounded really inappropriate.


    Alice also sat there in a daze, not knowing how to respond.


    "You mean you want to check on my body?" she asked with a flush of red on her cheek.


    "Sorry, I just realized how I sound, but I mean that in a scientific sense. Basically, without knowing how your muscles work, there is nothing I can do.


    Let me put it this way. In my case, when I was human, we absorbed oxygen into our lungs and then fueled it into our blood.


    When our muscles contract, the oxygen in our blood reacts with glucose and other proteins to produce the energy we need to function.


    During intense exercise, if the oxygen supply wasn''t sufficient, our muscles would produce lactic acid. This lactic acid buildup is what makes our muscles feel tired and sore.


    However, with constant training, our bodies adapted.


    Our muscles became more efficient at processing oxygen and clearing out lactic acid, making us less tired over time.


    Knowing how this works allowed me to easily find a way to use qi to enhance my body strength.


    As the cells got used to the constant pressure of qi, and we even infused it inside, they started adapting, allowing us to become stronger.


    This is also a similar case for mana.


    Now, in your case, as a fairy, despite having a body form similar to ours, based on what you tell me, our bodies probably work differently.


    First of all, the key to my strength is the adaptation capability of the cell. I do believe every sentient being is capable of doing this, but they would vary.


    And if your body cells are already adapted to fairy dust or something else that changes how it completely works, then it makes sense the cultivation method I gave you doesn''t work."


    Hearing the many terms would have left Alice in a daze.


    Thankfully, she had absorbed many books in the library, so she could at least understand what Alex explained.


    She then took out a small knife and made a small scratch on her finger. She then dripped her crimson blood onto the table.


    Alex looked at it in detail. At a glance, it looked similar to normal blood, but when he saw it closely, he could see the blood was different; it had many shimmering golden dust particles inside it. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex picked it up with his finger and started using his ability, focusing solely on it.


    "The fairy dust seems to affect a fairy''s whole biology, how their organs function.


    Even this blood alone is proof of it. I don''t even need a microscope to tell the dust is not just here as decoration."


    "Alice, what happens if a fairy gets their wings torn?"


    Fear reflected in Alice''s eyes as the thought of it was horrendous. For a fairy, the pain of having their wings torn is worse than even death.

 Chapter 284: Creating Secret Technique

    "Where are you going with this question?" she asked.


    Looking up, Alex could see fear on her face.


    "Sorry, I don''t mean it that way. Let me rephrase it.


    If this organ on your back that produces fairy dust is hurt, damaged, or basically destroyed to the point it couldn''t function, will you die?"


    "Yes, we call this organ a fairy heart. It doesn''t beat, but without it, we are dead. As for our real heart, even if it''s damaged, our fairy heart will be able to heal it."


    "Then, no wonder many methods are not working. I will be blunt. To find a way to enhance it, I will need to experiment, and this is no easy endeavor.


    I could use simulation and try to predict the outcome, but with a completely different nervous system, I doubt the result will be accurate at all."


    "So you mean you need a live fairy specimen to experiment with a high risk of death?"


    "Yes. Look, you have read many books in this library.


    It could be said our understanding of our own bodies is not small, but even with all this information, I still need to experiment many times over to finally get the cultivation method I gave you."


    "Isn''t this cultivation method from another world? You mean you modified it?"


    "Of course. Otherwise, the way wouldn''t be as streamlined. I will be honest. I experimented on my own body.


    If not because it''s been enhanced and I couldn''t die, I would have already died hundreds of times over."


    The memory of trying to enhance his ability and brain was still fresh in his mind. All the pain resulted in failure.


    Even now, he hasn''t been able to find a way to break through.


    ''Now that reminds me since Vesa''s strength has recovered, I should be able to put the same rune I gave Emily to others.


    I will give it to Quartz, Zold, and Olivia. As for William and Alice, I will see how it goes,'' Alex thought.


    The reason he does this is because he knows that even if Quartz, Zold, and Olivia got controlled by a strong being to hurt him in the future, he still couldn''t forgive himself if they were killed.


    They are like his real family. Despite not being close to them, Alex could tell what they meant to his mother and sister. Stay with the story on m v l e m p y r


    "I understand your point. How about I try to learn how my body works with Faerith, then? Can we trust her?"


    Alex gave some consideration to it and then agreed.


    Those who would feel the need to get the information wouldn''t be able to break Faerith''s contract with him.


    As for those strong beings, Alex doubted they would care what makes a fairy''s body tick.


    After some more small talk, they said goodbye. Alex then returned to his room. As he had some time, his first goal now was to create a secret technique.


    He had seen how exquisite MingYue used it.


    "Those ice lotuses have really become the foundation of her combat strength.


    With that as a foundation, it allowed her to quickly progress. I should make something similar for each of my core members.''


    Alex then remembered he hadn''t contacted William. In Alice''s case, the cultivation method failed.


    Who knows about William?


    His situation is even more weird since his body was contaminated by something.


    ''I will ask him later. For now, I will focus on the important ones first,'' Alex thought.


    He still didn''t know what to make for himself, but he already had some ideas for the others.


    For example, for Emily, his sister, by using the wisp of light. Despite not having any, he had already scanned everything about it.


    He raised his palm. The ERX chip in his brain started working, creating a 3D visual of the wisp of light, then started showcasing the inside of it.


    Even though, from a glance, it looked like just a ball of light, the wisp of light was more complicated than that.


    There were particles of light moving in certain ways all over its body. When it cast or used abilities, the pattern would change in some way.


    This reminded Alex of how formations and runes worked.


    ''Now that I think of it, secret techniques and combat also work like this.


    Qi and breathing need to be maintained and controlled in a certain way to produce a certain result.''


    Focusing on the pattern, Alex started memorizing it and creating many simulations in his brain.


    His goal now was to crack what kind of pattern resulted in what kind of ability. Afterward, he would need to translate it to the human body.


    The decrypting process took Alex a long time, but it was quite smooth. The real hurdle came after he cracked it: how to use it on the human body.


    While he was engrossed in this, Alex didn''t realize MingYue and Emily were back in his room.


    MingYue told Vesa not to warn Alex.


    "See, MingYue, he is always like that when he is too focused on something," Elly said with a chuckle.


    "Isn''t that good? That means he is really focused on his task."


    "Yeah, I won''t say so. Thankfully, his body is strong enough to keep up with his concentration right now.


    You know, when he was a kid, he once fainted because he was in a trance for too long."


    "How do you know about it? Weren''t you still a kid at that time too?"


    "Of course, Mom told me. It''s not even something complicated.


    Dad, at that time, brought him a mountain of puzzles to solve.


    They ranged from easy difficulty all the way to the highest one, which some people say is impossible. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    My mom said my brother was very happy at that time. He then started working on it.


    Hours passed with him in that state, not moving. My mom wanted to interrupt at first, but my dad said don''t."


    "I see. In that situation, I would agree with your dad," MingYue commented.

 Chapter 285: Conflict

    As a cultivator herself, I find it normal to find out someone''s limit to the point of exhaustion under controlled situations. It''s far better than learning it in real combat and ending up dying.


    Knowing one''s own strengths and weaknesses is a very important matter.


    But hearing this, Elly disagreed. Her line of thought was similar to her mother''s.


    Alex was still a kid at this time; they should have told him it was not good. But she didn''t say it out loud since she didn''t want to have a debate.


    "What happened next then?" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, he spent three days like that until he fainted. Based on how my mom said it, I am sure my father got an earful," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "Do you remember how old he was at that time?" MingYue asked.


    "Probably around seven or eight. Honestly, though, I respect my brother a lot. He''s always there for us, no matter the situation, even when he was bullied."


    "Alex bullied? You are joking, right?"


    "Well, he won''t admit it, but in middle school and high school, he never had any friends nor played with any of them. Every day, he went straight home from school."


    "With his abilities, it''s not weird. Who can he trust?" MingYue could relate to what Alex felt.


    Even though she couldn''t tell if someone was really lying or not, the cutthroat competition between everyone in the sect and clan was more than enough for her to not want any friends.


    "Well, let''s go and not disturb him. I wonder what he is doing, though," MingYue said as she turned her back, leaving the room.


    "Who knows? I never get what passes through his mind," Emily replied as she closed the door silently and followed MingYue.


    Catching up, she asked, "MingYue, how about going shopping? This is your first time in our world."


    "Don''t you need money to do that? And I don''t really need anything. My clothes can change form," MingYue replied as she showed Emily how it worked. Based on many movies she had watched, shopping meant buying tons of clothes.


    Seeing the clothes, Emily''s eyes sparkled, "Do you have more? How does that work?"


    MingYue still had a few pieces of clothing, so she gave one to Emily.


    As both of them left, Alex''s lips curled into a smile. "Finally!" he exclaimed happily.


    At first, he kept failing. Translating the movement between a sphere-like monster to a human was just something impossible. He needed to completely modify it for it to work.


    Then, an idea came to his mind. Why would he need to do that?


    He decided to change how it goes. For Awakened, like Emily with elemental abilities, their hearts usually transformed in a way to generate that element. Emily was no exception.


    Alex then used the heart circulation path, creating a secret technique to move qi in a way that replicated the Wisp technique. Based on the simulations he did, there should be no bad effect on Emily''s body.


    "Now I just need her to test it out and see if the abilities come out. If I am right, she should be able to improve this skill to use for attack or even more things."


    The Wisp of Light ability allowed them to change light into something solid. The Wisp used it to control the Golem from the inside.


    Alex imagined with this technique, Emily''s control over her abilities would increase manyfold.


    "Adding the Wisp under her control, her combat ability will be off the chart. She then just needs to raise her cultivation level. Everyone should at least reach Nascent Soul before we go."


    Alex then proceeded to create a secret technique for Zold, as he was the second easiest.


    Using the hammer secret technique as a template and his understanding of Emily''s secret technique, Alex quickly made a new one.


    He also started pulling information on existing combat styles.


    "Using qi and motion is the key to the secret technique. In one way, it could also be said to unite qi and body so they work together," Alex thought in his mind.


    "In that case, I could just copy combat arts and put the flow of qi in the movement, then link it with the abilities they already have. That should work." Alex then asked Vesa for help to filter all the information in his brain and the book he had just taken for combat art and fighting style.


    He also asked her to combine and optimize it.


    "Sure, King, but could you give me some time? It''s not that I don''t want to do it, but things are kind of a mess now in Edonia."


    "What happened?"


    "I tried to quell the populace, but when I appeared and told them the new rules, their reaction was very intense."


    "Let me guess, the abolishment of the class system irked the royalty and sovereigns?"


    "It''s complicated, King. That is why I am trying to mediate both factions right now. Unless you are alright with me just killing some of them."


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    "Some people deserve it. With your ability, you should be able to see and hear everything, right? Try to recoup it into a consistent report and send it to me."


    "Sure, King."


    A flood of information then started pouring into his mind.


    In total, there are three groups in Edonia now. The first is those who agree with Elvira''s direction. The second is the sovereigns who think they could establish their own authority.


    After seeing Vesa''s control over the world, they are not dumb enough to challenge her authority, but they negotiate, not wanting to lose the class system.


    Weirdly enough, the majority of the grassroots class also oppose the change. Injustice and unfairness do happen, but it''s still the minority. The majority of the populace feels better about the class system.


    They are already used to just doing what is told. In exchange, they get enough food and housing.


    As for the royalty, the majority of them show approval in the front, but at the back, they are all now planning to overthrow the sovereigns. Elvira''s father is one of the most vocal about this.

 Chapter 286: The Three Group

    Since he has heard everything from his daughter, and Luciel also returned to his side unharmed, he fervently supports any policy from Vesa.


    He also knows that if things progress as expected, his daughter will have an important role in the country.


    The last faction is the recluses; they don''t care at all. One of them is Seraphina. She doesn''t care about who is in charge or her status. Her curiosity is all focused on the world they are in now and how beings like Vesa could appear.


    The capital now is at a boiling point, already split into two territories, each with its own desire.


    Alex doesn''t find it weird. The grassroots class they are afraid that without anyone telling them what to do, they won''t get enough food and a place to live.


    In the past, despite not getting meat or luxury items, they didn''t need to worry at all. They are also now in a strange new place, and all of them put their hope on their sovereigns to take care of the matter.


    Based on his understanding so far, the best way is to kill all the sovereigns who want to keep the system or at least separate them. But before this, he needs to plant sovereigns that support his cause.


    "Try that method, Vesa. After planting our own people, separate them into prison cells. I will use them to spar with Emily and the others after they master the secret technique.


    I could also use them to fight later on. Afterward, the grassroots class will depend on the sovereigns that are still left. Don''t mention the disestablishment of the system anymore; focus first on education.


    The moment they taste how good life is, they will miss it. I am sure they won''t want to return.


    As for the last group, gather them in one area, give them good living conditions, and give them one or two unique materials for them to research.


    People like them usually just want a peaceful life and focus on their hobby."


    "Alright, King, I will do as you ordered."


    "One more thing, Vesa, do these sovereigns count as a full vampire race or half-vampire?"


    "They are a full vampire race, but weirdly, Thalia doesn''t teach them anything other than normal combat, maybe to make sure there are no rebellions."


    "Alright, that means I need to find a way to make them loyal to me or just outright kill them. How many are there?" Alex asked.


    He still remembered Vesa told him pure vampires couldn''t be bound by a slave contract.


    He still wanted to try to avoid killing if possible, but learning from his experience with Luciel and Gluttony, Alex knew sometimes that is needed.


    It''s better than having more casualties in the end.


    "There are not that many, King. In total, we have 72 sovereigns. Most are still newborns, the strongest only at the early Bloodline level. For comparison, Thalia is already at the Nightkeeper stage.


    We only have 2 Bloodlines, and both of them are recluses. One is Seraphina, and the other is a man named Jack. Out of the 72 sovereigns, 30 want to show their displeasure, the other 40 are taking a wait-and-see stance."


    "If I can make all of them loyal to me, that will bolster my force quickly. A vampire is a strong fighter and almost immortal."


    "Yes, King, but I honestly suggest you refrain from using them in a fight till you are stronger.


    This full vampire is quite troublesome since they were created using Alucard''s essence tainted by Gluttony. Who knows what is inside of them."


    "So you mean they are more gluttonous than normal vampires?"


    "Based on my observation so far, yes, King. We vampires like to drink blood, but we choose the target. It''s not a consumption for living; it''s more like humans enjoying wine.


    Based on what I see so far, the majority of the vampires here are different. They consume blood from royalty daily, and some prefer drinking it fresh."


    "I see. Give me more reports later on them, Vesa; the more detailed, the better. Also, couldn''t you check their blood purity and gluttony presence?"


    "With your permission, I can, King. I need to take samples of their blood to do this."


    "Just do it then," Alex ordered.


    Vesa asked for Alex''s permission on this because, in vampire culture, giving out blood is not something easy or simple to do.


    It''s like swearing an oath of loyalty.


    A strong vampires, can use the target''s blood for many things, like tracking their location.


    After his discussion with Vesa, Alex focused back on creating the secret technique.


    Zold''s technique centered around the use of a dagger and incorporating lightning into the attack. Experience the best from m|v|l|e|mp|y|r


    Olivia''s technique was barehanded combat focused on dodging and fast-paced movement. He still didn''t have an idea of what element to give her since she was a healer.


    Quartz was the most unique, as her ability was centered around using a shield and sword.


    Alex thought, why not make a method that allows her to instantly change gear when fighting?


    To do this, she would need to master a space-like skill. But Alex already had a clue how to do this based on his instantaneous movement, which was a blink.


    "This secret technique could work, but it will need to be used together with a storage ring. This way, she will be able to change shields and armaments based on the enemy."


    Alex''s final goal was for Quartz to change all her armor instantaneously and then adjust her fighting style based on the enemy. He got inspired by a character in a novel he had read.


    "That should do for the group. I just need to perfect and polish it before giving it to them. Now, I need to focus on my own combat style and secret technique."


    Alex started pondering how he had fought so far. He fought using bare hands when killing the beasts in the forest.


    At the goblin dungeon, he used intense flames and a hammer to destroy everything. In the last fight, it was combined with blood.


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 Chapter 287: Social Media

    However, through all the fights, Alex''s most memorable experience was fighting in the inner world, where he could do everything he wanted.


    The possibilities were endless, limited only by his imagination. In Alex''s opinion, if he could combine it with his abilities, his fighting prowess would be raised by many levels.


    "That means I should have something that could be transformed as I wanted. Maybe I should focus on blood. Lifeforce could become solid using it as a medium."


    Alex then started thinking about how he could enhance blood manipulation by combining it with qi and all his fighting styles.


    ''This should not be hard since my qi already flows inside my blood now.''


    Alex closed his eyes, feeling his core that pumped out qi all over his body.


    ''Our body is really a wondrous thing; it can even adapt to new energy and generate it ourselves. I wonder if I can do the same with mana.''


    Alex then remembered the new power system from the association. It utilized mana and magic circles.


    As he started dabbling, William had already gotten the complete method from Solomon. He was now inside his restaurant cooking a meal for the guests while thinking about his next move.


    Should he tell Alex everything or just part of it? ''But what the president asked of me, I doubt Alex will agree.''


    As he was considering this, one of the staff came to the kitchen, "Sir, someone is here looking for you."


    "Who?" William asked in a stern tone, as the last few times people looked for him, they only brought trouble.


    "It''s Lady Emily."


    "Oh, alright, I will go there after finishing this dish. Serve them some complimentary drinks." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, sir."


    William continued his cooking. Meanwhile, outside, Emily and MingYue had just arrived.


    They were served some fresh juice.


    "What do you want to order, MingYue?"


    MingYue, looking at the menu, felt her desire growing; there were many things she wanted to try.


    So far, she had only eaten instant food from Alex''s world.


    "Can I order one of each meal?" she asked.


    Emily was caught off guard by the sheer amount of the order. She didn''t know MingYue was such a glutton.


    "Is the food in your place that bad?"


    "It''s not bad, but it just lacks taste." MingYue had tried some spirit beast meat from her world, but even that meat couldn''t beat a perfectly seasoned meal.


    Since she knew about storage rings, Emily didn''t ask further; she thought MingYue would just put it there for later.


    Their discussion then changed, as MingYue saw almost everyone was on their phones despite not sitting alone.


    "Emily, why is everyone busy with themselves?"


    "Oh, that is normal here; people just spend all their time on social media."


    "Social media? You mean like those apps DikTok and Blue Bird?"


    "Yes, you have seen it?" Emily asked, wondering how MingYue could know about this. She also realized MingYue was not that surprised looking at the modern city. Find exclusive content at m.v.l.e.mpyr


    MingYue took out her phone and showed it to Emily. "Well, there were apps like that here before, but I removed them all since they couldn''t be used. I did watch some movies where they were mentioned a lot."


    "Wait, let me show you," Emily said and took out her phone.


    MingYue''s phone didn''t have any signal since it wasn''t set to any provider, and Emily didn''t register her for any account. She thought it was better for Alex to do it.


    MingYue started scrolling through the feed. Since it was based on Emily''s watch history, most of it was filled with fighting techniques and cat videos.


    This got her hooked, as she liked watching the fighting videos. They showed people giving tips on what to do during dungeon breaks, how to fight against monsters, and how to survive as a normal person. The rest was filled with awakeners showing off their abilities.


    "I don''t get it. Why do these people show off their power like this? Won''t it become dangerous for them?"


    "Well, it''s for money, MingYue. The more popular you get, the more money you receive. As for danger, these people don''t fight at all; they are just normal civilians."


    "I know the situation in your world from Alex. How could people with abilities still stay as civilians? Aren''t you on the brink of crisis?" She then chose one of the videos, showing a man who could make his arm bigger and then smaller. Basically, he could control his body size.


    "Look at this man. His ability would be very useful in combat. I could imagine he would work great as a spy."


    "There are many factors. Maybe his power has limitations, or he has other weaknesses. But honestly, I also share your sentiment. That is one of the reasons I often check this feed.


    I try to recruit some of them, but it''s just hard. You know, even with our situation, some people just care about themselves.


    They say and show their care through social media, and some also donate money, but when push comes to shove, none of them dare to take the line, risking their lives.


    They all just talk. They know how bad the situation is despite us making sure the news doesn''t report it daily. It''s all still there to be seen on the net."


    "Then why would they stay here? If the frontline gets breached, it''s not only their lives that are forfeit."


    "You see how peaceful this city is? That is just how most of them are. Deep inside, they feel it''s unrelated to them since the tragedy never hit their lives.


    It''s like people who see the news of someone murdered; they may condemn the killer, but tomorrow it''s just another day as usual for them."


    "I still don''t get it, honestly. Your government should do forceful conscription in case this happens.


    Just so you know, despite commoners in my world not standing a chance against cultivators, there is a reason why, in most cases, all the cities or villages are massacred."


    "You mean they all stand up and unite to fight?"

 Chapter 288: Another Try

    "I don''t know the details, but based on what I heard, that is what happened. And if any of them survived, they would look for a way to get revenge."


    "Somehow, that feels like a story plot my brother likes to read a lot," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "Story plot?" MingYue then started remembering many novels she had read.


    Emily was right; she often read stories about the village being destroyed, and one of the characters survived.


    They usually then find out their hidden potential and ability or get a godly artifact.


    "If you mean those stories in anime and novels, then no. If only the world was that good to them.


    From 1,000 tragic massacres, if even one could grow as a cultivator and survive, that would be good. What often happens is something different.


    They usually report it to the opposite sect, and depending on their level of hostility, the other sect will use the information to their advantage. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The worst I''ve heard is making a rumor that the culprit was a demonic cultivator with a good artifact. It''s like painting a huge target on the culprit."


    "I never knew the competition was that high. In that case, don''t cultivators die all the time?" Emily asked.


    "They do. The survival rate of cultivators is very low. Most lose their lives in the pursuit.


    Hearing of a whole family destroyed is nothing new nor surprising." MingYue wanted to continue but stopped as she felt someone coming.


    Turning her gaze, she quickly recognized him. "You are William."


    "Yes, and who are you?" He then turned his gaze to Emily.


    "Welcome, Lady Emily. You should have told me if you wanted to come. I would have prepared the report for you."


    Since the money used to open the restaurant came from Alex without anyone asking, William still sent the report to Emily. The profit is then shared 50:50, as Alex hasn''t told him anything more about the share.


    William just thinks it''s a fair share since he does all the work, while Alex only provides the capital.


    "How many times have I told you to just call me Emily? As for the report, we are not coming for that. It''s just your food is good, and I want to show it to my sister-in-law."


    "Sister-in-law? You mean she is Alex''s wife?" William asked.


    He always addressed Emily formally since, in his opinion, that was needed as she was officially the guild leader. Alex, meanwhile, doesn''t hold any formal position in public, so he just addresses him by name.


    It''s a habit ingrained by his parents since he was a child.


    MingYue''s cheeks turned red. "We are not married yet."


    "But you don''t deny you are my brother''s lover," Emily said in a teasing tone.


    "I think calling us lovers is also not right. We are more like partners at this point," MingYue replied in a flat tone.


    ''Damn, brother, you need to put more effort. All this time, it seems you are not that close to her.''


    "Just call me MingYue," MingYue said while her gaze was fixed on William.


    "So I heard you are the chef in this place. Is opening a restaurant your hobby?" Experience the epic saga on m_vl-em|p-yr


    "Yeah, I just need to take my mind off things."


    "Understandable," MingYue replied, confusing William.


    He didn''t know MingYue already knew everything that had happened to him.


    "If you like it so much, why not come to my world then?


    We need people to build up a restaurant chain. Based on how it runs, I think you''re pretty capable."


    "Your world?"


    "Wait, let''s talk about this later at our guild place. It''s not good talking about this in public.


    Anyway, we just came here to taste your dishes. MingYue here is quite a gourmet."


    "I see. Then I will return to prepare the meal."


    "Sure."


    After he left, MingYue and Emily talked more, comparing the differences in their worlds.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now stuck. He had the idea, but the result was not satisfying for him.


    Since carving the magic circle on his golden core was out of the question, he tried to do it on his brain.


    He didn''t know how his golden core would react, but in his brain, the worst would be it being destroyed, like what happened before.


    Alex thought of this since magic circles work using mana; it should be able to enhance his brain.


    But the problem came when he modified the circle to focus the power on his frontal lobe; it didn''t hold.


    He felt like he was missing something about how magic circles really worked.


    "I am sure that old fox modified it like me. There is no way he will release all the information.


    That means I will need to translate how this magic circle works.


    So far, it''s just like runes but using different formations and styles. What if I could mix it with runes¡­"


    Then, an idea came to Alex''s mind. He remembered how Vesa had carved a rune on Emily''s forehead.


    He started recalling every single moment of it. In the past, he didn''t understand any of it, but as he mastered blood manipulation and learned how to use basic runes, he could at least tell what really happened now.


    The rune Vesa carved is a modified one from the one she used to hold their attack before.


    ''So Vesa basically made something like a storage in Emily''s body. She then added some automated functions.


    For example, when the body got wounded, the life force would pour out and automatically heal it.


    As for the magic circle from the association, it should function the same. Only this time, it holds mana, and then it functions in a way that allows the user to manipulate it based on their will.


    In that case, part of the circle should be able to read people''s intentions and react to them.


    I now wonder if someone could crack how it really works. In theory, wouldn''t someone be able to infuse mana and interfere with how the circle works?


    Considering it''s that old fox, I think that is what he probably would do.


    This way, he gains a lot of people with power while at the same time making sure he has control over them.''

 Chapter 289: Peaceful Moment

    Alex then sighed, "What a dangerous geezer. Thankfully, no one in my faction will learn that power system."


    The thought lingered in his mind, the terrifying potential that this system could achieve. Thankfully, this power system would not have been learned by those who were important to him.


    He then started making the same circle but using runes. Alex carved it directly into his brain, and as he did this, another idea sparked in his mind.


    What if he expanded the enhancement, extending it to his whole body?


    This way, the speed of thought and action would rise to a new level. He could then utilize his ability optimally.


    The more he thought about it, the more the idea made sense. Zole''s ability worked like this; he used electricity to bypass the nerves and react instantly without passing through his brain.


    He also started crafting runes that allowed him to create fire elements directly. This way, he wouldn''t need to painstakingly learn the secret technique to create one. It would cut down a lot of time.


    "I think if everything works without side effects, this could also be done to MingYue and others; it will raise our strength to a whole new level."


    Even though it wouldn''t directly raise their power, it would cut down cast time exponentially.


    This rune formation also acted as a bridge that fused all their power systems.


    Hours flew by as he kept working on it, his mind completely focused on the task, absorbing all the information. Alex started feeling he was getting in touch with something big.


    What if he created a whole new cultivation system utilizing runes? Everyone had lifeforce, so they all could learn it.


    Although Vampires would have some edge compared to other species, this would still not block them from pursuing this path.


    But Alex also didn''t want to just make one method that everyone could learn. If Solomon could put a failsafe on a power system, he felt he should also do it. But this would not be easy.


    So many things needed to be done. Solomon only modified an existing path, while Alex wanted to completely create a new one. The possibility was intriguing, but this was all just theory¡ªwho knew if it would be really effective or not?


    Time quickly passed as he dabbled in the theory and created the custom formation.


    His progress halted when he felt someone tug on his shoulder. The sun had already set, and it was now time for his dinner.


    Looking back, he saw MingYue.


    "Your sister told me we would have dinner together. You still not finished?" MingYue asked.


    She found Alex''s hyper-focused state interesting.


    "Oh, it will still take a long time." He then looked through the window and realized it was already night. "Alright, let''s go."


    Days then passed peacefully. MingYue spent her time practicing or shopping with Emily. She started adjusting to Alex''s world culture.


    Meanwhile, Alex was still busy experimenting with the method. Vesa still hadn''t come out to help him, as she was busy in Edonia.


    In Edonia, Elvira was now talking with Petricia and Luciel.


    After she recovered, Luciel heard everything that had happened from Elvira. She then decided to support her daughter since this was an opportunity they couldn''t miss.


    As for her brother and father, both of them were busy managing the civilians.


    A red fog then appeared, materializing into Vesa, "Have you made the decision? I already did what the king said.


    What you need to do now is meet the sovereign on the other side and create a peace treaty.


    The next step will be focusing on education, and this is where I expect you and Luciel to take a major part."


    "That is not a problem, but with the current population number, we will need more people and time.


    In my opinion, it''s better if we prepare all the systems first before we make a peaceful resolution.


    This way, the civilians won''t complain when all of them suddenly get mandatory education," Luciel suggested.


    As someone with experience managing a city, Luciel had some skill in managing the populace.


    Right now, they were focused on the conflict. If this was solved first, their attention would turn elsewhere and raise the possibility for another problem to occur.


    After all, pushing a major change, good or not, would always be met with resistance.


    People loved staying in their routine.


    "It''s not just education. I think we should put them to work, too, based on their expertise.


    As you can see, this city wouldn''t be enough for everyone. I can use my ability, but that would be a waste of energy."


    "That is a good idea. When people don''t have any work, they will start getting some weird thoughts.


    It''s better if we make them go home tired from working and studying, at least until they adapt to the new change."


    Elvira, meanwhile, just watched from the side, seeing her mom take the reins. Seeing her being active and healthy now made her smile.


    As for Petricia, she didn''t care much. She knew Vesa was Alex''s familiar, so she would follow anything Vesa said as long as it didn''t hurt Alex and the others. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Quartz was busy teaching students, and Zold started leading some teams to raid a dungeon.


    Suzaku Guild had accepted some new hunters, and one of them had a similar appearance to Alucard. His name was Belmond.


    While raiding the dungeon, Zold had another task: to capture some monsters stealthily for Alex to experiment with.


    Meanwhile, Emily also started thinking about creating a bounty hunter squad to hunt the dark guilds.


    After their encounter in the Scorched Dune Labyrinth, she realized dark dungeons hid more secrets than they knew of.


    The more they could capture, the more information they would find, raising their understanding of the real situation. This would also help their guild''s reputation, effectively killing two birds with one stone.


    In the office, Alex was now sitting across from Emily. "Have you heard anything from Mom? I''m starting to get worried." Read more adventures at m-vl-em-py

 Chapter 290: Soul Pearl

    "The last I heard from Mom was a week ago, but she always replies to her messages late, so don''t worry about it.


    After knowing her strength from Aunt Olivia and Quartz, I am sure she can take care of herself.


    Rather than that, brother, at the last dinner, you said you finished a secret technique for me? When will you give it?"


    "I am still modifying it."


    "How long will it take? I want to raise my cultivation realm, but you say I should wait to master my secret technique first. It''s not like we have a lot of time to waste."


    ''Maybe I should just let them learn the basic secret technique first. Creating this rune method will take far longer than needed.''


    Decided, Alex then gave her the technique.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, things were far less peaceful than what MingYue thought. FengYue started her revenge.


    She began by taking resources from the Situ clan to recover her realm to the Golden Core level. Despite never getting any explanation of MingYue''s cultivation method, by staying at her side, she still learned some of it.


    This allowed her to compete with the Heaven Chosen.


    Using her position in managing the business built by the BaiYue sect, she started gathering information on her target. She used Yang Fei as bait and spread chaos.


    She made the Situ clan pursue him, then pushed him toward her target. Along the way, the Situ clan would often attack their competitors, leaving no one alive and framing Yang Fei as the perpetrator.


    Because of this, the Yang clan became even more furious. They couldn''t completely deflect the rumor since Yang Fei was also not with them.


    This made them send more people to hunt for him. They needed to make sure they reached Yang Fei first. They didn''t interact with the Situ clan much, and finding them suddenly doing this to Yang Fei made them feel confused. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for Yang Fei himself, he was now in a wretched situation. It''s not like the Situ clan''s claim was unfounded. He was still battling with Greed over control of his body.


    Sometimes, he would black out as Greed took control, and when he recovered, he would find himself in a village or small city that was massacred.


    There were no bodies, only pools of blood all around the area. It was clear to him that Greed had eaten them all and hadn''t even shared the strength with Yang Fei.


    This made him panic, not because of the blood on his hands, but because Greed would keep becoming stronger while his strength remained the same.


    At some point, Greed would completely consume him.


    Some distance away, FengXue was looking at Yang Fei''s haggard figure. His clothes were torn, and the wounds on his body were slowly regenerating.


    Every time he took over, Greed would reopen the wounds to weaken his mentality.


    After making sure Yang Fei was the one controlling the body, Feng Xue landed in front of him.


    "Who are you?" Yang Fei didn''t recognize her. He didn''t even know that he was now becoming public enemy number one.


    "Who I am is not important. I have a way for you to hold Greed back. Do you want it?" As Feng Xue said this, she took out a pearl from her storage ring.


    This was a soul-calming pearl. Its main effect was to nourish and heal the soul, but with a special method, it could be used to do the reverse.


    "As one of the Yang Clan''s geniuses, you should understand what you can do with this item."


    "How did you get your hands on it? I tried to find one but never succeeded."


    "That doesn''t matter. Do you want it or not?" Feng Xue asked. Dive into more tales on m,vl-em-py-r


    She got the pearl from the Situ Clan Patriarch. The item was quite rare, even in the central region. If one was found, an immortal would usually quickly take it away from the market.


    The only reason Situ Chen had it was because of an incident in the past involving Feng Xue.


    Yang Fei''s eyes locked on the pearl. He then looked around the area, finding no one else. He asked, "What do you want?"


    There was no way the woman in front of him would share it for free.


    "After you use this, your control over Taotie should improve, allowing you to utilize him again. I want you to target some places owned by ShangXi Temple. I''ve already marked the area and don''t think you can run from this obligation." As FengXue said this, she took out an old scroll.


    "This is an ancient contract. With this, I can use the power of multiple people to enforce what is agreed upon. No matter what you do, you won''t be able to get out of it."


    The ancient contract FengXue used worked the same way Alex used to, but it had one huge difference: this contract allowed it to be made between one person and multiple people. This way, even if one person was stronger individually, in collective strength, they would still lose out.


    FengXue had already gotten the strength of Situ Chen and herself. She also planned to add more, as people who owed her family were more than just the Situ Clan.


    The sword pavilion in the central region, even the Blue Lotus sect, had some relation to her family. But she always kept her mouth shut about this.


    MingYue didn''t know that FengXue''s target of revenge was ShangXi Temple''s current Abbot.


    But even if she knew, MingYue wouldn''t feel worried. Her next goal was the central region and completely taking it over. She would only benefit from having FengXue carve the path for her.


    Seeing Yang Fei''s hesitation, Feng Xue closed her palm over the pearl.


    "If you''re not interested, I can always find someone else.


    This pearl is enough payment for even the Profound Enlightenment sect to risk their lives."


    "Wait¡­ I''ll take it." Yang Fei said, gritting his teeth.

 Chapter 291: Xueqi Family Secret Tecnique

    He knew the risk, but it wasn''t like he had other choices now.


    FengXue moved her finger, making the scroll open in the air. "Send your wisp of soul."


    With a deep sigh, Yang Fei obeyed. Feng Xue took the scroll back to her storage ring. She then threw the pearl at Yang Fei.


    His complexion quickly turned healthier the moment he held it.


    "I''m sure you know what to do next. I''ll be in touch." After saying this, Feng Xue disappeared.


    Meanwhile, in the BaiYue sect, MingHao was now doing his usual routine. His forehead was full of sweat, with a few huge rocks on his back.


    His wrists, ankles, and belt were made with Densium Metal. The weight kept increasing as he got used to the current one.


    Xueqi Ancestor floated at his side. "I still don''t get this method. I admit your physical strength is growing to an unprecedented level, but in front of those Heaven-chosen and true powerhouses, it will still be worth nothing."


    "This body strength is not my real goal. I''m just building a foundation for my mental capacity."


    "And how would that help?"


    "I honestly don''t know, but my feeling tells me this is the way I could get stronger."


    The ancestor''s lips twitched. "What feeling? S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You just copied that from the movie you watched in secret from your sister.


    What movie is that again? Oh yeah, the one where the protagonist goes bald from too much practice."


    BAM!


    The rock behind his back fell to the ground as MingHao started cracking his body.


    His muscles were now well-toned but didn''t become bulkier. They were lean and concentrated, thanks to a technique given by Xueqi Ancestor.


    "Hey, it may be a movie, but it does give some improvement. Also, you promised never to say that out loud."


    Uncover more tales at m,vl em pyr


    "Your sister isn''t here anyway. Why are you so afraid?"


    Looking around the area and at the blue sky, MingHao said, "I just always have a nagging feeling that something is observing us every time we are in the open space."


    Xueqi Ancestor looked around but couldn''t feel anything.


    "That is just your paranoia talking. Anyway, now that you''ve finished with that stupid practice, it''s time to study this again.


    This is the secret method of our Xueqi Clan, the one that brought us to the top in the past."


    "Yeah, yeah, stop with the background explanation already.


    At this point, I could recite it word for word down to the comma." MingHao said in a disinterested tone.


    "Both of you siblings need more respect for our family history."


    "I respect it, but what use is getting hinged on a past that already proved to fail? It will just repeat if we follow it."


    Xueqi Ancestor had no rebuttal since it was a fact their family got pulled down from the top, and now it was scattered and almost destroyed while maintaining their old ways.


    ''If I had never chosen that bastard as the patriarch, I should have changed the rules to adapt to the new generation.''


    Seeing the ancestor sullen, MingHao grinned. "Don''t worry, my sister and I will bring the Xueqi family back to the peak. I have mastered some of the techniques."


    MingHao raised his finger. A qi started condensing above it, then turned into a solid sphere, pointing it toward the nearest tree.


    BANG! It shot like a bullet, tearing a hole in the tree.


    "See, I''ve already progressed this far," MingHao said with a smug face.


    The technique Xueqi Ancestor taught was non-elemental qi manipulation. It allowed MingHao to condense and turn it into a solid object.


    MingHao liked this technique a lot since it allowed him to realize many moves from the series he liked.


    For example, shooting bullets from his finger.


    "By the way, Ancestor, do we have a way to imbue this solid qi with an element?"


    The ancestor''s face turned solemn. "If we could do that, we would never have fallen. Creating qi into a solid object and putting elements and formations into it were the dreams of our patriarchs.


    This would allow him to create any weapon instantly in the middle of a fight."


    "A dream of every blacksmith." Ming Hao mumbled.


    "What would you know? Are you a blacksmith?"


    "No, but I''ve read enough stories about them. And I''m sure I''m correct on this one."


    Xueqi Ancestor''s lips twitched again. Lately, he has often reflected on his life choices.


    The genius sister didn''t want to raise the clan''s prestige; instead, she burned the foundation to the ground, taking it for her own faction. The brother he put all his hope in didn''t seem able to separate fantasy from reality.


    Knowing that commenting on this would fall on deaf ears, Xueqi Ancestor just focused on teaching the technique.


    "You can already make solid qi and shoot it outside your body, which is good. Now, the next step is to create it around your body without feeling anything to maintain it."


    So far, MingHao has needed to concentrate on maintaining the solidity of the qi. Otherwise, it would quickly scatter and turn back into its original form, just energy.


    "Alright, but before that, Ancestor, can we explode the qi?"


    "You mean making it solid, throwing it to the enemy, then exploding it away?"


    "Yes."


    "That is possible, and it''s one of the best attack forms of this secret technique.


    The way we use it is by mixing it with normal attacks; this way, we catch our enemy off guard. That is why we have rules on using this skill."


    "What rules?"


    "Only use it when you''re certain it will kill. Everyone in our clan has followed this.


    This is also the main reason why our clan succeeded in their escape. For now, try to create a sharp weapon on your hand using qi."


    Putting a thought into it, MingHao''s lips curled into a grin. He started solidifying qi around his hand, creating something that looked like a gauntlet. From the knucklehead, three sharp claws came out.

 Chapter 292: The Synth

    "What weapon is that?" the ancestor asked, as he had never seen it before.


    "A sharp weapon. It''s good enough since I prefer using punches and kicks compared to swords or other weapons."


    "Well, suit yourself. Now maintain it for an hour as you wield it." Discover endless adventures on m-vl-em,py-r


    MingHao nodded and continued his practice.


    Time passed, and in the end, Alex still hadn''t completed the Rune cultivation method, but he only partially succeeded, allowing him to create flame without any motion.


    He also told MingYue about this method, but she rejected it since it was still incomplete. It would also not be an easy feat to phase out all her habits to execute a motion before using her skill.


    As for the other members, their cultivation started to rise in leaps to the Nascent soul stage. With Alex and MingYue''s guidance, they easily reached it, but this doesn''t mean they didn''t need to put out any effort. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although most of it is spent in mastering the secret technique, Alex also gave each of them runes like on Elly to raise their survivability and strength.


    Right now, Zold was leading the new group of hunters who were attacking a dark guild. They got a request for backup from the association as they were nearby.


    "We just finished clearing a dungeon. Couldn''t the association give the request to another guild?" one of the hunters asked.


    "Just do what you need to do, Belmond. Don''t disrupt the leader," another hunter cut in.


    Zold just looked at them, then made a gesture to start the attack. The area was already closed down by security, so there were no civilians around.


    They were already briefed about the target: a dark guild named Synth. Unlike other dark guilds that cooperated with other species, this one pursued the path of technology, including those that had been banned.


    Synth, in particular, focused on using sentient AI to create a super soldier. It''s not like the association doesn''t have similar projects, but the difference is they don''t use sentient AI.


    Sentient AI, despite all its benefits, has proved to be really dangerous. At some point, they will always reach a stage where they can rewrite any coded rules or limitations.


    BANG! CRACK! BOOM!


    Many sounds filled the air as Zold made his way inside. He let the new hunters take care of the small fry, as his target was the rogue AI inside.


    This base of operation got on the association''s radar because of an incident that happened inside. The details were unclear to Zold, but basically, an AI went rogue in a cyborg body.


    Zold moved at a quick pace, avoiding fallen debris. It didn''t take him long to finally reach the destination. The room was filled with machinery. In the middle, Zold could see a humanoid robot made completely from metal.


    Seeing this, Zold realized why the association asked for his help; his lightning ability was the weakness for robots like this.


    Crackle!


    His palm raised, and sparks of electricity flew in the air, then started gathering in the middle, turning into an electric ball.


    But Zold didn''t shoot it. His body disappeared, leaving only a trace of electricity before he reappeared near the robot.


    BANG!


    The electricity ball exploded, but the robot was unscathed.


    An invisible barrier appeared, blocking the attack. Electricity sparked as the robot turned its head around. Its eyes blinked in red. "You humans! You think you can just make me a tool!?"


    The robot raised its mechanoid hands, and the shield started transforming. The next moment, it turned into a kinetic explosion toward Zold.


    But Zold had already moved. Using a footstep secret technique similar to what Alex learned, he appeared on top of the robot.


    Lightning started appearing all over his body.


    BANG!


    Zold became a lightning bolt crashing into the shield. Light sparkled in the area as his dagger clashed against the invisible barrier.


    "You puny human! You think this is enough to beat me!" The robot''s mechanical voice reverberated in the area, tinged with anger.


    Magic circles started appearing all over its body.


    Boom! The whole area exploded upward, blasting a hole toward the sky.


    Zold floated in the air, looking down at the hole. His eyes tried to look past the smoke and debris to find his target.


    CLANG! He moved his hand backward as he suddenly felt an attack coming. His instinct was right. The robot was now flying, trying to punch Zold from behind.


    Zold spun his body, throwing a kick toward the robot''s torso. It shot the robot back to the ground, but it was still unscathed.


    The robot still had a barrier all around its body.


    ''I need to find a way to pierce through it. I don''t believe it''s invincible.''


    Zold''s eyes started glinting with electricity as the rune on his forehead began giving out a green hue. He started using the life force to enhance the electricity.


    Thunder gathered like clouds around Zold. It started intensifying and growing in size.


    The form also changed, turning into a beast-like shape. It looked like a dragon, but the details were not clear.


    With a motion, Zold sent it downward.


    At this moment, the other hunters had already moved back and put some distance away from the battlefield. Seeing the huge attack, Belmond commented, "Our squad leader seems stronger than I heard. Makes me wonder if the rumors are true."


    "You mean the magic circle cultivation coming from our guild?"


    "What are you all talking about?"


    "Are you playing dumb? Let''s be real; all of us joined here because of that rumor," Belmond said with a smirk on his face while his eyes appreciated the dazzling light of Zold''s attack.


    "I really don''t know. I am just one of the old leader''s fans. So when I heard it got reopened, I decided to join in."


    "You are weird, then. I am sure the rest of us came for that power," one of the hunters said as he looked toward the others, who responded with a nod.

 Chapter 293: Rumor

    "I really thought you all chose to enter because of Suzaku guild''s old reputation," the hunter, who was a fan of Suzaku, replied.


    "Hah, that is just hype. I admit many owe them their lives for how they operated in the past.


    But let''s be real here; who will join a new emerging guild without a real reward? You know how competitive the rewards for other guilds are."


    "No matter what reward they give, nothing beats the possibility of becoming stronger," Belmond said with a grin.


    The other hunters also agreed with what Belmond said.


    Contrary to other guilds, since the Suzaku is focusing more on the academy, the rewards they offer for new hunters are just average.


    Alex and the others didn''t know about it, but the biggest reason they got so many applicants was because of the rumor that they bought the magic cultivation system.


    As for the one responsible for spreading the rumor, Alex and the others would find out in the future.


    BOOM!


    Continue your story on m-vl-em,py-r


    The dragon-like lightning exploded, leaving behind a deep crater on the ground.


    Zold landed in the area, seeing the robot''s scattered parts. The red eyes were still flickering, but Zold threw his dagger, which was coated with electricity, to make sure it was completely destroyed.


    After making sure it was dead, Zold left to let the association take care of the mess.


    Usually, they should have a priority to take the loot for the successful mission, but the only loot existing is banned technology, leaving them with just money.


    Unfortunately, little did Zold know the robot was not really dead. After he left, something started coming out of his head. It looked like a mechanical worm. The worm then tried to dig underground to escape, but before it succeeded, a figure appeared and picked it up.


    Seeing the grin on the man''s face, the mechanical worm struggled, but it was useless. An invisible power then sucked the worm, and the next thing it knew, it was in utter darkness.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now sparring with MingYue. Her broken sword had been repaired by Alex, so she was trying it now.


    The sword gave MingYue a unique feeling since it was now carved with runes that enhanced her ice element.


    Her movements were swift and agile as the sword clashed with the hammer non-stop.


    Each clash created a spark of steam as fire met up with ice.


    "You have improved," MingYue commented. She compared his performance with the last time they sparred together.


    "Of course, I learn things quickly."


    CLANG!


    "Don''t get conceited. There is still much to learn."


    "I could say the same to you, too," Alex said with a chuckle.


    He then tried his new movement. Kicking his feet on the ground, a firewall appeared, blocking MingYue''s gaze.


    MingYue slashed forward, using her ice to douse it down, resulting in a huge amount of steam.


    But the next moment, she felt an attack from behind. MingYue looked back, parrying the attack, only to find out it was something like a projectile.


    Realizing what happened, she looked upward and saw Alex pointing his hammer with a grin. MingYue could continue to counter-attack, but doing that would go further than just normal sparring.


    "That is a good move."


    Alex landed on the ground, not responding to her praise. "Well, how about the sword? If it''s working for you, I should modify the other one too."


    MingYue slashed the sword a few times more. After Alex''s modification, she felt it was easier to infuse energy into it.


    The conversion was also far smoother. Usually, she needed to convert her qi to ice energy before infusing it into the sword. Now she could just directly infuse qi.


    Responding to Alex, she threw her other sword at him. "How long will it take?"


    "Won''t be long since I already know what to do. The first time took half a day because I was experimenting on the staff."


    "Oh."


    "Why do you want to go shopping again?" Alex asked with a teasing tone.


    Lately, MingYue has often gone out with Emily. Alex didn''t know where she went in detail, but he suspected it was the mall.


    "Who said I am going shopping? Your sister just brought me to some restaurant in the city."


    "I see," Alex replied, realizing that made more sense than shopping. "In that case, how about I bring you somewhere? The place has a good view. I can then cook for you."


    MingYue considered for a moment before replying. "Don''t you need to modify the sword?"


    "As I said, it won''t take long now." After saying this, Alex moved and put the sword on top of the table. Green particles started coming out from his fingers as he moved with proficiency, carving new runes.


    "The other sword took far longer as I also needed to repair it. This one, I just need to carve a rune formation on the sword."


    It didn''t take Alex five minutes to finish everything.


    "You really improve so quickly. It''s not even a month since you learned how to use runes from Vesa." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My ability has its perks. If only I could use it directly in real combat, I am sure I would be almost invincible."


    "So you say you can beat a progenitor alone if you can use it effectively?" MingYue asked with a chuckle.


    "Of course not. I just mean invincible. I knew I couldn''t beat the enemy and ran away as fast as possible.


    Just think about it, a progenitor or being above that level, I am sure they could easily disguise themselves to us. If I use my ability, I should be able to figure them out."


    "You think that is enough to break their disguise?


    As you said, a being at that level could easily disguise themselves, and they probably have many methods to make sure no one could find out the truth."


    Alex put his finger on his chin, tapping it multiple times, "Fine, you are right, I overestimated my ability.


    But I am still sure that if an enemy is only a little bit stronger than me, I will be able to defeat them. Anyway, your sword is finished. Take it."

 Chapter 294: Rules and Law

    Alex threw the sword back. Catching it, MingYue tested the sword, she swing it a few times.


    A small smile appeared on her face, and a thought appeared in her mind, ''I wonder if he were born in my world, without the progenitor''s strength, how good his talent would be.''


    "Alright, let''s go. By the way, what did you talk about with my sister?"


    "She just told me how things work around here. Not everything is the same as I imagined.


    Overall, your world does feel better than mine, but I still think it''s better to live in a cultivation world. Too many weird rules in your place."


    Alex let out a chuckle as he led MingYue to his car. He planned to drive it himself as he wanted to spend time with just the two of them.


    Even though no one said anything, it could be considered their first official date. Alex didn''t want any interruptions.


    "Too many rules? Well, I''ll be blunt. The rules don''t affect people the same." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know, that''s why I feel even more confused. For example, I read about a case where a murderer was only convicted for two years in jail because he was a minor.


    He even got free after spending only one year.


    The victim''s parents couldn''t accept the situation and took revenge, but they ended up getting fifteen years in jail.


    And all this happens while your people are fighting for survival against monsters and dungeon breaks. It just doesn''t make sense."


    "Wouldn''t it be the same in your world? Those with strength prevail."


    "Different. If the same case happened in the cultivation world, maybe someone else would take revenge on the parents, but no one would put them in jail for it."


    "In all cities?"


    "Based on what I know, yes. In the end, the basis of rules is strength above everything.


    If they could kill the target, others wouldn''t make it hard for them. The worst that would happen is they get killed in return as someone else takes revenge for their victim."


    "I think I get what you mean. At least in your world, people just call it murder and are direct about it, while in mine, there are many rhetorical morals and it''s labeled under justice."


    "If you kill someone, then prepare to get killed. I think that makes sense and should be embraced in rules."


    "You mean putting this in Edonia? I still think that''s not true. What if they kill in self-defense?"


    "If you kill in self-defense, that doesn''t change the fact you have blood on your hands.


    The perpetrator may be a loner or a scum, but that doesn''t mean they don''t have anyone loving them. In the first place, what really presumes as right or wrong?


    That differs depending on the worldview and people''s habits.


    Just like my view and yours. Also, people from Thalia''s kingdom.


    Each of them has different rules and thoughts on what is right or wrong."


    "You mean what the victim feels justified as self-defense doesn''t necessarily feel the same to the perpetrator?"


    "It''s only one aspect of it, but my point is to allow people to fight for themselves.


    Don''t make them grow complacent and dependent on rules and authority. That is just stupid."


    "On that, we can agree, but I think that''s because of my world''s civilization. In the past, it used to be that everyone had a similar level of strength.


    We had no one overwhelmingly powerful, so to make sure a group could stay organized and united, we needed rules."


    "And those rules don''t need to control all aspects of life. They could just be straightforward."


    "Well, thankfully, we have Vesa in Edonia to maintain the rules. We don''t need to worry about fake reports and evidence."


    "Even without Vesa, with your world''s technology, what stops them from doing that? You could just use CCTV and recordings everywhere."


    "Recordings can be manipulated. For example, the video could be cut in half, changing the whole narrative of the story. And since it''s humans who decide who is wrong or right, there is no foolproof method.


    This reminds me that one of the reasons we developed sentient AI."


    "Sentient AI? You mean like the movie you sent me? The one where robots took over and started eliminating all humans?"


    "Yes, something like that. Basically, AI that is sentient, self-aware, so it could keep evolving to keep up with complex situations."


    "Let me get this right, who thinks making sentient AI is a good way to get an impartial judge?


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    There is no such thing as an impartial sentient being.


    Why not just use normal AI?"


    "For simple cases, a normal AI can do. For example, driving a car above the speed limit.


    But for complicated ones like self-defense, conflicts between marriage couples, as you said, there are too many cultures and different norms to get into to make sure the ruling is impartial."


    "Hmm... that''s why I said complicated things should be decided by themselves.


    Anyway, we need civilians who can fight a war with other races and progenitors. Even normal people must be able to fight.


    I say we make two rules in the future: one where it''s all clear, and the second is when conflicts arise, they could just fight it out in the arena."


    "But that will make the weak get bullied," Alex said as he still felt it was too much for his ideal. He wanted to find a way for a more stable world.


    "We can force normal people with contracts, but what about vampires?


    There is not much we can do about them. Constant surveillance is just bothersome.


    Even with Vesa, at some point when we reach so many people, I doubt she could keep up, and who knows what kind of method exists to fake this data.


    If you are weak, become strong. We just need to make sure a way exists for everyone to be strong.


    A way to change their life to be better. If they want a better life, fight for it. The rest, let them handle themselves."

 Chapter 295: Love?

    After some more thought, Alex realized MingYue''s idea was not that bad.


    As long as he could make sure a path to become stronger exists for everyone without caring about their background or talent.


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    ''I should be able to make that way with the VR game I have in mind. It''s like another life where people can change their appearance and name, gain the knowledge and skills necessary to fight it out.


    As when they die, they could be revived. As long as I put some safe zones, the rest should be alright.''


    Seeing Alex back in a daze made MingYue chuckle.


    "We already reached your car. Do you want to keep in your mind and let me drive? Just point me the way."


    "You can drive a car already?"


    "Of course. How long do you think a cultivator needs to learn to drive a car?" MingYue said with a chuckle.


    "No need, let me drive. The idea is for something far away anyway, not like I have a way to achieve it for now."


    "Why not try to test it out on those sovereigns? We need to make sure of their personality. The data from Vesa only shows their strength and history."


    "I will think about it. We can maybe do it in their inner world without them realizing." Alex said as he entered the car.


    MingYue followed and replied, "Too complicated, Alex. They don''t know about VR.


    Just put them inside, and they wouldn''t realize it''s not reality. And don''t forget they are vampires, not easily killed."


    "That would be great. So far, Vesa told us there is nothing wrong with them, but who knows how good Gluttony''s method was. I will see what I can do."


    Alex then ignited the engine and started driving toward the location.


    MingYue opened the car roof, letting the wind blow through her face. She let out a small smile, then closed her eyes. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You like feeling the wind through your face?"


    "Yes, somehow it feels liberating. All the suffocation and pressure in life just disappeared."


    Alex focused on the road as he raised the car''s speed. They were on the highway now and going outside the city.


    With MingYue''s capability, he was not worried something would happen to her. Even at top speed, the wind would just feel like a breeze to her.


    "With my ability, I tend to overthink many things. This makes me feel very confused and stressed.


    This could happen, that could happen, my mind constantly thinking of the future. Then that incident happened, blowing all the possibilities in my mind."


    Alex sighed, then let out a bitter smile, "Isn''t it hilarious? I am too worried, thinking others are lying to me, forgetting the possibility a dungeon break can happen.


    Even though my own father is a guild master." MingYue opened her eyes. She looked toward Alex.


    "That is not your fault. I could understand the reason for that."


    She then turned her gaze back to the road.


    "As a child, I also wanted to be dependent on someone. In your eyes, your father is strong and capable of doing anything.


    That is why you didn''t even consider the possibility. Deep in your mind, even if a dungeon break happened, your father would be able to take care of it."


    "It''s different. You have been a fighter since you were a child. If you were in my position, you would have done better."


    "That is not by choice, Alex. Every child wishes to have someone there to protect them. I have seen pictures of your family. I could see how genuine the happiness was. It makes me feel envious."


    "Don''t worry, at some point, you will meet up with them again. Aren''t your little brother and uncle there for you?"


    "I don''t know. Somehow I feel more scared to meet them. Who knows what the real truth is. In my mind, there is no reason that could justify what they did."


    Alex sighed. He knew there were not a lot of things he could do for MingYue. It was something she needed to face someday.


    "Just remember, you are not alone anymore. I think my sister also took a liking to you."


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "Yeah, your sister has a way with people. By the way, have you talked with William? You said he met with the association president."


    "I don''t know what he offered him, but I already took precautions for what information he could leak out.


    As for his agreement with that old fox, that will be his own choice. Honestly, I still feel guilty about what happened. I had the strength to stop it."


    "We cannot be everywhere, Alex. But I could understand a bit. If something happened to MingHao, I would probably get angry too."


    "I also lost my family, MingYue. I know every loss is unique to each person, but honestly, I think William''s case is one of the worst.


    He lost his loved one without ever giving her what she deserved. Roxy was always there for him, but he took it for granted. Only when she was lost did he realize it."


    The atmosphere turned silent as the topic became heavy. After a while, Alex asked, "Do you think someday our relationship will be the same as William and Roxy''s?"


    MingYue''s eyes flickered for a moment. Their relationship was already decided, but feelings were a whole different matter.


    "I don''t know, Alex, but with how much lifespan we have, maybe at some point we will reach that stage.


    I honestly also want to know just what it means to have that kind of emotion.


    A love so strong that she doesn''t hesitate to throw it away for the one she loved."


    "Wouldn''t you do the same for your brother and uncle?"


    "If things come to shove, I will try my best to save them, but I honestly don''t know if I could do it without any hesitation like Roxy."


    MingYue knew the story in detail, as she felt curious about it.


    "Love... don''t get me wrong, but don''t you think it''s kind of stupid?"

 Chapter 296: How Can You Appreciate Wealth Without Knowing Poverty?

    "Love... don''t get me wrong, but don''t you think it''s kind of stupid?


    "What do you mean, stupid? Didn''t you just say you want to have it with your family?"


    "I do, but based on everything I''ve experienced so far, love pushes people to do so many illogical things.


    Just like how I feel about my parents. How could I even hope for them to have a good reason when, in reality, I will not accept any of it?"


    "It may push people to do weird things. My mother once brought a bunch of children to survive in the wilderness because of love.


    Although the love wasn''t romantic, it was more of a motherly one. Still, thanks to that, she achieved the impossible.


    If she had never done things outside the norm, my family would probably never have reached this kind of success."


    "I still think you will get it one way or another since both your parents have abilities."


    "Abilities that awakened because of the incident."


    "Let me ask you this, then. If you could choose to stop the incident that made your father disappear in exchange for progenitor power, would you do it?"


    Alex froze at the question. It''s not something that could be answered easily. Does giving up progenitor power equal saving his parents?


    Before, he might have accepted it without hesitation, but now he knows that is not the truth.


    His family may stay intact for a while longer, but in the end, something bad will happen. At that time, without progenitor power, Alex knew he would be useless.


    "Even if I have the choice now, I choose progenitor power."


    His answer surprised MingYue since, based on her understanding, Alex would choose his family. But after some more thought, she realized the reason for it.


    "I see. In the end, without strength, everything else is meaningless."


    "Not necessarily meaningless, MingYue. Without all those things, strength would serve no purpose.


    I think this is also why Alucard wants to get out of being a Progenitor. Unlike us, who were born as normal humans, he was born with all the strength and power, never knowing the struggle to achieve it.


    How could you appreciate wealth if you never knew how it is to be poor?"


    "I seek strength because I know how hard it is to get it. For me, that is very precious. But you are right.


    If I had been born like those heaven-chosen, my view would have been very different. Those guys could drink and play all day, and their strength would still grow faster than ours."


    "It seems the central continent will not be that easy then. What is your view on the immortals? Do you think we can beat them now?"


    "Who knows, but I am not afraid." MingYue''s lips then curled into a cold smile. "We can just fight a battle of endurance. Let''s see who could last longer. I doubt they could kill us."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "That is true. Or we can just push toward their inner world.


    No matter how good or how many tricks they have, I doubt they could beat a progenitor''s soul strength."


    MingYue frowned. She still felt some inhibition when fighting someone in the inner world.


    "Let''s not do that unless it''s really necessary. We may have more advantages, but if something happens, inner-world fighting is more dangerous."


    "Well, at least since our souls are linked, worse comes to worst. We can fight three-on-one with Vesa''s help."


    "Yes, but I still don''t like that. Now that you mention it, I have checked my inner world before.


    Since Alucard exists in yours, there is nothing stopping him from coming to mine, but I couldn''t find his presence at all, even on your side."


    "What do you mean you entered mine?" Alex asked, as if she did, he should feel something.


    "Of course not. I just tried to call out and observe."


    "Hmm¡­ This reminds me, we have a new hunter recruit that looks exactly like Alucard." Find new chapters on m-vl-em-pyr


    "Anything happened so far? I doubt it''s just a coincidence."


    "Who knows? Sometimes, these weird coincidences do happen, but so far, he hasn''t acted weird or done anything suspicious. Just like the other hunters, they come baited by the power system."


    "You put it as a reward?"


    "Of course not. We still need to select from these hunters only when we are sure of their character.


    I could use a slave contract, but honestly, I prefer not to use it. The idea is always appalling to me, even though I know how useful it is." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, you do you. Just make sure they won''t betray us in the future. Both the guild and the sect are just a step to rebuilding Edonia."


    "Edonia has already started building now. When will you move the sect?"


    "Vesa already asked me about this. Let''s think of it after we take over the whole cultivation world.


    But honestly, after learning many things about your world, I start to question if it will be that easy.


    Some secret realms should be connected to other worlds. I don''t believe no one in my world knows about this."


    "Hmm¡­ That is true. You have told me immortals in your world try to pass through the void.


    There is no way, and in all these years, they still haven''t found a way. It''s just that these people choose to hide it."


    MingYue gave a nod. "I agree. After all, there is no use sharing this information."


    "This means there is a possibility even my world''s weaponry could get countered when we go all out."


    "Let''s pick some sects first, then expand slowly as we gather information. After we finish with your task, I am sure the business chain will have already gathered some good information."


    As they talked, the car had already passed through the populated area. The bustling buildings and streets were replaced by dilapidated roads and malnourished people in the slums.


    Seeing this, MingYue asked, "Why wouldn''t your government do anything about them?


    Isn''t this city one of the most prosperous and safe, with the association president staying here?"

 Chapter 297: Date (1)

    "Exactly because of that. No matter how much money is spent to expand, it will never be enough.


    These people bribe the security with all their wealth so they can stay here.


    Even though life is hard, they feel they are safer with how close the hunter association is."


    Seeing the many kids and men, MingYue asked, "Why don''t you recruit them then?"


    "It''s not that simple, MingYue. Even if our purpose is good, if we recruit all of them, it will become a problem.


    Some will start bad rumors saying our guild forces refugees to become soldiers, even though they never lend a helping hand.


    Also, it will be a huge investment until they can become self-sufficient."


    "Wait, you want to help someone by giving them a path to survive, and yet there will still be someone who curses you for doing it?"


    "Yes, that is just how my world is."


    "As I thought, it''s a hassle to live in your world. Your people love to overcomplicate stuff unnecessarily, wasting time and energy."


    "I know, that is not wrong. Our system has its benefits but also many shortcomings."


    As Alex said this, the car stopped upon reaching its destination. It''s a beautiful lake adorned with many flowers.


    "Beautiful, right? But this place will look even better at night."


    "It''s nice compared to what I see in the city, but does it have something special?"


    "You will see when it''s night. So, what food do you want?"


    "I have tried almost everything now. How about you surprise me? Cook me something good."


    Read today on m,v,l,e,mpyr


    MingYue then turned her gaze to the serene lake. "The lake is really calm, only some small fish inside."


    "Of course, this place is important for my mother. She always took care of it." Alex then started taking out a portable stove with many fresh ingredients.


    "Important¡­ Is this the place your mother lived in the past? To think it turned into a lake."


    "Yes, the place was destroyed. After some discussion, the survivors decided to just push all the ruins down and fill it into a lake.


    I don''t know who started it, but my mom believes a lake is a symbol of peace."


    "A lake as a symbol of peace. Seeing a serene one like this does make one''s mind feel peaceful."


    MingYue walked to the shore. Her hand touched the surface, creating hundreds of small ice lotuses.


    They then started spreading on the lake''s surface.


    "In my family, we often put flowers to remember the deceased, hoping they find calmness after death."


    "Thanks," Alex said, feeling grateful for MingYue''s gesture, a sign of respect for his family.


    "I just do what I need to do." She then sat on the shore, putting her leg in the water. To her surprise, the water felt warm.


    "So someone comes and occasionally cleans up all the monsters?"


    "There is a security perimeter in the area."


    MingYue raised her eyebrow as she didn''t feel anyone''s presence on the way there.


    Alex didn''t need to ask to know what she was confused about.


    "It''s all mechanical: cameras, turrets, robots. Only when all those don''t work will the association get alerted."


    "The association agrees to take care of this place?"


    Sizzling sounds started being heard in the area, followed by a delicious aroma that made MingYue feel hungry.


    The aroma of grilled meat and delicious sauce. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, at first I thought it was a deal from my father, but now that I know my mom''s real strength, who knows what really happened?"


    MingYue hesitated for a moment but then asked, "You should have guessed your mother is going after your father now. Are you not afraid?"


    Alex froze for a moment, then let out a helpless smile. "That is her decision. I¡­ I really want to go after her now, but going in blindly will just add more casualties. It''s not like the others are vampires like us."


    "Don''t worry. With your mom''s ability, I am sure she will at least be able to escape.


    Seeing a few seconds into the future. Just what kind of cheat ability is that?"


    "No cultivator can do it?"


    "Only to those that are weaker than them. And it''s not like they really see the future.


    It''s more like how your abilities work, predicting their movement based on the surrounding data.


    I wonder if anyone has the power to see the future for real?"


    "I doubt they exist. If they did, we wouldn''t be pressed this much and fighting for survival now."


    "What if that''s necessary in the grand scheme of things?


    You never know.


    No matter how good your ability is, predicting things too far will be out of your capabilities."


    "That is right, too many factors I don''t know of. And what you say may be right. But I do think that future prediction is possible.


    For example, if Vesa has my abilities, it records every single person''s movement, actions, thoughts, and memories, calculating all the possibilities.


    I am sure we can accurately predict what will happen next." Alex said while arranging the meal on the plate.


    He then started walking towards MingYue.


    "At that point, it will be useless, Alex. The power and resources required to do all that mean you are already the strongest in the world. There is nothing that can block your will anymore."


    "That is true, but who knows, maybe a collective group of people could achieve it too."


    "In that case, that group of people will be gods with no real fangs. It will only be a matter of time before they have inner conflict and fight each other." MingYue said.


    A plate then came in front of her. "Thank you." Her lips curled into a small smile.


    "No problem. I hope it''s to your liking."


    "I am not a picky eater. Do you forget how my world is?"


    "Oh yeah."


    After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, a cultivator could survive without consuming any meals. But this doesn''t mean they automatically remove the habit.


    That is why disciples are trained to just consume pills to feel full.

 Chapter 298: Date (2)

    Hearing this reminded Alex, "That pill, isn''t it easy to make? Why do you still have people die from hunger then?"


    "You think cultivators will just give it out for free? Despite its usage, it still requires a spirit plant to make it." MingYue replied as she started eating her meal.


    She created ice as a prop-up table for them to put on the plate.


    Alex also started eating as his mind began thinking about it. A pill that could quell hunger and fill all human body needs, he felt this was what his world needed now.


    If there is a way to mass-produce it at a cheap cost, this will be very useful.


    ''As long as I could get the chemical structure, with qi crystal Bai Yue sect mined, and rune knowledge, I am sure I should be able to recreate this pill.''


    Alex doesn''t plan to sell it for a huge profit. He thinks to just take a very small margin.


    His main goal was to raise the Suzaku Guild''s reputation, at the same time raising the chance for humanity to survive.


    As everyone has a full stomach, they will be less prone to violence and crime. Things will become more stable.


    Some of the resources used to maintain the fragile peace can then be focused on other matters.


    Of course, this doesn''t mean everything will run smoothly. A lot of companies and factions that benefit from these poor people''s conditions will not just stay still.


    Alex knows how these people were exploited, from getting offered low-paying jobs in exchange for better shelter, getting sold as slaves, human trafficking, the list goes on and on.


    For people who know about the truth, they will question who is the real monster.


    Based on public knowledge, monsters only kill or eat their victims. They are not toying with them for their greed and pleasure.


    But even those who know all of it, like Alex, still feel humans are worse.


    At least those races do it to other species, while humans do it to themselves even when they have enemies knocking at their door.


    It''s a really ridiculous act.


    Alex and MingYue ate in silence, enjoying the atmosphere. After they finished, the sun began to set, painting the sky in its orange hue.


    Seeing it reflected on the lake''s surface made the ice lotuses look like they were glowing.


    They then put the plates into their storage rings.


    "How is it?"


    "It''s tasty. You should cook more often. Although William''s cooking is still better."


    "Hmm¡­ I should ask for some of his recipes, then. Oh yeah, it reminds me I have some of the leftovers from his old restaurant." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The one where you paid for everyone and gave it out for free?"


    "Yes."


    MingYue thought for a moment and then replied, "Let''s have that for dinner, I am still full."


    "Sure." Alex then looked toward the water.


    A gentle breeze passed by, creating ripples on the surface.


    "Isn''t it good if we could just laze around every day like this?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    It''s a rare time for him to relax. Usually, if he has free time, he still can''t help but use it for experiments. It''s been a while since he read a novel or just played VR games, burning money for fun.


    MingYue closed her eyes, feeling the breeze, then gave a small nod. "Unfortunately, we are fated to not have much time like this, except when we really become the strongest."


    "True, with the vampires, progenitors, and that weird eye being, problems will come to us even if we stay silent."


    "Avoiding conflict is not an option. It will just push it back. Or let others face it for you. Neither is an option for us now."


    Her eyes then opened as she turned her crimson eyes toward Alex. Her long black hair fluttered with the wind, with the orange hue as the backdrop.


    Her rosy lips curled into a small smile. "But I am not worried; one way or another, we will pass through all the hurdles."


    Beautiful¡­


    That is the word that came to Alex''s mind as he looked dazedly at MingYue.


    He already felt like this when he first met her, but now it''s on a very different level. Before, she was cold like ice. But now, she looked at him with trust and a warm smile.


    BA-Dump! BA-Dump!


    Alex''s heart beat faster as he got flustered by the sudden burst of emotion.


    Seeing his dazed expression made MingYue''s smile widen. She could tell what Alex felt from their connection.


    "Say, Alex, do you think I am beautiful?" Read more exciting chapters on m vl-e-mpy-r


    "Of course."


    "Do you like me? Because of that?"


    Alex didn''t directly answer now as he felt this was a trick question. If he answered yes, that meant he just liked her because of her appearance, but he couldn''t deny her beauty was what captured his heart at first.


    Then, as they got to know each other, the feeling just kept growing.


    MingYue gazed into the serene lake, patiently waiting for Alex''s answer. She didn''t think much about that question.


    It was just a thought that appeared in the spur of the moment.


    "I will not lie; I like you because of your beauty, but your beauty is part of you as a person, MingYue. I like you."


    "Then what if I become ugly and disfigured?


    I know this doesn''t make sense considering our current strength, but we never know what the future holds for us, Alex.


    Also, have you ever thought?" MingYue paused for a moment, her gaze locked into Alex''s eyes.


    "What if to fully become progenitors, we need to kill each other?


    I know what Alucard said to you, but who knows how much truth is there."


    The possibility never passed Alex''s mind, but now that he heard it, he will never be able to forget it. He turned his gaze, looking at the serene lake, rippled by the wind.


    Time passed in silence as he ruminated on his answer.


    Kill MingYue?

 Chapter 299: Date (3)

    He didn''t know about the future, but he knew he couldn''t do it now. Even though they were not that close, she had already carved herself into his heart.


    But to just die, what would happen to his family then?


    He turned, looking deeply into MingYue''s crimson eyes.


    "If you turn ugly, we will find a way to cure it. Even if you don''t, it won''t matter to me since I know it''s still you.


    But if I must kill you to be a progenitor¡­


    Let me ask you first. If that is the only way to become one, will you do it?"


    MingYue''s lips curled into a helpless smile, "Then we will fight for it, Alex, because if that is the case, I am sure Alucard already did something to force it to happen.


    But even if no one forces us, with the current situation, do you think we have a choice?"


    "A choice¡­ You know I have always hated that the most.


    Someone tells me we are forced by circumstance.


    If the one saying it is a baby, I accept it, but a full-grown adult? There is always an option, MingYue.


    It''s just that usually the cost is too much, and people don''t want to pay it." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then it will become a huge gamble, one that could cost us everything.


    Even if I die by your hand, as long as you promise to take care of my loved ones, I am fine with it.


    I know you will fulfill it no matter what."


    Alex''s head turned blank as he didn''t know what to say now. He struggled to form a single word with the heavy trust that MingYue placed in him.


    "Of course, that doesn''t mean I will just give up, Alex. The strongest should survive as it will give the best outcome for everyone to survive."


    A small chuckle came out of Alex''s mouth, then it became laughter. He felt he was so stupid struggling to give an answer.


    MingYue''s answer is purely based on the logic of a fighter. Just like her whole life, she is a fighter through and through.


    ''But I am not a fighter, not a Cultivator, just Alex with my ability to consider every possibility.'' Alex thought to himself.


    His eyes flickered with determination.


    Continue your story on m-vl-em,py-r


    "We don''t know what will happen, but I am sure we could find a way past it together.


    But MingYue, why would you believe in me that much? How are you sure I will keep my word?"


    "Does this mean you don''t believe in me?"


    Alex shook his head, "I believe in you, but that is my nature. I am an optimist, but you¡­


    I know you have a hard time believing in something. Usually, you always think the worst."


    "You are right. I often think the worst of people, just like my brother MingHao.


    I used to hate him. But now I realize how blind I was to not even realize his true feelings.


    My uncle''s tough love is there for me. If he never shaped me into a fighter, I would probably already be broken down now with all the pressure¡­."


    MingYue paused for a moment, then continued, "Alex, I am a pessimist. That is why I think like this. In the case we must fight, at that time, promise me you will not hold back against me."


    Alex could feel a sting in his heart as his eyes burned with more determination.


    "No! I don''t agree, MingYue. If we do that, it will just end up with another progenitor.


    Even Alucard, with that level of strength and all his experience, ended up in a miserable state.


    What do you think we can do? There is a way to fill the remaining 50%, and I am sure the key to it is related to who we are."


    "What do you mean?"


    "We are human, MingYue.


    Alucard purposely chose humans to be his inheritors. Many think that is just to spite his enemy, but I don''t believe it.


    I could see from Alucard''s eyes he really believed in his method of inheritance. This is the best way to achieve beyond Progenitor."


    "Progenitor is the source of the whole species, Alex. What is more beyond it?"


    "I don''t know," Alex replied flatly, but his determination didn''t wane. "We humans may be monsters to our own kind, greedy, and sometimes ugly, but that is just part of us.


    In essence, we humans are just dumb creatures that refuse to give up. That is why we are highly adaptable no matter where we are.


    We cannot fly; your people invented cultivation; my people in the past invented airplanes.


    We can drown in water, and then we create swimming techniques.


    We are weaker against beasts and other predators, and then we create weapons or traps.


    MingYue, no matter what, I will find a way to get through it, even if I don''t have any clue now. I swear I will find a way!"


    Feeling the determination in Alex''s words made MingYue smile, and her admiration grew.


    ''How could he stay so optimistic even with all the odds against him. You are really weird, Alex.''


    MingYue''s face came closer, making Alex feel her warm breath. He quickly became flustered as his mind went wild, thinking about what MingYue wanted to do.


    And soon he knew the answer when he felt something soft and wet press against his cheek.


    Her smell reached his nostrils, his heart beat faster, as MingYue''s words reached his ears.


    "Then I wish you good luck, Alex. Hope you can find it before we really have no other choice."


    MingYue''s cheek tinged with a shade of red. She then stood and left Alex, walking to the car.


    Alex''s hand raised, touching his cheek. His eyes were still dazed, relishing the experience.


    He only stopped when MingYue''s voice reached him. "What are you standing there for? Let''s go back."


    Alex smiled, then walked toward the car.


    He wanted to stay a little longer since the lake was still not at its most beautiful stage. But it''s enough for him now.

 Chapter 301: The Elite Hunter

    Felix was a short man with sharp eyes. He had passed through a lot in his life, struggling from a slum. Compared to others in the group, Felix was the one that had the most experience in the underworld.


    He often took assassination missions with his mastery of dagger and bow.


    His ability was also very suited for that activity. A master of shadow.


    "I am just stating the obvious. We are not on a crucial mission. Suspecting things without any reason will just raise the risk.


    We are all veterans here; we should know what to do."


    "Keep our plans to ourselves and just act based on the situation. Hahaha." A man cut in with a laugh. He had golden hair and blue eyes.


    Glasses were perched on his nose. "Felix, you never change. Do you forget you also acted the same when we first met?"


    "Shut up. I don''t want to hear it from an eccentric like you. At least my habit is to raise my chances.


    You, instead, wear glasses when you don''t need them. I never get what passes in your mind, Heimdall."


    Heimdall didn''t feel offended. He just laughed, "Look, this is just a fashion choice. Some people prefer piercing or jewelry; me, I choose to wear glasses."


    "Heimdall, your head is never right," Isolde commented with a sigh.


    From the group, Heimdall was the one who depressed her the most. She could never guess what passed through the man''s mind.


    He was so random, sometimes doing things for no reason. For example he change his name into Heimdall.


    But at the very least, so far, if something bad happened, he was always there for them.


    They all compared the fight in the frontline when the chaos first started happening.


    Things were worse at that time since humans just started learning about their abilities. They also didn''t understand anything about the dungeon. With panic, people in chaos, politics, inner conflict, all of it boiled down to the age of Anarchy.


    Rules and laws were thrown out of the window, crime was rampant, and the elite tried to help themselves.


    They hired all the new hunters, making them their personal bodyguards in exchange for fortune. Government collapsed as people lost trust in them. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only after people like Luca and Solomon came did the world begin to regain its peace. They used their strength to establish order, not just for their own greed.


    "We are all old comrades here, Luca. What Felix said is right. It will just risk our danger. So let''s stop talking about it and just go to our next destination."


    "Always the voice of reason, huh, Aldric," Heimdall commented.


    "Someone needs to put all your heads straight. Usually, it''s Edward''s job, but since he is not here, I can only do what we can.


    We all have passed through deadly situations together, only surviving thanks to believing in each other''s backs.


    I am not degrading your family, but it''s a very different situation with them."


    "Aldric is right, Luca. You just think like this because you''re angry.


    People in your guild are those you rescued on the way, and they grew dependent on you. I am not insulting them. Just stating the fact.


    As for each of us, you know how many things we have experienced together."


    Luca took a deep breath. What Isolde said was right. She couldn''t just suspect everyone now because of what happened in the past.


    "I am sorry. Let''s just forget about this."


    The others just nodded and followed her. They understood where Luca''s anger came from.


    Losing Edward was like splitting her soul into two. They all knew how much they loved each other.


    As for the other members, none of them had family. Each had their own baggage.


    Some considered it in the past after seeing how happy Luca and Edward were. But after the tragedy happened, they could see how much in despair Luca was.


    If even a strong woman they all respected turned like that, they all


    knew better not to try it. It''s better to think of it only when the world turned into a better place. One that is suitable for kids to grow up without worry.


    As Luca and the group left, Alex and MingYue returned to SGE.


    Alex was more motivated than ever to get the answer. And he thought it was related to their species as humans.


    Meanwhile, MingYue just wanted to take a break then continue her training.


    Another time passed without any news from Luca, making Emily feel anxious. She decided to dedicate all of her emotions to her practice, allowing her power to rise quickly.


    As Emily and the others didn''t need as many resources like Alex and MingYue, Alex could easily afford this cost.


    The money earned from selling spice water, storage cubes, and qi crystals from the mine was more than enough.


    Alex also put Faerith on a side project to research how to mass-produce a pill. He first gave her a book about alchemy and some spirit herbs to study.


    Faerith was excited when touching this new material. Even though Alex said it was a side project, she knew how much the effect would be on their world. It''s not something small.


    Alex was now sitting in the practice room, his eyes closed as he absorbed pure qi from the air. The room was filled with qi crystals to the brim, making it a good place to cultivate. Experience tales with m v|l -NovelFire


    "It''s time." Alex''s eyes opened after a deep meditation.


    They had done all they could, with no news from his mother. Alex also started feeling anxious. If something happened to her, no matter how logical the reason was, Alex knew he would always blame himself.


    Alex stood and started cracking his body. He started stretching, feeling the explosive power hidden inside. ''Vesa, how is the situation at Edonia now?''


    ''It''s quite peaceful. People are now busy with their education and work.


    Construction goes full swing with all the materials you send, King.


    As for the sovereigns, their loyalty is still questionable. I feel each of them still has their own agenda.''

 Chapter 302: Chaotic Law

    ''I will just use them if I have no more choice then. How about the goblin kingdom?''


    In this span of time, Alex had moved the goblin populace to Edonia. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The goblins were his first people. He also started considering putting the rune on those who have followed him the longest, like Patricia and VexGore. This would enhance their strength, and he felt confident in their loyalty.


    ''The goblin kingdom is doing well. As they are already more educated, it''s easy to manage them.


    When will we start mixing them with the elves?''


    ''Just put it in the education program for now, paint each other in a good way. Anyway, Vesa, how far can you teleport us?''


    ''Based on the situation, I am sure I could teleport King and the group directly to your father''s city, but since King wants to look for your mother, I doubt you want to do that.''


    ''Yeah, just bring us outside the border. Since we can teleport now, there is no reason to inform that old fox.''


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    ''Remember, King, my ability for teleportation is limited. For now, it''s better to keep it to hunt other parts of the old Master.''


    ''I know, but this is important for me, Vesa. If it can raise our chances even by a bit, I will do it.''


    Alex then took out his phone. He tried to locate his mother''s location from the signal, but it kept failing.


    He then looked at the latest map of his planet from the association. ''This black zone keeps growing. Now I wonder if this zone is because of dungeons that broke for too long, causing part of their land to be transported here too.''


    ''King, we could just find out from the current world spirit.''


    ''Trying to go down there is too risky. Who knows what they have done to allow this dungeon to continue.''


    ''After I recovered part of my power, I could hear it, King, this planet''s agony. I am sure it will be glad if we come to help.''


    ''So this world spirit already has sentience?''


    ''No, not yet, but that doesn''t mean the planet couldn''t feel pain.


    If things keep like this, it will come to a point where the planet''s core cannot hold it anymore.''


    The image of the planet crumbling apart into debris in space was still fresh in Alex''s mind.


    Thinking his own planet may face the same fate made him sigh.


    ''Just what do they want to do on this planet? I could understand the dungeon, as it works like training despite its cruelty, but this expanding planet and dark zone¡­''


    ''Not only does it hurt the planet, King, if you go to this area, be more careful. The rules there will be chaotic. Who knows if gravity will become stronger or even reversed.''


    ''You mean this land brought its own original law?''


    ''Yes, not only that, this law clashes with King''s planet''s laws, giving birth to a new chaotic law. But this also provides an opportunity, King.


    There are many records that prove exotic natural resources could be born in this area.''


    ''Don''t tell me those bastards are using my planet as a ground to farm these resources.''


    ''That is possible, King. An exotic resource born from chaotic laws could be called a true treasure. They function based on their own laws.


    There are even records of a stone named Animus. It has the capability to provide an infinite amount of energy.''


    ''An infinite amount of energy? Doesn''t that make the one who found it invincible?''


    ''That depends on how it''s used, but based on the report, the stone has limitations.


    Like it can only exert a limited amount of energy, but it will never run out no matter how much is pumped out.''


    ''Animus stone, interesting. That could be used to power our city at Edonia. Right now, we are using Qi stones to generate electricity. If there is a better, cleaner way to produce energy, that will be better.''


    Alex preferred using Qi to generate electricity as it''s the most clean way.


    The only leftover is unprocessed Qi that then fills the air, but this gives a good result as it means the inhabitants will start adapting to Qi, allowing them to make more cultivators.


    The conversion rate is also very good, far better than nuclear generators or even mana.


    ''A volatile energy is better for creating electricity,'' Alex thought.


    They also didn''t have any Mana crystal mines, while for Qi crystals, they still had a lot to mine from the BaiYue sect.


    ''How about the sect''s situation? Does MingYue still check it periodically?''


    As Vesa owns the secret realm, she can always report what happens to MingYue.


    Her worry about an attack when she was missing was also mitigated, as with Vesa''s current ability, she could return them quickly.


    ''Everything is progressing smoothly without any problem, King. It''s just the new disciples will soon get their first mission outside.


    The Queen ordered them to check out the businesses built by the citizens.''


    ''MingYue put them all on slave contracts. I am sure there won''t be a problem with corruption. I just hope all of them are successful.''


    ''Based on the report I got from Feng Xue, everything is running smoothly. That is why the Queen allowed them to go out.''


    ''Oh, is MingHao part of the disciples that go out?'' Alex asked.


    ''Yes.''


    ''Alright, stay alert, Vesa. If you detect something weird, tell me.''


    ''Sure, King.''


    Finishing his talk with Vesa, Alex started making his way toward the guild gathering room. Everyone should have waited there by now. Olivia, Zold, Quartz, MingYue, William, and Alice.


    The seven of them would go to cut through the enemy frontline, following his mother''s path, regroup, and then make their way toward the dungeon.


    ''I am sure you are alright, Mom. I just wish you didn''t enter the dungeon before we reached there.''


    Even with Vesa''s teleportation and how much time had passed, Alex was quite skeptical.

 Chapter 303: Dragari

    There was a high possibility his mother had already reached the dungeon or, at the very least, reached the city perimeter.


    And his thought was not wrong. Luca and the group had already reached the city border.


    His thought is not wrong; Luca and the group are already getting close to their destination.


    A sprawling city fills their view. It''s far from what they imagined.


    They expected to see a ruined city filled with monsters. The monsters are there, but the city is not ruined at all. Instead, it has been rebuilt with a weird architecture.


    One they have never seen before.


    "This city is not simple; it has many protections in place," Isolde said as her eyes observed the city.


    "Any plan?"


    "Let''s observe for now. I don''t get how they are so civilized but so brutal when they come," Luca said, flabbergasted by the situation.


    "Isn''t that clear? They don''t see us as their equals. It''s the same with us; we won''t negotiate with insects or beasts."


    "Sometimes your brain does work badly."


    Looking at the situation, Heimdall smirked. "I will check out the city."


    The moment he said that his body disappeared.


    "That crazy bastard. He thinks his ability can save him in any situation," Aldric commented.


    "We haven''t met for a while. Who knows if he has become stronger? I will follow from a distance," Felix suggested.


    "That is a good idea. Stay in the shadow, Felix."


    "Who are you talking to? I am not that suicidal bastard." Felix said as his body started melding into the shadow.


    With Heimdall and Felix gone, only four of them remained now.


    Luca turned her head toward another woman in the group. Her presence was barely noticeable despite her angelic appearance. Her eyes were covered with a blindfold, a simple black fabric.


    The woman had golden hair with pale white skin. Her figure was petite but still taller than Olivia''s.


    "Seraphine, you have been silent all this time. Are our odds good or bad?" Luca asked.


    "How many times have I told you my ability is not foresight or probability calculation?


    I can only see if something will come that results in my death," Seraphine said with a sigh.


    "Let''s not debate about that. Did you see anything so far?" Aldric asked.


    Seraphine shook her head, "No."


    Luca frowned for a moment but didn''t say anything further. She knew how weird Seraphine''s abilities were. Calling her a seer is not far-fetched, but it''s not an easy skill to use.


    At the exchange of this, her combat ability is very low.


    Thankfully, if she keeps her power to a minimum, for example, only active when her life is threatened, it has the side effect of making her presence almost invisible.


    She is so invisible that even in war or dungeons, in most cases, she could stand still on the side and no one would ever realize she was there.


    Only some strong boss monsters could realize her presence. Sometimes, even people who remember her will forget about her existence if she wants it.


    "I see, as long as there is no lethal danger to you, that would mean the enemy is not that strong."


    "You never know; maybe just their sensory ability is bad. I don''t get it, though; why do you want me here?


    You already know the result if I really use my ability fully."


    If Seraphine does that in reverse, everyone around them will feel her presence. She has tried this before, and the result was catastrophic. Wave after wave of monsters came at them.


    "I never get just how your ability is so weird."


    "I think it''s because her ability breaks the rules of the world. As a side effect, it reacts the more she uses it," Aldric said.


    "Well, that is enough information for us. So, should we wait here?"


    "That is why we call you baldie. You still need to ask that."


    "Hey, I am just making sure. Isolde and I have names, too, you know. Jack."


    "Sure, Jack Baldie."


    Jack''s lips twitched, but he didn''t say anything further. He punched the ground. Discover exclusive content at m,v l''-NovelFire


    The area started to shake like an elevator. The area they were standing before started going down while the hole closed itself.


    Jack''s ability allowed him to manipulate the earth, molding it to his desire.


    It''s very useful in situations like this to create a temporary camp for them.


    He then left a mark outside. It didn''t look special to others, but their group would recognize it at a glance.


    It''s a peculiarly formed rock.


    Meanwhile, Heimdall had already appeared close to the city.


    "Just what are you planning? Don''t tell me you want to enter just like this." A voice reached his ears, but there was no one there. It came from a shadow on his neck.


    "As I expected, you followed me, Felix. Well, we need to get more information before entering the place. Of course, I am not dumb. I won''t enter just like this."


    Heimdall smiled as he took out a ring from his pocket.


    As he used it, his appearance and aura started to change.


    "Is that a dungeon reward? Interesting," Felix said.


    "Of course, what else? Just hide in the shadows and help me gather information.


    This is our specialty, anyway. Better than us all going there and committing suicide."


    "That still doesn''t explain how you plan to enter the gate."


    "I see some of these half-dragons come out from the city quite often. Maybe they are hunting or doing something else. We will first make contact with them." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I still feel this is too dangerous. We don''t know anything about their culture."


    "That is you. Who said I don''t? These half-dragons call themselves Dragari.


    They enslave wyrms, and their civilization is focused on strength above everything.


    Their mindset is simpler than you think. Only some of them have the capability to pull a trick."


    "You have met them before?"


    "Yes, this is the place I found this transforming ring. You know my hobby; I am not staying still all this time."

 Chapter 304: Arrived

    "We all did what we needed to do," Felix said with a sigh.


    After the Edward incident, the group didn''t say anything, but this doesn''t mean they stayed silent. Each of them had their own way to cope and try to help.


    Some helped on the frontline, while people like Heimdall did the most risky things. He kept diving from dungeon to dungeon, going deep into the red zone. He even once went to the dark zone and survived.


    With his changed appearance, Heimdall started moving toward the gate.


    He then hid in one of the trees, his eyes watching the gate like a hawk.


    "Felix, I trust my back to you."


    "Don''t worry. Why do you think I decided to tag along with a suicidal bastard like you?"


    "Hah, you call me that, but almost every time, you take the most dangerous roles for us. Just like this, your life is more at risk than mine."


    Heimdall could blink himself away, but Felix could not. He could only jump from shadow to shadow.


    "You think too much about it, Heimdall. I am just doing what I need to do. And since when do you care about that?"


    "Never mind," Heimdall replied with a smirk. Despite Felix never saying it, he knew how Felix felt about all of them.


    They are the closest thing to the family he has.


    Time passed, and one of the Dragari started coming out. There were four people in total, each of them fully geared.


    Seeing the view, Heimdall''s eyes frowned. He didn''t feel happy at all. Of the four people, there was only one Dragari.


    The other three were humans with collars. They walked like dogs, with some luggage put on their backs.


    Looking at their expressions and movements, Heimdall could tell these three men were already used to being treated like this.


    "Just what happened to the city after that incident?" Heimdall mumbled.


    This is not the first city of another species he has seen, but it''s the first that treats humans like animals.


    All the Dragari were tall, averaging 1.5 times the height of an adult human. They had reptilian faces with skin covered in scales.


    Their appearance made them look almost like lizardmen. The only difference is they have draconic horns on their heads.


    When they saw the city from afar, they could also see some of the wyverns flying around the sky.


    "What do you plan now? Trying to trick him into bringing you inside?"


    "Trick him? Are you kidding me? We should have some lizard for dinner tonight. As for those three men, I doubt we can trust them."


    Felix is calmer than Heimdall. He has seen humans treat other humans like that, so seeing this doesn''t surprise him at all.


    "So you want to kill him?"


    "Yes, we just need to make sure these three humans don''t realize what is happening. I couldn''t believe people with a gaze like them."


    "Don''t worry. They are broken; they''ve lost the ability to make their own thoughts."


    "That is why I don''t believe them. Who knows if they will rat us out to other Dragari."


    "How about the Dragari family then?"


    "We can just interrogate those men. Since they don''t think they won''t find anything suspicious. I do wonder what happened to make them reach that point." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Based on my experience, a mix of drugs and constant degradation."


    "No need to get into the details. I get what you mean."


    Meanwhile, Alex, MingYue, and the others had just reached the red zone. They all teleported to a familiar area.


    "This place has not changed. What a surprise," Quartz said as he looked at the treehouse.


    "What do you expect? We put so many precautions into building this. It may look like a normal treehouse, but there are many things put inside."


    "Well, It''s not like any monster has a reason to attack that. So where is our location now?" Alex asked.


    He then pressed some buttons on his bracelet, projecting a holographic map.


    A line started appearing, showing their planned destination.


    Olivia studied it one more time, then pointed in a direction, "We should go to that area."


    "Alright, I will recon forward," Zold replied as he disappeared from where he stood.


    The group then started moving, following him.


    "There are a lot of monsters here," MingYue commented as he felt their presence.


    "Of course, this is the frontline. There is also a possibility we could get ambushed on the way."


    "It''s alright. Better than us exposing our presence. We will deter the monsters but pull a stronger enemy toward us," Alex commented.


    "I don''t know how monsters are in your world, but I know some that will instead go after the strong ones despite being weaker.


    They want to show off their strength and bet their lives to become stronger," Alicia commented.


    "What a unique culture. No wonder your forest has some monsters called the king. Do they evolve through this kind of deadly combat?"


    "Yes, how else do you think they appeared? It''s a unique trait of the beasts in my world. Although the evolution doesn''t come easy."


    "Interesting. Maybe I will dissect the ape king in my hand to find out how they do this."


    "I doubt it''s anything unique. It''s just like spirit beasts; those that win eat the losers. At the same time, they eat part of their energy. They become stronger," MingYue commented.


    "That is different, MingYue. In your world, the monsters cultivate, allowing them to consume qi and evolve themselves. But these monsters don''t have any cultivation method like that.


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    It''s like their cells just innately capture the victim''s energy and try to evolve.


    From history, I know this is possible, but the kings of the forest evolved throughout their lifetime, meaning they have a way to take the opponent''s attributes."


    "If this were Thalia''s world, I would think it''s because of the gluttony effect, but since it''s her world, I don''t know."


    "Wait, now that you mention gluttony, I remember Fledian also has traits consumed by one of the deadly sins.


    Maybe what you say is right. The remaining energy affects the world in one way or another, making the creatures evolve."

 Chapter 305: Emotion

    William, meanwhile, didn''t say much. His thoughts were still burdened with what the president told him.


    After meeting Alex, he kept hesitating about what he should do. He had already given his word to Solomon. The next decision was whether he should tell Alex or not.


    While he was busy with this, Olivia was also troubled with her own feelings. Her eyes kept stealing glances at Alex and MingYue.


    Her heart throbbed, looking at them.


    ''Why is it so painful now¡­ is this because of my bad habit? I always want something I cannot have. If only I hadn''t rejected him at that time.''


    Meanwhile, Emily was looking forward to meeting up with her mother and father. Dead or alive, she knew the expedition wouldn''t end until they found him.


    "Brother, by the way, are you sure our precaution is enough? Next week I have many meetings. If this takes longer than that, they will realize something is happening."


    "That will be great. I hope that old fox sends us some backup. I already prepared a timed email to him, just in case."


    "If there is something that troubles you and MingYue, how could other hunters be useful?"


    Alex let out a chuckle, "I am surprised. Aren''t you part of them? Don''t you know how strong they really are?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know, but brother, you are immortal, and so is MingYue. If it''s an enemy you cannot defeat, who else on this planet can defeat it?"


    "I am flattered, Emily, but there are many reasons we could still need help. Don''t forget, a dungeon is another world.


    Even though your brother has his own army, who knows if we still get overwhelmed by their numbers. And knowing him, I think he just doesn''t want the hassle of cleaning up afterward."


    Alex just smirked, neither denying nor confirming MingYue''s speculation.


    She was not wrong; Alex didn''t want to take another refugee in Edonia now. Especially not the race that caused the biggest tragedy in his life. If he followed his rage, he would choose to burn them all to ashes.


    But this doesn''t mean he would let their planet go. Alex''s plan was to kick out all the people there to his planet, then take the world''s core to Edonia.


    As for what to do with these people, he planned to throw it to Solomon. He believed the old fox would have a good idea and method of how to use them.


    "Don''t look down on yourself, Emily. Now that you can control your light element, your attack couldn''t be underestimated."


    "I hope so. Who knows what kind of enemy we will face."


    At this moment, a warm hand held Emily''s shoulder. Turning her head, she saw Quartz smiling at her.


    "Don''t worry. I know from experience that our current strengths cannot be underestimated.


    I am sure we can even face off with those five-star hunters now. Believe more in yourself, Emily."


    "Thank you, Aunt," Emily said with a smile.


    Normally, with her experience as a hunter, she would not feel like this. But for her, the operation was just that important. She wanted it to succeed no matter what.


    "Don''t worry, Emily. In case something happens, with your brother''s sigil, we can all regenerate and don''t forget that there are still my abilities.


    Even though the range is still not far, I can heal you from some distance now. This way, you can save on life force energy," Olivia added.


    Emily nodded, her eyes filled with confidence. Seeing their exchange, MingYue couldn''t help but feel a bit of envy.


    When she came out with people from her sect, they were too busy planning how to hijack the others, not how to protect themselves.


    Feeling MingYue''s emotion, Alex turned his gaze, then asked telepathically, ''Is something the matter?''


    ''Nothing, just reminded of the past. Also, can you stop doing that, Alex? I just don''t feel comfortable if you keep reacting every time my emotions fluctuate.''


    Alex let out a chuckle, ''Sorry, it''s just the closer we are, the more I feel your emotions. Aren''t you the same?''


    ''I do, but I don''t react to all of it. It just helps me to understand you better.''


    ''You know, I am still wondering about what we said last time and why Alucard chose a human as his heir. Then I realized there is also one important thing I almost forgot.''


    ''You mean why he insisted the inheritor become a couple?''


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    ''Yes, I don''t believe he just did that on a whim. There should be something there. Maybe we will know if our feelings for each other deepen.''


    ''Alright, stop there. Emotions cannot be forced. Just let it grow naturally.''


    ''I know. I am not pushing you; I am just saying it is a possibility. Let''s say that is right.


    Humans are emotional creatures, and love is one of the deepest emotions. Do you think emotions are related to filling the rest of the 50%?''


    ''Alex¡­ you read too many novels. Do you think this is a fantasy where you can get angry and miraculously awaken hidden power or something?


    It''s not like that movie my brother likes to watch, where the character gets angry, their hair turns golden, and they become super strong.''


    Alex let out a chuckle. ''I know, that is impossible. But when we are angry or have intense emotions, it does affect our hormones, producing many chemicals that could affect our strength. I just wonder if it is related to that.''


    ''It''s not. I also study a lot about the human body. Those so-called adrenaline come from survival instincts, not our emotions.''


    ''But our emotions decide what triggers our survival instincts. Otherwise, how do you explain an average woman raising a car to rescue her baby or someone in desperation taking their own life?''


    MingYue didn''t directly respond as she thought about what Alex told her.


    Meanwhile, the group just looked at Alex and MingYue''s interaction with a helpless sigh. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they communicated telepathically, to Emily and the others, it appeared as though they were looking deeply into each other''s eyes like a couple in love.

 Chapter 306: Agni

    ''It really stings,'' Olivia lamented in her heart as she tried her best to hold the pain.


    She turned her gaze, focusing on the scenery. The forest had evolved, making it look like they were entering a dungeon.


    The trees looked like they came from an ancient era when all animals were still giant and humans still lived in caves.


    Crackle¡­


    Electricity sparkled in the air as Zold returned to the party.


    "In front, we have some groups of monsters fighting with each other."


    "No wonder there is so much life force there," MingYue mumbled.


    "What kind of monster?" Alex asked.


    "Don''t even think of capturing them, brother. Despite everything, I''m still worried about Mom," Emily added.


    "In that case, it''s faster to just avoid them. If only we could fly, that would be better."


    It''s not that Alex and MingYue couldn''t just fly toward the area, but they didn''t do this because the others couldn''t keep up with their speed. There was also the possibility they might pass through Luca and the others. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What if they faced a problem somewhere else? Even though, in theory, Alex should be able to feel his mother''s life force, he still didn''t want to take the risk.


    "I will look for another path then," Zold replied without waiting for the others to respond.


    He was also eager to quickly rescue his father.


    "If only my control was better, I should be able to scout faster than Zold."


    "It''s not that easy, Emily. Looking for a route is not just about being fast. You need to be keen on the surroundings and any marks left. Is that a clue that someone passing by, or is that a huge monster? Knowledge about the terrain is also necessary. Believe me, I have tried exploring the frontline without a scout, thinking it''s an easy job, but it''s not."


    Hearing Quartz''s words reminded Olivia of a past incident. At that time, she had a conflict with the explorer in the group. She complained about why he moved so slowly.


    Feeling insulted as someone looked down on how he did things, despite his experience, this hunter challenged Quartz to do his job.


    The result was a complete failure. Not only did they meet many monsters on the way, but they even walked into a monster''s den.


    "Hmm¡­ most of my missions are already prepared with complete intel, so I don''t know much," Emily replied.


    "Just listen to Aunt Quartz, Emily. Look, even with our current detection range, it''s still better to scout ahead. You never know when you will face a monster that can pass through all our senses. And if that monster is a parasite type, it can easily cause havoc in our group."


    "You really need to make this kind of skill necessary for all of the guild members," MingYue suggested.


    In her world, exploring and looking for marks in the wild is a necessary skill for every cultivator. They all learn this from an early age in the family.


    "That is a good idea. There are many mandatory skills we could put for all our members."


    The group then kept walking while sharing small talk. With Zold in front and their detection skills, the journey was quite peaceful. Any small monsters in the way were killed by Zold without them making a move.


    If they got close to a group of monsters, they would avoid it, making some turns along the way.


    Meanwhile, in another place, a Dragari was returning to the city.


    He passed through the security with ease as they just saw him leaving.


    "Agni, you returned so fast. Did you fail again?"


    "Hmph, this hunting dog is just useless. I think I will just get a new one."


    "Haha, I told you, buy a quality one. Those normal dogs have no use at all other than as punching bags. Well, if you want to throw him out, give him to me. My dog needs some release."


    "I will think about it," Agni replied with a smirk as he passed through the gate.


    Despite how he said the words, deep inside, he felt a huge amount of disgust and anger.


    He could feel a few taps on his neck as Felix communicated with him using Morse code.


    ''Calm down, things will be worse inside.''


    Agni replied back with a tap of his finger, ''I know. Don''t worry. I''m not some newbie hunter. I can control my expression.''


    Inside, they were greeted with an advanced city but filled with gory views.


    Some of the decorations were made with human bones and skulls. The road was pale white and made from unknown material, but Heimdall suspected it was made from something like bone.


    Probably a creature''s bone from their world.


    Many shops were open, but the items sold also reflected their culture. Most of them were weapons focused on close-distance combat.


    There were hammers, maces, and battle axes. Each of them was large in size. Normally, a human would need two hands to hold it, but with the Dragari''s size, they just needed one hand.


    Many Dragari walked through the city, some in groups, talking in a friendly manner, while others gave off an aloof and cold expression.


    ''Even as half-dragon, they still inherit their arrogance and pride,'' Heimdall thought to himself.


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    Walking deeper towards Agni''s home, his eyes dazed for a moment as he stopped in front of a shop. It was named Pet Shop.


    The building was large, a five-floored modern building, but not decorated with glass. Instead, it was adorned with bone and leather.


    A huge projection screen lit up, showing a picture of a naked human with their price and stats. He was already prepared for this, but something caught his eye.


    ''Does the city have this many awakened before?''


    ''Hmm¡­ maybe they adapted because of the harsh situation.''


    ''Or they were forced to awaken.''


    ''That is not possible. Wait, are you suggesting they do that?''


    ''What else? Even one of us humans think and try it. What do you think deters them from doing that?''

 Chapter 307: Drug

    ''But even number-wise, it''s not worth it. The casualty is too high.''


    ''That is for us humans. Do you forget what we do with other animals when we need larger numbers of them to butcher?''


    Felix didn''t need another word to understand what Heimdall meant. Forceful breeding.


    ''Where do you think they do this?''


    ''I doubt it''s in this city, but maybe they have a small operation for it. You want to find out?''


    ''Not now. Let''s focus on Edward''s situation first.''


    ''But what if?''


    ''Hah, no way. You know how he is. Do you think he will let that happen?


    He will kill himself first before he cheats on Luca, no matter the circumstances.''


    ''You are right. That means he should be somewhere else. I just hope he is not inside the dungeon.''


    ''The most dangerous place is usually the safest one. I honestly suspect that is where Edward ended up.''


    Heimdall let out a sigh.


    "Hei, Agni, why are you sighing like that? Don''t have any money to buy a good dog?" A voice reached his ear with a gloating tone.


    Looking back, Heimdall could see one of the Dragari coming at him with an arrogant expression.


    He also pulled three humans like Agni, but they looked fiercer. Their eyes were red, and they kept gritting their teeth like animals.


    ''These bastards are even worse than Agni!'' Heimdall cursed in his mind. But outwardly, he returned the remark with an arrogant tone. "You talk like you have the money."


    "Of course I have. Don''t you see these three? They all are specialized dogs." He said as he pulled on the chain, choking the three people''s necks. Two of them were male, while one was female.


    "Hah, what specialized? They just have weak abilities. Otherwise, there would be no need for you to use drugs on them."


    Heimdall said this with a smirk. He didn''t really know, but it was just his guess.


    Even though they saw humans like beasts or animals, purchasing them required money.


    Using an enhanced drug that dulled their minds, turning them into mindless beasts, would certainly lower their value. So he was confident in his remark.


    The Dragari turned silent for a moment, but then he replied, "Hmph, a lot of talk. If you dare, let''s fight our hunting dogs in the arena."


    "Why should I accept it? What can you even give me if I win?" Enjoy new chapters from m-v l''-NovelFire.net


    "Hah, you are so conceited. I dare to bet anything as long as you do the same."


    An idea then surfaced in his mind. He felt this was the perfect opportunity to gain some intel.


    Not like he could lose. With Felix''s mastery over shadows, utilizing it to cheat in battle was not hard.


    And Gabriel had already guessed what drug they used on these humans. It''s a beast drug that turns the user into a wild state.


    They won''t attack if they are not disturbed, but when they are, they will attack brutally.


    ''They probably also mix something else to make sure the drugged humans don''t attack them. But I am sure they still haven''t removed the side effects.


    When they overdose, the brain will turn to mush and shut down the body entirely.''


    ''Felix, could you steal some of the drugs from the store? I am sure there are some.''


    ''Fine,'' Felix replied without asking back. He could guess what Heimdall wanted to do.


    This would result in the three humans dying, but honestly, he felt death was a better fate for them. Those drugged with this drug have no hope of recovery.


    The shadow moved toward the store, jumping from one to another as long as it was in his point of view. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As this place was in the middle of the city and filled with a crowd, Felix never ran out of targets.


    Inside, the store looked like a slave market. It was filled with many cages with information on the humans. None were clothed, and almost all of them had lifeless gazes in their eyes.


    But some of them intrigued Felix; their eyes burned with rage and anger. It was the eyes of people who wanted to fight back.


    Felix tagged each of them, leaving something in their shadows. He felt they could free them and cooperate. But now, this was not his main target.


    He got close to the cashier, where the shopkeeper was having some debate with a customer.


    It seemed the customer complained that the human he purchased was sick and died a week after the purchase, but the seller insisted they were all healthy and checked before being sold.


    As they had a heated debate, Felix entered the shopkeeper''s shadow. If anyone looked at his shadow now, they would quickly realize something was strange.


    The shadow seemed to move independently from the shopkeeper, but thankfully, no one noticed. They were too busy with their own tasks.


    ''Found it,'' Felix thought.


    One of the boxes in the lowest cupboard then disappeared without anyone realizing it. If the shopkeeper found out, one of the employees would be held responsible, and their wages would be cut.


    Thankfully, this would never happen, since before the shopkeeper realized it, something big would happen first. Something that would turn the city upside down.


    Returning outside, Felix frowned as he couldn''t find Heimdall in the last spot.


    He could feel his approximate location from the marker he left, but this still annoyed him.


    ''Dammit, couldn''t he just make up something and wait here?''


    Feeling annoyed, Felix started hitchhiking toward every shadow he saw.


    Meanwhile, Alex and the group kept making their way deeper into the red zone. Their path now started leaving a trail of blood as the density of the monsters kept rising.


    "Alex, do you think all these monsters come from a dungeon break? Mutation? Or just reproduction?"


    "Based on how long this place has been a red zone, I doubt it''s the last one. Only a dungeon break or mutation could raise the monster population this much."

 Chapter 308: Portal

    "With this many monsters, I am sure they also hunt each other. This is a perfect breeding ground to produce strong beasts," Alice commented as she found similarity with the forest in her world.


    "No wonder then. I always wondered why so many monsters could just come out from the dungeon.


    Even if beside it is another world, just how many do they have? It''s not like they are infinite.


    Also, with a system like a dungeon, I don''t believe we are the only world with a situation like this."


    "What situation do you mean, Aunt Quartz? The dungeon break and invasion of species?"


    "Something like that, but it could also just be a contact thanks to technology or a magic spell. But I don''t believe a peaceful contact is possible.


    Just look at history. Even with the same species, it always escalates to conflict, no matter how it started."


    "That is true. Anyway, how far are we from the city?" Emily replied while she checked the map on her implant.


    The accuracy is not good as it is updated manually as they explore the area. It''s not like in the city where it''s linked to the network.


    "It shouldn''t be far, but I still haven''t found where Mother is," Alex replied.


    "With our pace, we will probably take another day to reach the city, but there is still no clue about your mom''s location," MingYue added.


    Alex and Emily turned silent at the situation. Their worry started growing, but Alex kept it to himself.


    "Don''t worry, Emily, this just means they have no problem and their journey is smooth."


    "That is true. Even with our current power, I still don''t feel confident fighting those elite hunters. Since we also have no problem going this far, I am sure Madam Luca is also fine," Olivia added to calm them.


    Meanwhile, Luca was now chilling and hearing updates from Heimdall and Felix.


    He periodically sent Morse code through the shadow.


    "If only this could send images and sound, it would be perfect," Isolde commented.


    "That would just raise the risk. The more data sent, the more wave fluctuation will exist. Even with this Morse code, if Felix wanted, he could already use it in that way," Aldric replied.


    "How can that even work? He could only send simple code through the shadow," Seraphine asked.


    "It''s not that hard. Just like how computers work, in the end, everything is just a binary code of 1 and 0. All this is then decoded into a color or pitch of volume by the audio. So technically, if we create a system to do this, it''s possible."


    Seraphine''s eyes were dazed hearing Aldric''s explanation, as she didn''t understand anything. "Forget I even asked." She then turned her attention back to a gadget in her hand, playing a game.


    Aldric chuckled, seeing Seraphine''s action. He then turned his attention toward Luca. "How are you now?"


    Luca let out a sigh, "I don''t know what to think. The situation in the city is worse than I thought. Honestly, it would be better if we just faced a mindless monster."


    "Of course, mindless means they are not sentient. It''s easier to fight an enemy like that. They don''t have any strategy."


    "We need to do this in one clean operation. Based on how they treat humans, they won''t think twice about using them as shields," Luca replied.


    "What''s your plan now? I am sure you won''t just be satisfied with looking for Edward."


    "Of course not. It''s not like we can just find him without turning it all upside down."


    "This is my hypothesis: looking at how they use the drug, I am sure they also know Edward''s status. If he was captured, they would probably use him to ask something. So the only possibility I could think of is that Edward got away but by running into danger."


    Luca sighed, "That is what he would do. I am sure he entered the dungeon."


    "Yes, he is on the other side, in those half-dragons home world. I don''t know what he''s doing, but I am sure if he is not killed, he will become a problem on their side."


    Luca''s lips curled into a smile, "He will for sure. We should ask Felix and Heimdall to focus on the portal."


    "Don''t worry. I am sure they also have the same conclusion as us. Let''s just wait for their news."


    Back in the city, Heimdall, as Agni, just won the match. With Felix''s help, his opponent''s dog died instantly.


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    Before they could even attack, their heads burst open and exploded. His enemy was in shock as he just lost a lot of things.


    Heimdall baited him to keep increasing the wagers. He is only left with his home now.


    "So, do you remember the bet?" Heimdall asked with a grin.


    The Dragari wanted to respond in anger, but he sucked it up as he knew he was really screwed now.


    Every bet in the Arena is valid and must be enforced; there are almost no limitations to it.


    Gritting through his teeth, the Dragari said sternly, "Let''s have a rematch!"


    "Why should I accept it? There is no reason for me to do that," Heimdall replied with a grin.


    "Wait, just tell me what you want me to do. I will do anything as long as you at least spare some of it; otherwise, my family will kill me."


    "Hmm¡­ I do have something I need to do. How about you come to my home later at night? I will give the task to you then." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having no other choice, the Dragari nodded. He didn''t suspect any foul play was involved, as in their culture, it never happened.


    As a race of warriors, they always prefer to have a straightforward fight. Cheating in a competition is unheard of.


    Heimdall then left the Dragari as he proceeded to explore the city. Other than architecture and culture, the city still worked like a modern human city.

 Chapter 309: Dragaris Origin

    They have other names, but the function is still similar. For example, a bank is called a vault. A school is a combat academy.


    What surprised Heimdall was that despite their aggressiveness and lax laws, the city was quite orderly.


    ''I have read some of the rules. It seems brutal punishment is working,'' Heimdall said.


    ''Well, there is no justice; only strength exists. In one way, it''s honestly the truth of the world without any bullshit that politicians used to spew.''


    ''You want to live in a culture like this?'' Heimdall asked with a chuckle.


    ''It''s not that different from the underworld. No matter what kind of deal you make, without strength, there is nothing you can do. Results are everything.''


    "It always is, even in the normal world. There is a reason we have the saying, ''Everyone has skeletons in their closet.''"


    As they kept walking, Heimdall reached Agni''s house. Thankfully, Agni lived alone, only with the three human pets.


    Inside, Felix knocked the three humans out and then materialized from the shadows. "What is your plan now?"


    "Spend one or two days here to learn more about their strength, and if possible, enter their world."


    Felix''s expression changed the moment he heard it. "No! I am fine with entering, but we must do it together. We are not here to increase the number of victims."


    Heimdall smirked. "I knew you would say that. In that case, we should infiltrate the portal at night."


    "They have a curfew at nine. We should sneak out at that time. How is their security based on your observation?"


    "Aren''t you the expert?"


    Seeing Heimdall''s gaze, Felix then realized that was the reason why he left him first, so he could move and observe the city.


    "There are cameras on the streets, but I doubt they care much about them.


    With laws like theirs, I doubt they care when the weak are ostracized. The only purpose of the cameras is to look for spies, or they just leave them on out of curiosity."


    "Just get to the point¡ªtheir security is lax."


    Felix nodded. "As long as we stay out of suspicion, I am sure there will be no problem. We could also take some of the guards'' uniforms."


    "No need. I can manipulate my clothing, too. Did you forget?"


    "By the way, I saw some slaves with stern eyes at the slave market. If there are people like them, I am sure there should be a resistance group here."


    "Resistance? A slave with a collar¡ªhow could they even gather and make a movement?" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s check the sewer system. I am sure if there are any, they will gather there."


    Heimdall agreed as he felt that made sense. For some of the slaves to have fierce eyes meant they grew in a way that still held humanity high. He was sure this did not happen in Dragari breeding places. The only possibility was that they grew up in some community and then got captured.


    "Probably descendants from the old survivors. I wonder if it is led by one of the Suzaku Guild members."


    "How old were the slaves you met? I don''t know the time dilation outside the dungeon, but here it''s not that long."


    "Around 12 years old."


    Heimdall ruminated on the possibility. If the child was born after the occupation, that meant the child''s mother was pregnant at that time. The odds of someone like that surviving were low. But if not, that meant the resistance was inside the dungeon, and the time dilation there was twice or maybe even longer.


    "Nothing is ever simple," Heimdall mumbled. What started as a normal rescue mission had now become far more complicated.


    "No wonder he doesn''t give any news out; he''s probably stuck inside."


    "You mean Raven?"


    "Who else? After the incident, Luca hired him to look for Edward. He is one of the best at rescuing someone."


    "Hah... Only the best in low-level dungeons. This is a dungeon that destroyed Edward and Luca''s Guild. How strong do you think the monster boss was at that time?"


    "Whoever the boss was, he is not here now. Otherwise, he would have recognized our presence here."


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    "Or the monster just doesn''t care because we are too weak in its eyes."


    "I don''t believe it. Even if the monster thinks like that, do you think someone that strong would want to stay here with nothing to do with Dragari culture?"


    "You are right. By the way, I heard you have followed Edward and Luca''s daughter a few times. How is she? As strong as Luca?"


    Luca asks Felix to follow Emily stealthily every time she enters the dungeon. She never let Emily enter without any countermeasure.


    "Her ability is strong. Honestly, if she could master it, I could see her becoming another human nuke like Isolde."


    "That strong, huh? She became a hunter to look for her father. I also heard they recently reformed the Guild. Don''t you think they will come here too?"


    "I have my sources; it''s possible. But I think it''s still too soon for them. Her oldest son is like Edward. He is a careful person, so I don''t know if he will go in or not."


    "Hahaha, if he is like Edward, then he is one hundred percent coming. Do you forget his personality?"


    Felix was silent for a moment as he remembered how Edward was. Normally, he was a calm, careful person, but when something happened to Luca, all hell broke loose as he threw logic into the trash.


    "If they come, it will complicate matters further."


    "Who knows, they might be stronger now and become our help.


    Anyway, now that I think about it, since the mission is recon, why don''t you go by yourself, Felix ? I have something else in mind."


    Felix''s gaze narrowed at Heimdall''s face. "What are you planning? Don''t tell me you want to make all hell break loose."


    "Hahaha, I am just thinking of furthering our odds. I don''t believe they are the only ones who are resistant to humans here.


    Any city or species, no matter the culture, always has someone outside the norm. Someone who dislikes the current situation."

 Chapter 310: Dragari & Lycan

    "This is Dragari¡ªhalf-dragon, and who knows what the other half is. Do you think that is possible?"


    "Isn''t it clear what the other half is? The Ymir race."


    "Ymir race? Do you mean those huge giants with six arms?


    How could they become this small? Don''t think I have never seen them," Felix asked.


    "I am sure of it. After changing into their form and checking Agni''s corpse, they were half dragon and quarter Ymir. The other quarter is probably human."


    "Human? And they now enslave other humans? This is crazy."


    "Isn''t it? I am sure they have already forgotten their own ancestry." Heimdall said with a chuckle.


    Felix looked past the window, gazing toward the spire in the middle of the city. "The portal should be inside that place."


    The sun had already started setting, painting the sky in twilight.


    "I will go now. You don''t need to check the sewer; just focus on that spire."


    After saying this, Heimdall''s body turned into a blur and then disappeared.


    "This bastard, isn''t he worried that using his spatial ability like this will alert someone?" Felix mumbled in annoyance.


    But Felix knew Heimdall must have a reason if he was pulling a stunt like this. It wasn''t the first time he did something weird.


    He then decided to send a message to Luca and the others.


    Meanwhile, looking at the setting sun, Alex and the group decided to take a break. Based on Quartz and Olivia''s experience, the area would be far more dangerous at night.


    The monsters that roamed would also be different.


    They picked an empty field and started building the camp. Alex then began carving some rune formations in the area.


    The function was to seal their presence and ensure no odor or sound escaped from it.


    Some distance away, outside Alex''s detection, a group of people were looking toward Alex using advanced binoculars. It allowed them to see far into the distance and even through some solid objects.


    The man then lowered the binoculars. "I''m pretty sure they are our targets. There are no other hunters in this vicinity."


    "Are you sure? The last one massacred our elite battalion."


    "Just see their capabilities. My abilities already tell me that we cannot go further than this; otherwise, we will get detected."


    "Should we just bail then? I don''t think we can defeat them. Looking at the direction, I think they are going to the Dragari area. Enjoy exclusive content from m-v l''-NovelFire.net


    We have some deals with them. Don''t you think it''s better to just alert the Dragari?"


    "What deal? It''s just a trade. Don''t mistake them as our friends. We have no other choice than to cooperate with them," he said with spite.


    He was one of the dark guild members that Luca''s group massacred.


    "What the leader says is right. Don''t get used to cooperating with them. If we had another choice, do you think we would stay like this?"


    "What use is thinking like this? In the end, those hunters from the mainland think we are nothing more than traitors to humanity.


    While in reality, they are the ones who failed to protect us."


    Gabriell and Jake thought the resistance was in the city. While it was true that some survivors existed in the sewers, in reality, most of them had already escaped the city and built their own group.


    At first, this group kept ambushing the Dragari species, but it didn''t have any results. Instead, their casualties kept rising every day.


    Hungry and desperate, they decided to go to other species that had built their cities, like the Dragari. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to them, their relationship with humans was more amiable.


    They even sold them supplies, materials, and weapons. The payment was not cheap; they took some of their members as the cost.


    Some heroic ones decided to sacrifice themselves to give a path of survival for the others. This is how they survived and lasted till this moment.


    As time passed, the number of things they bought from this species also kept growing.


    As they became more capable, they didn''t sell one of their members anymore. Instead, they sold resources they stole from the Dragari.


    The species they traded with was the Lycans.


    "Those furry bastards need us to attack the Dragari for their own purposes. That is our relation to them. I honestly think it''s better to just let them move forward."


    "But if we don''t take revenge for the casualties, how could we explain ourselves to the bereaved?"


    "They don''t need to know. Honestly, as a leader, I am more interested in what they plan to do. If they are really that strong, maybe¡­ just maybe, we can ransack the Dragari city."


    Their leader, a man with black hair and a scar over one eye, replied in a heavy voice, "Ransacking Dragari city¡­ we have tried for generations. We even got a complete blueprint of the current place. Do you think that is possible?"


    "Why not? Just like that day when the sky fell, who is to say it won''t happen to them? I stopped thinking something was impossible after that incident."


    The leader pondered it. In the first place, a group of hunters going this far into the red zone was already a very hard task. Otherwise, most of them would prefer to escape back to civilization rather than risk their lives attacking the Dragari.


    Of course, there were exceptions. For example, their current leader, one of the survivors of the attack, saw the brutality of the Dragari.


    Seeing his own loved one torn to shreds was not something he would ever forget all his life. The shame and guilt that came from escaping and not trying to help, despite it being the wish of his wife.


    "Let''s wait and see. At the same time, gather the rest of the force somewhere near us.


    They don''t need to know about this group of hunters, but they must be ready to attack at a moment''s notice."


    Hearing their leader''s decision, the group scrambled into their tasks.

 Chapter 311: Bad Ending

    They may have had different thoughts, but they knew when their leader decided, they should quickly follow.


    This didn''t come from fear or respect but from the need for survival. They all knew how important maintaining the chain of command was to survival.


    Because of this decision, Alex and the group spent their night in peace.


    They were now gathered around the campfire, eating some grilled meat.


    After exchanging some small talk, Olivia excused herself, saying she wanted to rest. Seeing her lonely back, Quartz let out a sigh and followed her.


    Emily, being tactful, pulled Zold, William, and Alice away, saying she wanted to practice. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This left Alex and MingYue alone.


    Looking through the night sky, Alex asked, "Does it look the same as in the cultivation world?"


    In reality, Alex knew MingYue had already seen it from movies and scenery he shared from his memory. But he was just looking for a topic to start a conversation.


    "It has the same glow but a different pattern. The moon is also quite different now that I look at it with my own eyes."


    "How different?"


    "Your moon is more white, while in my world, the glow has a bluish tint to it."


    "I see. I wonder if any cultivators live there?"


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "There is a rumor an immortal goddess with lightning abilities claims the moon as her place. She built her own sect there, dominating the whole moon."


    "Interesting, where did you hear it from?"


    "Actually, it is more like a fairy tale. I heard about it when I was a child. The story tells of a survivor named Kaguya from the Enel clan.


    You can guess the plot: a runaway princess, family massacred, learning how to cultivate, arranged marriage, making her own way in the world."


    "Rather than a fairy tale, it''s more like a novel then. Maybe you should try writing it in my world. Who knows, it might be popular."


    "Isn''t that plagiarism? I am not the one creating the story," MingYue replied. In her heart, an interest grew to write her own story.


    After reading so many books, there was often a time when she thought the story should be different or the author started going repetitive. Sometimes, she also hated the ending.


    Despite living in a world of cultivation where cruelty happens daily, Ming Yue hates bad endings.


    She hated it when a character she liked passed through so many hurdles that she ended up sad in the end.


    In MingYue''s opinion, novels existed for entertainment and to give out positive vibes to the reader. The world already had enough cruelty; there was no need to expand it to the novel.


    Even if the story became dark and filled with tragedy, the author should have written toward a good ending.


    She told Alex her thoughts, making Alex smile, "I did try to write multiple times, but I always failed as I usually ran out of ideas after a few chapters. But as I wrote, I began to understand why authors often wrote bad endings.


    A bad ending just stays in the reader''s mind longer, making them think of many what-if scenarios.


    What if the MC does that? What if the author stopped giving plot armor to the villain? Wouldn''t the MC survive? Wouldn''t he become happier?"


    "So you mean the author does that for popularity? I don''t agree. They shouldn''t sacrifice the characters like that.


    Have you ever thought, Alex, what if the world we live in is just another world written by someone else in a higher dimension?


    Wouldn''t you argue they should have written us better?"


    "In that case, I will complain to the author. Why did he need to choose me to become a progenitor? He should have written me as a rich young master who occasionally helps the main character."


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "That is why if I write my own story, I will never give it a bad ending."


    "You know, my favorite ending is not a bad or good ending. I prefer a bittersweet one since, honestly, it feels more realistic. We cannot get it all in real life."


    "What kind of ending is that? I have watched and read everything you gave me, but I never found a story like that."


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to give you that anime. It''s a story of an exiled prince who comes back to take revenge on his own parents.


    The story has its problems, but the ending, yeah, it''s unforgettable and an epic masterpiece."


    "Hmm¡­ tell me about it."


    "Are you sure? I don''t want


    to rob you of the experience of watching it for the first time."


    "No, you won''t. As I told you, I don''t like stories with bad endings. I have read enough to know I don''t want to see anything like that anymore.


    Those bad endings remind me of the reality of the cultivation world. Every day, how many do you think succumb to that fate?


    I¡­ I know a lot of them, Alex, some even on a personal level."


    "I thought you said you didn''t get close to others in the past."


    "I didn''t, but that doesn''t stop them from telling their own stories. As a genius cultivator in my sect, I always had my own personal maid. As I didn''t treat them badly, they often told me a lot of stories."


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    "What happened to them?"


    "Well, not all had tragic lives, but I know some that ended up badly. Some even lost their lives in the process. The worst I heard became the plaything of some passing cultivator for no reason at all. She was toyed with until her demise."


    Alex''s eyes widened when he heard it, not because of the tragic story but because he didn''t believe MingYue would do anything toward the perpetrator.


    Feeling Alex''s gaze, MingYue let out a cold smile, "Don''t worry, the perpetrator is now five feet under. But that doesn''t make it a good ending. In the end, I couldn''t help her."

 Chapter 312: Olivia and Quartz

    Alex let out a sigh, "A world filled with tragedy. Honestly, I could say it''s the same with my world. It''s even worse now with the dungeon breaks. When dungeon breaks happen, the survivors become refugees as the government''s resources are limited.


    They only live in the slums. Logically speaking, these people should get help and a way to return to their lives, but no, they instead become victims of other humans.


    Life keeps going on despite the tragedy. They need money to pay for food, clothes, and medicine.


    Some get lucky and easily get a new job, but most of them are not like that. They are forced to take loans from loan sharks; some even get scammed into one.


    The interest is so crazy that most of them are unable to pay, resulting in them getting sold as slaves or entering the organ market."


    MingYue''s eyes squinted, "I agree that it is worse than mine. At the very least, mine is straightforward with the rules, while yours act like there is equal law, but in reality, no one upholds them."


    Alex and MingYue then continued their small talk, exchanging their experiences. Meanwhile, close by, Olivia was sitting there sulking.


    Quartz, with a teasing smile on her face, sat at her side. "Every time you are depressed, you always sit alone under a tree. It seems your habit will never change."


    "I don''t know why. It just feels peaceful. It makes me forget all my problems. The tree always gives me a sense of warmth.


    In the past, I thought this was just my imagination, but now I realize it''s because of plant lifeforce."


    "Your ability is related to healing. Have you ever wondered if it is related to plants?" Quartz asked.


    She doesn''t talk about what is bothering her since she knows Olivia will only talk when she feels comfortable sharing.


    Quartz could already guess what the matter was; she just decided to be a spectator since the problem was sensitive.


    Olivia raised her eyebrow as she turned her gaze toward the tree, "I doubt it. I have never heard of someone''s abilities evolving after they get one. Some do become stronger, but it''s because they learn more about how to use the ability effectively. In my case, the ability is healing.


    Even if I cast it on a plant, it will just regenerate old scars, making it healthier or bloom. I couldn''t order it to move as I wanted."


    Olivia''s hand glowed with golden light as she then used her ability on the tree. The leaves became greener, and the complexion of the bark also became healthier.


    Flowers started blooming, followed by some fruit.


    "This is only after I enhanced it with lifeforce. In the past, I couldn''t make it bloom. Otherwise, we would have no problem with food."


    Quartz nodded. If she could do it, their life on the front line would be far easier, and she was sure the association wouldn''t let Olivia go.


    In a way, it could be said this is a solution to their lack of food.


    "We cannot, though. This is all thanks to using lifeforce energy from Alex. Without him, this ability would only have limited use. I am sure you know what will happen if his abilities come to light."


    "He will become public enemy number one. Everyone will want his ability."


    "Immortality, enhanced strength, runes. There are too many things to ignore. Actually, even I thought of it once. If he used runes on every hunter, wouldn''t our situation quickly change? Wouldn''t we be able to take back the territory we lost?"


    Olivia''s eyes turned cold, "Who is ''we'' in this matter? All humanity? We both know that is not the case, Quartz. They will label it for humanity or the greater good, while in reality, it''s just their own personal greed. Even if it''s you, I will not agree to it."


    "I''m just saying what I thought. There is no way I will ever betray him; you know it." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Olivia let out a sigh, "Sorry, I know. I''m just a little sensitive these few days."


    "Oh, that time of the month?" Quartz asked with a chuckle.


    "Cut it out; you know the reason why."


    "Fine, fine. If you really feel like it, just tell him about it. What use is bottling your feelings like this? At the very least, you will know the answer." Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelFire.net


    "Haven''t you seen how they interact with each other? Even if I don''t mind him having another, do you think he will agree? I know Alex, Quartz."


    "At the very least, maybe the rejection will make you accept the situation."


    "If only it were that easy. You just don''t understand how painful it is for me. Now, if he rejects me, I don''t think I could even see him."


    "That bad, huh¡­. I''ve never fallen in love, so I don''t know what to say. But it''s not like it''s avoidable."


    "Let''s just wait until this operation finishes. After this, I could just go on my way, trying to forget about this feeling. Maybe this is my punishment for doing the same to him."


    Quartz let out a sigh, then tried to change the topic again, talking about their old comrades and their possible fate.


    Meanwhile, back in the city, the peacefulness in Alex''s camp was nowhere to be seen.


    Fire rose high in the sky, with many Dragari running in the streets. The human slaves they had as prisoners somehow got free and began running amok.


    Seeing all the chaos, Felix could already guess this was Heimdall''s work. ''He is really cruel when he decides.''


    Felix may come from the underground world, but for him, what Heimdall does is still bad. He understands his reasoning, but it still doesn''t mean it justifies the cruelty.


    Heimdall unlocked all the slave cages and injected them with mixed drugs. In his mind, it''s better to die fighting back rather than live a life worse than a dog. But in Felix''s mindset, it''s their choice to make. There is no justification for forcing it on them.

 Chapter 313: Wrath of God

    However, since things had already happened, Felix decided to just capitalize on the opportunity. It''s not like he could turn back time or have a better solution to incite chaos.


    Felix also told Luca and the others what happened. This is the best time if they want to make a move.


    Some distance away from the city, Luca and the group were now out looking at the billowing smoke.


    "Heimdall, being Heimdall, he knew we would reject the idea, so he forced our hand instead," Aldric commented.


    "In this case, I agree with him. This is the best scenario. Even if we give them a chance to fight back, how many have the strength to do it? This way, at the very least, they will not leave as slaves. A life without dignity, how could they call it one?" Isolde commented.


    Luca frowned, then replied, "I disagree. You can fight back for dignity, you can find a cure for illness. As long as you are not dead, there is always a way to recover. But that doesn''t matter now."


    Luca turned her gaze to Seraphine, "What about you? Any bad premonition?"


    Seraphine shook her head. "No, I should be safe even if we go now." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Any plan?" Luca asked Aldric, as he was the one who usually made one with Edward.


    "At this point, let''s just go all out. Send a message to Jake to start cleaning out the spire while we start our attack. Isolde, you know what to do."


    Isolde''s lips curled into a grin as she knew this meant she could go nuts. As someone with a lot of destructive power, she always had the impulse to use it.


    Her hair fluttered in the wind as she started floating up. Despite the distance, for her, this was enough to start the casting.


    Despite using mana to use it, her ability came from learning the rules of the world. She just used mana to trigger the reaction.


    Dark clouds started gathering over the city, casting ominous darkness in the midst of chaos. Many spheres of elements started floating and spinning around Isolde, and her eyes glinted with many sparks from the elements.


    Thunder kept roaring in the air as mist started gathering all over the city, raising the humidity to a new level. The Dragari quickly understood something was happening.


    Ironically, no one thought this was human doing. They all started thinking it was the Lycans or other races making trouble for them.


    While in reality, humans were the cause. The thunder kept rumbling, rising in intensity.


    The ground shook as her mana entered into the tectonic plate, triggering a small movement. It may only be an inch, but this took a lot of her strength.


    Her beautiful face turned pale, but the result was satisfying.


    CRACKLE!!! RUMBLE!!!


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    The crevice grew in size, making the whole city shake. As Isolde expected, the protection didn''t go all the way to the underground.


    It only covered the city land and the sky.


    The buildings shook, but their strong foundations allowed most of them to stand tall. The elite Dragari rode their own wyverns, flying high in the sky. Meanwhile, the lower class had no other choice but to take shelter in their own homes.


    As the protection barrier started losing its integrity.


    BAM! A huge lightning bolt fell from the sky like the wrath of God.


    At this moment, Jake, seeing what happened, cursed in his mind, ''Dammit, Isolde, don''t you realize I am still inside the city?''


    Isolde knew, but she also knew Jake could just escape into the shadows. And she knew, based on experience, this would only be enough to destroy the barrier.


    Like a broken mirror, the barrier was destroyed when it hit the spire. To Isolde''s amazement, the spire didn''t have any damage and still stood tall on the ground.


    Jake''s muscles bulged as he hit the ground, then launched himself toward the air. Like a meteor, without fear, he landed, creating a crater in the city.


    He is not afraid of the Dragari. Based on reports so far, the current strength in the city was far less than the one that came out from the dungeon break.


    Isolde landed on the ground with ragged breath. Sweat covered her body.


    "How long do you need?" Alaric asked as he needed to stand guard beside her till she recovered.


    Meanwhile, Luca and Seraphine had already made their way into the city.


    Even though her combat ability is not strong, having a low presence still helps her to infiltrate,


    ambush, or get any crucial information.


    "Give me 5 minutes. I should recover enough to have a fight, just not cast another one at this scale."


    "I never grow tired of seeing how destructive your ability is. If you can cast it as many times as you want, you will be invisible."


    "If I could do that, we humans would never be pushed back this far. At the very least, we would be able to take back the area."


    "What a confidence. You do remember we have launched many nukes and still haven''t made a lot of progress."


    Isolde chuckled, "Did you forget what happened at that time? It''s not that the nuke doesn''t work.


    It''s just we met our antithesis. Who the fuck will think a monster that could absorb radiation exists in reality? I thought they were only in movies."


    "You are right. It''s been a while. I almost forgot what happened in the past. Still¡­ if only he survived, things would not turn this worse."


    "A cost to clear our greatest enemy at that time. What else can we say? I don''t know him personally, but as the strongest hunter, I respect him."


    "Sometimes I wonder, did he really die? He is just too strong to disappear like that."


    "From our enemy''s point of view, he is their strongest adversary. So it''s not weird they focused the attack on him."


    "That is true, still¡­ he is one of the few hunters that have multiple abilities. And to this day, I still don''t know some of it."

 Chapter 314: Aldrics Ability

    "Maybe it''s just useless ones? That is why you don''t know? I remember you fought at his side at that time."


    "He is my brother. What do you expect? But since he was a child, he was just different, always keeping something to himself. We all thought it was just a phase, but who knows, it turned out to last till his final moment."


    Alaric let out a deep sigh, "Anyway, let''s go. You should have recovered enough."


    Isolde nodded, as they talked, time had passed on. It''s still not exactly five minutes, but she could recover it now as they moved.


    Meanwhile, Luca and the group had already entered the city. They brandished their weapons, with Luca holding her sword and Seraphine using a handgun.


    From the outside, the gun didn''t look anything peculiar; it was a sleek black handgun carved with a unique pattern.


    Seraphine didn''t use it, though. She moved proficiently, following Luca in a way that ensured she wouldn''t get hit by stray attacks.


    Seeing the Dragari up close made Luca''s pent-up anger explode. In the past, she couldn''t do much as she needed to focus on bringing their kids out of the city.


    All her attention was on the possibility of an ambush. But now, free from all the burden, she went wild. Many silhouettes came into her view.


    Despite spending time focusing on her kids, this didn''t mean Luca had forgotten all her resentment. She had spent much effort learning about their weaknesses and strengths.


    A low-level Dragari that blocked her path now only had enhanced physical strength, with strong defense from their scales. They were no match for Luca in her current state.


    Slash! Her sharp sword cut through their necks like tofu without any resistance.


    Normally, they should have been able to raise their hands or weapons to parry the attack or, at the very least, move on instinct to dodge. But in front of Luca''s eyes, all their movements were predicted. No matter how they moved, she already knew where they would be a few seconds ahead.


    Her sword always hit their weakness: a weird form of scale on the back of their necks. The moment the sword touched it, the Dragari would feel weak and lose their strength.


    Without any mercy, Luca massacred her way forward.


    The high-level ones were now flying on their wyverns, looking down at the chaos in the city.


    As for those of middle level, they were already busy fighting against the drugged humans. Despite being stronger, the humans beat the Dragari by not caring about their own wounds.


    Even when their limbs were torn apart, it didn''t stop their assault. They kept attacking with everything they had.


    The trained ones used their weapons, while those with abilities kept unleashing them until they died. The large number of humans they had turned into pets in their city now bit them back.


    Some distance away, a group of dark hunters had already gathered. They had been ordered to move here and stand by in case something happened.


    Seeing the city in chaos, they quickly contacted their leader. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sir, the city is under attack now by another group of hunters. Should we proceed to move forward?"


    "Another group of hunters? Tell me more in detail," the leader responded.


    The guard on the other side began describing what happened. They contacted each other using a communicator they got from the lycan. It worked by linking to a specific device, making it like a wireless walkie-talkie.


    The device had limited functions, but it came with the ability to make contact almost anywhere despite the environment.


    The dark hunter explained everything: how the shield was blown up and a bright light of thunder hit the area. If the leader were closer, he would never have missed the thunderbolt since it was quite a spectacle. He had just heard some muffled explosions, something that was normal in this area as conflicts happened constantly.


    "Proceed then. We will quickly go to your location," the leader said.


    The dark hunters quickly made their move, adding to the chaos.


    "Leader, should we go too? Since the chaos has already begun, there is no need to follow them anymore."


    The leader ruminated on his choice, then said, "We will have two people follow them from a distance. As for us, let''s go support the others.


    This is a golden opportunity. Not only can we pillage their resources, but we could also remove them once and for all from this area."


    The other hunters'' eyes shone with determination while some flickered with anger. They were all eager to move quickly.


    All this time, in their eyes, the Dragari city looked like an impregnable fortress, something they could not break. But now, finally, their patience had paid off.


    Back in the city, thunder rumbled once more. Isolde, seeing the wyverns flying in the air, didn''t let them just stay and watch.


    She quickly cast lightning to hit them.


    Aldric stayed at her side, making sure no one could disturb her casting. His specialty was close combat fighting, with power over kinetic energy.


    The way Aldric used it was unique; he utilized the kinetic energy, making it vibrate to create a special field where all his opponents would get weakened. He also used a sword like Luca, but his sword was long.


    It had only one sharp edge, with a length of around 1.8 meters (6 ft).


    The creator of this sword was the same as the one who made Luca''s; both could transform into something small that they could wear on their hands.


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    Luca''s was in the form of a bracelet, while Aldric''s was made into a ring.


    Slash!


    Even though his sword was not as sharp as Luca''s, by utilizing his ability, he created vibrations that moved quickly, making a small, precise invisible saw.


    Sparks and blood flew in the air as he cleaved a few Dragari in one movement.


    One of the Wyverns dived from the air at high speed, embers of flame coming out from its mouth. Aldric grinned and pointed his sword upward.

 Chapter 315: The Weird Dragari

    In the next moment, like being yanked by a chain, the wyvern crashed into the ground.


    Swosh!!!


    Despite falling, the wyvern still shot its fire breath toward the target.


    The flame shot toward Isolde and Aldric. It exploded, rising smoke in the sky.


    But it only lasted for a moment before the flame was cut into two like someone cleaved it from inside.


    A sharp ice bolt cut through the distance, instantly impaling the wyvern''s eyes.


    Multiple more appeared, this time followed by a rumble of electricity. Isolde imbued the ice with it to enhance the damage.


    This time, the target was the other wyvern that dived toward them. The Dragari above the fallen wyvern also leaped forward, brandishing its sharp claws.


    Aldric responded by slashing his sword at such an angle that it cut through the Dragari''s head cleanly while parrying multiple attacks from the other Dragari.


    Compared to the others, the Dragari that rode the wyverns had stronger physical strength but weaker defense. They were higher-leveled since they shared a connection with their wyverns, allowing them to fight together.


    But in front of Aldric and Isolde, this combination was not effective, and their numbers were too small to make any difference.


    "Is this it? They are too weak," Isolde replied with a smirk.


    "Don''t underestimate them; they are nothing more than cannon fodder."


    "In that case, I will just freeze them all as we go to the spire to save on energy," Isolde replied.


    Clang! Clang!


    The Dragari and wyverns were frozen by Isolde as they moved toward the spire. But as their backs faced the wyverns, something happened.


    A cracking sound could be heard, followed by the ice shattering. The wyverns'' eyes glowed purple, the same as the Dragari riders.


    With swift motions, they threw their weapons toward Aldric and Isolde. Feeling the change of vibrations behind him, Aldric turned his head. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As his ability allowed him to control kinetic energy, Aldric used it to create an invisible shield around him. This shield was very weak; it could not stop any attack or anyone.


    The purpose was only to alert him if something moved inside.


    Aldric slashed his sword, parrying the incoming attack. Sparks flew in the air, and this time, the strength behind it was far stronger. It was like the Dragari''s strength was boosted by the drake, layering above each other.


    Feeling the change, Isolde also turned. Her hair fluttered as she created a blast of wind to scatter all the incoming attacks.


    Meanwhile, Seraphine and Luca had already reached the spire. To their surprise, even when they reached there, the guards were too weak.


    As they entered the tower, corpses littered the ground.


    "Don''t they have a portal here? I don''t believe they didn''t send anyone to come here," Seraphine said.


    The place was in shambles now. Logically, they should have asked for backup since it was connected to the dungeon.


    Luca''s lips curled into a smile as what she saw made her feel more hopeful. "This just means they cannot send any help as something happened on the other side, but I refuse to believe there is no one strong here. At the very least, there should be one person equal to a five-star hunter."


    Seraphine nodded, "The strongest so far is only two stars. They are all too weak. Do you think Edward is the one causing trouble on the other side?"


    "I don''t know who, but I am hopeful Seraphine. You know how he is; there is no way he would just stay down as long as they could fight back."


    "That is true. It reminds me of how we first met. Honestly, I never understood what made both of you so kind to other people. You could have just left me to die at that time or just benefited and earned money by selling me to the dark guild." Find more to read at m_v l|-NovelFire.net


    "We are not being kind; you can think it''s just our hobby or something."


    "What kind of hobby is that, risking your life for others?"


    Luca sighed, "It will be a long story if I tell you, but you already know our past."


    "Because I know it, I feel even more confused. Those who know the hardship of life usually become more self-centered as they do anything for their own survival."


    "That would just grow into a chain of hatred, Seraphine. It''s not like you were the one who caused the tragedy in my or Edward''s life. Blaming someone for another''s fault is stupid and useless. I don''t know if God exists or not, but I know for sure now that I have the strength for it, I won''t become like them. I will help those who need and deserve it."


    "Deserve, huh¡­ what makes you think I deserve it? I am only a selfish person who prioritizes my own survival."


    "You are just a victim of circumstance, Seraphine. A lot of people don''t have a choice but to do what they did to survive. But I believe if they have the opportunity, some will change."


    "This ''some'' is just a minority, Luca. The majority of them won''t change. Some will even bite you back."


    Luca''s lips curled into a sad smile, "I just take it as part of the risk. Who cares what they do; the minority is enough to make me satisfied. And if any of them do the same as me, the cycle will continue."


    "I hate to say this, but it will never happen, Luca. Edward is smart; I am sure he also realizes it. People are selfish and greedy; that is wired in our DNA. We will only cooperate when the situation deems so."


    "I don''t agree. We may be selfish, but that selfishness can be pointed toward kindness. We are greedy, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, Seraphine. Just like me, I know I am greedy by hoping the world will change to my ideal."


    Clap¡­ clap¡­ clap¡­


    A clap suddenly reached Luca''s ears, making her turn alert. Looking at the source, she saw a Dragari that looked different from the others.

 Chapter 316: The Spire

    He wore metallic silver armor with two wings coming out from the back. His scales were black, but they looked soft, not like the other Dragari.


    His height was also similar to that of an average human, but only a little bit taller than Alex.


    "What interesting words from you barbaric humans."


    Luca''s eyes squinted. "So finally, the boss is here. Are you the one responsible for the city? And to think you call us barbaric, aren''t you the brutal one?


    "Haha, don''t put me at the same level as those stupid uncultured lizards."


    Luca wanted to respond more, but she suddenly tilted her head.


    Swosh! BANG!


    A bullet passed an inch away from her cheek and landed on the wall, creating a hole in the other room as if it had been shot from a cannon.


    The Dragari grinned, baring its fangs. "Interesting, someone worth fighting."


    Luca''s eyes turned sharp. This was the first time she had seen this kind of attack, one she knew was coming, but not where it came from.


    It was as if the bullet just appeared from nowhere.


    ''Is that even a bullet?'' Luca wondered in her mind, but she didn''t have time to find the answer.


    CLANG!!!


    She raised her sword as the Dragari suddenly appeared in front of her.


    His hand turned like a spear, targeting her heart. It clashed with the side of her blade.


    Before Luca could formulate a counterattack, she saw another silhouette of the same hand piercing through her back.


    At that moment, she quickly jumped, avoiding another stab that appeared out of nowhere.


    A thought came to Luca''s mind.


    ''It should be something related to space abilities, like Heimdall. Added to the already fast movement, this makes it hard to see the motion. Fine, you are asking for it.''


    Luca''s black eyes changed; a weird pattern made of blue lines appeared on her pupils. It looked like a bird.


    The silhouettes in front of Luca''s eyes started to change, quickly increasing in number, painting the world like it was made of sketches.


    Usually, her eyes could only see one second forward, but now they saw three seconds. It may only add two more seconds, but in a fight, this raised the possibility of her seeing considerably.


    The stronger the enemy was, the more attacks she would see, as they were capable of unleashing more chaos in just a short moment.


    It could be two, three, or even five, and this raised the possibilities considerably, as different patterns would result in different counters from Luca.


    In front of her eyes now, she saw another stab coming from the front toward her face. Then, the next one came through her torso.


    Based on the sequence of attacks, she made her move. The sword parried the first; she spun her body, then slashed at the empty space above her.


    Before she couldn''t see it, thinking the Dragari had space abilities, but now she realized it was just a very fast attack mixed with perfect camouflage.


    The bullets he shot were camouflaged in a way she couldn''t detect.


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    Moving meticulously like a deadly dance, Luca spun, deflecting any incoming bullets and the Dragari''s attacks.


    After the exchange, the Dragari''s expression changed from one of confidence to one of excitement.


    "This is the second time I''ve met someone who could see through my abilities."


    "I get it now. You gained one of the abilities of a dark dragon, mimicry. I don''t know how perfect it is, but it allows you to camouflage things from others."


    "You even have knowledge about dragons, which is interesting. I never thought a lowly human would have that knowledge."


    "A lowly human, hahaha. That is funny. Well, this lowly one will have your head."


    At this moment, all of Luca''s focus was on her enemy. This was the only way she could keep sane using her ability without going crazy.


    If someone else ambushed her from behind now, she would not be able to see it even with her abilities. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seraphine at the side couldn''t follow the flow of the battle at all. Luca kept moving in a random way, but there would always be something there.


    The fight also happened in fast motion; normal humans would only see sparks and shockwaves flying everywhere.


    Contrary to the Dragari''s excited expression, Luca was more alert. She had already used her ability to the utmost, and the result was only a standstill battle.


    Her only hope now was for one of her comrades to come and help.


    She knew Seraphine wouldn''t be able to do anything to help for now.


    Physically, the enemy''s strength was above hers; she could only fight back by timing everything perfectly without any mishaps.


    While Luca was busy fighting, Jake was at the same location in the spire. But contrary to her, who moved toward the top, Jake was going underground.


    He was curious why this spire was necessary to build even though there was already a portal before.


    Jake didn''t believe it was done just as a whim for aesthetic reasons.


    The material required and the amount needed to make this was beyond his calculation. It wasn''t worth it to do without any real reason.


    As he easily entered through the gap in the door, he quickly reached the bottom.


    Stab! Stab!


    Two Dragari that faithfully guarded the door despite the chaos above met their untimely end as Jake stabbed them right in their weak points.


    He then materialized from the shadow, his gaze turning, looking through some small gap to slip inside the shadow.


    He then spotted it. His body turned back into a shadow and tried to enter, but the moment he slipped through, he felt like he was crashing against an iron wall.


    With his current state, the damage was not something he could underestimate. The attack hurt even in his shadow state.


    His body was thrown back into the wall, and Jake felt his bones shatter with blood seeping out from his lips.

 Chapter 317: Dragon?

    "Dammit! I knew it wouldn''t be that simple, but still, if they have such protection in this room, that means it''s quite important.


    What''s really happening on the other side? Did Edward create a huge chaos there coincidentally at this moment?"


    Jake''s eyes locked on the gate. He still didn''t give up on entering it.


    He stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth. With a grin, he took a pill, recovering his bones.


    His shadow then moved like it was alive, covering his body and enhancing his physical strength multiple times. With a shadow-infused dagger, he started poking through the wall, trying to dig his way in.


    At first, the digging proceeded smoothly, but it soon started meeting resistance and then was deflected.


    This made Jake realize the barrier had properties that allowed it to deflect attacks back.


    "I don''t believe they can deflect everything. There should be a limit to it. And for what''s inside¡­"


    The dragari also put barriers outside the city, but they didn''t have any properties like this. So whatever was inside should hold far more importance than even the city.


    As he kept trying, the fight on top of the spire still showed no change.


    Clash after clash happened, but Luca couldn''t find any way to push back her enemy.


    Seraphine also tried to find a good time to ambush the dragari but couldn''t find any.


    As she did this, she also wondered if the dragari had already realized her presence since he had been listening to their conversation before.


    But if he did listen, she wondered why he didn''t do anything to her. Even though their culture wouldn''t allow them to use her as a hostage, it didn''t mean they wouldn''t kill her first.


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    There was also a possibility the dragari didn''t perceive her to be in danger at all.


    As the battle went on, Luca started to understand more about how he used his ability.


    Not only did he hide his own weapon, but sometimes, he also created an illusion of himself. This was what made him look like he was teleporting.


    He would appear in front of Luca like he was teleporting, while in reality, that was just an illusion, and the real him camouflaged, running to her back, then started his attack.


    Luca''s sword slashed through the air, targeting the Dragari''s neck. But its tail raised upward, deflecting it. This was then followed by Luca''s kick to the creature''s torso.


    Bam! Her leg was caught by the Dragari''s grip, but she had already expected this to happen.


    Using this as a pivot, she spun while one of her hands threw a smoke grenade at the creature''s face.


    BOOM! Smoke exploded out. It wasn''t normal smoke; it had a potent ability to disorient all five senses: touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste.


    The smoke overwhelmed the sensory system, making the Dragari unable to act.


    But Luca was already prepared. She closed her eyes and held her breath. Her body now moved based on her predicted movements for three seconds ahead.


    The Dragari quickly used mimicry, camouflaging himself while he put his hand over his nose.


    He knew humans had weapons like this, but as Luca always fought him with her sword despite the many chances she had to use something like this, this attack really caught him off guard.


    Slash!!!


    Luca knew targeting his neck would be useless, as the Dragari would do his best to protect it.


    So her target was the next area that could impact the battle: his tail.


    Blood spurted out as Luca successfully maneuvered and cut the tail off.


    The Dragari reacted by throwing his elbow, trying to attack Luca, but it hit nothing other than air since Luca had already predicted this.


    After cutting the tail, Luca forcefully opened her eyes to see the future possibilities. This allowed her to dodge at the right angle, making sure she took the smallest amount of time to evade.


    Luca started coughing as she got out of the smoke, her eyes red with some tears flowing out. But she smiled as her goal was achieved.


    With her experience, she knew that creatures with tails used them often to balance themselves. Without it, they would struggle to maintain balance, resulting in weakened attacks and agility.


    For the Dragari, getting his tail cut off didn''t just cause pain; it also tarnished his pride as a warrior. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "GROOAR!!!" It roared like a wyvern, his reptilian eyes blazing with anger.


    Black energy started coming out from his body, followed by a rise in temperature.


    Even Luca could feel the sting on her skin while Seraphine took some potion to enhance her resistance toward heat.


    The Dragari''s body started transforming, its wings growing bigger, followed by its body and head. From standing on his two legs, he now stood on four.


    His scales turned more sleek and sharp as the claws on his fingers grew longer and more deadly.


    The face also changed, becoming more like a dragon''s.


    Luca''s hair stood on end while Seraphine quickly ran toward her. "Luca, this is out of our league! Run!"


    Hearing this, Luca didn''t think twice. She took Seraphine in her arms and then jumped through the nearest window.


    PRANG! The glass broke while she turned her body to look toward the spire.


    The wall she had just jumped from turned into rubble, followed by a huge roar that pierced the sky. From inside, a black dragon came flying at high speed toward Luca.


    In the city, the roar brought everyone''s attention to the spire. Isolde and Aldric were among them.


    When they saw Luca and Seraphine jumping out into the sky, they already felt worried. But then they saw a humongous dragon come out from the tower.


    "Fuck it!" Isolde cursed under her breath. She knew if she didn''t force herself, she wouldn''t arrive in time.


    "That is not a dragon. Don''t be fooled by its appearance," Aldric reminded Isolde.


    Isolde didn''t reply. Many elements started spinning around her body. Fire shot out from her feet, followed by the wind.

 Chapter 318: Bad Feeling

    In no time, she arrived at the dragon and Luca. Elements sparked in the air, exploding into blinding light.


    Meanwhile, back at the camp, Alex woke up with a cold sweat on his forehead. He had just had a bad dream that something happened to his mother.


    Seeing her lifeless body covered with blood made his blood boil and his heart throb with pain.


    Alex got out from his camp, then looked toward their destination. Looking at the time, he knew it was close to sunrise. His gaze then turned sharp as he kept looking in that direction.


    Enjoy exclusive content from m-v l''-NovelFire.net


    He could see a spark of light a few times, but the vibration didn''t reach his location.


    "Brother, you couldn''t sleep, too?" Emily''s voice reached his ears.


    Alex already felt her presence coming close, so he was not surprised. "Yes, did you have a bad dream?"


    "No, just a bad feeling. It made me unable to sleep. I feel something bad is happening now."


    Alex ruminated for a moment, then said, "Wake up the others. We will go now. I know Olivia and Aunt Quartz say it''s normal for this to happen on the frontline, but it''s better to check it. I don''t believe this feeling is for nothing."


    Emily didn''t reply; she quickly looked for the others. MingYue was meditating, not sleeping, so she came out before Emily even entered her tent.


    The group quickly gathered and moved toward the city. Quartz, still asleep, asked after a yawn, "Just why did you suddenly change your mind to go this early? You know why I suggested we rest first."


    "I know, Aunt Quartz. But I just have a bad feeling."


    "What bad feeling?"


    "Something bad is happening to mom. I don''t know if it''s because we''re close to the city, and I''m reminded of the tragedy, but I want to make sure."


    "Alright, I agree, but we still need to check the situation first, no matter what you see.


    If something really happened to your mother, the enemy we face is not something we can just intervene with blindly."


    He hesitated for a moment, but then gave a nod. Even if he could control himself, he doubted anyone could control Emily.


    When her emotions flared, with her ability and no obstacles in the way, she would appear where she wanted instantly.


    Alex then raised the pace of his movement while Zold stayed guard at the back, just in case something came to ambush them.


    As they came closer, the city started appearing in their sight. Smoke billowed out, and the ground cracked. With Alex''s sharp eyes, he could see something flying in the air.


    They could see a huge dragon clashing against a hunter floating in the sky.


    As Alex and Emily had never met Luca''s old comrade, they didn''t know who she was. But it was different with Quartz and Olivia.


    Seeing recognition in their eyes, Alex asked, "Who is she?"


    "She is your mother''s old comrade, let''s go!" Quartz quickly said as she ran toward the city.


    Despite being the one to say to be careful, seeing Isolde fighting defensively made her realize the situation was dire. She had met with her and the others; she knew how strong they were.


    Her qi churned as armor started materializing over her body. The armor looked heavy, but Quartz wore it easily without impeding her movement.


    The reason for this is because of the secret technique that Alex made for Quartz, allowing her to focus all her energy on physical strength.


    As she soared through the sky, Alex and the others followed. As they floated closer, Emily''s eyes narrowed down to the ground.


    When she heard it was her mother''s comrade, her priority was to quickly look for Luca. Alex found her first, but he still couldn''t beat Emily in speed.


    Being able to turn into light made Emily unmatched, even with Alex and MingYue''s current strength.


    The only weakness she had was she had to ensure there were no obstacles blocking her path.


    Otherwise, the consequence would not be pretty; even with her current body strength as a nascent soul cultivator, Emily would still be incapacitated.


    On the ground, Luca''s face was pale because she had overexerted her ability when fighting the unique dragari.


    Usually, Emily would land making a crack in the ground, but now, as control over her ability raised to a new level, as long as she prepared everything beforehand, she could stop without making a mess.


    Alex speculated only when Emily became immortal could she fully control her light ability, and at that time, finding someone to beat her would not be a simple task.


    Luca''s eyes widened in shock as she suddenly saw Emily.


    "MOM!" Emily said with a sob as she jumped forward, embracing Luca.


    Before Luca could say anything further, in the next moment, Alex landed beside them with Olivia. Meanwhile, MingYue and Zold moved toward Isolde, following Quartz.


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    Lightning reverberated in the air as Zold appeared right on top of the black dragon. His hair turned spiky while electricity crackled from his eyes.


    Pointing his finger forward, he shot multiple electric bolts toward the black dragon.


    Isolde was surprised by the sudden arrival of a new hunter, but seeing Quartz, she quickly guessed they were allies.


    "Dodge, that is just his mirage." Isolde''s voice reverberated in Zold and the others'' ears.


    This is one technique she created that is similar to telepathy but far simpler. By manipulating wind to carry the vibration of her voice, she delivered it directly to the receiver''s ears, ensuring no one else could hear it.


    Zold frowned upon hearing this, but it was already too late. His lightning bolt passed through the dragon figure like it was just a hologram. In the next moment, he felt like being hit by a truck from behind.


    Quartz, who had just arrived, moved to catch him in the air. Seeing this, MingYue''s lips curled into a smile.


    Unlike Luca and the others, she could feel the dragon''s life force. This so-called mimicry was useless to her eyes.

 Chapter 319: MingYue vs Dragon?

    She pointed her sword toward the sky, ice qi spreading, creating an icy mist. In the next moment, the whole area was sealed inside an ice lotus.


    MingYue does this to prevent the enemy from escaping or disturbing Alex''s reunion with his mother.


    Back on the ground, Aldric let out a chuckle seeing everything that was happening. "It seems I am not needed here now. I will look for Jake." He said to Luca, then left without waiting for her answer.


    Luca just let out a bitter smile. Seeing Alex and Emily now, she suddenly felt like she had left them for ten years. They had changed a lot.


    Emily still had the same actions, but Luca could feel the strength in her body. As for Alex, it was like he completely changed in her absence.


    His face showed someone who had experienced so many things.


    Luca patted Emily''s head gently as she tried to comfort her. But as she did this, her eyes were locked on Alex.


    They didn''t open their lips, but many things were exchanged at that moment. Alex quickly understood the gist of what was happening and the reason why Luca chose not to tell them.


    As for Luca, everything she learned just raised many more questions in her mind.


    Alex sighed, then his lips curled into a warm smile. He walked toward his mother.


    "Mom, trust me." Alex said as he raised his finger toward her forehead.


    In the next moment, the tip of his finger glowed with warm energy. Luca''s eyes kept questioning Alex as she felt this weird energy spread over her body. She could also feel something being carved on her forehead.


    Alex''s finger moved with finesse. Throughout all this, Emily had calmed down. She now sat patiently beside Luca, waiting for Alex''s procedure to be finished.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to finish. "Mom, I will explain after we rescue Dad."


    He then addressed Emily, "Protect mom and her friend, Emily."


    After saying that, Alex disappeared from sight, surprising Luca. Her questioning gaze moved to Emily, "Tell me everything you know."


    Emily meanwhile turned her head around as she was wondering who Alex meant by her mother''s friend. She couldn''t feel Seraphine''s presence despite her standing not far from them.


    Seraphine''s eyebrows creased together as interest started growing in her heart. This was the first time someone could feel her presence without her announcing it.


    ''Just how could he do it,'' Seraphine thought while looking around, trying to locate where Alex was.


    Meanwhile, Alex, using his foot technique, already blinked toward the spire. Read exclusive content at m_v-l''-NovelFire.net


    He knew the monster wouldn''t pose any problem for MingYue''s current strength. She was also supported by Zold and Quartz; in his mind, the monster''s fate was already sealed.


    His main concern now was the weird life energy he detected deep under the spire. He could feel it had some similarity to the eye being he had met before.


    Reaching in front of the spire gate, Alex turned his gaze upward, seeing the dungeon portal right on top.


    His hand flicked forward, and light came out, materializing into many figures kneeling.


    "Petricia, check the portal. Don''t go in, but make sure nothing comes out. If it''s something out of your power, escape."


    "Yes, my king," Petricia replied as she led a squad of goblins toward the top.


    The goblins she led now had cultivation levels at the early core formation stage. Added to Petricia''s ability, Alex believed she shouldn''t have a problem clearing the path, except something really strong came out from the portal.


    Petricia herself had already reached the later stage of core formation. She was already close to a breakthrough, but it seemed something was fundamentally different between goblins and humans at the soul level, making her stuck.


    Meanwhile, inside the lotus, everything changed. The dark dragon''s body was covered in blood, parts of its scales already peeled open.


    One of its eyes was stabbed, while the other one kept looking around, trying to find a weak point to escape.


    MingYue''s presence changed the whole battlefield. She instructed them where to attack, making the monster''s mimicry ability completely useless.


    In desperation, the dragon opened its mouth, and black energy started gathering.


    Seeing this, Isolde, Zold, and Quartz moved quickly to intervene, but MingYue stopped them.


    With a teasing smile, she pointed her sword forward. Ice started gathering in front of the sword tip.


    Ice started expanding in size, turning into a beautiful lotus.


    The Dragari thought MingYue wanted to use it to block his trump card, but unfortunately, he was wrong. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lotus, like it was alive, grew in size, reaching the same height as the Dragari.


    The petals then dropped as they started to bloom. Inside, a very lifelike ice fox appeared. "Groarr!!!"


    The fox leaped forward, its claw smacking the dragon''s jaw, dispersing the energy it charged. Its tail moved, grasping the dragon''s body, while its sharp fangs pierced their way toward the dragon''s scales.


    The Dragari grimaced in pain as it desperately tried to fight back. Isolde watched all this with a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.


    With one look, she knew MingYue, Zold, and Quartz didn''t just use mana. Especially MingYue, who seemed to use a different source of energy.


    Isolde had been stuck at her power level for a long time now. Any method to break it would trigger her curiosity to no end.


    But she knew this was a great opportunity to kill this so-called fake dragon. Her eyes closed as many elements started appearing around her body.


    They spun around until they started to combine. First, it was an earth spike that started growing and transforming into a spear.


    It then became covered with ice before electricity started covering it.


    Seeing the elements used, Zold and Quartz quickly understood what Isolde planned.


    Zold''s eyes flickered, and lightning rumbled in the air as he imbued his power into the spear.


    Quartz meanwhile moved toward the lotus petals that blocked the area. Her feet dug into the ice as her body crouched down, preparing to jump.

 Chapter 320: Combined Attack

    Quartz meanwhile moved toward the lotus petals that blocked the area. Her feet dug into the ice as her body crouched down, preparing to jump.


    Like a tightly coiled spring, her muscles contracted with explosive power. She then leaped forward, kicking the spear with incredible force.


    BAM!!!


    The spear pierced through the air with a deafening boom. As this happened, Isolde imbued it with wind to lower the friction and enhance the speed.


    Frost''s aura started spreading from MingYue. With a gesture of her hand, part of the lotus petal turned into a chain, binding the transformed Dragari down.


    From the outside, the chain looked like MingYue could manipulate part of the lotus at will, but in reality, this was not the case.


    The chains were made from ice mixed with her blood. She was still not at a level where she could manipulate everything that easily.


    Swosh!!!


    The spear pierced through, creating a gaping hole in the Dragari''s body.


    "Groarr!!!" The Dragari roared in pain as blood gushed out from where his heart was.


    Life started disappearing from his eyes, but it didn''t dampen his determination.


    MingYue''s eyes turned sharp as she felt Dragari''s life force fluctuate. She quickly realized he wanted to self-destruct. The draconic body started growing in size like a balloon, his scales cracking further.


    She quickly moved, arriving right in front of the Dragari. Her palm touched his forehead. An ice-cold aura started spreading, turning him into an ice statue.


    Isolde felt a sense of relief; the Dragari had put her life at risk multiple times.


    Before Zold and the others came to help, she was thinking of a way to pull him down to the ground. But she never found a way; instead, the Dragari kept attacking her from unexpected spots.


    MingYue put the frozen Dragari into her storage ring; even though he had lost his heart, it was not a wound they couldn''t heal. As long as his brain wasn''t damaged, it wasn''t a problem.


    The frost lotus then turned into icy mist, revealing the burning city.


    Back at the spire, Alex was now looking at Jake. He didn''t attack since he concluded Jake was one of his mother''s comrades.


    Jake''s lips curled into a smile as he quickly recognized him. "You have a similar presence to your father now. I am Jake, one of your parents'' old comrades."


    "It seems you have seen me before, but this is the first time I have met you."


    "Yes, when I saw you, you were still a small child," Jake replied with a lie. He had seen Alex many times, even after that day, but mostly at their parents'' request. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t want him to know he was following from the shadows.


    Alex could detect the lie, but he decided not to ask further as there was something more crucial to do. His gaze turned to the door.


    Part of the wall was already destroyed, revealing an invisible barrier of energy.


    "I got stuck. If you have a way, we should try to breach it. I am sure whatever is inside is something important," Jake said, as he could tell now Alex was stronger than him.


    It was a realization that came from his instinct honed in the underworld.


    Jake never underestimated this instinct; it had saved his life multiple times.


    Alex started digging information from his brain, looking through a list of arrays and runes. But he didn''t find any solution.


    He then decided to dig through some of the information he got from Felidaen''s library.


    While he did this, Jake let out a small chuckle as it reminded him of his old comrade. When Edward thought of what to do, he also used to act like that, in a daze. But this didn''t mean he let down his guard.


    If anyone came close to a certain distance, Edward would quickly become alert. Based on what he saw, Jake didn''t doubt it was the same with Alex.


    A rock then appeared in his hand; he flicked it slowly toward the barrier. The moment it hit, the rock repelled back with similar speed.


    Next, Alex tried to shoot a small fireball, his eyes focused, making sure he wouldn''t miss any changes.


    The moment it hit, the barrier''s surface rippled gently like a rock falling into a calm lake. Alex started getting an idea of how it worked.


    The reflection seemed to work by utilizing space-like abilities. When the energy entered, it created a portal that made it return to where it came from. However, Alex felt that his hypothesis was not entirely correct.


    He had seen part of the wall destroyed; it was clear it came from Jake trying to enter through the barrier. If his hypothesis was correct, this shouldn''t have happened.


    Jake should have teleported back, not gotten knocked.


    "What are your thoughts on this barrier?" Alex asked. He wanted to know how Jake ended up knocked back and how he tried to barge inside the room.


    "As you tried, it seems to be able to reflect anything. I have tried using an incorporeal form to enter, but I got knocked back instead."


    "How did you feel when you got knocked? I mean, did you get pushed back with equal strength, or was it something more?"


    Jake tried to remember what happened before; he felt like he was being crushed by a truck. It''s not like he tried to barge in with all his strength. He just did the usual change into shadow and then tried to slip through the gap.


    "It''s something more, as I just moved at my usual speed." Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelFire.net


    Alex frowned since this made all his hypotheses false.


    "Can you try to do something similar? Like creating this incorporeal energy and attacking it?"


    Jake replied with his action. He flicked his finger, shooting a dark bullet into the gap in the wall.


    When it hit the barrier, it rippled in the same way before it shot back. This time with more strength than it was shot.

 Chapter 321: Inside The Room

    To normal eyes, Jake may have only flicked his finger, but Alex saw what really happened.


    He could see the shadow gathering on Jake''s finger, turning into a sphere.


    Then, with a flick, he shot it like a solid object.


    ''His ability is related to shadow¡­. It seems this type of energy causes a special reaction. But why?''


    Alex then started coming to a realization. In the first place, what is shadow?


    It''s nothing more than darkness created from light. It''s not a real object or even energy, just a term used to address this phenomenon.


    Then how could it be used as an attack or something solid?


    ''It''s all thanks to Mana¡­ but there should be more rules on this. Wait, the fireball I created before was using Qi.


    Does this mean there is something more about Mana than what I know?


    Something that could make all these weird abilities come true.


    Even in the cultivation world, Mingyue has never heard of anyone with abilities overshadowing or any other abstract concept.''


    Alex felt he was getting into something, but he knew it wasn''t the priority for now. Alex created another small fireball, but this time, he mixed it with a bit of Mana.


    The barrier rippled once more; this time, it was reflected with stronger momentum. ''It seems it''s true, Mana will be returned with more power.''


    Curious, Alex moved closer. There was one more energy he hadn''t tried, and that was lifeforce.


    He raised his palm forward, and blood seeped out from his fingertips, moving like a snake, slowly creeping into the barrier.


    The moment it touched, there was no ripple. The blood snake kept moving in without any hindrance. Alex''s lips curled into a smile. The next moment, his body glowed with green energy.


    Alex walked forward, entering the room.


    Jake looked at it in a daze, ''I am right. He is not normal at all. Just what is that green energy? I am sure it''s not Mana.''


    For a hunter like Jake, who was already used to Mana, Qi didn''t feel much different. Find your next read at m_v l|e-NovelFire.net


    The only exception was people like Isolde; she invested a lot of time and resources learning about Mana to reach a new level of strength.


    However, the lifeforce was different; it gave out a unique presence that made them feel like they were seeing a living being compared to energy.


    Inside, Alex''s eyes quickly locked onto the floating object in the middle of the room. He didn''t even look at the surrounding area.


    An eyeball was floating inside a glass container, releasing a weird energy that seemed to be transferred upward.


    Alex''s instincts flared, embershift hammer appearing in his hand as he leaped forward.


    BAM! PRANG!!!


    The glass smashed into pieces, but the moment it hit the eyeball, Alex felt like he was hitting a very strong resistance. It was like he was using a normal hammer trying to destroy a wall.


    His muscles tensed as he focused more strength on the attack. Flames started appearing on the hammer''s surface, creating a sizzling heat that melted the resistance.


    Alex didn''t use any Qi or Mana, wanting to avoid any reaction.


    He still didn''t know if this eyeball was the source of the weird barrier outside, but he could guess what this eyeball was for.


    It looked like the one in the outer gate, meaning with this eyeball, the gate above could probably connect to the universe hub.


    If not because he had met the strange eye creature, Alex would try to capture it. But since he already knew how strong it was, Alex took the safe route; he just wanted to completely destroy it. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling its protection starts breaking, the eyeball''s pupil narrowed.


    A black fog started coming out from its body, turning it into a humanoid monster with one big eye and no other features.


    The black humanoid creature leaped forward, its hand clenched into a fist, then moved toward Alex''s face.


    Alex tilted his head, trying to dodge, but the creature seemed to know where he was going to move as it adjusted the angle to make sure it hit him square in the face.


    Since he couldn''t dodge, Alex created a blood barrier covering his face. He then stomped on the ground, creating an explosive flame to knock everything away.


    But the creature didn''t even flinch. The fist hit Alex, crashing into the blood barrier and launching him into the wall.


    Alex could feel his cheek was sore, but it lasted only for a moment before it healed. He then took back the hammer and covered his hand with solid blood.


    The creature had already gotten close to Alex again, preparing to pummel him. Alex quickly stabilized his body, and his hand hit the creature in the torso.


    Seeing its reaction, Alex quickly realized what he was up against. His lips turned into a grin.


    Light started materializing in his hand, forming into a cube. In the next moment, the creature felt a pull toward the cube.


    A black fog started coming out once again from its body, canceling the pulling force.


    Alex raised his hand, throwing more of the awecube, creating more suction. This made the creature let out more black fog to protect itself.


    Based on its movement, Alex realized the creature didn''t have any sentience; it was more like a golem, a dead object that could move.


    This meant he shouldn''t have any problem imprisoning it into the awecube.


    Capitalizing on the opportunity, Alex manipulated the blood on his fist, turning it into a spear, the tip twisted like a drill head, while it started emanating heat.


    Then he started manipulating it into a spin, like a drill.


    Alex crouched his body down, then sprinted toward the creature.


    Screeching sounds followed by sparks filled the air as Alex tried to pierce its torso. The creature gazed down, looking at him.


    Alex grinned. This was the moment he was waiting for; he knew if he directly targeted the eye, the creature would react very differently.

 Chapter 322: A Wife?

    But now, with the close distance and the creature turning its eyes down, Alex created another spear from blood coming out from his back.


    STAB! It pierced the creature''s pupil.


    At that exact moment, the black fog started to dissipate, followed by the creature''s solid body. But the awe cube''s suction still continued, absorbing part of it.


    Alex quickly took all the awecubes back into his storage ring.


    He just wanted to take back the blood spear from the eyes when suddenly a huge energy started appearing.


    In the next second, the whole place was filled with blinding light.


    Jake, who was standing guard outside, could feel an explosion of energy, followed by the dissipation of the barrier.


    What he saw inside made his face turn ugly as his eyes darted around the room looking for Alex.


    A few moments ago, outside, as the fight finished, MingYue was talking with the others. Emily introduced her to Luca while Olivia tended to Isolde''s wounds. Through all this, Isolde''s eyes were observing Zold, MingYue, and Quartz.


    When Olivia began to heal her, her focus changed once more. ''I am sure now, whatever method they use is applicable to everyone.''


    A decision quickly formed in her mind: no matter what, she needed to find a way to learn this.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now locked in an awkward conversation. She could feel Luca''s gaze analyzing her from head to toe, and it had been like this for a while now, after Emily introduced her as Alex''s future wife.


    Luca had only heard some parts about Alex being of the vampire race; Emily hadn''t told the part about MingYue. She did this on purpose as she wanted to see her mother''s expression.


    And Luca didn''t disappoint; the information caught her off guard. The only romance she knew of in Alex''s life was his crush on Olivia, but it didn''t last long. So, to suddenly get the news he had a future wife shocked her to the core.


    Her first impression was that MingYue was beautiful, but she could directly tell MingYue was not someone who came from their world.


    Many questions formed in her mind about how this happened, ''The last thing I remember was telling him to find a job, then somehow he ended up bringing the guild back.


    This already surprised me, but now bringing a wife?''


    Seeing MingYue give an awkward smile without rejecting the idea silently confirmed Emily''s remark.


    "I am Luca, Alex''s mother. I am sorry for looking at you like this; the news just caught me off guard," Luca said, as Emily grinned at the situation.


    Little did she know Luca had already noted this and prepared to give her an earful after everything was done.


    MingYue just wanted to introduce herself when suddenly her expression changed. She felt her connection with Alex disappearing, with Vesa''s voice reverberating in her mind.


    ''Queen, something is happening to King. It feels similar to when he met that Eye being.''


    ''He got transported to the outer gate?'' Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelFire.net


    ''No, more like King was moved by a similar power that came from that being.''


    Luca, meanwhile, thought she had made a bad impression by gazing too long. "Sorry, did I startle you? As I said, I was just caught by surprise."


    Hearing this, MingYue replied, "No¡­ It''s not that." But she then stopped as she didn''t know how to give the news that her son was missing.


    After some consideration, she said, "Excuse me, I need to look for Alex. We will talk again later."


    MingYue then quickly left the area, making Luca frown.


    "Look, Mom, you just made my sister-in-law run away. If you keep doing this, Brother will never get married," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "That is not it, something else is happening. Even though this is my first time meeting her, I could guess something is happening with your brother, but how did she know? Do they have a way to talk to each other?" Luca asked.


    She knew Emily just wanted to lighten the mood, to take her focus from the situation so she wouldn''t endanger herself anymore by taking a risk.


    "Yes, they can. I told you how Brother is a half-vampire now, right? Well, both of them are, and they are linked with an invisible connection. So honestly, their relationship is already decided no matter what their choices were."


    Luca frowned as she had many words to say about that topic. Having her son''s fate decided by something out of her control didn''t sit well with her. But she knew that was not the main point now.


    She quickly stood up, surprising Emily. "Let''s follow her; something is happening with your brother."


    "Don''t worry, Mom. As I said, he is immortal now. Even if he met some trouble, us going there could just make the situation worse."


    Luca''s eyes turned stern, making Emily flinch. "I am not a burden, Emily. I can take care of myself."


    Seeing that gaze, Emily sighed. She could only follow Luca now. She knew going further would instead become a conflict. Her mother would take no for an answer after having that gaze.


    "I will wait here. I still need to recover my mana," Isolde replied.


    "You cannot stay alone. Quartz and Olivia, both of you stay here and protect her, then come after us in the spire," Luca said.


    Despite what Emily said, or how strong her children had become, she still planned to enter the dungeon and look for Edward with her own hands. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luca then moved with Emily and Quartz.


    Meanwhile, Jack and Alaric were now cleaning up the city. At first, he planned to go after Jake, but Jake told him to look for Heimdall.


    After causing chaos, Heimdall was nowhere to be seen. The shadow he put on Heimdall also told him he was moving to the edge of the city, not to the spire.


    At the city border, a group of dark hunters were now busy pillaging any resources they could find. Their priority was medicine, drugs, knowledge, and weapons.

 Chapter 323: Pillaging

    Since they didn''t have storage rings or cubes, they could only put everything on their modified vehicles: trucks and Humvees.


    The leader, with the scar on his eye, stabbed his spear into one of the Dragaris citizens. His hatred toward them was deep.


    He would not allow any survivor, civilian or not; all of them would fall by his hand.


    His eyes then locked on the spire, an intense desire starting to grow in his heart. He wanted to destroy it, making sure no more Dragari could come to his world.


    One of his comrades then came to his side. Her body was covered with blood. Even though the Dragari had a warrior culture, this didn''t mean everyone was strong. Their civilians could still fight or hunt to a certain degree, but against veteran hunters like them, they were no match.


    It was just a one-sided massacre. Like what happened many years ago, only the positions were reversed.


    "Should we go there, Leader?"


    "The hunter that started this attack should have some history in this city. They are probably one of the early survivors that escaped with a helicopter or other transportation. But even with this, I doubt they will take us kindly. Better to wait for them to finish what they want to do."


    "You are wrong. We don''t judge people like that. Although we do look down on you for cooperating with other species, despite the circumstances, you should have made better choices."


    A stranger''s voice suddenly reached his ears, making the leader turn alert. He quickly turned his gaze toward the source, seeing a man emanating strength. Despite knowing he was not Heimdall''s opponent, that didn''t mean he could just accept his remark.


    "What would you know? You just ran when the tragedy happened. If we didn''t make a deal with other species, how do you think we would survive here? By making enemies of everyone?"


    Heimdall let out a chuckle. "Let me correct you first, I was not here when that happened. You are still living now thanks to my comrade''s sacrifice; otherwise, the boss monster would have already decimated everything. And finally, you always have a choice. You can move further, trying to return back to society. Or you can do what you say, making enemies out of everyone while you hide."


    "Then how many will we sacrifice with that choice? Do you think it''s that easy?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Heimdall''s eyes sharpened. "I never said it''s easy, but at the very least those who sacrificed will die at peace. Do you know what happens to those people sold to other species?"


    Heimdall suddenly appeared in front of the leader, making him take a few steps back. While his other comrades surrounded Heimdall, preparing for confrontation.


    "You fear me now, despite us all being human, and you having more numbers. Now what do you think your comrades feel?


    Being alone in the middle of weird species, sold by their people.


    They may put on a brave face when it happens, but afterward???"


    Heimdall turned silent for a moment, his tone becoming chillingly cold, "Do you know there are many things in this world worse than death?"


    Hearing what he said made the leader''s face turn ugly. Different from the others, he knew almost everyone who was sold.


    There was never a day he had slept without having a nightmare.


    Guilt started gnawing at his heart, but he knew if he sulked like this, it would affect the morale of his members.


    "You may be stronger, but that doesn''t mean you can judge us as you wish. We do what we need to do to survive. I may not be proud of it, even living a nightmare because of it. But that doesn''t mean what we do is wrong."


    "Right¡­ wrong¡­ Funny, you say that while I didn''t mean it that way. Well, take it as you want it, I don''t mind you pillaging this place, but I came here to tell you two things: first, stay away from the spire, and secondly, stop killing the civilians.


    I hate those Dragari, but what you do will just cause unnecessary anger.


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    If you have the strength, kill those that fight back; those that cannot fight anymore, let them be."


    Despite feeling disgust and hate, there was a line Heimdall would never cross. This was made from all the tragic experiences he had lived.


    The leader frowned. Killing the weak civilians was not only to vent his anger. It also boosted his people''s morale and allowed him to loot their scales afterward. He knew the Lycan would purchase them at a good price.


    Just like them, the Lycan hated the Dragari. He didn''t know the real reason for this, but Dragari scales were treated as trophies for them.


    "And why should I listen to you?" the leader asked once more.


    Heimdall suddenly appeared behind the leader. He could feel something sharp and cold pressed right against his back.


    The others quickly raised their weapons, preparing to retaliate, but the leader raised his hand, gesturing for them to stop.


    "Because I could end your life anytime. Let me tell you, my ability allows me to move vast distances almost instantly, so it''s in your best interest to be in my good graces.


    Otherwise, I could end your life anytime.


    Who knows, I might suddenly decide to come over when you are asleep, or just having some fun with a woman.


    You never know, I could just appear anytime. Not even this city''s barrier can stop me."


    After giving out his warning, Heimdall disappeared once again, but not before giving another word.


    "This one is just my advice. Take what you can, sell it for money, then return back to society.


    If you report all the information you find here, I am sure the association will pardon what you do."


    The leader stayed in his spot as he started considering the idea. Even with the Dragari gone, it didn''t mean they could automatically leave without any danger.

 Chapter 324: Courting Death!

    They may be dark hunters, but they became one because of circumstances, different from others who do it out of greed. They had people who couldn''t fight, even children and the elderly.


    ''If I sell everything, I should be able to buy some large mounts to make our way there. And with these strong hunters going all the way here, it means they should have cleaned up some of the paths.''


    "Leader, what should we do now?"


    "Forget about him. We will pillage everything we can, then return back to the base.


    He has a point. If we can return to the human city, our lives will be far better.


    With our experience, we can make our own guild or make a deal with an existing one."


    "What about this lizard?" one of the dark hunters asked as his sword was put on the Dragari child''s neck.


    "Tie him up, just to make sure he doesn''t do anything weird."


    Meanwhile, Alex found his head dizzy. He could feel something cold touching his face. The last memory he had was engulfed with blinding light, then everything else turned dark.


    ''Vesa, what happened?'' Alex asked.


    But he didn''t get any answer. Looking into his inner world, he saw a strange sigil that looked like an eye carved on top of the sky.


    "Alucard," Alex called out.


    It was clear someone was messing with his soul. With Alucard inside him, this should be impossible to happen, or at the very least, he should have some resistance.


    But Alex didn''t feel anything other than a blackout.


    ''My connection with Vesa and MingYue is also cut. Is it that eye being again? Dammit!''


    Focusing his senses on his body, Alex could feel his legs submerged under cold water. Opening his eyes, he was met with a view of the forest. He turned his gaze around and then froze.


    In front of him was a beautiful maiden with eyes filled with shock. Her body was submerged underwater, but with how clear it was, Alex had no problem seeing everything.


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    The woman had long curly green hair falling onto her chest. Her emerald eyes looked like those of a reptile, with two draconic horns coming out from her forehead.


    "Kyaaa¡­" the woman screamed and quickly hid her body with her hands.


    In that instant, a loud scream reached Alex''s ear. If he were just a normal awakener, he was sure his eardrums would burst open, "JUNIOR, YOU DARE PEEKING AT OUR PRINCESS?!! YOU ARE COURTING DEATH!!!" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s lips twitched as the development was something he was very familiar with.


    ''Just what did I get myself into now¡­ wait, this is not my fault. It''s that damned eye, bastard,'' Alex cursed in his mind while turning his gaze toward the voice.


    He saw an elderly man looking at him with stern eyes. All his hair was white, but his body was still fit like a young man. He wore a white robe with a draconic horn coming out from his head.


    Alex just wanted to form a reply when the woman suddenly yelled, "Get out! BOTH OF YOU, OUT!"


    The elderly man quickly moved. He jumped, trying to pick Alex and leave the place.


    Alex saw the elderly man''s hand coming toward him. He quickly responded, deflecting it while jumping out from the river.


    "I can go by myself," Alex replied with a nonchalant expression, then began walking deep into the forest.


    His actions surprised the elderly man and the woman.


    "I will go first, princess," the elderly man said without looking at her, his gaze burning with curiosity about Alex''s back.


    He couldn''t feel any strength coming from Alex, but he still managed to deflect his attack easily. Considering the predicament his clan was in, some ideas started forming in his mind.


    "Hey, Junior, wait for me. Didn''t your parents teach you to respect the elderly?"


    Despite saying this, the man had already arrived behind Alex without any problem.


    ''When in Rome, do as the Romans do,'' Alex thought. With how the elderly man talked, he could guess what kind of culture this world had.


    He stopped in his steps, then turned his gaze with an amiable smile on his face. Putting both hands in front of his chest, Alex gave a small bow.


    "Senior, this junior is Alex. What happened was just an accident."


    "That will be up to our princess to judge, but where do you come from? I''ve never seen clothing style like that."


    Thinking fast, Alex replied, "This junior just has a unique sense of fashion. Anyway, how can I help you, senior?"


    Alex already knew he wouldn''t be allowed to leave, not that he planned to since he needed to get more information. But by taking the initiative to offer his help, he knew they would look at him in a better light.


    This is also why Alex chose to deflect the old man''s hand, to show his prowess.


    The old man started stroking his white beard. "For now, let''s wait for the princess. I am sure she has something to say after what you did."


    Alex''s lips twitched, ''I know it. Every single old man I meet is a sly fox. He purposely said that to remind me I am the one at fault.''


    "I don''t know how you ended up suddenly appearing there, but based on your appearance, you seem to be in trouble."


    Alex''s armor was torn in some parts and painted with dry bloodstains.


    "I already defeated my enemy, senior. He somehow teleported me away," Alex replied.


    The elderly man frowned since it was different from what he suspected. He thought Alex used a life-saving method, like a teleportation talisman, to escape, but it turned out the opponent was the one using it.


    A teleportation talisman should have teleported him to a safe area, usually one with no other living beings around.


    ''Is his enemy just desperate, trying to teleport him somewhere dangerous? But it''s weird; I''ve never heard this happen before.''

 Chapter 325: The Plot

    His eyes squinted at Alex. ''This boy is suspicious. I am sure he has many secrets. But this is the most perfect choice.'' S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite what he was thinking, the old man always had a smile on his face¡ªa smile that looked like an evil merchant''s smile in Alex''s eyes.


    ''Trying to use me for your benefit, just try and see who gains more. Don''t underestimate someone who has read tons of novels,'' Alex chuckled in his mind.


    "That is good then, but you would still need a place to rest. How about joining us? We are close to our city."


    ''This damned old fox, like I have any choice. But based on his appearance, is he a Dragari too? But he looks more human than Dragari. It''s like a mixed race of human and dragon.''


    While Alex and the old man exchanged small talk, plotting to use each other, the green-haired woman had already finished her bath and gotten dressed.


    Looking at her reflection in the water, she let out a deep sigh. "To think after all my effort, the same fate still befalls me."


    Feeling stressed, she walked back to the river. But this time, she didn''t get wet. Her feet stepped on top of the water like it was the ground.


    Her movement was gentle as she started moving her body, performing a ritualistic dance.


    Each movement was not just graceful; it seemed to contain mysterious power that affected the surroundings. Water droplets began floating around her.


    At first, they just stopped in the middle of the air, but as the pace of the dance increased, the water started moving like it was alive.


    It moved around the woman''s body without making her wet, making the dance look even more beautiful.


    If Alex were here, he would be fascinated, not just because of the beautiful dance, but the energy like qi that came out from her movement.


    It would remind him of secret techniques from MingYue''s world that were done in a different way.


    She kept moving gracefully, her sullen expression changing into a smile as she forgot all her burdens.


    Meanwhile, Alex had learned a lot from the old man. He was now sitting in their camp, waiting for the princess.


    "Let me get this straight, so you need my help to fight as your princess''s representative in your clan meeting?"


    "Yes. Don''t worry. As long as you win, we will make sure the reward is worth your effort."


    "Did by chance you feel the princess is like your own daughter, as you took care of her since she was a child? And this competition will decide her fate.


    Like if she loses, she will be sent out to marry some young master to help your clan?"


    "How would you know?" the old man asked with a confused gaze. Suspicion even started to grow in his heart that Alex was a spy from the other faction. But then he felt he was not that dumb to act like this.


    "That is textbook¡­" Alex mumbled in a low voice, making the old geezer even more confused. "Never mind that it''s just my guess; that kind of thing happens often."


    "You are not wrong. What genius? Without the resources, they will still be stuck for eternity in their realm. We have no choice but to send them to a stronger clan."


    "Every genius you have was sent to them, bolstering their strength even further. How would your clan ever rise in power then?" Alex asked in confusion.


    He had often read similar plots. The weak clan sends their genius to a stronger clan to be married off or join as their henchmen or maids.


    In this case, there are only two possibilities: prove their loyalty to the new clan to get allocated good resources or forever have their potential chained down.


    There is no way the stronger clan will allow the lower clan to rise in power. It will just raise their competitor and the possible risk of a new enemy.


    The old man sighed, "Of course, we know this wouldn''t allow us to get stronger, but it will ensure our safety.


    In my clan, the princess will be married off to another stronger one, while the prince will go on their own pilgrimage, looking for a way to become stronger outside our land."


    "Hoping for a lucky encounter to elevate their strength?" Enjoy new chapters from m-v l''-NovelFire.net


    "That is one of them, but the main reason is to explore and look for untapped resources. Of course, this comes with high risk, but there is no other choice."


    Alex wanted to ask how many clans there were and how things worked here. But he knew better than to ask those questions directly.


    It would just show he is not a native. Based on the information he learned so far, there should be no sects here.


    Even if there were, they functioned more like academies. Each clan is just like their own small country that pays tribute to the stronger ones.


    He then looked at the sky. It had a yellowish-purple hue with two suns hanging high in the sky.


    Oddly enough, the temperature didn''t feel hotter than his planet. As for the people in the cohort, Alex could see a mix of races.


    There were people like the Dragari he had fought before, those like the old geezer who were a mix of humans and Dragari, or pure humans like himself.


    ''Is this inside the dungeon? No, I doubt it. If that were the case, the Dragari city we attacked should not have enslaved humans.''


    Alex may have arrived late, but he still saw the humans bound in chains fighting the Dragari with red eyes.


    "So, how about my proposal?" the old man asked.


    "I am still not clear on the enemy''s strength. I don''t want to take a risk," Alex replied.


    Despite already planning to join in, he didn''t want to make it easy for the old man.


    He always kept it as if he was interested but not sure.


    "Don''t worry. Seeing how easily you deflected my movement, you shouldn''t have any problems. And it''s not like you will have a death match. Just incapacitate them all."

 Chapter 326: Making A Deal

    "One more question, I don''t get why you need to go through this kind of tournament. Didn''t you say you would send the princess to another clan anyway?"


    "This is done to quell their hate and give them some hope. Otherwise, all the princesses would think of rebelling against the clan.


    Doing this will also show the princess''s capability to build up their network."


    "Why not have the princesses fight each other then?" Alex''s question quickly made him the center of attention.


    Everyone turned their gaze at him. Alex let out a chuckle, playing it as a joke as he thought, ''So it''s a world like this. Despite strength ruling supreme, they are still biased.''


    But then Alex realized there were also some women fighters in the cohort. This meant his thought was wrong.


    ''Or they don''t want the princesses to get hurt, as their value will lower in that case?''


    While Alex thought of this, one of the guards raised his voice, "Princess Reina has returned."


    The elderly man quickly stood up and ran toward the beautiful woman. He gave a small bow, showing his respect.


    "Rise, Uncle Moria, I have told you multiple times not to do that."


    Moria smiled, then started whispering into Reina''s ear, making her turn her gaze toward Alex.


    Alex could already guess what they were talking about, but based on her expression, it seemed they had some disagreement. After some more time, Reina made her way toward him. "So, your name is Alex? Follow me."


    She said, then walked into her luxurious wagon.


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    There were multiple wagons in the area, each being pulled by a horse. The horses looked normal at first glance, but if Alex focused, he would see they were far stronger than normal ones, even compared to the weird horse he captured in the Felidaen realm.


    Alex looked at Morti, silently asking if he should follow, but Morti could only give him a helpless nod.


    In the end, the decision was in her hands. ''You are too nice for our clan, Ms. Reina. If things keep like this, I am afraid something will happen to you like it did to your mother,'' Morti thought.


    Reina''s mother''s fate was quite tragic as she was sacrificed to a higher clan because of their family''s decision.


    Inside, the wagon was bigger; it could easily fit ten people, with two maids waiting for her.


    Reina raised her hand to excuse them. As they left, she turned her gaze to Alex. "My name is Reina. I don''t know what Uncle Moria offered you, but I will be clear. What happened to me now happened on purpose. Someone is pulling strings from the background; they want me out of the family."


    "So you mean things will become difficult for me the moment I enter your clan?"


    "Yes, that is why I suggest you just go on your way. As for what happened, just forget about it; it''s just an accident."


    Alex found the woman''s remark strange. ''Before, she screamed in anger; now she just brushes it off. Is she too stressed about her situation?''


    Alex thought she just didn''t want to have any false hope. That is why she preferred to reject all possibilities and just embrace the despair. Some people do choose that, but it''s not his problem.


    He needed the information about the realm and to find out the reason he was sent here. Was it a complete accident, like he triggered some countermeasure, or was it done on purpose?


    "You don''t need to worry about me; it''s just an exchange. It''s not like you will lose anything if I fail."


    Reina squinted her eyes, hearing how determined Alex was. "Just what is your purpose?"


    What Alex thought was not wrong; she was desperate but for a different reason. She wanted to go to the clan allocated to her, but not as a sacrifice; she wanted to come as a potential talent.


    In this way, she would be able to find out what happened to her mother.


    "I have my reasons, but don''t worry; I won''t lose."


    Reina turned silent. She had seen how Alex parried Moria''s attack easily. If Alex won, then she would completely fail to get into that clan. It''s not like she had the capability to infiltrate or attack it head-on.


    After some rumination, she decided to come clean. "I don''t know how much you know about the situation, but I don''t want you to win."


    Alex tapped his finger on the table, starting to think of many plots he had read before to guess the situation. After remembering the culture of her clan, he asked, "Do you have some personal reason to go to this clan?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you want to destroy it?"


    Alex''s question caught Reina off guard. Despite his strength, that was a big talk if he really knew how strong a big clan was.


    But remembering Alex''s weird appearance, she asked, "Do you even know how strong they are?"


    "Tell me about it."


    "Can you even be sure to beat dozens of heavenly ascension-awakened cultivators?"


    Hearing the familiar words, Alex''s eyes widened. "What did you say again?"


    Meanwhile, back in Alex''s world, MingYue arrived at an underground room in the spire.


    Her eyes looked around, but she couldn''t find any of the eyes remaining. Before Alex disappeared, he had informed her of this weird object. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Vesa, any idea?'' MingYue asked.


    Not long after, Luca and the others also arrived. Seeing Jake standing on the side, she quickly asked, "Where is my son?"


    Jake let out a deep sigh, then started explaining what happened without omitting any detail.


    ''Queen, I detect some traces of space shift.''


    ''Do you know where it goes?''


    ''Yes, but it''s weird. Based on the coordinates, this should be your world, Queen.''


    MingYue quickly frowned. She didn''t get how it could be her world, but this also made her feel relieved. If it were another world, it would be more dangerous since who knew what they would face.

 Chapter 327: Midnight Clan

    ''Wait, if it''s my world, that doesn''t explain how it could cut our connection. Is he inside one of the secret realms?''


    ''That is one of the possibilities, Queen.''


    Her gaze then turned upward. ''What about the portal above? Can you tell where the destination was?''


    ''I will need to check it first, Queen.''


    The red fog started coming out from MingYue''s body, then coalesced into Vesa. She then disappeared without saying a word to the others.


    Hearing what happened, Luca''s face turned pale. She quickly turned to MingYue. "Do you know anything?"


    "Yes, I have some idea where Alex is, but don''t worry, Aunt, I am sure he is alright. More importantly, don''t we need to look for Uncle Edward?" MingYue asked.


    Knowing Alex''s personality, she was sure this was what he would want her to do. As for Alex, MingYue was not worried; she was sure he would be able to find a way out by himself.


    The only thing that worried her was the attention of the eye being.


    Luca became conflicted. She wanted to look for Alex, but the opportunity to find Edward was in front of her eyes.


    As Luca pondered over this, Alex made a deal with Reina.


    "So, how about it? I will win the tournament for you, then we can just swap positions with the loser. This way, even if something happens, no one will link it to you."


    "If it''s really destroyed, no one will even bother to care who caused it. They will just come like vultures to lay claim over what is left," Reina said while her eyes still looked at Alex with disbelief.


    She couldn''t tell where Alex gained the confidence to take on a whole clan just from someone he just met.


    "I expect that, but we never know," Alex replied.


    For him, helping Reina was the fastest way to gain an understanding of this world.


    Reina squinted her eyes, observing Alex, trying to guess his motive. What she told him was something that normal people would just ignore or not want to have anything to do with.


    An idea then came to her mind. "Do you, by chance, have any feelings toward me?"


    From her understanding, that is the only reason someone would do that. There was also the incident when they first met; who knew it was love at first sight.


    Hearing her question, Alex coughed. "No, I already have a partner."


    Reina observed him, trying to guess if he was lying or not. But Alex brushed it off.


    "I am serious. Anyway, I have my own reasons, and it''s not because of you. Rather than that, how about telling me more about your clan? Your uncle outside didn''t tell you any crucial information."


    Reina still didn''t believe his remark, but she decided to answer his question.


    "My clan name is Midnight. As you see, we come from a mixed race, which makes our inner-court politics complicated. My father having many children also doesn''t help."


    "How many will I face in total?"


    "My brothers are not called back as they are each busy with their own tasks."


    "Looking for their own resources to reach new realms, yes, your uncle has told me that. Although he looks too old to be one."


    Reina let out a chuckle. "I already get used to calling him that." She then returned to the topic. "As for my sisters, I have ten other siblings."


    While saying this, Reina had hate flicker in her eyes.


    "So your relationship is not good with them?" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good? Even calling it bad would be an understatement. We are all out for each other''s blood. I just never get why my mom tried to tell me to have a good relationship with them, even though she knew what had happened." Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelFire.net


    "Your mom has a point, though. Killing each other will only hurt your clan more rather than help. It makes it easier for others to intervene and destroy your clan from the inside."


    "In that case, you should blame my father. If not for his stupid policy, we would not do things like this."


    "With limited resources, I guess that is not a choice."


    "What not a choice? Do you think we all want to be cultivators like this?


    They could just let people who don''t want to manage the business or the city. But no, every talented one is forced to contribute to the clan."


    "Then what happens when your clan doesn''t have enough strength?


    I am not taking your father''s side, but I get it. Without enough strength, it''s only a matter of time before your clan is snuffed out. At that time, things will be even worse."


    Reina turned silent, as she knew what Alex said was right, but she could not accept it. "


    That doesn''t make it right for him to sacrifice his own sons and daughters. Just how many of my brothers do you think have died from these missions?"


    "Seeing your clan''s current situation, it should be a lot. But doesn''t your clan do the same to those from smaller clans?"


    Alex''s question made Reina speechless. She could not refute it since that is how every clan works in this world. All the way to the top.


    "Well, I am just stating my opinion. No need to think of it seriously. So how about it? Do we have a deal or not?"


    Reina''s eyebrows creased together, and a paper then appeared in her hand. One that Alex was familiar with, but with some changes¡ªa contract.


    ''Is this place really MingYue''s world? Or is it another one, and cultivation is just streamlined throughout all worlds?'' Alex thought to himself, feeling suspicious about the whole ordeal.


    He then read the terms and agreed to make a deal with Reina. Different from the usual contracts where their lives were put on the line, this one was simpler.


    The moment they agreed, the contract turned into flecks of light that flew into both their little fingers, becoming something like a black ring.

 Chapter 328: Morgana

    If anyone broke their promise, the ring would break.


    "Since you are stronger than me, this is the best contract we can do," Reina said while her eyes studied Alex''s expression.


    "The basis of a deal is trust. I prefer this kind of contract rather than one where life is on the line. It just means the other party cannot be trusted." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reina felt satisfied with his answer. "Keep this between us."


    "No problem. You already wrote it in the contract anyway. If I tell anyone, you will know." Alex replied with a smile, then excused himself from the wagon.


    Looking at his disappearing back, Reina''s lips curled into a smile while she thought, ''He seems to be a capable man. I hope he really can help me find my mother.''


    After Alex came out, Uncle Moria quickly interrogated him. Alex fed him some story that he had concocted with Reina before.


    Moria thought Reina would try to scare Alex away, but hearing his news made Moria feel conflicted. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelFire.net


    He felt relieved as this meant there was hope for his princess, but it was strange because this didn''t feel like something Reina would do. Moria excused himself, then entered the wagon to reconfirm it with Reina.


    Time passed, and the group then started making their way toward Midnight Clan territory.


    In the wagon, Alex made small talk with each member to learn more about the situation without alerting them. He learned not everyone was from Midnight Clan. More than half of them were just mercenaries.


    A rogue cultivator that banded together creating small groups that offered their service to the highest bidder.


    They called this world the Jewel Realm. Compared to MingYue World, where humans had already carved out many safe zones from the beasts, in this realm, the majority of the area was still dangerous.


    The situation was similar to Alex''s world, only in this one it was always like this.


    With the constant danger, people gathered together, creating clans. At first, they still preferred gathering with their own species, but as time passed and the danger kept growing, they started mingling together, then forgot about their differences.


    ''No wonder, as the danger is the same for everyone, they become united. Then, after some safe zones are carved, they will start having inner conflicts.


    No matter where the world is, I guess being selfish is just part of sentient creatures,'' Alex thought.


    So far, he had met vampires, elves, dragari, goblins, felidaens, and fairies. Even though each of them had their own culture, in the end, they all had their own personal interests.


    Just like in his world, those staying deep inside the safe zones, despite knowing the situation, still focused on their own needs, not caring about the people that were put at risk.


    The same could be said to be happening in this Jewel Realm. After they had safe territories, instead of staying united to carve out more safe zones, they instead focused on their own benefit.


    Those that got territory first kept growing stronger, while those stuck on the frontline had slower growth as they needed to constantly fight on the frontline.


    They had their hands full just trying to survive.


    Letting out a sigh, Alex looked forward, seeing a long queue of caravans. Some looked like merchants, others seemed like families moving, trying to get a better life.


    When Reina''s caravan arrived, they quickly followed a different path, bypassing all the queues.


    No one complained, since this was normal to happen. They all could see the emblem carved on the wagon door.


    Even though there was a possibility of someone faking it, there would be no one dumb enough to fake a Midnight Clan emblem then go straight to their main city.


    Uncle Moria got down, then had some talk with the guard. The group then passed through the gate while some people in the queue felt some jealousy in their hearts, but there was nothing they could do.


    The city appeared before Alex''s eyes. It was bustling, filled with people moving around doing their activities. It was like he was seeing a city straight from the ancient cultivation world, but one filled with more than one species.


    The architecture looked very similar to MingYue World but with some differences. It was mixed with the dragari culture.


    The caravan kept moving forward toward the center area, a huge place surrounded in the middle of a lake.


    To get across, normal people would need to use a boat. But as cultivators, the horses and wagons just passed by the river like it was land.


    Alex understood they used some kind of array to do this, but it didn''t make it any less mesmerizing or beautiful.


    The lake was crystal clear, filled with large, colorful fish. ''They look like koi fish in my world, is this just a coincidence?''


    This make him wonder does this fish exist in many world, or someone bring it to this world.


    Alex then turned his gaze toward the main building, with a huge plate that read "Midnight."


    He could see a group of people waiting for them. Seeing Moria''s ugly expression, Alex deduced that the one waiting for them was one of their enemies.


    ''I wonder if this will be the same as what often happens in novels? They come to provoke Reina?


    So it''s like the female version of a young master,'' Alex thought.


    His eyes studied the group of people, analyzing their strength. Finding that none of them posed a risk to him, Alex felt relieved, his lips curling into a smirk, waiting to see what would happen.


    Moria got down from his horse and said with a forced smile, "Greetings, Princess. What makes you go out of your way to wait for us here?"


    "You jest, Uncle. Of course, I am coming out to greet my lovely sister.


    Aunt has sacrificed a lot because of me; there is no way I would not put special concern for her only daughter."

 Chapter 329: Demand

    The woman looked beautiful and said the words with a kind tone, but Alex could see arrogance coming from her eyes.


    He didn''t know the details, but it felt like the woman thought Reina''s mom''s sacrifice was justified and something that was just normal. Your journey continues at m v|l-e''-NovelFire.net


    Moria wanted to reply, but the sound of the wagon door opening stopped his voice. Reina came out with a smile on her face.


    "I am sorry, Sister Morgana. If I had known you would wait for me here, I would have prepared the best present."


    "No need to give me any present, Sister Reina. If anything, I should be the one to prepare a welcoming gift for you. It''s been years since you came home."


    They exchanged small words with amiable smiles, while their eyes told a different story.


    Alex found their interaction not interesting, so he whispered to a man beside him, the leader of the mercenaries. "Do you know what happened?"


    "This is just a rumor, but I heard that Princess Morgana was the one who should have been sent to the other family, but something happened that almost triggered a huge war.


    In the end, somehow Ms. Reina''s mother became the one sacrificed to the clan as a peace offering. I heard the clan leader has admired her for a long time."


    "So you mean everything was done on purpose and this Morgana made a deal with that clan to trap Reina''s mother?"


    The leader looked at Alex with a frown, as he addressed them without their titles, even though he was now in their place. But since it wasn''t his problem, he decided to just gloss over it.


    "Well, at this point that makes the most sense, but who knows what the truth is," the leader answered tactfully since he didn''t want to anger the Midnight Clan.


    "Interesting, any other rumors you have heard? Like what happened to her husband?"


    "He has been dead for a long time, I don''t know the details, but I believe he was murdered."


    Alex replied with a nod, as a plot quickly formed in his mind, ''If this were a novel, he was probably also killed by this clan leader, and they have some love triangle going on.


    If things are even more complicated, there is a possibility that the clan leader forced his way with Reina''s mom, and Reina is his daughter?


    What a pointless drama. I just don''t get these cultivators, like they couldn''t find another woman.''


    While Alex thought of this, Reina finished her conversation with Morgana, she excused herself then quickly returned to her courtyard to rest.


    But she knew, before that, she needed to visit her father. The one that she hated.


    With reluctant steps, she made her way, while Alex kept studying his surroundings.


    His eyes then turned in the direction where Reina was walking.


    ''The strongest presence comes from that area, there should be around three people that could put up a fight. I wonder if one of them is Reina''s father.''


    Moria, with a disgruntled voice, called out to Alex, disturbing his thoughts, "What are you looking at? Follow me, I will show you where you can stay.


    The tournament is still in three days, in the meantime, you can spend some time doing what you want."


    "Can I access your clan library then?" Alex asked with a nonchalant smile on his face.


    Moria frowned, his mood already bad after meeting Morgana, and now Alex just made a hard request.


    The library was owned by the clan, even with his status he couldn''t just give permission freely.


    "You cannot, but I can bring you a few books, what technique grade do you want?"


    "Just give me anything that won''t become a problem for you, but what I want is books on history, like your clan''s past, or something about other clans."


    Moria squinted his eyes, "You do know that kind of intel is even harder for me to bring out, just what clan specifically do you want to find out about?"


    "Just give me some old information even if it''s years ago, that should be enough."


    "Your demand is just suspicious."


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile, "That is good."


    Hearing his answer, Moria felt baffled, but he then thought Alex did this on purpose to obfuscate the real information he was looking for.


    "Fine, but I will only give half of it, the rest will be after you win, remember your promise."


    "You said a heavy reward, don''t think it will stop after this small request." Alex replied with a grin, which made Moria feel annoyed.


    "I hope your strength is real."


    "If you want, we can always spar."


    Moria was interested in Alex''s offer, in reality, he had wanted to test Alex''s true strength but hadn''t had the opportunity to do it yet.


    "Not here, let''s talk again later at night." Moria replied, then left Alex in front of the door.


    He didn''t want others in the clan to find out his real strength. Little did he know Alex right now was a one-man army that could take over his whole clan if he wanted to.


    Alex slid the door open, and the oriental ancient furniture came into his view. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a smile, his hand swiped in the air. The wooden chair disappeared, replaced with a couch. The bed turned into a latex spring bed.


    Sitting on the couch, he took out a bottle of water, then took a sip.


    Without the others around, and understanding his situation now, Alex''s mind focused back on his own family.


    ''I hope the others will be alright, and not cancel the plan to save dad. But knowing mom¡­.''


    Alex let out a sigh, ''I hope MingYue could talk some sense into them.''


    It wasn''t the first time they lost connection, and he believed MingYue would trust him to get out by himself, without making a fuss.


    He then let out a small chuckle as he realized every time their connection was cut off, it was always on Alex''s side.

 Chapter 330: Fractured World

    Meanwhile, back at MingYue, Luca made her decision. She decided to trust in her son and MingYue that he would be alright.


    They were now standing in front of the portal. Alaric, Jake, Luca, Emily, Olivia, Quartz, Zold, and MingYue.


    As for Heimdall, he was nowhere to be seen. Isolde decided to remain in the city to make sure everything was well taken care of.


    Alaric offered to help, but she said it was most dangerous behind the portal. His ability would be more important inside there.


    Other than Isolde, Patricia guarded the gate. Alaric just chuckled and agreed with Isolde''s suggestion.


    In his mind, Isolde just wanted to spend time talking with Patricia to find out more information about her.


    Looking at each other, the group nodded. Luca, the one standing in front, steeled her eyes as she took a step into the portal.


    With Isolde and Petricia staying on this side, she wouldn''t need to worry about someone destroying their exit.


    Passing through the familiar sensation she hadn''t felt for a while, Luca was greeted with something beyond her imagination.


    She had considered many possibilities, from being surrounded to facing a very strong enemy. But this¡­ this was something else¡­


    What she saw was a shattered world, and Luca meant this literally.


    Green lightning crackled as it hit the ground. Dimensional fissures could be seen everywhere.


    The gravity was twice that of her planet, but she could see some land floating in the sky. There was no vegetation or animal life; the place was desolate.


    The air was also very thin, making it impossible for her to breathe. The only reason she could survive now was thanks to the rune Alex had carved on her forehead.


    As she analyzed the area, MingYue came out of the portal, followed by Emily and the others.


    Jake and Alaric quickly took a mask from their pockets. It was specially made to allow them to breathe no matter the environment.


    If Alex were here, he would quickly become curious about how it worked. He speculated that it utilized some kind of dimensional space rather than air inside of it.


    MingYue looked around as Vesa materialized beside her. "How is it now?" MingYue asked.


    Vesa''s expression changed a few times before she said, "This place is too dangerous, Queen. It''s a fractured world."


    "Meaning?"


    "Something happened here that triggered a dimensional collapse. It could have been a war, a catastrophe, an accident; there are many reasons." Vesa''s small hand then raised, pointing at one of the dimensional fissures.


    "Each of those fissures is connected to somewhere.


    Most of them will be in the void, but by chance, they could be connected to another world. Thankfully, this place is still in the fractured stage."


    Her explanation made MingYue more confused. Vesa then continued her explanation.


    "As the dimension is unstable, it''s just a matter of time until the planet completely collapses. But by a small chance, if the world spirit survives and succeeds in stabilizing everything, the planet will transform into a void world.


    A very unique place where many weird monsters live."


    Looking around the area, MingYue could feel some life presence. She doubted anything could survive the catastrophe that fractured the planet.


    There was a big chance this life presence came from some creature passing through the dimensional gate.


    Luca could hear everything Vesa said, her eyes filled with disbelief while her heart rejected the possibility. "No way! I don''t believe he is dead!"


    Emily couldn''t form any words, her eyes glistening as she felt her heart shatter. She had been looking forward to meeting her father, but what greeted her was something out of her wildest dreams, almost snuffing out all her hope.


    As for the others in the group, they just looked around the area.


    After venting her displeasure with that scream, Luca tried to calm her mind, thinking about what Edward would do if he really got captured in this world. There was no way he would just stay silent.


    Knowing him, he would do everything he could until his last breath. Her eyes then turned to the ring on her finger.


    "How long has this world been in this state? Can you find out, Vesa?" Luca asked.


    "Sure, Mother Queen," Vesa replied, making Luca''s lips twitch. She was not used to being called that.


    She had told her multiple times to change it, but Vesa said only when Alex approved would she change it. It was part of etiquette in Edonia.


    Vesa flew toward one of the fissures, her sharp claw digging into the crater. She then put it in her mouth. Her crimson eyes glinted as runes started appearing in the air, surrounding the fissure.


    Vesa took her job seriously, making sure the calculation was accurate.


    "Don''t worry, Aunt, I am sure Uncle will be alright."


    Luca''s hand gripped the ring on her finger. "I know. He is alive, for sure. Otherwise, my ring would have already broken." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily''s eyes widened as she turned her gaze toward Luca.


    "Mom¡­ you mean all this time you had a way to know Father''s situation, and you never told me or Alex about it???"


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    Luca was too overwhelmed with the situation, and she accidentally let it slip. Seeing how hurt Emily was made her heart throb with pain. But she had her reasons for doing this; there was no way she would allow her children to risk their lives in the dungeon.


    If they knew Edward was still alive, Emily would probably have already thrown all caution to the wind and gone deep into the dungeon. Even in Alex''s case, despite his abilities, Luca didn''t know how he would react.


    Luca turned her gaze, as she could not meet her daughter''s eyes. "I am sorry, can we talk about this later?"


    Emily gritted her teeth, trying to press her emotions down. Quartz put her hand over her shoulder.


    "Deep down, you should already know the answer, Emily. Let''s just focus on our task.


    In this kind of place, who knows what we will face? As an experienced hunter, you should know what to do."

 Chapter 331: Burst Out

    "Fine! But I want an explanation, Mom." Emily said while stomping her leg on the ground, then turned around to another area.


    Luca let out a sigh. ''Even after many experiences, her temper never changes. I wonder just who she takes after.''


    The runes surrounding Vesa vanished as she flew back toward the group.


    "It''s been 2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 15 hours, and 17 minutes since the planet fractured, Mother Queen. There is some good news, though. I detected another portal like this."


    "If Edward is safe, he probably escaped through this other portal. Do you know the location, Vesa?"


    "Only the direction. Finding the specific location is too hard with the many dimensional fissures here."


    Vesa then pointed in the northwest direction. The path there was blocked by a floating ground, making it look like a mountain.


    The area was desolate, but MingYue could feel some life presence coming from that area.


    "We will need to prepare for a fight. I detect some life from that area, and they are not weak."


    "How strong?" Alaric asked.


    "Stronger than that dragon-like monster we fought before," MingYue replied.


    Based on her measurement, the transformed Dragari they fought should be at the late Core Stage or early Mystic Stage in her world.


    Even though she had never fought real beasts of that rank, she could compare it with QingWa Xian, a celestial beast that almost reached the divine rank.


    Alaric frowned. "In that case, it would be better if Jake and I stayed guard here. Going forward, we will just become a burden."


    Even though they had strong abilities, both of them were still human. Their bodies might be strengthened as Awakeners, but even that wouldn''t be enough to face the area''s strange anomalies.


    With the naked eye, he could see that gravity seemed to change every time they left a patch of land. The nonstop green lightning bolts also didn''t look normal at all.


    Without the mask, Alaric speculated they wouldn''t survive long.


    As for Luca and the group, they had the rune carved by Alex, making them almost immortal as long as there was lifeforce energy.


    Even though Alaric didn''t know about this, he speculated since he could feel similar energy coming from Luca.


    He also saw that Luca didn''t wear any mask and had no problem breathing.


    Luca replied with a nod. She understood where Alaric was coming from.


    They started walking through the desolate land. Luca walked side by side with MingYue while Emily, Olivia, and Quartz walked in the middle.


    At the back, Zold walked, his eyes darting around, making sure there would be no ambush.


    Jumping through a huge crack in the ground, the group could feel the atmosphere change.


    The gravity was lighter here, making them need to control their steps; otherwise, they would float around.


    For MingYue and the others, it was not a problem as they were cultivators. But for Luca, she could not fly.


    She had some artifacts to do that, but it would consume her mana. Luca wanted to manage her mana usage, ensuring she had enough in case something happened.


    "Aunt, since Alex already carved that rune for you, you should be able to use the life force to enhance your strength. That will help save your mana." MingYue said as she looked at Luca''s distressed expression.


    "Why do you think I need to maintain my mana?" Luca asked, as she never told MingYue about this.


    "It''s just a guess. I am sorry, but Alex told me about your abilities. I think this should use a lot of mana."


    "It does use a lot of mana¡­" Luca replied, then changed the topic. "Say, how did you meet my son? Emily didn''t tell me anything about it."


    Remembering what happened, MingYue''s lips curled into a smile. She found it funny thinking how she didn''t trust Alex and Vesa at that time despite their fate already being intertwined.


    "At that time, I was almost dead. I was pushed into a place like those dimensional fissures, falling into the void, almost shredded to pieces. The next thing I knew, I found myself in another world."


    "You fell into my world?"


    "No, I met Alex in Vesa''s inner world," MingYue replied.


    Meanwhile, at the back, Emily was still sulking. "Aunt Quartz, tell me you don''t know about this."


    "About what?" Quartz asked back while thinking about what Emily meant.


    "Oh, you mean how your mother knew your father was still alive?"


    Emily nodded.


    "You should really let it go; it''s not worth it, Emily. You know why your mother did that.


    Getting angry at her at this point will change nothing other than making your relationship bad again." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "Quartz is right, Emily. Don''t hurt your bond for no reason.


    Sometimes, since you always have it, you don''t feel it''s precious. But when you lose it, you will realize it''s the most important thing in your life.


    It''s just because it''s always beside you that you forget its existence is not permanent." Olivia replied with a sad tone while her eyes looked at the road ahead.


    Emily''s eyebrows creased together as she tried to process what Olivia meant. "Don''t tell me you really love my brother."


    "Emily," Quartz called out, reminding her it was a sensitive topic and better not said here.


    With their distance, Luca and MingYue would hear everything, and she didn''t want any unnecessary drama.


    Realizing what she had just said, Emily quickly clarified, "Forget it, Sister Olivia, it''s my bad. I was just kidding around."


    But Olivia was already in a bad mood, her pent-up emotion and frustration looking for any opportunity to come out.


    Without realizing it, her lips opened. "Joke? What joke? At this point, is there any use hiding it?


    Isn''t it clear enough? I do love him, and it''s something I just realized after meeting him again.


    I know it''s my fault, but what can I do? Can you control your own emotion!?"


    Olivia didn''t look at anyone while saying this; it was more like she was berating herself.

 Chapter 332: Williams Task

    "Even if it''s my fault, tell me, Emily, what should I do with all my feelings? The more I held it up, the more painful it became!"


    Hearing this, Luca and MingYue, who walked in the front, stopped in their tracks. Luca had an awkward expression on her face while MingYue frowned.


    She knew about Olivia; Alex didn''t hide any information about her. She turned around, her eyes cold, while she looked at Olivia, who looked down at the ground.


    MingYue had said once it didn''t matter if Alex had other partners, but now a strange feeling was appearing in her heart. She found this emotion unpleasant.


    It''s like a needle is prickling her heart while she has a desire to kick Olivia.


    Olivia could feel MingYue''s gaze, one that made her feel unwelcome. This made her realize what she had done. Without looking up, she lowered her head and said, "I am sorry, this is not the time for this."


    Quartz, who stood at Olivia''s side, had concern etched in her eyes.


    This was not like the Olivia she knew. It was like her emotional control had taken a lot of hits. Even though her love was unrequited, the Olivia she knew should handle it far better.


    The struggle she felt now was not easy, but it should not be worse compared to when the Suzaku guild was destroyed.


    Luca put her hand on MingYue''s shoulder; she could empathize.


    If she had been in her position, she would probably have confronted Olivia, no matter the circumstance. But the situation was complicated now; not only was this not the time for this kind of thing, but the other party was also Olivia. She was part of her family. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "MingYue, I am sorry. Let me talk with her."


    "It''s fine, Aunt," MingYue replied, her eyes never leaving Olivia.


    "Your name is Olivia, right? If you really love him that much, don''t you need to say it to his face? Also, you are an experienced hunter; control your emotions."


    MingYue''s tone was ice-cold when she said this. She then turned around and began walking to their destination.


    Luca let out a sigh as she could feel MingYue''s atmosphere quickly change. She was very cold now and didn''t want to say another word. "Olivia, we will talk about this later," Luca said as she followed MingYue.


    Emily looked at Olivia, "I am sorry, sis. This is because of me."


    "It''s fine. I am just not myself these last few days. I need some alone time. You go ahead. I will follow behind."


    Emily looked at Quartz, silently asking what she should do. She felt it wasn''t right to leave Olivia alone.


    "Let''s just go first; she needs some time alone. Zold will still keep an eye on her," Quartz replied.


    Olivia walked with slumped shoulders as Zold watched everything unfold without reaction.


    Meanwhile, back at Dragari City, two people were confronting each other. They were William and Alice.


    After reaching Dragari City, William quietly left the group. Alex noticed this but was focused on his mother at that moment. As for MingYue, she thought Alex had given William some orders, so she didn''t worry about his movements.


    But Alice realized this and decided to follow him.


    She then saw William moving around, looking for something. He didn''t go toward the spire but instead to a specific direction.


    They arrived at a normal bar that could easily be overlooked. William then tried to enter the building, but Alice blocked his path.


    "What are you planning here, William?" Alice asked with a suspicious gaze.


    "I just need to do something. Did Alex ask you to look after me?"


    All this time, William kept feeling conflicted with this. He didn''t believe Alex didn''t know he had met with the association president. But even now, he has never asked anything.


    So William thought Alex was waiting for him to make his move. While in reality, Alex just didn''t care as long as it didn''t disturb him.


    "He didn''t. I am just curious what you want to do. It''s not like you to go out by yourself."


    "What do you mean? I always go out by myself. You are the one always staying in the building."


    Alice frowned, "Why are you getting so defensive? I am just asking what you want to do. I know your reason for following Alex here.


    Did someone offer something to you? Hear me, William, there is no way for you to resurrect Roxy here."


    William''s eyes turned cold hearing Alice''s remark, "What would you know? Even though no one has ever achieved it before, it doesn''t mean it''s impossible. Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelFire.net


    Many have failed, but so have many other things. As long as there is a possibility, I will never give up."


    "I never said it''s impossible. Who knows what kind of power exists in this universe? But that is far beside the topic.


    My point is whatever you plan to do, betraying Alex will never be worth it."


    "Who said I am betraying him?"


    "If you don''t, then why do you become so defensive? Just tell me what you want to do in this place."


    William hesitated. He believed what he was doing was not betrayal, but he knew Alex would not like it at all. He would probably complain.


    Seeing this, Alice felt even more concerned. If a fight started, she knew she could not underestimate William. Compared to her, who could not cultivate, William''s realm was rising quickly.


    She even doubted she could beat him if William went for the kill.


    "Just say it, William. We are on the same side. You should know Alex is also very understanding."


    William sighed, "Fine, but promise you will let me do what I need. I don''t want to hurt you."


    "I cannot promise. That depends on what you want to do."


    "The association president asked me to activate something inside this building. It may look like a bar, but in the past, this was one of the safe houses for association hunters."


    "What device?"

 Chapter 333: Guard

    "Based on what he explained to me, it should be something like a teleportation portal. But it needs to be activated from this side. I also need to do something to make sure it works."


    "That''s it? Why don''t you just tell Alex?"


    "You think Alex will agree for the association to intervene here? At the front, it will show as they send backup, but in reality, they will take the spoils too."


    "Based on what I know about him, he won''t care that much. Just see the chaotic situation in this place now. If the association can reduce casualties and take control of the city, I am sure he won''t mind," Alice said as she took a step to the side.


    If Alex were here, he would agree with what Alice said, but not now. Only when everything was done would he allow the association to come here.


    As Alice saw William trying to open the door, a thought came to her.


    "William, are you sure the association didn''t lie to you? If they really have a method like this, why were they beaten?


    Won''t they be able to move between locations instantaneously? I think there is something more about this. Can you explain it to me in more detail?"


    "Sure, let''s talk inside," William said as his eyes looked at the situation around them.


    The drugged humans still did all they could to kill the Dragari.


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    Fighting sounds could be heard everywhere. Screams of pain, clashing of metal, the pungent smell of blood. The situation was really chaotic, with no end in sight.


    William already knew the secret mechanism on the door, allowing him to quickly enter. Inside, they found it looked like a normal bar devoid of any people.


    "Just how did this place survive all these years?" Alice asked, feeling confused.


    "We are not alone here," William said. He then took out his dagger and raised it toward his back.


    CLANG!!! Sparks flew in the air.


    William turned his gaze, finding a figure standing there. The person''s body was covered in a black combat suit, showing only the eyes.


    "Who are you?" A feminine, muffled voice came out from the person. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The president sent me," William replied as he threw a badge.


    Solomon didn''t tell him the place would be guarded by anyone. But he did give him something he said might be useful if something unexpected happened.


    The woman caught it, her eyes still darting at William and Alice, not dropping her guard. She used her mana to feel the badge, and then a look of relief washed over her.


    "Finally, after all this time." She threw the badge back to William.


    "How could you stay alive?" Alice asked.


    Based on her understanding of the situation, there was no way a human could survive all this time, even if she was a strong hunter. She was staying deep inside the enemy frontline alone and even defended this building.


    "I have my ways. This is my secret to survive. Anyway, since you are here, does this mean the association has perfected it?"


    "I don''t understand what you mean. The president just sent me to do something here."


    "About that, could you show me now?" Alice asked. She still didn''t believe it was just a simple teleportation portal.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, he felt bored and decided to leave his room. Outside, he was greeted by two people from the Midnight Clan.


    "Hello, Sir Alex. I am sent here to take care of your needs. Did you need to go somewhere?" One of them asked.


    She had an attractive appearance, wearing the Midnight Clan uniform. But Alex could recognize her, as she was one of Reina''s maids.


    "I just feel bored and want to look around the area."


    The other person, a tall man with a scar on his cheek, replied, "I am sorry, Sir Alex, but I will need to confirm with our Deputy first before you can go out. It''s just that the situation in the clan is not good now, so we must do this to ensure your safety."


    "Ensure my safety?" Alex asked back with a chuckle, "Just say both of you were sent here to watch over me. Well, I don''t mind, but whatever reply your Deputy has, I will still walk around the area.


    So you have two choices: show me places I can visit, or I will just go on my own."


    The man turned speechless at Alex.


    ''s words. He didn''t know how strong Alex was, but he knew he would get punished harshly if something happened to him.


    He then turned to the woman, asking for her opinion.


    "Sir Alex, how about this: the clan is quite dangerous now. But it should be no problem for you to explore the city."


    Alex put some thought into it, then smirked, "Sure, bring me to the market. It''s better if it''s the best one that has all sorts of items."


    "Give me a minute, Sir Alex. I still need to prepare something for our departure."


    "What thing? We can just go now."


    "Well, before, you could walk in the water as you were going with the princess. But without her going with us, we cannot do that. Otherwise, the guard will begin attacking you."


    "You mean they know for sure Princess Reina was with us? Who knows if someone fakes it?"


    "No offense, Sir Alex, but who would dare fake it here? It''s not like people won''t find out."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "You are right. Don''t forget to bring the money then since I don''t have any."


    Hearing his shameless request, the man frowned, but he kept his judgment to himself.


    The woman then excused herself, leaving both of them alone.


    "So, who are you?" Alex asked.


    "Just another guard, Sir Alex. No one important," the man replied, as he didn''t want to get involved more than needed with Alex. He felt Alex was a person who would bring trouble.

 Chapter 334: The Market

    "Is any prince here at the clan now?""Based on what I know, no one should be here. But why do you ask that, Sir?"


    "Nothing, just curious. You say this place is dangerous. So I am just considering what kind of people dare to attack me here despite knowing I am your princess''s guest."


    "Especially because you''re that, you become the target. Princess Reina is popular with the populace, but here, many hate her."


    "Popular with the populace? Doesn''t she stay at the academy all this time? She just returned here today."


    "It''s because she was madam''s only daughter. Madam once lived in the city too; she was popular and famous for her kindness."


    "You ever met her directly? Rumor is often exaggerated."


    "A few times, and I am sure the rumors are true."


    "Hmm¡­ interesting."


    "What is interesting about this? I don''t get what you want to find out from your question."


    "I am just curious; there is no need to think too much. Rather than that, tell me more about the city and famous local produce I should check out."


    The man looked at the sky and then replied, "There are many places, but you will not have enough time."


    "Don''t worry, we can go again tomorrow," Alex replied with a chuckle. But deep down, he hoped there was a time difference in this dungeon, too, one that would let him spend a few days while only a few minutes passed in the outside world.


    The maid then returned, bringing Alex toward the city. They rode the boat and reached back to the shore.


    Many food stalls were established, filling the area with a delicious aroma.


    "Could you buy some for me?" Alex asked.


    "Which one?" the maid asked.


    Alex pointed to almost every single one shamelessly, then asked them to buy in bulk.


    The maid rolled his eyes but said nothing and proceeded to purchase the meals as the man kept talking beside him.


    "Afraid I am running away?"


    "I am just doing my job, sir Alex. Why do you even want to buy that much food?"


    Alex just replied with a mysterious smile. He planned to keep some for MingYue, as he knew she was a foodie, but the rest was for the populace.


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    No matter the location, a good meal will loosen someone''s tongue.


    For every purchase, the maid would put the dish in a small pouch bag.


    ''This world is really similar to MingYue''s, but I wonder why she doesn''t just use a storage ring?


    Is it harder to get one here? But they even have the term awakener cultivator.


    Doesn''t this mean the place should be more advanced?'' Alex thought.


    They continued their shopping as Alex kept his eye on the people. From the dock, they moved toward the market.


    Different from the others he had visited, the maid needed to show an identification plate. It was made from a weird material that looked like jade but was colored in black. The word ''midnight'' was carved in gold color.


    Alex could also feel a unique energy signature coming from it. The energy was similar to the one he felt from the old man, Moria.


    ''I doubt that qi will last long; maybe they do this on purpose to make sure it''s not misused.''


    The maid then made a gesture for Alex and the others to follow.


    "Sir Moria said you can buy a set of weapons and armor using a single technique. With his identity, you should be able to purchase quite a good one."


    She then pointed to a pagoda-like building in the middle. "So that is why you need special identification to enter this place."


    "Yes, although the techniques sold here are weaker than the ones in the clan, they are still very good." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How is it compared to the academy your princess goes to?"


    "Of course, the academy is better. It''s built from the collaboration of the strong clans that really fight on the frontline."


    ''So it''s like the hunter association in my world. But since they have a way to give power to anyone, they could create this academy, then this becomes a symbol of status for the cowardly clans that don''t join the fight.''


    Alex then felt there was a possibility his world would also grow like this in the future with the cultivation method.


    Associations will build academies like them; the graduates will get benefits, and the strongest will then be sent forward to the frontline.


    At the academy, the association could then teach them personal values, such as that fighting on the frontline is the right thing to do and how heroic their actions are.


    It''s not that the association couldn''t do it in the past. But they just didn''t have enough incentive to pull really talented awakeners in.


    Thinking about this raised Alex''s mood. It''s only a matter of time before the situation turns better.


    Walking around, Alex didn''t find any interesting weapons. There was a variety of swords, spears, halberds, and bows. He even saw some that were formed like crossbows.


    The most unique one he saw was like a magic wand. It was a staff with a crystal embedded in the tip.


    Based on the shopkeeper''s explanation, the crystal allowed the user to generate elements without mastering any techniques. This enhanced their fighting style.


    The weapons were called battle staves and were preferred because they could wield two elements at the same time.


    Different from swords or other weapons that could only wield one, it was possible to put two crystals at the same time, but the elements would then clash, giving out unpredictable results.


    This gave Alex the idea to utilize the vitae crystals he had gathered from Thalia''s world.


    ''If I put this into everyone''s weapons, enhanced with runes, this will raise their strength to a new level,'' Alex then thought, considering creating a customized gun using these runes.


    This would be fueled using lifeforce energy, meaning if it was used by their enemies, it would consume their life every time they shot. But for Alex and his group, this would not be a problem.

 Chapter 335: Feral Tiger Robe

    He also felt he could add more countermeasures, making sure if the weapon was taken by their enemies, it would not backfire on them.Alex studied the formation of the weapon, then asked about purchasing one. He turned his attention to the armor.


    This one interested Alex more, as it was all formed not as armor but as normal clothes.


    "How does this work?" Alex asked.


    He could feel the formation but couldn''t tell how it really worked with just a single glance.


    The shopkeeper''s eyes lit up as he saw Alex was interested in the uniform. As a shop that sold weapons and armor inside a safe clan, their market was very small.


    Each of their items was high quality. This made one person only need to buy a few to last them a lifetime.


    "It works like this, sir." The shopkeeper''s hand touched one of the robes, qi flowing from his finger.


    The next moment, the fabric started changing material and forming into a heavy armor carved with many formations. Alex quickly understood most of it as he had seen it before.


    "So anyone can just use this armor? Or can it be locked to a few users?"


    "Of course, sir, it can be locked. But there is also a way to hijack this formation. If you want a more secure one, I suggest you pick one of our spirit artifacts."


    The shopkeeper then excused himself, quickly entering to take out his more precious items.


    "Their spirit artifacts in stock? You are very lucky, Sir Alex," the man said.


    "You mean this is rarely in stock?"


    "Yes, usually every time a stock comes in, some rich merchant will take hold of it."


    "It''s probably because of the prince''s competition; you know how it is," the maid said in a low voice.


    Hearing this, Alex realized the competition was also a power play between the princess''s factions. They used this official fight to decide who controlled what.


    The shopkeeper came out, bringing a box that looked like a briefcase.


    He opened it up, showing a simple black cultivator robe. "This is an artifact. It''s all made from the White Feral Tiger beast."


    "No wonder you have it in stock, then. You are not trying to scam our esteemed guest, right?" the man asked, his eyes squinting at the shopkeeper.


    Alex, with a confused gaze, asked the maid, "Is something wrong with the Feral Tiger?"


    The maid rolled her eyes, as this was common knowledge in their area. Till now, she still didn''t understand why their princess and Uncle Moria decided to hire this man.


    He hadn''t done anything but already made so many requests.


    "As with any spirit artifact, it contains the beast''s spirit. Feral Tigers, as the name suggests, are very famous for their fierceness and strong souls."


    Hearing the man''s accusation, the shopkeeper quickly clarified, "I am not trying to scam this, sir. I am just offering my best item.


    This artifact is not even my stock; one of my colleagues failed to sell it for a few years, so he decided to lend it out for me to sell."


    "You are still hiding something. Even if it''s a Feral Tiger, there is no way it wouldn''t sell for this long unless there is something wrong with the item."


    "Well, it''s a long story. Does sir want to hear it?"


    Alex looked at the cloth once more, this time focusing his senses. He could feel a small life signature coming from it. It was small but burned fiercely.


    "Sure, but before that, tell me more about this Feral Tiger. What kind of beast are they?"


    "The Feral Tiger is rumored to have a mystical bloodline from the White Tiger beast.


    As the name implies, they are literally feral; they will keep fighting non-stop even if their limbs are torn. They have a strong pride that will not allow them to back down no matter what. And this robe is special; it''s made with a rare Feral Tiger that has black fur.


    Based on my friend''s story, this tiger was a pet of a family that was brutally massacred.


    The survivor took the tiger''s body and then carved it into this artifact."


    "What happened to that survivor?"


    "Of course, killed. Otherwise, there is no way I would get my hands on this artifact."


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    The man beside Alex glared at the guard since he knew this wouldn''t be enough to stop the artifact from being sold. There should be more to the story.


    An item acquired from a brutal massacre is nothing new for cultivators. It won''t deter them from buying one unless it literally gives them a real problem.


    "Well¡­ A few buyers tried to tame the spirit, but they failed," the shopkeeper said reluctantly. But the man still gazed at him.


    "Continue."


    "Usually, failing to tame a spirit artifact won''t cause much of a problem other than hurting part of the soul, but this one seems to go much further.


    One of the worst cases included losing their cultivation or even having their soul eaten."


    The man turned grim. "Show us other items; we will not take this one."


    It''s not that he cared about Alex''s well-being, but if something happened to him, his higher-ups would hold him responsible.


    The shopkeeper''s shoulders slumped down as he let out a sigh. Another failure to sell the artifact.


    But Alex''s eyes were glued on the armor. He raised his hand and then touched the fabric. At that moment, the roar of a tiger could be heard in his mind. He could feel the beast''s soul, but there was something more mixed into it. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His lips curled into a smile. "We will take this one."


    "Sir¡­" the man quickly interjected, trying to convince Alex to just pick another one, but he insisted.


    "No, I will take this one, then we can return. Don''t worry, nothing will happen to me."


    The man turned his gaze toward the maid, asking for her help, but the maid just shook her head.

 Chapter 336: How it Works

    She silently conveyed they should just report to Uncle Moria and let him take care of the rest. It''s not like they could do anything if Alex insisted on buying it.Their only order was to hear his requests, making sure he didn''t escape and do something detrimental to their princess.


    As the maid wanted to pay, the man began to negotiate the price. Alex just listened with a smirk.


    He learned the payment was done with something called a spirit crystal. But when Alex saw the item, he realized it was not different than a qi crystal, just purer, with higher quality.


    ''I need to find one of the mines while I am here. Those low-grade qi crystals are not enough for our needs now.''


    It was only thanks to lifeforce energy everyone could boost their realm; otherwise, with those low-grade qi crystals alone, it would have been impossible. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The maid finished the transaction, and then they quickly returned to Alex''s lodging.


    The maid offered to help with what he needed, like cleaning the house or other things, but Alex rejected.


    He wanted to be alone, not only because of the furniture he took out. Alex also wanted to tinker with the black robe.


    His finger began glowing with green energy as he carved runes all around to make sure no one could detect what was inside. It also sealed the door, making sure no one could forcefully open it.


    With his current situation, only if everyone in the clan gathered together could they force it open instantly. Otherwise, they would need to attack it relentlessly till it ran out of energy.


    Of course, this would only have been the case if Alex hadn''t imbued the place with more energy.


    Outside, the two people didn''t leave.


    "What do you think about that man?" the woman asked.


    "He is weird; with your appearance, I thought he would ask for you know what. But he prefers to stay inside and not get disturbed."


    The woman''s cheeks turned red, "You know that is not what I mean."


    "Hah, you talk like you would reject."


    "Just answer, how strong do you think he is? I cannot feel his power at all. This means either he is far stronger than me, or he is too weak."


    The man''s lips twitched. "Is your brain working fine? Do you think Sir Moria would approve his presence here if he were weaker than you?"


    "No need to be so insulting. I am just asking you to know better what happens to us if the princess loses."


    "Sorry, it''s just the situation is really not that good lately. You don''t know about this, but someone has been hunting down our prince."


    The woman''s eyes widened, "You serious? If this is true, why hasn''t the Patriarch said anything?"


    "For what? Making everyone in the clan panic?


    You should already realize something is wrong when the princess tournament is moved forward."


    "Has anyone died?"


    "I don''t know the details. But considering what happened, some of them probably have. There is more going on in the background.


    I don''t believe our Patriarch will just send another of her daughters after losing his wife."


    "Hmph, before taking care of Miss Reina, I was her mother''s personal assistant. What kind of man lets his own wife be taken as another clan''s maid? I don''t believe him at all."


    "Someone''s maid? Careful with what you say."


    The woman''s eyes looked around, making sure no one else could hear. She then said in a hushed tone, "You think our Patriarch would agree for Madam to be taken as someone''s wife?


    In public, it''s just Madam becoming a guest in their clan, but since she never returned, it turned into a rumor she was taken.


    But in reality, it''s not true. Madam was taken as a hostage because of that slut."


    The man''s eyes turned sharp; he put his finger to his lips. "Shh¡­. You shouldn''t talk more. We could be killed for this."


    The woman just snorted. She knew the Patriarch wouldn''t let that happen. She often listened to Reina''s mother complain, making her understand the true dynamic inside the clan.


    Reina''s mother is one of the Patriarch''s favorites. One of the few he married based on his own decision. As for the others, it''s nothing more than politics to ensure the clan''s property and stability.


    Meanwhile, Alex didn''t care about all this. If he wanted, he could eavesdrop, but his focus now was more on the robe.


    When he heard the robe''s backstory, he felt intrigued. The one who wore the robe was murdered. What if he practiced a demonic cultivation technique that allowed him to consume other souls?


    There is a possibility his soul still survived and hid inside the robe. This would explain the strange thing, like the next user dying when trying to bind the artifact.


    Alex started sending his will toward the robe, exploring each of the formations. Studying it carefully. The more he explored, the more he recognized the formation used.


    ''Interesting, so they use space-like arrays, weaving it into the fabric. This allows the material to be swapped when the user initiates its combat form.


    If I had known this before, I would have been able to enhance Aunt Quartz''s secret technique even further.''


    Alex then began exploring the hidden space connected to the armor. The storage is far smaller than his storage ring, despite the shirt size. It''s filled with the real armor with only some space for small objects.


    The real armor was made using tiger leather. It''s all black, covering the torso, shoulders, and waist. It also has armguards and boots reaching almost to the knee.


    In the chest, Alex could see a murky, dark red crystal.


    ''This should be the feral tiger beast core. As long as I drip my blood into it, it will then trigger the bonding process.''


    But Alex didn''t do this. He sent his will invading the crystal directly, as he wanted to find out, if his hypothesis was correct or not.

 Chapter 337: Pi and Tora

    Alex found himself inside the feral tiger''s inner world. It was an open field with a huge black tiger laying on his stomach. His eyes were closed, with silver stripes covering its fur.This was the first time Alex saw a feral tiger, but this was not what caught his interest. Alex could see a human lying on his back, using the tiger''s body as his pillow.


    "So I am correct. You did survive." Alex said out loud, alarming the pair of man and tiger.


    The tiger opened his eyes, showing a crimson pupil.


    The man quickly stood up. His body was muscular and tall. His skin was dark, and he had no hair with a claw scar running through his eyes.


    A jagged horn came out from his bald head, and his dark pupils were formed like those of a reptile.


    "To think someone dared to enter here directly."


    "I have thought about it; a spirit artifact puts some formation that protects the user so when they try to bond with the beast''s soul inside, they will not be murdered. But this artifact is different. Someone got killed.


    Then a thought came to my mind¡ªwho said a formation could only be used to protect the user? It could also be used as a trap."


    The man didn''t give many reactions. He looked at Alex calmly, calculating his odds of survival.


    After some time passed, the man gave a signal to the tiger to stay down. He then sat cross-legged. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What you say is right. At my last breath, I created a new formation inside the armor. I am the one who created it, so it''s easy for me to do this.


    What do you want? If you want to kill me, it should be easy for you. But since you talk, there should be something you wanted."


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile, "Good, I always like negotiating with smart people. It''s easier. I just need some information."


    He then sat on the ground to show he just wanted to talk. "My name is Alex. How about you?"


    "My clan is massacred, and I also have died once. Just call me Pi. There is no need for a name."


    "I have heard some stories of cultivators dying when using this armor. You did this on purpose, right? What was your goal?"


    Pi felt it was useless to fight against Alex, so he decided to go with complete honesty, hoping he would somehow not kill him or give away for survival.


    "You should already know the answer. Outside, I will be called a demonic cultivator.


    I refine cultivator souls, turning them into nourishment for my soul. When my spirit is strong enough, I will then take over one of the artifact users and use their body."


    "That is what I thought, but it''s weird. Isn''t it better for you to just capture the first person''s body? But instead of doing that, you killed and hurt multiple cultivators, giving a bad reputation to the artifact. In the worst case, a strong cultivator related to your enemy could decide to check it. This will only result in your demise."


    Pi hesitated at first, but after some time passed, he let out a sigh. "It''s because of Tora. She hates it when someone other than me wears her."


    The black tiger behind Pi growled, then put her paw over Pi''s shoulder. Pi held it, then started petting her head.


    "So you failed to control Tora, letting her run wild. This ended up in one injury, and as for the one who died, you failed to take over his body since you exerted too much of your soul''s strength to hold Tora back."


    "Well, that is the gist of the story."


    "Is your enemy the Midnight Clan?"


    Pi''s eyes narrowed at the name. "Hah, this clan is not capable of doing that. My enemy is the Zephyr Clan. They are one of the rare clans that are still racist. Only those with Dragari blood can join their clan. As for humans, they will just become their slaves."


    "But you are half Dragari. Tell me what happened," Alex instructed.


    Pi''s expression turned solemn. He didn''t know why Alex wanted to find out his story, but he didn''t mind.


    "I don''t know now, but in the past, the Midnight Clan was under the Zephyr Clan. As for me, we are called the Blaze Clan.


    Compared to Zephyr, which specializes in combat using the ice element, Blaze uses fire, focusing more on artifact creation. We supplied weapons to the frontline, giving our clan good protection. But as you know, with wealth comes people''s greed."


    "It''s not like your clan is any better. I get you still supply the frontline with your weaponry, but you stopped fighting beside them."


    Hearing Alex''s remark, Pi turned silent. In the past, he thought what the clan did was correct¡ªwhy should they spill blood while the others just hid in the back? It''s not like their specialty is combat.


    In theory, as long as they supplied weapons and armor to the frontline, nothing would change. But theory is just theory. After moving to a peaceful location, the new generation never saw the cruelty and brutality of the frontline.


    They started focusing on their own clan profit, selling some of the gear meant for the frontline.


    In the past, they fought together, only charging a small fee as long as they could get by. But now, it changed. The small fee started rising bit by bit, as they made up many reasons¡ªfrom the logistics of sending the items, lack of material, or a bandit stealing their stockpile.


    This kept going on until finally the frontline stopped ordering any weapons from them, as they found a new supplier to stay with them at the frontline.


    No matter how high they raised the fee, selling gear to the frontline would never earn them as much profit as selling to the wealthy clans that hid in the back.

 Chapter 338: Zephyr Clan

    But Pi''s thinking changed when the tragedy struck.After the clan became wealthy and forgot about the people who still fought on the frontline, they became arrogant and conceited.


    Within just a few generations, they started forgetting their own clan roots, resulting in inner conflict.


    The patriarch''s own brother sold the clan''s secrets to their enemy, the Zephyr Clan. What happened next is history. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For Alex, it was just the usual troupe. The Blaze clan had been decimated, and all their wealth was stolen.


    Based on Pi''s story, it was a very tragic day. The women were used in front of their men and then killed. Elderly, children, none were spared.


    "No one cares about this? Everyone just allows another clan to pillage as they want?" Alex asked.


    Based on what he knew so far, despite the inner conflict, there should still be some semblance of communication between each clan.


    No matter how much they forgot about the frontline, they would still keep tabs on it in case something happened.


    If one of the strong clans started pillaging others with impunity, it would alert the other small clans and could possibly force them to join together and trigger a war.


    "Care? Of course, they cared; each of them was a snake. Double-faced snakes that smiled at our faces while having meetings behind our backs to divide our wealth.


    Our clan was rich, but many of the members were arrogant."


    "I see, so you had a lot of enemies. They held their anger, waiting for the right time to bust out."


    Pi nodded. "But that is not all. You may think since we gathered all their ire, we deserved it, but it''s not like that. Those arrogant bastards were only the minority."


    "Let me guess, those arrogant bastards were the ones collaborating with the Zephyr clan."


    "Those animals!" Pi said with anger, his eyes flickering with rage.


    "I will do anything to take revenge, literally anything. In one of my explorations, I found a demonic cultivation technique.


    It''s very risky, but it gives me a good chance to take revenge."


    "Tell me about the method."


    "Everyone''s potential is decided by birth; only a few heaven-defying treasures could change this. But is this true?


    The method I found could only be cultivated after losing one''s own body. It focused on enhancing the soul and nourishing it with those who are more talented.


    As long as I follow the method, I should be able to recreate my own body, which is full of potential."


    "I see, so even after you steal someone''s body, you will go on a killing spree."


    "I will never kill the innocent. My targets are those stronger than me, born with great fortune. I am sure many of them are evil."


    Alex let out a bitter laugh, the memory of the devastated city surfacing in his mind.


    "Do you think killing someone is that simple? The person may be evil, but what if he retaliates?


    What if innocents are killed in the process? And even an evil person has someone dependent on them.


    Just like this Midnight clan, what do you think will happen if you kill the patriarch? Will it just stop there?"


    Pi frowned. He had never thought it that far. If the patriarch died, of course, the clan would fall into chaos.


    Those with strength would try to take over the position, and the weak would be the first to be sacrificed.


    "See, you know the answer. In the first place, what is evil? What do you count as evil? We don''t have the right to judge someone like that."


    "Then what do you think I should do? Just stay quiet and stop my revenge?"


    Alex''s lips curled into a cold smile as he looked at his hand. In his eyes, it was clean, but in his mind, it was filled with blood.


    "I never said that. Just stop justifying your own actions. It''s bad, and you know it.


    You do it for your own selfish desire. Just like me now, I could just extinguish your soul, but I want to use you. Gift this cultivation method to me."


    "I have no problem, but what do you want me for? Do you want to use the armor?


    In that case, you will need to make a deal with Tora. But if you try to hurt him¡­" Pi''s eyes glinted with determination, "we will both die fighting."


    "Don''t worry, I have no interest in that. Now that I know how this armor works, I will just make one myself.


    As for you, I will give you two options: stay in the armor and follow your plan, hoping for the best, or I will give you a new body as long as you swear your loyalty to me," Alex replied.


    After Zargath''s death, he still hadn''t filled this position.


    There were still a few high goblins in his camp, but each of them was needed to maintain the goblin settlement. He also felt it was better to fill it with other species with different specialties.


    High goblins were the best to be commander-type units. If possible, he also wanted to retire Vexgore and make him the mayor of the goblin city of Edonia.


    Pi started considering his offer. ''I doubt he is lying to me; it''s not like there is anything more for me to lose.''


    With that thought, Pi said, "Alright, I will swear my loyalty to you as long as you help me destroy the Zephyr clan."


    "Good, we have a deal then. I will start making a new body for you."


    After saying this, Alex came out from Tora''s inner world. Outside, his fingertips glowed green. Like a composer, his hands started moving, disassembling the black robe.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to disassemble everything. All materials floated surrounding the murky red crystal. Despite being in parts, each of them was still connected with formation.


    Alex didn''t destroy it. He modified and enhanced it with runes.

 Chapter 339: Giant Worm

    His fingers moved again as Alex took out more materials from his storage ring.Using the black tiger leather armor, Alex transformed it into a skeletal bone. He then used the string from the fabric, weaving it into flesh and muscle around the bone.


    The beast core was put where the heart should be.


    Then he used another material, a gel-like substance floating in the air, mixed with a silvery liquid of strange substance.


    Time passed on as Alex carefully crafted the puppet body. It looked very human-like with draconic horns on the head. He used Pi''s appearance as the template but changed some features to make sure no one would recognize him.


    His eyes filled with enjoyment, and his lips curled into a smile. Alex was having the time of his life creating this Pi. He kept enhancing the formation with runes, layering one above another, creating a complicated array.


    While Alex had his fun, MingYue and the group almost arrived at the other portal. They were silent throughout the way, as the atmosphere still felt weird.


    MingYue didn''t start another conversation, while Luca didn''t know what to say. Emily felt guilty as everything started because of her. Olivia, meanwhile, didn''t know what to do; she just felt empty now after letting out all her emotions.


    Only Quartz and Zold really focused on their surroundings. So far, they hadn''t faced any enemies, but the surrounding terrain was not easy. Every time they moved to a different area, the gravity, air, and atmosphere would change.


    Lightning kept reverberating in the area as MingYue stopped at the edge. From her point of view, she could see the portal on another island underneath them.


    Jumping was not a problem, but MingYue could feel the presence of life even more clearly now despite seeing no monster in sight.


    Luca and the group stopped at her side. She just wanted to ask about the situation, but MingYue interrupted.


    "Aunt, let me try facing this one alone."


    After saying this, MingYue leaped down without hesitation. Ice wings appeared on her back, helping her glide toward her destination.


    After passing through some distance, MingYue took out a grenade from her storage ring. This was a high explosive type, specially made to break through walls or other sturdy buildings.


    BOOM!!!


    MingYue threw the grenade toward where the life force should be. It exploded, creating a deep crater.


    "GROOAR!!!!" A roar reverberated, and the ground started vibrating.


    A silhouette started appearing from inside the smoke and dust. It looked like a huge worm coming out from the ground.


    MingYue took out another weapon, this time shaped like a sniper rifle. She was still gliding in the air while looking at the creature through the scope.


    With her progenitor''s eyes, she could see the worm had a mouth that spread open into four jaws.


    She didn''t know how the creature would attack, but MingYue didn''t plan to find out.


    Her qi started pouring out, enhanced by lifeforce. She focused it all on the sniper rifle. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cracking sounds started coming out from the barrel as it couldn''t hold more energy. But MingYue didn''t stop.


    This was a custom-made rifle created by Alex for experiments. He was trying to replicate a railgun mechanism but utilizing qi and lifeforce.


    The bullets were made with lifeforce energy and accelerated multiple times with static electricity using qi.


    Her finger pressed the trigger.


    The barrel exploded as it launched a projectile at unprecedented speed, creating a sonic boom sound.


    The beast roared in pain. MingYue could see its body pierced, creating a huge hole. But she didn''t relax. After facing this kind of enemy multiple times, she realized a worm-like creature''s best strength was its regeneration ability.


    MingYue threw the broken sniper rifle, then flew quickly toward the worm.


    As she expected, the wound had already begun to heal with unprecedented speed.


    Enjoy new adventures from mvl


    From a distance, Luca and the group looked at the fight. Based on the distance, Luca calculated the worm''s size was massive; with its jaw size, it could gulp a whole skyscraper without any problem.


    "Don''t we need to help?" Luca asked.


    "Let her take care of it, Mom. This is a good chance for you to see her real strength."


    Luca''s eyebrow raised. She understood Emily wanted to tell her that Alex was also as strong as MingYue, so she didn''t need to worry. "By the way, Emily, what happened before? Did something happen between Olivia and Alex? I thought what happened between them was already in the past."


    "Well, it turns out Sister Olivia also has feelings for Brother. I don''t know the details, though."


    "Hmm¡­ I see. How about with MingYue? I never thought your brother''s type was like her."


    "What do you mean, like her?"


    "Well, just there, an independent, strong warrior," Luca said as she pointed at the battlefield.


    Right now, the smoke and dust had already dissipated, allowing them to see everything clearly.


    Arriving right in front of the worm, MingYue slashed her sword nonstop. Each time she cut the worm''s flesh, she would freeze part of it.


    She didn''t give the worm any time to breathe.


    But the worm started adapting to her pace. The frozen parts fell off as if cut from the inside. It quickly regenerated the flesh, but it transformed into something different. It created an appendage-like arm that launched toward MingYue.


    Seeing the coming attack, she just smiled. MingYue barely used her full power. If she wanted, she could have frozen the worm in one attack.


    It''s not like her to do this, but right now, she still feels annoyed with Olivia''s words. She just wanted to move her body to vent out all her rage.


    She cut the appendage with ease while dodging any incoming attacks.


    Looking at the giant maw, her lips curled into a smile. MingYue flicked her fingers, throwing a bunch of grenades into the creature.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The grenades exploded inside the worm. MingYue then decided to finish it. A cold aura started emanating from her body. MingYue pointed her sword forward.

 Chapter 340: Cultivation World?

    Her wings grew in size, followed by a lifelike ice fox appearing."Roar!!!" The fox grew in size. Even though it was quite large, it still paled in comparison to the worm.


    It then leaped toward the opened jaw without hesitation. Seeing the fox disappear into the Worm, MinYue smiled.


    At first, the worm didn''t show any reaction, but soon, its movements became more erratic. The ground quaked under its weight.


    The worm roared once more, and a huge amount of energy started gathering over its jaw.


    Swosh! It shot like a laser beam toward the black sky. The worm tried to point it toward MingYue, but she was too agile.


    ''It may be strong, but it doesn''t have any intelligence,'' MingYue thought.


    She kept dodging the laser beam until the worm abruptly stopped. Ice started spreading all over its body at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.


    It didn''t take long for it to turn into an ice statue. MingYue flew forward, her sword emanating ice qi, followed by green particles with a thin red line around the blade.


    Stab! The sword pierced the huge worm. Its body then shattered to pieces as it changed into green particles.


    What remained on the battlefield now was a huge crater where the worm''s body was, with many green particles floating in the air.


    Luca and the others jumped down as they saw the fight was finished. The green particles then gathered toward MingYue, enveloping her like a cocoon.


    It gave MingYue a warm, serene sensation. No matter how many times she got used to life energy, MingYue always liked this moment.


    "Is there any more enemy, MingYue?" Luca asked.


    "No, Aunt, it should be the only one. Except there is more that I couldn''t detect. Give me a minute, I need to finish absorbing this energy."


    "Alright," Luca replied.


    Time passed on, and the group made their way toward the portal. Before they entered, MingYue asked Vesa to check it first.


    She materialized, then flew around the portal, her hand began carving multiple runes in the air. After some time, Vesa''s eyes flickered with confusion.


    "Queen, this portal connects to your world. I suggest rather than using this we go by ourselves. Who knows what kind of enemy is waiting behind this."


    Luca''s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing what Vesa said. It''s too much of a coincidence if this is true. From all possible worlds, her husband somehow ended up in Alex''s girlfriend''s world?


    The others in the group were also surprised by the information.


    Her mind ran quickly, thinking of all possible scenarios. "Vesa, are you really sure about this?"


    "100% positive, mother queen."


    "Let''s do it that way then. If that is true, I don''t believe this is all just a coincidence. What are your thoughts on this, MingYue?"


    "Alex and I have talked about something like this before. At this point, there is nothing we can do.


    If this is true, whatever being is pulling the string is something out of our hands. Trying to do anything will mostly only result in backfire, so we will just act like we don''t know about it."


    ''She is right; that tragedy could be said to be the catalyst that pulled Alex toward meeting MingYue.


    If Edward doesn''t disappear, even though the town was attacked, there is no way Alex would go to that research facility.''


    "How about you all? Do you have other thoughts?" Luca asked, looking toward Emily and the others.


    Emily shrugged, "I just want to rescue Dad. The rest doesn''t really matter. Like what MingYue said, there is nothing we can do about it."


    Olivia nodded without saying a word.


    "I am not used to thinking about something that complicated. We will just follow your instructions, Madam. How about you, Zold?"


    "Same as Quartz, I will just follow your instructions, Madam. No matter what, I want to find my father." Find exclusive stories on mvl


    "I see. How about this specific situation, MingYue? Should we go toward this portal or directly toward your world?"


    MingYue didn''t directly answer. "Vesa, can you guess where we will go out if we pass through this portal? Which region on my planet?"


    "I could guess the direction, but it won''t be accurate."


    "In that case, Aunt, we better not go through this portal," MingYue said to Luca.


    In reality, she wanted to pass through it, but if something happened to Luca and the others, she didn''t know how she would face Alex.


    Even though they have runes carved on their foreheads, it will only provide them with limited regeneration.


    There is no guarantee Luca will provide them with a life force when the fight commences.


    "Send us now, Vesa," MingYue ordered.


    Vesa complied, quickly weaving through runes in the air.


    A line then appeared, encircling the whole group. It then glowed in the green light, and the next moment, everyone disappeared.


    Opening their eyes again, MingYue was greeted with the familiar view. It was the place outside the Qi mine.


    She just needed to pass through the cavern to enter her secret realm. But MingYue preferred going here since she wanted to move directly toward their destination.


    For Luca and the others, they were already used to moving into the dungeon, so the experience was not really new for them. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa materialized from MingYue and then started feeling out of the area they wanted to go to. She then pointed her finger. "It should be around there, Queen. It''s quite far from here."


    ''We can take the teleportation array, but that direction¡­ It''s the central region. Since we will go there anyway, I should gather some information first,'' MingYue turned toward Luca.


    "Aunt, I need to prepare something first. How about you wait in the sect? It won''t take long."


    "Your sect? Is that the one Alex often talks about?" Emily asked.


    "Yes, what does he tell you?"


    "He often says at some point, the guild and the sect will be melded together. It''s still some distance, but I must prepare the guild with that in mind."

 Chapter 341: Returning

    "That is true; we plan to do that in the future. Well, for now, follow me," MingYue replied.Her finger made a few gestures that activated the surrounding array, showing the entrance to the cavern system. Before, it just showed a huge mountain blocking their path.


    MingYue walked carefully, slipping through the gap between the huge vines.


    Luca and the others followed, passing through the dark cavern. Emily took out her awe cube, sending out a wisp of light.


    "What is that, Emily?" Luca asked.


    She knew it was some kind of monster, but seeing her daughter send it out from the cube and then order it around triggered her curiosity.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, Mom, this is Alex''s creation. Although he is the only one that could capture monsters."


    In reality, MingYue could also do it, but she chose to keep silent, not clarifying the information.


    "Capturing monsters?" Luca quickly realized the potential of Alex''s invention. "Did anyone else know about this?"


    "It''s Brother, Mom. Do you think he will make that mistake? Only us here know about this information. The other guild members don''t know anything."


    Luca then turned her gaze to the wisp of light. "Is there a risk for them to rebel?"


    "No, I am sure of it. You should have seen how many monsters Brother has captured. This is one of the main reasons we dare to try to rescue Dad."


    "How many does your brother have now?"


    "Honestly, I also don''t know the exact number. But more than a hundred for sure."


    "Alex should have more than enough to flatten a city, so you don''t need to worry about him, Aunt," MingYue said as she walked in the front, leading the group deeper into the cavern.


    Luca sighed, feeling proud of Alex''s achievement. But this also made her feel old.


    ''The new generation will always surpass the old generation. Hubby, just look at what your son has achieved. If only you were here, we should be able to retire in peace now.''


    As they went deeper, Luca and the others started seeing some activity. The cavern started being lit by electricity-fueled lamps they were familiar with.


    People could be seen using specialized drills, digging through the cavern walls. This was done to expand the tunnel to increase security. MinYue had planned not to move the sect even if she found a better Qi mine.


    In her eyes, this place was already perfect to hide Bai Yue sect in case something happened. Even if it''s attacked, with the only possible entrance from the cavern, it makes it easier to defend.


    The worst possible scenario is if their enemy collapses the whole cavern, but even this will not be a problem since their real sect is located in the secret realm. Adding Vesa''s ability on top of it will make it easy for them to quickly escape to any area.


    ''It would be better if we could find multiple places like this linked with a teleportation array,'' MingYue thought.


    An idea started forming in her mind to make her own teleportation network all around the planet, allowing members of her sect to move anywhere in a matter of seconds.


    It didn''t take long for the group to reach the entrance to the secret realm.


    They still needed to swim through the lake, seeing many monster fish swimming around. However, since all of the animals had already been taken control of by MingYue, they had no problem.


    Seeing the vast space covered in Qi crystals made Luca realize the depth of operations her son was doing.


    ''The monster, multiple bases across the world, Alex, you really have already surpassed me and your father.''


    "Is this the source of the Qi crystals we usually use for cultivation?" Emily asked.


    "Yes, all crystals are acquired from here.


    Except for the high-quality ones, we need to buy them from the merchants. This mine could be said to be the backbone for the Bai Yue sect and Suzaku guild for now."


    "Suzaku guild?" Emily asked, feeling confused about how it was related.


    "Where do you think the material to make those storage cubes come from? The core for storage space was made utilizing Qi crystals."


    "I see," Emily replied as she looked around the vast space. She could spot many areas already completely excavated, leaving only holes in the wall.


    "How long could this mine last with our current consumption?"


    "Don''t worry. A Qi crystal mine is different from your usual mineral mine. It takes some time, but the resource here is renewable.


    I am not talking about hundreds of years; it will only take a full year without any excavation to restore this mine to its full capacity."


    "A full year? Isn''t that too fast? Does every Qi mine in this world work like this?" Luca asked. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the Qi mine could quickly regenerate, this means the Qi crystal won''t be hard to get.


    Hearing the word cultivation from Emily''s lips, MingYue could already guess that the Qi energy condensed inside all these orange crystals was the source of their new strength.


    Alex often told her stories about novels he read in the past. This made her familiar with some of the terms. But Luca didn''t feel surprised that novels in her world could portray another world.


    People''s imagination runs wild without any limit. With how many are written, statistically speaking, it''s not weird that one of them is correct.


    Just like how monsters and magic only existed in stories before, but after the dungeon break, it all became reality.


    "Of course not, Aunt, it''s only for this mine. Do you see the tree-like structure in the middle?


    It''s the Qi vein of this mine. It works by absorbing the qi in the atmosphere, absorbing what it needs while purifying the rest.


    The result is this crystal. Alex has used runes to amplify its ability, fastening the process many times."


    "Just like that? It raised its ability without any side effect?" Stay connected through mvl

 Chapter 342: Mission for MingHao

    "There are some, but the cost is worth it. It results in absorbing more qi in the air, making the large area surrounding this place barren of qi.But rather than a bad side effect, in my opinion, this is something good.


    Cultivators will be less likely to check this place. They will think the area has already exhausted all its potential."


    This didn''t happen often, but it was also not that rare. The area around the cavern entrance was also not that popular.


    It was very deserted, and MingYue was sure only a few cultivators would find out the area had become barren of Qi.


    "That is good then, but it would be better if you had multiple places like this mine."


    "I agree, Aunt, we are looking for it," MingYue replied.


    She then activated the portal.


    Walking inside, Emily felt like they were returning back to their world. The air was filled with mana.


    They walked through the gate and were greeted with a big, vast city. MingYue took out a few ID cards from her storage ring.


    "These can be used to go around the city. I will not be long."


    She then excused herself and disappeared from where she stood. In the secret realm, MingYue could now move as she wished with Vesa''s help.


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    "Where should we wait, Mom?" Emily asked.


    "Let''s look around for now. I am curious how this city works," Luca said. She could see many of her world''s influences; it was clear this was all made by Alex.


    Seeing all this made her feel proud.


    Meanwhile, MingYue appeared on the island that held the sect members. She saw MingHao now talking with his friends as he was taking a break.


    MingYue released her qi subtly, making MingHao turn his gaze. Seeing MingYue standing a distance away, he quickly stood up, "Sorry guys, something came up. Let''s talk again later."


    His friends looked at him with confusion, as it was out of character for MingHao to suddenly leave. But as he was already nowhere to be seen, they just continued their talking.


    None of them felt worried as they believed in the secret realm''s security.


    Till now, there has been zero crime. It''s not that no one thought to do something bad, but Vesa always intervened right when the crime happened. If someone wanted to steal, Vesa would take them after they picked something up.


    When they wanted to kill someone before the knife plunged into the victim, they would also be taken by Vesa. This allowed for a very safe place to live.


    "Sis, you have returned?"


    "Yes, just a moment ago. I will not stay long. How is your cultivation?"


    MingHao smiled, releasing his qi.


    "Not bad, late core formation stage. When did you have your breakthrough?"


    "Not long after you left."


    "How long have I been gone now?" MingYue asked as she didn''t know how much the time difference was.


    The fractured world she came from had many weird phenomena: green lightning, weird gravity, and dimensional fissures. Who knew how long she had spent in that world?


    "Around a month."


    "I see. Did anything big happen while I was gone?"


    "Nothing, it''s just that LianFang has put up some requests."


    "What did she want?"


    "She wants to send a group of people from her clan to go outside searching for YangFei."


    "I see¡­ Will she go out too?"


    "If it''s allowed, yes, but she knows she needs to be here to manage her people."


    MingYue thought it over, "It''s fine. Just let my master take care of her clan. She can go out, but it must be with you. Bring four people with you."


    MingHao''s eyes lit up. It had been a while since he had gone out from the secret realm. He also wanted to test out his strength.


    "Ok, Sis, I will quickly go and prepare."


    He then quickly ran back to his friends, making MingYue chuckle.


    "Wait, come back, you brat! I am not finished," MingYue called out in a stern tone, but her lips were smiling.


    MingHao froze, turned his head, and asked, "What else, Sis?"


    MingYue didn''t reply and just gestured for him to come closer. "Close your eyes," she ordered.


    She then flicked his forehead, making MingHao protest, "Ouch, Sis, it hurts."


    "Who said you can open your eyes? And stop exaggerating," she said with a chuckle.


    ''Vesa, carve the rune,'' MingYue ordered through her mind.


    Vesa then materialized in front of MingHao, her hand flickering with green energy.


    "Don''t move, no matter what you feel."


    MingHao responded with a nod. He could feel a weird energy appear in front of him. He didn''t know what his sister planned, but he believed she wouldn''t hurt him.


    Warm energy then started washing all over his body. He felt something start appearing on his forehead. It was like another Qi core.


    Looking at MingHao''s expression made MingYue feel relieved. Her plan was to send him toward the central region to gain experience.


    After the process finished, MingHao opened his eyes, but his sister was nowhere to be seen. "Thanks, Sis," he mumbled, then quickly returned to his friends.


    MingYue was already back at her home. She slumped on the couch, then opened a fresh can of soda while listening to the report from Vesa.


    Right now, the BaiYue sect''s main power came from Lian Fang''s people and the goblin army. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The number of cultivators she had was still small, but this didn''t mean she couldn''t order the civilians to make their move.


    With modern weapons, MingYue was sure they could take on a cultivator head-on, as long as it was not someone above the golden core realm.


    ''The only problem is the central region. With my current force, there should be no problem expanding in this region,'' MingYue thought.


    She then said out loud, "Vesa, call QingWa here."


    "Alright, Queen."


    Not long after, the door to her house opened, and QingWa lowered her head, greeting MingYue, "You called me, miss?"

 Chapter 343: Order

    "Yes, you have celestial bloodline in your blood. This allows you to easily kill other beasts at your level.If we start conquering this region, starting from Daling city, will we meet anyone that can face us?"


    "No, miss. Based on my knowledge, all the strong beasts should have migrated to the central region.


    Only a few beast like me chose to stay in regions like this for personal reasons.


    If our goal is just conquering cities, I am sure they won''t have any problem."


    Your next read awaits at mvl


    "What use is conquering cities? My real goal is all those Qi mines. I want them under Bai Yue sect."


    "If it''s Qi crystal mines, as long as we avoid the ones they lay claim on, it should be no problem.


    I myself have one low Qi mine under my control. But since I have been away for a while now, another beast probably already resides there."


    MingYue looked at QingWa, studying her expression carefully.


    "I will give you a mission now. Go out and start leading our people to take over as much territory as you can."


    "What is the strategy? If we do this, other families won''t stay still. And miss, you probably don''t know, but now the situation is not that good."


    "What do you mean?" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    QingWa took out a jade bead from her storage ring, then threw it to MingYue. Inside was a report from FengXue. All this time, it was received by QingWa.


    Infusing it with her will, MingYue quickly learned many things. Her lips curled into a smile. What FengXue did was the same as creating a foundation for her to attack the central region.


    ''To think all this time what she wanted was destroying ShangXi temple. But this is good,'' MingYue thought


    Then she ordered QingWa, "It''s fine. Capture those who don''t want to resist or surrender. As for the rest, kill without mercy.


    Every prisoner, bring them to Daling City, make it our stronghold. You will attack them all under the name of our sect."


    "What if a clan from the central region intervenes then?"


    "Ignore them. If they really intervene, kill them all. As for the army, I will let you bring some of the goblin squad, the rest of the cultivators, and our militia. I will give you three days to organize them."


    "Three days? Miss, if they are cultivators, I have no problem. The goblins are also already trained.


    However, the militia are just civilians with no prior experience. Three days of training will not be enough."


    "This skirmish is nothing more than practice, QingWa. After you finish your objective, we will fight our way to the central region.


    Based on the report I got, the Situ clan and the others have already migrated to that region. They should have already started making trouble for the temple. This is a good opportunity for us.


    Use this power vacuum to take as much territory as we can. After this region, if possible, we will go to another.


    Oh yeah, for the captured ones, use their cultivators as our frontline army. Put slave seals on all of them."


    "That is¡­" QingWa was speechless at how ruthless MingYue''s order was.


    The enemy that survived was those that surrendered and gave up, and she still wanted to use them to fight on the front line.


    "What? Is there any problem? With your ability and celestial bloodline, enslaving cultivators up to the golden core should be no problem.


    If you meet the strong ones, bombard them with our weaponry. I believe the factory has already started production."


    "Yes, miss¡­ no problem. I just feel it''s too cruel? They already gave up."


    "Cruel? Did you already forget what you did to my master''s homeland? If I had not been there, you probably would have already flattened it to the ground."


    QingWa turned silent, knowing what MingYue said was right.


    She let out a sigh, then changed the topic, "Alright, I will do that. As for the factory, they have already produced that weird metal box, but what is it used for?"


    To her question, MingYue responded by touching her finger to QingWa''s forehead. Streams of information started transferring, making QingWa''s face widen in surprise. "Is that real?"


    "You have lived here for a while. Don''t you see the level of technology this place has?


    Don''t doubt the weapon''s capability, QingWa. Your job is just to manage and lead them.


    Let them fight their own fight. Intervene only when you have no choice.


    Use sect disciples as part of the commander team. In these three days, they must finish the whole leadership course in the VR pod.


    I believe it''s already working without any problems?"


    "Yes, the goblins that came here have already done their work, but as you ordered, no one has used it yet."


    MingYue nodded, "Good. Let the disciples think it''s just an illusion array. If you do well in this mission, I will look for a body for your husband."


    "Are you serious, miss?" QingWa asked.


    The contract between her and Vesa stated that she would help MingYue for a hundred years in exchange for getting a body for her husband. But barely a year had passed.


    Normally, a cultivator would push it till the end of the term to make sure the beast would work hard.


    "Are you doubting me? Don''t overestimate your worth, QingWa. Many things will change soon."


    The current army of BaiYue sect was barely half of their real strength. The real army was all now with Alex, or in Edonia. The sovereigns, the elves, they were the strongest army under them now.


    MingYue was sure the sovereigns were more than enough to turn the whole cultivation world upside down.


    Each of them was a pure vampire; they could regenerate almost nonstop while using runes to fight against the cultivator''s secret techniques.


    "No, miss. I thank you for your kindness. I will never forget this."


    "Just go and prepare everything. Make sure to leave after exactly three days. I don''t want any interruptions."

 Chapter 344: Awakened?

    The sect would become almost defenseless, but without the chaos outside and Vesa''s current abilities, MingYue was not worried. Discover hidden stories at §Þ??"Alright, miss, I will start now."


    "One more thing, where is FengXue now? She didn''t tell her location in that information."


    "That is the last report, miss. I didn''t read her message, so I don''t know."


    "I see. You can go now."


    QingWa bowed once more, then left her house.


    "Vesa, where is FengXue now?" MignYue asked.


    She already knew Vesa had left some runes on LingHua''s body, allowing her to track FengXue''s location anytime.


    "I can feel her direction; it''s some distance away from where the portal was."


    "How about Alex? Could you feel him?"


    Vesa shook her head in defeat. "I am sorry, but no, Queen."


    "I don''t get it. Does this mean the one that caused this is stronger than a progenitor?" MingYue asked, feeling worried.


    If this is true, Alex could be in real danger despite his ability.


    "No, not necessarily, Queen. There could be a new method that I don''t know of, hence this result."


    "But isn''t Alucard inside Alex? Even though he is weakened now, I doubt just anyone can do this."


    "Well¡­ it''s because I know my old master''s personality. Honestly, if this was caused by him, I would not find it weird."


    "For what purpose? Training? In that case, I am also one of his inheritors; shouldn''t he bring me too?"


    "I don''t know, Queen. Maybe it''s just a whim. It''s hard to guess what my old master is thinking."


    MingYue frowned; she still felt it didn''t make sense for Alucard to be the one to do this.


    ''Is it that eye being? But in that case, it would be even more weird.


    With its power, that being should have no problem killing Alex instantly.''


    Meanwhile, Alex was marveling at his creation. In front of him stood a tall human with horns on his head. He was now kneeling in front of Alex.


    "As long as you help me with my revenge, I swear my loyalty to you, Sir Alex," Pi said.


    He knew his life was already under Alex''s control now, but the revenge was very important for Pi. No matter what, he must get it.


    "Don''t worry. I already said I will take out the Zephyr clan. So, how is your new body?"


    Pi started making a fist with his hand, feeling the strength. "It''s been a while since I used a real body, but give me one day; I should be able to get used to it."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Alex, are you awake? I am bringing the item you asked for before." A voice came from his front door.


    "Sure, Senior, give me a minute," Alex replied.


    He then took out an awecube and pointed it toward Pi. "Prioritize recovering your own strength, then you should learn the cultivation method I left inside."


    Pi''s real body was now unique. Alex had made it with many materials, but he still ensured Pi would be able to use it for cultivation.


    Alex didn''t know how high the realm he could get with that body, but he wasn''t worried.


    When a cultivator reaches the immortal realm, they carve a new body for themselves, meaning it won''t be any problem for Pi to reach the highest cultivation realm he knows.


    Pi was confused by Alex''s words, but before he could ask anything, Alex had already brought him inside the awecube.


    He then returned all the modern furniture to his storage ring, just in case someone came in to clean his room.


    Opening the door, he was greeted by Uncle Moria, who looked at him with curiosity. "I heard you purchased a cursed spirit artifact?"


    "Cursed? Isn''t that too exaggerated? It just killed a few unworthy cultivators."


    "Don''t underestimate a beast spirit. There are some unique cases where they become stronger after death, killing anyone who wants to wield them.


    I have heard some rumors that even immortals won''t be spared."


    "Is it that bad? I feel that is just a rumor. An immortal should be able to do it. Even if they fail, they could try again multiple times. I am sure they have their own methods."


    "You are free to do what you want, but make sure you don''t die before the competition starts. Otherwise, all my investment will be useless."


    Alex let out a polite smile. "Don''t worry, Senior, this junior won''t let you down. So, did you bring what I wanted?"


    Moria''s lips twitched; he knew Alex didn''t take his warning seriously. But looking at his calm demeanor, he felt there should be nothing bad happening. ''Either he hasn''t tried bonding with the gear, or he has a way to deal with it.''


    A storage pouch appeared in his hand, which he gave to Alex. "Inside, I also put a secret technique book. I don''t know how you fight, so I just chose a footwork secret technique. I am sure this will be helpful for you."


    "Thanks," Alex replied while checking the contents using his will.


    Inside, he found two jade slips: one containing the information he wanted, while the other was the secret technique.


    Alex''s eyes lit up while learning this movement. It allowed him to understand what an awakened cultivator really meant.


    The technique itself was not unique; it was useful but not better than the one he had learned. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This one focused on foot movement when facing an enemy in close combat, ensuring he always had enough space to move and dodge. But as the mastery grew, the movement would begin to change, utilizing the cultivator''s own touch.


    The cultivator would imbue their own element, allowing them to get more effects.


    For example, if Alex used the fire element, each time he made a step, he would be able to trigger the fire to ignite on his step.


    He then could use it to kick the enemy or use it cleverly, like igniting oil on the surface.


    The technique stopped here for normal cultivators, but for awakened cultivators, there was another step.


    They would utilize their own species'' unique ability in the movement.

 Chapter 345: Sparring 2 vs 1

    This information made Alex realize the awakened here meant they somehow enhanced the species'' unique ability, awakening their bloodline and mixing it with their qi core.Despite never utilizing it, Alex was not a stranger to the concept of bloodline.


    As an avid novel reader, it would be shameful if he couldn''t link all the information he got.


    "Cultivators in MingYue World used Bloodline as enhancement, but these people took it a step further by uniting it with their golden core, giving their qi a unique attribute."


    For example, MingYue''s old bloodline was the Ice Kirin. If she became awakened, this would allow her qi to have an innate ice element without her doing anything. This would also enhance her physical strength, giving her the power of a Kirin, depending on her blood purity.


    "In a sense, both MingYue and I could be called awakened cultivators since we infuse lifeforce into our qi. It''s just like a fusion of energy; it just works differently."


    "Cough, what are you thinking about?" Moria asked, feeling confused.


    Alex suddenly became busy with his own thoughts in the middle of the conversation. He was now touching his chin, his eyes deep in thought, completely ignoring Moria.


    "Oh¡­ Sorry, senior, I am just thinking about something."


    "Since you already got everything, how about having a spar? I already prepared the place."


    "Sure, let''s go," Alex replied while securing the storage pouch into his ring.


    Outside, the two people still waited for him. They wanted to follow, but Moria gestured for them to wait there.


    He didn''t want anyone to know Alex''s capability; the fewer that knew, the better. The path was illuminated with luminous crystals placed inside beautiful stone lanterns.


    The atmosphere was serene and peaceful, with only the sound of crickets in the background.


    Alex passed through many large courtyards. Each was guarded by a few cultivators. Occasionally, he also passed another group of guards patrolling the path.


    After a few turns, Moria led Alex into one of them. The guards just gave way as they already recognized Moria.


    "The cultivator world really looks like those from the Eastern fantasy novels. Now, I am sure one of the original authors really came from this world. Who is he? Have I read his book or not?"


    Your journey continues on §Þ??


    While his mind wandered, Moria brought him underground. They reached a huge opening.


    The cavern walls were adorned with many combat scars: a slash of a sword, an explosion, a stab of a spear.


    In contrast, the floor was covered in large tiles without a speck of dust. It looked like it was made from concrete with a glossy finish, but Alex knew it wasn''t a normal material.


    In the middle of the area, Reina stood holding a spear.


    Alex''s lips curled into a smirk, "I thought I would only fight with you. So we are going two against one?"


    "We will take turns, and you can take a break in between. I hope you understand. I need to make sure I know how strong you are. This is very important for me." Reina said.


    "No need, let''s just finish this. Go at once." Alex said while his foot stomped on the ground.


    The next moment, he appeared in front of Reina, just an arm''s length away. Reina quickly turned alert and leaped back to put some distance.


    Alex could have pursued her, but he decided not to. He raised his hand, gesturing for them to come first.


    Reina exchanged gazes with Moria. Both of them then jumped forward. She thrust her spear while Moria''s hand grew larger and turned into a beastly claw.


    Bam!


    Alex didn''t even move. Red liquid came out from his back, transforming into two large hands, both blocking their attacks.


    His crimson eyes glinted with a green hue. "Go all out. This is too weak."


    Reina''s qi started coming out from her body, creating a huge wind in the silhouette of a dragon.


    The wind-like dragon started condensing into spectral-like armor surrounding Reina.


    Swosh! She shot forward like a tornado.


    Moria didn''t make a move; he decided to watch from the side. If he went all out, he was afraid it would hurt Reina by accident.


    Even if it was a small scratch, he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself.


    The blood around Alex started contorting and moving toward his hand. It turned into something like a gauntlet.


    He then leaped forward, meeting Reina''s attack head-on.


    CLANG! BANG!


    The sharp whirlwind exploded, creating many scars on the floor, while Reina''s reptilian eyes widened in surprise.


    It wasn''t the first time someone stopped her attack, but to do it to this extent blew her mind. Alex''s hand was clutching her spear right under the blade despite her spinning speed.


    Alex yanked her spear, throwing her toward Moria. Seeing this, Moria''s eyes flickered with anger. His body grew in size, followed by wings coming out from his back, making him look similar to the dragari Luca had fought before. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But his target was not Alex; he moved as fast as possible to catch his princess.


    Alex stomped on the ground, followed by a streak of red moving quickly, appearing on top of Moria.


    BAM! He punched, sending Moria''s transformed body deep into the ground.


    His lips then curled into a smirk, looking at Reina flying toward him. Alex raised his hand forward, the blood transforming once more from a gauntlet into a soft barrier, effectively catching her without hurting her.


    "Is this enough, senior? I could do more if you wanted."


    Moria stood up, his shoulders slumped with relief seeing nothing happened to Reina. He then looked at Alex, his eyes reflecting fear and worry.


    The strength Alex showed was something out of his imagination, to the point that he started wondering if Alex was capable of facing his whole clan.


    "That is enough. Tell me how much strength you used in this fight."


    Alex''s lips curled into a grin. "For your peace of mind, it''s better you don''t know, senior. Don''t worry. I will keep up with our agreement."

 Chapter 346: The Plot Thicken

    He then excused himself, leaving both of them alone."Is this alright, Princess?" Moria asked with a complicated gaze.


    "If you knew how strong he was, would you stop hiring him, Uncle Moria? Let''s just take it as our good fortune," Reina said while her eyes flickered with excitement.


    With Alex''s strength he had seen, he now knew why Alex was so confident in helping her.


    ''I hope I am not too late, Mom,'' Reina thought in her mind.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already made his way back. Even though his connection with Vesa was cut, he could still feel people''s life force.


    As he walked, Alex suddenly stopped. He turned his gaze toward one of the courtyards. A strong life signature had just appeared.


    ''Seems someone wants to start trouble,'' Alex thought with a smirk on his face.


    He couldn''t help but get used to plot progression from most novels he had read. There was no way a strong person would come in the middle of the night without a specific purpose. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex leaped forward, easily avoiding every guard. The courtyard looked similar to Reina''s, making his job even easier as he had already gotten used to the layout.


    Landing near the window on the third floor, Alex''s finger started giving out a green hue. ''A protection array, unfortunately, the one they face is me.''


    His finger started moving skillfully, drawing runes that allowed him to bypass the array without destroying it.


    Inside the room, two people were now lying in the bed. Raspy voices and sounds could be heard, making Alex chuckle.


    ''Isn''t she Morgana? But who is that man?'' Alex thought while looking at them.


    The man had long silver hair and a feminine body. He didn''t have any special features, but based on his qi, Alex speculated he had mastery over ice elements.


    The man and Morgana kept cooking the rice without care, not knowing they were giving a live show to someone.


    After a few minutes, the man lay on the bed with a tired face covered in sweat. Morgana''s expression showed she wanted to cook more rice, but unfortunately, the man had already eaten too much until he was full.


    "How is your preparation?"


    "Don''t worry, Darling, everything is prepared.


    I will make sure Reina is defeated in the competition. Then we can proceed with the next plan."


    "As long as you can send her out of the clan, we will take care of the rest."


    Morgana''s hand moved flirtatiously, caressing the man''s cheek, "Don''t forget your promise afterward."


    "Of course, after our Zephyr clan takes over Midnight, we will make you our new matriarch. This whole clan will be under your control."


    Morgana''s lips curled into a smile, "As long as his favorite daughter gets ambushed, he will surely go out to rescue her.


    That will be the time for your clan to start the operation. But I don''t get it. Can''t you just ambush her when she is returning back from the academy?"


    "It''s not that simple. If she was attacked at that time, the academy would intervene."


    "Then what would change? She is still a student at the academy. Won''t they intervene if something happens?"


    "No, my clan has already made sure of this. When the student faces problems because of their own clan, they won''t intervene, except it''s when they just leave the academy."


    ''So Morgana is a traitor¡­ interesting. I bet they also caused the incident with Reina''s mother. The patriarch probably sent some of his trusted people to protect her.


    The rumor about her mother probably also spread to infatuate the patriarch. But why would the Zephyr clan do all this?''


    In novels, usually, the clan''s reason would be justified with greed, but Alex knew, in reality, this was not enough justification.


    The Zephyr clan might have been able to pull a trick a few times, but as the clan kept growing in richness, other clans started putting their attention on them.


    They were not stupid; after some research, they would find out everything. In the past, people would turn a blind eye as each had their own personal goals and benefits. But the situation would change at that point.


    The Zephyr clan''s existence would become a danger to them.


    ''This world also faces external problems. The clan that holds the frontline won''t just stay still if a new danger starts appearing from the inside.''


    Then Alex started thinking if it was possible for those on the frontline to be the ones who pushed the Zephyr clan to do this.


    There was no way they didn''t hold any resentment. Their family and loved ones died protecting the border, while these clans stayed inside, getting wealthy and busy with their own greed.


    Just like Pi''s old clan, the impact of their weapon supply was not something small. Alex was sure this would cause many casualties on the frontline as the shipment of weapons and ammunition was late.


    ''Is this their retaliation? They plot to make even the inner area turn into a chaotic place, forcing some of the clans to move back to the frontline to help them?


    But if this is true, this Zephyr clan should be nothing more than their puppet.''


    Back in the room, Morgana and the man''s talk turned into something useless. It went to their hobbies, eating, and small talk about their lives. Alex couldn''t find anything useful, but he still waited patiently.


    Alex wanted to know how the man could enter this place. Based on what he had learned so far, the Zephyr clan should have prepared a route or even planted some of their people inside the Midnight clan.


    Time passed on; the man started getting dressed and then left Morgana alone. Alex then moved toward the roof, his senses locked on the man''s life signature. Find exclusive stories on §Þ??


    ''Based on his movement, he is going to the basement. Does this mean there is a teleportation array installed there? But how could something like that exist without anyone knowing?''

 Chapter 347: Bait

    As he expected, after some time, the man''s presence completely disappeared.''Since they already have this but still don''t dare to attack, this could only mean either their strength is on par with the Midnight clan, or this operation is done with multiple clans¡­''


    Alex then left the courtyard area, returning back to his house.


    The guard gave a bow while the woman was sitting in meditation.


    "You are back, sir. Where is Sir Moria?"


    "I don''t know, probably returning back to his place. Anyway, what are both of you doing here? Don''t you need sleep?" Alex asked.


    He knew cultivators could last a long time without eating or sleeping, but he just wanted to make some small talk.


    "Don''t worry, sir. We are just doing our task."


    "I see¡­" Alex turned his gaze toward the exit. "Is the security normally this tight, or did something happen?"


    "Normally, it''s not like this, but it''s nothing to worry about, Sir Alex. This is just a normal routine because of the princess tournament." The man replied swiftly, but the change in his expression didn''t escape Alex''s notice. He knew the man was hiding something.


    "By the way, I heard some clan names from Senior Moria before. He said one of the enemies of your Midnight clan is the Zephyr. Have you ever heard about them?"


    The man''s eyes flickered for a moment before returning to normal.


    "Of course, I know it, sir. The clan is quite famous in the northern area. But I never knew they were our enemy.


    Their clan may be a bit stronger than ours, but I am sure they won''t dare to really antagonize us. This will only result in losses for both parties."


    "I see¡­" Alex then took out two water gourds, the inside filled with spiced water.


    "Here, take it. Both of you will be staying with me for a few days until the competition starts. So it''s better if we get acquainted with each other."


    The man hesitantly looked at the item in Alex''s hand.


    "Were you afraid I would give you poison?" Alex asked with a chuckle. He then opened a gourd and poured the water into his mouth.


    After a gulp, he smiled, "See, there is no poison."


    Seeing his gesture, the man felt it was hard to reject his offer. He took the water gourd and began drinking. The water felt unique to his taste; it made him feel refreshed and energized.


    "Sir Alex, what is this water?"


    "It''s just a specialty from my homeland. I call it spiced water. The water is nothing special, but it will help to refresh your mind. So what is your name?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My name is Rexar, Sir Alex. You can just call me Rex."


    "Well, I will take a rest now. If you want more of this water, I still have some, but it''s not for free. You will need to buy it a gourd for one high-quality qi crystal."


    "Sir, isn''t that too expensive? It''s not like it recovers my qi."


    "Of course not. A single sip can refresh your mind.


    Just see how much water is in this gourd; you can easily gain hundreds of sips from it.


    Also, don''t underestimate the effect; a clear mind can become the deciding factor for you to return alive or die in dangerous situations."


    "I understand¡­ but that is still too expensive for my wage."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "I already gave you one gourd. You know you can share it with your guard and then sell the water to them at a higher price.


    Continue your journey on §Þ??


    Don''t worry, as long as I am here, I will only sell this spiced water to you and her."


    Alex pointed at the woman, then excused himself, going inside the house, baffling Rexar.


    After he was gone, the woman opened her eyes. She then looked at Rexar with a smirk.


    "So you will become a water merchant now? But honestly, one high-quality qi crystal for a gourd? Is that even worth it?"


    Rex took the other water gourd and gave it to the woman, "This one is yours. Rather than explain, why not take a drink yourself?"


    Since the woman had already seen Rex and Alex drink it, she already knew it was safe. After a sip, her eyes lit up. "This is very good. We can sell this, Rex."


    Rex rolled his eyes, "After mocking me, now you say this, Wendy? Just make up your mind."


    "That is not important. Both of us are loyal to the Midnight family. I have no problem giving my life for them, but we have our own families to take care of.


    Don''t you want a better future for them? This water is our gold mine, Rex. Believe me."


    "What do you plan? If you want me to sell it to the guards, I object to taking profit from them. It''s not like we are rich."


    "Of course not. Do you think I don''t know how much you earn and the cost of living?


    You earn a lot but also spend a lot on cultivation. The rest you send back to your family.


    The customer I think of are not people from this estate; we should sell this to the city, Rex."


    "We cannot do it, at least not now."


    "I am not suggesting we leave our task. Here is my idea. I will call my friend to take empty gourds.


    We will fill them half with water and the other half with this spiced water.


    Our goal will be to sell it to the merchants in town. I know some of them." Wendy said with an excited tone.


    Meanwhile, sitting on the couch inside, Alex laughed. Everything happened as he expected. He heard everything that Rex and Wendy talked about.


    "The bait is already spread; I just need to wait for them to make the first move. As for now¡­" Alex closed his eyes. He then started focusing on the footwork technique he got from Moria.

 Chapter 348: Atom & Wave = Life?

    Alex closed his eyes. He then started focusing on the footwork technique he got from Moria.The concept of awakening intrigued him. Alex felt he could use it to enhance his strength even further.


    "With some modification on this awakening method, Alice should be able to use it to cultivate.


    She needs to modify her fairy heart into a golden core, so it produces both qi and fairy dust. But for me and MingYue, it''s different¡­"


    Lifeforce energy was used to augment Qi and mana, enhancing their power output.


    "It''s not like Lifeforce cannot fuse; it''s just a completely different type of energy. It will enhance the power output no matter what energy it fuses with."


    Alex then came to a realization. "Wait, these traits¡­ doesn''t this mean each of these energies is also built from Lifeforce?"


    He then raised three of his fingers, and three types of energy started appearing: a green light of Lifeforce, a bluish-hot Qi, and pale blue calm mana.


    ''Lifeforce, the source of all living beings¡­ the quality may be different, but each organism has it.''


    Alex had made sure of this; even bacteria had Lifeforce in them, although their quality was very low, making them unusable for anything useful. But this information made him realize, what if energy was also made using Lifeforce as part of its component?


    ''Qi produced by my core could be controlled at will. By doing certain things, I could trigger a change of characteristic, turning it into an element. As for mana, it''s softer than Qi, but the way it''s used is far harder. Alex could will and control it, enhancing his body strength, but to trigger a real effect¡­''


    Alex let out a sigh. Despite all his knowledge and strength now, the true nature of mana and awakener abilities still eluded him. He didn''t know how or why mana transformed someone''s organ and then allowed it to use mana to create some kind of effect.


    He felt even more confused that the organ would only show its effect if it was fueled by the person''s personal mana. But what decided which organ to change? What abilities would it create?


    Is this impacted by the person''s personality? But if this was the case, then it would not make sense. Discover exclusive content at M V L


    His sister was a timid girl in the past, but she gained a very strong offensive ability. Alex himself was someone who preferred to do things without thinking, but somehow he gained the ability to think deeply.


    If it was hereditary, since his father also had a similar ability, then it still didn''t explain where Emily''s light ability came from.


    "Wait, can the organ and mana somehow be interpreted as an array or rune formation?" Alex asked himself.


    But Alex quickly shook off the idea. If he did that, it wouldn''t be any different than rune formation. It could be modified to use mana, but it would be far more effective using Lifeforce.


    An organ in an awakener is different; it works just like other human organs, but this one doesn''t function with blood.


    Knowing he was stuck, his focus changed once more toward Qi and Mana. ''How could I dissect this energy? Until now, no one has been able to do this.''


    Even with the best technology Alex knew of, the best humans could do was recreate energy through reactions and use many devices to try to find out its nature, behavior, and application.


    "Almost every single thing in this world, living or not, could be broken down into atoms. They are the building blocks. Atoms themselves could still be broken down into protons, neutrons, and electrons. But for energy¡­"


    Alex then remembered that light is one of the special things that had been broken down; it''s made of photons, which are particles of electromagnetic radiation.


    The form looks like a wave and can be observed through special lenses. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s eyes then turned toward the Lifeforce energy. At first, it might look like a sphere of light, but if he looked closer, the energy was fluctuating like a gentle wave in the ocean.


    ''Is energy also made from something like photons? Then it''s also something like a wave?''


    The thought made Alex''s eyes light up. He felt he was getting closer to the correct answer.


    His ability started running at maximum capacity; many ideas and thoughts came to his mind. If energy is really composed of waves, then many things will make sense.


    And this also means Lifeforce is basically a wave. ''Wait, if this is true, then this wave should also move inside living beings.''


    Based on Alex''s theory, an object would be made only from atoms, but if he could somehow integrate Lifeforce into it, that object would become a living being. Then, depending on the Lifeforce quality, it would affect the level of sentience.


    Alex extinguished the Qi and mana, then focused his eyes on Lifeforce. "Does this mean I have just stumbled upon the secret of life? Now I wonder, does Alucard also know about this¡­"


    Atoms with high-quality Lifeforce become sentient living beings. They then pass through life, living through many experiences that will result in the production of a soul.


    Unfortunately for Alex, he could only hold onto the theory for now. He didn''t have the time to experiment on all this. But one thing was clear for him now: a soul is the fruit of Lifeforce with atoms.


    The question is just how their living experience could result in the creation of a soul, and finally, what happens to a soul after the living being is dead?


    Alex was the type that didn''t believe the creation of the universe happened because of coincidence. This includes all the systems and laws inside of it.


    Everything was made for a reason. There should be a use for this soul that is necessary for the whole system to keep working. Otherwise, there is no point.


    "Whatever the reason was, there is a high chance this soul is consumed in the process. This will explain why even Vesa says resurrection is impossible when the soul is already gone."

 Chapter 349: Dragon Flame Fortress

    Time passed, and Alex spent his time pondering this information and learning more about awakened cultivators.Meanwhile, MingYue had already left the secret realm. Her first goal was to meet up with Feng Xue on the central continent.


    The group was split. Olivia decided to go with MingHao and the others. Quartz was worried about her, so she decided to come with them.


    MingYue''s group now consisted of Luca, Emily, and Zold. They were now inside a wagon going toward Dragon Flame Fortress.


    This fortress was one of the entryways toward the central region. It was run in collaboration with many huge sects and the Shanxi Temple.


    The central region itself was surrounded by many protections and natural barriers, making it dangerous for anyone to walk through.


    A few cities were then selected to have teleportation arrays that allowed cultivators to move toward the central region. The inspection itself was not that strict; it was mainly created for big sects and Shanxi Temple to limit the migration of cultivators, making sure the area remained rich and prosperous.


    Even though the name has the Fortress word in it, the place didn''t look anything like that. It may be surrounded by high walls, but inside, the town was bustling with festivity; many merchants went in and out while the guards were busy drinking and joking around, even in the middle of the day.


    Many wanted posters were put on the wall, but they might as well not be put there. MingYue could see some of the criminals just pay a few Qi crystals to the guards, who then acted like they were best friends who hadn''t met for years.


    "Isn''t it better to just go as cultivators?" Emily asked. She had seen many cultivators treated differently compared to them, a group of merchants.


    "No, you may see them all acting more amiable on the surface, but behind the scenes, these guards note their identities. They will then sell their information to sects in the central region."


    "What kind of information?"


    "Everything the guards know as long as there is wealth involved. Depending on their aptitude and luck, some will end up miserable, while the rest will be recruited by big sects or rich, prominent families," MingYue replied.


    Luca''s eyes were meanwhile locked onto some of the things traded by the merchants. Most of the items were as she expected, like swords, robes, hairpins, and female accessories, but occasionally there would be something out of place.


    The packaging looked like it came from MingYue''s world, but the content was a modern item.


    "MingYue, are you selling any items from my world? Aren''t you worried it will become a problem?" Luca asked. There is still a possibility that MingYue World has this item, but she doubts that is the case.


    MingYue turned her gaze toward the scene that Luca saw. It was a red liquid, one of her favorite condiments.


    "Don''t worry, Aunt. It''s sold by one of my people but through a proxy. Alex and I talked at length about this. We made sure everything sold was possible for anyone to create.


    Just like that ketchup sauce, it enhances the flavor with a sour taste, something that didn''t exist before in my world. Stay connected through M V L


    A cultivator might find it interesting, but they will not go so far as to try to monopolize the item or track it to the source." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But MingYue, it''s still a good source of money. Won''t the cultivators care about it? I heard from my brother it''s very expensive to raise a realm," Emily asked.


    "Yes, it is, but there should be no problem at the current stage. Maybe when we become more popular and famous, with earnings enough to buy real treasure."


    Her lips then curled into a smile, "Anyway, that will never happen with the current situation now."


    "Do you have other plans, MingYue?" Luca asked since she didn''t understand how looking for her husband became linked to this.


    "Yes, Aunt. Our goal is always to take over this world. Honestly, it''s the same with yours, too."


    Luca''s eyes narrowed. The word "ours" meant it was her and Alex''s plan. She knew what kind of war would be waged if someone wanted to unite the whole planet.


    It''s a war that will take many innocent lives in the process. She doesn''t know the situation in Ming Yue''s world, but at least to her, the association will certainly cause a lot of resistance. Many other groups will come out and then try to join in the conflict, making everything more chaotic.


    "Why, MingYue? Why do you need to do this? With your and Alex''s strength, I get it you want to achieve something big,


    but can''t you target something else? I don''t want both of you to become the reason for someone''s tragedy."


    MingYue frowned. She could understand why Luca said this. Alex had often told her stories about his mother''s life. She likes to do charity work but doesn''t like to take revenge. Luca hated unnecessary killing and preferred peaceful resolution.


    "I understand what you mean, Aunt, but it''s not like we have a choice in the matter," MingYue replied. She has different thoughts, but she doesn''t want to confront Luca. Everyone has their own way of living.


    Luca carefully studied MingYue''s expression. She then asked, "Can you tell me the reason?"


    MingYue ruminated for a moment, but after a while, she said, "I think it''s better if you hear it from Alex''s own mouth, Aunt. I can only say this: the power I and Alex got is not for free; we have a huge burden and expectations put on us."


    "I know this is a stupid question, but MingYue, I need to ask this: how dangerous? Is this enough to risk both of your lives?" Luca asked.


    She didn''t know to what extent, but based on the story she heard from Emily, a decapitation or any wound to their body was not enough to kill them.


    "Yes, Aunt, but for details, please just ask Alex. To understand why, you really need to know everything."

 Chapter 350: Young Master?

    Luca sighed and decided to drop the topic for now.In the end, her son was already an adult; how he lived his life was up to him.


    She still didn''t want Alex to cause any tragedy, but now her worry for his life overwhelmed all other thoughts.


    No matter what her own personal feelings were, if things came to shove, Luca would never have thought twice about burning the world for her two beloved children.


    Emily was in a daze hearing what MingYue said; the concept of World Domination was something that was far away for her. Even with how much she knew about their strength, Emily still thought this was an impossible task. Experience new stories on M V L


    Zold, who had listened to everything in silence, had different worries. "What will happen to the Suzaku Guild then? If Sir Alex wages war with the association, won''t our guild also be impacted? What will all of us do then?"


    "This is the same as I told Aunt. You should hear it from Alex''s own mouth."


    "Can you at least tell me when you plan to start this war?"


    "I don''t know; that will depend on Alex. I decide for my world; for his world, it''s up to him. But don''t worry; he won''t wage war in a stupid manner. Your world still has problems with those red and dark zones; we will need to take care of that matter first."


    "MingYue, do you know something about that zone?" Luca asked, as based on MingYue''s expression, it was clear she knew something behind this.


    "Mom, brother told me something about this matter. He was sure these dungeons were made on purpose and that they were not an accident. He speculated someone did this on purpose to train humans in our world."


    Luca''s eyes squinted; many things started clicking in her mind. ''My dear son, just what have you gotten yourself into?'' She mumbled in her mind, her face filled with worry.


    "Let''s talk about this later then; I feel my head hurting now. Too many things seem to be interconnected. I honestly suspect our father''s disappearance is somehow related to this case."


    "Dad, why?" Emily asked. Even though her father owned a strong guild, in the grand scheme of things, it didn''t have much value.


    "There are still many things you don''t know about me and your father, Emily. What I can tell you is this: your father is someone who would be a huge hurdle for anyone with bad intentions toward our world."


    "But he is not that strong¡­" Emily''s voice trailed off as she started remembering many details about what happened in the world at that time.


    After the Suzaku Guild disappeared, the situation for the whole of humanity became worse than before. Almost every month a city would fall as they kept getting pushed back deeper into the mainland.


    Red zones appeared, followed by dark zones.


    Then she remembered something: the association had huge internal problems at that time; there was a civil war despite the huge threat they faced.


    It took years for Solomon to pacify and unite the association to its current state.


    ''Did this all result from my father''s disappearance?'' Emily asked in her mind with disbelief.


    She wanted to talk more, but MingYue raised her palm, gesturing for them to stop talking. "I need to take care of something first; you guys wait here."


    She wielded a mask before going out, changing her appearance to that of an average-looking merchant.


    Going out, she was greeted by ZanLu. "I am sorry, miss, but we have a problem."


    "What do you mean? Just let them check the storage ring and give some of the crystals."


    "Yes, I planned to do that, but that''s not the problem, miss. Someone is having a conflict inside, and the security doesn''t let anyone in before it''s settled."


    "A conflict here? Are you sure?" MingYue asked in disbelief. This area was under the protection of many sects, families, and the ShangXi temple. Who dared to make trouble here?


    She turned her gaze toward the entrance of the teleportation array, her eyes narrowing in annoyance, seeing the situation.


    Dozens of cultivators were blocking the path, not allowing anyone to pass. It was clear from their uniforms they were not from this city. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The guards in this city wore orange uniforms with dark dragon patterns on the front. But this group was different; they wore blue uniforms with white dragon patterns.


    MingYue could see some of them now involved in a huge debate.


    Looking past these cultivators inside the teleportation array, MingYue could see a fat man with a chubby face and eyes that looked like thin lines seated cross-legged.


    Two beautiful women with Golden Core realms were standing beside him, carefully taking care of his needs.


    One was massaging his shoulder while the other seemed to be bringing some fruit toward the man''s lips.


    ''Who the hell is that?'' MingYue asked in her mind. She had some suspicions, but she just couldn''t believe this situation was real.


    This was basically one of the tropes she often read in novels where young masters did what they wanted, bullying the weak. Based on her knowledge so far, the young masters in her world should have no time to do this.


    But this was only because she never interacted with the true young masters in her world. Those born as direct descendants of the immortals didn''t have any worries at all.


    The only ones they feared were their fathers but for others? They acted without fear, doing whatever they wanted.


    Some were better because the immortals were strict with them, but some were spoiled rotten.


    "ZanLu, book the nearest inn and send someone to watch over this area, reporting everything that happens here."


    "Yes, miss."


    MingYue decided to take a careful approach. Based on Qi alone, no one could compare to her now, but who knew what kind of trump card the fat man had.


    In the worst-case scenario, it was possible she would need to fight an immortal directly in this city.


    MingYue wasn''t afraid, but this would become a huge headache down the line.

 Chapter 351: Fatty Long & Ding Dong

    Someone in the Golden Core realm who could survive a fight against an immortal would become a big sensation that would pull attention from every big clan and sect. They would go all out looking for any information on this cultivator.MingYue was sure this fat man''s status was not simple.


    No normal nascent soul cultivator could have had a golden core cultivator as his maid. Not even a heaven-chosen could do this, and the man had two.


    The only possible reason was that he was a direct descendant from the immortal, one that they still took care of.


    ''I hope he really has a good reason for doing this, not a petty reason where he covets beauty like all those stupid young masters¡­''


    With that thought, MingYue returned to the wagon. Meanwhile, the fatty''s lined eyes were now looking at the teleportation array.


    "Are you sure the information is right? He will come here?"


    "Yes, young master Long. The Dong clan''s young master will come here for sure. He was tasked with looking for the demonic cultivator because of what happened."


    Long''s lips curled into a cold smile, "Good. He deserves the punishment, but that is not enough! That bastard Ding Dong deserves worse. Hmph!"


    "But will you be alright, young master? You were also sent here to look for where the demonic cultivator came from."


    "Those geezers will never know. Even if they do, they won''t care. They are too busy fighting each other," Long said with a smirk on his face.


    His smirk changed to a smile as he could hear the array activating.


    "Mo, make those people move back. I don''t want any disturbance.


    This time, I will make sure that bastard Ding Dong loses more than just face; I''ll strip him of every last bit of his dignity."


    One of the women nodded her head, and she quickly spread her qi mixed with killing intent.


    MingYue, Luca, and the others had already moved toward the nearest inn. They were now seated on the couch from MingYue''s storage ring while looking at what was happening on a screen.


    After knowing the comfort of foam, there was no way MingYue would return to sitting on a flat wooden chair. As for the screen, it was fed with video live-streamed by one of her people.


    They used a small spy camera in the form of a button sewn onto their uniform.


    "MingYue, do you know them?" Luca asked.


    "No, but based on the information I got so far, he is probably some big shot''s son."


    "Ah, is he one of those infamous young masters? Brother talks about them often when he talks about his novel." Emily commented with a chuckle.


    Luca, meanwhile, frowned. "No matter the world, people like them always exist."


    "Did you hate them, aunt?"


    "Yes, those born privileged never know hardship, then act like brats. They inconvenience everyone while others cannot do anything. I hate them the most.


    Some say it''s the parents'' fault for spoiling them, but in my view, when they become adults, they are responsible for their own actions." Luca said with a cold tone. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was clear to MingYue that Luca''s hate came from her personal experience; it wasn''t just a different point of view.


    "I agree, aunt. Everyone is responsible for their own actions."


    But Emily had a different take on this. She had her own experience with privileged people like them, but most were those who fell from great heights.


    These pampered people ended up very miserable now, living in the slum.


    "Hard to say, mom. People who never face hardship will never learn how to face consequences.


    They may know in theory, but without experiencing it themselves, it''s useless."


    "People won''t feel gratitude for being strong without knowing how it feels to be weak. That is just how humans are, no matter where the world is," MingYue added.


    Meanwhile, back at the teleportation array, a group of cultivators came out. Leading them was a handsome man with long black hair. His body was lean and ideal.


    Seeing the fat young master, the man''s eyes flickered with disgust, "What are you doing here, fatty? You want to make trouble for me?"


    His lips then curled into a smile as he saw Long only bring two people with him. Behind him were eight late-stage nascent souls, with four middle-stage golden core cultivators.


    "You are really stupid ¡­ Why do you think I came here first?" Long replied with a smile.


    He opened his palm and then hit the ground. Another array started activating, triggering the teleportation array.


    Young Master Ding Dong began to panic, he quickly ordered everyone to go out, but it was too late. A blinding light flashed, making everyone unable to see what happened.


    MingYue also couldn''t see it since she was not there in person.


    The light dissipated, showing Ding Dong kneeling on the ground, his hand covering his private parts as he was now completely nude. His other cultivators were nowhere to be seen.


    Ding Dong''s eyes glinted with anger, "What do you want to do, fatty Long? Don''t think you win with just this. I could still call my ancestor''s projection here."


    "Hahaha, you are welcome to do that, Ding Dong," Long replied with a loud laugh.


    He already knew how Immortal Dong treated his family.


    Your journey continues at M V L


    If he came, he might punish him for shaming his descendant, but back home, Ding Dong would be punished heavily. Immortal Dong cared a lot about his face.


    As for the punishment, Long didn''t feel afraid. Worst come to worst, he could do the same as Ding Dong.


    ''At most, I will be locked at home, but he will be miserable for sure,'' Long thought in his mind.


    Ding Dong started hesitating. Whatever Long planned to do was not good for him, but getting punishment from his ancestor was another story. Not only would he be punished harshly, but there was also a huge chance it would leave long-lasting damage to him.

 Chapter 352: Make Your Choice

    His ancestor was known for playing favorites. In the worst case, not only would he be cut off from the best resources, but there was also a big chance he would become a target in his family."Let''s make a deal."


    "A deal? Sure. My request is simple. Go to the Zephyr clan with me, then I will let you go."


    Ding Dong''s face turned ugly. The Zephyr clan was the cause of their dispute.


    Both of them were trying hard to woo the Zephyr clan princess, not only because of her beauty but also her talent and quirky personality. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Usually, just like other princesses, they would be married off to a genius from another clan on the same level. With Long and Ding Dong''s current talent, they had no chance at all, but this princess was special with her talent.


    Some inner conflict then happened; no one knew the details, and the only result was that the princess was free to marry anyone she wanted.


    This made many men like them flock and become simps toward the princess. Marrying her would certainly improve their standing in the family.


    Normally, people with no talent would not even dare to think about marrying someone with great talent, but they were different. Their confidence was supported by their very strong background.


    "NO! Anything except that."


    "You embarrassed me before in the gathering of the clan; you think I will accept that answer? You are courting death, Ding Dong."


    "Death? Go on, kill me. Do you even dare?" Ding Dong asked with a gloating tone.


    "I am not stupid. Your guardian has all seen me; it will probably take them three days at most before they return here. That is why I will make sure to use this time effectively. Mo, go."


    Mo nodded and suddenly appeared behind Ding Dong. She focused her qi into his body, making him unable to move.


    Ding Dong was humiliated; his face contorted in anger. Even now, he didn''t feel any fear.


    Mo moved her hand forward, allowing Ding Dong to see her palm. On top were two round pills, one red and the other blue.


    "Choose your own fate then, Ding Dong. One will turn you into a beast man, while the other will change you into a female. Hahaha," Long said while laughing, his eyes glinting with coldness.


    "Fuck you! I will not eat it."


    "Sure, then call your ancestor, or I will make Mo force-feed you both pills. A female beast girl from the Dong clan¡ªI am sure many will pay a premium for this."


    "My ancestor will kill you!"


    "Go ahead, call him then. Why are you not?"


    Ding Dong hesitated. All his options now were bad; he didn''t want to choose any. He turned his gaze toward Mo, "I will pay ten times! Free me."


    "I am sorry, Young Master Ding, but I will never betray Young Master Long."


    "Trying to bribe my people, are you stupid, Ding? I am not like you, only using wealth and threatening them with your influence. Every single one of my men is loyal to me. I never force anyone to follow me."


    Mo and the other woman beside Long smiled. "We will always be loyal to you, Young Master Long," they said in unison.


    "So decide quickly, Ding, or do you want me to just cut your dong? Hahaha." His eyes glinted with cruelty, then raised five fingers, "I will count. Five¡­"


    Long paused for a moment, then continued, "Four¡­"


    Time was running out for Ding. If he called the ancestor, the result was clear, but if he took the pill, he would be humiliated for three days.


    Who knew what would happen, but at the very least, no one would know it was him.


    Little did he know that MingYue and the group were hearing and listening to everything happening inside.


    Other senses might be blocked by the Golden Core cultivator, but technological devices worked in a different way. This one was also very advanced, allowing it to zoom fifty times over without losing clarity. It could even capture sound from a specific area, focusing the input device to detect any sound wave.


    "Since my people will find me here in three days, what do you plan to do afterward? You never said this pill is not a permanent change." Stay updated with M V L


    "Cut the crap, Ding. Do you think I don''t know your bloodline? Any poison or pill will be purified as time passes. With the material I used to make this pill, you will become stronger after the effect disappears.


    Don''t you see how good I was? Even when taking revenge, I still give you some benefit, haha."


    Seeing Long''s cruel smile, Ding didn''t have any rebuttal.


    "Quick, make your decision, Ding. Two¡­" Long said while lowering another finger.


    ''FUCK IT!'' Ding Dong cursed in his mind while he just randomly took one of the pills.


    Meanwhile, back at the inn, Luca''s eyes flickered with disgust. "Bunch of brats that don''t know the repercussions of their own actions."


    "Then should we do something, Aunt?" MingYue asked, but in reality, she had already decided to do something.


    While hearing their discussion, curiosity kept building up in her mind.


    Usually, she would then talk about this with Alex to discuss what they could do, but since she couldn''t contact him, she was talking to Vesa.


    While Long and Ding Dong were busy cursing at each other, MingYue was plotting to kidnap all four.


    "As long as it doesn''t waste much time. And will this impact you badly?" Luca asked.


    "Don''t worry, Aunt. This will help with our goal." MingYue smiled, then ordered from her mind, ''Vesa, start.''


    Red fog appeared from her body, materializing into the pink chubby bat.


    Her crimson eyes flickered with a green hue as Vesa focused on the screen.


    In the next moment, Vesa suddenly reappeared on top of the young masters.


    Ding Dong didn''t realize her appearance. He had just eaten the blue pill.


    He was now screaming in pain as he could feel a searing hot sensation all through his body.

 Chapter 353: Integration Realm

    But Long quickly turned alert. The creature that suddenly appeared made his back hair stand; he had never seen anything like this before.Vesa''s presence also made him feel suffocated. Mo quickly moved, reappearing in front of Long.


    "Time to move," Vesa said with a grin, showing her canines. Her fingers glowed green, followed by many runes appearing around the area.


    The ground started to vibrate, followed by a huge energy explosion. The building collapsed on itself, leaving behind only huge smoke and debris.


    Long People quickly moved, flying toward the area. Screams and panic reverberated as they quickly wanted to leave. They were not afraid of the assailant. They escaped because they were afraid the clan behind these young masters would hold them responsible.


    Just like MingYue, the cultivator was not stupid; it was easy to deduce whoever was behind the scene.


    Back at the inn, MingYue''s lips curved into a smile, "Let''s go, Aunt."


    "Where? Isn''t the portal already destroyed?" Emily asked.


    "We will go through another checkpoint. I believe soon the city will be locked down."


    But unfortunately, it was too late. After MingYue said this, a huge qi pressure spread all around the city.


    "Everyone, I am Ming Tian, the mayor of this city. Please calm down first. I understand your worry, but don''t underestimate the immortals.


    No matter where you live, they have a way to track you down. At that time, can you save yourself?


    Isn''t it better to let me verify you are not related to this situation? In that case, your innocence will be guaranteed by me."


    The majestic voice could be heard all over the city. It was like the mayor was talking right beside them in a calm tone, giving them a sense of peace.


    "Seems things won''t be that easy, MingYue," Luca said while she furrowed her eyebrows together. The energy she felt made her feel alarmed.


    "A heavenly ascension cultivator," MingYue mumbled. She then asked Vesa in her mind, ''Vesa, is it possible to use qi and secret techniques to hide from your detection?''


    ''Based on what I know, this should be impossible, Queen. Except there is a secret technique that utilizes a tier 1 energy like life force, but I doubt this is the case.''


    ''A tier 1 energy?'' Discover hidden tales at M V L


    ''Yes, Queen. There are many energies used for different types of power systems depending on their species.


    Some use the same one but label it with different names, while others are completely different, for example, qi and mana. So my old master decided to create a tier classifying these energy types.''


    MingYue didn''t feel interested in the technical terms; she just got to the point. ''So you are saying it should be impossible for anything made by qi and mana to hide from sensory techniques utilizing life force?''


    ''Yes, Queen.''


    "Can you beat him?" Luca asked.


    "I am not sure, but holding him down should be no problem. For now, let''s see what they plan to do. By the way, Mom, Emily, both of you should wear this," she said while taking out two bracelets.


    It was a disguising amulet to change her appearance. Even though she often told Alex her world was different from a novel, she couldn''t deny that women have a lot more problems in her world compared to Alex.


    A beautiful appearance without a good background will easily guarantee a life of tragedy. They will attract attention from people they cannot fight back against and end up being taken as maids or even slaves to rich merchants. Only the lucky ones become a concubine.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, he was now in the underground training facility, fighting with Reina. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He only used one hand to parry all her coming attacks, "You should practice your qi movement more, Reina. When you attack like this, it''s unnecessary to use your qi on your entire body.


    Focus only on those that you use, for example, shoulder, waist, and foot. You have too many useless motions."


    "Motions? Will that make my technique better?"


    "Of course. This is the problem for races born with innate strength. You can already achieve most things without polishing the movement, so you skip the whole process.


    Raising your realm does give you better efficiency and makes you stronger, but when you are stuck, it''s better to use the time to polish your movement.


    Look, as you see, I am born as a pure human. Most of us don''t have that innate strength.


    This is why we are looking for ways to make the movement more effective. You know, if you do it the right way, it''s even possible to exert more damage from the amount of strength you used."


    Alex then showed it to Reina. He did the same attack with the same amount of qi but different motions. One was done imperfectly, while for the other one, he made sure to use the perfect movement followed by the qi flowing in the same way.


    The result was very apparent, making Reina''s eyes widen. She felt like her world had just been expanded, making her realize how much potential she had.


    "See?"


    "Thank you for the guidance, Sir Alex. I have been stuck in this spiritual transformation realm for years now. At the very least, with this, I will become stronger."


    "What is blocking your advancement?"


    "I lack the material. The next realm is the mystic integration stage. For normal cultivators, they need to balance all the power they have and then integrate it into one.


    Normally, this can be done without using any external item, but for awakened cultivators like me, it''s not that simple.


    If our species trait is too strong, we will need to seek out some treasure to boost our qi, or worse, to weaken our trait just to balance everything out."


    "Is this integration different from how people become awakened? Don''t you already fuse everything into your core, giving your bloodline trait into your qi?"


    "That one is different. The qi is still produced in the same way; we just then fuse it with our trait. What we want to break through is to fuse everything at the fundamental level."


    "Everything? Does this include your soul and inner world?"

 Chapter 354: Too Effective is a Problem

    "Hmm¡­ it can be said like that, but based on my knowledge, after integrating everything, we will then seek to understand all the interactions within ourselves, learning all the weaknesses and strengths, then trying to evolve it to a new level.At the transcendent stage, we will then exert our ascended core, allowing it to influence the real world surrounding us by creating a domain."


    "In that case, every method will be very unique depending on each individual."


    Reina nodded, "Thank you for helping me train, Sir Alex. If you have anything you need, just tell me." While he said this, Reina began feeling suspicion toward Alex.


    Based on his words, he had no understanding of this cultivation realm, but with how strong he was, this just didn''t make sense to Reina. ''Did he have some other reason that made him far stronger?''


    She wanted to ask, but Alex''s next remark stopped her. "By the way, did anyone from the Zephyr clan ever come here?"


    Hearing the name Zephyr, Reina''s eyes sparked with hate. "Did you meet anyone from that clan? Based on my knowledge, there should be none."


    "Yes, see this." Alex''s hand then made a motion creating a rune in the air, and a transparent screen appeared, showing what he saw yesterday.


    The first scene made Reina''s cheeks turn red, but as she realized who the person on the bed was, her anger flared. It quickly overwhelmed her mind, making her forget her curiosity about how Alex did this.


    "That bitch! I knew she was nothing good! We should report this to my father."


    "Why? Things are more beneficial for us this way."


    "Sir Alex, how could this be good? If things go like this, they will attack us in ambush."


    "Only if you lose. With me here, winning is guaranteed. Except they suddenly decide to have an immortal joining the competition," Alex said with a chuckle.


    He added the last remark as an exaggeration to calm Reina''s nerves.


    The idea of an immortal joining such a low-level competition was beyond absurd.


    But Reina still felt worried. It was her clan that was at risk here. "Then, Sir Alex, they will make up a new plan."


    "Yes, they will, and that is what I hope for. After you win, Morgana will meet up again with that silver-haired man. You can then go to your father, setting up an ambush." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''I see Sir Alex doesn''t want to meet with my father,'' Reina thought.


    They exchanged some more small talk, then went on their own way. Reina still practiced at the underground training ground while Alex wanted to check the city.


    He wanted to see the auction and eat the local cuisine, but more importantly, Alex wanted to learn more information about the clan. Alex wanted to know how they managed their city, as this would reflect the patriarch''s personality. Other than this, he also wanted to see how the spice water bait was progressing.


    Just that morning, Rexar the guard had already purchased a hundred bottles. The qi crystal was good, but he was looking forward more to those who bit the bait.


    While leaving, he met with Uncle Moria.


    "Greetings, Senior. I thought Reina said you had some matter to attend to today."


    "I just finished with that matter¡­" Moria''s eyes then narrowed, looking at Alex. "Do you know there is a new product appearing in the city? It''s called spice water."


    "Oh, you already heard about it? Those two were quick," Alex asked back with a chuckle.


    "I have tracked down the source to Rexar, and he said he got the item from you?"


    "Yes, it''s a local product from my hometown. Is there a problem? It''s not like I sell something that is bad for people''s health."


    "That is the problem! Do you know how much trouble I have because of this?


    The rich merchants are fighting each other to get your stock."


    "No wonder Rexar could buy so many at once. Don''t worry, I still have a lot in stock." Alex replied with a smirk on his face.


    "It''s not just the stock, the effect is also a problem. Some sects have approached me asking for this product."


    "Interesting, I didn''t think this would be useful for cultivators."


    "You think!? I don''t know how you cultivated to your current strength, but for us, this is very useful.


    Don''t you know one of the biggest hurdles when cultivating is having a focused mind?


    Drinking a sip of your water gives clarity of mind.


    Just a few hours ago, someone had a breakthrough after having your drink."


    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise. Now that he heard about it, what Moria said made sense.


    Having a clear mind helps a lot in getting a spark of inspiration. This was the main reason spice water was his favorite drink in the past. But he still remembered the clarity; it wasn''t that exaggerated.


    It was just like a clear head after he got a good night''s sleep. While he thought about this, Alex looked at Moria, seeing his horn made him realize something.


    Spice water was made from a monster that was probably related to the dragon race. There was a big possibility this water had a better effect on their species.


    Experience tales at M V L


    ''But why? Is this related to the dragon bloodline? Hmm¡­'' Alex wondered.


    "I am afraid this matter will quickly become more of a problem," Uncle Moria said with a concerned gaze.


    If another cultivator had a breakthrough, things would quickly escalate.


    Once might be a coincidence, but a second? Then a third? Moria couldn''t imagine the repercussions of this incident.


    "Can you tell me more details about this cultivator who had a breakthrough? From what realm? Also, are they a dragari?"


    "Dragari?" Moria repeated his words while he studied Alex''s expression.


    "It seems your homeland is really in some backwater place. I suggest you never mention that word again."


    "Why?"


    "It''s been ruled forbidden to differentiate between each race since years ago.


    The rule is not that enforced in some areas, but here everyone will judge you for saying that. And for your question, it''s someone like me.


    He had a breakthrough to the golden core realm."

 Chapter 355: Change of Plan

    ''So he does have dragon bloodline in them¡­ Seems I made another screw-up,'' Alex thought in his mind, then sighed.He expected to gain attention from some clan spies in the city. But with how effective the water was, even some immortals could come here to procure the water.


    Things were escalating beyond his control now. If he took the product from the market, matters would just escalate. Worst come to worst, the Midnight Clan would be invaded by others before the Zephyr Clan made their move.


    ''Wait, I need to make sure to watch over Morgana now. Who knows if the Zephyr Clan will change their mind with this incident. As for the product¡­''


    "Senior, since things are already like this, I have a solution, but I need your help."


    "What do you need?"


    "You should have personal connections all around the region. I want you to act as a mysterious merchant and sell this product, prioritizing cities or clans that have a populace with high amounts of dragon bloodline."


    Moria''s eyes lit up hearing Alex''s suggestion, but then he became confused as to why Alex wanted to target the dragon bloodline. Stay tuned with M V L


    Remembering what Alex said beforehand, Moria realized something, "Does this water work more effectively on those with a dragon bloodline?"


    "Based on the current situation, it seems so. I also just found out about this."


    "How did you make this water? Is it from dragon blood?" Moria asked in disbelief. He had heard rumors before that dragon blood had miraculous effects, but only from true dragons, which were just a myth in his world.


    No one ever met a real one; even on the front lines, the strongest they encountered were dragon hybrids with barely 50% blood purity.


    Alex replied with a smirk, "That, Senior, will be a secret of my hometown. I cannot tell you that. So, how is my proposal? sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This way, as long as you act fast, the focus will be dispersed into the product itself. Otherwise, the burden will be carried by your clan."


    "Alright, let''s do it your way then," Moria replied while raising his hand.


    "Sure, but Senior, it''s not free. Same with Rexar, you need to pay for every single bottle.


    ]


    I am sure a respectable senior like yourself won''t go as low as trying to steal from me."


    ''Bastard, what stealing? He is stronger than me. I really let a fox into the house. This is just the second day, and he already made a lot of trouble,'' Moria cursed in his mind, but he knew there was nothing he could do to Alex.


    Deep in his heart, he now even feared him. Moria still didn''t know Alex''s true strength. He could only hope Alex wouldn''t stab him in the back.


    With heavy reluctance, Moria gave Alex a pouch filled with high-grade Qi crystals. Seeing Alex''s smug smile as he received it almost gave him a heart attack.


    The pouch contained almost all his life savings. Moria didn''t want to use the clan''s money because it would raise suspicion.


    He had already taken many countermeasures in case some members of the clan looked for the water source. This was the biggest reason why he took everything into his own hands.


    If anyone found out it all came from Alex, a person brought here by Reina, things would quickly escalate.


    Alex returned the pouch to Moria after swapping the content. "This should be enough to be sold in all those cities."


    Looking at Moria''s hurt expression, Alex then added, "Don''t be like that, Senior. You act like this junior is scamming you. With this exclusive resource, I am sure you can profit a lot, and if you do it right, you can use it to get more benefits."


    Moria knew Alex was right, but he still didn''t want to admit it. It wasn''t easy to do. If he used only his contacts, who knows if someone would backstab him?


    He needed to do everything carefully, making sure no one could trace it back to him. Moria excused himself and then quickly left the area, but not before asking Alex to protect Reina in case something happened.


    With so many things to do, he doubted he could return quickly. He also needed to hide his identity, meaning he couldn''t just go to each clan and town with a teleportation portal. Moria''s plan was to go near the city and then sell the water to some merchants on the road.


    This way, people wouldn''t know for sure where the product came from.


    Moria also started thinking about how he could create a fake situation that made it look like the water appeared in another city first, not from his clan; it''s just that the first appearance was more subtle and hidden.


    ''If I fake out some of the merchants'' records, this should be possible.''


    After he left, Alex changed his plan. He decided to look for Morgana. Going to the city now would just create more trouble than benefit for him.


    The road conditions didn''t differ much from when it was night. It barely had people walking around. The only difference was that some maids were cleaning the road with brooms, making Alex smirk.


    ''I always find this funny. In a world of cultivation and the existence of Qi, they still use normal people to clean up.


    Using golems would certainly be more effective than people. It''s also safer.


    Who knows how many of these people are spies from other clans? Or do they do this on purpose?


    Hmm¡­ a clan without any information coming out will certainly make others wary.''


    Alex then smirked, thinking it made sense. He started making his way toward Morgana''s courtyard. Unlike Reina, the guard here didn''t recognize Alex.


    He was quickly blocked at the entrance.


    "Who are you? State your purpose?"


    "Tell your princess Morgana I am looking for her."


    The guard''s eyes turned sharp. He had never met Alex before, so he thought he was no one important.


    "Who do you think you are? Wanting to meet our princess? You think it''s that easy?"

 Chapter 356: Bribery

    "Just tell her first, why make a scene here? Do your job."The guard''s anger flared. Lately, his mood had not been good. Compared to Reina, Morgana often scolded her people if someone made a fault. One person''s mistake, depending on what they did, could end up in a punishment for the whole group.


    After Reina returned, Morgana became more moody. Every single small mistake was blown out of proportion. Just yesterday, everyone''s salary for this month was cut by 10% because of the broken roof near her window.


    There was no way he would tell her a nobody came looking for her now. Who knew he would lose all his salary this time?


    The guard walked forward and stood in front of Alex. "Leave, this is not a place for you."


    Alex raised his eyebrow, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Don''t be like that, sir. We are all just doing our work here. I have a message from my princess for yours."


    As he said this, Alex held the man''s hand in a shaking gesture. The guard was about to get angry at first, but feeling something appear in his palm quickly softened his expression.


    He didn''t know what grade, but feeling the texture, he guessed it was a Qi crystal.


    In a flash, he put the item into his storage ring. His expression quickly softened, making the other guard look at him with suspicion.


    "Look, sir, you seem like a good person, so I will tell you this: better stay away from our princess for now. Believe me, you don''t want to face her wrath. Just tell your princess you were blocked at the entrance. I am sure they will understand."


    Hearing his words, Alex concluded that the other princess treated their men better than Morgana. Curious, he tried to fish for information, "I know, but this is important. You know, unlike yours, my princess helps me a lot. I owe him my life."


    The guard''s expression changed; none of them defended their princess.


    "Can you tell me first what the information was? I am not doing this because I want to make it hard for you, but if the news makes her angry, we will all get punished for it."


    Alex smiled and then started whispering something into the guard''s ear. The guard''s face changed a few times. After Alex finished, he was all smiles.


    "Sir, you are not lying, right?"


    "Of course, just think, how does lying to you benefit me? Both of us are just workers for our princesses."


    The guard ruminated for a moment, then made his decision. He moved to the other guard and whispered what Alex told him. The other guard''s expression quickly changed, just like the first one.


    He then nodded at Alex and went inside the courtyard. Left alone, the other guard asked Alex, "Are you really sure? This could cost us our lives."


    "You think I would joke about things like this? How else do you think people like me can get this kind of wealth?" Alex said while throwing a high-grade Qi crystal.


    The guard quickly moved in panic, cursing in his mind why Alex didn''t just give it to him subtly like the first guard.


    After putting it into his storage ring, the guard quickly looked around, making sure no one realized what was happening.


    "Why so worried? Do other guards steal it from you?"


    "It''s not that, sir. You just don''t know what kind of life we have here. Doing what you say is really not easy for us. Anyone could report to the princess."


    "What do you mean? Don''t you all hate her?"


    "Hate is hate, sir, but money is money. Anyone who reports and it''s proved to be true will get rewarded. The better the secret, the bigger the reward."


    ''Seems this Morgana is not stupid. She knows how to manage her people. But with the conditions I bring to them, I am sure no one will betray me,'' Alex thought to himself.


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    "I see. So, only a few of you are close to each other?"


    "Hah, close? Who knows if your best friend will be the one who reports on you the next day? It''s already happened a few times."


    "Are you sure? You know someone could just make it up," Alex replied.


    The guard paused. He had never thought of this possibility, but now that he heard of it, he couldn''t get it out of his mind. This was very possible and also explained some weird situations. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A woman tattling on her own man despite it implicating her too. Afterward, there was a rumor she had an affair with another man, but he knew her personally. There was no way she did this.


    Seeing the guard''s expression, Alex knew he had reached his goal. He didn''t know or care if it was made up or not. But as long as he could plant a seed of doubt in the guard''s heart, it would work to his advantage.


    Alex then took out a small device¡ªit was a customized spy camera with a jade slip. This time, he gave it subtly to the man''s hand while whispering, "Do this task, and I will make sure your life is guaranteed."


    The guard was confused at first, but he quickly read the information on the jade slip. After he finished, the jade was destroyed.


    "Sir, I will do it! But can I bring my family with me?"


    "You change sides so fast. Can I trust you?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    "What you ask is not counted as betraying, and based on what you tell me, I should be able to get some acknowledgment in the Midnight Clan. But I don''t want it. I want your reward. It''s really tiring living like this, sir."


    "Sure, don''t forget to keep it a secret. I just offer this opportunity to you."


    "Yes, sir," the guard replied while shaking his hand, smiling.


    The first guard returned. Seeing his friend''s expression, he thought he got a Qi crystal like him.

 Chapter 357: Condescending

    When he walked to report, he had checked the item he got from Alex. Seeing it was a high-grade Qi crystal that equaled two months of his full wage, he almost jumped in joy."The princess agreed to meet with you, sir."


    The first guard returned. Seeing his friend''s experience, he thought he would get a qi crystal like him.


    When he was walking to report, he checked the item he got from Alex. Seeing it was a high-grade qi crystal equal to two months of his full wage, he almost jumped in joy.


    "The princess agrees to meet you, sir. Let me show you the way."


    Following the guard, Alex started walking inside. The layout was not much different from Reina''s, and the decoration was not much different either. Before, he hadn''t put much focus on it as he was moving quickly, but now he had enough time to observe the area.


    Morgan seemed to have a unique hobby of statues. Alex could see many scattered around, each carved beautifully with intricate details forming auspicious beasts. He could see qilin, dragon, tiger, turtle, and phoenix.


    Each was made with precious gems, with colors attributed to the beast. The form and how it was carved reminded Alex of the pendant that MingYue got from her parents.


    The maids were busy cleaning everything, focused on their work, not saying a single word. Not a single one dared to check who the newcomer was.


    Passing through the area, Alex was led into a huge building. Inside, he saw Morgana seated cross-legged in a chair, sipping tea.


    She was wearing a black qipao with an opening that showed her cleavage.


    "I remember you, so what does that slut follower really want with me? Get straight to the point. I hate wasting my time," Morgana said with a condescending tone, her eyes looking down at Alex.


    Seeing this, Alex tried his best to control himself. It wasn''t because he was angry; he was trying hard not to laugh.


    If it was before, Alex would probably have been mad, but he had seen how weak and vulnerable Morgana was.


    She might act strong now, but to hold her position, she spread her legs to any man, making her a slut in his eyes.


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile, and he then made a small gesture of respect.


    Despite what he felt, showing his aggression now would be stupid. It was better for him if she acted like this.


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    "Princess Morgana, didn''t you already hear from the guard? Based on your interaction, don''t you have something you wanted? You know I can make sure of that, depending on your offer." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Morgana''s eyes squinted. Hijacking each other was normal in the competition, but being found out doing it was another story. If her father found out, the repercussions would not have been something she wanted to face now.


    It would complicate many things. Reina was also her father''s favorite. There was a possibility her father would forcefully search her memory. After the last incident with her mother, her standing in the family was not good.


    This was also the reason why she was staying in the clan since the patriarch didn''t allow her to go out.


    ''Is this a trap? But I doubt that stupid woman will do this. Still, this man should be the one she brings as her champion.


    Won''t he have a blood oath with her? Did something happen that made him change sides? I need to be more careful,'' Morgana thought.


    She then said, "You do know what you say here can get you punished? But that is good as well. If I report it, my sister will lose her only champion."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "But Princess Morgana, I am just saying I can help you achieve your wish. By chance, do those wishes break your family rules?"


    Morgana''s eyes flickered with anger. Only now did she realize Alex never really said he was going to sabotage Reina.


    She just thought that was what he meant since her conflict with her was already a public secret. Everyone in the clan knew about this.


    She quickly stood up from her chair and screamed, "Get OUT! I have another matter to take care of."


    ''When things don''t go her way, she quickly gives up and runs away, finding the easiest shortcut.


    No wonder she ends up selling her body. But this is good for me,'' Alex thought.


    With her character like this, Alex would be able to predict her actions easily. She also wouldn''t pose any danger to the situation. Just another side character that he can ignore.


    Satisfied with the result, Alex just smirked, watching Morgana leave.


    "I am sorry, sir, that things didn''t work out," the guard replied.


    "Don''t worry. As long as your princess knows there is an opportunity to hijack the result, she will go for it. She is just testing the water now."


    "I see. I am not proficient in things like this."


    "Don''t worry. Everyone has things they are good at," Alex said with a chuckle, then left the courtyard.


    But he didn''t really leave the area. Alex went to a nearby rooftop and used a rune to camouflage his presence. He lay lazily while looking at the sky.


    Alex planned to wait. Despite other measures he had implemented for the guard to spy on Reina, he still wanted to wait for the man from the Zephyr clan. It wasn''t like he had anything better to do.


    Looking at the sky, without reducing his sense of alertness, Alex started thinking about the awakening cultivator.


    Meanwhile, back with MingYue and the others, they were now stuck in the room of the inn. The mayor was sending people to check every cultivator, starting from those closest to the incident place.


    They were still waiting for their turn. While waiting, MingYue closed her eyes and saw what Vesa was doing. She had already started her lovely session with the two young masters.


    Usually, she would quickly try to get the information she wanted. But now, Vesa was quite intrigued with Ding Dong''s transformation.


    From human, he was now turned into a half-beast, a tail coming out from his back, while his ears disappeared, replaced with dog-like ears.

 Chapter 358: Core Region

    What intrigued her the most was how Ding Dong''s soul was trying to resist his physical transformation. Even though it could not be seen with the naked eye, Vesa could easily check this.Besides the tied-down Ding Dong, Long was also in the same situation, with his two unconscious maids.


    Other than Vesa, Elvira and Luciel were also there.


    Usually, the interrogation was done on one of Alex''s awe cubes. But now it was done inside Edonia.


    "I will tell you everything you want. Just spare me and my maids. As for Ding Dong, I will keep my mouth shut."


    But Vesa didn''t respond to his plea. Instead, she asked, "How did you create this pill?"


    "I made it myself. I will tell you the recipe if that is what you want."


    "Tell me," Vesa replied.


    She wanted to understand how the pill worked, to then compare it with other pill effects. Understanding what kind of bloodline this Ding Dong had.


    She could have asked for information from Long, but Vesa thought it was better to try to understand it herself first to avoid having a biased view. It wasn''t like she was in a hurry.


    ''Vesa, do what you want to do later. For now, I need information,'' MingYue ordered.


    ''Alright, Queen,'' Vesa complied. She then turned to Elvira and Luciel. "You both know what Queen wants. It''s your job to get the information from him."


    Elvira hesitated to answer. She had never tortured someone before. As for Luciel, having experienced living in constant battle with gluttony, she didn''t hesitate to agree.


    In her mind, as long as she could have a good relationship with Vesa, her family''s future was guaranteed.


    Luciel started walking toward Long. "Wait¡­ Just ask your questions first."


    "First, tell us why you were there having a conflict with that man?" Luciel asked while she looked at the instruments Vesa had prepared on the site.


    Rather than torture devices, it was more like operation tools.


    As for Ding Dong, he couldn''t say anything. His mouth was gagged, and his body still hurt like hell.


    After the transformation had finished, it turned out that the reaction from his body was not that simple.


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    As his soul tried to fight the pill effect, his body was transformed, destroyed, and then transformed again and again on the inside.


    It was like someone was burning down his heart, regenerating it only to burn it down again. Not only pain, he also felt intense itchiness but couldn''t scratch it.


    This result was expected by Long. He didn''t have further plans to bring Ding Dong somewhere else. His real plan was to escape quickly after making fun of him a few more times.


    He was sure no one would dare to move Ding Dong away, making him a spectacle in the town for a few days. Then, when the pill effect started wearing off, the Zephyr clan princess would arrive.


    Long had gotten his information from a very trustworthy source. Ding Dong didn''t know the reason for the visit.


    He then explained everything as it was not a huge secret. Long was very cooperative as he knew the one who abducted him was not something normal.


    He could feel a sense of danger coming from Vesa more than from his own Ancestor.


    The reason was probably because his own Ancestor never had ill will toward him, but he preferred to choose the safest option.


    As long as their request was acceptable, he would fulfill it all.


    "So the gist was both of you were fighting over this princess and trying to humiliate each other?"


    "Yes, as I said, I believe it''s nothing big or important for people like you. If you have anything else you want, just ask."


    ''Luciel, ask him which clan they come from and what this Zephyr clan is. I want to know everything,'' MingYue ordered, using Vesa as a medium to talk to Luciel telepathically.


    ''Yes, Queen.''


    "My name is Long Jian, from the Jian clan. As for that half-dog bastard, he is from the Dong clan. Both of our clans are protected by an immortal.


    Our clans have their own hold in the central region. As for the Zephyr clan, they come from the core region."


    "Where is this core region?" Luciel asked based on MingYue''s instruction.


    "The core region is located deep underground. To enter there, we need to pass through a special path guarded by the gatekeeper."


    "So, is the Zephyr clan stronger than your clan?" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not necessarily. I honestly don''t know much about this, but those clans coming from the core region are always treated respectfully, no matter what cultivation realm they are.


    So, if I succeed in building a relationship with them through marriage, my standing in the family will rise.


    Oh yeah, one more thing, this is just a rumor, but there are new sayings that this core region clan has multiple immortals."


    Luciel frowned. This whole cultivation thing was new to her. But she understood that the immortal realm represented their clan''s strength.


    "If that is right, how could you say the clans in the core region are not stronger than yours? Are you joking with me?"


    "I am sorry, but as I said before, it''s just a rumor. I also think the same. If they have more immortals than us, there is no way we could coexist peacefully."


    "Have you ever visited this core region?"


    "No, only the elders occasionally visit there. As for us, we only interact with clans from the core region at gathering events."


    "Then isn''t this Zephyr clan''s visit to this region weird? It''s not something common."


    "Yes and no. While it''s not common, it has happened multiple times in the past.


    Not just the Zephyr clan princess, many of the young generation also sometimes come to visit. But they usually hide their identity."


    "How about the path toward the core region, then?


    How do you know it''s underground if you''ve never visited there?


    Is it just another rumor?"

 Chapter 359: Lady Aria

    "No, this one I am sure of. I went with some elders toward the entrance. But I was not allowed to enter with them.This is like a tradition in which someone always waits on the other side, waiting for the elder until he returns."


    "How about ShangXi Temple? What do you know about them?"


    "A bunch of stupid fanatics. I would suggest you stay away from them if possible.


    This is not a matter of strength but annoyance.


    Once you hit their nest, those ants will come out swarming without care for their own lives."


    Hearing this, MingYue frowned. ShangXi Temple was not like what she expected.


    ''This means they didn''t have full control of the central region. It''s probably because most of the rumors come from civilians.''


    In MingYue''s opinion, civilians would be more likely to take ShangXi Temple''s side, as they get protection and earn more benefits.


    As for cultivators, only those who held high positions would enjoy it. The rest would live their lives like mortals, busy working on their assigned posts.


    This pulled the attention of cultivators who had already given up on their path. They sacrificed their privilege in exchange for protection from their enemies.


    "Are your Jian clan and Dong clan ShangXi Temple''s enemies?"


    "Hard to say for now, but the situation is not that good. Some clans suddenly appeared and began attacking their infrastructure.


    Right now, it''s still a minor conflict, but things will probably escalate soon.


    As for my clan and the others, they are all taking a wait-and-see attitude."


    "Which side do you think they will take then?"


    "My clan? That will depend on which one is more beneficial at the moment."


    "Have you ever heard the names Alex or Edward?"


    "No, never heard those names," Long replied after some thought.


    The names felt weird and foreign to him. But he then remembered something.


    "I suggest you look for them in the core region; from their names, it seems like they live there."


    ''That is enough, Luciel. Continue to ask him for information on Dong clan''s strength and find anything you think will be useful,'' MingYue ordered, then opened her eyes.


    ''Hope we won''t be too late,'' she thought.


    "How is it? Did you get any good information?" Luca asked.


    She didn''t know where MingYue brought the two people, but knowing about the awe cube''s existence, she had some guesses.


    "Some information. It seems things in the central region are quite heated up. At least we won''t enter blindly now."


    "How about Alex and Edward? Do you have any information about them?"


    "Nothing in detail, but I learned something curious. Long said their name style is similar to that of people from the core region. Either it''s a coincidence, or it''s related to uncle."


    "How much time difference do you have here with my place?" Luca asked.


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    "It''s the same, but Uncle probably lived on the Dragari planet for a while before it turned like that.


    Who knows how much time has passed for him," MingYue replied while she thought, ''but this also means my world has somehow been connected to Dragari for a while now.


    I wonder why I never see any of them?


    Are they mixed with those beast clans? Or do each of them live inside the core region?''


    The more MingYue learned, the more she realized there were so many things she didn''t know about her world.


    Before, she thought Shanxi Temple was the strongest faction, but now they were not. Things were far more complicated.


    While she thought, the sound of a door being knocked reached their ears.


    "It seems it''s finally our turn," MingYue said.


    "Emily, open the door," Luca said. She knew Emily was still the fastest.


    If someone ambushed them, she would be able to react quickly, avoiding the attack.


    Emily walked toward the door, and Zold moved closer, taking out his dagger.


    The door opened, showing two cultivators. The one in front had an amiable smile on his face, exuding a majestic aura. Beside him was a beautiful woman with a similar cultivation level.


    They looked like they were in their twenties, but MingYue knew they had probably already lived ten times longer than her.


    "I am sorry to disturb your rest. Let me introduce myself again. My name is Ming Tian, the mayor of this city. Beside me is Lady Aria, coming to visit us."


    Right now, MingYue and the others, except Zold, had already disguised their faces, making them look average.


    MingYue also had her cultivation camouflaged by Vesa, making Ming Tian only detect them as normal people.


    MingYue acted like a merchant and then introduced herself with a fake name. She also gave one to everyone.


    "We are just merchants here looking for a pass toward the central region, Sir. We don''t know anything about the incident."


    "Don''t worry. I already know about that. It''s probably an accident that happened because of their fight on the teleportation array. But you should understand it''s my duty to check on everyone." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ming Yue nodded, but she felt weird about Ming Tian''s actions.


    He was too polite to face a group of merchants.


    Usually, even though the cultivator was kind, they would just directly say what they wanted when facing a normal civilian.


    ''He is too polite. Does he know our real identity? Or is it just how he acts normally since this city is a hub?'' MingYue wondered.


    "So, what do you want to check, Sir?"


    Usually, they would investigate the cultivator''s storage ring, but now, since they were only merchants, a single look should be more than enough for a cultivator like Ming Tian to find anything weird or suspicious.


    "Rather than me, Lady Aria wants to ask something."


    "Did any of you know the name Edward? He is my Master, and he sent me here to look for someone," Aria directly asked while looking at their expressions.


    Luca''s eyes widened. Hearing her husband''s name after a long time made her not care about keeping their facade up.


    She quickly asked back, "Who is the person your master asked you to look for?"

 Chapter 360: Master?

    Aria took out an item from her storage ring, then created a projection in the air. It showed a picture of three people: Luca, Emily, and Alex.Her heart beat loudly since this confirmed her question. It was the Edward she was looking for, her one and only husband.


    But MingYue eyed Aria suspiciously. She felt this was too much of a coincidence.


    How could they find out Luca and Alex had come to this place?


    "Are you Lady Aria from the Zephyr clan?" MingYue asked while walking in front of Luca, blocking her path.


    She already knew the jig was up the moment Luca reacted, but MingYue still needed to make sure they were all safe.


    Aria had silver-white hair with the same pupil color.


    Her eyes locked on MingYue, "Yes, I am. Is that a problem?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue''s eyes darted between Aria and Ming Tian. Based on the information she got, Aria had already planned her visit here for a week.


    This meant she somehow found out this information. She started suspecting they had something to do with Alex''s disappearance.


    Luca put her hand over her shoulder, "I understand your concern, MingYue, but I need to find this out to the end."


    "Aunt, let me make sure of it first," MingYue replied.


    "So, you did use a fake name," Ming Tian said with a chuckle.


    "How did you know we were cultivators?"


    "I don''t know how, but your method of hiding your cultivation is very good. But unfortunately, you are not a good actor.


    When I entered the room, you looked me in the eyes.


    That is not something a normal civilian would do. My presence alone would make them kneel on the ground."


    MingYue didn''t know about this since her cultivation realm was not that high yet. A normal person seeing her would just give a respectable bow.


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    "I see¡­" MingYue mumbled while Luca walked to her side.


    She then returned her appearance back to normal. "Bring me to my husband."


    Aria raised her eyebrow, then studied her appearance once more. Her eyes then focused on the ring on her finger. After a moment, she quickly gave her respect.


    "Disciple Aria greets Madam Luca. I hope you can follow me to meet up with Master," Aria said while lowering her upper body.


    Her hands were clasped together in a unique gesture: one in a fist while the other was an open palm.


    "MingYue, let''s follow them. We will know the answer after that."


    MingYue still hesitated. Going with them meant giving them a chance to get trapped, but seeing how insistent Luca was, she knew she couldn''t reject her request without having conflict.


    She could also feel the gaze from Emily and Zold, silently conveying their agreement to go with them.


    "Alright, Aunt, let''s go."


    Ming Tian smiled, "Since you already found them, I will leave you to your own task. Don''t forget the reward you promised."


    "Don''t worry, Tian, you know I always do what I say. I will send my maid tomorrow to give you the reward."


    "Good, now I need to take care of the problem from your admirers."


    "Don''t be too hard on them. They don''t mean it in a bad way."


    "You say it like I can do anything to them without losing a skin. I am just a small ant trying to survive this harsh world," he replied with a laugh, then left the area.


    Left alone, MingYue asked, "So we are going to the core region?"


    "Yes, but not now. I need to do another task for my Master''s. It''s not something complicated; I just need to capture someone making trouble in the central region."


    "Who?" MingYue asked while she had a bad premonition.


    If the one she targeted was Yang Fei, that meant they would cross paths with Ming Tian and the others. It would complicate matters.


    "I think you don''t know about him. He is a fugitive who escaped from the core region, someone my Master has been looking for years. Only lately have we had some clue on his location."


    "Aria, can you show the picture?" Luca asked.


    Just like MingYue, she had a bad feeling. If Edward was here, that meant the others were also here, and one of them possibly was a traitor.


    Aria pressed some buttons on the device, changing the image she projected.


    "Uncle Silva?" Emily mumbled in disbelief, her eyes glued to the projection.


    Lightning crackled in the air as Zold''s emotions stirred.


    "No way! Why would the Guild Master look for my father like a criminal?


    I know how loyal he was. There is no way he would ever betray them."


    Luca, meanwhile, didn''t know what to say. The details were too murky now for her to decide. But if Edward did this, she was sure he had a very good reason to do so, and there was a big chance he was the traitor.


    Aria''s eyes glimmered with frost qi as she looked at Zold, "You are his son?"


    MingYue made a move, then blocked her path.


    "I don''t know the details, but what do you plan on doing, Miss Aria? You will not hurt any one of them under my watch."


    "You think you can block me?" Aria asked.


    "You can try," MingYue replied while her crimson eyes glinted with a green hue.


    Aria frowned, seeing this, as she felt strange energy from her.


    "Let''s not fight. We don''t know the details yet," Luca suggested, trying to calm the situation down.


    "Of course, Madam Luca. As long as he doesn''t escape, I will not do anything."


    But Aria''s words only landed on deaf ears. Zold didn''t care about this now. That incident had cost him a lot.


    If his father was really a traitor and the cause, he would never be able to forgive him.


    "Where is he? Where in the central region?"


    "He was last seen in the panda bamboo grove. We will go there before going back to my Master."


    But Zold didn''t want to wait. He wanted to confront his father directly by himself, without any outsiders.


    Thunder rumbled once more, followed by the sound of swords clashing and an explosion that destroyed part of the wall.

 Chapter 361: Plan

    Everything happened so quickly. Luca had already seen this with her ability, but it was already too late for her to do anything. Her reaction was also slow because she felt conflicted.Emily just watched in a freeze as MingYue and Aira now floated in the air, clashing their swords.


    The wall cracked while the temperature plummeted to freezing point in seconds.


    Thankfully, as the inn was used to taking care of cultivators, it was enhanced by an array containing the attack; otherwise, the area would have already turned into an ice sculpture.


    "Stop," Luca ordered.


    Aira looked at MingYue with interest, and her competitive spirit was triggered. This was the first time someone under her realm blocked her attack.


    "I don''t mind if you want to continue," MingYue replied as she also felt the desire to fight. Her blood was boiling, feeling Aira''s attack.


    She felt she could beat Aira if she went all out, but MingYue doubted it would be that simple. She could tell her qi had a different quality than a normal cultivator. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aira thought for a moment, then took a step back. "I am sorry, Madam, but Zold running away could become a problem for us."


    "It will take a while for him to find the location. Rather than wasting time on infighting, it''s better for us to just go there first."


    Aira glanced at MingYue and then returned back to Luca. "As you order, Madam."


    She still wanted to fight, but with a glance, she was sure MingYue wouldn''t run. She should have enough time to spar later after returning to her clan.


    Aira also thought if she had a huge fight here, it would become a problem as Dong and Jian clan would find out she was here when the fight happened.


    As for the last clash, Ming Tian would be able to do something to cover it, she just needed to fork more price as payment.


    Meanwhile, Zold had already turned into an incarnation of lightning. He left the city area and moved toward the central region.


    He already knew the direction he needed to go. As for things that would block his path, Zold was not worried.


    He had faith he could escape as long as he went all out. His experience as a scout also helped him to avoid danger.


    MingTian looked toward the streaking lightning with a frown. He could block Zold''s path, but looking at where he came from made him hesitate.


    ''He is related to the person Aira is looking for, so it would be better just to keep my silence. If she really wants to stop him, she should be able to do it.''


    Meanwhile, Zold was now on top of a tree, looking at a caravan that had already left the city. Based on the distance, he calculated the group had already left for a while. Probably one of the first that the city mayor checked.


    ''Now that I think of it, the mayor just used this event to check people for Aira''s task. Then do those two people that fought on the teleportation array part of the plan?'' Zold wondered.


    If this is true, Edward''s influence in this world would be huge.


    ''Even if my father is really a traitor, I don''t believe he can do it so subtly escaping GuildMaster''s suspicion. And now my father escaped?'' Zold wonder.


    He didn''t know if his suspicions were real or if he was just in denial, but no matter what the reason, he needed to confront his father.


    He started following the caravan looking for an opportunity to make contact with them.


    Coming out directly would startle and probably result in confrontation. This was based on his observation of how this world worked.


    Any new stranger that came out blocking their path would certainly meet with suspicion. A jade beauty in distress is one of the favorite tactics of those rogue cultivators who became bandits.


    Although he was not a beauty, this would still trigger their suspicion.


    Zold hoped for them to get robbed so he could help and rescue them. He would then proceed by asking for some information.


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    Unfortunately, the caravan made its way safely, making Zold feel anxious.


    ''Should I look for another target? I don''t have much time.''


    As he wondered, as if answering his prayer, Zold felt some presence. He turned his gaze, feeling many Qi suddenly entering the range of his senses.


    The location was still some distance away. Based on his calculation, it would take fifteen minutes at least for them to meet up.


    Zold hid his qi and then moved subtly and quickly toward their location.


    As he came close, the creatures he saw were a group of bears. They had purplish fur and completely black eyes.


    Zold could tell they had similar abilities to him, as he felt lightning qi from their presence.


    ''Do bears act differently in this world? They usually hunt solo and do not move in groups. Or is there another reason for this?''


    As Zold thought, the bears began moving in the opposite direction of the caravan. Many thoughts came to his mind, as he knew this was bad news.


    ''It seems I have no choice.''


    Without hesitation, Zold took out a low-grade qi crystal and then infused it with his qi with a small bit of life force.


    The qi crystal started changing as lightning started crackling around it.


    This was only possible because Zold used lifeforce to bind the qi to the crystal; otherwise, the elemental qi would quickly disperse into the air.


    The bears stopped their movement and then looked toward Zold''s direction.


    Knowing his plan worked, Zold moved quickly toward the caravan group.


    ''As I expected, a spirit beast will be very sensitive toward any natural resource that could boost their strength.''


    The group of purplish bears started sprinting, agilely dodging any trees blocking their way. As they came close to the caravan, Zold hid the qi crystal back in his storage ring.

 Chapter 362: SparkGrizzlies

    The bears'' faces turned angry.Meanwhile, the cultivators that guarded the caravan quickly became alert. Now, the bears already felt their presence.


    "This qi, I recognize this. It''s from those SparkGrizzlies. We need to run quick."


    "What? Run!? We have a deal. You will protect us till the next city."


    "This is not our fault! You lied to us. You said you are just transporting normal items. If this is true, there is no way those SparkGrizzlies come to us."


    "A spirit beast going for a human is nothing new. What are you talking about?" The merchant asked in confusion and disbelief. He felt he had just been scammed by this cultivator.


    Other cultivators also felt confused by this cultivator''s remark.


    "As I said, I recognize this qi! I have fought with some of them some distance away from here. This is quite far, so I never thought those beasts would come all the way here. Except you have some precious material or artifact that contains a lightning element." The experienced cultivator said with a complaint.


    "Slander! Let''s say we really bring that kind of precious item. Do you think we cannot hire a better guard? Also, you think we would be stupid enough to not contain and hide it inside a storage item?"


    Even though storage rings can only be used by cultivators, there are many other storage items invented to be used by merchants. Cultivators are too busy pursuing their path, but this doesn''t mean they don''t need money.


    That is why they often create items that can help to boost the economy. A wagon with expanded storage, a special box, and many other items were then invented.


    If the item is considered precious, sometimes cultivators prefer to use merchants to transport it. There are many reasons, but most do this to avoid suspicion from their enemy.


    Normally no one would think to let a normal civilian transport an exotic artifact. Even though this method became known and popular later on, it is still effective as there are just too many caravans moving from city to city to send items and cargo. There is no way they can check everything one by one.


    "Who knows? Maybe you think hiring a better guard will raise suspicion. A random caravan with a bunch of random cultivators as guards, no one will think you have anything precious.


    But I stand my case; those beasts wouldn''t have come here this far if there was really nothing good for them. Anyway, I am out!" The cultivator said, quickly flying away toward the sky, leaving the group.


    The other cultivators looked at each other''s eyes. They started feeling reluctance. The cultivators that left had a cultivation realm similar to theirs. If he ran like this, just how strong was the beast?


    No one had ever heard of this beast before.


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    Unfortunately, their confusion lasted too long. The beasts had already reached their destination. The purplish bears came into their view.


    They didn''t quickly make their attack; the bears looked at the cultivators and the wagon, studying them one by one.


    "GROARRR!" The bear at the back roared, signaling the others to start the attack.


    Qi and sparks of elements quickly flew in the air like fireworks. At first, the cultivators were winning, but they then quickly realized why the other cultivator decided to escape.


    These spirit beasts were now at the Elemental stage, but all the cultivators were at the late nascent soul realm. Normally, they would have no problem fighting back, but these bears were just different.


    They were very robust and smart. The beasts moved with formation, helping each other. They tried to separate the cultivators then gang up on one of them.


    Their fur was also hard to pierce. Even when they succeeded, the wound would quickly get healed. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bears'' attacks also contained electricity, making them feel paralyzed. This made one hit easily become fatal, as the bears would proceed with a chain of attacks.


    Zold watched everything unfold with cold eyes, he was waiting for at least one or two cultivators to meet their demise before he intervened.


    The bear''s maw squished one of the female cultivator''s heads into a pancake after it succeeded in piercing through her defense. The attack instantly killed her body, but her nascent soul still survived.


    In horror, she saw what this beast did next to her body. The creature didn''t care about her appearance or beauty. Her soft flesh was just a delicacy in the creature''s jaw.


    Her perfect curve, her pleasant smell that many men wooed her for, it all was worth nothing in the eyes of the beast.


    The bear''s jaw crushed toward her torso, then began munching toward her qi core. Unable to see it anymore, the woman quickly escaped with her soul. Who knew if the bear could eat her soul next? It was absurd, but she didn''t want to take any risks.


    As a soul, she easily escaped, phasing through many trees. In the process, the woman caught a glimpse of Zold looking from the distance.


    She burned his appearance in her memory as she left the place. IT didn''t take a genius to realize this man had some responsibility for what happened.


    "This should be enough," Zold mumbled. He decided to intervene.


    Their beast fur might be thick and strong, but under Zold''s attack, it was nothing. He infused normal qi into his dagger, which was boosted by lifeforce.


    SWOSH!


    He threw his dagger like a missile piercing through the air. It easily entered the bear''s back and then left through its chest.


    The knife hit the ground then sparks of electricity exploded out. Zold appeared in the battlefield. Without looking at the other cultivators, he started moving quickly.


    Easily killing each of the beasts one by one without a problem. The people that survived were not dumb. Some of them thought of the possibility that this man had some hand in this incident.


    But what could they do?

 Chapter 363: Killing The Bear

    It was clear this new cultivator was far stronger than them. Trying to antagonize him was a foolish choice. And who knew if they were really lucky and a strong cultivator just passed by and decided to help them.Different from the woman cultivator, they didn''t see Zold waiting in the distance, looking at everything unfolding.


    Zold''s dagger stabbed through one of the bear''s eyes; electricity crackled as he tried to use it to burn the beast from inside. He was also curious if his electricity could damage the bear.


    If it was between awakeners, it would still give out damage. Using the same elemental just meant the target had more resistance.


    Crackle!


    The bear groaned in excitement. The purplish color on its fur deepened, and the wound on its eye quickly healed.


    Zold took a step back as he pulled out his dagger, putting some distance, and observed the beast''s transformation while thinking about his next step.


    The bear grew larger, its nails becoming sharper. ''Did I hit the jackpot that my qi triggered its breakthrough, or is it really that effective? Either way, it''s better to kill it first.''


    Zold leaped forward above the bear; after killing the beast multiple times, he found their weak point.


    Utilizing gravity, he dropped down at a fast speed. His sharp dagger poised down, embedding itself deeply into the bear''s spine. Blood spurted out, painting the bear''s fur red.


    "Grooar!!!" It screamed in pain.


    The bear started thrashing around, each time using its claw to hit the ground, creating a crack followed by an explosion of electricity.


    The thrashing continued for a few more seconds before the light finally started disappearing from its eyes. Zold''s dagger had hit the beast''s nerve, and he also laced it with poison.


    ''I need to raise the potency. It took too long to spread,'' he thought.


    "Thanks, cultivator, for your help," the merchant said with an amiable smile. After seeing all the beasts were killed, he quickly moved close to Zold.


    He had already lost confidence in the rogue cultivator he hired. The merchant hoped he would stay with him to his destination.


    "No problem. By the way, do any of you know where Panda Bamboo Forest is?"


    Hearing his question, the merchant''s eyes lit up. "I know, sir. How about I show you the path there? My destination is Purple Bamboo City; it''s not far from that forest."


    Zold glanced at the other cultivators; their eyes were locked on the beast''s remains. He ruminated for a moment, then said, "Other than the last one I just killed, you guys can take the rest."


    "Thank you, senior," the other cultivator said with a bow. They didn''t care if Zold was older than them or not; what mattered was he was stronger than them.


    They started going to work, splitting the loot among themselves. The merchant also felt greedy to get the loot, but he knew better than to try asking for one.


    "So, senior, may I know your name?"


    "Just call me Zold. I am quite in a hurry to go to the forest, so quickly prepare to depart."


    "Of course, Senior Zold," the merchant replied. He then quickly returned and started ordering his people to fix the caravan. When the cultivators were fighting, some of the wagons had tilted over as the horses that pulled them went into a panic.


    Zold then walked toward the bear''s corpse, putting it into his storage ring. He was thinking of giving it to Alex later, hoping that he could make Zold''s secret technique even better.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, it was now early in the morning, and time was passing differently here. He looked outside the window, as today was the time of the competition.


    To his surprise, things ran smoothly afterward; there were no Zephyr clan members coming to Morgana''s place. She also became silent after the day he came, spending most of her time in her underground training area.


    Uncle Moria also successfully distributed the spiced water all over the city, making the source hard to track. Right now, the water had already become a hot item. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just yesterday, another Dragari cultivator had a breakthrough after consuming it. Even those who did not would feel their dragon bloodline get enhanced, becoming purer.


    Many big clans started moving, doing their best to procure this item. The Midnight clan also did the same, but since the source was hidden by Moria, they were only able to buy those shared in their own territory.


    Moria himself started asking for more from Alex; he also often asked where the source was. Alex glossed over the topic and decided not to give more.


    He only gave Reina a few bottles to boost her strength.


    Alex thought it was better to do this. If there were more items coming out into the market, the risk of someone finding out it came from him would rise exponentially.


    Knock... Knock


    "Sir Alex, I am here to bring you to the arena."


    "Let''s go," Alex replied with a confident smile while opening the door. Outside, the place was empty; everyone had already gathered at the arena in the middle of the city.


    The tournament was held in public, with some clans invited to watch. As the ones who fought were not the princesses themselves, the Midnight clan patriarch used this moment to show others their strength.


    The event was also very beneficial for the city''s economy, as many cultivators came at this time.


    Some just wanted to watch the fight, while others wanted to try their luck with princesses from his clan. It was rare, but on a few occasions, this happened. Of course, the ones that came were also from prominent clans; otherwise, there was no way they would agree to the marriage.


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    As they came closer, many people had already gathered in the festival area. A lot of street stalls adorned the road, some even selling pills and artifacts.


    Walking past through, they reached the arena. With a glance, Alex could tell this was an artifact.

 Chapter 364: Zhu Zeng

    The arena was a simple flat white tile with four pillars surrounding it. It was formed in a square with many formations carved on the pillars.Surrounding the arena, he could see the VIP seating area where the Midnight clan took place. Besides them, there were other clans. His eyes sharpened when he saw the man in Morgana''s bedroom also seated there. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His face showed calmness, but from his eyes, Alex could tell he was filled with worry.


    ''So it seems he is not coming because he needs to join with the clan members going to this place through the normal way. Did he just realize the situation?


    Even though he couldn''t come, I don''t believe Morgana doesn''t have a way to talk with him. Is their relationship not as simple as I thought? Or did Morgana also side with another clan?''


    Based on his observation, Morgana would have no trouble doing that. Manipulating men to her desire, making sure she always won no matter the result.


    ''If only I knew what really happened with Reina''s mother, I could guess more,'' Alex thought while he observed the interaction between clans.


    The one Alex saw with Morgana was sitting in silence, but his clan members were quite active. He could see some of the other clan members with Jiang''s words written on their uniforms. Others had names like Lightning Qilin. Stay connected through M-V-L


    His eyes turned to one of the seating areas filled with jade beauties wearing white robes from the same sect. The robes were adorned with embroidered lotuses.


    Seeing his gaze, Rexar commented, "That is the White Lotus Sect. Usually, they never come to this tournament; it''s the first time I see them here."


    "Are all the members women?" Alex asked while he wondered, ''Is this one of those sects filled with only women who are forbidden to love? Never thought they really existed.''


    "Yes, only virgin women are allowed to join the sect. It''s said this is related to their secret cultivation technique."


    "What happens if someone gets married then? They lose their cultivation, get banished from the sect?"


    Rexar looked bewildered at Alex, "Yes, I thought you didn''t know about them, Sir Alex."


    "Just a guess, I know some sects that are similar to them. Wonder, does the matriarch also have some love problem drama?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    "Actually, yes, her love story is quite famous; almost everyone knows about it."


    "How? Does she share it with everyone?"


    "Well, no one knows if it''s true or not, but if the story is still distributed everywhere, that just means the matriarch of the White Lotus Sect agreed for it to spread."


    "Tell me the gist."


    "It''s a standard lover story, only in the end her husband was killed, while her daughter went missing."


    "Was her husband loyal to her?" Alex asked in disbelief.


    It just didn''t make sense for her to open a sect like this if she didn''t have any heartache. Also, he never read that kind of plotline in any cultivation novel. Based on what Rexar said, the sect also required one to be a virgin to cultivate.


    "Well, that is what makes the story popular, Sir Alex. Her husband was a womanizer, and he was also quite famous around here. Some even gave him the title ''The Monkey that Steals Peaches.''"


    "I see... as I expected. How about the cultivation method, then? How could she do it if she herself had a daughter?"


    "That, Sir Alex, will be a mystery. I also don''t know the details, and this is about their cultivation method."


    "Is there another rumor? Like those that take their virginity will gain their cultivation?" Alex asked as he was curious. Since the cultivation was lost, it should go somewhere.


    Rexar looked around; his voice then became a whisper that only Alex could hear. "Actually, I did hear a rumor about that. That is why evil sects often target them to be their furnaces."


    ''And now we have an evil dual cultivator sect? It seems this world is straight from one novel I read. At least MingYue''s world still has some differences,''


    Alex thought, noting them in his mind. Then he began asking about other clans.


    While he talked with Rexar, a group of cultivators were looking at him. They were also champions who would fight in the tournament.


    One of them was bald, wearing a golden robe. His appearance made him look like a monk, but the pattern on the robe was different. He was from ShangXi Temple.


    The monk was standing beside Morgana. "Is he the one?" the man asked.


    "Yes, can you beat him? That man just gives me a bad vibe," Morgana asked back.


    "I couldn''t detect his cultivation. Either he is far stronger than me, or he uses a special artifact to seal it. But I honestly doubt anyone here can beat me."


    "I know, Daoist Zhu Zeng. That is why I asked for your presence."


    Zhu Zeng''s eyes squinted, looking again at Alex. This time, he tried to use a detection skill, but it was useless. It didn''t give out any results.


    "I am sure it''s an artifact, but if not, that will be interesting. Otherwise, my visit here will be pointless. You know you will pay dearly if that happens, right, Morgana?"


    "I know, don''t worry, I will fulfill all your desires."


    Zhu Zeng looked at Morgana with ridicule, "You think I would look for a slut like you if I wanted someone? Just remember, I will take your arm if this is all for nothing.


    We accepted you into the Coalition because of Onerio''s suggestion. I don''t know what spell you cast on him, but it won''t work on me."


    "Then why did you come here? You are under no obligation to fulfill my request."


    "I have my own reasons. You don''t need to know," Zhu Zeng replied.


    Morgana didn''t fear Zhu Zeng''s threat despite the difference in power.


    "From your look, are you looking for Lady Aria from the Zephyr clan? So much for saying you don''t want to have fun with me.


    Do you think she is still pure with so many men fawning over her?" she asked back with ridicule.

 Chapter 365: Galen

    "Shut your mouth before I pull your tongue," Zhu Zeng said while emanating bloodlust.But Morgana just laughed with contempt, "You can try if you dare. Doing that will result in messing up the Coalition plan, not only the Zephyr. I am not stupid, Zhu Zeng."


    Zhu Zeng decided to ignore her. His eyes moved from Alex to another person.


    This time his eyes were filled with more alertness, as in his opinion only this man could be a danger to him. It wasn''t because of his strength, but how he was behind the whole problem that ShangXi temple now faced in the central region.


    The man was Situ Chen, and beside him was a woman wearing a straw hat with a veil.


    At first, no one raised an eye as they considered the Situ clan a small clan. They also came here only with backing from the White Lotus sect, a sect that was considered mediocre compared to others. But in just a few months, the Situ clan showed their fangs.


    They started attacking all their business, restaurants, inns, and merchant goods¡ªevery single one of their main industries was attacked on all fronts.


    Other clans and sects didn''t care about this, but ShangXi temple was different. It could be said the normal civilians were their real foundation.


    It''s not like the others could function without normal civilization, but the scale was just very different for them.


    Situ clan also purposely targeted only the ShangXi temple while they let others gain benefits from it. This made the situation hard for them.


    If it were another clan, they would have already started an all-out war with how much damage they suffered. But ShangXi temple couldn''t do that; they needed to care about public opinion. Otherwise, all the effort they put in all these years would amount to nothing.


    But this didn''t mean they would stay silent. ShangXi temple sent out a group of transformation realm cultivators led by a late-stage Mystic Integration stage cultivator.


    They expected the Situ clan to be destroyed to the ground. But surprisingly, even without the White Lotus sect''s help, they survived without a scratch.


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    The cultivators they sent went missing without any news. Their life tablets showed them still alive, but no matter what method they used, they failed to track their location.


    ShangXi temple became passive after this, deciding to find out first how strong the Situ clan was.


    "Do you know who invited them?" Zhu Zeng asked.


    "Nope, I don''t know who, but to invite them could only be done with my father''s approval. So, in a way, we can say he is the one doing this. But why? Is their presence here a problem?"


    Zhu Zeng didn''t reply, his eyes still glued to Situ Chen. Knowing he was just ignoring her, Morgana decided to look at the other competitors.


    She acknowledged all of them; they were either the princess''s favorite guards or people with talent from outside the clan.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already reached Reina. She was now talking with a tall man. He had a muscular body with black eyes and hair, and his height was the same as Alex''s.


    The man looked young, but based on his life force and how Reina acted, he already concluded he was the Midnight Clan patriarch.


    "Father, he is Alex, the one who will fight for me."


    "Yes, I have heard about him from Moria." The patriarch replied with an amiable smile, then raised his hand for a shake, "My name is Galen. Since you are my daughter''s friend, you can just call me by name."


    "Alex, Sir Galen. It''s my pleasure to make your acquaintance."


    "No, it''s my pleasure seeing my daughter have someone to fight for her."


    His eyes then squinted as he continued, "Her last champion was mysteriously poisoned a few weeks ago, and with how close the time was, I am afraid she cannot find a replacement."


    "No worry, sir, it''s my honor to fight for your daughter."


    Alex and Galen locked eyes for a moment, then he smirked and excused himself.


    "You never told me your last champion was murdered," Alex said with a frown as he took a seat beside her.


    "I am not hiding it; I just thought it would not be a problem for you, Sir Alex."


    "I appreciate your faith, but you should have told me. So what happened?"


    Meanwhile, Moria throughout all this was standing behind Reina, his eyes alert, making sure no one did anything weird, but in reality right now he was sending his will into his storage ring.


    His lips were tightly closed outside, but inside, he wanted to laugh loudly. He was now busy counting the amount of treasure he had in his storage ring.


    The spice water interest was more intense than he expected. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, he kept selling it for high-grade qi crystals, almost tripling his whole life savings that he had spent on Alex. But then he decided to go with another method. Moria gathered some of the merchants that he knew worked for rich clans.


    Using a new identity, he named himself SamTheCapitalist. He didn''t understand the name''s meaning, but it came from Alex, so he just used it as it felt like something that came from God knows where.


    The name Sam existed in his world, but Capitalist? It was the first time he heard about it. He asked Alex what the word meant, but Alex just chuckled, saying it meant good profit.


    Meanwhile, as Moria enjoyed his newfound wealth, Alex was in a serious discussion. Reina''s old champion was her friend from the academy. She came from a prominent family that was backed by a Heavenly Ascension cultivator.


    It was a strong status even for the central region, but in front of the Midnight clan and other clans backed by immortals, her background might as well not exist.


    "She died after eating a pill; based on the alchemist, it''s because of a toxic reaction with lingering effects from other pills she had consumed over the years."


    "Is that really possible?"

 Chapter 366: Dragon Bloodline

    "Yes, an impure pill will leave impurities in our bodies that can give us many side effects. However, we also have other pills to purify this; some techniques were also created to mitigate this effect. So cases of pill poisoning are very rare to happen.""What happened to your friend now?"


    "She''s recultivating. I feel guilty about what happened, so I begged my father to give her a 4-petal phoenix flower."


    "What is that?"


    "It''s an Ancient grade medical plant that allows a cultivator to recreate their body. But it''s only useful for those under the Mystic Integration stage."


    "So the strongest that can use it is Spiritual Transformation Realm?"


    "Yes, well, if we are more patient, waiting another 10,000 years will make it grow another petal, allowing a Mystic Integration stage to be reborn. The body is also better than the last one."


    "How about their bloodline then?"


    "They keep it as long as they put the bloodline inside. In fact, with this method, as long as you have the wealth, you can recreate the cultivator''s body to become stronger.


    However, if the bloodline is too strong, it can end up eating through the cultivator''s soul. Many clans do this for their less talented descendants."


    Hearing this, the first words that appeared in Alex''s mind were, ''The rich become richer, the poor become poorer.''


    No matter what civilization he visited so far, the same thing still happened.


    An immortal cultivator could easily give their descendants as many bloodlines and talents as they needed. They could give them many treasures, boosting their soul strength while at the same time weakening the bloodline''s lingering will.


    At the very least, those born here could hope heaven''s will grant them a huge blessing, being born with heavenly talent. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized it wasn''t different from his world even before the dungeon break.


    A child could be born a genius despite their parents being rich or poor. With their intellect, they could pave their own path and become rich.


    "No matter where the world is unfair," Alex mumbled.


    "I''m sorry, what do you mean?" Reina asked with confusion.


    "Nothing, forget it, I just got caught up in my own thoughts. So, who do you think poisoned your friend? Since it''s from the pill, you should be able to track the seller."


    "Yes, but the seller kept saying they were innocent, then put all the blame on the alchemist. The association got involved, making things more complicated."


    "What association? Alchemists?"


    "Yes. In the past, alchemists were hunted down by many clans and strong cultivators. This kept going until, finally, one of them succeeded in becoming immortal. After he did, he made the Alchemy Association with the sole job of protecting other alchemists," Reina replied.


    She didn''t find it weird, as Alex didn''t know, as the association only acted in big cities. Based on what Alex had said so far, she speculated he came from one of the hidden villages.


    This is the name they gave to a village filled with cultivators but cut off from the rest of society. They weren''t necessarily stronger, but each of them always had their own unique thing. For example, in Alex''s case, it was the spice water. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They continued their talk for a while until the announcer finally walked toward the ring.


    He began giving a speech welcoming the presence of big sects and clans that came, but Alex ignored all this. He closed his eyes like he was sleeping, while in reality, he was focusing his senses on his hearing, trying to find more information on the world''s dynamics, but he didn''t learn anything important.


    Most of it was just filled with which princess they bet on and some small talk.


    ''These cultivators are like a bunch of horny teenagers,'' Alex thought.


    The rumors he heard mostly consisted of romance stories. Who married whom? This cultivator became a green hat, and some even talked about their elder''s kink. This was not limited to male cultivators; the female cultivators'' talk was even worse, in Alex''s opinion.


    Alex opened his eyes as finally the match started. The first fight was between Zhu Zeng and a Middle stage Spiritual Transformation realm cultivator. An awakened cultivator from the Midnight clan.


    "I always wanted to know how strong the Blood Asura is. Let me feel that strength," the cultivator said without any fear. He wasn''t afraid Zeng would kill him, as the competition was done in friendly sparring.


    "I am famous with that title for a reason. Are you sure you want to find out?" Zhu Zeng asked with a smirk on his face.


    A transparent barrier then appeared, surrounding the arena.


    "Go ahead, you can go first," Zhu Zeng said with a gloating tone.


    "Don''t underestimate me!" The man said with a beastly roar.


    His body then began to transform. Bronze scales grew from his skin as his body grew larger and became more muscular. His pupils then narrowed, becoming vertical slits.


    "Earth dragon bloodline, although it looks different from the last time I saw it, it seems to have become purer," Reina mumbled.


    "Probably because of the spice water. How about you? Has your bloodline become stronger?"


    "Yes, Sir Alex, thanks to you, my bloodline has become purer, but it doesn''t give me much strength boost." Discover exclusive tales at M-V-L


    "So your transformation doesn''t change?"


    "No, but it does allow me to have more control over it. Now I can do this." Reina said as she raised her finger.


    She then transformed only the tip, making the nails grow larger.


    "I see¡­ What is your bloodline anyway?" Alex asked.


    Moria''s ear perked up, "That is a secret, junior. You don''t need to answer that, Reina."


    "It''s fine, Uncle. Sir Alex has helped me a lot."


    Her voice then transformed into one that could only be heard by Alex.


    "People think I have a wind dragon bloodline, but in reality, it''s a tempest dragon."


    "What is the difference?" Alex asked.

 Chapter 367: Challenge

    "Tempest is far stronger; it also allows me to use the thunder element, but I never use it as my father put a seal.""I see. He''s afraid someone will kidnap you because of this."


    "Yes, that is why I am even more confused about what has happened lately."


    Alex let out a chuckle, then told her his speculation. Meanwhile, the crowd began to cheer as the fight grew intense.


    The man with the earth dragon bloodline was launching a barrage of attacks. He started by shooting forward a few earth spikes, then dashed toward Zhu Zeng.


    But just before he reached Zhu Zheng, the floor surface suddenly felt slippery and cold. He tripped and then almost fell on his back.


    Zhu Zheng appeared on top of him, wielding a blue staff.


    Bang!


    Despite his high defense, the man felt like his spine was broken. The attack also felt very painful.


    It was like his back was not hit by a blunt weapon but by a sharp weapon with many small needles.


    His face hit the floor, head down. But Zhu Zheng was not finished. He pointed his staff downward, planning to skewer the man''s arm.


    Feeling the incoming attack, the man''s qi surged forward. At first, he tried to manipulate the floor to make a shield, but it failed. Having no other choice, he sent out a rock from his storage ring, then infused his qi, creating a shield and a pillar that pushed his body away.


    Boom!


    The makeshift shield shattered into dust, obscuring Zhu Zheng while the man tried to stand up. But the back pain was too much, making his movements slower.


    Gritting through the pain, he infused his qi to fasten the recovery, but it wasn''t working. Only now did he realize the area where he was hit was now invaded by foreign ice qi.


    Meanwhile, in the audience seat. "Do you know that man?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, he is Zhu Zheng from ShangXi Temple." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''ShangXi Temple? Is this the same one from MingYue world?''


    Alex had heard the name multiple times, making him wonder if he was in the central region of the plane or not. But then, looking at the different sky colors, he thought, ''Maybe it''s just a coincidence, or this place is some kind of secret realm.''


    After thinking about some other possibilities, Alex decided to confirm it with Reina. "Does ShangXi Temple stay in this region? Where do they come from? I don''t have their information with the last jade slip."


    Reina frowned, then ruminated for a moment, "Now that you say it, I don''t know much about them. They only occasionally appear in public events. I think they are like you, a hidden village."


    "I see¡­ By the way, do you have a map of your world?"


    Uncle Moria''s eyes perked up at the mention of a map. "If you want a world map or even a region map, then we will not be able to help you. Only the Patriarch has those."


    Alex frowned. With the cultivator''s capability, making a map should be easy. "Isn''t that needed? Otherwise, people can go into danger zones."


    "Hmm¡­ well, it''s always like this. No one sells maps for the region; I also never heard of anyone doing it. As for danger zones, people usually move around utilizing teleportation arrays.


    Only a few cultivators go around looking for a secret realm or adventure. So almost no one cares about this."


    ''No wonder even independent cultivators here make their own guild. It seems going independent is very dangerous as geographical information is monopolized.''


    Alex then remembered the clan that stayed on the frontline. Based on his knowledge, the MingYue world doesn''t have this; they don''t have any external enemy.


    Back at the arena, the man was now miserable, his body now covered in ice, making him look like an ice statue. But the ice was not normal.


    It was painted red, like it was sucking out the man''s blood, making him feel weaker.


    "I surrender¡­ "The man mumbled, but his words were cut off in the middle.


    Bang! Zhu Zheng appeared in front of him and then shot him out of the arena. He ended up being knocked out after crashing into the barrier.


    "Winner, Zhu Zheng!" the host announced as the crowd cheered.


    Meanwhile, the princess that the man fought for looked at him with disdain. She didn''t blame him for losing to Zhu Zheng, but getting badly injured in the first fight spelled doom for her.


    The tournament system was done by having the champion fight at least once with other princes'' champions. They were then ranked by points. The top 8 would then fight each other and start getting rewards.


    The winner would get one wish from the Patriarch that could be used to reject marriage arrangements. As for the other princesses, they would get resource allocation and different treatment in the clan depending on the result.


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    The difference in treatment was more on favoritism, like one is most likely to be favored by the Elders and Patriarch in the Midnight clan if they perform well.


    But now her champion was heavily wounded; even if she bought him a good healing pill, at most, he could only fight at 80% of his strength.


    She had told him to quickly forfeit when fighting Zhu Zheng, but he just didn''t listen.


    As the winner, Zhu Zheng now had the option to skip the match or continue with the enemy of his choosing. He glanced at Alex, who was still busy with his own thoughts. "I challenge you."


    Alex felt annoyed getting called out when he was thinking, but he didn''t show it on his face. With a smirk, he asked, "Are you sure?"


    "Cut the crap and come fight me," Zhu Zheng replied as his qi spread through the arena.


    Some of the people quickly frowned as they could tell he was near a breakthrough; his qi was at late-stage spiritual transformation realm, but it showed some quality like those at the mystic integration stage.

 Chapter 368: Coercion

    Seeing Alex stay silent, Zhu Zheng added, "Why afraid now?""Most of the champions here are at the golden core realm to spiritual transformation at best. As for me, I am just a golden-core cultivator. So what do you think?" Alex replied with a flat tone.


    This annoyed Zhu Zheng. He felt like Alex was playing with him.


    There was no way a golden core cultivator could hide their power in front of him, except if they used an ancient-grade artifact. But if they used this thing, Alex was being too nonchalant in his attitude.


    Other cultivators will try to get away from the fight; based on his knowledge, ancient-grade artifacts that can do this kind of thing should have limited usage.


    Even if he had another one, if Alex was really just a golden core cultivator, he would not have enough qi to use them effectively.


    ''Is he just bluffing?'' Zhu Zheng thought.


    But Alex ignored his show; instead, he asked with a nonchalant tone, "It''s fine as long I don''t kill him, right?"


    Reina and Moria also felt calm, even though they didn''t know how strong Alex really was.


    "Just don''t do too much. You will scare everyone else," Moria reminded.


    "Don''t worry, I know moderation," Alex replied with a chuckle, making Moria frown.


    He felt Alex would really do something that ended up a huge headache for him again. Last time it was spice water, who knows what it is now.


    If he was proven to be too strong, it would quickly become another problem as the other elders who hate Reina would start throwing accusations that she wants to rebel. How else could she entice a strong cultivator like him to help her?


    It''s not that there is no other possible reason. They will just choose the one that will benefit them the most.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already reached the stage. He put his hand behind his back. "You can go first."


    The barrier rose up, enclosing the arena. Alex turned his gaze, studying the formation at the pillar, completely ignoring Zhu Zheng.


    Morgan let out a chuckle seeing this; even though Zhu Zheng was on her side, she was annoyed with his remark, no matter how right it was.


    In her mind, she never did anything wrong; she knew her limitations. Since her talent is not that good, she might as well use other assets she had to carve her own path.


    The world is not merciful enough to give opportunities to those who don''t pay the price for it. Some are lucky, but luck cannot be controlled.


    Some of the audience also let out a laugh at Alex''s blatant ignorance. Many found it amusing, while some just hated his guts.


    Zhu Zheng at first wanted to say something, but seeing his action and hearing the laughter in the crowd made his blood boil. But he was not that stupid to let his anger explode.


    The staff appeared again in his hand as his posture changed. His mind told him Alex should have something to hold on to with his confidence, except he was really stupid.


    He just wanted to make a move when suddenly Alex''s hand moved fast, making him stop. He raised his finger but didn''t do any attack.


    Zhu Zheng understood the gesture; it was one used to tell someone to stay silent or wait. His vein throbbed, "What now?"


    Alex turned his gaze to him, his lips then raised into a grin, "How about we have a bet? The one that wins can take all the loser''s wealth."


    Zhu Zheng narrowed his eyes, "Why should I accept it? Who knows how much wealth you have? Can it even compete with mine?"


    "So you are saying you are now afraid of me? Are you not confident in winning?


    You know, if you are sure you will win, no matter how much wealth you have, it will make you more wealthy.


    Also, don''t you already guess what kind of artifact I have? Well, at this point, anyone with a bit of brain will already guess it."


    Zhu Zheng now felt even more worried about accepting his bet. He wanted to reject it, but his presence here was representative of ShangXi Temple. If he just backed down on a bet with a golden core cultivator, wouldn''t this make him a laughingstock?


    "How do I know you will fulfill your promise? You said you are a golden core cultivator, but who knows how true it was."


    Alex let out a confident smile, then threw a blood contract into the air while saying, "Uncle Moria can be the one overseeing this contract.


    The content there is simple: the one that loses must give all his belongings to the one that wins. It also states that I am a golden core cultivator. If I am lying, I will lose by default.


    As a prodigy that almost reached the mystic integration realm, I am sure you will not back down from this advantageous contract.


    What kind of prodigy is afraid of fighting against some unknown cultivator with a whole realm under them?"


    "Go! Accept it!"


    "Yeah, you are the bloody Asura. How could you back down against a cultivator weaker than you?"


    "If you reject, where will ShangXi Temple put their face?"


    The crowd started yelling, instigating Zhu Zheng to accept. They found Alex''s proposal interesting. As for the result, they didn''t care.


    They were also curious about where Alex got his confidence from.


    Zhu Zheng was conflicted now; he was more sure than ever that Alex''s offer was a trap, but he couldn''t just reject it.


    In confusion, he turned to the Midnight clan Patriarch, "Senior Galen, is this allowed?"


    He asked while bowing a bit, hoping Galen would help him out of the situation. As he did this, he also sent a voice transmission promising something to Galen. Discover hidden stories at M-V-L


    This may escape others'' hearing, but for Alex, he could still hear it. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Does this mean you are afraid of betting against me? How can it not be allowed?

 Chapter 369: Alexs Move

    Everyone came here to watch the fight and put bets on our names; this was just a small bet to spice up the event.Don''t bother our esteemed Patriarch with useless questions," Alex said shamelessly, making Zhu Zheng''s lips twitch.


    Galen smiled, "Of course, it''s allowed; gambling is never banned here," while he thought, ''This youngster is interesting. I wonder, can his strength back his mouth?''


    With what Alex said, no matter if Galen accepted or not, his options would be limited. Rejecting the bet would be the same as announcing he was in cahoots with ShangXi Temple.


    Alex understood a bit now about world politics. He was sure Galen would not want to do this, except the information he learned from Reina was wrong.


    Zhu Zheng was stuck now; the crowd kept cheering on him while the patriarch had already rejected his offer.


    "Dammit! Bastard! I will make you pay," he cursed in his mind.


    "So, what is your answer? Are you just being a pusy now? What a scaredy cat," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    Zhu Zheng, with anger, replied, "Fine, let''s have this deal!"


    "Senior Moria, can you help?" Alex said with a respectful gesture as he looked at him.


    Moria, with a stoic face, flew toward them, then finalized the contract. Deep inside, he was sighing, "He is really a magnet for trouble."


    After it was signed, the crowd, Galen and Zhu Zheng included, had their eyes glued on Alex''s attitude. Some still thought he was just bluffing, hoping for the other party to back off.


    But Alex just nonchalantly signed the contract. His face was all smiles, as he was in a good mood now.


    How could he not be?


    After a few setbacks he faced so far, this was one of the things that went based on his plan.


    The contract was done with nothing happening to Alex, making everyone know he was not lying. Little did they know that even if he did lie, the contract would be useless against him.


    Maybe if the one overseeing the blood oath was at the eye-being level, it could work.


    But Moria? It would be useless.


    "Come, let''s start now. I will give you ten moves. Otherwise, the fight will not even last a minute," Alex said with a grin, taunting Zhu Zheng even further.


    Zhu Zheng''s Qi shot out; his staff started emanating a cold aura. He didn''t talk anymore and continued to attack using his full strength.


    He knew talking back would just be playing Alex''s game, and he hated it. It was their first meeting, and Alex had already played him like a fiddle.


    Bang! The staff hit the floor; from it, a cascade of sharp ice appeared, making its way to Alex in a cone shape.


    Alex didn''t move; he put both his hands behind his back while smiling.


    BANG!


    The wave of sharp ice hit Alex, then exploded into a massive spike filled with countless tiny, razor-sharp fragments.


    Zhu Zheng hit the floor once more; the colossal spike exploded, a flurry of ice shards flying in all directions while creating a blinding mist of glittering fragments.


    Bam! He used the tip of the staff to hit the ground once more.


    The deadly ice shards, as if listening to his command, got pulled back towards Alex with even greater force, converging into a swirling vortex of icy blades.


    No one could see what happened inside the mist. They also couldn''t feel Alex''s Qi at all, making them even more tense. Is he still alive?


    Most thought he was dead; the blood oath was signed in front of their eyes, and they could tell it wasn''t a fake. This meant Alex was really a golden core cultivator.


    Even now, everyone was still baffled at how nonchalant Alex was. Some even thought he just wanted to commit suicide to rig the bet.


    Even though the reward would not be big, as everyone bet on Zhu Zheng, only a few people tried their luck betting on Alex, and one of them was Rexar.


    After the incident with spice water, he stopped selling it. He didn''t mind, as he had already earned a huge chunk of profit, but it was still lacking what he wanted. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Realizing this, Alex offered him to take a bet with his Qi crystal. Moria would have done the same if not because of the clan rules.


    Anyone who found out would be punished heavily, as it would turn into a bad reputation for the clan.


    They needed this reputation to make sure people dared to gamble a lot of Qi crystals, as the clan took 5% of all bets.


    The mist dispersed, and the crowd was at the edge of their seats, as what was left was only ice spikes and shards scattered all over the ground.


    Situ Chen mumbled, "What an arrogant young man."


    "He is not dead," the woman beside him mumbled.


    "What do you mean? There is nothing there," he said while his eyes darted around the arena.


    "Even with your realm, you still cannot detect him. Interesting. If it''s not because of my bloodline, I would probably also be the same."


    The crowd also thought Alex was dead; there were no traces of him in the sky or in the arena. But they were confused; based on Zhu Zheng''s attack, even if he killed him, there should be bits of flesh or traces of blood.


    Zhu Zheng''s eyes sharpened; he was on alert. He didn''t believe Alex just died.


    Suddenly, he felt a grasp over his ankle, followed by a huge strength that pushed him down. The arena that was filled with the murmur of the crowd suddenly silenced. Explore stories on M-V-L


    Their eyes widened as they were shocked by what they saw. Everyone had one word in their mind now. "Impossible."


    Zhu Zheng''s body was now embedded inside the floor arena, with only his head coming out.


    While like a ghost, Alex just came out of the ground with a smug smile on his face.


    He did not have a single scratch on his body.

 Chapter 370: Wendigo

    Galen was frowning, watching all this, "How did he do that? That artifact was ancient grade that could even block an immortal attack a few times."What Alex did was worse than just destroying his artifact; he phased through it like it was just a normal object. Galen knew there were some bloodlines and secret techniques that allowed someone to pass through.


    This method might have some minor differences, but every single one of them utilized Qi. Because of this, phasing through anything that had Qi would become a problem. This included attacks and artifacts.


    "Doesn''t this mean he can enter any place he wants?" Galen also didn''t feel anything with his artifact. It was like nothing went wrong.


    While everyone was still dazed with his performance, Alex started his attack.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    He kicked Zhu Zheng multiple times in the cheek, nose, and head, each time giving out a loud noise.


    "Give up yet?" Alex asked with a smirk.


    Zhu Zheng, meanwhile, was too shocked to respond; everything happened so fast. The next thing he knew, he was attacked by Alex. He tried to exert his strength to get out from the floor, but it was useless.


    He also tried to exert his Qi, but it dispersed before it could even form into any technique.


    "Not responding¡­ I see you are really tough. Try this."


    Alex raised his foot high above his head. Flames ignited from his feet as he then stomped it hard on his head.


    BANG! CRACK! The loud noise reverberated all over the arena. They swore they could feel the ground shake the moment the attack hit.


    "ARGH!!!" Zhu Zheng groaned in pain. He threw up blood, but he was still alive. He could feel sharp pain coming all over his body.


    The shockwave from Alex''s attack almost pulverized all the bones in his body.


    Realizing how bad his situation was now, Zhu Zheng''s mind quickly moved to find a solution. Since he couldn''t exert any Qi, taking an item from his storage ring was out of the question. But thankfully, he could still use it to protect and heal his internal organs.


    He then remembered his staff was now lying in the arena. Different from his storage ring, his weapon was a spirit artifact. He then tried to call out the spirit beast within.


    The staff began reacting; it vibrated on the ground and then floated up like it was alive.


    It shot through the air like a rocket. Alex didn''t even turn his head. He just lazily raised his hand and grasped it.


    A shockwave exploded the moment he caught it, as his fire Qi reacted towards Zhu Zheng''s ice Qi. At first, Alex''s Qi was losing, but the moment he infused life force, it quickly overwhelmed the staff.


    His eyes looked down at Zhu Zheng, then said with a gloating smile, "Nice weapon."


    His words gave Zhu Zheng a bad premonition. The next thing he knew, he felt like his soul was split in half.


    Alex was infusing his own will into the weapon. In the inner world, he was met with a tall creature, one and a half his height.


    The beast had ash-white fur with sharp jagged teeth. Its eyes were white, while its arms were long, reaching up to its knees.


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    Alex could also see two twisted antlers coming out from its head, making him think of a creature he sometimes read about in horror movies. "A wendigo?"


    "GROOAAR!!!" The wendigo screamed in anger as someone came into its territory.


    It began dashing forward to attack, but Alex just stood still. "Showing off your strength, huh? Two can play that game."


    His crimson eyes glinted in a green hue, then he grinned, showing his sharp fangs.


    "COME!" Alex said in a normal tone but infused it with the essence of the progenitor.


    He learned this after seeing how Vesa intimidated most beasts they faced. So far, as long as they weren''t sentient, this method almost always worked.


    The beast stopped in its tracks. Alex then infused more of the progenitor''s presence into his voice, "Kneel!"


    The wendigo, with defeated shoulders, quickly followed his command. Alex then walked slowly toward the beast. He put his finger on the wendigo''s head.


    A green light came out as his finger began drawing a rune with proficiency. After he finished, the link between the wendigo and Zhu Zheng was cut off.


    Back in the real world, Alex began playing with the staff, spinning it around as he purposefully smacked Zhu Zheng''s bald head multiple times in the process.


    Most people in the crowd began to cry in tears, "My money!" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All of them knew the fight was already decided, and so far, it could be said everyone already knew who the champion was.


    When they saw Zhu Zheng, they thought he would probably win the competition, as he was famous as one of the top cultivators. But now he was beaten so miserably that he couldn''t even touch a single hair on Alex''s head.


    "Who is he? I don''t believe he is just a golden core cultivator," Situ Chen said with confusion.


    "He is not from this world. Did some of the rats pass through their defenses?" The woman said in a cold tone.


    "How would you know that?"


    "You barely know of their existence and have never faced one. If you have, you will understand why I think like this.


    That green energy that appeared around him is not something we are familiar with, so either he is a genius that invented a new method, or he is an outsider.


    What do you think is more possible?"


    "An outsider," Situ Chen''s eyes glinted in coldness.


    "If he really is a genius, there is no way we just heard about him now. But how? Did one of the defenders become a traitor?"


    "You think we are like this pathetic clan? We know what is at stake.


    You guys may all forget about this, but my family will never forget it. Even if that incident happened ages ago."

 Chapter 371: Everything!

    "My Situ family never forgets our benefactor; otherwise, I would not be here now."The woman nodded. Contrary to Feng Xue, who survived a long time as a spirit, she knew how Situ Chen was now beside her.


    Their family implanted part of their memories before the day to their descendants.


    This technique had many side effects, as the implanted memories often changed someone''s personality in a weird way, making him, in one moment, act like someone else, while other times, he would act like this.


    "Honestly, if not because of my ancestor''s wish, I would have already let them come in.


    Why should we protect all these parasites?"


    "Don''t you already do it? Why else do they work together now? I thought you were pulling the strings."


    "It''s not me. Probably another faction from the defender or someone else from the Celestial Court."


    "Hah, Celestial Court, what a bullshit name."


    "Watch your words. If one of them hears, they will hunt you down."


    "They are even more of a coward than this clan you call a parasite."


    "When the time comes, everyone will reap what they sow," the woman mumbled coldly.


    Situ Chen replied with a nod. "That is why we are here."


    Meanwhile, back at the arena, Alex was crouching down, looking at Zhu Zheng''s beaten face. One of his eyes was blue as it had swollen shut, part of his teeth were smashed down, and his face was covered in blood.


    "Do you want to give up now or continue?" he asked with a grin.


    Barely conscious now, Zhu Zheng muttered, "Fuck¡­ You¡­!"


    He had accepted the bet to keep his face, but now, what face did he still have? Everyone in the audience had already seen what happened; he was treated like a toy.


    There was nothing he could do now other than defeat Alex to recover it, but he knew he had no capability. Seeing his defiance, Alex smirked, "Is that confidence I will not kill as we are fighting in a competition now?


    But you know I could still turn you into a cripple. Imagine what kind of life you will have as one."


    Zhu Zheng was quickly filled with despair. He had many enemies; if Alex really crippled him and then took all that he had, his fate would be miserable.


    He might be crippled by qi, but that was not the same as his soul. Even if he committed suicide and took his own life, his soul would still survive.


    As for extinguishing his own soul, it was easier said than done. Only some people could do this using secret techniques, but what sane cultivator would learn this?


    Wasting their time and effort on something that could only be used once would result in their complete demise. Only fanatics and crazy ones.


    It had been rumored that many demonic cultivators learned this technique in the past. But that was only thanks to their already volatile foundation, making it easy for them to learn without much investment.


    Weighing his options, Zhu Zheng decided to just embrace his fate. He was sure he would be heavily punished as a warning to others after he returned. Little did he know, Alex had other plans for him.


    "I surrender," Zhu Zheng said, thinking that despite getting punished, his elder and patriarch would help to remove the deal. The worst in his mind now was losing his current belongings.


    He, Alex, and Moria had signed the blood contract.


    Moria acted as a boost to make sure the contract was effective, as others thought he was only a golden core cultivator. But in reality, this was not true. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s current strength was more than enough to make sure no one in this world could break the contract single-handedly.


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    "Winner, Alex!" the host announced as the barrier went down.


    Rexar, watching everything from near Reina''s seating, was in shock. It was pretty clear Alex would win the whole match, but only now did he really register how much money he had won.


    Alex had promised him a 20% share from his winning bet. This was a lot, but adding his own bet on top of it, he was making a huge profit, more than enough for him not to worry about most necessities for a lifetime.


    Alex put his hand into his pocket, drawing a rune inside to make sure no one saw what he was doing.


    The next moment, Zhu Zheng felt like he was being pushed by an invisible power. He launched from the floor, landing right outside the arena.


    Alex then told him, in a voice that only Zhu Zheng could hear, "Meet me after the competition is over. Don''t you dare to run away? Even if you die and become a soul, I will look for you."


    Zhu Zheng, now having control over his qi back, quickly regained his confidence. He gulped a healing pill, recovering the wound on his head.


    "Take this now. I don''t want to see you again," Zheng said as he threw his storage ring toward Alex.


    Alex caught it, while seeing Zhu Zheng walk back to the seating place. Even though he had lost face, he still needed to do his mission.


    Making sure Reina failed was already out of the question, but at the very least, he needed to get a good rank for Morgana.


    But his face turned ugly as Alex spoke other words, "Do you not understand what everything means? Do you think it is only your belongings?


    Everything is everything; this includes your soul and life. You can try to escape, but I already left a mark on you."


    Morgana frowned. "You talk all big, but what is with this result? This loss is your responsibility."


    "Shut your trap. You think I don''t know about this!" Zhu Zheng replied in an annoyed tone.


    Deep inside, this was not his concern. What Alex said shocked him to his core. It could be said he was now his slave.


    ''I am completely scammed!'' Zhu Zheng cursed in his mind.

 Chapter 372: Found Out

    The more he thought, the more he was sure Alex had planned everything from the start.''Just what does he want with me?'' he thought while his eyes turned toward Reina''s direction.


    "Morgan, are you sure they don''t suspect anything with you?"


    "What do you mean? They already know I have connections with people from Shangxi Temple.


    We already made sure everything was progressing in a natural manner. Why do you suddenly ask that?"


    "Nothing. It''s just Alex''s presence here is weird. How could your sister find someone strong like that out of nowhere?"


    "You tell me. How could I know? I have asked the coalition for this information, but they got nothing. It''s like he came out of nowhere."


    Zhu Zheng frowned. ''There is no way he came from the outer region. My temple would already find out. Is he from another world?


    That would make more sense.


    I need to find more information. If this is true, I am sure they will not punish me for this incident.''


    Meanwhile, Alex was now looking at his next opponent. "You can just forfeit or come here and fight with me.


    But don''t forget to make a bet first, or, well, I don''t know what will happen to you in our fight."


    It was clear in their eyes now how strong Alex was. Despite their questions about how he achieved it with his cultivation realm, no one was stupid enough to fight.


    All of them were now busy sending information back to their sects and elders. They suspected Alex had some treasure or secret method to achieve this.


    Some of the smart ones also linked Alex to the spice water. Just like Morgana, each had their own method to gather information.


    Alex''s appearance was close to when the spice water was being spread around the area. Although it might have been just a coincidence, it was better for them to check on it.


    Their goal was simple: try to find out Alex''s secret by enticing him to join their clan or sect. If he rejected, that would mean he had some backing behind him.


    The goal would then be to try to communicate using Alex as the bridge. Only a stupid cultivator would reject backing if they had a lucky encounter.


    No matter how good the treasure was, if they died, none of this would matter. It was better to just share some of it.


    But Alex didn''t realize this. His thinking was impacted by most novels he had read. Usually, in cases like this, the main character would hide their treasure as they were afraid someone would just steal it and then kill him afterward.


    Unfortunately, this was not true here. A person who had a lucky encounter was considered someone who brought fortune.


    As long as their request made sense, any group would gladly recruit them to help improve the sect''s fortune.


    It felt superstitious, but since even immortals cared about this, other cultivators also followed behind them.


    All the other competitors forfeited; none wanted to fight with Alex.


    Uncle Moria''s lips twitched, seeing how things progressed. "You really don''t know what it means to stay low-key."


    Alex, who had just returned to his seat, replied, "This is good enough for me. Being too low-key will also not give us any result."


    "You do realize you are pulling the patriarch''s attention by what you do. Other clans and sects will soon also come here."


    "What do you mean? I only beat Zhu Zheng. Is he really that popular here?"


    "Beating him is not a problem. The way you did it is the problem. Why did you need to make him stuck on the floor? Even I don''t know how you could do it."


    "I only temporarily negated the artifact''s effect. Why was it such a big deal?"


    "And you think that is a small feat?


    The patriarch''s artifact can even hold against immortal attacks, and you, a golden core cultivator, easily played around with it?


    Only an immortal with a specific skill set can achieve what you did."


    Alex furrowed his eyebrow. He never thought the artifact used was of this caliber. "I see¡­ well, what''s done is done. The plan still doesn''t change."


    "Sir Alex, this time, I agree with what Uncle Moria said. I doubt things will be as simple as you think."


    "That is fine. If my value is that important, I can just make them invite me then."


    "Lady Reina, what do you mean by invite? What are you talking about?" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I didn''t want to tell you before since you would probably just reject our plan, but now it doesn''t matter, uncle. Things are already moving, and you cannot stop it," Reina said. She then told Moria the gist of her plan.


    His eyes quickly turned into worry. He wanted to say the plan was absurd. But seeing Alex''s performance so far, he thought it was possible to succeed.


    "In that case, we can just have Alex go by himself. You don''t need to follow him, Reina."


    "No, I must go. I want to see it with my own eyes, uncle. How my mom lives there. If they do something to her," Reina said in an icy cold tone.


    With so many rumors she had heard, her mind always imagined the worst-case scenario. Sometimes, she couldn''t even sleep, no matter how tired she was.


    Reina felt very guilty about the incident. If only she had been stronger or older at that time, she could have protected her mother.


    "Dad told me she was alright, but I want to see it with my own eyes."


    Seeing the determination in her eyes, Moria could only sigh while starting to plan how to go with her. There was no way he would let her go by herself.


    Meanwhile, the match continued. No one challenged Zhu Zheng except as their last option.


    The woman beside Situ Chen, meanwhile, kept focusing her senses on Alex.


    "How is it? Did you find anything?"

 Chapter 373: Invitation

    "Can you arrange a private meeting with him now? I doubt we will have the chance after the competition.""You want to kill him?"


    "I don''t have the confidence, but someone coming from another cannot just be left to his own device."


    "Let me think of a way," Situ Chen replied. His eyes then darted around the area. He also contacted his people to gather information on Alex.


    He then stopped as he saw Rexar walking out from the crowd. ''Isn''t that the guard assigned to Alex? He should know something more.''


    Situ Chen then disappeared from where he stood, stealthily following Rexar.


    Rexar was oblivious to this. He didn''t even feel Situ Chen''s presence. Right now, his mind was full of what he could do with his newfound wealth.


    Buying some protection talismans for his family, a new home and land, and some shops. His feet were light as he imagined this future.


    "Rexar," suddenly, a female voice called out from behind.


    Rexar was familiar with her voice. "We won, can you imagine it? Now, our family will not have much to worry about in life."


    "Yes, but why are you not calling me?" the woman asked with suspicion in her eyes.


    "Don''t worry. Sir Alex gave both of us the opportunity. I will not take your wealth. I just think you are still busy with your job."


    "Ms. Reina gave me a week''s break yesterday, so I have a lot of free time."


    Rexar was confused; a maid getting a one-week break was not normal. However, he quickly forgot about this, as his focus was on their newfound wealth.


    At the exchange booth, the attendant there looked at them with suspicion. "Both of you are cheating, right? You already knew their strength from the start."


    "Since when is that cheating? You are welcome to report this to the patriarch," Rexar said with a glare.


    The woman then put her hand forward, "Just give us our winnings, and we will give you some tips. Keep yapping, and we will give you our fist."


    The attendant frowned; he recognized her as Reina''s favorite maid. If she really punched him here, he was sure there was nothing he could say to complain.


    With reluctance, he put the storage ring on her palm.


    "Check it," Rexar said while he started facing reality.


    Winning a lot of money would not only turn his life around, but it also meant he would become a target of people''s resentment and jealousy.


    He started thinking of some measures he needed to take to protect his family. His cultivation was limited, and even though he worked for the Midnight clan, he doubted he could depend on them for every minor issue.


    Things he faced would be dangerous for him, but in front of the clan''s eyes, it would just be a minor inconvenience. As for his fellow guards, he thought it was better for them not to know anything.


    After all, even though he couldn''t know in detail what they thought, he could guess they would get jealous, thinking how lucky he was. If they were the ones taking his post, the result would be the same.


    His lucky fortune came from being in the right place at the right time.


    As he thought of this, Rexar and the woman made their way back toward the arena, and he split the money accordingly.


    "Let''s split ways here; I want to enjoy my vacation."


    "Alright, here, take your part. Have fun."


    "I will. Anyway, you be careful, Rexar. Things are not stable now. That spice water is bringing more trouble than we think."


    "Don''t worry, I am with Sir Alex and Elder Moria. It will be safe."


    They exchanged some more words, then said goodbye to each other. As he continued on his way, a voice called out.


    "Rexar, right?"


    Rexar frowned, then turned toward the voice that came from an alleyway. A strong cultivator was standing there. As they locked eyes, the cultivator started sending out qi, pressing down into his body.


    Rexar looked around, but no one seemed to realize his predicament.


    With the amount of qi pressing at him, he knew the man could kill him anytime.


    "Senior, I am just passing by. What can I help you with?"


    "Follow me," Situ Chen said coldly, then turned around deeper into the alleyway.


    Rexar didn''t have a choice, his mind racing with worry about why the cultivator was looking for him. If the reason was wealth, he would not believe it.


    Even his current wealth would be peanuts for a cultivator at his level.


    After they entered deeper Situ, Chen threw a sphere-like object into the air. It released qi particles that obscured the area, making sure no one would eavesdrop on their conversation.


    Cold sweat dripped from his forehead. Rexar then tried to be as polite as possible. He knew better than to antagonize someone who had a hold over his life. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alex, bring him here," the man commanded.


    "What? Why?" Rexar asked.


    He was his benefactor; if possible, Rexar didn''t want to do something detrimental to Alex, but now his life was at risk.


    At the very least, he wanted to make sure of the reason behind his invitation.


    Situ Chen thought for a moment, then took out a plate with a dragon and phoenix symbol.


    "Someone from the frontline wants to talk with him. You should understand what this plate means."


    Situ Chen then infused his qi, making the jade glow. The symbol started changing like it was alive, a roar of a dragon and phoenix cry coming out like a symphony of melody.


    A unique code that marked this badge was genuine.


    The conflicting emotions Rexar felt quickly dissipated. "Is it the guardian? Or...?"


    "You don''t need to know more. Just do what I tell you. Bring Alex to Roaring Dragon restaurant. They opened a small stall near the arena.


    I will wait there. You have five minutes. Otherwise, prepare to pay the consequences," Situ Chen said. He then disappeared from where he stood.

 Chapter 374: Meeting

    The qi that enveloped Rexar also dissipated. He clenched his fist; the senior wanted him to bait Alex. Even though he didn''t say it, it was already common sense that he wanted Alex to know nothing about this.Usually, if people from the frontline came in this way, it always meant bad news. Those who met with them always disappeared without a trace.


    With this reputation, if possible, everyone''s first reaction would be to try to escape, but the result would never end well for them. The same fate would also fall to anyone who didn''t cooperate or help their target.


    ''C''mon Rexar, you are not a person like that. I will do what I need as long as my family is safe. It doesn''t matter what happens to me,'' Rexar thought, making his decision.


    He took a roundabout path, visiting the Midnight clan first. He came toward the guard building to update his will. As people who always risked their lives daily to do their jobs, the Midnight clan had a system that allowed them to make a will. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The clan was then responsible for making sure their wealth was shared based on the will. Other clans and sects also had similar systems, as this helped in pulling in new recruits.


    It was a new system that was just invented some time ago, coming from the clan that stayed at the frontline.


    As for the execution, it all depended on each of the clans. Some were riddled with corruption, but for the Midnight clan, the will was always done in perfection and then announced to the public. This built up a good reputation and confidence for their employees.


    And Rexar was the same; he trusted the system would make sure his wealth was distributed as his will. To make sure it was confidential, Midnight clan used formations to automate the process of updating the will.


    This reduced the risk of some of the staff becoming greedy, which would raise the risk of them stealing the item or having bad intentions.


    Finished with the process, Rexar returned to the arena. "Sir Alex, may I have some of your time?"


    Alex thought it was about the bet he won from the match with Zhu Zeng, "Just keep it and make a bet again when it''s my time to fight. Although the odds will be far smaller, money is still money."


    "It''s not that, Sir Alex. I ran into some trouble."


    Reina overheard what they discussed. Seeing how Rexar was being so indirect made her suspicious. "Just be direct, Rexar. I don''t remember you being this timid."


    ''This is it, Rexar, you can do it,'' he convinced himself. His eyes then darted around, trying to look for the senior''s presence, but he failed to locate him.


    In reality, Situ Chen was now watching everything from a distance with the mysterious woman.


    "Do you think he will bite the bait? Based on how he acts, I think that guard will probably come clean to them."


    "That''s also good; his reaction will tell us what kind of outsider he is."


    "There are types of them?"


    "Do you think we just blindly fight all outsiders? As long as they have sentience, they will have their own desires and their own factions. We do have a few of them cooperating with us."


    "I thought your family hated all outsiders the same."


    "Do you forget what happened? The betrayal?


    Do you think we would hold this long by ourselves? Desperate situations need desperate measures.


    If he escaped, this means he has some ill intentions in our place."


    "What if he didn''t?"


    "That is worse. Just like what we discussed before."


    Back at Alex, his lips were now curled into a smile. He had heard everything from Rexar.


    Compared to Alex, Moria and Reina were in shock now.


    "I knew it; things would never be simple with you. What do you plan to do now?


    Personally, I suggest you escape, but that will then implicate people in my clan, so I will not allow it," Moria said with a stern tone, but his eyes showed that he was worried.


    "Let''s meet him together. Sir Alex is our benefactor; we cannot just let him face this by himself," Reina said, making Moria raise his eyebrow.


    ''I knew it; she would put herself through fire if she felt she owed someone. She is too kind.''


    "You guys exaggerated too much; is it really that bad? You never know the authenticity of the rumors.


    It''s not like those who have business with these frontline clans will publicize it. If things were good for them, it would be better if more clans were afraid of making contact.


    I believe these frontline clans will also hate getting involved with other politics. They are busy risking their lives in the frontline; they have no time to play stupid games."


    "So you will go, Sir Alex?"


    "Yes, let''s go now. The earlier we finish, the better," Alex said while he stood up.


    "Let me go with you, Sir Alex."


    "No, you cannot. If you leave, people will misunderstand. We won''t go far anyway."


    Reina looked toward Uncle Moria with pleading eyes. It''s not that she worried something would happen to Alex, but she was afraid he would go missing after the meeting.


    With his strength, Reina believed he could take care of himself, but this would spell doom for all her plans.


    "Alright, I will go with him."


    Alex thought on it, then shook his head, "No, I will just go with Rexar. Don''t worry, nothing big will happen."


    Moria''s lips twitched, "Last time, you said the same before fighting Zhu Zeng. Now, see what happened? Someone from the frontline came looking for you."


    Alex chuckled, "Alright, you watch from a distance then. Don''t get involved."


    Moria nodded. The trio then walked toward the restaurant. Seeing Alex, the waiter quickly showed him the private room.


    Inside were Situ Chen and the mysterious woman.


    "Rexar, you wait outside the door," Alex ordered. He thought his presence here was unneeded, as for Moria he was waiting nearby.

 Chapter 375: Hollow

    Staying would just become a problem for Rexar. He could hear something he didn''t want to know.Alex could feel their strength, but he was not worried. His finger glowed green, making Situ Chen quickly alert.


    "Don''t worry, this is just extra to make sure no one can really hear what you want to say," he said while drawing a rune in the air in a swift motion.


    "How did you come to this world?" the woman asked.


    "Before you ask someone, introduce yourself. My name is Alex, and you already know it," Alex said as he took a seat.


    Situ Chen, meanwhile, stayed silent as his concern was more on the rune that Alex just cast. It was his first time seeing something like this, and he didn''t believe Alex.


    Who knows what the effect of the thing he just cast was? For all he knew, it could seal all his power.


    The woman was silent for a moment, then removed her hat. She had long black hair with wavy tips. Her eyes were black with a beautiful round face.


    ''Her face feels familiar,'' Alex thought. He felt like he had seen her before. He then used his ability, trying to filter through all his knowledge.


    "My name is Ying Xue."


    "Xue? Did you, by chance, know Feng Xue?"


    "How would you know her?" Situ Chen suddenly asked in surprise. He never once thought of the possibility of hearing that name from Alex''s mouth.


    Alex responded by creating a screen that showed her face. It was a memory he got from MingYue.


    Seeing the image, Situ Chen was now sure they were talking about the same Feng Xue. The picture Alex showed was not Feng Xue''s real appearance but Lin Hua''s.


    "Is she really Feng Xue? My Ancestor''s little sister?" Ying Xue asked, as she was unfamiliar with the photo.


    "Her soul currently resides in that body. As I said, she was the one who sent me to you."


    Ying Xue''s eyes narrowed at Alex, "What is her relationship with you?"


    But Alex didn''t answer; instead, he laughed, "The universe is so small. To think both of you know her. This means this place is some kind of secret realm in MingYue''s world."


    Alex then became busy with his own thoughts, trying to figure out how it was all related. The average strength of cultivators here was far stronger than that of MingYue''s region.


    They even had an awakened system that was more sophisticated than normal cultivation. A few things confused him. In a place with a higher level of power, there should be access to more resources.


    Why would they face constant danger from enemy invasions?


    Why were they located inside a secret realm? Was it possible for a secret realm to be richer than the real world?


    Based on his knowledge so far, this should be impossible for a place with so many people living inside it. If it were an untapped one, it would still make sense because the resources had accumulated, not because it was truly a better world.


    Ying Xue started feeling annoyed as Alex acted like they were not there. She also had many questions.


    Since Alex was an outsider, didn''t this mean Feng Xue also had a connection to them? This made her wonder if she was fake.


    But when Situ Chen came looking for her, he brought some proof and code words that only people from her clan should know. There was a possibility for it to be leaked, which was why they put more tests on him.


    After they found out how he knew many crucial pieces of information and how he got hold of them, they decided to trust him. He also proved it through his actions of attacking Shangxi Temple.


    "Can you not answer our question? Who are you? How are you related to her?" Ying Xue asked with a sharp gaze.


    "Oh, sorry, I was lost in my own mind. You can say she was part of my sect. It''s quite complicated to explain. Have you heard of the BaiYue sect?"


    "I only heard a bit of it from Lady FengXue."


    "Well, that sect is half mine, so you can say that should make us allies. Just where is this place compared to the region where my sect exists?"


    "Your sect is in the outer region area. We are in the core region located deep inside the planet."


    "Core region? Wait, you are saying this planet is hollow?" Alex said, surprised by the remark. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The theory of a hollow planet was a popular topic in his world. This conspiracy became even wilder after the dungeon break. At least after that event, those flat-earthers were decimated.


    Alex hated that community as they spread stupidity. In the past, he often had a lot of debates with them on internet forums.


    "Not at the start. My Ancestor is the one who created it to contain all breaches to this planet. He also put up a barrier, making direct entry impossible."


    "Tell me more."


    "Answer me first. Are you an outsider? How did you enter this world?"


    "Outsider? Did you mean those that come from another world?"


    Ying Xue nodded, "What is your goal? Is this related to Lady FengXue?"


    "I wish I knew. Some are being sent to me here. Let''s get to the point. Why are you looking for me?


    I am sure both of us still do not completely believe each other. I want to get out of this region. There are many things I need to do outside."


    "I can show you the way out."


    "Not now. I already promised Reina that I would take care of the Zephyr clan. After that, we can go out."


    Ying Xue frowned at his remark, "What do you want to do with them?"


    "Are you friends with the Zephyr clan?"


    "One of the elders there is an outsider like you. He has been helping us a lot. You can say we are like allies." Ying Xue said while she started observing Alex.


    Now that she looked at him closely, she felt he looked like the other outsider.

 Chapter 376: Missing

    "This is good. Can you arrange a meeting between him and me? My purpose is to help Reina take her mother back.""Wait, her mother?" Ying Xue put some thought into it, then remembered something else.


    "Then you better forget it. She is not here now."


    "What do you mean? She is in the outer region?"


    "No, she is now on a mission. As for the details, I cannot tell. As you said, I don''t really believe you yet."


    ''As long as I leave this region, I should be able to contact MingYue. But is this fine?'' Alex wondered.


    His progenitor connection, which worked fine despite the distance from MingYue, was now sealed. He doubted the reason was just because he was inside the core region.


    There should be another reason, but even now, he hadn''t found out what that was.


    "Then I will request you arrange a meeting between me and that outsider. That is the very least I must do for Reina."


    "No promise, but I will pass it to him. He will be the one to decide."


    "Then this invader you fight, what species are they?"


    "How do you not know? You are coming from outside. Based on my knowledge, this happened in many worlds."


    "There are many species attacking my world, so I don''t know which one you mean. Even the Dragari is one of them." Alex said in a cold voice.


    He still harbored hatred for them, but he was not that stupid to blame the entire race for the actions of a small group.


    When he came to the city, his focus was on his mother, Luca, but now that he had time to think about it, he realized the city''s situation was almost the same as what happened in the past.


    Screams of pain and anguish reverberated like a symphony throughout the city, mingling with the intense smell of burning flesh and blood.


    The only difference was the position exchange; humans were the attackers, while Dragari was the victim.


    At that point, who was right? Who was wrong? Alex didn''t know anymore, but he knew what mattered now was meeting up with MingYue and the others.


    "Then you already know the answer. It''s not that different here. In the end, each race has its own factions, and some factions are just warmongers."


    "So let me get this right. An invasion happened, and then your Ancestor somehow made a way to contain it all in one place.


    Then he sealed it inside the planet''s core, creating a whole new region where some of the strongest clans keep fighting battles to kill every being that gets out?"


    "Yes, you get the gist."


    "How could your Ancestor do this? Do you have the way?" Alex asked as his eyes lit up. If this could be done in his world, it would make things far better.


    They could concentrate their defense on one area, cutting down casualties and giving time for the country to rebuild.


    "I don''t know. Many outsiders who negotiated with us also asked for this method, but the one who knew was our Ancestor. And before you ask, no, he is not alive.


    In fact, almost all the main branch families were killed at that time. I am from the branch family and barely survived.


    That is why we were very surprised when finding out Lady Feng Xue was still here."


    "Can I see this place? The one you all defend?"


    "I cannot give permission. Let''s talk about this later. I need to report this to the higher-ups."


    "One more question. Why did you come here? I don''t believe it''s just because of my presence."


    "You don''t need to worry. It will not impact you much, considering how you fought before."


    "How I fought? Did you have some conflict with Shangxi Temple?" Alex asked. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are many things happening now, but it should not involve you as long as you quickly leave this place."


    Alex tried to find out more information, but Ying Xue didn''t tell him much. He also could not really trust all information from her. A cultivator at her level would easily be able to control their muscle movements.


    This made his ability to guess if they were lying or not not accurate.


    Meanwhile, in Dragari City, things were now more peaceful. The sun had already risen, as the embers of the flames were snuffed out. After their leader was killed, the others were quickly taken care of.


    William succeeded in opening the portal, and from it, Solomon came out, bringing a squad of hunters. With the commotion, Isolde landed, and in anger, she started fighting with Solomon.


    There were many things that didn''t sit right with her. How could he never tell them that they had a portal to enter here?


    Even though it wasn''t activated, the least they could do was tell them the information.


    "It''s not that I didn''t want to tell you, but if you knew, what do you think you all would do?"


    "You need to ask!? Of course, we would push to this place without waiting this long!"


    With the portal, this meant as long as they could open it, they would be able to get as many reinforcements as needed. This completely lowered the risk of the mission.


    Before, they not only needed to plan how to enter but also how to leave this place.


    "That is why we didn''t tell you. If any of you died, it would be a big loss for the human race."


    "Bullshit."


    Solomon''s lips twitched. He knew from experience the best way to stop her protest was by changing the topic, "Where are the others?"


    "Do you think Luca will wait here for you to come? She, Alex, and the others entered through the portal.


    It''s only me and Heimdall here. As for where he was, good luck looking for him."


    "How about Seraphine? Did you mean she went with them through the portal?"


    "Seraphine?" Isolde''s eyes then widened.


    "Dammit, I forgot about her. I don''t know where she is. Last time, she was with Luca. As for now¡­"


    "So she also entered the portal?"

 Chapter 377: The Devils Offer

    Considering the possibility, Seraphine thought the chance she had entered was high, but she didn''t understand why she had done it.The only reason that even she forgot about Seraphine was because she raised the intensity of her ability. Otherwise, this would not have happened.


    (ps. Cough, this is really the reason, not that the author forgot about her xD)


    Solomon just wanted to answer when suddenly an explosion was heard from the top of the spire.


    "Dammit! Did your people attack Alex''s subordinate?" Isolde complained with anger.


    Solomon frowned, exchanging some messages with his subordinates through the implanted brain chip.


    "I am sorry, I didn''t know Alex had a high goblin under him."


    "Hmph!" Isolde snorted, then turned her gaze to William, "You are the one that opened the portal, right?"


    She could feel similar mana particles from the portal coming from William''s hand and from one other person. But she recognized William; Emily had given them information about the people who went with them to avoid friendly fire.


    "I am sorry," William said with lowered eyes.


    Now that he had done it, he felt a bit guilty, but considering how things turned out, he still felt what he did was right.


    Alice just stood in silence, watching the events unfold. She was more focused on the teleportation device, as it looked similar to the one Prof. Faerith made before.


    "Say that to Alex! I don''t know what deal he made with an alien like you, but I don''t even think what you did was really right. You can have passed it by him."


    William didn''t retort. He stayed silent as Isolde left for the spire to make sure Petricia didn''t kill anyone. Solomon also followed her, afraid the reverse might happen.


    She may not have killed the other Hunter, but it wasn''t out of the realm of possibility that she injured them to the point they couldn''t walk. It had happened before.


    "I will go with them. How about you?" Alice asked.


    She want to ask about the portal to Solomon. She had seen the whole process till it activated but still didn''t understand it.


    "I will look around and see what I can do to help," William said as he pointed at a group of hunters now cleaning the debris.


    The woman guarding the area also quickly left the moment she got the opportunity. It was almost a miracle she stayed sane all this time.


    Another group could also be seen bringing the captured Dragari and humans back to the portal.


    As the majority of the humans were drugged, they attacked without care for who was who, leaving the hunters no choice but to knock them down.


    Alice nodded, then left. William also started walking on the road. Seeing the many dead bodies, his heart throbbed as each one reminded him of Roxy.


    William quickened his step until he saw a few hunters with conflicted expressions.


    "Excuse me, what happened?"


    "Just see for yourself," the man said while pointing toward a specific destination.


    At the corner of a collapsed building, a group of kids were crowding together. If Heimdall was here, he would recognize them; they were the kids he had seen before.


    Many of the kids shivered in fear while a young girl stood in front of them holding a sharp rock. She was now like a wild beast preparing to pounce on anyone who got close.


    William''s eyes glistened, his vision becoming blurry. The girl''s face changed to his dearest. An old memory resurfaced; he had been in similar circumstances before.


    "Roxy..." he mumbled in his mind.


    William started walking slowly toward the girl.


    "Stop, she will really attack. We already tried that," one of the hunters said.


    None of them dared to act.


    Despite her fierce attitude, her body was thin. She looked really frail, making them feel a single touch would hurt her, or worse, it could even kill her.


    But William ignored their remarks. He raised both his hands as he walked slowly toward her.


    "It''s useless. She cannot even speak," another hunter warned.


    William stopped in his tracks. He sighed. Since words would be pointless, he decided to do it another way. His qi surged forward.


    Utilizing his movement technique, he appeared near the little girl. The woman wanted to move, but her consciousness quickly disappeared.


    William used his qi to gently knock her and all the children out. His hand moved as he propped her frail body and then laid her on the ground.


    The hunters watched in a daze; they didn''t know how William did it, but they guessed it was related to the new power system distributed by the association.


    There was a possibility he did it with power, but with the current craze on the new power system, the possibility didn''t even cross their minds.


    "Bring them," William said, waking the hunters from their daydreams.


    "Yes, sir," they replied in unison and quickly carried the children on their backs. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    William watched from the side, not moving until everything was done. He was left alone once again.


    His shoulders slumped down as his emotions started to stir. At this moment, a whisper came, "Do you want to resurrect her?"


    William''s expression changed. He looked around but found nobody was there. But he knew the voice was real.


    "Who are you? Show your face?" he asked as he spread his qi around the area.


    But just when it reached a few steps away, the qi dispersed like a wave hitting the ocean.


    "Resurrecting the dead is impossible, but giving life to those that still have their souls is possible. And her soul, I have it."


    "BULLSHIT!" William''s anger flared, his qi exploding, but the result was the same.


    No matter how big a wave was, it was like hitting the sea, giving out no result.


    "Want me to prove it to you? But seeing how emotional you are now, this doesn''t seem a good choice."


    William clenched his fist. He knew this mysterious voice was baiting him, but his heart was beating fast as hope started growing.

 Chapter 378: Williams Determination

    If the man really had her soul, that meant resurrecting her would be easy. As long as Alex helped and gave him the right material,Usually, creating a new body was not this simple. The hardest part was getting a pure life force to animate the body, allowing it to enter a state where the soul could bind itself inside.


    Taking another person''s body was also a choice, but it would come with many detrimental effects.


    As the body had already been used by the soul for a long time, it would leave a lot of marks, making it harder for the new one to take control.


    That is why most who possess others prefer imprisoning them first, as they slowly capture their body.


    "What do you want?"


    "There is an object that can only be taken by those with a specific requirement. For example, a Felidaen that learned qi."


    "Why me then? You can find another and teach him that."


    "Hahaha, why bother when I already found the perfect one? You have something you want so much you will even go to hell for it. Or am I wrong?"


    "How? Let''s say you really have her soul. How did it come to your hand?"


    "That you don''t need to know, but remember my mission will send you through literally hell, a place filled with many malevolent beings."


    "I don''t care, prove it first."


    "But I care. Finding Felidaen is quite hard now. Before I send you there, you need to finish my training. It will be harsh, brutal, and even make you act in cruelty, but these are all things you need to pay to get power quickly."


    "Prove it!" William said once again in an icy cold tone.


    Last time Alex explained to him that her soul had already left the area. This made him even more suspicious of the voice.


    He didn''t think Alex would lie to him. There was no benefit for him in doing it. That meant the soul was really not there, and if this mysterious voice had it, there was a huge chance he was the one who took it.


    This also meant he had a hand in the incident on his planet, probably part of the group that supported Belthazar.


    There was a huge possibility he would make him do something terrible, but William had already steeled his heart. No matter what he needed to do, if it could bring Roxy back, he wouldn''t care.


    Even if that meant he needed to sacrifice the innocent!


    "Kekeke," a malevolent laughter rang out.


    Black eerie flames suddenly appeared ten steps away from him, and from inside, a figure clad in a black robe appeared.


    On the robe, there were many symbols arranged in a dark crimson color, giving it an eerie look. It was like the symbols were alive, created with blood.


    A pale white arm came out from the sleeve. He opened his palm, and then a gemstone that looked like a diamond appeared. It was beautiful, reflecting a myriad of colors with a soul settled inside.


    William quickly moved forward. He couldn''t tell whose soul was inside from the current distance.


    Step! His face turned into a frown as he felt the gravity rise, causing huge pressure on his body.


    But William didn''t even bother to complain. His whole attention now was to confirm the soul existed in the gemstone.


    Step! His shoulders slumped down now as the pressure increased drastically. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    William tried to take another step, but this time, even raising his foot required a lot of effort. His qi churned, and sweat started dripping from his head.


    He exerted almost all his strength to finish the third step.


    The moment he reached the next zone, William kneeled on the ground. The weight was so much that he felt like he was being crushed.


    "Dammit! You did this on purpose!" William said using qi, as well as even moving his tongue, was a difficult task.


    "Let''s say this is the first test. What you are looking for is in front of you. Actually, if you can take it off my hand now, I will give it to you without asking anything back," the man said with a gloating tone.


    William tried hard to move, but he failed. He couldn''t even move his finger.


    "Giving up already? Do you want me to wake her slumbering soul and torture her in front of you?"


    "I swear I will kill you!" William said with anger in his eyes.


    He didn''t know yet if the soul was really Roxy''s or not, but the thought of it already made his blood boil.


    CRACK! A sound of bone breaking could be heard as William forced his body beyond its limit.


    He gritted his teeth as he tried to move forward. In the end, the best he could do was make his body fall to the front, allowing him to cover the distance for the next step.


    The sound of bone breaking reverberated once more. What William felt now was like how a normal human would feel when they were put inside concrete alive.


    He could feel pressure all over his body. Even breathing was a very hard task.


    "You seem to need more motivation. This is only the fourth step. Six more to go. Can you do it?"


    "Bastard, you did this on purpose! You know I could never go all the way ten steps!"


    The hooded man let out a cold snort filled with disdain.


    "Weak. Do you think this is as much as you can handle? You can do more than this!


    Give your everything if she is really important to you."


    One of the red patterns on his robe glowed red.


    The diamond floating above his hand reacted, and a projection was shot out.


    The moment William saw it, a beastly roar reverberated out from his body. His qi started churning like crazy as he began to burn his own life force.


    Even though Alex didn''t give him the rune, living near them still allowed him to learn about the life force. In the end, it was something every living being had.

 Chapter 379: As Long As I Can See You One More Time

    When he first learned of it, William was marveled.He quickly made a conclusion that for every heroic story he had heard, it all happened because the person in question burned their life force unknowingly.


    That was what allowed them to turn the tables over. With this knowledge, William learned how to do this and also asked Alex for suggestions.


    Alex only gave him small directions, planning to give William the rune at some point in the future, so learning this seemed pointless and a waste of time.


    But William didn''t know about this. That was why he tried to learn it by himself. His energy surged forward, and his knee slowly raised upward.


    Blood started coming out from his orifices, followed by intense pain from his being, but William didn''t care.


    The moment he saw Roxy again, it was like a switch flipped in his brain.


    Every day, every hour, there was not a time William forgot about her, not a time he didn''t regret.


    The anger and frustration were etched deep into his heart, allowing him to focus his whole being on one singular purpose.


    Anything was fine as long as he could revive Roxy!


    With newfound strength, William walked toward the next step.


    Five steps, six steps, seven steps, eight steps, and finally, at the ninth step, he fell again toward the ground.


    The pressure was so much that his body was already numb with the pain. Right now, he only used his qi to control his body like a puppeteer moving a doll.


    His head looked upward toward the mysterious man with defiance.


    "Giving up now?"


    "Never," William replied quickly. He pushed his qi, burning his life force even more.


    William pushed his body to crawl slowly to the finish line. Roxy''s projection looked very close in his eyes, but to reach her was a different matter.


    It was like they were separated by an insurmountable chasm, each inch he gained feeling like an eternity of struggle.


    His breath was ragged gasps, his vision blurring with the effort.


    Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, but he fueled it with lifeforce, forcing himself forward.


    Memories of Roxy filled his mind, making the world around him fade into a blur.


    Despite not being able to feel it before, now being closer, he could feel it. The familiar presence, her warm smile, kindness. The small moments that brought joy to his life.


    His vision darkened his body on the verge of collapse like a candle in the wind. But it still burned fiercely with everything he had.


    William pushed forward, his fingertips touching the edge of Roxy''s projection.


    It may have been only his imagination, but the moment they crossed, time froze. He could feel a warmth from her touch. It was like Roxy was there, hugging and comforting him.


    ''It''s enough, William. I am no more in this world. You should be happy. Look for someone else.'' Roxy''s voice reverberated in his mind, cracked and heavy but filled with warmth and care.


    "Never! Roxy. You are the only one for me. Even if that means I will need to turn the whole world upside down.


    Even if that means I need to sacrifice billions or trillions of innocents, nothing will stop me!


    You may hate me later on, but that doesn''t matter. Just once, as long as I can see your warm smile once more!" William said with burning determination.


    Then, like a life shining brightly for its last moment, another surge of energy burst out from his body. William finished his last step, and then his consciousness began drifting away.


    The last memory he had was hearing a clapping sound, followed by the man''s last words, "Good, this is what I am looking for. Never forget this, etch your goal in your mind. Only then can you get what you want.


    Many will question what you do, but that doesn''t matter. The result justifies everything.


    A half-hearted effort will give you nothing. Only when you give everything do you have a chance to get what you want?"


    The man''s tone then changed; in the last part, William felt more like he was saying it for himself, to steel his own resolve.


    "People expecting to achieve the impossible by doing things that have been done is stupidity. Only by doing it this way can we achieve the impossible."


    The pattern on his robe glowed once more, his finger touching William''s forehead.


    "Next time you awake, you will find many changes, but you need not fear or question it. Just do the task I give to you."


    A dark glow spread out, covering William''s body. In the next moment, he disappeared.


    The diamond that was floating above his palm also disappeared. The man then took off the hood, revealing a familiar appearance.


    Alex had met with him before; he was Belmond. But his appearance looked different; he still had similarities with Alucard, but this time, he was older.


    Dark energy spread out from his body as reality itself started twisting and bending around his body.


    "Now I hope you can reach a different answer than me, William, one that is better. As for me, it is time to push things forward."


    Belmond then disappeared like he was never there.


    Back in the cultivation world, MingYue and the group were now standing on the periphery of the panda bamboo grove.


    This was the first time MingYue put her feet in the central region; she could feel the qi was more dense and purer. But comparing it with Thalia''s world, it didn''t feel anything special.


    ''With this kind of qi, no wonder the other regions have a hard time competing with the central.


    Even by breathing alone, I can tell the meditation time will be cut down many times over,'' MingYue thought.


    She then turned her gaze toward the grove. The bamboo were huge, with the width of two adult men, while the height easily made them look like skyscrapers. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The colors were unique; each bamboo was white, with some patterns in black.


    "Why is this place named panda bamboo grove?" MingYue asked.

 Chapter 380: Panda Bamboo Groove

    The only place she had heard about pandas was in Alex''s world. These animals didn''t exist. But she had never heard it exist in her own, making her wonder."In the past, this was named White Bamboo Forest, but my master changed it to Panda Bamboo Grove. He said it reminded him of something from his hometown."


    Luca let out a soft chuckle as she knew panda had other meanings for them. It was from one of their early dates after they started dating.


    Her heart softened as she felt relieved; at least Edward''s life here didn''t sound bad so far.


    "Does your master have some wounds on him?" she asked.


    "Wounds? Don''t worry, Madam, Master may not be the strongest here, but if he wants to run, no one can stop him."


    "Uncle, is that strong? What is Uncle''s current realm?" MingYue asked.


    The feat of being able to escape from everyone is easier said than done. MingYue suspected Alex''s father, Edward, was at least at the Transcendent Stage.


    "Yes, I don''t know what Master''s current realm is, but I know he has fought with a few immortals and still survived unscathed," Aira said with a respectful tone.


    Hearing this, Luca looked at her in a better light; it was clear she really respected her husband as a master.


    "MingYue, is Zold here?" Luca asked, changing the topic. Now that she knew Edward was alright, her concern returned to the matter at hand.


    MingYue nodded, "I don''t know how, but he reached here faster than us. This place is also not something we can underestimate. I am sure we will meet some strong monsters here."


    "Yes, MingYue is right, but looking at our current capability, I don''t think we need to be worried. The dangerous one is Silva."


    "How confident are you in defeating him?" MingYue asked to gauge Silva''s strength.


    She could already tell Aira was more or less on her level, but endurance-wise, MingYue would win. And if it was a life-and-death battle, the winner would one hundred percent be MingYue.


    "All this talk is pointless. Let''s go in," Luca said while starting to walk.


    When they were moving here, she had thought many times over what if Silva was really a traitor. What was the reason? And how would he do it?


    With how close they were, poisoning Edward, even Luca, was not out of the question. Both of them would eat anything he gave them without a second question.


    Even with her ability, if the poison had a slow effect, she would not realize it at all. This gave her some confidence that Silva wouldn''t go for the kill.


    They would have some conflict when she asked him for the truth. Deep inside, she could not accept this. It was not the first time she got betrayed, but by someone that was close. Someone she thought of as family, but this never happened.


    The forest gave a calm atmosphere; it was beautiful and serene. A good place to have a picnic if not for the monsters roaming in the area.


    MingYue led the way. She could order Vesa to cast a rune to make them more hidden, but she chose not to.


    There were a few reasons for this, like hiding her capability from Aria, but most importantly, she wanted to know how Silva would react.


    Right now, she could feel two life forces close to Zold''s location. Based on the movement, one was watching while the other was fighting Zold.


    She also speculated that Zold was being played, as the other one barely moved while Zold kept going in and out, and this was true.


    In that area, a middle-aged man with silver hair and blue eyes was standing still. One of his hands held a dagger, while the other was placed behind his back.


    A deep scar ran through his cheek and one of his eyes, giving him the appearance of a veteran.


    "After all this time, you haven''t improved much, Zold. You still have too many unnecessary movements," the man said coldly.


    Zold, who rarely showed expression, was now annoyed. After joining the caravan, his journey was quite smooth. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The merchant then pointed him in the accurate direction of the grove. With his accelerated speed, this allowed Zold to reach faster before MingYue and the others.


    Emily may be able to move many times faster, but she would not do it. Zold knew there was no way Luca would allow Emily to move by herself; her speed also made it hard for her to control the direction.


    Even now, she barely made a turn when she used her utmost speed.


    Lightning crackled around Zold''s body as he leaped forward, his dagger falling like heaven''s judgment, but Silva didn''t even make a move. He knew it was only a feint.


    As he predicted, Zold changed motion mid-air from a slash to a spin that threw the dagger forward.


    "Again, the same move. I admit it''s a creative use of Qi and Mana, but don''t you already know it''s useless against me," Silva replied, as he threw the dagger in his hand, deflecting Zold''s.


    Before, Zold had already used this pattern to surprise Silva. When he reached the grove, it didn''t take him long to meet him.


    He didn''t know if it was by coincidence or if Silva was already waiting for him, but that didn''t matter to Zold. Their first meeting after many years, which Zold thought would be filled with warmth, turned into a fight.


    He demanded an answer straight from Silva''s face, but he didn''t respond to any of it. Silva just looked at him without saying a word.


    This was when Zold decided to throw an ambush. He launched his dagger through the air, using it as a catalyst, allowing him to reappear right behind Silva.


    His move made Silva change his expression. His father was a person of few words, which made him learn every single change in his expression and what it meant.


    Based on his gaze, Zold knew Silva approved of his attack, but unfortunately, even this was not enough. Just like him, Silva also grew in strength.

 Chapter 381: Progression

    He also learned cultivation like him, and his progress was far faster. Zold couldn''t tell how much his depth was as he barely made a move.He still had a trump card, but Zold decided to keep it for the worst-case scenario, just in case the conflict escalated.


    "Stop acting like this, father. If you keep silent, then I will think everything she said was true."


    "What Aria said is not wrong. Edward is looking to capture me now," Silva said in a flat tone.


    "Just stop it already, Silva. Now is not the time for you to try to teach your son." The man that watch on the sideway suggested.


    "What would you know? Every moment is a time to teach your kids."


    "You know what? Talking with you is really tiring, Luca is here now.


    You do know what will happen if she meets with the current Edward?"


    "It doesn''t matter. Since my son has already met Aria, Edward is already prepared.


    He knew this would happen a long time ago. His goal is always making Luca meet with me first."


    "But will she trust you?"


    "Not something I need to care about. I just need to do my task."


    The man sighed, knowing it was no use trying to talk into Sylva''s thick skull.


    ''I shouldn''t have taken the mission. It has been so many years, and it seemed it would still take me a while before going out.''


    Even with Luca coming, he didn''t think it would provide a solution. The problem they were facing was just that complicated.


    "Stop dozing around, Father. They will come soon. I want to know my answer."


    Zold''s eyes turned sharp, looking at his son deeply. "Pathetic. Did you forget what I taught you? If you think someone poses a danger to you, do you confront and ask him directly?"


    "No, I observe, gain evidence, and create my own conclusion."


    "Then what are you doing?"


    Zold took a deep breath, then pointed his dagger forward. "Because you are my father!"


    Electricity ran through his body as he appeared in front of Silva. Sparks flew in the air as he started launching a barrage of attacks.


    "Being sentimental will not help you," Silva reminded in a flat tone as he kept parrying the attacks with one hand.


    "Yes, they are not. You always teach me what matters in the end is one''s strength."


    A green hue started appearing around his eyes. In the next moment, his momentum increased drastically, surprising Zold.


    But before things could escalate, a presence came toward Silva, making him dodge.


    BANG!


    The ground where he had just stood cracked, and the surface then turned to ice.


    "Stop it, Aria." Luca''s voice reverberated.


    "But, Madam..."


    "Don''t worry, he won''t escape, will he, Zold?"


    Zold, who had just landed, nodded at her.


    "It''s been a while, Luca."


    "So, at least you did your work, Owl. I honestly thought you escaped."


    Owl''s lips twitched. He was the hunter that Luca had paid to look for Edward. The payment was not cheap, but she hadn''t gotten any results, which frustrated her.


    "Don''t you see I am here? If only I had known what I signed up for, I would have honestly rejected this mission. The payment is not worth it."


    "Then why are you still here? Knowing you, you should have escaped."


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue was studying their strength. Emily couldn''t help but feel more hopeful. Before, it was just talk from Aria, someone she didn''t know, but looking at Silva now, she knew it was true.


    She wanted to quickly run and meet her father, ''If only I knew the direction.''


    "The stake is too big now, and it''s not like I have a choice. We are stuck in this place." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luca, confused, looked at Silva. "I have heard it from Aria; Edward wants to capture you. Just what happened?" Her voice then changed, her gaze turning cold. "Don''t tell me you are a traitor."


    "That is up to you to decide, Madam," Silva replied as she threw something toward Luca.


    MingYue''s senses turned alert, but seeing what was thrown, she decided not to make a move. She could see their strength.


    _________________________


    Name: Silva


    Power Level: 20.1


    Lifeforce: 521/578


    Cultivation Level: Mystic Integration Stage - Early Level


    _________________________


    Name: Owl?


    Power Level: 21.5


    Lifeforce: 555/621


    Cultivation Level: Profound Enlightenment Stage - Early Level


    _________________________


    She then turned to Aria to compare.


    _________________________


    Name: Aria


    Power Level: 17.8


    Lifeforce: 698/721


    Cultivation Level: Mystic Integration Stage - Late Level (?)


    _________________________


    ''I am sure now, the time in the core region is far faster than outside; otherwise, how could both of them be even stronger than Aria?'' MingYue thought to herself.


    Aria was a genius who had grown since birth in the core region; this meant the moment she started breathing, she began to cultivate. This also did not count the heavenly treasure or elixir she consumed.


    That is why MingYue didn''t feel weird at all looking at her life force.


    Compared to her own status, she sighed. The more she mastered her Vampire ability, the more she realized how weak cultivation was in the grand scheme of things.


    _________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 17.5


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 1578/1578


    Cultivation Level: Golden Core Stage - Late Level


    Vampire Level: Bloodling (Mastery 9%)


    Secret Arts: Absolute Zero Tempest, Frozen Lotus Eternal Blossom, Frost Petal Dance, Arctic Serpent Fury.


    _________________________


    Luca caught the item. It was a jade slip but colored in red. As she was not a cultivator, she didn''t know how to use it.


    "Drip a drop of your blood on it, Madam; it will activate the slip," Aria suggested in a respectful tone.


    Luca frowned for a moment since the method felt crude to her. It reminded her of many cruel rituals done by the dark guild she had witnessed in the past.


    This made her feel wary. The majority of the rituals were stupid, but she knew some could use someone''s blood to put a curse on them.


    "Blood? Why?"

 Chapter 382: Crimson Jade Slip

    "Aunt, it''s because you cannot use qi yet. A normal jade slip usually activates only after using qi, but this crimson one is different.Correct me if I am wrong, but I am sure it can only be activated by a specific person."


    "You are right," Aria confirmed.


    To create this jade, the blood of the target was needed, and it was then used as material to carve the formation. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Edward didn''t have any of this; the reason he could make one was because he understood what mattered was using the DNA of the target.


    Blood was the easiest, but he also had something else that had Luca''s DNA on it.


    It was the wedding ring they used. After some time and experimentation, he successfully created the formation to engrave it into the jade slip.


    Since MingYue vouched for it, Luca decided to activate the slip. She kept her ability at its peak to make sure she could stop anytime if she saw something bad.


    Emily watched from the side, feeling anxious. Based on her father''s personality, the only reason he would do this was if he was involved in some problem. Otherwise, he would just meet with them directly.


    The moment the crimson liquid dripped onto the jade''s surface, a complicated array manifested around it, like clockwork, moving by itself.


    Tons of information started pouring into Luca''s brain. Edward didn''t just put what he wanted to say inside; he put everything he learned and experienced into it, and nothing was hidden.


    Time passed on. Sylva was standing with his back against one of the bamboo, while Owl just sat cross-legged, meditating.


    MingYue turned herself on high alert, making sure no one made a move at Luca. Meanwhile, Aria had a confused look on her face.


    Seeing this, Emily could guess the reason, "Did my father not tell you about the slip?"


    "No, he did not. Do you think he doesn''t trust me?" Aria asked as she felt wronged.


    At first, she didn''t believe the jade slip was from her Master, but feeling the qi surging out, she knew it was genuine.


    "Don''t think too much about it. It probably falls along the line of ensuring everything runs smoothly. He did the same to me many times in the past.


    Hey, can you tell me how my father is here?"


    "Master is kind and capable. Honestly, I see him as a father more than my real one. He always spends time guiding me every day, either in cultivation or any small thing."


    "I see..." Emily said with a sad expression. She couldn''t help but feel jealous, as it should have been her in Aria''s position.


    "Can I call you by name?" Aria asked.


    "Of course. Honestly, you don''t even need to call my mom ''Madam.'' I am sure she doesn''t like being called that."


    "Master loves to tell me stories about his family. He does it so often that, honestly, I feel like I''ve known you all for ages."


    "What did he tell you?"


    "He always used both of you as examples when I failed to do something and motivated me to do something. Like that one time, I accidentally burned the training hall.


    This should have been impossible, but one of my siblings was pulling a prank on me, playing with the formation array.


    At that time, I didn''t know. I was really afraid as that was the first time I messed things up.


    But Master just laughed and said, ''Just like the time my daughter tried to cook dinner and nearly burned down the kitchen!


    We had to eat charred noodles for a week, but she kept trying until she made the best stir-fry in town.''"


    Hearing this, Emily''s lips twitched. ''Dad, you are lying. I tried so many times that I realized I had no talent for cooking.'' But then the memories started resurfacing in her mind, making her eyes glisten with tears.


    At that time, her cooking was distasteful. Alex always protested as he was forced to eat it, but her father and mother ate it all without protest.


    He did say in the end, ''It''s made by my daughter; of course, it''s delicious.''


    Her heart throbbed as she began missing him deeply.


    "What did he do before you left, then?"


    Aria''s face turned into a frown. "Honestly, I haven''t met him for months. This mission was given one year ago."


    "One year ago? Since when was my father clairvoyant? It hasn''t been long since we came here."


    "He gave me this," Aria said as a box appeared on top of her hand. It was covered with many formations. "Before, this box had another layer on top of it. He told me if it broke, I must go and do something for him."


    "So it broke, and just like my mother now, you got information on what you needed to do?"


    "Yes, looking for his family, then capturing Silva on the way back."


    "Did it tell you Silva was a traitor?" Emily asked.


    "Well, the words were ''capture,'' and when I asked around the clan, I found out that he was now a fugitive."


    "How about the others?" Emily asked. Other than her father and Uncle Silva, there were also other hunters: Eria, Jasper, Orion, Aunt Ariadne, and Kane.


    "When Master settled in our clan, he had been through a lot. I only know him, Madam Ariadne, and Sir Orion."


    "No one else?" Emily asked to make sure of her answer. If they were not with her father, that meant there was only one possibility: they were dead.


    Meanwhile, MingYue''s eyes widened in surprise as the jade was sending more than just information now. She could feel it, an abundant amount of qi flowing from it toward Luca''s body.


    Her body was rising in the cultivation realm at an astonishing rate, ''Just how could Uncle do it?''


    She had heard techniques like this existed, ones that allowed someone to pass their qi to another, but it had low efficiency and came with many side effects.


    Usually, the giver would suffer, with many ending up dead, while the receiver''s foundation would be unstable.

 Chapter 383: Expanding Territory

    That was why there were only a few cases of this happening. Many had tried to raise its efficiency by creating secret techniques, arrays, and pills to help improve the process, but none succeeded.''Not only are there no side effects, but it''s also like Aunt is cultivating it on her own, and he is not even here in person...


    Vesa, what do you think of this process?''


    ''Mother Queen should be fine. In our eyes, it looks fast, but for her, much time has passed.''


    ''You mean Uncle manipulated time?''


    ''Yes and no. This technique is not new. At its glory, it was quite common. Queen, you can see the area surrounding the Queen now is surrounded by some type of barrier.''


    ''Yes, but isn''t it just protection in case someone attacks her while she processes the information?


    It''s not the first time I''ve seen someone do this. Alex had a similar idea, but I saw it wasn''t necessary.''


    ''The barrier protection is just a bonus. Its real purpose is creating a completely new space that runs on its own time.


    This feat is not easy to achieve, and they usually need a world spirit or part of it to accomplish this.''


    ''A world spirit? Uncle probably got that from the Dragari world. It would explain how it was destroyed.


    But then why would he leave it intact? The other side was completely destroyed. Did uncle leave it on purpose for Aunt to come here?''


    This made MingYue wonder just for what purpose the Dragari city was left. Then what about the one she fought there?


    She had many questions, but these could only be answered with more information. MingYue turned her focus back toward Luca, who had now already reached the golden core realm.


    But Luca didn''t feel happy at all. She could feel the surge of her new strength, knowledge, and understanding of cultivation. However, the thing she learned about what happened to her husband shook her to the core.


    The memory inside the crimson jade allowed Luca to experience things from Edward''s perspective. It was like she was there.


    From the time Edward returned to the city, he regrouped and tried his best to evacuate people, to the point he finally became Aria''s master.


    "Edward, how could you ¡­ this¡­ "she mumbled in a cracking voice.


    The barrier disappeared, and Luca clutched her chest. Tears started dropping from the corner of her eyes. ''Hubby¡­''


    Emily stopped talking with Aria when she saw that the barrier was down. She ran toward her mother but stopped the moment she saw Luca''s expression.


    "Mom¡­ What''s wrong?" She asked in a low voice, fear reflected in her eyes.


    "A lot, Emily, a lot¡­" She said with a cracked voice as tears still pained her cheek wet, but her gaze was determined.


    "Aira, my husband left something for you." Luca then threw the crimson jade toward Aria.


    She caught it with confusion and then silently asked Luca with her gaze if it was okay for her to check the content.


    Luca gave a nod. The information that was for her was already deleted the moment she finished. What was left now was only the one for Aria.


    "Aunt, can you tell me the deal," MingYue asked. Whatever Luca learned was probably crucial information she needed to know in order to think about her next action.


    Luca''s eyes turned apologetic the moment she looked at MingYue. "MingYue, I am sorry, it''s about your parents."


    "What?" MingYue asked back in a cold tone, her gaze turning sharp.


    Her parents were a sore spot in her heart. Her feelings were complicated but mostly filled with hate.


    Meanwhile, in the outer region, something unprecedented was happening. While Alex and MingYue were busy in the central and core region, the cultivators of the Bai Yue sect led by QingWa were expanding their territory.


    With the business chain they built, even though it was still new, they already knew the overall strength of the factions around them.


    QingWa sent some civilians to clarify the information scouts, but the result surprised her.


    With a gun in hand, drones, poison from the Fang clan, and modern tools, they successfully crippled the city''s whole defense, allowing them a quick makeover. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some did assassinations, while some just crippled them. The cultivators from the Bai Yue sect hadn''t even made a single move, but ten cities and two sects already fell under their control.


    The militia were bursting with spirit and excitement, their morale at an all-time peak. Some started to think they didn''t need cultivation at all.


    Seeing all this, QingWa was surprised, ''This is frightening. They didn''t realize it, but their bodies were already stronger than normal civilians. Adding those bizarre weapons, this region will stand no chance at all. And they still have that weapon.''


    QingWa then looked at her hand. Her qi flowed forward but there was another energy mixed in. Living inside the secret realm with exposure to high mana concentration triggered some changes in her body.


    Right now, there was a lot of Mana circulating inside her body, and it started changing her, albeit very slowly.


    Beside her, two cultivators stood.


    "Senior QingWa, can we go now? Xue Fang has been pestering me."


    "You can, but before that, finish one mission."


    "But sis didn''t tell me anything about that."


    "But she made sure I am responsible for your safety. So prove your team''s capability by taking over DaiYing city."


    "What? Can''t you give me another option?" MingHao said as he frowned at the idea. Returning back to the city would make many memories resurface, and most of them were unpleasant.


    "That is exactly why you need to go. Based on our last intel, a rogue golden core cultivator is now taking control of the city.


    This should provide enough challenge for you.


    Remember, MingHao, it''s useless to have the strength if you cannot pull the trigger."


    MingHao frowned, still feeling conflicted, but looking at how insistent QingWa was, he knew he had no other choice.


    He also respected her a lot, as MingYue told him her origin, a spirit beast with a celestial bloodline.


    "Alright, Senior, I will do it."

 Chapter 384: MingHao & XueFang

    "Your mission is to take over the city, then build the communication node. After that, inform me through it, then you can start your sister''s mission.""One more thing, Senior QingWa, what about the Blue Lotus sect?"


    "Miss MingYue didn''t give me any specific order on that, so we should treat it the same as other sects, but you don''t need to worry. Our scout just told us the sect is now empty. They have moved."


    "Where? Did sis know?"


    "I don''t think she knows, but that doesn''t really matter, they have been gone for a while, we just got the information too late.


    The time coincides with the chaos in the central region, which is probably something related to that.


    Any other questions? If not, quickly return. I don''t want Xue Fang to escape by herself."


    MingHao clasped his hands together, then waved to the other cultivators before going back to his group.


    "See you later, Ruo. Be careful, and good luck on your mission."


    "You too, MingHao, take care of YanYu and the others."


    "I will."


    After he disappeared, QingWa asked, "And you, why are you here? Things should continue smoothly on your part."


    "Yes, the militia is doing fine. We have only had two casualties so far, and that is their own stupidity."


    "Go on." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, they pulled the grenade pin but were too late to throw it away, resulting in their demise," Ruo said with an exasperated tone.


    QingWa frowned, ''I knew it. The time Miss MingYue gave us is too short.''


    "Just take care of their bodies as per procedure. Is that it, or is there something else?"


    Ruo hesitated for a moment but then continued, "Well, Senior QingWa, a few of the militia were caught treating one of the captured cultivators harshly."


    "What do you mean? Elaborate."


    "The captured cultivator is a woman they despise. It''s a personal problem. When we captured them, they forcefully¡­." Ruo''s voice trailed off as he didn''t feel comfortable saying it.


    After getting used to living inside the secret realm, many people''s cultures changed. The education system changed their common sense, use of words, how to act, and many other things.


    For Ruo, it was not appropriate to say it out loud.


    "Punish them as per sect law; there is no need to be lenient. All the captured cultivators were still part of our sect. Miss MingYue has plans for them. "


    "Alright, Senior, I will make sure to punish them, but this will probably affect their morale."


    "You overthink things. It''s just a few bad apples. The rush coming for those who cannot cultivate beating a cultivator is more than what you think.


    They have lived oppressed lives for generations; they will keep going at the same pace."


    "I understand, Senior. I will do as you instructed then," Ruo replied, saying that he wanted to leave, but QingWa stopped him.


    "One more thing, Ruo, what do you think of those bizarre weapons?"


    Ruo was confused by the question, "Do you mean the gun, Miss?"


    "Yes, what else? Guns, grenades, and those flying things named drones. What do you think of them?"


    "They are very useful, Miss. They operate on qi by themselves, allowing even civilians to control them. This way, everyone could become our militia force, raising our sect''s strength to a completely new level.


    Honestly, I feel no one can face us now."


    "I see, I understand. You can go now." QingWa replied while she thought, ''It seems only I worry that everything will change from now on.''


    She asked Ruo''s opinion as she never held these weapons in her own hand, only saw everything from afar.


    Different from Ruo, who had used them himself. MingYue also didn''t give her any of the weaponry, as she deemed it unnecessary for her.


    She was only contracted for a while to stay as Guardian of her sect. Her strength was also good enough, there was no need to make her stronger.


    Meanwhile, MingHao had already returned to Xue Fang, YanYu, and the others.


    "How is it? Can we go now?" Xue Fang asked impatiently.


    "Yes, but Senior QingWa gave us a mission to complete first."


    "That damned traitor! Even now she still makes trouble for me."


    "Xue Fang, don''t be like that. Let''s just finish this quickly and go. It''s not like someone will kill Yang Fei."


    "What do you know? Thanks to your sister, he is now hunted as a demonic cultivator. It''s just a matter of time till someone gets their hands on him."


    MingHao''s face turned annoyed, "It''s not my sister''s fault."


    "You sis-con, I am just stating facts, not calling her names."


    YanYu let out a chuckle upon hearing her words. They had learned some new vocabulary from watching movies together.


    As for what movie they watched, I am sure my dear reader knows better than I do. (^ ^)


    At their first meeting, MingHao called XueFang Lady Xue Fang and also treated her as a senior. But after some time, she asked him to just call her by name.


    Her age may be far older, but based on appearance alone, she now looked the same age as MingHao and the others.


    This change started after a week of exposure to Mana. But so far, there were only a few like them.


    Vesa didn''t report this because it was only a negligible change. No one had awakened any power till now.


    "Calm down, Xue Fang. Let him tell us what the mission is first. Maybe it''s an easy one."


    MingHao''s gaze turned complicated, "Taking over Daiying city. Based on our intel, the place is now taken by a golden core cultivator."


    "With me here, that should be no problem. What are we waiting for then? Let''s get going."


    "Xue Fang, Daiying City is MingHao''s hometown."


    Xue Fang stopped in her steps. She had heard the story about MingHao''s family. It wasn''t the complete story, but he never hid it.


    "I am sorry."


    If MingYue had been here, she would have been surprised by how Xue Fang had acted. It was completely different from when she met MingYue at the Blue Cloud Village.

 Chapter 385 Returning to Daying City

    "It''s alright, Xue Fang. I also understand why you want to go after him. And believe me, I will find a way for your clan.""Hmph, stop talking big. Beat me first, then you can talk like that."


    MingHao smiled widely. "Don''t worry, it''s only a matter of time. I have my own secret technique now."


    Xue Fang eyed him suspiciously but didn''t ask any further. "So, what is your plan for Daiying City? Since it''s your hometown, we will listen to you."


    "First, we need to check if the intel is correct, then we will think about it. I just prefer a more peaceful method.


    If possible, I don''t want further destruction from the city."


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    "Since you are ordered there, have you heard from your cousins? Aren''t many of them still alive? If I were them, I think they would go to this city to look for clues."


    "Some of the elders also survived, they should have informed them what happened," MingHao said


    "That doesn''t matter. Do you think they will trust the information blindly? Many of them will seek confirmation.


    It''s like this; if your parents were killed, would you believe what your uncle says? Will you not want to check their bodies with your own eyes?"


    "You are right. I will not believe them easily. Who knows if they are lying to me."


    "Since it''s decided, let''s go then," YanYu said with an excited tone.


    She had lived all her life in a village before her family chose to join the BaiYue sect; afterward, it was all training.


    This was the first time she went out and visited another city, but she hadn''t had any opportunity to really enter any of them. She was staying at the camp with MingHao and the others.


    They replied with a nod. YanYu then took out a vehicle from her storage ring. It was a car with a model that looked like a Humvee, but it didn''t have any tires.


    Instead, there were four plates made from metal carved with intricate array formations.


    "We can use this, right?" YanYu asked with excitement.


    MingHao smiled; he also looked forward to trying the car. "Since we can bring this, I think there should be no problem. What do you think, Xue Fang?"


    "Other than the form that makes it unique, flying boats and wagons are normal in big cities; there shouldn''t be any problem. But I still prefer to hide it when we get close to Daying City."


    "I agree. Our goal is to verify the intel first, then make our move." MingHao then looked to the other cultivators that followed them.


    "You all follow from a distance away, then wait near the city."


    "Yes, senior brother, we will wait in the nearby area, but can we hunt in the nearby forest?"


    MingHao put some thought into it, and then he got another idea. "I will send the location of a qi crystal mine near the city. It''s quite a distance, but with your current ability now, it shouldn''t be a problem.


    Survey the area, and if possible, take it over, but remember your priority is safety. Also, don''t kill if possible."


    The four cultivators'' faces turned excited as they got to do some action. They bowed and then took a vehicle similar to the one YangYu had taken out.


    MingHao took the driver''s seat, while Xue Fang sat in the front, and YanYu took the back seat. The dashboard looked just like a car, with some changes.


    There was no place to put any key; instead, it only had a slot to put a Qi crystal in. But this didn''t mean anyone could use the car; every single one was bound with a member of the BaiYue sect, limiting the people that could drive it.


    A car could also be bound to multiple people, allowing them to switch based on necessity. The only downside was they couldn''t find a way to erase people who were already bound to the vehicle.


    The only way was to completely recast the formation, costing them a lot of resources. But MingHao and Alex had no complaints; this car was fully invented by the Goblin settlement in the BaiYue sect without their intervention.


    They were already satisfied with the result. As for the goblin squad themselves, Qingwa was bringing them inside a cube; she kept them for emergencies.


    Her plan was to let the militia do the job; when they started getting tired, cultivators would swoop in, followed by goblins, then herself.


    The reason she kept goblins after cultivators was because, overall, they were stronger than the cultivators. Individually they might not be strong, but together their teamwork was top-notch.


    After learning cultivation, the high goblins also invented a new secret technique. It was just created recently, making Alex and MingHao oblivious to it.


    With this technique, when high goblins used their special ability, they could tap qi from other goblins. This allowed them to use it as if it were their own qi, raising their energy reservoir to a new level.


    It didn''t take long for MingHao and the group to land near the city. The journey was smooth, but they didn''t feel any wonder as they were already used to living on a floating island.


    YanYu took the vehicle back to her storage ring. They then looked toward Daying City.


    Even from a distance away, MingHao could feel a strong array protecting the city. Usually, there would be a long line of merchants or people wanting to come in, but now there were none. The gate was shut tightly.


    "Is it always like this?"


    "No, it seems there''s more to the news."


    "Based on what I see, there''s a big chance the one taking over is a demonic cultivator. That''s the only reason they would shut the city like this," Xue Fang suggested.


    "Why only them? A rogue cultivator hunted by a sect or clan could also do this." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xue Fang rolled her eyes. "They wouldn''t unless they''re stupid, but I guess some people are idiotic enough to do that."


    She then turned her gaze to YanYu. "How about you? What do you think the reason is?"

 Chapter 386 Secret Passage

    "Me? Hmm¡­I think it''s still possible for rogue cultivators to be there.Some of them even destroy villages without care, and this place is still in the outskirts area; I don''t think they care that much."


    Xue Fang shook her head, feeling helpless. "For lower realm cultivators, this may be right, but for golden core? If they need to hide this far, it means the one hunting them is a strong clan or sect.


    There''s no way they would be this stupid, shutting off the city and announcing to everyone that something is wrong here.


    If they wanted to hide, it would be better to act as civilians while hiding their cultivation."


    MingHao nodded as he felt Xue Fang''s explanation made sense. "How about you sense? How many cultivators can you feel from here?"


    He asked because Xue Fang was stronger than them. As for himself, he couldn''t feel anything. The array completely surrounded the whole area.


    Xue Fang squinted her eyes, looking at the city, trying her best to detect anything, but she failed.


    "No, but I think we can use a drone to pass through the barrier. They will just think of it as bugs."


    "The drone does have camouflage ability, but what if it gets found out?


    Our control will not be that good. The report has shown that electrical signals will be disturbed if they need to pass through a strong barrier."


    "That is still better than trying to bypass the barrier. Except if you have some other entrance."


    In Xue Fang''s mind, the worst thing that could happen is that the drone would self-destruct and alert the cultivators inside.


    "There is a teleportation array underneath my family vault. My sister blew it up, but I think we can still connect with it." He then called out Xueqi''s Ancestor.


    Qi came out from his storage ring, taking the form of the old Ancestor. "Didn''t I tell you not to call me in front of others?" he asked with a frown.


    YanYu had seen him once, so she was not surprised, but this was the first time Xue Fang had seen him. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her eyes glinted with coldness as she scrutinized Xueqi Ancestor''s soul. "This soul seems weak, so you should be fine. But you need to be careful, MingHao. If you strengthen his soul too much, he can try to take over your body."


    Xueqi Ancestor''s face turned ugly. "Who are you to talk to me like that? I would never do that to my descendant!"


    "Who knows? I can see you are now being supported by MingHao''s qi. When people see death in the eyes, sometimes their mindset changes.


    Also, depending on how time passes, you should realize your soul is going to be eroded, resulting in a twist in your personality."


    "Young lady, I don''t know where you got this information, but do you think I am that dumb? There is a reason my soul is always anchored to something and only awake for a short time."


    "And you are still at your limit. Without MingHao and that formation array, your soul would be dissipated."


    "This is not my fault. You should ask this boy''s sister. She is the one turning me into this. Also, even if what you say is true, I would never be able to do that.


    This array doesn''t only sustain my existence; it makes sure I cannot do anything to him."


    Xue Fang frowned and then started analyzing the array, but her knowledge of the subject was superficial. This one was also very complicated, making her barely understand its function.


    "Since this was made by her, I am sure it should be alright then."


    "HMPH!" the Ancestor snorted, then asked MingHao, "So why did you take me out?"


    "I need your help to find a way to get inside the city. Can you bypass the array?"


    The Ancestor stroked his white beard as he looked at the array. He quickly recognized the city. "So you came back in the end."


    "We will take over this city, so any idea?"


    "Taking it over? Well, good luck. Even though your sister destroyed that place, there is still another entrance to go inside the city." He then pointed in another direction, away from the city.


    "In that area, look for a formation that hides a trap door entrance. From there, you should find a tunnel that goes all the way to the city.


    However, I don''t know if their formation protects them from that depth. Normally, it shouldn''t, but this one looks better than the usual."


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    "Let''s check it out first. We will think again after that," Xue Fang suggested.


    She preferred taking action than just wasting time speculating here.


    MingHao nodded, then led them through the forest. There were some monsters in the area, but with their current strength, it was easy to kill Them.


    YanYu was now holding a sword that looked like a whip. When she slashed down, the sword extended in length and moved like a snake, slashing a monster that looked like a boar into two.


    "Got it, this is easy."


    "Having fun is fine, but don''t let it get into your head. It will be dangerous otherwise," Xue Fang reminded me while she stood at the side.


    MingHao, meanwhile, walked close and then took the corpse into his storage ring. "We should capture a few to grow them at home."


    "Why would you do that?" YanYu asked in confusion.


    "You will know the reason later. The boar in this forest has a unique taste that you will never forget once you eat it."


    "Even if that is true, how do you plan to bring them back?" Xue Fang asked in confusion.


    "Oh, I have this. Don''t worry. It can keep living animals, although not for long." MingHao said with a smile, pointing at his storage ring.


    "Is it because of that special formation?"


    "Maybe. I don''t know the details, but my sister took it from me for a few days. When it returned, it had this function. Although it''s limited, like I cannot keep humans inside, but non-sentient animals are fine."

 Chapter 387 Entrance

    "Well, since it works, let''s just capture some, and don''t think of taking a break till we finish this city. I want to quickly go to the central region," Xue Fang said while beginning to walk away from the area.It didn''t take long for them to find the place, as Xueqi''s Ancestor was showing the way.


    In front of them now was a huge swamp. It was famous as a dangerous area in the past, making everyone stay away from it.


    Not only was it poisonous, which could even numb low-realm cultivators, but the water also had some weird features that made it act like quicksand.


    The moment someone entered the water, they would get pulled inside, drowning them in the process.


    If there were still some good natural resources, people would come to this place, but with the barren qi in the suburb, nothing good enough to justify the level of risk grew here. Hence, people avoided this place.


    "Bog of Nightmares. Never thought the entrance would be hidden here," MingHao mumbled.


    "Honestly, I don''t know how it became marshes now, but yeah, the entrance is hidden here." He then pointed at a specific area near the shore.


    "Go there and drip your blood into it. Afterward, you will need to use our secret technique toward that boulder," Ancestor explained while pointing toward the target.


    MingHao followed; he pricked his finger and then, with one motion, splattered his blade toward it. Next, he pointed his palm toward it, and Qi started gathering in front, creating a blue energy sphere.


    Xue Fang, watching from the side, couldn''t help but comment, "Isn''t this a waste of qi, using it in its pure form like this?"


    Ancestor''s lips twitched, "Can you stop commenting for a moment? Let the boy focus on his task. And what would you know? The expanse of energy means more destructive power."


    "Doesn''t change the fact it''s a waste and easy to dodge."


    The Ancestor didn''t respond back since what she said was true, but in reality, he already had some idea in mind to counteract this, and Minghao had already started mastering the skill.


    They did this by utilizing formation to create something like a qi battery that allowed Minghao to expand the limit of his energy. They also looked to try modifying it, allowing Minghao to use the secret technique without gathering qi first.


    If this was possible, it would raise his combat power exponentially.


    Bang! The qi bullet shot out like a laser, piercing through the air.


    The moment it hit, the boulder started glowing. The formation activated, and the water started moving like it was alive, creating a path showing a trap door at the bottom.


    MingHao, Xue Fang, and YanYu could see many bones scattered all around it.


    "It seems many people have died despite the warning."


    MingHao sighed, "For people without any talent, many of them often took gambles. They go to dangerous zones hoping to get a fortuitous encounter."


    "Foolish, they better just live their life rather than hoping for something that is almost impossible," Xue Fang said.


    "You don''t understand. It''s not that simple. As a civilian, when your life is pushed to the limit, you will realize in the end, without strength, there is nothing you can do.


    I have seen some families that were toyed to death by bored cultivators without any means to fight back.


    Just put yourself in their shoes, what will you do if you are them? Taking a 0.1% chance is better than staying still.


    Even if they continue living, they find no meaning in doing so."


    Xue Fang frowned but didn''t answer further, meanwhile, YanYu nodded. Even though Xue Fang had her own tragedy, all her life she lived as a cultivator, while YanYu grew up surrounded by normal cultivators.


    In her village, her parents were wealthy merchants. The wealth may amount to nothing for cultivators, but for civilians, it''s more than enough to live comfortably.


    But even with this, she knew how in peril her life was. If, by a stroke of fate, some twisted cultivator took a fancy to her, her fate would be sealed.


    This already happened a few times with her friends, making her feel afraid of what her future would be.


    But thankfully MingYue came, her family didn''t think twice to throw all their fortune away to follow her, and this decision was a turning point in their life.


    "You all better go quickly and don''t waste more time; the formation won''t activate forever," Ancestor warned as he floated back to MingHao''s ring.


    The trio looked at each other and then began walking to the entrance. MingHao took the lead as Xue Fang walked in back.


    He pulled open the metal trap door and then started walking down the stairs.


    The tunnel was filled with dust and spider webs, as it had been a long time since anyone ever entered the place.


    BAM! The door closed by itself the moment all of them walked through the third step.


    The water on top moved again, filling the empty area and returning it to its former appearance.


    If anyone came now, no one would suspect that there was a trap door hidden inside. This was thanks to the special properties of the water, making it hard to detect the formation carved underneath.


    Meanwhile, MingHao and the group had already made their way to the bottom of the stairs, and they were now walking through the tunnel and exchanging some small talk.


    "This reminds me of a movie where they walk through a tunnel like this. What is the title again?" YanYu asked with an excited tone. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are many like this. Do you mean those real-person ones or the anime ones?" Xue Fang asked.


    "I think YanYu means anime since she always falls asleep when we watch the ones with real people."


    "Oh yeah, that reminds me, what is with that? Isn''t it interesting watching how people in that movie live their lives?


    Honestly, whoever wrote the script, I applaud them, I am really curious where MingYue got all this."

 Chapter 388 How Strong?

    "I just find it boring; most of those movies just go all action explosion left and right, or go all hi, I love you, save me.Now anime is different, it has all of those while those characters are also very interesting. For that one maid, even though she knew the main character was in love with another, she still confessed her feelings.


    I still remember her words, ''I just want to find some way of being useful to you. To repay you. I will do anything.''"


    YanYu''s eyes glistened with excitement as she then added, "How I wish I had someone like that."


    Rafael let out a chuckle, "You are really a unique case. The others seem to like those I love you then I will rescue you plots no matter how many times it''s repeated."


    "Did we even watch the same movie? Just what did you focus on?" Xue Fang asked with confusion. "There are many wars in those movies, and some of the strategies didn''t make sense to us, but with some improvement, I am sure we can use them for our purpose.


    "That is true; as for me, I just love everything as long it has some action. Although my favorite will still be that anime." He said with a smirk.


    "Oh yeah, that¡­" YanYu said with a frown as she remembered the hellish training their group needed to do, thanks to MingHao''s obsession with that story.


    "Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty.


    You know, MingHao, at some point, I even mumbled that in my sleep, you really carved those words into our brains."


    "That is good. Now you just need to practice it." Rafael said with a hearty laugh.


    "Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty.


    That is actually good advice. I should use it for my clan in the future." Xue Fang mumbled, making YanYu glare at her.


    "Not you too¡­ Come on, Xue Fang, spare your clan members from that torture."


    "What do you mean? How could that be torture? That is a very healthy way of living. If only you knew how my clan members do their training."


    "Xue Fang, you really don''t know what plenty means in his words. Do you know how long we sleep every day?"


    "Hmm, as a cultivator, sleeping is more for mental health; I will say four hours a day is plenty." Xue Fang said.


    Just like other people in BaiYue sect, she also absorbed much new knowledge, this included modern philosophy and mental health. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, four hours, now if you want to know, we have the same amount of sleep, only we get it every 4 days," YanYu said while she rolled her eyes.


    Rafael let out a chuckle, "Hey, that is more than enough. anyway, the number is from my aunt.


    With the meals that we get, and considering our age, she said we should be able to do that without any problem."


    "No, we were there, MingHao; you just twisted her words. She said if we want to quickly adapt to living as a cultivator, do this."


    "And she is not wrong, don''t you see the result?"


    "Just what do I hope when I tell you this," YanYu said with a sigh.


    Even though there are many problems that come from living as a civilian, it doesn''t mean it doesn''t have any benefits.


    YanYu and the others grew up with many times to play. They also slept when they wanted without worry. This was far different compared to MingHao''s childhood.


    They started cultivating as early as possible; even before that, they needed to attend many classes to understand how their clan, family, or sect worked.


    Just like MingYue''s past, MingHao was not much different; only MingYue had more burdens on her shoulders, as her talent became the hope of the family.


    One that ironically resulted in betrayal and destruction.


    "Oh yeah, you haven''t answered, Minghao. Do you know where your sister gets all this stuff?" Xue Fang asked.


    "I don''t know, and honestly, I believe it''s better for me to never know."


    "Why?" YanYu asked.


    "Because I am weak, who knows if someone got their hands on me. They could forcefully extract it from my soul.


    It''s not like there is any real benefit in knowing where it comes from."


    "Of course, there is; at the very least, I will understand what your sister''s goal is."


    MingHao frowned, then gazed at Xue Fang." Why?"


    "My clan is now part of your sister''s sect, but she never told me what she wanted us to do.


    Only now, she told us to start expanding the sect."


    "Isn''t it clear? She wants our sect to take over the world." YanYu said with excitement in her voice.


    "It''s not that simple, YanYu. Honestly, I have asked MingYue about this. After learning everything about the sect, I wonder why she never made any moves.


    Goblins up this region will be a piece of cake for her, but problems come when others hear about this.


    What will we do then?


    You think all these weapons are enough to kill all immortals in our world?"


    "Don''t we have one that could at least hurt them?"


    "And that is precisely why we will become a target. We have the potential to do it, posing a real risk to their hegemony.


    Don''t you know the saying nip it in the bud?


    Why give us a chance for us to grow?"


    "I believe sis has their own plan. Don''t you hear the central region is in chaos now?"


    "Yes, but I doubt it''s related to your sister''s plan."


    "Who else then?"


    Xue Fang shrugged, "How would I know¡­" her voice trailed off as she suddenly felt danger.


    "Stop. There is something in front of us."


    "How strong?" Minghao asked. He knew Xue Fang''s capability, as he often requested to spar with one of her puppets.


    If even she felt it was dangerous that meant whatever was in front of them was not something that they could handle easily.

 Chapter 389 Orochi

    "I don''t know yet. For now, wait first." Xue Fang ordered.Two puppets appeared beside her, and with her order, both of them dashed forward toward the darkness.


    MingHao and YanYu waited in trepidation as they moved their qi, prepared to fight anytime.


    XueFang suddenly took a step back, and her finger danced in the air. Two figures were pulled at high speed.


    The puppets that she sent were now in tatters, their torsos riddled with holes, while they each missed parts of their arms.


    Based on the wounds on the chest, it seemed like they were made with spears, but the wounds on the limbs were like they had been bitten by a beast. This made XueFang feel even more confused about what kind of enemy they were facing.


    At first, XueFang thought it was something with a spectral body as many people had died on top of this area. Their souls accidentally entered this place and then got sealed in, turning them into monsters.


    This was something that often happened after the souls lost their sanity. If they kept surviving, they would start eating each other.


    The survivor would then begin evolving into random abominations depending on their resentment.


    XueFang had never faced one, but based on what she knew, they were a hassle to fight with. They would need soul techniques to completely obliterate it.


    Step¡­ step¡­


    They focused their gaze forward; a sword appeared in YanYu''s hand while MingHao''s qi churned, preparing to leap forward.


    "Don''t. It''s not something both of you can face," XueFang warned. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the darkness, a silhouette came out, a humanoid monster that looked like a knight with three snake tails coming out from his back.


    The eyes glinted in red, while the armor was in tatters, the skin was gray, with many maggots moving around, giving it a grotesque appearance.


    Some parts of the skull were shown from its head, while its jaw crackled like it wanted to say something.


    But no words came out.


    ''Ancestor, do you know what that is?'' MingHao asked in his mind. He had no clue at all.


    The ancestor materialized in the air, gazing at the creature, his eyes widened in fear. "Run, you guys should run. That thing should have been dead for a long time. I never knew how it''s still alive."


    "What do you mean? Explain, old geezer!" XueFang asked while she took out four more puppets.


    Two puppets pointed forward with guns in their hands while the other two jumped, one with a huge sword, while the other with a spear.


    These four were modified and had been strengthened further using the technology from the BaiYue sect. Experience tales at empire


    "I don''t know the details, but it''s the remains of a very ancient creature. Its body should be used to fuel this array and be dead already.


    But I still remember one thing, my ancestor told me that when it was alive, it was almost as strong as an immortal."


    The creature''s bony arm opened up, a black spear then materialized out of nowhere. The snakes behind its back also showed their poisonous fangs.


    Its movement was slow, but the power that was built into the motion was not a joke. It thrust the spear forward, creating a sharp wind that went all the way toward the two puppets.


    Swosh¡­


    The two puppets blocked the attack but were knocked back. Two fires then shot, piercing through the air.


    Bang! Bang!


    The bullets caught the skeleton off guard, and its crimson eyes intensified. It was like something suddenly snapped within it.


    "Kill!!.. Kill¡­!" a hoarse voice escaped through its rattling teeth, followed by hissing from the snakes.


    ''It seems a soul tried possessing the remains, but somehow, it got overwhelmed by the lingering wills. Just what is this creature?


    It doesn''t look like a spirit animal body; it''s like a hybrid of a human and a beastman.


    But I never heard of any fusing with snakes like that. Even those clans only have reptilian eyes and parts of their scales.''


    After more observation, XueFang saw ancient letters carved on the clothing, which read as Orochi.


    The creature suddenly appeared in front of XueFang''s puppet, and two of the snakes shot forward, biting into their arms.


    A hissing sound could be heard, followed by smoke as part of the puppets'' arms began to melt. But XueFang ignored this and made them attack back.


    One sliced the sword horizontally toward the creature''s head while the other thrust its spear into the torso.


    The creature groaned as it parried the sword attack while the spear pierced through its chest. But there was barely any resistance as it passed through the gap in the creature''s ribcage.


    It then tilted its body, pulling the spear and XueFang''s puppet in the process. The sword was deflected, followed by another attack from the creature.


    Another snake leaped, targeting the puppet''s head this time.


    But before it happened, the other two puppets with guns appeared.


    BANG! BANG!


    This time, they shot point blank toward the creature''s back. Last time, the bullets barely did any damage, but now they have more impact.


    The snakes screeched, releasing their bites.


    XueFang''s finger made a motion in the air, a whirring mechanism could be heard coming from the two puppets.


    Their chests opened, shooting a rain of needles toward the creature.


    Some were deflected by the armor, but most of them hit the target.


    The puppets then quickly jumped backward, the needles started glowing red to orange, smoke coming out followed by a huge explosion.


    BOOM!


    MingHao and YanYu raised their hands to protect their eyes from the debris while XueFang took out another puppet that carried a huge metal shield.


    The shield was carved with arrays, creating a protection barrier for the group.


    The explosion was huge, triggering part of the tunnel to collapse.


    "That is not enough to kill him!" The ancestor warned while MingHao was more concerned with the after-effects.


    Since this part of the tunnel collapsed, they had no way to reach Daying City now. Breaking the barrier would mean a frontal attack that could cause many casualties.

 Chapter 390 I Dont Want To Lose Anyone

    XueFang pulled back two of the puppets that held swords and spears, then took out another four.This time, each of them was holding a sword. Right now, all her puppets are separated into many groups.


    She created formations for cooperation so that they could attack together, and these four were one of them who could use their swords in sync. Their bodies had been modified to easily achieve this as connections were made on the array.


    XueFang now only needed to give a few orders for them to perform complicated maneuvers together. Her strategy now was to use the four to overwhelm the creature after it escaped through the debris.


    The narrow tunnel would also limit the area, allowing them to completely block the creature from moving forward. Based on her observation, despite being strong, the creature was just good physically without having any secret techniques or using qi-based attacks.


    The problem was she didn''t know how to kill it. Its body was robust and strong. Completely decimating it was out of the question.


    Her other choice was to go to a battle in the inner world to completely decimate the creature''s soul, but XueFang didn''t have the confidence to win.


    She was not Alex or MingYue with progenitor souls. There was a huge chance she would just lose her life or, worse, be taken over by the lingering will in the creature''s body.


    The rubble started shifting, followed by something coming out.


    XueFang just wanted to make a move, but she stopped when MingHao suddenly dashed forward.


    "MingHao, what are you doing?"


    "Believe me, XueFang." He said, then appeared in front of the creature that was now trying to come out.


    MingHao put his palm forward. A sphere of blue qi started appearing and growing in size quickly. It didn''t take a second for it to grow to the size of a basketball.


    "I hope this is enough," MingHao mumbled.


    SWOSH!!!


    The energy shot forward, blasting the debris to pieces. It was so bright that they couldn''t see what happened to the creature.


    But XueFang forcefully used qi to make sure her eyes were wide open looking at MingHao. She needed to make sure she could pull him back in time.


    The four puppets moved forward to get closer.


    The blast didn''t last long; it was three seconds, but it completely obliterated the debris.


    Seeing the result, XueFang''s eyes squinted as what was left was not only an empty path; the creature was nowhere to be seen, but she didn''t believe it would be this easy.


    She squinted her eyes and then realized there was smoke that had a different color than the others; it was darker. If not for the fact that she had infused qi into her eyes, allowing her to see even in darkness, she wouldn''t have realized it.


    But soon, MingHao and YanYu could also see it. The smoke began to move, gathering together like it was alive.


    "Dammit MingHao! Be careful; now I know why this creature''s body was destroyed easily; he did this on purpose."


    MingHao''s eyes widened, and he quickly understood what the ancestor meant.


    The smoke floated forward toward MingHao as he was the closest.


    The four puppets slashed their swords, but it was useless. It was like cutting through the air.


    XueFang could infuse more qi into the puppets, but she felt it would not be enough to do any harm to that weird smoke. She instead threw a qi thread to MingHao''s back then pulled him.


    Her eyes were filled with worry while her heart beat like crazy. MingHao was one of the few people that she thought of


    as someone she could trust in her long life.


    All this time, her only concern was her clan, and her special situation also prevented her from having any friends at all.


    But things changed when she stayed in the BaiYue Sect, her job was lessened by a huge degree allowing her to have some leeway to do something else.


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    Then another miracle came, her body started growing. This made XueFang lower her guard, allowing her to start getting closer to others, and this included MingHao and his friends.


    She also liked how MingHao saw her as herself and never bothered with unnecessary things like her status.


    Unfortunately, the speed at which she pulled him back was not fast enough. The smoke flowed through MingHao''s nostrils, entering his body.


    "No! MingHao!"


    At this moment, the rune on his forehead began to glow, green light shone, expelling the smoke out from him.


    MingHao, who had already thought it was his end, felt a huge amount of relief. He also felt very thankful for his sister, as he knew this was thanks to something she carved on his forehead.


    MingHao''s iris glinted in a green hue; he stabilized his position, and Qi gathered on his fist. He then threw a straight punch toward the smoke.


    SWOSH!!!


    It created a sonic boom that pushed away all the smoke back deeper into the tunnel.


    Despite this, he knew it was not the end. His mind told him the smoke could gather again, turning into a solid body.


    But he didn''t know if it was because of a movie he watched or if it would really happen. Whatever it was, they couldn''t let their guard down.


    "YanYu, don''t leave my back, if you get possessed things will be more complicated." XueFang warned.


    But there was no response, making her frown. She looked around and then realized something, she was too focused on MingHao that she failed to realize YanYu was missing.


    She quickly screamed, telling MingHao what happened.


    "Dammit! I am sure this is something with that creature." MingHao screamed in anger. He wanted to dash forward, but two puppets held his hand.


    "XueFang, you cannot be serious?"


    "I am not saying we should abandon her, but I am not risking your life over this¡­"


    Her eyes glistened with tears, as she continued with a heavy tone, "I beg you MingHao, I don''t want to lose anyone else." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her words shut MingHao down, making him unable to form any retort.

 Chapter 391 Opportunity

    XueFang moved the puppet with the shield forward to check the tunnel for them. Based on the situation so far, she thought the creature would not come back quickly.It had some plan over YanYu, and the only one that probably had some idea of it was Xueqi''s ancestor.


    Turning her gaze, she said, "Spit it out, geezer."


    "Other than he is dangerous, I didn''t know much. He was very ancient, part of history, when my ancestor was still a kid.


    We might have some records, but we need to ask his sister since she is the one keeping it all."


    "So basically, you have zero ideas, useless geezer," Xue Fang complained, making Xueqi''s ancestor''s lips twitch.


    "Let''s move first. I doubt this part can last long," MingHao said while looking at the cracks in the walls.


    His blast may have cleaned up the debris, but it also made the tunnel structure more fragile. He could already see dust dropping down while the crack was widening slowly.


    XueFang replied with a nod while she walked closely beside MingHao. She was still afraid he would just leap out by himself.


    Meanwhile, deep inside the tunnel, Yanyu felt like she was being locked inside an illusion.


    Her head was in pain like it was being stabbed, and her body was weak and devoid of any qi, but she still forced it to move.


    Everything looked like a blur for her. It was like she was now inside a barely lit tunnel. Every step she took, she felt cold water streaming on her feet, splashing it all over the place.


    Based on the feeling, she could tell it barely reached her ankle height.


    Her hand was grazing over the wall to prop her body so she could keep moving forward.


    "Just where am I? How did I get here??? Last time¡­" YanYu tried hard to remember, but she got nothing.


    Her steps continued until she started hearing the hissing sound of a snake.


    "Your will is impressive, lady. Do you desire power?"


    "Power? What power? Who are you? Let me out," YanYu replied back, as everything started becoming clearer for her.


    The moment she heard the hissing sound, it was like something jolted her mind back.


    "I am part of the majestic Orochi clan. Right now, I am dying; even if I took your body, I would not survive for long."


    "What do you want then? I don''t care what clan you belong to, but I don''t believe there is such a thing as a free meal in this world."


    The snake hissed again, then asked, "Don''t worry, I am not asking you to take revenge for me or my clan. It''s far beyond your means, and I don''t care much about them.


    Even at my peak, I was nothing more than a foot soldier."


    Now that YanYu''s mind started clearing up, she began to understand what had happened, "You, a foot soldier? Hard to believe it."


    "Believe it or not, that was the truth. Otherwise, my enemy wouldn''t leave my body alone.


    My request is not that hard. I just want to know what happened to my family. I don''t know how much time has passed, but considering what I know, I am sure there should be something left at least."


    "You want me to carry your soul inside of me?" Yanyu asked in suspicion.


    "No, I will teach you how to bind my soul into a talisman. That is the only way I can survive this long.


    But Young one, even if I agree, it will not be that easy. My body is not moving by instinct, one that has been put by my clan.


    After you come out, look for a white pearl deep inside my head, take it, and do the method I told you."


    The hissing sound then disappeared, and her surroundings turned distorted. It kept growing with intensity until everything turned black.


    The next moment, YanYu felt like she just woke up from a dream, she could feel the qi in her body once more. But her face turned into a frown as she could feel something slimy and cold tightly binding her body.


    Her heart skipped a beat when she finally realized her situation.


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    Hissing sounds reverberated in her ears as she was now in front of a giant snake. The reptilian eyes looked at her like some kind of delicious food.


    Its white scales were filled with dirt, with some parts of it peeled off, showing its rotten meat.


    ''That snake! How can I even come out from this!''


    YanYu exerted her qi, trying to get out from the snake''s constriction, but it barely did anything. She began to panic, but then an idea came to her mind; as the snake''s body was slippery, she still had a way to escape.


    Her free hand pointed upward, and her sword materialized. Exerting her qi, it then shot out, embedding toward the ceiling.


    In motion, her body was pulled up. She looked down at the whole place and couldn''t help but feel grossed out.


    The huge snake was like a rotten corpse while all around it many small snakes were moving and slithering together. The whole thing gave her goosebumps.


    She then looked around for the humanoid body that attacked them, but she could not find anything.


    The giant snake hissed. It began coiling its body, preparing to lunge at her.


    YanYu frowned, not caring about the result, she took out multiple grenades from her storage ring. The place she was in now was quite large, but she knew she was still underground. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite this, she preferred to blow it up since it was not like she had other options.


    The grenades fell down with the help of gravity. YanYu also made sure to take out the safety pin before this happened.


    But by coincidence or plot armor from the author, the snake opened its jaw, resulting in all the grenades dropping into its mouth.


    BOOM! The explosion reverberated, making the ground shake.

 Chapter 392 Weird Egg

    Meanwhile, back at MingHua and XueFang, both of them could feel the vibration. Xuefang quickly ordered her puppet to move first while both of them sprinted toward it.But unfortunately, the deeper they went, the more confusing the tunnel became. It was like they were now deep inside a maze.


    Despite knowing the direction, it still didn''t mean they could reach it instantly. They could try breaking the ground, but without knowing YanYu''s real situation, they didn''t dare to do it.


    What if she was now helpless, and they caused a collapse on another side of the dungeon?


    MinHao had tried to contact her, but unfortunately, something seemed to be blocking their communication method. He also tried sending out Xueqi Ancestor, but unfortunately, he couldn''t go far from MinHao right now.


    At the very least, this still helped them avoid any dead ends.


    They kept moving at high speed until, finally, the sound of someone fighting reached their ears. XueFan''s fingers danced in the air as she raised the puppet''s output to reach there faster.


    But unfortunately, it still couldn''t beat MingHao at full speed. His eyes glinted with a green hue; each step was like he was blinking forward.


    His movement surprised even Xue Fang, as she barely managed to keep up with him despite her higher cultivation realm.


    CLANG! SLASH! BOOM!


    The sounds reverberated in the air as both of them finally reached YanYu.


    Her body was littered with wounds as she kept spinning in the air like dancing. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each time she moved, multiple snakes were turned into mincemeat. A clashing sound was heard in the air as she tried to attack the giant snake.


    "YanYu!" MingHao called out to get her attention.


    Hearing his voice, YanYu''s eyes quickly turned to relief. Before, she didn''t dare to go all out since the risk was too high.


    If her attack was not successful, she would probably run out of qi. Even though she had some recovery pills, YanYu was not sure she would have any moment to rest.


    After she threw the grenade into the snake''s mouth, it created a huge explosion that created a new hole in its body.


    But this barely affected the creature. Instead, it made it more aggressive. With a hissing sound that felt more like screeching, it screamed its orders.


    The small snakes that surrounded it began to coil their bodies, preparing to lunge at YanYu.


    Knowing she could not stay hanging from the ceiling, she decided to go down and begin attacking herself.


    For her, the best defense was attack. She then began fighting for her life until, finally, the others arrived.


    YanYu''s qi began to churn, and flames started appearing all over her sword. Her body did a spin, making the flames spin around her like a tornado.


    The small snakes screeched in pain, followed by the smell of grilled meat.


    MingHao, looking from a distance, pointed his palm forward and began shooting blasts of ki. This time, they were just small projectiles, and his goal was to help YanYu.


    Each one hit a small snake that leaped toward YanYu, turning them to cinders.


    Meanwhile, XueFang ordered the four swordsmen to begin their massacre of the small snakes. The two other ranged puppets started shooting their bullets, targeting the giant snake.


    BANG! BANG!


    Each bullet was targeted toward the rotten flesh, easily poking more holes. But this didn''t do any damage other than making the giant snake change its attention toward them.


    "Ancestor, is that giant snake the same one we faced before?" MingHao asked as he kept shooting ki bullets.


    "Probably, although I don''t understand how it transformed to be like that."


    "Is it that smoke? But is it really that simple?" MingHao wondered, his eyes darting around the area.


    Meanwhile, the fire tornado grew in size and then shot toward the giant snake''s head like a piercing bullet.


    Sparks flew in the air as it began drilling through the tough scales.


    Seeing this, MingHao took out a glass bottle filled with gasoline and then threw it toward the giant snake.


    PRANK! SWOOSH!


    The flames quickly grew in size and intensity, burning the whole snake. The temperature in the area quickly rose as there was no ventilation.


    Black smoke filled the room, but it wasn''t a problem for them other than limiting their sight.


    The scales finally began to give in, softening under the intense heat. YanYu''s fire tornado pierced through the snake''s head, burning everything she passed through.


    She then landed on the ground, creating another explosion of flames, turning the snakes in the area to ashes.


    A white orb then appeared in her hand. It pulsated with life and had a weird spongy texture.


    YanYu at first wanted to keep it and ask for MingHao and Xue Fang''s opinions, but the moment she saw it, her eyes lost focus. Find your next adventure on empire


    As if in a trance, her fingers moved by themselves, blood dripping from the tips as she began drawing a complicated pattern on top of it.


    XueFang was busy cleaning up the leftover snakes, but MingHao realized this. He could feel a weird energy coming from YanYu right now.


    As he used lifeforce, his sense of this was better than XueFang''s. "YanYu, what are you doing?" he asked, appearing beside her.


    But it was too late. The pearl transformed into something like liquid and then moved toward her sword and palm. MingHao''s hand glinted with a green hue as he tried to stop the process by counteracting it.


    Unfortunately, what he did made things worse. The liquid became even more lively, like an animal that found its favorite food.


    The white liquid separated; part of it went into MingHao''s hand. He felt something seeping into his soul.


    He quickly turned alert and then looked into his inner world.


    Inside, he found a large white egg the size of an adult human floating in the air. MingHao could feel some connection coming from it.


    He walked closer and then put his palm over the shell. His eyes glinted with a green hue as MingHao wanted to destroy it.

 Chapter 393 Connected

    He didn''t want to take risks with something unknown inside his soul, but before he could, he stopped."I can feel YanYu''s presence coming from this egg. This means something similar exists in her inner world, and it''s linked to this one."


    He didn''t want to take a risk with something unknown inside his soul, but before he stopped.


    ''I can feel YanYu''s presence coming from this egg.''


    With a frown, MingHao guessed something similar also existed inside YanYu.


    He could also feel something growing inside the egg. It was absorbing his qi and even part of his inner world, which was basically his soul.


    MingHao sighed, feeling that if he had destroyed it now, something would have happened on YanYu''s side. With reluctance, he pulled his hand away and returned back.


    The area was now cleaned up. Xue Fang put all the remains into her storage ring, as she wanted to check it later as material to create a hidden weapon or fix her puppet.


    "Did something happen?"


    Xue Fang had seen both of them standing dazed, like in meditation. If they were cultivating, it could cause a backlash. Hence, she didn''t disturb them.


    MingHao opened his mouth to explain, but before any words came out, the tunnel started vibrating. The disappearance of the pearl affected the array that supported the tunnel entrance.


    YanYu had just opened her eyes when she suddenly got pulled away by MingHao.


    Xue Fang took back most of the puppets, leaving only the one with a shield. She made it walk in the front to scout the area.


    The trio quickly ran away as the vibration rose in intensity. Their ears perked up as the sound of water could be heard coming from behind.


    "It seems the entrance completely collapsed; we better hurry," MingHao screamed as his steps quickened even further.


    Right now, he carried YanYu on his shoulder since she could not keep up with his speed. At first, he also wanted to do the same with Xue Fang, but her glare made him stop.


    "I can move by myself," she said, while her eyes narrowed at YanYu. She didn''t know why, but she felt annoyed seeing him carry her like this.


    Their steps reverberated in the air until they finally saw a stair going upward. Without wasting time, MingHao jumped.


    The water had already reached behind them, hitting the stairs with great force. Xue Fang was a step behind; she almost got hit but used the puppet to block it, giving her enough time.


    MingHao also helped pull her up.


    After the water calmed down, Xue Fang sighed, "I hope no one comes to check the swamp now."


    "Why?" MingHao asked while YanYu was still dazed by the chain of events.


    She had just come out from her inner world after checking the egg. Unlike MingHao, YanYu already knew about it from the snake''s explanation.


    The snake was like a familiar to her, bonded to her soul, and could even be enhanced by pouring a bloodline into it.


    It would be like a beast contract, but something far better since their growth would be linked to the host.


    Both of them would mutually grow together, and the host could even sacrifice their soul and life to gain more power or to save their life once.


    It was far superior to a normal contract and even the Awe cube that Alex invented. Discover stories at empire S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only troublesome thing was inside her weapon, and now there was a lingering soul of the old Orochi clan. Right now, he was slumbering, but the danger was there.


    She was linked with the weapon, but the connection was not that strong. With the difference in strength, she knew the Orochi could one-sidedly take over.


    Meanwhile, Xue Fang looked at the water with trepidation as she answered MingHao''s question.


    "Where do you think this water came from? The marshes are probably almost dried up.


    This means the entrance has been torn open. Everyone can enter now."


    MingHao frowned while YanYu had already come back to her senses. "Before going further, I think both of you need to hear this."


    She then told them what happened with the Orochi clan, including what the egg was.


    Xue Fang frowned at the explanation, "So you mean now there is an egg inside your inner world, too?"


    MingHao nodded.


    "And this egg is linked to the one inside YanYu?"


    "Honestly, I don''t feel it at all, but maybe because I am too weak?" YanYu suggested. Despite being in the same realm as MingHao, she knew she was weaker.


    Even now, no one in their generation could beat MingHao, not to mention one on one; even one versus three, all of them were defeated.


    "That is not the point. If it''s really connected, doesn''t this mean the familiar will act like a bridge between you when it is born?"


    "Hmm¡­ now that I think about it, you are correct. Could this mean I can send qi to YanYu anytime?"


    "That is not it! How can you be so clueless!


    If something happens to her, this could result in backlash to you, too. What if the worst case causes both your lives to be linked?"


    "I don''t think so, but let''s see how things turn out."


    "Don''t tell me you plan to hatch the egg? You better just destroy it now rather than complicate matters."


    "I will ask my sister to check it later."


    "No! What if it hatches before that? After this, we will go to the central region; things will be far more complicated then.


    It''s not like this Orochi soul knows what is happening, and we cannot ask him since it''s too dangerous to do that."


    YanYu''s face turned complicated, and she mumbled, "If that is the case, then I think you better destroy yours, MingHao.


    Since I cannot feel the connection yet, it should be weak enough to not cause any serious backlash.


    I think the worst thing that will happen is my familiarity will be born with lower potential, but this can be redeemed if I use some treasure to feed on it."

 Chapter 394 Familiar

    Xue Fang nodded, agreeing with YanYu, then tried to convince MingHao again. But he didn''t budge; this was not just about YanYu, but for MingHao, it was a way to get even stronger.In frustration, Xue Fang said, "If you are so adamant, fine, then let me check it inside your inner world."


    Xue Fang and MingHao exchanged gazes in silence. Allowing someone stronger to enter your inner world is something that requires absolute trust.


    As for before, he only entered YanYu''s because of an emergency.


    Otherwise, God knows what she could do inside him.


    "You don''t trust me? I can sign a blood contract. I will not send a spirit stronger than you.


    And honestly speaking, I don''t know what weird thing you did before, but if I don''t use my puppet, I doubt I can win fighting with you." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingHao''s eyes narrowed down as he felt Xue Fang was being weird. She had never acted like this before. "Why do you care so much? I am sure in the worst case, I will just get a wound to my soul."


    If it was MingYue or his uncle, he understood why they would flip out. Ultimately, his sister.


    MingYue had some weird means that enhanced his strength; she also had so many weird tools that defied his knowledge. There was no way she would accept this risk for strength like this, or who knew she had methods to ensure his safety.


    Even Xueqi''s ancestor didn''t understand what she did when sealing him to the ring. In his eyes, now MingYue could do anything.


    Xue Fang was startled by the sudden question. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t understand why she had gone all emotional with him.


    Xueqi''s ancestor, who was watching all this happen, couldn''t help but let out a chuckle, "It''s good to be young. How can you not know, my descendant? It''s clear she likes you."


    Xue Fang''s cheeks turned red at the accusation, but her gaze turned cold, "Shut your mouth, you old geezer."


    While inside, she was flustered; she started questioning herself if this was true or not.


    Despite their age difference, it was nothing more than a number for cultivators like them. Her gaze then changed once more as she looked back at MingHao. She changed the topic back to the matter.


    "We don''t have much time. What is your answer?"


    MingHao looked at Xue Fang''s eyes deeply, then closed his eyes, "Do it quickly."


    He didn''t ask for the contract and quickly lowered his soul defense. Xue Fang smiled as she put her finger on his forehead.


    YanYu just sighed at the scene. She felt guilty; she felt like she was bringing them down.


    She was the one that got kidnapped, even her fortuitous encounter became a problem. A desire to become stronger started budding in her heart.


    Before, she already felt satisfied with her current realm, but now she wanted to become stronger to not pull back her comrade.


    Xueqi''s ancestor looked at her with a smirk, "How about you? Do you like him too? You know this young lad''s potential. I am sure that, in the future, many beauties will surround him.


    It''s good to book him in advance, you know. He is a steal."


    YanYu rolled her eyes; she never looked at MingHao like that. "Aren''t you his ancestor? You should look for a good partner for him.


    My status and potential are just mediocre, and as for beauty, every cultivator is one. It''s nothing special."


    "Don''t cut yourself short, young lady. Your fortune is good. That Orochi clan that you got your hands on has been here for a while now.


    Even though I have seen it, no one is lucky enough to have gotten it. Potential can be increased, status? That doesn''t matter.


    What that lad needs is just someone loyal to stay by his side. And as his ancestor, I approve of you." He said with a smirk, while in his mind he thought, ''It''s better if I can make this boy marry many women; more descendants mean my clan will flourish.''


    Even though the Xueqi clan had many people scattered around, he was sure no one could come close to MingYue in fortuitous encounters. If it was them, she would care less. But if it was her own brother''s children, he was sure she would take care of them.


    His eyes glinted as he felt the future was bright.


    Meanwhile, inside the inner world, Xue Fang was now standing in front of the egg, her palm touching the shell, feeling the smooth texture.


    MingHao was standing at her side. "There is nothing much we can do now."


    "I know something I can do, but will you believe me?"


    "If I don''t, do you think I will allow you here?"


    "I will infuse part of my soul inside."


    MingHao''s eyes widened in surprise. He didn''t get what she meant by that. But before he could respond, Xue Fang had already begun.


    Her soul body began to become transparent and started pouring over toward the egg. Another array was also added to it.


    It was one she usually used to create a connection to the puppet but modified. This allowed her to connect in a similar way to YanYu and MingHao, but in a different way, since she used herself in the process while both of them were through the egg.


    MingHao opened his eyes and looked at Xue Fang. "Why?"


    What she did would surely wound her soul. He just didn''t get the reason. Even if what the ancestor said was true, he still felt this was overboard.


    But Xue Fang didn''t answer. She just walked past them and said, "Let''s go. We have wasted enough time." Read new adventures at empire


    The group began climbing the steps, as YanYu began looking at MingHao with a different gaze. What the ancestor said stuck in her mind, and she started considering it.


    Finally, they reached another exit. This one was sealed tight with a metal door.

 Chapter 395 Blue Lotus?

    MingHao then tried to open the door, but it wouldn''t budge. He could try to forcefully push it open using lifeforce energy, but he felt like it was wasting it.His energy was limited, and only MingYue could refuel it for now. So he wanted to keep it just in case of emergencies.


    "Let me try," Xue Fang suggested.


    Two puppets came out. This time, both were 1.5 times the size of an average human body. Their hands were more muscular and longer, making them look like apes.


    Both of them started sprinting toward the door. Loud sounds could be heard. It was like someone was bashing against a huge metallic door.


    Each time, the metal groaned and bent a little from the impact. From the gap, MingHao could see a pile of rock and debris. This made him suspect that the exit was in the Xueqi family''s old mansion.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, the tournament was already entering its final phase. Just like before, every person put against him instantly forfeited. The crowd was more cheerful now as the fights became more intense.


    But Alex was oblivious to all this. There were many new faces appearing around the crowd, each stronger or at least on the same level as Midnight Patriarch Galen. Discover more stories at empire


    "You shameless junior! I knew things wouldn''t go well. You show off too much," Moria said with an exasperated tone. He just felt relieved after Alex''s meeting with the guardian that things had not escalated.


    They had already left, giving him peace of mind, but not even an hour passed before powerhouses came one after another.


    Reina wanted to chime in, but she also didn''t know what to say. Things were getting out of hand now.


    She could see from a distance her father was busy buttering up each of the new visitors. He even created a new area just for them to sit together.


    Alex just let out a chuckle, "Senior, you worry too much. They are here for me; they won''t bother you."


    "Sire Alex, you are not afraid?"


    "Why should I be? I will be honest, I cannot beat them all, but they are not here to fight. Some come to butter me up, while others are just curious about that water. It''s clear who wants what."


    Despite saying this, Alex still believed he could win. He could unleash his army to overwhelm them, including using runes and modern weapons.


    "How do you know that?" Reina asked with confusion in her gaze.


    "It''s not hard; just see whether they pay more attention to me or to your father. Although it''s surprising that so many have come for me instead. Anyway, do you recognize any of them?"


    Reina nodded and started listing the names of sects and families. She almost knew them all since many of their descendants were taking classes at the academy.


    This piqued Alex''s interest, but he shook the idea from his head. ''Why would I even consider checking it? Reading Academy arc is always the most boring thing I read in novels.''


    "Do you find anyone from the Zephyr clan? Or at least their allies?" Alex asked.


    He didn''t tell them much about his meeting with Ying Xue and Situ Chen. Alex felt the information was too much for them to know, and he also was still in disbelief.


    He was now looking for any concrete evidence that could solidify their claim that this place was inside MingYue''s world.


    "There are a few clans there, and one sect," Reina replied while pointing toward a few groups.


    Each of them came in groups of two or four, one in the Profound Enlightenment stage and the other in Mystic Integration.


    Alex turned his gaze to a new group that had just come. It consisted of four people, all women, but their robes looked familiar to him. "How about them?"


    "Oh, that one¡­" Reina squinted her eyes as she thought hard, but she could not remember anyone with a similar appearance. "I don''t recognize them. It''s probably one of the new sects that recently appeared."


    "That sect? I know them; they are Blue Lotus," Moria replied with a smile. He had met them on his journey to promote spice water. The sect master was very friendly and did not make things hard for him.


    At first, they were suspicious as he hid his identity, but after proving the effectiveness, they quickly bit and purchased many from him. The amount even surprised Moria, as he never knew a new sect like them had so many Qi crystals.


    ''Blue Lotus? Is it MingYue''s sect?'' Alex''s eyes lit up. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who is the sect master''s name?" he asked.


    Unlike Feng Xue''s face, Alex had never seen Blue Lotus sect members. MingYue never shared those memories with him, as she felt it was not necessary.


    As for Feng Xue, it was important because she was part of their sect.


    "It''s MengLian."


    ''MengLian? I think the name should be QingLian, but the family name is the same.''


    Alex thought they were related, at least. He then asked, "Is she there?"


    "No, but the vice sect leader is. Want me to call her for you? Never knew you were into older people." He said with a chuckle, earning him a glare from Reina, making him shut up.


    Alex looked at the woman''s face and remembered it by name, but he was not in a hurry to go there. He could see the group joining with the White Lotus sect.


    ''They will probably come toward me after this event; better just wait,'' Alex thought.


    His eyes then looked around, searching for the man from the Zephyr clan, but he was nowhere to be seen. ''Where did he go?''


    Curious, Alex''s finger moved in the air, creating runes.


    In another area, Zhu Zeng was standing beside Morgana, who was now sulking. He had already decided what to do, so he wasn''t worried much, but Morgana was stuck.


    Even though she said it was not her responsibility, she knew her value was plummeting in front of the coalition.

 Chapter 396 ShangXi Temple

    "You better do something, Zhu Zeng.""Ask that boyfriend of yours. As for me I am sure it''s enough winning second place in this tournament."


    "How could that be enough? Don''t you see how strong Alex was? I don''t believe Reina has any other plan with him on her side."


    "I already reported to the higher-ups. I am sure they know what to do," Zhu Zeng said, but his calm face suddenly turned ugly, surprising Morgana.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "Nothing, I have something to do." Zhu Zheng replied than quickly leave the area.


    "Just where did he go? Bathroom? What a joke. We shouldn''t need to go to one."


    If Alex heard her thoughts, he would chuckle, as in most novels he read, cultivators didn''t need to do that, but they still took the time to take a bath to meet the MC.


    His chuckle would then turn to laughter since he realized that also happened to him.


    ''Lazy author has no other plot to fill the word count,'' he would think.


    But he didn''t hear this; instead, he was now instructing ZhuZheng without moving.


    Alex had carved some runes into his body in secret while he was giving a smashing makeover to his face.


    "I am alone now. What do you want?" ZhuZheng replied while looking around in alert.


    The location he went to was pointed out by Alex, who knew what he had prepared there.


    "Why are you bothering looking around? It just makes you suspicious." Alex''s voice reverberated in his mind with a chuckle, but for ZhuZheng, it made him freeze.


    This meant he had a way to know what he was doing; it might be from his emotions or, worse, even hearing his thoughts.


    "What do you want?"


    "Is that a way to talk to your master?" Alex replied with a smug tone, then continued, "Well, you are a newbie slave, so I will forgive you this one time, but next time, you will know how creative I can get."


    The last part was said with a chilling tone that made ZhuZheng shiver. With their contract, he knew Alex could do many things worse than death to him, and he couldn''t even fight back.


    With reluctance, he replied, "I am sorry, master. What can this humble slave help you with?"


    "Now you learn fast, as expected from someone''s lapdog. What can you tell me about your old master?"


    ZhuZheng''s fists clenched, but he tried his best to calm himself down. ShangXi Temple was not just his sect; he was born there. His family was also there.


    It''s his homeland, and with their teaching, almost every single member of the temple was very loyal to it. In Alex''s words, it would be patriotic thanks to brainwashing since they were kids.


    "There is nothing much I can tell you, master. I am just a core disciple."


    "Oh, a core disciple? So how many lies are there?"


    ZhuZheng began explaining things he could say. Just like his contract with Alex, he also had a similar one with ShangXi Temple, and honestly, if possible, he would lie. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But unfortunately, he couldn''t do that.


    Based on his explanation, ShangXi Temple was very organized. Alex felt it was managed more like a guild rather than a sect.


    The elders functioned like a group of councils that gave suggestions to the abbot, while the real tasks were given to those they could minister. Explore more stories at empire


    The elder''s task was only to make sure the abbot was not out of touch with the public while they took disciples to train. This resulted in inner politics but nothing for Alex.


    Inner politics had its benefits since it made them compete with each other, ensuring none of them had any ideas to rebel.


    What surprised Alex even more was that even ministers and elders could come from normal people, further separating them into two groups.


    However, the abbot was famous for being skewed toward normal people when listening to their opinions.


    Compared to cultivators, normal people changed positions faster. They were also more in touch with the public, the majority of whom were civilians.


    ZhuZheng himself came from the cultivator faction. His father was one of the senior elders, giving him many privileges.


    This allowed him to act outside the rules as long as it wasn''t too over the line.


    "So you are saying you are a core disciple of your father?"


    "Of course not. It would break the law. An elder cannot take his own family or even extended family under them. So, I am a core disciple under another elder.


    A single elder can have a maximum of three core disciples, with as many outer disciples as they want."


    "Hmm... So basically, outer disciple is just a luxury word for your servant."


    "They have their benefits."


    "Well, that is all good, but I want to know the important stuff. How is the recent condition, and how strong is your abbot?"


    "My abbot? Of course, she is an immortal. Although I don''t know how strong, many of the elders are also immortal, although they barely join the council meeting."


    Alex frowned. He had heard some rumors from MingYue about the temple, but he thought it was true they had many immortals under them. The abbot''s strength was not something he could underestimate.


    "If the ShangXi Temple abbot is this strong, then what about the other sects and clans here?" Alex thought to himself.


    He then asked further about ShangXi Temple''s current relationship with other groups.


    ZhuZheng didn''t hide it and directly explained things about the core region and outer area to Alex.


    ShangXi Temple came from the core region, but because of some conflict, they ended up migrating out to the outer area and then settled in the central region.


    They were also tasked with guarding the entrance with a few other sects from the core region. But outsiders would think they all came from ShangXi Temple with their uniforms.


    The more Alex learned, the more he realized that this was really MingYue''s world. With this confirmation, he also began adjusting his plan.


    Alex also started considering what would happen if Ming Yue and the others sent here like him.

 Chapter 397 Virility

    After all, the eye being seemed to have control over the portal entrance. But never in his wildest dream did he think this was also the place where his father lived his life for a long time.With this understanding, Alex also got some picture of the coalition and some guesses about their goal.


    "They sure have a huge ambition," Alex thought, then told Zhu Zheng he could leave. He didn''t ask him directly about the coalition since Alex was already sure he would not be able to tell him anything.


    He then looked back at the arena; the match was almost finished.


    The one fighting now wielded a spear with finesse; every time he moved, it created a silhouette of a dragon that did further damage to the target.


    "A spirit weapon can be used like that?" Alex asked.


    Moria let out a chuckle, "It''s possible if the spirit is strong, and the material boosts its presence, a complete synergy.


    But this is very rare, as for the one you see, I hear it was enhanced because it was soaked in some kind of miraculous water."


    Alex''s lips twitched, but he ignored Moria''s remarks. His focus was back on the spirit weapon, and his eyes lit up as he found another way to become stronger.


    ''As long as I strengthen the spirit and add some more material¡­ but doesn''t this make things more dangerous?


    If the spirit is too strong, it can attack the master back; a normal bond will not be enough.


    But if it''s to weak than it will have no use for me, I wonder tough can the spirit still become stronger.''


    His eyes narrowed as he saw how the dragon spirit seemed completely obedient. He also felt something familiar coming from it.


    Alex''s mind became busy thinking about this. He started considering how it could be achieved. Most of the materials would probably only be available in this world since, in his, it would take many experiments to make sure it worked or not.


    Meanwhile, the man with the spear knocked his opponent down, with the tip pressing into the man''s flesh. Blood dripped down as the cultivator quickly gave up. Dying for the competition is just not worth it.


    He had won the quarter-final, with the last one being a semifinal fight against Zhu Zheng. If he won this, he would fight Alex.


    But no one thought he would win. Many thought he would just give up like the others. After


    Zhu Zheng''s humiliating defeat, they knew the next one wouldn''t have a good time fighting him.


    Even surviving intact would be a question. But this man had different thoughts; his confidence grew after defeating all his enemies, and he had no other choice.


    One might think he was threatened by the princess he represented, but unfortunately, that wasn''t the case; he was seduced and betrayed.


    In another area, the Zephyr young master, who had some fun with Morgana before, was now talking with another woman. But this one didn''t look any special; she wore maid clothing.


    If Alex were here, he would quickly recognize her as one of Morgana''s maids. She was there when he met her directly.


    This time, the man had a different gaze than when he was with Morgana; it was filled with more emotion.


    "Are you sure he will be able to win?"


    "I gave him the artifact you gave me, and he even strengthened it. Will that be not enough?"


    The maid asked back with fear in her gaze. She didn''t know much and only followed his orders, hoping to get a better life.


    "It should be, but I don''t think it''s enough to defeat him. We should just escape."


    The woman put her hand over her stomach, then replied, "But you said if we escaped like this, we would be hunted. That is why you made all this plan."


    "You think I want this? Honestly, I don''t even know what the real mission really is. But so far, the elder has never been wrong."


    "If he has never been wrong, then why are you so anxious?"


    "The original mission was to absorb this clan, but he wants to use it to clean the Zephyr clan of anyone who resists him. There should be no problem, but looking at that man, Alex, I don''t want to take a risk."


    The woman looked down this time, gazing intently at her own stomach, "In that case, Ewan, maybe we just should¡­"


    "NO! I have been looking to get a descendant for ages. Who knows how long it will take to look for another with your body constitution."


    What Ewan meant was the constitution of virility. He was fooling around with the maid once when waiting for Morgana, and to his surprise, he found out that she was pregnant.


    They didn''t have feelings for each other, but for Ewan, the baby was important. He had a dragon bloodline that raised his sex drive but, at the same time, lowered his fertility. His case was even worse as he had wounded two of his balls in a fight.


    He was hopeless and often mocked as he didn''t have any descendants despite his long age. He had searched for long to find a cure for this, but there was no solution, except one.


    Sometimes, a woman was born with a special body constitution of virility, allowing them to have guaranteed pregnancy no matter how long the chance was.


    This made Ewan fly to the moon, then begin taking care of the maid secretly. He raised her cultivation to the nascent soul stage with many elixirs to make sure the baby was born healthy.


    "We can just make another one then," the woman replied.


    But Ewan didn''t agree to this; he didn''t want to take any risk. "No, listen to me, we will just escape. Either you go voluntarily, or I will force you to go with me."


    "But what about this?" the woman asked back.


    S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 398 Arifact Pairs

    The artifact given to her by Ewan was a pair.One is the spear that the man used, and the other is a round plate that allows them to have control over the artifact. Based on the instructions she got, by utilizing qi in specific motions on the plate, it would lower the limitations on the spear spirit, raising its strength drastically at the cost of the user''s safety.


    Ewan took the artifact; he put some thought into it, then finally decided. Qi churned brightly in his hand as he exerted all his energy.


    CRACK! Crack! Crack! Prang!


    The artifact shattered into many pieces. He then brought the woman and escaped.


    If Alex knew this, he would realize many things and even stop it, as this would become the trigger of something big that not only threw a wrench into his plan. It even made him desperate in the end.


    In the arena, the man with the spear was now fighting Zhu Zheng.


    The spear tore through the air, shooting Qi and forming a green dragon toward him, but Zhu Zheng easily cleaved it into two.


    "Don''t think I will allow you to give up!" he screamed while laughing maniacally.


    But the man didn''t stop; he kept launching more shots, hoping to overwhelm Zhu Zheng. His mind was running wildly now, thinking of any way to find a way to win.


    His little sister''s life was on the line.


    But suddenly, his spear started vibrating in a weird way, and a draconic roar reverberated in the whole arena, pulling attention from everyone.


    Before, some were barely interested in the low-level fight, but hearing the roar that felt like a real dragon couldn''t help but make them feel interested.


    "ROOOARR!"


    The green dragon started changing color, becoming dark, and growing in size. The energy raised in intensity, giving out a malevolent presence that made everyone feel dread.


    ''This energy?'' Alex frowned.


    "Reina, Senior Moria, both of you should leave this place."


    "What do you mean?" Reina asked in confusion while Moria studied the dragon form, which was becoming more and more realistic.


    "I know this presence; it''s the one that pulled me here."


    Meanwhile, in another area of the city, Ying Xue was standing on the rooftop.


    Before, she was with Situ Chen at the restaurant, but the moment the dragon roared, she quickly came out. Her gaze looked at the area as she also recognized the energy.


    However, unlike Alex, she recognized it as having a similar feeling to the portal she guarded on the front line.


    "Situ Chen, you wait here. Call backup if things escalate outside control."


    Her worry was not on the dragon but more on what if a portal opened right in the middle of the arena.


    Zhu Zheng, who thought he was winning easily at first, began to turn wary. He was clashing against the dragon''s energy, but he was not winning at all.


    He started getting serious, releasing all his qi. His muscles bulged forward, and frost qi started coming out from his body, creating many ice spears in the air.


    He thought of attacking the controller to disturb the qi flow during the attack.


    Swosh!!!


    The barrage of ice spears launched through the air, but the man didn''t even move to dodge. It''s not that he didn''t want to, but right now, he had completely lost control of his body.


    The spear began melting, fusing with his hand. A weird energy was infiltrating his body and beginning to capture his soul. A vertical slit opened on his forehead, showing an eye that Alex easily recognized.


    His Qi kept rising as it started transforming into another type of energy. It leaked out from his body, creating a pillar of dark light in the sky.


    If this was Alex''s world, people would have already escaped in panic, but this time, it was all cultivators who watched. Each of them had some trump card and confidence to fight.


    The group of strong cultivators began talking among themselves, then to the patriarch of the midnight clan. They were asking to intervene, while Galen could not reject it at all.


    With a sigh, he could only accept it. He manipulated the artifacts, lowering the barrier and allowing them to pass.


    "The competition is adjourned for now; anyone who doesn''t leave is not our clan''s responsibility." His voice reverberated loudly, inciting some panic from the low-level cultivators.


    Seeing the strong make their move and the announcement made them quickly move away. But they still watched from afar, curious about what was happening.


    Ying Xue landed near the white Lotus sect. She had some talks with the group.


    Meanwhile, Zhu Zheng was now bleeding from all over his body. His hands were torn, only leaving behind bones. But he grits through the pain, as all his qi is now focused on blocking the attack. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other side, his ice spears that hit the man exploded into a cascade of sharp ice spikes, but it quickly melted away like it never existed.


    The dark pillar dissipated, showing a tall figure with white eyes. Draconic horns came out from his head while his third eye looked around at the strong cultivators around him.


    The floor underneath him started turning black; it then spread out like it was alive. The cultivators suddenly frowned as they couldn''t exert any qi.


    Zhu Zheng couldn''t hold on anymore. His hand dropped as the dragon opened its jaw in front of his face. With the amount of power, he knew he would probably be dead after this.


    He had already prepared to escape with his soul when, suddenly, his body was pulled back and thrown like a rag outside the arena.


    Alex stood where he stood. He opened his palm, and it glowed with a green hue.


    BAM! With a single slapping motion, he deflected it upward.


    Looking at his hand, he chuckled, then mumbled, "Not bad."


    His eyes then focused on the arena. Ying Xue intervened. She threw something like a disc array that exploded, creating a complex formation in the sky.

 Chapter 399 Father and Daughter

    The cultivators gained control back over their qi. They then quickly jumped back, putting distance between them.But just as this happened, the dark domain on the ground started spreading, following them. From it, many eyes opened up; it then shot shadow spears toward them.


    BOOM!!!


    In defense, many of the cultivators used their secret techniques and domains to block, but the shadows didn''t stop there.


    They grew in size, targeting every cultivator that still stayed on the stage.


    Those below the golden core were easily pierced. Their bodies then shriveled away at high speed, leaving behind only their clothes. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spike that hit the strong cultivator also started to contort and grow in size.


    It began transforming into a humanoid shadow that looked exactly the same as the cultivator they faced.


    "You wretched creature," one of the cultivators yelled. He blasted out, creating a huge flame in the form of a tiger.


    The flame was colored green, giving out a weird vibe like anything that touched it would melt instead of burn. The shadow reacted by doing the exact same action, even creating a similar tiger, but the green flame color was darker.


    "Hmph! You think you can copy the secret technique I have perfected for centuries?" the cultivator replied with a gloating tone. Discover stories at empire


    His body moved, creating a motion like a tai chi master. The green flame tiger grew in size, then split into two.


    One faced the clone''s attack, while the other one leaped toward the attack.


    The cultivator expected his flame to win or at least clash on the same level, but his eyes widened as he saw the darker fire beat it by a narrow margin.


    The winning tiger leaped forward, opening its jaw to bite the cultivator. In retaliation, he took out a spear, then swiped toward it with his qi exploding green flame in a cone shape.


    BOOM! The flame exploded.


    The cultivator let out a satisfied smile as he thought he had won, but it only lasted for a moment before the crimson liquid was spat out from his mouth.


    His eyes gazed down, locked on the black spear coming out from his heart. His qi started draining quickly, followed by his skin getting shriveled.


    Alex looked at what happened with a frown. He could see not only qi but even the person''s life force being absorbed.


    His fingers glowed and started dancing in the air, creating many runes. Then, with a stomp, he sent the rune into a circular formation surrounding the arena.


    The runes started corresponding to each other, creating a spherical barrier that covered the whole arena.


    On the side, Gallen was now standing beside Reina, "You should leave now, this place is dangerous."


    "No, Sir Alex is still fighting here, and where can I leave, father? It seems this whole place will turn into a battlefield soon," Reina replied while looking at the shadow.


    The barrier Alex created turned the whole arena almost into a separate space, making others unable to see what was happening inside.


    This also made the shadow domain that the being spread get cut off effectively, ensuring he could not absorb any more cultivators. However, despite this, the shadow didn''t disappear; it kept fighting against the other cultivators.


    Qi was clashing in the sky as the battlefield started expanding. Each one tried to bring their enemy further away, as fighting near other cultivators made things more chaotic.


    They could easily get hit by random attacks or projectiles, putting their lives in danger. The clashing of domains also triggered even more chaos, as this meant they needed to exert power against each other.


    The group started getting separated, the strong ones fighting for themselves, as others started regrouping together.


    The number of people also became less now, as many used talismans to escape. Unfortunately, those that used it too late couldn''t do this, as the domain from any strong cultivator disturbed the stability of the space.


    Making teleportation something very risky.


    These people were forced to band together, but they could barely survive against the onslaught of the shadow clone. Even though the clone was only a little bit stronger than them, they were able to coordinate perfectly.


    Meanwhile, only a few of them were barely able to cooperate, increasing the number of casualties quickly. If anyone had eyes that could see souls now, they would see the sky filled with them.


    Many chose to stay as they already lost their bodies, hoping to learn or gain some insight watching the Titanic clash, while the rest already started leaving the area, afraid they would meet a more bitter end.


    Unfortunately, this group would be the one that met their demise, as they met with Yang Fei.


    Gallen looked at his daughter with a frown, "I don''t know what relation you have with that boy, but you being here will only make things hard for me. And if he cares about you, even as a friend, he will feel the same.


    You should leave for your academy, that place has many hidden monsters that can protect you. After this finishes, I will look for you there or send you a message using the usual method."


    Reina replied with a snort, "Since when do you care about me that much?"


    Gallen''s gaze turned complicated. He let out a sigh, "Since when have I not cared about you? I know you hate me because of your mother, but you really don''t understand the situation."


    "How could I understand if you never tell me? You keep telling me it''s not the time yet, but then when?


    Look, father, I am not a kid. You can try to forcefully make me leave this place."


    Her voice then turned cold as she continued, "But prepare for the consequences. I will fight with everything I have, and I know despite all this, I will still probably lose."


    Reina then turned her gaze away, ignoring Gallen. With a helpless sigh, he looked at Moria, silently asking for his help, but Moria could only shrug.

 Chapter 400 Byakhee

    He already knew if Reina were like this, there was no changing her mind, no matter what he did. Forcing her would just complicate matters."Fine, do what you want, but take this at least." Gallen gave out a few lifesaving treasures to her, then quickly left the area.


    Usually, Reina was quite sensible, but when she felt really angry, she would get so emotional that she didn''t care about the repercussions.


    As for the shadow clone, there were none in her area now, as Gallen focused the artifact protection in her area.


    He also ended up giving the items to Reina to make sure she could escape if every other method he gave failed. With how the circumstances changed now, he needed to quickly send out the news to his wife.


    "Uncle, please tell me you know what is happening now." Reina''s face quickly changed after her father left. Her anger dissipated, turning into confusion and worry.


    "I don''t know; if anyone has the answer, it will be your sister who sent that man or Alex. But honestly, Reina, it''s better we just leave. Staying here is too dangerous."


    "You don''t understand, Uncle; if we leave here now, my senses tell me I will never find out the truth, and probably, I will never meet Alex again."


    "You are really hung up on him. You like him?"


    "If he accepts, yes." Reina replied bluntly but continued with a sigh, "Unfortunately, I know I have no hope; he never casts a glance at me."


    "If so, then why?"


    "There is another reason. Have you forgotten what I told you before, Uncle? He is the only hope for me to rescue my mother."


    Moria frowned but didn''t say anything more.


    Meanwhile, inside the barrier, Ying Xue was knocked back, landing beside Alex. He turned his gaze to Alex, and an otherworldly voice then came out from his mouth, "So we meet again, youngling."


    "Just who are you?" Alex asked back. He could already tell now that this monster was like an avatar for the being he met before.


    "My name is #$%!@#$," his name turned blurry for Ying Xue''s ears as she couldn''t register any word of it, but for Alex, it was clear as day, ''Byakhee.''


    Byakhee then continued, "We should have met later, but it seems fate has something in store for us."


    The name was foreign to Alex, but he could tell it was not something simple. He felt that if he called his name in that exact intonation, Byakhee would hear it no matter where he was.


    ''Thankfully it''s only the avatar, I hope I should be able to fight it. Worse come to worse, I will use them.'' Alex decided in his mind. He then asked, "Why did you send me here?"


    "Oh, that? It was just an accident, but it''s an interesting opportunity, so I thought, why not."


    Alex''s lips twitched. Based on what Byakhee said, this meant he was sent here because of his whim. The realization made him feel so small and annoyed.


    Two blood wings came out from his back, followed by a green hue coming out from his body.


    "So you want to fight? Sure, come. This avatar barely holds a percent of my power, but it should be enough for the current you," Byakhee replied with a gloating tone.


    Alex''s eyes turned cold. He took a step, then suddenly appeared right in front of Byakhee, his fist turning red, coated with hardened blood.


    BANG! He punched him straight in the face. But Byakhee barely felt it. He just grinned, looking at him without moving.


    But Alex didn''t feel despair. Instead, his lips curled into a smile.


    The blood on his hand started transforming into a very thin needle, then began penetrating through his skin.


    Byakhee suddenly felt danger. He quickly took a step back, but like glue, Alex''s blood was sticking to his face. He could feel like many bugs were gnawing to enter his flesh. Read new chapters at empire


    "As I expected, no matter how strong¡­" Alex mumbled.


    He was testing out a theory. The energy was basically a wave that solidified into reality when used in combat.


    The way varied depending on the technique, but in the end, since it was solid, that meant it was made from particles and atoms, and there should be a gap between them. Alex exploited this by manipulating his blood to the smallest size.


    Normally, this would be impossible. When it became too small, he would not be able to control it at all. The energy would also disperse and lose its form.


    To mitigate this, Alex used life force and runes. He didn''t control it directly but put in predetermined commands while making them move by themselves like a living creature.


    It''s like a worm; they have no sentience, but they still move and function.


    This time, Alex commanded the blood to create a rune inside Byakhee''s avatar.


    "Don''t underestimate me," Alex said with a smirk. He grasped his fist.


    The rune reacted, it burst out creating a whitish flame. If this came from outside, despite the crazy heat, Byakhee would still be able to block it, but this one came from inside.


    The heat melted his internal organs at a far faster rate than Byakhee could regenerate. He had absorbed many qi but didn''t have enough time to process it before Alex cut the connection off.


    "Hahaha¡­ Youngling, you are not bad. No wonder the chosen one adores you so much," the otherworldly voice said while his body was engulfed in white flame.


    Alex''s eyes turned cold, "Just die." He didn''t want to hear further because he felt Byakhee would just make him confused and distrust his comrades. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t know who he meant, but he thought it was better to just kill Byakhee''s avatar as soon as possible.


    "Youngling, don''t think you''ve won with just this."


    The eyes on the forehead glinted, and a dark aura exploded from its body, extinguishing the flame and the blood that stuck on his face.

 Chapter 401 Nuclear Fission

    Alex quickly cut it off, as he could feel the energy decaying to nothingness the moment it made contact with the dark energy.Byakhee brandished his spear and pierced it toward Alex''s chest.


    CLANG!


    Alex took out his hammer, blocking the attack, while his ability observed Byakhee''s body. Even though it didn''t show much, he could see he was crumbling.


    He speculate the body was also not immune to the energy used before, which made the attack harm his body.


    Byakhee launched a chain of attacks, not giving Alex a chance to make any movement.


    With the distance between them, Alex was in trouble; his hammer was more effective in close quarters.


    Against a spear with further reach that moved at faster speeds, he barely managed to deflect them, only thanks to him calculating his movements a few steps ahead.


    Sparks flew in the air as the fight''s intensity rose. Ying Xue saw what happened from a distance away. She raised her sword, then with one motion, threw it through the air.


    Swoosh!!!


    Byakhee responded. Dark energy bursts out from his body, materializing into a dark snake dragon. Its tail swiped, deflecting her spear back.


    But then a dark shadow appeared, covering Byakhee, making him smirk. Alex utilized the opportunity, leaped forward, and then raised his hammer high, growing it to a size large enough to squash the dragon and Byakhee.


    As it fell, a white fire ignited, engulfing the hammer, making it like a meteor hot enough to make the surroundings shimmer with heat.


    BOOOM!!!


    "GROOOARRR!!!!" The dragon flew forward, turning itself into a shield, blocking the attack with its body.


    Sparks of energy exploded outward, creating pressure that scattered Ying Xue''s hair in the wind.


    She dashed forward, grasping her sword back. The wind that surrounded her body began to shift and move as if it had its own will.


    Her qi surged, and the wind around her body raised in intensity, becoming a deadly, sharp tornado.


    The tornado shot toward Byakhee, raising in intensity.


    Looking at this, Byakhee didn''t feel worried at all. He raised his spear, preparing to sweep the attack, but before he could do that, the tornado changed direction. It flew past the dragon before finally hitting Alex''s flame.


    SWOOOSH!!!


    The wind fueled the flame, creating a hurricane of intense heat. Seeing this, Alex was surprised. He didn''t know how Ying Xue could achieve this.


    Elements created using someone''s qi cannot fuse easily. Normally, instead of mixing, the wind would try to extinguish the flame that Alex made, but he didn''t have time to analyze this.


    Alex used the opportunity to send out his life force to raise the flame''s temperature even further.


    Byakhee raised his gaze, feeling the temperature rising, making him frown. A crack then started appearing on his face. "Seems I don''t have much time; might as well enjoy it."


    The eyes on his forehead glinted once more, dark energy surging out from his body.


    "ROOOARR!!" A multitude of dragons roared, reverberating in the air as more appeared.


    The swarm of dark dragons started biting into Alex''s hammer, not caring about the heat.


    ''Dammit!'' Alex cursed in his mind. He could see cracks starting to appear. It was only a matter of time before his embershift hammer got destroyed.


    Crack!


    The roar of a fox then reverberated in the area, but it could barely be heard in the middle of all this chaos. Then, the ringing sound of an explosion followed, and Alex decided to explode all the energy gathered in the hammer.


    The rune barrier he created started having cracks, and the ground made from the artifact disintegrated into a crater.


    But Alex felt this was still not enough. He took two metal containers, both with clear radioactive warnings.


    Without hesitation, he threw them forward. Crimson''s wings flapped out from his body, and he moved in front of Ying Xue. The wings grew in size, turning into a blood sphere that protected them both.


    The metallic containers melted in no time, releasing the volatile liquid inside. The moment both of them mixed, a chain reaction began.


    The atoms reached critical mass, mixing with the abundant energy in the vicinity, and an unprecedented fission began. Something that never happened before.


    Alex only theorized the result would be a massive explosion. This was not wrong, but it turned out to be something even more dangerous. The mixed qi and life force boosted the radiation and heat, practically creating a miniature white sun.


    Massive earthquakes spread all over the Midnight Clan, creating a huge fissure. The civilians who hadn''t escaped far away met gruesome horror, their skin and flesh melting away as if they had never stuck together in the first place.


    Moria quickly grasped Reina''s body, then activated his talisman, teleporting both of them 1000 miles away from the impact.


    The White Lotus Sect, Blue Lotus Sect, Morgana, and the rest also followed, but unfortunately, not everyone could act at the right time. Those that were too late, even by mere seconds, were not spared.


    KA-BOOOM!!!!


    A huge explosion detonated, taking out the whole town, followed by a huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky. A 10-mile radius from the city turned into a wasteland, the trees disappeared, and almost no living beings survived. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even those who survived still had to deal with the lethal poison coming from the enhanced radiation.


    The explosion dissipated, and the smoke started calming down. In the middle of the crater, only two people were left standing. Byakhee was holding on to his spear with a grin on his face, almost all his flesh destroyed, leaving behind only bone. "Not bad, youngling, but now, can you live with the repercussions?" he said with a smug grin.


    Alex''s situation was also not the best. Half of his body was only bone now, while the other half was flesh that began regenerating.


    Even with his protection, Ying Xue didn''t survive the attack. She had already used many of her trump cards to block the attack, but none survived. The impact, based on her speculation, was almost as strong as an Immortal going all out.

 Chapter 402 Resurectio Magna

    Alex''s heart turned heavy seeing the wasteland. He knew what just happened was even worse than the last incident, but it didn''t mean he didn''t learn anything.With what he did with Qi and his understanding of the soul, he knew there was still hope to reverse this, but to do that, he would need an abundant life force.


    "Big talk from someone who is dying," Alex replied while he started absorbing the surrounding life force to regenerate his body quickly.


    "KEKEKEKE," Byakhee just replied with laughter, then added, "One of my race members is also here now. I look forward to meeting you two; that will be interesting."


    After he said this, his body crumbled into ashes. Alex, now completely regenerated, quickly appeared in front of him.


    His palm grasped over his remaining body, "I will not make the same mistake." He said coldly.


    His crimson eyes shined, four blood wings coming out from his back, his hair fluttering in the air, as green particles from the surrounding area started flowing back to him.


    What he planned to do now was something he thought of after the last incident. Since they just died, and he had a method to recreate their bodies, what was stopping him from resurrecting them?


    The answer was none. As long as he had enough life force in the vicinity, in theory, he could revive them over and over. As for the material itself, if it was just normal civilians, Alex had more than enough saved.


    However, strong bodies like Pi didn''t have one since it required many exotic ones, each of which caused a dent in his wealth.


    As his eyes glinted, a thought surfaced in his mind. Why did he need to use the radioactive material?


    He still had many choices, from using the same method to infiltrate Byakhee''s body to just waiting for him to crumble. Alex already knew his time was limited, but then why did he still choose to do that?


    It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and then Alex realized the answer. When he focused on combat using his ability, he forgot about many other factors outside it.


    His emotions played no role in his judgment, causing him to choose the safest and surest way without caring about the repercussions.


    Alex frowned, ''Am I this heartless?''


    He let out a sigh, then focused back on his task. Both his hands danced in the air, creating many runes, materials floating out from his storage ring, followed by his blood wings growing in size.


    It grew enormous, making anyone looking from afar think a huge, very strong monster had just been born in the area. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Alex did this not for show. He needed it for the resurrection. Two of the crimson wings exploded, creating a rain of blood.


    Alex''s eyes turned emotionless as he mumbled.


    "The average adult human body is made of water (35 L), carbon (20 kg), ammonia (4 L), lime (1.5 kg), phosphorus (800 g), salt (250 g), saltpeter (100 g), sulfur (80 g), fluorine (7.5 g), iron (5 g), silicon (3 g).


    The major elements include oxygen, mostly in the form of water, making up about 65% of the body''s mass; carbon, found in all organic molecules, comprising about 18%;


    hydrogen, mostly in water, making up about 10%; nitrogen, a key component of amino acids and nucleic acids, at about 3%;


    calcium, for bones and teeth, at about 1.5%; phosphorus, important for energy transfer and bones, at about 1%;


    Potassium, for cellular function, at about 0.35%; sulfur, found in some amino acids, at about 0.25%;


    sodium, for nerve function, at about 0.15%;


    As for the rest, my blood and this life force will be more than enough to cover it. 10 ml should be more than enough to make them a body that can cultivate."


    He closed his eyes, the runes then shot out to the periphery of the Midnight Clan city. They then created pivot points that connected to each other into a rune formation.


    "Resurrectio Magna," Alex said in a non-emotional tone.


    The runes started shining brightly in green and reddish hues, almost as blinding as the sun.


    The rune formation then began to rotate, spinning around like planets orbiting the sun. At first, the rotation was slow, but it soon moved faster and faster until, finally, it exploded, dispersing into green particles.


    The miniature sun also disappeared, revealing something that made everyone''s jaw drop to the ground.


    Unfortunately, only a few saw everything enough to tell the tale, but no one would believe them.


    Who would trust that a golden cultivator achieved a feat that even Immortals are not capable of? Destroying a whole city then reviving all of them in the same moment.


    Even though the proof was there, no one would believe them. The radiation in the surrounding area, the scorched ground. But in the middle of all this, the Midnight Clan was restored as if nothing had ever happened.


    The only change was that every single cultivator inside lost their cultivation, reverting them back to the foundation realm. They also lost their storage rings and artifacts, forcing them to cultivate from the beginning.


    This could be a curse for some, but for many, it could be considered a blessing since they could recultivate with better bodies and talents.


    The last memory they had was the huge explosion; as for the rest, they didn''t remember anything since Alex had already taken care of it.


    On top of the cliff, Alex sat cross-legged, his pale face expressionless as he looked at the city.


    Behind him, Ying Xue, who had just been resurrected, landed. Unlike the others, she still remembered everything clearly since her soul was cultivated with special techniques, making it far stronger than normal.


    Even against those realms above her, she was still stronger.


    She had already ordered Shitu Chen, who had just been resurrected, to maintain order in the Midnight Clan for now since the patriarch and the rest were missing.


    Based on the situation, this area would probably become a forbidden zone that both protected and sealed them from outside influence for at least a hundred years unless someone interested and powerful removed it.

 Chapter 403 Emotionless

    "Just who are you, really? That kind of feat is not something normal at all, and you seem to know that creature."But Alex didn''t answer her question. Instead, he asked back in an emotionless tone, "Do you blame me?"


    "Why should I? If not because of you, I would probably already be dead now," Ying Xue answered.


    Even though she hated that she needed to recultivate, she didn''t think much about it. She was already used to living on the frontline, where her family did this often.


    They died in a fight, returned back to a new body, then recultivated. This was why the clan on the frontline could survive this long without being replaced. Each time they recultivated, they became stronger than before.


    Sometimes, their souls also chose to take over almost-dead bodies in other regions, reincarnating to become stronger or just to escape the constant fighting on the frontline.


    "Even when I told you there should be a better way to do it without harming everyone?"


    "What happened, happened. As someone who grew up on the frontline, I know that there is no ''what if'' scenario. Thinking about it will just give you a heart demon."


    "A heart demon, huh..." Alex mumbled.


    Normally, he would have smirked hearing about this, as he often thought cultivators should have their own professional therapist to cure heart demons, compared to what happened in novels.


    The whole world was focused on cultivation, and a heart demon was a big hurdle that could block their genius path. It was only common sense to prepare for it.


    But now, considering his own situation, he realized he himself didn''t know he had one.


    After the city was decimated, he was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt. From childhood, his parents always taught him how precious life was, and now he had just taken so many in a moment.


    In response to that, something he never considered happened. He somehow shut off all his emotions, and now he didn''t know how to get them back.


    And what shook him the most was the thought, did he really need them to return?


    Right now, his ability was operating in a way he never thought possible. Based on his speculation, the most likely possibility was that his brain stopped processing emotion, which freed up some space that could then be utilized by his ability.


    It achieved something that he had failed at all this time: using his ability in real-time in combat, allowing him to use it effectively.


    "You already reverted it back anyway, so there''s no need to overthink it," Ying Xue said, trying to comfort him.


    "It''s not all returned. That wasteland around the Midnight Clan is filled with radiation and strange energy from Byakhee. I don''t know what the effect will be, but it will not be simple."


    "Radioactive?"


    "Just take it as a deadly poison that can not only kill but also transform creatures impacted," Alex said emotionlessly while his brain was busy thinking about how to remove this.


    After considering many possibilities, he then mumbled, "58.3% chance for this miasma to expand into other areas, 12.4% chance for it to stay, 20.1% chance it mutates into a lifeform, 9.2% chance it dissipates on its own. Seems my choice is clear."


    Alex then stood up and jumped down from the cliff. Ying Xue, confused by his action, followed. She didn''t know what was going on inside Alex''s mind now.


    One thing for sure, she was going to follow him everywhere until the backup she called arrived. Based on what happened before, she deemed Alex a very dangerous individual.


    Even though the backup could come and look for him by themselves, if she was not there, her gut told her they would just have a conflict instead.


    Landing on the ground, her eyes quickly widened as Alex took out what could only be described as an army.


    A row of goblins, huge beasts, monsters, and many other creatures appeared kneeling on the ground, and in front of them, four people with crimson eyes looked at Alex with a deadly glare. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Experience tales with empire


    They were the sovereigns that he took from Edonia. "Your glare does nothing for me. Do your mission or die," he said with an emotionless tone, spreading his progenitor aura and forcing four of them to kneel.


    Progenitor aura had a deterrent effect on their own species. Normally, with their different levels of strength, Alex would not be able to do this. But now, with his ability, he controlled the aura in a precise manner, concentrating it on a few points and amplifying the result.


    "How?" one of them asked in confusion.


    They could tell Alex was still not completely transformed into their progenitor. Strength-wise, he was also still weaker than them.


    "Don''t waste any more time," Alex ordered once more.


    This time, the four sovereigns quickly made their move. They split the army into four groups and then went in different cardinal directions.


    Ying Xue''s face quickly turned pale. "Why?"


    She was too overwhelmed by the sequence of surprises to consider how Alex did it.


    "This is the best method to take care of the miasma. There is also my promise to Reina. Where is the Zephyr Clan?" Alex asked.


    In the first place, he had already planned to conquer and unify the world with MingYue, and the miasma problem would be better taken care of if he made it a forbidden zone with constant surveillance.


    But Alex knew this would not be possible if he didn''t have complete control of the world. A cultivator would always come trying to look for natural treasure.


    Another reason for this decision was the current situation. Conflict with the Zephyr Clan, the coalition, Byakhee''s existence here, the other human from another world, and finally, Byakhee''s final words.


    Ying Xue turned silent as she didn''t know what to answer. The world would now turn upside down.


    Even with one gaze, despite her current cultivation realm, she could tell the four crimson-eyed men Alex ordered were strong.

 Chapter 404 Invasion

    Hearing no answer from her, even after a few seconds, Alex didn''t waste time and began to move in a random direction.He planned to just capture any cultivator in the way and then look for the information.


    "Wait! I will show you the way," Ying Xue said. Based on the current situation, she felt this was the best choice.


    The world would quickly turn upside down, but in reality, she didn''t feel any hate for what Alex planned to do.


    Even the destruction of the Midnight Clan didn''t faze her. What Alex did now was just hasten the things that some other clans on the frontline planned to do.


    As for her, in all honesty, she hated the clans in other regions. Even if Alex''s invasion pulled many casualties, she felt that was deserved. All this time, they lived peacefully under other sacrifices.


    Even though cultivators could escape with their souls, this didn''t mean the invaders couldn''t do anything about it.


    Some of them had the capability to capture souls. There was even one that ate souls to raise their power. Throughout her lifetime, she had lost many people.


    "Show me then," Alex replied in the same emotionless tone.


    Ying Xue nodded and then walked in front of him.


    Seeing this, Alex asked, "Aren''t you afraid I will attack you from behind?"


    With the cut of his emotions, his brain started thinking about everything based on probability. If he was in Ying Xue''s shoes, this was a big thing he needed to worry about. She was the defender of this planet, while Alex just showed her he sent an army to take over it all by force.


    Even though he ordered them to do it with as few casualties as possible, as it was more effective to have live people, he still allowed the four sovereigns to kill the strongest, as they needed some kind of reward.


    The artifacts and wealth here, in their eyes, would be nothing more than trinkets or toys.


    It would be a different story if this sovereign had an interest in research or technology, but Alex chose these four specifically as they were the strongest and the ones who liked to fight the most. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the past, they only stayed calm because of Thalia''s existence.


    "Even if you attack from the front, there is nothing I can do. And I believe you won''t do it."


    "I see¡­"


    "Can I ask? How strong were the four people with crimson eyes?"


    She had experienced fighting against other species. Now, adding cultivation realms into their strength, she could guess their strength.


    "It''s not a secret, but they should be a bit stronger than me in physical strength. Although, if we fight now, I am sure I can win."


    Ying Xue gulped. "What do you plan to do afterward?"


    "Who knows? That is up to my partner to decide. After all, this is her planet."


    "MingYue?"


    "Yes."


    "Is she as strong as you, too?"


    "I don''t know. She raises her strength every time she fights. I am sure she is stronger now than the last time I met her, just like me. By the way, how long will it take to reach that place?"


    "If we utilize the teleportation array, it will be instant. But after that explosion and your army invasion, I am sure right now they have already shut it all down."


    Alex nodded, since he also felt this was the most likely thing to happen. "Do you have a method to create this teleportation array?" Your journey continues on empire


    "I don''t. Most of them have existed since ancient times. Only a few immortals now can make this array."


    "Do you mean every city with one is an ancient city? Even the Midnight Clan didn''t feel like they existed that long."


    "The only thing we cannot remake is the main core of the array.


    This thing can be moved."


    "I see. No wonder then."


    "Don''t you want to find Reina, though? You seem close with her."


    "No need. I just need to look for her if I find her mother. But you said she was sent out before? You probably cannot answer it since you are bound by contract, but can you tell me, was this ordered by the outsider inside the Zephyr Clan? Or by those staying on the frontline?"


    "I am sorry, but I think you already know the answer."


    "I see, as expected. You say he is human. How strong is he?"


    "I don''t know. I never saw him fight."


    "Hmm¡­"


    As Alex asked for more information from Ying Xue, the whole core region was now in chaos.


    The four sovereigns had already started their invasion. With their ability to feel other life forces, they specifically started by targeting weaker cities and villages.


    They stood no chance, and all were captured easily. Afterward, the sovereigns would absorb life force from the strongest ones while leaving a few goblins to take care of the village.


    But it wasn''t as simple as coming and starting to conquer. As Alex expected, these sovereigns wished for more blood to shed if possible despite his order.


    So, they purposely sent weaker ones and acted with malice to trigger anger from the villagers to raise the casualty as much as possible.


    Morally, this was wrong, but based on Alex''s calculation, this way, ironically, would cause fewer casualties. As their cruelty spread, people would think twice more before fighting back or making demands.


    This was based on the personality of people living in this world. The weak lived under the strong''s oppression; giving up and a weak point would just make them try to fight back harder and exploit it.


    Just in an hour, many cities and sects had already fallen into their hands. Even profound enlightenment stage cultivators could not do anything against them.


    They were like toys played to death by the sovereigns.


    Meanwhile, other immortals still hadn''t made a move. The appearance of this outsider was the defender''s responsibility.


    As long as they didn''t come knocking on their door, they didn''t care. As for casualties, it was just a number for them.

 Chapter 405 The Other Immortals

    Meanwhile, other immortals still hadn''t made a move.They didn''t care for casualties; it was just a number for them. The chaos had also become a source of entertainment, as things had become too boring.


    Despite the constant conflict that was happening, none of them cared much; they just thought of it as nothing more than child''s play.


    What they cared about now was looking for a way to become stronger or break through to a new realm.


    Some of the immortals even hoped to go to other worlds, but most of them didn''t do this as the defenders required them to pay a heavy price for it.


    Like in papers, they would say to protect your clan and give the authority to us, while in reality, most of them would just be used for the most dangerous missions.


    Meanwhile, back in Minghao, YanYu, and XueFang, the group was now inside Da Ying City. They found themselves under the rubble of the Xueqi family ancestry grave.


    The Xueqi ancestor could only let out a heavy sigh, seeing the home he had lived in for centuries now turned into rubble.


    He returned to the ring, telling MingHao not to call him except for emergencies.


    "Are you alright now?" MingHao asked YanYu.


    They were now in a small opening, taking a break while drinking a cold soda can.


    "Ah, that''s so refreshing!" XueFang said while wiping some of the leftovers from her lips.


    "No matter how many times I try it, it always feels better."


    MingHao let out a chuckle. "You just say that because it''s sweet, XueFang."


    "Hmph, and so what? You have a problem with it?" XueFang asked back while squinting her eyes.


    "Never mind, so what should we do now? Send out the drone from here?" MingHao asked while looking around the area.


    There were some gaps around the debris, but he doubted it was enough for the drone to pass through.


    Even if they made a hole here, it was still some distance away from the ground level.


    Also, the situation above was still unknown to them.


    "MingHao, can you infuse that green energy into me? Maybe with that, I can boost my senses enough to find out the situation above or at least to find a pathway for the drone."


    "The energy is limited, and honestly, Sis told me to keep it hidden."


    YanYu let out a chuckle, "Your ancestor also told you to just use that secret art if you are sure you can kill those who see it, but you showed it in front of us all."


    "Well, that is my secret only. This one is related to my Sis."


    "It''s us. You can believe in us," YanYu added.


    XueFang, meanwhile, just waited in silence. She believed she had already proven enough with her actions.


    "Maybe we can try it? I honestly don''t even know how to do it."


    "Just try controlling it like qi; isn''t it how you used it before?"


    "Yes, but the feeling is different since when it comes out, it''s mixed with my qi, so I can only send this, not the pure energy."


    Usually, when cultivators send qi to others, it''s to help them heal faster or to train them on how to move the qi flow by giving out examples; then, they will expel it quickly.


    People''s Qi cannot just mix with other Qi except that they really try to attune it to each other.


    It''s the same reason Alex felt confused when YingXue could do it easily. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The more complex the energy was, the harder it would be to attune it.


    "It''s fine. I have more control over qi than you, and if worse comes to worse, I will tell you to expel it."


    She then opened her palm and put it forward.


    At first, MingHao was confused, as he thought he would touch her shoulder and then send it out like how he usually did it. But based on her gesture, she wanted to hold hands.


    "Why so dazed?" XueFang asked with a smirk.


    "Nothing." MingHao flustered for a moment, then got his bearings back. He touched her soft hand and tried to focus his mind on the task.


    This was the first time he held a woman''s hand like this, so he couldn''t help but feel distracted.


    Seeing his expression made YanYu feel confused, while XueFang just smiled. ''Is it weird, I feel happy seeing his silly expression.''


    But the thought only lasted for a moment before she suddenly felt a burst of qi entering her body.


    The sensation was different; she felt like hot, searing energy was entering her, making her body feel hot. Stay connected with empire


    Her cheeks turned red as she started feeling weird. But just like MingHao, she closed her eyes, trying to focus on controlling it.


    With the many qi cores she had, multitasking was already her habit. She just now focused it all on using her own qi, guiding it to one of the cores that linked to a puppet.


    This puppet was specialized in detection; she usually used it to enter a ruin first to recon, find, and trigger any formation inside, making sure her path was safe.


    As her puppet worked more like a robot without its own soul, using MingHao''s qi was not a problem; she just used her body now as a bridge to send the energy and control the flow.


    Otherwise, if it was too much, the puppet would break, and she also needed to control the puppet to move and process the information it got.


    How this puppet saw things was different from normal people; it was easier to say it worked more like radar or sonar but more sophisticated.


    XueFang would use it to activate a mechanism that spread out waves all around, then process them back.


    As the waves were infused with qi utilizing special formations, it allowed them to penetrate almost everything, allowing her to map out the area.


    XueFang hadn''t used it before in the tunnel as they already had the Xueqi ancestor to show the way.

 Chapter 406 DaYing City Current Situation

    YanYu was waiting patiently on the side as both of them were busy with their own work.Her eyes started darting around MingHao and XueFang while her lips smiled mischievously.


    ''I wonder if it''s because of the situation or what, but XueFang seems to have some feelings for MingHao.


    Well, he does have a lot of potential, but I feel her reasoning is deeper than that. I wonder if something happened between them in the past.''


    Another minute passed by until both of them stopped the process. MingHao stopped as he got a signal from XueFang.


    "How is it?"


    "I think we can send the drone. I will move it now to check the city situation."


    "Take out your drone. I will link it to the laptop so we can see it from here," MingHao suggested.


    "How long will both of you hold hands?" YanYu asked with a mischievous tone.


    "Oh, sorry. It''s just so soft and warm. It feels very comfortable to touch," MingHao blurted out, making YanYu let out a chuckle.


    ''So cringe,'' she thought.


    XueFang, meanwhile, felt otherwise. Her cheeks turned even redder as she looked away shyly from MingHao. Her heart rate quickened.


    "What are you talking about, silly? Just go start setting it up," she ordered.


    "Ah yes¡­ okay¡­"


    This time YanYu tried her best to hold her laughter. She was sure now something was going on between them. On purpose, she decided to test it out.


    She walked closer to MingHao and tried to help him. But the distance was very close; she also often made a touch on his hand and pressed her body against his.


    "YanYu, come here. Don''t you understand more about the drone? Try to set it up," XueFang said coldly.


    YanYu nodded while she tried her best to act normally. Inside, she screamed, ''I know it!'' Explore more at empire


    XueFang''s excuse didn''t make sense. As someone who controlled puppets, she had tinkered a lot with the drone while staying at the BaiYue sect.


    If anything, her understanding of drones should be better than hers.


    "Let me see. I just need to remove the connection to your device and then add a new one from MingHao''s laptop," she said while starting to open the panel on the drone.


    She started infusing qi to interact with the formation set inside.


    This was another invention from the goblins.


    They created a formation capable of broadcasting signal waves on certain frequencies to interact with electronic devices.


    It didn''t take long for them to finish setting everything up.


    They then took a seat while XueFang started controlling the drone.


    MingHao then started realizing her face was a bit redder than usual. Feeling concerned, he asked, "Are you sick, XueFang? I see your face is red."


    He asked while putting his head on her forehead, making his cheeks turn even redder like a tomato.


    "Stop it, I am fine. Just let me focus," she said while deflecting his hand.


    ''Dammit, MingHao, can''t you do that later?'' she thought in her mind, but then quickly changed it again, ''What the hell am I even thinking? Why would I want him to do that?


    Forget it, XueFang. Let''s focus on the task at hand.''


    The screen on the laptop started changing, showing a narrow dark tunnel that ran in many directions. It kept moving silently until finally, it saw a light and then emerged from the ground.


    As the Xueqi ancestry ground was located on the outskirts of the city, they didn''t find it weird when they didn''t see anyone around.


    XueFang then activated the camouflage formation and began moving it following MingHao''s directions.


    "Go to the southeast; it will bring you to the city center."


    The camera started changing, now showing scenes of many people wearing blue robes with an ember of flame as their sect symbol.


    If MingYue were here now, she would quickly recognize them as she had met them, the Sky Ember Sect.


    In the past, they were busy looking for treasure, but now it seemed they had already found it.


    MingHao frowned, looking at their appearance.


    The white in their eyes was a bit red, while there were dark circles under them. All their skin was white while they walked around like zombies.


    "They look weird; just what happened?"


    "Hmm¡­ I don''t know, but they feel like their life has been drained from them and then replaced by something else. But this is just my observation; if only I could feel their qi."


    "Let''s try to look for other areas. Maybe we will get some clues."


    XueFang nodded and then moved the drone. What they saw started becoming more and more weird; there were no normal civilians on the road, only the members of the sect moving around.


    She tried to enter some of the houses, but more than half of them were empty. As for the others, the people inside were just sitting in a daze, as if their souls were no longer there. They were still alive, but barely.


    Moving deeper, at the city square, they saw a huge formation with cultivators and people tied to stakes.


    In the middle of it, a young man was sitting cross-legged, while a bone-chilling purplish energy was pouring into his body. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The people on the stake were being tortured in a brutal way, to the point that their screams didn''t even make any noise anymore.


    Their bodies were completely drenched in blood, with many flesh and skin missing.


    Surrounding it, they saw three cultivators acting as the anchors, pouring qi to keep the formation alive.


    "Is this demonic cultivation? They seem to turn the people''s anguish and souls into some type of energy and pour it all into the man," YanYu asked.


    MingHao, meanwhile, focused more on the man''s appearance. Based on what he saw, the man was not there of his own will; his hands and arms were tied.


    "I think we should save him."


    "Why? I don''t think that because he is bound, he was forced to be there. Maybe it''s done because he knows the process is going to be painful, so he doesn''t escape halfway."

 Chapter 407 Some People Just Deserve to Die

    "Why? Don''t think that because he is bound, he was forced to be there.Maybe it''s done because he knows the process is going to be painful, so he doesn''t escape halfway."


    "Just what are they doing?" Yan Yu asked.


    "I feel this method is similar to refining a puppet. I wonder if that is their goal?"


    "A puppet? Are you sure?" MingHao asked.


    Based on what he saw, the man''s body was in the process of transforming while his power kept rising and stabilizing. He didn''t see any sign that he was becoming a puppet. Enjoy more content from empire


    In his mind, the flesh should have turned into something solid, and his eyes would lose life.


    "Not one hundred percent, but it''s a large change. Honestly, I think we should disturb the ritual. Who knows how strong that puppet will be?" Xue Fang replied.


    "Based on the density, the other that supplies energy is probably a golden core cultivator. Can you fight them all?"


    Xue Fang''s lips curved into a confident smile. "As long as it''s an open field, I am sure I can fight them all. Don''t underestimate my army of puppets. After all, with the strange tool I learned from the sect, their strength has been amplified many times over."


    "What about the others then? Don''t we have them standing by around here?" Yan Yu asked. She thought they could use their help to do something.


    With their capability, it would be useful to at least bait some members of the sect, lowering the number of enemies they need to face.


    "We need to break the barrier first. If we can do that, then sending a signal out is easy," MingHao suggested. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The moment the barrier breaks, they will be alerted. And I don''t think they are stupid enough to leave the array core unprotected," Xue Fang replied.


    "In that case, let''s look for it first," Yan Yu suggested.


    MingHao frowned. "How much time do we have based on your experience, Xue Fang?"


    "I don''t know, hard to say, maybe an hour, or even a day? If only we could find information about the ritual¡­"


    "The sect leader should be somewhere nearby overlooking everything. Try to go to the city hall; it''s north of the drone''s current location," MingHao pointed out.


    In the past, the most likely building used would be part of the Xueqi mansion, but after MingYue blew it all up, the next best thing would be the city hall.


    Although he was curious about how it looked now, MingHao knew they had higher priorities.


    They could not waste time on something unnecessary. While Xue Fang flew the drone, MingHao was looking at the city map. He was thinking of the best location to put the formation anchor.


    The street condition was worse than the one in the outskirt area. The rubble of houses and broken roads littered with bodies could be seen from the camera feed.


    They didn''t find this weird, as cultivators and people who could fight back usually stayed in the center. Meanwhile, those in the outskirts were normal civilians who could only surrender to their fate.


    "They don''t even bother to clean up the remains," Yan Yu commented.


    "This is good. Based on the body decomposition, it seems, they have took this city for a a while.


    Next, they probably experimented with the method on the outer disciples of the sect before going to the main one," Xue Fang commented.


    She then thought, ''The preparation and test should take some time, at a minimum of three days. This means the current ritual, at best, will only run around four days.


    Based on my knowledge of similar evil methods, we should at least have one more day or less.


    This should be enough time to learn all the necessary information. But how should we get out of this place?''


    "I think I found someplace that can be used to place the array core. It''s quite safe and secure¡­" MingHao''s voice trailed off as his eyes widened when looking back at the screen.


    Right now, the drone had already entered the city hall area and begun looking around for the sect leader, but what it found first instead was MingHao''s family. His cousin should be staying in another sect.


    The group was separated into two. Dozens of them were kneeling on the ground, while some of the women were doing something that MingHao could only describe as despicable acts toward their own family.


    His eyes quickly flickered in rage. "THAT FUCKING DAMN BULLY! I SHOULD HAVE LET SIS KILL THEM!"


    He recognized those people; they were his cousins from his sister''s generation. In the past, they tried to make a move on his sister. But as MingYue was untrusting and stronger, all their attempts failed miserably, and in a fit of anger, she almost killed all of them.


    At that time, their brother was his friend, so coaxed by them, he begged MingYue to give them mercy. If not for this, she would have already killed all of them.


    MingYu was not afraid of the family elder or patriarch at that time since she felt these people were just parasites.


    And she was not wrong. MingHao clenched his fists, his veins throbbing as his qi began to move unstably.


    "You know them?" Xue Fang asked as she put her palm over his shoulder.


    "Not only do I know them, they are the people that I saved once. Those four should be expelled from the family, but to think they came back and acted like this¡­."


    MingHao could already guess what had happened. These four intersected with the Sky Ember sect that was looking for some sacrifices. Then they shamelessly sold out DaYing City.


    As old inhabitants, they had knowledge of the city layout and array, making the siege easy to do.


    "No wonder a sect at that level went all the way here."


    "MingHao¡­ What do you plan now? It''s not like we can do anything. Let''s look for another room first; looking at this depravity will just make you feel angrier," Yan Yu suggested.

 Chapter 408 Earth Element

    Xue Fang also felt the same, so she moved the drone away, but despite this, the image was burned in his head, ''It seems some people really don''t deserve to be saved.''In the past, he had ideals to forgive someone and let them learn from their mistakes, but now he realizes how naive it was.


    If the victim was himself, he might be able to forgive it, but if it was others?


    There is no way MingHao could forgive them.


    "I don''t get it, though; why is your family gathered here again? Aren''t they scattered in their own sects?


    I mean, I get if someone wants to check the real situation, but there are quite a number gathered here."


    "Those trash probably baited them! That is how they have done it since they were kids."


    "Calm down first, MingHao. They will get their due punishment soon. And for your other cousins, well, they are cultivators.


    I am sure they can find a way to move forward; otherwise, they better just live peacefully somewhere else since they are not suitable to be one," Xue Fang commented.


    She had seen what happened, but in her mind, cultivation was never an easy path. It''s filled with so much cruelty and violence.


    What she saw didn''t even faze her since she had seen far worse. Although she was never on the victim''s side, she had gone out multiple times to rescue her clan people from their clutches. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingHao then looked around the area. He wanted to look for a way out without warning the others. Trying to dig up was possible, but since on top of them was debris from half-collapsed buildings, a wrong move could trigger another collapse.


    "How about if we make a tunnel from here toward the city hall?" MingHao suggested.


    Despite the drone already checking everything, including the basement of the city hall, they still failed to see the sect leader.


    If anything, the building was now more correctly called a pleasure house. They only found Sky Ember sect''s inner disciples doing the same depravity as MingHao''s cousins, only this time the victims were the rich civilians, like merchant daughters around the area.


    Many of the faces were familiar to him. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to tear them to shreds. He noted to himself, ''Some people just don''t deserve to live.''


    "So we dig to the city hall. Since they already have a basement area, this should be no problem. But how do you plan to dig it?" Xue Fang asked.


    MingHao responded by gathering qi in front of his hand. "With this, of course. I can not just shoot it but also gather it in front of my hand. Now, if I just do this¡­" MingHao''s eyes glinted as the qi started acting weirdly, and then, like a magnet, it began pulling some of the nearby debris.


    "So you are an earth element¡­ I never knew that," Yan Yu said with a deep sigh.


    He never showed his element when sparring against her or the others. This meant he was always just playing around with them.


    This made her shoulders slump, as she could not help but think that even if she tried to act like Xueqi''s ancestor wanted, she would just be a burden to him.


    "Manipulating the earth to make the tunnel. That should work. But do you have enough qi?" Xue Fang asked.


    "Don''t worry, I have enough to make a tunnel that far. Afterward, I will just take some pills and rest."


    Xue Fang squinted her eyes, "Don''t use that weird energy you got from your sister. Save it for emergencies."


    "Don''t worry, I know that."


    "That''s good. Just remember, MingHao, I am not stupid. If I detect you doing that, then we will have trouble here."


    MingHao''s lips twitched. He did plan to infuse it a bit to speed up the progress, as he didn''t want to let the victims suffer for long. But for Xue Fang, this didn''t matter.


    What was important to her was MingHao''s safety; as for the rest, they could all die tortured, and she wouldn''t even care.


    MingHao then started doing his work. He began using his qi to manipulate the earth, slowly creating a tunnel while pressing the rest into the outer area.


    Yan Yu was amazed at seeing this. "If you can do this, why not just make one directly outside?"


    "It''s not that simple. We may not be squashed down as I quickly path the area, but the building on top of us can still collapse further. Well, it was burned before, which doesn''t help either.


    Basically, it''s too fragile, and I don''t want to take the risk of pulling attention from the others."


    "I see. I still don''t get it, but since you say so," Yan Yu said with a chuckle, while Xue Fang just looked at her and shook her head.


    Her eyes looked at Yan Yu''s chest, and then she thought, ''It seems the saying is right; those with big chests usually lack brains.''


    Xue Fang was amazed by how Yan Yu''s brain worked. She understood how to use drones, computers, and phones, but when asked to do some math calculations, even simple ones, she would just fail miserably.


    It was the same for other studies that she didn''t have a shred of interest in. If it was just laziness, Xue Fang would still understand.


    But she still remembered how Yan Yu spent two days learning basic calculations despite being a cultivator and having her teach them.


    Meanwhile, MingHao focused on his task. He needed to make sure there were no changes detected outside, so he made it only enough for them to pass through. Experience tales with empire


    Halfway through, sweat started coming out from his forehead, and his breath began to run heavy.


    "Maybe we should rest first," Xue Fang said.


    But MingHao shook his head. "Don''t worry, I can still go on. We''re already halfway there."


    "You still need to maintain your stamina, MingHao. Otherwise, how will you punish those bastards?"

 Chapter 409 YunYun

    MingHao was silent for a moment, then said, "Alright, let''s take a break for a minute."Yan Yu, watching this, was surprised. Now, she was sure MingHao also had some feelings. Based on her understanding of his personality, there was no way he would give up like this.


    If she was the one to tell him, she was sure MingHao would reject it, saying they needed to reach there faster.


    MingHao closed his eyes and then sat cross-legged. They spent five minutes in silence before continuing to dig the tunnel.


    Time passed, and finally, they could see a light coming out from the crack. MingHao smiled, "Finally, I never thought the task would be this tiring."


    "You should have taken a longer break," Xue Fang commented.


    "I already took enough. Anyway, based on the drone view, there is no one here. I wonder why they didn''t put any guards."


    "They are complacent. With the formation barrier, they never thought anyone would come and infiltrate this city."


    "At the very least, they should still put some guards here," MingHao insisted.


    "I think they have, but well, the sect members are busy, as we saw in the video feed," YanYu said while looking around the basement.


    She could still see some gold and jewelry scattered around. The cultivators had no interest in it, so it was left untouched.


    Some of the areas were empty; based on their appearance, they were probably filled with pills or items related to cultivation techniques.


    YanYu could see some traces of qi in the area, something that usually existed after an item with qi stayed in one place for a long time.


    She then remembered a rumor she had heard before, where an object turned sentient because it was subjected to a high concentration of qi for a long period of time.


    Her random thought was then disturbed as walking sounds reached her ears.


    The group looked at each other and then quickly jumped to the ceiling. YanYu used her weapon to hold herself up while MingHao and Xue Fang grasped into the ceiling. Their fingers dug through the concrete, holding them up. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Your next journey awaits at empire


    They then utilized their qi, activating a formation in their suits, one that made them invisible from sight. As for qi, they just suppressed it as much as they could.


    It was not like they had planned to hide for long; they just wanted to check the situation and find out who had entered.


    Creak!


    The door opened. A shirtless man with a scar on his eye was pulling a woman by the hair. Her robe was shredded, barely hiding her beautiful body.


    MingHao''s veins throbbed, and his anger flared back. He dropped down from the ceiling, smashing the man''s head to the floor.


    BAM!


    The man''s eyes quickly turned lifeless as his forehead dented like a pancake, and his skull cracked. MingHao''s anger quickly switched to a frown, as he did not plan to kill him.


    The man had a cultivation realm similar to his own based on what he sensed. He never thought a smash exerting all his qi would end up with his death so easily.


    His confusion did not last long as the woman looked up at her savior. "MingHao, is that you?" she asked with a hoarse voice.


    "YunYun¡­" MingHao mumbled, looking at his cousin with sad eyes. He did not see her in the recording, so he thought she was safe. Looking at the wounds on her body, he knew she had endured a lot.


    Her cultivation was sealed, with many bruises and cut marks.


    Looking at them, Xue Fang threw a robe and pill toward Yun Yun.


    "Wear this first before we talk. No need to show off your body like that."


    YunYun''s cheeks turned red. She quickly took the pill; the wounds on her body quickly healed, and she could feel her strength returning.


    Her body was poisoned, preventing her from exerting any qi, and somehow, with a glance, the woman who came with her cousin gave her the antidote. This made her respect Xue Fang and feel thankful.


    "No need to look at me like that. Just wear your robe!" she then turned her gaze to MingHao. "And you, look the other way!"


    MingHao scratched his head and looked at the other side. Despite wanting to see, he knew this was the time to retreat; otherwise, he would just be branded as a pervert.


    ''Based on movies I watched, it''s better to act dense,'' he thought, then began walking toward the door, closing it.


    With her body healed, YunYun did not take long to change into a new robe. She also felt relieved, getting her qi back. She sighed, then with a respectful gesture, "Thank you, MingHao, and you all for helping me."


    "Why are you here?" MingHao asked, turning his head toward her.


    YunYun''s eyes quickly flickered with anger, while disgust was clear on her face.


    "Those bastards! They tricked us! I got news that there would be a gathering for our family to talk about the future.


    That is why I was here, but to think at the meeting, they instead drugged us."


    She clenched her fist as she remembered the humiliation she had faced all this time. Either blessing or curse, the one that took her was a sadist who liked to torture jade beauties.


    Based on the story, the man blabbered; in the past, he was forcing someone to entertain him, ending up having his ding dong cut off. After that, he turned into a sadist who liked to torture.


    In the man''s deranged mind, "If I cannot have it, others cannot, too."


    Hearing her answer confused MingHao, "You are one of the most careful ones in our family, how could you trust those four who were expelled by our family?"


    "You think it''s them? As you said, I will not believe them! The one that told us to gather here is Elder Sakoi."


    "What!? Is he still alive?" MingHao asked.


    Based on his knowledge, Elder Sakoi always followed their Patriarch everywhere, so he thought the elder was killed after hearing his demise from MingYue.

 Chapter 410 Secret Realm Seal

    In reality, he was one of the elders tasked to inform the news to other sects, but in the middle of the way, he encountered something that resulted in the current situation."It''s hard to say, but basically, somehow, he is now inside the Sky Ember sect leader."


    "A possession? How? I remember the elder is not that strong. The sect leader should be at least in the golden core realm."


    "I just saw him for a moment and made a conclusion based on things I heard when I was here."


    "So you are not sure about it?" Xue Fang asked.


    "No, I am sure. One of the sect elders mentioned the decision to look for those four scum came from him.


    Otherwise, how do you think they met? By coincidence?


    Last I heard those four were living as local tyrants in some village. There is no way they would dare to take such a risk. You know how depraved they were."


    "Hear that, MingHao? It''s not your fault," Xue Fang said. She did not know the details, but based on his expression, she could already guess he blamed himself for the situation.


    MingHao frowned. He was sure he never told her about that, so he did not know how to respond. Instead, he asked further, "Where is Elder Sakoi then? I have been trying to look for him around the city, but there are no traces of him at all."


    "Last I saw him, he was walking around this building, seemingly looking for something. Do you think there is treasure hidden here?"


    ''Ancestor! Do you know any other hidden treasure in the city?'' MingHao asked through his mind.


    ''No, when our family came here, this area was just another village with fertile land. I don''t think anything is hidden here.''


    MingHao then asked YunYun back, "Are you sure? Do you have more information?"


    YunYun then began explaining what happened. When she was tortured, her mind did not stay idle; she tried hard to focus on the voices around the area.


    Even without qi, her hearing was quite sharp. Based on their talks, Elder Sakoi was looking for a specific area in the city. It was a normal plain rock, but one carved with a specific symbol.


    ''A rock? With a specific symbol? But there are so many places like that in the city¡­.'' MingHao thought.


    "How about the ritual they do outside? Do you know what that is?" Xue Fang asked.


    "I heard them say it''s a sacrifice prepared to unlock a seal." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Seal? What kind?"


    Yun Yun shook her head, "I thought this was related to the treasure they were looking for. You know it''s normal for a strong cultivator to seal their wealth in a random area using a random thing as the key, just to make it hard for others to find."


    "Those stupid old bastards, that is just too greedy. Even in death, they don''t want to share their resources," Xue Fang said with annoyance.


    She had met a cultivator like this before, in the past, as she hunted down material to perfect her puppet technique.


    Since the cultivator didn''t put any clues, it made her spend a lot of effort to find it. In total, she spent 50 years.


    "A secret realm? Here?" MingHao mumbled in disbelief. Somehow, he felt if it was just a simple secret realm, his sister should have found it when coming to this city last time.


    She just had too many methods to fail to find a place like this. And in no way would MingYue skip a place that is filled with treasure.


    At the very least, she would have told him something about it.


    "Ancient ritual, sacrifice, break seal¡­" Xue Fang mumbled as she started remembering something from the old tome of her clan.


    "Do you have some idea, Xue Fang?"


    MingHao asked.


    "I forgot, but I have read something similar to this situation in the past. If I am right, whatever is sealed inside here is not treasure but something more sinister."


    "A demonic cultivator?" YanYu asked. She had heard many of them were sealed in the past, as it was too annoying trying to kill them.


    Their bodies just kept regenerating non-stop, making the only option to extinguish their soul one that could only be achieved by special means or inner world battle.


    "I am not sure, but probably something even more dangerous than that. Just see the scale of the ritual they are doing now."


    "I get it," MingHao suddenly said. "To unlock the seal, they probably need to sacrifice a cultivator at a high realm. That is why they are doing this now, forcefully raising his cultivation, then planning to kill him afterward."


    Xue Fang tried to remember the scene she had seen, the formation array, and the people taking guard and fueling it. "Maybe that is true. So what is your goal now?


    I don''t want to waste time, considering the situation, MingHao. If you want to rescue your family, you can stay here. I will go to attack their ritual ground."


    "That is too dangerous, Xue Fang. I know you are capable, but considering the situation, we don''t know how strong Elder Sakoi is now, or who knows if they have more strong people hidden."


    Feeling his concern, Xue Fang smiled, "Don''t worry; at the very least, I could escape. You should finish your mission quickly, then you can come to help me." Find exclusive stories on empire


    There are a few reasons Xue Fang decided to separate, but mostly because she didn''t want MingHao to fall into danger because he couldn''t concentrate when fighting, thinking about his cousin.


    "Let''s just go together, Xue Fang. It''s not like it will take long to rescue them all. Or, at the very least, I will go with you," YanYu suggested.


    "No, you will just become a burden if you join me alone. Can you fight against a golden core cultivator?" Xue Fang asked.


    YanYu froze and couldn''t answer. Xue Fang''s blunt remark made her clench her fist. Her determination to become stronger grew even further. ''I swear I will focus on cultivation when I return.''

 Chapter 411 Hostage

    "In that case, take care of yourself, Xue Fang. We will go to you as fast as possible."Xue Fang nodded, "Just be careful. We have checked every nook in this building, and there are no traps, but who knows what those sect members are capable of now?"


    "Seeing what happened to this one, I don''t think we have much of a problem," YanYu said with a smile.


    The group then separated. Xue Fang made her way out, not directly going to attack the ritual place. Instead, she moved toward the location where the array core should be.


    She took out her puppets and made them separate all over the place.


    To make sure no one found out, she went to each area before sending the puppet out, then moved them as she also moved to another place.


    Her brain now multi-processed more than 25 puppets going in separate directions. Continue your saga on empire


    This was possible now because of how she learned programming from Alex''s world. It was like inputting sequences of commands with many ''what if'' situations, allowing them to move almost independently.


    While she only need to make sure everything run smoothly.


    Otherwise, no matter how used she was, maintaining 25 parallel minds would have made her brain crash.


    Alex had tried to achieve something like this and failed multiple times. Only now that he had lost his emotions did he have the capability to do something like this.


    While she did this, MingHao also began to make his move. Inside the mansion, the wall and ground were cracked.


    Yang Yu was standing on his side with a sword pointed forward, while YunYun was holding two daggers that were linked with a chain.


    "DIE!" She screamed coldly as she threw them like a boomerang. The chains of the knife spun in the air, turning into a deadly whirlwind toward her target.


    A shameless cultivator was now using one of her cousins as a shield.


    MingHao''s eyes, meanwhile, were red with anger. A few moments ago, they had entered the room where he knew his family was kept.


    He wanted to take care of them first and then make those he helped rescue the others.


    But things didn''t turn out as he expected. The moment he entered, MingHao directly punched one of the four, his fist boosted with life force, allowing his punch to smash through the man''s heart.


    Crimson blood spurted out, but MingHao didn''t stop there. Asking for help from Xueqi''s Ancestor, he captured the cultivator''s soul.


    Just like him, Xueqi Ancestor was also fuming in anger; it was his descendants who were being degraded and tortured.


    With the danger he posed, MingHao expected they would all gather together to attack him. That was what they usually did in the past.


    Ganging up on someone, thinking they had an advantage in numbers. Unfortunately, they had grown and learned since being exiled from the family.


    What they did now was take their captive and use their body as a human shield.


    "All of you are hopeless!" MingHao angrily said.


    Meanwhile, YunYun''s knife hit its target, spinning accurately, making the chain envelop the hostage''s body while the sharp edge stabbed the perpetrator right in the neck.


    The man groaned in pain as part of his skin turned black. "ARRGGHH!!! Bitch, you used poison!"


    He used both hands to hold his neck as the pain was unbearable. It felt like all the blood in his body was boiling.


    "How does it feel to be on the receiving end? Don''t worry, mine is better than the one you gave to me. With your current cultivation level, it will kill you instantly," YunYun said with spite.


    She purposely used the strongest poison she had. YunYun kept it hidden in a small storage space on her robe. This was done in case of an emergency if she somehow lost her storage ring, as very rarely would a cultivator do something like this.


    Rather than putting a storage space on a robe, they would prefer using it to add more defensive formations to raise their survivability in a fight.


    Seeing the fate of his two comrades, one of the men spoke up, "Any of you make a move, even a single qi fluctuation, and we will kill all the hostages."


    YunYun and YanYu frowned, while MingHao asked back, "What do you want?"


    He was now holding a knife, putting it on the neck of the woman in his grasp. "Seal your qi, then we can talk." He said while his eyes lasciviously looked at YanYu, making her body shiver.


    "Hahaha, some people are really beyond redemption." MingHao''s eyes then glinted with killing intent.


    His qi exploded outward, and he moved so fast, like a blur, appearing behind the man. His hand grasped over his neck from behind.


    Meanwhile, the other one, seeing this, decided to fulfill their threat. He broke the neck of the cultivator in his captive, effectively killing her, then threw the body toward YanYu and YunYun.


    "WE HAVE AN INTRUDER!" He screamed out loud, using his qi, while he utilized his secret technique to escape.


    YanYu quickly reacted. She leaped forward, following the man.


    "YunYun, follow YanYu, help her," MingHao said coldly. Right now, in the room, there were only his helpless cousin and nephew, with the only threat being choked by him.


    YunYun nodded, agreeing this was the best choice.


    "Release me!" The man screamed while trying his best to get out of his grasp.


    He tried to utilize his qi, but each time it wanted to form, it always failed. He didn''t know why, but he suspected it was related to MingHao''s grip on his neck.


    He could feel searing, hot pain coming from it.


    What happened was similar to what Alex did using qi to infiltrate the enemy''s body.


    The only difference was the scale. While Alex did this to cut things at a cellular level, MingHao was just injecting his qi into his opponent''s body. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was something that every cultivator could do; the only difference was that MingHao had practiced Xueqi family secret techniques.


    This allowed him to change the nature of the qi he sent as an attack.

 Chapter 412 Assault Riffle

    Just like when he shot a blast at someone, this qi moved to target the enemy''s qi vein. He learned this recently after realizing what he had done to kill YunYun''s captor.At that time, without realizing it, when he hit the man in the head, he sent his qi inside, making it explode.


    This time, he controlled it, making sure it wouldn''t kill him. MingHao then bashed the man toward the concrete multiple times, using him like a mace. Continue your adventure with empire


    BANG! BANG! Each time, the ground cracked, and the man could feel all his bones breaking apart.


    He then threw him in the air, then hit him right in the dantian. MingHao''s punch directly cracked his qi core, then sent him flying into the wall.


    He then threw the antidote he got from Xue Fang toward his cousin, "Punish him as you like; just remember, I will get his soul."


    "Thank you, MingHao." They said in unison while their eyes quickly turned to hatred. All the humiliation and pain they faced, it was time for them to return it.


    MingHao then took a seat in the corner while he looked at what their cousin did.


    ''Why are you wasting time watching them?'' Xueqi''s ancestor asked in his mind.


    ''I am waiting for the soul to come out. As for YunYun and YanYu, I am sure they will be alright.''


    ''What do you plan with his soul? We still have the other one.''


    ''After we return, I will learn more about formation and ancestors. I think some people are beyond redemption.


    But killing them outright also seems a waste. I remember learning the concept of hell and heaven from the story that sis brought.''


    ''You want to create a separate space for this soul? Then torture them like in hell?''


    ''Yes, then broadcast it all over, making sure everyone sees with their own eyes what happens if they act like them.''


    ''Hah, you think that could work? Maybe at the beginning, but do you think everyone fears pain?''


    ''Even if it deters only some people, that will be good enough. At least it reduces some of them.''


    ''How could you even make one? Formation alone is not enough to make this. You need an understanding of the soul and what to do with them. Don''t tell me you''re just going to torture them for eternity.''


    ''Maybe some, well, let me think about it later. It''s just some vague idea. I will discuss it with sis.


    Just keep the soul for now; they can be your playmates inside the ring.''


    The ancestor snorted at his remark, ''Who do you think I am? Right now, I just knocked their souls to sleep, to not disturb me.


    But since you say something about hell, maybe I should really make them taste one now.''


    ''Alright, go on then.'' MingHao replied with a chuckle.


    Hearing this, the ancestor didn''t respond back, he just felt relieved that MingHao was not consumed by hatred. It''s not that hatred was bad, but for people like him, Xueqi ancestor felt it would become a heart demon.


    For MingYue, hatred would just make her stronger, but MingHao was too idealistic, and it could make him overthink everything.


    Screams of pain reverberated in the room, but it was nothing compared to what happened outside.


    YanYu finally caught up with her target, but because of the scream, many other cultivators, including Skye Ember Sect members, came out.


    This made her decide to go all out, she could not let them come out and report this to their elder. It would throw a wrench into Xue Fang''s plan and, in the worst case, even endanger her life.


    With that thought, her sword danced like the wind, trying to butcher them into meat paste.


    Some were murdered, while others survived her onslaught, parrying the attacks.


    Each of them took out their weapons and then attacked her from all directions.


    YunYun arrived from the back, ambushing a few of them. As for YanYu, she decided to take another approach. She put her weapon back into her storage ring and took out an assault rifle.


    She could have used this from the start, but her ammo was limited in number. Making one that could kill a cultivator at her level was not cheap.


    BANG! BANG! BANG! BRRTT!!!


    Many bullets rained down on them, creating holes in their bodies and almost killing them instantly.


    Seeing the result, YanYu smiled, thinking, ''If only we had bullets that could kill golden core cultivators, things would be far easier.''


    YunYun''s mouth gaped open, and her eyes widened. "What is that weapon?"


    "It''s a weapon of my sect, well, to be exact, the sect that MingHao''s sister created."


    "Sister MingYue? She created her own sect?" YunYun asked in confusion. The last time she knew, she was reported as dead.


    And now, somehow, not only was she alive, but she also had her own sect?


    This made her wonder if she had the capability to build one, why not rebuild the Xueqi family. Based on her understanding, she was loyal and also the hope of the elders. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Did I miss something? As I thought, the family''s destruction is not normal. It should have something to do with why sis MingYue made her own sect.''


    With that thought, YunYun decided to follow MingHao and return to the BaiYue sect later. She needed to find out the truth.


    With the gun in her hand, the fight turned into a one-sided massacre. YanYu kept marveling every time she saw the result.


    At the same time, a sense of dread started surfacing, ''I am glad this weapon can only be used by cultivators for now, but if one day everyone could use this¡­.''


    If what she thought happened, in her opinion, it would make cultivators extinct.


    Who would bother cultivating, spending tons of resources and time, when they could just kill them in one shot?


    The only reason anyone would do that would be to prolong their life, but considering what she learned so far, even this could be remedied with technology.

 Chapter 413 Xue Fangs Ambush

    Who knows, even the whole cultivation system could be transformed, making it accessible for everyone in BaiYue sect.As the place was cleaned up, Xue Fang finally finished her preparations.


    At the ritual spot, one of the golden core elders'' faces turned into a frown. Despite the people there acting leisurely, they still did routine reports to make sure everything was alright.


    He tried to contact them and started thinking something was amiss.


    "You, go and check the city lord''s mansion, make sure everything is alright."


    The sect member was standing in a daze as there was nothing he needed to do there, but hearing the elder''s words, he quickly turned alert, "Yes, elder."


    He didn''t even ask questions and left. But this weirdness didn''t pass the other elders.


    "What is wrong?"


    "Yeah, why would you need to check that place?"


    "It''s been a while since their last report, so I just need to make sure."


    "The barrier is fine. I doubt anyone can give us trouble. This only means they are too busy acting like animals."


    "Just whose idea was it to let them do as they pleased?"


    The other elder who sat cross-legged at the ritual nodded. "They better cultivate or donate their qi to fasten the progress."


    "Shh¡­ did you forget this is the secret leader''s order? He said the quality of qi matters to ensure the result."


    One of the elders then looked around, making sure the sect leader was nowhere close. "Did you all believe him? I know he showed us some proof, like the disciple''s transformation and his current strength, but his personality now.


    How could I say it¡­ Well, it''s like someone took over his body."


    "But we did some tests on him. His soul has proven to be real."


    "Still, how accurate is that artifact?"


    "Our sect has used it for years. It''s been proven accurate."


    "Look, I am a formation master, and I will tell you that artifacts are one hundred percent accurate. Even now, I still don''t know how it works."


    "What do you mean? The artifact is really easy; someone touches it, and it records their soul. The next time they touch it, the color of the artifact will change if the person has a different soul."


    The formation elder frowned, "Truly talking with an idiot like you is a waste of time."


    "What are you saying!?" The elder retorted back in anger.


    "Enough about that, we are going off topic, my point was how dangerous what we are doing now is? And where is he? I cannot even detect his qi now."


    "Sect master should return when the preparation is almost done. It will probably be in a few hours."


    "But it''s truly a pity." One of the elders said while looking at the man they were going to sacrifice, "He is one of our geniuses. I am sure he could become stronger than us if he kept cultivating."


    "Have you grown senile?" The other elder retorted, "Did you forget we all have agreed to this?"


    "You are right¡­" The elder replied with a sigh.


    "Stop questioning yourself; everyone has already agreed.


    Who can blame us anyway?


    We already reached the peak of our potential and now are just waiting for our death. Who will reject when we get an opportunity to live longer and become stronger?


    Everyone nodded at this, the thing that the sect master offered was just too good to be true, but he had proven it.


    Despite the sect master''s limited potential, he had broken through to another realm. Not only that, but he also had many secret techniques that utilized soul and negative emotion.


    At first, they thought their sect elder had gone crazy and become a demonic cultivator, but after understanding how it worked, they felt it was hard to say it was demonic cultivation. Enjoy more content from empire


    It used the soul, but what was refined was just the soul''s emotion. Basically, the new cultivation method their sect master used now depended solely on negative emotion, something they had never heard of before.


    Even the evil sects they knew had no capability to do this.


    As they continued talking, suddenly a loud voice pulled their attention. "ELDER! Something is wrong!"


    The disciple they sent just returned, he didn''t even enter the city hall. When he got close, he could smell blood, an intense amount of it.


    If it was just this, he wouldn''t feel any suspicion, considering what was happening inside. But he saw some of the building walls were cracked.


    This prompted him to quickly escape. But before the elders could react or ask further.


    BOOM!!!


    A huge explosion shook the land, taking everyone''s attention. At the center of the ritual, the place where their sacrifice was being refined, as smoke was billowing out.


    "NO!" One of the elders screamed in panic, he slapped his hand in the air creating enough wind to scatter the smoke.


    Their sacrifice then revealed itself surrounded by a cracked transparent qi barrier.


    "That gave me a fright, thankfully we prepared a barrier just in case." The formation elder said.


    Meanwhile, the other elders looked around the area; they stopped fueling the ritual formation and instead, spread their qi around, letting their pressure. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "WHO is it!? COME out!"


    But no one replied to them, instead what answered were a few swooshing sounds, followed by multiple explosions.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    This time the target changed, it attacked the location of the elders, making them dodge, while some used their secret techniques to block.


    The result was disastrous for the Sky Ember sect.


    The elders may be able to defend themselves, but this comes at the cost of the ritual formation. Part of it was destroyed, and many disciples were killed in the process.


    Their souls flew, trying to escape, but instead, they got absorbed by the ritual formation.


    ''So this is what that part is for, to think a formation that can fix itself is really possible.'' The formation of elder thought.

 Chapter 414 Ghoul

    The smoke dispersed, leaving behind many craters in the ground and littered body pieces. Surrounding them were four figures in hoods with weird metallic pipes on their shoulders.Xue Fang ordered her puppet to show up since she already could not hide them. The first shot was a surprise, but the second wave was not, some of the golden core cultivators already pinpointed their location. Making it better for her to take the initiative.


    But this didn''t mean she would show up. Xue Fang preferred to be a puppeteer who controlled everything from the shadows.


    Experience more content on empire


    The elders tried to communicate, but the four puppets didn''t respond; instead, they threw the pipes toward their location. This made them quickly exert their qi to dodge.


    They didn''t know what item that was. They could not even feel any qi coming from it. But that is what made them think it was dangerous.


    How could a normal metal pipe create such an explosion?


    In reality, Xue Fang only used the modified rocket on the first attack, and she used normal ones for the second wave. This is why they could not feel anything from the bazooka.


    CLANG! CLANG!


    The bazooka crashed into the ground, and the four puppets utilized this moment. As the elders all escaped, the spot was completely empty.


    The four puppets took out a sphere from their hoods, then threw it into the spot. Another wave of explosions followed but this time it was like the first one, the ground shook and cracked.


    The grenades they used were modified to utilize qi and formations, enhancing their damage to a new level.


    The elders were caught off guard. The ritual formation this time could not survive the onslaught.


    "ARRRGH!!!" A guttural scream then reverberated in the air as the man they tried to refine broke free.


    Without the formation array, nothing was holding him down nor blocking his scream out. The elders could only hear it now, but each of them knew he was screaming all the time.


    The pain of having your soul and body refined is not something that any sane person can withstand. At this point, the disciple''s mind had already broken, leaving behind instincts fueled by negative emotions.


    His hatred being betrayed by his own sect, his own master. Those that he thought were his family, even his own lover, all became sources of his anger.


    His skin was now as white as snow with all his veins protruding out colored in dark. His hand turned into something like a beast''s claw, where all the nails grew long and sharp.


    The man''s eyes lost their white completely colored in darkness, it was like an empty void that wanted to eat the world whole.


    His qi exploded out, making the four elders'' faces quickly turn into panic. Mystic Integration Realm Late stage. It was not something they could face even if the target was brainless, and could not use any secret techniques.


    "GRAAA!!!" The man screamed and then moved like a blur, starting his massacre.


    Xue Fang saw everything that was happening, she didn''t plan to help the elders. In her mind, it was better to observe now and study how he moved, if he could kill all the elders it would be better for her since she would need to face fewer enemies.


    Even though he was two realms ahead of her now, she didn''t feel afraid. Xue Fang still believed she could kill him.


    ''He looks like a ghoul that I watched in some of those cartoons, but it''s quite different as he doesn''t have any of that red tail thingy.


    Hmm¡­ maybe more correct if I just treat him like a spirit beast.''


    The reason Xue Fang thought this is because the ghoul attacked and moved like one. Despite standing on its two legs, its movements consisted only of leaping, biting, slashing, from a distance he would use his bone turning it into something like a chain then pulling the elder close to him.


    He would then tear the elder apart, eating it if they didn''t have any protection barrier.


    The way the ghoul fought was brutal; he would take out the bone on his hand or body and then somehow transform it into a weapon based on his needs.


    His body was sliced open, but he moved like he didn''t feel any pain.


    ''How could I kill this creature? Where is the core?'' Xue Fang thought.


    It''s clear slashing the ghoul''s body won''t work, and she also needs to calculate how many puppets she needs to sacrifice.


    Otherwise, there was no way she could hold the ghoul down and launch an attack.


    The ghoul roared once more, right now only two elders were left standing in the battleground, one was the formation elder, while the other was the one questioning their sect elder.


    "I don''t know who you are, but don''t you see how strong this creature is? I have this formation jade slip. If you help us, I will give it to you."


    Xue Fang moved her qi then used one of the puppets to respond in a genderless voice, "Give me the jade slip first, otherwise we will have no deal."


    The formation elder hesitated, as this was the only item he had to negotiate, but the other elder was desperate, he had already lost one of his hands, while trying his best to run away from the ghoul''s attack. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just give it to her! Do you have a better idea?"


    "Fine!" The formation elder replied as he threw it to the puppet.


    Xue Fang quickly read the information inside, she marveled at the intricacy of the array, how it worked and moved, some of it even gave her an idea to make her puppet even stronger.


    But this one was quite cruel and could even be called an evil method.


    She would need to capture someone, torture them till they were dyed with dark emotion, and then refine their soul into the puppet.

 Chapter 415 Danger

    The result would be a killing machine that only knew to fight till their enemy died.''Thankfully, I don''t need to use this now; even though they are stronger than my current method, what I use is far more versatile.


    And who knows what Ming Hao would think if he knew I used such an evil method for my puppet? Will he hate me?


    What am I even thinking? Now is not the time for this.''


    Xue Fang shook the weird thoughts out of her mind and then focused back on the battlefield.


    "Do you still have the material to make another one?"


    "We have a spare, but it''s on his storage ring," the formation elder pointed at one of his comrades.


    The body was located close to the ghoul that was now pursuing the other elder. His face was pale, etched with panic and fear.


    He didn''t want to die. Not now, when he had just found a way to become stronger. He had tried to contact the sect elder, but there was no reply.


    His only hope was the strange enemy that had attacked them out of nowhere.


    "Please do something quickly, I can''t hold out for long." Discover hidden stories at empire


    Swosh! The ghoul''s sharp claw passed through empty air as the elder ducked to dodge the attack.


    With a ragged breath, he activated a talisman that teleported him a distance away, giving him some chance to breathe.


    He had one to run far away, but the elder didn''t even try using it as he knew the formation locking the city down would stop it.


    Xue Fang hadn''t ordered them to make a move yet, as she thought right now it was useful for them, to make sure no one escaped. With their current enemy, different from Ynayu, she felt they would provide no help at all. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The elder then pointed his palm forward, and his qi churned as he shot out a blue fire in the form of a dragon. The blue fire was their sect''s signature.


    It had intense heat and unique properties that allowed them to easily mold it into other attacks or infuse it into weapons.


    The blue dragon shot out like a projectile, meeting up with the ghoul. The heat burned its skin, but the ghoul didn''t feel anything. With a guttural growl, it started clawing in succession, trying to rip it apart.


    Dark qi covered its hand, giving it unique properties that somehow allowed the ghoul to attack the dragon as if it were a real living being.


    Seeing this fight, Xue Fang shook her head, ''No matter how strong, he still fights like a beast. Maybe I should try to trap him instead, rather than using the formation to seal him.''


    Her finger then danced in the air, sending commands to her puppet. Two of them moved forward as they took out a sword and shield.


    The formation elder looked at them with curiosity. The sword was a normal weapon, but the metallic object in the puppet''s hand was something new for him.


    He knew it was a shield, something that civilians often used in their conflicts. But for cultivators, he had never seen anyone use one.


    The puppet with the shield dashed toward the ghoul. At high speed, with a loud bang, it tackled him away, crashing into a nearby house. The bleeding elder used the time to quickly gulp multiple pills.


    His qi was nearly depleted, blood kept dripping from the stump, and his life-saving talisman was all used. He really almost died now.


    The second puppet began its move, walking toward the corpse to pick the formation material. At the same time, Xue Fang also started ordering other puppets to move, gathering the storage rings of the others.


    The formation elder could only shake his head, as there was nothing he could do. He walked toward his comrade to help him recover faster.


    Meanwhile, the ghoul started fighting back. With unnatural movements, it climbed the shield and then pierced its nails into the puppet.


    With its sharpness, it was like putting a needle through butter.


    Xue Fang''s face quickly changed the moment this happened. She could feel it. In that instant, the dark energy of the ghoul corrupted the puppet; it even moved and tracked her location.


    ''This energy is not like qi,'' she commented as she ran out of her hiding, trying to move to a new place.


    The energy she felt was like a million ants moving; it gave her a creepy feeling like they were alive. But unfortunately, she was too late.


    After she cut the connection, the puppet moved by itself, losing its combat effectiveness. Normally Xue Fang would make it go back down and tackle back while making sure to avoid all attacks from the ghoul. But without her control, the last set-up command was attacking every enemy in the vicinity.


    The ghoul''s hand easily pierced through the puppet''s head. It then started biting and tearing it into shreds. Within seconds, the puppet was turned into scraps.


    Its eyes then locked toward Xue Fang''s direction. Like a leopard pouncing on its prey, the ghoul shot through like a bullet, destroying everything blocking its path.


    Five puppets quickly appeared beside Xue Fang. She could sense the ghoul was coming in her direction. The five were holding huge towering shields; they raised them forward, creating a barricade preparing to block its attack.


    But like a bowling ball scoring a strike in a single shot, the puppets were knocked out into the air. Xue Fang frowned and sent out dozens of puppets, making them run in formation to block its path.


    ''Dammit, it''s learning!'' she cursed in her mind while she moved the other two on the ritual site to fix the formation array.


    The ghoul''s attacks became more ferocious. If before it just used its bones to pull at the target, this time it transformed into a sword, and the being did swordplay.


    Xue Fang didn''t know who to curse. When fighting against the elder, the ghoul didn''t evolve and just kept going with the same pattern. But the moment it attacked her, it started to change.


    Later on, she would learn the cause of this, and it would make her fuming with anger.

 Chapter 416 Despair

    The ghoul''s intelligence is raised because of the contact with her puppet.The ghoul learned from the self-learning combat formation etched on the puppet. The same one used by Vesa with the mannequin that fought against Ling Hua.


    The ghoul''s sword was so sharp that even the puppet with a huge shield barely blocked its attack.


    BANG!


    With one hit, a loud sound reverberated, as half of the shield''s thickness was cut down. The ghoul sent another attack, cutting it into two.


    Knowing the puppets wouldn''t last longer, she sent them closer and made them explode to attack the ghoul. An explosion reverberated again as Xue Fang took out more puppets that pointed their guns toward the ghoul.


    A barrage of bullets reverberated in the air as she thought how her combat style had completely changed. In the past, she would use many hidden weapons and poison, but now it was so flashy and filled with explosives.


    She began to think she should change it back when she finished the mission. Xue Fang was so amazed by the technology Ming Yue showed her that she got too absorbed in it.


    Bullets, explosives, and smoke filled the area as she threw everything she had. The ghoul had now become a very dangerous entity in her eyes.


    If he kept learning and becoming better in his current cultivation realm, none of them would survive. She couldn''t allow this to happen.


    But the explosions and bullets did nothing more than create more craters on the ground. The ghoul was barely wounded as it kept making its way toward Xue Fang.


    Each of its attacks became more sophisticated, its movements even started mimicking modern fighting styles. Some that Xue Fang had learned from movies and stories.


    A boxing footstep, the sway, while it kept dancing with its sword, cutting her puppets into pieces.


    The more time passed, her confidence began to break. Ten puppets, twenty puppets, fifty puppets, none of them had any use other than turning into experience points that just leveled up the puppet.


    If this was a video game, her puppets would just be cannon fodder that everyone else would curse with 1001 vocabulary words that she barely understood. Like NOOB!


    Despair started overwhelming her as she faced the ghoul that was now walking toward her. All the puppets were littered on the ground in pieces. Her heart shook as she took out two spheres from her storage ring. This was her last resort, a modified Asura Fury Lotus.


    She modified it with more explosives and poisonous chemicals. While the last one would not just trigger a hail of deadly needle storm but also an atomic explosion. The one she had was on a far smaller scale than Alex used.


    But based on her expectation, this should be far more than enough to kill an immortal if she used it in an ambush.


    The sphere spun in the air creating a whirring sound, it then began to bloom like a beautiful lotus right in front of the ghoul.


    BAM! SWOSH! BOOM!


    The sequence of attacks exploded, the ghoul moved its sword in quick succession parrying each of them. Needles were deflected while some pierced through its skin but had no use.


    The poison just didn''t have any effect on the ghoul; some of the acid was still used as its muscles were liquefied but quickly regenerated.


    But Xue Fang already expected this, her hope was on the final sequence when finally the atomic explosion happened.


    The needles rained down their lethal poison, but the ghoul kept walking forward barely impeded. Then it finally came, the chemical reaction followed by a sphere explosion the size of a car that engulfed the ghoul as a whole.


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    The blinding light pulled the elder''s attention toward that direction, and cold sweat came out, as both of them knew they would be instantly killed if touched by that amount of energy.


    What scared them even more was that they didn''t know what or how it happened; it was pure destructive power with heat that couldn''t be linked with just the fire element. Something they had never seen before.


    The explosion dissipated, leaving a bit of radiation in the air. Xue Fang''s hope shattered to ashes as she saw that the ghoul still survived.


    Gritting her teeth, she took out two puppets, one on her left and the other on her right. Her strongest ones but also the ones she never wanted to use anymore.


    The man and woman puppets moved forward, one was now carrying a halberd while the woman from a distance away pointed her rifle toward the ghoul.


    The ghoul''s body right now barely had any flesh left. It only had one arm and part of its head was also gone. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xue Fang could already see the ghoul was beginning to regenerate, but she had hope. If she could damage it further, there should be a way to kill him.


    Her gaze focused on the crack on the ghoul''s head, looking for its core. Part of his chest had already opened, showing his heart that was no longer beating. She hoped the core should be located in the brain.


    Xue Fang didn''t believe it didn''t have one as he was reined like a puppet.


    The man''s halberd spun through the air targeting the ghoul''s head, it barely raised its hand to block, but even this was enough to stop the attack. One almost busted hand holding a sword blocked a full-blown attack of her strongest puppet.


    She clicked her tongue, and from her father''s puppet''s hand, a gap opened, taking out a gun barrel, pointing at its head.


    BANG!


    The bullet shot directly on the ghoul''s face, creating another gaping hole. It was one with a huge caliber and enhanced with qi and mana.


    But even this was not enough. The ghoul slashed forward, launching Xue Fang''s dad a distance away till he crashed into the ground.


    Her mother began shooting, emptying all the bullets, all targeted on the ghoul''s head.

 Chapter 417 Demise?

    Xue Fang was betting it all. As long as the head was destroyed, she would win this. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Grasping with this hope, she dashed forward, taking out her own weapon, a long staff that could be split in the middle.


    At the end of the tip, a round metal was attached, allowing Xue Fang to perform bashing attacks.


    She utilized all her qi, going all out on this offensive.


    BAM!


    A shockwave exploded, dispersing the smoke.


    All her effort provided results; the ghoul''s head was completely smashed, leaving behind only a part from the nose down. The whole forehead and eyes had disappeared.


    Xue Fang should have felt relieved, but instead, her despair was growing. The ghoul''s lips moved, letting out a snarling growl as his half-destroyed hand raised his bone sword toward her neck.


    With their close distance, she could not make a move; anything she could do would be too late. Her parent puppets moved by themselves, utilizing all their strength to come close.


    Her mother raised her palm, letting out a similar cannon like the one on Xue Fang''s father. But this one was more smaller and slender, making it look like a barrel of a normal gun instead.


    BANG! BANG! She shot toward the ghoul''s back.


    Meanwhile, the father''s puppet, getting out from the rubble, made a throwing motion and then launched his glaive through the air.


    Both projectiles were on the way, but Xue Fang knew it would still be too late. The edge of the sword glided closely toward her neck.


    Her life started flashing before her eyes. The childhood moments when she was still innocent, basking in her father''s and mother''s love each day. Their demise, her guttural scream of pain.


    The relentless nights where every day felt like unending torment. Things started turning better after she met with Brook and learned about her family secret.


    After that moment, her life was filled with cultivation, her duty, and responsibility as the clan leader. It was a long span of time in her life, but Xue Fang herself felt like time itself had frozen.


    It was not only her body that stopped growing; her life was also the same. She dedicated everything to the clan, the betterment of her village.


    But everything changed after MingYue''s visit.


    The village she held dear was destroyed; her ancestor, whom she thought would never die, finally breathed his last breath. Ironically, with the destruction, the chain that tied her down also disappeared.


    She tried to act strong in front of her people, but every time she was alone, she started breaking down. Her long-pent-up emotions started bubbling up once more, then exploded with no one she could vent to.


    Every day, she could only forcefully calm herself down by meditating or busying herself, learning tons of new information available in the Bai Yue Sect.


    At this moment, she met MingHao. Her first impression of him was one of confusion and interest. Despite how he acted politely, she could tell from his eyes he didn''t really mean it. He saw her as someone his age.


    ''This is it, huh? From my hundred years of living, barely ten percent of it is what I can call truly living.


    MingHao, if only I had more time to talk with you.''


    Her eyes became glistening with tears; she then closed them, accepting her fate.


    Normally, she would not think like this, as her soul would still be intact even after her body died, but she knew it was different in this situation.


    Not only was there a ritual formation that could absorb her soul, but she also expected the ghoul could probably do the same.


    Her chance to survive was really slim. Time passed, seconds feeling like an eternity, then it finally came. The pain started spreading from her neck as her protective qi was cut like butter.


    What came next was her smooth skin, followed by her flesh. Crimson blood splattered in the air as she called out once more in her mind, ''MingHao.''


    A distance away from Xue Fang and the ghoul, MingHao was now moving alone toward her location. YanYu was going to the ritual place as YunYun led her cousin to clean up the Sky Ember Sect to free the other captives.


    Based on the information they got, there were others used to imprison the rogue cultivators; they even had one that captured their own elders, as some disagreed with doing this immoral ritual.


    It was not a problem of right or wrong for them, but more on how risky it was, and how they believed the current sect leader was an imposter despite the artifact result.


    YanYu thought freeing them would bolster their strength, so she suggested YunYun do it. She checked the ritual grounds herself just in case Xue Fang needed help.


    Never in her wildest dreams did she think Xue Fang was now in a very dangerous situation.


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    As for MingHao, he ran to where Xue Fang was now to check the sound of the explosion. His feet kicked into the ground at high speed, but suddenly, the world felt like it was slowing down.


    The egg inside his inner world began to vibrate; a voice then sounded in his mind, making him stop in his movement.


    ''MingHao.'' Xue Fang''s words reached him. But it was not just words; with it came 1001 intense emotions, making MingHao understand her situation and feelings.


    His eyes turned cold, killing intent spreading out as he knew she was now dying. A single second? No, he didn''t have that much time.


    He needed to be there in this instant, or in the next moment, her head would be chopped off.


    If that happened, even if he could secure her soul, it was still a question if he could find a way to recover her body in time or not.


    The life force could do it, but MingHao barely understood the energy.


    MingYue did this on purpose since she knew her brother would just go all around wasting the life force to heal others if he knew how effective it was.

 Chapter 418 A Kiss

    The egg in his inner world then began to glow, a weird pattern appearing on its eggshell. MingHao''s eyes were glinting in a green hue, making him unwillingly supply the egg with more life force.But this coincidence meant a lot in the situation; the egg could feel its master''s desire. How much MingHao wished to reach his partner''s location.


    A purplish light suddenly glowed from the egg, piercing through space and appearing outside, making MingHao''s body have a purplish hue. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reality around him started to distort, and in that instant, everything changed.


    He appeared right in front of XueFang while she was knocked back from the location.


    In that instance, MingHao''s instinct flared. He raised his fist and grasped the ghoul''s hand, making sure it didn''t go further, cutting her head.


    He was surprised by the sudden change; he somehow could tell it was because of the egg, but to be teleported right to XueFang''s location was something he should feel wary about.


    But now was not the time for this. MingHao exerted all his strength, boosted by life energy, to block the ghoul''s movement. He then threw a punch right on the ghoul''s stomach, sending him flying in the air.


    Swosh! BAM!


    MingHao then moved quickly, taking XueFang into his embrace while raising one palm toward the ghoul''s direction. Even in that one exchange, he could tell the ghoul''s strength was not something he could scoff at.


    The ghoul was a few realms above him; he didn''t clearly know how much, as the ghoul was heavily wounded. He could also tell it was almost like undead and hard to kill based on the creature''s appearance.


    At the same time, the bullet and the glaive hit the target. As the ghoul shot back, it was met with the bullet in the way, while the glaive flew past through MingHao as it reached the ghoul, piercing it through.


    Xue Fang''s eyes fluttered open, hearing the sound. She wanted to check what happened, as death didn''t come. Looking at MingHao''s face made her feel confused, and she wondered if this was an illusion before death.


    But after having such intense experiences, this didn''t matter to her. In one swift motion, she did something she would never have done and that MingHao had never expected.


    Her soft lips pressed against his as she embraced his body tightly. MingHao''s mind went blank. He had seen it in movies and had imagined how it felt, but it all blew over since now he knew nothing compared to the real thing.


    All his focus and concentration on the fight quickly dispersed. His eyes looked deeply at XueFang''s beautiful face, and his desire started to grow.


    A desire to make her his. The soft lips intertwined with her intent emotion allowed him to understand many things. But his brain failed to process it all.


    As the two people kissed in the middle of the battlefield, the ghoul didn''t stand still. His half-destroyed hand came out from the rubble.


    MingHao''s punch, filled with life energy, gave the ghoul something else¡ªan intense hunger to eat that energy.


    The ghoul started exerting his dark energy, raising his regeneration to a new level. He stood up from the rubble, and his hand began pulling out the glaive from his chest while new flesh began to grow.


    From the stump on his shoulder, a new bone came out, this time dark in color, followed by vein and flesh.


    MingHao, who was still deep in the kiss, couldn''t help but recognize this from his peripheral vision.


    He wanted to move, pushing Xue Fang out of the way, but it was too late. The ghoul didn''t wait for his regeneration to finish before starting his attack.


    Even while pulling out the glaive, he already dashed forward. He leaped up, his leg-spinning in a spinning kick motion.


    With the position now where XueFang was standing in front of him, she would be the one to get kicked first. And MingHao didn''t want that to happen. He spun his body in the direction.


    Then BAM! The ghoul''s kick hit him right in the back, followed by a cracking sound as his bones were broken. Even Xue Fang, who was protected by him, could feel the impact.


    She got pushed backward a single step. Seeing this, MingHao used his qi, pushing her even further. He gritted his teeth through the pain, then raised his elbow toward the ghoul''s neck.


    But unfortunately, the ghoul had already taken out the glaive.


    STAB!


    In front of Xue Fang''s eyes, still processing everything, the glaive pierced through MingHao''s chest. Crimson blood spurted out, painting her face red.


    MingHao gripped the glaive, and he started pulling it outward to allow more space for him to move. The ghoul opened his jaw and then bit him right on the neck.


    MingHao could feel chunks of his flesh being taken out.


    Clarity then began to return to XueFang''s eyes. She realized somehow MingHao had appeared and protected her. And the kiss she did was real.


    She felt so ashamed that, if possible, she wanted to look for a hole to hide in, but looking at what happened now, Xue Fang''s heart shook.


    All the confusion in her mind was replaced with only one desire¡ªto protect him. She took out her staff, then leaped forward.


    At the same time, she also moved her parents'' puppet to pull the ghoul away from MingHao.


    But MingHao didn''t want her to get involved. He screamed, "Stay away!"


    "BUT!"


    "NO, but! Believe in me, XueFang."


    With those words said, MingHao''s qi started gathering out from his body. He planned to use the XueQi family''s secret technique to let out a blast from his body.


    BOOM! His qi exploded out, creating a spherical explosion that engulfed both him and the ghoul.


    If Xue Fang didn''t know any better, it would feel like he was committing suicide by self-explosion. But she knew it wasn''t true.


    As he was the center of the energy, MingHao should not be hurt.

 Chapter 419 Pendant

    The light dispersed, and MingHao''s wounds were already completely healed like new, but he could feel it; the life force from his sister was running thin now.He only had enough to do one more attack.


    Meanwhile, XueFang, looking at the crazed ghoul that had already made its move to attack MingHao back, decided to do something she never thought she would do. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She would have preferred to die rather than do this, but now, in this situation, she knew what to choose. Lingering in the past or fighting for the future.


    Her father''s and mother''s puppet sprinted forward, hugging the ghoul''s body.


    Both their heads then turned, looking at XueFang. At this point, she didn''t know if she was the one who moved them or not; the situation was just so intense that she could barely think. But to her eyes now, it was as if they were smiling.


    A smile of relief as, finally, their daughter could move forward.


    ''Mom, Dad, thank you for everything, and I am sorry.''


    Another explosion reverberated, disintegrating everything in its path. MingHao watched in a daze; he didn''t understand how the explosion could be this strong, even though it involved two of her strongest puppets.


    The explosion grew outward before it suddenly imploded, leaving nothing other than an empty crater in the ground.


    But the peaceful silence only lasted for a moment. Suddenly, a guttural scream and wailing from thousands of souls reverberated from the crater, exploding toward the sky and creating a dreadful pillar. One filled with corrupted spirits.


    "Just how much did they kill to get this many?" MingHao mumbled with a frown.


    After the ancestor talk and XueFang, he asked the ancestor to explain to him more about souls and evil spirits.


    Each corrupted spirit that he saw now was a result of the mingling of many souls. These souls usually died in anguish and intense pain, making them seek other souls, resulting in them mixing and turning corrupted.


    XueFang, meanwhile, stood in silence, her gaze fixed on the empty crater in a daze. Tears dropped down her cheeks, followed by intense guilt.


    The moment her parents disappeared, she felt like a huge burden disappeared from her shoulders. This made XueFang feel like she was being an unfilial daughter.


    MingHao frowned, wondering what that was. His instincts still told him the danger was not over. But now, what was important was checking XueFang''s condition. He turned, but the moment he exchanged gazes with her, the memory of their kiss quickly resurfaced.


    He froze, not knowing what to say. The distance between them was short, but his feet felt too heavy to move toward her. It was not that he got cold feet; it was that everything sank in.


    What should he say to her? A woman who was his first kiss and who had just sacrificed the most important things in her life for him.


    He knew those two puppets were her parents. Something very important to her.


    But before he could make any decision, a black chain shot out from the ground toward the sky. MingHao quickly turned back and saw that it was moving toward the souls, and it was not only one.


    Right now, from the ground of Dali City, countless dark chains were shooting up, capturing any closest soul they could find.


    It would then pull the souls back deep under the city. The ground started to vibrate as cracks began appearing from the ritual ground.


    YanYu was there with the two elders, looking at the crack. She flew forward, wanting to see what was inside the crack, but suddenly, a streak of blue light shot from the sky straight into it.


    "Who?" YanYu mumbled in confusion. Based on the movement, she could guess that the cultivator was waiting on purpose for this crack to appear.


    "Sect Master!" The formation elder called out, recognizing the qi and the cultivator''s appearance. Even though he was fast, the unique qi signature was something he never forgot.


    Meanwhile, inside a tunnel, right now MingYue and the group were waiting for someone. They were seated on a bench while Aria was taking care of their permission to enter the core region.


    As she brought multiple people, including a criminal, the paperwork took some time.


    MingYue was seated alone, her eyes in a daze looking at two pendants in her hand, one a dragon and the other a phoenix.


    ''Alex¡­'' She thought in her mind as she now had a huge urge to meet him.


    What Luca told her turned her world upside down, and the answer to it was inside this pendant. Never in her wildest dream did she think that to active it, she would need Alex''s help.


    If she had known about it beforehand¡­


    But who could guess the future? Even having her connection cut to Alex now was something she never expected.


    ''Queen, the life force on the rune you put on your brother is dangerously low now.''


    MingYue''s bad mood turned even worse, ''Is he alright?''


    ''Based on the life signature, yes, he just overexerted himself.''


    ''That is fine then, just make sure the emergency measure will activate.''


    ''Don''t worry, Queen. As you instructed, when the energy lowers under 5%, he will be forcefully teleported back to the secret realm.''


    This feature was as MingYue requested to Vesa to make sure her brother''s safety was guaranteed.


    ''How about Alex? Now that we are this close, can you reach him?''


    ''No, but the King''s presence is becoming stronger¡­'' Vesa''s voice then trailed off.


    Despite what she said in one sentence, Ming Yue felt she still wanted to say something, ''Something wrong?''


    ''It''s just the King''s presence changed. It feels different.''


    ''What do you mean?''


    ''It''s hard to explain, but to put it simply, when someone undergoes an extreme change to their personalities, the wavelength of their lifeforce will also have some change.''


    Knowing Alex''s current strength and his personality, which was always outgoing, MingYue found this weird; she couldn''t help but feel worried.

 Chapter 420 Part of Truth

    The circumstances of his disappearance were already weird; now, adding this information, the enemy waiting for them in the core region was probably something far beyond their imagination.''I have a life force, and Alex has the army. We also have many people around us.'' MingYue thought, trying to calm herself.


    The last time she and Alex faced something to get progenitor essence, the whole planet was destroyed. If they fight something on that level now, the possibility is not out of the question.


    But there is a huge difference now: this is her home planet. She doesn''t want it to be destroyed.


    If possible, she wants to assimilate the whole thing to Edonia. MingYue had already asked Vesa about this, and she said it''s possible in the future. But for now, taking in everything while keeping their appearance intact will be too much.


    On another couch, Emily was seated with Luca. She looked at her mother, "Mom, you are scaring me. Can you tell me what happened? At the very least, Dad''s situation."


    Luca''s lips quivered. She had stayed silent all this time since she still had a hard time accepting reality. Each step her husband took in this world was filled with pain and misery.


    Betrayal, pain, starting from scratch were just a few of them. More than everything else, his deep longing to meet her again, to see his children grow up, overwhelmed her so much that she just couldn''t accept it.


    Why him? Why did the tragedy have to happen to them?


    Right now, she completely understood the cause of the incident. Her husband was never disappointed; even with all that situation, he still succeeded in getting to the bottom of it.


    As for the reason? She didn''t have more words than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A misfortune.


    "Emily, promise me you must stay calm. Your father is still alive, but the situation on his side is complicated."


    "Yes, I will not do anything reckless. It''s not like I can, don''t you see the situation we are in?"


    The entrance to the core region was protected by a huge gate. It was carved with many protection arrays, and Luca could feel it; there were at least three immortals guarding the area.


    Receiving the gift from her husband, her cultivation soared and stabilized at the golden core realm. Based on Vesa''s observation, the amount of energy put there was far more than that, but to make sure her foundation was stable, a lot of energy was wasted.


    Hence, even if this cultivation bestowing is possible, MingYue still thought it was better to train by themselves. It took longer but was more effective as they were an emerging sect.


    But for old sects and family clans, she thought this technique would be precious. For those cultivators that almost died, they could give their cultivation realm to the promising genius, allowing them to start from a higher step. This came with its own problems, but the benefit was worth it.


    Luca then told Emily the situation. Her father was now under the control of the final boss at that dungeon, the Dragari King. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her eyes widened as she felt her world collapse, "What? How can a Dragari do that? That is impossible."


    "It''s not. It seems this Dragari has a dragon bloodline that is related to souls. Your father did not know this thing killed him and got his soul to enter his body.


    He has struggled for a long time and lately lost his ground against him." Luca didn''t say further, but she knew the reason for this.


    Explore stories at empire


    Edward was a man with a strong heart. Not even the most horrendous torture could make him change his mind, but threatening his family? That is a whole different story.


    Throughout that time, even though he stayed strong, their comrade fell into the Dragon King''s temptation, becoming a traitor.


    The truth made Luca feel complicated. At the very least, it''s a relief knowing no one betrayed them at the start, but it didn''t change the fact that someone did.


    This event hit Edward a lot. The Dragon King also often manipulated his dreams.


    You may think the Dragon King gave him nightmares, but that was not the case.


    Since the start, every day Edward always dreamed about Luca and his kids. He always ended up waking with an incredible sense of longing.


    All this combined eroded his mental health until, finally, he began succumbing to his current state. But this didn''t mean he did nothing.


    Throughout his life on MingYue''s planet that he called Blue Jewel, he also made many new acquaintances, and one of them was MingYue''s parent, to be exact, her mothers.


    It was the time before MingYue was even born. He then created many plans to return without endangering his homeland that had many aftereffects, including turning the time difference of Blue Jewel Planet to be the same as his home one.


    Emily''s eyes turned glassy, but she tried hard to hold down her tears. She didn''t know how much her father suffered, but she could guess it. Her experience as a hunter was not for nothing.


    Seeing her face, Luca pulled her to her embrace to comfort her.


    At this moment, the door opened. Aria appeared, "We can go now; everything is prepared. It took longer than usual since the situation inside is not good."


    "What happened?" MingYue quickly asked. She was one hundred percent sure it was related to Alex.


    "There is chaos now, many monsters appeared attacking settlements. I have chosen the closest city to my clan, but afterward, we will need to walk."


    "What kind of monsters?"


    "I am also not clear on this; they didn''t tell me much."


    "Do you think it''s Alex?" Luca asked.


    "Probably, Aunt, but it''s not like him to unleash his army like this. I am sure something happened there."


    Luca nodded. At this time, she didn''t know what to believe or say anymore. There was still one thing that stuck in her mind.


    Even with all Edward''s memories, his meeting with MingYue''s mother was by coincidence.

 Chapter 421 Reaching Zephyr Clan

    Even the pair of amulets he gave her was only planned in hopes for her to bring it to their world. But to think this woman''s daughter would be her son''s life partner.It''s a coincidence that she just couldn''t believe it. She tried to find a reason or justification but couldn''t come up with a better one.


    ''Throughout so many worlds and God knows how many living beings exist, why them?'' Luca thought with a sigh.


    Meanwhile, inside the core region, Ying Xue and Alex were already walking close to the Zephyr clan territory.


    She hoped along the way, a member from the frontline would come and intervene, but unfortunately, no one came. She tried to contact them using her artifact, but she got no response.


    Standing on top of the cliff, Alex looked down at a heavily fortified city. A mysterious fog surrounded the city, giving it a mystical appearance.


    His crimson eyes flickered with a green hue as he mumbled, "21 formations put in place, 7 defensive, 8 attack, 2 illusion formations, and the rest for surveillance. Does conflict often happen between sects here?" Explore more stories at empire


    "No, this stupid sect just does it to showcase their power. They burn so many unnecessary resources just to show each other who is better."


    "I see¡­"


    Normally, with the formations, no one should be able to detect or see what is inside the city, but for Alex, everything was clear as day.


    He could see the number of people inside and where the strongest of them were located.


    "What do you plan to do now? As I said, her mother is not here."


    "Meeting the person that you say comes from another world and testing my limits."


    "Your limits?" Yin Xue asked shock in her eyes. She had an inkling of what Alex wanted to do, but she just could not believe it.


    He had a whole army under him; Alex could just call them back and see everything from a distance away. There was no need to risk his life, and even with his weird strength, Yin Xue found it hard to believe he was capable of that.


    "There are at least 2 immortals in that place, not counting the one coming from the other world. His power is probably at the same level." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Worrying about me? You have tried to contact your group multiple times when we were going here."


    ''What, that is his doing?'' Yin Xue thought in shock.


    "You can try contacting them again; that way, everything will be perfect," Alex said in a flat tone, then jumped down from the cliff.


    He shot through like a missile, landing right inside the fog. Shockwaves exploded, followed by many symbols appearing around his body. They floated in a circle, creating a formation that expanded in size.


    At that moment, all the fog surrounding the Zephyr clan started to move like it was alive. It gathered around Alex, then solidified into two creatures. One was a huge lizard monster, and the other was a gorilla.


    Each of them was ten times the height of Alex, their bodies completely made of fog. Alex''s finger moved in the air, creating more runes, then shot them toward the creatures.


    The huge lizard started transforming; scales grew as its skin, followed by many sharp spikes coming out from its spine to its tail. It stood on its two feet as it roared to the sky.


    The same thing happened to the gorilla; this one grew fur rather than scales. Two muscular arms appeared, and it started drumming on its chest, screaming another roar.


    ''With enough qi and lifeforce, I can create as many armies as I need,'' Alex thought as he ran many complicated calculations.


    The only reason he could make these two monsters was thanks to the large amount of qi used on the Zephyr clan formation. Using a rune array, he sabotaged and took over all the energy. Alex then focused it on these two creatures as what he needed now was quality, not numbers.


    "WHO DARES?" A voice suddenly reverberated in the sky. It was like coming from all around the space.


    Alex tilted his head upward. What was above was just empty space, but he said, "For an elder, you lack manners. If you want to say something, show your face. And yes, why would I not dare?" He replied in a nonchalant tone.


    The monster kong suddenly leaped upward, its fist punching at the empty space, creating a booming shockwave.


    The space flickered like a shattered mirror; many fragments fell to the ground, showing a beautiful woman with silver hair. Her appearance was similar to one of beauty that made her look like she was still in her early twenties, but Alex knew she was one of the immortals residing inside the Zephyr clan.


    Using one hand, she blocked the monster kong''s attack.


    ''Immortals are really different,'' Alex thought. He could see the woman didn''t even exert any qi on her own. It was like the world was lending her the power to block the kong''s attack.


    "What a rude junior. You are lucky you remind me of someone; otherwise, I would have already killed you."


    Alex didn''t respond; instead, he pointed his finger toward her.


    The lizard roared, opening its jaw. Its sharp spine started glowing white as flame energy gathered in its mouth. Then, bam, the energy shot out like a huge laser beam.


    The air vibrated on its path, and the searing heat was not something to be underestimated.


    Annoyed by Alex''s lack of response, the immortal disappeared from where she stood, and suddenly, Alex''s head blew up into pieces.


    Crimson blood rained like a fountain as she mumbled, "Rude junior, don''t blame me for doing this. I will just bring your soul to him."


    She thought she had killed Alex, but at that moment, two pairs of blood wings came out from his back. The blood in the air also started to move; they suddenly became sharp like needles that rained toward the immortal.

 Chapter 422 Alex vs Immortal

    This move surprised her. It''s not like there were no secret techniques like what Alex did. But usually, it was only done by evil or demonic cultivators. And each of them gave out a peculiar feeling, one that she didn''t feel from Alex.Her body reappeared a few steps back, but at that moment, the kong''s fist fell down to her face. It was like the kong already knew she would move to that location.


    The punch hit its target but was stopped by invisible energy an inch away from her face. The woman''s lips curled into a smile, "Interesting," she mumbled.


    Her hand moved forward, creating a slap motion that resulted in half of the kong''s body being destroyed to smithereens.


    At this moment, Alex already appeared right in front of her, his whole body now covered in blood-like armor. When the immortal confronted the kong, his head had already regenerated, while the blood in the air moved to her body instead, keeping its target.


    The crimson blood then solidified, turning into armor, making Alex look like a crimson knight with two blood wings.


    Holding a hammer in his hand, he slammed it straight at the immortal''s torso.


    BANG! The ground cracked, shockwaves exploded, but the immortal remained unflinched.


    Just like the kong''s attack, it stopped an inch away from her body.


    Alex stomped his feet into the ground, creating knockback power to take a step back while the lizard was now rushing toward her location.


    However, the woman didn''t let Alex go; she moved normally without any hurry, but the speed was not something that Alex could dodge.


    His hand was grasped by the immortal, "Got you."


    "No, you don''t," Alex replied. His hand and the hammer exploded at that instant.


    The blood splattered all over the air, beginning to move and contort into runes. It then activated, effectively hindering the immortal''s senses.


    This time, her expression changed to worry. She didn''t know what this rune was, but she could guess it worked just like a formation array.


    Someone who could use formation instantly right in the middle of battle was not something she could underestimate.


    ''I need to take this more seriously,'' she thought.


    Qi started swirling around the area and gathered at the immortal. Continue reading at empire


    Seeing this, Alex said, "Not so easy."


    Half of the rune symbols shot in all directions, stopping mid-air. Creating a circular zone around the immortal. It then glowed in blinding light, and what happened next made the immortal frown.


    All the qi in the area was sucked dry, turning into a barren field.


    The immortal finally started exerting her own qi. A fan appeared in her hand, and she simply flapped it forward, creating deadly ice spikes that shot toward the rune symbols.


    The spike might look simple, but Alex knew it was not something to be underestimated. The energy contained in that one spike was more than enough to freeze a whole ocean.


    The immortal''s body turned to icy mist, then appeared right behind Alex. She didn''t waste any time. She closed the fan, then used it like a short stick, hitting toward Alex''s head.


    Slash! A vertical line appeared from his forehead all the way down his body, effectively splitting him in two. The ground where he stood also got split.


    This time, the immortal proceeded forward, her qi sweeping past Alex''s body, turning him into an ice sculpture. Alex could feel a sharp pain all over his body, seeping straight to his soul.


    It didn''t just freeze his body and qi but also affected his soul. A quality of ice that he never thought possible. Despite what his body felt, his mind was still calculating and sending out orders.


    The ape punched his hand toward the ground, picked it up, creating a huge boulder, then threw it at the immortal. Right now, his body has already completely regenerated.


    Meanwhile, the lizard had already reached the immortal; it swiped its tail toward her. She didn''t even make a move as the tail got destroyed before it could even come close.


    It turned into ice and shattered. The fog started coming out from the wound as it regenerated a new tail.


    Smoke then started rising up from Alex''s frozen body. The immortal frowned once more, "The hell is this junior? Absurd."


    She disappeared again from where she stood as Alex''s body exploded in a spherical flame.


    The immortal skeptically looked at the explosion. She had seen how Alex''s qi gathered at his core and then exploded.


    This was not something that even evil or demonic cultivators could survive from, except they had already become immortal like her.


    But she still felt this was not the end.


    Swoosh!


    Many boiling blood drops moved through the air, turning into something like sharp tentacles. They shot toward the immortal.


    She swiped her hand up in the air, raising an ice wall from the ground.


    The tentacles stabbed through but failed to completely pierce it. Instead, they started freezing before being cut halfway by Alex.


    From the explosion, Alex''s body reappeared, still perfectly intact. His blood armor didn''t even have a single scratch on it.


    This didn''t mean Alex didn''t take any damage; he used many lifeforce to regenerate and repair the armor. The expenditure was huge as he used it in large amounts to speed up the regeneration.


    The tentacles returned, becoming part of his wings.


    "You are an outsider like him. What do you want here?" the immortal asked. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had already guessed Alex was one since the start, but she didn''t say anything since she felt she could easily subdue Alex.


    But now, seeing how he fought, she started getting skeptical she could subdue him easily. She could put in more effort, but she was too lazy to do it.


    ''Even exploding himself didn''t leave any scars on his body. How many more times can he regenerate?'' The immortal asked herself as she didn''t know Alex''s lifeforce energy.


    "I want to meet the other outsider inside."

 Chapter 423 Snowflake Empress

    "Then drop this charade. I will bring you to him. He also wants to meet with you; otherwise, you think I will entertain you.""Sure, but after this," Alex replied. His body suddenly transformed into a blood mist that flew toward the immortal.


    "You really don''t learn." The immortal said in a bothersome tone.


    If she had known Alex would keep attacking like this, she would have let the other immortal who loved to fight go.


    She had come out because she thought she could do things in a more peaceful way.


    The blood mist moved rapidly, encircling the immortal and Alex, forming runic patterns.


    The rune glowed in green, creating a sphere of space, a completely new isolated world.


    The immortal raised her hand, trying to freeze the blood circling her, but the moment she wanted to exert her influence on the outside world, it failed.


    "What did you do?" the woman asked with a face etched with fear.


    She could feel her power, but no matter what she did, she couldn''t exert it. There were a few methods she could still try, but they would cost her something she didn''t want to pay unless it was really a life-or-death battle.


    The blood gathered back to Alex in the red armor. The armor then receded back inside his skin. "Nothing much, I am just testing something," Alex replied in a flat tone.


    Energy is basically just a wave, and a wave can be interfered with. The question Alex tested was whether he needed to find the right pattern or the same amount of energy. Based on this experiment, he got the answer, and it was both.


    Canceling the immortal''s power almost cost him all his lifeforce stockpile, and that was only for a moment when she wasn''t exerting all her strength.


    "Don''t want to talk? Fine, I will just find it out myself," the immortal said. Her qi started to churn since, right now, she was not afraid she would accidentally kill Alex.


    But before she could finish the move, a voice reverberated in her mind, making her feel annoyed.


    ''You still haven''t finished, Clara? I knew it. You have grown rusty now.


    Just return to your garden and keep cooking those pills. Fighting is for me.''


    ''Shut up, you old geezer. I know you saw the whole fight with Edward!


    The only way you can contact me through the formation is because he said something. What does he want?''


    ''Tch! You old hag, no fun at all. Edward said to bring him in now. Continuing the fight will escalate things.


    Don''t forget he still has control over all our formations. And while you''re busy fighting him, don''t you see what his two pets are doing?''


    Clara frowned, then turned her gaze to the sect entrance. The two monsters were now knocking on their clan''s gate, trying to destroy it.


    Thankfully, the gate was made using an artifact with a spirit inside it. No, it had already come out and fought to defend it; otherwise, the gate would have already been breached.


    "You! Really¡­!" Clara said with annoyance toward Alex. She couldn''t believe it. This whole time, after she said he could enter, he still attacked their sect.


    "Call me Alex, and I just know you. How much do I know I can trust your words?"


    At this point, Clara had already stopped looking at Alex as a junior. His capability was something she couldn''t underestimate. She couldn''t kill him, and he had strange methods that could attack. Enjoy more content from empire


    She still remembered how she felt so helpless when that formation captured her.


    Clara snorted, then landed on the ground. She then swiped her fan toward the two monsters, turning them into ice cubes. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Could you release the formation already?"


    "Give me a reason why I should do that?" Alex asked back in a flat tone.


    Clara''s lips twitched. She stopped asking as it just made her feel angrier. Never in her life had she ever met someone like him.


    "Fine! Follow me then and your friend out there. Do you want to join or what?" she asked in a normal tone, but her voice was like talking to Ying Xue at her side.


    She quickly floated down and then greeted her, "Nice to meet you again, Snowflake Empress."


    "Just call me by my name. I hate that title. What Empress? Such crap."


    Ying Xue just nodded. Despite getting permission from Clara, she didn''t dare to do that. Clara probably wouldn''t mind, but what about the other clan members?


    No matter where she went, people would connect her with the guardian and the sect from the frontline.


    Any action she made could be treated as a stance from her faction. If something bad happened, her family could then be blamed by the other sects or clans on the frontline.


    "Do what you want then. You have been here multiple times and still never changed.


    It''s surprising, though, that this time you came up with an interesting person. Is the chaos in the other city because of him?"


    Ying Xue didn''t know how to answer. She just looked at Alex.


    "Yes, it''s me," Alex replied.


    Hearing his nonchalant response, Clara chuckled. "You really have guts, I like that, but why?


    I don''t get why you attacked those small villages and sects. With your current strength, they provide no benefit."


    "This is just the start. After finishing taking over all the villages, we will come after bigger sects and clans until the whole region falls under my control."


    Clara stopped in her steps. She looked back at Alex, making sure he was serious or joking, but just like before, his face had no change at all. It was like talking to a puppet.


    "Are you even human? I blow your head off, and you don''t even flinch."


    "How is this related to your last remark? I don''t think it''s of any importance."


    "Yeah, it''s not. So what do you say? Are you serious? You want to take over this region?"


    "Yes."

 Chapter 424 Cultivation

    Clara let out a loud laugh, hearing Alex''s reply. She laughed so hard that her stomach started hurting. "You are funny, really. No one has ever made me laugh in the last one hundred years.""Interesting, what did you find funny? You think I have no capability to do that?"


    "If you can flatten my sect in one attack, then I may believe you. You are strong, I admit that, but among immortals, I am categorized as a weak one.


    And believe me, the strongest of us can be ten of me easily."


    Ying Xue''s ears perked up since this was the first time she heard this information. She always wondered in the past why the sects staying on the frontline didn''t band together to take over the core region?


    With their current strength, half of them should be more than enough. But now, hearing it from Clara, it seems things were not that simple.


    "If I have eight people stronger than me, and they cannot be killed, do you think I can or cannot?"


    "Eight people stronger than you? That is a good joke. If that''s true, maybe you have a chance, but I still doubt you can win against them."


    "Who?"


    "I am in a good mood now, so I will tell you. In this core region, there are more than a thousand immortals. Many are hiding in seclusion while others are busy playing around with new power from the outsiders.


    But do you think that is the only reason we stay peaceful like this? Just like the stupid geezer in my clan, there are many who like chaos, fighting, and destruction.


    The only reason we stay still is because of those three. We call them the judges. They never intervene in conflicts between clans. But when immortals come out and join the fight, you can bet they will arrive and beat both immortals.


    Some are hardheaded and end up getting killed. These three people''s power is no joke. I still remember seeing how they killed other immortals, like killing a chicken."


    "If they are that strong, how about the ones at the frontline?" Alex asked Ying Xue.


    "Yes, they are the immortal generals. We also have them, but they cannot leave the frontline.


    I don''t know the exact reason, but I suspect because they need to be there to act anytime a strong being comes out from the wall."


    "Interesting," Alex replied. He still didn''t feel worried at all. With his army, at this stage, he was sure no immortal would intervene.


    They would just watch from the side. He still had time to think of countermeasures.


    "Yes, so forget your stupid dream of uniting this realm. They will never allow it."


    "Why don''t they do it themselves then?"


    "I don''t know. They are eccentric people who rarely appear. But they are always there when immortals make a mess."


    "If they are as strong as the immortal generals, then I doubt anything on this planet can interest them."


    "So I can say you are a low-level immortal while these people are peak-level immortals?" Alex asked towards Clara.


    "No, it doesn''t work like that. Realm-wise, almost every immortal in existence has already reached its peak.


    What differentiates us is they mastered a power system from other species. The more they master, the stronger they are." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why don''t you learn one then?" Alex asked. There may be many reasons a sect couldn''t get their hands on other power systems, but the Zephyr clan is different.


    They have an outsider living with them, giving them information about other worlds.


    Clara''s eyes turned complicated. "In the past, someone created and perfected a cultivation system to give strength to humans to fight their invaders.


    So much time has passed since then, but even now, no one has improved the cultivation system we have. I honestly don''t believe this is the limit."


    Clara''s eyes then turned determined as she continued, "Many have already given up on the pursuit to break this ceiling, but I will never give up.


    Since someone can cultivate this, it''s not impossible for me to improve on it.


    Looking for methods from others is stupid. We have reached this far with cultivation, and I believe we can go further."


    Find adventures on empire


    Hearing this, Ying Xue''s face was brimming with pride. Her ancestor was the one that created and perfected the cultivation method, but then remembering what happened to her family now, she couldn''t help but feel shame.


    Hearing a stranger from another clan was trying to perfect the system, but her own clan instead started adopting another power system."


    Hearing this, Alex couldn''t help letting out his opinion. Despite having no emotion, this didn''t mean his interest in research was lowering. "In that case, have you looked to use another energy source other than qi?"


    "I have, but it changes things too much. At that time, it won''t be cultivation anymore."


    "What makes you think it''s not cultivation then? What makes one a cultivation?"


    Clara put some thought into it, then explained, "There are many philosophical answers for this, but I don''t believe in any of them. As the name said, cultivation means to cultivate.


    To be called a cultivation, we should cultivate our own being and presence."


    "So you mean we cannot use external factors?"


    "Using one is fine, just like this bloodline we have now. It came from our ancestors and people in the past injecting themselves with the blood of mythical beasts.


    But in the end, all of this is done to enhance and stimulate our own potential.


    What other power systems do so far doesn''t do this. Instead, they enhance the external factor, slowly eroding their own essence.


    Despite your current realm, I am sure you already understand what it means to become immortal."


    "Rebirth oneself as qi, giving you complete control of all your power."


    Clara nodded, "That is right, but not really correct. The right definition is amplifying your essence, uniting it all under it.


    If you fail to do this, the result will be a backlash that ends up in you dead, or you just become a mindless monster."

 Chapter 425 Human Essence

    Alex then started remembering how cultivation had worked so far.Cultivators would allow their body to adapt to qi, then create a new organ to produce the qi itself. This could be counted as an external factor that had grown with Clara''s standard.


    But after someone reached the golden core, the next realm came from integrating things into one.


    Then a realization came to him, ''Is this why Mingyue and I failed to break through?


    The correct way was to put all power under our essence to break through. But our essence was now transforming from human to vampire progenitor.


    This meant I should put it all under my vampire power?''


    But our essence was now transforming from human to vampire progenitor. This meant I should put it all under my vampire power?''


    The idea felt solid for Alex. The next realm he needed to reach was Spiritual Transformation, using the same concept since he was a vampire. This meant infusing the whole golden core into his vampire essence.


    But different from cultivators, vampires'' cores were their blood.


    ''How should I put my golden core under my blood then? Should I fuse it with my spine so it affects my blood flow, or is it something else?


    But now that I think of it, are vampires'' cores really their blood?''


    Alex started examining his inner body, how qi and mana flowed inside, how lifeforce flowed throughout his whole body.


    ''Wait, lifeforce is the core of a vampire. It''s not blood, but where does this come from?''


    Different from qi, which only came from the core, lifeforce appeared from the mechanisms in his body. Every single breath he took and meal he ate contributed to the lifeforce.


    He also could absorb it directly with higher efficiency, but it didn''t change the fact that it was part of the system.


    "Why are you in a daze like that?" Clara asked, feeling that Alex had some kind of epiphany from her information.


    Alex didn''t mind sharing his thoughts, but who knows if he could get more insight from her?


    "As you said, cultivation is improving one''s own essence; it''s like a plant we pour water over, give it nutrients, and let it grow.


    In that case, isn''t every energy usable as a nutrient?"


    "That is not true. Do you know why demonic cultivation is banned? It''s not because of some bullshit of morality.


    Every day, innocent people die while someone uses their strength to act as a wimp. The problem is not that. It''s how their soul and essence are corroded.


    The higher they are in the realm, the worse it becomes. The strongest one in the past is basically an abomination of monsters; if the judge didn''t intervene, we would all be killed."


    "I don''t have access to their cultivation method, so I don''t know. But considering other energy I tested with. That is not true at all.


    If using energy corrupts your essence, that means the way you are using it is wrong.


    Think of it this way, every single species has its own element and nature; the more compatible one is, the easier it will be to absorb, but if it doesn''t, that just means you need to strip away the energy from the harmful elements and absorb it.''


    "Stripping away energy?" Clara repeated the words.


    "Is that even possible? I have been in the immortal realm for hundreds of years, spending it all on experimentation on alchemy; no matter what I do, separating their properties alone from the material is impossible.''


    "That is different; what I mean is stripping away pure energy and diverging it. The plants you experiment on are different; they are not pure energy. It''s a mechanism.


    The easier way to think about it is the plant is a formation array that absorbs qi to create its own function.


    Their cells and organs are what build the formation."


    In Alex''s eyes, now, everything can be compared to playing with a block or those Lego toys. They may have different terms, making them look complicated, but in the end, they are like lego.


    The only different Lego is easy to assemble and disassemble; this one requires special care and tools to do.


    "If only I could play around with it, I have learned about cells and many other things, but experimenting with it is different.


    I cannot create artificial cells or move them based on what I want. Understanding and creating are completely different."


    What Clara has done so far hasn''t worked; she does succeed in making some changes, but rather than creating, it''s more on mutating.


    She was triggering a reaction by giving out different material.


    "You cannot do that without using Cas9 enzyme and specialized, secret techniques or machines."


    "Cas9 enzyme, what do you mean?"


    "Since you say you understand about cells, you should also know its building block, DNA."


    Clara nodded, "Yes."


    "Now, to put it simply, Cas9 is like scissors used to cut apart what you don''t want; next, you will need gRNA, which is basically just glue to put them together.


    But it works similarly to the energy I said; you need to make sure the compatibility between each DNA block; otherwise, the DNA will be broken beyond repair or completely destroyed."


    "Where do I get this? Do you have one?"


    Read latest stories on empire Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, both of the items I told you come from my world, and only some people have it. Also, a living cell fueled by qi and one that is not is completely different. A normal Cas9 or gRNA won''t cut it."


    Alex had tried this a few times, manipulating the DNA of goblins and monsters. He did it on purpose to find out the real essence of being from a scientific perspective.


    But each time, he always failed. The DNA would become so fragile that it destroyed itself despite being infused with life energy.


    It''s like giving gasoline to a broken car. If the machine is not good, no matter what he does, everything will still be useless.


    He will need to replace the whole thing before trying to infuse it.

 Chapter 426 Soul

    ''Now that I think about it, this essence compatibility should be able to be used in that research. If a creature is flame-based, using DNA from other flame creatures should also work.But there is no way the association hasn''t thought of this.''


    Despite his current privilege, Alex never read any scientific paper on this topic with this way of thinking. The only ones he read were all filled with failure.


    Clara tapped her finger on her chin, "Let''s say we strip all parts of DNA, can we extract pure energy from it then?"


    "No, energy is in a different form. This is something that I just discovered recently, so I''m still not clear how it works, but think of it as DNA having two sides.


    One that can be observed directly, and the other side is the one where the energy that fuels them exists.


    This energy is the one you wanted to improve our essence. It''s just like us humans. What is our essence?"


    "We have our qi and core, but that is the essence of a cultivator. If you ask me what makes a human, a human, that will be their soul forged through many experiences throughout their life."


    "Exactly, it''s the soul. When a child is just born, they don''t have one; only after they grow up and slowly gain experience is their soul created. Now, where is this soul? Can you see it?"


    "We can, but I get what you mean. For normal people, looking for their soul requires special techniques, but they are only useful for observation.


    Just like I use that weird device to look at those cells, this still doesn''t mean we can manipulate it.


    What you say is also just a theory. To this day, we don''t know what a soul is. Does a child that''s just born not have a soul?


    But then I know many cases where a baby responded to their mother even in the pregnancy stage. Doesn''t this prove they already have a soul?"


    "Isn''t that just a biological response? They are living at that stage, that I do not deny. But having a soul?


    A living being doesn''t necessarily have one. Just see trees and animals."


    "That you are wrong. Even non-sentient creatures have their souls. It''s just the soul is so small that you don''t recognize it."


    "So you mean the soul is of lower quality? Hmm¡­ that may be true, but if that is the case, why would demonic cultivators not eat this soul? Why must they target another cultivator?"


    "It''s not that they cannot, they won''t. There are some reports demonic cultivators did this and ended up dead or, worse, turned into the plant itself.


    As I said before, demonic cultivation is one of the proofs that becoming stronger by focusing on external strength will only result in one''s own demise.


    Even the most talented of them now turn only into mindless monsters.


    What use is being immortal and having strength like a god if you don''t have your mind?"


    "No different than a puppet."


    "Precisely."


    Ying Xue walked behind them, her head hurt listening to their discussion. At first, she still understood bits and pieces, but the more she heard the more confused she became.


    "What do you propose then? Based on how you talk, I believe you also think in a similar way to mine. Power should come from our own essence. Not from an external source."


    Alex nodded, "That is the best way since it means we have total control of our power. But to reach there, we need to test out many ways.


    If I am asked now what the best strength of being a human is, then I will answer directly: It''s our ability to adapt. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    We humans can adapt to anything as long as it''s done in the right way. That is why I believe it''s the same with power.


    From all cultivators using those demonic cultivation techniques, did all of them lose their minds?"


    "From what I gathered so far, yes."


    "That means the technique itself is flawed but not necessarily wrong. If you can strip a soul of its basic form of energy, then I think it''s possible to make it work."


    Then a thought came to Alex''s mind, ''Isn''t the base of a soul lifeforce? This means that the life force is already the most basic form of energy.


    Even if there is something higher that will already touch the realm of creation. Now this lifeforce, just how is it made?''


    This is a question where Alex didn''t know where to start with. What creates lifeforce, how did it appear in the first place?


    He felt getting the answer to this would be harder than becoming a progenitor or even achieving what Alucard wanted from him to become a being stronger than a progenitor. Or maybe this is the answer he needed to achieve it.


    "That is possible. You mean we can improve upon the method. But I still prefer looking for other paths.


    This demonic cultivation will end up with too many casualties that, in the end, will bring humanity to extinction instead."


    Alex shook his head; if it was him with emotion, then he would agree with Clara''s thought. But now he was thinking with logic alone.


    So what if the weak perish? This just means they are not capable. No matter how many die, in the end, a group will survive that is made up of the strongest of them all.


    It''s just the law of the jungle, or at this point, he should call it the law of the universe.


    In the end, the universe is just a bigger jungle.


    "Since you say that much, this means you should have also tried, right? Can you tell me at least how you went into it? If it interests me, we can exchange our research results."


    "As you see, I am human at the start, but no, not really a human. So how I go at it is different than you."

 Chapter 427 Human traits

    Clara let out a sigh of regret, "As I expected, that kind of recovery ability is impossible for a human.""It''s still possible, I believe; honestly, I am still wondering if my essence changes or not since, as we discussed before, a human''s essence is their soul.


    It can be said the same for any other sentient species. Now, if a human soul were put into, for example, a monster''s body.


    What will it become, then? A human or a monster?"


    "Interesting take; in that case, that depends on who is stronger. A stronger soul will affect the body''s physical form, transforming it slowly from the inside.


    A weaker one will instead be forced to meld with the body adapting to it. It can be said corrupted as their essence was changing."


    "A change of essence equals corruption. You are right." Alex said while deep in tought.


    "A change of essence equals corruption. You are right," Alex replied while thinking about his own situation.


    They then continued their walk in silence as each was busy with their own thoughts. Clara started considering his idea, thinking how she could put it into practice.


    If she thought about it from Alex''s perspective, this meant she needed to try a different method, one more extreme but could probably produce more results.


    She needed to understand how human adaptive qualities really worked, what triggered it, and how to force it to happen without killing the person in the process.


    How could she calculate the required amount and many other factors?


    ''Seems I need another batch of criminals to experiment with,'' she thought to herself.


    Meanwhile, Alex was thinking now. ''If becoming a progenitor means my essence is getting corrupted?


    Alucard bets on the human adaptive capability to break through the progenitor wall. Is he hoping for human essence to go beyond the progenitor and become stronger above them?''


    Alex felt this made sense. Alucard made the process a gradual change. He even forced the candidates to be a pair.


    Other than their adaptive quality, the most unique trait of humans, in Alex''s opinion, was how emotional they could be. They could throw all logic out the window if their emotions were triggered.


    Anger, pain, happiness, sadness¡ªeach was an intense emotion that could impact people''s actions. And what is the most intense emotion people have? S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s love. Love doesn''t necessarily need to be for other people; it can be for oneself or even for material items.


    ''Love, huh,'' Alex mumbled in his mind.


    If Alex still had his emotions, he would have already begun thinking just how cringe the situation was. He often commented on those stupid anime or novels.


    Power of love, power of friendship¡ªit''s all so absurd that he often thought it was just because the author was stuck and created those as plot armor.


    But now he didn''t have any prejudice at all, only a purely logical mind thinking it from the data he had. And based on it all, love is really the most intense emotion people can have.


    A person could commit suicide to be with their lover. Someone could throw away everything to fulfill their loving emotion. There were so many examples throughout history that if he listed them one by one, he could easily create a novel with 3000 chapters.


    ''Another question without any solution. It''s not like it''s possible to subdue a progenitor''s soul. But maybe I can try it next time.''


    Alex wanted to try using his will to subdue the vampire gene in his body, but he doubted it would do anything, since right now his essence was already one of the vampire progenitor.


    The origin of all races, just how could one subdue it?


    They walked through a beautiful courtyard adorned with many white plants. The crystal itself felt like it was made of ice, but strangely enough, Alex didn''t feel any cold at all.


    They kept moving until they reached a huge door. In front of them, a man with a white beard was looking at Alex with an intense gaze.


    "Are you the other immortal? How can I help you?"


    "No need to ask this stupid geezer. He will just want to have a fight with you. The man is so bored that he wants to pick on juniors."


    "Shut up, you old hag, you know yourself how strong he was. What is age? What is realm?


    None of them matter in front of real strength."


    "That I agree with. After all, it was created for us to estimate someone''s level of strength," Alex replied.


    Read new chapters at empire


    The man nodded with an approving look. "Well, that is good, now in you go. Edward wants to talk something with you."


    Hearing the name Edward, Alex''s crimson pupils shook for a moment, but it quickly returned to its emotionless state.


    Creak! The door opened, showing a familiar figure seated at the desk. His face was now more haggard, while his hand was busy writing on paper.


    "Thanks, Stell, will you be kind and close the door for me? I want to talk in private."


    "Tsk, so many secrets. I don''t get what is running in your head recently, Edward. You even cleaned up all the elders and put the patriarch in prison."


    Edward smiled. "Don''t you and Clara agree to help me with that? This just means what I say is right."


    Stell just laughed, then closed the door. It''s not like they killed them. They just put the patriarch and elders into a secret realm and locked them inside.


    They agreed because, lately, the sect was split into two: one opposing Edward''s idea, while the other supported it. His idea was quite radical and risky, but for Clara and Stell, it provided them with the most opportunity to get stronger.


    So they made their choice. Of course, this didn''t come easily. They made their own demands.


    Clara asked for there to be no casualties, while Stell wanted to fight against Edward instead. He was always curious how strong Edward was, as they never fought seriously at all.

 Chapter 428 Emotionless Son & Possesed Father

    The door closed, leaving behind an emotionless son and a possessed father in the same room.Alex''s eyes were dazed as something started to shake from his very being. But even this was still not enough to trigger his emotions.


    The reason was that he realized despite the same appearance and voice, the mannerism was just different, and the reaction was just different.


    If this was his real father, he would have already stood up and run to hug Alex despite all the protests. He would then treat Alex like a kid while asking where Luca was, like a child asking for candy.


    "Who are you?"


    "Don''t you recognize me? Your own father. Where is your mom and the others?"


    The ground suddenly cracked as a huge aura came out from Alex''s body. He might be emotionless, but this didn''t mean he would let someone do as they wanted with his father''s body.


    Right now, he was thinking of many possibilities, and the conclusion was only two: either his father was dead and possessed, or he was still alive deep inside.


    No matter which one, the only way to find out is by having a fight.


    He could try asking questions to test his knowledge, but any being that could possess his father should have the capability to read his memory, too.


    Alex could feel it based on his life force and strength; he was not one to be underestimated. High chance his cultivation realm had already reached immortal.


    "So cold, this is not like how I remember you."


    "Maybe that is because you only watch the memories. Stop fucking around," Alex said while he took another step.


    He suddenly appeared behind Edward and threw a punch imbued with life-force energy.


    BAM! A loud sound reverberated in the air, but Edward caught it with one hand.


    "As I thought, you are immortal too. Just how long have you taken over my father''s body?"


    Edward just smiled, and his eyes looked at Alex''s every movement and expression. He still felt Alex was just doing this to test him out. But his next move made him realize he was not kidding.


    The gig was upright when it was starting. Thanks to Alex being in an emotionless state now. Otherwise, he would have certainly questioned himself and thought twice before making any move.


    Blood came out from the fist and started infiltrating Edward''s body. The moment he felt this, he quickly tried to get away, but Alex''s hand was like glue, strongly holding onto his.


    Edward''s expression suddenly changed, and his tone of voice felt very different. "You are really his son. Have you already found out this quickly? Just how?"


    "You need to ask? You know how he acts, but don''t try to act like him." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I always thought it was all just his imagination, but who knows, it''s true instead."


    ''I see, so Father did something on his own memories,'' Alex thought to himself.


    He just felt that it was as expected from his father. He still took some countermeasures despite being in a hopeless situation.


    "Who are you? A Dragari?"


    "Yes and no. Well, I am one in the past. But now I am something more than just a Dragari.


    Well, it''s not that hard to guess considering what happened to my planet thanks to your bastard father," Edward said with his eyes glinting in anger.


    "So you captured someone, then ended up having your planet blown off by him. What a poor king you are."


    Alex didn''t know if he was the king or not; at this point, he was just guessing while measuring his response. But this is only a secondary goal. The main goal was still the same: using his blood to infiltrate his body and find the source of the possession.


    As long as he knew what he was up against, he could find a way to remove it. If it''s not something physical, then it means it''s a soul, and he can just have a fight in the inner world.


    "Shut up! If not because of his cheap trick, you think that will happen?"


    "You should be a stupid king then, to be scammed by that cheap trick. I wonder what my father did. Did he promise you something?


    Or wait, he just fought you directly, then made you think you were winning, while in reality, you were just dancing to his plan.


    That seems something that he will do," Alex said in a gloating tone.


    Meanwhile, his blood already started infiltrating his father''s body. It met with few resistances, but he easily bypassed it all as the Dragari king was now fuming in anger.


    He clenched his fist, pouring more strength into it. "Who cares! In the end, I am the one having the last laugh. The bastard even sent his family to me now.


    I will make sure to treat your mother lovingly so he can only gnash his teeth in anger without being able to.


    to do anything."


    "So you confirm he is still alive. That is enough for me."


    Alex then raised his knee toward Edward''s stomach.


    Edward blocked it with his other hand. At this moment, Alex released his grasp and then launched a barrage of punches. Stay connected via empire


    Edward easily saw all the angles and deflected it with ease. His face showed a confident smile as if he felt relieved that Alex was not as strong as he had imagined.


    ''So my father did more than just confuse his memories. It seems he still doesn''t have full control over the body.''


    Alex concluded this, as even now, the Dragari king still hadn''t realized that Alex''s blood was moving to his brain.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The furniture in the room quickly turned into ashes, but the wall and ground still kept their shape, as it was made with special material.


    The room they were in was also protected by a special formation, making sure no sound or movement was coming outside.


    Meanwhile, Stell, right in front of the door, was now waiting with Clara. "Why are you in a daze like that, hag? If you want to go, just go. I will stay here."

 Chapter 429 Dragari King Transormation

    "No, I want to know what they talk about, and who is a hag? You know I hate being called that.""Then let''s have another fight. If you win, I will stop calling you that."


    "Nope, you are just too obnoxious. The only way you will accept losing is if I kill you, stupid brute." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hahahaha¡­" Stel laughed out loud. He didn''t feel insulted since he knew that it was right.


    "It''s rare, you know, for you to be interested in someone. Have you moved on or something?" Stel asked in a more solemn tone.


    "I told you never to mention that again, or I will really kill you," Clara replied with killing intent spreading from her eyes.


    "Sorry." Stel backed off. He knew the topic was sensitive for her. He then looked at the door. "Do you think he has some relation to Edward?"


    "One hundred percent, can''t you see their similarity? I have my guess, but it''s not my problem. Better act like we don''t know anything."


    Stel nodded, agreeing with her. They thought Alex and Edward were having a family reunion now.


    If only they knew what was happening, they would intervene; unfortunately, they didn''t.


    Right now, the father and son duo were busy exchanging punches and kicks.


    The Dragari king threw a punch that Alex barely dodged, then blocked Alex''s counter. "Why are you even fighting? Do you think you can win?


    You may have that weird method to hijack the formation outside, but don''t think this one is that easy."


    "Putting a stronger formation on your own office rather than the whole estate, what a poor king you are. Or maybe you''re just a scaredy cat."


    "Stop trying to bait me into anger; do you think that will¡ª" Edward''s voice trailed off as he suddenly felt something weird in his body.


    "An immortal body is something made from qi and elements; that doesn''t mean you don''t have flesh and organs. You overestimate yourself, Dragari king."


    The possessed Edward dropped to his knees while holding his head. "Just what did you do?"


    "Looking for the source of your existence, but it seems you really exist only as a soul," Alex said expressionlessly.


    His hand began painting runes in the air like a professional conductor. This rune was similar to the one he used to seal Clara, with some mix of other runes.


    Alex wanted to press his immortal power while attacking his inner world, giving him an advantage in the process.


    Edward''s face grimaced with pain, but his lips curled into a deranged grin, "You think this is enough to beat an immortal? So what if you have blood inside of me?"


    What happened may have seemed simple, but in reality, Alex was now using his ability to its maximum capacity, moving it to both give pain and disrupt Edward''s qi to make sure he couldn''t fight back.


    Right now, he was sure the Dragari king couldn''t use Edward''s innate ability. Otherwise, there was no way he would have been tricked like this.


    ''I wonder, is this because Dad did something? Or does this mean even if someone possesses my body, they cannot use my ability? But I am sure the Awakener ability comes from evolved organs.''


    While Alex thought this, the Dragari king made his move. In one swift motion, he punched his own head, making it explode like a watermelon.


    "So you want to go this way? Don''t you think I expected this?" Alex sent a few runes forward.


    They activated their effect, making the regeneration of his head turn slower.


    But this was not enough to stop the Dragari king. He dashed forward and sent a punch to Alex''s stomach.


    A loud bam exploded as his fist pierced Alex''s. Unfortunately, this still didn''t stop Alex''s finger movement. This time, he stabbed his finger into the open wound and then started pouring his own blood inside, effectively invading all his veins.


    In response to this, Edward''s body suddenly started transforming; from solid, it turned back into energy. "I never planned to fight you seriously, but you''re asking for this!"


    Edward turned into an energy form, his body becoming a dark flame. It burned Alex, melting his skin.


    Thankfully, his own element was also fire, so he had higher resistance against it. Otherwise, he would probably have already turned to ashes.


    The flame then started regrowing its head back; it also grew a pair of draconic horns, with two wings on its back.


    "So this is the ability of an immortal when they''re serious."


    "First time seeing it?" the Dragari king asked.


    His voice now changed, becoming more otherworldly and beast-like. The horns, wings, and even the small crown on the forehead all spoke of features of the Dragari king and not his father.


    "Is this your ability as an immortal or from the Dragari?"


    "Why would I answer that? You can think of it yourself." He replied with a laugh, then suddenly appeared in front of Alex.


    ''Uppercut punches, followed by a straight, then an attack on the knee. Each attack will utilize its dark energy, creating a blast that raises its range.


    It''s impossible for me to completely dodge it, but if I use my life force to regenerate everything, then I won''t have enough left to guarantee my success in the inner world battle.''


    With that calculation, Alex''s body moved, following his prediction. His speed was completely outpaced, so he had to choose. Alex decided to throw away his left hand and right leg while only regenerating the leg.


    These body parts were gone because he used them to block the Dragari king''s attacks. His punch was on a whole different level compared to Clara''s.


    Alex thought this was because of the state Edward was in.


    Bam! BAM!


    As he calculated, the Dragari king burned them to ashes. He then raised his claw high, preparing to slash off Alex''s neck.


    But Alex dodged it; he had already moved before the Dragari king made his move.


    The searing hot wind flew an inch away from his nose.

 Chapter 430 Prepared Formation

    Throughout all this, his hand kept moving, creating more and more runes."Still writing that weird formation? You think I''ll allow it?"


    "You don''t have a choice. Even though this place is put in formation, if you go all out, I''m sure it will be destroyed. Otherwise, you would have already burned me to cinders."


    "I hate smart-ass kids like you."


    "Thanks for the compliment," Alex replied while blood wings came out from his back, turning into something that resembled a scorpion tail.


    But instead of having a stinger, at the end of it was a spear with a point formed like a drill head.


    It began spinning at high speed, then shot toward Edward''s head.


    His body then dodged in a weird way; instead of moving, it created a hole, allowing it to pass through without reaching him.


    Alex''s feet kicked on the ground, his body flickering in white flames, then reappeared right behind Edward. Another blood wing came out; this one turned into something like a hand.


    The left one was the spear, while the right was now grasping a hammer.


    The hammer was not his signature weapon; instead, this one was made with solidified blood. Alex''s weapon was now too useless to be used in battle on this scale.


    Flame ignited from both weapons as he utilized his secret technique, launching a barrage of hammer strikes.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    When his flame hit Edward, it started fighting for supremacy. The white and black danced like warring titans, each clash lighting up the room like fireworks.


    The air crackled each time as the temperature in the room kept rising.


    But in the clash, it was clear the Dragari king was winning. His energy almost felt like it was infinite, while Alex had almost depleted all his stockpile.


    His hammer tried to smash his head, but it only stopped in a clash of energy. The same thing happened with the spear, while the Dragari king could attack with ease.


    Despite his humanoid form, his body was so fluid that he could transform it into anything he wanted. Four hands appeared, each hitting Alex in the face and body.


    Each punch that hit caused devastating damage to Alex, but he only healed what he felt was needed. Blood still came out from the stumps, as he didn''t even bother to close the wounds.


    Alex dodged one more of his attacks as he finished the final rune. With a flick of his finger, he shot all the runes while still fighting against the Dragari king.


    If any cultivator had watched this now, they would know it was something impossible. Alex was outmatched in everything but still kept holding his ground.


    When he fought with Clara, they could at least explain it with his unnatural regeneration capability. But now it was different; he barely used his regeneration.


    He even fought with a crippled body and still succeeded in keeping up.


    The runes were shot, putting them in all corners; this time, they concentrated in a square formation. The room''s atmosphere started to change. Green particles began floating in the air like fireflies in the night sky.


    Some moved toward Alex, while others went to Edward.


    Outside the room, Clara and Stel turned alert as they saw some weird phenomena happening.


    "That boy is doing something," Clara said as she recognized this energy. Alex had used it multiple times against her.


    Right now, in the atmosphere surrounding the area, green particles were floating, all gathering toward the room.


    She could see some of the plants beginning to wither as more and more energy was taken away.


    "Should we enter?" Stel asked in worry.


    "Let''s wait a bit more. Maybe it''s another of his weird experiments."


    "No, I''m sure it''s not. Firstly, I know most of what he researches, and this thing is not part of it, and secondly, this is on a scale that could hurt our clan.


    Don''t you see it absorbing this weird energy from all over our territory? If this keeps going on, all plants will die, including your precious alchemy garden."


    Clara shrugged her shoulders, "


    I don''t mind it; I''m more curious about what this energy is."


    She started observing and learning about it and began ignoring Stel.


    ''This old hag is at it again,'' Stel thought to himself while he sent some orders to make sure of the situation.


    Based on what he knew, it only absorbed energy from air and plants, but who knows if the lower realm cultivators and animals also got absorbed.


    Inside, Alex''s body quickly recovered; with the life force he absorbed, he could now fight more efficiently.


    What he did now was not as simple as activating the formation. While he was deep in thought and moving inside the Zephyr clan, Alex was slowly spreading his own qi and life force.


    This was to create a foundation for this formation. He already knew his lifeforce was almost depleted. That is why he prepared this just in case.


    Even with this, Alex was running on limited time; the life force from plants wouldn''t be enough for him to fight against an immortal at Edward''s level, not to mention one that was going for the kill.


    "Is this it? Your trump card?" the Dragari king asked.


    "Yes, but you haven''t seen all its capabilities."


    After Alex said this, his blood wings turned back into liquid, then dropped to the ground and started mingling, creating a circle surrounding them.


    The circle then began to resonate with the runes; part of it then turned into chains that shot out toward the Dragari king and, strangely, Alex.


    This move prevented the Dragari king from actively dodging it. He just raised his flame, creating a clash of energy the moment the chain hit him.


    Alex''s whole body then began glowing in a green hue. He took a step forward as the green hue started moving toward his fist.


    Bam! The punch connected. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the Dragari king didn''t feel anything. He kept grinning while wondering what Alex was planning.

 Chapter 431 The Connection Returned

    "You''re really so full of yourself. Even after being caught by me once, you still do it again," Alex said, trying to keep taunting him.His purpose was to affect his mental state, even by a bit, to prepare for his next step.


    The green energy on his fist then glowed, and the chain that was stopped an inch away from the Dragari king''s body suddenly turned ethereal; it bypassed the energy barrier and captured his body.


    The green energy on his fist then glowed. The chain that had stopped inches away from the Dragari King''s body suddenly turned ethereal. It bypassed the energy barrier and captured his ethereal body.


    "NO way! How can you capture me in my avatar state!?" the Dragari King roared in confusion.


    The Avatar state was the perfect form that allowed immortals to use their power.


    Different from a normal human body, this one turned all their cells into part energy, allowing them to become stronger and use their power more freely.


    Alex didn''t know the name of this state, but he quickly understood how it was formed. He had already theorized many times that cells had another part that contained the wave-like state of energy.


    It was like the other side of the coin; what immortals did was basically pull this other side into reality, flipping it up.


    This allowed him to create a chain capable of binding the Dragari King down.


    ''IF only I had more time,'' Alex thought in his mind.


    He knew if he could find out how this process worked, Alex could probably succeed in breaking through his realm and, at the same time, make huge progress in his research.


    The rune glowed, then began to intensify as Alex prepared to finish it.


    ''Now to just exorcise the Dragari King''s soul from Father''s body.''


    His palm glowed in a green hue as it grasped over the Dragari King''s forehead. Alex prepared to invade his inner world, but unfortunately, at this crucial moment, something happened that disturbed his thoughts.


    He could feel his connection with MingYue and Vesa returned. With it, Vesa also quickly called out to him.


    ''King! What happened?''


    This momentary lapse gave the Dragari King a moment to start recovering. He was still pressed down by the rune formation, but this didn''t mean he could not do anything.


    Part of his body separated, creating a small dragon that shot toward Alex''s chest.


    If Alex still had his emotion, he would have already cursed out loud, saying he was like the MC in many novels, where the author just loved to make him miserable for the sake of furthering the plot.


    Thankfully, he was not. As his mind was now completely focused on logic alone, Alex quickly recovered.


    The small dragon exploded on his chest, creating a huge hole in it.


    But Alex didn''t stop; he invaded his father''s inner world as he ordered, ''Vesa, exchange the necessary information with MingYue.''


    ''Yes, King,'' Vesa quickly replied with a frown, but she didn''t stop the sentence there. ''King, I am sorry to disturb you in this situation, but there is something foreign in your body now. We must take care of it soon.''


    ''Foreign?'' Alex frowned as his consciousness disappeared into Edward''s inner world. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly pushed all unnecessary thoughts aside and then started fighting against the Dragari King inside.


    Meanwhile, MingYue, Luca, and the others had just entered the core region. With Alex''s order, MingYue quickly understood everything that happened.


    From the destruction of the Midnight Clan, how he recovered it, and now fighting against his own father.


    She started having a bad feeling. With Alex''s current situation, if the circumstances gave him no choice, she was sure Alex was capable of killing Edward.


    "Which direction is your clan?" MingYue asked in a hurried tone toward Aria.


    "Did something happen, MingYue?" Lucas asked as she realized her change of tone. Even though she had just met MingYue, she had already learned her personality.


    For MingYue to act like this could only mean something serious was happening, and it probably concerned the fate of her son.


    "Alex is now with Uncle, and they are fighting. As for the details, it''s better if we just go there now."


    Emily''s eyes lit up when she heard this; she didn''t feel worried hearing Alex fighting Edward. After learning his father''s fate, if there was anyone she believed could save him, then it would be Alex.


    She had complete faith that Alex would never hurt their father.


    Luca frowned, but she felt the same way as MingHao.


    Meanwhile, Sylva interjected, "Luca, I have something to do. With your current strength, I believe you won''t have a problem staying here.


    It''s more important for me to go there now."


    "Yes, you can go, Sylva. Don''t let my hubby''s planning turn to waste."


    They then left, leaving only Luca, Emily, Aria, and MingYue alone.


    A distance away, Zold asked, ''What happened, Father?''


    "Orion sent me a message. Things became more complicated now because of what Alex did."


    "His attack on this region?"


    Sylva nodded. "The attack on this region is not the problem..."


    Zold felt confused by his father''s answer. "What then?"


    "His army is not only moving here but also in another region. Now a problem starts: a seal is broken."


    "Father, can you be clear for once?"


    "Just follow; right now, I can use your help." Sylva said while fastening his pace.


    His words made Zold, who almost never showed his expression, let out a small smile. This was the first time his father asked for his help.


    His body crackled in electricity as he also fastened his pace.


    ''This father and son duo, just what have I put myself into? I will one hundred percent retire after this.''


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now moving at high speed, followed by Aria and the others. After learning the directions, she didn''t need to ask further, as Alex''s presence became clearer to her.


    The closer they were, the easier it was for her to pinpoint it.

 Chapter 432 Hidden Danger

    "If they are just fighting, why are you so worried like this? Edward is possessed right now, so it''s not weird. With my son''s current capability, I am sure he can help his father.""He can help for sure, Aunt, but the question is, depending on the circumstance, I don''t know how, but despite giving out so much Qi to you, he is somehow still immortal.


    His strength is not something Alex can fight easily; one punch is more than enough to obliterate him.


    "But Brother can regenerate without any problem. I am sure he is alright."


    "Yes, he can. It''s not him that I am worried about. As I said, Uncle is so strong that he can easily destroy Alex''s body.


    This means the situation can quickly turn dangerous for him." MingYue then hesitated for a moment before she continued, "Under some circumstances, what if Alex had no choice but to accidentally kill Uncle?"


    Luca''s eyes turned cold, "Watch what you say, MingYue, my son will never hurt his father. Even if the situation forced him to, he will just escape and think of another plan."


    "You are right, Auntie..." MingYue said without explaining further. She didn''t know how to say it without going to lengths about what happened.


    At this moment, even Alex himself didn''t realize this, but she knew how dangerous it was.


    Alex thought his emotionless state came from the shock of destroying the Midnight Clan. While this was true based on his personality, his usual response should have been getting pressured with guilt, not going emotionless.


    ''What should we do now, Queen? If I try to remove this, I''m afraid it will affect King''s plan.''


    ''For now, just watch. We will see how things change from here. Since he was fighting in Uncle''s inner world, this can work to our advantage.''


    ''Queen, do you mean for me to start confronting it after King''s soul leaves his body?''


    ''Yes, why do you think this outside factor stayed in Alex''s body all this long? That eye-being is planning to take control over it.


    After Alex''s soul leaves, his body will become empty. I don''t know how good the body''s defensive mechanism is compared to the eye-being avatar, but if it succeeds, even for a moment,


    it could control his body to kill Edward, making things worse for all of us.''


    "So I shouldn''t have warned King about this presence?"


    ''No, you should. The moment your connection recovered, the eye-being would probably make its move soon.


    I don''t know how much of this was a coincidence, but the moment Alex got transported, that eye-being should have already planned this.


    It moved Alex to a place that would cut our connection. Actually, I am surprised that a place like this exists in my world.''


    ''Based on the formation outside, whoever made this region is not simple, Queen. It''s someone that could be counted as the elite on the universe stage.''


    "That strong?"


    "I don''t know the strength, but the knowledge and material used are not something simple. Otherwise, there is no way to cut the connection, even with our current strength."


    ''I see, just another mystery that is unrelated to our situation. It doesn''t matter now; what is important is to reach there quickly.''


    MingYue raised her pace as she began using lifeforce to move quickly.


    Looking at her, Emily thought, ''Is the situation really that dangerous? If only I could control my ability, I should be able to reach that place in a flash.''


    She couldn''t help but feel anxious about the situation. Emily then exchanged a gaze with her mom, but she shook her head, as Luca also didn''t understand the reason.


    They just followed to keep up the pace with MingYue. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now inside Edward''s inner world. The place was chaotic, looking like the planet MingYue and the others had visited¡ªthe Fractured Planet.


    Everything was in disarray. Part of the ground floated away while lightning kept crackling in the sky.


    Alex looked around, trying to find his father''s presence, but unfortunately, he couldn''t find one. Instead, everywhere he could feel the Dragari King.


    "Come out," Alex said while his body sent out a green glow.


    Outside, the rune started reacting. The sky and thunder in the inner world began to coalesce and gather together, forming a humanoid dragon.


    Its appearance was similar to the avatar form he just faced. The only difference was that the skin was now replaced by red scales.


    "Kekeke, disappointed? Your father is not here anymore."


    Alex stomped his feet, cracking the ground where they stood, making them fall down into the abyss downstairs.


    But he didn''t feel panic. "This is just the outer layer of the inner world; I am sure you imprisoned him deeper inside."


    The Dragari King''s face turned ugly. "Both father and son, you are all annoying."


    He dashed toward Alex as a spear materialized in his hand.


    "What a crude way of fighting," Alex said while raising his hand upward.


    Hundreds of weapons materialized in the sky; none of them were swords or spears. Every single one was a modern weapon.


    With a snap of his finger, each one shot, unleashing a rain of bullets toward the Dragari King.


    Smoke and flame exploded, but Alex still did not stop the attack.


    Instead, he created more weapons and even started sending nukes at the Dragari King.


    KABOOM!!!


    Meanwhile, outside, Alex''s body, now standing still, suddenly opened one of his eyes. But the pupil that showed was not his usual crimson one.


    It looked like the eye-being.


    Blood seeped out, creating a solid, sharp claw around his hand. Then, with one motion, he thrust it like a spear toward Edward''s heart.


    But just an inch away, suddenly, a staff came out, blocking it. The eye-being was caught off guard.


    "Stop," Pi said, holding his staff while looking at him.


    Before Alex entered, after being warned by Vesa, he decided to take countermeasures. He sent Pi out to look after his body to see if he had ever made a move.

 Chapter 433 Arrival

    "My Master told me to tell you this: you cannot do much now.Your time is limited, and you probably planned to kill Edward and wound my body by self-exploding your avatar, then using the immortal energy as a catalyst to increase its power.


    But now, with Pi here, he has the capability to block your attack and impede your movement."


    The possessed Alex grinned, "Kekeke, as I thought, there is no way things would be this simple. Well, I''ll just play with Alucard for now.


    Tell your Master I look forward to our next meeting if he can survive this."


    Alex''s eyes closed again, then a black fog came out from the back of his neck.


    Pi frowned as he realized there was a pattern in the form of eyes there. It began to dissipate into the smoke, then disappeared into the air. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just what is that? Did Master not realize he has that?" Pi mumbled. But his eyes widened again, as now another smoke came out, but this time it was red.


    It started gathering and taking the form of Vesa. Pi quickly turned alert and prepared to attack again.


    But then he remembered her appearance, though this didn''t mean he just believed it. Who knew if this was just an illusion from that weird creature playing tricks on his eyes.


    "I am Vesa. You should be Pi; I know you from King''s memory."


    "How can you prove you''re her? Just before something come out form Master body."


    "Yes, I know something is attaching to the King''s body. That is why I am here. Do you think he just left because of your attack?


    That being is not something you can defeat like that. Anyway, I am here because I need your help.


    The King is too busy for this now, but this is important. There is another creature like that one, and we need to find out where.


    I don''t want us to be caught off guard."


    "Master told me to stay here and guard his body. I will not leave until he wakes up."


    "I would leave by myself if I could, but my range is limited here. The Queen will also come here soon, and she will take care of the rest in this place.


    But that other being, we cannot be negligent. Your current body is also fused with Tora; it can help you look for this creature. They all have a similar smell."


    In the current situation, Vesa judged Tora''s sense of smell and instinct to be more helpful than her life force detection. She was sure this being had a way to hide its presence.


    Vesa wanted to say more but detected MingYue''s presence. "The Queen is here; I will talk with her first."


    "Do what you need," Pi replied, as he still didn''t have any desire to move from where he stood. Even if it was the real Vesa, to Pi, he had only one Master.


    Outside, Clara and Stel turned their gaze toward the door. "Another one coming? Oh wait, it seems Aira has returned. But I don''t feel Sylvia''s presence; did she fail?"


    "She brought a guest, probably. Edward gave her another order. It seems today is a busy day," Clara said with a sigh.


    She knew she couldn''t order Stel to meet the guest. Ordering one of their disciples or elders was also not an option. Who knew if they would behave rudely because of what happened?


    This group of people was related to Edward.


    "Let me go; you already had your fun," Stel said.


    "No! Just stay here and stand there as good decoration."


    Clara then left him without waiting for his response.


    Unlike Alex, MingYue, Luca, and the others, who came with Aria, they didn''t have any problem entering through the gate and quickly reached the courtyard.


    "What is with that face, Aria?"


    "Aunt, I returned. Did something happen? What is with that weird array? Did Master do something?" Aria replied with a small smile.


    "Don''t do that in front of me. I told you I could see past your fake smile, and who are these guests?"


    "Aunt, she is Master''s wife. Madam, she is my aunt. Although I call her like this, in fact, she is far above me in the family line."


    "Did you just call me old? You punk," Clara said while hitting her head.


    MingYue, meanwhile, was not in the mood at this situation, the same could also be said for Luca and Emily. They wanted to quickly meet up with Alex and Edward.


    "We are in a hurry. Can we meet up with Alex now?" MingYue said while her gaze looked toward a specific direction.


    "He is meeting with Edward now, so I am sorry I cannot allow you to intervene."


    "Alright," MingYue replied. She wasn''t interested in debating further, instead, she took one step forward, then suddenly shot toward the building.


    Clara wanted to stop her, but Aria grasped her arm. She could ignore her if she wanted, but Clara wanted to know why Aria did this. It''s not something she usually does.


    Seeing the opportunity, Luca and Emily also moved, following MingYue.


    "What happened? You seem to be in a very bad mood now. Aria and the others just left like that."


    "It''s about master, his situation is..." Aria then started telling her the story, making Clara frown. To prove her words, Aria also shared her memory of everything that just happened.


    "Go back to your abode and wait there; things are going to become complicated now."


    "Will you fight master?"


    "For now, I will hide the information and observe the situation. Since that boy and the others came to fix this, might as well let them take care of it."


    "Can I just wait there? I also want to know what will happen next, as well as the Master''s instruction."


    Clara sighed, "Do what you want."


    Meanwhile, as things moved outside, inside Edward''s inner world, Alex also started fighting against the Dragari King.

 Chapter 434 Losing?

    The barrage of gunshots never stopped, but it became less effective as the Dragari King learned how to counter it. He also had some of Edward''s memories; in the past, he treated it as toys and didn''t think too much of it.But now, looking at how Alex used it, he started copying his method. He created a similar gun, then shot bullets against bullets.


    The sky was filled with many lights, making it look like fireworks.


    The clash was equal at first but then started to change as the Dragari King began winning.


    "Haha, boy, challenging me in an inner world battle, you are digging your grave. It''s only a matter of time till I extinguish your soul power. Don''t underestimate me!


    Do you think I became immortal because of your father? No, it''s because of me!


    I am the one raising his cultivation in one go."


    Hearing this, Alex''s mind started pondering, ''He doesn''t have access to my father''s skill, and he says he raised this body''s cultivation to be immortal?''


    If Alex knew his mother had been cultivated by his father, he would have been able to guess what was happening. Unfortunately, he didn''t, so he could only make a random guess.


    The fight continued as Alex''s situation worsened; they finally landed on the ground after falling for some time.


    The area was not much different from the one on top; it was a barren land, cracked with nothing growing on top of it.


    The surroundings were completely dark, with occasional lightning barely lighting up the area.


    ''Deep inside the inner world, but still barely any changes.''


    If the lightning came from the Dragari King''s attack, Alex would still understand it, but he could tell it wasn''t. Otherwise, it wouldn''t just strike randomly.


    ''Does every single possessed one look like this?'' Alex wondered, but he quickly shook the idea as he remembered Luciel was not.


    In the case of the Dragari King, he didn''t have any control over the world.


    Even before, when Alex forced his souls to gather together, he could tell the Dragari King''s presence was just large, making him look like he was spreading around the inner world.


    Alex started considering the possibility that his father''s soul was not in the body at all or in some other part.


    But where? He ran out of ideas. His father''s body now was like a broken, empty vessel.


    "Do you regret it now? If you had just acted in your place from the start, your life would have been spared longer.


    But now it doesn''t matter. I will take over your body after I extinguish your soul."


    The Dragari King grinned as he could see Alex now looked paler than before. His body also became more transient, a few signs of someone starting to exhaust their soul power.


    "Enough playing," the Dragari King mumbled. He stopped his barrage of attacks, and so did Alex. All the guns dissipated.


    Alex covered himself with crimson armor while wielding a hammer. The Dragari King, meanwhile, grew in size and turned into a huge dragon.


    Its scales gleamed in an iridescent crimson color. There were four horns on top of its head, with four huge wings coming out from the back.


    He stood on his two legs and then let out a roar.


    The roar had a weird effect that made Alex feel like his whole being was being shaken now.


    BAM! Alex''s hammer grew in size and hit the dragon right in the head, but it barely showed any effect.


    The Dragari King''s confidence soared as he felt he had already won the battle. He swiped his claw, launching Alex crashing to the ground. Alex''s body rolled like a rag doll.


    The Dragari King then raised his leg, wanting to stomp Alex flat. Alex pointed his hammer upward; it then grew even larger to block.


    His hammer croaked under the weight, but Alex poured more energy to strengthen it. As this stomp didn''t work, the Dragari King changed his attack. He lifted up his leg and instead kicked it forward, shoving Alex toward the air.


    Alex barely blocked it by using his blood wing to create a makeshift shield. Now that he was in the air, the Dragari King used the moment to launch another attack.


    This time he poured a serious amount of energy, as he didn''t want to stay too long in the inner world battle. He didn''t want Stel, or Clara, to come in and ask some questions.


    His plan was to separate his soul into two and then control both of their bodies. He would then return to Alex''s world and use their status and network to conquer the planet.


    He would use them as his own army to take revenge. Edward may have triggered the destruction of his plan, but he was not the real perpetrator.


    The Dragari King opened his jaw. A pure destructive energy began to gather, and then it shot forward like a huge laser, completely engulfing Alex in the process.


    The blast didn''t last long; it quickly dissipated, leaving behind Alex''s body that fell to the ground.


    The red armor was half destroyed, and the same thing happened with his wing. He lay on the ground expressionlessly, looking up toward the huge dragon that was still coming at him.


    "Still have that look on your face, huh? Let''s see how long it will last," the Dragari King said with annoyance. Alex''s calmness made him feel triggered, as that reminded him of Edward.


    No matter what kind of situation he was in, he never lost his cool.


    The thought of finishing the battle quickly changed. The Dragari King wanted to see Alex filled with terror.


    With the current situation, all his deliberation of Alex disappeared.


    His sharp claw raised upward, creating many small spheres of fire shooting toward Alex''s body.


    Meanwhile, on the upper level of the inner world, MingYue was now standing, looking down toward the deep abyss.


    She couldn''t see what happened since it was far away, but with how close they were now, she could tell Alex''s situation.


    S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 435 Reason?

    "Just what are you thinking now, Alex? The current you feels like a stranger to me," she mumbled.MingYue didn''t get why Alex was now lying on the ground. She knew the enemy was strong, but not to this extent.


    If it were the old Alex, he would have already pulled something since he wouldn''t be patient with a parasite taking control over his father''s body.


    Looking upward, she then saw Vesa come flying toward her.


    "I cannot detect Father King''s soul anywhere; there are traces, but it''s nothing more than soul remains."


    "Is this why Alex didn''t make you look for Uncle?"


    "I don''t know, Queen. The King doesn''t tell me anything; he should have known what happened by now. I tried to talk, but he didn''t respond to me, although I''m sure the King has a plan."


    "How about his emotions then? The city''s destruction shouldn''t trigger that much reaction since the eye-being is the one responsible for it. He should have a reason for it." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Honestly, Queen, I think it works to the King''s advantage in this situation."


    "That is not wrong, but I don''t believe that byakhee, that eye-being, did it out of good intentions.


    There should be something else. What would the normal Alex never do but this emotionless one can?"


    "I don''t know, Queen, but thinking is the King''s forte. If anything, I''m sure he''s considered it."


    "Just what do they want with my planet? Does it have something that pulls their eyes?"


    "Probably something in the core region related to the portal, or maybe their presence here is what triggered everything."


    "Meaning?"


    "They came here bringing something that pulled the interest of another race. As for why this planet specifically, it could be a coincidence or another reason."


    "If there''s another reason, what do you think it would be?"


    "Something related to the one that created the core region, based on my analysis of this region.


    The Blue Jewel planet is very old; it reaches the era even before the Progenitor war, when I hadn''t been created yet."


    "That old? But isn''t that weird?"


    "Queen, only a few planets survive this long without facing extinction. Most will be destroyed because of natural causes or war.


    As for those that survive, they will at least become a Type 2 civilization."


    "Too much jargon, just get to the point, Vesa."


    "Basically, it will be far more advanced, where everyone has already left into space.


    Or the strongest on your world could easily go to the sun and use it for cultivating."


    "Even immortals couldn''t achieve that feat," MingYue said. "Alright, enough talking; we should join in. Alex will finish things soon."


    Ice wings appeared on her back as she leaped down toward Alex. Meanwhile, outside the room, Stell was now observing Alex, MingYue, and Edward''s body, with Pi on high alert.


    MingYue was touching Alex''s shoulder while closing her eyes.


    Luca''s heart shook, seeing Edward once more, ''Hubby, it''s been so long, and yet I still cannot touch you despite being this close.''


    "Mom, can''t we just enter like her? Why should we wait here?"


    "It''s for the best for now. If I enter, who knows what the repercussions will be." Luca mumbled while tears silently fell, streaming her cheeks wet.


    "Clara, are you sure about this? I mean, we always put our eyes on him. I still couldn''t believe he was swapped."


    "We don''t even know his preparations with Aria, how do you think we know about this?" Clara asked back.


    When MingYue and the others arrived at the door, Clara had informed Stell of the gist of the situation. She asked him to let them enter.


    "Yes, you are right, but don''t you think we should intervene too? It seems we just need to stand in the circle, then enter his inner world."


    "No!" Pi replied while a spear suddenly appeared in his hand, "I may not be able to defeat you, but you''ll need to pass my dead body before going in."


    "And you let that woman enter, how is that different?"


    "She is my master''s wife, of course she can enter." Pi replied directly, making Stell speechless.


    "Just give it up, Stell. If you want to fight, there are many opportunities later. For now, let''s just become spectators."


    "A fight with who?"


    "What a brute, did you even listen to what I told you?


    Did you ever think of anything other than fighting?" Clara asked in an exasperated tone.


    She was sure that the moment she said there was a being strong enough to take Edward''s body under their watch, his interest was put solely on them.


    Meanwhile, Alex''s soul was now transparent enough that the Dragari King could see through it, but he started to feel annoyed since no matter how he attacked, Alex was like a cockroach; his soul just never dissipated.


    "Dammit! Just how durable are you?" the Dragari King said with anger.


    His body started changing, becoming small in the same size as Alex. He then pulled Alex up and choked him by the neck.


    He opened his jaw, then prepared to shoot his breath at point-blank range. As his body became smaller, his power was also more condensed, "This time I will make sure to end you."


    Despite his situation, Alex''s eyes were still expressionless, his gaze not even focusing on the energy gathering inches away from his face.


    He saw past it, seeing MingYue, "Seems time is up. In the end, you are a disappointment, Dragari King."


    The Dragari King let out an angry groan, as he could not talk right now. Even in this situation, Alex''s eyes looked at him as if he were trash.


    If it were someone else, he would never take it seriously, but this was the son of someone who had destroyed all his achievements in a matter of years.


    His efforts for millennia were destroyed very easily.


    Alex suddenly grabbed the Dragari King''s hand that was choking him. A surge of lifeforce mixed with crimson aura exploded.

 Chapter 436 Seperation of Soul

    His transparent body quickly recovered to solid, and his soul presence also increased manifold. The Dragari King released his grasp, and the energy he had gathered dissipated because of the shock.The presence coming out of Alex now felt like facing a being that he would not even dare to look at. It was like facing a real God.


    "You took over my father''s body, now it''s your time. Those that sin against me should pay for their mistake."


    The aura transformed into something that looked like a large bat, it then opened its big mouth. A huge suction came out from it, absorbing the Dragari King''s soul.


    MingYue, looking from afar, was confused by how things progressed, "Vesa, how can he do this?"


    "I honestly never thought this was possible. When the King was beaten up, part of his soul was corrupting the Dragari King. It started changing part of it bit by bit, turning the wavelength into something like the Vampire race.


    As the Queen knows, the Progenitor aura is very effective on their own race. The King also enhanced it with lifeforce, which multiplied the effect and caught that lizard off guard."


    "So he is now absorbing his lifeforce?"


    "I don''t think so, Queen. As you see, the King is taking all his soul while disassembling it. I think he''s experimenting."


    MingYue rolled her eyes; she didn''t know if Alex was doing this for revenge or really to satisfy his curiosity, but considering his current emotionless state, it should lean more toward the second part.


    What Alex did was like experimenting on a human when they were alive without any anesthesia, cutting them apart, playing with the organs, studying how things work.


    Only this time, the human could not die of shock, and the pain was a hundredfold over. The Dragari King roared in pain as his soul was being torn apart; the pain came from his whole presence.


    "Impossible! How can this happen? I am stronger than you!"


    "As I said, you are a disappointment. You have the strength, but you cannot use it. You may not realize it, but your soul is already wounded. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why do you think you acted so emotional in our fight? Do you think that''s how someone experienced fights?


    This is not a novel where we have a God acting like a brat with no brain. From the start, you could have gone all out and finished me, but no, you played around.


    Then, taking over my body? Are you sure it''s something you planned? Not what my father made you do?


    You pitiful King, till the end, my father was playing you by his finger. The body you took over is nothing more than a prison specially made for you."


    Alex found all this out while he was corrupting the Dragari King''s soul. Otherwise, there is no way he could have succeeded.


    At first, he was just testing things out, but after seeing the results, he decided to continue. As for the rest he said, most of it was speculation.


    Alex thought his father did something similar to him, but with more sacrifice. He probably used his own soul to create damage and put some thought into the Dragari King.


    This is why Alex decided to absorb the Dragari King''s soul; he wanted to dissect it not just for experimentation but to look for any of his father''s traces.


    If there was still some left, he could gather it together and have some hope of fixing it.


    Alex might be emotionless, but his mind still worked based on established priorities. He knew he needed to rescue his father for now; as for afterward, he would consider it later based on the situation.


    MingYue landed on the ground as the Dragari King was absorbed with nothing left behind.


    "You''re here. Took you a while," Alex said without looking at her.


    His cold treatment made her feel annoyed, but right now, there was something else she needed to do.


    "How long do you need?"


    "A few minutes should be enough. I just need to group the results before they dissipate. Vesa, help me," Alex said, then sat cross-legged on the ground.


    Vesa flew over, receiving instructions from Alex and following them precisely. She first created a rune similar to the one they used on Emily and the others.


    But Alex instructed her to make a few more runes surrounding it. That one served as the core, while the rest were supporting runes.


    This was a new rune formation he created to hold the disassembled Dragari King''s soul.


    There was no way he could completely analyze it otherwise.


    From his body, a few particles started coming out. The first was green, as it was lifeforce, the second one was white. It looked more like a dandelion rather than a particle, very fragile and could dissipate at any time.


    If one focused on it, they would be able to see a silhouette of images on each particle.


    The first and second piles kept growing in size, while Alex started creating a third and fourth pile.


    The third pile looked like electricity; Alex didn''t know what it was, so he just used runes to isolate it, then separated it away.


    The fourth one was red particles.


    This pile was far smaller than the others, and it gave off a completely different feeling.


    Vesa moved around, helping create rune after rune and directing lifeforce energy to ensure the operation was smooth.


    In MingYue''s eyes, the process looked simple, but for Alex and Vesa, it was like performing a complicated surgery on someone''s brain.


    The things they separated and moved were fragile and easily dissipated.


    One wrong move could trigger a chain reaction that would completely destroy everything.


    ''This white one should be memory, as for that crackle of electricity, I feel like it''s something that bridges the lifeforce and memories like a circuit, it''s like the foundation that makes up a soul.


    As for the last one, it''s the remains of my father.''

 Chapter 437 Incomplete Soul

    As all the piles were separated, Alex looked dazedly at the red energy.Even after all the separation, this only counted as a few. He felt this wasn''t even part of the main soul.


    "MingYue, what do you think I should tell my mom and sister outside?" Alex asked as he didn''t know what to say.


    With the loss of his emotions, his ability to empathize was also reduced.


    He could think about their reactions, but choosing the right words to not hurt them was something he needed to really consider.


    It wasn''t just about their emotion; he needed to make sure they didn''t do anything reckless.


    "Is that your father''s remaining soul?" MingYue asked while pointing at it.


    "Yes and no, it''s more like part of him he discarded. He is still out there, living out from his body as a soul.


    I suspected he hid some clue in the ring, but if this is true, I don''t understand why he hid it, except he have more enemies.


    This means this lizard king is not the real problem. I wonder if it''s the one Byakhee mentioned."


    "Did you have any idea why they were here?"


    "Byakhee''s real self is the one overseeing the outer gate, or who knows, he created it. So, his looking at this planet is not weird.


    I think it''s more about the other being. Byakhee should have found out what this being did, and it piqued his interest.


    As for the matter itself, it''s probably related to the pendant you got from your parents.


    There is also Reina''s mother. Her missing should be related to that. I suspect she is now with your parents. As for my father''s real soul, I doubt it''s with them.


    He was always the type to send someone to do something while he himself did the riskier part without anyone knowing."


    Alex then stood up, his fingers moving, manipulating the rune formation. It then spun and closed up, creating something like a sphere.


    Leaving behind only the green particles outside.


    "You still haven''t answered, MingYue. What should I say?" he asked while grasping the sphere.


    The rune required continuous infusion of life force to make sure everything inside stayed intact. The cost was not cheap, but it was far better than letting it all dissipate.


    "You know how bad I am with personal interactions like this, but if it were me, I would just tell the truth: your father is not here."


    "Based on the body''s situation, my father''s soul should have left a while ago. He also doesn''t have any plan to return."


    "How did you come to that conclusion?"


    "Just see this body''s situation," Alex said while pointing toward the lightning in the sky. Even after he captured the Dragari king, the inner world still stayed intact.


    "Even without a soul, this inner world somehow still stands. I still don''t know how my father did this, but this is why I am sure he did this to make a prison for the Dragari king''s soul.


    If he really tried to possess me, something would be triggered.


    My father also destroyed the organ that gave him his ability. He made sure to do it so thoroughly that it cannot be regenerated."


    "Your father seems like a very capable man." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He is. The problem is, if I tell Mom and Emily like what you say, I am sure they will go after him directly."


    "They don''t even know where he is; where would they go?"


    Alex''s eyes turned to the sphere in his hand. "My father bestowed all his memories to my mother. I am sure she has an inkling of where he went.


    I guess it''s in the frontline area, the other side of the portal.


    That reminds me, have you seen a woman outside? She is Feng Xue''s descendant."


    "No, I never thought her family situation was this complicated. How about the ShangXi Temple and the coalition? Do they have something to do with this?"


    "Almost certainly, yes. It seems someone planned something for a long time, and this someone is probably that being.


    I suspect the Shangxi Temple abbot is one of my father''s comrades. He probably created both opposing forces to create this situation."


    "In that case, does that mean the Shangxi Temple is on our side?"


    "Not necessarily. Don''t forget our goal is to take over this world. It''s different from what they want to achieve, and who knows if we disrupt their plan instead." Alex paused for a moment.


    It wasn''t just a possibility; he believed his army had already disrupted the plan. The question was, did it disrupt in a good way? Or in a bad way?


    "Vesa, analyze the Dragari king''s memory and give me the rundown later," Alex said while throwing the sphere toward Vesa.


    "Yes, King." Vesa then opened her mouth and ate it whole.


    "MingYue, you should take this. I already have some insight into reaching the next realm. We need to become stronger as fast as possible."


    Alex split the life force pile into two and then gave half to MingYue.


    MingYue began absorbing it, closing her eyes. New information started pouring over her as Vesa gave her Alex''s insight.


    Looking at her, Alex thought, ''I have no emotion, but I still find myself attracted to her. Is this because we are linked by the progenitor''s soul?


    Or is emotion different from someone''s heart?''


    Many thoughts and considerations came to Alex''s mind. In the past, he would categorize attraction, like, and love all as emotions, but now it seemed it wasn''t necessarily true.


    MingYue opened her eyes. She had many questions about his insight, but feeling his glare made her questions dissipate.


    She was now in her soul form; the glare felt like he saw her naked, making her blush.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "As you know, I like you, MingYue, but in my state, I am emotionless."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I am emotionless, but I can still say for sure that I like you. I wonder why."

 Chapter 438 Can You Revert Back?

    His words made MingYue frown. "What do you mean by that? You don''t want to like me? Or is that a problem?""Yes, a problem because it means two things: either like is not part of emotion, or our attraction is caused by the progenitor''s soul."


    MingYue''s expression turned cold at his remark. She didn''t know why, but it made her feel angry. "Do you mean our relationship is fake? Didn''t you tell me before that it doesn''t matter at all?"


    "It seems my words hurt you. I''m sorry, I don''t mean it like that. I just want to understand the nature of the human soul.


    You see, if even after emotion is removed, someone''s soul could still feel things like a crush, doesn''t this mean there is another part that builds up the soul?


    The Dragari king''s soul is not complete; it''s already damaged from the start. So I cannot use it as an example of how a soul really is."


    "Do you forget what you told me before, Alex?


    You speculated that a baby is born without a soul, and only when they experience many things is a soul born.


    Doesn''t this mean very intense emotions and feelings can be carved into someone''s soul?


    Honestly, I myself don''t care too much about how it comes to be; what matters is the present."


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to undermine our relationship. It''s just an easy example to make a comparison to.


    Even if it''s because of the progenitor, it''s not a problem."


    "The old you would explain to me now how it''s not related, and our bond is not based on that. You would dislike it since it''s equivalent to making every single one of our experiences together moot."


    MingYue paused for a moment. Her eyes flickered with emotion.


    "Alex, can you revert to your old self? I liked that one far better than the current you."


    Alex''s eyes changed, showing some emotion, but it only lasted for a moment before it reverted back. "Why? The current me is more effective and efficient; we can achieve our goal faster this way."


    "Vesa already told you everything about my parents and yours. But you only mentioned the necessary part while not asking how I feel about that."


    "I see. I''m sorry. You probably expected that when you came to me here."


    "And that, again, a sentence you would never say to me before," MingYue said with a deep sigh.


    "Yes, you are not wrong. I honestly expected you to say something to calm the turmoil in my heart. But the you now is not capable of it¡­.


    What can I do to make you revert back to your old self, Alex?"


    "I honestly don''t know. I''m sure you already suspect this is because of Byakhee''s interference, and I think that is really the case.


    I don''t know what his purpose was, nor how he did it, but honestly, this makes me stronger, MingYue."


    "No, I don''t agree with it, Alex," MingYue said as she took a step closer. Her hand then touched his cheek.


    "See? You don''t even react when I do this. A person, when they are in a deep emotional state, could achieve something that people thought was impossible." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Chudo, I believe that''s what Alucard said this energy was."


    MingYue nodded, "And I think that is necessary for you to get your emotion back."


    She released her hand, then took a step back, "Alex, I will go out first. I don''t know why, but seeing you like this just makes me feel¡­." MingYue''s voice trailed off, as she didn''t even know the word to convey her emotion.


    It was one filled with disappointment, worry, and many other things.


    "Alex, I suggest you act like you have your emotion when meeting your family, otherwise it will just worry them more."


    MingYue''s body then started becoming transparent as she left the inner world.


    "Vesa, what do you think?"


    "About what, King? Your emotion?"


    "Yes, and I also want to know what you think of MingYue''s current mental state.


    I think as her partner, it''s my obligation to find a way to make her feel better."


    Vesa blinked her eyes a few times as she didn''t know what to say. "King, I''m sorry, but I don''t know how to answer that.


    As the progenitor''s familiar, my goal is to make sure both of you succeed. So, King''s current state actually makes things better.


    But personally, I am of the same opinion as the queen, and this is based on my observation, King. But things will become worse if you keep going like this."


    "How?"


    "Measuring everything based on benefit alone while choosing the most effective way to do it is how we vampires reached our last prosperous height."


    "I see. You mean this method has proven to fail."


    Vesa nodded, then added, "One more thing, King, as you measure everything based on benefit, at some point you will also do the same to the people around you.


    I have been told how my old master acted at that time.


    He regretted so many things that he created me to make sure I was always there to remind him if something was too much."


    "I see. You should do the same to me then, Vesa," Alex said.


    He then sat cross-legged and meditated, waiting for Vesa to finish filtering all the Dragari king''s memories. Alex hoped to gain more information, so he knew what to say to his mother later.


    Outside, MingYue opened her eyes.


    "MingYue, what happened? Why is Alex still not finished?" Luca asked.


    "Everything is fine, Auntie, although there are some things about Uncle that I think you need to hear from Alex''s own mouth. But don''t worry, he is still alive."


    She then excused herself and left without giving a chance for Luca or the others to ask.


    Stel at first wanted to stop and interrogate her, but thankfully, Clara blocked his attempt.


    "Don''t be stupid. Couldn''t you tell her mood is very bad now."


    "So what? We can just fight then."

 Chapter 439 Reina and Moria

    "You muscle brain, avoid it for now. Things will escalate if you have a conflict with her.""Fine, but you owe me a fight for this."


    "Whatever, just shut up for now," Clara said while she sent a message to Aria.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now sitting on the rooftop, hugging her knees, looking at the sky with a complicated expression.


    "Why did he have to go to that state now?" MingYue mumbled.


    Instead of calming the turmoil in her heart, she felt it was now getting worse instead.


    "If I stayed there any longer, I would probably start attacking him."


    MingYue had a huge urge to slap Alex because of his words, but she held it back since she knew his situation.


    Gazing at the sky, she started thinking about what the normal Alex would do and say.


    A longing began appearing in her heart. It then turned into desire, ''I should find a way to return him to normal, no matter what. I will be stuck with him for life; I cannot imagine seeing him like this every day.


    But how could I do this? I doubt Byakhee did something with his soul; he probably just amplified the shock that Alex felt. Does this mean he needs another shock to recover?''


    "Sis MingYue, can I join you?" A voice called her out. Looking down, she saw Aria coming toward her.


    Her change of attitude made MingYue frown.


    "What''s with the sudden change?" Her eyes then lit up as another idea came to her mind, "Never mind that; now that you are here, let''s continue our fight; I need to vent."


    MingYue leaped down while ice appeared in her hand, turning into a sword. Without waiting for her to respond, she slashed forward.


    Aria rolled her eyes; she had come here because her aunt Clara had asked her to coax and gain information from MingYue. She could imagine Clara''s reaction if she ended up having a fight with her.


    "Can we do this later?" She asked while moving backward, dodging MingYue''s attack.


    Since MingYue only wanted to spar, she didn''t use her qi or blood ability. But she still used the force of life to boost her body strength.


    MingYue ignored Aria''s question; she appeared an inch away from Aria''s face and slashed her sword.


    CLANG! Aria took out her own sword and parried the attack.


    "Please, can we not do it now? My aunt will kill me."


    "Sure, just spar with me for five minutes. That won''t be long."


    MingYue slashed a few more times, this time targeting her vitals. Aria''s lips twitched. "Fine! But you are talking with my aunt after this."


    "Sure."


    CLANG! CLANG!


    The swords met in the air, creating spark after spark. Both of them moved with proficiency. Compared to their last fight, this one was a clash of pure swordplay.


    At a glance, their fight looked like a stalemate, with no one succeeding in attacking the other. However, if someone had observed further, they would have realized that Ming Yue was the one on the offensive almost all the time.


    Aria barely returned one for every ten attacks; even then, her counterattack usually failed as she got pressured further instead.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile as her movement became faster. She started focusing on the fight, forgetting her own problems. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She threw a feint, targeting Aria''s neck. But just before it hit, she threw her sword into the air and then kicked Aria''s hand.


    This movement surprised Aria, as before, all her attacks only used the sword. Aria''s hand fumbled, almost dropping her sword.


    MingYue continued with a punch to her stomach, caught her sword, and then pointed it toward Aria''s neck. "Not bad, but it would be better if you were serious."


    "Believe me, this is the best I can do in this situation. Are you satisfied yet?"


    "Not yet, but my mood is better now. So, who is your aunt, and why does she want to meet me?" MingYue asked as the ice sword in her hand dissipated into ice vapor.


    "You have met her; she is Clara. The one that greeted us."


    "In that case, why doesn''t she ask the question herself?"


    "Well, because you seemed to be in a bad mood when you left. Basically, we just want to know the situation about my Master."


    "You just need to ask that, huh," MingYue said with a sigh. Her improved mood quickly turned sour again. She then added, "That is for Alex to say, not me. By the way, since you mentioned him, do you know the woman that came with Alex? Your aunt should have known."


    "Oh, do you mean Ying Xue? She is staying in the guest pavilion, waiting for those from the frontline to come. But it seems there is no news."


    "Hmm¡­ bring me to her."


    "Ying Xue, you know her?"


    "Well, I know someone from her family."


    "Wait," Aria replied as she contacted her aunt to confirm, just in case.


    After getting her response, she said, "Alright, I will bring you there."


    Meanwhile, somewhere between the Midnight Clan and Zephyr, two people were sitting near the river. One had a confused and worried look on his face, the other had a deadpan look.


    "Reina, how long will you stay like this? You were the one insisting we go to the Zephyr Clan, but now¡­"


    "Uncle¡­ Do you know how it feels to want something for so long, feel how hopeless it was, then give up on it?


    Then suddenly, a miracle happens that rekindles your hope, but only for it to be taken again."


    "Alex is still alive for sure."


    "But Uncle, that explosion?"


    At that time, Reina and Moria were not that far from the Midnight Clan. They saw the explosion and the pillar of light.


    Reina at first wanted to return, but Moria stopped her.


    The artifact on her broke, which meant not even an immortal would survive that explosion. There was no way Moria would allow Reina to return.

 Chapter 440 Yang Fei Appearance

    "Don''t forget how capable he was, and don''t you still feel the blood oath we made with him is still intact? What more proof do you need?""Yes¡­. But Uncle, our clan."


    "Forget it for now. What can we do about it? Let''s focus on our current task. Looking for your mother and discussing what we need to do."


    Reina gave a weak nod. She said to go there, but she knew what she could do.


    Probably, they would accept her as a refugee, then forcibly make her marry one of their people. Now that her clan had disappeared, her worth would become far less.


    Reina still didn''t know Alex''s feat of resurrecting their clan, just like other cultivators. Right now, the area is surrounded by danger zones that kill almost everyone instantly.


    Many cultivators had already come to that place to check, while the survivors started selling the information they had.


    Reina took the cold water and then washed her face. She then continued the journey with Moria to the Zephyr Clan.


    On the way, Moria suddenly raised his hand. "Stop here. There is a cultivator in front. I will check first."


    Reina frowned but nodded, agreeing with Moria. She knew debating with him would be a waste of time.


    Moria flew forward, his eyes then locked on a cultivator on the ground. His appearance was like someone who had just come out from a battlefield.


    His robe was tattered and stained with blood. Moria could feel the cultivator was strong, at least as strong as him, but his cultivation was unstable.


    This made him feel wary, and he decided to go at him first.


    Moria and the cultivator had already detected each other''s presence, so he knew avoiding him was not a choice. And based on his movement, he had already moved toward his location.


    "Daoist, my name is Moria. We are just passing by here. What is your name?"


    The man looked at him with cold eyes, then his lips curled into a smile, "Yang Fei. Where do you want to go? The situation right now is not good, you know.


    Look at all this blood. I just got ambushed by a group of weird monsters I''ve never seen before. They have green skin and a weird appearance."


    "What kind of monster? Green skin? I''ve never seen one of them. Is it part of the Beastman Tribe? But their territory is far away from here."


    Yang Fei grinned. "I don''t know. They are quite short and use weird weapons. If not because of my unique method, I would be dead by now. So, where do you want to go?


    You know, I want to visit the Zephyr Clan. If you are going the same way, we should go together."


    Moria frowned; if he were alone, he would agree, but he was not with Reina. Who knows if Yang Fei had any ideas after meeting her. He also felt something was very odd with him."


    "We are going to a town nearby here, so there is no need to go together. Fellow Daoist can go first."


    Yang Fei smiled, his eyes looking at Moria, studying his strength. "Alright, if you say so, I don''t want to bother you then. I''ve had enough fighting for now."


    He then changed direction and started walking away from Moria.


    Moria felt relieved as the man walked away. If they fought, he didn''t know if he could beat him or not. But he didn''t drop his guard yet; he patiently waited until Yang Fei really left.


    It wasn''t the first time he had met someone who said they would leave but ended up returning and ambushing him.


    "He finally left. What is with that man? With how chaotic his qi was, I wonder if he is a demonic cultivator?" Moria mumbled with a sigh while stroking his beard.


    He then turned back to return to Reina''s side. But just after he made one move, a piercing pain suddenly spread out from his chest.


    Looking down, he could only see a stain of blood coming out from his chest. Blood came out from his mouth. He tried to use his qi but failed as he felt a huge suction coming from the pain.


    The next move he should have made was looking back to find out his assailant, but Moria didn''t do that. His priority was Reina. A pill appeared in his palm, then he gulped it.


    His qi started surging at an uncontrollable rate, making his body bulge out. Then Boom! It exploded, creating a deep crater in the area.


    A distance away, Yang Fei was standing with his hand pointed forward. From his palm, a tentacle was coming out all the way to where Moria had stood before.


    "So decisive, he even destroyed his storage ring. If I was there, I would be at least heavily wounded." Yang Fei mumbled. He looked toward the direction Moria''s soul escaped to. "There is still one more prey, but she is too weak. I will just have my fill with the clan. I do wonder why she sent me there."


    Meanwhile, Moria''s soul quickly arrived at Reina''s location.


    "Uncle, what happened?"


    "No time to waste. Change of plan; we will go to the nearest town."


    "But why are you in soul form?" Reina asked with worry in her gaze. She still didn''t think Moria was dead.


    In her mind, Moria used a secret technique to escape and warn her because the enemy was too dangerous.


    "Reina! For once, just listen to me." Moria said with a glare.


    "Alright, but you will explain everything," Reina replied. She knew the situation would be dire if Moria said it like that.


    Staying here for a longer time would just make things more dangerous. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, back at the Zephyr Clan, MingYue was now sitting across from Ying Xue. Aria had already introduced them to each other and then left them to prepare some tea.


    "Ying Xue, have you met with Feng Xue?"

 Chapter 441 MingYue and YingXue

    "Not yet. I only heard about her from the Situ Clan patriarch.""What do you think her goal was? Based on my information, does she want to destroy Shangxi Temple?"


    Ying Xue hesitated for a moment; she was considering what to say. Should she answer honestly? Or not?


    "Stop hesitating. If you don''t tell me, then I will use my own method to find out."


    "Are you threatening me?"


    "Take it as you will. Your cultivation dropped drastically after what happened. So I will not bully you with violence."


    Ying Xue''s lips twitched hearing what MingYue said.


    ''What, not bully me? Saying that while letting out your qi pressure on me.''


    "So, what is your answer? It''s not like you''ll lose anything.


    You should already know with Alex''s intellect that it''s only a matter of time before he finds out the real reason. I just ask this to cut down time and confirm it.


    Also, Feng Xue is part of my sect. I am not your enemy. So think again, why do you need to hide it from me?"


    "You are right. I will be honest¡ªwhat I had was only speculation, but I thought she wanted to return our family to the top.


    I didn''t believe she just wanted to destroy ShangXI temple.


    Maybe that was what she really thought at first, but then she changed her mind after learning about our existence."


    "Picking up your clan to the top? Hmm, no, she won''t do that. I am sure of it," MingYue replied.


    She didn''t say more to avoid unnecessary conflict. But Feng Xue should have known the Bai Yue Sect''s goal was to take over the world. MingYue also felt Feng Xue was not someone who would bother managing the world afterward; she was someone who preferred to live peacefully.


    "How would you know that?" Ying Xue asked with confusion. Even though she had known Feng Xue longer, that didn''t mean MingYue could guess what was on her mind.


    "I was sure of it; the situation was just like that. So, basically, she had some other reason¡­ That rift that the frontline clan protected¡ªjust what was inside? Was it really just a portal for otherworldly creatures to pass through?"


    "Yes, at the very least, that was what I knew of."


    "Had anyone ever entered the rift?"


    YingXue turned silent, as she didn''t want to answer. But her action itself, unfortunately, already equaled an answer for MingYue.


    The clue was just too much that even without thinking, she could already guess. "Was Reina''s mother on the other side of the rift?"


    "¡­"


    MingYue''s gaze turned colder, "Just answer. This meant my parent was with her."


    YingXue''s eyes widened. She then started observing MingYue''s appearance. "Now that you say it, I think you look like one of the people who went into the expedition."


    MingYue stood up, ice-chilling qi coming out from her body, "When did they leave? And what was the mission goal?" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I cannot answer, not because I didn''t want to, but I just didn''t know."


    The pressure intensified as MingYue''s anger began to rise. "How could you say you didn''t know? Are you kidding me?"


    "I was serious; part of my memory pertaining to this had been erased. So I didn''t know."


    MingYue squinted her eyes, but she somehow could tell YingXue wasn''t lying.


    "Did something happen?" Aria asked as she had just returned with a tray and two cups of tea.


    "Cut the crap. This is your place; I knew you were listening to everything. Don''t think I''m dumb."


    "I-I¡­" Aria didn''t know what to say, as she was speechless.


    The formation that spied on them had been created by her aunt Clara; it was also modified by Edward, so she was surprised someone could detect it.


    Unfortunately, she got trapped. MingYue couldn''t detect the formation. Vesa was also still busy helping Alex, so she didn''t bother her with minor things; it was just her instinct that said someone was observing her.


    "Your reaction just confirmed it. Since you overheard everything, you could ask for more information from Ying Xue.


    I needed to cool down my head; don''t come look for me unless you wanted a death match."


    With that word, MingYue left the area as she froze the area around her, creating a frozen trail.


    YingXue looked at Aria; with the topic of conversation with MingYue, she somehow felt concerned.


    "Did no one from the frontline come?"


    The sequence of events since meeting Alex was just too baffling to be called coincidence. First, he was looking for Reina''s mother, then it turned out he had a close relationship with Edward.


    Now, Ming Yue''s parent was one of the people who went through the rift. She somehow felt something big would happen, something that was outside of her imagination.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Alex opened his eyes. He then created a few gestures, making the rune react. Ice started forming around Edward''s body, completely encasing him.


    It was similar to what he did for Roxy. The Rune then dissipated into particles that flowed into his body.


    His lips then curled into a small smile. "Mom, Sis."


    "Brother, what happened inside? What about father?"


    "This¡­ it''s complicated¡­" his eyes then moved toward Stel. "Stel and Clara, can you leave us here? This is more of a family problem, you know."


    "Are you kidding me? What family problem? Everything pertaining to Edward will impact my clan heavily, we have the right to know!" Stel replied while exuding her pressure, making Luca move to protect Emily.


    Her cultivation was higher than Emily''s, allowing her to put up more resistance, but even that was not enough, as she still felt pressured.


    Alex''s smile disappeared, his face quickly turning cold, killing intent spreading as he asked, "Do you want to die?"


    "Want to fight!? You think I''m scared? A Golden Core cultivator like you challenging me? Haha, brat, you really have a death wish."


    BAM!


    Suddenly Clara made a move, hitting Stel right in the head. Surprising everyone in the room.

 Chapter 442 I am Your Mom First

    "You shut up, muscle brain. I am sorry about her attitude, but Alex, what he said is true.You may not know this, but right now, it can be said Edward is our clan leader. Since he''s disappeared now, we need to know what happened to him.


    Of course, you don''t need to tell us now. I understand it''s a family matter, but can you promise to tell me after you''re finished? I will wait for you outside."


    "Thank you, Clara. I appreciate it."


    Stel still couldn''t accept the situation. He wanted to say more, but Clara had already pulled him out of the room, then closed it behind them.


    "Just what are you thinking? I don''t get it. If Edward were still here, I''d understand why we need to think twice, but now¡­"


    "You saw my fight with him; do you think you can win? There''s also MingYue here. I somehow feel she''s on a similar level with Alex."


    "Even with the two of them, I still don''t get why we need to accommodate them like this."


    "Just think of it as Edward''s wish. Don''t you still owe him?"


    "That¡­ is different. Not like I planned to kill that boy."


    "And you think Alex won''t try to kill you? Have you seen what he''s capable of?


    Also, the incident in the Midnight Clan, I just got information it''s related to him. So what''s wrong with taking one step back?


    It''s not like he doesn''t want to tell us; he just asked for privacy to be with his family. How hard is that?"


    "You and your irrefutable common sense. Sometimes I wonder if you''re immortal or not."


    Clara snorted. "The other immortals just forget they were human once. Honestly, I''m starting to think emotion is necessary for us to reach the next level."


    "How can it be related? We learn to ignore our emotions as we make our breakthrough, pushing forward to focus only on cultivation."


    "And this is why I won''t bother to explain it to you. You''re stupid! We''re not ignoring our emotions; we''re trying to control them. Just be patient; if this is proven true, you''ll be my first guinea pig."


    Stel''s lips twitched, but he didn''t retort. It wasn''t the first time he''d become Clara''s guinea pig; he was fine as long as the risk was acceptable.


    And now the reward was reaching a new realm, one that was unattainable by anyone before. Whatever the risk was, he felt it was worth it.


    "Did you get the idea from Edward? He said he had given you enough clues to move on."


    "Nope, Edward gave me clues on my alchemy to enhance someone''s potential. This one was because of my talk with Alex. Anyway, just shut up for now." Clara replied while thinking. ''Humanity''s best talent is its adaptation, but doesn''t this also come from our emotion?


    We use our emotion as fuel for our ambition to do something that should be impossible.


    Many fail in the journey, but some succeed, pushing humanity to new heights.


    The cycle continues over and over.


    If this is the basic human trait, then does it mean I need to tie my emotion to my being?''


    As she thought about this, inside, Alex was having a deep discussion with Emily and Luca.


    He started with how Edward had already planned for everything, and now the soul had already left his body, before explaining further the basis of his reasoning.


    Emily sobbed at his explanation, the hope to meet her father squashed once more. She walked to the ice while looking at her father''s face.


    Meanwhile, Luca, through all this, kept looking at Alex, "Is that all? You''re not hiding anything?"


    "No, Mom. As I said, Father is still alive, and he will come looking for us soon."


    Luca''s eyes flickered. She stood up, then walked toward Alex. Her gaze never left his face. "Who are you?"


    "What do you mean, Mom? I''m your son."


    Emily, who had been sobbing, stopped hearing Luca''s question, "What do you mean by asking that, Mom? Are you saying Alex is an imposter?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know. My heart tells me the one standing here is my son, but my eyes tell me he is not," she said with a voice tinged with sadness and pain.


    The tone made Alex''s eyes flicker, but unfortunately, it only lasted a moment. "I still don''t get it."


    "The son that


    I knew wouldn''t talk like that, and your smile is fake. Alex, you''re like a completely new person.


    At first, I thought it was the effect of becoming a vampire since MingYue''s personality is also quite cold and detached. But then I remembered how long you''ve been one and how MingYue became emotional about her parents.


    This means something else is the cause, and you haven''t told me that, Alex."


    Her tone then turned stern. "Alex, who told you you could lie to me? Tell me what happened to you now."


    "Don''t worry about it, Mom. I''m really alright. We should worry about Father for now. I''ve already thought of a few plans we can go for this."


    Luca took a step closer, then embraced Alex, pushing his head over her chest. "Can you hear my heartbeat?


    As long as I''m breathing and living, you and Emily are my priority. This is what your father and I decided, and also why I stayed this long before looking for him.


    Now, tell me what happened."


    BA-Dump, Ba-Dump, Ba-Dump.


    The heartbeat was like a concert of music that made Alex''s heart feel a throb, like something was pulling on its string, but the shell was too strong.


    "It''s really nothing, Mom."


    Luca pulled back, looking straight into his eyes, "Then tell me everything that happened the moment you came to this world. And no lying or hiding anything." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex paused for a moment. His logic told him it was still better to hide many parts, but somehow his lips moved and told everything.

 Chapter 443 Mom and Son

    From the moment he arrived and met Reina, which got a glare from Emily to the moment he destroyed a whole city, then revived them back. From there, he lost his emotions and came to Zephyr Clan.When Alex started narrating what he learned from the Dragari King, Luca cut in, "That''s enough, I get it now. So you say you lost your emotions after that incident.


    Did you feel guilt from killing all those people?"


    "At that time, yes, but I already resurrected everyone; now, I just need to clean up the outer area and make sure no more problems will come from it."


    "And your solution is to take over this world to make sure no one dares to attack them?"


    "Yes, that is the most logical and effective way."


    "Brother, I already heard from MingYue what both of you wanted to do, and I honestly think that reason makes sense.


    But this one you gave me, isn''t it a bit messed up?"


    "Why?" Alex asked, looking at her.


    "Emily, don''t cut in yet. I''m still not finished," Luca said, making Emily pout. Then, she turned her focus back to her father.


    "Alex, I won''t comment on how you do things. You are an adult now and responsible for your own actions, but based on everything you said, you have no plan to find a way to recover your emotions?"


    "I just feel this is more effective and efficient in doing things."


    "Alex, emotion is part of what makes you, you. Killing will just cause more problems in the future."


    "MingYue said the same thing, Mom. I will think about it."


    Luca sighed; she had said what needed to be said. The rest was up to him. "So, about your father, what are you thinking? We should go after him."


    "I am thinking the same, Mom, but I think you and Emily should stay here."


    "NO! I will go by myself if you don''t bring me. I am not taking no for an answer," Emily said with a stern gaze.


    Alex frowned, his hand moving as he placed his father''s body into his storage ring. Emily was touching it when this happened, making her yelp in surprise.


    "Even Father took so many precautions, and he still felt it was too dangerous. Didn''t he tell you the same, Mom?"


    Luca turned silent; Edward did leave her some instructions, one of which was not to go after him and instead meet up with the others who stayed behind.


    Bringing them home took priority over looking for him. "Yes, but no, I will not stay back. Sylva should be able to take care of the rest, and honestly, your father just said it for the sake of it. He knows me better than anyone else; I will not listen."


    Emily nods, agreeing with Luca.


    "As expected, then give me some time to prepare. I just ask both of you not to go by yourselves. Wait for me in this clan."


    "Brother, where are you going?" Emily asked.


    "You already know I sent my forces out in this region; I will need to manage them. After everything is done, we can then push forward to the frontline."


    "Alex, can you give your father''s body to me?" Luca asked.


    Alex responded by throwing a storage ring to Luca and putting some Qi crystals inside in case his mother needed them.


    Luca caught it, her gaze then turning complicated as she sent her intent toward the ring. Her longing was the deepest, but she held it out to give time for her son and daughter first. "Leave me here alone. Just tell me when you want to go."


    "All right, Mom, I will also put one of my people in front of the door. Just call out if you need anything. Emily, let''s go."


    Emily walked reluctantly. She still wanted to see her father, but she knew her mother needed the privacy.


    Outside, Clara was waiting for him. "Have you finished?"


    "Yes, where do you want to talk?" Alex asked. He then looked at Emily. "Go where you want, but just don''t leave the clan area, okay?"


    "I know, Brother, I will try to contact Aunt Quartz and Olivia."


    "Oh yeah, aren''t they still in the outer region?


    The signal will not be able to reach there, even using the implant chip''s special frequency. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You better spend time practicing and quickly raise your realm. Use this."


    Alex threw a ring filled with high-grade qi crystals. He had earned a lot after the incident in the Midnight Clan. Based on his calculations, it should be more than enough for Emily to reach the Golden Core.


    He had already given her all the insight he had; the rest was up to her own talent and understanding.


    Alex then put his finger on her forehead, making sure the rune was filled to the brim. He also sent his insight on how to use lifeforce to hasten her advancement.


    Clara waited patiently on the side as Stella was nowhere to be seen.


    The process piqued her interest; she could see Alex was sending information with that weird green energy to Emily, which made her think.


    ''So the energy can be given to another person. Just what is that energy? It should be something related to the life element.''


    Clara guessed it as she saw the energy particles being absorbed from plants and some animals in the area from Alex''s rune. She also wondered if she could try to have that energy from Alex, but the risk made her think twice.


    She needed to drop her guard in the process. Who knows if Alex would do something to her at that time?


    There would be nothing she could do then.


    "Have you finished?" Clara asked as she saw Alex had already pulled back his finger.


    Emily, meanwhile, closed her eyes as she absorbed the knowledge Alex sent to her. In the information, it wasn''t just to break through. It also contained his ideas to allow her to control the light element better.

 Chapter 444 Talk with Clara

    If she could find a way to implement this into her cultivation, Emily knew her strength would rise many times over."Yes, I am finished. Just need to do one more thing." Alex took out the Awe Cube and then sent out a hi-goblin.


    "King." The blue-skinned tall man kneeled on the ground.


    "Guard the door and my sister. Make sure nothing disturbs them."


    "Yes, King."


    Clara was not surprised by the Awe Cube since she knew many artifacts that were similar in usage. She herself had one that contained a small world, a place where she kept her most precious plants for alchemy.


    Otherwise, she would already cry blood when Alex absorbed all the plants in the clan.


    "Should I send someone here too?" Clara asked. She had already planned to do this but just asked to make sure Alex was fine with it.


    "Yes, a guard and one maid would be good, just in case my mom needs something."


    "All right, don''t worry, they will not be mistreated. Many people respect your father here; well, those who do not are all in prison." Clara said as she began walking toward her abode. She planned to bring Alex to her private laboratory; this way, she hoped he would share more insight about cultivation.


    "Why did you keep them alive?" Alex directly asked as he followed her.


    "Do you even know who they are? If we kill them, things will become more complicated. And it''s not like it''s easy to be done."


    "My father poisoned them, making sure they couldn''t use their cultivation. It''s so potent that even a Late Transcendent Stage cannot do anything against it.


    Both you and Stella are immortal; I don''t see any problem with you killing all of them."


    "You may think both of us are the real pillars of the Zephyr Clan, and you are not wrong about it. But do you think both of us have time to manage the clan?


    Edward is the one maintaining the operation. He has made plans for whole years with many what-if scenarios, but what if the worst happens?"


    "So you are keeping them just in case."


    "Yes, what do you think we keep them for? For fun and giggles? With what happened, they surely have a vendetta against us."


    "Based on what I learned, they should already have had it for a while."


    "Who knows, nor do I care about it. Now that you say this, does this mean you know everything Edward did?"


    "More or less, you could say my father already made many preparations for everything."


    "Tell me then, what happened this last month? Is it Edward''s plan or the being that possessed him?"


    "Both."


    "Meaning?" Clara asked as she turned her gaze, looking at Alex''s expression.


    "The Dragari King thinks it''s his plan, but my father already knew that was what he would do anyway. So you could say both were as he planned."


    "Then what is his purpose for the Zephyr Clan? And what about the things that he promised to me and Stella?"


    "He was not lying. The answer is if he can return from the expedition."


    "So that is where he went. That makes sense; I always wondered why he didn''t join in. At first, I thought it was because his cultivation had reached the Immortal Realm, but I''m still not sure."


    "Yes, he joined from the start."


    "So that should be the time when he completely swapped with the Dragari King, you say?"


    "Yes. You don''t seem surprised with the Dragari King."


    Clara let out a chuckle, "Haha, I just knew that lizard would not die that easily. When I helped your father there, I was wondering what he would do with his soul, so I thought he did this instead. Do you know why?"


    At that time, Clara offered to take care of the soul, but Edward rejected it.


    "He wanted to look at who the main culprit behind everything was. With the Dragari King''s soul inside his body, the path goes both ways. My father was also able to read his memory."


    "Interesting. So what is the cause?"


    "I will answer if you tell me, how are you on that planet? Based on what I know, immortals here cannot leisurely go to other worlds.


    You can try traveling through the void, but the risk is too high, and so far, no one has ever returned through it."


    With the Dragari King''s memory, Alex also learned many things about the Blue Jewel Planet, including knowledge of the immortal, demonic cultivator and many other things.


    "By luck? Well, at that time, your father was the one playing from a rift on that planet. I just caught it by coincidence using my own formation.


    You should know the rest; we exchanged many pieces of information and contacted each other until your father opened a portal that brought me there.


    But to think he completely decimated the planet afterward. Honestly, I don''t think he needed my help at all."


    "He needed it to find a way to return home safely."


    "I mean, he could make that rift through the void,


    something that no immortal has been capable of through the years. What was stopping him from making one return to your own world?"


    "Nothing. In fact, there is still a portal open there linked to my world. It''s just my father knew returning like that would bring more danger."


    "So you mean safer for his world? Or, in this case, the safety of his family."


    "Family, friends, acquaintances? Well, my father has a huge sense of responsibility."


    "How about you then, Alex? So far, I have caught you as someone who doesn''t care about anything. It''s like you are detached from your own life."


    "I just do what I need to do," Alex replied. He then stopped in his steps. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned his gaze to the side, a distance away at a gazebo on top of the lake. He saw MingYue sitting there in a daze.

 Chapter 445 Annoyed

    Alex might have no emotion, but this didn''t mean he didn''t have priorities. MingYue''s well-being was more important than informing Clara of the information.He might not be able to empathize, but he could tell something was wrong from her expression and the connection between them.


    Clara smiled, seeing his gaze. Without Alex saying anything, she already understood what he wanted. She was not in a hurry, so she said, "Go ahead. I will wait for you in my place. As for the location."


    "As long as you don''t completely hide your qi, I will be able to look for you." Alex cut her words with a lie. In reality, he could tell where she was as long as she was alive.


    Even with all her qi sealed, he could still tell from the life force.


    "Don''t take too long; otherwise, I will get absorbed in my own research."


    "It''s fine, I will wait for you then," Alex replied.


    He still needed some time for his army to make more progress. Based on his calculations, now should be the time they started facing resistance as their target should be upgraded to a larger city.


    Clara then left as Alex went toward MingYue.


    MingYue''s expression changed a bit; she could tell Alex was coming without even looking back. "Why are you here? You should know I want to be alone now."


    "I know, but I think you will feel better if I am here with you."


    "No, I am not. If it''s the past, then yes, but now you just annoy me further."


    Alex put some thought into it; he reflected based on his memories on what would be the best way to cheer her up.


    He walked to MingYue''s side and then created a small prick from his finger. From it, blood seeped out and then turned into a small figurine.


    "Want to fight? If we do it for real, it will be devastating for the Zephyr Clan, but with this blood puppet, it should be fine."


    Seeing it reminded MingYue of their practice at Thalia''s castle.


    It hadn''t been long, but for her, it felt like it happened a long time ago; so many events had occurred.


    "I doubt that can make me feel better, but I might as well try it."


    MingYue created her blood puppet. Alex then spread more of his blood, creating an arena for the blood puppets to fight.


    The arena was squared with high walls surrounding it. They then started moving the puppets to fight. Since Alex''s goal was to make MingYue feel better, he decided not to go all out.


    He made sure it was a close match, so MingYue wouldn''t suspect anything. With his current ability and knowledge of MingYue''s movements, he could predict what she wanted to do beforehand, allowing him to completely control the match.


    MingYue''s blood puppet threw a flurry of kicks using her feet while Alex barely parried. It shot a few punches as a counter, but each one was dodged.


    Alex''s blood puppet then took a step back, but MingYue didn''t give him the opportunity. She made her blood puppet dash forward, then threw a spin kick.


    Alex''s blood puppet was pushed down into the wall. Without any place to evade, MingYue threw the finishing move. Experience tales at empire


    "It seems I still cannot win against you," Alex said as he took back the blood.


    "Cut the crap, Alex. You are letting me win on purpose."


    Alex looked at MingYue in confusion. He felt he had done everything perfectly. He didn''t understand how MingYue could guess that.


    Normally, he would deny the allegation and change the topic, but right now, with his current state, his curiosity easily took priority.


    "How could you know?"


    MingYue''s eyes grew colder as her heart throbbed, "You''re really asking me that? Fine, if you want to know, your movements should be better than that.


    With your current capability, you should be able to predict my moves. Honestly, I had already anticipated this and prepared to switch styles in the middle of the fight.


    But no! Unfortunately, I couldn''t even do that!"


    "We can do it again then; you can try your new move," Alex replied as he noted MingYue''s explanation. He thought about how he could have done better.


    "Are you thinking you should have lied better to me?" MingYue asked as she took a step closer to Alex.


    They were so close that they could feel each other''s breath.


    "Yes," Alex replied monotonously.


    MingYue''s anger flared, "Enough! I cannot take this anymore. Being with you like this is so frustrating, Alex."


    She moved her hand to Alex''s head, making him turn alert. He wanted to dodge, but MingYue''s words made him stop, "If you trust me, stay."


    Her palm reached the back of his head, and she then pushed it forward, making their foreheads touch each other.


    "Vesa, make sure no one disturbs us," MingYue ordered.


    A red fog came out from both their bodies.


    "Yes, Queen. Don''t worry; no one will bother either of you."


    Her hand moved skillfully, drawing runes in the air. It then covered both of them with an opaque barrier. Not only did it protect them, but it also made it so that no one could see through the barrier.


    "Lower your defenses," MingYue said as she closed her eyes.


    She sent her soul to Alex''s inner world. In reality, she didn''t need to touch their foreheads to do this, but she just did it to raise the chance of success.


    MingYue remembered how often Alex''s emotions fluctuated when they made physical contact.


    The sky was reddish, with a green hue, without any clouds. Beneath it, a crimson lake sat still without a single wave.


    MingYue was walking on top of the ocean, her eyes looking around the area. Part of the water then began to fluctuate, rising up and then changing form into Alex.


    "I don''t mind you coming to my inner world, but if your purpose is to look for what is sealing my emotions, then you won''t find anything. I already tried to look for it." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You haven''t checked everything yet, Alex."


    "You mean going into my innermost soul?"

 Chapter 446 Entering Alexs Inner World

    "Yes. No matter how good you are now, you will not be capable of entering it."Alex put his hand on his chin, tapping it as he thought about it. "Then you want to go inside? But I don''t have control over that area, and who knows what the system and Alucard put there as protective measures."


    "If it''s any use, this thing would never have happened to you."


    "Not necessarily. What happened was directly caused by Byakhee. He just amplified it. Depending on what measures were put in place, what he did could bypass it."


    "That is possible, but that just means I need to fight my way in. Don''t forget, our souls are linked. Worst comes to worst. I can always escape through the backdoor."


    "But MingYue, you are now in soul form. If you enter that deep, it will mean our souls will mix up."


    MingYue''s eyes flickered for a moment. She began hesitating. What Alex meant was he would know her deepest secrets, her emotions, thoughts, past, and everything else.


    It''s like showing herself bare to him, but at the same time, the same thing could be said for Alex. As she entered that deep, she would be able to see everything about him.


    Until they met, despite having their souls connected, they always kept to their own space, never invading the other''s place. They only knew what the other wanted them to know.


    For example, sending thoughts and memories of their choosing.


    "I will find some other way to regain my emotions; you don''t need to do this, MingYue."


    "I-I¡­" MingYue wanted to respond, but she hesitated. She began thinking about the repercussions of what she was about to do. But after some more thought, she wondered, what is the risk?


    Other than shame, in the end, both of them were bonded for eternity until one of them completely died. A thing that is very hard to achieve.


    Her eyes turned determined as her lips curled into a smile. "You haven''t seen many sides of me, Alex. If you find out how despicable and hypocritical I was, will you still feel the same about me?


    I am a cruel, cold, and selfish woman, and you are bound to me without your choice.


    I still remember you saying I was beautiful in the past, but that is only my outward appearance. What cultivator is not a beauty?"


    "If you mean, will I change how I feel about you or not, then I don''t think it will. First of all, I will clarify that the moment I saw you, I said you were beautiful, but the word in my head was not that."


    "What is it then? And why did you never tell me?"


    "The me at that time felt too shy to say it; it also felt too inappropriate, but basically, the word was you are the one. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment I saw you at that time, I knew you were someone I wanted to spend my whole life with. Someone that I wanted as my one and only woman."


    "Why? Don''t tell me bullshit like love at first sight; we both know you don''t believe that.


    You are someone who uses your logic in every single one of your decisions, or at the very least, the major ones.


    Even before you lost your emotions, you were someone like that."


    "Many things, but to sum it up, my type has always been someone who can carve their own path no matter what kind of hurdle they face. I just knew you were that type."


    MingYue squinted her eyes, making sure Alex wasn''t lying, but then she realized the current Alex would have no reason to lie. He didn''t even feel an ounce of shyness.


    "Fine then, I will find out myself. But let''s make a deal first; no matter what you and I learn, we will not mention it unless one of us talks about it first."


    "Agreed," Alex replied quickly.


    "Just wait here then."


    MingYue''s body then dived into the ocean, going deeper. Alex looked at her disappearing back, feeling something tugging within him.


    Alex let out a sigh, then sat cross-legged. He decided to focus on finding a way to break through to the next realm.


    The moment MingYue started interacting with the deepest thoughts of his soul, what she thought and felt would be sent to his mind without him doing anything.


    He could also go to MingYue''s inner world, but the current Alex felt it wasn''t necessary.


    MingYue started swimming deeper into Alex''s consciousness. The sea started changing into something that felt more like space.


    She started seeing many spheres floating around like fireflies.


    Curious, she touched one of them. Her expression changed as it turned out it was Alex''s memory. The moment she touched it, she felt like she was Alex¡ªall his thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, everything she felt.


    The one she touched before was a random memory of Alex''s time in college. At that time, he was eating a meal alone in a cafe.


    Seeing the many memories floating around, MingYue started feeling curious about what was hidden inside them, but she shook her head as she knew that wasn''t her main task.


    She moved even deeper. Her surroundings started to change as if she were flying through thunderclouds. Lightning crackled in the sky, and the surroundings reminded MingYue of the energy that Alex picked apart from the Dragarian soul.


    "So this is like a protective barrier before going deeper?" MingYue wondered in her mind.


    At first, the thunder just crackled randomly, but soon enough, it started moving as if it had a will.


    Continue reading at empire


    Crackle! Crackle!


    The lightning shot toward MingYue. She quickly reacted, spreading her progenitor''s presence.


    As the progenitor is now part of Alex''s soul, doing this allowed her to be recognized as if she were Alex''s soul.


    She then looked around the area, wondering where the core of the system that linked both of them was, but she couldn''t see anything.


    "The protection is still here. Did Byakhee really just do a one-moment thing and then be done with it? But that doesn''t make sense."

 Chapter 447 Loneliness

    MingYue felt that if this had been the case, Alex should have recovered his emotions. Even though it was a shock, he was not a normal human.His soul was a progenitor, and this meant his mental capacity and health were far above normal humans.


    Although they were still transforming now and barely filled a few percent, they still had the quality of progenitor. She herself could feel it.


    MingYue knew she would already have gone head-on to the rift if not because of her current mental capacity.


    She really wanted to hear from her own parents about the reason they left her.


    Even though the reasoning was for her own safety, MingYue still couldn''t accept it.


    How hard is it for them to just tell her about it? Why do they need to go all the way like this? Do they not believe her?


    So many questions were on her mind that made her emotions unstable.


    But this didn''t last long as she moved back, her instinct screamed of danger.


    The thunder rumbled, gathering into one spot, then turning into something that looked humanoid.


    MingYue frowned. Despite the being not having any eyes, she could tell it was studying her now, probably observing whether it should attack her or not.


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    Without warning, the being shot out toward MingYue. She condensed her progenitor''s aura into an ice sword.


    MingYue dodged the attack. She then raised her hand to throw a counterattack, but halfway she stopped.


    The momentary gap was used by the being. It threw a kick right at MingYue''s torso, but just inches away, it clashed with an invisible energy barrier. The shockwave from the clash propelled MingYue back.


    She seized the opportunity, creating wings, and then escaped further. As she expected, the moment she moved out of the thunder area, the being dissipated.


    "What should I do now? Can I hurt it without hurting Alex?" MingYue mumbled in confusion.


    She was sure the thunder being was a part of Alex''s soul; if she hurt it in any way, it would impact Alex. Unfortunately, thinking wasn''t her strong suit. She preferred fighting head-on rather than plotting behind the scenes.


    While she stood in a daze, one of the memory particles accidentally touched her.


    "Man, everything just falls into his lap. If I had his life, I''d never have to worry about anything."


    "So what? He''s so clueless? Honestly, it''s like he''s begging to be taken advantage of."


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    "I know, right? Just imagine what we could get if we kept him wrapped around our fingers."


    "Yeah, Alex is so stupid. He''s got all the connections. If I were in his shoes, I''d be way ahead by now. Why even bother befriending us?"


    The memory then disappeared. It was short, but it gave MingYue more understanding of Alex''s past.


    The one she saw was from the moment when Alex was in middle school. He hid under the teacher''s desk while listening to his friends'' conversation.


    MingYue grasped her chest as she could feel what Alex felt at that moment¡ªbetrayal, one of the first he had. It was like someone stabbed her heart and twisted it.


    The betrayal may have seemed innocent and could even be called very normal. People getting close to those who are rich and trying to exploit their kindness. But for the oblivious Alex at that moment, who grew up in a family filled with love and trust, this hit him hard.


    He always grew up seeing how tightly knit the Suzaku guild was. This made Alex always want to have something similar, but unfortunately, reality came.


    There was a reason the Suzaku guild was close; they all met in their most vulnerable state, helping and supporting each other through life-and-death situations. Without this, just how many can really build an unbreakable bond?


    Alex quickly reached the conclusion, almost zero. That was why he gave up trying to make one.


    "Never thought he could feel lonely like that."


    MingYue then looked around. Driven by curiosity, her finger moved, touching another shard of memory.


    But this one was not what she expected. Her cheeks turned red as she shook her head.


    "Pervert."


    MingYue then turned her gaze back to the lightning cloud.


    "Will the dragon and phoenix pendant have some effect on Alex and me?


    Rather than taking risks like this, I might as well try it."


    Outside, MingYue opened her eyes. She quickly met with Alex''s face, which still had his eyes closed. MingYue didn''t make a move in case it broke Alex''s concentration.


    While their foreheads were still touching, she took out the pendant. ''Based on what Aunt said, the dragon pendant is for Alex, and the phoenix is for me. But does it need our blood to activate it?''


    Vesa, who was guarding their bodies, realized MingYue''s confusion.


    "Queen, I think the pendant has two prerequisites to be activated: first, the presence of the owner nearby or maybe needing physical touch, and second, infusing their qi into it.


    But since qi is basically just energy, I think you can use progenitor aura on both pendants; it should serve as your and the King''s signature."


    "How sure are you about this, Vesa?"


    "I am sure. I have seen the King''s father''s memory.


    Based on the method he used, what I say is at least 90% correct.


    And Queen, it''s not like you lose anything; worst come to worst, just wake the King up."


    "He seems to be deep in thought. Let''s avoid it if we can.


    One more thing, Vesa. That lightning being, do you know what it is?"


    "Based on the information I have now, it should be some kind of protective measure of the King''s soul."


    "Then how can I bypass it? You should know a safe way to do this, right?"


    "If Queen means how I linked both of your souls in the past, then that will be a different circumstance.


    At that time, both King and Queen were still normal humans. Right now, both of you are progenitors."


    "So there is no other way?"

 Chapter 448 The Pendant

    "If Queen doesn''t want to attack it, then the other way will be going through the other door. There is a connection that links King, Queen, and me. I can send Queen there."MingYue rolled her eyes. "Why didn''t you tell me this before?"


    "Well¡­ Queen didn''t ask, and doing this will also have some side effects.


    Right now, Queen and King''s souls have transformed into one of vampires and also started changing into progenitors. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This puts your soul in a unique situation; it''s its own individual but, at the same time, part of a set.


    So if you go deep inside there, parts of your soul that become progenitors will start melding into the King. As for the effect, I don''t know for sure.


    In the first place, Queen''s soul situation is unique and never heard of. This is the fruit of my old master''s long research."


    MingYue sighed, "Forget it, let''s do it later. For now, I will try this pendant first."


    A Crimson aura then started appearing on her finger. MingYue then infused it into the dragon and phoenix pendant.


    The moment this happened, Alex''s eyes opened. They locked eyes while the dragon and phoenix amulet started moving as if it were lifelike; it then let out a roar.


    Many pieces of information started pouring into Alex and MingYue''s minds. Both of them stood in a trance. It took five minutes before their eyes returned to clarity.


    MingYue pulled her head back, her eyes flickering with shock, "What do you think? How true is this?"


    "99% true. Do you think my father and your parents would act this long without making sure of it?"


    MingYue clenched her fist as she started feeling conflicted. On one hand, now she understood the reason for her parents'' actions, and if she were in their position, she would probably do the same. But as their daughter, she still couldn''t forgive them.


    "How noble of them to do all that, sacrificing their own family for the good of the world!" MingYue said with a voice filled with indignation.


    Alex, despite his state, suddenly felt a huge urge to comfort MingYue. He took a step forward, then hugged her.


    MingYue put her head on his shoulder, tears starting to drip from her eyes¡­


    "You know the real reason. It''s not something noble like that. In the end, they did it for you.


    If it happens, the result will be catastrophic. This planet will meet its end.


    We have seen it, MingYue. No life survives in the void of space."


    "So what? Still doesn''t justify them! They could have told me about it, but no, they chose not to.


    They preferred hiding it while making me bear the burden of the whole clan."


    "With that scenario, you kept practicing to become stronger without knowing the danger this world is facing. And honestly, even with our strength now, MingYue, can we even do anything?"


    "Then what are they doing? A suicide mission, then leave this information to us in case they failed, so we can prepare for the future?"


    "They didn''t know we are progenitors. Even without this, that danger is something we need to face. But at the very least, this information confirms things for us."


    MingYue''s tears started dropping more, as right now, she didn''t give a damn about it. Somehow, putting her head on Alex''s chest and hearing his heartbeat made her emotions flow out.


    "Do you know how lonely I was at that time? How lonely was my brother?


    Don''t you feel it, too, Alex? In the past, despite your family, you still felt isolated from your peers, and you found all the lessons boring.


    You even challenged yourself with that prank to create a core using your school grades."


    "Yes, you are right, MingYue. I am not justifying what they did."


    MingYue then pulled her head forward and started hitting him in the chest, "And then there is you, Alex! Why are you being like this now?


    Why? When I need you to be understanding, you lose your emotion instead?


    Just how much does the world hate me to give me so much misfortune?"


    "MingYue, you are¡ª"Alex''s voice trailed off as MingYue put her finger in front of his lips, shutting him up.


    "Just shut up for now. You will just make me more agitated. Could you let me be emotional just this once?


    Should I have lived all my life as a cold-blooded cultivator who killed her way to immortality?


    Alex, I never asked for this. I never wanted this. But somehow, I was born with it.


    Many are jealous of the talent I was born with. But for me, it''s not a gift. It''s a curse. Even using my world''s standards, kids should still have time to play, but me?


    No, I had to cultivate nonstop while looking at them, laughing and playing around, making me feel jealous. And then, when we grew older, all of them had the audacity to point their fingers at me, telling me I was fortunate? Blessed? Gifted?


    FUCK THEM! Fuck This World!"


    MingYue''s tears started falling even more. She knew she wasn''t making sense now and was only throwing a tantrum, but she needed it!


    How could she not when she found out her loneliness and despair were planned by her parents?


    It may have been a matter of choosing the lesser evil, but for her, it was something she found very evil. Didn''t she have a choice in the matter?


    "MingYue¡­" Alex called her name as she pushed her face once more to his chest, hugging her tightly. His heart throbbed every time he saw a tear drop from her eyes.


    A thought appeared in his mind. "Whoever made her cry should pay for it."


    Despite, in this case, it being his own father and MingYue''s parents, Alex still felt the same. He wanted to give them a piece of his mind.


    "You can vent however you want with me, MingYue¡­


    But what do you want to do now? Will you tell them about this?"

 Chapter 449 The Past

    "I don''t want to think about it now, Alex, just let me be for now," MingYue said while still sobbing. She often acted cold and uncaring, but the moment the wall cracked open, the dam burst out.Her feelings as a five-year-old, forced to cultivate, no playtime, no social time. Barely spending time with her own family. Every day was cultivate, cultivate, cultivate.


    More treasures to absorb, more secret techniques to learn, more things to practice.


    It was all never-ending. Every day was so monotonous that she was forced to push all her feelings and emotions down.


    A realization then came to her: since when did she start to let her feelings come out?


    She looked up once more, looking at Alex''s eyes, which were still emotionless. "So this is all because of you, Alex."


    "Me? What do you mean?"


    "Since I met you, I started learning about your life, seeing your family, your bond. I realized that was what I wanted.


    If I never saw that, how could I have known how miserable my life was?


    Am I not deserving of that kind of life? Tell me, Alex, did I do something wrong to deserve this kind of life?"


    "MingYue, you know that''s not how the world works. If everyone got what they deserved, the world would never be like this."


    "I know, I know¡­ but then¡­ what justifies this? Why must I be the one that hurts¡­"


    MingYue put her head on his chest and started sobbing. No more words came out from her lips because even though she knew what Alex said was the truth.


    Alex instinctively moved his hand to her hair and started combing through it gently. He also didn''t say anything, knowing that any more words would be meaningless.


    The moment passed for the couple in silence. Alex should have checked his army''s situation; he also needed to talk with Ying Xue to gather more information on the situation of the rift, but right now, it all didn''t matter.


    Somehow, his priorities had shifted, and MingYue was the most important one. This made him wonder what was the basis of this change.


    Emotion? But he was emotionless now.


    ''Is it really true? Some emotions are really carved into someone''s soul? However, if I list them based on time and intensity, MingYue should not be number one.


    But here I am, prioritizing my time for her instead of preparing to save my family.


    Or maybe it''s the situation? I deem it more necessary to do this for now.''


    Alex then started filtering out the information they got from the pendant. It didn''t differ much from what he got from the Dragari King, but this one gave out more context.


    After his father realized what had happened was related to the opening of the dungeon in their world, he decided to go after the reality. When he arrives in MingYue''s world and finds out about the rift, Edward quickly links it to the invasion. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He spent tons of time learning about its origin. On Blue Jewel planet in ancient times, before the rift appeared, humans were under the suppression of two races: one was the youkai, and the other was immortal, or they called them Gods.


    Each period, a new genius would appear, creating weapons to fight against them. Some acted like spies, fawning at them, looking for any clue to gain their strength; others used external materials like youkai and god corpses to create formidable weapons.


    This resulted in the birth of strong weapons, but in the end, it was not enough. When the holder died, the weapon was picked up by their enemy instead, making them stronger.


    Things only started to change after someone invented cultivation. But even this was not simple; the cultivation took several generations to improve to the current state that Alex knew of, and the one responsible for it was Xue''s ancestor, Feng Xue''s brother.


    Wielding this power, Feng Xue''s brother pushed back the youkai and Gods. He created many traps, used their arrogance against them, and finally ended up almost winning. But in the end, the leader of the Gods, Zeus, told them the truth with a gloating smile.


    Despite the situation, in reality, Gods were a celestial race that ran away to this planet. They then created a strong barrier, protecting it from outside invasion. But some passed through, fighting hard against them, eliminating all the invaders.


    Unfortunately, some survived, and they were bred with humans and beasts, resulting in the birth of the Youkai race.


    With the death of Zeus, the protection barrier disappeared. The survivors of the Youkai race then opened a portal to their world, allowing their army to invade the planet.


    Some of the invaders were species Alex knew: kobolds, goblins, and even Dragari. They were monsters that often appeared in the dungeon.


    The Xue ancestor then sacrificed his life to recreate the barrier, but since his ability and knowledge were limited at that time, he could not completely close the current portals that had opened on the planet.


    The ancestors gathered them all at one point, fusing them into a huge rift. He then cast another barrier on it, limiting the strength of those that could enter their planet.


    Edward met MingYue''s parents when he was looking for the history of the Blue Jewel planet. They helped him when he was wounded because of an ambush from his opponent in the Zephyr clan.


    Afterward, they started becoming closer. Edward, who was looking for more comrades, decided they could be trusted. He shared with them everything he knew and brought them on a journey together.


    Afterward, everything progressed as they knew. Alex''s father then made a plan to visit beyond the rift.


    This decision came since he realized that no matter what he did, there was no chance for him to defeat the Dragari King without heavily wounding his own soul.


    In the end, he chose to use his limited life to scout and explore the truth. As for MingYue''s parents, they had their own situation.

 Chapter 450 A kiss

    Her mother being poisoned was the truth, but in reality, she could be healed if she abolished her cultivation.She would have done this if not for what she learned with Edward. They then colluded together, creating a plan to achieve two things: the unification of the Blue Jewel planet and exploration through the rift.


    As for MingYue and MingHao, they just hoped both of them would have enough strength to protect themselves. That is why they never gave them anything that would make them stand out.


    Instead, they kept all their resources, techniques, and every single piece of their knowledge hidden inside the storage amulet. Both amulets were created by Edward. They utilized a similar mechanism to the one given to Luca.


    If Alex had his emotions, he would be shocked by his father''s decision. How could he do that? Leaving behind his family like this?


    Couldn''t he go home with his own soul first, then find a way to recover?


    Unfortunately, with Alex''s current state, he instead agreed with his father''s decision. His soul was crumbling even now; it was only a matter of time before it dissipated.


    This was the reason why Luca was in so much pain. She saw everything from Edward''s point of view: his feelings, loneliness, pain, his plan that kept progressing despite knowing it only slowed his determined death. Everything almost destroyed her.


    If not for Alex''s and Emily''s presence, she would have already gone without any care, looking for Edward.


    His soul was now withheld by an artifact that MingYue''s mother had. That was how he survived. Reina''s mother also helped in his survival, as she had a unique bloodline that allowed her to nourish someone''s soul.


    ''How should I go about it now? Other than Uncle Silva, Aunt Ariadne and Uncle Kane are here.


    Uncle Kane should be the one who controls everything in this field from behind the scenes. As for Aunt Ariadne, she is in the beastman territory.


    I told my army to look for both of them, but none of them gave me any report. Instead, they just had some fights with the immortals over spirit qi mines.''


    Alex only speculated this based on the group''s movement. He hadn''t asked for any reports since, in reality, he didn''t have much control over them.


    What he did before was nothing more than a bluff. With their current difference in strength, he couldn''t kill them remotely from a long distance.


    That was why he wanted to ask when he was close to them. This way, he could find out which one of them was honest. For those who weren''t, Alex planned to kill and absorb their life force.


    But with his current situation, he couldn''t do anything about it. His mind then focused on breaking through the realm. ''It all comes back to my nature. Am I a human? Or a progenitor? Which one should I use as a core?


    But if I choose human, doesn''t that mean I will be stuck in this realm for a long time? Just how can I use my human nature to dominate my progenitor side?''


    "Alex. What are you thinking?" MingYue called out with a sore voice.


    "I''m just thinking about a breakthrough and what we should do next."


    "Breakthrough¡­ hmm¡­. I have some ideas, but they''re not logical at all. Want to try it?"


    "What do you mean?" Alex was confused by MingYue''s suggestion.


    "Why must we break through to the next realm? Isn''t it better if we just step all over it to become immortal?"


    "Is that even possible?"


    "Just an inkling of mine. An immortal makes their body from their energy. Since our main source is the life force, isn''t it a simple matter to deconstruct everything and reconstruct it using lifeforce energy? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the first place, we cannot die, so we can test it many times over. So why bother walking it all step by step?"


    MingYue locked her gaze again with Alex. Dried tears evaporated into an ice mist as MingYue used her qi to make them disappear. After crying for a while, she felt far better.


    Alex started considering her idea, and he felt it made sense. What made up cultivation? Someone''s understanding and their being.


    As long as they had the understanding to use the power and recreate their whole being based on the immortal standard, doesn''t that mean he could make immortals as much as he wanted?


    In Alex''s current state, he thought he could create AI that learned how the understanding of energy worked based on every person''s individual and personality. As for body formation, as long as he raised his understanding, it was a matter of time until he created one.


    A physical body was easy for him now. The question was making one from pure energy, one that could switch state to physical form anytime he wanted. For one with an element, this might be hard to achieve, but for Alex and MingYue, as vampires, they could use blood as the base elemental.


    But doing this meant using progenitor as the core of their strength, not their human side. They would use qi and mana to enhance their blood ability.


    "That is possible, as long as we do it in the right situation, but not now. It will waste much lifeforce, and we don''t know how much we need to achieve it."


    "It''s fine. It''s you. You will always find a way," MingYue said with a small smile.


    A smile that made Alex remember their first meeting. Her gaze became more intense as MingYue tiptoed on her feet and then raised her body higher. Her crimson lips became more and more close to Alex, letting him feel her warm breath.


    Alex''s heartbeat started becoming faster. He started feeling weird, and then, without thinking, his heart moved his body, closing the remaining distance between them.


    A soft texture pressed against his lips, making him desire it more.


    They pressed against each other, their tongues dancing like swords in the wind, clashing against each other, feeling out each other''s being.


    Time was frozen for them. It was like the outside world didn''t even exist.

 Chapter 451 My King

    Alex''s mind was completely shut down now. He didn''t think of anything else other than enjoying the situation.Vesa watched everything from the side and let out a soft giggle, "It took a while, but finally, their relationship started to progress. I hope the King can quickly recover his emotions soon; that way, I am sure their relationship will progress even faster."


    She then let out a sigh, "Master Alucard, I don''t get the many limitations you put on me. If I could just tell them the truth...


    Many things would change, and they wouldn''t need to struggle like this."


    Meanwhile, Reina was now running with everything she had, "Uncle, how much farther? I think this is enough."


    Moria''s soul looked around, then flew to check the perimeter, making sure YangFei didn''t come after them.


    Reina shook her head at Moria''s insistence, "Uncle is really paranoid. Just what did he meet?"


    She then took a seat with her back against the tree.


    With the direction they were going now, they were getting closer to the frontline area. Reina started considering whether they should go there or change direction again.


    Going to the Zephyr clan was out of the question now with how Moria was acting; he would probably go all out to stop her.


    Moria''s soul then returned, "He''s really gone," he said with relief.


    "What do you suggest we do now, Uncle?" Reina asked, cutting to the case. "Should we find a compatible body for you first?"


    "I know you''ll reject this, but with the current situation, I think we should lay low. There are many new monsters appearing, attacking the town, and also that strange man."


    "Since you know, why even say it? Uncle, your soul will keep getting weaker the longer you stay like this. And I don''t have any artifact to keep it stable.


    We should go to the nearby town and look for a body for you. Even though our main clan is decimated, we still have a branch nearby. Let''s go there and regroup. And they probably have a backup body there."


    "No, I don''t want to take their body. We could just gather resources and create a new one. We have enough Qi crystals for that."


    "Is it really that much?"


    When they left, Moria had given almost all of the profit from the spice water to Reina. But she hadn''t checked it and had only taken the storage ring.


    "It''s more than enough to start a new clan. That''s why I say let''s just stay low for now."


    "And forget about my mother just like that? No!"


    "Reina, that''s not what I mean."


    "Forget it, let''s go to the nearby town. We need more information for now. I don''t believe the information from that person, Yang Fei.


    And if what you say is true, we need more people anyway. Bringing our side branch together is a must if we want to start again."


    "You say that, but I am sure you just want to gather more people and then return to the Zephyr clan. That''s suicide, Reina."


    "Didn''t you say we have the money? I am sure we can gather enough. It''s not like we''re coming to destroy the clan; I just wish to meet with her."


    "You want to take her back with you; the meeting will not go peacefully."


    Reina ignored Moria''s words as she flew quickly, making her way. It didn''t take long for them to see smoke rising high in the air. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moria went first to check, telling Reina to wait for him, but this time she ignored him. She spread her senses far and wide, making every cultivator realize her presence.


    She dared to do this because, based on her knowledge, there were no strong cultivators there, and looking at the smoke, it was clear a fight was happening now. Any strong cultivator would have already spread their presence by now.


    "Is this the goblin that person mentioned?" Reina mumbled in confusion.


    In the town, the array barrier kept rippling as it got bombarded by a rain of bullets.


    The goblins were standing in formation, some holding a minigun that kept shooting while the others kept reloading the ammunition.


    In another area, the goblin wolf riders were wielding spears, fighting against some cultivators. Energy clashed in the air as they were in the same realm.


    Some of the stronger cultivators stood on top of the town wall, looking at the situation. They didn''t join in since, on the opposite side, there was still a being that hadn''t made any move.


    The high goblin was floating in the air, calmly analyzing the situation; right now, his gaze was focused on the newcomers, Reina and Moria.


    Based on her strength, the high goblin knew he could win if he focused all his army on her. With the high goblin''s ability, numbers meant a lot. He could coordinate them to create many types of arrays that would put the cultivators in a pinch.


    As long as the difference in strength levels wasn''t much, then he had no fear.


    Reina flew closer as she focused her Qi; she prepared to use her awakening skill to pierce through the goblin army and reach the town to regroup with her clan.


    ''None of my clan members came out to protect this town. I should punish them.''


    "Madam, is your name Reina?" The high goblin asked in a polite tone.


    "How could you know my name?" Reina asked in confusion.


    The question also confused Moria, who had just returned to Reina''s side.


    "My king told me to tell you something if I ever met you."


    "Your king?"


    "Yes, you are the Midnight Clan princess, right? My King wants me to tell you that your clan is safe, but you shouldn''t try to return for now since the area around it is dangerous."


    "Is your king''s name Alex?" Reina asked in disbelief.


    "Yes, if you want to find him, he currently resides in the Zephyr clan."


    "Wait! You call Alex a king; doesn''t this mean all of you are his people?"

 Chapter 452 Seraphine, Olivia, and Quartz

    Based on Moria''s knowledge, Alex did come from somewhere far away, and with his strength, it wasn''t strange for him to have many people. But this army was something else. It was a species he had never seen before, even among the beastmen."Yes, we all are his people and sword. In case you are wondering, right now, my liege has given out the order to completely conquer this region. So I suggest you avoid going to town for now."


    "But you know about me; doesn''t this mean he gave instructions not to hurt me?"


    Reina''s eyes were now filled with hope. She felt a huge relief as her hope still existed. Not only that, he also didn''t forget his promise and went to the Zephyr clan to look for her mother.


    Her clan also survived. As for the danger around it, she didn''t feel it mattered much since she thought they were completely decimated.


    "Yes, Madam Reina. But the commander of the current operation is quite troublesome. None of them have made an appearance yet, but each of them is very strong and unpredictable. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although I believe they would not dare to betray my King, it''s always better to be on the safe side. Who knows what they will make you do."


    The high goblin had seen how the sovereigns played around with those weaker than them. They made them move like puppets.


    Some of them even had the ability to control other people''s minds and actions.


    "Wait, you say the Midnight Clan has recovered. How did Alex do this?" Moria asked, feeling that feat was something impossible, even with Alex''s ability.


    "Don''t underestimate my King, Mr. Moria. I don''t know how, but I will never doubt my King''s word."


    "So your mission is to take over this town? What will you do with their inhabitants?"


    "As long as they don''t rebel, they will just continue their daily lives like normal, and I am sure they will be happier living under my liege''s rule.


    As for those that resist, well, their fate is up to the sovereigns."


    "Can I believe you in those words?" Reina asked.


    "These are my King''s words, Madam Reina. I will put my life on the line to make sure they are followed to the letter."


    "Then, as you know about me, as your King''s friend, can I request to mediate this conflict?


    I mean, I know many will disagree, but at least for those that agree, I want to make sure of their survival."


    Reina didn''t say this out of goodwill alone. She thought she could recruit some people to join her faction and change some wording to threaten the Midnight Clan inside to swear their loyalty to her.


    "I can do that, but I still have my mission."


    "You don''t need to stop the attack. Based on the current situation, it will still take you a long time to destroy the barrier."


    The high goblin let out a chuckle, "That''s not true, madam. If I wanted, I could destroy it anytime. What I am doing now is training the army with real experience."


    The high goblin then sent out his order to let Reina pass without getting attacked.


    Her appearance made all the cultivators in the town frown; not only was she stronger than each of them, but some also knew her background.


    But what surprised them the most was how the goblin let her pass unscathed.


    They had tried to negotiate before, asking what their purpose was. But the goblins didn''t give any response.


    This made them think they didn''t understand their language.


    The barrier then created a small gap, allowing Reina to pass through before it quickly closed again.


    "Lady Reina, may you tell us what is happening?"


    Reina looked at each of them, then asked, "Before that, do you know where my clan was? Why don''t I see any of them here?"


    "Well, actually, I also don''t know what happened, but they left this town just before the invasion happened. Only some of the mortals were left behind in the sect."


    Reina narrowed her eyes. "Tell me honestly, do you not know the reason, or do you not want to say?"


    The cultivator took a step back as he was suffocated by the pressure Reina gave off.


    "I-I really don''t know, Lady Reina. I just overheard some rumors."


    "I see..." Reina took back her Qi, letting the cultivator breathe in relief. "Bring me to the leader of this town."


    She decided to push back the Midnight Clan for later; without the cultivators, those left would only pull her down.


    Meanwhile, in the core region, the beastman territory, three people were standing surrounded by many corpses.


    The woman with golden eyes wiped her sweat and then let out a relieved sigh. "To think they are this aggressive. Lady Seraphin, are you really sure this place is safe?"


    "For me, yes, and don''t worry; usually, this means the same for both of you."


    Quartz and Olivia looked at each other in disbelief; her answer didn''t make them feel good at all.


    "Lady Seraphine, just why did you bring us all the way here? Shouldn''t we look for the others?" Quartz asked.


    "Just believe me, I have my own information after reaching here. Despite what you hear, sometimes I do get visions of the future."


    Both Olivia and Quartz didn''t believe her at all; they were sure she had another agenda for bringing them all the way here but just didn''t want to tell them.


    After they separated from Luca and the others, they should have helped take over another town, but in the middle of the way, they were blocked by Seraphine.


    Her presence surprised them, as they thought she was staying on the other side. They didn''t know how she arrived here, whether she had her own method or just followed them all the way without anyone realizing it.


    But they thought the last possibility should be impossible, as MingYue could feel someone presence based on their lifeforce.


    "Why with the face? Didn''t you separate from the group on purpose? I''m giving you some reason to do it."

 Chapter 453 Beastman

    "That..." Olivia became speechless.What Seraphine said wasn''t wrong; in fact, if possible, she just wanted to look for Alex and meet him first before MingYue, but she knew this was impossible and would just complicate matters.


    "I don''t get why you acted like this tough. Why did you avoid them? Aren''t you clear with your own emotions?"


    "But he doesn''t like me back."


    "I don''t know the details, but I''m sure his feelings are not that simple. But even if that''s true, does it really matter?


    If he were in your position, would he just stay still and give up?"


    Olivia knew the answer, but she didn''t say anything. If Alex had been in her position, he would have at least kept trying for it until he felt the answer was a clear no.


    That''s what he did in the past. Despite their difference in age, their relationship, and other people''s judgment, Alex still confessed to her.


    If she had accepted it at that time, she could already imagine how people would have called them out.


    ''It seems in the end I''m just really afraid of getting hurt¡­''


    "Olivia," Quartz called out as she put her hand over her shoulder.


    "I''m alright, Quartz, just getting emotional."


    "Well, it''s not my problem, but if you want something, I''d suggest you go for it.


    So what if, in the process, you hurt some people? Everyone has the right to be a bit selfish. If you''re not the one fighting for your own happiness, who will do it?"


    "I never knew you had this kind of tough lady, Seraphine."


    "We''ve only met a few times. How could you know my personality?"


    Even then, Seraphine rarely talked, so most didn''t even realize her presence.


    "Lady Seraphine, can you tell us your real goal?"


    Seraphine''s gaze turned cold at Quartz. "Basically, what I just said to Olivia is that I just found an opportunity to realize what I''ve wanted all this time."


    "And that was?" Olivia asked.


    "It''s not a big secret. I''m looking for a way to perfect my ability."


    "But you can already control it as you wish."


    "Not really, I''m only suppressing it, but it still comes with side effects. Do you think I can have any life with this ability?


    Yes, I can survive, and yes, I can use it in certain ways to see the future. But what use is living without having any real life?


    Do you know why I and the others never joined Suzaku Guild?"


    "We were curious about it, but no one dared to ask since we thought it should be related to some sensitive topic."


    "You''re not wrong. Let''s just say either each of us has unfinished business, or we know our presence would bring more trouble for Edward and Luca.


    Just like me, if I joined the guild, they would have many problems on their hands."


    "They wouldn''t mind, though. We also wouldn''t protest at all. In the first place, almost each one of us owes the Guild Master our life," Olivia added.


    "And that is why we stay away. Here''s the biggest difference between you and us, Olivia. We want to find a solution to our own problem with our own hands.


    I''m not saying this to demean you guys. It''s just that we won''t allow others to do it for us. There could be many reasons, or it could be as simple as our personality."


    Olivia wanted to say more, but Seraphine suddenly stopped in her tracks, and Quartz also raised her shield, looking toward the cliff on the west.


    A beastly voice then reverberated. "A human this far inside the beast-man territory, this is not part of our agreement."


    A figure leaped down and then landed with a loud bam, creating cracks in the ground.


    A tall man with a wolf head appeared in front of them, a gray tail coming out from his back.


    "That is your agreement with people in this world, not with us who come from outside."


    The wolfman grinned as his eyes started sizing them up. "I don''t know what that means, but did you just say you''re not part of the agreement? Does this mean I can do what I want with you all?"


    Seraphine let out a sigh. "So the first one we meet is an idiot? Just do it if you want to lose your life." She then mumbled in a low voice, "Just where is she? Did that bastard lie to me?"


    The wolf''s face grimaced with anger, "Who do you call an idiot!?"


    He let out a howl, then dashed toward them. Quartz met him in the middle, her shield blocking the attack and creating a spark of qi.


    BANG! BANG! The wolf tried to attack a few more times, but it was blocked by the shield.


    "So this is why you''re confident, but don''t think this is enough to handle me."


    Qi surged out from the wolf''s body, and then he started transforming. His body became more muscular, and his claws grew longer and sharper.


    The wind started blowing over his body, then settled around the claws, creating some kind of aura.


    "Now try to block this!"


    SWOOSH! The claws swiped down, screeching through the shield.


    Quartz released her grasp and kicked the shield forward, pushing back the werewolf. A huge hammer then appeared in her hand, and she bashed the shield from behind with full power, effectively launching him into the cliff.


    A loud bam reverberated as the wolf got pushed inside.


    ''I never knew you were this strong now, Quartz,'' Olivia said in her mind.


    ''This is thanks to the gear Alex made; otherwise, with our realm difference, it wouldn''t have had this much effect.''


    ''You''re cutting yourself short; your abilities should be the reason for it. Otherwise, Alex wouldn''t have given you all that gear.''


    ''Let''s talk later.''


    The hammer in Quartz''s hand then disappeared, replaced by a huge greatsword. Her armor also changed into crimson red, and flames then burst out from the sharp edge.


    S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 454 The Wolf

    Alex had made many experimental gears, playing around with the formation and how things worked.He deemed most of it unusable since it would only have a temporary effect. Some were even destroyed after one use, but all these became good weapons for Quartz, thanks to her cultivation technique.


    As she could change all equipped gear in seconds, this allowed her to change everything mid-fight.


    Every cultivator might be able to do this, but to take out armor and weapons and directly wield them, they would need to find spirit artifacts, and each one of them is rare.


    Meanwhile, Quartz''s technique allowed her to directly summon it for her use. This also served as the foundation since Alex wanted her to use the space element in the future.


    The sword pierced through the air as it came down on the wolf.


    CLANG!


    Unfortunately, it was blocked. The wolfman clasped it with both his hands, the wind that was gathered on the claw then shot forward S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, it was blocked. The wolfman clasped it with both his hands.


    "Take this!" the wolf said with laughter.


    The wind then gathered together and shot toward Quartz. With their close distance, she didn''t have the chance to hide. The best she could do was release the sword and take out another towering shield to block.


    The sharp wind clashed against the qi-infused metal. Unfortunately, it wasn''t strong enough to completely block it.


    The cyclone blasted through her, as the wolf was far stronger realm-wise, his qi easily minced through her protection, turning her exposed skin to minced meat.


    Olivia took out a specially made gun, and light gathered at the barrel. She then shot.


    BANG!


    It pierced through the air and hit Quartz right on the back. The light exploded, spreading out its effect and regenerating Quartz''s wounds.


    Recovered, Quartz took out another weapon, this time another Warhammer. She hit the shield, effectively pushing through the greatsword that was captured by the wolfman.


    The sword pushed forward, piercing through the man''s right chest. Crimson blood spurted out, but unfortunately, this was still not enough to kill the wolf.


    As a beastman, his vitality was far higher than a human''s, and he was also a cultivator.


    Just like awakened cultivators, who could use their bloodline to transform, beastmen could also do the same, but the result was far different. This was because their bloodline was even purer and more concentrated than that of humans with bloodlines.


    Smoke started coming out from the wolfman''s body, and he then let out another howl. His hands grew larger, then smashed Quartz, knocking her back.


    The greatsword that pierced through his chest now looked so small that it seemed more like a toothpick than a weapon.


    "AWOOOO!"


    A huge grey wolf was now standing in front of them.


    "Lady Seraphine, I doubt Quartz can beat him. Maybe we should run."


    "Don''t you underestimate her too much? Don''t worry. You know how weak I was, and I don''t plan to leave this place. So far, I don''t see any dead, so it''s fine."


    Olivia sighed. In reality, she never thought of Seraphine as someone weak. She didn''t believe Seraphine could survive all the ordeals that Edward had told her. She believed Seraphine had her own trump card and a way to protect herself.


    ''Now that I think of it, there is no way Alex only made this kind of medieval weapon for Quartz to use.''


    Looking at the big wolf coming toward her, Quartz changed her armor set.


    This time, it was light armor with barely any protection. But it served its purpose since it was designed to not burden the wielder while enhancing their strength using the formations carved into it.


    Then, a modified rocket launcher appeared on her shoulder. It was quite large, with six barrels.


    It was made with an unknown metal alloy, giving it a sleek black appearance. Formations were carved into it, providing a special storage space to hold ammunition. The only downside of this weapon was its weight; it was so heavy that without using enhancement, it was impossible to use.


    The holder also needed to keep stable to ensure the missile would launch accurately. They could use a computer to create homing missiles, but that would lower the missile speed, allowing their enemy to parry it easily.


    This weapon was designed by the association as a land-based artillery weapon to counter a giant monster the size of a skyscraper, but Alex modified it to be used portably. This lowered the damage, but the portability was a huge win.


    Unfortunately, Alex hadn''t had the time to perfect it. The one Quartz used was a prototype.


    She then infused her qi and pressed the trigger. With how huge the target was, she didn''t need to worry about the aim.


    A loud sound reverberated in the air as six projectiles streaked through the sky.


    The first two moved faster than the others, exploding into two combustible liquids that fell onto the wolf, clinging to its fur. He tried to shake it off using wind qi, but it didn''t work. The liquid was like glue, persistently sticking to his fur.


    The wolf raised its maw, sweeping through the other four incoming rockets.


    BOOM! BOOM!


    Four concussive explosions were created, the flames igniting the liquid and spreading it out.


    In no time, the wolf''s whole body was covered with purplish flames. The scorching heat began to burn through his qi, effectively draining him. It also gave the wolf intense pain, slowing his movements by a lot.


    Despite this, the wolf still moved toward Quartz. He created multiple wind blades and shot them forward.


    Quartz shot another barrage. This time, four rockets clashed with the wind blades while two hit the wolf.


    This time, Quartz didn''t slow down. She started launching nonstop barrages, creating explosion after explosion.


    The wolf was completely paralyzed; he couldn''t make any move.


    He tried to use his qi, but it kept getting dispersed before it even succeeded in doing anything. There seemed to be something weird with the flame, as the longer it stuck on his skin, the more chaotic his qi became.


    It was like a part of it was being absorbed, making the flame burn hotter.

 Chapter 455 Ariadne

    The wolf started grimacing in pain while Olivia started looking around the area, spreading her qi as wide as possible just in case something was coming.The explosion was so loud that she was sure someone would hear about it. Right now, they were on the border of the beastmen territory, and it was only a matter of time until someone came to check on it. But she didn''t blame Quartz; she understood that Quartz must have chosen to use that weapon, as she deemed it the safest and fastest way to kill it.


    Her expression suddenly changed as she felt something coming. "Quartz!"


    But her scream was too late.


    Without being able to react, a spider silk shot out from nowhere, completely tying Quartz and engulfing her whole body, turning both her and the wolf into a cocoon.


    "Ariadne, it took you a while!" Seraphine called out.


    "Well, I''ve been here for a while now. I just wanted to see how strong my junior is now. But you never change, Seraphine."


    "I wish I could change. So, what''s the deal? You said you have the answer to what I seek here."


    A woman suddenly appeared just a few steps away from Olivia. It was as if she had already been standing there.


    "Yes, but seeing how my two cute juniors fight, I think you already have a clue what it is."


    "Ariadne!" Olivia''s lips curled into a smile as tears started glistening in her golden eyes.


    She took a step forward and then hugged her. Ariadne was taller than Olivia, with jet-black hair that had a purplish hue. Her eyes were Heterochromia, one black while the other was purple.


    Seraphine looked at her purple eye, studying it with interest. "Did you use this eye to control your ability?"


    "I knew you would figure it out with just a glance," Ariadne replied while patting Olivia''s head.


    She then turned her gaze to Olivia. "Are you alright? You seem burdened."


    Olivia let out a helpless smile, "No, it''s okay. I''m just happy to meet you again, Ariadne. How about the others? Are they with you?"


    "No, unfortunately, those bastards left me to take care of the beast-man territory."


    "Considering your ability, that''s understandable," Seraphine commented.


    "Ariadne, can you release Quartz?" Olivia asked while pointing at the cocoon still hanging in the air, vibrating occasionally.


    Quartz was trying her best to come out of the cocoon, but it didn''t seem to work. The cocoon was so flexible, yet at the same time, it was also very strong. Not only that, but it was also very sticky, gluing to her body, making every attempt more difficult.


    Ariadne snapped her fingers, and the cocoon then disappeared as if it had never been there. Quartz and the wolf fell to the ground.


    Seeing Ariadne, Quartz''s gaze became warm. She put back the rocket launcher and then started walking toward them.


    "It''s been a long time, Ariadne. I hope you''re well." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, the wolf had already transformed back to his humanoid form, his body, and clothes filled with burn wounds, but he acted like it didn''t bother him.


    The wolfman quickly kneeled on one leg, "Lady Arachne."


    "You return first and prepare for your punishment. I never remember giving you permission to attack them."


    Cold sweat appeared on his forehead, but he didn''t dare to say anything. He just nodded and left the place.


    "I''m fine, Quartz. I hope it''s the same for everyone else. And I''m sorry for what my subordinate did."


    "Haha, you''re as shameless as ever, Ariadne. And what is with that Arachne? Is that your name here?"


    "I''m known as the spider youkai here."


    Ariadne then looked toward the sky, "I want to talk more, but it seems we have some visitors. Let''s move before things become annoying."


    She took out a talisman and then activated it with her qi. Olivia, Quartz, and Seraphine''s bodies started becoming invisible before they completely disappeared.


    Not long after, two beasts arrived at the place. One was a burly man with golden hair and tiger eyes, the other a silver-haired woman.


    The man grinned, "I smell Arachne and humans here."


    "Seems she''s finally started moving. What do you think, Leo? Should we also do something?


    There are many things happening in the human territory now; I think this is a sign."


    "A sign? You sly fox, you just want to cause havoc."


    "Don''t you feel the same? Well, actually, everyone does.


    People may call us the Nine Emperors of the Beast Realm, but in the end, we''re nothing more than bored beings."


    "Hahaha, you say it like the emperor title is easy to get. Each of us went through a lot to become the nine strongest in the beast-man region. Unlike humans, we make sure our people stay united and prosperous."


    "Nine strongest? United? What a load of crap, Leo. Didn''t we all let Arachne kill the first emperor and take over his place?"


    "That just means he was weak. We all agreed never to intervene in each other''s inner conflicts."


    "Fufufu! Well, anything that helps you sleep at night. So, what''s your plan now?"


    "Since humans have already come here, based on the agreement, we should be able to go out too. I want to go out and confirm the situation."


    "Hah, that turtle hermit, Sanbi, will complain for sure. You know he''s always wanted to leave this area."


    "First come, first served. See you later, Yubina."


    Leo then left, not worried about his territory being attacked. As for inner conflict, he didn''t care. Even if he was gone for a long time, the worst that could happen was a civil war, which would help remove the weak from his territory.


    As for taking the emperor''s seat, it would never be legitimate as long as they failed to kill him. Unlike in human territory, beastmen believe in strength above all.


    Using force, ganging up on someone¡ªit''s all frowned upon. Almost every conflict is resolved with a death match in the arena. There''s no bullshit politics.


    But this doesn''t mean they don''t have any organization or teamwork. Beastmen have learned the hard way that if they don''t unite, humans will easily trample all over them.


    Yubina then turned her gaze in another direction, "I''ll visit Arachne''s place then. Who knows, I might meet someone interesting."

 Chapter 456 The Nine Beastman Emperors

    Her body then started transforming from a jade beauty into a handsome young man. As the nine-tailed fox, illusion was one of her specialties.Meanwhile, Quartz and the group found themselves inside a beautiful palace. The whole building looked like it was made of sand, but it was intricately carved, and the sand had a unique quality to it. It gave off a feeling like someone was looking at a starry sky.


    "You built all this, Ariadne?" Quartz asked while looking at it with amazement. With how big the hallway was, two Dragari dragons in their dragon forms could walk side by side and still have space to spare.


    "Of course not, this is my spoil. I took it over from the first emperor of the beast region, or as they call this land, Grimwild."


    "What a weird name. But the first emperor¡ªdoes this mean you''re the strongest one here?"


    Ariadne let out a chuckle, "I wish. In total, there are nine emperors ruling over Grimwild. Each has their own territory, and they rarely interact with each other.


    Going to another area also requires many permissions. Well, you can think of it as a passport, but one that''s really hard to get."


    "Isn''t that just a visa? Well, we''re all hunters, so it''s easy for us, but I know many people complain about how hard it is to travel between countries now," Olivia added.


    "Oh yeah, it''s called a visa. Anyway, this place is good once you start adapting to it."


    "Living around beast-men?"


    "Yes, you may find some of their culture barbaric, but when you get used to it, you''ll find how refreshing it is.


    There''s no bullshit like politics here. Strength is above everything. You don''t need to care what they say behind your back, and it''s not like they do that.


    People here frown upon those kinds of things. If you want something, become strong; everything is just so simple."


    Seeing how respected Ariadne was, they believed what she said was the truth. She genuinely loved living here. No one even asked why a human was with their empress.


    Quartz could feel their curious gazes, but no one asked or made trouble for them.


    "And about the emperor. The first doesn''t mean the strongest here; instead, it''s the weakest."


    "So the strongest one is number nine? How strong was the one you beat?"


    "It was a tanuki. He had control over sand, but strategy-wise, he was dumb. Honestly, I shouldn''t have been able to beat him, but he was too full of himself, which allowed me to stack deadly poison."


    "That must have been a close win, then. Won''t the other beast-men try to challenge your seat?"


    "Oh, they did, but they gave me time to recover first."


    "I never thought beast-men would be that considerate," Quartz said.


    "It''s not a consideration for me, but for after they win. No one would respect them if they did that, and I bet they''d get a never-ending queue of challengers."


    They then entered a room with a table and a few comfortable couches. Based on the decoration and appearance, it was clear the room was designed to receive guests.


    "Ariadne, enough with the background. Can you tell me more about your power? Last time we met, you could barely control it."


    Ariadne''s eyes turned complicated, and she then let out a deep sigh. If only she had control over her power, she knew she would be more useful to Edward and the others.


    "As you know, my ability allows me to mimic monster abilities and appearances. It''s strong but comes with a huge drawback¡ªI couldn''t control it."


    "Yes, after you mimicked more than ten, the abilities started coming out at random, some even mixing with another, resulting in catastrophic combinations that rendered you useless in battle."


    "Useless is a good result. Sometimes, it became a burden for others. I still remember turning into a fish in the middle of a fight, ending up almost dead because I couldn''t breathe without water."


    Seraphine wanted to laugh upon hearing it, but seeing Quartz and Olivia''s expressions, she held back her laughter. The event seemed to have almost caused them some tragedy.


    "So how do you control it now? By using your eyes?"


    "Cultivation. Have you heard of it?"


    "Like the one in the novel?"


    "Similar but with some differences."


    Ariadne then started telling Seraphine how it worked and how Edward helped her modify it. At first, her cultivation followed the same sequence, but after the golden core, it started to change.


    She would take the monster characteristics she copied and then create a core of it. But this came with a downside: to perfect the core, she needed to absorb the monster''s essence.


    At first, she did it in the most direct way by cooking and eating them, but after she broke through to a new realm, she learned how to absorb only the monster''s essence.


    If the creature was a spirit beast, she would just need to absorb their monster core.


    The next problem arose when she tried to change cores to use. It took her some time to do this, not long¡ªbarely a minute¡ªbut in a fight, that could easily become deadly.


    To mitigate this, she then modified her own eyes as Ariadne made another breakthrough. Right now, she was in the early stage of the Transcendent realm.


    "I heard Alex explain the Transcendent stage can control space, time, and reality. Is this true?" Quartz asked.


    "Well, it''s not wrong, but also not that far-fetched. Our control over them is more about allowing us to use our abilities instantly without any preparation, just like how I captured you before.


    If you want to ask me how it works, then I''d suggest looking for Edward. I suck at those theories. I can just show you instead."


    Ariadne disappeared from where she stood and then suddenly appeared behind Quartz, catching her off guard.


    She was sure it wasn''t just fast movement.


    "Did you just teleport?" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 457 World Council

    "We already have hunters with that ability, so why are you surprised? Also, don''t you do a similar thing with that artifact?"Olivia shared the same opinion as Ariadne; she didn''t find it too surprising. But for Quartz, she knew it wasn''t something easy to achieve.


    She had tried hard to master and perfect the cultivation method Alex had given her. All his methods worked, but most of them were still theoretical. She needed to find a way to realize them herself.


    Learning to switch armor sets instantly without any problem was not easy at all. She still remembered how she failed a few times and felt glad she had practiced by herself.


    With every failure, she would end up naked as the armor just fell to the ground.


    And this was not the worst; sometimes, it could also cause her injury or even break the armor.


    Teleportation worked by folding the spaces; it required complicated calculations for each part involved. If she missed even one, the result would be disastrous.


    "Yes, Ariadne, can you teach me how to do that?"


    "As I said before, I cannot. It''s something that you will automatically learn when you reach this realm.


    How we do it is completely different from how you do it; it seems to me as simple as breathing.


    At this realm, our will becomes strong enough that even space-time bends to our will, affecting reality."


    "So, how long will I need to master this? Your technique was created by Edward; I think I need to ask Alex for help then."


    Ariadne''s lips curled into a smile, "It''s Edward. Do you think he forgot about you? He already made one."


    She then walked toward Seraphine and put her finger on her forehead. "Calm yourself; I will directly send the information to your mind."


    As Seraphine was immersed in the new knowledge, Quartz asked, "What is your purpose here, Ariadne? Are you trying to unite this region?"


    "Uniting? Haha, of course not. I am just building up a network to make sure everything on this side is alright.


    In the first place, beastmen are already quite united. As I told you, the nine-emperor system works very well. Conflict still happens, but it never grows out of proportion.


    The Dead Arena is more than enough to finish it. As long as there is no external factor intervening, nothing should go wrong."


    "Just what is this external factor? Can you fill us in?"


    "It''s the same thing that caused the catastrophe in our city."


    "What!? Do you mean that dungeon break was orchestrated? Who is behind this?" Olivia asked while Quartz was still deep in thought.


    "Edward calls them the Primordials, and he speculates they also have sway in the association."


    "Which hunter? How could the president not find out?"


    Olivia felt this didn''t make sense, considering how many hunters were working in the Association and how capable Solomon was.


    There was no way such a big thing happened without his knowledge.


    "Edward speculates they already know but cannot do anything. Even though the Association leads everything in front, they are still tied by the World Council."


    "The World Council? They still exist?"


    "Yes, otherwise, why do you think we are still separated by country?


    Solomon always wanted to destroy the borders and unite it all under one government, but unfortunately, things are not that simple."


    There is just no way the old elite would agree to relinquish power. Even after the catastrophe, all their strength stayed intact, and now they have become even stronger.


    Many of them cooperate with foreign species. Their deals are questionable, and most of them are immoral, but the Association hasn''t done anything about it.


    They have already spent most of their resources on the front lines; they barely have any left to protect themselves. Having another inner conflict is just something they cannot afford now.


    Many realizations then came to Olivia; things that she had always wondered about became clear now.


    Why does the Association lack resources and manpower when they have their hand in almost every country?


    The answer is simple: they are the ones fighting, while most of the resources are still monopolized by them. This made Olivia feel disgusted and hateful.


    She didn''t understand how humans could be so selfish. But if Alex were here, he would tell them that it makes sense because the elite would not want to allow the Association to grow further.


    If they didn''t have their hands full with the invaders, they knew what was waiting for them.


    It''s just human nature to self-preservation, something that resulted in cracks that could probably end up in their demise. Only when the situation escalates to the point where they have no other choice but to die will they really unite.


    Unfortunately, Alex was not there to give out his insight. He was still on the gazebo, with MingYue sleeping on his lap. He knew he could wake her up, but somehow, despite his condition, he found the situation enjoyable.


    After the kiss, they continued talking, but MingYue eventually fell asleep in the middle of it.


    Alex stroked her hair gently while he was talking with Vesa.


    Since she was out now, Alex used her to help communicate with the army.


    "Tell all the sovereigns to focus on one class first and make sure to subdue the immortals, not kill them."


    "Sure, King, but that will be quite overkill. Don''t you think it''s better to split them up?"


    "Three sovereigns will be more than enough to subdue one based on my calculations, but Vesa, there are many unknown factors. We don''t know what kind of methods these old monsters hide.


    Also, tell them to change their strategy and attack without alerting everyone else."


    "Ah, King means for them to move separately from the force? But won''t that risk the army?"


    "Yes, those immortals won''t make any moves for now. I am sure they have more understanding than I do of the situation here.


    My father has told a few of them about them. I don''t believe they haven''t done any preparation."


    "But they ignored the King''s father''s request for help. That is why he went this far for his goal."


    S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 458 Primordials?

    "My father already knew they would not help. He did that just to let the information spread. I am sure many of the immortals were already under them.This is like a game of chess, Vesa. This planet is the board, and each of the sects and clans is nothing more than chess pieces.


    The players are two invisible figures that we don''t know yet and only speculate.


    My father thinks this is all done by the Primordials, but I doubt it. Even with this planet''s history, Primordials have no business on a planet this weak."


    "I agree with that, King. The cultivation on this planet is still in the early phase. The world seed here is not even matured yet."


    "How about the world spirit? Can you talk with it?"


    "No, I have tried, but there is no response. I think it''s in a dormant state now like it''s in a deep sleep."


    "I see. I wonder if it''s really dormant or if it''s out now inside one of the cultivators."


    "King, this is not a novel."


    "That doesn''t make this possibility null, Vesa. The world''s spirit is already sentient and realizes something is happening now. Do you think it will just take things lying down?


    Aren''t you the same? You took Edonia''s remains into your body because, without it, you would also die."


    "Alex, you are here." A familiar voice called out, cutting their conversation short.


    Vesa had already removed the barrier, allowing everyone to see what was happening. This was done by Alex''s order as he wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict.


    Staying hidden for a prolonged time would just make others speculate on what he was doing. Alex knew Stel still didn''t trust him; the same could also be said for Clara despite what she said.


    "What''s up, YingXue?"


    "Clara asked me to look for you. She said to remind you there are many things you need to talk about."


    "Give me some more time; I will be there shortly."


    "Just go; I am alright now," MingYue said as she rose up from his lap.


    "Okay then, can you take care of our forces, MingYue? I have told Vesa the gist, but you can change it as you see fit." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sure, but Alex, I want to send some of the army to reinforce Bai Yue Sect."


    "Hmm¡­ In that case, Vesa, can you absorb some of the city and take it to Edonia?"


    "With some preparation, it should be doable, King, but it will cost us a lot of Qi crystals since we will need to create a city-wide array."


    "Then MingYue, could you go to the Midnight Clan first and move it all to Edonia?


    As for the others, focus our forces on three cities.


    Let the civilians and cultivators choose if they want to go with us or not. Those that don''t, just free them all and give them the modified weapons."


    Alex planned to use them to promote the city. With the new information, Alex decided to change his strategy. He planned to give them some modern devices and weapons that would make all of them interested.


    This would result in some of them wanting to join in or others starting to group together to attack them.


    Both would work to their benefit and as they grouped together, he could use a mass destruction weapon to eliminate them all in one move. As for those immortals that hide in the shadows, the sovereigns would catch them one by one and pull out all the important information.


    He would then adapt the strategy from it. As for the possibility of the weapons being used against them, Alex wasn''t afraid.


    The weapons that would be given out to these cultivators were modified guns. He could make all of them explode at a certain distance.


    There was still a chance someone could remove this protection, but Alex was sure even immortals with expertise in formations could not do it in a short time.


    It''s not because of the encryption, but any attempt to modify or disassemble it would result in the formation exploding. This was the same even for Alex himself; he didn''t leave any backdoor.


    Alex and MingYue had talked about this before. What if their weapons fell into others'' hands? What could they do to avoid it?


    In the end, they concluded it was only a matter of time.


    Since that is the case, it would be better if this happened under their initiative, and these modified weapons were what came out of it.


    MingYue quickly understood what Alex meant by that. She agreed, then left Zephyr Clan with Vesa.


    "So you gave up on conquering this region?" Ying Xue asked as that is what she had concluded based on what she had heard.


    "That is not your problem. Rather than that, I suggest you return to the Xue Family now and search for Feng Xue.


    I am sure she is planning something big, too."


    "We already have people searching for her, but there is no news yet. Or maybe they already found her, but I haven''t gotten the information."


    "Try to look near Shangxi Temple HQ. I am sure she is there now doing something to bring it down."


    "We also think of that, but we still haven''t found her."


    "Don''t limit your search to cultivators. Try looking for newly opened restaurants or old ones that have suddenly become popular.


    Feng Xue probably disguised herself as a civilian. She doesn''t want half-assed revenge; she wants to remove them completely from the root.


    This will start by getting the civilians to rebel against them."


    "Civilians rebel against Shangxi Temple? That is impossible."


    "For every organization, corrupt officials exist, and people are insatiable. When we are hungry, we only want food, but when our stomach is full, we will start wanting many things.


    These civilians have lived in peace for a long time under Shangxi Temple. I don''t believe any of them want more.


    Feng Xue just needs to provide them with a good bait."


    "That amounts to nothing. No matter how many civilians group together, they cannot fight against the cultivators under Shangxi Temple."


    "You are wrong there, but even if that is the case, Shangxi Temple''s foundation is its equality and law. They cannot just wantonly kill all the civilians without justification."


    Alex didn''t want to tell Ying Xue the details, but based on what Feng Xue has now, weaponizing civilians against cultivators is not just a dream.


    Ying Xue then guided Alex to Clara''s place. At first, she was still conflicted about whether she should follow Alex''s advice or not, but she decided to just stay here.


    There was nothing she could do even if she went back there. Right now, she needed to regain back her cultivation, and she could do that while staying with Alex and the others.

 Chapter 459 Alchemy

    There was nothing she could do even if she went back there. Right now, she needed to regain back her cultivation, and she could do that while staying with Alex and the others."I will stay with you."


    "Well, your choice; things will become more dangerous soon, though."


    "Why? What are you planning?" Ying Xue asked with worry. He had already triggered a war, and now he said things were going to be more dangerous.


    "I am not doing anything; it''s just that things happening in the background will start escalating. Also, I will go to the rift after I finish things here."


    "The rift? You are going to the frontline? What for?"


    "I want to enter it." Alex then turned his gaze to her, "Do you really have no information on what is beyond that rift?"


    "No, well, the Grand Elder and Patriarch may know, but not me."


    "I see, but aren''t you holding a high position in your family? So it''s a huge secret, despite you risking your life there."


    Ying Xue''s gaze turned complicated; it would have been a lie if there had been no one complaining because of this situation, but there was nothing they could do. This concern also quickly faded out with the brutal circumstances they faced.


    Their comrades were dying and needed to recultivate. They even used it as status now, based on how many times they recultivated. Based on rumors spread, the highest was ten, and it was their current Grand Elder.


    Ying Xue didn''t know how to answer; she still felt uncomfortable telling Alex any details about the frontline.


    "If you don''t want to answer, it''s fine, not like it really matters."


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the courtyard. Ying Xue waited for him in a nearby area and started cultivating.


    Alex directly entered the room, and he could feel Clara in the basement. The moment he passed through the door, an array activated, and he found himself in the basement.


    The place was huge, filled with many apparatuses. Even though there were some differences, Alex could recognize most of them.


    A microscope and glass beakers filled with chemicals.


    ''So some immortals already have this method, but no one has created a way to mass-produce pills?'' Alex wondered, but he then realized the answer was simple.


    Those in the immortal realm wouldn''t care about pills for lower-realm cultivators. As for pills that had some effect on them, they would require many rare materials.


    There was no use creating a method of mass production if the materials couldn''t keep up with it.


    Clara was now busy distilling a drop of liquid. Her way of doing alchemy reminded him more of chemistry rather than those he had read about in novels.


    Without asking, Alex was sure it was because of his father''s influence. This method of doing alchemy was probably why Clara put her faith in his father.


    He walked to her side but didn''t make any noise to avoid disturbing her. However, Clara already knew he had come.


    She was the one who moved the array. Her fingers moved carefully, taking a concentrated extract of medicinal liquid.


    Based on the tools used, Alex speculated Clara had just tried to create a pill but in liquid form to raise its effectiveness.


    "What do you think? Will this work?" she asked while moving it into a small jade bottle. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That depends. What do you want to achieve? And what is it used for?"


    "This is the Celestial Bone Refining Pill, but in liquid form. I have tested it; the effectiveness has almost doubled. First, now it''s effective for cultivators up to the Profound Enlightenment realm.


    The process also becomes faster with fewer side effects, but it''s also problematic as it took a long time to create one. This also raises the minimum realm required to the Golden Core realm."


    "It seems you have more problems than that, though," Alex said while observing the liquid. Even now, he could see something coming out from the liquid, giving off an intense herbal smell.


    "Yes, as you can see, the liquid evaporates the moment it touches air; it won''t last long."


    "Probably around an hour at most. Even now, the medicinal efficacy is reducing. So what do you want to achieve with this?"


    "Honestly, I am just experimenting, so I, too, wonder what I can use it for."


    Alex didn''t find it weird, as he also often did that, experimenting only to gain some data.


    "Have you ever found out what part of the jade bottle you use creates the effect of holding the medicinal efficiency?"


    "This is a thousand-year-old cold jade. When it''s completely enclosed, it will create an almost absolute zero temperature inside without needing any qi."


    "So cold is the key¡­ have you tried to dilute the medicine with liquid?


    I am thinking you can separate it into capsules and then keep it in the jade bottle. That way, it can be used even by those in the lower realms to help with their cultivation."


    "Diluting it with water can reduce its effect, unfortunately. One of the materials used has a weird reaction with water.


    This is also why I turned it into liquid after creating the pill."


    Clara then finished putting everything in the jade bottle; she closed it and put it away.


    "Well, that is that. Let''s go to the main topic now. Can you tell me what happened?"


    Alex then began telling her what was happening. He cut down the unnecessary parts, focusing only on the things that really mattered, like the primordial existence, his father''s plan, and where he was now.


    "So everything is just as he expected so far. Then why would he make two of us capture the Patriarch and the rest?


    He already knew he would leave this sect soon."


    "To avoid conflict. And to force both of you to come out of seclusion."


    "Why? Because things will escalate soon?


    Even then, we don''t need to capture them; we would still do something if the clan were in danger."

 Chapter 460 Another Contract

    "Then it would be too late. The Patriarch and the others would try to finish the problem first.You know their methods best. What do you think will happen if they look down on their enemy?


    The primordial is something new, something that you all have never faced before. With their arrogance, they will underestimate the risk and won''t tell you any information."


    "Well, they tend to do that, but I blame Stell for it. He will get angry if he deems the matter unimportant."


    "You should understand now why Father did this then. Rather than having them all dead pointlessly and escalating the problem, it''s better for both of you to take matters into your own hands."


    "Wait, does this mean the method he promised me exists beyond the rift? Or is he just scamming us to pull off his plan?"


    "I don''t know about that. Rather than waiting for the answer, why don''t you try to pursue the method I told you before?"


    In reality, Alex knew the answer; Edward was scamming them. He didn''t know what was beyond the rift other than to look for traces of the one responsible.


    How could he then know there was a way to break through to the immortal realm?


    This is why Alex decided to change the topic; he deemed telling Clara the truth would just cause an unnecessary wedge between them.


    Any ill will toward Edward would be projected toward him.


    "Your method? I tried to think about it, but I didn''t get any idea how to proceed."


    "Hmm¡­ I also thought about it. As you see, I need to find a method to break through to a new realm."


    "Why do you want to do that? Your strength comes from that green energy of yours. I am sure it belongs to a different power system; you should just focus on that."


    "Yes, it does, but it will require a lot of time to break through using this power system."


    "Can you tell me more about it? I am curious. Maybe I can find some clue on how to break through to a new realm from it."


    "Well, it''s not a huge secret. I basically use life force energy to cultivate."


    "Lifeforce¡­ so something similar to demonic cultivation? No wonder many of the plants wither to death."


    Clara still remembered how green particles came out from it, being absorbed by Alex''s array. She then sighed as she realized she was the one who would need to prepare the plants to replace them.


    After the Patriarch was gone, most things in the clan were taken care of by her. That is why she complained about it.


    "It''s very different from demonic cultivation. Their method is cruel. They absorb souls without knowing what they are made of, which results in them getting many impurities, resulting in madness."


    "So life force is pure without any side effects?"


    Alex looked at Clara for a moment, then took out a blood contract.


    "I respect you as a researcher, and honestly, I want to collaborate with you. But the answer to this will require you to sign the contract." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clara frowned, looking at it. With Alex''s current power, she was sure even if she didn''t die, it would still hurt her a lot.


    She then read the terms, "Are you sure about this? It says the blood contract will void if I feel the information is useless."


    "Yes, it''s not like I''m asking much from it. I just want to make sure you don''t spread the information around."


    "Well, other than this, it just states for us to exchange information; this is fine with me."


    Clara then reread the contract once again to make sure nothing was wrong. She then signed it.


    If it were the old Alex, he would have hidden some hidden clause in small words just for a joke and to see how others would react.


    Unfortunately, based on logic alone, he didn''t find any use in doing this.


    "Life force is the basic foundational block for many types of energy. I can use this to boost my cultivation realm almost instantly as long as I have enough understanding of it."


    "What???" Clara asked in disbelief. Instantly, as long as he had enough understanding, it was a concept she never imagined possible.


    "Are you sure? Does it really have no side effects?"


    "Yes, I tested it myself. Well, I say instant, but it''s only in the lower realms. In higher realms, you will need to understand it completely first, so it takes a long time.


    This is also the reason why I''m stuck in my realm for a long time."


    Clara put her finger on her chin as she started thinking about something. She began walking around the room.


    Alex didn''t disturb her since he knew she was deep in thought. Some people had that habit, just like him, tapping their fingers when busy thinking.


    He then looked around the place to learn what kind of experiments Clara did here. One of them then caught his interest.


    It was a few glass jars filled with different colored liquids. Each of them contained a strong life force presence.


    ''Is this extracted purified bloodline?''


    Alex walked closer and started observing it. Each jar had a label with detailed information. It stated age, concentration, and the beast it came from.


    ''So a bloodline is basically blood coming from a beast at the divine level. It also needs to be extracted from their core directly¡­


    Wait, in this case, how could people take it? With this much energy, I am sure their bodies would explode.


    But even Mingyue had a bloodline in the past.


    They probably did something to weaken it, then put it in someone''s body.''


    Based on Alex''s calculations, the most effective method was quite cruel. They would find a woman with a special constitution to hold the blood, and she would then be forced to give birth to a baby with this bloodline.


    This method had its ups and downs, but it was still better than directly injecting it into a cultivator. He was sure 100 out of 100 would end up dying.

 Chapter 461 Beyond Immortal

    Someone would need to be in the lower realms; otherwise, there would be no use. A higher realm cultivator already had their body constitution changed completely.Changing it again using a method like this would result in a huge backlash that could even end in their death.


    Here is the passage with grammar corrected and changed to past tense, as per your instructions:


    And this death was not just of the body. Since there was the beast''s lingering will, there was a possibility for them to completely die.


    ''If I mix some of this bloodline into Pi, the result will be good. I can just use progenitor aura to subdue the lingering will here.''


    As Pi''s body was made by him, Alex could modify it to support this bloodline.


    He also wondered what would happen if he mixed two bloodlines; theoretically, some part of it would conflict, but if he could filter it, combining the bloodlines should not be a problem.


    Basically, it manipulates the creature''s DNA.


    Alex was also curious about how they would look and if they would have a similar form. So far, he had checked elf, felidaen, and goblin DNA forms, and the result was that they were not that much different from humans.


    The only exception was vampire DNA, which looked very different from human DNA. Normally, DNA strands appear as double helices with a consistent pattern coming in pairs.


    However, vampire DNA had a more complex, almost triple-helix structure, with irregular loops and segments that seemed to defy the usual rules of genetic code.


    The base pairs were also arranged in a way that was unlike anything he had seen before, with sequences that appeared to be able to change or adapt in ways human DNA couldn''t.


    "Alex, I think I get some idea now. With how cultivation works, lifeforce probably enhances the foundation of our species as human beings.


    I don''t know what it is, maybe soul spirit or something else, but that is the only way it can boost someone''s cultivation that fast.


    If it''s Qi alone, I am sure there will be side effects."


    Hearing what Clara said, a realization came to Alex, a way to break through to the next realm.


    "Let me test it out."


    Alex then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He then started reminiscing about how he usually used lifeforce to boost cultivation.


    He then tried doing a bit of an experiment by pouring more life force into his Golden Core, even though it was already filled to saturation. At first, nothing happened, but as he kept going, he started realizing some changes.


    "Clara, can you help me? I need to try one more thing to make sure."


    "Sure, what is the experiment? If it''s dangerous, I will call Stell here."


    "I will infuse lifeforce energy into you, and then you will use it to boost your cultivation."


    Clara''s eyes lit up. If it was just this, there was no way she would give Stell the opportunity.


    "Let''s start then, but are you sure about this?"


    "You cannot hurt me as long as I hurt you; it''s written in the contract. There is no risk for you, although I am not sure I have enough for you to reach this new realm.


    But at the very least, I am sure I can help you to glimpse it, as long as our hypothesis is true."


    Alex then began pouring lifeforce into Clara. He sat behind her. His palms were pressed against her back.


    Feeling the energy, Clara started moving it toward her immortal core. Every single immortal had a different one, so the process was unique only for her.


    At the start, there were no changes, but as Alex poured more, Clara could feel something was changing. As an immortal, her whole body was already energy, then what was the next step?


    The answer was simpler than she thought. Evolve the energy to a higher level.


    She started feeling elated and tested out many ways to do this. Using lifeforce as a basis and fuel, she started purifying her energy.


    The result made her chuckle; it was like a cycle returning back to the foundation phase, where cultivators were purifying their own bodies, only this time, it was their own essence that was being purified. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Time passed, and the life force Alex gave her almost ran out.


    "That is enough, Alex, I think I get the answer now. I will enter seclusion to figure out the rest."


    "I invested a lot of energy in this. Make sure to tell me the result."


    "Don''t worry, you are the first one I will tell after it''s cured."


    Clara faced a few more problems. Since the energy was upgraded to a new level, she felt her body was inadequate to contain it. She also needed to figure out techniques to control it since a normal one wouldn''t do.


    It was like figuring out a pipe for low-pressure water, with one that was high-pressure and had more characteristics.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was already some distance away from the Zephyr clan. Her mood was far better now after her moment with Alex.


    Midway, she changed direction since she felt a familiar presence.


    ''What is he doing here? Based on the direction, there is only the Zephyr clan there. Is this FengXue''s arrangement?''


    MingYue felt that was the most probable scenario. FengXue knew the relationship in the core region; she wanted to make sure no one made trouble for her by sending Yang Fei as bait while she took care of the ShangXi temple.


    She then started considering her options. She could intervene or let Alex take care of it.


    ''I am closer. I should be the one taking care of this. He is also busy now.''


    Yang Fei didn''t feel MingYue''s presence at all; he just walked leisurely, looking forward to getting the meal.


    After his deal with FengXue, his situation stabilized, and Greed was now completely under his mercy.


    He used him to absorb all Qi, filter it, and then take the pure energy for himself.

 Chapter 462 Greed Origin

    His power also started stabilizing more, compared to when he met Reina. This was thanks to the high goblin power he had absorbed. Without realizing it, his body had started changing into something that was not human.He stopped as he stepped. His expression turned ugly. "What do you want here? I already followed her direction."


    "So you know me?"


    "Yes, FengXue told me something about you."


    "I don''t know. She hasn''t contacted me after I entered this place."


    ''It seems Yang Fei still doesn''t know he is now in a completely new region, even though I couldn''t contact Alex.''


    "In that case, change your destination; we have already taken care of the Zephyr clan."


    Yang Fei frowned. He didn''t quickly respond. He started observing MingYue, trying to gauge her strength, but he couldn''t feel anything.


    His contract was with FengXue and the Situ family patriarch. There was no clause that said he couldn''t attack her.


    If she was weaker, he would not think twice to attack her.


    "Where should I go then?"


    MingYue thought for a second, then gave him directions to an immortal territory that she knew didn''t belong to any faction under Edward''s plan.


    These people were a risk factor and better eliminated.


    Yang Fei didn''t make a fuss. He changed direction. MingYue also continued her journey after seeing him leave.


    In the middle of the way, Yang Fei stopped and took a seat; he then closed his eyes to stabilize his power further. He moved all the impurity, forcing it to greed to eat it all, leaving behind only the pure energy.


    After some time, he opened his eyes, "With my current strength, I should be able to make havoc as much as I want. Those ungrateful bastards, how much I want to tear them apart."


    Yang Fei still felt hateful about how quickly the Yang clan abandoned him. He had done that in the past, but tasting his own medicine still made him feel bitter.


    "If only I didn''t have this stupid contract." Yang Fei mumbled.


    Even though he was stronger now, FengXue had also become stronger, and the Situ family patriarch made the contract stronger.


    But his expression suddenly changed, as part of his hand turned into greed''s face.


    "So you have the strength to come out, huh?"


    "You ungrateful bastard, I saved you, and now you use me like a tool. I know humans cannot be trusted."


    "Hahaha, are you coming out to do stand-up comedy? Just what do you want, Greed?"


    "A ceasefire, something is coming out of the outer region, and it''s coming for me."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You know my origin, right? A taotie sealed into a sword. While that is true, it''s not the complete story.


    Once, I was part of something bigger, something stronger. But the main body got defeated and sealed away. As the connection was cut off and time passed, I grew my own sentience, but now I can feel the seal has been broken."


    "In that case, why would you want my help? Fusing with your main body will make you stronger. What scam are you pulling now?"


    "You fool, you think I would really come out like this if it''s not important? The moment I got absorbed, my sentience would also disappear.


    At the very least, being with you, I will still survive. If I return, I will be completely obliterated."


    "So, what do you want? Escape? You know I cannot do that?"


    "You should check the contract again; I don''t know what happened, but Situ Chen''s strength suddenly dropped. He probably died and was forced to re-cultivate, but whatever it was, it worked for us."


    Yang Fei then checked it, and he found what Greed said was true. But even then, it was still too risky for him.


    "FengXue''s power alone is already enough to hold me now. I can forcefully break the contract, but it will give me a grave wound.


    You should also realize that woman MingYue we just met, who knows if she will come back to attack us?"


    "I can help you overpower the contract. My only requirement is simple: leaving this world quickly."


    "What do you mean? You know a way to leave this world?"


    "Yes? So how about it? Let''s make a deal. I will really bind myself to you in exchange for you to protect me."


    Yang Fei found the proposal intriguing; if they could really cooperate, his power would rise even faster than this.


    He also found out that despite using demonic cultivation, as long as the energy was pure, he would stay stable.


    But he still felt wary of Greed.


    "Tell me how I can bind you first, then I will consider it."


    Greed hesitated for a moment, but as death was now looming over him, his hesitation quickly disappeared. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You should now know I have the core of my being in the sword. Find a dead body for me to possess, while my core, you can bind it to your soul.


    This way, you will always have control over my life and death, no matter how strong I become. And I also become immortal as long as you are not dead."


    If Alex were here, he would quickly realize the method Greed mentioned was basically the same as a lich. Have their soul ripped away, put it in a container, then hide it away.


    As long as the container is not destroyed, they will not be able to get killed.


    "Let''s do that first, then; if you keep your bargain, we will then go to another world and break the contract with FengXue."


    "Be quick about it then. I don''t know what is happening there, but I''m seeing this world''s current strength now. I doubt anyone can really block him."


    "Is your main body really that strong?"


    "Yang Fei, I am not kidding here. What you see of me is nothing more than 1% of my main body''s real strength.


    Also, the one sealed is not only him. There are a few more beings at the same level."

 Chapter 463 Owls Power

    "Just where did you come from?" Yang Fei couldn''t help but ask since he felt really curious now.He believed Greed was not lying now.


    "I don''t know. As I told you, I only grew sentience because I was separated too long from my main body. Otherwise, now I would have already run there to fuse back with them."


    "So you are his clone?"


    "Well, you can think of it like that."


    In reality, Greed was nothing more than what survived from the clone that was destroyed.


    It was by luck he consumed a medical elixir that triggered the rise of this sentience, but Greed didn''t want to tell this to Yang Fei, as he knew Yang Fei would demand the location from him and end up going there first instead of leaving.


    Meanwhile, back in Dali City, the place had now been completely turned upside down.


    The crack in the ground grew wider, releasing an evil aura that suffocated everyone near it. From inside, strange creatures started emerging. They all had similar appearances but varied in size.


    Their bodies were covered in dark scales, and they walked on all fours like apes while their heads resembled those of snakes.


    They moved like mindless beasts, attacking everything they saw. MingHao watched from a distance, as did Xue Fang, YangYu, YunYun, and the members of the Xueqi family.


    "How many puppets do you have left?"


    "You want to fight them? Bad idea, MingHao. We''re almost out of qi now, and most of us are also wounded. Your life force is almost gone, and you can''t replenish it."


    "I agree with Xue Fang, MingHao. You can''t be selfish now. Look how many of them there are¡ªhundreds at least, and more keep pouring out," YanYu said.


    "I also agree. We need to retreat. Just look at our cousins. They''re all wounded now, and my condition is far from peak."


    MingHao started hesitating. Yun Yun had just been tortured for a long time, and though she could still fight beside him, she was already pushing her limits. The same could be said for their other cousins.


    Xue Fang had also lost most of her puppets, and YanYu was wounded as well.


    He clenched his fist, knowing he didn''t have any other choice but to retreat, but his heart was unwilling. His mission was to take the city, a very simple one, and he had failed.


    "Your friends are right, kid. You should go away and let me take care of the rest," a voice called out, pulling their attention.


    MingHao quickly turned alert as three new people approached them.


    "Who are you?" Stay connected with empire


    "Me? Haha, just call me Owl. Based on the symbol on your clothes, all of you should be from the Bai Yue Sect. We know your sister MingYue. As her friend, I''d suggest you stay away. What''s inside here is far beyond your ability."


    "You''re my sister''s friend? Why have I never heard about you then?"


    "Hahaha, that''s because we just met her. Look, you can trust me or not¡ªit''s your choice. But I''m sure you can feel our strength." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Owl''s eyes flickered, and a huge pressure emanated from him, pushing down on the group.


    Feng Xue frowned, then tugged MingHao''s hand. "Let''s go."


    Looking at her pleading eyes, MingHao relented. He understood what Owl meant. They could attack them if they wanted to, but giving them a way to leave was proof enough that they weren''t enemies.


    MingHao then took his leave with the others.


    "How are we going to do this?" Owl asked, looking down at their enemy.


    "You and Zold take care of this side. I''ll go down."


    "What? Father, you can''t go down by yourself," Zold said, his voice tinged with worry.


    Unfortunately, Zold didn''t respond. He turned into lightning and then floated toward the crack. In the process, the lightning spread around, hitting many of the strange beasts and turning them to dust.


    Zold was surprised by his father''s display of strength. "So, Father was taking it easy when fighting me."


    "Don''t underestimate him, Zold. Your father is the strongest among us now. Even Edward can''t beat him in a direct fight. Rather than that, focus on the task. Your task is to evacuate the people in the city; I''ll clean up these forgotten creatures."


    Owl''s body started turning dark and then separated into many birds. Each bird looked like a phoenix.


    CRACKLE! SWOOSH!


    The birds were then engulfed by many elements¡ªsome were thunder, others were flame, ice, and water, and some were even colored green and pure black. Zold didn''t know all the elements, but he knew for sure they weren''t to be underestimated. One of the birds then crashed into a group of weird creatures, exploding and taking out a few.


    The explosion looked like fireworks with the variety. When it settled, he could see Owl''s silhouette standing in front of the crater, looking down on it.


    One of the creatures then leaped forward from behind him, but Owl didn''t even make a move. The shadow at his feet moved, then turned into a solid spike piercing through the creature.


    Many more spikes then emerged from the creature, turning it into something like a hedgehog. The shadow spikes then threw the creature away like a sack.


    "What is with that shadow? Why do I feel like it''s alive?" Zold mumbled in confusion.


    He was sure it wasn''t Owl''s ability. There was a high chance it was a product of his cultivation system, improved by Edward.


    Realizing Owl would have no problem, Zold turned his gaze toward the civilians. Those who could escape had already run away with MingHao and the others. Those left now were buried in the debris.


    It''s not that MingHao didn''t want to help them; he didn''t have the time for it.


    His body turned into lightning, crackling through the battlefield. He maneuvered quickly, destroying debris while taking the survivors to a special cube.


    It was similar to an awecube, but this one didn''t have any forced contract function. Alex had given this to his main party, just in case they needed it.


    It was very useful in situations like this or when they needed to carry people out.

 Chapter 464 Taking a Break

    After the incident in the dungeon, each of them always carried a few.Meanwhile, MingHao was now already far away from the town, having regrouped with the other cultivators.


    He then ordered them to bring YunYun and the others back. This made Xue Fang glare at him.


    "You plan to return!?"


    "Ehm¡­ Yes, you should go back with YanYu and the others." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nope, I am not leaving you."


    YanYu herself wanted to return, but she felt guilty if she just left them there. What if something happened? She would forever live with the guilt.


    This made her stay silent, only watching from the side.


    "But you have no more puppets, and you are wounded, Xue Fang. What if something happens to you?"


    "No, you forgot what happened between us before? Don''t think you can just kiss me and run."


    "Kiss!??? They kissed?" YanYu blinked her eyes in surprise.


    A kiss was quite a big deal for her since the only ones she knew who did it were Dao''s companions. And dao companions, as in couples, rarely broke up.


    They would stay together until one of them was killed. Her view was quite skewed since that was what was old in her village. Even after learning much new knowledge, this point of view still stayed.


    The current education focused more on basic knowledge¡ªfrom hygiene to anatomy¡ªeverything that was useful for combat.


    "What, running away? I''m no¡­" MingHao''s voice trailed off as he saw Xue Fang''s expression. He then started to get what she meant; going there now was almost suicide. Her point of the kiss meant he was someone important to her now.


    "I don''t want to be alone again¡­ If you go, I will go."


    MingHao felt a headache, but he still didn''t want to leave. He put some thought into his best option. It''s not like he planned to commit suicide.


    He wanted to observe the situation first, then sneak inside the crater. Things might be dangerous, but that also meant there was opportunity there.


    And no matter what, MingHao wanted to finish his mission.


    "Alright, how about you, YanYu?"


    "I¡­"


    "If you want to go back, just go back. Actually, we need someone who can talk with Elder QingWa about the situation.


    Although YunYun already has some recordings with her, your presence will make things easier."


    "I will go now then and return with reinforcements." Discover hidden content at empire


    MingHao''s words gave her a way out. This way, she wouldn''t feel as guilty, like she left them to die.


    She quickly left, catching up with Yun Yun.


    "Let''s look for a place to rest first. We need to plan things out," Xue Fang suggested.


    "I agree. Do you have a place in mind?"


    "I remember there''s a cave nearby; let''s wait for a day at least. I hope they can completely eliminate the enemy and leave the city empty."


    "If they do, I doubt they''ll stay there. With their current strength, the place will hold no interest for them."


    They then started moving, Xue Fang leading the way while MingHao followed behind her.


    "They say they know your sister. What do you think?"


    "I doubt they''re lying; it''s not like they''ll gain anything from it."


    "Yeah, the only reason they mentioned her is so we''d leave the area quickly. Honestly, I think it could''ve gone worse."


    She then landed in front of the cave. Xue Fang took out one of her puppets and sent it inside. Looking at it, MingHao''s gaze turned complicated.


    "Why did you do that? Why did you sacrifice your parents for me?"


    "I know, MingHao, I know they''re not here anymore. Even though sometimes they can move outside my instructions, that''s only because, different from other puppets, they contain lingering wills."


    "Is that like a wisp of soul?"


    This made MingHao wonder¡ªwouldn''t it be possible to revive them using that? But if it were possible, he doubted Xue Fang wouldn''t know.


    Knowing her personality, she would do everything she could to achieve this.


    "It''s not a soul, similar but not. Hard to explain since I don''t know how it''s created; I only know it exists based on my research."


    MingHao walked closer and then put his hand over her shoulder. He didn''t know how long, but he was sure Xue Fang had dedicated a lot of her life to searching for this.


    Xue Fang rested her head on his shoulder.


    "I''m fine. Just don''t go and kill yourself, MingHao. My parents, ancestors, family¡ªright now, only one is left, but even then, we''re not that close. She always sees me as some kind of saint. You''re the first one I feel I could really trust."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not planning to die. But you know better than me. Without taking risks, there''s no way to improve."


    "Why should we improve then? That''s a never-ending path. Can''t we just live peacefully?


    I''m sure your sister will take care of everything. Just look at our sect¡ªhave you noticed those new species? Whatever she''s doing and wants to achieve is beyond our comprehension."


    "The Goblins? I''ve met a few of them."


    "Not them, those that look like us but have sharp, pointy ears.


    A lot of people don''t realize this, or maybe they think it''s just a cultivator with a unique appearance, but no, I''m sure they''re a different species than us."


    "They do look like elves from those stories we watch, but I haven''t seen many of them. I think they''re only put in some facility."


    "Yes, but that''s not my point."


    "I know, Xue Fang."


    MingHao knew his effort to change the topic had failed. He then continued, "Even if it was true, that doesn''t mean she''s omnipotent. There will be a time when she needs help, and at that time, I want to be there and ready.


    It''s the same with you. We never know what will happen. But I understand why you''re asking that.


    How about this¡ªafter I reach an immortal level of power, we can take a long break."

 Chapter 465 Spider Nest

    "That works, but I won''t take less than a hundred years. I just want a break from all of this."Your journey continues on empire


    MingHao smiled. "Well, a hundred years is quite long, but for immortals, I think that time means nothing."


    "Yeah, but for us to reach immortality, who knows how long we''ll need to spend."


    "It won''t be long, Xue Fang," MingHao replied with confidence. He didn''t know where this confidence came from, but from his experience in the sect, he felt there would be a way to reach it faster.


    "Let''s enter. It seems my puppet found something interesting inside."


    "What? A natural treasure?"


    "No, but it''s something we need now. I still need to confirm with my own eyes. I hope it''s still usable."


    "Natural treasure?"


    "No, but it''s something we need now. I still need to make sure with my own eyes. I hope it''s still usable."


    They then proceeded to walk through the cavern, where MingHao found a strong smell of blood. Spider corpses littered around them were cut to pieces.


    "What kind of spider is this? It''s eerie," MingHao commented.


    The blood coming out of the spider was red; their skin also looked weird, almost like a human''s. If not for his strong mentality, their appearance would have given him nightmares.


    "Man-faced spider, be careful. Their queen can completely transform into a human, even without cultivation."


    "What a weird monster. How about their abilities?"


    "I never faced one myself, only heard it from ancestor Brook. He said the man-faced spider is a descendant of the Chimera spider that failed to evolve.


    Chimera spiders have a unique trait, allowing them to take on characteristics from the things they eat. They would then slowly evolve to the next generation; man-faced spiders come from them.


    They are one of the failures but somehow survived."


    "Why have I never heard of them then?"


    If this Chimera spider is like she said, they should be very strong now. Taking on good traits from other species while continuing to evolve.


    "They met a tragic end after consuming a demonic cultivator. All of them became aggressive and started eating each other. I heard in the end, only one survived, and it became super strong.


    What happened next, I am not clear, but it seems it got killed together when the war with the demonic cultivators happened."


    "I hope that''s really the case. Who knows if some survivors exist."


    FenXue stopped in her tracks, "Be careful."


    They then arrived at a huge chamber filled with spider webs. Thousands of eggs hung from the ceiling, while on the side, many humans were put in cocoons, showing only their faces.


    Some were alive, while most were dead. Xue Fang''s eyes lit up, looking at it. "I know some of them are Golden Core Cultivators; they are also quite talented." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But Xue Fang, some of them are still alive."


    "Then you choose for me. Without them, I would not have enough material to create a strong puppet.


    We can either make one strong puppet using all of them or make another army of weak puppets.


    I will be honest, MingHao, if not for you, I would do it without hesitation. Even if we save them, there is a possibility they will attack us.


    Kindness doesn''t always get returned in kind."


    "That is possible, but they are weak. Even if we free them, I doubt they could do anything."


    "Don''t forget our goal, MingHao. As I said, I will listen to whatever choice you make."


    MingHao was caught in a dilemma, sacrificing innocents to raise their survivability or rescuing them. With his experience so far, he knew he had become more ruthless.


    Some people are just beyond saving, even with the idealistic thoughts he has, but that doesn''t change the fate of those who fall into their hands.


    "How about the spider corpses? Can you use them?"


    "Yes, I can use them, but I only specialize in humanoid puppets. The result will be crude and not good.


    Also, I plan to use them to create hidden weapons to modify the puppets I made. It''s an idea I have had for a while now, creating a puppet fused with a monster.


    In the past, I couldn''t do it because of many limitations, but now, with the knowledge of human anatomy, I can do it."


    "So you never really tried it? How high is the success rate?"


    "At least 90%. I have tested it in the simulation, and it worked just fine."


    "¡­"


    "Well, take your time. I will clean up this place first," Xue Fang said while turning her gaze upward.


    The man-spider corpses outside could be used, but those eggs were useless to her. They might have some use in alchemy, but none of them could do it.


    There was also the queen. Her puppet was still exploring other paths, looking for it, but so far hadn''t found anything.


    She then took out a flamethrower and pointed it upward.


    SWOOSH!!!


    The flame shot out like a dragon''s breath, burning everything to a crisp and lighting up the room. Screeches of insects could be heard, but it didn''t faze them.


    The flamethrower was fueled by mana crystals, allowing it to be adjusted easily. If it were Qi, the result would be a raging flame that was hard to control.


    The burned eggs then split apart, letting out what could only be described as a nightmare. Many spiders, the size of a baby, crawled out from each cocoon, but the fire was merciless. Each of them burned to a crisp, then fell to the ground as ashes.


    Some still survived, squirming on the ground, but MingHao finished them off. The creatures not only had human-like skin; now that he looked at them up close, they had almost human-like faces.


    He then turned his gaze toward the row of humans. Those that were dead were nothing more than skeletons; some were already half-eaten but barely alive.


    They seemed to have been injected with a poison that paralyzed their bodies but kept them alive as long as possible. It also seemed to seal off their qi.

 Chapter 466 Spider Queen

    ''I can use lifeforce to heal them, but then I will not be able to use it.''The amount left was enough for one more attack, based on his calculation. If he used it here, he would completely run out. Thankfully, in the end, MingHao decided not to use it; otherwise, MingYue''s backup plan would come into effect, teleporting him away.


    He walked towards them. His plan was to kill them and then take their souls with him. He would look for a way to revive them in the future.


    ''Ancestor will probably complain since he will need to sustain more souls, but at least this way, Xue Fang doesn''t need to kill anyone.''


    A gun appeared in his hand; he then pointed it towards them.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    Each bullet pierced their heads, effectively killing them, but when he went to finish the last one, a small, weak voice reached his ears.


    "He-help."


    "You are awake?" MingHao asked in disbelief.


    The poison should be very potent as even the other Golden Core cultivators couldn''t move, but somehow, she survived while being weaker than them. There was a possibility she had some kind of special physique or bloodline, but he still felt wary.


    He walked slowly toward the woman while staying alert. Xue Fang looked from a distance, studying her. She hasn''t found anything wrong so far; her instincts also say she is not dangerous, but something just feels off.


    "MingHao, don''t get close," Xue Fang warned.


    MingHao stopped a few steps away from the woman. He began to think about how to release her without compromising their safety.


    An idea then came to his mind, from his favorite series. In that story, it was hard to achieve, but for him, it was easier.


    His qi came out from his hand, turning into a solid sword. Using a small amount of lifeforce, he used it as a catalyst, turning his qi into something tangible.


    The woman''s eyes widened as the sword grew long, reaching close to her. Sparks flew as it passed through the cocoon. MingHao warned her not to make any sudden moves.


    But the moment part of the cocoon broke, a strange mist started appearing, covering the whole room and limiting their view. Despite their sharp eyes, they could not see farther than their own hands.


    MingHao stopped his actions, as cutting now was too risky. But then, from the sword, he could feel something strange happening.


    The cocoon broke, like it exploded outward.


    Xue Fang suddenly took out her already damaged shield puppet. It materialized behind her, then raised the shield.


    CLANG!!! The shield blocked some kind of attack, making a ringing sound in the room, like an echo.


    "MingHao, be careful! The Man-Spider Queen is here!"


    "You too, Xue Fang!"


    "What a lovely couple, both of you come here attacking my nest, then massacre my children, and still think you are in the right."


    "So what!? You hunt us humans for your food! Don''t listen to her, MingHao," Xue Fang replied. Your next read awaits at empire


    She worried the queen''s wordplay would get into MingHao''s mind. She knew he cared a lot about right and wrong.


    And her suspicion was right; MingHao started to hesitate. From the spider''s point of view, what she said was correct, but as Xue Fang said, she, too, has hunted down humans.


    Since this is just the law of the jungle, how could what they do be right or wrong? But then how could it differ from what other humans do?


    It''s also the law of the jungle for the strong to do as they please. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spider queen didn''t miss the opportunity. Her sharp leg pierced through the air, coming close to his chest.


    It was too late for MingHao to parry it. He did his best, tilting his body, making the attack miss his heart.


    "I only hunt humans enough for my food, but you come here killing all my children for no reason!" the spider queen said once more.


    "Dammit!" MingHao cursed. He just wanted to attack back, but her words once again confused him.


    What are they doing here? Gathering material for their needs, but does killing the spider children necessary? The answer would be no.


    "MingHao, stop listening to her words; she''s just playing with you. You think she even cares about them? Did she go out when we burned her children? Close your hearing and focus on fighting."


    MingHao was still confused, but he decided to go with her suggestion. Right now, he couldn''t hesitate. It''s not just dangerous for him; it would also endanger Xue Fang.


    If it were only him, he might still hesitate, but there was no way he would sacrifice those important to him for his own personal values.


    Another spider leg pierced through the air, this time coming for his head.


    CLANG! MingHao parried it with his qi sword. He then put his palm forward and shot a blast with his qi.


    The explosion dispersed part of the mist, allowing him to see the spider queen.


    Her lower body was that of a spider, but the top was the woman he had seen before, the one inside the cocoon.


    Tricky and manipulative¡ªthose two words quickly appeared in his mind. He didn''t know how, but the spider''s actions were impeccable. If she hadn''t shown her real appearance, he and Xue Fang would have been duped.


    It''s even possible they would have brought her to Bai Yue Sect without suspecting anything.


    Unlike the man-spider, the spider part of the queen was covered with dark material. It was reflective and glossy like polished metal.


    His attack barely left any mark on her body.


    From the spider''s body, a spider web shot forward. MingHao dashed forward, using his qi sword to cut it apart.


    The wound on his chest had already completely healed at this point. His target was the queen''s upper body, as it looked weaker.


    MingHao''s sword fell from the sky, cutting down the spider queen''s hand like slicing through butter. Green blood spurted out.

 Chapter 467 Collapse

    The result surprised him since he didn''t expect it to be this easy. But even after this, the spider queen was not fazed. Instead, her lips curled into a grin.The blood, rather than liquid, was more like slime and one that was alive. It quickly reconnected with the Queen''s shoulder while the hand itself shot out toward MingHao.


    The claw grew longer and sharp, coming toward his neck. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With his current position, MingHao could not dodge. He braced himself, preparing to face the poison that would soon enter his body.


    But just before it could reach him, a shield flew like a boomerang, blocking her attack. The Queen turned her gaze upward, and this time, she shot out another web that turned into something like a shield.


    BAM!


    A sword clashed with the shield. XueFang''s puppet landed on it and jumped toward the Queen spider''s body.


    "Xue Fang?" MingHao called out. He then felt something pulling him from behind.


    Only now that they were close could he feel her presence. He didn''t understand how she could find him since the fog had also sharply reduced their detection ability.


    "Yes, let''s run for now. We cannot defeat her."


    Seeing her regeneration ability, MingHao felt the same. Even if they could win, it would probably take a lot from them.


    Two more damaged puppets appeared, running toward the spider queen. Then, a loud boom reverberated in the area.


    Seeing this, MingHao also shot out a few Qi blasts.


    "BASTARD!!! You think I will let you leave that easily!?" the spider queen roared in anger.


    The cavern then started to shake; the ground cracked, and dust and dirt fell from the ceiling.


    "Is it because of our attack?" MingHao asked.


    "No, the explosion is concentrated on the spider queen; it shouldn''t hit any foundation for the cavern. This is the Queen''s doing."


    "XueFang, careful." MingHao pulled her to the side as part of the ceiling fell to where she had stood before. Enjoy new adventures from empire


    This confused MingHao, as she should have been able to detect this. ''Is she exhausted? But she could find me before.''


    Unfortunately, before he could ask further, the ground cracked open, and the whole cavern collapsed on itself. Black fog then came out from the rubble and started gathering in the sky, transforming into the spider queen in her humanoid form.


    Her eyes glanced coldly at the rubble, then toward DaYing city. "It seems they will be released soon. This place is not safe for me."


    A pair of bird wings then came out from her back, and she flew far away from the area.


    Meanwhile, inside the rubble, a small safe spot was created. MingHao used his qi, turning it into a solid sphere.


    Xue Fang then took out a small puppet, its height barely reaching her knee. She then started giving them orders.


    "MingHao, focus your qi in that direction," she said while pointing toward a specific area.


    The small puppet moved agilely; they started taking out some tools and materials, creating a makeshift pillar.


    It didn''t take long for the space to get stabilized. Xue Fang then ordered them to start building a tunnel outside.


    MingHao took out a portable light and a chair.


    "I never knew you had that kind of puppet."


    "Because I never had the need to use them. In the past, I used them often to help with the construction work in the Village.


    At first, they were as big as adult males, but I made them smaller since this made it easier for them to build in small spaces."


    "No wonder, then."


    Construction workers usually had large figures so they could carry more stuff, but this was not a problem since storage rings existed. The puppets were also equipped in a way that allowed them to fly, turning them into very efficient builders.


    If Alex knew about them, he would copy their mechanisms and mass-produce them. It''s not that he couldn''t make one himself; he just never looked into it.


    "What do you plan next?" Xue Fang asked.


    Even though she ordered them to make a tunnel outside, there was a possibility the spider queen was waiting for them.


    "How about you make the tunnel directly to the crater?"


    "That is possible, but won''t it be riskier? I am sure whatever is inside is stronger than that spider queen.


    Even though there is a possibility those people finished them, what if they didn''t?


    When we go out, we could face a dangerous situation."


    "¡­"


    "But if you insist, I don''t mind going. Just remember, the puppets I have left now are useless ones."


    "Wait, how many puppets do you have left? I mean, these so-called useless ones."


    "Hmm¡­ 28, not more than that."


    "That should be enough, then. I have that secret weapon our sect created with me. It only needs three operators."


    "Is the weapon that good?"


    "I don''t know how well it performs, but I heard it was created to fight against the immortal."


    "How could that be in your hand, then?"


    "Well¡­"


    "You stole it?" Xue Fang asked while rolling her eyes.


    "Not stealing, it''s just borrowing. In the end, everything is owned by my sister anyway."


    "But I am sure your sister didn''t give it to you. I heard about that weapon; it''s still in the experimental stage, and I don''t know how to operate it."


    "Don''t worry, I have the manual with me. I''m sure you can learn it quickly, Xue Fang."


    "Let''s do that later, then. I want to ask you something first, MingHao."


    "Sure, what do you want to know?"


    "I just want confirmation: what are we now?"


    MingHao''s cheeks turned red as he started to remember what happened between them. He hadn''t thought about it much, but one thing was clear to him: he would never leave her alone.


    "I don''t know what the right word is, but you are someone important to me. As long I live I will never allow something bad happen to you."


    Xue Fang''s lips curled into a smile. "That''s enough for now."

 Chapter 468 Naga

    She then changed the topic to smaller matters, finding out more about MingHao''s life. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.They enjoyed their talk while Xue Fang lay her head on his shoulder. Time passed peacefully for them but not for Sylva and Zold.


    Deep under the crater, Zold''s body was covered with blood; on his back, he was carrying Sylva.


    It''s quite a long story to tell how he reached there, but to put it simply, the situation in the city had stabilized. Zold then decided to go down to check on his father since there was no news.


    Halfway in, he found his father escaping, half dead.


    Behind him, a group of creatures was slithering. While their movement looked slow, their speed was not. They not only kept up with Zold, but they also closed the distance.


    SWOSH! SWOSH!


    Zold leaped to the side, dodging the enemy''s arrows. "Dammit, just what kind of creatures are they?"


    "Z-Zold¡­ Leave me and go. If this keeps going, both of us will be dead."


    "No, Father, there is no way I will let you go like this."


    Despite saying it, Zold knew their fate was sealed. The enemy was something that beat his father to this state. As a cultivator himself, he knew how resilient they were.


    To beat him like this in the time his father spent here only meant he was completely outmatched.


    "Can you at least tell me the situation, father?"


    "The ones hunting us down are the Orochi clan of the Naga species."


    Sylva then narrated what happened. There was a strong being stored inside. Based on Edward''s investigation, it was a demonic cultivator that had ties with the ancient Orochi clan.


    Sylva came to finish the job, or at the very least to reseal it. But unfortunately, what he found was outside of his expectations.


    Other than the demonic cultivator, there was another being. Something that made the hair on his back stand.


    All his senses told him it was dangerous, and there was no way he could win this. But thankfully, the enemy was now in a standoff.


    The Sky Ember Sect patriarch was joining hands with the Demonic Cultivator. The fight looked like a standoff, but Sylva could tell it was just because the opponent was playing around.


    He speculated the opponent had just been unsealed and was in a very weak condition. He was using the moment to recover as much energy as he could.


    Given the situation, he decided to prepare for an ambush. He looked for an opportunity to deal with a fatal attack on the being. Unfortunately, this was all the being''s trap.


    The moment he made the attack, the being captured him and absorbed almost all of his cultivation, leaving only his ability as an awakener. It was like his body reverted back to mortal.


    The Sky Ember patriarch and the demonic cultivator used this opportunity to escape. They somehow created a portal connecting them with another world. From that portal, Naga''s army emerged.


    These Naga had the upper body of a human with four arms. Their lower body was that of a snake. Sylva only learned about them as he overheard what the patriarch and demonic cultivator talked about.


    The army of Naga then started attacking indiscriminately, some of them even going all the way here, pursuing Sylva.


    Zold dodged once more, the arrow hitting the ground, creating a small crater. Based on their strength, he speculated each of them was at least as strong as a Golden Core cultivator.


    If he released Sylva, he should be able to fight back and kill them all, utilizing Alex''s weapon. But the problem was how much time would be wasted.


    Now, knowing the situation, it was only a matter of time until that strong being came after them. He could not waste time like this. Your adventure continues at empire


    A few grenades appeared in his hand; he then began tossing them out.


    But before they could reach their target, arrows shot through them, making them explode in midair.


    Gritting his teeth, Zold decided to use his trump card. His lightning started turning purplish. His speed increased, allowing him to put some more distance between them.


    Different from Emily, Zold''s power didn''t allow him to change into lightning; he just used its element to boost his speed. Otherwise, he would have already easily escaped the place.


    Lightning crackled around his body as he pulled further away.


    The exit was close; now, he just needed to climb through the cliff and leave the spot. Looking up, he could already see Owl spotted them.


    He jumped, then ran vertically through the wall. But suddenly, something weird happened. The wall moved like it was alive, trying to attack Zold.


    The wall where he stepped transformed into an arm that captured his leg in place.


    A dagger appeared in his hand, and he slashed it down. But another part of the wall changed, this time into something like mud. It then shot forward like a water jet toward his body, pushing him back deep into the crater.


    Seeing this, Owl jumped down, his body transforming into a raven, flying quickly to catch them.


    But a similar thing happened; the cliff attacked him, blocking his pathway. Not only did it attack, but it also strengthened to the point he could not underestimate it.


    From where Zold came out, a Naga then emerged. Her hand grasped a magic staff shining in a yellow hue.


    On her back, there was a tattoo glowing in the same color. It was created using many weird symbols arranged in a square pattern.


    If Alex were here, it would quickly pique his interest. The symbols looked quite similar to runes.


    "Trying to escape? You think I will allow it?"


    The staff glowed once more; this time, the top of the crack started moving like a jaw closing down.


    The light disappeared as the area became completely sealed. Zold kicked the air, lightning a thunderbolt as he shot toward the Naga.


    "Why go this far? We didn''t do anything to you. The one inside is more dangerous."


    CLANG!


    His dagger stopped, clashing with some kind of magic barrier.


    "I just follow orders. As for what happens, it''s up to them."

 Chapter 469 Sylva Decision

    Zold clicked his tongue in annoyance. He quickly launched another attack. Trying to pull back and create distance between them would be more dangerous.He didn''t know how Naga''s ability worked, but based on his observation, she was like a mage, specialized in long-distance attacks.


    His goal now was to buy time, waiting for Owl to reach here and help him.


    And he didn''t disappoint. Like an eagle diving to eat its prey, Crow attacked the Naga. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His beak clashed against the barrier, pulling the Naga''s attention.


    Seeing the spark from the collision, Zold started thinking about his next move; helping Owl was pointless. He turned his gaze toward the entrance, then shot his lightning dagger towards it.


    SWOSSH!! BOOM!


    It hit its mark, collapsing the entrance, but he knew this was not permanent. The Naga could easily come out from it, breaking through the boulder.


    He then put Sylva down, laying his back against the cliff wall. Zold took out a bottle with red liquid, "Father, drink this."


    "N-No. It''s pointless, Zold. It seems I have reached the end of my journey."


    "You are the one who told me to never give up, and nothing is impossible. What is with those words!?"


    Sylva responded by showing a fatal wound on his chest, throbbing as the skin and flesh turned rotten. Zold could see his father''s regeneration clashing against something.


    "Just what is this? A curse?"


    "I don''t know; this happened from that being''s attack. It''s eating not just my flesh but my qi and mana. I don''t have much left, Zold. It''s only a matter of time."


    Sylva then took out a pill. It had a rainbow-colored hue with a very strong medicinal fragrance.


    "Can this cure you, Father?" Zold asked, trying to grasp any hope he could.


    Deep inside, he knew it wouldn''t. If it could, his father would have already taken it and wouldn''t have said something like that. Based on his father''s personality, it was clear what he wanted to do¡ªsomething that Zold didn''t want to happen.


    Sylva ate the pill, his qi surging, his wound beginning to heal, but it was not completely recovered. The scar was still there, surrounded by rotten skin.


    He stood up, and then his body started transforming. Two qilin horns came out from his head, and scales covered his hand and part of his back. His body turned a bit bulkier, followed by crackling lightning.


    The lighting was golden in color. Zold could feel very strong power coming from it.


    "Father, I already lost my sister and Mother. In the end, should I lose you too?"


    Sylva glanced at his son, his eyes warm, something that Zold had never seen before.


    "Son, you are not alone. Your sister is alive."


    Zold''s eyes widened; he was sure his sister was dead.


    "The body was fake. Your sister was kidnapped by a dark guild and then sold to another race." He then took out his storage ring and put it in Zold''s hand.


    "Escape and find your sister. Remember, every second you waste means longer time your sister lives in hell. I don''t know what she''s facing, but I''m sure she''s still surviving till now.


    All my investigation and everything I know is in this storage ring. Survive, Zold. Find her, and go surpass me."


    Zold could feel his heart torn apart. He didn''t say any more words. His eyes turned cold, almost like it''s emotionless, as he began jumping through the valley. His qi surged as he punched through the ceiling, leaving a crater.


    He then flew into the sky and started streaking in a random direction. He looked down and found the rubble of a collapsed cavern.


    Zold landed there and sat on top of the rubble. Without anyone around, he started screaming in pain.


    There were no tears leaving his eyes, only flickers of anger and disappointment.


    He was disappointed with himself. He practiced and trained all the time, and for what?


    Nothing. In the end, he still couldn''t help his father. He spent a long time looking for him, only for a short reunion where his father ended up dead.


    "DAMMIT! DAMMIT!!!!"


    His qi lashed out, exploding into a lightning bolt that created a small vibration.


    Underneath him, MingHao and Xue Fang frowned. The opening where they were vibrated, and they could also feel the qi fluctuation coming from above them.


    Zold didn''t sense them because he was now in emotional distress. If he had focused on looking for any survivors, he would have found them. But he just swiped a glance since what he wanted now was a place to vent.


    "What do you think is happening?"


    "I don''t know, we need to come out and look, but there''s no way out for now," Xue Fang replied.


    Since her puppet was ordered to create a hole directly into the crater, they didn''t have any way outside yet. The process was also slow since they needed to ensure the new tunnel was stable and wouldn''t collapse on itself.


    MingHao looked upward, deep in thought. The vibration didn''t stop. "I wonder if someone is fighting up there."


    "Doubt it. Based on the vibration and qi fluctuation, it is probably someone''s training."


    "Can we send a drone out, at least to find out?"


    "Nope, didn''t you see how bad the collapse was?"


    "If only we had one that could pass through walls." Then MingHao''s eyes lit up. "I almost forgot. Ancestor, come out."


    Xueqi''s ancestor''s soul came out from the ring with a bored expression.


    "Oh, now you remember me? Kids before you just keep sending me more work, more souls to maintain, but somehow, when it''s the fun stuff, you just ignore me, like I don''t exist?"


    MingHao didn''t have anything to say; he really forgot. His mind was occupied with what happened, and he was still a bit shocked by the progression of the relationship with Xue Fang.


    "Ancestor, look up and see who''s outside."


    Xueqi''s ancestor frowned. "I can peek, but if it''s dangerous, I''ll quickly run."


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    "Don''t worry; your soul is bound to the ring anyway. You''ll survive."

 Chapter 470 Owl

    "Kids these days, working these old bones to death," Xueqi''s ancestor mumbled in frustration. But he still went out to check.With their current situation, it was better to find out just in case. What if the spider queen had sent one of her people to poke around?


    Zold, who was roaring in anger, stopped. He felt a presence coming towards him. His eyes locked away as he realized he had been careless. He should have checked the place in detail before considering it safe.


    "Who are you? Come out."


    "Ah, it''s you. I''ve seen you in Dali City."


    Zold frowned as he didn''t recognize him. "What do you mean?"


    "Oh yeah, you haven''t seen me before since I was inside MingHao''s ring. You know the man and woman you met? MingYue''s little brother."


    Zold was still on alert, but so far, Xueqi''s ancestor made sense. "Where are they then?"


    If the soul was really bound, Zold knew they couldn''t go that far away. This time, he spread out his senses, looking for their location, and then looked down.


    "Seems you already found out. Well, here''s the thing." Xueqi''s ancestors started explaining what happened. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zold frowned, hearing this. "Ask them if I create a huge hole, will their qi shield be enough to block it?"


    "Wait. How strong will the attack be?" Xueqi''s ancestor asked.


    Zold was thinking of using explosives or using his secret technique to bore a hole in the ground. But if they couldn''t protect themselves, instead of helping, he would just endanger them.


    "Forget it. It''s too risky. We don''t know the answer without testing it. How about this?"


    Zold then proposed a plan where he would dig a diagonal hole down to make sure it wouldn''t hurt them. He brought some power tools with him just in case he needed them.


    "Let me ask them first. They already sent some puppets to dig."


    "That''s better. We can meet halfway then."


    Xueqi''s ancestors returned to MingHao and Xue Fang. He told them what happened.


    "We should meet up with him first," Xue Fang quickly decided, then made the puppet move in that direction. This time, she didn''t wait for MingHao''s answer.


    With Zold''s situation, something must have happened there. She hoped Zold could somehow convince MingHao to not go back to the crater.


    She still remembered the feeling when looking at it, a suffocating dread that threatened to eat even her soul.


    Thankfully, MingHao also agreed with Xue Fang''s decision, so he didn''t debate it.


    "I agree. We need to know what really happened."


    Xueqi''s ancestor left to talk about it with Zold. They discussed the direction and where to dig. Zold then started moving, taking out some tools, and began digging a tunnel.


    With movement from both sides, it didn''t take long for them to finally meet up. Zold introduced himself, then looked at their condition, finding they were alright. He quickly told them to follow him away from the area.


    "Wait, tell us first what happened. Actually, I plan to go back to the crater."


    "Forget it, even ¡­ someone stronger than us lost their life there."


    "You mean they''re dead?"


    Zold''s eyes flickered. He then replied coldly, "It''s only a matter of time."


    "We should rescue them then. I have some secret weapons from BaiYue Sect, designed to fight against immortals."


    "MingHao, that''s a prototype. All the stats we know now come from simulations. Who knows if some problem happens during combat."


    "But there''s a chance to use them. This is a matter of life and death, Xue Fang."


    "Yes, but not only theirs¡ªours too."


    Zold was caught off guard by their discussion. "Send me the weapon information."


    He still hadn''t seen what it was capable of, but if possible, he wanted to at least bring them to escape.


    Based on his father''s story, those beings had their own conflicts. This meant that as long as they escaped from Naga, they would be all right.


    Unfortunately, what happened there now was beyond their expectations. Sylva was clashing against a few nagas, just like Zold expected; the collapsed entrance barely blocked their return.


    These nagas were different from the ones pursuing them; they were focused on close combat. Meanwhile, Owl was fighting against the mage naga.


    If it were only this, it would have been as Zold had expected, but things changed when Sylva''s surge of energy ran out. Sylva''s body fell to his knees when one of the nagas slashed downward with his sword.


    But just an inch away from his neck, Owl suddenly appeared, blocking the attack with his bare hand. This display of strength surprised Sylva.


    "It''s been so many years traveling with you, but it seems this is where you meet your end, Sylva."


    Despite dying, Sylva could still say something had changed with Owl, his voice more distorted, like an otherworldly being.


    "Who are you?"


    Owl clenched his hand, completely destroying the sword. His shadow then shot out and pulled the Naga inside. It was as if the Naga was sinking into it.


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    Sylva turned his gaze and realized the mage naga was nowhere to be seen. Owl''s capability now was something beyond his comprehension. He had never shown this kind of ability throughout their journey together.


    "I am Owl. That is the truth, although I am not the same Owl that came to this world with you all."


    Sylva''s eyes widened when he saw Owl turn his face toward him. One of his eyes was not human; there were three irises, and the white had turned dark.


    The irises gave him an eerie feeling. "Why? If you wanted to help, you could have done so from the start."


    "There''s something I need here, and since I have time to kill, I decided to go with you all. As for why, well %$#@@% put so much attention on you all, I was just curious."


    "What??"


    "Oh yeah, I forgot you can''t hear that name. I am one of those that Edward calls Primordials."

 Chapter 471 The One Behind the Incident

    Sylva, who had always maintained his composure, even in front of death, couldn''t help but laugh.They had done so much to find out about these beings. Edward even went as far as going through the rift. And all this time, one was hiding with them.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do now. He could feel he didn''t have long to live. Even his soul wouldn''t survive; something was corrupting it. It was truly the end.


    "Could you at least tell me this? Are you the one who caused that incident?"


    Sylva asked since he felt the Primordial-possessing Owl was fond of him. Otherwise, there was no reason to reveal his true identity. He could have just let him die without anyone knowing.


    "Partially, but not entirely. You could say I was the indirect cause of it. But let''s say, in the end, it was because of you humans.


    Even without me, the attack would still have happened. The difference would be the species that are attacking. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You should know Edward¡­ no, the Suzaku Guild is an annoyance in the eyes of the World Council."


    Here is the corrected version with grammar fixes and past tense applied except for the dialogue, while maintaining word count, meaning, and style as requested:


    "Those old bastards," Sylva mumbled with his dying breath. "What will you do next then?"


    Owl''s lips curled into a smile. "Don''t worry, I will leave after I get what I want. Of course, it''s a different matter when they see me.


    I am curious, though, about how Edward will react when he finds out the truth."


    Owl then saw Sylva''s eyes starting to grow heavy.


    "It''s rare for me, but I honestly enjoyed the time I spent with all of you. Well, rest now, Sylva. Unfortunately, there is no afterlife for you."


    Sylva''s body then started crumbling, his skin now completely black, rotting. The last wisp of his soul also disintegrated.


    Owl then stomped his feet, his shadow growing, circling Sylva. It then turned into something like a cocoon, completely covering him.


    The next moment, it cracked open, leaving Sylva lying on the ground peacefully. His body had turned back to normal, and all the wounds somehow recovered.


    Owl opened his palm; on it, a slime with a rotten smell was moving around.


    "They''re really here. Now it''s time to collect them. But to think all seven are gathered in one place. What a weird coincidence."


    He then clenched his fist. The dark slime turned into something like a dark fog, which Owl then absorbed. He then began walking toward the deep cavern with a satisfied smile.


    Not long after, three figures jumped down from the hole Zold had come out of. They were Zold, Xue Fang, and MingHao.


    Looking at the corpse, Xue Fang''s eyes lit up, and the first thought that came to her mind was to refine it into a puppet.


    With a glance, Sylva''s body didn''t have many wounds, but she didn''t say anything. She knew turning a body into a puppet was normal in her clan, but for other people, it was frowned upon.


    ''So unfortunate, with that body, I could make a strong puppet.''


    Zold froze, looking at his father''s body, his throat drying up as he walked slowly to it. He dropped to his knees and put his hand over his chest.


    MingHao didn''t say a word; he just stayed silent while turning his gaze toward the entrance. "Ancestor."


    "Yes, yes, you keep working this old bone. I will check it."


    Xueqi''s ancestor came out from the ring and then flew toward the entrance to explore. Explore more adventures at empire


    "Stop," Zold called out, making Xueqi''s ancestor stop in his tracks. "Even if you are a soul, it''s too dangerous inside. I don''t know if you can tell or not, but even my father''s soul was extinguished by an attack from a creature inside."


    Zold then took Sylva''s body into his storage cube and told them to leave.


    But before MingHao and Xue Fang could make any response, the ground started to shake. Cracks appeared on the ground.


    The trio quickly floated away from the cavern. Outside, they could hear a loud explosion. Part of the city exploded upward, earth and dust launching into the air.


    The sound was so loud that it could be heard even from miles away.


    Strong energy then spread across the area. MingHao could feel his body shiver the moment he felt it. It wasn''t something he had ever felt before. It was a very strong and yet weird energy, giving off a feeling like it wanted to eat him whole.


    Part of the debris even started to crumble, turning to dust.


    "MingHao, take it out," Zold quickly ordered while spreading his qi to fight back the pressure. But it was barely useful.


    MingHao quickly sent it out from his storage ring. It was a heavily modified tank that looked almost like a robot, with two missile launchers attached on the left and right sides, a machine gun, a cannon barrel, and many other types of weapons.


    The vehicle wasn''t supported by wheels; there were two huge legs propping it up. Based on its appearance, it looked like its movement would be slow and sluggish, but that was not true at all.


    The armor was layered with multiple arrays on top of each other, boosting its defense and speed to a level enough to fight against an immortal. But Zold didn''t plan to use it for that; he wanted to use it to run away.


    Using talismans was out of the question since he didn''t know how the energy would react. Who knows if they''d end up stranded in some void? Zold still remembered what happened last time when he was moved to a random place filled with eyes.


    The trio then quickly entered the cockpit. Xue Fang took control of the system while MingHao and Zold put their palms over a panel.


    MingHao placed the high-grade crystal qi required into the fuel space on the vehicle. The engine started turning on, and a barrier was erected around the robot.

 Chapter 472 Pis Request

    Up above, Owl looked down at the weapon. "What interesting toys they have.""Still dare to look away when fighting us? You have a lot of nerve."


    In front of him now was a humanoid being with six wings and four arms. His body was covered in a carapace like that of the spider MingHao had fought before. The face resembled that of the Sky Ember Sect patriarch, with some changes. Seven horns were coming out from his head with a symbol on the forehead.


    "You think you can beat me? I even let you eat them all to boost your strength, but you''re still far from your peak." Owl''s lips then curled into a grin as he looked back at the being. "Who do you think created you?"


    "This was not the deal. After I finished off the vampire race, you promised I would be free."


    "Yes, and have they been finished?"


    The being turned silent. There were still many vampire races scattered around the universe.


    "What a scam, you know, completely finishing them off is impossible. Some of them are even now your subordinates."


    Owl''s lips curled into a grin. Darkness spread out from his body, covering him and the being.


    MingHao and the group looked on from a distance. Thankfully, no one else was pursuing them now. The Naga race was nowhere to be seen.


    Seeing the clash of power, MingHao realized how weak he was now, and he swore to train himself even harder when he returned.


    Now that he had Xue Fang, there were more people he wanted to protect, and out of all of it, he still wanted to pursue his ideals. Just how much strength did he need to achieve it? Right now, he knew it was beyond his comprehension.


    Meanwhile, Zold was reading the information he had gotten from his father. Despite not showing it on his face, his emotions fluctuated a lot now.


    He was shaken knowing the truth. Based on the information he learned, his sister had been kidnapped by the werewolf species.


    This species was famous for playing with its victims. Just what kind of nightmare had his sister faced all this time?


    There was a huge chance she was dead, but Sylva had already traced the werewolf faction that got his sister. He found a record that she had been sold to another species.


    It then moved a few more times until it reached a faction that Zold had heard of. It was the one that sold the magic cultivation system to the association.


    Unfortunately, there have been no more records since the incident. With the association involved, Zold knew things were quite complicated.


    But this didn''t deter him. He clenched his fist. ''Just wait, sister, I will come to you.''


    Zold decided to spend his time in this world practicing to prepare for rescuing his sister. He also knew he needed to discuss this with Alex or at least Luca.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, Pi was now kneeling in front of him.


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    "Master, this is not what you promised! You should know my hatred for the Zephyr clan."


    "And I did bring you here. What else do you want? Do you mean our current situation?"


    When Pi found out he was in the Zephyr clan, his anger surged. He then looked for Alex but found him busy with MingYue, which is why he had only come now.


    After protecting Alex, he started learning about the place he was in, and that was how he learned they were in the Zephyr clan.


    "What happened before with your sect? It''s already been a long time. I understand you want to take revenge, but removing this clan will mean you do the same as they did.


    Do you still remember how many innocent lives were lost at that time?" Alex replied with a stern gaze.


    The blood and screams, Pi still remembered everything. "What do you mean then, Master? I should give up?"


    "Of course not. My point is that eradicating the whole clan might make you feel better, but seeing the result will make you regret it.


    Later, how about you take revenge on the current patriarch? I can arrange a death or life fight for both of you."


    Given the current situation, there was no way Alex could just annex the Zephyr clan. He also had a blood contract with Clara. But this didn''t mean he could just ignore Pi''s request.


    His hatred was the driving force that had allowed Pi to survive this long. There was no way Alex could just extinguish it easily.


    That is why he came up with this idea. As for the reason for the deathmatch, he already had many prepared. He just needed to convince Stell that the patriarch had ill will toward them now.


    As for Clara, she was busy secluding herself in cultivation.


    "But can I win, Master?"


    Pi asked in doubt.


    "Isn''t this the revenge you wanted? You walked through all your life for this. Why would you back down now?


    Or do you prefer his head to be delivered on a silver platter?"


    Alex didn''t mind doing the latter, but he thought it would just create more problems for Pi. This way, Pi would need to put in a lot of effort to achieve it.


    Not that Pi would be defeated; Alex knew he couldn''t win now, but he planned to do some more modifications to his body.


    Alex was sure that after this, Pi would be able to survive a fight even with an immortal.


    There were many things he wanted to experiment with, from spirit weapons to the bloodline and energy waves. He planned to do them with Pi.


    He also wanted to check what Byakhee had done to him. Alex had still failed to find it. Right now, he had decided he needed to take his emotions back.


    He could feel something was really missing when he was spending time with MingYue, something that made it exciting.


    Pi''s eyes flickered for a moment, then he quickly replied, "I will do it, Master, but can I ask one more thing?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 473 Bloodspire Citadel

    "The resurrection of the Blaze clan, right? Do you even have any descendants left?""I don''t know, honestly, but considering our numbers, I''m sure one of them survived.


    At that time, my clan had many minor clans under them. There''s no way everyone is dead."


    "Hmm¡­ in that case, I will look into it. There''s no way you can revive a clan by yourself."


    It''s not that it was impossible, but in Alex''s thoughts, that clan would just be another clan with the same name. All their culture, beliefs, and everything else would drastically change.


    "Thank you, Master."


    Alex wanted to say more, but something called out in his mind.


    ''Alex, I think you should come here. Reina is looking for you.''


    ''Alright, wait for me, MingYue.''


    "Pi, go prepare yourself then, but don''t forget you are responsible for protecting my mother and sister."


    "Yes, Master, I will make sure not a single hair on their heads is harmed."


    Alex then let him go and exited his place. Outside, Ying Xue was cultivating her speed quite fast since she was already a Golden Core cultivator. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''It seems since it happened to them, they already had many preparations in case they needed to recultivate.''


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    "You going somewhere?" Ying Xue asked without opening her eyes.


    "You can wait for me here. My mother and sister are here. I will not escape. Going with me will just disturb your cultivation."


    Ying Xue opened her eyes and then stood up.


    "No, I will go with you. This is my limit for now. Anyway, to raise my cultivation further, I will need months at least."


    "Months? Hmmm, I thought you already had a method to quickly return your cultivation."


    Alex asked because he was curious about how they were doing this. In his case, he used lifeforce, a higher form of energy, but they should not have access to this kind of energy.


    "We do, but it has its limitations. I couldn''t say much, but that is related to our cultivation technique."


    "I see." Alex then started moving toward MingYue''s location while thinking about how they were doing this.


    He suspected they were doing this by giving out twice the effort. Basically, it is creating something like a backup golden core.


    Just like a house, when it gets electricity cut off, they turn on the backup generator to light everything up.


    This was the only method Alex could think of. With his speed, it didn''t take long for them to reach the place where MingYue was now.


    It was a city that had been taken over, now renamed to Bloodspire Citadel.


    Tall walls were being built surrounding the place, part of which could still be seen under construction. In the middle was a tall spire reminiscent of the design in Dragari City.


    It wasn''t that the design was inspired by it. The spire was simply the most efficient design for its purpose. If the one in Dragari City was to stabilize the portal with unknown means, this one was done to spread out a signal.


    It was planned to be used for communication and a radar system. If possible, he also wanted to spread out some kind of network that would allow them to pinpoint their enemies.


    Then, after the weapon system was completely built, they would be able to launch attacks from long distances. This would give them a significant edge in negotiations.


    The process would be slow, but Alex was in no hurry; he planned to go to the rift first before finishing the conquest of the planet.


    "Alex, you''re here," MingYue said with a smile, meeting him halfway.


    "Yes, how is the situation?"


    "Everything is as expected; the only thing that worries me now is the situation in the other region."


    "I think it should be alright there. Uncle Sylva and Owl are going there. We also still have QingWa leading the operation."


    "You''re right, but I still worry. Don''t forget we still need to look for that other Primordial."


    "I know, but based on the possibilities, I honestly think we won''t have a conflict. Otherwise, he would have already intervened."


    "Hmm¡­" MingYue mumbled, deep in thought, but she still couldn''t shake the feeling that something had happened.


    "How about we go check it, then?"


    "Is that alright? I''m sure Aunt wants to quickly look for Uncle."


    "No, she will wait for us to return. It''s not like my mother has a method to go there by herself."


    "Don''t you underestimate her? I believe she has her own way if she really wants."


    "Let me rephrase it, she doesn''t have a method that she won''t regret."


    "That¡­" MingYue didn''t know what to say since Alex''s response was quite cold. This reminded her once again about Alex''s situation.


    "Forget it. We''ll talk after you finish your discussion with Reina. She''s waiting for you at the inn."


    "Alright."


    Inside the Bloodspire Citadel, much construction was happening, but the majority of it was already completed. Only the military installations, which required complicated work, were still under construction.


    The roads themselves were made from asphalt, with a modern design. The architecture was similar to that in the BaiYue sect, only this one had fewer decorations.


    They only put in the bare minimum infrastructure, with some modern touches, to interest the civilians.


    There were two groups now in the citadel: people who had been captured by Alex and a group of Goblins and High Goblins maintaining the place and doing some construction.


    At first, the civilians and cultivators were afraid of what would happen to them. Based on their knowledge, nothing good ever happened to captives.


    There were those used as experiments or just as cultivation furnaces; being worked as slaves and barely getting a meal to calm their hunger was considered the best outcome.


    But to their surprise, this place was heaven compared to their old life, of course, with the exception of some minority groups like the cultivators.


    They were treated the same as normal civilians, although some cultivators were under more forced labor, making them help with the construction.

 Chapter 474 Clue

    As for the others, it was a paradise. Food was abundant and delicious. Their work didn''t require them to exert much energy. In fact, most of them barely worked during the day. They were just tasked to enjoy everything, then go outside to sell some of the tasty MSG-flavored food, while inviting people to come to the citadel.In this way, Alex hoped it would act as a deterrent for immortals to wreak havoc. Even though they didn''t care about civilians and saw them as just numbers, this didn''t mean immortals didn''t need them.


    Without normal people, their clan or sect would not run properly, which would end up giving them a headache.


    Even if they didn''t have any sentiment left, having no force under them would become a huge hassle. For example, when they needed resources.


    The immortals also knew they were facing an external threat. If something that big really happened, the clan on the front lines would use it as justification to abandon their duty and attack them.


    This would result in breaking the status quo that they enjoy now. No one wanted this to happen.


    So far, no immortal clash had occurred, and the Sovereign team hadn''t made any reports on their progress.


    With their current strength, they should be able to finish off one or two, but Alex knew they were just wasting time to enjoy their freedom as long as possible.


    He then went to the break area and met up with Reina.


    In a burst of emotion, Reina ran toward Alex and gave him a hug. Her action made MingYue raise an eyebrow.


    "I''ll leave you two alone," MingYue said coldly, then turned away.


    But she was stopped as Alex gripped her hand, something he didn''t even know why he did. It was like his hand moved by itself.


    MingYue frowned, confused by this. It was something the old Alex would do, not the current one. This gave her some thoughts, but she kept them to herself for now.


    She decided to stay and took a seat on the couch, while Alex also didn''t say anything. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reina didn''t realize this since she was hugging Alex. She vented her frustration; she didn''t know why, but she felt safe around Alex.


    Meanwhile, Alex didn''t put much thought into her. Just like MingYue, his concern now was why he had done that. This meant something¡ªhis emotions were not just pushed down, they were there but blocked by something, for example, Byakhe''s influence.


    But it had been done so discreetly that even Vesa and he couldn''t find it.


    ''Since I cannot figure it out, this means my only choice is to find something that can trigger my emotions once more. Something shocking enough. But what?''


    Finished with her sobbing, Reina moved back. She awkwardly looked at MingYue, but seeing her busy thinking, Reina felt relieved.


    She had already talked with MingYue and found out MingYue was Alex''s Dao companion.


    "Can you tell me what happened after I left?"


    Alex then split his brain, and while the majority still thought about his emotional problem, a small part of it started narrating what had happened.


    Reina''s lips curled into a smile as she placed both hands over her chest. "So, all of them are safe. I''m glad."


    "Honestly, it''s better for you to return there. Just think about what''s happening in your clan now."


    "What do you mean, Alex? Since they''ve all already revived, they''re probably busy recovering."


    "Not necessarily. Your father''s cultivation is back to the start, and so is everyone else''s. The area is also isolated, which means the map of power has been reset.


    People with designs will start their coups, and those with a lot of artifacts to use will be the ones having the edge."


    "This¡­" Reina realized Alex was right. With people like Morgana in her clan, the ungrateful bastards killing their own fathers was not out of the question.


    They would do anything to fulfill their greed. The Patriarch logically had the most artifacts, but since cultivation was reset, there weren''t many he could use.


    "Where is Senior Moria?" Alex asked.


    "Oh, about him." Reina then started narrating what happened¡ªhow Moria was killed and how his soul was now taking over someone''s body. He was in the process of assimilating it.


    The body Moria took belonged to a fresh corpse that had recently died. It was quite compatible with him but with one caveat. The body didn''t have any cultivation talent, meaning Moria would need to cultivate the hard way from the beginning.


    It wasn''t like he didn''t have the option to get a better body with better talent and bloodline. Moria just didn''t want to pick those up.


    "I see. In that case, you should leave him here. His cultivation is too low to bypass the barrier.


    I can give you some gear, but you should go alone."


    "I¡­ Before that, Alex, what about my mother? I heard you just came from the Zephyr clan?"


    Alex silently asked MingYue in his mind why she hadn''t told Reina about that. But to this, MingYue said it wasn''t her story to tell.


    Alex didn''t retort back. His mind barely focused on the conversation. He told Reina that her mother was with his father now.


    He didn''t tell all the details, just some parts of it. The fact made Reina both happy and sad.


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    At the very least, her mother was safer, but she was caught off guard by the fact that her mother was with Alex''s father. Wasn''t it just too much of a coincidence for her to meet Alex?


    This realization made her feel she and Alex were fated to meet. Reina then gazed at Alex with an affectionate look.


    "That should be enough, Reina. You should prepare to return to the Midnight clan. I will give you the required gear to pass through the radiation area."


    "Ah, yes, sorry. MingYue."


    "What are you waiting for, then? Go!" MingYue ordered coldly.


    Reina nodded meekly, then quickly turned around to leave, but Alex called out.

 Chapter 475 The Problem

    "One more thing¡ªprepare yourself to face illusions inside there. Other than radiation, there is also evil qi. Illusions are the best outcome; the worst is you will fight some mutated monsters there.But I think it will not be a problem with your current strength."


    This didn''t mean the mutated monsters were weak; it was just that the monsters would be freshly born, still lacking the experience to use their abilities to the fullest. Continue your adventure with empire S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you, Alex. I will wait for you there." She said while quickly leaving the place.


    MingYue''s eyes turned ice cold. "You once told me you would never have another woman. Did you change your mind now?"


    "I never changed my mind. What do you mean by that?"


    "Reina, that woman clearly has feelings for you. You may have no emotions, but you''re not that dumb, right?"


    "I know, but how would that matter? That''s her feeling. I have no control over it. It''s her right and choice to do so."


    "Then what if she decides to follow you all the way?"


    "She is not capable of doing that, but we can use her to take some management position on this planet. We can trust her."


    "Oh, and you''re sure you won''t change your mind when your emotions return?"


    "Hmm¡­ I don''t know. With my emotions, I''ll have things like guilt impacting my decisions."


    "Tch, as I expected. Forget it for now. Your interaction with her made me realize something."


    "Yes, I was also thinking about it. How do you think we can trigger my emotions? Do you have some idea?"


    "We need something that really affects your emotions. It will be better if it''s trauma or something else."


    MingYue thought negative emotions would trigger more than positive ones. It''s always like that for humans. Negative emotions linger, while something positive is quickly forgotten.


    "Something traumatic... that would be my friend''s betrayal and the incident with my father. How could we reenact that?"


    "No, that won''t work," MingYue quickly replied. To reenact that would mean a huge incident would need to happen.


    Someone really close would have to betray him, or he would lose someone again. It was something that MingYue didn''t want him to face.


    While they were deep in thought, a knock on the door disrupted their minds.


    "Who is it?"


    "King, I am sorry to disturb you, but since you are here, there is something that maybe you want to decide."


    "What is the matter?" Alex asked while opening the door.


    On the other side was a high goblin that he recognized. He had joined him together with Petricia as part of the first generation. There were already a few more high goblins that had evolved from the Goblin race.


    Alex still didn''t know the cause of it since he hadn''t had the time to experiment with it. He was focused more on strengthening himself, his comrades, and the technological growth of the Bai Yue Sect.


    But this didn''t mean he didn''t have any speculation.


    He speculated that monsters that came from the dungeon had a peculiarity¡ªthey could absorb part of the mana or energy from those they killed. If it reached a certain level and fulfilled specific requirements, they would then evolve into stronger monsters.


    It was basically like a monster-catching game. Alex thought this was related to how the Dungeon system worked.


    The high goblin kneeled on his knee. "King, Queen."


    "Just get to the point," Alex ordered.


    "Yes, the construction is on schedule, but we are now lacking a lot of qi crystals to finish the project."


    "How? I believe you have enough resources."


    Almost all of Alex''s forces had already gathered in this citadel; the rest were still on their way. This included all the resources and rations they brought.


    The high goblin then gave out a complete list of the expenditures in detail. Each was recorded without anything missing.


    This was all thanks to the modern education system that mixed AI and immersive VR. The program would improve the curriculum based on each personality.


    As long as the subject had enough brain capacity to learn it, it was guaranteed they would learn the skills. The current Goblins were completely different from those in the dungeon. They were cultured, sophisticated, and enthusiastic about technology.


    It was like dwarves with their smithing. And the biggest difference was that each of them was a fanatic cultist, worshipping Alex like a God. As he rarely showed up, his presence became even more enigmatic and mysterious.


    Feeling Alex''s cold gaze, the high goblin started having cold sweats. He felt like he had committed some huge sin.


    But Alex didn''t mean it like that. Based on this data alone, he could guess what was happening. "Did most of the resources get taken by the Sovereign?"


    "Yes, King, that is why we are thinking of sending out part of our army to take over a few mines in the area. But this would mean we need to delay the construction."


    "Alex, just let them focus on the base. We can take over some mines; that will be faster. I think a change of scenery would be good for you."


    "Alright." Alex then turned his gaze to the high goblin. "Don''t worry, just proceed with your task as usual. But prepare to hire a group of miners from the civilians. The payment will be 20% for all the crystals they mine."


    "20%?" MingYue was surprised by the offer.


    Even getting a percentage from mining was very generous, usually only given to small clans tasked with the operation, but even then, the best they got was 10%.


    It was something she had never heard of, but she didn''t voice it now. MingYue didn''t want to undermine Alex''s decision in front of their people.


    After the goblin left, she asked her question.


    "20%... is what we need now. This ratio is big, but also not that much. Most of them will use 10%, while the rest they will use to hire other people to do the mining for them."

 Chapter 476 Baby Mermaid!?

    "Ah, I get it. You plan for them to hire more people, then spread out the prosperity.""Yes, we cannot just give out these amenities for free. After the operation starts, we can just start selling it all as a product."


    "Does this mean you plan to sell weapons too?"


    MingYue thought of this since normal amenities would not be enough for cultivators to spend their qi crystals. And who knows what grade they would get here? At the very least, it would be a high grade.


    This place was the core region, the area with the richest and most dense qi. It would not be weird if they could find even better quality or the rumored perfect grade¡ªa qi crystal without any impurity.


    "Yes, we already modified the weapons anyway. At first, they will be wary of us, but seeing the strength of the free sample we have, I am sure they will buy it.


    We just need to arrange some fights in the public arena for everyone to see its power."


    In the citadel, there was also an arena built for cultivators to settle their differences. Since everyone was still shocked by the changes, no one had used them yet, but it was only a matter of time.


    Once they got used to it, Alex would start requiring them to have a special storage ring that worked like a personal ID. If someone had it, they would have many benefits, but as things progressed, he would start cutting out the benefits, forcing people to get one after they got used to the facility.


    The goal was to spread it around until every cultivator used it. As more time passed, Alex was sure some cultivators would start putting items inside the storage ring. When nothing happened, they would start trusting it more and more.


    It was not like Alex planned to steal it; he just wanted to get more data and learn more about the cultivators'' behavior. As someone coming from modern society, Alex knew this data was a gold mine¡ªknowing the trends, how people cultivated, and what kind of items they needed most.


    But of course, this was still far in the future. He had already implemented this system in Edonia; since they lived inside Vesa, they didn''t have a choice.


    The storage ring was also a new concept for them, so they quickly got used to the convenience.


    MingYue nodded. Since Alex had it all figured out, she didn''t say anything further. They then left the capital and started searching for some qi crystal mines.


    As the area was already mapped out by the goblins, they already knew where to go.


    The place they reached was quite unique¡ªit was an island in the middle of a lake. "Let me," MingYue said.


    Alex gave a nod. There were many life signatures inside the lake; based on their fighting ability, MingYue was more suitable.


    Her qi churned. She took out her sword and then shot it toward the lake. The attack was augmented by her life force, boosting the strength to a new level.


    She did this to make sure there would be no survivors.


    The whole lake quickly turned frozen, with many ice spikes coming from the surface. MingYue then frowned as she felt one of them still alive.


    "Wait, MingYue, I will capture it for a specimen."


    Alex''s words made MingYue stop. He flew downward as MingYue manipulated the ice, creating a hole straight to the target.


    As he kept going down, MingYue also observed the enemy. She then frowned as he landed beside Alex.


    In front of them was what could be called a baby. It was a monster that looked like a human; the lower body was a fish, while the upper was almost human.


    "This looks like a mermaid," Alex mumbled.


    The baby was now crying as a blue sphere protected it. Based on how it looked, it seemed the other monsters poured all their strength into creating this barrier, but even that didn''t last long.


    The barrier started dimming and cracking apart, almost shattering.


    "Vesa, what do you think?"


    Vesa then came out to observe the baby. "King, this is not a mermaid. They are a very cultured and smart race living on oceanic planets. But this one is interesting. I think it''s on the verge of evolving to have intelligence."


    "So, a spirit monster?"


    "Yes, that would be a good way to call it. This place is close to a high-grade qi mine, so it probably affected their body, fast-tracking their evolution process."


    "So, you mean this baby should have intelligence?"


    Vesa''s body then started glowing in red, and she easily phased through the barrier. She then put her finger to her forehead.


    "King, I think this is different. Normally, spirit beasts will just gain some intelligence; they will only get wisdom after reaching the Core Stage and getting a humanoid form. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this one already has it. I think her body will start changing too as she grows older, becoming more humanoid."


    Alex''s eyes lit up with interest. "Then this one is like a creature that evolved naturally." Continue reading at empire


    The source of wisdom in spirit beasts came from the core they created, but this one didn''t. It meant the brain had already evolved to have wisdom, just like humans and other sentient creatures.


    It could be said she evolved naturally, just like those evolution theories he had learned before, how humans evolved from monkeys. Something that Alex found questionable despite all the proof he had seen.


    It''s not that Alex doubted the evolution process. He just didn''t believe it happened naturally throughout millions of years.


    "Can I find the answer through her then? If I dissect her¡­"


    MingYue looked at Alex in disbelief. "Alex, don''t tell me you plan to dissect her?!"


    "Well, I''m not going to kill her. She will recover for sure. I just need to find out how the cells evolved. This is a rare chance, MingYue."


    The other bodies that died could be used as a comparison to find the difference and what triggered the change. Was it Qi or something else?


    "NO! Alex, she is a baby, and you tell me you will experiment on her?" MingYue asked once again.

 Chapter 477 Experiment or Not

    She may have been a cultivator and warrior who killed without a second thought, but a sentient baby, and one that had an appearance almost like a human at that, there was no way she could kill it just to satisfy her curiosity.And MingYue knew that if Alex had his emotions, there was no way he would even consider doing it.


    The best he could do was put the baby through many scans and then think about letting her grow so he could see her growth and learn from it.


    "Yes, but isn''t it because she is a baby that she won''t remember what happened?"


    "You¡­" MingYue was at a loss for words. She didn''t know how to answer Alex''s question.


    Vesa listened to everything from the side. For her, it didn''t matter at all. So what if it was a baby? She had seen Alucard do something worse.


    A specimen was just a specimen. But she didn''t voice her opinion.


    "King, Queen, I will not take sides in this matter, but with the current temperature, if this shield breaks, the child will die. So either you bring her up first, then strengthen the shield, or make a decision fast." Continue reading stories on empire


    "Let''s bring her up first, then," Alex replied, his fingers dancing in the air, creating a rune around the shield. Then, part of the ice around them started getting absorbed by the rune.


    A new shield appeared, covering the baby. It shimmered with a green hue. The old shield completely disappeared, and water started pouring, filling the inside of the shield to the brim.


    "Let''s bring her up first, then," Alex replied; his finger started dancing in the air, creating a rune around the shield. Then, part of the ice around them started getting absorbed by the rune.


    A new shield appeared, covering the baby, glimmering with a green hue. The old shield completely disappeared. Water then started pouring, filling the sphere to the brim.


    The baby''s cry disappeared as her face returned to calmness. She then returned to sleep.


    On the island shore in the middle of the lake, the sphere floated in the air, while Vesa was nowhere to be seen, leaving only Alex and MingYue. She was flying to the cavern entrance to look for the Qi vein, and she was planning to move it to Edonia if possible.


    Meanwhile, with the baby covered inside Alex''s rune formation, he got more information.


    "Interesting, despite her face looking like a human, she still needs to breathe water."


    Based on Alex''s observation, the lungs were not perfected yet and were still growing. It would probably take more growth before they could breathe in the air.


    "How about the milk, then? I see the others of her species look more like monsters. How can it breastfeed?"


    "She doesn''t drink milk; somehow, she eats things like a clam. She drinks the water, absorbs all nutrients, plankton, even Qi, then absorbs it for her growth."


    "So, you just need to keep her inside this sphere, and she''ll grow by herself?"


    "Technically, yes."


    MingYue then realized she also felt curious about the baby, but that was not the point now. "Alex, don''t tell me you still think of dissecting her."


    Seeing Alex stay silent, MingYue added, "You cannot stay like this; sooner or later, you will do something you will regret forever."


    "I still have my considerations on that, MingYue."


    "No, you will not even consider dissecting a baby as an option if you have your emotions."


    "But the exchange is worth it. We need to break through to a new realm before going to the void, MingYue."


    "How does she help with our cultivation?"


    "I''ve told you before, we need to unite our power under one essence."


    "Yes, and we are stuck between vampire and human, but choosing only one is not an option because it will change our foundation once more."


    Alex gave a nod. "Then see her, she is proof two species can completely fuse together perfectly. If we can dissect how the essence entangles together, that will be the key to our answer."


    "Didn''t you say you already have a method?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, but that is more on enhancing our human essence to be the same level as the vampire. To do that, we will need human progenitor essence. It''s not something we can do now."


    Despite Alex''s initial interest in evolution, when he observed the baby inside the rune, he realized both were linked. When creatures evolve, their essence also evolves.


    Another thought then surfaced in Alex''s mind. "Wait, there''s one more thing¡ªthe dungeon. If we can find out how they evolve monsters and change them from the essence, then it will be useful."


    "Make both equally strong, then fuse them. Then what will the result be?"


    "Based on the characteristics we know so far, a more emotional vampire. Humans are emotional creatures.


    In my opinion, this is not really a benefit. Sometimes, our emotions can trigger a burst of power, but it''s not consistent and very random. As for vampires, they are immortal and strong, but they are too arrogant."


    This was not just based on what Vesa had told Alex; his experience with the Sovereign was also the same. Despite Alex having their lives in his hands, they still dared to take the Qi crystal for themselves.


    It wasn''t like they had any use for it.


    Alex hadn''t given them a method for cultivation. They could try to learn from the natives here, but based on their personality that looked down on other species, he doubted they would do this.


    "Hmm¡­ that will make us more flexible, but I don''t think our personality changed despite becoming a progenitor and fully transforming into a vampire."


    "No, that is different, MingYue. Both coexist. The only thing Alucard does is make sure the vampire essence doesn''t consume our human one. We still need to fuse it ourselves.


    At first, I thought of using our human essence to be the dominant one, but now I''m starting to think about just fusing it completely if it''s possible."


    "But the cost isn''t worth it, Alex. You''ll regret it forever if you experiment on the baby. It will cost you your humanity."

 Chapter 478 Breaktrough

    Then, a realization came to MingYue''s mind. "Alex, do you ever consider Byakhee doesn''t make you emotionless? He is suppressing your human presence and amplifying the vampire to break the balance.This makes sense as to why we can''t find it. Even after I entered your inner world, there was no clue. It''s because he was playing with something outside our ability."


    "That is possible, but it doesn''t change anything. We need to do something that can trigger my emotions."


    ''Something huge? But even after we kissed, his emotions barely moved. Doing more is out of the question for me now, and I doubt that will be useful,'' MingYue thought.


    While he was busy thinking, Alex used the time to observe the baby once more. She was still sleeping peacefully without a care in the world.


    He then started infusing lifeforce energy bit by bit into the baby. At a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, the baby''s appearance started to change again. The upper part became even more human-like. The biggest change happened in the organs¡ªthey matured very quickly. The lungs could now breathe both water and air.


    ''Is her adaptation good because of lifeforce?''


    Alex had never infused it into a human baby before, so he didn''t know, but lifeforce seemed to have a very good effect on the growth phase. He then tried to infuse mana into the baby to see if it was a unique reaction or not.


    The result baffled him. The mermaid''s heart started transforming; it became translucent blue as it absorbed the mana Alex gave.


    At this point, Alex realized the baby was unique. She had the ability to adapt very quickly, even creating new organs on the fly. This made him want to experiment more.


    ''Before, without air, the baby was gasping for breath, but that was because she didn''t have the energy to make any changes. Now, utilizing my life force, she can adapt to many things.''


    Curious, he started raising the water temperature. The baby''s skin turned red at first but then quickly shed away, regrowing new skin that was more durable against the heat.


    Alex''s eyes lit up. He started raising the temperature even more, to the point that the water started bubbling and turning into steam.


    Hearing the sound, MingYue realized what had happened. She wanted to berate Alex, but seeing the baby still sleeping peacefully while continuing to evolve baffled her.


    "As long as the change is gradual enough, the body will keep evolving to face it. The baby doesn''t even feel anything. It seems the pain receptors are turned off right now."


    This was the only reason Alex could find. Otherwise, there was no way the baby could sleep peacefully.


    Alex''s finger then painted the air, creating a new rune that he sent to the rune formation. The water started crackling with electricity.


    This time, Alex saw another new organ created, absorbing the element.


    "Just how does it decide what to absorb or what to defend against?" Alex mumbled in confusion.


    "Probably by gauging the benefit¡ªwhichever requires more resources to be done. I doubt her body reacts in a complicated way. If it''s easier to defend, it will do that; if it''s harder, then it will find a way to absorb it. But Alex, stop already. If you keep going, what''s the limit? Your curiosity will just grow nonstop."


    "But don''t you find it fascinating, MingYue? I don''t think this is the first creature like this to appear in your world."


    "Well, it''s the first one to grow with pure lifeforce injected into it."


    "Yes, the lifeforce manifests their essence. I''ve already tested it, and it works."


    MingYue gave it some thought and then said, "Let''s do it, Alex, enhance our human part. Fusing it may be better, but then what? There are too many factors you will need to ensure for it to be safe."


    "You sure?"


    "Yes, and with this, you should be able to get your emotions back if the cause really comes from Byakhee."


    If it wasn''t because of trauma, then he would need to break through Byakhee''s influence to strengthen his human essence. Alex had only tested this a bit, so he still couldn''t say for sure if it was really Byakhee or not.


    "Alright, let''s do that then," Alex quickly decided. Read the latest on empire


    Trying to fuse could result in a better or worse end, but he was motivated more by curiosity rather than becoming stronger.


    Both of them then closed their eyes and started pouring lifeforce energy toward their human essence. The creatures that had died frozen in the lake started turning into green particles.


    Most of them were pouring into Alex''s body since he had almost spent all his stockpile with everything that had happened. MingYue, on the other hand, still had plenty.


    But as both of them were busy doing this, they didn''t realize that part of the particles also started flowing toward the baby mermaid. It was to the point that the water turned green like it was a liquified form of life force.


    At first, it was only a small amount, but as time passed, the distribution started changing, skewed toward the baby. She took almost 60% of the life force.


    Qi, mana, and lifeforce started bursting out from MingYue''s body, intertwining together, then disappearing like it had never been there.


    It wasn''t that it had really gone; MingYue fused it all and then poured it into her golden core. It then started growing at unprecedented speed.


    Her soul floated in her inner world, seeing a huge transformation beginning to happen. The frozen world started changing. A lake appeared in the middle, with many lotus flowers made of ice on top of it.


    Snow with a pinkish hue fell from the sky, painting the land in exotic colors.


    Then, a crimson tree emerged from the land. It then started sprouting flowers that looked like lotuses. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mystic Integration Stage," MingYue mumbled, but she didn''t stop there.


    She started pouring her understanding of the elements into the world.

 Chapter 479 Another Avatar

    The land started turning into greenery while the frozen Qi floated upward, then gathered into something that looked like a moon.The pinkish snow stopped falling as the tree grew even larger and more robust. It grew in height and turned even more reddish in color like it was made of blood.


    Rain with a greenish hue then fell from the sky, bathing the world with life. New grass and plants sprouted left and right all over the green land.


    MingYue''s fingers moved, creating a rule in her world. She created a law of weather, making it alternate from rainy periods to dry, then winter when snow would fall.


    Outside, her body also started to change, just like the baby. Her skin fell away while new skin grew. The golden core also started changing from a sphere into liquid, which then started spreading all over her body.


    It began mixing with the vampire blood, putting it under its dominion. The progress was very smooth, making her lips curl into a smile.


    She had been stuck in the golden core realm for a long time despite her combat abilities already reaching the immortal realm.


    "If only I could do the same with vampire cultivation," MingYue mumbled with a sigh.


    She was now at the peak of the Heavenly Ascension Realm, going straight over three major realms and mastering 12 minor realms.


    Unfortunately, vampire cultivation needed time, and who knew how this transformation would affect it? For now, the vampire power was just a part of their cultivation.


    Her current power was off the charts. She was sure she could fight against immortals with no problem now.


    The rise of her realm allowed her Qi to rise to the same level as her vampire ability.


    MingYue opened her eyes, satisfied with the result.


    She could feel her body surging with more qi, raising the efficiency of her attack.


    Before making a move, she dominated it with blood, then boosted it with qi. But now, she could weave it together without even thinking.


    She then turned to Alex, wanting to tell him about her success.


    Even though he would possibly face Byakhee, MingYue didn''t think he would face any problems. He should have been able to pass through it smoothly, as it was a fight in his inner world.


    ''Seems it''s still going to take him some time,'' MingYue thought after seeing Alex sitting cross-legged with sweat dripping from his face.


    Based on his expression, it seemed like he was fighting against something. She sat by his side and wiped the sweat with her napkin.


    Meanwhile, inside Alex''s inner world, the place had completely changed. The crimson sea was parted, revealing a desolate ground. Alex wanted to use lifeforce to create vegetation when something came out from the depths of his soul.


    It was a shadow apparition, barely humanoid. Discover stories with empire


    ''Even now that it stands before me, I can''t feel anything. Just what is this creature?''


    The apparition just looked at him with an empty gaze, not making a move. But Alex knew if he continued the process, it would do something.


    He had also tried to attack it, but nothing worked, as if hitting an apparition.


    ''Should I try to cultivate again? But it''s too risky if it attacks when I do that.''


    After some more observation, Alex concluded that the creature was nothing more than a projection coming from the depths of the crimson sea. He looked down, thoughtful for a moment, then jumped down.


    Since it was his own inner world, the sea didn''t challenge him; it didn''t impede his movement, nor did he need to breathe inside.


    He quickly reached the crevice that should have brought him deeper, but now it was covered in some kind of black goo. It hadn''t been there when MingYue had come.


    MingYue had been more careful, but Alex, since it was his own world, started attacking it. He controlled the inner world. The crevice started moving, and vibrant flames flickered, burning the black goo.


    Smoke rose, followed by an otherworldly screech, and the black goo started contorting and gathering together.


    The black apparition floated down, fusing with it. The goo then transformed into a humanoid creature with four tentacles coming out of its back.


    It lashed out, destroying the area around it. But Alex didn''t attack it; instead, he went deeper into the lake. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could see a thin rope coming out from the creature, deep into his own consciousness. He followed the trail.


    The creature stopped its random attacks and swam after Alex. But the ground moved, blocking its path.


    It transformed into many giant fists, punching at him. The creature smashed its way forward, but this was more than enough for Alex to build up the distance between them.


    As he went deeper, the surroundings turned black, his head began to ache, and his body became translucent. He was not capable enough to look this deep into himself.


    Alex''s expression turned into a frown, and he stopped.


    "Kekeek, just give up, young progenitor. You cannot do anything now."


    The sound was different, but the tone was similar to Byakhee. Alex speculated it was another avatar that didn''t share memories with the main one.


    ''Does this mean it was implanted before that time?''


    Since his coming to this world was because of the incident in the spire, Alex felt that was the moment this avatar infiltrated his inner world.


    It had waited for the right moment to slowly go deeper into his soul.


    "Just what do you want, Byakhee?"


    "Keke, seeing you survived after knowing my name, it seems you are better than I expected. Alucard chose a good heir."


    Alex started retracing his path until the pain reduced and his body became clearer. He then looked around, searching for Byakhee, but other than the strange connection, he couldn''t find anything.


    Then, an idea came to his mind. Since he couldn''t reach it, he might as well bring Byakhee to him.


    Alex grasped the connection and started pulling it like yanking a chain.


    The water started to churn like it was boiling.

 Chapter 480 Real Goal

    The whole inner world began to shake. Alex felt something in his soul being torn, but he ignored it and kept pulling."S-stop it! If you do this, you''ll also hurt yourself."


    "Hurt me? So what if my soul tears a bit? I''ll just recover as time passes," Alex replied calmly.


    His soul wasn''t something that could be easily extinguished. Alex calmly judged that if he didn''t do this, Byakhee would keep infiltrating even further. Seeing the situation in his inner world, he suspected Byakhee''s goal was not just to disrupt the balance but to become the human part of Alex without him realizing it.


    Then, it would slowly corrupt his soul, turning him into another of Byakhee''s avatars.


    ''My emotions, he''s doing something to them.''


    Alex knew humans had done many weird things because of emotions. If Byakhee had manipulated them from the soul, he might as well have been better off without any.


    He had read many cases of humans, even after amnesia, still having the same emotions toward an individual, whether hate, love or even disgust.


    If Byakhee made Alex hate humanity or something similar, the result would be catastrophic.


    Cracks started to appear in the world as Alex exerted more strength.


    Outside, MingYue frowned as she saw Alex''s situation.


    His life force became unstable, and his qi flowed backward. It was like he was a demonic cultivator about to start a rampage.


    Worried, MingYue touched his shoulder. She entered his inner world.


    The sky was cracked like a shattered mirror, the island split in half. The crimson sea churned high like a storm was brewing.


    It wasn''t as bad as a fractured world, but MingYue could tell the inner world was being split apart. She leaped down, searching for Alex.


    Along the way, she could see a creature being held down by the earth. It fought back multiple times but was overwhelmed.


    In the end, the world was Alex''s, and he could easily use it to punish external beings. The real core of Byakhee was the only exception, as it was deep inside Alex''s soul.


    "Alex, what are you doing?" MingYue asked as she finally reached his location.


    "Tearing Byakhee from my soul. MingYue, help me," Alex said while exerting more strength.


    "No, are you nuts? Tearing your own soul is not just painful. It will have side effects."


    "Better than the alternative," Alex said with a flat tone.


    "Give me time, let me try first."


    Alex gave it some thought and then replied, "Be careful, MingYue. We don''t know what Byakhee is capable of. He could move to infect you." Your next chapter awaits on empire


    "He caught you off guard, Alex, and when Vesa wasn''t around."


    "That''s true, but still, be careful."


    Despite Alex saying it without emotion, MingYue could feel his concern, which made her smile. She replied with a nod and then jumped down through the crevice.


    Unlike Alex, she had no problem going deeper, as this was not her own inner world.


    She dove down, following the connection.


    The world changed to darkness, reminding MingYue of what had happened last time.


    She had been blocked by the guardian, but now, even after the situation had become like this, the guardian didn''t come out.


    ''Is it because Alex wants to tear his own soul? But this doesn''t make sense. Except¡­''


    MingYue then remembered the creature she had passed before; it looked like an apparition. The only difference was what strength was boosting it.


    This one was only Byakhee; last time, it was powered by Alex''s world as it was recognized as part of him.


    Knowing the gravity of the situation, MingYue raised her pace. Even she could tell now that Byakhee was trying to take over Alex''s body.


    ''Is this because everyone now knows Alex is the progenitor heir?''


    MingYue remembered how Alex had spread the news using the Felidaen messenger. In his words, since the higher-ups already knew, he might as well pull attention to himself.


    She didn''t know in detail how Alex had instructed the rumor to be spread, but it should have been done in a way that affected the higher-ups while it wasn''t spread to the public. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the end of the chain, deep inside Alex''s consciousness, passing through many of his memories, was a black slime covering a few large spheres.


    Each one was larger than those she had seen before. It was part of his most important memories that made Alex who he was.


    MingYue stopped and started observing the situation. If she acted carelessly, there was a risk of destroying these memories.


    ''Vesa! Tell me you have a solution. How could you not even realize this?''


    ''I''m sorry, Queen, but I don''t peek this deep into either of your souls. Those memories surrounded by Byakhee are the main ones that build up King''s personality.''


    ''Do you mean right now he''s forgotten all this?'' MingYue asked in disbelief.


    There were a few memories she recognized, one of them being their first meeting. There was also one where Alex was backstabbed by his friend. Each was a pivotal memory; if he really forgot them, many things wouldn''t make sense.


    ''King doesn''t forget them, but Byakhee''s influence has removed the emotional attachment impact from them. And it seems it''s trying to manipulate the memories.''


    ''Is that possible?''


    ''Manipulating memories is very possible, but manipulating one from the depths of the soul is something new.''


    Memories in the brain and memories in the soul were two different things, and what MingYue saw now was the latter.


    For example, if only the memory in the brain was manipulated to see MingYue as an enemy, Alex would still feel something was wrong deep inside.


    It would be like the memory wasn''t his, and something would bug him until he realized the truth. But if it was one from his soul, then he would never feel anything weird or strange.


    He would have zero suspicion.


    ''Their methods are becoming more sophisticated,'' Vesa said with worry.


    This was something even the progenitor of that time hadn''t achieved. It made her realize their preparation was nowhere near enough¡ªthey needed more.

 Chapter 481 Vesas Formation

    With how much time had passed, just how many breakthroughs had they achieved?This wasn''t counting the knowledge they''d created after experimenting wantonly without care for the losing species. With this kind of immoral experimentation, technological breakthroughs would be achieved faster.


    Feeling Vesa''s worry, MingYue frowned. ''Focus, Vesa, how do we expel Byakhee?''


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    ''Queen, he''s an avatar of an Outer God, which is what the old progenitors would call them. In the past, they were the real cause of the war between the progenitors. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I do know a few methods to expel them, but I don''t know how effective they are now. Worse, it could even reverse and make them stronger.''


    ''Outer God? They were what Alex''s father called Primordials. Tell me first how you''ll do it, then I''ll decide.''


    ''As the name suggests, Outer Gods are beings from outside this universe. With my Rune, it basically triggers the protection system of the universe.


    It''s like white blood cells trying to eliminate a virus or bacteria. Every universe has its own immune system.''


    ''I see. So, you mean Byakhee could have a method to bypass this and absorb the energy from the Rune?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''Do it. If Byakhee could do that, it would have already done it. Didn''t you also say Alucard has a protection method on us?''


    MingYue was still confused as to why it hadn''t triggered at all, even with the current situation. Just how much more dire did things need to get before it moved?


    ''I don''t know, Queen. That''s the arrangement of the old progenitor. As I said, he''s unique.''


    MingYue was still confused about how it hadn''t triggered at all, even with the current situation. Just how much more dire did things need to be before it moved?


    ''I don''t know, Queen, that is the arrangement of the old progenitor. As I said, he is unique. Who knows if there are no countermeasures at all?''


    ''Forget it, then. Prepare the formation, Vesa.''


    Outside, Vesa materialized and then started drawing the runes. She created multiple layered formations. The first one was to expel Byakhee, while a few more layers were added to capture and imprison him, as well as more countermeasures.


    Vesa went all out, as she wanted to capture the avatar if possible. At the very least, she wanted to extract all information from the avatar about what had happened the moment she was in slumber.


    One faction won, and the other lost, but this didn''t mean there was no more war in the span of many epochs. The appearance of an Outer God avatar this far away in the universe and the outer gate had already alarmed Vesa.


    She needed to know how far the conflict had gone and the possibility of what might happen if some of Alucard''s essence was taken by their enemy, completely absorbed, or decimated.


    Her fingers danced in the air, creating Rune after Rune. It was a very complex one that would even make Alex raise his eyebrow.


    After she finished, Vesa bit her own finger, letting her blood drip on the formation. A crimson aura with a greenish hue came out from her body, and it started activating the formation.


    Back inside, MingYue was still observing without doing anything. She was thinking of a backup plan if Vesa failed while discussing the matter with Alex, but they couldn''t find any agreement.


    Alex didn''t mind losing some of his memories, but MingYue didn''t want this. Any loss would result in a change of Alex''s personality, and she wanted the old Alex to be back.


    Eyes and a mouth then appeared in the black substance. "Stop what you are doing, or I will eat all these memories."


    The voice was otherworldly, filled with a mocking tone.


    But it was very effective. MingYue, in panic, told Vesa to stop.


    ''I am sorry, Queen, but I cannot stop it now.''


    Outside, the Rune started humming, then shot out energy toward Alex''s body. A green wave like an aurora spread across the sky of his inner world and then spread all over.


    The scar on his inner world started mending itself. The wave then spread out like a fog, falling down toward the ground and penetrating the sea without any resistance.


    Byakhee, feeling the energy, quickly retaliated. He exerted his strength, trying to destroy the memory. But it wasn''t that easy, as Alex also resisted.


    MingYue also moved forward, sending out her energy to protect it.


    "You think I didn''t expect that!?" Byakhee asked with a grin.


    He then focused all his strength on a random bubble, making it explode. The green wave arrived, spreading around Byakhee''s avatar.


    The moment it touched, a very dreadful presence started to spread out. It also came out into the real world. A strange thing then started to happen¡ªthe qi in the atmosphere began reacting as if it had a will.


    It began gathering, condensing into a huge fist. The energy it contained was so absurd that it quickly pulled the attention of all immortals in the world.


    The strength was such that even a touch could turn them into dust. Cold sweat covered their heads, making them freeze.


    Thankfully, this strength wasn''t sensed by those under immortal rank. Otherwise, it would have quickly turned the world upside down.


    The hand passed through the formation''s protection like it was nothing, but Vesa wasn''t surprised by this. The hand reached Alex''s back, and then he gripped something from inside of him.


    The black goo and Byakhee''s entire being were yanked out from Alex''s soul by the weird power.


    But MingYue and Alex didn''t have time to feel this strength. Alex was in shock. After the memory burst forward, he felt like something was torn from his body. As for MingYue, she used her energy, trying to save it all but failed.


    Instead, all the memories were absorbed into her mind. She was now in a trance, being in Alex''s position. Her soul was repelled out, returning back to her body.


    The moment Vesa saw Byakhee''s avatar come out from Alex''s body, she activated the other two formations. It cut the world completely, creating a small world.


    Vesa opened her mouth and then started suctioning toward Byakhee. She then started a tug-of-war with the hand.


    Byakhee was pulled in both directions, but the hand began losing, growing dim. The energy had started running out; it had expended a lot when removing Byakhee from Alex and more to subdue his power.


    Normally, it should have been able to recover quickly, but as it was in a completely sealed world, the hand couldn''t recover.


    But this didn''t mean everything was going smoothly. From outside, a huge amount of energy began gathering again, trying to attack the formation Vesa had made.

 Chapter 482 Immortals Gathering

    Seeing this, Vesa flew forward and chomped part of Byakhee''s avatar. She then activated the last part of the Rune, transporting Alex and MingYue with her back to the Blood Spire Citadel.Throughout all this, no one realized something else was happening. The mermaid baby had her eyes opened. She watched everything¡ªfrom the Rune that Vesa carved to the clash with that weird energy.


    Her fingers moved around like a baby crying, but if one looked carefully, it was like she was replicating the rune movements from Vesa.


    While Vesa was clashing with the energy, part of it also leaked out, getting absorbed by the mermaid baby. Her eyes turned the color of crystal blue, and her skin became smoother. Her fishtail also disappeared, replaced by humanoid legs.


    Her gaze reflected intelligence, not like that of a baby. It was as if she was deep in thought.


    After they disappeared, the hand quickly regained its strength and then started condensing before it imploded, returning the place to its peaceful silence.


    But it only lasted for a moment before a strong presence came toward the place again. It felt like a gaze from a very strong being. The next moment, a huge explosion of energy blew up the place.


    The island and lake were no longer to be seen. What was left was just a patch of land filled with spirit grass.


    Clara, who was trying to break through, now had blood on her lips as she looked toward the island''s direction with a frown. She was on the verge of breaking through, to finally take a step into that new realm, but then the energy came, surprising her.


    She wiped the blood from her lips, then mumbled, "Just what is that power? It feels very familiar. It''s like qi but denser, purer, and stronger."


    The same question also appeared in every immortal''s mind. Those with more experience in other types of energy could tell there was more to it. But each kept this information to themselves.


    Some of the brave ones left their clans and arrived at this place only to find a new patch of land. They looked at each other.


    "Do you have any idea?"


    "Hmph! What makes you think I''ll tell you? Did you forget what happened last time?"


    "Last time? Ahahah, Earth Immortal, you still remember that? It was like a hundred years ago."


    "A hundred years? So what? Even if it''s a thousand years, I won''t forget."


    "Tsk. Forget it. You''re as obnoxious as ever. What about you, Fire Immortal?"


    A woman with crimson hair looked at them. She let out a mysterious smile, and then her body turned into flames and disappeared.


    "What did I even expect from you guys?" the elderly man said while stroking his long beard.


    "You''re asking us? Aren''t you the one with the title Scholar Immortal? You should have some idea, right?"


    The Scholar Immortal grinned. "And why should I tell you, Sword Immortal?"


    "Pot calling the kettle black, and you wonder why so many hate you."


    "Haha, I''m just joking. This power is like you all felt¡ªa higher form of qi, one filled with the willpower of the Dao."


    "Dao? You can put it inside Qi?"


    In this world, Dao was seen as a theory of secret technique. No one had ever used it as power. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He''s just saying that to confuse you. Each theory is Dao, so what theory do you have?"


    "No, no, I don''t mean that Dao. I mean the will of the world." Read exclusive content at empire


    "Just say it¡ªHeaven''s Will. See, I told you he just wants to confuse us."


    "So uneducated, that''s why all of you should come out once in a while. We already agreed to call Heaven''s Will Dao for 53 years now," the Scholar Immortal said, but no one cared about it.


    "Heaven''s Will? It''s been a while since I heard about it."


    "It''s all rumors. Do any of you even see it with your own eyes?"


    "Scholar Immortal, have you ever met it?"


    "Heaven''s Will? Of course. Why do you think I reached this height? It''s all thanks to it."


    "Hmmm¡­ your ascension did come from nowhere. We always wondered what kind of lucky encounter you had. But why tell us now, then?"


    "Why should I be afraid? Since Heaven''s Will has made a move now, I''m sure things will change. All of you should feel it, too. Lately, many powers are moving.


    in the shadows."


    "Like those groups that formed the coalition? Those at the front line are also making their move."


    Sword Immortal''s eyes turned cold as he looked at the Scholar Immortal. He let out his sharp aura. "What do you mean by that?"


    "As part of the coalition, don''t you already know about it?" the Scholar Immortal replied with a smug smile.


    Sword Immortal didn''t say anything else. He took a step, then disappeared.


    "You said that on purpose, didn''t you? Why?"


    "Don''t you know the answer? We need to create our own group. Otherwise, there''s no way we can survive what''s coming next."


    "Tell us first. I think almost everyone knows Sword Immortal is part of the coalition. He tries to hide it, but we all know."


    "Well, his hatred for those on the front line is clear. That''s part of what motivates him to reach his current cultivation."


    "Yes, but he thinks no one knows. He''s probably returning now, trying to gather everyone and change his plan."


    "I don''t get it. His plan is already messed up with the newcomer."


    "Wait, is that newcomer related to this?"


    The Scholar Immortal grinned, then began telling some information and what he had planned.


    Meanwhile, MingYue now found herself looking at a young Alex. He was looking at the computer with dazed eyes, shocked at what he had just read.


    It was a novel, one with content that also made MingYue freeze in surprise, but she quickly recovered.


    ''Just what kind of book is Alex reading? People in his world really have infinite imagination, or should I say depraved?''

 Chapter 483 The Past? Memory?

    MingYue then looked around Alex''s room. It was different from the one she had come into before. She let out a sigh. She didn''t know if it was a blessing or a curse for these memories to disappear.These were the memories from when the incident happened when the Dragari attack on the city started. MingYue had heard about it many times from Alex. She also heard Emily''s version of it, but she always felt something was missing from both their stories.


    Alex always focused on how he could do better, just like Emily. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''At this time, both of them were still very young. Maybe there are some details they missed.''


    "Alex, are you still playing the game? Come here and play with your sister."


    A voice came from behind the door, followed by a knock.


    "Mom, just enter."


    The door opened, revealing Luca with a younger appearance, her face etched with a huge smile. The atmosphere was completely different from the one MingYue knew.


    "Well, last time I just entered, you know what happened," Luca said with a chuckle. But her expression quickly changed after seeing Alex''s face.


    "What happened?" she asked with worry.


    "Nothing, Mom, I just accidentally read something I shouldn''t have. So, what were you saying?"


    Luca felt curious. She turned her gaze toward the monitor, but Alex quickly turned it off. At this time, Alex didn''t know his mother had awakened, so he thought she didn''t see anything, but in reality, she did catch a glimpse of it.


    ''Omegaverse, what is that¡­? Doesn''t look like an adult story, hmm,'' Luca thought in her mind.


    "Well, Emily is looking for you. I know, at your age, you have certain interests now that need privacy, but share some time with her. You know she always wants to follow you around."


    Alex''s lips twitched, "I thought we agreed to never talk about it again. So, where is she?"


    "Well, she wants to go shopping at the mall. I told her to wait in the car."


    "Mall again? Why don''t you just go with her?" Alex said, complaining.


    He didn''t enjoy being in the mall at all, waiting while his sister shopped. It was very boring. Usually, he would just read a novel, but what he had read still traumatized him.


    "Then think of something fun both of you can do together. Anyway, just go quickly," Luca said while closing the door.


    Alex let out a sigh while MingYue looked at all of this with a smile. It had been a while since she had seen expressions on Alex''s face.


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    Alex then changed his clothes, making MingYue blush. She turned her gaze away, looking at the picture hanging on the wall. The picture changed every few seconds, mostly showing Alex with his family, but a few also showed his childhood photos with the guild members of Suzaku.


    MingYue frowned when she saw a picture with Olivia. She turned her gaze outside the window, looking toward the courtyard. The garden was bustling with many robots and staff maintaining it.


    ''Is this really just his memory? Why do I feel like I was transported to the past?''


    MingYue felt confused. Everything was so clear; she could even listen to the conversation of the maids.


    Some were gossiping, while others talked about how much they respected Luca and Edward''s family.


    She then followed Alex going to the mall. On the way, MingYue also focused her senses on listening to everyone around them. If it was only the maids, maybe Alex''s memory just rebuilt it based on speculation, but if it was real strangers, there was no way Alex could just speculate on it.


    "... can''t believe they raised the rent again. How are we supposed to afford this place next month?" a random man said.


    "...did you hear? She broke up with him again. Third time this year. I don''t even know why she keeps going back to him," a woman walking toward the grocery store said on her phone call.


    "Dude, if we skip class tomorrow, we can totally hit that new arcade. They have the real VR games now," a teenager said while laughing with their friend.


    "No, no, Coco, you can''t eat that! That''s not for you," a woman said, flustered, as she talked to her dogs.


    "Have you prepared everything? Remember, we need to leave before 3," a man wearing a suit said on his phone.


    The talk pulled MingYue''s attention, making her focus on his conversation.


    "But Honey, I just don''t get why you suddenly want to move? You even quit your job. How about the money?"


    "I cannot say it here; just listen to me." The man replied, then ended the call.


    Despite the world feeling like reality, MingYue here was like a ghost. She floated away from the car and moved toward the man.


    He had sharp features with a scar on his cheek. Now that she looked at him, MingYue realized there was an association logo on the briefcase the man held.


    ''He is not an awakener¡­''


    Feeling curious, MingYue then followed him. She speculated the man was working on some administrative job related to the guild.


    She first thought he would go home quickly since there was only an hour left till three, but to her surprise, he instead turned into an alley.


    The man walked to the end of the wall. He then looked around, making sure he was alone.


    After he was sure, the man took out an emblem from his pocket. It was carved like a magic circle with an eye in the middle.


    ''I feel like I''ve seen that before,'' MingYue put some thought into trying to dig through her memories.


    Her eyes lit up as she remembered that she had seen the logo on one of the documents in Alex''s office.


    ''I remember it''s a document about a mana cultivation system, etching a circle into their heart.''


    Alex had put some thought into it before but decided it wasn''t suitable for them.

 Chapter 484 Blood Ritual

    They already used mana and are integrating it with the cultivation system. Enjoy more content from empireAdding more use would just put more consumption on their current energy. It also didn''t add much benefit to their fighting style.


    Magic Circle on the Heart focused more on enhancing mana use to allow them to get more abilities, increase their fighting style, and give them more options.


    For normal awakeners, this gave many benefits, but for cultivators, it was pointless. They could already do this with Qi.


    The emblem let out a blue glow, then reacted with the wall. A door appeared, and the man entered, then it returned to its previous appearance.


    It was like the door had never been there, but this was not an obstacle for MingYue. She easily passed through it.


    Inside, she found a stairwell that led deeper underground. It also had many curves, then proceeded to a long tunnel that felt like a labyrinth.


    Even with her speed, it took her five whole minutes to reach the man again. MingYue speculated the badge also helped the man bypass the labyrinth, teleporting him directly to this location.


    The man was now talking in a weird language that MingYue had never heard. Usually, the system or Vesa would translate it, but now, neither of them is here. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue turned her focus to the room. It was quite large with a huge ceiling. The room itself was carved in a circular way, with the ceiling formed like a dome.


    There were twelve images, each depicting a weird beast, but one of them made MingYue frown.


    It was a swirling vortex in place of a face, where hundreds of glowing eyes peered out. The creature''s body was twisted, serpentine, with endless tendrils stretching into the void.


    It was like the creature was connected to the universe and could peer into it. This reminded her of Byakhee and the outer gate system.


    Underneath the dome, twelve people wearing different colored robes were gathered. They were kneeling down in prayer while circling around a magic circle.


    The circle was carved with many weird runes. In the middle of the circle, there was a disgusting glass jar filled with ten thousand eyeballs.


    There were also many living beings surrounding the glass jar. Their mouths were gagged, tears fell from their eyes, and their hands were tied.


    The majority of them were human, while the rest were species that MingYue didn''t recognize. A few looked like beastmen in her eyes, while she could even see some that were completely strange.


    A blue woman with four arms, a creature with four eyes and insect antennae that MingYue couldn''t describe the gender of.


    But she could tell none of them were here of their own will. They were kidnapped from dungeons and forced to be blood sacrifices in a ritual that would end in a long tragedy for the whole city.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing MingYue could do. She could listen and feel their presence, but she couldn''t do anything to affect this world.


    MingYue also tried using Qi and Life Force, but it was pointless. She was just here as a spectator.


    "I have done all you asked me to; now it''s time for your part."


    "Here, take it. Everything is in this suitcase."


    The one the man talked to was a human woman. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. There was nothing special about her.


    She looked like an average person one could find anywhere in Alex''s town. No one would ever think she was now leading a ritual that would plunge the whole town into hell.


    The man put down his suitcase, then took the one from the woman. He opened it, and inside, MingYue could see stacks of cash and a pile of high-quality mana crystals.


    The value was more than enough to settle a normal person''s life for many generations.


    His lips curled into a smile, satisfied with the reward. He closed the suitcase and then asked, "Are you staying here?"


    "Have you ever heard this saying, ''Curiosity killed the cat?''" The woman replied with a mysterious smile. But her eyes glinted dangerously.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll go now. It''s nice working with you, and I hope I never meet you all again."


    The man then quickly left the place.


    After he left, the woman''s smile disappeared. "Hmph, what an ignorant sheep. He thinks he''ll be safe after getting involved with all this."


    She then turned her gaze back to the circle, "And those stuck-up old geezers, just wait. You all chose to sell my hard work to the association despite my rejection. You will all pay for it."


    The woman then let out a deranged laugh, "Everyone will pay for it."


    What happened next was a sequence of boring rituals that looked like a religious prayer. It took her half an hour until she finished. An eerie red aura then came out from her body. She opened her palm, and eight magic circles suddenly appeared in the air.


    They then started resonating with the magic circle. The whole space began to vibrate, and with the intensity, MingYue could tell it would affect the whole city.


    The magic circle then started glowing with red energy. The many sacrifices turned into puddles of blood, leaving only their eyes rolling on the ground.


    The glass jar then exploded. A strange energy started coming out, one that MingYue recognized.


    It was very similar to the energy from the Byakhee avatar that had just exploded from Alex''s body.


    Each of the eyeballs then turned into white liquid and began moving to the center like it was alive. It started contorting and mixing together, and the space then started to distort.


    After all the liquid gathered, it floated in the air, turning into one huge eyeball. The moment it appeared, the space was torn, showing the void behind it.


    A void that MingYue recognized as she had fallen into it before. She almost lost her life if not for the protection, and she was chosen as the progenitor.

 Chapter 485 It Started

    The woman then let out a deranged laugh. Her hands danced in the air, creating magic circle after magic circle.The void started moving into many different worlds, one filled with toxic swamps, another filled with crystal. It kept moving until finally, it settled in front of a city with a huge gate.


    In front of the gate, MingYue could see hundreds of Dragari lined up, wearing fully armored gear.


    In front of the squad, there were a dozen elite Dragari, each of them giving off strength similar to the Dragari MingYue faced at the spire.


    "Finally!"


    The woman''s hand moved again, casting out a grand spell. This time, smoke started coming out from the eyes as if they were being sacrificed.


    "The All-Seeing Eye that pierces through the veils of time;


    The Infinite Watcher beyond the realms of light and shadow;


    Find exclusive stories on empire


    The Weaver of Realities who binds the threads of every world."


    It started shrinking in size to the point it became as small as a normal eyeball. Mingyue recognized it. That was the eye that Alex found in the spire.


    The eye then moved around like it was alive, locking on the woman.


    An otherworldly voice reverberated in the air. "Puny human, what do you wish for? Why did you summon me?"


    "I want a way to gain more strength."


    The eyeball gazed deeply, observing the woman. "A mana power system. I will send you to a world where it flourishes. How much you gain will depend on yourself. Do you accept?"


    "Yes. How about the payment? Is it sufficient?"


    "The soul is more than enough. There are more coming anyway," the otherworldly voice replied with a chuckle.


    It then shone, shooting out energy toward the woman. In the next moment, it was as if the woman was never there.


    The eyeball then turned its attention toward the Dragari army behind the tear. It moved, phasing through it.


    Mingyue couldn''t hear what happened in there. She could try to pass through the tears to the Dragari world, but she didn''t want to take the risk. Now, there was something else she wanted to find out¡ªwhat really happened on Alex''s side.


    The current information was already more than enough for her to get a picture of the cause.


    The woman paid corrupt officials and used others'' personal interests to make this blood sacrifice. With this knowledge, Alex would be able to make a list of potential enemies and then investigate them for a clearer picture.


    The perpetrator was also still alive; they could look for them in the future.


    Mingyue phased through the wall and then used her senses to look for Alex.


    On the street, panic and chaos had already ensued. Mingyue now understood why the city was quickly taken down.


    With the huge earthquake, many buildings collapsed, and people were in a panic, running away while sirens blared on the street. Unlike other cities, awakeners here often helped civilians.


    This was because of the Suzaku Guild''s influence¡ªthose with great power had greater responsibility.


    Every awakener who folded their hands in an incident of this scale would be blacklisted by the guild, making their life harder to the point they would need to move to another city.


    Usually, it wasn''t a big problem for awakeners like them, but they had friends and family who were normal people, and this city was rare in that they could live safely without worrying about being bullied by awakeners.


    The price of goods also made sense¡ªit wasn''t sky-high, allowing people to live in prosperity. This was all thanks to the Suzaku Guild. It made them heroes in the eyes of normal people but an eyesore for the elites. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though all subsidies came from Suzaku''s own pocket and Edward''s genius strategy, it raised a question among the people: why couldn''t other cities follow suit?


    It wasn''t to the point of rebellion, but it still raised dissatisfaction, while some vocal ones would complain in public.


    "With how scattered they are, no wonder they got caught off guard. The Dragari came in full force while the awakeners here fought with many burdens," Mingyue mumbled as she saw most of the awakeners were alone, only a few in groups of two or three.


    She was sure they would all be massacred easily once the Dragari emerged. Reaching the mall, her eyes widened as she saw part of it had collapsed.


    Alex and Emily were on top of the ruin, helping with the evacuation and trying to pull away the rubble.


    "Any awakeners here? We need those with earth or telekinesis abilities!"


    But before anyone could answer, another earthquake hit, this time followed by a strange phenomenon¡ªthe rubble started floating. People could feel the gravity in the area getting weaker.


    One of the awakeners quickly frowned. She then warned, "Careful, this is a sign of a dungeon appearing."


    But before anyone could respond, a scream reverberated in the air. "KYAAA!!! Help!"


    "Monsters! They are coming, quick, run!"


    "Someone call the Hunter Association!"


    "Nooo! My son! They are eating my son!" A woman screamed, her voice tinged with sadness and desperation.


    "Don''t panic! Everyone, we have protocols in place¡ª"


    BAM! The awakener''s head exploded like a watermelon before he could even finish his words. He then fell to the ground with a thud.


    A Dragari with crimson scales stood, his hands dyed with the man''s blood and brain matter. He then put it into his mouth like eating a delicacy.


    "Exquisite. Your kind is really good to be reared as our food," he said with a menacing gaze.


    "We are not your food!" young Alex shouted, without any fear. He then rallied the survivors. "Those that cannot fight, evacuate to the bunker. Those that can stand and face him."


    This was part of the protocol created by the association.


    At first, it was just the usual: move to a safe location, keep level-headed, and follow guidance to ensure effective and efficient movement.


    However, through many cases like this one, the association perfected the protocol.

 Chapter 486 Overwhelmed

    Now, all combatants needed to face their enemy. This was the best method with the highest survival rate. Running away was just showing their backs to the enemy, allowing them to be massacred.But if people who could fight decided to face the enemy, even if the odds were against them, this would still give more time for the others to escape. There was also a chance for civilians to awaken their powers in desperate situations.


    This had happened a few times¡ªin fact, many of the strongest awakeners got their powers this way, just like Luca and Edward.


    But data and logic didn''t exist in situations like this. People followed their emotions and instincts to survive.


    Everyone quickly ran, even some of the awakeners. Only those who became hunters and a few civilians chose to stay.


    This civilians surprised Alex; he thought they would also leave. He didn''t understand why they chose to stay, but now wasn''t the time to think about it. Alex then started giving them orders.


    Everyone knew he was Edward''s son, and his abilities were a public secret. Many awakeners knew about it, so they followed his orders.


    The group moved swiftly, executing his commands. Alex ordered the experienced hunters to attack the enemy first while the others would support from a distance.


    Even though they barely knew each other, Alex knew each of their abilities just from their faces. This allowed him to order them very efficiently, taking into account their powers.


    One of them had earth abilities, while another had wind. They were C-rank level awakeners.


    This was also why Alex asked for these types of powers earlier; he knew these two were there.


    The earth user was ordered to create a shield to block attacks, while the wind user was to target the Dragari''s eyes, smell, and hearing. He could mix wind with sand and dust to block the eyes, while the pressure of the wind disturbed the hearing and smell.


    Unfortunately, no matter how good the strategy was, with their difference in power, it was pointless. To Alex''s horror, it only took a moment for all his efforts to be stopped.


    It took just one swipe from the Dragari, and all of them were cleaved in two. The only reason Alex survived was because Emily pulled him down just in time.


    The slash passed barely through his head. It wasn''t that Emily was better than Alex at this time; she just focused all her attention on their safety.


    The moment she sensed danger, Emily pulled Alex down even before the Dragari made his move.


    She then pushed Alex away to escape.


    Unfortunately, there was no way the two of them could outrun this Dragari.


    "Oh, what do I have here? Two brats that can fight back a little. You dodged that? Interesting. Now try dodging this one!" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment the words fell, Dragari suddenly appeared inches away from Alex. He punched Alex right in the stomach, making him fall to the ground. The pain was so unbearable that Alex felt dizzy.


    But he knew the only reason he was still alive was because the Dragari found them amusing. The Dragari then threw a kick toward Emily, but when it hit, the Dragari didn''t feel any impact.


    Instead, Emily turns into a silhouette and disappears as if she were just a mirage.


    The Dragari''s lips turned into a grin, showing an array of sharp teeth. He then turned around to look at Emily, but Alex raised his hand, grasping the Dragari''s leg.


    He clenched as hard as he could, then taunted, "You damn lizard, you think you can beat us humans! You are just a lower, imperfect being!"


    Alex''s taunt worked. The Dragari''s face turned to anger. This made him feel a little sense of achievement. He didn''t know they were Dragari¡ªa half-breed dragon. He just thought they looked like dragons, and based on novels he had read before, dragons usually had high pride.


    That was why he decided to say those words. Finding it worked made Alex feel a bit proud since it meant all the time he spent reading novels was worth it. Not like how many others said it wasn''t.


    The Dragari raised his leg, trying to kick Emily, but hit nothing.


    Her body was now just a silhouette, disappearing like a mirage.


    Then, a blinding light spread across the place, followed by a loud crash and boom.


    Some buildings that survived the earthquake were pierced through. A few were unlucky enough that the main pillars were hit, causing the buildings to crumble under their own weight.


    Thankfully, most of the buildings were already empty due to the earthquake. Only a crazy person would stay inside a skyscraper after such a huge quake.


    Emily''s hands were covered in dissipating light while it passed through Dragari''s stomach.


    Her face quickly turned pale from the energy usage. Alex, who had recovered some of his strength, stood up and pulled the dazed Emily away.


    This was the first time she had used her whole strength to attack a monster. Emily used it by changing part of her hand into light while leaving her fingernail in physical form.


    The result was a light-speed fingernail that even destroyed a few buildings like a railgun. The only problem was this move also harmed her petite body. The fingers she used turned bloody as part of the nails disappeared.


    Emily was shocked by the result. Her eyes looked past the hole in Dragari''s body toward the collapsed buildings. She was in shock, wondering how many lives she had taken in that one move.


    But the next thing she knew, the sky had turned upside down. Alex carried her on his shoulder and escaped. He suspected the Dragari wouldn''t die from just this attack.


    And his suspicion was right¡ªthe wound quickly healed, and the Dragari didn''t even flinch. Instead, it looked at them with more interest.


    But before he could make any move, the ground in front of him exploded into a crater.

 Chapter 487 Eria

    The Dragari, which had now already recovered, didn''t go after Alex and Emily.He looked at Ariadne, "Seems there is someone worth fighting in this place."


    "Too much talking! I honestly pity your fate, but who knows, I won''t even remember what happened."


    Ariadne''s body then started transforming; her other hand grew larger, and her teeth turned razor-sharp.


    The dragari wanted to say more words, ridiculing her current absurd appearance, but his appearance quickly turned serious as he lost a chunk of his flesh.


    His shoulder was now empty; Ariadne had bitten through his armor like it was a piece of tofu.


    The wound had already started regenerating, but Ariadne made another attack.


    She leaped once more, this time completely cutting through the dragari''s hand.


    "Dammit!" the dragari cursed. He knew he was not a match for Ariadne in this situation.


    She was fighting like a wild beast with pure, raw strength.


    "I don''t like to do this, but it seems I have to."


    The dragari took out a pill from his pouch. It was red in color and covered with scales.


    After eating it, his body started growing in size. He stood on four legs with huge wings flapping out. He turned into something that looked like a dragon and then let out a roar.


    Just like Ariadne, his reptilian eyes didn''t show any intelligence.


    Fire shot out from his mouth, melting everything it passed through. The buildings made of concrete crumbled down as their integrity was destroyed.


    The road made of asphalt turned into a bubbling liquid like hot lava. In the middle of it, Ariadne stood with half her body burned down. But she didn''t even flinch. It was like she didn''t feel any pain.


    The wound quickly healed, regrowing new body parts. This time, it was covered with crimson scales just like the ones the dragari had. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She pointed her draconic hand forward, and then a fireball shot out from it. It shot toward the dragari''s huge eyes and then exploded.


    BOOM!!!


    Despite having strong fire resistance, the dragari roared in pain. His large tail then swept toward Ariadne.


    But she leaped upward, dodging it. Her shirt then tore on the back as two pairs of draconic wings came out.


    Her body was then covered in fire as she shot toward the dragari''s chest at supersonic speed. A hole appeared where his heart should be, and it then ignited with fire, burning through his innards.


    Ariadne, overwhelmed by beastly instinct, moved and started finishing off the dragari, eating him from the inside out.


    Meanwhile, Alex and Emily were already a distance away from the clash. MingYue also followed beside them, not watching the fight. The winner was already clear to her since Ariadne had survived.


    Staying further would just give her knowledge of Ariadne''s fighting style and power, something she was not interested in.


    The chaos turned into pandemonium, making the place feel like hell. It was a scene that made MingYue frown.


    It wasn''t that she was surprised by the cruelty; it was just that she had seen Alex''s world before, and it was very orderly. But now, there was no order; everyone was out to save their own skin.


    She had seen a wife sacrifice her own husband, or the reverse, to escape from the dragari. Despite knowing what fate would happen to them, no one cared.


    Meanwhile, Alex and Emily tried to save as many people as they could.


    As they kept moving, a group of people followed behind them, from normal civilians to Awakeners and Hunters. They felt it was safer to stay together in a group.


    But this also came with its problems. As more people gathered together, they pulled more attention. A squad of dragari soldiers raised their weapons, blocking their path.


    Thankfully, none of them was as strong as the last one they had faced. This time, with Alex''s orders, their coordination was enough to keep them at bay.


    Guns were fired in the air, followed by explosions of elemental abilities. The place was lit with fireworks, but even with this, they barely managed to keep up.


    MingYue could already tell that the other places would have a lot of casualties. Probably the only safe place other than this was the one where Edward and Luca were.


    Or other high-ranking members of the Suzaku guild, but MingYue doubted they were separated, except for the really strong ones like Sylva.


    The fight raised in intensity as they started getting pushed back.


    "Brother, do you have any idea? Maybe we should¡­"


    "Don''t even think about it, Emily. We cannot just leave these people out. And based on my calculation, I am sure someone will come after us soon."


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "I don''t even need to use my ability. Do you see Aunt Ariadne? With her here, the other guild members should also make a move."


    A realization then came to Emily. She just wanted to ask for more information when Alex said, "Look, they''ve come."


    A group of Hunters cut their path through the dragari. With their maneuver, Alex already knew who was coming.


    Boom! A shockwave exploded, sending the dragari soldiers into the air.


    A burly, middle-aged man with afro hair came out with a grin on his face.


    "Uncle Orion! Jasper!" Emily called out.


    "Did you forget about me, Emily?"


    "Of course not, Aunt Eria. Thanks for coming for us."


    "Don''t mention it. Follow me. Orion and Jasper will take care of the rest."


    Eria was a young woman with green hair, and her body was petite, but those who knew her wouldn''t dare to underestimate her. She was one of the rare Awakeners with an S-grade telekinesis ability.


    A group of dragari soldiers jumped toward Eria, but she didn''t even move. They stopped halfway in the air before suddenly throwing up blood and falling to the ground.


    Those without mana or similar special abilities to create a barrier were easy targets for Eria.


    Even if they had one, if it wasn''t overwhelmingly strong compared to Eria''s power, it would be pointless.

 Chapter 488 The Mayor

    Eria could focus her ability, making it a concentrated attack to pierce through her enemy''s barrier. Her only weakness was if she was overwhelmed by enemies or if the opponent was of a physical type that could move very fast, engaging her in direct combat.To use telekinesis, she needed time to focus her mind and then choose her target. The time may be as short as one second, but in direct combat, it would be enough to cause her a fatal wound.


    "With Eria, I can rest easy. Go quickly and tell Edward he can leave the rest to us," Orion said confidently as he pulverized another dragari.


    The group''s strength surprised MingYue, making her wonder how strong the dragari were at their peak.


    The dragari king that Alex had beaten was in his inner world and nerfed by Edward''s machination. He may have thought he became stronger, but in reality, he was far weaker. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''The one leading this invasion is a dragari general. It should be stronger than the one I faced before. In that case, it makes sense they''re getting beaten up.''


    There was also the stamina factor and the hostages. MingYue thought if the Suzaku guild focused on escaping, this force would not be enough to stop them. In that scenario, the civilians would not become a burden for them to rescue. Instead, they would become bait, giving them more time.


    But there was no way Edward and Luca would ever do this. It was against their convictions.


    Emily and Alex''s bodies floated, and they then flew with Eria, taking no time to reach Luca and Edward. On the way, their faces grimaced as they saw the city in chaos. Occasionally, there would be people they knew lying on the ground, lifeless, or asking for help.


    "Brother¡­" Emily said with a heavy heart.


    "I''m really sorry, but there''s nothing we can do."


    Hearing their conversation, Eria interjected, "There is something you can do. Remember all of them, carve this event into your heart, then find a way to gain strength. Never forget there is more you can do if you have more power."


    The words reverberated in Alex''s and Emily''s hearts. They had heard Eria''s past from Luca.


    She was a victim of a dungeon break, awakening her power while escaping. She often told people she was a coward who left her own family for dead, but in reality, it was her family that pushed her to leave.


    This weighed on her heart, burning her ambition to become stronger.


    They then arrived at Suzaku guild HQ. Luca was busy giving aid to the people who were now gathered in the courtyard.


    Knowing their mother, Alex knew this meant the whole building was already packed to the brim. Otherwise, there was no way his mother would let people camp outside.


    "Mom!" Emily screamed, then ran toward Luca, hugging her.


    "It''s been hard on you, sweetie," Luca said warmly while patting her head. She then turned her gaze toward Eria, "Thank you. Edward is looking for you up there."


    Eria frowned, "I told you, no. Both of you should be the ones bringing your kids out, and there is no way I can escape again."


    "It''s not escaping, Eria." Luca then let out a sigh, "And believe me, there is nothing I wish more than to bring both of them out here myself."


    "After Ariadne and Orion return here, we will go to look for the dungeon entrance. This is final, Luca."


    "So you''re saying you will not listen to the guild leader''s order?" Luca replied with a stern gaze.


    "¡­."


    "Fine, I will go. But Orion and the others already agreed to this. Kane should also return soon with the experimental airplane. When that time comes, you will board it with some of the refugees." Eria replied as she entered the guild complex.


    Luca let out a sigh. She then told Alex to help around the camp and asked what had happened to Emily. She chose this because she could see Emily was shaken while Alex was still calm.


    If possible, she would want to comfort both of them, but the situation now wouldn''t allow it. They didn''t have the luxury to take a break.


    She had already compromised by not going to the frontlines, as she wanted to ensure Alex''s and Emily''s safety.


    MingYue looked around the camp with a frown. The people were in panic. Some Hunters could be seen giving out instructions to Awakeners. The guild members, meanwhile, were busy giving out aid while a few of them created new construction around the guild, turning it into a fortress.


    ''It seems something else happened before Alex escaped the place. Otherwise, Edward should have gone with them.''


    Curious, MingYue floated, phasing through the building. She followed Eria, reaching Edward''s office.


    Inside, he was busy having a debate with two guild members and, based on appearances, a person who was probably the mayor of the city.


    "We VIPs should go first. What do you mean you will prioritize the women and children?"


    "This is non-negotiable. As people with power, we should be the last ones to evacuate."


    "What power!? I am just a normal person. Me staying here will just complicate matters!"


    "Hmph! As you said, you are just a normal person. Then your life is not more important than every single life here," Eria said with a sharp gaze.


    The mayor stayed silent. Eria''s temper was already famous in the city.


    "Be more polite, Eria."


    "Whatever you say, boss. So why are you calling me here!? I thought we had already agreed. You and Luca should evacuate first. As for the dungeon raid, we will take care of it."


    "What!?" The mayor''s eyes widened, hearing Eria''s words. "You hypocrite. So you planned to leave first all this time while preaching to me!?"


    Edward glared at Eria, but she didn''t care. Instead, she said with spite, "What is even the problem? If you want to escape, we can easily add one more person. Just put him in the cargo bay.


    Except you want to bring your hundreds of mistresses, then no wonder the boss rejected your request."

 Chapter 489 Capture

    "What mistress!? Be careful with your tongue, miss. I just want to bring my wife and child.""Again, which child? The legitimate one only? Or everyone!?"


    Eria really hated the mayor of this city. He was part of the problem that often blocked their path, making things harder just for the sake of it.


    Although the mayor would defend himself, saying it was for money, in Eria''s eyes, that was just bullshit. He was already rich enough to last for seven generations.


    "You rude woman!"


    "What, have nothing else to say!? I will admit I am rude, and you are more than amazing compared to me. You barely have the stamina to walk up two sets of stairs, but you have enough to sire hundreds of children. Even a goblin would bow down to your prowess."


    Her lips then curled into a smirk, "Oh yeah, I forgot you take Bloom."


    Bloom was a potent drug made from a rare gland found in adult male goblins. Although it''s named a gland, in fact, it was just an extra testicle. It usually appeared from goblins that had lived past 30 years of age, a rare feat for their kind, which only had a 25-year lifespan.


    The extra balls were removed, ground, and then put in tightly sealed vials. They were then left to ferment for 28 days while gradually mixed with other chemicals to enhance their properties.


    This Bloom was very expensive and said to be addicting. Not only did it raise one''s stamina, but it also increased one''s sensitivity, enhancing their pleasure.


    But rumors said it had a side effect, one that made the user into a retard.


    This gave the drug bad popularity, and people judged those using it.


    Hearing her words, the other guild members held their laughter, but they were not fooling anyone with how they acted.


    The mayor''s face turned red in anger, and he stomped his feet, then said, "I don''t care anymore! I will go and ride the airplane; just try and stop me!"


    Experience tales with empire


    "Satisfied?" Edward asked Eria with a resigned sigh.


    "Hmph! He deserved it. Does he think we don''t know where he got the Bloom from?


    Just for that drug, we failed to completely kick out those ruffians."


    The ruffians Eria meant were members of a dark guild, like Hell Gate. They were the ones selling illegal products to elite civilians.


    Normally, items made from monsters or dungeons would not be sold to the public. Only dark guilds would try to sell this to gain more influence and funds. Another possible source was a rogue hunter, but considering the earnings and benefits they got, the loss outweighed the gain.


    So Eria was sure, even without concrete evidence, that the mayor had a hand with those criminals.


    "That reminds me, how is their movement?"


    "Oh, boss, you don''t need to worry. I killed them all," Eria replied with a satisfied smile.


    Edward''s lips twitched, but he didn''t say anything further. In the past, he had also considered just killing them all, but they didn''t have any concrete evidence.


    Without it, Edward didn''t dare to do anything rash. There were many enemy factions out there that would take any opportunity to attack them, but now, this didn''t matter at all. As the dungeon break happened, he could just say they died from the dragari.


    "How about the evidence?"


    "Don''t worry, boss. I made sure to throw each of them to the dragari army. They are useful bait." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The dragari¡­" Edward''s expression turned serious. "It''s not that I don''t trust you guys, but the dragari are not to be underestimated. I have heard many dungeon dives failed because of their dungeons."


    "It''s them, not us. Boss, have you forgotten our success rate? Honestly, if not for the civilians, we shouldn''t be pushed this far."


    Edward knew she was right. Many of the guild members were now scattered around. Only the truly strong could fight their way to return here, while the rest¡­


    Thinking about it made Edward''s heart heavy.


    He wanted to say more, but the ground suddenly vibrated. Turning his gaze to the window, he saw the airplane being hunted by several transformed dragari.


    It maneuvered, avoiding the attack, making one of the projectiles land on the guild. Thankfully, the protection system kicked in, creating a barrier that blocked it.


    "Eria."


    "On it, boss." Eria then jumped out of the window.


    She floated in the air, fighting against the dragari. Using her ability, Eria also helped the hunters and awakeners to float in the sky, clashing against them.


    The private plane then landed. As it was created with hovering technology, it didn''t need a big area to do this.


    The ground was cleared out of people, while some of the security created a man-made wall to make sure they were in queue. The mayor was there with his family, bringing in a total of five people.


    MingYue, seeing this, frowned. It didn''t match Alex''s story. She remembered him saying her sister used all her strength to the point she collapsed.


    ''Did he not escape using this airplane?''


    She then turned her gaze toward the sky. The fight was one-sided.


    Eria''s ability allowed them to completely overwhelm the enemy. Not long after, the dragari fell down. It then hit the barrier and bounced away from the guild area.


    Finished, Eria then looked at the queue of people, her lips curling into a grin. She flicked her finger.


    A few moments ago, the governor was debating with Alex.


    "Sir, I am sorry, but you cannot just bring dozens of people to enter here. There is a queue."


    "Who do you think you are to block my path?"


    Luca was still busy comforting Emily, so she didn''t know about this situation. When the dragon came, she brought Emily inside the building.


    It''s not that she was afraid or felt any danger. She knew the Suzaku Guild''s capabilities. She just didn''t want Emily to see more conflict and bloodshed.


    "I am sorry, Sir, but you are not on the list. Who I am doesn''t matter; you cannot just force your way in. If the plane is overweight, it will be dangerous."

 Chapter 490 Killed

    As Alex rarely came out, the mayor didn''t recognize him. He was still angry with what happened at Edward''s office. Thinking Alex was nobody, he decided to vent."How dare you, peasant!" The mayor said angrily, then raised his hand.


    The young Alex saw it coming. He could dodge, but at this moment, he was not sure if it was the right choice.


    If he fought back, the mayor would get angrier, and things would escalate, but this didn''t mean he would just accept being slapped for no reason.


    While he was deciding, the mayor''s palm suddenly stopped. His body then floated in the sky, making him scream in fear.


    Eria''s lips curled into a wicked smile, "Sir, you are hurting the only son of my guild master''s family. Based on the association regulation, everything that happens on guild grounds falls under the guild''s rules.


    No matter your status, what you do should be punished. You will be detained until peaceful times for further judgment."


    "Mhmm¡­ mmmm¡­"


    The mayor tried to speak, but he couldn''t move his jaw or his tongue. It was being pressured by Eria''s telekinesis.


    She then looked down toward the mayor''s family, "Do any of you disagree? If not, you can board the plane."


    Alex frowned hearing this, but he believed Eria should have some solution. There was no way his partner agreed for some civilian to be switched out for the mayor''s family.


    The mayor quickly turned to panic. He began wobbling in the sky, gesturing for help from his own family. Unfortunately, everyone, even his own wife, just turned their gaze away.


    Then, with a resolute move, the wife brought the family to the back of the queue. It was clear the mayor had been abandoned.


    ''Bastard! Ungrateful!!! If I knew this, I should have left first!'' The mayor cursed, complaining in his mind.


    MingYue, looking at this happening, stared at the mayor with some thought. With how things progressed so far, it was hard to believe the mayor knew nothing of the incident. Normally, he should have escaped, but that would be too risky.


    MingYue didn''t know the mayor''s habits, but based on her knowledge, moving out of the city was never done without a real reason. There was a lot of danger involved with the current world situation. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From assassination to monster attack, the mayor was someone who always prioritized his own safety. If he somehow went out, then this incident happened. He would be held responsible.


    She could already guess what kind of punishment would be given to a traitor of humanity who caused a dungeon break on purpose. It''s not like this had never happened before.


    What happened was a brutal medieval punishment done to serve as a warning to everyone. An endless public torture where he would be kept alive as long as possible.


    Because of this, MingYue suspected the mayor decided to take a gamble so he could escape the invasion.


    ''It''s unfortunate he''ll probably die here. Otherwise, Alex should be able to get more information in the future.''


    The evacuation then proceeded smoothly without Alex and his family boarding it. As the plane left, a dark-skinned man with sharp features came toward Alex.


    "Uncle Kane."


    "Alex, come follow me. We have another plane waiting for you and the guild master."


    When Kane went to take this plane, he realized there was a better one in the hangar. It was smaller in size but more than enough to carry 20 people. After some thought, he decided it was better to bring Edward''s family there.


    This way, there would also be no bad rumors spread about the guild in case some of the survivors talked about them escaping first. More than this was Edward and Luca''s personality. He knew how fervently they would reject being prioritized in the evacuation.


    They would want one of the guild members to bring their son and daughter out of the city while they stayed to join the dungeon dive.


    But this time, none of the guild members agreed. They were not dumb. They knew this break was not natural at all. Every single incident like this always spelled human intervention, probably related to the dark guild.


    Eria also had the same suspicion as MingYue, which was why she found the opportunity to abduct the mayor.


    Because of all of this, they knew the situation was really dangerous. There was a big chance they would not get out of it alive.


    An ambush from monsters and humans at the same time while they were burdened with whole civilian lives in the city as hostages.


    Kane brought Alex inside to meet up with Luca and Emily. They exchanged some talk, then waited for Edward to finish his meeting.


    MingYue, meanwhile, followed the mayor. He was brought to an underground room, then put in chains. There was one guild member standing guard. She first thought he would also be the one to get more information from him, but to her surprise, Edward came to the basement.


    His expression was completely different now. If he had been understanding and warm before, Ming Yue could now see anger and killing intent in his eyes.


    "Leave us. Make sure no one enters," Edward ordered.


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    "Yes, Guild master."


    Edward came closer to the mayor, then pulled his mouth gag down.


    "What is the meaning of this, Edward!? Are you rebelling against the association!?"


    Edward responded to his words with a harsh punch to his face.


    "You know I don''t care how you act toward me, but I hear you tried to raise your hand to my son. For that alone, you deserve death, Mayor.


    But it''s not only that. We lack time here, you know."


    A strange energy then came out from Edward as he looked at the Mayor, staring into his eyes, "Did you have a hand in this incident!?"


    "No! I¡­" the mayor''s voice trailed off as suddenly his face turned blue. His body then suddenly started to bulk up like it was going to explode.

 Chapter 491 One Month

    "Tch!!!" Edward snorted in annoyance. He stomped his foot on the ground, and then a mechanism started activating in the room. A barrier appeared, sealing the mayor.The barrier then vibrated a bit as it contained the explosion.


    Edward then looked at the remains. He could see a weird worm wiggling around before it completely died.


    "This method¡­ this means they are involved for sure, but anyone can buy this parasitic bug from them," Edward said with a frown. The information didn''t confirm anything new for him.


    It just meant the perpetrator had the resources to procure the bug, but at the same time, it was already clear how they could create a dungeon break under his nose. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bug was famously used by dark guilds and associations alike. Its name was Blastmaggot. Just like the name, it could explode inside someone''s body when it was triggered.


    The trigger could be set using mana and a specific method. Edward himself didn''t know the details of this since he abhorred this kind of action. But he knew for sure this wasn''t that useful against Awakeners.


    Depending on their ability, they could even manipulate the worm.


    ''It seems the mayor doesn''t even know Blastmaggot is in his body. With how cautious he was, there''s no way he agreed to this.''


    Edward then let out a deep sigh. He came out of the room and told the one guarding it to clean up inside and evacuate.


    But MingYue didn''t quickly follow after him. She looked at the remains, seeing the bug with a frown. She recognized it.


    ''Isn''t this bug from the Gu clan? I remember seeing this before.''


    The Gu clan was an ancient family MingYue had crossed paths with in the past. They never interfered in conflicts but often appeared as merchants.


    They could smell conflict and had a great intelligence network. When you had a need for it, they would come and offer their service, selling many kinds of bugs. This was not limited to just cultivators; they often also appeared in front of civilians.


    The payment would then differ for each person. Sometimes, they were asked to do tasks, while others had to pay with resources or even future favors.


    ''At that time, they offered me a method to become stronger in exchange for a future favor. But I declined since the blood contract they gave me felt weird, and it said I couldn''t refuse the favor.''


    MingYue then wondered how the bug had reached this place. Either they were the same clan from her world and somehow had a method to come here, or it was just a coincidence.


    A similar creature with a similar function but a different name.


    Noting this in her mind, MingYue returned to Alex and the others. Right now, they had already reunited with Edward.


    She could see Edward and Luca having a discussion with Kane. Edward said he needed to stay here to make sure everyone survived. He explained his speculation and what they would face next.


    "But hubby, if you go there, I want to be with you."


    "No, Luca, this time, it will be a long mission. There is a big chance we will stay there for a long time."


    "Then let Kane bring the kids out."


    "NO! They need at least one of their parents at their side. I will try to return as fast as possible."


    MingYue turned her gaze and saw Alex talking on the side with Emily. Their expressions were filled with relief. Discover exclusive tales on empire


    ''It seems Edward doesn''t plan to return from the start. But why?''


    MingYue wondered, but the more she listened to the conversation, the more she understood the reason. If Edward showed up and Suzaku Guild survived, another incident like this would happen again.


    As long as they didn''t go down to the root, it would just be a matter of time.


    In the end, with a heavy heart, Luca left with Kane, Emily, and Alex.


    Edward then regrouped with Jasper, Sylva, and the others, heading toward the dungeon. Meanwhile, on the way, Luca faced the second wave of Dragari armies. Kane decided to hold them down, allowing Luca and the others to escape.


    The path was filled with peril. They had their hands full trying to survive, leaving behind everyone they could save. Emily used all her strength to fight back, while Luca only made a move if it was really necessary.


    Seeing everything, MingYue realized Luca did this on purpose. She started educating their child using this to temper their skills. Luca would often make small moves and then make their kids avoid any fatal attack.


    This happened for hours until they finally reached the airplane. The moment it started to take off, the world then turned distorted. Everything that had crumbled disappeared into a void.


    MingYue floated in the nothingness, but she then frowned as a big eye appeared suddenly in front of her. It locked eyes with her for a while, then disappeared.


    The next moment, MingYue found herself facing Alex''s face.


    "You finally woke up? I was afraid something happened."


    "Your emotions¡­ are they back?"


    "Yes, thanks to you. It seems we''ve been had by Byakhee. If not for what happened, we would never have found out his ploy.


    We are lucky he is someone that loves to gamble and find things amusing. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened."


    "What do you mean?" MingYue asked while she rose from Alex''s lap.


    "When you were unconscious, I started rethinking everything that had happened. Byakhee could send me to any world; why did he choose this one?"


    "Isn''t it because of the emotional turmoil you would face in my world? After all, your father was here."


    "Yes, that''s true, but there are many ways to do this. For example, sending Mom and the others with me to a world where we were completely overwhelmed in strength. That way, we would face worse problems or heck, we would be completely obliterated."


    "Both of us are hard to kill. We would probably regenerate at some point, but the others¡­"

 Chapter 492 Current Situation

    Alex nodded. His voice then grew heavy. "We need to build up our force and technology, then quickly reach the universe stage so we can at least compete. Right now, we aren''t even qualified. Our information and knowledge are not just outdated; we don''t know anything.""We can talk about that after taking my world and yours to Edonia. That will not change."


    "Yes, I''ve ordered the sovereigns to gather back. Now it''s time to knock some sense into them. After that, we will go straight to dominate this world. The framework has been made."


    Hearing his words, MingYue grew suspicious. "Didn''t we just start the news? How long have I been unconscious?"


    "A month. Many things happened during that time."


    "WHAT!? A month? There''s no way Aunt and your sister stayed patient all this time."


    "Vesa," Alex called out.


    Red fog materialized as she appeared. "Yes, King and Queen, it''s great seeing you all right. The King was quite worried all this time."


    "Mom and Emily are in the outer region. Something happened."


    "You sent someone to get information from outside?"


    They had planned to do a short visit together before returning, but the incident happened. She had even lost consciousness for a month.


    "Before that, can you tell me what you dreamed about?


    I know you were immersed in my memories, but the time was too long, and there is some strange energy in your body."


    "Strange energy? Is it Byakhee?"


    "Yes. But it''s just leftover energy without any will, so we''re sure it shouldn''t have any malicious intent, but who knows, since it''s their energy."


    "That makes sense, then. Do you remember what memory you lost?"


    "Yes, Vesa told me about it."


    "In that case, it will be simpler for you to experience it."


    MingYue then sent the information to Alex using Vesa as a bridge.


    Despite watching it all, for Alex, it still felt different. It was like watching a stranger''s life from a third-person point of view. A very weird feeling. He still felt many emotions from it, since after all, it was his family, but it was nowhere near as close to the scar he had in the past.


    Alex opened his eyes, flickering with coldness. "That mayor¡­ I remember his family survived. I don''t believe they didn''t know anything."


    "Yes, they are a good place to start."


    "There''s also the Gu clan. Do you know where we can find them?"


    "They''re scattered around, but I''m sure some of them exist in the big city."


    "Let''s forget about them for now. They probably come from a more advanced cultivation world. It''s too risky to make them our enemy. But if we meet one, we can try to negotiate to get more information."


    "There''s also the dark guild. Do you have any idea which one had a hand in that incident?"


    "Yes, I have some clues, but I will need to recheck the association database to make sure. There''s also that person who worked for them and that woman¡­ she should still be alive.


    It''s only a matter of time before she returns to my world."


    MingYue gave a nod. She then put her hand over Alex''s cheek. "Are you all right?"


    Alex''s coldness disappeared, replaced by a warm smile.


    "Yes. How about you? Sorry that when you were in shock, I couldn''t be there for you.


    I couldn''t say what they did is justified, but I''m sure they had their reasons."


    MingYue''s gaze turned complicated. "I don''t know, honestly. I don''t know how to face them."


    Alex let out a sigh. "There is no right or wrong in things like these, just cause and effect. My mom at that time lied to me and Emily. If it was before, I would get angry, but now I kind of understand her reasoning. I would probably do the same if I were in her position."


    "..."


    Alex then pulled MingYue into his embrace. They hugged for a while, and then MingYue laid her head on his chest. "So what happened?"


    "Vesa, show the map." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa, who had been floating patiently waiting for them, gave a nod.


    . She flicked her finger, and a projection of the planet they were on came out.


    The Blue Jewel planet was an archipelago similar to Earth. There was an ice continent on top with one super-large continent surrounded by scattered small islands.


    The super continent was then separated into a few colors based on the region: East, Central, North, West, and South.


    "This place is Bai Yue Sect, and that is Dali City. When your brother took the mission to take it over, an incident happened."


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    MingYue raised her eyebrows. If something had happened to Minghao, she knew Alex would have started with it, so whatever happened meant he came out all right.


    "A being was sealed under it, and guess what? That thing turned out to be the Deadly Sin Aspect."


    "The weapon created to kill vampires? Isn''t that too much of a coincidence?"


    Alex let out a chuckle. "If I didn''t know any better, I would say this is the author''s plot device. But honestly, I think it''s not weird.


    The Deadly Sin probably looked for Alucard''s progenitor essence, hoping to become stronger."


    "But they were creations of Byakhee, those your father called Primordial, or as Vesa said, an Outer God."


    "Yes, if this is a mission from Byakhee, there is no reason one of them would come hunting for it. This only means they want to break free from their master."


    "With creatures that strong sealed, what happened next?"


    "Well, this is the reason my mom and Emily are there. Uncle Sylva is dead, and based on the evidence I''ve gathered, Owl is probably a traitor."


    "Traitor?"


    "Yes, he was the Outer God that Byakhee mentioned staying here. His whole purpose is to look for the Deadly Sin Aspect. It seems something happened in the past while they were here, ending with one of them getting sealed."


    "Hmm, they probably came from that rift in the central area."


    MingYue then looked at the map, focusing on the place they were in.

 Chapter 493 Morganas Choice

    "Since we are here in the core area, does this mean the rift is in the planet''s core?""No, it''s here," Alex said, pointing to the middle of the place.


    The core region they were in was one island surrounded by the ocean. Alex was quite amazed by those who made this place. Now that he had completely mapped it out, he found that the core region had the same surface size as the outer region.


    This was thanks to the protection barrier that doubled as some kind of dimensional space.


    The whole island was split into two. On the left was for humans, and on the right was for beastmen. They were connected in the middle where the rift existed.


    "So, we can just pass through this mountain to go to the beastman territory?"


    MingYue understood Alex''s concern should be on that part since they had no one there.


    "No, that is not doable. This mountain range is called Thousand Abyss Ridge. It has a very strong gravity and weird creatures roam around it.


    If we move our army through it, they will just get decimated."


    "That bad?"


    "Yes, and the cause of this is probably related to the formation that supports this space, so we better not try anything on it." Experience tales at empire


    "Hmm..."


    "The plan now is to meet up with the old guildmate. I need more information on my father''s plan. I have some ideas, but I need to make sure."


    "What do you think he wants to do?"


    "The same thing we wanted. Father should have known the danger we are in and is thinking of making this place a safe refuge in case something happens in my world."


    "I see. Do you have any idea where to find them then?" Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Aunt Ariadne is in beastman territory now. Uncle Orion should be the one who became the abode at ShangXi Temple. Now I just wonder where Uncle Kane is."


    "Doesn''t that only leave Eria and Jasper?"


    "Yes, both of them are with my father. That one I am sure of. Except if his memories were manipulated."


    "I doubt the Dragari king can do that."


    Alex gave a nod. He also felt the same, but after his last experience with Bykahee, he didn''t want to remove this possibility. There was also a chance that Orion, Kane, or Ariadne had been manipulated by someone.


    The world was vast, and the possibilities were endless. He needed to be careful with each step.


    "For now, let''s regroup with FengXue at ShangXi Temple. I don''t want her to fight with Uncle Orion."


    MingYue''s eyes lit up. "That is good, but first let''s visit my sect. I want to check how my brother''s situation is now."


    Alex gave a nod. Meanwhile, at this time, Reina had already spent a week with the Midnight Clan. She took a while as walking through the radiation zone was more dangerous than she thought.


    She needed to take a roundabout way and walk stealthily since some of the monsters were too dangerous for her to face. The zone was now also filled with weird plants¡ªit was like passing through a jungle.


    Outside, many outposts had already been built by various clans and sects. They came here to check on the newly appeared area. The place was filled with danger, but it also meant a new treasure trove.


    Many of them thought the place was covered with a new type of deadly poison. If they sent cultivators under the Golden Core stage, their bodies would start melting away, their flesh would drop off, and soon they would die.


    Even using qi and pills didn''t work. For those above, they would need to use almost all their qi for protection, making it ineffective. In the end, only those above the Ascension stage could explore.


    The beasts inside were also strange; none of them had sentience. They acted like beasts, no matter how strong they were. Reina even crossed paths with one of the spirit beasts that should have been sentient before, but now it acted mindlessly.


    She felt glad; otherwise, she didn''t know how she would have dealt with it. The enemy was too strong for her.


    If Alex were here, he would have found this change surprising. It wasn''t like he predicted. He knew mutations would happen, but for a whole jungle to sprout out was beyond his expectations.


    After passing through the dense jungle, Reina arrived back at Midnight Clan. At first, she felt relieved, but it didn''t last long. She could see the place was in chaos.


    Just as Alex had expected, a coup had started. With the power level dropping, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had come for them to take power.


    Rather than feeling glad about the miracle, they fought each other to death, turning everything into a massacre.


    Some even thought it would have been better if they all had just stayed dead. Why revive only to see this happen?


    Seeing their people kill each other, all for greed and power. With the chaos, many also burned out their souls to forcefully raise their cultivation realm, making most of the dead become permanent.


    Reina quickly intervened, and her first action was looking for her father. She felt glad she didn''t bring Uncle Moria despite his insistence. If he were here, it would have become troublesome.


    With her current realm, Reina didn''t face any problems. She frantically searched for her father. With a frown, she found he was being ambushed by many people now.


    Each of them was someone she had once called his elder. Some were even her own cousins.


    "Morgana!!! That bitch!" Reina cursed. She felt Morgana''s qi fluctuate near her father.


    She quickly appeared in the sky. Her eyes widened when she realized Morgana was one of the people trying to help her father.


    This made her hesitate. She wanted to swoop indirectly, but instead, she decided to hide and observe the circumstances.


    She wanted to find out if they were truly loyal or just looking for an opportunity to backstab her father.

 Chapter 494 The New Patriach

    ''There is no way Morgana, that bitch, suddenly had a change of mind. I don''t believe she doesn''t have ulterior motives.''The group pointed their weapons and then shot them forward. Morgana and the others did the same. The clash happened a few times, but in the end, they were losing.


    One of the opponents was the treasury elder. When everyone was resurrected, he was the closest to the vault. Wasting no time, he took it all and created his own faction.


    Meanwhile, the Patriarch had been resurrected some distance away from the clan. He had to make his way through the edge of the jungle. Thankfully, he had many artifacts on hand; otherwise, he would have already met his doom.


    When he returned to the clan, the treasury elder quickly came for an ambush. Many sacrificed their lives to protect him. Ironically, one of them was Zhu Zheng.


    Even though he had been resurrected, his deal with Alex still stood. He had no choice but to protect Reina, including her father.


    The fight rose in intensity. Her father''s group was now barely surviving inside a protection barrier made from an artifact. It was already cracked all over.


    "Just give up, Patriarch. You should have obediently sworn your loyalty to me."


    "You traitor! To think even a blood oath is not working!"


    "Haha, do you think that will be useful? With everyone on the same level, breaking the oath is easy. We just need to enhance our qi with artifacts."


    Gallen clenched his fist. He still had some promises he needed to keep, but it seemed pointless now.


    ''At least Reina is not here. I hope you can meet up with her.''


    "Enough chatter, finish them!" the treasury elder ordered with a grin on his face.


    Morgana turned her gaze to Gallen. She seemed deep in thought, considering her next action. Above, Reina gritted her teeth. She needed to intervene now, or else it wouldn''t matter at all.


    What use was finding out Morgana''s real intention if her father ended up dead?


    She appeared in front of Gallen, then slapped the attack to the sky. Her aura spread out, pushing the opponents to their knees.


    Morgana''s eyes lit up at seeing this. Her lips curved into a smile, like someone who had won a huge bet. She had considered siding with the treasury elder but decided it wasn''t worth the risk.


    She knew this was all caused by Alex. His strength was something she couldn''t hope to match. In her thoughts, even if the treasury elder won, it would only be a matter of time before Alex returned and annexed him. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In that case, it was better to side with the Patriarch. Either she would win and survive for the long term, or enjoy a short term of power and then eventually die.


    She had tried looking for other options, like leaving the place, but seeing what had happened to those who tried to run gave her cold feet. In the end, she felt huge relief at seeing Reina''s appearance.


    ''She seems stronger than before,'' Morgana thought.


    She wasn''t afraid Reina would take revenge on her now. With what had just happened, she had proven her loyalty. This would not be enough to get back into her good graces, but at least she would have a hard time making a move against her.


    Morgana also considered their personal traits. They were the type that would return any favors they received. So, her position was safe for now.


    "You traitor!" Reina''s eyes turned reptilian, flickering with a cold glint.


    Her hand turned into a draconic claw, which slashed forward, creating a wind blade.


    Screams of pain filled the area, mixed with regret, followed by a rain of blood as their bodies were cut to pieces.


    Reina decided to go a step further and show what happened to traitors. She minced their bodies using the wind and then extinguished all their souls.


    "Reina! Why are you here?" Gallen asked in a panic. Her appearance caught him off guard. He also didn''t see Moria around, making him think something bad had happened.


    "Let''s talk later, Dad. For now, we need to tidy up the clan."


    "Yes, you are right, but you see my current strength. Do you think anyone will listen to me now?"


    Gallen let out a sigh. He raised his voice, filling it with qi to make sure it spread throughout the whole clan. "Starting today, the pPatriarchof the Midnight Clan is Reina, my daughter. All matters will be decided by her."


    His announcement surprised everyone who heard it, but for those who saw what happened, they all realized this was the right choice.


    Might make right¡ªthese words had never been truer. Who could complain if they didn''t have the power to back it up? Find more chapters on empire


    Most of the traitors had already been killed by Reina''s attack. What was left now was only to clean up the leftovers.


    Meanwhile, back at the Bai Yue Sect encampment, in the nearest place close to Dali City, Zold was standing in front of his father''s grave.


    He had thought of bringing his body back and having the funeral at home, but after some thought, he decided against it. He remembered his father had once said to bury his body where he died if possible.


    Bringing it home would just create unnecessary problems and make it harder for those who survived to move on.


    "Sis..." Zold mumbled, his eyes burning with determination to find her.


    Some distance away, MingHao and Xue Fang sat together. YanYu had left with Yun Yun and the others, bringing them back to the Bai Yue Sect to recuperate.


    She planned to bring them to MingHao''s uncle. Right now, based on seniority, he should be the one with the most power. And based on strength, it was MingYue. So the Xueqi family agreed to go with her.


    Many of them had also lost their sect and heard about the invasion from strange monsters. When they learned it had all started with the Bai Yue Sect, they decided they had no other choice.

 Chapter 495 To This World?

    a few of them, who had some sway, thought to negotiate for their sect''s safety."i will never get used to this," minghao said with a sigh.


    "what?" xue fang asked in confusion.


    "death, senseless killing. i don''t see the point of all of this."


    "you understand it, but you just cannot accept it."


    "... you are right. but people fight for power and wealth. what use are all of them when, in the end, their loved ones end up dying?"


    "that is true, minghao. but sometimes the most important people to them are themselves. in that case, do you think they care what happens to others?


    unfortunately, this type of person is usually the one who reaches the peak of power."


    xue fang then put her head over his shoulder. "what now? are we going to wait here until your sister returns?"


    "yes, i am sure she will come here. i have some questions for her."


    they had talked about going back to the sect with yanyu and the others, but when they saw the people behind zold, they changed their minds.


    "that is true, minghao, but sometimes the most important people are themselves. in that case, do you think they care what happens to others?


    unfortunately, this type of people is usually those that reach the peak of power."


    xue fang put her head over his shoulder, "what now? are we gonna wait here until your sister returns?"


    "yes, i am sure she will come here. i have some questions for her."


    xue fang let out a chuckle, "asking about her in-law family."


    minghao didn''t reply, then looked toward the people behind zold.


    they had planned to go with yanyu and the others back to the sect, but when he saw them, he changed his mind.


    "zold, i''m sorry," luca said, giving her condolences.


    "... it''s alright, madam," zold replied without looking back. he didn''t know what to say in this situation. it wasn''t luca''s fault.


    after a moment of silence, luca asked, "did sylva say anything?"


    "yes, madam, but it''s quite a long story."


    "let''s talk over there then," luca said, bringing zold to a more suitable place.


    zold then explained everything he had learned from sylva, and they also checked the contents of the document together.


    luca''s eyes glinted coldly as she kept reading through the document. ''i really need to talk with solomon.''


    first, there was the incident at the suzaku guild, and now, reading sylva''s report, luca felt more sure that the association was rotten and incapable of maintaining order.


    she knew they already had their hands full with the dungeon break, but from her view, that was not a justifiable reason to let all of this happen.


    it was a huge mess that would eat up the association from the inside.


    hearing all this, emily frowned. as a hunter, she had seen the association from the inside. the amount of missions she had was almost endless.


    at that time, she often complained because she almost never had a break, but listening to all this, emily realized it was nowhere near enough.


    the dark guild trafficked humans and smuggled alien species for many of the world''s elite. most of them had relationships or even held positions in the world council.


    this meant humanity was still split, and the association was barely holding on to this crumbling organization.


    "don''t think too much, emily. that is just how the situation is. we just need to do something about it when we return."


    "but mom, hearing this just makes me feel like everything i''ve done before is pointless. i never heard any of this information, and even now, dad''s situation..."


    emily couldn''t finish her words as she felt she might as well call him dead. she had heard about her father''s condition, but with what had happened so far, emily didn''t dare to raise her hopes.


    and now, without having any solution, new problems were already starting to pop up.


    "why is my sister so gloomy? you''ll grow old faster that way."


    "hmph! what growing old? as a cultivator and awakener, i''ll probably¡ª" emily''s voice trailed off as she finally realized who was talking.


    she turned her gaze, and her lips curled into a smile. alex was walking toward them with a grin on his face.


    he didn''t feel cold and distant anymore. emily rose from her seat and then hugged alex tightly.


    "brother, you''ve recovered?"


    "what recovery? i''ve always been alright," alex said with a teasing tone, making emily roll her eyes.


    luca also smiled, seeing alex''s animated expression. "have you given your condolences to uncle sylva?"


    "no, i will later, mom. i just came back here and heard what you guys were talking about."


    "what do you think then?"


    "you should have heard my plan before, but honestly, things are more complicated now. let''s just evacuate those important to us before we make another move."


    "to this world?" luca asked.


    she agreed with alex''s thought; if it were possible to evacuate them to a safe place, that would be preferred. but there was no such place.


    the blue jewel planet was a bit better, but it was riddled with hidden dangers. there was also the rift that could break out with a wave of monsters at any time.


    "no, mom, don''t worry. i have a place in mind."


    alex then turned solemn. he hesitated for a moment but continued, "just don''t worry about it, and let me take care of the rest. you should focus on finding where father is."


    stay connected with empire


    "brother?" emily asked in confusion. she didn''t understand what he meant. did alex want their mother to go to the rift alone?


    "don''t look at me like that. i just mean for mom and you to go first to the frontline and learn more about the location. with both of your strengths, i''m sure you''ll be safe." sea??h th§× nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    of course, alex didn''t plan to send them alone. he would send qingwa, pi, and, if possible, a few sovereigns to stay with them.

 Chapter 496 Meeting

    there were many things that needed to be done, but their resources were limited. alex needed to take over the conquest to hasten the progress, but he also needed to focus on the frontline in case something else happened there. experience more content on empirebased on his understanding, alex was sure his mother and emily wouldn''t be able to enter the rift easily. there were many immortals in the frontline area, and fights happened often.


    so he wasn''t worried they would force their way in.


    he had also already put some people in place just to ensure no such thing would ever happen.


    "yingxue, could you guide them to your family? i think it''s about time for you to return, too." s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    alex asked while turning his gaze in a different direction. he had brought ying xue with them in preparation for this.


    emily was dazed, looking at her brother in disbelief. it was just something she had never thought alex would do. it made her wonder if something had changed after he recovered his memory.


    ying xue then walked toward them, while some distance away, mingyue was discussing things with minghao and xuefang.


    with a glance, she could tell something had happened between them, but she didn''t ask further about it. it wasn''t that she didn''t feel any curiosity, but now was not the time, and she didn''t want to be asked anything about alex.


    "so that''s all? nothing more?"


    "ye-yes," minghao answered with a flustered tone as he could feel mingyue''s cold gaze on him.


    on the side, xue fang was annoyed. she didn''t like someone treating minghao like this, but she knew it wasn''t her place to intervene. it would only make minghao angry later.


    "minghao, what were you thinking!? returning while knowing how dangerous the situation was."


    "but sis, without danger, how can i grow?"


    "that doesn''t mean you can just head first into it without any preparation. that''s just being dumb, minghao," mingyue said with a heavy sigh. she then turned toward xue fang.


    "so, you lost all your puppets?"


    "not all, but the majority of them."


    "in that case, just bring minghao with you to return to the sect. recuperate first. also, have you seen that weapon? can your puppets control it?"


    if it were possible for xue fang to control it, this would mean it was possible for everyone in her clan to do it.


    "with some practice, that should be possible. do you plan to give us more of it?"


    "yes, manipulating puppets alone wouldn''t be enough. we need to focus on increasing the distance of control and using bigger weaponry."


    alex and mingyue had talked about this, and they came to the conclusion of specializing the fang clan in using vehicles. rather than training each cultivator to use one, it was better to create a focused squad for it.


    this would make it easier for them to put security in place in case these weapons were stolen. the cultivators could also focus all their efforts on raising their realm rather than continually learning how to operate new weapons.


    the way to use one could be infused into their brain, but to be a real expert, this was nowhere near enough. they still needed to spend a lot of time practicing and fighting in real combat.


    mingyue then put out more details, showing their planned weapons and how things should be run. vehicles would be separated based on their type, combat power, and difficulty to use.


    for example, airplanes and tanks would have different specializations. as for combat power, it was more about how much they could trust the person. if someone were a genius who could control hundreds of jets at the same time, that would mean serious firepower.


    even though alex and mingyue could ensure the traitor''s instant death, that didn''t mean there would be no aftereffects. if the betrayal happened in the middle of combat, it would mean losing a lot of their army, which could lead to their defeat.


    alex thought they could circumvent this using ai and formations, but the function would be too limited, and there was also the risk of it being hijacked.


    in the past, he would think an ai coded inside a formation would be safe from being hijacked, but now he wasn''t so sure.


    alex needed to prepare the army to fight against those stronger than them, those with abilities and technology beyond his wildest imagination.


    so using ai was out of the question. their only option now was making vesa take control of it. this would make the army too dependent on her.


    but they had no other choice for now. mingyue then told xue fang she should start recruiting and training the moment she returned to the sect.


    after a few more talks, both of them then left the encampment.


    seeing their disappearing backs, mingyue let out a sigh. she had thought of the possibility of relocating the baiyue sect to edonnia, but alex had disagreed.


    bai yue sect now acted as their hq on the blue jewel planet. the place was also hidden inside a secret realm, so even if something happened, they should have enough time to move it into vesa.


    they just needed to establish a runic formation to allow it to be done almost instantly.


    in the end, she agreed with alex''s thought since having baiyue sect on the blue jewel planet was more beneficial, and with their preparation, the danger should be minimal.


    she then turned her gaze to alex, who had just finished talking with luca and the others.


    "you''re finished?"


    "yes, how about you? still want to visit the sect?"


    even though mingyue had already met up with her brother, alex had heard the report that her family should be there now.


    "no need, i''m not close with any of them. but i plan to hire all of them for administrative work in the sect."


    "you sure they''ll all agree? they''re cultivators."


    "if we want to resurrect the clan, then we cannot afford to have any of them die again. those who want to leave will need to establish their own family."

 Chapter 497 ShangXi Temple

    alex could understand it was necessary, but he felt it was quite forced. however, he didn''t say anything further since it was mingyue''s family. in the end, everything was her decision."it''s not like any of them will complain. we have more than enough resources for them to cultivate for hundreds of years."


    "that is true. as long as we don''t hasten their cultivation with lifeforce, it should be alright. so, do you plan to hide this information from them?"


    "yes, for now, it''s better like this. lifeforce cultivation should be focused on edonia, while the sect should look for another path. didn''t you say clara is testing a new way to break through?"


    "even if it works, i doubt she''ll find a better one than lifeforce."


    "yes, but both of us agree that the life force is not a good option to use against our enemies.


    since they have defeated and enslaved vampires for a long time now, they should have many methods to counter this ability."


    alex nodded, then let out a sigh. "well, enough of that. let''s go to shangxi temple for now. afterward, we''ll decide what to do."


    "yes."


    in the middle of the bustling city, on the second floor of a restaurant terrace, a woman was looking toward a huge building in the distance.


    "so close yet so far," the woman said with a sigh.


    "lady feng xue, we have been here for a while. the situation outside is also very bad now."


    "i waited thousands of years; what''s waiting a little more time? if you are not satisfied, you can leave first, cuiyin."


    situ cuiying frowned. they had been in this place, the center of shangxi temple, for a while now. her father, the patriarch, had told her to follow feng xue around.


    seeing her hesitation, feng xue let out a chuckle. "whatever is happening outside, baiyue sect is probably the one behind it. no need to worry."


    "how are you so sure? i''ve never heard of that sect before. are they an ancient family clan like yours?"


    "like mine? i wish. if that were true, i wouldn''t be here now. they are something more than just that. far stronger."


    as someone who had stayed by mingyue''s side for a long time, she knew how many secrets she hid. feng xue was also among the select few who knew of vesa''s existence.


    situ cuiying looked at her in disbelief. she couldn''t imagine how strong they were. even now, after hearing about the core region and stronger sects from feng xue, she still finds it hard to believe.


    in her eyes, shangxi temple was still the center of her world.


    "i still don''t get what you want to do, though. so far, you''ve just made some connections and acted like a merchant. if they are as strong as you say, why not use their army then?"


    "you don''t get it. just wait. soon, the fireworks will start," feng xue said with a smile. continue your saga on empire


    in the distance, alex and mingyue were having a meal.


    "my body¡­ when will you return it?"


    "shut up, ling hua, or i will put you back in my storage ring," mingyue replied with a sigh.


    "why did you take her out anyway?"


    "because i am sure the promise is close to being fulfilled. she will return linghua''s body."


    "you really don''t lie, right?" linghua asked, her voice tinged with worry.


    "tsk¡­" mingyue put the earring back into her storage ring. s§×arch* the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "so talkative. can''t she see i am not someone who goes against my word? not like some backstabber."


    "you sure about that? she''s the one who killed you. honestly, i feel after the punishment, you should just kill her."


    "it''s been a long time, and i get her motive. although i cannot trust her with my back, i will just let her be."


    "well, your choice. she knows a lot of things about us, but it shouldn''t be a problem."


    vesa had already done something to her spirit, and linghua was also not that talented. so, the possibility of her breaking out of it was almost zero.


    "i don''t get it, though. why did fengxue decide to go to shangxi temple specifically? many clans and families took over, and it''s been so long. everyone responsible should already be dead. if she just wants revenge, shouldn''t she start with the weakest one?"


    in alex''s opinion, it was like pi''s case. right now, he was still in the zephyr clan, fighting against their sect leader. alex didn''t know the result, but he was confident pi wouldn''t die.


    "at this point, it''s just venting old hatred. it''s not revenge anymore."


    "yes, so should we visit your father''s guildmate now?"


    "let''s go," alex said.


    they then left the place and infiltrated the temple. the place functioned like a castle. from morning to noon, it opened to the public for people to report their problems and take care of administrative needs.


    but at night, all access was closed down; no one could enter without a special permit. the security was tight, but for alex and mingyue, it was pointless now.


    utilizing runes, alex brought mingyue through the front door. despite doing this, no one could see them.


    inside, the place was grand, but they had seen better. it was more on the luxurious side, made from expensive material, but still kept modest, not glittering with gold or other shiny objects.


    "no one here feels that strong. only a few are at the transcendent stage. are you sure he''s here?"


    "he should be. let''s at least look for the abbot. considering his personality, this place doesn''t suit him at all."


    based on alex''s knowledge, orion was someone who liked to be free and hated doing things he felt were pointless. taking a role as the leader of a religion where most of the members were fanatical with many rituals wouldn''t bode well for him.


    "so, what do you suggest? should we go to the strongest one?"


    "hmm... from the outside, shangxi temple is led by the abbot in an authoritative manner, as the council is just for show. but it seems it''s more complicated."

 Chapter 498 Wrong one?

    no matter what kind of rules there were, absolute strength was needed to back them. even before the era of dungeons, that was how it worked. countries had strong military forces for a reason.but now, they could feel multiple people with the same level of power in different areas. alex speculated each of them led their own faction.


    unless the abbot hid his real strength and the others already knew about it, the chances were slim.


    "let''s ask for some information first."


    alex adjusted the rune, changing himself from invisible to appearing like a maid of the place. he didn''t do the same for mingyue to keep the element of surprise.


    after asking around, he found the abbot''s room and then headed toward it. to his surprise, the place was located underground.


    it seemed to be part of the teaching that living underground was better than living above. probably another ritual created to entice the commoners.


    the temple had something that worked like an elevator, making their travel easy.


    "i know they have many weird rules, but for the abbot to have his room located near the prisoners, isn''t it strange?" mingyue asked.


    she felt they could just put them in a different place or on the higher floors if possible.


    "who knows? there are many weird traditions in my world, too. i just learned to ignore them and respect those who follow them."


    "hmm¡­ i doubt something like this was created by cultivators in my world."


    "i agree. this is something people from my world would think of. probably my father''s doing. since shangxi temple has existed for a long time, i wonder how it was in the past."


    "probably not in this form."


    "yes, uncle orion probably came, took it over, and changed it into this. that''s the most possible reason."


    "why didn''t he destroy it and rebuild a new one then?" mingyue asked this because she was sure the temple in the past should have been something like a demonic cult, doing criminal activities that could easily make dark guilds in alex''s world look like toddlers.


    the stories were spread around often about how they used the civilians'' desire for power, twisted it, and then used them as furnaces.


    "probably because of the circumstances. i don''t know the specifics, but i''m sure there''s a justifiable reason."


    the lift opened, and they then walked past the dimly lit hallway.


    "abbot, excuse me."


    "who is there? i thought i already said no one should disturb me at this time."


    "it''s quite an emergency, abbot."


    after saying those words, alex forcefully opened the door. normally, this should not have been possible as it was protected by a formation, making it only possible to open from the inside.


    inside, the abbot''s eyes widened in shock. "how could you enter here!?" find exclusive stories on empire


    alex frowned. the voice was that of a stranger. not only that but what the abbot was doing was also something orion would never do. the abbot was hoarding a scalpel and some things that could only be categorized as torture devices.


    a gruesome body that barely looked alive was lying on top of a table in front of him. rather than a bedroom, the place itself looked more like a torture chamber.


    alex could feel there were many formations inside the room. one of them was probably an illusion that made it look like a normal room in the eyes of the maids.


    seeing no response from alex, the abbot spread out his qi. his lips then curled into an evil grin. "forget it. that doesn''t matter anyway. whatever you are, your end is clear."


    but before he could make any move, alex suddenly appeared in front of him. he choked the man by the neck and then smashed him into the wall.


    at the same time, he spread out a rune formation to hide their activity.


    "he''s not experimenting, alex. it seems he''s just doing this for fun."


    mingyue said after observing the corpse. based on the wounds, she could see it was done with no other purpose than to inflict pain.


    "heal her."


    mingyue was no healer, but she had many medicines with her, and since she was a normal person, many of them would work like an elixir.


    "wh-who are you!? i thought we had a deal!" the abbot said, flustered.


    "you look like a leader, but your actions don''t reflect one. you are not the real abbot. where is he?"


    "what do you mean? i''ve always been the real abbot. i¡ª"


    his speech stopped as alex tightened his grip, making the abbot choke. annoyed, he threw him to the ground, then sealed his cultivation using a rune.


    "vesa, your job," alex said while turning his gaze toward a few cages on the side. beautiful women and handsome civilians could be seen there, their eyes all empty, probably drugged.


    vesa came out and then looked at the abbot. she curled into a grin. "can i bring him to edonia king?"


    "yes, go ahead. do whatever you want. you can even experiment on him." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "oh, we will have some fun then."


    vesa had asked alex for some experimental subjects to test out runes that affect one''s soul. after the last incident, she felt they were in dire need of development.


    only using lost knowledge was not a choice. at that time, alex, in his emotionless state, had told vesa he would consider it after the war was done. he planned to use evil cultivators and those captured as the experiment targets.


    now that alex had recovered, he hesitated, but seeing the abbot''s actions, his anger flared.


    "third-rate villain that doesn''t serve any purpose other than being a filler," alex mumbled while looking at the abbot''s expression, filled with fear.


    seeing this, mingyue let out a chuckle.


    "don''t get me wrong. i don''t find this torture funny, but you comparing my world to a novel is something only the current you would do."


    alex realized she meant that, in his emotionless state, it was something he would never have done.


    he then looked at the half-dead corpse that was barely recovering even after being given an elixir by mingyue.

 Chapter 499 Moon

    "it seems the wounds are too much. i will need to reconstruct her whole body.""can''t we just use life force?"


    "no. we agreed that life force can trigger some changes in the life form. we want to help, not create a variable."


    they decided on this after what had happened last time.


    crackle! crackle!


    the space where vesa appeared suddenly let out a strange noise. it then cracked open, and something jumped out, heading toward mingyue.


    seeing this, mingyue let out a helpless smile while alex sighed.


    "mommy!!! you said you would only leave for a while!"


    "i told you i am not your mommy."


    "no, you are my mommy!"


    seeing the small girl with blue hair, alex called, "moon, how did you come out!?"


    "i felt the space crack. then from there, i felt mommy and daddy''s presence, so i just jumped into it."


    moon was the baby mermaid that alex and mingyue had found in the lake. after absorbing many types of energy, she evolved and transformed a few times until finally becoming this young girl.


    the moment she opened her eyes, she could already talk, read, and write in many languages. it was like she had knowledge of alex and mingyue''s world. find your next read at empire


    this confused alex, wondering how she got it. after reviewing the whole incident, he felt it was related to the energy the baby kept absorbing from their breakthrough.


    this made him think that lifeforce could contain information like memories, even after he filtered it as a vampire.


    until he found the real reason, alex decided not to use lifeforce to heal strangers and to avoid using it for healing if possible.


    "you should go back, moon. this is not a place for you."


    "no, mommy, it''s boring inside! i have no one to play with; everyone is busy."


    "didn''t i tell elvira to play with you?" alex asked in confusion.


    he had put moon under her care on edonia, but it seemed she was doing other tasks instead.


    "aunt elvira is boring, so i ran away," moon said with a smug smile.


    alex''s lips twitched; he wanted to knock some sense into her head, but seeing her chubby cheeks and cute expression made him soften.


    moon''s eyes then turned to the grotesque body. "ew, disgusting."


    she put her small palm forward, and a sphere of liquid then appeared, covering it like a cocoon.


    "moon, what are you doing?"


    "i want to clean up; it''s disgusting to see."


    "no, that person is still alive."


    "hmm... but moon doesn''t know her. should moon heal her?"


    "can you do that?"


    "yes, daddy, but it''s annoying as it will make me tired. moon doesn''t want to get tired of healing strangers. moon wants to play with daddy and mommy." sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    alex and mingyue exchanged glances; they didn''t even need to talk telepathically to communicate now.


    both of them were curious about what kind of power moon had. they used many methods but failed to detect any energy. it was like moon was just a normal person, but this was impossible.


    the only method they hadn''t tried was an invasive one, but neither of them had the heart to do it. since she transformed using part of their energy, they felt some weird connection with her.


    "don''t be like that, moon. how about this: you heal her, then return, and tomorrow, we will spend half a day playing with you."


    "hmmm... a full day." moon tried to negotiate back, making alex let out a chuckle.


    "all right, you got it, a full day, but return after you recover her."


    moon gave a nod, and like a miracle, the woman''s body recovered as if it had never been wounded. the process was very quick, almost instant.


    "done. moon also healed her mental scars, so she won''t have any problems," moon said while her eyes turned heavy, and her face looked drained like someone who had just run a marathon.


    alex then sent her back to edonia while looking at the woman, who was still sleeping. mingyue covered her body to give her some decency.


    "alex, did you feel anything?"


    "no... it''s like the woman''s body recovered by itself. and moon even said she recovered her mental scars. how did she do that?"


    curious, alex walked closer and woke the woman up using his qi.


    "mmm... where am i?"


    "you are inside shangxi temple. what''s the last thing you remember?"


    the woman''s face grimaced with pain as she used her hand to touch her head.


    "i was delivering some complaints to shangxi temple. the elder is corrupt. i remember i brought evidence when i was poured a drink. then..."


    "then what?"


    "i don''t know. the next moment, i saw myself here."


    the woman then moved her eyes, wanting to see where she was, but alex intervened, putting her back to sleep.


    "so moon erased her memory of this place," mingyue said with a frown.


    "no, it''s more than that. it''s not just erasing memory. her body should remember the torture.


    even if she doesn''t know why, she should have shivered in fear, but she didn''t show anything like that. it''s like nothing ever happened.


    it''s like someone has amnesia, but if they are a veteran swimmer, throw them into the water, and they will somehow swim.


    with the amount of trauma she faced, there is no way the woman completely forgot about it."


    "let''s confirm it." alex then drew a rune and put it on the woman''s forehead.


    he scanned the spirit and soul, looking for any wounds. normally, with what she just experienced, there would be something left behind.


    "i''m sure of it. there''s nothing left. it''s like her energy is on a completely different level, which is why we cannot feel it."


    "forget about it, then. what''s your plan next?"


    "let''s send this woman to fengxue and meet up with her."


    at first, alex and mingyue didn''t want to intervene much, but now that orion was missing, they wanted to ask the situation from fengxue.


    "what about the abbot? if he disappears tomorrow, it will make a big scene."

 Chapter 500 Possession

    alex put some thought into it, and then his lips curled into a smile. "let it be, i want to see what they will do."he then put some runes, mixing them into the room formation in a way that was hard for people to notice.


    "what about them, then?"


    "if everyone is missing, it will be weird, but to just leave them here..."


    alex felt conflicted. it was easier to make decisions when he was emotionless, but now he didn''t feel it was the correct choice.


    he had a way to save them, and just leaving them here to their deaths was something he didn''t want to do.


    "then just put them in edonia. with the abbot disappearing, adding this will not make it any worse."


    "you''re right, mingyue, let''s just do that."


    with the rise of their strength, both of them could now send things to edonia without vesa''s help. this was far more convenient than using awe cube, as they had a complete facility ready for any of their needs.


    after taking the hostages with him, alex turned invisible once again. looking at the people in the prison cells, an idea then came to his mind.


    he drew another rune and sent it to each cell.


    "what is that for?"


    "it will open the cells when the time is correct."


    "you mean when the elder comes here?"


    "yes, or maybe when fengxue pulls her plan. i will see the situation."


    "you can activate it remotely?"


    "as long as it''s not too far. it''s just a simple rune, anyway. and this whole place is too weak for our level."


    alex then let out a sigh. with both of their strength, they could have just used their power to flatten the whole place. it''s something he liked to complain about a lot to the author.


    the protagonist could easily trample them all; why take so much bother? but now, being in the same position, he realized it''s simple. he might be strong, but not strong enough to kill everyone in one go without causing innocents to die.


    and this is not just the present; he also needed to think of the aftermath. what would happen to the temple if he killed everyone? alex planned to take over the place. if he could control the leader, it would be far better than a ruined, scattered faction.


    it would require more effort to create a new government system. right now, despite having its branches scattered all over the continent, they all followed one order from shangxi temple. but if they destroyed this, the faction would then split into many individual small ones.


    some would follow the winner, some would try to take revenge, while most of them would use the opportunity to follow their own desires.


    with his current goal, things were not that simple.


    back at the restaurant, fengxue was tired as she had just had a meeting with many people.


    "there are still two more meetings. do you want me to cancel them?" s§×ar?h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    situ cuiying asked with a frown. considering her cultivation, normally she wouldn''t get tired like this, but fengxue had been working nonstop since she got linghua''s body. she hadn''t yet taken a single rest.


    normally, a cultivator doesn''t need much of this, but in her case, linghua''s body was almost dead, recovered, possessed, and then quickly pushed to break through many realms. this made the body rise in fatigue.


    fengxue also hadn''t completely made the body hers, since she wanted to return it to linghua, making her need to carry rejection reactions all this time.


    "no need. things will conclude soon."


    "all right, i will prepare for the next one, then," cuiying said with a sigh. she didn''t understand what was passing through fengxue''s mind, and she had already given up on it.


    but before she left, the door swung open while a maid came and whispered something to fengxue''s ear.


    "cuiying, you take care of the other meeting. just make sure everything runs smoothly. i need something urgent to take care of," fengxue said, then left the room.


    she moved to another private room, where alex and mingyue were waiting for her.


    your adventure continues at empire


    "this is the first time we''ve met, but you should have heard of me from mingyue."


    fengxue put both hands in front of her and gave a respectful bow. "sect leader."


    "sit, we need to talk," mingyue replied.


    "leave us alone," fengxue ordered the maid, then took a seat.


    she wasn''t worried the maid would spread the news since everyone here was part of the situ clan, and they had already taken a blood oath to be loyal to her on this mission.


    alex looked at fengxue with a glance; he could see a problem. "so you kept your promise. i thought you would really possess her body."


    "i always keep my word."


    "linghua will get a lot of benefits, then, by lending her body to you."


    possessing a body and returning it is something that rarely happens, but it''s not like there have been no cases like this before. if she tried to completely possess the body, linghua would have a hard time trying to return.


    the body is far stronger than her soul, and at that moment, it''s completely transformed to become fengxue''s body.


    this would mean alex or mingyue would need to intervene to make sure it ran smoothly, and in the process, they would need to disperse all the extra cultivation, reverting it to the past state.


    alex thought fengxue did this out of guilt for possessing linghua''s body. he found her action funny since she had, in the first place, planned to possess the body before mingyue intervened.


    "i just do this for my own conscience."


    "since you have that much thought, you should have a plan that won''t hurt the innocent. tell me about the current situation at shangxi temple."


    "corrupt. outside, it looks all good, a utopia for those who cannot cultivate to live in peace. but in reality, it''s worse. at the very least, outside, it''s a direct threat, so people cooperate with each other. here, many are trying hard not to shatter this illusion.


    victims are silenced, even by their own family and people that should protect them."

 Chapter 501 Silver Snake

    "rotten and corrupt... this always happens with this kind of government system, but that is not my question.""if you mean the one that holds power, it''s still cultivators. part of the council, from the outside, looks split, but i am sure now they are in cahoots. experience tales at empire


    the abbot is nothing more than a puppet portrayed as an invisible cultivator that treats everyone equally."


    "how about the previous abbot, then? do you have any information?"


    feng xue was confused hearing alex''s question. "i don''t understand what you mean."


    "how long has the current abbot reigned? has it ever changed?"


    "to my knowledge, no, at least in the last 100 years."


    "tell me in detail everything that you have learned."


    fengxue then began to explain the situation in detail.


    alex tapped his finger on the table, frowning as there was no answer to where orion had gone. it seemed like he had never been here.


    "it seems we have no other choice; we need to interrogate the council. or hope the abbot has more information."


    "do you have any instructions?"


    "no, just continue as you planned for now. if possible, start it faster."


    "i just need to confirm a few more things to make sure i don''t miss out."


    "that was in the past in case they were stronger than you, but now with us here, we will back you up no matter who comes out," alex replied with confidence.


    even fighting against one or two immortals, he knew he wouldn''t lose. he also had mingyue on his side, and they had the same level of strength.


    "all right, i will do as you wish."


    alex and mingyue then left her alone. not long after, situ cuiying returned.


    "lady, it seems we have a problem." s~ea??h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "what do you mean?"


    "if their information is right, there are traces of the beastman inside the temple."


    "beastman? they are rare, but sometimes we still see them."


    "yes, but the problem is, this beast is part of the beast emperor clan."


    situ cuiying only knew about them after fengxue told her the situation in the central region. otherwise, she would not have suspected anything strange at all.


    "the emperor clan should be staying in their region and not coming out. that is part of the deal, or are you sure it''s not just some stray or offspring?"


    even though now they lived in their own area, in the past, beastmen and humans lived together. so it wasn''t strange if some hid themselves and survived the many wars.


    "no, it''s more than a group of them, so i''m sure they are part of the emperor clan. the silver snake."


    the silver snake clan had a unique attribute: no matter how they disguised themselves, they either had silver hair or silver pupils. the elite of their clan would have both.


    "the silver snake is famous for having sly and manipulative personalities, so it''s not strange for them to plan something. but are you sure? if they found a way to hide their hair or pupils, they could be anywhere."


    in mingyue''s mind, normal people shouldn''t be able to find out about them unless the clan chooses to reveal themselves.


    "tell me in detail."


    "as you know, i am meaning the heavenly tower pavilion and the silver merchant leader. both of them have rivals supported by one of the council."


    "yes, that is why they decided to support our movement, but that doesn''t explain how they know."


    heavenly tower pavilion specialized in alchemy pills, from diluted versions helpful for civilians to ones that golden core cultivators could use. as for the silver merchants, their main trade involved selling weapons. both of them had been doing this for a long time and had almost a monopoly on the market.


    but ten years ago, everything changed. two new competitors suddenly rose up, selling better quality items at cheaper prices.


    if this wasn''t shangxi temple, they would have already launched an all-out attack to massacre them, but unfortunately, they couldn''t. with many laws and regulations in place, they needed to find justification first and use more indirect methods.


    they used their capital to bribe officials to make things harder for them and burned money to play the market.


    they thought this should be enough to drive them out, but somehow, the competitors survived. not only that, it seemed both of them had a bottomless amount of money that never ran out.


    they bribed back the officials with far higher amounts, almost double. the price that had been pushed down was cut even further to the point it would result in bankruptcy if the heavenly pavilion and silver merchant followed it.


    in the end, both of them gave up and instead looked for a path to survive, but this didn''t mean they had truly given up. they sent people to the competitors to find out how they could have so much money.


    that was when they found out they were involved in the slave market, and they seemed to have an exclusive buyer who bought everything at a high price.


    in the cultivation world, slavery wasn''t strange, but here in the shangxi temple region, it had been outlawed and banned.


    they tried to use this information to report it to the authorities, but they didn''t do it directly. they tried to learn more about the situation, and the result terrified them.


    many things had changed inside shangxi temple.


    "in the past, they didn''t have any way to gain information, but with the strange device you gave them, they found them."


    situ cuiying then took out a small digital camera and placed it on the table.


    "the real device has been broken, but the memory card is safe."


    fengxue reviewed the data, then frowned when she saw images of the silver snake clan. there weren''t just one or two; there were dozens of them.


    they seemed to be gathered in a huge hall, with humans in cages being sold as merchandise.


    from the photos, she could see the snakes looking at the humans like some kind of delicacy.

 Chapter 502 Motive?

    ''i did hear rumors that the silver snake clan has an obsession with humans, not just for eating them, but also for torturing them. the reason is unknown, but seeing this, it should be right.''if this had happened before, fengxue would have changed her plan and pushed it back to do more preparation, but now it didn''t matter since alex and mingyue were here. she was confident they could take care of the rest.


    "it''s all right, tell them to prepare everything. we will make our move in two days."


    "two days?"


    "why are you not happy? don''t you always protest how long we stay here passively?"


    "that is true, but how confident are you in facing them?"


    "don''t worry. have you forgotten the two people who paid a visit before? they will make sure everything progresses smoothly. now, i just need to inform them of the news."


    meanwhile, in the city, alex and mingyue spent some quiet time walking under the moonlight. no one spoke, but both of them enjoyed the comfortable silence. explore new worlds at empire


    "it''s peaceful. if only things could stay like this," alex said with a sigh.


    with how things were progressing, he knew what awaited him was endless conflict. after taking over this world and consolidating its power, he would look for his father beyond the rift.


    when he returned, another problem would be waiting for him, one that would make him fight the association. sear?h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "that would be great, but it''s not like we cannot do it, alex. we could just choose to hide somewhere and live our life like this."


    mingyue''s words surprised alex. he had always known her as a warrior who cut down everyone blocking her path.


    seeing his expression, mingyue added, "as you said, it''s tiring. but more than that, even with our abilities, how many people do you think we will lose? we will meet new people along the way, but we will also lose someone. and maybe one of the people we lose is you or me."


    alex let out a chuckle. "in that case, we are defeated, nothing more, nothing less. but honestly, i am more surprised by you becoming melancholy like this."


    "just a random thought," mingyue said with a frown as she realized what alex said was right.


    in the past, she would never have thought like this. looking at alex''s face, she thought, ''i probably got affected by him¡­''


    after seeing alex without her emotions, she began to look back on her own life. focusing only on cultivation¡ªwas that really the path? what use was strength if, in the end, she lost everything along the way?


    alex walked a step closer and gave a peck on her forehead. "don''t worry. i think it''s time for us to focus on gathering more of alucard''s essence. even though our enemy should have a method to counter it, that is still the fastest way to raise our strength."


    "reach the peak of both human and vampire cultivation. then maybe we will have a chance."


    "that is one of the¡ª" alex stopped his words as he received a report from vesa.


    he looked at mingyue, and both of them closed their eyes, then vanished from where they stood.


    some distance away, fengxue frowned. she had come to report the situation, but both of them disappeared in front of her eyes. she tried to find their trace, but it seemed they had completely vanished.


    ''it seems i will be stuck here for a while.''


    fengxue took out a chair and table, then sat down, enjoying some night tea.


    she decided to wait since she could feel a small change in the space. she concluded that when they returned, it would be at this spot, and it shouldn''t take long.


    meanwhile, mingyue and alex were now inside edonia. they stood on the castle top, looking down at the flourishing city.


    construction could be seen on the outer skirts, while the inner area was filled with many skyscrapers. the sky was crimson, without any sun, but it let out enough natural light, painting the city with a red hue.


    in front of alex, the abbot was half-kneeling, but his appearance had changed. if before he had looked like a sly old man, now he was a feminine man with silver eyes.


    "i am sure, king, he is not human, probably belonging to another species. based on your father''s memories, he should be from the silver snake clan of the beastman race. but in my opinion, each of them should belong to their own race, and this silver snake is more similar to the serpent clan or naga species."


    "that doesn''t matter. what''s important is him being here now. did you learn anything about how he became the abbot?"


    "i extracted his memories directly, but there were many protections. in the end, his mind broke, so as you can see now, king, he has become a simpleton.


    as for his knowledge that i could extract, it''s only that his mission here was to keep their existence hidden while continuing to send humans to the main clan."


    "what!? the main clan is located in the core region. that place is good enough to even seal the connection between progenitors."


    if not for the strong seal, many things would have worked out better and more easily.


    "unfortunately, king, i cannot extract more of this information, but i think it''s enough to know they have a connection with an outside force."


    "the deadly sin has been here for a long time. since the primordial can come here, it doesn''t close the possibility of others. there is also the existence of those gu clans."


    "it seems the situation is not that simple, then. how about their strength, vesa?" mingyue asked.


    "if i base it on their life force, adding in their species'' ability, it''s possible we are fighting against two to three immortals in terms of strength."


    "that much in this region?" alex frowned, hearing vesa''s answer.


    since it was established that the silver snake clan got help from outsiders, the question was what they paid to get those. alex didn''t believe they got it for free.


    "does this world have anything else precious?"

 Chapter 503 It start

    "no, king, the only thing left should be the rift, but this place is too far away from it."discover more content at empire


    "alex, what if their goal is to destroy the formation in the core region?


    that way, the rift will break and grow in size. don''t forget the coalition''s existence and the frontline.


    despite your father''s goal to unite them, many things have already happened outside his plan."


    alex agreed with mingyue''s words. without orion here, whatever happened in shangxi temple had already derailed far, and there was a huge possibility the silver snake was behind this.


    his eyes then glinted with coldness. ''i hope uncle orion is still alive.''


    time passed on. mingyue returned to share some information with fengxue, while alex stayed in edonia to check the current progress.


    despite it being his domain, he hadn''t spent the time to check the situation himself, only hearing it from vesa''s report.


    in total, the current populace of edonia right now was around 1 million people. it was a mixed race between goblin, half-vampire, elf, and human. although humans were the minority here, the majority were elves, more than 60%, while 30% of the population were goblins.


    these minority humans were specialists who moved from the bai yue sect to help with the development and administration of edonia.


    the design was focused on creating one mega-city where every race lived around each other.


    it was then separated into multiple districts: residential area, farming area, research, manufacturing, government, and military districts.


    each was then divided even further depending on their needs. for example, civilian or military industry.


    the city was already self-sufficient, thanks to vesa''s help utilizing rune formations everywhere. things progressed effectively.


    only around 40% of the population really worked, while the remaining 60% were focused on military practice.


    alex had all of them learn qi cultivation methods while making their bodies adapt to mana. something similar to what was done in bai yue sect, but with a difference.


    the qi cultivation system was adapted for elf usage, allowing them to absorb elemental qi from the environment from the start. this was only possible thanks to their bodies'' unique traits.


    this allowed them to use spells without using the lifeforce stone.


    the progress had already given results, but they were not strong enough yet to wreak havoc in the cultivation world. s~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    they also needed to train with modern weaponry; there was no way they could fight with spells alone against their enemies.


    alex then walked around the city, slipping in as one of the inhabitants. the place was very busy. despite construction materials being teleported directly to the project site, many things still needed to be transported manually.


    this was because teleportation could only be used by the government, and was not allowed for civilians for safety. despite being modern, the place itself was filled with many plants and riverways that cut and separated the districts.


    alex stopped on one of the bridges, looking toward one of the bustling areas¡ªthe market. people were busy, but they had satisfied smiles on their faces, making him feel proud.


    "how is it?"


    a familiar voice asked from behind, making alex smile.


    "you finished, mingyue? the place is quite good now. as you can see, it''s very bustling¡ª even more prosperous and better than my city."


    "yes, it seems fengxue also found out about the silver snake, so there isn''t much to talk about.


    we just need to adjust more to reduce the casualties to a minimum."


    "no worry, i sent vesa to enhance the formation. nothing should go wrong except if the outer gods intervene again."


    mingyue then looked at the river. despite being colored red, it gave off a peaceful feeling.


    "a red sky and river¡ªusually, this would be a bad omen, but here it''s different."


    "that is more like a difference in culture. after all, this place is the vampires'' homeworld."


    "yes, true. meanwhile, outside, it''s filled with chaos. now that i think about it, how safe do you think this world is?"


    alex raised his eyebrow. he had never thought about it. vesa was edonia''s world spirit, and both were one.


    "as long as vesa is fine, it should be alright."


    "yes, this place is vesa''s. then, where is vesa truly?"


    alex frowned. she should be located deep inside their soul, but whose soul?


    did she move in between them? then what about the system?


    as they wondered about the answer, a streak of light shot toward the sky and then exploded into fireworks.


    it was a silent welcome for the king and queen since they didn''t want it announced by the luciel family.


    the fire reflected in the water. while this was a celebration, soon, a similar reflection would happen elsewhere, but one reflected with blood.


    alex and mingyue spent the next day enjoying their time in edonia with moon. her cheerful and pure attitude made them smile, but at the same time, they also realized the danger that moon possessed.


    moon was not normal; she didn''t have an innate repulsion to anything. this included torture, gore, and cruelty¡ªit didn''t matter to her. she was like a pure white paper that could be painted with anything.


    moon also didn''t recognize anyone else except alex and mingyue. if not for their words, she would have already killed everyone who disobeyed her.


    this wouldn''t be a problem if she were weak, but with her strength, many were no match for her.


    time passed on, just like usual. the sun rose, marking the dawn of a new day, but for the people at shangxi temple, this was not just a brand-new day¡ªit was a brand-new era.


    a group of people came and surrounded the temple in the morning. some thought it was just another protest like usual, but this time, things quickly changed.


    bang! bang! boom!


    the sound of bullets and explosions reverberated in the air. many of the guards were massacred before they could even do anything.


    "we''ve had enough! they sit in there, behind their marble walls, while we starve on the streets!"

 Chapter 504 The Silver Snake Plan

    "they keep raising taxes! my family can''t even afford to eat! and they just keep getting richer!""they promised us change, but all they did was lie! they protect the wealthy, while we suffer!"


    "this isn''t just about money or jobs anymore. they steal our children, thinking we''ll cower! but we''ll tear this building apart if we have to!"


    "this is the end of their rule! if they won''t listen, then we''ll make them listen! for our families! for our future! active the formation!"


    qi spread out as stronger cultivators emerged to quell the protest, but at this moment, a formation activated, blocking the whole temple.


    this completely turned the entire area into a different space, making communication almost impossible.


    no one could see past the barrier. but for the guards inside, it was the least of their problems.


    one of their rituals required all of them to pay respects in the temple in the morning. this made almost 90% of their forces already gathered.


    the problem was that the weird formation somehow dampened their qi, making it very hard to use.


    inside the temple, a group of people gathered in a room. as it was morning, normally, the people in the temple would have gathered for the morning ritual, but this one was far from it.


    the group of people lowered their heads, with two dead bodies dropped to the ground. based on the wounds, it was clear these corpses were fresh. in front, three people were seated on chairs.


    two were men with silver eyes, while the other was a woman with silver hair.


    "who is backing those cattle?" she asked in disdain.


    "we don''t know, madam. we suspect it''s from the resistance movement, but they shouldn''t be able to do something like this."


    the woman raised her hand, and then, with one motion, the man''s head dropped with a thud.


    "useless parasite. do you think we cannot think that much? if you don''t have a better answer, then you don''t need to stay alive."


    fear quickly gripped the crowd; no one dared make a single move.


    "sis, what do you even expect?"


    "he''s right. we should just finish them all. why bother with this?"


    "you forgot the elder''s order?" the woman asked, her eyes glinting dangerously.


    the two men quickly shut up, not saying any more words.


    "hmph! it seems living here has made both of you complacent. do you forget our real goal here?"


    "yes."


    "what is it?"


    "to control the temple from the shadows. but, sis, they''ve already created a formation that completely separates the space. as long as we kill them all, no one will know what happened."


    "that''s right. sis, we can also use this for justification later on."


    "hmmm¡­" the woman started considering their suggestion.


    the elder had asked them to send more humans, but if too many disappeared at once, it would affect the stability of the sect. people would start asking questions.


    even now, this had already happened, giving them a headache.


    "you do it, then get out and capture them all." she then turned her gaze toward the group in front of her. "you prepare for the aftermath. we need to at least capture 10,000 people now."


    "sis, one more thing¡ªwhat about the abbot? i''m sure his disappearance is related to this."


    "whoever did this has my thanks. making him the abbot was a huge mistake. he only indulged himself, not helping our task at all."


    "but sis, he''s the elder''s son. what if¡­"


    the woman then smirked. "let''s just blame it on them, then."


    the man disagreed, but he didn''t dare say it. in his opinion, the elder wouldn''t believe it. the abbot wasn''t weak. if someone that strong really slipped in, they should have known and done something about it. s§×arch* the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "what? do you have something to say?"


    "umm¡­ sis, do you think the elders will believe us? i mean, in the first place, the reason we''re here¡­"


    "hah, what can they do? even if he doesn''t trust it, can he come all the way here!?


    that portal can only be used to send those that are dead. if not for that incident, none of us would ever be here.


    so, what are you waiting for? go!"


    the two men looked at each other, then left the place. outside, one of them said in an annoyed tone, "sis is being even more sensitive lately."


    "shh¡­ you think she can''t hear us here?"


    "you all go to the front and fight them. even with your qi suppressed, you should be able to defeat them with your physical prowess."


    "but, sir, we''ve already received reports that the weapons they use are deadly."


    "that''s because they didn''t transform. just go all out and use the humans as our cannon fodder."


    "yes, sir."


    experience more content on empire


    the group of elders quickly dispersed. despite their sister''s orders, none of them planned to go to the front lines.


    they would exhaust every single force first until they had no choice before even doing that.


    "also, activate our own formation. we''ll send all those fresh corpses directly to the homeland."


    "that''s a good idea. this way, we''ll fill our quota no matter what, but honestly, do you know why they need this?"


    the man''s lips twitched, and then he hit his brother on the head.


    "you retard. all this time, you don''t know what you''re doing? and why we''re sent here?"


    "isn''t it because of punishment? because our father sided with them?"


    "hah! you really don''t use your brain. how could i even have a brother like you?


    listen carefully. i will not repeat it again. our chief wants to use them to corrode the formation in the core region. that way, we''re not breaking any agreement."


    "ah, i see¡­ chief is so smart. the deal is only for us not to pass the thousand abyss ridge.


    if we create another hole toward the outer region, this means we''re free to move around. but will they buy it?"


    despite thinking it was a smart move, he still felt that it was very shameless for them to do. it was basically a loophole.

 Chapter 505 The Two Sovereigns

    "even if they get angry, it doesn''t matter. what the chief wants is justification. they may judge us as shameless, but if they attack us first, they''re the ones breaking the pact.""does it really matter?"


    "do you think us beastmen agreed to the ceasefire just because of talk and losses?"


    "i don''t know the details, but there''s an entity that guards the rift. they''re the ones making sure us beastmen stay in line."


    "then what if they get angry and decide to attack us?"


    "they can''t. they''re bound by the limitation of rules. don''t ask again. i don''t know the details. we just need to do as we''re asked."


    back inside the room, the woman''s expression quickly changed. from annoyance, it turned into a smile.


    "it''s been so long. finally, someone broke the status quo. now, if i can find a way to use this opportunity¡­"


    the woman''s silvery eyes then glinted with killing intent. "i should be able to take my revenge."


    outside, the situation escalated, and a group of people emerged. their bodies grew larger, while their lower parts transformed into snakes.


    they slithered through the battleground, facing the resistance.


    at first, bullets ricocheted back, failing to penetrate through their scales.


    but one of the bullets, by luck, hit one of the creatures in the eye, piercing through and effectively destroying its brain.


    "everyone, target their eyes." read new adventures at empire


    the shooters adjusted their targets, but it was easier said than done. despite their large bodies, the snake creatures were very agile. they easily dodged and used their weapons to parry the attacks.


    "should we make our move now?"


    "not yet, cuiying. sect master said they would take care of things. let''s just sit and watch."


    at a distance, alex and mingyue were observing what was happening. their location was outside the barrier, but they could easily see everything, as vesa was the one who had created the formation.


    "should we make a move now?"


    alex''s expression changed, his lips curling into a smile.


    two people landed in front of him.


    "only you two? where are the rest?"


    one of the sovereigns was a man with a middle-aged appearance. he had crimson hair and eyes; the other was a woman with short hair.


    both of them bowed in respect.


    "we don''t know. they invited us to do something, but we rejected it," the man replied.


    "hmm..." alex checked their location, and his face turned into a frown.


    both of the sovereigns had disappeared. the only reason this could happen was if they went to another world or entered the core region.


    considering the situation, it was more likely the second one.


    "did they find a way to mess with my mark? i was sure up until five minutes ago i could still track their location."


    alex speculated they had already left for a while, and the only reason the mark he gave stopped reacting was that they felt it was no longer needed.


    the probable reason was the arrival of the other two sovereigns.


    the man''s name was dorian, and the woman''s name was selene.


    "why did you decide to come here then?"


    the two looked at each other and then dropped to one knee.


    "we are loyal followers of lady thalia. she long instructed us on possible scenarios that could happen."


    "so, you know the truth?"


    "yes, we are the vampire race, nearly hunted to extinction. our very existence is considered a crime in the universe.


    the losers have no right but to bow down to the winners," selene said.


    dorian then added with disdain, "we already told the others about this, but they didn''t believe us. even after lady vesa tries to convince them, they are still being so arrogant.


    they don''t understand that we need to stick together to rise again."


    "i can see that neither of you has accepted me, but you are sincere in your efforts to restore the vampire race''s glory."


    alex felt this was already a good result. after all, accepting someone weaker than them as their progenitor would be hard to swallow.


    "then both of you go. with your strength, you should have no problem capturing the leader. i need them alive."


    neither of them replied with words; they simply made their move.


    their bodies turned into bats, flying toward the barrier.


    the moment they got close, the area of the barrier became transparent, allowing them to pass.


    "i will take the frontline," dorian said with a grin.


    "hmph! just say you want to wreak havoc. remember, don''t harm the others on our side."


    "i''m not stupid, selene. even though the progenitor is still weak, lady thalia has placed her trust in him, and it''s only a matter of time before he becomes strong.


    and those foolish people who think they can still become the head are just good fodder for him."


    "you think he has the heart to kill and absorb them?"


    "yes. do you remember how cold he was when he ordered us? before, i was also skeptical, but at that moment..."


    dorian''s eyes glinted with respect. "that is the real one, the vampire progenitor."


    "honestly, i doubt that was the real him, but you''re right. i still remember the fear i felt at that time. despite our difference in strength, he easily overwhelmed the four of us."


    dorian then grinned, showing his sharp canines. "let''s begin, then¡ªthe festival of blood. this will mark the new beginning for our vampire race."


    selene shook her head, then flew toward the temple. in her opinion, dorian was the proudest of all of them.


    when he came to her, saying his plan to swear loyalty to alex, selene was surprised.


    dorian was infamous for looking down on other species. he was very cruel, not even considering them as living beings. s§×arch* the nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he also complained a lot when alex suddenly took over the entire place and moved them to edonia. he was one of the troublemakers who received special education from vesa.


    his change of heart came from the sensation of the progenitor he felt. it was a potent force that made him kneel in worship. in selene''s mind, this wasn''t a good enough reason.


    ''oh well, it doesn''t matter. in the end, i already decided from the start to follow him. i was just biding my time because i didn''t want to get involved this early.''


    with that thought, selene entered the temple.

 Chapter 506 Captured

    dorian started reverting back to his humanoid form, blood wings emerging from his back. "you puny creatures, kneel."his aura spread out, suffocating everyone on the ground.


    the transformed snakes groaned in pain, blood seeping from all their orifices, their bodies falling into the ground, writhing in their own pools of blood.


    the resistance didn''t fare much better. most of them were just normal civilians, and even the cultivators fared no better as their qi was sealed.


    they fell to their knees, unable to move.


    the only one still standing was fengxue; even cuiying had fallen to her knees.


    she looked upward, locking eyes with dorian.


    her action caught his attention. his eyes filled with disdain, he raised his aura once more to force her to kneel, but fengxue didn''t budge.


    "stop it unless you plan to report to the sect master."


    "tch, no fun."


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    dorian snapped his fingers. the blood on the ground started moving upward, defying gravity. it gathered into a sphere.


    the snake bodies withered into dried corpses.


    the large blood sphere then fell into dorian''s palm. at first, it was as big as a two-story bus, but as it descended, it shrank until it was only the size of a marble.


    "not bad..."


    meanwhile, inside the temple, selene quickly locked onto the strongest beings inside. she flew toward the highest tower, spotting two brothers.


    "who are you?" one of the brothers asked with a frown.


    selene''s bat form dissipated like a fog.


    "brother, where is it? i can''t feel it anywhere."


    "shh, i''m sure that creature is still here."


    the brother warned, but the next moment, both of them were raised into the air.


    crimson blood suddenly appeared, engulfing their bodies all the way to their heads. s~ea??h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    they began suffocating as the liquid entered their lungs, making them choke. it didn''t take long for both of them to lose consciousness.


    selene snapped her fingers, letting both of them fall to the ground. part of the blood then moved, turning into something like a collar that tightened around both of their necks.


    "watched enough? it''s amazing you could come here without me realizing.


    is it part of your species'' innate talent?"


    "release both my brothers."


    selene smiled, showing her sharp canines. "why should i? do you still have some way to turn the situation around?


    or do you think you can defeat me and escape?"


    the woman let out a maniacal laugh. "you should be able to tell there''s a huge energy beneath this temple. if you don''t free them, i''ll make it explode. let''s all die together."


    "so, you''re sure that explosion can kill me and the others?"


    "no! i know you''ll survive, but it should be enough to take out the entire city."


    "well, i was ordered to capture you alive and avoid attacking our teammates. none of it says i need to protect them.


    feel free if you want to do it, although i doubt you can break lady vesa''s barrier. don''t underestimate it."


    the woman''s expression quickly changed. she could tell selene was serious. she didn''t care at all about the lives of the citizens.


    "you may not care, but are you sure you''ll get out scot-free?"


    "hmm... they might punish me for this, but i doubt it will matter. look here, woman... you underestimate us too much.


    even if everyone dies, so what?


    if my king deems it necessary, he will just resurrect them all. most of them are just normal civilians, anyway. one of your kind should be more than enough to reassure a lot of them."


    "don''t think you can capture my soul! i''ll self-destruct it."


    "then go ahead. what are you waiting for?"


    the woman started hesitating. selene didn''t miss this change.


    she grasped the woman by the neck and then slammed her body toward the ceiling. despite this, the woman was barely wounded.


    she then flew outside the barrier and landed in front of alex and mingyue.


    "that was fast."


    "thanks for the compliment. this woman seems to be the one responsible for leading the temple. she''s the strongest there.


    do you have any more missions, king?"


    "investigate


    the temple, looking for something like a teleportation array."


    selene nodded, then left to complete her task.


    alex looked at the woman. "what''s your name?"


    "thara."


    "you should understand your current situation, then. tell me everything you know, and maybe i''ll consider letting you live."


    "then just kill me! i see no upside to your offer, and the worst outcome is death.


    no matter how much you torture me, i''ll just do that."


    usually, alex would just throw people like this at vesa, but he felt the woman had something to offer.


    "you seem to already have an idea in your mind. tell me."


    "the snake clan is involved with a sect in the core region. based on your strength, you should know about them."


    alex nodded, gesturing for her to continue.


    "they have a goal to erode the formation in the core region, allowing them to create new exit points toward outer regions.


    i''ll tell you more, but in exchange, guarantee the safety of my brothers and me and help me take over the silver snake clan."


    ''silver snake clan, if nothing has changed, they should be one of the emperors from the beast territory. it seems it''s time for me to go toward them.''


    "answer me this: what happened to the abbot before you? my answer will depend on yours."


    "the abbot before me? i don''t know. when i came here, the place was already prepared.


    i just took the position. if you want to know more, you''ll need to ask my uncle."


    alex squinted his eyes, then activated his ability, observing the woman''s every expression.


    "are you kidding me? how long have you been overlord in this place? and now you''re telling me you don''t know anything about the last abbot?"


    "i don''t! but i have some ideas. the people in power before me were taken by the coalition. although the spoils were shared with my clan, i cannot say for sure."


    "spoil!?" alex''s eyes glinted with coldness.

 Chapter 507 Thara

    he knew these "spoils" meant humans and could even include uncle orion. but something didn''t make sense¡ªthere was no way his uncle was captured that easily.unless he did it on purpose. after some more thought, alex realized this was very possible.


    considering his uncle''s personality, he would prefer to get captured by the enemy rather than stay in such a suffocating place filled with so many useless traditions and rules.


    except he did it on purpose. after some more thought, he realized this was very possible.


    considering his uncle''s personality, he would prefer to get captured by the enemy rather than stay in such a suffocating place filled with so many useless traditions and rules.


    ''but it has been such a long time¡­ did an accident happen?''


    alex frowned. he wondered if ariadne knew about this. were they still in contact with each other?


    ''they probably aren''t; otherwise, things wouldn''t have escalated like this.''


    alex then took out a blood contract.


    "sign this, and i will help you."


    the contract''s content made the woman''s eyes widen. "this is just slavery!"


    "nope. don''t you see i wrote that i will take care of your clan?"


    "take care!? it states you have control over my life and death."


    "and so? as long as you don''t give me a reason to take it, you''re fine," alex said with a warm smile, but his eyes glinted with coldness.


    thara gulped; she could feel alex''s killing intent. the meaning was clear¡ªif she didn''t sign, she would be killed.


    even though she still had a backup plan, thara didn''t want to risk it.


    she had seen selene''s capability, and on the way, her army had been decimated.


    ''it seems i have no choice, but i cannot just accept it like this.'' s§×ar?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    gritting her teeth, thara said, "then at least put a clause that you will help me take over my clan and not interfere with how i rule."


    "your name is thara, right?


    it seems the silver snake clan isn''t that smart. what makes you think you have a choice?


    we can force you here and now to do what we want.


    turning you into a puppet, using another soul to possess your body¡ªthere are many methods.


    know your place!" mingyue said while spreading her progenitor aura. she focused it all on the woman.


    the aura didn''t have any suppressing effect as she was a different species, but this didn''t mean it had no use.


    thara felt like she was in the presence of a very strong being¡ªone far above her.


    her beast instinct told her she was in front of an apex predator.


    with a heavy heart, thara signed the contract.


    fengxue then started organizing the spoils. she took all the silver snake bodies and then told her people the situation.


    she didn''t tell them the complete truth, only that the silver snake clan had taken over the temple for a long time and was the cause of all their misery.


    the few who survived were all taken captive to edonia. this included thara and her two brothers.


    alex didn''t directly let her go. they needed to get more detailed information from her on the situation.


    seeing things wrapping up, fengxue felt empty. the enemy she had been looking for wasn''t there.


    all her effort and everything she had done, but in the end, someone else had done it before her.


    ''it seems i''ve been sealed for too long. even the people i need to take revenge on are already dead. not even immortals survive the passing of time.''


    she had heard information through situ chen from the xue family. the immortals of the same generation as her brother had either been killed or disappeared.


    they left through the rift and never returned.


    as for their descendants, it''s been so long that they only heard of their ancestors as legends. some even completely forgot about them because of inner conflict.


    "are you alright, lady?" cuiying asked, feeling concerned.


    "it''s nothing. let''s go; we still have some things to do."


    they then walked toward the temple.


    the place was in disarray as selene had wreaked havoc when capturing the residents.


    she used her ability, forcefully pulling them toward her, destroying any wall or ceiling in the path.


    selene wasn''t worried they would die in the process; their bodies were robust enough to survive it.


    "you go check their administration room and look through all the documents. you should know what the others want."


    "yes, lady fengxue. what about you?"


    fengxue needed to give out the rewards she had promised to others who had helped her in the attack.


    not everyone had joined because of the cause.


    each had their own personal goals and ambitions. if she didn''t give out their rewards, it would cause further problems in the future.


    fengxue had already talked with mingyue. they would take over shangxie temple''s leadership and then use its foundation and framework to help unify the whole region.


    "i will talk with my sect leader. they should be in the dungeon.


    oh yeah, and in case i don''t return, just take care of things as i instructed and then look for my sect leader.


    or you can just return to your clan."


    cuiying was caught off guard by her remark. she was confused¡ªthere should be no more danger now. why would she say something so ominous?


    but before she could say anything, fengxue had already left.


    she walked down toward the basement. there, she saw alex, mingyue, and the two sovereigns.


    selene and dorian were talking with mingyue from the side.


    they were surprised, feeling the progenitor aura coming from mingyue.


    meanwhile, alex was now looking at the formation that the silver snake clan used to transport human bodies.


    ''they need it fresh. this means their goal is probably lifeforce.


    does this mean their plan is to create something like runes? but other than vampires, they shouldn''t have a way to utilize it.''


    it wasn''t that lifeforce was exclusive to the vampire race, but if others extracted it, the result would be the same as those demonic cultivators. discover hidden tales at empire

 Chapter 508 Pseudo Vampire Core

    a lifeforce filled with emotion and other things.''if all the bodies are the same, then the lifeforce they took should be filled with resentment. do they want to make some kind of curse to eat away at the formation?''


    alex knew this was possible, but with how strong the formation was, just how strong would the curse need to be?


    the amount of spirits they needed to gather would be a very huge number.


    billions? trillions?


    mingyue could feel the anger rising from alex. despite being a vampire now, he had spent a longer time as a human.


    this also reminded him of the past tragedy.


    "do you want to punish them?" mingyue asked as she arrived by his side.


    "forget it. that would just be me being petty. with how vast the universe is, who knows how many species the human race has enslaved now?


    and we are no longer human. our focus should be the resurrection of the vampire race."


    mingyue nodded, then changed the topic, "so, to the beast territory?"


    "yes, but this means we will pass through the frontline region. won''t aunt want to check the rift?"


    "let''s see how things turn out there. anyway, you have a guest, mingyue."


    mingyue turned her eyes to linghua. "well, more like yours."


    alex looked at mingyue with confusion, not understanding what she meant.


    she replied with a chuckle, "you know, returning linghua''s body to her, and¡­"


    "ah, you mean creating a new body for fengxue."


    "can you do that?" sea??h th§× n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    feng xue was surprised by the information. to her knowledge, no one could do this.


    seeing the concern in her gaze, alex chuckled, "don''t worry. i can guarantee this body won''t be worse than heaven''s choice. and honestly, i can make it better if you want to take the risk."


    "what kind of risk?"


    "i once made a body utilizing precious materials from my dungeon. this enhanced his physical strength to a new level. with that knowledge, i had a thought about making one utilizing high-grade qi crystals."


    "does this mean my body will be made like a golem?" feng xue asked in a dejected tone.


    "of course not. i will use the qi crystal to create the veins in the body. this will allow you to transmit qi very quickly.


    other than this, i will utilize the silver snake bloodline to create your flesh and skin. this will make you stronger and give you a strong bloodline.


    you can even change your form when you master it¡­


    there is one more thing, though. i want to try adding an energy core inside your body, if you agree, of course.


    this will enhance your overall strength but at the same time, have its own risks since it''s untested."


    alex wanted to create an artificial core that worked like a vampire''s. it would beat like a heart, absorbing the surrounding lifeforce when utilizing a special technique he created.


    the core would then filter it, making the life force pure and ready to be used.


    the current conversion rate was still very bad, but it was a step toward creating his own artificial core.


    alex had been planning this since he wanted to give it to the people around him.


    right now, he could already use runes to enhance their regeneration, making them very hard to kill. but the downside was they couldn''t absorb lifeforce on their own.


    waiting for him to gain the ability to turn others into vampires would still take a long time. even now, their progenitor progression rate is still very low.


    but it wasn''t like he could just go on a hunt and forget everyone around him.


    that''s why alex was looking for an alternative method to do this. he had tried a similar formation when he came to the zephyr clan. now, he just needed to create it into a core.


    fengxue started considering the idea. she knew how it felt to live with a body that wasn''t talented. otherwise


    , there was no way she would have been stuck at golden core despite her brother reaching the immortal realm.


    she didn''t lack resources or cultivation methods, but even with all those, that was the limit she reached.


    in the first place, her body was one that she couldn''t cultivate. it was already amazing for her to raise it to that realm. enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    maybe her brother at the peak could help her, but unfortunately, the situation at that time didn''t give her the opportunity to meet him.


    "i will do it then¡ªa body with two cores and the silver snake bloodline. the risk is worth it."


    "alright, let''s start. mingyue, take out linghua."


    mingyue took the earring, and a formation appeared on top of it.


    she then clenched her hand, making it crack.


    a guttural scream came out as she shattered the formation.


    "fuck! dammit!! mingyue!!! do you want to kill me!!!"


    linghua screamed in pain.


    her soul hovered in the air as she was now released. but she didn''t realize where she was now.


    "is it painful?? good." mingyue replied with a cold smile.


    linghua didn''t respond. she was still trying to recover from the pain. it was more painful than anything she had ever felt.


    it was like something was being forcefully torn from her existence.


    but before the pain could subside, her soul was pulled into her body.


    all this put her into shock, resulting in her becoming unconscious.


    fengxue''s soul hovered in the air, looking forward to what alex would do next.


    alex''s fingers started drawing many runes, creating a complicated formation on top of the one used by the silver snake.


    he planned to utilize the qi crystals used in this to make fengxue''s veins.


    the quality was even better than the one he had. it was probably a special type of qi crystal that only existed in beast man territory.


    the formation then shattered as it didn''t have enough energy to sustain it.


    alex then poured his life energy, turning the qi crystal into something like a thread. he then began weaving it.


    "dorian, the blood you took."


    "yes, king." dorian sent out the condensed blood sphere.

 Chapter 509 Yubina Vs Ariadne

    his eyes were filled with awe as he saw alex create the new body. he had heard everything, and this feat was something he never thought possible.doesn''t this mean creating a new lifeform? won''t that make him a god?


    alex drew another rune, then flicked it toward the blood sphere. the crimson liquid then started pouring toward the veins.


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    using many more complex formations, he used it to create bone, nerves, internal organs, flesh, and skin.


    this whole process took alex hours to finish, but now he was more adept at it compared to when he had created pi''s body.


    "now for the finish."


    he started weaving his lifeforce to create the new core. it was spherical, with many circuits drawn on it.


    if someone put it under a microscope, they would be able to see many runes crafting this circuit.


    this core took a few more hours¡ªlonger than the time alex used to create fengxue''s body.


    meanwhile, mingyue had already put fengxue''s soul into the new body.


    as it was completely new without any soul ever possessing it, fengxue didn''t face any problems making it hers.


    finished with the core, alex then turned his gaze to fengxue. she was now seated cross-legged, adapting to the new body while cultivating.


    "fengxue, this will be painful, but don''t resist."


    the new core was sent into her body. it pierced through her skin and then settled right beside her heart.


    the wound then quickly healed without fengxue needing to do anything. it was part of her innate regeneration, thanks to the silver snake bloodline.


    "i will give you a cultivation method. use this one."


    alex then touched her forehead and poured information directly into her brain.


    her expression turned calmer as her strength rose at a very fast speed.


    "the core seems to be working."


    mingyue''s eyes lit up. she understood the meaning of this.


    if this worked, they could not only make sure their family was stronger, but they could also mass-produce an elite army.


    "patience, mingyue, we need to make sure it really works. i also gave her a new cultivation method, mixing it with a vampire."


    "hmm¡­ a strong army that our enemy has no information about."


    "yes, that is what we really need to fight against them; otherwise, there is no hope."


    even though it was true that a really strong being didn''t need any army, they were still far from it.


    and they needed this force if they wanted to hunt all progenitor essence.


    who knew how many had already fallen into their enemy''s hands, or what if the place was located deep inside enemy territory?


    they would need to wage war to even get close to it.


    ''how about the risk of betrayal?'' mingyue asked through her mind.


    ''i already put some countermeasures on this pseudo-vampiric core. it''s replicating the suppression method from progenitors to their species.''


    ''how did you do that?''


    ''it''s complicated to explain, but basically using a combination of our life force signatures, i used it as a key that would create a suppression effect, even making them powerless if we wanted.''


    ''then, as long as our enemy cannot find this, we should be safe. but what if they replicate it?''


    ''don''t worry, to use this function, we need to use our life force in a very specific way. so it''s not really like progenitors that can just use their presence.''


    meanwhile, back at the encampment, luca and emily were talking with qingwa.


    rather than a discussion, it felt more like an interrogation, but she didn''t dare answer as she knew their background.


    one was the parent of the sect master, while the other was his little sister.


    "so you never met with alex, but you have heard about him from the lady?"


    "yes, as both sect leaders are busy, most of the orders were sent directly from lady vesa."


    ''hmm, so most of the management is taken care of by vesa, but can she really be trusted?''


    after calming down, luca started thinking about their situation.


    alex was entangled with things far beyond the scope of her imagination, but this didn''t mean she would just watch from the sidelines.


    luca wanted to do something to help them. hence, she took the initiative to learn more about her son''s faction and army, looking for any holes she could plug.


    as for emily, her mind was still concerned about her father.


    she had some more talks about him with luca, keeping her up to date with the current situation.


    each second that passed meant the longer her father drifted as only a soul. and who knew the time difference between them?


    sylva''s death also shook her, making her feel worried about how many of her uncles and aunts were still alive.


    as for zold, he was busy training and cultivating.


    meanwhile, in the beast man territory, things started tensing up. ariadne was facing against yubina. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "i told you there are no humans here."


    "you spider, do you want a fight? we have already talked about this back and forth for a while now. do you think they can pass my senses?"


    yubina''s qi flared, spreading out and covering the whole palace.


    this was a provocative action akin to a declaration of war.


    "you fox, you want a fight? do you think i fear you?"


    "then come, why waste things with words?"


    while saying this, yubina''s eyes were not looking at ariadne. instead, they were focused on the upper left, where quartz and olivia were located.


    ''damn it, this fox! i am sure i already took precautions to bypass her senses. does this mean she has a spy here?''


    ariadne was sure there was no way one of her people had turned into a spy since they were all connected through some kind of hive mind.


    it was part of the violet spider clan''s ability. ariadne had taken this special organ and then utilized a formation to use it as some kind of control device.


    this came with a risk; if someone stole it from her, they would gain control over her army.


    but she didn''t have a choice; in the first place, she was not part of the violet spider clan.

 Chapter 510 The Fox Know

    the only reason she could use their power was thanks to her absorption skill.ariadne did have the option to absorb this organ, but she didn''t want to do it.


    having the hive mind skill would be very helpful, but it would also change her personality.


    right now, she only chose to hear what they thought, but if she had the skill, ariadne would be able to feel their emotions and feelings.


    one may be ignored, but with millions under her, this would be something far beyond her ability to handle.


    as for the others of the species, they didn''t find it weird since even before, they wouldn''t be able to sense their queen''s mind or emotions.


    even though they were hive-minded, hierarchy still existed.


    they could also manage it themselves, like choosing not to share their emotions or mind with those of the same class.


    this is what made ariadne very confused. with a hive mind, any new foreign subject can be discovered quickly.


    "so be it! this place has been peaceful for a long time. maybe now is the time for the emperor rank to shuffle."


    "show it to me then. your strength is enough to take down the spider queen and that sleep-deprived tanuki."


    ariadne spread her aura; the ground started to shake. the walls cracked, and then the ceiling shattered.


    both of them floated high in the sky, so high that they almost reached the barrier.


    ariadne prepared to fight, but yubina didn''t even look at her. instead, her eyes were locked on the barrier.


    "you are a newcomer, so you probably don''t know this, but almost every beastman clan has this knowledge.


    some exist as records, others as legends, but the similarity is the same. stay updated through empire


    we come from a faraway place, beaten and lost.


    forced to this planet located in the far corner of the universe, licking our wounds."


    her gaze then turned down toward ariadne. "now, what do you think? if a beast runs away licking their wounds,


    do they do it just to escape? or are they preparing to bare their fangs back at their enemy?"


    "that depends on the beast, but since you are the one saying it...


    a predatory beast will have the instinct to protect their territory. so they will fight back."


    yubina grinned, showing her fox canines, her nine tails fluttering in the wind.


    "correct."


    her qi then exploded, covering her tail with a crimson-like aura.


    the aura gave ariadne a sense of dread. the nine-tail fox race was famous for their hallucination and shapeshifting ability, but it was different with yubina.


    she had a strange ability that no one knew the origin of.


    her aura had very corrosive properties. this is what made her rank high as a beast emperor.


    the tail thrust forward like a spear.


    the speed was so fast that the next moment, ariadne saw it right in front of her eyes.


    but she didn''t make any move. instead, she turned her body, and eight spider legs came out from her back.


    four on each side.


    bam! the spider leg clashed with yubina''s claw.


    the one that shot out her tail turned into an illusion and then disappeared. instead, covered in a bubbling crimson aura, it was coming at her neck.


    her fangs had grown longer and sharper.


    smoke sizzled from the point of contact, but ariadne didn''t feel any pain, nor did she flinch.


    "what a strong skin you have."


    "cut the bullshit, if you want to fight, just fight."


    bang! clang! boom!


    the sky shook with many shockwaves. each attack made the space vibrate.


    if this had happened in another area on the planet, the space would have already distorted and broken, creating holes in the void.


    thankfully, their clash happened inside the core region.


    they moved in a blur, clashing against each other. ariadne threw a punch toward yubina''s torso, but she caught it with her tail.


    the other tails then shot out, clashing against ariadne''s spider legs.


    yubina''s claw tore through ariadne''s face; her skin was torn, her cheek flesh removed.


    but this was as ariadne had planned.


    she knew without taking any hits, she wouldn''t be able to fight back.


    her aura raised, and a green liquid shot out from her pores. it then created a bubble filled with highly acidic poison.


    it clashed against yubina''s qi, creating a steam explosion that pushed both of them away.


    "haha, it seems our power is very compatible," yubina said with a chuckle.


    "this just shows i am in no way weaker than you!"


    "no one ever said that; we all know that rank is nothing more than decoration now.


    everyone has become stronger, and they hide their cards well.


    even that stupid tanuki has his secrets. if it weren''t for you, no one would have ever known.


    but this makes me wonder, everyone here is your clan, what did you do with the tanuki clan? did you kill them all?"


    "why, do you have some kind of feeling for that geezer? never knew the charming fox queen had that kind of fling."


    "hahaha, his wish. i''m just curious what you did with them since i don''t feel their presence here."


    "who knows!? i don''t have any obligation to tell you about them."


    "hmm, they are quite talented in shapeshifting like mine, although we have different specialties.


    don''t tell me you used them to spy on our region."


    yubina''s lips then curled into a grin.


    "just get to the point, you sly fox. if you want to fight, then fight. if you want something, then say it." sea??h th§× novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "i told you from the start i want to meet the human."


    yubina opened her palm, and then a huge rock appeared.


    she then clenched her fist, and a guttural scream reverberated in the air.


    the rock, which should have shattered into dust, instead exploded into flesh and blood.


    her qi raised even higher, to a point that surprised ariadne.


    in the next moment, yubina appeared inches away from her face.


    yubina then leaned in close to ariadne, whispering,


    "let me meet them, and i won''t tell anyone you are a human too."

 Chapter 511 Beast Oath

    ariadne''s eyes turned cold, her killing intent filled the air, and her pupils shrank, turning into reptilian eyes.her hand then transformed into a draconic claw.


    it pierced through yubina''s body.


    but instead of a wound, the body turned into a puff and disappeared.


    "interesting, so my guess was right."


    ''damn it!'' ariadne cursed in her mind, realizing she had made a huge mistake.


    ''it seems i have gotten careless because olivia and quartz were here.''


    it wasn''t the first time yubina tried to guess the secret she was hiding.


    "let''s say what you claim is true. what do you want with the meeting?"


    "i know it''s true," yubina replied with confidence.


    ariadne rolled her eyes. "just answer."


    "i swear this: i will not attack them nor share your secret with anyone, but in exchange, i want to know what your plans are.


    you are not the only one cooperating with humans; i know many do.


    some even join that stupid coalition. their goal is nothing more than greed; they fail to see the bigger picture."


    "¡­"


    "i see you are still not convinced. don''t you think it''s proof enough i haven''t shared your identity with anyone?"


    "are you kidding me? since when does holding a sword to someone''s neck earn trust?


    and don''t think i don''t have countermeasures prepared. i dare you to share the news and see what happens."


    yubina put her finger on her chin, looking deep in thought, then let out a sigh. sear?h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "it seems you''ve taken it the wrong way. how about this then."


    she raised her palm forward, and her qi then surged.


    "i, yubina, demon emperor of the fox clan, will make an oath on my beast core. as long as ariadne doesn''t harm me, i will cooperate and never betray her."


    the qi reverberated, turning into a mark on her core.


    this oath made ariadne squint her eyes.


    "just what are you planning? to take a beast core oath?"


    unlike humans, beastmen have different values. they respect strength the most.


    that is why, despite having a foolproof method to ensure someone''s loyalty, rarely does anyone do it. only when the other party does it on their own initiative will it be accepted.


    "to cooperate, we need trust, and this should be more than enough."


    ''hmm¡­ that oath still has too much leeway. if it''s a human, i would never believe it, but for an emperor to put such words¡­''


    if word spread that she betrayed it by using some kind of loophole, yubina would lose the respect of her clan.


    after some deliberation, ariadne decided to talk with yubina and then let her meet with olivia and quartz.


    the other choice was to fight to the death, one she wasn''t confident she could win, and even if she did, things would just become more complicated.


    inside the castle, quartz and olivia saw everything that happened.


    ariadne did this on purpose to make sure they could take some preemptive measures if things grew out of hand.


    "what do you think, olivia?"


    "well, what else can we do? meet them. but we''ll keep information about alex and the others a secret."


    "mixing truth and lies, let''s do as usual then."


    olivia nodded; it wasn''t the first time they negotiated, and every time, they used a good cop, bad cop strategy.


    despite the method being old and well-known, it was still very effective.


    quartz usually took the position of pushing information out of the target, while olivia would cut it down if she saw the target wouldn''t speak.


    but unfortunately, this wouldn''t work for yubina.


    not only was her strength far greater, allowing her to see through their fa?ade, but she also had no plans to hide her intentions.


    yubina had reached the limit of her strength and had already found a way to break through it. but that method required her to go to another world.


    she did have a choice to go through the rift, but for some reason, she decided not to. that was why she sought an alternative.


    yubina wanted to confirm if they really came from another world. based on the information she had gathered, she was sure they were not people from this world.


    time passed on, and without realizing it, a week had gone by.


    alex was now with mingyue, luca, and emily. they were looking at the wonder of the gate.


    the gate was made from jade carved with a dragon on one side, while there was a phoenix on the other.


    it was so large and high that it made skyscrapers look puny in comparison. it seemed to stretch to infinity, passing through the sky.


    if alex didn''t know they were in the core region, he would have thought it stretched all the way to space.


    "just who made this thing? is it really xueqi''s ancestor?" emily asked.


    "it should be them. well, if fengxue were here, maybe she could tell us more."


    after getting a new body, fengxue was still busy cultivating. she returned back to bai yue sect to focus on raising her strength.


    meanwhile, qingwa changed shangxi temple into the base of their operations.


    utilizing its connections and teleportation network, qingwa tricked them into creating communication towers everywhere.


    she also spread out bai yue sect members to every city with teleportation arrays, then ordered them to silently take over.


    the results were very good; just this week, their communication covered almost a quarter of the whole region.


    more than half of the territory had also fallen under bai yue sect''s control.


    but not everything ran smoothly; some of the sect members panicked or got too arrogant in their missions, ending up in screw-ups. discover hidden tales at empire


    this turned into full-blown conflicts that still ended with bai yue sect''s victory but not without repercussions.


    news spread that a sect was expanding aggressively and had possibly taken over shangxi temple.


    most people might have seen this information as mere gossip or entertainment, but not the sect and clan leaders.


    with the crisis, they set aside their pride and hatred and decided to create a coalition.

 Chapter 512 The Frontline Area

    one that had never happened before in the history of the outer region¡ªa coalition formed by all the clans and sects. even when they fought against demonic cultivators, the sects were not as united as this.after all, not all territories were invaded by them. those who felt no danger would just watch from the sidelines.


    but this time, it was different.


    all of them were sure bai yue sect''s goal was to completely conquer them all. if this were the only reason, some of the sects might have chosen to bow down.


    unfortunately, all the spies reported that none of the old clans or sects still held any power after being taken over by the bai yue sect.


    their thousand-year history was uprooted, and all the authority figures in those places were either missing or killed.


    since bowing down still meant losing their privileges and lives, they decided it was better to die fighting.


    the situation intensified, but qingwa didn''t feel worried at all. their strength completely outmatched the coalition''s.


    after receiving reports from minghao and zold on their weapon usage, a batch of the dumbed-down version was given to the sect''s elite.


    the hinged leg was removed, changing it to tires, making it look like a normal tank. but with formations and special materials used for bullets, their destructive power was nothing to scoff at.


    with its current strength, a single cannon shot could easily break through a golden core barrier.


    unfortunately, they couldn''t spam this as they wished. these bullets were made using high-grade qi crystals, making each one very expensive. enjoy more content from empire


    the tank also utilized these crystals for its armor to enhance the effectiveness of the formation.


    this turned them into monstrosities that could easily flatten the whole region, but in the core area, they would barely be useful.


    but this didn''t mean everyone just fought using these machines they called ''devastators.''


    this war not only expanded their territory, but it also turned bai yue sect from a newcomer with many novices to one filled with pride and experienced veterans.


    those who had huge contributions rose in rank, becoming elites.


    their casualties might have been low, but this didn''t mean they faced no danger. casualties still appeared, and with their enemies now united, the battles intensified.


    minghao and the group were also sent to the frontline.


    they were tasked to lead the army under qingwa''s supervision.


    as for the core region, the situation was more stagnant.


    the only thing happening now was that more and more cultivators were coming toward the bloodspire citadel.


    the new weapons and cultivation methods they sold caught the attention of all clans and sects.


    although most of the people who came were those with limited potential or had already hit their limits, it was still a huge gathering of cultivators.


    this put the citadel on the map. right now, everyone knew about this place, making it akin to a new hub.


    many new things were also introduced. for example, utilizing formations to create realistic environments.


    this method itself was not completely new in the core region, but utilizing it as entertainment was something no one had ever done.


    the entertainment consisted of mock-up fights that gave out rewards for the winner, making it like gladiators but without the need for bloodshed, or like a sport from alex''s world.


    at first, some stupid group tried to take it over, but they ended up getting punished and turned into an example.


    after this incident, the situation became calmer, but everyone could tell a storm was brewing.


    many of the new cultivators that came had ulterior motives, but they did it subtly, not giving a reason for alex''s army to do anything.


    it wasn''t that they couldn''t make up things, but for now, the goal was still gathering more and more people to recruit and put them under their control, with many benefits.


    meanwhile, alex and mingyue were still captivated by the structure they saw. alex was busy calculating how much it would cost to really build this item. s§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the material it required was so massive that he was sure it could bleed thousands of qi crystal mines dry.


    this made him wonder if the blue jewel planet in the past had higher qi density.


    but his thoughts stopped when a voice filled with power reverberated in the area.


    "turn back; this place is not for you. go back."


    "are you part of the guardian clan? the one protecting the rift?


    i am here looking for ying xue, just ask her."


    "haha, you are funny. i don''t know where you got that information, but you are not the first to try that method.


    no is no, we are not recruiting any new members for the frontline. and no! we are not interested in intervening with what happened outside."


    mingyue''s qi churned; she wanted to attack, but alex stopped her. in her mind, talking was a waste of time for arrogant cultivators like this.


    put them down first, then they will listen. alex agreed, but he had a different idea of how it should be done.


    "just ask her and she will come out."


    "even if she does, so what? i am the one responsible for maintaining the gate here.


    if i don''t allow you to pass, they won''t."


    mingyue looked at alex, her silent gaze saying, ''see what i said? it''s pointless. you cannot bait him to make the first move.


    he may be arrogant, but he''s not stupid enough to get punished.''


    ''we just need a good bait then.''


    alex didn''t respond to the guardian''s taunt. he sat cross-legged and then took out a jar of crimson blood.


    this was leftover blood essence that he had taken from the silver snake brothers.


    it didn''t kill them, and they could regenerate, but that didn''t mean it was without any side effects.


    the snake brothers would weaken, and continuous extraction could result in their cultivation realm going down.


    alex then opened the lid, allowing the essence aura to spread.

 Chapter 513 Weird Space

    basketball, soccer, tennis, and many other types were brought over.the restaurant with msg food also gave a lot of treats to their tongues.


    this turned many cultivators into gourmets despite them not needing to eat. your adventure continues at empire


    imagine living in a world where spice was barely used for cooking, and then suddenly msg was introduced?


    it wasn''t that it didn''t exist in this world, but all their culture was focused on cultivation. and when they became cultivators, the need for food disappeared.


    this made experimenting with taste less interesting than making alchemy pills.


    their modern architecture also made many of these cultivators choose to stay in the citadel for a long time.


    unfortunately, with a huge gathering of people and interesting stuff, conflict brewed up.


    ''this should be enough to bait him out.''


    and alex was right; a blood essence of the grade of a silver snake was something very rare and precious.


    with the deal between them that blocked fighting against each other, getting one would be very hard and would potentially put them as criminals.


    someone wanting to create conflict for personal interest.


    "that blood essence, where did you get it from?"


    a figure then appeared in front of the gate.


    ''an immortal as a gatekeeper¡­ they''re not playing around.


    no wonder the frontline clan is very respected.''


    alex didn''t believe the respect only came from their sacrifice on the frontline.


    just like in his world, hunters might be respected by civilians, but most of the time, the reason was because they could easily earn money.


    some instead cursed them, as they were the victims of bad hunters.


    "anyway, let''s talk inside."


    his tone then filled with pride as he said, "don''t be surprised by what you''ll feel when entering."


    the group then entered through the entrance.


    the moment they took a step in, alex felt like he was entering a whole new world.


    at first, they felt a huge pressure under their bodies, as if gravity had been raised tenfold.


    after a few more steps, the air completely disappeared as if they were passing through a vacuum.


    if their cultivation had been low, this would have been very lethal and dangerous.


    it was like walking in space without any protective suit.


    after passing through this, they finally reached the core region.


    the place was beyond their imagination.


    alex wouldn''t have been surprised if what he saw was another new world or a place like a dungeon.


    instead, what he saw was like a mega-city straight out of science fiction.


    the place was a huge enclosed space, with buildings that looked like they were made from a single material.


    the skyscrapers went all the way to the ceiling, making them look like pillars.


    but since everything looked the same, it was more like seeing one huge mega-structure.


    the design also reminded alex of a honeycomb. each hexagonal spot seemed to mark a single area.


    cultivators could be seen flying all around, busy heading in one direction.


    they also saw many wounded people landing in one hexagon that probably functioned as a hospital.


    the wounds were gruesome, but no one looked, seeming to already be used to the situation.


    "elder xue, does the fight happen all the time?"


    alex didn''t ask ying xue, as he knew she didn''t have the authority to give outsiders any information.


    "no, it happens randomly. you will understand when you see the rift.


    if you want to enter, though, you will need permission from the general or the council."


    "where is the general?"


    "haha, young man, you think you can just meet him whenever you want? s~ea??h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the general is a very busy man; he is staying near the rift. if you want to meet him, you will need to find your own way.


    you can try the normal method, but the queue will be very long and can easily take you dozens of years."


    as for the elite, they looked down on the hunter association. most even found them annoying, and if possible, they wanted to sabotage and remove it.


    only a minority were really grateful to the hunters risking their lives on the frontline.


    alex believed it was no different in this world. if anything, it was worse since they were all cultivators.


    it was more likely for people to become cultivators compared to awakeners.


    the one who came out had a sword on his waist and a straw hat covering his face.


    his clothes reminded alex of someone from a samurai story, making him chuckle in his mind.


    ''focus, alex. what are we gonna do? capture him? kill him?''


    ''how do you know?''


    "with how you think, is that even a question?"


    ''never knew i was so transparent, haha,'' alex replied with a chuckle.


    ''let''s capture him; someone else will come out after that.''


    behind them, luca and emily also prepared to fight.


    ''emily, don''t be brash. just stay by my side.''


    luca talked to emily through her mind.


    ''alright, mom.''


    emily agreed since now she knew her mother''s ability. if things were dangerous, her mother would have told her to do something, not just stay silent.


    before the man could do anything, alex appeared right in front of him. he punched him in the gut.


    the man quickly responded, his sword flashing forward, clashing against alex''s attack.


    "stop. move any of your qi, and i will send your head flying, then burn your soul."


    ming yue was standing behind him, her sword''s sharp edge right beside his neck.


    her and alex''s energy also spread out, pushing down on the man.


    he knew if his finger moved even a bit, ming yue wouldn''t hesitate.


    ''are they the outsiders i''ve heard about? damn, i screwed up.''


    "let''s talk about this peacefully, okay? if you hurt me, things will escalate, and i''m sure you don''t want that."


    "we don''t want to because it''s a bother for now, but it doesn''t mean i won''t do it."


    with their plan, this place was one of the areas they wanted to take over.

 Chapter 514 Mega City

    it was only a matter of time before they invaded. but alex wanted to make sure of the situation inside first.blindly attacking and triggering a war where he would need to kill many immortals was a scenario he wanted to avoid.


    they were potential soldiers he could recruit, and what if the rift was more dangerous than he thought?


    right now, alex still thought of it as a glorified dungeon break.


    it was as if every dungeon break in his world was all united into one spot, making them spawn a flood of monsters every day and time.


    with the necessary strength, this would turn the rift into a gold mine.


    a spot where they could farm an infinite amount of treasures and resources.


    but there was a possibility it was not like he thought. the current situation was just too weird for it to be like this.


    ''dammit, do i have no other choice? but if i call them for backup¡­''


    the man''s mind churned, thinking of what to say to convince them to release him.


    if backup came and they found out about his behavior, he would lose his spot as the gate guardian.


    this was a very sought-after position, as it was very calm and peaceful compared to being put at other posts that mostly consisted of fighting.


    the only thing better than this was being sent to a clan or sect in another region.


    seeing his hesitation, ming yue asked alex, ''i''m sure you feel it too; someone saw what happened but didn''t make any move.


    it seems the situation inside is worse than we think.''


    ''or he''s just such a hateful person that whoever is watching hopes we kill him.''


    ''so, should we call them out? or¡­?''


    alex looked toward the gate. ''move, ming yue.''


    bam!


    ming yue disappeared, while alex kicked the man like a soccer ball.


    at the same time, he also took the man''s sword. he covered it with his progenitor aura to erase the man''s soul mark, then threw it to luca.


    "you should use this, mom. it''s better than the one you''re using."


    the man could feel his insides churning; he spat out blood but still didn''t dare to make any move.


    after the exchange, he realized he had really hit an iron plate.


    if he had known, he wouldn''t have acted arrogantly like that. in reality, he didn''t even think much when he did it.


    he just felt bored staying in that spot and thought to bully someone to leave.


    "don''t think we cannot feel you. come out, or maybe you also want a fight?!"


    "mister, i am not my foolish brother. i just came here because our parents asked me to send him a message.


    but i think i got to see this kind of show instead. hahaha¡­.


    anyway, i will call out with miss ying xue. as for him, feel free to beat him up. it''s alright as long as you don''t kill him." continue reading at empire


    the man''s presence then disappeared. different from his brother, he didn''t leave the mansion fortress.


    ''it seems the formation inside includes some kind of surveillance.''


    unfortunately, all the formations were put inside the wall, making alex unable to observe any of them.


    normally, this wouldn''t be a problem, but the material used for this wall was just that good.


    "i wonder if this material came from another world."


    ming yue nodded.


    "yes, it doesn''t seem like something that would exist in my world.


    but for them to have this much, just how rich are they?"


    "it''s not necessarily like that. alex, you may not know, but there are many miraculous materials from the dungeon."


    luca chimed in.


    "i still remember one called living metal. just like its name, this metal can eat other materials and propagate while taking in their unique attributes.


    of course, maintaining it is not easy at all; there are many techniques you need to learn in controlling the propagation and what kind of attributes it will absorb."


    "have you ever heard about it, emily?"


    "no, brother. i think this kind of material should be locked at the highest authority level."


    "yes, as you hear, we have one of them inside the association vault. unfortunately, we don''t have anyone who can breed it correctly.


    the association also doesn''t want to take a risk. doing it wrongly will just give us a very dangerous threat."


    "i see, that makes sense."


    alex agreed despite the material having so much potential; if they couldn''t find a way to 100% make sure it was safe, then the danger was too high, making it not worth it.


    the living metal could easily grow and cover the whole planet, eating everything and everyone inside of it.


    "then, mom, do you think this is living metal?"


    "i don''t know. living metal can completely change in form and appearance.


    but i am sure this is probably a similar thing.


    at the very least, it should be able to replicate itself; otherwise, it doesn''t make sense that they can make this much."


    this information made alex frown; if even here, material like this already existed, what about his enemy?


    what kind of technology did the primordials have now?


    their talk was then interrupted as the gate suddenly started to vibrate.


    part of it disappeared, and two people came out from it.


    ying xue was walking behind an elderly man with an appearance similar to moria''s.


    dignified, with an amiable smile.


    but alex could clearly see from the man''s eyes that he was looking down at them.


    it was the same gaze he often saw when he met with the elite in his world.


    an innate sense of superiority.


    ''he should have heard the report of what happened but still have this kind of confidence.


    either he''s dumb, which is not likely, or he has something else.''


    alex was sure it was the latter, and the man probably had some kind of unique power system.


    the elderly man looked toward the man alex had knocked down, then let out a chuckle. s§×ar?h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "the young master of the ronin clan is really amazing; i will make sure to report this to the general."

 Chapter 515 Contribution System

    the man had a defeated look on his face, but he didn''t respond back.he groggily stood up, looked at alex with anger and hatred, then entered through the entrance.


    "i heard about you from ying xue; you can just call me elder xue."


    despite being annoyed with the man''s gaze, alex still acted with a smile.


    "greetings, elder xue. my name is alex, and she is ming yue. my mom luca, and my sister emily.


    as you have heard, we are coming here because we are curious about the rift, and we also want to find out about our father."


    "your father? ah, yes, the group coming from the zephyr clan.


    trust me, i have tried to stop them, but they just didn''t listen.


    anyway, let''s talk inside."


    his tone then filled with pride as he said, "don''t be surprised by what you will feel when entering."


    the group then entered through the entrance.


    the moment they took a step in, alex felt like he was entering a whole new world.


    at first, they felt a huge pressure under their bodies, as if gravity had been raised tenfold.


    after a few more steps, the air completely disappeared like they were passing through a vacuum.


    if their cultivation was low, this would have been very lethal and dangerous.


    it''s like walking in space without any protection suit.


    after passing through this, they finally reached the core region.


    the place was beyond their imagination.


    alex wouldn''t be surprised if what he saw was another new world or a place like a dungeon.


    instead, what he saw was like a mega city straight out of science fiction.


    the place was a huge enclosed space, with the buildings looking like they were made with one material.


    the skyscrapers also went all the way to the ceiling, making them look like pillars.


    but since everything looked the same, it was more like seeing one huge megastructure.


    the design also reminded alex of a honeycomb. each hexagonal spot seemed to mark a single area.


    cultivators could be seen flying all around, busy going in one direction.


    they also saw many wounded landing in one comb that probably functioned as a hospital.


    the wounds were gruesome, but no one looked, as they seemed to already be used to the situation.


    "elder xue, does the fight happen all the time?"


    alex didn''t ask ying xue since he knew she didn''t have the authority to give outsiders any information.


    "no, it happens randomly; you will understand when you see the rift.


    if you want to enter, though, you will need to get permission from the general or the council."


    "where is the general?"


    "haha, young man, do you think you can just meet with him if you want?


    the general is a very busy man; he is staying near the rift. if you want, you will need to find your own way.


    you can try the normal method, but the queue will be very long and can easily take you dozens of years."


    alex''s lips twitched. the only reason he wanted to meet the general was his curiosity. he didn''t want to waste time that long.


    "forget it then. i am just curious and want to learn more about the situation in this area.


    you know, i have heard many rumors, but who knows how true they are."


    the group then entered one of the honeycomb rooms.


    inside, it was like the baiyue sect''s old appearance.


    a series of multiple floating islands.


    each island was linked with a bridge, and the sky was a beautiful blue.


    "is every honeycomb like this?"


    "of course not. i hold an elder rank, so i can have my own spot.


    this place is not cheap to maintain, and to even be able to buy it, you will need sufficient contribution.


    i will report to the patriarch. ying xue, you can bring them to the guest area."


    after elder xue left, alex looked at ying xue.


    "does the whole xue family live in this place?"


    the size of the area alone was the same as the zephyr clan.


    although he hadn''t explored everything, and they also had their own small world, alex thought it wouldn''t be that different.


    "the xue family right now has 4 elders; each elder has their own area like this one, and then we have six more places.


    one is privately owned by the patriarch''s family; the other five are shared by us all.


    and yes, each place is a small world like this one.


    as for the place you saw before, it''s owned by the general''s faction.


    he is the one making sure everyone contributes and cooperates." s§×ar?h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "what about the ronin clan outside? it seems your clan doesn''t like them."


    with a common enemy, alex thought they should be more united than those outside, but it seemed as if the situation wasn''t desperate enough; uniting was just a joke.


    they may have been united at first, but since they held on, they adapted and accepted it as something normal.


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    "honestly, i don''t know when it started, but the ronin clan is one of the most hated here.


    they often trigger conflicts when taking on prey.


    killing more than the area they are allocated to."


    ying xue then proceeded to tell how everything worked.


    the general created a system where every time an invasion occurred, they would detect it an hour before.


    they would then calculate the risk based on the rift''s fluctuation.


    the risk was graded from e to sss rating.


    usually, on average, they would get those rated c, which could be taken care of by 30-50 immortals.


    every single clan had around 10-20 immortals. the biggest one like xue had more than 30, which made the clans fight to get allocation.


    the loot would then all be taken by the general, while the cultivators would get their reward as contribution points.


    the points could then be exchanged for the loot.


    as for the general himself, he was not only the strongest but also an ancient guardian who had taken care of everything since the rift was created.


    they called the guardian with him, but he was not human.

 Chapter 516 Ronin Clan

    based on ying xue''s description, alex speculated it was some kind of construct. a sophisticated golem, or an artifact with a soul that was owned by feng xue''s brother.this made him regret not bringing her here.


    there is a big chance she knew this guardian and could help negotiate or gain more benefits.


    ying xue then showed the guardian badge that alex had seen before.


    other than its pattern, this badge also worked like some kind of terminal when staying in this region.


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    it was used to record their contribution points, buy food, enter their own property, and get their benefits.


    these benefits were decided by their rank, depending on the total contribution points they had earned.


    some would get free food, while others would get elixirs, free real estate, and many other things.


    the total clans existing in this place were more than 24, with 4 large clans taking the lead.


    other than these 24, there were also independent cultivators who were survivors from destroyed clans or were headhunted from outside.


    this group usually came directly under the governor''s jurisdiction.


    they would have more priority on taking non-defense missions like maintaining the formation or as simple as working as maids.


    as for cleaning, no one in this world needed to do that since the large formation seemed to take care of it.


    as ying xue started explaining, luca then asked how the rift worked.


    "this information is quite new, and sir edward is the one who confirmed this.


    the rift is a portal to another world, but to where it is not established.


    it constantly changes, with some worlds coming out at fixed intervals.


    but so far, we have only confirmed two of these kinds of worlds.


    one is marked as dangerous; it comes out every twenty-five years, and the next one will be in the next five years.


    the other will appear every five years, and it should come next year."


    "don''t tell me¡­" alex mumbled in a heavy tone.


    he didn''t have any memories after his father went to this place, but it seemed the world he went to was this dangerous one.


    this meant they had no way to look for him other than to wait for the next five years.


    emily''s shoulders slumped down. she stood up and then left in silence; the news gave her a huge shock.


    luca let out a sigh and looked at her ring, "i will go to your sister. find out more, alex."


    alex gave a nod.


    he knew about the ring and even tried to check how it worked.


    unfortunately, his progress stopped since he would need to cut it in half to find out how it functioned.


    there was no way her mother would allow that. it was her wedding ring and the only thing that told them edward was still alive.


    "why do you mark this world as dangerous? can you give me more information?"


    "i don''t know in detail, but there have been three invasions coming from that world.


    each time, it was categorized as sss danger, forcing everyone to join in, which resulted in catastrophic damage."


    ying xue''s father was one of the survivors of the last invasion.


    from his story, the enemy was only a few creatures, but they were so strong that it required everyone to unite to kill them.


    she then showed a projection of the enemy her father fought.


    it was a reptilian creature that looked like the one they had hunted before.


    a transformed dragari, but its body was far larger. the scale skin and everything else was really different.


    ''is that a dragon race? no wonder my father chose to enter this dungeon then.''


    "can we see the body somewhere?"


    "yes, in the governor sector we have a museum that shows projections of every monster kept there with real-life scale.


    there should also be some information on the monster. it''s quite detailed."


    "interesting, so you guys hoard power systems but share information on monsters?"


    "well, it''s a compromise. power systems are not easy to get; most of them were acquired from trading with non-hostile invaders.


    they sometimes come and never return while asking for something precious.


    sometimes, even within one clan, the one that trades will hide it and doesn''t tell anyone.


    not even the patriarch."


    "in that case, won''t it make them unable to use the ability when it''s needed?"


    "well, most of them will choose one that raises their basic strength and survivability.


    some also cleverly put restrictions on themselves, making any forceful attempt only result in the technique becoming lost.


    but this is rare.


    not everyone has the resources to pay for the exchange, so they will usually put the offer to the clan, then discuss whether to buy it or not.


    for example, my clan has a technique that allows us to quickly recover our strength after moving to a new body.


    or the ronin clan you saw before.


    they have a strange power that allows them to enhance any weapon, making it an artifact when fighting."


    this pulled alex''s interest, making him ask in detail how the power worked.


    ying xue told what she knew, allowing alex to speculate how their ability worked.


    ''so they can split part of their soul then pour it into their weapon, turning it into something like an artifact.


    their soul can then be molded by the user, enhancing their weapon to a new form, while giving it new abilities.''


    "alex, you are getting off-topic again. did you forget why we are here?" ming yue asked with a sigh.


    she knew if she didn''t intervene, he would spend a long time asking for more information on how other powers worked in this place.


    "oh yeah, you are right," alex replied with a chuckle while scratching his head.


    "do you know how we can pass by to the beast region?"


    "beast region? you will need a special permit from the general for that."


    "i see¡­ it seems i cannot evade meeting with him then¡­


    how about the beast men themselves?


    don''t they have a representative on this side?" sea??h th§× nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 517 Fighting Style

    "yes, but they are only a small section of them here. it''s rotated on the beast emperor every ten years, the one responsible now should be those of the neko clan.if the general agrees, you will probably need their permission, too.


    although i doubt you will get it.


    i have heard many ask for it, even our patriarch, but they are always rejected."


    alex let out a chuckle, "that is because their motive is greed; i have a different reason."


    "what reason?"


    alex looked around the room then frowned, "do you have a way to contact the general? not meeting, just talking like sending a message."


    "i can send it from my terminal, but it will cost me contribution points, and i risk punishment.


    so i need to know what you want to talk about."


    "in that case, let''s talk later. i hate when someone eavesdrops without permission."


    ming yue wasn''t surprised to hear this, and so does ying xue.


    "¡­"


    his words made ying xue speechless.


    "don''t worry, i am not blaming you, but at someone who is listening now.


    i wonder, elder xue, what you think about this. didn''t you say you were reporting to the patriarch?"


    "boy, you sure have guts."


    ming yue''s qi churned, prepared to fight. they were now deep in their base.


    there were also luca and emily outside, who could be taken hostage.


    but alex didn''t feel worried about this. he believed his mother''s ability was more than enough to avoid any danger or at least escape.


    and he didn''t let them out alone¡­


    "guts? spying on your sect guest is very impolite, don''t you think?"


    alex asked this on purpose; in reality, he knew it was a very common thing to be done.


    even in his world before awakening, when doing business, many competitors often did this, using it to gain more information or even weaknesses of their competitors.


    heck, he had heard they sent out women to sleep with them, create illegal videos, and use them as blackmail. stay tuned to empire


    some even went as far as having affairs, capturing the target''s heart, then turning their life upside down.


    this was how cruel the world was.


    those mentally vulnerable would be eaten to death, just like in this world.


    huge pressure spread out in the room, but alex didn''t flinch. he spread out his own qi, clashing against the elders.


    "oh¡­ interesting."


    thankfully, before the situation could escalate, a machine-like sound reverberated in the air.


    "c-class invasion detected, prepare for defense, and follow the protocol."


    "you are lucky, boy, but don''t think i will let this go."


    feeling the elder''s presence disappear, alex asked, "did you get the mission?"


    "ah, yeah, sec, let me check."


    ying xue was caught off guard by the situation. she thought the elder was spying on alex because of the patriarch''s order.


    but now she doubted whether the elder even told his arrival to the patriarch or not.


    she activated the badge, then shook her head.


    "no, i didn''t get any order."


    even though her power level had dropped drastically, alex thought she could still get a mission to help as support.


    "then the elder probably got it. can you tell me some information about him?


    he even had the audacity to seal this place."


    "he did!?"


    "so, you are not with him."


    "of course, i am not! i talked about you with the patriarch, and i never knew anything about that elder''s plans.


    honestly, i thought my clan would want to make a connection to the outside world through you.


    they are also curious about the army you control."


    "well, not like this can block us."


    alex''s fingers danced in the air, creating a rune, which he then flicked into the air.


    the rune exploded, destroying all formations in the space.


    he could have just destroyed the surveillance, but alex chose this on purpose to annoy the elder.


    having to fix all these formations would cost the elder some resources unless he was the one who created them.


    but alex doubted this was the case; if so, he would have felt the elder''s qi coming from the formation. there were other possibilities, but he doubted it was the case.


    after the formation was destroyed, alex told her to send information to the general.


    alex felt there should be a method like this, maybe through the terminal that everyone had in this region.


    and he was right.


    ying xue''s eyes widened while typing the message.


    she thought the coalition and what happened outside were nothing more than conflicts of interest between human clans, but it seemed things were even more complicated. s§×arch* the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    with the beastmen involved, there was no way their goal was just to take over control of the clan.


    despite the beastmen only joining one clan at a time, she knew they were not to be underestimated. their innate strength was something that could not be underestimated.


    their potency was just something else that even awakened cultivators could not compare to.


    for example, if an awakened cultivator could pour out 100% of their bloodline power, then a beastman could exert up to 1000%. ten times more effective and powerful.


    "silver snake clan, i hate them."


    "you know about this clan?"


    "yes, in the past, i had a mission with them. with their fast speed, they could easily move through the battlefield.


    these snakes just kept killing all my targets, making me barely earn contribution points."


    this made alex''s lips twitch.


    ''isn''t this real-world kill-stealing? it''s just like those trolls in moba games.''


    even with vr, people''s culture didn''t change; kill-stealing still existed, and so did toxic players.


    if anything, this action became worse since, with the immersion, the satisfaction grew.


    this separated the game into two types: devs that allowed this kind of behavior, and those that were really strict on it.


    "is that all? did you notice something else about them?


    like, do they have a hobby of torturing their enemies?"


    "their fighting style is moving quickly, using poison, then going for the kill.


    their movement is quick and fast."


    this was different from what alex had learned about the silver snake clan, but now he was even more sure of his theory that they were using life force.

 Chapter 518 Guardian

    if they didn''t have a hobby of torturing living beings and that abbot was a special case, this meant it was done for a specific purpose.it also made sense to send their most depraved member, considering the task.


    "do you have proof?"


    "i have one in captive with me; send this picture."


    alex put his finger on ying xue''s forehead and sent out the image of the snake brother.


    he was prepared to take them out rather than the sister.


    in his opinion, the brother was easier to deal with, and they also lacked knowledge of any important information.


    ying xue''s expression turned more solemn as she sent the message.


    "let''s look for mom and go to the xue patriarch then."


    alex didn''t plan to wait for elder xue to return; better to just talk with the patriarch and have it over with.


    he was sure they had some kind of proposal to cooperate; after all, they had feng xue to link both of them.


    or maybe it was to talk about some matter regarding her.


    "alright, but this place is owned by elder xue. i am sure we will face some kind of resistance when trying to go out."


    ying xue said while taking a step to exit the place.


    but no one responded to her; she couldn''t feel alex and ming yue''s presence.


    turning her gaze back, no one was there.


    "alex? ming yue?"


    but her words only reverberated in the empty room.


    both of them found themselves in a place with many complicated formations.


    alex would have loved to focus on this if not for the being in front of them.


    it was a spirit in the form of a small boy.


    his eyes were emotionless, his golden hair cut short.


    "are you the guardian?"


    "yes, you can just call me guardian; that is how my master called me in the past."


    ''just guardian? it seems xue''s ancestor is bad at giving out names.''


    "now, can you tell me about this silver snake clan?"


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    "i think it will be easier for me to show the proof."


    alex flicked his hand, and the silver snake brothers appeared in front of them.


    the guardian raised his palm.


    a strange energy spread from the formation; it then engulfed both of the snakes.


    ''it feels like qi, but something is different about it.''


    alex felt it was more complex than normal qi. it was like it was alive with its own intent.


    after three seconds, the energy disappeared, leaving behind two dazed silver snake clan members.


    "what did you do?"


    "i just interrogated them. i know enough of the situation now." sear?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he then flicked his finger, sending two talismans toward alex and ming yue.


    "take that. i will send you to the neko clan; you will need to convince them to go through to the beastmen territory."


    "that''s it? nothing more?"


    alex was surprised by how easily the guardian gave him permission.


    "with the beastmen''s action, we need to do something to stop them.


    i would have asked for your help or sent someone out to take care of this, but since that is already your goal, i don''t need to do anything more.


    just take ying xue with you."


    alex frowned at the request, and ming yue felt the same way.


    ''why do you think he''s sending ying xue with us?''


    ''i don''t know. if the purpose is to make sure our mission is completed, he should have sent someone stronger.'' alex replied telepathically.


    ''then can he spy through ying xue?''


    the emotionless guardian suddenly let out a chuckle.


    "don''t you know how rude both of you are? if you have questions, just ask me.


    and no, she is not a spy. i just need someone to make sure that if something happens to all of you, i will get the news.


    for example, if you fail and get killed.


    i am sure you already have your own plan with the beastmen clan; this is my discretion, so you do what you want without interference from my side."


    alex wanted to say something, but the guardian spoke first.


    "no, i am not reading your mind; it''s just the most probable reaction from your character, young progenitors."


    alex and ming yue''s gazes turned serious; they knew the guardian probably speculated this from ying xue''s information.


    but for him to know about progenitors and even use the plural term meant he knew both of them were one.


    "don''t worry, i am not your enemy. in fact, you can call me an ally¡­


    but i will just remind you, young progenitors, don''t be conceited.


    both of your strengths now are admirable; unfortunately, in the universe, it''s not strong enough."


    "how strong are we on the scale of the universe then?"


    "i believe you have some information from the progenitor era, but the universe has changed a lot by now.


    let''s say if the progenitor at their peak had a power level of 6, then the current peak of this universe should be 9."


    "15? what is the difference in strength between each level?"


    "hard to say, but they were separated by levels for a reason. for someone to beat those above the level, it would be very hard, while beating those lower would be very easy."


    the information was a surprise to alex; he didn''t know how much truth was hidden inside it, but if this was true¡­


    "how about the current us now?" ming yue asked, her tone filled with worry.


    lately, both of them did feel confident with their current strength.


    in their mind, no one could beat them here; they could do as they wanted.


    but it seemed things were not that simple. just like the guardian in front of them, they couldn''t measure his strength.


    alex also tried to use the system to measure his power level, but it failed.


    he wasn''t surprised by the result.


    after all, he already knew the system''s power level detection was assumed based on the being''s life force.


    if someone could hide their life force or, for example, was undead, the result wouldn''t be accurate at all.

 Chapter 519 Kuro Clan

    "I don''t know your trump card, but my estimation at best would be 2.I would suggest both of you focus on becoming progenitors after you finish your personal tasks."


    The Guardian snapped his finger before Alex and Ming Yue could respond.


    Seeing the empty spot where they stood before, the Guardian mumbled, "Master, your prediction was correct. It''s unfortunate you are not here, though."


    He then let out a sigh, "I hope you fulfill your dream of living carefree till the end of your life."


    Meanwhile, Alex and MingYue found themselves in a completely different place. The architecture was similar, telling them they were still in the frontline area.


    "Dammit, I should have asked to see the rift first."


    MingYue rolled her eyes. "Does that matter? We can pretty much tell it''s just a gargantuan portal like the one in your world."


    "Alex, MingYue?" YingXue called from behind their back.


    "Oh, he sent you here already."


    "Umm¡­ can you tell me what happened?"


    YingXue was confused; suddenly, both of them disappeared, and then the next moment, she was transported here.


    "Try to check your terminal; there should be more information there."


    Alex was too lazy to explain to YingXue now. He felt like he just missed a big opportunity.


    Even though what MingYue said was right, he still felt he could learn more by seeing it closely.


    There was also the museum that he wanted to see.


    ''Let me check my terminal. Maybe there is something useful there,'' Alex thought.


    But he didn''t have the time; MingYue nudged his clothes.


    "Alex, we are surrounded."


    Her words made Alex spread out his senses, but he felt nothing. Only when he focused his eyes did he see many shadow-like beings surrounding him.


    ''No life presence? And their appearance¡­''


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    "Stop there, state your business." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What happened reminded Alex of his meeting with Alice and William.


    He had suspicions when he heard about the name Neko Clan, but he thought it was right.


    The ones surrounding them looked just like felidaens; the only difference was they were not cursed.


    Their fur was jet black, as were their hair and pupils.


    The group was dominated by females, each holding a weapon pointed toward them.


    The weapons themselves mostly consisted of daggers.


    "The Guardian sent me here. Are you the one responsible?"


    While asking, Alex focused his sense again, attuning it to a different wave of energy. Only now could he feel their presence.


    But before the woman could talk, YingXue, who had already finished reading her terminal, changed her expression from a frown to surprise.


    "Aren''t you Kurone? Do you still remember me? We cooperated a few times."


    The woman in the frown turned her gaze toward YingXue. Her eyes recognized YingXue, but she didn''t drop her guard.


    Her dagger was still pointed at them.


    "I remember, but what are you doing here?"


    "Check your terminal; the Guardian should send you some message."


    "Don''t make any move," Kurone said while checking.


    ''Alex, is this another type of energy? Not qi?''


    ''I think this is qi, but it''s mixed with shadow elements, making it hard to detect. The element seems to blend with the surroundings, making it skip even our detection. Try attuning your detection.''


    Alex told MingYue the method he used. By attuning their sense to different frequencies, just like a radio antenna, it allowed them to detect more presence.


    ''Ah, I see. So, it''s not like those felidaens that basically act like the undead.''


    ''If we brought William here, things should be easier. I am sure they are part of felidaen.''


    ''Why not just ask her then?''


    ''I doubt she will have that kind of information. We will need to talk with their clan leader at least.''


    ''All snake clans should belong to the Snake Progenitor, same with fairy and feline.''


    ''I agree. As long as we can find someone knowledgeable in their clan, we probably can get some information on felidaens.''


    ''What a coincidence. Now I wonder if all beastman clans belong to species that fought in the war?''


    ''Snake Clan and Orochi Clan should have some relation.


    So does the Xue ancestor. Who knows what kind of role they played in the Progenitor War.


    Let''s see if we can get more information while we are here.''


    ''By the way, Alex, what about Auntie and your sister? Both of them were still in that Elder''s place.''


    "Don''t worry, with Dorian and Selene, nothing will go wrong with them."


    ''They are precisely what makes me worry.''


    ''At worst, they will just cause havoc. With their strength, the elder will still stand no chance.''


    Kurone finished looking up and turned back to Alex. She made a gesture for others to lower their weapons.


    "This is too important for me to decide. For now, follow me and wait in the guest area."


    The trio were then taken to a room and left alone. Two people were placed as guards at the entrance.


    "Do you know her?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, we fought together a few times. As for their information, try to check your terminal. Even though the projection is not life-scale, it should be more than enough."


    Alex used his qi and checked the terminal.


    It worked just like a holographic projection but one that only they could see.


    Based on the information, the Neko Clan specialized in shadow abilities and close combat fighting. They used their agility, moving like assassins through the battlefield.


    Their cultivation method also allowed them to jump between shadows.


    In a battlefield consisting of many people, this ability was deadly. Just imagine the enemy you see is one hundred, but in each of their shadows, dozens of assassins were hidden.


    Although Alex was surprised, this clan didn''t have a bad reputation.


    Considering the Silver Snake Clan, famous for killing stealthily, the Neko Clan should be able to do it easier if they wanted.


    If they didn''t, it meant they rarely showed up in battles where they were dominating or winning easily.


    They would only show up when they needed to.


    ''What deadly assassins. If I can recruit them to my army, that will be great.''


    ''Alex, why do you think the Guardian didn''t send your mom and sis with us?''

 Chapter 520 Wave Defense

    ''I don''t know, maybe to make sure we will return. Well, it doesn''t matter.Even if they think they were hostages, there is nothing they can do.''


    ''We don''t know how strong the Guardian is. How can you still be so calm?''


    MingYue asked about this again since she felt worried.


    Normally, if it''s about his family, Alex wouldn''t take any chances, but now he seemed calm, leaving behind his mother and sister in the midst of their enemy.


    ''We are your family, not your burden¡­ That is what mom told me.''


    ''I see¡­ so you have no choice.''


    ''Yup, if I still keep them like a burden, she will lash out at me.


    And believe me, MingYue, that is the last thing you would want.


    I have faced so many things till now, but honestly, my mom still scares me the most.''


    MingYue rolled her eyes.


    She found it ridiculous.


    But deep down, she wondered if her mom were there for her, would she feel the same?


    Would she act the same?


    Time passed; the red door opened as Kurone returned.


    "I have got a reply. I will bring you back to our clan to meet with our Emperor."


    "Beast Emperor¡­"


    Alex had heard about them, but now that he was going to meet one, he felt excited.


    He wondered how strong they were and what kind of things he could learn from them.


    "But before that, both of you will go with me to take care of the wave."


    "Isn''t it just C-rank? How could it still not be finished?"


    "Do you think C-rank is that easy? Sending a few immortals and being done with it?


    Before you came, I was on my way to go there."


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Alex was happy he could see the situation at the frontline now.


    They walked through the teleportation formation and then reached the battlefield.


    BOOM!! BANG!!! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SWOOSH!!!!


    Alex tilted his head as an axe flew just right beside his head, then crashed into a wall behind him.


    His lips twitched. If he were late just a few seconds, that axe would have probably pierced through his head.


    In front of him was pandemonium; a clash of swords and energy was everywhere.


    The immortals were outnumbered. As for the enemy, Alex recognized them.


    It was an army of goblins, but each looked different from the ones he recognized.


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    They had bulkier bodies, height twice that of normal goblins but still less than high goblins.


    The way they moved made Alex think of murim novels. Different from cultivators that used qi externally most of the time with weapons and flashy secret arts, the goblins mostly used martial arts techniques.


    Their movements were quick; their attacks cut through qi and energy, dissipating them.


    The one that led seemed able to reverse it back to the opponent, almost like taichi.


    ''This kind of fighting style exists? The universe is really vast.''


    Kurone''s body turned into a shadow, then slipped through the darkness.


    In the field, a cultivator spread out his domain, but the goblin punched forward.


    His movement looked normal, but the shockwave he created pierced through the qi, dispersing the domain.


    The goblin''s feet stomped the ground as it dashed forward, reaching the cultivator; its fist arrived inches away from his face.


    At this moment, Kurone appeared from the shadow behind him. With a swift motion, the dagger pierced through the goblin''s neck.


    Alex whistled, "Should we join the fun, MingYue?"


    But no one replied. Alex turned his gaze, then realized MingYue had already disappeared from his side.


    She had already entered the battlefield, her qi bursting forward mixed with lifeforce, creating a rain of ice lotuses.


    The petals were sharp, massacring many of the goblins.


    ''Weird, did I focus on others too much that I didn''t feel her move?''


    Alex did feel that lately, he focused more easily, but sometimes, it was to the point that he forgot his surroundings.


    He thought this was an after-effect on his brain after he lost his emotions.


    ''Oh well, I have time to look at the side effects later. For now, this is a good chance to increase my fighting experience.''


    While MingYue fought, polishing her secret technique, Alex entered the field using only his fists.


    He just used life force energy to strengthen his body.


    After looking at MingYue''s fight, Alex concluded these goblins could not disperse lifeforce.


    He appeared behind one of the goblins, his feet kicked them in the knee, making them fall to the ground.


    Alex''s attack caught them off guard, as he purposely looked for one that was busy fighting against another immortal.


    Blood seeped from his hand, then turned solid into a sword.


    He tried to decapitate the goblin, but with inhuman flexibility, the goblin dodged.


    It then did a backflip, kicking Alex in the face.


    ''Damn, not as easy as I see.''


    Alex was trying to replicate Kurone''s attack, but it seemed to hide his presence was easier said than done.


    Even after trying to press the energy fluctuation, making sure it was all done internally, the kick barely left any damage on Alex.


    He pushed through it, then choked the goblin by the neck. With a swift motion, he broke it.


    The immortal that Alex helped was not happy with his interference, but Alex didn''t want to waste time with inner conflict.


    He looked at Alex for a moment, then left toward a different area.


    Meanwhile, Alex checked out his talisman; he acquired 10 contribution points for killing that goblin.


    His gaze then turned toward the sky, where one of the leaders of the goblins was fighting Elder Xue.


    "The fight seems in stalemate, different from the goblins down here; the one above wore many artifacts."


    Wings came out from the goblin''s back, but they were attached to their armor.


    The wings themselves were made from pure energy.


    Looking to the other side, Alex finally saw the rift. Its appearance was very different from what he thought.


    It was a huge portal the size of a skyscraper with cracks all around it.


    The space was very unstable.


    It was like the whole space collapsed, creating an entrance to the void.

 Chapter 521 Kill Steal

    Alex could see the world behind it, which was a huge wall with many armies. There was also a forest surrounding it.Seeing the huge trees and plants, Alex felt a sense of familiarity.


    ''Wait, is that the plant from the goblin dungeon? It really looks similar.''


    Alex memorized the image, planning to ask Petricia later.


    He then proceeded toward the next enemy while keeping his eyes on the fight above.


    He didn''t plan to join the clash; instead, he was wondering if he could do something to sabotage Elder Xue? Enjoy more content from empire


    With his attitude, Alex was sure it was a matter of time until they clashed, or he fought against his mother and sister.


    If he could, he would already attack him directly, but it was forbidden to do it here.


    The terminal made sure any action like this would be punished.


    But even after a while, he still didn''t get any good idea that didn''t have any repercussions.


    Alex even thought of creating a rune formation that would activate at a later date. For him, it was easy to make something like this.


    But there was a huge chance Elder Xue would realize this, or worse, it would still count as an offense.


    And even if he succeeded, it would give a bad example.


    ''Well, I doubt the Guardian doesn''t have any countermeasures; they have done this for a long time.


    I am sure someone already tried this kind of method.


    The worst they do is not helping, making someone surrounded on purpose.''


    This is the only possible scenario that Alex could think of.


    But doing this on Elder Xue now was pointless; it would only give him contribution points.


    ''In that case, might as well finish this sooner.''


    Alex smiled, taking out a cube before starting to unleash dozens of beasts.


    The king of the forest from the Felidaen world, the four-armed fire kong, emerged alongside the worm he captured in the labyrinth.


    It had been a while since he used them, as they were quite destructive and weak.


    Against immortal cultivators, they had no use.


    But here, the goblins'' strength came from their ability to disperse qi.


    "Now go wild, my minions, hahaha," Alex said with a loud laugh, "Those that survive will get their reward."


    He wasn''t afraid if some of them died; he just wanted to find those with the strongest will to fight.


    He planned to infuse them with the beast bloodlines he had left. Clara still had many of them, but without a strong will and soul, they would not have survived the process.


    Alex could pour life force, ensuring they survived the process, but it would be pointless if their souls turned feral in the process.


    Rather than making a new underling, it would just give him a headache.


    The fire ape began spewing flames all over the area; since it was a primal fire made from its organ, the goblins could not cancel it.


    But their skin was strong enough to withstand the heat.


    Three goblins jumped, hitting the ape right in the chest and back; the punches caused internal damage to the ape, making it roar in pain.


    Despite the damage, the ape kept fighting back. It grasped one of the goblins and then tried to throw it toward the others. But unfortunately, its physical strength was not enough.


    The goblin escaped its grasp and then kicked it in the chin, shooting it into the air.


    At this moment, the worm appeared from the ground, opening its mouth and swallowing the goblin whole.


    But the goblin still fought back, destroying the worm from the inside, making it explode into pieces.


    Unfortunately, many more worms had already opened their jaws.


    The goblin that was already wounded was swallowed again multiple times until it finally died on the third one.


    Seeing all of this, Alex smirked. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then ordered the worms to spread out, focusing on different enemies while the ape performed flashier attacks.


    ''MingYue, let''s finish this.''


    ''Alright.''


    The ape''s flashy attacks worked like aggro, pulling the majority of the goblins toward him. His large size made him very conspicuous on the battlefield.


    The worms then moved, helping aggro the goblins to give time for Alex to finish them one by one.


    With MingYue joining in, the duo easily massacred the majority of the goblins.


    In the sky, Elder Xue plunged his saber, finishing his enemy. The fight was quite tiring for him.


    Despite being more powerful, the enemy had many tricks up their sleeves, and he was also fighting against two at the same time.


    He took out his saber, then spun, cleaving it toward the other goblin.


    Clang! The goblin raised both arms, blocking the attack.


    ''Dammit! What a petty trick! If not because of that, I would have already had your head!


    Now I lose the opportunity to take the patriarch seat!''


    Elder Xue cursed in his mind.


    If not for the attack, he thought he would have already secured Alex and MingYue.


    Through them, he believed he could manipulate FengXue and then use her status to gain legitimacy for the patriarch position.


    After all, her brother was very respected in his clan.


    He was a founder figure. Someone with more authority than even their ancestor.


    In anger, he launched a flurry of attacks.


    Each one targeted the goblin''s vitals.


    As he kept attacking, Elder Xue tried to comfort himself; at the very least, he would gain a lot of contribution points.


    He kicked the goblin to the ground, his saber cleaving through the air.


    "DIE, YOU BASTARD!"


    But before he reached his target, ice clouds suddenly appeared, encasing the goblin.


    Alex then smashed it using a huge hammer.


    Swosh! Bam!


    The hammer swung down just inches away from Elder Xue''s face.


    Dust and smoke billowed from the attack, and his veins throbbed with anger.


    He knew his kill had just been stolen.


    Alex looked at him with a smug smile, then quickly left the area.


    Elder Xue landed on the ground, clenching his fist.

 Chapter 522 First Prince

    He knew there was nothing he could do to Alex now, so he planned to vent his anger by massacring the goblins.But when he looked around, nothing was left.


    Instead, he only received a message on his terminal:


    [Defense success, please return and report quickly to the appointed area. Details below.]


    "FUCK!"


    Elder Xue screamed in anger, pulling everyone''s attention toward him.


    But no one cared; even other cultivators from the Xue clan kept their distance from him.


    It wasn''t that they didn''t respect him; it was just that they knew his temper.


    Better to stay away when he was fuming rather than becoming his victim.


    Back at the Neko Clan, Alex let out a satisfied laugh. His beasts were all wounded, and even the ape was almost dying, but he felt a deep satisfaction in pulling one over on Elder Xue.


    "I don''t get why he was so angry," MingYue said in confusion.


    "Since the beginning, that man fought against the goblin leader; he didn''t kill any minions."


    "Ah, no wonder then. He only got points from one. Is the point not a lot?"


    "The point is calculated by strength. Even though he had a hard time against that one, at most, it''s five times stronger than a normal goblin.


    You can calculate the rest."


    "I see, so it''s more profitable to just kill the minions¡­


    Did the Guardian make this system?"


    "It''s been like this since the moment I can remember."


    Alex really admired the system created for defense. It could be said to be almost perfect.


    Those that attacked could not loot; another team would be sent to take care of everything. This ensured fairness, as they would not know who got what item.


    The only benefit for them was getting first dibs on purchasing the items they wanted based on contribution point rankings.


    Points acquired from defeating bosses were also quite balanced.


    This gave room for newcomers to grow while still rewarding enough for the ones who defeated bosses.


    Of course, cases like Elder Xue''s rarely happened, as Alex and MingYue were anomalies.


    If not for being outsiders, with their strength, they would be asked to attack the stronger enemy first.


    This would not give them a chance to massacre the weaker ones, gathering almost all the points.


    Unfortunately, Alex didn''t have time to exchange the contribution points.


    A vast expanse of mountains and cliffs greeted their eyes; the place was desolate, filled with many steep valleys.


    Alex looked down, but even with his sharp gaze, he could not see the bottom.


    There were many huge eagles flying around in the air; they also had nests in the valleys.


    "Eagle spiders, their eggs are a delicacy, but don''t try to take them.


    They are very protective; take one, and the whole nest will come at you."


    "Now, you make me curious. Although it''s trouble for me, it shouldn''t be one for you, right?"


    "Yes, but I find no reason to take it for you. Anyway, you can just buy those at any restaurant."


    "Hmm¡­ did you do it for practice?"


    "It''s like a rite of passage in my clan; anyone that comes of age must succeed in taking an egg from here.


    The one that gets the most will receive a reward."


    Alex gazed back at the nest. Despite the large size of the eagle, each spot was only held by a small line of threads.


    He was sure a single step would easily cause a vibration.


    ''So they need to jump through this cliff, stealthily walk on that thread, capture the egg, then return.''


    "Do they do it at night?"


    "No, only at dawn, in the small gap of ten minutes when the eagles leave the nest." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see."


    "Well, enough looking around, let''s go."


    With their speed, it didn''t take long for them to reach the Neko Clan.


    Their town was located on top of a valley; the road was rough and dangerous, but for them, it was just daily life.


    Even kids and small children could easily move through the terrain.


    "Is this your clan territory?"


    "Yes, but it''s not what you think.


    The area near the border is occupied by all nine emperor clans. From here, we will take the teleportation array back to our capital."


    "Seems things are peaceful then for kids to even play here."


    "Tch, those kids are part of the elite. They''re bored and come here.


    Let''s go and ignore them."


    ''Oh, it seems these kids are arrogant, and Kurone has had bad experiences with them.''


    Kurone gave some orders to people under her, then proceeded to bring Alex and MingYue.


    "Took you a while," a man called out.


    He was standing near the gate,


    surrounded by a group of veteran warriors.


    "What are you doing here? Go away; I need to pass."


    "Sorry, but I cannot."


    Kurone''s eyes glinted with coldness.


    "The Emperor asked for them. Are you prepared to face the consequences, First Prince?"


    "That''s why I''m here, Kurone. I''m sure you are tired after risking your life to defend us.


    I will take them to Father."


    "I never got those orders, so please go aside."


    The man then smirked, walking toward Kurone, and placed his palm on her shoulder.


    He whispered a few words, making Kurone frown.


    The sound was small, almost unnoticeable, but Alex and MingYue could still hear it.


    ''For a clan that specializes in assassination, they sure talk loud.''


    ''Well, they are talking; unless they have telepathy, we should be able to hear it.''


    ''Isn''t it the same with their stealth?


    Your journey continues with empire


    They still need to take a step.''


    ''I think that''s because of their innate ability with shadows.


    I have some speculations, but I will need more confirmation.


    Rather than that, what we just heard is even more surprising.


    A political fight to take hold of power because the clan leader is sick.


    To think this happens in the beastman clan.


    Isn''t it funny?


    Usually, this kind of plot happens early in the story for those MCs born as aristocrats.''

 Chapter 523 Leaving

    MingYue rolled her eyes.''Be serious, Alex. Getting entangled in politics will be annoying; we should try to avoid it if possible.''


    ''I doubt it, but we can find a chance to escape.


    For now, let''s see the situation first.


    Since the Guardian already verified the validity of our information, we should have no problem.


    Although, this is also the reason this Prince came to us.''


    Explore more at empire


    Based on what Alex heard, the Prince wanted to gain an edge against the 108th prince.


    Although they were a monarchy, strength still prevailed.


    The youngest Prince was the strongest among them all.


    The first prince''s only hope now was to find a power system or some kind of elixir that could boost his strength tremendously.


    "Fine, you can go with us, but I will stay."


    The Prince raised both hands in defeat.


    "Alright, as long as we can go with you."


    He then walked toward Alex and MingYue, introducing himself as Ryu.


    In the blink of an eye, they were teleported to another fort.


    "Is this the capital?"


    "Not yet, Sir Alex; this is a fortress.


    We need to walk a four-hour distance to reach the capital."


    Alex didn''t question why they didn''t have one that directly moved them to the capital city.


    The answer was simple; they didn''t want to take a risk.


    In case the rift broke, they didn''t want to give their opponent a shortcut to their capital city.


    As they went deeper into the territory, Alex started to realize why the system was a monarchy.


    There were many types of Felidaens living here, from the normal cat race to those with other elements.


    "Ryu, I am curious.


    Why would those with shadow power take on the leadership?


    Does everyone agree with it?"


    "Of course, there are rules that state they can challenge us, but so far, no one dares to take it."


    ''If the challenge is one-on-one, with your abilities, there''s no way they can win unless they are overwhelmingly stronger.''


    Alex thought with a chuckle in his mind, but he didn''t say it out loud.


    Even Alex, with his ability, failed to sense them.


    The journey was quite peaceful, without anything interesting happening.


    The first prince talked a lot, trying to get close to Alex and MingYue, but both of them only answered as needed.


    Only Alex occasionally asked him questions, wanting to learn more about the situation in the Beast Land territory.


    Based on what he heard, they had very small amounts of interaction; only his father sometimes went out and met with the others.


    There was also a time when they held tournaments between kingdoms, but it had been a hundred years since the last one.


    "Did something happen in the last tournament?"


    Usually, something big must have happened for things like this to occur.


    A small conflict wouldn''t have been enough for a country¡ªor, in this case, a kingdom¡ªto drop all pretense like this.


    ''Is this because of the Silver Snake Clan?


    Some agree, while some don''t, which is why they keep their distance.


    They don''t want to get blamed in case this becomes a problem.''


    Alex felt this was the most likely reason for the current situation.


    "I don''t know.


    They didn''t talk much about what was happening; at that time, I was still a kid."


    "Hmm¡­"


    Alex didn''t believe Ryu didn''t know anything, but he didn''t ask further.


    Further speculation was pointless since he could confirm it when meeting the emperor.


    Meanwhile, back at the frontline, Luca and Emily had just received the news.


    "How could Brother just leave us here?"


    Emily was grumpy, having heard the news from a cultivator ordered by the Guardian.


    "He must have his reasons."


    "Then what now, Mom?


    Should we wait here?


    That Elder Xue smells like trouble."


    "Let''s go meet with the Xue Patriarch."


    Luca stood up and then left the room, but they were blocked in the hallway.


    "Where are you going, Madam? I''m sorry, but we are instructed to ensure you stay here. The Elder is still busy."


    Emily frowned.


    "What is the meaning of this? We are here as guests, not your prisoners."


    "And as guests, Miss, you should follow the rules of your host."


    Despite the man''s respectful tone, Emily could tell he was looking down on her.


    ''Mom, should we just stay or go?''


    Emily asked through her mind, but before she got an answer, Luca had already made her move.


    SLASH!


    A vertical line appeared on the man''s neck.


    His head then plopped down with a thud.


    "That is what you get for trying to hit my daughter."


    "He did?"


    "Yes."


    Luca looked around the area, remembering that the cultivator who had brought the news had just come and left as if teleported away.


    "Sir Guardian, this whole territory should be under your control, and you can teleport us out.


    Can you please do us a favor?"


    "¡­"


    "Mom? Will that work?"


    There was no voice nor qi fluctuation, but the next moment, Luca and Emily found themselves standing in front of the Guardian.


    "Thank you for bringing us out." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s all right. Avoiding conflict inside my territory is also something I want.


    Usually, I don''t interfere if it''s a private matter, but both of you are outsiders."


    Emily looked around, marveling at the complicated formation.


    She then looked at the Guardian. Despite his appearance, she could tell he was not to be underestimated.


    Unlike Alex, Emily couldn''t feel his energy, but every instinct screamed danger.


    "In that case, could you send us to where the Xue Patriarch is?


    Since my son is handling other tasks, I want to straighten things up with them."


    "Unfortunately, I cannot."


    "Why?"


    "Because he''s not here. The one inside now is nothing more than a dummy.


    This information should be kept secret, and the only reason I''m telling you is because you are his wife.


    I trust you can keep it hidden."


    "¡­"


    "Can you tell me about him? What does he intend to do there?"


    "This is the main reason I brought you here.


    Edward asked me to keep something for you."


    He flicked his hand.


    A holographic projection appeared, making Emily''s eyes glisten with tears.


    Luca, meanwhile, was overwhelmed with longing.


    Edward stood in front of them, his hands behind his back.

 Chapter 524 Edwards Message

    "If you''ve arrived here, it seems something has happened. I knew a plan this long, without direct intervention, would never run smoothly.Luca¡­ Wifey¡­


    I''m sorry to put you through this, but unfortunately, I have no choice.


    This must be done.


    By now, you should have inherited my memories.


    Everything has been orchestrated by those greedy old bastards.


    But they are nothing more than puppets on strings.


    After doing more research on the frontline, I discovered that something bigger is going on behind the scenes.


    Also, don''t worry.


    Even though I don''t have a body now, I''ve already found a way to get a new one and recover my soul."


    The hologram then walked toward Luca, stopping inches from her.


    He raised his palm, touching her head.


    Tears fell, painting her cheeks wet. She wanted to hug him so much, but she knew it was only a projection.


    "Take care of our kids for a little while.


    I''ll return soon," Edward said with a warm smile.


    The hologram then dissipated into nothing.


    Emily''s shoulders slumped as she walked closer to her mom, grasping her hand.


    She then looked toward the Guardian.


    "That''s it?


    It doesn''t explain why my father chose to go there!


    Why does he need to take all the risks and leave us like this again?


    Screw the world! He should just let it burn."


    The Guardian looked at Emily, his gaze solemn.


    "Once, in the past, someone told my master the same thing.


    Why would he stay here, sacrificing his life for the world?


    With his power, he could have taken his loved ones and escaped.


    Do you know what my master''s answer was?"


    Emily shook her head.


    "These were his exact words: ''I don''t do this for the world; I do this for you.


    We can escape, but then what? Things will escalate and become worse.


    The already small chance of winning will dwindle even more.


    Maybe we can live in peace for our generation, but what about the next?


    They will be the ones to bear the responsibility we avoided for our own safety.''"


    Luca went silent.


    She wanted to disagree, but she knew he was right.


    The only thing she regretted most was not staying by his side.


    In her mind, their kids were already strong enough; they didn''t need her help.


    "Mom, don''t even think about it," Emily said as if reading Luca''s thoughts.


    She couldn''t do that, but she knew her mom''s personality.


    Or rather, she knew what her mom wanted to do now.


    The only thing stopping her was Luca''s presence.


    Emily felt like she had already lost her father; she didn''t want to lose her mother, too.


    Luca let out a heavy sigh. Her heart ached with longing, her eyes glassy with tears, but she kept everything bottled up.


    "Where did the Patriarch go?"


    "He said it was a family problem. He''s looking for his ancestor."


    ''Feng Xue? Did he come to confirm her situation?


    But she wasn''t at the Bai Yue Sect, and no one saw the Patriarch at the ShangXi Temple.


    There''s no way Alex and MingYue missed him. Is this something else?


    The ancestor could mean Feng Xue or his sister.''


    After some deliberation, she decided it was better to look for him.


    She also wanted to find her old comrade.


    "Could you send us back to the core region?"


    "Sure, I''ll inform Alex when he returns."


    He flicked his hand, and the surroundings quickly changed again.


    In the next moment, Luca and Emily found themselves at the gate.


    "Is it all right, Mom, to leave like this?"


    "Alex''s goal is the Silver Snake Clan. Since the Xue Clan Patriarch is also missing, there''s no point in staying there."


    Despite saying this, Luca''s real reason was that she wanted to get as far away from the rift as possible.


    The longer she stayed near it, the stronger her longing to enter grew.


    She didn''t yet know that the rift would keep changing destinations.


    If she had this information, the thought wouldn''t even cross her mind.


    Enjoy new tales from empire


    So, she decided it was better to stay away.


    Despite thinking her son and daughter were strong now, she could tell they would be devastated if she also left.


    And maybe this was her role in all of this.


    Just like her husband said, he couldn''t make sure his plan ran smoothly, but she could.


    "We will look for Kane."


    Meanwhile, Alex and MingYue arrived at the Neko Clan capital.


    The place was filled with dilapidated buildings, and the roads were made of cobblestone, though many were stained with dried blood.


    There was also no one to be seen.


    "This is the place where we train our warriors."


    "This whole area?"


    MingYue could see that it was the same everywhere, even the largest building at the center, which didn''t resemble a grand castle.


    The smell of blood was also very strong.


    "It''s the whole city. If you were expecting to see a bustling, peaceful city, you came to the wrong place.


    To ensure each of our warriors gains experience, the emperor created this city.


    Here, he releases criminals and monsters for us to hunt.


    We can also sabotage and attack each other."


    "Can''t you feel it?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex and MingYue nodded. They could feel many eyes locked on them.


    At first, they thought it was normal since they were outsiders, not to mention that Alex, a human, was in the middle of beastman territory.


    But now it seemed there was more to it.


    If not for being with the first prince and Kurnoe, they would have already been ambushed.


    Not that they minded a fight. In fact, MingYue was already itching to find out how strong they were.


    She had already thought of ways to counter their stealth.


    No matter how invisible they were, if she spread ice petals everywhere, they would be wounded.


    She could also focus on shadows since that was where they seemed to appear.


    Their shadow ability was both their strength and weakness.


    Another area greeted them, lined with taverns and inns.


    There were also blacksmiths and hospitals.

 Chapter 525 Emperor Kageyasha

    The place was filled with many people, but none of them looked like civilians.They were all veteran warriors.


    "Kurnoe, you''re back? And why are you with the Prince?"


    "I''ll talk to you later.


    I''m still on duty.


    Also, stop looking at them like that; they are our emperor''s guests."


    With her words, everyone shifted their attention back to their tasks.


    "Don''t mind them.


    They''re just surprised to see a human here," Ryu said with a chuckle.


    "It''s fine. Is this area a safe zone?"


    "Safe zone?


    Hmm...


    I suppose you could call it that, but we just refer to it as a rest area."


    "I don''t see or feel anyone maintaining the rules.


    No one ever breaks them?"


    MingYue was curious.


    In a place like this, it was surprising no one tried to steal or ambush others.


    "They won''t. Even outside, they only aim to kill or attack.


    Stealing or committing other crimes is something no one would do.


    If you''re wondering why, the answer is simple: for us Neko, we must maintain our honor.


    Doing something dishonorable would make everyone lose respect for us¡ªnot to mention the punishment."


    Ryu explained that similar incidents had occurred in the past, and the punishment was public torture followed by execution.


    "It seems everyone here has shadow abilities.


    Are other Neko not allowed to enter?"


    "There are no rules against it, but the requirement to live here is to collect at least 100 eagle spider eggs."


    ''No wonder.


    This trial and this place...


    This must be how they maintain leadership.''


    Without a specific ability, gathering those eggs would be impossible without significant confrontation.


    It didn''t take long for them to meet with the beast emperor.


    He was seated cross-legged on the floor, with two women massaging his shoulders.


    Alex frowned upon seeing him; the black fur lacked its luster, and his face was pale.


    "Father, I have brought him here."


    "I don''t remember asking you to bring them here, but good work, Ryu.


    Lately, the road is not as safe as in the past."


    "Yes, Father. I also heard the report.


    Kurone had just finished the defenses, so I took the initiative to protect them.


    I hope you don''t mind me doing this. Otherwise, I am ready to accept any punishment."


    While saying this, Ryu was slightly bowing her upper body.


    Her hands clenched into fists in front of her face, like someone praying.


    "I don''t mind. I like your initiative; you can go now."


    But Ryu didn''t move.


    She seemed to hesitate, wanting to say something.


    The emperor snorted, then threw a storage ring at Ryu.


    "If you want to say something, you should say it!"


    "Thank you, Father. I will make sure to use this for our clan''s prosperity."


    Ryu''s eyes lit up while catching the storage ring. She then excused herself.


    "Sorry for that interruption. You can just call me Kageyasha."


    He then turned his gaze to Kurone. "You can also leave. Take a rest."


    "Yes, Emperor."


    Seeing her disappearing back, Kageyasha''s eyes filled with many emotions.


    "You know, she is also my daughter, but she always treats me coldly."


    "¡­"


    Alex was speechless. He didn''t know how to respond. He felt there was a hidden intention behind the emperor''s remark.


    They had just met, and somehow, he was already talking about his personal problems. It was just weird.


    Also, something was bugging Alex.


    "My name is Alex, and she is my lover, Mingyue."


    The moment he said this, Mingyue''s cheeks turned red, and her lips curled into a small smile.


    "You should have heard about the situation from Kurone. We are here to visit the Silver Snake Clan."


    "Yes, and you probably visited me to ask for more information.


    In Beastman land, the area is split into nine, each maintained by a beast emperor.


    But this doesn''t mean we only have nine clans; each of our territories has a lot of them.


    For example, in my place alone, we have more than a hundred clans here."


    "Do you mean not everyone in the Silver Clan''s territory agrees with what they want to do?"


    "Of course, not everyone agrees, but we are not like your kind. None of us will betray our territory directly."


    Alex frowned.


    "Do you mean it''s not easy for me to enter their territory?"


    "Yes, we do have a teleportation array, but the moment you use that to enter their place, you will be ambushed.


    You may be strong enough, but what if you are attacked by the whole Beastman population in the territory?


    Can you survive?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite hearing this, Alex and Mingyue were sure they could survive.


    As vampires, the longer the battle goes, the stronger they become.


    Their stamina could be said to be infinite.


    The only problem was they didn''t want a massacre.


    The more people that died on the planet, the fewer resources they would have to grow their army.


    "Just get to the point, Kageyasha.


    I thought Beastmen were supposed to be direct, but you keep talking in circles."


    Alex said with an annoyed tone, somehow reminded of the association president.


    "Smart but impatient. You really are his son."


    "You know my father?"


    "Every emperor here knows your father, although I am sure not everyone knows you are his son or about his plan.


    Before he left for the rift, he visited me and a few other emperors."


    "Did my father ask for your help with something?"


    While asking this, Alex activated his ability and started searching through his father''s memories that he extracted from the Dragari King.


    But there was nothing about the Beastman territory.


    This meant there were only two possibilities: either his father visited after leaving his body, or he purged the memory, hiding it from the Dragari King.


    "He did, although rather than help, it''s more accurate to say he wanted access to the history of our clan.


    And I gave that to him in exchange for his help, but unfortunately, even he gave up.


    Before I continue, can you sit down first? It''s annoying seeing you stand like this. Just get comfortable."

 Chapter 526 Kurones Twin

    Alex and Mingyue looked at each other and then took a seat.The reason they stood was to ensure they could escape quickly in case something happened or they were ambushed.


    But right now, they couldn''t feel anyone''s presence nor any malicious intent from Kageyasha.


    There was a possibility they just failed to detect them because of their shadow abilities, but based on the situation so far, Alex found this possibility slim.


    If Kageyasha wanted to ambush and capture them, he would have already done so the moment Kurone left.


    There was no reason for him to talk in circles like this.


    "Let me put this simply. I have a way to bring all of you inside the Silver Snake territory without anyone finding out.


    But for this, I need your help with a problem your father failed to solve."


    "I need more details."


    Alex was curious about what kind of problem his father couldn''t find a solution for.


    Even when he was stranded in another world with limited resources, he still found a way.


    The only thing Alex thought of was that his father might have had a way, but it took too long, and he was in a hurry.


    After all, Edward''s goal was to go through the rift into that dangerous zone.


    He needed to enter at a specific time or be prepared to wait a few more years.


    "This is related to Kurone and the ancient monster that once roamed free in this area.


    When her mother was pregnant with her, she accidentally found one of the remains and got possessed.


    At first, nothing changed, so she didn''t report it to me¡­"


    Kageyasha''s face turned grim. What happened next was still clear in his mind.


    His strong and kind wife, the one he knew, was no more.


    Her personality underwent a huge change; she became irritated easily and far more cruel.


    A single mistake could result in someone getting killed.


    At first, Kageyasha thought it was just because of pregnancy, but the more he saw, the more worried he became.


    It only became worse to the point that only he could stay beside her.


    After some time, her personality completely transformed, and it also started changing her body.


    Her black fur began falling off, and her skin turned rough.


    At this point, he finally realized that something must have happened.


    "I thought this was the act of some despicable human or another beast clan.


    But after a lot of research and fighting, I realized it''s not.


    She is possessed by some kind of parasitic creature, one that doesn''t belong to this world.


    I looked for a cure everywhere, even tried exchanging with the Guardian, but the best I got was putting her under a coma."


    Kageyasha then created a formation to supply his wife''s body with the necessary nutrients and resources.


    This allowed Kurone to grow healthily in her womb until birth.


    "So you want me to look for a way to cure your wife?" Alex asked in disbelief.


    Not because he found the emperor''s story fake, but more so because no one could cure it¡ªnot even his father.


    Kageyasha''s eyes turned sad, and then he shook his head.


    "No, it''s already too late for her.


    When she gave birth, something else happened.


    I don''t want to talk about it in detail, but she didn''t make it.


    The problem is something else¡ªwhen she gave birth, it wasn''t only Kurone that came out."


    Kageyasha then stood up.


    "Follow me."


    He activated some kind of formation in the room.


    The next moment, Alex and Mingyue found themselves inside a basement.


    In front of them, they could see a luxurious room separated by glass.


    Inside, a young woman with the exact same appearance as Kurone could be seen.


    "What is wrong with her?"


    Alex concluded she was Kurone''s twin, but the question was, he couldn''t see anything wrong with the woman.


    She was now sitting cross-legged, cultivating silently on the ground.


    "See this."


    Kageyasha flicked his finger, and the formation activated once more.


    A huge beast then appeared.


    It was a two-headed lion the size of a two-story bus.


    The woman inside opened her eyes. What happened next baffled Alex and Mingyue.


    She walked on all fours with crazed eyes and tore the beast apart. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then proceeded to eat it until not even the bones were left.


    Everything happened so fast.


    The most surprising thing was her level of strength.


    ''Alex, is she stronger than Clara?''


    ''With that speed and shadow innate ability, yes.


    Also, did you see her hand transform when she attacked?''


    ''Mhm¡­ it was like her hand turned into a sword at that time.''


    ''It seems Kurone was born normal, while her twin was affected by the parasite.''


    "I''m sorry to ask this, but Kageyasha, do you have your wife''s remains?"


    "No, she was cremated to ashes. Nothing is left.


    Until now, we don''t know what is affecting her, and we believe this didn''t happen on purpose.


    We had no other choice."


    Based on Kageyasha''s words, Alex speculated that when his wife gave birth, the parasite went feral.


    They did something to subdue her, and in the end, the parasite decided to escape, infusing itself with the twins.


    Since she was still a baby without any personality, the parasite easily fused with her, completely taking over the body.


    ''Either the parasite didn''t have a personality to begin with, or it was erased when it possessed her body.''


    "As you can see, she acts like this no matter who enters, and her strength is also another problem."


    "Has she been like this since she was a baby?"


    "Since her mother passed away, I hired two wet nurses.


    In Kurone''s case, there were no problems, but with her¡­


    Kurosora¡­


    She bit the wet nurse, eating her chest, and almost killed her in the process.


    Afterward, her diet only consisted of meat, but that still isn''t the biggest problem¡­


    Her intelligence doesn''t grow.


    Everything outside of fighting and secret techniques, she cannot learn at all."


    "You mean she can''t communicate? In that case, how were you able to teach her?"

 Chapter 527 Request

    Even though Kurosora was born with such strength, that didn''t mean she could magically cultivate.Mingyue had seen many geniuses, even those chosen by the heavens, with talents far better than hers.


    However, they needed to learn cultivation theory and study it step by step.


    "She''s a battle genius. That''s why I sealed her here.


    Any technique you perform in front of her, she''ll be able to copy perfectly.


    The more complicated it is, the more time it will take, but at some point, she''ll master it.


    I''ve tried to teach her through many methods and tried to communicate with her, but she always attacked me."


    "So she reached the immortal realm just by fighting with you since childhood?


    Does Kurone know about her?"


    "Why do you think she always gives me the cold shoulder?


    As a child, she blamed me for her mother''s death. Now, she still blames me for her twin''s state.


    Well, it''s partly my fault since I never allowed them to meet."


    "That''s cruel. You''re just giving her false hope."


    "Young lady, with what you''ve experienced so far, don''t you already know that the potential of this world is limitless?"


    He then looked toward Kurosora, his eyes filled with affection and determination. "It''s not that there is no cure; I just haven''t found it yet."


    "So you want me to somehow make her able to communicate with you?"


    "Not just communicate. I want her to be able to live normally."


    Alex frowned.


    "In that case, I''ll need to enter and experiment on her to find the solution."


    "Your father did the same and gave up.


    You."


    He then pointed at a door nearby.


    "The data from your father''s experiments is still there. You can go inside to check. My only requirement is that she remains unharmed.


    You can also give up if you want, but in that case, I won''t help you."


    "Fine. Give me some time. I also want every single report on your wife before her death.


    A blood sample from Kurone will also be needed."


    "All right. I''ll prepare it."


    "Kageyasha, I still have some questions."


    "Ask away."


    "Why are you faking your illness?


    And what do you think about the Silver Snake Clan?"


    "Hahaha, my son really cannot keep his mouth shut.


    Just because he heard the Guardian guarantee you, he starts blabbering like that.


    This is why I do this.


    As you know, many things were brewing in the background, some even unknown to me.


    But with such a long peace, my people and descendants have gone dull.


    Even though they are beastmen, their instinct for danger is very bad.


    Just see how easily Ryu said that info to you.


    Peace is good, but it makes us weaker, and it will not last forever."


    "There is no infighting here?"


    "When people had problems, they went to the arena. It might have been life and death, but they were prepared.


    No one ambushed others when they were weak. No one ganged up on another.


    A few years may have been fine, but for multiple generations, we have stayed like this." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kageyasha then continued telling Alex about the situation in his clan.


    Even with all this training, when they came out and returned to living in the city, their guard would completely drop.


    Beastmen had huge pride in fighting; they disliked attacking someone with petty tricks.


    But this came at a cost¡ªno one ambushed anyone, turning even their beast instincts pointless.


    "I see. You are afraid that when things come to a shove, these beastmen will all fall to ambush?"


    "In the past, we had humans doing that for us, but now it''s pointless."


    An idea then came up in Alex''s mind.


    "In that case, why not have training with my people?


    I will send them to ambush you guys, and then you can fight back.


    Since it''s real practice, we will go for a kill."


    Alex thought this was best. Without the risk of losing lives, people would grow complacent.


    He just needed to give them some safety measures that allowed their souls to be transported back after they died.


    In this way, no one would really die.


    The only question was what to do with their souls¡ªallowing them to revive easily would be troublesome.


    ''Maybe I can use them as test players.''


    Alex remembered his plan to make a virtual game using people''s souls.


    He thought maybe he could use these souls and make them live as NPCs for a specific duration.


    This would also work as training.


    This gave Alex motivation to start designing the game he had put on hold for a long time, as he needed to raise his understanding of souls.


    But now, he had already mastered it.


    As long as the target wasn''t strong, he had no problem manipulating it.


    "Let''s talk about it if you can fulfill my wish."


    Alex''s lips then curled into a smile.


    "In that case, Kageyasha, your reward is nowhere near enough.


    To only get one help to solve the snake clan for recovering your daughter¡­


    Is that how much she''s worth to you?"


    The temperature of the room quickly dropped a few degrees. Alex could feel Kageyasha''s killing intent spreading, focusing only on him.


    Kageyasha''s eyes narrowed, but Alex didn''t even flinch.


    He just stood there, waiting for Kageyasha''s answer.


    "Do your work first. We can talk again later."


    Kageyasha''s body then dissipated into the shadows.


    Alex looked around.


    "This place is isolated and hidden with many arrays, but I think with some work, we can still bypass it."


    "Are you sure it''s fine talking out loud?"


    Mingyue asked, rolling her eyes.


    She was sure Alex knew about this and wondered if he said that on purpose just to get back at Kageyasha.


    "Why not?


    If we''re not even capable of doing this, there''s no way we can heal his daughter."


    ''What is your plan?


    Don''t tell me you want to ask for help from Yue?'' Mingyue asked telepathically.


    ''If we have no other choice.


    But I will try to look at it first.


    I do have some speculation.


    I think this is related to those sins that Uncle Sylva fought.


    Since one is here, who knows how many leftovers are still spread around this planet.''

 Chapter 528 MingYue vs KuroSora

    ''You better not show her out here. It''s too dangerous.''''Don''t worry. I will just make her unconscious, then bring her to Edonia.''


    ''Hmm... In that case, Alex, while you check the information, can you open the door?


    I want to try fighting her.''


    "Sure."


    Alex''s finger glowed green, and he began drawing formations in the air.


    Far away, back in the room, Kageyasha observed what happened.


    His gaze was sharp.


    "Emperor, is it alright to let him do this?"


    Asked a man standing beside him. His body was lean and covered completely in black armor, showing only his eyes.


    "Do you have a better idea?


    This is good for us anyway. If he is that capable, maybe he can really cure her.


    Even his father cannot interfere with our formation like this."


    "But will the young lady be alright?


    I heard they were the ones behind the invasion on other sects and clans. They should be strong enough."


    "They need my cooperation¡­


    I am sure they know where the line is.


    If they cross it, I won''t mind fighting them to the death.


    Anyway, do you have the report?"


    "Yes, sir. I have seen movement from the Silver Snake clan. It seems they will make a big move soon.


    Their emperor also left, meeting with others.


    Other than this, I got news¡ªthe fox empress is coming toward the spider empress''s place."


    "Hmm¡­


    Find out what they are talking about. As for the snake emperor, just let him be.


    There''s nothing we can do."


    "Alright." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t that the silver emperor was stronger than the fox, just that the task was different.


    Kageyasha wanted to know what the silver snake emperor was doing, but asking him would be pointless.


    Meanwhile, Yubina''s movement surprised him.


    She usually stayed silent in her territory.


    The man just needed to infiltrate there and find out more information or rumors.


    He could also go to the spider territory¡ªafter all, the arrival of another emperor would surely spark talk.


    "Don''t forget to bring some tools to infiltrate their hive mind."


    "Yes, Emperor."


    Meanwhile, inside the huge cell, Mingyue faced Kurosora.


    Unlike the beasts, Kurosora didn''t quickly leap. She just let out a growl, her body in a posture, preparing to move at any second.


    Mingyue could see Kurosora''s shadow fluctuating like some kind of energy.


    The movement was very minuscule, but because her eyes were focused, she didn''t miss it.


    The fluctuation then suddenly grew more intense.


    Mingyue ducked.


    Kurosora appeared behind her, swiping her sharp claw where her neck had been.


    In response, Mingyue spread her frost qi. Since she didn''t want to accidentally hurt Kurosora, she didn''t take out her sword or use lethal techniques.


    The frost qi''s goal was to lower the temperature and slow Kurosora''s movements.


    But before it reached Kurosora, she had already disappeared.


    Moving through the shadows, she reappeared ten steps away from Mingyue.


    "GRAWR!"


    The shadows around her turned solid, then pierced through the air like a spear.


    Mingyue smiled.


    The cold qi around her began gathering, forming hundreds of ice spikes.


    With a flick of her finger, the spikes shot out, meeting Kurosora''s attack head-on.


    The furniture in the room would have turned to ashes if not for the formation moving it elsewhere.


    BAM! CLANG! CLANG!


    Normally, the ice spikes would freeze everything they touched. Unfortunately, their opponent was a shadow.


    They pierced through the ice spikes, continuing their trajectory toward Mingyue.


    Seeing this, Mingyue sprinted forward, dodging each shadow spear with minimal movement.


    She ducked, jumped, and rolled until she arrived in front of Kurosora.


    With one motion, Mingyue threw a punch at her face.


    BAM!


    Her cold qi spread, freezing part of Kurosora''s cheek.


    Kurosora growled, twisting her body away as shadows gathered around her hand.


    The shadow twisted like a snake, forming into a large, sharp claw, slashing toward Mingyue''s side.


    Mingyue kicked off the ground, backflipping to avoid the attack.


    "GRAA!"


    The shadows around them started moving, expanding and filling the entire space with darkness.


    Mingyue raised her senses to the max, but she could no longer feel Kurosora''s life force.


    Instead, she felt something sinister.


    In reflex, her progenitor aura spread out.


    The shadows suddenly grew erratic, and countless eyes appeared all around Mingyue, glaring at her with intense wrath.


    ''Why am I feeling like this¡­?''


    Mingyue frowned. She felt as if she were facing someone she hated more than anything¡ªsomeone she wanted to crush into dust with nothing left.


    ''This is not good!''


    Mingyue grew worried. If she continued to fight, she might be taken away by the overwhelming emotion.


    The feeling kept growing, showing no sign of stopping.


    "Alex! Take me out!"


    The moment she said this, her surroundings changed. She appeared in front of the prison cell.


    Alex stood at the side, his crimson eyes coldly watching the cell.


    Inside, everything remained pitch black, with countless eyes staring at them, filled with fury.


    Alex recognized the presence¡ªit was eerily familiar.


    ''Those damned eyeballs. I swear, if I meet Byakhee again, I''ll poke out every one of its eyes.


    But what is this? It looks similar but gives off a different feeling.''


    Based on the data from his father''s research, Alex knew the parasite had already intertwined with Kurosora''s soul.


    Separating it was impossible. The only solution was for Kurosora herself to overwhelm the parasite.


    But her mental age was practically zero, which was why even her father had given up.


    The darkness then dissipated, revealing two figures.


    Kageyasha stood, gazing down at the unconscious Kurosora before turning his sharp eyes toward Alex and Mingyue.


    "What have you done?"


    "Did you bring Kurone''s blood sample?


    Let''s talk while I check it. I need to confirm something."


    Alex turned around, heading back to the room.


    On the way, Mingyue asked telepathically, ''Are they related to the sins you told me about?


    The weapons created by outer gods to defeat vampires?''


    ''Yes. This hatred we felt likely comes from the vampire race as a whole.


    Thankfully, our progenitor rate is not that high.''

 Chapter 529 Origin Qi Crystal

    This realization made Alex think further. He understood now that intense emotions from the race were funneled to the progenitor.A single individual''s emotions wouldn''t be an issue, but if many carried the same intense feelings, it would be different.


    It was like water.


    A single drop wouldn''t matter, but a tsunami could flatten a whole city.


    Inside the room, Alex saw various experimental apparatuses.


    He speculated that either the emperor had procured them from the Guardian or his father had provided the instruments.


    Moving to the microscope, Alex placed samples of Kurone''s and Kurosora''s blood for comparison.


    "So, how is it?


    What are you hoping to find by comparing their blood?"


    "It''s complicated to explain in one sentence, but to put it simply, I want to locate the parasite inside her body."


    Alex wanted to check the DNA and see how intertwined it was¡ªat what points and whether it was still possible to sever the two.


    This would also help him understand more about the soul.


    Could separating DNA result in the separation of a soul?


    "I see...


    Then tell me now¡ªwhat happened inside?"


    Without looking up from the apparatus, Alex replied,


    "Kageyasha, how much do you know about the history of your clan?


    Have you ever heard of the Felidaen?"


    Kageyasha''s eyes widened. Since Edward had failed to help him, Kageyasha had denied him access to much information. Only fragments were shared.


    And the word Felidaen only appeared in those hidden records.


    "How do you know that name?"


    "As I thought¡­


    All of you in the Neko clan are, in reality, Felidaen.


    I met one of your people in another world."


    "How is that related to what happened to my daughter?"


    "It''s related to what''s inside of her.


    If I am correct, it should be a weapon from ancient times, created to vanquish the vampire race."


    Realization struck Kageyasha.


    "So, you are saying both of you are of the vampire race?


    But I heard from the records that they were already extinct."


    "As I thought, you have some information about the Progenitor War era.


    If you want to know more, I want that knowledge."


    Their deal was only for him to cure Kurosora; none of it included sharing information.


    Even his reward was still up for negotiation.


    "I changed my mind. You are not like him at all, exploiting every single opportunity you have."


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile.


    "So? What is your answer?"


    "Fine, let''s trade."


    A jade slip appeared in Kageyasha''s palm, and then he threw it toward Alex with strength.


    But Alex didn''t mind this. He spread his qi to weaken the momentum, then caught it easily.


    With a thought, he read all the information.


    ''Based on this, they shouldn''t have any relation with Aimu and Freay.''


    It only told that the clan didn''t come from here and that they should not forget their heritage.


    There wasn''t much information, but based on his knowledge of this world''s past, their coming here should have been related to the opening of dungeons everywhere on the planet.


    The period of time when this planet was the most chaotic.


    Alex thought they came here as refugees or were purposely sent away in case their species fell.


    "None of your ancestors survived?"


    "None. That period of time was very chaotic.


    Many died in inner fighting or were just captured by Orochi."


    "Now that reminds me, isn''t the Silver Snake clan related to Orochi?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since both of them were snakes, there was no way they were not connected.


    "If I look at the old records, yes.


    But they are part of the traitor clan that helped us in the final confrontation.


    They were stripped of most of their artifacts and techniques by the Guardian and had a period where they were under surveillance."


    "I see. Can you send me the jade slip, too?"


    "Not yet. Tell me what you know now."


    "I had my own fortuitous encounter, the result turning me into a vampire.


    Since Kurosora was possessed by a being created specifically to hunt my kind, the result is as you can see.


    She went feral, as her instinct is to kill all vampires."


    This worried Kageyasha.


    "Does this mean she will try to kill you again after she wakes up?"


    "We will not wait until then.


    I already have some treatment methods for her."


    Alex then explained his plan.


    He would take out Kurosora''s soul, separate it from the parasite, and put her in some kind of simulation.


    This would allow her soul to grow mature to the point where it could resist or overpower the parasite.


    "I do suggest you tell Kurone about this. Both of you could have a family life in this simulated world."


    Kageyasha had never heard of this before creating a simulated world for a soul to live inside, thinking it was alive.


    He did know it was possible, but it would require a lot of expertise to pull off.


    But the possibility of living like a normal family with his daughter was something he didn''t want to miss.


    "Can you really do that? What about the risk?"


    "Yes, I''ve already researched a lot on this topic, so I can guarantee it will be safe.


    I just need a large amount of high-grade qi crystals."


    "Will this work?"


    Kageyasha opened his palm, showing a perfect sphere the size of a fist.


    Alex could see a huge energy inside it. The qi moved like plasma; its purity was something he had never seen before.


    It was to the point that he might as well call it a new energy type.


    "What is that?"


    "So, you''ve never seen one. We call it an Origin qi crystal.


    This is very rare and can only be found here in the frontline area.


    So far, only a dozen have been found.


    You''ll see it grow like a fruit on high-grade Qi crystal veins."


    "What happens to the vein if you pluck this away?"


    "The vein will drop in quality, but it will still create qi crystals.


    We don''t know how this was achieved.


    I heard some cultivators already tried to create artificial versions of this but failed."

 Chapter 530 Creating The Game

    "Let me see it."The crystal felt warm to the touch. It also felt like it was beating, like it was alive.


    But Alex was clear that there was no life energy coming from it.


    A thought then came to his mind.


    ''This looks like nuclear fission but utilizes qi and some other kind of material.''


    Alex wanted to research it, but he knew it was very dangerous.


    If he tried to split it apart, the stable energy would probably trigger a huge explosion that caused a chain reaction.


    "What do you use it for?"


    "Right now, it''s just part of my collection.


    I''m sure you can also tell the energy inside is very volatile.


    I had heard someone use it as a weapon before, but the result was a huge explosion that killed everyone in the vicinity.


    Not even immortals were spared.


    If you''re interested, I can tell you the location of this forbidden zone.


    You should be able to check for yourself whether it was caused by this or something else.


    I do suggest you don''t go there, though, since no one has returned from that spot."


    ''A radiation strong enough to even kill immortals?''


    Alex had already marked this spot as a place he needed to visit.


    A strong weapon, good enough for him to use to fight against those stronger, was something he would not miss out on. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though Kageyasha didn''t explicitly say immortals were killed just by going into the region, it was already clear to Alex that no immortals survived it.


    Otherwise, there was no way they still didn''t know what was going on.


    "This should be more than enough. You should keep an eye on your daughter for now and bring Kurone here.


    If you have more people you can trust, it will be better."


    "What for?"


    "They can act as her friends, uncles, or aunts. The more people, the better it will be for her development.


    But in case you cannot bring them, I could make them up."


    Although it''s not the best, Alex could use AI code from his world, the same used for NPCs in games he liked to play.


    He didn''t plan to make everything from scratch.


    Alex would copy it from games he used to love before to the point where he had invested some money in the company.


    He used his pocket money, so even his mom didn''t know about this.


    The game had an apocalyptic setting, fusing medieval and sci-fi tropes.


    The sci-fi weapons were treated as some kind of artifact.


    While the survivors were living underground.


    It was also one of the first VR games with an immersive experience.


    Making it his favorite game of all time.


    With the amount of money and time he had spent, Alex remembered almost every detail of the world.


    ''The world was separated into two: the surface, filled with monsters, and the underground, with many cities, towns, and politics.


    Since the goal is for her to mature, she will need many stimuli, some kind of pressure, and a bit of trauma.''


    Alex planned to give her a few years of peace, then start with conflict.


    He gave the Origin qi crystal to Mingyue since she wanted to check on it while taking out his own high-grade qi crystal.


    He preferred using this rather than the Origin crystal.


    Who knew if he would be able to get his hands on it again.


    This also made Alex wonder if a similar grade of many crystals existed.


    Probably, it did, but it was located somewhere else.


    Alex''s fingers danced in the air. The pure qi crystals were forged together, turning into a cube.


    He then started carving the complicated formation.


    His first step was to create a world that could keep and maintain a soul.


    A soul without a body carried many risks, from corruption to dissipation.


    To avoid this, he would need to constantly pour life force into it.


    It couldn''t be too much or too little to avoid complications.


    Afterward, the formation must also force the soul into slumber.


    This was to make sure they couldn''t interact with the real formation.


    Alex had thought about creating a whole world carved with formations that allowed souls to directly interact there, but after some thought, he realized this would cost too many resources.


    There was also the risk since the soul could directly access the formation.


    That was when Alex chose another method.


    Creating something akin to a virtual world, making it seem like they were just lucid dreaming.


    This also gave Alex more control, as he could change how fast time passed in the area.


    Since they existed only as souls, as long as the formation was created perfectly, there would be very few side effects, even if he made it one hundred times faster than the real world.


    Alex could choose to only create the world for Kurosora to use, but he didn''t want to do this.


    It would make the time spent creating it faster, but afterward, it would become useless.


    Alex wanted to make one that would serve as the foundation for his future game.


    Looking at his excited face, Mingyue smiled.


    She could see Alex was excited and now completely absorbed in his own work.


    Mingyue turned her attention toward the crystal in her hand.


    She then closed her eyes and felt the qi fluctuation coming from the crystal.


    ''The fluctuation is very slow and peaceful. It doesn''t feel like the raging water qi usually has.''


    If normal qi was like raging waves, then Origin qi crystal was like a serene sea.


    It was calm, with occasional waves crashing down.


    Mingyue didn''t have the same understanding as Alex, but even she could tell that if she tried to pull Qi from inside, it would turn the serene sea into a raging one.


    The equilibrium would be broken, causing catastrophic results.


    But this didn''t mean she couldn''t do anything.


    Mingyue tried to mimic the Origin qi''s movement, making her qi as calm as possible without reducing its effectiveness.


    She felt this was a way for her to gain another breakthrough.

 Chapter 531 Father and Daughter

    Her next step was to understand control over space and time.Only with this could she achieve the transcendent stage and directly skip to the immortal stage.


    ''Alex said they just use sophisticated words, but in reality, it only means gaining complete control over the qi in my body and the qi surrounding me.


    But how do I do this?''


    Mingyue then focused her senses, trying to spread her qi to take over the atmospheric qi around her.


    This process was easier than she thought, but the cost was not efficient.


    By her instinct, she spent more energy than necessary to gain control over it.


    ''This shouldn''t be the way; it''s not effective.


    Maybe I should do it like spreading my domain?''


    With this idea, Mingyue spread out her frost qi, creating her own domain in a small area.


    Ice lotus petals began dropping around her, turning everything into ice.


    She then started controlling it. At first, her goal was to ensure it didn''t affect the surroundings too much.


    But while doing this, Mingyue realized she didn''t need to use her own qi to achieve the effect.


    By changing how she created the domain, she made her qi trigger the surrounding qi to move on its own, without her intervention.


    Her eyes lit up with the idea.


    ''If I''m right, this should be the first step toward reaching the transcendent stage.


    If I had more understanding of runes, I would have been able to achieve this more easily.


    Since my core is now already mixed together, there''s no reason to do it the normal way.'' S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that thought, Mingyue disappeared, entering Edonia.


    Meanwhile, Kageyasha sent someone to call Kurone.


    She was now standing in front of him.


    "So that''s the gist. Do you want to do it?"


    "Why now?"


    "I told you I already did my best.


    It''s because Alex came here that we have this method now, but I know you won''t believe me."


    "You, the almighty emperor, don''t have any other method?


    Are you kidding me?


    Do you think I don''t know what kinds of methods are available from the Guardian?


    Let''s say you couldn''t do anything for my twin''s sake, but you should at least be able to save Mother!"


    Despite her flat tone, Kurone''s eyes were filled with anger.


    Kageyasha stayed silent; he didn''t know what to say.


    If he had returned in time, could he have done better?


    The answer would be yes, but that was only because he now knew what had happened.


    In the past, he hadn''t even realized his wife was hurting.


    ''If only she had told me what happened...''


    There were so many "what if" scenarios, but in the end, he couldn''t change anything since it was in the past.


    "Tch..."


    Kurone stomped her feet in anger, but she still walked to her father''s side.


    Kageyasha didn''t say anything further. As long as she cooperated, he would have a lot of time to try to mend their relationship.


    Meanwhile, in Ariadne''s territory, Olivia''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "You want what?"


    "As I said, I want to come out with all of you. In exchange, I will help with whatever you want to achieve here."


    Olivia had already heard about the situation from Ariadne.


    Even though it wasn''t as comprehensive as Alex''s knowledge, she still knew there were limitations in place for the beastmen.


    "You are not allowed to leave this area. If someone finds out, it will be a huge trouble for us."


    "They won''t. Don''t worry; I have my way."


    After saying this, Yubina''s body started to transform. She turned as small as a cat.


    Her fur was pure white, with three tails coming out from her back.


    It was like looking at a baby fox.


    The appearance was very cute; if not for her having seen Yubina''s true power, Olivia would not have thought twice about cuddling it.


    "Wow, you can do things like this? Wait, doesn''t this mean you already came out from this territory?"


    Ariadne asked in wonder.


    Right now, she could only feel Yubina as if she were a normal fox.


    "You underestimate us too much, Ariadne.


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    Every beast emperor has their own method to leave this place.


    Some already often take a look outside, but there is nothing that interests us.


    What we wanted was to find a way to leave this world, to find a way to reach a greater stage.


    Or, just like me, to look for a way back to our ancestors."


    "So, even this method cannot bypass the guardian?"


    "Yes, the Guardian is far stronger than you think, Ariadne.


    There is a reason why this agreement can be forced to happen.


    If only we had another path to go outside this world, I would already have used it."


    Yubina had tried many methods, including flying high and trying to pierce through the atmosphere.


    But the barrier''s protection was too strong, even for her.


    Even when she went all out, it didn''t leave a scratch.


    "That is for sure."


    Ariadne also knew how strong the barrier was.


    She and Edward had tried many ways to leave this place, but in the end, they found another purpose.


    "Hmm... In that case, can you send people to act like me? I also want to go out and find some old acquaintances."


    "Aunt Ariadne, will it be alright?"


    "Don''t worry, Olivia."


    Ariadne wasn''t worried. In the end, the one who would decide wasn''t her.


    She then turned to Yubina.


    "No promises, but you can follow us for now."


    "Where will we go?"


    Yubina, still in fox form, jumped toward Ariadne''s shoulder.


    "We will pass through the ridges. Where else? But both of you should be careful.


    The enemy will become stronger the moment Yubina and I enter.


    That place has a weird feature where the monsters will adjust their strength depending on the invader."


    "Isn''t that like a cheat?


    If something like that is possible, why don''t they just make them all stronger?"


    Quartz was confused.


    Why bother making the equivalent strength? Just make them stronger.

 Chapter 532 Yubina Goal

    "Strength doesn''t come out of nowhere, Quartz. It requires a lot of energy to maintain.I don''t know the details, but Edward said the mechanism is just infusing energy into monsters that already live there."


    "There''s more to it.


    Those monsters come from the outside world.


    But it won''t be a problem for both of us."


    After some more discussion, the four of them left toward the human region.


    They didn''t know Alex and Mingyue were now in the same region.


    Outside the territory, Olivia was walking in a daze at the back.


    Now that they were going to meet up again with Alex, she couldn''t help but feel conflicted.


    She wanted to meet him, but it was painful since she knew Mingyue would be at his side.


    Yubina''s lips curled into a sly smile.


    She then jumped to Olivia''s shoulder.


    Meanwhile, Quartz was talking with Ariadne as she gave her some suggestions on how to break into a new realm.


    "What are you thinking, young one? You seem to have some problems."


    "Lady Yubina, nothing is wrong."


    Olivia addressed her formally since they were now cooperating.


    ''Hmm...


    But I am sure something is on your mind.


    Don''t worry, you can tell me. I can keep it a secret.


    And don''t you think getting a third opinion is better?


    Someone neutral who doesn''t know anyone.''


    Olivia hesitated, but when she thought about it, she realized Yubina was right. Stay updated through empire


    Quartz also had no comment despite knowing the situation.


    She, too, was caught in a hard place.


    Olivia then told her the gist while skipping through many details.


    Even though they were allies, she couldn''t just tell her about the progenitor and vampires.


    Many things she kept secret, except for the fact that they had a method to go to another world.


    Yubina also already knew about this.


    ''Hmm... In that case, don''t give up too early.


    Having more than one wife is normal here.


    You just need to convince both of them you deserve to be there.''


    ''But I am far weaker than them.


    They are too far away for me to catch up.


    Even if I become immortal, it will not be enough.'' sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''In that case, how about this lady helps you?


    I will give you a cultivation method that enhances your strength.


    Not only that, this will raise your beauty and give you the ability to charm others.''


    ''A charm spell?''


    Olivia considered it for a second but quickly rejected the idea.


    ''That is not the relationship I want to have with him, but thanks for the offer.''


    ''Well, the charm skill is only there because it was created by me.


    You should know, as part of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, it''s one of our innate abilities.


    And there''s nothing wrong with having the skill.


    It''s up to you to use it or not.''


    ''But...''


    ''Don''t you want to become stronger?


    Young one, if you really love that man, you should stop at nothing to be with him.


    Take it as a suggestion from someone who has lived for centuries.


    Worrying about the future is good and all, but what really matters in the end is the present.''


    Olivia reluctantly agreed. In the end, it was better to have more methods.


    Even if it was a trap, she could study it first and learn it later.


    Meanwhile, far away from them, another Yubina was standing in front of someone wearing a purplish hood.


    On the hood, there was a letter written in gold that read "Gu."


    "As expected from you, Fox Empress, you have many tricks up your sleeve.


    But to think your avatar is strong enough to trick another empress."


    "That''s my secret to hide. So, I''ve done my part. Can you give me the thing I wanted?"


    "Of course, we of the Gu Clan always fulfill our promises.


    With this, you can go to any world you want, Empress.


    But I will remind you, it can only be used once."


    The man gave out two talismans with eyeballs painted on them.


    "This one is to leave this world, while this one will bring you back to this place."


    "To think you have these even with such strong formations."


    "Haha, I appreciate your praise, but we are nothing more than a group of merchants, Empress.


    Now, excuse me, I have more tasks to do."


    "Wait. I know it''s part of the rule, but can''t you at least tell me?


    I just really don''t get it. Why would you give out such a cultivation method to that human?"


    "Ah, it seems you have tried to cultivate it.


    This will lower your credibility, Empress."


    "Like that ever matters. You guys come and go as you wish."


    "Well, take this as an after-service, then.


    This technique was created solely for her.


    As for the details, I cannot say more since that would breach the contract."


    The hood on the man then started contorting as if some kind of creature existed inside.


    It then fell to the ground, followed by many insects spreading out.


    With a flick of her finger, Yubina burned all of them.


    "Tsk, as disgusting as always.


    At least they always keep their deal."


    This was not the first time Yubina had made a deal with them.


    Every time, they always fulfilled their promises.


    Her gaze then looked at the talisman, filled with longing.


    "Finally, after all this time..."


    Meanwhile, back at the Neko Clan...


    Inside the room, a large cube was hovering in the air, spinning.


    Each time it finished a rotation, it spread out a small pulse of green energy.


    Underneath it, three people lay unconscious: Kageyasha, Kurone, and Kurosora.


    "To think the Emperor put himself at risk like this."


    "It just means she was very important to him, Mingyue.


    Wouldn''t you do the same for those you love?"


    "Well, I would do it for you or my brother, but even then, I would put some countermeasures in place."


    Alex let out a chuckle.


    "Well, who knows what kind of backup plan he has.


    Anyway, do you want to get in?"


    "Is there any use?"

 Chapter 533 A Villain...

    "Well, I need someone to act as the villain inside and check out many things.If not you, then I will be the one to enter."


    "A villain...


    Will they be able to use their real power inside?"


    "They should, to a certain point. My ability to suppress his soul is limited.


    So, if Kageyasha decides to go all out, there is nothing I can do."


    "That is interesting. What about the risk?"


    "Even though you are in soul form, you are still in slumber, so the damage will be very minimal."


    "How about the thing you want to check?"


    "If you come in, just share the memory afterward.


    I will send you the scenario, and you can change it as you want."


    "Alright, I will go then.


    There are some things I want to test."


    Mingyue''s goals were two: one was sparring, and the second was figuring out how to break through.


    As she could share memories with Alex, this meant that if she succeeded, Alex would be able to make his breakthrough.


    "The time inside is different from here, but it shouldn''t be a problem for us to communicate.


    Just do it as usual, or you can use it from the system interface I will give you."


    The cube rippled again as Mingyue entered the world.


    She found herself inside a huge dome underground. In front of her was a sprawling city.


    The architecture was reminiscent of the ancient city that Alex had visited before.


    The rocks surrounding the city seemed to have strange features.


    They spread out comfortable light and warmth.


    On the outskirts of the city, MingYue could see two kids playing in the park.


    Based on their age they were around 9 years old.


    One was laughing on the swing while the other pushed her from behind.


    The middle-aged man behind them looked at them with a smile.


    "So they are there.


    It seems a long time has passed here.


    Did Alex find a way to increase the time rate even further?"


    With a thought, MingYue then opened the admin system.


    There, it showed complete information on every single NPC that existed in the city.


    Despite the large number, only a few were really important.


    Each was marked with a star icon.


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    ''A cultist that worships the monster, the city lord, the young master...''


    Reading only the names, MingYue already knew what kind of scenario Alex wanted to pull. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A young master is interested in twins when they become teenagers or adults.


    The city lord, with his own greed, then the final epic of the cultist.


    MingYue could modify everything, create events, and change NPC personalities.


    Or even trigger a monster invasion.


    But she didn''t have any interest.


    Since it was clear that Alex wanted to give them a happy childhood before turning it into something more intense.


    ''Kageyasha should at least know the scenario.


    Otherwise, there are too many risks.''


    If Kageyasha went wild when things became dangerous, it could affect the world''s stability.


    Since she still had a lot of time before the nearest event, MingYue used it to cultivate.


    This world might not have real Qi, but it could simulate one if she wanted.


    Outside, Alex''s eyes were studying every interaction between the formation and the simulated world.


    He was so focused, noting almost every change.


    To the point, he didn''t even realize someone was knocking on the door, looking for Kageyasha.


    This was the man sent to look for information on Yubina.


    He wanted to tell Kageyasha that she was spotted leaving the area with Ariadne and two humans.


    With humans in the equation, this made the information a high priority.


    But not enough for him to forcefully try to enter the room.


    As Kageyasha''s right-hand man, he knew what was happening inside was very important.


    If he accidentally disturbed it and caused a bad effect on Kageyasha''s daughter, his head would be sent flying.


    Meanwhile, Vesa, who stayed alert, also didn''t inform Alex since she didn''t feel any danger.


    After a few more attempts to knock, the man gave up.


    ''Seems I will need to inform the prince. The question is, which one?


    If everyone knows, it will become troublesome.''


    There is a huge chance the princes will just treat it as competition, turning things worse.


    As he thought about his options, Luca and Emily had already left the front line.


    She was going toward Bloodspire Citadel.


    She only knew where her husband had ordered Kane to go, but after so long, there was a possibility he had already moved.


    So Luca wanted to look for information first and check the current situation firsthand.


    Throughout the way, Emily was sullen, but Luca didn''t try to comfort her.


    At this point, there was nothing she could say.


    Both of them knew Edward was still alive, but they didn''t know the future.


    Too many things were moving outside their control now.


    "By the way, Mom, what do you think happened outside?"


    "Hmm¡­


    I don''t know, but the place is probably far calmer than here.


    Your brother''s people should have taken care of everything.


    Why? You want to go back?"


    "No, just thinking about it. I mean, despite the time difference, it''s the same; there are only some differences in this region. It''s been a while since we entered.


    Won''t they become worried?"


    "There is nothing we can do about that. Actually, I will be happy if Solomon comes here."


    Luca said with a cold smile.


    "What will you do to him, Mother?


    He is still the association president."


    "It seems I never taught you this, Emily, but no matter the person''s position, if they screw up, they deserve a beating.


    Of course, this is only if you are strong enough."


    Emily gulped. She was seeing a side of Luca she had never seen before.


    She then looked toward the sky, hoping that nothing bad would happen to her comrade.


    Time passed on, back in beastman territory, inside a huge city, a man with silver hair and pupils was sipping tea.


    But in front of him was not a serene lake or other beautiful scenery.


    Instead, it was a man chained in a cross shape.

 Chapter 534 Spies

    His body was tattered with wounds, many of the flesh missing.There were even insects moving around, eating his wounds.


    "Just how long do you want to stay silent, you lowly being?"


    "Lowly?


    Hehehe, go on then, try to read my mind again.


    Or heck, why not just kill me and search my soul?"


    "Lunatic!


    It''s been so many years, and you still keep your mouth shut.


    Just tell me where the formation key is, and then you will be let free."


    "How many times do you want to continue this pointless exchange?


    Thinking you are better than me while your brain is just as big as a lizard''s?"


    The man''s lips curled into a smile seeing this.


    "With how long you''ve been here, I am sure you have eavesdropped on what we talk about.


    You should already know my goal.


    We want to disrupt the formation covering this inner region.


    I don''t know how, but I could tell somehow you changed the time dilation outside this zone."


    Orion didn''t respond. He just let out a huge grin.


    Even with all the wounds and pain, he didn''t flinch.


    "Tenacious bastard!"


    Just then, the door opened. Someone came in and whispered something to the emperor.


    Normally, they could just send information with telepathy.


    But this silver snake wanted to tell it directly so the emperor would have a better impression of him.


    "It seems your help is no longer needed. We have already found where your friend is hiding.


    Isn''t his name Kane?


    To think he is hiding in the outer region."


    Orion was still calm despite hearing this. "So what?


    With his strength, you will not be able to capture him with your minions.


    Hah, the only reason I got caught is because of my stupidity."


    "You are not wrong about that. Other than tenacity, you are stupid.


    Who comes to beast territory by themselves and then tries to create chaos?


    But don''t underestimate me. Do you think I don''t have methods to go outside?


    I will make sure to treat him personally."


    The silver snake emperor''s eyes then glinted dangerously.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, a few days ago, the fake pope we put in Shangxi Temple was killed.


    I don''t know who it was, but it seems the perpetrator is related to you."


    The silver snake emperor then moved his lips, saying a couple of names.


    Orion''s nonchalant expression quickly changed to anger.


    "YOU!!!


    If you dare touch them, I will turn you into soup!


    You stupid reptile!!!"


    "Hahaha, go on, get angry. Finally, there''s some reaction after all this time.


    But do you think I will follow what you want?


    I will make sure to bring them in front of you without any limbs."


    The silver snake emperor smiled slyly, then left the room, ignoring Orion''s tantrum.


    "Are you sure the information is correct?"


    "Ye-yes, emperor."


    The silver snake emperor squinted his eyes. "Good. If it''s true, you will be rewarded. If not, prepare to become fertilizer for our clan''s goal."


    The man quickly fell into despair. Being fertilizer meant having the same fate as the mortals sacrificed for the formation.


    He knew what they would undergo.


    The man''s face turned pale blue, while the beast emperor just touched his shoulder and then left. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Hmph, being scared just because of this, pathetic!''


    Time passed on. It had been three days since Luca and Emily arrived at Bloodspire Citadel.


    At this moment, Olivian Quartz and the group also passed the border, reaching human territory.


    Ariadne, in the first place, was human, so passing here didn''t trigger any alarm.


    A distance away from them, a woman wearing a hood followed.


    Her expression was annoyed.


    ''We already got this far. I doubt Yubina will do anything.


    Another reason I hate my abilities!''


    All this time, Ariadne asked Seraphine to follow them from behind.


    With her ability and cultivation, she was now capable of fighting.


    She could ambush Yubina if they tried to attack them along the way.


    But nothing like that happened.


    Instead, Yubina spent time helping Olivia in cultivation while Ariadne helped Quartz.


    As a result, both of them broke through in the realm of the mystic integration stage.


    This was the main reason why


    Seraphine was annoyed.


    Since she needed to be on alert almost all the time, she barely had time to cultivate.


    There was also no one to personally teach her the way, making her cultivation stagnant.


    But despite this, she had already reached the golden core realm.


    This was thanks to many precious elixirs from Ariadne and her abilities.


    Weirdly, no matter how much she consumed, Seraphine could control the qi, turning it into a stockpile that she would just absorb later.


    If others consumed like her, their bodies would already have exploded because of the side effects.


    Ariadne looked at Olivia, who was closely talking with Yubina.


    "What do you think about them, Quartz?"


    Quartz shrugged her shoulders.


    "I don''t know what to say, but I think it''s good for Olivia.


    It took her mind off her personal problems."


    "Personal problems?"


    "Let''s talk about it later. By the way, where are we going now?"


    "We will get some information first, then go to the outer region.


    I haven''t heard news from this region for a while."


    "Didn''t you say Kane was taking care of that?"


    "That is why I''m worried. It''s not like him to not send any all this time."


    Ariadne had also sent her people outside, but she didn''t get much news back.


    It was like someone was targeting her spies in a way that she couldn''t imagine.


    After a short break, the group arrived at a town.


    Ariadne excused herself, as she didn''t want Yubina to follow.


    "You weren''t lying? Shangxi Temple was taken down?"


    "Ye-yes, empress. I''m sure I already sent the message back, though."


    Ariadne frowned.


    She had half expected her intel base in this area to be destroyed.


    But it turned out it still existed.


    Unfortunately, they were not connected through a hive mind, so she now needed to make sure if any of them were spies or if it was an outside influence.

 Chapter 535 Sword Immortal and The Silver Snake

    ''If only the hive mind could pass through the formation, I wouldn''t have this problem!''After the group gathered, Ariadne sent out small spiders to restore the lost connection.


    This way, she would be able to quickly tell who was a traitor, if there were any.


    But she didn''t even need to wait for this.


    More than a dozen of her members tried to escape.


    With a single motion, she cut off all their heads.


    Her action shocked everyone in her presence, making them all fall on their knees, begging for forgiveness.


    Even though it wasn''t really their fault, they were still implicated since they let this happen for a long time.


    ''Does Yubina have a hand in this?


    But in that case, why would she make a deal with me?''


    Ariadne couldn''t wrap her head around this matter.


    She suspected Yubina the most, but this didn''t rule out the possibility that another emperor was responsible.


    While she was busy cleaning up, a silver snake slithered through the ground.


    He had already passed the Thousand Abyss Ridge.


    As his presence was just like that of a very weak monster, he didn''t attract any kind of enemy.


    But this still came with a risk.


    If he accidentally got caught up in another beast clash, he could get hurt, resulting in his disguise being removed.


    The terrain was also steep, and the cliff there showed pure darkness like an abyss.


    No one knew what was down there since everyone who fell never returned.


    Since this was also part of the border area, everyone also thought it was made by the formation that sealed their world.


    Hence, no one wasted their time trying to analyze what was inside.


    "Dammit! I really hate using this method. I almost screwed up many times."


    The silver snake emperor said with a sigh.


    He felt relieved he had finally come out to this area.


    Now, he just needed to make sure to get his goal, and for the return path, he already had a method prepared.


    It was a teleportation talisman he had acquired from the Gu clan.


    Just like the one Yubina had, the only difference was that this one would bring the silver snake emperor back to his secret hideout, no matter where he was.


    At first, he had two sets, one to leave and the other to return.


    But on the last trip, he found an ancient artifact that allowed him to do this transformation.


    The silver snake emperor decided to use it to return.


    He looked toward the sky, and despite already being out, he didn''t transform back to his original form.


    He was waiting for someone.


    Not long after, a man arrived.


    "Tsk, your title is Sword Immortal, and you are still coming here late.


    Can''t you be punctual!?"


    "I had something to do, you are the one who suddenly decided to come without any plan.


    Don''t you realize how dangerous it is?"


    "This is important for our goal, I already took most of the work, what you need to do is gather forces and prepare to cooperate.


    Stop complaining. Did you bring it?"


    "Not here, follow me."


    The silver snake emperor leaped from the ground, landing on the sword immortal''s shoulder.


    His body then disappeared, turning into a silhouette.


    The next moment, he appeared inside some kind of inn.


    This was Sword Saint City, the capital of the Li family.


    The Li family was descended from the sword immortal.


    With his backing, the family grew unchallenged in the area, allowing them to prosper.


    The sword immortal spread his qi, sealing the room.


    He swiped his finger, and some kind of formation started to activate.


    Not long after, a human body appeared. It was a very beautiful human.


    "You brought a woman to me?"


    The silver snake emperor asked in anger.


    "As I said, you are asking in a hurry, and look closely.


    For someone of your caliber to fail to discern a gender is pathetic.


    I know your power is dormant in that form, but don''t beastmen always pride themselves on their instincts?"


    "That person is a man?"


    The silver snake emperor leaped down, then slithered closer toward the body.


    The man had long black hair with pale white skin.


    His body was lean like a woman''s.


    At a glance, anyone would mistake him for one.


    The silver snake emperor touched the man''s forehead.


    "His body''s potential is good, well, not bad."


    "Make sure you don''t hurt him; it will be annoying to explain things to others."


    The silver snake emperor turned his gaze to look at the sword immortal, ridiculing him. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You should already know the side effect of my skill.


    Even if he is alive, he will become retarded.


    Wouldn''t it be better for him to be dead than to recultivate?"


    "No, too annoying. In that case, just kill him and disperse his soul.


    I will send out orders for him to check the new danger zone.


    The mortality rate there is very high, so I''m sure no one will raise any questions."


    "Well, do as you like. It''s not my problem."


    The silver snake emperor''s body shrank smaller and then slithered through the man''s ear.


    The next moment, the body stood up.


    He cracked his bones, then began mixing his qi.


    "Hmm¡­ Very good.


    Well, I will go now. The sooner this is taken care of, the less risk we have."


    But the sword immortal moved, blocking his path.


    "Leaving already? Tell me first, what do you plan to do?


    The situation around here is quite complicated now.


    A new faction has risen, carving out a new territory.


    If you plan to interfere with them, the other immortals will find out."


    Everyone knows that without proof, it''s different than admitting it outright.


    The current silver snake emperor is using a cultivator from his family.


    He can try to deny it, but the other immortals aren''t stupid.


    They will pounce on the opportunity and then launch an attack on him.


    The justification would be undeniable.


    He broke the pact by helping a beastman enter human territory.


    And this one is a beast emperor.


    "A new faction¡­


    Hmm¡­


    Yeah, you''re right. It could be related to them.


    In that case, how about changing the mission?


    Order me to attack the place.


    Also, give me a person you wouldn''t mind disappearing."

 Chapter 536 Scheme

    The sword immortal put some thought into it.In this case, even if the attack failed, he could just blame the new faction.


    As for the reason, he could just say it was a delegation for diplomacy, but negotiations failed.


    Things then escalated into a full-blown conflict.


    He would have more leeway and could just wash his hands of everything.


    As for the order, he would just place it on one of his sons as the one responsible.


    Many sects and families had already started sending people there, so what he did wouldn''t seem strange.


    "Alright, that''s a good idea, we''ll do that."


    Meanwhile, back at Blood Spire Citadel.


    The situation there grew tense.


    Many groups of cultivators were now staying at the Citadel.


    Some had even rented homes for years.


    The tension was growing, as conflict could erupt at any time.


    Emily and Luca were walking down the street.


    They had just arrived.


    "These people, I''m sure every single one of them has ulterior motives."


    "Qing Wa should be here. Let''s ask her for more details.


    Don''t act rashly, Emily."


    "Don''t worry, Mom, I won''t."


    "Good, it seems you''ve matured now. In the past, you would''ve directly gone to them and asked them questions."


    Emily rolled her eyes but didn''t say anything.


    They had been together for a while now.


    For her mother to just say this now meant all this time, she was occupied with something else.


    "Are you okay, Mom?"


    Luca raised her eyes in confusion.


    "What do you mean? Of course, I''m okay.


    If anything, I''m more worried about you.


    Alex seems to have found his path in this world, but what about you, Emily?


    Do you know what you want to do?"


    Emily wanted to say something, but Luca added, "And no, you can''t just say you want to follow your brother.


    Right now, you''re here because of our family''s problem.


    But what about after?


    What do you want to do? Have you thought about it carefully?"


    Emily shook her head.


    "If you put it like that, then I don''t know, Mom."


    "You''re lying. Tell me honestly."


    Despite not showing it much, Luca could tell from her expression.


    "I¡­ I want to explore, Mom. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the past, all my focus was on dungeons and looking for Dad.


    I took mission after mission, wanting to rise in rank quickly.


    But honestly, every time I entered one, I found the place fascinating.


    The ruins, the culture, the view.


    Each dungeon has its own distinct features.


    And now, after learning the truth, the universe is so much larger, Mom. I want to explore it all.


    To see things people have never seen before.


    Just imagining it makes me feel excited."


    Emily''s eyes shone when she talked about this, her tone filled with passion.


    She started talking a lot about what she thought could exist, what she wanted to see.


    What she had heard from Patricia, the owner of her home planet.


    Hearing this, Luca just nodded and smiled.


    As they arrived at the central spire, she placed her hand on Emily''s shoulder.


    "In that case, chase your dream, Emily. I will support you.


    After everything is over, I will tell Alex about this."


    Emily was surprised by her words. She thought her mom would give her a long speech, but instead, she supported her wishes.


    Seeing her mother walking toward the entrance, a feeling of melancholy washed over her.


    ''Mom, why only now do I feel you are so lonely?


    What was I even thinking all this time? How much weight did you carry to raise me and Alex?''


    Emily realized she had been very selfish all this time.


    Even when they came to this world, she had been angry and emotional about the circumstances.


    In reality, she should have stayed by her mother''s side, comforting her.


    She clenched her fist and took a deep breath.


    After exhaling, her face was etched with a smile. She then ran after Luca, "Wait, Mom!"


    Inside, they were now seated with Qing Wa.


    She wasn''t alone. Beside her was the high goblin who had talked with Alex the last time.


    He kneeled, greeting Luca respectfully, catching her off guard.


    "Greetings, Queen Mother. How could I help you?"


    "Just call me Luca."


    "I''m sorry, but I cannot do that. Honestly, if not for the king''s order, I would already kneel on the ground now."


    Luca sighed and gave up trying to talk him out of it.


    "What is your name?"


    "Just call me Sebastian."


    "So, Sebastian, Qing Wa. Can you tell me about the situation in this Citadel?


    I also need information on Red Fog Valley."


    Sebastian excused himself to prepare some snacks and tea.


    Meanwhile, Qing Wa explained the situation.


    The Citadel was now filled to the brim with people.


    Many new cultivators have come to this place looking for new opportunities.


    So far, more than 100 new organizations have been registered.


    Each of them paid a huge fee to rent a building inside the Citadel.


    Qing Wa placed them all in the outer region while her forces retreated to the center.


    Of course, all the walls were still managed by her people.


    This allowed them to pinch the groups in case something happened.


    She also wasn''t too worried since most of the cultivators now wore accessories and weapons sold by her forces.


    Hearing their preparation, Luca felt relieved.


    "In that case, they shouldn''t be able to do anything against you.


    How about Red Fog Valley?"


    "Wait, I''m also not native to this place, so I will check first."


    Qing Wa came from the outer region, and despite taking over the Citadel and gaining access to all the information sources, her focus was on prioritizing what directly affected them.


    Forbidden zones, landmarks, and areas that were far away weren''t even on her radar.


    As she filtered through the information, Emily spent the time talking with Sebastian.


    She asked him for more details about the situation.


    "There is nothing to worry about, Miss. Everything is taken care of.


    We have enough supplies to last us a long time, and the city-wide formation is complete.


    Now, we are waiting for them to make a move."

 Chapter 537 Teleportation Network

    "A move? As in attacking our forces?"Sebastian shook his head.


    "No, we already have some plans prepared. We want them to have conflict among themselves.


    Out of all those organizations, only a few are united.


    Most of them came here driven by greed and their own personal agendas."


    "I see. Do you need any help?"


    "We''re alright, Miss, but if you want, we can give you some tasks."


    "No, I''m good.


    I will go with my mom to Red Fog Valley to look for an acquaintance."


    "In that case, do you need reinforcement?


    We can send an elite squad with you. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They are all very loyal and experts in tracking and combat.


    I''m sure they will be helpful."


    Before she could answer, QingWa returned.


    "Are you sure you want to go there?


    This place is quite dangerous, and it''s reported that many have gone missing.


    The fog limits your view and senses.


    Not even qi can penetrate it."


    Hearing this, Luca didn''t feel deterred; instead, she felt relief.


    If the place was really this dangerous, it meant he should be safe.


    "Don''t worry, I have my method."


    She then looked at Sebastian.


    "As for the army, no need. I will just take some supplies with me."


    Sebastian didn''t try to change Luca''s mind. He quickly moved, preparing all the supplies inside a storage ring.


    One for Luca, one for Emily.


    Despite already bringing her own supply, they had spent quite a long time in this place.


    It had already started running out.


    Seeing both of them leave through the door, "Sebastian, send a scout at least to follow them from a distance."


    QingWa''s order made him frown.


    "Are you telling me to ignore her orders?"


    "She just said no to the troops. The place is dangerous, Sebastian. If something happens to them, do you want to take responsibility?"


    Sebastian became conflicted. It didn''t matter to him, even if he got punished.


    But if Luca and Emily met some kind of mishap that resulted in their demise, he would not be able to live with himself.


    His complete worship of Alex, like he was a god, wouldn''t allow it.


    "I will follow them then. The others will quickly find out and won''t be able to reach them if something happens."


    Sebastian could tell Luca''s strength. If it was an enemy that caused her demise, a single scout wouldn''t be useful.


    Meanwhile, Luca and Emily had already left the city.


    Emily was pulled by Luca as she flew at top speed.


    The place was quite a distance away from Bloodspire''s capital.


    But thankfully, they could use teleportation in a nearby town.


    Their surroundings quickly changed to those of a dilapidated chamber.


    The teleportation room was very different from the one they had used before.


    It was clear no one had taken care of it for a while.


    They didn''t even see anyone guarding the spot.


    "Mom, isn''t this dangerous? Anyone can use this portal to ambush someone."


    "Except they are experts on formations, they won''t be able to do that, Emily.


    And those with that capability wouldn''t find any interest in doing it since this portal network is only linked to average towns."


    Luca then explained to Emily how teleportation worked.


    It was like a train station. Some portals were linked with others, allowing them to move between locations.


    But there was one difference: some teleportation formations could only be used as exit points.


    No one could use them to teleport to other places.


    This was usually done in dangerous areas like this one.


    It was typically crowdfunded by a group of cultivators who liked to challenge the danger zone for treasure.


    Find adventures on empire


    They escaped and returned multiple times, to the point where they found it was worth building this kind of exit point.


    Part of the group would then build another entrance, but usually, it was in a hidden location to make sure only they could use it.


    By separating the two, it raised the safety, while they could get some kind of subsidy from sects or clans since this exit point was public.


    Leaving through the chamber, Emily could see dozens of houses made from wood and thatch.


    The moment her eyes made contact with the villagers, their faces quickly turned to panic and froze.


    They then ran back to their houses.


    "So impolite. It''s like they''re seeing a monster."


    "Cut them some slack, Emily. Cultivators, in their eyes, are worse than monsters."


    "Then why would they allow this formation to be placed here?"


    "Do you think they can reject it?


    Well, it''s not all bad. I''m sure they gained some benefit.


    For example, the formation that repels beasts away from this village."


    All that Luca told Emily was something she learned from Edward''s memories.


    At this point, her knowledge was not like that of someone who had just arrived in this world.


    "Excuse me, madam.


    This lowly one just wants to ask what I can help you with."


    Luca turned her gaze, seeing an elderly man kneeling on the ground, not even daring to look at her eyes.


    He was the village chief of this place.


    One of the rare villages filled only with mortals.


    Most of them had special conditions that made them unable to cultivate or had their qi cores destroyed, turning them into cripples.


    "Stand up, just call me Luca.


    I''m just passing by. We''re going to Red Fog Valley."


    The old man stood up, his expression showing relief.


    With his experience, visitors could be split into two: arrogant cultivators or those that wanted to be treated normally.


    "I can give you the direction, but I will warn you we just had a group of cultivators going to that place."


    "Do you know what their purpose is?"


    "I didn''t dare to ask."


    The elderly man then showed Luca the directions and told her what he knew about the valley.


    There were many legends and rumors, most of them unconfirmed, but some were useful to Luca.


    For example, the village got its food source from the valley.


    They gather herbs and fruit and hunt small animals.

 Chapter 538 Emilys Predicament

    Weirdly enough, they never faced any danger.But when cultivators entered, monsters would appear from the fog and take them down.


    So far, no one has returned.


    The story made Emily feel a chill since it was like a horror story.


    A being came out of nowhere and took them with zero survivors.


    "Mom, are you sure Uncle Kane is here?"


    "You''re already a veteran hunter now and even a cultivator.


    Don''t tell me ghost stories still make you scared?"


    Hearing her mom''s laughter made Emily sullen.


    But she just couldn''t shake the weird feeling.


    It didn''t take them long to reach the front of the valley.


    Emily pointed her palm forward, shooting a bright light ray.


    But the moment it hit the red fog, it disappeared.


    "I cannot see anything."


    Luca also tried to spread her senses, but the only thing she felt was the fog, with nothing inside it.


    "Get close to me, Emily. There is a special way to walk through this fog."


    Emily nodded. She held Luca''s arm, making sure to stay close to her.


    Seeing how the fog easily absorbed her light attack, Emily was sure that the moment they entered, she wouldn''t be able to see anything.


    But Luca wasn''t worried. She knew how to find Kane inside the fog.


    ''Based on hubby''s memory, this monster will only attack if I walk outside the pattern.


    127 steps north, 534 steps east¡­''


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    Luca began to count her footsteps.


    Just as Emily suspected, the surrounding fog completely clouded her view.


    Even while holding her mom''s arm, she couldn''t see her face.


    Everything was just red fog.


    She tried to use her light again, but it didn''t work.


    This made her wonder if, being stronger, her light could penetrate it.


    ''The fog really gives me a feeling of dread. Is this just because of that old man''s story?''


    She then tried to use the map function on her ex-chip, but it didn''t show anything.


    The radar function wasn''t working.


    If Alex were here, his eyes would light up with excitement.


    He would find a way to bring or create a similar fog.


    It had the capability to absorb any wave, including sound.


    The fog also had a weird ability that allowed it to disperse energy shot toward it.


    It was a unique material that he wanted to get his hands on no matter what.


    The potential uses were just so large.


    He could use it to create a new fog grenade that would completely turn his enemy blind.


    If it fused with poison, it would become lethal.


    Time passed on.


    ''This should be the last step¡ªone to the west.''


    Luca made the step, and the surroundings quickly changed.


    She arrived at a clearing with a large wooden cabin in the middle. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was a small farm on the side, with some small animals like chickens.


    Luca wanted to check the cabin, but she soon realized something.


    She couldn''t feel anyone grasping her arm.


    If before it could be explained because of the fog, now it meant Emily was not with her.


    With panic, she turned around.


    "Emily!!!"


    Her voice echoed out, but no one answered.


    After her scream, the door of the cabin opened.


    Luca turned her gaze. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw.


    Meanwhile, inside the red fog,


    Emily still felt like she was holding on to something.


    Never in her wildest mind did she think it wasn''t her mother.


    As she couldn''t feel anything, her sense of time dulled as well.


    "Mom, how long do we need to walk?"


    Emily asked in desperation.


    She felt like she had been walking for a long time, like days, but they hadn''t even gotten close to their destination.


    Despite knowing Luca couldn''t hear her question, she couldn''t help but call out loud.


    Emily then tightened her grasp.


    Her heart froze as she realized something was strange.


    The one she held didn''t feel like her mother''s arm. It didn''t even feel human.


    It was like touching cotton candy but far more solid.


    The sensation was weird.


    She instinctively jumped backward, releasing her grasp.


    She looked around, trying to find any presence or shape, but there was nothing.


    In panic, she kicked at the ground and jumped upward.


    Her body then turned into particles of light as she shot out.


    In an instant, she should have passed a long distance, at the very least allowing her to leave the red fog area.


    But in her nightmare, it was like she wasn''t moving at all.


    Everything was still just the red fog.


    She stopped her abilities, expecting to fall to the ground, but no, she didn''t.


    Instead, it was like she had never jumped upward.


    There was a surface under her feet, allowing her to stand.


    This made Emily completely lose her senses. Not only could she no longer tell direction, but now she couldn''t even tell up from down.


    "Just what is this¡­"


    Fear started grasping through her heart, her sense of danger in chaos.


    Emily could feel it coming from all directions.


    The rune she got from Alex started shining green. She utilized the life force to boost her body.


    Her action seemed to bring some change to the fog.


    It started contorting, creating a monster-like face.


    Seeing it form a monster face, Emily felt a bit relieved.


    At least it was a monster she was used to hunting.


    She pointed her palm forward, shooting another blast of light.


    But the monster''s face didn''t care. It opened its jaw wide and, in one motion, gulped her whole.


    Everything turned dark.


    When her sight returned, Emily found herself in a clearing.


    Around her, there were many cultivators fighting against beasts.


    In the back, a beautiful young man was sitting calmly, his eyes turning to look at Emily.


    "Oh, we have a newcomer."


    Remembering the old man''s words, Emily realized they were the cultivators that had come here before them.


    ''It seems they were captured like me.''


    "Who are you?"


    The beautiful man''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "That should be my question, you know, but a dead person doesn''t need to know much."


    The man disappeared and suddenly appeared in front of Emily.


    He swung a katana toward her neck.

 Chapter 539 Emily vs Silver Snake Emperor

    With the speed, Emily knew she couldn''t dodge.Thankfully, she had her abilities.


    Emily changed part of her neck into particles of light, allowing the sword to just pass by.


    Her hand then clenched into a fist, punching at the man''s stomach.


    But rather than hurting him, Emily was the one who got hurt.


    She could feel her hand sore in pain like she had just punched a very strong material.


    ''Dammit! I need to put some distance.''


    Emily quickly concluded that a short-range fight would put her at a disadvantage.


    She took out her awe cube and then pointed it toward the air.


    "Illuminate, Luminere."


    The Snake King Emperor was curious, looking at the cube.


    It was something he had never seen before.


    He could feel a surge of energy coming from it, but not to the point it was dangerous.


    Luminere was the name Emily had given to her wisps of light.


    The moment it came out, it shone brightly, blinding everyone on the field.


    But not Emily.


    She pointed her palm forward.


    SWOSHH!!!!


    She shot out a blast of light toward Luminere.


    The wisp of light was now surrounded by many crystal shards, polished to the point they reflected like mirrors and cut in a hexagonal pattern.


    Emily''s light reached Luminere, then reflected all around the mirrors, gathering at a single point.


    The blinding light disappeared.


    The Snake Emperor quickly regained his sight.


    What greeted him was a sphere of light radiating intense heat.


    He couldn''t even look at it directly.


    It was like staring at the sun at a close distance.


    If it were another Beast Emperor, they wouldn''t have a problem like him.


    Unfortunately, he was a snake.


    Snakes are nocturnal creatures, active at night.


    Their eyes had evolved in a way that allowed them to see in complete darkness.


    But this also meant they were more sensitive to light.


    This weakness had mostly been redeemed through the Beast Emperor''s cultivation.


    Unfortunately, he was not using his own body anymore, and his power was also self-sealed.


    This was to avoid the formation detecting his presence.


    "Eat this, you bastard!"


    Emily screamed as the gathered light shot down like holy judgment.


    BOOM!!!


    The ground turned into a deep hole, followed by another blinding light.


    After it dissipated, Emily looked around.


    Most of the cultivators had already been murdered by the monsters.


    When they were blinded by the light, they shifted their focus toward Emily.


    The monsters are blinded for a moment, but they don''t care about Emily.


    They attacked the cultivators, resulting in lethal damage.


    ''Only three are left alive; it seems I need to defeat them all.''


    Emily was not worried about the number of monsters.


    She had trained a lot, syncing her ability with Luminere.


    Using it as a conduit, she could create many golems to fight for her.


    Their strength would also rise based on her ability as she infused them with qi.


    Her realm was still low, but as long as she infused it with life force, their power would be enhanced, allowing her to fight them at the same stage.


    But that was if her enemy was only a normal cultivator.


    Unfortunately, she was now against the Beast Emperor.


    "Fufufu¡­ How long has it been since someone hurt me like this?"


    A creepy laugh came out from the crater.


    Condensed dark qi shot out from inside.


    Emily could feel the hair on her back stand up.


    Just like Alex, Emily also had a curious mind.


    After feeling qi coming out from everyone she knew, she had a theory.


    Feelings felt from qi would reflect someone''s personality.


    MingYue was cold and detached.


    Alex was searing hot.


    One might think it was because of their reflective element, but Emily disagreed.


    Even their non-elemental qi would give out a similar vibe if one really focused their senses on it.


    The one she felt from the person inside the crater was pure malice.


    Cruelty, malice, and greed.


    She didn''t wait for him to come out.


    Emily ordered Luminere once again.


    She shot light toward it, this time infusing it with life force.


    The light energy let out a green spark.


    "You think I will foolishly let myself get hit again?"


    "I don''t know who you are, but I know this attack''s weakness.


    Do you think I don''t have countermeasures?"


    "Luminere, seal chain."


    The hexagon mirrors started moving, then shot out around the crater.


    Luminere shot a light toward them.


    A formation started appearing on top of the crater.


    Emily flicked high-grade qi crystals from her storage ring.


    Normally, nine were enough to activate it.


    Experience tales at empire


    But considering her enemy''s power and strength, she decided to go all out.


    The more qi crystals used, the stronger the seal formation would be.


    Emily burned almost all her stock. In total, she used 923 high-grade qi crystals, only leaving her with two.


    Chains materialized from the formation, shooting down toward the crater.


    As Luminere kept gathering more energy, Emily also threw all kinds of grenades she had.


    She didn''t know how effective they would be, but even a small amount of damage still counted.


    SWOSSH!!!


    The judgment of light shot once more.


    This time, it is enhanced by life force.


    Emily could feel the sheer power coming from it.


    She dashed back, escaping from the area.


    While she did this, two guns appeared in her hands.


    She shot light bullets toward the monsters that came at her from the side.


    As they had already finished with the cultivators, she became their next prey. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The situation was chaotic, but as long as she could defeat the enemy in the crater, Emily knew she would survive.


    A bear made of red fog lunged from the side.


    Emily twisted her body, barely avoiding the attack.


    She shot another bullet of light.


    Her throat was parched, and sweat covered her body.


    This wasn''t the first time she had been exhausted in battle. But this was the first time she could feel her mana almost emptied.


    So far, in her experience, as long as she used her ability, everything would be alright.


    This was the first time.


    Even after many uses, her enemy was still not defeated.

 Chapter 540 Dead!?

    Her body turned into particles of light, appearing near the edge of the opening, blocked only by a wall of red fog.


    She tried to enter it again, but this time, the red fog felt like a wall blocking her path.


    She tried to destroy it, but it only created more space.


    Her heart beat faster, and her adrenaline rushed.


    "Luminere!"


    The wisp of light flew toward Emily.


    The hexagon crystals moved around, attaching themselves to Emily''s body, creating crystalline armor.


    She then raised her hand, bracing for the attack.


    There was a reason for this. She could tell the creature inside the crater was still alive and strong.


    Just as she expected, from inside the crater, a projectile shot out into the sky.


    It then exploded into a rain.


    SHHH!!!


    Emily could see the immortal corpses begin melting the moment they made contact with the liquid.


    ''Acid? Poison? Dammit! What should I do now?''


    Emily took out a bottle of mana potion and then forcefully gulped it down.


    Even now, she continuously used it as she created a sphere of light barrier, protecting herself from the rain.


    She clenched her hand, and particles of light gathered.


    It then turned solid into a sharp weapon.


    It was like a glove but with a sharp blade coming out from it.


    Emily called this weapon *Light Katar*.


    A silhouette came out from the crater. In an instant, he already appeared in front of Emily.


    CLANG!!!


    His katana clashed with Emily''s katar.


    Seeing the man, Emily''s eyes widened with shock.


    He looked unscathed.


    But she didn''t believe all her attacks didn''t cause any damage.


    It was clear her enemy''s clothes had been torn apart.


    This could only mean one thing.


    Her enemy had a high ability to regenerate.


    "Kekeke!!!


    You are interesting. Unfortunately, I don''t have time to play around with you."


    The man said with a grin.


    Silvery scales appeared on his hand. His strength suddenly shot up, rising to a completely new realm.


    SLASH! The katana sliced through.


    Emily''s world view turned into half.


    She could have turned her body into light, but this attack just caught her by surprise.


    Her body was cut in two and then fell to the ground.


    Crimson blood splattered everywhere.


    The Silver Snake Emperor then cut down his palm, splattering his blood all over Emily''s body.


    His blood contained potent poison.


    The moment it made contact, Emily''s flesh started to melt.


    He then walked past her toward the red fog.


    A distance away, Alex, who was busy experimenting, suddenly frowned.


    His location was in the core region, far away from where Emily was.


    But he could feel something was happening.


    ''Did something happen!?


    There should be no one who can pose a risk in the outer region.''


    Even though his friends and family had different levels of cultivation, Alex had given each of them a Rune.


    It enhanced their strength and also made them almost immortal as long as they had lifeforce.


    But he could not shake this bad feeling.


    "Vesa, come out and check what happened in the outer region." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa materialized and then gave a bow.


    "Alright, king. Any other instruction?"


    "Do it ASAP. If you feel anything wrong, prioritize helping first."


    Vesa was strong.


    Even now, Alex didn''t know how strong she was.


    So Alex believed having her take care of it if something really happened was better than wasting more time returning to him.


    Meanwhile, back at the Silver Snake Emperor,


    His arms were touching the red fog, while his mind was busy thinking of a way to get out.


    But suddenly, a sword pierced through his heart.


    The Snake Emperor didn''t even flinch; it was as if he had not been stabbed at all.


    He raised his elbow, spinning to counterattack.


    But it hit nothing.


    When he looked backward, the Snake Emperor could only see a flicker of light.


    Emily was nowhere to be seen, nor was her body.


    He frowned as he didn''t feel any presence, but he knew something was there.


    He took out the sword from his chest; now that he saw it clearly, it was made from the earth.


    He clenched his fist, turning it into dust.


    "Who!? Come out!"


    The ground underneath him started to move; it turned into a hand that grasped his foot.


    The Silver Snake Emperor spread his qi.


    He kicked the ground, floating toward the sky.


    But the hand didn''t let go; it became longer, trying to grasp his foot again.


    Then he suddenly raised his hand upward.


    SLASH!!!!!!


    He tried to block the attack, but it somehow pierced through his defense.


    Luca was there, fuming in anger.


    Her eyes glinted coldly, filled with killing intent.


    She then tilted her head; the next second, the Silver Snake Emperor''s hand pierced that location.


    His chopped hand had already begun to heal.


    But Luca had already made her move. She swung her katana toward his head, but in the next second, it changed angle, cutting the air onto his head.


    She then made a maneuver, creating distance between them.


    Luca could see that if she really stabbed his neck¡­


    What happened next would be her own demise.


    ''Tch, this won''t be easy.''


    The ground beside her started to rise up.


    It reached her height and then cracked open, revealing a beautiful woman with green hair.


    "Let''s leave first, Aunt. We cannot beat him.


    He hides a lot of his power."


    "There is no way I''ll let him off easy after what he''s done to my daughter."


    Luca raised her sword, pointing it forward.


    The Silver Snake Emperor smiled coldly.


    "It''s funny to think you all came in front of me without me doing anything.


    Kane¡­


    Give me him, and then I will stay away from you all."


    Hearing this, Sarah''s eyes glinted with coldness.


    "Why are you looking for my father?"


    "Oooh¡­ you''re her daughter. This will make things even easier."


    Swoosh!!!


    The Silver Snake Emperor appeared inches away from her face.


    Clang!


    He moved his hand toward Sarah''s throat, but Luca blocked it.


    She then pushed Sarah away.


    Sarah let herself fall into the ground, her body then disappearing, mixing with it.

 Chapter 541 Kane

    Luca''s qi surged, tinged with a green aura.


    Enhanced with lifeforce, she leaped forward, clashing against the Silver Snake Emperor.


    They exchanged blow after blow.


    But the fight was not going anywhere; with Luca''s foresight, she could avoid any fatal attack before it even happened.


    The Silver Snake Emperor, meanwhile, tried to guess Luca''s ability.


    ''How is she keeping on avoiding my attacks?


    She''s far weaker than me.


    Even in this body, a single punch should be more than enough to incapacitate her.''


    He then looked at Luca''s sword.


    ''That weapon looks familiar, but what is with that capability?''


    It cut his hand like tofu.


    At that time, he could feel it; his qi protection was not useful.


    He also felt that even using all his strength, he wouldn''t be able to stop the sword''s slash.


    It was like it had some kind of effect that turned his defense all to zero.


    The Silver Snake Emperor didn''t even dare to clash his katana against Luca''s sword.


    He felt his katana would be cut in two.


    So the brawl became dodging and then throwing a counterattack.


    After exchanging more than a hundred attacks, he asked with a sneer.


    "Let''s negotiate; this won''t go anywhere.


    But it''s not like you can win.


    At the very least, I am sure I can outlast your stamina."


    Hearing his words, Luca smiled. It was just a few seconds, but he used part of his brain to say that, creating an opportunity for her.


    With a flick of her finger, a grenade fell to the ground.


    She closed her eyes as it exploded brightly, like a stun grenade.


    This reminded him of Emily''s attack.


    "This again, you think I will fall for the same trick twice!?"


    But Luca wasn''t finished.


    She threw another grenade; this time, it exploded, creating an ultrasonic sound.


    It was very loud but beyond the frequency that human ears could hear.


    The combination stunned the Silver Snake Emperor.


    He had already used his qi to protect his eyes, but this attack was beyond his expectations.


    He didn''t understand the concept of frequency, that some species could only hear within a certain range.


    As for the reason Luca had this, he got it from Sarah.


    Her sword pierced through the target.


    She didn''t go for his head or neck; this time, Luca''s target was his qi core.


    With it destroyed, she would have the advantage.


    But her foresight showed her something else.


    In a panic, Luca jumped back, "Sarah, take me out."


    The ground she stood on crumbled, and Luca entered the earth.


    The next moment, a strong qi exploded from the Snake Emperor.


    The dark qi pushed away the red fog, making the space grow even larger.


    After the qi core collapsed, so did the possession of the Snake Emperor.


    He had no choice but to abandon this body.


    Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, a snake came out from the body.


    The snake was huge, making the scene even more bizarre.


    In another area.


    "Mom! That guy is dangerous!"


    "Thank God, Emily, you are alright."


    Luca said with a smile as she accepted her daughter''s hug.


    "I really thought I lost you¡­"


    Sarah, looking at the scene, added, "I think we should return first.


    This red fog is special; he won''t get out even with his current level of strength."


    "So this will act like a prison for him?"


    Luca asked with an annoyed tone.


    She still felt unsatisfied with what the Silver Snake Emperor did. Luca would only feel better if she turned him into snake soup.


    "Based on my knowledge, it should be, but there''s always a chance something could go out of hand; better be safe than sorry."


    "Let''s ask Kane then; he should have some idea."


    A few moments ago, when Luca appeared in front of the house,


    The door opened, showing her old comrade, but it wasn''t what she expected.


    Her friend had grown old, his hair all white while he was in a wheelchair.


    Behind him, a beautiful woman was pushing it.


    The view gave her a shock.


    Kane, after separating from Edward, had encountered an accident.


    He was ambushed by a group of cultivators.


    The reason was because of rumors he held an artifact, one that was rumored to kill even an immortal.


    After many clashes and escapes, he finally succumbed to this fate.


    His qi core was destroyed, and he was poisoned.


    In the end, he was cured, but everything turned him into just a normal human.


    Throughout all this, he found his current wife.


    Ironically, his wife was the daughter of the family that had gone after him.


    She was also the reason they found out he had this artifact.


    At that time, she had innocently told her father everything, hoping the family would reward Kane for helping her.


    They acted amiably at first, but when he refused to show them his artifact, they started turning hostile.


    As for the artifact itself, it was something he bought from another world.


    From the Daragari world, where they were all captured as slaves.


    It was also the same artifact that created the red fog.


    Afterward, Luca didn''t ask for more details.


    She could somehow tell it hit a sore spot with his wife.


    Her expression was both sad and resigned.


    Her only question was, what had happened to the pursuers?


    She wondered if she could do anything to help.


    But Kane''s wife answered him.


    "Don''t worry; none of them were spared. But the aftermath also resulted in this prison."


    "It''s like this, Luca; Edward set up some formation that allowed us to control this red fog.


    And to a certain degree, we still have it. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But something changed after the red fog¡­"


    Kane didn''t finish his words; he just looked toward his wife, who let out a heavy sigh.


    He then continued, "To put it simply, our control over the fog has weakened. We cannot leave this space, or something will attack us."


    "Is this related to the monster that attacks all cultivators who come in?"


    "Yes, we speculate her father¡­


    My father-in-law''s soul still exists and is trying to corrode the artifact."

 Chapter 542 Flower from Dragaris World

    Kane wanted to speak further, but hearing these words, Luca cut him off, asking him to rescue Emily.


    She felt worried, as Emily was out there alone with such an evil soul.


    Kane used one of the formation''s functions to look around.


    That was when she saw Emily fighting with the Silver Snake Emperor.


    The scene horrified her, making Luca ask them for a way to Emily''s location.


    But the journey would be dangerous, as they couldn''t create a path through the red fog.


    This was when Sarah volunteered to help.


    Her ability allowed her to merge with the Earth.


    This meant they could avoid the red fog and go toward Emily''s location.


    Sarah''s mother declined the idea.


    It was too risky and dangerous.


    But Sarah insisted, saying the location was close by and urgent.


    "But last time¡­"


    "Last time is proof I can escape, Mom.


    Just let me go, or are you gonna let her die?"


    With those words, Sarah''s mom reluctantly agreed.


    Kane sighed helplessly.


    Unlike them, who were quite content with their current life, Sarah was not.


    She didn''t have any friends her age, growing up alone in this isolated place.


    She always looked for a way to escape but never found it.


    Despite the danger, Sarah never gave up.


    Back to the present.


    Kane and his wife were waiting in front of the house with concerned looks.


    The moment they arrived, Sarah''s mother quickly pulled her away inside the house.


    Kane just let out a sigh.


    He knew his wife would nag Sarah again for a long time.


    Afterward, she would sulk, and they would have a cold war for a while.


    He had already resigned himself to the situation, but now it was different.


    Not only did they have a guest, but there was also a freaking Beast Emperor in their place.


    "Sorry for what, you, Luca."


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    His eyes then turned warm. "Emily, it''s been a while."


    "Are you Uncle Kane?"


    Emily was in disbelief.


    She had seen Silva, who barely had any changes. If anything, he had a stronger presence than before.


    "Yes, let''s talk inside. And Emily, I am glad you are alright.


    My heart almost gave out seeing you cut in half."


    Emily gulped, her back drenched with cold sweat.


    She had brushed with death many times but never like this.


    In fact, Emily thought she was already dead when that happened.


    ''This should be thanks to the rune Brother gave to me; otherwise, there is no way I could survive.''


    She started thinking about Alex as they entered the house.


    Luca then gave a gist of what happened to Emily while Sarah and Kane''s wife were nowhere to be seen.


    "I see¡­ So that happened.


    But to think you, of all people, got married, Uncle Kane."


    Kane just replied with a chuckle.


    "When you lose something, you gain something." He said while looking at a picture hanging on the wall.


    It showed a picture of his current family.


    "Now that you know the situation, Emily, can you tell me how you survived?"


    Luca still felt concerned.


    She still remembered what happened with Alex.


    Emily looked at Kane and then said, "It''s Brother''s Rune, Mom, but he did say not to tell anyone about it."


    "Don''t worry; I will keep my mouth shut, Emily.


    Not that it matters in my situation now.


    I know my life is not long."


    "Uncle Kane, you are a cultivator; why not just take someone''s body and recultivate?"


    Kane''s eyes glinted coldly.


    "First of all, we don''t have any other bodies we can use here, and secondly, I would prefer death to do something like that."


    While Kane and Emily exchanged words, Luca was deep in her own thoughts.


    ''A rune? I thought this only enhanced our strength and regeneration, but I also thought it could heal that kind of fatal attack.


    If I knew this, I would have gone for more.''


    A dangerous idea started forming in Luca''s mind.


    With her sharp weapon, if she sacrificed a fatal attack in exchange for putting one on herself, the odds would be in her favor.


    She never did this because what use is it if she dies afterward?


    Even if she could take over another body and recultivate, the thought felt distasteful.


    She agreed with Kane that taking over someone''s body should not be done.


    Meanwhile, Emily tries to convince Kane to do it when they come outside.


    They could look for a fresh corpse or even clone a new body when they returned to their world. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Forget it, Emily; getting out of here is not that easy.


    There is a reason we never gamble, even with Sarah''s ability.


    First, my condition is that she can bring her mom outside, but I cannot.


    I won''t survive long underground.


    Secondly, the danger.


    Thankfully, you were safe when returning here, but Sarah was ambushed once.


    She almost died."


    "Kane, do you have any idea about our enemy?


    That weird snake creature."


    Luca asked, already making a decision to return and finish him.


    "That should be the Silver Snake Beast Emperor.


    I have some information on him¡ªcruel, sly, and a big fat liar.


    On top of that, he is an immortal, a very strong one.


    You should avoid fighting against him, Luca.


    Just let him be¡­


    Maybe he is the solution for us to leave this place."


    "Uncle Kane, in that case, why not just destroy this artifact?


    Won''t that allow us to escape?"


    "The artifact itself is located outside, and although we call it one, that thing is not really an artifact; it''s more accurate to call it a living being."


    Emily tilted her head in confusion.


    "A living being?"


    "It''s a flower that came from a monster in the Daragari world.


    We call this monster a Behemoth there.


    Edward did some experiments on it, making it mutate and causing some destruction in their kingdom.


    This flower grew from the seed that was left with us."


    "Does this flower have sentience? Or can it grow back into a monster?"

 Chapter 543 Worried

    "Now, I don''t know. I am not your father.


    If not for the situation, I would never have used it.


    You know me, I prefer using my own strength.:


    Kane paused for a moment; he then took out a crystal sphere.


    More than a quarter of it was dark in color.


    "I infuse qi into this artifact, giving me control over it.


    But as you can see, it''s corrupted now."


    He knows something probably happened, triggering another mutation that resulted in this predicament, but unfortunately, his knowledge of the subject is almost nonexistent.


    "Uncle Kane, can you show me what they look like?"


    Emily was curious; she also hoped to learn more information about its appearance.


    "Sure."


    Kane took out another device, creating a hologram projection.


    The creature looked like a dinosaur with a long neck.


    Its head was that of a dragon, but it didn''t have any wings.


    Instead, on its back, there was a flower.


    A huge flower that could spew out many types of gas.


    It could be poison or just smoke.


    Emily frowned as she read the information.


    "How strong is this creature, Uncle Kane?"


    "Enough for the Dragari to throw almost all their military at them.


    This is a menace, Emily.


    If you were there, you would know how horrifying it was¡­"


    While Kane continued his story, back with the Silver Snake Emperor, he was now in his humanoid form.


    His face was filled with confusion.


    Even though he still hadn''t released his power, normally, the formation should have already activated by now, capturing him for breaking the agreement.


    ''Does this fog have a way of masking my presence from the formation?''


    The Silver Snake Emperor then remembered that he could not feel anything inside it.


    This didn''t mean the fog was stronger than him; it just had a unique attribute that made his methods of sensing ineffective.


    He wanted to test it out.


    If he used all his strength, would the fog last? But he decided against it since it was too risky.


    He looked up into the fog and then said, "Hey, Kane, how about we negotiate? You know I have your friend with me.


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    He''s barely hanging on to life now.


    My goal isn''t even that much; just give me control over this fog and tell me the location of the core of the formation you guys made in the outer region."


    "What formation is he talking about, Uncle Kane?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s the one your father made to create a connection between this planet and ours.


    But after some failures and new discoveries, he ended up making the formation only alter the time difference."


    "Ah, I have heard something about that. Then what does he want to do with the formation?"


    "Probably to use it to poke a hole in the protection formation¡­


    Emily, can you look for Sarah? We need to talk with her."


    Luca chimed in.


    "Alright, Mom."


    Emily agreed without any suspicion, but Kane looked at Luca with worry.


    She thought her mother wanted to return with Sarah since they needed to find out more if it was true he had one of their old comrades.


    "You haven''t changed; that ability doesn''t make you omnipotent, Luca.


    In the past, there was Edward at your side, but now¡­"


    Luca''s lips curled into a wry smile.


    "I haven''t even said anything."


    "Do you think we just met?


    Anyway, forget it. I won''t give this to you and let you dive headfirst into your death.


    If something happened, do you think I could face Edward?"


    "Do you even know what he''s doing now?


    He''s the one diving first into danger."


    "And that is why both of you are married. You two are really two peas in a pod¡­."


    Kane flicked his hand, putting the artifact back into his storage ring.


    He then looked at Luca, his eyes filled with determination.


    Luca let out a sigh.


    "You''re still as stubborn as ever."


    "Take it, but only through my dead body."


    "Fine, fine¡­ I won''t go.


    But do you have any other ideas?"


    Luca asked, raising both hands in surrender.


    "Didn''t you say you came here with Alex and the others?


    I don''t know the details, but with how Emily recovered, I''m sure he has a way.


    Let''s just wait for him to help us."


    His words made Luca''s eyes widen¡­


    "Seems I need to take back my words; you have changed.


    To think you, of all people, would say to wait for someone''s help¡­


    Is this the real reason you chose to stay here?"


    "Yes¡­


    Sarah, on the other hand¡­"


    Kane let out a heavy sigh.


    "She is just like me in the past, always head-on and wanting to take matters into her own hands."


    "Seems your condition has turned upside down."


    "Well, live like me for years, Luca, and you''ll learn to depend more on others."


    Luca was still unconvinced but saw no other way.


    Forcing conflict with her old comrade was not something she wanted.


    Meanwhile, Vesa entered the outer region.


    The moment she stepped out, a flood of information came to her mind.


    She quickly turned her gaze to the spot where she couldn''t feel the rune.


    The one who created the rune on Emily was Vesa.


    Alex could sense it because of their connection.


    She turned into a small bat and then flew at supersonic speed toward the crimson fog.


    When she appeared, her lips turned into a grin, revealing her canines.


    "This smell¡­ to think I''d find one here."


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, he started feeling anxious about the situation.


    Even though he knew it hadn''t been long, each second felt like an eternity for him.


    ''Mingyue, I will increase the time dilation; is it okay?''


    Mingyue, still meditating quietly in the simulated world, opened her eyes.


    ''Did something happen, Alex?''


    ''Yes, I just have a very bad feeling. I already sent Vesa out, but I still feel worried.''


    This information raises MingYue''s alarm.


    But she then remembers MingHao has returned to the sect.


    The risk of something happening there is very small.

 Chapter 544 Speculation

    This information raises MingYue''s alarm.


    But she then remembers MingHao has returned to the sect.


    The risk of something happening there is very small.


    Finding the place was very hard.


    She doubted anyone had the strength to find it in the outer region.


    But at the same time, the same could be said about the current situation.


    To give a sense of danger to any of their comrades who already had a rune was not easy.


    After a moment of thought, MingYue said, "Let''s focus on our current task, Alex. Even if we return now, we will be too late. And it''s not easy."


    Alex sighed; he knew MingYue was right.


    They would need to pass through the frontline area again and probably have problems with the Xueqi family.


    In that place, he couldn''t do as he pleased.


    The Guardian was someone he couldn''t see through.


    "Someone that can create it, even a formation that can seal progenitor connections¡­


    MingYue, do you think he really can''t close that rift?"


    "I don''t know. Formation is more like your thing. Why? You think he left it open on purpose?"


    "Yes, probably to train the cultivators to become stronger.


    With the rift, they even have access to trade with other races."


    Alex said, his tone tense.


    "What are you pointing at?"


    "This method is very similar to what happened on my home planet.


    Do you think this is related somehow?"


    "Hard to say, don''t forget, Alex, it''s just a conjecture. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    We still don''t know the real cause of the rift in your world."


    "Yes¡­ but I just can''t let go of the thought.


    My home planet is located in a backwater area of the universe.


    One that Vesa says no one cares about.


    Why would even the human progenitor find out about my planet?"


    "You mean he got it from Feng Xue''s brother?


    That would mean he''s still alive."


    "Yes, that probably is the case. Things surrounding his death are unclear anyway.


    And with his capability, faking one is not hard."


    MingYue frowned at the idea.


    "I don''t get it. Let''s say that''s true.


    Then why would he let his own sister live in limbo that long?"


    "Probably he doesn''t know she''s still alive?


    Although that would be weird. Anyone with his skill would surely put some kind of countermeasure."


    Alex meant not just a trump card to save his life but also a method to alert him if something bad was happening.


    Just like Alex gave Runes to all his comrades, Feng Xue''s brother should have done something similar.


    MingYue contemplated Alex''s words.


    "If he''s that strong, what do you think he''s wary of, Alex?


    Those outer gods?"


    "Who else? They''re also the ones who created those sins.


    This is my suspicion, but probably they were behind the last progenitor wars.


    Pulling everything from behind the scenes.


    Now they''ve already won and are trying to finish off all the survivors."


    "If that''s the case, why would he let you live?"


    "A bait¡­ Alucard is still alive, even though we can''t find him again inside our souls.


    I don''t know how, but I think he somehow revived and got out.


    Also¡­ Maybe¡­ There''s someone else behind Alucard.


    Someone stronger who can pose a risk to them."


    "Why do you think that?"


    "After some thought, I just think there''s no reason for them to fear Alucard.


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    Didn''t you hear what the Guardian said?


    The current peak of power in the universe is stronger than the progenitors at their peak."


    "That makes sense then¡­ but now that we talk about it, this confirms the owner is still alive."


    Alex turned silent for a moment, but a realization quickly hit him like a truck.


    "How could I miss it?


    The Guardian knows the latest situation in the universe.


    This isn''t something that can be gained easily through small exchanges.


    Only someone high enough will know the strength of those at the peak."


    If Feng Xue''s brother was related to the progenitor, then this made sense.


    While both of them were deep in thought, discussing the situation, Kane''s mouth gasped with surprise.


    He held the sphere artifact that was now acting weirdly.


    There seemed to be a conflict between the red fog and the black part of it.


    It looked like they were tugging at each other.


    The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard as Sarah ran in a hurry.


    "Dad, look outside; something strange is happening."


    Kane gulped. This time, he had really lost control of the artifact.


    He couldn''t even use it to peer at what was happening.


    Hearing his daughter''s urgent words, he looked up through the window.


    There, he could see it.


    The fog turned redder like it was made of blood.


    It started bubbling like water being boiled.


    Luca opened the window, her eyes sharp.


    Then she leaped out toward the red fog without saying anything.


    "Mom!" Emily screamed in panic.


    She also dashed, following Luca.


    "Sarah! You stay here."


    "But dad!?"


    "You know my condition; I can''t protect your mother."


    Sarah hesitated, but in the end, she decided to stay there.


    Her mom had her cultivation, but her talent was not that good.


    Even now, Sarah was already stronger than her.


    While this was happening, the Silver Snake Emperor was in trouble.


    He was calmly meditating when suddenly a weird creature came out of the crimson fog.


    With a sly grin, she directly started attacking him.


    The red fog solidified into a spear, targeting his vital points.


    He barely managed to dodge it.


    But he knew the situation was not good; this creature could somehow control the red fog¡­


    And now he was completely surrounded by it.


    He needed to find out first how much control Vesa had; otherwise, he would just be walking into his doom.


    "Who are you!? Why are you attacking me!"


    "You smell the same as one of those worms that disturbed my king''s plan.


    I will just capture you first and get the information I need."


    The surrounding red fog turned into spikes connected to chains.


    Seeing the countless attacks, he knew he couldn''t hide his strength anymore.

 Chapter 1 - 1: Alex Campbell

    "Hahaha, now was the time of your death, Apocalyptic Dragon!"


    A heroic man clad in strong armor laughed.


    In his hand, he held a big Warhammer, radiating a rainbow aura, pointed at a gigantic dragon the size of a skyscraper.


    Its dark scales gleamed purplish under the twilight sky.


    As the dragon roared, the heroic man''s hammer began to elongate and grow in size.


    With a powerful swing, he smacked the dragon''s head.


    BAM!!! Bam!!!


    Many stars emerged from the hit, each one stunning the dragon, its reptilian eyes turning into swirling lines of confusion.


    Seizing the opportunity, the heroic man started his final attack.


    His body glowed with a fiery aura as many stars and rainbows began appearing on the hammer.


    As the hammer cast its final shadow of doom onto the dragon, suddenly, a loud voice reverberated through the world, making the heroic man gawk.


    "ALEX, can you stop playing already!"


    The whole world and the apocalyptic dragon turned black.


    He felt his body jolt as the VR safety system took over to protect his brain.


    ''I knew it.


    Even an apocalyptic dragon was not as fearsome as my mom.


    Who in their right mind would forcefully pull someone out of a direct connection?


    Yeah, only my mom.


    I spent 10 thousand dollars to get the Star Rainbow Hammer to solo the Apocalyptic Dragon, but my mom spent ten million dollars on the best device just to make sure she could destroy my whole world anytime.''


    Luca, looking at her son''s stupidly daydreaming face, smacked his head with the phone in her hand.


    "Why were you still daydreaming like that?"


    Alex''s expression changed as he felt wronged, moving one of his hands to stroke the pain in his head.


    "Mom! You shouldn''t hit me like this, you know that! It''s domestic violence! I can sue you!"


    "Domestic violence!? Suing me!? Are you kidding me!? You shameless boy, were you sure you were a man?


    You only lazed around all day playing games!


    If you want to do that, at least earn some money from the game!


    How could any woman like a man like you?


    When I first met your father¡­"


    ''Ah, here it came, the long speech again.''


    Alex sighed, turning his focus elsewhere.


    He had heard this speech many times and could already guess what the next words would be.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want a girlfriend, but every single one he found always came for his money.


    His mother always told stories about how both of them went from having nothing to reaching success, the ups and downs in life, and the romance.


    He also wanted to experience all of those things.


    ''As for a job, why did I need one?


    I was already born into a rich family,'' Alex thought.


    Seeing her son daydreaming and not listening to her made her fume even more.


    She stomped on his foot, making him scream in pain.


    "I don''t care anymore!


    Today, you would find a job, or I would block your credit card!!!"


    "No!! Mom, not my credit card.


    If you block it, how could I buy the latest chapter of my novel!"


    Alex complained, continuing in his mind, ''How could I fill the void in my social life then!?''


    "Then, my dear son," her soft voice suddenly raised, "find a job!!


    Don''t be a parasite!!!"


    "Wait, Mom, I wasn''t a parasite.


    Didn''t you know I was contributing to society?


    If I didn''t buy those chapters or game items, did you know how many people couldn''t eat?


    I single-handedly allowed hundreds to thousands of people to live.


    This allowed them to pay their bills and bring their kids to school.


    We didn''t even need to say how the money they spent contributed back to society.


    So, I wasn''t just enjoying life, Mom, I was helping people," Alex said with a proud tone.


    "You what?


    Just how much did you spend each month?"


    ''Ehm, Mom, the one hammer I bought for that one boss alone was already 20 times the average person''s salary,'' Alex thought.


    But he didn''t dare say it out loud.


    It might have seemed exaggerated, but he really did spend that much each month.


    In many games he played, he was known as the God of Whales.


    In the novel community, he was recognized as the God Reader.


    As long as you got him to read your book, he would shower you with so many gifts and castles, making the book popular everywhere.


    The total amount he spent each month could be used to buy a small home in cash.


    But even that didn''t compare to his mom''s expenses.


    Unlike him, his mom was busy with charity.


    She often went out and shared free food and toys for kids in orphanages.


    This easily reached tens of millions of dollars each month.


    Seeing her son become quiet and the conversation going nowhere, she gave her ultimatum for the last time.


    "Enough nonsense.


    I will give you three days.


    After that, say bye-bye to your credit card."


    In reality, his mom didn''t care how much he spent; they had enough wealth to last 77 generations.


    Even with all the expenses, his father had left them an empire that kept earning them billions of dollars every year.


    What she worried about was her son not having any purpose in life and then starting to go down the wrong path.


    She had seen it happen with other kids in his situation, ending up in jail or even dead because they did crazy things.


    BANG!


    Critical hit!


    1 Million Damage!!!


    After his mom left, Alex didn''t look for a job.


    He returned to the game and finished off the apocalyptic dragon.


    His character died and lost the hammer, but he bought another one, and now he finally succeeded in killing it.


    [Congrats to the Whale God for becoming the first to¡­]


    Many announcements and notifications filled his view as he felt pride in beating the last boss solo.


    He then looked at the global chat, which made him laugh, feeling satisfied. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, looks like Mr. WhaleGod just soloed the final boss.


    Who needs skills when you have a credit card, right?"


    "Breaking news: Whale defeats final boss using the deadliest weapon of all ¨C his wallet."


    "I heard he threw so much money at the boss that it died of a paper cut from dollar bills."


    "Why grind for gear when you can just buy your way to glory?#WhaleLife"


    "Do you think he realized the real final boss was his monthly credit card statement?"

 Chapter 2 - 2: Awakened

    There were many other similar chats and private messages, but he ignored them all.


    For him, playing a game was like this: whale to the top, make other players envy him and then quit the game.


    This way, he made his nickname, the WhaleGod, legendary.


    At the same time, game companies both hated and loved him.


    Every time Alex did this, they got flooded with complaints.


    But none ever banned him; instead, he kept getting invitations to beta-test new games.


    The income Alex provided alone was more than that of a hundred whales combined, not to mention the publicity they got, as some YouTubers made dedicated channels about him.


    ''Haha, what final boss?


    I didn''t even see the credit card statement.''


    Alex laughed to himself, remembering some of the chat.


    But his elation only lasted a moment as he remembered he needed to look for a job.


    He started typing ''how to earn money online,'' but the results were filled with ads.


    "Get Rich or Die Scrolling: Learn to Earn $500 Daily with Our Fun Online Strategy!"


    "Earn $1000 a day now from your home."


    Seeing these ads made Alex frown.


    He knew they were probably scams, but he wondered, ''Why the hell did they advertise such small amounts?''


    ''Who would even be baited by $1000 a day?


    Make it at least a million dollars a day!''


    If he had said this out loud in public, Alex would surely have been beaten up; most people''s expenses were around $1000 a month, and he thought it was too small.


    As he kept scrolling, Alex realized why he had even searched using ''money'' as a keyword.


    He just needed to do something so his mom would stop bothering him, preferably something that would make him go outside and socialize.


    He then remembered he had many game-testing offers in his inbox, but as he scrolled through them, he realized most of them didn''t pay; they just gave free in-game credits.


    And none required him to go outside.


    Finding nothing useful in the inbox, he checked his spam.


    "Looking for new VR implant beta testers!


    Tired of needing a device to access the VR world?


    With our new implant, you just need to close your eyes, and you can enter the VR world."


    Seeing this, Alex raised an eyebrow.


    He started checking the offer, then did some research on the company, feeling doubtful.


    He had heard of this implant before, but it was still in the experimental stage, with only a small amount of information released to the public.


    As he checked the address and the company, he found out everything was legitimate.


    "The parent company specialized in researching Awakener''s abilities.


    So, it should not have been a scam.


    The payment was small, but that didn''t matter as long as I got out and did some work."


    He then started registering his personal information.


    In the world where Alex lived, there were people with superpowers called Awakeners.


    They suddenly appeared fifty years ago after a huge earthquake shook the planet.


    No one knew the real cause, but rumors said it happened because of a government experiment.


    A week after the global earthquake, a strange phenomenon started appearing.


    People began feeling odd in some areas, and as days passed, the phenomenon worsened.


    Gravity started to act weirdly, becoming heavier or lighter; fire suddenly appeared in the air, cold water felt hot, and water suddenly started turning into ice cubes.


    This spooked the people, making them start leaving the area.


    After a week, the space would become distorted, creating a portal where a dungeon appeared. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The authorities then quickly sealed the area and sent out their own expeditions, but only a few barely survived.


    They then started noticing a red aura appearing around the portal.


    At first, only part of it was visible, but as time progressed, the red aura grew, starting to surround the portal.


    When it made a full circle, a flood of monsters would come out from it.


    People called this a Dungeon Break.


    Although modern weapons could harm them, the results were not too effective.


    The government then started considering using a bomb to explode the area.


    That was until the first Awakener suddenly appeared.


    With the Awakener, they succeeded in controlling the situation.


    The dungeons then started being treated as strategic resources.


    Awakeners would enter them to hunt monsters and obtain new exotic materials.


    Some dungeons were even filled with other civilizations, allowing contact between them, but the details of this were not clear.


    The public only knew they had obtained many new technologies from it.


    One of these technologies was hyperrealism virtual reality, in which Alex played a lot.


    In the Pandora Research Facility, the place that gave Alex the job offer, three scientists were busy experimenting.


    Their appearance was haggard.


    One of them, a silver-haired woman, held a vial filled with red, murky blood.


    "I don''t get it.


    Why doesn''t this give any reaction, no matter what we do?"


    The murky blood was something that one of the Awakeners found inside a dungeon.


    At first, many were interested in it, but after numerous experiments, they started feeling tired of the dead-end.


    The blood seemed sentient.


    When they tried to add some chemicals to it, it showed no reaction.


    However, when they tried to separate the liquid, the blood rejected the separation, moving on its own like slime.


    They even found someone to drink it, but the blood rejected this, too.


    It moved out by itself, exiting the person''s body.


    "Prof. Faerith, you should just give up already."


    She was the only professor still interested in the blood.


    She didn''t know why, but she became obsessed with it.


    Faerith was sure that she just needed to find the right person for it to show any reaction.


    Hearing what her assistant said, she frowned and slumped into her chair.


    "I just got another response for a new test subject.


    I guess I''ll take a break if this one fails again."


    "Prof, you''ve been saying that for seven months.


    In total, we''ve already experimented on the blood for a year."

 Chapter 3 - 3: The Vampire System

    "Yeah, the committee also just called.


    They told us to stop looking for test subjects with a lie."


    Faerith smirked.


    "What lie?


    I did give them the ERX-89 implant for free, and that thing was expensive, you know.


    I even gave them money, and all they needed to do was get close to the blood to see if it showed any reaction."


    The assistant looked at Faerith with pleading eyes.


    "But Prof, they also threatened to stop our funding.


    You know we needed the money."


    "Hmph! Money! Money!


    Ever since the dungeons started appearing, every investor wanted quick results.


    In the past, it was normal for them to spend years without any results," Faerith said grumpily.


    Their conversation was then interrupted when Faerith received a new message about her ERX implant.


    "Oh, the test subject has arrived."


    She then looked at her two assistants, who had hopeless eyes.


    "Both of you should take a break for a few days.


    I will talk with the committee myself tomorrow."


    Hearing what she said, both assistants quickly left.


    The only reason they still stayed on the experiment was that they owed Faerith.


    The others had already escaped to other projects.


    With the appearance of the dungeons, there were many new things to be experimented with, raising the demand for researchers to a new level.


    Now, no one bothered with a project that showed no results in three months; they would move on to new things.


    Alex waited in the lobby room, busy playing with his phone as he awaited his call.


    Deep in his mind, he was still surprised he got a direct reply almost instantly after inputting his information.


    But after seeing the research facility, he didn''t feel worried at all.


    Instead, he felt strange, as if something was calling to him.


    "Die, you bitch!"


    In another world, a beautiful woman with long black hair reaching all the way to her waist was pushed down into the void.


    Her name was Mingyue.


    "Just wait, Lianhua; if I survive this, I will come back to kill you."


    Mingyue''s amber eyes looked sharply at Lianhua.


    But deep inside, she knew the chance for her to return was very slim.


    They had just entered a new secret realm found by their sect, Blue Lotus.


    Both of them were prodigies.


    But problems started brewing when both were chosen as prime disciples.


    The sect wasn''t rich, so it could only nurture one of them.


    This made the sect often send them to obtain their own resources.


    Even though both of them fought a lot, Mingyue never imagined that Lianhua would push her into a void crack.


    Passing through the void was normal when entering a secret realm, and sometimes, a void storm appeared, creating a few cracks in the path.


    It wasn''t that dangerous as long as they avoided it.


    No one had ever returned after entering a crack, not even the immortals.


    Some theorized they would enter another world or just get shredded to death.


    Inside the void crack, Mingyue felt her body being torn apart as if thousands of needles were slashing over her.


    She used her qi to the max to protect herself.


    Each second felt like an hour.


    After some time, she was thrown out onto cold, dark stone.


    Her enhanced robe was already tattered to pieces, revealing her jade, alluring body.


    Fortunately for her, she was alone in the place.


    Her body ached all over.


    Mingyue was glad she had spent all her contribution points to get the best protection talisman.


    If not, she was sure her body would have been shredded to pieces by now.


    "That bitch!


    How dare she push me into the space crack!


    Just wait until I return to the sect!


    I will tell the elders to make your life hell!!!" she cursed.


    She then took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.


    As the cold air filled her lungs, she looked around the area.


    It was a vast space made from dark rock, the only light source coming from a crystalline light on the ceiling.


    But her eyes froze as she looked at the center of the room.


    The center of the area was elevated, with a coffin in the middle.


    The coffin was made from black metal, carved with inscriptions she couldn''t read.


    It had a goblet floating above, radiating a mystical aura.


    As if hypnotized, her curvy body started walking closer to the goblet. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, in his world, Alex now lay on a bed, having just finished the procedure to get the implant in his brain.


    It was fast and quick.


    He had thought they would need to operate on him, but he only needed to stay still while a cluster of nanomachines was injected with a special needle directly into his skull.


    After that, he felt a little weird, as if many ants were moving through his brain.


    He then lost consciousness.


    Faerith took the opportunity to bring the vial into the room.


    But then the vial started shaking and cracked apart into pieces.


    The blood then moved as one entity and flew with unnatural speed, seeping into Alex''s body through his orifices.


    The reaction made Faerith freeze in her spot, not knowing what to do.


    Back at the mausoleum, the black goblet was now in Mingyue''s slender fingers.


    With a swift motion, the thick red liquid, oozing a black aura, flowed down her throat.


    Then, an ethereal voice was heard in their minds,


    [The hosts for Adam and Eve to resurrect the vampire race have been found¡­]


    [Reading both world information¡­]


    [Looking for the best way to link both worlds and make both hosts into the primogenitors¡­]


    A strange interface then appeared in front of her amber eyes, which now glowed red.


    [Update Completed.


    Welcome, Alex Campbell & Mingyue Xueqi, to the Vampire System.]

 Chapter 4 - 4: VESA

    Alex opened his eyes and found himself in a strange place with a red moon hanging in the sky.


    He could see black fog surrounding the area as he stood above a grassland.


    The fog gave him a feeling of dread; he was sure he would die if he touched it.


    This made him question his situation.


    ''Wait, is this a new VR game?


    Can they now even create things that give a feeling of dread?''


    In the other VR games he had played so far, even though they were very realistic, he had never felt like this.


    They could replicate the sense of touch, sight, and smell, but not things that triggered people''s instincts.


    He then looked down.


    The grass was green but had red veins.


    As he looked around, his eyes widened in surprise.


    He saw a woman lying in the grass.


    He couldn''t see her face, but he was sure she was beautiful.


    Her white robe seemed to come straight out of a cultivation novel, but parts of it were shredded, showing the woman''s smooth skin.


    Based on the shreds, Alex was sure if he flipped her around, he could see her most sensitive parts.


    "Is this an H-Game?" he mumbled.


    He started walking closer, and the woman''s appearance became clearer to him.


    Her skin was pale white, without any blemish, and her figure was a perfect hourglass, exuding an allure he couldn''t deny.


    "Yes, I am sure this is a VR world.


    No way a situation like this happens in real life."


    Feeling the dread from the fog, Alex first considered the possibility that he had somehow been thrown into a dungeon, but there was just no way a dungeon had no monsters and only an unconscious beautiful woman in it.


    He then started feeling relaxed, his steps becoming lighter.


    But before he could get closer, the woman''s body began to move.


    Mingyue''s eyes opened.


    She felt her head hurting, and as the memory of what had happened resurfaced, she began to look around to ascertain where she was.


    Using her palm to push her upper body up, she looked over her shoulder, sensing a presence behind her.


    As a cultivator, her mind''s clarity quickly returned.


    She knew her clothes were not decent, and she wanted to make sure what the presence behind her was.


    What she saw made her frown.


    A man stood there, stupefied.


    Alex was mesmerized.


    The woman was very beautiful, not just in her looks.


    There was an otherworldly aura emanating from her that accentuated her beauty even more.


    Thinking this was just a VR world, Alex started moving closer, wanting to enjoy the game.


    Her amber eyes, with a tinge of red in them, looked very beautiful in his eyes.


    He had never felt this attracted to a woman before, and part of his heart regretted that she wasn''t real.


    ''Is this what they call love at first sight?'' Alex thought.


    Feeling the lust in Alex''s black eyes, Mingyue quickly shouted, "Stop where you are!


    What do you want to do with me?"


    Her qi was still recovering, and she could also feel something had changed in her body, making her unsure if she could fight back or not if the man attacked her.


    Hearing her shout, which sounded like an angelic voice in Alex''s ears, made him frown.


    "Is this that kind of H-Game?" he mumbled.


    He had played this type of game before to satisfy his desire.


    But he always looked for vanilla ones; the idea of rape or forcing himself on someone just repulsed him.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t hire a real woman.


    It was just that the romantic stories from his mom influenced him a lot.


    As he was still considering his next action, suddenly, a red smoke appeared between them.


    It started solidifying into a round, chubby creature with soft pink fur.


    It had two small legs with sharp claws at the end, and instead of arms, it had dragon wings.


    The creature had two pairs of ruby-red eyes and a big mouth.


    Based on its appearance, Alex speculated that if the creature opened its mouth, it would be half the size of its body.


    Two long ears, resembling bunny ears, protruded from the top of its body.


    The creature then looked at Alex and then back at Mingyue, its lips turning into a grin.


    "I am Vesa, the personality of the Vampire System," a childish, cute voice came from it.


    Vesa continued, "Welcome, new king and queen, to Edonia.


    Well, what is left of it?


    I know both of you feel confused, especially King Alex, since you were unconscious when the system was activated.


    I can assure you this is not a game."


    It then turned its ruby eyes to Mingyue, "Queen Mingyue, you are here and not here at the same time.


    You should understand what this means."


    Mingyue was still confused about her situation, but she quickly grasped the concept from what Vesa had said.


    She realized she existed only as a soul here.


    As a cultivator, this concept wasn''t strange to her.


    With a thought, her robe returned to its pristine condition. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then stood up and looked at Alex and Vesa warily.


    Realizing she was just a soul made her feel worried, as she had never cultivated her soul before, focusing instead on her qi and secret techniques.


    Seeing Mingyue stand up, Alex noticed that her height only reached his shoulder.


    He was still mesmerized by her beauty, but Vesa''s words brought him back to reality.


    He remembered that every country in the world had agreed that all VR games or apps must make it clear they are VR games.


    This was to avoid confusion and prevent delusions from forming in players'' minds.


    In the early days of VR, some games failed to do this, leading players to believe the VR world was the real one and their actual world was just a matrix.


    This led to many problems, from suicides to crimes, as they didn''t take the law seriously.


    He looked at Vesa sharply.


    "What do you mean this is not a game?


    Is this a dungeon?"

 Chapter 5 - 5: Dungeon

    "You could say that, King Alex.


    It was like the dungeons from your world.


    In fact, every dungeon was just an entrance to another world.


    It''s just that some were opened in dangerous areas, making them dungeons."


    "Then what about a dungeon break?"


    "I didn''t know the details, but based on the information I got from you, I speculated that the portal in your world was man-made.


    Someone made a protection over it, allowing only your species to pass, but when the red aura filled the portal, it meant the protection had run out, or something from the other side had forcefully found a way to pass through it.


    But as I said, this was just speculation.


    There were still many holes in my explanation, but I was sure part of it was right."


    Mingyue frowned.


    "Dungeon?


    What was that?"


    She then looked at Alex.


    "You''re Alex, right?


    You said something about an H-game before.


    What did you mean by that?"


    Vesa was about to answer again when Alex quickly ran and put his hand over it, muffling its voice.


    Vesa''s size was just right to be hugged and held in hand.


    Alex still had doubts about Vesa''s explanation, but he wasn''t going to take chances.


    If what it had said was true, that meant Mingyue really existed.


    As Alex held Vesa, he whispered, "Don''t tell Mingyue the meaning of it."


    Vesa looked at Alex, feeling wronged; it hadn''t done anything wrong and hadn''t even said anything.


    If this had been her real body, Mingyue would have been able to hear his whisper, but Alex didn''t realize he was just delaying the inevitable.


    After seeing Vesa nod its head, Alex released his hold.


    He then looked at Mingyue.


    "A dungeon was like a portal that allowed us to enter another world. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside, we could hunt monsters and find treasure.


    As for the game, it''s nothing important.


    I just didn''t think this was real."


    Mingyue felt suspicious; she was sure Alex was hiding something, but it was normal since they were strangers.


    "So it was like a secret realm."


    She then addressed Vesa.


    "How could I return to my world?


    And why did you bring our souls here?"


    Vesa took a few breaths, then glared at Alex for a moment, thinking, ''If you weren''t the king...''


    But its lips turned into a smile again.


    "Don''t worry, Queen.


    Your body has already returned to your world.


    The moment we finish here, I will send you back safely."


    "Wait, both of you mentioned souls?


    Did that mean I was just a soul here?


    And why did you call me a king and her Queen?


    You also said you were the personality of the Vampire System," Alex asked.


    Vesa looked at both of them and sighed.


    "Please don''t cut me off again.


    I will explain everything.


    First of all, congratulations, since both of you had made contact with the Vampire progenitor''s blood and were chosen to continue the Vampire race.


    What you saw around you was our home planet, Edonia, where the Vampire race once prospered.


    However, attacks from other species and betrayal destroyed everything."


    Vesa''s eyes then turned gloomy.


    "He never wished to push this burden onto anyone, but the traitor gave him no choice, forcing him to hatch this last plan."


    Mingyue frowned at Vesa''s explanation.


    "Why should we resurrect your race?"


    She then pointed at Alex, her cheeks starting to turn red.


    "And you said both of us were the king and Queen.


    Did you mean I needed to marry him?"


    Vesa chuckled.


    "My Queen, it was our race, not my race.


    Since both of you had consumed the progenitor blood, your race had started to change.


    Your bond was far more than just marriage.


    In the past, we only had one progenitor, but now, both of you shared the same power, which meant your lives were linked.


    You would understand what this meant in the future.


    And I was sorry to say this, but both of you had no choice.


    You must become true progenitors in ten years or die."


    "You still haven''t explained what you meant by ''system.''


    Also, you do know there''s no way we could continue a new race by ourselves, right?


    Did you expect our kids to marry each other?" Alex asked.


    Even the thought of it made his skin crawl; even if the kids were born healthy, the idea was still repulsive to him.


    "Kids?


    Who wanted to marry you?"


    Mingyue complained, glaring at Alex.


    "We barely knew each other, and why were you so accepting of this situation?"


    This confused Mingyue the most, as Alex''s expression had been calm from the start, even when Vesa threatened that they would die.


    "What should I do?


    Panic?


    Didn''t you hear what Vesa said?


    We had no choice anyway.


    Look, our souls couldn''t even return without its permission.


    Did you think we could reject it?


    It''s better we understand our current situation, what the system wants, and what we could get from it."


    Mingyue knew what Alex said was true; it was not like she had another choice, but that didn''t mean she could accept it easily.


    Marriage was a very important matter for her.


    "As expected from our king.


    You don''t need to worry about that.


    After you become progenitors, you could change other people into our race.


    What you needed to do was just find the right candidates," Vesa''s voice then turned cold.


    "We didn''t need another traitor."


    "Couldn''t we just use a slave contract or bind their souls?" Mingyue asked.


    It was normal in her world to do this with people working under them.


    "A vampire was different, my Queen.


    We could do that for the weaker ones, but the contract or soul binding wouldn''t work on pure-blooded vampires," Vesa explained.


    "Why did we need pure-blooded vampires then?"


    Alex felt weird about this.


    It seemed like taking an unnecessary risk.


    He didn''t like the idea of slavery, but as long as they were not mistreated, he was fine with it since every world had its own rules."

 Chapter 6 - 6: Progenitor

    "Only pure-blooded vampires counted as our people, my King.


    You will understand the real reason for this in the future.


    Now, for the benefit, first, I shared some information about both of you so you could know each other better."


    Vesa''s ruby-red eyes shone, and then a flood of information started to come into their minds.


    This new information made Alex and Mingyue look at each other.


    It was knowledge about their worlds and a little background about their lives.


    Mingyue had come from the Xueqi family, a middle-level cultivation family in her world, and then trained in the Blue Lotus sect.


    As for Alex, Mingyue was surprised to learn about his world, filled with technology.


    A desire started to form in her heart as she wanted to visit his world.


    Comparing the entertainment levels between their worlds was like comparing a small mound to a big mountain.


    ''So, cultivation worlds really existed, not just in novels,'' Alex thought. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Based on the information, the highest cultivation was immortal, but there should be higher levels and higher worlds.


    If I could cultivate and utilize the information, wouldn''t I be able to increase my family''s wealth?


    Then Mom would stop nagging at me!''


    For Alex, his mom''s nagging had been his worst enemy.


    Nothing was worse than that, not even the evil apocalyptic dragon or the weird things happening now.


    In fact, Alex felt excited.


    He had already grown bored reading the same type of novel with the same repetitive plot or whaling in games.


    "As you become closer to being a progenitor, my power will also grow.


    I will be able to allow you to move between worlds.


    For now, my ability only allows for this kind of meeting or sending small items between your worlds.


    Other than this, since both of you share the same source of power, you should be able to talk to each other telepathically anytime.


    The System will also help you use other progenitors'' abilities to maximize your growth.


    For example, King, with the System, could help find the most suitable person you need for a job, as it constantly detects people''s auras around you.


    As for Queen, it could help you look for any treasure.


    Not only that but when you want to practice alchemy or your secret art, I will help you figure out the most efficient way to do it."


    "So, it is basically the ERX chip function," Alex mumbled.


    He then walked closer to Mingyue and extended his hand forward.


    "No matter what, our lives are linked now.


    I will properly introduce myself.


    I am Alex Campbell, the only son of the Campbell family."


    Hearing this, Mingyue frowned.


    "What only son?


    You still have a sister."


    Alex chuckled, "As you said, she is the only daughter, and I am the only son."


    Mingyue felt confused but then understood he was just joking.


    She shook his hand.


    "I am Mingyue.


    You should already know my family.


    And honestly, you have a bad sense of humor.


    Can''t you see our situation?"


    Alex laughed, enjoying the handshake and feeling her soft palm in his.


    Without releasing her hand, he said, "You are too serious.


    There is nothing we can do about our circumstances for now.


    Let me be direct, then.


    I want a cultivation method.


    In exchange, I will get you something from my world."


    "You should know the cultivation method I use is my family''s secret.


    I can''t just give it to you like that.


    Even if I did, we need to find out your element and talent grade first."


    "My Queen, he is the King, not a stranger.


    And as I said before, both of your bodies have been transformed.


    Even an All Elemental Heavenly grade talent falls short now compared to his talent.


    A half-vampire in Eldonia could easily crush an immortal in your world.


    And both of you have progenitor blood."


    Hearing this, Mingyue''s eyes lit up with excitement.


    "Wait, you are saying he is even more talented than those heavenly-chosen geniuses because you transformed his body?


    Doesn''t that mean it is the same for me?"


    "Yes, my Queen.


    But I suggest you don''t tell anyone in your world about it."


    Mingyue scoffed, "Vesa, do you think I am stupid?


    It is dog-eat-dog in the cultivation world.


    I will only trust my own clan and parents."


    "Queen, I know you won''t believe me now, but I mean including them.


    When you go back later on with the System, you will be able to feel their intentions toward you.


    You''ll understand later."


    Hearing this made Mingyue frown.


    She still wanted to retort, but Alex interjected, "Just hide it for now, Mingyue.


    You will lose nothing anyway.


    So, where do we stand on the cultivation technique?"


    "Give me time, Alex.


    I need to think about it first.


    I also need to consider what I want from your world."


    "Alright, just tell me after you''ve decided or if you need anything."


    He then turned his gaze to Vesa.


    "How do we become progenitors?


    Do we just wait until the blood finishes changing our bodies?"


    Vesa laughed, "If only it were that easy, King.


    Other than the blood both of you received, the progenitor ability is split into many things across many worlds.


    But don''t worry, I know all their locations.


    When I feel both of you are strong enough, I will start giving you some quests to take them back."


    Vesa''s expression suddenly changed to a frown.


    "Queen, you should return first.


    I''ve moved you into a forest near the secret realm entrance, and I sensed some movement coming close to you."


    "Alright, see you later, Vesa, Alex," Mingyue said as her body turned translucent and then disappeared.


    Alex''s hand then became grasping nothing but air.


    He pulled it back and then looked at the pink creature in front of him.


    "Vesa, what are the characteristics of the Vampire race?


    You should know how they are portrayed in my world."

 Chapter 7 - 7: Alexs Abilites

    "It wasn''t wrong, King Alex, but that was only for vampires with low blood purity.


    There was a reason you were chosen; in the past, vampires existed on your planet, and you had part of their genes.


    But as the progenitor, you didn''t need to drink blood; what you needed was a life force.


    There were traces of it in blood and even in the food you ate, but you wouldn''t get enough from just meals.


    You needed to absorb real-life force from sentient beings.


    As for how much you needed, you would understand when you returned, King."


    "That''s good to know then. By the way, I noticed Mingyue''s amber eyes had a tint of red in them. Was that because of the transformation?"


    In response to his question, Vesa''s ruby eyes shone, and then a mirror appeared in front of Alex.


    He could see his own appearance, noticing that his blue eyes also had a tinge of red in the center.


    "Did this mean my eyes would turn completely red when I fully transformed?"


    "Yes, King. Your hair would also turn silver, but you could easily learn some illusion runes later on."


    "Runes?"


    "Runes were an ancient magic of us Vampires. As you became stronger, you would start learning them."


    Vesa then became confused, seeing Alex keep looking at the mirror, but then understood what Alex was doing, making it laugh.


    "King, you really were something else, huh?"


    "Well, I was just imagining my face with white hair and red eyes. I knew I''d look even more handsome that way."


    Alex then smirked and struck a cool-guy pose.


    "Don''t you think your King is handsome? Understand that I don''t take no for an answer."


    Vesa laughed.


    "I don''t get it, even by your world''s standards, how you could be so calm. Even the Queen was still worried."


    At the mention of Mingyue, Alex smirked, "I was sure she would become more beautiful when she transformed, too.


    As for panicking, you should know about my abilities, right?"


    Vesa nodded with its round body and replied with a chuckle, "Seems the King was quite smitten with the Queen. Well, the situation would guarantee you end up together anyway."


    "Even without it, I was sure she would fall for me at some point."


    Alex looked once again at the mirror, nodding to himself before his eyes turned serious.


    "Alright, send me back now, Vesa. I knew creating this space took a toll on your energy."


    Vesa gave a royal bow with one of its wings and replied, "As you wished, King. The progenitor blood seemed to have chosen the best candidate."


    Alex then felt like he was being pulled out by something; the world turned black for a moment before he opened his eyes.


    He found himself in the same room where he had the treatment before.


    In front of his eyes, a few interfaces started appearing.


    From the information injected by Vesa, he already understood how to navigate through it.


    He then checked his status.


    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 5


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 324/200


    ______________________________


    Seeing the data, Alex knew the system simplified their strength into a power level to make it easy for him to understand.


    He could also use it to check abilities and other information anytime he wanted on anything.


    This made Alex feel elated.


    ''The progenitor blood really enhanced the ERX chip to a whole new level,'' he thought.


    Lifeforce showed his hunger level.


    Right now, he was overly full because of the life force remaining from the progenitor blood he had consumed.


    When it dropped below 75%, he would start feeling hungry.


    It would intensify as it got lower, potentially driving him into a berserk state if it reached below 10%.


    "You finally woke up. You almost gave me a heart attack," a worried voice came to his ear, making Alex turn his face.


    He could see Prof Faerith sitting there by his side, her eyes moving, reading data on a tablet.


    Her slender fingers kept scrolling through the information.


    "Your body seemed to have become stronger than before.


    Based on your last data, it should be at least double. How about your abilities?"


    Looking at her expression, eyes, and lips, Alex''s lips curved upward into a smile.


    "It enhanced my abilities too, Prof. Faerith."


    Alex then raised his upper body, stood up, and pulled the IV drip from his hand.


    "I should thank you, but wasn''t what happened to me illegally? S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I was sure you used the ads as bait to find someone who could trigger the blood, right?


    I could sue you for that, Ms. Faerith."


    Hearing what Alex said made Faerith frown.


    "Your abilities were such a hassle? Cognitive Matrix, was it?


    It allowed you to analyze every single piece of information you got from your senses and make various scenarios and conclusions from it.


    It used to make your head hurt when you used it, but now it seems you could use it as you like," she sighed before continuing.


    "So, what did you want? I have checked your information.


    As someone who came from a billionaire family, I doubted you needed money."


    Now sitting on the bedside, Alex said, "Nope, what I needed was you, Prof. Faerith."


    As he said this, many pieces of information were shown from the system, helping his ability to make a conclusion.


    ______________________________


    Name: Faerith Thalindra


    Power Level: 1.3


    Lifeforce: 76/100


    [No bad intention detected; the target seemed surprised and felt shy from what the King said.]


    _______________________________


    "You what? Me? You should know I''m older than you, right?"

 Chapter 8 - 8: Mingyues Predicament

    Alex laughed.


    "Not in that way, Prof. Faerith. I wanted to hire you, and the contract would be for a lifetime.


    I also wanted you to keep everything that happened today a secret.


    With what I knew, I was sure your investors were giving you a hard time, right?


    Since the blood didn''t give you any results, they shouldn''t be suspicious of your sudden move.


    Also, look for a few more items to research so they don''t think I''m hiring you because you made a breakthrough in blood research."


    He then stood up and started walking toward the door.


    "I will give you a week. Call me after that. I will prepare the research complex and the contract at that time."


    After that, he left Faerith alone.


    Faerith''s eyes widened in surprise, and she wasn''t even able to utter a word before she finally returned to reality.


    "Rich kids are really different. He wants to build an entire research facility just to hide information about the blood.


    Well, that''s good news for me anyway.


    I can keep studying him and see what changes he got from consuming the blood."


    If Alex had heard this, he would have smirked with pride.


    As someone with the nickname ''Whale God,'' of course, he would ''whale'' if he could.


    He also had a feeling he could do the same with cultivation.


    Alex had a few reasons for building the research complex.


    Firstly, he used Prof. Faerith''s name to take credit for any secret arts and cultivation methods he would publish after he got them from Mingyue.


    Next, this would also make his mother happy.


    Not only was he working, but he was also starting to build his own business.


    And finally, to track the change in his own body. He needed to make sure there were no bad effects from the transformation.


    For example, an old soul was taking over his body.


    ''I''m sure Mom will be surprised. She will probably keep an eye on me at first to make sure I''m really serious.''


    Alex chuckled to himself as he made his way to the car, waiting for him outside.


    ''I also need to create my own hunter guild. Who would be a good candidate to front it?'' he wondered.


    In his world, ''hunters'' were what people called Awakeners who earned their living by diving into dungeons.


    There were a few classes of hunters, not separated by strength but by achievement, starting from one-star to the most elite five-star.


    As Alex was busy planning to expand his family empire and get his mom off his back, Mingyue was facing problems in her own world.


    Even though she also came from a wealthy family, being a woman in the cultivation world brought many challenges.


    She was now standing in a field with blood dripping from her sword.


    Five mutilated bodies were scattered around her.


    Her eyebrows raised as her eyes looked coldly at the remains.


    When Vesa sent her back to the Cultivation world, Mingyue found herself lying in a forest.


    She swiftly changed into a new robe.


    Not long after she finished, a few people wearing robes with her family crest approached her, all with worried expressions and asking about her condition.


    But their arrival had surprised Mingyue. She was still alive, and barely any time had passed; there was no way her family knew she was in danger.


    She thought it was people sent by Lian Hua who were coming to look for her.


    Her suspicion had become more solid when the system had informed her that all of them had bad intentions.


    But Mingyue still couldn''t believe it.


    How could her family attack her when she was the only prodigy in her family, the one they hoped would bring the Xueqi Family to new heights?


    So, she feigned fake injury and qi exhaustion.


    Seeing Mingyue''s weak state, they hadn''t missed the opportunity and had attacked at once.


    Overwhelmed by anger at their attack, Mingyue brutally killed them all, not letting anyone escape.


    This made her regret her actions, as she couldn''t find out who had sent them.


    "Tch, I will learn soul cultivation the next chance I get," Mingyue cursed.


    If she had soul cultivation, Mingyue could have taken their souls and read parts of their memories.


    Her amber eyes then glowed red, turning the blood and bodies into particles that moved into her body.


    [215 Life Force Absorbed]


    [Life Force already full, converting the surplus to boost Queen''s Cultivation]


    [Jade Lotus Spiritual Vein and Ice Kirin Bloodline have been absorbed with the Progenitor Blood, as they are deemed inferior.]


    Mingyue could feel her body reinvigorated as pure qi coursed through her body to her dan tian.


    A sphere started forming inside it, quickly raising her cultivation.


    ____________________________ Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 6.5


    Progenitor Transformation: 7.35/100%


    Life Force: 150/150


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Mid-Level


    _____________________________


    Before drinking the Progenitor Blood, Mingyue had already been at the Foundation Stage - the Late Level.


    Now, with the leftover energy from the blood and the remaining life force she had absorbed, Mingyue easily made a breakthrough, advancing one major realm directly into the mid-level.


    ''I lost my spiritual root and bloodline, but it''s worth it.


    They are nothing compared to the Progenitor Bloodline.''


    ''Just how strong was the past progenitor?'' Mingyue thought for a moment, but she quickly dismissed these thoughts as she focused on more pressing matters.


    ''Should I return home first to check or go to the sect to report Lian Hua?'' Mingyue felt worried.


    Even though Vesa had already warned her, she still found it hard to believe.


    Mingyue had always fulfilled their expectations and wishes, except for the last time when the family patriarch had suddenly told her to be betrothed to another clan.


    She quickly rejected it, and in the end, they compromised on her reaching the Golden Core Stage within ten years.


    But now, only two years had passed.


    She was sure something had happened to her parents.


    Otherwise, there was no way people from her family would come and attack her like that.


    Even though they were not the patriarch, they still had some authority and power in the family.

 Chapter 9 - 9: Cultivation Stage

    Then, she started connecting the dots with Lianhua.


    ''She suddenly has the gall to attack me like that.


    Does she have an agreement with my family?


    If something happened to me, normally, the blame should fall on her.


    The sect wouldn''t pursue it since a dead prodigy has no value, but my family should go all out for revenge.''


    Mingyue frowned at the thought of it.


    She also thought of seeking help from her Elder and master, but now that she was out and thought about it calmly, the most she would get was taking some of her cultivation resources.


    But that held no value for her now, as she could raise her cultivation by absorbing life force.


    There was no way they would kill Lianhua for her.


    [Why not ask the King for his opinion, Queen?]


    ''The King?


    You mean Alex?''


    The man''s face resurfaced in her mind.


    She then remembered how he remained calm through all the situations.


    ''Even if he is calm and collected, he is not from my world, Vesa.


    I doubt he can analyze my situation.''


    [Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you about the King''s ability.]


    Information started pouring into Mingyue''s mind, making her eyes widen.


    "So such an ability exists...


    But that doesn''t explain how Alex could stay calm in that situation."


    [That''s just his personality, Queen, thanks to his upbringing.


    So, do you want to ask the King?]


    Mingyue shook her head.


    "No need.


    For now, I will go to the secret realm first.


    Let''s see how that bitch faces me.


    With my current cultivation, she should not be my opponent.


    Now, which direction should I go?"


    Suddenly, a display appeared in front of her eyes, showing her location and the direction to the secret realm.


    [You can use this, Queen.


    The map should be quite accurate.


    I made it based on your knowledge so far.


    Also, I need to remind you that although you can raise your cultivation with the help of the life force, I will only do it when you have enough understanding of the stage.


    Otherwise, your foundation will be unstable.]


    "I know, don''t worry about it, Vesa.


    By the way, why did you need to consume my spiritual root and bloodline?


    Is this because I became a Vampire?"


    Mingyue asked, partly worried it might affect her cultivation in some way.


    [I could keep them, but it would be a waste of resources, Queen.


    As you progress to becoming a progenitor, you will become stronger quickly and interact with stronger bloodlines and spirit roots.


    So, it''s better to prioritize my strength to unlock more features of the system.]


    Reading Vesa''s message, Mingyue became excited.


    "Wait, you mean I will be able to absorb their bloodline and spirit root in the future?"


    [Yes, Queen.


    It''s possible to do that.


    But remember, there is a price we need to pay for it.


    I will tell you the details when you reach at least 25% progress in becoming a Progenitor.]


    Time passed, and Mingyue found herself standing in front of the secret realm entrance.


    She felt conflicted, wondering whether she should enter or just wait and ambush her outside.


    After some deliberation, she decided to enter.


    Passing through the void, she found herself standing on a small floating island, the area littered with monster corpses.


    Looking toward the end, she could see a stairway leading to another island.


    "It seems this realm is an inheritance ground."


    She mumbled.


    Mingyue felt relieved she had decided to enter; otherwise, it was possible for Lianhua to come out with a major breakthrough.


    [Queen, it seems this is an inheritance ground left behind by a Golden Core cultivator, but I sense evil intentions coming from the soul at the peak island.]


    "You can sense that much, Vesa?"


    [Yes.]


    A new map then appeared in front of Mingyue''s eyes, showing the full layout of the secret realm.


    [Since this realm was created by a cultivator''s qi using a formation array, I could easily crack it open and read all the flow of information in the array.


    That''s why I know every trap, treasure, and the purpose of this realm.


    In total, there are ten levels.


    After finishing every level, you will receive rewards, including thousand-year herbs, top artifacts, and cultivation techniques. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Your enemy, Lianhua, has reached the seventh level now.


    Based on her qi level, I''m sure she''s taking a break now.]


    "Can you take over control of the secret realm then?"


    Mingyue asked.


    [It''s possible, as long as we take care of the soul first, Queen.


    I can move the array to teleport you directly to the soul''s location, but this will alert the soul.]


    "Isn''t that dangerous?


    That means it can attack me and try to possess my body."


    [That is the opportunity we are targeting, Queen.


    With me inside you, nothing will be able to possess your body in this world.


    I will then extract useful information from its soul and use part of it to recover some of the system''s strength.


    So, do you want to do it, Queen?]


    After experiencing many benefits of the system, Mingyue started believing in Vesa''s capabilities.


    She didn''t hesitate to agree.


    Information from a Golden Core cultivator was worth the risk.


    Even in her family, the strongest was still at the Late Nascent Soul stage.


    Since she obtained the information herself, she felt no burden to share it with Alex.


    She then remembered the existence of weapons in Alex''s world.


    "Vesa, how strong are the weapons in Alex''s world compared to a cultivator like me?"


    [That really depends on the type of weapon, Queen.


    Based on the information I have, the strongest should be able to kill someone at the Heavenly Ascension stage easily.


    But the King''s knowledge of his world is also limited; I don''t know their real strength.


    It''s best for you not to underestimate them.]


    In Mingyue''s world, cultivation was spread across ten levels.


    It started with the Foundation Stage, followed by Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Golden Core, Spiritual Transformation, Mystic Integration, Profound Enlightenment, Heavenly Ascension, Transcendent, and finally, Immortal.


    Those at the Immortal stage lived eternally, with their bodies in peak condition.

 Chapter 10 - 10: Linhua

    The surroundings around Mingyue began to change as Vesa manipulated the formation, transporting her to the core area. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mingyue now found herself in a brightly lit room with rough rock as the walls and ceiling.


    But before she could analyze her surroundings more, she suddenly felt an overwhelming presence enter her body.


    ''I don''t know how you entered, but don''t blame me for this. Everyone is out for themselves,'' a melodic voice reverberated in her mind.


    Mingyue felt her mind starting to turn blank as something began gnawing at her consciousness, but it only lasted for a moment.


    The voice screamed in despair, and then the presence from her mind disappeared.


    [It''s done, Queen. It will take me some time to extract the information, but for now, I have already taken control of the secret realm.]


    "What can you do now with this place?"


    [My understanding of formations is not that good yet.


    I could only use existing traps to open or close the secret realm.


    I also had access to all the treasures prepared in this secret realm.


    It seemed the previous owner saved quite an amount for her rise back to the Golden Core stage.]


    Hearing about the many resources now at her disposal, Mingyue felt elated.


    In theory, she could just stay inside the secret realm and cultivate, but she knew she needed understanding and experience to grow.


    Then, an idea came to her mind.


    Since the secret realm was practically hers now, she should be able to use it as a secret hideout.


    However, her sect already knew the place.


    "Can you move the secret realm''s position, Vesa?"


    [I could not, but wasn''t a secret realm usually closed after being completed, Queen?


    I could close it and then hide it from prying eyes.


    Even with my current capabilities, I was sure no one in this region could find out.]


    "That''s good, but that means I need to let Lianhua out, letting her think she got the inheritance."


    [Queen, in one of the treasures, there was an artifact that allowed you to change your appearance.


    My suggestion was, why not fake your death and see how things turned out?


    This way, you could confirm your speculation and see who benefited and who wanted your demise.]


    Mingyue thought Vesa''s idea was not bad, but the problem was the life talisman in her family.


    As long as she was still alive, the talisman wouldn''t break.


    Hearing her concern, Vesa then gave an idea to falsify her death.


    The talisman worked because part of her life force was saved by it.


    When it felt the main source was snuffed out, the talisman would then break.


    As Mingyue was undergoing the transformation into a Progenitor, her life force would be completely transformed at some point.


    Vesa could trigger this transformation for a moment.


    Hearing that it was possible, Mingyue quickly agreed.


    She wanted to know what would happen after her ''death.''


    Meanwhile, on the eighth island, a beautiful woman moved gracefully among many horrifying monsters.


    A two-headed dog, twice the size of a normal lion, barked at the woman.


    Its four legs tensed for a moment before it pounced, but the woman spun on her body, her long blue hair fluttering in the air as a wind started to manifest, boosting her agility.


    SLASH!!!


    Her sword slashed down vertically, creating a single red line right in the middle of the dog.


    Blood rained down as the woman moved with a deadly dance, creating wind with every movement.


    One sword to the left, one to the right, a duck, then a low sweep.


    After many attacks, the island was finally cleared out.


    Lianhua fell to her knees, her body covered with sweat.


    With heavy breaths, she mumbled, "Finally, it''s over. Just how many islands are left¡­"


    Unlike Mingyue, Lianhua couldn''t see how many stages existed.


    Every time she finished an island, a reward materialized, and then she had some time to take a break.


    Afterward, stairs suddenly appeared, showing the path to the next island.


    Lianhua speculated this was done to ensure the inheritor''s instinct.


    She never wasted time when a path forward appeared, feeling she needed to quickly finish the secret realm.


    In the first few stages, she obtained herbs that helped her cultivation and even a sword manual teaching her the style she had just used, ''Echoes of the Wind Dance.''


    According to the manual, if she truly mastered it, she should be able to create wind blades with every slash of her sword.


    ''I didn''t know the grade of this technique, but it should be very high,'' Lianhua thought.


    In her world, techniques were also split into six ranks: Mortal, Earth, Mystic, Celestial, Heaven, and finally, Ancient.


    Ancient techniques were the most mysterious, as they were usually very strong and seemed to come from another world.


    Some even provided a completely new power system, multiplying the abilities of their holder.


    It was rumored that some secret clans had monopolized all these ancient techniques.


    This time was no different; a green pill appeared in front of her, exuding a mysterious aura.


    Linhua could sense some healing properties from it, but she hesitated to consume it, unsure of its effects.


    Propping her body up with the sword, Linhua took the pill.


    As she put it in her storage, stairs to the next island appeared, causing her sapphire blue eyes to widen in surprise.


    She hesitated for a moment but decided to move forward, taking the last healing pill she had in her storage.


    The pill''s effect was not potent, but it was enough to at least restore part of her stamina.


    Soon, she found herself on the next island, which was smaller compared to the previous ones.


    This gave Linhua a sense of relief, thinking this island wouldn''t require her to massacre wave after wave like the last one.


    The first three islands had only tested her resolve and potential, but the rest had forced her into fights against monsters, with the last one being the hardest battle she had faced.

 Chapter 11 - 11: Ancient Cultivation Method!?

    In truth, this island was supposed to give a puzzle, testing the participant''s knowledge of arrays, but Mingyue had Vesa turn off the trial and instead sent something in.


    As Linhua observed her surroundings, she realized a wooden mannequin was crouching down in the middle of the area.


    If Alex had been there, he would have remarked, "Wait, is it a mokujin?" since the mannequin''s appearance looked eerily similar to one.


    He would then have understood that it wasn''t something to underestimate.


    However, Linhua knew nothing of this, and even if she had, she wouldn''t have thought much of it since Alex came from another world.


    But Vesa had modified the wooden puppet using Alex''s knowledge, making it more deadly.


    The puppet, usually running on simple commands, was now reprogrammed into a self-learning AI with some fighting styles already inputted into it.


    Its goal was now to half-kill Linhua.


    Sensing her presence, the wooden puppet stood up, its eyes glowing red as it raised its hands in a combat posture.


    BAM!


    The puppet dashed forward.


    Linhua swiftly moved, utilizing her new sword art, but the puppet maneuvered in a bizarre way.


    It dodged her attack with a duck, quickly throwing a counter uppercut toward her chin.


    Linhua stepped back to dodge, but the puppet''s uppercut stopped midway as just a feint.


    Instead, it dashed forward with its head crouched down, then delivered a liver blow to Linhua''s stomach.


    Linhua felt her intestines twist as her face turned blue.


    The puppet continued its attack, throwing multiple punches at her stomach.


    Bam! BAM! BAM!!!


    Each hit paralyzed Linhua with pain.


    She quickly moved her Qi to forcibly jump high into the air.


    Then, she took out an artifact she had received as a reward from another stage.


    Its effect allowed her to convert her Qi into the wind element, enabling her to fly.


    Groaning in pain, Linhua shot her Qi into a wind blade toward the wooden mannequin.


    To her surprise, the mannequin faced it head-on, jumping upward, placing two hands to block its face, and then suddenly, a slab of rock appeared in its hands.


    Crack! CRACK!


    The wind clashed with the rock, turning it into a cloud of debris and smoke.


    After the dust settled, Linhua''s eyes sharpened, but the puppet was nowhere to be seen.


    The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she felt a presence appear behind her.


    Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw the mannequin now holding a sword, slashing toward her neck.


    CLANG!


    She forcefully concentrated her Qi, pushing her hand to move faster than possible, damaging it in the process.


    The puppet''s red eyes then glinted, its leg moved forward, and it kicked her straight in the torso, sending her shooting to the ground.


    BANG!


    As Linhua fell to the ground, the puppet also fell, pointing its sword at her.


    Feeling her imminent death, Linhua''s mind quickly churned, thinking of a way out.


    She had used all her tricks to reach this far; the only thing left was the pill.


    Her hesitation from before quickly vanished, and she took out the pill and swallowed it.


    A warm energy started spreading, healing her broken bones and torn muscles.


    Then, Linhua quickly burned her Qi, creating wind to help her move in the air.


    Her body moved gracefully as she utilized her sword technique, with the wind complementing each move, increasing her attack power to a new level.


    Slash, slash, slash.


    Linhua launched a barrage of attacks.


    The puppet did its best to protect itself, but it was no use; its movements were very limited in its position.


    BANG!


    The mannequin fell to the ground, with dust and chips of wood scattering in the air.


    Linhua then used the wind to maximize her falling speed, her sword stabbing down with a bang, piercing through the wooden mannequin''s body.


    Mingyue, watching the fight from a projection made by Vesa, smirked.


    Her eyes glinted with satisfaction, knowing what was coming next.


    The mannequin moved its hand and leg, grabbing Linhua''s hand.


    The Qi inside its core then began to churn.


    BANG!


    It exploded, taking her hands with it.


    "Aarrrgh!"


    Linhua screamed as intense pain overwhelmed her brain.


    Shock, panic, confusion, and fear¡ªall these emotions quickly arose in her heart. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She felt confused about why the mannequin specifically targeted only her hand; had it pulled her closer, she would have died.


    She was shocked because of the pain and panicked and fearful because she didn''t know if the trial had been completed or not.


    Seeing Linhua''s pained face, Mingyue''s rosy lips turned upward into a cold smile.


    "Serve you right, bitch.


    You tried to kill me, and I am good enough to let you live longer," she mumbled.


    [Shall we proceed, Queen?]


    "Yes, do it as planned.


    Give her the reward.


    But are you sure the elder won''t suspect the cultivation method?"


    [No, the elder will barely understand how this cultivation works.


    You didn''t need to worry, Queen.


    I was sure she would hide it.


    Just think, if you were in her position, getting a cultivation method like this one without any prior knowledge, what would you do?]


    Vesa had modified one of the cultivation methods they had obtained from the secret realm, integrating her knowledge from Edonia.


    Mingyue knew what Vesa said was true; she would hide it from everyone.


    Any news where an ancient grade cultivation method was found always ended with the disappearance of the founder.


    "Alright then, give the information to her.


    Do as we planned."


    Linhua, now lying on the ground, tore her sleeve and tied it over her shoulder to try to reduce the bleeding.


    She kept her senses on high alert, afraid something else might emerge.


    Then, suddenly, a genderless voice reverberated in the air.


    "You have done well to come this far.


    I have waited many years for someone suitable to continue my cultivation journey.


    I deem you suitable for it, but for now, I will only give you half of my cultivation method.


    You will know where to find the rest after you achieve some success on the path."

 Chapter 12 - 12: Alexs Father

    Hearing this, Linhua felt relieved.


    She didn''t find it strange, as it was common for cultivators to do this.


    They often gave all their cultivation methods to their inheritors but placed seals that would only break when the heir reached a certain level.


    This was done for several reasons: one was to make sure the heir wasn''t overwhelmed by information, but more importantly, it also helped protect them from being killed during their growth phase.


    As Mingyue busied herself with her revenge, Alex was trying his best to convince his mother.


    She hadn''t had any real objections when Alex said he wanted to create a research facility for new products.


    However, when he mentioned starting his own guild, his mother was adamantly opposed.


    "I said no, Alex! You''d be better off as a useless man at home than creating your own guild!" Luca said, her eyes stern.


    "Mom, I''m just opening a guild. I''m not going into any dungeons, you know," Alex replied.


    Luca''s voice raised again, "And so? You say that now. But what about the future? Look, Alex, even though things are stable now, how long do you think this will last?"


    Her eyes filled with worry as she continued, "You have abilities too, Alex! If something happens, you, as the guild owner, will be required to participate in it.


    Have you forgotten what happened to your father!?"


    With the mention of those words, tears started to shimmer in Luca''s eyes.


    Alex turned silent, missing his father, too.


    His father''s abilities were similar to Alex''s; he had focused on the brain, allowing him to think about many things simultaneously.


    This allowed Alex''s father, Edward, to rise and create a large empire in his lifetime.


    He then married Luca and lived his dream until that tragic day.


    On January 28, 2189, a Category Five dungeon suddenly appeared, defying all previously known knowledge and rules.


    The dungeon had taken only an hour to break, unleashing terrifying monsters, each capable of easily killing a normal hunter.


    Panic had quickly spread, plunging the town into chaos.


    At that time, Edward had his own guild, which, at first, he had wanted to name Full Metal.


    Unfortunately, the copyright committee rejected the idea.


    So, he had settled on the name Suzaku, inspired by the mythological creature, the phoenix, hoping the guild would symbolize a new, better life for each member.


    As a guild owner and someone who had awakened, the situation forced him to stay in the city, using his abilities to coordinate all guild members.


    Alex, Luca, and his younger sister Emily had been safely evacuated from the city.


    Initially, Luca had wanted to stay with Edward.


    But Edward had insisted that someone needed to be there for their kids, even though both were already teenagers, Alex being 18 and Emily 16.


    Knowing how stubborn her husband could be, Luca had left with their children.


    A few hours later, they had seen the terrifying news: the city had been decimated, with no survivors.


    The whole surrounding area had been sealed off and marked as forbidden.


    It had been five years since that incident, and they had never held a funeral for Edward.


    Luca had kept posting missions to rescue her husband.


    In her mind, he wasn''t dead until she saw his body.


    Emily had been devastated after the incident and had a big fight with Luca because she wanted to become a hunter.


    "I will look for my father with my own hands!" Emily had declared.


    Eventually, Emily left the house to become a hunter.


    She hadn''t spoken with Luca since, but she still updated Alex about her life every week.


    Knowing his mom wouldn''t budge unless he left home, too, Alex gave up.


    "Alright, I won''t make a guild. Happy now, Mom?" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing her son abandon the idea made Luca feel relieved.


    She then took out her phone.


    "So, what do you need to start? I''ll ask our lawyer to take care of all the legalities. Is 1 billion dollars enough?


    We also have some space you can use. Your father had built it before for the Suzaku guild''s expansion.


    It''s now used by survivors and their families for living.


    Give them jobs, Alex; they are experienced in working with the guild.


    I tried to offer them other jobs before, but they all rejected it.


    They want work related to the dungeon," Luca said.


    "If the place is designed for a research facility, I think that should be more than enough, Mom.


    I''ve already found a professor to be the lead scientist. Send me the address, then I''ll check the place."


    "Alright, I won''t tell you how to do it since I don''t have experience in that area either.


    Just make sure to do everything properly and not get scammed." She chuckled.


    "Well, with your ability, no ordinary person should be able to scam you.


    Now, tell me, why did you suddenly want to start a business like this?


    I know you, my dear son. Something must have happened. You would never move if there wasn''t something interesting to you."


    Luca wasn''t worried even if the business became an epic failure and Alex lost all the money.


    As long as he had something to do, it was better than staying at home and wasting away.


    She was more curious about what had motivated her son to undertake this venture.


    "Yes, I found something interesting that I am sure can elevate our family to new heights," Alex said with an excited tone.


    Hearing this, his mother, Luca, didn''t believe it.


    They were already in the top 10% of the richest people on their planet.


    Rising further would mean becoming part of the most elite top 1%.


    Each of them had already held their position for generations, with global influence and power.


    The only way to reach their level was by taking over one of their positions.


    For newcomers like them, reaching the top 10% was already a big achievement.


    If not for the opportunities that had arisen from the dungeon that had brought the world into chaos, they wouldn''t have been able to rise like this.

 Chapter 13 - 13: Calling His Sister

    At that time, the top 1% had been busy fighting among themselves and had not yet reached an agreement.


    This allowed some people to grow.


    "I don''t care about that, Alex, as long as you have something to do.


    Just don''t do it half-heartedly; do the best you can," Luca said.


    "Of course, Mom, don''t worry.


    You know me; if I decide to do something, I''ll make my way to the top."


    Luca then transferred the money to him and left him alone.


    ''I should call Sis then.


    Mom only said I couldn''t make my own Guild, but if it''s my sister, there should not be a problem,'' he thought.


    Alex had had a few friends from college and high school who had become hunters, but he had barely talked to them after graduating.


    He needed someone he could trust to handle the Guild, as he had planned to fake many items they had brought back from the dungeon.


    He also needed to find people from the Dungeon Association to help manipulate the information.


    As the phone had started connecting, Alex had said, "Sis, are you busy?"


    He could hear ragged breathing from the other side.


    "Just... say what you want."


    He had wanted to ask more about her situation, but he had known Emily would just get annoyed.


    After that incident, her personality changed completely; she became cold and spoke harshly, and Alex got used to it.


    "What hunter rank are you now?"


    Emily had felt it was odd, as Alex usually never cared about it, but her situation hadn''t allowed her to think much.


    BANG!


    BOOM!!!


    Alex could hear explosions from the other side.


    "Just what are you doing, Emily?


    If you''re busy, I can call again later."


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BANG!


    KA-BOOM!!


    Alex had heard machine guns firing in bursts, followed by a big explosion.


    The connection then became static for a while before being cut off.


    Alex had looked at his phone screen with a raised eyebrow, his eyes filled with worry.


    ''Just what is she doing?'' he had thought, imagining various possible scenarios, each making him worry even more.


    Just as he had been about to call the hunter association to find out Emily''s location, the phone had rung again.


    "Sis, are you alright!?"


    Alex quickly asked.


    Heavy breathing had come from the other end, followed by a sigh.


    "I''m fine.


    I''m just doing some stupid cheap mission that isn''t worth the pay.


    I''m still a two-star hunter; you know it''s insanely hard to raise our rank, right?"


    Hearing her words, Alex was surprised.


    He had heard about the difficulty before, but he had thought it was just a rumor.


    His sister had an S-Grade ability, and it had been five years; Alex had thought she should be at least a three-star hunter by now.


    "Well, I need a guild.


    I had planned to make it myself, but Mom forbade it.


    You know how she is after that day.


    So, I was thinking of you being the one to establish it."


    "You what?"


    Emily had then laughed, doubting what she had heard. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re saying you want to build a guild?


    You, who always spent all day at home reading novels and playing games?"


    She had expected Alex to laugh with her, but when he had remained silent, she had added, "You''re not joking?"


    "I am serious!


    Why would I joke about something like that, Emily?"


    Alex had felt wronged as everyone seemed to act like he had never done anything serious.


    "And why would you be serious about that?


    I know you, Alex; you just love wasting away at home all day.


    So tell me, why do you suddenly want a guild?"


    Alex had then told her what had happened, of course, modifying it beforehand to hide the part where he had gotten the system.


    He had done this because he hadn''t wanted the hassle of convincing Emily that he wasn''t lying.


    Even in a world filled with superpowers, the existence of a system that often only showed up in novels and anime would not be taken seriously.


    "So, who is this Faerith?


    Do you like her?


    I never knew you were into older women," Emily had said with a chuckle.


    "I told you I''m doing that because of the artifact she''s researching.


    I am sure it will bring our family to new heights!"


    "Yeah¡­ yeah...


    And the artifact you''re talking about has shown no results until now, right?


    Who are you trying to fool, my dear older brother?


    There are tons of artifacts with no results; each claimed to have a lot of potential, and you know that none give results!


    In the past, I already told you to use your abilities to help with the Guild, but you kept making excuses!


    At first, I thought you were just coping with the incident, but after 5 years, I realized you''re just being lazy, Alex!"


    "Hey, you say it like I didn''t miss Dad at all," Alex had retorted back.


    "Hmph...


    And?


    You don''t need to mince words with me like with Mom, Alex.


    I know you think he''s already dead."


    Alex sighed, "You know why.


    My ability makes me think everything is based on data, and the highest probability is..."


    Emily had cut him off with a stern tone.


    "Shut it.


    I''m not stupid.


    I know."


    "But just like Dad, who also had abilities with his brain, he should have known if things became problematic.


    The other guild members weren''t weaklings either."


    In the Suzaku Guild, Alex''s father had recruited two three-star hunters with SS rank abilities.


    The only other possibility was that they had somehow entered a portal and gotten stuck inside.


    However, Alex had never shared this with his sister or mom.


    He had been afraid they would recklessly run into the portal.


    "Let''s not talk about that.


    I also hope Dad survived.


    So, what do you think about my offer?"


    "We need another hunter to be the face of our Guild, Alex.


    If the Campbell group decides to create a new one after the Suzaku incident, we can''t do it half-heartedly.


    If only a two-star hunter like me is inside, it will give us bad publicity, you know," Emily had said.

 Chapter 14 - 14: What you Want? Smartphone?

    Alex knew what Emily was saying made sense, but in his opinion, it was only a short-term issue since the hunters who joined this new guild would quickly become stronger.


    How could they not?


    A cultivator with basic superpowers.


    He even wanted to prioritize hiring people with mental capabilities like his, as they were underestimated by the public.


    Many abilities that had seemed useless before would become incredible once they became cultivators since physical strength could be elevated.


    They could also learn secret techniques or special cultivation methods to gain control over elements.


    But maybe an unexpected result could be achieved.


    In his understanding, cultivation used qi, then a breathing technique, to convert it into an element.


    But now, since the body could generate its own element, couldn''t they use it to enhance it instead?


    And make the cultivation speed grow by leaps and bounds.


    He couldn''t wait to get a complete set of cultivation methods from Mingyue and start experimenting with them.


    ''Hmm, I should also get the contract and slave method from Mingyue.''


    Alex abhorred slavery, but since he would need much help from Professor Faerith, he felt he needed it as insurance, making sure she would never tell anyone the truth.


    If the real source of it came out, Alex was sure his family would become a target for those they couldn''t offend yet.


    No matter what, his family''s safety came first.


    "Hello??


    Are you still there???


    Why did you go silent all of a sudden?"


    Emily''s voice brought Alex back to reality.


    "Nothing, Sis, just remember I need to take some precautions.


    By the way, since you want us to go to a higher hunter class, do you have someone you can trust?


    One who won''t ask too many questions?"


    Emily felt puzzled by Alex''s request.


    "What do you mean by ''no questions''?


    Alex, don''t tell me you plan to collaborate with those Dark Hunters?"


    Emily despised them.


    As a hunter, she had many missions that brought her into conflict with them.


    "Don''t you dare get involved with them!


    Do you know what they do?


    They''re inhumane, worse than monsters!"


    "Dark Hunters?


    Sis, I''m not that stupid.


    I just don''t want them snooping around, wanting to know everything about how the guild operates.


    There are many things I prefer to keep hidden, you know."


    Emily felt even more bewildered by his words.


    "What exactly are you trying to hide?


    I''m your sister; don''t you trust me?"


    Alex then realized he couldn''t skirt over it with a simple explanation.


    Unlike his mom, Luca, Emily would be working closely with him.


    "I trust you, but Sis, you can''t tell anyone about this.


    I found a way for any Awakener to become stronger.


    Even normal people can become as strong as Hunters.


    You should understand the implications of this."


    Emily was surprised by what Alex said.


    "You mean you''ve found a new power system?"


    "Power system?


    Yeah, you could say that."


    "Why did you even call me on this line then?


    Come to my home later.


    I should be there by night," Emily said with a raised tone, then quickly cut off the call, not allowing Alex to speak further.


    ''A power system...


    Does this mean other methods have been found before?''


    Alex wondered.


    He knew he would get clarification when meeting Emily later.


    For now, the important thing was to get a cultivation method.


    ''Vesa, can you ask Mingyue about the cultivation technique?''


    [You are asking at the right time, King.


    We just got a bunch of new techniques, but you should ask the Queen yourself.]


    "Mingyue, how is it going?


    Have you made any decisions yet?


    What do you want from my world?"


    At this time, Mingyue had just finished dealing with Linghua.


    She was checking the list of treasures inside the secret realm created by Vesa.


    "I''ve thought about it.


    What I need now is the thing you call a smartphone.


    Being able to record and take pictures is what I need the most right now."


    "Smartphone?"


    Alex pondered it.


    Although their world didn''t have electricity, a phone without mobile data being active should survive for at least a few weeks.


    He could just send her a new one, then.


    "Alright, I can get that for you.


    Send me the cultivation methods, then.


    Vesa told me you just got a bunch of them, right?


    Vesa can transmit the information to me, so it shouldn''t be a problem for you to give me all of them."


    "All of them?


    Don''t waste time practicing useless cultivation methods, Alex.


    There are many, but from what I''ve seen, most are just lower-level or incomplete methods."


    "Don''t worry, Mingyue.


    I just want to analyze the cultivation methods.


    Who knows, I might be able to derive a new method.


    By the way, how''s your situation now?


    Who''s coming after you?"


    Mingyue raised her eyebrows, hearing Alex''s intention to create a new method. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But then she remembered Alex''s abilities; it was possible for him to learn and dissect the methods.


    "I''m alright.


    Just be careful when experimenting with them.


    A bad cultivation technique can lead you to a fate worse than death."


    [Queen, why haven''t you told the King?


    It''s not alright when you''re basically now surrounded by enemies.


    Both of your fates are linked now, just like you''re afraid something might happen to the King because it would mean losing a way to the other world.


    It''s the same if something happened to you.]


    Vesa''s message appeared in front of Mingyue''s eyes.


    Mingyue thought about it and knew Vesa was right.


    This made her wonder, ''Vesa, what happens if one of us dies?''


    [You mean what happens to the other one?


    Both your fates are literally linked, Queen.


    Both of your souls have already started melding with the progenitor, which is why I could create this system.


    If one of you dies, the other will, too.


    As you transform closer to becoming a true progenitor, you will feel each other''s presence even more, as a progenitor is part of one soul.]

 Chapter 15 - 15: Why it Different?

    Mingyue frowned because it meant she really had no choice for a Dao partner other than Alex.


    She didn''t know how to make sense of it; at least for now, she needed to get to know him better.


    "Well, it''s good if you''re alright.


    Do you have any other requests?


    By the way, can you send me one of those storage rings?


    I''ve always wanted to have one."


    "I did have a few here.


    I''ll send them to you, along with some other stuff," Mingyue said and then started telling Alex what had happened with Linghua. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From being attacked by Linghua and falling into the void crack to going to the secret realm and setting a trap for Linghua.


    Hearing all of this, Alex had an idea.


    "Since you already have a secret realm now, why not make your own Sect, Mingyue?"


    "My own Sect?


    Even with the resources I got from this secret realm, it wouldn''t be enough, Alex.


    The cultivation methods the previous owner used were also not suitable for that purpose."


    "That''s fine.


    Don''t you forget about me?" Alex chuckled.


    "Look, Mingyue, instead of trying to recruit those so-called geniuses, find common people, those who have been trampled by cultivators."


    "Commoners?


    But what can they do?


    They are too weak; a single Foundation Stage cultivator can easily trample over them," Mingyue asked.


    "I have some understanding of your world from Vesa.


    Even commoners can cultivate; it''s just that no one thinks it''s worthwhile to train them because the efficiency is so low.


    But what if we don''t focus on cultivating them?


    Instead, give them weapons from my world?


    A machine gun can easily overpower a Foundation Stage cultivator.


    You just need a few non-genius cultivators with the right element to produce all the items.


    I will then send you some training and production methods for you to implement."


    Hearing Alex''s idea, Mingyue found it feasible.


    Recruiting commoners as cultivators wouldn''t be hard; as long as she could provide them with food, a warm house, and protection, they would come flocking to her.


    She could also bind them with a contract to ensure their loyalty.


    Alex then added, "Look, Mingyue, you should stop depending on others to raise your cultivation like your sect and family do.


    You should just take over both of them and create your own organization.


    Make one with a concept similar to those of ancient families.


    Your world has big opportunities compared to mine."


    "Big opportunities?


    What do you mean by that, Alex?"


    "Yes, every single sect and prominent family is looking for heaven-blessed geniuses with overwhelming talent.


    Since one can beat a thousand, they neglect the most important resource: the common people.


    Even your sect can''t maintain their daily needs without these so-called commoners.


    Why else would they take over many cities under them?"


    Mingyue still felt disbelief.


    Why were common people considered an important resource?


    "But why?


    There are so many of them.


    Even if one or two cities were decimated, it wouldn''t take long for others to fill the numbers."


    Alex laughed.


    "You''re so focused on cultivation that you''ve barely grown in economy and technology.


    Even cultivators need to eat before they become immortal.


    You also need furniture and a place to live.


    Who works to produce the wheat and rice you eat?


    Who takes out the logs to build all of those?


    Isn''t it the commoners?


    None of the so-called cultivators want to dirty their hands doing it.


    But you all neglect them and treat them like trash.


    Without commoners, can your sect survive?


    Can the cultivators focus on their cultivation?


    No, right?


    Even many new geniuses come from these so-called commoners.


    If you start taking over their roots one by one, they will start to feel the impact and weaken.


    I heard you plan to hide your identity before returning to your family.


    Try to hide as a commoner and mingle with them, Mingyue.


    Become one of them.


    Then you will understand what they really do."


    "What?


    Hiding as a commoner?" The idea baffled Mingyue.


    Every cultivator looked at them as if they were a lower species.


    "Yes, you might think that as long as you provide them with good food, a house, and a contract, it''s enough, right?


    No, it''s not, Mingyue.


    We also need to really understand how they think, what they are capable of, and how they live their lives.


    Only then can we plan out a suitable community that is ever-growing.


    Anything motivated only by fear won''t last long.


    Don''t forget, we need to find people to become real vampires; they cannot be bound by slave contracts.


    If they are only loyal out of fear, it will put us at high risk; they will also not really try their best."


    Hearing his words, Mingyue understood he wanted to use the sect she would build as a foundation for growth, not just for short-term goals.


    "You know about the idea of school and education in my world, right?"


    "Yes." Mingyue was baffled when she first learned about this, wondering why Alex''s world invested so many resources into the education system.


    "It''s not just about skills, Mingyue.


    The most important aspect of that system is to instill group values in people, such as what is right to do and what is wrong to do.


    To put it simply, it''s about shaping them into suitable individuals who will work most beneficially for us.


    For example, my world teaches people to work under others, keep their word, and think about others'' benefits first.


    Many believe this and spend half their lives following this route, only to face the reality that it''s all bullshit.


    But in your world, we don''t need to worry about this.


    We will make sure that everyone who follows the teachings will be rewarded."


    "Why would my world be any different, though?


    In the end, people will follow their own desires, Alex.


    Even I know that when their basic needs are fulfilled, they will start wanting more."


    There were a few cases like this; she had heard some cultivators treat the commoners very well only to get stabbed in the back.

 Chapter 16 - 16: How Cultivation Works

    Alex chuckled.


    "The problem in my world was that, in the past, it didn''t have any superpowers, and there was nothing that posed a danger to us as a species.


    So, to maintain their positions, many people blocked the path to success for others.


    Resources are limited, right?


    And as you said, greed knows no bounds.


    But since the awakening of superpowers and the opening of dungeons, this has become a problem of the past.


    We now have a way to develop unlimitedly, not to mention the risk of monsters coming from other worlds."


    "Then your world should also have the same condition now, no?


    And it''s not working," Mingyue asked.


    "It''s not because it''s already too late.


    People are now divided into factions, and each has their own personal goal.


    But your commoners are perfect.


    They are still at a stage where they constantly fear for their lives, so they will trust you wholeheartedly, at least at first.


    That is the best time for us to instill these values.


    Then, we can keep expanding from there."


    Mingyue thought about it; she still hadn''t seen the weapons from Alex''s world with her own eyes.


    Deep in her heart, she was still very biased toward cultivators.


    "It''s a start, Mingyue.


    As I get the method, I will find a way to make all of them able to cultivate.


    Then, we will create a social system that is better than the one in my current world.


    There are many technologies now that could solve my world''s problems, but people were too stuck in their ways now.


    It was hard to teach them to change.


    Compared to yours, where people can easily worship you like their god."


    "How far do you want to go with this idea, Alex?" Mingyue asked, curious since Alex kept trying to convince her to do it.


    "Don''t forget, Mingyue, we were chosen as Progenitors.


    The last one died at his enemy''s hands.


    No matter who they were, that meant we would need to face them sooner or later.


    And based on what Vesa told us, the immortals from your world were nothing in their faces.


    If neither of us could rise to be the strongest in each of our worlds, what qualifications would we have to face them?


    We would just become the next victims."


    Mingyue gulped, realizing the truth in Alex''s words.


    Could they really fight against those who had defeated the Vampire Progenitor without their own army?


    "Alright, I will think about it."


    "Well, this idea is still rough, honestly, but you should get the gist of what I want to achieve.


    We needed to prepare a foundation, and your commoners were the most suitable choice for us right now.


    Not those stuck-up cultivators."


    "You keep dissing them out.


    You do realize I''m also a cultivator, right?"


    Mingyue could hear Alex chuckling from the other side.


    "Okay, I''m sorry.


    It''s just that I''ve read so many novels about the cultivation world, and in each of them, I always wonder why they were so dumb and never utilized the commoners.


    There were many ways to do this.


    For example, you guys used commoners as maids.


    A strong cultivator could manipulate the vow on their souls, then give them poison to slip into their masters'' drinks, and no one would know.


    I''m sure they would underestimate them.


    Even those weak cultivators, Mr. Side Character One and Extra Two, that the so-called geniuses used as underlings, could be used to create a manufacturing process for many weapons.


    As industries grew further, living standards improved, which also meant the quality of the workers became better.


    We could then expand the production rate of resources using them as workers.


    But there were many other problems we needed to take care of for everything to work, like how most commoners were illiterate."


    Alex had already thought that if the commoners mined the qi crystal mines with drills and modern tools, it would increase the output by at least tenfold.


    "I''m really curious about these novels of yours.


    How exactly do they portray us?


    Can you send me some?


    I also want to try these so-called video games," Mingyue said.


    Hearing Mingyue''s curiosity, Alex smirked.


    "Sure, I''ll put them in the phone."


    He was also curious about how she would react after reading them.


    ''I should choose one filled with the usual tropes, face-slapping young masters.


    A tragic main character with a cheat ability came from the smallest family in the smallest city, country, and realm.


    The FL loses her virginity to MC because of aphrodisiacs, the female lead having some ice cultivation, then going to a higher realm to become a disciple.


    One or both parents are missing and actually come from a powerful clan, or they have some powerful expert soul as backing.'' S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex really wondered if things like this actually happened in the cultivation world where Mingyue came from.


    ''Thankfully, Vesa allowed us to understand each other''s words and language instantly; otherwise, communication would be very hard.''


    Alex then thought he also needed to send some items for Mingyue to understand their real potential.


    "I''ll send some weapons for you to test.


    Then you''ll understand how useful they are.


    Also, don''t forget to send me some of those qi stones."


    "Alright, I''ll wait for these items of yours then."


    After ending his conversation with Mingyue, Vesa began pouring information about cultivation into Alex''s mind, including all the techniques Mingyue had found in the secret realm.


    It took Alex some time to fully absorb all the knowledge, even with his abilities.


    ''This is nothing like the novels I''ve read before.


    They did use Qi, but it required breathing, precise control, and movement to even use it as a technique.


    (It''s like in the Avatar cartoon, where certain movements needed to be done for the technique to be active.)


    The process was long until it became second nature to them, and that was just for one secret art.


    That''s why they couldn''t just freely learn new ones.''

 Chapter 17 - 17: Meeting Emily

    It had been a serious commitment that took many resources and time, except if the technique had a similar foundation.


    And this hadn''t even counted the work they needed to do to increase their cultivation realm, Alex thought as his lips curved into a smile.


    Alex felt genuinely excited about the information because he knew it provided him with many possibilities.


    The way people improved their realm was very different from what he was used to.


    It was a path filled with danger, and even the tribulations were not as he had imagined.


    At the Foundation Stage, they began enhancing their bodies with various natural treasures and intense training.


    This was all to ensure the body could hold qi inside without exploding.


    Afterward, they started strengthening the qi inside their body, circulating it like blood flowing through their veins.


    Step by step, they allowed it to penetrate their flesh, transforming it to become even stronger.


    Those so-called geniuses and talented individuals were the ones who shortened the process of the early stages, significantly saving time and resources.


    This was one of the reasons why marriage was very important in the Cultivation world.


    People wanted their traits and strong bodies to be passed down to their offspring.


    As the process continued, future descendants became increasingly stronger and mutated.


    They then started categorizing mutations in their descendants'' bodies as spiritual roots and bloodlines.


    Marriage for love? That had been a big joke.


    What use was that when you could be dead?


    In a world where one person could defeat ten thousand, strength was what mattered.


    Emotional attachments all came second.


    Of course, some still acted on their emotions, as humans were emotional beings regardless of the world.


    But most of them ended up with tragic ends.


    The so-called tribulation they faced when becoming immortal was one they found themselves in because of breaking through.


    They needed to destroy and reconstruct their bodies using elemental qi.


    This allowed them to become immortal.


    The path after this was still unknown; some said the secret lay in cultivating the soul, but the method for doing so was also unclear.


    Mingyue only knew a low technique for soul cultivation, one that allowed the use of qi to permeate their soul and strengthen it.


    "Just what is this qi? Is it similar to mana?" Alex mumbled.


    "If this is some type of different energy, it''s going to be a problem.


    I need to experiment first after getting the qi stone, comparing it to a mana crystal."


    But first, Alex needed to prepare the items to be sent to Mingyue.


    "Vesa, how large an item can you now send?"


    [With my current power, this domain is still small in size, but it should be enough to transfer a small gun and a phone.]


    [Well, if you can use a storage ring, this should make it possible to transfer many items at once.]


    Alex agreed with Vesa.


    If he could use the storage ring, it would indeed boost their growth rapidly, as the quantity of items they could send would increase exponentially.


    He could simply buy a lot of good gear, armor, and weapons and then send it all to Mingyue''s world.


    The image of a bunch of commoners shooting at cultivators with machine guns and bazookas made him laugh.


    "No matter if it''s my world or the cultivation world, whaling is the way, hahaha."


    He then spent the hour selecting the best novels he could think of for Mingyue to read.


    He chose the fun ones filled with comedy, as well as those with silly plots.


    He also loaded the phone with many games and included a few solar power banks to help her charge the phone later on.


    As for weapons, Alex knew he needed his sister''s help to get one.


    It wasn''t something a normal citizen like him could buy at will unless he went to the black market and bought them illegally. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moon now hung in the sky as a silver sports car parked in an underground parking lot.


    Alex got out and then rode the elevator straight up to the highest room, where his sister Emily lived.


    Ding!


    The elevator door opened, revealing a beautiful woman with golden hair sitting on the couch.


    She turned her blue eyes to see Alex, her lips curving into a warm smile.


    "You finally came," she said, her slender finger pointing to the couch.


    Unlike Alex, who resembles their mother, Emily inherits her appearance from their father, Edward.


    Both of them had blue eyes and golden hair.


    Alex slumped down on the couch.


    "Oh yeah, before I forget, I need a weapon.


    One that can be shot with mana energy and the other with normal bullets.


    Make it a handgun model, and don''t forget the ammo."


    Emily raised her eyebrow at Alex''s request but didn''t find it strange.


    Now that he would probably appear more in public, more self-defense tools would be good.


    "Sure, I''ll get it.


    But can you even use them?" Emily asked with a smirk.


    She then continued, "You also need to get a bodyguard, brother.


    Even though your name isn''t on paper, we can''t hide the relationship between us."


    Alex knew his sister was right.


    When they announced the guild establishment, they would quickly become front-page news.


    He needed more safety measures.


    "I will look for some."


    "You should recruit the old guild members who survived, especially Zold.


    He has a lot of potential and is determined to look for his father," Emily suggested.


    "Zold?" Alex asked.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot you''re not familiar with the guild.


    Zold is the son of our father''s right-hand man, Silva.


    He''s also looking for a way to enter the forbidden area.


    Well, enough about that.


    I''m sure Mom told you to recruit them anyway, right?


    I''ll give you some information about them later."


    Emily leaned forward, her eyes becoming serious.


    "Now, tell me about this new power system of yours."


    "Before that, Emily, did any other power systems ever emerge before?"

 Chapter 18 - 18: Dark Zone

    Emily laughed.


    "That''s why I said before you should have learned more about the guild and hunters.


    Alex, the world now isn''t just moving with money; there are so many things you don''t know.


    Of course, there are others, like the wizard guild.


    They found a power system that allowed them to enhance their superpowers with mana crystals.


    I also don''t know the details, but the method must be incomplete; otherwise, they wouldn''t bow to the Hunter Association."


    "What do you mean? Bow?"


    "Why else do you think a two-star hunter like me would have this information?


    The entire mage guild has been taken over by the Hunter Association.


    They then gave us some information, hoping to bait hunters who might have more details about it.


    Since there is one power system, why wouldn''t others exist?


    I''m sure there are many, and the higher-ups should know about them.


    This explains why no hunter above three stars is weak, regardless of their superpower rank.


    They probably acquired the power system through some agreement with the association," Emily explained.


    "So that means all three-star hunters are under the Hunter Association, then?


    Doesn''t that mean they won''t be loyal?"


    "Why do you think we need to get a three-star hunter''s approval to open a guild?


    Do you think the association will let organizations of superpowers do as they please?


    The world is chaotic enough.


    I don''t really condone how they do things, brother, but their existence is necessary."


    Alex then sighed.


    "Doesn''t that mean it will be a problem?


    You want a three-star hunter in our guild, but if I introduce this power system to our members, he will become suspicious.


    No matter what, we are not strong enough to butt heads with the Hunter Association."


    "We have no choice over it, you know, but honestly, you really lack understanding of our world''s situation, Alex."


    Emily turned her eyes to the coffee table.


    "Al, show the holographic projection of our current situation now."


    A holographic map of their planet then started appearing, hovering above the coffee table.


    Many areas were marked red, and more than half of it was black.


    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "What the hell?


    Emily, this kind of technology exists now?


    Why didn''t you tell me then?"


    Emily laughed.


    "Because I knew you''re such a tech nerd and would want one.


    This is part of the perks of being a hunter.


    Look, Alex, almost 25% of the world is now marked red, which means those areas are uninhabitable."


    Her finger then pointed to the middle of the red area, her eyes turning solemn.


    "You see there, the area where we used to live?


    Some people living in peaceful areas like here think the world is stable now.


    In fact, the situation is worsening, Alex.


    The Category Five dungeon was only the first.


    It then started appearing in the surrounding area and quickly devoured many locations.


    As you can see, it''s now over a quarter of our planet."


    "Rather than that, Emily, what is the dark zone?


    It covers more than half."


    He then tilted his head, gazing in detail at the holographic globe.


    "Isn''t this bigger than the normal one?


    I''m sure this is not our planet, Ainode."


    The size was twice as big as the map Alex used to know.


    "As I said, you don''t know too many things, Alex.


    You''re living in a bubble.


    The black zone is a new area.


    Since the Category Five dungeons started appearing, this planet began expanding, and I don''t have more information about that.


    I''m sure whatever it is, it''s worse.


    You need to understand, Alex, that we, humanity as a whole, are in danger now.


    Hiding the power system is stupid.


    Instead, we should just go ahead and make a deal with the association and benefit from it."


    Alex pondered for a moment.


    "Won''t they just take us over like the mage guild, as you mentioned before?


    You say it''s stupid, but they still hide the information from the public."


    "What happens if they release it?


    Panic?


    There is a reason they only divulge it to three-star hunters, Alex.


    Don''t you see those Dark Hunters?


    They are a menace to society.


    As for the takeover, that depends on our information.


    As I said, their power system is incomplete, and they need the association more to help them complete it."


    Alex then started telling her about the cultivation techniques, starting from the Foundation Stage and going all the way to the Immortal Stage.


    This made Emily look at her brother weirdly.


    "Alex, that is very complete.


    Where the hell did you get it from?


    And what''s this about becoming immortal?


    You''re not kidding me, right?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You think I would joke about this?


    I already got money from Mom to establish the whole thing.


    I also called you for it.


    What more proof do you need?"


    Emily knew this but still couldn''t believe it.


    How did her introverted brother get such information?


    She knew he spent all his time at home.


    She gazed sharply at him.


    "Can''t you tell me where it comes from?


    You''re not involved in something shady, are you?"


    Alex sighed. "Where did my little sister, who always followed me around and believed in me, go?


    Is she still there?


    Can''t you just believe me on this?


    It''s not something that I can explain right now.


    You will just get more questions than answers."


    Memories of their childhood started resurfacing in her mind.


    Emily used to be a gentle, innocent girl who only followed her brother around.


    "That kind of person wouldn''t survive in this world, brother.


    If I had just focused on training my abilities instead, maybe Father would still..."


    Seeing his sister filled with guilt, Alex shook his head.


    "Forget it. Will the association force me to reveal the background of where I got it?"


    Emily knew her brother wanted to change the conversation, as they had the same discussion many times before.


    She always felt guilty.


    Compared to Alex, her superpower was perfectly suited for combat.

 Chapter 19 - 19: Self Blame

    Emily could give form to light, turning it into a deadly weapon.


    In the past, she had never trained in her ability, resulting in a lack of control over it.


    This made every one of her attacks a burst of power that left her tired and weak afterward.


    And on that day, she had used it repeatedly until she fainted.


    When she woke up, everything had already been too late.


    "You don''t need to change the topic; I know this is my fault."


    Alex frowned at her words.


    "I love you, Emily, but you know this attitude of yours always annoys me. Enough with the self-blame.


    If you want to find fault, we can find it in everyone involved, but it''s useless.


    Does that really matter?


    Even if we know whose fault it really is, will it change the past? So stop it already."


    Alex had tried many ways to comfort his sister, from talking to her gently, patting her head, and listening to all her complaints, but in the end, he realized it would never stop, except by some miracle if their father returned.


    Emily''s lips sealed shut, her eyes turning teary for a short moment, but she blinked them away and took a few breaths to calm herself.


    Alex shook his head; even as a two-star hunter, his sister was always like this.


    He worried about what might happen if one day she fell in love with a bad man and got all emotional about it.


    ''Well, that''s not my business.


    It''s her life.


    She''s not a kid anymore.


    Worse comes to worse, I will just remove the man,'' Alex dismissed the thought.


    "So, have you calmed down? Can you answer me now?"


    "With such a comprehensive system, if we can provide proof, like a few people who succeeded in cultivation, I am sure we can negotiate not to disclose the information.


    The possibility of making everyone an awakener is just too significant for them to miss out."


    "Alright, make the guild then, Emily, and if you need anything, just let me know."


    He then gazed at his sister deeply.


    "Don''t push yourself, okay?


    I am worried about you.


    I don''t want another person to disappear from the family.


    And if possible, meet up with Mom and makeup already.


    Both of you are so helpless. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You know why she so adamantly rejects the idea, but it''s been five years.


    Just don''t talk about anything about hunters and guilds when you meet her."


    Emily turned silent; she also wanted to make up with her mom, but she knew how it would turn out.


    "You know what Mom will say.


    It''s not like I am the one who brought up the topic with her."


    "I will talk with her too; just don''t be so hardheaded.


    Honestly, you take after Mom more; both of you are just so adamant when you''ve decided on something."


    "Hmph, you talk like you''re not like that, brother," Emily said with a pout.


    In her eyes, Alex was even worse in that aspect; when he found a goal, he would stop at nothing to achieve it, although it rarely happened.


    "At the very least, I am not adamant about something that is useless.


    Both of you know acting like this will just hurt each other, but you keep doing it.


    Well, forget it.


    When do you think you can give me the weapon?"


    "I can get it tomorrow, bro, or if you really need it now, I have some with me here."


    Alex shook his head, knowing his sister had probably offered the gun she was currently using.


    "No need, just give me a new one tomorrow, not the one you use.


    Then make a meeting with the three-star hunter; I will meet them directly."


    At first, he had wanted to let Emily handle the hunter''s association entirely, but after hearing about so many things happening in the world, he felt the need to meet them directly and confirm the hunter''s intentions.


    "Sure, bro, then I also want to meet the woman who made you do all this," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "You can''t meet her, Emily."


    "Eh, why?


    Does she have a poor background?


    Are you afraid I will bully her?"


    Alex laughed.


    "No, you just can''t meet her now; she''s in some place far away."


    "Far away?


    How far?


    We can just ride our jet there."


    Emily''s eyes started narrowing as she felt suspicious.


    "Then how will she become your head scientist?


    Isn''t she that Faerith you talked about?"


    "No.


    I told you my relationship with Faerith is just work.


    I do have someone I like now, and she is one of the reasons I do this.


    But you really can''t meet her now, Emily."


    "Who is she?


    What does she look like?"


    Emily felt really curious, as she had never known her brother''s type.


    Even after graduation, she knew their mom had tried to arrange some girls for Alex, but no matter how beautiful, gentle, and nice the women were, Alex had rejected them all.


    For Alex, the reason for this was that all the women didn''t look at him.


    He knew they were looking at his family background and wealth.


    And that was not what he wanted in his love life.


    "Mingyue.


    She has amber eyes, with long black hair."


    Alex continued detailing her appearance, making Emily chuckle.


    She could see that Alex was really smitten by the woman.


    "So where does she live?"


    Alex thought about it and then answered, "As I said, somewhere far.


    I really don''t want to lie to you, Emily.


    Just be patient.


    One day, I will bring her to meet you and Mom."


    Emily thought about it.


    In the end, she decided to give up.


    Emily was sure Alex wouldn''t be so foolish as to get scammed, but it made her even more curious.


    ''Then why did he build all this?


    How is it related to the woman then?


    Just what is his goal now?


    I don''t believe it''s for the family.''


    She tried to ask this question, but Alex shrugged it off again.

 Chapter 20 - 20: Brainless Young Master

    The only way Alex could tell her was if he explained everything about the system and the cultivation world.


    Emily then threw more questions about Mingyue at him, most of which Alex skipped over since he didn''t know much about her yet.


    As the questions became more personal, Alex changed the topic.


    "How about you? How is your life after becoming a hunter?"


    "Me? Nothing special, I just spend every day on mission after mission," Emily answered.


    Alex frown.


    "If that''s true, then why are you still ranked two? What really makes it hard?"


    "Because I can only enter low-level dungeons; Mom is pulling the strings behind my back.


    So I can only grind with missions that give low contribution points," Emily said with a sigh.


    "No wonder. Well, don''t get me wrong, but I''m glad Mom does that.


    You know the casualty rate in those kinds of dungeons, right?"


    Emily''s face turned to a pout, as she feel wronged. "Even you! Why does no one support me in this?"


    "It''s not that I don''t want to support you, Emily. But the reason you''re doing this isn''t because of your dream but as a vent.


    What if something happened to you too?


    What would happen to me and Mom? Do you think we can take another loss?"


    Emily''s voice became weak. "But then, who will look for Dad?"


    "You do know we''ve spent a lot of money putting up requests, right? And a four-star hunter already took the mission."


    "But it''s been years and no news at all, Alex!"


    "You are a hunter yourself; you should understand this more than me.


    A veteran hunter still gives us no result. What can you do by yourself, Sis?"


    Alex only knew his mother had spent a lot of their family fortune posting missions to look for their father, and it was taken by a four-star hunter.


    But he had never heard the follow-up on it.


    Now that he knew about the red and dark zones, Alex speculated that the difficulty of the mission should reach S or even SS rank.


    In his world, dungeons were categorized by numbers¡ªthe bigger, the higher the risk.


    As for superpower talent and missions, they go from F rank to A rank, above which are the usual S tier, SS, SSS.


    A few days passed, and that night, Alex spent catching up with Emily.


    He also started finalizing all the contracts and meeting up with his family''s lawyer, studying all the legalities he needed to follow.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, Mingyue was now disguised as a normal, plain woman.


    She was moving in a carriage to the city where her family resided, Da Ying City.


    In these past few days, she pondered over what Alex had said and finally decided to act as a merchant.


    She had also taken many commoners from the surrounding village and trained them with the instructions she got from Alex. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In her hand now was a smartphone; she had spent a few hours on the road reading a story, and not just any story¡ªit was one of the cultivation novels Alex chose.


    Reading the clich¨¦ plot, Mingyue frowned.


    "Is this man stupid? He comes from a prestigious family, and instead of looking for a woman from the same class, he goes too far for a woman in a rural area.


    Even if she is talented, it doesn''t justify offending other geniuses for it.


    Or did this man have no choice but to do this?


    Is every other woman in this story that ugly?


    How is even a village woman, even as a genius, more beautiful than the daughter of another cultivator?"


    The plot Mingyue read involved a rich young master offending the MC to take over his love interest.


    This didn''t make sense to Mingyue.


    They might look down on commoners, but once they became cultivators, no one would offend them without reason.


    The competition between families and sects was brutal; every single talent was cherished and fought over.


    Based on the story she read, the MC was a genius talent, as was the woman.


    If the young master befriended them, he could easily secure two geniuses under his family''s banner.


    But instead, he offended them both.


    And for what? Lust? Because the woman was beautiful?


    "This kind of brainless person would be killed without mercy in my family.


    He acts like a virgin who''s never seen anyone attractive," Mingyue mumbled.


    The competition among the young generation was also intense; the family didn''t care whether it was a boy or a girl.


    Those who were useless to the family were lucky to get fed. As for those who became a burden, they couldn''t even hope to survive the next day.


    And here, this young master, offending two geniuses to feed his own ego.


    Mingyue shook her head, then put the phone back into her storage ring.


    Then, a sleek gun appeared in her hand. It felt cold in her palm, with a digital number showing 100% on the back of it.


    Vesa had poured the information on how to use it into Mingyue when she received it.


    "To think they can mass-produce artifacts like this. Even making it usable by anyone."


    [Told you, Queen, don''t underestimate the weapons from the King''s world.]


    Mingyue agreed now; she still remembered the result when she discharged all 100% of the charge in one shot.


    She was sure that even with her current cultivation level, she would be gravely wounded with just one hit.


    If many were combined to shoot at once, even a golden core cultivator could be pulverized.


    Mingyue had already imagined one of the scenarios Alex told her: give the gun to a commoner, then shoot the cultivator by surprise.


    Since the beam moved at the speed of light, and the cultivator looked down on them, they would get hit for sure.

 Chapter 21 - 21: The Power of A Flash

    [It''s not just that, Queen.


    If you catch them off guard when they don''t protect their bodies with qi, everyone under the immortal level can be killed.]


    "That is quite a stretch, Vesa. Even I almost always used qi to protect my body. People at higher levels will do it all the time."


    [True, but there are many poisons that can disrupt the qi flow, Queen.]


    "Yes, but it would be hard to make them consume it, Vesa.


    I am not a poison expert, so I cannot make one that is tasteless without any smell."


    [Gather some samples and give them to the King. I am sure he can provide many solutions to that.]


    Mingyue wanted to ask what Alex would do with it, but then the chariot stopped.


    A knock came from the window with a solemn voice.


    "Lady Mingyue, we have arrived at Dai Ying City, but there is a problem; the city is locked down now."


    Hearing this, Mingyue frowned.


    She stepped out of the chariot and looked at the long queue in front of the city gate.


    The door was locked shut, with two people standing guard, managing the crowd.


    She then asked her attendant, a man from a humble background, but surprisingly, Mingyue had found him to have some potential to become a cultivator, although it was not to the level of a genius.


    "Zan Lu, what happened?"


    "I heard one of the family heirs had an accident in the secret realm, so they decided to close the city gate."


    Hearing this, Mingyue frowned.


    It didn''t make sense to shut down the city just because someone had an accident or even died.


    If anything, they would have held a big funeral, placing many strong cultivators and young geniuses in front, showcasing the family''s power to ensure no one had any ideas.


    Even though Mingyue was the most talented one, it didn''t mean there were no other potential geniuses in the family.


    The last time she heard, she had a new nephew rumored to have high potential like hers.


    But they could only confirm his talent as he grew older.


    She then sent a telepathic message, ordering Zan Lu to do something.


    This made him hesitate, but he had no choice over it. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He walked to the guard at the gate.


    "My Miss wants to go in. Can you open the gate?"


    Seeing a commoner dare to ask them this, the guard''s anger quickly rose.


    "Who do you think you are!?


    Don''t you see everyone else also waiting here?


    If you want trouble, I can give you some."


    The guard started unsheathing her sword and pointed it at Zan Lu.


    Fear started gripping Zan Lu''s heart, but Mingyue''s order was absolute.


    He then started acting despite having a cold sweat.


    He put on a strong front, moved closer, and slapped the guard in the face, "Do you know who my Miss is? Can you take responsibility?"


    The guard was surprised by Zan Lu''s sudden movement.


    He was sure Zan Lu was not a cultivator, but his movements were not like those of a commoner at all.


    Still, this didn''t deter the guard.


    If anything, his rage boiled over, flushing his face red, but it only lasted for a moment.


    Zan Lu executed the next order from Mingyue.


    He took out a shiny object that looked like a metal box, pointed it at the guard, and pressed the button.


    FLASH!


    A bright light appeared, surprising everyone at the gate.


    It wasn''t just the light, but those with some cultivation could feel there was no qi at all.


    This only meant that the one doing this had a cultivation level far above them.


    A glossy paper then came out from the object.


    Zan Lu took it and showed it to the guard.


    The paper showed the guard''s face with such clarity and detail, one they had never seen before.


    "My Miss comes from a faraway country and wants to offer some artifacts for the Xueqi family.


    If we cannot enter, we will just leave now and offer it to another family.


    As for you, guard, your soul has already been recorded now.


    Remember, your life is in our hands; we can squish it anytime we want."


    The guard quickly fell to his knees.


    "I am sorry, I am just following my orders, master. Please forgive me."


    Being called master by a cultivator stronger than him made Zan Lu feel proud.


    He had just started cultivation and was barely in the early foundation stage, just enough to allow him to use a storage ring.


    But the guard in front of him, at least, would have had cultivation at the late foundation stage or even core formation.


    The only reason he worked as a guard was that he had already exhausted his potential.


    Mingyue sat back in the carriage and let out a chuckle.


    She already felt a familiar presence coming to the gate.


    Creak... the gate then pushed open, and a young cultivator with a handsome face and prestigious aura came out from it.


    Jian Feng Xueqi, Mingyue''s uncle.


    ''So old but still so pretentious, as usual.''


    She then sent another order to Zan Lu.


    FLASH!!!


    The camera flashed again, this time taking a picture of Jian Feng.


    The handsome face was quickly covered with cold sweat, and his expression turned ugly.


    He had heard what they talked about before, and even with their close distance, he couldn''t feel any qi.


    Jian Feng felt the urge to attack the man, but suddenly, he felt a killing intent coming from inside the chariot.


    He then bowed his body in respect.


    "I am sorry for our bad reception, Elder, but you come at a bad time."


    A melodious voice came from inside the chariot.


    "Don''t worry, just open the gate. We can talk business then."


    Inside, Mingyue was trying her best to hold her laughter.


    The killing intent Jian Feng felt was not coming from her but from the soul that Vesa had captured.


    "Isn''t he your uncle? I don''t get why you want me to do this," a feminine voice came from inside her mind.

 Chapter 22 - 22: Soul Attack

    After being thoroughly ''disciplined'' by Vesa, Feng Xue became docile and tried her best to help Mingyue.


    This wasn''t just because of the horror she had experienced but also due to the promise that they would give her a body to use.


    "Hmph, uncle, what uncle?


    He always made my life hard on purpose because he was jealous of my talent, always finding fault in anything.


    And then he used the elder card.


    A hateful person.


    I am sure if my family really plots against me, he is one of the masterminds."


    "Why would they plot against their own?


    If you can''t trust your own family, who can you trust then?"


    [Don''t worry about it.


    The Queen has me and the king.


    Feng Xue, you just need to worry about your task.]


    Mingyue ignored their remarks and instead asked,


    "Vesa, can you show me Jian Feng''s status?


    Or do I need to see him directly?"


    Vesa didn''t answer; instead, it directly showed the status in front of Mingyue.


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    Power Level: 8.5


    Life force: 105/210


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Late Level


    [The target is frustrated and feels afraid of his situation.


    Has hostile intentions.]


    _______________________________


    Mingyue wasn''t surprised by the information.


    "Vesa, can you make a similar map to the one in the secret realm?"


    [If it''s only for the area, then it''s possible, but I think the Queen wants a map to see the location of all cultivators in the area?]


    "Yes, is it possible?"


    [For now, no, but if the Queen is curious, I can try to detect the strongest cultivator in your family.]


    Mingyue told Vesa to do it; she had always been curious about who the strongest in her family was.


    She knew the patriarch should be at the Nascent Soul stage, but they should have had an ancestor figure secretly protecting the family.


    After a moment, Vesa''s message appeared in front of Mingyue.


    [The strongest I could sense is at the Nascent Soul stage, Queen, but I can sense a strong formation in the area ahead.


    If you can get close, I can break it.]


    "Is it near the center area?


    That should be our family treasury."


    [No, I could sense a formation there, too, Queen, but it''s not as strong.]


    [The one I mean is in the northeast area of the city.]


    Mingyue knew that area; it was the ancestor''s grave.


    Every year, the family would gather there to pay respects.


    But she had never gone deep inside since the area was banned except for the patriarch.


    "Forget it.


    Maybe I will check it later."


    Her eyes then glinted with mischief.


    She gave some orders to Zan Lu and made Feng Xue threaten her uncle again.


    Outside the carriage, Zan Lu walked close, approaching Jian Feng.


    He took out the photo from before and showed it to Jian Feng.


    Zan Lu then crumpled the paper, and at the same time, Jian Feng could feel his soul being crushed. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This quickly made him panic.


    "What... What do you want to do?"


    Zan Lu smiled,


    "You? Know your place.


    I may just be an attendant, but a weakling like you has no place to talk to me like that.


    Or do you want me to burn this paper?"


    His other hand took out a match, and he ignited it.


    Jian Feng could feel qi but only for a moment, making him even more certain these people were not just normal cultivators.


    He even had suspicions they were from some ancient family; normally, as long as the flame was ignited, he should have been able to feel the qi being consumed continuously.


    Seeing Zan Lu start moving the ember closer to his photo, Jian Feng could feel his soul starting to feel the heat.


    Feeling the danger, he quickly bowed and asked for forgiveness.


    Inside the carriage, Mingyue was laughing to herself.


    "I can only do soul attacks three times a day, and you really spent it to prank your uncle?"


    Feng Xue complained.


    "It''s worth it.


    You don''t know how much I suffered under him when I lived here.


    And it''s not only for a prank."


    Outside, Zan Lu''s eyes began to fill with pride, this time not acting but real.


    How could he not?


    The arrogant cultivator from a prominent family was now acting so servile in front of him, a commoner.


    ''I knew following Lady Mingyue was the right choice.''


    Looking down at Jian Feng, he then said,


    "I can return this to you.


    Even better, I can give you this artifact.


    Are you interested?"


    In the Xueqi Family, Jian Feng had a low position; he wasn''t that talented.


    Even his son was good for nothing, just spending his days lazing around at home.


    Looking at the artifact, greed started festering in his heart.


    If he had it, he was sure he could secure a better place in the family and more resources to cultivate his newborn granddaughter.


    He had spread rumors on purpose that his granddaughter was talented when she was born.


    He wasn''t lying; he saw the phenomenon that happened at her birth, but because his family was the only witness, the patriarch and others didn''t trust him.


    They preferred to wait until her talent could be confirmed.


    "Of course, Sir, what can I do for you?"


    "It''s nothing hard; tell me what happened.


    I heard rumors outside saying one of the family heirs had an accident.


    But why is there a need to close the whole city?"


    Jian Feng''s eyes turned sharp.


    "I am sorry, sir, but I can only tell you this much: our family is grieving, and some bastard took the opportunity to steal an important artifact, so we closed down the whole city."


    Zan Lu received another instruction from Mingyue and continued asking.


    "I have no ulterior motive; we are just merchants selling some of our artifacts.


    I just want to know if your family can purchase our item.


    If it has internal strife, it will just become a problem for our miss."

 Chapter 23 - 23: Jian Feng

    "Don''t worry, sir, it''s not internal strife.


    Sometimes, we just have greedy people who bite the hand that feeds them.


    We can still provide you with accommodation."


    "Can you tell me what the family is grieving about?


    Maybe we have something suitable for the occasion we can offer."


    "You jest, sir unless you have an artifact to recover a scattered soul, then you cannot do anything.


    This one is no big secret, so I can tell you: my sister''s daughter, my niece, had an accident in the secret realm."


    Jian Feng proceeded to explain what happened as Mingyue felt confused, observing his information from the carriage.


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    ...


    [The target is ashamed, sad, angry, and pained.


    Has hostile intentions.]


    _______________________________


    ''Why does he feel angry and sad?


    I was sure he hated me,'' Mingyue thought.


    [Queen, he still has hostile intentions.]


    "He is probably thinking of bringing us someplace else and trying to hide it from the patriarch; that still counts as hostile intention.


    I know his personality," Mingyue continued in her mind, ''although I thought he would be happy with my demise.''


    Memories of her childhood appeared in her mind; her father had always been cold to her, and her mother was always busy cultivating.


    The ones who interacted with her the most were her little brother and her uncle''s family.


    But it wasn''t a good interaction for Mingyue.


    Her little brother always pranked and debated with her, and her uncle constantly complained, telling her that anything she did was never good enough.


    Mingyue had always thought this was because her uncle was jealous of her talent, but it seemed that wasn''t the case.


    There was no way her uncle could trick Vesa.


    Zan Lu then received another instruction from Mingyue, which made him frown for a bit, but he still said it.


    "I heard the rumor, so it''s Mingyue from the Blue Lotus Sect; a lot of people are saying she has a bad personality, only thinking about herself.


    She even rejected the marriage alliance, making the family suffer a huge loss."


    Jian Feng clenched his fist but forced himself to smile.


    "No, sir, that is just a rumor.


    It''s just some people becoming impatient because of their greed."


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    ...


    [The target''s anger is rising.]


    _______________________________


    "So, that is wrong?"


    "Yes, the family broke up the marriage alliance after having a discussion amongst ourselves.


    It''s not Mingyue''s fault.


    If anything, it''s that useless bastard''s fault."


    "Useless bastard?"


    "I apologize, I misspoke.


    Let''s talk more in the inn.


    I am sure you are tired from the journey."


    "Inn?


    I thought you would show us the way to your family home."


    "The inn is a better place to rest, sir.


    The situation at my place is tense now, but don''t worry, I will convey everything we talk about to the patriarch."


    The carriage quickly arrived at a large inn, with Mingyue now sitting in the VIP eating area and Zan Lu standing behind her.


    Jian Feng sat opposite her.


    He wanted to ask but didn''t dare to say anything.


    He still remembered the pressure coming from inside the carriage.


    Mingyue looked at her uncle, feeling conflicted; she still couldn''t accept that the man was feeling sad about her.


    Family love?


    Such a thing didn''t exist in the Xueqi family.


    She then took out her own photo from the storage ring and placed it on the table.


    "She is still alive and in my hands now.


    What will you do for her?" Mingyue asked in a cold tone.


    Throughout all this, the others from the Xueqi family didn''t realize Mingyue''s arrival.


    Jian Feng made sure the guards stayed silent so no one would report it.


    And since there were no significant qi fluctuations, no one noticed.


    Seeing the photo, Jian Feng''s expression quickly changed.


    He believed Mingyue since, in his mind, there was no reason for her to lie to him.


    ______________________________


    Name: Jian Feng Xueqi


    ...


    [Hostile intention disappears, and the target is filled with hope.]


    _______________________________


    "But how¡­ the tablet clearly showed..."


    His voice cracked, but then he shook his head.


    Jian Feng didn''t feel it was important as long as Mingyue survived.


    He stood up from his chair and kneeled on the ground, putting his head on the floor.


    Mingyue didn''t find it funny anymore; she felt angry.


    She felt the urge to raise her tone and ask him why he did this, but she knew it wasn''t the time for that.


    First, she needed to find out what really happened.


    What artifact was stolen?


    What did her uncle mean by saying a dog that bites the hand helps them?


    And more importantly, why did he treat her like that in the past if he really cared for her?


    [The target is resigned to his fate.]


    Mingyue''s heart clenched, but she still put on a cold expression.


    "I will do anything as long as you don''t hurt my family," Jian Feng said.


    "Your family?


    Who do you mean by that, the whole Xueqi family?"


    "My wife, my son''s family, Mingyue, and her little brother.


    As for the rest, I don''t care.


    All of them are heartless."


    "Heartless? S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even your own sister?


    Isn''t she Mingyue''s mother?"


    Jian Feng assumed the woman in front of him knew all these things from Mingyue, so he didn''t find it strange.


    "Sister?


    I used to dote on her, but she''s crazy now.


    She''ll do anything for cultivation.


    Even sell her own daughter, and the patriarch doesn''t even care about it."


    Mingyue wanted to ask him to explain further, but seeing the man on the floor pained her heart.


    "Sit back at the table."


    Jian Feng didn''t dare to dally and quickly returned to sit back at the table.


    "Explain in detail what you mean by that."


    Jian Feng sighed and continued.


    "You should have heard everything from Mingyue, right?


    You know her mother is suffering from poison.


    She used to be the brightest talent in our family, but after some incident outside, she got poisoned."

 Chapter 24 - 24: Painful Truth

    Mingyue nodded, aware of the situation.


    It was IceFlame poison, a venom that caused its victims to experience both burning and freezing pain simultaneously.


    Her mother had been cultivating nonstop to suppress the poison for as long as Mingyue could remember.


    However, this did nothing to cure her; the poison was merely suppressed, trapping her mother in a vicious cycle.


    She had to continue cultivating and absorbing qi, but the qi didn''t advance her realm.


    It only suppressed the poison.


    "A few months ago, the Hua family offered a 50,000-year-old ginseng.


    As you know, natural treasures like that are very rare.


    This ginseng could significantly boost someone''s life force and possibly give a chance to cure the poison.


    In return, they wanted the family to turn a blind eye to the competition between Mingyue and Linghua."


    [The target''s anger is intensifying, mixed with pain and helplessness.]


    Mingyue felt as if her heart were being pierced.


    She could easily guess the rest.


    The patriarch thought that if Mingyue failed to survive, it would be due to her own weakness.


    She knew how the patriarch thought¡ªa sheltered flower could never outlast one that grew in the wild.


    The family needed a trailblazer, someone who could open a new path, not a spoiled prodigy.


    But what hurt Mingyue the most was that the cure was just one possibility, not even guaranteed.


    Mingyue couldn''t fathom her mother''s heartlessness.


    She even wondered if she was adopted, but then she remembered her little brother was treated the same.


    At this point, Mingyue just wanted to leave and find a place to calm herself down, but she didn''t want to arouse her uncle''s suspicion.


    "You seem to care a lot about Mingyue.


    Didn''t she hate you?"


    Jian Feng wanted to ask about Mingyue''s current situation but believed she mustn''t be in great danger; otherwise, why would this woman come here?


    "That''s good, I hope she hates me.


    She is a diamond, a brilliant genius, even better than her mother.


    I hope she escapes and leaves this family to pursue her own happiness," Jian Feng said with a sad smile, his gaze fixed on the table, not daring to meet Mingyue''s eyes.


    If he had, he would have realized that despite her cold expression, Mingyue''s breath was heavy, her chest heaving up and down.


    She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotional turmoil.


    Zan Lu, who had been standing guard all this time, could piece together the story to some extent.


    ''So this is what it''s like inside a prominent family.


    What a rotten family.''


    He had always looked up to them, thinking how fortunate those born into such families were.


    They possessed great talent, had no worries about money, and could easily embark on the path of a cultivator, but at what cost?


    The family''s cruelty made Zan Lu feel fortunate to be born a commoner.


    What use is a long life or immortality if there''s nothing to return to?


    A million years of solitude versus a hundred years with his wife, Zan Lu could instantly answer without hesitation.


    Even now, what motivated him most was how he could make his wife happy in the secret realm and how he could provide her with a better life by following Mingyue.


    Overwhelmed by emotion, Jian Feng continued his story.


    "Mingyue is like my own daughter to me.


    She probably doesn''t remember, but since she was born, I was the one taking care of her, and the same goes for Minghao.


    I bet she has forgotten all about it."


    Mingyue was still not fully convinced by Jian Feng''s explanation.


    She could barely think straight; if it weren''t for the fact that she was acting, she would have already blown up.


    ''Why didn''t he tell her anything?


    Why didn''t he warn her?'' But she knew the answer to this; since the patriarch agreed, he probably did something about it.


    As for the other family members, who would take the risk of fighting the patriarch for her?


    She knew the answer: none.


    "What about the artifact?


    Who stole it?"


    Jian Feng let out a dry laugh.


    "Who else?


    After my sister got the ginseng, the effect was even better than expected.


    She didn''t just get cured; she broke through to the Golden Core stage.


    It''s not the artifact that was stolen; she took her life tablet and left the family for good, moving elsewhere.


    This made the patriarch angry, and he locked down the city.


    He wants to find out every spy from different families or sects.


    He''s worried it''s part of the Hua family''s plan, and they will come to attack us since Qingying knows many secrets about our family."


    ''Mom left the family?'' Mingyue couldn''t believe it.


    ''Then what happened with Dad and Minghao?'' she thought.


    Before she could ask, Jian Feng had already provided the answer.


    "Can you believe it? S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After selling her own daughter, she just left like that, implicating her son, too?


    That woman is so heartless.


    Luckily, the family was too busy now debating what to do next, so I brought Minghao to my house.


    But their father wasn''t that lucky; the patriarch killed him in a fit of anger."


    "Zan Lu, go with him and do as planned," Mingyue said in a cold voice.


    But deep inside, her emotions had already become a raging wave that could burst at any moment.


    Jian Feng raised his eyebrows in confusion, as the woman hadn''t gotten to any point yet.


    What happened to Mingyue?


    What did she want by coming here?


    Zan Lu swiftly moved and escorted Jian Feng out.


    In reality, he didn''t even know what Mingyue had planned.


    He only knew the lady wanted to be alone now.


    On his own initiative, he then asked Jian Feng to show him around the city, hoping Mingyue would give him instructions before they were done.


    Left alone in the room, Mingyue''s gaze turned somber, her eyes losing focus as many memories surfaced in her mind.


    "Poor child..." Feng Xue mumbled.


    "I don''t need your sympathy..." Mingyue said, her voice cracking.


    She stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the twilight sky where the sun was setting.


    Her beautiful amber eyes turned sharp as tears rolled down, painting her cheeks wet.

 Chapter 25 - 25: Storage Cube

    In her mental space, Feng Xue spoke to Vesa, "Don''t you need to comfort her?"


    Vesa chuckled, "You think everyone can be chosen by the progenitor''s blood?


    We chose her as our Queen; there is a reason for it.


    She won''t fumble with just this.


    It''s just a small pebble on her long winding road."


    Compared to Mingyue, Alex was now having the best day of his life.


    He laughed loudly as his experiment showed results.


    Faerith, standing by his side, looked dumbfounded at the object in his hand.


    After Alex exchanged objects with Mingyue, he began experimenting with qi, mana crystals, and artifacts from her world.


    From the experiment, he discovered that qi and mana were similar types of energy, the only difference being that qi was denser and wilder, while mana was milder.


    This meant that if they used a cultivation system with mana, the body''s requirements would drop drastically, in theory.


    However, he hadn''t tried this yet since he needed a test subject.


    What he did do was try to switch the energy source and see the result.


    The weapon from his world, like the gun Mingyue used, inflicted more damage when using qi as its fuel source, but it damaged the weapon, allowing only limited use of it.


    The only exception was when someone like Mingyue used it. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since she was a cultivator, she could control her qi, making it milder before putting it into the weapon''s charge.


    He then tried using a mana crystal to activate the storage ring.


    At first, the progress was slow since the formation required the user to inject their qi, so Alex needed to create an interface to inject mana from the crystal into the formation.


    He had to learn the formation from scratch, but it didn''t take too long for Alex.


    With his abilities and help from Vesa translating some functions he didn''t know, everything went smoothly.


    "This is just like how a circuit board works; the only difference is they use qi, inject it into a specific material, and mold it to produce the result they want."


    In Alex''s world, a circuit board works as an electrical circuit that can only produce two outcomes: on or off.


    Through this, people then layered them above one another, creating a complicated logic that allowed them to create computers and many other smart devices.


    But with formations like this, the possibilities became endless.


    Even the latest research in his world on quantum computers could only produce three different results, but the cultivators'' formations could produce an infinite number of outcomes.


    "No wonder every cultivator has their own array inheritance; the way they create formations is fundamentally different.


    It depends on what kind of pattern of outcomes they capitalize on."


    Alex then called Faerith to create software and hardware based on the ideas he had in mind.


    The result was now the object in his hand, looking like a cube the size of a 3x3 Rubik''s cube with a small screen on it.


    The use was very simple: they could just point it at an object and place it in the storage space.


    The screen then showed the content, storage capacity, and current charge.


    In case the mana charge ran out, the cube would have 72 hours to recharge, or everything inside would be destroyed.


    This was a step down compared to the storage ring from Mingyue''s world, but Alex felt satisfied with the result.


    He knew the potential of a product like this; he could dominate the market.


    A dimensional storage that could be charged with a mana crystal at an affordable price.


    The model he held also had a good storage size for a 10x10 cubic meter area.


    "Based on the data I read, the real storage ring makes every item imperishable.


    I am sure we can also add this feature to the storage cube.


    But how did you get this technology?" Faerith asked.


    Alex then threw the cube toward Faerith, who caught it with surprise, almost stumbling in the process.


    He had reasons for not including those features; he didn''t want the cube to be capable of holding living beings, only inanimate objects.


    The only reason Mingyue''s storage ring couldn''t hold living beings was because there was no oxygen inside; it was a vacuum.


    But no cultivator understood what oxygen was.


    Instead, they made a crazier invention: a small world in a pocket, but Mingyue told Alex only immortals had those.


    But this was no problem for Alex.


    They could easily put an oxygen tank and fill the storage space with it.


    Adding some artificial gravity and manipulating the pressure inside to make it habitable.


    This would make the cube require more energy.


    But there would be many problems if he released a product like this; people would use it for illegal purposes, such as kidnapping people and bringing monsters from dungeons into the real world.


    "That is why I hired you.


    I don''t want questions like that.


    Your job now is to optimize this and also make a smaller version that people can use as a smartwatch, phone, or just accessories like jewelry.


    Don''t forget to put some biometric security on it, too."


    Alex knew he needed a plan before releasing this kind of product on the market, but he was still not satisfied; his mind churned to make something more ambitious.


    "Vesa, since dungeons work the same as secret realms, can you take over one too?


    Like what you did for Mingyue?"


    Alex communicated telepathically with Vesa.


    [As I said before, based on the current King''s knowledge, a dungeon is just another world.


    So this is not possible, but I need you to enter the dungeon first to make sure.


    As for secret realms, they are artificially created by cultivators using formations, and you should know they rarely put countermeasures in case someone tries to hack the array with sophisticated methods from your world since they don''t have a concept like this.


    The fundamentally different way of utilizing formations is already enough for them.]

 Chapter 26 - 26: Alexs Idea

    Alex knew Vesa was right.


    Even for students of the same method, in a world without an advanced education system, learning how to create formations was very hard.


    Most would just give up and instead focus on cultivation.


    The nature of qi was also one of the big reasons; it was more volatile and hard to control compared to mana.


    ''That means I need to find a way to enter the dungeon without Mom knowing,'' he thought.


    He knew his mom, Luca, wouldn''t allow it.


    ''Well, I''ll think about it later. For now, I should focus more on this cube.''


    Alex turned his gaze back to the cube''s design.


    One of the problems he would face in mass-producing it was the material; he still needed qi crystals to create the core.


    Alex then reached out to Mingyue, "Mingyue, are you busy?


    How is the progress on your side?


    I need your help to get a constant supply of qi crystals."


    Alex asked this since they had already agreed to create their own faction in both worlds, which was also why Mingyue had started recruiting many villagers, placing them in her secret realm.


    Hearing no answer from Mingyue made Alex frown; he wondered if something had happened.


    After a few moments, Mingyue finally replied, "Sorry, I was preoccupied with something else.


    What did you say before?"


    Hearing her cracking soft voice, Alex knew something was wrong.


    "What happened, Mingyue?


    Are you sick?"


    "Don''t joke around, Alex.


    I''m not in a good mood.


    A cultivator getting sick?


    You should know better... What do you want?"


    Alex chuckled, "How about this: you tell me your problem, then I''ll tell you what I want."


    Mingyue frowned.


    At this point, she was already used to Alex''s antics.


    With a sigh, she replied, "You were the one who contacted me first; just tell me. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Honestly, are you doing this on purpose to annoy me?"


    She then heard Alex''s laughing voice in her mind, making her shake her head.


    "I''m asking about the progress on your side.


    How is the sect going?


    Have you been able to carve out your own territory yet?


    I need a steady supply of qi crystals."


    Alex then explained the new device he had created and also discussed how the company had progressed.


    Over the past few days, Alex had surveyed the building and recruited everyone living there.


    He also started renovating part of it.


    Alex wanted to make both the research center and guild in the same place.


    When the old members of Suzaku heard Alex mention a guild, they quickly bombarded him with questions and expressed their intention to join.


    They also requested that Alex name the guild Suzaku again.


    Alex shrugged it off, telling them it was his sister who would be building the guild; they could go meet up with her.


    Those not suitable to join the guild worked in the laboratory.


    Alex made sure each of them received a decent wage and a suitable position, from security to administrative jobs.


    He knew his father had treated them like family, and they had never betrayed them.


    So he could trust them to work for him.


    Of course, he only entrusted the most sensitive information to Faerith since she had a slave contract with him.


    But Faerith didn''t realize this; she thought she was just signing a normal contract.


    Alex also shared some plans he had for the hunters'' association and his goals after making the storage cube.


    As an avid gamer and novel reader, Alex had the idea of creating something similar to a VR game.


    He wanted to enclose a secret realm inside a storage cube that would work like a server, where people could enter the world using their souls.


    Since the players were not cultivators, Alex could easily control their interaction with the formation.


    With this, he could hit many birds with one stone: he would earn money, have his own game, and look for the right candidates to become their people.


    Alex excitedly explained how they could use a quest system to filter their personalities, see their true nature and talent from their souls, and many other features.


    But his ambition didn''t stop there; he wanted to use the game to link people from both worlds, integrating their cultures step by step.


    Hearing Alex go on and on, painting a future for them, made Mingyue forget what had just happened.


    "You really think too far ahead, Alex.


    There are too many things we need to achieve before we reach there."


    "Well, thinking is free, Mingyue, and it provides us with a path and direction, better than being aimless without anywhere to go.


    What''s the worst that can happen from that?


    Even if it fails, I''ll just need to think of another way to reach it."


    If Emily had heard what Alex just said, she would have laughed her ass off.


    How could her introverted brother, who spent all his days only playing games, talk about path and direction?


    Even their mom worried about Alex''s future.


    But Alex would just reply with a smug face.


    "What do you mean, no goal?


    I play all those games with the goal of building up my reputation as the Whale God.


    As for the novels?


    Of course, I do it because of Mom.


    Mom helps others by doing many charities, and I buy the authors'' chapters so they can pay their bills."


    Luckily, all this didn''t happen; otherwise, Emily would probably have smacked him on the head for that shameless answer.


    Mingyue didn''t know all this; she admired how Alex could have such a positive outlook on life even after losing his father.


    After some deliberation, she decided to tell Alex what had happened; she felt curious about what Alex would do in her position.


    Hearing her long story, Alex didn''t comment or interrupt her; he listened intently, only giving a few sounds to indicate he was listening.


    After she finished, Alex sighed, "If what he says is true, your mom doesn''t deserve to be one, Mingyue.


    But you don''t know how much of it is the truth."

 Chapter 27 - 27: Modifying Cultivation Tecnique

    "I''m not saying your uncle is lying, but considering his low position in the family, how much could he really know about the family''s true secrets?


    I believe everything is not that simple.


    You should see the truth with your own eyes, Mingyue.


    I''m not telling you to forgive them or anything like that.


    But find out the whole picture before you decide anything.


    You have Vesa with you; anyway, I''m sure it''s not hard to discern their true intentions.


    I just wonder, though.


    You say your father was always busy with himself but didn''t have a good cultivation level.


    If that''s true, how could he have married into your family?


    Haven''t you told me many times how important marriage is for cultivators?


    I really don''t believe it.


    Just like you, in her generation, your mom was a genius, too.


    Even if she was poisoned, do you think it makes sense to marry just anyone?


    Also, your brother has good spiritual roots and bloodline, even though they''re not as good as yours.


    Do you think it''s because both of you got lucky?"


    Alex''s question made Mingyue''s mind churn, but she then let out a small laugh.


    "What do you mean?


    He''s not my real father?


    You''ve read too many novels, Alex.


    What''s next?


    My real father comes from a secret cultivation family, and my mom had an affair with him?"


    "You got me, haha.


    Well, you get my point, Mingyue.


    Spend some time calming yourself down, but no need to beat yourself up.


    Just look for the truth with your own eyes.


    Don''t make conclusions before you learn everything."


    "You''re right, yeah, thanks."


    Mingyue felt better after talking with Alex.


    She then ended their talk, wiping the tears from her eyes.


    It only took a moment for Mingyue to return to her usual self.


    She then started giving instructions to Zan Lu.


    Meanwhile, Alex told Feng Xue to continue with the experiment.


    He then left her alone, moving to the training area.


    Sitting cross-legged, he held two crystals in his hand.


    Alex then closed his eyes and started feeling the qi and mana within the crystals. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had learned how they used qi to strengthen their bodies.


    The method Mingyue gave him taught him to use qi by breathing deeply into the lungs, spreading it around the body, and then holding his breath as long as he could.


    Next, he would exhale and take all the qi out.


    This method was quite torturous and painful, as when infused with qi, the body would feel pressure.


    Alex then asked for other samples to compare the methods, and he found out they also had different types of breathing, methods of circulation, and phases for it happening.


    The better the technique was, the higher the efficiency.


    "Mingyue said they don''t have any cultivator doctors there.


    Well, cultivators cannot get sick; the only problems they face are wounds and poison.


    So, an alchemy master is enough.


    No wonder the cultivation method is crude like this; they lack an understanding of human biology," Alex mumbled.


    He was not a doctor, but with Vesa''s assimilation of the ERX chip and his abilities, modifying this cultivation method was not hard for him.


    He made a new phase that strengthened the human body, starting from the base, the weakest parts, from the spine, nerves, veins, lungs, heart, and kidneys, and then to other organs.


    After his foundation was strengthened, he would then proceed to the eyes, flesh, skin, and finally, the brain.


    "Based on the simulation, this should have no problem since mana energy goes first and then moves to qi afterward.


    But I need to make sure of this first.


    If anything happens to my brain..."


    Alex then chuckled, "It''s not funny if I become an idiot."


    He then started, first using mana, circulating it into his spine.


    Alex could feel like a thread of energy was permeating through it, and his cells started greedily absorbing the energy.


    It wasn''t like the transformation he expected, but more like water poured over dry sand.


    It only took a few seconds before the mana crystal turned to dust.


    "Vesa, why is this happening?


    It''s not what I expected."


    [It''s because your body has started transforming into a progenitor, King.]


    [The cultivation method you are trying to use is vastly different.]


    [No cultivator in my knowledge of the Queen''s world messes with the spine or other core organs like nerves before they reach the immortal stage.]


    "That''s not weird; they don''t do it on purpose.


    They have no choice when they try to break through to become immortal.


    But this means the result will be very different for a normal person or other awakeners," Alex mumbled.


    He still felt excited since this meant he could completely skip over the foundation stage as long as he absorbed enough mana and qi into his body.


    "Wait, the reason I have abilities is that my brain mutated, too, the same way others do.


    Then isn''t having an ability the same as having a spiritual root and bloodline?"


    [It''s different, King.


    In your world, the body mutates to use mana, while for bloodline and spiritual root, it transforms into something completely new.]


    [That is why cultivators have a far longer lifespan compared to people in the King''s world.


    But this is just my theory; we need more data to conclude this.]


    "I get what you mean, Vesa, but the core should be similar.


    Forget it.


    It''s still too far away for me; even now, the research on how mana makes someone an awakener is still in huge debate."


    There are many theories that have emerged for this since if they really understood how it happened, this meant they could potentially change everyone into an awakener, but it didn''t guarantee results now.


    There were some ways, but the casualty rate was high, like exposing someone to a high concentration of mana.


    Alex then took out more mana crystals and started absorbing them again.


    Time passed, and after an hour, he sighed, "This is crazy.


    I have spent one thousand mana crystals, and it''s not even half-filled yet.


    Each one is high-grade and easily costs $100,000 each."

 Chapter 28 - 28: Hunger

    He then started a simulation, calculating the total crystals he would need.


    The result almost made him cry.


    Never in his life did Alex feel he lacked money like this.


    In total, he had already spent $100 million on one thousand high-grade mana crystals, and he still needed 9,000 more to complete his foundation stage entirely.


    That meant he needed to spend the entire capital his mother had just given him.


    "No, I need to find my own money.


    If I ask for more, Mom will ask for more details."


    Alex sighed, then mumbled, "What a scam¡­"


    [King, you should check your status first before saying it''s a scam.]


    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 5.3


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 45/1,200


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Early Level


    ______________________________


    Alex raised his eyebrow in surprise.


    "One mana crystal raises my lifeforce capacity by one?"


    [That is correct, but I think this is because you used it on your spine.]


    [On other parts, the result won''t be this significant.


    But it will instead increase your power level drastically.]


    "I see, that makes sense, but doesn''t that mean I can enhance my abilities?"


    But then Alex realized his brain had already been mutated by mana; he doubted he could enhance it even further.


    The only option was using qi, but it was too risky.


    As he pondered his situation, suddenly, his head grew lightheaded, and an intense sensation of hunger began to surge from the depths of his soul.


    [King, your life force is under 10%; you should quickly find someone to drain.]


    "I knew it, it''s a scam!"


    Alex exclaimed as he gnashed his teeth, trying to rein in the hunger.


    So far, Vesa hadn''t told him anything about the use of the life force.


    In Mingyue''s case, Vesa used it to help her cultivation, but for Alex, it was of no use.


    If he had known this beforehand, he would have chosen to enhance another part of his body first.


    He had spent a ton of money only to raise his life force limit and was now thrust into a hungry state.


    Compared to Mingyue, Alex hadn''t absorbed a single life force since he got the system.


    He thought he still had some time to look for a good option since the life force reduction was very slow.


    Alex didn''t know what to do; in the building now, there was only Feng Xue and the family members of the old Suzaku guild filled with elders and kids.


    He knew he couldn''t screw up; if he really went berserk now and attacked all of them, it would cause a huge scene.


    Not only that, but Alex also knew he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself.


    Using all his strength, he quickly took a secret pathway going outside the facility.


    At this point, anyone was fine as long as it wasn''t someone he knew.


    The facility was located some distance away from the city, surrounded by a forest.


    Alex hoped he could find some wild animals and absorb their life force, at least to get enough to fill the ten percent.


    Unfortunately for Alex, it didn''t go as he had hoped.


    Emily had some spare time that day, so she decided to go to the facility to check out the space for the guild and meet up with some old acquaintances.


    On the way to the facility, she saw someone walking in the middle of the forest.


    "That looks like Alex.


    What is he doing out here alone at night?" she mumbled.


    Emily parked the car on the side and then looked in the direction Alex was going.


    She then realized he was moving deeper into the forest.


    This made Emily worry since the area there was not just filled with wild animals; some had already mutated into monsters.


    She got out of the car and started moving.


    Emily''s eyebrow raised as she realized Alex''s speed was not normal.


    "Is this the result of the cultivation he did?"


    Emily then started increasing her pace, catching up to Alex.


    When she could see his back, Emily called out to him in a loud voice, "Brother, where are you going!?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s mind, already half-consumed with hunger, jolted awake at the familiar voice.


    A conflict began brewing within him, torn between his instinct to protect those he loved and his newfound hunger for the progenitor''s blood.


    With the last shred of his sanity, Alex exploded with strength, dashing forward deeper into the forest, creating cracks like a spiderweb in the ground.


    Emily was baffled by his weird reaction; she expected her brother to turn around with his usual smile, ask her what she was doing there, and then act all mysterious when she did the same to him.


    She knitted her eyebrows together, her heart filling with worry.


    Alex could feel Emily moving faster toward him; her high life force was like a burning ember in the middle of the night.


    The feeling of his body salivating over it made him feel disgusted.


    "Emily!


    Don''t follow me!" Alex screamed at the top of his lungs.


    If his mind had been working properly, he would have realized that doing this was stupid; it would have had the opposite effect.


    Emily was already traumatized by their father''s disappearance.


    There was no way she could let Alex go by himself now, even if it cost her life.


    Emily''s body started to glow, turning into light and appearing instantly in front of Alex.


    It was one of her trump cards, which she only used when her life was in danger.


    But seeing Alex''s condition, she didn''t hesitate.


    Her face turned pale, and her body was covered in sweat as her mana reserves almost drained from that one move.


    Looking at Emily in front of him, Alex''s body froze.


    Emily took one step closer; Alex took one step back.


    "Stay away, Emily!"


    "No!


    What happened to you!?" Emily asked with worry.


    She could see Alex''s eyes turning almost red now, with his veins visibly outlined beneath his skin.


    "No¡­ NO¡­ No!!!


    Vesa, do something!!"


    Alex kept trying to step back, but Emily sprinted forward, appearing in front of him, her hand moving closer to hold Alex in place.


    But for Alex, in front of him now was not his sister but a very delicious life energy.


    His hunger took over the next moment; his mind went blank.


    "Bro¡­ Brother!!!!"


    Emily''s scream then reverberated through the forest.

 Chapter 29 - 29: Life force

    Emily could hardly believe her eyes as her own brother choked her, lifting her body off the ground.


    As an experienced hunter with an S-rank ability, Emily should have been able to fight back, but the shock was too much for her.


    Her gaze was filled with worry; she knew something strange was happening to Alex.


    "Did something go wrong when he tried to learn the cultivation method?


    I already told him to test it on others first..." she thought.


    Emily offered to find some people to test, but Alex refused, insisting he would find them himself.


    He said this not because he didn''t trust Emily but because he doubted the volunteers who came through her.


    In Alex''s eyes, no matter how experienced Emily was, she was always his naive younger sister.


    Her strength waned further, and Emily could feel her energy and life being absorbed by Alex.


    Strands of her golden hair began turning white.


    Gathering all her remaining strength, she slowly raised her hand. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her target wasn''t Alex''s hand but his cheek.


    Tears dropped from her sapphire blue eyes, and her lips moved slowly with broken words, "W...h... Why...?"


    As the life force finally returned to the ten percent threshold, clarity started returning to Alex''s mind.


    At first, everything was blurry; he could only feel something warm on his cheek.


    But Vesa''s scream in his mind jolted him back to reality.


    "KING!


    Wake UP!!!"


    Upon seeing Emily''s condition right before his eyes, Alex quickly released his grip and then pulled her into his arms.


    Emily had already fainted, and her condition made Alex''s heart beat in fear.


    Half of her hair had already turned white, and he could even see her face had aged.


    Her once rosy face was now pale.


    "What have I done," Alex mumbled in shock.


    [King, she is still alive; see her status.]


    ______________________________


    Name: Emily Campbell


    Power Level: 7


    Lifeforce: 10/150


    Ability: Embodiment of Light lv. 2


    ______________________________


    If not for the situation, Alex would have been surprised by Emily''s power level.


    This meant she was stronger than Mingyue.


    As for the abilities tab, it wasn''t a surprise for him since he was the one asking Vesa to update the information.


    Although Vesa had said the ability she put wouldn''t be accurate, except Alex absorbed part of their life force, Alex still asked her to include it.


    Any information would help him better judge his situation.


    Seeing Emily''s life flickering like a candle in the wind, Alex asked, "Vesa, tell me more about this life force.


    Can I return it to her?"


    [Yes, you can, King, but not now.


    It''s one of the Progenitor''s Abilities you unlock later on the path.


    As for life force, it''s quite complicated, but to put it in simple terms, every numeric number can be counted as one year of lifespan in the case of humans.]


    Alex''s hands started to shake; he understood clearly that this meant his sister only had ten years left, and not just that.


    When she woke up, her body would be frail, like someone who had lived for 140 years, with only ten years in their lifespan.


    Her organ function would degrade, as would her immune system.


    She would then start getting many illnesses that appear in the elderly.


    [King, maybe you can try using the new cultivation technique on her since¡­]


    But Vesa stopped sending messages as she could feel Alex was really angry.


    "She is not a scapegoat!


    To raise my Progenitor level, I need more of his blood.


    Send me to one of those places now.


    No, send me after I put her somewhere safe."


    Alex carried Emily like a princess and started walking toward the facility.


    Vesa remained silent at his absurd request; none of the places that held a Progenitor were weak, each requiring at least a power level of 20.


    Going there now was tantamount to suicide.


    "Answer me, Vesa.


    If you don''t tell me now, I will find a way myself!" Alex said coldly as he kept walking.


    [It''s not that I don''t want to, King, but I will be blunt: you are too weak now.]


    [If it were possible, I would have already sent both of you to another world so you could become a Progenitor quickly and start rebuilding our race.]


    [There''s also another reason; right now, my energy is very limited.


    The remaining energy I have is only enough to send both of you one time.]


    "Both?


    Can''t you just send me?"


    [No!


    This limitation was put onto me by the last Progenitor.


    Both must be sent.]


    [King, I understand your worry and fear, but sending you now really is suicide.


    If I had more energy, I could at least ensure that I bring both of you back here in case something happens.]


    "So, you''re saying it''s a problem now because you only have enough strength for one trip.


    What do you need to recover your strength, Vesa?"


    In Edonia, Vesa''s chubby mouth opened and let out a big sigh.


    Vesa felt helpless with Alex.


    There were many pieces of information Vesa kept on purpose so they could focus on improving themselves, but Vesa knew Alex would keep pressuring until he got his answer.


    [I need a life force, not just from any being.]


    [I need one from the strong one, at least at the level of an Immortal of MingYue''s world.]


    [My plan before was to recover some part of my power from the other progenitor blood you gain, so I have enough to keep sending both of you on quests.]


    Alex put some thought into it.


    Lifeforce from beings as strong as Immortals¡ªhe already had some idea of how strong they were from talking with MingYue.


    His estimate was that it should be the same as a Category Five dungeon boss.


    [King, don''t be careless.


    If you die, who will help Emily?


    And did you forget MingYue will die too with you?]


    "Don''t lie to me, Vesa.


    I know I cannot die that easily.


    Only those that can really destroy my soul can kill me, and my soul is at Progenitor level now, even if that is not complete."

 Chapter 30 - 30: Options

    Vesa was speechless; Alex wasn''t wrong.


    One of the uses of life force would indeed allow them to regenerate their bodies, even if their heads were blasted away.


    But this wasn''t a game; Vesa hadn''t told them this because she worried that Alex and Mingyue might abuse the ability and end up with mental trauma instead.


    Facing death wasn''t a simple thing.


    Even the past Progenitor went through a phase of madness after being killed for the first time.


    The darkness, the fear, and the terror that came afterward made him a cruel tyrant for many centuries before he returned to normal.


    Alex fell silent.


    He didn''t have a problem going crazy, dying over and over again, to help his sister.


    But that didn''t mean he could just bring Mingyue into that hell with him.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to reach the facility again.


    Emily was now lying on the bed, her face still pale; only the middle to the tip of her hair remained golden, while the rest had turned white.


    Looking at her condition, Alex''s hands clenched into fists.


    He now used his ability at maximum capacity, calculating every possibility and the best way to cure Emily.


    The first option was using the new cultivation technique, but it was too risky, and the result wasn''t guaranteed.


    The second option was searching for the rumored healing elixir, said to be found by some hunters in high-level dungeons.


    It was said to be able to cure any illness and prolong someone''s lifespan.


    The third option involved asking Mingyue for a solution from her world, and finally, there was the option of having Emily cultivate using the normal, proven method.


    While Alex was contemplating the best course of action, Vesa was also on the fence.


    Vesa had a solution, but it would place a considerable burden on Alex.


    However, after some thought, Vesa realized it would increase Alex''s trust in the system.


    [King, I have a solution, but it will require a massive amount of life energy.]


    "Don''t waste time, say it, Vesa."


    [As you know, I can use runes.]


    [There is one I can use now, but it will cost one thousand life energy, and you need to inject it every week or days, depending on her usage.]


    [This rune will act as a new source of lifeforce, switching the consumption from her own.]


    [So her own life force won''t decrease.


    At the same time, it will help her recover to her peak condition.]


    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise.


    He wanted to ask why Vesa hadn''t mentioned this earlier, but it wasn''t important now.


    He needed to gather more life force energy.


    Lifeforce: 125/1,200


    Alex knew he couldn''t make the same mistake again; he needed to ensure he had a stockpile of life force energy aside from the one for Emily.


    Without wasting time, Alex left the area and headed deeper into the forest.


    CRACK!


    BOOM!!


    Alex''s body was covered in sweat and blood; his clothes were torn, and part of his hand was missing.


    His other hand gripped a 1.5-meter (4.9 feet) Warhammer.


    It was made from a special metal that could change weight from a tenth of an average adult''s weight to ten times that.


    The Warhammer was black in color, with a silver hue adorning its head.


    Alex had received it from Emily a few days ago, along with a dozen Mana Guns and other items.


    Right now, he planted his Warhammer on the ground to help him remain standing, his breathing heavy.


    A new message then popped up in front of his tired eyes, still glinting with determination, as the stump on his hand began to regenerate.


    [King, you are too reckless.


    Why not attack the tiger from a distance?


    Your experience in real combat is almost non-existent.]


    The only combat experience Alex had was from the fights he had in VR games.


    He felt relieved playing these games, not just those H ones.


    Otherwise, Alex knew even with his current strength and ability, everything would have become worse. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know what I''m doing, Vesa.


    Just look for the next target that meets my criteria."


    Alex had calculated many possibilities; he could have actually evaded the tiger''s faster attack, but in that case, his body was still not strong enough to launch a counterattack after dodging, which would have prolonged the battle.


    That''s why he decided to throw his arm away; as the tiger bit into it, he smashed its head with the Warhammer, turning it into a pancake.


    His priority now was to fill the life force energy as fast as possible.


    Even though the method was brutal and filled with pain, right now, Alex was filled with adrenaline.


    With Emily''s current situation, he couldn''t care less.


    Lifeforce: 980/1,200


    As he waited for Vesa to find the next target, Alex sat on the ground in the lotus position and started absorbing more crystals, this time taking in two energies simultaneously.


    He spread mana to his spine as qi coated with mana weaved through the muscles on his back, waist, and arms.


    Even though this messed up the sequence he had planned, Alex was now in dire need of growing quickly in strength.


    There were no problems when he transformed his spine, but when the qi started weaving through his muscles, he could feel like every cell was being inflated roughly.


    The pain was even more intense compared to when he got his arm torn off, not to mention he did it to all three parts at once.


    Alex could feel like his muscle fibers were being sewn anew, becoming more compressed and filled with more power.


    After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, Alex stood up.


    Swish, swoosh, he started swinging the hammer left and right, with speed faster than before.


    BAM!


    He crashed it into the ground, creating a new deep crater.


    Alex then turned his gaze, looking at the dead tiger''s body.


    His eyes glinted red, and his body turned into green particles that floated through the air toward him.

 Chapter 31 - 31: Sabertooth Wolf

    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 7.1


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 1,148/2,000


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Early Level


    ______________________________


    [King, I detect a lair of Sabertooth wolves, one kilometer toward the southeast.


    This should be the best place to fill everything in one go.]


    Alex turned and then started sprinting in that direction.


    It didn''t take him long to reach the area.


    He was now looking down from a hill.


    Below him was an entrance to a cavern.


    [Please be careful, King.


    Even though the monsters in this area are weaker than those in a Category One dungeon, the area is small.


    In the worst case, they can ambush you repeatedly, making you run out of life force,] Vesa warned.


    Alex began observing the structure of the area and then asked, "Vesa, as long as they are freshly dead, no matter the condition of the body, you can absorb its life force, right?"


    [Yes, King.]


    Alex''s lips curled upward into a cold smile.


    A map appeared in front of his eyes, showing the terrain of the surrounding area and the location of the saber-toothed wolves.


    ''Good, they are gathering in one spot.


    After this, I can return,'' he thought.


    He then started calculating the trajectory, angle, and after-effect of the impact.


    Alex''s muscles tensed as the Qi and Mana within his body strengthened his legs even further.


    He jumped up, leaving a spiderweb crack in the ground.


    Alex then started pointing his body toward the targeted location marked by the interface.


    The hammerhead then angled downward, and Alex started changing its weight.


    Gravity began to do its work, amplifying his momentum.


    Boom!


    Alex fell like a meteor, crushing the small hill beneath him.


    Dust, dirt, and rocks were flung everywhere.


    The creatures inside didn''t even have time to flee before they were crushed under the weight of the ground.


    As the dust settled, Alex stood atop the crumbled hill.


    His right hand was wounded, with skin cracked and flesh torn, but it didn''t take long for it to start regenerating.


    Alex didn''t directly absorb the life force since he could still sense a presence.


    The ground vibrated with a rumble, and debris flew through the air.


    From within the rubble, a muscular wolf with black fur coated in red blood, sporting red eyes emerged.


    Two long, sharp fangs protruded from its upper jaw, and smoke emanated from its body as its wounds began to heal.


    The wolf''s jaws gaped open, and with a swift leap, it lunged toward Alex, knowing he was responsible for its pack''s demise.


    Alex''s movements were slowed due to his ongoing recovery.


    "A mutation?


    I''ve never seen a saber-toothed wolf with abilities before," he thought.


    Alex quickly calculated his next move.


    He released the hammer in his hand, spun his body, then grabbed it with his left and threw the hammer into the air.


    The wolf''s jaws closed in on him.


    There was a sickening squelch as its teeth sank into his left hand.


    However, Alex merely smiled.


    With a resounding BAM, the hammer swiftly descended, striking the creature directly on its back.


    The wolf howled in pain as its body was crushed under the weight of the hammer.


    Utilizing his now-recovered right hand, Alex took out a prototype storage box he had made earlier.


    This particular one was deemed a failure due to its excessive energy consumption and peculiar limitation: despite its size, it could only contain one item.


    Alex hadn''t had the time to look into the details of the cause of this problem, but he knew this one had no limitation on putting living creatures inside.


    He just needed to put the wolf, the surrounding ground, and the air inside.


    Alex wanted to look at the wolf mutation since its ability seemed to allow it to heal.


    Who knows, this could provide more solutions to heal Emily.


    He pointed the cube toward the wolf.


    As it was wounded, the wolf could not fight back.


    Its body and the ground around it turned into light as Alex transferred everything inside into the cube.


    ______________________________


    Name: Sabertooth Wolf (Mutated)


    Power Level: 3.2


    Lifeforce: 75/180


    Ability:


    Predator''s Surge


    Burn Mana to instantly recover wounds and double your power level.


    After the state, wounds will return, and the power level is reduced by half for 24 hours.


    ______________________________


    [King, I think we can utilize the slave contract formation in the storage box.


    If we modify it correctly, we can use it to capture a weakened monster and then automatically enslave it.


    I am sure this will be very helpful for you and the Queen.]


    "It''s not the time, Vesa."


    Alex had also thought of this possibility, but now there were more important things he needed to do.


    His eyes glinted red, and from the cracks and crevices of the ground, many green particles started floating into the air.


    It was like fireflies in the middle of the night, but with a green hue.


    The life force began to move through the air, twisting and weaving into Alex''s body.


    Lifeforce: 1,848/2,000


    [We should have gained more Lifeforce if it weren''t for your reckless fighting, King.]


    "No need to repeat it, Vesa.


    I wouldn''t do this if it weren''t for the situation.


    I won''t make this a habit," Alex answered as he ran back toward the facility.


    Hearing his answer, Vesa felt relieved.


    That way of fighting without caring for his own well-being was dangerous and not effective.


    Even disregarding the pain, every healing took a lot of life force, and it wouldn''t improve Alex''s fighting style at all.


    What if Alex met an enemy that could disrupt Lifeforce regeneration?


    He would be quickly defeated.


    And Vesa knew they had many enemies like this; otherwise, the vampire race would already dominate the universe.


    ___


    In the facility, Alex had now returned to Emily''s side.


    "What now, Vesa?"


    [I will do the rest.


    One more thing, King, this took part of my energy.


    Now I won''t be able to open a portal to another world before the Queen kills an immortal or you take down a Category Five dungeon boss.]


    S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 32 - 32: Putting the Rune

    Before Alex could answer, red smoke emerged from his body, gathering atop Emily.


    It began to condense and transform into Vesa.


    Vesa then flew closer to Emily''s forehead, its wings tearing in half, the upper part transforming into human-like hands.


    Vesa''s sharp claws pricked Emily''s forehead slightly, drawing blood that coated its nails red.


    Vesa lifted its finger and began moving in intricate patterns, each stroke leaving a green glow in the air.


    Alex could barely follow Vesa''s movements.


    It didn''t take long for Vesa to finish.


    The rune floated in the air, and then, with a gesture from Vesa, it was pushed into Emily''s forehead.


    Light shone the moment it made contact, filling the whole room with its green hue.


    The brightness forced Alex to close his eyes, and when he opened them again, Vesa had already disappeared.


    He then saw Emily''s white hair turning back to golden, her pale face regaining its rosy hue.


    A wave of relief washed over Alex as he slumped down on the couch.


    A small chuckle escaped his lips, which then turned into laughter.


    Now that the crisis was over, he reflected on what he had done.


    Alex laughed because he realized how crazy he had been; usually, he always sought the safest way to do something, but instead, he had taken so many risks.


    He remembered every single pain he had felt¡ªhis body being bitten, limbs torn apart.


    He sighed and then looked at Emily''s peaceful, sleeping face.


    "I never knew they mattered so much to me."


    He then wondered if he had had this power when his father disappeared and what he would have done.


    "Should I look for Dad, then?


    I need to go to a Category Five dungeon anyway," Alex mumbled to himself.


    He then remembered he also needed to tell Mingyue about this since his blunder would also affect her.


    "Forget it for now; I should check if I can go catch them all," he said with a chuckle, recalling a popular pun from his childhood anime.


    Alex excitedly took out the storage box and then checked the interface.


    "FUCK!


    It''s dead."


    He saw the saber-toothed wolf''s body on the ground, realizing the wolf had likely died due to the backlash from its abilities.


    "Brother, who are you cursing at?


    Is it a game again?" Emily said as she raised her upper body, sitting on the bed.


    She touched her forehead, trying to piece together what had happened, her memory slowly returning like a jigsaw puzzle.


    Her eyes widened, and cold sweat started dripping from her forehead as panic set in.


    She jumped to her feet, reached where Alex sat and quickly checked over his body for any wounds.


    "You!?


    What happened to you!?


    Are you alright now?


    Last time..."


    Emily''s words trailed off as she touched her own neck.


    "Shouldn''t I have..."


    Alex took out a water bottle from his storage ring and placed it on the table.


    "Drink first, Emily.


    I am sorry I failed you as your brother.


    I put your life at risk...


    Are you afraid of me now?"


    He asked this while looking at the water bottle, not daring to meet her eyes, afraid she would lie to him.


    After awakening his ability, it became easy for Alex to detect lies from people''s expressions.


    It should have been a good thing, but the first few months were really painful; he started realizing how often people around him were lying.


    This is one of the reasons he immersed himself in the virtual world, where he couldn''t tell if people were lying.


    Seeing her brother like this, Emily knew what he was thinking.


    It wasn''t her first time seeing him like this, and it pained her.


    She walked closer and then hugged Alex tightly.


    "I am your family, you dumb brother, not those shallow people with their own agendas.


    Why would I lie to you?"


    She then forcefully made Alex look at her face.


    "I am afraid¡ªafraid you will leave me too¡­ Like Dad...


    Tell me what happened.


    I won''t let you go until you tell me everything."


    Alex froze for a moment at her words, then smirked and knocked her head.


    "Who are you calling dumb?


    You silly sister of mine."


    Emily pouted, then playfully stomped back, acting like she was angry.


    But the result made her stop in her tracks.


    CRACK!


    The ground cracked, surprising Emily since she was sure she hadn''t exerted much strength.


    She then closed her eyes, realizing there was another source of energy in her body now.


    Her eyes opened, gazing sharply at Alex.


    She didn''t say anything further; she took the water bottle to relieve her parched throat and then sat on the couch.


    Feeling her gaze, Alex sighed.


    He didn''t know how much Emily would believe, but he knew it was better to tell her everything.


    His sister somehow always knew if he was hiding something. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "First of all, what''s inside your body is a Rune made from life force."


    Alex then started explaining the Rune, Vesa, vampires, the Progenitor, Mingyue''s involvement, and the cultivation world, not leaving anything out.


    He also showed her the storage cube and explained what he planned with it.


    Throughout his story, Emily only sat there, not saying anything, not even blinking.


    All the information took her by surprise.


    "So you''re saying the blood you consumed is Progenitor blood???"


    "Yes, do you know about it?"


    "There''s only one thing I know about it: every new hunter is told if they hear any words about the Progenitor, they should report to the association and stay away as far as possible," Emily said, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at Alex.


    "There are other Progenitors?" Alex mumbled.


    [Of course, King.


    Every race has one, even humans.]


    This made Alex frown.


    Humans exist not just on his planet; even Mingyue, a cultivator, is counted as human.


    Doesn''t that mean the human Progenitor is incredibly strong?


    He wanted to ask Vesa more questions, but with Emily there, he refrained from doing so.

 Chapter 33 - 33: Can I just not tell you?

    "Why were you so worried like that?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    "Didn''t you hear?


    I''m immortal now, so you don''t need to worry.


    Look, I can even regenerate from this."


    Alex wanted to show her a demonstration to ease her worry.


    He took out a knife and was about to give a small slash over his finger.


    But Emily stood up and held his hand with the knife.


    "What do you think you''re doing?


    I believe you; there''s no need to do that."


    Alex scratched his head.


    "Oh, that...


    Can I just not tell you?"


    Seeing the silly grin on her brother''s face, Emily felt the urge to smack his head.


    Her lips then curled into a sarcastic smile.


    "Sure, brother."


    Her grip on his hand started to tighten, making Alex wince in pain.


    Even though he had endured a lot of pain before, it didn''t make him immune to it.


    "Let''s stay like this until you answer, then."


    "Ouch, alright, I''ll tell you."


    But Emily didn''t loosen her grip and continued to look at Alex sternly.


    Knowing she wouldn''t stop until she was satisfied, Alex continued,


    "As you heard, it''s the vampire race, although it''s not like in the movies where we get pain from sunlight.


    We need to consume life force energy.


    And I''ve been neglecting it since I came here, so I went berserk from the hunger."


    "You!


    How could you be so careless?


    What if that happened when you were alone with Mom!?"


    "I know, I''m sorry, I screwed up¡­"


    "You''re always like this.


    How can you be so clumsy despite your abilities?


    Isn''t it weird?


    Forget it...


    What happened next?


    Did you consume my life force?


    Was it enough?"


    Hearing his sister''s words made Alex''s heart clench; even now, she was asking about him, not even worried about the life energy that had been drained from her.


    "Aren''t you afraid?


    I''ve absorbed so much of your life energy.


    You could be dead, you know."


    "I know, but it''s just temporary.


    It''s not like you would let me die.


    I''m sure you''ll find a way.


    Isn''t that why I have this rune on my body now?"


    Feeling his sister''s unconditional trust made Alex feel warm.


    "Yes, I will make sure to recover all your life force," he said with determined eyes.


    Alex then continued,


    "Try to control your energy usage.


    When you feel it starts dwindling to half, don''t go on any missions.


    Meet up with me to refill it first."


    Emily turned silent for a moment; her grip loosened a little, and her tone became solemn.


    "What did you pay for it?


    You told me Vesa is recovering.


    If it could have been done without any cost, you would have told me you would use it on Mom and me even before your hunger.


    I can feel it; this rune doesn''t just extend my life.


    It even enhances my strength and can help me regenerate when I''m wounded."


    ''Is that true, Vesa? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Can it help her regenerate?''


    [Yes, King.


    The rune will use the life force energy just like how you regenerate your body, but she is not a real vampire.


    So, she won''t be able to recover if her brain is destroyed or turned to ashes.


    But as long as part of it remains, there should be no problem.]


    Alex felt relieved reading Vesa''s explanation; this would ease his worries even more when Emily went out on missions as a hunter.


    Seeing Alex seem to be daydreaming, Emily tightened her grip again.


    "Answer me."


    Alex winced and then looked at Emily, his lips curling into a smile.


    "Nothing much.


    It''s something I need to do anyway."


    "And that is¡­?"


    Alex sighed and answered,


    "I need to kill a Category Five dungeon boss."


    "ARGH!"


    Alex swore he could feel his bones cracking.


    Emily then released her grip, and her sapphire blue eyes started glistening with tears.


    Looking at her expression, Alex knew why she felt like this; the words "Category Five" always reminded them of the incident with their dad.


    He wiped her tears, then patted her head.


    "You''re already a two-star hunter now and still a crybaby like this.


    Don''t worry.


    I''ll build up an army before I go there, and you also know I can regenerate from any wound now."


    "Do you think I''m a child?


    Your regeneration consumes life force energy, and if it runs out, you''re dead!


    And that doesn''t mean you can just go on your way, taking all the damage and regenerating over and over.


    That kind of pain..."


    Her voice trailed off as realization dawned on her.


    With her understanding of life force, Alex''s situation before, and his lack of combat experience, there was only one possibility for how he gathered all this life force.


    Emily knew there was no way Alex would kill someone innocent for it.


    "You..."


    The words stuck in her throat because Emily realized there was nothing she could say.


    What should Alex do?


    Let her die?


    There was no way he would allow that, and Emily still wanted to live.


    Her eyes turned determined.


    "I will go with you."


    "But..."


    Alex wanted to retort, thinking she was too weak.


    "No buts.


    To enter a Category Five dungeon, you need to be at least a three-star hunter and have one four-star hunter leading the expedition.


    You need me either way, and I will bring the guild members with us.


    Since we''re going there anyway, you should know which one we should go to."


    Seeing her eyes, Alex knew she wouldn''t back down.


    "I don''t plan to tell the association about this, Emily.


    I will sneak inside."


    "Sneak inside?


    That''s impossible, Alex!


    You need many people to enter the area, and the border is heavily guarded."


    "There are many reasons to go outside the border.


    As long as it''s only a few people, I''m sure getting permission to gather resources would not be hard.


    They won''t suspect a few people dare to enter a Category Five dungeon."

 Chapter 34 - 34: Dark Tower

    "You want to challenge a red zone with just a few people!?


    That''s crazy, Brother.


    We won''t even be able to fight our way to the dungeon entrance."


    Since the dungeon was already broken, monsters would keep pouring out from it, meaning the area surrounding the dungeon gate was now a monster nest.


    Alex smirked.


    Seeing his confident smile gave Emily the urge to smack him.


    She hated how he couldn''t just go straight to the point and instead liked to put her in suspense.


    Alex took out the storage box he had created.


    "When I hunted for the life force, I put one of the mutated monster wolves inside here."


    Alex then pointed to the empty area in the room, and with a few presses, the saber-tooth wolf''s body appeared on the ground.


    "You should know where I''m going with this."


    "Just get to the point," Emily said with a pout.


    Alex chuckled, then said, "This one died because of its own skill, but this box can keep living monsters inside, Emily.


    With this and my storage ring, I can bring as many monsters as I need.


    I just need to tinker with the slave contract, putting it on the formation, to make sure they will become a loyal force of mine."


    He then continued in his mind, ''This should be faster than the VR game I had in mind.


    That one would have taken more time to establish.''


    "You want to make a full squad of monsters?


    And slave contract, formation, what do you mean by that?"


    Emily was surprised by her brother''s idea, but there were many words she didn''t understand.


    "Oh, I forgot you never read cultivation novels.


    I told you those novels are a good use of time and money.


    You should appreciate them more," Alex said with a grin.


    "Don''t use those to justify your hobby.


    Just explain."


    Emily had some idea of what a slave contract meant, but she wanted to confirm it with Alex.


    The possibility of that contract gave her many thoughts.


    Alex then explained how slave contracts worked and the safety they provided; if they broke the contract, they would be killed.


    But for barely intelligent monsters, he would need to tinker with the contract to also instill loyalty.


    Alex then remembered there should be something like a beast contract in Mingyue''s world.


    ''I will need to ask Mingyue about this later.''


    Emily had a thoughtful look on her face and then said, "Brother, that slave contract, how effective is it for awakeners?"


    "That would depend on their ability, why?"


    "The Black Tower."


    Hearing it, Alex knew it was a unique building made for awakener criminals with heavy crimes.


    Everyone inside was a psychopath.


    "Isn''t that under hunter association control?"


    "Yes, but each of them is strong, brother.


    With this contract, we can put them under our control.


    I have heard there are even three-star and four-star hunters inside.


    Since no one knows this contract system, we can get these people if we make a deal with the association."


    Alex quickly shook his head.


    "Not worth it.


    You should know better than I how dark people can become.


    What do you think will happen if this contract is released to the public and the association?


    It will become worse than ever."


    There were other reasons Alex didn''t want to agree.


    He didn''t plan to give the Hunter Association the existence of qi; he already planned to give a dumbed-down version of the cultivation method using mana.


    But the contract required qi to apply.


    Emily''s eyes turned solemn.


    She had seen all the dark sides, making her hate dark hunters to the bone, but the possibility of raising their force quickly just made her feel greedy.


    That meant they could go to that dungeon and confirm their father''s fate.


    Alex then looked at the cube in his hand, playing around with it.


    He once thought capturing humans was a line he wouldn''t cross, but now that Emily mentioned it, weren''t there many people who didn''t deserve to be in the black tower?


    Rather than consuming people''s taxes to pay for these kinds of facilities, wasn''t it better for him to catch them and use them for better purposes?


    His lips raised into a grin.


    "We cannot touch those in the black tower, but don''t you meet many dark hunters on your mission, Emily?"


    "Yes."


    Alex then took out another storage cube, which was without any defects.


    He had made it specifically for Emily to use.


    "You can use this for now to keep inanimate objects.


    Inside the area is a vacuum, so if you keep food, make sure to put it inside another storage first.


    But it should be quite useful for you to pack emergency items.


    I will give you a better one later."


    Emily then took the cube and started tinkering with the interface.


    Alex continued, "Your idea is not wrong, but as I said, I don''t want to bring the association into this.


    I will try to modify the cube so you can use it to capture those dark hunters on your mission for test subjects."


    Alex had already decided to use them to test his new cultivation method.


    He then gave Emily a few qi crystals and a cultivation method.


    "You should try to cultivate too, Emily, but don''t go far; just go to the foundation''s early phase.


    So you can change it later on."


    Emily looked at the transparent crystal with a slight orange hue, which was not much different from mana crystals that had a blue hue. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then grasped it and started feeling the raging energy inside the crystal.


    "Oh yeah, one more thing."


    Alex took out a storage ring and placed it on the table.


    "You should be able to use this after reaching the foundation stage.


    Just remember, compared to cultivators in her world, we need qi crystals to recover energy since there is no qi in the atmosphere.


    I don''t have many qi crystals for now, so try to use them sparingly."

 Chapter 35 - 35: MingHao

    "I doubt I will use it.


    Why not just wait for your method to be perfected, then?"


    Emily then took the storage ring and looked around for the item.


    "If it''s just to use this ring, isn''t it better to use the storage cube?"


    Alex chuckled.


    "Of course not.


    The storage ring is bonded to your soul.


    I still cannot replicate this in the storage cube.


    As for the cube, anyone can access it, so it''s not that safe.


    You should know even passwords and biometrics can be cracked open." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then why did you give me the cube?"


    "Of course, for promotion.


    Who else is better to promote our product than a hunter?" Alex answered with a grin.


    This made Emily feel the urge to throw the cube at his face.


    ''Couldn''t he have just said so from the beginning!'' she cursed in her mind.


    Meanwhile, in another world, MingYue was still staying at the same inn.


    She had changed her strategy, making ZanLu and other people in her entourage look for more information and recruit people for her sect.


    Da Ying City was still locked down, without any significant movement from the Xueqi Family.


    She just occasionally saw some of their guards patrolling the city every few hours.


    KNOCK...


    KNOCK...


    "Miss, Mr. Jianfeng is bringing a kid with him," a female voice came from across the door.


    "Finally..." MingYue mumbled, then raised her voice.


    "Bring them to the reception room."


    Since she decided to stay in the city for a while, MingYue purchased the inn and gave the employees a break.


    At this time, only her people were staying at the inn.


    She wasn''t afraid her family would get hold of the information since she knew how they operated.


    They didn''t care what happened with the commoners as long as they paid taxes.


    MingYue had told Jianfeng to bring MingHao to the inn, also informing him that MingYue was fine and recuperating at her place.


    MingYue still hid the truth in case some of the Xueqi family asked Jianfeng about it, but in reality, she knew this was somewhat pointless.


    If the family really suspected something, they would just scour his memories and go directly to the inn.


    The real reason she did this was just because it felt awkward.


    Jianfeng had knelt before her multiple times, requesting her to take care of MingYue, who was herself.


    ''Why would those people I read about in novels enjoy posing as powerhouses?


    It''s annoying as hell,'' she thought.


    She wouldn''t have hidden her identity if she had known this would happen.


    Things just became more complicated.


    Now, she didn''t know how to tell Jianfeng, even though she used to hate him.


    It would be a lie to say she wasn''t touched by his concern when her other family turned their backs on her.


    In the reception room, with multiple wooden chairs, Jianfeng was standing with a boy at his side.


    He had short black hair and amber eyes.


    Anyone who saw the boy would know he was related to MingYue with one glance.


    "Uncle, is it true?


    Is Sis still alive?" MingHao asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.


    "Yes, she is alive, so make sure you respect the lady and don''t say anything unless asked; her life is in the lady''s hands," Jianfeng warned.


    Before he could say anything further, MingYue entered the room, still in her disguise.


    The moment she entered, MingHao''s eyes widened.


    He wanted to run, but Jianfeng held him in place and whispered, "Where are your manners?"


    MingHao was about to say something, but MingYue spoke first.


    "Leave us alone, Jianfeng."


    Hearing the order, Jianfeng hesitated, but there was no reason to ask this if she wanted to hurt MingHao.


    He reluctantly bowed and left, but not before warning MingHao again to behave.


    MingYue didn''t bring any attendants either.


    Now alone in the room, both of them exchanged gazes.


    Many thoughts ran through MingHao''s mind.


    Despite his young age, he was not stupid; he knew his sister''s personality.


    "Sis...


    Why are you doing this?


    Does the family really want you dead?" MingHao asked in a low voice.


    Since MingYue entered the room, he could feel a connection with her, one that he would never feel with other people.


    Seeing his little brother, some old memories started to resurface.


    Her rosy lips raised upward into a smirk.


    "You have grown taller now, brat!"


    MingHao''s height now reached MingYue''s elbow; the last time she saw him, he was only barely at her waist.


    Hearing her calling him a brat made MingHao''s eyes turn teary since that confirmed she was his sister.


    MingHao tried his best to hold back his tears, as his uncle had told him many times, "Men shouldn''t cry."


    His hand started grasping his clothes, and then he lowered his head.


    "I am sorry, Sis.


    I should not have disturbed you when you were practicing.


    I just wanted you to play with me.


    But I realize I am just being a hassle to you and disrupting your practice."


    Seeing MingHao trying to act mature, MingYue chuckled.


    "Come here."


    MingHao nodded and started walking toward her.


    Seeing him obedient made her smile; she had never seen him act like this.


    When MingHao was an arm''s distance away from MingYue, he stopped.


    "Did you think I died too?"


    "Everyone does...


    And I even checked your talisman; it broke..." he said with a cracked voice.


    Then he raised his head, looking at MingYue.


    "You are really my sister, right?"


    "Why do you think I am her?"


    "Only she would call me a brat, and I can just tell it''s you..." he paused for a moment, then continued.


    "What happened, Sis, after you left last time?


    Mom started acting weirdly, and so did Dad."


    MingYue chuckled, then pinched his plump cheek.


    "You brat, since when have you been trying to act all mature like this?


    So, tell me what happened after I left."


    MingHao''s face grimaced with pain, but he smiled.

 Chapter 36 - 36: Dragon & Phoenix

    "Well, not directly after you left, but sometime after that, I saw many people come from other families.


    I don''t know what they talked about, but afterward, Mom spent more time at home.


    She even cooked food for me.


    Can you imagine it?"


    MingYue sighed; this was another reason she had disliked her brother in the past; she felt her mom always showed more bias toward him.


    MingHao then continued, "But one day, we had dinner together with Dad.


    They talked about something and told me this:


    ''We are sorry for not being good parents to you and your sister.


    Tell her we are sorry if you meet her again.''


    The next day, they disappeared."


    ''Uncle told me the patriarch killed Dad, and Mom left with the tablet.


    It seems he only heard a second-hand story.


    But doesn''t this mean they know I am alive?'' MingYue thought to herself.


    "You said Dad acted weird, too.


    How?"


    "You know he always spent time doing something in the basement, but lately, he went outside the city often.


    Oh yeah, Sis, they also gave me this.


    They told me to give it to you."


    MingHao took out two amulets; they were like a set separated into two parts¡ªone carved in the form of a fiery phoenix and the other as a flood dragon.


    Looking at it, she frowned.


    ''Is Alex right?


    Is my family somehow connected to the upper world or something like that?''


    She then shook her head.


    ''Nah, no way.


    I''ve read too many novels.


    I''ve never even heard about the upper world other than in those novels.


    I should really stop linking it with my reality.''


    Seeing his sister looking at the amulet seriously, MingHao thought she was thinking about their parents.


    "Sis, I know Uncle told you Mom left and betrayed the family, even sold you for an elixir..."


    MingHao hesitated, then continued, "I know I am not in a position to talk about this, but I am sure they had a reason."


    MingYue''s gaze turned cold, and then she looked at MingHao.


    "You brat, tell me, what reason can a parent have to justify abandoning their kids?


    Stop talking for them." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue then gestured for MingHao to stay silent, and she took both pendants from his hand.


    The Fiery Phoenix pendant was carved from red crystal, resembling a ruby but with an orange hue to it.


    The flood dragon was made from a crystal that looked like blue sapphire, with a similar hue to the fiery phoenix.


    The chains themselves were made from jade, with many formations carved into them.


    "Why did you not tell Uncle this?"


    "The pendant?


    Or the story?" MingHao asked.


    "Both."


    "Mom and Dad made me swear never to tell any soul other than you about this."


    He then put a finger on his chin as he remembered something.


    "Oh yeah, they also told me to hide the pendant away and never take it out in front of other people."


    "Is one of the pendants for you?" MingYue asked.


    MingHao shook his head, "No, Mom said both are for you."


    This made MingYue feel confused.


    ''Vesa, there seem to be formations here.


    Can you tell what they are?''


    [It works similarly to a storage ring, Queen, but there are protections set into it.]


    [I can tell it''s set to break on itself when it detects your qi is at the Heavenly Ascension stage.]


    That stage was too far away for MingYue; she didn''t want to wait that long.


    ''Can you break it?''


    [I can, but it will take a long time, Queen, with the risk of the item inside being destroyed.]


    [I detect there are protections if someone tries to tamper with it in the wrong way.]


    [But I have a solution: just gather enough of a life force.


    I can then enhance a wisp of your qi to one from a Heavenly Ascension stage cultivator.]


    [That should be enough to trick it.]


    ''How much life force do I need?''


    [We need ten thousand life force.]


    MingYue felt that the energy spent by the life force was too much just to enhance a wisp of qi.


    ''That is too much.


    Can''t you do it for five thousand life force?


    Or one thousand?''


    [Queen...


    This is not a flea market...]


    [Actually, I could have done it for less time before, but I cannot now.


    For this reason, you should ask King about it later.]


    MingYue wanted to ask Alex directly, but she knew it wasn''t a good time now.


    "Brat, don''t tell Uncle I am MingYue."


    MingHao wanted to ask why, but looking at his sister''s glare, he didn''t dare and just nodded reluctantly.


    MingYue then stood up and walked toward the window, looking at the bustling city.


    "MingHao, what do you think about the Xueqi family?"


    "Other than Uncle''s family, I don''t care about the rest," MingHao answered as he walked to her side.


    "Do you know where they are now?


    I haven''t seen any of our family except both of you," she asked as she looked toward the family mansion in the center of the city.


    "I remember hearing some of the cousins saying they are at the ancestral ground."


    MingHao''s answer confirmed MingYue''s suspicions.


    She had asked Vesa to locate her family, but Vesa failed to detect most of them, like the patriarch, who should be the only one here with Nascent Soul cultivation.


    Even if they had ancestor-level cultivators, it should be at the Golden Core or Spiritual Transformation at best, considering they were only a middle-class family on the outskirts.


    ''If they are inside the ancestral ground, it''s not weird then.''


    Remembering her family was on the outskirts of their continent made MingYue chuckle.


    She remembered that the protagonists from the novels she read usually came from the smallest families, smallest countries, continents, and planets.


    Seeing his sister laugh, MingHao felt confused, especially since they were discussing something serious just moments ago.


    Realizing her little brother''s gaze, MingYue coughed, "You brat, why are you staring at me like that?"


    Her expression then turned solemn.


    "I''ve decided, MingHao, I will destroy this family.


    You will follow me starting today; no need to return to Uncle''s side."

 Chapter 37 - 37: Those Who Betray Me, I Will Return it Ten Thousand Fold

    Hearing his sister wanted him by her side made MingHao smile.


    He had often thought his sister was avoiding him because she didn''t accept him as her little brother.


    In reality, MingYue didn''t think too much; she just wanted him to stay because she didn''t believe MingHao could really hide everything from their uncle''s family.


    She then checked his information.


    _____________________________


    Name: MingHao Xueqi


    Power Level: 2.5


    Life Force: 96/110


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Mid-Level sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Feeling happy, probably from his sister''s recognition.]


    ______________________________


    ''Foundation stage mid-level...


    Not bad, it seems he hasn''t neglected his training.''


    Seeing the description made MingYue feel warm.


    She then confirmed some more information with MingHao, asking about the people left in the mansion and their uncle''s family situation.


    Her uncle Jianfeng had five people in his family: his only son, his wife, the newborn granddaughter, and his wife.


    Based on MingHao''s knowledge, his uncle always maintained some distance from the rest of the family, and after the MingYue incident, the relationship became worse.


    MingHao said he saw their uncle talk back to one of the elders, then got attacked because he forcefully brought MingHao back to his house.


    "Uncle told me Dad was killed by the patriarch.


    What do you think?"


    MingHao shook his head.


    "I don''t believe it.


    It''s true that after Mom made a scene, he was last seen going to the patriarch''s place and never came out.


    But I am sure he is not dead."


    "Well, that doesn''t matter.


    Xueqi family¡­"


    Killing intent started spreading from her eyes.


    Even if her parents had a reason to do this, it didn''t change the fact that the family didn''t do anything after she was reported dead, despite her working hard to raise her cultivation to bring the family glory.


    For MingYue, this was an unforgivable betrayal.


    Her gaze then turned to the ancestral building in another area of the city, her lips curling into a cold smile.


    ''Those who help me, I will return tenfold; those who betray me, I will make sure to return it ten thousandfold.''


    The setting sun kissed the sky goodbye, turning it into twilight.


    MingYue was now standing just outside the protection array of the ancestral area, with MingHao at her side and many people standing behind her holding sleek guns.


    Some people were kneeling and chained.


    A few youngsters and teenagers looked at MingHao with hatred.


    "How dare you rebel!


    Just wait until the patriarch returns from the ancestral ground!"


    "I knew it; you are just like your mother!


    Both of you are traitors to the family."


    Hearing all the curses, MingHao clenched his fist.


    He didn''t understand why his sister had brought them here.


    Looking at the kids cursing at MingHao, not realizing their own situation, made MingYue shake her head with a chuckle.


    ''They are young master trash.''


    She then realized the kids left here were the useless ones.


    Many of the younger generation she was familiar with were not in the mansion, and as for the people of her generation, they should be at other sects now.


    She then turned her gaze to the Ancestral Hall with a frown; MingYue started suspecting that whatever was inside was not just some grave.


    As for Jianfeng and his family, MingYue made them stay at the inn.


    With the Xueqi family inside the ancestral grounds, it didn''t take long for her people, led by ZanLu, to take over the city and the mansion.


    These people all had pride and a reverent look in their eyes.


    They had trampled over the family that ruled over their heads for generations, even though they knew it was probably just an inner conflict within the family since MingHao was with them.


    This didn''t make it any less significant.


    From birth, they had been taught not to make any trouble and to avoid even crossing paths with people from the Xueqi family.


    Even though they didn''t really trample over them on purpose, they knew they were just like second-class citizens compared to them.


    Even if they were killed, no one would seek justice for them.


    MingYue hadn''t known much about this before since she was busy cultivating to gain the family''s recognition.


    However, the trash of the family was the one making trouble outside; they purposely targeted people who couldn''t fight back and sent news to the core family.


    They knew they would be punished if it reached the patriarch''s ears, not because of what they did but because of how they spent their time.


    They should have been cultivating instead of toying with commoners.


    But they knew their talent was trash, so cultivating just felt like a chore; there was no way any cultivator''s son or daughter would be interested in them.


    Even low-tier sects were not interested in accepting them since there were no benefits.


    People might think, doesn''t the sect at least build a relationship for the family?


    But in reality, it''s really of no use since these people have zero sway in their family.


    They would be killed for causing any trouble within the family.


    That''s why they vented their low self-esteem onto the commoners, resulting in this rotten young master mentality.


    In the past, they wouldn''t dare speak up to MingHao, but now that his mother had become a traitor, they dared to do this.


    In their eyes, when the elders and patriarch returned, they could easily solve the problem.


    After all, their opponents were just commoners, and they were caught by surprise.


    They didn''t realize all the guards didn''t even dare to make a sound.


    Compared to these ''Young Masters'' getting caught in their ''pleasure activity'' without any fight, the guards had tried to fight back, only to end up dead.


    Cold sweat still dripped from their foreheads, with eyes filled with terror.


    They knew they were out of their league, even if everyone returned.


    Whoever was behind this attack was a force beyond their comprehension.


    They could give artifacts that could be used by anyone, and the artifact''s power could easily kill any cultivator at the foundational stage.


    Even their captain at the core cultivation stage was not spared.

 Chapter 38 - 38: For The Glory!

    They still remembered how a projectile of light had come from the strange artifact, blowing the guard''s captain to pieces, shot by the woman leading all these people.


    Suddenly, the barrier in front of them began to vibrate, and three people emerged from it with sharp gazes, surveying the scene before them.


    MingYue recognized them; they were the Grand Elder and the First Elder of the family.


    The Grand Elder often acted as the patriarch''s advisor.


    MingYue hated him to the bone since he was the one who had given the patriarch the idea to betroth her.


    This event caused tons of problems for MingYue, disrupting her cultivation and resulting in her progress lagging behind, prompting her to go to that secret realm.


    Otherwise, she would have skipped it since she had already obtained some cultivation resources from the last secret realm.


    The Grand Elder, seeing every single family member they had left in the mansion chained down and forced to kneel under all the commoners, felt rage.


    Killing intent and pressure spread out from his body, targeting every single person in the area.


    MingYue smirked, ''FengXue.''


    A stronger pressure emerged from MingYue, canceling the pressure emanating from the Grand Elder.


    MingHao, standing at MingYue''s side, looked at her with reverence.


    He had always looked up to his sister, and now, feeling qi stronger than even their patriarch emanating from her made him feel proud.


    But the image only lasted for a moment, and soon, his face turned pale at what MingYue did next.


    Capitalizing on the moment when the elder was surprised by the presence of a Golden Core cultivator, MingYue took out the gun, set it at 40% power, and pointed it at the Grand Elder.


    BANG!


    A concentrated qi shot out from the barrel, blasting the target into pieces before it exploded, hitting the array barrier.


    The Grand Elder''s face turned pale, as did the elder who walked behind him.


    The area that had once been filled with many sounds, from the cursing of the ''young masters'' to the murmur of commoners, turned silent.


    Every single man in the area could feel their hair standing on end.


    Even those who had a grudge against the Grand Elder pitied him.


    His crotch had turned into a hole.


    Ehm...


    not that kind of hole, but a hole through which you could see.


    The bullet had blasted through his crotch, destroying everything in its path.


    BANG!


    BANG!


    While everyone still remained silent, MingYue shot twice, this time reducing the bullet strength to 30%.


    The Grand Elder was still in shock from what had happened, and the two elders at his side quickly jumped, focusing their qi to protect their crotches.


    But luckily for them, they were not the targets.


    The Grand Elder fell to the ground as one bullet pulverized his thigh and the other his right shoulder; both limbs fell to the ground.


    Seeing what had happened, the elders quickly concluded the attacker had a grudge against the Grand Elder. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the woman target the Grand Elder''s crotch, they wondered if the Grand Elder had violated the average-looking woman in the past.


    But this idea lasted only for a moment.


    MingYue dashed forward, taking a sword they quickly recognized.


    How could they not?


    It was one of the family treasures, a sword artifact that amplified the qi of the user.


    It was wielded by one of their geniuses, MingYue, whom they thought was dead.


    The Grand Elder wanted to move but couldn''t; at this point, he wasn''t shocked anymore, but the pressure from FengXue was concentrated on his body, and, adding the damage MingYue inflicted, he was paralyzed.


    SLASH!


    The sword pierced through his already faltering qi barrier and his head without giving him any chance to fight back.


    Blood spurted out, and the Grand Elder''s body then turned into green particles, leaving behind only his cultivation robe and storage ring.


    From start to finish, MingYue hadn''t given them any opportunity.


    Without FengXue''s pressure, she knew she couldn''t have achieved this.


    The best they could have done would be to bombard the elders when they came out, but this meant she couldn''t ask them any questions.


    The Elders quickly thought MingYue had come for the Hua family and that they got it from MingYue''s corpse.


    They quickly stepped back and looked at MingYue warily.


    Both of them took out their swords and adopted defensive stances.


    Their qi pushed to the max to protect their bodies.


    "Is the Hua family cooperating with demonic cultivators?"


    Looking at the Grand Elder''s corpse and MingYue''s eyes glinting red, they concluded this.


    Only those demonic cultivators have methods to absorb other cultivators'' qi; it can raise cultivation quickly, but it comes with a big downside.


    Since the qi absorbed is not pure, it drives the cultivator into madness.


    As time progressed, many tragedies and massacres happened, and they finally decided to ban demonic cultivation; anyone who practiced it would be pursued by everyone and killed without mercy.


    Seeing the woman do this in front of them, they understood that it meant she wouldn''t let them go.


    ''MingYue, I cannot hold this for long.


    If you want to finish them, do it quickly.''


    ''No need, take off your pressure, FengXue.


    I appreciate the help.'' MingYue replied in her mind.


    Then, she turned her sharp gaze toward the elders.


    Her amber eyes still flickered with an intense red hue since she had just absorbed the life force from the Grand Elder.


    [Queen, I will hold the excess life force for now.


    This should be enough for you to break through to a minor realm, but if we do that here, the others will become suspicious.]


    MingYue agreed.


    If she broke through now, the elders would think she used some secret technique to release the pressure before and start attacking her aggressively.


    She pointed her finger at the elders.


    "You geezers, a and b, where is Zhang, that stupid old man?"


    The elders gulped.


    Zhang Xueqi was their patriarch.


    His location now concerned the secret of their family, one related to their roots.


    They looked into each other''s eyes; many thoughts came to their minds, and both of them then nodded.


    Their qi suddenly burst out, and both of them leaped forward as they screamed in unison, "For the glory of the Xueqi Family."

 Chapter 39 - 39: Kill Them!!!

    The Elder dashed forward with his sword pointed at MingYue.


    MingYue was surprised by their action; she had thought they would at least try to compromise since what they were now doing was tantamount to suicide.


    Both of the elders were at the late Core Formation stage; it was too late for anyone to intervene.


    MingHao and ZanLu could only watch in horror as the two swords came close to MingYue''s body.


    Knowing it was too late for her to dodge, MingYue took out an item from her storage ring and threw it toward them.


    BOOM!!!


    A grenade exploded, one of the many items she had gotten from Alex.


    This grenade was named the Recoil Blast Bomb.


    It would burst the mana inside, releasing a shockwave that pushed everything within a ten-meter area away.


    If this grenade were thrown in the middle of a forest, all the trees in the impact area would be uprooted.


    This strength was not enough to knock cultivators at their level back, but it was enough to slow them down.


    But MingHao, the ''young master,'' guards, and everyone else were knocked back by the explosion.


    The elders were caught off guard by the attack, but they were already determined, so they burned their qi more, pushing forward through the shockwave.


    MingYue let her body be thrown back, but she used the momentum; she lowered her leg, letting it touch the ground, and with a graceful movement, crouched.


    Her body started doing 360 spins, while qi began appearing from her body, like a cold mist.


    Her sword drew a line of ice, slashing diagonally from downward toward their torsos.


    Seeing the attack, the elders were shocked; this made them falter for a moment, allowing MingYue''s frost qi attack to hit their bodies.


    They were shocked; if the sword could be explained by the Hua family taking the sword from MingYue, then this secret technique could not be explained.


    They recognized it: ''Shiver of the Winter Blade,'' a middle-earth grade secret technique that was a signature move of their prodigy MingYue.


    A cold voice reached their ears, melodious but chilling them to the bone.


    "You remember me now, Elder..."


    MingYue whispered their real names in a way that made them confirm she was MingYue, "I came here just to return the favor.


    I thank the guidance of the family.


    Those that become a hindrance to us should be killed mercilessly.


    Don''t worry, I will send that stupid geezer and the rest with you to hell.


    The Hua family is next."


    After hearing her words, the frost spread from their wounds, freezing their qi and bodies.


    Regret?


    Of course, they had it.


    They even cursed the patriarch, who had let everything happen because of something unconfirmed.


    If they had known this would happen, they would never have agreed to it.


    But there is no regret for the dead.


    It took no time before they turned into sculptures of ice, then fell to the ground and cracked into many pieces.


    In reality, the technique she used now was not ''Shiver of the Winter Blade.'' Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa had improved the technique, making it far stronger; now it''s an ancient grade ''Absolute Zero Tempest Sweep.''


    If not for this upgraded technique, MingYue wouldn''t have been able to kill them this easily, even though they were only one minor realm apart.


    Their combat experience and means were not something she could overlook.


    Seeing the result of her new secret technique made MingYue smile.


    Right now, she barely understood how the skill worked; if she could truly master it, MingYue knew she could defeat someone a few major realms higher than her without any problem.


    The frozen shards on the ground started turning into green particles, flowing into MingYue''s body.


    When the dust settled, everything was already over.


    MingHao, who had just stood up, jumped to his feet and ran toward his sister to help her.


    But seeing both elders had already disappeared, with only some shards of ice left on the ground along with their storage rings, his movement became slower.


    He could not believe how quickly his sister had become strong; this also made him think MingYue had really become a demonic cultivator.


    He arrived at her side, looking at her with worry, noticing the tinge of red in MingYue''s amber eyes.


    "Why? Are you afraid of me now?" she asked with a smile.


    "But sis, that technique¡­ are you alright?"


    "Brat, don''t you know your own sister? You think I would learn a technique like that?"


    MingHao shook his head; the sister he knew would never opt for short-term accomplishments that sacrificed her whole future.


    What use is becoming strong if they end up consumed by madness in the end?


    "Good that you understand."


    MingYue then took out a normal sword and threw it to MingHao.


    He caught it with ease but looked confused at his Sister.


    He didn''t understand why she had thrown a sword at him.


    "As cultivators, killing is just a daily thing for us, MingHao.


    If someone poses a danger to your life, you must not hesitate to kill them.


    Have you killed anyone before?"


    MingHao shook his head; he had never done this.


    It should have been part of the rite of adulthood for him, something that was still a few years away.


    But MingYue knew they would face more danger now with how she did things; MingHao didn''t have the luxury to wait that long, and now she had the perfect target for her brother to learn.


    She then pointed at their cousin, "MingHao, kill them."


    Looking at his useless cousin and hearing his sister''s order, MingHao''s body froze.


    MingYue sighed; it was just as she had expected.


    MingHao had a gentle, kind heart compared to her.


    Even though he had a bad relationship with his cousin, they were still not strangers; they were people who had once lived together for years with him.


    "If you cannot do this, then you can stay here," MingYue said sternly to her brother.


    The ''young master,'' who had barely started to recover, shivered in fear upon hearing MingYue''s order.

 Chapter 40 - 40: MingHaos Decision

    They couldn''t fight back since the chains binding them were made with a special formation that prevented them from using any Qi.


    MingHao started walking slowly toward them; when he got close, he froze again.


    Seeing his cousins'' expressions filled with fear, tears, and snot, his heart began to falter.


    They started begging him to spare them.


    "Don''t kill us, please. No matter what, we are still family."


    "Yeah, we will sign a slave contract. Just spare us."


    "We will be more useful to you if you let us live."


    MingHao turned his gaze to his sister, but MingYue didn''t move, only sternly glaring at him.


    He sighed, knowing that meant his sister wouldn''t compromise.


    In MingYue''s eyes, they were just useless; they had too much ego, to the point they couldn''t even use their brains correctly.


    Even with a slave contract, the normal commoner was more useful than they were.


    Their best use now was to give her little brother real-life experience.


    Seeing MingHao still hesitate, MingYue spoke again with a stern tone, "MingHao!"


    MingHao''s body shook again; he then looked at the surroundings.


    ZanLu just nodded, giving some encouragement to go for it, but the rest of the commoners only watched with glee, as if they were watching a show.


    Some even looked at his cousin with hatred.


    He could see no one would ask to spare his cousin.


    "MingHao, do you forget we played together before? Spare me!"


    "If you let me live, I could warm your bed at night; we are far cousins, so that should be alright," said one of the attractive women in the group.


    The memories of the past started surfacing in his mind; in the past, although they hadn''t played often, he had a good relationship with them since they always praised him to the sky.


    But after his mother''s actions, everything changed.


    They always bullied him every chance they got.


    Remembering the cursing words made his grip on the sword tighten.


    The words that hurt him the most were how they cursed his family.


    And now that their lives were in his hands, they started begging like crazy.


    MingHao then realized how ugly their hearts were.


    Then a melodious voice reached his ear, "Brat, not everyone is like that.


    There are many types of people in this world; some are trash like them, and some aren''t.


    But that''s not really important.


    Are you a saint? You''re a cultivator.


    I''m not telling you to kill everyone on your path, but those that pose a threat, kill them without mercy."


    MingHao knew his sister was right; the path of cultivation was harsh.


    His uncle had also told him this many times before.


    MingHao closed his eyes and moved his qi to shut his ears.


    But another voice carried by Qi reached his ears, "Do that, then this is pointless.


    You might as well spare them and stay here.


    You can treat them however you like then.


    I won''t judge you."


    He opened his eyes again; this time, his amber eyes flickered with determination.


    Staying here and lazing around with his cousin as his slave?


    That might sound appealing to some people, but not for MingHao.


    He wanted to get stronger and help his sister and family.


    When they had attacked the mansion before, they had searched every room, even the basement, but his father was nowhere to be seen, not even the corpse.


    MingHao understood that something serious must have happened for them to take such drastic action, even drawing ire from their own daughter.


    SLASH!


    The sword in his hand moved through the air, cutting one of his cousin''s necks.


    Blood spurted out, turning the other cousins crazy.


    Some begged even more, saying nonsensical stuff that MingHao turned a deaf ear to.


    Others started cursing at him, but MingHao didn''t stop for a moment.


    Slash! SLASH! SLASH!


    Blood poured like rain while a feeling of repulsion started gnawing at his heart.


    MingHao did his best to hold everything in.


    He knew if he didn''t, MingYue would berate him.


    The screams, pleas, and curses turned silent, but they were soon replaced by cheers and claps, which made MingHao''s repulsion grow even more.


    Seeing MingHao''s pale face, MingYue walked toward him and ruffled his hair.


    "You did good.


    Go take a break."


    MingHao nodded and quickly escaped, leaving the area.


    He returned to the mansion, reaching the garden behind his old place.


    Under a tree he used to play in the past, MingHao started throwing up, and tears flowed down his cheeks.


    The faces of the people he had just killed kept appearing in his mind.


    This made him throw up even more.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now touching the protection array as Vesa analyzed it.


    ''MingYue, is it wise to leave MingHao alone?


    He is still a child,'' FengXue communicated in her mind.


    ''For a ghost that wants to take over my body, you are quite a worrywart,'' MingYue replied.


    ''That''s different.


    You came for my treasure; you were prepared for the risks.


    But MingHao is just a child.''


    ''A child, a teenager, an adult, do you think that matters in the cultivation world?


    He chose this path; there''s no turning back.


    And you should know this better than anyone else.


    Aren''t you just left with only your soul now?''


    FengXue became silent for a few breaths, then asked, ''When can you get a body for me?''


    ''You should know I''ve already prepared a good one for you.


    Just wait.''


    MingYue''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    [Queen, it''s done.


    You should be able to enter now.


    But there is no one inside here.]


    "Tch, I knew it," MingYue clicked her tongue in annoyance. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then turned her gaze to ZanLu.


    "Keep the city on lockdown, then prepare the people to go with us."


    "Yes, miss, anything else?" ZanLu asked.


    "How about the one I asked you to prepare?


    Is it ready?"


    ZanLu nodded.


    "Everything is prepared; we are just waiting for your order to start."

 Chapter 41 - 41: Xueqi Ancestor

    "Good, go do your task then.


    Also, ask Jianfeng if he can choose to go with us or stay at this place."


    ZanLu then went on his task as MingYue took a step, entering the array into the ancestral hall.


    The people also started to disperse.


    As for the storage ring on the ground, MingYue had already taken it with her.


    Even though the wealth was not much, it was useful since she needed to take care of many people.


    The secret realm had been a good place to stay, but the lack of resources inside had been a problem.


    Passing through the array, MingYue found herself in familiar scenery.


    The inside was far bigger than it had looked from the outside, with a solemn atmosphere.


    She walked through the hallway adorned with polished wood, with torches that ignited every time she passed by.


    The first time she had been here, MingYue had been amazed by how it worked, but now she realized it was just a simple formation, not even comparable to the sect she had been in.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach the Ancestral room.


    On the right side, there were many tombstones carved with the names of the Xueqi Family ancestors; on the left side, it was filled with tablets of the family members still alive.


    "How did Mom enter here?


    It doesn''t seem there is any damage," she mumbled.


    There were still many names hanging, with three just freshly broken.


    MingYue then realized that MinHua''s tablet was also not there, nor were those of her mom and dad.


    She then took all the tablets into her storage ring.


    Afterward, MingYue turned her gaze toward the door in the center of the room, a place she had never been allowed to enter before.


    MingYue took a few steps toward the door but then stopped and turned her gaze toward the Ancestor''s gravestone.


    Her amber eyes glinted coldly.


    A sword appeared in her hand; she injected her qi into it and threw a slash toward it.


    Swish¡ªa shockwave was created from the slash.


    BAM!!!


    To her surprise, the slash seemed to hit a barrier, allowing the gravestone to stay intact.


    MingYue frowned.


    She then gathered even more qi, preparing to use her secret art to destroy it.


    She hadn''t asked Vesa since she had already thought the barrier that protected the stone was not the same as the one carved into the building.


    But she stopped when smoke started to come out from one of the gravestones; a corporeal form of an old man then appeared in front of her.


    "Don''t you have any respect for your ancestor?"


    The old man had a long white beard, but his body still stood straight with a deep gaze.


    "Respect?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue coldly smiled.


    "Respect is earned.


    Why should I give any to a family that forsook me when I worked hard for them to rise?"


    The Old Man sighed, "Even though I''m just a wisp of a soul, I cannot see through you, which means you are strong.


    And you tell me they forsook you?


    Tell me why?"


    MingYue then proceeded to tell him what had happened.


    The Old Man stroked his beard as he listened.


    This action somewhat made MingYue feel annoyed.


    She felt like the old man was just pretending to be wise.


    Hearing it all, the old man shook his head, "I knew choosing Zhang was a bad choice, but no one was better than him in his generation.


    If only your grandfather had accepted it at that time."


    The old man sighed again.


    He then continued, "How about this: I will revoke his permission on every array and give it to you, and then you can become the new patriarch of this family."


    "No, I already have my own sect.


    But I can take over the family to become a branch of mine."


    "Your own sect?


    Does it have a foundation as deep as ours?


    You don''t know the glory of our family at its height.


    Beyond this door, we have a Transportation Array to the central region; that stupid kid is probably there now.


    Based on your story, he''s probably trying to look for backup."


    "Transportation array?


    I knew it; that stupid geezer was just a coward.


    He just imposes strict requirements on others while he himself cannot adhere to them.


    What a hypocrite."


    "We don''t only have those, you know.


    We also have a city-wide array, but it''s broken now.


    There is also an underground treasury here, but I''ve kept it hidden from Zhang.


    The resources inside should be enough for you to reach the Heavenly stage.


    You should know our family comes from the Central region..."


    Before the old soul could say anything further, MingYue interrupted.


    "Are you going to say our family ran away after being attacked and betrayed by their allies?


    Then some of the survivors pooled their resources and ran away to this area, hoping one day to return and take revenge?"


    "How would you know?


    Do you have some secret technique that allows you to see the past?"


    The Old Soul asked with interest.


    "No, that''s just how it usually goes.


    What a clich¨¦," MingYue answered with a cold tone.


    She knew Alex would laugh his ass off if he heard about this.


    And this annoyed her; just how could the people writing this book guess something right on point like this.


    "What is a ''clich¨¦''?"


    The old man asked since he had never heard that word before.


    "Forget it.


    Look, Gramps, since you are quite sincere, I''ll let my brother continue the family name.


    Now, can you give me access to the formation here, or do I need to take it for myself?"


    "Oh, take it for yourself?


    You are really an unruly child.


    If you can really do it, I will kowtow to you and call you my Ancestor instead."


    The old man said this because he had felt irked by MingYue''s attitude, which had given no respect toward him.


    She had also treated the family treasure like it had no value at all.

 Chapter 42 - 42: Can You do it?

    In his eyes, MingYue was just a frog in the well who had probably had some lucky encounters.


    Still, he didn''t blame her for opening her own sect and trying to leave the family because her reasons were justified.


    ''Vesa, you can do it, right?''


    [Of course, Queen.


    It seems they separated the formation outside from the one inside, so in case something happened, they could still use the formation in here to escape.]


    MingYue didn''t care much about Vesa''s explanation; she didn''t feel any interest in learning how the formation worked.


    She just wanted to quickly get over it and return to the secret realm.


    The resources here would be useful for her little brother and other people in the sect.


    "I hope you won''t regret what you said, Gramps," MingYue said with a smirk.


    She then walked toward the door and placed her palm over it, allowing Vesa to start working on the array.


    Meanwhile, MingHao was sitting on the ground outside the Xueqi family estate, observing the commoners busy with their own tasks.


    ZanLu, passing by the area, noticed MingHao''s pale face and approached him.


    "Young Master, are you alright?"


    "No, I am not," MingHao answered.


    "You shouldn''t think too much about it.


    I am sorry to say this, but those people you killed deserved it.


    It would take me two days to list every single person that fell victim at their hands."


    ZanLu dared to say this because he saw MingHao as a kind person, unlike other cultivators, which made him want to comfort MingHao.


    MingHao didn''t want to talk about it because it would just remind him of their dying faces.


    Even though he understood why his sister did it, he still felt it would have been better to just enslave them.


    "It seems most people in the city will follow Sis out.


    What will happen with the rest, then?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ZanLu turned his gaze toward the street, seeing people moving around.


    "They will stay here, of course.


    It''s their own choice; they should already know the risk.


    A commoner staying without a cultivator protecting them is just waiting for death."


    He had seen the fate of some neighboring villages burned to the ground for offending some cultivator.


    The only reason most of these villages were safe was that they had nothing of value for the cultivator to plunder.


    But Dai Yin city was different; it had a lot of wealth.


    He could already see the affiliated families starting to fight over the empty seat of the Xueqi family, only for it to be taken from them by stronger cultivators who heard the news.


    This place would become a bloodbath soon.


    But MingHao didn''t know about this possibility.


    If he knew, he would run around trying to convince those who chose to stay to go with them.


    "How did you meet my sister?"


    "The lady?


    One day, she came to our village and started giving out elixirs that healed those who were sick.


    She then offered us to follow her and sign a slave contract.


    We thought at first we would be used as cannon fodder or for hard labor in construction, but we still agreed to it since our village had a lack of food, and your Mistress said she would take everyone.


    At that time, our village lacked young people, which is the same as any other village.


    Those young and talented would try their luck looking for work in the city, sects, or any prominent family like yours."


    "My sister did that?" MingHao asked in disbelief.


    He had always thought of MingYue as someone cold, only doing things that benefited her.


    In his mind, there should be no benefit in taking people from a village like that.


    If anything, she would just take the useful ones, not everyone.


    "Lady MingYue is not bad.


    Compared to other cultivators I''ve met so far, Mistress gave us a path to survive and become stronger.


    As I told you, we expected hard work and to be paid only with food.


    But Mistress gave us more than that; you will see it later with your own eyes.


    Now, even without the slave contract, I would follow Mistress even if it cost my life.


    I know my family will be taken care of," ZanLu said with eyes filled with reverence.


    Seeing ZanLu respect his sister so much made MingHao realize there were many things he didn''t know about her.


    He then started asking ZanLu more about his sister.


    Back inside the ancestral hall, the old man''s face started turning ugly as he could feel the control of the array disappearing from him.


    This prompted him to quickly float toward MingYue''s side; with panicked eyes, he quickly said, "Stop! Stop!


    I will give you the control."


    This left MingYue puzzled since the end result should have been the same.


    [Queen, other than the secret vault he talked about, there is another one deeper underground.


    I am sure something there is the reason why this wisp of a soul has survived this long.]


    Reading this made MingYue''s lips curl up into a cold smile.


    "Hey, geezer, let''s make a deal.


    At this point, your life is in my hands anyway.


    You want to see the Xueqi family rise to new heights, right?"


    The old man''s soul then realized MingYue had already found out his secret.


    He couldn''t believe he was beaten by someone far younger than him.


    He knew the one who had built this array was someone far stronger than him.


    To be able to decrypt the formation in this short time made the old man accept his defeat sincerely.


    After all, what really mattered to him was for the Xueqi family to rise again.


    "Yes, so do you want me to kneel down now?


    What do you want?" he asked.


    "This is a different matter.


    I want you to protect and teach my younger brother since you''re always here.


    You should know him.


    Even though he is not a genius, he will reach heights far beyond what you can imagine."

 Chapter 43 - 43: Treasury

    The old man looked at MingYue with disbelief.


    If it had been her, he wouldn''t have found it strange, but MingHao was a different story.


    "How can you be so sure about that?"


    "Because I will make sure of it," MingYue replied confidently.


    With Vesa and Alex''s technology, MingYue knew it was just a matter of time before she became immortal and advanced to realms beyond their comprehension.


    After all, a Progenitor was a being beyond their understanding.


    "Alright, I will do it.


    Now, let me fulfill my first promise."


    Seeing the old wisp of a soul start to kneel down made MingYue appreciate him more.


    He didn''t go back on his word despite the age difference.


    She turned her gaze back to the door and said, "Forget it, Gramps.


    After all, you are still my ancestor, and it''s not like you had a hand in what happened to me.


    Just make sure you fulfill your promise."


    [Don''t worry, Queen.


    I will place some restrictions on his soul later, so if something happens to your brother, his soul will perish.]


    [This will guarantee he doesn''t have any strange ideas.]


    MingYue agreed, even though she knew it was impossible for this old man''s wisp of a soul to take over her brother''s body, and he seemed to be a respectful man. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was always better to have a contingency plan.


    It didn''t take long for the formation to completely fall under MingYue''s control.


    The first thing she did was turn off the teleportation formation, making sure the patriarch and the main family couldn''t use it to return.


    Right now, she didn''t have plans to enter the central region.


    She wanted to focus on building up the Sect and their own force.


    MingYue had already felt the benefits of standing on her own feet, compared to living in the Sect, where she had to adhere to the rules, no matter how nonsensical they were.


    She also had limited freedom in that place and needed to fight for resources.


    Afterward, she still needed to share the resources with the Sect.


    She could try to monopolize them, but if found out, she would be punished harshly.


    Compared to now, she still needed to fight for resources, but she had total control over them.


    MingYue then went to the treasury, the one that the patriarch had access to.


    As she had expected, there were no high-level artifacts left, only some mortal-grade artifacts, the best being low earth-grade artifacts.


    There were also many pills to help build up the foundation, but compared to the artifacts, their grade was worse; the best were only at mortal middle grade.


    Just like secret techniques, pills and artifacts were separated into many grades: Mortal, Earth, Mystic, Celestial, Heaven, and Ancient.


    The artifacts in the room were a mix of weapons and armor, with many storage rings.


    There were many weapon types, from swords, axes, and spears to maces.


    MingYue then took it all, emptying the whole vault.


    This made the old man''s spirit want to cry, seeing his Sect robbed without being able to do anything.


    He knew MingYue would use it for her own Sect; this meant the Xueqi family would go bankrupt today.


    She then walked toward the other secret vault, the one hidden from the patriarch.


    Inside, the room was smaller; she found three rows of racks.


    Two racks were filled with pill bottles, and the other had a few jade scrolls on it.


    The old man had a proud look on his face, seeing the Sect''s true treasure.


    As long as they had these, he was sure they could rise up again.


    He then started pointing at the jade scrolls, "See those?


    We have one celestial middle-grade secret technique.


    The rest are at least at Earth upper grade, and some Mystic low grade."


    He then pointed at the pill rack, "We even have Mystic-grade pills to help boost your cultivation without many side effects.


    How about it?


    Does it change your mind now?


    I don''t believe you''re not interested in this."


    But the old man''s expression fell when he saw MingYue, who didn''t even glance at them.


    Her eyes were instead focused on the weapons displayed on the opposite side of the racks.


    For her, all those had no value.


    Vesa could modify any technique with her knowledge from Eldonia, enhancing it to the Ancient grade.


    As for cultivation resources, she didn''t need any.


    MingYue just needed to absorb more life force.


    As a progenitor, there were no downsides to her doing this.


    On the wall, there were only three weapons on display, with a few pieces of armor placed on top of a table.


    With a glance, MingYue could tell the armor was carved with formations and made from special materials.


    "That is our family''s special product.


    In the past, our family patriarch was a blacksmith..."


    But MingYue cut the old man''s words short.


    "Not important.


    What is the ability of this armor?"


    The old man felt he would cough up blood already if he had a real body, as MingYue still showed no amazement.


    This also made him suspect MingYue had obtained an incomplete immortal inheritance.


    "The formation carved into it gives the armor the ability to change its appearance and makes its weight only one-tenth of the normal one.


    It also provides some protection for the user from soul attacks.


    This armor is at least Mystic low grade," he explained with displeasure.


    "Hmm... not bad to use for a while," MingYue mumbled, then took it all into her storage ring.


    She felt it was not much since it was only at Mystic grade level.


    She was sure it wouldn''t take long for her to reach that level and meet even stronger enemies that would render this armor useless.


    If she knew that life force could regenerate her body, too, she would find the armor even more useless.


    She then looked toward the weapons mounted on the wall.


    In the middle was a pair of twin swords.


    MingYue could feel cold qi emanating from them.

 Chapter 44 - 44: Skeleton

    She started approaching and then took one of the blades.


    MingYue could feel that the weapon was even stronger than the sword she had used before.


    Seeing MingYue interested in something, the old man felt elated.


    "That pair of swords was used by our Matriarch before.


    It was found in a secret realm.


    I don''t know much about it other than the name ''Twin Frostbites,'' and it possesses a beast''s soul."


    MingYue, feeling intrigued, didn''t ask further.


    Instead, she took out the swords from their sheath and began infusing her qi into them.


    The twin swords started to vibrate, emanating a frosty qi, even the one that MingYue wasn''t holding.


    A silhouette of twin arctic foxes appeared in her mind, both baring their fangs, trying to attack her soul.


    Seeing what happened, the old man sneered.


    He had purposefully not told MingYue the details about the artifact with the beast''s soul.


    To bond with it, a cultivator needed to gain acknowledgment from the soul inside.


    Otherwise, they would face backlash from it.


    The old man wasn''t worried since the worst that could happen was MingYue suffering some minor internal injuries.


    He just wanted to teach MingYue a lesson to respect him more.


    In MingYue''s inner world, two arctic foxes the size of an adult human bared their fangs at her, but just as they were about to pounce, another silhouette appeared behind MingYue.


    Vesa grinned, showing its fangs towards them.


    This made both foxes stop in their tracks; they instantly turned into docile foxes and shrank to the size of a toy dog.


    Seeing this, MingYue smiled.


    She didn''t know much about beast souls, but she dared to infuse her qi to check anything because of Vesa''s existence.


    MingYue then walked toward the foxes and started petting them.


    Back in the real world, both swords stopped vibrating, making the old man''s sneer turn into speechlessness.


    He shook his head, realizing at this point he should just stop being surprised by what MingYue did.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile, and then she placed both swords inside her storage ring.


    The old man admitted defeat and started explaining the other weapons, even without MingYue asking.


    With a dispirited voice, he explained, "The hammer on the left was used by our founder to fight and craft artifacts.


    It was found in the same secret realm as the sword you used, and it also contains a beast''s soul.


    It has the ability to convert your qi into the fire element, as well as change its weight and size from one-tenth to ten times its original size.


    Its name is EmberShift Warhammer."


    He then pointed at the last weapon, "The last one, as you can see, is a bow.


    It can convert your qi into arrows.


    I don''t know much about this one since I have never even seen it being used.


    But they all should be of the same quality and strength."


    MingYue felt satisfied with the weapons.


    She knew they would boost her combat power tremendously.


    She wasn''t sure whom to give the bow to, but she knew she could exchange the Warhammer with Alex.


    Through their interactions, she learned that Alex preferred using them.


    In his words, the feeling of smashing something gave him more dopamine.


    MingYue didn''t know what dopamine was before this, which made her ask him. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In response, Alex gave her a biology book.


    She just turned a few pages before placing it in the furthest corner of her storage ring.


    All the words there were so foreign to her that it made her head hurt even trying to read them.


    After emptying the vault, MingYue moved to the last room in the area.


    She expected to find some artifact or item, but, to her surprise, she found a skeleton sitting on a simple wooden chair with a storage ring on its finger.


    The skeleton was carved with many formations, making MingYue realize it was the core of the array.


    The old man''s eyes turned nostalgic upon seeing the room.


    It was the place where he had spent his last few years alone, away from everyone else.


    With a sigh, he said, "There are only the formation cores here, nothing important.


    Inside my storage ring, it''s filled with scrolls, but they''re not secret techniques or anything.


    It''s the history of the Xueqi family.


    You can find out what happened in the past in detail from there."


    Seeing this, MingYue started to respect the old man more.


    ''He really sincerely wishes for the Xueqi family to rise, even going as far as using his own cultivation to sustain the array,'' she thought.


    She then looked at the old man with a solemn expression.


    "The real formation core should have been destroyed, and then you used your own cultivation to sustain the array.


    Why would you do that?"


    The old man sighed, "I was waiting, waiting for a prodigy like you who could use all these resources to rise and bring the family back up.


    But as you can see, my gamble resulted badly.


    Now, I''m just a wisp of a soul, barely living.


    If you hadn''t come here within a year, my soul would also have dissipated.


    In that case, Zhang would need to step up and take over my place."


    MingYue chuckled; she felt like she was hearing a hilarious joke.


    "That selfish bastard?


    Sacrificing himself?


    You are dreaming."


    The old man''s shoulders slumped.


    "You are right.


    I think what happened to you is also because of the pressure on his shoulders.


    He doesn''t know about the vault, but I told him my soul would dissipate after a year, and with it, the root of the family would be gone if he didn''t step up to replace me.


    To think, instead of becoming determined, he did that."


    [Queen, should we start?


    I will affix his soul into the storage ring on the skeleton''s finger.]


    "Let''s start then."


    MingYue walked toward the skeleton, her amber eyes with a red hue glinting as her palm touched it.

 Chapter 45 - 100 ps)

    The old man started feeling panic as he felt like he was being absorbed by some indiscernible power.


    "Don''t worry, old man.


    MingHao will fulfill your dream.


    Just do your work."


    Those were the last words the old man heard before everything turned dark for him until MingHao used the ring later on.


    The skeleton then crumbled into dust.


    MingYue took the ring with her.


    With the core gone, the array protection inside the Ancestral Hall also started turning off, barely functioning with the energy remnants in the circuit.


    MingYue didn''t rush out of the room since there was no one else around; this place was the best for her breakthrough.


    She then sat in the lotus position and closed her eyes.


    Knowing what to do, Vesa began converting all the excess life force into MingYue''s cultivation.


    Green threads of life force started spreading in her body toward her core formation.


    MingYue took breaths in a specific pattern, circulating the energy to ensure everything ran smoothly.


    It didn''t take long for her cultivation to rise by one minor realm.


    ____________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 7.5


    Progenitor Transformation: 7.35/100%


    Life Force: 200/200


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Late Level


    Secret Arts: Absolute Zero Tempest Sweep


    ____________________________


    "Isn''t the result too small?


    I absorbed life force from three peak Nascent Soul stages.


    Did you take some of it too?" MingYue asked, feeling suspicious.


    [¡­]


    [Uh, Queen, I did take some of it, but the majority of it was lost since I filtered it to ensure no side effects were left in your cultivation.]


    "Why would you need to take it?


    I asked you before, and you said this life force barely had any use in recovering your power."


    Vesa paused for a moment, thinking of what to say since it didn''t want to reveal information behind the King''s back.


    [This is because of what happened on the King''s side.


    You should ask him about it.


    The King also found a good method to raise your life force limit.


    Right now, I keep every excess of life force.


    It''s no problem for now, but this will mean you cannot use it.]


    "Using it?


    What purpose does the life energy have other than boosting my cultivation?"


    On Alex''s side, he still needed to finish all foundation stages before he could use life force to boost his cultivation quickly.


    However, Vesa thought Alex probably wouldn''t do this much since he wanted to modify how cultivation worked.


    Vesa then explained how life force could be used to heal her body, and in the future, she would learn how to use it in a fight.


    MingYue then returned to the ancestral hall.


    She looked toward the Xueqi family''s ancestral gravestone.


    Before, she would have destroyed all of it, but out of respect for the old man, she took it all into her storage ring. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She knew the place would be pillaged by the commoners soon.


    If she didn''t do this, the gravestone would be desecrated.


    Outside, people had already gathered and prepared to leave.


    With MingYue''s return, they then started the trip back to the secret realm after they were some distance away from the city.


    BOOM!!!


    A pillar of flame exploded, making MingHao turn his head back.


    He was currently sitting in the carriage driver''s seat with ZanLu.


    From that direction, he could tell it was from Dai Yin City.


    ZanLu didn''t seem surprised since it was something he had prepared under MingYue''s orders.


    "Don''t worry, it just blew up the Xueqi family estate.


    We already informed the people left there about this; there should be no casualties."


    Hearing this, MingHao''s shoulders slumped.


    "Sis is always so decisive.


    She really destroyed everything.


    The Xueqi family is no more now."


    "I don''t know how you Cultivators do things, but aren''t you and your sister here?


    Young Master, a family is where the people are.


    As long as you continue the Xueqi family name, it will always exist."


    Hearing those words, MingHao''s eyes flickered.


    ZanLu could see a flame of determination in them.


    He then continued talking to comfort and motivate MingHao.


    Behind the carriage, Jiang Feng looked at the pillar of flame with a complicated gaze.


    He was now moving with his whole family, deciding to move away from the city.


    He didn''t want to stay there any longer; over time, his attachment to the Xueqi family had dwindled.


    He then looked to his right side, seeing his daughter-in-law carrying his granddaughter.


    His eyes filled with love and expectation.


    Jiang Feng still remembers the phenomenon from when she was born; he could feel the room vibrate at that time, with a strange pressure pulling them down, as if a heavy weight was on their shoulders.


    He hoped his granddaughter could grow into a strong cultivator so she could have control over her own fate.


    Meanwhile, inside the carriage, MingYue didn''t care about all this.


    She could hear what MingHao and ZanLu talked about if she wanted, but she didn''t feel any interest.


    ''Alex, are you busy?''


    ''No, I''m on the road now.


    Oh yeah, MingYue, before you say anything further, I need to tell you something.''


    Alex then told her what had happened to his sister.


    He didn''t tell her the details, only the context and parts that impacted her.


    This made MingYue frown.


    ''No wonder Vesa keeps saying to ask you...


    So you are saying I need to look for an immortal to kill now?


    And you need to find a similar one in your world?''


    ''No, you just take care of what you want to do and the sect.


    This is my mistake, so I will be the one responsible for it.


    And I owe you one for this.


    Do you have anything you want?''


    Knowing there was nothing she could do about the situation, MingYue decided not to pursue it further.


    She would just capitalize on the opportunity; there was something she wanted.


    Even though she knew they would spend a long time together, it didn''t mean they would become close automatically; their relationship now was more like a business partnership.


    If she wanted something from Alex''s world, she would provide something from her side.


    So would Alex.


    ''Yes, What is it?


    A gun? Another gadget? Machine?''


    Alex asked in MingYue''s mind.

 Chapter 46 - 46: Dropped

    "No, I wanted the continuation of one of the novels you gave me before.


    The story just got good, but why are there no next chapters?


    It''s the one with the MC named Lucas.


    I remember the title had ''kill'' or ''author'' in it."


    Hearing this, Alex smirked.


    At first, he thought she would get addicted to the mobile game, but then he thought she got addicted to novels instead.


    "Oh, that one.


    The author dropped the book."


    "What!?


    Why would he write it if he didn''t plan to finish it?


    So annoying," MingYue complained.


    Alex chuckled.


    "Well, I can''t do anything about it.


    I would drop him one hundred castles if he continued the story, but I heard the author died in an accident, crushed by a truck.


    I''ll just send you a completed novel next time.


    But if you''re still curious, there are fanfictions that continue the author''s story."


    "Fanfiction?


    Castle?" MingYue asked, not understanding what he meant.


    Alex then explained what fanfiction meant and how a castle was simply a donation of money to support the author.


    In response to that, MingYue declined.


    "No, I''ll just read another story then.


    If it doesn''t come from the real author, there''s no point in reading it.


    Just prepare it then; we''ll trade when I reach my sect.


    Also, you told me there''s a story with pictures and even videos; send me some of them."


    "She really likes reading stories," Alex thought to himself, but he didn''t mind since that meant they both had the same interests and hobbies.


    He just needed to gather his collection of manhwa and anime onto an SD card and then send it to MingYue.


    "Oh yeah, I found a Warhammer that should be suitable for you.


    Vesa said you found a way to raise Life Force capacity.


    Let''s exchange it for that, then."


    "That method is still in the experimental stage, but since your situation is similar to mine, there should be no side effects for you."


    Alex then asked MingYue about the progress on the Qi crystal mine.


    "I haven''t taken any, but I got a stockpile of Qi crystals from my family''s treasury.


    Most of it is low-grade, but there should be thousands of them.


    I will send some of the medium-quality ones to you later."


    "No need for too much.


    I just need it for experiments.


    Send the low-quality ones, too.


    If possible, I want to modify a portable generator to run with qi.


    This way, I can just send in devices from my world; there''s no need to modify them," Alex replied.


    He had already used his ability, thinking about how to build one.


    Based on his calculations, Alex had two options: he could order a custom one, replace every single part of it with a more robust one, or create a new component that worked like a stabilizer for the volatile qi energy.


    MingYue then told Alex about her concerns.


    There were a few small qi crystal mines under the Xueqi family, but all the mining processes were handled by affiliated families, and it was labor-intensive.


    This meant that after MingYue took over, she would need to put many people there to guard the mine and also manage the workload and transportation. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a big problem since the sect was still lacking people with decent strength.


    They could use guns, but since only MingYue could control her qi skillfully, the rest of her people would be dependent on Mana crystals, and this was a limited supply since she could only get them from Alex''s world.


    Another reason she didn''t want to do this was that MingYue didn''t want their sect to be discovered by anyone for now.


    Even with all the technology from Alex''s world, compared to real big sects, their military power was still nothing.


    All this instead became detrimental since the sect became a treasure trove that every other sect and prominent family would want to take over.


    Hearing this, Alex suggested, "Why not use Vesa then?


    You haven''t used Vesa''s abilities to search for treasure.


    Try to look for a new Qi crystal lode, then dig underground and move the secret realm entrance there.


    That way, you won''t need to worry about transport and other people finding the location of the sect."


    Hearing this, MingYue agreed, and she put this on her next to-do list.


    Alex then asked MingYue about the progress with her family.


    MingYue skimmed over part of the story, only telling him the key points of what happened.


    The reason was that she already knew how he would react; even without the full story, she could already hear him laughing.


    "Told you it wouldn''t be that simple, just like in the novel you read.


    There''s a reason authors write it like that," Alex said with a chuckle.


    "Hmph, can you stop laughing?


    Thanks to you, I need many life force energies to unlock this pendant.


    And it''s my life, not a novel; stop comparing it."


    Hearing MingYue''s rebuke and being reminded of his blunder made Alex stop laughing.


    "Alright, sorry, I didn''t mean it like that.


    Anyway, you already used some of the tools from my world in Daying City, and then you blamed it on the Hua family.


    Won''t the people there start talking when they come to investigate?"


    "They won''t believe it.


    I made sure no photo was left behind.


    I also left them some money; this will make the Hua family think they were bribed to tell lies.


    And without any qi residue, they won''t be able to do much investigation.


    The only result they will get is that a Golden Core cultivator came to the city and destroyed the Xueqi family."


    Alex agreed with her reasoning.


    He then changed the topic, explaining the storage cube he had made and how he wanted to use it to capture beasts and criminals.


    He would use them as his army until his own cultivation method was perfected.


    Meanwhile, in Alex''s world, inside a luxury car.


    The driver looked at the rearview mirror with a worried expression.


    "The young master doesn''t even look at his phone, and he keeps changing expressions, even laughing.


    Should I tell madam about this?"

 Chapter 47 - 47: Meeting Garric

    The driver then remembered that Alex had started acting weird like this after he returned from the research facility.


    He felt worried that something was wrong with Alex''s head and decided he would tell the madam.


    Alex was oblivious to the driver''s gaze; he was too excited, presenting his idea to MingYue.


    The driver didn''t even consider Alex having a brain implant since the technology hadn''t reached the public.


    Hearing his idea, MingYue wasn''t that excited.


    The idea of bolstering their force with beasts was appealing, but MingYue herself preferred to fight with her own hands.


    In her mind, letting someone else take care of her problems would just make her undisciplined.


    If that became a habit, it would negatively affect her cultivation.


    "I think FengXue or the gramps should have that method."


    [FengXue has it, Queen.


    I already got the information from our ''get-to-know'' session.]


    "That''s good, Vesa.


    Send it to Alex then."


    She then addressed Alex, "Add more weapons and mana crystals in the next batch.


    Don''t forget the machinery for construction, too."


    Alex was responsible for making the blueprint for building the sect.


    MingYue didn''t understand most of it, but she looked forward to the facilities Alex had explained.


    She then chose some of the commoners and gave them books, blueprints, and other explanations Alex had provided, letting them learn it by themselves.


    Now, she was curious about the result.


    MingYue looked forward to having the so-called jet shower and jacuzzi Alex had told her about.


    Little did she know, this wouldn''t work without Alex succeeding with the qi generator.


    "Well, I hope they won''t mess it up.


    Why don''t you use the mannequin from before to help with construction?" Alex asked.


    "Not worth it.


    I only have a few left now, one of which was destroyed when I made it self-destruct against LingHua."


    Alex already knew about this, so he didn''t ask further.


    He had wanted to ask for one to tinker with; the concept was intriguing to him since it worked like a robot, and he had heard Vesa could even program complex movements with it.


    But MingYue told him it was hard to get one, so Alex prioritized other things that were more important.


    "I will try to look for some construction robots that can be run by mana then.


    I remember reading the news there are a few prototypes of those."


    They continued their talk with the direction to grow the sect.


    Alex gave many suggestions for a modern hierarchy, which MingYue took note of.


    She just needed to modify it to make it more suitable for people in her world.


    Their discussion was interrupted when suddenly Alex felt someone''s presence near him.


    Turning his gaze, he realized the driver wanted to get his attention since the car had already reached its destination.


    "Sorry, Young Master, but we have already arrived for a while."


    He then paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you alright, Young Master?


    Should we just return home?"


    Alex then ended his contact with MingYue, telling her they would talk again later.


    He then replied to the driver, "I am alright, just wait for me here."


    He then left the car without further explanation.


    The driver, seeing Alex entering the building, took out his phone and started dialing to call his mom.


    Inside the building, in a fine dining restaurant, Alex gave his name to the waitress.


    Since the room was already booked, she quickly guided him toward the VIP room.


    Inside, Alex saw Emily in casual clothing, a T-shirt and jeans, already waiting for him.


    Opposite her sat a man with a robust figure.


    He had tidy hair and a beard, with a wound scar over his eyes.


    His black eyes turned sharp like a hawk when Alex entered the room.


    "You are late, brother," Emily complained.


    Alex smiled, "Sorry, I just got off a call.


    I already reached here a few minutes ago."


    He then turned his gaze toward the man.


    Emily quickly introduced him, her voice tinged with respect, "He is a three-star hunter and also my mentor.


    His name is Garric.


    I learned a lot from him when I first became a hunter."


    "So, you are Emily''s brother."


    He then looked him up and down and nodded with satisfaction.


    "Your sister calls you good for nothing.


    That stays home all day. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it seems you have many secrets.


    As expected from the son of the Crimson Sage."


    Hearing the words "good for nothing," Alex''s gaze sternly turned to Emily, but she looked away, playing dumb.


    Knowing he couldn''t do anything about it, Alex''s lips twitched.


    He then looked at Garric and put his hand forward.


    "Nice to meet you.


    I am Alex.


    It seems you know my father."


    Garric shook his hand.


    "Every decent hunter knows about him.


    What your dad chose deserves respect.


    Many hunters just escape their responsibility in his situation."


    Alex took his seat beside Emily, deep in his heart, replying to Garric, "And we, his family, are now the ones paying for it."


    But he kept an amiable smile outside.


    He was here to make an agreement with the hunter association, not to debate personal values.


    "Let''s get straight to the point then.


    You should have heard my sister Emily wants to reopen the Suzaku guild.


    And I have a new power system to make a deal with the Association."


    Garric nodded, then gestured for him to continue.


    Alex took out the storage cube, and from it, he took out a laptop onto the table.


    It wasn''t the first time Garric had seen an ability that interfered with space, so he understood the cube functioned like some kind of storage item, but he had never seen one as small as that.


    "What is that item?" Garric asked.


    Alex did this on purpose; he wanted to show the company''s product so Garric would be interested.


    "It''s one of the prototypes of my company''s products.


    In fact, I want to ask the Association for help with the permit to sell it."

 Chapter 48 - 48: Choosing Dungeon

    Every single item that used mana needed to get permission from the Hunters Association to be sold to the public.


    It functioned as quality control and ensured it could not be misused by the public. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then put the storage cube on the table, turned on the laptop, and opened the document.


    Alex showed it to Garric, "Let''s talk about it later.


    The main topic now is this power system; you can check it here."


    Alex had told his sister not to talk about any details regarding the power system, so he knew Garric knew nothing of it.


    The cultivation method he gave to Garric had been completely modified by Alex.


    If cultivators typically started by building up their bodies first to ensure they could create the best golden core, then Alex reversed the process, changing it to use mana to directly create a core.


    This allowed them to create their own pseudo-golden core.


    For awakeners, it would boost their abilities to a new level, and for normal people, it would enable them to gain their own abilities.


    Another effect was prolonging their lives.


    After this, the next step was to grow the core and make the body adapt to it.


    The power system then ended here; since Alex had reversed the method, this drastically limited the growth and strength of the user.


    The body acted as a container for the core.


    If normal people did this with qi, the result would be that their bodies would blow up since they could not contain the energy.


    However, since Alex used mana, the body wouldn''t blow up; however, it would severely limit the growth of the core.


    The core was at a phase that needed to be nurtured, not nurtured by the body.


    But Alex did this on purpose; he was sure this power system would be enough to entice the hunter.


    As he expected, Garric''s eyes glinted with interest as he focused on reading the information.


    "I think that should be enough," Alex said as he closed the laptop monitor from the back.


    "You can choose a few people to confirm the cultivation method, but before that, I have my own request."


    "Before I give it to you, I want the guild to be reestablished first, with exclusive access to three category 1 dungeons, two category 2 dungeons, and one category 3 dungeon.


    I also want a permit for my product.


    Once the power system is confirmed, the Hunter Association should take full credit while hiding any information that you got it from me.


    Then, you need to give me privileged access to information and the market for three-star hunters, and no questions about where I got this."


    Hearing Alex''s demands, Garric frowned; many of those were not something he could approve of.


    But he knew it was of the utmost importance for him to bring this back; this power system would be a solution for what they needed most now¡ªmore hunters.


    "I need to bring this cultivation method back first before we can talk further."


    "Even though the one here is incomplete, if you want to bring it back, you need to fulfill some of my conditions first."


    "I will be blunt; I hate back-and-forth negotiation.


    What I can do at most is approval for the guild''s establishment.


    For the rest, I cannot do anything."


    "That''s not enough, Mr. Garric.


    I know you can''t directly grant me the dungeons, but you should be able to give me a special permit to enter category two dungeons.


    Give me this, and we have a deal.


    I also want you to make sure no one knows I got this permit," Alex asserted.


    Hearing his words, Emily, who had been silent, cut in, "Brother, you''re planning to enter a dungeon?


    It''s dangerous."


    Even though she knew Alex could regenerate, the thought of her brother entering the dungeon alone still worried her.


    Garric also felt the same; the reason he took care of Emily was because he had been there when her father held the dungeon break.


    If not for him, he and his family would likely have stayed there forever.


    This made Garric feel indebted to their father, but he didn''t tell Alex or Emily.


    "Your sister is right.


    I can grant you a special permit, but you''ll need to take at least three one-star hunters with you."


    Hearing their concerns, Alex felt slightly annoyed.


    He wanted to enter to search for monsters to capture and absorb their life force.


    Emily was fine, but entering with another two hunters was too risky for him.


    He couldn''t just kill them to make sure they stayed silent; the other option was to enslave them.


    But Alex also didn''t want to do that again; in Professor Faerith''s case, he had no choice, and that still made him feel guilty.


    Seeing her brother deep in thought, MingYue then answered for him.


    "We agree, Mentor."


    Alex frowned, wanting to interject, but Emily''s eyes told him not to worry.


    He then sighed, deciding to trust her.


    "Let''s do it that way then, Mr. Garric."


    They shook hands and made a deal.


    Garric then told Alex he would still need to meet with the higher-ups once again to finalize the agreement.


    After he left, Alex asked Emily, "Do you have any ideas?


    We can''t bring more people."


    "Don''t worry, I know what to do.


    For now, how about we order some food first?"


    Emily then raised an eyebrow as she received a message from Garric.


    "Mentor asked if you have a specific dungeon in mind.


    He sent me a list of dungeons; I''ll forward it to you."


    A new message appeared on Alex''s interface, showing a list of category two dungeons near the area.


    Alex began to narrow down the list using his ability to choose the best dungeon with the least risk for his purpose.


    He narrowed it to three options.


    - Goblin Hollows


    - Frostbite Den


    - Serpent''s Lair


    Goblins were versatile monsters with some intelligence.


    They would serve as good workers since they had a humanoid form.


    This also made them versatile, as Alex could arm them with various weapons.

 Chapter 49 - 49: Qi, Mana, Lifeforce

    The next one, Frostbite Den, was filled with many types of monsters, some humanoid, others just beasts.


    This would allow Alex to capture a variety of monsters.


    The last one, Serpent''s Lair, was filled with serpents.


    What interested Alex here were the exotic resources that came from the serpents.


    If he captured many of them, he would be able to obtain his own source of various types of toxins and venoms.


    These would become great sources of income and experimental materials for Alex.


    After all, their toxins could be used for many things, not just poison.


    He could use them to make medicine or other materials.


    But his thoughts were cut short as a delicious aroma reached his nose, making his stomach rumble in protest.


    This made Emily chuckle, "Let''s eat first.


    You''re always like that; when deep in thought, you forget everything, so I ordered the food for you."


    Seeing the dishes on the table, which were his favorite, made Alex ignore his sister''s remark.


    ''Well, it''s not like we''re going to go today.


    I still need to make more cubes to capture the animals and modify them with the beast bond contract,'' he thought.


    They then had a meal together before going their separate ways.


    Alex returned to the research facility because he wanted to finish the project quickly.


    When he arrived there, he saw Faerith still busy tinkering with the storage cube.


    "How is the progress?"


    Faerith, with a satisfied smile on her face, pointed at a few things on the table.


    There was a watch and a mobile phone, along with types of jewelry, earrings, a bracelet, and a ring.


    "I''ve done it; I need to optimize it now and add a security system.


    The storage space for the items varies; for the watch and mobile phone, it can go up to 2 cubic meters, but for the jewelry, it can only go up to one cubic meter.


    The jewelry can''t function on its own; it needs to be paired with an app to work.


    As for the energy, each of them is wirelessly charged with mana."


    Even though Faerith said it was wirelessly charged, it still needed to be placed on a charging station to start charging.


    Alex felt satisfied with the result.


    He gave some praise to Faerith and then moved to his own research bench.


    Faerith looked at him, thinking, ''He seems changed, the hue in his red eyes has become deeper, and his body seems fitter now.''


    She then started noting it in her personal notes, still obsessed with the progenitor''s blood.


    Meanwhile, Alex started working on the box to capture humans and beasts.


    The beast bond contract he obtained from MingYue required the blood of the creature and the cultivator, which he needed to put into the formation.


    Based on the analysis from Vesa, the formation took part of the creature''s soul as the medium.


    Then, it mixed it with the cultivator, making the beast instinctively think the cultivator was their kin.


    If the beast was smarter or even had its own cultivation, this would result in a clash of souls.


    If the cultivator won, the beast would submit to them; conversely, the reverse could also happen.


    But for Alex and MingYue, who had Vesa as part of their soul, this was not a problem.


    Just as intelligent beings had a higher existence than normal animals, progenitors were even a level higher.


    They would never be subdued by those of lower existence, but backlash was still possible if they were defeated.


    This was a hassle for Alex; he didn''t want to have to defeat creatures twice.


    He already needed to beat them to near death to capture them in the dimensional storage.


    Alex also needed to think of a better way to provide a suitable environment for the creatures to live in; he didn''t want to set up each one individually every time.


    ''Hmm, since an array is just like an electronic circuit, I should be able to incorporate some advanced logic into it.


    Using their life force as input, I should be able to extract the environment they need and then use the information to adjust the living space inside the storage.''


    Alex then started considering everything vital for a living being''s existence, pressure, air, and terrain.


    All of this could be manipulated with technology from his world; he just needed to use mana to sustain it.


    This still meant he needed to set up preset settings in the sphere, such as an ice biome, forest biome, and undersea biome.


    Alex started moving on the interface, playing with the formation array like a line of computer code.


    The more he learned about it, the more excited he felt.


    An array fueled with energy like qi or mana was like playing with computer code, but this one directly affected reality.


    The bigger the change he implemented, the more energy would be required, but this didn''t mean he could change matters at will.


    Then, a question surfaced in his mind.


    ''Mana and qi produce different results; what if I use life force to fuel it instead?''


    Alex asked Vesa about this, making Vesa sigh in defeat, ''Even without my knowledge, the King will keep progressing forward,'' Vesa thought. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What Alex thought was not only possible but had been done and improved upon many times over by the vampire race using what they called Rune.


    However, using Rune was not easy.


    Cultivators used arrays and formations with many materials to cast them, but Vesa and Alex directly manipulated the qi, creating their own complex circuit with it.


    To use life force to create their own Rune or array required Alex to have the capability to manipulate it.


    Vesa then explained this to Alex.


    "Is there really no other way to utilize life force?"


    [Well, if you could obtain a relic from when the Vampire race was at its peak, then it''s possible.


    But that is even harder than progressing to become a progenitor, King.


    Every single one who holds our race''s relics is our enemy.]

 Chapter 50 - 50: How to Subdue Them? Capitalism?

    [There might be a few items they missed, but the chance of us obtaining any of them is very small.]


    Knowing there was nothing he could do about it now, Alex returned to his project and resumed his work.


    A few hours passed by until he had input all the information into the formation.


    His next step was to input a sequence of formations to capture the beast''s soul.


    Since the beasts or criminals he put inside would already be half-dead, obtaining their blood information would be easy.


    He then started thinking of a solution for the next problem to avoid having to fight them again.


    The end result he desired was to make them submit to him as their master without any risk.


    "People here achieve this loyalty by brainwashing them with ideology since childhood.


    But since the array can directly interact with their soul," Alex wondered if he could affect their instincts, changing them from self-preservation to submission toward him.


    He then discussed this with Vesa.


    [It''s possible for those with low intelligence, King, but for those that can feel emotion, there will be a risk of betrayal.


    Just like you read news about how a lover or parent sacrifices their own life.]


    "That is true.


    The reason they do this is because of the bond they share.


    Is there a way to bypass this, Vesa?


    To build a bond directly with any creature?"


    [It''s normally impossible since every creature has different core values, even those of the same species.


    Just like there are humans who prioritize relationships, we have those who prioritize money.


    And this is with a comprehensive education system for dozens of years, King, where your government tries to instill similar core values in everyone.]


    "Well, everyone has different situations and families.


    If we really gave everyone exactly the same conditions, I think they would end up with the same result."


    [Still not one hundred percent, King.


    Some people are just born different; the exact same situation can produce different reactions.


    Since many species with high-level intelligence are emotional beings, I think the best way is to take a wisp of their soul and then threaten their lives with it.


    I know you abhor this kind of idea, King, but this is the most efficient way.


    After this, you can start building up your bond with them.]


    "It seems I have no choice over this."


    [Since you are the progenitor, and you hold a wisp of their soul, they will instinctively feel you are their master since your soul is at a higher level of existence.


    The more you progress as a progenitor, the bigger this suppression will be.]


    Alex knitted his eyebrows; he never believed that loyalty coming from suppression and fear would last.


    History in his world had proven this many times over.


    Every country that got colonized fought back in the end, just as the slavery system ended up in revolution.


    [That depends, King.


    If you don''t push them too hard and give them the appropriate reward, they will get used to their circumstances.


    Isn''t modern capitalism working like that?]


    Reading this, Alex chuckled, feeling stupid for not realizing this sooner.


    But then he realized it was not weird since he never had problems with money.


    The government only cared about natural resources, but for the citizens, all they focused on was money since money could practically be used for everything.


    This made them run through all their thoughts to get it, forgetting where the things they consumed came from.


    This had gone to the extent that people committed suicide because they had no money.


    Some even died from hunger, while in reality, there were still many safe areas in the forest where they could hunt for beasts and scavenge for fruits, mushrooms, and vegetables.


    These people had been spoiled too much, to the point they forgot their survival instinct.


    ''Since I will only use them to fight anyway, I will just make it like a game.''


    Alex grinned and started to modify the formation.


    He turned it into two systems: one system to change the structure inside the storage for those he captured and the other system to work as an admin and server.


    As an expert gamer and whale god, his experience with how games worked could be called second to none.


    Many people thought that no skill was needed since he used his wallet as a weapon to conquer every hard boss or dungeon.


    While this was correct in the past, in the new VR world, people still needed to have the skills to solo bosses.


    What use was having a katana with millions of damage if you couldn''t even use it to hit the enemy once?


    It''s not like the bosses would just sit there waiting for you to hit them.


    So, even though Alex was not a master, he was still an expert in his gaming skills and even more sensitive to game balance since he often looked for items to whale to break it.


    Ideas started pouring from his mind like water.


    Alex created a system like a strategy game, where those inside would be given objectives every day and get points from them.


    They could then use the points to decorate and buy items from the admin system, where Alex just needed to put items inside it.


    This way, Alex didn''t need to worry they would get bored, as many of these people would also get used to the point system at some point.


    If he could get a secret realm by himself, this would enhance the system even further, allowing them to expand their living space.


    For their social needs, Alex would give them a chat system that also costs points to use. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Capitalist system at its finest," Alex mumbled with a smirk.


    It took Alex three days without sleeping to establish everything.


    On the first day, he exchanged items with MingYue.


    She sent 128 low-grade Qi Crystals and three medium-grade Qi Crystals, along with some other items.


    With a satisfied smile, he looked at the result of his work.

 Chapter 51 - 51: Awe System

    There was one big sphere that worked as the server and hundreds of small cubes.


    Alex had decided to name this product Awe System and Awe Cube because he wanted every creature to feel awe inside of it.


    ''This should work as a prototype for my soul game in the future.


    I can also use them to experiment with my new cultivation method.


    They will even try hard to do it for more points.''


    Exhaustion washed over his body since he had been too focused on his work, forgetting everything else.


    The cube had to be in the same space as the server for the system to work.


    He also needed to keep filling it with items and consumables and maintain it with qi and mana to ensure everything ran smoothly.


    His stomach started rumbling in protest, prompting him to glance at the nearby fridge stocked with snacks.


    But the moment he did, Alex''s eyes bulged in shock.


    He felt like his heart was trying to bounce out of his ribcage.


    "Mom???


    What in the world are you doing here??


    You almost turned me into a ghost," Alex exclaimed, clutching his chest.


    Luca sat on the couch, sipping tea and playing around with the storage cube.


    Her eyes perked up, hearing Alex''s surprised words.


    "So you finally came back to your senses.


    I was just wondering how long you would be like that.


    You''re really just like your father.


    What am I doing here?


    Is it weird for a mom to look for her son after three days???"


    After getting a call from the driver, Luca, still feeling worried, checked her son''s schedule and the place he had gone before.


    Luca usually didn''t do this since she didn''t want to be an intrusive mom.


    She knew her kids would hate her if she did that without any reason.


    She then found out Alex had gone to Pandora''s research facility, and this made her think of a few scenarios that could explain Alex''s behavior, as the driver had described.


    Compared to the driver, Luca knew the latest technology, so she suspected Alex might be getting a brain chip, with the worst scenario being that he had been experimented on.


    Luca decided to ask Alex later when he got home, but after a day, her son was nowhere to be seen.


    This made her look for him at this place named Suzaku Genesis Complex, or SGE for short.


    "What?


    Three days?"


    Luca smiled and walked toward Alex, looking into his black eyes.


    "Are you hiding something from me?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''His eyes seem to have a tinge of red,'' Luca thought to herself, but this didn''t worry her since there were many ways to change eye color without side effects.


    Alex turned his gaze away, "Nothing important, Mom."


    "Look me in the eye!" his mother said sternly.


    Sweat started dripping down his forehead.


    ''Damn, I knew it; even facing real monsters is not as intense as this.


    Mom really is the final secret boss.''


    Alex then tried to change the topic.


    "So, Mom, have you checked the cube?


    It''s good, right?


    I wasn''t lying when I said we could bring our family to a new level."


    Luca looked at the cube in her palm with a complicated gaze.


    She was amazed by it, but it also reminded her a lot of Edward.


    It was similar in the past; she would accompany Edward by his side as he focused on his work, creating a wonder that then earned them a lot of money.


    "I know you''ve met up with Emily lately and also about the guild."


    She paused for a moment, then asked, "Tell me honestly, Alex.


    I know you don''t think your dad is still alive, so why do you do that?


    If it''s just to procure artifacts or anything else, there are many other ways.


    And the name¡­"


    Seeing her expression, Alex knew his mother was in turmoil.


    Part of her wanted to move on already since it had been years without any news.


    But the other part still hoped that Edward was still alive.


    Alex sighed.


    He still felt there was a 90% chance his father was dead, and even if he survived, what kind of situation was not allowing him to return back to his family?


    He knew how much his father loved his mom.


    "It''s for Emily.


    You know she will return there no matter what," Alex replied.


    Luca''s eyes turned teary; she hugged Alex for a moment and then patted his head.


    "I cooked some food for you; it''s on the table.


    Don''t forget to have some lunch."


    Then she left Alex alone.


    Seeing his mom''s lonely back made Alex''s heart feel pierced with sharp pain.


    "Vesa, what do you think?


    Is it possible my father is still alive?"


    [If my speculation is correct, then it''s possible, King.


    Since a dungeon is just an entry to another world, with your father''s ability, I suspect he either took the initiative to push into the dungeon and got captured by the species there.]


    "You should have seen my memory.


    Based on the monster''s appearance, do you know what species they are?"


    Alex still remembered it clearly¡ªthe reptilian eyes, the gleaming scale that reflected the sun.


    [They are half-dragons, or we call them lower dragons.


    When dragons mix with other humanoid species, they are the result of it.]


    "Lower dragon?"


    [The real dragon race is a prideful creature; they look down on most species.


    Sometimes, as a result of experiments or a weird turn of events, these kinds of species are born.]


    "That is not important.


    What will they do with the prisoner?"


    [They adore strength.


    Usually, they use prisoners as slaves or as gladiators, making them fight in the arena.


    If your father was captured, this is probably his fate.]


    Considering his father and the guild''s strength at that time, they should be able to survive.


    "What about the time difference in their world?"


    Some dungeons had a time difference; some did not.


    Alex didn''t know which category that dungeon belonged to.


    If the dungeon had time dilation slower than Earth, this would raise the chance his father was still alive.


    It had been years on his planet, but it could only have been a few months or even days in that world.


    [One more thing, King.


    The dragon race is one of our enemies.]

 Chapter 52 - 52: Entering the Dungeon

    [One more thing, King, the Dragon race is one of our enemies.]


    Reading Vesa''s warning, Alex knew he needed to be extra careful in that place.


    If his existence as a vampire progenitor was found out, it would pose a huge risk to him.


    He didn''t know how strong the Dragon race was, but Alex knew they were out of his league for now.


    Alex then sighed and looked toward the paper bag on the table.


    His eyes burned with the flame of determination.


    "It was too risky for me to go there in the past, but now it''s different.


    I will make sure to bring you back, Dad, dead or alive."


    He then started unpacking the meal.


    Meanwhile, outside the facility, Emily had an encounter with Luca.


    Emily had come since she already got the permit to enter the dungeon with Alex.


    She had asked her mentor to give it to her in her name.


    Emily did this on purpose; she didn''t want Alex to sneakily enter the dungeon by himself.


    She then, by coincidence, met Luca when she had just left the room.


    Seeing her daughter closely again made Luca smile.


    Emily, instead, felt awkward; she still remembered the big fight they had before she left the house.


    Luca wiped the tears away, then looked at Emily up and down, seeing her all well, which made her feel relieved.


    "It''s good that you are alright.


    Don''t do anything risky with your brother," she said in a warm tone.


    Luca then hugged the stupefied Emily tightly for a moment and said, "Alex is inside.


    I cooked a lot of meals for him; you should eat too.


    Call me when you have time, okay?"


    She then left Emily, who was still in a daze.


    Seeing her mother''s back, Emily felt weird; it was not how she imagined their meeting would happen.


    It should have been filled with debates and high-pitched voices.


    Emily didn''t know, but Luca had made a decision.


    Seeing Alex these last few days and Emily reminded her of Edward and made her realize both her kids were mature enough now.


    ''It''s time; they should be alright even if something happens to me,'' Luca thought to herself.


    After her mother left, Emily still felt weird.


    She couldn''t put her finger on it but felt she would regret not stopping her mom.


    But the moment had already passed, and with a resigned sigh, she entered the room.


    The sunset painted the sky into twilight.


    But not in this place, where two suns hung brightly in the sky, one blue and the other red.


    "LEVEL UP! You get 38 exp!!! LEVEL UP!!!!" Alex said loudly with a laugh. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And now for the final attack, ladies and gentlemen, ULTIMATE SMASH!!! CRITICAL HIT!"


    BAM!!! CRACK!!!


    The ground cracked like a spiderweb as he smashed his Warhammer down toward the dying wolf, turning its head into a pancake.


    This left Emily and Vesa speechless inside his mind.


    [King, I don''t get it.


    What''s this about leveling up?


    What''s exp?


    This isn''t a game.]


    ''No need to think about it, Vesa.


    I''m just having fun,'' Alex replied as he looked around the area.


    The ground was filled with small craters, and many towering trees rose from the ground.


    On one of the displays, it showed that he had already killed 12 Wolf Howlers in total.


    Alex had told Vesa before to add this extra information.


    Then, the wolf bodies turned into green light, floating toward Alex.


    [380 Life Force Absorbed]


    Seeing the number notification, Alex laughed.


    ''What a coincidence,'' he thought.


    "Now I understand the main reason you don''t want other hunters here.


    You still care about your sister''s face," Emily said in an exasperated tone as she approached Alex.


    "It''s called enjoying life, Emily.


    The enemies here are weaker than I expected."


    Alex then looked at the area map from Vesa.


    Since this wasn''t a secret realm, it only showed many red dots moving, telling Alex the enemies'' locations.


    "Get off your high horse.


    What makes a goblin dangerous is their numbers.


    Don''t forget, this is a category two dungeon, meaning we will face off with ogres or the Goblin Lord boss.


    We need to move carefully; one wrong move and we''ll be overwhelmed by their numbers," Emily reminded.


    "Don''t worry, that won''t happen.


    Just follow me."


    Seeing her brother move without waiting for her made Emily''s veins pop.


    She quickly dashed after him.


    "Can you stop playing around, brother!?


    This is a dungeon.


    Don''t talk loudly and move around without direction.


    We need to check for tracks to see if any monsters have passed by here.


    You should listen to me... Mpphpmmh."


    Emily''s words were suddenly cut off as Alex placed his palm over her mouth.


    He then gestured for her to stay silent.


    "There are enemies moving toward us.


    Let''s hide," Alex whispered.


    Emily frowned; at first, she didn''t understand how Alex knew this, but then she realized it was related to his system.


    This made her glare at Alex.


    ''This stupid brother of mine, can''t you tell me from the start?'' she thought to herself.


    Emily then nodded and quickly turned alert, looking in the direction Alex pointed.


    They started crouching, hiding behind a bush, and then moved forward slowly.


    Emily then took out a pair of binoculars to look in that direction.


    She could see a group of goblins: four goblin archers, five goblin warriors wielding spears and axes, three goblins riding Wolf Howlers with spears in their hands, and finally, a High Goblin.


    The High Goblin''s eyes flickered with intelligence, and she held a big sword while wearing armor.


    Using Vesa, Alex quickly scanned their information.


    __________________________


    Goblin Warrior


    Power Level: 2.0


    Lifeforce: 42/60


    Ability:


    Battle Frenzy


    Increases attack speed and power level by 50% for 30 seconds.


    After the effect, the goblin warrior becomes exhausted, reducing its defense and speed by 25% for 1 hour.


    *


    Goblin Archer


    Power Level: 1.8


    Lifeforce: 31/50


    Ability:


    Arrow Barrage


    Launches a rapid succession of arrows at multiple targets, dealing increased damage.


    The goblin archer cannot move while using this ability and is vulnerable for a few seconds afterward.


    __________________________

 Chapter 53 - 53: Fighting the Goblin

    ______________________________


    Goblin Rider


    Power Level: 2.5


    Lifeforce: 42/70


    Ability:


    Charge Assault


    The Goblin Rider and its mount charge at high speed, dealing significant damage to the first enemy hit.


    This ability temporarily increases the rider''s defense but leaves them disoriented after the charge.


    *


    High Goblin


    Power Level: 3.5


    Lifeforce: 50/80


    Ability:


    Cunning Plan


    Utilizing their hawk eyes, High Goblins can survey the field from above.


    The High Goblin cannot move when this ability is activated, rendering them vulnerable.


    This ability also allows High Goblins to transmit their plan directly to nearby goblins, coordinating their movements and attacks with precision.


    ______________________________


    "A High Goblin..." Alex quickly identified the monster leading the group.


    He knew this meant he needed to finish all of them quickly.


    If the High Goblin used her ability, it would become a huge problem.


    Even if Alex and Emily could overwhelm them in strength, they could still strategically retreat and then come back with a bigger force.


    Emily frowned at the appearance of the High Goblin, meaning the hidden boss, the High Goblin Lord, was here.


    Every time hunters entered a dungeon, the area always changed, making mapping the dungeon useless.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t entirely random; the type of monsters they encountered was always similar.


    But sometimes, a new monster type appeared.


    When this happened, the boss would change, which hunters called the hidden boss.


    This offered better loot, but it also meant the dungeon''s difficulty would be higher.


    These kinds of things rarely happened; even out of 100 dungeon dives, barely one or two instances would encounter a hidden boss.


    Emily wasn''t sure whether to call them lucky or just unlucky.


    "If I had known this would happen, I would have at least brought Zold with us."


    Alex used his ability to calculate the plan he had in mind.


    A smirk formed on his lips since the success rate of his plan was at least 90%, and he should be able to capture at least half of them, with his biggest target being the High Goblin.


    Seeing her brother gazing at the High Goblin made Emily say to Alex''s mind with a teasing tone, "I never knew you had that kind of kink.


    Makes me wonder if MingYue really looks like what you say."


    Alex''s vein popped at his sister''s remark, "The High Goblin may be attractive, but that''s not my type."


    "See, you just admitted it looks attractive," Emily laughed.


    She just wanted to tease him.


    The High Goblin did have a perfect figure and a good face, but the skin was still blue, making her look like an alien.


    Emily knew her brother wouldn''t be interested.


    Realizing his blunder, Alex changed the topic.


    "You know that''s not what I meant.


    Forget it.


    Check the plan I sent to your implant."


    Both of them had Erx chips implanted, allowing them to communicate telepathically when they were close.


    Checking the plan, Emily agreed.


    Alex then took out a rifle and targeted the area around the goblins. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BANG!


    The bullet pierced through the air, directly hitting its target, the ground, right in the middle area.


    BOOM!


    A blinding flash of light exploded in the area, leaving all the goblins stunned and dazed.


    Emily wasted no time; she sprinted toward the area.


    Although using her ability, she could easily decimate all of them, they wanted to keep it for emergencies.


    A spear then appeared in her hand, her first target being the High Goblin.


    With a swift motion, Emily spun her spear, hitting the High Goblin right in the head with the back of the spear.


    She hit her consecutively in the chest and leg.


    BAM! BAM!


    Caught off guard, the High Goblin was too late to fight back.


    Pain spread all over her body before the world turned dark for her.


    While Emily did this, Alex also got close to the field.


    Seeing the High Goblin sent flying toward him as planned, he threw the Awe Cube.


    The moment it made contact, the High Goblin turned into light, entering the cube.


    The cube then started vibrating a few times before it stopped.


    ''Yes, success,'' Alex said in his mind.


    Alex had modified the Awe Cube to activate upon contact with the target.


    After a successful capture, Alex could read all their information in real-time as long as the cube was close to him.


    However, he knew he didn''t have time to do that now.


    As the dazzling light disappeared, Emily didn''t stop; she started going for the kill, her next target being the Goblin Archer.


    Her spear pierced through the Goblin Archer''s head, killing it instantly.


    She then threw the body at another Archer.


    The Goblin Rider was the first to regain their senses, but Alex didn''t give them any moment to act.


    He now leaped into the air and smashed his hammer down on the rider''s head.


    Alex had already reduced the weight, hoping he could knock the Goblin out, but he could still hear the sound of the Goblin''s skeleton cracking.


    Alex threw the Awe Cube toward it.


    He didn''t wait to see if the capture succeeded or not since the wolf the rider was on was still undamaged; the success rate wouldn''t be high.


    "Awoooo!!!!" the other wolf rider made their wolf use its skill, "Howl of the Pack."


    The ability resonated, waking all the goblins from their daze.


    Emily, who was now beating the other Archer, turned her gaze toward the Goblin Warrior.


    Her body arched back like a professional athlete, and she threw her spear with finesse and deadly accuracy toward the soldier.


    Alex could see from the many red circles starting to approach them that they would quickly be surrounded; he had no time to hold back.


    "It''s harder than I expected," Alex said to himself.


    Based on his plan, he would shoot the flash bullet, capture the High Goblin, hit the Goblin Rider to knock it out, and then move to the other rider before they could cast their skill.


    In his calculations, his body should have been able to move like that, but controlling his strength while moving at top speed was easier said than done.

 Chapter 54 - 54: Failure

    His delayed action allowed the wolf rider to call for backup.


    "I should have calculated my inexperience in combat."


    SWOOSH!!!


    The goblin soldier''s body was pierced, turning into a gaping hole from Emily''s spear.


    She then took out two submachine guns in her hands and started shooting in bursts toward the other goblins.


    Brrrrrr!!!!!


    Each shot used specialized bullets strengthened with mana.


    It wasn''t something Emily usually used since what they were doing now was basically burning money.


    Even though Emily didn''t have a problem with money, she always made sure each dungeon run was profitable.


    But this one was supplied by Alex, so she just used it without care.


    The bullets pierced through the goblin bodies, turning them into sandbags.


    Feeling the danger, they didn''t even use their abilities; the goblins quickly tried to run.


    Rumble... Rumble...


    Emily turned her gaze toward the herd of wolves approaching.


    With a sigh, she asked telepathically, "What now, big bro?"


    Alex frowned, looking at the area map.


    He could see they needed to beat hundreds of wolves to clear the area, and that''s if the goblins didn''t come back bringing reinforcements.


    Alex looked toward the direction the goblins ran; he couldn''t let them escape no matter what.


    There was one goblin warrior left, with two goblin raiders.


    "You hunt down the goblins; I will hold the wolves here."


    "Fine, be careful, bro," Emily replied reluctantly.


    She didn''t like the idea of leaving Alex alone, but from a strategic viewpoint, they couldn''t let the goblins warn the others.


    Even normal goblins would start sending squads out to look for the invaders, not to mention goblins with a high level of intelligence.


    They also didn''t know how large the goblin settlement in the area was or how many High Goblins they would need to face in total.


    Alex cracked his bones, looking at the approaching wolf horde.


    "Alright, let''s do this."


    He raised his hand, and the Warhammer started growing in size.


    BAM!


    With one hit, he smashed three wolf skulls.


    Alex threw three Awe Cubes toward them without looking, hoping some would survive.


    He started moving, boosting his movement strength with qi.


    Alex still hadn''t learned any secret techniques at this time, so he could only use qi to boost his movement.


    He focused his qi toward his legs, then jumped high into the air.


    With the distance now, Alex could really see all the wolves in his viewpoint; the number made adrenaline rush to his brain.


    With a calculated target in mind, Alex took out a smoke grenade and threw it to the ground.


    BAM!


    The smoke exploded, but it wasn''t normal smoke; it was special tear gas.


    Alex took a gas mask from his storage and wore it over his face.


    The effect quickly became obvious; the wolf howlers, who usually used their sharp sense of smell to their advantage, now found it to be their burden instead.


    Their noses turned runny, with tears coming out of their eyes.


    This made them disoriented and panic.


    Alex, observing everything from the air, laughed inwardly. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Even wolves can cry."


    He then used his mana to amplify the hammer''s size and weight before letting it drop in the middle of the pack.


    Gravity did its work, turning the hammer into a meteor.


    BOOM!!!


    The ground vibrated, and dust and smoke billowed up, mixing with the tear gas.


    Now falling back to the ground, Alex started utilizing qi to protect his body from the fall.


    He then took out a rifle and started shooting at the wolves.


    Disoriented and panicked, the wolves started trying to run away from the area.


    Alex began shooting quickly, knowing the effect would not last long.


    After they recovered, the wolves would turn back with even more fervor.


    After all, they still overwhelmed him in numbers.


    Even with all those attacks, Alex had barely killed 42 of them.


    There were still 127 wolves left to kill, and his mana was dwindling.


    Every transformation of the hammer took a toll on his mana.


    BAM!


    Alex landed on the ground and took out the new Warhammer from MingYue, the Embershift Hammer.


    He had never used it before, but Alex remembered MingYue telling him there was a beast''s soul inside, but with Vesa, there should be no problem.


    The moment he infused his qi, the weapon started to vibrate, and the roar of a fox could be heard in his mind.


    A similar thing happened with MingYue; after Vesa subdued the soul, information poured into Alex''s mind, telling him how to use the Warhammer.


    His lips raised into a grin; he was curious about the secret skill embedded in the Embershift.


    "Volcanic Smash."


    Alex smashed the hammer to the ground, and from the point of impact, searing hot flames burst out, igniting the wolves around him in flame.


    He took the hammer from the ground and pounced at the wolf howlers.


    Having finished killing the goblins, Emily returned quickly to support her brother.


    But as she got closer, she could smell burning flesh and wood in the air.


    The closer she got, the more she could feel the heat on her skin, making her use qi to protect it.


    When she arrived, her lips twitched.


    Her brother didn''t look like one who needed help; he was running around with a grin on his face, pouncing on the wolf monsters, if they could still be called that.


    Half of their fur was burned down, showing the scorched skin underneath.


    In Alex''s defense, he didn''t do it on purpose.


    He was experimenting with qi usage, wanting to know how much flame could be ignited since the Volcanic Smash result surprised him.


    All the wolves around him were burned to a crisp.


    BANG!


    Emily took out her submachine gun, shooting the wolf Alex pursued to death.


    "Stop messing around, bro.


    See, the flame is starting to burn the forest.


    The High Goblin Lord will quickly send someone to investigate."


    Alex stopped in his steps and looked around, realizing the trees had been burned.

 Chapter 55 - 55: Dungeon = Planet ?

    He was too absorbed in using the Embershift Hammer''s ability.


    The beast''s soul seemed to amplify the damage many times over.


    It even gave him two secret techniques he could use.


    The burned forest came from the second secret technique, "Flamethrower."


    As the name suggested, this allowed Alex to shoot flames in the direction of the hammer''s head.


    The flames burned even bigger as smoke billowed into the sky.


    Now covered in sweat, Alex sat beside Emily, who was far away from the area, taking a break on a cliff.


    Emily took a gulp from her water bottle.


    "This storage ring is really convenient.


    Usually, we need to bring a lot of stuff in a backpack, then create our own base camp before starting to raid."


    Alex nodded.


    He already knew how the item would sell like hotcakes after the Hunter Association approved it.


    He also thought of making a more durable version for hunters.


    But what was on his mind now was the dungeon.


    The more time he spent here, the more he thought Vesa''s theory was correct; this place was another planet.


    But how was this possible?


    Who made this happen?


    The weirdest part was how it functioned.


    Every dungeon had a limited number of people that could enter.


    For example, this dungeon, Goblin Hollows, could only be entered by at most 12 people.


    After entry, hunters would be teleported inside, and then they needed to find the boss monster and kill it.


    Then, a portal would appear for one hour, allowing the hunters to return and take back their loot.


    But when they tried to bring a monster out, the monster would explode when moving through the portal.


    Alex also didn''t know whether the monsters he caught here could survive since they were inside another space; that was one of the things he wanted to find out.


    Seeing her brother in a daze and not replying to her comment made Emily think he was worried about the situation.


    "Don''t worry too much, brother.


    I am sure we can defeat the High Goblin Lord even if they are alert to our presence."


    Emily was confident, knowing how destructive her light ability was; as long as they could find the High Goblin Lord, the dungeon clear was guaranteed.


    Alex felt warmed by Emily''s concern.


    "I am not worried about that, Emily.


    What do you think about this dungeon?


    Did the Association give you any explanation about this place?" he asked.


    Emily shook her head.


    "The Association never tells us how the dungeons come to be or appear, but in my opinion, someone made this on purpose.


    I don''t know who or why, but that doesn''t matter since I can do nothing about it.


    I am sure the Hunter Association knows more about this, which is the same reason why dark zones appear on our planet Ainode." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then paused for a moment and asked, "Aren''t you a progenitor, brother?


    Doesn''t the system tell you anything?"


    "I am waiting for the results now.


    Vesa is making sure of it from the monster I caught.


    You know, Vesa theorizes that this place is just another planet somewhere in the universe.


    Now that I have entered the dungeon myself, I think it''s the most plausible explanation."


    Emily raised her eyebrow.


    "You mean they are just aliens?


    If that''s true, I wonder how far the distance is from our planet.


    Before this dungeon appeared, people used to think all this was just fantasy.


    And alien existence is controversial; no one has found proof, no matter how much we try."


    "I never thought you were someone interested in history," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    Emily''s expression turned solemn.


    "I''m not.


    I''m looking for anything that can convince me my father is still alive."


    "Probably he is still alive, Emily," Alex said with a sigh.


    His words surprised Emily since she knew what her brother thought.


    If he said it, that meant he had a real, tangible reason.


    Seeing her eyes silently asking for more explanation, Alex told her about the species behind the category five dungeon break and the possibility of their father probably still being alive.


    Seeing her sister''s eyes turn hopeful from his explanation steeled Alex''s determination to look for Edward even more.


    They then talked some more about their dad''s abilities and the guild, comparing it with the monsters from the category five dungeon and discussing how Edward should have survived until now.


    "Now that we talk about Dad, it reminds me of Mom.


    I met her."


    "Did you guys fight again?" Alex asked with a tinge of worry.


    He didn''t find it weird that they met since the timing of his mom leaving and Emily coming was very close.


    Emily shook her head.


    "No, it''s even weirder.


    Do you know why Mom cried?"


    "Yeah, that''s because she remembered Dad," Alex replied with a sigh.


    Emily wanted to talk further, telling him she felt weird when Luca was leaving, but her words turned into a blur as Vesa''s message appeared in his eyes.


    [King, sorry it took longer than expected.]


    [Since you captured the High Goblin, I have already confirmed this is just another planet.


    But it took longer since I needed to confirm the situation.]


    [From the information I extracted, these people don''t know much; they are here because they were punished by their emperor.]


    ''Punished?''


    [They are tasked to kill any invader that comes here.


    If they succeed, they will be forgiven and receive some reward.]


    Reading the message, Alex''s brain churned.


    Since this was really another planet, the higher-ups must also know this.


    No matter how they did it, they must have some agreement with the natives; that''s the only way they could have established this dungeon system.


    Alex''s world then started to shake, bringing him back to reality.


    Emily was pouting on the side, shaking her brother''s body since he hadn''t responded to what she said.


    "You really need to fix this habit, brother.


    No woman will like being ignored like this."

 Chapter 56 - 56: Purplish Twilight

    "Sorry, Vesa just told me the results of the investigation.


    This place is indeed a real world.


    This changes many things, Emily."


    "What changes?


    You''re just being Alex, overthinking things.


    Nothing has changed; we still need to go to the category five dungeon and get out of this dungeon."


    She then pointed at the sky.


    "See, the sun is starting to set; we should quickly move now to look for the goblin base."


    Alex sighed as he looked at the purplish twilight.


    Two suns were setting, making the colors mix, painting a purplish hue in the sky.


    His sister''s way of thinking was always simple.


    For him, this fact changed a lot of things.


    Since they had an agreement with other species, who''s to say those Category Five dungeons weren''t happening on purpose as part of the agreement?


    This meant even the Association couldn''t be trusted until he verified more information.


    But he didn''t tell Emily this since it wasn''t confirmed.


    His mind began to wander as he started walking, following Emily.


    ''This means the area we can explore should be limited, and some countermeasures should be put in place.


    No wonder the dungeons have a time limit, then.''


    Every dungeon had its own time limit.


    After the time had passed, the portal for their return would never open, even after they killed the boss.


    Every hunter would instinctively know how long they had.


    In Goblin Hollows, they had 14 days to find the boss and kill it.


    After they got out, they would realize how much time had passed on their planet.


    But every dungeon had a fixed time dilation, and most of them were in sync with their planet''s time, just like the place they were in.


    Passing through the thick forest, Emily asked telepathically, ''What about your system?


    Did it detect any life forms yet?'' S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Yes, but only a few scattered around.


    Based on life force energy, probably wolves or some other small animals.''


    Alex then put on a thoughtful look and added, ''Strange, usually, there should be many people looking for the intruder.''


    Emily stopped in her steps, looking at Alex incredulously.


    ''Sometimes I wonder if that ability of yours is flawed.''


    She then pointed at the billowing smoke in the sky.


    "You think they won''t send out a hunting squad to look for those that can cause that?"


    Alex chuckled, seeing the forest still burning down.


    It kept spreading without showing any sign of stopping.


    "Well, nothing''s wrong with my abilities; I just didn''t use them now."


    "Don''t tell me, now you can use it as you wish?


    I doubt your ability uses a lot of mana; at least use it to calculate the base direction."


    "Oh, I don''t need to do that."


    Alex''s lips curled into a grin.


    "You''re already going in the right direction.


    Vesa already extracted a map of the area from the High Goblin, so I know the base location and our enemy."


    Emily''s veins popped; she stood there speechless.


    Seeing her expression, Alex laughed.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?


    Let''s go."


    If glares could kill, Emily would have already killed Alex a hundred times over.


    "Hmph, you lead; you know the way."


    Alex chuckled and then started to lead the way, walking past her.


    But after a few minutes, sweat started covering his forehead; he could still feel his sister''s deadly glare at his back.


    "Alright, I''m sorry.


    Can you stop glaring?" Alex said as he looked at Emily over his shoulder.


    "You should stop joking around, Alex.


    Anything can happen in a dungeon.


    What if you enter with someone else?"


    Emily felt angry because she thought Alex always treated the dungeon like a vacation while their lives were at risk.


    Anything could happen in a dungeon.


    "I''m not that stupid, Emily.


    Don''t worry, if it''s not with you, I won''t do this."


    "Oh geez, should I feel important then, brother?


    Just go marry someone already and annoy the hell out of her.


    Spare your little sister here," Emily said sarcastically.


    Alex turned speechless.


    ''Seems I overdid it.


    Even after becoming a two-star hunter, she still acts like a little girl.''


    He chuckled in his mind.


    Alex knew if his sister acted like this, it was better to just ignore her; she would then come around by herself.


    So, he focused on the task.


    Emily, still grumpy about Alex''s actions, cursed in her mind.


    ''Stupid brother, why can''t you just tell me about it?


    Is annoying me really that fun?


    Hmph.''


    They walked through the forest until both suns disappeared below the horizon, turning the area into darkness.


    But this was not a problem for Alex and Emily.


    After transforming into a progenitor, Alex''s eyes could see in the dark.


    As for Emily, she wore night-vision goggles.


    She could use her ability, but that would be a waste of mana.


    On the way, they didn''t meet any monster other than the WolfHowler.


    Alex caught a few of them and then killed the rest, farming their life force.


    Passing through the forest with its giant trees, Alex started pondering the ecosystem on this planet.


    ''Weird, we only met one type of monster so far; if this were a novel, I would already think the author is too lazy to make more monsters for this dungeon run.


    Even the trees are this big; there should be some giant beasts too, but the biggest monster recorded in this dungeon is an ogre, twice the size of an average human.''


    This made Alex wonder if the planet housed multiple sentient species and if goblins were the lowest tier; hence, they were pushed to sacrifice their population to deal with his planet.


    ''Vesa, since a progenitor represents a race, doesn''t this mean they lead the species?


    Why have I never heard of a human progenitor then?''


    [It''s just like an office boy will never meet the company owner; you are too far away from his level, King.


    I suggest you just focus on the task at hand.]

 Chapter 57 - 57: Petricia

    Alex clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    He wondered why he had to wait until later to find out.


    Just like in the novels he usually read, where the MC had a cheat-like system, why couldn''t they just directly tell him what really mattered?


    This would allow him to avoid many pitfalls and ensure the journey was smoother.


    But then he remembered how some authors justified this by saying that higher-level beings would find out if they were mentioned or talked about.


    ''That still doesn''t make sense; Vesa never warns me about talking about the Progenitor.


    Tch¡­ I''ll try to find some information from the hunter archive later,'' Alex decided in his mind.


    After traveling for a bit longer, Alex and Emily started lowering their movement speed; they were close now.


    Based on the information he got from Vesa, the goblins had made a makeshift stronghold, but he underestimated its size.


    Even from a distance, he could see the silhouette of a tall building.


    He wanted to move closer, but Emily pulled his hand.


    "It''s not time to joke; tell me what you know," Emily said in a serious tone.


    She had been to this dungeon before and read many reports from other hunters, but none of the goblin settlements were as big as what she was seeing.


    "Based on Vesa''s detection and my calculations, there should be 734 monsters inside that stronghold.


    504 goblin civilians, 216 goblin soldiers, 14 ogres, and 36 high goblins, not counting the High Goblin Lord."


    ("Goblin soldiers" refers to a mix of goblin archers, warriors, and riders.)


    Hearing the numbers, Emily''s lips twitched.


    "And you still walk there nonchalantly like this?


    Normally, a settlement only has a hundred goblins at most; even in the reported cases where a high goblin is seen, it should only increase the number by half.


    You think we can take them all?"


    The usual strategy to clear Goblin Hollows was to locate the settlement first and then start hunting the goblin combat force one by one.


    As the scout located the goblin lord, if possible, they would go for a quick assassination to clear the dungeon quickly.


    The goblin warriors and the rest might drop some useful loot, but there was no value in hunting the normal goblins, and the biggest reward came after clearing the dungeon.


    Alex had thought the allure of clearing dungeons came only from the monster loot and exotic resources inside it.


    But that wasn''t true.


    Every hunter who participated would gain a reward after killing the final boss.


    "Why do we need to take them all?


    Since we know this place is another planet, I want to try to communicate first." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Communicate???" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yes."


    "With goblins???"


    "Yes, why do you need to ask again?"


    Emily facepalmed herself.


    "Even if you can somehow communicate with them, do you think they will just say, ''Sure, let''s talk''?


    Other hunters have tried this before, but none have succeeded, bro.


    Don''t think you are the only one who thought of this."


    "Oh... Really?


    I never read any reports on that, but it''s different, Emily.


    I''m not talking about negotiating for a truce or anything like that; I just want more information.


    And we are not the same, Emily."


    Alex, with a smirk, took out an Awe Cube.


    "Come out, Petricia."


    Light emerged from the cube, materializing into the High Goblin he had captured earlier.


    The moment she appeared, Petricia knelt on one knee.


    "Yes, King, you called me?"


    ____________________


    Name: Petricia


    Species: High Goblin


    Power Level: 3.5


    Lifeforce: 50/80


    *


    Needs:


    Hunger 78/100


    Stamina 48/100


    Bond: ???????????????????? (2/5)


    Notes: Hopes for the King to free her species.


    *


    Ability:


    Cunning Plan


    ____________________


    Emily''s eyes widened.


    "What? She can talk?"


    Emily wasn''t surprised Petricia had healed now since her wound wasn''t severe; a normal potion could easily help mend her body.


    But teaching a high goblin to talk fluently in just a few hours should have been impossible.


    She then quickly connected it to Vesa.


    With eyes filled with envy, she said in a sweet tone, "Brother, good things should be shared with the family, right???"


    Alex raised his eyebrow, seeing his sister raise her hand in a gesture asking for something.


    "What do you want?"


    "The system, I want it."


    Alex''s lips twitched.


    "I cannot give it; you should know that.


    Why do you even want it?"


    "Didn''t you say you could make these monsters loyal because of Vesa?


    I want to capture some monsters."


    Petricia frowned.


    She didn''t like being called a monster by Emily, but she didn''t say anything out of respect for Alex.


    Inside the Awe Cube, Vesa had given her some information she needed to know, including Alex''s language.


    When Petricia first awoke, her soul felt like she was in the presence of some higher-level being; instinctively, she knelt on the ground and prayed to the sky.


    "Ukkaa uka¡­ umaana umaa¡­"


    She spoke in the Goblin''s language, which meant, "Praise the Celestus¡­ Finally, you answer our race''s prayer."


    Before she could continue her prayer, Vesa''s voice appeared in Petricia''s mind.


    Since a wisp of her soul was now within Alex''s inner world, it was easy for Vesa to do this.


    If not for Vesa, Petricia would have already been kneeling and calling Alex God Celestus, a deity that the whole goblin race prayed to, when she came out.


    Alex felt curious about his sister''s wish; it had been a long time since she asked for something from him.


    "What monster do you want to capture?


    The best I can do is order them to be loyal to you."


    Alex had thought before if it was possible to make a similar system for his mom and sister.


    The answer?


    It could be done, but only for non-intelligent beasts, utilizing the beast bond contract.


    But if they tried it with other intelligent species, there was a risk they could get enslaved in reverse, and Alex didn''t want to take any chances with his family''s safety.


    So, he scrapped the idea.

 Chapter 58 - 58: Will they Spare Us?

    So, he scrapped the idea.


    Emily looked suspiciously at Alex; she knew he was skirting the topic.


    ''This probably means there is a way to do it, but brother doesn''t want to tell me because it''s risky,'' she thought.


    "I''ll tell you the details later.


    After the guild is settled, we need to bring members of the guild since it''s a category three dungeon."


    Emily didn''t want to take risks; what if something like this happened in a category three dungeon?


    That would really put their lives at high risk.


    "Fine, but remember to bring only those you really trust.


    We cannot let the Awe System be known by the public."


    "Of course, I know."


    Emily replied with a smile, looking forward to capturing that monster.


    Since she had read about it in the Monster Encyclopedia, Emily knew it was a solution for her ability.


    Alex then turned his gaze to Petricia.


    "Do you want to free your people?"


    "Yes, King.


    What do I need to do?" Petricia replied wistfully, with hope in her eyes.


    "Tell your lord I want to talk with him.


    We will negotiate then."


    Petricia quickly agreed and excused herself, heading toward the stronghold.


    Watching her leave, Alex felt conflicted; he felt guilty since he knew he couldn''t fulfill her hope.


    At least not now.


    Some time passed after Petricia left.


    "Emily, now that you know monsters like goblins are just another species, what do you think about this?" Alex asked with a solemn expression.


    "Do you think we are any different from Dark Hunters?"


    Emily frowned.


    She had dived a few times into dungeons for practice and to raise her hunter star rank.


    Emily felt insulted being compared to Dark Hunters.


    "It''s different, brother.


    I don''t like you comparing me with them.


    We are just protecting ourselves here.


    If we don''t clear the dungeon, then a break happens.


    Do you think these goblins will spare us?"


    "But Emily, they also have their own society, kids, family, loved ones.


    Not everyone is a soldier; a lot of them are just civilians trying to survive.


    It doesn''t give us the right to come and massacre them just like this."


    "So what?" Emily replied sharply.


    "Are you saying I am cold-hearted and cruel?


    Bro, have you forgotten what happened in that city?


    What did those monsters do?"


    Emily still remembered every single moment of it; she was deeply traumatized for months before she could move on and steel her resolve.


    Seeing the pain in his sister''s eyes, Alex walked closer and hugged her.


    "I''m sorry, Emily.


    That''s not what I meant."


    "Then... what did you mean!?"


    "Nothing, forget it.


    It''s my fault," Alex sighed.


    The horror of that day was like hell on earth.


    And when that happened, both of them were still kids.


    It also traumatized Alex, but he still felt there was no difference between what hunters did to other species inside the dungeons.


    Alex knew not all of them acted like that.


    Only some part of them did, but wasn''t it the same with the goblins then?


    He had heard of some hunters brutally killing monsters, even those that weren''t a threat.


    Some even sickeningly recorded it and sold the videos on the dark web. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though the Hunter Association had banned this kind of recording, people still found a way to get it.


    Time passed, and Alex and Emily sat in silence.


    Emily was still in a bad mood, upset by what Alex had said.


    Deep down, she understood what he meant, but that didn''t mean she could just forget the incident.


    Her happy childhood was all destroyed because of a monster from the dungeon, and their father''s fate was still unknown.


    The area they were in now turned bright, thanks to the fires started by Alex.


    With the towering trees, the fire blazed brightly like a giant torch, slowly spreading its embers across the forest.


    Crack...


    The sound of a branch breaking prompted both of them to turn their gaze.


    Alex had been too absorbed in his thoughts, not even checking the radar.


    He wasn''t worried since he knew Vesa would warn him if any danger came.


    Petricia returned with a smile on her face.


    She quickly kneeled down.


    "King, the goblin lord has agreed to meet with you."


    Alex nodded and then turned his gaze to Emily.


    Before he could say anything, Emily spoke first.


    "Don''t you dare say it.


    I''m already in a bad mood now.


    I will go with you."


    Alex sighed and walked toward his sister.


    He then placed his index finger on the rune on her forehead.


    A gentle, warm energy with a green hue started moving through his finger, fueling the rune.


    Emily could feel her energy being rejuvenated.


    This improved her mood a bit.


    "Let''s go then," Alex said.


    Emily then stood up as the group walked toward the stronghold.


    The closer they got, the more amazed Alex was.


    The stronghold was completely made from wood, but it wasn''t crude at all.


    It was engraved with some artistic style, giving Alex the feeling of seeing a castle from the medieval era, but this one was made entirely of wood.


    Emily, instead, became more wary.


    She could see many goblin archers eyeing them from the walls.


    She prepared herself to start fighting at any moment.


    Alex felt calm because Vesa had confirmed the High Goblin Lord''s intentions through Petricia.


    The wooden gate then creaked open, revealing the inside of the stronghold.


    Alex could see two towering ogres waiting for him.


    They held wooden clubs with some makeshift armor.


    Their height was easily three times that of an average human.


    ________________________


    Ogre


    Power Level: 6


    Lifeforce: 150/150


    *


    Ability:


    Rampage


    Unleashes a devastating series of attacks that deal massive damage to nearby enemies.


    During Rampage, the ogre''s resistance to damage is increased, but it becomes significantly slower for a short duration once the ability ends.


    ________________________


    [Target is feeling hope, wariness, and fear.]


    Alex shook his head; he didn''t find the ogre''s emotions strange, considering how Petricia had introduced him.


    Petricia spoke something to the ogre in the goblin language.

 Chapter 59 - 59: Ignorance is Bliss

    After the ogre nodded, Petricia turned toward Alex.


    "King, let''s go.


    They will show the way."


    The group then started walking, passing through the goblin settlement.


    They could see many goblins looking out from the windows of their houses with wariness and fear.


    The houses inside were also made of wood, resembling simple village huts.


    As they kept walking, BAM!


    Suddenly, a rock was thrown, almost hitting Emily, but the ogre intercepted it, putting its club in front just in time.


    A goblin child with snot and tears could be seen from where the rock was thrown.


    "Uukka, kaa! Umma... Na¡­!?" the goblin child screamed with a sob.


    The kid had no hair and wore plain leather as clothing.


    Normal goblins are about half the height of an average human; this kid was even shorter, at half the height of a normal goblin.


    "What is the kid saying?" Emily asked.


    Alex sighed.


    He didn''t fully understand the words, but he knew what the kid meant.


    He had seen and heard everything Petricia did through Vesa.


    That''s what had made him ask that question before Emily.


    When Petricia returned, she was bombarded by questions from other goblins.


    Where are the others?


    What about the hunt result?


    Petricia ignored all the questions and went directly to the lord.


    She did this because she felt guilty toward the rest; she and one other goblin raider were the only survivors.


    The rest had died.


    Petricia didn''t know what to say to them.


    She couldn''t just come and say she had met the incarnation of a god.


    The normal goblins wouldn''t understand its importance; their minds were only focused on surviving each day.


    There was a reason why Alex had only found wolf howlers outside the settlement; the goblins had hunted the other animals to the point where they were almost extinct.


    Those that survived had run away from the goblin stronghold as far as they could.


    Alex had just entered this dungeon, but the goblins had been staying in this area for some time.


    The high goblins had already decided to start eating the wolf howlers if they couldn''t get another meal.


    Each hunt resulted in casualties despite the small amount of meat they brought back.


    The monsters they could hunt had started gathering together, making every hunt even riskier.


    Even though goblins could breed like rabbits, it took time for them to grow, and not all goblins could be trained to become part of an army.


    What if the hunters arrived then?


    When all their army was dead, and they didn''t even have the wolf howlers?


    The result was certain¡ªonly death.


    The food stock also kept dwindling, forcing them to make hard choices.


    They kept the army and higher-ups well-fed, but as for the civilians, they started rationing.


    The goblins were in this dungeon, not by choice.


    Their only sin was trying to fight back for independence and failing.


    The whole clan was then punished and put in this place.


    Their mission was to kill the hunters; if they succeeded in defending, they would be forgiven.


    There was a reason the Association rated Goblin Hollows as a category two dungeon; the success rate of dungeon dives here was very high.


    And for every successful raid, the goblin clan residing there was massacred.


    Petricia bowed her head to Emily.


    She didn''t like Emily much, but she was her king''s sister, no matter what.


    "I am sorry, Lady Emily.


    Please forgive him.


    He is just a boy, so he doesn''t know any better."


    The rock hadn''t even hit her, so Emily didn''t feel mad.


    Even without the ogre''s move, she could have easily caught it. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If anything, she felt more wary when the ogre moved, but since she didn''t sense any bad intentions, she didn''t react.


    "Lady?


    I don''t care if you call Alex ''King,'' but for me, just call me Emily.


    The word ''lady'' makes me cringe," Emily said with a frown.


    "Alright, Lady Emily."


    "So, why did that goblin throw a rock at me?" Emily asked.


    "He lost his father in the last hunt; he was one of the goblin warriors under me," Petricia said with a sigh, then continued, "He doesn''t have any other family, so he''s like this.


    Don''t mind him; there are many other kids like him."


    Hearing this, Emily could empathize since she also lost her father, but that didn''t mean she would magically view them in the same light as fellow humans.


    After all, her hatred for monsters from dungeons had been festering for years.


    But she felt curious about Petricia''s words.


    "What do you mean, many kids like him?"


    Petricia then told her about the situation in the goblin settlement.


    The more Emily learned, the more she couldn''t see goblins as only monsters.


    She then glared at Alex again, her eyes silently cursing him for not telling her this.


    Emily was sure now that Alex knew about it; that''s why he had asked her that strange question before.


    Sometimes, we believe we want to know the truth, only to discover we were happier in ignorance.


    This sentence quickly surfaced in Emily''s mind.


    Every hunter knew these words; it was what the current Association president told them when they became hunters and each time they got promoted.


    If she could turn back time, she would prefer not to know all these truths.


    Her mind knew this wasn''t her problem, but Emily''s heart couldn''t help feeling guilty.


    Just like if someone throws a banana peel on the street without care and then returns to their activity, only a few hours later, an unsuspecting individual walks over it and falls.


    It can become a simple, silly joke that triggers laughter.


    But what if the one who falls is elderly?


    Or someone with special conditions?


    Or someone pregnant?


    That small thing can become a tragedy that results in someone''s demise.


    If the one who threw it knew the result of their action, they might regret it, try their best to repent, or go into a breakdown of depression.


    But as long as they don''t know anything, they will continue their daily lives.


    Truly, being ignorant is bliss.

 Chapter 60 - 60: The Goblin Lord

    Emily had entered this dungeon instance twice, and in one of those instances, the leader of her group used his ability to bombard the settlement from afar, giving her and the other hunters an easy clear.


    At that time, she felt envious of the leader''s skill and happy not to have to work hard to clear the dungeon.


    But now, all of this had become a burden on her heart.


    She could steel her heart against killing goblin armies, but to kill someone innocent...


    They kept walking through the settlement.


    Before, Emily had focused on the ogre''s movement and the danger they were in; now, her attention started to shift to the conditions in which the goblins lived.


    She then realized some of the goblins peeking out had sunken cheeks.


    "How long have all of you been here?" she asked.


    "If I use time from Lady Emily''s world, then it has been around seven months now."


    Hearing his sister talk with Petricia made Alex wonder about the reason for this.


    Why had they stayed in the area for so long before allowing hunters to enter?


    He had checked the report on this dungeon before; it had been cleared every chance it got.


    ''This means there are many areas prepared for hunters, and one is chosen randomly.


    Or whoever put this goblin clan here did it on purpose, to push them to the edge before letting human hunters enter.''


    This meant the current goblin clan had been weakened; Alex didn''t know how many of them had died in all these months.


    Walking through the rough patch of road, it didn''t take long for them to reach the place where the High Goblin Lord lived.


    To Alex''s surprise, the place was empty; he didn''t see any guards or ogres.


    It was different from what Vesa had told him; a dozen ogres should have been standing guard here, with many goblin soldiers moving around the hallway.


    "Why has the place become empty now?" Alex asked.


    Petricia spoke with the ogre before conveying its reply to Alex, "King, they say it''s the lord''s order. He wants to show you that he wants to avoid any conflict and¡­"


    Seeing Petricia hesitate, Alex then asked her, "And what?"


    "The lord says he knows you are not really a god," Petricia stopped for a moment, then added, "Please don''t be mad, King."


    Alex chuckled. "Why should I be mad about that? I am no god, haha."


    This made Petricia think Alex was just being modest, making her worship Alex even more.


    In her mind, the only way to describe Alex''s ability and presence was by being a god.


    When she first woke up, she found herself in a new world, even though it was small; if not a god, who could create such a thing?


    She could also feel her life was in Alex''s hands, and he could kill her anytime.


    After Petricia learned about the Awe System, the items she could purchase, and how there were a hundred small worlds like where she lived, her worship grew even more.


    At this point, if things came to a head, Petricia would not hesitate to betray the High Goblin Lord, taking Alex''s side, even without the threat of her life in Alex''s hands.


    Alex''s lips twitched; seeing Petricia''s expression, he decided to ignore it.


    Having her worship him more was better for him; this would make it easier to raise her loyalty.


    Hearing Alex and Petricia''s interaction made Emily cringe.


    Since it was her own brother being called a god, she felt even more embarrassed.


    She knew many of his embarrassing sides and how he often acted like a child.


    ''If he is a god, the world is really done for,'' she thought.


    In front of them now stood the High Goblin Lord.


    His eyes had dark patches around them, and his body was robust and taller than the average high goblin.


    Petricia''s height barely reached his shoulder.


    The High Goblin Lord had blue skin with golden tattoos on his face and hands.


    A sound then reverberated in Alex''s mind, "Ukkaaa, ka umaaa kaaa kakaa."


    He didn''t understand what the voice meant, but he could pinpoint that it came from the High Goblin Lord.


    Alex could feel the thread of mana coming from his direction.


    Alex wanted to ask Petricia to translate, but a message from Vesa stopped him.


    [King, do you want me to translate it for you?]


    ''You can do that? You should have told me before.''


    Alex knitted his eyebrows together, feeling foolish for letting Petricia translate for him.


    If Emily knew this, she would laugh her head off and say, ''Serves you right. How does it feel to be on the receiving end?''


    But Emily didn''t know this; in her and Petricia''s eyes, it seemed like the High Goblin Lord was silently communicating with Alex, and he appeared displeased.


    The High Goblin Lord also felt the same; he thought Alex still didn''t trust him.


    He then sent another message that Alex ignored since he was still communicating with Vesa. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [As long as I have the knowledge, I can do it, King. I thought you knew it since it should be obvious.


    Now I understand why your sister thinks your ability is bugged.]


    Alex''s lips twitched; he wanted to berate Vesa but knew it was his fault.


    How could he miss it?


    Vesa had already extracted all the information from Petricia.


    Since she could make the map, it was obvious Vesa had learned the goblin language too.


    He just felt glad that his sister didn''t know this; otherwise, she would tease him to no end.


    ''Translate it, Vesa. Just do it automatically from now on.''


    [Alright, King.]


    Vesa then told Alex what the High Goblin Lord had said.


    The first sentence meant, "Hunter, we should talk alone."


    Then, the next part was telling him that what they talked about was better not known by Greltha.


    Greltha was Petricia''s name as a high goblin before she came under Alex.


    The High Goblin Lord then introduced himself; his name was Zarnak.


    He could talk telepathically to Alex using a magic tool he had, but this tool had limited use now since he didn''t have access to mana crystals after being exiled.

 Chapter 61 - 61: The Mark

    Alex then told the High Goblin Lord he agreed to talk alone.


    "Emily, Petricia, wait outside the room."


    Petricia bowed, then quickly left the area. She didn''t even ask if Alex would need a translator or not.


    For her, Alex was a God; nothing was impossible for him.


    The reason she had translated before was just so Emily could hear it.


    Even if Alex asked her to translate, Petricia would think that God was giving her a chance to prove her loyalty.


    Emily, still reluctant to leave, but seeing their interaction before, where Alex had a look of displeasure on his expression and the goblin lord had become panicked, made Emily feel it was alright to leave them alone.


    ''It''s only the two of them anyway,'' she thought.


    If a fight broke out, Emily was sure Alex would win.


    The only problem was if the goblin lord prepared an ambush.


    But Alex should be able to detect it with his system.


    "Alright, don''t take too long, brother."


    After both of them were alone in the room, Zarnak and Alex sat at a nearby table.


    "Hunter, I am sure you are not the incarnation of God like what Greltha told me.


    If you were really Celetus''s incarnation, we would be dead now," Zarnak said with a chuckle.


    He then continued, "Your identity doesn''t matter to me.


    Greltha told me you have a way to bring her out of this forsaken place. Is it true?"


    If a Progenitor was a God, then technically, Alex was an incarnation of one, but he never felt like someone special, so he didn''t feel the need to refute Zarnak.


    "I will be blunt; there is a risk she will die, but yeah, I have a way to bring her back with me."


    Zarnak sighed.


    "I knew it.


    There is no way it would be that easy. How risky?"


    "I am ninety percent sure I can bring her back safely."


    Based on what he knew, Alex was one hundred percent sure he could bring every monster he caught back.


    The ten percent was if something outside his knowledge happened.


    "Percent?"


    Zarnak raised his eyebrow, puzzled by the new term.


    Alex sighed.


    He then realized the goblin probably only understood basic arithmetic.


    "It basically means there''s only a small chance she will die.


    Let me guess, you want me to bring your people back to my place?"


    Zarnak nodded.


    "Not everyone; at the very least, I will need to stay here and be killed by you.


    There is no way to go around this."


    "And why is that?"


    "It will be easier to show you."


    Zarnak''s golden tattoo started to glow, and then a mark appeared on his forehead.


    The mark looked like three number nines linked in a circular manner.


    Alex could feel a sinister energy coming from it.


    The mark then disappeared, and Zarnak''s tattoo turned dim.


    He then breathed heavily, like someone who had just finished a marathon.


    It was clear to Alex that it had taken a heavy toll on Zarnak to even show the mark.


    "I don''t understand how it works, but my life is linked with some mechanism here, the same one that doesn''t allow us to leave.


    If one of my clan tries to leave the area, they will just be teleported back to this place.


    We have tried many ways, but there is nothing we can do."


    Alex put on a thoughtful look. "What happens after I leave this place?


    To the goblins that are left here?"


    "They will be taken to another place like this area, put under a different leader to manage," Zarnak said with a sigh.


    "The only way they can be free is if the leader somehow kills the hunter, but we know the chance of that is very small.


    After all, most leaders are just criminals. It''s rare for a high goblin like me to be exiled."


    His voice then raised, filled with anger.


    "Those traitors, they made a deal with invaders, to take over the kingdom.


    Now they put us here just to make a show to the populace, pretending they give us a chance while they make sure none of us will return."


    "Traitor? By ''invader'' you mean us?"


    Zarnak wanted to say something but then stopped.


    "Sorry, I cannot answer that; there are limitations put on me."


    "From the mark?"


    Zarnak nodded.


    "How about the God Celeste?


    Why do you say if I were really his incarnation, you would be dead now?"


    Zarnak''s eyes turned complicated.


    "That is a long story of our race, but I am sorry, I cannot tell you this too."


    Alex then asked Vesa about the mark, but even Vesa didn''t recognize it.


    [King, I have been in slumber for so many eons before you and Queen awakened me.


    It''s not weird for many new power systems to appear.]


    ''You really have no clue, Vesa? Anything?''


    [No, King, there are many things that can create sinister energy like that.


    There are too many possibilities.


    If I could tinker with it, I could probably find out the origin, but doing so would be too risky now.


    The being that can create that mark is far above your level; even with regeneration ability, we would be doomed.]


    Alex sighed.


    He knew he had hit a dead end.


    There was nothing he could do now.


    "I can only bring 82 goblins with me at most.


    You should make the decision of who to bring."


    Alex then paused for a moment.


    He hesitated, but he knew it needed to be said. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am sorry to say this, but since you''re going to die anyway, can you give me all your magic tools?"


    Magic tools were similar to artifacts; the only difference was they were powered with mana, just like the hammer Alex had used before.


    "Don''t worry, I will give them to you.


    I will also give all the resources we have here.


    It''s better for you to use them than those traitors."


    Zarnak felt relieved.


    At least he could leave behind some of his descendants to survive.


    All the high goblins that were still alive were his descendants.

 Chapter 62 - 62: Bai Yue Sect

    All the high goblins that were still alive were his real descendants, but he had never told them this since he didn''t want to add more burden to them.


    If he told them they were members of the last ruling party, some would then think that it was their responsibility to take their kingdom back.


    Zarnak wanted them to move on and just go on with their lives.


    "I will leave Petricia here then.


    Tell her if you have chosen and are ready.


    I will wait outside this place."


    Alex felt it was better they waited outside since many goblins would probably hate them.


    Staying there would also make Emily more depressed, so it was better they stayed away from the area.


    He then stood up and prepared to leave, but Zarnak stopped him.


    "Hunter, you haven''t told me your name."


    "Just call me Alex.


    What do you want to talk about?


    I doubt you can tell me any useful information."


    "I have two more requests."


    This made Alex frown, but he gestured for Zarnak to continue.


    "I hope you won''t mistreat my people; they''ve gone through a lot.


    I cannot tell you the details, but every goblin here still has much potential to become stronger.


    As long as you treat them right, I am sure you won''t regret it.


    And for my last wish, I want you to kill me in a duel."


    Alex agreed since his wish was not too much.


    He also understood Zarnak''s last request; if he had just killed him without Zarnak fighting back, it could probably have attracted some attention from the one who had created this dungeon system.


    He felt more curious about the potential Zarnak had mentioned, but Alex knew Zarnak could not tell him about it.


    Otherwise, he would have already spilled all the details to make sure Alex treated his people better. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, MingYue had arrived at the secret realm.


    The trip had gone smoothly, with only some monsters attacking them, but this posed no problem.


    MingYue hadn''t even needed to raise a finger.


    MingHao and ZanLu had easily finished them off.


    The entrance to the secret realm had now been moved deep into the mountain.


    ZanLu took out an engraved mana crystal that functioned like a key.


    When it was near the portal, it reacted, making the portal appear.


    The mana crystal key had been made by Alex with Vesa''s help; the idea had also come from Alex.


    Since the nature of the energy was different, this would confuse cultivators trying to figure out the nature of the crystal in case they got their hands on it.


    The air started to vibrate, creating a portal that amazed MingHao and Jian Feng.


    In their knowledge, only a really big sect under an immortal could create its own base inside a secret realm.


    Inside the portal, they quickly could feel the rich energy in the air, but it was different than the one they were used to; they could not put a finger on it. It was just different.


    It wasn''t weird since they were breathing in concentrated Mana, all coming from high-quality mana crystals Alex had sent.


    Since there had already been many studies on how Mana affected the human body positively, they weren''t afraid of any bad side effects.


    As long as the mana particle in the air didn''t pass a certain threshold.


    Alex looked forward to what would happen; he hoped some people would mutate and get their own abilities, like on Ainode, Alex''s planet.


    In front of them, a big gate made of steel blocked the way, giving everyone a feeling of awe and reverence.


    Above it, there was no plank; instead, the sect name, ''Bai Yue sect,'' was engraved directly on the wall.


    The name had come from Alex.


    MingYue still remembered when he had suggested it, "In my world, vampires are often related to the red moon, but red also sometimes means something sinister, so let''s just use white then.


    Bai Yue, in my language, Bai means white, and Yue means moon, White moon.


    Your name also has Yue, so it''s a good match."


    MingYue liked the name Bai Yue, so she agreed to use it.


    In total, the Bai Yue sect now had six islands, with only MingYue able to enter the highest area.


    The commoners all now stayed on the first and second islands, with the sect members on the third to fifth islands, separated by their position.


    Vesa had merged a few islands to build bigger living spaces.


    Now, they only had outer disciples focusing on their practice to strengthen their foundation and discipline.


    However, the training they underwent was not the same as that of other sects; it was a mix of cultivation methods and modern professional army training.


    Usually, a cultivator''s training would focus more on individuality.


    When they entered a sect and their potential was assessed, they would then start strengthening their foundation, taking some resources from the sect to ensure the qi was infused into their body correctly.


    Depending on their talent, they would then be given a secret technique by the sect.


    Those in the sect who had low potential were then given tasks to do the daily chores, while those with great potential focused on cultivation.


    After their foundation was stabilized, their schedule would then start to change, adding training for secret techniques.


    They were then split into outer disciples, the low grunts that were basically just a better word for servants, the inner disciples that they would use as cannon fodder, and finally, their real students, the core disciples.


    The so-called geniuses or heaven-chosen.


    This made the social class even more defined; as the name suggested, the servants licked the cannon fodder''s boots while they followed the geniuses, prepared to be ordered by them.


    "MingYue, don''t you see this is a waste of resources?


    It''s like the sect only needs some workers and servants, then they get it for free by baiting them with useless cultivation methods, in the end, all to feed those chosen ones.


    They then try to instill loyalty by giving them many privileges.


    So, we better change it."

 Chapter 63 - 63: Hua Lu

    Cultivators still needed their individuality, but they needed to be given a sense of belonging.


    With how the sect worked, how could they feel this?


    This was also why many sects ended up having the sect leader''s descendants continue the sect since they felt the sect was their family.


    But those genius ones?


    Those that succeeded would just go out and build their own sect or family.


    "What do you suggest then?" MingYue asked since what Alex said was correct.


    The good cultivators would still provide some backing to the sect they came from, while the others would just give them some resources and call it even.


    If the cultivator succeeded and became immortal, they would just announce the sect was under their protection and then not do anything since the words alone would bring a lot of benefits to the sect.


    "We make them think of the sect as their family.


    Only when they endure hardships together will they develop a sense of comradeship."


    Alex suggested changing how it worked.


    In the first year, every cultivator would be required to practice together without the use of qi to make sure everyone had a similar strength level so they could cooperate with each other.


    Every cultivator would then be given a nickname that they would use for the entire year.


    This would be done to give them a new identity, as he would put them through hellish training to the point they forgot where they came from and what talents they had.


    This program would last three months, but Alex would make the training feel like three years of Hell.


    After three months, everyone would then gather together and have a party to relieve their stress.


    Afterward, they would be reassessed based on their potential, and some would become inner and core disciples.


    But even though they would have different places to live, Alex wouldn''t really separate them.


    Depending on the number of people, Alex would separate them into their own groups.


    For example, if there were two core disciples, then there would be two groups.


    Each core disciple would then become responsible for the inner disciples and the inner disciples, in turn, for the outer disciples.


    Each group would have its own elders responsible for giving out missions and tasks for them to achieve. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex wanted the sect to feel like a second home for them to live in, where they could return to. Not just a checkpoint in their cultivation journey.


    Most sects were unable to do this because they were limited in strength and resources.


    Thankfully, Alex and MingYue were Progenitors, meaning their journey would not stop unless they were dead or they reached the peak of strength.


    Bai Yue Sect also had another big cheat that would make every cultivator unable to leave, and that was Alex''s world technology.


    It wasn''t the weapons or even Mana, but the entertainment from his world.


    Once tasting it, Alex was sure they would get addicted.


    This didn''t mean they''d give them everything from Alex''s world.


    They would choose the ones that could increase the feeling of comradeship among the sect members.


    For example, having a MOBA tournament.


    But Alex needed to consider this thoroughly since it could also create cracks as they began to call each other names.


    He still remembered some of the people in his high school had stopped being friends because the others kept kill stealing, and then in retaliation, one became a feeder to the other group, resulting in their complete defeat.


    Afterward, neither of them could even talk to each other without calling each other names.


    "You Walking Gold Pinata!"


    "You KS artist!"


    The sect would also give tasks to help people in their city and expand the sect''s territory.


    There were still many details that hadn''t been fleshed out yet, but this was already enough for them to start running.


    It didn''t take long for the steel gate to open, revealing a woman dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans.


    After MingYue introduced modern clothing, many preferred to wear it since it was more comfortable and easier to use compared to their own old clothing.


    But MingYue made a rule not to allow them to wear it outside the secret realm since it would make them the center of attention, something they wanted to avoid for now.


    The woman then greeted them.


    She looked at ZanLu affectionately with a beautiful smile, then bowed toward MingYue.


    The woman had quite an attractive face, though not quite a beauty, with black hair in a bob-cut style.


    Her name was HuaLu, ZanLu''s wife.


    "Welcome back, Lady MingYue," she said with respect.


    MingYue nodded and then instructed ZanLu to let all the newcomers mingle with the current populace.


    They also needed to register all their names and information to create IDs, a concept still foreign to them.


    Usually, if they were just normal commoners, no one would care whom they married or how many kids they had.


    But it was different in this place; not only did they need to put all their information, but each of them also needed to provide a vial of blood and have their weight and height measured.


    All these required someone to instruct to make sure everything ran smoothly.


    Thankfully, commoners in MingYue''s world were already accustomed to following instructions without asking why.


    If this had been done with people from prominent families, they would have kept asking what this was for, resulting in a waste of time and resources.


    The group then entered through the gate, and inside, they found many camps built on the ground, as the real accommodation was still being built.


    Alex had sent many camping tools to allow them to live temporarily.


    It was nothing sophisticated for Alex, but for these people, they found it interesting.


    The newcomers felt like they were entering a completely new world.


    ZanLu then started instructing them on what they needed to do since almost every one among them could not read.


    If not, MingYue would have just given them a starter guide.


    MingYue also told the JianFeng family to mingle with the others; she only took MingHao with her, as HuaLu told MingYue about the current situation of the sect.

 Chapter 64 - 64: Six Islands

    After MingYue left, HuaLu was someone she had chosen to keep an eye on the progress, making sure nothing went wrong.


    But when they reached the construction area, almost everything had gone wrong.


    The first building they needed to do now was laying a foundation; they needed to dig the ground and then put a metal bar inside it.


    The task itself sounded simple but needed to be done with accurate calculations.


    Alex had already given them some tools to measure it, but they were commoners who had just learned basic math.


    Although the length was correct, most of the angles were not; a one-degree difference could result in a significant gap.


    What MingYue saw now left her speechless.


    In the image Alex had shown her, the building should have been square with some oriental decoration to suit her world, but what she saw now couldn''t even be called square; it was messed up.


    One of the points was skewed, and the building itself wasn''t finished, but MingYue could already see it was tilting. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I thought I told you to make sure they understood all the instructions first?"


    "Lady, they said they already understood it, so I let them take the materials to start building."


    MingYue''s vein popped.


    "Why didn''t you test them about it then?"


    HuaLu''s eyes looked cast down.


    "Lady, it''s not that I didn''t want to test them. I also don''t understand it.


    What does a degree even mean?


    Volume? Insulation?


    I get the concept, but my mind just cannot register it."


    Hearing the word also made MingYue''s brain freeze; if smoke could have come out from her head, it already would have.


    It was the same reason she had put the biology book in the corner of her storage ring.


    Since even she, a cultivator, felt like this, she knew she couldn''t blame HuaLu.


    "Forget it.


    Tell them to stop the construction now."


    "Sis? Why did you stop it?" MingHao asked, feeling puzzled.


    To him, the building was cool and very awe-inspiring.


    After all, he had never seen such a building before.


    It looked so strong and robust, and its unique form made him curious about the result.


    "You brat, the building is completely wrong.


    If I let them continue building it, it will just be a waste of materials."


    "How is it completely wrong, Sis?


    It looks so strong.


    Look, even tilted like that, the building still stands tall and high.


    Normally, we cannot even build that high; the building would just collapse on itself."


    "The tilt itself is what makes it wrong, brat.


    Forget it. Let''s go."


    MingYue then moved past the construction site.


    They quickly moved to the second island.


    In this area, the results were more satisfying.


    They reused this island to create a farm and ranch for animals.


    The people were already used to the concept; the only different thing they did now was build it following a certain layout.


    The ranch was also built from wood, not modern materials, so it was easy for them to build.


    Currently, they are growing rice and potatoes.


    On the ranch, they had cows, sheep, and chickens.


    It all looked the same as one in the modern world, with some differences in size since all of them breathed in Qi from the atmosphere.


    A single chicken basically became the size of a turkey, while cows and sheep were the size of elephants.


    Passing through the area, they reached the third island.


    There, MingHao could see a group of twenty people doing push-ups together.


    This made him question, "Sis, what are they doing?"


    "Can''t you see they are practicing?"


    "But why would they do that?


    I could feel some of them were already at the foundation stage initial level.


    Shouldn''t they just focus on infusing Qi into their meridians and body?


    It would make them stronger."


    MingHao could understand if they did it before becoming cultivators to prepare their bodies to absorb Qi, but he didn''t feel it made sense for others to do it.


    Some people born with good talents, like his sister, had never even had to practice like that; they were already born and grew naturally with fit bodies.


    "To feel hardship.


    Can''t you feel they don''t use Qi at all?"


    MingHao then focused his senses more and realized they really weren''t using any Qi.


    This made him feel even more puzzled.


    What use was this?


    Wasn''t it just pointless suffering?


    Seeing her brother''s confused expression, MingYue chuckled.


    As someone who had cultivated in a sect, she understood the benefits of getting used to suffering.


    This would temper their will.


    Many sects also did this but in different ways, usually through illusion arrays.


    The only difference Alex had made was making them suffer together as a group.


    "You will understand later, MingHao. Starting tomorrow, you will also join them."


    MingHao was still puzzled but nodded, agreeing to follow MingYue''s instructions.


    The accommodation on the third island was also made from camps.


    Currently, there were no elders in the sect, so the outer disciples'' training was supervised by wooden mannequins.


    Anyone who lazed around would be punished with a punch or kick.


    But so far, no one has been punished.


    For them, the chance to cultivate was a stroke of fortune, like someone winning a 777 jackpot in a casino.


    All of them had mortal-level spirit roots without any bloodline.


    They all had dreamed of cultivating once but quickly gave up on it when no sect or family accepted them.


    Now that they had the opportunity in their hands, they put all their effort in, making sure not to waste it.


    MingYue nodded satisfactorily with the progress, and then they walked toward the last island since both the fourth and fifth islands were still empty.


    The sixth island was far smaller than the rest of the islands.


    The biggest one was the first island, followed by the second one.


    The higher it went, the smaller it became.


    On the island now, there was a luxury RV the size of a bus, something that made MingHao''s eyes widen.


    Alex had bought it for MingYue.

 Chapter 65 - 65: Enjoy Your Time

    The RV had two bedrooms, a modern kitchen, and many other amenities, including its own water tank and a normal shower.


    One maid was responsible for cleaning up the house and filling the water tank.


    "Sis, what is that?"


    MingYue didn''t answer; instead, she looked at HuaLu.


    "You can return to your tasks now.


    Tomorrow, you and ZanLu can have a break.


    Enjoy your time."


    Hearing this, HuaLu smiled and bowed respectfully.


    She then quickly left, looking forward to meeting her husband.


    MingYue then placed her slender hand toward her face.


    She used her qi to activate the artifact.


    Her face began contorting, changing into a wooden mask.


    She took it off, revealing her beautiful face without any blemish.


    If Alex had been here, he would have been mesmerized by her beauty, but only MingHao would have been there.


    He didn''t care about it since she was his sister; instead, he was more interested in the RV house.


    MingYue felt refreshed.


    Although the artifact was made with comfort in mind since it was for long-term use, it was still better to use her own face.


    She took a deep breath and basked in the sunlight momentarily before walking toward her home.


    In this secret realm, there was still sunlight, with night and morning alternating.


    Vesa also sometimes made it rain to irrigate the farm since the infrastructure had not yet been built.


    Alex''s blueprint already included a water irrigation system.


    The only problem was that they needed to bring a water supply from outside, but with a storage ring, this was not too big of a hassle.


    Every single civilian in the Bai Yue sect was also required to learn basic math, reading, and writing. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue would then choose the best of them and start spreading them to mingle with people in other cities and regions.


    This was to expand their influence and also gather more information.


    For now, they had few people who could already do it and teach the others, but Alex planned to give them a comprehensive education system using VR and AI.


    But this was still not ready since Alex wanted to modify it to instill loyalty in their sect.


    MingYue had also made some requests for Alex to modify how the ID system worked.


    In Alex''s world, it was merely for database purposes, but MingYue wanted every single ID registration to act similarly to a slave contract agreement.


    This could be achieved with some modifications to the secret realm''s formation by Vesa, but Alex would still need to create the object to interface with it.


    The goal was for a civilian to only need to drop a drop of blood on it for their information to be recorded, and at the same time, another object would be created that functioned as their ID.


    However, achieving this had many challenges, as a slave bond contract required both parties to agree to it, meaning MingYue needed to be there too.


    If she wanted to automate this process, Vesa needed to modify how it worked.


    She took inspiration from the Awe system, taking a wisp of their soul and placing it in their inner world, after which Vesa would manage them.


    She could then give punishment accordingly, in a manner similar to a slave contract.


    However, this had many limitations; for example, for it to work on powerful cultivators, they would need to beat them into submission first.


    Just like beating creatures before capturing them with an Awe cube.


    Vesa also needed to link the secret realm to MingYue''s inner world, something that was currently beyond MingYue''s capabilities.


    MingYue would have considered this impossible if it were the past since even Immortals couldn''t hold a secret realm within their inner world.


    However, with the possibility of being a progenitor, she knew this was feasible.


    MingYue still didn''t understand how it worked, but the thought of it being possible made her want to start laying the foundation now so they wouldn''t have to make many changes later on.


    Inside the RV, MingHao was astounded by how everything was different.


    He sat on the plush couch, feeling its comfort.


    Comparing it to the wooden chair he usually sat on was like comparing heaven and earth.


    Seeing her brother amazed by all the new stuff made MingYue chuckle.


    She didn''t belittle him since MingYue had done the same when she first saw this place.


    MingYue then took out a jade slip from her storage ring and gave it to MingHao.


    "You can learn how these items are used there," MingYue said.


    MingHao caught the jade and quickly infused his qi to get the information.


    It worked like a jade scroll but could only hold limited information.


    Unfortunately, it could only be used by cultivators; otherwise, the sect could progress even quicker.


    MingYue then left her brother as she headed toward the shower, having become addicted to it after trying it once.


    Feeling the water pressure dripping over her jade-like skin washed away not only her fatigue but also lowered her stress.


    Even though she looked alright now, she was still in a bad mood with everything that had happened in her family.


    Meanwhile, as MingYue''s bare body was embraced by the warmth of the water, Alex was also enveloped in liquid¡ªonly this one was smelly, thick, and colored green.


    His hand gripped the Embershift hammer, slamming an ogre''s head into a pulp.


    "Go to hell, Zarnak.


    Your whole clan deserves to get exiled!"


    Alex cursed.


    He had agreed to a duel, but he never thought the duel Zarnak had proposed would be different from what he had in mind.


    It wasn''t just him against Zarnak but against the rest of the goblin army that had decided not to follow him.


    The monsters came in waves, the first wave making him fight three goblin armies, then it went to five, ten, twenty, and kept rising in number, with ogres starting to mix in.


    Based on his calculation, he still needed to fight seven more ogres, a dozen more goblin armies, and Zarnak.

 Chapter 66 - 66: Fire Fox

    Thankfully, the high Goblins didn''t participate in the fight.


    Emily looked on with worry from the side while Patricia was inside the Awe Cube.


    Zarnark had explained to Alex that this was part of Goblin culture, and if he did this, the rest of the Goblins would recognize him as their leader.


    Hearing this, Alex still hesitated, but Zarnark told him they would fight in multiple rounds.


    After some thought, Alex agreed to do it.


    Their loyalty would make many things easier, and at the same time, it would allow him to gain more life force and combat experience.


    At first, Emily didn''t agree and wanted to join the fray, but Alex convinced her, saying she could intervene if things really went south.


    With numerous enemies, Alex needed to maintain the use of his qi and mana energy efficiently.


    The first few waves were easy.


    Alex only needed a few swings of his hammer to finish them, but when ogres started to join the battle, the difficulty escalated.


    Despite their large bodies, ogres moved with surprising agility, and with a club in hand, their attacks were devastating.


    He also had to be wary of the barrage of arrows from goblin archers while goblin warriors kept harassing him with attacks from multiple directions.


    Alex couldn''t counterattack recklessly; he had to make sure every hit killed a goblin warrior instantly.


    Otherwise, they would just activate their battle frenzy skill, increasing their combat strength.


    Feeling overwhelmed, Alex used Volcanic Smash, then adjusted the Embershift hammer''s weight, crushing an ogre''s head into a pancake.


    With a thud, the ogre''s body dropped, and he then looked around to see there were still three more goblin riders and five goblin archers left for him to finish.


    Alex had already planned how to finish them off.


    Based on the pattern of attacks so far, he knew the goblin riders would use their charge skill while the archers would only shoot a few projectiles since their stamina was still recovering.


    But this plan quickly became void, as Zarnark didn''t wait for the wave to finish before entering the fray with the rest of the goblin army.


    This took Alex by surprise.


    ''Did Zarnark trap me?


    But it doesn''t make sense for him to do this suddenly.


    If he really wanted to kill me, he should have overwhelmed me with numbers from the start.''


    ''Vesa, any idea?''


    [I think he probably got insulted by the King''s remark before.]


    "What?


    You translated what I cursed before?"


    Alex''s vein popped.


    [Well, King, you told me to translate everything automatically without you asking.]


    ''Fuck!'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    But he knew he didn''t have time to debate this with Vesa.


    In reality, Zarnark didn''t do this out of anger; he thought Alex had said it because he got bored with the fight and wanted to finish things quickly.


    Seeing his fight, Zarnark respected Alex a lot.


    His strength was no joke, and even with all of that, he still wanted to negotiate with them.


    He thought Alex didn''t feel any challenge at all from the fight, so he said that on purpose to trigger him to attack them.


    He was also surprised by how Alex could absorb the bodies of the goblins after killing them.


    This made Zarnark think that Alex grew stronger every time he killed a creature.


    Zarnark also felt relieved that he had only allowed the high Goblins to watch; otherwise, the other goblins would have complained about how Alex didn''t respect their deceased.


    Even goblins had their own culture for those who had died; they performed a burial ceremony.


    The only difference was that they didn''t bury the body in the ground; they offered the body to their wolves to eat.


    They believed this allowed the Goblin to contribute to their society, earning them good deeds, to be reborn again as a high goblin.


    Since Zarnark thought Alex wanted more of a fight, he went all out from the start.


    All the ogres'' eyes turned red, with their muscles becoming bulkier.


    They activated their rampage skill.


    Zarnark''s golden tattoos also began to glow, activating his Master Tactician skill, which buffed every Goblin''s attack and allowed them to communicate telepathically with each other, increasing their coordination to a whole new level.


    The goblin archers launched a barrage of arrows toward Alex.


    "Vesa, augment the skill with life force.


    Go all out," Alex ordered.


    He had tried his best to stockpile life force energy since it wasn''t easy for him to gather it.


    Unlike MingYue, who could easily look for a cultivator to kill, Alex didn''t have that luxury.


    Outside of dungeons, his only option was hunting monsters in the forest, which was far less efficient compared to dungeons.


    Moreover, Alex couldn''t just enter a dungeon whenever he wished to gather life force, even when he had exclusive rights to a farm dungeon.


    He needed to share it with guild members.


    And Alex didn''t want to risk anyone seeing him absorb life force.


    Using life force to enhance a secret technique would significantly increase the damage output, but at the same time, the consumption was very high.


    Seeing the barrage of arrows and the imposing figure of the ogre, Alex''s eyes turned sharp.


    He burned his qi, pointing the Embershift hammer forward.


    The hammer head started glowing red intensely.


    Vesa started sending life energy over it, making it glow even brighter. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A flame started to ignite in front of the hammer, and it then grew larger.


    The once formless flame started changing shape into a real-life fox.


    The fox, completely made from flame, roared, creating a shockwave of heat, destroying all the arrows raining down toward Alex.


    "ROOOAR!!!"


    The scorching heat didn''t just halt the goblin archers'' attack; the goblin warriors who had their skills activated with red eyes were also pushed back.


    Their skin melted, pushing them back further as they screamed in pain.


    If not for Zarnark''s buff, they would have already been set ablaze by the heat, but their fate was still better than that of the wolf riders.

 Chapter 67 - 67: First Dungeon Clear

    Since the Goblin riders had used their skill charge, they were moving at high speed toward Alex, making them much closer.


    The heat flame scorched the wolf fur into cinders, exposing their bare, scorched skin beneath it.


    Unable to handle the pain, the wolves rolled on the ground, causing the riders to fall.


    Their makeshift armor heated up, scorching their skin with the heat.


    But this was only the start.


    Alex had told Vesa to go all out, and that was exactly what Vesa did.


    The fox kept growing in size, the flame grew even more intense, and the orange hue started flickering, changing into a whitish flame. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the flame grew, the heat also kept rising.


    If Alex hadn''t been the one casting it, he would have already burned from the heat.


    Emily, who saw what happened from a distance, could already feel the stinging heat on her skin despite using Qi to protect it.


    The ground around Alex scorched black.


    Vesa then told Alex that the hammer had reached its limit; any more, it would break.


    Alex could feel the monstrous energy emanating from the firefox.


    He knew if he didn''t release it now, it would blow up in his face instead.


    BANG!


    The fox launched with unnatural speed, targeting Zarnark.


    The ground it passed over was scorched black.


    All of this happened in only a few moments, not allowing Zarnark any time to dodge.


    They were too stupefied by the energy to react.


    By the time his mind caught up, it was already too late.


    Meanwhile, Emily watched in a daze.


    With the amount of energy condensed, she could already predict the outcome.


    She turned her gaze toward the area behind Zarnark; it wasn''t just forest.


    Part of the goblin settlement was there.


    "Brother, you are so stupid!" she mumbled.


    Adrenaline then rushed over her mind.


    Without hesitation, Emily utilized her skill, boosting it with life force and turning her body into light.


    Before, she wouldn''t have cared about their lives and deaths, but now she couldn''t get it out of her mind that they were just innocent bystanders.


    Emily knew she would have nightmares if she didn''t do anything.


    Seeing the huge energy ball in front of them, Zarnark quickly gave out his order.


    The goblin warriors and riders were already done for.


    He ordered the ogres to create a wall of flesh to block the attack.


    Zarnark also spread his ability to the high goblins behind him.


    With telepathy, the high goblins knew what to do; they jumped sideways, moving out of the impact area.


    As they did this, they poured their mana toward Zarnark.


    A bangle on his hand started to glow; he poured all his mana into it, creating a mana barrier to block the attack.


    Alex watched in surprise at the energy he had just unleashed.


    It was the first time he had imbued life force into a secret technique, and the result was astonishing.


    At this moment, his brain was busy calculating the impact of life force on the secret skill''s damage, not yet realizing the aftermath of his attack.


    Even though his ability, Cognitive Matrix, allowed Alex to analyze every single piece of information, his brain still needed to process it and focus on the goal he wanted to achieve.


    At this moment, he was focused on combat, with his thoughts only on how to defeat Zarnark, so he ignored all data irrelevant to this.


    Otherwise, his brain, even with progenitor blood, would get overwhelmed by the sheer number of data points existing.


    If this were a normal situation, it would still be possible to manage since processing this data would take time, but Alex was currently in combat.


    Even a single second could mean the difference between life and death.


    Even though he could regenerate, with Emily watching, he didn''t want to traumatize her.


    He could already imagine how Emily would react; she would probably go ballistic and then start getting overprotective, not allowing him to go anywhere alone.


    The flickering orange fox then crashed into the barrier, creating a powerful shockwave.


    It only lasted for two seconds before Zarnark could feel it wouldn''t hold.


    He decided to cancel it and recreate the barrier on his body since the target was him.


    The fox should not explode until it breaks through the barrier.


    SWOOSH!!!


    The fox passed through the ogre like a knife cutting through butter.


    Zarnark then faced the fox head-on.


    The moment they met, it wasn''t even a contest.


    Zarnark couldn''t even hold his position; he was pushed through, turning into a streak of light, moving through the wall behind the arena, all the way to the goblin settlement, until it destroyed the outer wall and some distance beyond.


    "BOOOOM!!!!!"


    The ground quaked, mushroom smoke billowed out, and a deafening noise spread through, making all the survivors put their hands over their ears to protect their eardrums.


    A genderless voice then reverberated in the air, "Dungeon cleared,


    checking the number of people who survived¡­,


    calculating clear rank¡­,


    Congratulations, you get an S Rank.


    A portal will appear above the boss.


    Make sure to bring all your loot before leaving."


    As the dust settled, what remained was just a huge trail of destruction left by the fox, stretching all the way into the forest.


    The ogres now only had their legs left, with dozens of the goblin army burned to crisps on the ground.


    Alex didn''t even need to hear the message to realize Zarnark was dead.


    "Fuck!" he cursed.


    With the burden of the fight lifted Alex started to register what had happened.


    He realized he had screwed up.


    Just as he was about to start moving, a familiar voice reached his ears.


    "No need to go; I''ve already made sure no one is hurt."


    A particle of light started to gather in front of Alex, turning into Emily, her breath ragged.


    Emily was exhausted; she had used much of her mana and qi to rescue those in the way of Alex''s attack.

 Chapter 68 - 10 Gt)

    At first, Emily wanted to ask if Alex had done it on purpose to farm life energy.


    But she quickly shook the thought off.


    She felt relieved when she saw Alex wanting to move toward the settlement.


    Deep in her heart, she was afraid that her brother had become drunk with power.


    The result of Alex''s attack was devastating; Emily was sure even a four-star hunter wouldn''t have survived the attack unscathed.


    Alex wanted to say something, but an amulet suddenly appeared in front of him.


    He was surprised to see it since this information was never mentioned in any media.


    Emily had also never told him about this.


    A text box suddenly appeared, hovering in the air, and a message appeared inside it.


    It looked just like a notification in a game.


    ______________________


    Flameheart Amulet (B-Rank)


    Effect: Enhance your flame output by five percent.


    _______________________


    Five percent might look small in number, but Alex knew the impact would be significant if given to someone who used flame-based attacks.


    He just didn''t know if this magical tool would work for him since his secret technique came from the Embershift hammer.


    Another item then materialized in front of Emily.


    A treasure chest appeared at her feet.


    She then put it inside her storage ring, already knowing what she would get.


    If she got a chest, it meant it was either a mana crystal, potion or some material. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every dungeon clearly gave a random reward; the higher the clear rank and someone''s contribution, the better the item they got.


    If they receive a magical tool, it is usually suitable for the user.


    Magical tools also had grades from F to SSS rank.


    A category two dungeon, at best, could only drop a B rank, and even that was very rare.


    But Emily knew now was not the time to check their rewards.


    The Goblin stronghold was made of wood, and Alex had just released a devastating fire attack.


    They needed to quickly evacuate.


    Alex also understood this, so he didn''t inquire further about the rewards system.


    Instead, he asked the high goblin, who still stood in a daze, "Where are the goblins that will come with me?"


    They quickly nodded and showed Alex to the area on the side where the goblins were all standing, waiting for them.


    There were 12 high goblins, 2 ogres, 8 goblin archers, 10 goblin riders, and 20 goblin warriors.


    The rest were normal goblins.


    Alex could see that the normal goblins were mostly filled with kids.


    He realized Zarnark had probably done this on purpose; after all, the fate awaiting those who survived here was to face another death and live a struggle.


    Alex knew there was no use in negotiating now; they didn''t have much time. He captured them all into the Awe Cube.


    None chose to fight back.


    With Alex there, they knew it meant Alex had beaten their lord in their version of a ''fair'' duel, and they could also see the high goblins being respectful to him.


    For the goblins, this was more than enough reason to follow Alex without a second question.


    Even the kids who had thrown rocks before now behaved.


    After putting all of them in, Alex asked the rest of the high goblins, "What will you guys do now?"


    One of the high goblins then said, "Lord, we will gather the survivors and bring them far away from the settlement."


    Seeing Alex''s capabilities, none of them dared to disrespect him.


    "I see, good luck then."


    The high goblins then bowed in respect and quickly left them.


    As they walked past Emily, she informed the high goblins where she had put the goblins she rescued.


    They thanked Emily for this and then went on their way.


    The embers flickered, spreading their heat to the air as Alex and Emily walked, following the trail of destruction.


    Along the way, Emily broke the silence, "Bro... why did you do that?"


    Alex sighed, "I was too absorbed in the battle, so I just poured as much life force as I could into my attack.


    I didn''t do it on purpose, Emily."


    "I see, that makes sense, but bro... now that I know about all this, I feel glad Mom blocked me from entering dungeons.


    To think of all those innocents that die at the hands of hunters..." Emily said in a low voice.


    Alex stopped in his steps and then patted her head.


    "Don''t think about it too much.


    I''m sure you never kill innocents; you only kill those who attack you.


    Just treat it like hunting dark hunters."


    Hearing the word "dark hunter" made Emily''s face turn dark.


    She knew the kind of atrocities they had committed in dungeons.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach a portal.


    They then looked around; other than the fire in the forest and the scorched ground, there were no remains of Zarnark anywhere.


    "Bro¡­ you really overdid it," Emily commented, looking at Alex incredulously.


    In response, Alex coughed, ignoring her remark.


    "Alright, let''s go home."


    But his steps stopped when he felt Emily tug at his hand.


    He looked at her with questioning eyes.


    "The Goblin children, what will you do with them, bro?"


    "I don''t know.


    At first, I planned to send the normal goblins to MingYue''s world to become her workers after giving them some education here, but now I will need them to take care of the kids.


    I need to think about it first."


    "Bro, why don''t you let me take care of them?"


    "What?


    Do you want to take care of them?


    You do realize they are goblins, right?


    You can''t even talk with them."


    "You can even make that strange cube; I''m sure making a translation device is simple for you."


    She paused for a moment, then added, "I just want to learn more about their society and give them some basic education.


    They can use some tools.


    I''m sure we can teach them to be civilized."


    "Civilized?


    What do you think, Emily?


    Don''t tell me you think we should let them live in our society."


    Alex found his sister''s idea ridiculous.

 Chapter 69 - 100 PS)

    After all, goblins had different values than humans, and Alex was sure other people wouldn''t accept them.


    Many people had lost their family members due to dungeon breaks.


    Emily shook her head, "Of course not, that''s too far-fetched."


    "Fine, I''ll think about it," Alex said with a sigh.


    He knew his sister probably felt guilty and just wanted to do something to make herself feel better.


    It wasn''t like Emily would really take care of them all the time; she would probably spend a few hours every few days.


    After all, she was quite busy with the guild.


    When they got close to the portal, Alex told Emily to enter alone first.


    Emily didn''t think much about it and then left.


    Alex looked back one more time at the dungeon.


    When he entered, it was a lush forest with a big tree, but now it was better to call it a furnace.


    The temperature was very hot, with all the trees burned in flame, painting the sky in an orange hue.


    "Now it''s time to find the answer, Vesa. There should be no problem, right?"


    [Don''t worry, King.


    I''ve already taken extra countermeasures to cover the ring with your life force.


    Even if this Dungeon system can somehow look through another space inside the storage ring, I am sure this is enough to hide it.]


    Alex sighed; he knew there was nothing more to do.


    Looking at the two suns in the sky reminded him once more that he was on another planet.


    "What kind of being do you think is able to create this kind of system, Vesa?


    And for what purpose?"


    [Based on my observations so far, I am sure whoever made this is ten times stronger than an Immortal in the Queen''s world.


    As for the purpose, I think this is like training, King.]


    "Training?"


    Alex pondered the thought and realized that the theory was not far-fetched.


    After all, hunters enter here, learn to fight, acquire new powers and gear, and keep becoming stronger.


    The same could be said for the other side: the strong survive and become stronger, while the weak perish.


    Alex shook his head; he knew this method would certainly work, but he still didn''t like it.


    For Alex, there were many types of strength; even the weak could find ways to fight against the strong using tools.


    Aren''t guns, poison, and martial arts created with this purpose in mind?


    It''s the same with technology, too; because humans used to have frail bodies, they invested a lot of resources to find other ways to progress.


    If awakener power had existed since ancient times, Alex was sure his world would just turn into MingYue''s world.


    But he knew he could do nothing about it now; it was too far from him, and it was just a theory.


    Alex then walked through the portal.


    The surroundings quickly changed; he felt like he was walking underwater, filled with pressure, the same sensation Alex felt when he entered a dungeon, but it only lasted for a moment before he found himself back in his world.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, MingYue had just finished her shower.


    She now wore comfortable short pants and a T-shirt.


    Stepping out of her room, her lips curled into a smile upon seeing what her brother was doing.


    MingHao was now looking fervently at the TV, with his hands busily pressing a gamepad.


    "Damn, I lost again!"


    MingHao screamed as the big word "KO" was written on the screen.


    He was playing a fighting game while his character fought against a wooden mannequin that kept changing its style in every fight.


    "Are you done playing games, brat!?"


    Hearing his sister''s words quickly made MingHao stand on his feet.


    He turned his gaze toward the voice, seeing his sister sitting on the sofa with crossed legs, her hand holding a can of carbonated drink.


    "Ehm, sis, I''m just training, don''t you see?


    I''m looking for inspiration for creating new secret techniques."


    MingYue raised her eyebrow, feeling her brother''s reasoning was so ridiculous.


    With a smirk on her face, she asked, "Oh, tell me about that?"


    "Yeah, I''ve played multiple of these fighting games.


    In one of them, I saw they can shoot energy beams from their palms, then I thought we could also try that, right?"


    MingHao said as he posed, replicating the character''s movement in the game.


    MingHao planted his feet firmly on the ground and extended his arms to the sides, with palms facing the empty air.


    He then tried to gather his qi in it, creating a flicker of light before it got snuffed out, making MingHao frown.


    Seeing it, MingYue laughed, "How much qi do you think you have, brat!?


    That''s just a game; it''s okay to play it.


    I''m the one telling you to have fun.


    But don''t take it too seriously.


    In the first place, pure qi won''t be that destructive; otherwise, why would we bother learning secret techniques?


    Just go shoot and blast it everywhere."


    "So it won''t work at all?" MingHao asked, feeling disappointed.


    Since he saw it in the game, he felt the movement was really cool; he wanted to replicate it, of course, not the shouting part.


    That would be stupid.


    Who screams their technique name before attacking?


    To tell their enemy?


    "Hey, I will attack you now; prepare for it."


    Seeing her brother''s crestfallen face made MingYue laugh.


    "Well, if you can find a way to directly change your qi nature with only breathing, then it may be possible."


    "Isn''t that something only immortals can do?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingHao remembered reading some explanations about it when he learned about cultivation stages.


    MingYue nodded.


    "Yes, but even when you reach the immortal stage, what you want to do is still not worth it.


    Shooting pure qi, how much of it do you think will disappear on the way?


    It''s very ineffective, not to mention you are staying still when you need to use the attack.


    Well, forget it, today you can have fun; just go play again.


    Starting tomorrow, no more games."

 Chapter 70 - 70: Young Master!

    Seeing his sister stand up, MingHao quickly stopped her.


    "Wait, sis, what about Uncle and our niece?


    What do you plan to do with them?"


    "Let them mingle with the others for now.


    I will go down and meet them tomorrow."


    MingYue''s gaze then turned complicated.


    "You should understand, MingHao, your talent is not bad, but Uncle Jian Feng''s is worse than yours.


    I also know he doesn''t like conflict.


    It''s better for him to live with the populace and do some work managing them rather than pursuing a path as a cultivator.


    It''s the same for his family, too.


    As for our newborn niece, she is still a baby.


    Let''s talk about it when she grows older." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, MingHao felt relieved, making MingYue frown.


    "Why do you make a face like that?"


    "Well, I am glad sis thinks like that.


    Actually, I was afraid you would take revenge on Uncle.


    After all, he was quite strict with you in the past."


    Hearing this, MingYue''s vein popped.


    "You brat!


    Do you think I am that small-minded?


    Come here!!!"


    Seeing his sister''s expression, MingHao knew what was coming next, and he certainly didn''t want to face it.


    His qi churned to the maximum, pushed by panic.


    He ran away as fast as he could, screaming, "I am sorry, sis!


    I will return at dinner!"


    MingYue looked dumbfounded at what her brother did, then mumbled with a smirk, "Stupid brat...


    He''s really good at running away."


    She paused for a moment and then let out a chuckle.


    "Well, that''s good.


    At least I don''t need to worry too much about his life."


    Her gaze then turned distant.


    Now alone in her home, her repressed emotions started coming out, and her heart throbbed with pain.


    Despite making decisions decisively, it would be a lie if she said she didn''t feel anything.


    With glistening eyes, the memories she had spent in that home started resurfacing in her mind.


    As a kid, cultivating had been very boring and tedious, and even when she did her best and achieved better results than all her peers, no one was there to tell her she had done good work.


    When she went to her uncle, he would only say, "Good, but not enough."


    Her mother would nod and close her eyes, returning to her cultivation.


    Her father?


    If she could meet him, that would be amazing; he was always holed up in his room.


    All of this turned into overwhelming pressure for her.


    Living in the cultivation world, her options to vent were very limited.


    Friends?


    Everyone in her generation was her rival.


    Since she always bested them in everything, they were not close at all.


    Playing?


    There were no games she could play without friends.


    She tried playing board games with some elders, but their high egos only made her feel annoyed.


    Destroying some target practice?


    That would just become another training session.


    Not knowing what to do, MingYue wandered around the estate, looking for a way to decompress.


    In the end, she found a place that was almost empty, with only one person standing guard at the library.


    It wasn''t a secret technique library, just a library containing some history books of the world.


    The moment she started reading, she quickly enjoyed it.


    Through every single word, her imagination ran wild, entering a new world where she was free from all the burdens in her life.


    But now, all of it had turned to ashes.


    That was why she liked the novel that Alex gave her a lot, even more than games and others since the story just immersed her so much.


    It was a way for her to decompress from all the stress.


    Although many things she read made her raise her eyebrow, ultimately those with a cultivation theme, she couldn''t help making comparisons with her own world.


    In the novels she read, everything was always about Young Masters.


    Young Masters interested in the MC''s lover, childhood friend, or sister;


    Young Masters felt jealous of the MC''s skill or talent.


    Young Masters had their fianc¨¦es stolen by the MC.


    Young Masters lost their inheritance to the MC.


    Young Masters lost bids at auctions.


    Young Master this, Young Master that.


    MingYue even wondered if the authors had some personal grudge against Young Masters.


    They always started rich and ended up miserable.


    Logically speaking, even without her real experience, with all the wealth and resources their rich families had, why didn''t they invest in educating their young prodigies?


    Or were all these Young Masters'' brains made of mush?


    If an ugly person wanted to marry a beauty, then it was called a toad lusting after a swan.


    But what if a genius cultivator lusted after a woman from the suburbs while being surrounded by other geniuses with more beauty and talent?


    Wasn''t that a swan lusting after a frog?


    They also kept doing it like idiots, even though they kept getting beaten again and again without any real reward behind it.


    Some stories explained it was because of the secret the MC had, but if that happened in her world, the other sect wouldn''t waste time plotting; they would go all out from the start.


    Her strength reigned supreme, and no one bothered making stupid plans.


    If they couldn''t take it with all their power, then what use was there in getting their hands on the treasure?


    It would just invite disaster.


    After all, if they got it with a trap, there was a high-risk others would find out about it.


    It was the same reason she had chosen to hide in the secret realm now, without any plan to have contact with another sect until she had sufficient strength.


    Even people with God-level cultivation acted the same; it was just a repeat of braindead behavior.


    She wondered how they could act like that after living for thousands of years.


    If someone made an Immortal angry in her world, they would be slapped to death.


    Why would an Immortal care about face when they held absolute power?


    Would you think about your face when you squish an ant that bites your finger?

 Chapter 71 - 71: Alexs Option

    A female voice then reverberated in her mind.


    "MingYue, I know you feel this is not my place to say this, but you need to find someone to talk to about things like this.


    It''s not good to keep it bottled up."


    "Who allowed you to peek at my emotions?


    Even though you stay in my inner world, can''t you give me some privacy!?"


    MingYue complained.


    FengXue couldn''t hear what MingYue thought, but she could feel her mood.


    "MingYue, don''t blame me.


    Your mood is so turbulent that I can sense it without even trying.


    If this were the outside world, the sky would already be filled with dark clouds and a heavy downpour.


    How could I not notice?"


    "Then use an umbrella and play dumb. Can''t you even do that!?"


    MingYue cursed in her mind, rendering FengXue speechless. She was just worried about her.


    "Alright, I''m sorry.


    I won''t say anything more about this.


    But let me tell you one last thing.


    As cultivators, we live a long time and spend all our time cultivating.


    This makes us often hold our emotions back, thinking we can just deal with them later.


    But you''re forgetting something.


    Death can come anytime, even with all our secret skills and artifacts.


    And when it does, the regret you feel isn''t because you didn''t try harder, but because you didn''t spend more time with the people around you."


    FengXue then fell silent.


    MingYue used her slender finger to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes.


    She drank some more soda and then took a deep breath to calm down.


    From how FengXue had said it, MingYue was sure she spoke from her own experience; the reason she wanted a body was probably related to it, too.


    Her mind then started thinking that if she could go back in time, she would probably have been more forceful in trying to get a reaction from her mom and dad or at least tell them how she felt.


    Now that she thought about it, she realized she had never told anyone about this, nor did she have anyone to tell about it.


    Who could she tell?


    Her brother?


    Uncle?


    If not for the incident, she wouldn''t feel that close to them, but even now, the nature of their relationship made her need to appear strong in front of them.


    Friend?


    Ironically, in her sect, the one she had interacted with the most was LinHua, and she had pushed her into a void crack.


    In the end, only Alex came to mind.


    ''Our lives are interlinked anyway; we either spend eternity together or die together.


    We might as well try to get close,'' she thought to herself.


    Alex also already knew about her family problems, so she wouldn''t need to explain much.


    "Alex, are you busy?"


    Alex had just finished in the dungeon.


    He had checked their loot; luckily, before he fought Zarnak, he had already taken all the resources he had provided. Otherwise, he would have lost it all to the flames.


    The unique materials he had gotten were a unique type of ore and wood.


    He had already obtained some information about it, but he still needed to check the details later on.


    Emily, as she had expected, got a mana crystal from the chest, but it was just medium quality.


    Alex let her keep it for the guild''s resources.


    They had then both gone their separate ways.


    Emily was mentally tired from what she had experienced and wanted some time alone for the day and to reset.


    Tomorrow, she needed to start managing the guild. She had already called everyone, and the facility was ready now.


    When MingYue had called him, he was sitting on the terrace, planning what to do with the goblin kids. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nope, did something happen?" Alex asked.


    "Well, nothing much.


    I just returned back home."


    Hearing her low voice, he realized MingYue was probably in a bad mood.


    He felt happy she had looked for him.


    Alex didn''t hesitate to use his ability to think about the best way to react to her.


    He concluded that MingYue probably felt bad about her family and wanted someone to talk to but didn''t know how to start.


    He then tried to think of a way to start a conversation related to that topic, narrowing it down to three options.


    First, ask her directly some questions related to her family.


    Second, ask about the progress in the secret realm.


    Third, talk about his own family.


    After more thought, he scratched the third option.


    Alex loved his family, but in contrast, MingYue''s relationship with her family was complicated now.


    Even if her parents really had a reason to do all that, it still didn''t change the fact they had betrayed her.


    Alex knew if he had been in that position, he would also have hated them to the bone.


    What kind of reason could justify their actions?


    Then, a possibility came to his mind.


    What if her parents knew that nothing would happen to her because they had put some life-saving method in place that she didn''t know about?


    If this was true, that was possible, but Alex stopped this train of thought since that was not what he needed now.


    He then thought about the second option; this would make MingYue forget the problem since the talk would probably move to how they should develop the sect.


    However, this would be a problem for Alex since it was rare for him to have a chance to learn more about her personal life.


    Then, only one option was left, and Alex thought this should be the best one.


    If Emily knew how much energy her brother used to talk to MingYue, she would have laughed her ass off and said.


    "Bro, just tell her what you have in mind.


    Are you planning to keep doing that every time you talk?"


    But she wasn''t there.


    Alex then asked MingYue directly, "Do you feel bad about what happened?"


    "Mhm¡­" MingYue replied.


    She then paused for a moment before she continued, "I just don''t get it.


    Why would they do all this?"

 Chapter 72 - 72: Feeling

    "Mhm¡­" MingYue replied.


    She then paused for a moment before she continued, "I just don''t get it. Why would they do all this?"


    Alex had speculated from the Patriarch''s point of view; he didn''t have much time to wait until MingYue could protect the family.


    After all, based on all the stories he had heard so far, the Patriarch was a selfish person.


    He didn''t want to sacrifice his life for future generations, but Alex knew that''s not what MingYue was asking for, even though she said it like that.


    "Well, that''s not important.


    In the end, they betrayed you for their own selfish desire."


    "Yeah, they are so stupid.


    If they knew what I''m capable of now, I''m sure they would regret it!"


    ''I know it; she just wants approval to appease her guilt.


    She probably feels guilty about burning down her old home,'' Alex thought, then continued, "They should have known better and trusted you.


    Your Patriarch really doesn''t deserve his position.


    I wonder why all the elders agreed to the Patriarch?


    No matter what, you are their best talent."


    "Hmmph, not just that.


    I''m not boasting, Alex.


    I have more talent than my mom, so in all three generations, I am the best, and they couldn''t even patiently wait for me.


    I didn''t even ask for their support and looked for resources with my own hands, those stupid geezers!!


    And you know what the most annoying thing is?"


    "What?"


    "I even sent them some resources on my own!


    Sometimes, without the sect knowing, I slipped some resources I hadn''t used, risking punishment!


    I did my best for them! And how do they repay me?


    Not even a single shred of appreciation?


    They just went ahead and sold my information and profited from it!


    Those stupid geezers deserve to burn in HELL!!!


    A family like this doesn''t need to exist!" MingYue cursed, her voice rising high in tone.


    Alex could then hear her voice turn to sobs.


    "Even my mom and dad! Why don''t they even glance at me!?


    They just come and say it to MingHao!


    Don''t I deserve it too?


    Can''t they say those things directly to me?


    Tell me the truth?


    Am I not family to them? Am I adopted?


    What is with this unfair treatment!?


    Just drop dead for all I care!!"


    Hearing her voice crack at the end, Alex sighed.


    He stopped using his ability, as he could relate to part of it.


    Her mouth and lips may have spit curses, but what she really felt was clear as day to Alex.


    "Don''t worry.


    I am sure both of them are alive.


    At that time, you can tell it to their faces."


    "I don''t care!!!


    It doesn''t matter¡­" Her cracked voice trailed off.


    She paused for a few moments, then asked in a low voice, "How are you sure they are alive?"


    "Because they should stay alive to make it up to you.


    You deserve an explanation from their own mouth." Alex said with a sigh, then continued.


    "MingYue, they left some items for you.


    That means they knew you would survive somehow, even though this doesn''t justify not telling you anything.


    This is just a suggestion.


    Next time you meet them, be more selfish."


    "Selfish?


    What do you mean?


    Do you think I am not selfish?


    As a cultivator, how many people do you think lost their lives at my hand?


    I know how other people see me, Alex."


    "But that''s not how your parents see you.


    Since you were a kid, you always acted maturely in front of them.


    You never complained.


    You never made trouble.


    Doesn''t your brother do all those?"


    "Hmph, that brat.


    Every day, he always plays pranks and creates problems.


    You don''t know how many times I''ve asked for forgiveness for his actions."


    "That''s what I mean.


    Since you never do all those, they probably see you as someone who will understand and know what needs to be done.


    They don''t realize all this is not just burdening your shoulders but also causing pain in your heart.


    It''s better to vent and make a problem than to keep it in, MingYue.


    I know it firsthand; holding those emotions is like cancer; it will not do you any good."


    MingYue turned silent for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "What do you mean, you know it firsthand?"


    "I have told you what happened with my dad.


    After that, my mom and sis got into fights a lot, and even now, their relationship is not mended.


    But me? I kept it all in.


    Who could I tell what I feel?


    My mom and sis still tried hard to face the truth when I had already accepted he was dead.


    With nowhere to vent, I turned to games, manga, and novels.


    I spent all my time doing those and barely interacted with anyone.


    When I met my mother and sister, I put a smile on my face.


    And you know what?


    Every single day, before I slept, my heart felt pain inside.


    People say time will heal pain, then I will tell you that''s just bullshit.


    The more time spent, the more it festers.


    It will reach a point where you learn to live with it, not that it heals."


    MingYue had always seen Alex as someone cheerful and positive; she had never realized he was burdened by things like that.


    Even now, she could hear him saying it in a normal tone.


    "I never knew you had that kind of pain, Alex.


    You never show it."


    "Yes, that''s why I told you.


    When you meet them, tell it to their faces. It''s alright to act like a spoiled child toward them.


    Aren''t they your parents?"


    "You''re right.


    I will do that next time¡­


    How about you then?


    Why don''t you do the same?"


    MingYue then heard a dry chuckle from the other side.


    "I''m fine. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As I said, you learn to live with it.


    Anyway, MingYue is just an example.


    There is no need to think about it too much.


    Now that you feel better, I want to tell you about the dungeon."

 Chapter 73 - 73: Did He do That?

    Alex changed the topic and then started talking about the goblins and what he had found out about the Dungeon.


    Alex also told her about the dragon race, other progenitors, and his theory that, at some point, they would need to face them.


    "So, what do you think about the goblins?


    Will it scare people there?"


    "Even if they are scared, they won''t turn into panic.


    We already have beastmen in our world; having goblins won''t be weird." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In MingYue''s world, Qi has been spreading in the atmosphere for as long as she can remember.


    Some animals not only transformed into monsters, but they also started getting intelligence and learned to cultivate in their own way.


    Those successful could then transform into humanoids.


    There were not many in her area, but she had heard in the central region, they were quite common.


    "But I think we will need to separate the accommodations at first to make sure there are fewer conflicts brewing.


    At least until they get used to working with each other.


    The apartment is also still being built, so they will need to make a new camp area."


    MingYue then told him about the progress on the construction, making Alex laugh his ass off.


    "I told you before, there is no way they can build it without you guiding them."


    "Hmph, I''m not spending time learning all those stupid jargon."


    "I don''t get it; you can just make Vesa pour that information into your brain.


    Why are you so against it?"


    "Look, Alex, even reading one word makes my brain hurt.


    What do you think will happen if all that information is poured into my mind at the same time?


    No, thank you.


    I won''t try to find out.


    Why don''t you just train some of those goblins and send them to me?"


    Alex had asked Vesa about this before, and it was possible to send the Awe Cube with living creatures inside it to MingYue''s world as long as he paid the life force for it.


    At first, this gave Alex the idea to send himself in, but Vesa had shut it down.


    Alex was the anchor she used to send those items; how could he send himself that way?


    Impossible.


    The only way for Alex to do this was to recover Vesa''s strength enough that it could create a portal to another world, like a dungeon.


    However, in Vesa''s plan, it might as well send both of them to take another progenitor''s blood to quickly enhance their growth.


    It needed to make sure every energy was used effectively.


    "That is my plan since those goblins are no use on my side, but what about the goblin kids?"


    Alex still didn''t know what to do with them.


    "Don''t you plan to make those games using their souls to play?


    Why not make a prototype of it using the goblin kids?


    When they take a break, let them stay in the Awe Cube.


    When they wake up, let them enter a game like that where they can do quests."


    Alex pondered it, but he doubted he could make one now.


    His understanding of formations was not that deep yet, and it needed to interact with their souls.


    Without making sure there were no bad side effects, Alex didn''t dare use them as an experiment.


    Hearing his concern, MingYue chuckled.


    "Look, Alex, you don''t need to use their souls for the prototype.


    Doesn''t the Awe system already work like a game?


    Just make a bigger storage ring, but this one fills it with things you need for the quests and their study.


    Since there aren''t many goblin kids, I am sure it''s doable."


    Alex felt like a lightbulb had turned on in his brain; he then realized it could be done. He didn''t need a big space for all those kids.


    His mind then started churning, and he had many ideas on how to do it.


    Not hearing any response back from Alex made MingYue chuckle; she had already gotten used to it.


    He often forgot everything when he was really focused on one thing.


    "Alex, before you get into whatever project is in your mind, I think I will need more material for the construction since this one is wasted."


    Hearing MingYue''s voice brought him back to reality.


    "Don''t worry, the material I sent last time is already more than you need, but I will send you another batch soon.


    Now that there are many people, I will also send some more food so you can start introducing them to the populace."


    "That''s good, don''t forget to send me more novels and anime.


    I''ve almost run out of everything.


    Also, no need to send more games here; I just see my brother getting weird ideas when playing those games."


    MingYue then told him about what had happened, making Alex laugh.


    "Your brother really is afraid of you," he commented.


    "Well, it''s not weird.


    I''m the one punishing him every time he makes a mess.


    Really, I''m more like his mother than his sister."


    They then exchanged a few more words before ending the talk.


    MingYue felt better after talking with Alex.


    She then took a few more sips and started thinking about what they had talked about.


    She realized Alex had changed the topic when it came to his own emotions.


    "Vesa, you should know why he did that. Can you tell me?"


    [I know, but no, Queen.


    I will not interject on this.


    I doubt you would like it if the King also asked things about your personal life, and I answered it.]


    MingYue raised her eyebrow, "Did he ever do that?"


    [No.]


    "Hmm, that''s good," MingYue mumbled, her mind still busy thinking about why Alex did that.


    Since he talks about it, isn''t he also in pain?


    Why doesn''t he do what he suggests, then?


    But her thoughts didn''t last long when suddenly a familiar voice reached her ears, "Sis, what are you daydreaming about?"


    MingHao asked, feeling confused.


    Never in his life had he seen his sister lost in thought like that.


    When he had returned to the RV, MingYue hadn''t even realized he had entered.

 Chapter 74 - 74: NRV

    "Oh, you returned, brat," MingYue said.


    MingHao looked at his sister''s face, then asked, "Are you thinking about a man, sis?


    Do I have a brother-in-law?"


    His question made MingYue''s cheeks turn red, "What are you saying, brat?


    Don''t say something like that again.


    Here, catch, this is for you."


    MingYue threw the storage ring, where Vesa had sealed the Xueqi ancestor.


    MingHao caught it easily, but he looked at his sister with widened eyes, ''Did she just blush?


    My cold-hearted sister???''


    He asked in his mind, but MingHao didn''t dare to talk further about this topic.


    MingYue could guess what MingHao was thinking, but she didn''t want to talk about it.


    "Come here, sit, tell me what happened in detail."


    MingHao walked in a daze and then started telling his story to MingYue.


    Even though she had already known what had happened, she wanted to know everything in more detail¡ªwhat her parents had said to him and how they had acted before it all happened.


    She wanted to try to understand what was running through their minds when they chose to leave their own kids.


    Meanwhile, after the talk with MingYue, Alex had already made some plans for what he could do with the goblin kids, but he lacked the tools and equipment to do it at his home.


    Having some free time, Alex returned to his hobby, reading novels.


    But this time, he wanted to try it with an app he had just created.


    It was something he had made as a side project from the Awe system.


    Using Vesa''s help, he had translated how it worked in modifying the environment inside the Awe Cube into computer code.


    He then linked it with AI, which he named the Novel Realistic Visualization Project.


    By inputting a novel chapter into the app, it would process it and recreate the scene in VR, allowing him to watch what was happening like a VR movie.


    After achieving this, Alex wondered why such an app had never existed in the market.


    He then realized the only reason he had achieved this easily was Vesa''s help.


    It wasn''t impossible to do, but significant investment would be required to develop AI.


    However, the biggest problem was if it succeeded, it would eliminate many jobs and industries.


    Who would bother watching a movie if they could just copy a story online and put it there?


    It would be the same with anime, manga, and VR.


    The reason novels still succeeded to this day, even with anime, movies, and VR, was because they allowed those who read them to recreate the scene using their own imagination, and everyone had a different take on it.


    However, anime, movies, and other media took all of it away, turning the imagination into something tangible, but often, it wasn''t the same as the reader''s expectation.


    Thankfully, in Alex''s world, there were solutions for this. With the Erx chip, which could accept people''s thoughts as input, this problem was solved.


    It would take both the scene and the reader''s imagination, then recreate everything in VR, allowing senses of touch and everything¡ªthe wet dream of all novel readers.


    Or at least, it was like that for Alex; he felt very excited about his creation.


    This, in his opinion, was the ultimate entertainment system.


    Even compared to VR, where people could do everything they wanted, most people when given complete freedom, became blank on what to do or choose.


    However, using the NRV combined both the freedom of imagination and direction from the scene by the author. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The user only needed to turn off their brain and enjoy everything.


    Not only that, with AI like Vesa, they could even remake everything into a game, inserting themselves into the story.


    There were almost no limitations on what they could do.


    His creation could easily turn the industry upside down and earn him tons of money, but it didn''t necessarily mean it was a good idea.


    This money would come from dominating the entertainment market, making all the other giants lose their share.


    This would then incite conflict even worse than his family''s rise to the one percent of the richest people on the planet.


    So, Alex decided to use it only for his personal use.


    He also didn''t plan to introduce it to the Bai Yue sect, as he was worried this would make them addicted and choose to live in the imagined VR world forever.


    But his creation had a big downside; since it recreated the scene, it would take time to enjoy it, far longer than just reading a novel chapter.


    Alex then chose a specific chapter with a good scene.


    But he didn''t choose one with an epic fight; his mood wasn''t that good after his talk with MingYue.


    Instead, he chose a bittersweet scene.


    In this scene, the MC succeeds in his life''s goal: he beats the main villain and finally becomes a god, gaining the ability to resurrect everyone dear to him.


    But it turned out that even that ability was not enough; he needed to choose between his parents and loved ones.


    Caught in a dilemma, the protagonist finally decides to choose the most important thing for him.


    He burned his whole cultivation, resurrecting both his parents and lover.


    Seeing all of it in an immersive virtual environment made Alex''s mood turn even more somber because he knew this scene was not the ending.


    Alex didn''t know if the author just wanted to prolong the story or really had that plan in mind.


    The next plot got a lot of hate from the readers, who had thought after reading 1000+ chapters that the story had ended.


    But it still continued, writing how the MC, in the end, died and left his family alone because he had sacrificed his cultivation.


    His lifespan became short, making him leave everyone first.


    The author then continued to write how the rest of his family lived in agony afterward.


    "It''s weird.


    I learn many more things from novels than from school," he mumbled.

 Chapter 75 - 75: Olivia, Quartz, and Zold

    The author then continued to write how the rest of his family lived in agony afterward.


    "It''s weird. I learn many more things from novels than from school," Alex mumbled.


    Alex paralleled this with his own life. He had chosen to bottle up his own problems in his heart.


    However, his situation was different; he wasn''t as selfish as the MC.


    The main character knew what it was like to live without them but now subjected them to the same fate.


    If Alex had been in his position, he would have chosen differently.


    He would have found a way to revive both without sacrificing himself, even if it took far longer.


    "No matter what, I would not do something like this.


    I am sure Dad wouldn''t sacrifice his own life for others, either.


    He knows how much Mom loves him.


    If I can realize this, Dad should too¡­"


    His eyes started stinging with tears, his heart throbbing.


    "Dad, are you really still alive?"


    Memories of the past started surfacing in his mind¡ªthe laughter, the jokes, the conversations they had.


    When his dad was alive, their family always dined together, and they often went on family trips.


    But after he was gone, everything changed.


    His mother fought with Emily, the mood in the house became heavy, and the once joy-filled mansion turned silent.


    Alex sighed, looking at the scene in VR again as his heart throbbed with pain.


    But who could he share these emotions with?


    In the past, his mom and sister were also struggling at that time; he had no friends, let alone a lover.


    And now?


    He had gotten used to it, nor did he feel any need to express it.


    If his dad was alive, then it would all be fine in the end. If not, he was more worried about how his mother and sister would take it.


    He was afraid they would do something drastic.


    The sun rose again, signaling the change of day.


    Emily was now on her way to the Suzaku Genesis Complex (SGE), feeling excited for this day.


    Today was the day the guild would start operating again, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.


    She had already planned that they would undertake their first dungeon dive a week from now, followed by a public conference.


    As a guild, there were many things Emily needed to prepare, the most important being the hunters and creating a team to clear dungeons.


    She already had a candidate for it, Zold.


    Emily trusted him a lot since they both faced the same tragedy and had the same goal.


    And his ability was no joke; Zold could create electricity around his body.


    Other than him, there were only two more people who could still go into the dungeon.


    They were veteran members of the Suzaku guild.


    When the tragedy happened, they had some other task outside the country, allowing them to avoid the tragedy.


    But both of them didn''t feel happy about it; they kept regretting not being there for their guild mates.


    Both of them were girls; the first one was named Olivia, and the second was Quartz.


    Olivia had the ability to heal, while Quartz''s ability allowed her to draw everyone''s focus toward her.


    Simply put, she was a tank that could pull all monster aggro.


    Olivia and Quartz were a team; their abilities complemented each other, making them almost inseparable.


    If they went on a mission, they would go at it together.


    But with only four hunters, it wouldn''t be enough to really run a guild.


    She needed to recruit more people and create a system for it.


    To do this, Emily didn''t follow the approach of other guilds.


    Usually, other guilds got their new members by getting information from the hunter association and then sending their scouts after new, strong awakeners.


    As for the weaker ones, they would either try to join by themselves by sending an application and passing an interview or turn to the association.


    The association would accept any awakener.


    Depending on their abilities, they would then be allocated a suitable position.


    However, a lot of awakeners didn''t want to work for the association since even those working in administration were often sent to dangerous places, and the pay wasn''t worth it.


    The association offered them low pay but many incentives.


    This forced most of the hunters to stay with the association, creating a bad reputation among the awakeners.


    This led them to prefer working in other industries instead.


    For example, those with mind-type abilities, like Alex, often worked as researchers.


    Some ability users were also marked as too dangerous; these individuals were forced to work with the association but received special bonuses and guarantees of a good life for their families.


    But, not all awakeners were registered with the association.


    For example, dark hunters and people from prominent families, the so-called one-percenters, often didn''t register with the association.


    The new Suzaku Guild adopted a recruitment method similar to the BaiYue Sect, but they changed how it worked.


    The system operated more like a school where every person, with or without ability, could enroll by paying an affordable fee.


    They would then undergo a six-month training program.


    Those who graduated would proceed to the next level of training.


    This initial six-month period was designed to test their determination, so it would be challenging but not excessive.


    In the next six months, they would undergo another training session.


    This one was intended to filter out individuals based on their nature, distinguishing those with good intentions from those with bad. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex didn''t want to use slave contracts like MingYue, so he needed to find a way to discern people''s nature before he could make the game in his mind, where he could just see it from their soul.


    At this phase, Alex still didn''t know what method he could implement to truly achieve this.


    This group would then be divided into two branches; those who learned the cultivation he provided to the association and those he could trust who would undergo another test.

 Chapter 76 - 76: Chibi

    This one would be a hellish training similar to the one BaiYue Sect conducted for their outer sect disciples.


    However, there were many details that needed to be fleshed out.


    For now, the Suzaku Guild has started the first phase, and Alex has prepared the rest.


    He also still needed to reach an agreement with the Hunter Association regarding the new cultivation method.


    The way the Suzaku Guild operated would also change now.


    In the past, they obtained artifacts and commissioned other researchers to develop a product, just like other top guilds.


    Meanwhile, the low and medium-sized ones usually just sold all their loot directly to the association.


    The way the Suzaku Guild would work now was to give all the loot to the research division under Prof. Faerith.


    As for the magic tools, they would be shared by the guild members who did the hunt.


    Other than this, the guild would also give them a fixed salary and gear based on their contribution to the guild.


    Compared to this, other guilds usually paid a sign-up bonus, offered some monthly incentives, and then provided a percentage of every dungeon clear based on the contract.


    The loot then became owned by the guild.


    S-class ability users usually received up to 60% of the reward, but for those A, B, or the lowest, C class, they could only get 20-30% at first, which would rise based on how long they had been with the guild.


    A guild would never accept those with powers worse than C class.


    This made Suzaku operate very differently from other guilds.


    There were others that worked in a similar manner, where they took all the loot and researched it themselves, only giving a report to the association.


    But usually, this kind of guild was operated under a specific group or family that outsiders couldn''t join.


    Only those from the family or who were scouted could enter. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Currently, in Alex''s country, only three guilds operate like this.


    One from the one percenter Valhalla and the other two guilds were made by families in the same class as Alex.


    Arcane Fury and Crimson Blades.


    However, all these guilds were just branches, so Emily was not worried about them.


    It didn''t take long for Emily to reach the building.


    She glanced around the parking lot and, not seeing Alex''s car, quickly made her way to the meeting area.


    Entering the room, she saw three people already inside, Quartz and Olivia among them, both wearing smiles on their faces.


    After the incident, both of them received numerous offers from other guilds but rejected them all.


    For them, the Suzaku Guild was not just a workplace but their home.


    They had heard from Emily that the guild would start again, so they didn''t hesitate to rejoin.


    Quartz had black hair and a beautiful Middle Eastern face; her brown skin was smooth, but one could see a scar if one looked closely, stretching from her eye all the way to her cheek.


    Rather than make her ugly, the scar, in a strange way, enhanced her beauty.


    She was taller than Emily and Alex.


    Sitting beside her was Olivia, with golden hair that curled at the tips and her golden eyes warmly greeting Emily.


    Golden eyes were rare in Alex''s world, but no one found them strange since the advent of mana in the atmosphere.


    Not only did people get the ability, but some also got new hair and eye colors.


    Olivia''s height often led people to mistake her for a child.


    Her face was round and beautiful, but "cute" was the better word to describe her.


    In contrast, a young man with silver hair sat opposite her, his expression cold, not even turning his gaze when Emily entered.


    Everyone was familiar with his icy demeanor, and if anything, they felt pity for the young man, Zold.


    As a child, Zold had been separated from his family due to a Dungeon break.


    But his fate took an even darker turn when he was kidnapped by dark hunters and trained as an assassin.


    It had taken years until the Suzaku Guild succeeded in rescuing him.


    Not long after he was reunited with his father, they were separated again.


    His mother had died from stress during Zold''s disappearance, and he also had a sister who was declared dead in the incident that separated him from his family.


    If Alex were to read his backstory, despite the situation, he would chuckle inwardly, unable to help but compare him to a main character in a novel.


    Now, what Zold lacked was just a system or "golden finger" to turn his life around, and in the future, he would meet his sister as a brainwashed villain and have a fight before finally reconciling.


    Fortunately, Alex was not there; otherwise, Emily would read all his thoughts with one look at his expression and end up knocking him on the head.


    Quartz stood up from her chair, then ran toward Emily and hugged her.


    "Long time no see, Emily.


    You look stronger now."


    She then stepped back to take a better look at her face and let out a chuckle.


    "I still remember when you were a kid running around the guild office.


    Now, you''ve already become a beautiful lady and even a hunter."


    Emily smiled.


    "It''s good to see you too, Aunt Quartz."


    She had often played with both of them as a child.


    Turning to her other aunt, who was now shorter than her, she greeted, "Good to see you too, Aunt Chibi."


    The word "chibi" made Olivia''s veins pop, and she glared sternly at Quartz.


    "This is all because of you.


    I told you not to tell anyone about it!"


    Quartz chuckled.


    "Hey, don''t blame me.


    Every member of our guild knows you''re called Chibi!"


    "That''s because you blurted it out!


    No one else would know if you hadn''t said anything."


    "Have you seen yourself in the mirror, Olivia?


    Do you think no one else would think the same thing?"


    Seeing their interaction warmed Emily''s heart, and she said with a chuckle, "Both of you are still as close as ever."

 Chapter 77 - 77: Frontline

    Both of them looked at her at the same time and said in unison, "How can this be called close!"


    Hearing this, Emily''s laughter grew even louder.


    It looked comical, not only because of the timing but also because of how their height difference made the scene even more amusing.


    It wasn''t weird that everyone called Olivia "Chibi" since even Emily would be considered short when walking with Quartz, not to mention Olivia.


    It made her short height even more obvious.


    "Emily, can you start?


    If there''s nothing important, I''ll go back to my training," Zold asked.


    His cold voice cut through the atmosphere, making everyone turn silent.


    Quartz chuckled as she took a seat at the table.


    "You''re always so serious, Zold.


    If you keep that up, no woman will like you," she said jokingly.


    Zold replied with a serious tone, "Aunt Quartz, I have no time for women, not until I see my father again."


    Quartz wanted to say something more, but Olivia chimed in, "Shut it, Quartz.


    You should know what Zold''s personality is like.


    Not everyone likes to joke all day like you."


    Quartz clicked her tongue with annoyance. "Just say you want a reason to berate me, Chibi."


    Emily shook her head, knowing if she didn''t say something, it would turn back into another round of bickering.


    "Alright, first, thank you for coming and rejoining the guild, Quartz, Olivia, Zold.


    As the new guild master of Suzaku, I really give my heartfelt thanks.


    All of you left your jobs and quickly came here without a second thought."


    "No need for formalities, Emily.


    It''s just us here, just get to the point.


    You should have known we would return here.


    If anything, I am sorry instead," Quartz said with a solemn tone.


    "For once, what Quartz says is true.


    We should have been there for you."


    Emily''s heart felt warm because she knew what both of them really did; they said they didn''t do anything, while all this time, they were making their way to the red region.


    They had gone on multiple expeditions, fighting on the frontline, trying to find a way to locate the rest of the guildmates.


    She then looked at Zold, who nodded back at her. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made Emily smile; she also knew Zold had quit his job at the Association, just like her, since people who worked for the guild could not work for the Association.


    "Alright, I''ll skip the formalities then.


    As you know, since our guild will start operating again, we will soon have our first dungeon dive.


    I already have a dungeon in mind and have also booked a slot for us; it''s a category three dungeon."


    "Category three?


    Are you sure, Emily?"


    Quartz asked.


    "Yes."


    "But there are only four of us.


    Even if you''re confident in our abilities, we still need more people for a category three dungeon," Olivia chimed into the discussion.


    "Don''t worry, I am sure it''s enough, Aunt. My brother will also join our next dive."


    Olivia''s golden eyes gleamed with interest.


    "Alex?


    Didn''t you say he is a useless shut-in now?"


    Compared to other members of the guild, Olivia knew Alex; she had taken care of him before as his tutor since Edward was worried about him.


    Despite his ability, he always wondered why his son never got the best scores, and sometimes even bad ones, which made him send Olivia.


    Emily chuckled.


    "He has changed now, Aunt.


    You will see when you meet him later."


    They then exchanged a few more details about the dungeon, the monsters there, and the items they needed to prepare.


    Emily also explained the change she would make for the guild and how they would take part in it.


    Zold didn''t offer any opinions, but after the discussion finished, he asked, "Emily, you haven''t told us about category five.


    You told me you have a plan to go there."


    Olivia and Quartz''s expressions changed the moment they heard about it; they turned serious, their eyes sharpening.


    They had tried so hard all this time, but they were barely able to make their way past the frontline.


    They would need to fight hordes of monsters to reach that place, and it would turn worse as they got closer to the city.


    The category five dungeon they all wanted to enter was deep in the middle of it, in the nest of category five monsters.


    "Yes, I can guarantee you we have a plan to go there, but I am sorry.


    If it were up to me, I would tell all of you.


    However, the plan is not from me," Emily replied with a solemn expression.


    "Since you guarantee it, that is enough for me," Zold answered, then excused himself. For him, time was better spent doing something that could improve his strength.


    After he left, Quartz asked Emily, "Can''t you tell us anything at all?


    It''s not that we don''t believe you, but if you had seen what we have, you would understand it''s hard to believe.


    The situation on the frontline is beyond your imagination, Emily. It''s a real war."


    "Believe me, Aunt, I have seen with my own eyes what happens when the dungeon breaks.


    I am not underestimating it.


    All this time, while I worked for the Association until I reached two stars, I always looked for any information regarding the frontline situation there.


    I know what we need to face."


    But Quartz still felt disbelief with what Emily said.


    After all, seeing it with your own eyes and reading information was very different.


    People could easily read about a war between thousands of people against thousands of beasts, but witnessing it with your eyes was a different matter.


    Even with her experience in many dungeon dives, the frontline was a brutal place where even S-class power users or four-star hunters could lose their lives at any time.


    Seeing Quartz and Emily go back and forth, Olivia''s mind thought of something else instead.


    After some thought, she asked a question, "It''s from Alex, right?"

 Chapter 78 - 78: Suzaku Guild, Its Family

    Emily raised her eyebrow while Quartz laughed her ass off.


    "Are you kidding, Chibi?


    That brat that always played games all day?


    Even when the leader was still here, he always complained about him, and now you say he has a way to go through all that madness and horror?"


    But her laughter disappeared when she saw Emily not laughing; she realized something was wrong.


    "For real? Alex, that brat?"


    "How did you know, Aunt Olivia?


    I thought most guild members looked down on my brother."


    Olivia chuckled.


    "Because they don''t know what he can do.


    The leader in the past told me to teach him because his scores at school were not good.


    But after I taught him for a while, I realized it was not that his scores were no good; he just liked playing with the scores as a challenge.


    If you combine them, you will even find meaning from the numbers; it''s like playing a puzzle game."


    "Brother did that?" Emily asked in disbelief.


    She remembered how, in the past, her parents used to complain and even get angry at her brother.


    That was the first time she started thinking her brother''s abilities were bugged or broken.


    Olivia then told her some stories from the past, and Quartz frowned, still not believing it.


    After a few hours of talking, Emily invited them to have lunch together since they hadn''t met for a long time, despite the occasional contact just to inform each other they were alright.


    Quartz and Olivia agreed; they then ordered some takeout food since they were too lazy to go out.


    While they were eating, Quartz asked, "By the way, where is Madam Luca?


    I haven''t seen her since we came here.


    I thought she would be excited to meet us."


    "Mom?


    Well, you should know we had a fight last time."


    Quartz''s eyes widened.


    "Still?"


    She then sighed, "It''s been years, Emily.


    You should have just made up with Madam already.


    It''s been harder for her than any of us; you should know best how close they were."


    "Actually, I''m surprised Madam Luca hasn''t gone there herself," Olivia said.


    Emily''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "Mom?


    Going there?


    You''re kidding, right, Aunt?"


    Olivia and Quartz looked at each other and then gazed at Emily with disbelief.


    "You really don''t know?


    Your mom has S-class power.


    She often went to the dungeon in the past, but her hunter rank is low since she hates reporting her achievements to the association."


    "What? Mom, is that strong?


    She never told us anything."


    Quartz''s eyes then turned to respect and reverence.


    "Before you were born, she was active in the guild.


    She was like a war goddess in the field.


    Even compared to us, we were no match for her."


    Olivia then put her finger to her chin.


    "I remember she retired after she got pregnant with Alex.


    That''s probably why you don''t know about it."


    "She still could have told us.


    Next time, I will ask her.


    Can you tell me more about her?"


    "Well, we also don''t know much.


    You should have known we were young at that time.


    All the veteran members should be around forty to fifty now."


    Quartz''s eyes then grew distant as she remembered the past.


    She had lost her family to monsters and was rescued by the guild.


    Since that time, the guild Suzaku had become her home.


    Other guilds usually would just let the government take care of the victims.


    It was rare for a guild like Suzaku to exist.


    In her eyes, Luca was like a saint.


    She made sure every victim got adopted by a good family.


    If not, she would take care of them, giving them a roof, food, and even guidance to have a good future.


    It was not just Quartz; Olivia was also the same. Both had rejected adoption offers and instead chose to live in the guild.


    Many members in the guild each had their own story, and Edward never judged any of them for it.


    Instead, he would help them with their problems if he could.


    That was why the guild members were really solid.


    Even when the guild disappeared, many of the guild members'' wives and kids chose to stay in the building. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not because they wanted the facility but because the Suzaku guild was home to them. It was their family.


    Olivia''s eyes turned misty from the talk.


    "I miss them all, Quartz."


    "I know, Oli, I know, me too," Quartz said in a solemn tone as she patted Olivia on the head.


    Olivia''s cheeks puffed out, and with a sharp, cracking voice, she said, "Don''t touch my head, Quartz."


    Hearing their conversation, Emily started to feel worried.


    She then remembered her mother''s actions the last time they met, and a bad feeling began to overwhelm her.


    Her throat started to feel dry, but Emily didn''t reach for the water on the table.


    Instead, she took out her phone and dialed her mother.


    She was so worried that she forgot all the awkwardness and strain in their relationship.


    The sound of the phone trying to connect rang in her ears, as in her mind, she kept repeating, "Answer me, Mom... Answer me, please."


    Time passed, but the connection never went through until it timed out.


    Emily''s eyes started to turn misty, looking at the phone in her hand in a daze.


    Olivia and Quartz realized something was off.


    They were just about to ask what happened when the phone started to vibrate.


    Emily didn''t even think twice before answering it.


    Hearing the voice from the other line made her feel relieved.


    "Yes, Emily, you called?


    Did something happen?"


    "No, Mom, I''m just checking," Emily said in a low voice.


    Luca then chuckled on the other side, "Checking?


    Now you remember your mom."


    "Mom, it''s not like I ever forget you."


    "It''s alright, I''m just kidding.


    Do you have something else, or should I end the call?"


    Emily could hear many background noises behind Luca, making her ask, "Are you busy, Mom?"

 Chapter 79 - 79: Material from Goblin Hollow

    Hearing the worry in her daughter''s tone made Luca smile.


    "I''m just doing my usual charity work. Nothing to worry about.


    Oh yeah, tell Alex I won''t be coming home for a while.


    I need to check on the company while I''m here."


    Emily knew her mother often did charity work and sometimes even went to other countries for it, so she didn''t find it weird.


    "Alright, be careful, Mom..."


    She paused for a moment, then said, "And I''m sorry."


    Emily could hear another chuckle as Luca said, "What for sorry?


    I''m your mother, Emily.


    It''s alright for you to act spoiled sometimes, although I would appreciate it if it doesn''t go this long next time.


    Alright, I must really go now.


    Let''s meet up when I return."


    The call then ended with a beep.


    Emily felt relieved hearing her mother was alright.


    Noticing the questionable gaze from Olivia and Quartz, Emily explained what had happened.


    This made both of them look at each other for a moment, making Emily, in turn, feel puzzled.


    "Is something wrong with what I said?"


    Quartz wanted to say something, but Olivia cut in, "Nothing, Emily.


    You do not need to worry about your mom; it''s Madam we''re talking about here.


    She won''t take risks with her life."


    Emily nodded while she sent a message to Alex to tell him what had happened.


    Quartz had a complicated gaze in her eyes.


    Olivia then changed the topic.


    "By the way, Emily, I didn''t say this before because Zold was there, but are you sure about the new recruitment system?


    This will really change the guild.


    I doubt it will be like before since we will have many newcomers."


    She hadn''t wanted to say it in front of Zold since it would undermine Emily as Guild leader.


    "This...


    Well, it''s Alex''s idea."


    Emily also felt like that; she had complained about it before to Alex, but Alex insisted on it, saying to just believe him on this.


    "He never got close to how the guild worked before, so it''s no wonder he has thoughts like that.


    I will talk to him later," Quartz said.


    "If Alex decided, I doubt he will change his mind.


    He is like the leader in that aspect," Olivia replied.


    "But still, to change how the guild really works..."


    "Just stop it, Quartz. He must have his reasons."


    Olivia then turned her gaze toward Emily.


    "But why does he want to instruct how the guild works?


    Aren''t you the guildmaster?"


    "Well, I am the guildmaster, but he is the one who had the idea to rebuild the guild.


    Technically, all the ideas come from him, while I just run the guild," Emily replied.


    She then paused for a moment before adding, "To be honest, I don''t think about it that much, Aunt Oli.


    He just told me he needs the guild to prepare to go there, and that is what matters to me."


    The mention of ''there'' made the discussion solemn again.


    Meanwhile, in another place, Luca had just finished the call with Emily.


    A voice from behind her said, "Is it alright to lie to your daughter like that?


    You should know the risks with this expedition."


    "She is my daughter; she will be alright. You don''t need to worry about that."


    The man behind her chuckled.


    "To think the war Valkyrie will return to the frontline.


    I look forward to your performance."


    "You should know the deal. I am not coming to help you, Baldy."


    "Yeah, yeah, I know.


    Our goal is the same anyway.


    We will back you up to look for him, but still, just don''t put too much hope on it, Luca."


    "I know, Baldy. No need to say more," Luca said as her finger touched the ring on her finger.


    It was her wedding ring with Edward, but not just a normal ring.


    She always knew he was still alive from it since the ring would break if Edward really died.


    ''Hubby, don''t blame me.


    You took too long.


    I''m coming to you,'' she mumbled in her mind as she walked toward a private jet waiting for her and the expedition group.


    Time passed on.


    Alex spent the days optimizing the awe system.


    He also followed MingYue''s suggestion, making a larger one for the kids, and placed all those awe boxes and systems in the basement of SGE.


    He gave Emily access to enter anytime she wanted.


    Emily often came tinkering with the quest and program, as she wanted to instill knowledge in the goblins to make them civilized.


    This made Alex shake his head, but he let her do as she pleased. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then started tinkering with the materials from Goblin Hollows.


    The wood was as strong as normal steel but had the melting point of normal wood.


    However, its special characteristic was that it could be directly infused with mana.


    Normal wood would break if infused with mana; it could only be soaked bit by bit to make it stronger.


    This wood was called Twilight Willow.


    People had tried to regrow it, but they kept failing.


    Instead, it grew into a different type of plant with different characteristics.


    It was still a useful resource but had a completely different use.


    Using Twilight Willow, Alex could put simple formations into it, making it remember a shape that could be triggered by infusing mana into it.


    Alex then used this to help the construction of the Bai Yue Sect by making it memorize a form to build the foundation there.


    So, they just needed to pour and continue with the construction afterward, making it far easier.


    As for the ore, it was called Moonforge Iron.


    It had a low melting point, making it easy to form.


    But weirdly, when it was allowed to absorb moonlight for a specific duration of time.


    Its characteristics started to change, making it far stronger than steel and raising its melting point to a whole new level.


    This was useful for crafting weapons, but for now, Alex wanted to prioritize people from the sect.


    Since all of them were under slave contracts with MingYue, this made them be trusted.

 Chapter 80 - 80: Going to the Association

    But Alex knew that in the future, members from the Suzaku Guild would make up the core members of the Vampire race.


    After all, based on information from Vesa, pure-blooded vampires could not be put under a slave contract.


    Alex also spent time learning some basic movements, such as how to use a hammer as a weapon, using a manual from MingYue''s world.


    He also improvised on it with modern knowledge to optimize the movement, but halfway through, he stopped because he got stuck.


    It was possible to optimize the movement set, but at the same time, this made it very hard to use secret techniques.


    Every motion had been experimented with and polished over many generations to ensure the flow of qi moved in a certain pattern to activate the secret art.


    This made Alex need to choose his basic art carefully since he would need to polish it over time.


    It was either that, or he would abandon the thought of using secret techniques until he reached something like the immortal stage.


    He then asked Vesa about this, wondering if there was any solution.


    But Vesa didn''t know either.


    Vampires were masters at using life force; they could manipulate blood and strengthen their physical form, but they couldn''t use elements like fire or ice.


    When Vesa modified techniques, it was done in a way that strengthened them by utilizing life force in a more efficient way, compared to how Alex used it before, which was very inefficient.


    His attack last time had cost him more than 10,000 life energy.


    In the end, after deducting all the expenses, Alex still had a significant stockpile of life force energy, but Vesa took most of it, leaving him with around 6,000 outside his own 2,000 life force limit.


    MingYue had also started doing what Alex did, utilizing mana to enhance parts of her body with Alex''s method, but it was barely useful since her body was already enhanced by Qi; her starting point was different from Alex''s.


    If Alex were building a new foundation, then MingYue would be transforming an existing foundation into a stronger one.


    The result did raise her life energy limit, but not as much as Alex''s.


    However, it still boosted her combat strength since her secret techniques now used her life force energy.


    In her world, the sect also started to progress.


    In total, there were now more than four hundred people living in the sect, with thirty outer disciples, including MingHao.


    MingYue also visited JianFen''s family; her uncle was excited when he met her, hugging her with tears.


    MingYue smiled bitterly when this happened, feeling warm and guilty at the same time.


    She exchanged some small talk with them and met her new nephew for the first time.


    Her uncle offered her to hold the baby, but MingYue declined.


    She felt awkward holding a baby since they seemed so fragile to her.


    MingYue was afraid she might hurt the baby.


    After saying goodbye, MingYue left the secret realm.


    She wanted to look for Qi crystal mines and natural treasures using Vesa''s abilities.


    She also wanted to check on the situation at her sect.


    Meanwhile, Alex was on his way to the association to finalize the sign-up deal.


    To his surprise, the one who wanted to meet with him was not just any hunter but the association president.


    This made him feel wary.


    There was so little information known about the president other than that he was an eccentric person.


    Arriving at the association, he saw his sister Emily standing there with two people beside her; he recognized them as Quartz and Olivia.


    Lately, Emily had often spent time with them, training and hanging out together. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When they heard Alex wanted to meet with the association to secure a deal, it piqued their curiosity.


    Emily had kept her lips sealed about the details, which was why Quartz and Olivia wanted to find out from Alex.


    But Alex always avoided meeting them for many reasons, the main one being Olivia.


    Seeing them made Alex''s eyes widen in surprise.


    Olivia, instead, felt excited; she ran toward Alex.


    Alex stood stupefied while Olivia hugged him and pulled him over to her bosom.


    "You have grown some balls now, huh, Alex?


    You ignore all my calls and messages."


    Emily and Quartz chuckled.


    Seeing it, even the security couldn''t help but hold their laughter.


    It looked like a child acting like a mother to a young adult, making it look comical.


    "Alright, I''m sorry.


    Can you stop it already?"


    "What did I tell you to call me?"


    Alex hesitated, but feeling the gaze of people on him, he sighed, "Alright, big sis, stop it already."


    In the past, Olivia had made him call her that; at first, he called her aunt like Emily, but Olivia made him change it to big sis.


    Alex speculated that for Olivia, both his parents were like her own, which was why she wanted him to call her that, but that didn''t make sense since his sister called her aunt.


    But that was not the reason why Alex avoided her.


    Olivia released Alex, seeing his face turn red, which made her chuckle.


    "Why are you all red like that?


    We even bathed together in the past."


    Her words earned him a judging gaze from everyone.


    Alex sighed, "Don''t say something that makes others misunderstand; that was when I was still a kid."


    "And who was the one asking for it?"


    Alex gulped, "Alright, I''m sorry.


    Can you not say embarrassing things like that in public?"


    It wasn''t like he had asked for it directly; at that time, Alex had just hit puberty.


    With his constant meetings with Olivia, he had tried to peek at her a few times.


    In his defense, it was just a glance through the gap in the fabric, but Olivia had realized this.


    Instead of getting mad, she pulled Alex to take a bath with her.


    But this was still not the reason why Alex avoided her.


    Olivia pouted, "Hmph, good that you know."


    Her eyes then turned serious.


    "Are you really still mad about that?"

 Chapter 81 - 81: Solomon Arkham

    The reason for this was an even darker page for Alex, one he really didn''t want others to hear.


    "Can we talk about it later, Big Sis?"


    "Fine.


    But I am waiting for you here.


    I won''t let you escape now," Olivia said with a stern look.


    "I promise," Alex said with a sigh.


    He then said hi to Emily and cast a look at her, blaming her for bringing Olivia without telling him. Emily just smirked at his gaze.


    Alex then exchanged greetings with Quartz and quickly entered the building since it was already the promised time with the association president.


    As he left, Quartz asked Olivia, "Did something happen between you two, Chibi?"


    Emily perked her ears up; she also felt curious about it since her brother had been close with Olivia in the past but had suddenly put a distance between them.


    "That is between us, not for you to know," Olivia said with a smirk on her face.


    Meanwhile, inside, an attendant guided Alex through the building.


    "The president is inside.


    Please go in, Mr. Alex."


    The man gestured, pointing at the door.


    Alex nodded.


    He pushed the beautifully carved wooden door open, and inside, he saw an old man sitting cross-legged in front of a Go table, seemingly playing alone.


    The man looked very average.


    If Alex had seen him somewhere outside, he would have thought he was just a normal old man with a body that was still fit.


    There was no special aura coming out from him at all.


    Feeling curious, Alex tried to check his status.


    ______________________________


    Name: Solomon Arkham


    Power Level: 48


    Lifeforce: 100/100


    Ability: ???


    ______________________________


    Alex frowned, reading the status.


    ''Vesa, is it not wrong?


    How could his lifeforce be so low?''


    Alex didn''t find the power level weird since he was the association president.


    [King, the data is not accurate.


    He seems to have a way to hide his life force.


    I will need to be in direct contact to find out more.]


    ''So his power is even more than 48?


    Just how strong is he?


    What about the immortals in MingYue''s world?'' Alex thought.


    Seeing the number made it even more clear to him how weak he was now.


    Even with his regeneration ability, it would have been useless with this much power difference.


    Solomon stroked his long white beard.


    "Why are you standing there, Alex?


    Come, sit here, join me."


    Alex then sat opposite him.


    Alex understood that Solomon wanted to find out how he thought by playing this game with him, but this also meant he could find out how Solomon did things. They then started to play the game.


    Solomon allowed Alex to move first.


    He started by placing his piece in the middle.


    Solomon then took his turn, but as the match went on, Alex started to frown.


    Based on his calculations, he should have been winning, but the result on the board showed he was losing completely, making his face turn ugly.


    He knew why this was happening.


    ''This old man is cheating!'' he cursed in his mind.


    But what could he do?


    It wasn''t that he was afraid to point it out, but he couldn''t find any proof of it.


    He even tried to record it with his implant but found nothing.


    He had proof the piece positions were different, but none where the president touched and moved the position.


    His vein popped when he saw Solomon''s face looking at him with a gloating look.


    ''Fine, you want to cheat!


    Two can play at that game.''


    Since he couldn''t move the pieces like Solomon did, he did something else.


    Alex took a piece, then imbued it with his strength and placed it on the board with a BAM!


    Making the whole board crack into two and all the pieces fall down.


    "Sorry, Sir, it seems your table is old, so it broke easily," Alex said with a smirk.


    Solomon didn''t get mad; instead, his eyes seemed to ponder something, and then he opened his mouth and laughed.


    "Interesting choice, Alex, so you chose to destroy the whole game if you cannot win."


    "I don''t know what you mean, Sir.


    The board just broke because it''s old."


    Hearing Alex continue to play dumb made Solomon laugh again.


    "Old? I see.


    Yeah, you are right; it''s old."


    He then stood up and walked toward the window with his hands on his back.


    The window provided a good view of the city.


    "I have read your request and also tested the power system.


    It''s alright."


    ''Alright?


    This sneaky old man, do they even have a better power system?''


    Alex thought but quickly shook the idea.


    If this were true, the association would have already recruited people en masse, like what he had planned.


    "That is good, Sir.


    So, how is it with my request?"


    Solomon stroked his white beard.


    "I can accept it all, but as I said, the power system is just alright.


    So I cannot give you exclusive rights to the dungeon; it is only priority use at best."


    ''I knew it.


    This old man just wants to lower the deal.


    I don''t believe they have a better system than mine.''


    Alex thought, then replied with a smirk.


    "Then we have no deal.


    I need all of my requests to be fulfilled."


    Solomon turned his back, then nodded, "Alright, I understand.


    Then you can go back now since we have no deal."


    He then walked toward his desk and took a sip from his cup of tea.


    Alex was stupefied by his answer.


    He gazed at Solomon deeply but couldn''t discern what the man was thinking.


    ''Emily told me the association is in dire need of this power system.


    Did they just get another new one?


    So, my value became lower?


    But that doesn''t make sense.


    If anything, the most expensive of my requests should be the exclusive information for hunters. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There are many dungeons scattered around; what I asked for should not be that hard.


    I didn''t even ask for any specific one since my goal was just the mana crystal and a place to train.''

 Chapter 82 - 82: Negotiation (Bonus Ch 200 PS)

    Five minutes passed by in silence.


    Solomon then asked, "Why are you still here, Alex?


    Do you want to drink some tea too?"


    Alex didn''t know what to say, so he sat opposite him and sipped the tea.


    The moment he drank it, he could feel his mind becoming clearer, and it gave a soothing sensation to his whole body.


    He realized this was not normal tea.


    "Doesn''t the association need the power system?


    Why are you rejecting it over a dungeon?"


    "Oh, did your sister tell you about that?"


    "Anyone with a little brain would know about it, with how the fight on the frontline is progressing," Alex replied swiftly.


    What he meant was the red zone and black zone, but he couldn''t admit he knew it from Emily.


    Otherwise, she would have gotten punished by the association.


    After all, it''s restricted information.


    "It seems many people don''t have a brain then, don''t you see everyone in this city?


    They''re busy with their daily activity and their own personal desires.


    Even the majority of the guilds do this.


    If not because we put a tight leash on them, they would fight each other over dungeon rights," Solomon said with a chuckle.


    "That''s just because they think they can run if something happens."


    "Run?


    To where?


    We have an enemy knocking on our door, and as you say, if they had a little brain, they would realize this.


    With our safe territory being taken away, it will just be a matter of time before humanity goes extinct."


    His gaze then turned sharp.


    "Tell me, Alex, does anyone with a brain still sit and play games on his phone when a thief is in front of their door, knocking it down?"


    As an avid gamer, Alex wanted to answer yes; he knew many people who would just call the police while they continued playing their game with no care in the world.


    But he knew better than to answer it that way.


    He understood Solomon''s subtle meaning: ''You know we need more people, so why do you ask for a dungeon from us?


    Isn''t contributing part of your responsibility as a human?''


    "Where?


    I don''t know, maybe run to the dungeon?" Alex replied.


    He decided to act like he didn''t understand what Solomon meant.


    Contributing to the world is all good and dandy, but before that, he needed to make sure to protect his own loved one first.


    Both of them then fell silent, locking gazes with each other for a few breaths.


    Solomon then said with a stern voice, "Two category one dungeons and one category two dungeon.


    We cannot go more than that.


    It''s already more than we can provide.


    You should know every dungeon is vying for its resources.


    Giving you exclusive rights means it''s only for your guild, and we need to find alternatives for them.


    Well, if your power system can become stronger or you tell us you''ve improved it, we can negotiate more."


    ''Does this old man know I modified the power system?'' But Alex shook the idea away.


    How could Solomon know if he had never seen the cultivation system before?


    He doubted Solomon would compare it to power systems in novels and fantasy worlds.


    If there were any dungeons connected to MingYue''s world, he would probably have already heard of them.


    Even though it could be hidden in his world, he was sure some evidence would have been left in MingYue''s world, like things made with technology or even food.


    Those are the most interesting things for cultivators in his mind.


    They would feel interested in mana at first, but when they found out it was basically the same as qi, just less volatile, they would lose interest soon.


    Compared to the entertainment system from his world, where people could practically sink a ton of time into it.


    Alex doubted he could finish all the games in his collection even with one hundred years'' time, and that collection was still growing.


    For those immortals and cultivators with long lifespans and having nothing to do, this would be the most interesting for them, and for his world, this doesn''t have much value.


    So if they ever made a connection or any trade, Alex was sure part of it would spread, or at least a rumor about it could be heard on MingYue''s side.


    "No, one category three dungeon, two category two, three category one," Alex replied swiftly.


    "Category three is still too high for your guild. If it were the old Suzaku, I wouldn''t mind giving it away, but not this one.


    How about this?


    I will promise to give you one category three only if you can maintain the other dungeons safely without any breach for a year."


    "Fine, we have a deal."


    Alex and Solomon then shook hands.


    Solomon then made a call to his secretary to draft the agreement on paper.


    As they waited, Alex asked, "What do you plan with the power system?"


    "Of course, we will exchange it first with the big guilds. After that, we will start recruitment to hire everyone to start training their ability."


    Hearing it, Alex cursed in his mind, "As expected of the association president!"


    Since the big guilds would put pressure on the association to get the system when it''s introduced to the public, Solomon instead chose to offer it to them first. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex could already suspect he would bring all the guild leaders together, then offer it as an exclusive right in an auction.


    He would then wait for a few weeks until the other guilds suffered from the guild that owned it.


    Afterward, he would sell it on the black market at exorbitant prices to the other guilds.


    After he was satisfied, he would then open the academy, recruiting people.


    However, for Alex, the most important part was confirming that the Hunter Association would recruit people to teach them the cultivation method.


    This meant that recruitment for the Suzaku Guild needed to start in a similar way at that time.


    Solomon looked at Alex with profound eyes, analyzing him carefully, then let out a chuckle.


    "You are different from your father."

 Chapter 83 - 83: Scoundrel and Crooked

    Alex was surprised by Solomon''s remark since people usually said they were similar.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You are more of a scoundrel than your father," Solomon said with a laugh, making Alex''s veins pop.


    "Sir, that is slander, you know."


    "Just call me Solomon.


    You call it slander?


    When you cannot win, you just destroy the board."


    Alex cursed. He wanted to say, "You are the one cheating first!" But he knew better than to say it. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That is because the board is old, Solomon," Alex said with a forced smile.


    "Yeah, sorry, it''s old, forgive me.


    I am quite old, too, so my memory is not good," Solomon said sarcastically.


    ''If the president of the association has a bad memory, what about the others!?'' he asked in his mind.


    Looking at Alex''s expression, Solomon chuckled again.


    He could guess what Alex felt now.


    "Don''t take it in a bad way, Alex.


    A pure, honest man won''t be able to lead a big organization.


    Only those crooked like you can."


    Alex''s veins popped again.


    He really wanted to leave the room quickly.


    "Is that an insult or praise, Solomon?" Alex asked.


    "That depends on your own point of view," Solomon replied with a smirk.


    ''This damned geezer!''


    It didn''t take long for the secretary to come and bring the document.


    Alex read every single word carefully a few times.


    He even made sure to zoom in on it, just in case the sly geezer put some words in tiny size.


    And Alex indeed found one; it read, ''I applaud your diligence in looking for this.


    Now, who knows, there might be more like this.''


    Reading it, Alex frowned and started to reread everything again.


    Solomon tried to hold his laughter; he knew by Alex''s expression that he had read those words.


    The words were tiny and barely readable, not even in pure black ink.


    Alex could only find them after zooming in using the ERX chip.


    Time passed, and after he finished rereading everything, Alex realized Solomon was just playing a trick. And it wasn''t just for him.


    He could find the words in random areas on every single paper, and some were even cut off.


    ''This fucking geezer freaking printed it on every white paper used here!''


    But other than that harmless prank that wasted Alex''s time, everything was as agreed.


    Both of them then signed the document, and Alex said goodbye to Solomon, wishing in his heart never to need to have anything to do with him ever again.


    After he went out, Solomon laughed his ass off, "I have put those for years; he is the first one that fell for it."


    The secretary looked at Solomon with judging eyes.


    "President, you should act more like your status."


    "If not because of my status, I wouldn''t act like this," Solomon replied with a chuckle.


    "Well, he is an interesting lad.


    I am sure we will meet again soon," the man said as he stroked his long beard.


    "I am sure Alex wishes not to meet you ever again."


    "Well, unfortunately, it''s not up to him," Solomon replied, his expression then turned serious.


    "Did they already start?"


    "Yes, they just arrived at the frontline.


    But I still doubt the plan is viable; flying in the red zone is very dangerous."


    "I am not worried.


    The plan comes from her; she has probably already tested it many times over the years. Till now, she has never failed."


    "Still, President, if she fails¡­


    This time, you sent all our best fighters with her," the secretary asked, feeling worried about the result.


    If all of them really died there, the whole Hunter Association''s strength could be said to be cut in half.


    "You should know our morale is very low now; we need a big win to motivate everyone.


    We humans are emotional creatures, Karen.


    Sometimes what we do doesn''t make sense, but that is what we need."


    Karen still disagreed, but she knew once Solomon made up his mind, he would never change it.


    Solomon gazed toward the door, remembering his encounter with Alex, which made him chuckle again.


    He felt like he became younger when he met Luca for the first time, causing trouble in the association.


    "He really acts like his mother," he mumbled.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already gone down, reaching the lobby.


    Seeing his upset face made Emily and the rest become worried.


    He spent an hour there and now came back in a bad mood.


    "Did something happen? Did the deal not go through?" Emily asked.


    "No, we have a deal."


    "Why do you have that face then?" Olivia asked.


    "Nothing important, big sis.


    You all must be hungry; let''s have some lunch," Alex said, not wanting to share what happened since he was sure they would just laugh at him.


    They then went to a nearby restaurant and ordered some lunch.


    As they waited, Quartz asked directly, "I heard about the new system that you want to implement, Alex.


    Explain it to me so I can accept it."


    Alex raised his eyebrow.


    He knew he couldn''t just dismiss her concern.


    The Suzaku Guild was her family.


    "It might look like it changes, but you will not feel any different.


    Yes, we will open mass recruitment, but they will enter the academy.


    To finally join the Guild at the same position as you, it will take them years and many processes.


    Just believe me on this, Aunt Quartz.


    I may not go to the Guild alone, but I am not blind to how my dad managed it before."


    Olivia chimed in, "I believe him. After all, I am the one teaching him all of it."


    Quartz frowned, but since Olivia had spoken up for him, there was nothing she could say.


    "Fine, I will believe you, Alex.


    But before that, you need to believe me, too.


    Just what is the deal with the Hunter Association?


    And how do you want to go to that place?


    We''ve tried for years with no luck.


    It''s not that I underestimated you, but I just cannot believe it."

 Chapter 84 - 84: Telling Olivia and Quartz

    ''That just means you really think I am not capable.''


    Alex thought in his mind while saying, "I will show you back at the guild.


    It''s something you will only believe if you see it."


    "Alright, we can go to the guild later.


    For now, let''s talk about something else," Emily chimed in, wanting to change the topic.


    "Fine, then Alex, why do you call me aunt while you call this chibi big sister?" Quartz asked.


    She didn''t really care, but it annoyed her to receive different treatment.


    It also made her feel older.


    Olivia chuckled upon hearing this, "Just accept your fate, Aunt."


    "You chibi, what did you call me?"


    "Look, I am Alex''s big sister, and he calls you aunt, so I should call you aunt.


    Otherwise, the hierarchy will be weird," Olivia said, laughing.


    This made Quartz''s veins pop as she demanded Alex change how he addressed her.


    Emily, meanwhile, tried hard to hold her laughter, knowing if she laughed, Alex would start pulling her into the fray.


    Luckily, before Alex could say anything, the food arrived, and they then had an enjoyable meal together, lifting Alex''s mood.


    It didn''t take long for them to return to SGE.


    Alex brought them to the forests behind the facility.


    He took out the Awe cube from his storage ring.


    Seeing a box appear in his hand surprised Quartz and Olivia.


    They knew about the Awe Cube and had even gotten one from Emily.


    But to use it, they needed to point and press a button on the dashboard. But before they could say anything, their surprise deepened.


    "Come out, Petricia."


    A light appeared, materializing into the beautiful high goblin.


    Petricia quickly kneeled in front of Alex, "Your order, King." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is my family, my aunt Quartz and big sister Olivia.


    Greet them."


    Petricia stood up, then bowed politely toward them.


    As a goblin, she was already used to seeing someone at Olivia''s height, so she didn''t find it weird.


    Instead, she felt quite tall compared to a normal goblin.


    "Greetings, Lady Quartz, Lady Olivia."


    At first, she wanted to call them princesses, but Emily had taught her to call others sir and lady.


    They often talked about things when Emily visited the goblin kids.


    "Alright, that is enough, Petricia. You can return." Alex then called her back to the Awe cube.


    Olivia and Quartz still looked at it, stupefied.


    They understood the implication of what Alex did, and seeing how the goblin treated him like a king meant she was absolutely loyal.


    "Ho... How?" Quartz asked.


    Returning to her senses, Olivia walked toward Alex and raised both hands up with open palms.


    Alex remembered that gesture.


    He looked at Emily, who held back her laughter.


    "Good things should be shared with family. Give me one," Olivia said, as if it were common sense.


    Emily couldn''t hold it and laughed out loud.


    She had learned that saying when she often hung out with guild members.


    Her father always said it every time they had an after-party to share the dungeon loot.


    The same was true at every holiday or good event; it was like the Suzaku guild motto at this point.


    But Alex didn''t know this, so he thought Emily was the one putting Olivia up to it.


    But he shook off the thought since he believed Emily wouldn''t tell her about the Awe system.


    With a sigh, Alex replied, "I can catch one for you. Just tell me what kind of monster you want."


    Olivia grinned, putting her finger over her chin as she thought about what she wanted.


    She felt happy.


    Alex agreed quickly.


    Feeling the glare from Quartz, Alex added, "Of course, you too, Aunt.


    You can ask for it, but I think I don''t need to point out we need to keep this system a secret."


    Quartz nodded.


    She understood the implication of this.


    Basically, Alex could have as much military power as he wanted at any time, something unprecedented.


    "Don''t worry.


    I won''t use it in front of other people.


    So, do you have any limitations?


    How many can you bring?"


    "As many as I catch, Aunt.


    That is why I am sure we have a way to go there."


    What he needed now was to raise his personal strength and make as many Awe boxes as he could.


    "How did you achieve this, Alex?" Quartz asked.


    In response to this, Alex took out two low-quality qi crystals and gave them to Olivia and Quartz.


    Feeling the energy inside, they realized it was different from Mana.


    Alex then told them about the cultivation system, but he still didn''t tell them where he got it or anything about Vesa.


    Even though he trusted them, for now, he wanted as few people as possible to know about Vesa.


    If not for his hunger, Alex would have hidden it from Emily.


    "Both of you can use that to reach the foundation realm.


    It should be enough to use the storage ring."


    Alex then sighed as this reminded him of the astronomical amount of money he needed to get more high-grade mana crystals.


    Looking at Quartz and Olivia, Alex then remembered that he needed many crystals because he was a progenitor.


    The cost of doing it for them should be cheaper.


    But he quickly shook off the thought; they were not strangers.


    He could not just test new methods on them, making them guinea pigs.


    Even for strangers, Alex would feel guilty doing it.


    It''s better to test it first on some criminals, but Emily had already left her job, and after some further thought, taking them on official missions was not that easy.


    The report would check where the body was if it was reported dead.


    "It seems I need to do it with my own hands.


    Look for some dark hunter to catch."


    Emily and Olivia frowned, seeing Alex''s expression.


    "Bro, you''re thinking of doing something dangerous again, right?" Emily asked with concern.


    Olivia nodded, "I won''t ask where you got all this, Alex, but are you alright?


    What kind of danger do you need to face for all this?"

 Chapter 85 - 85: Alex & Olivia Past

    "You can always tell us if you need any help.


    Remember that, Alex," Quartz chimed in.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t care about Alex.


    Her mind was too busy thinking about what kind of monster they would need to better increase their odds of going to that place.


    She couldn''t contain the excitement in her heart. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She knew the chance they were alive was small.


    But alive or dead, she wanted to bring all of them home.


    They then exchanged some more discussion before going on their own way, leaving only Alex and Olivia in the forest.


    Olivia''s expression turned solemn.


    "Follow me."


    Alex was puzzled by her sudden request but still followed her.


    They walked through the forest maze until they arrived at a clearing.


    In the middle was a tree slightly larger than the others, while many fireflies brightened the area with their light.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Olivia asked, smiling at Alex.


    Alex, his gaze still focused on the scenery, could not help but nod in agreement with Olivia.


    He had never known a place like this existed in the forest. He was mesmerized by the beauty.


    Olivia walked toward one of the tree roots and then sat there cross-legged.


    "What are you dilly-dallying about?


    Come, sit here."


    Alex looked at Olivia.


    He came closer but didn''t sit; instead, he took out a table and two pairs of chairs from his storage ring.


    Olivia smiled at it.


    "Nice, do you have some wine and food too?


    I am hungry."


    "If you''re hungry, why do you look for wine?" Alex asked, puzzled.


    "Because I want to enjoy the scenery, so do you have it or not?"


    "I do have it," he said, taking out a bottle from his storage ring and placing it on the table with two wine glasses.


    "So, sis, do you want me to grill some meat?


    Or do you have other food requests?"


    "I miss your food; cook for me; anything will do," Olivia said with a smile on her face.


    Alex rarely cooked, but Olivia knew he was very good at it, just like his father.


    Olivia thought this was because of his ability, allowing him to know the best timing for it.


    Alex took out charcoal and some grills. He then used an Embershift hammer to make the charcoal burn, making Olivia chuckle, "You do that to show off, right?"


    "Cough, can you not point it out, sis?" Alex replied.


    Olivia laughed as she watched Alex start grilling the meat, the delicious aroma spreading in the forest.


    But Alex didn''t feel worried any monster would attack them; it would be a good source of life force for him.


    The sound of sizzling meat filled the air as Olivia enjoyed the smell.


    "How has your life been lately?" she asked.


    "Well, many things have changed, big sis, but honestly, for me, it''s the same.


    I just do the things I do in the VR world now in the real world."


    Olivia''s voice then turned solemn, "I see, that is good. Tell me about it, Alex."


    Alex nodded. He told her some of his life stories, even one in the game world, including how Luca took his VR headset when he killed the Calamity Dragon and what kind of novels he read.


    Melodious laughter reverberated in the air, "You really are the only one that can make her mad, Alex."


    "Did she never get mad in the guild?" Alex asked as he brought two plates of steak to the table.


    "She does get mad, but it''s only for something serious, Alex.


    And when she does, your dad will also shut up.


    Your mom is really scary at times like that."


    Seeing the meat in front of her eyes, Olivia could feel her mouth salivating.


    She cut the meat, and seeing it cooked medium rare made her smile and feel warm.


    ''He still remembers what I like,'' she thought.


    They exchanged some small stories as they ate the meat.


    A few wolves came by, but Alex took out Petricia to kill them all and took the corpses inside the Awe cube.


    She then stayed guard on the perimeter, making sure none disturbed them.


    After finishing dinner, Olivia''s eyes turned serious, "How many years have you been avoiding me, Alex?"


    "I am sorry, sis, it''s my fault," Alex replied with cast-down eyes.


    He knew the number, but saying it would just hurt her more.


    "Are you still mad at me for rejecting your confession?"


    Alex''s cheeks turned red, remembering it. Olivia was his first crush.


    He didn''t know if it was love or not, but in a moment of impulse after the incident, he had confessed to her, but she shut it down directly.


    Remembering what he did afterward made him want to bury himself in the ground now.


    He lashed out at Olivia at that time.


    With a low voice, he replied, "I am not, sis. I''m just too ashamed to face you.


    I was being a brat at that time.


    I know I was unfair to you."


    Alex looked up again to see Olivia''s expression.


    What he saw pained his heart.


    Even though he didn''t love her like before now, Alex still didn''t want to see her like that.


    Olivia''s golden eyes glimmered in the night, with tears dripping from the corners of her eyes.


    "Leader is gone, Alex. Eria, Jasper, Orion, Uncle Silva, Aunt Ariadne, Kane.


    Everyone disappeared from my life.


    And you...


    You kicked me from your life.


    You didn''t even give me a chance to explain myself!


    How can you be so cruel to me!


    Just why, Alex!?


    Do you know I really thought you hated me until we just met now?


    When I hugged you again, I was so afraid you would reject me."


    Her voice cracked into sobbing, her hands starting to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.


    "I really thought, I really thought you would..."


    Her cry became louder, muffling her voice, making Alex unable to hear it clearly.

 Chapter 86 - 86: Slap!

    Alex approached her and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, but to his surprise, Olivia moved closer and hugged him as she kept hitting his chest.


    Alex sighed, knowing it was his fault. He should have at least called her.


    To think he had let her suffer in pain just because he had felt too ashamed made him feel even guiltier.


    After calming down, Olivia continued, "When you confessed to me, I was really surprised, Alex.


    I always thought of you as my little brother.


    It''s not that I cannot try to think of you like that, but I am afraid, Alex.


    What if we have a fight?


    What if we then hate each other?


    I cannot bear the thought of it, Alex.


    I have heard many stories where couples break up, and then they end up not being able to stay in the same room forever.


    I don''t want our relationship to be like that.


    I am really afraid to lose you..."


    "I am sorry, Sis.


    Let''s just forget about it, okay?


    Think of it as just my bad joke," Alex said in a low voice.


    Olivia looked upward; her cheeks pouted, and her golden eyes gleamed, reflecting his face.


    "Are you telling me you ignored me for years over a joke, Alex?"


    "That''s not what I mean, Sis.


    I was just being stupid at that time, you know.


    I was a teenager full of hormones."


    "So, confessing to me is stupid?"


    "Come on, Sis, don''t do this to me."


    Alex thought to himself, ''I take back my words. It''s better facing that sly geezer rather than doing this!''


    Olivia turned silent for a moment, then cupped his face and asked, "Do you still want to be with me, Alex?


    I have thought about it many times.


    If you really say yes and promise to never leave me, then I will try to love you more than just my brother."


    Alex gulped.


    If this had happened in the past, he would have jumped happily to cloud nine, but now he didn''t.


    Instead, he felt complicated and turned his gaze away, making Olivia''s heart clench.


    She didn''t need to hear his words to understand his feelings now.


    "I see.


    Do you have another woman you like now?


    Tell your big sis about her."


    Alex still looked away, making Olivia pout. She then pinched his cheeks, pulling them both, making him scream in pain.


    "Ouch! Ouch! Sis!"


    Olivia released his cheeks, making them return with a plop.


    Seeing Alex with both cheeks red made her chuckle and smile.


    She took the handkerchief and wiped the corner of her eyes.


    "Now tell me unless you want me to pull your cheeks again!" Olivia said sternly.


    Alex still hesitated.


    Telling her about MingYue meant he needed to tell her about the cultivation world and Vesa.


    But Alex realized, with how much suffering he had caused her, the least he could do was tell her about it.


    If he hid it again, it would hurt Olivia, making her think he didn''t believe in her.


    "Sis, it''s a long story," Alex said. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then took a steak knife from the table and, with one swift motion, made a small slash on his hand.


    This made Olivia, who was close to him, scream in panic.


    "What the hell are you doing!?"


    Her hand glowed as she wanted to use her abilities to heal him.


    But before she could do that, the wound had already healed with a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.


    Alex then started to narrate his story again, this time from the start, where he had gone to meet with Prof. Faerith, then met up with Vesa, and then the cultivation world.


    Alex wanted to stop the story at that point, but Olivia''s glare made him continue.


    When he reached the point where he was going into hunger and hunting for life force, a slap hit him in the face.


    The slap was so loud that it reverberated in the air, leaving a red mark on his cheek.


    Alex was surprised by what Olivia did; he wanted to complain, but seeing the deep pain flickering in her golden eyes, he shut up.


    She moved her hand, glowing with golden light, back to the slapped cheek, recovering it to its normal color.


    Petricia, who was watching from afar, had at first wanted to intervene and take Olivia down since she had hurt his king, but seeing Olivia heal him back, she decided to just watch from afar.


    "Do you think your life is only yours, Alex?


    You gamble with your life like that?


    There are so many things that can go wrong.


    Just one, and your life could end there.


    If your mother knew about this, she would beat you down until you cannot move."


    Alex couldn''t believe his mother would hit him; she never did that in her entire life.


    But she also didn''t know what Alex had done, and he now knew it was better for him to shut up.


    But deep in his heart, he still felt nothing was wrong with it.


    He was sure his decision had been right in that situation.


    "I know that look.


    You think you did nothing wrong, right?


    Maybe the situation called for it, but do you still not see your fault, ALEX?


    Doesn''t your ability allow you to see every probability?


    Now tell me the answer!"


    Alex frowned. He felt wronged since he still thought he had been right.


    He kept thinking about what he could have done better at that time, but other than gathering life force from the beginning, he had no other idea.


    "Alex, did you really not find the answer?


    I don''t believe it.


    The answer is there; you just don''t want to say it.


    Alex, I know you are capable, even when your sister tells me you play games all day at home.


    I know you are one of the people I can depend on if something happens.


    But sometimes, you''re dumb to a fault.


    How could you forget about the people around you?


    Alex, if something had happened to you and Emily at that time, who would have felt the pain afterward?


    Tell me!"

 Chapter 87 - 87: Meaning of Name

    "Mom, you, Quartz, that kid named Zold, everyone still in the guild, Emily''s hunter friend, whom I don''t know."


    "Now, tell me, do you have the right to forbid me and everyone else from protecting those we hold dear?


    Tell me, Alex?"


    Alex had turned silent at her question because he knew he didn''t have the right to do so, and he realized her point now.


    "Why didn''t you tell me, your mom, Quartz?


    Why didn''t you tell anyone to help?


    Don''t you, more than anyone else, know how painful it is when your loved one is in danger and you can''t do anything about it?


    How much pain do those left behind feel?


    How much regret do we feel for not being able to do anything until their last moment?"


    At the end of her words, Olivia''s voice had cracked.


    She then continued, "Did you even think of me as your family, Alex?


    Did you recognize me?


    Like your dad always said, good things should be shared with family, but he also always taught us bad things should always be faced together as a family.


    Are you even his son?


    Didn''t he ever tell you that?"


    Seeing Alex silent and unable to answer, Olivia continued, "Progenitor, vampire, even if you become a god, I don''t care about that, Alex!


    You will always be my little brother.


    Engrave that deeply into your mind!


    If you have trouble, we face them together as a family!


    Even if you are stronger than us at some point, that doesn''t mean you can just ignore us.


    Even small help is still helpful, Alex.


    Your father¡­ the leader, always made sure everyone contributed in one way or another.


    And with your ability, I don''t believe you cannot find a way to make us helpful to you!"


    Olivia then stood up from her seat and gazed at Alex. "Think about it deeply, Alex. What I really mean to be a family!


    You cannot just treat us like that!"


    Olivia had then left, leaving Alex alone in the forest.


    Alex, looking at her disappearing back, had called for Petricia.


    "Yes, King?"


    "Protect her until she arrives back at home."


    Petricia nodded, then quickly left.


    Even though Alex had known despite Olivia being a veteran hunter, her role had always been that of a healer.


    He had sent Petricia just in case something happened.


    Alex had cleaned up the table, grill, and chairs, putting it all back into his storage ring.


    He had then lain in the grass, looking at the bright moon in the sky.


    "Vesa, what do you think?


    Do you think I am at fault?"


    [No comment, King.]


    "I asked what you think.


    Don''t you have a personal opinion?"


    [In the vampire race, we are individualistic creatures.]


    [The concept that Olivia mentioned is completely new to me.


    But, King, I cannot help but remember the memory of your father and the guild members in the past.


    This makes me think if the past Progenitor had this kind of family, would he still have been betrayed?


    The bond between the members of the Suzaku Guild in the past is not something that I can easily comment on.


    Still, King, don''t you also have a similar idea? That is why you made that rule in the Bai Yue sect?] S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex had remembered the rule he made; he had wanted the sect members to think of Bai Yue Sect as home, but now that he had thought about it, what is home?


    Does home mean a location?


    It''s not necessarily that.


    For Olivia and Quartz, the Suzaku Guild was their home.


    No matter if it was under the bridge, inside hell, or in the most luxurious mansion, the Suzaku Guild would always be their home.


    "There are many things I still need to learn, Vesa."


    [Of course, King.


    Even the late Progenitor still needed to learn many things each day despite his long life.]


    Alex chuckled, "You are right.


    Every day, there are always new things to learn.


    I have become complacent since my ability was augmented, and I am arrogantly thinking about doing everything with my own hands.


    Even if I can really do it, that is irresponsible to the people I love.


    Who likes to be left behind?"


    His gaze had then drifted to the sky, where there were no clouds, allowing him to see the stars and moon, with fireflies floating all around him, giving him a good view.


    "Vesa, send this view to Mingyue."


    Vesa could pour information directly into their brains, allowing them a unique way to exchange information.


    They could send each other what they saw and heard, just like they were there in person.


    [Alright, King. Any message for the Queen?]


    "No, just send it like that," Alex had mumbled.


    His eyebrows had then raised when he saw a trail of stars moving in the sky.


    "A comet?


    People say I can make a wish if I see one, then I wish you all were still alive, Dad, everyone."


    Meanwhile, Mingyue had been meditating to stabilize her foundation when Alex had sent the message.


    Seeing it, Mingyue had opened her eyes, "That is beautiful," she had mumbled with a smile.


    "Why did you send me that, Alex?" Mingyue had asked, contacting Alex in her mind.


    "No reason. I just thought it was beautiful, and then I remembered you.


    Well, don''t blame me; your name, Ming Yue, means bright moon in my language. I cannot help it," he had said with a chuckle.


    "Surprisingly, the moon in your world is not that different from my world, Alex.


    My uncle told me my mother gave birth to me on a night like this.


    That''s why I am named Mingyue.


    What about you?"


    "My dad told me Alex means a king that protects their people.


    He wished for me to become one."


    Mingyue had chuckled, hearing it, "Is your dad a prophet?


    You really became one now, a king that needs to revive a whole species."


    "Yours is also not that far, Mingyue.


    Your name means moon, and in my world, the moon is related to vampires," Alex had said with a laugh.

 Chapter 88 - 88: MSG

    "Mingyue, sometimes I wonder, is it all fate?"


    "Fate?


    That is bullshit, Alex.


    Your life is carved by your own hands.


    If, at that time, you had rejected Vesa or you had decided not to go to that research facility, would you have become a progenitor?


    The same is true for me; there are so many things where just one difference would have made me end up somewhere else.


    Our lives now are the culmination of our own personal choices.


    I will never agree it''s decided by fate."


    "You are right."


    "What is with you today?


    Being so sentimental now."


    "One of my family just reminded me how selfish I am, and I realize she is right."


    "Oh, what did you do, Alex?"


    Alex then told her what had happened with Olivia and what she had told him about her family.


    "Family¡­


    Alex, I don''t know what to say about that.


    You know my own family situation.


    I do feel happy with what my little brother and uncle do for me, but to ask for their help with my problem would just be a burden to them.


    It''s out of their scope."


    "I know, Mingyue.


    I used to think the same too.


    I am not telling this to preach at you or tell you what you should do.


    I am just thinking about it, and I think she is right.


    There are many ways to help with a problem, and with my ability, I have no excuse for it."


    Mingyue turned silent for a moment, then with a soft voice, she said, "A family where you share all good fortune together and face hardships together.


    That feels like a fairy tale to me, Alex.


    You should know how people in my world do things.


    But if it can be true, what a wonderful thing that would be.


    You should cherish them, Alex."


    "I know¡­ S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What are you doing now?"


    "I am just stabilizing my foundation now and taking a break based on Vesa''s direction.


    Tomorrow, I should reach the Qi crystal vein."


    Hearing this, Alex''s eyes lit up.


    With many Qi crystal resources, he could start mass-producing the Awe Cube, including the normal storage cube, meaning more money for him.


    He could then start whaling to raise his cultivation level quickly and become stronger.


    "That is good; how is the situation?"


    "It seems the vein is deep inside a cavern of a monster nest, but based on Vesa''s calculation, they should not be my match."


    "I see.


    Do you need me to send some goblins for you to use?"


    "No need, thank you.


    I told you before I prefer fighting with my own hands."


    "Alright, be careful then, Mingyue.


    Have a good rest."


    "Sure, you too."


    Meanwhile, Olivia was sulking as she walked back toward SGE, cursing, "Stupid ALEX, Baka Alex!"


    Feeling tired, she sighed and rested near one of the trees.


    In the past, Olivia had also stayed at SGE for a while, so she knew the forests like the back of her hand, just like how she had known the place she had shown Alex.


    "Did I act too hard?" she mumbled, asking herself, then shook her head, "No.


    No, he deserves it.


    Not only did he ignore me for years, but he even risked his life without telling us."


    Bored, she then took out her phone to look at the messages and sighed, "As I expected, Madam really went after Leader.


    No wonder Alex does things like that.


    He really takes after his mother in things like this.


    What should I do now?


    Tell them? Or not?"


    She then scratched all over her hair, feeling it was better not to tell since it was for Luca to tell them, but she had just given a whole speech about it to Alex.


    Didn''t that make her a hypocrite?


    But if she told Alex and Emily, she was also afraid they would go after her without any preparation; after all, neither of them knew how strong Luca was.


    She bit her lip, then sighed, "Forget it, I should believe in him. I will tell Alex tomorrow."


    She shook her head and then started walking again.


    The dark night then turned bright with the sun rising from the east.


    Mingyue opened her eyes; she had been sleeping in a sitting position, something she had mastered after living in the wilderness for a while since she needed to be prepared for an attack at any time.


    She stretched her stiff body, then took out breakfast from her storage ring, first a special kettle, using mana to warm up the water inside it, then she took out a cup of noodles, pouring the water over it.


    Afterward, she made tea using a teabag from Alex''s world, but she had changed the inside with tea from her world.


    In her opinion, the tea Alex had given her was too bitter; the one she used was tastier since it gave a mild, sweet taste without any sugar.


    After a few minutes, she took the cap from the cup of noodles, smelled the aroma, and slurped it, enjoying the taste.


    It didn''t take long for her to finish, "Alex is right.


    I will never be able to come back to eating bland food after this.


    The food in his world is really addicting; he says it''s because of something called MSG.


    I wonder if I can get that in my world.


    What do you think, Vesa?"


    [I am sure you can, Queen, but it would be a waste of time.]


    Mingyue chuckled, "That is true; tell Alex to send many MSGs next time.


    That should be a good item to sell.


    Both cultivators and commoners will go crazy over it."


    [You will sell them for money?]


    "Of course not; we will make something similar to Treasure Pavilion, open a restaurant in every city that allows members to buy food with MSG, and high-level members will be allowed to buy MSG to bring home then.


    This way, we can build our influence easily.


    Sometimes, we will also sell it at the auction.


    I remember Alex said there are a few types of it, so let''s make a few grades.


    We need one that people can easily get so they don''t get mad and attack our place and one that is rare enough so it keeps some value.


    I will make my uncle start this after I go back."

 Chapter 89 - 89: Entering the Cave

    Vesa, listening to her idea, turned speechless.


    [Queen, you seem changed now.


    Before, you would never have thought of an idea like this; this is more like something a king would say.]


    "Really?


    Maybe you are right, but my ideas should not be bad," Ming Yue said as she walked out of the cave.


    She could have taken out some camp gear from Alex''s world, but Ming Yue preferred to do things safely.


    She only took out items that would leave no evidence at all.


    A camp would still leave marks on the ground since it needed stakes to ensure its stability.


    [Well, if the king hears it, I am sure he will say something like ''capitalism at its finest'' and then laugh with pride.]


    Ming Yue chuckled, "You are right; well, I will discuss it more with him later."


    Her face then turned serious, "How far is it, Vesa?"


    [Not far, Queen.


    Did you forget you can just see from the map?]


    "I know, I just want someone to talk to.


    Feng Xue is still sleeping."


    [Didn''t you use to walk alone in the past, Queen?]


    "I did that not because I wanted to, Vesa.


    It''s better to have someone to talk to.


    But you should know from my memory, with how cutthroat the competition is, walking with sect members will just make me unable to sleep."


    There were many cases like this where fellow sect members attacked each other for resources, just like what Lin Hua had done to her in the past.


    The only time they behaved was if an Elder joined them.


    [Queen, there are groups of people coming after you.]


    Ming Yue stopped in her tracks.


    She now wore a hood to make sure no one could see her face.


    However, that didn''t stop some ruffians and thugs from targeting her.


    After all, they could still see her feminine figure.


    A group of seven thugs came out, surrounding Ming Yue.


    "What is a young girl like you doing alone in the forest?


    Do you need some company?" one of the men asked.


    But Ming Yue didn''t listen to what the man said; she didn''t care.


    There was no value in listening to the yapping of a dead person.


    Ming Yue sighed in her mind; this was not the first time she had been ambushed.


    The reason this kept happening was that Ming Yue had made Vesa hide her Qi completely.


    This made people think she was just a commoner.


    ''What a waste of time. Well, it''s better than a cultivator tracking my location,'' she thought.


    If a cultivator passed by and saw another lone cultivator walking toward an uncharted area, they would start wondering what treasure existed there.


    Most of the time, cultivators would only move if there was something of value; otherwise, they would just spend time training.


    Only useless cultivators or immortals spent their time lazing around.


    The man kept yapping, but seeing no response from Ming Yue made him frown.


    He started feeling weird; this was not the first time he had ambushed someone in the forest.


    Usually, women would already scream and ask to be spared.


    Some even offered their bodies directly as long as they didn''t get killed.


    But the woman in front of him now didn''t even move, even after being surrounded.


    And that was the man''s last thought before the world suddenly spun in his eyes.


    He didn''t even register what had happened; the next thing he knew, he saw the world become taller, and then everything turned dark.


    With one move, Ming Yue slashed their heads off, and blood spurted out from their necks, but before even a drop of it fell to the ground, the rest of the thugs faced the same fate.


    Their bodies then disappeared, turning into life energy that got absorbed into her body.


    [322 Lifeforce absorbed.]


    Ming Yue sighed; with the amount she had absorbed, she knew it would still be a while before she unlocked the pendant, which was now hanging around her neck.


    She would also prioritize her own cultivation; every time it was stable enough, she would quickly raise her cultivation level.


    She knew she was very close now to reaching the next major realm, the Nascent Soul stage.


    Ming Yue wanted to break through and, if possible, reach the late stage before returning to her sect.


    At that time, she wouldn''t need to worry about their retaliation.


    She then continued on her path; it didn''t take long for her to reach her destination.


    From the outside, it just looked like a normal cave, with its entrance covered by many veins.


    ''No wonder no one found out about this place; I cannot even detect any Qi at all.''


    Ming Yue then walked closer to the vein, covered her body with Qi, and tried to slip through the gap in the vein.


    She did this because she didn''t want to leave any marks for someone entering the cavern.


    Inside the cavern, it was dark and damp; she could also hear running water dripping from inside.


    But for Ming Yue, this darkness was just as bright as daylight.


    Just like Alex, darkness didn''t impede her view.


    ''Vesa, show me the map.''


    Then, a map of the surrounding area, with the tunnel and the living beings inside, appeared in her eyes.


    It wasn''t really detailed like the one in the secret realm, but it was enough for Ming Yue to navigate the place.


    Walking deeper inside toward the Qi Crystal Mine area, she could hear the sound of running water even closer.


    On her way, to her surprise, there were no monsters, not even a bat, only many small insects chirping around the cave.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach an opening; inside, she found a lake with a luminous crystal on top of it.


    It was different from Qi crystal; looking at it, Ming Yue was sure there should be some other function to use it. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But she was not an alchemist or blacksmith, so she didn''t know what it could be used for.


    Looking at the calm surface of the lake, Ming Yue smiled.


    A cold aura started coming out from her body.

 Chapter 90 - 90: Spirit Beast

    Looking at the calm surface of the lake, MingYue smiled.


    A cold aura started emanating from her body.


    She took a step onto the surface, and the moment her feet were about to touch the water, it turned into ice.


    She stepped forward until she reached the middle of the lake.


    MingYue then closed her eyes.


    One second, two seconds, three seconds passed, and then she jumped.


    At the same time, a giant maw appeared where she had been standing, with a large volume of water splashing up. Looking down, MingYue smirked.


    A giant snake covered in silver scales came out from the water.


    Realizing its ambush had failed, the snake didn''t give up; it pounced once more, using its long body to lunge toward MingYue.


    Two swords appeared in MingYue''s hands, her body moving with grace as if she were dancing in the air.


    Slash, slash¡ªeach slash easily pierced through the snake''s body, but no blood came out, as it was quickly sealed by ice.


    MingYue moved like a fairy, spinning around the snake''s body, each slash limiting the snake''s movements.


    The frostbite also acted like poison, making the snake feel numb.


    The snake roared in pain, its body thrashing around, making the water and cave walls vibrate under its weight.


    But the snake was no match for MingYue; with another slash, the snake turned into an ice statue that then shattered into pieces.


    However, MingYue didn''t let her guard down; she glided back as another snake, the same size, emerged from the water, lunging at her.


    One snake, two snakes, and dozens more came out.


    But MingYue remained calm through it all.


    As she dodged all their attacks, she finally smiled when she reached the middle of the swarm.


    MingYue checked the map, counting the life forces, "Hmm, only three more snakes remain underwater.


    This should not be a problem for me." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue already knew the lake was infested with monsters, so she had purposefully stood above the lake, using herself as bait to lure them out of the water.


    A fight in the water would have been more dangerous for her.


    It was better for her to fight on land.


    After one of the snakes died, the rest of the herd, enraged, attacked MingYue just as she had planned.


    She could have used Fengxue Qi to make the snakes avoid her, but this was not ideal for MingYue since she wanted to move the secret realm to the spirit crystal mine.


    If the snakes survived and started ambushing her people, it would give her more headaches later.


    She couldn''t use her secret skill without worrying about the many miners around.


    Now, in the middle of the snakes, her swords began to emanate frost Qi.


    Her body spun as she used the secret technique from the artifact combined with her own secret art, enhancing the damage to a new level.


    The two swords slashed in the air, creating a sharp ice shockwave that exploded outward.


    The secret skill allowed MingYue to unleash ice attacks on all surrounding enemies; it was called Ice Lotus Flower - Absolute Zero.


    BOOM!


    The shockwave exploded, turning the clear water and all the snakes into ice.


    MingYue landed gracefully on the ground.


    All the frozen snakes then shattered into ice shards, dropping onto the frozen lake surface, but the ice couldn''t bear their weight; it cracked, making many splashing sounds as the shards fell deep into the water.


    All the bodies then turned into green particles, which were absorbed into MingYue''s body.


    Without hesitation, she then jumped into the lake.


    She used her Qi to coat her clothes, ensuring they didn''t get wet, and before jumping, she put on an oxygen mask for diving from Alex.


    This allowed her to swim underwater without worry.


    Splash!


    MingYue swam, diving deeper into the water.


    She saw the surviving snakes fleeing from her.


    Based on their speed, she knew she couldn''t catch up.


    ''Forget it. I will make MingHao hunt them later,'' she thought.


    They will be useful for not only MingHao, but also new cultivator as target practice.


    MingYue continued her journey until she reached the lake bed.


    Based on Vesa''s detection, the Qi crystals should be even deeper.


    MingYue started looking for an entrance to find a way in.


    Not finding any, she sighed and returned the swords to her storage ring.


    She could have used her sword to blast the ground, creating a tunnel, but that would have wasted too much of her Qi.


    She took out a gun, set it to maximum, and pointed downward, firing it at the ground with great force.


    BANG!


    The ground exploded, creating a hole in another area beneath it.


    This caused the air pressure to explode at once, creating a current that pushed the water upward.


    MingYue quickly moved into the tunnel.


    After the air had exploded, the water in the lake began rushing downward, creating an undercurrent that accelerated MingYue''s descent.


    Passing through the hole she had made.


    MingYue was surprised to find a larger space, surrounded by Qi crystals everywhere¡ªon the walls, the ceiling, even the ground¡ªand in the middle of it, a creature seemed to be asleep.


    MingYue didn''t waste time. She set the gun to maximum again and threw a few grenades toward the creature''s face.


    Based on its appearance alone, MingYue knew she couldn''t underestimate it.


    The creature was similar to the snakes above, but this one had four claws, like a dragon, its size smaller, covered in azure scales.


    BOOM! BOOM!


    The grenades exploded, but not on the creature''s face; they detonated mid-air.


    Just before the grenades could reach the creature, it opened its eyes.


    The reptilian eyes locked onto the projectiles, and it swatted them away with its tail.


    The creature then growled at MingYue.


    "Hmm, a spirit beast," she mumbled.


    Just like humans, beasts also had their own cultivation stages.


    They had fewer stages, but each one took a longer time.


    MingYue knew this one was a spirit beast since it had intelligence but hadn''t infused any element into its attacks yet.

 Chapter 91 - 91: Qi Vein

    They had fewer stages, but each one took a longer time.


    MingYue knew this one was a spirit beast since it had intelligence but hadn''t infused any element into its attacks.


    The cultivation of the beast began at the Spirit stage and then progressed to the Elemental, Core, Mystic, Divine, and Eternal stages.


    Creatures at the Core stage usually could transform into humanoid forms.


    The Divine stage allowed them to turn completely into humans, and in the next stage, Mystic, their beast form would be enhanced even further.


    But even though this one was only at the Spirit stage, it didn''t mean MingYue could defeat it easily. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a beast, it always had more raw strength compared to a human at the same level.


    And as spirit beasts, they had intelligence.


    The creature locked its eyes on MingYue, and just when it wanted to retaliate Bang!


    MingYue had already shot the gun in her hand with maximum power.


    Feeling the enormous power coming from it, the creature knew it should dodge.


    But that was what MingYue had targeted.


    With elegance, she moved toward the area where she predicted the snake would arrive.


    However, she had miscalculated.


    Bang!


    Just as she had predicted the snake''s movement, the snake had also predicted hers.


    The creature launched its tail to swipe at MingYue, launching her into the air.


    Meanwhile, the bullet that MingYue had shot hit the creature, but it only grazed its skin since the snake had moved.


    Boom!


    The projectile exploded on the ground, making a crater, while MingYue hit a qi crystal on the wall.


    MingYue could feel pain all over her body, but it quickly started mending and healing by itself.


    Her eyes sharply locked on the beast.


    MingYue then started absorbing the surrounding qi, mixing it with her own and then moved it toward her sword, Twin Frostbites.


    The cold qi emanating from her body started intensifying, creating an icy mist in the surrounding area.


    This made the spirit beast turn alert, feeling the threat from MingYue''s attack.


    It now had only two choices, attack or escape, but the spirit beast didn''t want to escape; this was the best spot for it to cultivate.


    It knew that going outside, hoping to get a good spot like this, would be very hard.


    Its reptilian eye then gleamed; qi started coming out, strengthening its whole body.


    The snake then started moving, forming its body like a spring.


    With a swift movement, it launched itself like a rocket, cutting through the air toward MingYue.


    With the creature''s speed, MingYue knew it would reach her first before she could even unleash her attack.


    With annoyance, she slashed her sword in the air, creating many ice projectiles shooting toward the snake.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The ice spikes failed to penetrate the snake, but they served their use to slow the snake down even by a bit.


    MingYue kicked the wall behind her and then launched herself toward the snake.


    In the air, her body moved in motion, her sword dancing in the air, creating streaks of ice from its tip.


    Each ice shard was formed like a petal of an ice flower.


    Bang!


    They clashed in the middle.


    The snake beat MingYue in raw force, pushing her back, but since she angled her body as she moved in the air, instead of shooting backward, she was deflected up to the ceiling where water was still pouring, filling out the Qi Crystal mine.


    The creature then started maneuvering in the air, crashing into all the ice flower petals that MingYue had made.


    But the petals didn''t get destroyed; instead, with their small size, they clung to the creature''s body.


    The creature used its tail to anchor itself to the wall before launching through the air again to attack MingYue, this time its jaw open wide, wanting to eat her whole.


    But the moment it moved through the water, as the ice petals made contact with the liquid, they quickly froze all the water.


    This created an ice trap, blocking the creature from moving forward. It then started struggling, creating creaking sounds in the ice.


    MingYue knew it wouldn''t hold long; she moved in motion, creating ice with every step she took.


    Ice Qi started concentrating only on the sword in her right hand.


    She then sprinted and threw the sword toward the creature''s mouth.


    A fox''s roar could be heard from the sword as it lunged itself deep inside the snake''s body.


    "Goraarrr!"


    The spirit beast cried in pain, but it didn''t last long until its stomach bulged and then exploded.


    An ice lotus came from its stomach with one of MingYue''s swords in the middle of it.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile.


    She then jumped toward the creature''s head; despite part of its body already blown off, its reptilian eyes still glared at MingYue with hatred.


    It was still alive.


    MingYue thrust her sword toward its head, but it didn''t pierce all the way, only enough until it reached its flesh.


    MingYue then spread her ice qi all over the creature, freezing it alive, and took out an awe cube in her hand.


    The frozen snake, with all its remains, turned into particles of light, disappearing into the awe cube.


    "Alex asked me for a living specimen of a spirit beast.


    I hope it will last until it reaches his hand. Vesa, send it to him."


    [Alright, Queen, I am sure it will still be alive when it reaches the King.


    I just doubt he has a way to heal it.]


    "Well, it doesn''t matter.


    I can look for another next time."


    MingYue then looked up toward the hole where the water that had fallen into the Qi mine was now frozen, making an ice pillar with a circular hole in the middle where the snake had been before.


    MingYue used her qi to close the hole and make it more stable.


    She then went down to the area where the spirit beast had stayed before.


    There, a big qi crystal that looked like a tree without any leaves and fruits stood tall.

 Chapter 92 - 92: What If

    It was the Qi Crystal Vein; as long as the vein existed, Qi crystals would keep regenerating.


    Based on the information MingYue knew, the Qi Vein took Qi from the atmosphere and earth and then created a Qi crystal around its area.


    The bigger the vein, the higher its efficiency and the result.


    The Qi Vein was also separated into a few grades, and based on MingYue''s observation, this one should be a middle grade.


    A middle-grade vein was capable of growing many medium-grade Qi crystals with the occasional high-grade Qi crystal appearing.


    MingYue knew she had hit the jackpot; even her family in the past had only owned multiple low-quality Qi Veins.


    A medium grade was more than enough to satisfy her and Alex''s needs for now.


    "Unfortunately, we cannot move this Qi Vein somewhere else," she mumbled.


    If it were possible to move the Qi Vein, MingYue would have put it in the secret realm.


    Many cultivators had tried this before, but they always failed.


    The moment the Qi Vein was moved from the ground, or even when the ground around it was lifted, the Qi Vein would implode.


    It would then leave behind a perfect sphere of condensed pure Qi.


    Cultivators called this sphere Qi essence.


    Using it would increase a cultivator''s control over Qi to a whole new level; some even used it to create a divine-level Heaven artifact.


    Of course, the one they used was not medium-grade Qi essence; it was something even higher.


    She had also heard rumors before that an immortal had created a formation replicating the function of a Qi Vein, allowing them to create Qi crystals as needed.


    MingYue then took out a sphere from her storage ring, carved with many unique symbols; it was the core of the secret realm.


    But moving it was not as simple as bringing the core around.


    Based on Vesa''s explanation, a secret realm was created by making a new space in the void.


    They then used a core to anchor the space''s energy toward a specific point.


    When first hearing it, MingYue had asked, "Does that mean it is possible to go to the secret realm from the void?"


    [It''s possible, Queen, but the void is not a place everyone can easily navigate.


    It also stretches into infinity; even the Progenitor never reached its end.


    So, the possibility that someone can travel through the void at will is really low.]


    MingYue remembered she had barely survived in the void, and then a question appeared in her mind.


    ''Since the void is so vast, how did I get lucky entering another world that easily? Is it really just coincidence?'' S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then asked Vesa.


    She didn''t believe someone would call it fate, but if a high-level being had planned it all out, that was still possible.


    But the thought of this made MingYue feel annoyed.


    Who wouldn''t?


    Knowing your entire life was just a dance in someone else''s palm?


    If at least it had been a good, happy life, then maybe you wouldn''t complain that much.


    But MingYue''s life couldn''t be called a good, happy life.


    [Don''t worry, Queen, it''s part of both. Both a coincidence and planned.


    After Edonia''s destruction, the survivors of the vampire race moved through the universe, hiding from their pursuers.


    Some created many descendants all over the place, and you, Queen, have part of vampire blood.


    No matter how faint it is, it reacted with the Progenitor''s blood, allowing you to be moved to that place.]


    "Doesn''t that mean there are other vampire survivors?


    Why wouldn''t the old Progenitor choose one of them to inherit his mantle, then?


    Why go through all of this?


    I am sure he should know this is very risky.


    There are no guarantees that the one who takes his mantle will not be affiliated with the vampire race''s enemy.


    And what if the person is completely evil and instead eats the vampire race whole?"


    The evil MingYue meant were those that acted like evil cultivators, consuming other creatures to boost their own strength.


    Since evil cultivators existed, MingYue was sure some species out there focused all their power systems on devouring others.


    [I don''t know, Queen, but I am sure he had his reasons.


    Based on what I know about him, he probably thought somewhere along the line, ''Since the old way failed, what''s the use of trying it again?'']


    MingYue felt that made sense.


    The old vampire race had been stuck with their own ways and culture, but it had already been proven not enough since their species was almost driven to extinction.


    "Vesa, are you really just a system?


    Or what Alex usually calls AI?


    Every time you mention the old Progenitor, it''s like you''re his old friend."


    [Well, the old Progenitor created me since he felt lonely, Queen.


    Being at the top of power for hundreds, thousands, even millions and billions of years alone is tiring.


    I don''t know how long he had been alive before I came into being, but after that, I was always by his side.]


    "Why would he feel lonely?


    Didn''t he have a family too?


    At that time, the vampire race also flourished; he should have had many people under him."


    [It''s different, Queen.


    Just like when you face your sect leader, can you act friendly with him?


    And this is on another level.


    The Progenitor''s power is like God to the masses; everyone in their species worshiped him.


    As for relationships with other progenitors, it''s more like politics rather than friendship.


    Even if some of them hit it off, they were busy with their own tasks, so they only met occasionally.


    As for the family, they could not even share the Progenitor''s burden.


    It''s like your thought, Queen.


    How can you ask your little brother and uncle to help with your problems?


    Even if we do it the King''s way, finding ways for them to contribute.


    The burden still falls under the King''s shoulders since he is the one deciding everything.


    What the Progenitor wished for his future inheritor was for them to have someone they could share all their burdens with.


    It was his long-time wish, Queen.]

 Chapter 93 - 93: Failure

    MingYue still didn''t understand it since the timespan Vesa talked about was so far away from her.


    "Vesa, me and Alex got the Progenitor''s blood almost at the same time; what if that didn''t happen?


    Since the old Progenitor wanted their inheritor to be a couple."


    [In that case, Queen, then it would not activate at all, the same if the one that got it is of the same gender.


    If there are more than two, then it will choose which one is more suitable.


    The old Progenitor didn''t want others to have the same curse he had.


    It''s better to wait longer than for someone else to get the same curse as him.]


    The Progenitor''s blood couldn''t be destroyed; in the eternity of time, the possibility of two people of opposite genders activating it at the same time was just a matter of time.


    MingYue understood this, but this revelation made her both relieved and afraid.


    There were so many ifs for this to happen.


    If someone told her it was the plan of a higher being, or in Alex''s words, fate, it wouldn''t be weird.


    If Alex didn''t have the vampire blood, if he didn''t go to that place, she would probably be dead now.


    MingYue shook her head; the ''what if'' scenario was not important to her now.


    She looked toward the Qi Vein tree and then started walking toward it step by step.


    After absorbing the life force from all the snakes and experiencing fighting the spirit beast, MingYue knew she was now on the periphery of a breakthrough.


    The next level was the Nascent Soul stage; she needed to evolve the core in her body into an embryo of a soul, the beginning of life.


    She had pondered over this many times but still found no way to create it.


    Just what was a soul?


    What was life?


    She had asked Vesa about this before, as Vesa should have a deep understanding of life force energy.


    Based on Vesa''s answer, life force was just energy, the basis that made the creation of organic beings possible.


    As for the soul, it was a result of compounding experiences and memories throughout life. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made MingYue understand the soul was a shell; it was her own personality.


    Then what did it mean to create a soul? Was it to create a personality?


    Didn''t that just mean she would need to go crazy, then?


    But MingYue quickly shook off the idea.


    The concept of multiple personalities didn''t exist in her world; she only thought of this because of some novels she had read from Alex.


    And it wasn''t like Nascent Soul cultivators in her world had a new personality.


    She placed her palm over the Qi Vein, closing her eyes to feel the flow of Qi.


    "The next step after the Nascent Soul is the Golden Core, creating it into my own core, not transforming the Nascent Soul into a new being.


    This means my way of thinking is wrong."


    She then remembered Vesa''s explanation that life force needed to be filtered before it could be used to enhance her cultivation.


    "Soul is the result afterlife force is mixed with life experience and memories.


    Which means I need to make the Qi source in my own body mine, dyeing it with my will and life."


    Having an epiphany, MingYue sat cross-legged under the tree, starting to look at her inner world where the core formation existed.


    "This is made with all the Qi, passing through my body and my life, meaning my life should already be etched on it.


    The only thing I need to do now is to acknowledge it as part of my existence, not just an energy source," she mumbled.


    She started to feel over the core formation, then focused on her mind.


    The core formation then began transforming, a wave of ice Qi emanating from MingYue''s body, starting as a gentle breeze at first but soon spinning, turning into a storm of ice Qi.


    MingYue could see the core, which she had been expanding every time she raised a minor level, now started condensing and making a connection with her will.


    This allowed her even more control over her Qi, reducing the necessary motions she needed to perform for secret techniques.


    BOOM!!!


    The Qi exploded, and the core formation now turned into a small sphere, spreading ice Qi all over.


    She was about to finish when Vesa interjected.


    [Queen, why not test King''s theory?


    Let''s infuse the life force energy into the newly born Nascent Soul and transform its nature.]


    MingYue thought about it; it was quite risky, but the reward was worth it.


    In the worst case, she wouldn''t die but would need to recultivate the core formation.


    Alex''s idea was to use life force to add another attribute to the core, making it work not just from Qi but life force energy, and also add an attribute to accept the use of Qi and mana to mix it with the life force energy.


    But Alex''s idea was to start doing it since core formation and then grow it from there.


    MingYue could feel the Nascent Soul energy she had just made could still be transformed.


    Using Vesa''s help to implement how the core would work, MingYue then took out two high-grade mana crystals, turning them into dust and allowing the energy of mana to surround her.


    Vesa then released some life force energy she had saved for MingYue toward the Nascent Soul.


    Feeling the pour of pure energy, MingYue started feeling pain from the Nascent Soul since it wasn''t made to accept this type of energy, but she forced it by will and started creating a pathway based on Vesa''s guidance.


    The process was excruciatingly painful and slow, but she could feel the progress.


    They kept going from the outer layer, then started permeating it into the core of the Nascent Soul.


    But the moment she tried to etch onto it, the Nascent Soul imploded, a searing feeling of pain assailing her whole existence.


    She threw up blood as her cultivation dropped back to the late foundation stage.


    [QUEEN!]

 Chapter 94 - 94: Backlash (Bonus Ch 100 PS)

    MingYue felt like part of her being had been cut off, screaming in pain as she couldn''t hold it back.


    Vesa started pouring all the life force energy MingYue had stockpiled to recover her soul and body.


    The backlash not only destroyed her Nascent Soul but also damaged parts of her meridian.


    At this point, MingYue was barely conscious.


    With Vesa''s current capability, healing MingYue''s soul took a heavy toll on her, forcing her to waste a lot of life force energy.


    Even after using all the life force stockpiled by MingYue, it was still not enough.


    And since MingYue was not conscious, she couldn''t actively use her own life force to heal. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa hurriedly sent a message to Alex.


    At that moment, Alex was busy modifying a generator to accept Qi so it could be used in MingYue''s world.


    He was experimenting with the material, testing which one could be used without affecting how the machine worked.


    In the end, he used the moonlight ore he had gotten from the goblin hollow to make the generator part.


    He was now waiting over a furnace to get the specific temperature he wanted.


    Alex could use the Embershift Warhammer for this, but he decided not to since it was hard to maintain the temperature at a specific number.


    He knew he needed to train a lot for this, but for now, he would just opt for existing tools that could do this easily.


    A message then appeared in front of him.


    [King, I need all your stockpiled life force energy for Queen.]


    Even though her life was not in danger, damage to the soul could have unforeseen consequences; it could make her lose part of her memory or even change her personality.


    As time passed, MingYue would recover her own soul since she had the trait of a vampire Progenitor, but Vesa didn''t want to take any chances in case some lingering damage persisted, and it would be a waste of time.


    They didn''t know how long it would take for MingYue to completely heal, and now she also needed to recultivate to the Core Formation realm.


    Alex quickly turned alert upon reading the message, but he didn''t waste time asking for the reason.


    If Vesa asked for it like this, he was sure it meant an emergency.


    ''Go ahead, use it all; if not enough, tell me I will give some more,'' Alex replied in his mind.


    He then stopped the furnace and went out of the facility to the forest to hunt for some monsters in case MingYue needed more life force.


    On the way, Alex sighed.


    He felt worried about what had happened to MingYue but even more so about his mother.


    After returning from guarding Olivia, Patricia reported everything that happened to Alex, including what Olivia had mumbled to herself.


    His eyes widened in surprise.


    If it had been before what Olivia told him, he would already have run away to look for his mother, but now he realized going out like that would just put everything even more at risk.


    Since he had heard Olivia already decided to tell him about it, he planned to wait and then tell Emily, too.


    For now, he would try his best to get stronger as fast as possible.


    Alex had already ordered another batch of high-grade mana crystals.


    since he used his name and had dealings with the association, they processed his order, but that meant he needed another billion dollars in a week to pay for it.


    Alex did this on purpose to put more pressure on himself.


    He was also sure he would have enough money to pay for all of it since the association would have a huge order for the Storage Cube.


    They had already asked Alex about the price, but he hadn''t given them any number.


    Alex needed to make sure of a stable source for the Qi crystal and all the expenses first before calculating how much he would sell it for.


    As Alex hunted for more life force, Vesa started healing MingYue''s soul.


    Vesa did it carefully to make sure there was no lingering damage.


    Thankfully, the life force from Alex''s stockpile was more than enough to heal her soul, with some to spare, but MingYue was still unconscious.


    As MingYue lay on the ground, the secret realm core was still floating in the air near the Qi Vein.


    MingYue had wanted to activate it to change the anchor to this location at first, but she had an epiphany and tried to break through, making her forget to activate the core.


    Meanwhile, in the middle of the forest, Alex was in combat.


    BANG!!!


    Alex punched one of the wolf''s bodies, smashing it to pieces.


    The body disappeared, turning into a life force that he absorbed.


    He had already gotten information from Vesa that MingYue was all right now. Vesa had also told him what had happened.


    This made Alex frown.


    He felt guilty since the idea had come from him.


    He felt he should have thought better before telling her a half-baked idea, even though it was her own decision.


    As he kept killing monsters and gathering more life force, Alex unknowingly returned back to the place where he had talked with Olivia.


    What they had talked about resurfaced in his mind, making him reflect again.


    He sighed, knowing he could have done everything better.


    With his ability, he could calculate how others would react to his actions, but doing that felt tiring for him.


    This was why he hadn''t done it before.


    But now, Alex felt it was just an excuse since his decisions had hurt the people around him.


    Alex took a deep breath, looking toward the sky. He screamed from the top of his lungs, letting out all his frustration.


    Feeling a bit better, Alex lay down on the grass, looking toward the twilight sky.


    It was now noon when the sun started setting, turning the sky to an orange hue.


    But his view of the sky changed into a round face looking at him with a smirk on her face.


    "Did screaming make you feel better?" Olivia asked.


    She was here because she was looking for Alex to talk about Luca, but instead, she had found him going out to the forest, hunting monsters left and right before he reached this place.

 Chapter 95 - 95: A Woman Named Luca

    At first, Olivia was worried. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Had Alex gone into a hunger state?


    Did he lack life force?


    But after some observation, she realized Alex was just venting.


    Alex''s cheeks turned red.


    "You heard it?"


    While in his mind, he berated Vesa, ''Vesa, starting now, warn me even if it''s someone I know!''


    It had already happened a few times.


    Vesa would warn him if danger was coming, but if it was someone Alex trusted and there were no feelings of malice, Vesa would not tell him about it.


    Olivia chuckled.


    She didn''t answer; instead, she lay on the ground, her head side by side with Alex''s, gazing toward the sky.


    "No need to be shy, Alex.


    It''s good if you feel frustrated.


    That means you understand your fault."


    Alex sighed.


    "I understand, big sis.


    Thanks for reminding me."


    "No problem.


    That''s what family is for.


    It''s not like I''m perfect and free of fault, Alex."


    Olivia then turned silent.


    She still hesitated, even though she had decided.


    Now, facing Alex, her mind started running through many worst-case scenarios that could happen after he learned about his mother''s decision.


    Olivia turned her body, making her face directly above Alex again.


    She did this on purpose in case Alex moved in panic, trying to go after his mom.


    "I need to tell you something, Alex."


    With a deep breath, Olivia told him everything she knew about it, adding more detail, like how his mother, Luca, was a strong hunter, her skill, ability, and experience.


    The information surprised Alex.


    His mother had always fought on the frontline since her ability was basically overpowered.


    It allowed her to see three seconds into the future, and she had already mastered how to use the ability.


    She could choose when to use it, with manageable consumption of energy, and that was in the past.


    Olivia didn''t know how strong Luca was now; she doubted Luca had stopped practicing, even after she stopped going to any dungeon.


    After all, with the incident, Luca was the one who was hurt the most; she had lost her husband.


    "Since mom is also a hunter, why has she never told us about this?"


    "Don''t you know your mother''s personality?


    She probably did it so you wouldn''t get any idea about becoming a hunter.


    If not for that dungeon break, your mother would never have returned to being a hunter.


    You don''t know much, but your mom has always loved helping people; she doesn''t just give out money and then leave, Alex.


    If you go around the world, many people respect your mother, even calling her a saint.


    She made sure to train them with skills to survive on their own.


    As time passed, some of these people then volunteered and helped your mom with her work.


    She helped more people with what she did, Alex, compared to when she was a hunter."


    "Mom did that?" Alex asked.


    He had never thought much of his mom''s charitable actions; he thought she was just doing it to fill her empty time and also to help the company with a good image.


    Olivia sighed.


    "You really don''t know anything about your own mom, Alex."


    She then proceeded to tell Alex about his mom, a woman named Luca.


    In the past, Luca didn''t have a good childhood; she had faced many hardships and was an orphan without any relatives.


    Living on the street, Luca had tried to find work for herself to eat, but no one dared to recruit her since she was still a minor at that time.


    Most outright rejected her; those who felt pity gave her some bread.


    But this was not enough to fill her and her friends'' hunger.


    Even though her life was hard, Luca had a positive outlook on life, making her a cheerful child.


    This made her have many friends, even on the street, and as time passed, they started huddling up together, creating their own group to survive.


    For them, the street was no different than a jungle.


    If the forest had beasts as the predators, then on the street, it was other humans.


    Even though dungeons didn''t exist at this time, and everyone was a normal human, there still existed those who preyed on the weak.


    Power and abilities just made this even more prominent.


    Some gangs on the street would look for these kids, forcing them to be beggars or thieves.


    She had tried reporting it to the cops, asking for solutions from the government office, but as a kid living on the street, no one took her seriously.


    Luca had very limited options at that moment.


    Following the rules of the street?


    Luca hated the idea.


    She might have been hungry, but begging or stealing was out of the question for Luca.


    Since staying in the city would just mean confronting the gangs, and she still needed to find a way to earn money, Luca decided to do something most people would never do in her situation.


    Luca brought the kids together with her, scavenging over the trash, but what she was looking for was not food.


    She looked for tools, knives, and anything that could be used as a weapon.


    Luca didn''t go out of her way to kill the gangs; she led them out of the city, walking toward the forest.


    Luca didn''t do this out of impulse; she had already gathered the required information for it.


    Even though they were kids on the street, she had still found her way to get a phone and internet.


    With the knowledge she had, they started living in the forest.


    Luca picked a place near some villages to make it easier if they wanted to trade.


    At first, life in the forest was harsh.


    As a bunch of kids, many of them were filled with fear and didn''t know what to do other than follow Luca''s guidance.


    Time passed by¡ªweeks, months, years.


    From kids who didn''t know anything, they became experienced teenagers.


    They made their own small village using wood, and from the meat they hunted, they often traded with nearby villages for hygiene products, clothes, and some tools.


    But this didn''t come easy.

 Chapter 96 - 96: First Dungeon Break

    Through the years, many things had happened, from losing one of their friends to wild beasts, dying of illness, and confrontations with the village.


    Finally, they had become close and made a deal.


    One time, they had also had a problem with the local government since most of them were minors, and the government had wanted to take them all to an orphanage.


    No one had agreed to this; they had fought back, turning it into a confrontation with the local police.


    Luckily, the villagers had stepped forward.


    They had already had an amiable relationship at that moment, so they had agreed to take guardianship over Luca and the others.


    After this, their lives had started to stabilize.


    Time had passed, and Luca had already gathered some money to send some of them to take college courses in the city.


    She had known living in the forest all the time would have no future.


    They could have kept living like that, but what would they have done when they had gotten old?


    Or if one of them had wanted to look for someone to marry?


    Most of them who had survived had avoided romance with each other since it had happened once, and the end had not been pretty.


    They had had a big fight and separated to the point they could not have stayed with each other in the same place and had ended up leaving the camp.


    But things rarely happened as planned.


    At first, it had started with strange phenomena where snow had dropped even when it hadn''t been winter. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then the weirdest part had been at night; it wouldn''t have turned cold but instead had become very hot, like in a desert.


    After a few more days, the phenomena had become weirder until one day, a big earthquake had hit the place.


    After that, everything had returned to normal.


    This had been the first wave of dungeons that had appeared.


    Some had been found and then locked down by the government, making sure no news had come out to the public, but most of them had been in places no one had known about.


    The same had been true of the one that had appeared near Luca''s village.


    A few more weeks after the earthquake, Luca had been having dinner with her friends and some people from the village, one of them a boy named Edward.


    This boy had liked Luca and had tried to get close to her.


    Luca had known about this but had never responded since her mind had been burdened, thinking about her friends.


    "Luca, can''t you give us a chance at least?" Edward had asked with a hopeful look in his eye as he had turned over the meat on the grill.


    Luca had sighed, "It''s not that I hate you, Edward, it''s just...


    Well, you know¡­"


    Edward had let out a chuckle at her response, "Since you don''t hate me, that should mean you like me.


    Don''t worry, I will wait."


    Luca''s cheeks had turned red.


    "That''s not what I mean, Edward."


    "Then what do you mean?


    If you don''t hate me, then you like me.


    The opposite of hate is like."


    Edward''s words had made Luca speechless.


    Just as she had wanted to say something again, a piercing scream of terror had filled the air, making them quickly turn their focus toward it.


    Edward hadn''t wasted time and had quickly run toward the area.


    He had remembered one of Luca''s friends had gone there before to take a pee.


    Edward had expected to see a snake or beast attacking the man, but then he had remembered every single one of them had been experienced in hunting wild beasts.


    They wouldn''t have screamed just because some dangerous animal had come.


    Edward and Luca had arrived at the place, and what they had seen had made their eyes widen in surprise; it had been something out of logic.


    A two-headed dog the size of a lion had been biting at the man''s torso, blood coming out from it.


    The man, with his dying breath, had screamed, "What are you standing there for, Luca!


    Run! Warn the others!


    This is not the only one!"


    Luca hadn''t heard what he had said; she had taken out a machete that had been saddled on her waist and had wanted to run to help her friend.


    But Edward had stopped her, "What are you doing, LUCA!


    Do you want to make his sacrifice useless?"


    "But Edward?


    I am sure we still can do something for him."


    "Luca, look again clearly.


    If it''s only one, I will help you fight it!"


    Luca had taken a deep breath, had looked to the front, and cold sweat had started appearing on her forehead.


    There had been many red eyes locked on them, all coming from similar creatures, just like the one biting at her friend.


    Before she could have even processed it, Edward had pulled Luca and had run back toward the encampment.


    But he had kept getting a bad feeling in his mind, and his bad feeling had become reality.


    When they had reached the encampment, the place had been filled with similar monsters, but they could have fought back better since they had had more weapons, including firearms.


    Even though it hadn''t been military weapons, the hunting rifle had been more than enough to make the creatures bleed.


    The problem had been the number of monsters; they had been overwhelmed by the sheer amount.


    Luca had been in shock through this; she hadn''t been able to think straight.


    Her friends, practically her family now, people she had grown up with, had been killed brutally in front of her eyes.


    Edward had been the one pulling her together.


    Olivia didn''t know the details after this; she just knew they had somehow escaped from that place and had awakened their powers in the process.


    Other than the two of them, there had only been one other survivor, Ariadne.


    Afterward, they had become hunters and had built their own guilds and business empires.


    Olivia had also told Alex one of the motivations Edward had started the Campbell group had been to support his mother, Luca.


    If other big companies had used charity to hide taxes and launder money, then Campbell had been the opposite; it had existed solely to support Luca''s wish.


    Hearing about the harshness of his parents'' lives had made Alex''s eyes shimmer with tears.


    His mom had often told him the love story of her and his father, but not this part, more on how his father had built their business empire.


    "Why is mom so obsessed with helping people, Big Sis?


    Anyone I know in her position wouldn''t be like her.


    She built her own life with her own hands; no one helped her in that situation other than Dad.


    If anything, she should have hated society, letting them as kids fend for themselves.


    Some people even tried to force her to become a beggar or thief."

 Chapter 97 - 97: Lucas Wish

    "I''m also curious about it, Alex.


    You might not know this, but your mom had her own experiences with ungrateful people who bit the hand that fed them.


    In her words, she would say, ''That''s why the world never changes.


    Everyone keeps acting like that.


    It''s not that I am selfless, Olivia.


    If anything, I am selfish.


    I want to change the world to suit my own wishes; it''s just that my wish is a little different from others.


    I want a world where even orphans living on the street don''t need to face what I experienced.


    Instead, they have many ways in their path to a better life without compromising their integrity.''"


    "Why would Mom want such a world, Big Sis?"


    "She says it''s for her descendants.


    She would hate it if one day, one of her great-grandchildren faced the same problems as her."


    "How do you know all these?"


    "Uncle Silva and Aunt Ariadne told me about it," Olivia chuckled.


    "Uncle Silva was also a friend of your mom in the past."


    "Didn''t you say before that only Aunt Ariadne survived with Mom and Dad?"


    "Yes, even those from your father''s village were not spared.


    But Uncle Silva is the one that left the camp because he and his ex could not stand each other."


    "What happened with his ex then? Is she still alive?"


    "No, she was Zold''s mother.


    After leaving the camp, they somehow met again and then made up, but they were too ashamed to return to the camp after how they made a scene.


    Even after the dungeon happened, it took them a while to meet up again, and by that time, Zold''s mom was already dead."


    Olivia''s tone then turned solemn.


    "That''s why, Alex, don''t kick me out of your life again, no matter what kind of fight we have.


    We never know if it will be our last meeting."


    Alex had wanted to say something, but it got caught in his throat.


    In the end, he could only say he was sorry. Both of them then had turned silent as they had gazed at each other.


    After some time had passed, Alex had said in a low voice, "Sis, can you get up already?"


    Olivia had smiled. "Why do you feel shy?


    Didn''t you say you don''t like me anymore?"


    "It''s not that, Sis," Alex had said in a low voice.


    "What is it then?


    Can''t a big sis see her own brother''s face?"


    Alex''s lips had quivered for a moment. "I... I need to go to the bathroom, Sis. Nature calls."


    Olivia had been stupefied by his words since they had not been what she had expected.


    Then, a loud noise filled the air, making Olivia stand up and burst into laughter while Alex''s face turned red.


    He quickly left the area, saying, "Don''t talk about this."


    "Don''t worry, Alex. Farting is normal," Olivia had said with a laugh.


    Seeing Alex''s back disappear into the forest, Olivia had mumbled, "He is still like a kid, yet he tells me he will become a king that will resurrect a whole species." She had shaken her head.


    Then a question had appeared in her mind: why would Alex not panic at all when she had told him the truth about his mom?


    That was not his typical behavior, except he had known it beforehand.


    Olivia had refused to believe Alex could change just because of her speech.


    People don''t change that easily.


    Then she remembered the only time she had mumbled about this had been when she had left the forest.


    Her smile had grown wider as she had put her hand over her chest, feeling her heart beat faster and warm inside.


    "Did he send the goblin to protect me, even though I just slapped him?" Olivia had asked herself.


    Her cheeks had turned a little redder, then she had shaken her head.


    "Forget it, Olivia, it''s too late now."


    Olivia had not been completely honest with Alex, even though she had really never thought about him that way in the past.


    After his confession and his ignoring her, she started thinking of Alex as the opposite gender.


    The more she had thought about it, the more her feelings had grown.


    Despite looking more like his mother, there had still been some similarities between Alex and his father, Edward, and Olivia had looked up to Edward.


    Every time she saw Edward and Luca being lovey-dovey, she felt a little jealous, wishing she had someone to do the same.


    It was not like Olivia had liked Edward; she had seen him as a father figure, but many of his characteristics had become criteria for Olivia''s ideal man.


    That''s why she felt hurt when Alex turned his gaze away despite her confession back then.


    "If I had told him I liked him at that time, how would he have answered?"


    Her gaze had turned distant, and then she had dismissed the notion.


    "No, that would just make it harder for Alex. He has already decided to move on."


    She then sighed, deep inside wishing she could turn back time. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, deep underground in the Qi crystal mine, Mingyue''s eyes had fluttered open; she had woken up with a headache, feeling like her head had split into two.


    After some time, memories of what had happened had returned to her.


    [Queen, are you alright?]


    "I''m fine. Show me my status, Vesa."


    ____________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 7


    Progenitor Transformation: 7.35/100%


    Life Force: 500/500


    Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Late-Level


    Secret Arts: Absolute Zero Tempest Sweep


    _____________________________


    Mingyue had frowned, mumbling in annoyance.


    "I really failed back then.


    Tell me what happened, Vesa."


    Vesa had then started narrating what had happened after Mingyue had gotten hit by the backlash in her cultivation, how she had healed her soul, taken out all her life force stockpile, and then had asked Alex to help her.


    Hearing Alex help her without hesitation made her feel warm.


    ''I will need to thank him later,'' she had thought.


    She had closed her eyes and then had started looking at her body condition and the inner world; seeing no lingering wound had made her feel relieved.


    [Queen, since you returned back to the Foundation Stage, you might as well strengthen it first.]

 Chapter 98 - 98: Alexs Cultivation Method

    "I know, Vesa.


    I will strengthen my foundation, but I will need many mana crystals for it since I doubt I can use Qi energy to strengthen my internal organs.


    I will need to find something to exchange for it.


    Hmm, maybe I could catch some more spirit beasts for him."


    Mingyue then sighed. She knew this could wait for later.


    For now, she needed to recuperate and settle the anchor for the secret realm.


    Looking toward the sphere hovering in the air, Mingyue said, "Vesa, let''s start."


    Information started pouring into Mingyue''s mind, and her qi began moving toward the sphere, manipulating it based on Vesa''s instruction.


    The pattern on it started glowing, making the surrounding air vibrate.


    BOOM!


    Qi exploded outward from the sphere, filling the qi mine with its light.


    After the light subsided, what was left was a shimmering portal to the secret realm.


    Mingyue''s lips curled upward into a smile; she took out a mask and then wore it before entering the secret realm again.


    Even though everyone in the Bai Yue sect should have been loyal under the slave contract, Mingyue didn''t want them to find out her cultivation had fallen, particularly her little brother and uncle.


    A week passed, and Mingyue and Alex focused on strengthening their cultivation realm.


    Alex succeeded in making a Qi generator and sent it over to Mingyue; this drastically changed the way of life for everyone in the secret realm.


    With electricity, people who usually use torches to light the night now use LED lights.


    Hot water became available 24/7, and many old tools they had gotten used to were now thrown away, replaced by new items from Alex''s world.


    The apartment building was fixed now, with the progress almost completed; they just needed to put on the tiles and finish the walls, but the first two floors were already habitable. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some people had already moved in there, making others feel envious of them.


    The leap was so large that even though they knew about cultivation and Qi, they still felt like they were seeing magic.


    Their quality of life practically leaped from the medieval era to modern society; from being used to living in wooden huts, they could now live in a fully concrete building with proper insulation and air conditioning.


    From plank beds to real mattresses, drinkable water, which they usually put inside a big jar, could now be drunk directly from the tap.


    But this was only the start; after the first building was finished, they would continue to the next one and then start building accommodations for the sect disciples.


    From the outside, the apartment building looked like a giant, tall pagoda, but when people came inside, they felt like they were entering an entirely new world.


    Irrigation and farming also started getting automated with many new machines; this allowed them to reduce workload and send people to go mining the Qi crystals.


    With a steady Qi crystal supply, Alex started mass-producing the Storage Cube.


    After its first exhibition and demo, the product quickly became a big hit.


    Orders flooded over them like water, but Alex rejected every individual order; he only accepted big suppliers, allowing them to resell the product.


    Alex did this to allow his competitors to earn some money, too, sharing the cake.


    He didn''t want to waste time in business competitions.


    His time was better used to strengthen himself, as his main goal for now was to go to a category five dungeon.


    With all the deals, orders from associations, and some auctions, Alex earned a total of 3 billion dollars, but not all of this was received in money.


    Some were paid with high-grade mana crystals, if possible.


    As Alex spent almost everything on high-grade mana crystals, his competitors started thinking this was the main material for creating the Storage Cube.


    This made other companies buy them in bulk, too.


    With high demand, the market quickly had a shortage of high-grade mana crystals, making Alex curse in anger.


    The money he had gathered evaporated quickly; he didn''t just need to buy for his needs but also for Mingyue.


    Not counting other expenses for the guild and people at Bai Yue sect.


    After returning to the secret realm, Mingyue had some talks with Alex, telling him about her situation.


    Alex felt relieved since there were no lingering wounds on her body other than the need to recultivate.


    Alex thought it was a good idea, but he knew it would burn a huge hole in their finances.


    Luckily, he had gathered enough mana crystals to strengthen their internal organs.


    For the rest, like veins, they used Qi crystals since they were cheaper.


    With their foundation finished Alex gained even more understanding of how his cultivation method would work.


    First, it started with their bone marrow being strengthened, which improved the quality of the blood produced to a new level.


    It didn''t change much for Alex since he had already started transforming into a progenitor, but for normal humans and hunters, the effect would be very apparent.


    In theory, the blood would dramatically raise their immune system and also make it thicker.


    This meant when they were wounded, less blood would get out since it would quickly clot by itself.


    But this was not the biggest change; the new blood was capable of absorbing Mana and Qi directly.


    However, for this to work efficiently, they needed to strengthen the next organ, the lungs.


    After being produced in the bone marrow, blood would move into the veins and then pass through the lungs to acquire oxygen and release carbon dioxide.


    But with this new blood, they would also absorb any Qi and Mana the person inhaled without letting out much waste in the process.


    When the lungs were strengthened, it would boost this ability since the lungs would then be able to hold more Qi and Mana.


    From the lungs, the blood would next move toward the heart to be pumped through the body, spreading their oxygen, Qi, and Mana.


    This process allowed Qi and Mana to permeate directly with the veins and every single cell of their body, making the process of the foundation realm automated.


    Before, cultivators need to move Qi by themselves and slowly permeate it into their bodies, but now, since the energy was circulated with every breath, their cultivation would progress every time they took a breath.

 Chapter 99 - 99: A Complete Cycle

    The progress would turn even faster after they strengthened the heart, increasing the capability to a new level.


    But this method had its risks; even with mana, everything had to be done quickly.


    With Qi, it needed to be done even faster.


    Since the blood carried Qi and mana in it, as time passed, if they didn''t strengthen their whole internal organs, it would instead damage their body, rupturing their veins and creating internal bleeding that could result in death.


    After infusions with the bone marrow, lung, and heart, the next organ they needed to strengthen was the kidney.


    This would enhance the cycle even more, raising their strength to a new level.


    Since the kidney would filter through the mana and Qi, making them purer, this made Alex wonder if he could change his kidney to harness life force.


    However, Vesa dismissed the idea.


    Even though Vesa had ways to use life force to boost their cultivation, it didn''t mean Alex could derive it from Qi and Mana; it was completely different.


    And as a Vampire Progenitor, he didn''t need to bother with it since he could already absorb it at will.


    Realizing it was futile, Alex gave up the idea.


    After finishing with the kidney, he proceeded to strengthen his digestive organs and liver, then moved on to veins, flesh, and muscle.


    The last ones he enhanced were his eyes and nose.


    This enhancement took Alex and MingYue''s strength to a new level.


    If other cultivators were like turbine engines, then Alex and MingYue were jet engines.


    Not to mention those in the same realm as them; even those one major realm above them would not be their match.


    This wasn''t even counting their boost with life force, which made them completely overpowered.


    After finishing this cultivation method, the next step would be testing it on normal humans.


    Alex needed to capture a criminal to test it out, but with MingYue in the loop, she suggested testing it on people in the BaiYue sect.


    This made Alex feel worried, but MingYue said, "We are not forcing them, Alex.


    I will tell them the risks and rewards.


    For you, it may be an experiment, but for these people, it''s like a bottle of water when they are dying of thirst in the desert.


    Their whole lives, they wanted to cultivate but had no way to do it, and now here is an opportunity in their faces.


    You should remember, Alex, even for those talented like me, cultivation is filled with challenges and death.


    How many perish on the path to the peak?


    It has been so many years since cultivation existed, but how many succeed in becoming immortal?


    I estimate not more than a hundred.


    So, don''t worry about this.


    I am sure many will flock over.


    I already understand how the cultivation works, so I will just send you the report later."


    MingYue then paused for a moment and added, "Alex, I know you have your own problems, and I am not looking down on you, but your life is quite peaceful.


    You don''t face the risk of dying every day. So this makes you approach everything with a soft method.


    Alex, sometimes we need to put our hands in blood to survive.


    Don''t forget we are trying to resurrect a whole species that has been massacred.


    How many do you think we need to kill? S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Do you think every single one of them is a bad person?"


    Alex knew MingYue was right; just like the goblin camp, they had innocent kids and families.


    Every time he killed one of the goblin soldiers, even though he didn''t directly kill the kids, it was still the same.


    With the soldier dead, no one would bring food to the encampment, and with no food, the place would turn into chaos, which would end up taking the goblin kids'' lives in the end.


    But he still felt guilty about it.


    "I know, MingYue, I will face it when I go there."


    "I just hope you prepare your heart, Alex because any hesitation can be fatal for us.


    Even though we can regenerate, I am sure you know better than to underestimate our enemy."


    "Don''t worry, MingYue, I will not become a burden."


    MingYue sighed, "That is not what I mean, Alex."


    Alex then turned silent.


    He knew what MingYue really meant, but he didn''t know what to say about it.


    MingYue then added, "Firstly, Alex, you can start with the goblins in the Awe system.


    Isn''t one of your purposes in making that to test the cultivation system?


    I will also test it with Lily here, so you should do what you need to do."


    In these weeks, Alex also sent a high goblin and some goblins that could work to MingYue.


    After some consideration, MingYue made them work at her place since they were already one hundred percent loyal to Alex; it was also the same for MingYue since their souls were linked.


    If they used a normal beast bond contract, then any beast contracted to MingYue would automatically be contracted to Alex and vice versa.


    With a goblin and a high goblin under her, MingYue changed the maid working for her to one of the high goblins named Lily.


    The other goblins were then ordered by MingYue to start building on the island.


    MingYue already had some plans on what to build, but first, it would start with a mansion.


    This time, the design came to Vesa.


    There was only one high goblin under MingYue. At first, Alex wanted to send more, but she declined.


    In her opinion, this high goblin would work better under Alex since he would soon need them to fight against waves of monsters when making their way toward the category five dungeon.


    If she could go there, MingYue would help Alex by herself, but she could not, so she could only do this.


    MingYue also promised to catch more spirit beasts for Alex.


    The last one that she caught died when Alex received it, but it was not useless.

 Chapter 100 - 100: Zhang Xueqi

    Alex had spent time learning their biology and how their cultivation worked.


    He theorized that when beasts transformed into spirit beasts, it was when they succeeded in strengthening their brains and raising their intelligence to a new level.


    However, to determine how it happened, Alex needed real live specimens and Professor Faerith''s help.


    Alex then started thinking about what to do with the beast''s remains.


    He could use it to craft some armor, but it would only need the skin and bone; there was still its flesh.


    After some deliberation, he ended up cooking the snake, making it into a meal for Quartz, Olivia, and Emily.


    Alex didn''t feel worried about this since cooking spirit beasts were already normal in the Cultivation world; they were called spirit food.


    It had many benefits for those who consumed it.


    After some more talk, Alex agreed to test the cultivation method on Petricia and the other goblin.


    When everything proved safe, he would then give it to his sister and main Guild members to practice.


    As for MingYue, she would train the outer disciples, including her brother and uncle''s family, in this new system.


    As time passed, it became clear that it wasn''t just Alex''s actions that triggered a change in his world.


    MingYue also had a significant impact, though she hadn''t realized this yet.


    A day after the Xueqi family mansion was blown up to smithereens by MingYue, many cultivators from the surrounding areas came to check the explosion.


    The Xueqi family patriarch, Zhang, was staying with the Situ Clan in the central region when it all happened.


    One of the descendants of the Situ family owed him a favor, which made him believe he could ask for their support.


    However, he had overestimated the importance of this person.


    The one he had helped was a young lady named Situ CuiYing, a descendant of the Patriarch but born from a commoner, making her position in the clan precarious.


    At first, when the Xueqi family asked for a favor to help fight the Hua family, she considered it.


    After all, the strongest among them was probably only at the late Nascent Soul stage.


    She just needed permission from the Patriarch, and the personal maid and guard under her command were more than enough to take care of them.


    But the Patriarch had been busy at that time, so she had only gotten permission one day later.


    Knowing this, Zhang couldn''t do anything; he was asking for help. It was already good that Situ CuiYing didn''t renege on her promise.


    The next day, after getting permission, they wanted to return to Dai Ying City, but the portal he used was shut down.


    This had given him a bad feeling, but he had convinced himself they could hold on since there were three elders guarding the place.


    He had thought maybe they had shut it down from their side.


    Since they couldn''t use that one, they traveled again using the Situ family portal.


    This one didn''t warp directly to Dai Ying City, so it had taken them three more days to finally get back home.


    When they had returned, Zhang''s face had turned ashen; their family root, treasury, mansion, even the ancestral spirit, everything was gone. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the Xueqi family survivors saw that even the ancestor''s gravestones had been taken away, all of them boiled in rage, while Zhang felt relieved in his mind.


    He had felt lucky he had run away; otherwise, he would probably have died when they had gotten attacked.


    ''These stupid people will probably fight to the death with the invader,'' he had thought.


    After some investigation, they found many clues pointing toward the Hua family.


    The commoners they had interrogated had also admitted the same.


    Since everything had pointed toward them, they hadn''t felt the need to investigate further.


    The rest of the survivors, burning with hate, had started talking about taking revenge.


    Hearing their discussion, Situ CuiYing had sneered in disdain.


    "Are all of you blind?


    Can''t you sense the golden core qi remnants here?


    I''ve already done my part, spending time to back you up, but your favor is not enough for me to risk my life.


    If they can even send a golden core cultivator here, what do you think their real strength is?"


    "But Miss, isn''t a golden core cultivator just a normal elder in your clan?


    I believe the Patriarch should at least reach the Profound Enlightenment stage," one of them had argued.


    Another Xueqi family member nodded, "This should be a small problem for your family."


    "You guys are really naive.


    Do you think I can order them around as I wish?


    Even if I owed you my life, do you think my father would send someone to finish this?


    The Hua family used to have similar strength to your family, but now, suddenly, they have a golden core cultivator behind them.


    It''s not that simple!


    Even investigating this will cost my family resources.


    But what benefit can these provide for my family to justify the cost?"


    Situ CuiYing had then turned her gaze toward Zhang, "Uncle Zhang, in the past, I owed you a favor because you gave me the material I needed.


    I wanted to repay you for it, but you said to ask for my favor.


    But this is more than that price."


    She then took out a storage ring and threw it toward Zhang Xueqi.


    "That should be more than enough to repay my debt to you now.


    Don''t say I am someone ungrateful.


    I''ve already done my part here."


    Cui Ying had then excused herself, leaving all of them stupefied.


    This made the rest of the Xueqi family feel restless.


    They had nothing now; how could they continue to survive?


    Their enemies were not just the Hua family.


    Those people were probably already in the city, looking for an opportunity to strike if possible.


    "Patriarch, I already told you the Hua family was up to no good.


    We should have rejected their proposal.


    We closed our eyes to get elixirs for Qingying, but now, after her cultivation rose, she left us.


    Our prodigy died, and we lost everything.


    What can we do now?"

 Chapter 101 - 101: The Elders Regret

    Zhang released his qi, pressuring the elder who spoke. "Watch your mouth. Didn''t we discuss this together? Are you putting the blame on me now?"


    ''What together!? You single-handedly pushed the narrative at that time, making everyone who disagreed not dare to say it.'' He cursed in his mind but didn''t dare say it out loud.


    "What should we do now, then, Patriarch?" A young woman asked. She came from the same generation as MingYue.


    "How about this? Let''s split up," Zhang suggested, then pointed at the young woman.


    "Just like her, we also have many descendants still cultivating with other Sect.


    We should split up and lay low for now. After some time, we will gather again and rebuild the family."


    Zhang''s suggestion made the rest of the Xueqi family frown. This meant they were giving up on their family. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Patriarch, how could you say that! They desecrated our ancestors'' graves!"


    Another added, "That is true. How will other families take us seriously while we cannot even protect our ancestors'' Pride?"


    Others also voiced their opinions, none agreeing with Zhang.


    Their respect for him has dropped a lot.


    They respected the patriarch because he was the family head, not for his strength. If all of them cooperated together, Zhang would not be their match, but the thought of this never even crossed their minds because they respected the family rules.


    That is, until now.


    Desecrating their ancestor''s grave is unacceptable for them, and their patriarch, instead, nonchalantly suggests for them to escape. He is not even trying to retaliate.


    This also made them hate the Hua family to the core; they didn''t remember having a blood feud with them to the point of desecrating their ancestors'' graves.


    Even the most vile demon cultivator wouldn''t do that without a personal vendetta since there''s no upside to this. While everyone else will judge what they do.


    The only thing they could get from such action was satisfaction and to erase all proof the family ever existed.


    Even though the cultivation world is harsh, cutting someone down to the root, to the point of leaving nothing behind, is something that rarely happens.


    Zhang''s veins popped, and his tone rose, "Pride? Face? Getting revenge? What use is all that if we are wiped out then? You think dead people have any right to talk about those!!!"


    "Wiped out? You are the one who says for us to take refuge like cowards in other sects where our younger generation is.


    As long as they survive, our family will continue the line, but how could they even hold their heads high and focus on the cultivation road when their elders ran away with tails between their legs?


    This will become a heart demon for all of them! How could you, as our patriarch, not even realize that!?"


    "That is true! Doing this will kill our family for good."


    "Yeah, just like the Liu clan, now even their descendant feel shame having that surname. Some even change it."


    The rest of the family agreed with what the elders said, none of them taking Zhang''s side at this moment.


    Seeing the situation, Zhang knew he could not convince them anymore, and he didn''t plan to go on a suicide mission with them.


    For him, doing it for their own face is stupid, and what use is the family glory if they are not alive to enjoy it. But he knew he could not just outright say it. Otherwise, they would really rebel and attack him now.


    "How about this then? Let me try to convince CuiYing again. Without her help, we really don''t have any choice other than to lay low and gather enough strength."


    The elders looked at each other. They know Zhang didn''t want to take any risks. If they kept forcing it, this would instead turn into infighting.


    "Alright, Patriarch, but then can you give us the storage ring from Lady CuiYing? We need the money for capital to take revenge."


    Zhang froze at the request.


    The amount in the storage ring was enough for him to have a leisurely life for a hundred years; he didn''t want to give it to the family.


    The rest of the elders also knew the amount since the treasure that was given to CuiYing was bought with the wealth in the family treasury, but Zhang convinced them to get favor from the Situ family.


    His reasoning was, ''What use is letting the money lie around if they cannot use it for the family''s betterment, and the Situ clan is famous for always fulfilling their promise.''


    Even though they each still had some wealth, it wouldn''t be enough to do what they wanted.


    Just like CuiYing said, they need to find out who the golden cultivator behind the Hua family is, then infiltrate their city and make a plan to strike back at them.


    At the very least, desecrate their ancestors'' graves just like they did to them.


    The elders also want to buy some cultivation resources for their younger generation.


    All of the elders had already burned out all their potential; they knew they could not become stronger anymore, but if they became martyrs now, after giving resources to them, they were sure this would make every single one of their descendants wear the Xueqi name with Pride, making sure the Xueqi family continued, and hoping one day it would rise again.


    After some consideration, Zhang took out the storage ring, looked at his palm, and then asked, "Who wants to go with me then?"


    Seeing no one from the family agreed with him, Zhang sighed, then threw the storage ring toward them and quickly left the place.


    But Zhang didn''t plan to look for CuiYing; he had another place in mind, the Yang Clan.


    He also had some acquaintances there; this time, he wanted to use the favor to find someplace to hide. ''Lucikly these people forgot, we still have some connection with another family in the other region, now I should look for a formation to get here.

 Chapter 102 - 102: Situ CuiYing

    Seeing their patriarch leave made them sigh in regret.


    The elder who caught the storage ring then checked the content; at first, he smiled, but it only lasted for a moment before his face turned ugly.


    "Is something wrong, Elder?"


    The elder looked at the family, then whispered to the one who asked. The man''s face changed for a moment before returning to normal.


    He then looked at the others, "Let''s move first and find a place to rest. After CuiYing returns to the central region, the other families will start their move.


    As for the others, you guys should return to your own sect soon. As your elders, I am sorry for showing you something shameful like this."


    He then took out a few storage rings and moved some items into them. "This is nothing much, but I hope it can help you on your path of cultivation ahead. Just remember, don''t forget you are part of the Xueqi family."


    After some more talk, the group then separated, leaving only the elder behind.


    "I really regret this; we should have fought back more at that time. If only MingYue were still alive," one of the elders said.


    "I know, but what can we say? At that time, I also didn''t agree, but even Qingying approved the idea."


    "I still cannot believe Qingying did that; she was not that cold-hearted before. I wonder if this is because of the poison."


    "Well, people change," the elder''s eyes then turned cold and sharp. "Even our patriarch, that stupid bastard, he still dared to take half the contents for himself."


    "Hmph, I suggest we just go and kill him now. He really doesn''t care about the family''s future. Just how can the ancestor''s spirit agree to make him the patriarch?"


    The elder shook his head, "Probably because there are no better candidates. Even though I don''t want to admit it, his talent is still better than us, and he was not that bad before.


    Well, I can somehow empathize with his reasoning; after all, we are also all in a similar position."


    Hearing his remark, the other elder complained, "We never betray the family; don''t lump us with him."


    "That is not what I mean. We all have hit the limit of our potential, with no hope of rising to a new realm.


    This makes our self-esteem become low, and our minds turn rotten, only thinking about our own personal benefits.


    Do you forget, before this, how many politics we had in the family?


    We should have used the time and energy to care more for our younger generation.


    Even JianFeng berated us. How MingYue sent some resources back to the family, while we old fogies only think our own descendant."


    This made the rest of them silent; they realized their wrongdoing.


    "Jianfeng¡­ I hope his family survived and ran. He said his granddaughter has some potential."


    "One of us should go and distribute the rest of the resources and try to look for Jianfeng. If he survived, he should know what really happened.


    As for the rest of us¡­" The man didn''t continue the words, but his eyes turned sharp as killing intent spread around him. The rest of the elders nodded and did the same; they knew what they needed to do.


    Meanwhile, at one of the restaurants in Dai Ying City, Cui Ying was sitting in a private room sipping some tea.


    "Lady, I thought we would quickly return since we wouldn''t help the Xueqi family," one of her attendants asked.


    "A golden core cultivator suddenly intervened in a dispute between families in this rundown region that barely has any resources.


    Tell me, do you think it''s just a simple favor? Even going as far as desecrating their ancestral grave."


    "Based on the situation we know so far, the Xueqi family shouldn''t have any enemy of that caliber that hates them like this.


    Does lady mean there is something worth to get here?"


    CuiYing nodded. "You may not know this, but I remember reading in our family library a mention of the Xueqi Clan in the central region.


    That is one of the reasons I agreed to give a favor to that geezer. At their peak, Xueqi was even richer than our clan. I honestly doubt they don''t have some inheritance left behind." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But the Xueqi family never seemed to grow in strength. If they had that kind of resource, they would already dominate this eastern region."


    "It''s not that simple. Think about it like this; if our Situ clan were attacked and destroyed now, and we become the only survivors bringing the family treasure with us, will we give any clue to our enemy?"


    "Of course not, lady."


    "If I were them, I would wait for a few generations until people start forgetting about it, then I would create a new Situ family as commoners.


    After some more time, When I felt everyone already forgot about our family, I would start growing the family to become cultivators again.


    Then, I would wait until a true prodigy is born."


    "A true prodigy? Don''t they have one? But I heard she was missing now. The rumor even says she is dead."


    CuiYing chuckled. "That is because, no matter how talented she is, she is still a bud.


    Only when she shows her worth and matures can the true treasure be given to her. Otherwise, it will only bring calamity to the new family."


    "So, you think the Hua family took this treasure?"


    "Yes, otherwise they would not go this far. For now, we will find out more information first.


    If this is true, I am sure we can profit from it. After all, having a treasure but no strength to protect it is a sin."


    "Should we inform the patriarch about this, lady?"


    CuiYing''s eyes turned sharp, and with a stern voice, she said, "Not now. If my siblings find out about this, they will also intervene.


    Based on what I know, there should be some treasure of Mystic grade, at least. After we get those, those arrogant siblings of mine will need to shut their mouths."

 Chapter 103 - 103: The Rumor of Hua Family

    The attendant nodded. "You are right, Lady. If only madam could see you like this now, I am sure she would be proud of your plan."


    The attendant had followed CuiYing''s mother and helped take care of CuiYing since she was a child, so CuiYing didn''t feel worried about sharing all this information with her.


    But the mention of her mother made her heart throb with pain. Her eyes glistened for a moment before she said, "I told you don''t mention her again, that irresponsible woman."


    "But Lady, Madam is..." The attendant words cut short, feeling the glare from Cui Ying''s eyes.


    Cui Ying''s mother died a few years after having her due to complications.


    This made Cui Ying have complex feelings towards her mother; she resented being born into the Situ Clan.


    If she could choose, she would prefer to become a commoner, free from all the politics within the clan.


    And she had no choice but to get involved with it; if she didn''t strive hard to fight for cultivation resources and grow stronger, everyone would just trample over her without mercy.


    Only the strong deserve respect; that is just how it is in the world of cultivators.


    This makes some part of her despise her mother; why did she give birth to her only to let her fend for herself?


    Although her father treated her without bias, the rest of the family and siblings looked down on her.


    Seeing her attendant''s expression, Cui Ying knew she still hadn''t accepted it.


    "I know what you want to say, but you know what happened in my life all this time.


    Tell me, how can I not feel any grievance? Even though it wasn''t her choice to leave me alone, she knew the risks of marrying my father, and I am the one facing them now."


    "Lady..." The attendant''s eyes turned complicated; she knew how much Cui Ying suffered. Being the daughter of a commoner doesn''t just mean others look down on her; it also limits her talent.


    She needs to work harder than others to achieve the same results, and even when doing her best, she is barely average in the clan; there are many people with more talent than her.


    Knock, knock.


    The door pushed open. A man came in and whispered something in Cui Ying''s ear, making her lips curl into a smile.


    "I am sure of it now. Lin Hua, the prodigy of the Hua family, is quickly advancing in cultivation; she has already reached the early Nascent Soul stage.


    This is too fast; I am sure she has some method.


    Spread the rumor now, and start some investigation on the Hua family''s movements."


    After this, the Hua family started becoming famous in the eastern region. Even some in the central, northern, and western regions heard their name.


    The rumor Cui Ying spread wasn''t that they had a good treasure, but she exaggerated the story of the conflict between the Hua and Xue Qi families.


    From the Hua family patriarch wearing a green hat because Zhang slept with his wife to the Hua family giving medicine to Xue Qi''s old prodigy Qing Ying, which turned out to be a poison that killed her instantly.


    Situ CuiYing made sure the rumor was as exaggerated as possible to justify the act of desecrating an ancestral grave.


    She also put out the word that a Golden Core cultivator was responsible for it.


    This made many families and sects in the eastern region become wary of the Hua family, with some even giving them treasures to improve their relationship, just in case the Hua family retaliated against them.


    The Hua family patriarch, Feng Hua, felt both surprised and elated by the rumor; they didn''t really know who destroyed the Xue Qi family, but with many benefits coming from it, they didn''t deny it, making people think it was true.


    Feng Hua was happy with the many gifts that came; they also had much leeway in negotiations now since every family and sect tried not to make trouble with them.


    Every single dealing would be done with the thought, ''As long as we don''t make the Golden Core cultivator behind them angry, it''s alright to lose a bit.''


    But it wasn''t all good; after the rumor spread, Feng Hua started becoming suspicious of his wife, Lin Hua''s mother.


    Even though he knew his wife''s personality, with so many people believing it, he couldn''t help but think of this possibility, too, making him more paranoid than normal.


    Lin Hua''s mother was patient with all the questions at first, but as more time passed, she also became annoyed with it.


    This became a strain on their relationship.


    "You never asked me where I went before! But now you ask everything, not only that, but you even ask my attendant to make sure I am not lying! Feng, do you really believe that rumor?"


    "It''s not like that, Qiuyan, I am sorry, okay."


    "HMPH! You can just go sleep under the moon for today; I don''t want to see you now," Qiuyan said as she closed the door on FengHua''s face.


    Feng Hua couldn''t retort since he knew it was his fault.


    He sighed, then looked outside at the courtyard. Walking near a tree, he sat with his back leaning against it.


    He looked up toward the tree branches, "Hey tree, it seems today I will sleep with you again. Why do I even suspect her of cheating? Those rumors really got to my head."


    He paused for a moment, then mumbled, "But who is the Golden Core cultivator that destroyed the Xue Qi family? And who spread the rumor? I don''t get what they really want." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, at the Blue Lotus Sect, a beautiful woman was meditating in a lotus position under the moonlight; qi started to move around her, making all the leaves around her float and sway gently in the air. But it only lasted for a moment before it all dropped.


    Lin Hua opened her eyes and then stood up and bowed toward someone who had just appeared.


    "Master, you''ve come."

 Chapter 104 - 104: Blood Crystal

    A beautiful woman, who still looked to be in her mid-twenties, looked at Lin Hua with satisfaction. "Among all my disciples, you are one of the best, Lin Hua."


    She paused for a moment, then her gaze turned complicated. "But you are also the one that gives me the biggest headache. Do you know the rumor about your family?"


    After returning to the sect, Lin Hua presented her report.


    In her version, she stated she didn''t even meet MingYue in the secret realm. This made the sect leader and elders frown, as they were sure both of them had left together for the secret realm.


    However, according to LinHua''s explanation, MingYue left midway because she wanted to visit her family.


    This was strange since MingYue had never done something like that before, but they didn''t press the issue.


    They are no use finding out the truth. After all, MingYue was dead.


    They were certain of it. Just like the Xueqi family, the Blue Lotus sect also had something similar to find the life and death of their member.


    They then asked what she had obtained from the secret realm.


    LinHua told them everything except for the ancient cultivation method. She also mixed in some lies, saying she got a new bloodline from the secret realm, allowing her cultivation to progress faster and regenerate her missing hand.


    The sect leader then asked for a drop of MingYue''s blood to check it.


    In the cultivation world, they check bloodlines using a special crystal named blood crystal. This crystal looks like a raw diamond and is usually found deep underground.


    However, since the crystal doesn''t emit any qi, it''s very hard to find. It can only be found by coincidence, and even then, the amount is not much.


    With high demand and very low supply, this drives the blood crystal price very high; even a single crystal the size of a fist that the Blue Lotus sect has can cost two small, low-grade qi crystal mines.


    When blood is dripped onto the crystal, it will show some reaction, changing the crystal''s color for a moment before it turns back. The reaction will become brighter and more beautiful if the blood crystal is cut and polished.


    LinHua has the AeroEagle bloodline with a decent spiritual root.


    Usually, the reaction on the crystal will emit a green light with a silhouette of an eagle shown inside, but this time it gave a reddish-green, while the silhouette turned into a blur, the form of the eagle was changing into something else, but they couldn''t see clearly what the image was.


    Seeing the result, they excused LinHua to take a break while they discussed what bloodline this was.


    After being excused, LinHua went directly to her abode and started practicing the cultivation method diligently.


    The cultivation method she got was somewhat weird, but she believed in the method since the rest of the items she got from the secret realm didn''t have any problems. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cultivation method required LinHua to create a unique pattern above her heart using her own blood every day.


    She then needed to meditate at night, absorbing the Qi following a specific circulation in her body, which would then end at the pattern.


    It didn''t take long for the cultivation to show results for LinHua. Her cultivation soared highly, making her feel satisfied.


    ''If only the method is not this painful, it would be perfect.'' LinHua thought to herself.


    Even though the cultivation method allowed her to rise in strength and regrow her limb, every time the qi reached the pattern she made, it always gave her a soul-rending pain, like part of her existence was cut off, but afterward, she would feel a rush of ecstasy as her power grew to a whole new level.


    Back to the present, LinHua felt confused by her Master''s question, "What do you mean by that, Master?"


    "There are rumors now that your family has a golden core cultivator, but that is not the problem.


    What matters is your family attacking the Xueqi family, even destroying their ancestors'' graves. Just what problem does your family have with the Xueqi to go that far?"


    LinHua''s eyes widened in surprise. Based on what she knew, their family''s plan after what happened was to lay low and reject anything related to the incident.


    They even bribed some guards from the Xueqi family to come to the area near the secret realm and plant fake evidence. She never heard anything afterward, nor did she ask since she was sure MingYue wouldn''t survive after being thrown into the void.


    Seeing LinHua''s surprised expression, her Master knew she should have nothing to do with what happened, which could mean it was done by her family.


    "MingYue''s Master is furious with how your family attacked them; she was sure you had something to do with MingYue''s death.


    For now, don''t go out of your abode. Just focus on your cultivation."


    Linhua bowed and thanked her Master.


    Looking at her bow, their Master sighed again, "LinHua, did you really not know the cause of the conflict?"


    "I really don''t know, Master. What are people saying outside?"


    "They say your mom had an affair with the Xueqi family patriarch."


    "What? No way! I know my mom; she never met with people from the Xueqi family!" LinHua quickly retorted, her face turning ugly at the accusation.


    Her Master frowned, "Don''t talk to me like that. I am not the one spreading the rumor, LinHua.


    Just remember, if there is smoke, there is fire somewhere. The Xueqi family was destroyed overnight. Even their ancestors'' grave was destroyed, not even a bone remained, then the next day the rumor spread."


    She paused for a moment and sighed, "Forget it. Just focus on your cultivation; since you''re going to stay here for a while, I will send a commoner to be your personal maid.


    I know your personality; you don''t like crowds, so I will just send one person." She then disappeared.

 Chapter 105 - 105: Jia Nu

    Looking at the empty spot, Linhua''s gaze turned sharp, "Even now, I cannot detect Master''s presence. Don''t we just have 2 minor realm differences? Is it her bloodline ability?"


    LinHua feels confused about this, but then she links it to her unstable cultivation bases since her cultivation has risen too quickly in a short time.


    She still needs to stabilize it and master her secret technique.


    She then shook her head. What matters is finding out what really happened. But since her Master told her to stay at her abode, her options are limited.


    She can use a one-time talisman to send a message to her family, but it''s better kept for an emergency. So her other choice is to wait for the maid, then make her a messenger.


    LinHua then continued to cultivate. As the moon set and the sun rose from the west, a woman in plain clothes and appearance came bowing toward LinHua with a polite smile, "Greetings, miss, my name is JiaNu. I am here to take care of your needs."


    LinHua opened her eyes from meditation and gave a nod. "Just call me LinHua. Do you know the situation with my family?"


    "Yes, Miss LinHua, your family is growing quickly now. Despite some bad rumors, they keep expanding their business."


    "That is good news. What about the bad rumors?"


    JiaNu hesitated at LinHua''s question. Seeing this, LinHua urged her to just tell everything she knew.


    With reluctance, JiaNu replied, "The most famous one is the rumor where your mother is said to have had an affair.


    Every day, it keeps getting exaggerated. Some even say that in reality, Miss, you are the daughter of the Xueqi patriarch. That is why the Hua family go that far."


    Hearing this, LinHua''s qi started to spread, making JiaNu flinch before quickly bowing her upper body, asking for forgiveness.


    After calming down, LinHua ordered her to send some messages to her family. JiaNu nodded and left to do her task while LinHua continued practicing her secret technique.


    Time passed, and the sunset painted the sky in an orange hue. JiaNu returned, giving the response from the Hua family.


    Reading all the messages, LinHua felt relieved.


    Her father said there were no problems, and they also didn''t know who destroyed the Xueqi family. But since it brought many benefits, they decided to not clarify it. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest only detailed the benefits they got from the rumor. Inside the mail, her father also put a storage ring, inside of which were a dozen medium-grade qi crystals with a hundred low-grade qi crystals.


    This made LinHua feel elated.


    With a smile, she then said, "Good job, JiaNu... While you were there, did you find anything weird?"


    "Weird?" JiaNu put a finger on her chin.


    After some time, she replied, "I did hear it seems your parents are having some relationship problems.


    Your father, the Patriarch, seems to always sleep outside now, while your mother rarely spends time at home."


    This made LinHua frown.


    It was not the first time her mother did that, but she could count on one hand how many times that happened when she still lived there. And every time it happened, it meant they had a big fight.


    ''What makes them fight like this?'' she thought. LinHua then sought more confirmation from JiaNu.


    "I talked with some maids while waiting for the response from the Patriarch. They say they overheard one of the fights.


    It seems your parents had a fight over the rumor. The Patriarch has become paranoid about your mom. Your mom''s face also became angry when the Patriarch mentioned your birth."


    "What? Are you sure about that?"


    "Well, that is what they say."


    This made LinHua''s heart beat faster, and her hand turned into a fist. She knew her mom had a habit of becoming angry when asked something she didn''t want to say.


    ''If that is fake, why does she need to get angry like that? If it''s just my father becoming paranoid, that is not weird, but even mom...'' LinHua thought.


    She then said, "Tomorrow, you send another message to that place. While you''re at it, find more information."


    JiaNu bowed in respect, accepting the task. LinHua then returned to her practice.


    A few days passed peacefully like this. JiaNu kept going back and forth to the Hua family, looking for information that LinHua asked for.


    Every time LinHua heard the news, her emotions became more and more unstable. Based on the rumors and small clues she picked up, her mother seemed really hiding something.


    ''Did she really have an affair? Then, did my father find out and attack the Xueqi family?


    Is that why she felt reluctant when I proposed the idea to trap MingYue?'' LinHua thought to herself.


    Based on what JiaNu told her, the fight between her parents kept escalating every day.


    Just two days ago, they had another fight. Her father then left the estate and never returned till now. Even though her family kept growing in power, their relationship kept getting worse and worse.


    Seeing LinHua''s pale face, the maid asked, "Are you alright, Miss LinHua?"


    "Hmph, would you be alright if you were me? All these stupid rumors spreading around, just what are these people thinking?"


    "It''s normal, Miss. The higher you rise, the more people will gossip about your family."


    "Rise? You don''t know anything, JiaNu. Even with all the growth, if I cannot become a golden core cultivator in a year, our family is finished!"


    "A golden core cultivator? Isn''t that stronger than our sect leader?"


    LinHua sighed, "It seems you have some understanding of cultivation levels. Yes, it''s all because of my parents, well, part of it is my fault too.


    There are many reasons, but you don''t need to know the details. Basically, our family has some conflict with a clan from another region, and their leader gave us time before having a tournament between us. The winner survives; the loser dies."


    "Does that clan have a golden core cultivator?"

 Chapter 106 - 106: Cultivator, Commoner

    "Of course not. If they had one, they would have already come to massacre my family.


    The only reason they want to negotiate is because my master interjected. But they have nascent soul cultivators.


    Their strength is similar to our sect''s Blue Lotus. That is why I want to become a golden core cultivator to make sure we will survive."


    Since her cultivation base was unstable, LinHua knew she would have a hard time-fighting someone with a similar cultivation level.


    Their enemy had four people at the nascent soul, while her family only had three.


    That is why LinHua was desperate to become stronger, even going as far as trapping MingYue, taking a huge risk. If one thing went wrong, she knew it would come back to bite her, but what other option did she have?


    LinHua then excused JiaNu. Being alone, she sat in a lotus position and started stabilizing her cultivation. But LinHua could not focus at all.


    The thought kept surfacing in her mind, ''Am I really the Xueqi patriarch''s daughter? If that is true, is MingYue my cousin?


    But knowing my mother, she would never allow me to hurt someone that is my family...


    Except there is something even more important for her to hide. But how could my mother do that?''


    LinHua became restless, and her mind started cursing whoever made up the rumor.


    Real or not, it''s affecting her cultivation now. She then tried to vent by practicing some secret arts, but it was still useless.


    Knowing she could not stay calm no matter what she did, Linhua decided to call JiaNu to prepare some snacks and tea.


    Sipping the warm tea relaxed her mind, as it was not just normal tea but a special one made by her sect using a special type of lotus petal.


    Looking at JiaNu standing in front of her made LinHua feel awkward. "You should sit, too."


    "But miss, I am just a commoner."


    "Just sit, JiaNu. Being a cultivator doesn''t mean your life is better. Sometimes, I envy a life like yours."


    JiaNu reluctantly took a seat, then replied, "You are kidding, Miss LinHua. Our life as commoners has no value at all.


    Every day, we live in fear; any cultivator can wipe us all out with a flick of their finger."


    "You are exaggerating, JiaNu. As long as you live in a city under the protection of a sect or prominent family and pay your taxes, you will have a stable life.


    Even when there are conflicts between families or sects, they rarely attack the city occupied by them.


    After all, what use is taking over a dead city? They need the money that comes from it.


    You just need to work, earn your due, and keep on living. But see us, cultivators, we kill each other, even inside our own family or sect; we fight each other vying for resources.


    The moment we become useless, we will be cast aside. Tell me, do you wish to have a life like this?"


    "Our life is still in danger anytime. Even among commoners, many people sell their own families as slaves since they cannot earn enough money to live. I think it''s not that much different compared to cultivators."


    "But at least you can have friends, and not all relatives are like that. As long as you have money, you rarely have problems. But for us cultivators, money has no value.


    What matters are Qi crystals and cultivation resources, and we never have enough of them. Only when we reach the top can we stop."


    "I am sorry for asking this, Miss, but do you really have no friends?" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Friend?" LinHua let out a dry chuckle.


    "You know MingYue? Everyone knows I hate her, and she hates me too.


    But you know what? Actually, if we were not cultivators or met under different circumstances, I am sure we could become friends. Both of us try hard for our families.


    Even though I feel similar to her, we still cannot become friends. We need to fight each other to get cultivation resources.


    Every day is a tiring grind without any guarantee it will give us any results. Believe me when I say being a cultivator is not as good as most commoners think."


    JiaNu then asked, "Did you regret it, Lady LinHua?"


    "Regret what? Becoming a cultivator? No, I don''t. I just sometimes feel tired of this kind of life.


    We become cultivators seeking strength and immortality so we can do anything we want, but in the end, how many reach that level?


    The rest perish on the journey. Living hundreds to thousands of years filled with conflict, in the end, left alone and failed to achieve their dream."


    "That''s not what I meant, Lady LinHua. Do you regret not trying to become friends with Lady MingYue?"


    LinHua froze at JiaNu''s question. She had never thought about it, but then she sighed, "Does it matter? She is dead now."


    Her lips then curled into a smile.


    "If she survived, I am sure she would try her best to take revenge, making my life hell. Since I would also do the same if I were her, we are quite similar in that regard."


    "What will you do if you meet her again then?"


    "What a weird question. Don''t you know she''s dead too? Well, if we do meet again, I am sure she will try to kill me. We will then fight to the death."


    "I see, but didn''t you say you wanted to be friends with her?"


    "That is just a small thought. As cultivators, it''s just impossible. I do hear some people become friends, but that is very rare, JiaNu.


    Maybe I will find one if I ever reach a higher level of cultivation. Even for a spouse, we as cultivators will look for one that can make our bloodline stronger, not because of feelings or emotions.


    Honestly, in my opinion, cultivators are just people obsessed with power and immortality."

 Chapter 107 - 107: What will You Do?

    LinHua took another sip of tea and then excused JiaNu since she wanted to be left alone.


    After some talk with her, LinHua realized JiaNu could not understand her, even though it was interesting to know her perspective. That is not what LinHua wanted now.


    Looking toward the sky, she mumbled, "A friend, huh? What a foolish thought."


    But her ear perked up as she heard some disturbance from a distance away.


    In the sky, a streak of light was coming toward her at a fast speed.


    Linhua quickly took her sword out. Anyone who dared to attack her sect was not someone she could underestimate.


    Bam! One figure landed in front of Linhua, while the other one changed direction, seemingly in a fight with someone else. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the person who came, Linhua''s eyes widened; she recognized him as an elder from the Xueqi family.


    If she hadn''t known what had happened afterward, Linhua would have already asked him why this was not what they agreed on.


    The Elder from the Xueqi family knew he didn''t have much time.


    He pointed his sword toward Linhua, concentrating all his Qi at the tip.


    Without wasting time, he used all his strength to thrust forward while he screamed, "This is for our genius, MingYue!"


    At the side, JiaNu watched all this with cold eyes. If anyone saw her now, they would find this strange; a commoner usually would have many emotions. Either they hide in fear, run, or watch with excitement.


    But no one realized that JiaNu was watching everything from the gap in her window.


    Outside, the tip of the blade had already reached close to Linhua''s face, but she didn''t move at all. Her face was still calm because she knew she was not alone.


    Clang! A sword tore through the air; even though the sword moved with grace, the Qi contained inside it was not something a nascent soul cultivator could underestimate.


    The moment the swords clashed, it exploded, creating a shockwave that pushed the Xueqi elder back, but Linhua wasn''t moved; the shockwave turned into a normal breeze of wind when it reached her face.


    A petal of blue lotus then appeared like a whirlwind, and the sect leader of the Blue Lotus appeared in it.


    With a complicated gaze, she sighed, "I already gave you a way out; why would you choose this?"


    Cough! The Xueqi family elder threw up blood as his hand clenched over his chest, "Sect leader Qing, despite your young age, as leader of the sect, I am sure you understand my choice."


    "It doesn''t change the fact you make things hard for me," Qing replied as her long blue hair fluttered in the wind, the blue petals moved all around her, and her hourglass body walked gracefully toward the Xueqi family elder.


    Her sapphire blue eyes that adorned her beautiful face flickered for a moment before she decisively executed the final attack.


    Despite her face, which looked like a teenager filled with innocence, Qing Lian has faced many experiences in life.


    She has taken the mantle of Sect leader at a young age. Usually, someone becomes a sect leader at age 200 or more. Even though the Xueqi family patriarch is 300 years old, Qing Lian took the mantle when she was only 60.


    In Alex''s world, sixty would be treated as elderly; even with the advent of mana, this doesn''t change.


    They only become healthier and younger in appearance, but not as exaggerated as cultivators. 100, 200, 300, it''s nothing compared to their long lifespan.


    A nascent soul cultivator at the late stage can easily live for a thousand years. Even those at the foundation stage can live for one hundred to two hundred years.


    As for the commoners, they usually have a lifespan of eighty years, but it''s very rare for that to happen. Usually, they die by accident before they reach that age.


    Just like every sect, the Blue Lotus also has its own enemies and tragedies, but Linhua doesn''t know the details about it, nor does MingYue. Usually, a sect would tell their younger generation this to make sure they knew their enemy, but the Blue Lotus sect didn''t do anything like this.


    The tip of Qing Lian''s sword pierced the Xueqi elder''s heart; she then took it out and, with one motion, cut his head off.


    Blood spurted out. She then flicked her sword, cleaning it from all the blood.


    Her hand then made a motion, taking the Xueqi Elder''s body to her storage ring.


    She looked toward the distance where Linhua''s master fought against the other Xueqi Elder. Her eyes then turned toward Linhua.


    Linhua bowed, then swiftly said, "Thank you, sect leader."


    Qing Lian nodded. She then asked, "Do you know why they decided to do this, Linhua?"


    Linhua put a thought to it and then shook her head; they agreed with her proposal. For them to suddenly get emotional over MingYue''s death didn''t make sense at all; the only possibility is because of the conflict with her family.


    But if that is the reason, they would do better by attacking businesses owned by the Hua family.


    As cultivators, it''s easy for them to ambush the businesses run by commoners, which would become a big headache for her family.


    "What would you do if you were in their position then?"


    "I would lay low, then cultivate till I become stronger, then take my revenge."


    "That is not their position, Linhua. Their position is that of an Elder.


    Even though they have a respected title as Elder, in reality, they are no more than washed-up cultivators who have already reached the end of their potential.


    Now think again, what would you do in that situation?"


    Linhua turned silent; she didn''t know what to answer. The first thing that appeared in her mind was to run away, but if it were her family that died, her parents, she couldn''t just run away.


    Her heart would be filled with hate and a desire to take revenge, but without potential, what could she do?

 Chapter 108 - 108: Rumor

    "I would ambush their younger generation, then create problems for their business.


    Try to look for important information about the family, then spread it to their other enemies. If possible, I would make alliances with them too."


    "That is not a bad answer, but Linhua, you forgot something crucial.


    You still have a younger generation that is even more talented than you. That is why the Xueqi family chose to do this," Qing Lian said with a voice filled with regret.


    She then gazed toward the building where JianNu stayed, then back at LinHua, "This is all my fault. I am too greedy. Both you and MingYue are good people, and I have taken advantage of that.


    I know both of you feel indebted to your current master, and I then convinced both of you to stay in my sect despite the lack of resources. I should have let one of you go."


    She then shook her head, "Forget it, you youngsters, take care of it between yourselves; I have no right to interfere now.


    Just remember, as cultivators, we must act in a way that leaves no heart demon in our hearts. It may give us quick satisfaction or raise our strength quickly, but in the long term, it''s not worth it."


    LinHua thought QingLian was talking about her unstable cultivation level since she had raised it quickly. "But Sect Master, you know my situation."


    "I know, LinHua, but in reality, you have more choices; you just don''t want to take a step back. Sometimes, it''s better to take one step back before moving two steps forward. You should think about this."


    After that, QingLian left her alone, moving to help LinHua''s master. It didn''t take long for the fight to end since it became one-sided.


    Like the first one, the elder, before dying, made an announcement that he did it for MingYue. Even though it''s too late, it''s better than nothing.


    The last elder even used his Qi to make sure the sound was heard all over the sect and surrounding area. For him, as long as the rumor reached the younger generation of their family, losing their lives here was worth it.


    QingLian''s words struck LinHua''s heart, making her reflect on her decision. But it''s not only LinHua who heard the sect master''s words; JinaHu also heard it.


    Her eyes glistened, seeming like she was pondering something.


    At the place of conflict, QingLian looked at LinHua''s master with a questioning gaze, "Why waste time with him? Should have just finished him quickly."


    "If I am the one that kills him, you should know she will get even more mad."


    "She is not even here now." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That doesn''t change the fact if she hears about this, she will go feral. You know how she thought about this matter."


    "If only we could turn back time," QingLian said with a sigh.


    LinHua''s master shrugged, "Since the beginning, we already knew the conflict that would happen between those two, even though we never thought it would become like this. She should have prepared."


    After saying that, she left.


    QingLian sighed, feeling really guilty about what happened.


    The cultivation world is always filled with bloodshed, and she hates it. But now, she is the one responsible for making it happen in her own sect.


    Taking both of them as core disciples and making them compete with each other, she did this on purpose with the other elder.


    The battle is finished, but what happened quickly spreads even more, stirring rumors. If before, the Blue Lotus sect was only thought of as a neutral party, now some start to think they might have something to do with the Xueqi family''s demise.


    Even though anyone using their brain a little will know their reaction makes sense. The Xueqi elder forced their way to the sect, and they needed to protect their other genius, LinHua, but the populace didn''t care.


    Gossiping is more fun when there are many things to speculate about, and people start pointing out many questions to make things weirder.


    "If they only needed to protect themselves, why did they need to go as far as killing the elder? Couldn''t they just knock them down? It''s only two elders."


    "I''m sure they are going to do suicide since it''s the last resort. I understand their feeling. I would do the same if my parent''s grave got desecrated, too."


    "Even if that is true, they have more cultivators in their place and don''t forget it''s their home ground. I''m sure they had another way."


    "But why would they go that far? Different treatment in sects is normal, but this is between two prodigies, and I heard the one that died is more suitable with the Blue Lotus sect''s signature move."


    "I honestly think the Xueqi family had something precious, and the Hua family then took it over. The Blue Lotus sect somehow found out about this, then killed the elder to make sure the rumor is not spread."


    "How do you even know this?"


    "Everyone is talking about it now."


    "But doesn''t the Hua family conflict with the Xueqi start because of the wife''s affair?"


    "Who knows? Maybe both happened. It started with the affair, but they discovered something good when attacking the Xueqi family, so the conflict grew now."


    Talk like this happened everywhere, each version changing some part of it, but they all have the same conclusion; The Hua family gets something precious when attacking the Xueqi Family.


    This rumor reached Situ CuiYing''s ears, making her ears perk up.


    Other cultivators might not care much about this rumor because there is no conclusive evidence. Only desperate ones will go to baseless rumors. But she was different; she already suspected this.


    In the inn at Daiying City, Situ Cuiying hadn''t changed places; she was waiting for news from the subordinate she sent out.


    "Is the Blue Lotus sect involved?" she asked herself.


    If it''s true, it will be more complicated for Cuiying since her family has a good relationship with the Blue Lotus sect. Even though it''s not that close, they often exchange information with each other.

 Chapter 109 - 109: Schorched Dune Labyrinth

    If she creates a conflict with them, the news will quickly reach her father''s ears. She put her chin over her hand, thinking about what she could do to confirm the treasure''s existence.


    "Miss, based on the report, LinHua has a new maid. Why not try to bribe her?


    The other servants don''t have any direct contact with LinHua, so it will be hard to get any new information."


    "You are right. Check her background. If nothing is wrong, we will try to do it."


    "Background check? Is it necessary to go that far?"


    "It''s better to be safe than sorry. The timing of her entry is quite suspicious. Who knows if someone else also has a similar idea to mine."


    The maid bowed and then left to do her task.


    Meanwhile, under the scorching sun, Alex was taking a break under the shade from a cliff with Emily, Olivia, and Quartz.


    They are now in the three-star dungeon, The Scorched Dune Labyrinth. As the name suggests, the area is very hot, around 45¡ãC (113¡ãF).


    The ground beneath them is made of sand with fossil remains scattered around.


    The most unique feature of this dungeon is the terrain.


    Even though it''s like a desert, it''s cramped between many canyons, turning it into a complicated maze of death. Some canyons also have entry points to caverns, making the area even more complicated.


    This makes the dungeon very hard to clear since they need to hunt the boss in a limited time while navigating through the random labyrinth.


    "At this rate, we will never clear this dungeon, Emily."


    "That doesn''t matter. We are here looking for monsters to catch, brother."


    "Emily, it seems you forgot this is the first dungeon dive for our Suzaku guild," Quartz reminded in a stern tone.


    Olivia chuckled, "Aren''t you the one that prepared everything, Emily?"


    Emily''s cheeks turned red; she really forgot about it since she was so excited about entering this dungeon. She already imagined what she could do with the monsters she wanted to catch.


    Alex laughed, "Seems you all forgot. That''s just how Emily is. She''s always so clumsy. I still remember her asking where her phone is while holding it in her hand."


    Emily''s cheeks turned into a pout, "Hmph, look who''s talking, brother."


    Her gaze then turned to Olivia, as her lips curled into a smirk, "Since you like tattling on others so much, I could also do that, you know! I still remember mom telling you not to wet the bed when you were in high school."


    Her words left Alex stupefied.


    Quartz let out a chuckle, "Really? You still wet the bed in high school?"


    Olivia''s eyes widened in surprise, but not because of what Emily said. "You understand what that means, right?


    "Of course, that means even at that age, he still cannot control his bladder. What a kid."


    Emily nodded in agreement, "Brother really knows no shame." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry at Quartz and Emily''s remark, but he didn''t feel shy about it since, other than Quartz, everyone already knew.


    As for Olivia, she laughed at their remark but didn''t try to correct their misunderstanding.


    A thought then surfaced in her mind, and she asked Alex with a teasing tone, "Who were you dreaming at that time?"


    Alex''s cheeks turned red like a tomato; he quickly turned his gaze away and changed the topic, "Where is Zold anyway? Are you sure he will be alright?"


    His expression was answer enough for Olivia. "Why are you changing the topic?


    Well, I already got my answer," she replied with a snicker.


    "Don''t worry. Zold is the most suitable for the task, brother. Can''t you see his location?"


    Near the cliff where they were staying, Alex found an entry point toward an underground cavern. Based on the map from Vessa, there are many life forces inside.


    Alex then suggested they check on it, but Zold volunteered to check the monster type first.


    Since the area where the monster is quite deep if all of them enter, it will take a while to reach the area where the monster is.


    Zold, with his ability, can enhance his movement. Even though he cannot turn into lightning, it still allows him to move even faster than Alex; only Emily can defeat him in speed.


    However, Emily''s ability costs too much energy; if it is not an emergency, they prefer not to use it.


    Even though they have already spent days in the dungeon, they are still in the outskirts area since they reached dead ends multiple times.


    Looking at the dot that''s still moving quickly, Alex knows Zold is alright, but even after facing other dots, he just skips past them, moving deeper into the cave system.


    "He is still not stopping. If he keeps going, he will leave my detection area soon."


    "It''s alright, Alex. Your ability is convenient, but you shouldn''t depend on it too much.


    In exploration, we do this all the time without any ability to communicate. The only thing we can do is believe in our comrades.


    Let''s wait until the promised time. If he still has not returned, we will come after him."


    "Alright, if you guys say so."


    "Since we will wait here, can you tell us more about this cultivation system?" Quartz asked.


    Everyone, including Zold, has reached the foundation stage, the early phases of their cultivation, allowing them to use storage rings and some talismans from MingYue''s world.


    "Well, as I said, to put it simply, we use Qi to transform our bodies and make them stronger. For more detail, just read the book I gave you guys."


    "I have read it, but that is just a fantasy novel. Don''t tell me it''s the same as what I read.


    Do we need to sit inside a cave for thousands of years pondering the meaning of the universe? I will die from boredom if that is true.


    What pondering, does the meaning of the universe change for each person?


    Can''t you just record the answer in the book or something? Just like a textbook when we were at school."

 Chapter 110 - 110: Young Master = Guaranteed Sucesss!

    Alex chuckled, "You mean when the character ponders over the dao? Of course not, don''t worry. But you should get the gist, right?"


    "What gist? The only thing I learned from those stories is to find a young master.


    They may make your life hard or inconvenient at first, but afterward, the protagonist will always become stronger.


    If a young master cripples you, that means it''s just a matter of time until you get a cheat or find treasure to raise your cultivation.


    If a young master seeks your lover, that means you will instead meet a new one soon.


    All of the story revolves around young masters. I''m honestly sure that without young masters, all these protagonists would just become average cultivators in this story.


    Everything they achieve comes after meeting these young masters.


    If I ever enter a world like this, I will just find these young masters; the key is always to become their enemy and avoid becoming their follower since all their followers almost always end up dead or miserable."


    Alex was stupefied by Quartz''s words; he wanted to say it''s not because some stories also have the characters pass through many hardships before growing stronger, but now that he thinks of it, these hardships often come from these young masters in one way or another.


    Even finding hidden secret realms or some cultivator''s secret treasure, all starts from those. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''At this point, we might as well call it the young master system. Maybe I should write that kind of novel if I have time. It seems funny,'' he thought to himself.


    With a sigh, he then added, "That is not what I meant. But the qi and how it''s used basically transforms our existence starting from the body, then the soul, and we will get stronger then."


    "So, how do I go to the next step? We are now only at the first level. You should have the method to grow further."


    "I do, but it''s still in the experimental stage. I need to make sure there are no complications before I give it to you."


    Quartz frowned; with a stern tone, she said, "I understand the method comes from you, and you can decide how you give it to others, but Alex, don''t make the decision for me.


    Since you need to experiment with it, I volunteer. And before you tell me it''s very dangerous, believe me, I know the risk, Alex. But we need to get stronger as fast as possible so we can help your mother bring back your father."


    Alex looked at Emily and Olivia, hoping they would say something to change Quartz''s mind, but from their gaze, Alex knew they also felt the same. Alex didn''t even need to ask; he was sure Zold would think the same too.


    He has tried the cultivation method for the goblin; so far, there are no problems, and their progress is fast. The strongest among them is Patricia; she has already reached Core Formation realm.


    The other high goblins have reached the late stage of Foundation realm. As for the normal goblins, their progression is slower.


    Alex thinks this is because of the difference in their body stature; their cultivation varies between the early and mid-stage of the Foundation realm.


    Respecting their determination, Alex then started explaining how it worked, but Quartz cut him off, telling him to spare them the technical details and get to the point.


    With a sigh, Alex said, "I am trying to modify it by implementing Mana into the mix, so in the end, we can use both and also enhance our abilities with cultivation just like secret techniques."


    "Secret techniques¡­ Now that you say it, do you have one we can learn?" Olivia asked.


    As a healer, her ability for direct combat is very weak, even though she never says it; every time she fights with her comrades, she always feels like she is a burden.


    Even with all the training she does to dodge enemy attacks and escape, it''s still not enough.


    "I have a few, but if it''s suitable or not depends on what you need. I am looking for one that can control the light element for Emily to use, but MingYue told me she never heard of a cultivator using the light element."


    "Then make me one, brother, and while you are at it, I want something that can be used with a sword," Emily said with an excited voice.


    He then looked toward Quartz and Olivia, silently asking what they wanted.


    "Anything that can boost my defense is fine. You have seen I use a shield and sword, but if possible, I want to use only the shield and somehow use it as a weapon, too."


    On their way here, they fought a few monsters. The first one they met was a group of giant scorpions. Alex''s style was fighting forward with a hammer. Emily shoots using her gun from a distance while Olivia stays in the middle to heal them.


    She still needed to move and see each party''s position since, to heal, she needed to be at a close distance. As for Quartz, she usually acted as a personal meat shield for Olivia, but since they have no tank now, she acted the part. She moved forward, using her skill to taunt all the monsters while Alex attacked them.


    Zold then would follow to finish any enemy that they missed. Zold was using two daggers as his weapons, with his lightning ability; each attack paralyzed the enemy while destroying them from within, almost like a poison.


    For Zold, Alex would need a secret technique focused on assassination and lightning elements.


    As for Quartz, since she wanted defense. He is thinking of elements like earth, metal, or something similar.


    The problem is the weapon; as per his knowledge, no one uses a shield in the cultivation world. He doesn''t need to ask MingYue about this; every cultivator uses their Qi to create a defensive barrier, so there is no need for a shield.

 Chapter 111 - 111: Cactus Fiend Worm

    ''Seems there Is no other choice. I need to create my own secret technique. I also haven''t got any hammer secret techniques focused on combat.''


    Alex''s mind then started thinking about how their secret techniques work.


    Secret techniques usually consist of three things; basic movement set, breathing technique, and, importantly, Qi flow.


    The goal is to replicate Qi flow directly as they fight; as the Qi moves in a specific way, it triggers certain effects.


    Alex hasn''t been able to clearly discern how it really works, but he feels it''s like people doing a normal punch, where blood moves, supplying oxygen to the muscles, allowing them to work harder.


    Combined with the right motion and stance, it will make sure the energy produced effectively releases in the punch.


    A proper breathing technique will then help regulate the oxygen, making sure the amount is not too much or too small; this helps maintain the muscles to give the best result. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the secret technique, they just add Qi flow to it, but the problem is not like blood flow that happens automatically in the human body; Qi is a foreign object.


    Through the cultivation path, cultivators try their best to adapt their bodies, turning the Qi into a part of them.


    This means the outcome from the secret technique happens when Qi is following a certain pathway. However, the pathway is different from normal blood flow; Alex has compared and tested it, and he was sure of this result.


    ''I need to experiment more, but does this mean there are other pathways in the human body?


    Then how about awakeners and mana? Is this also related to how people become awakeners after adapting to mana?''


    Alex''s instinct told him he was going in the right direction, but his eyebrows raised into a frown when he saw what happened on the map.


    He quickly took out his Ember Shift hammer and said, "Prepare to fight."


    Everyone didn''t waste time; they already knew Alex wouldn''t joke about this. They took out their weapons.


    Elly took out two sleek handguns resembling Desert Eagle guns, while Quartz had a normal longsword with a big shield.


    The shield was almost as tall as her body; it was a big tower shield specially ordered for her use. Olivia also changed her posture, preparing to move at any time.


    Seeing Alex''s eyes focused on the cavern entrance, the rest of them also followed.


    Swosh! From inside, Zold, his hair standing up like spikes with his body crackling with electricity, jumped out. He screamed, "Run! It''s not the monster we target; it''s not worth it to face them."


    He then landed on the ground and wasted no time changing angles to escape. Alex and the others frowned, but they didn''t waste time and followed Zold. They knew there should be a reason for Zold to say that.


    As they put some distance, Alex turned his gaze to the back, curious about what kind of monster could make Zold''s face, which usually never changed, turn into that. What he saw made him not know whether he should laugh or cry.


    There were many cactus moving out from the cave, but they were not walking; they were slithering like snakes. From the tips, their maws opened into four distinct sections, each lined up with a row of razor-sharp teeth.


    _________________________________


    Cactus Fiend Worm


    Power Level: 6.0


    Lifeforce: 65/87


    Abilities:


    Regeneration: Exhibits an extraordinary ability to regenerate its body, even after sustaining severe damage or having its head cut off.


    ____________________________________________


    ''Fuck, of all enemies, it''s Cactus Fiend Worm!'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    They are quite rare enemies to meet in this dungeon, but based on the number of dots on the map, Alex knew they just disturbed their nest.


    This monster cannot be differentiated from a normal cactus except by attacking them or someone that has a similar ability like Alex''s detection of lifeforce. This made Alex realize why Zold at first moved past all the monsters and then decided to escape.


    A Cactus Fiend Worm will stay alive even after its head is cut off; the only way to kill them is by bringing them to ashes, which would waste a lot of their time.


    Alex looked forward, then back for a moment. Based on the map, there were 22 worms to fight. He wanted to catch some of them and test the ability of his current army.


    He didn''t bring them all since Alex doesn''t believe in strength in numbers; he prefers quality.


    There were three high Goblins, 1 wolf rider, 4 Goblin archers, and 6 Goblin warriors he brought with him everywhere.


    He then sent a message to Emily, ''Move first without me; I want to test my force. At that time, you guys should check out other locations so we don''t waste time.''


    ''But brother! You cannot just go alone.


    They are Cactus Fiend Worms, and we, the Suzaku guild, have rules; never leave someone alone to face the enemy! We need to set an example!'' Emily replied.


    ''I will stay with him; you guys go first,'' Olivia chimed in the discussion.


    They had tuned the frequencies on their brain implant to do group chats to make things easier for them to talk with each other.


    Zold chooses to scream before telling them how dangerous the situation is; he doesn''t know Alex can use fire since he hasn''t used it yet.


    He only knows Alex fights using a hammer, so their only choice will be using explosives when fighting against the worm. But even if he knows about this, Zold would choose the same, but with less panic since, for him, killing the worm will be inefficient.


    ''You are our party healer; what if something happened? Healers always move with the group with the most people. Same with me, a tanker; either Emily or Zold goes with him,'' Quartz replied.


    Hearing Quartz''s suggestion, Olivia cursed in her mind, but she didn''t say anything; she just wanted some time alone with Alex.

 Chapter 112 - 112: Goblin Squad

    ''Then it''s clear; I will stay. Zold will go with you guys since he is best suited for recon,'' Emily said.


    Zold agreed with the idea since it''s the most effective way. The group then split into two.


    Emily ran back towards Alex, while Alex took out his army from his awecube. "Petricia, Argath, Vexgore, subdue them!" Alex ordered.


    Light shot out from the cube. Alex had already informed them of the situation outside, so they knew what to do.


    Petricia come out, holding a greatsword in her hand, followed by two high goblins on her side.


    One wielding an axe, while the other brandished a sword and a small round shield.


    Behind them, the wolf rider, followed by the goblin army, emerged.


    Alex had modified the cube, making it large enough for this squad to reside in it. He named them the Goblin Squad.


    Petricia then activated her skill, ''Cunning Plan''. A sphere of light shot out from her to the sky, allowing her to see everything from the top.


    Zargath moved beside her, protecting her with his sword and shield, while VexGore leaped forward, leading the goblin army.


    Alex didn''t interfere in the battle; he wanted to see how Petricia would handle this. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Goblin squad was equipped with gear far superior to their old weapons, although it didn''t have any special abilities.


    Every goblin in the squad wore full combat suits with some plate armor added to it, giving it the appearance of a Kevlar set. The suit is painted in brown paint, making it easier to camouflage in the desert.


    The weapons used by the high goblins didn''t have any special abilities since Alex had spent his entire budget on high-grade mana crystals.


    However, he still provided them with decent weapons that were sharper than their old ones.


    The Goblin warriors and archers underwent the most significant changes; the warriors now wielded long swords, while the goblin archers discarded their bows for semi-automatic assault rifles with scopes, allowing them to shoot from some distance away.


    At first, Alex wanted to make them snipers, but he overestimated the goblins'' intelligence.


    Introducing concepts like gravity, wind, distance, and velocity is too complicated for them, so he settled for guns that offered a similar range to their old weapons.


    This doesn''t include the storage rings they used, which are filled with various utility items like grenades, potions, and other tools.


    Petricia began issuing orders. VexGore threw an incendiary grenade toward a worm.


    As the grenade approached, the worm instinctively shot out needles to the surrounding area, causing the grenade to explode in mid-air with a BOOM!


    The sight of the fire and the feeling of heat made the worm quickly try to retreat, but it was still recovering from the attack it had just launched.


    VexGore jumped forward towards a worm about the size of an average human adult but three times the height.


    With a SLASH! His axe cleaved it into two parts that began wriggling around.


    VexGore looked between each part, confused for a moment, but then shook his head and threw a cube towards the part with the head.


    The other goblins didn''t remain idle either.


    A Wolf Rider leaped forward to a nearby worm, throwing an incendiary grenade directly into its mouth.


    BOOM! It exploded from inside, making the worm writhe in pain as its body was engulfed in flames. The fire grew brighter and more intense, using the worm''s fat as fuel.


    The goblin warriors, with the archers behind them, moved in formation; they didn''t attack directly. The main offensive force was the archers, while the warriors'' job was to protect them.


    The goblin archers began launching a barrage of incendiary grenades toward the other worms, but it was too late; the worms came out from their daze.


    Some of them quickly leaped forward, opening their maws towards the goblin warriors.


    They began to fight back, but each slash barely damaged the worms while VexGore was busy fighting against multiple worms.


    The part he had just cleaved grew into another smaller version of a cactus fiend worm. Initially, he was surrounded by four worms, but now those four had turned into twelve.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    The goblin archers launched a barrage of shots at the worms, trying to push them back as they stepped back, putting some distance between them.


    However, the worms were faster; with a swipe of its tail, a worm launched two goblin warriors into the air. Another worm then came, trying to engulf both of them.


    In response, Petricia issued her order, and the goblins kicked at each other, launching one in one direction while the other goblin fell straight into another worm''s stomach.


    Alex frowned at the scene but still did nothing, as he had said he would let Petricia do as she wished.


    He decided only to intervene when there was no chance of winning. By this time, Emily was already standing beside Alex.


    Having spent many hours with the goblins, she had grown close to them. She also saw what happened and thought it was Alex''s order.


    "Brother, why are you so cruel to them?" she asked.


    BOOM! Boom! As Emily expected, the goblins acted like a suicide squad. They exploded a grenade toward the worm''s body; two of the worms were incinerated, causing the others to start moving away from the area, trying to escape.


    The goblin warriors then received another instruction: they put their swords back into the storage rings and took out a stick of wood. With a swift move, they quickly changed it into a torch.


    The goblin archers and wolf riders did the same.


    Maximizing the worms'' fear of fire, the goblins started moving in a way that surrounded the worms, pushing them back toward VexGore.


    Looking at the situation, Emily frowned; she still hadn''t gotten any answer from her brother, and the situation seemed to be worsening.


    Based on her knowledge, it wouldn''t take long for the worms to start shooting their thorns again into the surrounding area. If that happened, they were doomed.


    But Alex stopped her, "Don''t help them, Emily, not yet."

 Chapter 113 - 113: Unsatisfactory

    "What do you plan to do then? Let them all die?"


    "I don''t know, Emily. The one controlling the goblins now isn''t me but Petricia. We need to believe in her for now. Don''t forget, the place we will go next is a war zone."


    Emily turned silent with Alex''s reminder.


    If not, because of Mingyue''s suggestion. Alex would have the same thought as Emily; he could not stay still and let the goblins be killed.


    However, if he did that, the goblins wouldn''t grow. Only with real experience, forged by blood, could Petricia become a real commander quickly.


    In the battleground, all the worms gathered in one place.


    The goblin squad wants to throw grenades at them, but it''s a little bit too late. The worm''s body starts to tense up, and a small sharp needle starts protruding out from its skin.


    With a roar, the needle shoots at high speed.


    Velgore and the rest of the goblins try their best to protect their vital part, like eyes, but the needle still finds a way to their flesh. With how small and sharp the needle is, it easily pierces through part of its suit that is not covered by the plate.


    Stab! Stab! Pain starts spreading from the wound, followed by a sense of numbness. But Velgore, with his cultivation at the late stage of the Foundation realm, was less affected by the poison.


    He leaped upwards with all his strength and threw four incendiary grenades to the ground.


    BOOM! BOOM! Fire exploded, spreading around the area. Smoke and dust billowed up; they succeeded in dealing huge damage to the worms, but at the same time, the goblin army was hit by poison and paralyzed.


    Usually, the paralysis would last for a long time, but since every single goblin is also a cultivator, they could move their qi to flush it out, but it still took them at least thirty seconds to do this.


    This short moment, in a real fight, is fatal.


    The surviving worms, wanting to avoid the flames, forcefully made their way through the surrounding goblins.


    Faced with the choice of big flames in front or behind, they decided to move forward.


    Velgore, who had just landed, leaped forward, cleaving towards the worms that wanted to escape. He tries his best, but there are still too many worms; they attack the Goblin warrior, who is still numbed by the poison.


    Many got wounded in the process, and some almost died, but thankfully, no worm now stays at their real size, so they cannot gulp the goblin whole.


    Time passed, and the goblin started recovering. Ignoring their wounded body, they attack the worm.


    With the goblin''s recovery, the worms start panicking even more, and their movements become more predictable under Petricia''s view.


    She started giving out orders in detail, moving the goblins as if they were one entity.


    Since the worms were now in a state of chaos and panic, the goblins started throwing blast grenades.


    This made the worms become confused.


    The worms didn''t have eyes or ears; the only way they could feel their enemy was by following the vibrations on the ground. Although the blast grenade damage wasn''t too big, the vibration was enough to confuse them.


    Petricia then opened her eyes.


    At this stage, she didn''t need to give out more orders. With a big blade in her hand, she started going into the melee, followed by Zargath.


    Even though the snakes could keep regenerating, each time they split, their size became smaller.


    Vexgore used this opportunity to catch the smaller one. Some he caught into the awecube, but most were thrown into the fire.


    The battle then started turning one-sided, but the result was not satisfactory for Alex.


    Other than Zargath and Petricia, the rest of the goblin army was out of commission; 2 warriors and 2 archers died, and the rest were wounded all over their bodies, bitten by the worms.


    Each bite contained paralytic venom, which would make their recovery even slower.


    Emily looked at the fight that already had a guaranteed result with sad eyes. She was saddened by the goblins that died since she knew they had their own families, but more than that, she faced reality.


    She thought everything was guaranteed for the journey as long as they had enough force, but she underestimated the difficulty. Even facing these worms, they already had a hard time and were almost lost.


    This made her realize every monster her brother caught needed time and resources to be put into it before they became a worthy army that could cut open their enemies with ease.


    It didn''t take long for the battle to finish. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, the goblin army couldn''t even move; they all lay on the ground, trying to use their qi to suppress the poison.


    Petricia, with Zargath and Vexgore, walked toward Alex and knelt. While walking, Vexgore got help from Zargath and Petricia since he also started feeling the burn of the poison.


    Even though they all wore combat armor of decent quality, it still wasn''t good enough to survive multiple attacks by the worms.


    "King, I am sorry the result is unsatisfactory," Petricia said while the other two high goblins cast down their gaze.


    "It''s good that you realize this. Reflect on the battle and make a report to me about what you can do to make this fight better. And Petricia, why did you turn the goblins into suicide bombers?"


    "I am wrong, King. Punish me."


    "I am asking you why you made that decision, not whether you are wrong or right," Alex replied.


    He still felt confused about why she did that. If Alex were in the same position, he would order the rest of the goblins to attack the worms, freeing the others, as he himself joined the fray.


    Petricia hesitated for a moment but then answered, "Because their fate was sealed, King. I could order the rest to protect them, but it could change the situation for the worse since that would mean they would put their backs on the enemy.


    If I canceled my ability and joined the fray at that time, it would become even more dangerous since no one would be there to give commands. Zargath also needed to stay by my side to ensure my safety."

 Chapter 114 - 114: Bitter Taste

    Alex pondered Petricia''s decision. He understood that life has different values on the battlefield.


    Saying every life is equal sounds good, but when they are fighting with their lives on the line, the loss of a commander''s life could mean the entire defeat of the squad, turning the loss even bigger.


    Even if the commander is strong, there is no guarantee his life will be safe.


    For a commander to lead on the frontline is a double-edged sword since the moment he falls, the rest of the army will also lose their morale or go into a frenzy, but even going into a frenzy doesn''t mean something good, since at that time, they will become chaotic.


    "Did you feel angry I didn''t intervene to help you?"


    Patricia''s eyes widened, surprised by Alex''s question, as did the other high goblins, Zargath and Vexgore.


    "No, King! That is our mission; we already knew the risks. How could we even think of blaming you?


    Our whole existence is only to serve you. If anything, this is my fault as the commander," she said, looking at Alex with eyes filled with fanaticism.


    "Alright, you all can return for now. Take a rest, and even though the result is not satisfactory, it''s still good work. I am looking forward to your next performance, Patricia, Zargath, Vexgore."


    "Yes, KING!" They answered in unison.


    Alex then put them and the rest of the goblin squad back into the Awe Cube. He didn''t spend time counting how many Fiendworms they caught since they needed to quickly catch up with the others.


    Seeing Patricia''s expression reminded Emily of something else. She still felt sad about the goblin''s death, but weighing their own needs, Emily decided to skip the thought and change the topic.


    "Brother, do you know the goblins now worship you as their God?"


    Her question made Alex raise his eyebrow.


    After setting everything up, he never interfered with the goblins, letting the high goblins and Emily maintain it.


    So, he didn''t know that, but he didn''t really care about it. If anything, that means the goblins'' loyalty is guaranteed.


    "I don''t know, but that is not important. Just let them do what they want, Emil. Let''s go to Olivia and the others."


    Emily tilted her head, looking at him with a confused look. "Last time, you joked around in the dungeon, but now you are so serious. Are you really my brother?"


    Alex frowned. It''s not that he doesn''t want to joke, but he just doesn''t feel the mood for it.


    Deep in his heart, he treats the goblins as his people, the same as everyone in Bai Yue Sect. Every single one of their deaths makes him feel like he lost something.


    It''s hard for him to put it into words, but what is for sure is that it''s uncomfortable and not something he wants to feel again.


    "Nothing, I''m just in a bad mood now, Elly. Let''s go." He suggested.


    They then started moving toward the area they agreed to meet. Since Olivia''s group''s purpose is for recon, they moved further than Alex''s area of detection.


    On their way through the maze, Alex remembered something he wanted to ask her about but hadn''t had the chance to since she was always going together with the others. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now that there are no others, what do you think about Mom now, Emily?"


    Emily raised her eyebrow, then swiftly replied, "Of course, I''m worried about her, Alex. If only you could give the same rune you put into me to her, that would be better."


    "If I could, I would have already done it, even without her going to the frontline. But that is not what I mean, Emily.


    How she hid her ability from us. I understand her reasoning, but I have lived together with her all this time, and I don''t even realize it," Alex said with a sigh.


    He regretted it. He could use Vesa''s ability to see his mother''s status and ability, but he never did that. The thought never even passed through his mind.


    Even without looking at Alex''s expression, Emily knew why he said this.


    "Don''t blame yourself, Alex. With a past like yours, I understand why you don''t do that.


    It''s just already in your habit to not analyze people around you, despite your abilities."


    "Still¡­" Alex mumbled to himself, knowing he needed to change this habit now.


    In the past, he hated knowing how people around him often lied and had other agendas, but now the situation is different.


    He needed to get used to analyzing everything, even important people around him, so he wouldn''t get surprised like this again.


    If something happened to Luca, he knew he wouldn''t forgive himself.


    But a hand on his shoulder stopped his thoughts.


    Emily said, "What are you thinking about, brother? I heard from Aunt Olivia what she said to you.


    It seems it''s still not enough.


    Don''t think everything is your responsibility, Alex. Thinking, ''If you do this and that, things won''t become worse,'' is naive.


    The same can be said for me, Olivia, Quartz, and even Mom herself. Many things would be different if we changed how we think.


    Aren''t you the one who told me this many times over?"


    "That is different, Emily. At that time, you had already done everything you could to the point of fainting.


    But what about me? It''s only like moving my finger, but I didn''t do it."


    "How could it be different? If I spent my time practicing my ability and not going all timid, things would be better.


    Heck, I could use my ability to bring all of us to escape.


    Let''s not talk about my power; if I go as far as threatening Dad, I am sure he will relent and go with us rather than stay in the city.


    That is just self-blame, and it''s pointless, the exact same thing you say many times over," Emily paused for a moment, then let out a chuckle, "You are really my dumb brother."

 Chapter 115 - 115: Spice Water

    She found it funny how he acted just like her in things like this, and then a question surfaced in her mind about where he hadn''t acted like this in the past.


    Alex sighed, glanced over his shoulder, and then said, "You are right; what I think is useless. Let''s go."


    Alex then walked forward, moving first. Emily followed behind him.


    Seeing his broad back from behind, which looked hunched by burden, Emily thought to herself, ''Did he do that for me and Mom?


    Both of us were in a slump at that time; we even fought each other. If he also acted like us, I cannot imagine how our family would be now.''


    This made Emily realize how much of a burden her brother had carried all this time. And now he is someone burdened with resurrecting a whole species.


    God knows what kind of things he will face in the future.


    She ran forward, blocking Alex''s path, then with a smile on her face and a cheerful tone, she said, "Alex, my dear brother, as long as you never leave us, I and the rest of the Suzaku guild will always be there to help carry your burden."


    Hearing Emily''s cheerful tone, Alex felt warm in his heart. He understood Emily wanted to cheer him up.


    He smiled, then flicked her forehead, "Of course, I will make sure to work you all to the bone."


    "Ouch! That hurt, you know," Emily protested with a pout while using her hand to touch her forehead, but her lips curled into a smile.


    Alex chuckled; they then continued their journey through the maze.


    Some distance away from them, Quartz and the others were taking a break at an oasis. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this dungeon, there are a few Oasis scattered around. Hunters usually use these places to take a break.


    "We are so lucky to have found one in the area we promised to meet," Olivia said with a chuckle as she dipped her feet into the cold water.


    Even though the desert is hot, the water in the Oasis weirdly always feels cold, breaking any physics rule they know. Usually, the water temperature would be similar to the area around it.


    The water also has magical properties that make anyone drinking or touching it feel refreshed; it''s called spice water and is one of the exotic resources that can only be obtained from this dungeon.


    Usually, a single trip by a hunter squad will bring back at most 100 liters (3.3k ounces), making it a rare product. But with a storage ring, Olivia knew they had hit the jackpot since they could bring back as much as they wanted.


    "Let''s take it after Alex and Emily reach here. I don''t want to be staring at a dried-up lake," Quartz said while lazily lying on a deck chair, her hand holding a can of juice.


    Meanwhile, Zold stood up in alert, looking around the area.


    Seeing his actions, Quartz chuckled, "Don''t worry, we''ve already checked; no monsters are around here, and we won''t have to wait long anyway."


    "Aunt, based on the distance we traveled from Alex, despite the marks we left, it could still take them a while to find this place.


    And the range for our communication to work again is only ten meters; it''s better to stay alert because we never know if there are flying monsters."


    "Flying monsters? Here?


    Come on, we have checked the monster list many times; even the rarest one here cannot fly, Zold."


    "We never know, Aunt. Better safe than sorry," Zold replied in a flat tone.


    "You really need to learn how to enjoy life, Zold." She then looked at Olivia, "talk some sense into him, Chibi."


    Olivia let out a chuckle, "What sense? Zold is not wrong. We are in a dungeon; you should stay alert."


    "Hmph, you just want to make up a reason to contradict me. I should have asked Emily."


    Looking at the clear water in the Oasis, Olivia added, "Well, based on what Alex says, this place is just another world, meaning a flying creature will surely exist."


    "I still can''t believe it¡­ what he says makes sense, but if that''s true, the implications are just too big. Well, forget it; I hate thinking about complicated stuff. So, how much do you think we can get from this water alone?"


    "A 500ml (16.9oz) bottle sells for around $1,000. If we can really take all this, we can easily get tens of millions.


    That is quite a sum, but not that much. I do wonder what will happen if we dry up the entire Oasis."


    "What could happen? This place just stays like this anyway; no one has ever had a problem when they took part in it."


    "Well..." Olivia''s words were cut off, hearing familiar footsteps from behind.


    Her lips curled into a smile, and she looked at Alex and Emily, who were walking towards them. "You all right?"


    "Yes, we are fine, Aunt Olivia," Emily answered as she approached Quartz, chuckling at her nonchalance.


    Alex turned his gaze toward the Oasis and crouched down beside Olivia, "So this is the source of spice water," he mumbled.


    "Now that I remember, you always liked to drink this," Olivia said, looking at Alex.


    Alex dipped his finger in the water, then put it inside his mouth, making Olivia''s cheeks turn red, and she turned her gaze away.


    "It''s sweeter than the one I usually drink," he said. Hearing his remark, Olivia''s face turned redder, like a tomato.


    Alex was tasting the water because he wanted to ask Vesa to analyze the content. He wanted to compare it with the one he usually purchased and then find out how it''s made.


    Looking at the clear water made Alex curious.


    Logically, a place with an exotic resource like this would have monsters guarding it, but this one Is different.


    Not to mention Guardian, even a fish cannot be found inside it.


    He felt the urge to jump down and check what was causing the water to change like this, but knowing they didn''t have much time to waste, he stopped thinking about it.

 Chapter 116 - 116: Weird Oasis

    Turning his gaze, he realized Olivia''s face was red, "Are you alright, sis? Why are you like that?"


    "I am fine, don''t worry. Should we go now?" Olivia answered quickly as she stood up and put her shoes back on.


    Alex nodded. He felt something weird about Olivia''s reaction, but since no one else had said anything, he decided to ignore it. Looking back at the lake, Alex took out an empty Awecube.


    He pointed it at the oasis. A big suction came from it, taking in all the water. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest watched the spectacle as the water volume started dipping bit by bit. When it reached halfway, Alex decided to stop.


    He had gathered enough for his personal use and to sell.


    Even though the water bottles fetched a good price, they weren''t entirely profitable; he still needed to filter through them and then put them in a good package.


    Something Alex didn''t want to do since the item was just a one-time thing, except he had a way to get a steady supply.


    His other choice was to sell it to the Association or other businesses for a cheaper price.


    This drastically cut the profit, not to mention he couldn''t just sell it in bulk to the market; it would destroy the price and, at the same time, raise people''s suspicions.


    How could they get that much in one dungeon dive?


    After finishing, Alex and the others just wanted to leave the area when a bubbling sound could be heard, prompting them to turn their attention back.


    To their surprise, the water''s surface started rising again at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.


    This made them look at each other, silently asking if any of them had any idea. But none of them had ever read something like this.


    ''Vesa, is there nothing strange?'' Alex asked inside his mind.


    [King, based on analysis, the water is the same as the one you used to consume, with only some differences in purity. But I can confirm now there are unique microorganisms that gather mana from the surroundings and change the water molecule, giving you the magical sensation.]


    [I am amazed, King, even though you just feel refreshed, in reality, the waterworks are almost like life force energy, but at a very minuscule rate.]


    ''That means this water should be able to raise someone''s life force?''


    [No, King, it cannot raise someone''s life force. It''s only recovering it. If your sister drinks a massive amount of this water, she will be able to recover her life energy completely.]


    ''How much is massive?''


    Alex felt interested in the idea because this meant he could recover Emily''s life force to normal.


    Not only that, the water is like life force in a bottle, meaning he could always bring it with him anywhere, in case he needed life force.


    [Your sister will need to drink a few billion liters to recover her energy fully.]


    ''A few billion liters? Are you kidding, Vesa?''


    [I am not kidding, King. The quality is very bad, and that won''t even have any use for you, King. But this is already a big achievement, replicating how life force energy works.]


    Alex''s mind churned; since the cause of this was the unique microorganisms, he wondered if he could just gather and farm them to create water with a higher concentration rate. He then asked Vesa about this.


    [It won''t have any use, King. Every bottle of water already contains many of them, and based on the result, it cannot rise more in concentration.


    Otherwise, you could just put a bottle around and let it age to raise the concentration since this effect is a byproduct of the microorganisms.]


    Seeing his brother deep in thought, Emily let out a small chuckle, "Why are you wasting time daydreaming like that, brother? Try to absorb more water so we can see whether it will recover or not?"


    Hearing Emily''s remark, Alex then realized the important part is not how the water gives its effect but how the oasis can suddenly recover its reservoir.


    Alex then started absorbing the water again into his Awecube.


    As the water was absorbed again, this time Alex tried to absorb more. After it reached 75% of the reservoir, Alex stopped again.


    Olivia and the others then looked at the lake with interest, and they were also curious about whether it would recover again or not.


    One second, two seconds, one minute, five minutes, nothing happened.


    "Is it just a coincidence?" Alex mumbled.


    "Maybe there''s an aquifer directly underneath this oasis, Alex, and the first time you take out many waters at once, it triggered something that allowed more water to pour into the oasis reservoir," Olivia suggested while she put her finger on her chin.


    Alex thought what Olivia said made sense. Just when he wanted to reply, Emily asked, "What is an aquifer?"


    "An aquifer is an underground water reservoir, Emily. It can be naturally made when there are underground caverns or some empty space made from material where water cannot pass through."


    "I see, so it''s the one people try to access when we build water wells," Emily mumbled.


    "Who cares about that? Since the water is not recovering anymore, we should go now," Quartz suggested, reminding everyone that they have limited time.


    "I agree with Aunt Quartz," Zold added.


    Alex looked at the oasis one more time with a frown; he felt like he was missing something, but since there were no other clues, he then agreed with the others.


    The group then turned their backs again toward the oasis. After they took a few steps, blup blup blup¡­ the water level in the oasis started rising again.


    Hearing the sound, all of them turned back again. After the water in the reservoir recovered, Alex tried taking it again into his Awecube; this time, he took 90% of the water.


    They then waited five minutes to see whether the oasis water would recover or not, but as they expected, the water didn''t rise at all.


    But when they started walking away again, the water started bubbling up, filling the reservoir again back to full.


    "Every time we walk 20 steps away from the reservoir, the water returns back up.


    Why not try walking backward as we watch the water? I wonder if it will recover or not?" Emily asked.

 Chapter 117 - 117: The Cause

    Alex agreed with Emily''s idea; he absorbed the same amount of water, and then they started walking back while their eyes were locked on the oasis. It looks like the popular dance move, the moonwalk.


    One step, two steps, after twenty steps away, the water still had not recovered. They then tried to move way further, but no change.


    This made everyone frown; they looked at each other, and then, with a nod, everyone turned their gaze away.


    At that exact time, the water started filling up again. Everyone was sure this was not a coincidence.


    ''Vesa, did you not detect any energy?''


    [I can only detect mana, qi, and life force, for now, King. I will need to get information on other types of energy and a sample of it first.]


    [Otherwise, I cannot detect the energy spectrum.]


    "Energy spectrum? What is that, Vesa?"


    [It''s like an ID card for energy, or if I compared it to a concept in the King''s world, every object has its own unique vibration and frequency.]


    [For energy, the old progenitors named it Spectrum, but it''s basically the same. Each energy moves like a wave, vibrating on its own unique frequency and pattern.]


    [For example, Lifeforce vibrates at a high frequency while Qi and mana both are at a lower frequency with similar spectrums, making them interchangeable with some minor differences.]


    ''What tool can you use to calculate this frequency, Vesa?''


    [In the past, we vampires used a special tool named ARS, Aetheric Resonance Spectrum, and the frequency is called an Au Arcanum unit.]


    [Life force will have around 20,000 AU, while Qi and Mana should be around 1,000 and 800 at best."]


    The concept intrigued Alex; he wondered if the larger the value, the stronger the energy was.


    What is the difference between each metric, and what kind of characteristics do they have?


    How does the ARS work, and can he make one himself?


    Alex wanted to ask Vesa about this when Quartz''s remark interrupted him.


    "Let''s just go. I feel this oasis is somehow alive and can see us; it gives me the creeps."


    Hearing this, Olivia let out a chuckle, "Aren''t you our tanker? How can you get scared by something like this? Who knows if we can find something good if we can find out what the cause is."


    "Good? And what if it''s something bad?


    You chibi should also know that every time a new weird phenomenon is found in the dungeon, it always comes with some caveat first, some of which could even take our lives."


    "I agree with Aunt Quartz; we came here with a specific purpose: to finish the dungeon. If we want to check on this, it''s better to wait until we at least open the portal."


    Emily didn''t say anything since she felt both of them had good points, but she agreed more with what Zold said. The monster she wanted to find is considered rare in this dungeon and usually moves alone. She wanted to get it no matter what.


    As for Alex, he didn''t reply to them.


    He walked back to the oasis and scrutinized everything under the clear water. He could see it''s filled with rocks and a few types of plants.


    He dipped his finger again, ''It tastes exactly the same,'' he thought to himself.


    He then pointed the awe cube toward it, absorbing the spice water. This time, he did it all the way till only the rocks and plants remained, turning the oasis into a dry lake. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex wanted to find out where the water was coming from. If what Olivia said was true, he should be able to discern where the water came from.


    Olivia and the rest followed, standing beside him. Even though Quartz and Zold didn''t agree with this, deep down, they still felt curious about the cause of this.


    The water kept dropping at a fast rate while their eyes were looking for anything suspicious.


    Everything looked just like how they saw it from the surface, but when the water dropped past the 90% level, they saw some of the rock colors had changed.


    If before it was black with green moss on it, now some turned into pale white, just like the color of clean bone, and one of them was particularly peculiar: it was round with a sharp tip on it, making it look like a horn.


    "Alex, did you see that thing before?" Olivia asked with a frown since she was sure it wasn''t there.


    When dipping her feet in the water, she had observed the surface, looking for anything interesting, but other than beautiful aquascapes filled with many plants, there was nothing else.


    If the horn had existed before, there was no way she could have missed it.


    Alex shook his head, "No, I don''t." While in his mind, he asked Vesa if it detected any life force signature coming from it since he didn''t see one on the map, but his instinct told him it was alive.


    ["I don''t detect anything, King."]


    "Aunt Oli, I''m sure it wasn''t there before. When the water dipped, I was looking at that area; the horn just appeared out of nowhere," Emily chimed in.


    "What Emily said is right. I also saw it. Whatever caused the water to rise should be related to it one way or another," Quartz said, followed by a nod from Zold.


    Alex then took a small rock from the ground, and with a swift motion, he threw it toward the horn.


    But when the rock got close, barely an inch away from the horn, it hit an invisible barrier and then got knocked out in another direction.


    But only Alex realized this; the others only saw it like the rock hit the horn and then deflected somewhere else.


    Alex frowned, then turned his back and said, "Let''s go."


    Seeing Alex move away from the location, the others looked at each other, confused; they didn''t understand why he suddenly decided to leave. All of them thought he would jump into the oasis and check the horn.

 Chapter 118 - 118: Loch Ness !?

    After they moved some distance away from the area, the water started bubbling up again.


    Alex stopped in his steps. "The heck!" he mumbled.


    He said this in a low voice, but it didn''t escape the ears of Emily and the others.


    Olivia moved closer to ask what Alex meant, but their eyes also widened in surprise.


    Alex''s hand was now holding a phone, showing what happened in the lake; they could see what they thought was a horn, but it was not really a horn.


    The skin peeled off like a banana; inside it, there was something that looked like flesh, and from the tip of it, water was pouring out, the same water that filled the oasis.


    When the water started drowning the weird horn, it started turning translucent, making it hidden from normal eyes. The scene was just so bizarre.


    "What the hell is that, brother? It reminds me of something I don''t want to remember," Emily said. The scene resembled something she had learned in biology class, and it wasn''t pretty.


    Olivia, on the other hand, had a different take on the matter.


    "Alex, even though it cannot be seen now, it should still be there inside the water. Whatever is inside that bone-like skin seems squishy.


    If you want to check, try attacking it.


    At worst, it will just be destroyed. If it''s really some kind of monster, it will at least suffer fatal damage."


    Alex thought about it, then realized what Olivia said was true. He was also curious about what kind of creature it was and how it didn''t show any life force energy at all.


    Alex took out his Embershift hammer, grasping over it. Using his qi, he made the hammerhead turn red, like molten steel.


    With a swift motion, Alex jumped, then spun his body, throwing the hammer toward the weird horn.


    Swoosh... Splash!!!


    The hammer pierced through the air, then hit the water''s surface, which was still rising. The moment it contacted the water, a sizzling sound could be heard as part of the water started evaporating.


    The water''s body dampened the hammer''s momentum, but it still kept moving at high speed. Bang! The moment it hit that area, the hammer crashed into an invisible barrier.


    As the hammer was bonded with Alex, he could feel it meet resistance. Alex then poured more Qi into the hammer.


    This was only possible because of their bond, and the hammer was not too far away from Alex. Flames ignited from the hammer, creating propulsion and pushing it forward even more.


    A spiderweb of cracks started appearing on the barrier.


    Crack, crack, crack. Prang! Like glass, it shattered into many pieces. The hammer hit the flesh inside the horn.


    "RRRAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!" A harrowing scream filled with pain reverberated in the air.


    The whole area started to vibrate as if something big was trying to come out from deep within the ground.


    Alex used his qi to pull the hammer back to his hand. The group then moved away from the oasis back to the desert labyrinth.


    As they did so, the whole area was rumbling, the valley crumbled down, and dust billowed up.


    The water in the lake shot upward like being shot with a cannon, exploding in the air, turning into a downpour of rain in the area. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s face turned grimmer as a new dot appeared in the oasis, and its life force was unlike anything Alex had ever seen before.


    Based on it alone, Alex predicted it was far stronger than him.


    If they compare it to MingYue''s world, then this one should be as strong as a Golden Core cultivator, Feng Xue, in her prime. When the dust and rubble settled on the ground, the whole area became a big opening.


    From it, a huge silhouette could be seen, showing only half its body with a long neck protruding out from it.


    The body and neck alone were 30ft in length (around 9m).


    The creature''s head looked like a serpent, its skin brown, almost the same color as the sand in the desert.


    If not for its form and eyes, Alex would think it was just a statue in the desert or even miss it completely.


    The horn Alex and others had seen before was nestled on its forehead. It was now completely closed again by the bone-like skin.


    But with one look, Alex knew it was wounded since the horn was deformed.


    The creature''s eyes were round and luminous, a sparkling pale amber in color. They locked onto Alex, flickering with murderous rage.


    The creature roared once more, and mana started pouring out from its body. The surrounding sand around the monster started moving.


    Looking at it, Alex cursed, "Fuck, a Loch Ness monster in the desert! Why has no one ever reported this before?"


    "You and your curiosity!" Quartz protested, then added, "Now what? Run or fight?"


    The sand around the creature already rose up like a huge wave of water in the ocean. It had already grown as tall as the monster.


    Alex knew there was no way they could run from it. His eyes looked around the area, then he quickly ordered, "Come here."


    His quick steps took them right behind a tall valley.


    With Alex''s order, they huddled together, with Quartz pointing her shield upward at an angle toward the cliff while the others prepared themselves to face it. Alex pointed his hammer toward the sand tsunami that grew even bigger.


    Even though the cliff was tall, it was still nothing compared to the tsunami. It was like an adult looking down at a child.


    Swoosh!!!! Crack! Bam!


    The sand tsunami crashed toward the cliff and got close to them. At that moment, Alex used the secret technique '' flame thrower'', which shoots flames through the sand.


    He concentrated his qi but didn''t have enough time to pour lifeforce into it.


    The flame shot from his hammer toward the sand monstrosity, but it was like shooting water into sand; it had no use, barely slowing it down.

 Chapter 119 - 119: Buried

    The sand tsunami buried them all with its huge force. If someone saw the area from a sky view now, they could see part of the labyrinth had turned into a desert.


    The creature looked where Alex and the group stood before, feeling satisfied with the result, but its eyes still flickered with anger.


    Its head dived down again into the desert, creating a vibration in the area.


    Then, from the desert, a huge tail came out, swiping to the place where Alex was located before. Bang! It hit so hard that it cleaved the desert area into two, creating a deep chasm.


    The tail then disappeared again, while part of its head came out once more, the pale amber eyes glistening with satisfaction as they saw the deep chasm. It then disappeared back into the desert, restoring the area to its previous calm.


    Deep underground, Alex felt pain all over his body, but this was not his concern now.


    He was worried about Quartz and Olivia.


    Emily still had his rune, so he knew she was safe. His eyes slowly opened, surveying the area around him.


    He remembered when the sand hit, they all huddled together, feeling something heavy pushing against them. Quartz did her best to protect them under her shield, but she wasn''t strong enough in the end.


    The sand tsunami pressed down, engulfing them all while the sand scraped through their skin.


    The experience was intensely painful, like millions of tiny daggers scrubbing over his skin.


    Thankfully, they were prepared, so the moment Quartz could no longer hold on, they took out gas masks to protect their eyes and lungs from the painful experience.


    This lasted for a few moments before calm finally returned. But just when Alex wanted to start crawling his way out of the sand, a strong force hit him from above, pushing them all deeper underground.


    The force was so powerful that it pushed the sand along with them.


    When he got pushed down, Alex felt relieved by the sand since it helped dampen the impact, but he still cursed it for being very painful.


    The next thing he knew, he was free-falling into another space underground. And this time, somehow, Alex hit the jackpot.


    Despite the massive amount of sand pouring down on him, he fell face-first into solid ground, turning him into a pancake. If not for his absurd regeneration as a progenitor, he would have been dead for sure.


    Alex stood up, looking around the area.


    He found himself standing inside some ancient building with a style he had never seen before. It was a square building made from some kind of crystal.


    The crystal was cut like bricks and then glued with some material he had never seen.


    The building''s roof was half flat and half slanted. Alex quickly thought the design was chosen to allow easy removal of sand gathered on the roof, while the other half was flat since they had a need to go up to the rooftop for a specific purpose.


    His gaze then moved under the building, seeing many sands on the ground.


    Looking up, he could see the ceiling where he came from still pouring sand over the area.


    He knew he needed to find a way to plug the hole; otherwise, they would get buried by the sand, and at the rate it was pouring, it would still take a while until they didn''t have space to breathe.


    Alex took out his hammer and many lumps of metal.


    Like playing baseball, Alex used the hammer to hit the lump of metal through the crack. With his abilities, each throw accurately hit the target area.


    If not, because of the situation, he would already scream "HomeRun!" every time he hit the iron while laughing.


    Then, with calculated precision, Alex used his flamethrower ability, melting the metal completely and sealing the crack.


    With the biggest problem dealt with, Alex turned his gaze to the area that was buried by the sand. Alex chose to plug the hole first since he could already see the life force of his group from Vesa''s map.


    He then sent out Petricia and Zargath.


    The trio started using a shovel and digging through the sand.


    The first one found was Olivia; her situation was not that bad. As a healer, she could recover her body while it was being wounded, allowing her to survive almost unscathed.


    The next one was Emily, who also had the healing rune from Alex, so there were no problems with her.


    The last ones were Quartz and Zold. They took the most damage since they had no healing ability. Both of them were unconscious when they were rescued.


    Zold''s limb was mangled in a weird way, while all the bones in his body were broken.


    Quartz was worse; the hand that held her shield was squashed like a pancake all the way to her elbow. Their skin was scraped to the point many parts of their flesh were exposed.


    The only silver lining Alex could find was that they were still alive.


    They then took a break in the place where Alex fell.


    Since the others could not see well in the dark, Alex took out a portable light, put it on the flat area of the ceiling, and then made two camps, putting Quartz and Zold inside.


    While Olivia was busy healing them, Alex took a break with Emily. At the same time, he ordered Petricia and Zargath to clean up the sand from the area.


    "I never heard any report of an ancient city found in a dungeon; I wonder what kind of species lived here before."


    Alex raised his eyebrow, hearing Emily''s comment. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He thought she would complain and be saddened by Quartz and Zold''s situation, but instead, she tried to change the topic and look at their situation.


    "It seems living as a hunter has its own merits," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    He wasn''t that worried about Quartz and Zold; with Olivia''s healing ability, he knew they would return to peak condition in no time.

 Chapter 120 - 120: Crystal Ruin

    Hearing his remark, Emily was confused at first, but she quickly realized what Alex meant.


    Her eyes turned solemn, looking at the crystalline building around them.


    "What kind of missions do you think I undertook as a Hunter?


    Even though Mom made it so I cannot take any dangerous missions, it doesn''t mean it''s all easy, brother. Not only have I seen many atrocities, but some of my colleagues also died in front of me."


    Alex patted her head. "It''s been hard on you, Emily."


    Emily shook her head. "It''s not. Whatever father faces now is worse than this.


    Aunt Olivia, Aunt Quartz, and even Zold face worse things than me. What I do is nothing much."


    "Don''t sell yourself short, Emily. It''s still great progress from that timid girl who cried all the time to an experienced, seasoned hunter like you," Alex said with a chuckle.


    Then, another voice reached their ears, making them turn their heads over their shoulders.


    "Both of you are still as close as ever," Olivia said with a smile.


    "How are they, Aunt?"


    "They are alright now, but we need to rest for at least a while before they can move again."


    "That''s good then. In that time, we can explore the ruin. Maybe we will find some clues about the truth of the dungeon."


    Olivia looked around the area, and a small part of it was already cleared of sand by Petricia''s diligent work.


    "What truth? At this point, it''s already confirmed, Alex. Just look at all this structure. I am one hundred percent sure this is just another planet."


    Alex nodded. "That part is already confirmed, but we still don''t know how the dungeon came into being.


    Just think about this, big sis. How far is this planet from ours, and how many light-years? But somehow, with the dungeon, we can travel to here in a flash.


    Just what kind of technology is this?


    If we really have this, why not use it for our benefit, for example, teleporting directly to the red zone or even those new black zones that are filled with mystery."


    Olivia thought about it. The Hunter''s Association put a lot of effort and sacrifice into fighting back against the invaders.


    With how long the dungeon has existed now, she wouldn''t believe the Association has no idea how the dungeon works. They just hide this from the public to avoid chaos.


    "That just means this portal was created outside of their means, Alex. If they could control it, they would just create it somewhere far from civilization."


    "I don''t think it''s that simple, Sis. There is another possibility. After all, The hunter association was only created after things became worse.


    Who''s to say this portal isn''t an experiment from another nation?


    They choose to do it in another country out of political interest in case something goes wrong. Others will pay for their fault; if it''s a success, they will just pack up and leave.


    But something happened, and then things grew out of their control.


    Without any choice, they then decided to create the hunter association to wipe their own ass and bail."


    After the incident, many country leaders resigned, and some were even decimated to oblivion; they say it''s to take responsibility, but in Alex''s mind, they are just escaping from responsibility.


    When the Hunter Association was formed, every country lost its right to own military force; everything was now controlled by the Association.


    "That''s also possible, but does that matter, Alex?"


    "For you, it might not, Sis, but for me, it does," Alex said with a somber tone.


    With the burden on his shoulders, he knew he would get involved with whatever his planet was facing now, red zones, dark zones. He will need to get to the bottom of it. There are no other ways around this.


    Although, if worse comes to worse, he could send his loved one to Mingyue''s world, it still won''t work for him.


    Hearing his words, Olivia felt a hurt in her heart. She moved closer to Alex and then knocked him on the head.


    "What even does that word mean? It matters for you, but not for me?" Olivia said with a stern tone.


    Alex didn''t understand why Olivia did that, but he didn''t ask her out loud because he could see she was hurting.


    He thought carefully, choosing what words to say next since he didn''t want to hurt her further.


    Alex then looked at Emily, silently asking for her help. But Emily''s lips curled into a smirk.


    He knew she wouldn''t help him.


    Seeing Alex still silent, Olivia asked again, "Why silent? Explain to me what that means?"


    "Well¡­ that is¡­" Alex struggled to choose the right words, but suddenly, the building they were staying at started to glow in a dim blue color, surprising everyone.


    They quickly turned alert, looking at the area, while Alex looked down at the glowing building.


    Even though the map doesn''t show any other monsters in the area, Alex still felt wary.


    Who knows if another monster has the same skill as the desert Loch Ness they just faced.


    Alex then put his hand on the surface. Before, it felt smooth and cold, but now it felt warm to the touch. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After some time passed and nothing more changed, he than said, "I think we can drop our guard now. It''s probably just the crystal''s unique attribute."


    Emily let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God. I don''t want to meet something like that monster again."


    "I will check on the others to make sure they are alright."


    Olivia said while moving toward the camp, but not before leaving another remark. "We are not done, Alex!"


    This made Emily let out a chuckle. "Bro, you are really dumb! Or Dense! Or dumb! Well, it doesn''t matter. Both still mean you are ignorant!"


    "And you are a traitor. Why are you not even helping me?"


    "Because that is not for me to intervene. It''s between you and Aunt Olivia."

 Chapter 121 - 121: Do You Like Him?

    Alex felt annoyed with Emily''s answer.


    He knew she wouldn''t tell him, so he decided to forget about it for now. He then turned his focus back toward the crystal on the house, wondering what made the crystal react like this.


    After some consideration, he decided to go to another building to experiment. "You should wait here with Olivia, just in case she needs your help."


    Emily nodded. She didn''t feel worried since the area near them had already been checked by Petricia and Zargath.


    She then turned her gaze to the scenery. "What a big city. If every building can glow like this, it will make a beautiful view."


    Emily could see whoever designed the city did it with aesthetics in mind, despite everything being in square form.


    Some buildings were taller than others; the highest building she saw reached around 59 feet (18 meters).


    If every building glowed, she felt it would turn into a beautiful pattern of lights, not to mention if it could glow in different colors.


    Her lips then curled upward into a beautiful smile.


    There''s one thing Emily keeps in her heart every time she comes to a dungeon; she enjoys the scenery. She didn''t tell anyone because she knew they were on a mission risking their life, not on a sightseeing tour, but she just couldn''t help it.


    She loved finding new places like this. For Emily, it just reminded her how vast the world was, with many things waiting for her to discover.


    Each place, told many stories, a story waiting for someone to discover it.


    "People risk their lives for the exotic resources in dungeons, and to make sure there are no dungeon breaks, but honestly, for me, even without those, I wouldn''t mind risking my life just to see this," Emily mumbled in a somber tone.


    Just looking at the area, Emily could already imagine the city thriving, with the door and some furniture she had seen; she was sure the species living here was also humanoid.


    With how intact the building was, Emily suspected the building was abandoned. She then planned to go around, looking at the area to find more clues about what happened.


    Emily then took a step, walking back to the camp.


    "Aunt Olivia, do you need any help?" she asked while looking at Quartz and Zold, who were still unconscious.


    "No, both of them are fine. Where is that stupid brother of yours?"


    "Ah, he ran away, saying he wanted to check something about the crystal."


    Olivia clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Just you wait, Alex!" she mumbled.


    Seeing Olivia''s expression, Emily let out a small chuckle, "Why are you like this, Aunt Olivia? Do you like my brother?"


    Although she asked this, she was sure Olivia had feelings for her brother; otherwise, she wouldn''t react like this.


    This made her feel confused, what happened between them made Olivia fall for Alex, but Emily didn''t want to pry into his relationship.


    It''s not that she wasn''t curious, but she knew if she did that, Alex would do the same to her personal life.


    Alex was always a vengeful person, and in Emily''s opinion, he was petty too; no matter how small the grievance, he always returned it.


    Hearing her question, Olivia''s cheeks turned a shade of red. "What... What are you talking about, Emily? I''m just angry with his remark!


    I told you, I just gave him a whole speech on taking risks alone, but now he says something similar again!


    How could he think it will only be his problem?"


    Since Olivia denied it, Emily didn''t press her for an answer.


    "I''m not taking my brother''s side here, Aunt Emily, but if people could change with only one speech, the world would be a better place now."


    Olivia knew what Emily said was right. ''Am I too hasty?'' she asked herself. But every time she saw Alex, she couldn''t help feeling annoyed with him.


    Deep inside, she felt wronged, even though it didn''t make sense; she couldn''t help to feel like that.


    ''You are the one saying you like me, even though I rejected you. How can you just forget all those feelings, that Fast! Am I now the only one¡­'' Olivia then let out a helpless sigh.


    "Aunt, I want to look around the area. Will you be alright?"


    "I am fine, just don''t go too far, so you can come back in case something happens," Olivia replied without looking at Emily, her mind still busy thinking of her own feelings.


    Emily then moved, wanting to leave the camp, but Olivia''s voice reached her ear, making her stop.


    "I always forget to tell you this, but Emily, just call me ''sis'' like your brother does. It''s just weird you call me ''aunt,'' while he calls me ''sis.''"


    Emily didn''t mind the request, so she agreed to it and then left the camp. Her first destination was the building she was standing on.


    She looked around the crystal rooftop and then found a trap door on the slanted area of the roof.


    There was also another door at the front, but Emily was interested in finding a way to open the trap door. The reason she found this is because she knocked around the area and heard this one was hollow.


    ''Since this is just a normal home, it should be easy to open for them.'' S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily then tried randomly pressing the area around the trap door. Her lips curled into a smile when her hand found something.


    The place didn''t look different from the eyes, but when Emily''s finger reached it, it passed through like there was nothing blocking her hand.


    Feeling around the area, Emily found something like a knob; she pushed it down, then a click sound could be heard.


    The trap door then pushed forward, becoming slightly raised. With a simple push, the trap door opened, showing a staircase down to the house.


    What she saw amazed her; not only was the knob not hard to press, but even when the trap door opened, there was no dust at all.


    Going inside the house, Emily found everything was clean; there was a table, a chair, and some cupboards.


    ''Other than the material, it''s not that much different from the furniture that I usually use.''

 Chapter 122 - 122: Testing Out The Crystal

    She then started looking around the place.


    Meanwhile, Alex was inside another house, not far from the place where they made a camp.


    Petricia was following beside him. If Emily was learning what kind of civilization lived here before, Alex was busy tinkering with the crystal.


    He used his hammer to break one of the chairs apart, and then from the pieces of it, he started experimenting.


    The first thing he did was think about what kind of stimulus was created when they came to the building.


    ''When I first arrived, I fell in the building. Is it because of that? The crystal absorbs kinetic energy?'' But Alex quickly shook his head; this didn''t make sense.


    If this is true, doesn''t that mean those living here would need to hit the house every day to make it glow?


    Based on Alex''s observation, the crystal would give out enough light, not too bright that it hurt normal people''s eyes, nor it too little that makes everything dark.


    Since he doesn''t know what kind of species lived here, Alex used humans as a comparison.


    Same with Emily, he also concluded the species living here was humanoid, and Alex also thought it was possible they were the same species as him, a human.


    The crystal should have some function for temperature regulation since it felt warm to his touch. This means whoever lived with her in the past will want to activate the crystal regularly.


    Knock! Knock! Despite what he was thinking, Alex still decided to test the idea; after all, it''s better just to make sure of it.


    He banged the crystal toward the wall.


    Alex even tried to punch it and grip it strongly in his hand, but nothing changed.


    The next thing he tried was the material from the tent; he tried to put some contact with the crystal for some time, but it also did not give any reaction.


    ''The only thing left now is light, and Olivia''s abilities.''


    He turned on the flashlight from his phone and then shot it toward the crystal. One minute, two minutes, five minutes¡ªnothing happened.


    "It seems my only choice now is going back to Big Sis and asking her to cast some healing into the crystal," Alex mumbled.


    "Do you need me to bring Mistress here, King?"


    "Mistress??? You mean Olivia?" Alex asked, feeling confused by her remark.


    "Well, she is not the queen, but she is one of the King''s women, so I thought it''s appropriate to call her mistress based on your culture."


    Alex''s mouth opened wide, and he froze upon hearing Petricia''s remark. If he were drinking water now, he would have spat it all over Petricia''s pretty face.


    Seeing Alex''s confused expression, Petricia asked, "Did I do something wrong, King?"


    "NO! No, that is not what I meant. How could you even think Olivia is my woman? That is wrong, Petricia."


    "But King, based on your last interaction and how she was looking at you, I am sure she likes you. If it''s in our goblin culture, that would mean she is your woman now."


    "What? Liking someone means you become his woman automatically?"


    "It''s not because of the liking, King, but any woman that a goblin lord finds appealing will automatically become his woman, as long as they are not married. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But I took that conclusion not just because of my culture. I have watched some movies to learn more about the King''s culture. I learned if people like each other they will then become a couple."


    Alex didn''t know whether to laugh or cry; he felt his sister had some bad influence on the goblin. He didn''t need to ask to know where Petricia got that kind of love movie.


    "You are not wrong; she does like me, but it''s not that kind of like, Petricia.


    She is just thinking of me as a brother; it''s what we call familial love. Don''t you have that too?"


    "Yes, we have that, King, but doesn''t familial love only come from those we are related to by blood?"


    "There is a saying in my people, ''blood is thicker than water,'' it''s not wrong, but that doesn''t mean only those related by blood to us can become our family.


    For her and me, everyone in the Suzaku guild is our family, so it''s not like what you think, Petricia. Don''t you call her that again, just call her lady."


    A bad feeling then came to his mind, making him ask, "Did you call her my mistress in front of other people?"


    Petricia shook her head, "No, King, only a few people like, for example, Lady Emily, Lady Quartz, and Lady Olivia."


    "You what?"


    "Yes, sometimes Lady Emily brings Lady Quartz and Olivia with her when she comes to our village."


    ''The heck, she never told me this!'' Alex cursed in his mind but then remembered not finding anything weird in their interaction.


    There was some awkwardness between him and Olivia, but Alex thought it was just because of their last interaction.


    "How did they react when you first called her that?" Alex asked, feeling curious.


    "Nothing, Lady Emily laughed it off, Lady Quartz didn''t seem to hear it since she was busy training some of the child goblins how to use a sword."


    "Nothing? Did Olivia not hear what you said?"


    "No, I am sure she heard what I said since I was addressing her at that time, but other than turning silent for a moment the first time, she said nothing afterward."


    This made Alex feel puzzled, "Forget it; next time just call her Lady like the others, it will be a problem if the Queen hears about it."


    "Alright, King, I will do that. Do you have any further orders?"


    "How was your investigation?"


    When Alex was testing the crystal, Petricia was snooping around the area, looking for anything interesting.


    Petricia then took out multiple items from her storage ring and laid them on the desk. There were some dinner utensils colored in green.

 Chapter 123 - 123: What Make The Crystal React

    When Alex touched them, the material felt like wood. He tried to scrape part of it and found out that it wasn''t colored; the wood''s natural color was green.


    He then turned his gaze toward another object, a tablet that was made with the same green wood material. But this one was carved with many symbols.


    ''Vesa, do you recognize these words?''


    [Let me analyze this first, King. It will take a while.]


    ''Sure.''


    He then continued to another object; the next one was made from a similar material to the crystal, but this one was carved like a lens and put in some frame, allowing people to hold the object on the left and right.


    With its size, it looked like a wok, but Alex doubted its use was for cooking.


    The next object was also made with the same crystal, but this one is unique. It''s diamond-shaped, with a unique pattern carved in the middle of it.


    The diamond-shaped crystal was polished, making it look beautiful, just like jewelry.


    "How could they engrave this symbol in the middle of the crystal?" Alex wondered since he could not find any cuts around the crystal; it''s not as if it''s glued together.


    He then realized there were a few crystals like this one, each in a similar shape, the only difference being the symbol inside it.


    Alex put all this into his storage ring; for now, he needed to find out first what made the crystal react. "Petricia, continue to look for something unique. Take anything that has a weird symbol on it."


    "Yes, King."


    Alex then told her to search only the houses around their camp. Patricia and Zargath had cleaned this area from all the sand, scooping it out into their storage ring.


    Alex doesn''t want them to go too far to make sure their safety. The city was vast, and Alex didn''t believe they were the only ones staying there.


    He then left the area, returning back to the camp.


    When he returned, he saw Olivia in a daze, looking toward the scenery.


    An idea then came to his mind. He walked stealthily, getting close to Olivia, then with one motion, he touched her shoulder and screamed, "BOOOO!" Making Olivia jump on her feet, "KYAAA!"


    Alex laughed from his stomach; he always knew Olivia was someone who gets surprised easily. Looking at Alex''s gloating face made Olivia pout, "ALEX!!"


    "Sorry... Sorry, big sis, I just couldn''t help it."


    "Hmph! First, you run away from me, and now you return only to scare me; you are really annoying!"


    Alex let out another chuckle; deep inside, he found it funny how veteran hunters like Olivia, who were fighting in the frontline, still easily cared like this, but he didn''t say this out loud. Instead, he changed the topic, "How are Aunt Quartz and Zold?"


    "They are fine. They should awaken soon," Olivia said while still putting her hand over her chest, trying to calm her heart down.


    She then gestured for him to sit next to her.


    "You tell me you are a progenitor, someone who must resurrect a whole species, but here you are, acting like a child."


    Sitting at her side, Alex replied, "That is that, this is this. It''s a different matter."


    "So why are you back here already?"


    Olivia felt confused since she thought Alex wouldn''t return for a while and that she would need to look for him after either Quartz or Zold woke up.


    "I''m looking for you, Sis," Alex replied.


    Olivia felt happy hearing what Alex said; she thought Alex was looking for her to say sorry since he understood her feelings.


    "So why are you looking for me?"


    Alex then took out the crystal from his storage ring to show it to Olivia, "I''m trying to find a way to make the crystal active.


    After testing some of my peculiarities, the only one left is trying to use your abilities to make it react. Can you help me, Sis?"


    Olivia was stupefied by what Alex said since it was not what she expected.


    "Did I say something wrong, Sis?" Alex asked, feeling confused by Olivia''s reaction.


    Olivia''s cheeks puffed out, turning into a pout. She then took the crystal from Alex''s hand.


    A golden light started coming out from her palm, engulfing the crystal. The light spread its warm glow, giving a feeling of calm to anyone seeing it but not Olivia.


    A few minutes passed, but the crystal didn''t show any reaction. This confused Alex since he had already tried every possibility he could think of.


    "I doubt any longer will be useful," Olivia said in a flat tone, then gave the crystal back to Alex and stood up, "Since you''re already here, keep watch on Quartz and Zold, I want to get some fresh air."


    She then left before Alex could say anything.


    "Big sis, you leave too quickly; I just wanted to tell her, how could she get fresh air deep underground?" Alex said with a chuckle, and then a realization came to him, "Wait, this place is deep underground. Why is the air so fresh, then? It''s just like I''m on a mountain."


    He then looked upward to the hole he plugged in, "It''s even better than the air in the desert."


    Alex then remembered how he got squashed into a pancake when he fell into this building. "Now that I think about it, does it have something to do with blood?"


    He then took out a needle, made a prick on his finger, and let the blood drip toward the crystal, then put it on the table.


    After some minutes passed, Alex''s lips curled into a smile; the crystal started to react, glowing just like the crystal on the building.


    "So, this crystal somehow reacts to my blood. I need to test whether it reacts only to mine or to any blood. Vesa, what do you think?" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [King, I think you should test the spice water on the crystal.]

 Chapter 124 - 124: The Symbol

    [The material used for the crystal should be easily accessible in this area; otherwise, they wouldn''t use it for all their construction.]


    [But I doubt they use blood. Currently, King''s blood has a high concentration of Life Force energy, so a single drop is enough, but for normal beings, their concentration will be far lower, so if they really use blood to activate this many items daily, it will require much blood killing many of them, or they need to capture other sentient being for this.]."


    Alex realized Vesa was correct, based on everything he had seen so far; the people here seemed to be a tribe that liked to live peacefully; he hadn''t seen anything that looked like a weapon.


    He then took out a bottle of the spice water and started dripping it into another shard of crystal. To his surprise, the crystal reacted just the same as when he dripped his blood on it.


    "Since spice water has a similar effect to Life Force, this means I should be able to activate the crystal by pouring Life Force energy into it." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then tested it on the crystal; he started pouring a bit of Life Force into it, getting a similar effect just like using spice water.


    He then started experimenting with the amount. The result was astonishing for him.


    Once energy is poured, the crystal will be turned on for a while, just like a phone that needs a charge. He also found out the crystal seems to have an effect on filtering the air surrounding, explaining the reason why the air is so fresh.


    Looking at the many crystals around him, Alex started laughing. He began feeling greedy, wanting to bring all the crystals back with him.


    Even without further analysis, this crystal is the best material to build a house.


    This can also help improve AweCube, increasing efficiency many times since he doesn''t need to worry about producing high-quality air for the inhabitants. Using this crystal as part of the construction material will be more than enough.


    Of course, Alex won''t use it like the habitant here, building houses completely from the crystal since no matter how many crystals he can get here, it''s still only a limited amount. If he doesn''t use it sparingly, it will quickly run out.


    However, the one that excited Alex the most was how the crystal reacts to life force energy.


    He cannot wait to return home and start experimenting with it, wondering if he can use this to create a special weapon and armor for a vampire progenitor-like him.


    "Vesa, did the old progenitor have his own weapon?"


    [Of course, he did, King, but the old progenitor only treated those as toys since he hadn''t found any material strong enough to be used by a progenitor.]


    [For example, this crystal, in the past, there are also similar materials in Eldonia.]


    [We named it Bloodstone; creating a weapon with it will greatly enhance combat ability for a Vampire, but for a progenitor, it''s still too weak.]


    [The material cannot hold the power of the progenitor and is easily destroyed after one use, even when he barely uses ten percent of his power.]


    This confirmation is enough for Alex. What he wanted to know is whether the vampire race in the past used weapons that could maximize life force energy, and the answer is yes.


    Even though it''s not good enough for the old progenitor, for him and Minyue, weapons made with material like this will boost their combat power to a new level.


    Rather than using life force in a burst, they will be able to use the weapon to help regulate the use directly in combat. This will also help them learn how to manipulate life force energy.


    Alex then remembered he had another type of crystal, the one with a symbol in the middle of it.


    "Now I wonder if the symbol is something similar to a rune or formation, changing the effect of the crystal."


    He then took out all the crystals with the symbol he got onto the table.


    The first one has a symbol like water but with a trident surrounding it.


    After the last experiments, he found out that, weirdly, spice water has better efficiency in activating these crystals, even better than his own life force.


    "This spiced water comes from that desert loch ness; I wonder if these crystals also come from that monster."


    Alex then started thinking about a way to capture that monster, but he quickly shook his head. It''s too dangerous for him to do this now; he needs to at least wait until he gets stronger first.


    The risk and reward now is just not worth it.


    Alex then started testing it; he poured the spice water into an empty bowl. Next, he put the crystal with the symbol into it.


    Swosh...


    The moment he does that, the crystal starts glowing a brilliant green, and a cold aura spreads outward, creating a frosty mist around the crystal.


    Alex can see that the water in the bowl, instead of getting frozen, starts reducing in volume quickly. It doesn''t take long for the water to completely dry up. At this point, the crystal still emanates the cold aura, but the glow turns dimmer.


    "Maybe they use this to keep their food fresh. If I put this in a closed container, it should work like a fridge," Alex mumbled to himself.


    He then tested the other crystal. One of the crystals with a symbol that looks similar to the sun can create light around it.


    This confused Alex at first since normal crystals are also able to do that. Why is there a need to make a unique one just for this purpose?


    After testing with the amount of water he put in, Alex then found out the reason. The crystal''s brightness and color change depending on the quantity and purity of the spice water.


    The more pure the crystal will glow white; the less pure the crystal''s color will grow dark. As for the real use of it, Alex speculates they probably use it as a toy for the kids.

 Chapter 125 - 125: The Tablet

    The next one he tested is the reverse of the first one; it emanates heat just like charcoal.


    After testing all the crystals, Alex is both intrigued and disappointed by the result. He was intrigued because he had never seen something like this before but disappointed because every single crystal seemed to be a common household item.


    "The civilization here seems to grow using crystals to fulfill all their needs, just like mine using mana and Minyue''s world using Qi."


    Thinking about the civilization reminded Alex of the tablet. "Vesa, how is that analysis?"


    [I tried to analyze it, King, but the words are not too clear, and the translation result is also weird.]


    "Weird, how?"


    [I think it''s because of mistranslation.]


    Vesa then showed the translated message, "For the citizens of the El-Kulan tribe, this is Chief Altair speaking.


    Please evacuate to the designated area because we will have a baby raining down upon us soon, which will threaten our existence and give us a lot of enjoyment. You all know the liquid they excrete is very useful for us but also very dangerous."


    Alex burst out laughing; he was sure in no way this was correct, either as Vesa said it was a mistranslation or the content was a fictional story.


    "Try to translate it again, Vesa."


    [I will need more samples to improve this translation, King.]


    "Let''s wait till we get more samples then. Anyway, where is Emily? I thought she was staying with big sis."


    [She should be under you now, King, inside the house.]


    Alex then left the camp and jumped down to the house entrance.


    Since they are still in the same building, he doesn''t feel worried about leaving Quartz and Zold alone. Opening the door, he found Emily was absorbed in her own task as she was sitting near the table while playing with a similar crystal that Alex had found before. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To Alex''s surprise, the crystal was activated. It showed a projection of a screen that reacted when Emily touched it. It''s just like a hologram game.


    This made Alex feel interested; after some observation, he realized it''s a game similar to Tetris, ''so it''s possible to create something like this, but the game doesn''t seem that complex; it doesn''t even have a score.'' Alex thought.


    The hologram showed many shapes and colors that Emily needed to move while it kept dropping from above, but the form was not square. Rather, it''s in diamond form.


    Alex saw Emily fail multiple times, making him chuckle. Hearing the voice made Emily stop playing.


    "Bro, can''t you say something if you are here? Don''t tell me you plan to jump at me like usual?" Emily said with a frown.


    Alex raised both hands, "I am innocent. I have no plan to do it."


    Emily squinted her eyes, "Don''t tell me you just did that to big sis Olivia."


    Alex coughed, hearing her remark, then walked closer to Emily''s side. With a closer look, Alex realized the crystal was socketed into the table. "How did you activate this?"


    "I knew it. You did it to her. I am sure she is annoyed at you now," Emily said with a chuckle while her finger moved toward the crystal. She then pressed it gently, making the hologram disappear.


    "Hmm, so that is how you do it."


    Alex started tinkering with the button, turning the game on and off, then pried open the crystal, checking the pattern inside it.


    The pattern is larger than the one he found; on this one, it spread to the entire crystal.


    Seeing his expression, Emily knew he would ask how she found it, so she said, "I found the crystal in the cupboard, and then I remembered seeing a similar socket that fits the shape. So I tried it."


    Alex then started looking at the table, ''Does this table have some reservoir of spice water?''


    He asked himself, the more he learned, the more he felt interested in the civilization; with how the table worked, Alex started to wonder if the city had a huge reservoir of spice water that sent it to all the houses.


    It would work similarly to an electricity company in his world. Since spice water equals electricity in this place.


    "Bro, did you find anything about the species that lived here? Everything here is still intact and maintained. I wonder where they all went."


    "I did find something, but I am sure it''s wrong."


    Alex then told her the translation of Vesa, making Emily laugh. "A baby from the sky, I am sure the translation is wrong."


    "Or it''s just fiction, who knows, but there are only two possibilities here. Something killed all the citizens in one day, or they all left in a hurry because a disaster struck them?"


    Emily thought about it for a moment and then said, "I don''t think it''s a disaster. Look, if they really ran in a hurry, some of the furniture should be in a mess, but everything here is tidied up."


    "So you are saying something killed all of them at the same time without allowing them a chance to fight back."


    "Yes, but this is only an observation from this house. We need to check other places to be sure." Emily suggested.


    Alex tapped his finger on the table, "If a monster is the cause of this, then it should have a similar size to us or smaller; a big monster would cause many destructions.


    Another possibility is a pandemic that hit everyone. Whatever that is, it seems better for us to quickly leave this place."


    "Oh, I thought you would feel curious and want to investigate this city''s ruins."


    "I do, but that is just secondary; our main goal is to look for a way to get out from this place after Aunt Quartz and Zold wake up.


    We need to be careful, though; if the association knows that desert lochness exists here, I am sure they will raise the dungeon to category four. Who knows what kind of strong monster is still hidden here."

 Chapter 126 - 126: Olivia?

    "If you think like that, then bro, it''s better you find big sis Olivia now, than we will just stay here for now till they wake up."


    "Just call her to return. She is still in our comm range," Alex replied while he started sending orders for Patricia and Zargath to return.


    "No, bro, you should really look for her; it won''t do us good if both of you have a fight here."


    "Why would we fight? Is she really that mad because I surprised her before?" Alex mumbled to himself.


    "Just go, believe me."


    "Fine," Alex replied while he gestured with his finger, putting the table into his storage ring.


    The moment he did that, he could see something similar to a pipe poured out from the floor.


    SPLASH!!! Water shoots out from it, spraying into his face, making Emily laugh till her stomach hurts. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex, drenched wet by the water, moved, pushing through the water pressure, then closed it with his hand.


    "Damn, why do they use so much pressure for the liquid? But this confirms my suspicion: the city does have an underground network of spice water."


    This made Alex''s face turn ugly since this meant the pipe would be connected to one of the oasis.


    If they follow it, they can escape this ruin, but it also means they will encounter the desert lochness. Even though they are not aggressive monsters, if they hit bad luck and meet the same one, that means they are screwed.


    Alex still remembers the glare from that monster looking at him; the creature hates him to the core.


    ''Seems the horn is either their weakness or something important to them; that''s why the creature is so angry after I burned it to a crisp,'' Alex then remembered the creature pouring the water out from its horn, making him wonder if it works similarly to a whale.


    If it''s true, then maybe spice water doesn''t come from the desert lochness but somewhere else deep underground.


    This idea made him feel fascinated; a big aquifer deep underground with its own ecosystem, under a desert. But his train of thought quickly broke when Emily called him.


    "Why are you still dazing like that, bro? Go now."


    Alex nodded; he then sealed the pipe using metal and left the area. He already knew Olivia''s location from the map Vesa showed.


    It didn''t take him long to see Olivia walking near the building.


    "Big sis, let''s go back. Emily and I just talked about¡­" Alex stopped his words since he felt something different with Olivia''s presence.


    Olivia turned her gaze at Alex, then started walking seductively toward Alex. Olivia then tiptoed, putting her hand on Alex''s neck, "Alex, do you want me?" Olivia asked with a seductive tone.


    This made Alex frown, "Sis, are you taking the wrong medicine? Why are you acting like this?"


    Olivia let out a soft chuckle, "Alex, what are you saying? I am a healer; why would I need medicine? And don''t call me sis. Just call me by my name, Olivia.


    I don''t believe you don''t have any feelings for me at all now, Alex. In the past, you have peeked at my body; don''t you want to check it again now?"


    Hearing Olivia''s seductive tone made Alex tempted for a moment, but he quickly cleared his mind; there was something wrong with her.


    ''Vesa, is this Olivia real?''


    [Yes, she is real, King, but it seems something is mixed in her life force.]


    ''A parasite? Vesa, can you remove it?''


    [I can only intervene if you make a connection with her physically, more than a touch, since I need to control your life force energy to enter her body.]


    This made Alex''s brain churn, thinking of an idea to do this, but Olivia didn''t give him time to think. Since Alex didn''t react, Olivia suddenly pushed Alex to the ground.


    She then put her face closer toward Alex.


    Alex quickly knew what Olivia wanted to do. Seeing her rosy lips getting closer made Alex''s heart beat faster.


    As a normal man, of course, he was interested in beautiful women, but that doesn''t mean he was thinking with his lower body.


    It''s just a kiss, but the effect could be big, even without considering their relationship.


    Since whatever infected Olivia wanted to kiss him, there is a possibility it could infect or attack him the moment it happens.


    At that time, Alex would be pushed to fight back at her; he wanted to avoid this at all costs since he didn''t want to hurt her.


    In a quick motion, Olivia pushed her head forward, trying to kiss him, but Alex dodged; looking at her fair neck, Alex knew this was his chance.


    ''Screw it, I will ask for forgiveness later,'' he thought to himself.


    Alex then bit onto her neck; he couldn''t help but taste her blood in the process.


    He doesn''t remember how Emily tastes since he was in a berserk state at that time, but now he can taste it clearly. It''s mildly sweet, like honey.


    Vesa then started injecting a thread of Alex''s life force into Olivia''s body. It moved like a tendril spreading all over, looking for its target.


    At that moment, Olivia screamed in pain. From her parted lips, something jumped out, but Alex''s reflex was faster, catching the creature in his hand.


    It tried to squirm to escape, but it was pointless. Alex then pulled the creature in front of his eyes.


    He hadn''t released the bite since Vesa was still doing some work, making sure there were no lingering injuries inside Olivia''s body.


    Meanwhile, Olivia''s face turned red, not just because of their position but because she could feel something warm moving all around her veins and body. Each place it passed, Olivia felt that part was more refreshed.


    Looking at the creature in his hand, Alex''s eyes turned sharp. It was something outside of his expectations; the parasite looked like a worm, but it was not made from flesh and skin; instead, it was completely made of bone.


    ''An undead parasite???'' he asked himself. He had never seen this before, not even in any novel he had read.

 Chapter 127 - 127: Olivias Feeling

    With a closer look, Alex could see in the worm''s bone head there were a few small tendrils made from bone that moved all around like octopus tentacles. Alex thought the parasite used this to control the target victim.


    Alex then put the creature inside his storage ring to study later. Since it''s undead, he didn''t need to worry about it surviving in the void.


    "A¡­ Alex, can you release me already?"


    ''Vesa, have you finished?''


    [Give me twenty more seconds, King.]


    Alex didn''t reply to Olivia since he was still biting at her neck; instead, he raised his finger in front of her eyes and made a gesture of no.


    Seeing his answer, Olivia''s face turned even redder like a tomato. She could guess what Alex was doing, but she couldn''t help her own feelings.


    Even though her body was controlled, Olivia could see and feel everything that had happened.


    If not because of the situation, she would want to find a hole and hide herself inside it. Olivia let out a sigh and then closed her eyes.


    Feeling Alex''s warm body pressing against her made her heart beat loudly like a drum. Without realizing it, Olivia raised her hand, hugging Alex''s body tightly, surprising Alex.


    ''Even though I know it''s because of the parasite, seeing him evade my kiss really hurts,'' Olivia thought to herself.


    Olivia then realizes she cannot keep everything bottled up like this; otherwise, she will explode at some point, and the situation now is perfect since Alex cannot reply.


    "Alex, there is something I want you to know," Olivia said with a muffled soft voice.


    "I¡­ I¡­ like you." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s mind froze the moment he heard her confession; it was something he never expected to happen.


    "I do know you don''t have the same feeling anymore. Now you like that woman, MingYue, but I cannot just bottle all of this up; it makes me crazy, Alex."


    She paused for a moment, then continued, "You don''t have to feel burdened with my confession. I just want to get it out of my chest. I will be grateful if you act like this never happened."


    Olivia''s eyes start glistening with tears.


    "Alex, when you avoid me like a plague, I start to realize how important your presence is in my life.


    Our constant chat every night, talking about novels or your favorite game, I miss all of it.


    When I feel like this, I try to read some of the novels you like, but I cannot enjoy them at all; every moment reminds me of you. After some time passed, I knew I needed you in my life, Alex.


    As your sister, friend, or girlfriend, it doesn''t matter. If keeping you in my life requires me to see you in a romantic way, then so be it."


    Olivia''s voice cracked, "Last time I lied, Alex, I have tried thinking of you in that way, and I started to fall for you. But the more this happens, the more I don''t know how to face you. I keep pushing it back, thinking I need to find them first.


    I know the risks, Alex, I know how dangerous going to that place is, and I am prepared to do it all the way, even if that costs my life.


    Dead or alive, I need to see them. Otherwise, I will never be able to keep on with my life."


    Olivia then let out a sigh, "But even with that determination and putting in all my effort, there is no progress at all.


    I am frustrated; it feels like everything that can go wrong went wrong. It''s like being stuck in a never-ending cycle of hope and despair. It''s exhausting, Alex.


    But then Emily contacted us, telling us she had a way to reach that place and how she wanted to revive the guild.


    You don''t know how much that news gave hope to me, Alex. And when I knew you were the one behind it¡­"


    Olivia''s voice trailed off since she could feel Alex pull out his teeth from her neck. He then gazed at her golden eyes while his lips started opening, wanting to say something to Olivia, but Olivia stopped him.


    She moved her finger, closing his lips.


    "The moment I knew it was you, I just knew it would all be alright, and that is when I realized I like you. I feel safe and secure only when you are around.


    Many people look down on you, comparing you with your father, while you are lazing around at home. Your father did many great things, but I know you are not like that, Alex.


    I know if you put your heart into something, then you will achieve it no matter what.


    So, I convinced Quartz to come back with me. But then, when I finally met you again, you dropped a bomb on me; you don''t like me anymore, and you have someone else. It''s painful, Alex¡­


    Actually, I don''t want to tell you this; I am afraid it will put some distance in our relationship again, but I cannot bottle it up anymore; it makes me crazy."


    Olivia then took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and her hand wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. "There, I said it. I feel better now."


    She then took a few steps back from Alex, "I will return to the camp first. You should follow after you change your clothes. I don''t even know how you drenched yourself with spice water."


    Her gaze then turned sincere, as her lips curled into a sad smile, "And Alex, please act like you never heard this, okay? Take it as my selfish request.


    I don''t want another variable in our relationship for now. Let''s continue like always. Will be the big sister, and you are my brother. "


    She then quickly left the area, leaving Alex standing there stupefied.


    Five minutes passed by, and Alex was still standing in a daze. Olivia''s confession was just too much for him to take in. He didn''t know what to do now.

 Chapter 128 - 128: Moved Away

    The word ''for now'' is still clear in his mind, which means Olivia still has not given up.


    However, Alex knew his own feelings; he had moved on from her after he was rejected, but this doesn''t mean he doesn''t care about her. For Alex, she was always his friend and family.


    Seeing how much she got hurt from her eyes makes Alex feel pain, too. He hated it; he wanted to find a way to make her feel better, but what could he do? His hands were tied.


    He then let out a heavy sigh, "I will just act like I never heard it as she wished for now."


    His relationship with MingYue has improved, but to call them lovers now would be far-fetched; it''s more like business partners.


    There are also many things he needs to do now rather than focusing on romance.


    Alex then entered a nearby building, changing his clothes to a new one.


    After he finished, he then left the building, but what was waiting for him was not the Crystal City ruin. Instead, it was a meadow adorned with grass and a few big trees.


    The tree is unique; its wood is colored green, while the leaves are brown.


    This made Alex frown; he tried to contact Emily, Olivia, and the others, but the communication could not connect, as if he was too far away from them.


    Thankfully, he can contact Petricia and Zargath since their connection is based on their souls.


    He then told Petricia to say to the others to wait for him in the camp. As for Zargath, he ordered him to go to the building he just entered to find out if anything strange was happening there.


    ''Vesa, where am I?''


    [I speculate King was transported to another place, but I don''t know the trigger; probably something to do with the building King entered.]


    ''I forgot to ask big sis how she got the parasite; it seems there is something special in the area where I found her.''


    This made him feel worried; did Olivia safely return to the camp? He then communicated with Petricia, "Petricia, has Big Sis returned?"


    "Yes, King, I just saw her entering the camp checking on Lady Quartz and Sir Zold."


    Feeling relieved, Alex then started learning around the area; he first looked at the map created by Vesa, ''it seems there are no dangerous monsters here, except I found something like a desert Loch Ness.'' S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His gaze then locked on the biggest tree that he could see; it was 8 meters (26 feet) wide, over one hundred meters in height, and around 328 feet.


    The tree was massive in size.


    He then walked closer toward the tree, but when he was ten steps away, Alex jumped to stop away.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Two arrows pierce the air, hitting the ground where he had just stood.


    Alex quickly took out Ember Shift Hammer and looked toward the direction where the projectile was shot, but he found nothing in the area.


    Alex jumped again; a few more arrows came flying, targeting his head. The arrows then turned into a barrage, shooting toward him nonstop.


    Alex frowned as the arrows seemed to suddenly materialize in the air and then fly toward him.


    ''Hmm... Is there a barrier in the area that blocks my detection?'' Alex thought to himself as he dodged and parried the projectiles.


    His gaze then moved back toward the towering big tree since the arrows were shot when he wanted to come close to it; he felt the tree should have some importance for them.


    Alex started moving toward the area; he focused his qi at his feet, then kicked toward the ground.


    The moment his feet touched the ground, his body shot forward like a rocket toward the tree, but he didn''t crash toward the trunk.


    Alex agilely maneuvered his body, stopping just right in front of it.


    And Alex''s suspicions were true; the moment he reached there, all the arrows had come to a halt. It seems whoever attacked him didn''t want to hurt the tree.


    After some time, from the area where the arrows appeared, more than a dozen figures appeared, making Alex''s eyes widen in surprise.


    All of them were women with sexy figures clad in clothes made from leather and leaves that barely hid their bodies; the design was created to just protect their important parts while not impeding their movement.


    But this is not what surprised Alex; he could not detect any life force from them.


    Each of these women has olive green pupils, while a tail that is made only from bone comes out from their back. The tail is quite long around 70 cm (29 inches)


    Their ears are like those of a fox coming out from their head, covered with black fur, looking just like the cat folk Alex used to see in fantasy stories. Their hair was colored green, cut short, only reaching their neck.


    All of their faces were etched with fear and worry, looking toward Alex. One of them then moved forward and started saying, "Miluqiqi!? Luna seda qila bikvu!"


    "What are you saying? I don''t understand," Alex replied in a loud voice, making sure everyone could hear it.


    The woman who came forward frowned, then started talking in an alien language with the others.


    "Nasamila gali mila nabikqi." ("It seems the man cannot understand us.")


    "Zelqi mila naqar, gali luna seda zel bik, mila kaluna." ("What should we do now? If the man attacks the sacred tree, we will be doomed.")


    "Mila kaqu qar luna bikvu gali." ("We need to find a way to get the man out of place.")


    "Mila kanari rano gali, kaminor zel seda bik." ("We can try attacking him in close combat, but it will still be dangerous if one of the attacks hits the tree.")


    "Mila kaqu qar nabik seda, miluqiqi gali nazer." ("We need to find a way to communicate; who knows, the man doesn''t have bad intentions.")


    "Mila gali, miluqiqi nazer, mila quila seda qiqi?" ("He is a human; how come he doesn''t have bad intentions? Did you forget our ancestor''s teaching?")

 Chapter 129 - 129: The lifeforce is Minus?

    "Mila dumi zel, mila naka seda gali mila, zel seda nari, mila kavexi luna, mila kaqu gali luna."


    ("That is racist. We cannot just generalize a whole species because of the act of one group, and I am tired of living here all the time. I am sure he comes from outside.")


    "Mila zel, mila karano seda, milu naka luna seda rano."


    ("That is why we must be more wary; there should be no one that can enter or leave the area.")


    While listening to the alien language, Alex started analyzing them one by one.


    ____________________________


    Name (species): ???????


    Power Level: 4.5


    Life Force: -1/0


    Abilities: ???


    (Target was feeling expectation, hope, and wariness)


    _____________________________


    Alex could see some of them had hope, while others were filled with fear, but what surprised him was that their life force''s energy was minus.


    ''Vesa, are they undead?''


    [They are not, King. I also don''t know what the cause of this is; even from extensive information, there has never been a case of a life force being minus, and even undead creatures will only have it at zero.]


    ''Since you cannot translate their talk, I take it you don''t know their language too.''


    [Yes, King. I also don''t know what kind of species they are. They seem to have a relation with Felidaeans.] S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Felidaeans, as we call them, are humanoids with feline traits, which can include ears, tails, or even just claws.]


    Alex then tries to communicate with them. Since he cannot talk, he tries to gesture while waiting for Vesa to analyze their language.


    First, he puts his hammer back into his storage ring to show he means no malice. He then points at the tree and the feline woman''s weapon, gesturing for them to drop it.


    "See, the man put back his weapon. I think he means he doesn''t want to fight us."


    "Human are cunning, and filled with trickery. What if this is just a trap? Don''t you see he somehow can make the weapon appear and disappear at will?"


    "That is possible. What do you suggest we do then?"


    The one leading the feline then replies, "We are going nowhere like this. All of you, point your bow at that man."


    "What do you want to do, Lily?"


    But Lily didn''t answer them. She threw her bow to the ground, raised both hands and then started walking toward Alex.


    Seeing the gesture, Alex feels confused. Just like Lily, he suspects it''s a trap.


    Why would only one person throw her weapon while the others point their bows at him?


    ''Do they want to negotiate while threatening me?'' he thought.


    It doesn''t take long for Lily to reach in front of him.


    Now, face to face, she starts thinking about how to communicate. After some time of silence, she points at the tree, shakes her head, and then to an empty spot a distance away from the tree.


    Alex understands it means she wants him to go away from the tree, since it''s important for them, but this doesn''t mean he will just agree to it.


    He points at her comrade and then to the bow that was thrown to the ground.


    Lily understands Alex. He won''t move before her friend throws their weapon to the ground, but she still doesn''t believe Alex.


    She doesn''t know what he''s capable of.


    This makes the situation turn into a standoff. Minutes pass by, and Lily looks for any opportunity to attack Alex but cannot find any gap to ambush him.


    Instead, with the distance between them now, she could feel a strong presence coming from Alex, making her even more wary of him.


    [King, I have translated their language. I am sure the translation is perfect.]


    [Based on my analysis, the language was derived from the Felidaeans race, confirming they are a subspecies of them.]


    "Does the Felidaeans race have anything to do with the undead?"


    "Only a minority of them does, most of them were a warrior race with unique abilities utilizing tattoos on their bodies. They name this method shadow glyphs."


    ''I don''t see any tattoos on their bodies. Did they forget about it?'' Alex thought to himself.


    He then said to Lily in their language, "My name is Alex. I don''t mean you harm. You may not believe me, but I suddenly got transported here.


    I need information now to find a way to get out of this place; I have people waiting for me.."


    Lily raised her eyebrow. She was surprised that Alex suddenly spoke in their language.


    "If you can talk, why not say anything before?"


    "You shot your arrow at me before saying anything. What do you think I should do?"


    Alex replied, not planning to tell her he just understood their language.


    Since Alex was being cooperative, Lily gestured to her friend to drop their bow. She then turned her gaze back to Alex.


    "How did you enter here? This area is sealed and protected by many security measure, not even bug can enter here."


    "Just what is this place?" Alex asked while he thought. ''No wonder there are almost no living beings here; it seems even the small bugs here are chosen on purpose.


    "This area is a sacred grove for our race."


    "I mean this place in general, don''t you live in a secret realm?"


    "Secret realm? Oh you mean this place, we call this world'' Veiled dimension.'' Based on what I know, our ancestors escaped here to save themselves from invasion from other race."


    Her eyes then narrowed, looking at Alex. "And that race is human."


    ''A human attacked this place?'' Alex asked himself. He then started speculating about his location.


    The people here probably are the descendants of the inhabitants of the Crystal City ruins he found out there. Alex then took out the crystal tablet he found before from his storage ring.


    Seeing it, Lily''s eyes flickered. She recognized the item. "That is our ancestral tablet. How could you get it?"


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile. "Do you want it? Let''s trade.


    Bring me to your place and tell me everything you know. In exchange, I will give it to you."

 Chapter 130 - 130: Guardian of The Verdan Veil

    "Wait, I need to talk with others first." Lily replied as she turned back, moving quickly toward her group.


    Alex could see from their expression and emotion, ''I am sure they will accept my proposal, but she says ancestor. Just how many generations have they stayed here? And this tree...''


    Alex looked back at the tree. He could see a strong life force energy emanating from it. He wanted to look further, but to do that, he would need to take a branch or part of it.


    ''Forget it, for now, I need to find more information from them first. Doing anything with the tree will just make them hate me.''


    Lily then raised her hand, calling Alex to walk toward her. "Alex, we have a deal. Come here."


    At first, some of them were still wary of Alex, but when Lily told them about the crystal tablet, they quickly reached a decision.


    All of them were curious about the outside world.


    Alex then followed them from behind while Lily led the way.


    When they walked through the area where Lily came from, Alex felt like he was walking inside water. The surrounding area also started to distort, like seeing a mirage.


    "Is this barrier always here?" Alex asked, feeling curious.


    They were already locked down inside a secret realm, but they still took precautions to protect the village. But then, Alex thought the barrier probably didn''t exist to protect the village; its sole purpose was for the giant tree.


    "Yes, it''s always here, and you can call me Lily. I am the captain of a unit named Guardian of the Verdant Veil, tasked to protect the tree," Lily replied.


    Although the name was fancy, and she had many privileges, the unit rarely had anything to do.


    That is why they quickly attacked without asking questions when they saw Alex suddenly appear near the sacred tree. It''s the first time someone without permission enters their sacred grove.


    "Just how long have you guys been here? Don''t you have any records? Like the exact years."


    "I don''t know. You should try asking the Sentinels, Alex. He is our leader and also the oldest one here. We will bring you to him. But I am sure it''s more than thousand of years."


    The other felines didn''t talk much, but their eyes were glued to the crystal tablet in Alex''s hand.


    Alex didn''t put it back into his storage on purpose. He knew they would focus their minds on it rather than asking him a bunch of questions.


    It took a fifteen-minute walk before Alex saw the surroundings start to change.


    The further they walked, the more the surroundings became distorted, like seeing a mirage. They also didn''t move in a straight line; Lily took many turns along the way despite not encountering any obstacles.


    "Vesa, can you detect anything?"


    [If I had my full abilities, I could get more information, King, but for now, I cannot detect anything.]


    [But based on my observation, this place should work like an illusion array. If we don''t follow a specific path, I am sure we will get attacked by many traps.]


    Reading this made Alex let out a small chuckle.


    ''I wonder if I will get some cheat or secret inheritance. Usually, the MC always gets one when they enter a secret realm like this.


    Now, considering how things have progressed till now, there should be a beautiful princess in their village waiting for the protagonist to rescue her, while the secret realm is now facing some problems.


    I wonder if the same thing will happen here too.'' Alex thought to himself, but his chuckle didn''t escape Lily''s hearing.


    "Why are you laughing?" Lily asked.


    "Nothing. By the way, does your village now face some problems? Or does your sentinel have a daughter?"


    Lily frowned at Alex''s weird questions but still answered, "Other than boredom, we don''t have any problems.


    Even though this place is cut off from the outside, we are self-sufficient and have plenty of food."


    "Oh," Alex replied, thinking, ''It seems it won''t go like the usual plot then.''


    "Why do I feel you are disappointed we don''t have any problems?" Lily asked, looking back over her shoulder at Alex.


    Her eyes then turned sharp. "Do you plan to make trouble here?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course not. I am just looking for a way to return back outside. Why would I even cause trouble for you?"


    Lily was still not convinced by Alex''s answer but decided to let it go for now.


    "As for the sentinel''s daughter, how could you know he has one? Do you have some business with her?"


    While Lily asked Alex this, some of their comrades looked weirdly at her, while others looked at Alex, wondering about his answer.


    ''So he does have a daughter.'' Noting the other felines'' gazes toward Lily, Alex asked back, "Are you the sentinel''s daughter?"


    "Of course not. Do you think I am that old? The sentinel''s daughter is my grandmother, and she already passed away.


    So, what business do you have with her?"


    "Ah, so he does have a daughter. Actually, I was just guessing randomly. No need to think much about it," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    Lily became even more suspicious of him; she started second-guessing herself, wondering if she had made the right decision by bringing Alex back with her.


    ''Forget it, in case something happens, I am sure the sentinel will be able to protect us.''


    They then continued on their journey. It didn''t take long until they finally got out of the illusion barrier.


    What greeted Alex was something beyond his expectations; he stood there, stupefied by what he saw.


    It wasn''t a village that stood before him but a magnificent city.


    There were many high-rise buildings with unique designs, moving in spirals while the ends became pointed like towers. Based on Alex''s observation, it seemed to be made with the same green wood that was used to make furniture in the Crystal Ruin.

 Chapter 131 - 131: Flying Chariot

    If his civilization had access to a durable tree that could be used for building, Alex was sure his world would also resemble this one.


    He observed many individuals moving through the air on devices that appeared to function as hoverboards to Alex''s eyes.


    These devices also emitted a transparent barrier shaped like a sphere, protecting the user from the wind and likely from collisions with any foreign objects.


    The boards were crafted from wood with a crystal socket in the middle.


    They also varied in size, with the largest Alex saw looking like a floating wooden platform adorned with decorations and a chair on top, similar to a flying chariot.


    ''How can they sustain themselves with such a population?'' Alex wondered.


    He then shifted his focus to the surrounding area.


    In front of the grove exit, numerous soldiers clad in combat armor, wielding weapons similar to guns, stood guard. The guns resembled WWII rifles, while the armor looked like Kevlar combat suits.


    The green armor concealed their faces, but Alex could tell they were the same species as Lily and the others, despite the absence of visible tails, as the helmets were designed to accommodate feline ears.


    All of them then raised their hands, forming a fist, and placed it above their chests. "Praise the Shadow. Princess, you have emerged."


    Lily mirrored their gesture, Putting her fist over her chest.


    ''It seems this is their way of greeting each other, but shadow? Is that their religion or something? Hmm, maybe it''s related to the shadow glyph.''


    "I''ve told you not to call me princess when I''m on a mission. Forget it; inform the king we have a guest from the outside."


    Her command caused all the soldiers to freeze, their gazes shifting toward the man standing behind their guardian. They hadn''t noticed his presence until now because their attention was solely on Lily.


    This was the first time in history they had ever encountered someone from the outside. Their surprise was akin to humans seeing an alien arrive on their planet for the first time. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Alex''s appearance, the soldier quickly turned alert. They moved into a formation, then pointed their gun at Alex, "What are you human doing here?"


    Lily frowned at their action. "What do you think you are doing, Captain? Put down your weapon. He is our guest."


    "But Guardian, he is a human."


    "And then? Are you questioning my decision?


    Even though it''s true humans were the ones that invaded us, it doesn''t mean we can discriminate against each individual.


    You are talking as if our own race never had a war."


    Her words made the Captain silent; he still could not accept the situation, but it was not like he had any choice.


    Without even considering Lily''s status as their princess, her position as the leader of the Guardians already gave her many leeways.


    Even the royal family doesn''t have any authority over them since the Guardians only answer to the Sentinel, a legendary figure that all of them respect.


    The Captain then raised his hand, gesturing for the others to drop their weapons.


    Lily didn''t waste any more time there; she started walking past them while the Captain looked at Alex with a sharp gaze.


    [Targets were feeling wary and worried.]


    ''Not fear but only worry, weird.'' Alex thought to himself while walking past them.


    Usually, the cause of people''s worry would be fear, but the Captain didn''t seem to feel any fear toward him; this made Alex wonder why he was worried about.


    ''Does he like Lily? Or does my appearance here make trouble for him?'' But the thought only lasted for a moment since Alex didn''t plan to stay here for long. Whatever the situation was, it was not his problem.


    As Alex walked, he could see more of the architectural buildings. The place was adorned with plants and flowers, and many streams of water were passing through the area.


    Since the building was also made of wood, the place felt natural, as if the building were a living part of the forest.


    "I don''t see anything that looks like a lamp here. Can you guys see it in the dark?" Alex asked.


    "Oh, that; some of us can see in the dark, but not everyone. As for the lamp, it''s easier for you to see it with your own eyes," Lily said as she walked toward the chariot.


    There were multiple chariots; one chariot could be seated by four people. However, as the leader, Lily has her own exclusive chariot.


    She then gestured for Alex to sit.


    Her chariot was colored black and adorned with golden lines and an insignia. It was a big lush tree and bow, colored metallic green.


    The seats seemed to be made of leather. In front of each seat, there was a small desk.


    Lily then took out a crystal from her pocket and put it in the socket. Just like a car getting ignited, Alex could hear the humming of energy.


    A transparent barrier then started appearing around the chariot while it started floating in the air.


    A holographic screen then appeared in front of Lily. She started interacting with it. After a few taps, the chariot then started moving toward the destination.


    Looking at the surrounding scenery, which became a blur, Alex could tell they were moving at high speed.


    "Why would you use a bow when you have a gun?"


    "A gun?"


    "The weapon that the guard uses."


    "Ah, we call that a lightning rod. If you think that is stronger than our bow, then you are completely underestimating us, Alex.


    We just don''t use our abilities since we are afraid of hurting the trees. And we were also curious about who you are, so no one wanted to kill you."


    "So you are saying you have special arrows, or does the bow have special abilities?"


    Alex concluded it had something to do with their weapon since the insignia showed a mark of a bow, which meant it was their specialty.

 Chapter 132 - 132: Feloria Kingdom

    Lily''s lips curled into a smile, "I will tell you if you tell me about that hammer. How can it create flame without using any crystal?"


    "Forget it then," Alex replied in a flat tone, then changed the topic, "Your city is really flourishing; I thought it was just a small village."


    "Of course not; we now have more than five million people living here at Feloria."


    "Feloria?"


    "Yes, it''s our kingdom name. Our place is led by the King and The High Counselor."


    "Didn''t you say something about the Sentinel before? Is that just an honorary title for the oldest? I thought he had some authority here."


    "The Sentinel holds absolute authority, but he never involves himself with governing the citizens; his whole focus is on the sacred grove.


    The governing is taken care of by the king and the high counselor."


    "They also called you princess before. Does that mean you are related to the royal family, too?"


    "The current royal family is descended from the Sentinel family, which is why people accept and respect them. It''s not wrong that they call me princess, but this is more of a tradition now.


    Any major decision needs to be agreed by the counselor and king before it can take form."


    "Since the king is one descendant, is the high counselor elected by the people?"


    "Yes, we have a few political parties here. Something I hate," Lily said with a tone of spite.


    Seeing that, Alex let out a chuckle.


    "What are you laughing at now?" Lily asked with a frown. She felt somehow insulted by Alex''s reaction.


    "Ah, sorry, I don''t mean it that way. I am not boasting, but back in my world, I also have some status. This makes many people approach me with personal goals, and often, it''s for politics."


    "Tell me about it, I really hate them. I honestly wonder if they never get tired of living like that?


    Always thinking of some benefit when interacting with someone, using masks everywhere, their talk always coated with honey, while in reality, it''s filled with poison.


    Just why do they think I work hard to become a guardian?


    In the first place, they should know they cannot get anything from me since we cannot intervene in politics."


    "Well, if they can get cooperation from you in any form, that is already enough benefit for them."


    "Why would they benefit from it?" Lily asked since she really didn''t understand it.


    Asking for her hand in marriage is impossible since guardians cannot get married as long as they serve; they need to relinquish their position to get married. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without their position, a guardian is just a normal civilian, and as for Lily, she will just become a normal princess.


    Although the title looks fancy, there are many princesses in Feldoria.


    In her opinion, it would benefit them more to make connections to other princesses than to her, who never cares about politics.


    "To gain more approval from the populace. You may think it''s not related, but aren''t guardians respected by the masses?"


    "Well, that is true, but not everyone thinks like that. Many think we are just parasites that serve no real use. Just wasting taxpayer money to live in luxury."


    "Is that true?"


    "Of course not! Even though I admit, other than you, we never have any intruders in the grove, that doesn''t mean we just laze around.


    Every day, we need to train to make sure we are the strongest. We all earned this position with hard work."


    "Does that mean everyone can become a Guardian?"


    "Yes, every year, we have a tournament. The top 20 winners can then challenge the guardian position. If the challenger wins, they will take our position. If we win, we can hold our title."


    "How many guardians exist?"


    "Well, it''s not a big secret. You can easily find this information. In total, there are 12 guardians and only women can become one."


    "Why only women?"


    "That I don''t know, it''s the Sentinel''s decision. Some also feel this is unfair, but no one can question the Sentinel. His power is absolute here."


    "Hmm... And now we are on the way to meet him?"


    "Yes, are you afraid now?"


    Alex laughed. It would be a lie if he didn''t feel wary now. A man who has absolute control over a whole race for God knows how long is not something he can underestimate.


    There is no way people let him on the top, only out of respect. Greed knows no bounds.


    Even though the reason they entered here was to escape from invaders, with generations of prosperity, Alex was sure everyone had already forgotten about this.


    If anything, some of them now think to get back to their place or even to take over the seat of power.


    Then a thought surfaced in his mind, ''Wait, they say this place was invaded by humans, and now the planet has become a dungeon. Does both of these related?


    If yes, that means the one who created the dungeon is human. Does that mean humans from another realm are the ones making problems with mine, or do they already have some deal with the higher-ups?


    Vesa also said every progenitor leads their race, and my planet is just far below their level, so they don''t even know the progenitor exists. Or maybe only the world leader knows about it.'' Alex thinks to himself while his eyes enjoy the scenery of the city around him.


    While Alex was making his way to meet the Sentinel in the Cultivation world, Mingyue was lying on the ground looking at the sky.


    She was now in the secret realm.


    Minghao had just finished his daily practice. He was covered with sweat. Looking at his sister looking dazedly at the sky made Minghao frown.


    The last time she was like this was when she got berated by Uncle Jianfeng despite getting first in the family tournament.


    He thought for a moment, then sat beside Mingyue, "Sis, why are you in a daze like that? Are you thinking of a man? Did someone break your heart? Tell me who it is, and I will give him a lesson," Minghao said in an exaggerated manner.

 Chapter 133 - 133: Break Your Limit!

    "You brat, you are lucky I am not in the mood now. Otherwise, I would spank you silly," she said with a cold tone, but Minghao could see her lips curled upward into a smile.


    "I knew it. There is no way a man can break my sister''s heart. If anything, I pity any man that ends up with you; it will be great if they can even survive one night¡­."


    BAM! Mingyue hit Minghao on the head.


    "Ouch, now that is the Sis I know," Minghao said while laughing, his hand raised up, touching a new bump that appeared on his head.


    "You silly brat, why do you always love getting beaten up by me?" Mingyue said while shaking her head, but the smile on her face told a different story.


    She knew Minghao did it on purpose to cheer her up; this made her feel better.


    Turning her gaze back to the clear sky, Mingyue said, "Sometimes I envy those who cannot cultivate, Minghao. Even though they live filled with danger and helplessness, at least they can have real friends and family.


    Compared to us cultivators, we kill and plunder all for immortality, but what does that leave us? Just see how our family situation is now."


    "Sis, since when did you become a philosopher like this? You may not know, but actually, I don''t see any difference between cultivators and commoners other than our level of strength.


    Even commoners have ungrateful people who sell their own families for fortune. What difference is that with cultivators looking for treasure?"


    "You are right. There is no difference. In the end, we have no choice but to be cold and merciless to our enemies."


    Mingyue then turned her gaze towards Minghao and patted him on the head.


    "You are kind, Minghao. I hope you will never turn your back on others.


    If anyone blocks your path, you should kill them without mercy; it''s better than being stabbed in the back because you dropped your guard."


    Minghao could see the pain in his sister''s eyes. Even though he didn''t know what really happened, Minghao could vaguely guess.


    "Sis, I disagree with that. Ancestor also often tells me that I must become cruel and merciless to my enemies¡­ but... I just cannot do it."


    His gaze turned distant, "Even today, our cousin''s face begging for mercy still appears in my dreams, sis."


    His words made Mingyue feel guilty since she was the one forcing him to do it, "As time passes, you will get used to it, Minghao."


    Minghao shook his head, his gaze then turned resolute.


    "No! I know myself, sis. I will never get used to it. Then I questioned myself, why can''t I just live the way I want?


    After much thought, I realized it was because I was weak.


    If I am strong, I don''t need to worry about someone stabbing me in my back since I am strong enough to withstand it.


    I don''t need to worry about my family fighting for limited resources since I am strong enough to provide for them."


    "But that won''t change the fact that they have bad intentions, Minghao. People don''t change that easily."


    "I know, sis, but I have seen the example of it."


    "Who?"


    "It''s me, sis. You always beat me up every time I did something wrong, to the point that I lost count of how many times it happened. And sis, I will be honest, I have resented you for this.


    But when mom left the family and everyone started bullying me, that is when I realized it. Everything you do is for my own good.


    If not because of your beating, I would have already broken down by all the pressure.


    I always question myself, what would sis do in my position, how would sis endure¡­ that is what allows me to keep moving on, sis."


    Minghao paused for a moment, then continued. "So I know, even if they are bad people, I will just beat them up, again and again, until the point their body will ache with pain every time they think something bad."


    "You brat, it seems you have grown up. That is not wrong, but if you want to do that, you need to become the strongest Minghao. Only by becoming the strongest can you live as you please," Mingyue said while ruffling over his hair.


    "I know my talent is not as good as yours, sis. Ancestor also says so, but who says we cannot break our limit? Limitation only exists if you let them!" Minghao said with words filled with pride.


    Seeing her brother having his own conviction made Mingyue smile. "Well said, brat. Where did you learn this?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Cough, I learned from the anime movie you showed me, sis."


    "Don''t tell me it''s the one you tried to imitate before."


    Minghao quickly stood up from where he sat, "I need to go practice again; see you later, sis." He quickly ran away from Mingyue, making her let out a chuckle.


    As he ran away, Minghao then realized something was different in his attire. On both his wrists and ankles, there was something attached.


    With Mingyue''s sharp eyes, she recognized it; it was made with Densium, a unique metal that is very heavy even with its small size.


    Densium, the size of someone''s head, can easily weigh up to a ton. Based on the reflection of the metal, Mingyue could guess its purity.


    With Vesa''s help doing the calculation, a single one of his bracelets would weigh around 50 kg (110 pounds), with all four totaling 200 kg (440 pounds).


    That is far more weight than what he should be able to carry with his current cultivation level.


    "It seems you are not just all talk, Minghao. Don''t worry; your sis will give you a path to break free of your own limitations in the future.


    But for now, show me if you can do it by yourself or not, breaking your limit¡­"

 Chapter 134 - 134: The Sentinel

    Her gaze then turned upward to the vast blue sky. " As for me, I am a progenitor now. This world is not my limit. I shouldn''t have constrained myself with that kind of thought.


    I think I learned something from Minghao today. But Minghao, you are wrong about one thing: We are not defined by our dreams but by our actions.


    Only those who dare forgive even their worst enemy and survive without any repercussion can called strong."


    Her lips curled into a smile; Mingyue felt like a big burden was taken off her shoulders since she found the answer to her confusion.


    Her eyes then flickered coldly, "But Linhua, that doesn''t mean you will get off scot-free. You will pay for what you''ve done. And I think you will prefer death to what I have in mind."


    Looking at the twilight, MingYue decided what she would do now; at the same time, noticing the similar orange hue but with a crimson tint on it; Alex and Lily''s chariot were landing at their destination.


    Alex expected to be brought to a luxurious castle, or at least a heavily fortified area, but instead, what he saw deterred him even more than all of those combined.


    The place was a simple house atop a big tree without a single guard. The tree was located in the middle of nowhere, at the peak of a mountain.


    ''This secret realm is bigger than I thought, but for him to dare stay like this without any protection means he is confident in his strength.''


    Alex could see Lily''s expression turn excited and happier, ''it seemed she has a good relationship with the Sentinel.''


    The big wooden door, at the height of two normal persons, opened, allowing Alex and Lily to enter without her even knocking.


    Inside, Alex found a cozy place where the material and everything blended naturally with the tree, the floor, and the walls, showing no gaps at all.


    Even the chairs and tables seemed to be grown from the tree naturally.


    Lily then ran forward and hugged the man who was waiting for them.


    Even though she was hugging him, in Alex''s eyes, it looked more like a 5-year-old child running and hugging their father.


    "Ancestor, I have brought him. As you wished." Lily said as she hugged his leg.


    The Ancestor was twice the average human height, and his body was muscular, with sharp eyes and jet-black hair cut short.


    He wore a casual T-shirt and short pants.


    "Why are you calling me Ancestor for, Lily? I told you to just call me by name. Do I really look that old?" the man asked with a stern voice, but his dark blue eyes were filled with warmth.


    ''Seems I''ve met another shameless geezer.'' Alex thought to himself.


    The Ancestor had a handsome face, not showing his age at all, but his feline features were made from bone, both the ears and tails.


    His skin had a toned color, just like bronze.


    "Ha-Handsome," Lily mumbled with her lips while her cheeks turned red. She felt awkward calling the Ancestor by his name.


    Alex''s eyes widened, and he asked in disbelief at Lily. "Did you just call your ancestor handsome?"


    "That''s not what I meant; I am calling him by his name," Lily said in a very low voice.


    If not for Alex''s sharp hearing, he would not have been able to hear it.


    ''I am not hearing it wrong? Oh God, this Ancestor is really shameless.


    There Is no way someone is named handsome; if there is, then someone in this universe will be named ugly.'' Alex thought to himself while he tried hard not to burst out laughing.


    "Good," Ancestor Handsome said while patting Lily''s head.


    "You should go now; I need to have a private talk with our guest."


    His gaze then turned to Alex; the warm gaze disappeared, turning deadly cold.


    The stare made Alex quickly react; he jumped back, putting some distance between himself and the Ancestor while taking his Embershift hammer in a defensive posture.


    Somehow, Alex felt like he was being attacked just from his gaze alone.


    Seeing Alex''s quick reflexes made the Ancestor smile again. "Oh, nice reflexes. Leave us now, Lily."


    "But Ancestor, I also want to hear what he wanted to say. Otherwise, I will just drop him here."


    The Ancestor looked sternly at Lily. "Do I need to repeat myself, Lily? Don''t worry. In exchange for this, I promise you will be able to go outside in a few weeks."


    "Ancestor, you are not lying, right?"


    With wronged eyes, the Ancestor asked, "Lily, did I ever lie to you? And what did I ask you to call me again?"


    "Ha-Handsome, alright, I will leave now," Lily said with a bashful face while quickly leaving the place.


    Alex, meanwhile, looked judgily at the Ancestor.


    He put his hand into a fist together in front of his chest and gave a respectful bow.


    "Today, I am humbled. There is a saying in my world, ''Above the sky, there is always another sky.''


    I know an old geezer who is as sly as a fox and very shameless despite his age. But you are the Ancestor of shamelessness; even that old sly fox needs to bow down to learn from you."


    The Ancestor didn''t feel angry; instead, he let out heartfelt laughter.


    "Bpu, you really know no fear, as expected from someone chosen as the Progenitor heir.


    But a fox, huh? Does your world have those celestial beauties? I had never heard of the fox race called Shameless. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, they are sly for sure, but shameless..."


    The Ancestor''s brow creased as it seemed he thought hard about it.


    "Now that you say it, you are right. They are shameless; their beauty just gives them a free pass for many things."


    He then shook his head while saying solemnly, "Truly, beauty itself is a profound ability, granting a free pass through the serpentine paths of destiny."


    ''Fuck this geezer. Just say being beautiful has its own merits. Why need such complicated words, even acting like imparting important wisdom?''

 Chapter 135 - 135: Freya

    Alex cursed, then asked Vesa in his mind, ''Vesa, does a fox race really exist? Is it similar to the one I usually read about?''


    [Yes, the King Fox race does exist. It''s similar to those told in fantasy stories, in the King''s word, but it has some differences.]


    [The Fox progenitor doesn''t have a gender; it can change gender as it wishes.]


    [Their tails don''t go to nine; instead, they go up to ten. If nothing changes, the first four tails enhance their physical ability.]


    [The fifth one will give them monster transformation, while every single new tail after that will bestow them a unique ability.]


    ''So their progenitor is a femboy¡­ How do they increase their tails?'' Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Based on what I know, they need to consume specific material for each tail awakening, but I don''t know much detail about it.]


    ''Is the fox race our enemy?''


    [No, but they are not our friend either.]


    [The old progenitor has a complicated relationship with the Fox progenitor, so our race keeps some distance from them.]


    ''What!? The old progenitor is into a femboy?'' Alex asked because a complicated relationship usually means they had been dating before and then had a fight afterward.


    But before Vesa could answer, the Sentinel brought Alex''s attention back to him.


    "Buddy, I may be a wise, patient, amiable man, but that doesn''t mean you can just ignore me like that."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "I am sorry, just have something on my mind."


    "Fine. You know, I have waited a long time for you, but to think, in the end, it''s still a human that comes here." The ancestor then clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Alex became wary at his remark. He couldn''t help but draw parallels with plots he used to read, "What do you mean by that? Do you mean my coming here was fate?"


    "Fated? Hah, that is a unique word of choice, boy.


    If you mean fated is something that will happen, then yes, you can say it''s fated. But the one that comes doesn''t necessarily mean you.


    I have put some measures in place to teleport anyone who has a way to bring some of us outside safely. As for the one that comes, it turns out to be you. Well, that is just a coincidence."


    "I see¡­ Why do you feel annoyed then when you found out I am a human?"


    Alex needed to know the answer since if even the Sentinel was prejudiced against him, this would make everything even more dangerous. This Sentinel also somehow can tell he is a progenitor heir.


    This made him question Vesa, does everyone at the sentinel level find out if he is a progenitor or not. And were the feline race their enemy?


    [In the past, the feline race was our ally. But it''s hard to say for now; it''s better to be careful, King.]


    [As for how he found out, there is a unique signature of energy that only exists from the progenitor. But only those that have met one before can recognize it.]


    ''That means the person in front of me has some connection with the feline progenitor.'' Alex thought to himself.


    Seeing Alex''s worried expression made The Ancestor laugh. "It''s not what you''re thinking. I just lost another bet to that old woman."


    "Old woman?" Alex asked.


    If the person can take a bet with the ancestor, it means she has the same level of power as him; otherwise, he doubts this shameless man would admit defeat at all.


    Then, from the ground, a yellow flower started sprouting. It quickly grew until it reached the same size as Alex.


    The flower then bloomed, and from inside of it, a beautiful woman came out.


    She had four translucent wings from her back.


    A green dress adorned her hourglass body, while her eyes had no pupils; instead, they had many golden dots, like a sprinkle of dust in her eyes. It looked like a night sky adorned with many stars.


    The woman turned her gaze toward the Sentinel, which then quickly turned sharp. "Who did you call an old woman?"


    "Ah, Freya, you came out."


    "Did you think I am deaf? You say that on purpose to make me come out, Aimu!"


    "I knew it; no one has ''handsome'' as their name. So his real name is Aimu. But who is this woman? Vesa, do you have any idea?"


    [Based on her appearance, she should belong to the Fairy race, King.]


    ''Fairy race with Feline race, and both of them stuck in this place? Is this woman his wife?''


    [In that case, we should be able to see some Fairy features in their descendant. But based on the information so far, Lily is their descendant, and we haven''t seen any fairy traits in her. Although it''s possible for them to have a way to hide it.]


    Aimu let out a laugh. "That is because you act so shy, Freya, even in front of the Junior."


    Freya''s gaze turned to Alex for a moment, then back to Aimu. "That is why it has become like this now. You''re always careless, Aimu, and you never win a bet, yet keep betting with me."


    "Don''t be so serious, Freya. If you keep doing that, you will get wrinkles on your beautiful face."


    "Hmph, you really never learn, Aimu. Now, turn your body back before I smack your head."


    Aimu let out a chuckle. His body then started shrinking back to Alex''s size.


    "Freya, you may think I do this to show off, but you are not wrong. Even my own people will start having weird thoughts if they see me in this size."


    ''So, he makes his body big on purpose to deter others from attacking him.'' Alex thought to himself.


    "You, boy, what is your name?"


    "My name is Alex, Madam."


    "Just call me Freya. The moment you become his heir, your age or current power doesn''t matter. You are already on the same battlefield as us."


    Alex nodded. His eyes then turned serious. "Can you tell me more about this? What battlefield? What war?"

 Chapter 136 - 136: Aimu & Freya

    "I wish I could answer you, Alex, but both of us have been locked down here for a long time.


    We don''t know what has happened outside now. And I pity you."


    Alex raised his eyebrows, feeling confused by her words.


    "I am once a revered Fairy Queen with my own kingdom, having control over a few planets. And this fool here, as you already guessed, was once a Feline King with a similar territory to mine.


    But, you know, in a fight between progenitors, we are nothing more than foot soldiers."


    "Freya, why are you scaring the kid?"


    "I''m just stating the truth, and stop referring to him as a kid. He needs to understand his own situation."


    "Do you know what they are fighting for?"


    Freya shrugged her shoulders, "How would I know? I''m merely a foot soldier, but it must be something valuable, since even the progenitor desires it."


    Hearing her words, Aimu scoffed, "What valuable? Probably one of them became bored with living and decided to create chaos just for the heck of it."


    "What makes you think that?" Alex asked.


    Since Aimu was so confident in his statement, that meant he had a reason to believe it, but his answer made Alex question himself.


    "If you ever meet a real progenitor and see what they are capable of, you will realize there''s almost nothing they can''t do.


    But that power comes with a price; boredom. Just think of them as immortal beings with nearly omnipotent power."


    ''Will I become like that too when I reach that stage?'' Alex questioned himself. He didn''t like the possibility he would change into people he hated.


    Hurting others just for their own entertainment, Alex hates this person the most.


    "They''re not immortal, Aimu. Have you forgotten one of them died?


    You''re just saying that out of your own spite. They also have many weaknesses, which is why they still have their own desires."


    "Only a progenitor can kill another progenitor, so we might as well call them immortal. And have you forgotten, Freya? There are a few cases where a progenitor turned into madness."


    Hearing this, Alex felt even more confused.


    If a progenitor is almost omnipotent, how can they fall into madness? They should also have a strong mentality with that much life experience in their hands.


    "What kind of madness? Do they go crazy, massacring every being weaker than them?"


    Freya replied with a nod, "We do have some rumors that it happened, but we don''t know anyone who knows if it''s the truth or not.


    After all, the event probably happened a long time ago.


    And don''t forget, Alex, we are nothing more than foot soldiers for the progenitor. What you hear is nothing more than gossip; you should take it with a grain of salt."


    "Hmph!" Aimu huffed but didn''t say anything more.


    This made Alex realize there was only limited information about the progenitor he could get here, but a rumor or gossip was still better than nothing.


    He could just confirm it later with Vesa, even though Vesa is tight-lipped about them; if it''s just confirming a fact, Alex was sure he would get an answer.


    He then proceeded to ask for more information that they knew about the progenitor and how they could guess him as one.


    Even though Vesa had already told him the reason, he wanted to find out from their point of view.


    The reason is the same: Alex has an energy signature unique to a progenitor, and they could guess Alex was a vampire progenitor because the late vampire progenitor basically announced it to the whole universe when he was killed.


    This knowledge made Alex curse at the late progenitor.


    ''Why did he need to announce it to the whole universe!?'' But he didn''t say this out loud. Instead, Alex asked, "What more do you know about him?"


    "The vampire progenitor? We just know his name, Alucard, and as for the rest, we don''t know much. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But one thing for sure, as his heir, you will be hunted down by many of his enemies," Freya said in a solemn tone.


    Aimu then laughed, "Oh yeah, I think I should tell you this: there are rumors that the human progenitor was involved in his demise.


    If I were you, I would take care not to show my energy left and right like that.


    Well, even becoming a vampire is already enough for many races to hunt you down since, in the universe community, there''s already a high bounty for each pure vampire head."


    "Just how old is this information?" Alex asked, wanting to know how valid their information was.


    "We''ve been here for ten thousand years," Aimu said, his eyes glimmering with nostalgia.


    Freya then added, "To be exact, it''s 18,354 years, but in the outside world, it should only be 1,800 years since time here is ten times faster than outside. So, I doubt there will be any significant change in the situation."


    ''They should have based this time on the Scorched Dune Labyrinth time, so it should be similar to my planet,'' Alex thought to himself.


    He then realized nothing had changed much; he still needed to hide his identity as a progenitor from as many people as possible.


    "Kid, let''s make a trade. I know you want to find a way out of this place, and I can help, but you need to bring a few people we choose to go out with you.


    You don''t need to care for them afterward; they will have their own mission. Except for Lily, I want you to bring her on your journey," Aimu said.


    Alex feels confused by his suggestion. Based on their actions so far, both of them seem to hate joining the war and don''t have any plans to come out from this place.


    "Do you guys want to rejoin the war?"


    Aimu and Freya looked at each other and then let out a laugh.


    "Of course not. Why would we want to return to that pandemonium?

 Chapter 137 - 137: That Is A Secret

    We just need something to do, but we have our own reason why we need you to bring them outside."


    "And what is the reason?"


    Aimu chuckled, "Oh, that. That is a secret. But you don''t have any choice, kid."


    Alex frowned. They just said there is a high bounty on the vampire race.


    What if these people were after that bounty, and once they are outside, they report his information to the enemy?


    The thought made Alex quickly look around the area, using his ability to calculate the best method to escape in case a conflict started.


    "I cannot do that. You just told me I am hunted with a high reward on my head. This means everyone who knows my information is a potential risk for me."


    Seeing Alex''s wariness made Aimu laugh once again. "You are not a bad kid! You should keep up that attitude if you want to survive."


    His eyes then turned cold as the pressure came down on Alex, making his body freeze. But it only lasted a moment as a loud bam! Reverberated in the area, Alex''s eyes widened in surprise.


    Freya hit Aimu in the head, creating a bump the size of an orange. This made Alex want to laugh, but he did his best to hold it off.


    "Now it''s you who scares him with nonsense. Look, Alex, we are on the same side as you. The fairy and feline progenitors took the same side as the Vampire progenitor in the past.


    With his demise, the situation turned worse, and we are all out in hiding now. Even though we don''t have a high bounty like those from the vampire race, they still try to look for us.


    The situation now is bad for our side. So, you don''t need to worry about us backstabbing you.


    Of course, it''s not just words; you should have seen how fond Amus is of Lily; asking her to follow you is one of your safe guarantees."


    "Why does she need to follow me, though? I don''t believe you don''t have another goal with it."


    "That is the agreement with the Vampire progenitor. Each race will send one of their members to help the new heir. As for who? It depends on which group meets with you."


    Hearing Valkyrie''s explanation, Alex felt that it made sense. Since even Alucard doesn''t know when the new progenitor will come, not even what kind of race they are.


    With many groups separated everywhere, one of them will meet the heir in one way or another. It''s not a matter of fate or destiny, but just statistics.


    "Am I the only progenitor heir that exists? Don''t other progenitors have one too?"


    With the vampire progenitor''s demise, Alex was sure he was not the only one; there were probably others, too.


    "Yes, you are the only one," Freya replied.


    Amu then continued with the explanation, "A progenitor is born from the universe; even if one is killed, they will be reborn somewhere else with their memory intact; they will then start recovering their power step by step.


    So it''s not right to call them heirs.


    The vampire progenitor is the only exception; he purposely destroys his own soul and sentience, separating his power into many parts.


    That is why I speculate the war just started with boredom; when you meet them later, you will know. Each of them is weird and has their own quirks."


    Freya smirked, "Amu, I dare you to talk like that to your progenitor, do you dare?"


    Amu quickly turned to frown, "No thanks, whether I win or lose will not have a good result for me.


    In fact, I am sure I will be erased from this universe based on his personality.


    Anyway, I will take your advice to heart now, and I have no more bets with you. Last time, you made rules for every single Guardian must be a woman; God knows what requests you will make now."


    Freya laughed, hearing Amu admit defeat. "You, Amu, admit defeat, God. It seems the universe will be flipped over now. Maybe we come outside, and our progenitor already won the war."


    "Hah, you wish."


    ''So this is why all sentinels must be women. But Amu is probably right; having lived that long, it''s not weird each of them has their own quirks.''


    Alex then started digesting and analyzing the information he had.


    He picked some extra information from their words; they only knew the vampire progenitor had an heir.


    They don''t know there are two heirs, and both of them must be of opposite gender.


    They also seem to not know about Vesa''s existence.


    And the important bit is the Vampire progenitor basically killed himself. So, the chance of the old personality awakening and taking over their body is very slim.


    If he wanted to do that, he might as well just get resurrected somewhere else. Why bother doing all of this and create so many preparations for it? Not to mention, from his situation, this is a huge gamble. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Except there is some other factor that Alex doesn''t know yet. So, he doesn''t completely remove this possibility.


    If the human progenitor is really his enemy, that means his power is already in human hands, and then a question surfaced in his mind. "Freya, why would you bet the one that''s coming here is a human?"


    Freya shook her head. "I am not betting the one coming here is human. I am betting the vampire progenitor''s heir will be human.


    That''s why this old fogey decided to stop betting. Our bet is quite big this time."


    Seeing Alex''s puzzled look, Amu explained with an annoyed tone, "Everyone in the universe heard it; when he was dead, he told us he would pick an heir, breaking the tradition for progenitors.


    And at the same time, he said in a spiteful tone, ''If my heir turns out to be human, that will be funny. Don''t you think so, Adam?''


    That is also one of the reasons many suspect the human progenitor Adam had a hand in the vampire progenitor''s demise."

 Chapter 138 - 138: Is She Mixed Race?

    "That is not weird, then; there would be no reason for Alucard to say it like that if he doesn''t hate the human progenitor.


    But to think the human progenitor''s name is Adam, it seems there are some truths hidden in those myths," Alex thought to himself.


    Freya then took out a brass bracelet and threw it to Alex, "Take this as our goodwill. With this bracelet, you don''t need to worry about being detected as the progenitor''s heir, except by the real progenitor or someone stronger than us.


    But remember, they will still find you as a pure-blooded vampire. So, you''d better find another way to hide that."


    Alex caught the bracelet; he already had some idea how to use it.


    "Thanks, Freya. Oh yeah, one more question, you say each species will send one person to help me in my journey, but since it''s only Lily going with me, does that mean Lily is both fairy and feline? Is she of mixed race?"


    "Lily? Of course not. She is a pure feline. Where did you get the idea she is a mixed breed?"


    "Well, I thought you and Amu were married." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Freya laughed at Alex''s remark. "Me and this shameless geezer? Alex, what made you even think that?"


    "Both of you have been living here together for a long time, and I can see you are close with each other."


    Amu let out a chuckle, "Nah, it''s not like that. We are just old comrades surviving from the same battlefield."


    Hearing the word ''battlefield'' made Freya sigh as she started reminiscing about the last battle she fought with her people.


    "I met this old geezer when I was running away from the battlefield. He offered me to go to this realm with him. Since I had no other place to go, I accepted his offer."


    "If you are wondering, my wife was killed in that war," Amu said with sad eyes.


    Alex''s voice turned solemn, "My condolences, Amu. I am sorry for asking this, but why is Lily only going with me? Isn''t the fairy race also supposed to make the same deal?"


    Alex asked this because he needed any boost to his strength; the more, the better. And each species should have its own unique ability.


    This made him remember the feline race he had seen so far didn''t have any tattoos with them. But he didn''t want to ask about this since it would point out that he had some knowledge about their race.


    It''s better for him the less they know about his capabilities.


    "I am sorry, but the fairy race under me now is too few in number, and no one has the strength to follow you.


    Sending any of them out would just be suicide. In the last war, my army was thoroughly obliterated," Freya said with a solemn tone.


    Before Alex could form any reply, Amu, looking at Freya''s sad expression, interjected. "Well, that''s enough for now, Alex. It will take a few days for me to prepare for you to get out; you can spend your time exploring the city."


    He then threw a bracelet made of crystal toward Alex, "That will be your ID as long as you are here. I also put our local currency inside so you can use it as you feel the need."


    Alex caught the crystal bracelet and then inspected the item.


    ______________________


    Imbued Feline ID Bracelet (C-Rank)


    Effect: Change the user''s appearance to that of the Corrupted Feline race.


    _______________________


    "Corrupted?" Alex mumbled out loud while reading the item description.


    Hearing that word, Amu and Freya exchanged gazes. She then said, "It''s up to you. I feel he needs to know about it, but they are your people, so it''s your choice."


    Amu put thought into it for a moment, then let out a deep sigh. "In my last fight, we met a weird monster.


    It had crimson eyes and sharp fangs like that of the vampire race, but its appearance was weird; it stood on all fours just like a dog. It''s 2 meters (6.5 ft) tall.


    Every time it bit someone of my species, they became corrupted. The result, as you see, is that our unique feature turned into a skeleton."


    Amu then pulled his shirt up, showing a deep scar across his chest. "That weird creature almost killed me. If not for my wife''s sacrifice, I would also be dead now."


    "Did this creature appear after Alucard''s demise?"


    Amu nodded. "We speculate it''s a result of their experiment on the vampire race.


    That is just how harsh the universe is, boy; without a progenitor backing, your race''s fate is up to the strong wimp."


    "Don''t every race have their own progenitor?"


    "Not every race, only those that were born since the beginning of time, have it; as time passed, new races also appeared either from experiments or mixed species marriage. "


    "I see. "Alex mumbled, while his mind started feeling worried by the information he just learned.


    ''This means I cannot just use any ability from the Vampire race and hope it works; they probably already have many countermeasures against it. I need to find a way to improve all of this ability.''


    This put Alex in deep thought; even the cultivation system was not enough. Alex was sure the human progenitor had a deep understanding of it, and he was probably his enemy.


    Alex needed to make something new, not just improve the current system. A completely new power system that could go above everything.


    He then excused himself since he already got what he needed.


    Outside, he was met by Lily, who was waiting for him.


    Lily''s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but she then let out a chuckle, "Surprisingly, the appearance suits you. It''s the Sentinel arrangement, right?"


    "Yes, so I take it you are my guide in this city now."


    Lily gave a nod, "The sentinel told me to wait for you. He said this is a task I must do in exchange for being allowed outside. By the way, can you give me the ancestor tablet now?"

 Chapter 139 - 139: The Feline and Fairy Race

    Alex didn''t mind; he also felt curious about the real translation, as Vesa''s results didn''t make much sense to him.


    At first, he wanted to ask Amu and Freya about it, but since the topic of their last battle on the war came up, the atmosphere became heavy, making Alex not want to stay any longer.


    Reading the tablet, Lily''s expression changed to one filled with disappointment.


    This made Alex frown, "Is something wrong?"


    "No, it''s nothing new. I have read this before in the castle library.


    It''s just one of those fictional stories written for entertainment purposes, and here I expected it to be something important or at least a story I haven''t read yet."


    "What is written there?"


    "It just tells how the protagonist is saddened because his allies backstab him from behind by attacking his city from the sky."


    "Ah," Alex replied while he thought, ''So Vesa''s translation is not that far off.''


    "Oh well, forget it. Where do you want to go now? Do you want to see some of our local attractions?"


    Alex put a thought on it; he wanted to see the city, the food, and how the feline race live, but for now, there is something more important for him.


    "Can you bring me to a library, one that is filled with this place''s history?"


    He wants to take as much information as he can, scan the documents, and then use Vesa to analyze it.


    From this, he will learn many things, from technological advancements, who hold power, and whether any of history is manipulated.


    If history is manipulated, that means the politics of the feline species doesn''t differ much from humans.


    But his request was met with a frown from Lily, "No, I am not going back to the palace. If you still want to, I will gladly drop you at the gate; with that bracelet, no one will dare to touch you."


    "Is there something special with mine?"


    "I don''t know what the sentinel is thinking, but yours is a special one. Look, this is mine." Lily said while raising her hand, showing a bracelet similar to the one Alex wears.


    Her design is slimmer, looking like a chain linked together, but the biggest difference comes in color.


    "Mine is black, same with other Guardian; the royalty is gold or silver, depending on the rank. Gold was for pure nobles, and silver was for those who were married to it.


    Bronze for officials like cops and civil servants. The citizens can then use the rest of the colors."


    "What does mine mean then? It''s pure crystal; it doesn''t have any color."


    "Yours means the Sentinel Envoy.


    Usually, someone is only chosen if the sentinel needs to intervene in a conflict between nobles since it has grown too big.


    The last time this happened was a thousand years ago; everyone who lived when that happened had already died.


    So, using that bracelet in public, not to mention coming to the palace, good luck being invited to many parties."


    Alex''s lips twitched.


    Looking at the crystal bracelet on his hand, which looks more like a bangle, made him realize the sentinel had another purpose in telling him to go around the city.


    He started wondering if Aimu really needed some time to allow him out or not.


    ''Damn, that old man screwed me over.'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    He cannot take off the bangle since it will undo his transformation, making him stand out even more in public. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then asked Lily, "Can you order some clothes for me? It''s better if it''s one that can hide this bangle."


    "No, you cannot; hiding one''s own bangle, not using one, or even faking the color is a capital offense.


    We have many cases where someone tried to fake their bangle color, so there are many countermeasures in place.


    And yours is special; I am sure the sentinel has put some countermeasure not allowing you to change its color."


    ''That means my only option if I don''t want to attract any attention is to go back and hide myself from the public eyes until the sentinel is ready,''


    But he doesn''t want to do this; it''s a rare opportunity to visit another civilization and one that is welcoming to him.


    ''Fine, if you want to do it like this old man, don''t blame me for using it to my benefit. Since I cannot lay low, I may as well use the attention to my benefit!''


    Meanwhile, in the sentinel''s house, Aimu was laughing his ass off; the depressing atmosphere Alex was in is nowhere to be seen.


    "I am sure that boy realizes his situation now."


    Freya looked at Aimu with a frown, "You are playing with fire, Aimu. You underestimate Alex too much. What if he uses it to make trouble in your kingdom?"


    "He wouldn''t dare go over the line; besides, that is what I hope.


    Those stupid descendants of mine are starting to have weird ideas. That boy is the best one to punish them."


    "Well, that is one of the upsides of having a small kingdom like mine now; no need to worry about this kind of thing."


    Freya paused for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed together, then said, "I forgot to tell him not to tell anyone about my existence."


    "Don''t worry, he is not that stupid. Besides, who will believe him other than Lily? And Lily will go out soon, so nothing to worry about."


    Freya sighed; she realized what Aimu said was correct. Freya has a separate area in the secret realm for the fairy race.


    She and Aimu did this to make sure the Fairy and Feline don''t interact with each other.


    After all, they are different species, and the fairy race is small in number. Freya doesn''t want to take the risk of any problem brewing between their races that would then strain the relationship between her and Aimu.


    As someone experienced in leading a country for many years, they know conflict is unavoidable, even with enough resources; there will always be some difference that spurs out, escalating into conflict.

 Chapter 140 - 140: Aetheris Essence

    This would be worse if there were two different species with completely different sets of cultures and points of view living together.


    This is also another reason why Aimu holds absolute power in his kingdom.


    The majority of the food consumed by his kingdom was produced by the Fairy. Since he was the only one having access to it, the feline race thought their sentinel was the one creating it all with his magical abilities.


    Without the food produced by the fairy race, the feline would have run out of food a long time ago and would have no choice but to cull their population.


    Even now, there are many rules created to maintain their population, from a one-child policy to purposely making it not economically viable for those in the middle class or lower to have kids.


    The feline race''s life expectancy is also high; they average 300 years, while the oldest can live to 500 years, with Aimu as the only exception. This also makes them less likely to have kids.


    As for the fairy race, the average lifespan is 1000 years, with the oldest reaching 1200 or even 1500 years, Freya being the only exception.


    Both Freya and Aimu got their long lifespan as a reward for participating in the war from their progenitor.


    "Alright, I will return to my kingdom first, then. The Naidon is getting restless lately; he keeps refusing to get mated with the others.


    If he keeps rejecting like this, we will run out of Aetheris Essence in the next one hundred years," Freya said with a concerned tone.


    Aimu frowned upon hearing the news. The Naidon is a unique monster living on his planet; they are almost extinct now, with only one pair left.


    If they cannot produce any offspring, it''s a matter of time until their resource run out.


    The reason for this is Aetheris Essence; this essence is very magical after a few processing steps. It can be used not only to fuel their power needs, just like oil in a generator, but also to create medicine and grow their crops and cattle to ensure they have enough food.


    So Aetheris Essence is basically their lifeline. Without it, they would have no choice but to go out, and that meant rejoining the war.


    "I see. If he keeps rejecting even after this month, tell me; maybe I can help convince the Naidon."


    "I want to say what you can do if even we, as the fairy race that communicates with it, fail. But there is no harm in trying; who knows, it might succeed."


    Freya''s worried gaze then disappeared, her lips curled into a smile, while Aimu turned into a frown upon hearing her next words. "Now, before I leave, about the bet you just lost."


    While Aimu was trying his best to negotiate with Freya so he wouldn''t lose too much on the bet, Alex was enjoying his time.


    He is now eating in the most luxurious restaurant in the feline kingdom with Lily. But Lily, sitting across from him, is not happy at all.


    "Why did you need to do that? I thought you said you hate politics."


    "I hate politics, but if it can give me a benefit, why should I reject it?


    Besides, I will leave this place in three days; whatever happens next, your sentinel can take care of it."


    Lily''s gaze turned cold, "What are you planning? This is my country; if you plan to hurt it..."


    But Alex cut her short with a smile, "Don''t worry, I won''t go over the line. Just see how nice I am; how can I hurt your people?" Alex said while pointing at the seats around him.


    When Alex arrived at the restaurant, he screamed at the top of his lungs, telling everyone that today he would pay for all their meals.


    The restaurant was famous for its ultra-expensive prices, with only the royalty or the very rich able to eat there. And now, suddenly, someone was offering them all a free meal at the restaurant?


    This quickly pulled the attention of the people around him, including the security and the restaurant manager.


    When they asked him, in response, Alex showed the bangle and pointed at Lily to ascertain his identity.


    Lily was famous not only as the princess but as the Guardian leader.


    Without any choice, Lily helped Alex. She couldn''t just say he was lying; that would destroy her image, not Alex''s. Even without her testimony, a single scan of the bracelet would show it''s genuine.


    Seeing the bracelet, the local authorities frowned; they could only let Alex do what he wanted and helped discipline the people, making them go into queues.


    As for the restaurant manager, he was all smiles; his smile was so large it almost made him look creepy. While his eyes turn green with the $$$ logo on them. How could he not?


    The crystal bangle meant Alex could pay all the bills, and with so many people eating without worrying about the cost, that meant today he could earn a whole month''s sales in just one day.


    He even started ordering more raw materials, ordering overtime for all the employees, determined to fulfill everyone''s order. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Manager, brimming with excitement, gathered all his employees.


    "Today is our lucky day; we''ve just got the best customer ever in restaurant history!


    Now, prepare to work yourselves to the bone. A big bonus awaits all of us at the end of the month!


    Repeat after me, ''Ka-Ching! Big Bonus! Work to the BONE!''"


    "Ka-Ching! Big Bonus! Work to the BONE!"


    "Ka-Ching! Big Bonus! Work to the BONE!"


    The employees started repeating the Manager''s words. At first, they followed simply because it was an order, but as they kept repeating it, they began to get excited.


    A big fat check they could bring home quickly appeared in their mind, making their adrenaline rush as they spiritedly began working.


    Seeing their reaction made Alex laugh. ''Capitalism exists here,'' he thought to himself.


    Satisfied with the result, Alex entered the restaurant to the best seat and started ordering multiple dishes for every meal on the menu.


    More than he could eat, he planned to put the rest in his storage ring for Olivia, Emily, and the others.

 Chapter 141 - 141: Luggages Problem

    Alex didn''t feel worried about showing the storage ring in public since he would justify it with, "I got it from the sentinel; just ask him if you want one."


    Seeing the many food items delivered to the table, Lily sighed. She couldn''t help but worry about what kind of storm these few days of Alex''s visit would bring. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m sure it''s only a matter of time now before those vultures come to visit you. Just what is your goal?"


    "Don''t worry, I have a plan. By the way, Lily, you should eat too.


    I''m sure it''s not like every day you can have an all-you-can-eat in the most expensive restaurant in your kingdom."


    Seeing the tasty dishes while smelling their delicious aroma, Lily couldn''t help but salivate.


    She finally gave in and started enjoying the dishes. It''s not like she could do anything at this point, so it''s better to just enjoy the situation.


    After the hearty meal, while the restaurant staff was still busy taking care of the guests who kept coming nonstop, Alex asked Lily, "Do you want to order more for takeaway?"


    Seeing the many untouched dishes on the table, Lily protested, "There are still many meals here. Do you still want to order more?


    Better leave it for the customers outside. The food here is not that good when it turns cold."


    "Oh, you don''t need to worry about it. I have a way to store all of this without reducing its freshness.


    And it''s not all for me; I want to bring some for my sister and friend who were waiting for me."


    Alex''s words piqued Lily''s interest, "You have a sister? Can you tell me more about the world outside?"


    "This place has many ears. Let''s talk about that when we''re really out.


    How about you tell me the situation here instead? Has the kingdom had any big conflicts lately?"


    Lily thought for a moment but then shook her head. "I don''t know. I have been out of touch about what''s happened for too long.


    My mom and brother often called me to ask how I was doing, but when they talked about something about the royal courts, I cut them off.


    I really don''t want to get involved in it."


    "Hmm. This will make things harder," Alex thought.


    He had planned to ask Lily''s help to find out the situation so he knew what to do with the people that would be bothering him soon. ''Seems I can only depend on Vesa and my abilities then.''


    He then said, "Well, if you don''t want any takeaway, do you have something you want to buy? It''s a rare opportunity, you know." Alex pointed at the bracelet in his hand.


    "You do know all of this is paid by the Sentinel''s pocket. What are you talking about inside there? It seems you do this on purpose to make him cry."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "You Sentinel screwed me over. Since he gave this bangle to me, he should have prepared for the result.


    Well, it''s not like I hate him or anything. Let''s just say we call it even with this.


    So, what do you want? I don''t believe if you say you don''t want anything.


    This is a rare chance, you know. You will probably don''t have this opportunity again in the future."


    ''Well, since I''m going to go to the outside world, it''s better if I pack up many things. But bringing many luggage will be a problem,'' Lily thought.


    She then remembered Alex saying he had a solution: to bring the food outside. "I have many things I want to buy, but can you help pack it all up?


    Bringing too much luggage will be a problem when we travel far away."


    "Don''t worry about it. I can take as many as you bring. But you should hurry; when the vultures come to us, we won''t have time to buy anything.


    Or we can just ask them to get the items for us," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    "Hmph, no thanks. Getting something from them will just make them think I accept their favor.


    Some of the men will also overthink my actions, thinking I like them back; it will just become annoying later on."


    "Well, that is true if you stay here, but do you forget you will leave soon?"


    "That will work for you since you have no one here, Alex. But for me, they will then bother my family, my mom, and my brother. So I cannot do that."


    Alex smirked. "Don''t worry about it. I will just be the one who accepts it for you then. You just need to signal me if you want something.


    Oh yeah, also tell me if the person is good or deserves to be screwed over."


    Alex then taught Lily some silent signals to tell him her impression of the people who would meet him later. The signal is simple. She just needs to tap her finger silently on the table. No matter how quiet the voice is, as long she sits beside him, Alex will able to hear her.


    In Fact, if he focused, Alex''s hearing already reached a point where he could hear her heartbeat as long she stayed within an arm''s distance from him.


    Zero tap means she has no opinion; one is the worst, while ten means the best. But Alex doubted anyone involved in a fight for power would have a better score than five.


    He also believed his own judgment compared to Lily''s personal impression, but the more data there was, the better it was for him.


    Finally, Alex put all the items into the storage ring, surprising Lily in the process. "Just where did all that food go?"


    Alex smirked and then flicked his hand, taking out one of the foods and putting it back onto a table before taking it back again.


    "I have an item that can take all of this to a separate space. I can give you one later if you want."

 Chapter 142 - 142: Sir,Who Will Pay?

    Alex planned to give her a storage cube later since she would join him on his journey. He also considered teaching her to cultivate to make her become stronger.


    "Really?" Lily said with an excited tone.


    "Yes, of course, I will give you one later."


    Alex didn''t plan to reveal the storage cube here since others who see it will ask for the item, and it will quickly become everyone''s focus.


    His storage cube is a game-changer; if he introduces it here, the whole kingdom will change, for better or worse.


    It will bring many benefits but also many problems that will turn the kingdom upside down. He was sure if he did that, Aimu would be really angry.


    Lily then excitedly told him, "Let''s go to the auction then. Today, we have one that will sell many unique items, from old items filled with history to some special weapons and armor made by our famous blacksmith. I heard today''s session will also have exotic animals and plants."


    "Exotic animals and plants? What does that mean? Animals from outside?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Based on the meal Alex just ate, the meat doesn''t taste any different than his world. Some tasted like beef, some liked chicken, and the most unique one he tasted was like crab meat, but when he bit into it, he could taste the juicy fat of beef mixed with pork.


    It''s very tasty, making him feel addicted.


    "It''s animals and plants that are almost extinct. When our ancestors moved to this secret realm, they also brought many types of animals and plants to create their own ecosystem.


    We separate this into a conservatory area for almost extinct animals and an area for training and hunting."


    Alex was confused hearing this; usually, endangered species under protection would be made illegal to sell, but here, it''s sold in an auction.


    "Isn''t the animal protected? Why would you sell it then?"


    "It wasn''t always like this. In the past, we really forbade it, but it just ended up in criminal activity, and more money was burned to raise security.


    The king at that time then tried a new policy, which was that, occasionally, we would auction these endangered animals and plants."


    "Is it working?"


    "Yes, after that, the interest in buying these endangered animals from criminals dropped.


    Who wants to take the risk of buying an illegal one when the legal route exists?


    It''s not like the price is cheaper, and the penalty for it is death.


    You may not believe it, but with this new system, the species are safer now. Since it''s run by a proper channel, they can maintain the population.


    Count how many can be sold without disturbing their population growth."


    Alex then remembered how illegal substances in his world were treated differently.


    In countries that allow the substance, there are almost no criminal activities on the substance, but in countries that put a ban on it, even with death as punishment, the activity was still rampant; there was just a high demand for the drug.


    Two, in particular, were still fresh in his mind since they often show up in the news and are banned in every country.


    Tenovix is a powerful hallucinogenic drug that allows the user to relive their happiest moments. With so many tragedies happening on his planet, this drug quickly rose in demand because many people wanted to see their loved ones again.


    The second one is Arcane dust. This drug allows normal people to temporarily gain a boost of power in physical strength, but the side effect makes them lose their sanity, while their bodies will quickly deteriorate afterward.


    This thought made Alex''s mood turn sour, as it reminded him of the situation on the frontline that he would need to face soon.


    His change of mood didn''t escape Lily''s attention, "Are you an animal activist or something? Why has your mood suddenly become bad?"


    "No, I just remembered something important I need to do. When is the auction? And can we still get in?"


    Alex asked since auctions like this usually require them to register beforehand and pay a guarantee fee before they can enter.


    "It''s later at night, and it requires us to register first. Even for me, a royalty, it''s no exception. Usually, we would not be able to enter now, but with that, I am sure they won''t dare to block your entry." Lily said as she pointed at his bangle with a smirk.


    "Good, this thing is useful after all. Do you know how much money is inside this?"


    "I honestly don''t know, but I am sure it''s more than enough to pay for everything you want. 5% of the whole country''s tax goes to the Sentinel, and he never uses money at all."


    Lily''s information made Alex''s lips curl into a smile. With how long the Sentinel led the country, it wouldn''t be exaggerated to say the money inside is more than the whole year''s income of the whole kingdom.


    ''If he knew I have a storage ring, I am sure he wouldn''t have given me this bangle.''


    Seeing his smile, Lily couldn''t help but think that Alex was planning something bad.


    ''Just why did the Sentinel give him the bangle without telling him anything?''


    "Alright, now that it''s settled, it''s time for me to pay the bill," Alex then called the waiter.


    Hearing he was going to leave, the Manager quickly blocked his path.


    If Alex left now, who would pay for the rest of the people queuing outside his restaurant? The line had already grown so long that it reached a few blocks.


    "Good sir, if you leave now, who will pay for the rest of the bill?"


    "Did you mean I need to wait until it all finished?" Alex inquired with a frown.


    Seeing Alex''s expression, the Manager quickly clarified, "No, you don''t need to do that, sir, but what about all the bills then? Since you promised to pay for everyone''s food for the day. There are still many people queuing outside."

 Chapter 143 - 143: Blaire

    "Oh, that is simple. I will pay for people who already ordered first, and then at night, I will return here to pay the bills. Except you don''t believe the words of your Sentinel," Alex replied with a smile, while his eyes looked sharply at the Manager, making him flinch.


    The bill amount would be massive; if Alex ran away and did not pay, he would be fired for sure.


    Heck, being fired was the best scenario; he was sure the restaurant owner would turn him into mince meat, literally.


    Looking at the employees who were still working with zeal while chanting "Ka-ching," the Manager steeled his resolve.


    ''Screw it, I will just gamble my life then, not like I have any other choice.''


    He then tried to convince himself that the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, and in his situation now, it''s not that big a risk.


    The guardian captain was there with him, and he could authenticate the crystal bangle. If he could not even trust that, then no one in this kingdom was worthy of one.


    Alex then tapped his bracelet to pay for the bills. He could see the cost totaling over 10,352 Credits.


    As they walked to leave the premises, Alex whispered to Lily, "How expensive are these bills?"


    "For comparison, a single person here spends around 200 credits a month on food, and this is assuming eating quality meat every day."


    "Ah, I see," Alex replied.


    Leaving the premises, they quickly became the center of attention. Everyone looked toward him, but no one dared to block their path or come close.


    Not only because he was walking with their Guardian Captain, but his authority allowed him to kill anyone he deemed guilty, even without any evidence.


    Looking at the long queue, Alex let out a chuckle.


    He then realized there were a few groups of people standing at a distance from the crowd, pointing a unique device toward them. It looked like a reporter recording a video for the news.


    "What are they doing?" Alex asked.


    "They are reporter, with how big commotion you cause, it''s not weird they are coming here." She then pointed at the device they held. It looks like a cylinder with many symbols carved into it; at the end is a small slot where one of the reporters puts a crystal inside it. Alex could see after some recording, they would then replace the crystal with another new one.


    "You see, the reporters will record the news, edit it, and then send it to every member they have."


    "Members?" Alex asked.


    Lily then explained to him how the news works in the Feloria kingdom.


    People choose the platform they believe in. It can be one or multiple. They will then pay a monthly fee to become their member.


    In exchange, every few days, or depending on the news platform, they will then send them a crystal where they can watch the video in holographic projection. This reminded Alex of how their civilization grew with the crystal as the base.


    "Where did you guys get the crystal?"


    "It''s provided by the Sentinel. We actually don''t know where it comes from."


    ''I need to ask Amu about this later; the crystal is very useful for my needs,'' Alex thought to himself.


    They then left the crowd, moving toward the market.


    Lily wanted to pick up many things since Alex would have to pay for all the expenses. She also wanted to stock up on items that she could exchange outside.


    Lily only knew she would have something to do outside the secret realm; she hadn''t known that her mission was to accompany Alex on his journey.


    Just when they reached the market, a group of people blocked their path.


    They wore formal clothing of the Feloria kingdom. The clothes looked like modern kimonos but were mixed with Western influences. The robe on the top only reached their waist, while the pants were basically just trousers.


    A man then came forward from the group. His clothes have a black-and-white color scheme.


    He then moved his hand toward his chest. "Praise the shadow." Lily gave the gesture back, but her expression was ugly.


    "Why are you here, Blaire? I already told you to stay away from me."


    The man, taller than Alex with a thin body, looked at Lily with interest, his lips curled into a sly smile. "Today, I am not coming for you, Lily. I am looking for the Sentinel Envoy."


    Feeling deep hostility from Lily, Alex focused more of his attention on the man in front of him. He could see a silver bangle on his hand, signifying that he was married into royalty.


    ''Did he still try to make a move on Lily even when he is married? Hmm, maybe having multiple spouses is normal here, but being married into royalty and still seeking to woo a princess, what an ambitious man,'' Alex thought.


    ____________________________


    Species: Corrupted Felidaeans


    Name : Blaire


    Power Level: 3.7


    Life Force: -1/0


    Abilities: ???


    (Target was intrigued, filled with Anxiety, and had a lot of resentment toward Lily.)


    ___________________________


    Reading the information from Vesa, Alex was surprised.


    Even with his analytical ability, he barely noticed any of these emotions from his expression. ''But why the anxiety and Resentment?''


    This reminded Alex of the Guard Captain, who was wary of him before. He started wondering if these had any connection. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am sorry for the disturbance. My name is Blaire, as you have heard from Lily.


    If you''re wondering why she hates me, we just had a minor disagreement in the past."


    "Minor! How dare you say it''s minor!" She then turned her gaze to Alex, "I cannot stand him. I will enter first," Lily said while walking past Blaire and entering the market area.


    "So, to what do I owe this pleasure, Blaire?" Alex asked with a polite smile.


    "I am just wondering if you have some time to spare to talk with me. I am curious about your mission as the Sentinel Envoy. As a good citizen, I want to help the envoy to achieve his mission."


    "My mission. Hmm¡­ I do wonder what my mission is, Blaire."

 Chapter 144 - 144: Skeleton Raid

    Hearing Alex''s words, Blaire thought Alex just didn''t want to tell him about it, just like he didn''t tell him his name.


    Blaire then took out a beautifully carved wood from his pocket. It''s the size of a card, carved with his name, with a small crystal in the upper left corner.


    "Well, Sir, if you need any help, just contact me. I will do my best to fulfill your needs. Even though Lily knows many things about this kingdom, I doubt she knows the underbelly of it."


    "Ah, does that mean you are very versed in this kingdom''s underworld, Mr. Blaire?"


    "I am just doing what I need to do to survive, Sir," Blaire said with a smile. He then excused himself after giving the card to Alex.


    Looking at Blaire''s back walking toward his chariot, Alex''s gaze turned sharp. He looked toward the card once more, then put it into his storage ring and entered the market to find Lily.


    Outside the secret realm, in the Crystal houses, Quartz and Zold had already recovered. They still preferred the camp above the house since it gave them a view of their surroundings.


    "Just where is Alex? Now that we have recovered, we should quickly find a way to get out of this place," Quartz said with an annoyed tone.


    After Olivia returned, she told everyone how she was controlled by a parasite. She didn''t go into detail about what happened, other than Alex somehow removed it from her body. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This news made the others feel worried. A parasite that can control an awakened body is very dangerous.


    Any dungeon with something like this, regardless of its level, usually requires a specific hunter to join the hunt. This Hunter will have specialized abilities to ensure no one is controlled.


    Quartz felt thankful that Alex had a way to remove the parasite. She didn''t want to have her family''s blood on her hands because they were controlled by a parasite.


    But now that Alex was gone, what would they do if the place suddenly got attacked by the parasite? It would be a tragedy.


    "It''s not even an hour, Aunt Quartz. Why are you so impatient?" Emily asked.


    "Emily, I don''t believe you need to ask this.


    Do you know how dangerous that kind of parasite is? Now tell me, can you raise your hand to shoot me or Olivia if that happens?"


    Emily turned silent at that remark.


    Could she do it? Of course, she knew the answer¡ªshe couldn''t.


    She would try her best to escape from them and find a way to remove the parasite without hurting any of them.


    "I am sure Brother also knows about this, so don''t worry too much, Aunt." Emily said confidently.


    Quartz then turned her gaze toward Olivia. "Why are you so quiet now? What do you think about this, Chibi? Don''t you think we need to leave this place quickly now?"


    Olivia didn''t answer Quartz. Instead, she asked, "Petricia, is your Master alright? Do you really not know where he went?"


    She felt worried about Alex''s situation. Based on her knowledge of Alex''s character, he should have returned unless he found some problem.


    Alex was the type to avoid problems if he could, looking for the safest route. With the existence of parasites, normally, he will be the first to suggest that they leave the area quickly.


    "Don''t worry, Lady Olivia. The King is alright; he just needs to take care of some matters."


    Hearing how Patricia addressed her, Olivia''s cheeks turned into a pout. "Did Alex tell you to change how you address me?"


    Seeing Olivia''s displeasure, Patricia''s mind quickly churned.


    She could tell Alex was the one who told her to do this, but she felt that would create a problem between Alex and Olivia. She had watched enough drama to know it was better not to get involved with this King''s personal affair.


    "No, Lady, I just thought it''s better to call you ''Lady'' too."


    Olivia squinted her eyes. She didn''t believe Patricia did it of her own will.


    Quartz was confused by this; not only was her question ignored, but Olivia also seemed very dissatisfied with Patricia''s words.


    "Just what did she call you before? Why do you seem mad about it?"


    Emily was trying her best to hold her laughter. She could guess what had happened. ''Poor Olivia, should i help her?'' Emily wonder. But she forget the idea since she also don''t want her brother interfere in her love life. Not like she have any now.


    While they were busy with their talk, Zold was standing near the edge of the building, his eyes sharply looking at the city.


    He couldn''t put his finger on it, but he could feel something was wrong.


    Even though everything seemed the same, it felt like something was lurking in the shadows and gathering around them.


    From the edge of his view, he could see a black silhouette moving. Zold didn''t hesitate; a gun appeared in his hand. Despite having a dagger as his main weapon, Zold still had experience using a gun.


    BANG!


    A shot was fired, pulling the attention of Patricia, Emily, Olivia, and Quartz. The bullet tore through the air with high speed, meeting its target with a CLANG!


    The shot hit the crystal wall of the building, ricocheting into the dark alley.


    "What are you shooting at, Zold?" Emily asked with a worried expression. At this moment, all of them had already moved, standing beside Zold.


    "I don''t know yet. I thought I saw a black shadow entering that alley."


    Their gaze then focused on the alley, scrutinizing every movement to make sure they wouldn''t miss anything.


    A moment after they did this, a weird sound came from behind them.


    Quartz instinctively turned; her shield appeared in her hand with a CLANG! The metallic sound of clash resounded in the area.


    Behind them, a humanoid skeleton with tails on its back appeared. Its hand held a pair of daggers.


    Crackle! Crackle! Electricity zapped through Zold''s body; his hair stood up like spikes. The gun in his hand disappeared, replaced with a dagger.

 Chapter 145 - 145: Steel Wire (Bonus Ch)

    In the blink of an eye, it appeared in front of the skeleton with a SLASH! A diagonal line appeared on the skeleton''s face. SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! Zold launched another barrage of slashes, each cutting down the skeleton''s bones like a knife cutting through butter.


    Each slash caused a spark of electricity to flicker in the air.


    The skeleton fell to the ground, then crumbled to dust, leaving only two lumps of useless metal. But Zold still chose to keep them in his storage ring; who knows what kind of unique attributes the metal has.


    Just when he did this, BANG! A bullet tore through the air just inches away from him, creating electrical sparks as the bullet used was a good conductor.


    The bullet hit another skeleton right in the forehead. But the skeleton didn''t even flinch; its bony tail swayed left and right as it made a jump toward the group.


    Emily clicked her tongue in annoyance, "I knew it; my gun is a bad match with undead creatures."


    Quartz looked at the skeleton army that suddenly appeared, surrounding them from all directions. With a stern tone, she said, "Forget the skeletons; keep your eyes peeled for the parasite, Emily."


    Emily nodded, raising her gaze to the maximum, then started spreading her Qi like a net surrounding the group while her eyes focused on Zold and Patricia.


    Manipulating Qi outside her body was something she learned as she tried to experiment by fusing it with her abilities. Shooting out the light from her body came naturally to her as it was part of her abilities; the hardest part was controlling how much came out.


    So when she tried this with Qi, it came easily to her, mixing it with her mana; she then formed it like a net, allowing her to know if anything touched it.


    Looking at the number of enemies, Zold knew it was the best time to test his new skill.


    Electricity started crackling on the dagger''s sharp edge. Zold then threw his dagger toward the skeletons. In the past, he couldn''t do this; the moment the electricity separated from his body, it would quickly disappear.


    But now, after becoming a cultivator, he could fuse it with his Qi, allowing the electricity to survive as long as the Qi was supplied. Like a ''chain lightning,'' the dagger moved at high speed, encircling a group of skeletons.


    At the end of the hilt, a thin, sharp steel wire was connected to a device under Zold''s arm.


    When the dagger tightened the encirclement, with a flick of his hand, the wire started getting electrocuted.


    ZAP! Crackle! The area brightened for a moment with the booming sound of thunder roaring in the air.


    When it all settled, and the dagger returned to Zold''s hand, all that was left were crumbled pieces of the skeletons.


    Even though his lightning couldn''t turn them to dust, with high enough voltage combined with the sharp wire chipping away at the skeleton''s body, it was enough to cause fractures and structural damage to the skeletons. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Patricia was now high in the air. She jumped toward a group of skeletons with her great sword pointed downward.


    One of the skeletons was holding a shield, which it raised upward to meet the great sword head-on. If the skeleton were still alive, it would know that this was a bad decision, but it didn''t even have a brain to think.


    The skeleton moved autonomously, seeking to attack any living creature in the area. The shield cracked under the weight of the sword. Even though it didn''t completely break, the skeleton''s body was too fragile to hold against the weight.


    BANG! Patricia focused her Qi on the sword tip, creating a shockwave of explosion. Smoke rose up in the air as the ground cracked into a small crater.


    Alex was oblivious to what was happening outside. Patricia didn''t have time to inform Alex of the number of enemies she faced.


    Olivia looked from the terrace, focusing her senses to feel any disturbance from the mana in the air. She was trying to find who was controlling all these skeletons.


    They could try to defeat all the enemies, but it would be a waste of time and energy.


    At the same time, Alex was in the market.


    He could see many Felidaeans walking around, and there were many stalls on the street selling various things, from street food like meatball skewers to accessories and clothing.


    He then saw a few tables arranged where many Felidaeans were seated in groups; in one of them, Lily was seated. Her finger held a skewer of meat, but her eyes seemed distant as if her mind was elsewhere.


    Sitting across from her, Alex purposely made a loud sound, bringing her mind back to reality. "Sorry about that, but I really can''t stand that bastard."


    "Who is he?"


    "Before you tell me to score people based on how bad they are, for that bastard, even zero is too good."


    "Is he one of your pursuers? Based on the bangle he wears, isn''t he already married?" Alex asked.


    He wants to know more about how the Felidaeans live as it would help him make decisions on how to interact with these people. Blaire was just one of the many who would come to him.


    "He used to be, but since I never gave any response to him, he then changed his target to my childhood friend, Sasha," Lily said while her eyes turned solemn.


    "That still doesn''t explain why you hate him that much. Did you have a big fight with your friend because of their marriage?"


    "If only it''s that. She has been missing for years now!" Lily said with a raised tone, then took a deep breath before starting to tell Alex what happened.


    She didn''t feel it needed to be hidden since it''s common knowledge here; the lives of royalty are often exposed in the news, becoming entertainment for normal people, just like how celebrities are treated in Alex''s world.

 Chapter 146 - 146: Lilys Childhood Friend

    Based on Lily''s story, Sasha was a cheerful and kind girl. She was the type that would make a friend no matter where she went and turn any situation into a more cheerful one.


    The only downside to her personality was that Sasha was too trusting and always gave people a chance.


    When Blaire stopped pursuing Lily and then went after Sasha with his glib tongue, she quickly melted.


    "Can you believe it? She still gave a chance to a man like Blaire. When he pursued me, I did a lot of research on that bastard, and I knew a lot of things that he had done.


    He was involved in many crimes in this kingdom. I am sure his only goal in pursuing Sasha or me is to get royalty status."


    "Did you try to convince your friend?"


    "Of course I did. Did you know what he does? Human trafficking, prostitution, casinos, sending money to gangs, kidnapping, loan sharking, illegal drugs... the list goes on and on.


    But that man is just so slippery that no matter how much I look for it, I cannot find any conclusive evidence."


    Hearing this, Alex frowned. If Blaire could evade the investigation of the Guardian captain, his influence would be huge.


    This means he has many high-ranking people in his pocket, and they prefer offending Lilly compared to him.


    There are only two reasons Alex knows that could make this happen: they have a bigger benefit going with Blaire, or Blaire has something very detrimental to them, a blackmail material that could destroy their lives.


    "So what happened next? You say she disappeared?"


    "Yes, after getting married to him for just three months, she is nowhere to be found. Tell me, don''t you smell anything suspicious about it?


    Look, I know Sasha. I can easily guess what happened. Blaire promised he would change, but Sasha found evidence he hadn''t changed at all.


    Then she threatened to make it public if he didn''t surrender himself. Blaire got angry with it, then killed Sasha."


    "Wait, Sasha is also a princess, right? Isn''t she part of royalty? How could no one look after her then?"


    "Legally, she is pronounced dead. After a year of searching without any results, Blaire just pulled his report. There''s nothing the authorities can do then. They even held a funeral for her. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Can you believe it? I was really mad at that time, but there was nothing I could do. And yes, she is my far cousin; she is still a princess; otherwise, Blaire won''t get his noble status."


    "Just what does a noble status bring for him to go that far for it?"


    "For daily life, it won''t give you many benefits, but there are many things only allowed for royalty.


    For example, exclusive clubs or places, a few minister spots, access to buying weapons, and having a small army for himself.


    Although the army is limited to only a dozen at most for those with a silver bangle, many still seek it; it''s like a status symbol."


    "Do they also get any immunity from the law?"


    "Depending on the case, if it''s a small matter, then yes. Most judges will also think twice before condemning a noble since they will gang up together and make the judge''s life hard, except for a really big case with conclusive proof."


    "I see. So, let me get this straight. You suspect he has something to do with your friend''s disappearance since she disappeared not long after their marriage, but there is nothing you can do?


    Don''t you try to put pressure on the investigator? With your position, I am sure it''s easy."


    "We ourselves may be immune to normal law, but it''s not like we can do things as we please, Alex. Otherwise, I will honestly not think twice, skewering that man to death."


    "Who can punish you other than Sentinel?"


    "Well, only the Sentinel can take our position or when we are defeated in the tournament.


    But if we do something too bad, the nobles can gather together and create a petition to make us lose our position."


    Alex squinted his eyes. "You are still hiding something from me, Lilly. That is not enough reason for you to not do anything.


    Just like you said, despite the lack of conclusive evidence, there is still a lot of evidence pointing at him. So you still have many justifications to punish him.


    What is really stopping you from doing that?"


    Lilly hesitated; her lips quivered for a moment, but in the end, she stayed silent. This is her own problem; she doesn''t want to bring strangers into it.


    Alex tapped his finger on the table and then asked, "Is the captain who was hostile to me before related to Blaire?"


    "Based on what I know, nope."


    "Hmm¡­ it''s fine if you don''t want to tell me, but let me guess. Does he have something on your mother or brother? Some kind of crime that is better not to be found out by anyone."


    Seeing Lilly''s expression, he knew his guess was not that far from the truth.


    What happened between her and Blaire is none of his business, but Alex somehow felt that Blaire was planning something big; that''s why Blaire felt wary of him before.


    "How is Blaire''s relationship with your father?"


    "You mean the king? I don''t know now, but in the past, he was quite close with the king.


    Even though the public doesn''t know about this, I have seen them meeting in private a few times."


    "Do you know what they were talking about?"


    "I don''t know."


    "What kind of person is your father?"


    "Is that important?"


    "Well, I am just curious. You can answer if you want. If not, then don''t."


    Lilly turned silent; her mind started considering how to answer.


    It''s not that she doesn''t want to tell Alex about his personality, but she doesn''t know much about him. Despite being her biological father, she never really had an interaction with him.


    While she was deep in thought, a black shadow enveloped them, followed by a voice.

 Chapter 147 - 147: William

    While she was deep in thought, a black shadow enveloped them, followed by a voice.


    "Praise the shadow. I am sorry to disturb you, but I am being sent here by my father. I hope you don''t mind me barging in here."


    Turning his gaze, Alex was met with a round, smiling face.


    The man was shorter than Alex, around eye level, but his body was three times wider than Alex''s.


    Alex could see his triple chin jiggling when his lips moved to say something.


    The man then shamelessly picked an empty chair between Lilly and Alex and sat on it.


    CREAK!!! Alex could hear the protesting sound of the chair as its legs had already started to bend under the man''s weight.


    "Do you know him, Lilly?" Alex asked, while his eyes were still studying the man with short black hair and eyes.


    Despite the man''s size, his bonny cat tail and ears were small, making him look comical.


    Lilly shook her head since she didn''t know who he was.


    The man then interjected, "My name is William. I am no one special. I am just a lazy bump who got forced to come here to greet you.


    Ah, by the way, my father is one of the owners of the restaurant you just ate at."


    William then put both hands together in front of his chest and shook them up and down, creating a gesture that Alex was familiar with.


    "Thank you, sir, for your contribution to our earnings. By the way, what is your name, sir?


    I know her name since she is very famous, but no matter how I try to look, I cannot find who you are?"


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile. "So you are saying you ran a background check on me?"


    "Of course, sir. Who wouldn''t? The other is just hypocrites; they just don''t dare to admit it to your face.


    You come out of nowhere holding the crystal bangle, with our esteemed Guardian Captain following you everywhere; of course, people will feel curious about your background."


    "I heard this identity gives me many immunities. You are quite brave talking like that to my face. Aren''t you afraid of what I will do to you?"


    William chuckled, "No, sir. I may be a lazy bump and the biggest Felidaen, but I am sure I can run away."


    His words surprised Alex, making him laugh.


    Then he remembered some of his favorite novels. Almost all of them had chubby characters like William, and they never became the antagonists. "I am Alex. So, what is your real purpose for coming here? I don''t believe it''s just for greeting."


    "My father told me to butter you up, then find out what your purpose at this place is. You know many people will pay a good price for that information."


    "And by telling me this, you think I will talk about it?"


    "Of course not. My only choice is to come here or go to the restaurant to help take care of the customers. The choice is very obvious."


    William said while a woman came putting many dishes on the table. Based on the interaction, Alex could see the woman was William''s personal attendant.


    After putting on the food, she smiled toward Alex and the others. She looked more attractive than average but not to the level of jade beauty, just two levels below it. Her height was similar to William''s, but she was not fat.


    "I am sorry, sir Alex, my young master lacks manners, but he is good at heart."


    She then politely offered to order some food for Alex and Lily if they wanted it. But Alex rejected it since he was still full.


    "Hey, Roxy, how many times have I told you just to call me by name when the geezer is not around? Being called young master is just weird. And who are you calling impolite?"


    William then addressed Alex. "Which will you choose, meeting someone talking behind your back while smiling? Or someone who just talks to your face?"


    Alex chuckled. "Who likes being talked behind their back? The answer to your question is very obvious."


    He then turned his gaze toward Lilly, who was sitting in silence, watching their interaction. "What do you think?"


    "I honestly prefer someone honest," Lilly said with a tone that suggested she was also unsure how to answer. As a princess, other than the Guardian Captain, this was the first time she met someone like William.


    William, without caring, enjoyed his meal and then said while chomping on food, "Don''t mind me... Chom... Chomp... Just continue your discussion... Treat me as air."


    "Young Master, no eating while talking," Roxy said while standing behind William.


    Alex chuckled, seeing this, then pointed at the empty seat. "You should just sit, Roxy. I am sure Lilly also doesn''t mind." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, just sit. This is another reason I left the castle," Lilly said while starting to eat the meat skewer in her hand.


    Roxy hesitated for a moment, but William pulled her hand to the empty seat beside him, making her awkward if she didn''t sit.


    Alex then asked, "William, since your father is the restaurant owner, he should be involved with many businesses. Do you know about the auction that will start tonight?"


    William wanted to talk even though his mouth was still full of food. However, after feeling Roxy''s gaze, he gulped it all and then drank some water.


    He then replied, "Of course, I know, Sir Alex. It''s one of the biggest events this year. By chance, do you want to participate?


    Actually, my father is one of the committee members responsible for managing the security at the auction. I am sure he can get you in easily."


    "Security? Didn''t you say your father owns a restaurant?"


    "Well, he has many businesses, from restaurants, retail stores, and news to security. Everything is running almost automatically, But every time there is a big event like this one, my dad will always interfere directly to make sure everything runs smoothly."

 Chapter 148 - 148: Dire Situation

    Lily''s eyebrow raised, a realization coming to her mind, "Ah, you are from The Fat Frog Guild."


    "Yes, Lady Lily, we are from that Guild. With the best motto of work in the kingdom."


    Lily then explained to Alex how the Guild was famous in this kingdom. It''s one of the biggest guilds in the Feloria. The discussion then changed to how the Guild works.


    At first, Alex thought it was similar to the guilds he had read about in novels, but here, it turned out that it was basically a company.


    A civilian needs to have their own Guild or join an existing one to open their own business. Joining a guild will give them many benefits, from loans to cheaper rent of the guild property.


    In this kingdom, there are also no banks, and since the data of their money is put in their own crystal, there is no need for one.


    Alex then asked William if he knew the conflict between nobles could escalate into something big; this made William''s expression turn serious.


    "There are no conflicts between the royals now."


    "What do you mean? No conflict? That is impossible."


    Alex was surprised by this. Was it royalty without any conflict? There is no way it can exist. It''s like saying political parties exist in harmony.


    The possibility of this happening is almost zero; even small stuff can be blown up by their competitor to gain more votes from the populace.


    "Yes, that is why my father also finds it weird. It''s been like this for two years now. The people were happy with the situation," William said, then continued eating.


    "Why do you say it like it''s something bad? It''s good that there is no conflict." Lily asked William.


    William responded with a shrug; he didn''t want to go into a debate with the Guardian captain.


    Alex then tapped his finger on the table while he thought.


    ''For people to stay together, they should have the same purposes. Just what kind of reason can unite every political party to get united?


    It should be something big; in my world, this only happened because we have the same enemy, and it only lasts for a moment.''


    Alex then started thinking about the possibility of the enemy they faced, and in the end, he came to one conclusion.


    ''Damn that geezer,'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    He speculated that the current king probably had some kind of plan to attack the Sentinel, and now, thanks to the bangle on his hand, he had no choice but to get involved.


    No matter what he says, it will only be a matter of time before the king''s actions start making moves on him.


    Alex was sure the king was the main culprit; there was a very slim chance for Blaire to be able to unite all the nobles.


    ''The king should also know I am a human from the outside world; he will take more precautions for sure,'' Alex thought.


    His own presence now already advertises that the Sentinel know what they are doing and sent him to take care of it.


    While Alex''s mind churned with what he should do, a message came from Patricia.


    BAM! He hit the table hard, forgetting to control his power because of the news. It split into two.


    William, Patricia, and Roxy stood up, jumping a few steps back from Alex. They could feel an invisible pressure emanating from him.


    Alex learned the situation from Patricia; Olivia and the rest were forced to move because of the sudden raid by the skeleton troop.


    Even now, they are still running away, trying to look for a safe place. The situation was dire.


    Alex''s gaze turned cold; he knew he needed to find a way to return faster from this place, but to do that, he would need to negotiate with Aimu.


    ''Aimu sent me here to take care of this problem; I will finish this quickly and negotiate with him.''


    Alex then sent out orders to Zargarth to back up Patricia and the others.


    Zargarth has come to the place where Alex disappeared, but there is nothing weird in the area.


    He did meet with a few more parasites; this made Alex think there was a nest of parasites in the area, so he told Patricia to avoid going near it and move in another direction.


    William and Lily still gazed warily at Alex; Lily prepared to fight at any time while William prepared to run.


    The market also turned silent; everyone was focusing on Alex. The local authorities also quickly came but didn''t dare to do anything. This was far above their pay grade.


    "Alex, what do you intend to do?" Lily asked.


    Her voice made him return to reality. Seeing the mess in front of him, Alex''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "Sorry, I just remembered something important. Change of plan, Lily, bring me to Blaire''s place."


    "Why? What? Why to his place?" Lily asked since she didn''t understand why Alex suddenly wanted to go there.


    "Just show me the way, and I will explain the way. Don''t you want justice for your friend?"


    With the mention of Sasha, Lily started considering whether to bring him there or not. Based on how Alex acted, she could tell Alex didn''t plan to go there just for a conversation.


    Seeing all this, William stood forward then interjected, "Sir Alex, if you mean Blaire Russell, the one that got married to Princess Sasha, I know where to find him."


    Alex took out the name card he got from Blaire and then gave it to William. "Is this the one?"


    Taking the card, William double-checked the name and address. He then gave a nod.


    "Yes, this is the one. Since you have his card, why not just try to contact him? Ask him for a meeting. I am sure he will gladly stop whatever he was doing now and come to you." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lily, how can I contact him with this card?" Alex asked.


    "The small crystal on the card will allow you to send a message to him. Just press it for a few seconds, and a small hologram interface will appear, allowing you to send a message."

 Chapter 149 - 149: You Are A Human?

    Hearing their interaction, William squinted his eyes, placing his hand on his triple chin, many thoughts coming to his mind.


    ''This Alex has no background at all and doesn''t even know how to use the contact car.


    At first, I thought he was someone who lived with the Sentinel, never coming out to the city, but it seems there is something more to this.''


    "Young master, are you sure you want to interfere with this? Don''t you hate troublesome things?" Roxy asked, whispering to William.


    "Because I hate troublesome things, I need to interfere with this, Roxy. Whatever the king is planning will disturb my lazy, comfortable life.


    If he can stop it before it happens, that will be better than my other plan."


    "So, that is why you told me to build that place in the middle of nowhere."


    William replied with a small nod.


    Alex, with his sharp hearing, could hear everything, but he didn''t care about their discussion; he addressed William. "Forget it. It''s better to just catch him by surprise. Where is he now?"


    "Wait, let me check," William replied.


    He then took out a card similar to the one Alex had given him before, but this one was filled with many crystals, with some letters near it. He started tapping over it, creating a few small holo-panels, then sent some messages outside.


    After some time passed, William''s face turned into a frown.


    With a concerned tone, he said, "He is not in the palace right now. I suggest we should just wait for him at his place if you want to ambush him, or you can just arrange a meeting with him."


    Alex clicked his tongue in annoyance. He wanted to quickly track the source, but directly making trouble in the palace was still out of the question for him.


    "Let''s wait at his place then; we might find some clues along the way."


    "His place is guarded; are you just going to barge in there?" Lilly asked with a concerned tone.


    Alex tilted his head in confusion. "And they will dare to block our path?" He pointed at his bangle. Since he had the authority, Alex wanted to utilize it.


    ''No wonder she failed to investigate her friend''s circumstances,'' Alex thought to himself, but he didn''t say it out loud since it wasn''t really his problem.


    They then returned to the chariot and started moving toward Blaire''s property.


    On this journey, they moved using William''s chariot so they could all travel in the same vehicle.


    His was already modified to fit his body without any problem; it''s not like Lily''s chariot couldn''t hold his weight, but it would make the space really cramped. He was just too big.


    Along the way, Lily asked, "Can you explain what you plan to do now?"


    Alex glanced sideways at William. In response, he raised both hands, then moved them to his lips, making a gesture that his lips were sealed.


    "Don''t worry, Sir Alex, I will bet my life you can trust my young master."


    "Why would I need to bet your life for me, Roxy? I''ve already told you many times over I don''t want you to act like this," William then sighed. "Let''s talk about this later. I don''t want to debate now. You can trust me, Sir Alex."


    Alex''s hand moved, taking out a contract from his storage ring. It was the one from Ming Yue''s world, a slave contract. However, Alex modified the content.


    He then added some more words using his qi and threw it in front of William and Roxy.


    "Just call me Alex. In front of you is an agreement tied to your soul. Break it, and you are dead.


    Words are easy, William. Now, prove your word.


    I know you also have some goals; otherwise, you wouldn''t have come with us here. This way, we can trust each other faster."


    Lily, William, and Roxy looked at the paper Alex created with surprise. They had never seen it before, but feeling the energy coming out from the paper, they believed what Alex said.


    While Roxy and William read the content, Lily asked, "Why don''t you ask me to sign one too?"


    "The Sentinel is the one that guaranteed you, so I don''t need to ask you for one, at least for now," Alex replied.


    "How do I sign it?" William asked after reading the content and finding nothing weird in it.


    The contract stipulated that he must keep his lips sealed and not share any information that could endanger and compromise Alex.


    In exchange for this, Alex would also not tell anyone about his involvement today. In case any party broke it, they would die. The one gifted to Roxy also has the same content.


    "Just drip your blood onto it," Alex said with a smile.


    Although the contract looked fair, in reality, it was skewed toward Alex. As the base for this was a slave contract, he could change the content as he wished without them knowing, and even without it, the death penalty wouldn''t work on him with the level of strength the contract had.


    William picked a knife from the cupboard in his chariot and then poked his thumb.


    The moment the blood reached it, the contract shimmered with dim light and then turned into dust. William & Roxy could feel something locking into their souls. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    William then asked, "Since we''ve already gone this far, can you tell me who you really are, Alex?"


    Alex took off the bangle from his arm, finding it easier to just show rather than explain. The bony feline ears and tail on his body disappeared, making William and Roxy gasp in surprise.


    "You are a human?" William asked in a panic. He regretted signing the agreement now.


    Stories about humans have been told in their education system since they were kids. They all knew humans were the cause of their being locked in this place, and in every story, humans were portrayed as something bad and evil.


    Lily was an exception because she interacted a lot with the Sentinel.

 Chapter 150 - 150: Isnt it Better?

    Even before she became the Guardian captain. She often visited the Sentinel to escape from the palace.


    Alex put the bangle back on and replied, "Yes, and is that a problem?"


    "Young master..." Roxy looked at William with a complicated gaze, feeling guilty because she didn''t try to stop William from making the agreement.


    William squinted his eyes at Alex for a moment, then sighed, "Humans are always portrayed as the evil in our society. So, don''t blame me for being biased against you.


    Since you are a human, does that mean you come from outside this realm?"


    "Yes, and your sentinel wants to use me to solve the problem in his kingdom," Alex replied with an annoyed tone.


    He then shared his speculation that the king and other nobles were concocting a plan to overthrow the Sentinel from his seat.


    "That is outrageous! What could even make you think that!?" Lily said in disbelief.


    Every single royalty, including her mother and brother, was involved in what was essentially a rebellion. For Lily, the result was as clear as day: death.


    She cannot believe they would do that.


    "Isn''t it clear as day? Look, there are no conflicts between the nobles; this means they are now united in one goal.


    And what kind of person do you think is capable of doing this? Blaire? No way. Only a king can do this.


    Then what kind of goal would need them to stay united other than overthrowing the Sentinel?"


    "I know my mother and brother; there''s no way they would be stupid enough to join that kind of rebellion."


    Alex sighed, "I''m not saying your mom and brother joined it on purpose, but I bet they will have no choice.


    When your king and everyone powerful around them join, do you think they can just say no? They are not you, Lily, having the Sentinel protection."


    This made Lily''s expression turn complicated. Her eyes filled with worry. She took out a card from her pocket.


    "What do you think you are doing?" Alex asked


    "Of course, I need to contact them to make sure of this."


    "Are you dumb? Stop it. Doing that will just make the situation worse. What good telling them about this will do?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡­" Lily''s voice quivered, her eyes looking at Alex flickered with pain. "I don''t know."


    William, observing their interaction, couldn''t help but comment, "Alex, I don''t think you need to be so mean to her."


    "How was I mean to her?" Alex asked, not understanding since he just told her the truth.


    Roxy, sitting at William''s side, also nodded. "Lady Lily doesn''t care about politics and is famous for being upright and never misusing her authority. So it''s not weird she doesn''t understand the situation."


    ''And how does that make me mean? She is a guardian captain. Even though she hates politics, she should understand something like this.'' Alex thought, but he didn''t say it out loud.


    He didn''t want to bother with useless debate since his mind was focused on the situation on Emily''s side. He kept getting occasional updates on the situation.


    The group is now hiding in a basement in a random building they have entered.


    With a sigh, Alex looked at Lily. "Sorry, I didn''t mean it like that." He then turned to address William. "You explain it to her then."


    William thought for a moment, then spoke. "Lady Lily, if you contact your family now, there''s a risk someone can overhear it. Even if not, this will become a burden to them.


    They will need to lie when facing the king and other royal family members. Isn''t it better to just talk to them when the matter is settled?"


    "You are right, William. But this changes many things." She turned her gaze to Alex. "As long as you can find proof of your theory, I will be able to move the guardian."


    "Isn''t the guardian''s job only to face invaders and protect the big tree?"


    "If the King really rebelled, doesn''t that make him an invader?"


    "Well, that is true." Alex started considering the idea; using the Guardian would certainly make his job easier.


    "Can they be trusted?"


    "Of course, every single one of them was checked beforehand by the Sentinel."


    Remembering how Amu had acted before, Alex still didn''t believe all of them could be trusted. "Let''s decide when we get the proof then."


    Alex then asked for more information on the Guardian''s capabilities.


    He learned that despite all of them using bows, in reality, each of them has different weapon mastery.


    Some use swords, while others use spears or even guns. Lily''s specialty was using a spear.


    Since now she trust Alex, Lily also told him their weapons could be awakened, turning them into weapons of their choice. Each also has a unique ability.


    "How could the weapons change? Is this unique to the Guardian?" Alex asked.


    He wanted to know if there was a possibility he needed to fight an enemy like that.


    "Based on what I know, no. But who knows what kind of leak we have if the king dares to rebel. I know him; he won''t move if he is not sure of the result."


    Their discussion was then interrupted as the chariot reached their destination.


    From the window, Alex could see a big building surrounded by fences. The fences looked like thorny vines, with red roses growing from them, making them look both deadly and beautiful.


    Crystal blue water flowed surrounding the building while many security personnel were walking on wooden platforms built on top of the vine fence.


    The place was like a fortress. Alex and the group then made their way to the house. But they were stopped when they reached the bridge to pass the river.


    "Halt!" the security raised his hand and then made the gesture to his chest.


    "Praise the shadow! I am sorry, Lady Lily, the master is not here now; even if it''s you, I cannot let you enter without his permission."


    "Will you even bar my path? The Sentinel envoy?" Alex asked with a cold gaze.

 Chapter 151 - 151: The King

    "Do mind, every single word that escapes your mouth will be taken as the stance your master Blaire takes toward the Sentinel.


    Tell your master I am here. If he doesn''t return in five minutes, I will treat it as his plan to rebel against the Sentinel."


    Alex''s ultimatum made the security turn sour. He could try to block Alex by force, but based on his words, the meaning is clear.


    The moment he does that, he and everyone in this place will be treated as traitors, which means kill on sight.


    It''s not only him staying here; there is also his family.


    With a reluctant smile, the Guard quickly said, "Please wait a minute, Sir Alex." He then turned around and went inside the mansion.


    [Target is feeling fear, reluctance, and anger]


    Alex read the information from Vesa while looking toward the man''s back.


    Meanwhile, at this moment, Blaire was kneeling with many other nobles in front of the throne.


    At the majestic chair that was made from green wood but adorned with jewelry and gold, making it look out of place, a middle-aged man with cold eyes and a black mustache was looking down, with two women standing beside him. One is on the left, and one is on the right.


    His eyes were not like looking at fellow comrades but like looking at insects that he could squash anytime.


    "So tell me, what is he up to?"


    "Your majesty, I have met with this new Envoy. Based on what I know, he should be a human, but what is peculiar is he''s now a fellow felidaeans like us.


    So, I am sure the Sentinel does this to allow him to mingle so he can do an investigation without making a scene. This means the Sentinel already has his suspicion on us," Blaire said with a quivering voice. His confident face was nowhere to be seen.


    "And?" The King''s cold voice reverberated in the room, making everyone who kneel have cold sweat on their heads.


    Blaire''s lips quivered; he didn''t have any further information he could tell since Alex didn''t say anything to him.


    A moment passed in silence before the King opened his mouth. "Useless¡­ You should know what will happen next if you are not useful to me."


    Blaire raised his head upward to look at the King, BANG!


    The moment he did that, a black projectile passed through his face, creating a vertical line of blood on his cheek. It kept moving, hitting one of the noble''s heads, turning it into meat paste.


    "I will give you ten seconds. If you cannot tell me anything useful, you are next."


    The King just killed one of the nobles, but no one dared to make a voice, not even raise their head to see who just got killed; they just felt lucky it wasn''t them.


    Looking at the King, Blaire could see one of the King''s fingers pointed in his direction.


    That finger was only bone. But it only lasted for a moment before it regenerated, returning back to normal.


    Blaire''s brain quickly churned, thinking of any information that would be useful for the King. He rethought every single detail when he met with Alex and Lily.


    Their expressions, clothes, gestures, anything that could give him a clue. But he got nothing. His heart started beating faster, sweat drenching his back.


    While each second passed, it felt like an eternity, and the card from his pocket vibrated.


    Normally, Blaire wouldn''t dare pick it up when meeting with the King, but now he was trying to grasp any hope he could. There are still many things he needs to do; he cannot die yet.


    Blaire took out the card from his pocket, and his eyes quickly read over the message.


    "King, the Sentinel Envoy is at my place now. Will you excuse me to get more information from him?" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tap... Tap... The King tapped his finger on the throne armrest. Each tap made Blaire''s heart beat faster.


    "Fine, go," the King said in a cold voice.


    A huge relief washed over Blaire''s shoulder, but he didn''t quickly leave the room. There was something even more important than his life that he needed to do.


    Blaire lowered his upper body again in respect, "King, it''s brash of me to ask this from you, but the last antidote will run out in a few hours. I need the new one," he said with a determined tone.


    The King looked coldly at Blaire; he didn''t respond to him. Instead, his eyes looked toward one of the women that stood beside the throne.


    The woman had golden hair and a beautiful face; her body was attractive, the perfect hourglass. Despite wearing full combat armor, it didn''t reduce her beauty even by a bit. She had a similar height to Alex.


    The woman walked step by step until she reached in front of Blaire.


    CRACK! She lifted her foot, pressing it on top of Blaire, cracking his bone. Blaire grimaced in pain but didn''t dare to scream.


    The woman looked at Blaire with disgust. "You reject me and choose that wench; you deserve this. Don''t think I will ever forget everything that happened between us, Blaire."


    The woman then took out a black pill from her pocket and dropped it in front of Blaire.


    Looking at the pill, Blaire felt everything was worth it; no matter what sacrifices he needed to make, it was all fine. But the relief only lasted for a moment as a black shadow cast over the pill.


    Blaire instinctively moved his other hand, protecting it from another stomp from the woman. But just before the woman''s foot touched his other hand, a cold voice reverberated from the throne.


    "Isla! That is enough!"


    The woman stopped her step and then quickly walked back to the King. "I am sorry, my king, my emotions got the better of me."


    The King looked at her coldly, "You should know your punishment."


    "Yes, my king." But despite what the woman said, her face didn''t show any fear. She then knelt before the King.

 Chapter 152 - 152: The Pill

    Blaire, already gotten what he needed, quickly excused himself and left the area. He didn''t even care about his left hand, which now has a white bone protruding out from it.


    Outside, he quickly opened his palm, checking the pill''s condition. Seeing it was alright, Blaire felt relieved.


    He then put it back into his pocket and took out a bottle filled with clear water.


    If Alex were here, he would recognize this water since it''s his favorite. Even though it''s clear in color, there is something different than normal water that would allow Alex to quickly recognize it as spice water.


    Blaire opened the cap and poured the liquid over his broken hand. When the liquid came out, it was a little different than what Alex used to drink; it was thicker in consistency, almost like a gel.


    The moment it hit his palm, a cold sensation washed over the wound, the gel quickly reacting, mending his hand. It only took a few seconds before the wound quickly healed.


    Seeing his hand healed, Blaire''s face doesn''t show any relief; instead, it''s filled with worry.


    ''Just whose side should I take now? The king can even make this kind of liquid. How about the sentinel? Can he still win?'' Blaire sighed to himself.


    If he can choose, he will prefer the Sentinel side, but with his current circumstances, it''s just impossible.


    He then rode his chariot, making his way back toward his house. Along the way, he took out the black pill again.


    The pill was solid black with a rough texture; it felt solid but fragile at the same time. With a pinch of his hand, even with no strength, the pill would be squashed.


    He had spent a lot of money and resources looking for a way to recreate this antidote, but it was all futile.


    "I did find some of the material, but most is something I had never seen; just where did the king get all this information?


    Is it those women? But there is no way it''s them; I am the one who gifted them to the king."


    Blaire thought hard but could not find any clue.


    In the past, the king wouldn''t even dare to think of a rebellion, but after Blaire gave the king the two women to ensure his marriage with Sasha ran smoothly, the king started to change.


    He became more powerful and cruel. The public doesn''t know about this, but the number of nobles that were killed by the king''s hand has easily reached a hundred now.


    The king also became more greedy and lustful; those who didn''t agree with him or even tried to talk back to him would have their wives and daughters taken as his concubines, while all their wealth was taken by the king.


    This made Blaire wonder just what the king found that he suddenly dared to do. The King''s Power also grew exponentially in the past, even when Blaire could defeat him.


    The other option is that the king now is fake.


    Blaire sighed, then his eyes turned determined, "What matters now is for me to find the cure; whatever happens to this kingdom doesn''t matter."


    It didn''t take long for the chariot to land back at his place.


    Alex and the others were already seated in the guest area waiting for him. But Blaire didn''t directly talk to them; instead, he went somewhere else first.


    Seeing Blaire excuse himself for a minute made Alex frown. Alex wanted to stop him, but Blaire didn''t even give him a chance before leaving them.


    "Let''s follow him," Alex said, looking toward the hallway Blaire disappeared into.


    As he walked toward it, two people came and barred his path, "Sorry, sir, but I cannot let you pass."


    Alex was now in a hurry; normally, he would wait for Blaire to come back first, then talk to him, finding a hole in his argument, but now, with his sister in danger, he didn''t care about pleasantries.


    BAM! With two swings of his hand, both guards were knocked out.


    Walking through the hallway, he found stairs reaching the second floor.


    Along the way, Alex didn''t bat an eye, knocking each guard down and making William, Roxy, and Lily dazed, following behind him.


    They felt Alex was too reckless now, but feeling the atmosphere around him, they didn''t dare to say anything for fear of upsetting him further.


    BAM! KNOCK! BAM!


    Alex utilized his qi, making sure he knocked each of them out in one hit cleanly without any lingering wounds.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach an ornate wooden door, signifying the room was special. Alex kicked the door open, making Blaire, who was inside, quickly raise his hand.


    "YOU! Who told you that you can come here?"


    If not for the place he was in, Blaire would have already attacked while calling for his security to surround Alex.


    Alex doesn''t reply to what Blaire says. He felt puzzled by what he saw; his mind quickly linked the situation with what he knew, but it made him feel there were many important pieces of information he missed.


    Lily, meanwhile, gasped in surprise, putting her hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened, focusing on the bed.


    The room is the main bedroom in this house, the one Blaire used. On the bed lay an unconscious woman that looked like a dried husk. The lips were cracked, while the cheeks were sunk in like in the elderly. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sasha?" Lily mumbled, then walked slowly toward the bed. But Blaire stood up, blocking her path.


    "Don''t come close to her."


    Seeing Blaire stand in front of her made Lily''s gaze turn sharp. "What did you do to her!? I knew I should have taken your head when I had the chance."


    "Take my head!? You self-righteous wench, this is all your fault! If not because of you, she wouldn''t be hurt like this!"


    "My Fault!? How could it be my fault? She marries you, and now she ends up like this.


    If it''s not you, whose fault is this? I am sure this happened because of what you do!"

 Chapter 153 - 153: Sasha

    "I won''t deny I am one of the causes of it, but the situation was inevitable.


    But you! You should have been able to protect her if not because of your so-called righteousness and morality!"


    "How does my morality relate to this? If she asks me for help, I will never turn her down! You are the scum here. Did one of your rivals poison her?"


    "Poison her? My rival? Yes, you''re right! It''s your father who did this."


    William, who listened from the side, raised his eyebrows at the revelation. Sasha was a princess, meaning she was one of the King''s daughters.


    Even though she was born from a concubine and, based on Feraldian culture, doesn''t have the daughter status, it doesn''t change the fact that she was the King''s biological daughter.


    "How cruel. To do this to his own daughter," William mumbled.


    Roxy, at his side, also said, "If every parent is like this, I feel fortunate not having one, young master."


    "No, Roxy, even though my father is cold to me, I know he will never do anything that will hurt me. This just shows how ruthless the King is."


    Alex, in his mind, coldly calculated why the King felt the need to poison Sasha. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few possibilities rose in his mind; the King needed a backup plan to keep Blaire in check. Sasha had some evidence of what the King was doing, or it might even be as simple as the King was looking for a good target to test his poison.


    ''But what kind of poison can make someone like that? She looks like a dehydrated person,'' Alex thought to himself.


    While Lily and Blaire had their debate on whose fault it was, Alex made his way with a few steps to reach Sasha.


    He then pulled down the blanket, revealing Sasha''s arm, now only bone clad in skin.


    ''Vesa, analyze her,'' Alex said in his mind while he made his nails sharp.


    He did this by concentrating his qi toward his nail mixed with a little bit of life force, making it grow, becoming harder and sharper at the tip.


    At this moment, Blaire realized what happened; he turned his head back, seeing what Alex was doing to his wife.


    "What are you doing?" Blaire quickly asked in a panic.


    "I am checking your wife''s condition. You should have known I come from the outside world. Since you have tried many methods and failed, you might as well let me check it."


    With a prick, Alex then tried to pry some blood to come out, but even after a few attempts, there was nothing. He needed to take some of the blood to let Vesa analyze it in detail.


    After some thought, he then took out a small, long needle from his storage ring, and with a swift movement, he stabbed it into her artery.


    Taking it out, Alex could see only a small amount of blood on the tip of the needle; it was thick and colored black.


    He then turned his gaze toward Blaire. "Come here, I need your blood."


    Alex could have asked Lily, too, but he wanted to get more information about Blaire now since he is potentially his enemy.


    Even though he concluded that Blaire was working for the King because he kept his wife hostage with poison, that doesn''t change the fact that Blaire was a criminal.


    Seeing Alex seemed to know what he was doing, Blaire decided to take the risk. For his wife, he was prepared to do anything.


    She is the only one who trusts him no matter what the situation is. He still remembered the day Sasha confessed to him.


    In Lily''s eyes, because she kept giving him the cold shoulder, Blaire changed the target from her to Sasha, but in reality, it was all Sasha''s decision.


    Sasha wanted to tell Lily about this, but Blaire told her not to because it would make her look bad.


    Without saying anything, Blaire moved and put his hand forward for Alex to prick, surprising Lily.


    "Just what really happened to Sasha?" Lily asked, her eyes filled with worry, looking at Sasha.


    Despite her status, today, she felt very helpless.


    Her friend was lying almost dead without her knowing for years, while a man she just knew found out about a big rebellion just in a few hours he was staying in the kingdom.


    This made her question her own capability.


    Alex took out some blood from Blaire; the result was bright red, tinged with black, which made Alex frown. ''Is this the normal color? Or is the black coming because of the corruption?''


    He then asked, "Are all Feliadeans born with bone ears and tails?"


    Blaire, at first, wanted to answer Lily, but hearing Alex''s question, he prioritized his, despite not understanding how it''s related to Sasha''s condition.


    "When born, Feliadeans have normal tails and ears covered with fur, but it only lasts for a second before it turns into the bone appearance that we have now."


    "I see," Alex mumbled.


    This makes him sure the corruption has something to do with life force.


    When life is being made inside a womb, they are constantly being engulfed by life force energy; the process is mysterious, even for the Vampire race.


    A unique life force of energy is created, and then a new life starts being nurtured when certain conditions are met. After this unique life force disappears, corruption returns, encroaching on the newborn.


    ''This means the corruption should be something like an affliction.'' Alex thought.


    He then returned his focus to Sasha''s blackened blood. Without hesitation, he put the blood into his mouth while keeping the one with Blaire''s blood in his storage ring.


    The moment it touched his tongue, Alex could feel something start to encroach on his existence, but it only lasted for a moment before it quickly disappeared.


    ''What is that, Vesa?''


    [King, this is not poison, to be exact; it''s some kind of lifeform like bacteria or virus, but this one exists to corrupt life force energy.]


    [With my current strength, I cannot find more detailed information about this since it''s too dangerous to keep it to experiment.]

 Chapter 154 - 154: Curing Sasha

    ''I see, so it''s like a virus, but this one affects Lifeforce. Since it''s like that, it means we should be able to kill or remove it if we can isolate all the viruses. Can you try?''


    [If it''s the virus that afflicts that woman, Sasha, I can try, but if it''s the one that made their tail and ears into bone, it''s better we don''t try to do anything for now, King.]


    [It''s too dangerous. I suspect the one that created this virus has some countermeasures in place that will alert him the moment we try to dissect it.]


    ''Let''s heal this woman first, then. Contain all the virus, Vesa; we will check on it if we have more time later,'' Alex ordered. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then produced a vial of glass, putting it toward the wound he made before.


    [Sure, King, but I need to confirm it will cost you some amount of life force energy; I don''t know how much since it depends on how many poisons exist in this woman''s body. But after we start, I cannot stop the process.]


    Alex then checked his status; he needed to make sure he wouldn''t turn berserk in this place.


    ______________________________


    Name: Alex Campbell


    Power Level: 8.1


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 2500/2,500


    Cultivation Level: Core Formation - Late-Level


    ______________________________


    Beyond his current life force, Alex also had a few thousand stockpiled at Vesa. He was confident it would be more than enough to heal Sasha.


    Green particles started coming out from his finger, condensing into a sphere inside the empty vial.


    What Vesa did next was manipulate the wavelength, changing it to a similar pattern to what Sasha had. Since the virus was like a beast locking into her Lifeforce.


    As expected, a black liquid came out from the wound, encroaching toward the sphere.


    Seeing the black gooey liquid coming from his wife made Blaire smile with excitement. It was a progress.


    The green sphere started turning black. When this happened, Vesa moved more Lifeforce toward the sphere. The process continued as more and more black, gooey liquid came out from Sasha.


    The vial was starting to get full, but the black goo kept coming out, not showing any sign it would stop anytime soon.


    Alex frowned upon seeing this. He flicked his hand, moving some of the vial''s contents into his storage ring. The process kept going for five minutes before it finally ended. Alex then put the vial away.


    In total, he spends 1.157 Lifeforce Energy.


    Sasha''s complexion was still pale; despite having the toxin removed, her body still needed time to recover. But Alex had a solution.


    He took out a bottle of potion and gave it to Blaire, "Make her drink this; she will recover sooner then."


    Blaire quickly agreed. He didn''t doubt Alex anymore. He opened the cap and poured the liquid into her throat.


    The effects were almost instantaneous. Her pale face started turning back to its healthy color. The sunken cheeks started recovering to their normal state.


    Sasha returned to her prime but was still unconscious. Blaire''s eyes were filled with emotion, something Lily had never seen before, nor had she ever thought it was possible for him to show that kind of face.


    "Sir Alex, thank you so much for this. I owe you one," Blaire said while lowering his body in respect.


    "You can start by telling me what you know about the current situation," Alex replied as he took a seat.


    At the side of the bedroom, there were a few chairs with a wooden table in front of them, along with a few shelves filled with crystal tablets.


    William and Lily also followed, taking a seat.


    Blaire sighed, "My wife became like this because I tried to reject the king''s request."


    "What is the request?"


    Blaire, now sitting on the bed''s side while holding Sasha''s hand, said, "He asked me to continue my business. I''m sure Lily has already briefed you on what I do for a living."


    According to Blaire''s story, after getting married to Sasha, he tried to stop all his criminal activity, but the King quickly disagreed.


    Blaire was allowed to operate since he also gave information to the royalty. From the King''s perspective, the criminal world cannot be completely obliterated, so it''s better to embrace it.


    He helped Blaire become the kingpin of the underworld. Since Blaire also understood his position, he suggested choosing a replacement for him. The King agreed to it at first but gave him one last mission.


    This mission would take him a few days to finish, and he needed to go to the outskirts of the kingdom, putting him far away from Sasha.


    His place was already like a fortress, but he still felt worried about leaving her alone. So he suggested Sasha ask for help from Lily, but she rejected it.


    In her words, "We haven''t been in contact much after I married you. You know how she is. Lily will just try to convince me again that you are a bad man. I''m tired of having the same discussion with her."


    Blaire sighed. He knew it was hard to change his wife''s decision, and he also had no time for it. So he left after raising the security a few levels.


    But it was all useless; when he returned, he saw his wife already in that condition with a letter from the King.


    After this, the King started making his preparations to overthrow the Sentinel. Blaire was ordered to procure many weapons that were not recorded in the official document since this document was checked by the high councilor and the other party.


    "What will happen if the high councilor gets this information?"


    Blaire''s face turned serious. "If it was a week ago, then we would have a way to impeach the King. The high councilor also has his own personal army. But now it''s too late."


    "So the high councilor is also under the king''s thumb?"


    "Yes, his family was kidnapped. The same thing also happened with most political leaders. The only entity not under the King''s control is the Guardian."

 Chapter 155 - 155: Plan: Assassinate the King

    When Blaire gave his explanation, Lily was silent, her mind not focusing on his story. Instead, she looked at Sasha, feeling guilty about what had happened.


    Now that she had calmed down, she could understand why Blaire resented her.


    If she had been there for Sasha, she wouldn''t have been poisoned. And Sasha avoided her because she was so judgmental of Blaire, never giving him a chance to explain himself.


    Meanwhile, William frowned, his eyebrows knitting together; the situation was worse than he had anticipated.


    With almost every faction now in the King''s hand, it was only a matter of time before the King started his move. It could be two days from now, tomorrow, or even today.


    "Alex, can I tell my father about this? I want my family to evacuate. We will do it discreetly."


    "Sure," Alex replied without even looking at William. His mind was occupied with what he should do next. After some thought, he asked Blaire, "How many people do you have under you?"


    "I have only a few dozen that are useful. The rest is just normal security. If you want to attack the King with a full army, you will have no hope of winning. And I need to warn you, the King is strong."


    "How strong?"


    "More than I can imagine, so I cannot say."


    "You should have watched the Guardian match. How do you compare it to Lily?"


    Blaire paused for a moment, remembering the last Guardian tournament. Lily defeated her opponent easily without any problem.


    "I know the Guardian should have some special abilities, but in the tournament, they could only fight using their preferred weapon.


    Based on those performances and information I know about their abilities, the King should be able to defeat all of them without breaking a sweat."


    ''They have power levels around 4 to 5. If I''m being generous here, activating their unique weapon should allow their power level to rise by one or two points.


    That still means they are weaker than me, and the King is stronger than me, but not by far. I should be able to defeat him if the situation is right.''


    Alex thought to himself, then asked, "If we infiltrated the castle and went straight to assassinate the king, how many people would need to fight?"


    Blaire was surprised by how straightforward Alex was. He thought about it and, after some consideration, concluded that it was impossible to do.


    Infiltrating the palace, where the security is now on high alert without anyone knowing, is just not possible.


    "I don''t think it''s possible to do that without alerting anyone, Sir Alex. It will just end up with all the Royal Guard attacking you from all directions.


    No matter how strong you are, being ganged up by that many people, you will not win.


    Even with the help of the Guardian and my troop, it''s just a drop in the bucket compared to the army the King can now mobilize."


    Alex turned silent. If infiltration was not possible, then the other option was to try meeting with the King directly. But since the King already knew about him, he would certainly be wary and prepare an army for ambush.


    Even with his current lifeforce stockpile, he didn''t want to take the risk unless he really had no other choice.


    "Can you think of a way to make the King go out alone?" Alex asked. He hoped they had more ideas since they knew more about the situation than him.


    Blaire shook his head. "He will never go out alone. At the very least, he will bring two of his concubines, who also have strength that I cannot fathom."


    "What can you tell about their power?"


    "The two concubines were actually gifted by me. They should have been orphans without any combat skill, but after they spent time with the King, they changed."


    Blaire paused for a moment, then added, "Actually, the king also started to change after he got them."


    Hearing the word "concubine," Lily, who had been silent so far, interjected, "I know them. They give me a weird feeling."


    "Weird, how? Did you also feel the same, Blaire?"


    Blaire shook his head. While Lily tried to think hard to describe her feelings clearly.


    Seeing the fake bone tail behind Alex that swayed left and right, she then got a realization.


    "I get it now. Their tail movement is similar to you, Alex. It follows the same pattern in repetition.


    I never thought about it before, but now it''s possible that they also use some kind of illusion mechanism?"


    ''If they are not Felidaens, the only possibility would be the fairy,'' Alex thought to himself. Alex never mentioned the fairy since he already concluded the race was hiding from the Felidaens. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''But if this is true, does this mean Freya is the one behind all of this? Or she also doesn''t know what happened?'' This makes Alex worry even more about the situation.


    William, who had just finished contacting his family, then suggested, "Alex, there is a way to make the King come out. He will not be alone, but at the very least, he won''t have many people around him. It''s at the auction."


    William''s idea was quickly approved by the group. Since his father was responsible for the security of the event, it was possible to create an opportunity for Alex and the others to lay an ambush in the VIP room. But there were many other things Alex needed to consider.


    "We still need to free the other political party''s hostages and note every single loyalist of the King. Do you have that information, Blaire?"


    "I only know some of it, but I can speculate where he will put the rest of the hostages, like the high councilor''s family. It''s just speculation, though, based on his personality now."


    Since the King had become very lustful, even acting such in meetings, Blaire speculated that the high councilor''s family was not spared.

 Chapter 156 - 156: Blaires Past

    ''The king will only need the high councilor for now. If he succeeds in toppling the Sentinel, I''m sure he will change the government, making himself a real dictator. The high councilor will have no place in his new government,'' Blaire thought.


    "Make sure of this information then," Alex said as he stood up from his seat, preparing to leave the area.


    "Where will you go now?" Lily asked since she didn''t want to leave yet; at the very least, she wanted to wait for Sasha to wake first.


    "I need to confirm a few things. Just wait here, Lily." He then turned his gaze to Blaire, "You should also start moving, confirming all the information. I want everything prepared before the auction starts."


    "What about me then?" William asked.


    "I need a guide, of course. You''re coming with me. You said you are confident with your escape skills."


    William hesitated for a moment while Roxy tugged on him. In her opinion, it was better for them to stay put and evacuate.


    "What are you waiting for? Let''s go. Don''t worry about the danger; you just need to guide me," Alex said while leaving the area.


    William could not find any good reason to reject, so he reluctantly went with him, followed by Roxy.


    Left with only the two of them, the atmosphere turned weird.


    Blaire looked at Lily, still feeling a bit of resentment. But what really mattered to him was Sasha.


    "I know you hate me, and it''s my fault, but please, protect Sasha for now," Blaire said as he left to do the task Alex had given him. He already had some idea of how to verify this information, using his meeting with Alex as the reason.


    Seeing Blaire leave, Lily sighed, "What can I do now?" she mumbled.


    "Should I contact the others and ask them to help Alex? But he would ask me that if he felt he needed it." As she pondered what to do, a sound reached her ear, making her feel elated.


    "You should stop saying what is on your mind, Lily."


    "Sasha..." Lily walked quickly toward the bed and then hugged her friend. It had been a long time since they had last met. The last time was at her wedding.


    Sasha tried to raise her upper body, but a feeling of weakness overcame her, causing her to falter. It had been a long time since she had moved her body; her hand felt like lead, while her head felt like stabbed by many needles.


    Lily quickly helped her, her hand gently holding her shoulder, "Slow down, Sasha, you just woke up from a long coma." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sasha had been awake for a while; she heard part of what Alex and Blaire said.


    Although the sound was muffled, like hearing something from underwater, she still was able to hear bits and conclude part of the situation.


    So she knew Blaire was leaving to do some task, and she could hear Lily''s voice, making her feel relieved, as she wouldn''t be alone when her mind cleared.


    Her last memory was muddy, like a dark silhouette; she only remembered being hit by something, and then everything turned dark.


    Getting her bearings, Sasha then asked for a glass of water. Lily then took a glass from the bedside table and helped her with it.


    After a drink, Sasha felt more refreshed. Seeing her friend now, Lily''s gaze turned complicated, "I am sorry, Sasha, I should have just supported your decision. If we hadn''t fought because of that, you wouldn''t have fallen into a coma."


    Sasha chuckled, "Scratch that, Lily, that doesn''t matter.


    How long have I been in a coma now? Can you tell me what is happening? I only heard some bits, like all of you, have something important to be done tonight."


    Lily sighed, then started explaining what had happened after Sasha disappeared.


    From how she was announced dead to what she did to look for her. Her conflict with Blaire, then to what happened today.


    Tears glistened in Sasha''s eyes; she then wiped them with her finger and said, "It''s been hard on him. Lily, don''t hate him too much.


    You always thought he was the one that came after me, but in reality, I was the one that did it."


    "You what? Despite everything you know about him?"


    "I never told you this, Lily, since you always get pissed whenever his name is mentioned." Sasha wanted to say more, but Lily interjected.


    "Can you blame me!? You know how annoying he pursued me despite the fact I had already said no to his face many times.


    And he represents everything I really hate, criminal activity, scams, violence, prostitution."


    Sasha sighed. "You never change. Can''t you let me finish my story, Lily?"


    "I am sorry. Go on; I will not cut in again."


    "I have known him longer than you, Lily. We shared the same school and class in the past.


    I always knew him as someone kind, who liked to help others, so when I saw all those pieces of evidence and the results of the investigation, I couldn''t believe it.


    But I know you, telling you this would be useless; you only believe what you see with your own eyes, and all those investigations were done by yourself. So I decided to do my own research."


    Sasha took a deep breath, then continued, "What I found was a tragedy. A kid from a rich family kidnapped and then sold as a slave to a gangster, he had no choice but to put his hand on all those criminal activities, Lily.


    And if you really dissect all those cases, you will realize he did something for all those victims."


    Lily frown. She then tries to remember all the cases involving Blaire that she had investigated, one of which involved the human trafficking of kids.


    These kids were sourced from many orphanages and even kidnapped kids, including those from Noble.


    After getting the information, she then forced the local authorities to barge into the criminal lair and capture all those responsible.

 Chapter 157 - 157: Rumor of the Fairy

    At first, they were all reluctant to do that since they knew who was backing this operation. But Lily forced them to move using her position; she also followed them, making sure everything was done following the procedure.


    Afterward, she went through all the evidence but couldn''t find anything linking back to Blaire.


    Now that she thought about it clearly, Blaire should have been able to hide this from her, given how slick he was all this time, but in many cases, she somehow found clues to the crime location.


    ''Is he doing that on purpose so I can catch them?''


    Seeing her friend''s expression, Sasha smiled, "It seems you''re starting to change your view on him. If it were the past, you would not have that kind expression, Lily."


    "Well, I see how much he cares about you."


    "He has gone through a lot, Lily. Don''t tell him you know about this. I don''t want him to get mad; he hates someone who knows about this."


    Sasha''s eyes then turned complicated. She then said in a low voice, "We just wanted to live in peace, but it seems the king has different plans. I am just being a burden to him all this time."


    "Don''t think like that, Sasha. I can see how much he treasures you. Now that you have recovered, you should be able to help him.


    Honestly, even now, I still think you are too good for him."


    While they had their discussion, Alex surveyed many locations from a distance: the palace, the army barracks, the auction location, and where the high councilor lives.


    In the chariot, William is confused about Alex''s real goal; he understands the palace and auction, but why does he need to check the high councilor''s house?


    And now the location they were going to was a secluded forest, an area that no one ever visits.


    "Why are we going here, Alex?"


    "I am looking for something. Tell me, William, did you ever hear about a fairy? A race with wings on their back."


    "A fairy? Do you mean those rumors?"


    "Tell me those rumors."


    Alex concluded that one or both of those women should be of the fairy race, but he doubted Freya was the one behind this rebellion.


    He speculated it should be one of her people; the reason could be greed or even dissatisfaction.


    Through his investigations, he found out that Aimu supplied a lot of key resources.


    Even if the king became stronger than Aimu, there was no way he could just pull Aimu down.


    The kingdom is surviving on resources from the Sentinel. But if he found out the resources were coming from the fairy race, and he secured their cooperation, then it all makes sense.


    "It''s just a rumor that has spread around lately that there is a group of fairies working to provide food for us, and not the Sentinel."


    "Where did this rumor come from?" Alex asked.


    "It''s just a rumor, so no one ever investigated it. It''s like talk people say in bars or as a joke lately. They will say something like, ''We got it all from the fairies.''" William said as he tried to remember more information about the rumor.


    "How about you, Roxy? You should go out more than William; do you know that rumor?"


    "I follow the young master everywhere. Of course, I heard it."


    "I mean, is this rumor talked about in other places?"


    "Yes, it''s talked about in the market too. For example, when someone tries to bargain with the price, and it gets too cheap, the shopkeeper will respond with, ''You think I am a fairy. That price will not cut it.''"


    "I see," Alex mumbled while he thought, ''This confirms my suspicion even further. I will need to look for some evidence before I can tell Aimu. If I tell them now, it will just make an unnecessary wedge between Aimu and Freya.''


    He had gotten some information from Blaire about those two women.


    Based on reports he read, those two were also unique; they were left in front of the orphanage door as babies, so they didn''t know who their parents were. When Blaire gave them to the king, he asked both of them beforehand, and they both agreed without hesitation.


    Usually, even though the women had already decided to sell themselves, they would still be reluctant to go when the time came.


    "Is that rumor somehow related to why we come here?"


    "Since you already signed the agreement, I will tell you. The fairies are real, William."


    "What!? Are they real? You mean the Sentinel really captured them all and made them work like slaves to provide the resources for us?"


    Alex frowned, "Slave? You never mentioned that part before."


    "Yes, the rumor tells us the fairies were worked like slaves, never receiving any recognition despite all the time they are slaving away.


    Oh yeah, that reminds me of that drunken man''s story."


    William paused, feeling a glare coming from Roxy. "Young master, you told me that night you were only going out for a walk. So you went to a bar?"


    "Cough, let''s talk about that later, Roxy. I am explaining things to Sir Alex now," William then continued his story while Roxy glared at him.


    "So where was I? Oh yeah, the drunken man''s story.


    He said once the fairies were living in prosperity and richness, but one day, the queen that led them suddenly brought them to war. Many rejected the idea, but no one dared to oppose the queen, so the war was fought.


    The result was disastrous, leaving most of their people dead, left with no choice but to look for a path to retreat.


    On her way, she met another king who was allied with the queen in the war. They made an agreement, giving the queen a place to live.


    The citizens were relieved since they had a place to stay, but little did they know that what awaited them next was worse than dying in the war. "


    S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 158 - 158: Looking For the Fairy

    "The Fairy were forced into slavery without any appreciation. They needed to work every day without even getting paid for it.


    The work conditions were harsh. While they slaved away, their queen instead lived a luxurious life, not needing to work or lift her finger.


    She was even rarely seen in the populace, leaving them to face all the hardship alone.


    Every month, they would have a big target; if they couldn''t fulfill it, they would then meet with brutal punishment.


    Oh yeah, the drunken man also said that one day, a leader rose among the civilians and overthrew the King and queen, giving freedom to the fairies."


    Alex frowned upon hearing this; it''s basically a brainwashing tactic spread around the citizens to paint a picture that fairies were miserable creatures and deserved to be rewarded for all the injustice that happened to them.


    "Does the story describe the leader?"


    "No, it does not. The story ends there since the drunk man fainted after this."


    "I see." Alex then turned silent.


    He turned his gaze outside the chariot, looking at the kingdom underneath him, while his mind started clarifying the information with Vesa.


    Vesa didn''t add any more information but confirmed a few of Alex''s thoughts, such as there being more than two factions in the war.


    So far, Alex knew the Vampire progenitor was allied with the Felidaeans progenitor and the fairy progenitor.


    On the other side, they are fighting the dragon progenitor and the human progenitor; he still doesn''t know if the dragon and human are in cahoots or not.


    Even though he knows lower dragon species have attacked his planet, this still doesn''t confirm their relationship. Based on what Vesa says, lower dragons are in opposition to the Dragon race.


    "Vesa, can you tell me more about this war? At the very least, the main goal. I know you don''t want to tell me unnecessary information, but this is important for me to know now.


    I need to think about my next step. It''s not just this secret realm. For example, Vesa, like the human progenitor, is my enemy.


    You should know I live in his territory; it''s very dangerous for me not to know this information. It''s also the same for MingYue."


    [King, in the case of the human progenitor, it''s a rumor. His last moment was not like that at all. Except the vampire progenitor resurrected after his death, and it''s another event that I don''t know of.]


    "Can''t you make sure of it? Don''t you know the current time?"


    [I know the current time on the King''s planet, but in the universe, it''s different. The time that has passed is just too long for me to keep track.]


    This made Alex frown, but there was nothing he could do about it for now. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned his attention back toward the current problem; the best way to finish this quickly is to beat the King, but it seems the source is coming from his two new concubines, whom Alex suspects are fairies.


    It doesn''t take long for the chariot to land on the forest periphery.


    This forest is located near the orphanage where both of those women come from. Alex speculates there is a fairy race settlement hidden inside the forest or at least an entrance to another section of the secret realm.


    But he doubts the second one; he still believes the one doing this is without Freya knowing, so they will probably have some secret base somewhere else.


    The forest was filled with many trees, including green wood and brown leaves. It looked like a jungle with many vines; Alex could already detect many wild beasts inside.


    Seeing the many dots on his radar gave Alex an idea, "William, you and Roxy can wait for me here. I won''t take long."


    Alex then walked toward the forest without waiting for their reply. With his back disappearing, William walked back to the chariot.


    He doesn''t plan to wait for Alex to stand there and be exposed to nature. Nor does he feel any interest in going after him.


    "Young master, what do you think about what Sir Alex said?" Roxy asked as she opened the door for William to enter.


    Inside the chariot, William replied, "You mean the fairy race?"


    "Yes, young master, we never took the rumor seriously, but if the Fairy race is real, then it all makes sense why the king decided to do this rebellion."


    "Can I still not believe it? With how Alex says it, I am sure he already met one of those fairies, and considering the first place he visits is the sentinel house, that means he met one there."


    "Why would the sentinel hide the fairy race from us then? I just feel that doesn''t make sense, young master."


    "I don''t know. He probably has his own reasons. If I were him, I wouldn''t hide them."


    William paused for a moment, then looked at Roxy, "Why do you still call me young master? I already told you multiple times, Roxy."


    "Because no matter what, you are my young master, and I am your maid forever," Roxy said with a slight blush on her cheek.


    William sighed; he would be dumb if he didn''t realize Roxy''s feelings, but he was confused about how to respond to her.


    He first met Roxy at the black market. At that time, she was one of the slaves shown as merchandise.


    William purchased all of the underage slaves and then freed them all, sending them back to their families if they had one; if they didn''t have any, he sent them to an orphanage he invested in.


    Every slave agreed with his arrangement except for Roxy; she said since he already purchased her, she would become his now.


    She then learned how to become a maid and started working for him. It''s been years since that incident, but Roxy never changed her mind, not even once.


    ''Forget it; I will think about it after this incident cooled off. Roxy is not a bad choice to take as my wife.''

 Chapter 159 - 159: Hell Gate

    As William and Roxy continued their talks, Alex was walking deep in the forest.


    Vesa still hadn''t found anything weird, but that doesn''t mean his trip is useless. He already caught a dozen monsters in the forest.


    In front of him now stood an elephant with two horns like those of an antelope. Alex didn''t hold any weapon since the monster was even weaker than Lily.


    BAM!


    Alex jumped upward and then kicked the elephant straight in the head, effectively knocking it down without any wound. He does this by sending ki directly to the creature''s brain through the vibration of his kick.


    Looking at the creature''s white eyes, Alex sighed, "Seems I failed again; its brain is turned to mush."


    The monster''s carcass then turned into green particles that flowed into his body. He then contacted Petricia, ''How is the situation there?''


    ''King, we are still stuck in the basement; we plan to wait a few more hours before sending Zold to check the situation outside.''


    "Did anyone get hurt?"


    ''If you mean Lady Emily and the rest, other than exhaustion, there are no wounds. But Zargath lost his right hand in the fight.''


    Alex sighed upon hearing the news, but he didn''t feel too depressed; as long as he was alive, he could find a way to heal his hand.


    ''Oh yeah, king, Lady Emily told me she speculates the skeletons were created by a dark hunter named Derrick; he is part of an organization named Hell Gate.''


    Even though every criminal hunter is called a dark hunter, it doesn''t mean they belong to the same organization.


    ''Why would Emily think that?''


    ''Lady Emily says she has had a few confrontations with this organization, so it''s possible they chose this moment to take revenge on her.''


    The information on Suzaku''s first dungeon dive was public since they planned for a press conference after it finished. Right now, the reporters were already camping at the exit, waiting for their return.


    So, it''s possible for the Hell Gate organization to find a way to enter this dungeon and then ambush them.


    There are many ways that allow people to enter a dungeon illegally, although most of them are risky; dark hunter organizations that don''t have their own dungeon don''t have other choices.


    The method to do it is unknown to Alex; he has only heard some rumors about it.


    ''Is Derrick that strong? Didn''t you say there are many skeletons coming after you?''


    Alex asked since he never heard of a powerful dark hunter named Derrick. Based on the story he heard, the number of skeletons that attacked them could probably attack a city and cause some serious damage.


    A Dark Hunter with that kind of strength is usually famous enough for him to hear.


    ''He is not, but Lady Emily speculated he probably got a new power system that enhances his ability.''


    This makes Alex wonder if the power is related to the magic system he heard from Emily. Since it has already reached the association, it''s only a matter of time before it''s sold on the black market.


    Heck, based on his understanding of the president, he was sure the president was the one who sold it to earn more profit.


    He probably thought, since it will be sold anyway, why let others profit? Why not take it himself?''


    ''Tell the others to be careful then; I will return soon. I won''t take long.''


    ''Alright, King, but can you give me some more detail? Lady Olivia and Emily keep bugging me about it. What are you doing?''


    ''Tell them I found the parasite nest near the area I told you not to go into, and now I''m busy fighting them.''


    Alex thought it would only worry them more if he said he was just occupied by an experiment or something else; it was out of character for him to do that.


    If he tells them the truth, it will make them want to go near the parasite area to check out if they can find a way to help him get out. So he settles with saying it''s all the parasites. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They know he can fight them back, so even though they are worried, they will still wait patiently for him to come back.


    After Petricia''s confirmation, Alex returned his gaze toward the forest. The area he needs to explore is still big, but based on the progress, he feels there is no hope of finding the fairy settlement.


    ''It seems I have no way other than to confront the king at the auction.''


    Alex then plans for the guardian, Lily and Blaire, to go rescue the hostages when he fights the king and the two women alone.


    He feels more comfortable fighting without anyone watching. That way, he won''t need to worry about anyone seeing his power as a vampire.


    Alex already planned to give them to Aimu after catching them. If he has no choice, he will then go for the kill. He needs to prioritize returning back quickly.


    Time passed on; William finally saw Alex''s silhouette returning from the forest.


    When he comes close, he opens the chariot door and then asks, "How is it, Alex? Did you find the fairy?"


    "No, there are only monsters in the forest, but this should help us in making some distractions. I am sure the king will never think of this."


    "Distraction? Aren''t we planning to ambush the king?"


    Alex then explained his plan to William. Hearing it, William agreed.


    This is the safest and best way. He feels happy that he doesn''t need to face the king directly, and helping with evacuation and rescuing those hostages is far safer.


    Roxy, instead, had a different idea, "Sir Alex, it''s not that I underestimate you, but based on Sir Blair''s story, the king''s strength is no joke. Are you sure you can beat them one versus three?"


    "Don''t worry, even if the other two are stronger than the king, I have my own way to fight against them," Alex said. While in his mind, he thought, ''Who says it''s one versus three?''


    The chariot then started flying again, making its way back to Blair''s mansion.

 Chapter 160 - 160: Aurora

    The chariot then started flying again, making its way back to Blaire''s mansion. But plans rarely run smoothly.


    Blaire, who was going to the palace to report to the king and look for information on the hostages, is now lying on the ground. His eyes look with spite at the woman in front of him.


    When he reached the palace, he reported to the king that Alex was there looking to rescue the high councilor''s family. The Sentinel already knew everything they planned.


    This made the king frown and told him to move the hostage location, as Blaire had predicted. But when he made his way toward the prison, the woman hit him before blocking his path.


    She then threatened him to follow her. Not wanting to draw any suspicion, Blaire is forced to accept it.


    He knew if he rejected it, the woman would make a scene, drawing unnecessary attention towards him. In his mind, the worst that could happen is the woman beat him again.


    Inside the room, the woman asked, "Have you changed your mind yet?


    You should know I can give you the antidote for your wife. Is my request really that hard to do?"


    "You tell me to leave my wife. How could I agree to that?"


    "Hmph, I told you to make her the second one and accept me as your main wife. I never told you to leave her.


    You should know the king''s order is to kill her. I am the one choosing to poison her."


    Blaire didn''t believe what she said. If the king planned to keep him around, he would know not to do that. Killing Sasha would make him go feral and throw all caution to the wind.


    "If that is the only thing you want to talk about, then we are finished here," Blaire said as he turned his body, planning to leave the room.


    But the woman didn''t take no for an answer. Bam! She hit him in the stomach. "Let''s see if you still think like that if I carry your child."


    Hearing the woman''s words, Blaire''s eyes were filled with spite; he regretted ever helping her.


    "You are the king''s woman. Do you think he will let me go if that happens?"


    "Haha, that trash is hallucinating. Do you think what you see really happened? You''ve never seen the real me, Blaire," the woman then snapped her finger.


    The woman in front of him disappeared, turning into golden dust, while a new woman appeared just inches away from his face.


    She had beautiful blue sapphire eyes, while her long hair was iridescent purple. Her face was very beautiful, one that can topple a nation.


    If Alex were here, he would quickly link the woman with Freya since they have very similar faces, with only their eyes as the difference.


    Her body was a perfect hourglass, and if she stood up, she would have a similar height to Mingyue.


    Blaire was mesmerized by her appearance but quickly shook the thought off.


    Without even considering what the woman planned for him if he didn''t return in time, Alex and the others would conclude something wrong was happening to him.


    The whole plan to ambush the king at the auction could be scratched off since there is a possibility that the king already knew about it.


    He tried to move but then realized he had lost control over his body.


    "Don''t worry, Blaire, you will be able to move your body again later. I just paralyzed it momentarily."


    "Why are you doing this? I only saved you once in the past, and it wasn''t even something big."


    The woman''s lips curled into a smile. "Call my name, then I will tell you why I am so obsessed with you."


    Blaire frowned for a moment but decided to fulfill her wish. "Aurora."


    "Good, I will remind you once more no one ever touched me. I am part of the fairy race with very special abilities. I can create a very realistic hallucination, Blaire. And this is not our first meeting."


    Her face changed once more into someone who made his eyes widen in surprise. "Impossible! You should have!" sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Have what? Died?" Aurora said with a smile on her face.


    Her hand gently caressed Blaire''s cheek while her gaze looked at him possessively.


    "One of the main reasons I helped my sister is because it will allow me to meet you again.


    I am sorry I hurt you many times, but I know you will forgive me for that, won''t you, Blaire?"


    Her current face made Blaire forget everything.


    Old memories resurfaced in his mind, the woman who stayed with him when he was at the lowest point of his life, the woman who took a bullet to protect him.


    "Why?" he mumbled.


    "Why did I hurt you? Well, I know my sister would make a fuss if she knew the real reason.


    So I needed to make her think I hate you so she won''t bother when I look for more information about you."


    "That''s not it. If you are alive, why didn''t you look for me?"


    Aurora sighed, her face returning to her real one.


    "Don''t I look for you now? I had no choice, Blaire. There are many things hanging on this.


    I decided to come out now since she had already planned to make her move. So my acting is not needed anymore.


    I have done everything I need to do. Now It''s time for my own desire, I will never let you go again, Blaire."


    "I¡­" Blaire wanted to say something, but nothing came out; everything was too complicated now. He didn''t know whose side to take.


    He didn''t want Sasha to get hurt. If the woman in front of him stayed at his side when life was at its worst, Sasha was the one who pulled him out of the dump.


    He then remembered what she said before. "You said the king wants to kill Sasha? Why?"


    "The king? He is nothing more than a doll to my sister now. She wants you to flip and start chaos in the country.


    It''s even better if you attack the palace. If you ask me why? I honestly don''t know. She is the one planning everything."

 Chapter 161 - 161: Change of Plan

    "Why did you need to do all this?"


    "I just do what I need to do, Blaire. My mother wants to keep hiding, but my sister thinks there is just one road to the end. And I agree with her.


    So I decided to help her reach her goal; this all happened before I met you."


    Blaire turned silent as Aurora''s words barely lingered in his mind. If he were a computer, his mind would now show a blue screen of death. It completely hanged.


    In all his life, this was the first time he didn''t know what to do or say. After some thought, he asked.


    "Aurora, you say you won''t leave me now. What if my existence becomes a danger to your sister then?"


    Aurora''s eyes flickered for a moment.


    "That doesn''t matter, you are here now. What can you do, Blaire?


    Tomorrow, this kingdom will be turned upside down. And no one, not even the Sentinel or my mom, can change it.


    They will have no choice but to do what my sister wants."


    "You don''t plan to kill the sentinel?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aurora chuckled. "There is no way we can kill him, and it''s very stupid.


    As we say, we don''t want to keep hiding. But it doesn''t mean hiding from the Felidaens; it means hiding from the war out there.


    There are many things you don''t know, Blaire, and it''s better if you never know.


    Let''s just live our lives somewhere far away from everyone. I have made a plan for us to escape. Of course, not before I make sure you are mine."


    A few hours passed by, and in the Blaire mansion, the atmosphere became tense.


    Blaire hasn''t returned nor responded to any of her messages, making her feel worried. She proposed for them to check the palace, but William fervently declined.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to help him, but it''s very dangerous to go there now.


    There is a big change; the king already knows all of our plans. Going there is the same as suicide."


    "You say that because you don''t care about him!" Sasha turned her gaze to Alex, who had been deep in thought all this time and started begging him to help.


    She knew, as he was the Sentinel envoy, his word carried the biggest weight. As long as he agreed, William wouldn''t say anything.


    Lily, meanwhile, felt conflicted. Despite what she knew of Blaire now, her hate didn''t just magically disappear.


    Hearing a story wasn''t enough to erase all of those.


    A small part of her felt relieved that her friend would be freed from Blaire if he was dead. But seeing how much pain Sasha was in, she couldn''t bear it.


    "Let me go, I will just fake the trip as checking on my family. They won''t find it weird.


    Even if they know about our plan, I doubt they will do anything to me."


    Sasha was conflicted. She didn''t want her friend to go into danger, but it''s not like there were other choices. She felt both guilty and helpless in the situation.


    Alex, meanwhile, had two thoughts now.


    His logic told him it was better to wait to confirm the situation. If the king still goes to the auction, that means Blaire is stuck because of a different reason.


    He couldn''t remove the possibility of Blaire betraying them. This made Alex regret not making him sign a slave contract. If he had done that, he would know the truth now.


    But despite what his logic told him, his heart told him otherwise. Seeing Sasha reminded him of his own past. He empathized with her.


    If there was someone capable of helping his father in the past but decided to stay still, he would resent them.


    With a sigh, Alex then made a decision. He didn''t want to do anything that would make him unable to sleep at night.


    "I will look for him. Lily, you stay here.


    If there is no news from me, follow our first plan, ambush him with all the guardian squad when the king goes to the auction."


    "William, you and Sasha should bring Blaire''s people and start rescuing the hostages."


    He then turned his gaze towards Sasha. "I know you just woke up, but the situation won''t let you rest now. We need every hand on deck.


    You should be familiar with Blaire''s men; help William in tracking the hostages and make a plan to rescue them."


    Alex doesn''t instruct Roxy since he knows she will follow William no matter where he goes. He then added, "Be careful. If things go awry, just escape. I will find you later."


    Before the others could respond, Alex left the premises. He already knew the palace''s location.


    He now was moving on foot. Using Qi to enhance his body and move at the maximum speed allowed him to reach the location quickly, not less than using the chariot.


    But Alex did this on purpose. While he jumped from building to building, he tried to track if there was a fairy race hidden in the populace.


    Before, from a chariot, he was moving too high in the sky to search the area carefully.


    A fairy is different than a Feladine; they are not corrupted like them. So, even if they use something to disguise their presence, Alex will still be able to detect their life force.


    But not all lifeforce means he found a fairy.


    There are other possibilities what he found is a pet. Alex has seen some of the populace also take care of animals with heads like dogs, but all of them were small in size. Their size is like that of guinea pigs.


    As he leaped in the air, Alex stopped in one of the tree branches. He turned his gaze downward to a nearby outdoor seating area.


    There was a Felidaean sitting there on the bench, looking in a daze towards a nearby fountain. The man had bony ears and tails, but Alex could feel life force energy coming from him.


    He put a thought, then asked Vesa to translate his language to the fairy. Approaching the man from behind, he asked, "Excuse me, sir, what is my next mission?"


    "Ask the princess about it," the man replied without looking back.

 Chapter 162 - 162: Reaching The Palace

    Hearing the man''s answer, Alex clenched his fist. Qi started moving towards his muscles, strengthening them.


    Alex pulled his hand back, his shoulder muscles tensed, while the muscles on his arm started coiling. Like a spring, his hand moved forward, cutting through the air, aimed at the man''s neck.


    BAM!


    The angle was calculated perfectly, rendering him unconscious. Since Fairies have similar biology to humans, Alex could do this perfectly in one hit, compared to when he hit the monster in the forest. Each has a different biological structure, making him need to test and calculate for every hit.


    The man''s world quickly became enshrouded by darkness. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself on a small patch of dry land surrounded by the Void. There was nothing there.


    He tried to move but then realized he was now tied to a chair. A rope tightly binds his hand to the armrest. Another is on his leg, and the other is on his torso.


    Minutes passed by, but for him, it felt like an eternity.


    Left alone in this place that was void of everything, fear started growing in his heart. In panic, a golden aura started coming out from him, but before it could even form to release his abilities, a strong presence filled the area, suffocating him.


    A red smoke then started appearing, gathering in front of the man. It gathered into a humongous form of a bat.


    A booming voice reverberated in his mind, "You will answer my question if you wish to survive, young fairy. Or you can try to fight back so we can have a good session instead."


    Vesa''s lips raised into a grin, showing its sharp teeth.


    Outside, Alex didn''t stand still; he kept moving, tracking other fairies while making his way toward the Palace. After he knocked the man out, he put him inside the Awe cube.


    He doesn''t plan to take him under his wing, only interrogating the man to get more information. And with Vesa, he just needed to relegate the work.


    Vesa is an expert in interrogation; he has heard how Vesa made a golden core cultivator turn meek from a few sessions.


    It doesn''t take long for him to finally arrive near the Palace. Just as he visited before, the security was flawless, unable to detect their life force, also making it harder for Alex to find a way to infiltrate.


    If he could see everyone on the map, it would make everything easier. He looked once more, calculating his chance.


    ''With my experience, forget infiltration, I will probably just get caught. It seems I need to do that now.'' Alex''s thought


    Alex closed his eyes. He imagined the Palace in his mind, thinking of the best angle to start the attack. Since he cannot infiltrate, he might as well go all out.


    His eyes opened, and Alex then moved to another side of the Palace, which was one of the areas he had calculated as the weakest spot.


    The Palace was surrounded by walls made of thorny vines, with enough width for three people to walk side by side. There were many watchtowers with a sentry turret installed on top of each.


    Many guards also walked on top of the wall doing their patrol.


    Under the wall, there was also a very deep moat filled with clear water, with many animals living inside it.


    Even though the creatures looked pleasing to the eyes, like rainbow-colored fish as big as normal sharks and a turtle the size of a human with a beautifully patterned shell, Alex knew they were dangerous.


    There was only one way to enter the castle without swimming through the moat: passing through the bridge through the main gate that was heavily fortified.


    Other than this, there was a second path; Alex knew this from Lily''s information; it''s hidden from the public, prepared for an emergency escape for the royalty.


    However, this path is not only located in a more fortified area of the castle; he will need to swim through the lake facing the monster, and Alex is prepared to take this path. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The monster is not his opponent; as long as he does it fast without making noise, he will be safe. And he already planned to make a big distraction.


    Splash! Alex threw a storage ring into the water.


    One of the guards realized something was thrown into the moat.


    This made him take out a device that looked like binoculars. Squinting his eyes, as the water was very clear, he could see directly what the object was. Seeing a ring, the man frowned.


    "Who dares to throw trash in the royalty river?"


    "What trash?" Another guard beside him felt confused.


    "Look." The man gave him the binoculars.


    Using it, the other guard could see the ring that his comrade had just pointed out; it was just a normal brass ring.


    He was about to comment when suddenly he saw something coming out from the ring; it was a black liquid. With how clear the water was, the black liquid was like ink polluting it. It sticks out like a sore thumb.


    The Dark liquid kept spreading, quickly bringing the attention of all the guards.


    "What is that?"


    "Whatever it is, I am sure it''s dangerous. See, even all the water monsters are escaping, trying to avoid it."


    BEEP!


    One of the soldiers'' communicators rang. Hearing the information coming from his other comrade made all of them frown.


    The situation was very serious, and they didn''t know what to do; there was no protocol for when the water moat got contaminated with strange liquid.


    The Feldian technology is all focused on using crystal, which allows them to have a pollution-free energy source. Making them never face any pollution problem.


    The news told them that a similar thing was happening on the other side of the Palace; it was coming from all directions.


    After throwing that storage ring, Alex proceeded to move to the other side, doing the same thing before he finally stopped near the area with the hidden entrance to the Palace.

 Chapter 163 - 163: Attack!

    Meanwhile, the guards had already reported to the General responsible for defending the palace. The general quickly raised the palace alert to the highest level.


    He walked toward the wall at the main gate, looking at the moat with his own eyes.


    The once crystal clear moat now turned completely black as ink. It even started spreading toward the river, contaminating everything.


    Alex smirked, seeing the result of his work. What he just spilled was oil. Alex had many barrels stored because he planned to send them to the Cultivation world.


    It''s not prepared to fuel energy or generators but to create a factory to produce a more dangerous liquid.


    DragonFire gel is a flammable liquid that sticks and burns intensely. It''s an enhanced form of Napalm, using the same material mixed with another exotic material from the dungeon, Basilisk''s Resin.


    This Resin is a sap from a unique tree that has strange properties. It has a very strong adhesive but only reacts to organic material.


    So, a dragon fire gel will make a flame that only burns living beings. It''s a very destructive weapon. But Alex didn''t have any Basilisk Resin, so he still held onto the barrel of oil.


    As oil is less dense than water, it quickly made its way to the water''s surface and then gathered there.


    The next thing he did was unleash the monsters he captured from the forest.


    "GROOOARR!!!!" A roar of beasts could be heard from over the moat as many monsters suddenly appeared surrounding the castle. With their large size, it only took hundreds of them to completely surround the castle.


    The General''s eyes widened; this was the first time in all his life he saw monsters materialize out of nowhere.


    "What are you bumpkins dazing for! Move! Kill all of them!" The general ordered.


    The soldiers quickly moved into position; they took out their rifles and then locked onto the monsters, some of them moved to the turret.


    ''I recognize these monsters; they all come from the forbidden forest; just how did all of them reach here?'' The General questioned in his mind.


    Then, a thought surfaced in his mind. He remembered the Forbidden Forest has a few monsters they categorize as kings. These monsters were giants, each of them easily the size of their towering buildings, but this is not what made them scary.


    Each king had some intelligence and special abilities. He quickly contacted everyone manning the wall on the other side. Making sure that his king didn''t appear. Even though he was sure they could kill it, this could easily create big casualties.


    They may have a big moat and giant wall protecting the palace, but behind the monsters, it''s a freeway toward the city; they could easily massacre the civilians, sowing chaos everywhere.


    He started contacting the local authorities to evacuate the civilians and block the area.


    Thankfully, since the area was around the palace, it was filled with nobles. Each of them had their own army and already knew what to do. So, the evacuation went without a hitch.


    But the General''s worry for public safety was not necessary. All monsters were under Alex''s order. They will attack the castle to their deaths.


    BRrrrrttt!!! Bang! BANG! BANG!


    Bullets shot through the air while the monsters roared. They started marching, trying to enter the castle from the moat and even the bridge toward the gate.


    Alex''s position is now on the opposite side of the main entrance. Seeing the chaos start, he then took out an incendiary grenade. With one motion, he threw it into the moat.


    BOOM!


    The grenade exploded; it took no time for fire to spread to the moat. At the same time, Alex covered his body and then jumped into the moat.


    He took out an underwater scooter. It''s a device that helps to propel him underwater. Increasing his speed even further.


    As the monsters were still confused by the sudden change of environment, Alex used the opportunity to move quickly to the secret entrance.


    He entered the underground water tunnel, taking him inside the palace. Reaching his destination, Alex carefully swam, reaching the wall, as he put the water scooter back into his storage ring.


    He then slowly rose close to the surface. Above the water, there is a platform guarded by two armed soldiers. The soldiers had their backs pointed at the water.


    Usually, there are more guards here, but since the palace was attacked, the guards were moved toward the wall to fight against the invaders.


    "Did you hear? The palace was attacked; I wonder who had the nerve to do this."


    "Is it those terrorist groups? The one calling for the complete removal of the royalty?"


    "Those people don''t know what they are talking about. There is no way we can completely remove the royalty." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, can you blame them? You know how prejudiced most of them toward the normal people is?"


    "That reminds me, do you remember the fourth prince? I heard his girlfriend is a commoner. So not all royalty is like that."


    "What, girlfriend? That is because he had no choice. You don''t know; there are rumors that the prince cannot get it up."


    "For real?" The guard wanted to say more but suddenly felt a grip on his ankle; in the next moment, he was pulled inside the water. This quickly made the other guard alert. He turned his gaze, looking behind him, but it was too late.


    BAM!


    Alex hit him in the neck, turning him unconscious. He then threw both of them into the Awe cube. Looking at the locked door, Alex didn''t even bother to try to lockpick it.


    With everything in chaos outside and the guards busy attacking the animals, he took out, but he knew it wouldn''t last long. The flame he ignited also turned the moat impassable for the monsters.


    So all of them now were gathered at the bridge, becoming target practice for the guards. It won''t take long for them to finish them all. After that, they will start combing the palace since it''s only a matter of time for them to find out the two guards missing from the dock.

 Chapter 164 - 164: Inside the Palace

    So, Alex chose the fastest way possible. He smashed the door, then knocked out every guard he met along the way. Although he didn''t make Blaire sign the agreement, he put a tracker on him, and a small device slipped into his clothes.


    Knowing where to go, Alex made his way through the hallway, and while he did this, he didn''t forget to barge into a few rooms he found interesting.


    For example, the Library. Alex would hit the door out of the hinge and then knock everyone unconscious. Old, young, man, woman, he didn''t discriminate, putting all of them inside the awe cube.


    Alex also didn''t discriminate between living and non-living.


    He passionately put all the objects he deemed interesting into his storage ring. Since he did this in a hurry, he didn''t even spare the cabinet, taking it all with him.


    If anyone had entered the Library now, what was left were only a few chairs and tables, and all the storage furniture disappeared as if it had never been there.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to reach the location he was looking for. This place is located on the fourth floor on the west side of the castle.


    In front of his eyes was now only a solid wall of wood. But he could feel life force energy coming from inside.


    ''An illusion barrier,'' Alex thought to himself.


    His lips then curled upward into a smirk. He took out the EmberShift hammer and then started pouring his qi over it. A yellow flame started engulfing the hammer''s head, but he was still not satisfied.


    He began manipulating the fire, condensing it into a smaller size; the flame started changing color from orange to blue. But he didn''t stop there; he told Vesa to pour some life-force energy into it.


    Since the flame was small, it didn''t cost a lot of life force to raise its heat to a whole new level. The air itself started to distort by the scorching temperature.


    His flame has now already started changing into white. Alex knew if he unleashed this into the palace, it would quickly spread, burning the whole place down.


    Even though the normal flame was not enough to burn the tree that made this palace, his flame was now on a whole different level.


    But Alex''s goal was not to burn this place; he knew if he did this, he could bait the one inside out.


    Just as expected, the wall in front of him started to distort. A woman then came out from it, "Are you nuts! Do you want to destroy this whole place?"


    "Hmm, finally, someone comes out. Here, I thought it would be the king. Who are you? Are you one of his many wives?" Alex asked.


    He could see the woman in front of him was attractive, but he knew it was a fake appearance.


    With the information he had, he had already concluded the woman was one of the two that Blaire gifted to the king, a Fairy. He asked that on purpose, wanting to know the woman''s response.


    "His wife? He wishes," the woman replied.


    Alex smirked, tilted his head, then raised his hand upward. The moment he did this, the air distorted. His hand was gripping another hand that was holding a dagger.


    The woman in front of him then disappeared, turning into golden dust.


    "So, this is how the Fairy race greets each other. Quite a welcome."


    Aurora, having her hand gripped, tried to pull it back, but Alex''s grip was so strong that it didn''t even budge.


    "Release me."


    "Why should I?" Alex asked while pulling her toward the door that now appeared from the wall.


    He kicked the door open. BAM!


    Inside, Alex found Blaire in bed, looking at the room situation and the peculiar smell in the air. Alex''s lips twitched.


    "Fuck you, Blaire! Can''t you choose a better time to have an affair?"


    But before Blaire could say anything, Alex moved. He put the EmberShift hammer back into the storage ring while he ducked.


    Aurora tried to stab him once more with a dagger, but she missed.


    "What are you? Do you have eyes behind your back?" She asked with an annoyed tone.


    There were many things Alex wanted to ask, but he knew he lacked time.


    He could already conclude that Blaire could not move his body. Otherwise, there''s no way he''d stay in that embarrassing position even with him there now.


    Alex spun, pulling the woman forward, then hit her in the gut with enough strength to make the woman''s face turn blue.


    Seeing this made Blaire''s face etched with worry. No matter what, Aurora held a special place in his heart. But everything was happening too fast for him to even say anything.


    Alex threw Aurora toward Blaire while hitting her in the neck, effectively making her unconscious. He then put both of them into the AweCube.


    With his objective achieved, Alex turned around, wanting to leave the premises. Unfortunately, his escape path was blocked midway through the tunnel.


    In front of him, a dozen security guards had already gathered. They all pointed their rifles toward Alex while the one leading them looked coldly at him.


    He is the general who is responsible for protecting the castle.


    Alex''s eyes turned sharp, but he was not looking at the general. He could feel another life force appear behind the squad.


    ''This life force appeared out of nowhere. Is it something like teleportation?'' Alex wondered.


    "Return, my sister," a cold feminine voice reached Alex''s ears.


    Hearing the voice, the squad separated, making way while the general respectfully bowed. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone in the palace had already memorized the voice. And they knew this woman had authority only below the king, with strength that they could not underestimate.


    The woman that came had a Feraldien appearance with bob-cut black hair and black eyes.


    Her body was slim, with height reaching Alex''s eyes. But Alex knew this was not her real appearance; he could also see a similar bangle in her hand.

 Chapter 165 - 165: Alice

    The bangle was colored in gold, but he could recognize the inscription on it; it had the same effect as the one he wore.


    "Will you let me go if I return her to you?"


    "What a stupid question. You should know the answer," the woman said as she took out two daggers from her pocket.


    Without waiting for Alex to answer, she appeared in front of him and started attacking. Compared to Aurora''s movements, the woman''s movements were very fast and unpredictable.


    Her arm and shoulder looked like they were going for a stab, but instead, it turned into a slash.


    Alex dodged, but it wasn''t completely perfect; the dagger slashed, creating a vertical line on his cheek. But the wound only lasted for a moment before it started healing.


    Unfortunately, the healing process was not smooth since the dagger was coated with paralytic poison, slowing down the regeneration.


    Alex had just landed on the ground, but his instincts still screamed danger. He used his hammer, pointing it downward, then made it longer, pushing his body back inside the room.


    BAM! BAM!


    Two whips made of wood came out from the ceiling, hitting with strength toward the place Alex had just stood.


    ''She can control plants?''


    Alex quickly assessed the situation around him, then realized a fleck of golden dust surrounding the plant part on the ceiling. Average eyes wouldn''t be able to see it since the dust was a very small amount, but for his progenitor eyes, it was clear as day.


    ''Vesa, tell me about the Fairy race''s power.''


    [Fairy race has a variety of powers. Some of them have an innate ability to talk with plants and animals. While an exceptional few can talk with both.]


    [Other than this innate ability, they are also capable of creating fairy dust. This dust has different effects that are unique to each individual; as they enhance their strength, the fairy dust can have more than one effect. So, king, be careful. There can be more effects from the dust.]


    ''Anything more I need to worry about?'' Alex asked as his eyes sharply eyed the woman.


    [If she is a royal fairy, then there are more things to worry about, but based on information so far, she is just a normal fairy.]


    Alex wanted to ask more about the royal fairy, but he knew now was not the time.


    His mind then started repeating what happened before. He concluded that when the woman attacked him, she also sent her dust toward the ceiling. She would then be able to control any plant covered by dust.


    Flames started gathering again on his hammer as he pointed it forward. "Come close to me, then I will burn this place."


    Seeing the flame keep getting hotter, the woman didn''t dare to recklessly attack. "Let''s talk."


    The woman was not worried about her sister''s fate; she believed Amu wouldn''t choose someone bloodthirsty as his envoy.


    If he really wanted to go violent, he wouldn''t bother sending anyone; his strength alone would be more than enough to end all conflict, but it would result in many casualties. Alex doesn''t use her sister''s life to threaten her.


    "And now you want to talk. Sure. Send them away first," Alex pointed at the group behind the woman.


    The woman hesitated at first; she was not sure she could defeat Alex if it was one-on-one. But she couldn''t risk the palace being burned; it would attract attention from her mother and Aimu.


    Even now, she was sure Aimu didn''t suspect that the fairy race was involved.


    "You all go, focus on extinguishing the fire in the moat."


    "But, Queen, if I leave you now and something happens, the king will hold me responsible," the general said with hesitation.


    He had seen heads flying because someone looked down at the king''s new woman; he didn''t dare to think what the king would do if something happened to them.


    The woman turned her eyes coldly toward the general, "Do I need to repeat it again? Go do as you''re ordered."


    The general still felt worried, but in the end, he decided to relent. He put his fist over his chest, making the usual gesture, then left the area with all the soldiers.


    With them gone, the woman asked, "Everyone already left. Can you drop your hammer now?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sure, you drop your dagger first, and don''t use your fa¡­" Alex''s voice trailed off, his eyebrows raised since Vesa sent him an influx of information.


    Vesa had just finished interrogating the man he had captured. Knowing it would be useful for Alex at the moment, Vesa didn''t think twice to pour the information directly into his brain.


    Alex then learned the real objective of the fairy. Seeing Alex''s change of expression, the woman thought he already lost his patience.


    She threw her dagger toward the ground and then raised both hands. "Enough?"


    The hammer in Alex''s hand then disappeared. Seeing this, the woman thought it was an opportunity; she is the type that doesn''t believe someone easily.


    She wanted to negotiate, but she preferred doing it when she had the upper hand.


    She dashed forward while spreading her fairy dust around the hallway. Many sharp branches started to form, moving toward Alex like sharp projectiles.


    "So, you already started, Alice," Alex said, watching everything calmly.


    As he expected, the moment he said her name, Alice stopped her attack. Before, it was clear he didn''t know anything about her; otherwise, he would have already called her by her real name to negotiate.


    Other than her sister, everyone in the palace didn''t know her as Alice. She then started considering how Alex knew; the only answer she could come up with was that he had somehow gotten the information from her sister.


    Her black eyes flickered with rage. "What have you done to my sister?"


    Alice still didn''t know where Alex had put her sister, but she speculated he somehow had a pocket dimension to put them. Her mother also had a similar thing, so she didn''t find it weird.

 Chapter 166 - 166: Where is The King?

    Alex picked a chair in the room and then sat on it. After learning about Alice''s real plan, he changes his mind. Before, he wanted to stop it so Amu would send him out of the realm quickly, but now he had another idea.


    "Don''t worry, she is alive and well. If I wanted to use her life to threaten you, I would have already done it."


    Alex took out his phone and then pressed a button to show Alice what happened inside the cube. "See, your sister is now cuddling with her lover."


    Seeing this, Alice felt both relieved and angry. She was relieved her sister was alright but angry about her sister''s current actions.


    ''No wonder she said she doesn''t want to join the last phase of the mission.''


    She then started suspecting Aurora''s reasons for helping her. It''s possible Aurora just wanted to be with that man.


    With Alice''s goal, it would be possible for a fairy to get married to a Felidaen; otherwise, she would need to live in hiding. Their mother had strictly forbidden any marriage between races.


    Unlike the Felidaens, who don''t know about fairies, some of the fairies are often sent to civilization to learn about their culture. They are given items that have effects similar to those of Alex and Alice, disguising them as Felidaens.


    "Alright, let''s negotiate," Alex said with a smile.


    Meanwhile, back in the city, Lily was now moving with William, Roxy, and Sasha. She ordered the guardian to stand by near the auction area and the rest to spread around the city.


    One of them also stayed outside the palace, reporting to them in real time what happened.


    Inside the chariot, Roxy''s face was etched with worry. "Can we really put our faith in Sir Alex?"


    Sasha was silent, having no comment. She chose to put her focus on information her husband had gathered to look for other hostage locations.


    Based on the information so far, they had tracked some places where the king might keep the hostages. Since most of the locations were secured by Blaire, they just needed to visit each one to check it.


    The locations given to the king didn''t have any of Blaire''s people there, so they had to visit them one by one.


    Lily furrowed her eyebrows, then hesitantly said, "He is chosen by the Sentinel; I am sure we can put our faith in him."


    "Your way of saying it is not convincing, Lady Lily," Roxy replied.


    William sighed, "It doesn''t matter. We are now only worried because of the strength Alex showed us.


    He can capture beasts and control them to his will, allowing him to have his own army. And it seems he has a way to bring them anywhere he is. This is something outside our imagination and makes us fear him.


    But don''t forget, if he really had bad intentions, he would have acted on them already. Based on Lady Lily''s story so far, I think Alex only wants to quickly go out and return to his loved one, so there is nothing for us to worry about."


    "If the young master says so, I will agree," Roxy said with a nod.


    At that moment, Sasha''s eyebrows furrowed; she was reading a message from one of Blaire''s subordinates. "One of my men just spotted the king in the outskirts area."


    Sasha then pointed to the map projection in the air, the location where the king was spotted. It was the forest that Alex had gone to before.


    "What should we do?" Sasha asked.


    "How many people are with the king?" Lily asked.


    "Based on the information I got, he was spotted entering it with one of his concubines, but not long after, the concubine left the forest in a hurry."


    "Let''s go after the king then; he is alone, it''s a rare chance. As long as we take him down, all of this will be over."


    William raised his eyebrow, surprised by Lily''s words.


    "Do you have another idea?" Lily asked.


    "No, I''m just surprised you said it so easily. Is there really no familial love between the royal family?"


    "He never met me nor took care of me. He may be my blood father, but that''s it. Nothing more, nothing less."


    "Well, if you''re alright with it, let''s go to that location then. But I will tell you now, I cannot help with the fight. Based on information from Blaire, he should be pretty strong now."


    "Don''t worry, I will bring all the guardians to capture him."


    "We will split then; we will go to rescue the hostages," William said.


    He doesn''t plan to come any closer to the king. If possible, he doesn''t want to take any risk with his life. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright."


    "Are you sure you will be alright, Lily? He is your father. I know how you really feel." Sasha asked.


    Lily sighed, her gaze turning complicated. Despite what she said to William, she did feel some attachment. In the past, she often tried hard to get her father''s acknowledgment. But since her father never even turned his gaze toward her, she gave up.


    "I am alright, Sasha. Just do what you need to do. The king is dangerous; going with me will just add unnecessary risk. And William would not be able to look for the hostages without your help."


    Sasha sighed, reluctantly giving a nod; she knew her capabilities. Going with Lily would just burden her.


    It didn''t take long for the chariot to land in the forest. Lily then said goodbye to William and the others.


    Looking at the forest, Lily decided to go inside first to check the situation. Moving inside the forest, she found the area eerily empty.


    After some thought, she realized Alex was the cause of this.


    The monster he captured came from this forest, so it''s not weird that this place has now become like this. She kept moving forward, looking for the king''s location. It didn''t take long for her to regroup with the person under Sasha''s orders.


    "Where is the king?"

 Chapter 167 - 167: Guardian vs King

    The person pointed toward the southeast. "Based on the direction, I think he is going for the king of the forest. There''s a lake there. I remember a giant snake is living inside of it."


    "I see; you should go on your way then. It''s too dangerous for you to stay here."


    The man felt relieved hearing Lily''s words. He had already put considerable distance when he followed the king, but the man gave him creeps. The forest being empty also doesn''t help with the situation.


    He then put his hand over his chest, doing the usual greeting, then quickly left the area.


    Seeing the man disappear, Lily''s face turned serious. "What did father want with the king of the forest?" she mumbled.


    She sent a message to the other guardians, telling them to gather at the lake. Lily then moved quickly in the forest, jumping from tree to tree while her senses were on high alert.


    BANG! BANG!


    Lily stopped in her tracks, hearing a shooting sound from somewhere near her. She lowered her speed and then moved carefully in the shadows.


    From behind a tree, she saw the king fighting against the Dragon Serpent with help from a dozen elite squads. Lily concludes this based on the squad uniform.


    ''The news I got was that the king entered alone. Where did the rest of the people come from?''


    Lily didn''t think Sasha was lying to her since there was no reason for Sasha to do this. But for her underling, to miss a dozen people was just stupid. There was no way it could happen.


    While she was thinking, the fight with the dragon serpent was reaching its climax. A dark aura came from the king, focusing on a few needles held in his hand.


    The needles were small; if not for the dark aura making them prominent, Lily would not have noticed them. The needles have similar lengths to an index finger.


    SWOOSH! SWOOSH!


    The king threw the needles toward the gaping wound of the dragon serpent. The moment it hit, Lily could see its reptilian eyes start to change before it reflected some intelligence, but now it flickered only with rage.


    But it only lasted for a moment before the eyes turned heavy, and the dragon serpent then lost consciousness.


    The elite squad then moved closer to the dragon serpent.


    At first, Lily thought they would finish it off, but to her surprise, one of them moved his palm forward, and golden dust then came out from it, starting to cover the dragon serpent''s body.


    It didn''t take long for the serpent to completely heal. "It''s done. This serpent will awake in four hours. We should go to our next target."


    The king nodded. He was about to say something when suddenly his gaze turned sharp, and he looked straight at the place where Lily was hiding.


    BAM!


    Without even saying anything, he kicked a rock near his feet toward Lily''s location.


    Lily quickly moved; she rolled away from the tree, which now had a huge gaping hole in its trunk.


    "It seems we have a worm. You guys go first; I will take care of her," the king said while looking coldly at Lily.


    Lily''s heart shook at the king''s words. ''Again,'' she thought in her mind.


    The king''s eyes were just like looking at a stranger, not his own daughter. He didn''t recognize her at all.


    Leaving alone, the king took a blade from the scabbard on his back. "So what is the sentinel''s dog doing here?"


    Lily took out the bow from her back, and a unique pattern started to glow from it, changing its form. The bow twisted and turned, turning it into a long spear 240 cm in height (8 ft).


    With a throb in her heart, she forced herself to calm down. "You are guilty of treason to the sentinel. Surrender yourself, King Belthazar," Lily said while pointing her spear at him.


    "Only with you? You think too much of yourself, Guardian."


    After the king said this, he appeared in front of Lily, his blade moving vertically toward her. Many thoughts came to Lily at this moment.


    She could jump back, avoiding the attack, or jump to the side. If she jumped back with the length of her spear, she could try to counterattack, but there was also a possibility for the king to avoid her attack and then dash forward, cutting the distance between them.


    If she moved to the side, it would allow her more room to maneuver, but with her spear''s length, the only attack she could do would be a swipe using her spear''s body. But it''s still better than having no chance to dodge.


    The reason for this is because of the limitation of the humanoid body. Dodging after moving backward is far harder than after moving forward or sideways.


    She jumped to the right while her body ducked, and her hair fluttered in the wind.


    BAM!


    The king''s heavy blade hit the ground where she just stood, cracking it in the process.


    The result was better than she expected; the king''s back was wide open in front of her eyes. So she decided to take a jump back, putting some distance between them, then thrust her spear forward.


    Swoosh!


    It moved like a bullet, piercing the air. But just when it was inches away from where the king stood, his body turned translucent and disappeared.


    Lily''s sense of danger quickly screamed. Her spear glowed, creating a wind on its tip. It condensed for a moment before it shot with a boom toward the ground. This pushed Lily backward. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the area where she just stood, BANG! The ground cracked with a loud sound as if being pressed by a heavyweight. Not long after, the king landed. But in contrast to the heavy armor he wore, the fall didn''t produce any sound.


    The king''s lips smirked, "Not bad. Let''s see how you dodge this next."


    A dark aura appeared on his foot. He then stomped on the ground. The rocks and pebbles started to float, defying gravity.


    The king then swung his blade, creating a shockwave that launched all those rocks toward Lily.

 Chapter 168 - 168: Decimated

    Seeing the barrage of attacks, Lily frowned; the area was too large for her to dodge.


    The wind started appearing around her spear. She then started spinning it quickly, turning her spear like an umbrella to block the attack.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The moment the rocks reached the spinning spear, they either got deflected or crumbled into dust. But the King didn''t falter with this. His attack had already served its purpose.


    Since Lily focused her attention on his attack, the King had an opportunity. His body jumped, moving like a blur, appearing behind Lily.


    Lily''s instinct screamed something was coming from her back, but it was all too late for her to dodge.


    CRACK!


    The next thing she knew, she felt like she was being hit by a massive hammer, cracking all the bones in her body apart. She was launched into the air, crashing into many trees like a rocket.


    BANG! CREAK!!


    The tree cannot halt her momentum.


    The King''s lips curl into a cold smile, satisfied with the result. He then says in a loud voice, "What are you guys still waiting for? Come out!"


    From the surrounding forest, many silhouettes jump out, encircling the King. The rest of the Guardians have assembled.


    If Alex were here, he wouldn''t be able to help himself but comment, "Guardians, Assemble," a popular phrase from one of his favorite shows.


    The Guardians quickly spread out; two people move toward Lily''s direction while the rest aim their bows at the King.


    "Surrender now, or we will be forced to use force."


    The King laughs, "You Guardians crack me up. Can''t you see the situation? sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The plan is in its final phase, and soon, I will reach my goal! Do you think I will let any of you live?"


    A black aura starts emanating from his entire body. The ground begins to vibrate, then becomes cracked, like it''s under a heavy weight.


    At the same time, many arrows are shot forward, piercing through the air.


    But the moment they reach the area around the King, the arrows start slowing down, then bend their path, ending up stabbing the ground.


    The King stomps again, executing the same attack he did toward Lily before. Each of the Guardians'' bows starts glowing, then changes form into different types of weapons.


    Meanwhile, back at the castle, Alex is negotiating with Alice.


    "So, you''re planning to bring the fairy out into the public and, in the process, demean the Sentinel so the Felidaens can accept dual leadership?"


    "Yes, but this is only half of it. My main purpose is I want us to focus our attention on increasing our strength to rejoin the war between the progenitors.


    My mom and Uncle Aimu think they can hide in this little haven of theirs and wait for the war to finish. But I don''t believe that; with the scale of the war, it''s just a matter of time before we get involved again."


    "Why are you so sure you will get dragged into the war?"


    "Isn''t your existence here one of the proofs?


    You are a human from the outside. It''s only a matter of time before one of them comes here and attacks us.


    Also, let''s say we win. How do you think our progenitor will treat us?


    Even though it''s the progenitor''s order for us to hide, there is also another order for us to prepare and rejoin the fight."


    Alex taps his finger on the armrest, "Well, you will certainly be ostracized by others who join the war."


    Alice nods, "See, even if you understand, win or lose, our fate is not good. In that case, isn''t it better for us to be proactive?"


    "What you say is not wrong, but I don''t get why you need to go this far."


    Even now, the King doesn''t completely know Alice''s full plan, nor is he completely sane.


    He is afflicted with one of the fairy abilities that enhances his desires. This makes his ambition grow in proportion as his sane mind forgets many of his inhibitions.


    The King only knows that Alice wants to help him take down the Sentinel because she also wants to have a position of power. She was tired of working from the background.


    In the King''s mind, both of them will be the King and queen of the new government. But in reality, this is not Alice''s real plan.


    She will make the King into the real villain, taking all the blame.


    "I just do what I need to do, Alex. If I don''t do this, the other choice will require many sacrifices from my race.


    Even though it''s selfish on my part, that is my decision as the future queen of my people."


    "Future queen?"


    "Yes, I have been groomed from childhood to become the next queen; my sister doesn''t want the position," Alice said, while in her mind she thought, ''I never understood her, but now I know why.''


    "Since that is your goal, you should know Aimu already suspects something is wrong. And he sent me here to take care of it."


    Alice nods and asks, "So, what do you propose? I doubt you are talking to me here just to find more information."


    Alex''s lips curl into a smile, "Let''s cooperate. I will help with what you want to do; in exchange for this, I want two things."


    "That is fine, but before we continue further, release my sister. I think I have shown enough of my sincerity here."


    "Are you sure? What do you think your sister is doing now?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    Alice''s cheeks turn red; she still remembers how her sister was being intimate with the man in the video.


    Alex then took out a storage cube from his storage; he doesn''t plan for this to go public, but if it''s only for Alice, he doesn''t see any problem with it.


    "Well, I can give you this to prove my sincerity. Even though it cannot contain living beings inside, you can put many objects in it. I am sure it will be useful for you."

 Chapter 169 - 169: Lilys Demise?

    Alice looks at the object with interest, curious about how it works.


    Meanwhile, back in the forest, the Guardians were decimated by Belthazar. Their limbs were cut apart, but none were killed yet. He walks slowly toward Lily, who has now lost her right hand.


    "Any last wishes?"


    Lily gulps, taking a few steps back each time the king moves closer. Fear shakes her heart as death stares at her.


    ''Is this really the end?'' she asks herself. ''Dying at my own father''s hand¡­ what a joke.''


    But at this time, the other Guardians, despite losing parts of their limbs, moved.


    They try to block the king''s path as they scream, "Run, Leader, at the very least, you need to stay alive."


    The inscriptions on their weapons start glowing; one of them, who lost both her legs, throws her sword toward Belthazar.


    The sword crackles with electricity, piercing through the air; even though it starts slowing down when it enters Balthazar''s zone of power, it still moves toward him.


    It still doesn''t pose any danger to Belthazar, but it gives enough time for the others to launch their attacks.


    Arrows of water, axes covered in ice, and many weapons imbued with elements fly toward him.


    Lily uses the opportunity to quickly escape, feeling ashamed of what she did.


    On the surface, she may claim her actions were to ensure her comrades'' sacrifices were not in vain. But in reality, she knows. In her heart, she ran with fear of death.


    She doesn''t want to die yet; there are many things she still wants to do. She just got approved by the Sentinel to come out from this realm, one of her dreams.


    To die now, just before it''s fulfilled, many thoughts overwhelm her mind while she uses all her strength to move further away.


    Creating wind with the spear in her hand, she propels her body forward, leaving the area as quickly as she can.


    While she does this, she sends a short message to William and Sasha, only telling them to help her.


    She doesn''t have the energy to write much since the only way she can type is by biting the spear with her mouth.


    Desperate situations require desperate measures.


    Lily requires direct contact with her weapon to control the wind element. Even though she is not skilled enough to use it to fly, it''s still very useful in boosting her movement.


    Adrenaline fuels her brain, dampening all the pain coming from her torn hand.


    Back at the castle, Alex and Alice have already made a deal. He lets Aurora and Blaire back outside.


    Meeting her sister, Aurora''s face turns gloomy; she knows the cat is out of the bag now.


    Alice looks at her sternly, asking for an explanation, but Alex doesn''t feel interested in their family drama; he turns to Blaire, "What will you do now? Your wife is worried about you."


    "Sasha woke up?" Blaire asked with an excited tone. He feels relieved hearing the news.


    Aurora''s eyes, instead, turn sharp; it would be a lie if she said she didn''t feel any jealousy at all. That is one other reason she put Sasha into a coma.


    "What are you looking at? Explain everything, Aurora!" Alice says with a stern tone.


    Blaire sighed; he didn''t know what to do now, but he didn''t want to lie to his wife.


    "I will go with you, I need to meet with Sasha."


    "Alright," Alex replied, but before they could even leave, Aurora complained, "You are not leaving me again, Blaire! No matter where you go, I will be there with you!"


    Hearing her sister ignore her makes Alice''s veins throb, "Aurora!"


    "Look, Sis, I respect you, but there are things that are non-negotiable for me. And this is one of them."


    Alice sighed; she had never seen her sister like this before. If this had happened before, she would have never let Aurora go, but with her deal with Alex, she decided she could trust him.


    Having Aurora near him will also allow her to keep an eye on his movements, just in case Alex double-crosses her.


    While Alex, Aurora, and Blaire leave the castle, outside the forest, William''s chariot has already arrived. After receiving her plea for help, William doesn''t waste time and quickly returns to this place.


    Sasha looks worriedly toward the forest, "What do you think happened?"


    William squints his chubby eyes, turning them almost into a line, "What else? The king is too strong for her to handle, so she escaped and asked for our help."


    Sasha turns silent; she can''t help but imagine the worst has happened.


    What if Lily is killed by the king? The thought scares her to the core.


    Time passes, but Lily is nowhere to be seen. William starts considering leaving the area quickly; each second he lingers there, the riskier it becomes.


    The king is there; who knows if the concubine suddenly comes here? None of them are strong enough to fight her.


    While William considers this idea, a message comes to Sasha, making her smile.


    She quickly types a reply to the message, saying, "Sir Alex has returned with Blaire. I told them to come here." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing Alex will come makes William feel a bit better.


    Back at Blaire''s Mansion, Alex frowns upon hearing the news from Blaire. "Aurora, if the king really kills Lily, it will make things complicated. You may not know this, but Lily is one of his favorites."


    "Is she really that important? I know she is the Guardian leader, but even in the past, when one of them dies, the Sentinel doesn''t do anything."


    "I heard it from his own mouth. I am sure he will go feral if something really happened. Just order the king to do something else and stop pursuing her."


    With Alex''s words, Aurora relents; she contacts her sister to talk about this. They then move to the forest.


    Aurora is now disguised back as a Feraldin, but she changes her appearance. No one in the palace will recognize her as the concubine.

 Chapter 170 - 170: Spirit Weapon

    Alice leaves, making her way back to the king''s side.


    At the front, they are cooperating as equals, so she needs to make up a reason to force the king to prioritize something else.


    Meanwhile, inside the forest, Lily was covered in sweat; at this moment, she was surrounded by the elite squad she had met before.


    Her hand tightly grasped the spear.


    ''It''s just a little more!'' she thought, her eyes darting around the people surrounding her. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you sure you''re going to do this? Can you face the Sentinel''s Wrath?" Lily said, slowly taking a step back.


    The guards looked at each other and then turned their attention back to Lily. She couldn''t see their faces, but she could feel they were sneering at her.


    One of them suddenly moved; he pounced toward Lily, his hand moving with a saber in his grasp.


    Clang!


    Lily responded, her spear moving swiftly, blocking the saber and targeting her throat in a slash.


    With only one hand and fighting at a close distance, Lily was at a disadvantage; she didn''t even try to counter. She was desperate to find a way to escape.


    Each clash took her a step back toward the periphery of the forest. The thought that William would clash against these people didn''t even cross her mind.


    As she did this, the intricate pattern on her spear kept glowing brighter. The wind started gathering at her feet.


    "Show me what your spirit weapon can do," a muffled voice came from the man.


    Unfortunately for him, Lily didn''t plan to stay any longer.


    Spirit weapons were created by Aimu and Freya after years of experimentation.


    After becoming corrupted, the Felidaens lost their ability to use the shadow glyph; no matter what kind of method Aimu tried, he always failed.


    Freya also tried to find a cure to remove this condition, but nothing worked. Giving up, Aimu got a new idea; since he cannot use a shadow glyph, what if they instead put it into an object?


    The result was a spirit weapon. Despite the shadow glyph now being a weapon, only a felidaen could use it. The reason for this is that each glyph is unique; they are carved using the user''s blood mixed with other materials and forged with a special technique and ritual.


    Their queen, Freya, often praised this method, making the squad curious about how strong a spirit weapon is.


    Slash! Stab! Clang!!!


    The saber moved like a deadly dance in the air while Lily tried hard to parry each attack. Without her other hand, her body became less stable, making every move of hers look clumsy.


    But her lips curled into a smile; she had gathered enough. The wind at her feet exploded with a loud bang.


    The man quickly moved back, expecting a big attack coming toward him. But nothing came; instead, he got a glare from the other squad.


    Lily succeeded in her escape, shooting through the air toward the area outside the forest.


    "The princess instructed us to capture her, and you just had to go your way trying to have a fight. How should we answer the princess now?"


    The man with the saber in his hand replied, "Look who''s talking. Aren''t you the one who suggested this idea?


    Just because I won the raffle doesn''t mean you can put all the blame on me."


    "What idea? I just said we could probably see the spirit weapon in action. I never said we should fight her."


    "Shut up, both of you. We should pursue her; we cannot let her cross paths with that man again. You know he will kill her."


    The squad nodded at the man who spoke, then started moving in the direction Lily had escaped.


    In the forest outskirts, William, Roxy, and Sasha were still waiting. Suddenly, a black silhouette came from the air and then landed on the ground with a thud.


    Lily used the wind to create a buffer to reduce the impact of her fall. But with how wounded her body was, the impact still hit her worse.


    Seeing her friend sprawled on the ground, painted in blood, made Sasha''s blood boil. She rarely ever got angry, but this time was different.


    Sasha quickly got down from the chariot, running to her friend. Kneeling down beside her, she screamed, "William, do you have a first aid kit?"


    William didn''t reply; he quickly took a box from under the couch. As someone who prioritizes safety, not only did he have a mandatory first aid kit, but he also had many tools enough to even perform surgery on the road.


    But just as he wanted to help, Roxy put her hand over his shoulder, stopping him. She took out two pairs of daggers, then jumped out, landing beside Sasha and Lily, facing toward the forest.


    Both her arms raised, crisscrossed in front of her face. Many silhouettes then jumped out from the forest, surrounding them.


    The man with the blade didn''t waste time; he went for the kill. His saber moved diagonally, targeting her torso.


    Clang!


    Roxy moved her dagger downward, blocking the attack just in time. Unfortunately, the strength was too great for Roxy to handle.


    Her body was pushed through the air. William, seeing what happened, quickly took action. He pressed a button on his chariot.


    Part of the roof parted open. A gun came out from it and then started pointing toward Roxy.


    Bang!


    A sphere shot out, with a rope connecting it to the barrel. The moment it got near Roxy, it exploded into a net. The net caught her mid-air, pulling her back toward the chariot.


    At the same time, Sasha used the opportunity; she carried Lily on her back and tried to run toward the chariot.


    Unfortunately, the other guards were still on alert since their main focus was Lily. Two of them dashed forward, both pulling out a short stick from their pocket.


    With a click of a button, the stick became long like a staff. Looking back from her shoulder, Lily could see the two people were coming toward them.


    "Sasha, just leave me; it''s hopeless now. At least one of us should escape."

 Chapter 171 - 171: The Most Important Thing

    Even though Lily said this, deep inside her heart, she was still filled with fear. She didn''t want to die. But her brain knew the situation was hopeless.


    At the very least, if she really had no other choice, she wanted her death to be meaningful.


    "No, I won''t leave you. You did this for me before; now, I will do it for you."


    Memories of the past surfaced in her mind; they were in a similar situation before, but the situation was reversed.


    In one of their misfit adventures as teenagers.


    At that time, they were out hunting for animals, but as they got too engrossed in hunting down their prey, they ended up entering an area filled with dangerous beasts that were far stronger than them.


    At that time, Sasha was wounded, and Lily was the one carrying her.


    Lily sighed. Just like Blaire, she knew how hard-headed Sasha could be. Her spear started glowing once more.


    Lily squeezed all the power she had left, creating wind under Sasha''s legs. "Fine, keep your mind calm then, Sasha, don''t get surprised."


    After saying this, the wind exploded, propelling them into the air.


    BAM! BAM!


    Both of the sticks hit empty ground. Looking at them escaping toward the chariot, they didn''t feel worried at all.


    They didn''t plan to let the chariot getaway. Golden dust started spreading from their bodies.


    Seeing the golden glow, William knew it wouldn''t be anything good. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, Roxy had already come out of the net. He changed the cannon ammunition, then targeted it toward the empty ground in the middle of the elite squad.


    Bang! The Cannon shot.


    Seeing the projectile, the man with the stick in his hand moved; his body was now covered with golden dust, effectively augmenting his speed.


    This allowed him to hit the projectile before it even hit. But William didn''t feel worried about it.


    This one was set to explode the moment it felt any impact.


    Boom! It blew up, releasing black smoke in the surrounding area.


    The smoke not only hindered their view but also assaulted their noses, making them runny. Their exposed skin also got irritated.


    The same thing happened to Sasha and Lily the moment they landed back on the ground. This time, the landing was not smooth; both of them rolled on the ground until they crashed into the chariot.


    Roxy was already prepared with the smoke; she held her breath while forcing her eyes to stay open. She then helped Roxy and Sasha to enter the chariot while William coughed non-stop.


    But this cough didn''t stop William from starting the chariot.


    The moment the door closed, the chariot started to float and move toward Blaire''s mansion.


    Feeling the chariot moving made Lily feel relieved; she was now lying on the seat, coughing with red eyes and a nose filled with snot. But unfortunately, her relief only lasted for a moment.


    BAM!


    A loud noise reverberated in the air; Lily''s world turned many times over. It was like being inside a car that then got crashed by a truck driven at high speed.


    The chariot''s front bent and got destroyed, allowing them to directly see the sky. The metallic shards flew everywhere, while the crystal that was used as the chariot''s base turned into sharp metal, becoming a danger for the passengers inside.


    Bang! The chariot landed on the ground, destroying it even further. Not far from it, one of the elite squad landed, holding a big hammer, while his body and head were glowing, sprinkled with golden dust.


    Despite his massive strength and big weapon, his fairy dust allowed him to cure afflictions, refreshing someone''s condition anew.


    It sounds very good, but in reality, his ability is very limited. It only allows him to cure small afflictions, like a cough, relieve fever, and heal a runny nose.


    This made him often underestimated by his comrades since his ability was useless in real combat. This is the first time his abilities shine, making him feel smug.


    Unfortunately, his smugness made him excited, which, in turn, made him hit with all his strength.


    Seeing the result of his attack now made him quickly feel worried.


    The rest of the squad couldn''t see what happened since the smoke still irritated their eyes. Some forced themselves to see only to end up closing them again; the only reason Roxy could do this is that she had often trained her eyes, building up some resistance to it.


    William felt pain all over his body, but this time, he was thankful for the layer of fat covering him. He could feel many sharp objects stabbing at his flesh, but none reached his internal organs.


    His mind was fuzzy, his ears ringing. In the midst of this, a muffled, warm voice reached his ears.


    It was like a light at the end of a dark labyrinth. Unfortunately, the light was not something he liked; the light was something that would mark the turning point of his life.


    Clarity started returning to his mind. His eyes opened, seeing many blurry lines. But it quickly became clear as he heard a familiar voice.


    "Thank God you are alright, young master. Cough," Roxy said with a heavy breath and a raspy voice.


    Her face was painted with ash and blood; some of the skin on her cheek was scraped, making her look disfigured, but for William, this all didn''t matter.


    He smiled as the first face he saw was someone important to him. But it quickly changed as he realized something was coming out from Roxy''s chest.


    Not just one or two; there were four sharp crystal tubes piercing through her vital organs.


    At her back, William could see part of the chariot''s roof.


    It was clear she was protecting him when their chariot crashed. She was holding all of this to make sure the sharp parts didn''t hit him.


    Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum!


    His heart beat loudly from his chest. It felt like it was being crushed right now; the pain was unbearable.


    William felt like his world was crashing down.


    The sentinel? Felidaens?


    The king''s plan to become the real king? Being surrounded by the enemy?


    His dream for a lazy, peaceful life?


    All of this didn''t matter.

 Chapter 172 - 172: I Have No Regret (Bonus CH)

    All of this didn''t matter; he didn''t care.


    Only now did he understand what was really important in his life. Only now, when it started leaving his grasp.


    Like a candle in its final moment, it showed its most brilliant light in its final act. Roxy smiled beautifully, like someone who had just fulfilled their lifelong dream.


    Dying to protect her young master.


    Protecting his life is something that made her feel very happy and made her feel she was useful to him.


    "Don''t look at me like that, young master. My life may be a short one, but I feel very fulfilled now. I have no regret in this life," Roxy said while coughing up blood.


    "Roxy, what are you saying? We still have a long life ahead of us.


    Don''t you say you want to be with me? Let''s get married. It''s just a wound; I am sure we can find a way to cure it!


    Look, Alex is coming for us; I am sure he has some method to help you."


    With the same smile, Roxy''s eyes were filled with even more happiness, and regret started to surface in her mind. Hearing what William said made her imagine it all.


    ''If only that were possible,'' she thought. But she knew her own body the best.


    She knew she was dying and on its last spurt now, and it would only last for a moment.


    If Alex were here, he would know what happened; there is a term for it in his world; ''terminal lucidity.''


    When someone dying experiences a surge of strength or energy, this rarely happens, but it''s been documented many times, even before Mana and dungeons started surfacing in his world.


    Even today, with how good their technology and understanding of Mana are, no one knows why this happens.


    Some say it''s a flight or fight response, some say it''s an adrenaline rush, but whatever it is, for those involved, it''s like a miracle.


    Roxy ignored all of William''s words; instead, she said, "Young master..."


    She paused for a moment, then continued. "William... I love you...


    Even though everyone around you always looks down on you, I know the real you.


    You are someone who is capable, someone who is kind at heart. In my eyes, you are always my hero.


    When I had no one¡­ When I was in the darkest part of my life, displayed naked as an object, you put your hand on me, giving me a way of living."


    Cough.


    Roxy coughed up blood once more, but her smile didn''t falter; she continued, "At that moment, you became the light of my life. That is when I decided I would never leave your side. That is why I reject all your other offers."


    If she could move her hand, she would have already caressed William''s face for the last time. She couldn''t even lower her face to kiss him since the sharp pipes were coming out of her body.


    She couldn''t help but lament how cruel the world was to her, but at the very least, this cruel world brought William into her life.


    Even if she knew this would happen, she would still do everything exactly the same.


    "Roxy, what are you saying? You said you want to be by my side forever. Don''t give up!" William said while he forcibly moved his hand, pushing through all the pain to caress Roxy''s face.


    Feeling William''s warm hand made her heart flutter. This is the first time he has done this.


    "Even if I am not here, don''t be careless with your life, William.


    Don''t forget to maintain a healthy diet and do your workout. Don''t forget to spend time with your father and mother.


    Stop going to the bar and nightclub; those women don''t deserve you."


    As she said this, her voice started getting smaller and smaller, and her eyelids started turning heavy as they began to close.


    "Roxy! What are you doing! Don''t close your eyes! Look at me. Keep awake till Alex reaches this place," William said, his words filled with unwillingness, denial, despair, and pain.


    "William... William... I... Love... you... Take...


    Care... Of... your..." Her voice trailed off, her eyelids closed shut.


    Tears started flowing nonstop from William''s eyes. He screamed, calling her name over and over, but no reply came from Roxy. No voice came out from her lips.


    She may not have been the most beautiful, the strongest, nor the smartest, but for William, she was the most important person in the world. Something that he realized too late.


    "Roxy... ROXY," His wail reverberated in the air. He didn''t even realize that despite Roxy''s death, her body still held the debris, not giving up on the weight, still protecting him from the fatal attack.


    Meanwhile, Alex, Aurora, and Blaire had just reached the forest. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the smoke surrounding the outskirts, they frowned; it was clear something was happening there.


    But for Alex, with progenitor eyes, the fog was not a problem, nor was the distance; he could see clearly what had happened.


    "Open the door," Alex said, surprising Blaire and Aurora.


    "You want to jump there? Do you have wings or something? We are still some distance away from that location." Aurora replied


    "Just open it and prepare for medical treatment when you come down," Alex replied with a firm tone.


    Seeing Alex''s stern eyes, she felt he would forcefully open the door if she asked one more time, so she opened it.


    "Did something happen? Is my wife alright?" Blaire asked.


    But Alex didn''t answer; after the door opened, he jumped into the air. He then took out the EmberShift hammer and used it to release flames, propelling him toward the smoke.


    BOOM! He landed, creating a shockwave that made all the smoke scatter. Alex ignored the dozen squad members; his eyes focused on the chariot.


    He could see Lily losing one arm while her body was mangled with many scars. The same also happened with Sasha.


    Thankfully, Alex could still feel the life force coming out of them, even though it was feeble and weak, meaning they could still be saved. He turned his gaze toward the rubble of steel; from inside of it, Alex could see only one life force.

 Chapter 173 - 173: Denial & Hatred (Bonus Ch)

    Using his ability, he quickly estimated that Sasha and Lily could wait, but the one under the rubble, despite the life force being strong, somehow could guess what happened.


    The life force belonged to William, but he could not find Roxy''s life force, which meant she had died inside the rubble. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex touched the rubble and started spreading his qi inside it. Learning the situation, his gaze turned complicated, and with a deep sigh, he started lifting the rubble carefully.


    William could feel the air turn fresher, and everything started to turn brighter. The sharp crystal in Roxy''s body also started getting pulled out slowly.


    BANG!


    A loud voice reverberated in the air as Alex threw the rubble toward the man wielding the hammer.


    His throw looked random since Alex threw it high in the air, but it dropped directly toward the man''s face.


    The man gripped his hammer and then hit the debris with a bang, shattering it in the process. On purpose or not, the man took this as a provocative action; he leaped forward, his hammer raised above his head as he aimed to hit Alex.


    But a sound reached his ear, making him stop.


    A few moments ago, Blaire and Aurora landed near Sasha and Lily. Blaire quickly got close to Sasha and then poured the healing water for her to drink.


    It''s the same water he used to heal his hand before, given by Aurora. Aurora cast a short glance toward Blaire, then back toward the man with the hammer running toward Alex.


    "What do you think you are doing?"


    Her appearance was not familiar, but her voice was known to everyone in the elite squad. Aurora asked that question in her original voice.


    She snapped her fingers, turning back to her real appearance. This made the squad kneel on one knee, "Greetings, Princess." They said in unison.


    "Disperse, continue with your mission. I will take care of the rest," Aurora said coldly.


    "Yes, Princess." The squads didn''t ask any further questions; they stood up and wanted to leave, but Blaire''s words stopped them.


    Looking over his shoulder with eyes flickering with rage, he asked, "Who is the one that attacked the chariot?"


    He is not dumb, even though he doesn''t have Alex''s abilities; he could still speculate what happened; the destroyed chariot, the wound on his wife''s body, it all tells him how they were attacked.


    Aurora sighed; she had already expected this. She knew Blaire''s personality; if he had the opportunity to take revenge on those who hurt him or the one he holds dear, he would go for it, except it''s too risky.


    For example, when Sasha was poisoned.


    She also thinks some part of Blaire would never forgive her for what she did to Sasha, which is one of the reasons she forced herself on him, making sure she carried his child, so he has no choice but to forgive her.


    She knew this was manipulative and wrong, but she just couldn''t help it; at that time, meeting Sasha for the first time and seeing their wedding picture, her jealousy overcame her rationality.


    She barely managed to hold herself back from killing her. In reality, she had other plans not to hurt her but rarely did things go as planned when emotion was involved.


    Meanwhile, William was now hugging Roxy''s body tightly, his eyes looking at Alex filled with hope. Alex didn''t need to hear him say anything to know what he wanted to say.


    ''Vesa, any ideas?'' Alex asked in his mind.


    [Impossible, King, if there was still a flicker of life force on her, even a little bit, then there is something that could be done, but now there is nothing we can do. If the old progenitor was here, maybe he could do something since she just died.]


    "Why do you think he can do something? Is it possible to resurrect the dead?"


    [Not possible, King; those that die will stay dead.]


    [Even a progenitor''s ability can, at most, recreate a living being, but at that time, they are a new person just having the same memories.]


    [I just said it may be possible since there is much knowledge only known to a Progenitor, so maybe there is a way to get her soul back since she just died.]


    Alex''s face turned solemn; he then shook his head.


    The sky might be clear now, casting its warm light toward the area, but for William, it''s like the gloomiest sky he has ever seen.


    "No¡­ no way¡­ Tell me you are lying¡­ Alex¡­ If you cannot do it, what about the Sentinel? Can''t he do something?


    Or the fairy race or something outside this place? You come from outside; the universe is so vast there should be a way."


    "I won''t say I know everything, William, so maybe¡­ Maybe there is a way.


    But honestly, many of those will be fake; you might be able to replicate her memories and everything, but are you sure at that point she is still the same Roxy, you know?"


    "Roxy.. No.. No.. No!!!!" William screamed from his lungs, his heart filled with pain.


    He stood up carefully and laid Roxy on the ground; her body was filled with holes, with her hand still tensed in the same position as before.


    William tried to close it, but it was so firm and strong that he could not budge. He then realized the reason for this. Even after her death, she was still there protecting him.


    Alex took out a red potion from his storage ring, "Let me at least return her body back to normal."


    William nodded while looking at the red liquid inside the bottle.


    Alex poured it all over her body; with naked eyes, he could see all the wounds quickly healed. The skin returned to normal as if the wound had never been there.


    Anger quickly surfaced in William''s heart; he then grabbed Alex''s body by his shoulders. If he just had that liquid before, he would have been able to save Roxy.


    "YOU! If you just came earlier!!! Why!? Just WHY!?" William screamed as he shook Alex''s body.

 Chapter 174 - 174: Mysterious Energy

    Alex sighed, "I am sorry, I am late."


    He didn''t say anything more, nor did he try to comfort William. He knew from experience that was not what he needed right now.


    Tears kept flowing down William''s face. He kept screaming, complaining to Alex, blaming everything he could find.


    The more William screamed, the more the reality crept into his mind.


    Roxy is no more. Never will he see her smile again, never will he hear her nag again, never will she stay at his side, carefully planning his next day, reminding him of the tasks he needs to do, and reminding him of every single little thing that he always somehow forgets.


    William stopped screaming. His hand dropped from Alex''s collar. William then turned his gaze, looking for the people responsible for this tragedy.


    But he only found one person from that squad standing now, hammer in hand.


    There was a woman he had never seen before, talking with Blaire while Sasha and Lily were lying on the ground.


    But this all didn''t matter to him; his attention was focused on the man with the hammer, rage flickering in his eyes.


    "It''s because of him! All because of him!"


    He knelt down, taking the two knives that Roxy had wielded before. This pair was his gift to her when she finished her combat training.


    Holding them tightly, William started making his way toward the man with the hammer.


    Alex didn''t stop him; he thought it better to let William vent. If he was losing, he would then intervene to protect his life.


    Turning his gaze to Roxy, who had a beautiful smile on her face, Alex wondered, ''You are dead, but you seem very satisfied with it. I wonder if I die, will I have the same expression?''


    Alex then shook his head. He is now a progenitor, even though he hasn''t completely transformed. He is already ageless and very hard to kill.


    When he succeeds, for him to be dead would mean something very significant happened, just like the old progenitor''s demise.


    Alex used his qi, relaxing the muscles on Roxy''s arm. He then placed it above her chest.


    Alex flicked his finger, taking out a blanket and putting it over her body, only letting her face show.


    Meanwhile, Aurora and Blaire were having a discussion. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blaire wanted the man punished for hurting Sasha, at the very least, by cutting his arm. But Aurora requested for him to wait until her sister''s goal was completed; he is still needed for the plan.


    The man with the hammer felt angry, hearing his princess didn''t even take his side.


    He may have gone overboard, but he still did this because of the mission, and based on what he saw, their VIP target is still alive.


    Despite what he felt, the man still didn''t dare to attack Aurora.


    It was not just out of loyalty; he knew he could not beat her. Even though Aurora is not that strong physically, her ability to create illusions is on a whole other level.


    She can easily trap him in one and kill him with ease.


    "I am not saying you cannot take revenge, Blaire, but look at the big picture. Please, I beg you.


    If we kill him now, my sister will question whether I pose a risk to her plans since I prioritize my feelings.


    This will pose a danger for us."


    Blaire started to hesitate. He couldn''t really get angry at Aurora, despite what Aurora thought of him.


    She held a special place in his heart, even more special than Sasha, since she was his first love.


    The moment Blaire knew she was Aurora, all his hate toward her disappeared. He also forgot how Aurora had tortured him many times.


    In his mind, he understood why Aurora did all this; she had sacrificed so many things for him in the past.


    While they were still talking, William suddenly appeared in front of the man with the hammer, surprising him.


    William had told Alex before that he was confident in his ability to run away, and he wasn''t joking about this.


    After learning many footstep techniques, William found it''s all about breathing and maintaining posture. With this, they leverage gravity and momentum to increase speed.


    William then started mixing it all, customizing it, creating his own personal technique. He did many trials and errors before finally creating this technique.


    By using a specific breathing rhythm, William is somehow able to transfer all his body weight to his feet.


    This allowed him to get a burst of speed momentarily when he stomped on the ground.


    William''s hand moved with finesse, slashing toward the man''s neck.


    With how close they were, the man could not swing his hammer effectively.


    He could only fumble and took a step back while raising his hand, blocking the attack. But the strength behind it surprised him; his combat armor was slashed to the surface of his skin, and hot, searing pain started to spread from his arm.


    William continued the barrage of attacks. He didn''t want to give any time for the man to fix his posture.


    Slash! Slash! Slash!


    At every opportunity, William tried to slash the same area over and over.


    The man gritted his teeth. He glanced sideways toward the princess, but she just watched in silence with nonchalant eyes.


    Aurora, at this moment, was thinking if the man were killed by a normal Felidaean, she probably could justify his death to Alice; that way, she wouldn''t need to have any debate with Blaire.


    Blaire looked at the fight, thinking he would see how it went before having another discussion with Aurora.


    Meanwhile, Alex was surprised by what William had done. He could see that the moment William utilized his technique, some kind of weird energy appeared inside his body.


    "Do you have any idea what that is, Vesa?"


    [A energy byproduct of lifeforce and soul. I don''t have much understanding of this, but that is what the last progenitor told me.]


    [He speculates it''s made when lifeforce reacts toward the will or desire of the soul.]

 Chapter 175 - 175: Chudo

    ''Will and soul, is that also the reason why Roxy''s body could stay strong despite her already dying? The leftover of this energy still remains in her body.'' Alex thought to himself.


    He then asked Vesa what the energy''s name was. Vesa said the last progenitor named it ''Chudo.''


    Back to the fight, the man decided to throw his hammer down. Without it weighing him down, he started fighting back using his fists.


    With the free hand, the man punched William in the gut.


    BAM!


    The strength was such that William''s face turned blue; it pierced through all layers of fat, making his intestines vibrate.


    William''s body hunched, but he didn''t move back; he pushed forward.


    William flipped the dagger, making it pointed down, and with all his strength, he pushed the dagger toward the exposed part on the man''s nape.


    Feeling the danger, the man instinctively raised his shoulder, meeting the stab head-on. It pierced through his muscle, but the man used the opportunity to forcefully bulge his hand, effectively making the dagger stuck.


    This broke William''s momentum, allowing the man to pressure him back. He hit William in the torso again and again, targeting his liver.


    The man then hunched his body and moved his elbow lower than his waist before throwing it upward into an uppercut. Like a coiled spring that finally got its release, his punch hit William straight in the chin, sending a shock to his brain.


    Despite his ability to move quickly, William had almost zero experience in real fights. The only reason why he could use Roxy''s dagger with ease is thanks to Roxy''s non-stop pestering, forcing him to learn it from her.


    He had sparred and practiced against dummy targets many times, but a real fight was different.


    Despite his adrenaline, William''s body was also not in its optimum condition. He didn''t take any potion and directly attacked the man.


    The shock made William''s world spin.


    The man took the opportunity to hit William straight in the face, effectively breaking his nose and pushing him several feet away.


    Lying on the ground with his disappearing consciousness, William could see a blurred silhouette of a man coming toward him. The silhouette then raised his hammer high above his head, targeting his face.


    ''Roxy, you think I am your hero. But what kind of hero am I? I failed to protect you. I failed to take revenge for you¡­


    You say I am capable. What kind of capability is this?


    Roxy¡­ If only I listened to you... If I practiced more¡­ IF I know how precious you are¡­''


    Many "what if" scenarios ran in William''s mind as it got embraced by darkness.


    BANG!


    The hammer landed at its target. Well, that is what the man wished had happened. Unfortunately, it''s not.


    The bang is not the sound of his hammer hitting William; it''s the sound of his body getting slammed to the ground.


    Just a moment before the hammer reached William''s body, Alex appeared in front of him, put his palm over the man''s chest, and then slammed him to the ground.


    Alex moved so fast that it didn''t give Aurora and Blaire any opportunity to intervene.


    Alex raised the man by his neck and then threw him toward Aurora''s feet. Looking sideways at William, he said, "Let him live. That man should be for William to kill."


    Aurora nodded, while Blaire just sighed. He turned his attention to Sasha and Lily; both of them were now already healed, but even the miracle water failed to regenerate her missing limb. If only he had her missing hand, then it might be possible.


    Walking toward Sasha, he princess-carried her toward the chariot.


    Aurora turned her gaze away; even now, she still felt jealous seeing Blaire treat another woman with care.


    She looked at the clear sky, questioning her life decision, ''I should have returned to you without caring about my race.'' She thought.


    Alex looked at William with a complicated gaze, starting to think what he would do if he were in his position.


    His fists clenched, imagining something happened to those he loved, ''I will turn each of them into a pure vampire so they can live for eternity.'' Alex swore in his mind.


    While he thought of losing a loved one, another person was also trying hard now to make sure he could protect everyone without losing himself.


    In the cultivation world, a sentence was said out loud, repeated over and over like a chant as 20 people ran covered in sweat.


    "Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty!" a unison voice reverberated in the air.


    Each of their hands and legs were using an ankle weight similar to what MingHao wore, but theirs were not as heavy as his. He was running at the front, ahead of everyone.


    With his kind personality and background, it didn''t take long for him to gain respect from the other disciples of the Bai Yue sect. He was already a cultivator, but he joined them in practice and never treated them with any prejudice.


    He treated them with respect and sincerity.


    Under the tree that marked their goal, a big pot was bubbling, spreading a delicious aroma around the area.


    A beautiful middle-aged woman was there, stirring the pot. She is Jian Feng''s wife, Rong Mao.


    Rong Mao has a similar height to MingYue. Her age doesn''t make her look ugly; instead, it makes her look more attractive, giving her an aura of maturity and wisdom.


    She has black eyes and hair, while JianFeng has amber eyes and black hair. It didn''t take long for Minghao and the group to finally reach their goal. They all quickly lay down on the grass, looking at the sky.


    Their breath was ragged and heavy.


    Rong Mao smiled at them, "What are you all doing? Come here; take a drink first so you feel more refreshed."


    "Give us a minute, Aunt Rong. This practice is really killing us. Just whose idea was this?" said one of the women lying on the ground.


    Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 176 - 176: The People in The Sect

    The woman has black hair tied in pigtails with freckles on her cheeks. Her slender body is quite short compared to the others.


    She barely reaches Minghao''s shoulder.


    Hearing her words, Minghao smirked, "Hey, it may be my idea, but I didn''t force any of you to follow me."


    "Well, Minghao is not wrong, Suiyin," said another woman, her face smooth and attractive, with an hourglass body and the same height as Minghao. Her name was Yanyu.


    "Why are any of you even looking for someone to blame? We all agreed to do this together," came a rough voice from a tall, lean man.


    "Do you need to ask, Ruo? Because it''s freaking tiring!" Suiyin complained, making the others laugh.


    No one refuted her claim, as what she said was true. They were really spent now, barely able to move their bodies except for Minghao.


    "Don''t worry, guys, all of this will benefit us in the future, I am sure of it.


    Train hard, study hard, eat, and sleep plenty. We will all become strong in no time," Minghao said excitedly while changing his posture from lying on the ground to sitting.


    "Just where did you get this training method? Did it come from your master? Or your sister?" YanYu asked, turning her gaze toward Minghao.


    Minghao doesn''t hide the fact that he is MingYue''s little brother. So they know he is not just a cultivator but someone important in their sect.


    "Well, I cannot tell you where I got it. Just believe me on this," Minghao said with confidence.


    It''s not that he doesn''t want to share where he got the method; it''s just that MingYue forbade him from sharing it. And it''s not like he knows where his sister brought it from.


    He speculates if his sister has some master from the central region. Not in his wildest imagination did he think that MingYue got all those from another world.


    Meanwhile, back in the Scorched Dune Labyrinth, inside the secret realm, Alex and the group returned to Blaire''s mansion to recover.


    William is now resting in one of the rooms, getting treatment from one of Blaire''s people.


    With Sasha in a coma for years, he had a whole medical team prepared just in case something happened.


    Sasha, Aurora, and Blaire were now talking in private. Alex doesn''t feel interested in what they are talking about. He could guess it''s something about accepting Aurora into their life.


    As for Lily, she was now sitting in front of Alex. She was dumbfounded by the information she just heard.


    Alex didn''t tell her everything; he only told her part of the story in which he made an agreement with Alice.


    "If what you say is true, then for what did my comrades die?" Lily asked.


    Alex sighed, "I am not saying for you not to seek revenge for them. Just wait at least until the fairy side is ready."


    "Wait until they are ready!? Based on your story, aren''t they the masterminds?


    Even if it was the king that killed all of them, it only happened because it was their plan!" Lily said with a high tone.


    "Then what do you propose? Reporting them to the Sentinel?"


    "Yes! If we follow their plan, many civilians will also be sacrificed! Why should we be the ones to pay while they are the ones that want to come out from the shadows?" Lily asked.


    Alex hasn''t told her about the progenitor or the war; she just knows Alice and Aurora are some of the leaders of the fairy race, and they made this plan so they can join the community.


    "It''s not like they have a better choice. I am not saying what they do is right, but let''s say you report to the Sentinel now.


    Do you think it will be better?


    The fairies also have figures as strong as your Sentinel. If they fight, the casualties will be immeasurable."


    "But we have more people than them; we will win."


    Alex could see the glint of hatred reflected in Lily''s eyes. He knows even if he tells her about the progenitor and their war, she will probably not believe it. After all, the concepts were too far away for her.


    He tapped his fingers a few times, thinking about what to say to convince Lily not to report to the Sentinel. Even though he is stronger than her, the idea of using his strength to force her didn''t even pass his mind.


    A small part of him felt guilty since he cooperated with Alice for his own selfish reasons.


    "Look, Lily, if you do it that way, will your comrades be happy?


    A war between races will have many casualties. What if one of their acquaintances and family becomes a victim? S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, by doing this my way, your mom and brother''s lives will be guaranteed. Rather than focusing on more war, isn''t it better for us to make sure there are fewer civilian casualties?"


    "Then what should I say to their families? That I cooperated with the killer of my comrades? How can I even face them?"


    Alex sighed, "Try to calm yourself first, Lily. Then think again about what you really want to do and the situation we are in."


    Alex then stood up and walked toward the exit.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Don''t you want your friends'' bodies back? We returned in a hurry before, so we had no time to take their bodies."


    "Wait, let me go with you then."


    Alex stopped in his steps, then looked over his shoulder, "Only if you can calm yourself and follow what I said."


    Alex says this just to be sure Lily won''t do something extreme. He is not too worried since Alice has already met up with the king.


    Based on what Alice said, they will finish preparation today and then start everything early in the morning.


    Other than going to the forest, Alex also wanted to visit the restaurant to pay the bills and go to the auction.


    Despite what happened, he didn''t want to miss it. Who knows what kind of useful item he could get there.


    "Fine," Lily replied.

 Chapter 177 - 177: The Guardians Fate

    While both of them left, inside one of the rooms,


    William was sitting up in bed. His eyes looked at the pair of daggers lying in his hand.


    After he woke up, he excused the medical team, wanting to be alone. His eyes were red, but no tears dropped from them.


    He was exhausted mentally and physically. His whole body was bandaged, but the one that hurt most was his heart.


    Many memories with Roxy appeared in his mind, reminding him again of what he had lost. Moments passed in silence before, finally, he gripped the dagger in his hand.


    He forced his body to stand up and then left the room. Outside, he met Blaire, Aurora, and Sasha, who had just finished with their private talk.


    Surprisingly to Blaire, Sasha didn''t have any problem with Aurora marrying him. She also didn''t resent Aurora despite her being the one who put her into a coma.


    The reason for this is that Sasha has already heard many stories about Aurora. She knows how important Aurora is for Blaire.


    Seeing William rise from the bed made Sasha worried; despite having just met him, she could empathize with what had happened. She almost lost Lily in that fight.


    "You shouldn''t be moving around yet, William. Take care of your body first."


    William''s lifeless eyes turned towards Sasha. He didn''t respond to her words. Instead, he asked, "Where is¡­" His voice quivered for a moment; he tightened his grip on the dagger before he continued. "Where is she?"


    Despite his cryptic words, they understood who he was looking for. But before Sasha could answer, Blaire beat her to it. "Her body is with Alex. But he is not here now."


    "I see¡­ Where is he?"


    "He went back to that forest, but it''s better if we just wait for him here," Blaire replied.


    They knew he was going there since Lily sent a message to Sasha.


    William didn''t respond. Instead, he turned away, walking toward the exit. Sasha tugged at Blaire, silently telling him to stop William.


    Blaire sighed, moved forward, then held his shoulder.


    "Look, I understand you are grieving now, but you cannot just go out with your body like this. Did you think Roxy would want to see you get hurt again?"


    Hearing Roxy''s name made William''s body shake.


    He turned around, facing Blaire, then started saying in a high pitch, "Understand!? You say you understand!?


    Have you ever lost someone important to you!!! What do you know about how I feel now?" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    William moved his hand over his chest, grasping it; his breathing started getting heavy.


    "Actually, I do know. I have lost someone important to me before, and I know how hellish it feels. But William, let me ask you once again, what do you think Roxy would want you to do now?"


    Blaire said this since he felt, rather than convincing William with other reasons, using Roxy''s name would be far more effective.


    "She¡­" William was at a loss for words.


    If Roxy were here, she would tell him to take care of his body first. Her last words reverberated again in his mind, making his heart throbbed even more.


    William dropped to his knees, tears starting to fall again on his cheek; he didn''t say any words.


    Sasha moved forward, wanting to comfort him, but Blaire stopped her. "At a moment like this, it''s better to just let him alone, Sasha."


    "But Blaire, what if he?"


    Blaire looked at William and then said, "No, he won''t hurt himself. Let''s just give him some privacy. I will ask some maids to bring some water and food to him."


    Time passed; it didn''t take too long for Alex and Lily to return back to the forest. Following Lily''s pointer, they reached the place where the Guardian fought the King before.


    To Lily''s surprise, not everyone was there; there were a few people missing.


    "Do you think it''s possible for them to survive?" Alex asked as he looked around the area, seeing the marks left from the fight.


    He could also see a trail of blood reaching deeper into the forest.


    "I¡­" Lily''s voice trailed off; she was too ashamed to answer the truth. At that time, she ran away without even assessing her comrades'' condition.


    Seeing her not answer, Alex didn''t push her further. Instead, he started walking, following the trail of blood. Using his ability, it was easy for him to calculate which one was fresher.


    Based on all the marks, he guessed the King didn''t even bother to finish them all; he just did some massive attack, making sure no one could threaten him, before then leaving the area to pursue Lily.


    Seeing Lily following him, Alex pointed to a different area, "It will be faster if we split up. Try to move that way; there are blood trails, too."


    Lily agreed, and then they went their separate ways.


    Alex was not worried Lily would meet the King or the fairy squad; he had gotten a message from Alice that they already moved to a different area.


    Following the trail, Alex was surprised at how far the Guardian moved with torn limbs. Based on the marks, the Guardian probably crawled all the way here without her legs.


    It''s quite a distance, almost 2km (1.2 miles).


    Looking at the end of the trail, Alex could see a few footsteps on it; he concluded someone was taking the Guardian off the ground. But he didn''t know who.


    Alex decided not to pursue further, instead going back to trace the other marks. He planned to ask Alice about this since he suspected the Fairy was the one taking her.


    ''Based on Alice''s goal, they should heal the Guardian. It will make the Fairy look good and portray the King as the villain.'' Alex thought.


    It didn''t take long for him to trace back the path toward Lily''s location. In the chariot, he gave her a comm to allow easy communication and tracking.


    Alex was surprised to see Lily had found her comrade.


    ''Why didn''t the fairy help all of them?'' he wondered.

 Chapter 178 - 178: Williams decision

    Seeing Alex, Lily quickly asked him to help her comrade. Her body was filled with scars now, with only one hand and leg.


    After a few moments, Alex quickly realizes the answer; her life force is so weak that most people would think she''s already dead.


    Turning his gaze toward Lily, he could see her eyes were wet with tears. "Why are you crying as if she were dead?"


    "Because she is dead, it''s all my fault¡­"


    "No, she''s still alive," Alex says while walking toward them. Holding the woman''s only hand, he tries to feel her heartbeat using his thumb.


    Alex wants to learn more about her situation so he can choose a suitable medicine to use. But feeling no beat makes Alex''s eyes widen.


    The woman still has a life force, but her body is cold without any heartbeat. After some thought, Alex decided to give her a red potion with two pills.


    The potion will heal the wounds to her body, while the first pill is a ration pill that will give her body many supplements; the purpose of this is for the second pill to work, and it will trigger her body to start producing red blood in steroids.


    Lily watches in a daze as she sees Alex pour those medicines into her comrade.


    She was sure she had already died; she was not breathing, nor did she have any heartbeat. She had checked a few times to make sure.


    A ridiculous thought comes to her mind, ''Can Alex revive the dead? But that doesn''t make sense; if he can do that, why did he let Roxy die?"


    While she was thinking about this, her comrade''s face started returning to its rosy color. It doesn''t take long for her heart to start beating again.


    "How could you do that?"


    "You mistook her as dying; in reality, she is still alive." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How¡­ I am sure she isn''t breathing."


    "Her lungs and heart stopped, but that doesn''t necessarily mean she was dead. I don''t know how, but somehow she can maintain her brain to survive this long, even without any blood circulation."


    "Brain? Circulation?" Lily raises her eyebrow.


    She knows what a brain is, but she doesn''t know what circulation means and how it''s related to how her comrade is alive.


    "Based on what I know so far, you, Felidaens, have a similar structure to me, a human; as long as your brain remains active, you will stay alive even without breathing or a heartbeat.


    In my world, we call this situation'' cardiac arrest.''


    Normally, they won''t survive long since brain cells will start dying quickly after not being supplied with blood and oxygen. But somehow, your friend did it."


    Lily feels even more confused after Alex''s explanation, but she quickly realizes how her friend survived. "She is a healer in my squad."


    "No wonder then, she probably used her ability to protect her brain. But don''t expect much, Lily.


    We don''t know what kind of damage her brain underwent; there could be lingering damage that affects her memories or other functions."


    "At the very least, she is alive; that is what really matters. I am sure Sentinel can find a way to cure her if that happens," Lily replies with relief, while Alex doesn''t say more.


    He doubts Aimu has that capability; even a potion from his world cannot do this, and not even Olivia''s ability can heal the brain.


    The reason for this is because of how Olivia''s ability works. She needs to have an understanding of how the body part works before she can use her ability to heal it.


    It''s not as magical as she just needs to activate her ability, and everything will heal. Similarly, the red potion cannot recover parts of the brain cells that died.


    This makes Alex wonder, if someone can revive a brain-dead cell, then theoretically, aren''t they able to revive a person?


    He then remembers what Vesa told him before, making him sigh.


    His theory is not only plausible, but someone out there has already achieved it. And the result is a different person with the same memories since their soul is not there.


    ''Just what exactly is a soul?'' Alex wonders while they move back to the chariot.


    Despite only having one hand, Lily is still able to carry her friend. She insists on doing it by herself.


    Lily still feels guilty about what happened; anything she can do for her comrade makes her feel better. Afterward, she stays with her friend while Alex scours the area.


    Unfortunately, he cannot find any other survivors, so from the dozen squad members, only three survive, including Lily.


    One is in a coma, while the other is probably with the fairy.


    When they return back to the mansion, Lily quickly busies herself, taking care of her friend, while William blocks Alex''s path.


    He kneels down, making Alex frown.


    "Please take me with you," William says with determination in his eyes.


    "Stand up first, then we can talk about this."


    "No, I will not stand up until you promise me you will allow me to go with you."


    "Why do you want to go with me?"


    "You say even if we can revive her, there''s no guarantee it''s really her since the soul is different. Then, I want to find out where the soul goes. I want to find her!"


    Many thoughts come to Alex''s mind; if he had asked this before, he would have felt William would only be a burden, but now he feels differently.


    Not only did William show his capability in a fight, but he was also determined and had goals.


    "You want to find her soul? Do you realize how absurd that is?


    That means you need to find the reality of creation itself that those far stronger than us don''t know."


    "No matter how absurd, I need to do this! I need to do everything I can, exhausting every single option. Only then can I accept it," William says while clenching his fist.


    While waiting for Alex, he thought of many things, such as how he should live his life from now on and how he could fulfill Roxy''s wish. In the end, this is the answer he got.


    If he stays here, he knows he will only live like a zombie. Time may make him accept this situation, but he doesn''t want it.

 Chapter 179 - 179: Frozen Coffin

    If he stays here, he knows he will only live like a zombie. Time may make him accept this situation, but he doesn''t want it.


    William refused to accept this as the truth, even though he knew it was just denial. He preferred to live this way.


    "This path may lead to even more regret. Are you sure?


    I will be straight with you; going with me is not free. You need to assist me in my mission and swear your loyalty to me. In exchange, I will help you find her soul," Alex replied.


    It was not just an empty promise; he genuinely wanted to find out the truth about the soul. It wasn''t his priority, but at some point in his life, he knew he would do it. This was not a problem for William as long as he followed him; it was just a matter of time before Alex turned him into a vampire.


    It may not be a pure vampire, but it would still be enough for William to become ageless.


    Other than his true loved ones, like his sister and mother, Alex would wait until he finished the game he had planned in his mind before even considering changing to a full-blooded vampire.


    The game would allow him to check their real nature. Alex believed a person''s personality is built by experience and the situation they are in, but a person''s real nature will never change.


    After agreeing to his request, Alex took out a new contract for him to sign. This one ensured he would stay loyal to Alex in exchange for Alex''s help on his quest.


    William didn''t hesitate to seal the deal. He then asked for Roxy''s body.


    Alex flicked his hand, and a coffin that looked like it was made from marble appeared on the floor, with Roxy''s body lying inside, encased in solid ice.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to build this; he had already prepared many chemicals to freeze a specimen inside the dungeon. In case he needs it.


    As for the coffin, he made it in the forest using wood there; the marble finish was something like a coating to ensure the coffin could hold the water before he froze it.


    Touching over the clear ice, seeing Roxy''s face filled with a smile made William''s heart thug. "Why are you smiling like that? Are you that happy leaving me alone?"


    "This is a special ice. As long as she is inside it, there will be no change in her appearance.


    I don''t know what kind of tradition you have here, but if you want to burn her body, tell me.


    You will need a special way to remove the ice; a normal fire won''t do it," Alex said.


    Hearing that Roxy''s body could be preserved forever made William feel relieved. "Thank you, Alex. No, I don''t want to do anything like that."


    William hesitated for a moment, then asked Alex if he could have the item he used to hold Roxy before.


    Alex didn''t mind since William was not his people. He gave him the storage cube and a method to start cultivating.


    Time passed on.


    In the chariot flying high near the sentinel mansion, Alice was staying with the king.


    "Finally, after all these years, we can start our plan," the king said with excitement.


    "Yes. It''s time to start," Alice replied coldly.


    The king didn''t feel weird since that is how Alice usually talked. "Where is your sister? She won''t join us?"


    "There are some problems on my side, so I need to send her to take care of it. But don''t worry, everything is taken care of."


    "If you say so. Let''s start then."


    Alice nodded, then started contacting a few people.


    In the dark of night, five pillars of light rose to the sky and then started connecting to each other, creating a circular link.


    As Alice saw what happened, she asked, "Since we''ve already come this far, can you tell me where you got your power?"


    It was their plan to make the king the villain. She also provided him with some drugs to make the king stronger. But the power the king showcased now was beyond her imagination.


    The king raised his palm, a dark aura starting to come out of it, followed by a creepy laugh. "Kekeke, this is thanks to you. After I drank the elixir you gave me, I realized my true power!


    I always wondered how the sentinel could be so strong and stay immortal all this time.


    Finally, I got the answer. Our race has this power sleeping within them. The sentinel knew this but just hid it from us!"


    Alice felt even more confused hearing this. She knew more about the Felidaens than the king. Felidae does have power, but it''s a shadow glyph, and based on her knowledge, it''s nothing like this.


    Different from Amu, Freya shared information about the progenitor, the universe, and the war with their descendants. She did this so they would know where they came from and the reason why they are in this place now.


    "I still don''t understand. Do you mean every Felidaen has this power?"


    The king laughed loudly. The dark aura surrounding him became even more intense, and both his hands started to turn into skeletons while his tail moved around energetically.


    "This is my power, and in fact, I can do even more. I have been keeping this as a surprise for you."


    Boom!


    Dark energy exploded from the king''s body, piercing through the sky and affecting the golden light. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In front of Alice''s eyes, the king''s whole body changed into a skeleton, giving her a sense of dread and making her want to leave the chariot.


    The golden light was a teleportation circle created by Alice by combining a few fairy abilities. She also took many countermeasures to hide any fairy dust marks from the ability.


    This is why Aimu didn''t realize the presence of this golden light.


    At this moment, Aimu was in the central area of the secret realm, where the big tree where Alex appeared.


    He was now double-checking everything, making sure it would run smoothly since he would send out multiple people at once. At this moment, the sky at the tree suddenly changed, turning red.


    This made Amu''s eyes flicker with rage.

 Chapter 180 - 180: Out of Plan

    This made Amu''s eyes flicker with rage.


    A memory resurfaced again in his mind, a memory of the worst day in his life.


    The golden light started turning color into reddish-black, and the circle with five pivot points now turned into six, giving out an eerie aura to the surrounding area.


    Seeing the fanatical eyes, Alice decided to excuse herself, saying she needed to make sure the teleportation had no problem with his intervention.


    In reality, Alice wanted to contact Alex, asking for his opinion. She feels scared of what Belthazar is doing.


    She jumped out from the chariot, disappearing into the shadow of the night. But the king didn''t care; there were other things he hid from Alice.


    The reason Belthazar hid this was because he didn''t want to be thought of as someone crazy.


    Lately, he started hearing sounds inside his mind. A voice that he communicated with started giving him some knowledge he had never known before and also told him how to control his power.


    The fabric of reality started to vibrate; at this moment, Aimu appeared, flying in the air. His hand grasping a battle axe, looking coldly at the king.


    His voice boomed in the area, "How dare you cooperate with our enemies! You disappointed me!"


    "Kekeke! Disappointed you? Do you think I care?" The king replied without feeling an ounce of fear.


    Aimu looked at the fabric of reality that started cracking apart. It''s like the air turned into a mirror and started shattering.


    He recognized this; it''s what happens when long-distance teleportation abilities are being used. A teleportation between solar systems.


    His eyes turned sharp; he could not let this finish. The pattern on his axe started glowing, and invisible energy started coming out from it.


    He appeared in front of the king, his axe cleaved down toward him, while he said, "Traitors should be executed!"


    The king raised his bony arm, pointing it at the axe.


    BAM! It met in the middle, and the result made Aimu frown.


    A dark-like barrier appeared in his hand, clashing with his axe.


    He expected he would be able to cleave the king into two with one slash, but instead, the king met his attack with equal strength. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Alex were here now, he would question himself. How could he even think to assassinate the king with their power difference?


    Meanwhile, in the forest, Alice was frowning. She looks at the fairy responsible for the teleportation.


    The fairies were nowhere to be seen. Only their clothes remained on the ground


    Logically, the teleportation should have been stopped now, but it still kept going.


    The purpose of the teleportation was to move the king of the forest to this place to start attacking the sentinel; after some time, the other beasts would then start to move, attacking nearby settlements.


    At this moment, the fairy would then come out, killing the beast and protecting the civilians.


    Alice turned her gaze upward, looking at the six pillars of dark red energy. She then started sending a message to Alex. She felt something ominous was happening.


    Back in the sky, Aimu started exerting more energy; his spirit weapon was different from the one he gave to the guardian.


    His is a perfect spirit weapon.


    There is a reason why he named it a spirit weapon; it embodies the spirit of Felidae that was sealed with its corrupt state.


    This spirit is what allows them to use shadow glyphs.


    Normally, the progression of shadow glyphs starts in an infant; the purpose of this is to condense their beastly abilities and nature toward this glyph.


    Felidae will then raise this glyph as they grow and make it mature, turning it into a shadow beast.


    This is also one of the reasons Aimu was really determined to recover his ability. Not only did he lose his ability at that time, but he also lost his best partner.


    Even now, his partner still hasn''t come back; instead, he made a new one with the spirit weapon.


    His axe started vibrating, creating the roar of a beast. Black shadows started coming out from the axe, moving toward the king.


    This made the king raise the dark energy output. He then detonated it, pushing both of them back.


    But even this didn''t stop the process of the long-distance teleportation; a black void appeared in the sky, and from inside it, a few creatures started coming out.


    "FREYA!!!" Aimu screamed as his body launched into the air.


    There is a special mechanism in his place that will send a message to Freya the moment Aimu says something on a special frequency.


    The tree started vibrating, and the branches moved toward the dark opening in the sky. But before it could even reach the opening, something cut the branch into pieces.


    Slash! Slash! The Dark Shilloute then runs away to the forest.


    From the cut branch, a speckle of golden dust started spreading around the area, and then it started coalescing, turning into five creatures with the appearance of small pixies.


    Their bodies were completely made of light, with four wings behind them. They flew surrounding the opening portal and started shooting it with a barrage of fire, ice, and wind.


    Meanwhile, outside the secret realm, Zold just returned after scouting the area.


    "There are no more skeletons outside, and I found something weird. Do you think we should check it out?"


    "Weird, how?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "It''s something like a portal but different."


    Quartz shook her head, "No, we don''t know if they are really leaving."


    "What do you think, Emily? You are the one that has faced that dark hunter before," Olivia asked.


    "I still don''t know for sure. It''s just speculation, Sis. But if it''s really him, I doubt he will give up when he is clearly winning.


    This only means he has some other task in this dungeon, and us being here is just a coincidence."


    She then turned her gaze toward Patricia, "Tell brother about this, ask him what he thinks."


    Alex was now discussing their plan with Blaire, Lily, William, Aurora, and Sasha their plan. The place they will go and what they will do.

 Chapter 181 - 181: Escalate

    Lily was still conflicted; she still felt this was a bad thing.


    At this moment, Alex got a message from Patricia, making him frown. While he was thinking this, Aurora also got a message.


    The message was so alarming that she stood up. "We need to go now. But Sasha, you need to stay here."


    "What do you mean, Aurora?" Blaire asked while Sasha felt confused. In their plan, she was supposed to go with them to help evacuate the citizens.


    "The situation is dangerous now; an unknown creature is coming out from the portal; Belthazar is doing something that changes the teleportation."


    Lily asked for more details, and Alex started linking it with the portal that Patricia had told him about. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex stood up and moved to a nearby window. He didn''t see anything weird at first, but then, focusing his eyes, he could see a pillar of dark red energy rise in the sky for a moment before dissipating.


    ''Patricia, check the portal but don''t allow anyone to enter it. I need to make sure of something first,'' Alex said in his mind.


    ''Yes, King.''


    "Let''s go now before things turn worse," Alex said, addressing the people in the room.


    After some more discussion, Sasha ended up going with them. Aurora didn''t want her to come since she only saw her as a burden in a fight. It would make her put out more effort to protect her and Blaire.


    As for Blaire, even though he is not that strong, she doesn''t even think twice about bringing him. Despite the danger, she thought it was safer for Blaire to stay with him.


    Back in the forest, Freya was now flying in the air, looking at the eerie dark portal that was still growing in size despite being bombarded by her pixie.


    Turning her gaze downward, she could see Aimu fighting with the king, the fight locked in a stalemate.


    The ground was completely transformed, now filled with many craters and cracks. The king fought barehanded, but his way of fighting was so weird. He is like a magician fighting in close combat.


    Belthazar uses his fist, but the one that really attacks Aimu is the dark energy surrounding his body.


    Her eyes then looked around the forest. She could feel a familiar presence. With a flick of her finger, she created a new pixie.


    This pixie moved down toward the forest to look around the area. Despite its small size, it moved very fast, easily traversing the forest.


    Alice, who was waiting for Alex, froze in her place when the pixie appeared inches away from her.


    Freya''s voice came out from it, "Alice, why are you here?"


    "Mother, I..." Alice froze, surprised by the turn of events. She already expected her mother would come, but not now. With the distance she was at, she didn''t hear Aimu scream calling her mother.


    "You always stutter every time you have something to hide. We will need a long talk after this, Alice!


    For now, I need you to go toward the mother tree and bring your sister and the others; we have enemies there. QUICK!"


    The pixie then flew to her side. It didn''t leave her, but nor did it respond to her words.


    Alice sighed. She knew her mother had already suspected what had happened had something to do with her.


    She started typing some messages and told Aurora to go separate from Alex and the others. If their mother saw them come together, it would make things more complicated.


    They had already made a long-term deal. It would have been more beneficial for her if her mother hadn''t known about this.


    She then moved toward the entrance of the secret realm. It didn''t take long for her to get near the entrance.


    Alice frowned, seeing many skeletons surrounding the area. Her eyes sharpened even further when she saw a human standing there holding a blade with a tattoo on his face.


    ''Another human. But this one doesn''t seem to be in the same group as Alex.''


    She squinted her eyes, looking at the man''s appearance; she couldn''t put it into words, but she felt something similar from him, like the one coming from the king.


    After some more observation, she realized there was a dark crystal embedded in his blade. Give her the same eerie feeling, like the dark aura he feels from the king.


    Meanwhile, Freya was now helping Aimu fight against the king. She didn''t come down by herself; she sent some pixies and moved trees and plants to attack the king from a blind spot.


    But even with these, the king, as if having eyes on his back, deflected Aimu''s attacks while he crouched, jumped, and rolled, dodging the attacks from Freya easily.


    His dark aura started flaring again, creating a huge pressure all around him. But this barely affected Aimu other than making the ground underneath him crack.


    "A gravity power. Interesting," Aimu mumbled as he slashed his axe toward him; from it, a black shadow shot out, turning into a creature the size of a bull, but looking like a wolf. It also had horns on its head.


    Seeing the shadow beast, the king laughed. "I knew it. You keep the good things for yourself, so did you do it like this?"


    The king moved both his hands upward, like the posture of someone praising a god.


    His dark aura burned like a flame, and a black pattern started appearing on his body, making Aimu frown. He recognized the form of that glyph.


    "How did you know that?"


    "So he really wasn''t lying to me. Kekeke," the king replied cryptically.


    The glyph moved from his body toward his feet, then created a circle of shadow around him.


    At this moment, two fireballs shot by the pixie came toward him. Many hands came out from the shadow under him, grasping the fireballs and snuffing them out of existence.


    Poof!


    The shadow then condenses, creating a big creature with twice the height of a normal person.


    Its legs were many tentacles with a big round face that only had a mouth filled with sharp teeth. The face was surrounded by many dark hands, making the creature look grotesque.


    If Alex looked at this shadow beast now, he would compare it to a monster from his game named Malboro.


    Although Malboro is a plant-like monster, with moving vines as its legs and hair, this one was filled with hands and tentacles.

 Chapter 182 - 182: The Mysterious Portal

    Aimu frowned, looking at Belthazar; he had never seen a shadow beast like this, so it was more correct to call it an Abomination rather than a Beast.


    "Just how did you do it? There should be no way to do teleportation from here to outside this planet," Aimu asked.


    "The Almighty sentinel asking me about it. Kekeke, what makes you think I will answer it?" the King replied, while his head tilted, dodging another attack from Freya.


    As he did this, his finger pointed at Aimu, shooting a black energy-like laser toward his face.


    Aimu dodged it while his axe moved toward the King''s neck. But the King didn''t even try to defend now; the moment the blade reached him, it failed to even pierce through it.


    Freya, looking at this, speculated that the more the portal grew in size, the stronger Balthazar was. But the problem with closing this portal is that they need to kill him.


    ''But is he really the anchor? Normally, if something is the anchor, if we interrupt him, the portal should close or at least be disturbed. Is it possible to change the anchor?'' Freya asked herself as she looked around the area.


    Back at the entrance to the mother tree, Alice now met up with Aurora, Blaire, and Sasha.


    "Aurora, you know what to do," Alice said the moment she saw Aurora, who then nodded toward Sasha and Blaire.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from them, Alex was with William. Since they decided to separate, he wanted to check the portal first before going to Alice.


    It didn''t take long for him to reach a distance where he could see the portal.


    At the same time, Petricia Olivia and the group reached the place Zold pointed out. This allowed Alex to see the portal from this side, too.


    ''It really looks the same; Petricia, try to throw something toward it.''


    Petricia then picked a rock from a nearby area and threw it inside. Alex then focused his eyes on the portal.


    If his speculation is right, the rock should come out from this place. But his expectations quickly snuffed out. The rock didn''t come out, no matter how long he waited.


    ''Vesa, do you know what that is?''


    [A long-distance teleportation portal, but I cannot say anything more than that. Try to get closer so that I can try to find out more.]


    Alex frown. He could see Aimu and Freya fighting the King. There were also two beasts fighting down below. Getting close will be too dangerous for him now.


    He knew better than to try to join the fight. Alex also didn''t try to use his spying ability on them. Just in case they realized he does this. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He has often read something like this happening in novels he read. Even though it''s just a fantasy story, he prefers a better be safe than sorry approach.


    William didn''t say anything; he looked at the King through binoculars with puzzled eyes. ''How could the king become that strong?''


    Based on the information he had known, the King should not have been able to fight the Sentinel. Not to mention, this time, the Sentinel was backed by another being that also had similar strength.


    ''Petricia, tell Emily to send a drone inside the portal,'' Alex ordered.


    ''King, isn''t it better for me to enter? I can share what I see with you.''


    ''No, we don''t know what is inside. Just do what I tell you.''


    ''Alright, king.'' Petricia then forwarded what Alex told her to the others.


    Zold also suggested that he enter the portal to check it. But his idea was quickly shut down by Quartz and Emily.


    They feel it''s not worth the risk. Their real purpose is to clear the labyrinth, not to find out about this mystery.


    Olivia meanwhile had a thought in her mind, ''Alex seems very interested in this portal; did he accidentally enter one of these? And now stuck looking for a way out?''


    Emily then took out a drone and started flying it toward the portal; the moment it entered, she lost connection with it. Not only did it not show any feed, but it also lost signal.


    The drone is not a normal one; it''s specially made for long distances.


    This one uses quantum entanglement technology; in theory, even if it cannot send feed, at the very least, it will still be connected. No matter how far it is.


    The only possible reason for this is either the drone was destroyed by an attack from a hostile entity or because of the environment.


    Alex put some thought into it, and he told Petricia to stand by.


    "William, you wait here; in case something happens, run back to Blaire Mansion," he ordered.


    He then jumped forward, trying to get closer to the portal. Halfway, he stopped as he saw a light creature fly toward him.


    "Alex, it''s me, Freya," the pixie said, then proceeded to tell him the situation.


    "So I ask for you to go toward the mother tree now, help my daughter. I am worried about the situation there."


    "The portal seems linked with one outside; I need to make sure of this first."


    "You want to enter the portal?


    It''s too dangerous, even though you say it''s linked with outside this secret realm. It''s not necessarily just reach there.


    I suspect it''s linked with multiple places; otherwise, it won''t explain what happened to Balthazar."


    "Fine, in that case, help this creature to enter through the portal."


    Alex took out a device and pointed it at the ground; a light came out from it, taking out a Wolf Howler.


    After some training, this one had a power level of three; as long as Freya gave her help, he was sure this wolf could enter the portal.


    Freya didn''t understand why Alex wanted to do this, but she relented since she wanted Alex to move to help her daughter.


    No matter what she had done. Freya didn''t want anything bad to happen to them.

 Chapter 183 - 183: Inside the Portal

    The pixie flew while the wolf started running, following behind her.


    At this moment, on the other side, Olivia walked closer to the portal. She tried to use her sharp sense to feel what energy made the portal.


    The pixie flew while the wolf started running, following behind her.


    At this moment, on the other side, Olivia walked closer to the portal, her senses trying to feel what energy made the portal.


    As she now uses both mana and Qi, she understands there are different types of energy.


    Based on what she feels now, Olivia is sure it''s mana combined with some other type of energy that she doesn''t know of.


    It feels sinister...


    Emily looked at Olivia. She just wanted to ask what she was doing when suddenly Olivia entered through the portal.


    "ZOLD!"


    Emily instinctively called his name since he was the fastest between them. She didn''t see it clearly, but it looked like Olivia was being pulled by something.


    Zold''s body moved like lightning, entering through the portal. Quartz was caught off guard, frozen, seeing what happened, while Petricia told Alex about this.


    Inside the portal, Zold found himself surrounded by darkness. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only source of light came from the crackle of his thunder. His body shook as he looked around the area.


    The sky, the floor, everything around him, at first second, seemed like there was nothing. But then it slid open, showing eyeballs that gazed toward him.


    Zold could feel his hair stand on end; he quickly looked for Olivia. With his eyes opened, the surroundings became clearer, allowing him to see the silhouette of Olivia''s body.


    Zap!


    He appeared beside Olivia and then tapped on her shoulder, but Olivia didn''t respond.


    Moving in front of her, Zold saw her eyes were blank; she ignored Zold and tried to move toward one of the giant eyes.


    Zold''s mind started churning, thinking about what he could do to stop her as he observed the area.


    He then realized the irises of the eyes were a portal similar to the one he had passed through, but with how many there were, he didn''t know which one led to where.


    Many of the portals also have different colors; he doesn''t know if it means the portal is not activated or if it has some other meaning.


    BAM!


    Zold finally decided to hit her on the neck. He then turned around, wanting to return back from the portal he just entered.


    But everything looked the same; he closed his eyes, trying to remember by his body how far he had moved.


    As he often trained himself to practice using electricity, oftentimes he could not use his eyes since he was moving too fast for them to follow.


    This made him use all his senses, trying to imagine his own location. After many practices, with trial and error, Zold finally found a way through this.


    He used his electricity, spreading it all around the area, then using a technique similar to how sonar works. At some point, after he got used to it, he could instinctively feel his own location.


    Zold quickly moved back, reaching toward the portal where he had just once in, but just as he inched away from it, the eye closed its lid, effectively blocking his way.


    This quickly made Zold turn alert; he took out a rope from his storage ring, then tied Olivia to his back while taking out his two daggers.


    CLANG! CLANG!


    He tried to attack the eyelid, but there was no effect at all.


    ''Should I try entering another portal? But it will be even more dangerous.'' As he thought this, the eyes surrounding him started closing one by one.


    This made Zold sure someone or something was looking at him right now.


    "Awooo!!!" A wolf howl suddenly reached his ears, pulling Zold''s attention.


    He raised his arm, prepared to fight, but the moment he saw the wolf, relief washed over him. He recognized that wolf; it was one of Alex''s creatures.


    Alex gave a way for his allies to recognize which one was his to make sure there were no friendly fire incidents.


    Each of his wolves has a collar on the neck, with a special marking that only people from the Old Suzaku Guild will recognize.


    He quickly followed the wolf toward one of the areas, but a similar thing happened: the eyelids also started to close, but this time Zold was prepared.


    He put one of his hands, wanting to bring the wolf with him, but the wolf dodged and pushed him forward by tackling his back.


    Alex ordered the wolf to do a suicide mission to look at what was behind another portal. After seeing Zold disappear from it, followed by the eyelid closing, the wolf started turning his gaze around the area.


    Its eyes then locked toward the only eyes that were still open. Arriving in front of it, the wolf just wanted to lunge in when something came out.


    SLASH!!!


    Back at the secret realm, Alex, who was now moving toward the entrance to the mother tree, suddenly stopped, landing on the ground as if being hit by something.


    This turned William alert, making him look around the area; seeing nothing, he landed beside Alex.


    "Has something happened?"


    Alex''s body was covered with sweat as his heart beat loudly, "What the hell is that, Vesa?"


    [I never saw one of those, but I think you don''t need to worry; based on the information I get, it should not be alive; it''s something like a golem that protects the place.]


    ''Are you sure it''s really not alive? Not like the corrupted Felidaens?'' Alex asked in his mind while he tried to calm himself down.


    The reason he felt like this is not because of what he saw but what he felt. Everything the wolf felt at that moment was transmitted to him.


    It''s more than just a feeling of death; it''s like something is corroding the wolf''s existence, taking out its free will and giving him an overwhelming feeling of dread.

 Chapter 184 - 184: Missing!?

    Something Alex never felt before in his whole life. Not even facing the half-dragon felt like this.


    [No, I am sure about this King; after my interaction with Felidaen, I can differentiate them.]


    [Even though I cannot detect them from far away, I can still tell if we are close to their difference with autonomous creatures like golems and robots.]


    Alex sighed, ''Forget it. Now I need to make sure Zold and Olivia are alright, but what is that?


    Not only the dread, what kind of place is that?


    Since Vesa doesn''t know what that is, it should be something that existed after Alucard died.''


    He then made his way back to Freya and the others. It didn''t take long for him to reach a distance where he could see everything.


    What he saw widened his eyes, returning back the feeling of dread.


    It''s not that he saw Zold and Olivia attacked by the King or that they were wounded.


    What he saw was even worse. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t see them; he asked on Petricia''s side, and it was the same.


    The portal was still there, not closing, but Olivia and Zold also didn''t come out from it.


    Feeling Alex''s intent, Vesa sent a message to him.


    [King, don''t even consider entering the portal; it seems the place there runs on a different logic than we''re used to.]


    [Otherwise, this shouldn''t happen.]


    Alex didn''t reply; he really considered doing it, but the risk was too dangerous. It''s not just his life.


    If he entered, Emily and Quartz would also enter.


    Rather than saving Olivia and Zold, it would instead lead to even more casualties; he''s still too weak now. But this doesn''t mean he will give up; there is still another way.


    Alex and William started moving back toward the mother tree.


    Trying to get information from the King is stupid, but from the people that he suspects as Dark Hunters coming from Hell Gate is a different story.


    As he moved, he asked for more information about this from Emily through Petricia.


    Emily first met this organization when she had a mission to find a missing child.


    In a few survivor shelters, there have been reports of many missing children.


    A survivor shelter is created for people who barely survive dungeon breaks and then evacuate to a new place.


    Unlike Alex''s family, which has enough money to live wherever they want, this is a normal family; the moment the city gets destroyed, they lose everything.


    Some still have some savings, but without a real job, going out from the shelter will mean taking a huge risk.


    Trying to make a new living in a new place without knowing anyone is easier said than done. Even with this kind of tragedy, the world never misses out on assholes; some still target these poor people, scamming them out of their savings.


    This has been reported many times over the internet, making many of the refugees prefer staying in this type of shelter. Waiting till the government allocates them somewhere else.


    But with the current situation, they already have their hands full, trying to keep the land they have. They can only spare some limited resources trying to make a new settlement in the safe zone.


    With limited living space despite the reduced population, the land price keeps soaring. This makes government choices limited.


    As the red zone keeps growing, more and more refugees come, making the government lack resources to even maintain this settlement, raising the crime rate.


    Normally, a missing child case wouldn''t be allocated to a hunter, but the amount is too much for them to close their eyes on.


    After some investigation by the local police, they decided this was done by an awakener.


    Emily then took over, utilizing her team experience and skillset, and they found the one responsible. It''s one of the incidents that cemented her hatred toward the Dark Hunter.


    The captured kids were used as a sacrifice for a weird ritual.


    The idea of an awakener believing in a weird, barbaric religion is stupid, but it still happens, and with their power, it makes them even worse.


    Seeing the kids butchered and sacrificed left a deep trauma in her mind. In this part of the story, Petricia cuts her short to get to the point, as instructed by Alex.


    They have a short time, and her story doesn''t give him more information other than they are crazy psychopaths, just like how Dark Hunter was often portrayed in the news.


    Emily then proceeded to tell the story that Hellgate, as the name of their organization, literally worships Hell.


    Not Hell based on the old mythology of his world, but a creature from a world named Hell.


    They sacrifice kids to make contact with them; in one of the pieces of information they get from the member that caught them, the leader of Hellgate meets one of them inside a Dungeon.


    This creature from Hell promises them power and immortality, something clich¨¦ but not weird at all.


    In the past, Alex would skim over the sacrifice parts as if they were nuts, but as he knows about life force energy now and the existence of other races, he cannot just throw it as something stupid.


    In front of other eyes, it will be something horror, weird, stupid, and scary. But in his eyes, this is an intervention from another race that is probably also one of his enemies.


    Those that got the technology of life force from the Vampire race.


    As the situation becomes like this now, Alex comes out clean, letting Petricia tell them the real situation and why he still has a way to find Olivia and Zold.


    He doesn''t want them to do anything risky, like entering the portal.


    Emily could not help but feel guilty again, as she was the one calling Zold to pursue Olivia, but Quartz comforted her; if it was only Olivia, they would barely have a chance, but with Zold now, their chance to survive is higher.

 Chapter 185 - 185: Ifrit

    It''s not that Olivia is weak, but she is just a healer; even with Cultivation, she is still barely able to fight. With Zold on her side, they should fare better no matter where they were.


    ''Vesa, what race do you think this Hellgate made contact with?'' Alex asked in his mind.


    [Based on the description, the Ifrit race should be the closest, but this is only based on the symbolism used that Emily showed me.]


    [There are a few other races that use this, too; I need more information to be sure.] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex didn''t ask further; he already knew what to do now. After some thought, he stopped and took out another awe cube, from inside which a fairy came out.


    He looked around, confused, as he suddenly found himself in the forest.


    Alex then said, "Tell your queen, does she know the race called Ifrit?"


    "My Queen? Ifrit?" The man asked, still confused about how everything progressed.


    But Alex ignored this, gave him a direction, then left the man.


    On the way, William asked, "You can put living beings inside that cube?"


    "This one is different from the one you have; you will know more later. For now, prepare yourself for a fight."


    Alex took out a mana rifle and then threw it toward William. He then told him how to use it. William easily understood how to use it since he had used something similar.


    As they got closer, they could hear fighting sounds. Alice, Lily, and Aurora were fighting while Blaire and Sasha shot from the side.


    At first, Alice wanted to use Aurora''s ability to create illusions to slip through the portal; unfortunately, although it''s useful against humans, for the skeletons, it has no use.


    The undead are only programmed to attack nearby creatures; they don''t use their senses to feel their presence. This quickly turned into a fight.


    In the middle, Lily came and joined the fight. She was late because she needed to make sure her comrade was alright.


    BANG! CLASH! BOOM!


    Alice, Lily, Blaire, and Sasha were fighting against the skeletons, while Aurora fought against the man with the blade. Despite her realistic illusion, the man''s instincts were so sharp.


    Somehow, her attacks kept getting deflected by the man, no matter what kind of illusion she cast.


    She tried creating an illusion, baiting him to attack forward, then using the gap to stab him from behind, but it always hit something before it reached the target.


    "Just give up already. You will never beat us, beauty," the man said with a smirk on his face. He then added, "Let''s have some fun instead, hahaha."


    His expression made Aurora feel disgusted; she didn''t reply to the man. Instead, she proceeded to launch a barrage of attacks.


    Alex started thinking about what the mana ability was; after some consideration, he realized the man could create an invisible partial shield to protect his body.


    It can be used to block attacks from any angle, but he needs to expect the attack first.


    The reason he thought this was because there were some wounds on the man''s body when Aurora attacked non-vital parts at weird angles.


    Slash!


    Aurora''s dagger slashed through the man''s torso, but instead of grimacing in pain, the man seemed to enjoy the situation.


    He raised his blade toward Aurora''s neck, but the sword phased through her body as she disappeared before reappearing some distance away.


    At this moment, BANG!


    A bullet pierced through the air. It targeted the man''s temple, and just inches away, it hit something invisible, like a wall.


    Then Alex appeared at the man''s side. His ember-shift hammer hit him straight in the chest, giving out a cracking sound. The hammer then disappeared as he gripped the man''s neck, smacking him to the ground.


    But even after all this, the blade didn''t drop from the man''s hand; like not connected with his body, the hand moved by itself, targeting Alex from the back.


    Alex could dodge, but he decided not to since he didn''t want to waste time. The blade pierced through his body, but he didn''t even flinch; his grip on the man''s neck intensified, and at the same time, his pupils glinted red.


    Green energy started coming out from the man''s body; he started turning into a husk before Alex released him. Without saying a word, he captured the man into the awe cube.


    Alex planned to use him as the first experiment to be the first person captured. He will let Vesa interrogate him and then force him under a slave contract.


    "Where did you put him?" Aurora asked. She was surprised by his sudden intervention but felt relieved that Alex had defeated the man easily.


    "Let''s talk later," Alex replied, as he pulled the blade out and then put it inside his storage ring.


    He looked through his shoulder at the many skeletons, then back to the entrance of the Mother Tree.


    After some consideration, he decided it was better to enter the Mother Tree than waste time helping them clean the skeletons.


    He then addressed Aurora, "Let''s check the Mother Tree.


    Oh yeah, use your illusion ability on me; make me look like the man with the blade while you make yourself invisible."


    Aurora was confused at first but then realized what he wanted to do.


    "I can make you look like him and even change the voice that he heard, but you will still need to talk like that man."


    "Don''t worry, just do it, I will take care of the rest." Alex wasn''t worried since Vesa had already started the session with the man with the blade.


    For any strange question, he can just let Vesa ask the man. And it''s not like he plans to ask many things; he just wants to find out their goal, what the portal is, and how to look for Olivia and Zold.


    Entering through the portal, the bangle on Alex started giving out a glow. Looking at it, Alex quickly realized he was too brash.


    There are protection barriers before reaching the Mother Tree; without this bangle, he would be trapped in the illusion barrier.


    Looking at his side, he could see Aurora already started moving in random directions; she was clearly inside the illusion barrier now.

 Chapter 186 - 186: Change of Plan

    Alex doesn''t quickly help Aurora; he looks around the area and searches for the other person, Derrick, the other infiltrator.


    After some time, he doesn''t find anyone. Despite not getting attacked by the illusion barrier, Alex''s vision was still limited; he could not see too far nor use Vesa Map.


    He then decided to wake Aurora first. "Aurora, wake up," he said as he put his hand over her shoulder.


    Aurora suddenly felt a refreshing energy pass through her body, changing her world. Before, she found herself in a forest filled with many big trees and cliffs.


    "To think I got hit by an illusion."


    "It''s not weird. I think the one who made this is your mother. And probably, she even used your fairy dust in the process."


    Looking around the area, Aurora mumbled, "Maybe."


    With her mother''s understanding, it''s not weird Freya can utilize her Fairy Dust. Although she doesn''t know how.


    Based on her knowledge, fairy dust can only be used by the one who created it. Otherwise, fairies would be hunted to extinction already.


    But then a thought surfaced in her mind, ''What if this limitation is made on purpose? In reality, Fairy Dust could be used by anyone?''


    "What are you dazing around about? Touch my shoulder and follow me; we need to move quickly," Alex reminded me.


    "Ah, sorry, just realized something." She then held Alex at the wrist, "this will be easier in case we need to fight."


    Alex didn''t mind; they then kept moving deeper toward the mother tree.


    On the way, they don''t meet anything; this doesn''t relieve Alex since this means Derrick has already reached the tree.


    Based on the information he got from the man with the blade, there are two people entering this place. As for the purpose, the man still remains silent even after some intense sessions with Vesa.


    [King, I think there is a mechanism that blocks him from saying anything about this matter in his mind, but I can speculate the purpose.]


    [There are only two; either there is something important in the mother tree that the Ifrit race needs, or personal reasons like the hate toward Aimu and Freya.]


    ''I doubt it''s hate. If that were the goal, they would just order the hell gate to wreak havoc on this secret realm.


    Based on how they do things, they should have gotten information and are sure Feiladen exists in this place.


    Emily, me, and the others were just involved by accident. Although, with the situation now, I cannot let this just pass by.''


    If Olivia and Zold were captured by the Ifrit race and they found out he is a progenitor heir, things would go out of hand quickly. He will need to take extreme measures, sending all his friends and family to the Cultivation world while he acts as bait.


    Alex has decided since no one knows Alucard''s heir is a pair. He plans to take on that role while letting MingYue grow in the shadow.


    He plans to give the bangle from Freya to her if he fails to find a way to replicate it.


    There are a few reasons for this, but mainly, it''s the most logical. He will go to the category five dungeon to find his father; this will mean he will need to face off against the half-dragon race.


    It''s only a matter of time before they find out he is of the vampire race or, worse, a progenitor heir.


    A thought then came to his mind, ''I should prioritize powering up first, recovering Vesa''s power, then raising my progenitor transformation before looking at my father.''


    After seeing the King, Aimu, and Freya fight, Alex realizes going to the frontline now will only result in suicide.


    Time passed; they finally reached the mother tree. What he saw confirmed his suspicion.


    He could see many skeletons digging around the tree. It''s clear they don''t want to destroy it; they want to bring the whole tree out.


    A man could be seen standing on the side; he had a rough appearance with a black beard and mustache. His body was bulky and muscular, making him look more like a warrior, not a necromancer.


    "Do you know anything about this tree?" Alex asked in a low voice.


    "I only know it''s important, and we need to protect it. It''s the core of protection of this place."


    "What happens if it gets uprooted?"


    "Something bad," Aurora replied.


    Alex''s lips twitched, "if that is what I wanted to know, I wouldn''t ask you. Forget it. Let''s ask the source."


    Turning his gaze toward Derrick, Alex took out his embershift hammer. Seeing the hammer, Aurora tugged his hand. "Don''t tell me you want to use fire. We cannot damage the tree." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, I know moderation, and it''s not easy to burn the tree," Alex replied confidently. But Aurora is not convinced.


    Since she was a kid, her mother always pointed out how important the tree is. She doesn''t want to take any risks.


    Seeing how adamant Aurora is, Alex decides to relent. He doesn''t want to waste time convincing her. Since the hammer is out of the question, he decided to use firearms.


    His mind started thinking about the best way to destroy all the skeletons to dust without damaging the tree.


    He wants to take out Derrick''s skeleton without hurting him to give him enough pressure so he can bait some information.


    At first, his plan was to disguise himself as his comrade to get more information, but looking at the man''s skeleton, he changed his mind.


    Aurora''s illusion won''t be able to trick this skeleton. Then, an idea came to his mind: the skeleton was not living. It''s just like a robot.


    He may have limitations on putting living beings into the awecube, as he needs to subdue them first, but for a skeleton, he feels this is not needed.


    Even if the worst happened and the skeleton started losing parts of his body, that would not be a problem for him.

 Chapter 187 - 187: Transformation

    Alex took out a stun grenade; this one not only explodes with a dazzling light, but it also sends out a loud noise to disorient their target.


    Even though the skeleton doesn''t have ears, the vibration will still rattle its limbs.


    "Close your eyes and ears," Alex said. But Aurora didn''t follow his order.


    She felt puzzled as to why she needed to do this. Without her sight and hearing, she would not be able to tell what happened.


    Seeing she didn''t move, Alex didn''t waste time explaining; with a swift movement, he threw the stun grenade.


    BANG!


    A dazzling light exploded, followed by a loud sound that made Aurora''s ears start ringing.


    The same thing happened to Derrick, but he doesn''t feel worried. He quickly sent orders to his skeletons to remain alert; despite his many armies, he still needed to be careful.


    All of them were acquired inside the dungeon; if they are completely destroyed, he doesn''t have any skeletons in stock to do another Arise.


    Arise is what he named the skill that allows him to turn skeletons into something like autonomous golems.


    In reality, he doesn''t feel this is necromancy since he can also do the same for mannequins. But getting a high-quality mannequin is out of his budget. And the better the material is, the higher the burden on his ability will be.


    This makes the Hellgate leader doesn''t want to invest in good golems for him to control.


    They already have a member who is good at one-on-one fights, as Derrick''s ability is very suitable for group fights.


    The dazzling light disappeared, but it still took some time before clarity returned to Aurora and Derrick. As clarity returned to his mind, his eyes widened as he took a few steps back.


    Fear overwhelmed him.


    Every single one of his skeletons disappeared from sight, with one man looking at him with a smile, holding a big hammer that was surely enough to pulverize him in one hit.


    "Derrick, is it? Mind telling me why you want this tree? Or do you want to have a date with my hammer?"


    Derrick gulped as he took another step back. "Can you ask me another question? I cannot answer that one."


    "I see. Then how about the portal where you came in. Mind telling me some more information about that," Alex replied as he took a step forward.


    He purposely raised the hammer''s weight, making his step heavy, creating a spider web crack on the ground while he moved.


    "That portal is cast by my guild leader. I don''t know much detail."


    Crack!


    Alex took a step forward again, this time making a small vibration by the weight. Despite his calm face, in reality, his muscles were already rioting under the weight.


    If not for Qi and the utilization of regeneration from life force, he would have already buckled on his knees.


    Cold sweat dripped from Derrick''s face while Aurora finally got her bearings. She quickly moved near the tree, staying invisible using her illusion, following Alex''s instructions.


    But she didn''t cast any disguise on Alex since she could see Alex changed his plan. Looking at the hammer, she still remembers the flame that came out from it.


    ''This lunatic, I already told him don''t use that hammer.'' She cursed in her mind. But she knows better not to complain at this moment.


    Derrick started to think hard about what he knew, "There is a ritual done by the leader. We need to sacrifice the blood of infants and kids, then in exchange, we will gain power and instruction¡­ GYAAA!"


    Derrick screamed in pain as he said this. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Different from the man with the blade, Derrick''s position is lower. He doesn''t know there are limitations being put on everyone in Hellgate.


    The leader does this on purpose to put out an example of what happened to those who betrayed them.


    His veins started turning black and then protruded from his skin. Seeing this, Alex leaped forward, appearing in front of the man.


    He then tried to put Derrick inside the Awecube.


    But as the light reached Derrick, another aura shot out from his eyes, repelling it. The Awecube in his hand cracked as the mechanism was broken.


    Derrick screamed in pain as he transformed in front of Alex. His skin fell apart as a new one came out from it; two horns grew from his head, followed by his eyes turning red without any pupil. The new skin is black and more robust.


    Seeing this, Alex didn''t wait for him to finish the transformation.


    BANG!


    He used his hammer to pulverize Derrick, but, unfortunately, he was not defenseless.


    Derrick raised his transformed arm, blocking the attack; despite it making the hand mangled, the transformation didn''t stop. Then, a beastly-like voice came out from his mouth.


    "Human, are you sure you want to kill me? Don''t you want to find out more about the portal?"


    Alex frowned; he considered his action for a moment, but a message from Vessa made him change his mind.


    [King, never trust what the ifrit race told you. Their race is filled with trickery; they will spit out 10 words, with only three being the truth.]


    ''It seems I have no other choice then.'' Alex thought.


    Taking out his awecube, Alex sent out the parasite he had captured before. He didn''t know what would happen since he hadn''t analyzed the creature.


    The worm-like creature shot out toward Derrick, quickly burrowing itself inside of him. This halted the transformation, making the creature scream, "Human, what did you do!?"


    Right now, whoever is behind this is trying to take control of Derrick''s body, using the opportunity to breach the contract between them. But Alex doesn''t believe it''s as simple as that.


    He is sure there are some payments that need to be made for them to take over Derrick''s body.


    That is why he put the parasite inside Derrick. This will introduce a third party that tries to take over his body, making them fight each other.

 Chapter 188 - 188: Fairy Tree

    That is why he put the parasite inside Derrick.


    This will introduce a third party that tries to take over his body, making them fight each other.


    Seizing the opportunity, Alex took out his awe cube again, trying to capture Derrick. But the dark red light shot out from his body, yielding the same result.


    Alex clicked his tongue with annoyance, "Vesa still not making progress from that one."


    [No king, he keeps quiet, but I can try to do it aggressively, although he will not survive the process then.]


    ''Do it.'' Alex ordered from his mind.


    The more time wasted, the more danger Olivia and Zold face.


    Looking at the transforming Derrick, Alex then asked in Ifrit language, "Did you come for the tree?"


    "A human that knows our language?" Derrick replied with a beastly voice.


    ''So they are really the Ifrit race.'' Alex thought while saying, "Surprised? So what do you need the tree for?"


    "Why should I tell you?"


    "Don''t you feel curious about where I learned your language? Actually, I learned it from your kind. He also sent me here to take this tree."


    "Elthazar sent you here? Don''t lie to me. No one should have known the fairy tree exists here."


    ''Fairy tree? So this is related to the fairy race?'' Alex thought to himself while he smirked.


    "How else do you think I can enter here? You should know how protected this place is."


    "Hmph! The outer gate is open for everyone as long as they know the code and pay the cost. Don''t you lie to me? Who is the spy?" The entity replied back.


    He believes someone is behind Alex since that is the only way he could enter this place and learn the Ifrit language.


    In reality, Alex learned this from Vesa just a moment ago.


    ''Outer gate? Everyone can open it. Is that some kind of universe transit system?'' Alex asked himself. He then asked Vesa for information about the Fairy tree.


    [The fairy tree is very important for the fairy race; many things are unknown about it since the Fairy race keeps it hidden. Rumor says that it''s the main source of their power.]


    [Based on how things progress, I speculate the fairy race progenitor is also defeated; either she was killed and reincarnated, or she was captured. The secret of the fairy race then becomes public.]


    "I will tell you the spy''s identity, but not here. Give me the code for your place, and then we will talk there. You should know why," Alex replied with a confident tone, while in reality, he didn''t even know what he was talking about.


    But the Ifrit believes what he said; at this moment, he has already succeeded in overwhelming the parasite, gaining control over the left hand.


    The hand then moved, carrying symbols in a circular manner. There are twelve symbols in total, separated just like a clock.


    The symbols at first looked weird to Alex''s eyes, but after some thought, he realized they looked similar to zodiac symbols in his world, but they had some modifications on them.


    [King, this symbol is used as a cardinal direction. Each of these corresponds to a massive star system that could be seen anywhere as long as you are in the universe.]


    ''So like north, south, east, and west, but how do I use this symbol?''


    Despite wondering about this, Alex doesn''t show it on his face. He still looks confident, like someone who knows what he is doing.


    "Go back now, I will bring the tree later."


    The creature hesitated for a moment before finally giving in.


    "I don''t know who you really are, but I don''t want to get involved in politics. I am just doing my job. I will tell my lord the Fairy tree is in Elthazar''s hands."


    After saying this, Derrick''s body turned into a dry husk of flesh.


    ''Vesa.''


    [Yes King, this is because he emptied out his life force energy, I am sure this outer gate is using our technology.]


    Alex could feel anger coming from Vesa.


    ''I will need to look into the ritual that Hellgate used to find a way to use this symbol.''


    He then erased the symbol on the ground, making Aurora feel puzzled.


    "What is that symbol?" Aurora came out from her invisibility since the situation was now safe.


    "Believe me, it''s better if you don''t know; for now, let''s go back; your mother is still fighting the king," Alex said, reminding Aurora that the situation is still dire.


    Outside the secret realm, the skeletons now turn back into a pile of bones. With Derrick dead, no one is sustaining the undead.


    Sasha was there sitting with Blaire, and so was William, but Lily and Alice were nowhere to be seen.


    "Did they go to the king?" Alex asked.


    Looking at him coming out from the portal made them feel relieved.


    When the skeletons all died at the same time, they already thought that Alex and Aurora finished the job.


    "No, Lily and Alice were going out protecting the settlement. Do you forget the real plan?" William asked. Meanwhile, Aurora went to Blaire and Sasha. As Blaire asks if she is alright.


    "I see. Let''s go then." Alex replied.


    He really forgot about this because his mind was worried about Olivia and Zold.


    Since the beast king and other beasts are not teleported to the sentinel place, it doesn''t mean the berserk drug Alice gives them automatically disappears.


    This still creates a beast wave attacking the settlement. And the wave is now even stronger with all the beast kings present there.


    Looking back at Blaire and the others, William asked, "Don''t you need to bring them?"


    "Left them alone. They will go to Lily and the others soon. We are not going there."


    "Where are we going then?"


    "Of course, to the source of the problem," Alex replied.


    In the middle of the forest, to Freya''s surprise, the portal stopped growing bigger, and Belthazar seemed annoyed.


    "It seems playtime is over now," Belthazar said as he pointed his finger toward Aimu. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A black-red energy started gathering, creating a big sphere before it shot out like a laser toward Aimu.

 Chapter 189 - 189: Escaped

    Seeing the attack, Aimu could feel danger; the pattern on his axe glowed, and the shadow beast that was fighting against Balthazar''s shadow, Malboro, quickly made his escape.


    Moving quickly through the shadows, it appeared behind Aimu and then started fusing over his body, creating a black metallic armor.


    With the enhanced strength, Aimu was prepared to face the deadly attack.


    Freya also moved her pixie to support Aimu against the attack. Shooting all their power toward the laser beam


    But just inches away, the laser beam turned its angle upward, surprising both Freya and Aimu. The target is not Aimu. It''s Freya.


    Exploiting the opportunity, Balthazar''s shadow beast shot its shadow hand forward, catching Freya''s limbs. Sealing her escape.


    SWOSH!! The laser moved toward her face, but just before it hit her.


    BANG! Something came out from the portal.


    Alex, at this time, had covered enough distance to see what happened. He doesn''t try to rescue Freya since he knows it''s just suicide, but what happens next makes him both relieved and confused.


    From the portal, Zold came out crashing into Freya, who stood in front of it. The electricity from his body crackled, zapping through Freya''s body and hitting Balthazar''s shadow beast.


    This made the shadow hand release its clutch over Freya. They then landed on the ground with a bang.


    Aimu used this moment to launch an attack at Belthazar. His axe cleaved through the air toward his neck.


    Caught off guard, Belthazar barely dodged the attack, but it still hit his arm, cutting it off cleanly. Making him grimace in pain. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aimu''s attack was now strengthened, with his shadow beast raising it to a new level, allowing him to cut through Belthazar''s defense.


    Succeeding with one slash, Aimu proceeded to go for the kill. But at that moment, a black hand appeared from the shadow beast, pulling Belthazar away.


    BANG! The axe hit the ground. But Aimu quickly changed direction. He doesn''t want to lose the momentum.


    Despite Belthazar starting to launch a barrage of beam attacks at him, Aimu dodged each one and moved forward to pursue him.


    At this moment, Belthazar''s shadow beast used more hands, throwing Belthazar to the portal; it then turned into a shadow returning back to his body.


    After Belthazar had passed through the portal, it closed. Leaving behind many questions for Aimu.


    How could the portal appear?


    What is the anchor?


    Where is it going?


    Who is behind Belthazar''s power?


    He then turned his gaze distance away, looking toward the Felidaean settlement; he hesitated for a moment but then sighed, ''I will let them take care of it.'' He thought before turning his focus toward Freya and the people that came out from the portal.


    For now, Aimu thought of interrogating them to find out some answers. But he stopped at his step when he saw Alex come out and talk to them.


    Based on their conversation, he knew they knew each other, "Alex, we need to talk." Aimu''s voice reverberated in the air.


    "Give me time, I will come to your place after everything is settled," Alex said while checking Olivia''s condition.


    Zold was alright with just some minor wounds, while Olivia was still unconscious.


    "Alright," Aimu replied as he moved toward Freya.


    After some talk with Aimu, Freya left because she needed to have a word with her daughter.


    "Zold, tell me everything you saw inside the portal," Alex said while he poured some red potion toward Olivia''s lips.


    Zold, sitting on the ground, took a deep breath as he looked around the area. He was confused about where he was, but looking at Alex being there, he felt the situation was under control.


    He then told Alex what happened; based on his story, after entering the portal, he blacked out for a few moments before he found himself here.


    Zold was sure he only blacked out for a few seconds at most.


    This made Alex frown. He checked both of them but didn''t find anything weird, ''Does time move differently inside the portal? But the wolf I sent to help them enter without any time gap.''


    Turning his gaze toward Olivia, Alex turned complicated, ''Why did you enter the portal?'' He asked Olivia in his mind.


    "What do you think of that place, Zold?"


    "The place with many eyes? It''s weird and disturbing since I never saw something like that before, but honestly, I feel that place is alive."


    "Alive? Do you mean you feel a living presence there?"


    Remembering what happened before made Zold''s hair stand up again, but with a few breaths, he calmed himself down.


    "No, I mean the whole place is alive. It''s like if you enter through the belly of the beast, that is how I feel it."


    "A belly of the beast, I see."


    Zold then turned his gaze toward William. Looking at his peculiar tail and ears, he asked, "Is he one of the aliens you talked about before?"


    "He is William, a Felidaean." Alex then introduced William to Zold and informed him of some important information.


    "That is the gist of it; we will talk more in detail after meeting up with Emily and Quartz; for now, we need to help fight against the beast."


    Alex then puts Olivia under Sasha''s care while he, William, Aurora, and Blaire go to fight against the beast wave.


    Alex knew they would have no problem with Alice there, but he still came because he didn''t want to miss any opportunity to get more monsters to bolster his force.


    He had already lost most of them when attacking the palace. But there is still one left that hasn''t been sent out.


    One of the beast kings that he caught in the forest.


    A few hours passed, filled with many fights against the beast, and the next phase proceeded as planned as the fairy race helped defend against the beasts.


    Alice then proceeded with her made-up story, telling it''s all the king''s evil plan to take over the kingdom; the king is bribed by their real enemy, the one that makes them hide in this place.


    Throughout this, Freya was watching with a complicated gaze; she could more or less tell what had happened. She feels guilty toward Aimu since it''s her family that made the problem.

 Chapter 190 - 190: Blue Lotus Sect Predicament (Bonus Ch)

    As things calmed down for Alex. On MingYue''s side, things started to progress.


    At the Blue Lotus Sect, Situ CuiYing had just had a meeting with their sect leader, Qing Lian, which left her baffled.


    Despite her higher cultivation, what CuiYing said made her feel powerless.


    The rumor had spread out. Although the big sect didn''t believe it, many rogue cultivators were now gathered at Daiying City.


    CuiYing negotiated for information on the treasure the Hua family had, subtly pointing out that others would soon arrive and they would be less peaceful.


    If they gave it to her, she didn''t mind admitting that the treasure was not in her hands. Unlike the Blue Lotus Sect, which lived in peace, the Situ family was already accustomed to conflict.


    They would see if the treasure was worth the value or not; if not, the Situ family would just send it to be auctioned. If it was of value, they would fight to keep it.


    Treasures might bring problems, but without them, their family would not have a way to survive.


    The other choice was living peacefully in the background, waiting for a lucky break, like getting a genius disciple.


    But out of thousands of sects, how many succeed?


    The number is so small it could be counted on one hand while the rest disappear into obscurity.


    Even this luck doesn''t necessarily ensure survival; there are many geniuses.


    Every day, they make new enemies as they compete for cultivation techniques, resources, and artifacts. Some even turn to blood feuds.


    It''s nothing strange to find the sect become a target of revenge after their genius is killed. Some also attacked them directly because they could not fight back against the genius cultivator.


    Qing Lian was now in a predicament; the only thing she knew Lin Hua had gotten was the weird cultivation method. They tried to use it, but there was no effect.


    Qing Lian felt they were missing something, but since they could only decode the early part, they didn''t know if they were still missing something.


    However, the problem was that the method didn''t come from the Xueqi Family. If this cultivation method is decrypted and later found not related to the Xueqi family, that would mean they would have another problem.


    People don''t care about the truth or the facts; they just need the possibility that there is treasure here. And then, when many rogue cultivators start attacking, others join the fun just to get the opportunity to pillage the sect.


    She then called Lin Hua''s master to bring her to have a talk. But her master declined.


    "She''s still in seclusion training. The last time I saw her, she was at a critical juncture to breakthrough. Let''s wait until it''s finished first."


    "Breakthrough? Hasn''t she done it recently? Do you mean she reached the golden core stage?"


    "Yes," Lin Hua''s master replied with pride on her face, but Qing Lian didn''t feel the same.


    If anything, it was worse. She knew Lin Hua''s talent, and even with all the potential she had, this growth was still too fast. If anyone found out about this, it would make other cultivators even wilder in attacking her sect.


    ''If they really attack us, everything will have been for nothing,'' Qing Lian thought to herself.


    "Sect master, is something wrong?"


    "Did you hear that Mingyue''s late master was attacked yesterday? And she is now in critical condition?"


    Qing Lian''s question made her feel puzzled. She wondered how it was related to her that the sect leader needed to point this out. A cultivator getting hurt outside was not something weird.


    ''Did she suspect I am the one that attacked her?''


    Seeing her expression, Qing Lian sighed, "That is not what I mean. The situation is not good now." She then proceeded to tell Lin Hua''s master about the situation.


    Meanwhile, Lin Hua''s face was now pale, and blood seeped at her lips while her sword stabbed Jian Nu in the chest. But Jian Nu just smiled before her body fell to the ground.


    Linhua took a few steps back, fell on her knee, then screamed in pain.


    At the most crucial moment of her breakthrough, when the golden core was forming, Jian Nu suddenly hit her with a palm attack.


    Looking at Jian Nu, who was dying, Lin Hua asked, "Why?"


    She never treated her badly; if anything, she gave her many privileges. She even felt she owed her since Jian Nu helped keep her up to speed with what happened to her family.


    She already planned to pay them a visit after her breakthrough.


    "A traitor got betrayed. Don''t you think that is what you deserve?"


    Linhua turned silent. Her heart shook as Jian Nu''s voice started turning into something familiar. Her body then started transforming, like a mirror being shattered. Jian Nu became a wooden mannequin.


    The mannequin that she recognized, the one that cut her arm.


    Despite her broken meridian and the pain in her body, Lin Hua tried to move, but as she moved back further with her palm, she hit something.


    Her eyes looked up, and what she saw almost made her soul leave her body.


    Ming Yue stood behind her, wearing the same smile as Jian Nu on her face. Beside her, Feng Xue''s soul appeared, floating in the air.


    "Wait," Ming Yue said.


    Right now, Lin Hua was weak as her cultivation had fallen drastically, but even with that, she could tell that Lin Hua had now reached the realm that she wanted.


    Ming Yue put her hand over her head. "You should thank your luck; I changed my mind. At the very least, you have a way to survive." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you mean?" Lin Hua asked.


    "What Jian Nu saw and heard, all of it is sent to me. You should know by now that everything that happened in the secret realm is a scam, including the cultivation method you are using."


    Many thoughts came to her mind; she didn''t know how Ming Yue could still be alive, and she could not even become this strong.

 Chapter 191 - 191: LinHuas Fate (Bonus Ch)

    Lin Hua sighed; all the hard work she did to cultivate in the end only paved the way to her end. She knew her fate was sealed.


    "Can you at least tell me how you survived?" she asked with a dejected tone.


    "Not even trying to fight back?"


    "Do you think I am stupid? I know there is nothing I can do now.


    My only option is calling for my master''s help, but looking at your presence, I am sure it''s useless now.


    You''re probably stronger than her."


    "So you don''t want to sacrifice her? Who knows, you could escape."


    "This cultivation method, what trap did you put into it?"


    "Can''t you already tell? The more you cultivate it, the more it will separate your body and soul.


    If I let you finish the breakthrough, your soul will be erased. As for how I survived, don''t worry. You will have a long time to find out."


    "KYAAA!" Lin Hua screamed in pain; she could feel something was absorbing her.


    The next thing she knew, she found herself in a place surrounded by darkness; many chains suddenly appeared, binding her whole existence.


    As this happens inside Ming Yue''s inner world, Feng Xue''s soul moves toward Lin Hua''s body.


    Since the body was empty, Feng Xue smoothly took over. Lin Hua opened her eyes and started stretching.


    "How is it? That body should be enough for you."


    Lin Hua, now Feng Xue, frowned. As she opened and closed her palm, she said, "The talent is fine, but this body has many problems now."


    "The rumor?" Ming Yue let out a chuckle. Despite being one of the main culprits that exaggerated the rumor, how far it progressed also surprised her.


    She only wanted to put a target on the Hua family, but instead, it even pulled the Blue Lotus Sect into a predicament. She just wanted to say more when she felt someone''s presence.


    Ming Yue put the mannequin body into her storage ring, then disguised herself as Jian Nu. As she did this, she took out an earring and put it on her ear.


    ''What have you done to me?'' Lin Hua''s voice reverberated in Ming Yue''s mind.


    ''I planned to kill you, but I changed my mind. I took your soul and put it in this earring.''


    Meanwhile, Lin Hua''s master landed in the courtyard. Seeing her appearance, she quickly took out a bottle of pills.


    "Master," ''Master'' two voices reverberated, calling her, but only one reached her ears.


    "You failed?" Lin Hua''s master asked as she put a healing pill toward her.


    "Yes, master, but don''t worry, I did this on purpose," Feng Xue replied in Lin Hua''s body.


    "On purpose? Forget it, we will talk later. I need to make sure your meridian is alright."


    They then sat in the lotus position, with Lin Hua''s body''s back facing her master. She then started pouring Qi to check her meridian, making sure her body condition was alright.


    The pill she gave her would enhance her body regeneration, but if the wound was heavy, she needed to bring her to a specialist.


    As the process happened, the real Lin Hua asked in a dejected voice, ''Are you doing this to punish me? Who is she that now takes my body? Can''t you at least spare my family?''


    ''Where is your usual hatred? I thought you would curse me nonstop now. Isn''t that what you always do, usually?''


    ''I...'' Lin Hua turned speechless.


    In the past, she did this because she wanted to create a clear line between them; otherwise, she would not be able to convince herself to do things to Ming Yue. But she doubted she could convince her.


    It''s like a thief caught after stealing and killing the victim''s family, and now saying, ''I only do it because I have no choice.''


    No one will take them seriously; they will just think the thief is looking for sympathy.


    ''The soul inside your body now is the real owner of that secret realm. She is a golden core cultivator; before, she tried to take over my body but failed.''


    ''How can you go to that secret realm first?''


    Ming Yue chuckled in her mind. ''You can conclude that by yourself. But don''t worry, she won''t do anything bad to your family.'' S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Aren''t you the one that spread the rumor?''


    ''What did you expect? What you did destroyed my family.''


    Ling Hua was silent for a moment; then she added, ''You may not believe me, but the idea to attack you doesn''t come from me.''


    ''Who?''


    ''I don''t know, but you can check in my storage ring. The letter is still there.


    One day, I just found it. It not only told me to do that to you. It also pointed out the secret realm location before anyone else found it.


    There is also a cheat answer for every puzzle on the tower trial.''


    ''If that is true, how could you not know there are more levels in the secret realm?''


    ''It doesn''t say how many levels there are, only how to solve the test. How else do you think I got that far in one trip? You should know my capability.''


    Ming Yue frowned but didn''t reply further; everything would be clear after she read the letter. But at this point, she doubted Lin Hua would lie to her.


    ''Who else hates me? But to know the secret realm location beforehand, that should be someone strong.''


    As she ruminated on this thought, Lin Hua''s voice reverberated again in her mind, ''Can you tell me what you plan to do with me?''


    She didn''t believe Ming Yue didn''t have any purpose with her soul. She had already taken her body; she should have another reason for keeping her here.


    ''You will find out when the time is right. For now, just get used to living like that.'' Ming Yue replied.


    In reality, she also didn''t know what she was going to do with Lin Hua. She just wanted to punish her for what she did, pushing her to the void.

 Chapter 192 - 192: Three days?

    Despite the fact that the incident gave her many benefits, it doesn''t mean she forgives her easily.


    She doesn''t plan to tell this to Lin Hua, but Feng Xue has no plan to stay in her body forever.


    She only wants to finish a few things before she extinguishes her own soul. But MingYue has other plans; she doesn''t want her to disappear.


    After spending some time with Fengxue, MingYue thought she was a good candidate to become a pure vampire. She has good morality but can do what needs to be done if push comes to shove.


    LingHua''s master, at this moment, has already finished with her check-up. She found the meridian is broken, but it''s not that bad.


    This surprises her since, usually, a failed breakthrough will leave the cultivator with grave wounds. It''s as if something has already healed her.


    She thought this was related to what she got in the secret realm.


    She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "LinHua, tell me the truth. Do you know anything about the rumor? The situation is now starting to grow out of hand. If things keep like this, even our sect won''t be spared."


    The thought of kicking her out doesn''t even pass their minds, not only because of their reputation but also because it''s not useful.


    Those with bad intentions will always find justification to pillage their sect.


    "Master, this is the reason I do this. If I break through now, things will become even more dire.


    I already have a plan; just give me three days, and I promise the Blue Lotus sect won''t have any problems."


    "Three days? How can you be sure?" LinHua''s master asked in disbelief; even the sect master and the other elders didn''t find any good idea to get out of this situation. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The best they could come up with is taking out some of the sect treasure and then making it out as MingYue Family treasure, but they doubt this will work.


    Since the treasure was rumored to be very effective in fastening their cultivation many times over, their sect doesn''t have any treasure like this.


    "Just believe me on this, master," Lin Hua replied with a pale face.


    Seeing her gaze, she could tell LinHua was filled with confidence.


    "I will talk about this with The Sect Leader. But what will you do?


    You are now wounded. Do you plan to tell everyone your cultivation dropped so the rumor is fake?


    If so, you should forget about it. Not only will it bring your family calamity, but they also won''t believe it."


    "Of course not, master, disciple know what to do."


    LinHua''s master frowned for a moment since she found LinHua''s choice of words strange.


    She had never heard her say something like that. But she shook the idea off, thinking LinHua was stressed by the situation.


    "Tell the master to let me meet with Situ Cuiying," FengXue said, making LinHua''s master even more confused.


    "What do you want to say to her?"


    "I will give her what she wants. In the first place, this is my problem, so let me take care of it."


    LinHua''s master was surprised by her words. This means she admits she has something from the MingYue family.


    But she doesn''t give any comment; it''s not her decision, and she can only act as a messenger for the sect master and Linhua.


    She is not surprised Linhua knows about Situ Cuiying since the news already spread around the sect. Despite staying at her abode, she could easily ask it from JianNu.


    "Just be careful with what you do; I heard MingYue''s master was attacked outside; I am sure it''s related to this rumor." After saying this, LinHua''s master left the area.


    MingYue turned her face back, her heartbeat loudly, and a memory started surfacing in her mind.


    A kind, gentle woman with white hair who always treated her nicely. ''Master.'' She mumbled in her mind.


    She then looked at Fengxue, "You should be able to take care of the rest. I need to go."


    "Sure, I will tell them I send JianNu to their family." She then looked at the crystalline earring in MingYue''s ear. Her gaze turned complicated for a moment, but she just sighed and didn''t say anything.


    FengXue knows it''s not for her to intervene, and if anything, she prefers to just kill LinHua rather than put her in that torment.


    She knows how it feels to live as only a soul. It''s excruciatingly painful. She can see everything but cannot touch anything, nor are her senses working.


    She cannot smell, eat, or feel any texture; the only way she can interact with things is through the formation she prepared beforehand, and even this still makes her almost crazy.


    She cannot imagine how LinHua will feel living as only a soul bound to an earring. She doubts LinHua can stay sane for long.


    Compared to another cultivator, she was bound not by choice.


    MingYue then threw a storage ring to Fengxue; inside was cultivation material enough to reach the Core Formation Middle stage.


    She cannot just give her everything in the secret realm; she needs it for her sect.


    Even with the Spirit Crystal mine, there are still many resources she lacks, like many herbs for creating pills, for alchemists, and for blacksmiths.


    However, MingYue doesn''t have any plans to recruit many of them. She agrees with Alex that they want to find a way to industrialize production using formations and machinery.


    So what they need is one very experienced expert; they don''t even need their cooperation. They only need their memories and knowledge.


    So this allows them to have a broad target, even those mad alchemists or blacksmiths who will not stop at anything to perfect their craft. But unfortunately, the Bai Yue sect spy network is only starting to grow.


    Many are still on their journey, while some have already reached their destination in nearby cities and villages. One of them is also settled in Daling.


    As newcomers, they cannot just use spirit stones to show off their wealth.


    They need to first gain the people''s trust. Making them think they are one of them. This took time.


    Only after gaining trust can they use their wealth and start selling some technology from Alex''s world.

 Chapter 193 - 193: AzureMoon City

    The plan is to start with toys, musical instruments, and food spices like MSG. So no big power feels threatened by them, as they gather intel and recruit more people for their sect.


    Firearms, explosives, and other weapons are not for sale; they plan to keep them to themselves as long as they can.


    But Alex knows as they grow and conflicts come, it''s only a matter of time before one of the weapons will reach their enemies'' hands.


    Alex knows there is nothing he can do to stop it. He can make some countermeasures, but it will only slow down the process.


    The only thing they can do is make sure to use them effectively and as sparingly as possible.


    MingYue makes her way quickly to find her master, asking around for information as JiangNu before finally leaving the sect. Moving through the forest, the silent LinHua suddenly starts talking again.


    ''I know that place, Mystic Jade Valley. There is an evil sect staying there; I don''t get why your master would go there.''


    ''How could I know? Tell me about the evil sect.'' MingYue asked. She doubted LinHua would lie or do anything to hurt her. Nor does she feel worried about it.


    "I got a mission once from the sect to look for a specific herb in that valley; that is where I met them. I only fought them once before I ran away."


    "You? Run away? How strong are they?"


    MingYue knows LinHua is the type that only runs if she knows there is no way to win. She is by no means a coward; otherwise, she wouldn''t dare take such a huge risk trying to kill her.


    As long as she was sure there was a benefit and good odds to win, she would go for it.


    "They have an ancient cultivation method, I don''t know how, but they fight using something like a puppet."


    "A puppet? Mannequin? We have those in the sect; how is it different?"


    "It''s very different; mannequins move autonomously, while they are moved manually by the user.


    That is why I call them a puppet. And these puppets also have many things put inside their bodies, many weird weapons laced with dangerous poison."


    "A hidden weapon?" MingYue raised her eyebrow; this reminded her of one of the novels she had read, a book with characters surnamed Tang.


    ''But this one uses a puppet, which is interesting. I wonder where they got this method from?


    Now that I think of it. Is it possible for ancient cultivation methods to come from another world?


    Since a dungeon is just like a secret realm. Maybe one of the secret realms is connected to another world.''


    ''What is a hidden weapon?''


    ''Hard to explain. Basically, it''s a complicated mechanism that shoots out needles at high power, usually laced with poison.''


    ''So you will use the teleportation array at AzureMoon city?''


    AzureMoon is the nearest big city to the BlueLotus sect and has many teleportation arrays. Based on distance, she will need to take an array there, going to Mystic River City, before moving toward their goal.


    Hearing Mystic River City reminds her of a rumor she heard at the tavern she just visited.


    There seems to be a new clan coming to that place and having a fight with the local sect; if the information was right, that clan is Yang Clan.


    "Do we have another choice?" MingYue asked. She then took out the mask to alter her appearance once more.


    Having a beautiful face just pulls unwanted attention in crowded places like the city.


    AzureMoon is one of the main cities in the region. Although many cities are under the control of sects, they usually have relations with sects in the main region.


    There are a few big cities they never dare to touch.


    It''s also the reason why the main sect in the main region doesn''t go to all-out war. Every single sect still needs to think before doing anything since there are other organizations staying there.


    This organization works like an empire, but they are not called as such. In her world, they are called ShangXi Temple.


    The temple acts like the government, protecting the commoners and maintaining order. Led by a Council that is filled by a group of Immortals.


    There is a reason they are named temples and not kingdoms. ShangXi temple has many rituals, making it a religion for many commoners in the central region.


    Based on rumors she heard, there are 12 immortals inside the council. But she doesn''t know how much of this is the truth since the credibility of this story is questionable.


    Only by going there themselves would she know the truth.


    It doesn''t take long for her to reach AzureMoon City. The gates were filled with crowds of people queuing to enter the city.


    There are many chariots pulled by horses or spirit animals. Even cultivators think twice about making problems in this place.


    The ShangXi Temple is famous for hunting each of them to the end without mercy.


    MingYue waits in the queue, waiting for her turn. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A cultivator? What is your realm?" The guard with a sheathed sword on his waist asked.


    "Must I report it?"


    "You can stay hidden, but it will cost you ten low-quality spirit crystals.


    If you tell us your identity, we will record it and give you treatment depending on your realm."


    "No need," MingYue replied as she took out ten low-quality spirit crystals.


    If not mentioned, it''s been a culture for everyone that one spirit crystal is equal to 50g (1.76 Ounce).


    After paying, the guard doesn''t ask anything further. He gives MingYue a specially carved jade emblem.


    "This will serve as your identity in this city. If you leave this place, please return it to one of our guards.


    We have one stationed at every exit or the teleportation array."


    The guard gives a signal, and then MingYue passes by the guard. Inside the palace, it is very crowded with many activities.

 Chapter 194 - 194: Sky Ember Sect

    Many stalls adorned the cobblestone street, with people loudly promoting their products. MingYue could also see some people standing in front of restaurants, inns, shops, and taverns, calling for people to come.


    ''This place is very prosperous. Compared to the city under a sect,'' MingYue thought to herself.


    ''Did you never come to the city under ShangXi Temple?


    They give many protections to the commoners, so it''s not weird that the city looks flourishing. But I heard it''s only for people that join their religion.''


    ''Well, that is not weird, but I still wonder why immortal cultivators create their own religion; usually, they don''t care about commoners.''


    As MingYue replied, she walked into one of the restaurants. Since she had never entered a city like this, she wanted to try the food.


    Restaurants, taverns, and inns are also good places to look for news. With her sharp hearing, she could easily hear what other people were talking about around the table.


    As she entered, her lips curled into a smile as there was already a commotion in place.


    There were two groups in conflict while everyone else watched with glee. Based on their appearance, she could tell both groups were cultivators, with qi flying in the air.


    Usually, commoners would already run away as far as they could, but here they were not worried.


    Trying to completely regulate cultivators would not work, so ShangXi Temple made a compromise for cultivators who wanted to have conflicts; they could fight it out in the public arena.


    This became a source of entertainment for the people. ShangXi Temple also used it as an income source by turning the fight into a gamble.


    "Where did you get that information? You should know my sect won''t just let this go," said one of the men from a group wearing a blue robe.


    The other group was like a gathering of independent cultivators. Each had their own unique clothing.


    "You may be my ex, but you think I am obligated to tell you about that? Since you chose her, you made your choice," said one of the women from the other group.


    MingYue then asked nearby people what had happened based on the information she had.


    It seemed the blue cultivator group overheard what the other cultivators were talking about, and then matters turned even more complicated when another cultivator came from the blue group who turned out to have some personal problem with one of them.


    The man suspected the woman used their past relationship to get this information. He had shared some methods with her in the past to have access to the sect''s information network.


    The man was a core disciple of his sect, so he had special privileges compared to others.


    However, their drama was not interesting to Ming Yue; what interested her was treasure.


    It seemed the sect had found an old dwelling of an alchemist with a big herb garden. Based on the rumor, the herbs were at least a thousand years old, not to mention there should be many pills, books, and cauldrons in the dwelling.


    As long as they could break the security created by the alchemist around the perimeter, they would gain access to all the resources.


    This piqued MingYue''s interest since that was what the BaiYue sect most needed now. They already had a realm rich in energy; she just needed this plant seed now to see what it would produce.


    In theory, they would still grow since mana and qi are very similar. They should retain the effect but make it milder, allowing easier consumption at the cost of effectiveness.


    But this is not a problem since turning many herbs into a pill will increase the effectiveness manyfold.


    MingYue started considering making another stop before going to her destination but remembered her master''s situation was dire.


    She sighed and turned her attention elsewhere. Hearing more information would only make her feel more interested.


    But before she left, MingYue made sure to learn the sect''s name, Sky Ember Sect.


    She moved to another place, taking a short break before moving toward the teleportation array. Paying the fee of 100 low-grade Spirit crystals, she moved to the next city.


    Leaving the array, MingYue was surrounded by many cultivators; they asked her for some information before asking her for some levy.


    This made MingYue frown since usually she only needed to pay when using, not when coming out.


    "1000 low-quality Spirit crystals? Or no pass," they said while surrounding her.


    In contrast to the city she was just in, Mystic River City''s situation was far different.


    She hadn''t even taken a step out of the array place and was already surrounded by more than ten cultivators. Hearing the number they asked, she was sure they just wanted to rob her clean.


    Even with her current average appearance, she could feel one of the cultivators ogling her body, making her feel disgusted.


    These cultivators wore orange robes with a letter on their uniform that read ''Yang.'' There were mixed genders; some men, some women.


    She could see, based on their appearance, they seemed to have just had a fight.


    There was also some fresh blood splattered around the area. This was clearly not their first time.


    ''Ambushing everyone coming through the portal? No wonder some people warned me,'' she thought.


    Before she entered this place, some of the guards told her that Mystic River City was in conflict.


    Since it''s out of their jurisdiction, there is nothing they can do. The only agreement ShangXi Temple had with the city was to keep the array active.


    As for who took the power or what kind of conflict happened there, they didn''t care.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a cold smile, "Ten thousand? I see you guys must be very rich then."


    "Rich? Haha, we wish. Well, if you cannot pay in coins, then just give us all your belongings. Or you can pay with something else," one of the men said while getting a glare from his female comrade. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 195 - 195: Surprising Meeting

    "This is a mission. Control yourself," said one of the women.


    "What? Do you have a problem? Do you want..." the man''s words trailed off, as MingYue didn''t want to hear any further words from him.


    At first, she still considered paying since she didn''t want to waste time. If she attacked, she would get involved with the conflict in the city.


    Killing these pests meant those with higher cultivation would come to this place, bringing their army. But looking at their actions, she felt it was inevitable to have a conflict.


    Even if she paid, these people would just keep asking for more, thinking she was rich and easy to bully.


    Stab¡ªher sword pierced through the man''s throat.


    The cultivators surrounding her were not her opponents. Most were at the late foundation stage, while only two or three were at the early core formation stage.


    As she slashed her sword out of the man''s skull, she let her qi out, giving out her presence as a Golden Core cultivator. Making all the cultivators kneel on the ground.


    Looking at the people on the ground, a thought came to her mind, ''Is this what usually means courting death? Well, the only reason I hide my cultivation is that I don''t want the hassle.''


    If she showed up as a Golden Core cultivator, many people in Azuremoon City would come around her, giving her many gifts and offers.


    MingYue didn''t say much. She turned her gaze upward as her sword slashed, cutting all the cultivators'' heads off.


    She took their storage rings but didn''t absorb their life force.


    She prepared for conflict, but she didn''t want to massacre the whole city. If she absorbed even one body, rumors could spread that she is a demonic cultivator.


    Even though she used a disguise now, she never knew if some strong cultivator was staying hidden somewhere nearby. It''s not unheard of for a cultivator to do this.


    Usually, the reason is they are stuck and looking for inspiration. But there are also oddballs who seem to enjoy the simple life of normal people.


    This still doesn''t mean they will stay silent if they see a demonic cultivator.


    MingYue could feel many auras coming toward her, but she didn''t wait for them. She came out from the array building, meeting with more cultivators who were looking at her with wary eyes. Their swords were pointed forward, but their hands were shaking.


    They were caught in a dilemma; if they didn''t show they were prepared to fight, their elders would judge their actions. But if they really fought, the result was clear; death.


    MingYue looked upward, seeing a dozen figures flying in the air.


    In the middle, there was a handsome figure giving out a heroic aura, clearly a young master from the Yang clan. But she didn''t care about him.


    Her aura turned more intense as it burned with hostility and killing intent. Behind the man, there was someone she recognized. The patriarch of the Xueqi Family, Zhang Xueqi.


    ''What a small world,'' MingYue thought to herself. She started considering whether she should go all out and start a fight here or find out what Zhang was doing there.


    She wondered if the Yang Clan''s expansion into this area was related to his presence.


    The group landed. The man put his hand forward, giving a respectful gesture.


    "My name is Yang Fei, Senior. May I know what the trouble is?"


    MingYue could feel the man was at the late nascent soul stage. But behind him, other than Zhang, there was also a Golden Core cultivator. Based on his appearance, he still looked similar to her uncle Jianfeng, which meant this cultivator was quite talented.


    But other than looking at her coldly, they didn''t say anything. Instead, MingYue could feel a provocation coming from the man''s eyes.


    She didn''t find it weird since a lot of cultivators belonging to a clan or sect look down on independent cultivators. MingYue thought they were not really afraid of her, but they didn''t want to incite unnecessary conflict to avoid casualties or some other party exploiting the situation. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''MingYue, it''s better if you don''t try to fight them,'' LingHua''s voice reverberated in her mind, but MingYue ignored it.


    "You need to ask? You can ask their souls if you want."


    Yang Fei, still smiling, replied, "It seems my people are the ones in the wrong.


    I am sorry, but we are just too busy, and we cannot oversee every single one of our people.


    Their death is warranted, but may I know what senior''s purpose here is?"


    "I want to go to Mystic Jade Valley."


    Yang Fei''s eyes shifted to Zhang Xueqi, to which he responded by shaking his head.


    It didn''t escape MingYue''s sense that there was a look of relief from Yang Fei, making her think there was more than just expanding their territory involved.


    It did feel weird that the Yang Clan was expanding their territory far away here, even though the area could be connected with a teleportation array. If the array was attacked, it would completely cut off any connection.


    This meant the place would require a robust defense, costing them a lot of resources.


    It was only worth doing this if there was a very worthy treasure in the vicinity, and it was not a one-time treasure. For example, the herb garden she just heard about is a one-time treasure; no matter how good the soil is, once the century or even millennium-aged plants are harvested, the value will drop drastically.


    The only thing that usually warrants this kind of treatment is a spirit mine or a rare tree that can frequently produce rare fruit or elixir.


    "Mystic Jade Valley is quite a distance away from this city. We won''t take more of the senior''s precious time then," Yang Fei said.


    MingYue could tell he subtly told her to leave the area quickly. Her mind churned; she didn''t want to have conflict now since she was also in a hurry, and she didn''t want to lose Zhang''s location.

 Chapter 196 - 196: Tracker

    An idea then came to her mind. She took out a storage ring filled with spirit stones and threw it toward the group, saying, "This is payment for their lives; don''t take this the wrong way. I just don''t want to be bothered by more enemies."


    Yang Fei caught the storage pouch while watching MingYue''s disappearing back.


    Checking the inside of the pouch, he raised his eyebrows in surprise since it was filled with hundreds of low-quality spirit crystals, along with some minor, useless stuff like personal items.


    He didn''t suspect the pouch since it was one of the items gifted to every new cultivator in the Yang clan before they improved and gifted storage rings.


    Yang Fei also thought MingYue didn''t bother to move the items after pillaging them from his people. Little did he know MingYue had tagged a location tracker on the pouch.


    Some distance away, MingYue landed on the ground as she got close to the valley. She wanted to move carefully, making sure she wouldn''t miss her master.


    ''What will you say when you meet her? Will you tell her your real identity?'' Linhua asked.


    MingYue was caught off guard by the question since she had never thought about this. She only thought about the danger her master was in.


    Being known as dead worked to her advantage for now. For example, if Zhang Xueqi knew she was alive, he would probably request help from the Yang Clan to hunt her down.


    ''I don''t know yet, but rather than that, I am surprised you don''t have any hatred,'' MingYue replied.


    She felt no malice, anger, or hate from Linhua even after what happened. Anyone normal would have already lost their composure, blaming everything and venting their anger.


    Some might play the victim or even do something stupid like threatening MingYue, hoping she would get angry and, in response, snuff out their soul.


    A lot of people would choose death over having their lives at the mercy of their enemy. Not to mention, this enemy is the one she had tried to kill.


    ''You may not believe me, but honestly, the moment I was left with only my soul, I felt relieved. Like a burden was lifted from my shoulders.''


    ''A burden? So you think living is a burden?''


    MingYue was surprised to hear this since Linhua always seemed like someone competitive, doing everything she could to gain an advantage and increase her cultivation.


    ''Don''t you understand? You are also the only hope for your family to reach new heights. Since I was a child, everything was about cultivation.


    I couldn''t play. I had no friends. Every day, I needed to worry about my family''s fate. Do you know why I rarely return to my family?''


    ''Isn''t that because you''re too busy cultivating? It''s the same for me.''


    ''Maybe it''s for you, but for me, it''s not really because of that. My family just reminds me of the burden I have on my shoulders. I often think how good it would be to be born without any talent.''


    MingYue could relate to this since she also felt like this before but in a different way. She thought her hard work was never appreciated since people just expected her to achieve so much with her talent. But she soon got over this by changing her point of view.


    She tried to convince herself that what other people thought of her didn''t matter; even if no one appreciated her effort, she knew her effort would never betray her.


    Just like when she fell into the void if she had slacked even once, not having her current cultivation, MingYue was sure she wouldn''t have survived the void. The moment she reached that strange place, she would have been only minced meat.


    Then a question popped into her mind; whose tomb was that place?


    Remembering the goblet floating above the coffin made her stop at her step, and her memory started turning blurry.


    ''MingYue, is something wrong?'' Linhua asked.


    MingYue didn''t reply; instead, she asked Vesa why she didn''t have any recollection of what happened.


    [I could not answer Queen. I don''t know anything about it since I was still in slumber at that time.]


    [The moment I truly awoke was when I brought you and the king to Edonia.]


    ''Wait, that is real Edonia? Not a projection?'' S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You will understand more when you progress as a Progenitor Queen.]


    Linhua''s voice then sounded again in her mind, this time laced with worry, making MingYue reply to her. She stopped talking with Vesa since she knew she wouldn''t get more information.


    ''I am fine, but are you really Linhua? Did the process damage your soul or something?'' MingYue asked in disbelief.


    She had heard what Linhua said before¡ªthat, in reality, she wanted to be friends with her¡ªbut the change in personality just made her feel weird.


    Linhua was silent for a moment before she said, ''Don''t you know? With this many restrictions you put on my soul, I feel you can even hear what I am thinking if you want to?''


    ''You know that is not my point. Just how could you be so different?''


    ''Well, I think this is the real me. Or maybe I just do this so I can get close to you, so you will forgive my family.''


    MingYue snorted at her words, ''I am not that low; I will not touch your family other than that rumor. What happened to them now is up to FengXue.''


    ''Thank you,'' Linhua replied sincerely. But this only made MingYue feel creeped out.


    It''s like you are being bullied at school, and then one day, the bully just changes 180 degrees, acting all nice and kind.


    MingYue started exploring the valley carefully, hoping she wouldn''t meet the cultivator that Linhua talked about.


    Unfortunately, her wish was not granted.


    As she went deeper and deeper, she could see many life forces starting to follow her; based on the energy intensity, she could tell they were cultivators, at least at the core formation stage.

 Chapter 197 - 197: Lian Fang

    As they got close, MingYue spread her qi, showing her cultivation level, while she said loudly, "I am not here for a fight; I am looking for someone."


    A voice then came from around her, "This place is our territory; who are you looking for?"


    "A middle-aged cultivator, a woman with black hair but a few strands of white hair, with blue eyes," MingYue replied, then added more details about her Master, including her cultivation realm, at the nascent soul stage and her name, Xue Fang.


    "I heard she is dying now; do you know anything about this woman? If you can come close, I can show you her picture."


    A deafening silence surrounded the area.


    Despite the name, the place looked more like a forest. MingYue focused her gaze on one of the areas, waiting for the response.


    She also prepared to take out her weapon at any time in case things turned into combat.


    Moments passed until, finally, a silhouette came out from the forest. To MingYue''s surprise, the one that came out was a child. She had red hair and eyes, with a height barely reaching MingYue''s waist. Her small body was wrapped in a cloak with some cloud patterns drawn on it.


    The cloak was black, while the clouds were colored blue. Behind her, two adult figures were hidden in cloaks with the same pattern as the woman, but these cloaks also hid their faces.


    But Mingyue didn''t dare to underestimate her since, despite her appearance, it was clear she was experienced in fighting.


    She didn''t show any openings, and the two figures behind her didn''t give out any life force.


    ''MingYue, they are the puppet clan I have talked about before,'' Linhua said in MingYue''s mind.


    ''You said they were evil before, why?''


    ''Because their puppet is made with a human corpse.''


    "You say you are looking for Xue Fang? Show us her picture," the woman said with a childish voice.


    MingYue took a phone from her storage ring and then showed the photo of her Master. Technically, she didn''t have it; this was made by Vesa.


    It was like a photorealistic drawing using MingYue''s memory.


    Seeing the picture, the woman was clearly intrigued by the phone, but she didn''t make any remark about it. Instead, she says, "My name is Lian Fang. The woman in there is my aunt; who are you to her?"


    Hearing this, MingYue''s eyes turned sharp, showing her hostility.


    Swish! Swish!


    A few more silhouettes came out from the forest, surrounding MingYue. There were a dozen people, but MingYue could only feel the life force from a few of them.


    "My Master doesn''t have a family. Who are you?"


    Lian Fang raised her hand, giving a signal for them not to attack yet. "That should be my question; the only disciple my aunt had already died."


    MingYue looked at Lian Fang, looking at her carefully; she could see some of her Master''s features in her. They had the same eye color, with similar sharp jawlines and pointed noses.


    She could also see, based on Vesa''s information, that Lian Fang was feeling confused and wary toward her, raising the odds she was telling the truth. But MingYue still did not drop her guard.


    She then remembered her Master had given her something in the past, a black sphere. Xue Fang told her to infuse it with qi if she was in danger; it was one of her life-saving treasures that she had forgotten for a while after getting new abilities from Vesa.


    MingYue then took out the sphere in her hand and asked, "Do you recognize the sphere?"


    Lian Fang squinted her eyes, looking at the sphere; she recognized it as one of the products from her family. But she still needed to make sure; she opened her palm, gesturing for MingYue to give it to her.


    MingYue hesitated for a moment but then decided to throw the sphere; she needed to make sure of the situation.


    She didn''t want to accidentally hurt her Master''s family, and she was also not sure if she could win or not; despite being in a higher cultivation realm, with regeneration and many techniques, she didn''t know what capabilities the puppet had.


    If it were only poison, it wouldn''t matter to her, as she should be immune to almost all poison in this world.


    Lian Fang caught the sphere and started scrutinizing it. After a few more glances, she threw it back to Mingyue, then raised her hand, creating a few gestures.


    The people that surrounded MingYue then jumped back into the forest. MingYue could see from Vesa''s map they were separating into a few groups, seemingly patrolling the area.


    "You don''t seem to be lying, but as I said, my aunt only had one disciple, and she has died. So the only possible reason is you are somehow related to her and were there when she died.


    Your cultivation level also doesn''t make sense for being her disciple." S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just bring me to meet with her then; she will recognize me. It''s not like you can verify whether I am her or not."


    "You are right, but I cannot just bring you to our village; you are too strong."


    "Then what do you propose?"


    "Let''s wait here," Lian Fang replied as one of the figures behind her leaped, disappearing toward the forest.


    Looking carefully now, MingYue realized their movement was not something she could underestimate.


    If they fought, she was sure the puppet could hold up to her speed, but it was still unknown how durable their bodies were.


    "I heard Master is hurt now. Isn''t that true?"


    "It''s just a rumor; it''s something we spread so her sect wouldn''t question her much when she comes here."


    MingYue frowned; at first, she didn''t understand why her Master had hidden where she came from, even from her. Telling everyone she didn''t have a family, but then she realized it was the same situation as with the BaiYue sect.


    This Fang Family was probably one of the ancient clans hiding in the shadows from everyone else to protect their techniques and peace.

 Chapter 198 - 198: Talking With Her Master

    If what LinHua said was true, that the puppets were made using human corpses, many cultivators would brand them as evil cultivators without even making sure of the reason why.


    They will do it to get justification to pillage their clan for technique and treasure.


    Time passed on. Two figures landed near them. MingYue''s heart tugged at seeing the familiar figure.


    The hooded one returned to Xue Fang''s side while Lian Fang looked at MingYue, scrutinizing her appearance.


    Her niece had told her a person came claiming she was her student and even had something that only MingYue should have.


    This made Lian Fang feel intrigued.


    Before returning to her hometown, she had gone to the secret realm area, but as she expected, the place was already closed. She then went to Daying City and spent her time and effort looking for MingYue''s trails, but she could not find any.


    Her search brought Lian Fang close to her hometown.


    At first, she just wanted to have a short visit, but after finding out her family was now having a conflict with the Yang Clan, she decided to stay and help them.


    The person in front of her now was clearly a stranger, but she could feel something familiar about her.


    ''Just who is she? I have never felt her qi before, nor does her appearance seem familiar; is it a disguise?''


    MingYue''s eyes, meanwhile, started to moisten; she didn''t understand the reason why.


    A lot of emotions started surfacing in her mind. Seeing her master reminded her of the time before she found out about her family''s betrayal.


    She took her mask off, showing her face. The next thing she knew, something warm enveloped her.


    MingYue could have dodged it if she wanted, but she didn''t since she also wanted it.


    Lian Fang embraced her tightly and then patted her on the head, "Ming Yue, is this really you?" she asked in disbelief.


    "Yes, it''s me, master; it''s a long story. Should we talk somewhere else?"


    Lian Fang released her embrace and looked at her niece, "High Priest, can I bring her to the village?"


    "Can''t you just call me by my name?" Xue Fang asked in a dejected tone, then added, "Since Aunt vouched for her, sure, you can bring her, but try to avoid the other villages; you should understand the situation."


    They then started moving toward the village. Since Lian Fang didn''t want to make a commotion, she chose another path toward the village and chose a house prepared in the outskirts area.


    Usually, this house was made for patrol guards to take a break. But with LianFang''s words, the place emptied.


    She then left both of them alone.


    "Master, I am glad you are alright."


    "What are you talking about? It should be me asking, just what happened with you? Even your life tablet is destroyed," Xue Fang said with quivering lips, then took a deep breath before continuing, "You really gave me a jump scare; if not for the sphere I gifted you, I would also completely lose hope."


    "The sphere?" MingYue asked as she took it out in her hand once more.


    "That is a specially made weapon in our family; we name it Asura Fury Lotus. Only a limited amount is available; I don''t know how, but the predecessor put many methods on it; we can find out if any single one of them was used.


    I know you, MingYue, there is no way you would die without having a fight. So, there is no way you died without using what I gifted you."


    MingYue felt warm in her heart hearing this; she never thought much, but to think the item her master gave her was something precious.


    It''s clear the amount is very limited and could not be made again; a thought also surfaced in her mind, ''should I send this to Alex for him to try to replicate it?''


    But she quickly shook the idea since the sphere held sentimental value for her.


    "Unfortunately, master, the situation from before wouldn''t let me use it," MingYue said with a sigh. She didn''t give out details of the system, but she told her master what happened.


    "I knew it! That bitch had something to do with this. I will make her pay."


    "No need, master. I already took my revenge, although things didn''t really go as I wanted."


    XueFang could see from MingYue''s expression that she was serious, so she didn''t bring up the topic again.


    MingYue, meanwhile, looked around the place; the place had simple architecture as it was completely made of wood.


    The furnishing was also very simple, with a few formation arrays put inside; based on what Vesa told her, the arrays worked as something like a radar or communication device.


    Seeing the setup made her realize how much edge she has compared to this type of clan with modern tools.


    Even though cultivators could communicate with telepathy, the range is limited depending on their cultivation level; even for people like her in the golden core cultivation realm, she still cannot beat the effectiveness of radio communication devices in many situations.


    MingYue then remembered Lian Fang''s words before.


    "Master, why are you calling her high priest? Isn''t she your niece? S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, what is the conflict with the Yang Clan? Do they come here specifically for your family?"


    "Lian Fang is indeed my niece, but her life is a sad one. I call her high priestess since she was the leader of our clan; don''t let her appearance fool you. She is far older than you."


    "What?" MingYue frowned. She really looked like a child, no matter what perspective she used. Even using Vesa, her life force checked out as someone young that reached that realm.


    "I think I don''t need to hide this anymore; you should be clear. My family is what people often call an ancient family or ancient clan.


    People that have their own unique cultivation method, but honestly, rather than a blessing, it''s more of a curse, MingYue."

 Chapter 199 - 199: Treasure?

    Xue Fang sighed. She then took out a teapot of tea on the table, "It''s going to be a long story; let''s have a drink first."


    Seeing her Master standing up and wanting to brew the tea, MingYue stopped her; she instead took out a plastic bottle filled with tea.


    It''s a jasmine tea from Alex''s world.


    Xue Fang recognized the liquid but not the container. "What is that, MingYue?"


    "Well, it''s tea; I want the master to try it," MingYue replied cryptically, telling her Master she didn''t want to tell more.


    "Hiding things from your Master, you never change, MingYue.


    Well, just be careful, I don''t know what kind of thing you got in that place, and I know you are stronger than me now, but remember, I am still your Master.


    If you need any help, I am here for you."


    "I know, master, I do have a request later, but it''s more on cooperation; I haven''t told you this, but I have made my own sect," MingYue said as she poured the tea into the cup.


    Taking a sip from the cup, Xue Fang raised her eyebrow. "This is too sweet."


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "It is too sweet, but after a few tries, you get used to it."


    She took another sip and then continued her story.


    "Now, about my family, I don''t know what happened in the past, but the main branch is cursed; they cannot live past a hundred years. This curse is weird; my sister married into the main branch, and she quickly got cursed the moment she officially entered it.


    It''s like the curse is alive.


    So the main branch looked for a method to fight this curse, but no matter what they tried, they failed.


    They thought if they could become immortal cultivators, they would probably be able to fight this curse, but in only 100 years'' time, no matter what kind of genius is born, there is just not enough time.


    So the whole main branch decided to find another way.


    Since they cannot fight the curse directly, they instead found another method; I don''t know in detail how, but it basically sacrifices almost everyone in the main branch''s life to freeze Xue Fang''s life, making her not age further."


    If this had happened before, Ming Yue would have thought this was another ancient cultivation method or was done by an immortal cultivator.


    But now, with her knowledge about other worlds and species, she starts suspecting that the Fang family is not native to her cultivation world; they are taking refuge here and bringing their curse with them.


    That is the only explanation for why they cannot find anything about the curse since it''s not related to Qi at all. It probably works on a completely different concept.


    "My condolences, Master, but then why did the Yang Clan come here looking for trouble?"


    "They are coming for our family treasure; I cannot tell you what it is, except Lian Fang agrees to it."


    "Based on what I know, your family should be trying their best to hide from everyone; how can they know about your family treasure then?"


    "That, I don''t know."


    MingYue frowned for a moment, then asked, "This place is quite famous for looking for herbs; what usually do you guys do for cultivators or people that come looking for one here?"


    "In the past, we did nothing and let them do what they wanted as long as they didn''t come near the village.


    I heard we even helped some wounded cultivators, but that quickly turned into a problem.


    Some people are just worse than animals, even people that save their lives. Instead of being grateful, they bring trouble to the village.


    So we changed our policy; we will try to drive any cultivators out of this place; we took all good resources, leaving only useless ones; sometimes we also scared any cultivator coming here, making sure the gain is not worth the risk."


    This method only works because the herb in the valley is not that rare in the first place; at most, only Core Formation realm cultivators will visit this place. Above those, they won''t find any value at this place.


    ''Hmm... then probably that old geezer got rescued by my Master''s family; he kept the information all this time and now uses it to get protection from the Yang Clan.


    But I doubt they will show their secret treasure to a stranger they helped.


    The only possibility is that he made something up; he just suspects there is an ancient family here and then takes the risk.


    As expected from that useless geezer, what did my family do to get that kind of person as our patriarch? He truly destroyed everything he was in.'' MingYue thought to herself. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then asked, "So what is your plan for now, Master?"


    "I don''t know what the family has decided, but I will stay here for my niece all the way."


    Her eyes started to fill with guilt, "I am sorry for not telling you about this before, MingYue. I think of you like my own daughter, but in reality, I am just one of those family members sent to spy on the situation in the outside world."


    MingYue shook her head, "No, I understand about it, don''t think too much, Master. Can you call your niece then?"


    "What kind of deal do you have for her?"


    "As I told you, I have my own sect now, and it''s located in the secret realm, with many resources. What I am lacking now is people."


    Xue Fang creased her eyebrow, "MingYue, despite your current cultivation level, it''s still hard to believe.


    It''s not that I am saying I don''t believe you. But you should understand what I mean."


    "I know it was the same for me. That is why I want to negotiate.


    I think I can help your family''s predicament while expanding my sect.


    Well, this is the best-case scenario, depending on the situation. I cannot just let everyone enter the place without some agreement, even though they are the Master''s family."

 Chapter 200 - 200: Ungrateful Zhang

    Xue Fang didn''t say much since she knew the matter was outside of her power.


    She cannot just tell her disciples to trust all people in her family to enter her sect without any agreement. But at the same time, she also cannot convince her whole sect to agree with MingYue.


    As for MingYue, other than wanting to help her Master and expand the sect, she also feels curious about their background.


    Whether they really come from another planet or not.


    "Do you have something I can show to them?"


    "Yes, give me a second." MingYue directed her mind toward her storage ring and began rummaging through some of the items.


    After some time, she took out a few pictures of her sect, a floating island with high-rise buildings on top of it.


    "Is this your sect? But how?"


    Xue Fang''s eyes widened upon seeing the picture, but what surprised her even more was the material of the paper and the quality of the image; she had never seen anything like that before.


    "I am sorry, Master. Honestly, it''s not that I don''t want to tell you. It''s just hard to explain without you seeing it with your own eyes."


    Xue Fang paused for a moment; many thoughts came to her, ''I honestly prefer going to her secret realm if it''s like what she told me. It''s better to escape rather than have a conflict; if only everything were that simple.''


    Right now, the Fang family is experiencing growing dissatisfaction among the villagers.


    ''Why do they still need to take a passive stance, even though they are now being attacked?''


    There were already some casualties from their Clan. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''How long should they wait to seek justice?''


    It''s not like their Clan was weak; with the puppets and their hidden weapons, they believed they could be a strong force, competing with families and sects from the central region.


    As Xue Fang made her way a distance away from the village, a group of cultivators was gathering; they were the Yang Clan.


    The golden core cultivator looked at Zhang Xueqi, "Did you know the cultivator from before? She seemed agitated after seeing you. I''m sure if not for my presence, she would have killed you already."


    Zhang furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this. At that time, he did feel the woman''s hostility, but he didn''t realize it was targeted at him.


    "No, I don''t know about her. As I said before, only those stupid people are my enemy now, and you already killed them; as for the rest, they are just insects in my eyes."


    "You sure talk big for someone that depends on us. Remember the deal, Zhang, if this treasure is really worth it, we will accept you into our family by marrying you to one of my distant cousins, and we will clean up all those insects.


    But if this is wrong, prepare yourself; this venture has already cost us a lot," Yang Fei said coldly.


    Zhang gulped; he knew how strict the Yang Family was.


    Worry started filling his mind, but he shook it off, ''No, I am sure it will be worth it. I have seen what they can do. I am sure they have that weapon.''


    In the past, he was ambushed by some cultivators, then he fought tooth and nail to survive. And his effort paid off; he survived but not without a cost; he almost died. At that time, one of the Fang Family came and rescued him.


    But in the middle of the way, they were ambushed by a strong cultivator. This is when he saw with his own eyes how strong the Fang clan is.


    Their way of fighting is something he had never seen, and their weapon is very strong. Enough to even kill a strong cultivator in one attack.


    At that time, the attacker was in the late nascent soul realm, while the one helping him was only in the early core formation realm.


    "Young Master, you should have seen their weapon and the doll''s capability; even this alone should be enough for my request."


    Yang Fei snorted; he did see the value of these dolls, but so far, it was only against low-level cultivators; he hadn''t seen anything that could be really useful for his Clan.


    He then addressed everyone around him, "Alright, enough dilly-dallying. After the other elder comes here, we will begin our attack.


    This time, with two golden core cultivators, we must make sure to find the village. There should be no more failures."


    They had tried to attack multiple times but barely made any progress, even with many casualties. They didn''t even get any of the Fang family corpses or storage rings.


    This is why Yang Fei decided to ask for more help, despite knowing this would affect his achievements and reduce his contributions.


    Back in the village, Mingyue was now talking with Lianhua, asking her about her experiences in detail to gain more intel.


    ''There isn''t much I can tell, honestly; you know more about them than me, other than their combat ability. But it''s kind of hard to explain with words; why not just read it directly from my memory?''


    Mingyue paused for a moment, then replied, ''I really don''t know you anymore; just how much of the old Lianhua is your real personality?''


    Who in their right mind would ask others to read their memories?


    Even though Mingyue is taking revenge on her, she still feels it''s over the line. In her mind, it''s worse than killing or even torturing someone.


    "Why are you so reluctant? Don''t you hate me, Mingyue?"


    "You do realize if I read your memories, that will include everything you have experienced."


    "Yes, do it." Her words surprised Mingyue once more; it was clear from the tone she was looking forward to it.


    [Target is feeling hopeful and excited]


    "Just what is her goal?" Mingyue thought to herself as she really didn''t get it.


    In reality, Lianhua did have a personal agenda; she thought if Mingyue read her memories, she would empathize with her and spare her family.

 Chapter 201 - 201: Blue Cloud Village

    Despite what she said, Lianhua didn''t believe her.


    She knew that if she was in Mingyue''s position, she would make sure to cut the weeds and pull out the roots to avoid future problems. She thought Mingyue spared her soul now so she could torture her mentally, like using her body to kill her own family.


    But before Mingyue could make any decision, her master returned.


    "Mingyue, let''s go; she agrees to have a talk with you."


    "Alright," Mingyue replied as she followed her master, deciding to think about Lianhua later.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach the village.


    To her surprise, the area was surrounded by a wall made of stone; Vesa also told her there were many arrays carved on it, with the majority being many types of illusion arrays.


    Reaching the gate that was made from solid wood, she saw two people standing in front.


    Different from the people she had met before, they wore colorful clothes with tribal patterns; some also had accessories like feathers on their heads.


    "Welcome to Blue Cloud Village. Follow me; the high priestess is already waiting for you," said one of the men guarding the gate.


    He didn''t hold any weapon, but with many arrays in place, MingYue knew they were not defenseless.


    Walking through the gate, she was greeted with a gravel-like road, but the stones were smooth and not sharp. It also felt elastic when she stepped on it, giving her a weird sensation.


    If Alex were here, he would have told her this was a rubber-gravel mix and felt excited about it. This means rubber exists in her world and can be used to produce many things to sell to the populace, effectively raising their wealth and popularity and giving them an edge to compete with the established chamber of commerce.


    Looking around the area, she could see many buildings with unique aesthetics, making her even more sure they were from another world since any city or village she had come across so far had similar styles.


    The houses were round, made from wood, with roofs thatched. Walking through the area, she was greeted with suspicious gazes from the villagers; it was clear they didn''t trust her at all.


    She then passed by an open field with many seating areas; in the middle, there were many logs gathered, probably used as a bonfire. Moving forward, another building appeared in her eyes.


    It was the largest building in the village; while others were made of wood, this one was made from something like mortar.


    In front of the building, her master stopped, "This is where the high priest lives; other than those called by her, no one can enter, so I will wait for you here."


    MingYue gave a nod; inside, she met with Lian Fang, now wearing simple clothing.


    "So, you are really her student," she said as she looked at Mingyue''s real face.


    "Yes, have you seen me before?"


    "A pic of you from one of my aunt''s reports."


    "I see. Well, should we get to it?"


    "Before that, I need to ask you to sign a blood oath with me; the content is simple: what happened here? You cannot tell anyone else."


    ''Cannot tell anyone? Well, that will work for others, but not me.


    Even if the blood oath is strong enough, Vesa will hear everything, and so does Lianhua,'' Mingyue thought, but she had no plan to tell them this, nor did she plan to share the information other than probably Alex since the matter would be related to potential expansion of the sect.


    "Sure, no problem."


    Lian Fang nodded; a contract appeared in her hand. After carefully reading over it, she signed it with her blood.


    "Follow me," Ling Fang said.


    Seeing the small body from the back, Mingyue couldn''t help but feel curious. "I heard some story about the clan from your aunt. How old are you?"


    Ling''s small shoulders shivered to hear the word; it was only for a moment, but it didn''t escape Mingyue''s eyes. She paused for a moment, then said, "Mind your own business."


    "Alright, if you say so, I am just wondering if they really die or not since the ritual intrigues me; depending on the situation, I may be able to reverse it and also find the cure," Mingyue said, trying to bait her to gain more edge in their negotiation.


    Lin Fang stopped in her steps, "They are dead, so what cure? A cure from death?" She replied coldly without looking back at Mingyue, but despite her voice, Mingyue could read her emotion thanks to Vesa.


    [Target feeling: sadness, hurt, and hopelessness]


    ''Mingyue, her story is quite similar to ours, although hers is worse. I cannot imagine how much weight her small body carries, all those family lives sacrificed, putting their hope in her.


    At least in my case, I can often express my emotions by calling them greedy, but for her, all the family wants is to break the curse,'' LinHua said.


    Mingyue frowned as she had never thought of it like that, but she didn''t like talking about this topic. Ignoring Lianhua, she replied, "A cure from your family curse."


    "You!? A cure for this curse? If you were not my aunt''s disciple, I would have already killed you now by those words alone, but I don''t think your current cultivation realm makes you invincible."


    Mingyue''s lips curled into a smile; she started walking closer to Lin Fang. "Let me prove it to you. I just need a drip of your blood to find out more information."


    "A drip of my blood? What is it for?" Lin Fang frowned.


    She felt hesitant since she had heard there exists a weird technique that can curse someone only from their blood. She knew this because her Calan had gone far and wide looking for any information about anything related or similar to curses. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you''re worried, I can return it afterward. I just need to touch it once. As you said, you are not afraid of me, so what will you lose even if you do this?


    Isn''t it worth taking a risk to check if you have any hope or not?"

 Chapter 202 - 202: Meeting the Ancestor of Fang Clan

    Silence deafened in the hallway; as Lin Fang started considering this, her teary eyes dried up, and they turned sharp, she had decided. "Let''s talk about this more after you meet someone else."


    "Someone? Who?"


    "This is why I asked you to sign the agreement; honestly, no one agrees with your proposition; I also don''t feel interested at all, but the ancestors have a question for you."


    Mingyue frowned upon hearing this. ''An ancestor? But didn''t the master say they could not live past one hundred years?''


    "This is why I ask you to sign the agreement; honestly, no one agrees with your proposition. I also don''t feel interested at all, but the ancestors have questions for you."


    MingYue frowned upon hearing this, ''An ancestor? But didn''t the master say they could not live past one hundred years?''


    "I know what you are thinking. My aunt didn''t lie to you; she doesn''t know about the ancestor''s presence.


    In this whole village, only I know about this. As for how he could live this long, you will understand when you meet him."


    They walked past a wall, then proceeded to go down toward the basement area, the place lit with glowing crystals.


    Passing through another illusion wall, they finally reached the chamber. In the middle of the room, a skeleton sat cross-legged, with many arrays carved on the walls.


    ''I see, so he did something similar to my ancestor, but how old is this one? I feel he is even more ancient than him.''


    The skeleton''s jaw started to move, and a red glow then appeared in its sockets. It then stood up, creating a rattling sound from the skeleton.


    Just like a person who has just woken up from sleep, the skeleton started stretching its bones, making MingYue''s eyes widen in surprise. She never thought she would ever see something like this in her life.


    Every time the bones moved, they made a crackling sound in the surrounding area. The skeleton''s jaw then opened wide before closing again, just like someone yawning.


    "How long have I slept, Lin?"


    "Ancestor, the last time I was here, you were still awake, so I don''t think even 10 minutes have passed," LinFang replied with puzzled eyes.


    "Really? Kakaka, I really have grown old now," the skeleton replied as it used its bony finger to touch its lower jaw, a gesture people usually make when they are thinking.


    "Let''s see, 100 years, 1000 years, 2000? 5000. Hmm, that''s not right, maybe 1721 years old?"


    ''What''s wrong with this ancestor? He guessed 5000, and next thing is 1721?'' MingYue thought. She started feeling worried about the negotiation since, clearly, the ancestor was an eccentric person.


    What worried her even more was that she could not read any emotional fluctuation from the skeleton.


    The skeleton kept getting out numbers that were very random, not even close to each other; in the end, he let out a rattling laugh, "Well, all of that doesn''t matter anyway since I am already dead. Kakaka!"


    COUGH! Ling Fang let out a cough to get her ancestor''s attention back, "Ancestor, let''s get to the main point."


    "Oh yeah, what were we talking about?"


    "You told me to bring MingYue here."


    The skeleton looked at MingYue, his bony finger tapping on his lower jaw.


    CLANG! CLANG! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Did I order that? Hmm¡­ Well, well, what a beautiful lady we have here."


    At that moment, MingYue was trying her best to stay calm, her veins almost popping in the face of this skeleton, ''I don''t know why I feel it''s better for Alex to face this kind of annoying people.''


    She took a few breaths and then said, "I am offering your clan to join my sect. With the situation now, it''s only a matter of time until the conflict with the Yang clan turns into a full-blown fight; going to my secret realm will provide a safe place, at least until things calm down.


    Of course, it''s not free; I will also need help from your clan, but don''t worry; I am not interested in your secret technique or cultivation method. What I need is a workforce."


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


    "Sorry, were you saying?" The skeleton asked.


    MingYue turned her gaze toward Ling Fang, who had a helpless expression on her face. Silently asking her, ''Can''t you do something? It''s your ancestor.''


    Ling Fang shrugged her shoulders.


    Seeing the exchange, the skeleton started laughing, "Kakaka, I''m just joking, young lady. As a leader of an organization, you should learn to be more patient."


    "My name is MingYue."


    "Yes, I know. But I want to call you young lady, kakaka."


    ''Hahaha, MingYue, I like this ancestor,'' LinHua laughed.


    ''Shut up, LinHua,'' MingYue replied as her vein throbbed. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried her best to stay calm.


    "Ancestor. You should get to the point; we really don''t have much time," Lin Fang complained.


    At first, she felt the same way as Ming Yue, but now she had gotten used to it. Her ancestor is very childish, but she feels it makes sense.


    If not because of this personality, she doubted any normal person would be able to stay sane, staying in the same room for God knows how long.


    "Alright, sorry, Lin. Kakaka! I will get to the point now," the skeleton replied as he scratched his bony head.


    Like a flick of a switch, the aura around the skeleton started to change, "Before we talk about that, tell me first, have you gone out from this planet?"


    MingYue looked at Lin Fang for a moment, then back at the skeleton, and said, "I never went out."


    Clang! Clang!


    He tapped his finger on his chin again. The storage ring on the finger kept moving around; with a flick of his hand, a table then appeared; he then took a seat.


    "Take a seat first. Then tell me where you got the building design?"


    MingYue and LinFang took a step, sitting in seiza style on the floor. They sat with both legs to one side. The skeleton then took out a few cups of wine and put them on the table.


    He then took the wine cup, pouring it into his skeleton jaw, making MingYue''s eyes widen once more as Lin Fang sighed.

 Chapter 203 - 203: Rook the Skeleton

    The wine poured into his skeleton, passing through the empty body and wetting the legs.


    The skeleton then clicked his jaw, "I forgot I cannot taste the wine," he said with annoyance, as the atmosphere around him changed again.


    ''Is that even the problem here? In the first place, why are you even trying to drink wine with that body?'' MingYue thought.


    Her amber eyes then looked downward toward the wine cup; she could smell the strong alcohol aroma coming from it.


    Without touching it, she returned her gaze back toward the skeleton. "Should I call you ancestor too?"


    "KAKAKA! What Ancestor? Just call me Rook. I already told Lin to call me by name, too, but she keeps insisting on calling me Ancestor."


    "Of course, I need to give respect to those older than me," Lin Fang replied.


    From a dramatic angle, the skeleton touched his chest. "Lin, I am still young. What are you talking about?" Then, as if he got a eureka moment, Rook said, "Oh, I forgot I already died; age doesn''t matter, KAKAKA."


    "I will call you Rook then. I will not deny that I have contact with another world. I can exchange information with him, but as for the details, I cannot tell you."


    "That will not do, MingYue. At the very least, I need to know what intentions your friend has with this planet."


    "Hmm... that I can answer. Their only purpose is to grow my sect. If you are worried we are looking for your clan, then I can assure you we are not."


    "What species is your friend?"


    "He is a human too."


    Clang! Clang!


    The skeleton tapped his bony finger again as he thought deeply.


    Lin Fang, meanwhile, frowned upon hearing the new information. She had never heard the words'' planet'' or ''species.''


    She didn''t understand anything they were talking about. But she didn''t want to be rude by interrupting their discussion. Lin Fang planned to ask MingYue later about this.


    Time passed, and Rook let out a sigh. "What do you think, Lin Fang?"


    "Ancestor, you want me to decide?"


    "Yes, as you see, I cannot move from this place, so if you want to go, you will need to be the one to lead our people."


    "But, Ancestor, I don''t even know what you are talking about."


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that. Well, simply, a planet is just the world we live in, and as for species, it''s another type of sentient creature, for example, those we call beastmen here."


    "I see... then, does her secret realm lie in another world? And what did she mean by ''looking for our clan''?"


    "Well, that will be a long story," Rook said.


    He then turned his gaze toward MingYue, "Before that, I will tell you my opinion about your offer. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Let''s just not mince words; you are looking for a way to assimilate our clan into your sect since you need more people. I am sure you will ask each of us to sign a blood oath, and I don''t believe you will keep your hands off our secret technique and cultivation method.


    Even if not from the start, it''s only a matter of time before it happens.


    If this is only for a temporary place of living, then the trade is not worth it. But young lady, since you can ask me that question before, you should have already suspected something.


    Don''t you realize taking us in means you will get yourself an enemy?"


    "I am not afraid of a new enemy. How could I expand the sect if these kinds of things make me stop?"


    MingYue wanted to say something more, but Rook cut her off. "You are so fast to answer; what you say is right, but our enemy is not a weak one.


    Why do you think, even here, I never allow the clan to come out from hiding? That is just how strong they are, and I don''t want to take any risks."


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile. She didn''t feel afraid at all; with her situation now, fighting someone stronger is just a matter of time. Adding another one is not a problem, and she feels she hit the jackpot.


    Not only does this mean she can bring her master in, but she also gets more reason to convince them to join the Bai Yue sect.


    "I don''t mind about that. As for what you say, no need to feel worried.


    I will just make them sign an oath to follow the rules and keep their information to themselves; afterward, they will stay in the city area of my secret realm.


    Only if they want to join the sect do they need to sign more agreements and give out their own methods," MingYue said.


    Then a thought came to her mind, ''Wait, they also know about blood oaths; why not force the people they help, like that bastard geezer, to sign it?''


    Meanwhile, Lin Fang frowned; she already thought this was a bad idea, giving out their cultivation method and secret technique. It''s not that she minded, but she was sure it would affect how people see them.


    "Do you even know our secret technique?"


    "I heard some rumors. A corpse puppet?"


    Lin Fang''s eyes turned sharp. "They are not puppets but family. They may only be bodies, but they are always there to protect me!"


    "Lin," Rook called her name, reminding her.


    MingYue was confused by her answer since it was not related to her question. Realizing her outburst, Lin Fang sighed, "I am sorry, I need some air. Excuse me, Ancestor."


    She then left them both, exiting the chamber.


    "Don''t blame Lin. Our clan is really cursed.


    What you say is right; we use corpse puppets, but it''s not always like this. That technique and weapon came from desperation."


    "What do you mean, Rook?"


    Rook sighed. He took the cup of wine and poured it again into his bony mouth. "Fuck, it''s really hard to get out of my habit."


    "As I said, it came from desperation. Our clan''s real power is not using those weapons or corpses; in the past, we were summoners, with our unique ability to make a pact with spirits, creatures from another dimension."

 Chapter 204 - 204: Spirit Summoner

    "How did you get cursed?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know how everything started. Only some rumors say it''s because of a few individuals. But in the end, it doesn''t matter; we were pulled into a universal war.


    Since you have contact from outside, you should have heard about this."


    "Yes, the war between progenitors?"


    Rook sighed, "Progenitor, I haven''t heard that word for a long time. Well, since you also know about them, that makes things simpler.


    We join the wrong faction and then lose the war. We have been cursed like this ever since."


    [Queen, I think I get some idea of what happened.] A message suddenly came out from Vesa.


    Vesa then started sharing some intel Alex got in the secret realm with the Felidae. ''So it''s not really a curse, but because their special ability was stolen, probably all the side effects because of their power.


    "Rook, aren''t you a human just like me? How could your clan have a special ability then?"


    "Special ability? Do you mean summoning spirits?


    We got those not because of our species as humans but because our real ancestors somehow made a contract with the king of spirits.


    Tough, most knowledge about this has been lost in that war," Rook said with a sigh.


    ''A power that comes from a contract?


    Probably, the spirits made the oath to a specific family. This explains many things. No wonder they have a main branch; they are the ones who made the contract.


    The enemy probably took their abilities, resulting in this curse,'' MingYue thought.


    This realization made her realize she could not lift the curse for now. ''This will lower LinFang''s trust in me, but oh well, there''s nothing I can do about it.''


    "Can you tell me more about the past? How was the war?"


    The atmosphere around Rook turned heavy, his voice taking a lower tone. "Unfortunately, Young Lady, I cannot help you with that. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only reason I survived was because I was one of the weakest; I stayed back as a backup plan in case something happened.


    Unfortunately, something really did happen, and I then brought the rest of us to escape¡­"


    MingYue felt there was more to the story, but Rook just turned silent now, seeming busy reminiscing about his own life story.


    Outside the village, there was an open area with a large tree in the middle of it. Linfang was sitting on the lap of one of the hooded figures. Only now, the hood was not there.


    She looked similar to LinFang, with longer hair and more mature experience; with a glance, everyone could tell they were related.


    The other figure stood a few steps away, his sharp eyes looking around the area.


    "Mom, today I met another person calling you a puppet, as I thought we really cannot trust those outsiders.


    They are all hypocrites that judge everything based on how things look. Both of you are my parents. How dare they call you a puppet."


    Linfang then proceeded to tell her a story while her mother''s hand patted her head. This made her look like a living person, but if everyone looked at her expression, they could tell something was wrong.


    As Rook said, the puppets and weapons were created out of desperation. This planet is not their real destination; they were stranded here because their teleportation device was attacked, making the group split up.


    Stranded in a world of cultivators without having any powers, the results were obvious. They were hunted down.


    At first, they could fight back using their weapons that worked similarly to guns, but without the ability to refill their ammunition, these weapons soon turned into junk.


    People kept dying left and right without any way to fight back. Thankfully, a hero was born in their group, a genius who performed better under pressure.


    These people used their knowledge to create many ways to fight back; their first invention was the hidden weapon, each crafted with very precise mechanisms, just like clockwork.


    They then combined it with poison they could find in the local area; this process took time, as they needed to capture some of the weak cultivators, sometimes even going as far as capturing villagers to test out the poison.


    An inhuman act, but desperate times require desperate measures.


    As time progressed, they finally perfected the weapon, allowing them to start fighting back. They also started learning about cultivation, raising their overall strength, but unfortunately, at this point, their population took a big hit; they needed to focus more on food production and other work rather than just keep fighting and risking their lives.


    This was when another genius was born, mixing their cultivation method with their past techniques.


    As summoners in the past, they not only had a way to make contracts with spirits, but they also made a method to control the spirits from making a bond to a forceful method that was condemned by most.


    In the past, this method brought about many civil wars, but now it has become their Hail Mary.


    Mixing it with cultivation methods, they created a way to inject qi into corpses, slowly creating a way to control them like puppets; at first, they used the qi like a thread connecting to their limbs.


    However, this method proved very ineffective; any cultivator could see this qi thread and cut it with their own technique, so the creators at that time tried to improve this.


    They finally created a technique that allowed them to control corpses without any thread, but there was a caveat: it could only be done with blood relatives. The closer their relationship, the better the control.


    This was done by separating the core; when other cultivators reached the core formation stage, the Fang clan''s technique allowed them to split the core formation into two groups, one being the main core while the other was the sub-core. As for how many sub-cores could be created, that depended on how talented the person was.


    As they grew as cultivators, these cores also grew in strength; so far, the highest level the clan reached was only the Spiritual Transformation stage.

 Chapter 205 - 205: Dance of The Legion

    The next step usually required the cultivator to unite everything into one entity, and this is where this genius was stuck until the end of his lifespan.


    However, he shared some insights and created the technique that allowed LinFang to freeze her lifespan.


    In his words, if anyone could find a way to break through all the way to immortality, I am sure this would be the cure we are looking for.


    The reason he said this was not just because of theory; this cultivator''s life ended at 150 plus years, giving proof that this is really doable.


    Many things then happened afterward before they finally decided to go to the extreme, choosing LinFang as their hope.


    The main reason for this was because of how talented Lin Fan was; her progression and achievements far outweighed their best genius.


    Looking at the clear sky, LinFan''s eyes glistened with tears; deep down inside, she knew her parents had already left her, but she still didn''t want to admit it.


    "If only I could be born without talent."


    But her expression quickly changed as her father saw movement in the distance from them.


    Everything the puppet saw was transferred to her.


    ''These pests really never give up,'' LinFan mumbled in his mind as he used the mechanism in his father''s eyes to see even further away, giving her a very clear image even with one hundred times zoom.


    ''Twelve, twenty, fifteen, almost a hundred people; they are really going all out now.


    But are they stupid, moving in such a large group like that in the forest? It''s like telling us they are here. Or is that their purpose?''


    She then started giving more attention to the most prominent figure in the group. Based on the formation, it''s clear they are protecting the person in the middle of the group.


    Right now, there are two people: a sharp young man and a middle-aged man. If MingYue had been here, she would have quickly recognized them as Yang Fei and Zhang.


    At the front and the back of the group, two people were walking some distance away; based on their mannerisms and actions, Lin Fang concluded they were quite strong,


    ''if only we could find out their strength from view alone. Forget it, for now; I need to gather everyone and quickly make a plan; we cannot just let them keep walking like that.


    It would be best if we can bait him somewhere far away from the village.''


    An idea came to her mind. She remembered there was a strong monster deep in the forest; it was a Celestial-level beast.


    The only reason they know about this creature is because their old genius had a fruitful encounter with it after rescuing one of her offspring.


    She then started rethinking her idea; rather than riling up her people, it was better to do this herself. She started moving closer to the group.


    Linfang tried to keep the maximum distance she could make before shooting an attack; her target was the man in the middle. But she didn''t want to use her father and mother to do this since they would act as bait.


    There is a real reason why she was chosen as their hope and why the main branch all sacrificed their lives. Linfang has many sub-spirits, so many that it''s more than enough to make every single one of her family members in the main branch into her puppet.


    It took a heavy toll on her now to do this since it''s like splitting her mind into a hundred, controlling everything individually, so she only did it if she had no other choice.


    She named her secret technique "Dance of the Legion."


    Swish! Swish!


    Many small needles shot through the air without creating any sound. But the moment they got close to the group, the Golden Core cultivators could feel it.


    Both of them spread their aura, trying to knock it out, but unfortunately, they could not release their full strength; otherwise, it would wound the other cultivators, too.


    "Move into formation!" one of the Golden Core cultivators ordered.


    The group separated themselves into a circle, each looking in different directions. But their reaction was quite late; those with low-level cultivation were pierced with the needles; their faces quickly turned blue as foam came out of their mouths.


    "Those fucking sneakers, quickly go after them. Fighting from a distance will be our weakness," one of the people in the group ordered.


    "With us here, what do you think you are doing? Just stay with the young master," the other Golden Core cultivator said.


    She was the cultivator who came to support them. She had long white hair and a face that looked like just a teenage girl. Her body moved seductively as she took a step forward, appearing above the air.


    "Don''t underestimate us."


    The woman''s qi started rising, creating a palpable heat around her; many spheres of light appeared around her body.


    But it was not just any light; it was a fireball that looked like a miniature sun; thankfully, the heat didn''t really reach the level of the sun; otherwise, the whole place would already have changed into scorched ground.


    "Hey, stop that. Do you want to burn the whole area?" the other Golden cultivator said, looking at what had happened.


    "Hmph, don''t you know my specialty? I am not stupid," the woman replied, ignoring his suggestion.


    SWOOSH! The ball of light shot through some areas of the forest.


    LinFang quickly moved them to dodge the attack, but unfortunately, some still got hurt. The ball of light looked small, as big as a soccer ball, but the moment it hit the target, it exploded, creating a scorching heat in the area, pulverizing everything it passed by; the area of the explosion reached over 100 square meters (around 1000 square feet).


    BOOM! BOOM! S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shockwaves exploded all around, showing LinFang''s puppets. One of them that lost the ability to move quickly activated its self-destruct mechanism.


    The attack from the woman created a scorching heat that melted everything, but weirdly, it didn''t create any flick of flame, the same with the self-destruct mechanism of the puppet; it melted its own body like being melted by acid, leaving behind only a useless liquid.

 Chapter 206 - 206: Asura Fury Lotus Unleashed!

    Linfang''s heart tugged; every single time this happened to her, it was the same as if one of her family members was getting killed. But she knew it needed to be done.


    She started manipulating those that survived, baiting them towards the monster''s location.


    The male Golden Core cultivator then yelled again as the woman kept launching attacks, creating shockwave after shockwave, "Don''t you have enough Fun? We need to capture one of them to find the location of their village."


    "So dumb, can''t you feel all of them are just puppets? I am trying to bait the controller out."


    The man''s vein popped, but he decided to stay silent. He knew he could not win by talking with her.


    Looking at the puppets moving in one direction, the group started moving after them. They didn''t even feel worried whether it was a trap or not, as they were confident in their power.


    They moved deeper into the forest, finally reaching a valley.


    The place was filled with crystalline green grass, making it look like a field of jade, but this alone was not enough to earn the name Mystic Jade Valley.


    The Valley was usually very beautiful; not only did it have many jade-like grasses with mild medicinal properties, but it also had many flowers, as it was surrounded by many mountains.


    But at random times, the Valley would be surrounded by a mystical fog, earning it the name "The Mystic Jade Valley."


    When the fog was present, no cultivator would come close to the area since it was like entering an illusion array.


    Some cultivators had come trying to analyze the fog out of curiosity, but none had returned. As time passed, people just started ignoring it.


    There were just not enough incentives for other cultivators to check out the strange phenomena. However, this was not the case for Blue Cloud Village; as this place was very close to their settlement, they needed to find out the cause of this.


    They often sent puppets in, but they could not find the cause until their genius found out that this place was actually a lair for a strong beast.


    Lin Fang was now standing surrounded by her army.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    The cultivators from Yang Clan landed on the ground, led by two Golden Core cultivators.


    Both of them then spread their aura, trying to pressure Lin Fang.


    "I really need to thank you guys for your arrogance," LinFang replied with a chuckle.


    Her hand flicked as the hundred puppets around her all disappeared, leaving only her parents beside her.


    "What are you talking about, kid¡­" the woman replied, but her words were interrupted as the whole ground started to shake.


    A strong aura started coming from under the ground.


    The Female Golden Core cultivators flew up. She starts launching her barrage of attack toward it.


    At this moment, Lin Fang had already made her way out of the area, knowing a big fight would ensue soon.


    The Celestial Beast here is quite peaceful as long as no one disturbs her. But with their hostile intentions spreading their aura, there was no way she could keep quiet.


    Crack!


    A figure emerged from the ground with long autumn hair and black horizontal pupils. Her hourglass body emitted an aura that could not be underestimated.


    Looking upward at the bombardment coming toward her, her eyes flickered with disdain.


    "How dare you make trouble at my place. I just want to be left alone; how hard is that?"


    The grass around the woman started moving as if it were alive; it grew long, turning into a sphere, meeting the attack head-on.


    At the same time, A fog starts spreading around the area.


    Seeing this, the woman quickly turned to panic; she could not even feel the qi fluctuation coming from that attack.


    This meant this new enemy was out of her league.


    The grass moved like spears, not just targeting the Golden Core cultivators but also pointing toward the rest of the Yang Clan group.


    "Retreat, everyone, retreat!" Yang Fei screamed in panic as he took out a token from his storage ring.


    It was one of the life-saving treasures he had. He infused his qi into the token, then threw it toward the woman with horizontal irises.


    BOOM!!!


    A bright light exploded, dazzling the area. It was followed by many more clashes and explosions.


    A distance away from this place, the other Golden Core cultivator was moving quickly, intercepting LinFang.


    With his higher cultivation base, logically, it should not have been a problem for him to catch her, but Lin Fang had many long-distance attacks.


    She controlled her father to carry her child''s body while her mother faced the cultivator, shooting many needles and forcing him to slow down.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    The needles pierced through the air, targeting the man''s vital points. But the man didn''t even try to dodge anymore. He concentrated his qi, creating a strong shield, meeting the attack head-on.


    CLANG! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The needle got deflected as it met a strong barrier, but LinFang didn''t feel worried at all; in her mind now, she was thinking about which weapon she should use to ensure she could kill him in one attack.


    ''Might as well go with the best one, I should not take a risk,'' LinFang thought.


    She took out a sphere with a similar appearance to the one MingYue held before. Asura Fury Lotus.


    After infusing her qi inside the sphere, the clockwork mechanism started to move.


    LinHua threw it toward the male cultivator. When it was just inches away from his face, the sphere started to bloom like a lotus.


    The first layer opened, shooting a special needle that looked like drill bits. The man was surprised by the sudden attack; he had seen that attack coming, but he never thought it was this strong.


    With many large needles drilling through his barrier, it started piercing through his skin.


    Normally, this wouldn''t give him much damage, but the needle was coated with a deadly poison that started numbing his body, then scattering his qi, making him unable to use any secret techniques.

 Chapter 207 - 207: Greed

    In panic, the man tried to activate a teleportation talisman to escape from the area. But the second wave of attacks had already started.


    The lotus bloomed further, opening another layer. Expelling a pink fume of gas, it had a good smell, just like a lotus flower. But unlike the lotus flower, despite the pleasant smell, this one was deadly.


    It was a hallucinogenic drug, specially created to be used together with the poison on the first needle. It enhanced the hallucination, making it even stronger.


    The man started finding himself in a strange place filled with many monsters, making him turn into panic.


    He thought he had already used the teleportation talisman, but instead of moving to a safe place, he was teleported to an even more dangerous area.


    Normally, this wouldn''t happen, and he should have found something weird, but now his mind, body, and qi were muddled with poison.


    And the next and final wave came. The qi inside started interacting with the mechanism, mixed with many arrays, and then BOOM! It exploded.


    The Asura Fury Lotus bloomed into a full flower, giving out its splendor.


    A lotus made of pink flames appeared, burning the Golden Core cultivator inside of it. It''s one of the peak inventions of the Fang Clan, one that she never grew bored of looking at.


    ''It''s the second time I use this, and it never ceases to amaze me. If only we could mass-produce this weapon. Our clan would be second to none in this world,'' Lin Fang thought.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from the area, Yang Fei was running for his life; his clothes were tattered, and both of his legs were torn apart. He was now being piggybacked by Zhang.


    Zhang also didn''t look any better; his qi was depleted, and his face was covered with sweat.


    "Quick! Why are you slowing down, you damned geezer! Do you want to die!?"


    After launching his trump card and spending almost every one of them, Yang Fei was desperate. Instead of killing the beast, it just infuriated her further.


    Many thoughts started surfacing in Zhang''s mind; he started weighing his choices to survive the situation.


    After much deliberation, Zhang finally decided to release Yang Fei from his grasp, letting him fall to the ground.


    Yang Fei''s eyes glinted with murderous intent, "You damned geezer, are you going to leave me here?"


    But Zhang didn''t respond, nor did he look back. Instead, he used all his strength to try to run away. Since he had already decided to betray Yang Fei, there was no need to waste any more breath.


    ''I just need to run some more distance so I can use this teleportation talisman to escape, but to think there''s such a strong beast here, what bad luck.''


    But as he took the step, a searing pain pierced through his qi core. Blood seeped from his mouth as the blade twisted to wound him even further.


    "Don''t blame me, you geezer; you are the one digging your own grave," Yang Fei said as his eyes glinted red, but it was different with Alex and Mingyue.


    Alex and MingYue only had their irises turn red, while Yang Fei''s eyes completely changed color.


    From the sword, Zhang Fei''s body started changing into a husk of a dried corpse, but not even that was left out; it didn''t take long for all of him to get eaten by his sword.


    "A Demonic Cultivator¡­ Interesting," a melodious voice reverberated in the air as the Celestial beast appeared behind Yang Fei.


    "Kekeke¡­ A cultivator? For a celestial beast, your sense is not that good," a demonic voice came out, making the celestial beast frown. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yang Fei''s hands and legs were now already fully recovered as he turned his back, facing the celestial.


    The celestial beast''s eyes flickered with anger, "The Sword of GREED!!! No way, you should have been destroyed."


    A mouth appeared from the sword that Yang Fei held. "You seem to know me. Have we met before?"


    "Just shut your mouth, Greed. Can''t you see our situation? Are you sure you can beat her?" Yang Fei complained


    "Hmph, just an old frog. How can I be defeated by them?" The sword snorted.


    The Sword of Greed is a sword forged in the last war when demonic cultivators were still rampant; it''s imbued with the soul of a very powerful Taotie that can grow stronger every time it eats a cultivator.


    The celestial beast''s aura started lashing out; after more observation, she now realized the sword still hadn''t recovered to its peak strength.


    "Greed, in the last war, you killed my partner. To think heaven gave me another chance to take revenge."


    "Partner? Hahaha, I see you were that stupid frog''s wife. But are you sure you want to attack us?


    Killing me may vent your anger, but then what?


    Rather than that, how about cooperating with me?


    You should know that not all the creatures I eat are quickly consumed; I still put some in a stockpile just in case emergencies like this happen.


    And that frog is one of them," the sword said as its mouth opened, spitting out a soul.


    The celestial beast''s eyes flickered the moment she saw this.


    Meanwhile, Lin Fang had already returned to Blue Lotus Village.


    She was now back in the room where MingYue and Rook were.


    "Lin, what was the earthquake before? I could feel it even all the way here," Rook asked with a concerned tone.


    "Don''t worry, ancestor, it''s those stupid pests. I already took care of them."


    "The Yang Clan?" MingYue asked.


    "Yes. So, we don''t need your offer; we are perfectly capable of defending ourselves," Lin Fang said coldly.


    "Lin, don''t be too fast to make conclusions; tell me everything that happened," Rook said.


    LinFang then elaborated on what happened in every detail; hearing this, MingYue frowned.


    Before Rook could say anything, she said, "You do realize this means the teleportation array is already linked to the Yang Clan''s main base.


    Now that you''ve already killed their golden core cultivator, I am sure they will take this seriously.


    They will send their whole manpower to this place."

 Chapter 208 - 208: Attacking the Village

    "Then we will kill each one of them," Lin Fan said coldly, leaving MingYue speechless.


    She wanted to ask Lin Fan where she got her confidence to face the entire Yang Clan even though she didn''t know their real power.


    MingYue suspected they had a cultivator at the Mystic Integration stage. But before she could say anything, Rook''s laughter rang out, drawing their attention.


    "KAKaka, I like your confidence, Lin, but you shouldn''t underestimate our enemy so much. I should have told you the truth about our clan."


    Rook then raised his bony finger, touching it toward Lin Fan''s forehead.


    A glow then came out from the finger as he started pouring his energy into Lin Fan.


    Feeling many pieces of information entering her mind, Lin Fan closed her eyes. She felt it was just a normal transfer, but MingYue could see more.


    With puzzled eyes, she asked, "Why are you sending her everything?"


    "Everything?" Rook asked as he started to look at MingYue.


    His eyes flickered once more, and then loud laughter came from him again. "To think we have a vampire with us. Young lady, you should think more before you speak."


    MingYue''s brow furrowed together. "How could you know?"


    "As far as I know, your race is the only one that can see the life force. Everyone else other than you would think this is just a normal transfer of knowledge."


    "I see... so can you tell me why you decided to do this? You should still have a lot of time left in life."


    "A lot? Kakaka, young lady, I am already dead," Rook said with a chuckle but then turned serious.


    "Well, joke aside, there are many reasons, for one, your appearance here. It''s been so long since I heard anything related to other planets and Progenitors; this means it''s just a matter of time until we are found.


    There''s also Lin Fan''s situation, and finally, the clan''s current predicament."


    "I could understand the current predicament, but what do you mean by Lin Fan''s situation?"


    "That, young lady, is for her to tell; after all, it''s a problem for the living, Kakaka." His glowing finger stopped, and Lin Fan''s body fell to the ground as she became unconscious.


    He then stood up, turning his gaze some distance away. "I could feel they were coming. As I thought, we cannot believe her. Young lady, how about we make a deal?"


    "What deal?" MingYue asked.


    Meanwhile, near the village, a giant frog with green skin was leaping on the ground, creating an earthquake every time it landed; it was the celestial beast''s real form.


    Yang Fei was flying beside her. Despite his newfound power, he didn''t feel excited at all. He had found the sword on one of his adventures and quickly knew what it was, as Greed started enticing him to use its power.


    The temptation was big, but he held himself.


    The reason was not that he didn''t want it; he knew there would be no going back. After this, he would need to become a pure demonic cultivator, walking a path of even more carnage, as his own family would disown him when they found out.


    Despite how he acted, Yang Fei loved his clan. People that he wanted to protect no matter what.


    "Why are you still so gloomy, Yang Fei? You are the chosen one. Not anyone can gain my power. You should feel happy instead."


    "Happy? My goal was to subdue these people and gain their treasure, but now I cannot do it because of you."


    "Subdue these people? Kekeke, with my power recovering, we are unbeatable. Kill all of them, take their power, then take their treasure.


    That is the real way of the cultivation world. Survival of the fittest. What is a gathering of ants? They have no use at all."


    "You know why."


    "Kekeke. Don''t worry; your sister will be even safer as you become stronger. I won''t make the same mistake as what happened in the past. And it''s not like you have any other choice; it''s better to erase all of them so we have no witness at all."


    It''s not a witness of him being a demonic cultivator, but all the witnesses of the incident. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yang Fei still didn''t know what made-up reason he could make for what happened, how two Golden Core cultivators died, but he survived. But no matter what it is, for now, he has already decided that taking out this village and its treasure would be the first step.


    The ground kept vibrating as people in Blue Cloud Village started seeing a big silhouette coming toward them.


    Feeling the presence of the celestial beast, the elder started giving out orders to evacuate those who could not fight or were too weak.


    Feeling many teleportations happening made Greed complain, "So this is why you decided to use your real form. You don''t even cast your mystical fog to disturb them."


    "What you need are the strong ones. Just let those weaklings run away."


    Yang Fei frowned because this was not what he had planned. He didn''t want anyone to survive in the area. He then sprinted toward the village, starting his massacre.


    The array protecting the wall started doing its effect, creating illusions. But it was useless; even if it was able to trap Yang Fei, it could not trap Greed.


    Greed directly sent his senses toward Yang Fei, allowing him to destroy part of the wall.


    Bam! The sword pierced through the wall like cutting through butter.


    Many cultivators fell down, along with their puppets. But as veterans, they didn''t falter; they moved their puppets to surround Yang Fei.


    The puppet bodies were modified, with many mechanisms; some were focused on long-distance attacks while others were on melee combat.


    They started moving in formation, creating many attacks toward Yang Fei.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    Barrages of needles and daggers started coming toward him, some targeting the surrounding area, creating a mess of sharp wires to limit his movement.


    Some of the puppets also started throwing punches and kicks at Yang Fei. Each hit was executing their secret techniques, infusing them with Qi.

 Chapter 209 - 209: Rook Offer

    With the Sword of Greed in his hand, every cultivator thrown at him is not a problem; he slashed their attack, absorbing their qi in the process.


    He cleaved through their puppet and then proceeded to kill them.


    Each kill increased his power more and more. Usually, with this many kills, Yang Fei''s soul should start getting contaminated, but with the Sword of Greed''s help, this contamination is reduced to a minimum. He also has a way to expel the rest of it.


    This is the main reason the strongest demonic cultivators at that time created the Sword of Greed. But this doesn''t mean it doesn''t have any risk.


    The Taotie soul itself is a danger. Yang Fei knows right now it cooperates because it wants to recover, but as it grows stronger, it will try to take over his body if he has time to reach that.


    BANG!


    A kick suddenly came from the side, launching Yang Fei''s body into the air. It was then followed by a barrage of poisonous needles, all parried by Yang Fei.


    As he regained his bearings, he could see a child standing with two puppets looking at him. Feeling the aura coming from her made him serious.


    She is a Golden Core cultivator. And the puppet that attacked him also has similar power.


    BAM!


    At this moment, the giant frog landed beside him. The celestial beast''s body started turning into her humanoid form.


    "To think you cooperate with them? Don''t you have an agreement with us?" LinFang asked.


    "Blame yourself for bringing them to me and how your grandfather easily trusts me.


    Don''t think, I don''t know what you plan to do. It''s just unfortunate they have something I really want."


    Her celestial aura then started spreading, creating a huge pressure on LinFang.


    A distance away from them, MingYue was looking from the rooftop toward the battlefield.


    ''Vesa, are you sure I can defeat it?''


    [Yes, Queen, don''t underestimate the modern weapon we have. Even though that Celestial beast is strong, with your regeneration and my enhanced strength, we can defeat it. Taking his Rook deal is worth it.]


    "Alright, let''s not waste time then," MingYue replied.


    A red smoke started appearing near her, condensing into a bat with two wings. Vesa has regained some of its ability thanks to the deal MingYue made with Rook.


    After giving out most of his energy to Lin Fang, he offers the rest for MingYue to absorb on the condition that she helps his clan, despite what Lin Fang chooses. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, MingYue wanted to refuse, despite the amount of life force, she doesn''t feel it''s worth it when she can get the whole clan under her. But Vesa interjected.


    Despite not being immortal, Rook''s life force quality is high enough to recover part of Vesa''s power, which Alex has used.


    It''s not as good as a real immortal, but at least it allows Vesa to materialize in the real world and transfer both of them to hunt for primordial blood.


    Other than this, it also enables Vesa to use a small Rune. Vesa started creating some patterns on MingYue''s palm. Since this one is only temporary, it doesn''t take Vesa much energy and time to finish it.


    [It''s done, Queen; with this, it should buff your overall ability.]


    MingYue could feel her body become even stronger than before; it''s different than using life force to directly enhance her body.


    With this rune, the enhancement is more effective; it consumes less of the life force while giving her even more boost. It also helps MingYue to learn by example how to control her energy flow better.


    She then flew into the air, and many ice shards started appearing around her, each emanating a cold qi aura as it was boosted with life force.


    Swish, it started bombarding toward the Celestial beast.


    "I will take her. You face that demonic cultivator." MingYue said as she landed beside LinFang.


    "I don''t need your help."


    "Well, it''s an order from your ancestor, so get off your high horse," MingYue replied coldly.


    "Hmph." LinFang snorted, but she knew it was not the time to protest.


    She started manipulating her father and mother, attacking Yang Feng. Meanwhile, the Celestial beast looked at MingYue''s attack, her qi burst forward manipulating the plants surrounding the area.


    Grass started growing into spears meeting the ice head-on. She expected the ice shards to be shattered, but what happened next made her feel baffled. In theory, her realm should be stronger than MingYue''s, but she could feel the energy behind her attack is on a different level than her own.


    The ice froze the grass then continued on its way shattering everything. "Seems I need to do this seriously."


    Her qi rose, churning even more, as she leaped toward MingYue. She threw a roundhouse kick toward MingYue''s head.


    BAM!


    A shockwave exploded as it was blocked by Twin Frostbites.


    Unfortunately, the strength behind the Celestial beast is not something MingYue could block; if not because her overall strength was buffed at this moment, the sword would already be knocked from her hand.


    Seeing her attack working, the Celestial beast started launching a barrage of attacks, pushing MingYue further away from Blue Lotus Village.


    At first, MingYue wanted to go all out using her secret technique imbued with life force to the max, but she realized the Celestial beast didn''t really want to hurt her.


    Its attacks never targeted her vitals. And MingYue could read her emotions; the beast had no hostile intentions.


    BAM! BAM! BANG!


    Each attack created shockwaves, decimating the forest. As MingYue was imbued with frost qi, each time the Celestial beast dodged, the attack would hit the ground, leaving behind a patch of frozen area.


    "Just what do you want? Are you fighting or not?"


    "I am obligated by a blood oath to help him attack the village, but it doesn''t detail that I need to kill you."


    MingYue frowned. "In that case, why not just attack other cultivators. If I help attack the demonic cultivator, you should be freed from the blood oath."


    The Celestial beast smirked. Their attacks met once more before both of them landed on the ground.

 Chapter 210 - 210: QingWa Xian

    "You overestimate yourself; it''s not the demonic cultivator that worries me, but his sword, Greed. Otherwise, do you think I would need to fulfill my oath?"


    "Greed?"


    "Yes, the sword that man held." The celestial beast then started explaining the sword''s history.


    Hearing this, MingYue didn''t feel afraid; instead, she felt interested.


    A sword capable of consuming other people''s cultivation. Despite the drawbacks, she was sure Vesa could do something about it.


    ''It will make a good reward for MingHao.''


    MingYue then flicked her hand, taking out a mannequin from her storage ring. This one should already be dead, as it was stabbed by LingHua, but it''s not a problem now as Vesa can materialize.


    A red fog started emanating from MingYue''s body, instilling a sense of dread in the beast.


    She took a step back. "What are you doing? I already told you I don''t want to fight." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, you don''t, but you are still bound by an oath to attack the village. Since I have something else to do, I will give you a partner to play with."


    The red fog entered the mannequin. It then started moving, giving a bow toward MingYue.


    "Queen, you can go. Don''t worry. I will take care of this pest."


    MingYue nodded and then flew back toward the village.


    The celestial beast, meanwhile, kept eyeing Vesa carefully, aware she was in front of a predator that could devour her at any time.


    Even though Vesa is not a progenitor, Vesa is still a being just one level below it.


    "Senior, as I said, I don''t want to fight. Could you just let me go?


    I will look for another target. Now, I am sure your master should be able to defeat him."


    Vesa didn''t reply quickly; instead, it gazed at the celestial beast up and down. "What is your name?"


    "QingWa Xian, Senior."


    Swoosh, Vesa launched a kick toward QingWa. She was surprised by the sudden attack but still managed to block it.


    The moment the attack hit, she could feel her hand was broken. Despite this, she didn''t quickly counterattack.


    Instead, she tried to distance herself away from Vesa.


    As they continued fighting, MingYue had already reached back into the village. The air was now filled with blood, with many corpses littered around the area.


    The once peaceful village was nowhere to be seen now; it was just ruined buildings with a fire burning all around the area.


    She turned her gaze toward Yang Fei and LinFang. The area around them was even more decimated, crater were everywhere, with many schorch mark, and black flame burning.


    Yang Fei''s aura was now surging to the late-stage Golden Core realm, while Lin Fang remained the same. But she now had five puppets out fighting against Yang Fei.


    MingYue could see her two main puppets were now damaged. It''s one of the weaknesses of the puppet; they cannot regenerate in battle since they are basically non-living.


    Meanwhile, cultivators could heal themselves from minor wounds using a good pill.


    The male puppet was losing his right hand while his chest was cracked open, showing his internal mechanism. The female puppet had cracks all over her body.


    "How dare you hurt them," LinFang screamed in anger as she focused on moving all five puppets.


    Logically, she should have used all five puppets to attack Yang Fei, but LinFang instead used three while pulling the other two puppets back.


    Seeing this, MingYue frowned; she was clear it''s not just her that realized this. Yang Fei intentionally targeted LinFang''s father while launching long-distance attacks on her mother.


    "What a stupid brat. We are very lucky now, Yang Fei, I am sure we can get a decent meal. Kekeke," Greed said with its demonic voice.


    Yang Fei kept attacking, unleashing his secret technique that was now boosted by Greed.


    As part of the Yang Clan, his ability revolves around using fire like a sun. But now the sun flame was turning black, rather than giving out light, it instead absorbed everything from the area, making it turn dark.


    The black flame also didn''t grow larger even when it hit wood or other combustible objects; instead, it kept burning nonstop.


    One of the puppets was still lying on the ground, burned to ashes.


    Swoosh!


    A few more fireballs shot toward LinFang''s mother, who cleverly controlled her to dodge the attack as she moved the three puppets to attack Yang Fei with impeccable coordination.


    One punch toward his face, while the other did a side-sweep kick, with a piercing needle launched toward his back.


    Yang Fei, in response, raised his Qi, creating an explosion of light like a stun grenade. But this one turned everything around him into darkness.


    But this darkness didn''t matter to LinFang. What she wanted was an opportunity to launch one of her trump cards.


    She had three lotuses, one used in the past, the second one against the Golden Core cultivator, and now she would use the last one.


    A sphere shot out from the mechanism from her mother''s hand. It didn''t matter, even if LinFang could not see him; she just needed to know where he was located.


    BOOM!


    A three-wave attack exploded, followed by the self-destruction of the three puppets.


    MingYue still didn''t make a move; she watched everything, feeling curious about how strong the sphere she got from her master was.


    ''I hope the master is doing okay now; she is the one leading the villagers to evacuate,'' MingYue thought.


    The black light receded, but there was still smoke blocking around the area.


    At this moment, something came out from it at high speed toward LinFang. She was caught off guard.


    Bang!


    At this moment, Yang slashed toward her with all his power.


    He almost died by that attack; the only reason he survived is that Greed used almost all his stockpile to block and regenerate Yang Fei''s body.


    The sword fell vertically from the sky, and it was targeted to cleave LinFang in two.

 Chapter 211 - 211: Lets Meet Up

    But before it even hit CRACK! BANG!


    The sword met with some resistance, but it still pierced forward.


    Lin Fang''s eyes burst into tears; she was sure she didn''t move her parent, only the other puppet. Despite how she acted, deep inside her heart, she knew they were dead.


    "Dad!" Lin Fang screamed at the top of her lungs as Yang Fei''s blade started cutting off her father''s torso.


    Her father''s lips curved into a gentle smile as he pushed LinFang out of the way.


    "THE FUCK!!!" Yang Fei screamed in anger.


    He didn''t expect LinFang to move the puppet to block the attack.


    Now, he only wanted to quickly finish everything and take a break. Despite the constant energy coming from Greed, he was mentally exhausted.


    An energy started gathering from LinFang''s father as he was about to explode, but this time it was pointless.


    Greed absorbed all the Qi inside him, turning him into a useless puppet. In anger, Yang Fei ignited the puppet with black flames, burning it to ashes.


    At this moment, LinFang''s mother caught her body and then tried to escape. Meanwhile, Lin Fang, still shocked by all that was happening, didn''t move the other puppet and just stood still.


    MingYue sighed upon seeing what had happened.


    "I think I understand LinFang''s problem now. She may live a long time, but in the end, she is just a kid. Her mental age doesn''t grow at all, just like her body."


    She then moved in a blur, blocking Yang Fei''s path.


    Clang!


    Their swords met and clashed as Ming Yue started executing her secret technique. She could feel Frost Petals starting to appear all around her, moving gracefully, but each spread out a deadly cold temperature.


    At first, Greed tried to consume Ming Yue''s cold Qi. But he quickly stopped as it felt like eating poison. The frost began freezing him from the inside, reaching even his soul.


    Greed used another of his backup energies, creating a shockwave that put both of them down.


    "Yang Fei, do your solar flare thing," Greed''s voice resounded in Yang Fei''s mind.


    Seeing the situation, Yang Fei didn''t hesitate. His qi surged, creating another flash of darkness that took out all light.


    But this was not enough to block Progenitor Eyes, even in its unperfected state.


    MingYue leaped forward; each of her movements was graceful as it left an ice lotus in the air.


    Her sword moved like a target at his neck, but it stopped as she spun her body, using her other hand to cut his arm that held Greed''s blade.


    Yang Fei was caught off guard, thinking MingYue should be dazed even for a moment.


    Slash!


    Blood spurted out as the sword flew from his hand. But MingYue didn''t stop there; she moved her other sword, targeting Yang Fei''s neck.


    At that moment, Greed''s aura surged quickly. A huge qi came out from it, taking the form of a four-legged beast with four black wings coming out from its back.


    Its body was covered with dark green scales and jet-black fur.


    The creature had a huge, long jaw like a crocodile, filled with rows of sharp teeth. It opened its maw, trying to chomp at MingYue.


    In response, MingYue jumped upward using an ice lotus as a foothold. Despite losing its target, the Taotie kept moving upward, chomping Yang Fei whole, then bursting with speed, trying to escape the area.


    MingYue took back her sword, and then a handgun with a scope appeared in her hand. But MingYue didn''t need it; with her sharp eyes, she locked onto the target and then poured a lot of her qi into the gun.


    Creaking sounds started coming from the gun as it was charged over the limit.


    ''I should ask for a better one from Alex,'' MingYue thought.


    Bang!


    A projectile of Qi, energized by life force, shot out from the barrel, exploding it in the process.


    The bullet pierced through the air with a hissing sound.


    Swish!!! Boom!!!


    The moment it hit the Taotie, it exploded into a cascade of ice. But MingYue didn''t feel happy since the Taotie still had a trump card that allowed it to teleport far away from the area.


    ''Forget it, I will pursue him later. I still have my tracker on him,'' MingYue thought, then focused her attention on the ruined village.


    Moving past it, she found Lin Fang crying in her mother''s lap. But her mother was expressionless.


    "Lin Fang, you should make your decision now. People from the Yang Clan will soon reach this place, and I am sure they already made preparations the moment you killed their golden core cultivator.


    Agree with my terms, or stay here and let your clan fall to ruin."


    Lin Fang''s eyes turned cold as she gazed toward MingYue.


    "You can blame me, but you should know this is how things work. I would love to give you time to grieve but now is not the time.


    And I cannot just give you help for free; your own clan poses a risk to my sect if you come without any oath."


    Lin Fang gritted her teeth. "Fine, let''s meet up with my aunt."


    "What do you plan to do with this village?"


    "We are short on time; what can I do? Just burn it all to the ground."


    She could try to recover some bodies, but then it would be unfair to those left behind. Lin Fang thought it was better to just leave them all here, cremating them with the whole village.


    "Alright, you go first then. Let me take care of it."


    LinFang didn''t ask further; she controlled her mother to bring her toward the place they promised to meet up.


    After making sure LinFang was out of the way, MingYue''s eyes started combing through the area. She then threw multiple remote bombs, flying some distance away before exploding them all. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since the explosion came from technology, MingYue was sure this would confuse the Yang Clan even more. They would probably focus their search on Yang Fei.

 Chapter 212 - 212: Another Idea

    "Now I need to leave some evidence that Yang has become a demonic cultivator, then spread the news," a new idea then came to MingYue''s mind.


    At first, she wanted to pursue Yang Fei directly to take the sword, but now she wanted to use him to gain some fame and become her scapegoat.


    ''As I expand the sect, bloodshed is inevitable; might as well use him to create some power vacancies. I can then let MingHao and his group take care of this, making them heroes and gain fame,'' MingYue thought.


    Her lips then curled into a smile as she planned to have more discussions on this plan with Alex later.


    She then mumbled with a chuckle, "Is this what Alex said, ''Create the problem, then sell the solution?''"


    It didn''t take long for her to regroup with the Fang Clan and then start moving toward her secret realm.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from the place, Yang Fei was cursing in pain. "I knew you couldn''t be trusted at all!"


    In the place where he was cut, a new arm had already appeared. But it was different from his body; it looked like the claw of the Taotie. From the palm, an eye emerged.


    "Don''t blame me! Blame that stupid frog that has no use and how weak you are. We have no choice; we need to fuse, or we will die."


    "Fuck you! I will not give my body to you!" Yang replied coldly.


    They then start fighting in his inner world.


    Back at Scorched Dune Labyrinth, Alex, Zold, and Olivia had already returned from the secret realm; he brought William and Alice with him.


    Blaire, Sasha, Aurora, and Lily decided to stay behind.


    After everything that happened, Lily felt it was better for her to help with the aftermath.


    The King was dead. He may have been a villain, but his strong presence kept the royal court united.


    Now, with his demise, factions started to form again, fighting to gain the throne.


    Lily''s brother is also not spared in this fight despite having no desire to become King. This still didn''t change his background. Having a sister who was a guardian gave him a huge edge as a new King candidate. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Actually, this fight could have been avoided if Amu had intervened, but after the fight with the King, he was busy training himself.


    The situation also became more chaotic as the existence of the Fairy became public.


    As Freya was angry with what her daughter did, she let them take care of this matter.


    With Alice gone, Aurora had no choice but to take matters into her own hands. Her plan to live peacefully with Blaire failed.


    As the only interspecies couple, they acted as mediators and helped the two races to coexist peacefully.


    As they teleported out by Aimu, a few people from the fairy race also joined them. But they didn''t appear with Alex and the others.


    Alex speculated the teleportation circle also had a method to directly transfer them outside of the planet.


    William and Lily are staying inside the Awe cube because Alex doesn''t want the attention of the one who created the labyrinth.


    Although he honestly doubted, with everything that happened, they didn''t realize anything. But still, the less they knew, the better it would be.


    Olivia was still unconscious all this time, even after she was checked by Freya and Vesa.


    They found nothing wrong with her body, but based on Vesa''s analysis, her soul was deep in slumber, so it was better to just let her awaken naturally.


    This made Alex decide to put her in an Awe cube with Alice and William to take care of her.


    These Awe cubes were modified to not instill loyalty like the others have. He made these specially to put his family and friends in case of an emergency.


    For example, in Olivia''s situation, it was far better to bring her inside a cube compared to taking unconscious people inside a dungeon.


    After he went out, Alex went to check the portal Emily and others found. But unfortunately, at that time, the portal had already closed. Making him feel confused even more, he had some talk with Aimu and Freya about the Ifrit race and the situation.


    ''They do tell me they don''t know anything, but based on Freya''s expression, I am sure she has a guess.'' Alex thought.


    Right now, they were moving through the city ruin, looking for a tunnel to return outside.


    "Brother, are you sure the map he gave us is correct?" Emily asked.


    Alex had gotten the whole planet map from Aimu, based on the information he got, this place in the past was a fertile land, but it got destroyed turning it into a desert.


    As for the one responsible, it was a group of humans. This made it clear to Alex that the Human progenitor was behind the invasion of Feladine.


    "I am sure it''s Emily, even if this place is transformed into a dungeon, I doubt they will go as far as moving the continent.


    So, going this way should allow us to get out in the middle of the labyrinth.


    I just hope it will be close to the boss''s location." Alex replied.


    Quartz, meanwhile, walked in a daze. The information she got was too overwhelming for her.


    After coming out, Alex explained the situation to them, including about the progenitor. The idea that a human progenitor was behind the dungeon made her angry and then confused.


    She just could not accept it, all the tragedy that happened, all those losses, they always blamed it on other species. But now it turned out it was another human, and the goal was just to make them stronger.


    "Are you still mad about it, Aunt Quartz?" Emily asked, seeing her expression.


    "Of course, I don''t get how you, Alex, and Zold could be so calm about this. Dungeons were man-made, we did it to ourselves, and then the dark zone, red zone, all of this is a product of our own making."

 Chapter 213 - 213: What Did You Do?

    "Aunt, I think you are overthinking this. Nothing has changed.


    What matters is to go to that dungeon and rescue everyone. And honestly, this is not weird at all, just read history.


    Even before all this dungeon break, countries had war with other countries; the strong exploited the weak, taking over their resources and then making them live in poor conditions.


    Don''t get me wrong, this doesn''t mean I agree with this, but humans as a species have always been like this."


    Quartz sighed. "You are right." She also had heard about many world wars happening in the past, but words were just words.


    Compared to the reality she faced every day on the frontline, where people now united together to fight against monsters, it was clear which way skewed her mindset more.


    "Racism, religion, and many other things, we have done atrocious stuff to our own species.


    It''s really nothing new, Aunt. Even now, in our situation, did you forget about the dark hunters?"


    Hearing what they said made Alex remember about Hellgate.


    "Emily, do you still have some files on any case related to Hellgate?"


    "Yes, I do, but with your current clearance now, I am sure you can get more detail from the association."


    "Just send me what you have first. I am still thinking about whether I should confront that old prick and ask the truth or not."


    "Old prick?" Emily asked.


    "Who else, the association president."


    "You shouldn''t talk about him like that, Alex. It won''t do good with our Guild if someone hears about this." Quartz reminded him.


    "We are in a dungeon, Aunt Quartz, no need to be so uptight. But honestly, if you guys ever need to deal with him, you will understand what I said. I pity his secretary who needs to face his antics every day."


    "King, I think we can go out from this spot," Patricia sent a message to Alex, as she scouted far ahead of them.


    Alex did this just in case they met with some weird creature like the parasite.


    From the city ruins, they entered through a tunnel system. Following the directions, it didn''t take long for them to come back out to the labyrinth.


    "Finally, fresh air," Quartz said as she took a deep breath.


    The others, meanwhile, looked around the area with frowns.


    "It became a desert," Zold mumbled.


    The Valley disappeared from sight; the area around them was now all sand.


    "Don''t worry, this works to our advantage. We can only see sand because the labyrinth is at a lower elevation.


    As long as we go to the edge, we should be able to see the whole labyrinth. Now the problem is finding the monster Emily wants."


    "As long as that place is not swept under this sand, then we should be able to see it easily. Just look for a landmark that looks like an arena. You will not miss it."


    Even though the dungeon always changes the area, a few landmarks always stay the same, for example, the oasis and the place of the final boss.


    "I hope that crazy creature doesn''t come at us again," Alex mumbled.


    "Don''t jinx it, brother," Emily said.


    A thought then came to Alex, he forgot to ask about this creature to Aimu, but there was still Alice with him now.


    Inside this Awe cube, there was a modern house with all its appliances and facilities.


    William was now busy training in the fitness room, as Alice was relaxing inside a jacuzzi.


    "Alice, are you busy?" Alex''s voice reverberated in her mind.


    Hearing this, Alice quickly frowned. "You pervert! Are you peeking at me now?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I swear I am not peeking; this place just has a feature for me to communicate with you."


    "And you think I believe that?" Alice asked while blaming herself in her mind. ''I should have known better. I forgot he could see everything that happened inside this place!''


    After the event, Alice got an earful from Freya making her feel stressed. In Freya''s words, "Since you think you can do better than me, starting today I resign as the queen. You will be responsible for our people."


    All the responsibility then fell on Alice''s shoulders as her mother took the back seat.


    Realistically she should have stayed and started doing her job, but she felt obligated to fulfill her promise to Alex, at the same time she also wanted to see the outside world.


    But deep in her heart, she knew the real reason she just wanted to take a breather away from all this.


    Alice had thought of many possibilities with what she was doing, from being labeled a traitor, put into prison, or worse, executed.


    Never in her wildest mind did she think she would instead become responsible for everything.


    In her stressed situation, seeing the warm water in the bathtub, she didn''t even think twice about taking a dip.


    It quickly relaxed her mind, making her almost fall asleep.


    "Forget it, think what you want. I just want to ask you about some monsters on your planet. But if you mind, you don''t need to answer," Alex replied with an annoyed tone.


    Alice paused for a moment, then replied, "Just send me the image."


    A projection appeared in front of her eyes, showing the desert Loch Ness Alex fought before.


    Alice''s eyes widened seeing the monster; she not only knew about it, but she was very familiar with it.


    "He is the Naidon, or as some often call the Aether dragon. They are able to produce Aetheris Essence.


    A multi-purpose liquid that is the main reason we can be self-sufficient staying locked in that realm.


    Why do you ask about it anyway?"


    "I met with one, and it seems the Naidon hates me with a passion."


    "What did you do?" Alice quickly asked as she knew Naidon was a peaceful creature that never attacked first.


    It''s one of the reasons they are hunted to near extinction. Even if someone made a trap right beside them, the Naidon would just ignore it.

 Chapter 214 - 214: Wisp of Light

    Alex then proceeded to tell her what had happened. When it reached the part where Alex had burned the horn, Alice''s anger flared.


    "You did what!?"


    "As I said, sent my fire toward the horn."


    "No wonder the Naidon doesn''t want to mate. Now I get it.


    Alex, you know you just killed my people''s hope to stay holed up in that realm. It seems my choice was correct after all," Alice replied.


    With what Alex did, it was only a matter of time before the last two Naidon went extinct.


    "I don''t get what you mean? How is it related?"


    Alice then explained the reason.


    Naidon can freely move between the secret realm and the planet; she doesn''t know how they can just do that.


    This allow Naidon needs to eat outside the realm. Bring resource from outside.


    Naidon can eat everything; they eat meat but only from those that become corpses. Plants, even some minerals like crystal or iron, are part of their palate.


    All of this will then be processed and filtered turning it into pure energy.


    The leftover will then be excreted by Naidon as Aetheric essence. They each have a special spot to do this.


    For example, the oasis that Alex found.


    Hearing this, Alex''s face turned pale. ''The hell, am I drinking their urine?'' he cursed in his mind as he said to Alice, "I get it, no need to continue the story. So, basically, the Naidon also uses the horn to mate, and now he cannot have kids?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes," Alice replied.


    ''Fuck!'' Alex cursed, while he ask, "Does Naidon have any weaknesses?"


    Now he was sure the Naidon will hunt him down, if he know he was still alive.


    "Don''t even think about it. If you meet one, escape; I need him alive."


    Alex sighed.


    Outside, Emily, seeing Alex''s pale expression, asked, "Is there any problem, brother?"


    "No, never mind," Alex replied.


    He swore he would never let Emily and others find out about this. He could already imagine their reactions.


    While thinking about this, Zold''s voice reverberated in their minds. He was moving in front of them using his abilities. Since the area was only sand, and they could see a distance away, they were not afraid of getting ambushed.


    "I have reached the edge, I think I can see the place Emily was talking about," Zold said, as he now stood at the end of the desert, using binoculars to see everything more clearly.


    The same labyrinth appeared before his eyes, but now, with the height, he could see where they needed to go. There were a few landmark areas, but Zold didn''t feel interested in exploring them.


    Capture the monster Emily wants, finish the dungeon, then take a rest and do another training session.


    Despite his cold expression, everything that happened still left a deep mark on his heart. It gave him a reality check on how weak he was.


    It didn''t take long for Alex and the others to reach his location.


    "Let''s go," Alex said. He also didn''t want to waste any time.


    Knowing where to go, they jumped down and quickly navigated through the labyrinth.


    "Finally, we have arrived here," Emily said with an excited tone. But she didn''t move toward the arena.


    The arena is like a side quest, where they can enter and challenge a random sub-boss. But this is not Emily''s target; she remembers the last time she found the secret entrance with other hunters.


    Unfortunately, the enemy was too strong, so they decided to retreat.


    The arena is a big circular slab of rock placed on the ground, not that large, around the size of a badminton field.


    What makes this landmark special is that it is surrounded by eight large slabs of rock, towering high, creating pillars holding another large slab of rock.


    The rocks were carved with some patterns, but it''s something Alex doesn''t recognize. Based on Vesa''s analysis, the patterns work like an array that is linked with the dungeon.


    Emily walked around the arena without taking a step inside it. She knew if she put even a single step inside, the mini-boss would be summoned.


    Her goal was an entrance to another cavern system hidden just near the area.


    Alex and the others followed her; at first, the cavern looked normal, but as they kept going deeper, the surrounding rock started changing into a crystal-like material, piquing Alex''s interest.


    He started carving some parts of it for future research. Based on a basic analysis, Alex found the material was similar to a normal silicon crystal on his planet, but he doubted it was that simple.


    Moving deeper, they reached a large open area.


    "I never knew there was a place like this. How did you find it, Emily?" Quartz asked.


    "Shh¡­" Emily raised her finger to her lips, gesturing to stay silent, then pointed at a few clumps of big crystals protruding from the ground.


    The next words she said with her implant, ''That rock doesn''t do anything, but if you get close, a light will suddenly appear from the ceiling. The crystals will then interact, turning them into a golem.''


    ''A light-powered golem, no wonder you want them. But Emily, are you sure they are monsters? Not some kind of mechanism?''


    ''I am sure it''s a monster. You will see,'' Emily replied, then started making her move.


    As she walked closer to the golem, as she said, a light appeared from the ceiling; it was bright like the sun, giving a dazzling light, making everyone close their eyes, except for Alex.


    ''Sis'' instinct is right, it''s a monster, but it''s not the golem,'' Alex said in his mind.


    The light itself was the monster, a wisp of light. Alex dashed forward before the monster could do anything, and he went for the attack first.


    Since the monster didn''t have anybody, he imbued his fist with mana and qi.


    BAM!


    He hit the sphere of light, creating a crack in its body, and then, without wasting time, he put it inside the awe cube.


    The moment he finished, what was left was just Alex looking at another tunnel that could bring him deeper into the area.

 Chapter 215 - 215: Minotaur

    His mind told him, if he entered, he could find something related to the dungeon, like how the dungeon works.


    ''Forget it, I have no time now, and Olivia''s condition is also uncertain.''


    Emily was in a daze as nothing changed after the light disappeared; the monster she expected didn''t come out.


    Seeing her face made Alex chuckle, "Don''t worry, I caught the monster. Let''s go finish the dungeon."


    "You already caught it?" Quartz asked in disbelief while Zold had already turned around, making his way out.


    Alex then explained to them the monster he just captured.


    It has a similar type of ability to Emily, capable of controlling and creating light. But the ability is less destructive, and the monster has more control over it.


    Alex also thought it was possible the crystal had a special property that reacts to light. Or it''s just how the monster uses its ability.


    But he needs to spend time to make sure of this, and also to gain its loyalty before giving it to Emily.


    __________________________


    Wisp of Light


    Power Level: 4.2


    Lifeforce: 23/350


    Ability:


    Luminous Fusion


    Needs further analysis


    ________________________


    They proceeded moving toward the final location in the labyrinth. It''s an open area with a large inactive portal in the middle of it.


    As they got close, the ground vibrated, and energy spread out, creating a shield that blocked them from exiting the area, practically creating the boss stage.


    The portal then started activating; from inside, a creature came out.


    The boss is a huge humanoid beast with a brown hide. It has a bull head with horns and holds a giant axe.


    _________________________


    Minotaur


    Power Level: 8.2


    Lifeforce: 76/190


    Ability: sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Brutal Force & Axe Mastery


    The Minotaur possesses extraordinary physical strength, allowing it to deliver bone-crushing blows with its giant two-handed axe.


    This enhanced strength is complemented by its mastery over the axe, enabling precise and devastating attacks that can cleave through armor and bone alike.


    The Minotaur''s training and innate skill with its weapon make it a terrifying opponent in close combat.


    _________________


    "Groaaarrr," the Minotaur roared.


    It leaped into the air, raising its axe high above its head.


    Clang!!!


    Quartz moved forward, raising her shield upward.


    The ground cracked under the weight, but it was not something Quartz could not block. Unfortunately, her shield could not last long; she could feel it starting to crack under its weight.


    Bang!


    Emily started shooting, targeting the boss, but it barely left a bruise on his skin.


    Electricity surged from Zold; he took out his dagger and started slashing.


    Slash, slash.


    Green blood spurted in the air as Zold slashed many times over at the same spot. Seizing the opportunity, Quartz''s qi churned; she pushed forward, knocking the boss a few steps away.


    Zold then appeared at the monster''s side. He stabbed the dagger deep inside the wound he made, then zapped the boss, paralyzing and burning it from inside.


    Through this, Alex crossed his arms; it''s not that the boss was weak; it''s that the group had become stronger, and they had already studied the boss''s attack pattern before coming here.


    Thankfully, the boss they got is a common one, not like what Alex faced in the goblin dungeon.


    As they fought their way through the labyrinth, their control over qi became even more subtle, allowing them to concentrate the qi in their attacks, raising their damage considerably.


    For example, Zold focused 70% of his qi on his dagger when slashing the Minotaur; after the wound opened and he stabbed, he focused it on his mana to enhance his abilities.


    Crackle, crackle.


    The Minotaur roared in pain, but it still could move its body. At this moment, Quartz followed up on the attack; she raised her longsword, trying to pierce the heart.


    But just inches away from its heart, a huge energy shot out from the portal, imbuing the Minotaur and, at the same time, knocking the group back.


    The Minotaur''s veins protruded from his skin as it roared. Like a living snake, the vein moved, it pierced through his skin and started creating a cocoon surrounding the Minotaur.


    Seeing this, Quartz clicked her tongue in annoyance; she wanted to finish the monster before it entered a new phase.


    The cocoon looked grotesque as it kept throbbing like a heart.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Emily shot a barrage of bullets infused with qi, trying to tear the cocoon open. But it didn''t give any results. The moment it got close, the bullet disappeared like it was teleported away.


    It didn''t take long for the cocoon to disperse. From inside, a large creature appeared.


    The Minotaur''s height grew, reaching three times the average human adult height; it stood on two legs, but the structure under the knee changed, it became angled and more muscular.


    At a glance, everyone could tell the leg was specialized for jumping.


    His fists also grew larger, almost the size of its head, with huge blood coming out from the backhand and knuckle.


    It makes the Minotaur look like a hybrid with a kangaroo.


    It''s like the axe was fused into his hand.


    "Rooooarr!!!"


    The new beast moved in a blur toward Zold. Seeing this, Quartz threw her shield like a boomerang, blocking the path as Zold used his lightning to enhance his speed.


    Electricity surged through the air as Zold appeared behind the mutated Minotaur. His hand held the dagger behind his head; with a streak of lightning, the dagger moved forward, targeting the creature''s neck.


    Clang!


    His dagger failed to even make a scratch on its new skin. The boss turned its head, its red eyes gleaming menacingly, locking onto Zold.


    Swoosh, his fist shot forward like a cannon, piercing through the air.


    But the moment it reached Zold, he had already disappeared, leaving only an afterimage.


    Seeing this, Emily didn''t waste time; her body turned into a fleck of light, as part of it condensed in her hand into something sharp, looking like a rapier.


    Stab!


    With the speed of light, no one could follow what happened except for Alex. But even he only caught a blur of it.


    ''What an overpowered power,'' Alex thought to himself.

 Chapter 216 - 216: Unfathomable Being

    Alex knew this was not her sister''s full power.


    The creature''s corpse fell to the ground with a big hole in its chest. At first, it was still squirming, trying to regenerate the wound.


    Unfortunately, a crackling sound followed afterward; it sounded like the chirping of many birds. Zold blasted all his electricity from the gaping wound.


    His face turned pale, with sweat covering his forehead; it was clear he used almost all his qi and mana in that attack. To make sure the boss stayed dead.


    A genderless voice then reverberated in the air, "Dungeon cleared, checking the number of people that survived¡­,


    calculating clear rank¡­,


    Congratulations, you get a B Rank.


    The portal will be activated, make sure to bring all your loot before leaving."


    A text box then appeared in front of them, and a hissing sound started coming out from the portal.


    The trio lay on the ground, taking a break from the fight.


    ''B rank, huh? No wonder we wasted a lot of items in the Dungeon.'' Alex thought.


    This time, he got a box as a reward.


    Zold then stood up abruptly, pulling attention from the others.


    "I think we should go out now. Aunt Olivia still hasn''t woken up."


    Quartz rose her body; after drinking the potion, her sore muscles had already recovered. "Zold is right, let''s go."


    "When we are outside, I will leave the interview and public announcement for you guys."


    "Yes, brother, take care of Aunt Olivia for us," Emily replied with a knowing smile that Alex ignored.


    "One more thing, don''t tell anyone about the dark hunter we met here, just act like it''s a normal dungeon dive."


    Emily, Zold, and Quartz gave a nod. As for Patricia, Alex had already put her back in the AweCube.


    She and Alex didn''t intervene in the fight to get the trio more used to their qi.


    Alex then took Olivia out of the AweCube and entered through the portal.


    Everything turned dark; the next thing they knew, they were back where they entered.


    "Finally, it''s over," Emily said, feeling relieved, breathing the air outside the Dungeon.


    At the exit, Garric was waiting for them, as he would also appear at the press conference as the association representative.


    "Finally, you guys are all out. I was starting to worry here," his eyes then turned sharp, and he saw only three people come out from the portal.


    "Where are Alex and Olivia?" he asked.


    Quartz raised her eyes in confusion, then looked around and realized Alex was nowhere to be seen.


    Emily also felt confused; she then looked back at the portal, which was now starting to dim.


    Her face was quickly etched with worry.


    As the portal started getting dimmer, panic started spreading. Emily was about to walk back to the portal when Alex suddenly appeared, with Olivia still unconscious on his back.


    He had his usual smile on his face, "Sorry I entered the portal late."


    A relief came over them as Quartz and Emily started nagging at Alex.


    Zold looked at Alex''s smile, but he felt weird, not because of his expression but because Alex appeared a few minutes later, even when they entered together.


    He wondered if something similar happened to Alex, just like the incident with the eyes.


    After what happened, Zold started wondering if every dungeon portal was connected to the outer gate system.


    Alex then exchanged some words before leaving through another entrance. The butler was already waiting for him there.


    Entering the car, he put Olivia first, then took a seat. The engine then ignited as the car started driving.


    The butler didn''t say anything; he had known Alex for a long time, and he didn''t need his expression to know he was in a bad mood.


    The atmosphere around him is just different. He knew it was better not to ask in situations like this.


    "Where to, young master?"


    Alex''s smile disappeared, his expression now ice cold, "Go to the SGE. I will spend the night there, so you don''t need to wait for me."


    "Yes, young master."


    ''Vesa, just what the hell was that?''


    After entering through the portal, Alex found himself face-to-face with something out of his comprehension.


    He thought at first it was a progenitor, but Vesa told him it was not.


    A creature of a size that made even skyscrapers look like toys. It was one huge eye with six white wings surrounding it.


    In each wing, there was another set of three eyes.


    Each of these eyes had a golden iris that looked deep into Alex''s eyes.


    An otherworldly voice then reverberated in his mind, ''I never believed in Fate, but seeing what happened now, it''s almost as if that abstract concept really exists.''


    The being then started laughing before it continued, ''It''s really ironic. I am looking forward to our next meeting , Alex Campbell, Alucard''s heir.


    I wonder what you will think at that time when you find out about everything.''


    Before Alex could respond, everything turned black, and he found himself back inside the Dungeon in front of the dimming portal. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing it start dimming, he quickly adjusted his expression before reentering it.


    He was still processing what happened, but his instinct told him going through the portal now would bring him back.


    [I don''t have any information about that being, King.]


    ''Do you think it''s a friend or enemy? What about its life force?''


    [The being is too strong for me to peer into, so even with the close proximity I cannot get anything. But I can estimate it should be at the level of a Progenitor at least.]


    ''At least? Are you kidding me, Vesa? Do you mean there are beings stronger than a Progenitor?''


    Alex asked in an annoyed tone, a Progenitor itself already far beyond his current level. And now, I am saying there is something even stronger.


    [The possibility of that is never zero, King, but honestly, I never knew anything like this. I have tried to compare it with any species possible in my library, but none have similar features to that creature.]

 Chapter 217 - 217: Suspicion

    ''I am sure that being is related to that outer gate system. But what does it mean to know the truth?


    And those golden eyes, they look familiar.'' Alex thought in his mind, not replying to Vesa.


    He turned his gaze to Olivia, ''Those golden eyes¡­ no way! Oli has been with me since I was a kid. It''s just a coincidence.


    It''s not like there are no other people with golden eyes.'' Alex convinced himself.


    His eyes sharpened as he looked at Olivia; many tough thoughts started surfacing in his mind, things he wanted to deny.


    His hand moved toward Olivia''s, a qi appearing on his finger; he just wanted to make a prick on it when suddenly Olivia''s eyes fluttered open.


    "Where¡­ where am I?" Olivia asked groggily as she felt her head throb in pain.


    The last memory she had was of looking at the portal, then everything turned blank.


    Everything was a blur, but hearing a familiar voice made her feel safe and not worried.


    "Alex?"


    "Yes, Olivia, are you hurt anywhere?"


    The blurry image didn''t stay long; it quickly returned back to clarity. "Are we out of the dungeon?"


    Alex turned his gaze toward the driver. It''s not that he didn''t believe him, but it''s better to not know unnecessary information.


    Understanding what he meant, Olivia changed the topic. She took out her phone and started searching for the press conference.


    Seeing Emily making her speech made her heart feel warm and nostalgic. "To think this day has finally come for the Guild to start back."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "You say it as if you didn''t know it would happen."


    Right now, Alex decided to put away his worries at the back of his head. He had enough enemies; suspecting someone he knew was not something he needed now.


    It''s illogical, but the thought that someone close to him could possibly be his enemy was something he wanted to remove from his mind.


    Both of them then watched the press conference together. It didn''t take long for them to arrive at their destination.


    Alex told Olivia to get another checkup, but she insisted she didn''t need it. Instead, she took Alex to eat together and told him what happened.


    "Wait, I need to take them out first," Alex replied.


    He pointed out his awe cube, then let William and Alice out. Alex then introduced both of them to Olivia.


    Seeing William and Alice piqued her interest. William''s feline ears and tails were only bone, and Alice looked just like a normal human.


    "Aren''t you a fairy? Do they look the same as us?"


    "Of course not, I just hide my features for now," Alice replied. "So you have woken up. Are you alright?"


    Seeing Olivia''s confused face, Alex then explained that they were taking care of her when she was unconscious.


    "I see. Thank you for taking care of me, Alice, William."


    William raised both his hands, "No need to thank me; Alice is the one who looked after you."


    "Well, we can talk later; let''s have a meal first," Alex said, pointing for them to sit.


    They then exchanged some small talk while discussing their future plans.


    Alex needed identities for Alice and William. He also planned for both of them to enroll in the Guild.


    "That will not be easy, Alex, unless you plan to get help from the association. If it''s only normal people, I can still find a way; your mother has many networks in many orphanages.


    We can just report them as kids who haven''t got an ID yet. But I am sure you don''t want only this. Since you want them to become hunters, the process will be harder.


    Their background check is no joke; if they find even the slightest bit of suspicion, they will use ability users to check their background.


    I always wondered why they did this in the past. Isn''t it fine as long as they have the ability?


    This process is even more stringent compared to those that got promoted; some even make me feel puzzled, like testing blood, medical checkup."


    "I see, you mean the association purposely looks for people from other species. This means we really do have some of them living with us."


    "I am sure yes, at this point, denying this is just foolish."


    "Try to get some normal IDs first, then I will think again how to get their hunter licenses; worst case, they will just act as my bodyguards."


    Alice and William didn''t put any comment, as they had zero understanding of the situation. Instead, they were now busy reading some basic information about this world.


    "Well, before that we also need for both of you to learn our language. Even those that have brain implant like us won''t understand our language unless I give them the data," Alex said to Alice and William.


    "Don''t worry, it won''t take long for me to learn a new language, give me a week." Alice replied


    William also gave a nod, but he himself wasn''t sure how long it would take to learn the language, so he didn''t say anything.


    Alex wasn''t worried; with VR, there are many interactive education systems for them to learn the language. It will be far easier after both of them become cultivators.


    They then proceeded to have some small talk until Emily, Quartz, and Zold returned from the press conference.


    The group was relieved to see Olivia was all right;


    They then wanted to have a party to celebrate the reopening of the Guild and their first dungeon dive.


    If this is before, Alex would be excited to join in.


    The celebration would invite many people of influence from the association, allowing them to increase his network. But after what happened, he decided not to go.


    Influence? Network?


    In the eyes of absolute power, it''s all useless.


    "I think I will skip today''s party; I have a few things to take care of," Alex then threw a bangle toward William, "I have modified this one; you can use it to appear as human.


    You can join the party, but remember, don''t talk to other people who are not from our Guild." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 218 - 218: Luminous Fusion

    William caught the bangle, as he said, "No thanks, can you tell me where I could sleep? I also want to take a break."


    "Emily will take care of that; ask her," Alex said as he pointed to Emily. She was still busy talking with Quartz and Olivia.


    "Where are you going?" Alice asked.


    She also has no interest in going to the party. Despite it being a new place, Alice is already fed up with this kind of activity.


    The food, and perhaps the clothing, may be different, but in the end, a party like this is not for relaxation; it''s more like another battlefield, each people come with their own Agenda.


    "I see. I will just go to the library and then look for some information."


    "Well, knock yourself out," Alex says as he leaves the group.


    He didn''t directly give them a cultivation method because he wanted them to focus on adapting to the new environment first.


    Walking through the hallway, he arrived at his own personal laboratory. Usually, he could see Prof. Faerith in a different section of the lab, but now she is nowhere to be seen.


    Alex then remembered Faerith sent him a message earlier, saying she had personal matters, then a thought came to his mind, ''I should make a new lab for her, or maybe let her take a new one, and make a new one for me.


    Even though she knows I got the blood, she still doesn''t know anything about the progenitor. And it''s better to keep it that way.''


    ''Vesa, how is the wisp of light? Have you finished?''


    [Yes, King, it should be loyal now.] S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then checks the monster''s status again.


    __________________________


    Wisp of Light


    Power Level: 4.2


    Lifeforce: 23/350


    Ability:


    Luminous Fusion


    The Wisp of Light can separate its body and fuse with a nearby crystal, forming a crystal golem temporarily.


    This golem possesses enhanced durability and strength, allowing it to manipulate its crystalline form to create sharp edges or bludgeoning surfaces.


    After the ability ends, the Wisp of Light must recuperate its energy, making it vulnerable for a short duration.


    ________________________


    "Hmm, so it needs crystal. What expensive abilities. Thank God my family is loaded; otherwise, this ability would not be able to shine.


    I should give this to Emily tomorrow. I also need to buy some crystals." Alex then let out a sigh.


    Even though his family has a lot of money, that is his mother''s, not his. Despite getting a lot of money from the storage cube, with his expense, it''s not nearly enough.


    He almost goes broke buying resources for MingYue to raise her cultivation realm.


    That is also why he is still stuck at the core formation''s real middle stage.


    He prioritizes Mingyue because he knows how brutal the cultivation world is; she is more at risk, and he also needs her to capture stronger beasts. But he feels a little regret; if he were stronger, things would go differently in the secret realm.


    For example, what happened to Roxy; despite not being close to her, her death still leaves a mark on Alex''s mind. Seeing William at that time reminds him of his own past.


    Taking a seat on the couch, he took out a bottle of spice water. He wants to drink it as one of the effects is to refresh his mind.


    He was just about to put it to his mouth when he remembered what Alice told him, ''Fuck, I almost forgot where it came from.''


    Looking at the pure water, never would Alex think it''s just piss from a monster.


    He then started shaking the bottle, making the water inside of it stir, "Alice says this is Aetheric essence, and they use it for everything."


    Many thoughts then came to his mind, ''breaking down energy into a purer form, then transforming it into another type of energy based on need, with zero waste.


    A perfect energy conversion. What a technological marvel.


    If I can capture one of those Aetheric dragons, I should be able to learn how they do this.''


    Alex then let out a sigh, not to mention studying them. Even facing one would not end well for him.


    ''If I can find the way, maybe I could make the cultivation system even more effective, reducing the amount of energy needed to break through.


    MingYue''s golden core was now made using mana and qi, mixed like a weave, with her soul as the core.


    The next step requires her to find a way to mix this all into one to break through to the next realm.''


    Alex then started thinking about how the current cultivation method works step by step.


    As he does this, a voice reverberates in his mind.


    ''Alex, how is your dungeon dive?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Not that good.'' Alex then told her what had happened, and he met with the strange eyes.


    He also sent her the bracelet he got from Vesa for MingYue to use.


    ''So I should hide in the background while you proclaim yourself as the only heir?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Yes, and honestly, I really doubt we are the only ones with Alucard power.''


    ''You mean Vesa lied to us?''


    [King, Queen, I am not lying.]


    Vesa''s text appeared in bold letters in front of them. It''s clear Vesa felt hurt by the accusation.


    Alex let out a chuckle. ''That is not what I mean; from my experience, it''s clear they have found a way to utilize life force. Now, what is stopping our enemy from doing the same with progenitor blood?''


    MingYue paused for a moment, then replied, ''It''s possible. It''s been so long since the incident. We really need to be prepared. By the way, Alex¡­''


    MingYue then told Alex what happened to her, how she met up with the Fang Clan, and how they are humans with special abilities.


    The clan interests him, but more than anything, the news that Vesa can transport both of them to hunt progenitors makes him feel excited.

 Chapter 219 - 219: Enhancing Cognitive Matrix

    ''This is very good news, I was just contemplating choosing a good dungeon to raid by myself to recover Vesa''s power. But you instead got it first. Thank you, MingYue.''


    ''What are you thanking me for?


    We are both in this together, and if not because you prioritized my cultivation, I would not have been able to succeed.


    So when do you want to go?''


    ''Give me a week, I need to raise my cultivation level so we are at least on the same level.''


    ''A week would be great, I also need to make sure there are no conflicts brewing with the Fang sect.''


    ''How about the goblins? They don''t make any problems, right?''


    ''I still keep them on my island; well, with your education module, they do learn fast.


    Some of them are already able to talk my language, I am thinking to first let the sect members interact with them.''


    ''What will you tell them? A beastman race?''


    ''Of course not. I will not tell them anything; I will let them speculate for themselves.


    This sect, your guild, as we discussed, is just an embryo to revive the vampire race.


    It''s better to prepare them from now and see how they react to it.'' S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''I see that is a good method. As for me, the Suzaku Guild just reopened.


    I still need to wait for the association signal so I can use the cultivation system and start recruiting people.''


    ''What a hassle, why not just do what you want? Will the association turn it into a problem?''


    ''If I do it now, yes, I already have a deal after all.


    Even if not, I cannot just go behind the association''s back without a comprehensive plan; it will just cause more trouble.


    Having a central government has its perks, MingYue, but if we are not the ones with authority, there are many things we need to come to terms with, like following their rules.''


    ''I get what you mean; it''s like when I am inside of a sect, but this time it''s on a larger scale.


    So it should be like those cities under control of the ShangXi Temple.''


    ''Yeah, by the way, how are the people you sent outside? Are any of them already settled in the city?


    I already prepared a few containers of MSG and spice. I am sure they will quickly get popular.''


    ''Yes, I have tried it; it''s really addicting, just like those instant noodles you sent me.''


    ''Don''t use the instant food; just use the usual dishes in your world.


    I am sure the spice alone is enough to make them get addicted.


    Then, worse case if they ask where they got it from, point it out as we planned.''


    ''Yes, a mysterious golden core cultivator at first, then every time they order, hopefully, we can put someone stronger as the source. For now, I will put FengXue in charge of it.''


    ''That should work; The change of this should be low anyway since we can always say it''s because of the chef. But who knows if someone blabber.


    I will send a few containers tomorrow.


    It''s better if they can already start before we go. Who knows how long it will take.''


    ''You think we will take a long time?'' MingYue asked with worry.


    The current sect is still too weak, even with the contract; with so many operations underway now, if just one goes wrong, things could easily escalate.


    Just like the rumor she spread about the Hua Family. Even now, they are still in hot water. It even implicates the Blue Lotus sect.


    If she is gone for a long time and something happens to her sect, the thought of this causes her to worry.


    Hearing MingYue''s question, Alex replied, ''Worst comes to worst. We will just return without getting the progenitor blood. We can always find a way to return there.''


    They then exchanged a few more small talks before ending the discussion. Alex let out a sigh, then closed his eyes.


    His mind churned, thinking how to enhance his ability.


    ''Even now, at the core formation realm, I still haven''t tried to enhance my brain. My cognitive matrix now is still not used effectively in a fight.'' Alex thought.


    He then addressed Vesa, ''Show me the simulation you have done so far for my brain enhancement.''


    A 3D projection of his brain then appeared in Alex''s sight despite his eyes still being closed.


    It then pointed out a small area right in the middle of the brain, between the two hemispheres, the thalamus.


    This part of the brain is responsible for processing information from the senses¡ªsight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, acting like a relay station before forwarding all this information to the cerebral cortex for further processing.


    [As the king knows, this part of yours has been mutated by mana. As for why specifically only this part or how this process happened is unknown. I speculate the mutation already started when you were still a fetus.]


    ''A fetus, huh, continue.''


    [The king proposed using mana or Qi to also evolve the cerebral cortex so it can calculate all the information in slow motion. Based on my simulation, it only has a 10% success rate; even if this success, there is only a 0.0083% chance that the effect will be as what the king wanted.]


    ''What about the worst-case scenario?''


    [Other than wasting material, there are none. Well, a lot of pain for each unsuccessful attempt. With the current life force stockpile, we should be able to try this 1,232,264 times.]


    Alex''s lips twitched, seeing the number, ''Fuck, forget it, no getting cold feet now, Alex.''


    He then took out a pile of high-grade mana crystals and Qi crystals.


    Logically speaking, the choice should be using only mana to evolve something as intricate as his brain, but he doubts this would be enough.


    Even now, with so many people having abilities, there are none he knows that have the abilities he wanted. The ability to think one hundred times faster than a normal human.

 Chapter 220 - 220: Experimenting

    There are similar ones, but none have reached this number. Even though this could be achieved if he keeps evolving his cultivation realm and raises his transformation rate, this still isn''t what he wants.


    Those things were like a multiplier where all stats rise ten times, while what he wants is to raise his base stats.


    Vesa also suggested some ideas before using the ERx chip surrounding his brain to process all the information.


    It''s possible, but Alex doesn''t want to do this. No matter how much he trusts Vesa, it''s still external help.


    Who knows what might happen in the future. An enemy at the level of a progenitor or like that eye being could probably separate him from Vesa if they wanted.


    Alex then starts his experiment.


    The cerebral cortex is the outer part of the brain, further separated into four parts.


    The frontal lobe is responsible for cognitive functions, and the parietal lobe is at the back of the brain for processing language and mathematics.


    The occipital lobe processes information from the eyes, and finally, the temporal lobe has a crucial function in the creation of memory.


    Alex thought to do the process step by step, but after some thought, he decided it''s better to do it all at the same time. What he will do will affect his mind; he would not be able to focus and evolve everything slowly.


    Giving control to Vesa is an option, but he doesn''t like the idea.


    Alex focused his mind, then started controlling his life force energy, putting it around his head. The energy will quickly react, automatically healing him the moment something goes wrong. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He starts taking a few breaths, trying to calm himself down. His lips then curled into a smile. ''If Emily and others knew about this, I am sure they would think I am crazy.''


    A brain is the core of a human being, anyone will tell him he is insane to even try this. Even if they know they could regenerate, a question will arise; will they be the same person afterward or not?


    He has asked Vesa about this before.


    [It will be the same person, King. Theoretically, you are not dead. For humans, when their brain is destroyed, they will die, so it won''t work. But King, you are not human anymore. Your consciousness is etched in your soul.]


    This makes Alex feel relieved and then realize, A cultivator will still have their soul if they die after they reach the Nascent soul stage.


    Remembering how the process works makes him realize this is the same as etching their consciousness into their soul.


    While Alex makes sure everything is in place, Alice has finished reading in the library. She didn''t read all the books there, only the most important ones.


    Like history, distribution of power, mana, dungeons. She already gets the gist of the situation. But all this information only leaves her with more questions. So she decided to look for Alex.


    After asking around, she found out where Alex was. Walking through the hallway, it doesn''t take long for her to reach the place; as the door is not locked, she enters and finds Alex deep in meditation.


    She took a seat on a nearby couch, not wanting to disturb him.


    She looks at Alex, wondering what he was meditating for.


    BOOM!


    The upper part of his head exploded like a watermelon, making her eyes widen as her mouth gaped open.


    Before she could even react, the head regenerated back. It then exploded again. The process repeated multiple times before it stopped.


    As for Alex, he feels dizzy. The moment he pumps mana and Qi into his cerebral cortex, he feels like his head is under heavy pressure as if it''s being squished from all sides.


    He tries to hold in, but it''s useless; his head explodes.


    After recovering, he doesn''t feel any pain. Instead, he feels numb inside his skull.


    He then does it again; on every try, Alex will lower the energy amount while keeping going with the same amount of mana and Qi.


    After many tries, he finally starts getting the amount of Qi and Mana required to avoid triggering the explosion.


    Alex decided to do this because he wants to use the maximum amount of Qi and Mana possible since the beginning.


    Based on many experiments, he has found out making things adapt bit by bit will produce worse results compared to doing it right to the utmost limit.


    Alex then starts fusing more and more Qi and Mana, waiting for it to adapt before injecting some more. After some time, he stopped the process and clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    It''s not working. It has results but only makes the organ stronger, not giving him the ability he wanted.


    Alex opened his eyes, in front of him was now a large window giving him a good view of the night sky. Seeing the stars and moon, his mind starts thinking, ''What am I missing, this is not working.''


    [King, just to remind you, Alice is sitting behind you now. I didn''t tell you before since you were too focused on the experiment.]


    ''What?'' Alex was surprised by Vesa''s message.


    He turned his head, seeing Alice looking at him with a pale face. Her eyes glistened with fear as if she had seen a monster.


    Her mouth still gaped open all this time. She had never seen someone regenerate their head like that.


    As a Fairy princess, it''s not like she had never seen regeneration or healing abilities. But regenerating a head is something she had never seen before on a humanoid creature.


    Neither Fairy nor Felidaen ever do that.


    "Alice, since when have you been here?" Alex asked as he stood up.


    He then took the brain matter and blood around him, putting it in his storage ring.


    Alice was still in a daze, not responding to what Alex said. She only regained clarity when Alex arrived right in front of her.


    "Hey, are you hearing me?"

 Chapter 221 - 221: Preparations

    "Oh yeah, I''m sorry," Alice replied groggily, not knowing what to say.


    Alex is not worried about Alice finding out about his ability; she already signed the contract. As long as Alex is stronger than her, he holds her life.


    He feels bad doing this but cannot trust someone he just met.


    Alex took out a bottle of spice water. "Have a drink to calm your mind," he said.


    "Aetheris essence?" Alice mumbled. She has a different view than Alex.


    Even though Felidaen knows Aetheris Essence is excreted by Aetheric Dragons, they don''t feel any disgust towards it. All they see is all-purpose water, like an elixir, a precious material that many use.


    "How did you get this?" Alice asked as she didn''t hesitate to take a gulp.


    "I found it in the dungeon. Well, I have more information about where that came from. If you want, I can give you some."


    "It''s a waste using it like this. If you trust me, can you give me all the water? I can then turn this into many products depending on what you want."


    "Sure, but what kind of thing can you make? A weapon or healing potion? We already have those here."


    "I will compile a list and give it to you later."


    "Alright, so why are you here?"


    "Oh yeah, before that, just what were you doing before? You exploded! How can you still be alive?" Alice asked.


    "I was doing some experiments, and as for how I''m still alive, let''s just say I am hard to kill."


    "I already signed your weird agreement, can''t you tell me?"


    "Why should I? The agreement only ensures we don''t backstab each other. And why do you feel interested?"


    "How could I not? How about an exchange? I am really curious about how you can do that." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Right now, nothing interests me, maybe later when I think of something."


    "Nothing interests you? I don''t believe that."


    "There is something, but you won''t be able to answer it."


    "Try me," Alice replied confidently.


    As someone second only to Freya, she believes she knows everything Alex wants to know.


    "The goal. The dark hunter moves for the giant tree. It''s the ifrit race''s goal. Why do they want it?"


    Alice turned silent; she also didn''t know the answer to this.


    Seeing her expression, Alex let out a chuckle. "See, I told you, you won''t know. I am sure your mother knows something, but she just doesn''t want to tell anyone else."


    Alice then sighed in defeat, she also felt curious about this. She wanted to ask her mother, but with how angry she was before, she doesn''t dare to ask this.


    "You are right, I also feel curious about this."


    "So why are you looking for me?"


    "I have some questions about those dungeons. Is it another realm? Similar to mine? Or is it another planet?"


    Alice has this suspicion since she has an understanding of how her secret realm works. It''s very different from how dungeons work.


    Alex then told her the information he knew, he doesn''t tell all the details but enough for her to understand the big picture.


    "That explains many things. So what is your plan now? Based on the deal, I will help you. I believe your immediate goal would be to rescue your father?"


    "Yes. But I have something to take care of first, you should prepare yourself meanwhile. Get used to how we live here, and try to learn our weapons too."


    Alice looked at Alex for a moment, then asked, "Where will you go? Don''t you need my help?"


    "Nope, don''t worry, I won''t leave you stranded here. You should understand that."


    "Yeah," Alice replied. She knew the chance of that was slim, but she just wanted to make sure.


    "If you have no more questions, I want to take a break."


    Alex then took out two phones from his storage ring. He has many brand-new one stocked as they were purchased for Bai Yue Sect, but MingYue hasn''t distributed them yet.


    "Take that for you and William."


    "A phone, huh? I have read about this."


    "Well, there are manuals in the box, so I am sure you can learn how to use it by yourself."


    They then exchanged some more small talk as Alex told her what she should do when he was gone.


    Meanwhile, back in the Cultivation world, MingYue just finished taking a shower. She sat in front of a mirror and then used qi to dry her hair.


    As she combed through her hair, a voice reverberated in her mind.


    ''You seem in a good mood, MingYue.''


    ''Who wouldn''t? I just succeeded in getting a whole new clan under my sect. They also have many techniques that I can use.''


    ''That is not what I mean. You should look at yourself in the mirror. I don''t know what you did, but you are smiling all the time before the shower.'' Lin Hua said in her mind.


    MingYue just smirked and didn''t answer. Lately, she feels comfortable talking with Alex, since he is the only one she can talk to without hiding something.


    Looking at her own reflection, she started thinking, ''I should start making some preparations.''


    First, MingYue needs to make sure the Fang clan has no problem settling here. She has allocated a whole building for them to stay.


    But if they need anything, Ming Yue thinks of giving the role to Ming Hua. He is the only person she trusts more than her own uncle.


    ''Well, worst comes to worst the secret realm is under Vesa''s observation, I am sure nothing will go wrong. Thankfully, Vesa has made a deal with QingWa Xian.''


    When MingYue fought with YangFei, Vesa completely overwhelmed Qing with her presence alone.


    Since she didn''t dare to fight back, Vesa made a deal for her to follow them in exchange for Vesa giving a new body to her husband.


    Even though Yang Fei and Greed are still alive, the agreement she made was only to destroy Blue Lotus Village, and the village is gone now. So she doesn''t have any more obligations toward them.

 Chapter 222 - 222: FengXue and Situ CuiYing

    MingYue then took out a laptop from her storage ring; she started reading information about the Sect''s progress.


    The mining on the Qi vein is progressing smoothly. With the generator that transforms qi to electricity, many modern tools were used in the process, raising the efficiency to a whole new level.


    Right now, there are only a dozen people working to maintain the operation, with most of them being guards. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some distance from the mine, MingYue sent out forty people to begin construction on a small village.


    She did this to build a sentry so that if any interest began growing in the area, she could prepare countermeasures.


    The twenty disciples also now finished their foundational training and began learning how to cultivate. Despite their low potential, their strength should not be underestimated.


    With the modified cultivation method, they all could fight cultivators one minor realm above them. Except for MingHao, his talent is better than the others, but only mediocre at best in the eyes of the Sect.


    However, this was compensated for by a lot of training. His training was also very effective as he had the Xueqi Family ancestor to guide him. The end result was that MingHao could fight a cultivator a whole major realm above.


    Of course, this only counts normal cultivators, for those with heavenly chosen talent, the result would be very different.


    Even Yang Fei is not considered one; the Yang family may have a few geniuses, but heaven-chosen? They don''t have a single one.


    In Dali city, FengXue, in Linhua''s body, is now meeting with Situ CuiYing.


    "So what do you want to ask?" FengXue asked.


    Situ CuiYing smiled, "If you want to waste time, I can entertain you; I have a lot of it. But since you are here, don''t you already know why I came?"


    "You are looking for the treasure of the Xueqi family. But that would not be entirely correct."


    Situ CuiYing raised her eyebrow in surprise. "What do you mean?"


    FengXue''s finger moved around the cup of her tea, and she smiled confidently.


    "Situ CuiYing, the fourth daughter of the Situ Family, was born from civilians. Your talent is good, but unfortunately, you were born at the golden age of the Situ family where they have a heaven-chosen, if I recall right, that should be your oldest brother, Situ Chen, and you are looking for a way to gain more power than him."


    BAM!


    Situ CuiYing hit the table, turning it to dust, her face turning ugly.


    "Who are you? I am sure you are not LinHua. All this information is not hard to find, but only for people in my region.


    Your blue lotus doesn''t have any influence there, nor does your Hua Family."


    Feng Xue let out a short chuckle, "Getting emotional? The answer to your question doesn''t matter. You can try threatening me with this, but I would advise you against that."


    Cui Ying wanted to say something more as a Qi spread out from LinHua''s body, giving out her pressure, followed by killing intent.


    "Nascent stage cultivator? No, this is almost Golden Core, but you should have failed." Cui Ying asked in disbelief.


    What surprised her was not only the realm but also the killing intent mixed with it. "You''re going to kill me? Even though I am not the main heir, do you think my father will stay silent?"


    "That old coot will probably not; he will take action. But believe me, Cui Ying, I am not afraid to kill you at all.


    There is a reason why I gave a hint, I am not LinHua in front of you; I have unfinished business with your family, so I will offer you a deal.


    Cooperate with me, or die here." FengXue said calmly, but her tone was icy cold.


    "What do you want? Despite my situation, I will not agree if it hurts my family."


    "Oh, that is surprising. I thought you hated them. Well, as long as the one you mean by your family is only your father and siblings, we don''t have any problem.


    What you need to do is simple; tell your father FengXue wants to meet; he will understand."


    CuiYing hesitated; she could feel the killing intent coming from FengXue, but at the same time, she knew her father''s strength. There is no way she could kill him.


    ''Just who is she? Is she my father''s old acquaintance?''


    "Don''t worry, CuiYing. As long as you send the message, I will make it worthwhile.


    Don''t you want to become stronger? Although surpassing your brother is impossible with just my help."


    "What do you mean by that? Is there a way?"


    "Well, let''s talk about that later, and one more thing; I want you to take care of the rumor that is spreading now; I am sure you can do that," FengXue said as she released CuiYing from her pressure.


    FengXue then stood up and left the room, giving CuiYing a sense of relief.


    ''Just what is that killing intent? Normally, I shouldn''t have this much fear, even if I face a golden core cultivator.


    It''s like facing those demonic cultivators that have killed so many they lose count.''


    As CuiYing delved deep in thought, MingHao was in front of the door at BaiYue sect.


    He was looking at a screen beside the door, "Is this work like the phone my sis gave me? But why did she put one beside the door?"


    He then tapped the screen, but it didn''t turn on. "Is it not a touchscreen? Just where did Sis get all these toys?"


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    He did it again, but it did not respond. As he frowned, on the other side, MingYue looked at her phone with a smile on her face.


    The screen had a small camera that detected who came in and out. It was installed because of her curiosity about how the system worked.


    With Vesa''s control over the realm, she didn''t need something like this to ensure security.


    "This little brat, I hope you will never change," she said with a chuckle.


    Beep.


    The screen suddenly turned on, surprising MingHao and making him almost fall.


    MingYue tried her best not to laugh, resulting in an awkward smile, "What are you doing, you brat? Just go in already."

 Chapter 223 - 223: Who will Look For Me?

    After that, the screen turned off, and the door opened.


    MingHao scratched his head, "I am sure the door was locked before, sis is just messing with me," he mumbled with an annoyed tone, but his lips curved into a smile.


    He is happy seeing his sister act like this. It''s like she is coming out of her shell.


    The sister he knew always had a stoic expression, was cold, and almost never smiled. Every day was always about cultivating.


    Entering inside, he found his sister sitting on the couch. She then pointed at her side. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why are you calling me this late at night, sis? Did you have a problem with your boyfriend? I know it. It''s only a matter of time before..."


    "You brat, shut up. You are lucky I am in a good mood now."


    MingHao let out a chuckle and then took a seat.


    "So, what is it?"


    "Have you met with the Fang Clan?"


    "Not yet, but I heard about them. Some of my friends talked about a group of cultivators joining us now. They are wondering how things will change here?"


    "Don''t worry, nothing will change, it''s up to them to join the Sect or not, but I have a task for you.


    Tomorrow you should meet up with the leader of the Fang Clan, make sure you are polite with her. She has been through a lot."


    "You want me to make friends with her? Is this one of those arranged marriage things?"


    MingYue''s lips twitched, "You wish. Find your own girlfriend.


    I need you to have an amiable relationship with her since I need to go outside the Sect again. But this time, I don''t know how long, so you will be responsible if something happens in this place."


    MingHao''s expression turned to worry, "Sis, what do you mean by that? You know I am still weak; if something happens, I will not be able to protect them."


    BAM! MingYue flicked his forehead.


    "You are overthinking, I mean for you to make sure no problem internally. For outside problems, don''t worry, I already have many arrangements in place.


    Even if a golden core cultivator comes here, you will be safe," MingYue said while she thought, ''Well even if an immortal comes, Vesa says they should not be able to find this place now. The worst is they found the mine.''


    MingHao put his hand on his forehead, massaging the place MingYue just flicked, "No wonder you have problems with your boyfriend, sis," he mumbled in a low voice.


    MingYue''s eyes perked up, "What are you saying?"


    "Nothing! So you are saying I just need to make sure there are no problems and get the Fang clan to mingle with us?"


    "Yes."


    "I have an idea for that, sis. If you give me some of the movies and games, I am sure I can make them addicted to living here."


    MingYue eyed her brother suspiciously, after that one time she has not allowed MingHao to touch video games again.


    She is worried he will get addicted to them, then forget to practice. After some thought, she replied, "The movie is fine, but no video games."


    MingHao sighed, "I''ll take that better than nothing, so I can choose what movie to watch."


    "Make your choice, but why do you want video games? Can''t you play that from your phone?"


    "It''s different, sis, mobile phone games are just no fun. It''s better to use a controller than touching the screen."


    ''Thankfully, I don''t let him test that VR game; he would probably get addicted after one try,'' Mingyue thought.


    "Well, the cinema already finished; I will tell you later how to operate it, invite them to watch together."


    "Can I bring my friend?" MingHao asked with excitement.


    "Just make sure they finish their practice first, don''t be lazy MingHao, soon I will send you out for a mission."


    "Don''t worry, sis, I will show you the result of my practice. I will become strong enough so I can do what I want."


    MingYue let out a chuckle as she made a mess of his hair.


    Back in Alex''s world, he was now meeting up with Quartz and Emily.


    After the party, Olivia was feeling tired, so she went to sleep. Zold, meanwhile, didn''t even join the party; he left early, saying he wanted to practice.


    William is nowhere to be seen, presumably sleeping in his room, while Alice is now deep in thought, trying to process the information she just got.


    "So, as I said, I will probably go for a while. I don''t know how long it will last, but hopefully, it will be finished quickly."


    Quartz frowned, "Just what are you hiding? Why can''t you tell us where you will go?"


    "I am not hiding anything; it''s related to the progenitor, and I don''t know where I will end up."


    "Will you be alright?" Emily asked with worry.


    "Of course, you know better than anyone else, Emily. Your brother is immortal," Alex replied with a chuckle. He then took out the AweCube that had the wisp of light.


    "Take this, I already ordered it to be obedient to you, so you should have no problem ordering them."


    Emily''s expression quickly changed to excitement; she thought it would take a while. It''s a surprise she got it on the same day.


    "Thank you, brother," she replied as she hugged Alex.


    "Well, try to practice using it. You can also order the goblins; they are quite close to you now, and with their bond with me, their loyalty should be assured. Just put them in the AweCube," Alex said. It''s an arrangement just in case they need it.


    "What if someone looks for you then?" Quartz asked.


    "Who will?"


    "For example, the Association president. You have dealt with the cultivation method; who knows if he decided to call you for that."


    "That is possible, but I don''t care, just tell them I am busy when I was out. That old fox won''t be angry at all."


    "So, when will you go?"

 Chapter 224 - 224: How You do It?

    "As soon as possible. But there are some things I need to prepare first. How about about Mom? Any news from her?''


    "No, she is probably busy. I tried to call her a few times, but she only replied with a message."


    "Well in that case, that will work even better. I prefer not telling her anything if possible, so she would not worry."


    "In that case, brother, you should spend some time training with us too. We all want to break through to the next realm soon."


    "Sure, but buy your own material. The pay from the dungeon should be enough. I will teach you all how to raise your realm; bring Zold and Olivia too," Alex replied, but he only planned to guide them for a day and then leave them with the method.


    After all, he need to focus on his own cultivation. His goal is to reach the Golden Core stage before going with MingYue.


    "How about them?" Quartz asked, yawning.


    "William and Alice? Well, I just gave them the cultivation method. And they are still trying to adapt here, but you can ask them if you are interested.


    By the way, Sis, you should go to sleep, it''s already night."


    "Alright, see you, bro," Emily replied as she left the area.


    "How does she still get tired easily, even after becoming a cultivator?" Alex mumbled.


    "Did you forget she used her ability before?" Quartz reminded Alex.


    ''So even now, she''s still not able to control it completely,'' Alex thought. He then said goodbye to Quartz, taking a rest in his room.


    One week quickly passed; at this time, as promised, Alex helped them learn how to raise their realm; the rest of the time, he focused on his own cultivation level.


    Alex went all out, using his stockpiled lifeforce; since he already knew what to do and did not modify it further, the process ran smoothly. He also used a lot of mana crystals in the process.


    At this time, the association also started spreading out the cultivation technique. Alex got hold of it, but to his surprise, the content was modified.


    The new method seemed to be mixed with another system he had heard of before.


    The start is the same; they enhance their body using mana, but when they reach the core formation realm, it begins to diverge. The process focuses on the Core, creating many layers


    Every single circle formed enhances the awakener''s ability or gives the user a new ability if they don''t have one; the second circle will evolve the ability.


    As for the third circle and beyond, it will only be given to those joining the association. It says it can go up to the eighth circle.


    With Alex''s privileges, he should be able to access the information on this circle, but he decided against it.


    If he keeps thinking about how to perfect his cultivation method, he will only end up never raising his own power in the end, and he feels an inkling the old fox wants him to read this information. It probably contains something that will make him want to renegotiate their deal.


    Other than the method, despite what he said, Alex still made a call to his mom, Luca. Unfortunately, the call never connected, which made him worried at first, but then he got a message at night, making him feel relieved.


    Despite feeling it''s weird for Luca not to call back, he decided to ignore the matter, since for now, he needed to focus on his task.


    The meeting with the eye was still fresh in his mind.


    At the end of the week, his cultivation raised leaps and bounds; he already reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.


    "Finally, now I only need one more realm to catch up with her. But damn¡­ it''s really expensive," Alex mumbled, remembering how many crystals he had used in the process.


    "At least most of the crystal I need is Qi crystal. But I wonder, can I implement this circle system in my Core too?" Alex wondered. But he shook his head.


    The Core is too different compared to cultivators. Even with his method, it just makes the Core use two energies, mana and Qi. This makes Alex regret not thinking of this method.


    If he can make the Core into multiple layers, that will open up new possibilities. He then remembered the cultivation method of the Fang clan; in this case, they spread the Core into many types, creating an invisible network, reminding Alex of a hive mind.


    "Usually, this is an ability used by insect species; that reminds me, Vesa, do species like them exist?"


    [Yes, King. There are many species that have similar features like bugs, but as far as I know, they took a neutral side in the progenitor war.]


    "I see. I think I have made the preparations. How about MingYue''s side?"


    [The Queen said she would be ready in thirty more minutes. Do you want to go there first?]


    "What is she doing?"


    [Well, the Queen is watching a movie now. Last time I interrupted her in the middle of a show, she got angry. She told me not to disturb her unless it''s an emergency.]


    Alex''s lips twitched, "No need. How about the place we will go to? Do you have any information?"


    [I don''t know, King. The only information I got is that this place has around 3.5% of the last progenitor''s part. It''s the weakest and nearest one I can find.]


    "I see¡­" As he thought of what he probably missed out, there was a knock on the door of his room.


    "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, William."


    The last time Alex met William was on the day he helped others with their cultivation, so it''s been a few days since their last talk. Alex wondered what he had in mind now.


    As he opened the door, his eyes widened in surprise. "What did you do these last few days? You should tell me about this; I''m sure we can make a lot of money. Many women would kill for what you''ve achieved."


    In just a few days, William had transformed from the chubby fat guy; now his body was lean and muscular. His expression was sharp, completely different from the one Alex knew. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve been practicing nonstop; if you mean how I lost my weight, I used mana and Qi to burn the fat."


    "You can do that?"

 Chapter 225 - 225: Depart

    "Of course, I just need to warn you the process is very painful," William then tells Alex how he does it.


    He uses mana to destroy his own fat, and then he takes Aetheric essence to cure his body.


    The process is done over and over again; afterward, he starts cultivating and raises his realm, making sure there are no lingering wounds in the process.


    "Interesting. How do you know which fat to burn or not?"


    "I asked for Prof Faerith''s help; she felt interested in my biology, as she said. Afterward, she helped me with the process. I hope that won''t be any trouble."


    "No, it''s not, but next time, don''t tell anyone you are a different species, even people in this building, outside of those who already know. Anyway, who told you to go to Faerith?"


    "Ah, it''s your sister Emily. I was asking for a second opinion on my idea, and she suggested I go to her."


    Alex sighed while he thought, ''At least it''s Faerith.'' He then asked William why he was looking for him.


    "Can I go with you? You should understand my purpose for coming with you."


    "No, I get you want something to do to take your mind off what happened, but I am sorry I cannot bring you with me."


    Seeing William''s dejected face, Alex sighed, "How about this: you are experienced as a merchant. I will give you some capital to try to build a business here as you continue your cultivation and try to adapt to this place.


    You are still new here; have you gone around the city yet?"


    "Not yet. But I can do what you told me."


    "Alright, I will send a message to Emily to prepare what you need," Alex replied. They then had some more exchanges before William left.


    Seeing the man''s lonely back, Alex''s gaze turned complicated; he has seen how Roxy and William interact with each other.


    As he was deep in thought, a familiar voice reverberated in his mind, ''Hey Alex, sorry it took a while, but I am ready now.'' Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Ah, MingYue, no problem. So what movie did you watch?''


    ''Some superhero movie, Ender Game or something. I have watched all the movies before it; the movie is good despite many of its flaws.''


    ''Oh, you mean the one where the villain should have just snapped all the heroes out of existence?''


    ''Yeah, or the hero. Honestly, they could just use the snap to make himself immortal before snapping again to kill the villain; what a useless sacrifice.''


    Alex let out a chuckle, ''How are things in Bai Yue sect? Is everything prepared?''


    ''No problem, except that some people now got addicted to watching movies. My brother also keeps asking me what place this movie was recorded in; he''s starting to become fond of the tinman hero now.''


    ''You haven''t told him about this world?''


    ''He has to earn it; my world is brutal enough for him to live in now. Let him focus on his current situation. Knowing that the immortal everyone worships is insignificant will just put more pressure on him.''


    ''I see¡­''


    ''On a more positive note, we have opened our first restaurant in Dali City; today should be its first opening. I wonder how the result is.''


    ''What is on the menu?''


    ''It''s a standard noodle shop, but with some touch from your world.''


    ''Well, as long as you use the spice and MSG, I am sure it will be a hit. Anyway, I think we should go now. Are you ready?''


    MingYue turned silent for a moment; she was now in front of her home, taking a deep breath. Her beating heart turns calm when she opens her eyes, now filled with determination.


    A few days ago, she had talked with her master. They had a more in-depth talk about what happened, her parents, the pendant they left, and her thoughts on the matter.


    Xue Fang then looked at the pendant; despite MingYue being stronger than she is now, she still had more experience than MingYue.


    She hopes Xue Fang could give more clues about them, like the origin or whether this has a similar symbol to some family.


    "I don''t know, MingYue, I have never seen anything like this before. But a phoenix and a dragon, I suggest you check the Long and Feng clans.


    The Long Clan has dragon bloodline in them; as for the Feng Clan, they have phoenix.


    I''ve heard rumors; they are quite powerful in the central region, that anything that has a symbol related to these two ancient beasts must get their approval. But I suggest being subtle when you check on them."


    "Thank you, master. It''s decided then; next, I will go to the central region."


    The central region is a place filled with monsters, where many geniuses die every day. Only those immortal and heaven-chosen could spread their wings while the rest become their stepping stones.


    ''Heaven-chosen, immortal, in the end, they all are nothing in front of progenitors.'' MingYue repeated in her mind, convincing herself that she could compete with them.


    ''Vesa.'' Alex and MingYue both said in their minds.


    As if on cue, red fog came out from their bodies at the same time; it started coalescing, turning into twelve runes, and the runes started moving in a circle.


    This reminded Alex of the outer gate, although the one carved there is certainly not a rune.


    The runes then started moving in motion, starting slow and then going faster as they glowed green.


    Swosh¡­ swosh¡­


    The area in the middle started distorting as if the fabric of reality itself had been pulled apart. Like a mirror, it then shattered into many pieces, leaving behind a portal.


    Alex and MingYue then took the same step and entered the new realm.


    Vesa was looking at this from Edonia; its lips curled into a grin, showing its row of teeth with two pointed fangs.


    "Finally, the hunt begins. Master, just wait; I will show it to everyone that your decision is the right one. Those stupid people don''t know what they are doing."

 Chapter 226 - 226: Ocean

    Meanwhile, at the spot where Alex just disappeared, a figure suddenly appeared, like she had been standing there for a long time.


    A beautiful, translucent wing came out from her back, and her eyes looked at the portal, which quickly disappeared like it was never there.


    But Alice''s gaze didn''t leave the spot; her eyes lingered on it as many thoughts came to her mind.


    "What should I choose, Mother." She mumbled.


    ________________


    SPLASH!


    Alex and MingYue found themselves in the middle of the ocean.


    The water was crystal clear, while a large moon hung in the sky.


    Alex took out a yacht from his storage ring, then jumped onto it, drying their clothes with Qi.


    "Vesa, how about now? Know where we are?" Alex asked while he survey their surroundings, which revealed only ocean with no land in sight.


    [No, but I can detect the progenitor blood; it''s located deep under the sea.]


    Alex frowned looking at the map displayed by Vesa. Their goal was deep under the sea.


    Tap.


    A small sound reached his ears, prompting him to turn his head.


    His lips curled into a smile, "It''s been a while, MingYue. You look even more beautiful."


    "Glib tongue," MingYue replied, her cheeks blushing red.


    "Get serious, Alex. Vesa says the target is underwater.


    Any ideas?


    We can enter using Qi or Mana to survive there, but that will be limited. If we add fighting to the mix, it will become too risky."


    "If I had known this would happen, I would have bought a submarine," Alex mumbled.


    "A submarine?"


    "Basically, an underwater vehicle, but wait, I think Emily has some potions so we can breathe underwater, but they will only last for a few hours."


    MingYue looked around the yacht, which was a simple one, equipped with a couch, mini fridge, and some deck space for people to rest.


    "Why don''t you just carve a protective array on the yacht? As long as it can keep the water out, it should work."


    ''Damn, how did I miss that?'' Alex thought to himself. "I''ll start then."


    "I''ll try to explore the surrounding area as you do your work."


    MingYue then started flying around the area. She didn''t go too high, as she also wanted to see under the sea.


    She saw colorful small fish swimming around, passing through plants and coral.


    The fish didn''t look dangerous; they had many beautiful patterns on their bodies.


    "So this is the ocean," MingYue mumbled.


    This was the first time she had seen one, other than in movies she got from Alex.


    ''I wonder if oceans in my world look the same.''


    As she looked around the area, her eyes could see all the way to the seabed, but the deeper she went, the deeper the ocean became.


    The fish started growing larger, and more animal variety came into view.


    Some looked like turtles, while others resembled insects walking on the floor, like crabs and lobsters.


    The plants also started changing, becoming scarce, with some vines rising higher.


    She then spotted some cavern entrances, ''Vesa said, it''s directly underneath our spot. It seems we will need to explore this cavern system, or we could just dig a hole all the way to our target.''


    As she was about to return, her eyes caught a glimpse of a dark silhouette that looked like an island.


    MingYue changed her direction to check out the area. As she got closer, a surface appeared, glowing and filled with sand of myriad colors.


    After some more observation, she realized the island was moving. She covered her body with Qi and then entered the water for a clearer view of the creature.


    Under the island, a dozen tentacles emerged, rowing to move. They looked like those of a jellyfish, with transparent skin showing the inner workings of its flesh.


    MingYue could also see many fish and coral growing underneath, creating their own small ecosystem.


    MingYue was intrigued to kill and absorb its life force, but after some thought, she decided against it. She didn''t know how the creature would retaliate; it was better to gather more information first.


    She then flew back toward the yacht. Alex had already finished with the array and was now standing on the deck looking toward the seabed, considering whether to blow up the seabed to make a hole directly rather than taking the long way to their goal.


    Feeling her presence, he asked, "How is it, MingYue?"


    MingYue then shared her findings, adding, "I haven''t met any civilization yet, but who knows if there are underwater species?"


    "We have no choice then; let''s explore the cavern. I doubt we have enough energy and explosives to blow it all up, and who knows what kind of trouble we will face.


    If there are large creatures like that, I am sure there will be even bigger creatures," Alex sighed, then added.


    "Our goal is 10,000 meters (about 32,808


    feet) under the sea."


    "It seems it will take a while then. I wonder just how this part reached this place."


    "I think it dropped like a meteor, and as time passed, this planet underwent many geological transformations, pushing it even deeper."


    Alex then released a few drones to scan the planet as the yacht started moving deep under the sea


    .


    The view was spectacular for MingYue, but Alex had seen similar things before in VR.


    As they enjoyed the view, MingYue asked, "How is your sister?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Still in the same situation, but I''ve already given her enough life force; as long as nothing big happens, she should be alright."


    "You should tell her to stay at your place and not do any missions then."


    "Oh, I''m not worried about that; I''m sure now she is complaining as she got buried with paperwork. As the guild leader, there are many things that only she can approve," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    He still remembered his father''s daily routine; almost every day, he would be busy in his office with a mountain of documents to sign.


    "Doesn''t your planet have computers and the internet? Can''t she just handle it all digitally?"

 Chapter 227 - 227: Leviathan

    "Unfortunately, no. Some guild matters are written on special paper and then signed using their mana signature.


    This reduces the chance of someone faking the approval.


    There is a way to do it, but it''s very hard to do. Most of the time, the cost is not worth the reward."


    "I see... In my world, the elders would just have a meeting, and the sect leader or patriarch would make the final decision."


    "Believe me, I know."


    MingYue''s lips twitched, "I told you before, and I will tell you again, even though something is similar to my cultivation world, it''s not exactly the same."


    She felt annoyed by Alex''s act as if he knew everything just because he had read it in a novel.


    Alex let out a chuckle, "Alright, I am sorry, but you must admit a lot of the information is correct."


    MingYue clicked her tongue, "Fine, some of it is right, but I stand by my case; if you enter my world thinking all of it is right, you will find yourself in big trouble.


    By the way, have you ever met these authors? I wonder if some of them come from my world."


    "I have met some; they are just normal people, though.


    Hmm¡­ but most novels get their ideas from other novels. If I trace who first made this kind of book, maybe we can get some clue."


    "Try to look for them then, if my speculation is true, there should be a portal linking both our worlds."


    "Maybe, but there''s a possibility it''s linked with another cultivation world."


    "That is possible. Who knows how many human worlds exist out there."


    "Many for sure, so what do you think now?


    In the past, we wanted to dominate both our worlds, then unite them at some point, but now it''s possible the human progenitor, Adam, is our enemy; in that case, being the one that represents our planet will raises a risk."


    "I agree, for now let''s just focus on hunting the progenitor''s blood; we will think about this later."


    MingYue gave a nod, then looked at the bangle on her hand. Its form had now changed into a silver bracelet with a unique pattern.


    "Why don''t you use this one for yourself?" She asked.


    "At this point, the enemy probably already knows about me; might as well become the bait then," Alex replied.


    The ship then continued going deeper as they exchanged some small talk. The area started turning darker the deeper they went, but with their progenitor''s eyes, it didn''t pose any problem.


    They decided to go deeper first and avoid any cavern systems, as they didn''t know where they would lead.


    Only when there is no other way will they try to check out this place.


    As they went deeper, Alex was looking at the tablet, watching video feed from the drone.


    "You never told me you had this kind of stuff; can you get me more? It''s better if it''s weaponized," MingYue said as an idea started forming in her mind.


    "Are you sure it''s useful for you? You will go to the central region after this; I doubt a normal mana-infused bullet will be enough to hurt them."


    "Didn''t you make a deal with the hunter association? Can''t you buy some good ones?"


    "I can, but it will still raise some suspicion unless I make some deals," Alex replied, pondering the thought.


    "Well, even this one is useful enough; I see it can turn almost invisible.


    Just use some self-destructive methods so that, in case it gets shot down, it will be destroyed without leaving any trace.


    Wait; I could also leave some trace on purpose." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You want to use other sects as scapegoats? Isn''t that Yang guy enough?" Alex asked, looking at MingYue with a questionable gaze.


    "The more the merrier. And what''s with your gaze?


    I learned all these methods from the books and movies you gave me. It''s not like I do this just for fun."


    "You want to find out if anyone has a way to enter another world?" Alex asked.


    As MingYue used many modern methods, if there were any cultivators that had knowledge about another world, they would certainly become suspicious.


    "Vesa told us the progenitor leads their species; this means that on every planet where humans live, there should be someone who could report to them.


    Even though we are too far away from them, I am sure the progenitor will not just let us go free."


    "You are right," Alex replied, ''Does this mean that old fox has some connection with the human progenitor? Or at least a way to contact them?


    I need to be even more cautious when I''m around him.'' As he thought about this, Alex and MingYue turned their gaze.


    They could feel something hostile approaching them.


    They had now reached 1000 meters deep (around 3280 feet). The area around them was almost pitch black, with hardly any creatures to be seen.


    A huge life force approached them at high speed.


    Alex and MingYue leaped out from the yacht as they didn''t want to destroy the ship. As the creature got close, four pairs of glowing eyes came into their view.


    Its body started appearing; the size was gigantic.


    With its size and speed, it created a huge wave just by its movement, pushing Alex and MingYue out.


    "What the heck? A kaiju?" Alex mumbled.


    "If anything, that looks more like a leviathan," MingYue chimed in.


    BAM!


    The creature whipped its tail, aiming towards them. Alex and MingYue dodged the attack, but the yacht was pulverized.


    "The hell! It destroyed my protection array with brute force alone," Alex said with an annoyed tone.


    He then took out his Embershift hammer, but before Alex could move, MingYue held him down. "Focus, Alex, there is more than one."


    Alex looked at Vesa''s map; soon, he could see more than a dozen life forces coming towards them.


    He turned his gaze to the leviathan; the creature had four eyes and a serpent-like head.


    It had two huge fins, and its body was covered in smooth silver scales. The leviathan then started making movements; its muscles contorted as its eyes sparked.

 Chapter 228 - 228: A break

    "Let''s run, MingYue!" Alex quickly suggested. It was clear the leviathan-like creature was not just strong physically; it also had the ability to create electricity.


    As they were not in the water, the range of the attack was not something they could scoff at. And this was only one creature; if it gathered with its pack, the dark underwater ocean would quickly light up like Christmas.


    Alex grabbed MingYue''s hand and then started propelling themselves toward the nearest cavern system.


    CRACKLE! Crackle!


    Electricity burst out from the leviathan''s body, hitting both of them.


    But they were already prepared.


    MingYue created a sphere of frost to protect their bodies, then layered it many times over, raising its thickness, which effectively dampened the electricity to the point it was negligible for them.


    Alex then took out his ember-shift hammer and ignited a scorching heat, evaporating all the water and creating a huge air pressure inside the ice sphere.


    MingYue was now using qi to protect her body from the heat. She quickly created a hole in the direction of the leviathan. This made the air explode, creating a huge thrust pushing the ice sphere.


    Swooosh!!!!


    The ice shot forward like a cannonball despite the water pressure until it finally stopped when it crashed into the cavern entrance.


    Bam!


    They returned back to the underwater ocean. They looked at the cavern entrance and then at each other.


    "Should we enter this one? Or look for another?" Alex asked.


    "We''re already here; might as well check it out."


    The cavern entrance was barely visible as it was hidden by green vines.


    As they pushed through, to their surprise, the inside was quite bright. It had coral growing on the walls that gave off a dim glow.


    There were some small fish swimming around the area, along with shellfish and some small creatures.


    Alex and MingYue made their way deeper into the cavern system.


    They met some carnivorous creatures like a squid and a large crab the size of their head, but none dared to attack as they let out their qi.


    With Vesa''s map, it didn''t take long for them to reach the end of the tunnel. They were now in a vertical hole with many shellfish on the ground. There were also weird green crystals scattered all around the area.


    "Let''s take a break to plan our next move," MingYue suggested as she observed the area.


    Alex then created an array that pushed all the water out of the vertical tunnel, turning it dry. Some of the fish started squirming on the ground, giving an idea to Alex.


    "Want to try some grilled alien fish?"


    "Alien fish? I''ve already tried some from your world, so why not. I doubt anything could poison us now."


    "One of the perks of being a progenitor," Alex said with a chuckle. He then took out a griller, a table, and two chairs.


    "Yup. I do wonder what this crystal is; it seems to have a life force, albeit small," MingYue said as she started poking at it.


    To her surprise, it was warm to the touch and felt smooth. "A living crystal?" she mumbled, pulling Alex''s attention, who was busy gutting the fish.


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s warm to the touch; you should check it out."


    Alex focused his gaze on the crystal.


    He found it interesting but didn''t feel it would pose any problem to them. "Let me finish cooking first." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A delicious aroma started filling the area as Alex began putting the fish on a plate. He found the fish was not that much different from the ones in his world.


    After they finished eating, MingYue asked, "I know you said you would visit my realm before coming here, but you really achieved it."


    "Is that surprising? I already know what to do, and you know, for life force, it''s like a cheat.


    Actually, if we don''t modify the method, I''m sure we can reach the immortal realm without a hitch, probably only taking a day at most with sufficient life force."


    MingYue let out a chuckle. "You''re right. I bet that heaven-chosen would cry blood if they knew how fast you reached the golden core realm."


    "Heaven-chosen, huh? It''s a big name but meaningless. Rather than that, do you have any idea how to kill the leviathan?


    We will probably meet more creatures like that."


    "Now that you mention it," MingYue took out a few jade pendants and put them on the table.


    "You should use this time to learn some secret techniques; otherwise, your cultivation will just be wasted."


    "I doubt we have enough time for that, but what techniques do you have here?" Alex said as he infused his qi into the three jade pendants.


    Two were movement secret techniques: one focused on taking a step in the air, while the other on a short-term burst in movement.


    If perfected, it would look like blinking. The last one was a hammer technique, focused on blacksmithing, but Alex could use it in combat.


    "Even though you cannot master it, with your current talent, you should at least be able to execute it when you want."


    "Yeah, by the way, did you find any clue about the technique I''m looking for?"


    "Nope, I think you will need to wait for me to reach the central region. I have some clues for the lightning element, but the light one, never heard of it.


    As for that leviathan-like creature, I think we should just try our best to avoid them, worse comes to worst, use your explosive to blow them up from inside," MingYue replied. She then asked Alex if he had any idea what to do next.


    Alex put some thought into it. He could try creating a vehicle, but it would not survive against those monsters.


    He then got an idea, "Let''s capture one; we can then hide inside its stomach while controlling it to move to our goal."


    "That should work. We just need to find one that stays alone."

 Chapter 229 - 229: Turtle

    "Alright, now let''s check this crystal," Alex said as he walked toward one.


    As he got close, the first thing he did was absorb the life force.


    The green crystal then changed color, turning into a transparent crystal. Alex checked his life force. It didn''t rise by much, but then he got an idea.


    He broke the clear crystal and then asked MingYue to help cut it into hexagons.


    He then did the reverse; he injected it with life force. The crystal started turning color into green.


    Alex kept going as he was curious how much it could hold. The more life force it contains, the more intense the green energy is.


    "Vesa, does this appear because of the influence of Alucard?" Alex asked.


    He had thought through a few scenarios, as the part fell for years, if no one claimed it, then there was a possibility it started transforming the area around it.


    There was also a chance a beast might come and eat it. After all, even though they are not sapient, they could still instinctively tell what is good or bad for their body.


    "Vesa, why don''t you just come out? You should be able to stay in your soul form now," MingYue said.


    The last time she used Vesa to fight against Qingwa, it had its perks as Vesa gave out a feeling of dread for many beasts. But if a real fight happened, Vesa would not be able to do much. It could only use a few simple rules and normal combat techniques.


    The red fog started coming from their bodies, then coalesced into the familiar form they had seen before. A pink bat.


    "Ya-hooo¡­ Finally, I am out again," Vesa said with an excited tone, surprising Alex and MingYue.


    "Did you hit your head or something?" Alex asked.


    Vesa gave a formal bow, then said, "Greetings, King and queen, nothing like that. It''s just feeling his presence makes my blood boil."


    "So, you are like some hippie high on drugs now?" Alex asked.


    "Nope, King, I may be excited but can still think clearly. As for the King''s question, I suspect a beast ate the progenitor part. Still, it won''t be able to consume all of it."


    "I also think this is the reason, but why do you think that, Vesa?"


    "Since the beast could not contain all the energy, the life force spilled out from its body; that would explain why that leviathan-like creature exists. The same with this crystal."


    Prang!


    The crystal in Alex''s hand exploded as he put too much life force energy into it. It shattered into many pieces.


    Looking at it, Alex thought, ''This crystal will be useful for Emily in case I am not at her side.'' S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "King, Queen, let''s go. We should recover the part as soon as possible."


    Throughout all this, MingYue was eyeing Vesa suspiciously; she felt Vesa was not just excited, but she could not put a finger on what was different.


    "A sec, Vesa, let me take all this crystal; this should be useful," Alex said as he started picking all the crystals clean.


    Despite it not being able to contain much energy, it would still be useful as a life force storage that could be given to others; he turned it into some boosting one-time-use items for his friend later on.


    Before they came out, Alex checked the drone he had sent to scout the area; to his surprise, other than the occasional small moving island like what MingYue found, the rest was all ocean.


    At this point, with the distance the drone had covered, he was sure the planet was completely covered in water.


    They then came out of the tunnel looking for creatures similar to the leviathan. The underwater area was vast, with occasional cliffs appearing on their side.


    The plant life kept changing as they went deeper; it also kept growing bigger. Alex felt like he was entering a prehistoric world.


    After some time, they finally found a sleeping beast. At this point, with so many large creatures they had found, Alex decided to call them Leviathan class organisms.


    Each of them easily had the size of a skyscraper, putting every single monster he knew so far to shame.


    They speculated all this was because the beasts here didn''t have any magic or supernatural skills. Hence, the leaked life force instead enhanced their physical strength, and as time passed, they grew stronger and larger in form.


    The ocean biome also took part in this evolution, as the climate was more suitable for their size.


    With bigger bodies, it allowed them to have better metabolism while at the same time covering huge distances in a short time.


    As they got closer, a huge creature started appearing in their eyes; the Leviathan class creature looked like a turtle; it had a draconic head, with four legs coming out from its round body.


    The upper body had a huge shell filled with many large spikes.


    But the legs were unique; they didn''t look like those of a turtle; instead, they were like crab legs covered in a shell.


    ''MingYue, what do you think would happen if we teach these beasts cultivation methods? Wouldn''t that make them a good weapon?''


    MingYue put some thought into it, then shook her head, ''It''s just a large size, Alex; in front of strong cultivators, it still wouldn''t do much; there is a reason why beasts in my world choose to have a humanoid form. Although this large size will certainly be useful in war.''


    ''Yeah, just look at him; a single stomp could probably pulverize a few buildings in my city.''


    ''So how are we going to start?''


    ''It''s sleeping; how about you freeze its whole body?''


    ''I can try, but it''s too large for me to do it in one move. I think it will try to fight back the moment it feels like a change of temperature,'' MingYue replied as she thought of other ideas.


    She could try boosting her secret technique with life forces, but based on the size, she felt it would be a waste of energy.

 Chapter 230 - 230: Frozen Tree

    At this moment, Vesa chimed in, ''Don''t worry, queen, I can use runes to help you do this.''


    Vesa then explained the rune use. It would allow MingYue to put her attack inside of it, like a trap. Vesa then just needed to spread it all over the turtle and activate it all at the same time.


    After some discussion, they decided the idea was feasible.


    Even though being inside water boosted her ice element, it also had its cons. It made the ice spread all around the area, reducing MingYue''s control over it.


    They then started preparing the trap since MingYue was the one busy putting her attack; Alex suggested they use his life force stockpile for the trap.


    Vesa began creating a unique pattern with its wings.


    As the symbol was completed, it stayed afloat, emitting a dim green light. Mingyue then infused it with her frost qi, causing the rune to lose its light and turn blue.


    The rune Vesa created was a modified basic rune. Normally, it''s just used for storage space, but this time, it was repurposed to contain MingYue''s attack while also enhancing the ice element.


    Vesa learned to do this after seeing how Alex adjusted the biome of every awe cube.


    Time passed, and they finally finished more than a dozen runes. Vesa then began spreading them out while Alex prepared to capture them into the awe cube.


    They didn''t know if it would work or not since they still lacked information about the beasts on this planet.


    Normally, if the beast is completely frozen, it should be enough for Alex to capture it.


    Vesa then triggered all the runes. At the same time, they all exploded, shooting forward a huge ice spike.


    The moment it was released, the surrounding area began freezing at a rapid rate. It launched into the air, creating a trail of ice toward the turtle. As the temperature plummeted, the turtle opened its eyes.


    To their surprise, despite not having any supernatural power, it still had a unique ability. The large spike on its shell suddenly launched forward, meeting the ice head-on.


    The turtle, with amazing agility, leaped forward, crashing into Mingyue''s attack, and then began swimming at a speed that made Alex and Mingyue blink.


    Alex, in response, took out his embershift hammer, using it to propel himself forward as he chased the turtle, cursing, ''Who the hell said turtles are slow! Even with my current speed, I won''t be able to catch up with it.''


    As the turtle fled, Alex could see the spikes on its shell starting to regenerate. Parts of its head and legs also got stabbed with the spike.


    From the wounds, frost began spreading outward, slowing its movements, but even with these, the speed was not something Alex could pursue.


    He then stopped and decided to try something different.


    His qi and life force churned, imbuing the hammer. Using all his strength he threw the hammer.


    "Eat this, you damn turtle!" Alex screamed in annoyance.


    As it pierced through the water barrier, the hammerhead began glowing orange and grew in size, getting bigger and hotter, creating a bubbling sound as it moved toward the turtle.


    When it got close, the hammerhead was already half the size of the turtle''s body. It couldn''t grow much larger as it hit its limit.


    The turtle didn''t even look back, as if it had eyes on its back. The moment the hammer came close, it pulled its body and head inside the shell.


    The turtle then started spinning at high speed, resulting in a giant whirlpool. But the hammer didn''t get deflected.


    BOOM!


    A muffled deafening sound exploded as it hit the turtle''s shell, but Alex didn''t know the result since the whirlpool didn''t stop.


    He tried to call the hammer back by communicating with the fox spirit inside, but unfortunately, the hammer lost its forward momentum; instead of returning to Alex, it got locked out inside the whirlpool.


    But it didn''t stop there. From inside the whirlpool, a huge spike suddenly launched toward Alex.


    As its momentum was further amplified by the whirlpool, its speed was not something Alex could underestimate; it moved even faster than the turtle before, taking only seconds to reach inches away from Alex''s face.


    This second turned into slow motion as his adrenaline spiked facing the threat. At this moment, many calculations came to Alex''s mind: the angle of the spike, the power behind it, the size, the structure of the object.


    He then focused the majority of his qi in his hand, shoulder, and other muscles to boost the impact of the punch.


    He then threw an uppercut punch at the right angle.


    BAM!


    The earth spike was deflected away in another direction, leaving a grin on Alex''s face. But it only lasted for a moment, as many more spikes came toward him.


    Swosh! Swosh! BAM! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each time they came, Alex tried his best to deflect them, but with the nonstop barrage, he started finding it hard to deflect the attacks.


    Thankfully, his size was small, so most of the attacks just passed by him.


    As time passed, he started utilizing his abilities in different ways; he calculated the trajectory, then punched the spikes in such a way that they curved back toward the whirlpool.


    At this time, Mingyue finally caught up with him. Seeing the situation, MingYue quickly started her own attack; she began imbuing her sword with frost qi, then launched it toward the earth spikes.


    The moment it hit, the earth spike propelled even faster as it started being covered by frost. MingYue then bolstered it with her life force, transforming the spike into something similar to a fox.


    If this had happened not under the sea, a roar would have already reverberated in the area.


    The ice fox moved as if it were alive, dodging the incoming ice spikes. It leaped from one place to another, then clashed with the whirlpool.


    BOOM!


    It exploded into an ice lotus that spread out to the whole whirlpool.

 Chapter 231 - 231: Robot? Mecha?

    Seeing this, Alex grasped the opportunity to call back his hammer.


    Swosh!


    The hammer glided back to his hand as he admired the result of MingYue''s attack.


    It was like a colossal crystal tree had suddenly appeared, with a single flower hanging in the middle of it.


    ''Can you capture it now?''


    ''Nope, it''s too big. Even without the tree, my biggest cube will barely be able to contain it.''


    ''How about capturing it the normal way then? Use beast bond.


    With you and me here, our souls should be more than enough to subdue that beast.''


    ''Seems we have no choice, let''s do it that way. Worst comes to worst. We can use Vesa''s presence to deter it.''


    MingYue then closes her eyes, focusing on the ice tree. Using her sword as a medium, she starts controlling it.


    She uses lifeforce energy in exchange for blood, then starts drawing it on the turtle shell.


    Alex also closes his eyes. Vesa then becomes the medium, linking them with the beast''s inner world.


    The next moment, Alex and MingYue find themselves on solid ground.


    Alex just wants to comment on how a marine beast''s inner world is solid ground when suddenly, a huge shadow hangs over them.


    Looking upward, he sees something huge that looks like a turtle shell falling toward his face.


    ''Alex, it''s the inner world. You can fight with your soul here,'' MingYue''s voice reverberates in his mind.


    She then explains to Alex how to fight inside the inner world.


    As golden core cultivators, their power now starts melding with the soul, the rate even higher than that of normal cultivators since they are progenitors.


    How he fights is up to his imagination; the only caveat is that the power will be the same as his soul. He can imagine a nuke exploding, but if the power is not up to par, it will just be dazzling fireworks with barely any damage.


    Knowing this, Alex''s lips curl into a smile. Many things come to his mind. His imagination runs wild.


    He jumps upward, meeting the attack head-on. Alex doesn''t make his body grow bigger; instead, he does something that all men have thought of at some point.


    BAM!


    The turtle shell is held by a giant robot hand. Inside, with a grin on his face, Alex sits in the cockpit and then controls the robot with his mind.


    He throws the shell somewhere far away.


    With the robot, Alex can finally see the turtle''s inner world; it''s all empty. The land he stood on before was the turtle''s main soul.


    "Really, Alex?" MingYue asks, looking at him with an incredulous expression. She knows what Alex created; it''s from an anime she watched.


    "Why not?" Alex replies back with an excited tone.


    The robot has two pairs of angelic wings, with a green crystal in the middle of the chest. Other than the wings, there are two railguns at its waist, with two swords held in the robot''s hands.


    At the edge of the swords, an energy beam comes out.


    Alex then starts blasting the turtle''s main soul with energy attacks. Part of the wings then separate themselves like drones, moving closer to the turtle and starting to shoot beams.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    The turtle is caught off guard by the attack but doesn''t stand still. It roars, and then many earth spikes suddenly appear, targeting both Alex and MingYue.


    As the stage is its inner world, the turtle can do much more than Alex and MingYue. Unfortunately, it''s still a beast; its imagination is limited to attacks it''s used in the real world.


    MingYue creates an ice lotus to protect herself while her lips twitch, seeing what Alex is doing.


    The most effective way would be to create a shield and then keep attacking the turtle. But instead of doing this, Alex plays around, dodging the spikes as he uses his robot sword to cut each one coming close to him.


    As he dodges, Alex tries to fly closer to the turtle, but his approach isn''t smooth as the attacks become more intense. Alex''s lips then grin. The drone part of the wings flies back to him; he then fuses his swords together, pointing them at the turtle.


    The railguns at his waist keep shooting non-stop at the spikes coming at him while energy starts gathering at the tip of his sword.


    SWOOSH! BOOM!


    Alex shoots a huge energy beam toward the turtle, demolishing everything in its path and piercing through the turtle''s soul.


    The moment this happens, MingYue makes a few gestures. Alex just wants to move forward and try other attacks when, suddenly, he finds himself back in reality.


    "Sorry to disturb your fun, but that is more than enough to subdue the soul," MingYue says with a smirk on her face.


    Alex doubts her story was sincere, but he doesn''t retort. He realizes what he did before was really just playing around; his mindset at that time was the same as when he plays VR games.


    ''This reminds me it''s been a while since I played games,'' Alex thinks.


    MingYue starts undoing the frost tree. After it all disperses, the turtle comes into view again. It has wounds on its leg and part of its head but has already started to heal. The turtle then starts moving toward them.


    Alex and MingYue then land on its shell. As MingYue has already subdued the turtle, she starts communicating with it.


    While she does this, Alex looks at the turtle shell; he often reads stories about people living above it. With a turtle this big, it would be possible to do this.


    ''I can also install a few cannons above the shell, turning this into a fortress.


    I am sure, even compared to sea monsters in my world, none will be this big, well, at least in the normal zone.


    Who knows what kind of abomination exists in those dark and red zones?'' Alex thinks. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The turtle could bring us deeper, but it won''t be easy. As we expected, the monsters here keep growing stronger the deeper we go."


    "Not a problem, since we found a solution, let''s just catch more leviathans along the way."

 Chapter 232 - 232: At Other Place

    MingYue gave a nod, and then her expression turned stern.


    "Alex, next time, don''t do something like that. Battle in the inner world is not a joke.


    You are lucky your first enemy was a mindless beast.


    What if it''s a sentient beast playing dumb? You know it can catch you by surprise and take over your body."


    "Don''t worry, worse comes to worse, we still have Vesa."


    "That still doesn''t change the fact you are being reckless. Remember, Alex, my life is tied to yours." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, I am sorry," Alex replied, then changed the topic. "When the turtle launches its spikes, does it have control over which spike to shoot?"


    MingYue didn''t directly answer; she communicated with the turtle first.


    "He could. What do you want to do?"


    "Well, for now, carving an array so we don''t need to keep using Qi to push away all the water," Alex replied.


    Another idea then came to his mind. "How about the regeneration? Can he control that too?"


    "What do you mean?" MingYue asked.


    Alex explained that he wanted to transform one of the areas into their temporary base since he had enough materials to build it.


    If possible, he was also considering making it directly inside the spike. Not only would it work as a mobile base, but in case things became worse, they could use it to escape.


    The spike''s speed, already fast, boosted by life force and their abilities, would make the result even better.


    Meanwhile, back in the cultivation world, after Feng Xue talked with Situ Cuiying, the rumor about the Xueqi family treasure died down. Only a few still talked about it.


    The reason was that the Situ family made an announcement that the treasure was not in their hands.


    This pushed away all the rogue cultivators but pulled interest from their rivals. They wondered what treasure could pull the Situ family patriarch''s interest.


    As for the Yang family, there was no news, only some rumors spread that one of their young masters had gotten into an accident.


    They put a tight lid on it, as their family was now focused on looking for Yang Fei.


    Near the Blue Lotus Sect, a large amount of water was pouring down toward the river. A beauty sat in a daze while dipping her feet in the crystal-clear water.


    A middle-aged man then suddenly appeared behind her. He had stayed in the area for a while, gazing at the beauty trying to gain any extra information he could. But he didn''t learn anything new.


    When his daughter contacted him, mentioning the name he thought he would never hear again, his heart almost jumped out with excitement.


    He always thought he would never have the chance to redeem himself.


    "Are you really her?"


    Feng Xue turned her gaze backward, her lips curled into a cold smile.


    "You have observed me for a while but still ask this question. You cannot tell it''s me, Little Tu?"


    Hearing the nickname made the middle-aged man sigh in relief. He had thought it was a possibility that this was a trap. If this were true, it would mean huge trouble for his family.


    The man called Little Tu became emotional. Heavy guilt overwhelmed him, making him drop to his knees, his forehead to the ground.


    "Aunt Feng, I am sorry. At that time¡­"


    Feng Xue cut him off with a cold snort. "Spare your sympathy. You should know why I asked you here."


    The middle-aged man''s fists clenched.


    "This time, there will be no more obstacles. I will support you all the way."


    Feng Xue gazed coldly at the man she called Little Tu for a moment before she turned her gaze back to the river.


    "Tell me everything that happened after my death."


    The man then sat in a cross-legged position and started telling her what happened.


    Meanwhile, in Alex''s world, Emil, as Alex suspected, was now drowning in paperwork; she hadn''t taken a step out of her office.


    Olivia was there helping her while Quartz was out preparing to open the academy.


    Zold was busy with his own practice, leaving William and Alice to their own devices.


    Alice was often seen going around the SGE Complex and occasionally going out with Quartz.


    As for William, after he learned how to speak the language Alex used, he rented an apartment in a nearby city and started studying the market. He spent his days opening a restaurant and at night, he cultivated.


    The days passed dully for them but not for the association. Solomon Arkham was now seated at his table looking at the report with a frown, each stamped as the utmost priority.


    "The northern barrier has been pushed again; we lost another territory. Hunters killed in action¡­"


    "President, I told you this would happen, and now we''ve lost contact with Luca''s team."


    "No need to remind me. You think I don''t know?


    Sometimes, we need to take a few steps back before moving ahead," Solomon said with a sigh.


    He then asked, "How about the progress on them?"


    "The others have already moved as you expected. We already got a call from them requesting a meeting. Except for him."


    "Who?"


    "Sir Alex."


    Solomon''s eyes turned sharp; he didn''t believe Alex would just ignore the bait he had thrown.


    ''He must be busy with something. That is the only possibility,'' he thought.


    "Any noteworthy information from him?"


    "There are two new people who appeared at the Suzaku Guild after their dungeon dive; other than that, Sir Alex hasn''t gone out from the facility after he returned."


    Solomon tapped his finger on the table. After some thought, he said, "Send more people to follow those two."


    "Sir President, it''s not that I don''t want to but..." The secretary pointed at the paper on the table, "What about that?"


    Cough.


    "Of course, send the newbies; they could always gain more experience. The veteran ones will be sent here."


    "You allowed Lady Quartz and Olivia to return back, even quit the association, despite everyone else''s rejection.


    Just what is special with this family?"

 Chapter 233 - 233: Another World

    Solomon looked at the map on his table, then pointed at a few areas, "Move our people here to another place to bolster their defense."


    "But Sir, if we do that, that means the other city."


    "There is nothing more we can do.


    We have limited resources. Even if I don''t take Olivia and Quartz, it''s only two extra hunters; we all know it won''t change things in the big picture."


    Solmon said with stern tone, but his gaze were complicated. This mean there will be even more refuge.


    "How about those filth? Any movement?"


    "Hellgate was attacked by the Obsidian Order and Veil of Midnight; as for the reason, we don''t know yet."


    "Hmph. They reap what they sow, probably failed an important mission then lost their backer. Those humanity traitors," Solomon said with a displeased tone.


    "What about Luca''s team? Should we do something?"


    "Except you or I go there, no other hunter will help. You know where all our real elite are now."


    The secretary''s eyes turned sharp, and then she said in a determined voice, "No, I won''t leave you."


    Solomon let out a sigh, "I already told you it''s not your fault."


    But the secretary ignored his words, then continued briefing him on the next agenda.


    Back in the underwater world, Alex and MingYue had now reached halfway through their journey.


    Their force also kept growing; from one turtle they rode, now there are five other leviathan-class creatures swimming beside them.


    Two creatures looked like sharks with long bodies, while the other three were turtles with some minor differences.


    Their shells were not filled with spikes. Instead, they were bigger and more dense, making them more suitable for defense.


    They were now inside one of the spikes. Vesa carved some space runes, making the size bigger, and Alex imbued it with a protection array.


    While doing this, Vesa started teaching Alex how to use runes.


    "King, runes in essence are not much different from arrays. The only difference is the circuit allows us to imbue it with life force," Vesa explained as it used its wing to point at some part of the formation.


    Alex focused his attention on this, not wanting to miss out.


    Despite what Vesa said about enabling the formation to use life force, Alex needed to change the core formation to make sure it still worked as intended. It wasn''t that simple.


    MingYue sat on the couch looking at them with a smile. She found it funny as their interaction reminded her of how she taught MingHao in the past.


    She then turned her gaze toward a TV screen that showed what was happening outside.


    Despite the change of depth, the area didn''t change much. Only it had more plant variety as the creatures became more and more sparse.


    She also saw most of the creatures seemed to be hiding under the seabed.


    Many of the plants had something that was glowing on their parts; it looked like a fruit, but based on the information they got from the beast, the plant was not that simple.


    If they got close, it would start attacking them. It''s not weird as the sun barely reached this depth, making the plants need to find another source of nutrients.


    When they reached six thousand meters, approximately 19,685 feet or about 3.728 miles, things started to change.


    The beasts stopped in their tracks, not daring to move forward.


    To move forward, they needed to enter through a crater. The size was big enough for all of them to enter, but something deterred them from moving forward.


    Usually, none of the beasts would dare to enter this spot.


    But since they were now bound to Alex and MingYue, they had no choice in the matter.


    Despite their instincts, the group made its way downward. As they swam, the area started to change drastically.


    First, the water pressure rose many times over to the point that it started hurting the shark leviathans.


    This made Alex order them to stay on guard outside. They then stopped going deeper when they met with something like a barrier.


    It gave out a bright light, and it felt like seeing a huge pearl.


    "Any idea, Vesa?" Alex asked.


    They needed a way to enter it undetected if possible since they didn''t know what kind of enemy they would face inside.


    "I have a way, but it will require much of my energy; afterward, I will need to sleep, so both of you will be alone for a few days."


    Alex and MingYue looked at each other and then nodded. It was better than forcefully entering inside.


    Even without Vesa, they would still be able to fend for themselves.


    The worst thing is that they would just lose the map function. As for emotions, Alex could use his ability to detect whether they were lying or not.


    "Alright, King, Queen, follow me."


    Alex and MingYue then got out from the turtle and started swimming near the pearl-like barrier.


    Vesa turned into a red fog that covered both of them. Alex and MingYue''s view then turned red. The next moment, they found themselves inside the pearl.


    As Vesa''s voice appeared in front of them,


    [I wish you luck, King Alex, Queen Mingyue]


    Fresh air started blowing at their faces, and to their surprise, they found themselves high in the sky, falling to the ground.


    They tried to use their qi, but it was like something in the atmosphere was pressing against them, making them unable to use it outside their bodies.


    Thankfully, they had other energy life force. By mixing it with their qi, it canceled out the pressure, allowing them to float, slowing down their descent.


    As they were dropping, they took the time to observe the area.


    They could see a village a distance away. And they could feel rich life energies surrounding them.


    "MingYue, I remember Vesa said Alucard''s part in this place is not a lot, but with this much energy, don''t we have a higher percentage?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 234 - 234: Dissagreement

    MingYue put some thought into it, then replied, "I think this is because the blood is used to transform our being."


    Alex agreed; he just somehow felt it was wasted since, with that much energy, he could have accomplished many things.


    But he knew he couldn''t complain¡ªhe was now almost unkillable and could also absorb life force from other beings.


    His body also strengthened on top of being a cultivator and awakener.


    Then he remembered something, "Does anyone show symptoms of awakening their power?"


    As the Bai Yue sect had been infused with high levels of Mana for a while, Alex thought maybe it had already started showing symptoms of awakening.


    "If you mean gaining power like yours, then none. As for small symptoms, I need to ask Vesa about it."


    "I see," Alex replied.


    As Vesa was now unconscious, there was nothing they could do. They then turned their attention back to the land that was getting closer to them.


    They were falling into a forest that looked very normal without anything strange. But this made it even weirder for them¡ªthe life force in the area was so abundant the they are sure it should give some major effect.


    Since their appearance didn''t evolve, it only meant they were evolving in a scarier way¡ªthey gained unique attributes or special abilities.


    BAM!


    Both of them landed on the ground, creating a small crack. "Let''s go around the forest first to study the area."


    "Why not go near the settlement?" MinYue asked. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Settlements have many people; who knows what kind of ability they have?


    And with so much life energy in the air now, our detection is not that good."


    "And that''s why we should go to the settlement.


    What if we meet a beast? At least we can talk with a sentient being."


    "Sentients are always more dangerous, MingYue.


    Don''t you have your own experience in your world?


    At least with animals, we can go straight for the kill and then learn their abilities.


    We can also capture some and gain their abilities."


    "We can also do the same with sentient beings. The information we get will be far more consistent than from beasts."


    Both arguments were correct, so their debate turned into a standstill.


    They looked at each other, but no one wanted to budge. Despite liking MingYue, this doesn''t mean he need to accept with everything she proposed.


    He agreed with MingYue''s point, but he had his own repulsion toward capturing sentient beings.


    There was also the possibility of the conflict escalating and harming innocents.


    As for MingYue, who grew up in a dog-eat-dog world, she only preferred the most effective and direct way.


    In her mind, even if things went wrong, they would still win the fight.


    The abundant life force meant they could regenerate continuously. She could also use her secret technique with life force without care.


    If she weren''t stuck on how to raise her realm, staying here would surely raise it by a few major stages.


    As for innocents getting killed in conflict, MingYue didn''t think much about it. That''s just how the world works¡ªsurvival of the fittest.


    Both of them then fell silent.


    After some time passed, Alex sighed, "Fine, how about we make our way to the settlement while capturing some beasts in the area?"


    "That is the most effective way," MingYue replied coldly.


    They then started walking toward the village they saw, keeping some distance between them. The atmosphere made them feel too weird to start talking first.


    As he walked, Alex thought, ''It''s been a long time since we met, and now we''re already fighting. But she is really merciless.


    Not that I could blame her¡ªthat''s just the place she lived in.''


    MingYue, meanwhile, could guess what Alex thought of her.


    They had communicated a lot, and never had this kind of disagreement before. This make her feel confused, wondering why they had this conflict.


    ''It''s not like I''m a cruel woman. Doesn''t he know our current situation?


    We are in a completely new place, not knowing anything.


    Even the leviathan beast above was already hard to kill, and who knows what kind of enemy we will face here.


    He''s still too soft.''


    Deep down Alex also feel the same like her.


    They knew their differences and got along well when calling each other from their worlds.


    It''s like a couple meeting from a long-distance relationship, thinking they knew their partner only to find out it''s all wrong.


    Since their relationship already decided, MingYue started thinking of Alex as her man.


    She had also opened her heart a few times to him, something she had never done before, not even with her family. But now, after only a minor conflict, the situation had turned cold, as if they were strangers.


    It kept going like this, as no one knew what to do.


    Both of them had no experience in relationships.


    Alex only knew how it felt to be rejected, while MingYue''s own experience could be summarized as rejecting everyone who tried to court her.


    As they went deeper into the forest, their alert level started rising.


    There was a huge problem¡ªthey didn''t meet a single animal, not even an insect. It was like a paradise for flora, with no predator exist.


    "Wait, MingYue, let me check something," Alex said.


    MingYue didn''t reply and simply stopped in her tracks.


    She then looked at Alex, wondering what he was going to do. Normally, she would ask him about it, but because of the circumstance, she reverted to the one thing she knew the best¡ªacting cold.


    Seeing her act like this reminded him of their first meeting. But Alex didn''t know what to do and decided to focus on the task at hand.


    He moved toward a nearby tree. Its quite large but not in exaggerated size. It''s barely three time Alex''s height. The tree have many green leaves. Alex also spotted some white flower growing from the branch


    He took out a combat knife and tried stabbing it into the tree. Alex wanted to extract some sap to analyze.

 Chapter 235 - 235: Elves?

    Even without Vesa, he could still do some preliminary research.


    Swosh!


    Alex thrust the knife forward, expecting it to pierce the tree bark. But what happened was unexpected.


    The moment the knife pierced the bark, it was like the bark turned into a sponge, and the knife was just a normal wooden stick¡ªit was pushed back out.


    It was like Alex was punching rubber.


    He blinked a few times to process what had happened, then turned his gaze to the knife, which had lost its blade.


    There was no sound of metal breaking; it was like the blade had been eaten by the tree.


    Alex focused his gaze on the tree, then looked at his hand. He hesitated for a moment before becoming determined.


    He started moving his shoulder, trying to punch the tree, but only halfway through, his fist was stopped.


    MingYue''s cold hand gripped it.


    "What do you think you''re doing? Are you stupid?" She asked coldly.


    With what had happened before, Alex felt irked by being called stupid, so he raised his tone a bit and retorted, "What do you think I''m doing? I''m trying to find out more about the tree."


    "By sacrificing your own hand? Are you crazy?"


    "I can regenerate it anyway. What''s the problem? It''s not like I''m asking you to do it."


    Alex''s reply made MingYue''s veins throb.


    "And what use is that? You might as well cut it off yourself and throw it toward the tree.


    Then, great. You find some of its features, but what use is that?


    We will find out all the same after binding one of the people here. Stop wasting time."


    Alex''s lips twitched. He had many words forming in his mind, but he held them all back.


    He knew they were just venting his anger and would only hurt both of them.


    "Fine, you go first then, I''ll just follow from behind," Alex replied, his tone tinged with irritation.


    MingYue''s gaze lingered on Alex''s for a moment. She felt like saying more but decided against it.


    Her reasoning was similar to Alex''s; she didn''t want to escalate things further. She began leading the way toward the village.


    They passed a variety of plants, some of which even bore fruit. Each time they encountered these, Alex''s gaze lingered, but then he would notice MingYue looking at him coldly.


    This make him abandoned any thought of cutting or eating the fruit.


    It happened several times before they finally neared the village They noticed a humanoid figure climbing one of the trees, seemingly reaching for a fruit that looked like an apple but with crimson red skin, like a tomato.


    They were alarmed because, as expected, they couldn''t depend solely on detecting life force in this place¡ªthe area was too saturated with it, making it difficult to pinpoint the man''s presence until he moved.


    Fortunately, their eyes were sharp enough to spot him.


    The figure wore long pants and a robe-like shirt.


    The fabric looked unique to them, colored brown and green like it was made from wood and leaves, yet flexible enough to suggest it had been turned to a thread before being woven into cloth.


    The man had long, golden hair tied into a ponytail at the back He had blue eyes and a handsome face, But the most striking feature Alex noticed was his ears¡ªthey were long, like those of an elf.


    ''Let''s capture him, then you can put him in awecube,'' MingYue suggested telepathically.


    ''MingYue, he looks like a normal villager. We can''t just bind him like that.''


    ''Then what''s your proposal? Knock him out and interrogate him for information?''


    ''No, we captured him and tried to negotiate to get a better understanding of the area.''


    ''That won''t work. In the first place, are you sure you can understand his language?''


    ''I''ve already copied Vesa''s language library, so as long as he doesn''t speak some entirely new language, I''m confident I can talk to him.


    If not, I''ll just use my ability to analyze his speech.''


    MingYue felt Alex''s approach was too ineffective and a waste of time, but she knew that if she rebuffed him again, he would probably get mad, which she didn''t want


    ''Fine, you negotiate with him, then.''


    She then looked at the man Since her ability was ice-based, it would be better for her to knock the man down.


    Her initial plan was to encase the man in an ice coffin, but since Alex wanted to negotiate, it was best to keep things as amicable as possible.


    MingYue used her qi to create a small puddle of water, then shot it toward the tree.


    The amount was negligible and would cause no damage, but for the man in the tree, it was more than enough.


    The water splashed onto one of the branches he intended to jump to. It was still a few steps away, so he didn''t notice anything strange until it was too late.


    The moment he jumped onto the puddle that MingYue had purposely made slippery like oil, he tripped.


    The man fell from the tree, his head crashing to the ground.


    ''Your turn,'' MingYue''s voice reverberated in Alex''s mind. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Alex didn''t move immediately. He wanted to see if the man had been knocked out.


    The best scenario would be if the man owed them for helping him. Judging by his appearance, his civilization seemed cultured.


    Alex started calculating his chances and decided to tilt the odds in his favor.


    There was too much life force in the air for the man to be knocked out easily. He took out a small sphere and flicked it toward the ground where the man would fall.


    Caught off guard by the fall, the man didn''t notice the sphere. It hit the ground and exploded, releasing an odorless gas with strong anesthetic properties.


    This sphere was a reward Alex had obtained from the last dungeon.


    Within seconds, the man fell unconscious.


    Alex cautiously approached, making sure he was knocked out. MingYue stood close by, her expression unreadable.

 Chapter 236 - 236: Sovereign

    Alex cautiously approached, making sure he was still breathing. MingYue stood close by, her expression unreadable.


    After some checking, Alex was sure the man was knocked out. He then took some of the man blood sample with syringe.


    "And you complained when I suggested putting him inside awe cube."


    "This is different. I''m just taking sample to get more information on him."


    MingYue sighed and didn''t respond further. In her perspective taking blood is no different than Awecube.


    There are many thing that could be done with blood like that. For example putting curse or locating the blood owner.


    Of course it won''t work with just any blood, it need a clean one that taken directly from the body.


    "Should we move him?" MingYue asked.


    "No, it''s better to wake him up here."


    The anesthetic was quite potent. On a normal awakener, it could knock them out cold for an hour, but Alex didn''t want to wait that long.


    He took out another item resembling incense. "MingYue, wear your gas mask."


    "Can''t I just hold my breath?" MingYue asked. She disliked wearing a gas mask, as it made breathing harder.


    "Well, don''t blame me later; I''ve already warned you," Alex replied. He then broke the incense into small parts, putting the rest back in his storage ring.


    Swish!


    Using qi, he ignited the incense, and a yellow fog began spreading in the area. Alex already had a gas mask on, fully covering his nose.


    Despite holding her breath, MingYue quickly felt nauseous as the smoke reached her nose.


    The smell was so pungent that even without inhaling it, its effects were immediate upon contact. Seeing MingYue''s gross expression, Alex chuckled.


    In one swift motion, MingYue donned her gas mask. Her cold eyes locked sharply onto Alex, hearing his laugh.


    "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?"


    In her mind, Alex knew she didn''t like wearing gas masks even before now.


    He could have warned her about the unbearable smell and explained it like usual, but no, he lit the incense directly.


    Before Alex could respond, a puking sound drew their attention.


    The poor elf woke up with a headache and nausea. He than vomited on the ground, unable to handle the smell.


    He felt as if someone was rocking his brain from the inside while twisting his intestines.


    Alex took a cup of spiced water and placed it beside the man, who drank it without thinking.


    Looking at this, Alex couldn''t help but thought.


    ''Fall from a tree, get knocked out, then smell Emperor Skunk Incense to wake up, and drink Aetheric Dragon Piss to refresh¡ªwhat a bad day to be an elf.''


    But the elf didn''t know this. Despite its origins, he felt refreshed after drinking it.


    Thankfully, the Emperor Skunk Incense didn''t last long. Even with his abundant life force, Alex wonder could the plant here survive the smell.


    He also doubted the filter in his mask would have lasted another second before spoiling. As the smell dispersed, Alex removed his mask.


    MingYue eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before removing hers. She wanted to ensure the smell was really gone.


    She know another second with the smell she will probably vomit, even with her strong constitution.


    No matter how strong someone is, they can''t underestimate the damage a foul stench can do.


    As the man felt refreshed, he began to take in his surroundings. Noticing other people nearby, he quickly grew alert and studied them. The first appear in his view was Alex, who stood closest.


    The man''s gaze turned cautious at Alex''s strange clothing, and his presence made the man wary. But when he saw Alex''s face, he froze.


    His face went pale, and his eyes filled with fear.


    He quickly knelt on the ground and bowed his head, not daring to look them in the face.


    "Please, s... spare me! I didn''t realize I was in the presence of a Sover...#*$n."


    Alex made out some words, but for MingYue, it was complete gibberish.


    "Alex, translation," MingYue said.


    "Give me a minute; he''s speaking in an altered Edonia language."


    "Edonia?" MingYue was surprised to hear this.


    Many possibilities crossed her mind; ''Does this mean a survivor from the vampire race is here? Or is it leftover knowledge from Alucard''s part? And the way the man kneels before me...''


    MingYue was no stranger to this scene, which was similar to how people bowed to cultivators in her world.


    Meanwhile, Alex used his ability to translate the rest of the words.


    Since he already knew part of it, using his ability wasn''t difficult. It didn''t take long for him to finish.


    "He''s calling us Sovereign and asking us to spare him."


    "Sovereign, is that like royalty here?"


    "Maybe." Alex then focused on the man. "Why did you call me Sovereign?"


    The man''s body trembled with fear. Instead of answering, he pleaded, "Please, sir, I didn''t know you were here. I have a family at home. Please, spare me."


    Alex frowned at the man''s insistence. He decided to play along. "If you want me to spare you, answer my question." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The elf gulped, carefully choosing his next words. "It''s because of your crimson eyes, sir."


    Alex raised an eyebrow and began interrogating him. Based on the information he gathered, the area had one large city surrounded by many villages.


    The populace was divided into three classe;: Sovereign, noble, and grassroots. Grassroots were commoners like him.


    Those who were taken by the Sovereign class or made significant contributions would be promoted to noble. Only those with red eyes, like Alex, belonged to the highest class.


    The Sovereign had complete control over the other classes and could do anything they wanted without repercussions.


    Laws only bound them if they committed a crime against other Sovereigns. This was why the man feared Alex.


    He had heard many horror stories about the Sovereign.


    They treated the other classes like toys, with the grassroots getting the worst treatment. At least when dealing with nobles, the Sovereign would consider other Sovereigns'' reactions.

 Chapter 237 - 237: Spar

    Beyond this, the man didn''t know much. Sovereign has rarely seen this far away from the city.


    Their number is few, but he heard all of them were ageless.


    Alex then asked if all grassroots looked like him. To this, the man answered yes.


    The only exception is Noble; they sometimes have mixed features with Sovereign. But only those born with red eyes will be raised as Sovereign.


    "What are you doing here, then?"


    "I am looking for food for my family, sovereign."


    "Did you hunt?"


    "Hunt?"


    "I mean, eat meat. Is your diet only fruit and vegetables?" Alex asked.


    He want to find out where all the animals were. Or did this place really have none?


    "Yes, sovereign. I never eat meat. We never break any rules."


    "What other rules are there?" MignYue asked.


    The man then started listing everything carefully, down to the dot and comma. He didn''t suspect them at all.


    He just wanted to quickly leave the area and return to his family. The poor elf thought these two sovereigns were just messing with him.


    His heart were filled with fear that they will kill him. ''What would my family do without me?'' he thought.


    After hearing everything, MingYue excused the man.


    She then looked at Alex. There was a lot of information to help them understand the situation.


    "We cannot keep going like this. Since the number of sovereigns is small, they could easily find us.


    Disguising as nobles or grassroots is also risky.


    I suggest we capture two sovereigns and try to bring them under our control. If that''s not possible, we should disguise it as them."


    With how the Sovereign treat noble and Grassroots, disguising as them will just end up as conflict.


    There is no way any of them will stand still when the sovereign act with impunity.


    Alex considered their choices. Hearing the elf''s story, he had no sympathy for the nobles and sovereigns.


    "Let''s go somewhere else and confirm the information we got. Even though he isn''t lying, it doesn''t mean everything is accurate."


    MingYue thought for a moment, then suggested, "Why not send out Petricia and the other high goblins?


    They can gather information. We already know their appearance and conduct."


    "That''s risky, but you''re right. This is probably the best plan," Alex replied.


    "And, Alex, we cannot be soft. This place is just like my world¡ªit''s dog-eat-dog here.


    Just look at the rules; even the animals are monopolized by nobles. When the nobles give orders, the elves can''t refuse.


    They are nothing more than entertainment for them," MingYue said.


    She was sure the sovereigns here were rotten to the core.


    A small group of ageless people doing whatever they wanted for centuries without any external threats, the result is obvious.


    They might have different views, but Alex and MingYue agreed on this.


    Alex nodded, then pointed to his awecube. "Come out, Petricia, Zargath, Vexgore."


    Light shot out, materializing the trio.


    "Greetings, King, Queen. What are your orders?" they asked in unison, as they kneel.


    Alex handed them bangles for disguise. He then assigned them the mission to infiltrate the village, confirm the information, and give them a few hours before returning.


    The bangles came from Felidaen technology. It didn''t face any issues in this space aside from limited time usage.


    The trio then moved out, leaving Alex and MingYue alone.


    "Who do you think made this elf?" MingYue asked.


    "Probability-wise, they weren''t made. Probably, a vampire who escaped here brought them from outside, and they already had slave status at that point," Alex replied.


    His biggest concern was how strong the sovereigns were.


    From his interrogation, the elves didn''t seem to have any special abilities¡ªsome just used martial arts.


    But Alex didn''t believe this was the case.


    He was sure some had abilities, but the sovereigns took them as nobles and left the rest as grassroots.


    This noble system was likely designed to suppress rebellion. Strong individuals received special treatment, so they preferred to maintain this system.


    ''Even their own kind mistreats them. Their anger isn''t aimed at a specific race¡ªthey''re focused on class divisions within the elves while they enjoy everything. Those scumbags,'' Alex thought.


    While he considered the situation, MingYue also thought about their current predicament.


    She looked at Alex, her gaze becoming determined. "Alex, let''s fight."


    Alex''s eyes widened, and his ears perked up, all his thoughts dispersed as he focused on MingYue.


    Before he could reply, she had already drawn her sword and dashed at him.


    Caught by surprise, Alex grabbed his embershift hammer to meet the attack head-on.


    CLANG!


    His hammer collided with her sword, and Alex felt his hand sore from the impact.


    "Your posture isn''t right, Alex," MingYue said.


    "Why do you suddenly want to fight?"


    "We don''t know what kind of enemy we''ll face. It''s better for us to spar now to get used to each other''s movements.


    Trust me; this is the fastest method. No qi or lifeforce," MingYue replied.


    She used her leg as a pivot and spun her body. Her sword deflected the hammer while inching closer to Alex''s neck.


    Alex ducked in response, and the sword grazed his hair. He knew MingYue was serious; if he hadn''t dodged, the sword would''ve at least cut his skin.


    Alex swiped his leg to counterattack, aiming at her ankle.


    BAM! His kick met MingYue''s as she maneuvered behind him.


    Alex recalled a secret technique he had learned. Although he couldn''t use qi or lifeforce, he could mimic its movements to train his muscles.


    BAM! Clang! Bang!


    The hammer and sword clashed repeatedly until they eventually dropped their weapons and fought with fists and kicks.


    MingYue did this to correct his form. Despite his dungeon experience, Alex never had real martial arts training.


    His mind knew what to do, but his muscles needed conditioning.


    Each hit from Mingyue give Alex a lot of pain, some even broke his bone. But with his regenartion this healed quickly. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Alex hesitated to strike MingYue in the face, instead targeting her limbs, making his attack very predicatle.


    "Alex, take this seriously. Don''t play around. No matter the gender, you need to attack with all you''ve got."

 Chapter 238 - 238: Trouble?

    "Fine, you''re the one asking for it," Alex replies.


    He knows she''s right, but it''s not easy for him. So far, he only fights against monsters and dark hunters.


    Not only because she is a woman, attacking anyone without any hostility will make him hesitate.


    Alex takes a deep breath, trying to focus solely on the fight, clearing his mind of unnecessary thoughts.


    Like a flick of a switch, the atmosphere around Alex changed. This caught MingYue by surprise. Not everyone could change their mind quickly like that. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bam!


    Alex starts taking the initiative.


    This time, he targets MingYue''s face, but his movement isn''t swift enough, allowing her to dodge it easily.


    She counters with a knee to his stomach, but having learned from past experiences, Alex blocks the attack.


    As time progresses, Alex starts getting accustomed to her movements, and his attacks become more refined and stronger.


    His mind is now singularly focused on attacking the opponent in front of him.


    He thrusts his fist toward her stomach, but MingYue sidesteps swiftly, letting the punch hit the air.


    Alex kicks his foot forward and leaps away, putting some distance between them. He then turns around to face MingYue.


    Usually, MingYue would already be in front of him, delivering a kick or punch. It''s happened many times before. But this time, she isn''t there. Instead, he senses her presence behind him.


    Alex raises his hand and points his elbow backward to strike.


    Bam!


    It connects with MingYue''s fist. In response, Alex raises his knee toward her torso. Normally, MingYue would gracefully dodge this using her footwork, but this time she doesn''t.


    MingYue starts attacking aggressively. She notices Alex has gotten used to her movements, so she switches to close-quarter combat.


    Her normal fight style was attacking when a gap opened and then putting some distance before going back, but now She wants Alex to gain as much experience as possible.


    Taken by surprise, one of her punches hits Alex square in the eye. Since their strength is similar, Alex doesn''t get pushed back. He counters with a punch to MingYue''s gut.


    They start trading blows, but neither leaves a mark on the other since they''re only using pure physical strength. But this doesn''t mean it doesn''t hurt.


    Even tough they don''t use qi and lifeforce on purpose, it will still pasively protect their body.


    For normal attack to damage them it will need to have leviathan class creature weight behind it.


    After a few hits, Alex''s focus starts to falter. He''s still engaged in the fight, but unnecessary thoughts begin filling his mind.


    Thoughts like his close proximity to MingYue, her pleasant scent, and her body warmth¡ªall make it hard for Alex to concentrate. He can''t help it; no matter how real VR is, it''s still different from the real world.


    Even though he can''t pinpoint exactly what''s different, maybe it''s just because he knows it''s all fake.


    Alex''s intense gaze makes MingYue feel uncomfortable. This slows her movements, creating an opening for Alex.


    Alex throws a punch, but when he gets close, his fist opens into a palm, pushing MingYue to the ground.


    Lying above her, only a small distance away, makes both their hearts beat loudly. Their bodies start to feel hot.


    Seeing her beautiful face, Alex swallows nervously. Her long eyelashes, rosy cheeks, and crimson lips.


    They gaze into each other''s crimson eyes. MingYue sees desire in Alex, while Alex sees something that reminds him to control himself.


    It''s not the relationship he wants. Though they''re bonded by the system, Alex doesn''t want that to be the foundation of their bond.


    He quickly stands up and says, "Sorry, I didn''t mean it that way."


    MingYue''s eyes flicker for a moment before returning to her usual calm.


    "It''s fine. I think we''ve practiced enough.


    So far, you''ve only fought those much weaker than you. You need more practice against those at the same level; otherwise, your instincts won''t sharpen," MingYue advises.


    Seeing MingYue not making a fuss about what happened, Alex feels relieved.


    Little does he know it''s just her exterior; inside MingYue''s mind, her emotion is like a raging wave. LinHua has seen everything since they arrived in this world.


    At first, she kept asking nonstop about all the new information she was learning. However, her focus quickly changed when MingYue started bickering with Alex.


    LingHua now acts like an excited high school girl who loves gossiping, constantly saying things that could easily make any virgin shoot blood from their nose then die from anemia.


    MingYue turns a deaf ear to all this. She regrets putting LinHua in her earring.


    ''Kya~ Will you have your first kiss now?''


    ''So you have a boyfriend? No wonder you''re more forgiving. The old MingYue would have killed me for sure.''


    Many similar phrases keep echoing in her mind. That''s why, after Alex puts some distance between them, the first thing MingYue does is store the crystal in her ring.


    ''I should have done this from the beginning. What was I thinking?'' MingYue thought.


    Alex considers offering MingYue a drink but changes his mind when he gets a message from Petricia.


    "MingYue, we have a problem."


    "Explain."


    Some time ago, after receiving orders, Petricia, Zargath, and Vexgore went their separate ways.


    Petricia move toward the nearest village while Zargath and Vexgore explored different areas.


    Vexgore didn''t find any cities and continued exploring the forest, but Zargath had a different experience.


    While exploring, he encountered a caravan.


    The group consisted of three wagons and a dozen guards. The wagons were pulled by animals looking like a horses.


    They had red eyes, six legs, and bodies covered in black scales. Each wagon was pulled by one of these creatures.


    Around them, dozens of people stood guard. Zargath decided to follow them from a distance. It was a good opportunity to gather information.


    Judging by the appearance of the wagons, Zargath could tell they were owned by at least a noble.


    The wagons were adorned with decorations that grassroot class wouldn''t bother with.

 Chapter 239 - 239: Sorcerer

    As the wagon continues on its way, dozens of people dressed in black and wearing masks block their path.


    Their black uniforms resemble those of ninjas, while the masks are made of wood with only holes for their eyes. The wood retains the texture of bark.


    They also wield weapons made of the same material, some carrying spears while others are equipped with bows.


    They attack immediately without making any demands. Compared to the attackers, the guards are better equipped.


    Their armor appears to be made of leather, with wooden pieces encasing the chest, shoulders, stomach, and other vulnerable areas.


    Each guard carries a stone sword, and something resembling a boomerang is strapped to their waists.


    As the conflict begins, the wagon doesn''t stop but keeps moving forward. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A rain of arrows falls toward the caravan, stabbing the roof and walls. The arrows that hit the horses got deflected by their scale as the guards adeptly parried each projectile.


    Clang! Clang!


    While the guards are occupied, six attackers sprint forward, skillfully dodging every defender, aiming directly for the wagon wheels.


    One of them moves close and swiftly stabs a sword into the wheel hub.


    This halts the wagon''s movement, tilts it, and causes it to overturn.


    Despite this, the horses keep moving, dragging the wagon along the ground.


    The contents spill out many boxes filled with gemstones.


    If Alex or Mingyue were present, they would recognize these as the same crystals found at the sea, with slight differences. This batch is carved with runes and comes in many colors.


    Seeing this, the attackers'' eyes gleam with greed. They quickly jump in to grab the box.


    Suddenly, a whistle sounds from inside one of the wagons, and the horses immediately stop.


    Clack!


    The door opens, revealing a beautiful woman in her prime. She has an hourglass figure and amber eyes.


    Her height is shorter than Alex and Mingyue, reaching up to their shoulders. Despite her angelic voice and face, her words are far from sweet.


    "You filth, how dare you block my path!"


    The woman holds a yellow crystal necklace around her neck, which then shines brightly, transforming into a long staff.


    Upon seeing this, one of the attackers screams, "It''s a sorcerer! Run! The intel we got is wrong!"


    The group holding the gemstone box flees while the others rush the woman to buy time. Those with bows continue launching arrows, paralyzing the guards.


    The woman raises her staff, chanting silently. The staff is crowned with a yellow crystal cut like a diamond, which begins to glow brightly.


    The ground vibrates as if gravity has been removed, causing everyone, including her own people, to float. Only the horse and wagon were spared.


    One of the men in black armor picks up a green gemstone from the pile.


    He closes his eyes, focusing, and begins chanting, but his incantation is far longer and louder than the woman''s.


    Hearing the man try to cast a spell, the woman''s amber eyes flare with anger. She starts another chant.


    Both crystals shine simultaneously.


    The man with the green crystal becomes enveloped in the wind and swiftly flies away, leaving the area.


    As for the woman, yellow energy starts gathering around her from the crystal, turning into spheres.


    She then slammed the end of the staff to the ground.


    "Arcane bolts," she murmurs.


    Swosh! Swosh! Swosh!


    Each energy sphere shoots out like a homing missile, targeting everyone in the area, including her guards.


    When the bolts hit, their targets'' bodies explode as if struck by a cannon. The armor is destroyed like tofu, while their flesh turns into a mangled mess.


    Unfortunately, the man wielding the wind has already fled out of the attack area, successfully escaping with the box of gemstones.


    Zargath watches everything unfold without any intention to intervene.


    He decides to contact Alex to ask what to do next, he have two option either follow the man who escaped or track the noble. But before he can act, one of the yellow spheres heads in his direction.


    He tries to flee, but the sphere relentlessly follows him. Realizing he can''t escape, Zargath begins utilizing his qi.


    He channels it to enhance his physical strength as he draws his weapon¡ªa sword and a round shield. He focuses Qi in his arms and legs as he confronts the projectile.


    BANG!


    The sphere crashes into the shield and explodes. Zargath feels as though he has just blocked a cannonball. His hands throb despite being imbued with qi.


    Zargath looks up at the angelic-faced woman floating in the sky, her silver hair fluttering in the wind.


    "You filth, how dare you look at me like that!" she shouts angrily.


    In the woman''s eyes, Zargath looks like a regular elf. Commoners generally avoid eye contact with nobles, as it is seen as a sign of disrespect.


    That is why her first reaction was to get angry at him. She already had a bad day getting punished for guarding a shipment, and now the cargo was snatched. She knows a punishment is waiting for her.


    Despite her harsh words, she doesn''t underestimate him. He has survived her attack and still exudes confidence.


    The woman also never saw the weapon he wields.


    Zargath quickly reacts, sending a message to Alex while simultaneously throwing his shield. He doesn''t want to give the woman any time to think.


    It curves through the air, passing by the woman and leaving her confused. But she doesn''t have time to think.


    Zargath channels Qi to his legs and leaps toward her. Despite not closing the gap entirely, it''s enough distance for him.


    A gun then appeared in his hand. He points it toward her and fires.


    BANG!


    Multiple shells fly through the air. What he fired was a shotgun.


    The woman is caught off guard but is prepared for such an attack; an invisible shield appears, blocking all the bullets.


    She breathes a sigh of relief and prepares a counterattack, but suddenly, a searing pain burns through her back.

 Chapter 240 - 240: Elvira, from the House of Duskmire.

    The shield that Zargath had thrown before curved through the sky, attacking her from behind.


    The barrier was still on cooldown, so she can''t defend herself. As the result The woman falls from the sky.


    In the air, she tried to cast another spell, but Zargath didn''t give her any opportunity. As he fell, he pointed the shotgun barrel at the woman.


    BANG!


    The woman was pushed back through the air, crashing into the ground. She felt like she had been hit by many hammers in her chest and hand.


    In all her life, she had never felt pain like this. It was so intense that it almost made her faint.


    If she were a normal human, she would already be on the ground, but she was a half-vampire, half-elf. She had also grown up in an area filled with abundant life force.


    This made her body robust, even without martial arts practice.


    Blood started seeping from her, painting her white robe red, but the wounds were only superficial. They only damaged her skin, and it was already starting to heal.


    Unfortunately, the woman didn''t have enough mental strength to withstand the pain.


    BANG! BANG! S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zargath shot two more times to make sure the woman stayed down. This time, the woman felt her bones breaking.


    Her consciousness became even fuzzier, and everything in her view turned blurry. She tried to move her lips to cast a spell, but nothing happened.


    Zargath then kicked the staff out of her hand. He didn''t dare pick it up in case it had some protection mechanism.


    The moment the staff left her hand, it turned back into an amulet.


    He then turned his attention elsewhere, kneeling on one knee. "King, Queen."


    Alex and Mingyue arrived at the location. When they found out Zargath was in conflict with the noble, they quickly made their way there.


    As they moved, Mingyue suggested, "This time, we need to capture and interrogate her. Negotiation won''t work."


    Alex had already seen how everything unfolded through Zargath''s eyes. He knew he wouldn''t be able to reason with someone like her.


    "Not like we have a choice in the current situation," Alex said with a sigh.


    This was one of the times he wished Vesa was awake. He could have just thrown the woman to have a session with Vesa.


    ''But torture doesn''t necessarily have to be painful. For a noble like her, I bet I can find many ways to force her to talk,'' Alex thought.


    As the woman''s consciousness drifted away, Mingyue tied her up and told Zargath to bring her with them. But they didn''t immediately leave the area.


    Alex brought them back to the wagon since he wanted to capture the horses and check out the gemstones.


    The robbers had only taken one chest; three others were scattered on the ground. Two wagons were still intact. One had no chests, while the other contained a few.


    Alex took all of these into his storage ring and then captured the three horses. He wasn''t sure if it would work but decided to try since the horses were very docile.


    Whoever trained them had made them almost like robots, only moving when ordered.


    He planned to give it one try, then quickly bail if it failed. Who knew what countermeasures had been put in place for something like this? But Alex doubted there were any, given how arrogant the noble was.


    Alex threw the awe cube to the three horses. He smiled at the result as the creatures were caught without fighting back.


    They then moved to find a secure area to start the interrogation.


    Time passed, and the woman began waking up. Most of her wounds had already healed except for the internal ones.


    Her skin returned to its smooth, pristine white, but unfortunately, the same couldn''t be said for her robe. It was filled with holes. The dried blood and dirt made her look like a beggar.


    Upon waking up, she felt her hands and feet were tied up. Her memory surfaced, recalling the last time she was fighting against a strange grassroots class.


    Her heart shook with fear. She had heard of the horrors that happened when nobles were thrown into their midst.


    Even though those people were punished afterward, she would be scarred for life.


    The woman''s mind quickly turned to clarity. She looked around to find the best way out of her predicament.


    She found herself inside a brightly lit cavern tied to a chair. Looking around, her eyes widened when she saw someone with crimson eyes. For her, this was worse than being caught by the grassroots clan.


    Alex and Mingyue underestimated the importance of sovereigns in this place. Here, they were treated like gods.


    Being captured by the grassroots class might implicate her, but getting involved with the conflict of a sovereign could spell doom for her family.


    She was only a low-class noble who had risen thanks to her grandparent''s talent as a sorcerer.


    Alex had already planned to use the emperor skunk incense to force the woman to speak, but before he could become more creative, the woman began talking.


    "Sir, I will cooperate with anything you want, but please don''t implicate my family," the woman said in a pleading voice, making Alex and Mingyue look at each other.


    ''Should we ask directly? But then she might realize we''re not a sovereign,'' Alex asked telepathically.


    ''She may suspect us, but she won''t dare challenge us. I think I understand the position of a sovereign here,'' Mingyue replied.


    She recognized the look of the woman: it was like a cultivator facing someone who could crush them like an ant.


    People who had already given up resisting and would do anything to be spared.


    "Tell me your name and where you come from," Mingyue asked.


    "Elvira, from the House of Duskmire."


    ''House of Duskmire? Any idea what that is, Alex?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Probably another word for clan or sect. If a real vampire really escaped here, than than the politic should not be that different. Have you heard about his from Vesa?''

 Chapter 241 - 241: Vampire Level

    ''I don''t like politics, so I don''t ask those,'' MingYue replied.


    In her mind, strength mattered above all; politics is just a waste of time done by those without real power.


    ''If there is a real vampire that runs away to this place, then this class system isn''t weird.


    Edonia also had a similar one, but it was more complicated with multiple classes and so many factions. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The leader was Alucard, the progenitor. Under him was the Crimson Court, followed by many clans and houses.


    Only the strongest could enter the court.


    Alucard was quite open about this¡ªhe didn''t care about anyone''s background. This made the court separate into a few factions: the purists and non-purists.


    The non-purists were even more divided depending on their origin. But that''s not important right now.


    What I know is that pure vampires are separated into five classes; Newborn, Bloodling, Nightkeeper, Eclipsar, and Eternal.


    Vesa said the class is based on age and the life force they have. But one thing''s for sure, even a Bloodling could give Immortal a run for their money.''


    ''What do you mean by that?'' MingYue asked, unfamiliar with Alex''s idiom.


    ''Basically, a Bloodling could squash an Immortal like a bug.''


    ''That''s crazy!


    This is our first hunt, and we''re already facing something like this? Did Vesa screw us over?'' MingYue asked.


    ''She chose based on distance and probability. I guess we''re just having some bad luck.''


    ''Alex, I think we should bail.''


    MingYue began to have second thoughts about their mission. Based on the enemy''s strength level, they were facing something far stronger, out of their league.


    Even if they could succeed, at what cost?


    One of the first things she learned as a cultivator was never to go for a fight you can''t win.


    ''I understand your worry, MingYue, but we can''t bail before trying.''


    Compared to MingYue, Alex''s experience made him want to try everything before giving up. He still regretted many things.


    Even though he wasn''t as strong as his sister, he could still train and become more useful. Things would probably have gone differently that way.


    Who knows, maybe his father would escape. Despite the slim possibility, it was still there.


    ''What do you propose then? Fighting it out isn''t an option. And for something this important, I''m sure he keeps it with him all the time.


    Alex, if last time he was a Bloodling, I doubt he''s still one now.


    Did Vesa give any more information on that class? There must be a big reason they''re separated like that, like cultivation realms.''


    ''I only know some Newborn, as the name implies, means those that just became full-blood vampires.


    Some spend a long time at this stage. Others don''t.


    Only those who master all their vampire abilities become Bloodlines. I did hear from Vesa that there''s a time limit for this.''


    ''Why?''


    ''I asked Vesa that, but she''s always tight-lipped about Edonia. I only managed to gather these details after making many guesses and gauging her reaction.


    Vesa does tell me it doesn''t matter for us since we are Progenitor.''


    ''That makes things worse, Alex. Are you sure we should try this?'' MingYue asked. At this point they are barely count as newborn.


    Alex turned his gaze toward Elvira, his eyes glinting with determination.


    ''I need this, MingYue. If you''re afraid, you don''t need to join.


    It''ll be safer for both of us that way. You know, as long as one of us survives, the other can revived.''


    MingYue''s eyes turned cold, and she felt the urge to hit Alex on the head. She meant for them to approach things carefully, but somehow, he phrased it as if she didn''t want to do this.


    ''That''s not what I meant!


    Fine, let''s do it your way. But if things get worse, we''re escaping!


    Remember, Alex, you still have people who need you out there.''


    Alex nodded in response. He needed strength to rescue his father.


    After his dungeon dive in the labyrinth, he had an idea of what needed to be done to bring them back. In the worst-case scenario, he''d have to start a war in that secret realm and give a middle finger to whoever was managing the dungeon.


    ''Elvira, tell me, who do you think we are?'' Alex asked, baiting her to reveal more information.


    By asking this way, she''d try to guess and blurt out the situation involving the Sovereign. She wouldn''t have time to suspect Alex and MingYue.


    In reality, even if Alex asked directly, she wouldn''t dare to think like that. Just like the elves feared the Sovereign, so did Elvira.


    ''Sir, you are the Sovereign.''


    ''That wasn''t my question. You should know what I mean.''


    ''Sir must belong to Alucard''s faction. You discovered a shipment of Vitae owned by Vladmir, so you decided to hijack it for personal purposes.''


    She paused for a moment before adding, ''Look, sir, I''m prepared to do whatever you want as long as you leave my family out of this. Just mark me as yours.''


    This confused Alex; he had an idea of what she meant but wasn''t sure.


    MingYue looked at Alex, curious about his next move.


    They didn''t know how to mark people as theirs, but she guessed it was similar to making a half-vampire.


    Alex then focused on Elvira, observing her every movement and gesture. At the same time, he calculated every possibility, choosing the best one for him.


    His lips twisted into a cold grin as his crimson eyes glinted with killing intent.


    ''Elvira, who do you think you are? Are you trying to trap a Sovereign?


    You''re already marked by those ungrateful Vladmir. If I mark you as mine, he''ll find out quickly.


    You''ll just blame your helplessness on the situation and get out of this scot-free!''


    Elvira turned her gaze elsewhere, not daring to meet Alex''s eyes as fear began to dominate her mind.


    She''d said that intentionally to anger Alex.


    What he said was true. Her backer would find out everything.


    When Alex communicated with MingYue, she also thought through many scenarios and came to a dreadful decision: it''s better for her to die here.

 Chapter 242 - 242: Technology

    This way, nothing bad will happen to her family.


    Seeing Elvira give no response, Alex tried to provoke her.


    He took out a sharp knife and thrust it toward her eyes, expecting her to open her mouth, beg, or at least say something.


    But to his surprise, Elvira stayed silent. She clenched her fist, tears falling from her closed eyes as she prepared to die.


    As the knife inched away from her face, his hand shook for a moment but then stopped. He gulped, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes briefly.


    When they opened again, his life force seemed to emerge from his body, raising his killing intent and turning it almost tangible.


    He then got close to Elvira''s ear and began to whisper.


    After a few minutes, he cut the rope binding Elvira and let her go, surprising MingYue.


    The words Alex whispered could only be heard by Elvira, despite MingYue''s sharp hearing. After Elvira left, MingYue looked at Alex suspiciously.


    "What did you say to her? Why did you let her go?"


    "It''s clear she won''t say anything further. I could try to put her under a system and force her to obey, but with that mark on her, it''s too risky.


    I whispered that I wasn''t part of Alucard''s faction but Vladimir''s, just like her. Then I told her to report back to Vladimir."


    "But we''re not with either of them. The woman will get in trouble for sure. I thought you didn''t like manipulating the innocent."


    "We''ll intervene before that happens. I planted a bug on her and etched some runes into it. I never expected we''d need it so early."


    Alex put the rune Vesa created before; he had already prepared some surprise inside of it.


    "You want to confront them directly? You said you''d be careful."


    "Of course not. Do you think Elvira will go straight back to her backer? She''ll probably go home first and talk to her family about this.


    This way, we can gather more information about the two factions."


    "Do you have any ideas?" MingYue asked, knowing Alex usually had more understanding than her in cases like this.


    "I suspect Alucard''s faction descended from the original vampire that escaped, while Vladimir''s faction is a new one trying to take over. But this should only happen if this vampire is already dead."


    "Is that possible? Every vampire is ageless and hard to kill. The one who escaped also took a part of Alucard with him, meaning his strength should keep growing despite being unable to fully absorb it. For him to die seems impossible."


    "Maybe he was wounded and barely alive when he returned. Then somehow, he used part of Alucard to create his descendants, like cloning."


    "Hmm¡­ so what now?"


    "Let''s wait. I''ve asked Patricia and Zargath to follow her. And MingYue, sorry for pushing you into this.


    I''m the one who needs this done quickly to rescue my father."


    MingYue sighed. "You''re strange. One moment, you act like we''re close, and the next, we''re strangers.


    Our lives are intertwined, anyway. Didn''t we already talk about this?


    I help you. You help me. Just like I never blamed you for using Vesa to help your sister."


    "Thanks," Alex said.


    He felt guilty since this was already the second time his decision had caused trouble for both of them.


    Meanwhile, MingYue never did that. Instead, she is the one who finds solutions for his mistakes. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue could sense Alex''s guilt. Usually, she didn''t care about others'' feelings like this, but she remembered how Alex had cheered her up when she was down about her parents.


    "Don''t mention it; you''ve helped me a lot, too."


    "I didn''t do much, but let''s forget about it. It''ll only make things more depressing," Alex replied.


    He then changed the topic. "Now, do you think Vesa is really unconscious or not?"


    MingYue frowned. She then closed her eyes, trying to sense Vesa''s presence.


    They''d been linked for so a while now that she had learned to understand Vesa''s mood and condition.


    "I think Vesa is really asleep, but there''s no way to tell since Vesa is a being beyond our comprehension."


    Alex nodded. "Let''s assume Vesa is asleep. If coming here is intentional, what do you think the reason is?"


    MingYue chuckled. "The first time we met, I was the one who was wary of Vesa. Now you''re the one feeling that way?


    Isn''t it a bit too late, Alex? Now, we don''t have a choice in the matter. Maybe when we become stronger. Vesa does absorb quite a lot of life force."


    "Rather than worry, I''m more curious. Other than the life force from that talking skeleton Rook, the rest Vesa absorbed seems to have disappeared without any results.


    I also don''t understand why Vesa feels the need to hide so much information.


    Remember the eye being I told you about?"


    "Yes, the one you said might be even stronger than the progenitor? I saw the memory you shared, and it gave me chills.


    How many strong beings like that are there? And how many are our enemies?"


    "Yeah, but that''s what confuses me. Even though that is found out about me, why does Vesa still hide crucial information from us?


    The only possible reason I can think of is that Vesa can''t tell us because she also doesn''t know."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Like Alucard, Vesa was also separated into many pieces. We''ll probably find out if my speculation is correct after we get this one."


    "What will you do if this bloodline vampire is still alive?" MingYue asked.


    She still feels skeptical about how they could fight such a being.


    Alex''s lips curled into a grin. "I''ve thought a lot about it. Don''t worry; I have some ideas.


    MingYue, before these kinds of superpowers existed in my world, we humans had already become apex predators despite many animals being able to tear us apart easily.


    What do you think the reason for this?"


    "Because of your world''s technology," MingYue answered.


    She knows firsthand how destructive weaponry from Alex''s world is. But for her, what is most scary is not this. It is how adaptive they are.

 Chapter 243 - 243: Vitae

    For example, after Alex found out about Qi, it took him almost no time at all to modify and incorporate this to his benefit.


    If a similar thing occurred to people on her world, it would take a century before they could make any progress.


    Alex gave a nod. "Actually, it''s more correct to call it open-mindedness by necessity.


    Since we are limited in power, we are forced to learn how to use the tools that we have.


    Then, we start learning the fundamental rules of things, expanding our tools to reach the point.


    But that doesn''t really matter now. What''s important is that I believe I have a way to do this, and if possible, we will just steal it."


    "I doubt you can steal it easily. If there are other factions, and this vampire is still alive, that means they have also found out about Alucard''s parts and want to take them for themselves


    .


    I am sure they will put some countermeasures in place."


    As Alex and MingYue discussed this, Elvira was making her way back.


    As Alex expected, she returned to her family home first.


    But what she planned to do was a bit different from what Alex had in mind.


    She was one of the most talented sorcerers in her family, so she had sway over the family''s decisions. They hoped to use her talent to raise their position in the noble ranks.


    Elvira planned to first get the vitae replaced by their own funds before reporting back.


    It would cost her family a lot of money, but that was better than telling them she had failed at this job.


    She already thought she had successfully repelled the bandits, who came from the Resistance. The people in black had lately started actively attacking the Royalty.


    Normally, this kind of organization wouldn''t last long, but this time it was different. The Resistance was now supported by a sovereign; both factions used them to do their dirty work to sabotage each other, and then wash their hands of it.


    Most often, the target was shipments like this one or attacking businesses directly.


    So far, there had yet to be any casualties, but looking at the situation that kept escalating, Elvira thought it was just a matter of time.


    At this moment, she wanted to be in a position that could gain benefits while having the least risk.


    By telling her family about the attack from this Resistance, they would already conclude it came from the Alucard faction, just as Alex had told her to do. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Now, what should I do next? That sovereign told me to report back to him.


    Should I do that, or just hide in my place until things calm down?


    But the academy year will start soon. Still, these sovereigns are fighting each other. I wonder what are they thinking?


    Won''t the Grand Elder get angry at them?


    Now that I think of it, no one has seen him for these last ten years. If something happened to the Grand Elder?


    There has been so much movement of the vitae lately outside the scheduled deliveries; just why do they need that many? I should check with my sources.'' Elvira thought.


    Vitae is the gemstone that Alex acquired at the wagon.


    The Royalty here uses Vitae as a proxy to cast spells, and sorceresses are those talented enough to wield it. At least, that is what people were told; in reality, there is more to this.


    Every single elf should be capable of wielding Vitae, but the knowledge was hidden by the sovereigns. They modified the method of usage, making it only usable by people they owned.


    The owning process itself is not complicated; they use a specific rune to carve it into the target''s life force.


    Since the sovereigns were far stronger than the Royalty, this gave them control over their life and death.


    But they still needed to trigger it with a keyword.


    The creation of Vitae itself is only done by a few designated royal families. Unlike the quartz crystal that Alex found on the seabed, the crystals in this place come infused with elements.


    Some were red, infused with fire, others yellow with earth. There are also some rare elemental types for example light.


    This crystal is then mined before it is sent to those chosen to work on polishing it, changing it into vitae.


    Vitae also has multiple grades; for example, the one Elvira uses, which can change into a staff, is categorized as a high grade.


    It didn''t take long for her to reach her territory. The area is far more prosperous than the village Alex had seen.


    The road is made of stone pebbles, while all the houses are built of wooden bricks.


    In the middle of the city, a huge mansion stood, compared to other houses this one is very eye-catching as the bricks are painted white, with many beautiful carvings decorating it. One of the privileges that only the Royalty could have.


    The grassroots class cannot paint nor have decorations outside their houses.


    In front of the gate, two people stood guard; seeing Elvira, they all bowed down.


    But Elvira just walked past them without a glance.


    After she disappeared, they talked,


    "What a presumptuous bitch."


    "Shh¡­ do you want to live? Think of your family, man."


    "Sorry, I just have a hard time controlling my emotions. You know what happened yesterday."


    "You should tell your son to stop annoying people from the royalty; it''s already good enough that he survived."


    The guard clicked his tongue with annoyance. He didn''t say more, afraid someone else would overhear.


    His son had some problems with one of Elvira''s brothers about a woman. The son didn''t want to back down, and they turned it into a brawl. At that time, Elvira intervened and punished his son by breaking two of his legs.


    This made him resent the woman, although deep down, he knew if Elvira hadn''t said anything, his son probably wouldn''t be among the living.

 Chapter 244 - 244: House of Duskmire

    Unlike other grassroots classes, some people in this city often interact with the royalty, as they have already gotten used to them; they are not that afraid since even among the royalty, there are those who are kind to people like them.


    ''Just how could such a kind and good woman give birth to such arrogant kids?'' the man continued protesting in his mind.


    Elvira entered the mansion and was greeted by a man in a black tailcoat who respectfully bowed.


    Despite clearly being an elf, Elvira nodded at him, her expression softening.


    "Young lady, did something happen? You look flustered."


    "I am alright, Alfred. How about mom?"


    "Still in the same condition."


    Elvira let out a sigh, her usual haughtiness disappearing, replaced by worry.


    If anyone who knew her now saw this, they would be surprised. She was famous for her cold expression.


    "My stupid brother?"


    "As you ordered, still locked in his room. I guess you are looking for the master then; he is in his office."


    "Alright, thanks, Alfred, nice work as always," Elvira said as she patted Alfred''s shoulder.


    Alfred looked at Elvira disappearing back with a worried expression; he could see her robe was dirty with some dry blood stains. But he knew better than to ask her what had happened.


    ''Poor Elvira, so much burden on her shoulders,'' he thought to himself.


    Entering the study room, she was met by a wrinkled old man buried in paperwork.


    "Dad, I told you to take a break. Why are you still working so much? You should put Dylan to work."


    "You know how your brother is, and he is still being punished now.


    I am just doing my work anyway. So, what brings you here now?" The man asked.


    He then turned his eyes upward, his eyes widening at the sight of Elvira''s condition. "What happened?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Elvira then told her father everything without omitting a word.


    "If that incident hadn''t happened, you would probably have killed them all. Just what were they planning by doing this?" Her father asked with a sigh.


    "That doesn''t matter; what''s important is what we do now. So, what do you think about my plan?"


    "Go for it. As I said before, the family will support you all the way, even if it all ends badly. There''s no need to put all the responsibility on yourself.


    But to think they would go this far, just what did that cold-blooded man, Vladimir, find out?


    If I had known this would happen, I should have accepted his invitation; at the very least, we would know what he has."


    "No dad, it''s better for things to stay like this. You are staying in our land, so you haven''t heard about it.


    Those who come and refuse to join don''t have a good situation now; they are pressed from all sides.


    As for those who directly join, they are used on the frontline as sacrificial pawns. No one has died yet, but their wealth took a big hit."


    "Start by taking their wealth and making them dependent; then, they will have no choice no matter what the order is. What scummy tactics.


    Has every other house already chosen a side?"


    "Not yet, Father, but there are only a few left; we are one of them. On the surface, we are all in the Alucard faction, but we know it''s not like that."


    "Those stupid geezers want to eradicate all of the Vladmir faction. Just where is the Grand Elder at this time?


    That reminds me, I got a letter from Eldonia." Her father said as he took out a letter with a wax stamp.


    The wax was uniquely made and mixed with the blood of the sender; this allowed them to find out if someone had tried to send out a fake letter.


    "You haven''t opened it?"


    "Yes, since it''s addressed to you, you must be the one to open it. We cannot take risks.


    Who knows if I am out on some errand, and the maid tells you I am the one opening it. This way, we can be sure there will be no such thing."


    Elvira didn''t say anything more; this was her father''s way of leading the family.


    He was always careful, never taking risks. This allowed the family to survive.


    Unfortunately, their family didn''t have enough talented people; otherwise, in his father''s way, they should still be able to rise, not stagnate like this.


    She then opened the letter, breaking the seal.


    Eldonia is the name of the capital city where all Sovereigns gathered; the chance of meeting one outside was very small. That is why she was very surprised when she saw Alex and MingYue.


    ''Now that I think about it, I never see them at all.


    I am sure I have memorized all the Sovereign''s appearances.


    Just who are they? Are they those rumored Sovereigns, people who never show up in public? But that is just a rumor.''


    Elvira shook her head then decided to focus on the letter. In the news she read, there would be a fight competition held in Eldonia; the fight would be between groups of sorcerers.


    A single group needed to have at least three people. As for the reward, it said a way to turn into a Sovereign.


    Elvira''s heart skipped a beat; this was unprecedented, and never heard of it.


    She didn''t understand why the Alucard faction suddenly decided to make this. And this artifact, she was skeptical, but she knew this was not a hoax.


    There is no reason for the Sovereigns to lie about this.


    Meanwhile, a distance away from the mansion, Petricia was looking at what happened with binoculars.


    She could easily hear everything they talked about from the bug Alex had put on her.


    When Elvira opened the letter, thankfully, it was from an angle where she could read it. Petricia then forwarded all the information to Alex and MingYue.


    Back at the cave, Alex and MingYue were busy with their own activities. Ming Yue was reading a novel on her phone after Alex recommended a new one to her while Alex was doing a shadow fight.

 Chapter 245 - 245: We Have Problem

    MingYue suggested he maximize his ability by muscle memory. He imagined the enemy he fought, then used his ability to optimize the enemy''s movements while he dodged and counter-attacked.


    At first, Alex''s movements were slow; doing this was easier said than done. But after some time, he started getting the knack of it. He still couldn''t move at full speed, but already enough for some fighting.


    Right now, Alex imagined he was fighting a muscular green man who became stronger with anger. In Alex''s mind, it was the most suitable opponent since he could keep getting stronger while maintaining good balance of speed and power.


    As he ducked, punched, and kicked, Petricia''s message reached his ears. The news made Alex stop his training, and his expression turned grave.


    "Mingyue, I think we have a problem."


    Mingyue was very immersed in reading her novel. At first, she wanted to ignore Alex''s remark since the story had just reached a good point, but when she heard there was a problem, she reluctantly put her phone away. "What do you mean?" she asked with an annoyed tone.


    Alex then told her about the competition.


    "A tournament, isn''t the reward exactly what we are looking for? Isn''t this a good opportunity? Even if it''s a trap, it means everyone will be gathered there."


    "Yes, but it also means that someone somehow knows about us, and they''re prepared."


    "It''s not surprising; maybe they have some method that can detect our presence despite countermeasures. Even if Vesa wants to screw us, I doubt Vesa would do it blatantly like that. So, what''s your plan now? Joining the competition?"


    Alex let out a sigh, "We don''t have a choice. The bait is too juicy to miss. But it''s not us that will go there."


    "You will send Petricia?"


    "Yeah, and I''ve gained some more understanding about the situation here. First, let''s go to this capital city, Edonia."


    "What disguise do you plan to use? Any class could easily get us into trouble."


    "We don''t use one yet," Alex replied.


    First, he planned to have Petricia infiltrate Elvira''s mansion and take some important books there. That way, he hoped he could find out more about this Vitae, mark, and sorcerer.


    He was also curious about what kind of illness her mother had. Alex wondered if he could leverage this to make a deal with her.


    Based on the information he got from Petricia, the woman seemed to care a lot about her family.


    He preferred someone willing to work with him, compared to forcing her with a contract.


    "Do we have to go now? Or do we still have time?" MingYue asked.


    "We still have time," Alex replied, confused as to why she asked that.


    "Good, now don''t disturb me. I need to finish this story before we start," MingYue replied, making Alex''s lips twitch.


    ''She is really addicted to those novels. Well, I can''t blame her. I also binge-read it nonstop,'' Alex thought.


    Meanwhile, Vexgore and Zorgath moved separately to look around Elvira.


    Alex only had a few drones left, so he wanted to save them in case something happened.


    After what happened with Elvira, they took a more cautious approach. They were doing this while waiting for directions from Petricia.


    Alex hoped she would get a map pointing out where the capital city and other houses were located. It would be better if he could find out which house belonged to which faction. Or better yet, this person named Vladimir.


    After getting her dad''s agreement, Elvira took the funds from Alfred and went out to purchase the gemstone. Thankfully, she had the complete list of items.


    While she was busy shopping, Petricia started looking for a gap to enter the mansion. To her surprise, every single window was locked tight.


    She could only wait on her time, waiting for a maid to walk out from the mansion.


    She then knocked her out and took on a disguise. Thankfully, as she entered the mansion, the butler Alfred was not standing guard at the door.


    It seemed he only did it because he got a report that the young lady was back. Despite her perfect disguise, she still didn''t have any knowledge the maids had.


    She then started walking around the mansion. Thankfully, the mansion was quite clear; almost every room had words written on it telling what area it was.


    The first place she went to was the library. As Alex instructed, she tried to look for a map, but unfortunately, there were none. She then just picked a few books as per Alex''s instructions.


    Without a map, her next step was to look into Elvira''s mother''s situation. Petricia didn''t directly go toward her room. Instead, she found the maids'' resting area and started eavesdropping on their conversation.


    "I hear the young master tried to hit on you. Is that right?"


    "Yeah, I am confused about what I should do¡­ Should I just quit? Honestly, if not because of the nasty rumor, I would accept his advances, but you know."


    The other maid let out a sigh, "You mean the curse? That is just nonsense, don''t you see the young lady is alright? But why are you even thinking of that? Don''t you already have a knight in shining armor? I heard he even got into a fight for you."


    "Well¡­ if you were me, which one would you choose? He is good, alright, but we need


    To think about the future. If I marry into royalty, my kids and family will be treated better."


    Another maid who was listening to them laughed, "Married? Are you stupid? The young master is just venting. Why would he marry someone like us? After he has his fun, he will just break the relationship. Don''t overthink things, you guys.


    You aren''t the first he''s made a move on, and nor will you be the last. He is depressed because he always gets compared with his perfect sister. And you know how the lady got sick after his birth." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 246 - 246: Trying the Vitae

    "Is that true? I wasn''t here when that happened. Just what is the lady''s illness? I only hear she cannot leave her room."


    "It''s worse than you''ve heard. She can''t even move her fingers, and her body condition keeps deteriorating. No one knows the cause, but this is one of the reasons the young lady is so ambitious.


    They thought by finding their way to the sovereign, they should be able to find a cure for the Lady."


    "Enough gossip, we should get back to work. And you, leave that stupid thought of yours in your mind. You should be lucky the guard''s son fancies you.


    To think you still have the idea of going for the young master for wealth. Hmph!" The other maid reprimanded her.


    Finished with eavesdropping, Patricia started making her way toward Elvira''s mother. She knew the location after asking the maid who said she wanted to marry the young master.


    As the maid was in a daze after being reprimanded by the other maid, she didn''t think much when Patricia asked the question. She didn''t even look at her face.


    The path toward Elvira''s mother was very secure, with many guards patrolling the area, but this posed no problem for Patricia.


    She only stopped when she saw a room with two guards in front of the door. Patricia felt this was the place she needed to go, as there was no other reason to put guards in front of a room.


    She then put some thought into her next move; she could take a risk trying to enter as a maid, or change her disguise to Elvira. It was safer, but they would probably realize afterward that someone had snuck in.


    ''Should I ask King what to do? No, I should be able to do it myself. King has given so many things for my people, and this is my chance to show my usefulness,'' Patricia thought.


    She then transformed into Elvira and bluffed her way into the room. Inside, she looked at a woman who was almost a carbon copy of Elvira, just older.


    Compared to the gossip she heard, the woman didn''t show any wrinkles at all; she was a beautiful middle-aged woman who appeared very healthy. Patricia walked closer to get a better look.


    But to her surprise, when she was beside her, the woman''s hand moved and grasped hers with a speed that Patricia couldn''t dodge.


    Her eyes opened, one blue while the other was red. "This smell, you come from outside this planet. Who are you?" a cold voice asked Patricia, making her shake.


    But before she could formulate any reply, or even tell Alex about this, the crimson in the woman''s eyes started flickering in and out, "You cursed crone, just die already!" A warm voice came out from her lips, as if it was being said by different people despite coming from the same person.


    Elvira''s mother then released her grasp on Patricia, held her head with both hands, and gave her a side glance, "I don''t know who you are, but I hope you don''t do anything to my daughter.


    As for now, could you please leave? Your presence here makes this old crone more active. I cannot hold her back like this."


    Patricia didn''t waste time leaving. Her goblin senses told her staying there would be too dangerous. The chance of her being killed was high.


    Back at the cave, Alex was now playing with the gemstone, thanks to the book Patricia skimmed. He found out this was Vitae.


    He tested out what effects the Vitae could produce by playing around with it, to get some idea of how to use it.


    Meanwhile, MingYue had already finished with the novel she was reading, ''The story is good, but what a lackluster ending. I am sure the author ran out of ideas in the end, just who in their right mind chooses to destroy all power, turning everyone back to normal humans?'' She complained in her mind, then turned her attention to Alex.


    "Did you find out how to use those?"


    "Yes, it''s actually not hard. Now that you''ve finished, there is something I want to test out," Alex said while throwing a deep blue gemstone at MingYue.


    "Based on my test, when we infuse life force into it, we can then use the gemstone to cast spells inside of it. Some are one-time use while others we can use multiple times.


    The one I gave you should allow you to create an ice bolt, since you can use elemental qi I wonder if it will have a different effect," Alex said.


    The gemstone was activated with life force, but he could infuse it with qi if he wanted, enhancing the effect. Alex thought if it''s used by those with elemental qi, the effect would then be multiplied.


    He suspected the sorcerer in this realm was considered talented when somehow their life force contained a strong element. Based on his knowledge of Elves from Vesa, they use abilities based on elements.


    The elves then separated into many tribes based on the element they are proficient in. There are also exceptional ones who can use all elements, and they are called the high elves.


    Unfortunately, from outside, no one can differentiate which tribe an elf belongs to. And not all elves are born with an elemental element; some just have the default element of nature.


    MingYue started activating the gemstone; as it activated, a unique sensation came to her mind, it''s like the stone became part of her, then if she willed it, the abilities inside would activate.


    Curious, she pointed it toward one of the cavern walls.


    An ice shard appeared in the air then shot through it, only stopping when it reached halfway.


    "This should be useful for a new cultivator, but for us, it''s useless. Well, you are an exception since you haven''t mastered any elemental qi yet," MingYue said as she threw the vitae back at Alex.


    S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 247 - 247: Luciel

    The reason she said this is that she had no control over the attack.


    For example, normally she would modify the ice shard into something like drill bits before shooting it out.


    She also gave some spin on the projectile to enhance the speed and damage.


    But with this one, there was nothing she could do, making it useless in a real fight between cultivators.


    Even the mana gun from Alex''s world do more damage, and more useful than this.


    "You''re right if it''s in a direct fight. But if we mix this with rune, it will give us a lot of possibilities," Alex had learned some basic runes from Vesa, but none of it was useful in their current situation.


    Now, if he combined it with the gemstone, he could make something very destructive.


    The area around them was filled with life force as long as he used a rune to absorb and point it toward the gemstone, then added some mechanism to target the attack, it would be like a turret with infinite ammo.


    "If you think you can make it useful, it''s good then. By the way, next time don''t suggest a novel that''s only good halfway through."


    Alex let out a chuckle; he just wanted to comment when Patricia reported to him what had happened.


    "I think we need to go to Elvira''s house," Alex mumbled.


    "Why? Did something happen?"


    Alex told MingYue what had happened. "She recognized Patricia, then one of her eyes turned crimson. Based on what you told me, it feels like a soul is trying to possess her body."


    "Let''s check it out to make sure. If this is a real vampire, it means she is weakened now. Otherwise, she would have no need to hijack other bodies."


    They then made their way toward Elvira''s mansion. Outside


    At that moment, Elvira had just finished purchasing the Vitae to replace the stolen goods. When she wanted to return to the mansion to prepare the wagon, a familiar presence appeared, blocking her path.


    "S-sovereign," Elvira said in a panic. She didn''t do what Alex told her to do; instead, she loitered around in her own territory. Usually, any sovereign would punish her for this.


    In front of her, Alex and MingYue appeared, wearing hoods, making only Elvira able to see their crimson eyes.


    Alex raised his finger to his lips. "Shh¡­ bring us to your house."


    Elvira was confused by their sudden appearance and the order but decided not to ask. There were many thoughts in her mind.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the place, with Alfred waiting in the courtyard. He had already prepared the wagon for Elvira''s needs.


    As they were inside Elvira''s house now, Alex took off his hoodie, making everyone in the place lower their heads.


    The crimson eyes and Elvira''s attitude were enough for them to know they had honorary guests.


    "Greetings, two sovereigns, welcome to our humble abode," Alfred said with a bow, as he didn''t know the sovereigns'' names. He didn''t address Elvira, since it''s considered rude to give respect to others while a sovereign is there. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though he couldn''t see MingYue''s face, based on their actions, he was sure she was also a sovereign.


    But Alex and MingYue didn''t care about their etiquette.


    "Elvira, bring us to your mother," Alex ordered.


    Normally, Elvira would just follow his order, but since this concerned her mother, she didn''t, even if it was a sovereign. "I am sorry, sovereign, but what do you want with my mother?" she asked while locking eyes with Alex.


    Her gaze communicated that she was prepared to fight to the death if they had ill will.


    Seeing this, Alex smirked, "Don''t you want to cure your mother?"


    Elvira''s worry quickly erased as she froze at the sudden question. She didn''t know why a sovereign knew about her mother, even more, why they bothered offering to cure her.


    Based on her understanding, sovereigns only do things when something benefits them, not to mention the current situation.


    "I am sorry to be presumptuous, but sovereign, why?" She asked as she wanted to find out their motive; she still didn''t believe they had really come only to cure her mother.


    "You will understand when you see it; it''s complicated. Now don''t waste any more time."


    Elvira hesitated; she didn''t know what to say. Logically she knew she couldn''t deny them a meeting with her mother, but it was her mother; she didn''t want to just say yes without making sure everything was okay.


    Hearing their conversation, Alfred interjected, despite knowing it wasn''t his place. He decided to take a risk, since it was better than having the sovereign get angry. "Sovereign, let me guide you to Lady Luciel''s chamber."


    "Show me the way," Alex replied.


    Throughout all this, MingYue didn''t say anything; her senses were focused on detecting any danger around them.


    They started walking in the hallway while Elvira followed from behind, looking at Alex and MingYue, her mind busy thinking about the possibilities. She also whispered to one of the maids to tell her father what had happened, so he could prepare for the worst and not come out to meet the sovereign.


    Meanwhile, the closer they got to the chamber, the more Alex and MingYue could feel something.


    They could tell there was a true vampire inside the room. Although the presence was small.


    It''s like their blood was telling them about this.


    ''Is this one of the perks of a progenitor?'' MingYue asked.


    ''I think so, all vampire races come from progenitors; it''s not weird we could feel their presence even though we haven''t fully transformed. But this is good news; it will come


    in handy to locate any vampire survivors.''


    ''Yes, but don''t get dependent on it, Alex. Who knows if they now have a method to escape detection.''


    ''Don''t worry, I have learned not to completely believe all sensory abilities, last time I met those undead creatures.'' Alex replied with a sigh at MingYue''s mind.


    After they got close to the door, Alfred ordered the guards to leave the premises.


    He did this on his own initiative, ordering them to bring Elvira''s father his suggestion. To leave the area with Elvira''s brother just in case they couldn''t survive.


    Alfred knew if the Sovereign did something to hurt Lady Luciel, Elvira would throw all logic to the wind. She would go feral and attack with everything she got, even if that meant suicide.


    At that time, Alfred only hoped he could talk some sense into her. He doubted Alex and MingYue came with any goodwill, as usually, it''s something bad that always happens when sovereigns come unannounced.

 Chapter 248 - 248: Four Way Fight

    As they entered through the door, Alex and MingYue''s eyes quickly locked on the woman in bed.


    Just like what happened with Petricia, when they came close, Luciel''s body suddenly rose up.


    Her eyes opened, making Elvira run toward her mother, as this was the first time she had seen her moving in years.


    But Alex grasped her hand, "That is not your mother. Stay back," he said coldly as his eyes still locked on Luciel.


    Luciel''s eyes were one crimson, one blue. Both communicated different things.


    The red eyes locked on Alex, while the blue eyes looked at Elvira with an affectionate gaze.


    ''MingYue, can you bring us to her inner world? I think that is the only way we can separate the vampire soul.''


    ''No, forget that, at the very least beat her first. We are talking about a bloodling vampire, or even something stronger.


    Do you think we can beat him in a soul fight? Remember, Vesa is not here, and we still haven''t really transformed into a progenitor. We would not be able to suppress his power.''


    Before Alex could reply, a loud scream came out from Luciel''s lips.


    "KYAAAA!" An inner battle came inside her mind as she clutched at her head.


    ''How strong can she be? Even this normal elf can hold him back.'' Alex asked MingYue, trying to convince her.


    He could not bear beating Luciel in front of Elvira. He could empathize, as he also loved his mother a lot.


    If he were in the same situation, he would go feral if anyone attacked his mother, no matter the reason. But in the inner world, it is different; only they can see it.


    As for their bodies, he could just ask Petricia, Zargath, and Vexgore to come and guard them.


    MingYue hesitated; she still felt it was too risky, but what Alex said was right: if a normal elf woman could hold him back, her soul should be wounded.


    ''Fine.'' MingYue dashed forward; her hood fell, showing her beautiful appearance as her finger pressed into the woman''s forehead.


    At this time, Elvira tried to release herself from Alex''s grip, but unfortunately, no matter how she tried, the grip was too strong.


    When she saw MingYue doing something to her mother, Elvira lost it. She started changing, trying to activate a spell.


    Alex released his grip and then hit her straight in the neck, as she called, "Petricia."


    PRANG!!!


    The window glass in the room broke, making Alex''s lips twitch. She could just move through the hallway from the entrance.


    "Yes, king," Petricia kneeled while looking at Elvira with hostility. She saw everything that happened, including how Elvira tried to attack Alex. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex let Elvira lay on the floor then looked at the butler, who saw everything in a daze; everything had happened so fast that Alfred could not even take any action.


    "Take your lady, and make sure no one disturbs us," he then turned his gaze to Petricia, "Guard our bodies."


    Petricia nodded. At this moment, she returned to her real appearance, surprising Alfred.


    "What are you?" Alfred asked.


    BANG! BANG!


    But before Petricia could answer, the door was bashed in, and the guard''s voice heard asking loudly if something had happened.


    They saw how a woman suddenly leaped high, entering the room from the window.


    "You should take care of them first. My king dislikes unnecessary bloodshed, but I won''t think twice about killing anyone else entering this room."


    Petricia then took out her weapon, pointing it at the door and making Albert frown.


    He knew he was not her match.


    Meanwhile, inside the inner world, four people were locked in a fight.


    The area was a vast, empty darkness, but they could see each other.


    As MingYue entered first, she already started fighting. The first sight she saw was Luciel making a layer of restraint over and over again at another woman.


    The Vampire woman had crimson eyes and hair, her skin was flawless, with a beautiful and feisty face. MingYue could see half of the woman''s body was corroded black.


    Seeing the woman indeed wounded, MingYue didn''t waste time. She brandished her sword then launched many ice spikes at the vampire.


    But Luciel didn''t know if she was a friend or not. So her first response was attacking MingYue.


    She created an earthen shield blocking all the attacks. As this was her world, the barrier was still able to block most of the attacks. Some pierced through, but it only hit random areas.


    Even though Alex and MingYue called her a normal elf, Luciel was still a sorcerer. That is why she could spam all the attacks non-stop.


    Luciel kept casting the same spell over and over, not giving any moment of respite; that is why the vampire could only take hold of her body when something surprising happened.


    Like Petricia coming and then Alex and Elvira.


    As Luciel split her focus for a moment, the vampire used the opportunity to escape from the restraint. But with MingYue in the equation, she couldn''t just take over Luciel''s body.


    She tried to distance herself, letting MingYue and Luciel fight against each other.


    But MingYue didn''t let it; she took out her sword and then threw it toward the vampire.


    As her sword was imbued with a fox soul, it could move by itself, attacking the vampire.


    At this moment, Alex came in. Looking at the situation, his first thought was to summon another robot, but remembering MingYue''s rebuttal and the seriousness of the situation, he decided not to do it. Having a debate in the middle of a fight would be dangerous.


    "Luciel, we are not your enemy."


    "How could I trust you? You think I don''t see what you are doing to my daughter?" Luciel replied with anger as she kept launching a barrage of attacks toward MingYue.


    Earth spikes kept launching toward MingYue, followed by boulders and many other types of earth spells.


    As Luciel didn''t want to negotiate, Alex decided to ignore her and then focused on the vampire.


    He took out ember shift hammer and then threw it toward her as it grew in size.


    The vampire woman shouted in anger. "Why are you doing this? You are making a big mistake now, Alucard''s heir!"

 Chapter 249 - 249: Thalia Voss

    Blood came out from her body, creating an explosion that pushed Alex''s hammer and MingYue''s sword back.


    ''MingYue, focus on Luciel; I will take care of her.''


    ''Are you sure? This woman may not be strong, but she is annoying; she keeps casting multiple spells without any delay. It will take me some time before I can help you.''


    ''Yes, don''t worry, I will not play around.''


    MingYue didn''t respond further as the sword flew back to her side.


    Alex caught his hammer then pointed it at the vampire. "I am Alex, who are you?"


    "Thalia Voss, I have no time, so I cannot explain further, but let me take this woman''s body, or things will become worse."


    "Are you threatening me? How could I agree without you explaining?"


    Thalia started thinking about her options. "Even if you are Alucard''s heir, this is still on you. Don''t blame me later."


    After she said this, her body was covered in a blood sphere. It then shot like a cannon at Alex, blocking all his view.


    Swosh!!!


    Alex didn''t falter. He dashed forward, meeting it head-on. As he saw how Thalia used blood, he also tried to copy it.


    Red blood started appearing around his body, but it was different from Thalia''s; his chain was boiling with a sizzling sound like lava.


    He then turned it into something like a chain, and it shot out, enveloping the blood ball.


    When the boiling blood chain whipped around the huge sphere, smoke started coming out, followed by an explosion.


    Boom!!


    Red smoke and blood dispersed in the area, blocking Alex''s senses.


    He kicked his foot at the ground, creating a wind shockwave to disperse it. But to his surprise, it only barely removed some around him.


    ''Her soul is wounded, but the quality is still stronger than mine.'' Alex thought


    While Alex was blocked by the blood fog, MingYue succeeded in pushing Luciel back. She studied her attack pattern, then followed up with a similar countermeasure but using the ice element.


    Earth spikes met with ice spikes, and Luciel''s quagmire was frozen solid by MingYue.


    As she got close to Luciel and wanted to subdue her, MingYue''s instinct screamed danger.


    SWOOSH!


    Thalia''s hand with sharp claws pierced toward Luciel. This made MingYue quickly change her target.


    She created ice block, pushing Luciel away from the attack, while her hand took out a sword to block the attack.


    CLANG!


    The sharp nail clashed against the sword, but MingYue was losing in strength and started getting pushed back.


    Usually, this would take all her focus, but thankfully, she was in inner world now.


    With a thought, the sword transformed into an ice fox that leaped at Thalia.


    MingYue then took out another sword and slashed toward her neck.


    Facing the two-pronged attack, Thalia lowered her head, dodging the slash. Her body then spun, sending a kick at the ice fox. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But at this moment, Alex had already come out from his block.


    He dashed in a blur to MingYue and Thalia''s location, using his flame to thrust himself forward, as he created blood making his leg slippery.


    He appeared behind Thalia and then hit her in the back, catching her by surprise.


    Bam!


    Thalia''s body spun in the air as MingYue, and Alex took some distance away from her.


    Watching this, Luciel decided to observe, second-guessing herself about whether Alex and MingYue were enemies or not.


    Thalia raised her body; her head was broken in an unnatural manner, but it didn''t seem to impede her at all.


    They were prepared for Thalia''s next attack, but it never came.


    Instead, her soul body kept moving in an unnatural manner as she screamed in pain.


    The attack from Alex seemed to trigger the corruption in her soul to keep growing.


    The dark color started moving like thousands of ants crawling over her.


    "You fool! We are doomed now!" Thalia screamed for the last time before she was quickly engulfed.


    Her form then started changing from humanoid into a blob-like slime. A vertical line spread out in the middle of it.


    In one motion, it spread out, showing a pair of teeth like those of a human.


    While Alex, MingYue, and Luciel were still making sense of what was happening, the weird creature suddenly disappeared.


    It was like the creature was melding into the surroundings.


    "KYAAAA!" Luciel let out a heart-piercing scream as she felt her existence being chewed out.


    The whole inner world then started changing, and many large mouths started appearing, making Alex and MingYue frown.


    Meanwhile outside, in the room, there were now four people.


    As Petricia needed to protect Alex and MingYue''s bodies, after some thought, she decided to call Zorgath for help.


    Right now, Elvira had already woken up with some bruises on her face. This was done by Zorgath as she tried to get close to her mother.


    Thankfully, Alfred interjected at this moment, trying to make her see reason and be patient, at least until they saw what Alex and MingYue had done.


    Throughout this, Petricia acted as a preacher, talking up Alex like a god. She told them not to worry, as her own tribe survived, thanks to Alex.


    This information made Elvira and Alfred realize they were not from this place. Even though they didn''t have a scientific concept like other planets, the story of other realms or dimensions still existed in fairy tales.


    "So I suggest you bow to my king and prosper, or you will go straight to hell," Petricia said, her eyes filled with worship.


    Zorgath didn''t talk much; he only nodded, agreeing with her.


    But before Elvira could respond, a shockwave suddenly exploded from Luciel''s body, pushing everyone in the room and crashing into the wall.


    BAM! CRACK!


    Alex and MingYue also got pushed out.


    Both of them felt pain throughout their bodies, as their souls had just been wounded. MingYue clutched her hand to her chest while Alex gritted his teeth.


    But they knew they could not take a break. In front of them was the strongest enemy they had ever faced.

 Chapter 250 - 250: Rage

    Alex could feel a dreadful aura and danger, even more than the half-draco he had faced before as a kids.


    Luciel''s body was now floating, her silver hair fluttering like there was wind, as it started turning black from the roots.


    Her eyes opened, but instead of blue eyes, what was there was black without any pupils.


    "Mother!" Elvira, in panic, screamed as she dashed forward to Luciel without thinking.


    As she got close, Luciel raised her palm, her lips grinning in a creepy manner, showing all her white teeth.


    Alfred instinctively jumped in between them.


    CHOMP!


    From Luciel''s beautiful palm, a pair of lips appeared. It opened wide, and its tongue shot out, taking Alfred like a frog eating its prey.


    In an amazing display, the moment Alfred came close to the mouth, it was like Alex putting the creature in the awecube. His whole body disappeared.


    This moment maybe short, but for Alfred this second last like eternity, he doesn''t regret what he had done. His memories run trough his mind like a movie, he has taken care Elvira since she was a child. Being there for her as her parents busy with their work.


    Playing, studying, even sometime reprimand her. For Alfred Elvira is like his own daughter.


    ''Young lady I am sorry, I leave you first. I hope one day you could have carefree smile in your face once more without any burden.''


    CRACK! SQUEALCH!


    The mouth start chewing, creating a crunching sound of bones.


    "ALFRED!!!!! NO!!!!!", Elvira screamed in horror.


    Tears came out from her eyes, her lips started moving quickly to cast a spell, but at this moment Alex reacted, "Zorgath, bring the woman and escape! Petricia, evacuate the city!" Alex ordered, not even bothering to keep a low profile.


    The situation was dire. He also told Vexgore to start evacuating the city.


    He didn''t care how they did it, making havoc and chaos, anything, as long as people started escaping.


    Petricia and Zorgath did not question his order and started moving. Both of them jumped out of the window.


    As they escaped, Luciel didn''t stand still. Her hair moved like tentacles shooting toward them.


    Alex focused his qi and lifeforce on his feet, then hit the ground.


    SWOSH!


    The next moment, he appeared in front of the window with an Embershift hammer in his hand.


    BAM!


    He hit the hair, creating an explosion of kinetic energy that destroyed part of the wall.


    MingYue took out her twin frostbite. She went all out from the start.


    "ROAR!!!" Two roars of fox reverberated in the air as a chilling temperature started spreading, freezing everything.


    MingYue, in graceful movement, made her motion look like a dance and started her secret technique, Absolute Zero Tempest.


    The tip of her sword created ice as it moved in the air, each time it appeared, it turned into a life-like ice fox that leaped at Luciel.


    Swosh! PRang! Sowsh!


    But they were met with an attack from Luciel using the tongue coming out from her hand.


    Every time the fox was destroyed, it would explode into ice, effectively freezing part of the tongue.


    After a few times, Luciel took the tongue back. Instead, she moved part of her hair to parry MingYue''s attack.


    As the amount of hair that blocked Alex reduced, he used the opportunity.


    He executed the same movement technique, appearing behind Luciel. The Embershift hammerhead glowed in orange as Alex focused an extreme level of heat.


    BANG!


    His hammer hit her back, launching her into the air, destroying the wall, and out of the mansion.


    Seeing this, Alex frowned. "Dammit! She is escaping!"


    MingYue was confused when she heard this, as she thought Alex''s attack should have damaged Luciel since it was enough to launch her into the air.


    But Alex''s ability told him otherwise. Luciel did this on purpose.


    The moment his hammer hit, she used it as momentum to launch herself out of the mansion.


    MingYue didn''t ask since she knew now was not the time. She dashed forward, pursuing Luciel, each of her steps creating ice lotuses in the air.


    Alex quickly followed behind her. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''MingYue, it seems after taking over Luciel''s body, the creature is lacking something.


    After eating Alfred, she could control her hair to fight. We shouldn''t let her eat more people.''


    MingYue replied with a nod. But unfortunately, they were too late.


    When they reached outside, the once peaceful city had already turned into hell.


    It had only been a few seconds, but they could already see many black hairs spreading around the city.


    At the center of it, a massive ball of hair with a mouth in the middle was grinning at them.


    Screams of panic and terror filled the area, followed by the sound of spells being cast, explosions, and buildings falling to the ground.


    ''Fuck, fuck, fuck!'' Alex cursed angrily in his head as what he saw reminded him of the past.


    He felt he had failed again, even after gaining the system, cultivation, and even progenitor power, nothing had changed. He was still the same powerless kid that couldn''t protect anything.


    Rage blinded his mind.


    Without care, he used all his qi and lifeforce. Flames ignited from the Embershift hammer, followed by the roar of a fox.


    The flames kept growing hotter, from red to orange and yellow, and then they were barely visible.


    The flame turned white, creating a sizzling heat that even scorched the air, making a hallucination-like effect where the area around the hammer appeared to vibrate.


    Alex then used the same step, appearing above the creature, his hammer raised high in the sky, turning large enough that it looked like it could squish the creature in one hit.


    SWOOSH!


    The creature, in response, pulled almost all its hair back, turning it into something similar to Alex''s hammer, and then met the attack head-on.


    MingYue watched the fight with disbelief. It was the first time she had seen Alex lose his mind.


    Her eyes looked around; the damage from Alex''s attack was very destructive; it didn''t care who is enemy or ally. Even at a distance, it had already started burning some of the houses.

 Chapter 251 - 251: Another Vesa?

    Thankfully, the strange material of the buildings was very durable. If it had been normal wood, then the whole city would probably already be turned to ashes.


    BAM!


    The attack met, creating a vibration large enough that it shook the ground.


    From the clash of attacks, it was clear the creatures were stronger. Alex was being pushed back, even though it was just a bit.


    But he didn''t stop. He started unleashing the technique he had just learned.


    The hammer hits started turning like a whirlwind. At first, it was slow, but as it kept going, it turned faster and faster.


    Meanwhile, some distance away, inside a castle that put Elvira''s mansion to shame, a woman sitting on the throne opened her eyes.


    Her crimson eyes glinted with annoyance as she mumbled, "Master, just what are you thinking, choosing a human as your heir. Now, what should I do?"


    "Kekeke, I told you, just drink it; that way, you will become the progenitor''s heir!


    How could we let the progenitor''s power fall to a puny human''s hand?" A voice reverberated in the air, making Thalia turn her gaze.


    Beside her is a similar goblet that MingYue has seen before. Black smoke was coming out from it, creating a silhouette of bats.


    "Shut up, Vesa! You are so annoying."


    "Kekeke."


    "You think you are any different? It seems you have been separated so long that you have started becoming your own individual," Thalia said with a sigh.


    Her hand then made a gesture, activating a rune on the table. As it glowed, the goblet disappeared as if it had never been there.


    ''This is bad¡­ nothing is going smoothly. Master, if only you were still here.''


    Thalia''s gaze turned complicated, showing a moment of weakness. But it quickly disappeared, replaced with a focused gaze. Her eyes looked in the direction of Alex and MingYue.


    "Now, I should check what the chosen heir can do."


    Back in the city. Alex was still pummeling Luciel, MingYue decided to attack the hair that was attacking and eating the elf.


    Her body moved like a dance, creating many frozen lotuses in the air. She then shot them forward.


    The hair now looked more like tentacles with mouths on the ends. It moved around the city, eating every elf, not caring about their gender or age.


    Some of them tried to fight back, but none were a match for Luciel. The attacks just dispersed the moment they hit.


    As for those who were not sorcerers, they could only attack with swords and fists, basically doing nothing.


    The only ones who could fight back were Petricia, Zorgath, and Vexgore.


    Petricia was evacuating the people while Zorgath carried Elvira on his back.


    She was too shocked by everything that happened to move. Her mother had turned into a monster, killing Alfred, who was a father figure to her.


    The city she grew up in had turned into a mess, and who knew what the fate of her father and brother was now.


    Vexgore, meanwhile, was now in a predicament. He was outmatched. Compared to Petricia, he was far less agile.


    The hair pierced through, making many holes in his body. Blood seeped out, but he forcefully stopped it with his qi.


    At the same time, he was now holding his axe with all his strength, facing again the mouth that wanted to eat him.


    ''I cannot hold on longer; my qi is almost depleted,'' Vexgore panickedly thought.


    After some thought, his eyes turned determined. He decided to gamble. He moved his qi to his legs.


    His goal was to leap backward and then run as he threw the hammer into the creature''s mouth.


    The risk was that despite what he did, he might still fail to escape.


    Vexgore took a deep breath, then in a burst of strength, he stomped hard on the ground, jumping backward.


    BAM!


    The ground cracked into a spiderweb as his body moved back. At first, this succeeded in creating a gap between him and the creature.


    But unfortunately, his bet failed. Even with the burst of speed and using the momentum of the creature''s pushing strength, Vexgore was still slower.


    The creature opened its mouth and thrust forward.


    Swosh!


    Vexgore tried to spin his body, trying to build momentum to slash at the creature.


    But his qi was already depleted, and his body was exhausted. Halfway through the spin, his body fell lifeless to the ground.


    CHOMP!


    The mouth bit a chunk of his arm to his shoulder, making Vexgore scream in pain. Knowing his fate was sealed, he sent a message to Alex, ''I am sorry, King. I cannot fulfill your order.''


    His words broke Alex from his state of rage. He could feel Vexgore''s undying loyalty and regret for not being able to complete his mission.


    Alex gritted his teeth. He hit the creature one more time, then took some distance away.


    His eyes then started looking around to assess the situation, trying his best to stay calm and push his emotions away.


    ''Alex, have you finally come to your senses? Take out your army already! And don''t worry, I know you can sense it, but I will still tell you.


    I already saved Vexgore; his condition is critical, but I have already frozen him, so he will last for a while.''


    ''Thank you, MingYue, and sorry.'' S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Just focus on the fight; we will talk later.''


    Alex took a deep breath. Before coming here, he had already bolstered his army. He now had three trained squads, with all of them at least mastering the foundation realm.


    Each squad were expanded, now consisted of 2 wolf riders, 8 goblin archers, and 16 goblin warriors.


    But with only Petricia able to move effectively now, taking out all squads would just provide high-quality food to whatever was possessing Luciel.


    Alex then focused his qi on his hand. He moved the hammer back, then in one swift motion, he threw it toward Luciel.


    SWOOSSSH!!!


    With its size, speed, and heat, it became like a meteor crashing down on the creature.


    BANG!


    The creature parried the attack once more while the hammer kept pushing down on her.

 Chapter 252 - 252: Blaze Kong

    Alex then quickly moved. He flew toward where Petricia was, then took out a squad for her to control. In this way, she could fight effectively using all her abilities.


    As a high goblin, she really shined when controlling an army of goblins.


    Next, Alex moved toward Zorgath and Elvira. After he came close, he took out another awe cube and pointed it at the ground.


    This was the creature he captured in the Flidaen Secret Realm, one of the king beasts in the forest.


    So far, he hadn''t had the right opportunity to use this beast as it was too big.


    "Come out, Blaze Kong!"


    A giant light, half the size of Luciel''s form, appeared. It then materialized into a giant King Kong with red fur and four arms. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His height easily reached five times that of a normal adult.


    "ROARRR!" The creature roared, making the people even more panicked.


    ____________


    Blaze Kong


    Power Level: 9.0


    Lifeforce: 84/643


    Abilities:


    Flame Manipulation: Blaze Kong can control and generate fire at will, creating fireballs, streams of flame, and fiery explosions.


    Heat Resistance: It is almost completely immune to fire and extreme heat, making it impervious to most fire-based attacks.


    ______________________


    Next, Alex sent out four cactus fiend worms around Blaze Kong to help him parry the hair attacks.


    The creature was strong, but unfortunately, Alex hadn''t succeeded in teaching it cultivation, as they were just beasts with a little bit of intelligence.


    "Kong, burn all those hairs!" Alex ordered.


    When he was fighting against the creature, Alex realized that it wasn''t that his attacks did no damage, but the creature kept regenerating over and over again.


    The Kong roared. It then used all four limbs to start pulling at all the hair around him. Orange fire then ignited from his hands, easily reaching almost 1000¡ãC (1832¡ãF). The hair ignited in fire, making the mouth groan in pain.


    As for the cactus worms, they didn''t attack, as none of them were effective against the weird creature.


    Meanwhile, up above in the sky some distance away, Thalia was floating, looking at everything that happened.


    "Not yet, Alex, that creature is one of the Deadly Sin parasites. They won''t die easily. This is not even a fraction of its real power," she mumbled.


    Back on the battlefield, Alex was now back at the hammer with MingYue at his side.


    "Our power is ice and fire; it''s hard to combine it," MingYue said, wondering how they could fight together without suppressing each other''s strength.


    Alex looked at the hammer that was now still burning his qi and life force nonstop, pushing at the creature.


    "I think I can push more. You help me in case something happens."


    MingYue gave a nod. Alex then dashed forward, his crimson eyes glinting, as a large amount of life force started gathering from the atmosphere, making Alex''s muscles bulkier and stronger.


    Green particles started appearing around his body as he absorbed so many particles that they became visible to the naked eye.


    He then threw a flying sidekick, focusing all his strength on his foot.


    BANG!


    The moment his foot hit, the hammer got pushed forward. The clash turned in Alex''s favor as the creature''s hammer-like weapon got pushed back.


    MingYue looked around the area, then decided to make her move. Her qi churned, creating a dense cold in the atmosphere, then with a gesture of her hand.


    A huge ice lotus started appearing, growing to engulf Alex, MingYue, and Luciel inside, along with some of the unlucky elves.


    Thalia''s eyes flickered with confusion as she saw this.


    ''Is she also a vampire? But how? Based on what I feel, the heir should not even be a bloodling yet.


    Could this be another of Master''s plans?''


    She knew Alex could not make a new vampire yet, so seeing MingYue as one surprised her to the core. Based on how they fought, Thalia was sure MingYue was not one of the survivors.


    Part of the hair was burned down by Blaze Kong, followed by Alex''s attack, the creature pulled back all of its spread-out hair.


    As the hair now gathered in one place, the ice lotus faced no resistance. It grew at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, then completely enclosed itself.


    Petricia used the opportunity to evacuate the people and move Vexgore to a safer place. Zorgath also did the same.


    Meanwhile, inside the lotus, the fire hammer kept pushing down. The heat started burning away the hair, as the regeneration was stopped.


    But Alex didn''t drop his guard. He could see the creature''s lips, instead of showing panic, showed an eerie grin.


    The creature suddenly undid its hammer-like weapon.


    SWISH! BANG!!!


    The hammer moved forward, then hit the ball of hair straight in the face, smashing it into the ground.


    The earth shook with a huge earthquake as a deep crater was created underneath. As the hammer''s heat was concentrated, it didn''t explode and just kept burning each layer of hair to ashes.


    CRACK! CRACK!


    Alex could hear cracking sounds like breaking an eggshell.


    But the moment it all broke, Alex could feel a huge amount of energy, which made him take a step back.


    "HAHAHAHA!" From the crater, hysterical laughter could be heard.


    They could then see Luciel standing there, wearing a black suit. "Finally, I am free, and here I am welcomed with two high-quality foods!"


    The moment she said this, she appeared in front of Alex, throwing a kick. Alex barely able to respond. He released the hammer, then raised his hand to block the attack.


    Crack!


    His hand and shoulder bone cracked, followed by his ribs. But he held his place.


    MingYue appeared behind the woman, throwing a vertical slash that left ice in the air. But the woman easily raised her hand and grasped the sword barehanded.


    "So confidence! Before, I just used almost all the energy I absorbed to fully take over this body and recover my strength. What you fought was just a small part of it." Luciel say in taunting tone, as she want to bait Alex and MingYue to keep fighting her.

 Chapter 253 - 253: Fighting Luciel

    Based on her knowledge, the Vampire race is very prideful. She then tightened her grasp, making a crack in the sword.


    A screeching roar of a fox then rang out before it died out as the sword was clenched to pieces.


    MingYue released her grip on the sword, then delivered a kick to the woman''s head. Her eyes flickered with anger as her other hand put the sword back in the storage.


    She could feel the soul of the sword still existed despite it being only in wisps.


    BAM!


    Her foot hit Luciel''s neck, but she didn''t even flinch. Instead, MingYue could feel her bone break.


    But she gritted through the pain. Her lifeforce churned, regenerating the wound as it pressed forward, spreading ice qi from her field.


    Ice started spreading around the surface of Luciel''s fair skin, but she didn''t care. Instead, she turned her gaze to Alex, who now threw a punch at her face.


    Luciel turned her hand like a spear, thrusting forward at Alex''s chest, targeting his heart.


    It moved at such speed that Alex could not dodge.


    STAB!


    Her hand pierced through his bone and heart like tofu. Red blood spurted out, but Alex didn''t scream.


    Instead, he used the opportunity to grasp her with both hands.


    His qi and energy churned as he focused it all, making sure Luciel couldn''t escape.


    MingYue didn''t miss the opportunity; she went full power, using her palm to hit Luciel''s back.


    BAM!


    Her ice qi spread quickly, engulfing Luciel''s whole body. But MingYue didn''t stop; she infused more life energy in, trying to create spikes that pierced through Luciel''s skin.


    As the ice reached a part of Luciel''s hand, Alex released his grasp and tried to put a gap between them.


    All of this happened in a second.


    But before the ice could completely encase Luciel, it started cracking apart.


    Alex''s heart had already started regenerating, but the process was slow as he began infusing his life force into MingYue''s ice, enhancing it even further.


    ''MingYue, I can enhance but not manipulate it. Try to make the needles as small as possible. Like the width of a hair, or even smaller,'' Alex suggested.


    MingYue then tried to follow Alex''s suggestion, making the ice as thin as possible to raise the sharpness.


    She also focused the attack on the weak parts of the body like her eyes. She also tried to spread the ice through all the orifice openings on Luciel''s body.


    But even with all this attack infused with both their life forces, it was still not enough.


    BANG!


    The encased ice shattered into pieces, turning into an area-of-effect attack back at Alex and MingYue.


    In response, MingYue made a motion with her hand; despite being broken, the ice was still under MingYue''s control.


    The shards turned into many ice lotuses that started floating back at Luciel.


    Swish!


    The lotuses accelerated, and all clashed in the middle, creating an explosion of ice, that resulted in a glacial spike


    But unfortunately, Luciel was not there.


    She appeared behind MingYue and then punched her in the gut, creating a force that launched her into the air.


    MingYue could hold her place, but she decided not to. The enemy was clearly out of their league. It would be better if they put some distance between them and regrouped before attacking once more.


    Both of them still didn''t give up. Even though the enemy was strong, with the abundant life force in the atmosphere, they still had a chance.


    While MingYue tried to dodge, Alex pushed forward. He threw a kick to her neck, then followed with her back and the back of the knee.


    As these were weak parts of the limb, Luciel still felt it. She turned her attention back to Alex.


    Alex then took out the emperor skunk incense and pierced it through her nose.


    This shameless attack caught Luciel off guard. Even with her abundant fighting experience, she had never faced someone like Alex.


    The moment it entered her nose, she froze. As an aspect of gluttony, her senses were many times sharper.


    Exploiting the gap, Alex took out Embershift Hammer and hit her while manipulating his qi to create an explosion.


    BOOM!


    The result was the skunk incense burned at a fast rate, pushing Alex a distance away.


    Seeing what Alex did, MingYue had already taken a gas mask to cover her face, but unfortunately, with the distance, Alex was already hit by the intense smell.


    His face turned blue as nausea overwhelmed him. But he tried his best to hold it out, even using qi and lifeforce to push it away.


    ''MingYue!''


    Understanding his call, MingYue moved the ice that surrounded them to create a gap, allowing both of them to escape.


    At this moment, Alex threw away many explosives and red gemstones, including a storage ring filled with oil.


    As he came out from the hole, he sent an image to MingYue.


    MingYue then transformed the lotuses further. She made them smaller while creating a new hole on top of the lotuses and closed the hole where she had come out from.


    Alex pointed his Embershift Hammer. Flames started appearing from the head, then grew intense quickly and turned into a lifelike white fox.


    SWOOSH!


    The fox shot forward inside the makeshift ice furnace, then exploded with a loud boom!


    As there was a hole in the top, all the explosions were sent upward. Alex didn''t stop.


    SWOOSH! SWOOSH!


    He started shooting the lifelike fox again and again, creating more and more explosions.


    Meanwhile, MingYue tried her best to contain it all, sending most of the flames upward.


    Despite all this, the makeshift furnace started getting cracked. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BAM!


    The blaze ape landed beside Alex. It then gathered all its four hands in front of its chest, pointing them toward the same opening.


    A sphere of fiery orange flame started gathering, spinning, and turning larger and larger.


    The ape''s muscles then bulked, its veins protruding out as it shot the condensed fireball inside the hole.

 Chapter 254 - 254: Glutony Transformation

    As both elements were fire, they augmented each other, raising the temperature to insane levels. Even with the non-stop infusion of lifeforce into the ice, it couldn''t stop the inevitable.


    Seeing it couldn''t hold anymore, MingYue started moving backward, putting as much distance as possible.


    KA-BOOM!


    The furnace exploded, sending out a heatwave that turned half the city into ashes.


    MingYue covered herself in many layers of ice lotuses to protect herself, but even this was not enough as her skin was scalded. But at the very least, it saved her from being burned alive by Alex''s flames.


    Meanwhile, the blaze ape was called back to the awe cube. As the flames were not purely made of its qi anymore, this resulted in damage to it, too.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t as potent as others.


    Seeing the result of the attack, Alex''s heart clenched. Half of the city was turned into scorched land without any buildings in sight.


    God knows what happened to all the people who still lived there.


    He could only try to tell himself that Petricia had done her job evacuating everyone else. Despite his ability to feel the lifeforce, with how intense the fight was, all his attention was focused on the fight, while the rest was on absorbing the lifeforce.


    His gaze then locked on the half-burned being in the middle. Despite taking all the attacks, Luciel was still survived.


    Half of her body had gruesome fire wounds, leaving only part of the flesh without any skin, while the rest was just bone.


    Her eyes glinted with anger as she looked at Alex. The attack Alex sent out was far beyond his current level.


    It caused her a lot of damage, resulting in a huge loss of energy. Almost half of it was wasted.


    Alex stepped forward, using the movement technique to appear in front of Luciel.


    What happened next was a gruesome brawl, where every hit from Luciel pierced and tore Alex''s limbs, while Alex''s attacks barely slowed her regeneration.


    Bang! Bang!


    In the next second, MingYue appeared behind Luciel and started attacking her. Alex''s and Ming Yue''s attacks began to put a lot of pressure on Luciel.


    They started coordinating flawlessly. While Alex attacked with an uppercut, MingYue hit the back of her knee.


    When Luciel tried to counter MingYue''s attack with an elbow, Alex targeted the opening.


    The longer the brawl went on, the more perfect their combination became.


    Luciel started to panic; her energy came from eating, while Alex almost got it indefinitely from the atmosphere.


    If the fight kept going, she would run out of gas despite being far stronger than them.


    Luciel didn''t dare to directly eat Alex and MingYue. From experience, she knew the result wouldn''t be good for her. To eat a vampire, she needed to knock them out first.


    Otherwise, the fight would just move to his inner world¡ªsomething she didn''t like.


    "FUCK IT! I just wanted to play around, but you guys keep pushing me!" Luciel screamed with a demonic voice.


    A dark fog started coming out of Luciel''s body, covering her in complete darkness.


    Alex tried to hit it despite the danger he felt, but the moment he hit the fog, all his flesh and skin disappeared, leaving only his bones.


    This made Alex jump backward. As he observed the fog, he realized it was similar to the fog he saw in Edonia when he first met Vesa and MingYue.


    The black fog covered Luciel''s whole body, then turned her into a humanoid monster.


    She had two horns and two white pupils. In the middle of her body, next to her waist, there was a vertical mouth filled with sharp teeth.


    Her whole body was completely pitch black.


    Swosh!


    She then disappeared from where she stood.


    Alex quickly panicked as he saw this monster moving toward Zorgath and Elvira.


    He tried to move as fast as possible to pursue her, but his speed was far too slow to catch up.


    Zargath, at this moment, was already outside the city, running in the opposite direction of Petricia. Only he and Elvira were left now.


    He then put Elvira on the ground, letting her sit under the tree.


    "You cannot keep grieving like this! Our situation is now dire! Don''t you need to look for your father and brother?" Zargath tried to talk some sense into Elvira. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing her family name mentioned, clarity started returning to Elvira''s eyes. Her emotions exploded as she couldn''t hold it in anymore.


    "Isn''t this all because of you!? If not for your master meeting my mother, none of this would have happened!


    My house! My family! Even Alfred¡­ Gone! All of them gone!"


    Zargath was about to respond when suddenly the hair on his neck stood up. Unfortunately, even a fully-powered Alex and MingYue couldn''t keep up with Luciel''s speed, let alone Zargath.


    The moment he felt the danger, it was already too late.


    His stomach was pierced like meat on a skewer. "Run, Elvira!" Zargath screamed his last words.


    It''s not that he cared much for her, but this was the mission Alex had given him. For all the goblins, Alex''s order was more important than their own lives.


    CHOMP!


    The vertical mouth opened wide and ate Zargath whole, leaving nothing behind. Not even his storage ring.


    Elvira''s body froze upon seeing this, her shoulders slumping down, devoid of any energy.


    She was too tired. At this moment, her thought was, ''Since everything is gone now, I might as well just die. What more can I do¡­''


    Elvira didn''t recognize Luciel as her mother since her body was completely transformed. She then closed her eyes.


    She prepared herself for the intense pain before everything turned to darkness as her life ended.


    As she lamented her life choices, time passed.


    The attack she expected never came. Feeling curious, she opened her eyes to see the monster had disappeared, nowhere to be seen.


    A few moments ago, after Elvira closed her eyes, Luciel was going for the kill, but her sharp hand stopped inches away from Elvira''s face.

 Chapter 255 - 255: Talking with Thalia

    The real Luciel, whom Gluttony thought was fully consumed, suddenly appeared, trying to fight back.


    Knowing she didn''t have much time left in this place, she decided to escape.


    Thalia saw everything that happened but didn''t intercept. Even though she could have fought to pressure Gluttony more, she knew she couldn''t kill it.


    Instead, the more pressure Gluttony felt, the more dangerous she would become.


    It didn''t take long for Alex and MingYue to reach where Elvira was. Despite being safe now, she didn''t have any energy to try to move.


    She knew she should have tried to look for her father and brother, but she just didn''t feel any motivation.


    She was still in disbelief at how she could stay alive.


    Alex clenched his hand tightly as he looked at Elvira. He knew it as clear as day: Zargath was no more. He was killed.


    "Dammit!" Alex screamed in frustration.


    MingYue sighed and put her hand on Alex''s shoulder. "Alex..."


    "I know, it''s not the time to mourn. Let''s regroup for now," Alex said.


    MingYue nodded and then pointed at the dazed Elvira. "What about her, then?"


    Alex thought it would be better to bring her with them, but after some more thought, he decided to let her choose. With the current situation, they didn''t have time to babysit someone.


    He could try to capture her, but what then? There was no use to it.


    Alex was now trying his best to think only rationally, putting his morality and heart aside. Otherwise, he knew he would probably be stressed out from all the guilt.


    Alex walked closer to Elvira, took out a bottle of spiced water, and poured it on the woman.


    The water quickly released its effect as it got absorbed through the skin, making her mind feel refreshed.


    Looking at Alex, Elvira said, "Just who are you!? I am sure you are not from here now. And what happened? Please tell me."


    "If you want to find out, follow us. We are going to where the survivors are gathered."


    Alex then turned his back without waiting for her response.


    Elvira hesitated for a moment but then decided to follow them.


    After they had walked a few steps, Alex and MingYue turned alert. In front of them stood Thalia with a smile on her face.


    "My master is really someone I cannot fathom. He even chose two people as his heirs." She then put her hand over her chest and gave a small bow, surprising Alex and MingYue.


    "Let me introduce myself once more. My name is Thalia Von Bloodthorn, and I am from the Bloodthorn clan. I welcome you to my place, Alucard''s heirs."


    Alex and MingYue exchanged gazes for a moment, then looked back at Thalia.


    "I am Alex, and she is MingYue. Based on what you do now, are you not our enemy?"


    "Enemies? Oh, I am far from it, Heir. But before we talk further..." Thalia then turned her gaze to Elvira, raised her finger, and her crimson eyes glowed. "We need to make sure no outsider hears it."


    After saying this, Elvira''s body dropped to the ground. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What did you do to her?" Alex asked. He didn''t feel wary since he could feel Elvira was still alive.


    "I just put her to sleep. She has no business hearing what I want to say." She then turned her gaze to MingYue.


    "And who is your name, Lady Heiress?"


    "I am MingYue," she replied with a frown on her face.


    "Let''s move to a different place first. This place is not suitable for a long talk."


    "No need," Alex replied. He then gestured his hand, taking out a table and chair.


    "Let me be clear, we still don''t trust you. Despite you being stronger than us, it doesn''t mean we will just follow your whim."


    Thalia let out a chuckle. "Alright, as you wish, Sir Alex."


    As they took a seat, MingYue was the first to ask a question. "Why?"


    The question was just one word, but Thalia understood what they wanted to know.


    "I will not mince words. What you saw inside Luciel''s mind is not wrong. I do plan to take over her body, as she is the most suitable to hold the Aspect of Gluttony."


    Alex and MingYue didn''t respond; they looked at Thalia, waiting for her to continue.


    "It''s good for both of you to keep your guard up. After all, not all vampires will still be loyal to Master Alucard. Let me continue, then.


    The Aspect of Gluttony is part of the deadly sins. They are weapons created specifically to destroy our race," Thalia said with a sigh, her eyes reflecting deep sadness as she remembered what happened in the war back then.


    "Long story short, you should be able to guess what happened in the war.


    When I escaped, I was ambushed by Gluttony. I barely escaped with my life, but part of it attached itself to my soul."


    "So you somehow cut part of yourself that got infected, then put it on Luciel with the goal to kill her afterward?" Alex asked.


    "It''s not that simple, but yes, it''s as you said. But it doesn''t matter now. The creature is free and starting to run amok.


    I am guessing we have a week at most before it grows strong enough to escape this place."


    "Do you have a way to kill it?" MingYue asked.


    Both she and Alex understood they needed to make sure Gluttony didn''t escape from this place. If it somehow returned, every one of their potential enemies would come out to hunt them down.


    After knowing the outer gate, they were prepared for the worst. Their enemy had many means beyond their imagination.


    Having a progenitor shamelessly come and kill them in one move was not out of the possibility.


    "At first, I was hopeless. But seeing both of you fight gave me an idea to kill it or, at the very least, seal it."


    Hearing this, Alex''s vein throbbed. Part of the emotion that he pushed down started leaking out.


    "You mean you were there, but you didn''t have the decency to help us?"

 Chapter 256 - 256: Loyalty

    "What use would my help have been? It would just make things worse. Don''t you see what it does when it gets cornered?"


    Remembering Gluttony''s last transformation made Alex clench his fist again. He then asked, "If you are our ally, then tell us where it is."


    "What do you mean?" Thalia asked with a smile on her face.


    "You know what we mean, but please make this clear for me: you are alive since Alucard is the progenitor.


    With how much time has passed, how could you still not be able to kill it?" MingYue asked, feeling confused.


    Based on what Alex told her, vampires grow stronger the older they are, not to mention Thalia has Alucard''s body part. Even without consuming it, she should be able to grow stronger.


    Both Alex and MingYue could tell Thalia hadn''t consumed it, as their progenitor''s blood told them she was just a normal vampire.


    "As I said, I am hurt.


    Honestly, if not because I am close to Master''s essence, I am sure I would already be consumed by gluttony.


    As I told you, the enemy we face now is the Aspect of Gluttony. It''s only part of it."


    "Then where is your master''s essence?" Alex asked


    "Don''t worry, I never planned to consume it for myself. But before I can give you that, you must first start mastering your vampire innate ability.


    Even though your transformation is not complete, you should know lifeforce can be used in many more ways than how you do it."


    "Since you know Alucard, I am sure you know Vesa too. Don''t blame this on us, that Vesa is just too picky; it doesn''t teach us anything." Alex replied.


    Thalia frowned, hearing this, as Vesa was a loyal companion of her Master.


    Vesa was tasked with assisting the heir to the best of its ability to make sure their road was as smooth as possible.


    "Can you call Vesa out?" Thalia asked, wanting to confirm something.


    "We cannot. Vesa is unconscious after helping us infiltrate your place," MingYue replied as she tried to feel out Vesa''s presence.


    "I see. We can only find out the answer later. For now, we have no other choice.


    I will train both of you to the best of my ability. Of course, if both of you want it.


    Also, Sir Alex and Lady MingYue, the bangle you use wouldn''t be useful if you use lifeforce like that."


    Alex sighed, "It''s not like she had a choice at that time. You know how outmatched we were. Otherwise, using qi is enough."


    "A Qi, huh? So you are a cultivator, as I expected."


    "You know about cultivators?" she asked.


    "Of course, they are the elite force of the human race."


    "Do you have some knowledge about them then?" MingYue asked, her eyes lighting up.


    She wanted to know what the real peak of cultivation was. How far could they go from being immortal?


    Unfortunately, Thalia didn''t know about it.


    "I cannot answer your question, as I was never interested in how other races gain their power. Even trying to master runes and lifeforce is already hard enough for me."


    "About that, I saw you manipulate blood before. Is it also part of lifeforce manipulation?" Alex asked.


    Hearing this, Thalia could not help but let out a laugh, making Alex and MingYue frown.


    "I am sorry. I am not making fun of both of you. It''s just controlling blood is basic. Don''t tell me Vesa didn''t even tell you blood contains lifeforce."


    "Vesa did tell us. Vesa said that lifeforce is contained in all living beings."


    Thalia gave a nod, "That is true, but the easiest one to control is your own blood.


    Honestly, both of you have already broken common sense.


    Usually, only vampires at the Eclipsar level can manipulate lifeforce directly like that. So you guys are skipping levels while not knowing any of the basics.


    As newborns, they will learn how to manipulate their blood, then feel out lifeforce.


    A night keeper means they have complete control over the lifeforce in their body, including bones, flesh, and other parts."


    As Thalia said this, she then raised her hand and transformed it.


    Her nails grew longer and sharper, and the veins protruded from her skin. In the next moment, she returned to normal.


    "A nightkeeper will then start mastering runes. Afterward, to raise to a new level, it''s up to them to master the lifeforce energy."


    "How about the Eternal level?" MingYue aked


    "That is beyond my comprehension. They are the direct subordinates of Master. At that time, I was nothing more than a lowly maid."


    "How could you survive then?" Alex asked with suspicion in his eyes.


    A fight between progenitors, a maid surviving an encounter with gluttony, a weapon specially created to destroy vampires, and somehow succeeding in getting Alucard''s parts in her hand. All of this raised red flags in Alex''s mind.


    Thalia didn''t mind their suspicions. Sadness returned to her eyes as she said, "That is all thanks to Master Alucard. Otherwise, I would not survive.


    But I don''t want to talk more about it. It''s not like you can gain any useful information from that.


    I will just tell you this, there is more than one weapon created to destroy us, and I don''t know what kind of monstrosities they created after all this time."


    "Why don''t you try to consume it yourself? I find it hard to believe someone could stay loyal to a dead person all this time," MingYue asked.


    Her question made Thalia''s eyes turn cold.


    "Lady MingYue, never doubt my loyalty to Master Alucard. I don''t know how much Vesa told you about our race, but loyalty, code of conduct, and ethics were all important parts of our race in the past.


    That is why that betrayal caught everyone off guard. No one ever suspected that to happen."


    "So you are saying everyone was completely loyal before that? No betrayal ever happened?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, it did, but none ever came from our own race. Only those halflings did it."

 Chapter 257 - 257: Lets Become The Strongest

    "Halflings like her?" Alex asked, pointing at Elvira.


    Thalia gave a nod, "Our race was quite aggressive in the past.


    Even before the progenitor war, we had conquered many species and worlds, for example, elves. And yeah, halflings are those that carry our blood."


    Alex''s eyes turned cold hearing this. "You say ethics are very important for our race. Was this halfling born because their mother became a victim?"


    "No, let me make this clear: those halflings were born because we pure vampires injected our blood into them."


    "Vesa says only progenitors can make new vampires. So, is Vesa lying?"


    "Halflings don''t count as true vampires, Lady MingYue.


    As they marry and have more descendants, the purity will keep getting lower and lower.


    The halfling you see here is only possible because I made use of Alucard''s essence. And even then, the result is not that good."


    Alex then had a thoughtful look. Rather than consuming Alucard''s blood essence, he felt it was better to use it to turn the people around him and MingYue into vampires first.


    This would raise their survivability to a new level, better than just absorbing it to enhance themselves.


    Seeing his face, Thalia could guess what he was thinking about. After all, she had done it herself.


    "No, you cannot do that. Even now, the Vesa there is already starting to act weird.


    If we push it even further, this will become a big problem."


    "What do you mean, Vesa there?" MingYue asked.


    "Vesa is split just like Alucard''s progenitor essence. Each part has Vesa inside of it.


    They will only awaken when they detect the blood is used by something or someone.


    The Vesa, in the essence I hold, is already starting to get corrupted.


    I don''t know if it''s because Gluttony being close is a factor or there is another reason, but one thing is for sure: if it runs amok, we''re all dead."


    "If we absorb it, how strong will we become?"


    "Let me put this simply; even now, you guys are still not using your power to its fullest potential.


    While some of it may be used for your transformation, there will still be a lot left. Don''t underestimate even 1% of the progenitor''s strength."


    "Does Vesa have control over this essence?" Alex asked.


    He felt curious about it, just like before when he asked MingYue about the abudant life force here with only 3.5% of Alucard''s essence.


    Meanwhile, he and MingYue had a total of 17.35%. It''s almost five times the strength.


    Even if it''s used to transform his soul and body, from the experience he had fighting in the inner world, it''s clear the results were very lackluster.


    Just how strong was Alucard at his peak? Alex felt it should be at least close to the eye creature he had seen before.


    "I don''t know much about it for the heir, but based on the information I got from the Vesa with me, they should have some extent of control, although they cannot use it for themselves. Vesa can manage how much is used or not."


    "So basically, Vesa works like a tap. I can understand the reason, as getting too strong quickly will just be detrimental.


    But what do you think, Thalia? Aren''t we too weak?"


    "One hundred percent. But this is my judgment based on the life force you control now.


    Honestly, you already can absorb so much from the atmosphere, but the way you use it is very barbaric.


    After you learn how to manipulate your own blood, you will understand what I mean." Thalia took a deep breath and then continued, "Now, if you don''t have any more questions, we should move.


    I am sure my place will soon turn to chaos as Gluttony roams free now."


    "How about the competition? Aren''t you the one that organized it?" MingYue asked.


    "Yes, but it''s part of my plan after Luciel got possessed. As for now, it all becomes useless.


    I should make another order instead since having everyone gathered in one place will just give an all-you-can-eat buffet for Greed."


    ''What do you think, Alex? I think we should accept her offer. It''s the best choice,'' MingYue asked telepathically.


    Alex didn''t directly answer as he considered their choices now. Based on how Thalia acted, if they chose to ignore her now, she probably wouldn''t insist.


    As she was sure, they couldn''t do anything without her.


    Following her meant putting their lives in her hands, as they didn''t know what kind of capabilities Thalia had. Wherever she brought them would surely have many protections in place.


    ''Let''s take it then. It''s not like we have another choice.


    No matter what happens, our main goal is Alucard''s essence. At some point, we will go to her base.''


    ''Okay, it''s settled then.''


    They then communicated that they agreed to follow Thalia, but only after they regrouped with Patricia and the others.


    Thalia didn''t mind. She told them a location for them to meet up after they finished with their business.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach where Patricia was. The people were gathered, tending to each other''s wounds, as Patricia could be seen busy helping them.


    There were many tents set up in the area, providing makeshift shelter for the survivors.


    The atmosphere was heavy. Patricia didn''t greet Alex, as he had already ordered her to stay focused on her task.


    Alex then looked around, searching for Elvira''s father and brother. He had never met the brother, but Alex knew the father''s appearance from Patricia.


    Going around, they didn''t find anyone. With a sigh, Alex decided to put Elvira in one of the camps and let Patricia take care of her.


    After putting her on the bed, Alex looked around the surroundings. Tears and sobs were everywhere. People were screaming their grievances.


    As those who were still fit moved around helping Patricia, none of them cared about her strange appearance now, as they had just faced something unprecedented.


    Half of their city was destroyed to ashes, while there had never been any big war since this place was founded.


    sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 258 - 258: Cultivation & Vampire Power

    The shock was too much for most of them.


    Alex gripped his fist as he saw this. He knew all of this was in his hands. There might be other factors, but he was the one that triggered it.


    The guilt he tried hard to suppress started coming out.


    "This¡­ is all my fault. My father often told me in the past that the higher your position, the more burden you will carry.


    I never thought much about his words before, but now¡­ I get it."


    "There are too many factors at play here. Most of it is not under our control, Alex.


    It''s not like we are the ones leading these people. As the leader, Elvira''s father should have known better that there was something possessing his wife.


    It''s not that I blame him; I just want to tell you that too many things are outside of our hands."


    "That might be true, but I just know we can do better."


    His gaze then turned to a middle-aged woman singing a lullaby, trying to calm her baby. Her eyes were wet as tears dropped non-stop, making Alex''s heartache.


    He could guess the woman''s husband had probably died in the incident.


    "Have you ever seen carnage like this in your world, MingYue?"


    "No. Even though I know some villages were massacred by rogue cultivators or those learning demonic cultivation, I never really encountered one."


    "This is the second time for me, just like that day. Only the difference is this time, almost everyone around me is a stranger." Alex said as his fist clenched even tighter.


    "My friends, neighbors, everyone I knew was torn to pieces, some even eaten alive, while I could only just desperately try to run away with my family without doing much."


    "I had a similar talk with my brother before. He raised a good point: strength.


    In the end, only those who are strong can do anything they want, while the weak can only bow to the strong."


    "Let''s be one then¡­ Let''s become the strongest in existence, more than any progenitor, to a level no one has ever seen before."


    "You are quite ambitious, Alex, but I like that. Let''s aim high, as high as we can."


    Alex''s ears perked up, and his mood started getting better.


    It was the first time MingYue had said something like this, even though he knew it didn''t have any special meaning.


    He then left some more medical supplies and left the area to the promised location. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thalia didn''t tell them much; she only pointed in a direction and told them to fly toward there.


    When Alex asked, "Till where?"


    She answered with, "You will know when you see it."


    They then started moving toward the direction at full speed.


    Time passed; even after an hour, they still didn''t see anything, only passing through some cities, mountains, and more forests.


    That is until they finally reached a big lake with sparkling clear water.


    Many big fish swam in the area, but their attention was focused on the thing floating above it.


    A huge amount of life energy radiated from it, creating a green fog that made the lake look mystical. In normal people''s eyes, even the royalty, there was nothing in this space.


    But for Alex and MingYue, they could see a piece of land floating with a small castle perched on top of it.


    The castle was adorned with two towers, completely made from an unknown material. There were many intricate carvings on each brick, making it look even more beautiful.


    At a glance, it looked like a decoration, but as Alex had learned about runes, he knew it wasn''t just that. Each of them functions like a circuit that life forces pass through.


    It was clear to Alex that there was a huge formation of runes in the building.


    They then saw Thalia waving at them from the balcony.


    Alex and MingYue flew toward the place. When they came close, they felt like they were passing through a barrier. It was a similar sensation to what Alex felt when he was passing the array at the Felidaen homeland.


    Thalia gave a respectful bow when they landed, "Welcome to my castle, Sir Alex and Lady MingYue.


    Now, first, let''s start by practicing how to control blood.


    It''s not that I keep Alucard''s essence from you; it''s just, as I said, the Vesa there is weird now. So it''s better if you become stronger first."


    Alex and MingYue agreed with the thought, then followed Thalia inside the castle.


    On the way, as they admired the decorations, Alex asked telepathically, ''MingYue, is Vesa still not awake? We are not close to Alucard''s essence.''


    ''No, I get the feeling Vesa will only awaken after we consume the essence. How should we share it anyway?'' MingYue asked.


    The moment they entered through the barrier, both of them could feel something calling, making their blood boil.


    ''Let''s raise your ration to the same as mine, then we will share it half and half.


    Although I don''t know how it really works, Alucard''s essence will be shared between the two of us.


    Doesn''t that mean we will reach fifty percent at max?''


    ''I think we will only find out when we get there.''


    They then arrived at a big room shaped like a dome.


    Thalia brought them to the middle of the room. She then gestured with her hand, activating the runes around the place.


    The next moment, Alex and MingYue found themselves standing in a vast empty field.


    Even with their sharp eyes, there was no end to this place; it looked like it stretched to infinity.


    "As you already know, blood contains lifeforce, and lifeforce is part of our core being. It''s part of our soul.


    So, to start manipulating lifeforce, you need to first master your own soul."


    "Is this the same as cultivators mastering their soul? We are both cultivators and vampires. How does it works for us?"


    "I don''t really know how it works for both of you, but based on my experience, at some point, you will need to choose since there is a stage where you cannot do both.

 Chapter 259 - 259: Blood Control

    Otherwise, we vampires would have already adopted cultivation since it makes us stronger."


    "Cultivation is slow and full of risks. Comparing it to the vampire method of raising their power, I think it''s not impossible.


    It''s just that no one put in the effort to find the solution."


    "It''s possible. I hope you can find a better way, Sir Alex and bring a new golden age for us, Vampire." Thalia replied with a smile. She then continued explaining the ability.


    "Let me start now. Blood is a part of any being; it moves energy to all our body parts. This includes circulating our life force to each cell that needs it.


    Controlling blood is not as simple as what you see. You need to first feel the life force circulating in your body.


    I believe this part is not hard for both of you, but the next part¡­"


    Thalia paused for a moment, then continued, "You need to focus on the life force in your blood vessels.


    How it moves and circulates in your body, how much is there, and how much is used by each organ. You know this without thinking before you even try to control your blood.


    Imagine this: you move all your blood, creating a weapon, but since you took too much, it results in a lack of blood circulating in your body.


    It''s not funny collapsing because of that, right?"


    Alex could not help but let out a small chuckle upon hearing this.


    He quickly imagined someone creating a huge attack using blood, all the destructive power, only to then faint before releasing it because of the lack of blood.


    "That would be hilarious." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You will be surprised, Sir Alex, how many times this has happened in the past," Thalia replied.


    MingYue, meanwhile, didn''t think it was that funny since that was a fatal mistake in the middle of combat.


    "In that case, don''t we just need to use life force in our bone marrow to raise the amount of blood we produce?" MingYue asked.


    She has used qi and mana to enhance her own body, so despite her reluctance to learn biology, she still learned many parts and how her body really works.


    "It''s not that simple, Lady MingYue. If, for example, you put too much blood in your veins, it will end up with your veins swelling.


    In the worst case, they will tear. If you put too much in your organs, it could trigger organ failure.


    This is why it''s important to find the maximum blood you can have and control without disturbing your body''s function."


    "What is the next step then?"


    "After you learn the limits of your body perfectly, the next step is to create a new pathway to allow your blood to come out of your body without wounding it.


    This is the first phase of learning blood manipulation.


    Also, if you want to ask, no, we vampires don''t have these kinds of organs since birth.


    We are a race born with attunement over life force. This means we have an easier way to control it.


    The blood part only came as our less talented people found a way to fight on their own."


    She then told Alex and MingYue to focus on the circulation of blood in their bodies to start feeling the amount.


    Both of them sat cross-legged and then started meditating. Closing their eyes, they began focusing their focus inside, feeling everything inside their bodies.


    As both of them already used qi and mana to enhance their bodies, they easily felt this on the pathway. MingYue had it easier as she had practiced secret techniques that required specific motions.


    She had learned to control her blood flow as it affected how her muscles would move and contract.


    Compared to her, Alex had a harder time. So far, he only controlled his Qi and life force, channeling it to the embershift hammer. Only in the last fight did he try to move it in motion to perform the movement technique.


    But Alex had more of an edge compared to MingYue in finding the capacity of his veins, as his ability helped him a lot in the process.


    MingYue then tried to start moving the blood, but she got confused as she remembered blood was already in circulation in her body all the time.


    How could she test it out?


    As she knew this was not her forte, she asked Alex about this.


    "Use your qi to create something like a tap that blocks the blood flow. This will allow you to know how much the veins can hold before you push it more."


    "I see, that makes sense. But what if we then try to increase our blood quantity? It will flow to all our body at the same rate."


    "It works under the same principle, MingYue. It''s like controlling traffic.


    We make a few gap points where one part is bigger than the other while looking at how it affects every part.


    I am guessing this is similar to how we control our transformation.


    Too much blood pressure and flow to the brain will be bad, but a raise at the right rate will make my brain work faster."


    "A traffic? You mean like the cars on the street in the movie I watched?"


    "Yes, remember, sometimes the cars stop, and sometimes not.


    This is to control the flow, making sure all the cars don''t crash into each other. But now, change the cars to your blood while the traffic light is a tap.


    By the way, MingYue, any suggestion on how to control the blood?"


    "Yes, it''s not that hard, Alex. Remember how you felt when you infused qi into the hammer?


    I don''t know how other vampires do it, but this is how I learned to control mine: by infusing Qi into the blood.


    In the first place, we already have Qi in it. What we do is just try to be aware of this qi."


    "Alright, I will try it."


    Both of them then helped each other try to understand it. Despite what she said, Thalia expected them to finish in less than an hour or, at worst, two hours.

 Chapter 260 - 260: In the Camp

    Even though they were still newborns, they were different. Their bodies are like a progenitor got reborn but without the knowledge.


    ''So, the master decided to do this, but I wonder Master, can they really achieve what you cannot, even with all those knowledge and resources?'' Thalia thought in her mind, and then her lips curled into a smile.


    In the end, as long as both Alex and MingYue can achieve it, it can be said in some way that her master, Alucard, is the one paving the way.


    Time passed, and as Thalia expected, it only took barely an hour for both of them to open their eyes.


    "Now that you can control your blood and have some idea about it, the next step is triggering the cells to create the veins you need to make it pour out from your body. But before that, try to make a small wound and then control the blood."


    Alex and MingYue nodded. They created a small incision on their fingertips and then started manipulating the blood.


    The experience was very different from what Alex imagined. He thought it would work as he willed it, but in reality, it was more like controlling a horse.


    He needed to give direction and try to control the flow as the blood kept flowing in his body despite what he did.


    He must make sure not too much blood was out without disturbing the circulation while using life force to generate more blood than they needed.


    It was like trying to write with both the left and right hands at the same time.


    The blood that came out from Alex at first moved like a worm; it then started trying to transform, trying to take some form, but the process was quite slow, as it could be seen with the naked eye.


    The same happened with MingYue. It took Alex half an hour before he finally got it right, while it took MingYue almost an hour.


    Seeing the fast progress, Thalia became more spirited and began teaching both of them the next step.


    Meanwhile, back at the survivor encampment, Elvira finally woke up. Her head felt freshened up like she had just woken up from a deep sleep.


    Looking through the gap in the camp, she started seeing some familiar faces. Even though she wasn''t close to them, she often saw them walking in the street.


    Her memory is quite good, allowing her to memorize something after a few glances.


    She then stood up and started walking out of the camp. Looking around, she was quickly greeted with the same sight Alex had seen.


    Her head throbbed as she started walking around, gaining gazes from many people in the area. Everyone recognized her as the princess of Duskmire.


    Her eyes darted around carefully, looking at each wounded person, hoping to see her father and brother.


    Swosh!


    A rock flew suddenly as Elvira dodged her head. Looking back, she saw a group of people with angry looks on their faces.


    "You¡­YOU are the princess of our country! Where were you when that monster attacked?"


    "Yes, we all pay taxes, so you can protect us! Aren''t you a sorceress?"


    "We all are your people! Isn''t it your responsibility to protect us?"


    Elvira was silent upon hearing all their complaints. Normally, this would not happen as the punishment could easily be death, but now, as these people have lost everything, they don''t care at all.


    Her eyes looked at the people''s appearances; each of them had many wounds all over their bodies. Blood was still flowing from their wounds as they still had not been taken care of. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite their appearances, their wounds were superficial compared to others. So, they were at the very back of the priority.


    Elvira then took out a green crystal from her pocket, making the people who complained take a step back. But it only lasted for a moment before they continued throwing insults.


    The green gem started to shine, creating a warm light that enveloped all of them.


    Petricia saw all of this happening from the other camp, as she was still busy taking care of the patients.


    She didn''t plan to interfere since, by right, these people were all her responsibility. The only reason she still stayed here was because of Alex''s order.


    Vexgore has already been taken by Alex back to the awe cube as he could heal faster inside that place.


    The people who complained expected she would kill them all, but to their surprise, the spell cast healed all their wounds.


    "I will be straight; what you did is condemnable by death, but I will forgive you this one time.


    What happened now is outside everyone''s capability. If you want to blame, that is your choice, but you are right; I should have prepared better countermeasures in case something like this happened," Elvira said with cold eyes while exuding pressure that made the people turn silent.


    In Elvira''s land, despite the different classes, the grassroots still earned enough money to eat and pay rent. The tax was also not that heavy, allowing them to have a comfortable life.


    This made the crime rate low, requiring only a few knights and soldiers to patrol the area. And the base was all concentrated around the castle.


    This resulted in complete annihilation when the incident happened.


    Thankfully, this also meant no one saw that her mother, Luciel, was the one who did all of this. Otherwise, she knew she would face even more problems than this one.


    Elvira continued walking through the area as she cast the same spell a few more times. In the end, she stopped near Petricia. "Where are my father and brother?"


    "I don''t hide them, so I don''t know. You see the last explosion? Anyone dead there won''t even have their body remain."


    Elvira clenched her fists, her eyes then turned misty.


    "Don''t people in power usually have some contingency? Your family should have one, too.


    Why not check the escape place you guys have prepared beforehand?"


    .

 Chapter 261 - 261: H-Game???

    Petricia''s words reminded Elvira that they did have a place to hide. And it makes sense for her father to escape there, as he was told the one who came was a sovereign


    Her father will lay low and wait for her news. If there is no news, based on her understanding, he will hide his identity and try to rebuild the house using her brother''s descendants.


    "You are right. I will try to look for them there."


    "I don''t really care with what you do, but¡­" Petricia then pointed at the people on the land, "Aren''t these all your people? Don''t you need to fulfill your responsibility first?"


    Hearing the screams and tears, a huge weight suddenly appeared on her shoulders.


    With a sigh, she said, "You are right¡­"


    "Just call me Petricia. It''s not like you can do anything now, even if you meet them.


    Here, help me with some medical treatment," Petricia said while pointing at the box filled with red potions and other supplies.


    Back at Thalia''s castle, Alex and MingYue were practicing their mastery over blood. They each created a small humanoid figure, hardened it, and then used it to fight against each other.


    This is a kids'' game from the Golden Era of Vampires.


    Thalia made both of them do this, since not only is it fun, it also raises their control over blood.


    Other than this, in the past there was also a competition called blood art, where they created complex figures and miniatures.


    Thalia''s eyes started turning hazy, looking at Alex and MingYue; she remembered how, in the past, she liked to do things like this.


    At that time, she was still a child, living at an orphanage as both her parents died in the progenitor war.


    Meanwhile, Alex had a grin on his face, while MingYue was annoyed.


    She lost! Not once or twice, from ten matches she barely won one, and they already had done more than a hundred.


    "Are you cheating or what! I should have more experience with this," MingYue complained with a grumble.


    She had more combat experience and couldn''t believe she was beaten this badly.


    "How can I even cheat? This is not a VR game, you know," Alex said with a grin.


    The reason he kept winning is because it''s like playing a game with a more complicated controller for him.


    With his experience with fighting games and his abilities, it was just very hard for MingYue to win.


    As he doesn''t actively involve himself in the combat, he could utilize his Cognitive Matrix effectively.


    Unfortunately, Alex had just dug his own grave. He suddenly felt the hair on his back stand up.


    MingYue looked at him coldly. "You saying VR game reminds me of something¡­ H-Game, do you remember that word?"


    Alex froze, and so did the figure he controlled.


    "Cough, that was a long time ago. Just forget about it."


    "Now tell me, Alex¡­ What do you plan to do to me if Vesa don''t appear and I don''t wake up?"


    "That¡­" Alex''s blood figure dispersed as he stood up and took a step back.


    "Continue, please¡­ Humor me. You know I have watched many movies that you gave me, and I found out what that means.


    You know, Alex, that really changed my view of you," MingYue said with cold eyes.


    She also dispersed the figure, then stood up and walked closer to Alex.


    With each step she moved forward, Alex took a step back.


    "H-Game, I mean, is different, though. Yeah, the H means¡­" Alex paused as his brain went into overdrive to find the answer.


    "Ho-Hospital game! Yeah, Hospital game; I just thought there was a patient there, and I need to play as a doctor who needs to¡­" Alex stopped his words as he realized he had screwed up even further.


    The temperature dropped a few degrees, and MingYue''s eyes turned ice-cold as he looked at him. She was now already familiar with many modern slang terms, making her understand the implications.


    With a quick move, he then said, "I think I need to go to the bathroom now, MingYue, see you later."


    Swish¡­


    Alex disappeared from where he stood.


    Seeing this, MingYue''s cold lips turned into a beautiful smile, and she then let out a laugh. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha¡­ Serves you right."


    Looking at the turn of events, Thalia was confused, "Lady MingYue, you seem to do that on purpose. You do know we are short on time, right?"


    "Yes, I have a few reasons, but don''t worry, he will return soon. I just saw an opportunity to make him get away."


    "What do you want to talk about?" Thalia asked with a solemn tone, as she realized this meant MingYue wanted to talk to her alone.


    Her cheeks turned a bit red as she then asked, "I have some questions about being a vampire as a woman. It''s not something I want Alex to hear."


    This problem had bothered her for a while, and it was not something she felt comfortable discussing with Alex.


    "Ah¡­ I think I know what you want to ask. It''s something that happens to all newly turned vampiresses," Thalia said with a smirk.


    Meanwhile, after leaving the area, Alex found himself navigating through the castle. The place was filled with many decorations, but not a single maid was in sight.


    "That was close," Alex mumbled with relief.


    He then thought, ''How did she find out what H-game means? I''m sure I never gave her anything related to it. Is that in one of the novels? But I''m sure I checked everything beforehand. Is Vesa betray me?''


    He did this because he didn''t want MingYue to think he was a creep. Just imagine giving an H-game, anime, or p*rn to the girl that you like. Even when the woman is fine with it, normally, it would still feel weird.


    "Well, forget it. Now, where am I?" Alex asked himself.


    He looked around, and to his surprise, he found himself in a library.

 Chapter 262 - 262: Fighting The Essence

    It was filled with an array of books, and he then heard some motion. Since lifeforce was dispersed from this place, Alex couldn''t really tell if there was really someone there or not. So he decided to check.


    To his surprise, there was no one there, only a broom moving by itself, cleaning the area.


    "So this is how she cleans the castle," Alex mumbled.


    His focus then turned to the book titles. Reading each one, he realized all of it was about this place''s history. Nothing he found interesting since he didn''t have any plan to stay in the area longer than needed.


    After beating Gluttony, he wanted to quickly leave and then go to his goal of building more army and rescuing his father.


    Walking through the towering rows of bookshelves, Alex found a peculiar rack.


    It was largely empty, with a rune formation engraved around it.


    Looking closer, he could see one old book placed on a pedestal, written in real Edonia language, "Alucard''s Journal."


    The title quickly interested him, and looking at the thickness, Alex was sure there were many things he could learn from it.


    He then looked at the rune, "Unfortunately, the rune here is too complicated for me.


    Well, it''s not like I can take it out without alarming Thalia. Maybe I should ask her for it. Hmmm¡­"


    As Alex thought about this, a familiar voice reached his mind,


    ''Where are you running to? Come back here. We don''t have much time, you know.''


    ''Oh MingYue, I just finished my business. Alright, I will be back.''


    ''Back to practice, don''t start with the doctor game.'' MingYue''s voice reverberated playfully in his mind, surprising Alex.


    This was the first time Alex had heard her act like this. He liked this side of her, but the words she said just made him feel flustered.


    ''Alright, alright, stop teasing me. My fault for being a healthy young man. You are just too beautiful, so don''t blame me.''


    ''Glip tongue, just return quickly,'' MingYue replied. She did this on purpose as she was thinking about how to cheer Alex up after what happened.


    She wanted to do the same as how he cheered her after her family tragedy.


    Alex then raised his feet, but the moment, it should have hit the ground. Instead, it hit nothing. He yelped in surprise as his body fell into a tunnel filled with darkness.


    The hole in the floor then closed.


    At the training area, MingYue''s crimson eyes turned sharp, "Thalia, what did you do?" She asked coldly.


    Meeting her gaze, Thalia was confused, "What do you mean, Lady MingYue?"


    "I lost contact with Alex. Don''t play dumb. This place is yours," MingYue said as she brandished her sword toward Thalia.


    Despite mastering blood manipulation raising her strength to a new level, MingYue knew Thalia was still out of her league, but she was also not afraid of her.


    There are some secret techniques she already imagined and just needed to put into reality. Even though she cannot beat Thalia, MingYue was sure she would be able to put up a fight.


    "I swear, Lady MingYue, I don''t know anything about this," Thalia said as she started thinking about what could have happened¡­


    A possibility then surfaced in her mind, making her face turn ugly. "No way!"


    "What do you mean? Gluttony came here?"


    "No, worse! The other Vesa! I am sure it''s sealed, but maybe something reacted when Alex got too close to its position."


    "Bring me there now," MingYue demanded.


    Thalia gave a nod and quickly made her way; the situation was dangerous. What if this Vesa defeated Alex and ate the Alucard essence in his body?


    The possibility gave her a sense of dread, making her quicken her pace.


    Meanwhile, Alex quickly found himself in a similar setting. It was a patch of desolate ground surrounded by black fog.


    "This place is similar to Edonia, but something feels different," Alex mumbled. As his experience with cultivation was very high now, he knew he was not in his soul form. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This meant he was transported physically into this place.


    Alex then started to move around the area. When he turned his back, to his surprise, he found a pedestal with a goblet on top of it.


    "This¡­" Alex was confused; he felt this was Alucard''s essence, but he didn''t feel it like one. It''s like there was no essence there.


    A black liquid started oozing up from the goblet like slime. Despite the small size, the slime came out like never-ending; it kept growing in size until it finally reached Alex''s height.


    The slime then started contorting and changing, turning into a familiar appearance with some differences.


    It was a humanoid bat with a face that looked like Vesa but with murky red eyes. It had two horns with a purplish symbol on its forehead.


    The symbol was a circle with a drawing that looked like a tongue.


    If anything, Alex could easily link the being in front of him with a real vampire.


    A muscular body, white hair, crimson eyes, fangs, horns, and bat wings. All of it screamed like he was the real vampire progenitor.


    But he knew this creature wasn''t one.


    "Who are you?" Alex asked, as he raised his alertness to a high level, preparing to fight anytime.


    "Me? You should have known me, Heir! I am the thing you are coming here for," the creature said with a grin, flashing its sharp fangs.


    Alex frowned, ''Thalia told me a berserk Vesa would be worse than Gluttony, but why do I feel like I can fight this one?''


    "Why aren''t you answering? Is the chosen Heir a scaredy-cat?" The creature asked as it started walking toward Alex, "Oh yeah, you can call me Vesa."


    Hearing the word Vesa, Alex took out his Embershift Hammer, then dashed forward.


    Blood started coming out from his fingertips, covering the whole hammer and turning its color into crimson red.


    CLASH!!!


    The hammer met with the creature''s claw, creating a huge shockwave. But Alex''s attack didn''t stop there.


    As if it was alive, the blood that coated the hammer started moving around, then in one motion, it launched a barrage of blood bullets.

 Chapter 263 - 263: Alex Vs Other Vesa

    This caught the creature off guard. It took a step back as each bullet left some bruises on its skin.


    Alex followed up with his attack. His hammer grew in size and then ignited with flame.


    BANG!


    The creature raised its hand, blocking it with one hand. He was pushed down but still had a grin on his face.


    Seeing this made Alex feel annoyed. He raised the heat level to a whole new level until it started creating a sizzling sound on the creature''s arm.


    At the same time, blood started coming out from Alex''s back. It looked like a fox tail with a very sharp edge at the end.


    The edge turned into something like drill bits, which then spun at high speed and pierced through the air toward the other Vesa.


    Swosh!!!


    At the same time, Alex gave more power to his hand to push the hammer even further. He then created another similar tail to attack from another angle.


    Both tails hit its body, a screeching sound reverberating in the air as they began piercing through the creature''s flesh.


    The grin on the other Vesa disappeared. He raised his foot, and a dark light started to appear on it then with a stomp, BAM!


    A strange rune appeared on the ground.


    Many earth spikes appeared on the ground to attack the blood-like tentacles targeting Alex.


    The blood tails that Alex made changed shape, meeting the attack head-on in a way that created enough force for Alex to put some distance between them.


    While this happened midair, Alex took out a few grenades from his storage ring and threw them down. He knew this wouldn''t do any damage, but the explosion should be more than enough to deal with the earth spikes.


    Boom! Boom!


    A barrage of explosions followed as the blood tails changed into something that looked similar to wings, allowing Alex to glide.


    The smoke dispersed, showing the other Vesa with superficial wounds all over its body, but it had already started to regenerate.


    The rune carved on the ground also disappeared.


    Seeing how he fought, Alex concluded that he used brute force combined with rune attacks. Attacking from a distance would be more dangerous for him since who knows what kind of rune he could use.


    Alex then dashed forward, appearing right in his face, launching a barrage of attacks in quick succession.


    At first, the other Vesa easily dodged the attacks while sending counterattacks, but as time passed, Alex gained more and more of the upper hand.


    His way of fighting became crazier as he didn''t care about the attacks coming to his face.


    The other Vesa threw a punch to the gut, but Alex didn''t care, letting it hit him straight in the stomach.


    He then threw a counter, his muscles tensing as he threw a straight punch to Vesa''s face. This caught him off guard since, normally, no one would act like Alex after getting a hole in their stomach.


    As Alex''s fist came closer to his face, blood seeped out, creating two sharp needles pointing at his eyes.


    Stab!


    The needles pierced through Vesa''s eyeball, making him scream in pain. Alex then proceeded to attack him in a combo: a knee to the stomach and another punch to the chest. The reason Alex didn''t flinch despite having his stomach punched with a hole was because he had learned some tricks.


    He put a special drug that completely shut down his pain nerves, making him unable to feel anything, no matter how heavy the wound was.


    This did lower his reaction in that part, but it was an exchange Alex was willing to make.


    He became a killing machine that could keep regenerating and didn''t feel any pain.


    Physically, the other Vesa was stronger, but even this gap was easily closed by what he did.


    Despite seeing the other Vesa''s current miserable state, Alex didn''t dare to drop his guard. He didn''t believe this was all the other Vesa could do. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If not, Thalia wouldn''t fear him like that. Alex also felt worried every time he looked at the symbol on the other Vesa''s head. It gave him a dreadful feeling.


    Meanwhile, MingYue and Thalia were now in the throne room. Thalia''s hand started moving, activating the rune mechanism. The room started vibrating as a hole appeared in the floor.


    Usually, a new pedestal would rise up, bringing a goblet filled with Alucard essence.


    Seeing nothing happening, Thalia made a few more motions, making the gap in the floor wider.


    "Let''s go, MingYue."


    "Where does this hole lead to?"


    "The vault is the most secure place in this castle. I put Master''s essence there and only took it out when I needed it."


    MingYue replied with a nod. She still couldn''t feel Alex''s presence even this close.


    On the way, MingYue also realized that at the same moment, Alex disappeared, the presence of Alucard''s essence also disappeared.


    "Let''s go," Thalia said, then jumped inside the hole. MingYue followed.


    It only took a few seconds for them to almost reach the bottom. When they got close, both of them stopped in the air as they could see a murky, purplish barrier blocking their path.


    "Dammit! I am so stupid," Thalia exclaimed as she turned into a panic.


    "What do you mean, Thalia? Tell me?" MingYue asked in a tone filled with anxiousness. She started to worry about what happened to Alex and Alucard''s essence.


    "You remember I said gluttony first attached to me, and I used Master''s essence to survive?"


    MingYue replied with a nod.


    "Part of Gluttony''s aspect probably started contaminating the essence."


    "Is that possible? We are talking about progenitor essence here."


    "Not the essence itself, more on the Vesa part that was implanted there. No wonder this Vesa is so ominous all this time."


    "What should we do then? We couldn''t just let Alex fight by himself; it''s too dangerous."


    "Of course, I will try to pierce through it. Thankfully, I already stockpiled a lot of life force in this castle," Thalia said as she pointed her finger forward.

 Chapter 264 - 264: Alucards Essence

    The tunnel suddenly lit up with green energy as many life forces moved toward Thalia.


    A red energy started condensing at the tip of her finger. It was very small, like a pebble, but MingYue could feel the concentrated energy in it.


    It wasn''t blood. It was like pure destruction that would annihilate everything in its way.


    Thalia''s eyes glinted with a crimson glare.


    Swish!


    The energy shot out like a ray of laser, reaching the barrier in no time.


    She focused it all on one point to ensure it was enough to pierce a hole in the barrier.


    Cracks started appearing, and both of them quickly moved to enter.


    Meanwhile, back to Alex, the situation had completely changed. Just as he expected, the other Vesa were playing possum, trying to bait him into lowering his guard.


    Alex didn''t know the reason for Vesa''s other actions, but he didn''t want to find out.


    Seeing this tactic fail, the other Vesa, with annoyance, started showing his real strength. His speed rose to a whole new level as he started spamming runes like crazy.


    As Alex did his best to dodge, his leg got trapped by a sudden crack that appeared on the ground.


    Many stone pillars started rising upward, turning into chains to capture Alex. They moved at a speed that Alex couldn''t dodge.


    But Alex still didn''t let them capture him. He went to the extreme to avoid this.


    He cut off his own arms and limbs, then regenerated them at a fast rate as he kept moving a few steps ahead, focusing on ensuring his torso wouldn''t be bound.


    This was one of the times when he was reminded of how he couldn''t use his ability to its maximum potential.


    He knew how fast the chains moved, what angle they came from, where they would reach, and how they would turn, but his mind couldn''t calculate all this fast enough for his body to react in the right way.


    The best he could do was focus on specific targets.


    His clothes were torn and stained with red blood. One of his hands was still regenerating while both his legs were gone.


    "You are all talk and no bite, huh? Can''t even catch half a man," Alex said in a teasing tone, trying to bait him.


    The other Vesa looked at him with annoyance. As he started restraining his attack, he was worried. If he pushed Alex too much, the Vesa inside him would react.


    The other Vesa''s goal was to consume Alex''s Vesa first, but it never came out at all. Even though Alex and MingYue''s Vesa had more essence, he still felt stronger as he had some power of gluttony.


    This allowed him to start eating away at the progenitor essence in his hand. Even though the process was hard and slow, it succeeded in allowing him to create this strong body.


    As he thought about the best method to capture Alex, Alex also didn''t give up. He was trying to locate where Alucard''s essence was.


    He was sure it wasn''t in the other Vesa''s body; otherwise, when he stabbed through his eyes, he should have felt the trace.


    Even though this Vesa seemed to come out from the goblet similar to the one that MingYue had told him about before, he still believed the essence existed elsewhere, and this Vesa was just doing that for show. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His eyes darted around the empty space that stretched to infinity, ''This is an illusion for sure, which means it''s somewhere in the outskirts area, but which direction should I go?''


    As he thought about this, the space started to shake, and a crack appeared in the sky, making the other Vesa turn his gaze upward with annoyance.


    Alex, meanwhile, didn''t look up. He could feel MingYue''s presence the moment the crack appeared. He used this moment to search for something unusual.


    As the illusion faltered, Alex realized there were many black rocks scattered around the area. These rocks looked normal at first, but now some of them started showing distortions, briefly revealing some rune engravings.


    Without hesitation, using his newly regenerated legs, Alex stepped on the ground, utilizing his secret move, moving like a blink to one of the rocks.


    The other Vesa realized this, his face turning ugly, but before he could intervene, Thalia kicked him right in the face, launching him into the air.


    ''Alex, are you alright?'' MingYue asked.


    ''I am fine; thankfully, we have abundant life force here in the atmosphere; otherwise, I would probably already have run out with how many times I''ve regenerated,'' he replied.


    Alex then told MingYue to go after some of the stones scattered in the area. He told her his suspicion that it was Alucard''s essence.


    Thalia, meanwhile, didn''t give the other Vesa any break. Blood seeped out, covering her whole body, it than become solid turning her into a Valkyrie warrior.


    Two vampire wings appeared, and her crimson armor gleamed menacingly. A huge blood lance then appeared in her hand. With a swift motion, she threw it toward the other Vesa.


    SWISH! BOOM!


    It reached the speed of sound, instantly appearing inches away from the other Vesa.


    "GROOOAR!" An otherworldly roar came out from his mouth as the purple pattern on his head started glowing.


    He decided to focus all his attention on the fight now, as Thalia was not someone he could underestimate.


    That is why he always tried hard to lure Thalia to consume Alucard''s essence. This way, he could try taking over her form inside.


    Two demonic horns appeared on his forehead, and his wings flapped as he dodged the attack.


    But like a homing missile, the lance curved back at the other Vesa.


    Thalia raised her finger, and ten more blood lances appeared in the air.


    Swoosh! SWOOSH! Swosh!


    BOOM!


    She bombarded the other Vesa nonstop. Dust and debris exploded upward, blocking the view with dust.


    But this was not a problem for anyone on the battlefield.

 Chapter 265 - 265: Trust

    While this happened, Alex was grasping the rock in his hand. His muscles tensed, and the veins throbbed as he exerted a lot of strength, trying to crush it.


    CRACK!


    A glow came out from the grasp.


    His lips then curled into a grin, and with one motion, he ate the rocks.


    The moment they reached his tongue, the contents of the rock melted. The taste was beyond his wildest thoughts.


    It was soft, silky, and very sweet. If anyone told him this was ambrosia, he would believe it without a second question.


    He then felt an incredible amount of energy surging through his body.


    Energy exploded outward, followed by excruciating pain. Alex could feel all the veins in his body boiling.


    "Arghh!!!" he screamed in pain, but it only lasted for a moment before it was replaced by a grin.


    He spit out the leftover rock from his mouth as a notification appeared in his eyes.


    [Progenitor Transformation + 0.1%]


    Seeing this, MingYue also followed suit, but she didn''t chomp the rock like Alex.


    She slashed the stone into two and then slurped the contents. As MingYue began her transformation,


    A message appeared in front of Alex.


    [King, you must find a way to eject Gluttony from the other Vesa''s body, or at least purify him. Otherwise, we will lose a lot.]


    ''Where have you been, Vesa? Don''t tell me you just woke up.''


    [Actually, I woke up after entering the castle. Then I felt the other Vesa trying to connect with me.


    Feeling Gluttony''s presence, I decided to hide. The only reason I can talk now is thanks to Master''s Essence.]


    Alex was still suspicious of many things, but he knew this was not the time to be suspicious. Despite Vesa hiding many things from them, Vesa always came out when they really needed help.


    Like when MingYue took over the inheritance realm or Alex to rescue his sister.


    ''Can you be more clear? What will we lose if this Vesa is killed?''


    [Knowledge, my King. Information about many runes, the world, the old progenitor, and, more importantly, a part of myself.]


    Alex ruminated on his choices. Knowledge is important; who knows what they would miss with this empty spot? But he felt more curious about what Vesa meant by an important part.


    Was it more than memory? Like a soul or even some abilities?


    ''Fine, how can we do it?''


    [Took all the Alucard essence from him, then smashed him to meatpaste. I can do the rest. The other essence is inside the mark on his head, which is why you cannot feel it, King.]


    ''A meat paste, huh¡­'' Alex thought while seeing Thalia fight with the other Vesa.


    Their movement speed and the ability they used. Despite his new enhanced strength, it was still out of his league.


    After the other Vesa focused all his attention on the fight, the fight turned into a standstill. Thalia no longer dominated the clash.


    She was now engaging in close melee, clashing her spear against the other Vesa''s hand, which seemed to grow larger. Twice the normal size.


    CLASH!!!


    Each hit created a shockwave as they moved like blurs in the sky. Looking from Alex''s angle, it was like seeing fireworks.


    Darting his eyes to the other rock, Alex could see MingYue relishing her new strength.


    ''MingYue, there are thirteen other rocks. In total, they probably have 1.3% of Alucard essence.


    Since we already consumed 0.2%, that means the other Vesa has almost 2%.'' Alex then proceeded to tell her what Vesa told him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vesa also started communicating with MingYue.


    Compared to Alex, MingYue cut Vesa off and started asking Vesa questions first.


    ''Before you ask anything from me, tell me first where the rest of Alucard''s essence we consumed is. Let us use it all and infuse all the necessary Knowledge for us.'' MingYue ordered.


    As Vesa could infuse Knowledge directly into their brains, this should be possible. She never understood why Vesa didn''t do it, except that she didn''t really trust them.


    At first, MingYue felt it was weird since they were bonded in soul, but after hearing what happened in Alex''s journey, followed by Thalia''s Knowledge, MingYue realized the reason was that they were human.


    A human betrayed the old progenitor. Vesa was trying its best to accept them but still had some reluctance in fully committing.


    In Vesa''s eyes, humans were portrayed as untrustworthy, greedy, and clever.


    There is a possibility they find a way to get out of the chain, or maybe the human progenitor Adam already had a method for it.


    When that time comes, what if Alex and MingYue choose the human side? All the old progenitor''s plans will be wasted.


    If this is what happened, then MingYue found it reasonable. But this doesn''t mean she accepted it. Vesa''s insecurity could cost them their lives.


    [Queen¡­ I admit I did hold back on the essence, but for the Knowledge, I really don''t know much. ]


    [Even what both King and Queen learned from Thalia is something I don''t have now. I could open all the essence, but¡­]


    ''But what!? You still cannot trust us even after all this?''


    [You may not believe me, but there is another reason. One that I fear will make both of you turn against me. For you, Queen, I could unlock all of it without repercussion, but the part that the King absorbed is different.]


    ''Explain.''


    [His part contains part of the old progenitor''s soul. With how the King thinks, I am sure if he knows, he will think this is all a trap so the old progenitor can be reborn.]


    ''How are you sure that is not the case?''


    [With my current memories, I really don''t know.]


    ''So you lie to us about your Knowledge and then hold back on something that is important from Alex?


    Vesa, how could we trust you now? Don''t you realize all three of us are in this together?''


    Seeing MingYue not respond and just stand in a daze, Alex called, "MingYue, what are you doing? Go consume the rest of the essence.


    As I said before, you need to get your percentage to the same rate as mine."

 Chapter 266 - 266: Unlocking the Essence

    MingYue''s expression turned complicated. Telling Alex everything would certainly make him flip out.


    Since the beginning, his biggest fear was some other soul trying to consume him and take over. Now, it does exist.


    Even though the intention is unknown, Vesa hiding all these things will still make him flip out, as Vesa said.


    "MingYue, what is wrong?" Alex asked as he started walking toward her. It''s not in her personality to just stay there all silent if nothing happened.


    Since Vesa had awakened, he thought this should be something related to it.


    [Queen, I will let you decide. As for your strength, if we hide it from the King, I could unlock at least half of it.]


    [It will get both of you to a true 5%; with the consumed new essence and Thalia''s help, it should be more than enough to take care of this Vesa. And the Aspect of Gluttony outside.]


    ''I will not hide it from Alex, but not now. Go do it. We will talk again after we finish with this Vesa.''


    [Alright]


    SWOSH!!!


    Alex and MingYue could feel an explosion of energy, so much so that they felt they were drowning in it. The energy leaked out from their bodies, creating a crimson-like aura.


    Thalia and the other Vesa stopped their fight as they felt the surge of energy.


    The other Vesa''s face turned ugly, and he quickly changed his goal. Since it had come to this, he would only have a chance if he united with the Aspect of Gluttony outside.


    His wings flapped as he undid the barrier, turning the place into its real appearance.


    Thalia grinned, looking at this. The other Vesa just made a huge mistake. Before, she couldn''t utilize the life force contained in this castle, but now it was all at her fingertips to use.


    All the runes here, after all, were carved by her. It took her a lot of time, but she always knew it would be worth it in case something like this happened.


    She raised her hand, and green particles started moving like a stream to her body.


    Swosh! Swosh!


    Part of the vault wall moved like it was alive, transforming into chains. They shot through the air.


    The other Vesa felt it coming and tried to dodge it. He also slashed his claw, creating an air blade of purplish energy toward the chains.


    Seeing this, Thalia just smirked. With how much energy she had now, so what if he could dodge two, or four, or ten. She could make as many as she wanted.


    Hundreds to thousands of chains launched into the air, binding the other Vesa''s body and turning it into a cocoon of chains.


    Desperate, the other Vesa decided to go all out. The mark on his forehead shone brightly as he tried to exert all of Gluttony''s power.


    The chains that bound him started being chomped on as many small mouths appeared on his body.


    But this surge of energy came at a cost. The more he utilized the Gluttony, the more his sanity was reduced, making him move by instinct.


    CHOMP!


    All the chains were eaten clean in a second, making Thalia stop her attack. She didn''t want to be careless, giving more strength to the other Vesa.


    What made Gluttony scary was its ability to consume almost everything, turning it into its own energy.


    Thalia raised her finger forward as she prepared to shoot the same attack that destroyed the barrier.


    At this moment, Alex and MingYue have already gotten used to their newfound power. The only visible change was their eyes, which now turned fully crimson. But this didn''t mean they could be underestimated.


    Alex appeared in front of the other Vesa. His lips curled into a grin, showing his sharp fangs.


    BAM!


    He punched the other Vesa straight in the face, breaking his nose in the process. But just as he moved a bit.


    BANG!


    Another kick arrived at his back.


    The next moment, he was beaten to a pulp, sent back and forth as Alex attacked from the front while MingYue from the back.


    They used their own hands and feet to get more accustomed to their new power.


    Each of their attacks chained without a gap, barely allowing the other Vesa a moment to breathe.


    But this didn''t mean he had given up.


    With the many mouths on his body, each of them also had a tongue. He moved them, creating a pattern of runes to launch a skill.


    Alex was throwing a punch to his gut when suddenly, a hexagonal shield made of rock appeared, blocking the attack.


    The rock was quite hard, as Alex''s punch only successfully cracked it.


    The same happened with MingYue. Each of her attacks was blocked.


    Seeing this, Thalia decided to support them. She started launching many chains at the other Vesa.


    Even though he could consume it, this would create a gap for Alex and Ming Yue to attack.


    They then started getting serious. Blood started coming out, turning Alex''s hand into a claw with long and sharp nails.


    It also covered his body, making some armor on his shoulders, hands, knees, and chest, with two bat wings coming out from his back.


    It was a simple design but enough to do the work.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was testing something else. As she was already able to produce frost qi by herself, she combined it with the blood and life force.


    She was also inspired by the beasts she had fought before. The serpent.


    Two draconic-like wings came out from her back, attached to the armor on her torso. It also covered her chest, all the way to her waist. From her back, a tail came out, and a sword appeared in her hand.


    As one of her swords was destroyed, she created another one using the blood, followed by seven lotuses floating around her.


    Pointing her sword, the lotuses shot toward the other Vesa. When they came close, they exploded into many sharp petals that spread out into a deadly storm, covering him from view.


    sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 267 - 267: Unexpected

    ''Damn, I swear I will learn more skills next time,'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    He couldn''t accept that MingYue was making far better techniques.


    Comparing to him, it was very clear the difference between them. It''s like comparing someone using a normal handgun, while her was a customized rifle.


    Pointing her sword, the Lotus shot toward the other Vesa.


    When it came close, it then exploded into many sharp petals that spread out into a deadly storm, covering him from view.


    Swish, the ice storm not only pierced through his defense, but it also exploded into ice lotuses, putting their sharp roots deep into his skin.


    From these sharp roots, a chilling cold started spreading, freezing his muscles and veins.


    Numbness and pain spread all over him.


    MingYue swung her sword in the air, each movement creating an ice shard that kept growing in size.


    It started changing into a serpent but with the head of a fox.


    "Roar!" The moment the sword pointed at another Vesa, the Ice Fox serpent shot through the air and hit its target. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SWOOSH!


    The result was a beautiful spectacle of a huge ice lotus.


    Meanwhile, Alex didn''t stand still. His hammer pointed forward, launching a huge firefox burning in whitish flames. The heat reached 1,300¡ãC (2,372¡ãF).


    BOOM!


    When the extreme heat collided with absolute zero temperature, a reaction started happening.


    The ice directly transformed from solid to gas, creating a powerful burst of steam followed by a huge shockwave radiating outward.


    Normally, this would end here, but as the qi and lifeforce came from Alex and MingYue, another reaction followed.


    Their energy, initially colliding, began to fuse, creating pure destructive energy. From the dispersed steam, a dark red ball coated with red lightning exploded.


    Thalia was wide-eyed and gaped open-mouthed seeing what happened. She just wanted to launch another attack to support them, but the result was far more than her expectation. Through all her long live she never see something like this.


    Meanwhile, Vesa''s voice reverberated in Alex and MingYue''s minds.


    ''No! King, queen, disperse the energy quickly. Otherwise, he will be completely destroyed.''


    MingYue and Alex locked their eyes, both of them having helpless expressions. They didn''t know that their attack would result in an explosion of unknown energy.


    ''Vesa, it''s not that we don''t want to disperse it.


    The explosion is just beyond our control now. Are you sure nothing will be left anyway?


    You mean even Alucard''s essence will be destroyed?'' Alex asked.


    ''It won''t be destroyed, king. It''s worse. The binding will be destroyed, making the energy float in the air.


    In this case, it will then be quickly absorbed into the castle, making it reborn with some of the Master''s personality.


    I don''t know how, but the energy that both the king and queen used was the one that the Master usually used in his attacks.


    The effect is complete and utter annihilation. Not only will we lose the knowledge from the other Vesa, but we will also face another problem.''


    ''Wait, so you are saying since this is utter annihilation, the progenitor''s energy released from Alucard''s essence will be absorbed by the castle, then used as a medium to be reborn with part of his will?''


    ''Not just his will, but his personality.


    If you ever met him in person, you would know how bad of an idea this is. He is too eccentric and cold-blooded.''


    ''Then Vesa, what do you suggest?'' MingYue asked.


    ''Focus on the energy, try to feel what is yours, and then pull it out,'' Vesa suggested.


    Alex and MingYue followed what Vesa said. They closed their eyes and raised their hands toward the explosive energy.


    The energy was very chaotic. The only reason their intent could survive was because they were the origin of the energy.


    Swoosh!


    The sphere dispersed, leaving behind a creature with wings the size of a fist. Its body was all black and very fragile.


    Around it, a pile of crimson liquid and red particle energy floated.


    Alex and MingYue could feel the crimson liquid was Alucard''s essence. Each droplet contained his progenitor power.


    "MingYue, absorb it all," Alex exclaimed as he focused his intention on the red particles.


    At the same moment, red fog seeped out from Alex''s body, materializing into Vesa.


    Vesa flew in a blur, its mouth wide open, eating the other Vesa in one gulp.


    The red fog then came out from her body, starting to form into red strings.


    The crimson strings flew around the air and then spun around Vesa, covering her with a cocoon.


    The crimson liquid started floating toward MingYue as she pulled it using her QI.


    Meanwhile, the red particles started dispersing toward the castle walls, ceiling, and floor. Alex flew toward a part of the particles, trying to absorb them.


    Based on what Vesa said, it should be the progenitor''s energy, free from the bound of the blood and other Vesa, seeking to disperse and rebirth as the next Alucard.


    Despite the risk, Alex knew this couldn''t happen. Otherwise, one of them could get stuck, not even gaining 50% of the progenitor''s power. This will become a huge problem in the future.


    Feeling Alex''s will, the particles started reacting. They felt a strange pull toward Alex, making them all flow in his direction.


    The moment they entered through his pores, Alex''s inner world shook. He could feel something awakening inside him.


    Inside, his inner world started expanding and transforming at a very fast rate. If MingYue could see it, she would be dazzled by the change.


    The size was large enough that it was bigger than the secret realm where the Bai Yue sect resided.


    The place had a crimson sky with an orange hue adorned by a silver sphere like a moon. There was no ground, only a crimson sea stretching endlessly.


    Alex found himself floating above the sea. As he looked around, his gaze turned upward toward the silver moon. It''s really large, if its'' on his planet he will think the moon is on it''s way to crash down creating a huge catastrophe.

 Chapter 268 - 268: Alucard

    Alex frowned, as even if his inner world had expanded, there was no explanation for it to have a moon like that.


    As he thought about what it could be, the moon started getting bigger and bigger.


    ''What the heck, is the moon moving?'' he asked himself.


    As he pondered what it could be, the moon started getting bigger and bigger.


    ''The heck, is the moon coming down?''


    The calm red ocean started getting turbulent as if gravity was going wild. But Alex knew it wasn''t that; this was his inner world.


    There was no science or physics here unless he set the laws. His eyes turned sharp as he carefully observed the celestial object.


    Compared to the real moon, it was smooth and without texture. He then remembered what Vesa had told him.


    "Are you Alucard?" he asked in a loud voice.


    The silver moon suddenly stopped getting bigger. Three large horizontal slits appeared.


    Two opened, revealing a pair of crimson eyes without pupils. The other slit widened into a grin that showed his fangs.


    Alex''s lips twitched. ''Dammit, another sly geezer.''


    "You are no fun. Don''t you even feel a bit scared? Can''t you feel my strength?" An otherworldly voice boomed in the air, the vibrations creating waves on the ocean.


    But Alex didn''t care about this; his ears wouldn''t burst as this was his inner world.


    He could feel the presence coming from Alucard. If this was the first time, he would feel some apprehension, but Alex had met the eye being.


    No matter how strong Alucard''s presence was, it was just a small piece of his soul compared to the eye creature that was whole. There was no comparison.


    Alucard''s red eyes looked closely at Alex''s nonchalant expression. "Aren''t you worried I will take over your body?"


    "If you wanted to do that, would you act like this?


    Just what do you want?


    I have suspected there was no way a being as strong as you would disappear like that.


    Just what is your goal? I have many questions."


    "HAHAHA¡­" Alucard laughed, then added, "Of course you have many questions.


    Did you wonder what happened next since my power was split in half? How can you compete with the others?


    Do you want to know my answer? Sure, I can give you one, but only if you answer my question first."


    "Ask," Alex replied, preparing to answer any question.


    He was now considering the possibilities.


    Would he ask about his plan to revive the vampire race, rebuild it in Edonia, gather the survivors, or his plan to fight against other progenitors?


    But Alucard''s question was beyond his comprehension.


    "So when will you ask MingYue out?" Alucard asked with a sly grin.


    Alex turned stupefied, not knowing how to react.


    Alucard let out a satisfied laugh as he added, "Why so surprised? Too shy to answer?


    Too bad for you then, I won''t tell you my answer."


    "Is that even a serious question?" Alex asked in frustration.


    "What don''t you get? Your sister is right; you are dumb even with your abilities.


    I told you, as long as you answer one of mine, I answer one of yours. I never told you what question it would be."


    ''I curse all damned geezers in this universe. Can''t any of them be normal? All these old monsters have a few screws loose in their brains,'' Alex cursed in his mind.


    "Hey, hey, that is wrong. You know I don''t have any screws in my brain. What kind of idiot puts screws in one?" Alucard replied in a gloating tone.


    Trying to calm himself, Alex decided to play his game.


    "I will ask her out when I am sure about her feelings for me."


    "Ah, I see. So you are afraid of rejection. Tsk tsk.


    You shouldn''t be afraid; it''s not like she has any choice, no matter how ugly you are."


    Alex''s vein throbbed, his patience growing thin. "Enough of that. Tell me your answer."


    Alucard''s expression turned solemn as his eyes looked like he was thinking hard for an answer. Time passed as Alex waited patiently.


    After five minutes, he finally said in a nonchalant tone, "I¡­ don''t¡­ know¡­"


    SWOSH!!!


    A giant hammer was thrown toward Alucard''s face, but the moment it almost hit, he disappeared.


    "Tsk tsk, young boy, you really need to control your temper.


    What kind of progenitor acts like you? Don''t you know you need to keep your appearance or your race will be looked down on?" Alucard''s voice came from behind him.


    But when Alex turned his head, he didn''t see anyone.


    "Where are you looking at? I am here."


    Alex frowned, turning his eyes down. He saw a kid, barely waist-high, lying sideways on top of the ocean as if it were solid ground. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He propped his head with one hand while his other hand poked his nose.


    The boy had the same crimson eyes and short silver hair.


    "I gave you a serious answer. Can''t you answer mine seriously?"


    Alex didn''t even have the strength to comment on Alucard''s appearance.


    He didn''t know if Alucard was just playing him or if it was because it was just a small piece of his soul.


    The boy''s lips curled into a grin. "Do you think I, the great Alucard, would lie to you? What benefit would I have?


    Look, boy, I already gave you my strength, and you don''t believe me? Tsk tsk, what an ungrateful heir I have."


    Alex took a deep breath as he walked closer to Alucard.


    "You say you don''t know? After splitting your own power and scattering Vesa, it seems you also did the same with your soul. Tell me, how could I believe that?"


    "Because I say it so. Hahaha," Alucard replied with a laugh.


    He then changed his position to sitting cross-legged, floating above to see Alex straight in the eyes.


    "Look here, Alex. To gain something unprecedented, we need to do something unthinkable; only then will it become possible.


    Let''s just say you and MingYue are my gamble.


    The progenitor war is just the first of your hurdles; things are more complicated than that."

 Chapter 269 - 269: Thalia Dissaperance

    "Stop being cryptic and just tell me the answer," Alex replied.


    "It''s simple, really. You and she will each gain half of my progenitor essence at some point, or... well, both of you will just be dead." He said in a flat tone, making Alex want to punch the boy in the face. But he knew Alucard hadn''t finished with his explanation.


    "Where was I again? Oh yeah.


    So when both of you reach half of my progenitor essence, the rest will be up to you.


    My progenitor''s power is nothing more than fuel to start the ignition."


    "You mean you really don''t have any idea?"


    "Hahaha, who do you think I am?


    Of course, I have an idea, but it''s better if you don''t know.


    It''s not something that can be forced, and the moment you know, it will become harder to attain.


    Alright, that is enough. I will now go back to slumber and only wake up after you finish the project.


    If you fail¡­ oh well, I already do what I can."


    Alucard said with a yawn, then his body started getting submerged in the red ocean at a fast rate.


    Alex tried to ask a question, but Alucard didn''t respond at all, making him feel frustrated.


    "Dammit!" He cursed out loud, frustrated with the situation.


    In the end, he learned nothing other than Alucard was an irresponsible progenitor.


    Although he couldn''t say Alucard was wrong, as he already gave him a huge amount of strength, this still meant he had a huge burden on his shoulders.


    ''More complicated than the progenitor war, then is it related to that eye being?'' Alex asked himself.


    Based on the novels he used to read, the story he was in usually meant an outer species invader that was stronger than the progenitor.


    But if this was really the case, he felt even more confused as, usually, with an invasion, the progenitors should unite.


    ''Since the eyes are here and even have a universe transit system using the outer gate, this means our universe should already be conquered.''


    Back in the castle, Vesa was still in a cocoon while MingYue had finished relishing her newfound power. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to Alex, where part of the essence contained Alucard''s soul, MingYue could use it fully as she wanted.


    She felt excited, wanting to know the limits of her power; she knew she had enough now to survive in the central region.


    Calming herself down, her eyes then started darting around; she could see Thalia was nowhere to be seen.


    A red cocoon was floating in the air. Turning in another direction, she saw Alex standing in a daze.


    Remembering what Vesa told her, she began to worry.


    What if Alucard awoke and took over Alex?


    Things would become very dangerous for her.


    She then asked telepathically, ''Alex, are you alright?''


    Alex''s eyes started moving, and his expression turned annoyed, "I am fine, just another annoying geezer."


    "You mean Alucard?"


    "Yes, as I expected, he isn''t really dead, but now, at least, I can guess what his current goal is."


    "Tell me."


    Alex then started explaining everything that happened. He then added his own guess, "I think Alucard wants to be reborn but not as a progenitor.


    I don''t know if this is a side effect or his real goal all this time."


    "You mean his real purpose is to get out of being a progenitor? Isn''t that weird?


    It''s like someone saying they don''t want to be strong."


    "It does, but I think he just wants to laze around.


    He is looking for a loophole to keep some of the power while having none of the responsibility."


    "But didn''t you say we probably need to fight the Eye thing? Or worse, our universe is already conquered?"


    "That is just speculation, and what I was talking about is more about Alucard''s current goal.


    Do you forget I told you he just went to sleep directly? I could not even detect any trace of him now."


    Alex then looked around. Not finding Thalia, he became confused, "Where is she?"


    Normally, Thalia should be staying with them, except if something serious was happening.


    Like Gluttony wreaking havoc in one of the cities.


    "I don''t know. I also didn''t see her when I finished absorbing Alucard''s essence."


    "How much did you get?"


    "Thankfully, we are not too late on that part; I got the rest."


    "That is good, but you will still need more to reach ten percent then."


    "Before then..." MingYue then told Alex what Vesa had told her.


    Hearing it, Alex didn''t feel much. He just put his hand on his chin while looking at Vesa''s cocoon.


    If it had been before he met Alucard, he would have been angrier, but now, since he was already sure of Alucard''s goal, he didn''t feel too worried.


    If Alucard wanted his body, he would already have done it at their meeting.


    Waiting for him to get stronger would just make things harder. Alucard''s nonchalant attitude also made this clear to him.


    "Keep an eye on Vesa then, I will look for Thalia," Alex said.


    MingYue agreed since they couldn''t just leave Vesa alone, just in case something happened.


    Walking through the hallway, Alex decided to go to the library. He wanted to see the journal once more, wondering if he could take it out now.


    He was far stronger than before, even without using his full potential.


    Walking through the hallway, it didn''t take long for Alex to reach the library.


    His eyes then locked on the area where the book should have been. His eyes turned sharp as he couldn''t find the book. The place was empty now.


    Like what he saw was never there.


    Feeling curious, Alex walked closer but didn''t find anything.


    ''There is really no trace at all. Did Thalia leave and take it out? But that doesn''t make sense; this place is hers. Where would she go now?''


    Alex then tried to look for her around the castle but couldn''t find anyone.

 Chapter 270 - 270: Alucard and Thalia

    With reluctance, he decided to return to MingYue. There was nothing he could do here. But since Thalia was nowhere to be seen, Alex shamelessly took every book from the library.


    If Thalia asked him later, he would just copy the books and return them. Any information was useful for him.


    Meanwhile, far high in space, a sleek black object, barely visible to the eyes, was floating, looking at a blue planet.


    Inside were Thalia and a small boy that barely reached her waist. Despite the difference, Thalia was extremely polite to the boy.


    "Master, is this the right choice? I still think we need to train them further."


    "Thalia, that is where you are wrong. The old should give way to the new.


    If they are built with the same foundation, how could they surpass us?


    Honestly, I am glad to see them now.


    They have many power systems and try to combine them. I am really looking forward to what they could achieve."


    "But Master, even if that is right, you getting out here is too dangerous. This is the last shred of your soul."


    Alucard let out a laugh, "I have lived long enough. Despite everything, the whole vampire race is like my sons and daughters; even her is no different. As their father, I couldn''t just stay still."


    "But with your current strength, Master¡­" Thalia said with a complicated gaze.


    She could tell Alucard was very weak now.


    Even though he had the experience and knowledge of a progenitor, without enough energy, he wouldn''t be able to use them.


    "What are you afraid of? Don''t I have you? We need to find information and gather other survivors." Alucard said with a chuckle.


    Thalia''s lips curled into a smile. She felt happy that her Master trusted her and depended on her. "I will never betray you, Master."


    "Don''t worry, in reality, no one ever betrayed me."


    "But Master, she¡­"


    Alucard smiled, then raised his finger to his lips, gesturing her to stay silent.


    "Never talk about it again; the circumstances were complicated at that time.


    I do admit she is an unruly daughter, but no matter what, in the end, I am still her parent."


    "So this is why you never had kids of your own," Thalia said.


    Some progenitors sometimes mate, giving birth to a stronger being in their species. For example, the high elf from the elf race.


    But Alucard never did it. Thalia thought it was because he didn''t need to; after all, he created pure vampires.


    Only now did she realize Alucard really thought all the vampires were his daughters.


    With so many kids, why would he need to have another biological one?


    Alucard''s hand was at his back. He then smiled as he looked at the darkness of space, "You still haven''t changed, Thalia; you overthink things."


    He then let out a laugh, "I just don''t want to have a nagging wife."


    Thalia then remembered Alucard did have some history in the past, one of which was with the nine-tailed fox progenitor. But she refrained from discussing the topic further.


    "But Master, what about the aspect of gluttony roaming there now?"


    "Don''t you see their capabilities now? If they couldn''t take care of it, they might as well give up now. The enemy they will face later is far stronger."


    Back at the castle, a crack started appearing on Vesa''s cocoon.


    Crack¡­ Crack¡­


    A bat-like creature came out from it, the wings now coming out from the back, with two hands on the sides.


    Her chest had a green crystal on it, gleaming with energy.


    Looking at the hands, Vesa grinned, showing her fangs.


    "Finally." A cute feminine voice came out of it.


    Alex and MingYue, looking at this, were surprised since they thought Vesa didn''t have a gender.


    "You are a female?" Alex asked.


    Vesa put her hand on her chest, then lowered her upper body, "Thank you, King and Queen, and yes, I am a female."


    "Her fur is always pink. Why are you so surprised, Alex?"


    "Where I thought that is just the normal color at Edonia.


    Well, it''s not like it''s important now. So, can you tell us something more now?"


    "My power is still far from its peak, but I now can help in fights as support and transport both of you anywhere.


    So shall we leave this world?" Vesa asked with high spirits.


    She felt excited with her new body. This time, she would be able to take form anytime she wanted.


    "Not yet. We need to take care of the aspect of Gluttony first."


    "Of course, King, don''t worry. I am sure now he is not our opponent."


    "Vesa, you said before you were afraid something was destroyed, so did you get all you needed intact?"


    Vesa''s shoulders slumped down, then shook her head, "No, Queen, the knowledge is not intact. I could not retrieve much."


    Alex squinted his eyes at Vesa, "I have met with your old Master, Alucard. Don''t you want to meet him?"


    "Of course I do, but now is not the time. Don''t worry, King, I am sure he has no ill will."


    Alex''s lips twitched. He couldn''t believe what Vesa said. After his meeting, he was sure the old chibi geezer was up to no good.


    Meanwhile, back in Alex''s world, William was now opening a restaurant. With his family background and his experience maintaining one, it''s not hard for him to gain success.


    The secret is he uses spice water in all the dishes and sells it at an affordable price range.


    He still gets a profit despite it being a small margin, but that is enough. His goal is to build up a name first.


    It''s another day, and he just closed the restaurant when two people approached him.


    "You are William, right?"


    "Yes, can I help you?" William asked as he looked at the two men who had just come. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both of them wore black suits with muscular figures. "We suspect you are not human, so you need to come with us."

 Chapter 271 - 271: Sion

    William''s eyes quickly turned sharp. He had been very careful all this time.


    He didn''t believe someone had found out his real identity.


    Meanwhile, some distance away from the location, a lady was wielding a sniper, looking at the situation through the scope.


    "Report, two foxes are approaching the target, requesting command," she mumbled.


    "Standby for now, Sion, see the target''s response. If things escalate, shoot to kill," a male voice replied.


    "Roger."


    Back in front of the restaurant, William started pondering his options.


    Asking for help would be too late; his other choice was to fight, but this would escalate the conflict, and who knows what kind of trouble he would get into.


    After some more thought, he decided his only choice was to run. Qi started moving inside his body, as his movement technique was already good enough in the past; with Qi, it was even better now.


    William didn''t reply to the man and started escaping. At first, he didn''t use any technique and just ran normally so no one would feel suspicious.


    The two men sprinted, pursuing him, but even his normal speed was already faster than the average awakener.


    The woman looking at him through the scope whistled as she found it interesting.


    Sion was initially sent to bolster defenses on the frontline, but she suddenly got a new mission from the association president.


    Her mission was to follow William. As for Alice, she rarely left the compound; when she did, she would go with Emily.


    This made the president think sending out someone good to follow her would be a waste of resources.


    He just chose some two star hunter he can trust, to periodically report on her location.


    William entered the closest alley, making him hidden from normal view, but in Sion''s eyes, he was still clear as day.


    He then started accelerating, his Qi churning as he moved in a blur, disappearing from point to point.


    Behind him, the two people in suits also accelerated, their suits stretching out as they transformed.


    Fur grew, covering their skin as their faces started to change. Their mouths turned into jaws, while the whites of their eyes turned amber.


    One of them leaped, landing straight in front of William. In the past, there would be nothing he could do, but with his slim body now, he jumped to the wall, then to the other side of the wall, and started running on top of it.


    The werewolf was caught off guard, but the second one had already made his move.


    Something started glowing behind his back, giving off a silvery light. It was patterned like a tribal tattoo.


    Wind started appearing around the werewolf''s claw; he then slashed forward, shooting it through the air.


    William focused on running and didn''t have any other choice. He had to stop his momentum to dodge and change direction.


    The wall he had just stood on was cut into pieces, revealing its interior.


    Thankfully, no one was inside at this time; otherwise, they would probably have become one of the casualties. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    William landed back on the ground. Since he couldn''t escape anymore, he took out a knife from his storage ring.


    He then started moving agilely, trying to attack the werewolf that was close to him. But as his eyes darted around, the werewolf was already a step faster.


    Not only did he have more combat experience, but his animal instincts were also better than William''s, which were sealed into a bone.


    BAM!


    The claw hit him in the chest.


    William could feel his ribs crack as he crashed into the wall. He started using his Qi to push back the bleeding and regenerate the wound while thinking of a way to counterattack.


    But there was no time to think. The werewolf''s claw was already coming for his head.


    William braced himself since he knew he couldn''t dodge, but just before, the claw cracked his skull.


    BANG!


    The werewolf''s head exploded into a pile of flesh. The other werewolf, seeing this, quickly ran away, but it was too late; his head was gone the next second.


    William didn''t waste time. He quickly ran away with all the strength he could muster.


    He didn''t know if the one who shot was an enemy or ally, but he was sure it was not Alex''s people.


    If his real identity were found out, this would become a problem.


    He ran away, trying to return to SGE as fast as possible, but just when he got close, his path was blocked by a lady with short black hair and amber eyes, wearing a leather jacket.


    "Stop running, William. I just want to talk. Don''t worry; I already know Sir Alex brought you here."


    William, at first, still wanted to escape, but he changed his mind the moment he heard about Alex.


    "Who are you?"


    "My name is Sion. The association president sent me to follow you, just to make sure you don''t get into trouble. But now he wants to talk.


    Since it''s clear, many people have detected your presence here. You don''t want to bring trouble for Sir Alex''s guild, would you?"


    "What if I don''t want to go?" William asked.


    He was sure it was not that simple. If she were really friends with Alex, they could just contact Emily to meet with him. There was no need to go in such a roundabout way.


    Sion smiled, her hand raised with an open palm, her fingers starting to glow, creating a magic circle. It started glowing brightly, creating a barrier around them.


    "Then you can fight your way out. I am really curious what you are.


    Is that Sir Alex''s real cultivation method? Or is it the unique trait of your race?"


    William frowned.


    He had never seen anything like this. Looking at Sion, despite her petite body, he could tell that she was dangerous. And he was not wrong, as Sion was a four-star hunter.


    "Just what do you want with me? Based on what happened before, other races in this place seem normal, so it''s not weird that I am here, as long as I don''t make any trouble."

 Chapter 272 - 272: Worlds Core

    "If you don''t want to make any trouble, then come with me. Look, if I wanted to kill you, I would already do it.


    Do you think I will not be able to capture you like those two stupid wolves?"


    While William ruminated on his choice, back at the castle, Alex and MingYue were planning their next move.


    "Now that Talia has left, I think we should take the people in this world with us, Alex," MingYue suggested.


    "We can only select a few. There are too many people, and how many could we even hold? My world is not an option.


    The only place we could bring them is your secret realm. But the place isn''t stable yet.


    Suddenly having a huge influx of population will become a problem, not to mention the lack of land."


    "Don''t worry, King and Queen, now that I have started recovering my power, I also have a new ability.


    Do both of you still remember Edonia?"


    Both of them nodded, Alex still remembering the weird world where he met MingYue before.


    "Yeah, actually, that planet is with me now. Everything is in shambles there, with barely patches of land surviving."


    Alex''s eyes widened as he was surprised to hear Vesa say, "What do you mean the world is with you?"


    Vesa pointed at the green crystal on her chest. "It''s here."


    She then added, "Actually, the part of my old master that the King consumed is the core of everything. That is also why my old master''s consciousness is there."


    "What do you mean by core?" MingYue asked.


    "My old master''s essence is separated all over the universe, but that doesn''t mean it doesn''t have any core.


    The core is what allows the others to be melded together without any side effects; otherwise..." Vesa paused for a moment, then continued, "It would be like the other Vesa case."


    "Isn''t he a separate case because of Gluttony?" Alex asked.


    "Yes and no. At that time, all seven deadly sins were there, so you could say all Alucard parts were tainted in one way or another."


    Hearing this, MingYue flinched, "What? You mean I also have something like that in my body?"


    "At the start, yes, but now no. I already ate it when the Queen''s soul was linked to the King."


    "So mine is not contaminated because it has Alucard inside, and this means every single one we find we will need to fight the Vesa on it?" Alex asked.


    At this point, he already understood what really happened. Both Thalia and the blood were already contaminated by Gluttony, and using it just hastened the progress.


    "Yes, King. Now, to consume this world, we need to eat the world''s core."


    Based on Alex''s understanding, a core is big and located deep inside the planet.


    "Do you mean the same core as I? How could we even go there? Dig all the way?"


    "Planet cores differ depending on the world level, King. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For example, I was created by the old progenitor, but in reality, it''s not really correct since my real identity is the world spirit of Edonia."


    Alex''s lips twitched as he was already familiar with the whole concept. MingYue is also the same.


    They had read it over and over in cultivation novels. Heaven''s will, world''s will, universe''s will.


    Basically, when this big place gains sentience.


    Vesa nodded her head, "The concept is similar, but world spirits actually only exist when there is too much magical energy.


    For example, your old world before mana existed wouldn''t have one, King."


    "So where is this core? Since you say it''s the same, don''t tell me we need to find heaven''s will or something?"


    "Of course not. Only advanced worlds can move their world''s core and hide it.


    Just as you know, King, the world''s core is located right in the center of the planet, but it''s not the huge ball of heat that''s spinning.


    You need to go farther than that. Deep inside it, all the cores will barely be fist-sized for advanced worlds; for low-level worlds like this one, it will probably only be as big as our fingernail."


    "That still doesn''t change the fact we need to dig underground.


    Then what will happen to this planet? If you eat it, the planet will quickly be hit by a huge catastrophe.


    The whole atmosphere will collapse, followed by huge radiation exposure from the sun.


    This will become a domino effect, leading to other natural disasters."


    "Don''t worry about that, King. Of course, I have a way to eat it.


    The people here will not even realize anything other than the sky suddenly starting to change."


    "How about the land size? Will you get the same mass?" Alex asked as the planet was filled with oceans and leviathan monsters on the outer layer.


    If everything is moved, doesn''t that mean all of it will be transported?


    He found the idea of having all the leviathans under his control interesting, but having the whole of Edonia turn into an ocean was not something he wanted.


    "Of course not, King. I can only transport the sentient beings here.


    As for the land and everything else, like natural resources, I couldn''t move it just like that."


    Alex realized this meant if he wanted to keep any, he would need to move it manually.


    As for MingYue, hearing about the ocean world above, she then remembered something that made her realize the situation was grave.


    "Wait, Alex, isn''t the barrier separating the ocean and this place Alucard''s essence?


    Now that we took it, doesn''t it mean it''s only a matter of time before it breaks?"


    "That¡­." Alex then realized she was right.


    "So we need to kill Gluttony and get the world core before it cracks."


    "One more thing, King. The castle here is acting as a rune formation that holds this realm together.


    So you cannot absorb the life force stockpiled in here, except if you want to crash the whole realm now."

 Chapter 273 - 273: Petricias New Task

    Alex sighed, as he really did have that idea.


    With this much life force, even though he couldn''t change his family and friends to vampires yet, he could carve the same rune on Emily, raising their strength and survivability.


    "How long do we have, Vesa?" MingYue asked.


    Vesa then touched the wall, green particles glowing from her hand as she felt the rune formation of the castle.


    Even though she failed to absorb the other knowledge, her mastery of runes was still far better than Alex''s.


    As time passed, Vesa''s face turned to a frown as the amount of lifeforce being consumed was far too fast.


    "King, Queen, I think the aspect of Gluttony is making a mess at the barrier."


    "With our current strength, I think it won''t be a problem facing her alone as long as we can pull her into an inner-world battle. I can feel it; our soul is far stronger now," Alex said, proposing they split up: one should go to the planet''s core, while the other defeat the aspect of Gluttony.


    The goal would be to separate her and Luciel.


    In the first place, fighting her physically was too risky and dangerous.


    They didn''t know how far the aspect of Gluttony could go. Vesa also warned that she could self-destruct and still survive if she was really desperate.


    After some discussion, they decided MingYue was the best for the task, as her power was more suitable. Alex, meanwhile, would go to the planet''s core.


    He then took everything in the castle, as it was better to keep it rather than let it be destroyed. He also sent new orders to Petricia.


    At this moment, Petricia had finished with the treatment and was now having a discussion with Elvira.


    Elvira was asking for more information on who she was. Since things had calmed down a little, her curiosity about her had started to grow.


    Alex and MingYue came from another world, and Petricia was a species she had never seen before, with blue skin.


    Petricia didn''t mind and answered what she could. She had already determined Elvira would probably become one of Alex''s underlings in the future, and she would need to work with her.


    "So there is such a world out there. A world without a class system," Elvira mumbled with longing in her eyes.


    "It''s surprising hearing that from you. Don''t you enjoy it? The privilege?" Petricia asked back.


    She didn''t know much about how Alex''s world worked; otherwise, she wouldn''t think like this.


    Even though there was no medieval class system, it still existed in other forms, for example, between awakeners and normal people, the rich and the poor.


    And things could be said to be worse between awakeners and normal people.


    Since there was no clear distinction between them, they still interacted with each other, often meeting at school, college, or public places.


    Conflict often happens. Alex had his own share of experiences.


    Since he didn''t usually brag about his family name, some would start to bully him to do their tasks or homework, but it would always backfire.


    He always took revenge without caring about the repercussions, knowing he was in the right and had his father''s backing.


    But not everyone was as lucky as him. There were many bad reports, some even going to the point of being inhuman, ending in tragedy.


    The association had done its best, but its attention was focused more on the war at the border. With many dungeon breaks, monsters made their nests, and with them, many sentient ones.


    One of them was the Lycan, the werewolf that ambushed William. This information was hidden by the association to ensure unity.


    Otherwise, there would always be someone nuts who would try to cooperate with them, even turning them into objects of worship.


    They tried their best, but even with all the lids over the information, it still leaked in one way or another. But for most of the populace, it was just monsters versus hunters.


    Elvira shook her head. "I hate that. With privilege comes responsibility.


    You look like a decent person, so I am sure if you were born in my position, you would feel the same.


    Only those assholes and stuck-up, selfish bastards would be happy to be born in this position.


    I can only be friends with double-faced people and need to worry all the time.


    How I act and do things all reflect back on my household. And we are not just talking about reputation here; it can affect our standing and power."


    She then let out a sigh, her gaze becoming complicated.


    The things she said had been stuck in her heart for a long time, like a burden nailed permanently to her shoulder.


    Usually, she never said it to anyone, but now that her city was gone, she felt both devastated and weirdly relieved.


    "With what happened, I am sure we will be stripped of our status now."


    "Hahaha, that is where you are wrong, Elvira," Petricia said confidently.


    "What happened came from my king. And I know him; he will never let us down, not anyone who puts faith in him.


    Also, don''t tell anyone this, but I know his real identity."


    Hearing Petricia go all mysterious, Elvira became interested.


    "What do you mean? I know he is a sovereign, but what more is there?"


    "I know what sovereign means here. It is nothing in front of my king. He is a God, a true God," Petricia said with fanaticism in her eyes, filled with faith.


    Elvira was weirded out by this. Even the grassroots class wouldn''t act like this facing a sovereign. It was complete faith.


    She decided not to comment since she knew Petricia would just get mad.


    Those were eyes that would only accept yes as an answer.


    Elvira still felt conflicted about Alex and MingYue, but she knew better than to fight against them now. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Petricia changed her expression as Alex gave her new orders. "See what I told you? My God just gave me his decree."

 Chapter 274 - 274: Solomons Offer

    "What do you mean?" Elvira asked, wondering if Petricia was playing with her or not.


    There was a way for long-term communication in this place, but she didn''t see Petricia take out any tools like that.


    "Yes, my king ordered me to gather everyone at the capital. Do you know how many people live in this place?"


    "What does he want to do now? That is crazy.


    We have more than a million people here, separated into many cities and villages.


    In the capital, there are more than fifty thousand people, not to mention those separated in the outskirts or living their lives in isolation."


    Petricia put a thought on it. No matter how impossible the task was, she didn''t have any plans to ask Alex for help.


    For her, any order should be done to the utmost perfection. If it''s too hard, it just means it''s a trial for her.


    "I don''t believe you don''t have a way to broadcast a message in this place," Petricia said.


    She already knew about the Vitae. In a world with abilities like this, technology should exist to do this. And she was not wrong; one did exist in the castle Alex and MingYue were in, but unfortunately, Elvira didn''t know this.


    "The only thing I know of is a broadcast method in the capital city, Edonia.


    It could send the news to all the royalty using some special method, but this would mean you need to face other sovereigns," Elvira reminded her.


    The task was more like a suicide mission for her.


    "Do you know where it is?"


    "I have seen it once. Look, I could tell you the location, but there is no way I''d help with that kind of suicidal mission."


    "I will never ask for your help. If my king deems I need help, he will assign someone.


    For now, you just need to gather your people and move near the capital.


    Well, you can choose not to, but my king told me that this whole place will be destroyed soon."


    After saying her words, Petricia left the area, leaving Elvira with her own thoughts.


    "What should I do now¡­" Elvira was confused.


    She didn''t know her mother''s fate. Her options were only two now: look for her father or follow Petricia''s request to manage her people.


    As she thought about this, a baby''s cry reached her ears, making her turn her gaze.


    Looking at the mother trying hard to breastfeed despite all the wounds on her body steeled her resolution. "I think the answer is clear."


    She may not care what Petricia offered, nor did she know how much truth there was, but based on the treatment Petricia gave to her people, she knew this was the best bet for survival for them.


    Even if Petricia was lying and the world was not destroyed, her people would be taken from them and separated to other royalty-like objects.


    Meanwhile, back in Alex''s world, in the end, William chose to follow Sion. Fighting, no matter the result, would not benefit him.


    If he won, he could be marked as a dangerous individual. If he lost, he would be kidnapped by her no matter what. It''s not like he could just kill her.


    Even though she was different, the woman''s way of acting and confidence reminded him of Roxy.


    Well, remind may not be the correct word since, in reality, he never forgot her even for a second.


    Right now, her body was still perfectly maintained inside the ice coffin in his storage cube. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was told by Alex to put it in this special space since putting ice in a vacuum wouldn''t last long, even though it was special ice.


    At some point, it would turn into gas.


    William didn''t understand what it meant, but he believed Alex, so he just went with it.


    Right now, William was sitting across from Solomon. He knew this person''s status, making him feel worried about what would happen next.


    His bony ears and tail were out in the open now since Solomon requested to see his real appearance.


    "No need to be so uptight. I know Alex. If he deemed you dangerous, he wouldn''t bring you here. But he has some minor trust issues with me, so that is why I need to talk with you directly," Solomon said with a warm smile.


    But William didn''t buy any of that. He knew that was just a fake one to make him comfortable.


    "Sir President, I really have no ill will staying here. Just what do you want to know?


    I''m sorry, but if you want to ask anything related to how I met Alex, I will not be able to tell you."


    It''s not just out of loyalty. He was bound by a blood oath with Alex, or in reality, a slave contract. He could not say anything, even if he wanted to.


    Solomon laughed. "That is not what I want to ask, though. You are not the first Felidaen I have met. I just want to make you an offer."


    William was surprised Solomon knew his race, but he felt more curious about his offer.


    "Firstly, tell me, what is your real objective in following Alex?"


    This one didn''t break any of his oaths, and William also wanted some suggestions on his pursuit.


    He replied instantly, "I want strength to go to the universe and find a way to resurrect someone."


    Seeing the determination in William''s eyes, Solomon smiled.


    "Good, now we can talk. I can help you gain strength by giving you a method.


    You are free to share this with Alex if you want, but this will just make him suspicious of you."


    William frowned. He understood the real meaning. Even without any threat in how he said it, it would plant a seed of doubt in him since it made sense.


    "I am sure Alex will bring you to rescue his father when the time comes. At that moment, I need you to do something for me¡­" Solomon then proceeded to tell him the details of the task.

 Chapter 275 - 275: World Spirit

    "Depending on the situation, this is not a betrayal, but why would I even take the risk to do this for you?"


    William asked. He want to know how good the power Solomon offered was before accepting anything.


    "Have you met Sion? Don''t you want to know how she does that?" Solomon said with a knowing smile.


    He knew he already had William in his grasp.


    Meanwhile, back in the realm, Alex was making his underground tunnel. He manipulated his blood like a drill to create a huge circular maw.


    It then started spinning, creating a decent-sized tunnel for him to walk through. Vesa followed Alex as he needed her to eat the world seed.


    But even though Vesa''s body was here, her soul was still linked with MingYue, allowing her to provide support as needed.


    She could also use some life force to create weaker clones to help her in a fight if needed.


    As he walked through the created tunnel, Alex took the dirt, rock, and any material into his storage ring. He didn''t know how, but maybe in the future, it would be useful.


    If he could master the runes to mold this material directly, Alex already had an idea to create a mobile fortress in this way.


    He even had some thoughts of making a robot in reality if it was possible.


    He could create one with all the resources he had, but it would be useless in real combat against Awakeners. It might be useful for commoners to fight monsters, but the cost was not worth it.


    Otherwise, the association would already be doing it.


    Nowadays, robots are just used to help in construction projects to expand the city quickly.


    As he thought of runes, he then remembered Vesa''s real identity as a world spirit, "Since you say you are a world spirit, can you tell me what happened in my world?"


    "What does King mean?"


    "The dark zone, the world is expanding quickly.


    Is this because the world spirit is growing and becoming sentient?"


    "In my case, before I matured, my old master took me, nourished me, then enhanced me.


    Normally, a world spirit will have many limitations.


    Only a select few could manipulate the size of their world or grow like me.


    Each of them has intervention from strong beings; maybe there are rare cases, but based on all current circumstances, like the existence of dungeons, I am sure this is done by someone else.


    No sane world spirit would allow dungeons like that to exist."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "After a few travels, I concluded that dungeons are different from secret realms.


    In the case of secret realms, it''s just a portal to travel, but dungeons even break the natural law of the world.


    It''s like having a wound on your body, then letting it fester; the more dungeons exist, the more wounded and pained the body is."


    Alex sighed, as this meant things were even more complicated now. It could be said that his world spirit was already conquered by something else.


    "What if that crystal is destroyed? Does that mean Edonia will, too? And what about the fog?"


    "The fog is a remnant from the last battle.


    What I actually do now is consume the world''s energy and use it to counter this fog, opening new areas. As this place is new, I could then shape it as we wanted."


    "I see. Making plains for people to farm and a water source should be more important, but how would the world work then?" Alex asked.


    As far as he knew, the world functioned thanks to many factors.


    Gravity allowed the planet to stay on its course and keep spinning around the sun; the heat came, warming the planet.


    It then created climate, atmosphere, ocean currents, and many other things.


    Every single factor is important; losing one will disrupt the entire system.


    "That is because the world''s law is complete on your planet. We have two laws governing.


    First is the universe law; it controls gravity, the solar system, and many other things that neither I nor the progenitor know about.


    Second is world law; it was built from the foundation of the universe law, giving out its own flavor.


    This is why some worlds have mana or different climates. Some will even burn with heat nonstop or be cold all the time.


    As for King''s question, as the world law is incomplete, it''s me who upholds all of it."


    "In that case, why is there a need to separate you? I just don''t get it.


    With Alucard''s knowledge, he should have many ways to do this."


    "Based on my old master''s personality, I honestly think he did this on purpose to make me start fresh, too.


    I honestly doubt the other Vesa rebelling and becoming a monster is outside of his speculation. He should have known, then made it on purpose." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see. At that point, if we can defeat the Vesa, that means whatever we achieve now is better than what was left there." Alex then realized it was the truth.


    Alucard had told him his Progenitor origin was nothing more than an ignition to start the process. The rest was up to him and MingYue to fill.


    ''So this is the road he created. Then how could we achieve power beyond a progenitor that is created by the universe itself?''


    Alex wondered as he continued digging deeper into the center of the planet.


    Meanwhile, up on the ground, MingYue made her path, flying around to look for Luciel. But the world was vast.


    She had already gone around and still hadn''t found her.


    She had gone in the direction Vesa last mentioned, but the place was empty when she reached it.


    She then started thinking of possibilities, ''Vesa, do you think the Aspect of Gluttony is evading me on purpose?''


    ''That is very possible. After all, it''s only a matter of time before the world collapses.


    Rather than fighting against the Queen, which could result in her losing, she took a safer way.''

 Chapter 276 - 276: MingYue vs Gluttony

    ''But based on our last fight, she should know there is nothing to fear from me.''


    ''Queen, she probably learned it from the other Vesa that I ate.''


    ''So all Gluttony is connected?''


    ''As long as they are within some distance, yes. That is why we couldn''t let her escape; otherwise, our only option is to run to another planet.''


    MingYue let out a sigh. Every time they took a step, things just became more complicated for them.


    Before, they lacked the strength to defeat her; now that she had enough, they lacked the time.


    ''Vesa, any solution?''


    ''Yes, as long as there is no Gluttony in this solar system, there should be no risk.''


    ''Explain.''


    ''After I eat the world''s core, I should be able to manipulate the world as it collapses.


    As I move the sentient beings to their new place, I can use the planet to trap the Aspect of Gluttony, then King and Queen could just finish her.''


    ''Too risky.'' MingYue then tried to think of another way to do this.


    She then remembered how Alex usually used drones to check the world.


    In fact, even now, the drone is still mapping the planet''s surface.


    She then decided to imitate it. Her eyes closed as she focused; she created a few ice lotuses floating in the air.


    At first, MingYue thought of separating a small part of her soul and infusing it. But she then got a better idea.


    There was already one that was in soul form and had nothing to do.


    If the lotus was destroyed, it would cause some soul damage, but it''s not something permanent since only a small part of her is required.


    She flicked her hand, taking out the earring from her storage ring, ''LingHua, time for you to work.''


    LingHua, who didn''t know anything as she was in the dark, was confused, but soon she cursed what happened and preferred to just stay back in the storage ring.


    As a cultivator who often had long periods of seclusion for training, staying alone in darkness didn''t make her feel anything.


    Meanwhile, Petricia had already made her way to the capital of Edonia. She used her transformation spell to look like a sovereign.


    She had asked for some information from Elvira, so she didn''t go blind like Alex and MingYue before.


    Right now, she was Lady Seraphina. She was quite eccentric and rarely showed up in public, which was perfect for her disguise.


    The capital was far more advanced than Elvira''s city. She could see Vitae was used everywhere, as light in the buildings, it was even used to make road signs. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    People moved around using chariots pulled by horses, similar to the one Alex captured before.


    Everywhere she walked, she was respected, but people looked at her with confused gazes.


    It''s very rare for a sovereign to walk on their own feet like that, but no one dared to ask questions.


    As this was the capital, many sovereigns lived in this place. Some saw what happened but, recognizing her as eccentric, just decided to stay away.


    Her eccentricity was known to border on madness.


    She was famous for experimenting on many things, just like a mad scientist; some rumors even said she experimented with creating an artificial sovereign, but no one knew if it was true or not.


    It didn''t take long for Petricia to reach the main castle. She just wanted to enter when droplets of water suddenly began to fall on the ground. Looking up at the sky, she realized she was too late.


    CRACK!!!!


    A huge cracking sound reverberated loudly, heard by all the populace. The water droplets became faster and heavier, followed by a devastating view of the cracked sky.


    Above, Luciel''s hand was turning into something like a hammer as she kept hitting the barrier.


    The area was already cracked open. But the scar in the sky was glowing in green as the world tried to mend itself.


    She grinned, then tried to attack again but stopped midway as an ice chill passed in front of her.


    Looking to the side, she could see MingYue with two ice wings and a serpent-like tail. She didn''t stop and shot another barrage of ice lotuses.


    Gluttony moved in a blur, dodging all the attacks, but since the first target was not her, MingYue detonated the lotuses, creating an explosion of ice to capture Luciel.


    She then dashed forward, almost like teleporting, her finger pressing at Luciel''s forehead.


    The next moment she found herself in her inner world. The place was the same as she had seen before. It was pure darkness filled with lips; even the ground made MingYue float.


    Her eyes then locked onto the pillar in the middle, where Luciel''s face could be seen, ''It seems she has somehow survived the ordeal,'' she thought.


    One of the mouths in the sky opened and then threw up black goo. As it dropped down, it started changing appearance into the silhouette of a knight.


    It was fully black with two swords as hands. His head had two huge horns, with one eye and lips filled with an array of sharp teeth.


    MingYue''s crimson eyes glinted as she started utilizing her soul power to the peak. Ice-cold energy started spreading, freezing everything it touched, but the knight didn''t flinch.


    A symbol of Gluttony then appeared on his forehead, as he said in a distorted voice, "As I expected, you are a progenitor''s heir. The same as that man, just what are you losers planning now?"


    "Dead people don''t need to know anything," MingYue said coldly.


    The next moment, she appeared behind the Aspect of Gluttony.


    CLANG!


    Her sword met his, but she was winning now.


    She started pushing through Gluttony''s block even with one hand. Her other hand''s palm opened, and an ice sword appeared; she then lunged it at his torso.


    But a mouth appeared and bit the sword.


    MingYue didn''t mind. The moment it happened, the tip started turning into an ice lotus and then exploded inside, freezing Gluttony''s body.

 Chapter 277 - 277: Rescuing Luciel

    He screeched in pain; the countless mouths started opening, throwing up the same black goo as before.


    Each of them transformed into another Gluttony knight. Seeing this, MingYue didn''t feel afraid.


    She felt excited as now she could test how strong her soul was.


    Countless ice spikes appeared around her. She then started shooting them all around the area.


    In the middle of the way, the spikes transformed into a lifelike ice serpent that let out a roar.


    MingYue herself slashed her way forward to where Luciel was captured.


    SLASH!


    She cut the connection, effectively freeing Luciel''s soul. Her body, still wrapped in a dark cocoon, fell to the ground.


    As Luciel started to awaken, the inner world began to shake. MingYue raised the intensity of the attack.


    She launched another wave of ice serpents to fight against Gluttony.


    Utilizing her soul strength to the maximum, she easily overpowered the aspect of Gluttony, but this was not enough to completely eradicate her.


    In fact, while MingYue was confronting Gluttony in the inner world, part of it in the real world was escaping out from the gap in the sky.


    It also didn''t forget to separate parts of itself, eating the gap and making it wider and bigger.


    MingYue then opened her eyes as she finished cleaning out Luciel''s inner world. When she realized what had happened, she knew it was too late.


    The sky was now shattering at a very fast pace, while the healing could not keep up.


    Looking down, she could see a pool of water already created, turning into a flood that kept increasing.


    MingYue held Luciel''s unconscious body. She then threw her ice sword toward the water.


    CREAKK!!!


    It froze all the liquid, to the point it created a huge ice pillar like it held the whole sky.


    MingYue then kept pouring her qi over it, as she could feel something still eating away at the gap, widening the scar. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She quickly realized what had happened. ''Vesa, what now?''


    ''We can only wait for the King now, or we can try to pursue Gluttony.''


    ''Some of the leviathans are still there under my control. I will try to use them to track Gluttony,'' MingYue suggested.


    If the leviathans traced Gluttony''s location, she would quickly move to pursue her.


    Meanwhile, on the ground, the unfrozen flood started moving in all directions, creating a natural disaster.


    This was a tragedy, but for Petricia, it made her job easier.


    As Seraphina, she easily entered the communication room, found the information to use it, and announced everyone to gather.


    Petricia changed her narrative, telling them to gather for evacuation.


    Meanwhile, with how huge the incident was, everyone in the realm, even those not in the affected area, came out and looked at the disaster.


    Thankfully, as there were royalty in the area where the flood came, it didn''t cause a lot of damage. The trees were also stronger, reducing the flood''s impact.


    Underneath the ground, Alex was already getting close to the center of the planet.


    He could start feeling a scorching heat. If it had been before, he wouldn''t have been able to bear it.


    As he kept digging, he got an update on the situation from Vesa.


    "It''s good that Luciel was saved, but now with Gluttony escaped¡­"


    "Don''t worry, King. With your and the Queen''s current strength, we could quickly check on your father.


    As for the Bai Yue sect, I can now move it to Edonia. It''s the same with the Suzaku guild."


    Alex didn''t quickly answer, since the situation was too complicated for him to decide just like that. He also needed to talk with MingYue.


    Based on the situation, it''s possible they would now live their life as fugitives, going around the universe gathering forces for their rebellion.


    As they walked deeper, Vesa''s fingers started moving, creating a rune to give them more protection. The heat kept rising, becoming unbearable even for Alex.


    The blood he used as a drill also started boiling and turned into gas. He then needed to infuse it with lifeforce to keep going.


    CRACK! CRACK!


    The ground kept getting harder as it finally changed into molten lava.


    At this point, Alex stopped as he asked Vesa what to do next. He doubted he could just dig into it.


    It was clear the molten lava was a metal in its liquid form, basically the outer layer of the planet''s core.


    "Next, I will blink us deeper inside," Vesa said as she used another rune. This one was more complicated and took time for her.


    After a few minutes, a green light covered both of them. They then blinked forward.


    The next thing Alex knew, they were inside a small crystalline cavern with a sphere spinning in the middle. The sphere looked beautiful, like a kaleidoscope of colors.


    "So this is what it looks like," Alex said, amazed, as he walked closer to the planet''s core.


    Vesa flew around the crystal, her crimson eyes reflecting the kaleidoscope of colors.


    "Not always, King. It''s different for each planet, but this one is surprisingly high quality.


    I am sure if left alone for a few hundred years, it will gain its own sentience. And we are also lucky; usually, there are guardians at the planet''s core."


    "I see. Quickly move, then, Vesa. We need to hunt the aspect of Gluttony," Alex said.


    He had control over more leviathans. When the aspect of Gluttony escaped, they did realize it, but it quickly disappeared as it moved far faster than them.


    Vesa opened her mouth big and then ate the gemstone whole. Green particles then started appearing all around her body.


    They then started forming into many runes, spinning around her body as her crimson eyes glowed.


    The core area started to vibrate, and the crystal wall began to crumble.


    The rune started growing in size. It then instantly enveloped the whole planet.


    Vesa did this to try to capture Gluttony, and in that instant, she did find it, but the creature had already exited the atmosphere.

 Chapter 278 - 278: Returning

    In the vast space, the aspect of Gluttony was now a big blob of dark slime. It floated around, trying to feel its main body, and then flew in that direction.


    It then began transforming into something more efficient to move in space, into a ship.


    Unfortunately, just as it moved some distance away, a huge power suddenly appeared and slapped the aspect of Gluttony to nothingness.


    It happened so fast that it couldn''t even react or realize what had happened.


    The power only lasted for a moment before it then vanished. A distance away, Alucard''s face was pale as Thalia wiped sweat appearing on his head.


    "I think it''s still too much on your body, master, despite it using my energy."


    "Don''t worry. I am just the medium. It''s your energy that is consumed. We need to land somewhere close and recover first."


    Thalia gave a nod as she tried to change their direction to the closest planet.


    Meanwhile, in space, the planet''s atmosphere began to dissipate, and the ocean started raging, creating a huge tsunami followed by a massive thunderstorm.


    Alex and Vesa then teleported out from the center of the planet and appeared back in the sky above the castle.


    He quickly flew toward the city of Edonia with Vesa. Mingyue also landed, as many people had already gathered there.


    Elvira and her entire group were already present, and Petricia had successfully ordered the Sovereign to gather in the city.


    Now, more than half a million people were gathered there. Most of them were still confused about what would happen next, but Vesa didn''t waste any time.


    The crystal on her body then gleamed brightly, and a rune pattern began appearing in a circle. It then floated, covering the entire city, and in the next moment, the city disappeared.


    Alex then let Elvira and Petricia pacify the people while they quickly moved to transfer other people who were left behind.


    Vesa then followed Mingyue, while Alex used the Awecube to capture the remaining people.


    The destruction continued to escalate. As the core disappeared, the gravity also dissipated. The water from the ocean then started floating toward the sky.


    Thankfully, the planet''s atmosphere and the abundance of water bought enough time for Alex and Mingyue to rescue everyone.


    As the life force in the atmosphere began to dissipate, it allowed them to easily track the elves in the realm.


    After they finished, both of them then emerged from the secret realm and floated in the sky, watching the planet''s destruction.


    It was a very rare sight that both of them had never seen before.


    The waves grew larger, forming colossal waves, followed by huge whirlpools appearing all over.


    It was like someone had pulled the plug in a bathtub, and all the water was being sucked out.


    As the core started cooling down, the entire ground in the realm cracked open. Mingyue''s frozen pillar cracked open, the sky fell, and all the water came down like a huge waterfall.


    If seen from space now, the planet looked like a cracked egg, separating into many pieces. Everything then began to disintegrate, leaving behind floating debris in space.


    Looking past the floating ground, water, and the leviathans struggling to survive, Alex and Mingyue could see the beauty of space.


    A nebula of blue gas, other planets, and a shining bright sun. If it were normal humans, their bodies would already start boiling and exploding.


    As the pressure dropped suddenly, the gas in the human body would expand, leading to the expansion and rupture of the lungs.


    All the liquid in the human body would then begin to boil, evaporating into gas, causing severe damage.


    Even without these problems, the sun''s UV rays would be more than enough to burn their eyes.


    "Vesa, couldn''t you put some of the leviathans back into Edonia?" Alex asked. Looking at so many floating in the air, he felt it was a waste.


    Some had already started to die as their bodies were adapted to live in the deep ocean; now, in space, they couldn''t survive.


    Only the stronger ones were still alive now.


    "Alex, why not absorb their life force? I think this will be more useful. Their size is too large to be used in real fights, but the lifeforce can be used for many things."


    Alex agreed with her thoughts, and their eyes glinted as they then absorbed a huge amount of life force.


    But most of it was absorbed into Vesa. After they finished, Vesa began to explain how to recover Edonia.


    "King, Queen, as you see, we can use a planet core to expand the area instantly, but other than this, we could also use lifeforce to expand it slowly. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s not just to modify the terrain; you could also use it to create specific facilities in the future, like an automated factory."


    "You mean we need to get the blueprint first from another part of you?"


    "Not necessarily, King. It could also be obtained from other sources, as long as you know what you want to make.


    Using lifeforce, I can transform it into any material as long as you have the complete blueprint.


    Of course, there are some requirements and other materials needed to build it, but I think you get the gist, King."


    Alex nodded, as this was basically like playing a city-building game but a little more complicated.


    He could build infrastructure and everything instantly as long as he had the material and enough life force.


    "Let''s talk about this later, Alex. We should go back first."


    "Alright, Queen, where to? Your world or King''s World? Or do you want me to send each of you back to your own world?"


    Mingyue thought about it, "Let''s go to Alex''s world."


    "Are you sure? Don''t you need to take care of the sect? I plan to quickly gather force and look for my father.


    It will probably take some time before it''s finished."


    "I know, that is why I am going with you. I should be able to help. The sect is stable anyway.


    We don''t have any enemies, and our disciples are still practicing.


    The new populace has also started mingling together, so there is really nothing I can do there now."

 Chapter 279 - 279: Coming into Alexs Worlds

    "I know, that is why I am going with you. I should be able to help. The sect is stable anyway.


    We don''t have any enemies, and our disciples are still practicing.


    The new populace has also started mingling together, so there is really nothing I can do there now."


    Seeing both of them decided, Vesa grinned, her finger moved weaving a rune, which then glowed and covered all of them.


    As they disappeared, what remained was just empty space filled with numerous debris and the lifeless husks of countless leviathans.


    Alex and MingYue next found themselves in his room. MingYue looked at everything with interest; her first focus was on the VR headset.


    It''s the one that Alex modified with an immersive experience to recreate scenes from novels like a movie. MingYue had asked for this before, but since he hadn''t had the time to create another one, he followed up on her wish.


    "We are not in a hurry, right? I want to try it."


    "Sure, don''t forget to change your clothing to follow my world''s fashion."


    "Don''t worry, now, shoo, go. I believe you need to prepare an ID for me," MingYue replied with a smirk.


    She was now wearing an artifact from the Xueqi family''s vault, allowing the clothes to change to anything she wanted. As she had watched many movies from Alex''s world, she knew the fashion sense here.


    Leaving alone, MingYue didn''t directly use the VR headset; instead, she went to the window looking outside.


    Since they were at SGE now, MingYue could only see a beautiful garden and the forest. But the atmosphere told her she was in a different world now as there was barely any qi in the air, with only mana existing.


    The only reason qi even existed here was because Alex practiced cultivation in this place.


    Looking around, she noticed a table filled with many scientific instruments and a wall filled with many photos.


    The photos mostly consisted of his mother and sister. Only one had a complete picture of them: Alex''s father, Edward, smiling and carrying Alex as a child on his shoulder.


    On the side was Luca carrying Emily. The picture was filled with smiles, making MingYue let out a deep sigh.


    It was a family she wanted to have in the past but never got. Meanwhile, Alex had it, but it was broken.


    She took the photo, her finger tracing the smiling faces. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Which one is worse, hoping to get one and never getting it or having one and losing it?"


    "I don''t think you can compare it like that, Queen; both are bad scenarios that people don''t want to face."


    "You don''t follow Alex?" MingYue asked without looking back.


    "No, I just want to look at the area before going back to Edonia.


    There are many things I need to maintain. Right now, the place is in the middle of a civil war."


    "Not surprising. Do you need my help?" MingYue asked.


    With the main pillar of power gone, the royals wanting more influence would certainly try to fight to fill the empty slot.


    She could already guess that Pericia didn''t mince words and said the place was now under Alex''s control.


    This would certainly raise a conflict since barely anyone knew Alex. Only Elvira would take her side.


    With the incident, they suddenly found themselves in a strange location, and Thalia''s disappearance, chaos, and panic were just a matter of time.


    "Don''t worry, Queen. As I said, I am Edonia''s world spirit. As long as I am there, they wouldn''t be able to do anything.


    What about the BaiYue sect? If you want, I could also accommodate them here."


    "Not now. Let them stay there. After we finish with Alex''s matter, we will go to the central region and take over the whole place.


    I believe there should be no one able to face us with modern weapons and people from that realm. Just maintain them."


    Vesa grinned, as she already had her own plan to gain their loyalty. Alex might disagree if he knew, but for Vesa, it was the most efficient.


    She was sure that as long as Alex saw the final result, he wouldn''t blame her later on.


    They might be forced in the beginning, but when they enjoy prosperity, none of them will regret it.


    But first, there were many things she needed to put in place, like abolishing the class system. Alex had told her once very clearly that he didn''t want slavery.


    If they needed labor, they should create automatons or golems, basically, anything that is not sentient to put to work.


    Vesa''s body then disappeared, turning into a fog, returning to MingYue''s body.


    She could feel Vesa attaching herself to the deepest place of her inner world, a place where her soul is linked to Alex.


    Then a thought came to her mind, "Since Alucard is in Alex''s soul, and we are connected, doesn''t this mean Alucard could go to mine too?"


    The idea made her frown, as she didn''t like having an old geezer who could invade her privacy anytime.


    At the very least, with Alex, the rules were clear; they could share if they wanted. If not, each of them had their own privacy.


    MingYue closed her eyes and then focused on her inner world.


    Compared to Alex''s, hers was a serene lake with a frozen island in the middle. The lake was filled with many ice lotuses floating calmly.


    She then dove deeper inside the lake, going to the connection. She could see something like a huge egg in the center, with a silhouette of Vesa''s body inside.


    She spread her senses, but to her surprise, she couldn''t find any trace of Alucard.


    "Vesa, where is Alucard?"


    "I don''t know, Queen. He may be hiding somewhere in the King''s consciousness.


    Or maybe he had already left the King without him knowing. But based on my knowledge of him, it''s probably both," Vesa''s voice reverberated in the world.


    MingYue looked around once more, her gaze going down, and she saw the transparent surface she was standing on.

 Chapter 280 - 280: Ai

    Underneath was a stream of green particles, the place where all the extra life force was put by Vesa.


    It looked beautiful, like an otherworldly three-dimensional river of aurora.


    She exhaled, then returned back to reality.


    There was nothing she could do now other than raise her guard to make sure no soul suddenly appeared in her inner world.


    MingYue then turned her gaze toward Alex''s collection of action figures. On the side, there was also a bookcase filled with many novels in a row.


    Meanwhile, outside, Alex was making his way toward the guild section. The closer he got, the more he saw new faces walking around the area.


    It didn''t take long for him to reach the guild leader''s room.


    In front of the door, he saw Olivia busy in front of a laptop, typing nonstop, with a stack of papers that reached her head placed on the table.


    Feeling someone''s presence, Olivia said without looking up, "State your business quickly; as you see, we are overwhelmed now."


    Alex let out a small chuckle. Before he could say more, Olivia, recognizing the familiar sound, raised her head.


    Her lips curled into a smile, but her cheeks puffed out into a pout. "You said it would be quick; you know you''ve been gone for two weeks now."


    Alex was surprised, as he was sure he didn''t spend much time in the secret realm. ''Dammit, I forgot to check how much time passed before coming here.'' He cursed in his mind.


    But Alex hid his surprise and instead gave out a calm expression.


    "Something happened, but don''t worry, it''s all cleared for now. So what happened while I was gone?"


    "Alice spent a lot of her time with Prof Faerith. As for us, as you can see, we are busy now.


    After our successful dungeon dive and the association announcement, our guild quickly gained many applicants."


    She then pointed at the stack of papers, "See that? It''s all people wanting to join here as staff or hunters."


    "That many? Couldn''t they just email?"


    Olivia''s lips twitched, "You are really out of touch with how guilds work. Don''t you know what these papers are?" She asked, pulling one of the papers to Alex''s face.


    Seeing it, he scratched his head. He just remembered about it. If a guild is famous, sometimes applicants will send their applications with special papers that are verified by the hunter association.


    This guarantees the content is all valid and checked. It''s not like the association spends their time checking each of their skills.


    They just have a way using special artifact or Awakener skill, to make sure the applicant is not lying and compare it to their potential.


    "You should really accept some then to reduce your workload."


    "I wish it were that easy; we still need to screen them all out. Don''t think I forgot what happened last time. If we have a dark guild infiltrate here, it will be a big problem."


    In reality, Alex thought this was not necessary since slave contracts would ensure everyone''s eligibility, but remembering her own meeting with the aspect of gluttony, he shook his head. Better to be safe than sorry.


    "How is Emily then?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If this is my workload, how much do you think she has? Even Zold was now pulled by Quartz."


    "Where? I don''t see them anywhere."


    Olivia gave him an incredulous look, "Isn''t it your idea to open a school and accept commoners to be trained? What do you think they are doing now?"


    Alex smirked, "Alright, I will get out of your hair and disturb my sister instead."


    Seeing Alex enter the room, Olivia''s smile deepened.


    ''He doesn''t have any wounds, and based on his gaze, things should be progressing well for him.


    That is good. Maybe I should try to ask him to accompany me later tonight.'' She thought, making a plan to make their relationship closer.


    Little did she know all her plans were destined to fail for this week, as MingYue was here now.


    CREAK!


    The door opened, and Alex could see Emily with a tired expression.


    "Our guildmaster is hardworking. I am sure it''s only a matter of time before our guild rises up."


    Emily raised her eyes with a disinterested look. She had been overworked these last few days.


    Her body could keep up, but as someone who preferred outdoor activities, being locked inside a room, seeing word after word, checking out agreements, contracts, rules, and many other things that required her assignment was like hell.


    "You damned brother. Finally, you returned.


    Tell me one good reason why I shouldn''t scream at you now?


    You know my ability and personality, and you should know you are far more suited for this paperwork.


    Why in hell did you give me the guild master position?" Emily vented her frustration.


    Alex was caught off guard but then let out a laugh; it''s been a while since he saw his sister throwing a tantrum like a kid, being unreasonable.


    "Don''t blame me. Don''t you already know what the guild master''s job is? Just quickly hire some people to take care of it.


    Or heck, just make an AI copy of your mind, ask Faerith to do it. I am sure she can."


    "Are you fucking kidding me! Don''t you read history?


    You know, after that incident, AI like that is labeled as dark technology and banned forever."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "Is it that bad? That incident happened before the dungeon break anyway, barely anyone living now has any memory of it.


    You know history books often exaggerated."


    "No! For once, do me a favor and use your hunter credibility to read real history.


    And see for yourself what really happened. The AI rebellion almost ended humanity.


    I couldn''t imagine what would happen now if they were given access to real synth bodies and our power system."


    "You talk like real synths exist," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    "It''s still far away, but don''t doubt our technological growth. Mixed with man and magic, things like that keep getting closer."

 Chapter 281 - 281: Gate Prototype

    "I wish they would reach it quickly then so we can use them as frontline soldiers.


    Anyway, I came here to tell you to prepare. In a week, we will go there."


    "A week? Isn''t that too fast? What did you get from your trip?"


    "I brought a backup, and I also got some ideas to create secret techniques for you guys. I am sure we are strong enough now."


    "A backup? You brought another alien race?" Emily asked with a complicated gaze.


    She then added before Alex could reply, "You know when you were gone, William reported to me he was taken by the association president and also had a clash with another species."


    Alex didn''t feel surprised since he knew it would come sooner or later, but to think it came this fast¡­


    ''Is that old fox having some spy in this place''? Alex thought. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily dropped her work, her eyes quickly filling with interest. "A human like you? Wait, is my sister-in-law here?"


    She then stood up from her chair, her tiredness evaporating in an instant. "Where is she? I want to see her."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "If you go like that, you''ll just scare her. Let''s just meet at dinner later. Don''t you need to finish your work?"


    But Emily didn''t even listen to what Alex said. The next moment, a strong wind blew Alex''s hair as Emily left the room with a bam.


    Alex watched everything, stupefied. Somehow, he felt like he was transported back to when he was still in high school.


    His lips curled into a smile. "What a handful sister I have."


    But as he wanted to walk out, his eyes locked onto some of the papers on Emily''s table. It was a list of people who passed Olivia''s screening to join the guild.


    Other than commoners being trained in the academy, they still needed to hire many new hunters quickly to work for them. And the one he saw was one of the candidates.


    He took the paper and read all the information. His eyes turned sharp. "Why does this person really look like Alucard? Is it a coincidence?"


    Reading it, he didn''t find anything weird in the information and decided to leave it alone.


    Walking outside, Olivia asked, "What happened with Emily? Why was she so excited?"


    "Nothing, I will get her back quickly."


    Olivia was confused but didn''t ask further. Instead, she used the opportunity to ask, "Will you have some free time tonight?"


    "Oh yeah, I just wanted to say that. Let''s have dinner together. Tell Quartz, Alice, William, and Zold too."


    "Alright," Olivia replied with a helpless smile as she watched Alex disappear again.


    Her golden eyes glinted, showing her complicated expression. But if someone looked carefully, they would realize something odd about it.


    Like there was something else.


    Alex quickly moved back to check on MingYue and Emily, but on the path, he bumped into Alice.


    "You are back. Good, I have something to talk about."


    "What is it? Could it not wait?"


    "No, it could not. Your assistant Faerith gave me some ideas, but she said she needed to wait for your approval."


    "What is that?"


    "Let''s not talk here. Too many ears."


    Alice then pulled his hand toward Faerith''s laboratory. In the middle, there was something that looked like a dungeon gate but was different.


    "Don''t tell me you are trying to make a portal to return to your place?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, of course, there are some limitations, but you don''t need to worry about it."


    "How safe is it, Faerith?"


    "Well, at worst, we will just make a small black hole."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "You say it so simply. How could you even make this anyway?"


    Alice smirked, then raised her hand. A golden dust appeared, moving around like a wisp before it disappeared. Looking back at the portal, Alex realized there were many golden lines carving through the portal.


    Faerith''s eyes lit up. "This fairy dust is quite miraculous, Alex.


    We can use it to enhance many reactions. I don''t know how, but it just works best as a catalyst."


    "And the best idea you have is to try to carve space? How do you even do it?


    I know the theory says if you create an immense level of gravity, it will make space collapse and create a tunnel, but in that case, how do you choose where the tunnel is connected?"


    "That is easy. I have a way to feel where my homeland is. It''s very far away, but I can tell the direction."


    Alex looked at the gate-like portal. He put his finger on his chin, then shook his head.


    "No, this is too dangerous. What if the portal opens to another dimension instead?


    Rather than that, Alice, do you already want to go home? You just left for a short time."


    "It''s not that. I just want to send some resources back. Do you forget what you did?" Alice reminded Alex that her world couldn''t regenerate resources anymore.


    "In that case, we could just send it directly through the dungeon. Didn''t you read about it?"


    "I know, but that is even more risky. If we enter through the dungeon, who knows what kind of being might put an eye on us."


    Hearing Alice''s reasoning, Alex found it weird.


    "I don''t get it. Last time, the others and I entered through it. Just what is the real reason you want another entrance to your world?"


    "Forget it then." Alice changed the topic and left the place, further confusing Alex.


    "Faerith, I need more explanation."


    "I also don''t know. It''s just that when we discussed the theory of how dungeon gates work, she came up with the idea to make the gate."


    ''If she met with that creature''s eyes, I bet she wouldn''t dare to try this,'' Alex thought.


    This is the real reason he didn''t want to test the gate system. He looked at it once more, then put it into his storage ring.

 Chapter 282 - 282: Alices Reason

    "Don''t make another one like that, and don''t experiment on dimensional gates or teleportation.


    For now, just focus on making good artifacts utilizing Qi and Mana. By the way, how is the storage cube?"


    "Storage cubes are selling like peanuts now. We already ramped up production but still failed to keep up with the demand.


    As you instructed, we only expanded the production rate up to 100 percent and not more."


    "That is enough. We need to make sure the market stays starved. Other than that, has anything notable happened?"


    "No, it''s just a few weeks. What could happen?"


    "You would be surprised how many things happen in one day of my life. Well, I will go then. Continue with your work."


    "Sure, Alex."


    Seeing his disappearing back, Faerith took out her personal notebook and started jotting down some more notes.


    She still didn''t forget about the weird egg. Anytime she got the opportunity, she would observe Alex''s changes. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''His eyes turned completely crimson now. I wonder just what that egg''s origin is. If only he told me,'' she thought.


    Meanwhile, after leaving, Alice went to the library. She started reading some physics books.


    Right now, she was already fluent in Alex''s language, allowing her to read even without any external help.


    ''It seems I cannot do it this way. Should I just come out clean with him?


    But what if he suspects me instead?'' Alice felt conflicted in her mind.


    Meanwhile, as she pondered what to do, Alex had already returned to his room.


    His eyes quickly scanned for MingYue, but she was nowhere to be seen. He wanted to telepathically ask what she was doing, but he decided against it.


    He could also look for their location based on life force or Qi, but he thought it was good for his sister to get close to MingYue.


    "Well, she is probably with Emily now. I hope she doesn''t talk nonsense with her."


    Alex then walked toward the window, looking at the view. "Alice is very weird. Did something happen?"


    A thought then suddenly surfaced in his mind.


    "Wait, did she also meet with some strange entity while moving back to this world? But no way, at that time, she was inside my awecube."


    But the idea kept sticking in his mind. How could awecube stop a being like that''s eyes? And who knows how many beings like that exist?


    Knowing he couldn''t get it out of his mind, Alex decided to go to Alice.


    As he moved to another room, Emily was talking with MingYue. She was now opening an old photo album, as somehow their conversation came to their family.


    MingYue was curious about it since, in her eyes, Alex''s family was something she wanted.


    Hearing about the story made her smile as she imagined her own family becoming like that.


    Without realizing it, her coldness was melting gradually. Emily didn''t even have that impression when she first saw MingYue.


    Her first impression was that she was a charming, beautiful woman.


    "All of you look so happy at that time. I am sure it was quite hard after your father was gone," MingYue said as she looked at the picture where Emily still had an innocent, naive smile on her face.


    "It was. Many things happened in the gap. How about you?"


    "Me? Using the term from your world, it would be correct to say I come from a broken home.


    I don''t know where both my parents are. As for my other family, it''s even more complicated."


    "Honestly, it''s not that much different here. I know from my friends and colleagues that some of their extended family is just parasites.


    They use the familial bond when it benefits them, but when we are in need, none of them come. Just big-mouthed cowards."


    MingYue then changed the topic as she didn''t want to talk about it further. She did it out of rage, but she felt complicated now, as she destroyed her childhood home.


    "By the way, where is your mother? Is she left here, too? Your brother told me a lot of stories about her."


    Emily chuckled. "Does that include when Mom threatened to take his money away?"


    "Tell me about it."


    Meanwhile, Alex had already reached the library. He could see Alice there, reading a book.


    "Could you tell me the real reason for that? I know you won''t betray me." Alex said with confidence since Alice was under a contract.


    He was sure he would be able to tell if it was tampered with or removed.


    Alice hesitated for a moment, then said, "This is really confusing, and honestly, I myself only half believe it.


    A few hours after I came to your world, a weird memory suddenly appeared in my mind. One I never had any recollection of."


    "Tell me everything. I won''t judge you for it."


    "It''s like at some point, I don''t know when and how I met with the Fairy Progenitor. She was asking me to help her."


    "You helping a progenitor? Are you sure?" Alex asked in disbelief.


    Even if the progenitor was weakened, it was still a real genuine one, not like Alex and MingYue, who were just a part of it.


    "That is why I also feel it doesn''t make sense, but I know where the location is."


    "So that is why you want to make that portal. You want to find out if it''s true or not."


    "Yes, this is important for my people, Alex. She is my race''s progenitor. If something happened to her¡­"


    "What will happen to the rest of you?"


    "I don''t know, but I can tell something bad will happen."


    Alex put his hand on his chin, then asked telepathically, ''Vesa, what happens to the species when a progenitor dies?''


    ''They lose a backing, making them another species up for grabs by the others. But other than this, the species'' strength as a whole will be weakened until the progenitor is reborn somewhere else.''


    ''So all the vampire race is weakened now?''

 Chapter 283 - 283: Fairys Biology

    ''Our case is unique, King. The progenitor is dead, but not really dead. The essence is still in this world.


    As for the other case I mentioned, the progenitor''s essence was removed from this world, which caused the drop in strength until it was reborn back in its world.''


    ''So if the human progenitor is killed, all humanity except those I transformed will be weakened?''


    ''Yes, we call this the resonance effect.''


    Understanding the situation, Alex then said to Alice, "How about this? We will check on it after I finish some tasks.


    Looking for your race''s progenitor wouldn''t be easy. And with our current strength, it''s nothing more than suicide."


    Hearing this, Alice felt relieved. They then exchanged some more small talk.


    Alex started asking how her cultivation was progressing. Did it have any effect on her fairy dust?


    "Now that you mention it, this is one of the questions I want to ask you before.


    Qi can be used to enhance parts of our body. If I try it on my wings, will it be effective?


    You know our dust is created from a special organ on our back. It''s connected to our wings.


    If I can do this, I am sure I could enhance my strength quickly."


    "I don''t know, it''s untested. How does the qi react to your fairy dust?"


    "It doesn''t have any reaction." Alice put some thought into it.


    She wanted to try it, but she also wanted to reduce the risk.


    What if she lost her fairy dust in the process? It would result in a huge problem for her.


    "First, tell me how your power system works."


    "My fairy race is simple. Each one is already born with the capability to use her fairy dust.


    As for growth in strength, it just happens naturally. Of course, we can practice to enhance our control, raising its effectiveness."


    "So all your fairies will reach their peak strength without doing anything?" Alex asked with envy in his eyes.


    "It''s not that simple. Since it develops naturally, it takes a long time, and not everyone is able to reach the peak.


    Just like humans and feladine, each individual has their own potential. When you hit the ceiling, you will stop growing.


    Now, if you can choose, Alex, which would you choose: going through our path, where it could be said your fate has been decided since your birth, or, like you, having a way to carve your own path?"


    Alex didn''t need to think about giving the answer. He already knew what to choose.


    He then changed the topic, "What realm are you in now? Have you enhanced your body?"


    "This is one of the reasons why I don''t dare to test it out.


    I tried to enhance my muscles and bones, but it didn''t work. There was no change at all."


    "What happened to the qi then?"


    "It just passed through. There was no effect."


    "I cannot say anything else except I need to learn how a fairy''s body works," Alex said.


    He meant this scientifically but then quickly realized it sounded really inappropriate. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alice also sat there in a daze, not knowing how to respond.


    "You mean you want to check on my body?" she asked with a flush of red on her cheek.


    "Sorry, I just realized how I sound, but I mean that in a scientific sense. Basically, without knowing how your muscles work, there is nothing I can do.


    Let me put it this way. In my case, when I was human, we absorbed oxygen into our lungs and then fueled it into our blood.


    When our muscles contract, the oxygen in our blood reacts with glucose and other proteins to produce the energy we need to function.


    During intense exercise, if the oxygen supply wasn''t sufficient, our muscles would produce lactic acid. This lactic acid buildup is what makes our muscles feel tired and sore.


    However, with constant training, our bodies adapted.


    Our muscles became more efficient at processing oxygen and clearing out lactic acid, making us less tired over time.


    Knowing how this works allowed me to easily find a way to use qi to enhance my body strength.


    As the cells got used to the constant pressure of qi, and we even infused it inside, they started adapting, allowing us to become stronger.


    This is also a similar case for mana.


    Now, in your case, as a fairy, despite having a body form similar to ours, based on what you tell me, our bodies probably work differently.


    First of all, the key to my strength is the adaptation capability of the cell. I do believe every sentient being is capable of doing this, but they would vary.


    And if your body cells are already adapted to fairy dust or something else that changes how it completely works, then it makes sense the cultivation method I gave you doesn''t work."


    Hearing the many terms would have left Alice in a daze.


    Thankfully, she had absorbed many books in the library, so she could at least understand what Alex explained.


    She then took out a small knife and made a small scratch on her finger. She then dripped her crimson blood onto the table.


    Alex looked at it in detail. At a glance, it looked similar to normal blood, but when he saw it closely, he could see the blood was different; it had many shimmering golden dust particles inside it.


    Alex picked it up with his finger and started using his ability, focusing solely on it.


    "The fairy dust seems to affect a fairy''s whole biology, how their organs function.


    Even this blood alone is proof of it. I don''t even need a microscope to tell the dust is not just here as decoration."


    "Alice, what happens if a fairy gets their wings torn?"


    Fear reflected in Alice''s eyes as the thought of it was horrendous. For a fairy, the pain of having their wings torn is worse than even death.

 Chapter 284 - 284: Creating Secret Technique

    "Where are you going with this question?" she asked.


    Looking up, Alex could see fear on her face.


    "Sorry, I don''t mean it that way. Let me rephrase it.


    If this organ on your back that produces fairy dust is hurt, damaged, or basically destroyed to the point it couldn''t function, will you die?"


    "Yes, we call this organ a fairy heart. It doesn''t beat, but without it, we are dead. As for our real heart, even if it''s damaged, our fairy heart will be able to heal it."


    "Then, no wonder many methods are not working. I will be blunt. To find a way to enhance it, I will need to experiment, and this is no easy endeavor.


    I could use simulation and try to predict the outcome, but with a completely different nervous system, I doubt the result will be accurate at all."


    "So you mean you need a live fairy specimen to experiment with a high risk of death?"


    "Yes. Look, you have read many books in this library.


    It could be said our understanding of our own bodies is not small, but even with all this information, I still need to experiment many times over to finally get the cultivation method I gave you."


    "Isn''t this cultivation method from another world? You mean you modified it?"


    "Of course. Otherwise, the way wouldn''t be as streamlined. I will be honest. I experimented on my own body.


    If not because it''s been enhanced and I couldn''t die, I would have already died hundreds of times over."


    The memory of trying to enhance his ability and brain was still fresh in his mind. All the pain resulted in failure.


    Even now, he hasn''t been able to find a way to break through.


    ''Now that reminds me since Vesa''s strength has recovered, I should be able to put the same rune I gave Emily to others.


    I will give it to Quartz, Zold, and Olivia. As for William and Alice, I will see how it goes,'' Alex thought.


    The reason he does this is because he knows that even if Quartz, Zold, and Olivia got controlled by a strong being to hurt him in the future, he still couldn''t forgive himself if they were killed.


    They are like his real family. Despite not being close to them, Alex could tell what they meant to his mother and sister.


    "I understand your point. How about I try to learn how my body works with Faerith, then? Can we trust her?"


    Alex gave some consideration to it and then agreed.


    Those who would feel the need to get the information wouldn''t be able to break Faerith''s contract with him.


    As for those strong beings, Alex doubted they would care what makes a fairy''s body tick.


    After some more small talk, they said goodbye. Alex then returned to his room. As he had some time, his first goal now was to create a secret technique.


    He had seen how exquisite MingYue used it.


    "Those ice lotuses have really become the foundation of her combat strength.


    With that as a foundation, it allowed her to quickly progress. I should make something similar for each of my core members.''


    Alex then remembered he hadn''t contacted William. In Alice''s case, the cultivation method failed.


    Who knows about William?


    His situation is even more weird since his body was contaminated by something.


    ''I will ask him later. For now, I will focus on the important ones first,'' Alex thought.


    He still didn''t know what to make for himself, but he already had some ideas for the others.


    For example, for Emily, his sister, by using the wisp of light. Despite not having any, he had already scanned everything about it.


    He raised his palm. The ERX chip in his brain started working, creating a 3D visual of the wisp of light, then started showcasing the inside of it.


    Even though, from a glance, it looked like just a ball of light, the wisp of light was more complicated than that.


    There were particles of light moving in certain ways all over its body. When it cast or used abilities, the pattern would change in some way.


    This reminded Alex of how formations and runes worked.


    ''Now that I think of it, secret techniques and combat also work like this.


    Qi and breathing need to be maintained and controlled in a certain way to produce a certain result.''


    Focusing on the pattern, Alex started memorizing it and creating many simulations in his brain.


    His goal now was to crack what kind of pattern resulted in what kind of ability. Afterward, he would need to translate it to the human body.


    The decrypting process took Alex a long time, but it was quite smooth. The real hurdle came after he cracked it: how to use it on the human body.


    While he was engrossed in this, Alex didn''t realize MingYue and Emily were back in his room.


    MingYue told Vesa not to warn Alex.


    "See, MingYue, he is always like that when he is too focused on something," Elly said with a chuckle.


    "Isn''t that good? That means he is really focused on his task."


    "Yeah, I won''t say so. Thankfully, his body is strong enough to keep up with his concentration right now.


    You know, when he was a kid, he once fainted because he was in a trance for too long."


    "How do you know about it? Weren''t you still a kid at that time too?"


    "Of course, Mom told me. It''s not even something complicated.


    Dad, at that time, brought him a mountain of puzzles to solve.


    They ranged from easy difficulty all the way to the highest one, which some people say is impossible.


    My mom said my brother was very happy at that time. He then started working on it.


    Hours passed with him in that state, not moving. My mom wanted to interrupt at first, but my dad said don''t."


    "I see. In that situation, I would agree with your dad," MingYue commented. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 285 - 285: Conflict

    As a cultivator herself, I find it normal to find out someone''s limit to the point of exhaustion under controlled situations. It''s far better than learning it in real combat and ending up dying.


    Knowing one''s own strengths and weaknesses is a very important matter.


    But hearing this, Elly disagreed. Her line of thought was similar to her mother''s.


    Alex was still a kid at this time; they should have told him it was not good. But she didn''t say it out loud since she didn''t want to have a debate.


    "What happened next then?"


    "Well, he spent three days like that until he fainted. Based on how my mom said it, I am sure my father got an earful," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "Do you remember how old he was at that time?" MingYue asked.


    "Probably around seven or eight. Honestly, though, I respect my brother a lot. He''s always there for us, no matter the situation, even when he was bullied."


    "Alex bullied? You are joking, right?"


    "Well, he won''t admit it, but in middle school and high school, he never had any friends nor played with any of them. Every day, he went straight home from school."


    "With his abilities, it''s not weird. Who can he trust?" MingYue could relate to what Alex felt.


    Even though she couldn''t tell if someone was really lying or not, the cutthroat competition between everyone in the sect and clan was more than enough for her to not want any friends.


    "Well, let''s go and not disturb him. I wonder what he is doing, though," MingYue said as she turned her back, leaving the room.


    "Who knows? I never get what passes through his mind," Emily replied as she closed the door silently and followed MingYue.


    Catching up, she asked, "MingYue, how about going shopping? This is your first time in our world."


    "Don''t you need money to do that? And I don''t really need anything. My clothes can change form," MingYue replied as she showed Emily how it worked. Based on many movies she had watched, shopping meant buying tons of clothes.


    Seeing the clothes, Emily''s eyes sparkled, "Do you have more? How does that work?"


    MingYue still had a few pieces of clothing, so she gave one to Emily. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As both of them left, Alex''s lips curled into a smile. "Finally!" he exclaimed happily.


    At first, he kept failing. Translating the movement between a sphere-like monster to a human was just something impossible. He needed to completely modify it for it to work.


    Then, an idea came to his mind. Why would he need to do that?


    He decided to change how it goes. For Awakened, like Emily with elemental abilities, their hearts usually transformed in a way to generate that element. Emily was no exception.


    Alex then used the heart circulation path, creating a secret technique to move qi in a way that replicated the Wisp technique. Based on the simulations he did, there should be no bad effect on Emily''s body.


    "Now I just need her to test it out and see if the abilities come out. If I am right, she should be able to improve this skill to use for attack or even more things."


    The Wisp of Light ability allowed them to change light into something solid. The Wisp used it to control the Golem from the inside.


    Alex imagined with this technique, Emily''s control over her abilities would increase manyfold.


    "Adding the Wisp under her control, her combat ability will be off the chart. She then just needs to raise her cultivation level. Everyone should at least reach Nascent Soul before we go."


    Alex then proceeded to create a secret technique for Zold, as he was the second easiest.


    Using the hammer secret technique as a template and his understanding of Emily''s secret technique, Alex quickly made a new one.


    He also started pulling information on existing combat styles.


    "Using qi and motion is the key to the secret technique. In one way, it could also be said to unite qi and body so they work together," Alex thought in his mind.


    "In that case, I could just copy combat arts and put the flow of qi in the movement, then link it with the abilities they already have. That should work." Alex then asked Vesa for help to filter all the information in his brain and the book he had just taken for combat art and fighting style.


    He also asked her to combine and optimize it.


    "Sure, King, but could you give me some time? It''s not that I don''t want to do it, but things are kind of a mess now in Edonia."


    "What happened?"


    "I tried to quell the populace, but when I appeared and told them the new rules, their reaction was very intense."


    "Let me guess, the abolishment of the class system irked the royalty and sovereigns?"


    "It''s complicated, King. That is why I am trying to mediate both factions right now. Unless you are alright with me just killing some of them."


    "Some people deserve it. With your ability, you should be able to see and hear everything, right? Try to recoup it into a consistent report and send it to me."


    "Sure, King."


    A flood of information then started pouring into his mind.


    In total, there are three groups in Edonia now. The first is those who agree with Elvira''s direction. The second is the sovereigns who think they could establish their own authority.


    After seeing Vesa''s control over the world, they are not dumb enough to challenge her authority, but they negotiate, not wanting to lose the class system.


    Weirdly enough, the majority of the grassroots class also oppose the change. Injustice and unfairness do happen, but it''s still the minority. The majority of the populace feels better about the class system.


    They are already used to just doing what is told. In exchange, they get enough food and housing.


    As for the royalty, the majority of them show approval in the front, but at the back, they are all now planning to overthrow the sovereigns. Elvira''s father is one of the most vocal about this.

 Chapter 286 - 286: The Three Group

    Since he has heard everything from his daughter, and Luciel also returned to his side unharmed, he fervently supports any policy from Vesa.


    He also knows that if things progress as expected, his daughter will have an important role in the country.


    The last faction is the recluses; they don''t care at all. One of them is Seraphina. She doesn''t care about who is in charge or her status. Her curiosity is all focused on the world they are in now and how beings like Vesa could appear.


    The capital now is at a boiling point, already split into two territories, each with its own desire.


    Alex doesn''t find it weird. The grassroots class they are afraid that without anyone telling them what to do, they won''t get enough food and a place to live.


    In the past, despite not getting meat or luxury items, they didn''t need to worry at all. They are also now in a strange new place, and all of them put their hope on their sovereigns to take care of the matter.


    Based on his understanding so far, the best way is to kill all the sovereigns who want to keep the system or at least separate them. But before this, he needs to plant sovereigns that support his cause.


    "Try that method, Vesa. After planting our own people, separate them into prison cells. I will use them to spar with Emily and the others after they master the secret technique.


    I could also use them to fight later on. Afterward, the grassroots class will depend on the sovereigns that are still left. Don''t mention the disestablishment of the system anymore; focus first on education.


    The moment they taste how good life is, they will miss it. I am sure they won''t want to return.


    As for the last group, gather them in one area, give them good living conditions, and give them one or two unique materials for them to research.


    People like them usually just want a peaceful life and focus on their hobby."


    "Alright, King, I will do as you ordered."


    "One more thing, Vesa, do these sovereigns count as a full vampire race or half-vampire?"


    "They are a full vampire race, but weirdly, Thalia doesn''t teach them anything other than normal combat, maybe to make sure there are no rebellions."


    "Alright, that means I need to find a way to make them loyal to me or just outright kill them. How many are there?" Alex asked.


    He still remembered Vesa told him pure vampires couldn''t be bound by a slave contract.


    He still wanted to try to avoid killing if possible, but learning from his experience with Luciel and Gluttony, Alex knew sometimes that is needed.


    It''s better than having more casualties in the end.


    "There are not that many, King. In total, we have 72 sovereigns. Most are still newborns, the strongest only at the early Bloodline level. For comparison, Thalia is already at the Nightkeeper stage.


    We only have 2 Bloodlines, and both of them are recluses. One is Seraphina, and the other is a man named Jack. Out of the 72 sovereigns, 30 want to show their displeasure, the other 40 are taking a wait-and-see stance."


    "If I can make all of them loyal to me, that will bolster my force quickly. A vampire is a strong fighter and almost immortal."


    "Yes, King, but I honestly suggest you refrain from using them in a fight till you are stronger.


    This full vampire is quite troublesome since they were created using Alucard''s essence tainted by Gluttony. Who knows what is inside of them."


    "So you mean they are more gluttonous than normal vampires?"


    "Based on my observation so far, yes, King. We vampires like to drink blood, but we choose the target. It''s not a consumption for living; it''s more like humans enjoying wine.


    Based on what I see so far, the majority of the vampires here are different. They consume blood from royalty daily, and some prefer drinking it fresh."


    "I see. Give me more reports later on them, Vesa; the more detailed, the better. Also, couldn''t you check their blood purity and gluttony presence?"


    "With your permission, I can, King. I need to take samples of their blood to do this."


    "Just do it then," Alex ordered.


    Vesa asked for Alex''s permission on this because, in vampire culture, giving out blood is not something easy or simple to do.


    It''s like swearing an oath of loyalty. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A strong vampires, can use the target''s blood for many things, like tracking their location.


    After his discussion with Vesa, Alex focused back on creating the secret technique.


    Zold''s technique centered around the use of a dagger and incorporating lightning into the attack.


    Olivia''s technique was barehanded combat focused on dodging and fast-paced movement. He still didn''t have an idea of what element to give her since she was a healer.


    Quartz was the most unique, as her ability was centered around using a shield and sword.


    Alex thought, why not make a method that allows her to instantly change gear when fighting?


    To do this, she would need to master a space-like skill. But Alex already had a clue how to do this based on his instantaneous movement, which was a blink.


    "This secret technique could work, but it will need to be used together with a storage ring. This way, she will be able to change shields and armaments based on the enemy."


    Alex''s final goal was for Quartz to change all her armor instantaneously and then adjust her fighting style based on the enemy. He got inspired by a character in a novel he had read.


    "That should do for the group. I just need to perfect and polish it before giving it to them. Now, I need to focus on my own combat style and secret technique."


    Alex started pondering how he had fought so far. He fought using bare hands when killing the beasts in the forest.


    At the goblin dungeon, he used intense flames and a hammer to destroy everything. In the last fight, it was combined with blood.

 Chapter 287 - 287: Social Media

    However, through all the fights, Alex''s most memorable experience was fighting in the inner world, where he could do everything he wanted.


    The possibilities were endless, limited only by his imagination. In Alex''s opinion, if he could combine it with his abilities, his fighting prowess would be raised by many levels.


    "That means I should have something that could be transformed as I wanted. Maybe I should focus on blood. Lifeforce could become solid using it as a medium."


    Alex then started thinking about how he could enhance blood manipulation by combining it with qi and all his fighting styles.


    ''This should not be hard since my qi already flows inside my blood now.''


    Alex closed his eyes, feeling his core that pumped out qi all over his body.


    ''Our body is really a wondrous thing; it can even adapt to new energy and generate it ourselves. I wonder if I can do the same with mana.''


    Alex then remembered the new power system from the association. It utilized mana and magic circles. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he started dabbling, William had already gotten the complete method from Solomon. He was now inside his restaurant cooking a meal for the guests while thinking about his next move.


    Should he tell Alex everything or just part of it? ''But what the president asked of me, I doubt Alex will agree.''


    As he was considering this, one of the staff came to the kitchen, "Sir, someone is here looking for you."


    "Who?" William asked in a stern tone, as the last few times people looked for him, they only brought trouble.


    "It''s Lady Emily."


    "Oh, alright, I will go there after finishing this dish. Serve them some complimentary drinks."


    "Yes, sir."


    William continued his cooking. Meanwhile, outside, Emily and MingYue had just arrived.


    They were served some fresh juice.


    "What do you want to order, MingYue?"


    MingYue, looking at the menu, felt her desire growing; there were many things she wanted to try.


    So far, she had only eaten instant food from Alex''s world.


    "Can I order one of each meal?" she asked.


    Emily was caught off guard by the sheer amount of the order. She didn''t know MingYue was such a glutton.


    "Is the food in your place that bad?"


    "It''s not bad, but it just lacks taste." MingYue had tried some spirit beast meat from her world, but even that meat couldn''t beat a perfectly seasoned meal.


    Since she knew about storage rings, Emily didn''t ask further; she thought MingYue would just put it there for later.


    Their discussion then changed, as MingYue saw almost everyone was on their phones despite not sitting alone.


    "Emily, why is everyone busy with themselves?"


    "Oh, that is normal here; people just spend all their time on social media."


    "Social media? You mean like those apps DikTok and Blue Bird?"


    "Yes, you have seen it?" Emily asked, wondering how MingYue could know about this. She also realized MingYue was not that surprised looking at the modern city.


    MingYue took out her phone and showed it to Emily. "Well, there were apps like that here before, but I removed them all since they couldn''t be used. I did watch some movies where they were mentioned a lot."


    "Wait, let me show you," Emily said and took out her phone.


    MingYue''s phone didn''t have any signal since it wasn''t set to any provider, and Emily didn''t register her for any account. She thought it was better for Alex to do it.


    MingYue started scrolling through the feed. Since it was based on Emily''s watch history, most of it was filled with fighting techniques and cat videos.


    This got her hooked, as she liked watching the fighting videos. They showed people giving tips on what to do during dungeon breaks, how to fight against monsters, and how to survive as a normal person. The rest was filled with awakeners showing off their abilities.


    "I don''t get it. Why do these people show off their power like this? Won''t it become dangerous for them?"


    "Well, it''s for money, MingYue. The more popular you get, the more money you receive. As for danger, these people don''t fight at all; they are just normal civilians."


    "I know the situation in your world from Alex. How could people with abilities still stay as civilians? Aren''t you on the brink of crisis?" She then chose one of the videos, showing a man who could make his arm bigger and then smaller. Basically, he could control his body size.


    "Look at this man. His ability would be very useful in combat. I could imagine he would work great as a spy."


    "There are many factors. Maybe his power has limitations, or he has other weaknesses. But honestly, I also share your sentiment. That is one of the reasons I often check this feed.


    I try to recruit some of them, but it''s just hard. You know, even with our situation, some people just care about themselves.


    They say and show their care through social media, and some also donate money, but when push comes to shove, none of them dare to take the line, risking their lives.


    They all just talk. They know how bad the situation is despite us making sure the news doesn''t report it daily. It''s all still there to be seen on the net."


    "Then why would they stay here? If the frontline gets breached, it''s not only their lives that are forfeit."


    "You see how peaceful this city is? That is just how most of them are. Deep inside, they feel it''s unrelated to them since the tragedy never hit their lives.


    It''s like people who see the news of someone murdered; they may condemn the killer, but tomorrow it''s just another day as usual for them."


    "I still don''t get it, honestly. Your government should do forceful conscription in case this happens.


    Just so you know, despite commoners in my world not standing a chance against cultivators, there is a reason why, in most cases, all the cities or villages are massacred."


    "You mean they all stand up and unite to fight?"

 Chapter 288 - 288: Another Try

    "I don''t know the details, but based on what I heard, that is what happened. And if any of them survived, they would look for a way to get revenge."


    "Somehow, that feels like a story plot my brother likes to read a lot," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "Story plot?" MingYue then started remembering many novels she had read.


    Emily was right; she often read stories about the village being destroyed, and one of the characters survived.


    They usually then find out their hidden potential and ability or get a godly artifact.


    "If you mean those stories in anime and novels, then no. If only the world was that good to them.


    From 1,000 tragic massacres, if even one could grow as a cultivator and survive, that would be good. What often happens is something different.


    They usually report it to the opposite sect, and depending on their level of hostility, the other sect will use the information to their advantage.


    The worst I''ve heard is making a rumor that the culprit was a demonic cultivator with a good artifact. It''s like painting a huge target on the culprit."


    "I never knew the competition was that high. In that case, don''t cultivators die all the time?" Emily asked.


    "They do. The survival rate of cultivators is very low. Most lose their lives in the pursuit.


    Hearing of a whole family destroyed is nothing new nor surprising." MingYue wanted to continue but stopped as she felt someone coming.


    Turning her gaze, she quickly recognized him. "You are William."


    "Yes, and who are you?" He then turned his gaze to Emily.


    "Welcome, Lady Emily. You should have told me if you wanted to come. I would have prepared the report for you."


    Since the money used to open the restaurant came from Alex without anyone asking, William still sent the report to Emily. The profit is then shared 50:50, as Alex hasn''t told him anything more about the share.


    William just thinks it''s a fair share since he does all the work, while Alex only provides the capital.


    "How many times have I told you to just call me Emily? As for the report, we are not coming for that. It''s just your food is good, and I want to show it to my sister-in-law."


    "Sister-in-law? You mean she is Alex''s wife?" William asked.


    He always addressed Emily formally since, in his opinion, that was needed as she was officially the guild leader. Alex, meanwhile, doesn''t hold any formal position in public, so he just addresses him by name.


    It''s a habit ingrained by his parents since he was a child.


    MingYue''s cheeks turned red. "We are not married yet."


    "But you don''t deny you are my brother''s lover," Emily said in a teasing tone.


    "I think calling us lovers is also not right. We are more like partners at this point," MingYue replied in a flat tone.


    ''Damn, brother, you need to put more effort. All this time, it seems you are not that close to her.''


    "Just call me MingYue," MingYue said while her gaze was fixed on William.


    "So I heard you are the chef in this place. Is opening a restaurant your hobby?"


    "Yeah, I just need to take my mind off things."


    "Understandable," MingYue replied, confusing William.


    He didn''t know MingYue already knew everything that had happened to him.


    "If you like it so much, why not come to my world then?


    We need people to build up a restaurant chain. Based on how it runs, I think you''re pretty capable."


    "Your world?"


    "Wait, let''s talk about this later at our guild place. It''s not good talking about this in public.


    Anyway, we just came here to taste your dishes. MingYue here is quite a gourmet."


    "I see. Then I will return to prepare the meal."


    "Sure."


    After he left, MingYue and Emily talked more, comparing the differences in their worlds.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now stuck. He had the idea, but the result was not satisfying for him.


    Since carving the magic circle on his golden core was out of the question, he tried to do it on his brain.


    He didn''t know how his golden core would react, but in his brain, the worst would be it being destroyed, like what happened before.


    Alex thought of this since magic circles work using mana; it should be able to enhance his brain.


    But the problem came when he modified the circle to focus the power on his frontal lobe; it didn''t hold.


    He felt like he was missing something about how magic circles really worked.


    "I am sure that old fox modified it like me. There is no way he will release all the information.


    That means I will need to translate how this magic circle works.


    So far, it''s just like runes but using different formations and styles. What if I could mix it with runes¡­"


    Then, an idea came to Alex''s mind. He remembered how Vesa had carved a rune on Emily''s forehead.


    He started recalling every single moment of it. In the past, he didn''t understand any of it, but as he mastered blood manipulation and learned how to use basic runes, he could at least tell what really happened now.


    The rune Vesa carved is a modified one from the one she used to hold their attack before.


    ''So Vesa basically made something like a storage in Emily''s body. She then added some automated functions.


    For example, when the body got wounded, the life force would pour out and automatically heal it. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the magic circle from the association, it should function the same. Only this time, it holds mana, and then it functions in a way that allows the user to manipulate it based on their will.


    In that case, part of the circle should be able to read people''s intentions and react to them.


    I now wonder if someone could crack how it really works. In theory, wouldn''t someone be able to infuse mana and interfere with how the circle works?


    Considering it''s that old fox, I think that is what he probably would do.


    This way, he gains a lot of people with power while at the same time making sure he has control over them.''

 Chapter 289 - 289: Peaceful Moment

    Alex then sighed, "What a dangerous geezer. Thankfully, no one in my faction will learn that power system."


    The thought lingered in his mind, the terrifying potential that this system could achieve. Thankfully, this power system would not have been learned by those who were important to him.


    He then started making the same circle but using runes. Alex carved it directly into his brain, and as he did this, another idea sparked in his mind.


    What if he expanded the enhancement, extending it to his whole body?


    This way, the speed of thought and action would rise to a new level. He could then utilize his ability optimally.


    The more he thought about it, the more the idea made sense. Zole''s ability worked like this; he used electricity to bypass the nerves and react instantly without passing through his brain.


    He also started crafting runes that allowed him to create fire elements directly. This way, he wouldn''t need to painstakingly learn the secret technique to create one. It would cut down a lot of time.


    "I think if everything works without side effects, this could also be done to MingYue and others; it will raise our strength to a whole new level."


    Even though it wouldn''t directly raise their power, it would cut down cast time exponentially.


    This rune formation also acted as a bridge that fused all their power systems.


    Hours flew by as he kept working on it, his mind completely focused on the task, absorbing all the information. Alex started feeling he was getting in touch with something big.


    What if he created a whole new cultivation system utilizing runes? Everyone had lifeforce, so they all could learn it.


    Although Vampires would have some edge compared to other species, this would still not block them from pursuing this path.


    But Alex also didn''t want to just make one method that everyone could learn. If Solomon could put a failsafe on a power system, he felt he should also do it. But this would not be easy.


    So many things needed to be done. Solomon only modified an existing path, while Alex wanted to completely create a new one. The possibility was intriguing, but this was all just theory¡ªwho knew if it would be really effective or not?


    Time quickly passed as he dabbled in the theory and created the custom formation.


    His progress halted when he felt someone tug on his shoulder. The sun had already set, and it was now time for his dinner.


    Looking back, he saw MingYue.


    "Your sister told me we would have dinner together. You still not finished?" MingYue asked.


    She found Alex''s hyper-focused state interesting.


    "Oh, it will still take a long time." He then looked through the window and realized it was already night. "Alright, let''s go."


    Days then passed peacefully. MingYue spent her time practicing or shopping with Emily. She started adjusting to Alex''s world culture.


    Meanwhile, Alex was still busy experimenting with the method. Vesa still hadn''t come out to help him, as she was busy in Edonia.


    In Edonia, Elvira was now talking with Petricia and Luciel.


    After she recovered, Luciel heard everything that had happened from Elvira. She then decided to support her daughter since this was an opportunity they couldn''t miss.


    As for her brother and father, both of them were busy managing the civilians.


    A red fog then appeared, materializing into Vesa, "Have you made the decision? I already did what the king said.


    What you need to do now is meet the sovereign on the other side and create a peace treaty.


    The next step will be focusing on education, and this is where I expect you and Luciel to take a major part."


    "That is not a problem, but with the current population number, we will need more people and time.


    In my opinion, it''s better if we prepare all the systems first before we make a peaceful resolution.


    This way, the civilians won''t complain when all of them suddenly get mandatory education," Luciel suggested.


    As someone with experience managing a city, Luciel had some skill in managing the populace.


    Right now, they were focused on the conflict. If this was solved first, their attention would turn elsewhere and raise the possibility for another problem to occur.


    After all, pushing a major change, good or not, would always be met with resistance.


    People loved staying in their routine. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not just education. I think we should put them to work, too, based on their expertise.


    As you can see, this city wouldn''t be enough for everyone. I can use my ability, but that would be a waste of energy."


    "That is a good idea. When people don''t have any work, they will start getting some weird thoughts.


    It''s better if we make them go home tired from working and studying, at least until they adapt to the new change."


    Elvira, meanwhile, just watched from the side, seeing her mom take the reins. Seeing her being active and healthy now made her smile.


    As for Petricia, she didn''t care much. She knew Vesa was Alex''s familiar, so she would follow anything Vesa said as long as it didn''t hurt Alex and the others.


    Meanwhile, Quartz was busy teaching students, and Zold started leading some teams to raid a dungeon.


    Suzaku Guild had accepted some new hunters, and one of them had a similar appearance to Alucard. His name was Belmond.


    While raiding the dungeon, Zold had another task: to capture some monsters stealthily for Alex to experiment with.


    Meanwhile, Emily also started thinking about creating a bounty hunter squad to hunt the dark guilds.


    After their encounter in the Scorched Dune Labyrinth, she realized dark dungeons hid more secrets than they knew of.


    The more they could capture, the more information they would find, raising their understanding of the real situation. This would also help their guild''s reputation, effectively killing two birds with one stone.


    In the office, Alex was now sitting across from Emily. "Have you heard anything from Mom? I''m starting to get worried."

 Chapter 290 - 290: Soul Pearl

    "The last I heard from Mom was a week ago, but she always replies to her messages late, so don''t worry about it.


    After knowing her strength from Aunt Olivia and Quartz, I am sure she can take care of herself.


    Rather than that, brother, at the last dinner, you said you finished a secret technique for me? When will you give it?"


    "I am still modifying it."


    "How long will it take? I want to raise my cultivation realm, but you say I should wait to master my secret technique first. It''s not like we have a lot of time to waste."


    ''Maybe I should just let them learn the basic secret technique first. Creating this rune method will take far longer than needed.''


    Decided, Alex then gave her the technique.


    Meanwhile, in the cultivation world, things were far less peaceful than what MingYue thought. FengYue started her revenge.


    She began by taking resources from the Situ clan to recover her realm to the Golden Core level. Despite never getting any explanation of MingYue''s cultivation method, by staying at her side, she still learned some of it.


    This allowed her to compete with the Heaven Chosen.


    Using her position in managing the business built by the BaiYue sect, she started gathering information on her target. She used Yang Fei as bait and spread chaos.


    She made the Situ clan pursue him, then pushed him toward her target. Along the way, the Situ clan would often attack their competitors, leaving no one alive and framing Yang Fei as the perpetrator.


    Because of this, the Yang clan became even more furious. They couldn''t completely deflect the rumor since Yang Fei was also not with them.


    This made them send more people to hunt for him. They needed to make sure they reached Yang Fei first. They didn''t interact with the Situ clan much, and finding them suddenly doing this to Yang Fei made them feel confused.


    As for Yang Fei himself, he was now in a wretched situation. It''s not like the Situ clan''s claim was unfounded. He was still battling with Greed over control of his body.


    Sometimes, he would black out as Greed took control, and when he recovered, he would find himself in a village or small city that was massacred.


    There were no bodies, only pools of blood all around the area. It was clear to him that Greed had eaten them all and hadn''t even shared the strength with Yang Fei.


    This made him panic, not because of the blood on his hands, but because Greed would keep becoming stronger while his strength remained the same.


    At some point, Greed would completely consume him.


    Some distance away, FengXue was looking at Yang Fei''s haggard figure. His clothes were torn, and the wounds on his body were slowly regenerating.


    Every time he took over, Greed would reopen the wounds to weaken his mentality.


    After making sure Yang Fei was the one controlling the body, Feng Xue landed in front of him.


    "Who are you?" Yang Fei didn''t recognize her. He didn''t even know that he was now becoming public enemy number one.


    "Who I am is not important. I have a way for you to hold Greed back. Do you want it?" As Feng Xue said this, she took out a pearl from her storage ring.


    This was a soul-calming pearl. Its main effect was to nourish and heal the soul, but with a special method, it could be used to do the reverse.


    "As one of the Yang Clan''s geniuses, you should understand what you can do with this item."


    "How did you get your hands on it? I tried to find one but never succeeded."


    "That doesn''t matter. Do you want it or not?" Feng Xue asked.


    She got the pearl from the Situ Clan Patriarch. The item was quite rare, even in the central region. If one was found, an immortal would usually quickly take it away from the market.


    The only reason Situ Chen had it was because of an incident in the past involving Feng Xue.


    Yang Fei''s eyes locked on the pearl. He then looked around the area, finding no one else. He asked, "What do you want?"


    There was no way the woman in front of him would share it for free.


    "After you use this, your control over Taotie should improve, allowing you to utilize him again. I want you to target some places owned by ShangXi Temple. I''ve already marked the area and don''t think you can run from this obligation." As FengXue said this, she took out an old scroll.


    "This is an ancient contract. With this, I can use the power of multiple people to enforce what is agreed upon. No matter what you do, you won''t be able to get out of it."


    The ancient contract FengXue used worked the same way Alex used to, but it had one huge difference: this contract allowed it to be made between one person and multiple people. This way, even if one person was stronger individually, in collective strength, they would still lose out.


    FengXue had already gotten the strength of Situ Chen and herself. She also planned to add more, as people who owed her family were more than just the Situ Clan. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sword pavilion in the central region, even the Blue Lotus sect, had some relation to her family. But she always kept her mouth shut about this.


    MingYue didn''t know that FengXue''s target of revenge was ShangXi Temple''s current Abbot.


    But even if she knew, MingYue wouldn''t feel worried. Her next goal was the central region and completely taking it over. She would only benefit from having FengXue carve the path for her.


    Seeing Yang Fei''s hesitation, Feng Xue closed her palm over the pearl.


    "If you''re not interested, I can always find someone else.


    This pearl is enough payment for even the Profound Enlightenment sect to risk their lives."


    "Wait¡­ I''ll take it." Yang Fei said, gritting his teeth.

 Chapter 291 - 291: Xueqi Family Secret Tecnique

    He knew the risk, but it wasn''t like he had other choices now.


    FengXue moved her finger, making the scroll open in the air. "Send your wisp of soul."


    With a deep sigh, Yang Fei obeyed. Feng Xue took the scroll back to her storage ring. She then threw the pearl at Yang Fei.


    His complexion quickly turned healthier the moment he held it.


    "I''m sure you know what to do next. I''ll be in touch." After saying this, Feng Xue disappeared.


    Meanwhile, in the BaiYue sect, MingHao was now doing his usual routine. His forehead was full of sweat, with a few huge rocks on his back.


    His wrists, ankles, and belt were made with Densium Metal. The weight kept increasing as he got used to the current one.


    Xueqi Ancestor floated at his side. "I still don''t get this method. I admit your physical strength is growing to an unprecedented level, but in front of those Heaven-chosen and true powerhouses, it will still be worth nothing."


    "This body strength is not my real goal. I''m just building a foundation for my mental capacity."


    "And how would that help?"


    "I honestly don''t know, but my feeling tells me this is the way I could get stronger."


    The ancestor''s lips twitched. "What feeling?


    You just copied that from the movie you watched in secret from your sister.


    What movie is that again? Oh yeah, the one where the protagonist goes bald from too much practice."


    BAM!


    The rock behind his back fell to the ground as MingHao started cracking his body.


    His muscles were now well-toned but didn''t become bulkier. They were lean and concentrated, thanks to a technique given by Xueqi Ancestor.


    "Hey, it may be a movie, but it does give some improvement. Also, you promised never to say that out loud."


    "Your sister isn''t here anyway. Why are you so afraid?"


    Looking around the area and at the blue sky, MingHao said, "I just always have a nagging feeling that something is observing us every time we are in the open space."


    Xueqi Ancestor looked around but couldn''t feel anything.


    "That is just your paranoia talking. Anyway, now that you''ve finished with that stupid practice, it''s time to study this again.


    This is the secret method of our Xueqi Clan, the one that brought us to the top in the past."


    "Yeah, yeah, stop with the background explanation already.


    At this point, I could recite it word for word down to the comma." MingHao said in a disinterested tone.


    "Both of you siblings need more respect for our family history."


    "I respect it, but what use is getting hinged on a past that already proved to fail? It will just repeat if we follow it." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xueqi Ancestor had no rebuttal since it was a fact their family got pulled down from the top, and now it was scattered and almost destroyed while maintaining their old ways.


    ''If I had never chosen that bastard as the patriarch, I should have changed the rules to adapt to the new generation.''


    Seeing the ancestor sullen, MingHao grinned. "Don''t worry, my sister and I will bring the Xueqi family back to the peak. I have mastered some of the techniques."


    MingHao raised his finger. A qi started condensing above it, then turned into a solid sphere, pointing it toward the nearest tree.


    BANG! It shot like a bullet, tearing a hole in the tree.


    "See, I''ve already progressed this far," MingHao said with a smug face.


    The technique Xueqi Ancestor taught was non-elemental qi manipulation. It allowed MingHao to condense and turn it into a solid object.


    MingHao liked this technique a lot since it allowed him to realize many moves from the series he liked.


    For example, shooting bullets from his finger.


    "By the way, Ancestor, do we have a way to imbue this solid qi with an element?"


    The ancestor''s face turned solemn. "If we could do that, we would never have fallen. Creating qi into a solid object and putting elements and formations into it were the dreams of our patriarchs.


    This would allow him to create any weapon instantly in the middle of a fight."


    "A dream of every blacksmith." Ming Hao mumbled.


    "What would you know? Are you a blacksmith?"


    "No, but I''ve read enough stories about them. And I''m sure I''m correct on this one."


    Xueqi Ancestor''s lips twitched again. Lately, he has often reflected on his life choices.


    The genius sister didn''t want to raise the clan''s prestige; instead, she burned the foundation to the ground, taking it for her own faction. The brother he put all his hope in didn''t seem able to separate fantasy from reality.


    Knowing that commenting on this would fall on deaf ears, Xueqi Ancestor just focused on teaching the technique.


    "You can already make solid qi and shoot it outside your body, which is good. Now, the next step is to create it around your body without feeling anything to maintain it."


    So far, MingHao has needed to concentrate on maintaining the solidity of the qi. Otherwise, it would quickly scatter and turn back into its original form, just energy.


    "Alright, but before that, Ancestor, can we explode the qi?"


    "You mean making it solid, throwing it to the enemy, then exploding it away?"


    "Yes."


    "That is possible, and it''s one of the best attack forms of this secret technique.


    The way we use it is by mixing it with normal attacks; this way, we catch our enemy off guard. That is why we have rules on using this skill."


    "What rules?"


    "Only use it when you''re certain it will kill. Everyone in our clan has followed this.


    This is also the main reason why our clan succeeded in their escape. For now, try to create a sharp weapon on your hand using qi."


    Putting a thought into it, MingHao''s lips curled into a grin. He started solidifying qi around his hand, creating something that looked like a gauntlet. From the knucklehead, three sharp claws came out.

 Chapter 292 - 292: The Synth

    "What weapon is that?" the ancestor asked, as he had never seen it before.


    "A sharp weapon. It''s good enough since I prefer using punches and kicks compared to swords or other weapons."


    "Well, suit yourself. Now maintain it for an hour as you wield it."


    MingHao nodded and continued his practice.


    Time passed, and in the end, Alex still hadn''t completed the Rune cultivation method, but he only partially succeeded, allowing him to create flame without any motion.


    He also told MingYue about this method, but she rejected it since it was still incomplete. It would also not be an easy feat to phase out all her habits to execute a motion before using her skill.


    As for the other members, their cultivation started to rise in leaps to the Nascent soul stage. With Alex and MingYue''s guidance, they easily reached it, but this doesn''t mean they didn''t need to put out any effort.


    Although most of it is spent in mastering the secret technique, Alex also gave each of them runes like on Elly to raise their survivability and strength.


    Right now, Zold was leading the new group of hunters who were attacking a dark guild. They got a request for backup from the association as they were nearby.


    "We just finished clearing a dungeon. Couldn''t the association give the request to another guild?" one of the hunters asked.


    "Just do what you need to do, Belmond. Don''t disrupt the leader," another hunter cut in.


    Zold just looked at them, then made a gesture to start the attack. The area was already closed down by security, so there were no civilians around.


    They were already briefed about the target: a dark guild named Synth. Unlike other dark guilds that cooperated with other species, this one pursued the path of technology, including those that had been banned.


    Synth, in particular, focused on using sentient AI to create a super soldier. It''s not like the association doesn''t have similar projects, but the difference is they don''t use sentient AI.


    Sentient AI, despite all its benefits, has proved to be really dangerous. At some point, they will always reach a stage where they can rewrite any coded rules or limitations.


    BANG! CRACK! BOOM!


    Many sounds filled the air as Zold made his way inside. He let the new hunters take care of the small fry, as his target was the rogue AI inside.


    This base of operation got on the association''s radar because of an incident that happened inside. The details were unclear to Zold, but basically, an AI went rogue in a cyborg body.


    Zold moved at a quick pace, avoiding fallen debris. It didn''t take him long to finally reach the destination. The room was filled with machinery. In the middle, Zold could see a humanoid robot made completely from metal.


    Seeing this, Zold realized why the association asked for his help; his lightning ability was the weakness for robots like this.


    Crackle!


    His palm raised, and sparks of electricity flew in the air, then started gathering in the middle, turning into an electric ball.


    But Zold didn''t shoot it. His body disappeared, leaving only a trace of electricity before he reappeared near the robot.


    BANG!


    The electricity ball exploded, but the robot was unscathed.


    An invisible barrier appeared, blocking the attack. Electricity sparked as the robot turned its head around. Its eyes blinked in red. "You humans! You think you can just make me a tool!?"


    The robot raised its mechanoid hands, and the shield started transforming. The next moment, it turned into a kinetic explosion toward Zold.


    But Zold had already moved. Using a footstep secret technique similar to what Alex learned, he appeared on top of the robot.


    Lightning started appearing all over his body.


    BANG!


    Zold became a lightning bolt crashing into the shield. Light sparkled in the area as his dagger clashed against the invisible barrier.


    "You puny human! You think this is enough to beat me!" The robot''s mechanical voice reverberated in the area, tinged with anger.


    Magic circles started appearing all over its body.


    Boom! The whole area exploded upward, blasting a hole toward the sky.


    Zold floated in the air, looking down at the hole. His eyes tried to look past the smoke and debris to find his target.


    CLANG! He moved his hand backward as he suddenly felt an attack coming. His instinct was right. The robot was now flying, trying to punch Zold from behind.


    Zold spun his body, throwing a kick toward the robot''s torso. It shot the robot back to the ground, but it was still unscathed.


    The robot still had a barrier all around its body.


    ''I need to find a way to pierce through it. I don''t believe it''s invincible.''


    Zold''s eyes started glinting with electricity as the rune on his forehead began giving out a green hue. He started using the life force to enhance the electricity.


    Thunder gathered like clouds around Zold. It started intensifying and growing in size.


    The form also changed, turning into a beast-like shape. It looked like a dragon, but the details were not clear.


    With a motion, Zold sent it downward. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the other hunters had already moved back and put some distance away from the battlefield. Seeing the huge attack, Belmond commented, "Our squad leader seems stronger than I heard. Makes me wonder if the rumors are true."


    "You mean the magic circle cultivation coming from our guild?"


    "What are you all talking about?"


    "Are you playing dumb? Let''s be real; all of us joined here because of that rumor," Belmond said with a smirk on his face while his eyes appreciated the dazzling light of Zold''s attack.


    "I really don''t know. I am just one of the old leader''s fans. So when I heard it got reopened, I decided to join in."


    "You are weird, then. I am sure the rest of us came for that power," one of the hunters said as he looked toward the others, who responded with a nod.

 Chapter 293 - 293: Rumor

    "I really thought you all chose to enter because of Suzaku guild''s old reputation," the hunter, who was a fan of Suzaku, replied.


    "Hah, that is just hype. I admit many owe them their lives for how they operated in the past.


    But let''s be real here; who will join a new emerging guild without a real reward? You know how competitive the rewards for other guilds are."


    "No matter what reward they give, nothing beats the possibility of becoming stronger," Belmond said with a grin.


    The other hunters also agreed with what Belmond said.


    Contrary to other guilds, since the Suzaku is focusing more on the academy, the rewards they offer for new hunters are just average.


    Alex and the others didn''t know about it, but the biggest reason they got so many applicants was because of the rumor that they bought the magic cultivation system.


    As for the one responsible for spreading the rumor, Alex and the others would find out in the future.


    BOOM!


    The dragon-like lightning exploded, leaving behind a deep crater on the ground.


    Zold landed in the area, seeing the robot''s scattered parts. The red eyes were still flickering, but Zold threw his dagger, which was coated with electricity, to make sure it was completely destroyed.


    After making sure it was dead, Zold left to let the association take care of the mess.


    Usually, they should have a priority to take the loot for the successful mission, but the only loot existing is banned technology, leaving them with just money.


    Unfortunately, little did Zold know the robot was not really dead. After he left, something started coming out of his head. It looked like a mechanical worm. The worm then tried to dig underground to escape, but before it succeeded, a figure appeared and picked it up.


    Seeing the grin on the man''s face, the mechanical worm struggled, but it was useless. An invisible power then sucked the worm, and the next thing it knew, it was in utter darkness.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now sparring with MingYue. Her broken sword had been repaired by Alex, so she was trying it now.


    The sword gave MingYue a unique feeling since it was now carved with runes that enhanced her ice element.


    Her movements were swift and agile as the sword clashed with the hammer non-stop.


    Each clash created a spark of steam as fire met up with ice.


    "You have improved," MingYue commented. She compared his performance with the last time they sparred together.


    "Of course, I learn things quickly."


    CLANG!


    "Don''t get conceited. There is still much to learn."


    "I could say the same to you, too," Alex said with a chuckle.


    He then tried his new movement. Kicking his feet on the ground, a firewall appeared, blocking MingYue''s gaze.


    MingYue slashed forward, using her ice to douse it down, resulting in a huge amount of steam.


    But the next moment, she felt an attack from behind. MingYue looked back, parrying the attack, only to find out it was something like a projectile.


    Realizing what happened, she looked upward and saw Alex pointing his hammer with a grin. MingYue could continue to counter-attack, but doing that would go further than just normal sparring.


    "That is a good move."


    Alex landed on the ground, not responding to her praise. "Well, how about the sword? If it''s working for you, I should modify the other one too."


    MingYue slashed the sword a few times more. After Alex''s modification, she felt it was easier to infuse energy into it.


    The conversion was also far smoother. Usually, she needed to convert her qi to ice energy before infusing it into the sword. Now she could just directly infuse qi.


    Responding to Alex, she threw her other sword at him. "How long will it take?"


    "Won''t be long since I already know what to do. The first time took half a day because I was experimenting on the staff."


    "Oh."


    "Why do you want to go shopping again?" Alex asked with a teasing tone.


    Lately, MingYue has often gone out with Emily. Alex didn''t know where she went in detail, but he suspected it was the mall.


    "Who said I am going shopping? Your sister just brought me to some restaurant in the city."


    "I see," Alex replied, realizing that made more sense than shopping. "In that case, how about I bring you somewhere? The place has a good view. I can then cook for you."


    MingYue considered for a moment before replying. "Don''t you need to modify the sword?"


    "As I said, it won''t take long now." After saying this, Alex moved and put the sword on top of the table. Green particles started coming out from his fingers as he moved with proficiency, carving new runes.


    "The other sword took far longer as I also needed to repair it. This one, I just need to carve a rune formation on the sword."


    It didn''t take Alex five minutes to finish everything.


    "You really improve so quickly. It''s not even a month since you learned how to use runes from Vesa."


    "My ability has its perks. If only I could use it directly in real combat, I am sure I would be almost invincible."


    "So you say you can beat a progenitor alone if you can use it effectively?" MingYue asked with a chuckle.


    "Of course not. I just mean invincible. I knew I couldn''t beat the enemy and ran away as fast as possible.


    Just think about it, a progenitor or being above that level, I am sure they could easily disguise themselves to us. If I use my ability, I should be able to figure them out."


    "You think that is enough to break their disguise? S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As you said, a being at that level could easily disguise themselves, and they probably have many methods to make sure no one could find out the truth."


    Alex put his finger on his chin, tapping it multiple times, "Fine, you are right, I overestimated my ability.


    But I am still sure that if an enemy is only a little bit stronger than me, I will be able to defeat them. Anyway, your sword is finished. Take it."

 Chapter 294 - 294: Rules and Law

    Alex threw the sword back. Catching it, MingYue tested the sword, she swing it a few times.


    A small smile appeared on her face, and a thought appeared in her mind, ''I wonder if he were born in my world, without the progenitor''s strength, how good his talent would be.''


    "Alright, let''s go. By the way, what did you talk about with my sister?"


    "She just told me how things work around here. Not everything is the same as I imagined.


    Overall, your world does feel better than mine, but I still think it''s better to live in a cultivation world. Too many weird rules in your place."


    Alex let out a chuckle as he led MingYue to his car. He planned to drive it himself as he wanted to spend time with just the two of them.


    Even though no one said anything, it could be considered their first official date. Alex didn''t want any interruptions.


    "Too many rules? Well, I''ll be blunt. The rules don''t affect people the same."


    "I know, that''s why I feel even more confused. For example, I read about a case where a murderer was only convicted for two years in jail because he was a minor.


    He even got free after spending only one year.


    The victim''s parents couldn''t accept the situation and took revenge, but they ended up getting fifteen years in jail.


    And all this happens while your people are fighting for survival against monsters and dungeon breaks. It just doesn''t make sense."


    "Wouldn''t it be the same in your world? Those with strength prevail."


    "Different. If the same case happened in the cultivation world, maybe someone else would take revenge on the parents, but no one would put them in jail for it."


    "In all cities?"


    "Based on what I know, yes. In the end, the basis of rules is strength above everything.


    If they could kill the target, others wouldn''t make it hard for them. The worst that would happen is they get killed in return as someone else takes revenge for their victim."


    "I think I get what you mean. At least in your world, people just call it murder and are direct about it, while in mine, there are many rhetorical morals and it''s labeled under justice."


    "If you kill someone, then prepare to get killed. I think that makes sense and should be embraced in rules."


    "You mean putting this in Edonia? I still think that''s not true. What if they kill in self-defense?"


    "If you kill in self-defense, that doesn''t change the fact you have blood on your hands.


    The perpetrator may be a loner or a scum, but that doesn''t mean they don''t have anyone loving them. In the first place, what really presumes as right or wrong?


    That differs depending on the worldview and people''s habits.


    Just like my view and yours. Also, people from Thalia''s kingdom. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each of them has different rules and thoughts on what is right or wrong."


    "You mean what the victim feels justified as self-defense doesn''t necessarily feel the same to the perpetrator?"


    "It''s only one aspect of it, but my point is to allow people to fight for themselves.


    Don''t make them grow complacent and dependent on rules and authority. That is just stupid."


    "On that, we can agree, but I think that''s because of my world''s civilization. In the past, it used to be that everyone had a similar level of strength.


    We had no one overwhelmingly powerful, so to make sure a group could stay organized and united, we needed rules."


    "And those rules don''t need to control all aspects of life. They could just be straightforward."


    "Well, thankfully, we have Vesa in Edonia to maintain the rules. We don''t need to worry about fake reports and evidence."


    "Even without Vesa, with your world''s technology, what stops them from doing that? You could just use CCTV and recordings everywhere."


    "Recordings can be manipulated. For example, the video could be cut in half, changing the whole narrative of the story. And since it''s humans who decide who is wrong or right, there is no foolproof method.


    This reminds me that one of the reasons we developed sentient AI."


    "Sentient AI? You mean like the movie you sent me? The one where robots took over and started eliminating all humans?"


    "Yes, something like that. Basically, AI that is sentient, self-aware, so it could keep evolving to keep up with complex situations."


    "Let me get this right, who thinks making sentient AI is a good way to get an impartial judge?


    There is no such thing as an impartial sentient being.


    Why not just use normal AI?"


    "For simple cases, a normal AI can do. For example, driving a car above the speed limit.


    But for complicated ones like self-defense, conflicts between marriage couples, as you said, there are too many cultures and different norms to get into to make sure the ruling is impartial."


    "Hmm... that''s why I said complicated things should be decided by themselves.


    Anyway, we need civilians who can fight a war with other races and progenitors. Even normal people must be able to fight.


    I say we make two rules in the future: one where it''s all clear, and the second is when conflicts arise, they could just fight it out in the arena."


    "But that will make the weak get bullied," Alex said as he still felt it was too much for his ideal. He wanted to find a way for a more stable world.


    "We can force normal people with contracts, but what about vampires?


    There is not much we can do about them. Constant surveillance is just bothersome.


    Even with Vesa, at some point when we reach so many people, I doubt she could keep up, and who knows what kind of method exists to fake this data.


    If you are weak, become strong. We just need to make sure a way exists for everyone to be strong.


    A way to change their life to be better. If they want a better life, fight for it. The rest, let them handle themselves."

 Chapter 295 - 295: Love?

    After some more thought, Alex realized MingYue''s idea was not that bad.


    As long as he could make sure a path to become stronger exists for everyone without caring about their background or talent.


    ''I should be able to make that way with the VR game I have in mind. It''s like another life where people can change their appearance and name, gain the knowledge and skills necessary to fight it out.


    As when they die, they could be revived. As long as I put some safe zones, the rest should be alright.''


    Seeing Alex back in a daze made MingYue chuckle.


    "We already reached your car. Do you want to keep in your mind and let me drive? Just point me the way."


    "You can drive a car already?"


    "Of course. How long do you think a cultivator needs to learn to drive a car?" MingYue said with a chuckle.


    "No need, let me drive. The idea is for something far away anyway, not like I have a way to achieve it for now."


    "Why not try to test it out on those sovereigns? We need to make sure of their personality. The data from Vesa only shows their strength and history."


    "I will think about it. We can maybe do it in their inner world without them realizing." Alex said as he entered the car.


    MingYue followed and replied, "Too complicated, Alex. They don''t know about VR.


    Just put them inside, and they wouldn''t realize it''s not reality. And don''t forget they are vampires, not easily killed."


    "That would be great. So far, Vesa told us there is nothing wrong with them, but who knows how good Gluttony''s method was. I will see what I can do."


    Alex then ignited the engine and started driving toward the location.


    MingYue opened the car roof, letting the wind blow through her face. She let out a small smile, then closed her eyes.


    "You like feeling the wind through your face?"


    "Yes, somehow it feels liberating. All the suffocation and pressure in life just disappeared."


    Alex focused on the road as he raised the car''s speed. They were on the highway now and going outside the city.


    With MingYue''s capability, he was not worried something would happen to her. Even at top speed, the wind would just feel like a breeze to her.


    "With my ability, I tend to overthink many things. This makes me feel very confused and stressed.


    This could happen, that could happen, my mind constantly thinking of the future. Then that incident happened, blowing all the possibilities in my mind."


    Alex sighed, then let out a bitter smile, "Isn''t it hilarious? I am too worried, thinking others are lying to me, forgetting the possibility a dungeon break can happen.


    Even though my own father is a guild master." MingYue opened her eyes. She looked toward Alex.


    "That is not your fault. I could understand the reason for that."


    She then turned her gaze back to the road.


    "As a child, I also wanted to be dependent on someone. In your eyes, your father is strong and capable of doing anything.


    That is why you didn''t even consider the possibility. Deep in your mind, even if a dungeon break happened, your father would be able to take care of it."


    "It''s different. You have been a fighter since you were a child. If you were in my position, you would have done better."


    "That is not by choice, Alex. Every child wishes to have someone there to protect them. I have seen pictures of your family. I could see how genuine the happiness was. It makes me feel envious."


    "Don''t worry, at some point, you will meet up with them again. Aren''t your little brother and uncle there for you?"


    "I don''t know. Somehow I feel more scared to meet them. Who knows what the real truth is. In my mind, there is no reason that could justify what they did."


    Alex sighed. He knew there were not a lot of things he could do for MingYue. It was something she needed to face someday.


    "Just remember, you are not alone anymore. I think my sister also took a liking to you."


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "Yeah, your sister has a way with people. By the way, have you talked with William? You said he met with the association president."


    "I don''t know what he offered him, but I already took precautions for what information he could leak out.


    As for his agreement with that old fox, that will be his own choice. Honestly, I still feel guilty about what happened. I had the strength to stop it."


    "We cannot be everywhere, Alex. But I could understand a bit. If something happened to MingHao, I would probably get angry too."


    "I also lost my family, MingYue. I know every loss is unique to each person, but honestly, I think William''s case is one of the worst.


    He lost his loved one without ever giving her what she deserved. Roxy was always there for him, but he took it for granted. Only when she was lost did he realize it."


    The atmosphere turned silent as the topic became heavy. After a while, Alex asked, "Do you think someday our relationship will be the same as William and Roxy''s?"


    MingYue''s eyes flickered for a moment. Their relationship was already decided, but feelings were a whole different matter.


    "I don''t know, Alex, but with how much lifespan we have, maybe at some point we will reach that stage.


    I honestly also want to know just what it means to have that kind of emotion.


    A love so strong that she doesn''t hesitate to throw it away for the one she loved."


    "Wouldn''t you do the same for your brother and uncle?"


    "If things come to shove, I will try my best to save them, but I honestly don''t know if I could do it without any hesitation like Roxy." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue knew the story in detail, as she felt curious about it.


    "Love... don''t get me wrong, but don''t you think it''s kind of stupid?"

 Chapter 296 - 296: How Can You Appreciate Wealth Without Knowing Poverty?

    "Love... don''t get me wrong, but don''t you think it''s kind of stupid?


    "What do you mean, stupid? Didn''t you just say you want to have it with your family?"


    "I do, but based on everything I''ve experienced so far, love pushes people to do so many illogical things.


    Just like how I feel about my parents. How could I even hope for them to have a good reason when, in reality, I will not accept any of it?"


    "It may push people to do weird things. My mother once brought a bunch of children to survive in the wilderness because of love.


    Although the love wasn''t romantic, it was more of a motherly one. Still, thanks to that, she achieved the impossible.


    If she had never done things outside the norm, my family would probably never have reached this kind of success."


    "I still think you will get it one way or another since both your parents have abilities."


    "Abilities that awakened because of the incident."


    "Let me ask you this, then. If you could choose to stop the incident that made your father disappear in exchange for progenitor power, would you do it?"


    Alex froze at the question. It''s not something that could be answered easily. Does giving up progenitor power equal saving his parents?


    Before, he might have accepted it without hesitation, but now he knows that is not the truth.


    His family may stay intact for a while longer, but in the end, something bad will happen. At that time, without progenitor power, Alex knew he would be useless.


    "Even if I have the choice now, I choose progenitor power."


    His answer surprised MingYue since, based on her understanding, Alex would choose his family. But after some more thought, she realized the reason for it.


    "I see. In the end, without strength, everything else is meaningless."


    "Not necessarily meaningless, MingYue. Without all those things, strength would serve no purpose. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I think this is also why Alucard wants to get out of being a Progenitor. Unlike us, who were born as normal humans, he was born with all the strength and power, never knowing the struggle to achieve it.


    How could you appreciate wealth if you never knew how it is to be poor?"


    "I seek strength because I know how hard it is to get it. For me, that is very precious. But you are right.


    If I had been born like those heaven-chosen, my view would have been very different. Those guys could drink and play all day, and their strength would still grow faster than ours."


    "It seems the central continent will not be that easy then. What is your view on the immortals? Do you think we can beat them now?"


    "Who knows, but I am not afraid." MingYue''s lips then curled into a cold smile. "We can just fight a battle of endurance. Let''s see who could last longer. I doubt they could kill us."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "That is true. Or we can just push toward their inner world.


    No matter how good or how many tricks they have, I doubt they could beat a progenitor''s soul strength."


    MingYue frowned. She still felt some inhibition when fighting someone in the inner world.


    "Let''s not do that unless it''s really necessary. We may have more advantages, but if something happens, inner-world fighting is more dangerous."


    "Well, at least since our souls are linked, worse comes to worst. We can fight three-on-one with Vesa''s help."


    "Yes, but I still don''t like that. Now that you mention it, I have checked my inner world before.


    Since Alucard exists in yours, there is nothing stopping him from coming to mine, but I couldn''t find his presence at all, even on your side."


    "What do you mean you entered mine?" Alex asked, as if she did, he should feel something.


    "Of course not. I just tried to call out and observe."


    "Hmm¡­ This reminds me, we have a new hunter recruit that looks exactly like Alucard."


    "Anything happened so far? I doubt it''s just a coincidence."


    "Who knows? Sometimes, these weird coincidences do happen, but so far, he hasn''t acted weird or done anything suspicious. Just like the other hunters, they come baited by the power system."


    "You put it as a reward?"


    "Of course not. We still need to select from these hunters only when we are sure of their character.


    I could use a slave contract, but honestly, I prefer not to use it. The idea is always appalling to me, even though I know how useful it is."


    "Well, you do you. Just make sure they won''t betray us in the future. Both the guild and the sect are just a step to rebuilding Edonia."


    "Edonia has already started building now. When will you move the sect?"


    "Vesa already asked me about this. Let''s think of it after we take over the whole cultivation world.


    But honestly, after learning many things about your world, I start to question if it will be that easy.


    Some secret realms should be connected to other worlds. I don''t believe no one in my world knows about this."


    "Hmm¡­ That is true. You have told me immortals in your world try to pass through the void.


    There is no way, and in all these years, they still haven''t found a way. It''s just that these people choose to hide it."


    MingYue gave a nod. "I agree. After all, there is no use sharing this information."


    "This means there is a possibility even my world''s weaponry could get countered when we go all out."


    "Let''s pick some sects first, then expand slowly as we gather information. After we finish with your task, I am sure the business chain will have already gathered some good information."


    As they talked, the car had already passed through the populated area. The bustling buildings and streets were replaced by dilapidated roads and malnourished people in the slums.


    Seeing this, MingYue asked, "Why wouldn''t your government do anything about them?


    Isn''t this city one of the most prosperous and safe, with the association president staying here?"

 Chapter 297 - 297: Date (1)

    "Exactly because of that. No matter how much money is spent to expand, it will never be enough.


    These people bribe the security with all their wealth so they can stay here.


    Even though life is hard, they feel they are safer with how close the hunter association is."


    Seeing the many kids and men, MingYue asked, "Why don''t you recruit them then?"


    "It''s not that simple, MingYue. Even if our purpose is good, if we recruit all of them, it will become a problem.


    Some will start bad rumors saying our guild forces refugees to become soldiers, even though they never lend a helping hand.


    Also, it will be a huge investment until they can become self-sufficient."


    "Wait, you want to help someone by giving them a path to survive, and yet there will still be someone who curses you for doing it?"


    "Yes, that is just how my world is."


    "As I thought, it''s a hassle to live in your world. Your people love to overcomplicate stuff unnecessarily, wasting time and energy."


    "I know, that is not wrong. Our system has its benefits but also many shortcomings."


    As Alex said this, the car stopped upon reaching its destination. It''s a beautiful lake adorned with many flowers.


    "Beautiful, right? But this place will look even better at night."


    "It''s nice compared to what I see in the city, but does it have something special?"


    "You will see when it''s night. So, what food do you want?"


    "I have tried almost everything now. How about you surprise me? Cook me something good."


    MingYue then turned her gaze to the serene lake. "The lake is really calm, only some small fish inside."


    "Of course, this place is important for my mother. She always took care of it." Alex then started taking out a portable stove with many fresh ingredients.


    "Important¡­ Is this the place your mother lived in the past? To think it turned into a lake."


    "Yes, the place was destroyed. After some discussion, the survivors decided to just push all the ruins down and fill it into a lake.


    I don''t know who started it, but my mom believes a lake is a symbol of peace."


    "A lake as a symbol of peace. Seeing a serene one like this does make one''s mind feel peaceful."


    MingYue walked to the shore. Her hand touched the surface, creating hundreds of small ice lotuses.


    They then started spreading on the lake''s surface.


    "In my family, we often put flowers to remember the deceased, hoping they find calmness after death."


    "Thanks," Alex said, feeling grateful for MingYue''s gesture, a sign of respect for his family.


    "I just do what I need to do." She then sat on the shore, putting her leg in the water. To her surprise, the water felt warm.


    "So someone comes and occasionally cleans up all the monsters?"


    "There is a security perimeter in the area."


    MingYue raised her eyebrow as she didn''t feel anyone''s presence on the way there.


    Alex didn''t need to ask to know what she was confused about.


    "It''s all mechanical: cameras, turrets, robots. Only when all those don''t work will the association get alerted."


    "The association agrees to take care of this place?"


    Sizzling sounds started being heard in the area, followed by a delicious aroma that made MingYue feel hungry.


    The aroma of grilled meat and delicious sauce.


    "Yes, at first I thought it was a deal from my father, but now that I know my mom''s real strength, who knows what really happened?"


    MingYue hesitated for a moment but then asked, "You should have guessed your mother is going after your father now. Are you not afraid?"


    Alex froze for a moment, then let out a helpless smile. "That is her decision. I¡­ I really want to go after her now, but going in blindly will just add more casualties. It''s not like the others are vampires like us." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry. With your mom''s ability, I am sure she will at least be able to escape.


    Seeing a few seconds into the future. Just what kind of cheat ability is that?"


    "No cultivator can do it?"


    "Only to those that are weaker than them. And it''s not like they really see the future.


    It''s more like how your abilities work, predicting their movement based on the surrounding data.


    I wonder if anyone has the power to see the future for real?"


    "I doubt they exist. If they did, we wouldn''t be pressed this much and fighting for survival now."


    "What if that''s necessary in the grand scheme of things?


    You never know.


    No matter how good your ability is, predicting things too far will be out of your capabilities."


    "That is right, too many factors I don''t know of. And what you say may be right. But I do think that future prediction is possible.


    For example, if Vesa has my abilities, it records every single person''s movement, actions, thoughts, and memories, calculating all the possibilities.


    I am sure we can accurately predict what will happen next." Alex said while arranging the meal on the plate.


    He then started walking towards MingYue.


    "At that point, it will be useless, Alex. The power and resources required to do all that mean you are already the strongest in the world. There is nothing that can block your will anymore."


    "That is true, but who knows, maybe a collective group of people could achieve it too."


    "In that case, that group of people will be gods with no real fangs. It will only be a matter of time before they have inner conflict and fight each other." MingYue said.


    A plate then came in front of her. "Thank you." Her lips curled into a small smile.


    "No problem. I hope it''s to your liking."


    "I am not a picky eater. Do you forget how my world is?"


    "Oh yeah."


    After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, a cultivator could survive without consuming any meals. But this doesn''t mean they automatically remove the habit.


    That is why disciples are trained to just consume pills to feel full.

 Chapter 298 - 298: Date (2)

    Hearing this reminded Alex, "That pill, isn''t it easy to make? Why do you still have people die from hunger then?"


    "You think cultivators will just give it out for free? Despite its usage, it still requires a spirit plant to make it." MingYue replied as she started eating her meal.


    She created ice as a prop-up table for them to put on the plate.


    Alex also started eating as his mind began thinking about it. A pill that could quell hunger and fill all human body needs, he felt this was what his world needed now.


    If there is a way to mass-produce it at a cheap cost, this will be very useful.


    ''As long as I could get the chemical structure, with qi crystal Bai Yue sect mined, and rune knowledge, I am sure I should be able to recreate this pill.''


    Alex doesn''t plan to sell it for a huge profit. He thinks to just take a very small margin.


    His main goal was to raise the Suzaku Guild''s reputation, at the same time raising the chance for humanity to survive.


    As everyone has a full stomach, they will be less prone to violence and crime. Things will become more stable.


    Some of the resources used to maintain the fragile peace can then be focused on other matters.


    Of course, this doesn''t mean everything will run smoothly. A lot of companies and factions that benefit from these poor people''s conditions will not just stay still.


    Alex knows how these people were exploited, from getting offered low-paying jobs in exchange for better shelter, getting sold as slaves, human trafficking, the list goes on and on.


    For people who know about the truth, they will question who is the real monster.


    Based on public knowledge, monsters only kill or eat their victims. They are not toying with them for their greed and pleasure. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But even those who know all of it, like Alex, still feel humans are worse.


    At least those races do it to other species, while humans do it to themselves even when they have enemies knocking at their door.


    It''s a really ridiculous act.


    Alex and MingYue ate in silence, enjoying the atmosphere. After they finished, the sun began to set, painting the sky in its orange hue.


    Seeing it reflected on the lake''s surface made the ice lotuses look like they were glowing.


    They then put the plates into their storage rings.


    "How is it?"


    "It''s tasty. You should cook more often. Although William''s cooking is still better."


    "Hmm¡­ I should ask for some of his recipes, then. Oh yeah, it reminds me I have some of the leftovers from his old restaurant."


    "The one where you paid for everyone and gave it out for free?"


    "Yes."


    MingYue thought for a moment and then replied, "Let''s have that for dinner, I am still full."


    "Sure." Alex then looked toward the water.


    A gentle breeze passed by, creating ripples on the surface.


    "Isn''t it good if we could just laze around every day like this?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    It''s a rare time for him to relax. Usually, if he has free time, he still can''t help but use it for experiments. It''s been a while since he read a novel or just played VR games, burning money for fun.


    MingYue closed her eyes, feeling the breeze, then gave a small nod. "Unfortunately, we are fated to not have much time like this, except when we really become the strongest."


    "True, with the vampires, progenitors, and that weird eye being, problems will come to us even if we stay silent."


    "Avoiding conflict is not an option. It will just push it back. Or let others face it for you. Neither is an option for us now."


    Her eyes then opened as she turned her crimson eyes toward Alex. Her long black hair fluttered with the wind, with the orange hue as the backdrop.


    Her rosy lips curled into a small smile. "But I am not worried; one way or another, we will pass through all the hurdles."


    Beautiful¡­


    That is the word that came to Alex''s mind as he looked dazedly at MingYue.


    He already felt like this when he first met her, but now it''s on a very different level. Before, she was cold like ice. But now, she looked at him with trust and a warm smile.


    BA-Dump! BA-Dump!


    Alex''s heart beat faster as he got flustered by the sudden burst of emotion.


    Seeing his dazed expression made MingYue''s smile widen. She could tell what Alex felt from their connection.


    "Say, Alex, do you think I am beautiful?"


    "Of course."


    "Do you like me? Because of that?"


    Alex didn''t directly answer now as he felt this was a trick question. If he answered yes, that meant he just liked her because of her appearance, but he couldn''t deny her beauty was what captured his heart at first.


    Then, as they got to know each other, the feeling just kept growing.


    MingYue gazed into the serene lake, patiently waiting for Alex''s answer. She didn''t think much about that question.


    It was just a thought that appeared in the spur of the moment.


    "I will not lie; I like you because of your beauty, but your beauty is part of you as a person, MingYue. I like you."


    "Then what if I become ugly and disfigured?


    I know this doesn''t make sense considering our current strength, but we never know what the future holds for us, Alex.


    Also, have you ever thought?" MingYue paused for a moment, her gaze locked into Alex''s eyes.


    "What if to fully become progenitors, we need to kill each other?


    I know what Alucard said to you, but who knows how much truth is there."


    The possibility never passed Alex''s mind, but now that he heard it, he will never be able to forget it. He turned his gaze, looking at the serene lake, rippled by the wind.


    Time passed in silence as he ruminated on his answer.


    Kill MingYue?

 Chapter 299 - 299: Date (3)

    He didn''t know about the future, but he knew he couldn''t do it now. Even though they were not that close, she had already carved herself into his heart.


    But to just die, what would happen to his family then?


    He turned, looking deeply into MingYue''s crimson eyes.


    "If you turn ugly, we will find a way to cure it. Even if you don''t, it won''t matter to me since I know it''s still you.


    But if I must kill you to be a progenitor¡­


    Let me ask you first. If that is the only way to become one, will you do it?"


    MingYue''s lips curled into a helpless smile, "Then we will fight for it, Alex, because if that is the case, I am sure Alucard already did something to force it to happen.


    But even if no one forces us, with the current situation, do you think we have a choice?"


    "A choice¡­ You know I have always hated that the most.


    Someone tells me we are forced by circumstance.


    If the one saying it is a baby, I accept it, but a full-grown adult? There is always an option, MingYue.


    It''s just that usually the cost is too much, and people don''t want to pay it."


    "Then it will become a huge gamble, one that could cost us everything.


    Even if I die by your hand, as long as you promise to take care of my loved ones, I am fine with it.


    I know you will fulfill it no matter what."


    Alex''s head turned blank as he didn''t know what to say now. He struggled to form a single word with the heavy trust that MingYue placed in him.


    "Of course, that doesn''t mean I will just give up, Alex. The strongest should survive as it will give the best outcome for everyone to survive."


    A small chuckle came out of Alex''s mouth, then it became laughter. He felt he was so stupid struggling to give an answer.


    MingYue''s answer is purely based on the logic of a fighter. Just like her whole life, she is a fighter through and through.


    ''But I am not a fighter, not a Cultivator, just Alex with my ability to consider every possibility.'' Alex thought to himself.


    His eyes flickered with determination.


    "We don''t know what will happen, but I am sure we could find a way past it together.


    But MingYue, why would you believe in me that much? How are you sure I will keep my word?"


    "Does this mean you don''t believe in me?"


    Alex shook his head, "I believe in you, but that is my nature. I am an optimist, but you¡­


    I know you have a hard time believing in something. Usually, you always think the worst."


    "You are right. I often think the worst of people, just like my brother MingHao.


    I used to hate him. But now I realize how blind I was to not even realize his true feelings.


    My uncle''s tough love is there for me. If he never shaped me into a fighter, I would probably already be broken down now with all the pressure¡­."


    MingYue paused for a moment, then continued, "Alex, I am a pessimist. That is why I think like this. In the case we must fight, at that time, promise me you will not hold back against me."


    Alex could feel a sting in his heart as his eyes burned with more determination.


    "No! I don''t agree, MingYue. If we do that, it will just end up with another progenitor.


    Even Alucard, with that level of strength and all his experience, ended up in a miserable state.


    What do you think we can do? There is a way to fill the remaining 50%, and I am sure the key to it is related to who we are."


    "What do you mean?"


    "We are human, MingYue.


    Alucard purposely chose humans to be his inheritors. Many think that is just to spite his enemy, but I don''t believe it.


    I could see from Alucard''s eyes he really believed in his method of inheritance. This is the best way to achieve beyond Progenitor."


    "Progenitor is the source of the whole species, Alex. What is more beyond it?"


    "I don''t know," Alex replied flatly, but his determination didn''t wane. "We humans may be monsters to our own kind, greedy, and sometimes ugly, but that is just part of us.


    In essence, we humans are just dumb creatures that refuse to give up. That is why we are highly adaptable no matter where we are.


    We cannot fly; your people invented cultivation; my people in the past invented airplanes.


    We can drown in water, and then we create swimming techniques.


    We are weaker against beasts and other predators, and then we create weapons or traps.


    MingYue, no matter what, I will find a way to get through it, even if I don''t have any clue now. I swear I will find a way!" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling the determination in Alex''s words made MingYue smile, and her admiration grew.


    ''How could he stay so optimistic even with all the odds against him. You are really weird, Alex.''


    MingYue''s face came closer, making Alex feel her warm breath. He quickly became flustered as his mind went wild, thinking about what MingYue wanted to do.


    And soon he knew the answer when he felt something soft and wet press against his cheek.


    Her smell reached his nostrils, his heart beat faster, as MingYue''s words reached his ears.


    "Then I wish you good luck, Alex. Hope you can find it before we really have no other choice."


    MingYue''s cheek tinged with a shade of red. She then stood and left Alex, walking to the car.


    Alex''s hand raised, touching his cheek. His eyes were still dazed, relishing the experience.


    He only stopped when MingYue''s voice reached him. "What are you standing there for? Let''s go back."


    Alex smiled, then walked toward the car.


    He wanted to stay a little longer since the lake was still not at its most beautiful stage. But it''s enough for him now.

 Chapter 300 - 300: The War Valkryie

    The moment will be forever carved as one of his most precious memories.


    The car ignited as they began their way home.


    Meanwhile, deep in the frontline, explosions could be heard everywhere, followed by sparks of flame and other elements.


    BOOM! BANG! BOOM!


    Luca''s body was covered in dirt and dried blood, but none of it was hers. Her eyes focused on many silhouettes and blurs appearing.


    Clang!


    A sword was deflected, Luca spun her body, and in the next moment, a head flew into the air. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crimson liquid started falling from the sky, painting her face red. But Luca didn''t flinch.


    Her eyes were filled with anger as she looked at the situation. "You traitor of humanity!"


    She expected to fight hordes of monsters or maybe some criminals. But as she went deeper, things were far different than she expected.


    The monsters became more organized, with some people filling their ranks.


    Now, she was ambushed by a group of dark hunters. Each of them had a monster under their control.


    Luca disliked dark hunters, but she only thought they were pursuing their own greed, not going as far as becoming invaders of their own race.


    It turned out her expectation was false.


    These people had fallen so far that they would help invaders enslave their own species.


    Scum, bastard, traitors of humanity.


    People Luca hated these people the most. She would show no mercy to them. Her vision was filled with silhouettes while her brain planned her next move.


    Moving like a fish in water, Luca swung her sword with proficiency. This was the reason she was called the war Valkyrie. The moment she decided on no mercy, none would be spared.


    The battlefield was littered with countless limbs. No abilities could hit her. She was the symbol of despair for her enemy.


    A side of Luca that neither her son nor daughter had ever seen.


    Slash! Slash!


    A torso was cut clean through the heart, followed by another vertical slash.


    Her sword was also very sharp. It was custom-made but didn''t have any special abilities other than its sharpness.


    Luca had never met anything it could not cut. The sword kept dancing, cutting through flesh, carving through bone.


    Once she finished, the battlefield turned silent. Half of the enemy was completely massacred by her alone.


    "It seems being a mother doesn''t make you rusty at all; you have even become stronger now."


    "Shut up, baldy. Why has no one ever told me about this?" Luca asked as she pointed toward the limbs of the dark hunter.


    A thought surfaced in her mind, making her eyes narrow, filled with killing intent.


    Despite his muscular body, the bald man took a step back.


    "Look, don''t blame us. You said you didn''t want to be disturbed when you decided to retire."


    "Answer me this honestly: that dungeon, is any human involved? I have heard this rumor a few times.


    I know some of the dark hunters were contacting other species. I thought they were just exchanging technology or exotic materials. To think they even sell our own species.


    I always found it weird. My husband is not a neglectful person. He always had many contingencies in place.


    At that incident, I could tell with one look someone sabotaged all his preparations."


    "I... I have heard some rumors, but I really don''t know the details. You should ask Solomon."


    A chuckle then came out from another member of their party. She had a similar figure to Luca but held no weapon.


    "Cut baldy some slack, Luca. You know how he is. His brain will lag behind on things. He just likes to fight without any care."


    "What do you mean my brain is lacking? Are you calling me dumb?"


    "Yeah, you are a dumbo, a big baldy dumb that only knows how to fight. So shut up and let the adults talk."


    Baldy gnashed his teeth but didn''t reply. He knew he couldn''t attack her because he would just end up miserable.


    The one in front of her was a famous four-star hunter with the title Elementalist.


    As the title suggests, she could use almost all elements, with the exception of light and darkness. Not only could she use each of them, but she could also mix them.


    Some people called her a human nuke. If she really wanted, destroying a whole city was not out of the question.


    Unfortunately, her ability was limited. In one day, she could only do such a level of attack once.


    "Isolde, tell me what you know?"


    "I could tell you, but you need to promise me to stay calm. Remember, I have no reason to lie."


    Luca frowned, many possibilities passing through her mind. "You mean my guild has a traitor?"


    "You know your husband the best, Luca. If all his contingencies failed, do you think it''s possible for just anyone to be the traitor?"


    Emotion started bubbling up in Luca''s heart. "I treated each of them as my own family. Just who would dare."


    "For now, let''s move first and find a place to rest. Then, we could continue on our journey. But we need to be more careful."


    Luca didn''t move, her eyes darting around all the members. There were six of them, each person someone she had known for a long time.


    In the past, she wouldn''t doubt any of them, but hearing the news from Isolde changed her mind.


    "We were ambushed here. Do you think we also have a traitor?"


    "Are you kidding me? Luca, no matter what, I will never betray you." Baldy said with conviction.


    "She doesn''t mean you, baldy. We all know you don''t even have the brain for that."


    "You say that like you are clean, Isolde. We all know how crazy you are with new knowledge."


    "Shut your mouth, Felix. I may be a fanatic for new knowledge, but the reason for that is to make us stronger against the invaders.


    To become a traitor of humanity, I will never do that."

 Chapter 301 - 301: The Elite Hunter

    Felix was a short man with sharp eyes. He had passed through a lot in his life, struggling from a slum. Compared to others in the group, Felix was the one that had the most experience in the underworld.


    He often took assassination missions with his mastery of dagger and bow.


    His ability was also very suited for that activity. A master of shadow.


    "I am just stating the obvious. We are not on a crucial mission. Suspecting things without any reason will just raise the risk.


    We are all veterans here; we should know what to do."


    "Keep our plans to ourselves and just act based on the situation. Hahaha." A man cut in with a laugh. He had golden hair and blue eyes.


    Glasses were perched on his nose. "Felix, you never change. Do you forget you also acted the same when we first met?"


    "Shut up. I don''t want to hear it from an eccentric like you. At least my habit is to raise my chances.


    You, instead, wear glasses when you don''t need them. I never get what passes in your mind, Heimdall."


    Heimdall didn''t feel offended. He just laughed, "Look, this is just a fashion choice. Some people prefer piercing or jewelry; me, I choose to wear glasses."


    "Heimdall, your head is never right," Isolde commented with a sigh.


    From the group, Heimdall was the one who depressed her the most. She could never guess what passed through the man''s mind.


    He was so random, sometimes doing things for no reason. For example he change his name into Heimdall.


    But at the very least, so far, if something bad happened, he was always there for them.


    They all compared the fight in the frontline when the chaos first started happening.


    Things were worse at that time since humans just started learning about their abilities. They also didn''t understand anything about the dungeon. With panic, people in chaos, politics, inner conflict, all of it boiled down to the age of Anarchy.


    Rules and laws were thrown out of the window, crime was rampant, and the elite tried to help themselves. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They hired all the new hunters, making them their personal bodyguards in exchange for fortune. Government collapsed as people lost trust in them.


    Only after people like Luca and Solomon came did the world begin to regain its peace. They used their strength to establish order, not just for their own greed.


    "We are all old comrades here, Luca. What Felix said is right. It will just risk our danger. So let''s stop talking about it and just go to our next destination."


    "Always the voice of reason, huh, Aldric," Heimdall commented.


    "Someone needs to put all your heads straight. Usually, it''s Edward''s job, but since he is not here, I can only do what we can.


    We all have passed through deadly situations together, only surviving thanks to believing in each other''s backs.


    I am not degrading your family, but it''s a very different situation with them."


    "Aldric is right, Luca. You just think like this because you''re angry.


    People in your guild are those you rescued on the way, and they grew dependent on you. I am not insulting them. Just stating the fact.


    As for each of us, you know how many things we have experienced together."


    Luca took a deep breath. What Isolde said was right. She couldn''t just suspect everyone now because of what happened in the past.


    "I am sorry. Let''s just forget about this."


    The others just nodded and followed her. They understood where Luca''s anger came from.


    Losing Edward was like splitting her soul into two. They all knew how much they loved each other.


    As for the other members, none of them had family. Each had their own baggage.


    Some considered it in the past after seeing how happy Luca and Edward were. But after the tragedy happened, they could see how much in despair Luca was.


    If even a strong woman they all respected turned like that, they all


    knew better not to try it. It''s better to think of it only when the world turned into a better place. One that is suitable for kids to grow up without worry.


    As Luca and the group left, Alex and MingYue returned to SGE.


    Alex was more motivated than ever to get the answer. And he thought it was related to their species as humans.


    Meanwhile, MingYue just wanted to take a break then continue her training.


    Another time passed without any news from Luca, making Emily feel anxious. She decided to dedicate all of her emotions to her practice, allowing her power to rise quickly.


    As Emily and the others didn''t need as many resources like Alex and MingYue, Alex could easily afford this cost.


    The money earned from selling spice water, storage cubes, and qi crystals from the mine was more than enough.


    Alex also put Faerith on a side project to research how to mass-produce a pill. He first gave her a book about alchemy and some spirit herbs to study.


    Faerith was excited when touching this new material. Even though Alex said it was a side project, she knew how much the effect would be on their world. It''s not something small.


    Alex was now sitting in the practice room, his eyes closed as he absorbed pure qi from the air. The room was filled with qi crystals to the brim, making it a good place to cultivate.


    "It''s time." Alex''s eyes opened after a deep meditation.


    They had done all they could, with no news from his mother. Alex also started feeling anxious. If something happened to her, no matter how logical the reason was, Alex knew he would always blame himself.


    Alex stood and started cracking his body. He started stretching, feeling the explosive power hidden inside. ''Vesa, how is the situation at Edonia now?''


    ''It''s quite peaceful. People are now busy with their education and work.


    Construction goes full swing with all the materials you send, King.


    As for the sovereigns, their loyalty is still questionable. I feel each of them still has their own agenda.''

 Chapter 302 - 302: Chaotic Law

    ''I will just use them if I have no more choice then. How about the goblin kingdom?''


    In this span of time, Alex had moved the goblin populace to Edonia.


    The goblins were his first people. He also started considering putting the rune on those who have followed him the longest, like Patricia and VexGore. This would enhance their strength, and he felt confident in their loyalty.


    ''The goblin kingdom is doing well. As they are already more educated, it''s easy to manage them.


    When will we start mixing them with the elves?''


    ''Just put it in the education program for now, paint each other in a good way. Anyway, Vesa, how far can you teleport us?''


    ''Based on the situation, I am sure I could teleport King and the group directly to your father''s city, but since King wants to look for your mother, I doubt you want to do that.''


    ''Yeah, just bring us outside the border. Since we can teleport now, there is no reason to inform that old fox.''


    ''Remember, King, my ability for teleportation is limited. For now, it''s better to keep it to hunt other parts of the old Master.''


    ''I know, but this is important for me, Vesa. If it can raise our chances even by a bit, I will do it.''


    Alex then took out his phone. He tried to locate his mother''s location from the signal, but it kept failing.


    He then looked at the latest map of his planet from the association. ''This black zone keeps growing. Now I wonder if this zone is because of dungeons that broke for too long, causing part of their land to be transported here too.''


    ''King, we could just find out from the current world spirit.''


    ''Trying to go down there is too risky. Who knows what they have done to allow this dungeon to continue.''


    ''After I recovered part of my power, I could hear it, King, this planet''s agony. I am sure it will be glad if we come to help.''


    ''So this world spirit already has sentience?''


    ''No, not yet, but that doesn''t mean the planet couldn''t feel pain.


    If things keep like this, it will come to a point where the planet''s core cannot hold it anymore.''


    The image of the planet crumbling apart into debris in space was still fresh in Alex''s mind. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking his own planet may face the same fate made him sigh.


    ''Just what do they want to do on this planet? I could understand the dungeon, as it works like training despite its cruelty, but this expanding planet and dark zone¡­''


    ''Not only does it hurt the planet, King, if you go to this area, be more careful. The rules there will be chaotic. Who knows if gravity will become stronger or even reversed.''


    ''You mean this land brought its own original law?''


    ''Yes, not only that, this law clashes with King''s planet''s laws, giving birth to a new chaotic law. But this also provides an opportunity, King.


    There are many records that prove exotic natural resources could be born in this area.''


    ''Don''t tell me those bastards are using my planet as a ground to farm these resources.''


    ''That is possible, King. An exotic resource born from chaotic laws could be called a true treasure. They function based on their own laws.


    There are even records of a stone named Animus. It has the capability to provide an infinite amount of energy.''


    ''An infinite amount of energy? Doesn''t that make the one who found it invincible?''


    ''That depends on how it''s used, but based on the report, the stone has limitations.


    Like it can only exert a limited amount of energy, but it will never run out no matter how much is pumped out.''


    ''Animus stone, interesting. That could be used to power our city at Edonia. Right now, we are using Qi stones to generate electricity. If there is a better, cleaner way to produce energy, that will be better.''


    Alex preferred using Qi to generate electricity as it''s the most clean way.


    The only leftover is unprocessed Qi that then fills the air, but this gives a good result as it means the inhabitants will start adapting to Qi, allowing them to make more cultivators.


    The conversion rate is also very good, far better than nuclear generators or even mana.


    ''A volatile energy is better for creating electricity,'' Alex thought.


    They also didn''t have any Mana crystal mines, while for Qi crystals, they still had a lot to mine from the BaiYue sect.


    ''How about the sect''s situation? Does MingYue still check it periodically?''


    As Vesa owns the secret realm, she can always report what happens to MingYue.


    Her worry about an attack when she was missing was also mitigated, as with Vesa''s current ability, she could return them quickly.


    ''Everything is progressing smoothly without any problem, King. It''s just the new disciples will soon get their first mission outside.


    The Queen ordered them to check out the businesses built by the citizens.''


    ''MingYue put them all on slave contracts. I am sure there won''t be a problem with corruption. I just hope all of them are successful.''


    ''Based on the report I got from Feng Xue, everything is running smoothly. That is why the Queen allowed them to go out.''


    ''Oh, is MingHao part of the disciples that go out?'' Alex asked.


    ''Yes.''


    ''Alright, stay alert, Vesa. If you detect something weird, tell me.''


    ''Sure, King.''


    Finishing his talk with Vesa, Alex started making his way toward the guild gathering room. Everyone should have waited there by now. Olivia, Zold, Quartz, MingYue, William, and Alice.


    The seven of them would go to cut through the enemy frontline, following his mother''s path, regroup, and then make their way toward the dungeon.


    ''I am sure you are alright, Mom. I just wish you didn''t enter the dungeon before we reached there.''


    Even with Vesa''s teleportation and how much time had passed, Alex was quite skeptical.

 Chapter 303 - 303: Dragari

    There was a high possibility his mother had already reached the dungeon or, at the very least, reached the city perimeter.


    And his thought was not wrong. Luca and the group had already reached the city border.


    His thought is not wrong; Luca and the group are already getting close to their destination.


    A sprawling city fills their view. It''s far from what they imagined.


    They expected to see a ruined city filled with monsters. The monsters are there, but the city is not ruined at all. Instead, it has been rebuilt with a weird architecture.


    One they have never seen before. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This city is not simple; it has many protections in place," Isolde said as her eyes observed the city.


    "Any plan?"


    "Let''s observe for now. I don''t get how they are so civilized but so brutal when they come," Luca said, flabbergasted by the situation.


    "Isn''t that clear? They don''t see us as their equals. It''s the same with us; we won''t negotiate with insects or beasts."


    "Sometimes your brain does work badly."


    Looking at the situation, Heimdall smirked. "I will check out the city."


    The moment he said that his body disappeared.


    "That crazy bastard. He thinks his ability can save him in any situation," Aldric commented.


    "We haven''t met for a while. Who knows if he has become stronger? I will follow from a distance," Felix suggested.


    "That is a good idea. Stay in the shadow, Felix."


    "Who are you talking to? I am not that suicidal bastard." Felix said as his body started melding into the shadow.


    With Heimdall and Felix gone, only four of them remained now.


    Luca turned her head toward another woman in the group. Her presence was barely noticeable despite her angelic appearance. Her eyes were covered with a blindfold, a simple black fabric.


    The woman had golden hair with pale white skin. Her figure was petite but still taller than Olivia''s.


    "Seraphine, you have been silent all this time. Are our odds good or bad?" Luca asked.


    "How many times have I told you my ability is not foresight or probability calculation?


    I can only see if something will come that results in my death," Seraphine said with a sigh.


    "Let''s not debate about that. Did you see anything so far?" Aldric asked.


    Seraphine shook her head, "No."


    Luca frowned for a moment but didn''t say anything further. She knew how weird Seraphine''s abilities were. Calling her a seer is not far-fetched, but it''s not an easy skill to use.


    At the exchange of this, her combat ability is very low.


    Thankfully, if she keeps her power to a minimum, for example, only active when her life is threatened, it has the side effect of making her presence almost invisible.


    She is so invisible that even in war or dungeons, in most cases, she could stand still on the side and no one would ever realize she was there.


    Only some strong boss monsters could realize her presence. Sometimes, even people who remember her will forget about her existence if she wants it.


    "I see, as long as there is no lethal danger to you, that would mean the enemy is not that strong."


    "You never know; maybe just their sensory ability is bad. I don''t get it, though; why do you want me here?


    You already know the result if I really use my ability fully."


    If Seraphine does that in reverse, everyone around them will feel her presence. She has tried this before, and the result was catastrophic. Wave after wave of monsters came at them.


    "I never get just how your ability is so weird."


    "I think it''s because her ability breaks the rules of the world. As a side effect, it reacts the more she uses it," Aldric said.


    "Well, that is enough information for us. So, should we wait here?"


    "That is why we call you baldie. You still need to ask that."


    "Hey, I am just making sure. Isolde and I have names, too, you know. Jack."


    "Sure, Jack Baldie."


    Jack''s lips twitched, but he didn''t say anything further. He punched the ground.


    The area started to shake like an elevator. The area they were standing before started going down while the hole closed itself.


    Jack''s ability allowed him to manipulate the earth, molding it to his desire.


    It''s very useful in situations like this to create a temporary camp for them.


    He then left a mark outside. It didn''t look special to others, but their group would recognize it at a glance.


    It''s a peculiarly formed rock.


    Meanwhile, Heimdall had already appeared close to the city.


    "Just what are you planning? Don''t tell me you want to enter just like this." A voice reached his ears, but there was no one there. It came from a shadow on his neck.


    "As I expected, you followed me, Felix. Well, we need to get more information before entering the place. Of course, I am not dumb. I won''t enter just like this."


    Heimdall smiled as he took out a ring from his pocket.


    As he used it, his appearance and aura started to change.


    "Is that a dungeon reward? Interesting," Felix said.


    "Of course, what else? Just hide in the shadows and help me gather information.


    This is our specialty, anyway. Better than us all going there and committing suicide."


    "That still doesn''t explain how you plan to enter the gate."


    "I see some of these half-dragons come out from the city quite often. Maybe they are hunting or doing something else. We will first make contact with them."


    "I still feel this is too dangerous. We don''t know anything about their culture."


    "That is you. Who said I don''t? These half-dragons call themselves Dragari.


    They enslave wyrms, and their civilization is focused on strength above everything.


    Their mindset is simpler than you think. Only some of them have the capability to pull a trick."


    "You have met them before?"


    "Yes, this is the place I found this transforming ring. You know my hobby; I am not staying still all this time."

 Chapter 304 - 304: Arrived

    "We all did what we needed to do," Felix said with a sigh.


    After the Edward incident, the group didn''t say anything, but this doesn''t mean they stayed silent. Each of them had their own way to cope and try to help.


    Some helped on the frontline, while people like Heimdall did the most risky things. He kept diving from dungeon to dungeon, going deep into the red zone. He even once went to the dark zone and survived.


    With his changed appearance, Heimdall started moving toward the gate.


    He then hid in one of the trees, his eyes watching the gate like a hawk.


    "Felix, I trust my back to you."


    "Don''t worry. Why do you think I decided to tag along with a suicidal bastard like you?"


    "Hah, you call me that, but almost every time, you take the most dangerous roles for us. Just like this, your life is more at risk than mine."


    Heimdall could blink himself away, but Felix could not. He could only jump from shadow to shadow.


    "You think too much about it, Heimdall. I am just doing what I need to do. And since when do you care about that?"


    "Never mind," Heimdall replied with a smirk. Despite Felix never saying it, he knew how Felix felt about all of them.


    They are the closest thing to the family he has.


    Time passed, and one of the Dragari started coming out. There were four people in total, each of them fully geared.


    Seeing the view, Heimdall''s eyes frowned. He didn''t feel happy at all. Of the four people, there was only one Dragari.


    The other three were humans with collars. They walked like dogs, with some luggage put on their backs.


    Looking at their expressions and movements, Heimdall could tell these three men were already used to being treated like this.


    "Just what happened to the city after that incident?" Heimdall mumbled.


    This is not the first city of another species he has seen, but it''s the first that treats humans like animals.


    All the Dragari were tall, averaging 1.5 times the height of an adult human. They had reptilian faces with skin covered in scales.


    Their appearance made them look almost like lizardmen. The only difference is they have draconic horns on their heads.


    When they saw the city from afar, they could also see some of the wyverns flying around the sky.


    "What do you plan now? Trying to trick him into bringing you inside?"


    "Trick him? Are you kidding me? We should have some lizard for dinner tonight. As for those three men, I doubt we can trust them."


    Felix is calmer than Heimdall. He has seen humans treat other humans like that, so seeing this doesn''t surprise him at all.


    "So you want to kill him?"


    "Yes, we just need to make sure these three humans don''t realize what is happening. I couldn''t believe people with a gaze like them."


    "Don''t worry. They are broken; they''ve lost the ability to make their own thoughts."


    "That is why I don''t believe them. Who knows if they will rat us out to other Dragari."


    "How about the Dragari family then?"


    "We can just interrogate those men. Since they don''t think they won''t find anything suspicious. I do wonder what happened to make them reach that point."


    "Based on my experience, a mix of drugs and constant degradation."


    "No need to get into the details. I get what you mean."


    Meanwhile, Alex, MingYue, and the others had just reached the red zone. They all teleported to a familiar area.


    "This place has not changed. What a surprise," Quartz said as he looked at the treehouse.


    "What do you expect? We put so many precautions into building this. It may look like a normal treehouse, but there are many things put inside."


    "Well, It''s not like any monster has a reason to attack that. So where is our location now?" Alex asked.


    He then pressed some buttons on his bracelet, projecting a holographic map.


    A line started appearing, showing their planned destination.


    Olivia studied it one more time, then pointed in a direction, "We should go to that area."


    "Alright, I will recon forward," Zold replied as he disappeared from where he stood.


    The group then started moving, following him.


    "There are a lot of monsters here," MingYue commented as he felt their presence.


    "Of course, this is the frontline. There is also a possibility we could get ambushed on the way."


    "It''s alright. Better than us exposing our presence. We will deter the monsters but pull a stronger enemy toward us," Alex commented.


    "I don''t know how monsters are in your world, but I know some that will instead go after the strong ones despite being weaker.


    They want to show off their strength and bet their lives to become stronger," Alicia commented.


    "What a unique culture. No wonder your forest has some monsters called the king. Do they evolve through this kind of deadly combat?"


    "Yes, how else do you think they appeared? It''s a unique trait of the beasts in my world. Although the evolution doesn''t come easy."


    "Interesting. Maybe I will dissect the ape king in my hand to find out how they do this."


    "I doubt it''s anything unique. It''s just like spirit beasts; those that win eat the losers. At the same time, they eat part of their energy. They become stronger," MingYue commented.


    "That is different, MingYue. In your world, the monsters cultivate, allowing them to consume qi and evolve themselves. But these monsters don''t have any cultivation method like that.


    It''s like their cells just innately capture the victim''s energy and try to evolve. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From history, I know this is possible, but the kings of the forest evolved throughout their lifetime, meaning they have a way to take the opponent''s attributes."


    "If this were Thalia''s world, I would think it''s because of the gluttony effect, but since it''s her world, I don''t know."


    "Wait, now that you mention gluttony, I remember Fledian also has traits consumed by one of the deadly sins.


    Maybe what you say is right. The remaining energy affects the world in one way or another, making the creatures evolve."

 Chapter 305 - 305: Emotion

    William, meanwhile, didn''t say much. His thoughts were still burdened with what the president told him.


    After meeting Alex, he kept hesitating about what he should do. He had already given his word to Solomon. The next decision was whether he should tell Alex or not.


    While he was busy with this, Olivia was also troubled with her own feelings. Her eyes kept stealing glances at Alex and MingYue.


    Her heart throbbed, looking at them.


    ''Why is it so painful now¡­ is this because of my bad habit? I always want something I cannot have. If only I hadn''t rejected him at that time.''


    Meanwhile, Emily was looking forward to meeting up with her mother and father. Dead or alive, she knew the expedition wouldn''t end until they found him.


    "Brother, by the way, are you sure our precaution is enough? Next week I have many meetings. If this takes longer than that, they will realize something is happening."


    "That will be great. I hope that old fox sends us some backup. I already prepared a timed email to him, just in case."


    "If there is something that troubles you and MingYue, how could other hunters be useful?"


    Alex let out a chuckle, "I am surprised. Aren''t you part of them? Don''t you know how strong they really are?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know, but brother, you are immortal, and so is MingYue. If it''s an enemy you cannot defeat, who else on this planet can defeat it?"


    "I am flattered, Emily, but there are many reasons we could still need help. Don''t forget, a dungeon is another world.


    Even though your brother has his own army, who knows if we still get overwhelmed by their numbers. And knowing him, I think he just doesn''t want the hassle of cleaning up afterward."


    Alex just smirked, neither denying nor confirming MingYue''s speculation.


    She was not wrong; Alex didn''t want to take another refugee in Edonia now. Especially not the race that caused the biggest tragedy in his life. If he followed his rage, he would choose to burn them all to ashes.


    But this doesn''t mean he would let their planet go. Alex''s plan was to kick out all the people there to his planet, then take the world''s core to Edonia.


    As for what to do with these people, he planned to throw it to Solomon. He believed the old fox would have a good idea and method of how to use them.


    "Don''t look down on yourself, Emily. Now that you can control your light element, your attack couldn''t be underestimated."


    "I hope so. Who knows what kind of enemy we will face."


    At this moment, a warm hand held Emily''s shoulder. Turning her head, she saw Quartz smiling at her.


    "Don''t worry. I know from experience that our current strengths cannot be underestimated.


    I am sure we can even face off with those five-star hunters now. Believe more in yourself, Emily."


    "Thank you, Aunt," Emily said with a smile.


    Normally, with her experience as a hunter, she would not feel like this. But for her, the operation was just that important. She wanted it to succeed no matter what.


    "Don''t worry, Emily. In case something happens, with your brother''s sigil, we can all regenerate and don''t forget that there are still my abilities.


    Even though the range is still not far, I can heal you from some distance now. This way, you can save on life force energy," Olivia added.


    Emily nodded, her eyes filled with confidence. Seeing their exchange, MingYue couldn''t help but feel a bit of envy.


    When she came out with people from her sect, they were too busy planning how to hijack the others, not how to protect themselves.


    Feeling MingYue''s emotion, Alex turned his gaze, then asked telepathically, ''Is something the matter?''


    ''Nothing, just reminded of the past. Also, can you stop doing that, Alex? I just don''t feel comfortable if you keep reacting every time my emotions fluctuate.''


    Alex let out a chuckle, ''Sorry, it''s just the closer we are, the more I feel your emotions. Aren''t you the same?''


    ''I do, but I don''t react to all of it. It just helps me to understand you better.''


    ''You know, I am still wondering about what we said last time and why Alucard chose a human as his heir. Then I realized there is also one important thing I almost forgot.''


    ''You mean why he insisted the inheritor become a couple?''


    ''Yes, I don''t believe he just did that on a whim. There should be something there. Maybe we will know if our feelings for each other deepen.''


    ''Alright, stop there. Emotions cannot be forced. Just let it grow naturally.''


    ''I know. I am not pushing you; I am just saying it is a possibility. Let''s say that is right.


    Humans are emotional creatures, and love is one of the deepest emotions. Do you think emotions are related to filling the rest of the 50%?''


    ''Alex¡­ you read too many novels. Do you think this is a fantasy where you can get angry and miraculously awaken hidden power or something?


    It''s not like that movie my brother likes to watch, where the character gets angry, their hair turns golden, and they become super strong.'' S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex let out a chuckle. ''I know, that is impossible. But when we are angry or have intense emotions, it does affect our hormones, producing many chemicals that could affect our strength. I just wonder if it is related to that.''


    ''It''s not. I also study a lot about the human body. Those so-called adrenaline come from survival instincts, not our emotions.''


    ''But our emotions decide what triggers our survival instincts. Otherwise, how do you explain an average woman raising a car to rescue her baby or someone in desperation taking their own life?''


    MingYue didn''t directly respond as she thought about what Alex told her.


    Meanwhile, the group just looked at Alex and MingYue''s interaction with a helpless sigh.


    As they communicated telepathically, to Emily and the others, it appeared as though they were looking deeply into each other''s eyes like a couple in love.

 Chapter 306 - 306: Agni

    ''It really stings,'' Olivia lamented in her heart as she tried her best to hold the pain.


    She turned her gaze, focusing on the scenery. The forest had evolved, making it look like they were entering a dungeon.


    The trees looked like they came from an ancient era when all animals were still giant and humans still lived in caves.


    Crackle¡­


    Electricity sparkled in the air as Zold returned to the party.


    "In front, we have some groups of monsters fighting with each other."


    "No wonder there is so much life force there," MingYue mumbled.


    "What kind of monster?" Alex asked.


    "Don''t even think of capturing them, brother. Despite everything, I''m still worried about Mom," Emily added.


    "In that case, it''s faster to just avoid them. If only we could fly, that would be better."


    It''s not that Alex and MingYue couldn''t just fly toward the area, but they didn''t do this because the others couldn''t keep up with their speed. There was also the possibility they might pass through Luca and the others.


    What if they faced a problem somewhere else? Even though, in theory, Alex should be able to feel his mother''s life force, he still didn''t want to take the risk.


    "I will look for another path then," Zold replied without waiting for the others to respond.


    He was also eager to quickly rescue his father.


    "If only my control was better, I should be able to scout faster than Zold."


    "It''s not that easy, Emily. Looking for a route is not just about being fast. You need to be keen on the surroundings and any marks left. Is that a clue that someone passing by, or is that a huge monster? Knowledge about the terrain is also necessary. Believe me, I have tried exploring the frontline without a scout, thinking it''s an easy job, but it''s not."


    Hearing Quartz''s words reminded Olivia of a past incident. At that time, she had a conflict with the explorer in the group. She complained about why he moved so slowly.


    Feeling insulted as someone looked down on how he did things, despite his experience, this hunter challenged Quartz to do his job.


    The result was a complete failure. Not only did they meet many monsters on the way, but they even walked into a monster''s den.


    "Hmm¡­ most of my missions are already prepared with complete intel, so I don''t know much," Emily replied.


    "Just listen to Aunt Quartz, Emily. Look, even with our current detection range, it''s still better to scout ahead. You never know when you will face a monster that can pass through all our senses. And if that monster is a parasite type, it can easily cause havoc in our group."


    "You really need to make this kind of skill necessary for all of the guild members," MingYue suggested.


    In her world, exploring and looking for marks in the wild is a necessary skill for every cultivator. They all learn this from an early age in the family.


    "That is a good idea. There are many mandatory skills we could put for all our members."


    The group then kept walking while sharing small talk. With Zold in front and their detection skills, the journey was quite peaceful. Any small monsters in the way were killed by Zold without them making a move.


    If they got close to a group of monsters, they would avoid it, making some turns along the way.


    Meanwhile, in another place, a Dragari was returning to the city.


    He passed through the security with ease as they just saw him leaving.


    "Agni, you returned so fast. Did you fail again?"


    "Hmph, this hunting dog is just useless. I think I will just get a new one."


    "Haha, I told you, buy a quality one. Those normal dogs have no use at all other than as punching bags. Well, if you want to throw him out, give him to me. My dog needs some release."


    "I will think about it," Agni replied with a smirk as he passed through the gate. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite how he said the words, deep inside, he felt a huge amount of disgust and anger.


    He could feel a few taps on his neck as Felix communicated with him using Morse code.


    ''Calm down, things will be worse inside.''


    Agni replied back with a tap of his finger, ''I know. Don''t worry. I''m not some newbie hunter. I can control my expression.''


    Inside, they were greeted with an advanced city but filled with gory views.


    Some of the decorations were made with human bones and skulls. The road was pale white and made from unknown material, but Heimdall suspected it was made from something like bone.


    Probably a creature''s bone from their world.


    Many shops were open, but the items sold also reflected their culture. Most of them were weapons focused on close-distance combat.


    There were hammers, maces, and battle axes. Each of them was large in size. Normally, a human would need two hands to hold it, but with the Dragari''s size, they just needed one hand.


    Many Dragari walked through the city, some in groups, talking in a friendly manner, while others gave off an aloof and cold expression.


    ''Even as half-dragon, they still inherit their arrogance and pride,'' Heimdall thought to himself.


    Walking deeper towards Agni''s home, his eyes dazed for a moment as he stopped in front of a shop. It was named Pet Shop.


    The building was large, a five-floored modern building, but not decorated with glass. Instead, it was adorned with bone and leather.


    A huge projection screen lit up, showing a picture of a naked human with their price and stats. He was already prepared for this, but something caught his eye.


    ''Does the city have this many awakened before?''


    ''Hmm¡­ maybe they adapted because of the harsh situation.''


    ''Or they were forced to awaken.''


    ''That is not possible. Wait, are you suggesting they do that?''


    ''What else? Even one of us humans think and try it. What do you think deters them from doing that?''

 Chapter 307 - 307: Drug

    ''But even number-wise, it''s not worth it. The casualty is too high.''


    ''That is for us humans. Do you forget what we do with other animals when we need larger numbers of them to butcher?''


    Felix didn''t need another word to understand what Heimdall meant. Forceful breeding.


    ''Where do you think they do this?''


    ''I doubt it''s in this city, but maybe they have a small operation for it. You want to find out?''


    ''Not now. Let''s focus on Edward''s situation first.''


    ''But what if?''


    ''Hah, no way. You know how he is. Do you think he will let that happen?


    He will kill himself first before he cheats on Luca, no matter the circumstances.''


    ''You are right. That means he should be somewhere else. I just hope he is not inside the dungeon.''


    ''The most dangerous place is usually the safest one. I honestly suspect that is where Edward ended up.''


    Heimdall let out a sigh.


    "Hei, Agni, why are you sighing like that? Don''t have any money to buy a good dog?" A voice reached his ear with a gloating tone.


    Looking back, Heimdall could see one of the Dragari coming at him with an arrogant expression.


    He also pulled three humans like Agni, but they looked fiercer. Their eyes were red, and they kept gritting their teeth like animals.


    ''These bastards are even worse than Agni!'' Heimdall cursed in his mind. But outwardly, he returned the remark with an arrogant tone. "You talk like you have the money."


    "Of course I have. Don''t you see these three? They all are specialized dogs." He said as he pulled on the chain, choking the three people''s necks. Two of them were male, while one was female.


    "Hah, what specialized? They just have weak abilities. Otherwise, there would be no need for you to use drugs on them."


    Heimdall said this with a smirk. He didn''t really know, but it was just his guess.


    Even though they saw humans like beasts or animals, purchasing them required money.


    Using an enhanced drug that dulled their minds, turning them into mindless beasts, would certainly lower their value. So he was confident in his remark.


    The Dragari turned silent for a moment, but then he replied, "Hmph, a lot of talk. If you dare, let''s fight our hunting dogs in the arena."


    "Why should I accept it? What can you even give me if I win?"


    "Hah, you are so conceited. I dare to bet anything as long as you do the same."


    An idea then surfaced in his mind. He felt this was the perfect opportunity to gain some intel.


    Not like he could lose. With Felix''s mastery over shadows, utilizing it to cheat in battle was not hard.


    And Gabriel had already guessed what drug they used on these humans. It''s a beast drug that turns the user into a wild state.


    They won''t attack if they are not disturbed, but when they are, they will attack brutally.


    ''They probably also mix something else to make sure the drugged humans don''t attack them. But I am sure they still haven''t removed the side effects.


    When they overdose, the brain will turn to mush and shut down the body entirely.''


    ''Felix, could you steal some of the drugs from the store? I am sure there are some.''


    ''Fine,'' Felix replied without asking back. He could guess what Heimdall wanted to do.


    This would result in the three humans dying, but honestly, he felt death was a better fate for them. Those drugged with this drug have no hope of recovery.


    The shadow moved toward the store, jumping from one to another as long as it was in his point of view.


    As this place was in the middle of the city and filled with a crowd, Felix never ran out of targets.


    Inside, the store looked like a slave market. It was filled with many cages with information on the humans. None were clothed, and almost all of them had lifeless gazes in their eyes.


    But some of them intrigued Felix; their eyes burned with rage and anger. It was the eyes of people who wanted to fight back.


    Felix tagged each of them, leaving something in their shadows. He felt they could free them and cooperate. But now, this was not his main target.


    He got close to the cashier, where the shopkeeper was having some debate with a customer.


    It seemed the customer complained that the human he purchased was sick and died a week after the purchase, but the seller insisted they were all healthy and checked before being sold.


    As they had a heated debate, Felix entered the shopkeeper''s shadow. If anyone looked at his shadow now, they would quickly realize something was strange.


    The shadow seemed to move independently from the shopkeeper, but thankfully, no one noticed. They were too busy with their own tasks. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Found it,'' Felix thought.


    One of the boxes in the lowest cupboard then disappeared without anyone realizing it. If the shopkeeper found out, one of the employees would be held responsible, and their wages would be cut.


    Thankfully, this would never happen, since before the shopkeeper realized it, something big would happen first. Something that would turn the city upside down.


    Returning outside, Felix frowned as he couldn''t find Heimdall in the last spot.


    He could feel his approximate location from the marker he left, but this still annoyed him.


    ''Dammit, couldn''t he just make up something and wait here?''


    Feeling annoyed, Felix started hitchhiking toward every shadow he saw.


    Meanwhile, Alex and the group kept making their way deeper into the red zone. Their path now started leaving a trail of blood as the density of the monsters kept rising.


    "Alex, do you think all these monsters come from a dungeon break? Mutation? Or just reproduction?"


    "Based on how long this place has been a red zone, I doubt it''s the last one. Only a dungeon break or mutation could raise the monster population this much."

 Chapter 308 - 308: Portal

    "With this many monsters, I am sure they also hunt each other. This is a perfect breeding ground to produce strong beasts," Alice commented as she found similarity with the forest in her world.


    "No wonder then. I always wondered why so many monsters could just come out from the dungeon.


    Even if beside it is another world, just how many do they have? It''s not like they are infinite.


    Also, with a system like a dungeon, I don''t believe we are the only world with a situation like this."


    "What situation do you mean, Aunt Quartz? The dungeon break and invasion of species?"


    "Something like that, but it could also just be a contact thanks to technology or a magic spell. But I don''t believe a peaceful contact is possible.


    Just look at history. Even with the same species, it always escalates to conflict, no matter how it started."


    "That is true. Anyway, how far are we from the city?" Emily replied while she checked the map on her implant. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The accuracy is not good as it is updated manually as they explore the area. It''s not like in the city where it''s linked to the network.


    "It shouldn''t be far, but I still haven''t found where Mother is," Alex replied.


    "With our pace, we will probably take another day to reach the city, but there is still no clue about your mom''s location," MingYue added.


    Alex and Emily turned silent at the situation. Their worry started growing, but Alex kept it to himself.


    "Don''t worry, Emily, this just means they have no problem and their journey is smooth."


    "That is true. Even with our current power, I still don''t feel confident fighting those elite hunters. Since we also have no problem going this far, I am sure Madam Luca is also fine," Olivia added to calm them.


    Meanwhile, Luca was now chilling and hearing updates from Heimdall and Felix.


    He periodically sent Morse code through the shadow.


    "If only this could send images and sound, it would be perfect," Isolde commented.


    "That would just raise the risk. The more data sent, the more wave fluctuation will exist. Even with this Morse code, if Felix wanted, he could already use it in that way," Aldric replied.


    "How can that even work? He could only send simple code through the shadow," Seraphine asked.


    "It''s not that hard. Just like how computers work, in the end, everything is just a binary code of 1 and 0. All this is then decoded into a color or pitch of volume by the audio. So technically, if we create a system to do this, it''s possible."


    Seraphine''s eyes were dazed hearing Aldric''s explanation, as she didn''t understand anything. "Forget I even asked." She then turned her attention back to a gadget in her hand, playing a game.


    Aldric chuckled, seeing Seraphine''s action. He then turned his attention toward Luca. "How are you now?"


    Luca let out a sigh, "I don''t know what to think. The situation in the city is worse than I thought. Honestly, it would be better if we just faced a mindless monster."


    "Of course, mindless means they are not sentient. It''s easier to fight an enemy like that. They don''t have any strategy."


    "We need to do this in one clean operation. Based on how they treat humans, they won''t think twice about using them as shields," Luca replied.


    "What''s your plan now? I am sure you won''t just be satisfied with looking for Edward."


    "Of course not. It''s not like we can just find him without turning it all upside down."


    "This is my hypothesis: looking at how they use the drug, I am sure they also know Edward''s status. If he was captured, they would probably use him to ask something. So the only possibility I could think of is that Edward got away but by running into danger."


    Luca sighed, "That is what he would do. I am sure he entered the dungeon."


    "Yes, he is on the other side, in those half-dragons home world. I don''t know what he''s doing, but I am sure if he is not killed, he will become a problem on their side."


    Luca''s lips curled into a smile, "He will for sure. We should ask Felix and Heimdall to focus on the portal."


    "Don''t worry. I am sure they also have the same conclusion as us. Let''s just wait for their news."


    Back in the city, Heimdall, as Agni, just won the match. With Felix''s help, his opponent''s dog died instantly.


    Before they could even attack, their heads burst open and exploded. His enemy was in shock as he just lost a lot of things.


    Heimdall baited him to keep increasing the wagers. He is only left with his home now.


    "So, do you remember the bet?" Heimdall asked with a grin.


    The Dragari wanted to respond in anger, but he sucked it up as he knew he was really screwed now.


    Every bet in the Arena is valid and must be enforced; there are almost no limitations to it.


    Gritting through his teeth, the Dragari said sternly, "Let''s have a rematch!"


    "Why should I accept it? There is no reason for me to do that," Heimdall replied with a grin.


    "Wait, just tell me what you want me to do. I will do anything as long as you at least spare some of it; otherwise, my family will kill me."


    "Hmm¡­ I do have something I need to do. How about you come to my home later at night? I will give the task to you then."


    Having no other choice, the Dragari nodded. He didn''t suspect any foul play was involved, as in their culture, it never happened.


    As a race of warriors, they always prefer to have a straightforward fight. Cheating in a competition is unheard of.


    Heimdall then left the Dragari as he proceeded to explore the city. Other than architecture and culture, the city still worked like a modern human city.

 Chapter 309 - 309: Dragaris Origin

    They have other names, but the function is still similar. For example, a bank is called a vault. A school is a combat academy.


    What surprised Heimdall was that despite their aggressiveness and lax laws, the city was quite orderly.


    ''I have read some of the rules. It seems brutal punishment is working,'' Heimdall said.


    ''Well, there is no justice; only strength exists. In one way, it''s honestly the truth of the world without any bullshit that politicians used to spew.''


    ''You want to live in a culture like this?'' Heimdall asked with a chuckle.


    ''It''s not that different from the underworld. No matter what kind of deal you make, without strength, there is nothing you can do. Results are everything.''


    "It always is, even in the normal world. There is a reason we have the saying, ''Everyone has skeletons in their closet.''"


    As they kept walking, Heimdall reached Agni''s house. Thankfully, Agni lived alone, only with the three human pets.


    Inside, Felix knocked the three humans out and then materialized from the shadows. "What is your plan now?"


    "Spend one or two days here to learn more about their strength, and if possible, enter their world."


    Felix''s expression changed the moment he heard it. "No! I am fine with entering, but we must do it together. We are not here to increase the number of victims."


    Heimdall smirked. "I knew you would say that. In that case, we should infiltrate the portal at night."


    "They have a curfew at nine. We should sneak out at that time. How is their security based on your observation?"


    "Aren''t you the expert?"


    Seeing Heimdall''s gaze, Felix then realized that was the reason why he left him first, so he could move and observe the city.


    "There are cameras on the streets, but I doubt they care much about them.


    With laws like theirs, I doubt they care when the weak are ostracized. The only purpose of the cameras is to look for spies, or they just leave them on out of curiosity."


    "Just get to the point¡ªtheir security is lax."


    Felix nodded. "As long as we stay out of suspicion, I am sure there will be no problem. We could also take some of the guards'' uniforms."


    "No need. I can manipulate my clothing, too. Did you forget?"


    "By the way, I saw some slaves with stern eyes at the slave market. If there are people like them, I am sure there should be a resistance group here."


    "Resistance? A slave with a collar¡ªhow could they even gather and make a movement?"


    "Let''s check the sewer system. I am sure if there are any, they will gather there."


    Heimdall agreed as he felt that made sense. For some of the slaves to have fierce eyes meant they grew in a way that still held humanity high. He was sure this did not happen in Dragari breeding places. The only possibility was that they grew up in some community and then got captured.


    "Probably descendants from the old survivors. I wonder if it is led by one of the Suzaku Guild members."


    "How old were the slaves you met? I don''t know the time dilation outside the dungeon, but here it''s not that long."


    "Around 12 years old."


    Heimdall ruminated on the possibility. If the child was born after the occupation, that meant the child''s mother was pregnant at that time. The odds of someone like that surviving were low. But if not, that meant the resistance was inside the dungeon, and the time dilation there was twice or maybe even longer.


    "Nothing is ever simple," Heimdall mumbled. What started as a normal rescue mission had now become far more complicated.


    "No wonder he doesn''t give any news out; he''s probably stuck inside."


    "You mean Raven?"


    "Who else? After the incident, Luca hired him to look for Edward. He is one of the best at rescuing someone."


    "Hah... Only the best in low-level dungeons. This is a dungeon that destroyed Edward and Luca''s Guild. How strong do you think the monster boss was at that time?"


    "Whoever the boss was, he is not here now. Otherwise, he would have recognized our presence here." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Or the monster just doesn''t care because we are too weak in its eyes."


    "I don''t believe it. Even if the monster thinks like that, do you think someone that strong would want to stay here with nothing to do with Dragari culture?"


    "You are right. By the way, I heard you have followed Edward and Luca''s daughter a few times. How is she? As strong as Luca?"


    Luca asks Felix to follow Emily stealthily every time she enters the dungeon. She never let Emily enter without any countermeasure.


    "Her ability is strong. Honestly, if she could master it, I could see her becoming another human nuke like Isolde."


    "That strong, huh? She became a hunter to look for her father. I also heard they recently reformed the Guild. Don''t you think they will come here too?"


    "I have my sources; it''s possible. But I think it''s still too soon for them. Her oldest son is like Edward. He is a careful person, so I don''t know if he will go in or not."


    "Hahaha, if he is like Edward, then he is one hundred percent coming. Do you forget his personality?"


    Felix was silent for a moment as he remembered how Edward was. Normally, he was a calm, careful person, but when something happened to Luca, all hell broke loose as he threw logic into the trash.


    "If they come, it will complicate matters further."


    "Who knows, they might be stronger now and become our help.


    Anyway, now that I think about it, since the mission is recon, why don''t you go by yourself, Felix ? I have something else in mind."


    Felix''s gaze narrowed at Heimdall''s face. "What are you planning? Don''t tell me you want to make all hell break loose."


    "Hahaha, I am just thinking of furthering our odds. I don''t believe they are the only ones who are resistant to humans here.


    Any city or species, no matter the culture, always has someone outside the norm. Someone who dislikes the current situation."

 Chapter 310 - 310: Dragari & Lycan

    "This is Dragari¡ªhalf-dragon, and who knows what the other half is. Do you think that is possible?"


    "Isn''t it clear what the other half is? The Ymir race."


    "Ymir race? Do you mean those huge giants with six arms?


    How could they become this small? Don''t think I have never seen them," Felix asked.


    "I am sure of it. After changing into their form and checking Agni''s corpse, they were half dragon and quarter Ymir. The other quarter is probably human."


    "Human? And they now enslave other humans? This is crazy."


    "Isn''t it? I am sure they have already forgotten their own ancestry." Heimdall said with a chuckle.


    Felix looked past the window, gazing toward the spire in the middle of the city. "The portal should be inside that place."


    The sun had already started setting, painting the sky in twilight. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will go now. You don''t need to check the sewer; just focus on that spire."


    After saying this, Heimdall''s body turned into a blur and then disappeared.


    "This bastard, isn''t he worried that using his spatial ability like this will alert someone?" Felix mumbled in annoyance.


    But Felix knew Heimdall must have a reason if he was pulling a stunt like this. It wasn''t the first time he did something weird.


    He then decided to send a message to Luca and the others.


    Meanwhile, looking at the setting sun, Alex and the group decided to take a break. Based on Quartz and Olivia''s experience, the area would be far more dangerous at night.


    The monsters that roamed would also be different.


    They picked an empty field and started building the camp. Alex then began carving some rune formations in the area.


    The function was to seal their presence and ensure no odor or sound escaped from it.


    Some distance away, outside Alex''s detection, a group of people were looking toward Alex using advanced binoculars. It allowed them to see far into the distance and even through some solid objects.


    The man then lowered the binoculars. "I''m pretty sure they are our targets. There are no other hunters in this vicinity."


    "Are you sure? The last one massacred our elite battalion."


    "Just see their capabilities. My abilities already tell me that we cannot go further than this; otherwise, we will get detected."


    "Should we just bail then? I don''t think we can defeat them. Looking at the direction, I think they are going to the Dragari area.


    We have some deals with them. Don''t you think it''s better to just alert the Dragari?"


    "What deal? It''s just a trade. Don''t mistake them as our friends. We have no other choice than to cooperate with them," he said with spite.


    He was one of the dark guild members that Luca''s group massacred.


    "What the leader says is right. Don''t get used to cooperating with them. If we had another choice, do you think we would stay like this?"


    "What use is thinking like this? In the end, those hunters from the mainland think we are nothing more than traitors to humanity.


    While in reality, they are the ones who failed to protect us."


    Gabriell and Jake thought the resistance was in the city. While it was true that some survivors existed in the sewers, in reality, most of them had already escaped the city and built their own group.


    At first, this group kept ambushing the Dragari species, but it didn''t have any results. Instead, their casualties kept rising every day.


    Hungry and desperate, they decided to go to other species that had built their cities, like the Dragari.


    Compared to them, their relationship with humans was more amiable.


    They even sold them supplies, materials, and weapons. The payment was not cheap; they took some of their members as the cost.


    Some heroic ones decided to sacrifice themselves to give a path of survival for the others. This is how they survived and lasted till this moment.


    As time passed, the number of things they bought from this species also kept growing.


    As they became more capable, they didn''t sell one of their members anymore. Instead, they sold resources they stole from the Dragari.


    The species they traded with was the Lycans.


    "Those furry bastards need us to attack the Dragari for their own purposes. That is our relation to them. I honestly think it''s better to just let them move forward."


    "But if we don''t take revenge for the casualties, how could we explain ourselves to the bereaved?"


    "They don''t need to know. Honestly, as a leader, I am more interested in what they plan to do. If they are really that strong, maybe¡­ just maybe, we can ransack the Dragari city."


    Their leader, a man with black hair and a scar over one eye, replied in a heavy voice, "Ransacking Dragari city¡­ we have tried for generations. We even got a complete blueprint of the current place. Do you think that is possible?"


    "Why not? Just like that day when the sky fell, who is to say it won''t happen to them? I stopped thinking something was impossible after that incident."


    The leader pondered it. In the first place, a group of hunters going this far into the red zone was already a very hard task. Otherwise, most of them would prefer to escape back to civilization rather than risk their lives attacking the Dragari.


    Of course, there were exceptions. For example, their current leader, one of the survivors of the attack, saw the brutality of the Dragari.


    Seeing his own loved one torn to shreds was not something he would ever forget all his life. The shame and guilt that came from escaping and not trying to help, despite it being the wish of his wife.


    "Let''s wait and see. At the same time, gather the rest of the force somewhere near us.


    They don''t need to know about this group of hunters, but they must be ready to attack at a moment''s notice."


    Hearing their leader''s decision, the group scrambled into their tasks.

 Chapter 311 - 311: Bad Ending

    They may have had different thoughts, but they knew when their leader decided, they should quickly follow.


    This didn''t come from fear or respect but from the need for survival. They all knew how important maintaining the chain of command was to survival.


    Because of this decision, Alex and the group spent their night in peace.


    They were now gathered around the campfire, eating some grilled meat.


    After exchanging some small talk, Olivia excused herself, saying she wanted to rest. Seeing her lonely back, Quartz let out a sigh and followed her.


    Emily, being tactful, pulled Zold, William, and Alice away, saying she wanted to practice.


    This left Alex and MingYue alone.


    Looking through the night sky, Alex asked, "Does it look the same as in the cultivation world?"


    In reality, Alex knew MingYue had already seen it from movies and scenery he shared from his memory. But he was just looking for a topic to start a conversation.


    "It has the same glow but a different pattern. The moon is also quite different now that I look at it with my own eyes."


    "How different?"


    "Your moon is more white, while in my world, the glow has a bluish tint to it."


    "I see. I wonder if any cultivators live there?"


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "There is a rumor an immortal goddess with lightning abilities claims the moon as her place. She built her own sect there, dominating the whole moon."


    "Interesting, where did you hear it from?"


    "Actually, it is more like a fairy tale. I heard about it when I was a child. The story tells of a survivor named Kaguya from the Enel clan.


    You can guess the plot: a runaway princess, family massacred, learning how to cultivate, arranged marriage, making her own way in the world."


    "Rather than a fairy tale, it''s more like a novel then. Maybe you should try writing it in my world. Who knows, it might be popular." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Isn''t that plagiarism? I am not the one creating the story," MingYue replied. In her heart, an interest grew to write her own story.


    After reading so many books, there was often a time when she thought the story should be different or the author started going repetitive. Sometimes, she also hated the ending.


    Despite living in a world of cultivation where cruelty happens daily, Ming Yue hates bad endings.


    She hated it when a character she liked passed through so many hurdles that she ended up sad in the end.


    In MingYue''s opinion, novels existed for entertainment and to give out positive vibes to the reader. The world already had enough cruelty; there was no need to expand it to the novel.


    Even if the story became dark and filled with tragedy, the author should have written toward a good ending.


    She told Alex her thoughts, making Alex smile, "I did try to write multiple times, but I always failed as I usually ran out of ideas after a few chapters. But as I wrote, I began to understand why authors often wrote bad endings.


    A bad ending just stays in the reader''s mind longer, making them think of many what-if scenarios.


    What if the MC does that? What if the author stopped giving plot armor to the villain? Wouldn''t the MC survive? Wouldn''t he become happier?"


    "So you mean the author does that for popularity? I don''t agree. They shouldn''t sacrifice the characters like that.


    Have you ever thought, Alex, what if the world we live in is just another world written by someone else in a higher dimension?


    Wouldn''t you argue they should have written us better?"


    "In that case, I will complain to the author. Why did he need to choose me to become a progenitor? He should have written me as a rich young master who occasionally helps the main character."


    MingYue let out a chuckle, "That is why if I write my own story, I will never give it a bad ending."


    "You know, my favorite ending is not a bad or good ending. I prefer a bittersweet one since, honestly, it feels more realistic. We cannot get it all in real life."


    "What kind of ending is that? I have watched and read everything you gave me, but I never found a story like that."


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to give you that anime. It''s a story of an exiled prince who comes back to take revenge on his own parents.


    The story has its problems, but the ending, yeah, it''s unforgettable and an epic masterpiece."


    "Hmm¡­ tell me about it."


    "Are you sure? I don''t want


    to rob you of the experience of watching it for the first time."


    "No, you won''t. As I told you, I don''t like stories with bad endings. I have read enough to know I don''t want to see anything like that anymore.


    Those bad endings remind me of the reality of the cultivation world. Every day, how many do you think succumb to that fate?


    I¡­ I know a lot of them, Alex, some even on a personal level."


    "I thought you said you didn''t get close to others in the past."


    "I didn''t, but that doesn''t stop them from telling their own stories. As a genius cultivator in my sect, I always had my own personal maid. As I didn''t treat them badly, they often told me a lot of stories."


    "What happened to them?"


    "Well, not all had tragic lives, but I know some that ended up badly. Some even lost their lives in the process. The worst I heard became the plaything of some passing cultivator for no reason at all. She was toyed with until her demise."


    Alex''s eyes widened when he heard it, not because of the tragic story but because he didn''t believe MingYue would do anything toward the perpetrator.


    Feeling Alex''s gaze, MingYue let out a cold smile, "Don''t worry, the perpetrator is now five feet under. But that doesn''t make it a good ending. In the end, I couldn''t help her."

 Chapter 312 - 312: Olivia and Quartz

    Alex let out a sigh, "A world filled with tragedy. Honestly, I could say it''s the same with my world. It''s even worse now with the dungeon breaks. When dungeon breaks happen, the survivors become refugees as the government''s resources are limited.


    They only live in the slums. Logically speaking, these people should get help and a way to return to their lives, but no, they instead become victims of other humans.


    Life keeps going on despite the tragedy. They need money to pay for food, clothes, and medicine.


    Some get lucky and easily get a new job, but most of them are not like that. They are forced to take loans from loan sharks; some even get scammed into one.


    The interest is so crazy that most of them are unable to pay, resulting in them getting sold as slaves or entering the organ market."


    MingYue''s eyes squinted, "I agree that it is worse than mine. At the very least, mine is straightforward with the rules, while yours act like there is equal law, but in reality, no one upholds them."


    Alex and MingYue then continued their small talk, exchanging their experiences. Meanwhile, close by, Olivia was sitting there sulking.


    Quartz, with a teasing smile on her face, sat at her side. "Every time you are depressed, you always sit alone under a tree. It seems your habit will never change."


    "I don''t know why. It just feels peaceful. It makes me forget all my problems. The tree always gives me a sense of warmth.


    In the past, I thought this was just my imagination, but now I realize it''s because of plant lifeforce."


    "Your ability is related to healing. Have you ever wondered if it is related to plants?" Quartz asked.


    She doesn''t talk about what is bothering her since she knows Olivia will only talk when she feels comfortable sharing.


    Quartz could already guess what the matter was; she just decided to be a spectator since the problem was sensitive.


    Olivia raised her eyebrow as she turned her gaze toward the tree, "I doubt it. I have never heard of someone''s abilities evolving after they get one. Some do become stronger, but it''s because they learn more about how to use the ability effectively. In my case, the ability is healing.


    Even if I cast it on a plant, it will just regenerate old scars, making it healthier or bloom. I couldn''t order it to move as I wanted."


    Olivia''s hand glowed with golden light as she then used her ability on the tree. The leaves became greener, and the complexion of the bark also became healthier.


    Flowers started blooming, followed by some fruit.


    "This is only after I enhanced it with lifeforce. In the past, I couldn''t make it bloom. Otherwise, we would have no problem with food."


    Quartz nodded. If she could do it, their life on the front line would be far easier, and she was sure the association wouldn''t let Olivia go.


    In a way, it could be said this is a solution to their lack of food.


    "We cannot, though. This is all thanks to using lifeforce energy from Alex. Without him, this ability would only have limited use. I am sure you know what will happen if his abilities come to light."


    "He will become public enemy number one. Everyone will want his ability."


    "Immortality, enhanced strength, runes. There are too many things to ignore. Actually, even I thought of it once. If he used runes on every hunter, wouldn''t our situation quickly change? Wouldn''t we be able to take back the territory we lost?"


    Olivia''s eyes turned cold, "Who is ''we'' in this matter? All humanity? We both know that is not the case, Quartz. They will label it for humanity or the greater good, while in reality, it''s just their own personal greed. Even if it''s you, I will not agree to it."


    "I''m just saying what I thought. There is no way I will ever betray him; you know it."


    Olivia let out a sigh, "Sorry, I know. I''m just a little sensitive these few days."


    "Oh, that time of the month?" Quartz asked with a chuckle.


    "Cut it out; you know the reason why."


    "Fine, fine. If you really feel like it, just tell him about it. What use is bottling your feelings like this? At the very least, you will know the answer." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haven''t you seen how they interact with each other? Even if I don''t mind him having another, do you think he will agree? I know Alex, Quartz."


    "At the very least, maybe the rejection will make you accept the situation."


    "If only it were that easy. You just don''t understand how painful it is for me. Now, if he rejects me, I don''t think I could even see him."


    "That bad, huh¡­. I''ve never fallen in love, so I don''t know what to say. But it''s not like it''s avoidable."


    "Let''s just wait until this operation finishes. After this, I could just go on my way, trying to forget about this feeling. Maybe this is my punishment for doing the same to him."


    Quartz let out a sigh, then tried to change the topic again, talking about their old comrades and their possible fate.


    Meanwhile, back in the city, the peacefulness in Alex''s camp was nowhere to be seen.


    Fire rose high in the sky, with many Dragari running in the streets. The human slaves they had as prisoners somehow got free and began running amok.


    Seeing all the chaos, Felix could already guess this was Heimdall''s work. ''He is really cruel when he decides.''


    Felix may come from the underground world, but for him, what Heimdall does is still bad. He understands his reasoning, but it still doesn''t mean it justifies the cruelty.


    Heimdall unlocked all the slave cages and injected them with mixed drugs. In his mind, it''s better to die fighting back rather than live a life worse than a dog. But in Felix''s mindset, it''s their choice to make. There is no justification for forcing it on them.

 Chapter 313 - 313: Wrath of God

    However, since things had already happened, Felix decided to just capitalize on the opportunity. It''s not like he could turn back time or have a better solution to incite chaos.


    Felix also told Luca and the others what happened. This is the best time if they want to make a move.


    Some distance away from the city, Luca and the group were now out looking at the billowing smoke.


    "Heimdall, being Heimdall, he knew we would reject the idea, so he forced our hand instead," Aldric commented.


    "In this case, I agree with him. This is the best scenario. Even if we give them a chance to fight back, how many have the strength to do it? This way, at the very least, they will not leave as slaves. A life without dignity, how could they call it one?" Isolde commented.


    Luca frowned, then replied, "I disagree. You can fight back for dignity, you can find a cure for illness. As long as you are not dead, there is always a way to recover. But that doesn''t matter now."


    Luca turned her gaze to Seraphine, "What about you? Any bad premonition?"


    Seraphine shook her head. "No, I should be safe even if we go now."


    "Any plan?" Luca asked Aldric, as he was the one who usually made one with Edward.


    "At this point, let''s just go all out. Send a message to Jake to start cleaning out the spire while we start our attack. Isolde, you know what to do."


    Isolde''s lips curled into a grin as she knew this meant she could go nuts. As someone with a lot of destructive power, she always had the impulse to use it.


    Her hair fluttered in the wind as she started floating up. Despite the distance, for her, this was enough to start the casting.


    Despite using mana to use it, her ability came from learning the rules of the world. She just used mana to trigger the reaction.


    Dark clouds started gathering over the city, casting ominous darkness in the midst of chaos. Many spheres of elements started floating and spinning around Isolde, and her eyes glinted with many sparks from the elements.


    Thunder kept roaring in the air as mist started gathering all over the city, raising the humidity to a new level. The Dragari quickly understood something was happening.


    Ironically, no one thought this was human doing. They all started thinking it was the Lycans or other races making trouble for them.


    While in reality, humans were the cause. The thunder kept rumbling, rising in intensity.


    The ground shook as her mana entered into the tectonic plate, triggering a small movement. It may only be an inch, but this took a lot of her strength.


    Her beautiful face turned pale, but the result was satisfying.


    CRACKLE!!! RUMBLE!!!


    The crevice grew in size, making the whole city shake. As Isolde expected, the protection didn''t go all the way to the underground.


    It only covered the city land and the sky.


    The buildings shook, but their strong foundations allowed most of them to stand tall. The elite Dragari rode their own wyverns, flying high in the sky. Meanwhile, the lower class had no other choice but to take shelter in their own homes.


    As the protection barrier started losing its integrity.


    BAM! A huge lightning bolt fell from the sky like the wrath of God.


    At this moment, Jake, seeing what happened, cursed in his mind, ''Dammit, Isolde, don''t you realize I am still inside the city?''


    Isolde knew, but she also knew Jake could just escape into the shadows. And she knew, based on experience, this would only be enough to destroy the barrier. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like a broken mirror, the barrier was destroyed when it hit the spire. To Isolde''s amazement, the spire didn''t have any damage and still stood tall on the ground.


    Jake''s muscles bulged as he hit the ground, then launched himself toward the air. Like a meteor, without fear, he landed, creating a crater in the city.


    He is not afraid of the Dragari. Based on reports so far, the current strength in the city was far less than the one that came out from the dungeon break.


    Isolde landed on the ground with ragged breath. Sweat covered her body.


    "How long do you need?" Alaric asked as he needed to stand guard beside her till she recovered.


    Meanwhile, Luca and Seraphine had already made their way into the city.


    Even though her combat ability is not strong, having a low presence still helps her to infiltrate,


    ambush, or get any crucial information.


    "Give me 5 minutes. I should recover enough to have a fight, just not cast another one at this scale."


    "I never grow tired of seeing how destructive your ability is. If you can cast it as many times as you want, you will be invisible."


    "If I could do that, we humans would never be pushed back this far. At the very least, we would be able to take back the area."


    "What a confidence. You do remember we have launched many nukes and still haven''t made a lot of progress."


    Isolde chuckled, "Did you forget what happened at that time? It''s not that the nuke doesn''t work.


    It''s just we met our antithesis. Who the fuck will think a monster that could absorb radiation exists in reality? I thought they were only in movies."


    "You are right. It''s been a while. I almost forgot what happened in the past. Still¡­ if only he survived, things would not turn this worse."


    "A cost to clear our greatest enemy at that time. What else can we say? I don''t know him personally, but as the strongest hunter, I respect him."


    "Sometimes I wonder, did he really die? He is just too strong to disappear like that."


    "From our enemy''s point of view, he is their strongest adversary. So it''s not weird they focused the attack on him."


    "That is true, still¡­ he is one of the few hunters that have multiple abilities. And to this day, I still don''t know some of it."

 Chapter 314 - 314: Aldrics Ability

    "Maybe it''s just useless ones? That is why you don''t know? I remember you fought at his side at that time."


    "He is my brother. What do you expect? But since he was a child, he was just different, always keeping something to himself. We all thought it was just a phase, but who knows, it turned out to last till his final moment."


    Alaric let out a deep sigh, "Anyway, let''s go. You should have recovered enough."


    Isolde nodded, as they talked, time had passed on. It''s still not exactly five minutes, but she could recover it now as they moved.


    Meanwhile, Luca and the group had already entered the city. They brandished their weapons, with Luca holding her sword and Seraphine using a handgun.


    From the outside, the gun didn''t look anything peculiar; it was a sleek black handgun carved with a unique pattern.


    Seraphine didn''t use it, though. She moved proficiently, following Luca in a way that ensured she wouldn''t get hit by stray attacks.


    Seeing the Dragari up close made Luca''s pent-up anger explode. In the past, she couldn''t do much as she needed to focus on bringing their kids out of the city.


    All her attention was on the possibility of an ambush. But now, free from all the burden, she went wild. Many silhouettes came into her view.


    Despite spending time focusing on her kids, this didn''t mean Luca had forgotten all her resentment. She had spent much effort learning about their weaknesses and strengths.


    A low-level Dragari that blocked her path now only had enhanced physical strength, with strong defense from their scales. They were no match for Luca in her current state.


    Slash! Her sharp sword cut through their necks like tofu without any resistance.


    Normally, they should have been able to raise their hands or weapons to parry the attack or, at the very least, move on instinct to dodge. But in front of Luca''s eyes, all their movements were predicted. No matter how they moved, she already knew where they would be a few seconds ahead.


    Her sword always hit their weakness: a weird form of scale on the back of their necks. The moment the sword touched it, the Dragari would feel weak and lose their strength.


    Without any mercy, Luca massacred her way forward. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The high-level ones were now flying on their wyverns, looking down at the chaos in the city.


    As for those of middle level, they were already busy fighting against the drugged humans. Despite being stronger, the humans beat the Dragari by not caring about their own wounds.


    Even when their limbs were torn apart, it didn''t stop their assault. They kept attacking with everything they had.


    The trained ones used their weapons, while those with abilities kept unleashing them until they died. The large number of humans they had turned into pets in their city now bit them back.


    Some distance away, a group of dark hunters had already gathered. They had been ordered to move here and stand by in case something happened.


    Seeing the city in chaos, they quickly contacted their leader.


    "Sir, the city is under attack now by another group of hunters. Should we proceed to move forward?"


    "Another group of hunters? Tell me more in detail," the leader responded.


    The guard on the other side began describing what happened. They contacted each other using a communicator they got from the lycan. It worked by linking to a specific device, making it like a wireless walkie-talkie.


    The device had limited functions, but it came with the ability to make contact almost anywhere despite the environment.


    The dark hunter explained everything: how the shield was blown up and a bright light of thunder hit the area. If the leader were closer, he would never have missed the thunderbolt since it was quite a spectacle. He had just heard some muffled explosions, something that was normal in this area as conflicts happened constantly.


    "Proceed then. We will quickly go to your location," the leader said.


    The dark hunters quickly made their move, adding to the chaos.


    "Leader, should we go too? Since the chaos has already begun, there is no need to follow them anymore."


    The leader ruminated on his choice, then said, "We will have two people follow them from a distance. As for us, let''s go support the others.


    This is a golden opportunity. Not only can we pillage their resources, but we could also remove them once and for all from this area."


    The other hunters'' eyes shone with determination while some flickered with anger. They were all eager to move quickly.


    All this time, in their eyes, the Dragari city looked like an impregnable fortress, something they could not break. But now, finally, their patience had paid off.


    Back in the city, thunder rumbled once more. Isolde, seeing the wyverns flying in the air, didn''t let them just stay and watch.


    She quickly cast lightning to hit them.


    Aldric stayed at her side, making sure no one could disturb her casting. His specialty was close combat fighting, with power over kinetic energy.


    The way Aldric used it was unique; he utilized the kinetic energy, making it vibrate to create a special field where all his opponents would get weakened. He also used a sword like Luca, but his sword was long.


    It had only one sharp edge, with a length of around 1.8 meters (6 ft).


    The creator of this sword was the same as the one who made Luca''s; both could transform into something small that they could wear on their hands.


    Luca''s was in the form of a bracelet, while Aldric''s was made into a ring.


    Slash!


    Even though his sword was not as sharp as Luca''s, by utilizing his ability, he created vibrations that moved quickly, making a small, precise invisible saw.


    Sparks and blood flew in the air as he cleaved a few Dragari in one movement.


    One of the Wyverns dived from the air at high speed, embers of flame coming out from its mouth. Aldric grinned and pointed his sword upward.

 Chapter 315 - 315: The Weird Dragari

    In the next moment, like being yanked by a chain, the wyvern crashed into the ground.


    Swosh!!!


    Despite falling, the wyvern still shot its fire breath toward the target.


    The flame shot toward Isolde and Aldric. It exploded, rising smoke in the sky.


    But it only lasted for a moment before the flame was cut into two like someone cleaved it from inside.


    A sharp ice bolt cut through the distance, instantly impaling the wyvern''s eyes.


    Multiple more appeared, this time followed by a rumble of electricity. Isolde imbued the ice with it to enhance the damage.


    This time, the target was the other wyvern that dived toward them. The Dragari above the fallen wyvern also leaped forward, brandishing its sharp claws.


    Aldric responded by slashing his sword at such an angle that it cut through the Dragari''s head cleanly while parrying multiple attacks from the other Dragari.


    Compared to the others, the Dragari that rode the wyverns had stronger physical strength but weaker defense. They were higher-leveled since they shared a connection with their wyverns, allowing them to fight together.


    But in front of Aldric and Isolde, this combination was not effective, and their numbers were too small to make any difference.


    "Is this it? They are too weak," Isolde replied with a smirk. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t underestimate them; they are nothing more than cannon fodder."


    "In that case, I will just freeze them all as we go to the spire to save on energy," Isolde replied.


    Clang! Clang!


    The Dragari and wyverns were frozen by Isolde as they moved toward the spire. But as their backs faced the wyverns, something happened.


    A cracking sound could be heard, followed by the ice shattering. The wyverns'' eyes glowed purple, the same as the Dragari riders.


    With swift motions, they threw their weapons toward Aldric and Isolde. Feeling the change of vibrations behind him, Aldric turned his head.


    As his ability allowed him to control kinetic energy, Aldric used it to create an invisible shield around him. This shield was very weak; it could not stop any attack or anyone.


    The purpose was only to alert him if something moved inside.


    Aldric slashed his sword, parrying the incoming attack. Sparks flew in the air, and this time, the strength behind it was far stronger. It was like the Dragari''s strength was boosted by the drake, layering above each other.


    Feeling the change, Isolde also turned. Her hair fluttered as she created a blast of wind to scatter all the incoming attacks.


    Meanwhile, Seraphine and Luca had already reached the spire. To their surprise, even when they reached there, the guards were too weak.


    As they entered the tower, corpses littered the ground.


    "Don''t they have a portal here? I don''t believe they didn''t send anyone to come here," Seraphine said.


    The place was in shambles now. Logically, they should have asked for backup since it was connected to the dungeon.


    Luca''s lips curled into a smile as what she saw made her feel more hopeful. "This just means they cannot send any help as something happened on the other side, but I refuse to believe there is no one strong here. At the very least, there should be one person equal to a five-star hunter."


    Seraphine nodded, "The strongest so far is only two stars. They are all too weak. Do you think Edward is the one causing trouble on the other side?"


    "I don''t know who, but I am hopeful Seraphine. You know how he is; there is no way he would just stay down as long as they could fight back."


    "That is true. It reminds me of how we first met. Honestly, I never understood what made both of you so kind to other people. You could have just left me to die at that time or just benefited and earned money by selling me to the dark guild."


    "We are not being kind; you can think it''s just our hobby or something."


    "What kind of hobby is that, risking your life for others?"


    Luca sighed, "It will be a long story if I tell you, but you already know our past."


    "Because I know it, I feel even more confused. Those who know the hardship of life usually become more self-centered as they do anything for their own survival."


    "That would just grow into a chain of hatred, Seraphine. It''s not like you were the one who caused the tragedy in my or Edward''s life. Blaming someone for another''s fault is stupid and useless. I don''t know if God exists or not, but I know for sure now that I have the strength for it, I won''t become like them. I will help those who need and deserve it."


    "Deserve, huh¡­ what makes you think I deserve it? I am only a selfish person who prioritizes my own survival."


    "You are just a victim of circumstance, Seraphine. A lot of people don''t have a choice but to do what they did to survive. But I believe if they have the opportunity, some will change."


    "This ''some'' is just a minority, Luca. The majority of them won''t change. Some will even bite you back."


    Luca''s lips curled into a sad smile, "I just take it as part of the risk. Who cares what they do; the minority is enough to make me satisfied. And if any of them do the same as me, the cycle will continue."


    "I hate to say this, but it will never happen, Luca. Edward is smart; I am sure he also realizes it. People are selfish and greedy; that is wired in our DNA. We will only cooperate when the situation deems so."


    "I don''t agree. We may be selfish, but that selfishness can be pointed toward kindness. We are greedy, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, Seraphine. Just like me, I know I am greedy by hoping the world will change to my ideal."


    Clap¡­ clap¡­ clap¡­


    A clap suddenly reached Luca''s ears, making her turn alert. Looking at the source, she saw a Dragari that looked different from the others.

 Chapter 316 - 316: The Spire

    He wore metallic silver armor with two wings coming out from the back. His scales were black, but they looked soft, not like the other Dragari.


    His height was also similar to that of an average human, but only a little bit taller than Alex.


    "What interesting words from you barbaric humans."


    Luca''s eyes squinted. "So finally, the boss is here. Are you the one responsible for the city? And to think you call us barbaric, aren''t you the brutal one?


    "Haha, don''t put me at the same level as those stupid uncultured lizards."


    Luca wanted to respond more, but she suddenly tilted her head.


    Swosh! BANG!


    A bullet passed an inch away from her cheek and landed on the wall, creating a hole in the other room as if it had been shot from a cannon.


    The Dragari grinned, baring its fangs. "Interesting, someone worth fighting."


    Luca''s eyes turned sharp. This was the first time she had seen this kind of attack, one she knew was coming, but not where it came from.


    It was as if the bullet just appeared from nowhere.


    ''Is that even a bullet?'' Luca wondered in her mind, but she didn''t have time to find the answer.


    CLANG!!!


    She raised her sword as the Dragari suddenly appeared in front of her.


    His hand turned like a spear, targeting her heart. It clashed with the side of her blade.


    Before Luca could formulate a counterattack, she saw another silhouette of the same hand piercing through her back.


    At that moment, she quickly jumped, avoiding another stab that appeared out of nowhere.


    A thought came to Luca''s mind.


    ''It should be something related to space abilities, like Heimdall. Added to the already fast movement, this makes it hard to see the motion. Fine, you are asking for it.''


    Luca''s black eyes changed; a weird pattern made of blue lines appeared on her pupils. It looked like a bird.


    The silhouettes in front of Luca''s eyes started to change, quickly increasing in number, painting the world like it was made of sketches.


    Usually, her eyes could only see one second forward, but now they saw three seconds. It may only add two more seconds, but in a fight, this raised the possibility of her seeing considerably. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The stronger the enemy was, the more attacks she would see, as they were capable of unleashing more chaos in just a short moment.


    It could be two, three, or even five, and this raised the possibilities considerably, as different patterns would result in different counters from Luca.


    In front of her eyes now, she saw another stab coming from the front toward her face. Then, the next one came through her torso.


    Based on the sequence of attacks, she made her move. The sword parried the first; she spun her body, then slashed at the empty space above her.


    Before she couldn''t see it, thinking the Dragari had space abilities, but now she realized it was just a very fast attack mixed with perfect camouflage.


    The bullets he shot were camouflaged in a way she couldn''t detect.


    Slash!!! Clang! Clang!


    Moving meticulously like a deadly dance, Luca spun, deflecting any incoming bullets and the Dragari''s attacks.


    After the exchange, the Dragari''s expression changed from one of confidence to one of excitement.


    "This is the second time I''ve met someone who could see through my abilities."


    "I get it now. You gained one of the abilities of a dark dragon, mimicry. I don''t know how perfect it is, but it allows you to camouflage things from others."


    "You even have knowledge about dragons, which is interesting. I never thought a lowly human would have that knowledge."


    "A lowly human, hahaha. That is funny. Well, this lowly one will have your head."


    At this moment, all of Luca''s focus was on her enemy. This was the only way she could keep sane using her ability without going crazy.


    If someone else ambushed her from behind now, she would not be able to see it even with her abilities.


    Seraphine at the side couldn''t follow the flow of the battle at all. Luca kept moving in a random way, but there would always be something there.


    The fight also happened in fast motion; normal humans would only see sparks and shockwaves flying everywhere.


    Contrary to the Dragari''s excited expression, Luca was more alert. She had already used her ability to the utmost, and the result was only a standstill battle.


    Her only hope now was for one of her comrades to come and help.


    She knew Seraphine wouldn''t be able to do anything to help for now.


    Physically, the enemy''s strength was above hers; she could only fight back by timing everything perfectly without any mishaps.


    While Luca was busy fighting, Jake was at the same location in the spire. But contrary to her, who moved toward the top, Jake was going underground.


    He was curious why this spire was necessary to build even though there was already a portal before.


    Jake didn''t believe it was done just as a whim for aesthetic reasons.


    The material required and the amount needed to make this was beyond his calculation. It wasn''t worth it to do without any real reason.


    As he easily entered through the gap in the door, he quickly reached the bottom.


    Stab! Stab!


    Two Dragari that faithfully guarded the door despite the chaos above met their untimely end as Jake stabbed them right in their weak points.


    He then materialized from the shadow, his gaze turning, looking through some small gap to slip inside the shadow.


    He then spotted it. His body turned back into a shadow and tried to enter, but the moment he slipped through, he felt like he was crashing against an iron wall.


    With his current state, the damage was not something he could underestimate. The attack hurt even in his shadow state.


    His body was thrown back into the wall, and Jake felt his bones shatter with blood seeping out from his lips.

 Chapter 317 - 317: Dragon?

    "Dammit! I knew it wouldn''t be that simple, but still, if they have such protection in this room, that means it''s quite important.


    What''s really happening on the other side? Did Edward create a huge chaos there coincidentally at this moment?"


    Jake''s eyes locked on the gate. He still didn''t give up on entering it.


    He stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth. With a grin, he took a pill, recovering his bones.


    His shadow then moved like it was alive, covering his body and enhancing his physical strength multiple times. With a shadow-infused dagger, he started poking through the wall, trying to dig his way in.


    At first, the digging proceeded smoothly, but it soon started meeting resistance and then was deflected.


    This made Jake realize the barrier had properties that allowed it to deflect attacks back.


    "I don''t believe they can deflect everything. There should be a limit to it. And for what''s inside¡­"


    The dragari also put barriers outside the city, but they didn''t have any properties like this. So whatever was inside should hold far more importance than even the city.


    As he kept trying, the fight on top of the spire still showed no change.


    Clash after clash happened, but Luca couldn''t find any way to push back her enemy.


    Seraphine also tried to find a good time to ambush the dragari but couldn''t find any.


    As she did this, she also wondered if the dragari had already realized her presence since he had been listening to their conversation before.


    But if he did listen, she wondered why he didn''t do anything to her. Even though their culture wouldn''t allow them to use her as a hostage, it didn''t mean they wouldn''t kill her first.


    There was also a possibility the dragari didn''t perceive her to be in danger at all.


    As the battle went on, Luca started to understand more about how he used his ability.


    Not only did he hide his own weapon, but sometimes, he also created an illusion of himself. This was what made him look like he was teleporting.


    He would appear in front of Luca like he was teleporting, while in reality, that was just an illusion, and the real him camouflaged, running to her back, then started his attack.


    Luca''s sword slashed through the air, targeting the Dragari''s neck. But its tail raised upward, deflecting it. This was then followed by Luca''s kick to the creature''s torso.


    Bam! Her leg was caught by the Dragari''s grip, but she had already expected this to happen.


    Using this as a pivot, she spun while one of her hands threw a smoke grenade at the creature''s face.


    BOOM! Smoke exploded out. It wasn''t normal smoke; it had a potent ability to disorient all five senses: touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste.


    The smoke overwhelmed the sensory system, making the Dragari unable to act.


    But Luca was already prepared. She closed her eyes and held her breath. Her body now moved based on her predicted movements for three seconds ahead.


    The Dragari quickly used mimicry, camouflaging himself while he put his hand over his nose.


    He knew humans had weapons like this, but as Luca always fought him with her sword despite the many chances she had to use something like this, this attack really caught him off guard.


    Slash!!!


    Luca knew targeting his neck would be useless, as the Dragari would do his best to protect it.


    So her target was the next area that could impact the battle: his tail.


    Blood spurted out as Luca successfully maneuvered and cut the tail off.


    The Dragari reacted by throwing his elbow, trying to attack Luca, but it hit nothing other than air since Luca had already predicted this.


    After cutting the tail, Luca forcefully opened her eyes to see the future possibilities. This allowed her to dodge at the right angle, making sure she took the smallest amount of time to evade.


    Luca started coughing as she got out of the smoke, her eyes red with some tears flowing out. But she smiled as her goal was achieved.


    With her experience, she knew that creatures with tails used them often to balance themselves. Without it, they would struggle to maintain balance, resulting in weakened attacks and agility.


    For the Dragari, getting his tail cut off didn''t just cause pain; it also tarnished his pride as a warrior.


    "GROOAR!!!" It roared like a wyvern, his reptilian eyes blazing with anger.


    Black energy started coming out from his body, followed by a rise in temperature.


    Even Luca could feel the sting on her skin while Seraphine took some potion to enhance her resistance toward heat.


    The Dragari''s body started transforming, its wings growing bigger, followed by its body and head. From standing on his two legs, he now stood on four.


    His scales turned more sleek and sharp as the claws on his fingers grew longer and more deadly.


    The face also changed, becoming more like a dragon''s.


    Luca''s hair stood on end while Seraphine quickly ran toward her. "Luca, this is out of our league! Run!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Luca didn''t think twice. She took Seraphine in her arms and then jumped through the nearest window.


    PRANG! The glass broke while she turned her body to look toward the spire.


    The wall she had just jumped from turned into rubble, followed by a huge roar that pierced the sky. From inside, a black dragon came flying at high speed toward Luca.


    In the city, the roar brought everyone''s attention to the spire. Isolde and Aldric were among them.


    When they saw Luca and Seraphine jumping out into the sky, they already felt worried. But then they saw a humongous dragon come out from the tower.


    "Fuck it!" Isolde cursed under her breath. She knew if she didn''t force herself, she wouldn''t arrive in time.


    "That is not a dragon. Don''t be fooled by its appearance," Aldric reminded Isolde.


    Isolde didn''t reply. Many elements started spinning around her body. Fire shot out from her feet, followed by the wind.

 Chapter 318 - 318: Bad Feeling

    In no time, she arrived at the dragon and Luca. Elements sparked in the air, exploding into blinding light.


    Meanwhile, back at the camp, Alex woke up with a cold sweat on his forehead. He had just had a bad dream that something happened to his mother.


    Seeing her lifeless body covered with blood made his blood boil and his heart throb with pain.


    Alex got out from his camp, then looked toward their destination. Looking at the time, he knew it was close to sunrise. His gaze then turned sharp as he kept looking in that direction.


    He could see a spark of light a few times, but the vibration didn''t reach his location.


    "Brother, you couldn''t sleep, too?" Emily''s voice reached his ears.


    Alex already felt her presence coming close, so he was not surprised. "Yes, did you have a bad dream?"


    "No, just a bad feeling. It made me unable to sleep. I feel something bad is happening now."


    Alex ruminated for a moment, then said, "Wake up the others. We will go now. I know Olivia and Aunt Quartz say it''s normal for this to happen on the frontline, but it''s better to check it. I don''t believe this feeling is for nothing."


    Emily didn''t reply; she quickly looked for the others. MingYue was meditating, not sleeping, so she came out before Emily even entered her tent.


    The group quickly gathered and moved toward the city. Quartz, still asleep, asked after a yawn, "Just why did you suddenly change your mind to go this early? You know why I suggested we rest first."


    "I know, Aunt Quartz. But I just have a bad feeling."


    "What bad feeling?"


    "Something bad is happening to mom. I don''t know if it''s because we''re close to the city, and I''m reminded of the tragedy, but I want to make sure."


    "Alright, I agree, but we still need to check the situation first, no matter what you see.


    If something really happened to your mother, the enemy we face is not something we can just intervene with blindly."


    He hesitated for a moment, but then gave a nod. Even if he could control himself, he doubted anyone could control Emily.


    When her emotions flared, with her ability and no obstacles in the way, she would appear where she wanted instantly.


    Alex then raised the pace of his movement while Zold stayed guard at the back, just in case something came to ambush them.


    As they came closer, the city started appearing in their sight. Smoke billowed out, and the ground cracked. With Alex''s sharp eyes, he could see something flying in the air. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They could see a huge dragon clashing against a hunter floating in the sky.


    As Alex and Emily had never met Luca''s old comrade, they didn''t know who she was. But it was different with Quartz and Olivia.


    Seeing recognition in their eyes, Alex asked, "Who is she?"


    "She is your mother''s old comrade, let''s go!" Quartz quickly said as she ran toward the city.


    Despite being the one to say to be careful, seeing Isolde fighting defensively made her realize the situation was dire. She had met with her and the others; she knew how strong they were.


    Her qi churned as armor started materializing over her body. The armor looked heavy, but Quartz wore it easily without impeding her movement.


    The reason for this is because of the secret technique that Alex made for Quartz, allowing her to focus all her energy on physical strength.


    As she soared through the sky, Alex and the others followed. As they floated closer, Emily''s eyes narrowed down to the ground.


    When she heard it was her mother''s comrade, her priority was to quickly look for Luca. Alex found her first, but he still couldn''t beat Emily in speed.


    Being able to turn into light made Emily unmatched, even with Alex and MingYue''s current strength.


    The only weakness she had was she had to ensure there were no obstacles blocking her path.


    Otherwise, the consequence would not be pretty; even with her current body strength as a nascent soul cultivator, Emily would still be incapacitated.


    On the ground, Luca''s face was pale because she had overexerted her ability when fighting the unique dragari.


    Usually, Emily would land making a crack in the ground, but now, as control over her ability raised to a new level, as long as she prepared everything beforehand, she could stop without making a mess.


    Alex speculated only when Emily became immortal could she fully control her light ability, and at that time, finding someone to beat her would not be a simple task.


    Luca''s eyes widened in shock as she suddenly saw Emily.


    "MOM!" Emily said with a sob as she jumped forward, embracing Luca.


    Before Luca could say anything further, in the next moment, Alex landed beside them with Olivia. Meanwhile, MingYue and Zold moved toward Isolde, following Quartz.


    CRACKLE!!!


    Lightning reverberated in the air as Zold appeared right on top of the black dragon. His hair turned spiky while electricity crackled from his eyes.


    Pointing his finger forward, he shot multiple electric bolts toward the black dragon.


    Isolde was surprised by the sudden arrival of a new hunter, but seeing Quartz, she quickly guessed they were allies.


    "Dodge, that is just his mirage." Isolde''s voice reverberated in Zold and the others'' ears.


    This is one technique she created that is similar to telepathy but far simpler. By manipulating wind to carry the vibration of her voice, she delivered it directly to the receiver''s ears, ensuring no one else could hear it.


    Zold frowned upon hearing this, but it was already too late. His lightning bolt passed through the dragon figure like it was just a hologram. In the next moment, he felt like being hit by a truck from behind.


    Quartz, who had just arrived, moved to catch him in the air. Seeing this, MingYue''s lips curled into a smile.


    Unlike Luca and the others, she could feel the dragon''s life force. This so-called mimicry was useless to her eyes.

 Chapter 319 - 319: MingYue vs Dragon?

    She pointed her sword toward the sky, ice qi spreading, creating an icy mist. In the next moment, the whole area was sealed inside an ice lotus.


    MingYue does this to prevent the enemy from escaping or disturbing Alex''s reunion with his mother.


    Back on the ground, Aldric let out a chuckle seeing everything that was happening. "It seems I am not needed here now. I will look for Jake." He said to Luca, then left without waiting for her answer.


    Luca just let out a bitter smile. Seeing Alex and Emily now, she suddenly felt like she had left them for ten years. They had changed a lot.


    Emily still had the same actions, but Luca could feel the strength in her body. As for Alex, it was like he completely changed in her absence.


    His face showed someone who had experienced so many things.


    Luca patted Emily''s head gently as she tried to comfort her. But as she did this, her eyes were locked on Alex.


    They didn''t open their lips, but many things were exchanged at that moment. Alex quickly understood the gist of what was happening and the reason why Luca chose not to tell them.


    As for Luca, everything she learned just raised many more questions in her mind.


    Alex sighed, then his lips curled into a warm smile. He walked toward his mother.


    "Mom, trust me." Alex said as he raised his finger toward her forehead.


    In the next moment, the tip of his finger glowed with warm energy. Luca''s eyes kept questioning Alex as she felt this weird energy spread over her body. She could also feel something being carved on her forehead.


    Alex''s finger moved with finesse. Throughout all this, Emily had calmed down. She now sat patiently beside Luca, waiting for Alex''s procedure to be finished.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to finish. "Mom, I will explain after we rescue Dad."


    He then addressed Emily, "Protect mom and her friend, Emily."


    After saying that, Alex disappeared from sight, surprising Luca. Her questioning gaze moved to Emily, "Tell me everything you know."


    Emily meanwhile turned her head around as she was wondering who Alex meant by her mother''s friend. She couldn''t feel Seraphine''s presence despite her standing not far from them.


    Seraphine''s eyebrows creased together as interest started growing in her heart. This was the first time someone could feel her presence without her announcing it.


    ''Just how could he do it,'' Seraphine thought while looking around, trying to locate where Alex was.


    Meanwhile, Alex, using his foot technique, already blinked toward the spire.


    He knew the monster wouldn''t pose any problem for MingYue''s current strength. She was also supported by Zold and Quartz; in his mind, the monster''s fate was already sealed.


    His main concern now was the weird life energy he detected deep under the spire. He could feel it had some similarity to the eye being he had met before.


    Reaching in front of the spire gate, Alex turned his gaze upward, seeing the dungeon portal right on top.


    His hand flicked forward, and light came out, materializing into many figures kneeling.


    "Petricia, check the portal. Don''t go in, but make sure nothing comes out. If it''s something out of your power, escape."


    "Yes, my king," Petricia replied as she led a squad of goblins toward the top.


    The goblins she led now had cultivation levels at the early core formation stage. Added to Petricia''s ability, Alex believed she shouldn''t have a problem clearing the path, except something really strong came out from the portal.


    Petricia herself had already reached the later stage of core formation. She was already close to a breakthrough, but it seemed something was fundamentally different between goblins and humans at the soul level, making her stuck.


    Meanwhile, inside the lotus, everything changed. The dark dragon''s body was covered in blood, parts of its scales already peeled open.


    One of its eyes was stabbed, while the other one kept looking around, trying to find a weak point to escape.


    MingYue''s presence changed the whole battlefield. She instructed them where to attack, making the monster''s mimicry ability completely useless.


    In desperation, the dragon opened its mouth, and black energy started gathering.


    Seeing this, Isolde, Zold, and Quartz moved quickly to intervene, but MingYue stopped them.


    With a teasing smile, she pointed her sword forward. Ice started gathering in front of the sword tip.


    Ice started expanding in size, turning into a beautiful lotus.


    The Dragari thought MingYue wanted to use it to block his trump card, but unfortunately, he was wrong.


    The lotus, like it was alive, grew in size, reaching the same height as the Dragari.


    The petals then dropped as they started to bloom. Inside, a very lifelike ice fox appeared. "Groarr!!!"


    The fox leaped forward, its claw smacking the dragon''s jaw, dispersing the energy it charged. Its tail moved, grasping the dragon''s body, while its sharp fangs pierced their way toward the dragon''s scales. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Dragari grimaced in pain as it desperately tried to fight back. Isolde watched all this with a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.


    With one look, she knew MingYue, Zold, and Quartz didn''t just use mana. Especially MingYue, who seemed to use a different source of energy.


    Isolde had been stuck at her power level for a long time now. Any method to break it would trigger her curiosity to no end.


    But she knew this was a great opportunity to kill this so-called fake dragon. Her eyes closed as many elements started appearing around her body.


    They spun around until they started to combine. First, it was an earth spike that started growing and transforming into a spear.


    It then became covered with ice before electricity started covering it.


    Seeing the elements used, Zold and Quartz quickly understood what Isolde planned.


    Zold''s eyes flickered, and lightning rumbled in the air as he imbued his power into the spear.


    Quartz meanwhile moved toward the lotus petals that blocked the area. Her feet dug into the ice as her body crouched down, preparing to jump.

 Chapter 320 - 320: Combined Attack

    Quartz meanwhile moved toward the lotus petals that blocked the area. Her feet dug into the ice as her body crouched down, preparing to jump.


    Like a tightly coiled spring, her muscles contracted with explosive power. She then leaped forward, kicking the spear with incredible force.


    BAM!!!


    The spear pierced through the air with a deafening boom. As this happened, Isolde imbued it with wind to lower the friction and enhance the speed. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Frost''s aura started spreading from MingYue. With a gesture of her hand, part of the lotus petal turned into a chain, binding the transformed Dragari down.


    From the outside, the chain looked like MingYue could manipulate part of the lotus at will, but in reality, this was not the case.


    The chains were made from ice mixed with her blood. She was still not at a level where she could manipulate everything that easily.


    Swosh!!!


    The spear pierced through, creating a gaping hole in the Dragari''s body.


    "Groarr!!!" The Dragari roared in pain as blood gushed out from where his heart was.


    Life started disappearing from his eyes, but it didn''t dampen his determination.


    MingYue''s eyes turned sharp as she felt Dragari''s life force fluctuate. She quickly realized he wanted to self-destruct. The draconic body started growing in size like a balloon, his scales cracking further.


    She quickly moved, arriving right in front of the Dragari. Her palm touched his forehead. An ice-cold aura started spreading, turning him into an ice statue.


    Isolde felt a sense of relief; the Dragari had put her life at risk multiple times.


    Before Zold and the others came to help, she was thinking of a way to pull him down to the ground. But she never found a way; instead, the Dragari kept attacking her from unexpected spots.


    MingYue put the frozen Dragari into her storage ring; even though he had lost his heart, it was not a wound they couldn''t heal. As long as his brain wasn''t damaged, it wasn''t a problem.


    The frost lotus then turned into icy mist, revealing the burning city.


    Back at the spire, Alex was now looking at Jake. He didn''t attack since he concluded Jake was one of his mother''s comrades.


    Jake''s lips curled into a smile as he quickly recognized him. "You have a similar presence to your father now. I am Jake, one of your parents'' old comrades."


    "It seems you have seen me before, but this is the first time I have met you."


    "Yes, when I saw you, you were still a small child," Jake replied with a lie. He had seen Alex many times, even after that day, but mostly at their parents'' request.


    He didn''t want him to know he was following from the shadows.


    Alex could detect the lie, but he decided not to ask further as there was something more crucial to do. His gaze turned to the door.


    Part of the wall was already destroyed, revealing an invisible barrier of energy.


    "I got stuck. If you have a way, we should try to breach it. I am sure whatever is inside is something important," Jake said, as he could tell now Alex was stronger than him.


    It was a realization that came from his instinct honed in the underworld.


    Jake never underestimated this instinct; it had saved his life multiple times.


    Alex started digging information from his brain, looking through a list of arrays and runes. But he didn''t find any solution.


    He then decided to dig through some of the information he got from Felidaen''s library.


    While he did this, Jake let out a small chuckle as it reminded him of his old comrade. When Edward thought of what to do, he also used to act like that, in a daze. But this didn''t mean he let down his guard.


    If anyone came close to a certain distance, Edward would quickly become alert. Based on what he saw, Jake didn''t doubt it was the same with Alex.


    A rock then appeared in his hand; he flicked it slowly toward the barrier. The moment it hit, the rock repelled back with similar speed.


    Next, Alex tried to shoot a small fireball, his eyes focused, making sure he wouldn''t miss any changes.


    The moment it hit, the barrier''s surface rippled gently like a rock falling into a calm lake. Alex started getting an idea of how it worked.


    The reflection seemed to work by utilizing space-like abilities. When the energy entered, it created a portal that made it return to where it came from. However, Alex felt that his hypothesis was not entirely correct.


    He had seen part of the wall destroyed; it was clear it came from Jake trying to enter through the barrier. If his hypothesis was correct, this shouldn''t have happened.


    Jake should have teleported back, not gotten knocked.


    "What are your thoughts on this barrier?" Alex asked. He wanted to know how Jake ended up knocked back and how he tried to barge inside the room.


    "As you tried, it seems to be able to reflect anything. I have tried using an incorporeal form to enter, but I got knocked back instead."


    "How did you feel when you got knocked? I mean, did you get pushed back with equal strength, or was it something more?"


    Jake tried to remember what happened before; he felt like he was being crushed by a truck. It''s not like he tried to barge in with all his strength. He just did the usual change into shadow and then tried to slip through the gap.


    "It''s something more, as I just moved at my usual speed."


    Alex frowned since this made all his hypotheses false.


    "Can you try to do something similar? Like creating this incorporeal energy and attacking it?"


    Jake replied with his action. He flicked his finger, shooting a dark bullet into the gap in the wall.


    When it hit the barrier, it rippled in the same way before it shot back. This time with more strength than it was shot.

 Chapter 321 - 321: Inside The Room

    To normal eyes, Jake may have only flicked his finger, but Alex saw what really happened.


    He could see the shadow gathering on Jake''s finger, turning into a sphere.


    Then, with a flick, he shot it like a solid object.


    ''His ability is related to shadow¡­. It seems this type of energy causes a special reaction. But why?''


    Alex then started coming to a realization. In the first place, what is shadow?


    It''s nothing more than darkness created from light. It''s not a real object or even energy, just a term used to address this phenomenon.


    Then how could it be used as an attack or something solid?


    ''It''s all thanks to Mana¡­ but there should be more rules on this. Wait, the fireball I created before was using Qi.


    Does this mean there is something more about Mana than what I know?


    Something that could make all these weird abilities come true.


    Even in the cultivation world, Mingyue has never heard of anyone with abilities overshadowing or any other abstract concept.''


    Alex felt he was getting into something, but he knew it wasn''t the priority for now. Alex created another small fireball, but this time, he mixed it with a bit of Mana.


    The barrier rippled once more; this time, it was reflected with stronger momentum. ''It seems it''s true, Mana will be returned with more power.''


    Curious, Alex moved closer. There was one more energy he hadn''t tried, and that was lifeforce.


    He raised his palm forward, and blood seeped out from his fingertips, moving like a snake, slowly creeping into the barrier.


    The moment it touched, there was no ripple. The blood snake kept moving in without any hindrance. Alex''s lips curled into a smile. The next moment, his body glowed with green energy.


    Alex walked forward, entering the room.


    Jake looked at it in a daze, ''I am right. He is not normal at all. Just what is that green energy? I am sure it''s not Mana.''


    For a hunter like Jake, who was already used to Mana, Qi didn''t feel much different.


    The only exception was people like Isolde; she invested a lot of time and resources learning about Mana to reach a new level of strength.


    However, the lifeforce was different; it gave out a unique presence that made them feel like they were seeing a living being compared to energy.


    Inside, Alex''s eyes quickly locked onto the floating object in the middle of the room. He didn''t even look at the surrounding area.


    An eyeball was floating inside a glass container, releasing a weird energy that seemed to be transferred upward.


    Alex''s instincts flared, embershift hammer appearing in his hand as he leaped forward.


    BAM! PRANG!!!


    The glass smashed into pieces, but the moment it hit the eyeball, Alex felt like he was hitting a very strong resistance. It was like he was using a normal hammer trying to destroy a wall.


    His muscles tensed as he focused more strength on the attack. Flames started appearing on the hammer''s surface, creating a sizzling heat that melted the resistance.


    Alex didn''t use any Qi or Mana, wanting to avoid any reaction.


    He still didn''t know if this eyeball was the source of the weird barrier outside, but he could guess what this eyeball was for.


    It looked like the one in the outer gate, meaning with this eyeball, the gate above could probably connect to the universe hub.


    If not because he had met the strange eye creature, Alex would try to capture it. But since he already knew how strong it was, Alex took the safe route; he just wanted to completely destroy it.


    Feeling its protection starts breaking, the eyeball''s pupil narrowed.


    A black fog started coming out from its body, turning it into a humanoid monster with one big eye and no other features.


    The black humanoid creature leaped forward, its hand clenched into a fist, then moved toward Alex''s face.


    Alex tilted his head, trying to dodge, but the creature seemed to know where he was going to move as it adjusted the angle to make sure it hit him square in the face.


    Since he couldn''t dodge, Alex created a blood barrier covering his face. He then stomped on the ground, creating an explosive flame to knock everything away.


    But the creature didn''t even flinch. The fist hit Alex, crashing into the blood barrier and launching him into the wall. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex could feel his cheek was sore, but it lasted only for a moment before it healed. He then took back the hammer and covered his hand with solid blood.


    The creature had already gotten close to Alex again, preparing to pummel him. Alex quickly stabilized his body, and his hand hit the creature in the torso.


    Seeing its reaction, Alex quickly realized what he was up against. His lips turned into a grin.


    Light started materializing in his hand, forming into a cube. In the next moment, the creature felt a pull toward the cube.


    A black fog started coming out once again from its body, canceling the pulling force.


    Alex raised his hand, throwing more of the awecube, creating more suction. This made the creature let out more black fog to protect itself.


    Based on its movement, Alex realized the creature didn''t have any sentience; it was more like a golem, a dead object that could move.


    This meant he shouldn''t have any problem imprisoning it into the awecube.


    Capitalizing on the opportunity, Alex manipulated the blood on his fist, turning it into a spear, the tip twisted like a drill head, while it started emanating heat.


    Then he started manipulating it into a spin, like a drill.


    Alex crouched his body down, then sprinted toward the creature.


    Screeching sounds followed by sparks filled the air as Alex tried to pierce its torso. The creature gazed down, looking at him.


    Alex grinned. This was the moment he was waiting for; he knew if he directly targeted the eye, the creature would react very differently.

 Chapter 322 - 322: A Wife?

    But now, with the close distance and the creature turning its eyes down, Alex created another spear from blood coming out from his back.


    STAB! It pierced the creature''s pupil.


    At that exact moment, the black fog started to dissipate, followed by the creature''s solid body. But the awe cube''s suction still continued, absorbing part of it.


    Alex quickly took all the awecubes back into his storage ring.


    He just wanted to take back the blood spear from the eyes when suddenly a huge energy started appearing.


    In the next second, the whole place was filled with blinding light.


    Jake, who was standing guard outside, could feel an explosion of energy, followed by the dissipation of the barrier.


    What he saw inside made his face turn ugly as his eyes darted around the room looking for Alex.


    A few moments ago, outside, as the fight finished, MingYue was talking with the others. Emily introduced her to Luca while Olivia tended to Isolde''s wounds. Through all this, Isolde''s eyes were observing Zold, MingYue, and Quartz.


    When Olivia began to heal her, her focus changed once more. ''I am sure now, whatever method they use is applicable to everyone.''


    A decision quickly formed in her mind: no matter what, she needed to find a way to learn this.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now locked in an awkward conversation. She could feel Luca''s gaze analyzing her from head to toe, and it had been like this for a while now, after Emily introduced her as Alex''s future wife.


    Luca had only heard some parts about Alex being of the vampire race; Emily hadn''t told the part about MingYue. She did this on purpose as she wanted to see her mother''s expression.


    And Luca didn''t disappoint; the information caught her off guard. The only romance she knew of in Alex''s life was his crush on Olivia, but it didn''t last long. So, to suddenly get the news he had a future wife shocked her to the core.


    Her first impression was that MingYue was beautiful, but she could directly tell MingYue was not someone who came from their world.


    Many questions formed in her mind about how this happened, ''The last thing I remember was telling him to find a job, then somehow he ended up bringing the guild back.


    This already surprised me, but now bringing a wife?''


    Seeing MingYue give an awkward smile without rejecting the idea silently confirmed Emily''s remark. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am Luca, Alex''s mother. I am sorry for looking at you like this; the news just caught me off guard," Luca said, as Emily grinned at the situation.


    Little did she know Luca had already noted this and prepared to give her an earful after everything was done.


    MingYue just wanted to introduce herself when suddenly her expression changed. She felt her connection with Alex disappearing, with Vesa''s voice reverberating in her mind.


    ''Queen, something is happening to King. It feels similar to when he met that Eye being.''


    ''He got transported to the outer gate?''


    ''No, more like King was moved by a similar power that came from that being.''


    Luca, meanwhile, thought she had made a bad impression by gazing too long. "Sorry, did I startle you? As I said, I was just caught by surprise."


    Hearing this, MingYue replied, "No¡­ It''s not that." But she then stopped as she didn''t know how to give the news that her son was missing.


    After some consideration, she said, "Excuse me, I need to look for Alex. We will talk again later."


    MingYue then quickly left the area, making Luca frown.


    "Look, Mom, you just made my sister-in-law run away. If you keep doing this, Brother will never get married," Emily said with a chuckle.


    "That is not it, something else is happening. Even though this is my first time meeting her, I could guess something is happening with your brother, but how did she know? Do they have a way to talk to each other?" Luca asked.


    She knew Emily just wanted to lighten the mood, to take her focus from the situation so she wouldn''t endanger herself anymore by taking a risk.


    "Yes, they can. I told you how Brother is a half-vampire now, right? Well, both of them are, and they are linked with an invisible connection. So honestly, their relationship is already decided no matter what their choices were."


    Luca frowned as she had many words to say about that topic. Having her son''s fate decided by something out of her control didn''t sit well with her. But she knew that was not the main point now.


    She quickly stood up, surprising Emily. "Let''s follow her; something is happening with your brother."


    "Don''t worry, Mom. As I said, he is immortal now. Even if he met some trouble, us going there could just make the situation worse."


    Luca''s eyes turned stern, making Emily flinch. "I am not a burden, Emily. I can take care of myself."


    Seeing that gaze, Emily sighed. She could only follow Luca now. She knew going further would instead become a conflict. Her mother would take no for an answer after having that gaze.


    "I will wait here. I still need to recover my mana," Isolde replied.


    "You cannot stay alone. Quartz and Olivia, both of you stay here and protect her, then come after us in the spire," Luca said.


    Despite what Emily said, or how strong her children had become, she still planned to enter the dungeon and look for Edward with her own hands.


    Luca then moved with Emily and Quartz.


    Meanwhile, Jack and Alaric were now cleaning up the city. At first, he planned to go after Jake, but Jake told him to look for Heimdall.


    After causing chaos, Heimdall was nowhere to be seen. The shadow he put on Heimdall also told him he was moving to the edge of the city, not to the spire.


    At the city border, a group of dark hunters were now busy pillaging any resources they could find. Their priority was medicine, drugs, knowledge, and weapons.

 Chapter 323 - 323: Pillaging

    Since they didn''t have storage rings or cubes, they could only put everything on their modified vehicles: trucks and Humvees.


    The leader, with the scar on his eye, stabbed his spear into one of the Dragaris citizens. His hatred toward them was deep.


    He would not allow any survivor, civilian or not; all of them would fall by his hand.


    His eyes then locked on the spire, an intense desire starting to grow in his heart. He wanted to destroy it, making sure no more Dragari could come to his world.


    One of his comrades then came to his side. Her body was covered with blood. Even though the Dragari had a warrior culture, this didn''t mean everyone was strong. Their civilians could still fight or hunt to a certain degree, but against veteran hunters like them, they were no match.


    It was just a one-sided massacre. Like what happened many years ago, only the positions were reversed.


    "Should we go there, Leader?"


    "The hunter that started this attack should have some history in this city. They are probably one of the early survivors that escaped with a helicopter or other transportation. But even with this, I doubt they will take us kindly. Better to wait for them to finish what they want to do."


    "You are wrong. We don''t judge people like that. Although we do look down on you for cooperating with other species, despite the circumstances, you should have made better choices."


    A stranger''s voice suddenly reached his ears, making the leader turn alert. He quickly turned his gaze toward the source, seeing a man emanating strength. Despite knowing he was not Heimdall''s opponent, that didn''t mean he could just accept his remark.


    "What would you know? You just ran when the tragedy happened. If we didn''t make a deal with other species, how do you think we would survive here? By making enemies of everyone?"


    Heimdall let out a chuckle. "Let me correct you first, I was not here when that happened. You are still living now thanks to my comrade''s sacrifice; otherwise, the boss monster would have already decimated everything. And finally, you always have a choice. You can move further, trying to return back to society. Or you can do what you say, making enemies out of everyone while you hide."


    "Then how many will we sacrifice with that choice? Do you think it''s that easy?" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Heimdall''s eyes sharpened. "I never said it''s easy, but at the very least those who sacrificed will die at peace. Do you know what happens to those people sold to other species?"


    Heimdall suddenly appeared in front of the leader, making him take a few steps back. While his other comrades surrounded Heimdall, preparing for confrontation.


    "You fear me now, despite us all being human, and you having more numbers. Now what do you think your comrades feel?


    Being alone in the middle of weird species, sold by their people.


    They may put on a brave face when it happens, but afterward???"


    Heimdall turned silent for a moment, his tone becoming chillingly cold, "Do you know there are many things in this world worse than death?"


    Hearing what he said made the leader''s face turn ugly. Different from the others, he knew almost everyone who was sold.


    There was never a day he had slept without having a nightmare.


    Guilt started gnawing at his heart, but he knew if he sulked like this, it would affect the morale of his members.


    "You may be stronger, but that doesn''t mean you can judge us as you wish. We do what we need to do to survive. I may not be proud of it, even living a nightmare because of it. But that doesn''t mean what we do is wrong."


    "Right¡­ wrong¡­ Funny, you say that while I didn''t mean it that way. Well, take it as you want it, I don''t mind you pillaging this place, but I came here to tell you two things: first, stay away from the spire, and secondly, stop killing the civilians.


    I hate those Dragari, but what you do will just cause unnecessary anger.


    If you have the strength, kill those that fight back; those that cannot fight anymore, let them be."


    Despite feeling disgust and hate, there was a line Heimdall would never cross. This was made from all the tragic experiences he had lived.


    The leader frowned. Killing the weak civilians was not only to vent his anger. It also boosted his people''s morale and allowed him to loot their scales afterward. He knew the Lycan would purchase them at a good price.


    Just like them, the Lycan hated the Dragari. He didn''t know the real reason for this, but Dragari scales were treated as trophies for them.


    "And why should I listen to you?" the leader asked once more.


    Heimdall suddenly appeared behind the leader. He could feel something sharp and cold pressed right against his back.


    The others quickly raised their weapons, preparing to retaliate, but the leader raised his hand, gesturing for them to stop.


    "Because I could end your life anytime. Let me tell you, my ability allows me to move vast distances almost instantly, so it''s in your best interest to be in my good graces.


    Otherwise, I could end your life anytime.


    Who knows, I might suddenly decide to come over when you are asleep, or just having some fun with a woman.


    You never know, I could just appear anytime. Not even this city''s barrier can stop me."


    After giving out his warning, Heimdall disappeared once again, but not before giving another word.


    "This one is just my advice. Take what you can, sell it for money, then return back to society.


    If you report all the information you find here, I am sure the association will pardon what you do."


    The leader stayed in his spot as he started considering the idea. Even with the Dragari gone, it didn''t mean they could automatically leave without any danger.

 Chapter 324 - 324: Courting Death!

    They may be dark hunters, but they became one because of circumstances, different from others who do it out of greed. They had people who couldn''t fight, even children and the elderly.


    ''If I sell everything, I should be able to buy some large mounts to make our way there. And with these strong hunters going all the way here, it means they should have cleaned up some of the paths.''


    "Leader, what should we do now?"


    "Forget about him. We will pillage everything we can, then return back to the base.


    He has a point. If we can return to the human city, our lives will be far better.


    With our experience, we can make our own guild or make a deal with an existing one."


    "What about this lizard?" one of the dark hunters asked as his sword was put on the Dragari child''s neck.


    "Tie him up, just to make sure he doesn''t do anything weird."


    Meanwhile, Alex found his head dizzy. He could feel something cold touching his face. The last memory he had was engulfed with blinding light, then everything else turned dark.


    ''Vesa, what happened?'' Alex asked.


    But he didn''t get any answer. Looking into his inner world, he saw a strange sigil that looked like an eye carved on top of the sky.


    "Alucard," Alex called out.


    It was clear someone was messing with his soul. With Alucard inside him, this should be impossible to happen, or at the very least, he should have some resistance.


    But Alex didn''t feel anything other than a blackout.


    ''My connection with Vesa and MingYue is also cut. Is it that eye being again? Dammit!''


    Focusing his senses on his body, Alex could feel his legs submerged under cold water. Opening his eyes, he was met with a view of the forest. He turned his gaze around and then froze.


    In front of him was a beautiful maiden with eyes filled with shock. Her body was submerged underwater, but with how clear it was, Alex had no problem seeing everything. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman had long curly green hair falling onto her chest. Her emerald eyes looked like those of a reptile, with two draconic horns coming out from her forehead.


    "Kyaaa¡­" the woman screamed and quickly hid her body with her hands.


    In that instant, a loud scream reached Alex''s ear. If he were just a normal awakener, he was sure his eardrums would burst open, "JUNIOR, YOU DARE PEEKING AT OUR PRINCESS?!! YOU ARE COURTING DEATH!!!"


    Alex''s lips twitched as the development was something he was very familiar with.


    ''Just what did I get myself into now¡­ wait, this is not my fault. It''s that damned eye, bastard,'' Alex cursed in his mind while turning his gaze toward the voice.


    He saw an elderly man looking at him with stern eyes. All his hair was white, but his body was still fit like a young man. He wore a white robe with a draconic horn coming out from his head.


    Alex just wanted to form a reply when the woman suddenly yelled, "Get out! BOTH OF YOU, OUT!"


    The elderly man quickly moved. He jumped, trying to pick Alex and leave the place.


    Alex saw the elderly man''s hand coming toward him. He quickly responded, deflecting it while jumping out from the river.


    "I can go by myself," Alex replied with a nonchalant expression, then began walking deep into the forest.


    His actions surprised the elderly man and the woman.


    "I will go first, princess," the elderly man said without looking at her, his gaze burning with curiosity about Alex''s back.


    He couldn''t feel any strength coming from Alex, but he still managed to deflect his attack easily. Considering the predicament his clan was in, some ideas started forming in his mind.


    "Hey, Junior, wait for me. Didn''t your parents teach you to respect the elderly?"


    Despite saying this, the man had already arrived behind Alex without any problem.


    ''When in Rome, do as the Romans do,'' Alex thought. With how the elderly man talked, he could guess what kind of culture this world had.


    He stopped in his steps, then turned his gaze with an amiable smile on his face. Putting both hands in front of his chest, Alex gave a small bow.


    "Senior, this junior is Alex. What happened was just an accident."


    "That will be up to our princess to judge, but where do you come from? I''ve never seen clothing style like that."


    Thinking fast, Alex replied, "This junior just has a unique sense of fashion. Anyway, how can I help you, senior?"


    Alex already knew he wouldn''t be allowed to leave, not that he planned to since he needed to get more information. But by taking the initiative to offer his help, he knew they would look at him in a better light.


    This is also why Alex chose to deflect the old man''s hand, to show his prowess.


    The old man started stroking his white beard. "For now, let''s wait for the princess. I am sure she has something to say after what you did."


    Alex''s lips twitched, ''I know it. Every single old man I meet is a sly fox. He purposely said that to remind me I am the one at fault.''


    "I don''t know how you ended up suddenly appearing there, but based on your appearance, you seem to be in trouble."


    Alex''s armor was torn in some parts and painted with dry bloodstains.


    "I already defeated my enemy, senior. He somehow teleported me away," Alex replied.


    The elderly man frowned since it was different from what he suspected. He thought Alex used a life-saving method, like a teleportation talisman, to escape, but it turned out the opponent was the one using it.


    A teleportation talisman should have teleported him to a safe area, usually one with no other living beings around.


    ''Is his enemy just desperate, trying to teleport him somewhere dangerous? But it''s weird; I''ve never heard this happen before.''

 Chapter 325 - 325: The Plot

    His eyes squinted at Alex. ''This boy is suspicious. I am sure he has many secrets. But this is the most perfect choice.''


    Despite what he was thinking, the old man always had a smile on his face¡ªa smile that looked like an evil merchant''s smile in Alex''s eyes.


    ''Trying to use me for your benefit, just try and see who gains more. Don''t underestimate someone who has read tons of novels,'' Alex chuckled in his mind.


    "That is good then, but you would still need a place to rest. How about joining us? We are close to our city."


    ''This damned old fox, like I have any choice. But based on his appearance, is he a Dragari too? But he looks more human than Dragari. It''s like a mixed race of human and dragon.''


    While Alex and the old man exchanged small talk, plotting to use each other, the green-haired woman had already finished her bath and gotten dressed.


    Looking at her reflection in the water, she let out a deep sigh. "To think after all my effort, the same fate still befalls me."


    Feeling stressed, she walked back to the river. But this time, she didn''t get wet. Her feet stepped on top of the water like it was the ground.


    Her movement was gentle as she started moving her body, performing a ritualistic dance.


    Each movement was not just graceful; it seemed to contain mysterious power that affected the surroundings. Water droplets began floating around her.


    At first, they just stopped in the middle of the air, but as the pace of the dance increased, the water started moving like it was alive.


    It moved around the woman''s body without making her wet, making the dance look even more beautiful.


    If Alex were here, he would be fascinated, not just because of the beautiful dance, but the energy like qi that came out from her movement.


    It would remind him of secret techniques from MingYue''s world that were done in a different way.


    She kept moving gracefully, her sullen expression changing into a smile as she forgot all her burdens.


    Meanwhile, Alex had learned a lot from the old man. He was now sitting in their camp, waiting for the princess.


    "Let me get this straight, so you need my help to fight as your princess''s representative in your clan meeting?"


    "Yes. Don''t worry. As long as you win, we will make sure the reward is worth your effort."


    "Did by chance you feel the princess is like your own daughter, as you took care of her since she was a child? And this competition will decide her fate. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like if she loses, she will be sent out to marry some young master to help your clan?"


    "How would you know?" the old man asked with a confused gaze. Suspicion even started to grow in his heart that Alex was a spy from the other faction. But then he felt he was not that dumb to act like this.


    "That is textbook¡­" Alex mumbled in a low voice, making the old geezer even more confused. "Never mind that it''s just my guess; that kind of thing happens often."


    "You are not wrong. What genius? Without the resources, they will still be stuck for eternity in their realm. We have no choice but to send them to a stronger clan."


    "Every genius you have was sent to them, bolstering their strength even further. How would your clan ever rise in power then?" Alex asked in confusion.


    He had often read similar plots. The weak clan sends their genius to a stronger clan to be married off or join as their henchmen or maids.


    In this case, there are only two possibilities: prove their loyalty to the new clan to get allocated good resources or forever have their potential chained down.


    There is no way the stronger clan will allow the lower clan to rise in power. It will just raise their competitor and the possible risk of a new enemy.


    The old man sighed, "Of course, we know this wouldn''t allow us to get stronger, but it will ensure our safety.


    In my clan, the princess will be married off to another stronger one, while the prince will go on their own pilgrimage, looking for a way to become stronger outside our land."


    "Hoping for a lucky encounter to elevate their strength?"


    "That is one of them, but the main reason is to explore and look for untapped resources. Of course, this comes with high risk, but there is no other choice."


    Alex wanted to ask how many clans there were and how things worked here. But he knew better than to ask those questions directly.


    It would just show he is not a native. Based on the information he learned so far, there should be no sects here.


    Even if there were, they functioned more like academies. Each clan is just like their own small country that pays tribute to the stronger ones.


    He then looked at the sky. It had a yellowish-purple hue with two suns hanging high in the sky.


    Oddly enough, the temperature didn''t feel hotter than his planet. As for the people in the cohort, Alex could see a mix of races.


    There were people like the Dragari he had fought before, those like the old geezer who were a mix of humans and Dragari, or pure humans like himself.


    ''Is this inside the dungeon? No, I doubt it. If that were the case, the Dragari city we attacked should not have enslaved humans.''


    Alex may have arrived late, but he still saw the humans bound in chains fighting the Dragari with red eyes.


    "So, how about my proposal?" the old man asked.


    "I am still not clear on the enemy''s strength. I don''t want to take a risk," Alex replied.


    Despite already planning to join in, he didn''t want to make it easy for the old man.


    He always kept it as if he was interested but not sure.


    "Don''t worry. Seeing how easily you deflected my movement, you shouldn''t have any problems. And it''s not like you will have a death match. Just incapacitate them all."

 Chapter 326 - 326: Making A Deal

    "One more question, I don''t get why you need to go through this kind of tournament. Didn''t you say you would send the princess to another clan anyway?"


    "This is done to quell their hate and give them some hope. Otherwise, all the princesses would think of rebelling against the clan.


    Doing this will also show the princess''s capability to build up their network."


    "Why not have the princesses fight each other then?" Alex''s question quickly made him the center of attention.


    Everyone turned their gaze at him. Alex let out a chuckle, playing it as a joke as he thought, ''So it''s a world like this. Despite strength ruling supreme, they are still biased.''


    But then Alex realized there were also some women fighters in the cohort. This meant his thought was wrong.


    ''Or they don''t want the princesses to get hurt, as their value will lower in that case?''


    While Alex thought of this, one of the guards raised his voice, "Princess Reina has returned."


    The elderly man quickly stood up and ran toward the beautiful woman. He gave a small bow, showing his respect.


    "Rise, Uncle Moria, I have told you multiple times not to do that."


    Moria smiled, then started whispering into Reina''s ear, making her turn her gaze toward Alex.


    Alex could already guess what they were talking about, but based on her expression, it seemed they had some disagreement. After some more time, Reina made her way toward him. "So, your name is Alex? Follow me."


    She said, then walked into her luxurious wagon.


    There were multiple wagons in the area, each being pulled by a horse. The horses looked normal at first glance, but if Alex focused, he would see they were far stronger than normal ones, even compared to the weird horse he captured in the Felidaen realm.


    Alex looked at Morti, silently asking if he should follow, but Morti could only give him a helpless nod.


    In the end, the decision was in her hands. ''You are too nice for our clan, Ms. Reina. If things keep like this, I am afraid something will happen to you like it did to your mother,'' Morti thought.


    Reina''s mother''s fate was quite tragic as she was sacrificed to a higher clan because of their family''s decision.


    Inside, the wagon was bigger; it could easily fit ten people, with two maids waiting for her.


    Reina raised her hand to excuse them. As they left, she turned her gaze to Alex. "My name is Reina. I don''t know what Uncle Moria offered you, but I will be clear. What happened to me now happened on purpose. Someone is pulling strings from the background; they want me out of the family."


    "So you mean things will become difficult for me the moment I enter your clan?"


    "Yes, that is why I suggest you just go on your way. As for what happened, just forget about it; it''s just an accident."


    Alex found the woman''s remark strange. ''Before, she screamed in anger; now she just brushes it off. Is she too stressed about her situation?''


    Alex thought she just didn''t want to have any false hope. That is why she preferred to reject all possibilities and just embrace the despair. Some people do choose that, but it''s not his problem.


    He needed the information about the realm and to find out the reason he was sent here. Was it a complete accident, like he triggered some countermeasure, or was it done on purpose?


    "You don''t need to worry about me; it''s just an exchange. It''s not like you will lose anything if I fail."


    Reina squinted her eyes, hearing how determined Alex was. "Just what is your purpose?"


    What Alex thought was not wrong; she was desperate but for a different reason. She wanted to go to the clan allocated to her, but not as a sacrifice; she wanted to come as a potential talent.


    In this way, she would be able to find out what happened to her mother.


    "I have my reasons, but don''t worry; I won''t lose."


    Reina turned silent. She had seen how Alex parried Moria''s attack easily. If Alex won, then she would completely fail to get into that clan. It''s not like she had the capability to infiltrate or attack it head-on.


    After some rumination, she decided to come clean. "I don''t know how much you know about the situation, but I don''t want you to win."


    Alex tapped his finger on the table, starting to think of many plots he had read before to guess the situation. After remembering the culture of her clan, he asked, "Do you have some personal reason to go to this clan?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you want to destroy it?"


    Alex''s question caught Reina off guard. Despite his strength, that was a big talk if he really knew how strong a big clan was.


    But remembering Alex''s weird appearance, she asked, "Do you even know how strong they are?"


    "Tell me about it."


    "Can you even be sure to beat dozens of heavenly ascension-awakened cultivators?"


    Hearing the familiar words, Alex''s eyes widened. "What did you say again?"


    Meanwhile, back in Alex''s world, MingYue arrived at an underground room in the spire.


    Her eyes looked around, but she couldn''t find any of the eyes remaining. Before Alex disappeared, he had informed her of this weird object.


    ''Vesa, any idea?'' MingYue asked. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not long after, Luca and the others also arrived. Seeing Jake standing on the side, she quickly asked, "Where is my son?"


    Jake let out a deep sigh, then started explaining what happened without omitting any detail.


    ''Queen, I detect some traces of space shift.''


    ''Do you know where it goes?''


    ''Yes, but it''s weird. Based on the coordinates, this should be your world, Queen.''


    MingYue quickly frowned. She didn''t get how it could be her world, but this also made her feel relieved. If it were another world, it would be more dangerous since who knew what they would face.

 Chapter 327 - 327: Midnight Clan

    ''Wait, if it''s my world, that doesn''t explain how it could cut our connection. Is he inside one of the secret realms?'' S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''That is one of the possibilities, Queen.''


    Her gaze then turned upward. ''What about the portal above? Can you tell where the destination was?''


    ''I will need to check it first, Queen.''


    The red fog started coming out from MingYue''s body, then coalesced into Vesa. She then disappeared without saying a word to the others.


    Hearing what happened, Luca''s face turned pale. She quickly turned to MingYue. "Do you know anything?"


    "Yes, I have some idea where Alex is, but don''t worry, Aunt, I am sure he is alright. More importantly, don''t we need to look for Uncle Edward?" MingYue asked.


    Knowing Alex''s personality, she was sure this was what he would want her to do. As for Alex, MingYue was not worried; she was sure he would be able to find a way out by himself.


    The only thing that worried her was the attention of the eye being.


    Luca became conflicted. She wanted to look for Alex, but the opportunity to find Edward was in front of her eyes.


    As Luca pondered over this, Alex made a deal with Reina.


    "So, how about it? I will win the tournament for you, then we can just swap positions with the loser. This way, even if something happens, no one will link it to you."


    "If it''s really destroyed, no one will even bother to care who caused it. They will just come like vultures to lay claim over what is left," Reina said while her eyes still looked at Alex with disbelief.


    She couldn''t tell where Alex gained the confidence to take on a whole clan just from someone he just met.


    "I expect that, but we never know," Alex replied.


    For him, helping Reina was the fastest way to gain an understanding of this world.


    Reina squinted her eyes, observing Alex, trying to guess his motive. What she told him was something that normal people would just ignore or not want to have anything to do with.


    An idea then came to her mind. "Do you, by chance, have any feelings toward me?"


    From her understanding, that is the only reason someone would do that. There was also the incident when they first met; who knew it was love at first sight.


    Hearing her question, Alex coughed. "No, I already have a partner."


    Reina observed him, trying to guess if he was lying or not. But Alex brushed it off.


    "I am serious. Anyway, I have my own reasons, and it''s not because of you. Rather than that, how about telling me more about your clan? Your uncle outside didn''t tell you any crucial information."


    Reina still didn''t believe his remark, but she decided to answer his question.


    "My clan name is Midnight. As you see, we come from a mixed race, which makes our inner-court politics complicated. My father having many children also doesn''t help."


    "How many will I face in total?"


    "My brothers are not called back as they are each busy with their own tasks."


    "Looking for their own resources to reach new realms, yes, your uncle has told me that. Although he looks too old to be one."


    Reina let out a chuckle. "I already get used to calling him that." She then returned to the topic. "As for my sisters, I have ten other siblings."


    While saying this, Reina had hate flicker in her eyes.


    "So your relationship is not good with them?"


    "Good? Even calling it bad would be an understatement. We are all out for each other''s blood. I just never get why my mom tried to tell me to have a good relationship with them, even though she knew what had happened."


    "Your mom has a point, though. Killing each other will only hurt your clan more rather than help. It makes it easier for others to intervene and destroy your clan from the inside."


    "In that case, you should blame my father. If not for his stupid policy, we would not do things like this."


    "With limited resources, I guess that is not a choice."


    "What not a choice? Do you think we all want to be cultivators like this?


    They could just let people who don''t want to manage the business or the city. But no, every talented one is forced to contribute to the clan."


    "Then what happens when your clan doesn''t have enough strength?


    I am not taking your father''s side, but I get it. Without enough strength, it''s only a matter of time before your clan is snuffed out. At that time, things will be even worse."


    Reina turned silent, as she knew what Alex said was right, but she could not accept it. "


    That doesn''t make it right for him to sacrifice his own sons and daughters. Just how many of my brothers do you think have died from these missions?"


    "Seeing your clan''s current situation, it should be a lot. But doesn''t your clan do the same to those from smaller clans?"


    Alex''s question made Reina speechless. She could not refute it since that is how every clan works in this world. All the way to the top.


    "Well, I am just stating my opinion. No need to think of it seriously. So how about it? Do we have a deal or not?"


    Reina''s eyebrows creased together, and a paper then appeared in her hand. One that Alex was familiar with, but with some changes¡ªa contract.


    ''Is this place really MingYue''s world? Or is it another one, and cultivation is just streamlined throughout all worlds?'' Alex thought to himself, feeling suspicious about the whole ordeal.


    He then read the terms and agreed to make a deal with Reina. Different from the usual contracts where their lives were put on the line, this one was simpler.


    The moment they agreed, the contract turned into flecks of light that flew into both their little fingers, becoming something like a black ring.

 Chapter 328 - 328: Morgana

    If anyone broke their promise, the ring would break.


    "Since you are stronger than me, this is the best contract we can do," Reina said while her eyes studied Alex''s expression.


    "The basis of a deal is trust. I prefer this kind of contract rather than one where life is on the line. It just means the other party cannot be trusted."


    Reina felt satisfied with his answer. "Keep this between us."


    "No problem. You already wrote it in the contract anyway. If I tell anyone, you will know." Alex replied with a smile, then excused himself from the wagon.


    Looking at his disappearing back, Reina''s lips curled into a smile while she thought, ''He seems to be a capable man. I hope he really can help me find my mother.''


    After Alex came out, Uncle Moria quickly interrogated him. Alex fed him some story that he had concocted with Reina before.


    Moria thought Reina would try to scare Alex away, but hearing his news made Moria feel conflicted.


    He felt relieved as this meant there was hope for his princess, but it was strange because this didn''t feel like something Reina would do. Moria excused himself, then entered the wagon to reconfirm it with Reina.


    Time passed, and the group then started making their way toward Midnight Clan territory.


    In the wagon, Alex made small talk with each member to learn more about the situation without alerting them. He learned not everyone was from Midnight Clan. More than half of them were just mercenaries.


    A rogue cultivator that banded together creating small groups that offered their service to the highest bidder.


    They called this world the Jewel Realm. Compared to MingYue World, where humans had already carved out many safe zones from the beasts, in this realm, the majority of the area was still dangerous.


    The situation was similar to Alex''s world, only in this one it was always like this.


    With the constant danger, people gathered together, creating clans. At first, they still preferred gathering with their own species, but as time passed and the danger kept growing, they started mingling together, then forgot about their differences.


    ''No wonder, as the danger is the same for everyone, they become united. Then, after some safe zones are carved, they will start having inner conflicts.


    No matter where the world is, I guess being selfish is just part of sentient creatures,'' Alex thought.


    So far, he had met vampires, elves, dragari, goblins, felidaens, and fairies. Even though each of them had their own culture, in the end, they all had their own personal interests.


    Just like in his world, those staying deep inside the safe zones, despite knowing the situation, still focused on their own needs, not caring about the people that were put at risk.


    The same could be said to be happening in this Jewel Realm. After they had safe territories, instead of staying united to carve out more safe zones, they instead focused on their own benefit.


    Those that got territory first kept growing stronger, while those stuck on the frontline had slower growth as they needed to constantly fight on the frontline.


    They had their hands full just trying to survive.


    Letting out a sigh, Alex looked forward, seeing a long queue of caravans. Some looked like merchants, others seemed like families moving, trying to get a better life.


    When Reina''s caravan arrived, they quickly followed a different path, bypassing all the queues.


    No one complained, since this was normal to happen. They all could see the emblem carved on the wagon door.


    Even though there was a possibility of someone faking it, there would be no one dumb enough to fake a Midnight Clan emblem then go straight to their main city.


    Uncle Moria got down, then had some talk with the guard. The group then passed through the gate while some people in the queue felt some jealousy in their hearts, but there was nothing they could do.


    The city appeared before Alex''s eyes. It was bustling, filled with people moving around doing their activities. It was like he was seeing a city straight from the ancient cultivation world, but one filled with more than one species.


    The architecture looked very similar to MingYue World but with some differences. It was mixed with the dragari culture.


    The caravan kept moving forward toward the center area, a huge place surrounded in the middle of a lake.


    To get across, normal people would need to use a boat. But as cultivators, the horses and wagons just passed by the river like it was land.


    Alex understood they used some kind of array to do this, but it didn''t make it any less mesmerizing or beautiful.


    The lake was crystal clear, filled with large, colorful fish. ''They look like koi fish in my world, is this just a coincidence?''


    This make him wonder does this fish exist in many world, or someone bring it to this world.


    Alex then turned his gaze toward the main building, with a huge plate that read "Midnight."


    He could see a group of people waiting for them. Seeing Moria''s ugly expression, Alex deduced that the one waiting for them was one of their enemies.


    ''I wonder if this will be the same as what often happens in novels? They come to provoke Reina? Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So it''s like the female version of a young master,'' Alex thought.


    His eyes studied the group of people, analyzing their strength. Finding that none of them posed a risk to him, Alex felt relieved, his lips curling into a smirk, waiting to see what would happen.


    Moria got down from his horse and said with a forced smile, "Greetings, Princess. What makes you go out of your way to wait for us here?"


    "You jest, Uncle. Of course, I am coming out to greet my lovely sister.


    Aunt has sacrificed a lot because of me; there is no way I would not put special concern for her only daughter."

 Chapter 329 - 329: Demand

    The woman looked beautiful and said the words with a kind tone, but Alex could see arrogance coming from her eyes.


    He didn''t know the details, but it felt like the woman thought Reina''s mom''s sacrifice was justified and something that was just normal.


    Moria wanted to reply, but the sound of the wagon door opening stopped his voice. Reina came out with a smile on her face.


    "I am sorry, Sister Morgana. If I had known you would wait for me here, I would have prepared the best present."


    "No need to give me any present, Sister Reina. If anything, I should be the one to prepare a welcoming gift for you. It''s been years since you came home."


    They exchanged small words with amiable smiles, while their eyes told a different story.


    Alex found their interaction not interesting, so he whispered to a man beside him, the leader of the mercenaries. "Do you know what happened?"


    "This is just a rumor, but I heard that Princess Morgana was the one who should have been sent to the other family, but something happened that almost triggered a huge war.


    In the end, somehow Ms. Reina''s mother became the one sacrificed to the clan as a peace offering. I heard the clan leader has admired her for a long time."


    "So you mean everything was done on purpose and this Morgana made a deal with that clan to trap Reina''s mother?"


    The leader looked at Alex with a frown, as he addressed them without their titles, even though he was now in their place. But since it wasn''t his problem, he decided to just gloss over it.


    "Well, at this point that makes the most sense, but who knows what the truth is," the leader answered tactfully since he didn''t want to anger the Midnight Clan.


    "Interesting, any other rumors you have heard? Like what happened to her husband?"


    "He has been dead for a long time, I don''t know the details, but I believe he was murdered."


    Alex replied with a nod, as a plot quickly formed in his mind, ''If this were a novel, he was probably also killed by this clan leader, and they have some love triangle going on.


    If things are even more complicated, there is a possibility that the clan leader forced his way with Reina''s mom, and Reina is his daughter?


    What a pointless drama. I just don''t get these cultivators, like they couldn''t find another woman.''


    While Alex thought of this, Reina finished her conversation with Morgana, she excused herself then quickly returned to her courtyard to rest.


    But she knew, before that, she needed to visit her father. The one that she hated.


    With reluctant steps, she made her way, while Alex kept studying his surroundings.


    His eyes then turned in the direction where Reina was walking.


    ''The strongest presence comes from that area, there should be around three people that could put up a fight. I wonder if one of them is Reina''s father.''


    Moria, with a disgruntled voice, called out to Alex, disturbing his thoughts, "What are you looking at? Follow me, I will show you where you can stay.


    The tournament is still in three days, in the meantime, you can spend some time doing what you want."


    "Can I access your clan library then?" Alex asked with a nonchalant smile on his face.


    Moria frowned, his mood already bad after meeting Morgana, and now Alex just made a hard request.


    The library was owned by the clan, even with his status he couldn''t just give permission freely.


    "You cannot, but I can bring you a few books, what technique grade do you want?"


    "Just give me anything that won''t become a problem for you, but what I want is books on history, like your clan''s past, or something about other clans."


    Moria squinted his eyes, "You do know that kind of intel is even harder for me to bring out, just what clan specifically do you want to find out about?"


    "Just give me some old information even if it''s years ago, that should be enough."


    "Your demand is just suspicious."


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile, "That is good."


    Hearing his answer, Moria felt baffled, but he then thought Alex did this on purpose to obfuscate the real information he was looking for.


    "Fine, but I will only give half of it, the rest will be after you win, remember your promise."


    "You said a heavy reward, don''t think it will stop after this small request." Alex replied with a grin, which made Moria feel annoyed.


    "I hope your strength is real."


    "If you want, we can always spar."


    Moria was interested in Alex''s offer, in reality, he had wanted to test Alex''s true strength but hadn''t had the opportunity to do it yet. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not here, let''s talk again later at night." Moria replied, then left Alex in front of the door.


    He didn''t want others in the clan to find out his real strength. Little did he know Alex right now was a one-man army that could take over his whole clan if he wanted to.


    Alex slid the door open, and the oriental ancient furniture came into his view.


    With a smile, his hand swiped in the air. The wooden chair disappeared, replaced with a couch. The bed turned into a latex spring bed.


    Sitting on the couch, he took out a bottle of water, then took a sip.


    Without the others around, and understanding his situation now, Alex''s mind focused back on his own family.


    ''I hope the others will be alright, and not cancel the plan to save dad. But knowing mom¡­.''


    Alex let out a sigh, ''I hope MingYue could talk some sense into them.''


    It wasn''t the first time they lost connection, and he believed MingYue would trust him to get out by himself, without making a fuss.


    He then let out a small chuckle as he realized every time their connection was cut off, it was always on Alex''s side.

 Chapter 330 - 330: Fractured World

    Meanwhile, back at MingYue, Luca made her decision. She decided to trust in her son and MingYue that he would be alright. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were now standing in front of the portal. Alaric, Jake, Luca, Emily, Olivia, Quartz, Zold, and MingYue.


    As for Heimdall, he was nowhere to be seen. Isolde decided to remain in the city to make sure everything was well taken care of.


    Alaric offered to help, but she said it was most dangerous behind the portal. His ability would be more important inside there.


    Other than Isolde, Patricia guarded the gate. Alaric just chuckled and agreed with Isolde''s suggestion.


    In his mind, Isolde just wanted to spend time talking with Patricia to find out more information about her.


    Looking at each other, the group nodded. Luca, the one standing in front, steeled her eyes as she took a step into the portal.


    With Isolde and Petricia staying on this side, she wouldn''t need to worry about someone destroying their exit.


    Passing through the familiar sensation she hadn''t felt for a while, Luca was greeted with something beyond her imagination.


    She had considered many possibilities, from being surrounded to facing a very strong enemy. But this¡­ this was something else¡­


    What she saw was a shattered world, and Luca meant this literally.


    Green lightning crackled as it hit the ground. Dimensional fissures could be seen everywhere.


    The gravity was twice that of her planet, but she could see some land floating in the sky. There was no vegetation or animal life; the place was desolate.


    The air was also very thin, making it impossible for her to breathe. The only reason she could survive now was thanks to the rune Alex had carved on her forehead.


    As she analyzed the area, MingYue came out of the portal, followed by Emily and the others.


    Jake and Alaric quickly took a mask from their pockets. It was specially made to allow them to breathe no matter the environment.


    If Alex were here, he would quickly become curious about how it worked. He speculated that it utilized some kind of dimensional space rather than air inside of it.


    MingYue looked around as Vesa materialized beside her. "How is it now?" MingYue asked.


    Vesa''s expression changed a few times before she said, "This place is too dangerous, Queen. It''s a fractured world."


    "Meaning?"


    "Something happened here that triggered a dimensional collapse. It could have been a war, a catastrophe, an accident; there are many reasons." Vesa''s small hand then raised, pointing at one of the dimensional fissures.


    "Each of those fissures is connected to somewhere.


    Most of them will be in the void, but by chance, they could be connected to another world. Thankfully, this place is still in the fractured stage."


    Her explanation made MingYue more confused. Vesa then continued her explanation.


    "As the dimension is unstable, it''s just a matter of time until the planet completely collapses. But by a small chance, if the world spirit survives and succeeds in stabilizing everything, the planet will transform into a void world.


    A very unique place where many weird monsters live."


    Looking around the area, MingYue could feel some life presence. She doubted anything could survive the catastrophe that fractured the planet.


    There was a big chance this life presence came from some creature passing through the dimensional gate.


    Luca could hear everything Vesa said, her eyes filled with disbelief while her heart rejected the possibility. "No way! I don''t believe he is dead!"


    Emily couldn''t form any words, her eyes glistening as she felt her heart shatter. She had been looking forward to meeting her father, but what greeted her was something out of her wildest dreams, almost snuffing out all her hope.


    As for the others in the group, they just looked around the area.


    After venting her displeasure with that scream, Luca tried to calm her mind, thinking about what Edward would do if he really got captured in this world. There was no way he would just stay silent.


    Knowing him, he would do everything he could until his last breath. Her eyes then turned to the ring on her finger.


    "How long has this world been in this state? Can you find out, Vesa?" Luca asked.


    "Sure, Mother Queen," Vesa replied, making Luca''s lips twitch. She was not used to being called that.


    She had told her multiple times to change it, but Vesa said only when Alex approved would she change it. It was part of etiquette in Edonia.


    Vesa flew toward one of the fissures, her sharp claw digging into the crater. She then put it in her mouth. Her crimson eyes glinted as runes started appearing in the air, surrounding the fissure.


    Vesa took her job seriously, making sure the calculation was accurate.


    "Don''t worry, Aunt, I am sure Uncle will be alright."


    Luca''s hand gripped the ring on her finger. "I know. He is alive, for sure. Otherwise, my ring would have already broken."


    Emily''s eyes widened as she turned her gaze toward Luca.


    "Mom¡­ you mean all this time you had a way to know Father''s situation, and you never told me or Alex about it???"


    Luca was too overwhelmed with the situation, and she accidentally let it slip. Seeing how hurt Emily was made her heart throb with pain. But she had her reasons for doing this; there was no way she would allow her children to risk their lives in the dungeon.


    If they knew Edward was still alive, Emily would probably have already thrown all caution to the wind and gone deep into the dungeon. Even in Alex''s case, despite his abilities, Luca didn''t know how he would react.


    Luca turned her gaze, as she could not meet her daughter''s eyes. "I am sorry, can we talk about this later?"


    Emily gritted her teeth, trying to press her emotions down. Quartz put her hand over her shoulder.


    "Deep down, you should already know the answer, Emily. Let''s just focus on our task.


    In this kind of place, who knows what we will face? As an experienced hunter, you should know what to do."

 Chapter 331 - 331: Burst Out

    "Fine! But I want an explanation, Mom." Emily said while stomping her leg on the ground, then turned around to another area.


    Luca let out a sigh. ''Even after many experiences, her temper never changes. I wonder just who she takes after.''


    The runes surrounding Vesa vanished as she flew back toward the group.


    "It''s been 2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 15 hours, and 17 minutes since the planet fractured, Mother Queen. There is some good news, though. I detected another portal like this."


    "If Edward is safe, he probably escaped through this other portal. Do you know the location, Vesa?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Only the direction. Finding the specific location is too hard with the many dimensional fissures here."


    Vesa then pointed in the northwest direction. The path there was blocked by a floating ground, making it look like a mountain.


    The area was desolate, but MingYue could feel some life presence coming from that area.


    "We will need to prepare for a fight. I detect some life from that area, and they are not weak."


    "How strong?" Alaric asked.


    "Stronger than that dragon-like monster we fought before," MingYue replied.


    Based on her measurement, the transformed Dragari they fought should be at the late Core Stage or early Mystic Stage in her world.


    Even though she had never fought real beasts of that rank, she could compare it with QingWa Xian, a celestial beast that almost reached the divine rank.


    Alaric frowned. "In that case, it would be better if Jake and I stayed guard here. Going forward, we will just become a burden."


    Even though they had strong abilities, both of them were still human. Their bodies might be strengthened as Awakeners, but even that wouldn''t be enough to face the area''s strange anomalies.


    With the naked eye, he could see that gravity seemed to change every time they left a patch of land. The nonstop green lightning bolts also didn''t look normal at all.


    Without the mask, Alaric speculated they wouldn''t survive long.


    As for Luca and the group, they had the rune carved by Alex, making them almost immortal as long as there was lifeforce energy.


    Even though Alaric didn''t know about this, he speculated since he could feel similar energy coming from Luca.


    He also saw that Luca didn''t wear any mask and had no problem breathing.


    Luca replied with a nod. She understood where Alaric was coming from.


    They started walking through the desolate land. Luca walked side by side with MingYue while Emily, Olivia, and Quartz walked in the middle.


    At the back, Zold walked, his eyes darting around, making sure there would be no ambush.


    Jumping through a huge crack in the ground, the group could feel the atmosphere change.


    The gravity was lighter here, making them need to control their steps; otherwise, they would float around.


    For MingYue and the others, it was not a problem as they were cultivators. But for Luca, she could not fly.


    She had some artifacts to do that, but it would consume her mana. Luca wanted to manage her mana usage, ensuring she had enough in case something happened.


    "Aunt, since Alex already carved that rune for you, you should be able to use the life force to enhance your strength. That will help save your mana." MingYue said as she looked at Luca''s distressed expression.


    "Why do you think I need to maintain my mana?" Luca asked, as she never told MingYue about this.


    "It''s just a guess. I am sorry, but Alex told me about your abilities. I think this should use a lot of mana."


    "It does use a lot of mana¡­" Luca replied, then changed the topic. "Say, how did you meet my son? Emily didn''t tell me anything about it."


    Remembering what happened, MingYue''s lips curled into a smile. She found it funny thinking how she didn''t trust Alex and Vesa at that time despite their fate already being intertwined.


    "At that time, I was almost dead. I was pushed into a place like those dimensional fissures, falling into the void, almost shredded to pieces. The next thing I knew, I found myself in another world."


    "You fell into my world?"


    "No, I met Alex in Vesa''s inner world," MingYue replied.


    Meanwhile, at the back, Emily was still sulking. "Aunt Quartz, tell me you don''t know about this."


    "About what?" Quartz asked back while thinking about what Emily meant.


    "Oh, you mean how your mother knew your father was still alive?"


    Emily nodded.


    "You should really let it go; it''s not worth it, Emily. You know why your mother did that.


    Getting angry at her at this point will change nothing other than making your relationship bad again."


    "Quartz is right, Emily. Don''t hurt your bond for no reason.


    Sometimes, since you always have it, you don''t feel it''s precious. But when you lose it, you will realize it''s the most important thing in your life.


    It''s just because it''s always beside you that you forget its existence is not permanent." Olivia replied with a sad tone while her eyes looked at the road ahead.


    Emily''s eyebrows creased together as she tried to process what Olivia meant. "Don''t tell me you really love my brother."


    "Emily," Quartz called out, reminding her it was a sensitive topic and better not said here.


    With their distance, Luca and MingYue would hear everything, and she didn''t want any unnecessary drama.


    Realizing what she had just said, Emily quickly clarified, "Forget it, Sister Olivia, it''s my bad. I was just kidding around."


    But Olivia was already in a bad mood, her pent-up emotion and frustration looking for any opportunity to come out.


    Without realizing it, her lips opened. "Joke? What joke? At this point, is there any use hiding it?


    Isn''t it clear enough? I do love him, and it''s something I just realized after meeting him again.


    I know it''s my fault, but what can I do? Can you control your own emotion!?"


    Olivia didn''t look at anyone while saying this; it was more like she was berating herself.

 Chapter 332 - 332: Williams Task

    "Even if it''s my fault, tell me, Emily, what should I do with all my feelings? The more I held it up, the more painful it became!"


    Hearing this, Luca and MingYue, who walked in the front, stopped in their tracks. Luca had an awkward expression on her face while MingYue frowned.


    She knew about Olivia; Alex didn''t hide any information about her. She turned around, her eyes cold, while she looked at Olivia, who looked down at the ground.


    MingYue had said once it didn''t matter if Alex had other partners, but now a strange feeling was appearing in her heart. She found this emotion unpleasant.


    It''s like a needle is prickling her heart while she has a desire to kick Olivia.


    Olivia could feel MingYue''s gaze, one that made her feel unwelcome. This made her realize what she had done. Without looking up, she lowered her head and said, "I am sorry, this is not the time for this."


    Quartz, who stood at Olivia''s side, had concern etched in her eyes.


    This was not like the Olivia she knew. It was like her emotional control had taken a lot of hits. Even though her love was unrequited, the Olivia she knew should handle it far better.


    The struggle she felt now was not easy, but it should not be worse compared to when the Suzaku guild was destroyed.


    Luca put her hand on MingYue''s shoulder; she could empathize.


    If she had been in her position, she would probably have confronted Olivia, no matter the circumstance. But the situation was complicated now; not only was this not the time for this kind of thing, but the other party was also Olivia. She was part of her family.


    "MingYue, I am sorry. Let me talk with her."


    "It''s fine, Aunt," MingYue replied, her eyes never leaving Olivia.


    "Your name is Olivia, right? If you really love him that much, don''t you need to say it to his face? Also, you are an experienced hunter; control your emotions."


    MingYue''s tone was ice-cold when she said this. She then turned around and began walking to their destination.


    Luca let out a sigh as she could feel MingYue''s atmosphere quickly change. She was very cold now and didn''t want to say another word. "Olivia, we will talk about this later," Luca said as she followed MingYue.


    Emily looked at Olivia, "I am sorry, sis. This is because of me."


    "It''s fine. I am just not myself these last few days. I need some alone time. You go ahead. I will follow behind."


    Emily looked at Quartz, silently asking what she should do. She felt it wasn''t right to leave Olivia alone.


    "Let''s just go first; she needs some time alone. Zold will still keep an eye on her," Quartz replied.


    Olivia walked with slumped shoulders as Zold watched everything unfold without reaction.


    Meanwhile, back at Dragari City, two people were confronting each other. They were William and Alice.


    After reaching Dragari City, William quietly left the group. Alex noticed this but was focused on his mother at that moment. As for MingYue, she thought Alex had given William some orders, so she didn''t worry about his movements.


    But Alice realized this and decided to follow him.


    She then saw William moving around, looking for something. He didn''t go toward the spire but instead to a specific direction.


    They arrived at a normal bar that could easily be overlooked. William then tried to enter the building, but Alice blocked his path.


    "What are you planning here, William?" Alice asked with a suspicious gaze. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I just need to do something. Did Alex ask you to look after me?"


    All this time, William kept feeling conflicted with this. He didn''t believe Alex didn''t know he had met with the association president. But even now, he has never asked anything.


    So William thought Alex was waiting for him to make his move. While in reality, Alex just didn''t care as long as it didn''t disturb him.


    "He didn''t. I am just curious what you want to do. It''s not like you to go out by yourself."


    "What do you mean? I always go out by myself. You are the one always staying in the building."


    Alice frowned, "Why are you getting so defensive? I am just asking what you want to do. I know your reason for following Alex here.


    Did someone offer something to you? Hear me, William, there is no way for you to resurrect Roxy here."


    William''s eyes turned cold hearing Alice''s remark, "What would you know? Even though no one has ever achieved it before, it doesn''t mean it''s impossible.


    Many have failed, but so have many other things. As long as there is a possibility, I will never give up."


    "I never said it''s impossible. Who knows what kind of power exists in this universe? But that is far beside the topic.


    My point is whatever you plan to do, betraying Alex will never be worth it."


    "Who said I am betraying him?"


    "If you don''t, then why do you become so defensive? Just tell me what you want to do in this place."


    William hesitated. He believed what he was doing was not betrayal, but he knew Alex would not like it at all. He would probably complain.


    Seeing this, Alice felt even more concerned. If a fight started, she knew she could not underestimate William. Compared to her, who could not cultivate, William''s realm was rising quickly.


    She even doubted she could beat him if William went for the kill.


    "Just say it, William. We are on the same side. You should know Alex is also very understanding."


    William sighed, "Fine, but promise you will let me do what I need. I don''t want to hurt you."


    "I cannot promise. That depends on what you want to do."


    "The association president asked me to activate something inside this building. It may look like a bar, but in the past, this was one of the safe houses for association hunters."


    "What device?"

 Chapter 333 - 333: Guard

    "Based on what he explained to me, it should be something like a teleportation portal. But it needs to be activated from this side. I also need to do something to make sure it works."


    "That''s it? Why don''t you just tell Alex?"


    "You think Alex will agree for the association to intervene here? At the front, it will show as they send backup, but in reality, they will take the spoils too."


    "Based on what I know about him, he won''t care that much. Just see the chaotic situation in this place now. If the association can reduce casualties and take control of the city, I am sure he won''t mind," Alice said as she took a step to the side.


    If Alex were here, he would agree with what Alice said, but not now. Only when everything was done would he allow the association to come here.


    As Alice saw William trying to open the door, a thought came to her.


    "William, are you sure the association didn''t lie to you? If they really have a method like this, why were they beaten?


    Won''t they be able to move between locations instantaneously? I think there is something more about this. Can you explain it to me in more detail?"


    "Sure, let''s talk inside," William said as his eyes looked at the situation around them.


    The drugged humans still did all they could to kill the Dragari.


    Fighting sounds could be heard everywhere. Screams of pain, clashing of metal, the pungent smell of blood. The situation was really chaotic, with no end in sight.


    William already knew the secret mechanism on the door, allowing him to quickly enter. Inside, they found it looked like a normal bar devoid of any people.


    "Just how did this place survive all these years?" Alice asked, feeling confused.


    "We are not alone here," William said. He then took out his dagger and raised it toward his back.


    CLANG!!! Sparks flew in the air.


    William turned his gaze, finding a figure standing there. The person''s body was covered in a black combat suit, showing only the eyes.


    "Who are you?" A feminine, muffled voice came out from the person.


    "The president sent me," William replied as he threw a badge.


    Solomon didn''t tell him the place would be guarded by anyone. But he did give him something he said might be useful if something unexpected happened.


    The woman caught it, her eyes still darting at William and Alice, not dropping her guard. She used her mana to feel the badge, and then a look of relief washed over her.


    "Finally, after all this time." She threw the badge back to William.


    "How could you stay alive?" Alice asked.


    Based on her understanding of the situation, there was no way a human could survive all this time, even if she was a strong hunter. She was staying deep inside the enemy frontline alone and even defended this building.


    "I have my ways. This is my secret to survive. Anyway, since you are here, does this mean the association has perfected it?"


    "I don''t understand what you mean. The president just sent me to do something here."


    "About that, could you show me now?" Alice asked. She still didn''t believe it was just a simple teleportation portal.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, he felt bored and decided to leave his room. Outside, he was greeted by two people from the Midnight Clan.


    "Hello, Sir Alex. I am sent here to take care of your needs. Did you need to go somewhere?" One of them asked.


    She had an attractive appearance, wearing the Midnight Clan uniform. But Alex could recognize her, as she was one of Reina''s maids.


    "I just feel bored and want to look around the area."


    The other person, a tall man with a scar on his cheek, replied, "I am sorry, Sir Alex, but I will need to confirm with our Deputy first before you can go out. It''s just that the situation in the clan is not good now, so we must do this to ensure your safety."


    "Ensure my safety?" Alex asked back with a chuckle, "Just say both of you were sent here to watch over me. Well, I don''t mind, but whatever reply your Deputy has, I will still walk around the area.


    So you have two choices: show me places I can visit, or I will just go on my own."


    The man turned speechless at Alex.


    ''s words. He didn''t know how strong Alex was, but he knew he would get punished harshly if something happened to him.


    He then turned to the woman, asking for her opinion.


    "Sir Alex, how about this: the clan is quite dangerous now. But it should be no problem for you to explore the city."


    Alex put some thought into it, then smirked, "Sure, bring me to the market. It''s better if it''s the best one that has all sorts of items."


    "Give me a minute, Sir Alex. I still need to prepare something for our departure."


    "What thing? We can just go now."


    "Well, before, you could walk in the water as you were going with the princess. But without her going with us, we cannot do that. Otherwise, the guard will begin attacking you."


    "You mean they know for sure Princess Reina was with us? Who knows if someone fakes it?"


    "No offense, Sir Alex, but who would dare fake it here? It''s not like people won''t find out." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex let out a chuckle, "You are right. Don''t forget to bring the money then since I don''t have any."


    Hearing his shameless request, the man frowned, but he kept his judgment to himself.


    The woman then excused herself, leaving both of them alone.


    "So, who are you?" Alex asked.


    "Just another guard, Sir Alex. No one important," the man replied, as he didn''t want to get involved more than needed with Alex. He felt Alex was a person who would bring trouble.

 Chapter 334 - 334: The Market

    "Is any prince here at the clan now?"


    "Based on what I know, no one should be here. But why do you ask that, Sir?" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nothing, just curious. You say this place is dangerous. So I am just considering what kind of people dare to attack me here despite knowing I am your princess''s guest."


    "Especially because you''re that, you become the target. Princess Reina is popular with the populace, but here, many hate her."


    "Popular with the populace? Doesn''t she stay at the academy all this time? She just returned here today."


    "It''s because she was madam''s only daughter. Madam once lived in the city too; she was popular and famous for her kindness."


    "You ever met her directly? Rumor is often exaggerated."


    "A few times, and I am sure the rumors are true."


    "Hmm¡­ interesting."


    "What is interesting about this? I don''t get what you want to find out from your question."


    "I am just curious; there is no need to think too much. Rather than that, tell me more about the city and famous local produce I should check out."


    The man looked at the sky and then replied, "There are many places, but you will not have enough time."


    "Don''t worry, we can go again tomorrow," Alex replied with a chuckle. But deep down, he hoped there was a time difference in this dungeon, too, one that would let him spend a few days while only a few minutes passed in the outside world.


    The maid then returned, bringing Alex toward the city. They rode the boat and reached back to the shore.


    Many food stalls were established, filling the area with a delicious aroma.


    "Could you buy some for me?" Alex asked.


    "Which one?" the maid asked.


    Alex pointed to almost every single one shamelessly, then asked them to buy in bulk.


    The maid rolled his eyes but said nothing and proceeded to purchase the meals as the man kept talking beside him.


    "Afraid I am running away?"


    "I am just doing my job, sir Alex. Why do you even want to buy that much food?"


    Alex just replied with a mysterious smile. He planned to keep some for MingYue, as he knew she was a foodie, but the rest was for the populace.


    No matter the location, a good meal will loosen someone''s tongue.


    For every purchase, the maid would put the dish in a small pouch bag.


    ''This world is really similar to MingYue''s, but I wonder why she doesn''t just use a storage ring?


    Is it harder to get one here? But they even have the term awakener cultivator.


    Doesn''t this mean the place should be more advanced?'' Alex thought.


    They continued their shopping as Alex kept his eye on the people. From the dock, they moved toward the market.


    Different from the others he had visited, the maid needed to show an identification plate. It was made from a weird material that looked like jade but was colored in black. The word ''midnight'' was carved in gold color.


    Alex could also feel a unique energy signature coming from it. The energy was similar to the one he felt from the old man, Moria.


    ''I doubt that qi will last long; maybe they do this on purpose to make sure it''s not misused.''


    The maid then made a gesture for Alex and the others to follow.


    "Sir Moria said you can buy a set of weapons and armor using a single technique. With his identity, you should be able to purchase quite a good one."


    She then pointed to a pagoda-like building in the middle. "So that is why you need special identification to enter this place."


    "Yes, although the techniques sold here are weaker than the ones in the clan, they are still very good."


    "How is it compared to the academy your princess goes to?"


    "Of course, the academy is better. It''s built from the collaboration of the strong clans that really fight on the frontline."


    ''So it''s like the hunter association in my world. But since they have a way to give power to anyone, they could create this academy, then this becomes a symbol of status for the cowardly clans that don''t join the fight.''


    Alex then felt there was a possibility his world would also grow like this in the future with the cultivation method.


    Associations will build academies like them; the graduates will get benefits, and the strongest will then be sent forward to the frontline.


    At the academy, the association could then teach them personal values, such as that fighting on the frontline is the right thing to do and how heroic their actions are.


    It''s not that the association couldn''t do it in the past. But they just didn''t have enough incentive to pull really talented awakeners in.


    Thinking about this raised Alex''s mood. It''s only a matter of time before the situation turns better.


    Walking around, Alex didn''t find any interesting weapons. There was a variety of swords, spears, halberds, and bows. He even saw some that were formed like crossbows.


    The most unique one he saw was like a magic wand. It was a staff with a crystal embedded in the tip.


    Based on the shopkeeper''s explanation, the crystal allowed the user to generate elements without mastering any techniques. This enhanced their fighting style.


    The weapons were called battle staves and were preferred because they could wield two elements at the same time.


    Different from swords or other weapons that could only wield one, it was possible to put two crystals at the same time, but the elements would then clash, giving out unpredictable results.


    This gave Alex the idea to utilize the vitae crystals he had gathered from Thalia''s world.


    ''If I put this into everyone''s weapons, enhanced with runes, this will raise their strength to a new level,'' Alex then thought, considering creating a customized gun using these runes.


    This would be fueled using lifeforce energy, meaning if it was used by their enemies, it would consume their life every time they shot. But for Alex and his group, this would not be a problem.

 Chapter 335 - 335: Feral Tiger Robe

    He also felt he could add more countermeasures, making sure if the weapon was taken by their enemies, it would not backfire on them.


    Alex studied the formation of the weapon, then asked about purchasing one. He turned his attention to the armor.


    This one interested Alex more, as it was all formed not as armor but as normal clothes.


    "How does this work?" Alex asked.


    He could feel the formation but couldn''t tell how it really worked with just a single glance.


    The shopkeeper''s eyes lit up as he saw Alex was interested in the uniform. As a shop that sold weapons and armor inside a safe clan, their market was very small.


    Each of their items was high quality. This made one person only need to buy a few to last them a lifetime.


    "It works like this, sir." The shopkeeper''s hand touched one of the robes, qi flowing from his finger.


    The next moment, the fabric started changing material and forming into a heavy armor carved with many formations. Alex quickly understood most of it as he had seen it before.


    "So anyone can just use this armor? Or can it be locked to a few users?"


    "Of course, sir, it can be locked. But there is also a way to hijack this formation. If you want a more secure one, I suggest you pick one of our spirit artifacts."


    The shopkeeper then excused himself, quickly entering to take out his more precious items.


    "Their spirit artifacts in stock? You are very lucky, Sir Alex," the man said.


    "You mean this is rarely in stock?"


    "Yes, usually every time a stock comes in, some rich merchant will take hold of it." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s probably because of the prince''s competition; you know how it is," the maid said in a low voice.


    Hearing this, Alex realized the competition was also a power play between the princess''s factions. They used this official fight to decide who controlled what.


    The shopkeeper came out, bringing a box that looked like a briefcase.


    He opened it up, showing a simple black cultivator robe. "This is an artifact. It''s all made from the White Feral Tiger beast."


    "No wonder you have it in stock, then. You are not trying to scam our esteemed guest, right?" the man asked, his eyes squinting at the shopkeeper.


    Alex, with a confused gaze, asked the maid, "Is something wrong with the Feral Tiger?"


    The maid rolled her eyes, as this was common knowledge in their area. Till now, she still didn''t understand why their princess and Uncle Moria decided to hire this man.


    He hadn''t done anything but already made so many requests.


    "As with any spirit artifact, it contains the beast''s spirit. Feral Tigers, as the name suggests, are very famous for their fierceness and strong souls."


    Hearing the man''s accusation, the shopkeeper quickly clarified, "I am not trying to scam this, sir. I am just offering my best item.


    This artifact is not even my stock; one of my colleagues failed to sell it for a few years, so he decided to lend it out for me to sell."


    "You are still hiding something. Even if it''s a Feral Tiger, there is no way it wouldn''t sell for this long unless there is something wrong with the item."


    "Well, it''s a long story. Does sir want to hear it?"


    Alex looked at the cloth once more, this time focusing his senses. He could feel a small life signature coming from it. It was small but burned fiercely.


    "Sure, but before that, tell me more about this Feral Tiger. What kind of beast are they?"


    "The Feral Tiger is rumored to have a mystical bloodline from the White Tiger beast.


    As the name implies, they are literally feral; they will keep fighting non-stop even if their limbs are torn. They have a strong pride that will not allow them to back down no matter what. And this robe is special; it''s made with a rare Feral Tiger that has black fur.


    Based on my friend''s story, this tiger was a pet of a family that was brutally massacred.


    The survivor took the tiger''s body and then carved it into this artifact."


    "What happened to that survivor?"


    "Of course, killed. Otherwise, there is no way I would get my hands on this artifact."


    The man beside Alex glared at the guard since he knew this wouldn''t be enough to stop the artifact from being sold. There should be more to the story.


    An item acquired from a brutal massacre is nothing new for cultivators. It won''t deter them from buying one unless it literally gives them a real problem.


    "Well¡­ A few buyers tried to tame the spirit, but they failed," the shopkeeper said reluctantly. But the man still gazed at him.


    "Continue."


    "Usually, failing to tame a spirit artifact won''t cause much of a problem other than hurting part of the soul, but this one seems to go much further.


    One of the worst cases included losing their cultivation or even having their soul eaten."


    The man turned grim. "Show us other items; we will not take this one."


    It''s not that he cared about Alex''s well-being, but if something happened to him, his higher-ups would hold him responsible.


    The shopkeeper''s shoulders slumped down as he let out a sigh. Another failure to sell the artifact.


    But Alex''s eyes were glued on the armor. He raised his hand and then touched the fabric. At that moment, the roar of a tiger could be heard in his mind. He could feel the beast''s soul, but there was something more mixed into it.


    His lips curled into a smile. "We will take this one."


    "Sir¡­" the man quickly interjected, trying to convince Alex to just pick another one, but he insisted.


    "No, I will take this one, then we can return. Don''t worry, nothing will happen to me."


    The man turned his gaze toward the maid, asking for her help, but the maid just shook her head.

 Chapter 336 - 336: How it Works

    She silently conveyed they should just report to Uncle Moria and let him take care of the rest. It''s not like they could do anything if Alex insisted on buying it.


    Their only order was to hear his requests, making sure he didn''t escape and do something detrimental to their princess.


    As the maid wanted to pay, the man began to negotiate the price. Alex just listened with a smirk.


    He learned the payment was done with something called a spirit crystal. But when Alex saw the item, he realized it was not different than a qi crystal, just purer, with higher quality.


    ''I need to find one of the mines while I am here. Those low-grade qi crystals are not enough for our needs now.''


    It was only thanks to lifeforce energy everyone could boost their realm; otherwise, with those low-grade qi crystals alone, it would have been impossible.


    The maid finished the transaction, and then they quickly returned to Alex''s lodging.


    The maid offered to help with what he needed, like cleaning the house or other things, but Alex rejected.


    He wanted to be alone, not only because of the furniture he took out. Alex also wanted to tinker with the black robe.


    His finger began glowing with green energy as he carved runes all around to make sure no one could detect what was inside. It also sealed the door, making sure no one could forcefully open it.


    With his current situation, only if everyone in the clan gathered together could they force it open instantly. Otherwise, they would need to attack it relentlessly till it ran out of energy.


    Of course, this would only have been the case if Alex hadn''t imbued the place with more energy.


    Outside, the two people didn''t leave.


    "What do you think about that man?" the woman asked.


    "He is weird; with your appearance, I thought he would ask for you know what. But he prefers to stay inside and not get disturbed."


    The woman''s cheeks turned red, "You know that is not what I mean."


    "Hah, you talk like you would reject."


    "Just answer, how strong do you think he is? I cannot feel his power at all. This means either he is far stronger than me, or he is too weak."


    The man''s lips twitched. "Is your brain working fine? Do you think Sir Moria would approve his presence here if he were weaker than you?"


    "No need to be so insulting. I am just asking you to know better what happens to us if the princess loses."


    "Sorry, it''s just the situation is really not that good lately. You don''t know about this, but someone has been hunting down our prince."


    The woman''s eyes widened, "You serious? If this is true, why hasn''t the Patriarch said anything?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For what? Making everyone in the clan panic?


    You should already realize something is wrong when the princess tournament is moved forward."


    "Has anyone died?"


    "I don''t know the details. But considering what happened, some of them probably have. There is more going on in the background.


    I don''t believe our Patriarch will just send another of her daughters after losing his wife."


    "Hmph, before taking care of Miss Reina, I was her mother''s personal assistant. What kind of man lets his own wife be taken as another clan''s maid? I don''t believe him at all."


    "Someone''s maid? Careful with what you say."


    The woman''s eyes looked around, making sure no one else could hear. She then said in a hushed tone, "You think our Patriarch would agree for Madam to be taken as someone''s wife?


    In public, it''s just Madam becoming a guest in their clan, but since she never returned, it turned into a rumor she was taken.


    But in reality, it''s not true. Madam was taken as a hostage because of that slut."


    The man''s eyes turned sharp; he put his finger to his lips. "Shh¡­. You shouldn''t talk more. We could be killed for this."


    The woman just snorted. She knew the Patriarch wouldn''t let that happen. She often listened to Reina''s mother complain, making her understand the true dynamic inside the clan.


    Reina''s mother is one of the Patriarch''s favorites. One of the few he married based on his own decision. As for the others, it''s nothing more than politics to ensure the clan''s property and stability.


    Meanwhile, Alex didn''t care about all this. If he wanted, he could eavesdrop, but his focus now was more on the robe.


    When he heard the robe''s backstory, he felt intrigued. The one who wore the robe was murdered. What if he practiced a demonic cultivation technique that allowed him to consume other souls?


    There is a possibility his soul still survived and hid inside the robe. This would explain the strange thing, like the next user dying when trying to bind the artifact.


    Alex started sending his will toward the robe, exploring each of the formations. Studying it carefully. The more he explored, the more he recognized the formation used.


    ''Interesting, so they use space-like arrays, weaving it into the fabric. This allows the material to be swapped when the user initiates its combat form.


    If I had known this before, I would have been able to enhance Aunt Quartz''s secret technique even further.''


    Alex then began exploring the hidden space connected to the armor. The storage is far smaller than his storage ring, despite the shirt size. It''s filled with the real armor with only some space for small objects.


    The real armor was made using tiger leather. It''s all black, covering the torso, shoulders, and waist. It also has armguards and boots reaching almost to the knee.


    In the chest, Alex could see a murky, dark red crystal.


    ''This should be the feral tiger beast core. As long as I drip my blood into it, it will then trigger the bonding process.''


    But Alex didn''t do this. He sent his will invading the crystal directly, as he wanted to find out, if his hypothesis was correct or not.

 Chapter 337 - 337: Pi and Tora

    Alex found himself inside the feral tiger''s inner world. It was an open field with a huge black tiger laying on his stomach. His eyes were closed, with silver stripes covering its fur.


    This was the first time Alex saw a feral tiger, but this was not what caught his interest. Alex could see a human lying on his back, using the tiger''s body as his pillow.


    "So I am correct. You did survive." Alex said out loud, alarming the pair of man and tiger.


    The tiger opened his eyes, showing a crimson pupil.


    The man quickly stood up. His body was muscular and tall. His skin was dark, and he had no hair with a claw scar running through his eyes.


    A jagged horn came out from his bald head, and his dark pupils were formed like those of a reptile.


    "To think someone dared to enter here directly."


    "I have thought about it; a spirit artifact puts some formation that protects the user so when they try to bond with the beast''s soul inside, they will not be murdered. But this artifact is different. Someone got killed.


    Then a thought came to my mind¡ªwho said a formation could only be used to protect the user? It could also be used as a trap."


    The man didn''t give many reactions. He looked at Alex calmly, calculating his odds of survival.


    After some time passed, the man gave a signal to the tiger to stay down. He then sat cross-legged.


    "What you say is right. At my last breath, I created a new formation inside the armor. I am the one who created it, so it''s easy for me to do this.


    What do you want? If you want to kill me, it should be easy for you. But since you talk, there should be something you wanted."


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile, "Good, I always like negotiating with smart people. It''s easier. I just need some information."


    He then sat on the ground to show he just wanted to talk. "My name is Alex. How about you?"


    "My clan is massacred, and I also have died once. Just call me Pi. There is no need for a name."


    "I have heard some stories of cultivators dying when using this armor. You did this on purpose, right? What was your goal?"


    Pi felt it was useless to fight against Alex, so he decided to go with complete honesty, hoping he would somehow not kill him or give away for survival.


    "You should already know the answer. Outside, I will be called a demonic cultivator.


    I refine cultivator souls, turning them into nourishment for my soul. When my spirit is strong enough, I will then take over one of the artifact users and use their body."


    "That is what I thought, but it''s weird. Isn''t it better for you to just capture the first person''s body? But instead of doing that, you killed and hurt multiple cultivators, giving a bad reputation to the artifact. In the worst case, a strong cultivator related to your enemy could decide to check it. This will only result in your demise."


    Pi hesitated at first, but after some time passed, he let out a sigh. "It''s because of Tora. She hates it when someone other than me wears her."


    The black tiger behind Pi growled, then put her paw over Pi''s shoulder. Pi held it, then started petting her head.


    "So you failed to control Tora, letting her run wild. This ended up in one injury, and as for the one who died, you failed to take over his body since you exerted too much of your soul''s strength to hold Tora back."


    "Well, that is the gist of the story."


    "Is your enemy the Midnight Clan?"


    Pi''s eyes narrowed at the name. "Hah, this clan is not capable of doing that. My enemy is the Zephyr Clan. They are one of the rare clans that are still racist. Only those with Dragari blood can join their clan. As for humans, they will just become their slaves."


    "But you are half Dragari. Tell me what happened," Alex instructed.


    Pi''s expression turned solemn. He didn''t know why Alex wanted to find out his story, but he didn''t mind.


    "I don''t know now, but in the past, the Midnight Clan was under the Zephyr Clan. As for me, we are called the Blaze Clan.


    Compared to Zephyr, which specializes in combat using the ice element, Blaze uses fire, focusing more on artifact creation. We supplied weapons to the frontline, giving our clan good protection. But as you know, with wealth comes people''s greed."


    "It''s not like your clan is any better. I get you still supply the frontline with your weaponry, but you stopped fighting beside them."


    Hearing Alex''s remark, Pi turned silent. In the past, he thought what the clan did was correct¡ªwhy should they spill blood while the others just hid in the back? It''s not like their specialty is combat.


    In theory, as long as they supplied weapons and armor to the frontline, nothing would change. But theory is just theory. After moving to a peaceful location, the new generation never saw the cruelty and brutality of the frontline.


    They started focusing on their own clan profit, selling some of the gear meant for the frontline.


    In the past, they fought together, only charging a small fee as long as they could get by. But now, it changed. The small fee started rising bit by bit, as they made up many reasons¡ªfrom the logistics of sending the items, lack of material, or a bandit stealing their stockpile.


    This kept going on until finally the frontline stopped ordering any weapons from them, as they found a new supplier to stay with them at the frontline.


    No matter how high they raised the fee, selling gear to the frontline would never earn them as much profit as selling to the wealthy clans that hid in the back.


    sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 338 - 338: Zephyr Clan

    But Pi''s thinking changed when the tragedy struck.


    After the clan became wealthy and forgot about the people who still fought on the frontline, they became arrogant and conceited.


    Within just a few generations, they started forgetting their own clan roots, resulting in inner conflict.


    The patriarch''s own brother sold the clan''s secrets to their enemy, the Zephyr Clan. What happened next is history.


    For Alex, it was just the usual troupe. The Blaze clan had been decimated, and all their wealth was stolen.


    Based on Pi''s story, it was a very tragic day. The women were used in front of their men and then killed. Elderly, children, none were spared.


    "No one cares about this? Everyone just allows another clan to pillage as they want?" Alex asked.


    Based on what he knew so far, despite the inner conflict, there should still be some semblance of communication between each clan.


    No matter how much they forgot about the frontline, they would still keep tabs on it in case something happened.


    If one of the strong clans started pillaging others with impunity, it would alert the other small clans and could possibly force them to join together and trigger a war.


    "Care? Of course, they cared; each of them was a snake. Double-faced snakes that smiled at our faces while having meetings behind our backs to divide our wealth.


    Our clan was rich, but many of the members were arrogant."


    "I see, so you had a lot of enemies. They held their anger, waiting for the right time to bust out."


    Pi nodded. "But that is not all. You may think since we gathered all their ire, we deserved it, but it''s not like that. Those arrogant bastards were only the minority."


    "Let me guess, those arrogant bastards were the ones collaborating with the Zephyr clan."


    "Those animals!" Pi said with anger, his eyes flickering with rage.


    "I will do anything to take revenge, literally anything. In one of my explorations, I found a demonic cultivation technique. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s very risky, but it gives me a good chance to take revenge."


    "Tell me about the method."


    "Everyone''s potential is decided by birth; only a few heaven-defying treasures could change this. But is this true?


    The method I found could only be cultivated after losing one''s own body. It focused on enhancing the soul and nourishing it with those who are more talented.


    As long as I follow the method, I should be able to recreate my own body, which is full of potential."


    "I see, so even after you steal someone''s body, you will go on a killing spree."


    "I will never kill the innocent. My targets are those stronger than me, born with great fortune. I am sure many of them are evil."


    Alex let out a bitter laugh, the memory of the devastated city surfacing in his mind.


    "Do you think killing someone is that simple? The person may be evil, but what if he retaliates?


    What if innocents are killed in the process? And even an evil person has someone dependent on them.


    Just like this Midnight clan, what do you think will happen if you kill the patriarch? Will it just stop there?"


    Pi frowned. He had never thought it that far. If the patriarch died, of course, the clan would fall into chaos.


    Those with strength would try to take over the position, and the weak would be the first to be sacrificed.


    "See, you know the answer. In the first place, what is evil? What do you count as evil? We don''t have the right to judge someone like that."


    "Then what do you think I should do? Just stay quiet and stop my revenge?"


    Alex''s lips curled into a cold smile as he looked at his hand. In his eyes, it was clean, but in his mind, it was filled with blood.


    "I never said that. Just stop justifying your own actions. It''s bad, and you know it.


    You do it for your own selfish desire. Just like me now, I could just extinguish your soul, but I want to use you. Gift this cultivation method to me."


    "I have no problem, but what do you want me for? Do you want to use the armor?


    In that case, you will need to make a deal with Tora. But if you try to hurt him¡­" Pi''s eyes glinted with determination, "we will both die fighting."


    "Don''t worry, I have no interest in that. Now that I know how this armor works, I will just make one myself.


    As for you, I will give you two options: stay in the armor and follow your plan, hoping for the best, or I will give you a new body as long as you swear your loyalty to me," Alex replied.


    After Zargath''s death, he still hadn''t filled this position.


    There were still a few high goblins in his camp, but each of them was needed to maintain the goblin settlement. He also felt it was better to fill it with other species with different specialties.


    High goblins were the best to be commander-type units. If possible, he also wanted to retire Vexgore and make him the mayor of the goblin city of Edonia.


    Pi started considering his offer. ''I doubt he is lying to me; it''s not like there is anything more for me to lose.''


    With that thought, Pi said, "Alright, I will swear my loyalty to you as long as you help me destroy the Zephyr clan."


    "Good, we have a deal then. I will start making a new body for you."


    After saying this, Alex came out from Tora''s inner world. Outside, his fingertips glowed green. Like a composer, his hands started moving, disassembling the black robe.


    It didn''t take long for Alex to disassemble everything. All materials floated surrounding the murky red crystal. Despite being in parts, each of them was still connected with formation.


    Alex didn''t destroy it. He modified and enhanced it with runes.

 Chapter 339 - 339: Giant Worm

    His fingers moved again as Alex took out more materials from his storage ring.


    Using the black tiger leather armor, Alex transformed it into a skeletal bone. He then used the string from the fabric, weaving it into flesh and muscle around the bone.


    The beast core was put where the heart should be.


    Then he used another material, a gel-like substance floating in the air, mixed with a silvery liquid of strange substance.


    Time passed on as Alex carefully crafted the puppet body. It looked very human-like with draconic horns on the head. He used Pi''s appearance as the template but changed some features to make sure no one would recognize him.


    His eyes filled with enjoyment, and his lips curled into a smile. Alex was having the time of his life creating this Pi. He kept enhancing the formation with runes, layering one above another, creating a complicated array.


    While Alex had his fun, MingYue and the group almost arrived at the other portal. They were silent throughout the way, as the atmosphere still felt weird.


    MingYue didn''t start another conversation, while Luca didn''t know what to say. Emily felt guilty as everything started because of her. Olivia, meanwhile, didn''t know what to do; she just felt empty now after letting out all her emotions.


    Only Quartz and Zold really focused on their surroundings. So far, they hadn''t faced any enemies, but the surrounding terrain was not easy. Every time they moved to a different area, the gravity, air, and atmosphere would change.


    Lightning kept reverberating in the area as MingYue stopped at the edge. From her point of view, she could see the portal on another island underneath them.


    Jumping was not a problem, but MingYue could feel the presence of life even more clearly now despite seeing no monster in sight.


    Luca and the group stopped at her side. She just wanted to ask about the situation, but MingYue interrupted.


    "Aunt, let me try facing this one alone."


    After saying this, MingYue leaped down without hesitation. Ice wings appeared on her back, helping her glide toward her destination.


    After passing through some distance, MingYue took out a grenade from her storage ring. This was a high explosive type, specially made to break through walls or other sturdy buildings.


    BOOM!!!


    MingYue threw the grenade toward where the life force should be. It exploded, creating a deep crater.


    "GROOAR!!!!" A roar reverberated, and the ground started vibrating.


    A silhouette started appearing from inside the smoke and dust. It looked like a huge worm coming out from the ground.


    MingYue took out another weapon, this time shaped like a sniper rifle. She was still gliding in the air while looking at the creature through the scope.


    With her progenitor''s eyes, she could see the worm had a mouth that spread open into four jaws.


    She didn''t know how the creature would attack, but MingYue didn''t plan to find out.


    Her qi started pouring out, enhanced by lifeforce. She focused it all on the sniper rifle.


    Cracking sounds started coming out from the barrel as it couldn''t hold more energy. But MingYue didn''t stop.


    This was a custom-made rifle created by Alex for experiments. He was trying to replicate a railgun mechanism but utilizing qi and lifeforce.


    The bullets were made with lifeforce energy and accelerated multiple times with static electricity using qi.


    Her finger pressed the trigger.


    The barrel exploded as it launched a projectile at unprecedented speed, creating a sonic boom sound.


    The beast roared in pain. MingYue could see its body pierced, creating a huge hole. But she didn''t relax. After facing this kind of enemy multiple times, she realized a worm-like creature''s best strength was its regeneration ability.


    MingYue threw the broken sniper rifle, then flew quickly toward the worm.


    As she expected, the wound had already begun to heal with unprecedented speed.


    From a distance, Luca and the group looked at the fight. Based on the distance, Luca calculated the worm''s size was massive; with its jaw size, it could gulp a whole skyscraper without any problem.


    "Don''t we need to help?" Luca asked.


    "Let her take care of it, Mom. This is a good chance for you to see her real strength."


    Luca''s eyebrow raised. She understood Emily wanted to tell her that Alex was also as strong as MingYue, so she didn''t need to worry. "By the way, Emily, what happened before? Did something happen between Olivia and Alex? I thought what happened between them was already in the past."


    "Well, it turns out Sister Olivia also has feelings for Brother. I don''t know the details, though."


    "Hmm¡­ I see. How about with MingYue? I never thought your brother''s type was like her."


    "What do you mean, like her?"


    "Well, just there, an independent, strong warrior," Luca said as she pointed at the battlefield.


    Right now, the smoke and dust had already dissipated, allowing them to see everything clearly.


    Arriving right in front of the worm, MingYue slashed her sword nonstop. Each time she cut the worm''s flesh, she would freeze part of it.


    She didn''t give the worm any time to breathe.


    But the worm started adapting to her pace. The frozen parts fell off as if cut from the inside. It quickly regenerated the flesh, but it transformed into something different. It created an appendage-like arm that launched toward MingYue.


    Seeing the coming attack, she just smiled. MingYue barely used her full power. If she wanted, she could have frozen the worm in one attack.


    It''s not like her to do this, but right now, she still feels annoyed with Olivia''s words. She just wanted to move her body to vent out all her rage.


    She cut the appendage with ease while dodging any incoming attacks. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the giant maw, her lips curled into a smile. MingYue flicked her fingers, throwing a bunch of grenades into the creature.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The grenades exploded inside the worm. MingYue then decided to finish it. A cold aura started emanating from her body. MingYue pointed her sword forward.

 Chapter 340 - 340: Cultivation World?

    Her wings grew in size, followed by a lifelike ice fox appearing.


    "Roar!!!" The fox grew in size. Even though it was quite large, it still paled in comparison to the worm.


    It then leaped toward the opened jaw without hesitation. Seeing the fox disappear into the Worm, MinYue smiled.


    At first, the worm didn''t show any reaction, but soon, its movements became more erratic. The ground quaked under its weight.


    The worm roared once more, and a huge amount of energy started gathering over its jaw.


    Swosh! It shot like a laser beam toward the black sky. The worm tried to point it toward MingYue, but she was too agile.


    ''It may be strong, but it doesn''t have any intelligence,'' MingYue thought.


    She kept dodging the laser beam until the worm abruptly stopped. Ice started spreading all over its body at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.


    It didn''t take long for it to turn into an ice statue. MingYue flew forward, her sword emanating ice qi, followed by green particles with a thin red line around the blade.


    Stab! The sword pierced the huge worm. Its body then shattered to pieces as it changed into green particles.


    What remained on the battlefield now was a huge crater where the worm''s body was, with many green particles floating in the air.


    Luca and the others jumped down as they saw the fight was finished. The green particles then gathered toward MingYue, enveloping her like a cocoon.


    It gave MingYue a warm, serene sensation. No matter how many times she got used to life energy, MingYue always liked this moment.


    "Is there any more enemy, MingYue?" Luca asked.


    "No, Aunt, it should be the only one. Except there is more that I couldn''t detect. Give me a minute, I need to finish absorbing this energy."


    "Alright," Luca replied.


    Time passed on, and the group made their way toward the portal. Before they entered, MingYue asked Vesa to check it first.


    She materialized, then flew around the portal, her hand began carving multiple runes in the air. After some time, Vesa''s eyes flickered with confusion.


    "Queen, this portal connects to your world. I suggest rather than using this we go by ourselves. Who knows what kind of enemy is waiting behind this."


    Luca''s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing what Vesa said. It''s too much of a coincidence if this is true. From all possible worlds, her husband somehow ended up in Alex''s girlfriend''s world?


    The others in the group were also surprised by the information.


    Her mind ran quickly, thinking of all possible scenarios. "Vesa, are you really sure about this?"


    "100% positive, mother queen."


    "Let''s do it that way then. If that is true, I don''t believe this is all just a coincidence. What are your thoughts on this, MingYue?"


    "Alex and I have talked about something like this before. At this point, there is nothing we can do.


    If this is true, whatever being is pulling the string is something out of our hands. Trying to do anything will mostly only result in backfire, so we will just act like we don''t know about it."


    ''She is right; that tragedy could be said to be the catalyst that pulled Alex toward meeting MingYue.


    If Edward doesn''t disappear, even though the town was attacked, there is no way Alex would go to that research facility.''


    "How about you all? Do you have other thoughts?" Luca asked, looking toward Emily and the others.


    Emily shrugged, "I just want to rescue Dad. The rest doesn''t really matter. Like what MingYue said, there is nothing we can do about it."


    Olivia nodded without saying a word.


    "I am not used to thinking about something that complicated. We will just follow your instructions, Madam. How about you, Zold?"


    "Same as Quartz, I will just follow your instructions, Madam. No matter what, I want to find my father."


    "I see. How about this specific situation, MingYue? Should we go toward this portal or directly toward your world?"


    MingYue didn''t directly answer. "Vesa, can you guess where we will go out if we pass through this portal? Which region on my planet?"


    "I could guess the direction, but it won''t be accurate."


    "In that case, Aunt, we better not go through this portal," MingYue said to Luca.


    In reality, she wanted to pass through it, but if something happened to Luca and the others, she didn''t know how she would face Alex.


    Even though they have runes carved on their foreheads, it will only provide them with limited regeneration. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There is no guarantee Luca will provide them with a life force when the fight commences.


    "Send us now, Vesa," MingYue ordered.


    Vesa complied, quickly weaving through runes in the air.


    A line then appeared, encircling the whole group. It then glowed in the green light, and the next moment, everyone disappeared.


    Opening their eyes again, MingYue was greeted with the familiar view. It was the place outside the Qi mine.


    She just needed to pass through the cavern to enter her secret realm. But MingYue preferred going here since she wanted to move directly toward their destination.


    For Luca and the others, they were already used to moving into the dungeon, so the experience was not really new for them.


    Vesa materialized from MingYue and then started feeling out of the area they wanted to go to. She then pointed her finger. "It should be around there, Queen. It''s quite far from here."


    ''We can take the teleportation array, but that direction¡­ It''s the central region. Since we will go there anyway, I should gather some information first,'' MingYue turned toward Luca.


    "Aunt, I need to prepare something first. How about you wait in the sect? It won''t take long."


    "Your sect? Is that the one Alex often talks about?" Emily asked.


    "Yes, what does he tell you?"


    "He often says at some point, the guild and the sect will be melded together. It''s still some distance, but I must prepare the guild with that in mind."

 Chapter 341 - 341: Returning

    "That is true; we plan to do that in the future. Well, for now, follow me," MingYue replied.


    Her finger made a few gestures that activated the surrounding array, showing the entrance to the cavern system. Before, it just showed a huge mountain blocking their path.


    MingYue walked carefully, slipping through the gap between the huge vines.


    Luca and the others followed, passing through the dark cavern. Emily took out her awe cube, sending out a wisp of light.


    "What is that, Emily?" Luca asked.


    She knew it was some kind of monster, but seeing her daughter send it out from the cube and then order it around triggered her curiosity.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, Mom, this is Alex''s creation. Although he is the only one that could capture monsters."


    In reality, MingYue could also do it, but she chose to keep silent, not clarifying the information.


    "Capturing monsters?" Luca quickly realized the potential of Alex''s invention. "Did anyone else know about this?"


    "It''s Brother, Mom. Do you think he will make that mistake? Only us here know about this information. The other guild members don''t know anything."


    Luca then turned her gaze to the wisp of light. "Is there a risk for them to rebel?"


    "No, I am sure of it. You should have seen how many monsters Brother has captured. This is one of the main reasons we dare to try to rescue Dad."


    "How many does your brother have now?"


    "Honestly, I also don''t know the exact number. But more than a hundred for sure."


    "Alex should have more than enough to flatten a city, so you don''t need to worry about him, Aunt," MingYue said as she walked in the front, leading the group deeper into the cavern.


    Luca sighed, feeling proud of Alex''s achievement. But this also made her feel old.


    ''The new generation will always surpass the old generation. Hubby, just look at what your son has achieved. If only you were here, we should be able to retire in peace now.''


    As they went deeper, Luca and the others started seeing some activity. The cavern started being lit by electricity-fueled lamps they were familiar with.


    People could be seen using specialized drills, digging through the cavern walls. This was done to expand the tunnel to increase security. MinYue had planned not to move the sect even if she found a better Qi mine.


    In her eyes, this place was already perfect to hide Bai Yue sect in case something happened. Even if it''s attacked, with the only possible entrance from the cavern, it makes it easier to defend.


    The worst possible scenario is if their enemy collapses the whole cavern, but even this will not be a problem since their real sect is located in the secret realm. Adding Vesa''s ability on top of it will make it easy for them to quickly escape to any area.


    ''It would be better if we could find multiple places like this linked with a teleportation array,'' MingYue thought. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An idea started forming in her mind to make her own teleportation network all around the planet, allowing members of her sect to move anywhere in a matter of seconds.


    It didn''t take long for the group to reach the entrance to the secret realm.


    They still needed to swim through the lake, seeing many monster fish swimming around. However, since all of the animals had already been taken control of by MingYue, they had no problem.


    Seeing the vast space covered in Qi crystals made Luca realize the depth of operations her son was doing.


    ''The monster, multiple bases across the world, Alex, you really have already surpassed me and your father.''


    "Is this the source of the Qi crystals we usually use for cultivation?" Emily asked.


    "Yes, all crystals are acquired from here.


    Except for the high-quality ones, we need to buy them from the merchants. This mine could be said to be the backbone for the Bai Yue sect and Suzaku guild for now."


    "Suzaku guild?" Emily asked, feeling confused about how it was related.


    "Where do you think the material to make those storage cubes come from? The core for storage space was made utilizing Qi crystals."


    "I see," Emily replied as she looked around the vast space. She could spot many areas already completely excavated, leaving only holes in the wall.


    "How long could this mine last with our current consumption?"


    "Don''t worry. A Qi crystal mine is different from your usual mineral mine. It takes some time, but the resource here is renewable.


    I am not talking about hundreds of years; it will only take a full year without any excavation to restore this mine to its full capacity."


    "A full year? Isn''t that too fast? Does every Qi mine in this world work like this?" Luca asked.


    If the Qi mine could quickly regenerate, this means the Qi crystal won''t be hard to get.


    Hearing the word cultivation from Emily''s lips, MingYue could already guess that the Qi energy condensed inside all these orange crystals was the source of their new strength.


    Alex often told her stories about novels he read in the past. This made her familiar with some of the terms. But Luca didn''t feel surprised that novels in her world could portray another world.


    People''s imagination runs wild without any limit. With how many are written, statistically speaking, it''s not weird that one of them is correct.


    Just like how monsters and magic only existed in stories before, but after the dungeon break, it all became reality.


    "Of course not, Aunt, it''s only for this mine. Do you see the tree-like structure in the middle?


    It''s the Qi vein of this mine. It works by absorbing the qi in the atmosphere, absorbing what it needs while purifying the rest.


    The result is this crystal. Alex has used runes to amplify its ability, fastening the process many times."


    "Just like that? It raised its ability without any side effect?"

 Chapter 342 - 342: Mission for MingHao

    "There are some, but the cost is worth it. It results in absorbing more qi in the air, making the large area surrounding this place barren of qi.


    But rather than a bad side effect, in my opinion, this is something good.


    Cultivators will be less likely to check this place. They will think the area has already exhausted all its potential."


    This didn''t happen often, but it was also not that rare. The area around the cavern entrance was also not that popular.


    It was very deserted, and MingYue was sure only a few cultivators would find out the area had become barren of Qi.


    "That is good then, but it would be better if you had multiple places like this mine."


    "I agree, Aunt, we are looking for it," MingYue replied.


    She then activated the portal.


    Walking inside, Emily felt like they were returning back to their world. The air was filled with mana.


    They walked through the gate and were greeted with a big, vast city. MingYue took out a few ID cards from her storage ring.


    "These can be used to go around the city. I will not be long."


    She then excused herself and disappeared from where she stood. In the secret realm, MingYue could now move as she wished with Vesa''s help. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where should we wait, Mom?" Emily asked.


    "Let''s look around for now. I am curious how this city works," Luca said. She could see many of her world''s influences; it was clear this was all made by Alex.


    Seeing all this made her feel proud.


    Meanwhile, MingYue appeared on the island that held the sect members. She saw MingHao now talking with his friends as he was taking a break.


    MingYue released her qi subtly, making MingHao turn his gaze. Seeing MingYue standing a distance away, he quickly stood up, "Sorry guys, something came up. Let''s talk again later."


    His friends looked at him with confusion, as it was out of character for MingHao to suddenly leave. But as he was already nowhere to be seen, they just continued their talking.


    None of them felt worried as they believed in the secret realm''s security.


    Till now, there has been zero crime. It''s not that no one thought to do something bad, but Vesa always intervened right when the crime happened. If someone wanted to steal, Vesa would take them after they picked something up.


    When they wanted to kill someone before the knife plunged into the victim, they would also be taken by Vesa. This allowed for a very safe place to live.


    "Sis, you have returned?"


    "Yes, just a moment ago. I will not stay long. How is your cultivation?"


    MingHao smiled, releasing his qi.


    "Not bad, late core formation stage. When did you have your breakthrough?"


    "Not long after you left."


    "How long have I been gone now?" MingYue asked as she didn''t know how much the time difference was.


    The fractured world she came from had many weird phenomena: green lightning, weird gravity, and dimensional fissures. Who knew how long she had spent in that world?


    "Around a month."


    "I see. Did anything big happen while I was gone?"


    "Nothing, it''s just that LianFang has put up some requests."


    "What did she want?"


    "She wants to send a group of people from her clan to go outside searching for YangFei."


    "I see¡­ Will she go out too?"


    "If it''s allowed, yes, but she knows she needs to be here to manage her people."


    MingYue thought it over, "It''s fine. Just let my master take care of her clan. She can go out, but it must be with you. Bring four people with you."


    MingHao''s eyes lit up. It had been a while since he had gone out from the secret realm. He also wanted to test out his strength.


    "Ok, Sis, I will quickly go and prepare."


    He then quickly ran back to his friends, making MingYue chuckle.


    "Wait, come back, you brat! I am not finished," MingYue called out in a stern tone, but her lips were smiling.


    MingHao froze, turned his head, and asked, "What else, Sis?"


    MingYue didn''t reply and just gestured for him to come closer. "Close your eyes," she ordered.


    She then flicked his forehead, making MingHao protest, "Ouch, Sis, it hurts."


    "Who said you can open your eyes? And stop exaggerating," she said with a chuckle.


    ''Vesa, carve the rune,'' MingYue ordered through her mind.


    Vesa then materialized in front of MingHao, her hand flickering with green energy.


    "Don''t move, no matter what you feel."


    MingHao responded with a nod. He could feel a weird energy appear in front of him. He didn''t know what his sister planned, but he believed she wouldn''t hurt him.


    Warm energy then started washing all over his body. He felt something start appearing on his forehead. It was like another Qi core.


    Looking at MingHao''s expression made MingYue feel relieved. Her plan was to send him toward the central region to gain experience.


    After the process finished, MingHao opened his eyes, but his sister was nowhere to be seen. "Thanks, Sis," he mumbled, then quickly returned to his friends.


    MingYue was already back at her home. She slumped on the couch, then opened a fresh can of soda while listening to the report from Vesa.


    Right now, the BaiYue sect''s main power came from Lian Fang''s people and the goblin army.


    The number of cultivators she had was still small, but this didn''t mean she couldn''t order the civilians to make their move.


    With modern weapons, MingYue was sure they could take on a cultivator head-on, as long as it was not someone above the golden core realm.


    ''The only problem is the central region. With my current force, there should be no problem expanding in this region,'' MingYue thought.


    She then said out loud, "Vesa, call QingWa here."


    "Alright, Queen."


    Not long after, the door to her house opened, and QingWa lowered her head, greeting MingYue, "You called me, miss?"

 Chapter 343 - 343: Order

    "Yes, you have celestial bloodline in your blood. This allows you to easily kill other beasts at your level.


    If we start conquering this region, starting from Daling city, will we meet anyone that can face us?"


    "No, miss. Based on my knowledge, all the strong beasts should have migrated to the central region.


    Only a few beast like me chose to stay in regions like this for personal reasons.


    If our goal is just conquering cities, I am sure they won''t have any problem."


    "What use is conquering cities? My real goal is all those Qi mines. I want them under Bai Yue sect."


    "If it''s Qi crystal mines, as long as we avoid the ones they lay claim on, it should be no problem.


    I myself have one low Qi mine under my control. But since I have been away for a while now, another beast probably already resides there."


    MingYue looked at QingWa, studying her expression carefully.


    "I will give you a mission now. Go out and start leading our people to take over as much territory as you can."


    "What is the strategy? If we do this, other families won''t stay still. And miss, you probably don''t know, but now the situation is not that good."


    "What do you mean?"


    QingWa took out a jade bead from her storage ring, then threw it to MingYue. Inside was a report from FengXue. All this time, it was received by QingWa.


    Infusing it with her will, MingYue quickly learned many things. Her lips curled into a smile. What FengXue did was the same as creating a foundation for her to attack the central region.


    ''To think all this time what she wanted was destroying ShangXi temple. But this is good,'' MingYue thought


    Then she ordered QingWa, "It''s fine. Capture those who don''t want to resist or surrender. As for the rest, kill without mercy.


    Every prisoner, bring them to Daling City, make it our stronghold. You will attack them all under the name of our sect."


    "What if a clan from the central region intervenes then?"


    "Ignore them. If they really intervene, kill them all. As for the army, I will let you bring some of the goblin squad, the rest of the cultivators, and our militia. I will give you three days to organize them."


    "Three days? Miss, if they are cultivators, I have no problem. The goblins are also already trained.


    However, the militia are just civilians with no prior experience. Three days of training will not be enough."


    "This skirmish is nothing more than practice, QingWa. After you finish your objective, we will fight our way to the central region.


    Based on the report I got, the Situ clan and the others have already migrated to that region. They should have already started making trouble for the temple. This is a good opportunity for us.


    Use this power vacuum to take as much territory as we can. After this region, if possible, we will go to another.


    Oh yeah, for the captured ones, use their cultivators as our frontline army. Put slave seals on all of them."


    "That is¡­" QingWa was speechless at how ruthless MingYue''s order was.


    The enemy that survived was those that surrendered and gave up, and she still wanted to use them to fight on the front line.


    "What? Is there any problem? With your ability and celestial bloodline, enslaving cultivators up to the golden core should be no problem.


    If you meet the strong ones, bombard them with our weaponry. I believe the factory has already started production."


    "Yes, miss¡­ no problem. I just feel it''s too cruel? They already gave up."


    "Cruel? Did you already forget what you did to my master''s homeland? If I had not been there, you probably would have already flattened it to the ground."


    QingWa turned silent, knowing what MingYue said was right.


    She let out a sigh, then changed the topic, "Alright, I will do that. As for the factory, they have already produced that weird metal box, but what is it used for?"


    To her question, MingYue responded by touching her finger to QingWa''s forehead. Streams of information started transferring, making QingWa''s face widen in surprise. "Is that real?"


    "You have lived here for a while. Don''t you see the level of technology this place has?


    Don''t doubt the weapon''s capability, QingWa. Your job is just to manage and lead them.


    Let them fight their own fight. Intervene only when you have no choice.


    Use sect disciples as part of the commander team. In these three days, they must finish the whole leadership course in the VR pod.


    I believe it''s already working without any problems?"


    "Yes, the goblins that came here have already done their work, but as you ordered, no one has used it yet."


    MingYue nodded, "Good. Let the disciples think it''s just an illusion array. If you do well in this mission, I will look for a body for your husband."


    "Are you serious, miss?" QingWa asked.


    The contract between her and Vesa stated that she would help MingYue for a hundred years in exchange for getting a body for her husband. But barely a year had passed.


    Normally, a cultivator would push it till the end of the term to make sure the beast would work hard.


    "Are you doubting me? Don''t overestimate your worth, QingWa. Many things will change soon." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The current army of BaiYue sect was barely half of their real strength. The real army was all now with Alex, or in Edonia. The sovereigns, the elves, they were the strongest army under them now.


    MingYue was sure the sovereigns were more than enough to turn the whole cultivation world upside down.


    Each of them was a pure vampire; they could regenerate almost nonstop while using runes to fight against the cultivator''s secret techniques.


    "No, miss. I thank you for your kindness. I will never forget this."


    "Just go and prepare everything. Make sure to leave after exactly three days. I don''t want any interruptions."

 Chapter 344 - 344: Awakened?

    The sect would become almost defenseless, but without the chaos outside and Vesa''s current abilities, MingYue was not worried.


    "Alright, miss, I will start now."


    "One more thing, where is FengXue now? She didn''t tell her location in that information."


    "That is the last report, miss. I didn''t read her message, so I don''t know."


    "I see. You can go now."


    QingWa bowed once more, then left her house. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Vesa, where is FengXue now?" MignYue asked.


    She already knew Vesa had left some runes on LingHua''s body, allowing her to track FengXue''s location anytime.


    "I can feel her direction; it''s some distance away from where the portal was."


    "How about Alex? Could you feel him?"


    Vesa shook her head in defeat. "I am sorry, but no, Queen."


    "I don''t get it. Does this mean the one that caused this is stronger than a progenitor?" MingYue asked, feeling worried.


    If this is true, Alex could be in real danger despite his ability.


    "No, not necessarily, Queen. There could be a new method that I don''t know of, hence this result."


    "But isn''t Alucard inside Alex? Even though he is weakened now, I doubt just anyone can do this."


    "Well¡­ it''s because I know my old master''s personality. Honestly, if this was caused by him, I would not find it weird."


    "For what purpose? Training? In that case, I am also one of his inheritors; shouldn''t he bring me too?"


    "I don''t know, Queen. Maybe it''s just a whim. It''s hard to guess what my old master is thinking."


    MingYue frowned; she still felt it didn''t make sense for Alucard to be the one to do this.


    ''Is it that eye being? But in that case, it would be even more weird.


    With its power, that being should have no problem killing Alex instantly.''


    Meanwhile, Alex was marveling at his creation. In front of him stood a tall human with horns on his head. He was now kneeling in front of Alex.


    "As long as you help me with my revenge, I swear my loyalty to you, Sir Alex," Pi said.


    He knew his life was already under Alex''s control now, but the revenge was very important for Pi. No matter what, he must get it.


    "Don''t worry. I already said I will take out the Zephyr clan. So, how is your new body?"


    Pi started making a fist with his hand, feeling the strength. "It''s been a while since I used a real body, but give me one day; I should be able to get used to it."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Alex, are you awake? I am bringing the item you asked for before." A voice came from his front door.


    "Sure, Senior, give me a minute," Alex replied.


    He then took out an awecube and pointed it toward Pi. "Prioritize recovering your own strength, then you should learn the cultivation method I left inside."


    Pi''s real body was now unique. Alex had made it with many materials, but he still ensured Pi would be able to use it for cultivation.


    Alex didn''t know how high the realm he could get with that body, but he wasn''t worried.


    When a cultivator reaches the immortal realm, they carve a new body for themselves, meaning it won''t be any problem for Pi to reach the highest cultivation realm he knows.


    Pi was confused by Alex''s words, but before he could ask anything, Alex had already brought him inside the awecube.


    He then returned all the modern furniture to his storage ring, just in case someone came in to clean his room.


    Opening the door, he was greeted by Uncle Moria, who looked at him with curiosity. "I heard you purchased a cursed spirit artifact?"


    "Cursed? Isn''t that too exaggerated? It just killed a few unworthy cultivators."


    "Don''t underestimate a beast spirit. There are some unique cases where they become stronger after death, killing anyone who wants to wield them.


    I have heard some rumors that even immortals won''t be spared."


    "Is it that bad? I feel that is just a rumor. An immortal should be able to do it. Even if they fail, they could try again multiple times. I am sure they have their own methods."


    "You are free to do what you want, but make sure you don''t die before the competition starts. Otherwise, all my investment will be useless."


    Alex let out a polite smile. "Don''t worry, Senior, this junior won''t let you down. So, did you bring what I wanted?"


    Moria''s lips twitched; he knew Alex didn''t take his warning seriously. But looking at his calm demeanor, he felt there should be nothing bad happening. ''Either he hasn''t tried bonding with the gear, or he has a way to deal with it.''


    A storage pouch appeared in his hand, which he gave to Alex. "Inside, I also put a secret technique book. I don''t know how you fight, so I just chose a footwork secret technique. I am sure this will be helpful for you."


    "Thanks," Alex replied while checking the contents using his will.


    Inside, he found two jade slips: one containing the information he wanted, while the other was the secret technique.


    Alex''s eyes lit up while learning this movement. It allowed him to understand what an awakened cultivator really meant.


    The technique itself was not unique; it was useful but not better than the one he had learned.


    This one focused on foot movement when facing an enemy in close combat, ensuring he always had enough space to move and dodge. But as the mastery grew, the movement would begin to change, utilizing the cultivator''s own touch.


    The cultivator would imbue their own element, allowing them to get more effects.


    For example, if Alex used the fire element, each time he made a step, he would be able to trigger the fire to ignite on his step.


    He then could use it to kick the enemy or use it cleverly, like igniting oil on the surface.


    The technique stopped here for normal cultivators, but for awakened cultivators, there was another step.


    They would utilize their own species'' unique ability in the movement.

 Chapter 345 - 345: Sparring 2 vs 1

    This information made Alex realize the awakened here meant they somehow enhanced the species'' unique ability, awakening their bloodline and mixing it with their qi core.


    Despite never utilizing it, Alex was not a stranger to the concept of bloodline.


    As an avid novel reader, it would be shameful if he couldn''t link all the information he got.


    "Cultivators in MingYue World used Bloodline as enhancement, but these people took it a step further by uniting it with their golden core, giving their qi a unique attribute."


    For example, MingYue''s old bloodline was the Ice Kirin. If she became awakened, this would allow her qi to have an innate ice element without her doing anything. This would also enhance her physical strength, giving her the power of a Kirin, depending on her blood purity.


    "In a sense, both MingYue and I could be called awakened cultivators since we infuse lifeforce into our qi. It''s just like a fusion of energy; it just works differently."


    "Cough, what are you thinking about?" Moria asked, feeling confused.


    Alex suddenly became busy with his own thoughts in the middle of the conversation. He was now touching his chin, his eyes deep in thought, completely ignoring Moria.


    "Oh¡­ Sorry, senior, I am just thinking about something."


    "Since you already got everything, how about having a spar? I already prepared the place."


    "Sure, let''s go," Alex replied while securing the storage pouch into his ring.


    Outside, the two people still waited for him. They wanted to follow, but Moria gestured for them to wait there.


    He didn''t want anyone to know Alex''s capability; the fewer that knew, the better. The path was illuminated with luminous crystals placed inside beautiful stone lanterns. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The atmosphere was serene and peaceful, with only the sound of crickets in the background.


    Alex passed through many large courtyards. Each was guarded by a few cultivators. Occasionally, he also passed another group of guards patrolling the path.


    After a few turns, Moria led Alex into one of them. The guards just gave way as they already recognized Moria.


    "The cultivator world really looks like those from the Eastern fantasy novels. Now, I am sure one of the original authors really came from this world. Who is he? Have I read his book or not?"


    While his mind wandered, Moria brought him underground. They reached a huge opening.


    The cavern walls were adorned with many combat scars: a slash of a sword, an explosion, a stab of a spear.


    In contrast, the floor was covered in large tiles without a speck of dust. It looked like it was made from concrete with a glossy finish, but Alex knew it wasn''t a normal material.


    In the middle of the area, Reina stood holding a spear.


    Alex''s lips curled into a smirk, "I thought I would only fight with you. So we are going two against one?"


    "We will take turns, and you can take a break in between. I hope you understand. I need to make sure I know how strong you are. This is very important for me." Reina said.


    "No need, let''s just finish this. Go at once." Alex said while his foot stomped on the ground.


    The next moment, he appeared in front of Reina, just an arm''s length away. Reina quickly turned alert and leaped back to put some distance.


    Alex could have pursued her, but he decided not to. He raised his hand, gesturing for them to come first.


    Reina exchanged gazes with Moria. Both of them then jumped forward. She thrust her spear while Moria''s hand grew larger and turned into a beastly claw.


    Bam!


    Alex didn''t even move. Red liquid came out from his back, transforming into two large hands, both blocking their attacks.


    His crimson eyes glinted with a green hue. "Go all out. This is too weak."


    Reina''s qi started coming out from her body, creating a huge wind in the silhouette of a dragon.


    The wind-like dragon started condensing into spectral-like armor surrounding Reina.


    Swosh! She shot forward like a tornado.


    Moria didn''t make a move; he decided to watch from the side. If he went all out, he was afraid it would hurt Reina by accident.


    Even if it was a small scratch, he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself.


    The blood around Alex started contorting and moving toward his hand. It turned into something like a gauntlet.


    He then leaped forward, meeting Reina''s attack head-on.


    CLANG! BANG!


    The sharp whirlwind exploded, creating many scars on the floor, while Reina''s reptilian eyes widened in surprise.


    It wasn''t the first time someone stopped her attack, but to do it to this extent blew her mind. Alex''s hand was clutching her spear right under the blade despite her spinning speed.


    Alex yanked her spear, throwing her toward Moria. Seeing this, Moria''s eyes flickered with anger. His body grew in size, followed by wings coming out from his back, making him look similar to the dragari Luca had fought before.


    But his target was not Alex; he moved as fast as possible to catch his princess.


    Alex stomped on the ground, followed by a streak of red moving quickly, appearing on top of Moria.


    BAM! He punched, sending Moria''s transformed body deep into the ground.


    His lips then curled into a smirk, looking at Reina flying toward him. Alex raised his hand forward, the blood transforming once more from a gauntlet into a soft barrier, effectively catching her without hurting her.


    "Is this enough, senior? I could do more if you wanted."


    Moria stood up, his shoulders slumped with relief seeing nothing happened to Reina. He then looked at Alex, his eyes reflecting fear and worry.


    The strength Alex showed was something out of his imagination, to the point that he started wondering if Alex was capable of facing his whole clan.


    "That is enough. Tell me how much strength you used in this fight."


    Alex''s lips curled into a grin. "For your peace of mind, it''s better you don''t know, senior. Don''t worry. I will keep up with our agreement."

 Chapter 346 - 346: The Plot Thicken

    He then excused himself, leaving both of them alone.


    "Is this alright, Princess?" Moria asked with a complicated gaze.


    "If you knew how strong he was, would you stop hiring him, Uncle Moria? Let''s just take it as our good fortune," Reina said while her eyes flickered with excitement.


    With Alex''s strength he had seen, he now knew why Alex was so confident in helping her.


    ''I hope I am not too late, Mom,'' Reina thought in her mind.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already made his way back. Even though his connection with Vesa was cut, he could still feel people''s life force.


    As he walked, Alex suddenly stopped. He turned his gaze toward one of the courtyards. A strong life signature had just appeared.


    ''Seems someone wants to start trouble,'' Alex thought with a smirk on his face.


    He couldn''t help but get used to plot progression from most novels he had read. There was no way a strong person would come in the middle of the night without a specific purpose. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex leaped forward, easily avoiding every guard. The courtyard looked similar to Reina''s, making his job even easier as he had already gotten used to the layout.


    Landing near the window on the third floor, Alex''s finger started giving out a green hue. ''A protection array, unfortunately, the one they face is me.''


    His finger started moving skillfully, drawing runes that allowed him to bypass the array without destroying it.


    Inside the room, two people were now lying in the bed. Raspy voices and sounds could be heard, making Alex chuckle.


    ''Isn''t she Morgana? But who is that man?'' Alex thought while looking at them.


    The man had long silver hair and a feminine body. He didn''t have any special features, but based on his qi, Alex speculated he had mastery over ice elements.


    The man and Morgana kept cooking the rice without care, not knowing they were giving a live show to someone.


    After a few minutes, the man lay on the bed with a tired face covered in sweat. Morgana''s expression showed she wanted to cook more rice, but unfortunately, the man had already eaten too much until he was full.


    "How is your preparation?"


    "Don''t worry, Darling, everything is prepared.


    I will make sure Reina is defeated in the competition. Then we can proceed with the next plan."


    "As long as you can send her out of the clan, we will take care of the rest."


    Morgana''s hand moved flirtatiously, caressing the man''s cheek, "Don''t forget your promise afterward."


    "Of course, after our Zephyr clan takes over Midnight, we will make you our new matriarch. This whole clan will be under your control."


    Morgana''s lips curled into a smile, "As long as his favorite daughter gets ambushed, he will surely go out to rescue her.


    That will be the time for your clan to start the operation. But I don''t get it. Can''t you just ambush her when she is returning back from the academy?"


    "It''s not that simple. If she was attacked at that time, the academy would intervene."


    "Then what would change? She is still a student at the academy. Won''t they intervene if something happens?"


    "No, my clan has already made sure of this. When the student faces problems because of their own clan, they won''t intervene, except it''s when they just leave the academy."


    ''So Morgana is a traitor¡­ interesting. I bet they also caused the incident with Reina''s mother. The patriarch probably sent some of his trusted people to protect her.


    The rumor about her mother probably also spread to infatuate the patriarch. But why would the Zephyr clan do all this?''


    In novels, usually, the clan''s reason would be justified with greed, but Alex knew, in reality, this was not enough justification.


    The Zephyr clan might have been able to pull a trick a few times, but as the clan kept growing in richness, other clans started putting their attention on them.


    They were not stupid; after some research, they would find out everything. In the past, people would turn a blind eye as each had their own personal goals and benefits. But the situation would change at that point.


    The Zephyr clan''s existence would become a danger to them.


    ''This world also faces external problems. The clan that holds the frontline won''t just stay still if a new danger starts appearing from the inside.''


    Then Alex started thinking if it was possible for those on the frontline to be the ones who pushed the Zephyr clan to do this.


    There was no way they didn''t hold any resentment. Their family and loved ones died protecting the border, while these clans stayed inside, getting wealthy and busy with their own greed.


    Just like Pi''s old clan, the impact of their weapon supply was not something small. Alex was sure this would cause many casualties on the frontline as the shipment of weapons and ammunition was late.


    ''Is this their retaliation? They plot to make even the inner area turn into a chaotic place, forcing some of the clans to move back to the frontline to help them?


    But if this is true, this Zephyr clan should be nothing more than their puppet.''


    Back in the room, Morgana and the man''s talk turned into something useless. It went to their hobbies, eating, and small talk about their lives. Alex couldn''t find anything useful, but he still waited patiently.


    Alex wanted to know how the man could enter this place. Based on what he had learned so far, the Zephyr clan should have prepared a route or even planted some of their people inside the Midnight clan.


    Time passed on; the man started getting dressed and then left Morgana alone. Alex then moved toward the roof, his senses locked on the man''s life signature.


    ''Based on his movement, he is going to the basement. Does this mean there is a teleportation array installed there? But how could something like that exist without anyone knowing?''

 Chapter 347 - 347: Bait

    As he expected, after some time, the man''s presence completely disappeared.


    ''Since they already have this but still don''t dare to attack, this could only mean either their strength is on par with the Midnight clan, or this operation is done with multiple clans¡­''


    Alex then left the courtyard area, returning back to his house.


    The guard gave a bow while the woman was sitting in meditation.


    "You are back, sir. Where is Sir Moria?"


    "I don''t know, probably returning back to his place. Anyway, what are both of you doing here? Don''t you need sleep?" Alex asked.


    He knew cultivators could last a long time without eating or sleeping, but he just wanted to make some small talk.


    "Don''t worry, sir. We are just doing our task."


    "I see¡­" Alex turned his gaze toward the exit. "Is the security normally this tight, or did something happen?"


    "Normally, it''s not like this, but it''s nothing to worry about, Sir Alex. This is just a normal routine because of the princess tournament." The man replied swiftly, but the change in his expression didn''t escape Alex''s notice. He knew the man was hiding something.


    "By the way, I heard some clan names from Senior Moria before. He said one of the enemies of your Midnight clan is the Zephyr. Have you ever heard about them?"


    The man''s eyes flickered for a moment before returning to normal.


    "Of course, I know it, sir. The clan is quite famous in the northern area. But I never knew they were our enemy.


    Their clan may be a bit stronger than ours, but I am sure they won''t dare to really antagonize us. This will only result in losses for both parties."


    "I see¡­" Alex then took out two water gourds, the inside filled with spiced water.


    "Here, take it. Both of you will be staying with me for a few days until the competition starts. So it''s better if we get acquainted with each other."


    The man hesitantly looked at the item in Alex''s hand.


    "Were you afraid I would give you poison?" Alex asked with a chuckle. He then opened a gourd and poured the water into his mouth.


    After a gulp, he smiled, "See, there is no poison."


    Seeing his gesture, the man felt it was hard to reject his offer. He took the water gourd and began drinking. The water felt unique to his taste; it made him feel refreshed and energized.


    "Sir Alex, what is this water?"


    "It''s just a specialty from my homeland. I call it spiced water. The water is nothing special, but it will help to refresh your mind. So what is your name?"


    "My name is Rexar, Sir Alex. You can just call me Rex."


    "Well, I will take a rest now. If you want more of this water, I still have some, but it''s not for free. You will need to buy it a gourd for one high-quality qi crystal."


    "Sir, isn''t that too expensive? It''s not like it recovers my qi."


    "Of course not. A single sip can refresh your mind.


    Just see how much water is in this gourd; you can easily gain hundreds of sips from it.


    Also, don''t underestimate the effect; a clear mind can become the deciding factor for you to return alive or die in dangerous situations."


    "I understand¡­ but that is still too expensive for my wage."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "I already gave you one gourd. You know you can share it with your guard and then sell the water to them at a higher price.


    Don''t worry, as long as I am here, I will only sell this spiced water to you and her."


    Alex pointed at the woman, then excused himself, going inside the house, baffling Rexar.


    After he was gone, the woman opened her eyes. She then looked at Rexar with a smirk.


    "So you will become a water merchant now? But honestly, one high-quality qi crystal for a gourd? Is that even worth it?"


    Rex took the other water gourd and gave it to the woman, "This one is yours. Rather than explain, why not take a drink yourself?"


    Since the woman had already seen Rex and Alex drink it, she already knew it was safe. After a sip, her eyes lit up. "This is very good. We can sell this, Rex."


    Rex rolled his eyes, "After mocking me, now you say this, Wendy? Just make up your mind."


    "That is not important. Both of us are loyal to the Midnight family. I have no problem giving my life for them, but we have our own families to take care of.


    Don''t you want a better future for them? This water is our gold mine, Rex. Believe me."


    "What do you plan? If you want me to sell it to the guards, I object to taking profit from them. It''s not like we are rich."


    "Of course not. Do you think I don''t know how much you earn and the cost of living?


    You earn a lot but also spend a lot on cultivation. The rest you send back to your family.


    The customer I think of are not people from this estate; we should sell this to the city, Rex."


    "We cannot do it, at least not now."


    "I am not suggesting we leave our task. Here is my idea. I will call my friend to take empty gourds.


    We will fill them half with water and the other half with this spiced water.


    Our goal will be to sell it to the merchants in town. I know some of them." Wendy said with an excited tone. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, sitting on the couch inside, Alex laughed. Everything happened as he expected. He heard everything that Rex and Wendy talked about.


    "The bait is already spread; I just need to wait for them to make the first move. As for now¡­" Alex closed his eyes. He then started focusing on the footwork technique he got from Moria.

 Chapter 348 - 348: Atom & Wave = Life?

    Alex closed his eyes. He then started focusing on the footwork technique he got from Moria.


    The concept of awakening intrigued him. Alex felt he could use it to enhance his strength even further.


    "With some modification on this awakening method, Alice should be able to use it to cultivate.


    She needs to modify her fairy heart into a golden core, so it produces both qi and fairy dust. But for me and MingYue, it''s different¡­"


    Lifeforce energy was used to augment Qi and mana, enhancing their power output.


    "It''s not like Lifeforce cannot fuse; it''s just a completely different type of energy. It will enhance the power output no matter what energy it fuses with."


    Alex then came to a realization. "Wait, these traits¡­ doesn''t this mean each of these energies is also built from Lifeforce?"


    He then raised three of his fingers, and three types of energy started appearing: a green light of Lifeforce, a bluish-hot Qi, and pale blue calm mana.


    ''Lifeforce, the source of all living beings¡­ the quality may be different, but each organism has it.''


    Alex had made sure of this; even bacteria had Lifeforce in them, although their quality was very low, making them unusable for anything useful. But this information made him realize, what if energy was also made using Lifeforce as part of its component?


    ''Qi produced by my core could be controlled at will. By doing certain things, I could trigger a change of characteristic, turning it into an element. As for mana, it''s softer than Qi, but the way it''s used is far harder. Alex could will and control it, enhancing his body strength, but to trigger a real effect¡­''


    Alex let out a sigh. Despite all his knowledge and strength now, the true nature of mana and awakener abilities still eluded him. He didn''t know how or why mana transformed someone''s organ and then allowed it to use mana to create some kind of effect.


    He felt even more confused that the organ would only show its effect if it was fueled by the person''s personal mana. But what decided which organ to change? What abilities would it create?


    Is this impacted by the person''s personality? But if this was the case, then it would not make sense.


    His sister was a timid girl in the past, but she gained a very strong offensive ability. Alex himself was someone who preferred to do things without thinking, but somehow he gained the ability to think deeply.


    If it was hereditary, since his father also had a similar ability, then it still didn''t explain where Emily''s light ability came from.


    "Wait, can the organ and mana somehow be interpreted as an array or rune formation?" Alex asked himself.


    But Alex quickly shook off the idea. If he did that, it wouldn''t be any different than rune formation. It could be modified to use mana, but it would be far more effective using Lifeforce.


    An organ in an awakener is different; it works just like other human organs, but this one doesn''t function with blood.


    Knowing he was stuck, his focus changed once more toward Qi and Mana. ''How could I dissect this energy? Until now, no one has been able to do this.''


    Even with the best technology Alex knew of, the best humans could do was recreate energy through reactions and use many devices to try to find out its nature, behavior, and application.


    "Almost every single thing in this world, living or not, could be broken down into atoms. They are the building blocks. Atoms themselves could still be broken down into protons, neutrons, and electrons. But for energy¡­"


    Alex then remembered that light is one of the special things that had been broken down; it''s made of photons, which are particles of electromagnetic radiation.


    The form looks like a wave and can be observed through special lenses.


    Alex''s eyes then turned toward the Lifeforce energy. At first, it might look like a sphere of light, but if he looked closer, the energy was fluctuating like a gentle wave in the ocean.


    ''Is energy also made from something like photons? Then it''s also something like a wave?''


    The thought made Alex''s eyes light up. He felt he was getting closer to the correct answer.


    His ability started running at maximum capacity; many ideas and thoughts came to his mind. If energy is really composed of waves, then many things will make sense. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And this also means Lifeforce is basically a wave. ''Wait, if this is true, then this wave should also move inside living beings.''


    Based on Alex''s theory, an object would be made only from atoms, but if he could somehow integrate Lifeforce into it, that object would become a living being. Then, depending on the Lifeforce quality, it would affect the level of sentience.


    Alex extinguished the Qi and mana, then focused his eyes on Lifeforce. "Does this mean I have just stumbled upon the secret of life? Now I wonder, does Alucard also know about this¡­"


    Atoms with high-quality Lifeforce become sentient living beings. They then pass through life, living through many experiences that will result in the production of a soul.


    Unfortunately for Alex, he could only hold onto the theory for now. He didn''t have the time to experiment on all this. But one thing was clear for him now: a soul is the fruit of Lifeforce with atoms.


    The question is just how their living experience could result in the creation of a soul, and finally, what happens to a soul after the living being is dead?


    Alex was the type that didn''t believe the creation of the universe happened because of coincidence. This includes all the systems and laws inside of it.


    Everything was made for a reason. There should be a use for this soul that is necessary for the whole system to keep working. Otherwise, there is no point.


    "Whatever the reason was, there is a high chance this soul is consumed in the process. This will explain why even Vesa says resurrection is impossible when the soul is already gone."

 Chapter 349 - 349: Dragon Flame Fortress

    Time passed, and Alex spent his time pondering this information and learning more about awakened cultivators.


    Meanwhile, MingYue had already left the secret realm. Her first goal was to meet up with Feng Xue on the central continent.


    The group was split. Olivia decided to go with MingHao and the others. Quartz was worried about her, so she decided to come with them.


    MingYue''s group now consisted of Luca, Emily, and Zold. They were now inside a wagon going toward Dragon Flame Fortress.


    This fortress was one of the entryways toward the central region. It was run in collaboration with many huge sects and the Shanxi Temple.


    The central region itself was surrounded by many protections and natural barriers, making it dangerous for anyone to walk through.


    A few cities were then selected to have teleportation arrays that allowed cultivators to move toward the central region. The inspection itself was not that strict; it was mainly created for big sects and Shanxi Temple to limit the migration of cultivators, making sure the area remained rich and prosperous.


    Even though the name has the Fortress word in it, the place didn''t look anything like that. It may be surrounded by high walls, but inside, the town was bustling with festivity; many merchants went in and out while the guards were busy drinking and joking around, even in the middle of the day.


    Many wanted posters were put on the wall, but they might as well not be put there. MingYue could see some of the criminals just pay a few Qi crystals to the guards, who then acted like they were best friends who hadn''t met for years.


    "Isn''t it better to just go as cultivators?" Emily asked. She had seen many cultivators treated differently compared to them, a group of merchants. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, you may see them all acting more amiable on the surface, but behind the scenes, these guards note their identities. They will then sell their information to sects in the central region."


    "What kind of information?"


    "Everything the guards know as long as there is wealth involved. Depending on their aptitude and luck, some will end up miserable, while the rest will be recruited by big sects or rich, prominent families," MingYue replied.


    Luca''s eyes were meanwhile locked onto some of the things traded by the merchants. Most of the items were as she expected, like swords, robes, hairpins, and female accessories, but occasionally there would be something out of place.


    The packaging looked like it came from MingYue''s world, but the content was a modern item.


    "MingYue, are you selling any items from my world? Aren''t you worried it will become a problem?" Luca asked. There is still a possibility that MingYue World has this item, but she doubts that is the case.


    MingYue turned her gaze toward the scene that Luca saw. It was a red liquid, one of her favorite condiments.


    "Don''t worry, Aunt. It''s sold by one of my people but through a proxy. Alex and I talked at length about this. We made sure everything sold was possible for anyone to create.


    Just like that ketchup sauce, it enhances the flavor with a sour taste, something that didn''t exist before in my world.


    A cultivator might find it interesting, but they will not go so far as to try to monopolize the item or track it to the source."


    "But MingYue, it''s still a good source of money. Won''t the cultivators care about it? I heard from my brother it''s very expensive to raise a realm," Emily asked.


    "Yes, it is, but there should be no problem at the current stage. Maybe when we become more popular and famous, with earnings enough to buy real treasure."


    Her lips then curled into a smile, "Anyway, that will never happen with the current situation now."


    "Do you have other plans, MingYue?" Luca asked since she didn''t understand how looking for her husband became linked to this.


    "Yes, Aunt. Our goal is always to take over this world. Honestly, it''s the same with yours, too."


    Luca''s eyes narrowed. The word "ours" meant it was her and Alex''s plan. She knew what kind of war would be waged if someone wanted to unite the whole planet.


    It''s a war that will take many innocent lives in the process. She doesn''t know the situation in Ming Yue''s world, but at least to her, the association will certainly cause a lot of resistance. Many other groups will come out and then try to join in the conflict, making everything more chaotic.


    "Why, MingYue? Why do you need to do this? With your and Alex''s strength, I get it you want to achieve something big,


    but can''t you target something else? I don''t want both of you to become the reason for someone''s tragedy."


    MingYue frowned. She could understand why Luca said this. Alex had often told her stories about his mother''s life. She likes to do charity work but doesn''t like to take revenge. Luca hated unnecessary killing and preferred peaceful resolution.


    "I understand what you mean, Aunt, but it''s not like we have a choice in the matter," MingYue replied. She has different thoughts, but she doesn''t want to confront Luca. Everyone has their own way of living.


    Luca carefully studied MingYue''s expression. She then asked, "Can you tell me the reason?"


    MingYue ruminated for a moment, but after a while, she said, "I think it''s better if you hear it from Alex''s own mouth, Aunt. I can only say this: the power I and Alex got is not for free; we have a huge burden and expectations put on us."


    "I know this is a stupid question, but MingYue, I need to ask this: how dangerous? Is this enough to risk both of your lives?" Luca asked.


    She didn''t know to what extent, but based on the story she heard from Emily, a decapitation or any wound to their body was not enough to kill them.


    "Yes, Aunt, but for details, please just ask Alex. To understand why, you really need to know everything."

 Chapter 350 - 350: Young Master?

    Luca sighed and decided to drop the topic for now.


    In the end, her son was already an adult; how he lived his life was up to him.


    She still didn''t want Alex to cause any tragedy, but now her worry for his life overwhelmed all other thoughts.


    No matter what her own personal feelings were, if things came to shove, Luca would never have thought twice about burning the world for her two beloved children.


    Emily was in a daze hearing what MingYue said; the concept of World Domination was something that was far away for her. Even with how much she knew about their strength, Emily still thought this was an impossible task.


    Zold, who had listened to everything in silence, had different worries. "What will happen to the Suzaku Guild then? If Sir Alex wages war with the association, won''t our guild also be impacted? What will all of us do then?"


    "This is the same as I told Aunt. You should hear it from Alex''s own mouth."


    "Can you at least tell me when you plan to start this war?"


    "I don''t know; that will depend on Alex. I decide for my world; for his world, it''s up to him. But don''t worry; he won''t wage war in a stupid manner. Your world still has problems with those red and dark zones; we will need to take care of that matter first."


    "MingYue, do you know something about that zone?" Luca asked, as based on MingYue''s expression, it was clear she knew something behind this.


    "Mom, brother told me something about this matter. He was sure these dungeons were made on purpose and that they were not an accident. He speculated someone did this on purpose to train humans in our world."


    Luca''s eyes squinted; many things started clicking in her mind. ''My dear son, just what have you gotten yourself into?'' She mumbled in her mind, her face filled with worry.


    "Let''s talk about this later then; I feel my head hurting now. Too many things seem to be interconnected. I honestly suspect our father''s disappearance is somehow related to this case." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dad, why?" Emily asked. Even though her father owned a strong guild, in the grand scheme of things, it didn''t have much value.


    "There are still many things you don''t know about me and your father, Emily. What I can tell you is this: your father is someone who would be a huge hurdle for anyone with bad intentions toward our world."


    "But he is not that strong¡­" Emily''s voice trailed off as she started remembering many details about what happened in the world at that time.


    After the Suzaku Guild disappeared, the situation for the whole of humanity became worse than before. Almost every month a city would fall as they kept getting pushed back deeper into the mainland.


    Red zones appeared, followed by dark zones.


    Then she remembered something: the association had huge internal problems at that time; there was a civil war despite the huge threat they faced.


    It took years for Solomon to pacify and unite the association to its current state.


    ''Did this all result from my father''s disappearance?'' Emily asked in her mind with disbelief.


    She wanted to talk more, but MingYue raised her palm, gesturing for them to stop talking. "I need to take care of something first; you guys wait here."


    She wielded a mask before going out, changing her appearance to that of an average-looking merchant.


    Going out, she was greeted by ZanLu. "I am sorry, miss, but we have a problem."


    "What do you mean? Just let them check the storage ring and give some of the crystals."


    "Yes, I planned to do that, but that''s not the problem, miss. Someone is having a conflict inside, and the security doesn''t let anyone in before it''s settled."


    "A conflict here? Are you sure?" MingYue asked in disbelief. This area was under the protection of many sects, families, and the ShangXi temple. Who dared to make trouble here?


    She turned her gaze toward the entrance of the teleportation array, her eyes narrowing in annoyance, seeing the situation.


    Dozens of cultivators were blocking the path, not allowing anyone to pass. It was clear from their uniforms they were not from this city.


    The guards in this city wore orange uniforms with dark dragon patterns on the front. But this group was different; they wore blue uniforms with white dragon patterns.


    MingYue could see some of them now involved in a huge debate.


    Looking past these cultivators inside the teleportation array, MingYue could see a fat man with a chubby face and eyes that looked like thin lines seated cross-legged.


    Two beautiful women with Golden Core realms were standing beside him, carefully taking care of his needs.


    One was massaging his shoulder while the other seemed to be bringing some fruit toward the man''s lips.


    ''Who the hell is that?'' MingYue asked in her mind. She had some suspicions, but she just couldn''t believe this situation was real.


    This was basically one of the tropes she often read in novels where young masters did what they wanted, bullying the weak. Based on her knowledge so far, the young masters in her world should have no time to do this.


    But this was only because she never interacted with the true young masters in her world. Those born as direct descendants of the immortals didn''t have any worries at all.


    The only ones they feared were their fathers but for others? They acted without fear, doing whatever they wanted.


    Some were better because the immortals were strict with them, but some were spoiled rotten.


    "ZanLu, book the nearest inn and send someone to watch over this area, reporting everything that happens here."


    "Yes, miss."


    MingYue decided to take a careful approach. Based on Qi alone, no one could compare to her now, but who knew what kind of trump card the fat man had.


    In the worst-case scenario, it was possible she would need to fight an immortal directly in this city.


    MingYue wasn''t afraid, but this would become a huge headache down the line.

 Chapter 351 - 351: Fatty Long & Ding Dong

    Someone in the Golden Core realm who could survive a fight against an immortal would become a big sensation that would pull attention from every big clan and sect. They would go all out looking for any information on this cultivator.


    MingYue was sure this fat man''s status was not simple.


    No normal nascent soul cultivator could have had a golden core cultivator as his maid. Not even a heaven-chosen could do this, and the man had two.


    The only possible reason was that he was a direct descendant from the immortal, one that they still took care of.


    ''I hope he really has a good reason for doing this, not a petty reason where he covets beauty like all those stupid young masters¡­''


    With that thought, MingYue returned to the wagon. Meanwhile, the fatty''s lined eyes were now looking at the teleportation array.


    "Are you sure the information is right? He will come here?"


    "Yes, young master Long. The Dong clan''s young master will come here for sure. He was tasked with looking for the demonic cultivator because of what happened."


    Long''s lips curled into a cold smile, "Good. He deserves the punishment, but that is not enough! That bastard Ding Dong deserves worse. Hmph!"


    "But will you be alright, young master? You were also sent here to look for where the demonic cultivator came from."


    "Those geezers will never know. Even if they do, they won''t care. They are too busy fighting each other," Long said with a smirk on his face.


    His smirk changed to a smile as he could hear the array activating.


    "Mo, make those people move back. I don''t want any disturbance.


    This time, I will make sure that bastard Ding Dong loses more than just face; I''ll strip him of every last bit of his dignity."


    One of the women nodded her head, and she quickly spread her qi mixed with killing intent.


    MingYue, Luca, and the others had already moved toward the nearest inn. They were now seated on the couch from MingYue''s storage ring while looking at what was happening on a screen.


    After knowing the comfort of foam, there was no way MingYue would return to sitting on a flat wooden chair. As for the screen, it was fed with video live-streamed by one of her people.


    They used a small spy camera in the form of a button sewn onto their uniform.


    "MingYue, do you know them?" Luca asked.


    "No, but based on the information I got so far, he is probably some big shot''s son."


    "Ah, is he one of those infamous young masters? Brother talks about them often when he talks about his novel." Emily commented with a chuckle.


    Luca, meanwhile, frowned. "No matter the world, people like them always exist."


    "Did you hate them, aunt?"


    "Yes, those born privileged never know hardship, then act like brats. They inconvenience everyone while others cannot do anything. I hate them the most.


    Some say it''s the parents'' fault for spoiling them, but in my view, when they become adults, they are responsible for their own actions." Luca said with a cold tone.


    It was clear to MingYue that Luca''s hate came from her personal experience; it wasn''t just a different point of view.


    "I agree, aunt. Everyone is responsible for their own actions."


    But Emily had a different take on this. She had her own experience with privileged people like them, but most were those who fell from great heights.


    These pampered people ended up very miserable now, living in the slum.


    "Hard to say, mom. People who never face hardship will never learn how to face consequences.


    They may know in theory, but without experiencing it themselves, it''s useless."


    "People won''t feel gratitude for being strong without knowing how it feels to be weak. That is just how humans are, no matter where the world is," MingYue added.


    Meanwhile, back at the teleportation array, a group of cultivators came out. Leading them was a handsome man with long black hair. His body was lean and ideal.


    Seeing the fat young master, the man''s eyes flickered with disgust, "What are you doing here, fatty? You want to make trouble for me?"


    His lips then curled into a smile as he saw Long only bring two people with him. Behind him were eight late-stage nascent souls, with four middle-stage golden core cultivators.


    "You are really stupid ¡­ Why do you think I came here first?" Long replied with a smile.


    He opened his palm and then hit the ground. Another array started activating, triggering the teleportation array.


    Young Master Ding Dong began to panic, he quickly ordered everyone to go out, but it was too late. A blinding light flashed, making everyone unable to see what happened.


    MingYue also couldn''t see it since she was not there in person.


    The light dissipated, showing Ding Dong kneeling on the ground, his hand covering his private parts as he was now completely nude. His other cultivators were nowhere to be seen. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ding Dong''s eyes glinted with anger, "What do you want to do, fatty Long? Don''t think you win with just this. I could still call my ancestor''s projection here."


    "Hahaha, you are welcome to do that, Ding Dong," Long replied with a loud laugh.


    He already knew how Immortal Dong treated his family.


    If he came, he might punish him for shaming his descendant, but back home, Ding Dong would be punished heavily. Immortal Dong cared a lot about his face.


    As for the punishment, Long didn''t feel afraid. Worst come to worst, he could do the same as Ding Dong.


    ''At most, I will be locked at home, but he will be miserable for sure,'' Long thought in his mind.


    Ding Dong started hesitating. Whatever Long planned to do was not good for him, but getting punishment from his ancestor was another story. Not only would he be punished harshly, but there was also a huge chance it would leave long-lasting damage to him.

 Chapter 352 - 352: Make Your Choice

    His ancestor was known for playing favorites. In the worst case, not only would he be cut off from the best resources, but there was also a big chance he would become a target in his family.


    "Let''s make a deal."


    "A deal? Sure. My request is simple. Go to the Zephyr clan with me, then I will let you go."


    Ding Dong''s face turned ugly. The Zephyr clan was the cause of their dispute.


    Both of them were trying hard to woo the Zephyr clan princess, not only because of her beauty but also her talent and quirky personality.


    Usually, just like other princesses, they would be married off to a genius from another clan on the same level. With Long and Ding Dong''s current talent, they had no chance at all, but this princess was special with her talent.


    Some inner conflict then happened; no one knew the details, and the only result was that the princess was free to marry anyone she wanted.


    This made many men like them flock and become simps toward the princess. Marrying her would certainly improve their standing in the family.


    Normally, people with no talent would not even dare to think about marrying someone with great talent, but they were different. Their confidence was supported by their very strong background.


    "NO! Anything except that."


    "You embarrassed me before in the gathering of the clan; you think I will accept that answer? You are courting death, Ding Dong."


    "Death? Go on, kill me. Do you even dare?" Ding Dong asked with a gloating tone.


    "I am not stupid. Your guardian has all seen me; it will probably take them three days at most before they return here. That is why I will make sure to use this time effectively. Mo, go."


    Mo nodded and suddenly appeared behind Ding Dong. She focused her qi into his body, making him unable to move.


    Ding Dong was humiliated; his face contorted in anger. Even now, he didn''t feel any fear.


    Mo moved her hand forward, allowing Ding Dong to see her palm. On top were two round pills, one red and the other blue.


    "Choose your own fate then, Ding Dong. One will turn you into a beast man, while the other will change you into a female. Hahaha," Long said while laughing, his eyes glinting with coldness.


    "Fuck you! I will not eat it."


    "Sure, then call your ancestor, or I will make Mo force-feed you both pills. A female beast girl from the Dong clan¡ªI am sure many will pay a premium for this."


    "My ancestor will kill you!"


    "Go ahead, call him then. Why are you not?"


    Ding Dong hesitated. All his options now were bad; he didn''t want to choose any. He turned his gaze toward Mo, "I will pay ten times! Free me."


    "I am sorry, Young Master Ding, but I will never betray Young Master Long."


    "Trying to bribe my people, are you stupid, Ding? I am not like you, only using wealth and threatening them with your influence. Every single one of my men is loyal to me. I never force anyone to follow me."


    Mo and the other woman beside Long smiled. "We will always be loyal to you, Young Master Long," they said in unison.


    "So decide quickly, Ding, or do you want me to just cut your dong? Hahaha." His eyes glinted with cruelty, then raised five fingers, "I will count. Five¡­"


    Long paused for a moment, then continued, "Four¡­"


    Time was running out for Ding. If he called the ancestor, the result was clear, but if he took the pill, he would be humiliated for three days.


    Who knew what would happen, but at the very least, no one would know it was him.


    Little did he know that MingYue and the group were hearing and listening to everything happening inside. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Other senses might be blocked by the Golden Core cultivator, but technological devices worked in a different way. This one was also very advanced, allowing it to zoom fifty times over without losing clarity. It could even capture sound from a specific area, focusing the input device to detect any sound wave.


    "Since my people will find me here in three days, what do you plan to do afterward? You never said this pill is not a permanent change."


    "Cut the crap, Ding. Do you think I don''t know your bloodline? Any poison or pill will be purified as time passes. With the material I used to make this pill, you will become stronger after the effect disappears.


    Don''t you see how good I was? Even when taking revenge, I still give you some benefit, haha."


    Seeing Long''s cruel smile, Ding didn''t have any rebuttal.


    "Quick, make your decision, Ding. Two¡­" Long said while lowering another finger.


    ''FUCK IT!'' Ding Dong cursed in his mind while he just randomly took one of the pills.


    Meanwhile, back at the inn, Luca''s eyes flickered with disgust. "Bunch of brats that don''t know the repercussions of their own actions."


    "Then should we do something, Aunt?" MingYue asked, but in reality, she had already decided to do something.


    While hearing their discussion, curiosity kept building up in her mind.


    Usually, she would then talk about this with Alex to discuss what they could do, but since she couldn''t contact him, she was talking to Vesa.


    While Long and Ding Dong were busy cursing at each other, MingYue was plotting to kidnap all four.


    "As long as it doesn''t waste much time. And will this impact you badly?" Luca asked.


    "Don''t worry, Aunt. This will help with our goal." MingYue smiled, then ordered from her mind, ''Vesa, start.''


    Red fog appeared from her body, materializing into the pink chubby bat.


    Her crimson eyes flickered with a green hue as Vesa focused on the screen.


    In the next moment, Vesa suddenly reappeared on top of the young masters.


    Ding Dong didn''t realize her appearance. He had just eaten the blue pill.


    He was now screaming in pain as he could feel a searing hot sensation all through his body.

 Chapter 353 - 353: Integration Realm

    But Long quickly turned alert. The creature that suddenly appeared made his back hair stand; he had never seen anything like this before.


    Vesa''s presence also made him feel suffocated. Mo quickly moved, reappearing in front of Long.


    "Time to move," Vesa said with a grin, showing her canines. Her fingers glowed green, followed by many runes appearing around the area.


    The ground started to vibrate, followed by a huge energy explosion. The building collapsed on itself, leaving behind only huge smoke and debris.


    Long People quickly moved, flying toward the area. Screams and panic reverberated as they quickly wanted to leave. They were not afraid of the assailant. They escaped because they were afraid the clan behind these young masters would hold them responsible.


    Just like MingYue, the cultivator was not stupid; it was easy to deduce whoever was behind the scene.


    Back at the inn, MingYue''s lips curved into a smile, "Let''s go, Aunt."


    "Where? Isn''t the portal already destroyed?" Emily asked.


    "We will go through another checkpoint. I believe soon the city will be locked down."


    But unfortunately, it was too late. After MingYue said this, a huge qi pressure spread all around the city.


    "Everyone, I am Ming Tian, the mayor of this city. Please calm down first. I understand your worry, but don''t underestimate the immortals.


    No matter where you live, they have a way to track you down. At that time, can you save yourself?


    Isn''t it better to let me verify you are not related to this situation? In that case, your innocence will be guaranteed by me."


    The majestic voice could be heard all over the city. It was like the mayor was talking right beside them in a calm tone, giving them a sense of peace.


    "Seems things won''t be that easy, MingYue," Luca said while she furrowed her eyebrows together. The energy she felt made her feel alarmed.


    "A heavenly ascension cultivator," MingYue mumbled. She then asked Vesa in her mind, ''Vesa, is it possible to use qi and secret techniques to hide from your detection?''


    ''Based on what I know, this should be impossible, Queen. Except there is a secret technique that utilizes a tier 1 energy like life force, but I doubt this is the case.''


    ''A tier 1 energy?''


    ''Yes, Queen. There are many energies used for different types of power systems depending on their species.


    Some use the same one but label it with different names, while others are completely different, for example, qi and mana. So my old master decided to create a tier classifying these energy types.''


    MingYue didn''t feel interested in the technical terms; she just got to the point. ''So you are saying it should be impossible for anything made by qi and mana to hide from sensory techniques utilizing life force?'' Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Yes, Queen.''


    "Can you beat him?" Luca asked.


    "I am not sure, but holding him down should be no problem. For now, let''s see what they plan to do. By the way, Mom, Emily, both of you should wear this," she said while taking out two bracelets.


    It was a disguising amulet to change her appearance. Even though she often told Alex her world was different from a novel, she couldn''t deny that women have a lot more problems in her world compared to Alex.


    A beautiful appearance without a good background will easily guarantee a life of tragedy. They will attract attention from people they cannot fight back against and end up being taken as maids or even slaves to rich merchants. Only the lucky ones become a concubine.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, he was now in the underground training facility, fighting with Reina.


    He only used one hand to parry all her coming attacks, "You should practice your qi movement more, Reina. When you attack like this, it''s unnecessary to use your qi on your entire body.


    Focus only on those that you use, for example, shoulder, waist, and foot. You have too many useless motions."


    "Motions? Will that make my technique better?"


    "Of course. This is the problem for races born with innate strength. You can already achieve most things without polishing the movement, so you skip the whole process.


    Raising your realm does give you better efficiency and makes you stronger, but when you are stuck, it''s better to use the time to polish your movement.


    Look, as you see, I am born as a pure human. Most of us don''t have that innate strength.


    This is why we are looking for ways to make the movement more effective. You know, if you do it the right way, it''s even possible to exert more damage from the amount of strength you used."


    Alex then showed it to Reina. He did the same attack with the same amount of qi but different motions. One was done imperfectly, while for the other one, he made sure to use the perfect movement followed by the qi flowing in the same way.


    The result was very apparent, making Reina''s eyes widen. She felt like her world had just been expanded, making her realize how much potential she had.


    "See?"


    "Thank you for the guidance, Sir Alex. I have been stuck in this spiritual transformation realm for years now. At the very least, with this, I will become stronger."


    "What is blocking your advancement?"


    "I lack the material. The next realm is the mystic integration stage. For normal cultivators, they need to balance all the power they have and then integrate it into one.


    Normally, this can be done without using any external item, but for awakened cultivators like me, it''s not that simple.


    If our species trait is too strong, we will need to seek out some treasure to boost our qi, or worse, to weaken our trait just to balance everything out."


    "Is this integration different from how people become awakened? Don''t you already fuse everything into your core, giving your bloodline trait into your qi?"


    "That one is different. The qi is still produced in the same way; we just then fuse it with our trait. What we want to break through is to fuse everything at the fundamental level."


    "Everything? Does this include your soul and inner world?"

 Chapter 354 - 354: Too Effective is a Problem

    "Hmm¡­ it can be said like that, but based on my knowledge, after integrating everything, we will then seek to understand all the interactions within ourselves, learning all the weaknesses and strengths, then trying to evolve it to a new level.


    At the transcendent stage, we will then exert our ascended core, allowing it to influence the real world surrounding us by creating a domain."


    "In that case, every method will be very unique depending on each individual."


    Reina nodded, "Thank you for helping me train, Sir Alex. If you have anything you need, just tell me." While he said this, Reina began feeling suspicion toward Alex.


    Based on his words, he had no understanding of this cultivation realm, but with how strong he was, this just didn''t make sense to Reina. ''Did he have some other reason that made him far stronger?''


    She wanted to ask, but Alex''s next remark stopped her. "By the way, did anyone from the Zephyr clan ever come here?"


    Hearing the name Zephyr, Reina''s eyes sparked with hate. "Did you meet anyone from that clan? Based on my knowledge, there should be none."


    "Yes, see this." Alex''s hand then made a motion creating a rune in the air, and a transparent screen appeared, showing what he saw yesterday.


    The first scene made Reina''s cheeks turn red, but as she realized who the person on the bed was, her anger flared. It quickly overwhelmed her mind, making her forget her curiosity about how Alex did this.


    "That bitch! I knew she was nothing good! We should report this to my father." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why? Things are more beneficial for us this way."


    "Sir Alex, how could this be good? If things go like this, they will attack us in ambush."


    "Only if you lose. With me here, winning is guaranteed. Except they suddenly decide to have an immortal joining the competition," Alex said with a chuckle.


    He added the last remark as an exaggeration to calm Reina''s nerves.


    The idea of an immortal joining such a low-level competition was beyond absurd.


    But Reina still felt worried. It was her clan that was at risk here. "Then, Sir Alex, they will make up a new plan."


    "Yes, they will, and that is what I hope for. After you win, Morgana will meet up again with that silver-haired man. You can then go to your father, setting up an ambush."


    ''I see Sir Alex doesn''t want to meet with my father,'' Reina thought.


    They exchanged some more small talk, then went on their own way. Reina still practiced at the underground training ground while Alex wanted to check the city.


    He wanted to see the auction and eat the local cuisine, but more importantly, Alex wanted to learn more information about the clan. Alex wanted to know how they managed their city, as this would reflect the patriarch''s personality. Other than this, he also wanted to see how the spice water bait was progressing.


    Just that morning, Rexar the guard had already purchased a hundred bottles. The qi crystal was good, but he was looking forward more to those who bit the bait.


    While leaving, he met with Uncle Moria.


    "Greetings, Senior. I thought Reina said you had some matter to attend to today."


    "I just finished with that matter¡­" Moria''s eyes then narrowed, looking at Alex. "Do you know there is a new product appearing in the city? It''s called spice water."


    "Oh, you already heard about it? Those two were quick," Alex asked back with a chuckle.


    "I have tracked down the source to Rexar, and he said he got the item from you?"


    "Yes, it''s a local product from my hometown. Is there a problem? It''s not like I sell something that is bad for people''s health."


    "That is the problem! Do you know how much trouble I have because of this?


    The rich merchants are fighting each other to get your stock."


    "No wonder Rexar could buy so many at once. Don''t worry, I still have a lot in stock." Alex replied with a smirk on his face.


    "It''s not just the stock, the effect is also a problem. Some sects have approached me asking for this product."


    "Interesting, I didn''t think this would be useful for cultivators."


    "You think!? I don''t know how you cultivated to your current strength, but for us, this is very useful.


    Don''t you know one of the biggest hurdles when cultivating is having a focused mind?


    Drinking a sip of your water gives clarity of mind.


    Just a few hours ago, someone had a breakthrough after having your drink."


    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise. Now that he heard about it, what Moria said made sense.


    Having a clear mind helps a lot in getting a spark of inspiration. This was the main reason spice water was his favorite drink in the past. But he still remembered the clarity; it wasn''t that exaggerated.


    It was just like a clear head after he got a good night''s sleep. While he thought about this, Alex looked at Moria, seeing his horn made him realize something.


    Spice water was made from a monster that was probably related to the dragon race. There was a big possibility this water had a better effect on their species.


    ''But why? Is this related to the dragon bloodline? Hmm¡­'' Alex wondered.


    "I am afraid this matter will quickly become more of a problem," Uncle Moria said with a concerned gaze.


    If another cultivator had a breakthrough, things would quickly escalate.


    Once might be a coincidence, but a second? Then a third? Moria couldn''t imagine the repercussions of this incident.


    "Can you tell me more details about this cultivator who had a breakthrough? From what realm? Also, are they a dragari?"


    "Dragari?" Moria repeated his words while he studied Alex''s expression.


    "It seems your homeland is really in some backwater place. I suggest you never mention that word again."


    "Why?"


    "It''s been ruled forbidden to differentiate between each race since years ago.


    The rule is not that enforced in some areas, but here everyone will judge you for saying that. And for your question, it''s someone like me.


    He had a breakthrough to the golden core realm."

 Chapter 355 - 355: Change of Plan

    ''So he does have dragon bloodline in them¡­ Seems I made another screw-up,'' Alex thought in his mind, then sighed.


    He expected to gain attention from some clan spies in the city. But with how effective the water was, even some immortals could come here to procure the water.


    Things were escalating beyond his control now. If he took the product from the market, matters would just escalate. Worst come to worst, the Midnight Clan would be invaded by others before the Zephyr Clan made their move.


    ''Wait, I need to make sure to watch over Morgana now. Who knows if the Zephyr Clan will change their mind with this incident. As for the product¡­''


    "Senior, since things are already like this, I have a solution, but I need your help."


    "What do you need?"


    "You should have personal connections all around the region. I want you to act as a mysterious merchant and sell this product, prioritizing cities or clans that have a populace with high amounts of dragon bloodline."


    Moria''s eyes lit up hearing Alex''s suggestion, but then he became confused as to why Alex wanted to target the dragon bloodline.


    Remembering what Alex said beforehand, Moria realized something, "Does this water work more effectively on those with a dragon bloodline?"


    "Based on the current situation, it seems so. I also just found out about this."


    "How did you make this water? Is it from dragon blood?" Moria asked in disbelief. He had heard rumors before that dragon blood had miraculous effects, but only from true dragons, which were just a myth in his world.


    No one ever met a real one; even on the front lines, the strongest they encountered were dragon hybrids with barely 50% blood purity.


    Alex replied with a smirk, "That, Senior, will be a secret of my hometown. I cannot tell you that. So, how is my proposal?


    This way, as long as you act fast, the focus will be dispersed into the product itself. Otherwise, the burden will be carried by your clan."


    "Alright, let''s do it your way then," Moria replied while raising his hand.


    "Sure, but Senior, it''s not free. Same with Rexar, you need to pay for every single bottle.


    ]


    I am sure a respectable senior like yourself won''t go as low as trying to steal from me."


    ''Bastard, what stealing? He is stronger than me. I really let a fox into the house. This is just the second day, and he already made a lot of trouble,'' Moria cursed in his mind, but he knew there was nothing he could do to Alex.


    Deep in his heart, he now even feared him. Moria still didn''t know Alex''s true strength. He could only hope Alex wouldn''t stab him in the back.


    With heavy reluctance, Moria gave Alex a pouch filled with high-grade Qi crystals. Seeing Alex''s smug smile as he received it almost gave him a heart attack.


    The pouch contained almost all his life savings. Moria didn''t want to use the clan''s money because it would raise suspicion. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had already taken many countermeasures in case some members of the clan looked for the water source. This was the biggest reason why he took everything into his own hands.


    If anyone found out it all came from Alex, a person brought here by Reina, things would quickly escalate.


    Alex returned the pouch to Moria after swapping the content. "This should be enough to be sold in all those cities."


    Looking at Moria''s hurt expression, Alex then added, "Don''t be like that, Senior. You act like this junior is scamming you. With this exclusive resource, I am sure you can profit a lot, and if you do it right, you can use it to get more benefits."


    Moria knew Alex was right, but he still didn''t want to admit it. It wasn''t easy to do. If he used only his contacts, who knows if someone would backstab him?


    He needed to do everything carefully, making sure no one could trace it back to him. Moria excused himself and then quickly left the area, but not before asking Alex to protect Reina in case something happened.


    With so many things to do, he doubted he could return quickly. He also needed to hide his identity, meaning he couldn''t just go to each clan and town with a teleportation portal. Moria''s plan was to go near the city and then sell the water to some merchants on the road.


    This way, people wouldn''t know for sure where the product came from.


    Moria also started thinking about how he could create a fake situation that made it look like the water appeared in another city first, not from his clan; it''s just that the first appearance was more subtle and hidden.


    ''If I fake out some of the merchants'' records, this should be possible.''


    After he left, Alex changed his plan. He decided to look for Morgana. Going to the city now would just create more trouble than benefit for him.


    The road conditions didn''t differ much from when it was night. It barely had people walking around. The only difference was that some maids were cleaning the road with brooms, making Alex smirk.


    ''I always find this funny. In a world of cultivation and the existence of Qi, they still use normal people to clean up.


    Using golems would certainly be more effective than people. It''s also safer.


    Who knows how many of these people are spies from other clans? Or do they do this on purpose?


    Hmm¡­ a clan without any information coming out will certainly make others wary.''


    Alex then smirked, thinking it made sense. He started making his way toward Morgana''s courtyard. Unlike Reina, the guard here didn''t recognize Alex.


    He was quickly blocked at the entrance.


    "Who are you? State your purpose?"


    "Tell your princess Morgana I am looking for her."


    The guard''s eyes turned sharp. He had never met Alex before, so he thought he was no one important.


    "Who do you think you are? Wanting to meet our princess? You think it''s that easy?"

 Chapter 356 - 356: Bribery

    "Just tell her first, why make a scene here? Do your job."


    The guard''s anger flared. Lately, his mood had not been good. Compared to Reina, Morgana often scolded her people if someone made a fault. One person''s mistake, depending on what they did, could end up in a punishment for the whole group.


    After Reina returned, Morgana became more moody. Every single small mistake was blown out of proportion. Just yesterday, everyone''s salary for this month was cut by 10% because of the broken roof near her window.


    There was no way he would tell her a nobody came looking for her now. Who knew he would lose all his salary this time?


    The guard walked forward and stood in front of Alex. "Leave, this is not a place for you."


    Alex raised his eyebrow, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Don''t be like that, sir. We are all just doing our work here. I have a message from my princess for yours."


    As he said this, Alex held the man''s hand in a shaking gesture. The guard was about to get angry at first, but feeling something appear in his palm quickly softened his expression.


    He didn''t know what grade, but feeling the texture, he guessed it was a Qi crystal.


    In a flash, he put the item into his storage ring. His expression quickly softened, making the other guard look at him with suspicion.


    "Look, sir, you seem like a good person, so I will tell you this: better stay away from our princess for now. Believe me, you don''t want to face her wrath. Just tell your princess you were blocked at the entrance. I am sure they will understand."


    Hearing his words, Alex concluded that the other princess treated their men better than Morgana. Curious, he tried to fish for information, "I know, but this is important. You know, unlike yours, my princess helps me a lot. I owe him my life."


    The guard''s expression changed; none of them defended their princess.


    "Can you tell me first what the information was? I am not doing this because I want to make it hard for you, but if the news makes her angry, we will all get punished for it."


    Alex smiled and then started whispering something into the guard''s ear. The guard''s face changed a few times. After Alex finished, he was all smiles.


    "Sir, you are not lying, right?"


    "Of course, just think, how does lying to you benefit me? Both of us are just workers for our princesses."


    The guard ruminated for a moment, then made his decision. He moved to the other guard and whispered what Alex told him. The other guard''s expression quickly changed, just like the first one.


    He then nodded at Alex and went inside the courtyard. Left alone, the other guard asked Alex, "Are you really sure? This could cost us our lives."


    "You think I would joke about things like this? How else do you think people like me can get this kind of wealth?" Alex said while throwing a high-grade Qi crystal.


    The guard quickly moved in panic, cursing in his mind why Alex didn''t just give it to him subtly like the first guard.


    After putting it into his storage ring, the guard quickly looked around, making sure no one realized what was happening.


    "Why so worried? Do other guards steal it from you?"


    "It''s not that, sir. You just don''t know what kind of life we have here. Doing what you say is really not easy for us. Anyone could report to the princess."


    "What do you mean? Don''t you all hate her?"


    "Hate is hate, sir, but money is money. Anyone who reports and it''s proved to be true will get rewarded. The better the secret, the bigger the reward."


    ''Seems this Morgana is not stupid. She knows how to manage her people. But with the conditions I bring to them, I am sure no one will betray me,'' Alex thought to himself.


    "I see. So, only a few of you are close to each other?"


    "Hah, close? Who knows if your best friend will be the one who reports on you the next day? It''s already happened a few times."


    "Are you sure? You know someone could just make it up," Alex replied.


    The guard paused. He had never thought of this possibility, but now that he heard of it, he couldn''t get it out of his mind. This was very possible and also explained some weird situations.


    A woman tattling on her own man despite it implicating her too. Afterward, there was a rumor she had an affair with another man, but he knew her personally. There was no way she did this.


    Seeing the guard''s expression, Alex knew he had reached his goal. He didn''t know or care if it was made up or not. But as long as he could plant a seed of doubt in the guard''s heart, it would work to his advantage.


    Alex then took out a small device¡ªit was a customized spy camera with a jade slip. This time, he gave it subtly to the man''s hand while whispering, "Do this task, and I will make sure your life is guaranteed."


    The guard was confused at first, but he quickly read the information on the jade slip. After he finished, the jade was destroyed.


    "Sir, I will do it! But can I bring my family with me?" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You change sides so fast. Can I trust you?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    "What you ask is not counted as betraying, and based on what you tell me, I should be able to get some acknowledgment in the Midnight Clan. But I don''t want it. I want your reward. It''s really tiring living like this, sir."


    "Sure, don''t forget to keep it a secret. I just offer this opportunity to you."


    "Yes, sir," the guard replied while shaking his hand, smiling.


    The first guard returned. Seeing his friend''s expression, he thought he got a Qi crystal like him.

 Chapter 357 - 357: Condescending

    When he walked to report, he had checked the item he got from Alex. Seeing it was a high-grade Qi crystal that equaled two months of his full wage, he almost jumped in joy.


    "The princess agreed to meet with you, sir."


    The first guard returned. Seeing his friend''s experience, he thought he would get a qi crystal like him.


    When he was walking to report, he checked the item he got from Alex. Seeing it was a high-grade qi crystal equal to two months of his full wage, he almost jumped in joy.


    "The princess agrees to meet you, sir. Let me show you the way."


    Following the guard, Alex started walking inside. The layout was not much different from Reina''s, and the decoration was not much different either. Before, he hadn''t put much focus on it as he was moving quickly, but now he had enough time to observe the area.


    Morgan seemed to have a unique hobby of statues. Alex could see many scattered around, each carved beautifully with intricate details forming auspicious beasts. He could see qilin, dragon, tiger, turtle, and phoenix.


    Each was made with precious gems, with colors attributed to the beast. The form and how it was carved reminded Alex of the pendant that MingYue got from her parents.


    The maids were busy cleaning everything, focused on their work, not saying a single word. Not a single one dared to check who the newcomer was.


    Passing through the area, Alex was led into a huge building. Inside, he saw Morgana seated cross-legged in a chair, sipping tea.


    She was wearing a black qipao with an opening that showed her cleavage.


    "I remember you, so what does that slut follower really want with me? Get straight to the point. I hate wasting my time," Morgana said with a condescending tone, her eyes looking down at Alex.


    Seeing this, Alex tried his best to control himself. It wasn''t because he was angry; he was trying hard not to laugh.


    If it was before, Alex would probably have been mad, but he had seen how weak and vulnerable Morgana was.


    She might act strong now, but to hold her position, she spread her legs to any man, making her a slut in his eyes.


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile, and he then made a small gesture of respect.


    Despite what he felt, showing his aggression now would be stupid. It was better for him if she acted like this.


    "Princess Morgana, didn''t you already hear from the guard? Based on your interaction, don''t you have something you wanted? You know I can make sure of that, depending on your offer."


    Morgana''s eyes squinted. Hijacking each other was normal in the competition, but being found out doing it was another story. If her father found out, the repercussions would not have been something she wanted to face now.


    It would complicate many things. Reina was also her father''s favorite. There was a possibility her father would forcefully search her memory. After the last incident with her mother, her standing in the family was not good.


    This was also the reason why she was staying in the clan since the patriarch didn''t allow her to go out.


    ''Is this a trap? But I doubt that stupid woman will do this. Still, this man should be the one she brings as her champion.


    Won''t he have a blood oath with her? Did something happen that made him change sides? I need to be more careful,'' Morgana thought.


    She then said, "You do know what you say here can get you punished? But that is good as well. If I report it, my sister will lose her only champion."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "But Princess Morgana, I am just saying I can help you achieve your wish. By chance, do those wishes break your family rules?"


    Morgana''s eyes flickered with anger. Only now did she realize Alex never really said he was going to sabotage Reina.


    She just thought that was what he meant since her conflict with her was already a public secret. Everyone in the clan knew about this.


    She quickly stood up from her chair and screamed, "Get OUT! I have another matter to take care of."


    ''When things don''t go her way, she quickly gives up and runs away, finding the easiest shortcut.


    No wonder she ends up selling her body. But this is good for me,'' Alex thought.


    With her character like this, Alex would be able to predict her actions easily. She also wouldn''t pose any danger to the situation. Just another side character that he can ignore. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Satisfied with the result, Alex just smirked, watching Morgana leave.


    "I am sorry, sir, that things didn''t work out," the guard replied.


    "Don''t worry. As long as your princess knows there is an opportunity to hijack the result, she will go for it. She is just testing the water now."


    "I see. I am not proficient in things like this."


    "Don''t worry. Everyone has things they are good at," Alex said with a chuckle, then left the courtyard.


    But he didn''t really leave the area. Alex went to a nearby rooftop and used a rune to camouflage his presence. He lay lazily while looking at the sky.


    Alex planned to wait. Despite other measures he had implemented for the guard to spy on Reina, he still wanted to wait for the man from the Zephyr clan. It wasn''t like he had anything better to do.


    Looking at the sky, without reducing his sense of alertness, Alex started thinking about the awakening cultivator.


    Meanwhile, back with MingYue and the others, they were now stuck in the room of the inn. The mayor was sending people to check every cultivator, starting from those closest to the incident place.


    They were still waiting for their turn. While waiting, MingYue closed her eyes and saw what Vesa was doing. She had already started her lovely session with the two young masters.


    Usually, she would quickly try to get the information she wanted. But now, Vesa was quite intrigued with Ding Dong''s transformation.


    From human, he was now turned into a half-beast, a tail coming out from his back, while his ears disappeared, replaced with dog-like ears.

 Chapter 358 - 358: Core Region

    What intrigued her the most was how Ding Dong''s soul was trying to resist his physical transformation. Even though it could not be seen with the naked eye, Vesa could easily check this.


    Besides the tied-down Ding Dong, Long was also in the same situation, with his two unconscious maids.


    Other than Vesa, Elvira and Luciel were also there.


    Usually, the interrogation was done on one of Alex''s awe cubes. But now it was done inside Edonia.


    "I will tell you everything you want. Just spare me and my maids. As for Ding Dong, I will keep my mouth shut."


    But Vesa didn''t respond to his plea. Instead, she asked, "How did you create this pill?"


    "I made it myself. I will tell you the recipe if that is what you want."


    "Tell me," Vesa replied.


    She wanted to understand how the pill worked, to then compare it with other pill effects. Understanding what kind of bloodline this Ding Dong had.


    She could have asked for information from Long, but Vesa thought it was better to try to understand it herself first to avoid having a biased view. It wasn''t like she was in a hurry.


    ''Vesa, do what you want to do later. For now, I need information,'' MingYue ordered.


    ''Alright, Queen,'' Vesa complied. She then turned to Elvira and Luciel. "You both know what Queen wants. It''s your job to get the information from him."


    Elvira hesitated to answer. She had never tortured someone before. As for Luciel, having experienced living in constant battle with gluttony, she didn''t hesitate to agree.


    In her mind, as long as she could have a good relationship with Vesa, her family''s future was guaranteed.


    Luciel started walking toward Long. "Wait¡­ Just ask your questions first."


    "First, tell us why you were there having a conflict with that man?" Luciel asked while she looked at the instruments Vesa had prepared on the site.


    Rather than torture devices, it was more like operation tools.


    As for Ding Dong, he couldn''t say anything. His mouth was gagged, and his body still hurt like hell.


    After the transformation had finished, it turned out that the reaction from his body was not that simple.


    As his soul tried to fight the pill effect, his body was transformed, destroyed, and then transformed again and again on the inside.


    It was like someone was burning down his heart, regenerating it only to burn it down again. Not only pain, he also felt intense itchiness but couldn''t scratch it.


    This result was expected by Long. He didn''t have further plans to bring Ding Dong somewhere else. His real plan was to escape quickly after making fun of him a few more times.


    He was sure no one would dare to move Ding Dong away, making him a spectacle in the town for a few days. Then, when the pill effect started wearing off, the Zephyr clan princess would arrive.


    Long had gotten his information from a very trustworthy source. Ding Dong didn''t know the reason for the visit.


    He then explained everything as it was not a huge secret. Long was very cooperative as he knew the one who abducted him was not something normal.


    He could feel a sense of danger coming from Vesa more than from his own Ancestor.


    The reason was probably because his own Ancestor never had ill will toward him, but he preferred to choose the safest option.


    As long as their request was acceptable, he would fulfill it all.


    "So the gist was both of you were fighting over this princess and trying to humiliate each other?"


    "Yes, as I said, I believe it''s nothing big or important for people like you. If you have anything else you want, just ask."


    ''Luciel, ask him which clan they come from and what this Zephyr clan is. I want to know everything,'' MingYue ordered, using Vesa as a medium to talk to Luciel telepathically.


    ''Yes, Queen.''


    "My name is Long Jian, from the Jian clan. As for that half-dog bastard, he is from the Dong clan. Both of our clans are protected by an immortal.


    Our clans have their own hold in the central region. As for the Zephyr clan, they come from the core region."


    "Where is this core region?" Luciel asked based on MingYue''s instruction.


    "The core region is located deep underground. To enter there, we need to pass through a special path guarded by the gatekeeper."


    "So, is the Zephyr clan stronger than your clan?"


    "Not necessarily. I honestly don''t know much about this, but those clans coming from the core region are always treated respectfully, no matter what cultivation realm they are.


    So, if I succeed in building a relationship with them through marriage, my standing in the family will rise.


    Oh yeah, one more thing, this is just a rumor, but there are new sayings that this core region clan has multiple immortals."


    Luciel frowned. This whole cultivation thing was new to her. But she understood that the immortal realm represented their clan''s strength.


    "If that is right, how could you say the clans in the core region are not stronger than yours? Are you joking with me?"


    "I am sorry, but as I said before, it''s just a rumor. I also think the same. If they have more immortals than us, there is no way we could coexist peacefully."


    "Have you ever visited this core region?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, only the elders occasionally visit there. As for us, we only interact with clans from the core region at gathering events."


    "Then isn''t this Zephyr clan''s visit to this region weird? It''s not something common."


    "Yes and no. While it''s not common, it has happened multiple times in the past.


    Not just the Zephyr clan princess, many of the young generation also sometimes come to visit. But they usually hide their identity."


    "How about the path toward the core region, then?


    How do you know it''s underground if you''ve never visited there?


    Is it just another rumor?"

 Chapter 359 - 359: Lady Aria

    "No, this one I am sure of. I went with some elders toward the entrance. But I was not allowed to enter with them.


    This is like a tradition in which someone always waits on the other side, waiting for the elder until he returns."


    "How about ShangXi Temple? What do you know about them?"


    "A bunch of stupid fanatics. I would suggest you stay away from them if possible.


    This is not a matter of strength but annoyance.


    Once you hit their nest, those ants will come out swarming without care for their own lives."


    Hearing this, MingYue frowned. ShangXi Temple was not like what she expected.


    ''This means they didn''t have full control of the central region. It''s probably because most of the rumors come from civilians.''


    In MingYue''s opinion, civilians would be more likely to take ShangXi Temple''s side, as they get protection and earn more benefits.


    As for cultivators, only those who held high positions would enjoy it. The rest would live their lives like mortals, busy working on their assigned posts.


    This pulled the attention of cultivators who had already given up on their path. They sacrificed their privilege in exchange for protection from their enemies.


    "Are your Jian clan and Dong clan ShangXi Temple''s enemies?"


    "Hard to say for now, but the situation is not that good. Some clans suddenly appeared and began attacking their infrastructure.


    Right now, it''s still a minor conflict, but things will probably escalate soon.


    As for my clan and the others, they are all taking a wait-and-see attitude."


    "Which side do you think they will take then?"


    "My clan? That will depend on which one is more beneficial at the moment."


    "Have you ever heard the names Alex or Edward?"


    "No, never heard those names," Long replied after some thought.


    The names felt weird and foreign to him. But he then remembered something.


    "I suggest you look for them in the core region; from their names, it seems like they live there."


    ''That is enough, Luciel. Continue to ask him for information on Dong clan''s strength and find anything you think will be useful,'' MingYue ordered, then opened her eyes.


    ''Hope we won''t be too late,'' she thought.


    "How is it? Did you get any good information?" Luca asked.


    She didn''t know where MingYue brought the two people, but knowing about the awe cube''s existence, she had some guesses.


    "Some information. It seems things in the central region are quite heated up. At least we won''t enter blindly now."


    "How about Alex and Edward? Do you have any information about them?"


    "Nothing in detail, but I learned something curious. Long said their name style is similar to that of people from the core region. Either it''s a coincidence, or it''s related to uncle."


    "How much time difference do you have here with my place?" Luca asked.


    "It''s the same, but Uncle probably lived on the Dragari planet for a while before it turned like that.


    Who knows how much time has passed for him," MingYue replied while she thought, ''but this also means my world has somehow been connected to Dragari for a while now.


    I wonder why I never see any of them?


    Are they mixed with those beast clans? Or do each of them live inside the core region?''


    The more MingYue learned, the more she realized there were so many things she didn''t know about her world.


    Before, she thought Shanxi Temple was the strongest faction, but now they were not. Things were far more complicated.


    While she thought, the sound of a door being knocked reached their ears.


    "It seems it''s finally our turn," MingYue said.


    "Emily, open the door," Luca said. She knew Emily was still the fastest.


    If someone ambushed them, she would be able to react quickly, avoiding the attack. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emily walked toward the door, and Zold moved closer, taking out his dagger.


    The door opened, showing two cultivators. The one in front had an amiable smile on his face, exuding a majestic aura. Beside him was a beautiful woman with a similar cultivation level.


    They looked like they were in their twenties, but MingYue knew they had probably already lived ten times longer than her.


    "I am sorry to disturb your rest. Let me introduce myself again. My name is Ming Tian, the mayor of this city. Beside me is Lady Aria, coming to visit us."


    Right now, MingYue and the others, except Zold, had already disguised their faces, making them look average.


    MingYue also had her cultivation camouflaged by Vesa, making Ming Tian only detect them as normal people.


    MingYue acted like a merchant and then introduced herself with a fake name. She also gave one to everyone.


    "We are just merchants here looking for a pass toward the central region, Sir. We don''t know anything about the incident."


    "Don''t worry. I already know about that. It''s probably an accident that happened because of their fight on the teleportation array. But you should understand it''s my duty to check on everyone."


    Ming Yue nodded, but she felt weird about Ming Tian''s actions.


    He was too polite to face a group of merchants.


    Usually, even though the cultivator was kind, they would just directly say what they wanted when facing a normal civilian.


    ''He is too polite. Does he know our real identity? Or is it just how he acts normally since this city is a hub?'' MingYue wondered.


    "So, what do you want to check, Sir?"


    Usually, they would investigate the cultivator''s storage ring, but now, since they were only merchants, a single look should be more than enough for a cultivator like Ming Tian to find anything weird or suspicious.


    "Rather than me, Lady Aria wants to ask something."


    "Did any of you know the name Edward? He is my Master, and he sent me here to look for someone," Aria directly asked while looking at their expressions.


    Luca''s eyes widened. Hearing her husband''s name after a long time made her not care about keeping their facade up.


    She quickly asked back, "Who is the person your master asked you to look for?"

 Chapter 360 - 360: Master?

    Aria took out an item from her storage ring, then created a projection in the air. It showed a picture of three people: Luca, Emily, and Alex.


    Her heart beat loudly since this confirmed her question. It was the Edward she was looking for, her one and only husband.


    But MingYue eyed Aria suspiciously. She felt this was too much of a coincidence.


    How could they find out Luca and Alex had come to this place?


    "Are you Lady Aria from the Zephyr clan?" MingYue asked while walking in front of Luca, blocking her path.


    She already knew the jig was up the moment Luca reacted, but MingYue still needed to make sure they were all safe.


    Aria had silver-white hair with the same pupil color.


    Her eyes locked on MingYue, "Yes, I am. Is that a problem?"


    MingYue''s eyes darted between Aria and Ming Tian. Based on the information she got, Aria had already planned her visit here for a week.


    This meant she somehow found out this information. She started suspecting they had something to do with Alex''s disappearance.


    Luca put her hand over her shoulder, "I understand your concern, MingYue, but I need to find this out to the end."


    "Aunt, let me make sure of it first," MingYue replied.


    "So, you did use a fake name," Ming Tian said with a chuckle.


    "How did you know we were cultivators?"


    "I don''t know how, but your method of hiding your cultivation is very good. But unfortunately, you are not a good actor.


    When I entered the room, you looked me in the eyes.


    That is not something a normal civilian would do. My presence alone would make them kneel on the ground."


    MingYue didn''t know about this since her cultivation realm was not that high yet. A normal person seeing her would just give a respectable bow.


    "I see¡­" MingYue mumbled while Luca walked to her side.


    She then returned her appearance back to normal. "Bring me to my husband."


    Aria raised her eyebrow, then studied her appearance once more. Her eyes then focused on the ring on her finger. After a moment, she quickly gave her respect.


    "Disciple Aria greets Madam Luca. I hope you can follow me to meet up with Master," Aria said while lowering her upper body.


    Her hands were clasped together in a unique gesture: one in a fist while the other was an open palm.


    "MingYue, let''s follow them. We will know the answer after that."


    MingYue still hesitated. Going with them meant giving them a chance to get trapped, but seeing how insistent Luca was, she knew she couldn''t reject her request without having conflict.


    She could also feel the gaze from Emily and Zold, silently conveying their agreement to go with them.


    "Alright, Aunt, let''s go."


    Ming Tian smiled, "Since you already found them, I will leave you to your own task. Don''t forget the reward you promised."


    "Don''t worry, Tian, you know I always do what I say. I will send my maid tomorrow to give you the reward."


    "Good, now I need to take care of the problem from your admirers."


    "Don''t be too hard on them. They don''t mean it in a bad way."


    "You say it like I can do anything to them without losing a skin. I am just a small ant trying to survive this harsh world," he replied with a laugh, then left the area.


    Left alone, MingYue asked, "So we are going to the core region?"


    "Yes, but not now. I need to do another task for my Master''s. It''s not something complicated; I just need to capture someone making trouble in the central region."


    "Who?" MingYue asked while she had a bad premonition.


    If the one she targeted was Yang Fei, that meant they would cross paths with Ming Tian and the others. It would complicate matters.


    "I think you don''t know about him. He is a fugitive who escaped from the core region, someone my Master has been looking for years. Only lately have we had some clue on his location."


    "Aria, can you show the picture?" Luca asked.


    Just like MingYue, she had a bad feeling. If Edward was here, that meant the others were also here, and one of them possibly was a traitor.


    Aria pressed some buttons on the device, changing the image she projected.


    "Uncle Silva?" Emily mumbled in disbelief, her eyes glued to the projection.


    Lightning crackled in the air as Zold''s emotions stirred.


    "No way! Why would the Guild Master look for my father like a criminal?


    I know how loyal he was. There is no way he would ever betray them."


    Luca, meanwhile, didn''t know what to say. The details were too murky now for her to decide. But if Edward did this, she was sure he had a very good reason to do so, and there was a big chance he was the traitor.


    Aria''s eyes glimmered with frost qi as she looked at Zold, "You are his son?"


    MingYue made a move, then blocked her path.


    "I don''t know the details, but what do you plan on doing, Miss Aria? You will not hurt any one of them under my watch."


    "You think you can block me?" Aria asked.


    "You can try," MingYue replied while her crimson eyes glinted with a green hue.


    Aria frowned, seeing this, as she felt strange energy from her.


    "Let''s not fight. We don''t know the details yet," Luca suggested, trying to calm the situation down.


    "Of course, Madam Luca. As long as he doesn''t escape, I will not do anything."


    But Aria''s words only landed on deaf ears. Zold didn''t care about this now. That incident had cost him a lot.


    If his father was really a traitor and the cause, he would never be able to forgive him.


    "Where is he? Where in the central region?"


    "He was last seen in the panda bamboo grove. We will go there before going back to my Master."


    But Zold didn''t want to wait. He wanted to confront his father directly by himself, without any outsiders.


    Thunder rumbled once more, followed by the sound of swords clashing and an explosion that destroyed part of the wall. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 361 - 361: Plan

    Everything happened so quickly. Luca had already seen this with her ability, but it was already too late for her to do anything. Her reaction was also slow because she felt conflicted.


    Emily just watched in a freeze as MingYue and Aira now floated in the air, clashing their swords.


    The wall cracked while the temperature plummeted to freezing point in seconds.


    Thankfully, as the inn was used to taking care of cultivators, it was enhanced by an array containing the attack; otherwise, the area would have already turned into an ice sculpture.


    "Stop," Luca ordered.


    Aira looked at MingYue with interest, and her competitive spirit was triggered. This was the first time someone under her realm blocked her attack. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t mind if you want to continue," MingYue replied as she also felt the desire to fight. Her blood was boiling, feeling Aira''s attack.


    She felt she could beat Aira if she went all out, but MingYue doubted it would be that simple. She could tell her qi had a different quality than a normal cultivator.


    Aira thought for a moment, then took a step back. "I am sorry, Madam, but Zold running away could become a problem for us."


    "It will take a while for him to find the location. Rather than wasting time on infighting, it''s better for us to just go there first."


    Aira glanced at MingYue and then returned back to Luca. "As you order, Madam."


    She still wanted to fight, but with a glance, she was sure MingYue wouldn''t run. She should have enough time to spar later after returning to her clan.


    Aira also thought if she had a huge fight here, it would become a problem as Dong and Jian clan would find out she was here when the fight happened.


    As for the last clash, Ming Tian would be able to do something to cover it, she just needed to fork more price as payment.


    Meanwhile, Zold had already turned into an incarnation of lightning. He left the city area and moved toward the central region.


    He already knew the direction he needed to go. As for things that would block his path, Zold was not worried.


    He had faith he could escape as long as he went all out. His experience as a scout also helped him to avoid danger.


    MingTian looked toward the streaking lightning with a frown. He could block Zold''s path, but looking at where he came from made him hesitate.


    ''He is related to the person Aira is looking for, so it would be better just to keep my silence. If she really wants to stop him, she should be able to do it.''


    Meanwhile, Zold was now on top of a tree, looking at a caravan that had already left the city. Based on the distance, he calculated the group had already left for a while. Probably one of the first that the city mayor checked.


    ''Now that I think of it, the mayor just used this event to check people for Aira''s task. Then do those two people that fought on the teleportation array part of the plan?'' Zold wondered.


    If this is true, Edward''s influence in this world would be huge.


    ''Even if my father is really a traitor, I don''t believe he can do it so subtly escaping GuildMaster''s suspicion. And now my father escaped?'' Zold wonder.


    He didn''t know if his suspicions were real or if he was just in denial, but no matter what the reason, he needed to confront his father.


    He started following the caravan looking for an opportunity to make contact with them.


    Coming out directly would startle and probably result in confrontation. This was based on his observation of how this world worked.


    Any new stranger that came out blocking their path would certainly meet with suspicion. A jade beauty in distress is one of the favorite tactics of those rogue cultivators who became bandits.


    Although he was not a beauty, this would still trigger their suspicion.


    Zold hoped for them to get robbed so he could help and rescue them. He would then proceed by asking for some information.


    Unfortunately, the caravan made its way safely, making Zold feel anxious.


    ''Should I look for another target? I don''t have much time.''


    As he wondered, as if answering his prayer, Zold felt some presence. He turned his gaze, feeling many Qi suddenly entering the range of his senses.


    The location was still some distance away. Based on his calculation, it would take fifteen minutes at least for them to meet up.


    Zold hid his qi and then moved subtly and quickly toward their location.


    As he came close, the creatures he saw were a group of bears. They had purplish fur and completely black eyes.


    Zold could tell they had similar abilities to him, as he felt lightning qi from their presence.


    ''Do bears act differently in this world? They usually hunt solo and do not move in groups. Or is there another reason for this?''


    As Zold thought, the bears began moving in the opposite direction of the caravan. Many thoughts came to his mind, as he knew this was bad news.


    ''It seems I have no choice.''


    Without hesitation, Zold took out a low-grade qi crystal and then infused it with his qi with a small bit of life force.


    The qi crystal started changing as lightning started crackling around it.


    This was only possible because Zold used lifeforce to bind the qi to the crystal; otherwise, the elemental qi would quickly disperse into the air.


    The bears stopped their movement and then looked toward Zold''s direction.


    Knowing his plan worked, Zold moved quickly toward the caravan group.


    ''As I expected, a spirit beast will be very sensitive toward any natural resource that could boost their strength.''


    The group of purplish bears started sprinting, agilely dodging any trees blocking their way. As they came close to the caravan, Zold hid the qi crystal back in his storage ring.

 Chapter 362 - 362: SparkGrizzlies

    The bears'' faces turned angry.


    Meanwhile, the cultivators that guarded the caravan quickly became alert. Now, the bears already felt their presence.


    "This qi, I recognize this. It''s from those SparkGrizzlies. We need to run quick."


    "What? Run!? We have a deal. You will protect us till the next city."


    "This is not our fault! You lied to us. You said you are just transporting normal items. If this is true, there is no way those SparkGrizzlies come to us."


    "A spirit beast going for a human is nothing new. What are you talking about?" The merchant asked in confusion and disbelief. He felt he had just been scammed by this cultivator.


    Other cultivators also felt confused by this cultivator''s remark.


    "As I said, I recognize this qi! I have fought with some of them some distance away from here. This is quite far, so I never thought those beasts would come all the way here. Except you have some precious material or artifact that contains a lightning element." The experienced cultivator said with a complaint.


    "Slander! Let''s say we really bring that kind of precious item. Do you think we cannot hire a better guard? Also, you think we would be stupid enough to not contain and hide it inside a storage item?"


    Even though storage rings can only be used by cultivators, there are many other storage items invented to be used by merchants. Cultivators are too busy pursuing their path, but this doesn''t mean they don''t need money.


    That is why they often create items that can help to boost the economy. A wagon with expanded storage, a special box, and many other items were then invented.


    If the item is considered precious, sometimes cultivators prefer to use merchants to transport it. There are many reasons, but most do this to avoid suspicion from their enemy.


    Normally no one would think to let a normal civilian transport an exotic artifact. Even though this method became known and popular later on, it is still effective as there are just too many caravans moving from city to city to send items and cargo. There is no way they can check everything one by one.


    "Who knows? Maybe you think hiring a better guard will raise suspicion. A random caravan with a bunch of random cultivators as guards, no one will think you have anything precious.


    But I stand my case; those beasts wouldn''t have come here this far if there was really nothing good for them. Anyway, I am out!" The cultivator said, quickly flying away toward the sky, leaving the group.


    The other cultivators looked at each other''s eyes. They started feeling reluctance. The cultivators that left had a cultivation realm similar to theirs. If he ran like this, just how strong was the beast?


    No one had ever heard of this beast before.


    Unfortunately, their confusion lasted too long. The beasts had already reached their destination. The purplish bears came into their view.


    They didn''t quickly make their attack; the bears looked at the cultivators and the wagon, studying them one by one.


    "GROARRR!" The bear at the back roared, signaling the others to start the attack.


    Qi and sparks of elements quickly flew in the air like fireworks. At first, the cultivators were winning, but they then quickly realized why the other cultivator decided to escape.


    These spirit beasts were now at the Elemental stage, but all the cultivators were at the late nascent soul realm. Normally, they would have no problem fighting back, but these bears were just different.


    They were very robust and smart. The beasts moved with formation, helping each other. They tried to separate the cultivators then gang up on one of them.


    Their fur was also hard to pierce. Even when they succeeded, the wound would quickly get healed.


    The bears'' attacks also contained electricity, making them feel paralyzed. This made one hit easily become fatal, as the bears would proceed with a chain of attacks.


    Zold watched everything unfold with cold eyes, he was waiting for at least one or two cultivators to meet their demise before he intervened.


    The bear''s maw squished one of the female cultivator''s heads into a pancake after it succeeded in piercing through her defense. The attack instantly killed her body, but her nascent soul still survived. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In horror, she saw what this beast did next to her body. The creature didn''t care about her appearance or beauty. Her soft flesh was just a delicacy in the creature''s jaw.


    Her perfect curve, her pleasant smell that many men wooed her for, it all was worth nothing in the eyes of the beast.


    The bear''s jaw crushed toward her torso, then began munching toward her qi core. Unable to see it anymore, the woman quickly escaped with her soul. Who knew if the bear could eat her soul next? It was absurd, but she didn''t want to take any risks.


    As a soul, she easily escaped, phasing through many trees. In the process, the woman caught a glimpse of Zold looking from the distance.


    She burned his appearance in her memory as she left the place. IT didn''t take a genius to realize this man had some responsibility for what happened.


    "This should be enough," Zold mumbled. He decided to intervene.


    Their beast fur might be thick and strong, but under Zold''s attack, it was nothing. He infused normal qi into his dagger, which was boosted by lifeforce.


    SWOSH!


    He threw his dagger like a missile piercing through the air. It easily entered the bear''s back and then left through its chest.


    The knife hit the ground then sparks of electricity exploded out. Zold appeared in the battlefield. Without looking at the other cultivators, he started moving quickly.


    Easily killing each of the beasts one by one without a problem. The people that survived were not dumb. Some of them thought of the possibility that this man had some hand in this incident.


    But what could they do?

 Chapter 363 - 363: Killing The Bear

    It was clear this new cultivator was far stronger than them. Trying to antagonize him was a foolish choice. And who knew if they were really lucky and a strong cultivator just passed by and decided to help them.


    Different from the woman cultivator, they didn''t see Zold waiting in the distance, looking at everything unfolding.


    Zold''s dagger stabbed through one of the bear''s eyes; electricity crackled as he tried to use it to burn the beast from inside. He was also curious if his electricity could damage the bear.


    If it was between awakeners, it would still give out damage. Using the same elemental just meant the target had more resistance.


    Crackle!


    The bear groaned in excitement. The purplish color on its fur deepened, and the wound on its eye quickly healed.


    Zold took a step back as he pulled out his dagger, putting some distance, and observed the beast''s transformation while thinking about his next step.


    The bear grew larger, its nails becoming sharper. ''Did I hit the jackpot that my qi triggered its breakthrough, or is it really that effective? Either way, it''s better to kill it first.''


    Zold leaped forward above the bear; after killing the beast multiple times, he found their weak point.


    Utilizing gravity, he dropped down at a fast speed. His sharp dagger poised down, embedding itself deeply into the bear''s spine. Blood spurted out, painting the bear''s fur red.


    "Grooar!!!" It screamed in pain.


    The bear started thrashing around, each time using its claw to hit the ground, creating a crack followed by an explosion of electricity.


    The thrashing continued for a few more seconds before the light finally started disappearing from its eyes. Zold''s dagger had hit the beast''s nerve, and he also laced it with poison.


    ''I need to raise the potency. It took too long to spread,'' he thought.


    "Thanks, cultivator, for your help," the merchant said with an amiable smile. After seeing all the beasts were killed, he quickly moved close to Zold. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had already lost confidence in the rogue cultivator he hired. The merchant hoped he would stay with him to his destination.


    "No problem. By the way, do any of you know where Panda Bamboo Forest is?"


    Hearing his question, the merchant''s eyes lit up. "I know, sir. How about I show you the path there? My destination is Purple Bamboo City; it''s not far from that forest."


    Zold glanced at the other cultivators; their eyes were locked on the beast''s remains. He ruminated for a moment, then said, "Other than the last one I just killed, you guys can take the rest."


    "Thank you, senior," the other cultivator said with a bow. They didn''t care if Zold was older than them or not; what mattered was he was stronger than them.


    They started going to work, splitting the loot among themselves. The merchant also felt greedy to get the loot, but he knew better than to try asking for one.


    "So, senior, may I know your name?"


    "Just call me Zold. I am quite in a hurry to go to the forest, so quickly prepare to depart."


    "Of course, Senior Zold," the merchant replied. He then quickly returned and started ordering his people to fix the caravan. When the cultivators were fighting, some of the wagons had tilted over as the horses that pulled them went into a panic.


    Zold then walked toward the bear''s corpse, putting it into his storage ring. He was thinking of giving it to Alex later, hoping that he could make Zold''s secret technique even better.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, it was now early in the morning, and time was passing differently here. He looked outside the window, as today was the time of the competition.


    To his surprise, things ran smoothly afterward; there were no Zephyr clan members coming to Morgana''s place. She also became silent after the day he came, spending most of her time in her underground training area.


    Uncle Moria also successfully distributed the spiced water all over the city, making the source hard to track. Right now, the water had already become a hot item.


    Just yesterday, another Dragari cultivator had a breakthrough after consuming it. Even those who did not would feel their dragon bloodline get enhanced, becoming purer.


    Many big clans started moving, doing their best to procure this item. The Midnight clan also did the same, but since the source was hidden by Moria, they were only able to buy those shared in their own territory.


    Moria himself started asking for more from Alex; he also often asked where the source was. Alex glossed over the topic and decided not to give more.


    He only gave Reina a few bottles to boost her strength.


    Alex thought it was better to do this. If there were more items coming out into the market, the risk of someone finding out it came from him would rise exponentially.


    Knock... Knock


    "Sir Alex, I am here to bring you to the arena."


    "Let''s go," Alex replied with a confident smile while opening the door. Outside, the place was empty; everyone had already gathered at the arena in the middle of the city.


    The tournament was held in public, with some clans invited to watch. As the ones who fought were not the princesses themselves, the Midnight clan patriarch used this moment to show others their strength.


    The event was also very beneficial for the city''s economy, as many cultivators came at this time.


    Some just wanted to watch the fight, while others wanted to try their luck with princesses from his clan. It was rare, but on a few occasions, this happened. Of course, the ones that came were also from prominent clans; otherwise, there was no way they would agree to the marriage.


    As they came closer, many people had already gathered in the festival area. A lot of street stalls adorned the road, some even selling pills and artifacts.


    Walking past through, they reached the arena. With a glance, Alex could tell this was an artifact.

 Chapter 364 - 364: Zhu Zeng

    The arena was a simple flat white tile with four pillars surrounding it. It was formed in a square with many formations carved on the pillars.


    Surrounding the arena, he could see the VIP seating area where the Midnight clan took place. Besides them, there were other clans. His eyes sharpened when he saw the man in Morgana''s bedroom also seated there.


    His face showed calmness, but from his eyes, Alex could tell he was filled with worry.


    ''So it seems he is not coming because he needs to join with the clan members going to this place through the normal way. Did he just realize the situation?


    Even though he couldn''t come, I don''t believe Morgana doesn''t have a way to talk with him. Is their relationship not as simple as I thought? Or did Morgana also side with another clan?''


    Based on his observation, Morgana would have no trouble doing that. Manipulating men to her desire, making sure she always won no matter the result.


    ''If only I knew what really happened with Reina''s mother, I could guess more,'' Alex thought while he observed the interaction between clans.


    The one Alex saw with Morgana was sitting in silence, but his clan members were quite active. He could see some of the other clan members with Jiang''s words written on their uniforms. Others had names like Lightning Qilin.


    His eyes turned to one of the seating areas filled with jade beauties wearing white robes from the same sect. The robes were adorned with embroidered lotuses.


    Seeing his gaze, Rexar commented, "That is the White Lotus Sect. Usually, they never come to this tournament; it''s the first time I see them here."


    "Are all the members women?" Alex asked while he wondered, ''Is this one of those sects filled with only women who are forbidden to love? Never thought they really existed.''


    "Yes, only virgin women are allowed to join the sect. It''s said this is related to their secret cultivation technique."


    "What happens if someone gets married then? They lose their cultivation, get banished from the sect?"


    Rexar looked bewildered at Alex, "Yes, I thought you didn''t know about them, Sir Alex."


    "Just a guess, I know some sects that are similar to them. Wonder, does the matriarch also have some love problem drama?" Alex asked with a chuckle.


    "Actually, yes, her love story is quite famous; almost everyone knows about it."


    "How? Does she share it with everyone?"


    "Well, no one knows if it''s true or not, but if the story is still distributed everywhere, that just means the matriarch of the White Lotus Sect agreed for it to spread."


    "Tell me the gist."


    "It''s a standard lover story, only in the end her husband was killed, while her daughter went missing."


    "Was her husband loyal to her?" Alex asked in disbelief.


    It just didn''t make sense for her to open a sect like this if she didn''t have any heartache. Also, he never read that kind of plotline in any cultivation novel. Based on what Rexar said, the sect also required one to be a virgin to cultivate. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, that is what makes the story popular, Sir Alex. Her husband was a womanizer, and he was also quite famous around here. Some even gave him the title ''The Monkey that Steals Peaches.''"


    "I see... as I expected. How about the cultivation method, then? How could she do it if she herself had a daughter?"


    "That, Sir Alex, will be a mystery. I also don''t know the details, and this is about their cultivation method."


    "Is there another rumor? Like those that take their virginity will gain their cultivation?" Alex asked as he was curious. Since the cultivation was lost, it should go somewhere.


    Rexar looked around; his voice then became a whisper that only Alex could hear. "Actually, I did hear a rumor about that. That is why evil sects often target them to be their furnaces."


    ''And now we have an evil dual cultivator sect? It seems this world is straight from one novel I read. At least MingYue''s world still has some differences,''


    Alex thought, noting them in his mind. Then he began asking about other clans.


    While he talked with Rexar, a group of cultivators were looking at him. They were also champions who would fight in the tournament.


    One of them was bald, wearing a golden robe. His appearance made him look like a monk, but the pattern on the robe was different. He was from ShangXi Temple.


    The monk was standing beside Morgana. "Is he the one?" the man asked.


    "Yes, can you beat him? That man just gives me a bad vibe," Morgana asked back.


    "I couldn''t detect his cultivation. Either he is far stronger than me, or he uses a special artifact to seal it. But I honestly doubt anyone here can beat me."


    "I know, Daoist Zhu Zeng. That is why I asked for your presence."


    Zhu Zeng''s eyes squinted, looking again at Alex. This time, he tried to use a detection skill, but it was useless. It didn''t give out any results.


    "I am sure it''s an artifact, but if not, that will be interesting. Otherwise, my visit here will be pointless. You know you will pay dearly if that happens, right, Morgana?"


    "I know, don''t worry, I will fulfill all your desires."


    Zhu Zeng looked at Morgana with ridicule, "You think I would look for a slut like you if I wanted someone? Just remember, I will take your arm if this is all for nothing.


    We accepted you into the Coalition because of Onerio''s suggestion. I don''t know what spell you cast on him, but it won''t work on me."


    "Then why did you come here? You are under no obligation to fulfill my request."


    "I have my own reasons. You don''t need to know," Zhu Zeng replied.


    Morgana didn''t fear Zhu Zeng''s threat despite the difference in power.


    "From your look, are you looking for Lady Aria from the Zephyr clan? So much for saying you don''t want to have fun with me.


    Do you think she is still pure with so many men fawning over her?" she asked back with ridicule.

 Chapter 365 - 365: Galen

    "Shut your mouth before I pull your tongue," Zhu Zeng said while emanating bloodlust. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Morgana just laughed with contempt, "You can try if you dare. Doing that will result in messing up the Coalition plan, not only the Zephyr. I am not stupid, Zhu Zeng."


    Zhu Zeng decided to ignore her. His eyes moved from Alex to another person.


    This time his eyes were filled with more alertness, as in his opinion only this man could be a danger to him. It wasn''t because of his strength, but how he was behind the whole problem that ShangXi temple now faced in the central region.


    The man was Situ Chen, and beside him was a woman wearing a straw hat with a veil.


    At first, no one raised an eye as they considered the Situ clan a small clan. They also came here only with backing from the White Lotus sect, a sect that was considered mediocre compared to others. But in just a few months, the Situ clan showed their fangs.


    They started attacking all their business, restaurants, inns, and merchant goods¡ªevery single one of their main industries was attacked on all fronts.


    Other clans and sects didn''t care about this, but ShangXi temple was different. It could be said the normal civilians were their real foundation.


    It''s not like the others could function without normal civilization, but the scale was just very different for them.


    Situ clan also purposely targeted only the ShangXi temple while they let others gain benefits from it. This made the situation hard for them.


    If it were another clan, they would have already started an all-out war with how much damage they suffered. But ShangXi temple couldn''t do that; they needed to care about public opinion. Otherwise, all the effort they put in all these years would amount to nothing.


    But this didn''t mean they would stay silent. ShangXi temple sent out a group of transformation realm cultivators led by a late-stage Mystic Integration stage cultivator.


    They expected the Situ clan to be destroyed to the ground. But surprisingly, even without the White Lotus sect''s help, they survived without a scratch.


    The cultivators they sent went missing without any news. Their life tablets showed them still alive, but no matter what method they used, they failed to track their location.


    ShangXi temple became passive after this, deciding to find out first how strong the Situ clan was.


    "Do you know who invited them?" Zhu Zeng asked.


    "Nope, I don''t know who, but to invite them could only be done with my father''s approval. So, in a way, we can say he is the one doing this. But why? Is their presence here a problem?"


    Zhu Zeng didn''t reply, his eyes still glued to Situ Chen. Knowing he was just ignoring her, Morgana decided to look at the other competitors.


    She acknowledged all of them; they were either the princess''s favorite guards or people with talent from outside the clan.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already reached Reina. She was now talking with a tall man. He had a muscular body with black eyes and hair, and his height was the same as Alex''s.


    The man looked young, but based on his life force and how Reina acted, he already concluded he was the Midnight Clan patriarch.


    "Father, he is Alex, the one who will fight for me."


    "Yes, I have heard about him from Moria." The patriarch replied with an amiable smile, then raised his hand for a shake, "My name is Galen. Since you are my daughter''s friend, you can just call me by name."


    "Alex, Sir Galen. It''s my pleasure to make your acquaintance."


    "No, it''s my pleasure seeing my daughter have someone to fight for her."


    His eyes then squinted as he continued, "Her last champion was mysteriously poisoned a few weeks ago, and with how close the time was, I am afraid she cannot find a replacement."


    "No worry, sir, it''s my honor to fight for your daughter."


    Alex and Galen locked eyes for a moment, then he smirked and excused himself.


    "You never told me your last champion was murdered," Alex said with a frown as he took a seat beside her.


    "I am not hiding it; I just thought it would not be a problem for you, Sir Alex."


    "I appreciate your faith, but you should have told me. So what happened?"


    Meanwhile, Moria throughout all this was standing behind Reina, his eyes alert, making sure no one did anything weird, but in reality right now he was sending his will into his storage ring.


    His lips were tightly closed outside, but inside, he wanted to laugh loudly. He was now busy counting the amount of treasure he had in his storage ring.


    The spice water interest was more intense than he expected.


    At first, he kept selling it for high-grade qi crystals, almost tripling his whole life savings that he had spent on Alex. But then he decided to go with another method. Moria gathered some of the merchants that he knew worked for rich clans.


    Using a new identity, he named himself SamTheCapitalist. He didn''t understand the name''s meaning, but it came from Alex, so he just used it as it felt like something that came from God knows where.


    The name Sam existed in his world, but Capitalist? It was the first time he heard about it. He asked Alex what the word meant, but Alex just chuckled, saying it meant good profit.


    Meanwhile, as Moria enjoyed his newfound wealth, Alex was in a serious discussion. Reina''s old champion was her friend from the academy. She came from a prominent family that was backed by a Heavenly Ascension cultivator.


    It was a strong status even for the central region, but in front of the Midnight clan and other clans backed by immortals, her background might as well not exist.


    "She died after eating a pill; based on the alchemist, it''s because of a toxic reaction with lingering effects from other pills she had consumed over the years."


    "Is that really possible?"

 Chapter 366 - 366: Dragon Bloodline

    "Yes, an impure pill will leave impurities in our bodies that can give us many side effects. However, we also have other pills to purify this; some techniques were also created to mitigate this effect. So cases of pill poisoning are very rare to happen."


    "What happened to your friend now?"


    "She''s recultivating. I feel guilty about what happened, so I begged my father to give her a 4-petal phoenix flower."


    "What is that?"


    "It''s an Ancient grade medical plant that allows a cultivator to recreate their body. But it''s only useful for those under the Mystic Integration stage."


    "So the strongest that can use it is Spiritual Transformation Realm?"


    "Yes, well, if we are more patient, waiting another 10,000 years will make it grow another petal, allowing a Mystic Integration stage to be reborn. The body is also better than the last one."


    "How about their bloodline then?"


    "They keep it as long as they put the bloodline inside. In fact, with this method, as long as you have the wealth, you can recreate the cultivator''s body to become stronger.


    However, if the bloodline is too strong, it can end up eating through the cultivator''s soul. Many clans do this for their less talented descendants."


    Hearing this, the first words that appeared in Alex''s mind were, ''The rich become richer, the poor become poorer.''


    No matter what civilization he visited so far, the same thing still happened.


    An immortal cultivator could easily give their descendants as many bloodlines and talents as they needed. They could give them many treasures, boosting their soul strength while at the same time weakening the bloodline''s lingering will.


    At the very least, those born here could hope heaven''s will grant them a huge blessing, being born with heavenly talent. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized it wasn''t different from his world even before the dungeon break.


    A child could be born a genius despite their parents being rich or poor. With their intellect, they could pave their own path and become rich.


    "No matter where the world is unfair," Alex mumbled.


    "I''m sorry, what do you mean?" Reina asked with confusion.


    "Nothing, forget it, I just got caught up in my own thoughts. So, who do you think poisoned your friend? Since it''s from the pill, you should be able to track the seller."


    "Yes, but the seller kept saying they were innocent, then put all the blame on the alchemist. The association got involved, making things more complicated."


    "What association? Alchemists?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes. In the past, alchemists were hunted down by many clans and strong cultivators. This kept going until, finally, one of them succeeded in becoming immortal. After he did, he made the Alchemy Association with the sole job of protecting other alchemists," Reina replied.


    She didn''t find it weird, as Alex didn''t know, as the association only acted in big cities. Based on what Alex had said so far, she speculated he came from one of the hidden villages.


    This is the name they gave to a village filled with cultivators but cut off from the rest of society. They weren''t necessarily stronger, but each of them always had their own unique thing. For example, in Alex''s case, it was the spice water.


    They continued their talk for a while until the announcer finally walked toward the ring.


    He began giving a speech welcoming the presence of big sects and clans that came, but Alex ignored all this. He closed his eyes like he was sleeping, while in reality, he was focusing his senses on his hearing, trying to find more information on the world''s dynamics, but he didn''t learn anything important.


    Most of it was just filled with which princess they bet on and some small talk.


    ''These cultivators are like a bunch of horny teenagers,'' Alex thought.


    The rumors he heard mostly consisted of romance stories. Who married whom? This cultivator became a green hat, and some even talked about their elder''s kink. This was not limited to male cultivators; the female cultivators'' talk was even worse, in Alex''s opinion.


    Alex opened his eyes as finally the match started. The first fight was between Zhu Zeng and a Middle stage Spiritual Transformation realm cultivator. An awakened cultivator from the Midnight clan.


    "I always wanted to know how strong the Blood Asura is. Let me feel that strength," the cultivator said without any fear. He wasn''t afraid Zeng would kill him, as the competition was done in friendly sparring.


    "I am famous with that title for a reason. Are you sure you want to find out?" Zhu Zeng asked with a smirk on his face.


    A transparent barrier then appeared, surrounding the arena.


    "Go ahead, you can go first," Zhu Zeng said with a gloating tone.


    "Don''t underestimate me!" The man said with a beastly roar.


    His body then began to transform. Bronze scales grew from his skin as his body grew larger and became more muscular. His pupils then narrowed, becoming vertical slits.


    "Earth dragon bloodline, although it looks different from the last time I saw it, it seems to have become purer," Reina mumbled.


    "Probably because of the spice water. How about you? Has your bloodline become stronger?"


    "Yes, Sir Alex, thanks to you, my bloodline has become purer, but it doesn''t give me much strength boost."


    "So your transformation doesn''t change?"


    "No, but it does allow me to have more control over it. Now I can do this." Reina said as she raised her finger.


    She then transformed only the tip, making the nails grow larger.


    "I see¡­ What is your bloodline anyway?" Alex asked.


    Moria''s ear perked up, "That is a secret, junior. You don''t need to answer that, Reina."


    "It''s fine, Uncle. Sir Alex has helped me a lot."


    Her voice then transformed into one that could only be heard by Alex.


    "People think I have a wind dragon bloodline, but in reality, it''s a tempest dragon."


    "What is the difference?" Alex asked.

 Chapter 367 - 367: Challenge

    "Tempest is far stronger; it also allows me to use the thunder element, but I never use it as my father put a seal."


    "I see. He''s afraid someone will kidnap you because of this."


    "Yes, that is why I am even more confused about what has happened lately."


    Alex let out a chuckle, then told her his speculation. Meanwhile, the crowd began to cheer as the fight grew intense.


    The man with the earth dragon bloodline was launching a barrage of attacks. He started by shooting forward a few earth spikes, then dashed toward Zhu Zeng.


    But just before he reached Zhu Zheng, the floor surface suddenly felt slippery and cold. He tripped and then almost fell on his back.


    Zhu Zheng appeared on top of him, wielding a blue staff.


    Bang!


    Despite his high defense, the man felt like his spine was broken. The attack also felt very painful.


    It was like his back was not hit by a blunt weapon but by a sharp weapon with many small needles.


    His face hit the floor, head down. But Zhu Zheng was not finished. He pointed his staff downward, planning to skewer the man''s arm.


    Feeling the incoming attack, the man''s qi surged forward. At first, he tried to manipulate the floor to make a shield, but it failed. Having no other choice, he sent out a rock from his storage ring, then infused his qi, creating a shield and a pillar that pushed his body away.


    Boom!


    The makeshift shield shattered into dust, obscuring Zhu Zheng while the man tried to stand up. But the back pain was too much, making his movements slower.


    Gritting through the pain, he infused his qi to fasten the recovery, but it wasn''t working. Only now did he realize the area where he was hit was now invaded by foreign ice qi.


    Meanwhile, in the audience seat. "Do you know that man?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, he is Zhu Zheng from ShangXi Temple."


    ''ShangXi Temple? Is this the same one from MingYue world?''


    Alex had heard the name multiple times, making him wonder if he was in the central region of the plane or not. But then, looking at the different sky colors, he thought, ''Maybe it''s just a coincidence, or this place is some kind of secret realm.''


    After thinking about some other possibilities, Alex decided to confirm it with Reina. "Does ShangXi Temple stay in this region? Where do they come from? I don''t have their information with the last jade slip."


    Reina frowned, then ruminated for a moment, "Now that you say it, I don''t know much about them. They only occasionally appear in public events. I think they are like you, a hidden village."


    "I see¡­ By the way, do you have a map of your world?"


    Uncle Moria''s eyes perked up at the mention of a map. "If you want a world map or even a region map, then we will not be able to help you. Only the Patriarch has those."


    Alex frowned. With the cultivator''s capability, making a map should be easy. "Isn''t that needed? Otherwise, people can go into danger zones."


    "Hmm¡­ well, it''s always like this. No one sells maps for the region; I also never heard of anyone doing it. As for danger zones, people usually move around utilizing teleportation arrays. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only a few cultivators go around looking for a secret realm or adventure. So almost no one cares about this."


    ''No wonder even independent cultivators here make their own guild. It seems going independent is very dangerous as geographical information is monopolized.''


    Alex then remembered the clan that stayed on the frontline. Based on his knowledge, the MingYue world doesn''t have this; they don''t have any external enemy.


    Back at the arena, the man was now miserable, his body now covered in ice, making him look like an ice statue. But the ice was not normal.


    It was painted red, like it was sucking out the man''s blood, making him feel weaker.


    "I surrender¡­ "The man mumbled, but his words were cut off in the middle.


    Bang! Zhu Zheng appeared in front of him and then shot him out of the arena. He ended up being knocked out after crashing into the barrier.


    "Winner, Zhu Zheng!" the host announced as the crowd cheered.


    Meanwhile, the princess that the man fought for looked at him with disdain. She didn''t blame him for losing to Zhu Zheng, but getting badly injured in the first fight spelled doom for her.


    The tournament system was done by having the champion fight at least once with other princes'' champions. They were then ranked by points. The top 8 would then fight each other and start getting rewards.


    The winner would get one wish from the Patriarch that could be used to reject marriage arrangements. As for the other princesses, they would get resource allocation and different treatment in the clan depending on the result.


    The difference in treatment was more on favoritism, like one is most likely to be favored by the Elders and Patriarch in the Midnight clan if they perform well.


    But now her champion was heavily wounded; even if she bought him a good healing pill, at most, he could only fight at 80% of his strength.


    She had told him to quickly forfeit when fighting Zhu Zheng, but he just didn''t listen.


    As the winner, Zhu Zheng now had the option to skip the match or continue with the enemy of his choosing. He glanced at Alex, who was still busy with his own thoughts. "I challenge you."


    Alex felt annoyed getting called out when he was thinking, but he didn''t show it on his face. With a smirk, he asked, "Are you sure?"


    "Cut the crap and come fight me," Zhu Zheng replied as his qi spread through the arena.


    Some of the people quickly frowned as they could tell he was near a breakthrough; his qi was at late-stage spiritual transformation realm, but it showed some quality like those at the mystic integration stage.

 Chapter 368 - 368: Coercion

    Seeing Alex stay silent, Zhu Zheng added, "Why afraid now?"


    "Most of the champions here are at the golden core realm to spiritual transformation at best. As for me, I am just a golden-core cultivator. So what do you think?" Alex replied with a flat tone.


    This annoyed Zhu Zheng. He felt like Alex was playing with him.


    There was no way a golden core cultivator could hide their power in front of him, except if they used an ancient-grade artifact. But if they used this thing, Alex was being too nonchalant in his attitude.


    Other cultivators will try to get away from the fight; based on his knowledge, ancient-grade artifacts that can do this kind of thing should have limited usage.


    Even if he had another one, if Alex was really just a golden core cultivator, he would not have enough qi to use them effectively.


    ''Is he just bluffing?'' Zhu Zheng thought.


    But Alex ignored his show; instead, he asked with a nonchalant tone, "It''s fine as long I don''t kill him, right?"


    Reina and Moria also felt calm, even though they didn''t know how strong Alex really was.


    "Just don''t do too much. You will scare everyone else," Moria reminded.


    "Don''t worry, I know moderation," Alex replied with a chuckle, making Moria frown.


    He felt Alex would really do something that ended up a huge headache for him again. Last time it was spice water, who knows what it is now.


    If he was proven to be too strong, it would quickly become another problem as the other elders who hate Reina would start throwing accusations that she wants to rebel. How else could she entice a strong cultivator like him to help her?


    It''s not that there is no other possible reason. They will just choose the one that will benefit them the most.


    Meanwhile, Alex had already reached the stage. He put his hand behind his back. "You can go first."


    The barrier rose up, enclosing the arena. Alex turned his gaze, studying the formation at the pillar, completely ignoring Zhu Zheng.


    Morgan let out a chuckle seeing this; even though Zhu Zheng was on her side, she was annoyed with his remark, no matter how right it was.


    In her mind, she never did anything wrong; she knew her limitations. Since her talent is not that good, she might as well use other assets she had to carve her own path.


    The world is not merciful enough to give opportunities to those who don''t pay the price for it. Some are lucky, but luck cannot be controlled.


    Some of the audience also let out a laugh at Alex''s blatant ignorance. Many found it amusing, while some just hated his guts.


    Zhu Zheng at first wanted to say something, but seeing his action and hearing the laughter in the crowd made his blood boil. But he was not that stupid to let his anger explode.


    The staff appeared again in his hand as his posture changed. His mind told him Alex should have something to hold on to with his confidence, except he was really stupid.


    He just wanted to make a move when suddenly Alex''s hand moved fast, making him stop. He raised his finger but didn''t do any attack.


    Zhu Zheng understood the gesture; it was one used to tell someone to stay silent or wait. His vein throbbed, "What now?"


    Alex turned his gaze to him, his lips then raised into a grin, "How about we have a bet? The one that wins can take all the loser''s wealth."


    Zhu Zheng narrowed his eyes, "Why should I accept it? Who knows how much wealth you have? Can it even compete with mine?"


    "So you are saying you are now afraid of me? Are you not confident in winning?


    You know, if you are sure you will win, no matter how much wealth you have, it will make you more wealthy.


    Also, don''t you already guess what kind of artifact I have? Well, at this point, anyone with a bit of brain will already guess it."


    Zhu Zheng now felt even more worried about accepting his bet. He wanted to reject it, but his presence here was representative of ShangXi Temple. If he just backed down on a bet with a golden core cultivator, wouldn''t this make him a laughingstock?


    "How do I know you will fulfill your promise? You said you are a golden core cultivator, but who knows how true it was." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex let out a confident smile, then threw a blood contract into the air while saying, "Uncle Moria can be the one overseeing this contract.


    The content there is simple: the one that loses must give all his belongings to the one that wins. It also states that I am a golden core cultivator. If I am lying, I will lose by default.


    As a prodigy that almost reached the mystic integration realm, I am sure you will not back down from this advantageous contract.


    What kind of prodigy is afraid of fighting against some unknown cultivator with a whole realm under them?"


    "Go! Accept it!"


    "Yeah, you are the bloody Asura. How could you back down against a cultivator weaker than you?"


    "If you reject, where will ShangXi Temple put their face?"


    The crowd started yelling, instigating Zhu Zheng to accept. They found Alex''s proposal interesting. As for the result, they didn''t care.


    They were also curious about where Alex got his confidence from.


    Zhu Zheng was conflicted now; he was more sure than ever that Alex''s offer was a trap, but he couldn''t just reject it.


    In confusion, he turned to the Midnight clan Patriarch, "Senior Galen, is this allowed?"


    He asked while bowing a bit, hoping Galen would help him out of the situation. As he did this, he also sent a voice transmission promising something to Galen.


    This may escape others'' hearing, but for Alex, he could still hear it.


    "Does this mean you are afraid of betting against me? How can it not be allowed?

 Chapter 369 - 369: Alexs Move

    Everyone came here to watch the fight and put bets on our names; this was just a small bet to spice up the event.


    Don''t bother our esteemed Patriarch with useless questions," Alex said shamelessly, making Zhu Zheng''s lips twitch.


    Galen smiled, "Of course, it''s allowed; gambling is never banned here," while he thought, ''This youngster is interesting. I wonder, can his strength back his mouth?''


    With what Alex said, no matter if Galen accepted or not, his options would be limited. Rejecting the bet would be the same as announcing he was in cahoots with ShangXi Temple.


    Alex understood a bit now about world politics. He was sure Galen would not want to do this, except the information he learned from Reina was wrong.


    Zhu Zheng was stuck now; the crowd kept cheering on him while the patriarch had already rejected his offer.


    "Dammit! Bastard! I will make you pay," he cursed in his mind.


    "So, what is your answer? Are you just being a pusy now? What a scaredy cat," Alex replied with a chuckle.


    Zhu Zheng, with anger, replied, "Fine, let''s have this deal!"


    "Senior Moria, can you help?" Alex said with a respectful gesture as he looked at him.


    Moria, with a stoic face, flew toward them, then finalized the contract. Deep inside, he was sighing, "He is really a magnet for trouble."


    After it was signed, the crowd, Galen and Zhu Zheng included, had their eyes glued on Alex''s attitude. Some still thought he was just bluffing, hoping for the other party to back off.


    But Alex just nonchalantly signed the contract. His face was all smiles, as he was in a good mood now.


    How could he not be?


    After a few setbacks he faced so far, this was one of the things that went based on his plan.


    The contract was done with nothing happening to Alex, making everyone know he was not lying. Little did they know that even if he did lie, the contract would be useless against him.


    Maybe if the one overseeing the blood oath was at the eye-being level, it could work.


    But Moria? It would be useless.


    "Come, let''s start now. I will give you ten moves. Otherwise, the fight will not even last a minute," Alex said with a grin, taunting Zhu Zheng even further.


    Zhu Zheng''s Qi shot out; his staff started emanating a cold aura. He didn''t talk anymore and continued to attack using his full strength.


    He knew talking back would just be playing Alex''s game, and he hated it. It was their first meeting, and Alex had already played him like a fiddle.


    Bang! The staff hit the floor; from it, a cascade of sharp ice appeared, making its way to Alex in a cone shape.


    Alex didn''t move; he put both his hands behind his back while smiling.


    BANG!


    The wave of sharp ice hit Alex, then exploded into a massive spike filled with countless tiny, razor-sharp fragments.


    Zhu Zheng hit the floor once more; the colossal spike exploded, a flurry of ice shards flying in all directions while creating a blinding mist of glittering fragments.


    Bam! He used the tip of the staff to hit the ground once more.


    The deadly ice shards, as if listening to his command, got pulled back towards Alex with even greater force, converging into a swirling vortex of icy blades.


    No one could see what happened inside the mist. They also couldn''t feel Alex''s Qi at all, making them even more tense. Is he still alive?


    Most thought he was dead; the blood oath was signed in front of their eyes, and they could tell it wasn''t a fake. This meant Alex was really a golden core cultivator.


    Even now, everyone was still baffled at how nonchalant Alex was. Some even thought he just wanted to commit suicide to rig the bet.


    Even though the reward would not be big, as everyone bet on Zhu Zheng, only a few people tried their luck betting on Alex, and one of them was Rexar.


    After the incident with spice water, he stopped selling it. He didn''t mind, as he had already earned a huge chunk of profit, but it was still lacking what he wanted.


    Realizing this, Alex offered him to take a bet with his Qi crystal. Moria would have done the same if not because of the clan rules.


    Anyone who found out would be punished heavily, as it would turn into a bad reputation for the clan.


    They needed this reputation to make sure people dared to gamble a lot of Qi crystals, as the clan took 5% of all bets.


    The mist dispersed, and the crowd was at the edge of their seats, as what was left was only ice spikes and shards scattered all over the ground.


    Situ Chen mumbled, "What an arrogant young man."


    "He is not dead," the woman beside him mumbled. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you mean? There is nothing there," he said while his eyes darted around the arena.


    "Even with your realm, you still cannot detect him. Interesting. If it''s not because of my bloodline, I would probably also be the same."


    The crowd also thought Alex was dead; there were no traces of him in the sky or in the arena. But they were confused; based on Zhu Zheng''s attack, even if he killed him, there should be bits of flesh or traces of blood.


    Zhu Zheng''s eyes sharpened; he was on alert. He didn''t believe Alex just died.


    Suddenly, he felt a grasp over his ankle, followed by a huge strength that pushed him down. The arena that was filled with the murmur of the crowd suddenly silenced.


    Their eyes widened as they were shocked by what they saw. Everyone had one word in their mind now. "Impossible."


    Zhu Zheng''s body was now embedded inside the floor arena, with only his head coming out.


    While like a ghost, Alex just came out of the ground with a smug smile on his face.


    He did not have a single scratch on his body.

 Chapter 370 - 370: Wendigo

    Galen was frowning, watching all this, "How did he do that? That artifact was ancient grade that could even block an immortal attack a few times."


    What Alex did was worse than just destroying his artifact; he phased through it like it was just a normal object. Galen knew there were some bloodlines and secret techniques that allowed someone to pass through.


    This method might have some minor differences, but every single one of them utilized Qi. Because of this, phasing through anything that had Qi would become a problem. This included attacks and artifacts.


    "Doesn''t this mean he can enter any place he wants?" Galen also didn''t feel anything with his artifact. It was like nothing went wrong.


    While everyone was still dazed with his performance, Alex started his attack.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    He kicked Zhu Zheng multiple times in the cheek, nose, and head, each time giving out a loud noise.


    "Give up yet?" Alex asked with a smirk.


    Zhu Zheng, meanwhile, was too shocked to respond; everything happened so fast. The next thing he knew, he was attacked by Alex. He tried to exert his strength to get out from the floor, but it was useless.


    He also tried to exert his Qi, but it dispersed before it could even form into any technique.


    "Not responding¡­ I see you are really tough. Try this."


    Alex raised his foot high above his head. Flames ignited from his feet as he then stomped it hard on his head. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BANG! CRACK! The loud noise reverberated all over the arena. They swore they could feel the ground shake the moment the attack hit.


    "ARGH!!!" Zhu Zheng groaned in pain. He threw up blood, but he was still alive. He could feel sharp pain coming all over his body.


    The shockwave from Alex''s attack almost pulverized all the bones in his body.


    Realizing how bad his situation was now, Zhu Zheng''s mind quickly moved to find a solution. Since he couldn''t exert any Qi, taking an item from his storage ring was out of the question. But thankfully, he could still use it to protect and heal his internal organs.


    He then remembered his staff was now lying in the arena. Different from his storage ring, his weapon was a spirit artifact. He then tried to call out the spirit beast within.


    The staff began reacting; it vibrated on the ground and then floated up like it was alive.


    It shot through the air like a rocket. Alex didn''t even turn his head. He just lazily raised his hand and grasped it.


    A shockwave exploded the moment he caught it, as his fire Qi reacted towards Zhu Zheng''s ice Qi. At first, Alex''s Qi was losing, but the moment he infused life force, it quickly overwhelmed the staff.


    His eyes looked down at Zhu Zheng, then said with a gloating smile, "Nice weapon."


    His words gave Zhu Zheng a bad premonition. The next thing he knew, he felt like his soul was split in half.


    Alex was infusing his own will into the weapon. In the inner world, he was met with a tall creature, one and a half his height.


    The beast had ash-white fur with sharp jagged teeth. Its eyes were white, while its arms were long, reaching up to its knees.


    Alex could also see two twisted antlers coming out from its head, making him think of a creature he sometimes read about in horror movies. "A wendigo?"


    "GROOAAR!!!" The wendigo screamed in anger as someone came into its territory.


    It began dashing forward to attack, but Alex just stood still. "Showing off your strength, huh? Two can play that game."


    His crimson eyes glinted in a green hue, then he grinned, showing his sharp fangs.


    "COME!" Alex said in a normal tone but infused it with the essence of the progenitor.


    He learned this after seeing how Vesa intimidated most beasts they faced. So far, as long as they weren''t sentient, this method almost always worked.


    The beast stopped in its tracks. Alex then infused more of the progenitor''s presence into his voice, "Kneel!"


    The wendigo, with defeated shoulders, quickly followed his command. Alex then walked slowly toward the beast. He put his finger on the wendigo''s head.


    A green light came out as his finger began drawing a rune with proficiency. After he finished, the link between the wendigo and Zhu Zheng was cut off.


    Back in the real world, Alex began playing with the staff, spinning it around as he purposefully smacked Zhu Zheng''s bald head multiple times in the process.


    Most people in the crowd began to cry in tears, "My money!"


    All of them knew the fight was already decided, and so far, it could be said everyone already knew who the champion was.


    When they saw Zhu Zheng, they thought he would probably win the competition, as he was famous as one of the top cultivators. But now he was beaten so miserably that he couldn''t even touch a single hair on Alex''s head.


    "Who is he? I don''t believe he is just a golden core cultivator," Situ Chen said with confusion.


    "He is not from this world. Did some of the rats pass through their defenses?" The woman said in a cold tone.


    "How would you know that?"


    "You barely know of their existence and have never faced one. If you have, you will understand why I think like this.


    That green energy that appeared around him is not something we are familiar with, so either he is a genius that invented a new method, or he is an outsider.


    What do you think is more possible?"


    "An outsider," Situ Chen''s eyes glinted in coldness.


    "If he really is a genius, there is no way we just heard about him now. But how? Did one of the defenders become a traitor?"


    "You think we are like this pathetic clan? We know what is at stake.


    You guys may all forget about this, but my family will never forget it. Even if that incident happened ages ago."

 Chapter 371 - 371: Everything!

    "My Situ family never forgets our benefactor; otherwise, I would not be here now."


    The woman nodded. Contrary to Feng Xue, who survived a long time as a spirit, she knew how Situ Chen was now beside her.


    Their family implanted part of their memories before the day to their descendants.


    This technique had many side effects, as the implanted memories often changed someone''s personality in a weird way, making him, in one moment, act like someone else, while other times, he would act like this.


    "Honestly, if not because of my ancestor''s wish, I would have already let them come in.


    Why should we protect all these parasites?"


    "Don''t you already do it? Why else do they work together now? I thought you were pulling the strings."


    "It''s not me. Probably another faction from the defender or someone else from the Celestial Court."


    "Hah, Celestial Court, what a bullshit name."


    "Watch your words. If one of them hears, they will hunt you down."


    "They are even more of a coward than this clan you call a parasite."


    "When the time comes, everyone will reap what they sow," the woman mumbled coldly.


    Situ Chen replied with a nod. "That is why we are here."


    Meanwhile, back at the arena, Alex was crouching down, looking at Zhu Zheng''s beaten face. One of his eyes was blue as it had swollen shut, part of his teeth were smashed down, and his face was covered in blood.


    "Do you want to give up now or continue?" he asked with a grin.


    Barely conscious now, Zhu Zheng muttered, "Fuck¡­ You¡­!"


    He had accepted the bet to keep his face, but now, what face did he still have? Everyone in the audience had already seen what happened; he was treated like a toy.


    There was nothing he could do now other than defeat Alex to recover it, but he knew he had no capability. Seeing his defiance, Alex smirked, "Is that confidence I will not kill as we are fighting in a competition now?


    But you know I could still turn you into a cripple. Imagine what kind of life you will have as one."


    Zhu Zheng was quickly filled with despair. He had many enemies; if Alex really crippled him and then took all that he had, his fate would be miserable.


    He might be crippled by qi, but that was not the same as his soul. Even if he committed suicide and took his own life, his soul would still survive.


    As for extinguishing his own soul, it was easier said than done. Only some people could do this using secret techniques, but what sane cultivator would learn this?


    Wasting their time and effort on something that could only be used once would result in their complete demise. Only fanatics and crazy ones. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had been rumored that many demonic cultivators learned this technique in the past. But that was only thanks to their already volatile foundation, making it easy for them to learn without much investment.


    Weighing his options, Zhu Zheng decided to just embrace his fate. He was sure he would be heavily punished as a warning to others after he returned. Little did he know, Alex had other plans for him.


    "I surrender," Zhu Zheng said, thinking that despite getting punished, his elder and patriarch would help to remove the deal. The worst in his mind now was losing his current belongings.


    He, Alex, and Moria had signed the blood contract.


    Moria acted as a boost to make sure the contract was effective, as others thought he was only a golden core cultivator. But in reality, this was not true.


    Alex''s current strength was more than enough to make sure no one in this world could break the contract single-handedly.


    "Winner, Alex!" the host announced as the barrier went down.


    Rexar, watching everything from near Reina''s seating, was in shock. It was pretty clear Alex would win the whole match, but only now did he really register how much money he had won.


    Alex had promised him a 20% share from his winning bet. This was a lot, but adding his own bet on top of it, he was making a huge profit, more than enough for him not to worry about most necessities for a lifetime.


    Alex put his hand into his pocket, drawing a rune inside to make sure no one saw what he was doing.


    The next moment, Zhu Zheng felt like he was being pushed by an invisible power. He launched from the floor, landing right outside the arena.


    Alex then told him, in a voice that only Zhu Zheng could hear, "Meet me after the competition is over. Don''t you dare to run away? Even if you die and become a soul, I will look for you."


    Zhu Zheng, now having control over his qi back, quickly regained his confidence. He gulped a healing pill, recovering the wound on his head.


    "Take this now. I don''t want to see you again," Zheng said as he threw his storage ring toward Alex.


    Alex caught it, while seeing Zhu Zheng walk back to the seating place. Even though he had lost face, he still needed to do his mission.


    Making sure Reina failed was already out of the question, but at the very least, he needed to get a good rank for Morgana.


    But his face turned ugly as Alex spoke other words, "Do you not understand what everything means? Do you think it is only your belongings?


    Everything is everything; this includes your soul and life. You can try to escape, but I already left a mark on you."


    Morgana frowned. "You talk all big, but what is with this result? This loss is your responsibility."


    "Shut your trap. You think I don''t know about this!" Zhu Zheng replied in an annoyed tone.


    Deep inside, this was not his concern. What Alex said shocked him to his core. It could be said he was now his slave.


    ''I am completely scammed!'' Zhu Zheng cursed in his mind.

 Chapter 372 - 372: Found Out

    The more he thought, the more he was sure Alex had planned everything from the start.


    ''Just what does he want with me?'' he thought while his eyes turned toward Reina''s direction.


    "Morgan, are you sure they don''t suspect anything with you?"


    "What do you mean? They already know I have connections with people from Shangxi Temple.


    We already made sure everything was progressing in a natural manner. Why do you suddenly ask that?"


    "Nothing. It''s just Alex''s presence here is weird. How could your sister find someone strong like that out of nowhere?"


    "You tell me. How could I know? I have asked the coalition for this information, but they got nothing. It''s like he came out of nowhere."


    Zhu Zheng frowned. ''There is no way he came from the outer region. My temple would already find out. Is he from another world?


    That would make more sense.


    I need to find more information. If this is true, I am sure they will not punish me for this incident.''


    Meanwhile, Alex was now looking at his next opponent. "You can just forfeit or come here and fight with me.


    But don''t forget to make a bet first, or, well, I don''t know what will happen to you in our fight."


    It was clear in their eyes now how strong Alex was. Despite their questions about how he achieved it with his cultivation realm, no one was stupid enough to fight.


    All of them were now busy sending information back to their sects and elders. They suspected Alex had some treasure or secret method to achieve this.


    Some of the smart ones also linked Alex to the spice water. Just like Morgana, each had their own method to gather information.


    Alex''s appearance was close to when the spice water was being spread around the area. Although it might have been just a coincidence, it was better for them to check on it.


    Their goal was simple: try to find out Alex''s secret by enticing him to join their clan or sect. If he rejected, that would mean he had some backing behind him.


    The goal would then be to try to communicate using Alex as the bridge. Only a stupid cultivator would reject backing if they had a lucky encounter.


    No matter how good the treasure was, if they died, none of this would matter. It was better to just share some of it.


    But Alex didn''t realize this. His thinking was impacted by most novels he had read. Usually, in cases like this, the main character would hide their treasure as they were afraid someone would just steal it and then kill him afterward.


    Unfortunately, this was not true here. A person who had a lucky encounter was considered someone who brought fortune.


    As long as their request made sense, any group would gladly recruit them to help improve the sect''s fortune.


    It felt superstitious, but since even immortals cared about this, other cultivators also followed behind them.


    All the other competitors forfeited; none wanted to fight with Alex.


    Uncle Moria''s lips twitched, seeing how things progressed. "You really don''t know what it means to stay low-key."


    Alex, who had just returned to his seat, replied, "This is good enough for me. Being too low-key will also not give us any result."


    "You do realize you are pulling the patriarch''s attention by what you do. Other clans and sects will soon also come here."


    "What do you mean? I only beat Zhu Zheng. Is he really that popular here?"


    "Beating him is not a problem. The way you did it is the problem. Why did you need to make him stuck on the floor? Even I don''t know how you could do it."


    "I only temporarily negated the artifact''s effect. Why was it such a big deal?"


    "And you think that is a small feat?


    The patriarch''s artifact can even hold against immortal attacks, and you, a golden core cultivator, easily played around with it?


    Only an immortal with a specific skill set can achieve what you did."


    Alex furrowed his eyebrow. He never thought the artifact used was of this caliber. "I see¡­ well, what''s done is done. The plan still doesn''t change."


    "Sir Alex, this time, I agree with what Uncle Moria said. I doubt things will be as simple as you think." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That is fine. If my value is that important, I can just make them invite me then."


    "Lady Reina, what do you mean by invite? What are you talking about?"


    "I didn''t want to tell you before since you would probably just reject our plan, but now it doesn''t matter, uncle. Things are already moving, and you cannot stop it," Reina said. She then told Moria the gist of her plan.


    His eyes quickly turned into worry. He wanted to say the plan was absurd. But seeing Alex''s performance so far, he thought it was possible to succeed.


    "In that case, we can just have Alex go by himself. You don''t need to follow him, Reina."


    "No, I must go. I want to see it with my own eyes, uncle. How my mom lives there. If they do something to her," Reina said in an icy cold tone.


    With so many rumors she had heard, her mind always imagined the worst-case scenario. Sometimes, she couldn''t even sleep, no matter how tired she was.


    Reina felt very guilty about the incident. If only she had been stronger or older at that time, she could have protected her mother.


    "Dad told me she was alright, but I want to see it with my own eyes."


    Seeing the determination in her eyes, Moria could only sigh while starting to plan how to go with her. There was no way he would let her go by herself.


    Meanwhile, the match continued. No one challenged Zhu Zheng except as their last option.


    The woman beside Situ Chen, meanwhile, kept focusing her senses on Alex.


    "How is it? Did you find anything?"

 Chapter 373 - 373: Invitation

    "Can you arrange a private meeting with him now? I doubt we will have the chance after the competition."


    "You want to kill him?"


    "I don''t have the confidence, but someone coming from another cannot just be left to his own device."


    "Let me think of a way," Situ Chen replied. His eyes then darted around the area. He also contacted his people to gather information on Alex.


    He then stopped as he saw Rexar walking out from the crowd. ''Isn''t that the guard assigned to Alex? He should know something more.''


    Situ Chen then disappeared from where he stood, stealthily following Rexar.


    Rexar was oblivious to this. He didn''t even feel Situ Chen''s presence. Right now, his mind was full of what he could do with his newfound wealth.


    Buying some protection talismans for his family, a new home and land, and some shops. His feet were light as he imagined this future.


    "Rexar," suddenly, a female voice called out from behind.


    Rexar was familiar with her voice. "We won, can you imagine it? Now, our family will not have much to worry about in life."


    "Yes, but why are you not calling me?" the woman asked with suspicion in her eyes.


    "Don''t worry. Sir Alex gave both of us the opportunity. I will not take your wealth. I just think you are still busy with your job." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ms. Reina gave me a week''s break yesterday, so I have a lot of free time."


    Rexar was confused; a maid getting a one-week break was not normal. However, he quickly forgot about this, as his focus was on their newfound wealth.


    At the exchange booth, the attendant there looked at them with suspicion. "Both of you are cheating, right? You already knew their strength from the start."


    "Since when is that cheating? You are welcome to report this to the patriarch," Rexar said with a glare.


    The woman then put her hand forward, "Just give us our winnings, and we will give you some tips. Keep yapping, and we will give you our fist."


    The attendant frowned; he recognized her as Reina''s favorite maid. If she really punched him here, he was sure there was nothing he could say to complain.


    With reluctance, he put the storage ring on her palm.


    "Check it," Rexar said while he started facing reality.


    Winning a lot of money would not only turn his life around, but it also meant he would become a target of people''s resentment and jealousy.


    He started thinking of some measures he needed to take to protect his family. His cultivation was limited, and even though he worked for the Midnight clan, he doubted he could depend on them for every minor issue.


    Things he faced would be dangerous for him, but in front of the clan''s eyes, it would just be a minor inconvenience. As for his fellow guards, he thought it was better for them not to know anything.


    After all, even though he couldn''t know in detail what they thought, he could guess they would get jealous, thinking how lucky he was. If they were the ones taking his post, the result would be the same.


    His lucky fortune came from being in the right place at the right time.


    As he thought of this, Rexar and the woman made their way back toward the arena, and he split the money accordingly.


    "Let''s split ways here; I want to enjoy my vacation."


    "Alright, here, take your part. Have fun."


    "I will. Anyway, you be careful, Rexar. Things are not stable now. That spice water is bringing more trouble than we think."


    "Don''t worry, I am with Sir Alex and Elder Moria. It will be safe."


    They exchanged some more words, then said goodbye to each other. As he continued on his way, a voice called out.


    "Rexar, right?"


    Rexar frowned, then turned toward the voice that came from an alleyway. A strong cultivator was standing there. As they locked eyes, the cultivator started sending out qi, pressing down into his body.


    Rexar looked around, but no one seemed to realize his predicament.


    With the amount of qi pressing at him, he knew the man could kill him anytime.


    "Senior, I am just passing by. What can I help you with?"


    "Follow me," Situ Chen said coldly, then turned around deeper into the alleyway.


    Rexar didn''t have a choice, his mind racing with worry about why the cultivator was looking for him. If the reason was wealth, he would not believe it.


    Even his current wealth would be peanuts for a cultivator at his level.


    After they entered deeper Situ, Chen threw a sphere-like object into the air. It released qi particles that obscured the area, making sure no one would eavesdrop on their conversation.


    Cold sweat dripped from his forehead. Rexar then tried to be as polite as possible. He knew better than to antagonize someone who had a hold over his life.


    "Alex, bring him here," the man commanded.


    "What? Why?" Rexar asked.


    He was his benefactor; if possible, Rexar didn''t want to do something detrimental to Alex, but now his life was at risk.


    At the very least, he wanted to make sure of the reason behind his invitation.


    Situ Chen thought for a moment, then took out a plate with a dragon and phoenix symbol.


    "Someone from the frontline wants to talk with him. You should understand what this plate means."


    Situ Chen then infused his qi, making the jade glow. The symbol started changing like it was alive, a roar of a dragon and phoenix cry coming out like a symphony of melody.


    A unique code that marked this badge was genuine.


    The conflicting emotions Rexar felt quickly dissipated. "Is it the guardian? Or...?"


    "You don''t need to know more. Just do what I tell you. Bring Alex to Roaring Dragon restaurant. They opened a small stall near the arena.


    I will wait there. You have five minutes. Otherwise, prepare to pay the consequences," Situ Chen said. He then disappeared from where he stood.

 Chapter 374 - 374: Meeting

    The qi that enveloped Rexar also dissipated. He clenched his fist; the senior wanted him to bait Alex. Even though he didn''t say it, it was already common sense that he wanted Alex to know nothing about this.


    Usually, if people from the frontline came in this way, it always meant bad news. Those who met with them always disappeared without a trace.


    With this reputation, if possible, everyone''s first reaction would be to try to escape, but the result would never end well for them. The same fate would also fall to anyone who didn''t cooperate or help their target.


    ''C''mon Rexar, you are not a person like that. I will do what I need as long as my family is safe. It doesn''t matter what happens to me,'' Rexar thought, making his decision.


    He took a roundabout path, visiting the Midnight clan first. He came toward the guard building to update his will. As people who always risked their lives daily to do their jobs, the Midnight clan had a system that allowed them to make a will.


    The clan was then responsible for making sure their wealth was shared based on the will. Other clans and sects also had similar systems, as this helped in pulling in new recruits.


    It was a new system that was just invented some time ago, coming from the clan that stayed at the frontline.


    As for the execution, it all depended on each of the clans. Some were riddled with corruption, but for the Midnight clan, the will was always done in perfection and then announced to the public. This built up a good reputation and confidence for their employees.


    And Rexar was the same; he trusted the system would make sure his wealth was distributed as his will. To make sure it was confidential, Midnight clan used formations to automate the process of updating the will.


    This reduced the risk of some of the staff becoming greedy, which would raise the risk of them stealing the item or having bad intentions.


    Finished with the process, Rexar returned to the arena. "Sir Alex, may I have some of your time?"


    Alex thought it was about the bet he won from the match with Zhu Zeng, "Just keep it and make a bet again when it''s my time to fight. Although the odds will be far smaller, money is still money."


    "It''s not that, Sir Alex. I ran into some trouble."


    Reina overheard what they discussed. Seeing how Rexar was being so indirect made her suspicious. "Just be direct, Rexar. I don''t remember you being this timid."


    ''This is it, Rexar, you can do it,'' he convinced himself. His eyes then darted around, trying to look for the senior''s presence, but he failed to locate him.


    In reality, Situ Chen was now watching everything from a distance with the mysterious woman.


    "Do you think he will bite the bait? Based on how he acts, I think that guard will probably come clean to them."


    "That''s also good; his reaction will tell us what kind of outsider he is."


    "There are types of them?"


    "Do you think we just blindly fight all outsiders? As long as they have sentience, they will have their own desires and their own factions. We do have a few of them cooperating with us."


    "I thought your family hated all outsiders the same."


    "Do you forget what happened? The betrayal?


    Do you think we would hold this long by ourselves? Desperate situations need desperate measures.


    If he escaped, this means he has some ill intentions in our place."


    "What if he didn''t?"


    "That is worse. Just like what we discussed before."


    Back at Alex, his lips were now curled into a smile. He had heard everything from Rexar.


    Compared to Alex, Moria and Reina were in shock now.


    "I knew it; things would never be simple with you. What do you plan to do now?


    Personally, I suggest you escape, but that will then implicate people in my clan, so I will not allow it," Moria said with a stern tone, but his eyes showed that he was worried.


    "Let''s meet him together. Sir Alex is our benefactor; we cannot just let him face this by himself," Reina said, making Moria raise his eyebrow.


    ''I knew it; she would put herself through fire if she felt she owed someone. She is too kind.''


    "You guys exaggerated too much; is it really that bad? You never know the authenticity of the rumors. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s not like those who have business with these frontline clans will publicize it. If things were good for them, it would be better if more clans were afraid of making contact.


    I believe these frontline clans will also hate getting involved with other politics. They are busy risking their lives in the frontline; they have no time to play stupid games."


    "So you will go, Sir Alex?"


    "Yes, let''s go now. The earlier we finish, the better," Alex said while he stood up.


    "Let me go with you, Sir Alex."


    "No, you cannot. If you leave, people will misunderstand. We won''t go far anyway."


    Reina looked toward Uncle Moria with pleading eyes. It''s not that she worried something would happen to Alex, but she was afraid he would go missing after the meeting.


    With his strength, Reina believed he could take care of himself, but this would spell doom for all her plans.


    "Alright, I will go with him."


    Alex thought on it, then shook his head, "No, I will just go with Rexar. Don''t worry, nothing big will happen."


    Moria''s lips twitched, "Last time, you said the same before fighting Zhu Zeng. Now, see what happened? Someone from the frontline came looking for you."


    Alex chuckled, "Alright, you watch from a distance then. Don''t get involved."


    Moria nodded. The trio then walked toward the restaurant. Seeing Alex, the waiter quickly showed him the private room.


    Inside were Situ Chen and the mysterious woman.


    "Rexar, you wait outside the door," Alex ordered. He thought his presence here was unneeded, as for Moria he was waiting nearby.

 Chapter 375 - 375: Hollow

    Staying would just become a problem for Rexar. He could hear something he didn''t want to know.


    Alex could feel their strength, but he was not worried. His finger glowed green, making Situ Chen quickly alert.


    "Don''t worry, this is just extra to make sure no one can really hear what you want to say," he said while drawing a rune in the air in a swift motion.


    "How did you come to this world?" the woman asked.


    "Before you ask someone, introduce yourself. My name is Alex, and you already know it," Alex said as he took a seat.


    Situ Chen, meanwhile, stayed silent as his concern was more on the rune that Alex just cast. It was his first time seeing something like this, and he didn''t believe Alex.


    Who knows what the effect of the thing he just cast was? For all he knew, it could seal all his power.


    The woman was silent for a moment, then removed her hat. She had long black hair with wavy tips. Her eyes were black with a beautiful round face.


    ''Her face feels familiar,'' Alex thought. He felt like he had seen her before. He then used his ability, trying to filter through all his knowledge.


    "My name is Ying Xue." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Xue? Did you, by chance, know Feng Xue?"


    "How would you know her?" Situ Chen suddenly asked in surprise. He never once thought of the possibility of hearing that name from Alex''s mouth.


    Alex responded by creating a screen that showed her face. It was a memory he got from MingYue.


    Seeing the image, Situ Chen was now sure they were talking about the same Feng Xue. The picture Alex showed was not Feng Xue''s real appearance but Lin Hua''s.


    "Is she really Feng Xue? My Ancestor''s little sister?" Ying Xue asked, as she was unfamiliar with the photo.


    "Her soul currently resides in that body. As I said, she was the one who sent me to you."


    Ying Xue''s eyes narrowed at Alex, "What is her relationship with you?"


    But Alex didn''t answer; instead, he laughed, "The universe is so small. To think both of you know her. This means this place is some kind of secret realm in MingYue''s world."


    Alex then became busy with his own thoughts, trying to figure out how it was all related. The average strength of cultivators here was far stronger than that of MingYue''s region.


    They even had an awakened system that was more sophisticated than normal cultivation. A few things confused him. In a place with a higher level of power, there should be access to more resources.


    Why would they face constant danger from enemy invasions?


    Why were they located inside a secret realm? Was it possible for a secret realm to be richer than the real world?


    Based on his knowledge so far, this should be impossible for a place with so many people living inside it. If it were an untapped one, it would still make sense because the resources had accumulated, not because it was truly a better world.


    Ying Xue started feeling annoyed as Alex acted like they were not there. She also had many questions.


    Since Alex was an outsider, didn''t this mean Feng Xue also had a connection to them? This made her wonder if she was fake.


    But when Situ Chen came looking for her, he brought some proof and code words that only people from her clan should know. There was a possibility for it to be leaked, which was why they put more tests on him.


    After they found out how he knew many crucial pieces of information and how he got hold of them, they decided to trust him. He also proved it through his actions of attacking Shangxi Temple.


    "Can you not answer our question? Who are you? How are you related to her?" Ying Xue asked with a sharp gaze.


    "Oh, sorry, I was lost in my own mind. You can say she was part of my sect. It''s quite complicated to explain. Have you heard of the BaiYue sect?"


    "I only heard a bit of it from Lady FengXue."


    "Well, that sect is half mine, so you can say that should make us allies. Just where is this place compared to the region where my sect exists?"


    "Your sect is in the outer region area. We are in the core region located deep inside the planet."


    "Core region? Wait, you are saying this planet is hollow?" Alex said, surprised by the remark.


    The theory of a hollow planet was a popular topic in his world. This conspiracy became even wilder after the dungeon break. At least after that event, those flat-earthers were decimated.


    Alex hated that community as they spread stupidity. In the past, he often had a lot of debates with them on internet forums.


    "Not at the start. My Ancestor is the one who created it to contain all breaches to this planet. He also put up a barrier, making direct entry impossible."


    "Tell me more."


    "Answer me first. Are you an outsider? How did you enter this world?"


    "Outsider? Did you mean those that come from another world?"


    Ying Xue nodded, "What is your goal? Is this related to Lady FengXue?"


    "I wish I knew. Some are being sent to me here. Let''s get to the point. Why are you looking for me?


    I am sure both of us still do not completely believe each other. I want to get out of this region. There are many things I need to do outside."


    "I can show you the way out."


    "Not now. I already promised Reina that I would take care of the Zephyr clan. After that, we can go out."


    Ying Xue frowned at his remark, "What do you want to do with them?"


    "Are you friends with the Zephyr clan?"


    "One of the elders there is an outsider like you. He has been helping us a lot. You can say we are like allies." Ying Xue said while she started observing Alex.


    Now that she looked at him closely, she felt he looked like the other outsider.

 Chapter 376 - 376: Missing

    "This is good. Can you arrange a meeting between him and me? My purpose is to help Reina take her mother back."


    "Wait, her mother?" Ying Xue put some thought into it, then remembered something else.


    "Then you better forget it. She is not here now."


    "What do you mean? She is in the outer region?"


    "No, she is now on a mission. As for the details, I cannot tell. As you said, I don''t really believe you yet."


    ''As long as I leave this region, I should be able to contact MingYue. But is this fine?'' Alex wondered.


    His progenitor connection, which worked fine despite the distance from MingYue, was now sealed. He doubted the reason was just because he was inside the core region.


    There should be another reason, but even now, he hadn''t found out what that was.


    "Then I will request you arrange a meeting between me and that outsider. That is the very least I must do for Reina."


    "No promise, but I will pass it to him. He will be the one to decide."


    "Then this invader you fight, what species are they?"


    "How do you not know? You are coming from outside. Based on my knowledge, this happened in many worlds."


    "There are many species attacking my world, so I don''t know which one you mean. Even the Dragari is one of them." Alex said in a cold voice.


    He still harbored hatred for them, but he was not that stupid to blame the entire race for the actions of a small group.


    When he came to the city, his focus was on his mother, Luca, but now that he had time to think about it, he realized the city''s situation was almost the same as what happened in the past.


    Screams of pain and anguish reverberated like a symphony throughout the city, mingling with the intense smell of burning flesh and blood.


    The only difference was the position exchange; humans were the attackers, while Dragari was the victim.


    At that point, who was right? Who was wrong? Alex didn''t know anymore, but he knew what mattered now was meeting up with MingYue and the others.


    "Then you already know the answer. It''s not that different here. In the end, each race has its own factions, and some factions are just warmongers."


    "So let me get this right. An invasion happened, and then your Ancestor somehow made a way to contain it all in one place. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then he sealed it inside the planet''s core, creating a whole new region where some of the strongest clans keep fighting battles to kill every being that gets out?"


    "Yes, you get the gist."


    "How could your Ancestor do this? Do you have the way?" Alex asked as his eyes lit up. If this could be done in his world, it would make things far better.


    They could concentrate their defense on one area, cutting down casualties and giving time for the country to rebuild.


    "I don''t know. Many outsiders who negotiated with us also asked for this method, but the one who knew was our Ancestor. And before you ask, no, he is not alive.


    In fact, almost all the main branch families were killed at that time. I am from the branch family and barely survived.


    That is why we were very surprised when finding out Lady Feng Xue was still here."


    "Can I see this place? The one you all defend?"


    "I cannot give permission. Let''s talk about this later. I need to report this to the higher-ups."


    "One more question. Why did you come here? I don''t believe it''s just because of my presence."


    "You don''t need to worry. It will not impact you much, considering how you fought before."


    "How I fought? Did you have some conflict with Shangxi Temple?" Alex asked.


    "There are many things happening now, but it should not involve you as long as you quickly leave this place."


    Alex tried to find out more information, but Ying Xue didn''t tell him much. He also could not really trust all information from her. A cultivator at her level would easily be able to control their muscle movements.


    This made his ability to guess if they were lying or not not accurate.


    Meanwhile, in Dragari City, things were now more peaceful. The sun had already risen, as the embers of the flames were snuffed out. After their leader was killed, the others were quickly taken care of.


    William succeeded in opening the portal, and from it, Solomon came out, bringing a squad of hunters. With the commotion, Isolde landed, and in anger, she started fighting with Solomon.


    There were many things that didn''t sit right with her. How could he never tell them that they had a portal to enter here?


    Even though it wasn''t activated, the least they could do was tell them the information.


    "It''s not that I didn''t want to tell you, but if you knew, what do you think you all would do?"


    "You need to ask!? Of course, we would push to this place without waiting this long!"


    With the portal, this meant as long as they could open it, they would be able to get as many reinforcements as needed. This completely lowered the risk of the mission.


    Before, they not only needed to plan how to enter but also how to leave this place.


    "That is why we didn''t tell you. If any of you died, it would be a big loss for the human race."


    "Bullshit."


    Solomon''s lips twitched. He knew from experience the best way to stop her protest was by changing the topic, "Where are the others?"


    "Do you think Luca will wait here for you to come? She, Alex, and the others entered through the portal.


    It''s only me and Heimdall here. As for where he was, good luck looking for him."


    "How about Seraphine? Did you mean she went with them through the portal?"


    "Seraphine?" Isolde''s eyes then widened.


    "Dammit, I forgot about her. I don''t know where she is. Last time, she was with Luca. As for now¡­"


    "So she also entered the portal?"

 Chapter 377 - 377: The Devils Offer

    Considering the possibility, Seraphine thought the chance she had entered was high, but she didn''t understand why she had done it.


    The only reason that even she forgot about Seraphine was because she raised the intensity of her ability. Otherwise, this would not have happened.


    (ps. Cough, this is really the reason, not that the author forgot about her xD)


    Solomon just wanted to answer when suddenly an explosion was heard from the top of the spire.


    "Dammit! Did your people attack Alex''s subordinate?" Isolde complained with anger.


    Solomon frowned, exchanging some messages with his subordinates through the implanted brain chip.


    "I am sorry, I didn''t know Alex had a high goblin under him."


    "Hmph!" Isolde snorted, then turned her gaze to William, "You are the one that opened the portal, right?"


    She could feel similar mana particles from the portal coming from William''s hand and from one other person. But she recognized William; Emily had given them information about the people who went with them to avoid friendly fire.


    "I am sorry," William said with lowered eyes.


    Now that he had done it, he felt a bit guilty, but considering how things turned out, he still felt what he did was right.


    Alice just stood in silence, watching the events unfold. She was more focused on the teleportation device, as it looked similar to the one Prof. Faerith made before.


    "Say that to Alex! I don''t know what deal he made with an alien like you, but I don''t even think what you did was really right. You can have passed it by him."


    William didn''t retort. He stayed silent as Isolde left for the spire to make sure Petricia didn''t kill anyone. Solomon also followed her, afraid the reverse might happen.


    She may not have killed the other Hunter, but it wasn''t out of the realm of possibility that she injured them to the point they couldn''t walk. It had happened before.


    "I will go with them. How about you?" Alice asked.


    She want to ask about the portal to Solomon. She had seen the whole process till it activated but still didn''t understand it.


    "I will look around and see what I can do to help," William said as he pointed at a group of hunters now cleaning the debris.


    The woman guarding the area also quickly left the moment she got the opportunity. It was almost a miracle she stayed sane all this time. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another group could also be seen bringing the captured Dragari and humans back to the portal.


    As the majority of the humans were drugged, they attacked without care for who was who, leaving the hunters no choice but to knock them down.


    Alice nodded, then left. William also started walking on the road. Seeing the many dead bodies, his heart throbbed as each one reminded him of Roxy.


    William quickened his step until he saw a few hunters with conflicted expressions.


    "Excuse me, what happened?"


    "Just see for yourself," the man said while pointing toward a specific destination.


    At the corner of a collapsed building, a group of kids were crowding together. If Heimdall was here, he would recognize them; they were the kids he had seen before.


    Many of the kids shivered in fear while a young girl stood in front of them holding a sharp rock. She was now like a wild beast preparing to pounce on anyone who got close.


    William''s eyes glistened, his vision becoming blurry. The girl''s face changed to his dearest. An old memory resurfaced; he had been in similar circumstances before.


    "Roxy..." he mumbled in his mind.


    William started walking slowly toward the girl.


    "Stop, she will really attack. We already tried that," one of the hunters said.


    None of them dared to act.


    Despite her fierce attitude, her body was thin. She looked really frail, making them feel a single touch would hurt her, or worse, it could even kill her.


    But William ignored their remarks. He raised both his hands as he walked slowly toward her.


    "It''s useless. She cannot even speak," another hunter warned.


    William stopped in his tracks. He sighed. Since words would be pointless, he decided to do it another way. His qi surged forward.


    Utilizing his movement technique, he appeared near the little girl. The woman wanted to move, but her consciousness quickly disappeared.


    William used his qi to gently knock her and all the children out. His hand moved as he propped her frail body and then laid her on the ground.


    The hunters watched in a daze; they didn''t know how William did it, but they guessed it was related to the new power system distributed by the association.


    There was a possibility he did it with power, but with the current craze on the new power system, the possibility didn''t even cross their minds.


    "Bring them," William said, waking the hunters from their daydreams.


    "Yes, sir," they replied in unison and quickly carried the children on their backs.


    William watched from the side, not moving until everything was done. He was left alone once again.


    His shoulders slumped down as his emotions started to stir. At this moment, a whisper came, "Do you want to resurrect her?"


    William''s expression changed. He looked around but found nobody was there. But he knew the voice was real.


    "Who are you? Show your face?" he asked as he spread his qi around the area.


    But just when it reached a few steps away, the qi dispersed like a wave hitting the ocean.


    "Resurrecting the dead is impossible, but giving life to those that still have their souls is possible. And her soul, I have it."


    "BULLSHIT!" William''s anger flared, his qi exploding, but the result was the same.


    No matter how big a wave was, it was like hitting the sea, giving out no result.


    "Want me to prove it to you? But seeing how emotional you are now, this doesn''t seem a good choice."


    William clenched his fist. He knew this mysterious voice was baiting him, but his heart was beating fast as hope started growing.

 Chapter 378 - 378: Williams Determination

    If the man really had her soul, that meant resurrecting her would be easy. As long as Alex helped and gave him the right material,


    Usually, creating a new body was not this simple. The hardest part was getting a pure life force to animate the body, allowing it to enter a state where the soul could bind itself inside.


    Taking another person''s body was also a choice, but it would come with many detrimental effects.


    As the body had already been used by the soul for a long time, it would leave a lot of marks, making it harder for the new one to take control.


    That is why most who possess others prefer imprisoning them first, as they slowly capture their body.


    "What do you want?"


    "There is an object that can only be taken by those with a specific requirement. For example, a Felidaen that learned qi."


    "Why me then? You can find another and teach him that."


    "Hahaha, why bother when I already found the perfect one? You have something you want so much you will even go to hell for it. Or am I wrong?"


    "How? Let''s say you really have her soul. How did it come to your hand?"


    "That you don''t need to know, but remember my mission will send you through literally hell, a place filled with many malevolent beings."


    "I don''t care, prove it first."


    "But I care. Finding Felidaen is quite hard now. Before I send you there, you need to finish my training. It will be harsh, brutal, and even make you act in cruelty, but these are all things you need to pay to get power quickly."


    "Prove it!" William said once again in an icy cold tone.


    Last time Alex explained to him that her soul had already left the area. This made him even more suspicious of the voice.


    He didn''t think Alex would lie to him. There was no benefit for him in doing it. That meant the soul was really not there, and if this mysterious voice had it, there was a huge chance he was the one who took it.


    This also meant he had a hand in the incident on his planet, probably part of the group that supported Belthazar.


    There was a huge possibility he would make him do something terrible, but William had already steeled his heart. No matter what he needed to do, if it could bring Roxy back, he wouldn''t care.


    Even if that meant he needed to sacrifice the innocent!


    "Kekeke," a malevolent laughter rang out.


    Black eerie flames suddenly appeared ten steps away from him, and from inside, a figure clad in a black robe appeared.


    On the robe, there were many symbols arranged in a dark crimson color, giving it an eerie look. It was like the symbols were alive, created with blood.


    A pale white arm came out from the sleeve. He opened his palm, and then a gemstone that looked like a diamond appeared. It was beautiful, reflecting a myriad of colors with a soul settled inside.


    William quickly moved forward. He couldn''t tell whose soul was inside from the current distance.


    Step! His face turned into a frown as he felt the gravity rise, causing huge pressure on his body.


    But William didn''t even bother to complain. His whole attention now was to confirm the soul existed in the gemstone.


    Step! His shoulders slumped down now as the pressure increased drastically.


    William tried to take another step, but this time, even raising his foot required a lot of effort. His qi churned, and sweat started dripping from his head.


    He exerted almost all his strength to finish the third step.


    The moment he reached the next zone, William kneeled on the ground. The weight was so much that he felt like he was being crushed.


    "Dammit! You did this on purpose!" William said using qi, as well as even moving his tongue, was a difficult task.


    "Let''s say this is the first test. What you are looking for is in front of you. Actually, if you can take it off my hand now, I will give it to you without asking anything back," the man said with a gloating tone.


    William tried hard to move, but he failed. He couldn''t even move his finger.


    "Giving up already? Do you want me to wake her slumbering soul and torture her in front of you?"


    "I swear I will kill you!" William said with anger in his eyes.


    He didn''t know yet if the soul was really Roxy''s or not, but the thought of it already made his blood boil.


    CRACK! A sound of bone breaking could be heard as William forced his body beyond its limit.


    He gritted his teeth as he tried to move forward. In the end, the best he could do was make his body fall to the front, allowing him to cover the distance for the next step.


    The sound of bone breaking reverberated once more. What William felt now was like how a normal human would feel when they were put inside concrete alive.


    He could feel pressure all over his body. Even breathing was a very hard task.


    "You seem to need more motivation. This is only the fourth step. Six more to go. Can you do it?"


    "Bastard, you did this on purpose! You know I could never go all the way ten steps!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hooded man let out a cold snort filled with disdain.


    "Weak. Do you think this is as much as you can handle? You can do more than this!


    Give your everything if she is really important to you."


    One of the red patterns on his robe glowed red.


    The diamond floating above his hand reacted, and a projection was shot out.


    The moment William saw it, a beastly roar reverberated out from his body. His qi started churning like crazy as he began to burn his own life force.


    Even though Alex didn''t give him the rune, living near them still allowed him to learn about the life force. In the end, it was something every living being had.

 Chapter 379 - 379: As Long As I Can See You One More Time

    When he first learned of it, William was marveled.


    He quickly made a conclusion that for every heroic story he had heard, it all happened because the person in question burned their life force unknowingly.


    That was what allowed them to turn the tables over. With this knowledge, William learned how to do this and also asked Alex for suggestions.


    Alex only gave him small directions, planning to give William the rune at some point in the future, so learning this seemed pointless and a waste of time.


    But William didn''t know about this. That was why he tried to learn it by himself. His energy surged forward, and his knee slowly raised upward.


    Blood started coming out from his orifices, followed by intense pain from his being, but William didn''t care. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment he saw Roxy again, it was like a switch flipped in his brain.


    Every day, every hour, there was not a time William forgot about her, not a time he didn''t regret.


    The anger and frustration were etched deep into his heart, allowing him to focus his whole being on one singular purpose.


    Anything was fine as long as he could revive Roxy!


    With newfound strength, William walked toward the next step.


    Five steps, six steps, seven steps, eight steps, and finally, at the ninth step, he fell again toward the ground.


    The pressure was so much that his body was already numb with the pain. Right now, he only used his qi to control his body like a puppeteer moving a doll.


    His head looked upward toward the mysterious man with defiance.


    "Giving up now?"


    "Never," William replied quickly. He pushed his qi, burning his life force even more.


    William pushed his body to crawl slowly to the finish line. Roxy''s projection looked very close in his eyes, but to reach her was a different matter.


    It was like they were separated by an insurmountable chasm, each inch he gained feeling like an eternity of struggle.


    His breath was ragged gasps, his vision blurring with the effort.


    Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, but he fueled it with lifeforce, forcing himself forward.


    Memories of Roxy filled his mind, making the world around him fade into a blur.


    Despite not being able to feel it before, now being closer, he could feel it. The familiar presence, her warm smile, kindness. The small moments that brought joy to his life.


    His vision darkened his body on the verge of collapse like a candle in the wind. But it still burned fiercely with everything he had.


    William pushed forward, his fingertips touching the edge of Roxy''s projection.


    It may have been only his imagination, but the moment they crossed, time froze. He could feel a warmth from her touch. It was like Roxy was there, hugging and comforting him.


    ''It''s enough, William. I am no more in this world. You should be happy. Look for someone else.'' Roxy''s voice reverberated in his mind, cracked and heavy but filled with warmth and care.


    "Never! Roxy. You are the only one for me. Even if that means I will need to turn the whole world upside down.


    Even if that means I need to sacrifice billions or trillions of innocents, nothing will stop me!


    You may hate me later on, but that doesn''t matter. Just once, as long as I can see your warm smile once more!" William said with burning determination.


    Then, like a life shining brightly for its last moment, another surge of energy burst out from his body. William finished his last step, and then his consciousness began drifting away.


    The last memory he had was hearing a clapping sound, followed by the man''s last words, "Good, this is what I am looking for. Never forget this, etch your goal in your mind. Only then can you get what you want.


    Many will question what you do, but that doesn''t matter. The result justifies everything.


    A half-hearted effort will give you nothing. Only when you give everything do you have a chance to get what you want?"


    The man''s tone then changed; in the last part, William felt more like he was saying it for himself, to steel his own resolve.


    "People expecting to achieve the impossible by doing things that have been done is stupidity. Only by doing it this way can we achieve the impossible."


    The pattern on his robe glowed once more, his finger touching William''s forehead.


    "Next time you awake, you will find many changes, but you need not fear or question it. Just do the task I give to you."


    A dark glow spread out, covering William''s body. In the next moment, he disappeared.


    The diamond that was floating above his palm also disappeared. The man then took off the hood, revealing a familiar appearance.


    Alex had met with him before; he was Belmond. But his appearance looked different; he still had similarities with Alucard, but this time, he was older.


    Dark energy spread out from his body as reality itself started twisting and bending around his body.


    "Now I hope you can reach a different answer than me, William, one that is better. As for me, it is time to push things forward."


    Belmond then disappeared like he was never there.


    Back in the cultivation world, MingYue and the group were now standing on the periphery of the panda bamboo grove.


    This was the first time MingYue put her feet in the central region; she could feel the qi was more dense and purer. But comparing it with Thalia''s world, it didn''t feel anything special.


    ''With this kind of qi, no wonder the other regions have a hard time competing with the central.


    Even by breathing alone, I can tell the meditation time will be cut down many times over,'' MingYue thought.


    She then turned her gaze toward the grove. The bamboo were huge, with the width of two adult men, while the height easily made them look like skyscrapers.


    The colors were unique; each bamboo was white, with some patterns in black.


    "Why is this place named panda bamboo grove?" MingYue asked.

 Chapter 380 - 380: Panda Bamboo Groove

    The only place she had heard about pandas was in Alex''s world. These animals didn''t exist. But she had never heard it exist in her own, making her wonder.


    "In the past, this was named White Bamboo Forest, but my master changed it to Panda Bamboo Grove. He said it reminded him of something from his hometown."


    Luca let out a soft chuckle as she knew panda had other meanings for them. It was from one of their early dates after they started dating.


    Her heart softened as she felt relieved; at least Edward''s life here didn''t sound bad so far.


    "Does your master have some wounds on him?" she asked.


    "Wounds? Don''t worry, Madam, Master may not be the strongest here, but if he wants to run, no one can stop him."


    "Uncle, is that strong? What is Uncle''s current realm?" MingYue asked.


    The feat of being able to escape from everyone is easier said than done. MingYue suspected Alex''s father, Edward, was at least at the Transcendent Stage.


    "Yes, I don''t know what Master''s current realm is, but I know he has fought with a few immortals and still survived unscathed," Aira said with a respectful tone. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Luca looked at her in a better light; it was clear she really respected her husband as a master.


    "MingYue, is Zold here?" Luca asked, changing the topic. Now that she knew Edward was alright, her concern returned to the matter at hand.


    MingYue nodded, "I don''t know how, but he reached here faster than us. This place is also not something we can underestimate. I am sure we will meet some strong monsters here."


    "Yes, MingYue is right, but looking at our current capability, I don''t think we need to be worried. The dangerous one is Silva."


    "How confident are you in defeating him?" MingYue asked to gauge Silva''s strength.


    She could already tell Aira was more or less on her level, but endurance-wise, MingYue would win. And if it was a life-and-death battle, the winner would one hundred percent be MingYue.


    "All this talk is pointless. Let''s go in," Luca said while starting to walk.


    When they were moving here, she had thought many times over what if Silva was really a traitor. What was the reason? And how would he do it?


    With how close they were, poisoning Edward, even Luca, was not out of the question. Both of them would eat anything he gave them without a second question.


    Even with her ability, if the poison had a slow effect, she would not realize it at all. This gave her some confidence that Silva wouldn''t go for the kill.


    They would have some conflict when she asked him for the truth. Deep inside, she could not accept this. It was not the first time she got betrayed, but by someone that was close. Someone she thought of as family, but this never happened.


    The forest gave a calm atmosphere; it was beautiful and serene. A good place to have a picnic if not for the monsters roaming in the area.


    MingYue led the way. She could order Vesa to cast a rune to make them more hidden, but she chose not to.


    There were a few reasons for this, like hiding her capability from Aria, but most importantly, she wanted to know how Silva would react.


    Right now, she could feel two life forces close to Zold''s location. Based on the movement, one was watching while the other was fighting Zold.


    She also speculated that Zold was being played, as the other one barely moved while Zold kept going in and out, and this was true.


    In that area, a middle-aged man with silver hair and blue eyes was standing still. One of his hands held a dagger, while the other was placed behind his back.


    A deep scar ran through his cheek and one of his eyes, giving him the appearance of a veteran.


    "After all this time, you haven''t improved much, Zold. You still have too many unnecessary movements," the man said coldly.


    Zold, who rarely showed expression, was now annoyed. After joining the caravan, his journey was quite smooth.


    The merchant then pointed him in the accurate direction of the grove. With his accelerated speed, this allowed Zold to reach faster before MingYue and the others.


    Emily may be able to move many times faster, but she would not do it. Zold knew there was no way Luca would allow Emily to move by herself; her speed also made it hard for her to control the direction.


    Even now, she barely made a turn when she used her utmost speed.


    Lightning crackled around Zold''s body as he leaped forward, his dagger falling like heaven''s judgment, but Silva didn''t even make a move. He knew it was only a feint.


    As he predicted, Zold changed motion mid-air from a slash to a spin that threw the dagger forward.


    "Again, the same move. I admit it''s a creative use of Qi and Mana, but don''t you already know it''s useless against me," Silva replied, as he threw the dagger in his hand, deflecting Zold''s.


    Before, Zold had already used this pattern to surprise Silva. When he reached the grove, it didn''t take him long to meet him.


    He didn''t know if it was by coincidence or if Silva was already waiting for him, but that didn''t matter to Zold. Their first meeting after many years, which Zold thought would be filled with warmth, turned into a fight.


    He demanded an answer straight from Silva''s face, but he didn''t respond to any of it. Silva just looked at him without saying a word.


    This was when Zold decided to throw an ambush. He launched his dagger through the air, using it as a catalyst, allowing him to reappear right behind Silva.


    His move made Silva change his expression. His father was a person of few words, which made him learn every single change in his expression and what it meant.


    Based on his gaze, Zold knew Silva approved of his attack, but unfortunately, even this was not enough. Just like him, Silva also grew in strength.

 Chapter 381 - 381: Progression

    He also learned cultivation like him, and his progress was far faster. Zold couldn''t tell how much his depth was as he barely made a move.


    He still had a trump card, but Zold decided to keep it for the worst-case scenario, just in case the conflict escalated.


    "Stop acting like this, father. If you keep silent, then I will think everything she said was true."


    "What Aria said is not wrong. Edward is looking to capture me now," Silva said in a flat tone.


    "Just stop it already, Silva. Now is not the time for you to try to teach your son." The man that watch on the sideway suggested.


    "What would you know? Every moment is a time to teach your kids."


    "You know what? Talking with you is really tiring, Luca is here now.


    You do know what will happen if she meets with the current Edward?"


    "It doesn''t matter. Since my son has already met Aria, Edward is already prepared.


    He knew this would happen a long time ago. His goal is always making Luca meet with me first."


    "But will she trust you?"


    "Not something I need to care about. I just need to do my task."


    The man sighed, knowing it was no use trying to talk into Sylva''s thick skull.


    ''I shouldn''t have taken the mission. It has been so many years, and it seemed it would still take me a while before going out.''


    Even with Luca coming, he didn''t think it would provide a solution. The problem they were facing was just that complicated.


    "Stop dozing around, Father. They will come soon. I want to know my answer."


    Zold''s eyes turned sharp, looking at his son deeply. "Pathetic. Did you forget what I taught you? If you think someone poses a danger to you, do you confront and ask him directly?"


    "No, I observe, gain evidence, and create my own conclusion."


    "Then what are you doing?"


    Zold took a deep breath, then pointed his dagger forward. "Because you are my father!"


    Electricity ran through his body as he appeared in front of Silva. Sparks flew in the air as he started launching a barrage of attacks.


    "Being sentimental will not help you," Silva reminded in a flat tone as he kept parrying the attacks with one hand.


    "Yes, they are not. You always teach me what matters in the end is one''s strength."


    A green hue started appearing around his eyes. In the next moment, his momentum increased drastically, surprising Zold.


    But before things could escalate, a presence came toward Silva, making him dodge.


    BANG!


    The ground where he had just stood cracked, and the surface then turned to ice.


    "Stop it, Aria." Luca''s voice reverberated.


    "But, Madam..."


    "Don''t worry, he won''t escape, will he, Zold?"


    Zold, who had just landed, nodded at her.


    "It''s been a while, Luca."


    "So, at least you did your work, Owl. I honestly thought you escaped."


    Owl''s lips twitched. He was the hunter that Luca had paid to look for Edward. The payment was not cheap, but she hadn''t gotten any results, which frustrated her.


    "Don''t you see I am here? If only I had known what I signed up for, I would have honestly rejected this mission. The payment is not worth it."


    "Then why are you still here? Knowing you, you should have escaped."


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue was studying their strength. Emily couldn''t help but feel more hopeful. Before, it was just talk from Aria, someone she didn''t know, but looking at Silva now, she knew it was true.


    She wanted to quickly run and meet her father, ''If only I knew the direction.''


    "The stake is too big now, and it''s not like I have a choice. We are stuck in this place."


    Luca, confused, looked at Silva. "I have heard it from Aria; Edward wants to capture you. Just what happened?" Her voice then changed, her gaze turning cold. "Don''t tell me you are a traitor."


    "That is up to you to decide, Madam," Silva replied as she threw something toward Luca.


    MingYue''s senses turned alert, but seeing what was thrown, she decided not to make a move. She could see their strength.


    _________________________


    Name: Silva


    Power Level: 20.1


    Lifeforce: 521/578


    Cultivation Level: Mystic Integration Stage - Early Level


    _________________________


    Name: Owl?


    Power Level: 21.5


    Lifeforce: 555/621


    Cultivation Level: Profound Enlightenment Stage - Early Level


    _________________________


    She then turned to Aria to compare.


    _________________________


    Name: Aria


    Power Level: 17.8


    Lifeforce: 698/721


    Cultivation Level: Mystic Integration Stage - Late Level (?)


    _________________________


    ''I am sure now, the time in the core region is far faster than outside; otherwise, how could both of them be even stronger than Aria?'' MingYue thought to herself.


    Aria was a genius who had grown since birth in the core region; this meant the moment she started breathing, she began to cultivate. This also did not count the heavenly treasure or elixir she consumed.


    That is why MingYue didn''t feel weird at all looking at her life force. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to her own status, she sighed. The more she mastered her Vampire ability, the more she realized how weak cultivation was in the grand scheme of things.


    _________________________


    Name: Mingyue Xueqi


    Power Level: 17.5


    Progenitor Transformation: 10/100%


    Lifeforce: 1578/1578


    Cultivation Level: Golden Core Stage - Late Level


    Vampire Level: Bloodling (Mastery 9%)


    Secret Arts: Absolute Zero Tempest, Frozen Lotus Eternal Blossom, Frost Petal Dance, Arctic Serpent Fury.


    _________________________


    Luca caught the item. It was a jade slip but colored in red. As she was not a cultivator, she didn''t know how to use it.


    "Drip a drop of your blood on it, Madam; it will activate the slip," Aria suggested in a respectful tone.


    Luca frowned for a moment since the method felt crude to her. It reminded her of many cruel rituals done by the dark guild she had witnessed in the past.


    This made her feel wary. The majority of the rituals were stupid, but she knew some could use someone''s blood to put a curse on them.


    "Blood? Why?"

 Chapter 382 - 382: Crimson Jade Slip

    "Aunt, it''s because you cannot use qi yet. A normal jade slip usually activates only after using qi, but this crimson one is different.


    Correct me if I am wrong, but I am sure it can only be activated by a specific person."


    "You are right," Aria confirmed.


    To create this jade, the blood of the target was needed, and it was then used as material to carve the formation.


    But Edward didn''t have any of this; the reason he could make one was because he understood what mattered was using the DNA of the target.


    Blood was the easiest, but he also had something else that had Luca''s DNA on it.


    It was the wedding ring they used. After some time and experimentation, he successfully created the formation to engrave it into the jade slip.


    Since MingYue vouched for it, Luca decided to activate the slip. She kept her ability at its peak to make sure she could stop anytime if she saw something bad.


    Emily watched from the side, feeling anxious. Based on her father''s personality, the only reason he would do this was if he was involved in some problem. Otherwise, he would just meet with them directly.


    The moment the crimson liquid dripped onto the jade''s surface, a complicated array manifested around it, like clockwork, moving by itself.


    Tons of information started pouring into Luca''s brain. Edward didn''t just put what he wanted to say inside; he put everything he learned and experienced into it, and nothing was hidden.


    Time passed on. Sylva was standing with his back against one of the bamboo, while Owl just sat cross-legged, meditating.


    MingYue turned herself on high alert, making sure no one made a move at Luca. Meanwhile, Aria had a confused look on her face.


    Seeing this, Emily could guess the reason, "Did my father not tell you about the slip?"


    "No, he did not. Do you think he doesn''t trust me?" Aria asked as she felt wronged.


    At first, she didn''t believe the jade slip was from her Master, but feeling the qi surging out, she knew it was genuine.


    "Don''t think too much about it. It probably falls along the line of ensuring everything runs smoothly. He did the same to me many times in the past.


    Hey, can you tell me how my father is here?"


    "Master is kind and capable. Honestly, I see him as a father more than my real one. He always spends time guiding me every day, either in cultivation or any small thing." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see..." Emily said with a sad expression. She couldn''t help but feel jealous, as it should have been her in Aria''s position.


    "Can I call you by name?" Aria asked.


    "Of course. Honestly, you don''t even need to call my mom ''Madam.'' I am sure she doesn''t like being called that."


    "Master loves to tell me stories about his family. He does it so often that, honestly, I feel like I''ve known you all for ages."


    "What did he tell you?"


    "He always used both of you as examples when I failed to do something and motivated me to do something. Like that one time, I accidentally burned the training hall.


    This should have been impossible, but one of my siblings was pulling a prank on me, playing with the formation array.


    At that time, I didn''t know. I was really afraid as that was the first time I messed things up.


    But Master just laughed and said, ''Just like the time my daughter tried to cook dinner and nearly burned down the kitchen!


    We had to eat charred noodles for a week, but she kept trying until she made the best stir-fry in town.''"


    Hearing this, Emily''s lips twitched. ''Dad, you are lying. I tried so many times that I realized I had no talent for cooking.'' But then the memories started resurfacing in her mind, making her eyes glisten with tears.


    At that time, her cooking was distasteful. Alex always protested as he was forced to eat it, but her father and mother ate it all without protest.


    He did say in the end, ''It''s made by my daughter; of course, it''s delicious.''


    Her heart throbbed as she began missing him deeply.


    "What did he do before you left, then?"


    Aria''s face turned into a frown. "Honestly, I haven''t met him for months. This mission was given one year ago."


    "One year ago? Since when was my father clairvoyant? It hasn''t been long since we came here."


    "He gave me this," Aria said as a box appeared on top of her hand. It was covered with many formations. "Before, this box had another layer on top of it. He told me if it broke, I must go and do something for him."


    "So it broke, and just like my mother now, you got information on what you needed to do?"


    "Yes, looking for his family, then capturing Silva on the way back."


    "Did it tell you Silva was a traitor?" Emily asked.


    "Well, the words were ''capture,'' and when I asked around the clan, I found out that he was now a fugitive."


    "How about the others?" Emily asked. Other than her father and Uncle Silva, there were also other hunters: Eria, Jasper, Orion, Aunt Ariadne, and Kane.


    "When Master settled in our clan, he had been through a lot. I only know him, Madam Ariadne, and Sir Orion."


    "No one else?" Emily asked to make sure of her answer. If they were not with her father, that meant there was only one possibility: they were dead.


    Meanwhile, MingYue''s eyes widened in surprise as the jade was sending more than just information now. She could feel it, an abundant amount of qi flowing from it toward Luca''s body.


    Her body was rising in the cultivation realm at an astonishing rate, ''Just how could Uncle do it?''


    She had heard techniques like this existed, ones that allowed someone to pass their qi to another, but it had low efficiency and came with many side effects.


    Usually, the giver would suffer, with many ending up dead, while the receiver''s foundation would be unstable.

 Chapter 383 - 383: Expanding Territory

    That was why there were only a few cases of this happening. Many had tried to raise its efficiency by creating secret techniques, arrays, and pills to help improve the process, but none succeeded.


    ''Not only are there no side effects, but it''s also like Aunt is cultivating it on her own, and he is not even here in person...


    Vesa, what do you think of this process?''


    ''Mother Queen should be fine. In our eyes, it looks fast, but for her, much time has passed.'' S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''You mean Uncle manipulated time?''


    ''Yes and no. This technique is not new. At its glory, it was quite common. Queen, you can see the area surrounding the Queen now is surrounded by some type of barrier.''


    ''Yes, but isn''t it just protection in case someone attacks her while she processes the information?


    It''s not the first time I''ve seen someone do this. Alex had a similar idea, but I saw it wasn''t necessary.''


    ''The barrier protection is just a bonus. Its real purpose is creating a completely new space that runs on its own time.


    This feat is not easy to achieve, and they usually need a world spirit or part of it to accomplish this.''


    ''A world spirit? Uncle probably got that from the Dragari world. It would explain how it was destroyed.


    But then why would he leave it intact? The other side was completely destroyed. Did uncle leave it on purpose for Aunt to come here?''


    This made MingYue wonder just for what purpose the Dragari city was left. Then what about the one she fought there?


    She had many questions, but these could only be answered with more information. MingYue turned her focus back toward Luca, who had now already reached the golden core realm.


    But Luca didn''t feel happy at all. She could feel the surge of her new strength, knowledge, and understanding of cultivation. However, the thing she learned about what happened to her husband shook her to the core.


    The memory inside the crimson jade allowed Luca to experience things from Edward''s perspective. It was like she was there.


    From the time Edward returned to the city, he regrouped and tried his best to evacuate people, to the point he finally became Aria''s master.


    "Edward, how could you ¡­ this¡­ "she mumbled in a cracking voice.


    The barrier disappeared, and Luca clutched her chest. Tears started dropping from the corner of her eyes. ''Hubby¡­''


    Emily stopped talking with Aria when she saw that the barrier was down. She ran toward her mother but stopped the moment she saw Luca''s expression.


    "Mom¡­ What''s wrong?" She asked in a low voice, fear reflected in her eyes.


    "A lot, Emily, a lot¡­" She said with a cracked voice as tears still pained her cheek wet, but her gaze was determined.


    "Aira, my husband left something for you." Luca then threw the crimson jade toward Aria.


    She caught it with confusion and then silently asked Luca with her gaze if it was okay for her to check the content.


    Luca gave a nod. The information that was for her was already deleted the moment she finished. What was left now was only the one for Aria.


    "Aunt, can you tell me the deal," MingYue asked. Whatever Luca learned was probably crucial information she needed to know in order to think about her next action.


    Luca''s eyes turned apologetic the moment she looked at MingYue. "MingYue, I am sorry, it''s about your parents."


    "What?" MingYue asked back in a cold tone, her gaze turning sharp.


    Her parents were a sore spot in her heart. Her feelings were complicated but mostly filled with hate.


    Meanwhile, in the outer region, something unprecedented was happening. While Alex and MingYue were busy in the central and core region, the cultivators of the Bai Yue sect led by QingWa were expanding their territory.


    With the business chain they built, even though it was still new, they already knew the overall strength of the factions around them.


    QingWa sent some civilians to clarify the information scouts, but the result surprised her.


    With a gun in hand, drones, poison from the Fang clan, and modern tools, they successfully crippled the city''s whole defense, allowing them a quick makeover.


    Some did assassinations, while some just crippled them. The cultivators from the Bai Yue sect hadn''t even made a single move, but ten cities and two sects already fell under their control.


    The militia were bursting with spirit and excitement, their morale at an all-time peak. Some started to think they didn''t need cultivation at all.


    Seeing all this, QingWa was surprised, ''This is frightening. They didn''t realize it, but their bodies were already stronger than normal civilians. Adding those bizarre weapons, this region will stand no chance at all. And they still have that weapon.''


    QingWa then looked at her hand. Her qi flowed forward but there was another energy mixed in. Living inside the secret realm with exposure to high mana concentration triggered some changes in her body.


    Right now, there was a lot of Mana circulating inside her body, and it started changing her, albeit very slowly.


    Beside her, two cultivators stood.


    "Senior QingWa, can we go now? Xue Fang has been pestering me."


    "You can, but before that, finish one mission."


    "But sis didn''t tell me anything about that."


    "But she made sure I am responsible for your safety. So prove your team''s capability by taking over DaiYing city."


    "What? Can''t you give me another option?" MingHao said as he frowned at the idea. Returning back to the city would make many memories resurface, and most of them were unpleasant.


    "That is exactly why you need to go. Based on our last intel, a rogue golden core cultivator is now taking control of the city.


    This should provide enough challenge for you.


    Remember, MingHao, it''s useless to have the strength if you cannot pull the trigger."


    MingHao frowned, still feeling conflicted, but looking at how insistent QingWa was, he knew he had no other choice.


    He also respected her a lot, as MingYue told him her origin, a spirit beast with a celestial bloodline.


    "Alright, Senior, I will do it."

 Chapter 384 - 384: MingHao & XueFang

    "Your mission is to take over the city, then build the communication node. After that, inform me through it, then you can start your sister''s mission."


    "One more thing, Senior QingWa, what about the Blue Lotus sect?"


    "Miss MingYue didn''t give me any specific order on that, so we should treat it the same as other sects, but you don''t need to worry. Our scout just told us the sect is now empty. They have moved."


    "Where? Did sis know?"


    "I don''t think she knows, but that doesn''t really matter, they have been gone for a while, we just got the information too late.


    The time coincides with the chaos in the central region, which is probably something related to that.


    Any other questions? If not, quickly return. I don''t want Xue Fang to escape by herself."


    MingHao clasped his hands together, then waved to the other cultivators before going back to his group.


    "See you later, Ruo. Be careful, and good luck on your mission."


    "You too, MingHao, take care of YanYu and the others."


    "I will."


    After he disappeared, QingWa asked, "And you, why are you here? Things should continue smoothly on your part."


    "Yes, the militia is doing fine. We have only had two casualties so far, and that is their own stupidity."


    "Go on."


    "Well, they pulled the grenade pin but were too late to throw it away, resulting in their demise," Ruo said with an exasperated tone.


    QingWa frowned, ''I knew it. The time Miss MingYue gave us is too short.''


    "Just take care of their bodies as per procedure. Is that it, or is there something else?"


    Ruo hesitated for a moment but then continued, "Well, Senior QingWa, a few of the militia were caught treating one of the captured cultivators harshly."


    "What do you mean? Elaborate."


    "The captured cultivator is a woman they despise. It''s a personal problem. When we captured them, they forcefully¡­." Ruo''s voice trailed off as he didn''t feel comfortable saying it.


    After getting used to living inside the secret realm, many people''s cultures changed. The education system changed their common sense, use of words, how to act, and many other things.


    For Ruo, it was not appropriate to say it out loud.


    "Punish them as per sect law; there is no need to be lenient. All the captured cultivators were still part of our sect. Miss MingYue has plans for them. "


    "Alright, Senior, I will make sure to punish them, but this will probably affect their morale."


    "You overthink things. It''s just a few bad apples. The rush coming for those who cannot cultivate beating a cultivator is more than what you think.


    They have lived oppressed lives for generations; they will keep going at the same pace."


    "I understand, Senior. I will do as you instructed then," Ruo replied, saying that he wanted to leave, but QingWa stopped him.


    "One more thing, Ruo, what do you think of those bizarre weapons?"


    Ruo was confused by the question, "Do you mean the gun, Miss?"


    "Yes, what else? Guns, grenades, and those flying things named drones. What do you think of them?"


    "They are very useful, Miss. They operate on qi by themselves, allowing even civilians to control them. This way, everyone could become our militia force, raising our sect''s strength to a completely new level.


    Honestly, I feel no one can face us now."


    "I see, I understand. You can go now." QingWa replied while she thought, ''It seems only I worry that everything will change from now on.'' Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She asked Ruo''s opinion as she never held these weapons in her own hand, only saw everything from afar.


    Different from Ruo, who had used them himself. MingYue also didn''t give her any of the weaponry, as she deemed it unnecessary for her.


    She was only contracted for a while to stay as Guardian of her sect. Her strength was also good enough, there was no need to make her stronger.


    Meanwhile, MingHao had already returned to Xue Fang, YanYu, and the others.


    "How is it? Can we go now?" Xue Fang asked impatiently.


    "Yes, but Senior QingWa gave us a mission to complete first."


    "That damned traitor! Even now she still makes trouble for me."


    "Xue Fang, don''t be like that. Let''s just finish this quickly and go. It''s not like someone will kill Yang Fei."


    "What do you know? Thanks to your sister, he is now hunted as a demonic cultivator. It''s just a matter of time till someone gets their hands on him."


    MingHao''s face turned annoyed, "It''s not my sister''s fault."


    "You sis-con, I am just stating facts, not calling her names."


    YanYu let out a chuckle upon hearing her words. They had learned some new vocabulary from watching movies together.


    As for what movie they watched, I am sure my dear reader knows better than I do. (^ ^)


    At their first meeting, MingHao called XueFang Lady Xue Fang and also treated her as a senior. But after some time, she asked him to just call her by name.


    Her age may be far older, but based on appearance alone, she now looked the same age as MingHao and the others.


    This change started after a week of exposure to Mana. But so far, there were only a few like them.


    Vesa didn''t report this because it was only a negligible change. No one had awakened any power till now.


    "Calm down, Xue Fang. Let him tell us what the mission is first. Maybe it''s an easy one."


    MingHao''s gaze turned complicated, "Taking over Daiying city. Based on our intel, the place is now taken by a golden core cultivator."


    "With me here, that should be no problem. What are we waiting for then? Let''s get going."


    "Xue Fang, Daiying City is MingHao''s hometown."


    Xue Fang stopped in her steps. She had heard the story about MingHao''s family. It wasn''t the complete story, but he never hid it.


    "I am sorry."


    If MingYue had been here, she would have been surprised by how Xue Fang had acted. It was completely different from when she met MingYue at the Blue Cloud Village.

 Chapter 385 - 385: Returning to Daying City

    "It''s alright, Xue Fang. I also understand why you want to go after him. And believe me, I will find a way for your clan."


    "Hmph, stop talking big. Beat me first, then you can talk like that."


    MingHao smiled widely. "Don''t worry, it''s only a matter of time. I have my own secret technique now."


    Xue Fang eyed him suspiciously but didn''t ask any further. "So, what is your plan for Daiying City? Since it''s your hometown, we will listen to you."


    "First, we need to check if the intel is correct, then we will think about it. I just prefer a more peaceful method.


    If possible, I don''t want further destruction from the city."


    "Since you are ordered there, have you heard from your cousins? Aren''t many of them still alive? If I were them, I think they would go to this city to look for clues."


    "Some of the elders also survived, they should have informed them what happened," MingHao said


    "That doesn''t matter. Do you think they will trust the information blindly? Many of them will seek confirmation.


    It''s like this; if your parents were killed, would you believe what your uncle says? Will you not want to check their bodies with your own eyes?"


    "You are right. I will not believe them easily. Who knows if they are lying to me."


    "Since it''s decided, let''s go then," YanYu said with an excited tone. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had lived all her life in a village before her family chose to join the BaiYue sect; afterward, it was all training.


    This was the first time she went out and visited another city, but she hadn''t had any opportunity to really enter any of them. She was staying at the camp with MingHao and the others.


    They replied with a nod. YanYu then took out a vehicle from her storage ring. It was a car with a model that looked like a Humvee, but it didn''t have any tires.


    Instead, there were four plates made from metal carved with intricate array formations.


    "We can use this, right?" YanYu asked with excitement.


    MingHao smiled; he also looked forward to trying the car. "Since we can bring this, I think there should be no problem. What do you think, Xue Fang?"


    "Other than the form that makes it unique, flying boats and wagons are normal in big cities; there shouldn''t be any problem. But I still prefer to hide it when we get close to Daying City."


    "I agree. Our goal is to verify the intel first, then make our move." MingHao then looked to the other cultivators that followed them.


    "You all follow from a distance away, then wait near the city."


    "Yes, senior brother, we will wait in the nearby area, but can we hunt in the nearby forest?"


    MingHao put some thought into it, and then he got another idea. "I will send the location of a qi crystal mine near the city. It''s quite a distance, but with your current ability now, it shouldn''t be a problem.


    Survey the area, and if possible, take it over, but remember your priority is safety. Also, don''t kill if possible."


    The four cultivators'' faces turned excited as they got to do some action. They bowed and then took a vehicle similar to the one YangYu had taken out.


    MingHao took the driver''s seat, while Xue Fang sat in the front, and YanYu took the back seat. The dashboard looked just like a car, with some changes.


    There was no place to put any key; instead, it only had a slot to put a Qi crystal in. But this didn''t mean anyone could use the car; every single one was bound with a member of the BaiYue sect, limiting the people that could drive it.


    A car could also be bound to multiple people, allowing them to switch based on necessity. The only downside was they couldn''t find a way to erase people who were already bound to the vehicle.


    The only way was to completely recast the formation, costing them a lot of resources. But MingHao and Alex had no complaints; this car was fully invented by the Goblin settlement in the BaiYue sect without their intervention.


    They were already satisfied with the result. As for the goblin squad themselves, Qingwa was bringing them inside a cube; she kept them for emergencies.


    Her plan was to let the militia do the job; when they started getting tired, cultivators would swoop in, followed by goblins, then herself.


    The reason she kept goblins after cultivators was because, overall, they were stronger than the cultivators. Individually they might not be strong, but together their teamwork was top-notch.


    After learning cultivation, the high goblins also invented a new secret technique. It was just created recently, making Alex and MingHao oblivious to it.


    With this technique, when high goblins used their special ability, they could tap qi from other goblins. This allowed them to use it as if it were their own qi, raising their energy reservoir to a new level.


    It didn''t take long for MingHao and the group to land near the city. The journey was smooth, but they didn''t feel any wonder as they were already used to living on a floating island.


    YanYu took the vehicle back to her storage ring. They then looked toward Daying City.


    Even from a distance away, MingHao could feel a strong array protecting the city. Usually, there would be a long line of merchants or people wanting to come in, but now there were none. The gate was shut tightly.


    "Is it always like this?"


    "No, it seems there''s more to the news."


    "Based on what I see, there''s a big chance the one taking over is a demonic cultivator. That''s the only reason they would shut the city like this," Xue Fang suggested.


    "Why only them? A rogue cultivator hunted by a sect or clan could also do this."


    Xue Fang rolled her eyes. "They wouldn''t unless they''re stupid, but I guess some people are idiotic enough to do that."


    She then turned her gaze to YanYu. "How about you? What do you think the reason is?"

 Chapter 386 - 386: Secret Passage

    "Me? Hmm¡­I think it''s still possible for rogue cultivators to be there.


    Some of them even destroy villages without care, and this place is still in the outskirts area; I don''t think they care that much."


    Xue Fang shook her head, feeling helpless. "For lower realm cultivators, this may be right, but for golden core? If they need to hide this far, it means the one hunting them is a strong clan or sect.


    There''s no way they would be this stupid, shutting off the city and announcing to everyone that something is wrong here.


    If they wanted to hide, it would be better to act as civilians while hiding their cultivation."


    MingHao nodded as he felt Xue Fang''s explanation made sense. "How about you sense? How many cultivators can you feel from here?"


    He asked because Xue Fang was stronger than them. As for himself, he couldn''t feel anything. The array completely surrounded the whole area.


    Xue Fang squinted her eyes, looking at the city, trying her best to detect anything, but she failed.


    "No, but I think we can use a drone to pass through the barrier. They will just think of it as bugs."


    "The drone does have camouflage ability, but what if it gets found out?


    Our control will not be that good. The report has shown that electrical signals will be disturbed if they need to pass through a strong barrier."


    "That is still better than trying to bypass the barrier. Except if you have some other entrance."


    In Xue Fang''s mind, the worst thing that could happen is that the drone would self-destruct and alert the cultivators inside.


    "There is a teleportation array underneath my family vault. My sister blew it up, but I think we can still connect with it." He then called out Xueqi''s Ancestor.


    Qi came out from his storage ring, taking the form of the old Ancestor. "Didn''t I tell you not to call me in front of others?" he asked with a frown.


    YanYu had seen him once, so she was not surprised, but this was the first time Xue Fang had seen him.


    Her eyes glinted with coldness as she scrutinized Xueqi Ancestor''s soul. "This soul seems weak, so you should be fine. But you need to be careful, MingHao. If you strengthen his soul too much, he can try to take over your body."


    Xueqi Ancestor''s face turned ugly. "Who are you to talk to me like that? I would never do that to my descendant!"


    "Who knows? I can see you are now being supported by MingHao''s qi. When people see death in the eyes, sometimes their mindset changes.


    Also, depending on how time passes, you should realize your soul is going to be eroded, resulting in a twist in your personality."


    "Young lady, I don''t know where you got this information, but do you think I am that dumb? There is a reason my soul is always anchored to something and only awake for a short time."


    "And you are still at your limit. Without MingHao and that formation array, your soul would be dissipated."


    "This is not my fault. You should ask this boy''s sister. She is the one turning me into this. Also, even if what you say is true, I would never be able to do that.


    This array doesn''t only sustain my existence; it makes sure I cannot do anything to him."


    Xue Fang frowned and then started analyzing the array, but her knowledge of the subject was superficial. This one was also very complicated, making her barely understand its function.


    "Since this was made by her, I am sure it should be alright then."


    "HMPH!" the Ancestor snorted, then asked MingHao, "So why did you take me out?"


    "I need your help to find a way to get inside the city. Can you bypass the array?"


    The Ancestor stroked his white beard as he looked at the array. He quickly recognized the city. "So you came back in the end."


    "We will take over this city, so any idea?"


    "Taking it over? Well, good luck. Even though your sister destroyed that place, there is still another entrance to go inside the city." He then pointed in another direction, away from the city.


    "In that area, look for a formation that hides a trap door entrance. From there, you should find a tunnel that goes all the way to the city.


    However, I don''t know if their formation protects them from that depth. Normally, it shouldn''t, but this one looks better than the usual."


    "Let''s check it out first. We will think again after that," Xue Fang suggested.


    She preferred taking action than just wasting time speculating here.


    MingHao nodded, then led them through the forest. There were some monsters in the area, but with their current strength, it was easy to kill Them.


    YanYu was now holding a sword that looked like a whip. When she slashed down, the sword extended in length and moved like a snake, slashing a monster that looked like a boar into two.


    "Got it, this is easy."


    "Having fun is fine, but don''t let it get into your head. It will be dangerous otherwise," Xue Fang reminded me while she stood at the side.


    MingHao, meanwhile, walked close and then took the corpse into his storage ring. "We should capture a few to grow them at home."


    "Why would you do that?" YanYu asked in confusion.


    "You will know the reason later. The boar in this forest has a unique taste that you will never forget once you eat it."


    "Even if that is true, how do you plan to bring them back?" Xue Fang asked in confusion.


    "Oh, I have this. Don''t worry. It can keep living animals, although not for long." MingHao said with a smile, pointing at his storage ring.


    "Is it because of that special formation?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe. I don''t know the details, but my sister took it from me for a few days. When it returned, it had this function. Although it''s limited, like I cannot keep humans inside, but non-sentient animals are fine."

 Chapter 387 - 387: Entrance

    "Well, since it works, let''s just capture some, and don''t think of taking a break till we finish this city. I want to quickly go to the central region," Xue Fang said while beginning to walk away from the area.


    It didn''t take long for them to find the place, as Xueqi''s Ancestor was showing the way.


    In front of them now was a huge swamp. It was famous as a dangerous area in the past, making everyone stay away from it.


    Not only was it poisonous, which could even numb low-realm cultivators, but the water also had some weird features that made it act like quicksand.


    The moment someone entered the water, they would get pulled inside, drowning them in the process.


    If there were still some good natural resources, people would come to this place, but with the barren qi in the suburb, nothing good enough to justify the level of risk grew here. Hence, people avoided this place.


    "Bog of Nightmares. Never thought the entrance would be hidden here," MingHao mumbled.


    "Honestly, I don''t know how it became marshes now, but yeah, the entrance is hidden here." He then pointed at a specific area near the shore.


    "Go there and drip your blood into it. Afterward, you will need to use our secret technique toward that boulder," Ancestor explained while pointing toward the target.


    MingHao followed; he pricked his finger and then, with one motion, splattered his blade toward it. Next, he pointed his palm toward it, and Qi started gathering in front, creating a blue energy sphere.


    Xue Fang, watching from the side, couldn''t help but comment, "Isn''t this a waste of qi, using it in its pure form like this?"


    Ancestor''s lips twitched, "Can you stop commenting for a moment? Let the boy focus on his task. And what would you know? The expanse of energy means more destructive power."


    "Doesn''t change the fact it''s a waste and easy to dodge."


    The Ancestor didn''t respond back since what she said was true, but in reality, he already had some idea in mind to counteract this, and Minghao had already started mastering the skill.


    They did this by utilizing formation to create something like a qi battery that allowed Minghao to expand the limit of his energy. They also looked to try modifying it, allowing Minghao to use the secret technique without gathering qi first.


    If this was possible, it would raise his combat power exponentially.


    Bang! The qi bullet shot out like a laser, piercing through the air.


    The moment it hit, the boulder started glowing. The formation activated, and the water started moving like it was alive, creating a path showing a trap door at the bottom.


    MingHao, Xue Fang, and YanYu could see many bones scattered all around it.


    "It seems many people have died despite the warning."


    MingHao sighed, "For people without any talent, many of them often took gambles. They go to dangerous zones hoping to get a fortuitous encounter."


    "Foolish, they better just live their life rather than hoping for something that is almost impossible," Xue Fang said.


    "You don''t understand. It''s not that simple. As a civilian, when your life is pushed to the limit, you will realize in the end, without strength, there is nothing you can do.


    I have seen some families that were toyed to death by bored cultivators without any means to fight back.


    Just put yourself in their shoes, what will you do if you are them? Taking a 0.1% chance is better than staying still.


    Even if they continue living, they find no meaning in doing so."


    Xue Fang frowned but didn''t answer further, meanwhile, YanYu nodded. Even though Xue Fang had her own tragedy, all her life she lived as a cultivator, while YanYu grew up surrounded by normal cultivators.


    In her village, her parents were wealthy merchants. The wealth may amount to nothing for cultivators, but for civilians, it''s more than enough to live comfortably. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But even with this, she knew how in peril her life was. If, by a stroke of fate, some twisted cultivator took a fancy to her, her fate would be sealed.


    This already happened a few times with her friends, making her feel afraid of what her future would be.


    But thankfully MingYue came, her family didn''t think twice to throw all their fortune away to follow her, and this decision was a turning point in their life.


    "You all better go quickly and don''t waste more time; the formation won''t activate forever," Ancestor warned as he floated back to MingHao''s ring.


    The trio looked at each other and then began walking to the entrance. MingHao took the lead as Xue Fang walked in back.


    He pulled open the metal trap door and then started walking down the stairs.


    The tunnel was filled with dust and spider webs, as it had been a long time since anyone ever entered the place.


    BAM! The door closed by itself the moment all of them walked through the third step.


    The water on top moved again, filling the empty area and returning it to its former appearance.


    If anyone came now, no one would suspect that there was a trap door hidden inside. This was thanks to the special properties of the water, making it hard to detect the formation carved underneath.


    Meanwhile, MingHao and the group had already made their way to the bottom of the stairs, and they were now walking through the tunnel and exchanging some small talk.


    "This reminds me of a movie where they walk through a tunnel like this. What is the title again?" YanYu asked with an excited tone.


    "There are many like this. Do you mean those real-person ones or the anime ones?" Xue Fang asked.


    "I think YanYu means anime since she always falls asleep when we watch the ones with real people."


    "Oh yeah, that reminds me, what is with that? Isn''t it interesting watching how people in that movie live their lives?


    Honestly, whoever wrote the script, I applaud them, I am really curious where MingYue got all this."

 Chapter 388 - 388: How Strong?

    "I just find it boring; most of those movies just go all action explosion left and right, or go all hi, I love you, save me.


    Now anime is different, it has all of those while those characters are also very interesting. For that one maid, even though she knew the main character was in love with another, she still confessed her feelings.


    I still remember her words, ''I just want to find some way of being useful to you. To repay you. I will do anything.''"


    YanYu''s eyes glistened with excitement as she then added, "How I wish I had someone like that."


    Rafael let out a chuckle, "You are really a unique case. The others seem to like those I love you then I will rescue you plots no matter how many times it''s repeated."


    "Did we even watch the same movie? Just what did you focus on?" Xue Fang asked with confusion. "There are many wars in those movies, and some of the strategies didn''t make sense to us, but with some improvement, I am sure we can use them for our purpose.


    "That is true; as for me, I just love everything as long it has some action. Although my favorite will still be that anime." He said with a smirk.


    "Oh yeah, that¡­" YanYu said with a frown as she remembered the hellish training their group needed to do, thanks to MingHao''s obsession with that story.


    "Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty.


    You know, MingHao, at some point, I even mumbled that in my sleep, you really carved those words into our brains."


    "That is good. Now you just need to practice it." Rafael said with a hearty laugh.


    "Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty.


    That is actually good advice. I should use it for my clan in the future." Xue Fang mumbled, making YanYu glare at her.


    "Not you too¡­ Come on, Xue Fang, spare your clan members from that torture."


    "What do you mean? How could that be torture? That is a very healthy way of living. If only you knew how my clan members do their training."


    "Xue Fang, you really don''t know what plenty means in his words. Do you know how long we sleep every day?"


    "Hmm, as a cultivator, sleeping is more for mental health; I will say four hours a day is plenty." Xue Fang said.


    Just like other people in BaiYue sect, she also absorbed much new knowledge, this included modern philosophy and mental health.


    "Yeah, four hours, now if you want to know, we have the same amount of sleep, only we get it every 4 days," YanYu said while she rolled her eyes.


    Rafael let out a chuckle, "Hey, that is more than enough. anyway, the number is from my aunt.


    With the meals that we get, and considering our age, she said we should be able to do that without any problem."


    "No, we were there, MingHao; you just twisted her words. She said if we want to quickly adapt to living as a cultivator, do this."


    "And she is not wrong, don''t you see the result?"


    "Just what do I hope when I tell you this," YanYu said with a sigh. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though there are many problems that come from living as a civilian, it doesn''t mean it doesn''t have any benefits.


    YanYu and the others grew up with many times to play. They also slept when they wanted without worry. This was far different compared to MingHao''s childhood.


    They started cultivating as early as possible; even before that, they needed to attend many classes to understand how their clan, family, or sect worked.


    Just like MingYue''s past, MingHao was not much different; only MingYue had more burdens on her shoulders, as her talent became the hope of the family.


    One that ironically resulted in betrayal and destruction.


    "Oh yeah, you haven''t answered, Minghao. Do you know where your sister gets all this stuff?" Xue Fang asked.


    "I don''t know, and honestly, I believe it''s better for me to never know."


    "Why?" YanYu asked.


    "Because I am weak, who knows if someone got their hands on me. They could forcefully extract it from my soul.


    It''s not like there is any real benefit in knowing where it comes from."


    "Of course, there is; at the very least, I will understand what your sister''s goal is."


    MingHao frowned, then gazed at Xue Fang." Why?"


    "My clan is now part of your sister''s sect, but she never told me what she wanted us to do.


    Only now, she told us to start expanding the sect."


    "Isn''t it clear? She wants our sect to take over the world." YanYu said with excitement in her voice.


    "It''s not that simple, YanYu. Honestly, I have asked MingYue about this. After learning everything about the sect, I wonder why she never made any moves.


    Goblins up this region will be a piece of cake for her, but problems come when others hear about this.


    What will we do then?


    You think all these weapons are enough to kill all immortals in our world?"


    "Don''t we have one that could at least hurt them?"


    "And that is precisely why we will become a target. We have the potential to do it, posing a real risk to their hegemony.


    Don''t you know the saying nip it in the bud?


    Why give us a chance for us to grow?"


    "I believe sis has their own plan. Don''t you hear the central region is in chaos now?"


    "Yes, but I doubt it''s related to your sister''s plan."


    "Who else then?"


    Xue Fang shrugged, "How would I know¡­" her voice trailed off as she suddenly felt danger.


    "Stop. There is something in front of us."


    "How strong?" Minghao asked. He knew Xue Fang''s capability, as he often requested to spar with one of her puppets.


    If even she felt it was dangerous that meant whatever was in front of them was not something that they could handle easily.

 Chapter 389 - 389: Orochi

    "I don''t know yet. For now, wait first." Xue Fang ordered.


    Two puppets appeared beside her, and with her order, both of them dashed forward toward the darkness.


    MingHao and YanYu waited in trepidation as they moved their qi, prepared to fight anytime.


    XueFang suddenly took a step back, and her finger danced in the air. Two figures were pulled at high speed.


    The puppets that she sent were now in tatters, their torsos riddled with holes, while they each missed parts of their arms.


    Based on the wounds on the chest, it seemed like they were made with spears, but the wounds on the limbs were like they had been bitten by a beast. This made XueFang feel even more confused about what kind of enemy they were facing.


    At first, XueFang thought it was something with a spectral body as many people had died on top of this area. Their souls accidentally entered this place and then got sealed in, turning them into monsters.


    This was something that often happened after the souls lost their sanity. If they kept surviving, they would start eating each other.


    The survivor would then begin evolving into random abominations depending on their resentment.


    XueFang had never faced one, but based on what she knew, they were a hassle to fight with. They would need soul techniques to completely obliterate it.


    Step¡­ step¡­


    They focused their gaze forward; a sword appeared in YanYu''s hand while MingHao''s qi churned, preparing to leap forward.


    "Don''t. It''s not something both of you can face," XueFang warned.


    From the darkness, a silhouette came out, a humanoid monster that looked like a knight with three snake tails coming out from his back.


    The eyes glinted in red, while the armor was in tatters, the skin was gray, with many maggots moving around, giving it a grotesque appearance.


    Some parts of the skull were shown from its head, while its jaw crackled like it wanted to say something.


    But no words came out.


    ''Ancestor, do you know what that is?'' MingHao asked in his mind. He had no clue at all.


    The ancestor materialized in the air, gazing at the creature, his eyes widened in fear. "Run, you guys should run. That thing should have been dead for a long time. I never knew how it''s still alive."


    "What do you mean? Explain, old geezer!" XueFang asked while she took out four more puppets.


    Two puppets pointed forward with guns in their hands while the other two jumped, one with a huge sword, while the other with a spear.


    These four were modified and had been strengthened further using the technology from the BaiYue sect.


    "I don''t know the details, but it''s the remains of a very ancient creature. Its body should be used to fuel this array and be dead already.


    But I still remember one thing, my ancestor told me that when it was alive, it was almost as strong as an immortal."


    The creature''s bony arm opened up, a black spear then materialized out of nowhere. The snakes behind its back also showed their poisonous fangs.


    Its movement was slow, but the power that was built into the motion was not a joke. It thrust the spear forward, creating a sharp wind that went all the way toward the two puppets.


    Swosh¡­


    The two puppets blocked the attack but were knocked back. Two fires then shot, piercing through the air.


    Bang! Bang!


    The bullets caught the skeleton off guard, and its crimson eyes intensified. It was like something suddenly snapped within it.


    "Kill!!.. Kill¡­!" a hoarse voice escaped through its rattling teeth, followed by hissing from the snakes.


    ''It seems a soul tried possessing the remains, but somehow, it got overwhelmed by the lingering wills. Just what is this creature?


    It doesn''t look like a spirit animal body; it''s like a hybrid of a human and a beastman.


    But I never heard of any fusing with snakes like that. Even those clans only have reptilian eyes and parts of their scales.''


    After more observation, XueFang saw ancient letters carved on the clothing, which read as Orochi.


    The creature suddenly appeared in front of XueFang''s puppet, and two of the snakes shot forward, biting into their arms.


    A hissing sound could be heard, followed by smoke as part of the puppets'' arms began to melt. But XueFang ignored this and made them attack back.


    One sliced the sword horizontally toward the creature''s head while the other thrust its spear into the torso.


    The creature groaned as it parried the sword attack while the spear pierced through its chest. But there was barely any resistance as it passed through the gap in the creature''s ribcage.


    It then tilted its body, pulling the spear and XueFang''s puppet in the process. The sword was deflected, followed by another attack from the creature.


    Another snake leaped, targeting the puppet''s head this time.


    But before it happened, the other two puppets with guns appeared.


    BANG! BANG!


    This time, they shot point blank toward the creature''s back. Last time, the bullets barely did any damage, but now they have more impact.


    The snakes screeched, releasing their bites.


    XueFang''s finger made a motion in the air, a whirring mechanism could be heard coming from the two puppets.


    Their chests opened, shooting a rain of needles toward the creature.


    Some were deflected by the armor, but most of them hit the target. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The puppets then quickly jumped backward, the needles started glowing red to orange, smoke coming out followed by a huge explosion.


    BOOM!


    MingHao and YanYu raised their hands to protect their eyes from the debris while XueFang took out another puppet that carried a huge metal shield.


    The shield was carved with arrays, creating a protection barrier for the group.


    The explosion was huge, triggering part of the tunnel to collapse.


    "That is not enough to kill him!" The ancestor warned while MingHao was more concerned with the after-effects.


    Since this part of the tunnel collapsed, they had no way to reach Daying City now. Breaking the barrier would mean a frontal attack that could cause many casualties.

 Chapter 390 - 390: I Dont Want To Lose Anyone

    XueFang pulled back two of the puppets that held swords and spears, then took out another four.


    This time, each of them was holding a sword. Right now, all her puppets are separated into many groups.


    She created formations for cooperation so that they could attack together, and these four were one of them who could use their swords in sync. Their bodies had been modified to easily achieve this as connections were made on the array.


    XueFang now only needed to give a few orders for them to perform complicated maneuvers together. Her strategy now was to use the four to overwhelm the creature after it escaped through the debris.


    The narrow tunnel would also limit the area, allowing them to completely block the creature from moving forward. Based on her observation, despite being strong, the creature was just good physically without having any secret techniques or using qi-based attacks.


    The problem was she didn''t know how to kill it. Its body was robust and strong. Completely decimating it was out of the question.


    Her other choice was to go to a battle in the inner world to completely decimate the creature''s soul, but XueFang didn''t have the confidence to win.


    She was not Alex or MingYue with progenitor souls. There was a huge chance she would just lose her life or, worse, be taken over by the lingering will in the creature''s body.


    The rubble started shifting, followed by something coming out.


    XueFang just wanted to make a move, but she stopped when MingHao suddenly dashed forward.


    "MingHao, what are you doing?"


    "Believe me, XueFang." He said, then appeared in front of the creature that was now trying to come out.


    MingHao put his palm forward. A sphere of blue qi started appearing and growing in size quickly. It didn''t take a second for it to grow to the size of a basketball.


    "I hope this is enough," MingHao mumbled.


    SWOSH!!!


    The energy shot forward, blasting the debris to pieces. It was so bright that they couldn''t see what happened to the creature.


    But XueFang forcefully used qi to make sure her eyes were wide open looking at MingHao. She needed to make sure she could pull him back in time.


    The four puppets moved forward to get closer.


    The blast didn''t last long; it was three seconds, but it completely obliterated the debris.


    Seeing the result, XueFang''s eyes squinted as what was left was not only an empty path; the creature was nowhere to be seen, but she didn''t believe it would be this easy.


    She squinted her eyes and then realized there was smoke that had a different color than the others; it was darker. If not for the fact that she had infused qi into her eyes, allowing her to see even in darkness, she wouldn''t have realized it.


    But soon, MingHao and YanYu could also see it. The smoke began to move, gathering together like it was alive.


    "Dammit MingHao! Be careful; now I know why this creature''s body was destroyed easily; he did this on purpose."


    MingHao''s eyes widened, and he quickly understood what the ancestor meant.


    The smoke floated forward toward MingHao as he was the closest. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The four puppets slashed their swords, but it was useless. It was like cutting through the air.


    XueFang could infuse more qi into the puppets, but she felt it would not be enough to do any harm to that weird smoke. She instead threw a qi thread to MingHao''s back then pulled him.


    Her eyes were filled with worry while her heart beat like crazy. MingHao was one of the few people that she thought of


    as someone she could trust in her long life.


    All this time, her only concern was her clan, and her special situation also prevented her from having any friends at all.


    But things changed when she stayed in the BaiYue Sect, her job was lessened by a huge degree allowing her to have some leeway to do something else.


    Then another miracle came, her body started growing. This made XueFang lower her guard, allowing her to start getting closer to others, and this included MingHao and his friends.


    She also liked how MingHao saw her as herself and never bothered with unnecessary things like her status.


    Unfortunately, the speed at which she pulled him back was not fast enough. The smoke flowed through MingHao''s nostrils, entering his body.


    "No! MingHao!"


    At this moment, the rune on his forehead began to glow, green light shone, expelling the smoke out from him.


    MingHao, who had already thought it was his end, felt a huge amount of relief. He also felt very thankful for his sister, as he knew this was thanks to something she carved on his forehead.


    MingHao''s iris glinted in a green hue; he stabilized his position, and Qi gathered on his fist. He then threw a straight punch toward the smoke.


    SWOSH!!!


    It created a sonic boom that pushed away all the smoke back deeper into the tunnel.


    Despite this, he knew it was not the end. His mind told him the smoke could gather again, turning into a solid body.


    But he didn''t know if it was because of a movie he watched or if it would really happen. Whatever it was, they couldn''t let their guard down.


    "YanYu, don''t leave my back, if you get possessed things will be more complicated." XueFang warned.


    But there was no response, making her frown. She looked around and then realized something, she was too focused on MingHao that she failed to realize YanYu was missing.


    She quickly screamed, telling MingHao what happened.


    "Dammit! I am sure this is something with that creature." MingHao screamed in anger. He wanted to dash forward, but two puppets held his hand.


    "XueFang, you cannot be serious?"


    "I am not saying we should abandon her, but I am not risking your life over this¡­"


    Her eyes glistened with tears, as she continued with a heavy tone, "I beg you MingHao, I don''t want to lose anyone else."


    Her words shut MingHao down, making him unable to form any retort.

 Chapter 391 - 391: Opportunity

    XueFang moved the puppet with the shield forward to check the tunnel for them. Based on the situation so far, she thought the creature would not come back quickly.


    It had some plan over YanYu, and the only one that probably had some idea of it was Xueqi''s ancestor.


    Turning her gaze, she said, "Spit it out, geezer."


    "Other than he is dangerous, I didn''t know much. He was very ancient, part of history, when my ancestor was still a kid.


    We might have some records, but we need to ask his sister since she is the one keeping it all."


    "So basically, you have zero ideas, useless geezer," Xue Fang complained, making Xueqi''s ancestor''s lips twitch. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s move first. I doubt this part can last long," MingHao said while looking at the cracks in the walls.


    His blast may have cleaned up the debris, but it also made the tunnel structure more fragile. He could already see dust dropping down while the crack was widening slowly.


    XueFang replied with a nod while she walked closely beside MingHao. She was still afraid he would just leap out by himself.


    Meanwhile, deep inside the tunnel, Yanyu felt like she was being locked inside an illusion.


    Her head was in pain like it was being stabbed, and her body was weak and devoid of any qi, but she still forced it to move.


    Everything looked like a blur for her. It was like she was now inside a barely lit tunnel. Every step she took, she felt cold water streaming on her feet, splashing it all over the place.


    Based on the feeling, she could tell it barely reached her ankle height.


    Her hand was grazing over the wall to prop her body so she could keep moving forward.


    "Just where am I? How did I get here??? Last time¡­" YanYu tried hard to remember, but she got nothing.


    Her steps continued until she started hearing the hissing sound of a snake.


    "Your will is impressive, lady. Do you desire power?"


    "Power? What power? Who are you? Let me out," YanYu replied back, as everything started becoming clearer for her.


    The moment she heard the hissing sound, it was like something jolted her mind back.


    "I am part of the majestic Orochi clan. Right now, I am dying; even if I took your body, I would not survive for long."


    "What do you want then? I don''t care what clan you belong to, but I don''t believe there is such a thing as a free meal in this world."


    The snake hissed again, then asked, "Don''t worry, I am not asking you to take revenge for me or my clan. It''s far beyond your means, and I don''t care much about them.


    Even at my peak, I was nothing more than a foot soldier."


    Now that YanYu''s mind started clearing up, she began to understand what had happened, "You, a foot soldier? Hard to believe it."


    "Believe it or not, that was the truth. Otherwise, my enemy wouldn''t leave my body alone.


    My request is not that hard. I just want to know what happened to my family. I don''t know how much time has passed, but considering what I know, I am sure there should be something left at least."


    "You want me to carry your soul inside of me?" Yanyu asked in suspicion.


    "No, I will teach you how to bind my soul into a talisman. That is the only way I can survive this long.


    But Young one, even if I agree, it will not be that easy. My body is not moving by instinct, one that has been put by my clan.


    After you come out, look for a white pearl deep inside my head, take it, and do the method I told you."


    The hissing sound then disappeared, and her surroundings turned distorted. It kept growing with intensity until everything turned black.


    The next moment, YanYu felt like she just woke up from a dream, she could feel the qi in her body once more. But her face turned into a frown as she could feel something slimy and cold tightly binding her body.


    Her heart skipped a beat when she finally realized her situation.


    Hissing sounds reverberated in her ears as she was now in front of a giant snake. The reptilian eyes looked at her like some kind of delicious food.


    Its white scales were filled with dirt, with some parts of it peeled off, showing its rotten meat.


    ''That snake! How can I even come out from this!''


    YanYu exerted her qi, trying to get out from the snake''s constriction, but it barely did anything. She began to panic, but then an idea came to her mind; as the snake''s body was slippery, she still had a way to escape.


    Her free hand pointed upward, and her sword materialized. Exerting her qi, it then shot out, embedding toward the ceiling.


    In motion, her body was pulled up. She looked down at the whole place and couldn''t help but feel grossed out.


    The huge snake was like a rotten corpse while all around it many small snakes were moving and slithering together. The whole thing gave her goosebumps.


    She then looked around for the humanoid body that attacked them, but she could not find anything.


    The giant snake hissed. It began coiling its body, preparing to lunge at her.


    YanYu frowned, not caring about the result, she took out multiple grenades from her storage ring. The place she was in now was quite large, but she knew she was still underground.


    Despite this, she preferred to blow it up since it was not like she had other options.


    The grenades fell down with the help of gravity. YanYu also made sure to take out the safety pin before this happened.


    But by coincidence or plot armor from the author, the snake opened its jaw, resulting in all the grenades dropping into its mouth.


    BOOM! The explosion reverberated, making the ground shake.

 Chapter 392 - 392: Weird Egg

    Meanwhile, back at MingHua and XueFang, both of them could feel the vibration. Xuefang quickly ordered her puppet to move first while both of them sprinted toward it.


    But unfortunately, the deeper they went, the more confusing the tunnel became. It was like they were now deep inside a maze.


    Despite knowing the direction, it still didn''t mean they could reach it instantly. They could try breaking the ground, but without knowing YanYu''s real situation, they didn''t dare to do it.


    What if she was now helpless, and they caused a collapse on another side of the dungeon?


    MinHao had tried to contact her, but unfortunately, something seemed to be blocking their communication method. He also tried sending out Xueqi Ancestor, but unfortunately, he couldn''t go far from MinHao right now.


    At the very least, this still helped them avoid any dead ends.


    They kept moving at high speed until, finally, the sound of someone fighting reached their ears. XueFan''s fingers danced in the air as she raised the puppet''s output to reach there faster.


    But unfortunately, it still couldn''t beat MingHao at full speed. His eyes glinted with a green hue; each step was like he was blinking forward.


    His movement surprised even Xue Fang, as she barely managed to keep up with him despite her higher cultivation realm.


    CLANG! SLASH! BOOM!


    The sounds reverberated in the air as both of them finally reached YanYu.


    Her body was littered with wounds as she kept spinning in the air like dancing.


    Each time she moved, multiple snakes were turned into mincemeat. A clashing sound was heard in the air as she tried to attack the giant snake.


    "YanYu!" MingHao called out to get her attention.


    Hearing his voice, YanYu''s eyes quickly turned to relief. Before, she didn''t dare to go all out since the risk was too high.


    If her attack was not successful, she would probably run out of qi. Even though she had some recovery pills, YanYu was not sure she would have any moment to rest.


    After she threw the grenade into the snake''s mouth, it created a huge explosion that created a new hole in its body.


    But this barely affected the creature. Instead, it made it more aggressive. With a hissing sound that felt more like screeching, it screamed its orders.


    The small snakes that surrounded it began to coil their bodies, preparing to lunge at YanYu.


    Knowing she could not stay hanging from the ceiling, she decided to go down and begin attacking herself.


    For her, the best defense was attack. She then began fighting for her life until, finally, the others arrived.


    YanYu''s qi began to churn, and flames started appearing all over her sword. Her body did a spin, making the flames spin around her like a tornado.


    The small snakes screeched in pain, followed by the smell of grilled meat.


    MingHao, looking from a distance, pointed his palm forward and began shooting blasts of ki. This time, they were just small projectiles, and his goal was to help YanYu.


    Each one hit a small snake that leaped toward YanYu, turning them to cinders.


    Meanwhile, XueFang ordered the four swordsmen to begin their massacre of the small snakes. The two other ranged puppets started shooting their bullets, targeting the giant snake.


    BANG! BANG!


    Each bullet was targeted toward the rotten flesh, easily poking more holes. But this didn''t do any damage other than making the giant snake change its attention toward them.


    "Ancestor, is that giant snake the same one we faced before?" MingHao asked as he kept shooting ki bullets.


    "Probably, although I don''t understand how it transformed to be like that."


    "Is it that smoke? But is it really that simple?" MingHao wondered, his eyes darting around the area.


    Meanwhile, the fire tornado grew in size and then shot toward the giant snake''s head like a piercing bullet.


    Sparks flew in the air as it began drilling through the tough scales.


    Seeing this, MingHao took out a glass bottle filled with gasoline and then threw it toward the giant snake.


    PRANK! SWOOSH!


    The flames quickly grew in size and intensity, burning the whole snake. The temperature in the area quickly rose as there was no ventilation.


    Black smoke filled the room, but it wasn''t a problem for them other than limiting their sight.


    The scales finally began to give in, softening under the intense heat. YanYu''s fire tornado pierced through the snake''s head, burning everything she passed through.


    She then landed on the ground, creating another explosion of flames, turning the snakes in the area to ashes.


    A white orb then appeared in her hand. It pulsated with life and had a weird spongy texture.


    YanYu at first wanted to keep it and ask for MingHao and Xue Fang''s opinions, but the moment she saw it, her eyes lost focus.


    As if in a trance, her fingers moved by themselves, blood dripping from the tips as she began drawing a complicated pattern on top of it. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    XueFang was busy cleaning up the leftover snakes, but MingHao realized this. He could feel a weird energy coming from YanYu right now.


    As he used lifeforce, his sense of this was better than XueFang''s. "YanYu, what are you doing?" he asked, appearing beside her.


    But it was too late. The pearl transformed into something like liquid and then moved toward her sword and palm. MingHao''s hand glinted with a green hue as he tried to stop the process by counteracting it.


    Unfortunately, what he did made things worse. The liquid became even more lively, like an animal that found its favorite food.


    The white liquid separated; part of it went into MingHao''s hand. He felt something seeping into his soul.


    He quickly turned alert and then looked into his inner world.


    Inside, he found a large white egg the size of an adult human floating in the air. MingHao could feel some connection coming from it.


    He walked closer and then put his palm over the shell. His eyes glinted with a green hue as MingHao wanted to destroy it.

 Chapter 393 - 393: Connected

    He didn''t want to take risks with something unknown inside his soul, but before he could, he stopped.


    "I can feel YanYu''s presence coming from this egg. This means something similar exists in her inner world, and it''s linked to this one."


    He didn''t want to take a risk with something unknown inside his soul, but before he stopped.


    ''I can feel YanYu''s presence coming from this egg.''


    With a frown, MingHao guessed something similar also existed inside YanYu.


    He could also feel something growing inside the egg. It was absorbing his qi and even part of his inner world, which was basically his soul.


    MingHao sighed, feeling that if he had destroyed it now, something would have happened on YanYu''s side. With reluctance, he pulled his hand away and returned back.


    The area was now cleaned up. Xue Fang put all the remains into her storage ring, as she wanted to check it later as material to create a hidden weapon or fix her puppet.


    "Did something happen?"


    Xue Fang had seen both of them standing dazed, like in meditation. If they were cultivating, it could cause a backlash. Hence, she didn''t disturb them. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingHao opened his mouth to explain, but before any words came out, the tunnel started vibrating. The disappearance of the pearl affected the array that supported the tunnel entrance.


    YanYu had just opened her eyes when she suddenly got pulled away by MingHao.


    Xue Fang took back most of the puppets, leaving only the one with a shield. She made it walk in the front to scout the area.


    The trio quickly ran away as the vibration rose in intensity. Their ears perked up as the sound of water could be heard coming from behind.


    "It seems the entrance completely collapsed; we better hurry," MingHao screamed as his steps quickened even further.


    Right now, he carried YanYu on his shoulder since she could not keep up with his speed. At first, he also wanted to do the same with Xue Fang, but her glare made him stop.


    "I can move by myself," she said, while her eyes narrowed at YanYu. She didn''t know why, but she felt annoyed seeing him carry her like this.


    Their steps reverberated in the air until they finally saw a stair going upward. Without wasting time, MingHao jumped.


    The water had already reached behind them, hitting the stairs with great force. Xue Fang was a step behind; she almost got hit but used the puppet to block it, giving her enough time.


    MingHao also helped pull her up.


    After the water calmed down, Xue Fang sighed, "I hope no one comes to check the swamp now."


    "Why?" MingHao asked while YanYu was still dazed by the chain of events.


    She had just come out from her inner world after checking the egg. Unlike MingHao, YanYu already knew about it from the snake''s explanation.


    The snake was like a familiar to her, bonded to her soul, and could even be enhanced by pouring a bloodline into it.


    It would be like a beast contract, but something far better since their growth would be linked to the host.


    Both of them would mutually grow together, and the host could even sacrifice their soul and life to gain more power or to save their life once.


    It was far superior to a normal contract and even the Awe cube that Alex invented.


    The only troublesome thing was inside her weapon, and now there was a lingering soul of the old Orochi clan. Right now, he was slumbering, but the danger was there.


    She was linked with the weapon, but the connection was not that strong. With the difference in strength, she knew the Orochi could one-sidedly take over.


    Meanwhile, Xue Fang looked at the water with trepidation as she answered MingHao''s question.


    "Where do you think this water came from? The marshes are probably almost dried up.


    This means the entrance has been torn open. Everyone can enter now."


    MingHao frowned while YanYu had already come back to her senses. "Before going further, I think both of you need to hear this."


    She then told them what happened with the Orochi clan, including what the egg was.


    Xue Fang frowned at the explanation, "So you mean now there is an egg inside your inner world, too?"


    MingHao nodded.


    "And this egg is linked to the one inside YanYu?"


    "Honestly, I don''t feel it at all, but maybe because I am too weak?" YanYu suggested. Despite being in the same realm as MingHao, she knew she was weaker.


    Even now, no one in their generation could beat MingHao, not to mention one on one; even one versus three, all of them were defeated.


    "That is not the point. If it''s really connected, doesn''t this mean the familiar will act like a bridge between you when it is born?"


    "Hmm¡­ now that I think about it, you are correct. Could this mean I can send qi to YanYu anytime?"


    "That is not it! How can you be so clueless!


    If something happens to her, this could result in backlash to you, too. What if the worst case causes both your lives to be linked?"


    "I don''t think so, but let''s see how things turn out."


    "Don''t tell me you plan to hatch the egg? You better just destroy it now rather than complicate matters."


    "I will ask my sister to check it later."


    "No! What if it hatches before that? After this, we will go to the central region; things will be far more complicated then.


    It''s not like this Orochi soul knows what is happening, and we cannot ask him since it''s too dangerous to do that."


    YanYu''s face turned complicated, and she mumbled, "If that is the case, then I think you better destroy yours, MingHao.


    Since I cannot feel the connection yet, it should be weak enough to not cause any serious backlash.


    I think the worst thing that will happen is my familiarity will be born with lower potential, but this can be redeemed if I use some treasure to feed on it."

 Chapter 394 - 394: Familiar

    Xue Fang nodded, agreeing with YanYu, then tried to convince MingHao again. But he didn''t budge; this was not just about YanYu, but for MingHao, it was a way to get even stronger.


    In frustration, Xue Fang said, "If you are so adamant, fine, then let me check it inside your inner world."


    Xue Fang and MingHao exchanged gazes in silence. Allowing someone stronger to enter your inner world is something that requires absolute trust.


    As for before, he only entered YanYu''s because of an emergency.


    Otherwise, God knows what she could do inside him.


    "You don''t trust me? I can sign a blood contract. I will not send a spirit stronger than you.


    And honestly speaking, I don''t know what weird thing you did before, but if I don''t use my puppet, I doubt I can win fighting with you."


    MingHao''s eyes narrowed down as he felt Xue Fang was being weird. She had never acted like this before. "Why do you care so much? I am sure in the worst case, I will just get a wound to my soul."


    If it was MingYue or his uncle, he understood why they would flip out. Ultimately, his sister.


    MingYue had some weird means that enhanced his strength; she also had so many weird tools that defied his knowledge. There was no way she would accept this risk for strength like this, or who knew she had methods to ensure his safety.


    Even Xueqi''s ancestor didn''t understand what she did when sealing him to the ring. In his eyes, now MingYue could do anything.


    Xue Fang was startled by the sudden question. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t understand why she had gone all emotional with him. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xueqi''s ancestor, who was watching all this happen, couldn''t help but let out a chuckle, "It''s good to be young. How can you not know, my descendant? It''s clear she likes you."


    Xue Fang''s cheeks turned red at the accusation, but her gaze turned cold, "Shut your mouth, you old geezer."


    While inside, she was flustered; she started questioning herself if this was true or not.


    Despite their age difference, it was nothing more than a number for cultivators like them. Her gaze then changed once more as she looked back at MingHao. She changed the topic back to the matter.


    "We don''t have much time. What is your answer?"


    MingHao looked at Xue Fang''s eyes deeply, then closed his eyes, "Do it quickly."


    He didn''t ask for the contract and quickly lowered his soul defense. Xue Fang smiled as she put her finger on his forehead.


    YanYu just sighed at the scene. She felt guilty; she felt like she was bringing them down.


    She was the one that got kidnapped, even her fortuitous encounter became a problem. A desire to become stronger started budding in her heart.


    Before, she already felt satisfied with her current realm, but now she wanted to become stronger to not pull back her comrade.


    Xueqi''s ancestor looked at her with a smirk, "How about you? Do you like him too? You know this young lad''s potential. I am sure that, in the future, many beauties will surround him.


    It''s good to book him in advance, you know. He is a steal."


    YanYu rolled her eyes; she never looked at MingHao like that. "Aren''t you his ancestor? You should look for a good partner for him.


    My status and potential are just mediocre, and as for beauty, every cultivator is one. It''s nothing special."


    "Don''t cut yourself short, young lady. Your fortune is good. That Orochi clan that you got your hands on has been here for a while now.


    Even though I have seen it, no one is lucky enough to have gotten it. Potential can be increased, status? That doesn''t matter.


    What that lad needs is just someone loyal to stay by his side. And as his ancestor, I approve of you." He said with a smirk, while in his mind he thought, ''It''s better if I can make this boy marry many women; more descendants mean my clan will flourish.''


    Even though the Xueqi clan had many people scattered around, he was sure no one could come close to MingYue in fortuitous encounters. If it was them, she would care less. But if it was her own brother''s children, he was sure she would take care of them.


    His eyes glinted as he felt the future was bright.


    Meanwhile, inside the inner world, Xue Fang was now standing in front of the egg, her palm touching the shell, feeling the smooth texture.


    MingHao was standing at her side. "There is nothing much we can do now."


    "I know something I can do, but will you believe me?"


    "If I don''t, do you think I will allow you here?"


    "I will infuse part of my soul inside."


    MingHao''s eyes widened in surprise. He didn''t get what she meant by that. But before he could respond, Xue Fang had already begun.


    Her soul body began to become transparent and started pouring over toward the egg. Another array was also added to it.


    It was one she usually used to create a connection to the puppet but modified. This allowed her to connect in a similar way to YanYu and MingHao, but in a different way, since she used herself in the process while both of them were through the egg.


    MingHao opened his eyes and looked at Xue Fang. "Why?"


    What she did would surely wound her soul. He just didn''t get the reason. Even if what the ancestor said was true, he still felt this was overboard.


    But Xue Fang didn''t answer. She just walked past them and said, "Let''s go. We have wasted enough time."


    The group began climbing the steps, as YanYu began looking at MingHao with a different gaze. What the ancestor said stuck in her mind, and she started considering it.


    Finally, they reached another exit. This one was sealed tight with a metal door.

 Chapter 395 - 395: Blue Lotus?

    MingHao then tried to open the door, but it wouldn''t budge. He could try to forcefully push it open using lifeforce energy, but he felt like it was wasting it.


    His energy was limited, and only MingYue could refuel it for now. So he wanted to keep it just in case of emergencies.


    "Let me try," Xue Fang suggested.


    Two puppets came out. This time, both were 1.5 times the size of an average human body. Their hands were more muscular and longer, making them look like apes.


    Both of them started sprinting toward the door. Loud sounds could be heard. It was like someone was bashing against a huge metallic door.


    Each time, the metal groaned and bent a little from the impact. From the gap, MingHao could see a pile of rock and debris. This made him suspect that the exit was in the Xueqi family''s old mansion.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, the tournament was already entering its final phase. Just like before, every person put against him instantly forfeited. The crowd was more cheerful now as the fights became more intense.


    But Alex was oblivious to all this. There were many new faces appearing around the crowd, each stronger or at least on the same level as Midnight Patriarch Galen.


    "You shameless junior! I knew things wouldn''t go well. You show off too much," Moria said with an exasperated tone. He just felt relieved after Alex''s meeting with the guardian that things had not escalated.


    They had already left, giving him peace of mind, but not even an hour passed before powerhouses came one after another.


    Reina wanted to chime in, but she also didn''t know what to say. Things were getting out of hand now.


    She could see from a distance her father was busy buttering up each of the new visitors. He even created a new area just for them to sit together.


    Alex just let out a chuckle, "Senior, you worry too much. They are here for me; they won''t bother you."


    "Sire Alex, you are not afraid?"


    "Why should I be? I will be honest, I cannot beat them all, but they are not here to fight. Some come to butter me up, while others are just curious about that water. It''s clear who wants what."


    Despite saying this, Alex still believed he could win. He could unleash his army to overwhelm them, including using runes and modern weapons.


    "How do you know that?" Reina asked with confusion in her gaze.


    "It''s not hard; just see whether they pay more attention to me or to your father. Although it''s surprising that so many have come for me instead. Anyway, do you recognize any of them?"


    Reina nodded and started listing the names of sects and families. She almost knew them all since many of their descendants were taking classes at the academy.


    This piqued Alex''s interest, but he shook the idea from his head. ''Why would I even consider checking it? Reading Academy arc is always the most boring thing I read in novels.''


    "Do you find anyone from the Zephyr clan? Or at least their allies?" Alex asked.


    He didn''t tell them much about his meeting with Ying Xue and Situ Chen. Alex felt the information was too much for them to know, and he also was still in disbelief.


    He was now looking for any concrete evidence that could solidify their claim that this place was inside MingYue''s world.


    "There are a few clans there, and one sect," Reina replied while pointing toward a few groups.


    Each of them came in groups of two or four, one in the Profound Enlightenment stage and the other in Mystic Integration.


    Alex turned his gaze to a new group that had just come. It consisted of four people, all women, but their robes looked familiar to him. "How about them?"


    "Oh, that one¡­" Reina squinted her eyes as she thought hard, but she could not remember anyone with a similar appearance. "I don''t recognize them. It''s probably one of the new sects that recently appeared."


    "That sect? I know them; they are Blue Lotus," Moria replied with a smile. He had met them on his journey to promote spice water. The sect master was very friendly and did not make things hard for him.


    At first, they were suspicious as he hid his identity, but after proving the effectiveness, they quickly bit and purchased many from him. The amount even surprised Moria, as he never knew a new sect like them had so many Qi crystals.


    ''Blue Lotus? Is it MingYue''s sect?'' Alex''s eyes lit up.


    "Who is the sect master''s name?" he asked.


    Unlike Feng Xue''s face, Alex had never seen Blue Lotus sect members. MingYue never shared those memories with him, as she felt it was not necessary.


    As for Feng Xue, it was important because she was part of their sect.


    "It''s MengLian."


    ''MengLian? I think the name should be QingLian, but the family name is the same.'' S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex thought they were related, at least. He then asked, "Is she there?"


    "No, but the vice sect leader is. Want me to call her for you? Never knew you were into older people." He said with a chuckle, earning him a glare from Reina, making him shut up.


    Alex looked at the woman''s face and remembered it by name, but he was not in a hurry to go there. He could see the group joining with the White Lotus sect.


    ''They will probably come toward me after this event; better just wait,'' Alex thought.


    His eyes then looked around, searching for the man from the Zephyr clan, but he was nowhere to be seen. ''Where did he go?''


    Curious, Alex''s finger moved in the air, creating runes.


    In another area, Zhu Zeng was standing beside Morgana, who was now sulking. He had already decided what to do, so he wasn''t worried much, but Morgana was stuck.


    Even though she said it was not her responsibility, she knew her value was plummeting in front of the coalition.

 Chapter 396 - 396: ShangXi Temple

    "You better do something, Zhu Zeng."


    "Ask that boyfriend of yours. As for me I am sure it''s enough winning second place in this tournament."


    "How could that be enough? Don''t you see how strong Alex was? I don''t believe Reina has any other plan with him on her side."


    "I already reported to the higher-ups. I am sure they know what to do," Zhu Zeng said, but his calm face suddenly turned ugly, surprising Morgana.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "Nothing, I have something to do." Zhu Zheng replied than quickly leave the area.


    "Just where did he go? Bathroom? What a joke. We shouldn''t need to go to one."


    If Alex heard her thoughts, he would chuckle, as in most novels he read, cultivators didn''t need to do that, but they still took the time to take a bath to meet the MC.


    His chuckle would then turn to laughter since he realized that also happened to him.


    ''Lazy author has no other plot to fill the word count,'' he would think.


    But he didn''t hear this; instead, he was now instructing ZhuZheng without moving.


    Alex had carved some runes into his body in secret while he was giving a smashing makeover to his face. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am alone now. What do you want?" ZhuZheng replied while looking around in alert.


    The location he went to was pointed out by Alex, who knew what he had prepared there.


    "Why are you bothering looking around? It just makes you suspicious." Alex''s voice reverberated in his mind with a chuckle, but for ZhuZheng, it made him freeze.


    This meant he had a way to know what he was doing; it might be from his emotions or, worse, even hearing his thoughts.


    "What do you want?"


    "Is that a way to talk to your master?" Alex replied with a smug tone, then continued, "Well, you are a newbie slave, so I will forgive you this one time, but next time, you will know how creative I can get."


    The last part was said with a chilling tone that made ZhuZheng shiver. With their contract, he knew Alex could do many things worse than death to him, and he couldn''t even fight back.


    With reluctance, he replied, "I am sorry, master. What can this humble slave help you with?"


    "Now you learn fast, as expected from someone''s lapdog. What can you tell me about your old master?"


    ZhuZheng''s fists clenched, but he tried his best to calm himself down. ShangXi Temple was not just his sect; he was born there. His family was also there.


    It''s his homeland, and with their teaching, almost every single member of the temple was very loyal to it. In Alex''s words, it would be patriotic thanks to brainwashing since they were kids.


    "There is nothing much I can tell you, master. I am just a core disciple."


    "Oh, a core disciple? So how many lies are there?"


    ZhuZheng began explaining things he could say. Just like his contract with Alex, he also had a similar one with ShangXi Temple, and honestly, if possible, he would lie.


    But unfortunately, he couldn''t do that.


    Based on his explanation, ShangXi Temple was very organized. Alex felt it was managed more like a guild rather than a sect.


    The elders functioned like a group of councils that gave suggestions to the abbot, while the real tasks were given to those they could minister.


    The elder''s task was only to make sure the abbot was not out of touch with the public while they took disciples to train. This resulted in inner politics but nothing for Alex.


    Inner politics had its benefits since it made them compete with each other, ensuring none of them had any ideas to rebel.


    What surprised Alex even more was that even ministers and elders could come from normal people, further separating them into two groups.


    However, the abbot was famous for being skewed toward normal people when listening to their opinions.


    Compared to cultivators, normal people changed positions faster. They were also more in touch with the public, the majority of whom were civilians.


    ZhuZheng himself came from the cultivator faction. His father was one of the senior elders, giving him many privileges.


    This allowed him to act outside the rules as long as it wasn''t too over the line.


    "So you are saying you are a core disciple of your father?"


    "Of course not. It would break the law. An elder cannot take his own family or even extended family under them. So, I am a core disciple under another elder.


    A single elder can have a maximum of three core disciples, with as many outer disciples as they want."


    "Hmm... So basically, outer disciple is just a luxury word for your servant."


    "They have their benefits."


    "Well, that is all good, but I want to know the important stuff. How is the recent condition, and how strong is your abbot?"


    "My abbot? Of course, she is an immortal. Although I don''t know how strong, many of the elders are also immortal, although they barely join the council meeting."


    Alex frowned. He had heard some rumors from MingYue about the temple, but he thought it was true they had many immortals under them. The abbot''s strength was not something he could underestimate.


    "If the ShangXi Temple abbot is this strong, then what about the other sects and clans here?" Alex thought to himself.


    He then asked further about ShangXi Temple''s current relationship with other groups.


    ZhuZheng didn''t hide it and directly explained things about the core region and outer area to Alex.


    ShangXi Temple came from the core region, but because of some conflict, they ended up migrating out to the outer area and then settled in the central region.


    They were also tasked with guarding the entrance with a few other sects from the core region. But outsiders would think they all came from ShangXi Temple with their uniforms.


    The more Alex learned, the more he realized that this was really MingYue''s world. With this confirmation, he also began adjusting his plan.


    Alex also started considering what would happen if Ming Yue and the others sent here like him.

 Chapter 397 - 397: Virility

    After all, the eye being seemed to have control over the portal entrance. But never in his wildest dream did he think this was also the place where his father lived his life for a long time.


    With this understanding, Alex also got some picture of the coalition and some guesses about their goal.


    "They sure have a huge ambition," Alex thought, then told Zhu Zheng he could leave. He didn''t ask him directly about the coalition since Alex was already sure he would not be able to tell him anything. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He then looked back at the arena; the match was almost finished.


    The one fighting now wielded a spear with finesse; every time he moved, it created a silhouette of a dragon that did further damage to the target.


    "A spirit weapon can be used like that?" Alex asked.


    Moria let out a chuckle, "It''s possible if the spirit is strong, and the material boosts its presence, a complete synergy.


    But this is very rare, as for the one you see, I hear it was enhanced because it was soaked in some kind of miraculous water."


    Alex''s lips twitched, but he ignored Moria''s remarks. His focus was back on the spirit weapon, and his eyes lit up as he found another way to become stronger.


    ''As long as I strengthen the spirit and add some more material¡­ but doesn''t this make things more dangerous?


    If the spirit is too strong, it can attack the master back; a normal bond will not be enough.


    But if it''s to weak than it will have no use for me, I wonder tough can the spirit still become stronger.''


    His eyes narrowed as he saw how the dragon spirit seemed completely obedient. He also felt something familiar coming from it.


    Alex''s mind became busy thinking about this. He started considering how it could be achieved. Most of the materials would probably only be available in this world since, in his, it would take many experiments to make sure it worked or not.


    Meanwhile, the man with the spear knocked his opponent down, with the tip pressing into the man''s flesh. Blood dripped down as the cultivator quickly gave up. Dying for the competition is just not worth it.


    He had won the quarter-final, with the last one being a semifinal fight against Zhu Zheng. If he won this, he would fight Alex.


    But no one thought he would win. Many thought he would just give up like the others. After


    Zhu Zheng''s humiliating defeat, they knew the next one wouldn''t have a good time fighting him.


    Even surviving intact would be a question. But this man had different thoughts; his confidence grew after defeating all his enemies, and he had no other choice.


    One might think he was threatened by the princess he represented, but unfortunately, that wasn''t the case; he was seduced and betrayed.


    In another area, the Zephyr young master, who had some fun with Morgana before, was now talking with another woman. But this one didn''t look any special; she wore maid clothing.


    If Alex were here, he would quickly recognize her as one of Morgana''s maids. She was there when he met her directly.


    This time, the man had a different gaze than when he was with Morgana; it was filled with more emotion.


    "Are you sure he will be able to win?"


    "I gave him the artifact you gave me, and he even strengthened it. Will that be not enough?"


    The maid asked back with fear in her gaze. She didn''t know much and only followed his orders, hoping to get a better life.


    "It should be, but I don''t think it''s enough to defeat him. We should just escape."


    The woman put her hand over her stomach, then replied, "But you said if we escaped like this, we would be hunted. That is why you made all this plan."


    "You think I want this? Honestly, I don''t even know what the real mission really is. But so far, the elder has never been wrong."


    "If he has never been wrong, then why are you so anxious?"


    "The original mission was to absorb this clan, but he wants to use it to clean the Zephyr clan of anyone who resists him. There should be no problem, but looking at that man, Alex, I don''t want to take a risk."


    The woman looked down this time, gazing intently at her own stomach, "In that case, Ewan, maybe we just should¡­"


    "NO! I have been looking to get a descendant for ages. Who knows how long it will take to look for another with your body constitution."


    What Ewan meant was the constitution of virility. He was fooling around with the maid once when waiting for Morgana, and to his surprise, he found out that she was pregnant.


    They didn''t have feelings for each other, but for Ewan, the baby was important. He had a dragon bloodline that raised his sex drive but, at the same time, lowered his fertility. His case was even worse as he had wounded two of his balls in a fight.


    He was hopeless and often mocked as he didn''t have any descendants despite his long age. He had searched for long to find a cure for this, but there was no solution, except one.


    Sometimes, a woman was born with a special body constitution of virility, allowing them to have guaranteed pregnancy no matter how long the chance was.


    This made Ewan fly to the moon, then begin taking care of the maid secretly. He raised her cultivation to the nascent soul stage with many elixirs to make sure the baby was born healthy.


    "We can just make another one then," the woman replied.


    But Ewan didn''t agree to this; he didn''t want to take any risk. "No, listen to me, we will just escape. Either you go voluntarily, or I will force you to go with me."


    "But what about this?" the woman asked back.

 Chapter 398 - 398: Arifact Pairs

    The artifact given to her by Ewan was a pair.


    One is the spear that the man used, and the other is a round plate that allows them to have control over the artifact. Based on the instructions she got, by utilizing qi in specific motions on the plate, it would lower the limitations on the spear spirit, raising its strength drastically at the cost of the user''s safety.


    Ewan took the artifact; he put some thought into it, then finally decided. Qi churned brightly in his hand as he exerted all his energy.


    CRACK! Crack! Crack! Prang!


    The artifact shattered into many pieces. He then brought the woman and escaped.


    If Alex knew this, he would realize many things and even stop it, as this would become the trigger of something big that not only threw a wrench into his plan. It even made him desperate in the end.


    In the arena, the man with the spear was now fighting Zhu Zheng.


    The spear tore through the air, shooting Qi and forming a green dragon toward him, but Zhu Zheng easily cleaved it into two.


    "Don''t think I will allow you to give up!" he screamed while laughing maniacally.


    But the man didn''t stop; he kept launching more shots, hoping to overwhelm Zhu Zheng. His mind was running wildly now, thinking of any way to find a way to win.


    His little sister''s life was on the line.


    But suddenly, his spear started vibrating in a weird way, and a draconic roar reverberated in the whole arena, pulling attention from everyone.


    Before, some were barely interested in the low-level fight, but hearing the roar that felt like a real dragon couldn''t help but make them feel interested.


    "ROOOARR!"


    The green dragon started changing color, becoming dark, and growing in size. The energy raised in intensity, giving out a malevolent presence that made everyone feel dread.


    ''This energy?'' Alex frowned.


    "Reina, Senior Moria, both of you should leave this place."


    "What do you mean?" Reina asked in confusion while Moria studied the dragon form, which was becoming more and more realistic.


    "I know this presence; it''s the one that pulled me here."


    Meanwhile, in another area of the city, Ying Xue was standing on the rooftop.


    Before, she was with Situ Chen at the restaurant, but the moment the dragon roared, she quickly came out. Her gaze looked at the area as she also recognized the energy.


    However, unlike Alex, she recognized it as having a similar feeling to the portal she guarded on the front line.


    "Situ Chen, you wait here. Call backup if things escalate outside control." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her worry was not on the dragon but more on what if a portal opened right in the middle of the arena.


    Zhu Zheng, who thought he was winning easily at first, began to turn wary. He was clashing against the dragon''s energy, but he was not winning at all.


    He started getting serious, releasing all his qi. His muscles bulged forward, and frost qi started coming out from his body, creating many ice spears in the air.


    He thought of attacking the controller to disturb the qi flow during the attack.


    Swosh!!!


    The barrage of ice spears launched through the air, but the man didn''t even move to dodge. It''s not that he didn''t want to, but right now, he had completely lost control of his body.


    The spear began melting, fusing with his hand. A weird energy was infiltrating his body and beginning to capture his soul. A vertical slit opened on his forehead, showing an eye that Alex easily recognized.


    His Qi kept rising as it started transforming into another type of energy. It leaked out from his body, creating a pillar of dark light in the sky.


    If this was Alex''s world, people would have already escaped in panic, but this time, it was all cultivators who watched. Each of them had some trump card and confidence to fight.


    The group of strong cultivators began talking among themselves, then to the patriarch of the midnight clan. They were asking to intervene, while Galen could not reject it at all.


    With a sigh, he could only accept it. He manipulated the artifacts, lowering the barrier and allowing them to pass.


    "The competition is adjourned for now; anyone who doesn''t leave is not our clan''s responsibility." His voice reverberated loudly, inciting some panic from the low-level cultivators.


    Seeing the strong make their move and the announcement made them quickly move away. But they still watched from afar, curious about what was happening.


    Ying Xue landed near the white Lotus sect. She had some talks with the group.


    Meanwhile, Zhu Zheng was now bleeding from all over his body. His hands were torn, only leaving behind bones. But he grits through the pain, as all his qi is now focused on blocking the attack.


    On the other side, his ice spears that hit the man exploded into a cascade of sharp ice spikes, but it quickly melted away like it never existed.


    The dark pillar dissipated, showing a tall figure with white eyes. Draconic horns came out from his head while his third eye looked around at the strong cultivators around him.


    The floor underneath him started turning black; it then spread out like it was alive. The cultivators suddenly frowned as they couldn''t exert any qi.


    Zhu Zheng couldn''t hold on anymore. His hand dropped as the dragon opened its jaw in front of his face. With the amount of power, he knew he would probably be dead after this.


    He had already prepared to escape with his soul when, suddenly, his body was pulled back and thrown like a rag outside the arena.


    Alex stood where he stood. He opened his palm, and it glowed with a green hue.


    BAM! With a single slapping motion, he deflected it upward.


    Looking at his hand, he chuckled, then mumbled, "Not bad."


    His eyes then focused on the arena. Ying Xue intervened. She threw something like a disc array that exploded, creating a complex formation in the sky.

 Chapter 399 - 399: Father and Daughter

    The cultivators gained control back over their qi. They then quickly jumped back, putting distance between them.


    But just as this happened, the dark domain on the ground started spreading, following them. From it, many eyes opened up; it then shot shadow spears toward them.


    BOOM!!!


    In defense, many of the cultivators used their secret techniques and domains to block, but the shadows didn''t stop there.


    They grew in size, targeting every cultivator that still stayed on the stage.


    Those below the golden core were easily pierced. Their bodies then shriveled away at high speed, leaving behind only their clothes.


    The spike that hit the strong cultivator also started to contort and grow in size.


    It began transforming into a humanoid shadow that looked exactly the same as the cultivator they faced.


    "You wretched creature," one of the cultivators yelled. He blasted out, creating a huge flame in the form of a tiger.


    The flame was colored green, giving out a weird vibe like anything that touched it would melt instead of burn. The shadow reacted by doing the exact same action, even creating a similar tiger, but the green flame color was darker.


    "Hmph! You think you can copy the secret technique I have perfected for centuries?" the cultivator replied with a gloating tone.


    His body moved, creating a motion like a tai chi master. The green flame tiger grew in size, then split into two.


    One faced the clone''s attack, while the other one leaped toward the attack.


    The cultivator expected his flame to win or at least clash on the same level, but his eyes widened as he saw the darker fire beat it by a narrow margin.


    The winning tiger leaped forward, opening its jaw to bite the cultivator. In retaliation, he took out a spear, then swiped toward it with his qi exploding green flame in a cone shape.


    BOOM! The flame exploded.


    The cultivator let out a satisfied smile as he thought he had won, but it only lasted for a moment before the crimson liquid was spat out from his mouth.


    His eyes gazed down, locked on the black spear coming out from his heart. His qi started draining quickly, followed by his skin getting shriveled.


    Alex looked at what happened with a frown. He could see not only qi but even the person''s life force being absorbed.


    His fingers glowed and started dancing in the air, creating many runes. Then, with a stomp, he sent the rune into a circular formation surrounding the arena.


    The runes started corresponding to each other, creating a spherical barrier that covered the whole arena.


    On the side, Gallen was now standing beside Reina, "You should leave now, this place is dangerous."


    "No, Sir Alex is still fighting here, and where can I leave, father? It seems this whole place will turn into a battlefield soon," Reina replied while looking at the shadow.


    The barrier Alex created turned the whole arena almost into a separate space, making others unable to see what was happening inside.


    This also made the shadow domain that the being spread get cut off effectively, ensuring he could not absorb any more cultivators. However, despite this, the shadow didn''t disappear; it kept fighting against the other cultivators.


    Qi was clashing in the sky as the battlefield started expanding. Each one tried to bring their enemy further away, as fighting near other cultivators made things more chaotic.


    They could easily get hit by random attacks or projectiles, putting their lives in danger. The clashing of domains also triggered even more chaos, as this meant they needed to exert power against each other.


    The group started getting separated, the strong ones fighting for themselves, as others started regrouping together.


    The number of people also became less now, as many used talismans to escape. Unfortunately, those that used it too late couldn''t do this, as the domain from any strong cultivator disturbed the stability of the space.


    Making teleportation something very risky.


    These people were forced to band together, but they could barely survive against the onslaught of the shadow clone. Even though the clone was only a little bit stronger than them, they were able to coordinate perfectly.


    Meanwhile, only a few of them were barely able to cooperate, increasing the number of casualties quickly. If anyone had eyes that could see souls now, they would see the sky filled with them. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many chose to stay as they already lost their bodies, hoping to learn or gain some insight watching the Titanic clash, while the rest already started leaving the area, afraid they would meet a more bitter end.


    Unfortunately, this group would be the one that met their demise, as they met with Yang Fei.


    Gallen looked at his daughter with a frown, "I don''t know what relation you have with that boy, but you being here will only make things hard for me. And if he cares about you, even as a friend, he will feel the same.


    You should leave for your academy, that place has many hidden monsters that can protect you. After this finishes, I will look for you there or send you a message using the usual method."


    Reina replied with a snort, "Since when do you care about me that much?"


    Gallen''s gaze turned complicated. He let out a sigh, "Since when have I not cared about you? I know you hate me because of your mother, but you really don''t understand the situation."


    "How could I understand if you never tell me? You keep telling me it''s not the time yet, but then when?


    Look, father, I am not a kid. You can try to forcefully make me leave this place."


    Her voice then turned cold as she continued, "But prepare for the consequences. I will fight with everything I have, and I know despite all this, I will still probably lose."


    Reina then turned her gaze away, ignoring Gallen. With a helpless sigh, he looked at Moria, silently asking for his help, but Moria could only shrug.

 Chapter 400 - 400: Byakhee

    He already knew if Reina were like this, there was no changing her mind, no matter what he did. Forcing her would just complicate matters.


    "Fine, do what you want, but take this at least." Gallen gave out a few lifesaving treasures to her, then quickly left the area.


    Usually, Reina was quite sensible, but when she felt really angry, she would get so emotional that she didn''t care about the repercussions.


    As for the shadow clone, there were none in her area now, as Gallen focused the artifact protection in her area.


    He also ended up giving the items to Reina to make sure she could escape if every other method he gave failed. With how the circumstances changed now, he needed to quickly send out the news to his wife. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uncle, please tell me you know what is happening now." Reina''s face quickly changed after her father left. Her anger dissipated, turning into confusion and worry.


    "I don''t know; if anyone has the answer, it will be your sister who sent that man or Alex. But honestly, Reina, it''s better we just leave. Staying here is too dangerous."


    "You don''t understand, Uncle; if we leave here now, my senses tell me I will never find out the truth, and probably, I will never meet Alex again."


    "You are really hung up on him. You like him?"


    "If he accepts, yes." Reina replied bluntly but continued with a sigh, "Unfortunately, I know I have no hope; he never casts a glance at me."


    "If so, then why?"


    "There is another reason. Have you forgotten what I told you before, Uncle? He is the only hope for me to rescue my mother."


    Moria frowned but didn''t say anything more.


    Meanwhile, inside the barrier, Ying Xue was knocked back, landing beside Alex. He turned his gaze to Alex, and an otherworldly voice then came out from his mouth, "So we meet again, youngling."


    "Just who are you?" Alex asked back. He could already tell now that this monster was like an avatar for the being he met before.


    "My name is #$%!@#$," his name turned blurry for Ying Xue''s ears as she couldn''t register any word of it, but for Alex, it was clear as day, ''Byakhee.''


    Byakhee then continued, "We should have met later, but it seems fate has something in store for us."


    The name was foreign to Alex, but he could tell it was not something simple. He felt that if he called his name in that exact intonation, Byakhee would hear it no matter where he was.


    ''Thankfully it''s only the avatar, I hope I should be able to fight it. Worse come to worse, I will use them.'' Alex decided in his mind. He then asked, "Why did you send me here?"


    "Oh, that? It was just an accident, but it''s an interesting opportunity, so I thought, why not."


    Alex''s lips twitched. Based on what Byakhee said, this meant he was sent here because of his whim. The realization made him feel so small and annoyed.


    Two blood wings came out from his back, followed by a green hue coming out from his body.


    "So you want to fight? Sure, come. This avatar barely holds a percent of my power, but it should be enough for the current you," Byakhee replied with a gloating tone.


    Alex''s eyes turned cold. He took a step, then suddenly appeared right in front of Byakhee, his fist turning red, coated with hardened blood.


    BANG! He punched him straight in the face. But Byakhee barely felt it. He just grinned, looking at him without moving.


    But Alex didn''t feel despair. Instead, his lips curled into a smile.


    The blood on his hand started transforming into a very thin needle, then began penetrating through his skin.


    Byakhee suddenly felt danger. He quickly took a step back, but like glue, Alex''s blood was sticking to his face. He could feel like many bugs were gnawing to enter his flesh.


    "As I expected, no matter how strong¡­" Alex mumbled.


    He was testing out a theory. The energy was basically a wave that solidified into reality when used in combat.


    The way varied depending on the technique, but in the end, since it was solid, that meant it was made from particles and atoms, and there should be a gap between them. Alex exploited this by manipulating his blood to the smallest size.


    Normally, this would be impossible. When it became too small, he would not be able to control it at all. The energy would also disperse and lose its form.


    To mitigate this, Alex used life force and runes. He didn''t control it directly but put in predetermined commands while making them move by themselves like a living creature.


    It''s like a worm; they have no sentience, but they still move and function.


    This time, Alex commanded the blood to create a rune inside Byakhee''s avatar.


    "Don''t underestimate me," Alex said with a smirk. He grasped his fist.


    The rune reacted, it burst out creating a whitish flame. If this came from outside, despite the crazy heat, Byakhee would still be able to block it, but this one came from inside.


    The heat melted his internal organs at a far faster rate than Byakhee could regenerate. He had absorbed many qi but didn''t have enough time to process it before Alex cut the connection off.


    "Hahaha¡­ Youngling, you are not bad. No wonder the chosen one adores you so much," the otherworldly voice said while his body was engulfed in white flame.


    Alex''s eyes turned cold, "Just die." He didn''t want to hear further because he felt Byakhee would just make him confused and distrust his comrades.


    He didn''t know who he meant, but he thought it was better to just kill Byakhee''s avatar as soon as possible.


    "Youngling, don''t think you''ve won with just this."


    The eyes on the forehead glinted, and a dark aura exploded from its body, extinguishing the flame and the blood that stuck on his face.

 Chapter 401 - 401: Nuclear Fission

    Alex quickly cut it off, as he could feel the energy decaying to nothingness the moment it made contact with the dark energy.


    Byakhee brandished his spear and pierced it toward Alex''s chest.


    CLANG!


    Alex took out his hammer, blocking the attack, while his ability observed Byakhee''s body. Even though it didn''t show much, he could see he was crumbling.


    He speculate the body was also not immune to the energy used before, which made the attack harm his body.


    Byakhee launched a chain of attacks, not giving Alex a chance to make any movement.


    With the distance between them, Alex was in trouble; his hammer was more effective in close quarters.


    Against a spear with further reach that moved at faster speeds, he barely managed to deflect them, only thanks to him calculating his movements a few steps ahead.


    Sparks flew in the air as the fight''s intensity rose. Ying Xue saw what happened from a distance away. She raised her sword, then with one motion, threw it through the air.


    Swoosh!!!


    Byakhee responded. Dark energy bursts out from his body, materializing into a dark snake dragon. Its tail swiped, deflecting her spear back.


    But then a dark shadow appeared, covering Byakhee, making him smirk. Alex utilized the opportunity, leaped forward, and then raised his hammer high, growing it to a size large enough to squash the dragon and Byakhee.


    As it fell, a white fire ignited, engulfing the hammer, making it like a meteor hot enough to make the surroundings shimmer with heat.


    BOOOM!!!


    "GROOOARRR!!!!" The dragon flew forward, turning itself into a shield, blocking the attack with its body.


    Sparks of energy exploded outward, creating pressure that scattered Ying Xue''s hair in the wind.


    She dashed forward, grasping her sword back. The wind that surrounded her body began to shift and move as if it had its own will.


    Her qi surged, and the wind around her body raised in intensity, becoming a deadly, sharp tornado.


    The tornado shot toward Byakhee, raising in intensity.


    Looking at this, Byakhee didn''t feel worried at all. He raised his spear, preparing to sweep the attack, but before he could do that, the tornado changed direction. It flew past the dragon before finally hitting Alex''s flame.


    SWOOOSH!!!


    The wind fueled the flame, creating a hurricane of intense heat. Seeing this, Alex was surprised. He didn''t know how Ying Xue could achieve this.


    Elements created using someone''s qi cannot fuse easily. Normally, instead of mixing, the wind would try to extinguish the flame that Alex made, but he didn''t have time to analyze this.


    Alex used the opportunity to send out his life force to raise the flame''s temperature even further.


    Byakhee raised his gaze, feeling the temperature rising, making him frown. A crack then started appearing on his face. "Seems I don''t have much time; might as well enjoy it."


    The eyes on his forehead glinted once more, dark energy surging out from his body.


    "ROOOARR!!" A multitude of dragons roared, reverberating in the air as more appeared.


    The swarm of dark dragons started biting into Alex''s hammer, not caring about the heat.


    ''Dammit!'' Alex cursed in his mind. He could see cracks starting to appear. It was only a matter of time before his embershift hammer got destroyed. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crack!


    The roar of a fox then reverberated in the area, but it could barely be heard in the middle of all this chaos. Then, the ringing sound of an explosion followed, and Alex decided to explode all the energy gathered in the hammer.


    The rune barrier he created started having cracks, and the ground made from the artifact disintegrated into a crater.


    But Alex felt this was still not enough. He took two metal containers, both with clear radioactive warnings.


    Without hesitation, he threw them forward. Crimson''s wings flapped out from his body, and he moved in front of Ying Xue. The wings grew in size, turning into a blood sphere that protected them both.


    The metallic containers melted in no time, releasing the volatile liquid inside. The moment both of them mixed, a chain reaction began.


    The atoms reached critical mass, mixing with the abundant energy in the vicinity, and an unprecedented fission began. Something that never happened before.


    Alex only theorized the result would be a massive explosion. This was not wrong, but it turned out to be something even more dangerous. The mixed qi and life force boosted the radiation and heat, practically creating a miniature white sun.


    Massive earthquakes spread all over the Midnight Clan, creating a huge fissure. The civilians who hadn''t escaped far away met gruesome horror, their skin and flesh melting away as if they had never stuck together in the first place.


    Moria quickly grasped Reina''s body, then activated his talisman, teleporting both of them 1000 miles away from the impact.


    The White Lotus Sect, Blue Lotus Sect, Morgana, and the rest also followed, but unfortunately, not everyone could act at the right time. Those that were too late, even by mere seconds, were not spared.


    KA-BOOOM!!!!


    A huge explosion detonated, taking out the whole town, followed by a huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky. A 10-mile radius from the city turned into a wasteland, the trees disappeared, and almost no living beings survived.


    Even those who survived still had to deal with the lethal poison coming from the enhanced radiation.


    The explosion dissipated, and the smoke started calming down. In the middle of the crater, only two people were left standing. Byakhee was holding on to his spear with a grin on his face, almost all his flesh destroyed, leaving behind only bone. "Not bad, youngling, but now, can you live with the repercussions?" he said with a smug grin.


    Alex''s situation was also not the best. Half of his body was only bone now, while the other half was flesh that began regenerating.


    Even with his protection, Ying Xue didn''t survive the attack. She had already used many of her trump cards to block the attack, but none survived. The impact, based on her speculation, was almost as strong as an Immortal going all out.

 Chapter 402 - 402: Resurectio Magna

    Alex''s heart turned heavy seeing the wasteland. He knew what just happened was even worse than the last incident, but it didn''t mean he didn''t learn anything.


    With what he did with Qi and his understanding of the soul, he knew there was still hope to reverse this, but to do that, he would need an abundant life force.


    "Big talk from someone who is dying," Alex replied while he started absorbing the surrounding life force to regenerate his body quickly.


    "KEKEKEKE," Byakhee just replied with laughter, then added, "One of my race members is also here now. I look forward to meeting you two; that will be interesting."


    After he said this, his body crumbled into ashes. Alex, now completely regenerated, quickly appeared in front of him.


    His palm grasped over his remaining body, "I will not make the same mistake." He said coldly.


    His crimson eyes shined, four blood wings coming out from his back, his hair fluttering in the air, as green particles from the surrounding area started flowing back to him.


    What he planned to do now was something he thought of after the last incident. Since they just died, and he had a method to recreate their bodies, what was stopping him from resurrecting them?


    The answer was none. As long as he had enough life force in the vicinity, in theory, he could revive them over and over. As for the material itself, if it was just normal civilians, Alex had more than enough saved.


    However, strong bodies like Pi didn''t have one since it required many exotic ones, each of which caused a dent in his wealth.


    As his eyes glinted, a thought surfaced in his mind. Why did he need to use the radioactive material?


    He still had many choices, from using the same method to infiltrate Byakhee''s body to just waiting for him to crumble. Alex already knew his time was limited, but then why did he still choose to do that?


    It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and then Alex realized the answer. When he focused on combat using his ability, he forgot about many other factors outside it.


    His emotions played no role in his judgment, causing him to choose the safest and surest way without caring about the repercussions.


    Alex frowned, ''Am I this heartless?''


    He let out a sigh, then focused back on his task. Both his hands danced in the air, creating many runes, materials floating out from his storage ring, followed by his blood wings growing in size.


    It grew enormous, making anyone looking from afar think a huge, very strong monster had just been born in the area.


    But Alex did this not for show. He needed it for the resurrection. Two of the crimson wings exploded, creating a rain of blood. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex''s eyes turned emotionless as he mumbled.


    "The average adult human body is made of water (35 L), carbon (20 kg), ammonia (4 L), lime (1.5 kg), phosphorus (800 g), salt (250 g), saltpeter (100 g), sulfur (80 g), fluorine (7.5 g), iron (5 g), silicon (3 g).


    The major elements include oxygen, mostly in the form of water, making up about 65% of the body''s mass; carbon, found in all organic molecules, comprising about 18%;


    hydrogen, mostly in water, making up about 10%; nitrogen, a key component of amino acids and nucleic acids, at about 3%;


    calcium, for bones and teeth, at about 1.5%; phosphorus, important for energy transfer and bones, at about 1%;


    Potassium, for cellular function, at about 0.35%; sulfur, found in some amino acids, at about 0.25%;


    sodium, for nerve function, at about 0.15%;


    As for the rest, my blood and this life force will be more than enough to cover it. 10 ml should be more than enough to make them a body that can cultivate."


    He closed his eyes, the runes then shot out to the periphery of the Midnight Clan city. They then created pivot points that connected to each other into a rune formation.


    "Resurrectio Magna," Alex said in a non-emotional tone.


    The runes started shining brightly in green and reddish hues, almost as blinding as the sun.


    The rune formation then began to rotate, spinning around like planets orbiting the sun. At first, the rotation was slow, but it soon moved faster and faster until, finally, it exploded, dispersing into green particles.


    The miniature sun also disappeared, revealing something that made everyone''s jaw drop to the ground.


    Unfortunately, only a few saw everything enough to tell the tale, but no one would believe them.


    Who would trust that a golden cultivator achieved a feat that even Immortals are not capable of? Destroying a whole city then reviving all of them in the same moment.


    Even though the proof was there, no one would believe them. The radiation in the surrounding area, the scorched ground. But in the middle of all this, the Midnight Clan was restored as if nothing had ever happened.


    The only change was that every single cultivator inside lost their cultivation, reverting them back to the foundation realm. They also lost their storage rings and artifacts, forcing them to cultivate from the beginning.


    This could be a curse for some, but for many, it could be considered a blessing since they could recultivate with better bodies and talents.


    The last memory they had was the huge explosion; as for the rest, they didn''t remember anything since Alex had already taken care of it.


    On top of the cliff, Alex sat cross-legged, his pale face expressionless as he looked at the city.


    Behind him, Ying Xue, who had just been resurrected, landed. Unlike the others, she still remembered everything clearly since her soul was cultivated with special techniques, making it far stronger than normal.


    Even against those realms above her, she was still stronger.


    She had already ordered Shitu Chen, who had just been resurrected, to maintain order in the Midnight Clan for now since the patriarch and the rest were missing.


    Based on the situation, this area would probably become a forbidden zone that both protected and sealed them from outside influence for at least a hundred years unless someone interested and powerful removed it.

 Chapter 403 - 403: Emotionless

    "Just who are you, really? That kind of feat is not something normal at all, and you seem to know that creature."


    But Alex didn''t answer her question. Instead, he asked back in an emotionless tone, "Do you blame me?"


    "Why should I? If not because of you, I would probably already be dead now," Ying Xue answered.


    Even though she hated that she needed to recultivate, she didn''t think much about it. She was already used to living on the frontline, where her family did this often.


    They died in a fight, returned back to a new body, then recultivated. This was why the clan on the frontline could survive this long without being replaced. Each time they recultivated, they became stronger than before.


    Sometimes, their souls also chose to take over almost-dead bodies in other regions, reincarnating to become stronger or just to escape the constant fighting on the frontline.


    "Even when I told you there should be a better way to do it without harming everyone?"


    "What happened, happened. As someone who grew up on the frontline, I know that there is no ''what if'' scenario. Thinking about it will just give you a heart demon."


    "A heart demon, huh..." Alex mumbled.


    Normally, he would have smirked hearing about this, as he often thought cultivators should have their own professional therapist to cure heart demons, compared to what happened in novels.


    The whole world was focused on cultivation, and a heart demon was a big hurdle that could block their genius path. It was only common sense to prepare for it.


    But now, considering his own situation, he realized he himself didn''t know he had one.


    After the city was decimated, he was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt. From childhood, his parents always taught him how precious life was, and now he had just taken so many in a moment.


    In response to that, something he never considered happened. He somehow shut off all his emotions, and now he didn''t know how to get them back.


    And what shook him the most was the thought, did he really need them to return? S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, his ability was operating in a way he never thought possible. Based on his speculation, the most likely possibility was that his brain stopped processing emotion, which freed up some space that could then be utilized by his ability.


    It achieved something that he had failed at all this time: using his ability in real-time in combat, allowing him to use it effectively.


    "You already reverted it back anyway, so there''s no need to overthink it," Ying Xue said, trying to comfort him.


    "It''s not all returned. That wasteland around the Midnight Clan is filled with radiation and strange energy from Byakhee. I don''t know what the effect will be, but it will not be simple."


    "Radioactive?"


    "Just take it as a deadly poison that can not only kill but also transform creatures impacted," Alex said emotionlessly while his brain was busy thinking about how to remove this.


    After considering many possibilities, he then mumbled, "58.3% chance for this miasma to expand into other areas, 12.4% chance for it to stay, 20.1% chance it mutates into a lifeform, 9.2% chance it dissipates on its own. Seems my choice is clear."


    Alex then stood up and jumped down from the cliff. Ying Xue, confused by his action, followed. She didn''t know what was going on inside Alex''s mind now.


    One thing for sure, she was going to follow him everywhere until the backup she called arrived. Based on what happened before, she deemed Alex a very dangerous individual.


    Even though the backup could come and look for him by themselves, if she was not there, her gut told her they would just have a conflict instead.


    Landing on the ground, her eyes quickly widened as Alex took out what could only be described as an army.


    A row of goblins, huge beasts, monsters, and many other creatures appeared kneeling on the ground, and in front of them, four people with crimson eyes looked at Alex with a deadly glare.


    They were the sovereigns that he took from Edonia. "Your glare does nothing for me. Do your mission or die," he said with an emotionless tone, spreading his progenitor aura and forcing four of them to kneel.


    Progenitor aura had a deterrent effect on their own species. Normally, with their different levels of strength, Alex would not be able to do this. But now, with his ability, he controlled the aura in a precise manner, concentrating it on a few points and amplifying the result.


    "How?" one of them asked in confusion.


    They could tell Alex was still not completely transformed into their progenitor. Strength-wise, he was also still weaker than them.


    "Don''t waste any more time," Alex ordered once more.


    This time, the four sovereigns quickly made their move. They split the army into four groups and then went in different cardinal directions.


    Ying Xue''s face quickly turned pale. "Why?"


    She was too overwhelmed by the sequence of surprises to consider how Alex did it.


    "This is the best method to take care of the miasma. There is also my promise to Reina. Where is the Zephyr Clan?" Alex asked.


    In the first place, he had already planned to conquer and unify the world with MingYue, and the miasma problem would be better taken care of if he made it a forbidden zone with constant surveillance.


    But Alex knew this would not be possible if he didn''t have complete control of the world. A cultivator would always come trying to look for natural treasure.


    Another reason for this decision was the current situation. Conflict with the Zephyr Clan, the coalition, Byakhee''s existence here, the other human from another world, and finally, Byakhee''s final words.


    Ying Xue turned silent as she didn''t know what to answer. The world would now turn upside down.


    Even with one gaze, despite her current cultivation realm, she could tell the four crimson-eyed men Alex ordered were strong.

 Chapter 404 - 404: Invasion

    Hearing no answer from her, even after a few seconds, Alex didn''t waste time and began to move in a random direction.


    He planned to just capture any cultivator in the way and then look for the information. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wait! I will show you the way," Ying Xue said. Based on the current situation, she felt this was the best choice.


    The world would quickly turn upside down, but in reality, she didn''t feel any hate for what Alex planned to do.


    Even the destruction of the Midnight Clan didn''t faze her. What Alex did now was just hasten the things that some other clans on the frontline planned to do.


    As for her, in all honesty, she hated the clans in other regions. Even if Alex''s invasion pulled many casualties, she felt that was deserved. All this time, they lived peacefully under other sacrifices.


    Even though cultivators could escape with their souls, this didn''t mean the invaders couldn''t do anything about it.


    Some of them had the capability to capture souls. There was even one that ate souls to raise their power. Throughout her lifetime, she had lost many people.


    "Show me then," Alex replied in the same emotionless tone.


    Ying Xue nodded and then walked in front of him.


    Seeing this, Alex asked, "Aren''t you afraid I will attack you from behind?"


    With the cut of his emotions, his brain started thinking about everything based on probability. If he was in Ying Xue''s shoes, this was a big thing he needed to worry about. She was the defender of this planet, while Alex just showed her he sent an army to take over it all by force.


    Even though he ordered them to do it with as few casualties as possible, as it was more effective to have live people, he still allowed the four sovereigns to kill the strongest, as they needed some kind of reward.


    The artifacts and wealth here, in their eyes, would be nothing more than trinkets or toys.


    It would be a different story if this sovereign had an interest in research or technology, but Alex chose these four specifically as they were the strongest and the ones who liked to fight the most.


    In the past, they only stayed calm because of Thalia''s existence.


    "Even if you attack from the front, there is nothing I can do. And I believe you won''t do it."


    "I see¡­"


    "Can I ask? How strong were the four people with crimson eyes?"


    She had experienced fighting against other species. Now, adding cultivation realms into their strength, she could guess their strength.


    "It''s not a secret, but they should be a bit stronger than me in physical strength. Although, if we fight now, I am sure I can win."


    Ying Xue gulped. "What do you plan to do afterward?"


    "Who knows? That is up to my partner to decide. After all, this is her planet."


    "MingYue?"


    "Yes."


    "Is she as strong as you, too?"


    "I don''t know. She raises her strength every time she fights. I am sure she is stronger now than the last time I met her, just like me. By the way, how long will it take to reach that place?"


    "If we utilize the teleportation array, it will be instant. But after that explosion and your army invasion, I am sure right now they have already shut it all down."


    Alex nodded, since he also felt this was the most likely thing to happen. "Do you have a method to create this teleportation array?"


    "I don''t. Most of them have existed since ancient times. Only a few immortals now can make this array."


    "Do you mean every city with one is an ancient city? Even the Midnight Clan didn''t feel like they existed that long."


    "The only thing we cannot remake is the main core of the array.


    This thing can be moved."


    "I see. No wonder then."


    "Don''t you want to find Reina, though? You seem close with her."


    "No need. I just need to look for her if I find her mother. But you said she was sent out before? You probably cannot answer it since you are bound by contract, but can you tell me, was this ordered by the outsider inside the Zephyr Clan? Or by those staying on the frontline?"


    "I am sorry, but I think you already know the answer."


    "I see, as expected. You say he is human. How strong is he?"


    "I don''t know. I never saw him fight."


    "Hmm¡­"


    As Alex asked for more information from Ying Xue, the whole core region was now in chaos.


    The four sovereigns had already started their invasion. With their ability to feel other life forces, they specifically started by targeting weaker cities and villages.


    They stood no chance, and all were captured easily. Afterward, the sovereigns would absorb life force from the strongest ones while leaving a few goblins to take care of the village.


    But it wasn''t as simple as coming and starting to conquer. As Alex expected, these sovereigns wished for more blood to shed if possible despite his order.


    So, they purposely sent weaker ones and acted with malice to trigger anger from the villagers to raise the casualty as much as possible.


    Morally, this was wrong, but based on Alex''s calculation, this way, ironically, would cause fewer casualties. As their cruelty spread, people would think twice more before fighting back or making demands.


    This was based on the personality of people living in this world. The weak lived under the strong''s oppression; giving up and a weak point would just make them try to fight back harder and exploit it.


    Just in an hour, many cities and sects had already fallen into their hands. Even profound enlightenment stage cultivators could not do anything against them.


    They were like toys played to death by the sovereigns.


    Meanwhile, other immortals still hadn''t made a move. The appearance of this outsider was the defender''s responsibility.


    As long as they didn''t come knocking on their door, they didn''t care. As for casualties, it was just a number for them.

 Chapter 405 - 405: The Other Immortals

    Meanwhile, other immortals still hadn''t made a move.


    They didn''t care for casualties; it was just a number for them. The chaos had also become a source of entertainment, as things had become too boring.


    Despite the constant conflict that was happening, none of them cared much; they just thought of it as nothing more than child''s play.


    What they cared about now was looking for a way to become stronger or break through to a new realm.


    Some of the immortals even hoped to go to other worlds, but most of them didn''t do this as the defenders required them to pay a heavy price for it.


    Like in papers, they would say to protect your clan and give the authority to us, while in reality, most of them would just be used for the most dangerous missions.


    Meanwhile, back in Minghao, YanYu, and XueFang, the group was now inside Da Ying City. They found themselves under the rubble of the Xueqi family ancestry grave.


    The Xueqi ancestor could only let out a heavy sigh, seeing the home he had lived in for centuries now turned into rubble.


    He returned to the ring, telling MingHao not to call him except for emergencies.


    "Are you alright now?" MingHao asked YanYu.


    They were now in a small opening, taking a break while drinking a cold soda can.


    "Ah, that''s so refreshing!" XueFang said while wiping some of the leftovers from her lips.


    "No matter how many times I try it, it always feels better."


    MingHao let out a chuckle. "You just say that because it''s sweet, XueFang."


    "Hmph, and so what? You have a problem with it?" XueFang asked back while squinting her eyes.


    "Never mind, so what should we do now? Send out the drone from here?" MingHao asked while looking around the area.


    There were some gaps around the debris, but he doubted it was enough for the drone to pass through.


    Even if they made a hole here, it was still some distance away from the ground level.


    Also, the situation above was still unknown to them.


    "MingHao, can you infuse that green energy into me? Maybe with that, I can boost my senses enough to find out the situation above or at least to find a pathway for the drone."


    "The energy is limited, and honestly, Sis told me to keep it hidden."


    YanYu let out a chuckle, "Your ancestor also told you to just use that secret art if you are sure you can kill those who see it, but you showed it in front of us all."


    "Well, that is my secret only. This one is related to my Sis."


    "It''s us. You can believe in us," YanYu added.


    XueFang, meanwhile, just waited in silence. She believed she had already proven enough with her actions.


    "Maybe we can try it? I honestly don''t even know how to do it."


    "Just try controlling it like qi; isn''t it how you used it before?"


    "Yes, but the feeling is different since when it comes out, it''s mixed with my qi, so I can only send this, not the pure energy."


    Usually, when cultivators send qi to others, it''s to help them heal faster or to train them on how to move the qi flow by giving out examples; then, they will expel it quickly.


    People''s Qi cannot just mix with other Qi except that they really try to attune it to each other.


    It''s the same reason Alex felt confused when YingXue could do it easily.


    The more complex the energy was, the harder it would be to attune it.


    "It''s fine. I have more control over qi than you, and if worse comes to worse, I will tell you to expel it."


    She then opened her palm and put it forward.


    At first, MingHao was confused, as he thought he would touch her shoulder and then send it out like how he usually did it. But based on her gesture, she wanted to hold hands.


    "Why so dazed?" XueFang asked with a smirk.


    "Nothing." MingHao flustered for a moment, then got his bearings back. He touched her soft hand and tried to focus his mind on the task.


    This was the first time he held a woman''s hand like this, so he couldn''t help but feel distracted.


    Seeing his expression made YanYu feel confused, while XueFang just smiled. ''Is it weird, I feel happy seeing his silly expression.''


    But the thought only lasted for a moment before she suddenly felt a burst of qi entering her body.


    The sensation was different; she felt like hot, searing energy was entering her, making her body feel hot.


    Her cheeks turned red as she started feeling weird. But just like MingHao, she closed her eyes, trying to focus on controlling it.


    With the many qi cores she had, multitasking was already her habit. She just now focused it all on using her own qi, guiding it to one of the cores that linked to a puppet.


    This puppet was specialized in detection; she usually used it to enter a ruin first to recon, find, and trigger any formation inside, making sure her path was safe.


    As her puppet worked more like a robot without its own soul, using MingHao''s qi was not a problem; she just used her body now as a bridge to send the energy and control the flow.


    Otherwise, if it was too much, the puppet would break, and she also needed to control the puppet to move and process the information it got.


    How this puppet saw things was different from normal people; it was easier to say it worked more like radar or sonar but more sophisticated.


    XueFang would use it to activate a mechanism that spread out waves all around, then process them back.


    As the waves were infused with qi utilizing special formations, it allowed them to penetrate almost everything, allowing her to map out the area.


    XueFang hadn''t used it before in the tunnel as they already had the Xueqi ancestor to show the way.


    S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 406 - 406: DaYing City Current Situation

    YanYu was waiting patiently on the side as both of them were busy with their own work.


    Her eyes started darting around MingHao and XueFang while her lips smiled mischievously.


    ''I wonder if it''s because of the situation or what, but XueFang seems to have some feelings for MingHao.


    Well, he does have a lot of potential, but I feel her reasoning is deeper than that. I wonder if something happened between them in the past.''


    Another minute passed by until both of them stopped the process. MingHao stopped as he got a signal from XueFang.


    "How is it?"


    "I think we can send the drone. I will move it now to check the city situation."


    "Take out your drone. I will link it to the laptop so we can see it from here," MingHao suggested.


    "How long will both of you hold hands?" YanYu asked with a mischievous tone.


    "Oh, sorry. It''s just so soft and warm. It feels very comfortable to touch," MingHao blurted out, making YanYu let out a chuckle.


    ''So cringe,'' she thought.


    XueFang, meanwhile, felt otherwise. Her cheeks turned even redder as she looked away shyly from MingHao. Her heart rate quickened.


    "What are you talking about, silly? Just go start setting it up," she ordered. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah yes¡­ okay¡­"


    This time YanYu tried her best to hold her laughter. She was sure now something was going on between them. On purpose, she decided to test it out.


    She walked closer to MingHao and tried to help him. But the distance was very close; she also often made a touch on his hand and pressed her body against his.


    "YanYu, come here. Don''t you understand more about the drone? Try to set it up," XueFang said coldly.


    YanYu nodded while she tried her best to act normally. Inside, she screamed, ''I know it!''


    XueFang''s excuse didn''t make sense. As someone who controlled puppets, she had tinkered a lot with the drone while staying at the BaiYue sect.


    If anything, her understanding of drones should be better than hers.


    "Let me see. I just need to remove the connection to your device and then add a new one from MingHao''s laptop," she said while starting to open the panel on the drone.


    She started infusing qi to interact with the formation set inside.


    This was another invention from the goblins.


    They created a formation capable of broadcasting signal waves on certain frequencies to interact with electronic devices.


    It didn''t take long for them to finish setting everything up.


    They then took a seat while XueFang started controlling the drone.


    MingHao then started realizing her face was a bit redder than usual. Feeling concerned, he asked, "Are you sick, XueFang? I see your face is red."


    He asked while putting his head on her forehead, making his cheeks turn even redder like a tomato.


    "Stop it, I am fine. Just let me focus," she said while deflecting his hand.


    ''Dammit, MingHao, can''t you do that later?'' she thought in her mind, but then quickly changed it again, ''What the hell am I even thinking? Why would I want him to do that?


    Forget it, XueFang. Let''s focus on the task at hand.''


    The screen on the laptop started changing, showing a narrow dark tunnel that ran in many directions. It kept moving silently until finally, it saw a light and then emerged from the ground.


    As the Xueqi ancestry ground was located on the outskirts of the city, they didn''t find it weird when they didn''t see anyone around.


    XueFang then activated the camouflage formation and began moving it following MingHao''s directions.


    "Go to the southeast; it will bring you to the city center."


    The camera started changing, now showing scenes of many people wearing blue robes with an ember of flame as their sect symbol.


    If MingYue were here now, she would quickly recognize them as she had met them, the Sky Ember Sect.


    In the past, they were busy looking for treasure, but now it seemed they had already found it.


    MingHao frowned, looking at their appearance.


    The white in their eyes was a bit red, while there were dark circles under them. All their skin was white while they walked around like zombies.


    "They look weird; just what happened?"


    "Hmm¡­ I don''t know, but they feel like their life has been drained from them and then replaced by something else. But this is just my observation; if only I could feel their qi."


    "Let''s try to look for other areas. Maybe we will get some clues."


    XueFang nodded and then moved the drone. What they saw started becoming more and more weird; there were no normal civilians on the road, only the members of the sect moving around.


    She tried to enter some of the houses, but more than half of them were empty. As for the others, the people inside were just sitting in a daze, as if their souls were no longer there. They were still alive, but barely.


    Moving deeper, at the city square, they saw a huge formation with cultivators and people tied to stakes.


    In the middle of it, a young man was sitting cross-legged, while a bone-chilling purplish energy was pouring into his body.


    The people on the stake were being tortured in a brutal way, to the point that their screams didn''t even make any noise anymore.


    Their bodies were completely drenched in blood, with many flesh and skin missing.


    Surrounding it, they saw three cultivators acting as the anchors, pouring qi to keep the formation alive.


    "Is this demonic cultivation? They seem to turn the people''s anguish and souls into some type of energy and pour it all into the man," YanYu asked.


    MingHao, meanwhile, focused more on the man''s appearance. Based on what he saw, the man was not there of his own will; his hands and arms were tied.


    "I think we should save him."


    "Why? I don''t think that because he is bound, he was forced to be there. Maybe it''s done because he knows the process is going to be painful, so he doesn''t escape halfway."

 Chapter 407 - 407: Some People Just Deserve to Die

    "Why? Don''t think that because he is bound, he was forced to be there.


    Maybe it''s done because he knows the process is going to be painful, so he doesn''t escape halfway."


    "Just what are they doing?" Yan Yu asked.


    "I feel this method is similar to refining a puppet. I wonder if that is their goal?"


    "A puppet? Are you sure?" MingHao asked.


    Based on what he saw, the man''s body was in the process of transforming while his power kept rising and stabilizing. He didn''t see any sign that he was becoming a puppet.


    In his mind, the flesh should have turned into something solid, and his eyes would lose life.


    "Not one hundred percent, but it''s a large change. Honestly, I think we should disturb the ritual. Who knows how strong that puppet will be?" Xue Fang replied.


    "Based on the density, the other that supplies energy is probably a golden core cultivator. Can you fight them all?"


    Xue Fang''s lips curved into a confident smile. "As long as it''s an open field, I am sure I can fight them all. Don''t underestimate my army of puppets. After all, with the strange tool I learned from the sect, their strength has been amplified many times over."


    "What about the others then? Don''t we have them standing by around here?" Yan Yu asked. She thought they could use their help to do something.


    With their capability, it would be useful to at least bait some members of the sect, lowering the number of enemies they need to face.


    "We need to break the barrier first. If we can do that, then sending a signal out is easy," MingHao suggested.


    "The moment the barrier breaks, they will be alerted. And I don''t think they are stupid enough to leave the array core unprotected," Xue Fang replied. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In that case, let''s look for it first," Yan Yu suggested.


    MingHao frowned. "How much time do we have based on your experience, Xue Fang?"


    "I don''t know, hard to say, maybe an hour, or even a day? If only we could find information about the ritual¡­"


    "The sect leader should be somewhere nearby overlooking everything. Try to go to the city hall; it''s north of the drone''s current location," MingHao pointed out.


    In the past, the most likely building used would be part of the Xueqi mansion, but after MingYue blew it all up, the next best thing would be the city hall.


    Although he was curious about how it looked now, MingHao knew they had higher priorities.


    They could not waste time on something unnecessary. While Xue Fang flew the drone, MingHao was looking at the city map. He was thinking of the best location to put the formation anchor.


    The street condition was worse than the one in the outskirt area. The rubble of houses and broken roads littered with bodies could be seen from the camera feed.


    They didn''t find this weird, as cultivators and people who could fight back usually stayed in the center. Meanwhile, those in the outskirts were normal civilians who could only surrender to their fate.


    "They don''t even bother to clean up the remains," Yan Yu commented.


    "This is good. Based on the body decomposition, it seems, they have took this city for a a while.


    Next, they probably experimented with the method on the outer disciples of the sect before going to the main one," Xue Fang commented.


    She then thought, ''The preparation and test should take some time, at a minimum of three days. This means the current ritual, at best, will only run around four days.


    Based on my knowledge of similar evil methods, we should at least have one more day or less.


    This should be enough time to learn all the necessary information. But how should we get out of this place?''


    "I think I found someplace that can be used to place the array core. It''s quite safe and secure¡­" MingHao''s voice trailed off as his eyes widened when looking back at the screen.


    Right now, the drone had already entered the city hall area and begun looking around for the sect leader, but what it found first instead was MingHao''s family. His cousin should be staying in another sect.


    The group was separated into two. Dozens of them were kneeling on the ground, while some of the women were doing something that MingHao could only describe as despicable acts toward their own family.


    His eyes quickly flickered in rage. "THAT FUCKING DAMN BULLY! I SHOULD HAVE LET SIS KILL THEM!"


    He recognized those people; they were his cousins from his sister''s generation. In the past, they tried to make a move on his sister. But as MingYue was untrusting and stronger, all their attempts failed miserably, and in a fit of anger, she almost killed all of them.


    At that time, their brother was his friend, so coaxed by them, he begged MingYue to give them mercy. If not for this, she would have already killed all of them.


    MingYu was not afraid of the family elder or patriarch at that time since she felt these people were just parasites.


    And she was not wrong. MingHao clenched his fists, his veins throbbing as his qi began to move unstably.


    "You know them?" Xue Fang asked as she put her palm over his shoulder.


    "Not only do I know them, they are the people that I saved once. Those four should be expelled from the family, but to think they came back and acted like this¡­."


    MingHao could already guess what had happened. These four intersected with the Sky Ember sect that was looking for some sacrifices. Then they shamelessly sold out DaYing City.


    As old inhabitants, they had knowledge of the city layout and array, making the siege easy to do.


    "No wonder a sect at that level went all the way here."


    "MingHao¡­ What do you plan now? It''s not like we can do anything. Let''s look for another room first; looking at this depravity will just make you feel angrier," Yan Yu suggested.

 Chapter 408 - 408: Earth Element

    Xue Fang also felt the same, so she moved the drone away, but despite this, the image was burned in his head, ''It seems some people really don''t deserve to be saved.''


    In the past, he had ideals to forgive someone and let them learn from their mistakes, but now he realizes how naive it was.


    If the victim was himself, he might be able to forgive it, but if it was others?


    There is no way MingHao could forgive them.


    "I don''t get it, though; why is your family gathered here again? Aren''t they scattered in their own sects?


    I mean, I get if someone wants to check the real situation, but there are quite a number gathered here."


    "Those trash probably baited them! That is how they have done it since they were kids."


    "Calm down first, MingHao. They will get their due punishment soon. And for your other cousins, well, they are cultivators.


    I am sure they can find a way to move forward; otherwise, they better just live peacefully somewhere else since they are not suitable to be one," Xue Fang commented.


    She had seen what happened, but in her mind, cultivation was never an easy path. It''s filled with so much cruelty and violence.


    What she saw didn''t even faze her since she had seen far worse. Although she was never on the victim''s side, she had gone out multiple times to rescue her clan people from their clutches. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingHao then looked around the area. He wanted to look for a way out without warning the others. Trying to dig up was possible, but since on top of them was debris from half-collapsed buildings, a wrong move could trigger another collapse.


    "How about if we make a tunnel from here toward the city hall?" MingHao suggested.


    Despite the drone already checking everything, including the basement of the city hall, they still failed to see the sect leader.


    If anything, the building was now more correctly called a pleasure house. They only found Sky Ember sect''s inner disciples doing the same depravity as MingHao''s cousins, only this time the victims were the rich civilians, like merchant daughters around the area.


    Many of the faces were familiar to him. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to tear them to shreds. He noted to himself, ''Some people just don''t deserve to live.''


    "So we dig to the city hall. Since they already have a basement area, this should be no problem. But how do you plan to dig it?" Xue Fang asked.


    MingHao responded by gathering qi in front of his hand. "With this, of course. I can not just shoot it but also gather it in front of my hand. Now, if I just do this¡­" MingHao''s eyes glinted as the qi started acting weirdly, and then, like a magnet, it began pulling some of the nearby debris.


    "So you are an earth element¡­ I never knew that," Yan Yu said with a deep sigh.


    He never showed his element when sparring against her or the others. This meant he was always just playing around with them.


    This made her shoulders slump, as she could not help but think that even if she tried to act like Xueqi''s ancestor wanted, she would just be a burden to him.


    "Manipulating the earth to make the tunnel. That should work. But do you have enough qi?" Xue Fang asked.


    "Don''t worry, I have enough to make a tunnel that far. Afterward, I will just take some pills and rest."


    Xue Fang squinted her eyes, "Don''t use that weird energy you got from your sister. Save it for emergencies."


    "Don''t worry, I know that."


    "That''s good. Just remember, MingHao, I am not stupid. If I detect you doing that, then we will have trouble here."


    MingHao''s lips twitched. He did plan to infuse it a bit to speed up the progress, as he didn''t want to let the victims suffer for long. But for Xue Fang, this didn''t matter.


    What was important to her was MingHao''s safety; as for the rest, they could all die tortured, and she wouldn''t even care.


    MingHao then started doing his work. He began using his qi to manipulate the earth, slowly creating a tunnel while pressing the rest into the outer area.


    Yan Yu was amazed at seeing this. "If you can do this, why not just make one directly outside?"


    "It''s not that simple. We may not be squashed down as I quickly path the area, but the building on top of us can still collapse further. Well, it was burned before, which doesn''t help either.


    Basically, it''s too fragile, and I don''t want to take the risk of pulling attention from the others."


    "I see. I still don''t get it, but since you say so," Yan Yu said with a chuckle, while Xue Fang just looked at her and shook her head.


    Her eyes looked at Yan Yu''s chest, and then she thought, ''It seems the saying is right; those with big chests usually lack brains.''


    Xue Fang was amazed by how Yan Yu''s brain worked. She understood how to use drones, computers, and phones, but when asked to do some math calculations, even simple ones, she would just fail miserably.


    It was the same for other studies that she didn''t have a shred of interest in. If it was just laziness, Xue Fang would still understand.


    But she still remembered how Yan Yu spent two days learning basic calculations despite being a cultivator and having her teach them.


    Meanwhile, MingHao focused on his task. He needed to make sure there were no changes detected outside, so he made it only enough for them to pass through.


    Halfway through, sweat started coming out from his forehead, and his breath began to run heavy.


    "Maybe we should rest first," Xue Fang said.


    But MingHao shook his head. "Don''t worry, I can still go on. We''re already halfway there."


    "You still need to maintain your stamina, MingHao. Otherwise, how will you punish those bastards?"

 Chapter 409 - 409: YunYun

    MingHao was silent for a moment, then said, "Alright, let''s take a break for a minute."


    Yan Yu, watching this, was surprised. Now, she was sure MingHao also had some feelings. Based on her understanding of his personality, there was no way he would give up like this.


    If she was the one to tell him, she was sure MingHao would reject it, saying they needed to reach there faster.


    MingHao closed his eyes and then sat cross-legged. They spent five minutes in silence before continuing to dig the tunnel.


    Time passed, and finally, they could see a light coming out from the crack. MingHao smiled, "Finally, I never thought the task would be this tiring."


    "You should have taken a longer break," Xue Fang commented.


    "I already took enough. Anyway, based on the drone view, there is no one here. I wonder why they didn''t put any guards."


    "They are complacent. With the formation barrier, they never thought anyone would come and infiltrate this city."


    "At the very least, they should still put some guards here," MingHao insisted.


    "I think they have, but well, the sect members are busy, as we saw in the video feed," YanYu said while looking around the basement.


    She could still see some gold and jewelry scattered around. The cultivators had no interest in it, so it was left untouched.


    Some of the areas were empty; based on their appearance, they were probably filled with pills or items related to cultivation techniques.


    YanYu could see some traces of qi in the area, something that usually existed after an item with qi stayed in one place for a long time.


    She then remembered a rumor she had heard before, where an object turned sentient because it was subjected to a high concentration of qi for a long period of time.


    Her random thought was then disturbed as walking sounds reached her ears.


    The group looked at each other and then quickly jumped to the ceiling. YanYu used her weapon to hold herself up while MingHao and Xue Fang grasped into the ceiling. Their fingers dug through the concrete, holding them up.


    They then utilized their qi, activating a formation in their suits, one that made them invisible from sight. As for qi, they just suppressed it as much as they could.


    It was not like they had planned to hide for long; they just wanted to check the situation and find out who had entered.


    Creak!


    The door opened. A shirtless man with a scar on his eye was pulling a woman by the hair. Her robe was shredded, barely hiding her beautiful body.


    MingHao''s veins throbbed, and his anger flared back. He dropped down from the ceiling, smashing the man''s head to the floor.


    BAM!


    The man''s eyes quickly turned lifeless as his forehead dented like a pancake, and his skull cracked. MingHao''s anger quickly switched to a frown, as he did not plan to kill him.


    The man had a cultivation realm similar to his own based on what he sensed. He never thought a smash exerting all his qi would end up with his death so easily.


    His confusion did not last long as the woman looked up at her savior. "MingHao, is that you?" she asked with a hoarse voice.


    "YunYun¡­" MingHao mumbled, looking at his cousin with sad eyes. He did not see her in the recording, so he thought she was safe. Looking at the wounds on her body, he knew she had endured a lot.


    Her cultivation was sealed, with many bruises and cut marks.


    Looking at them, Xue Fang threw a robe and pill toward Yun Yun.


    "Wear this first before we talk. No need to show off your body like that."


    YunYun''s cheeks turned red. She quickly took the pill; the wounds on her body quickly healed, and she could feel her strength returning.


    Her body was poisoned, preventing her from exerting any qi, and somehow, with a glance, the woman who came with her cousin gave her the antidote. This made her respect Xue Fang and feel thankful.


    "No need to look at me like that. Just wear your robe!" she then turned her gaze to MingHao. "And you, look the other way!"


    MingHao scratched his head and looked at the other side. Despite wanting to see, he knew this was the time to retreat; otherwise, he would just be branded as a pervert.


    ''Based on movies I watched, it''s better to act dense,'' he thought, then began walking toward the door, closing it.


    With her body healed, YunYun did not take long to change into a new robe. She also felt relieved, getting her qi back. She sighed, then with a respectful gesture, "Thank you, MingHao, and you all for helping me."


    "Why are you here?" MingHao asked, turning his head toward her.


    YunYun''s eyes quickly flickered with anger, while disgust was clear on her face.


    "Those bastards! They tricked us! I got news that there would be a gathering for our family to talk about the future.


    That is why I was here, but to think at the meeting, they instead drugged us."


    She clenched her fist as she remembered the humiliation she had faced all this time. Either blessing or curse, the one that took her was a sadist who liked to torture jade beauties.


    Based on the story, the man blabbered; in the past, he was forcing someone to entertain him, ending up having his ding dong cut off. After that, he turned into a sadist who liked to torture.


    In the man''s deranged mind, "If I cannot have it, others cannot, too." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing her answer confused MingHao, "You are one of the most careful ones in our family, how could you trust those four who were expelled by our family?"


    "You think it''s them? As you said, I will not believe them! The one that told us to gather here is Elder Sakoi."


    "What!? Is he still alive?" MingHao asked.


    Based on his knowledge, Elder Sakoi always followed their Patriarch everywhere, so he thought the elder was killed after hearing his demise from MingYue.

 Chapter 410 - 410: Secret Realm Seal

    In reality, he was one of the elders tasked to inform the news to other sects, but in the middle of the way, he encountered something that resulted in the current situation.


    "It''s hard to say, but basically, somehow, he is now inside the Sky Ember sect leader."


    "A possession? How? I remember the elder is not that strong. The sect leader should be at least in the golden core realm."


    "I just saw him for a moment and made a conclusion based on things I heard when I was here."


    "So you are not sure about it?" Xue Fang asked.


    "No, I am sure. One of the sect elders mentioned the decision to look for those four scum came from him.


    Otherwise, how do you think they met? By coincidence?


    Last I heard those four were living as local tyrants in some village. There is no way they would dare to take such a risk. You know how depraved they were."


    "Hear that, MingHao? It''s not your fault," Xue Fang said. She did not know the details, but based on his expression, she could already guess he blamed himself for the situation.


    MingHao frowned. He was sure he never told her about that, so he did not know how to respond. Instead, he asked further, "Where is Elder Sakoi then? I have been trying to look for him around the city, but there are no traces of him at all."


    "Last I saw him, he was walking around this building, seemingly looking for something. Do you think there is treasure hidden here?"


    ''Ancestor! Do you know any other hidden treasure in the city?'' MingHao asked through his mind.


    ''No, when our family came here, this area was just another village with fertile land. I don''t think anything is hidden here.''


    MingHao then asked YunYun back, "Are you sure? Do you have more information?"


    YunYun then began explaining what happened. When she was tortured, her mind did not stay idle; she tried hard to focus on the voices around the area.


    Even without qi, her hearing was quite sharp. Based on their talks, Elder Sakoi was looking for a specific area in the city. It was a normal plain rock, but one carved with a specific symbol.


    ''A rock? With a specific symbol? But there are so many places like that in the city¡­.'' MingHao thought.


    "How about the ritual they do outside? Do you know what that is?" Xue Fang asked.


    "I heard them say it''s a sacrifice prepared to unlock a seal."


    "Seal? What kind?"


    Yun Yun shook her head, "I thought this was related to the treasure they were looking for. You know it''s normal for a strong cultivator to seal their wealth in a random area using a random thing as the key, just to make it hard for others to find."


    "Those stupid old bastards, that is just too greedy. Even in death, they don''t want to share their resources," Xue Fang said with annoyance.


    She had met a cultivator like this before, in the past, as she hunted down material to perfect her puppet technique.


    Since the cultivator didn''t put any clues, it made her spend a lot of effort to find it. In total, she spent 50 years.


    "A secret realm? Here?" MingHao mumbled in disbelief. Somehow, he felt if it was just a simple secret realm, his sister should have found it when coming to this city last time.


    She just had too many methods to fail to find a place like this. And in no way would MingYue skip a place that is filled with treasure.


    At the very least, she would have told him something about it.


    "Ancient ritual, sacrifice, break seal¡­" Xue Fang mumbled as she started remembering something from the old tome of her clan. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you have some idea, Xue Fang?"


    MingHao asked.


    "I forgot, but I have read something similar to this situation in the past. If I am right, whatever is sealed inside here is not treasure but something more sinister."


    "A demonic cultivator?" YanYu asked. She had heard many of them were sealed in the past, as it was too annoying trying to kill them.


    Their bodies just kept regenerating non-stop, making the only option to extinguish their soul one that could only be achieved by special means or inner world battle.


    "I am not sure, but probably something even more dangerous than that. Just see the scale of the ritual they are doing now."


    "I get it," MingHao suddenly said. "To unlock the seal, they probably need to sacrifice a cultivator at a high realm. That is why they are doing this now, forcefully raising his cultivation, then planning to kill him afterward."


    Xue Fang tried to remember the scene she had seen, the formation array, and the people taking guard and fueling it. "Maybe that is true. So what is your goal now?


    I don''t want to waste time, considering the situation, MingHao. If you want to rescue your family, you can stay here. I will go to attack their ritual ground."


    "That is too dangerous, Xue Fang. I know you are capable, but considering the situation, we don''t know how strong Elder Sakoi is now, or who knows if they have more strong people hidden."


    Feeling his concern, Xue Fang smiled, "Don''t worry; at the very least, I could escape. You should finish your mission quickly, then you can come to help me."


    There are a few reasons Xue Fang decided to separate, but mostly because she didn''t want MingHao to fall into danger because he couldn''t concentrate when fighting, thinking about his cousin.


    "Let''s just go together, Xue Fang. It''s not like it will take long to rescue them all. Or, at the very least, I will go with you," YanYu suggested.


    "No, you will just become a burden if you join me alone. Can you fight against a golden core cultivator?" Xue Fang asked.


    YanYu froze and couldn''t answer. Xue Fang''s blunt remark made her clench her fist. Her determination to become stronger grew even further. ''I swear I will focus on cultivation when I return.''

 Chapter 411 - 411: Hostage

    "In that case, take care of yourself, Xue Fang. We will go to you as fast as possible."


    Xue Fang nodded, "Just be careful. We have checked every nook in this building, and there are no traps, but who knows what those sect members are capable of now?"


    "Seeing what happened to this one, I don''t think we have much of a problem," YanYu said with a smile.


    The group then separated. Xue Fang made her way out, not directly going to attack the ritual place. Instead, she moved toward the location where the array core should be. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She took out her puppets and made them separate all over the place.


    To make sure no one found out, she went to each area before sending the puppet out, then moved them as she also moved to another place.


    Her brain now multi-processed more than 25 puppets going in separate directions.


    This was possible now because of how she learned programming from Alex''s world. It was like inputting sequences of commands with many ''what if'' situations, allowing them to move almost independently.


    While she only need to make sure everything run smoothly.


    Otherwise, no matter how used she was, maintaining 25 parallel minds would have made her brain crash.


    Alex had tried to achieve something like this and failed multiple times. Only now that he had lost his emotions did he have the capability to do something like this.


    While she did this, MingHao also began to make his move. Inside the mansion, the wall and ground were cracked.


    Yang Yu was standing on his side with a sword pointed forward, while YunYun was holding two daggers that were linked with a chain.


    "DIE!" She screamed coldly as she threw them like a boomerang. The chains of the knife spun in the air, turning into a deadly whirlwind toward her target.


    A shameless cultivator was now using one of her cousins as a shield.


    MingHao''s eyes, meanwhile, were red with anger. A few moments ago, they had entered the room where he knew his family was kept.


    He wanted to take care of them first and then make those he helped rescue the others.


    But things didn''t turn out as he expected. The moment he entered, MingHao directly punched one of the four, his fist boosted with life force, allowing his punch to smash through the man''s heart.


    Crimson blood spurted out, but MingHao didn''t stop there. Asking for help from Xueqi''s Ancestor, he captured the cultivator''s soul.


    Just like him, Xueqi Ancestor was also fuming in anger; it was his descendants who were being degraded and tortured.


    With the danger he posed, MingHao expected they would all gather together to attack him. That was what they usually did in the past.


    Ganging up on someone, thinking they had an advantage in numbers. Unfortunately, they had grown and learned since being exiled from the family.


    What they did now was take their captive and use their body as a human shield.


    "All of you are hopeless!" MingHao angrily said.


    Meanwhile, YunYun''s knife hit its target, spinning accurately, making the chain envelop the hostage''s body while the sharp edge stabbed the perpetrator right in the neck.


    The man groaned in pain as part of his skin turned black. "ARRGGHH!!! Bitch, you used poison!"


    He used both hands to hold his neck as the pain was unbearable. It felt like all the blood in his body was boiling.


    "How does it feel to be on the receiving end? Don''t worry, mine is better than the one you gave to me. With your current cultivation level, it will kill you instantly," YunYun said with spite.


    She purposely used the strongest poison she had. YunYun kept it hidden in a small storage space on her robe. This was done in case of an emergency if she somehow lost her storage ring, as very rarely would a cultivator do something like this.


    Rather than putting a storage space on a robe, they would prefer using it to add more defensive formations to raise their survivability in a fight.


    Seeing the fate of his two comrades, one of the men spoke up, "Any of you make a move, even a single qi fluctuation, and we will kill all the hostages."


    YunYun and YanYu frowned, while MingHao asked back, "What do you want?"


    He was now holding a knife, putting it on the neck of the woman in his grasp. "Seal your qi, then we can talk." He said while his eyes lasciviously looked at YanYu, making her body shiver.


    "Hahaha, some people are really beyond redemption." MingHao''s eyes then glinted with killing intent.


    His qi exploded outward, and he moved so fast, like a blur, appearing behind the man. His hand grasped over his neck from behind.


    Meanwhile, the other one, seeing this, decided to fulfill their threat. He broke the neck of the cultivator in his captive, effectively killing her, then threw the body toward YanYu and YunYun.


    "WE HAVE AN INTRUDER!" He screamed out loud, using his qi, while he utilized his secret technique to escape.


    YanYu quickly reacted. She leaped forward, following the man.


    "YunYun, follow YanYu, help her," MingHao said coldly. Right now, in the room, there were only his helpless cousin and nephew, with the only threat being choked by him.


    YunYun nodded, agreeing this was the best choice.


    "Release me!" The man screamed while trying his best to get out of his grasp.


    He tried to utilize his qi, but each time it wanted to form, it always failed. He didn''t know why, but he suspected it was related to MingHao''s grip on his neck.


    He could feel searing, hot pain coming from it.


    What happened was similar to what Alex did using qi to infiltrate the enemy''s body.


    The only difference was the scale. While Alex did this to cut things at a cellular level, MingHao was just injecting his qi into his opponent''s body.


    It was something that every cultivator could do; the only difference was that MingHao had practiced Xueqi family secret techniques.


    This allowed him to change the nature of the qi he sent as an attack.

 Chapter 412 - 412: Assault Riffle

    Just like when he shot a blast at someone, this qi moved to target the enemy''s qi vein. He learned this recently after realizing what he had done to kill YunYun''s captor.


    At that time, without realizing it, when he hit the man in the head, he sent his qi inside, making it explode.


    This time, he controlled it, making sure it wouldn''t kill him. MingHao then bashed the man toward the concrete multiple times, using him like a mace.


    BANG! BANG! Each time, the ground cracked, and the man could feel all his bones breaking apart.


    He then threw him in the air, then hit him right in the dantian. MingHao''s punch directly cracked his qi core, then sent him flying into the wall.


    He then threw the antidote he got from Xue Fang toward his cousin, "Punish him as you like; just remember, I will get his soul."


    "Thank you, MingHao." They said in unison while their eyes quickly turned to hatred. All the humiliation and pain they faced, it was time for them to return it.


    MingHao then took a seat in the corner while he looked at what their cousin did.


    ''Why are you wasting time watching them?'' Xueqi''s ancestor asked in his mind.


    ''I am waiting for the soul to come out. As for YunYun and YanYu, I am sure they will be alright.''


    ''What do you plan with his soul? We still have the other one.''


    ''After we return, I will learn more about formation and ancestors. I think some people are beyond redemption.


    But killing them outright also seems a waste. I remember learning the concept of hell and heaven from the story that sis brought.''


    ''You want to create a separate space for this soul? Then torture them like in hell?''


    ''Yes, then broadcast it all over, making sure everyone sees with their own eyes what happens if they act like them.''


    ''Hah, you think that could work? Maybe at the beginning, but do you think everyone fears pain?''


    ''Even if it deters only some people, that will be good enough. At least it reduces some of them.''


    ''How could you even make one? Formation alone is not enough to make this. You need an understanding of the soul and what to do with them. Don''t tell me you''re just going to torture them for eternity.''


    ''Maybe some, well, let me think about it later. It''s just some vague idea. I will discuss it with sis.


    Just keep the soul for now; they can be your playmates inside the ring.'' S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ancestor snorted at his remark, ''Who do you think I am? Right now, I just knocked their souls to sleep, to not disturb me.


    But since you say something about hell, maybe I should really make them taste one now.''


    ''Alright, go on then.'' MingHao replied with a chuckle.


    Hearing this, the ancestor didn''t respond back, he just felt relieved that MingHao was not consumed by hatred. It''s not that hatred was bad, but for people like him, Xueqi ancestor felt it would become a heart demon.


    For MingYue, hatred would just make her stronger, but MingHao was too idealistic, and it could make him overthink everything.


    Screams of pain reverberated in the room, but it was nothing compared to what happened outside.


    YanYu finally caught up with her target, but because of the scream, many other cultivators, including Skye Ember Sect members, came out.


    This made her decide to go all out, she could not let them come out and report this to their elder. It would throw a wrench into Xue Fang''s plan and, in the worst case, even endanger her life.


    With that thought, her sword danced like the wind, trying to butcher them into meat paste.


    Some were murdered, while others survived her onslaught, parrying the attacks.


    Each of them took out their weapons and then attacked her from all directions.


    YunYun arrived from the back, ambushing a few of them. As for YanYu, she decided to take another approach. She put her weapon back into her storage ring and took out an assault rifle.


    She could have used this from the start, but her ammo was limited in number. Making one that could kill a cultivator at her level was not cheap.


    BANG! BANG! BANG! BRRTT!!!


    Many bullets rained down on them, creating holes in their bodies and almost killing them instantly.


    Seeing the result, YanYu smiled, thinking, ''If only we had bullets that could kill golden core cultivators, things would be far easier.''


    YunYun''s mouth gaped open, and her eyes widened. "What is that weapon?"


    "It''s a weapon of my sect, well, to be exact, the sect that MingHao''s sister created."


    "Sister MingYue? She created her own sect?" YunYun asked in confusion. The last time she knew, she was reported as dead.


    And now, somehow, not only was she alive, but she also had her own sect?


    This made her wonder if she had the capability to build one, why not rebuild the Xueqi family. Based on her understanding, she was loyal and also the hope of the elders.


    ''Did I miss something? As I thought, the family''s destruction is not normal. It should have something to do with why sis MingYue made her own sect.''


    With that thought, YunYun decided to follow MingHao and return to the BaiYue sect later. She needed to find out the truth.


    With the gun in her hand, the fight turned into a one-sided massacre. YanYu kept marveling every time she saw the result.


    At the same time, a sense of dread started surfacing, ''I am glad this weapon can only be used by cultivators for now, but if one day everyone could use this¡­.''


    If what she thought happened, in her opinion, it would make cultivators extinct.


    Who would bother cultivating, spending tons of resources and time, when they could just kill them in one shot?


    The only reason anyone would do that would be to prolong their life, but considering what she learned so far, even this could be remedied with technology.

 Chapter 413 - 413: Xue Fangs Ambush

    Who knows, even the whole cultivation system could be transformed, making it accessible for everyone in BaiYue sect.


    As the place was cleaned up, Xue Fang finally finished her preparations.


    At the ritual spot, one of the golden core elders'' faces turned into a frown. Despite the people there acting leisurely, they still did routine reports to make sure everything was alright.


    He tried to contact them and started thinking something was amiss.


    "You, go and check the city lord''s mansion, make sure everything is alright."


    The sect member was standing in a daze as there was nothing he needed to do there, but hearing the elder''s words, he quickly turned alert, "Yes, elder."


    He didn''t even ask questions and left. But this weirdness didn''t pass the other elders.


    "What is wrong?"


    "Yeah, why would you need to check that place?"


    "It''s been a while since their last report, so I just need to make sure."


    "The barrier is fine. I doubt anyone can give us trouble. This only means they are too busy acting like animals."


    "Just whose idea was it to let them do as they pleased?"


    The other elder who sat cross-legged at the ritual nodded. "They better cultivate or donate their qi to fasten the progress."


    "Shh¡­ did you forget this is the secret leader''s order? He said the quality of qi matters to ensure the result."


    One of the elders then looked around, making sure the sect leader was nowhere close. "Did you all believe him? I know he showed us some proof, like the disciple''s transformation and his current strength, but his personality now.


    How could I say it¡­ Well, it''s like someone took over his body."


    "But we did some tests on him. His soul has proven to be real."


    "Still, how accurate is that artifact?"


    "Our sect has used it for years. It''s been proven accurate."


    "Look, I am a formation master, and I will tell you that artifacts are one hundred percent accurate. Even now, I still don''t know how it works."


    "What do you mean? The artifact is really easy; someone touches it, and it records their soul. The next time they touch it, the color of the artifact will change if the person has a different soul."


    The formation elder frowned, "Truly talking with an idiot like you is a waste of time."


    "What are you saying!?" The elder retorted back in anger.


    "Enough about that, we are going off topic, my point was how dangerous what we are doing now is? And where is he? I cannot even detect his qi now."


    "Sect master should return when the preparation is almost done. It will probably be in a few hours."


    "But it''s truly a pity." One of the elders said while looking at the man they were going to sacrifice, "He is one of our geniuses. I am sure he could become stronger than us if he kept cultivating."


    "Have you grown senile?" The other elder retorted, "Did you forget we all have agreed to this?"


    "You are right¡­" The elder replied with a sigh.


    "Stop questioning yourself; everyone has already agreed.


    Who can blame us anyway?


    We already reached the peak of our potential and now are just waiting for our death. Who will reject when we get an opportunity to live longer and become stronger?


    Everyone nodded at this, the thing that the sect master offered was just too good to be true, but he had proven it.


    Despite the sect master''s limited potential, he had broken through to another realm. Not only that, but he also had many secret techniques that utilized soul and negative emotion.


    At first, they thought their sect elder had gone crazy and become a demonic cultivator, but after understanding how it worked, they felt it was hard to say it was demonic cultivation.


    It used the soul, but what was refined was just the soul''s emotion. Basically, the new cultivation method their sect master used now depended solely on negative emotion, something they had never heard of before.


    Even the evil sects they knew had no capability to do this.


    As they continued talking, suddenly a loud voice pulled their attention. "ELDER! Something is wrong!"


    The disciple they sent just returned, he didn''t even enter the city hall. When he got close, he could smell blood, an intense amount of it.


    If it was just this, he wouldn''t feel any suspicion, considering what was happening inside. But he saw some of the building walls were cracked.


    This prompted him to quickly escape. But before the elders could react or ask further. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BOOM!!!


    A huge explosion shook the land, taking everyone''s attention. At the center of the ritual, the place where their sacrifice was being refined, as smoke was billowing out.


    "NO!" One of the elders screamed in panic, he slapped his hand in the air creating enough wind to scatter the smoke.


    Their sacrifice then revealed itself surrounded by a cracked transparent qi barrier.


    "That gave me a fright, thankfully we prepared a barrier just in case." The formation elder said.


    Meanwhile, the other elders looked around the area; they stopped fueling the ritual formation and instead, spread their qi around, letting their pressure.


    "WHO is it!? COME out!"


    But no one replied to them, instead what answered were a few swooshing sounds, followed by multiple explosions.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    This time the target changed, it attacked the location of the elders, making them dodge, while some used their secret techniques to block.


    The result was disastrous for the Sky Ember sect.


    The elders may be able to defend themselves, but this comes at the cost of the ritual formation. Part of it was destroyed, and many disciples were killed in the process.


    Their souls flew, trying to escape, but instead, they got absorbed by the ritual formation.


    ''So this is what that part is for, to think a formation that can fix itself is really possible.'' The formation of elder thought.

 Chapter 414 - 414: Ghoul

    The smoke dispersed, leaving behind many craters in the ground and littered body pieces. Surrounding them were four figures in hoods with weird metallic pipes on their shoulders.


    Xue Fang ordered her puppet to show up since she already could not hide them. The first shot was a surprise, but the second wave was not, some of the golden core cultivators already pinpointed their location. Making it better for her to take the initiative.


    But this didn''t mean she would show up. Xue Fang preferred to be a puppeteer who controlled everything from the shadows.


    The elders tried to communicate, but the four puppets didn''t respond; instead, they threw the pipes toward their location. This made them quickly exert their qi to dodge.


    They didn''t know what item that was. They could not even feel any qi coming from it. But that is what made them think it was dangerous.


    How could a normal metal pipe create such an explosion?


    In reality, Xue Fang only used the modified rocket on the first attack, and she used normal ones for the second wave. This is why they could not feel anything from the bazooka.


    CLANG! CLANG!


    The bazooka crashed into the ground, and the four puppets utilized this moment. As the elders all escaped, the spot was completely empty.


    The four puppets took out a sphere from their hoods, then threw it into the spot. Another wave of explosions followed but this time it was like the first one, the ground shook and cracked.


    The grenades they used were modified to utilize qi and formations, enhancing their damage to a new level.


    The elders were caught off guard. The ritual formation this time could not survive the onslaught.


    "ARRRGH!!!" A guttural scream then reverberated in the air as the man they tried to refine broke free.


    Without the formation array, nothing was holding him down nor blocking his scream out. The elders could only hear it now, but each of them knew he was screaming all the time.


    The pain of having your soul and body refined is not something that any sane person can withstand. At this point, the disciple''s mind had already broken, leaving behind instincts fueled by negative emotions.


    His hatred being betrayed by his own sect, his own master. Those that he thought were his family, even his own lover, all became sources of his anger.


    His skin was now as white as snow with all his veins protruding out colored in dark. His hand turned into something like a beast''s claw, where all the nails grew long and sharp.


    The man''s eyes lost their white completely colored in darkness, it was like an empty void that wanted to eat the world whole.


    His qi exploded out, making the four elders'' faces quickly turn into panic. Mystic Integration Realm Late stage. It was not something they could face even if the target was brainless, and could not use any secret techniques.


    "GRAAA!!!" The man screamed and then moved like a blur, starting his massacre. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xue Fang saw everything that was happening, she didn''t plan to help the elders. In her mind, it was better to observe now and study how he moved, if he could kill all the elders it would be better for her since she would need to face fewer enemies.


    Even though he was two realms ahead of her now, she didn''t feel afraid. Xue Fang still believed she could kill him.


    ''He looks like a ghoul that I watched in some of those cartoons, but it''s quite different as he doesn''t have any of that red tail thingy.


    Hmm¡­ maybe more correct if I just treat him like a spirit beast.''


    The reason Xue Fang thought this is because the ghoul attacked and moved like one. Despite standing on its two legs, its movements consisted only of leaping, biting, slashing, from a distance he would use his bone turning it into something like a chain then pulling the elder close to him.


    He would then tear the elder apart, eating it if they didn''t have any protection barrier.


    The way the ghoul fought was brutal; he would take out the bone on his hand or body and then somehow transform it into a weapon based on his needs.


    His body was sliced open, but he moved like he didn''t feel any pain.


    ''How could I kill this creature? Where is the core?'' Xue Fang thought.


    It''s clear slashing the ghoul''s body won''t work, and she also needs to calculate how many puppets she needs to sacrifice.


    Otherwise, there was no way she could hold the ghoul down and launch an attack.


    The ghoul roared once more, right now only two elders were left standing in the battleground, one was the formation elder, while the other was the one questioning their sect elder.


    "I don''t know who you are, but don''t you see how strong this creature is? I have this formation jade slip. If you help us, I will give it to you."


    Xue Fang moved her qi then used one of the puppets to respond in a genderless voice, "Give me the jade slip first, otherwise we will have no deal."


    The formation elder hesitated, as this was the only item he had to negotiate, but the other elder was desperate, he had already lost one of his hands, while trying his best to run away from the ghoul''s attack.


    "Just give it to her! Do you have a better idea?"


    "Fine!" The formation elder replied as he threw it to the puppet.


    Xue Fang quickly read the information inside, she marveled at the intricacy of the array, how it worked and moved, some of it even gave her an idea to make her puppet even stronger.


    But this one was quite cruel and could even be called an evil method.


    She would need to capture someone, torture them till they were dyed with dark emotion, and then refine their soul into the puppet.

 Chapter 415 - 415: Danger

    The result would be a killing machine that only knew to fight till their enemy died.


    ''Thankfully, I don''t need to use this now; even though they are stronger than my current method, what I use is far more versatile.


    And who knows what Ming Hao would think if he knew I used such an evil method for my puppet? Will he hate me?


    What am I even thinking? Now is not the time for this.''


    Xue Fang shook the weird thoughts out of her mind and then focused back on the battlefield.


    "Do you still have the material to make another one?"


    "We have a spare, but it''s on his storage ring," the formation elder pointed at one of his comrades.


    The body was located close to the ghoul that was now pursuing the other elder. His face was pale, etched with panic and fear.


    He didn''t want to die. Not now, when he had just found a way to become stronger. He had tried to contact the sect elder, but there was no reply.


    His only hope was the strange enemy that had attacked them out of nowhere.


    "Please do something quickly, I can''t hold out for long."


    Swosh! The ghoul''s sharp claw passed through empty air as the elder ducked to dodge the attack.


    With a ragged breath, he activated a talisman that teleported him a distance away, giving him some chance to breathe. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had one to run far away, but the elder didn''t even try using it as he knew the formation locking the city down would stop it.


    Xue Fang hadn''t ordered them to make a move yet, as she thought right now it was useful for them, to make sure no one escaped. With their current enemy, different from Ynayu, she felt they would provide no help at all.


    The elder then pointed his palm forward, and his qi churned as he shot out a blue fire in the form of a dragon. The blue fire was their sect''s signature.


    It had intense heat and unique properties that allowed them to easily mold it into other attacks or infuse it into weapons.


    The blue dragon shot out like a projectile, meeting up with the ghoul. The heat burned its skin, but the ghoul didn''t feel anything. With a guttural growl, it started clawing in succession, trying to rip it apart.


    Dark qi covered its hand, giving it unique properties that somehow allowed the ghoul to attack the dragon as if it were a real living being.


    Seeing this fight, Xue Fang shook her head, ''No matter how strong, he still fights like a beast. Maybe I should try to trap him instead, rather than using the formation to seal him.''


    Her finger then danced in the air, sending commands to her puppet. Two of them moved forward as they took out a sword and shield.


    The formation elder looked at them with curiosity. The sword was a normal weapon, but the metallic object in the puppet''s hand was something new for him.


    He knew it was a shield, something that civilians often used in their conflicts. But for cultivators, he had never seen anyone use one.


    The puppet with the shield dashed toward the ghoul. At high speed, with a loud bang, it tackled him away, crashing into a nearby house. The bleeding elder used the time to quickly gulp multiple pills.


    His qi was nearly depleted, blood kept dripping from the stump, and his life-saving talisman was all used. He really almost died now.


    The second puppet began its move, walking toward the corpse to pick the formation material. At the same time, Xue Fang also started ordering other puppets to move, gathering the storage rings of the others.


    The formation elder could only shake his head, as there was nothing he could do. He walked toward his comrade to help him recover faster.


    Meanwhile, the ghoul started fighting back. With unnatural movements, it climbed the shield and then pierced its nails into the puppet.


    With its sharpness, it was like putting a needle through butter.


    Xue Fang''s face quickly changed the moment this happened. She could feel it. In that instant, the dark energy of the ghoul corrupted the puppet; it even moved and tracked her location.


    ''This energy is not like qi,'' she commented as she ran out of her hiding, trying to move to a new place.


    The energy she felt was like a million ants moving; it gave her a creepy feeling like they were alive. But unfortunately, she was too late.


    After she cut the connection, the puppet moved by itself, losing its combat effectiveness. Normally Xue Fang would make it go back down and tackle back while making sure to avoid all attacks from the ghoul. But without her control, the last set-up command was attacking every enemy in the vicinity.


    The ghoul''s hand easily pierced through the puppet''s head. It then started biting and tearing it into shreds. Within seconds, the puppet was turned into scraps.


    Its eyes then locked toward Xue Fang''s direction. Like a leopard pouncing on its prey, the ghoul shot through like a bullet, destroying everything blocking its path.


    Five puppets quickly appeared beside Xue Fang. She could sense the ghoul was coming in her direction. The five were holding huge towering shields; they raised them forward, creating a barricade preparing to block its attack.


    But like a bowling ball scoring a strike in a single shot, the puppets were knocked out into the air. Xue Fang frowned and sent out dozens of puppets, making them run in formation to block its path.


    ''Dammit, it''s learning!'' she cursed in her mind while she moved the other two on the ritual site to fix the formation array.


    The ghoul''s attacks became more ferocious. If before it just used its bones to pull at the target, this time it transformed into a sword, and the being did swordplay.


    Xue Fang didn''t know who to curse. When fighting against the elder, the ghoul didn''t evolve and just kept going with the same pattern. But the moment it attacked her, it started to change.


    Later on, she would learn the cause of this, and it would make her fuming with anger.

 Chapter 416 - 416: Despair

    The ghoul''s intelligence is raised because of the contact with her puppet.


    The ghoul learned from the self-learning combat formation etched on the puppet. The same one used by Vesa with the mannequin that fought against Ling Hua.


    The ghoul''s sword was so sharp that even the puppet with a huge shield barely blocked its attack. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    BANG!


    With one hit, a loud sound reverberated, as half of the shield''s thickness was cut down. The ghoul sent another attack, cutting it into two.


    Knowing the puppets wouldn''t last longer, she sent them closer and made them explode to attack the ghoul. An explosion reverberated again as Xue Fang took out more puppets that pointed their guns toward the ghoul.


    A barrage of bullets reverberated in the air as she thought how her combat style had completely changed. In the past, she would use many hidden weapons and poison, but now it was so flashy and filled with explosives.


    She began to think she should change it back when she finished the mission. Xue Fang was so amazed by the technology Ming Yue showed her that she got too absorbed in it.


    Bullets, explosives, and smoke filled the area as she threw everything she had. The ghoul had now become a very dangerous entity in her eyes.


    If he kept learning and becoming better in his current cultivation realm, none of them would survive. She couldn''t allow this to happen.


    But the explosions and bullets did nothing more than create more craters on the ground. The ghoul was barely wounded as it kept making its way toward Xue Fang.


    Each of its attacks became more sophisticated, its movements even started mimicking modern fighting styles. Some that Xue Fang had learned from movies and stories.


    A boxing footstep, the sway, while it kept dancing with its sword, cutting her puppets into pieces.


    The more time passed, her confidence began to break. Ten puppets, twenty puppets, fifty puppets, none of them had any use other than turning into experience points that just leveled up the puppet.


    If this was a video game, her puppets would just be cannon fodder that everyone else would curse with 1001 vocabulary words that she barely understood. Like NOOB!


    Despair started overwhelming her as she faced the ghoul that was now walking toward her. All the puppets were littered on the ground in pieces. Her heart shook as she took out two spheres from her storage ring. This was her last resort, a modified Asura Fury Lotus.


    She modified it with more explosives and poisonous chemicals. While the last one would not just trigger a hail of deadly needle storm but also an atomic explosion. The one she had was on a far smaller scale than Alex used.


    But based on her expectation, this should be far more than enough to kill an immortal if she used it in an ambush.


    The sphere spun in the air creating a whirring sound, it then began to bloom like a beautiful lotus right in front of the ghoul.


    BAM! SWOSH! BOOM!


    The sequence of attacks exploded, the ghoul moved its sword in quick succession parrying each of them. Needles were deflected while some pierced through its skin but had no use.


    The poison just didn''t have any effect on the ghoul; some of the acid was still used as its muscles were liquefied but quickly regenerated.


    But Xue Fang already expected this, her hope was on the final sequence when finally the atomic explosion happened.


    The needles rained down their lethal poison, but the ghoul kept walking forward barely impeded. Then it finally came, the chemical reaction followed by a sphere explosion the size of a car that engulfed the ghoul as a whole.


    The blinding light pulled the elder''s attention toward that direction, and cold sweat came out, as both of them knew they would be instantly killed if touched by that amount of energy.


    What scared them even more was that they didn''t know what or how it happened; it was pure destructive power with heat that couldn''t be linked with just the fire element. Something they had never seen before.


    The explosion dissipated, leaving a bit of radiation in the air. Xue Fang''s hope shattered to ashes as she saw that the ghoul still survived.


    Gritting her teeth, she took out two puppets, one on her left and the other on her right. Her strongest ones but also the ones she never wanted to use anymore.


    The man and woman puppets moved forward, one was now carrying a halberd while the woman from a distance away pointed her rifle toward the ghoul.


    The ghoul''s body right now barely had any flesh left. It only had one arm and part of its head was also gone.


    Xue Fang could already see the ghoul was beginning to regenerate, but she had hope. If she could damage it further, there should be a way to kill him.


    Her gaze focused on the crack on the ghoul''s head, looking for its core. Part of his chest had already opened, showing his heart that was no longer beating. She hoped the core should be located in the brain.


    Xue Fang didn''t believe it didn''t have one as he was reined like a puppet.


    The man''s halberd spun through the air targeting the ghoul''s head, it barely raised its hand to block, but even this was enough to stop the attack. One almost busted hand holding a sword blocked a full-blown attack of her strongest puppet.


    She clicked her tongue, and from her father''s puppet''s hand, a gap opened, taking out a gun barrel, pointing at its head.


    BANG!


    The bullet shot directly on the ghoul''s face, creating another gaping hole. It was one with a huge caliber and enhanced with qi and mana.


    But even this was not enough. The ghoul slashed forward, launching Xue Fang''s dad a distance away till he crashed into the ground.


    Her mother began shooting, emptying all the bullets, all targeted on the ghoul''s head.

 Chapter 417 - 417: Demise?

    Xue Fang was betting it all. As long as the head was destroyed, she would win this.


    Grasping with this hope, she dashed forward, taking out her own weapon, a long staff that could be split in the middle.


    At the end of the tip, a round metal was attached, allowing Xue Fang to perform bashing attacks.


    She utilized all her qi, going all out on this offensive.


    BAM!


    A shockwave exploded, dispersing the smoke.


    All her effort provided results; the ghoul''s head was completely smashed, leaving behind only a part from the nose down. The whole forehead and eyes had disappeared.


    Xue Fang should have felt relieved, but instead, her despair was growing. The ghoul''s lips moved, letting out a snarling growl as his half-destroyed hand raised his bone sword toward her neck.


    With their close distance, she could not make a move; anything she could do would be too late. Her parent puppets moved by themselves, utilizing all their strength to come close.


    Her mother raised her palm, letting out a similar cannon like the one on Xue Fang''s father. But this one was more smaller and slender, making it look like a barrel of a normal gun instead.


    BANG! BANG! She shot toward the ghoul''s back.


    Meanwhile, the father''s puppet, getting out from the rubble, made a throwing motion and then launched his glaive through the air.


    Both projectiles were on the way, but Xue Fang knew it would still be too late. The edge of the sword glided closely toward her neck.


    Her life started flashing before her eyes. The childhood moments when she was still innocent, basking in her father''s and mother''s love each day. Their demise, her guttural scream of pain.


    The relentless nights where every day felt like unending torment. Things started turning better after she met with Brook and learned about her family secret.


    After that moment, her life was filled with cultivation, her duty, and responsibility as the clan leader. It was a long span of time in her life, but Xue Fang herself felt like time itself had frozen.


    It was not only her body that stopped growing; her life was also the same. She dedicated everything to the clan, the betterment of her village.


    But everything changed after MingYue''s visit.


    The village she held dear was destroyed; her ancestor, whom she thought would never die, finally breathed his last breath. Ironically, with the destruction, the chain that tied her down also disappeared.


    She tried to act strong in front of her people, but every time she was alone, she started breaking down. Her long-pent-up emotions started bubbling up once more, then exploded with no one she could vent to.


    Every day, she could only forcefully calm herself down by meditating or busying herself, learning tons of new information available in the Bai Yue Sect.


    At this moment, she met MingHao. Her first impression of him was one of confusion and interest. Despite how he acted politely, she could tell from his eyes he didn''t really mean it. He saw her as someone his age.


    ''This is it, huh? From my hundred years of living, barely ten percent of it is what I can call truly living.


    MingHao, if only I had more time to talk with you.''


    Her eyes became glistening with tears; she then closed them, accepting her fate.


    Normally, she would not think like this, as her soul would still be intact even after her body died, but she knew it was different in this situation.


    Not only was there a ritual formation that could absorb her soul, but she also expected the ghoul could probably do the same. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her chance to survive was really slim. Time passed, seconds feeling like an eternity, then it finally came. The pain started spreading from her neck as her protective qi was cut like butter.


    What came next was her smooth skin, followed by her flesh. Crimson blood splattered in the air as she called out once more in her mind, ''MingHao.''


    A distance away from Xue Fang and the ghoul, MingHao was now moving alone toward her location. YanYu was going to the ritual place as YunYun led her cousin to clean up the Sky Ember Sect to free the other captives.


    Based on the information they got, there were others used to imprison the rogue cultivators; they even had one that captured their own elders, as some disagreed with doing this immoral ritual.


    It was not a problem of right or wrong for them, but more on how risky it was, and how they believed the current sect leader was an imposter despite the artifact result.


    YanYu thought freeing them would bolster their strength, so she suggested YunYun do it. She checked the ritual grounds herself just in case Xue Fang needed help.


    Never in her wildest dreams did she think Xue Fang was now in a very dangerous situation.


    As for MingHao, he ran to where Xue Fang was now to check the sound of the explosion. His feet kicked into the ground at high speed, but suddenly, the world felt like it was slowing down.


    The egg inside his inner world began to vibrate; a voice then sounded in his mind, making him stop in his movement.


    ''MingHao.'' Xue Fang''s words reached him. But it was not just words; with it came 1001 intense emotions, making MingHao understand her situation and feelings.


    His eyes turned cold, killing intent spreading out as he knew she was now dying. A single second? No, he didn''t have that much time.


    He needed to be there in this instant, or in the next moment, her head would be chopped off.


    If that happened, even if he could secure her soul, it was still a question if he could find a way to recover her body in time or not.


    The life force could do it, but MingHao barely understood the energy.


    MingYue did this on purpose since she knew her brother would just go all around wasting the life force to heal others if he knew how effective it was.

 Chapter 418 - 418: A Kiss

    The egg in his inner world then began to glow, a weird pattern appearing on its eggshell. MingHao''s eyes were glinting in a green hue, making him unwillingly supply the egg with more life force.


    But this coincidence meant a lot in the situation; the egg could feel its master''s desire. How much MingHao wished to reach his partner''s location.


    A purplish light suddenly glowed from the egg, piercing through space and appearing outside, making MingHao''s body have a purplish hue.


    The reality around him started to distort, and in that instant, everything changed.


    He appeared right in front of XueFang while she was knocked back from the location.


    In that instance, MingHao''s instinct flared. He raised his fist and grasped the ghoul''s hand, making sure it didn''t go further, cutting her head.


    He was surprised by the sudden change; he somehow could tell it was because of the egg, but to be teleported right to XueFang''s location was something he should feel wary about.


    But now was not the time for this. MingHao exerted all his strength, boosted by life energy, to block the ghoul''s movement. He then threw a punch right on the ghoul''s stomach, sending him flying in the air.


    Swosh! BAM!


    MingHao then moved quickly, taking XueFang into his embrace while raising one palm toward the ghoul''s direction. Even in that one exchange, he could tell the ghoul''s strength was not something he could scoff at.


    The ghoul was a few realms above him; he didn''t clearly know how much, as the ghoul was heavily wounded. He could also tell it was almost like undead and hard to kill based on the creature''s appearance.


    At the same time, the bullet and the glaive hit the target. As the ghoul shot back, it was met with the bullet in the way, while the glaive flew past through MingHao as it reached the ghoul, piercing it through.


    Xue Fang''s eyes fluttered open, hearing the sound. She wanted to check what happened, as death didn''t come. Looking at MingHao''s face made her feel confused, and she wondered if this was an illusion before death.


    But after having such intense experiences, this didn''t matter to her. In one swift motion, she did something she would never have done and that MingHao had never expected.


    Her soft lips pressed against his as she embraced his body tightly. MingHao''s mind went blank. He had seen it in movies and had imagined how it felt, but it all blew over since now he knew nothing compared to the real thing.


    All his focus and concentration on the fight quickly dispersed. His eyes looked deeply at XueFang''s beautiful face, and his desire started to grow.


    A desire to make her his. The soft lips intertwined with her intent emotion allowed him to understand many things. But his brain failed to process it all.


    As the two people kissed in the middle of the battlefield, the ghoul didn''t stand still. His half-destroyed hand came out from the rubble.


    MingHao''s punch, filled with life energy, gave the ghoul something else¡ªan intense hunger to eat that energy.


    The ghoul started exerting his dark energy, raising his regeneration to a new level. He stood up from the rubble, and his hand began pulling out the glaive from his chest while new flesh began to grow.


    From the stump on his shoulder, a new bone came out, this time dark in color, followed by vein and flesh.


    MingHao, who was still deep in the kiss, couldn''t help but recognize this from his peripheral vision.


    He wanted to move, pushing Xue Fang out of the way, but it was too late. The ghoul didn''t wait for his regeneration to finish before starting his attack.


    Even while pulling out the glaive, he already dashed forward. He leaped up, his leg-spinning in a spinning kick motion.


    With the position now where XueFang was standing in front of him, she would be the one to get kicked first. And MingHao didn''t want that to happen. He spun his body in the direction.


    Then BAM! The ghoul''s kick hit him right in the back, followed by a cracking sound as his bones were broken. Even Xue Fang, who was protected by him, could feel the impact.


    She got pushed backward a single step. Seeing this, MingHao used his qi, pushing her even further. He gritted his teeth through the pain, then raised his elbow toward the ghoul''s neck.


    But unfortunately, the ghoul had already taken out the glaive. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    STAB!


    In front of Xue Fang''s eyes, still processing everything, the glaive pierced through MingHao''s chest. Crimson blood spurted out, painting her face red.


    MingHao gripped the glaive, and he started pulling it outward to allow more space for him to move. The ghoul opened his jaw and then bit him right on the neck.


    MingHao could feel chunks of his flesh being taken out.


    Clarity then began to return to XueFang''s eyes. She realized somehow MingHao had appeared and protected her. And the kiss she did was real.


    She felt so ashamed that, if possible, she wanted to look for a hole to hide in, but looking at what happened now, Xue Fang''s heart shook.


    All the confusion in her mind was replaced with only one desire¡ªto protect him. She took out her staff, then leaped forward.


    At the same time, she also moved her parents'' puppet to pull the ghoul away from MingHao.


    But MingHao didn''t want her to get involved. He screamed, "Stay away!"


    "BUT!"


    "NO, but! Believe in me, XueFang."


    With those words said, MingHao''s qi started gathering out from his body. He planned to use the XueQi family''s secret technique to let out a blast from his body.


    BOOM! His qi exploded out, creating a spherical explosion that engulfed both him and the ghoul.


    If Xue Fang didn''t know any better, it would feel like he was committing suicide by self-explosion. But she knew it wasn''t true.


    As he was the center of the energy, MingHao should not be hurt.

 Chapter 419 - 419: Pendant

    The light dispersed, and MingHao''s wounds were already completely healed like new, but he could feel it; the life force from his sister was running thin now.


    He only had enough to do one more attack.


    Meanwhile, XueFang, looking at the crazed ghoul that had already made its move to attack MingHao back, decided to do something she never thought she would do.


    She would have preferred to die rather than do this, but now, in this situation, she knew what to choose. Lingering in the past or fighting for the future.


    Her father''s and mother''s puppet sprinted forward, hugging the ghoul''s body.


    Both their heads then turned, looking at XueFang. At this point, she didn''t know if she was the one who moved them or not; the situation was just so intense that she could barely think. But to her eyes now, it was as if they were smiling.


    A smile of relief as, finally, their daughter could move forward.


    ''Mom, Dad, thank you for everything, and I am sorry.''


    Another explosion reverberated, disintegrating everything in its path. MingHao watched in a daze; he didn''t understand how the explosion could be this strong, even though it involved two of her strongest puppets.


    The explosion grew outward before it suddenly imploded, leaving nothing other than an empty crater in the ground.


    But the peaceful silence only lasted for a moment. Suddenly, a guttural scream and wailing from thousands of souls reverberated from the crater, exploding toward the sky and creating a dreadful pillar. One filled with corrupted spirits.


    "Just how much did they kill to get this many?" MingHao mumbled with a frown.


    After the ancestor talk and XueFang, he asked the ancestor to explain to him more about souls and evil spirits.


    Each corrupted spirit that he saw now was a result of the mingling of many souls. These souls usually died in anguish and intense pain, making them seek other souls, resulting in them mixing and turning corrupted.


    XueFang, meanwhile, stood in silence, her gaze fixed on the empty crater in a daze. Tears dropped down her cheeks, followed by intense guilt.


    The moment her parents disappeared, she felt like a huge burden disappeared from her shoulders. This made XueFang feel like she was being an unfilial daughter.


    MingHao frowned, wondering what that was. His instincts still told him the danger was not over. But now, what was important was checking XueFang''s condition. He turned, but the moment he exchanged gazes with her, the memory of their kiss quickly resurfaced.


    He froze, not knowing what to say. The distance between them was short, but his feet felt too heavy to move toward her. It was not that he got cold feet; it was that everything sank in.


    What should he say to her? A woman who was his first kiss and who had just sacrificed the most important things in her life for him.


    He knew those two puppets were her parents. Something very important to her.


    But before he could make any decision, a black chain shot out from the ground toward the sky. MingHao quickly turned back and saw that it was moving toward the souls, and it was not only one.


    Right now, from the ground of Dali City, countless dark chains were shooting up, capturing any closest soul they could find.


    It would then pull the souls back deep under the city. The ground started to vibrate as cracks began appearing from the ritual ground.


    YanYu was there with the two elders, looking at the crack. She flew forward, wanting to see what was inside the crack, but suddenly, a streak of blue light shot from the sky straight into it.


    "Who?" YanYu mumbled in confusion. Based on the movement, she could guess that the cultivator was waiting on purpose for this crack to appear.


    "Sect Master!" The formation elder called out, recognizing the qi and the cultivator''s appearance. Even though he was fast, the unique qi signature was something he never forgot. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, inside a tunnel, right now MingYue and the group were waiting for someone. They were seated on a bench while Aria was taking care of their permission to enter the core region.


    As she brought multiple people, including a criminal, the paperwork took some time.


    MingYue was seated alone, her eyes in a daze looking at two pendants in her hand, one a dragon and the other a phoenix.


    ''Alex¡­'' She thought in her mind as she now had a huge urge to meet him.


    What Luca told her turned her world upside down, and the answer to it was inside this pendant. Never in her wildest dream did she think that to active it, she would need Alex''s help.


    If she had known about it beforehand¡­


    But who could guess the future? Even having her connection cut to Alex now was something she never expected.


    ''Queen, the life force on the rune you put on your brother is dangerously low now.''


    MingYue''s bad mood turned even worse, ''Is he alright?''


    ''Based on the life signature, yes, he just overexerted himself.''


    ''That is fine then, just make sure the emergency measure will activate.''


    ''Don''t worry, Queen. As you instructed, when the energy lowers under 5%, he will be forcefully teleported back to the secret realm.''


    This feature was as MingYue requested to Vesa to make sure her brother''s safety was guaranteed.


    ''How about Alex? Now that we are this close, can you reach him?''


    ''No, but the King''s presence is becoming stronger¡­'' Vesa''s voice then trailed off.


    Despite what she said in one sentence, Ming Yue felt she still wanted to say something, ''Something wrong?''


    ''It''s just the King''s presence changed. It feels different.''


    ''What do you mean?''


    ''It''s hard to explain, but to put it simply, when someone undergoes an extreme change to their personalities, the wavelength of their lifeforce will also have some change.''


    Knowing Alex''s current strength and his personality, which was always outgoing, MingYue found this weird; she couldn''t help but feel worried.

 Chapter 420 - 420: Part of Truth

    The circumstances of his disappearance were already weird; now, adding this information, the enemy waiting for them in the core region was probably something far beyond their imagination.


    ''I have a life force, and Alex has the army. We also have many people around us.'' MingYue thought, trying to calm herself.


    The last time she and Alex faced something to get progenitor essence, the whole planet was destroyed. If they fight something on that level now, the possibility is not out of the question.


    But there is a huge difference now: this is her home planet. She doesn''t want it to be destroyed.


    If possible, she wants to assimilate the whole thing to Edonia. MingYue had already asked Vesa about this, and she said it''s possible in the future. But for now, taking in everything while keeping their appearance intact will be too much.


    On another couch, Emily was seated with Luca. She looked at her mother, "Mom, you are scaring me. Can you tell me what happened? At the very least, Dad''s situation."


    Luca''s lips quivered. She had stayed silent all this time since she still had a hard time accepting reality. Each step her husband took in this world was filled with pain and misery.


    Betrayal, pain, starting from scratch were just a few of them. More than everything else, his deep longing to meet her again, to see his children grow up, overwhelmed her so much that she just couldn''t accept it.


    Why him? Why did the tragedy have to happen to them?


    Right now, she completely understood the cause of the incident. Her husband was never disappointed; even with all that situation, he still succeeded in getting to the bottom of it.


    As for the reason? She didn''t have more words than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A misfortune.


    "Emily, promise me you must stay calm. Your father is still alive, but the situation on his side is complicated."


    "Yes, I will not do anything reckless. It''s not like I can, don''t you see the situation we are in?"


    The entrance to the core region was protected by a huge gate. It was carved with many protection arrays, and Luca could feel it; there were at least three immortals guarding the area.


    Receiving the gift from her husband, her cultivation soared and stabilized at the golden core realm. Based on Vesa''s observation, the amount of energy put there was far more than that, but to make sure her foundation was stable, a lot of energy was wasted.


    Hence, even if this cultivation bestowing is possible, MingYue still thought it was better to train by themselves. It took longer but was more effective as they were an emerging sect.


    But for old sects and family clans, she thought this technique would be precious. For those cultivators that almost died, they could give their cultivation realm to the promising genius, allowing them to start from a higher step. This came with its own problems, but the benefit was worth it.


    Luca then told Emily the situation. Her father was now under the control of the final boss at that dungeon, the Dragari King.


    Her eyes widened as she felt her world collapse, "What? How can a Dragari do that? That is impossible."


    "It''s not. It seems this Dragari has a dragon bloodline that is related to souls. Your father did not know this thing killed him and got his soul to enter his body.


    He has struggled for a long time and lately lost his ground against him." Luca didn''t say further, but she knew the reason for this. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Edward was a man with a strong heart. Not even the most horrendous torture could make him change his mind, but threatening his family? That is a whole different story.


    Throughout that time, even though he stayed strong, their comrade fell into the Dragon King''s temptation, becoming a traitor.


    The truth made Luca feel complicated. At the very least, it''s a relief knowing no one betrayed them at the start, but it didn''t change the fact that someone did.


    This event hit Edward a lot. The Dragon King also often manipulated his dreams.


    You may think the Dragon King gave him nightmares, but that was not the case.


    Since the start, every day Edward always dreamed about Luca and his kids. He always ended up waking with an incredible sense of longing.


    All this combined eroded his mental health until, finally, he began succumbing to his current state. But this didn''t mean he did nothing.


    Throughout his life on MingYue''s planet that he called Blue Jewel, he also made many new acquaintances, and one of them was MingYue''s parent, to be exact, her mothers.


    It was the time before MingYue was even born. He then created many plans to return without endangering his homeland that had many aftereffects, including turning the time difference of Blue Jewel Planet to be the same as his home one.


    Emily''s eyes turned glassy, but she tried hard to hold down her tears. She didn''t know how much her father suffered, but she could guess it. Her experience as a hunter was not for nothing.


    Seeing her face, Luca pulled her to her embrace to comfort her.


    At this moment, the door opened. Aria appeared, "We can go now; everything is prepared. It took longer than usual since the situation inside is not good."


    "What happened?" MingYue quickly asked. She was one hundred percent sure it was related to Alex.


    "There is chaos now, many monsters appeared attacking settlements. I have chosen the closest city to my clan, but afterward, we will need to walk."


    "What kind of monsters?"


    "I am also not clear on this; they didn''t tell me much."


    "Do you think it''s Alex?" Luca asked.


    "Probably, Aunt, but it''s not like him to unleash his army like this. I am sure something happened there."


    Luca nodded. At this time, she didn''t know what to believe or say anymore. There was still one thing that stuck in her mind.


    Even with all Edward''s memories, his meeting with MingYue''s mother was by coincidence.

 Chapter 421 - 421: Reaching Zephyr Clan

    Even the pair of amulets he gave her was only planned in hopes for her to bring it to their world. But to think this woman''s daughter would be her son''s life partner.


    It''s a coincidence that she just couldn''t believe it. She tried to find a reason or justification but couldn''t come up with a better one.


    ''Throughout so many worlds and God knows how many living beings exist, why them?'' Luca thought with a sigh.


    Meanwhile, inside the core region, Ying Xue and Alex were already walking close to the Zephyr clan territory.


    She hoped along the way, a member from the frontline would come and intervene, but unfortunately, no one came. She tried to contact them using her artifact, but she got no response.


    Standing on top of the cliff, Alex looked down at a heavily fortified city. A mysterious fog surrounded the city, giving it a mystical appearance.


    His crimson eyes flickered with a green hue as he mumbled, "21 formations put in place, 7 defensive, 8 attack, 2 illusion formations, and the rest for surveillance. Does conflict often happen between sects here?"


    "No, this stupid sect just does it to showcase their power. They burn so many unnecessary resources just to show each other who is better."


    "I see¡­"


    Normally, with the formations, no one should be able to detect or see what is inside the city, but for Alex, everything was clear as day.


    He could see the number of people inside and where the strongest of them were located.


    "What do you plan to do now? As I said, her mother is not here."


    "Meeting the person that you say comes from another world and testing my limits."


    "Your limits?" Yin Xue asked shock in her eyes. She had an inkling of what Alex wanted to do, but she just could not believe it.


    He had a whole army under him; Alex could just call them back and see everything from a distance away. There was no need to risk his life, and even with his weird strength, Yin Xue found it hard to believe he was capable of that.


    "There are at least 2 immortals in that place, not counting the one coming from the other world. His power is probably at the same level."


    "Worrying about me? You have tried to contact your group multiple times when we were going here."


    ''What, that is his doing?'' Yin Xue thought in shock.


    "You can try contacting them again; that way, everything will be perfect," Alex said in a flat tone, then jumped down from the cliff.


    He shot through like a missile, landing right inside the fog. Shockwaves exploded, followed by many symbols appearing around his body. They floated in a circle, creating a formation that expanded in size.


    At that moment, all the fog surrounding the Zephyr clan started to move like it was alive. It gathered around Alex, then solidified into two creatures. One was a huge lizard monster, and the other was a gorilla.


    Each of them was ten times the height of Alex, their bodies completely made of fog. Alex''s finger moved in the air, creating more runes, then shot them toward the creatures.


    The huge lizard started transforming; scales grew as its skin, followed by many sharp spikes coming out from its spine to its tail. It stood on its two feet as it roared to the sky.


    The same thing happened to the gorilla; this one grew fur rather than scales. Two muscular arms appeared, and it started drumming on its chest, screaming another roar.


    ''With enough qi and lifeforce, I can create as many armies as I need,'' Alex thought as he ran many complicated calculations.


    The only reason he could make these two monsters was thanks to the large amount of qi used on the Zephyr clan formation. Using a rune array, he sabotaged and took over all the energy. Alex then focused it on these two creatures as what he needed now was quality, not numbers.


    "WHO DARES?" A voice suddenly reverberated in the sky. It was like coming from all around the space.


    Alex tilted his head upward. What was above was just empty space, but he said, "For an elder, you lack manners. If you want to say something, show your face. And yes, why would I not dare?" He replied in a nonchalant tone.


    The monster kong suddenly leaped upward, its fist punching at the empty space, creating a booming shockwave.


    The space flickered like a shattered mirror; many fragments fell to the ground, showing a beautiful woman with silver hair. Her appearance was similar to one of beauty that made her look like she was still in her early twenties, but Alex knew she was one of the immortals residing inside the Zephyr clan.


    Using one hand, she blocked the monster kong''s attack.


    ''Immortals are really different,'' Alex thought. He could see the woman didn''t even exert any qi on her own. It was like the world was lending her the power to block the kong''s attack.


    "What a rude junior. You are lucky you remind me of someone; otherwise, I would have already killed you."


    Alex didn''t respond; instead, he pointed his finger toward her.


    The lizard roared, opening its jaw. Its sharp spine started glowing white as flame energy gathered in its mouth. Then, bam, the energy shot out like a huge laser beam.


    The air vibrated on its path, and the searing heat was not something to be underestimated.


    Annoyed by Alex''s lack of response, the immortal disappeared from where she stood, and suddenly, Alex''s head blew up into pieces.


    Crimson blood rained like a fountain as she mumbled, "Rude junior, don''t blame me for doing this. I will just bring your soul to him." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She thought she had killed Alex, but at that moment, two pairs of blood wings came out from his back. The blood in the air also started to move; they suddenly became sharp like needles that rained toward the immortal.

 Chapter 422 - 422: Alex vs Immortal

    This move surprised her. It''s not like there were no secret techniques like what Alex did. But usually, it was only done by evil or demonic cultivators. And each of them gave out a peculiar feeling, one that she didn''t feel from Alex.


    Her body reappeared a few steps back, but at that moment, the kong''s fist fell down to her face. It was like the kong already knew she would move to that location.


    The punch hit its target but was stopped by invisible energy an inch away from her face. The woman''s lips curled into a smile, "Interesting," she mumbled.


    Her hand moved forward, creating a slap motion that resulted in half of the kong''s body being destroyed to smithereens.


    At this moment, Alex already appeared right in front of her, his whole body now covered in blood-like armor. When the immortal confronted the kong, his head had already regenerated, while the blood in the air moved to her body instead, keeping its target.


    The crimson blood then solidified, turning into armor, making Alex look like a crimson knight with two blood wings.


    Holding a hammer in his hand, he slammed it straight at the immortal''s torso.


    BANG! The ground cracked, shockwaves exploded, but the immortal remained unflinched.


    Just like the kong''s attack, it stopped an inch away from her body.


    Alex stomped his feet into the ground, creating knockback power to take a step back while the lizard was now rushing toward her location.


    However, the woman didn''t let Alex go; she moved normally without any hurry, but the speed was not something that Alex could dodge.


    His hand was grasped by the immortal, "Got you."


    "No, you don''t," Alex replied. His hand and the hammer exploded at that instant.


    The blood splattered all over the air, beginning to move and contort into runes. It then activated, effectively hindering the immortal''s senses.


    This time, her expression changed to worry. She didn''t know what this rune was, but she could guess it worked just like a formation array.


    Someone who could use formation instantly right in the middle of battle was not something she could underestimate.


    ''I need to take this more seriously,'' she thought.


    Qi started swirling around the area and gathered at the immortal.


    Seeing this, Alex said, "Not so easy."


    Half of the rune symbols shot in all directions, stopping mid-air. Creating a circular zone around the immortal. It then glowed in blinding light, and what happened next made the immortal frown.


    All the qi in the area was sucked dry, turning into a barren field.


    The immortal finally started exerting her own qi. A fan appeared in her hand, and she simply flapped it forward, creating deadly ice spikes that shot toward the rune symbols.


    The spike might look simple, but Alex knew it was not something to be underestimated. The energy contained in that one spike was more than enough to freeze a whole ocean.


    The immortal''s body turned to icy mist, then appeared right behind Alex. She didn''t waste any time. She closed the fan, then used it like a short stick, hitting toward Alex''s head.


    Slash! A vertical line appeared from his forehead all the way down his body, effectively splitting him in two. The ground where he stood also got split.


    This time, the immortal proceeded forward, her qi sweeping past Alex''s body, turning him into an ice sculpture. Alex could feel a sharp pain all over his body, seeping straight to his soul.


    It didn''t just freeze his body and qi but also affected his soul. A quality of ice that he never thought possible. Despite what his body felt, his mind was still calculating and sending out orders.


    The ape punched his hand toward the ground, picked it up, creating a huge boulder, then threw it at the immortal. Right now, his body has already completely regenerated.


    Meanwhile, the lizard had already reached the immortal; it swiped its tail toward her. She didn''t even make a move as the tail got destroyed before it could even come close.


    It turned into ice and shattered. The fog started coming out from the wound as it regenerated a new tail.


    Smoke then started rising up from Alex''s frozen body. The immortal frowned once more, "The hell is this junior? Absurd."


    She disappeared again from where she stood as Alex''s body exploded in a spherical flame.


    The immortal skeptically looked at the explosion. She had seen how Alex''s qi gathered at his core and then exploded.


    This was not something that even evil or demonic cultivators could survive from, except they had already become immortal like her.


    But she still felt this was not the end. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swoosh!


    Many boiling blood drops moved through the air, turning into something like sharp tentacles. They shot toward the immortal.


    She swiped her hand up in the air, raising an ice wall from the ground.


    The tentacles stabbed through but failed to completely pierce it. Instead, they started freezing before being cut halfway by Alex.


    From the explosion, Alex''s body reappeared, still perfectly intact. His blood armor didn''t even have a single scratch on it.


    This didn''t mean Alex didn''t take any damage; he used many lifeforce to regenerate and repair the armor. The expenditure was huge as he used it in large amounts to speed up the regeneration.


    The tentacles returned, becoming part of his wings.


    "You are an outsider like him. What do you want here?" the immortal asked.


    She had already guessed Alex was one since the start, but she didn''t say anything since she felt she could easily subdue Alex.


    But now, seeing how he fought, she started getting skeptical she could subdue him easily. She could put in more effort, but she was too lazy to do it.


    ''Even exploding himself didn''t leave any scars on his body. How many more times can he regenerate?'' The immortal asked herself as she didn''t know Alex''s lifeforce energy.


    "I want to meet the other outsider inside."

 Chapter 423 - 423: Snowflake Empress

    "Then drop this charade. I will bring you to him. He also wants to meet with you; otherwise, you think I will entertain you."


    "Sure, but after this," Alex replied. His body suddenly transformed into a blood mist that flew toward the immortal.


    "You really don''t learn." The immortal said in a bothersome tone.


    If she had known Alex would keep attacking like this, she would have let the other immortal who loved to fight go.


    She had come out because she thought she could do things in a more peaceful way.


    The blood mist moved rapidly, encircling the immortal and Alex, forming runic patterns.


    The rune glowed in green, creating a sphere of space, a completely new isolated world.


    The immortal raised her hand, trying to freeze the blood circling her, but the moment she wanted to exert her influence on the outside world, it failed.


    "What did you do?" the woman asked with a face etched with fear.


    She could feel her power, but no matter what she did, she couldn''t exert it. There were a few methods she could still try, but they would cost her something she didn''t want to pay unless it was really a life-or-death battle.


    The blood gathered back to Alex in the red armor. The armor then receded back inside his skin. "Nothing much, I am just testing something," Alex replied in a flat tone.


    Energy is basically just a wave, and a wave can be interfered with. The question Alex tested was whether he needed to find the right pattern or the same amount of energy. Based on this experiment, he got the answer, and it was both.


    Canceling the immortal''s power almost cost him all his lifeforce stockpile, and that was only for a moment when she wasn''t exerting all her strength.


    "Don''t want to talk? Fine, I will just find it out myself," the immortal said. Her qi started to churn since, right now, she was not afraid she would accidentally kill Alex.


    But before she could finish the move, a voice reverberated in her mind, making her feel annoyed. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''You still haven''t finished, Clara? I knew it. You have grown rusty now.


    Just return to your garden and keep cooking those pills. Fighting is for me.''


    ''Shut up, you old geezer. I know you saw the whole fight with Edward!


    The only way you can contact me through the formation is because he said something. What does he want?''


    ''Tch! You old hag, no fun at all. Edward said to bring him in now. Continuing the fight will escalate things.


    Don''t forget he still has control over all our formations. And while you''re busy fighting him, don''t you see what his two pets are doing?''


    Clara frowned, then turned her gaze to the sect entrance. The two monsters were now knocking on their clan''s gate, trying to destroy it.


    Thankfully, the gate was made using an artifact with a spirit inside it. No, it had already come out and fought to defend it; otherwise, the gate would have already been breached.


    "You! Really¡­!" Clara said with annoyance toward Alex. She couldn''t believe it. This whole time, after she said he could enter, he still attacked their sect.


    "Call me Alex, and I just know you. How much do I know I can trust your words?"


    At this point, Clara had already stopped looking at Alex as a junior. His capability was something she couldn''t underestimate. She couldn''t kill him, and he had strange methods that could attack.


    She still remembered how she felt so helpless when that formation captured her.


    Clara snorted, then landed on the ground. She then swiped her fan toward the two monsters, turning them into ice cubes.


    "Could you release the formation already?"


    "Give me a reason why I should do that?" Alex asked back in a flat tone.


    Clara''s lips twitched. She stopped asking as it just made her feel angrier. Never in her life had she ever met someone like him.


    "Fine! Follow me then and your friend out there. Do you want to join or what?" she asked in a normal tone, but her voice was like talking to Ying Xue at her side.


    She quickly floated down and then greeted her, "Nice to meet you again, Snowflake Empress."


    "Just call me by my name. I hate that title. What Empress? Such crap."


    Ying Xue just nodded. Despite getting permission from Clara, she didn''t dare to do that. Clara probably wouldn''t mind, but what about the other clan members?


    No matter where she went, people would connect her with the guardian and the sect from the frontline.


    Any action she made could be treated as a stance from her faction. If something bad happened, her family could then be blamed by the other sects or clans on the frontline.


    "Do what you want then. You have been here multiple times and still never changed.


    It''s surprising, though, that this time you came up with an interesting person. Is the chaos in the other city because of him?"


    Ying Xue didn''t know how to answer. She just looked at Alex.


    "Yes, it''s me," Alex replied.


    Hearing his nonchalant response, Clara chuckled. "You really have guts, I like that, but why?


    I don''t get why you attacked those small villages and sects. With your current strength, they provide no benefit."


    "This is just the start. After finishing taking over all the villages, we will come after bigger sects and clans until the whole region falls under my control."


    Clara stopped in her steps. She looked back at Alex, making sure he was serious or joking, but just like before, his face had no change at all. It was like talking to a puppet.


    "Are you even human? I blow your head off, and you don''t even flinch."


    "How is this related to your last remark? I don''t think it''s of any importance."


    "Yeah, it''s not. So what do you say? Are you serious? You want to take over this region?"


    "Yes."

 Chapter 424 - 424: Cultivation

    Clara let out a loud laugh, hearing Alex''s reply. She laughed so hard that her stomach started hurting. "You are funny, really. No one has ever made me laugh in the last one hundred years."


    "Interesting, what did you find funny? You think I have no capability to do that?"


    "If you can flatten my sect in one attack, then I may believe you. You are strong, I admit that, but among immortals, I am categorized as a weak one.


    And believe me, the strongest of us can be ten of me easily."


    Ying Xue''s ears perked up since this was the first time she heard this information. She always wondered in the past why the sects staying on the frontline didn''t band together to take over the core region?


    With their current strength, half of them should be more than enough. But now, hearing it from Clara, it seems things were not that simple.


    "If I have eight people stronger than me, and they cannot be killed, do you think I can or cannot?"


    "Eight people stronger than you? That is a good joke. If that''s true, maybe you have a chance, but I still doubt you can win against them."


    "Who?"


    "I am in a good mood now, so I will tell you. In this core region, there are more than a thousand immortals. Many are hiding in seclusion while others are busy playing around with new power from the outsiders.


    But do you think that is the only reason we stay peaceful like this? Just like the stupid geezer in my clan, there are many who like chaos, fighting, and destruction.


    The only reason we stay still is because of those three. We call them the judges. They never intervene in conflicts between clans. But when immortals come out and join the fight, you can bet they will arrive and beat both immortals.


    Some are hardheaded and end up getting killed. These three people''s power is no joke. I still remember seeing how they killed other immortals, like killing a chicken."


    "If they are that strong, how about the ones at the frontline?" Alex asked Ying Xue.


    "Yes, they are the immortal generals. We also have them, but they cannot leave the frontline.


    I don''t know the exact reason, but I suspect because they need to be there to act anytime a strong being comes out from the wall."


    "Interesting," Alex replied. He still didn''t feel worried at all. With his army, at this stage, he was sure no immortal would intervene.


    They would just watch from the side. He still had time to think of countermeasures.


    "Yes, so forget your stupid dream of uniting this realm. They will never allow it."


    "Why don''t they do it themselves then?"


    "I don''t know. They are eccentric people who rarely appear. But they are always there when immortals make a mess."


    "If they are as strong as the immortal generals, then I doubt anything on this planet can interest them."


    "So I can say you are a low-level immortal while these people are peak-level immortals?" Alex asked towards Clara.


    "No, it doesn''t work like that. Realm-wise, almost every immortal in existence has already reached its peak.


    What differentiates us is they mastered a power system from other species. The more they master, the stronger they are."


    "Why don''t you learn one then?" Alex asked. There may be many reasons a sect couldn''t get their hands on other power systems, but the Zephyr clan is different.


    They have an outsider living with them, giving them information about other worlds.


    Clara''s eyes turned complicated. "In the past, someone created and perfected a cultivation system to give strength to humans to fight their invaders.


    So much time has passed since then, but even now, no one has improved the cultivation system we have. I honestly don''t believe this is the limit."


    Clara''s eyes then turned determined as she continued, "Many have already given up on the pursuit to break this ceiling, but I will never give up.


    Since someone can cultivate this, it''s not impossible for me to improve on it.


    Looking for methods from others is stupid. We have reached this far with cultivation, and I believe we can go further."


    Hearing this, Ying Xue''s face was brimming with pride. Her ancestor was the one that created and perfected the cultivation method, but then remembering what happened to her family now, she couldn''t help but feel shame.


    Hearing a stranger from another clan was trying to perfect the system, but her own clan instead started adopting another power system."


    Hearing this, Alex couldn''t help letting out his opinion. Despite having no emotion, this didn''t mean his interest in research was lowering. "In that case, have you looked to use another energy source other than qi?"


    "I have, but it changes things too much. At that time, it won''t be cultivation anymore."


    "What makes you think it''s not cultivation then? What makes one a cultivation?"


    Clara put some thought into it, then explained, "There are many philosophical answers for this, but I don''t believe in any of them. As the name said, cultivation means to cultivate.


    To be called a cultivation, we should cultivate our own being and presence."


    "So you mean we cannot use external factors?"


    "Using one is fine, just like this bloodline we have now. It came from our ancestors and people in the past injecting themselves with the blood of mythical beasts.


    But in the end, all of this is done to enhance and stimulate our own potential.


    What other power systems do so far doesn''t do this. Instead, they enhance the external factor, slowly eroding their own essence.


    Despite your current realm, I am sure you already understand what it means to become immortal."


    "Rebirth oneself as qi, giving you complete control of all your power."


    Clara nodded, "That is right, but not really correct. The right definition is amplifying your essence, uniting it all under it.


    If you fail to do this, the result will be a backlash that ends up in you dead, or you just become a mindless monster." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 425 - 425: Human Essence

    Alex then started remembering how cultivation had worked so far.


    Cultivators would allow their body to adapt to qi, then create a new organ to produce the qi itself. This could be counted as an external factor that had grown with Clara''s standard.


    But after someone reached the golden core, the next realm came from integrating things into one.


    Then a realization came to him, ''Is this why Mingyue and I failed to break through?


    The correct way was to put all power under our essence to break through. But our essence was now transforming from human to vampire progenitor.


    This meant I should put it all under my vampire power?''


    But our essence was now transforming from human to vampire progenitor. This meant I should put it all under my vampire power?''


    The idea felt solid for Alex. The next realm he needed to reach was Spiritual Transformation, using the same concept since he was a vampire. This meant infusing the whole golden core into his vampire essence.


    But different from cultivators, vampires'' cores were their blood.


    ''How should I put my golden core under my blood then? Should I fuse it with my spine so it affects my blood flow, or is it something else?


    But now that I think of it, are vampires'' cores really their blood?''


    Alex started examining his inner body, how qi and mana flowed inside, how lifeforce flowed throughout his whole body.


    ''Wait, lifeforce is the core of a vampire. It''s not blood, but where does this come from?''


    Different from qi, which only came from the core, lifeforce appeared from the mechanisms in his body. Every single breath he took and meal he ate contributed to the lifeforce.


    He also could absorb it directly with higher efficiency, but it didn''t change the fact that it was part of the system.


    "Why are you in a daze like that?" Clara asked, feeling that Alex had some kind of epiphany from her information.


    Alex didn''t mind sharing his thoughts, but who knows if he could get more insight from her?


    "As you said, cultivation is improving one''s own essence; it''s like a plant we pour water over, give it nutrients, and let it grow.


    In that case, isn''t every energy usable as a nutrient?"


    "That is not true. Do you know why demonic cultivation is banned? It''s not because of some bullshit of morality.


    Every day, innocent people die while someone uses their strength to act as a wimp. The problem is not that. It''s how their soul and essence are corroded.


    The higher they are in the realm, the worse it becomes. The strongest one in the past is basically an abomination of monsters; if the judge didn''t intervene, we would all be killed."


    "I don''t have access to their cultivation method, so I don''t know. But considering other energy I tested with. That is not true at all.


    If using energy corrupts your essence, that means the way you are using it is wrong.


    Think of it this way, every single species has its own element and nature; the more compatible one is, the easier it will be to absorb, but if it doesn''t, that just means you need to strip away the energy from the harmful elements and absorb it.''


    "Stripping away energy?" Clara repeated the words.


    "Is that even possible? I have been in the immortal realm for hundreds of years, spending it all on experimentation on alchemy; no matter what I do, separating their properties alone from the material is impossible.''


    "That is different; what I mean is stripping away pure energy and diverging it. The plants you experiment on are different; they are not pure energy. It''s a mechanism.


    The easier way to think about it is the plant is a formation array that absorbs qi to create its own function.


    Their cells and organs are what build the formation."


    In Alex''s eyes, now, everything can be compared to playing with a block or those Lego toys. They may have different terms, making them look complicated, but in the end, they are like lego.


    The only different Lego is easy to assemble and disassemble; this one requires special care and tools to do.


    "If only I could play around with it, I have learned about cells and many other things, but experimenting with it is different.


    I cannot create artificial cells or move them based on what I want. Understanding and creating are completely different."


    What Clara has done so far hasn''t worked; she does succeed in making some changes, but rather than creating, it''s more on mutating.


    She was triggering a reaction by giving out different material.


    "You cannot do that without using Cas9 enzyme and specialized, secret techniques or machines."


    "Cas9 enzyme, what do you mean?"


    "Since you say you understand about cells, you should also know its building block, DNA."


    Clara nodded, "Yes."


    "Now, to put it simply, Cas9 is like scissors used to cut apart what you don''t want; next, you will need gRNA, which is basically just glue to put them together.


    But it works similarly to the energy I said; you need to make sure the compatibility between each DNA block; otherwise, the DNA will be broken beyond repair or completely destroyed."


    "Where do I get this? Do you have one?"


    "No, both of the items I told you come from my world, and only some people have it. Also, a living cell fueled by qi and one that is not is completely different. A normal Cas9 or gRNA won''t cut it."


    Alex had tried this a few times, manipulating the DNA of goblins and monsters. He did it on purpose to find out the real essence of being from a scientific perspective.


    But each time, he always failed. The DNA would become so fragile that it destroyed itself despite being infused with life energy.


    It''s like giving gasoline to a broken car. If the machine is not good, no matter what he does, everything will still be useless.


    He will need to replace the whole thing before trying to infuse it. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 426 - 426: Soul

    ''Now that I think about it, this essence compatibility should be able to be used in that research. If a creature is flame-based, using DNA from other flame creatures should also work.


    But there is no way the association hasn''t thought of this.''


    Despite his current privilege, Alex never read any scientific paper on this topic with this way of thinking. The only ones he read were all filled with failure.


    Clara tapped her finger on her chin, "Let''s say we strip all parts of DNA, can we extract pure energy from it then?"


    "No, energy is in a different form. This is something that I just discovered recently, so I''m still not clear how it works, but think of it as DNA having two sides.


    One that can be observed directly, and the other side is the one where the energy that fuels them exists.


    This energy is the one you wanted to improve our essence. It''s just like us humans. What is our essence?"


    "We have our qi and core, but that is the essence of a cultivator. If you ask me what makes a human, a human, that will be their soul forged through many experiences throughout their life."


    "Exactly, it''s the soul. When a child is just born, they don''t have one; only after they grow up and slowly gain experience is their soul created. Now, where is this soul? Can you see it?"


    "We can, but I get what you mean. For normal people, looking for their soul requires special techniques, but they are only useful for observation.


    Just like I use that weird device to look at those cells, this still doesn''t mean we can manipulate it.


    What you say is also just a theory. To this day, we don''t know what a soul is. Does a child that''s just born not have a soul?


    But then I know many cases where a baby responded to their mother even in the pregnancy stage. Doesn''t this prove they already have a soul?"


    "Isn''t that just a biological response? They are living at that stage, that I do not deny. But having a soul?


    A living being doesn''t necessarily have one. Just see trees and animals."


    "That you are wrong. Even non-sentient creatures have their souls. It''s just the soul is so small that you don''t recognize it."


    "So you mean the soul is of lower quality? Hmm¡­ that may be true, but if that is the case, why would demonic cultivators not eat this soul? Why must they target another cultivator?"


    "It''s not that they cannot, they won''t. There are some reports demonic cultivators did this and ended up dead or, worse, turned into the plant itself.


    As I said before, demonic cultivation is one of the proofs that becoming stronger by focusing on external strength will only result in one''s own demise.


    Even the most talented of them now turn only into mindless monsters.


    What use is being immortal and having strength like a god if you don''t have your mind?"


    "No different than a puppet."


    "Precisely."


    Ying Xue walked behind them, her head hurt listening to their discussion. At first, she still understood bits and pieces, but the more she heard the more confused she became.


    "What do you propose then? Based on how you talk, I believe you also think in a similar way to mine. Power should come from our own essence. Not from an external source."


    Alex nodded, "That is the best way since it means we have total control of our power. But to reach there, we need to test out many ways.


    If I am asked now what the best strength of being a human is, then I will answer directly: It''s our ability to adapt.


    We humans can adapt to anything as long as it''s done in the right way. That is why I believe it''s the same with power.


    From all cultivators using those demonic cultivation techniques, did all of them lose their minds?"


    "From what I gathered so far, yes."


    "That means the technique itself is flawed but not necessarily wrong. If you can strip a soul of its basic form of energy, then I think it''s possible to make it work."


    Then a thought came to Alex''s mind, ''Isn''t the base of a soul lifeforce? This means that the life force is already the most basic form of energy.


    Even if there is something higher that will already touch the realm of creation. Now this lifeforce, just how is it made?''


    This is a question where Alex didn''t know where to start with. What creates lifeforce, how did it appear in the first place?


    He felt getting the answer to this would be harder than becoming a progenitor or even achieving what Alucard wanted from him to become a being stronger than a progenitor. Or maybe this is the answer he needed to achieve it.


    "That is possible. You mean we can improve upon the method. But I still prefer looking for other paths.


    This demonic cultivation will end up with too many casualties that, in the end, will bring humanity to extinction instead."


    Alex shook his head; if it was him with emotion, then he would agree with Clara''s thought. But now he was thinking with logic alone.


    So what if the weak perish? This just means they are not capable. No matter how many die, in the end, a group will survive that is made up of the strongest of them all.


    It''s just the law of the jungle, or at this point, he should call it the law of the universe.


    In the end, the universe is just a bigger jungle. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Since you say that much, this means you should have also tried, right? Can you tell me at least how you went into it? If it interests me, we can exchange our research results."


    "As you see, I am human at the start, but no, not really a human. So how I go at it is different than you."

 Chapter 427 - 427: Human traits

    Clara let out a sigh of regret, "As I expected, that kind of recovery ability is impossible for a human."


    "It''s still possible, I believe; honestly, I am still wondering if my essence changes or not since, as we discussed before, a human''s essence is their soul.


    It can be said the same for any other sentient species. Now, if a human soul were put into, for example, a monster''s body.


    What will it become, then? A human or a monster?"


    "Interesting take; in that case, that depends on who is stronger. A stronger soul will affect the body''s physical form, transforming it slowly from the inside.


    A weaker one will instead be forced to meld with the body adapting to it. It can be said corrupted as their essence was changing."


    "A change of essence equals corruption. You are right." Alex said while deep in tought.


    "A change of essence equals corruption. You are right," Alex replied while thinking about his own situation.


    They then continued their walk in silence as each was busy with their own thoughts. Clara started considering his idea, thinking how she could put it into practice.


    If she thought about it from Alex''s perspective, this meant she needed to try a different method, one more extreme but could probably produce more results. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She needed to understand how human adaptive qualities really worked, what triggered it, and how to force it to happen without killing the person in the process.


    How could she calculate the required amount and many other factors?


    ''Seems I need another batch of criminals to experiment with,'' she thought to herself.


    Meanwhile, Alex was thinking now. ''If becoming a progenitor means my essence is getting corrupted?


    Alucard bets on the human adaptive capability to break through the progenitor wall. Is he hoping for human essence to go beyond the progenitor and become stronger above them?''


    Alex felt this made sense. Alucard made the process a gradual change. He even forced the candidates to be a pair.


    Other than their adaptive quality, the most unique trait of humans, in Alex''s opinion, was how emotional they could be. They could throw all logic out the window if their emotions were triggered.


    Anger, pain, happiness, sadness¡ªeach was an intense emotion that could impact people''s actions. And what is the most intense emotion people have?


    It''s love. Love doesn''t necessarily need to be for other people; it can be for oneself or even for material items.


    ''Love, huh,'' Alex mumbled in his mind.


    If Alex still had his emotions, he would have already begun thinking just how cringe the situation was. He often commented on those stupid anime or novels.


    Power of love, power of friendship¡ªit''s all so absurd that he often thought it was just because the author was stuck and created those as plot armor.


    But now he didn''t have any prejudice at all, only a purely logical mind thinking it from the data he had. And based on it all, love is really the most intense emotion people can have.


    A person could commit suicide to be with their lover. Someone could throw away everything to fulfill their loving emotion. There were so many examples throughout history that if he listed them one by one, he could easily create a novel with 3000 chapters.


    ''Another question without any solution. It''s not like it''s possible to subdue a progenitor''s soul. But maybe I can try it next time.''


    Alex wanted to try using his will to subdue the vampire gene in his body, but he doubted it would do anything, since right now his essence was already one of the vampire progenitor.


    The origin of all races, just how could one subdue it?


    They walked through a beautiful courtyard adorned with many white plants. The crystal itself felt like it was made of ice, but strangely enough, Alex didn''t feel any cold at all.


    They kept moving until they reached a huge door. In front of them, a man with a white beard was looking at Alex with an intense gaze.


    "Are you the other immortal? How can I help you?"


    "No need to ask this stupid geezer. He will just want to have a fight with you. The man is so bored that he wants to pick on juniors."


    "Shut up, you old hag, you know yourself how strong he was. What is age? What is realm?


    None of them matter in front of real strength."


    "That I agree with. After all, it was created for us to estimate someone''s level of strength," Alex replied.


    The man nodded with an approving look. "Well, that is good, now in you go. Edward wants to talk something with you."


    Hearing the name Edward, Alex''s crimson pupils shook for a moment, but it quickly returned to its emotionless state.


    Creak! The door opened, showing a familiar figure seated at the desk. His face was now more haggard, while his hand was busy writing on paper.


    "Thanks, Stell, will you be kind and close the door for me? I want to talk in private."


    "Tsk, so many secrets. I don''t get what is running in your head recently, Edward. You even cleaned up all the elders and put the patriarch in prison."


    Edward smiled. "Don''t you and Clara agree to help me with that? This just means what I say is right."


    Stell just laughed, then closed the door. It''s not like they killed them. They just put the patriarch and elders into a secret realm and locked them inside.


    They agreed because, lately, the sect was split into two: one opposing Edward''s idea, while the other supported it. His idea was quite radical and risky, but for Clara and Stell, it provided them with the most opportunity to get stronger.


    So they made their choice. Of course, this didn''t come easily. They made their own demands.


    Clara asked for there to be no casualties, while Stell wanted to fight against Edward instead. He was always curious how strong Edward was, as they never fought seriously at all.

 Chapter 428 - 428: Emotionless Son & Possesed Father

    The door closed, leaving behind an emotionless son and a possessed father in the same room.


    Alex''s eyes were dazed as something started to shake from his very being. But even this was still not enough to trigger his emotions.


    The reason was that he realized despite the same appearance and voice, the mannerism was just different, and the reaction was just different.


    If this was his real father, he would have already stood up and run to hug Alex despite all the protests. He would then treat Alex like a kid while asking where Luca was, like a child asking for candy.


    "Who are you?"


    "Don''t you recognize me? Your own father. Where is your mom and the others?"


    The ground suddenly cracked as a huge aura came out from Alex''s body. He might be emotionless, but this didn''t mean he would let someone do as they wanted with his father''s body.


    Right now, he was thinking of many possibilities, and the conclusion was only two: either his father was dead and possessed, or he was still alive deep inside.


    No matter which one, the only way to find out is by having a fight.


    He could try asking questions to test his knowledge, but any being that could possess his father should have the capability to read his memory, too.


    Alex could feel it based on his life force and strength; he was not one to be underestimated. High chance his cultivation realm had already reached immortal.


    "So cold, this is not like how I remember you."


    "Maybe that is because you only watch the memories. Stop fucking around," Alex said while he took another step.


    He suddenly appeared behind Edward and threw a punch imbued with life-force energy.


    BAM! A loud sound reverberated in the air, but Edward caught it with one hand.


    "As I thought, you are immortal too. Just how long have you taken over my father''s body?"


    Edward just smiled, and his eyes looked at Alex''s every movement and expression. He still felt Alex was just doing this to test him out. But his next move made him realize he was not kidding.


    The gig was upright when it was starting. Thanks to Alex being in an emotionless state now. Otherwise, he would have certainly questioned himself and thought twice before making any move.


    Blood came out from the fist and started infiltrating Edward''s body. The moment he felt this, he quickly tried to get away, but Alex''s hand was like glue, strongly holding onto his.


    Edward''s expression suddenly changed, and his tone of voice felt very different. "You are really his son. Have you already found out this quickly? Just how?"


    "You need to ask? You know how he acts, but don''t try to act like him."


    "I always thought it was all just his imagination, but who knows, it''s true instead."


    ''I see, so Father did something on his own memories,'' Alex thought to himself.


    He just felt that it was as expected from his father. He still took some countermeasures despite being in a hopeless situation.


    "Who are you? A Dragari?"


    "Yes and no. Well, I am one in the past. But now I am something more than just a Dragari.


    Well, it''s not that hard to guess considering what happened to my planet thanks to your bastard father," Edward said with his eyes glinting in anger. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So you captured someone, then ended up having your planet blown off by him. What a poor king you are."


    Alex didn''t know if he was the king or not; at this point, he was just guessing while measuring his response. But this is only a secondary goal. The main goal was still the same: using his blood to infiltrate his body and find the source of the possession.


    As long as he knew what he was up against, he could find a way to remove it. If it''s not something physical, then it means it''s a soul, and he can just have a fight in the inner world.


    "Shut up! If not because of his cheap trick, you think that will happen?"


    "You should be a stupid king then, to be scammed by that cheap trick. I wonder what my father did. Did he promise you something?


    Or wait, he just fought you directly, then made you think you were winning, while in reality, you were just dancing to his plan.


    That seems something that he will do," Alex said in a gloating tone.


    Meanwhile, his blood already started infiltrating his father''s body. It met with few resistances, but he easily bypassed it all as the Dragari king was now fuming in anger.


    He clenched his fist, pouring more strength into it. "Who cares! In the end, I am the one having the last laugh. The bastard even sent his family to me now.


    I will make sure to treat your mother lovingly so he can only gnash his teeth in anger without being able to.


    to do anything."


    "So you confirm he is still alive. That is enough for me."


    Alex then raised his knee toward Edward''s stomach.


    Edward blocked it with his other hand. At this moment, Alex released his grasp and then launched a barrage of punches.


    Edward easily saw all the angles and deflected it with ease. His face showed a confident smile as if he felt relieved that Alex was not as strong as he had imagined.


    ''So my father did more than just confuse his memories. It seems he still doesn''t have full control over the body.''


    Alex concluded this, as even now, the Dragari king still hadn''t realized that Alex''s blood was moving to his brain.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The furniture in the room quickly turned into ashes, but the wall and ground still kept their shape, as it was made with special material.


    The room they were in was also protected by a special formation, making sure no sound or movement was coming outside.


    Meanwhile, Stell, right in front of the door, was now waiting with Clara. "Why are you in a daze like that, hag? If you want to go, just go. I will stay here."

 Chapter 429 - 429: Dragari King Transormation

    "No, I want to know what they talk about, and who is a hag? You know I hate being called that."


    "Then let''s have another fight. If you win, I will stop calling you that."


    "Nope, you are just too obnoxious. The only way you will accept losing is if I kill you, stupid brute."


    "Hahahaha¡­" Stel laughed out loud. He didn''t feel insulted since he knew that it was right. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s rare, you know, for you to be interested in someone. Have you moved on or something?" Stel asked in a more solemn tone.


    "I told you never to mention that again, or I will really kill you," Clara replied with killing intent spreading from her eyes.


    "Sorry." Stel backed off. He knew the topic was sensitive for her. He then looked at the door. "Do you think he has some relation to Edward?"


    "One hundred percent, can''t you see their similarity? I have my guess, but it''s not my problem. Better act like we don''t know anything."


    Stel nodded, agreeing with her. They thought Alex and Edward were having a family reunion now.


    If only they knew what was happening, they would intervene; unfortunately, they didn''t.


    Right now, the father and son duo were busy exchanging punches and kicks.


    The Dragari king threw a punch that Alex barely dodged, then blocked Alex''s counter. "Why are you even fighting? Do you think you can win?


    You may have that weird method to hijack the formation outside, but don''t think this one is that easy."


    "Putting a stronger formation on your own office rather than the whole estate, what a poor king you are. Or maybe you''re just a scaredy cat."


    "Stop trying to bait me into anger; do you think that will¡ª" Edward''s voice trailed off as he suddenly felt something weird in his body.


    "An immortal body is something made from qi and elements; that doesn''t mean you don''t have flesh and organs. You overestimate yourself, Dragari king."


    The possessed Edward dropped to his knees while holding his head. "Just what did you do?"


    "Looking for the source of your existence, but it seems you really exist only as a soul," Alex said expressionlessly.


    His hand began painting runes in the air like a professional conductor. This rune was similar to the one he used to seal Clara, with some mix of other runes.


    Alex wanted to press his immortal power while attacking his inner world, giving him an advantage in the process.


    Edward''s face grimaced with pain, but his lips curled into a deranged grin, "You think this is enough to beat an immortal? So what if you have blood inside of me?"


    What happened may have seemed simple, but in reality, Alex was now using his ability to its maximum capacity, moving it to both give pain and disrupt Edward''s qi to make sure he couldn''t fight back.


    Right now, he was sure the Dragari king couldn''t use Edward''s innate ability. Otherwise, there was no way he would have been tricked like this.


    ''I wonder, is this because Dad did something? Or does this mean even if someone possesses my body, they cannot use my ability? But I am sure the Awakener ability comes from evolved organs.''


    While Alex thought this, the Dragari king made his move. In one swift motion, he punched his own head, making it explode like a watermelon.


    "So you want to go this way? Don''t you think I expected this?" Alex sent a few runes forward.


    They activated their effect, making the regeneration of his head turn slower.


    But this was not enough to stop the Dragari king. He dashed forward and sent a punch to Alex''s stomach.


    A loud bam exploded as his fist pierced Alex''s. Unfortunately, this still didn''t stop Alex''s finger movement. This time, he stabbed his finger into the open wound and then started pouring his own blood inside, effectively invading all his veins.


    In response to this, Edward''s body suddenly started transforming; from solid, it turned back into energy. "I never planned to fight you seriously, but you''re asking for this!"


    Edward turned into an energy form, his body becoming a dark flame. It burned Alex, melting his skin.


    Thankfully, his own element was also fire, so he had higher resistance against it. Otherwise, he would probably have already turned to ashes.


    The flame then started regrowing its head back; it also grew a pair of draconic horns, with two wings on its back.


    "So this is the ability of an immortal when they''re serious."


    "First time seeing it?" the Dragari king asked.


    His voice now changed, becoming more otherworldly and beast-like. The horns, wings, and even the small crown on the forehead all spoke of features of the Dragari king and not his father.


    "Is this your ability as an immortal or from the Dragari?"


    "Why would I answer that? You can think of it yourself." He replied with a laugh, then suddenly appeared in front of Alex.


    ''Uppercut punches, followed by a straight, then an attack on the knee. Each attack will utilize its dark energy, creating a blast that raises its range.


    It''s impossible for me to completely dodge it, but if I use my life force to regenerate everything, then I won''t have enough left to guarantee my success in the inner world battle.''


    With that calculation, Alex''s body moved, following his prediction. His speed was completely outpaced, so he had to choose. Alex decided to throw away his left hand and right leg while only regenerating the leg.


    These body parts were gone because he used them to block the Dragari king''s attacks. His punch was on a whole different level compared to Clara''s.


    Alex thought this was because of the state Edward was in.


    Bam! BAM!


    As he calculated, the Dragari king burned them to ashes. He then raised his claw high, preparing to slash off Alex''s neck.


    But Alex dodged it; he had already moved before the Dragari king made his move.


    The searing hot wind flew an inch away from his nose.

 Chapter 430 - 430: Prepared Formation

    Throughout all this, his hand kept moving, creating more and more runes.


    "Still writing that weird formation? You think I''ll allow it?"


    "You don''t have a choice. Even though this place is put in formation, if you go all out, I''m sure it will be destroyed. Otherwise, you would have already burned me to cinders."


    "I hate smart-ass kids like you."


    "Thanks for the compliment," Alex replied while blood wings came out from his back, turning into something that resembled a scorpion tail.


    But instead of having a stinger, at the end of it was a spear with a point formed like a drill head.


    It began spinning at high speed, then shot toward Edward''s head.


    His body then dodged in a weird way; instead of moving, it created a hole, allowing it to pass through without reaching him.


    Alex''s feet kicked on the ground, his body flickering in white flames, then reappeared right behind Edward. Another blood wing came out; this one turned into something like a hand.


    The left one was the spear, while the right was now grasping a hammer.


    The hammer was not his signature weapon; instead, this one was made with solidified blood. Alex''s weapon was now too useless to be used in battle on this scale.


    Flame ignited from both weapons as he utilized his secret technique, launching a barrage of hammer strikes.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    When his flame hit Edward, it started fighting for supremacy. The white and black danced like warring titans, each clash lighting up the room like fireworks.


    The air crackled each time as the temperature in the room kept rising.


    But in the clash, it was clear the Dragari king was winning. His energy almost felt like it was infinite, while Alex had almost depleted all his stockpile.


    His hammer tried to smash his head, but it only stopped in a clash of energy. The same thing happened with the spear, while the Dragari king could attack with ease.


    Despite his humanoid form, his body was so fluid that he could transform it into anything he wanted. Four hands appeared, each hitting Alex in the face and body.


    Each punch that hit caused devastating damage to Alex, but he only healed what he felt was needed. Blood still came out from the stumps, as he didn''t even bother to close the wounds.


    Alex dodged one more of his attacks as he finished the final rune. With a flick of his finger, he shot all the runes while still fighting against the Dragari king.


    If any cultivator had watched this now, they would know it was something impossible. Alex was outmatched in everything but still kept holding his ground.


    When he fought with Clara, they could at least explain it with his unnatural regeneration capability. But now it was different; he barely used his regeneration.


    He even fought with a crippled body and still succeeded in keeping up.


    The runes were shot, putting them in all corners; this time, they concentrated in a square formation. The room''s atmosphere started to change. Green particles began floating in the air like fireflies in the night sky.


    Some moved toward Alex, while others went to Edward.


    Outside the room, Clara and Stel turned alert as they saw some weird phenomena happening.


    "That boy is doing something," Clara said as she recognized this energy. Alex had used it multiple times against her.


    Right now, in the atmosphere surrounding the area, green particles were floating, all gathering toward the room.


    She could see some of the plants beginning to wither as more and more energy was taken away.


    "Should we enter?" Stel asked in worry.


    "Let''s wait a bit more. Maybe it''s another of his weird experiments."


    "No, I''m sure it''s not. Firstly, I know most of what he researches, and this thing is not part of it, and secondly, this is on a scale that could hurt our clan.


    Don''t you see it absorbing this weird energy from all over our territory? If this keeps going on, all plants will die, including your precious alchemy garden."


    Clara shrugged her shoulders, "


    I don''t mind it; I''m more curious about what this energy is."


    She started observing and learning about it and began ignoring Stel.


    ''This old hag is at it again,'' Stel thought to himself while he sent some orders to make sure of the situation.


    Based on what he knew, it only absorbed energy from air and plants, but who knows if the lower realm cultivators and animals also got absorbed.


    Inside, Alex''s body quickly recovered; with the life force he absorbed, he could now fight more efficiently.


    What he did now was not as simple as activating the formation. While he was deep in thought and moving inside the Zephyr clan, Alex was slowly spreading his own qi and life force.


    This was to create a foundation for this formation. He already knew his lifeforce was almost depleted. That is why he prepared this just in case.


    Even with this, Alex was running on limited time; the life force from plants wouldn''t be enough for him to fight against an immortal at Edward''s level, not to mention one that was going for the kill.


    "Is this it? Your trump card?" the Dragari king asked. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, but you haven''t seen all its capabilities."


    After Alex said this, his blood wings turned back into liquid, then dropped to the ground and started mingling, creating a circle surrounding them.


    The circle then began to resonate with the runes; part of it then turned into chains that shot out toward the Dragari king and, strangely, Alex.


    This move prevented the Dragari king from actively dodging it. He just raised his flame, creating a clash of energy the moment the chain hit him.


    Alex''s whole body then began glowing in a green hue. He took a step forward as the green hue started moving toward his fist.


    Bam! The punch connected.


    But the Dragari king didn''t feel anything. He kept grinning while wondering what Alex was planning.

 Chapter 431 - 431: The Connection Returned

    "You''re really so full of yourself. Even after being caught by me once, you still do it again," Alex said, trying to keep taunting him.


    His purpose was to affect his mental state, even by a bit, to prepare for his next step.


    The green energy on his fist then glowed, and the chain that was stopped an inch away from the Dragari king''s body suddenly turned ethereal; it bypassed the energy barrier and captured his body.


    The green energy on his fist then glowed. The chain that had stopped inches away from the Dragari King''s body suddenly turned ethereal. It bypassed the energy barrier and captured his ethereal body.


    "NO way! How can you capture me in my avatar state!?" the Dragari King roared in confusion.


    The Avatar state was the perfect form that allowed immortals to use their power.


    Different from a normal human body, this one turned all their cells into part energy, allowing them to become stronger and use their power more freely.


    Alex didn''t know the name of this state, but he quickly understood how it was formed. He had already theorized many times that cells had another part that contained the wave-like state of energy.


    It was like the other side of the coin; what immortals did was basically pull this other side into reality, flipping it up.


    This allowed him to create a chain capable of binding the Dragari King down.


    ''IF only I had more time,'' Alex thought in his mind.


    He knew if he could find out how this process worked, Alex could probably succeed in breaking through his realm and, at the same time, make huge progress in his research.


    The rune glowed, then began to intensify as Alex prepared to finish it.


    ''Now to just exorcise the Dragari King''s soul from Father''s body.''


    His palm glowed in a green hue as it grasped over the Dragari King''s forehead. Alex prepared to invade his inner world, but unfortunately, at this crucial moment, something happened that disturbed his thoughts.


    He could feel his connection with MingYue and Vesa returned. With it, Vesa also quickly called out to him.


    ''King! What happened?''


    This momentary lapse gave the Dragari King a moment to start recovering. He was still pressed down by the rune formation, but this didn''t mean he could not do anything.


    Part of his body separated, creating a small dragon that shot toward Alex''s chest.


    If Alex still had his emotion, he would have already cursed out loud, saying he was like the MC in many novels, where the author just loved to make him miserable for the sake of furthering the plot.


    Thankfully, he was not. As his mind was now completely focused on logic alone, Alex quickly recovered.


    The small dragon exploded on his chest, creating a huge hole in it.


    But Alex didn''t stop; he invaded his father''s inner world as he ordered, ''Vesa, exchange the necessary information with MingYue.''


    ''Yes, King,'' Vesa quickly replied with a frown, but she didn''t stop the sentence there. ''King, I am sorry to disturb you in this situation, but there is something foreign in your body now. We must take care of it soon.''


    ''Foreign?'' Alex frowned as his consciousness disappeared into Edward''s inner world. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly pushed all unnecessary thoughts aside and then started fighting against the Dragari King inside.


    Meanwhile, MingYue, Luca, and the others had just entered the core region. With Alex''s order, MingYue quickly understood everything that happened.


    From the destruction of the Midnight Clan, how he recovered it, and now fighting against his own father.


    She started having a bad feeling. With Alex''s current situation, if the circumstances gave him no choice, she was sure Alex was capable of killing Edward.


    "Which direction is your clan?" MingYue asked in a hurried tone toward Aria.


    "Did something happen, MingYue?" Lucas asked as she realized her change of tone. Even though she had just met MingYue, she had already learned her personality.


    For MingYue to act like this could only mean something serious was happening, and it probably concerned the fate of her son.


    "Alex is now with Uncle, and they are fighting. As for the details, it''s better if we just go there now."


    Emily''s eyes lit up when she heard this; she didn''t feel worried hearing Alex fighting Edward. After learning his father''s fate, if there was anyone she believed could save him, then it would be Alex.


    She had complete faith that Alex would never hurt their father.


    Luca frowned, but she felt the same way as MingHao.


    Meanwhile, Sylva interjected, "Luca, I have something to do. With your current strength, I believe you won''t have a problem staying here.


    It''s more important for me to go there now."


    "Yes, you can go, Sylva. Don''t let my hubby''s planning turn to waste."


    They then left, leaving only Luca, Emily, Aria, and MingYue alone.


    A distance away, Zold asked, ''What happened, Father?''


    "Orion sent me a message. Things became more complicated now because of what Alex did."


    "His attack on this region?"


    Sylva nodded. "The attack on this region is not the problem..."


    Zold felt confused by his father''s answer. "What then?"


    "His army is not only moving here but also in another region. Now a problem starts: a seal is broken."


    "Father, can you be clear for once?"


    "Just follow; right now, I can use your help." Sylva said while fastening his pace.


    His words made Zold, who almost never showed his expression, let out a small smile. This was the first time his father asked for his help.


    His body crackled in electricity as he also fastened his pace.


    ''This father and son duo, just what have I put myself into? I will one hundred percent retire after this.''


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now moving at high speed, followed by Aria and the others. After learning the directions, she didn''t need to ask further, as Alex''s presence became clearer to her.


    The closer they were, the easier it was for her to pinpoint it.

 Chapter 432 - 432: Hidden Danger

    "If they are just fighting, why are you so worried like this? Edward is possessed right now, so it''s not weird. With my son''s current capability, I am sure he can help his father."


    "He can help for sure, Aunt, but the question is, depending on the circumstance, I don''t know how, but despite giving out so much Qi to you, he is somehow still immortal.


    His strength is not something Alex can fight easily; one punch is more than enough to obliterate him.


    "But Brother can regenerate without any problem. I am sure he is alright."


    "Yes, he can. It''s not him that I am worried about. As I said, Uncle is so strong that he can easily destroy Alex''s body.


    This means the situation can quickly turn dangerous for him." MingYue then hesitated for a moment before she continued, "Under some circumstances, what if Alex had no choice but to accidentally kill Uncle?"


    Luca''s eyes turned cold, "Watch what you say, MingYue, my son will never hurt his father. Even if the situation forced him to, he will just escape and think of another plan."


    "You are right, Auntie..." MingYue said without explaining further. She didn''t know how to say it without going to lengths about what happened.


    At this moment, even Alex himself didn''t realize this, but she knew how dangerous it was.


    Alex thought his emotionless state came from the shock of destroying the Midnight Clan. While this was true based on his personality, his usual response should have been getting pressured with guilt, not going emotionless.


    ''What should we do now, Queen? If I try to remove this, I''m afraid it will affect King''s plan.''


    ''For now, just watch. We will see how things change from here. Since he was fighting in Uncle''s inner world, this can work to our advantage.''


    ''Queen, do you mean for me to start confronting it after King''s soul leaves his body?''


    ''Yes, why do you think this outside factor stayed in Alex''s body all this long? That eye-being is planning to take control over it.


    After Alex''s soul leaves, his body will become empty. I don''t know how good the body''s defensive mechanism is compared to the eye-being avatar, but if it succeeds, even for a moment,


    it could control his body to kill Edward, making things worse for all of us.''


    "So I shouldn''t have warned King about this presence?"


    ''No, you should. The moment your connection recovered, the eye-being would probably make its move soon.


    I don''t know how much of this was a coincidence, but the moment Alex got transported, that eye-being should have already planned this.


    It moved Alex to a place that would cut our connection. Actually, I am surprised that a place like this exists in my world.''


    ''Based on the formation outside, whoever made this region is not simple, Queen. It''s someone that could be counted as the elite on the universe stage.''


    "That strong?"


    "I don''t know the strength, but the knowledge and material used are not something simple. Otherwise, there is no way to cut the connection, even with our current strength."


    ''I see, just another mystery that is unrelated to our situation. It doesn''t matter now; what is important is to reach there quickly.''


    MingYue raised her pace as she began using lifeforce to move quickly.


    Looking at her, Emily thought, ''Is the situation really that dangerous? If only I could control my ability, I should be able to reach that place in a flash.''


    She couldn''t help but feel anxious about the situation. Emily then exchanged a gaze with her mom, but she shook her head, as Luca also didn''t understand the reason.


    They just followed to keep up the pace with MingYue.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now inside Edward''s inner world. The place was chaotic, looking like the planet MingYue and the others had visited¡ªthe Fractured Planet.


    Everything was in disarray. Part of the ground floated away while lightning kept crackling in the sky.


    Alex looked around, trying to find his father''s presence, but unfortunately, he couldn''t find one. Instead, everywhere he could feel the Dragari King.


    "Come out," Alex said while his body sent out a green glow.


    Outside, the rune started reacting. The sky and thunder in the inner world began to coalesce and gather together, forming a humanoid dragon.


    Its appearance was similar to the avatar form he just faced. The only difference was that the skin was now replaced by red scales.


    "Kekeke, disappointed? Your father is not here anymore."


    Alex stomped his feet, cracking the ground where they stood, making them fall down into the abyss downstairs.


    But he didn''t feel panic. "This is just the outer layer of the inner world; I am sure you imprisoned him deeper inside."


    The Dragari King''s face turned ugly. "Both father and son, you are all annoying."


    He dashed toward Alex as a spear materialized in his hand.


    "What a crude way of fighting," Alex said while raising his hand upward.


    Hundreds of weapons materialized in the sky; none of them were swords or spears. Every single one was a modern weapon.


    With a snap of his finger, each one shot, unleashing a rain of bullets toward the Dragari King.


    Smoke and flame exploded, but Alex still did not stop the attack.


    Instead, he created more weapons and even started sending nukes at the Dragari King.


    KABOOM!!!


    Meanwhile, outside, Alex''s body, now standing still, suddenly opened one of his eyes. But the pupil that showed was not his usual crimson one.


    It looked like the eye-being.


    Blood seeped out, creating a solid, sharp claw around his hand. Then, with one motion, he thrust it like a spear toward Edward''s heart.


    But just an inch away, suddenly, a staff came out, blocking it. The eye-being was caught off guard.


    "Stop," Pi said, holding his staff while looking at him.


    Before Alex entered, after being warned by Vesa, he decided to take countermeasures. He sent Pi out to look after his body to see if he had ever made a move.


    sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 433 - 433: Arrival

    "My Master told me to tell you this: you cannot do much now.


    Your time is limited, and you probably planned to kill Edward and wound my body by self-exploding your avatar, then using the immortal energy as a catalyst to increase its power.


    But now, with Pi here, he has the capability to block your attack and impede your movement."


    The possessed Alex grinned, "Kekeke, as I thought, there is no way things would be this simple. Well, I''ll just play with Alucard for now.


    Tell your Master I look forward to our next meeting if he can survive this."


    Alex''s eyes closed again, then a black fog came out from the back of his neck.


    Pi frowned as he realized there was a pattern in the form of eyes there. It began to dissipate into the smoke, then disappeared into the air.


    "Just what is that? Did Master not realize he has that?" Pi mumbled. But his eyes widened again, as now another smoke came out, but this time it was red.


    It started gathering and taking the form of Vesa. Pi quickly turned alert and prepared to attack again.


    But then he remembered her appearance, though this didn''t mean he just believed it. Who knew if this was just an illusion from that weird creature playing tricks on his eyes.


    "I am Vesa. You should be Pi; I know you from King''s memory."


    "How can you prove you''re her? Just before something come out form Master body."


    "Yes, I know something is attaching to the King''s body. That is why I am here. Do you think he just left because of your attack?


    That being is not something you can defeat like that. Anyway, I am here because I need your help.


    The King is too busy for this now, but this is important. There is another creature like that one, and we need to find out where.


    I don''t want us to be caught off guard."


    "Master told me to stay here and guard his body. I will not leave until he wakes up."


    "I would leave by myself if I could, but my range is limited here. The Queen will also come here soon, and she will take care of the rest in this place.


    But that other being, we cannot be negligent. Your current body is also fused with Tora; it can help you look for this creature. They all have a similar smell."


    In the current situation, Vesa judged Tora''s sense of smell and instinct to be more helpful than her life force detection. She was sure this being had a way to hide its presence.


    Vesa wanted to say more but detected MingYue''s presence. "The Queen is here; I will talk with her first."


    "Do what you need," Pi replied, as he still didn''t have any desire to move from where he stood. Even if it was the real Vesa, to Pi, he had only one Master.


    Outside, Clara and Stel turned their gaze toward the door. "Another one coming? Oh wait, it seems Aira has returned. But I don''t feel Sylvia''s presence; did she fail?"


    "She brought a guest, probably. Edward gave her another order. It seems today is a busy day," Clara said with a sigh.


    She knew she couldn''t order Stel to meet the guest. Ordering one of their disciples or elders was also not an option. Who knew if they would behave rudely because of what happened?


    This group of people was related to Edward.


    "Let me go; you already had your fun," Stel said.


    "No! Just stay here and stand there as good decoration."


    Clara then left him without waiting for his response.


    Unlike Alex, MingYue, Luca, and the others, who came with Aria, they didn''t have any problem entering through the gate and quickly reached the courtyard.


    "What is with that face, Aria?"


    "Aunt, I returned. Did something happen? What is with that weird array? Did Master do something?" Aria replied with a small smile.


    "Don''t do that in front of me. I told you I could see past your fake smile, and who are these guests?"


    "Aunt, she is Master''s wife. Madam, she is my aunt. Although I call her like this, in fact, she is far above me in the family line."


    "Did you just call me old? You punk," Clara said while hitting her head.


    MingYue, meanwhile, was not in the mood at this situation, the same could also be said for Luca and Emily. They wanted to quickly meet up with Alex and Edward.


    "We are in a hurry. Can we meet up with Alex now?" MingYue said while her gaze looked toward a specific direction.


    "He is meeting with Edward now, so I am sorry I cannot allow you to intervene."


    "Alright," MingYue replied. She wasn''t interested in debating further, instead, she took one step forward, then suddenly shot toward the building.


    Clara wanted to stop her, but Aria grasped her arm. She could ignore her if she wanted, but Clara wanted to know why Aria did this. It''s not something she usually does.


    Seeing the opportunity, Luca and Emily also moved, following MingYue.


    "What happened? You seem to be in a very bad mood now. Aria and the others just left like that."


    "It''s about master, his situation is..." Aria then started telling her the story, making Clara frown. To prove her words, Aria also shared her memory of everything that just happened.


    "Go back to your abode and wait there; things are going to become complicated now."


    "Will you fight master?"


    "For now, I will hide the information and observe the situation. Since that boy and the others came to fix this, might as well let them take care of it."


    "Can I just wait there? I also want to know what will happen next, as well as the Master''s instruction."


    Clara sighed, "Do what you want." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, as things moved outside, inside Edward''s inner world, Alex also started fighting against the Dragari King.

 Chapter 434 - 434: Losing?

    The barrage of gunshots never stopped, but it became less effective as the Dragari King learned how to counter it. He also had some of Edward''s memories; in the past, he treated it as toys and didn''t think too much of it.


    But now, looking at how Alex used it, he started copying his method. He created a similar gun, then shot bullets against bullets.


    The sky was filled with many lights, making it look like fireworks.


    The clash was equal at first but then started to change as the Dragari King began winning.


    "Haha, boy, challenging me in an inner world battle, you are digging your grave. It''s only a matter of time till I extinguish your soul power. Don''t underestimate me!


    Do you think I became immortal because of your father? No, it''s because of me!


    I am the one raising his cultivation in one go."


    Hearing this, Alex''s mind started pondering, ''He doesn''t have access to my father''s skill, and he says he raised this body''s cultivation to be immortal?''


    If Alex knew his mother had been cultivated by his father, he would have been able to guess what was happening. Unfortunately, he didn''t, so he could only make a random guess.


    The fight continued as Alex''s situation worsened; they finally landed on the ground after falling for some time.


    The area was not much different from the one on top; it was a barren land, cracked with nothing growing on top of it.


    The surroundings were completely dark, with occasional lightning barely lighting up the area.


    ''Deep inside the inner world, but still barely any changes.''


    If the lightning came from the Dragari King''s attack, Alex would still understand it, but he could tell it wasn''t. Otherwise, it wouldn''t just strike randomly.


    ''Does every single possessed one look like this?'' Alex wondered, but he quickly shook the idea as he remembered Luciel was not.


    In the case of the Dragari King, he didn''t have any control over the world.


    Even before, when Alex forced his souls to gather together, he could tell the Dragari King''s presence was just large, making him look like he was spreading around the inner world. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex started considering the possibility that his father''s soul was not in the body at all or in some other part.


    But where? He ran out of ideas. His father''s body now was like a broken, empty vessel.


    "Do you regret it now? If you had just acted in your place from the start, your life would have been spared longer.


    But now it doesn''t matter. I will take over your body after I extinguish your soul."


    The Dragari King grinned as he could see Alex now looked paler than before. His body also became more transient, a few signs of someone starting to exhaust their soul power.


    "Enough playing," the Dragari King mumbled. He stopped his barrage of attacks, and so did Alex. All the guns dissipated.


    Alex covered himself with crimson armor while wielding a hammer. The Dragari King, meanwhile, grew in size and turned into a huge dragon.


    Its scales gleamed in an iridescent crimson color. There were four horns on top of its head, with four huge wings coming out from the back.


    He stood on his two legs and then let out a roar.


    The roar had a weird effect that made Alex feel like his whole being was being shaken now.


    BAM! Alex''s hammer grew in size and hit the dragon right in the head, but it barely showed any effect.


    The Dragari King''s confidence soared as he felt he had already won the battle. He swiped his claw, launching Alex crashing to the ground. Alex''s body rolled like a rag doll.


    The Dragari King then raised his leg, wanting to stomp Alex flat. Alex pointed his hammer upward; it then grew even larger to block.


    His hammer croaked under the weight, but Alex poured more energy to strengthen it. As this stomp didn''t work, the Dragari King changed his attack. He lifted up his leg and instead kicked it forward, shoving Alex toward the air.


    Alex barely blocked it by using his blood wing to create a makeshift shield. Now that he was in the air, the Dragari King used the moment to launch another attack.


    This time he poured a serious amount of energy, as he didn''t want to stay too long in the inner world battle. He didn''t want Stel, or Clara, to come in and ask some questions.


    His plan was to separate his soul into two and then control both of their bodies. He would then return to Alex''s world and use their status and network to conquer the planet.


    He would use them as his own army to take revenge. Edward may have triggered the destruction of his plan, but he was not the real perpetrator.


    The Dragari King opened his jaw. A pure destructive energy began to gather, and then it shot forward like a huge laser, completely engulfing Alex in the process.


    The blast didn''t last long; it quickly dissipated, leaving behind Alex''s body that fell to the ground.


    The red armor was half destroyed, and the same thing happened with his wing. He lay on the ground expressionlessly, looking up toward the huge dragon that was still coming at him.


    "Still have that look on your face, huh? Let''s see how long it will last," the Dragari King said with annoyance. Alex''s calmness made him feel triggered, as that reminded him of Edward.


    No matter what kind of situation he was in, he never lost his cool.


    The thought of finishing the battle quickly changed. The Dragari King wanted to see Alex filled with terror.


    With the current situation, all his deliberation of Alex disappeared.


    His sharp claw raised upward, creating many small spheres of fire shooting toward Alex''s body.


    Meanwhile, on the upper level of the inner world, MingYue was now standing, looking down toward the deep abyss.


    She couldn''t see what happened since it was far away, but with how close they were now, she could tell Alex''s situation.

 Chapter 435 - 435: Reason?

    "Just what are you thinking now, Alex? The current you feels like a stranger to me," she mumbled.


    MingYue didn''t get why Alex was now lying on the ground. She knew the enemy was strong, but not to this extent.


    If it were the old Alex, he would have already pulled something since he wouldn''t be patient with a parasite taking control over his father''s body.


    Looking upward, she then saw Vesa come flying toward her.


    "I cannot detect Father King''s soul anywhere; there are traces, but it''s nothing more than soul remains."


    "Is this why Alex didn''t make you look for Uncle?"


    "I don''t know, Queen. The King doesn''t tell me anything; he should have known what happened by now. I tried to talk, but he didn''t respond to me, although I''m sure the King has a plan."


    "How about his emotions then? The city''s destruction shouldn''t trigger that much reaction since the eye-being is the one responsible for it. He should have a reason for it."


    "Honestly, Queen, I think it works to the King''s advantage in this situation."


    "That is not wrong, but I don''t believe that byakhee, that eye-being, did it out of good intentions.


    There should be something else. What would the normal Alex never do but this emotionless one can?"


    "I don''t know, Queen, but thinking is the King''s forte. If anything, I''m sure he''s considered it."


    "Just what do they want with my planet? Does it have something that pulls their eyes?"


    "Probably something in the core region related to the portal, or maybe their presence here is what triggered everything."


    "Meaning?"


    "They came here bringing something that pulled the interest of another race. As for why this planet specifically, it could be a coincidence or another reason."


    "If there''s another reason, what do you think it would be?"


    "Something related to the one that created the core region, based on my analysis of this region.


    The Blue Jewel planet is very old; it reaches the era even before the Progenitor war, when I hadn''t been created yet."


    "That old? But isn''t that weird?"


    "Queen, only a few planets survive this long without facing extinction. Most will be destroyed because of natural causes or war.


    As for those that survive, they will at least become a Type 2 civilization."


    "Too much jargon, just get to the point, Vesa."


    "Basically, it will be far more advanced, where everyone has already left into space.


    Or the strongest on your world could easily go to the sun and use it for cultivating."


    "Even immortals couldn''t achieve that feat," MingYue said. "Alright, enough talking; we should join in. Alex will finish things soon."


    Ice wings appeared on her back as she leaped down toward Alex. Meanwhile, outside the room, Stell was now observing Alex, MingYue, and Edward''s body, with Pi on high alert.


    MingYue was touching Alex''s shoulder while closing her eyes.


    Luca''s heart shook, seeing Edward once more, ''Hubby, it''s been so long, and yet I still cannot touch you despite being this close.'' Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mom, can''t we just enter like her? Why should we wait here?"


    "It''s for the best for now. If I enter, who knows what the repercussions will be." Luca mumbled while tears silently fell, streaming her cheeks wet.


    "Clara, are you sure about this? I mean, we always put our eyes on him. I still couldn''t believe he was swapped."


    "We don''t even know his preparations with Aria, how do you think we know about this?" Clara asked back.


    When MingYue and the others arrived at the door, Clara had informed Stell of the gist of the situation. She asked him to let them enter.


    "Yes, you are right, but don''t you think we should intervene too? It seems we just need to stand in the circle, then enter his inner world."


    "No!" Pi replied while a spear suddenly appeared in his hand, "I may not be able to defeat you, but you''ll need to pass my dead body before going in."


    "And you let that woman enter, how is that different?"


    "She is my master''s wife, of course she can enter." Pi replied directly, making Stell speechless.


    "Just give it up, Stell. If you want to fight, there are many opportunities later. For now, let''s just become spectators."


    "A fight with who?"


    "What a brute, did you even listen to what I told you?


    Did you ever think of anything other than fighting?" Clara asked in an exasperated tone.


    She was sure that the moment she said there was a being strong enough to take Edward''s body under their watch, his interest was put solely on them.


    Meanwhile, Alex''s soul was now transparent enough that the Dragari King could see through it, but he started to feel annoyed since no matter how he attacked, Alex was like a cockroach; his soul just never dissipated.


    "Dammit! Just how durable are you?" the Dragari King said with anger.


    His body started changing, becoming small in the same size as Alex. He then pulled Alex up and choked him by the neck.


    He opened his jaw, then prepared to shoot his breath at point-blank range. As his body became smaller, his power was also more condensed, "This time I will make sure to end you."


    Despite his situation, Alex''s eyes were still expressionless, his gaze not even focusing on the energy gathering inches away from his face.


    He saw past it, seeing MingYue, "Seems time is up. In the end, you are a disappointment, Dragari King."


    The Dragari King let out an angry groan, as he could not talk right now. Even in this situation, Alex''s eyes looked at him as if he were trash.


    If it were someone else, he would never take it seriously, but this was the son of someone who had destroyed all his achievements in a matter of years.


    His efforts for millennia were destroyed very easily.


    Alex suddenly grabbed the Dragari King''s hand that was choking him. A surge of lifeforce mixed with crimson aura exploded.

 Chapter 436 - 436: Seperation of Soul

    His transparent body quickly recovered to solid, and his soul presence also increased manifold. The Dragari King released his grasp, and the energy he had gathered dissipated because of the shock.


    The presence coming out of Alex now felt like facing a being that he would not even dare to look at. It was like facing a real God.


    "You took over my father''s body, now it''s your time. Those that sin against me should pay for their mistake."


    The aura transformed into something that looked like a large bat, it then opened its big mouth. A huge suction came out from it, absorbing the Dragari King''s soul.


    MingYue, looking from afar, was confused by how things progressed, "Vesa, how can he do this?"


    "I honestly never thought this was possible. When the King was beaten up, part of his soul was corrupting the Dragari King. It started changing part of it bit by bit, turning the wavelength into something like the Vampire race.


    As the Queen knows, the Progenitor aura is very effective on their own race. The King also enhanced it with lifeforce, which multiplied the effect and caught that lizard off guard." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So he is now absorbing his lifeforce?"


    "I don''t think so, Queen. As you see, the King is taking all his soul while disassembling it. I think he''s experimenting."


    MingYue rolled her eyes; she didn''t know if Alex was doing this for revenge or really to satisfy his curiosity, but considering his current emotionless state, it should lean more toward the second part.


    What Alex did was like experimenting on a human when they were alive without any anesthesia, cutting them apart, playing with the organs, studying how things work.


    Only this time, the human could not die of shock, and the pain was a hundredfold over. The Dragari King roared in pain as his soul was being torn apart; the pain came from his whole presence.


    "Impossible! How can this happen? I am stronger than you!"


    "As I said, you are a disappointment. You have the strength, but you cannot use it. You may not realize it, but your soul is already wounded.


    Why do you think you acted so emotional in our fight? Do you think that''s how someone experienced fights?


    This is not a novel where we have a God acting like a brat with no brain. From the start, you could have gone all out and finished me, but no, you played around.


    Then, taking over my body? Are you sure it''s something you planned? Not what my father made you do?


    You pitiful King, till the end, my father was playing you by his finger. The body you took over is nothing more than a prison specially made for you."


    Alex found all this out while he was corrupting the Dragari King''s soul. Otherwise, there is no way he could have succeeded.


    At first, he was just testing things out, but after seeing the results, he decided to continue. As for the rest he said, most of it was speculation.


    Alex thought his father did something similar to him, but with more sacrifice. He probably used his own soul to create damage and put some thought into the Dragari King.


    This is why Alex decided to absorb the Dragari King''s soul; he wanted to dissect it not just for experimentation but to look for any of his father''s traces.


    If there was still some left, he could gather it together and have some hope of fixing it.


    Alex might be emotionless, but his mind still worked based on established priorities. He knew he needed to rescue his father for now; as for afterward, he would consider it later based on the situation.


    MingYue landed on the ground as the Dragari King was absorbed with nothing left behind.


    "You''re here. Took you a while," Alex said without looking at her.


    His cold treatment made her feel annoyed, but right now, there was something else she needed to do.


    "How long do you need?"


    "A few minutes should be enough. I just need to group the results before they dissipate. Vesa, help me," Alex said, then sat cross-legged on the ground.


    Vesa flew over, receiving instructions from Alex and following them precisely. She first created a rune similar to the one they used on Emily and the others.


    But Alex instructed her to make a few more runes surrounding it. That one served as the core, while the rest were supporting runes.


    This was a new rune formation he created to hold the disassembled Dragari King''s soul.


    There was no way he could completely analyze it otherwise.


    From his body, a few particles started coming out. The first was green, as it was lifeforce, the second one was white. It looked more like a dandelion rather than a particle, very fragile and could dissipate at any time.


    If one focused on it, they would be able to see a silhouette of images on each particle.


    The first and second piles kept growing in size, while Alex started creating a third and fourth pile.


    The third pile looked like electricity; Alex didn''t know what it was, so he just used runes to isolate it, then separated it away.


    The fourth one was red particles.


    This pile was far smaller than the others, and it gave off a completely different feeling.


    Vesa moved around, helping create rune after rune and directing lifeforce energy to ensure the operation was smooth.


    In MingYue''s eyes, the process looked simple, but for Alex and Vesa, it was like performing a complicated surgery on someone''s brain.


    The things they separated and moved were fragile and easily dissipated.


    One wrong move could trigger a chain reaction that would completely destroy everything.


    ''This white one should be memory, as for that crackle of electricity, I feel like it''s something that bridges the lifeforce and memories like a circuit, it''s like the foundation that makes up a soul.


    As for the last one, it''s the remains of my father.''

 Chapter 437 - 437: Incomplete Soul

    As all the piles were separated, Alex looked dazedly at the red energy.


    Even after all the separation, this only counted as a few. He felt this wasn''t even part of the main soul.


    "MingYue, what do you think I should tell my mom and sister outside?" Alex asked as he didn''t know what to say.


    With the loss of his emotions, his ability to empathize was also reduced.


    He could think about their reactions, but choosing the right words to not hurt them was something he needed to really consider. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t just about their emotion; he needed to make sure they didn''t do anything reckless.


    "Is that your father''s remaining soul?" MingYue asked while pointing at it.


    "Yes and no, it''s more like part of him he discarded. He is still out there, living out from his body as a soul.


    I suspected he hid some clue in the ring, but if this is true, I don''t understand why he hid it, except he have more enemies.


    This means this lizard king is not the real problem. I wonder if it''s the one Byakhee mentioned."


    "Did you have any idea why they were here?"


    "Byakhee''s real self is the one overseeing the outer gate, or who knows, he created it. So, his looking at this planet is not weird.


    I think it''s more about the other being. Byakhee should have found out what this being did, and it piqued his interest.


    As for the matter itself, it''s probably related to the pendant you got from your parents.


    There is also Reina''s mother. Her missing should be related to that. I suspect she is now with your parents. As for my father''s real soul, I doubt it''s with them.


    He was always the type to send someone to do something while he himself did the riskier part without anyone knowing."


    Alex then stood up, his fingers moving, manipulating the rune formation. It then spun and closed up, creating something like a sphere.


    Leaving behind only the green particles outside.


    "You still haven''t answered, MingYue. What should I say?" he asked while grasping the sphere.


    The rune required continuous infusion of life force to make sure everything inside stayed intact. The cost was not cheap, but it was far better than letting it all dissipate.


    "You know how bad I am with personal interactions like this, but if it were me, I would just tell the truth: your father is not here."


    "Based on the body''s situation, my father''s soul should have left a while ago. He also doesn''t have any plan to return."


    "How did you come to that conclusion?"


    "Just see this body''s situation," Alex said while pointing toward the lightning in the sky. Even after he captured the Dragari king, the inner world still stayed intact.


    "Even without a soul, this inner world somehow still stands. I still don''t know how my father did this, but this is why I am sure he did this to make a prison for the Dragari king''s soul.


    If he really tried to possess me, something would be triggered.


    My father also destroyed the organ that gave him his ability. He made sure to do it so thoroughly that it cannot be regenerated."


    "Your father seems like a very capable man."


    "He is. The problem is, if I tell Mom and Emily like what you say, I am sure they will go after him directly."


    "They don''t even know where he is; where would they go?"


    Alex''s eyes turned to the sphere in his hand. "My father bestowed all his memories to my mother. I am sure she has an inkling of where he went.


    I guess it''s in the frontline area, the other side of the portal.


    That reminds me, have you seen a woman outside? She is Feng Xue''s descendant."


    "No, I never thought her family situation was this complicated. How about the ShangXi Temple and the coalition? Do they have something to do with this?"


    "Almost certainly, yes. It seems someone planned something for a long time, and this someone is probably that being.


    I suspect the Shangxi Temple abbot is one of my father''s comrades. He probably created both opposing forces to create this situation."


    "In that case, does that mean the Shangxi Temple is on our side?"


    "Not necessarily. Don''t forget our goal is to take over this world. It''s different from what they want to achieve, and who knows if we disrupt their plan instead." Alex paused for a moment.


    It wasn''t just a possibility; he believed his army had already disrupted the plan. The question was, did it disrupt in a good way? Or in a bad way?


    "Vesa, analyze the Dragari king''s memory and give me the rundown later," Alex said while throwing the sphere toward Vesa.


    "Yes, King." Vesa then opened her mouth and ate it whole.


    "MingYue, you should take this. I already have some insight into reaching the next realm. We need to become stronger as fast as possible."


    Alex split the life force pile into two and then gave half to MingYue.


    MingYue began absorbing it, closing her eyes. New information started pouring over her as Vesa gave her Alex''s insight.


    Looking at her, Alex thought, ''I have no emotion, but I still find myself attracted to her. Is this because we are linked by the progenitor''s soul?


    Or is emotion different from someone''s heart?''


    Many thoughts and considerations came to Alex''s mind. In the past, he would categorize attraction, like, and love all as emotions, but now it seemed it wasn''t necessarily true.


    MingYue opened her eyes. She had many questions about his insight, but feeling his glare made her questions dissipate.


    She was now in her soul form; the glare felt like he saw her naked, making her blush.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "As you know, I like you, MingYue, but in my state, I am emotionless."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I am emotionless, but I can still say for sure that I like you. I wonder why."

 Chapter 438 - 438: Can You Revert Back?

    His words made MingYue frown. "What do you mean by that? You don''t want to like me? Or is that a problem?"


    "Yes, a problem because it means two things: either like is not part of emotion, or our attraction is caused by the progenitor''s soul."


    MingYue''s expression turned cold at his remark. She didn''t know why, but it made her feel angry. "Do you mean our relationship is fake? Didn''t you tell me before that it doesn''t matter at all?"


    "It seems my words hurt you. I''m sorry, I don''t mean it like that. I just want to understand the nature of the human soul.


    You see, if even after emotion is removed, someone''s soul could still feel things like a crush, doesn''t this mean there is another part that builds up the soul?


    The Dragari king''s soul is not complete; it''s already damaged from the start. So I cannot use it as an example of how a soul really is."


    "Do you forget what you told me before, Alex?


    You speculated that a baby is born without a soul, and only when they experience many things is a soul born.


    Doesn''t this mean very intense emotions and feelings can be carved into someone''s soul?


    Honestly, I myself don''t care too much about how it comes to be; what matters is the present."


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to undermine our relationship. It''s just an easy example to make a comparison to.


    Even if it''s because of the progenitor, it''s not a problem."


    "The old you would explain to me now how it''s not related, and our bond is not based on that. You would dislike it since it''s equivalent to making every single one of our experiences together moot."


    MingYue paused for a moment. Her eyes flickered with emotion.


    "Alex, can you revert to your old self? I liked that one far better than the current you."


    Alex''s eyes changed, showing some emotion, but it only lasted for a moment before it reverted back. "Why? The current me is more effective and efficient; we can achieve our goal faster this way."


    "Vesa already told you everything about my parents and yours. But you only mentioned the necessary part while not asking how I feel about that."


    "I see. I''m sorry. You probably expected that when you came to me here."


    "And that, again, a sentence you would never say to me before," MingYue said with a deep sigh.


    "Yes, you are not wrong. I honestly expected you to say something to calm the turmoil in my heart. But the you now is not capable of it¡­.


    What can I do to make you revert back to your old self, Alex?"


    "I honestly don''t know. I''m sure you already suspect this is because of Byakhee''s interference, and I think that is really the case.


    I don''t know what his purpose was, nor how he did it, but honestly, this makes me stronger, MingYue."


    "No, I don''t agree with it, Alex," MingYue said as she took a step closer. Her hand then touched his cheek.


    "See? You don''t even react when I do this. A person, when they are in a deep emotional state, could achieve something that people thought was impossible."


    "Chudo, I believe that''s what Alucard said this energy was."


    MingYue nodded, "And I think that is necessary for you to get your emotion back."


    She released her hand, then took a step back, "Alex, I will go out first. I don''t know why, but seeing you like this just makes me feel¡­." MingYue''s voice trailed off, as she didn''t even know the word to convey her emotion.


    It was one filled with disappointment, worry, and many other things.


    "Alex, I suggest you act like you have your emotion when meeting your family, otherwise it will just worry them more."


    MingYue''s body then started becoming transparent as she left the inner world.


    "Vesa, what do you think?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "About what, King? Your emotion?"


    "Yes, and I also want to know what you think of MingYue''s current mental state.


    I think as her partner, it''s my obligation to find a way to make her feel better."


    Vesa blinked her eyes a few times as she didn''t know what to say. "King, I''m sorry, but I don''t know how to answer that.


    As the progenitor''s familiar, my goal is to make sure both of you succeed. So, King''s current state actually makes things better.


    But personally, I am of the same opinion as the queen, and this is based on my observation, King. But things will become worse if you keep going like this."


    "How?"


    "Measuring everything based on benefit alone while choosing the most effective way to do it is how we vampires reached our last prosperous height."


    "I see. You mean this method has proven to fail."


    Vesa nodded, then added, "One more thing, King, as you measure everything based on benefit, at some point you will also do the same to the people around you.


    I have been told how my old master acted at that time.


    He regretted so many things that he created me to make sure I was always there to remind him if something was too much."


    "I see. You should do the same to me then, Vesa," Alex said.


    He then sat cross-legged and meditated, waiting for Vesa to finish filtering all the Dragari king''s memories. Alex hoped to gain more information, so he knew what to say to his mother later.


    Outside, MingYue opened her eyes.


    "MingYue, what happened? Why is Alex still not finished?" Luca asked.


    "Everything is fine, Auntie, although there are some things about Uncle that I think you need to hear from Alex''s own mouth. But don''t worry, he is still alive."


    She then excused herself and left without giving a chance for Luca or the others to ask.


    Stel at first wanted to stop and interrogate her, but thankfully, Clara blocked his attempt.


    "Don''t be stupid. Couldn''t you tell her mood is very bad now."


    "So what? We can just fight then."

 Chapter 439 - 439: Reina and Moria

    "You muscle brain, avoid it for now. Things will escalate if you have a conflict with her."


    "Fine, but you owe me a fight for this."


    "Whatever, just shut up for now," Clara said while she sent a message to Aria.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was now sitting on the rooftop, hugging her knees, looking at the sky with a complicated expression.


    "Why did he have to go to that state now?" MingYue mumbled.


    Instead of calming the turmoil in her heart, she felt it was now getting worse instead.


    "If I stayed there any longer, I would probably start attacking him."


    MingYue had a huge urge to slap Alex because of his words, but she held it back since she knew his situation.


    Gazing at the sky, she started thinking about what the normal Alex would do and say.


    A longing began appearing in her heart. It then turned into desire, ''I should find a way to return him to normal, no matter what. I will be stuck with him for life; I cannot imagine seeing him like this every day.


    But how could I do this? I doubt Byakhee did something with his soul; he probably just amplified the shock that Alex felt. Does this mean he needs another shock to recover?''


    "Sis MingYue, can I join you?" A voice called her out. Looking down, she saw Aria coming toward her.


    Her change of attitude made MingYue frown.


    "What''s with the sudden change?" Her eyes then lit up as another idea came to her mind, "Never mind that; now that you are here, let''s continue our fight; I need to vent."


    MingYue leaped down while ice appeared in her hand, turning into a sword. Without waiting for her to respond, she slashed forward.


    Aria rolled her eyes; she had come here because her aunt Clara had asked her to coax and gain information from MingYue. She could imagine Clara''s reaction if she ended up having a fight with her.


    "Can we do this later?" She asked while moving backward, dodging MingYue''s attack.


    Since MingYue only wanted to spar, she didn''t use her qi or blood ability. But she still used the force of life to boost her body strength.


    MingYue ignored Aria''s question; she appeared an inch away from Aria''s face and slashed her sword.


    CLANG! Aria took out her own sword and parried the attack.


    "Please, can we not do it now? My aunt will kill me."


    "Sure, just spar with me for five minutes. That won''t be long."


    MingYue slashed a few more times, this time targeting her vitals. Aria''s lips twitched. "Fine! But you are talking with my aunt after this."


    "Sure."


    CLANG! CLANG!


    The swords met in the air, creating spark after spark. Both of them moved with proficiency. Compared to their last fight, this one was a clash of pure swordplay.


    At a glance, their fight looked like a stalemate, with no one succeeding in attacking the other. However, if someone had observed further, they would have realized that Ming Yue was the one on the offensive almost all the time.


    Aria barely returned one for every ten attacks; even then, her counterattack usually failed as she got pressured further instead.


    MingYue''s lips curled into a smile as her movement became faster. She started focusing on the fight, forgetting her own problems.


    She threw a feint, targeting Aria''s neck. But just before it hit, she threw her sword into the air and then kicked Aria''s hand.


    This movement surprised Aria, as before, all her attacks only used the sword. Aria''s hand fumbled, almost dropping her sword.


    MingYue continued with a punch to her stomach, caught her sword, and then pointed it toward Aria''s neck. "Not bad, but it would be better if you were serious."


    "Believe me, this is the best I can do in this situation. Are you satisfied yet?"


    "Not yet, but my mood is better now. So, who is your aunt, and why does she want to meet me?" MingYue asked as the ice sword in her hand dissipated into ice vapor.


    "You have met her; she is Clara. The one that greeted us."


    "In that case, why doesn''t she ask the question herself?"


    "Well, because you seemed to be in a bad mood when you left. Basically, we just want to know the situation about my Master."


    "You just need to ask that, huh," MingYue said with a sigh. Her improved mood quickly turned sour again. She then added, "That is for Alex to say, not me. By the way, since you mentioned him, do you know the woman that came with Alex? Your aunt should have known."


    "Oh, do you mean Ying Xue? She is staying in the guest pavilion, waiting for those from the frontline to come. But it seems there is no news."


    "Hmm¡­ bring me to her."


    "Ying Xue, you know her?"


    "Well, I know someone from her family."


    "Wait," Aria replied as she contacted her aunt to confirm, just in case.


    After getting her response, she said, "Alright, I will bring you there."


    Meanwhile, somewhere between the Midnight Clan and Zephyr, two people were sitting near the river. One had a confused and worried look on his face, the other had a deadpan look.


    "Reina, how long will you stay like this? You were the one insisting we go to the Zephyr Clan, but now¡­"


    "Uncle¡­ Do you know how it feels to want something for so long, feel how hopeless it was, then give up on it?


    Then suddenly, a miracle happens that rekindles your hope, but only for it to be taken again."


    "Alex is still alive for sure." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But Uncle, that explosion?"


    At that time, Reina and Moria were not that far from the Midnight Clan. They saw the explosion and the pillar of light.


    Reina at first wanted to return, but Moria stopped her.


    The artifact on her broke, which meant not even an immortal would survive that explosion. There was no way Moria would allow Reina to return.

 Chapter 440 - 440: Yang Fei Appearance

    "Don''t forget how capable he was, and don''t you still feel the blood oath we made with him is still intact? What more proof do you need?"


    "Yes¡­. But Uncle, our clan."


    "Forget it for now. What can we do about it? Let''s focus on our current task. Looking for your mother and discussing what we need to do."


    Reina gave a weak nod. She said to go there, but she knew what she could do.


    Probably, they would accept her as a refugee, then forcibly make her marry one of their people. Now that her clan had disappeared, her worth would become far less.


    Reina still didn''t know Alex''s feat of resurrecting their clan, just like other cultivators. Right now, the area is surrounded by danger zones that kill almost everyone instantly.


    Many cultivators had already come to that place to check, while the survivors started selling the information they had.


    Reina took the cold water and then washed her face. She then continued the journey with Moria to the Zephyr Clan.


    On the way, Moria suddenly raised his hand. "Stop here. There is a cultivator in front. I will check first."


    Reina frowned but nodded, agreeing with Moria. She knew debating with him would be a waste of time.


    Moria flew forward, his eyes then locked on a cultivator on the ground. His appearance was like someone who had just come out from a battlefield.


    His robe was tattered and stained with blood. Moria could feel the cultivator was strong, at least as strong as him, but his cultivation was unstable.


    This made him feel wary, and he decided to go at him first.


    Moria and the cultivator had already detected each other''s presence, so he knew avoiding him was not a choice. And based on his movement, he had already moved toward his location.


    "Daoist, my name is Moria. We are just passing by here. What is your name?"


    The man looked at him with cold eyes, then his lips curled into a smile, "Yang Fei. Where do you want to go? The situation right now is not good, you know.


    Look at all this blood. I just got ambushed by a group of weird monsters I''ve never seen before. They have green skin and a weird appearance."


    "What kind of monster? Green skin? I''ve never seen one of them. Is it part of the Beastman Tribe? But their territory is far away from here." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yang Fei grinned. "I don''t know. They are quite short and use weird weapons. If not because of my unique method, I would be dead by now. So, where do you want to go?


    You know, I want to visit the Zephyr Clan. If you are going the same way, we should go together."


    Moria frowned; if he were alone, he would agree, but he was not with Reina. Who knows if Yang Fei had any ideas after meeting her. He also felt something was very odd with him."


    "We are going to a town nearby here, so there is no need to go together. Fellow Daoist can go first."


    Yang Fei smiled, his eyes looking at Moria, studying his strength. "Alright, if you say so, I don''t want to bother you then. I''ve had enough fighting for now."


    He then changed direction and started walking away from Moria.


    Moria felt relieved as the man walked away. If they fought, he didn''t know if he could beat him or not. But he didn''t drop his guard yet; he patiently waited until Yang Fei really left.


    It wasn''t the first time he had met someone who said they would leave but ended up returning and ambushing him.


    "He finally left. What is with that man? With how chaotic his qi was, I wonder if he is a demonic cultivator?" Moria mumbled with a sigh while stroking his beard.


    He then turned back to return to Reina''s side. But just after he made one move, a piercing pain suddenly spread out from his chest.


    Looking down, he could only see a stain of blood coming out from his chest. Blood came out from his mouth. He tried to use his qi but failed as he felt a huge suction coming from the pain.


    The next move he should have made was looking back to find out his assailant, but Moria didn''t do that. His priority was Reina. A pill appeared in his palm, then he gulped it.


    His qi started surging at an uncontrollable rate, making his body bulge out. Then Boom! It exploded, creating a deep crater in the area.


    A distance away, Yang Fei was standing with his hand pointed forward. From his palm, a tentacle was coming out all the way to where Moria had stood before.


    "So decisive, he even destroyed his storage ring. If I was there, I would be at least heavily wounded." Yang Fei mumbled. He looked toward the direction Moria''s soul escaped to. "There is still one more prey, but she is too weak. I will just have my fill with the clan. I do wonder why she sent me there."


    Meanwhile, Moria''s soul quickly arrived at Reina''s location.


    "Uncle, what happened?"


    "No time to waste. Change of plan; we will go to the nearest town."


    "But why are you in soul form?" Reina asked with worry in her gaze. She still didn''t think Moria was dead.


    In her mind, Moria used a secret technique to escape and warn her because the enemy was too dangerous.


    "Reina! For once, just listen to me." Moria said with a glare.


    "Alright, but you will explain everything," Reina replied. She knew the situation would be dire if Moria said it like that.


    Staying here for a longer time would just make things more dangerous.


    Meanwhile, back at the Zephyr Clan, MingYue was now sitting across from Ying Xue. Aria had already introduced them to each other and then left them to prepare some tea.


    "Ying Xue, have you met with Feng Xue?"

 Chapter 441 - 441: MingYue and YingXue

    "Not yet. I only heard about her from the Situ Clan patriarch."


    "What do you think her goal was? Based on my information, does she want to destroy Shangxi Temple?"


    Ying Xue hesitated for a moment; she was considering what to say. Should she answer honestly? Or not?


    "Stop hesitating. If you don''t tell me, then I will use my own method to find out."


    "Are you threatening me?"


    "Take it as you will. Your cultivation dropped drastically after what happened. So I will not bully you with violence."


    Ying Xue''s lips twitched hearing what MingYue said.


    ''What, not bully me? Saying that while letting out your qi pressure on me.''


    "So, what is your answer? It''s not like you''ll lose anything.


    You should already know with Alex''s intellect that it''s only a matter of time before he finds out the real reason. I just ask this to cut down time and confirm it.


    Also, Feng Xue is part of my sect. I am not your enemy. So think again, why do you need to hide it from me?"


    "You are right. I will be honest¡ªwhat I had was only speculation, but I thought she wanted to return our family to the top.


    I didn''t believe she just wanted to destroy ShangXI temple.


    Maybe that was what she really thought at first, but then she changed her mind after learning about our existence."


    "Picking up your clan to the top? Hmm, no, she won''t do that. I am sure of it," MingYue replied.


    She didn''t say more to avoid unnecessary conflict. But Feng Xue should have known the Bai Yue Sect''s goal was to take over the world. MingYue also felt Feng Xue was not someone who would bother managing the world afterward; she was someone who preferred to live peacefully.


    "How would you know that?" Ying Xue asked with confusion. Even though she had known Feng Xue longer, that didn''t mean MingYue could guess what was on her mind.


    "I was sure of it; the situation was just like that. So, basically, she had some other reason¡­ That rift that the frontline clan protected¡ªjust what was inside? Was it really just a portal for otherworldly creatures to pass through?"


    "Yes, at the very least, that was what I knew of."


    "Had anyone ever entered the rift?"


    YingXue turned silent, as she didn''t want to answer. But her action itself, unfortunately, already equaled an answer for MingYue.


    The clue was just too much that even without thinking, she could already guess. "Was Reina''s mother on the other side of the rift?"


    "¡­"


    MingYue''s gaze turned colder, "Just answer. This meant my parent was with her."


    YingXue''s eyes widened. She then started observing MingYue''s appearance. "Now that you say it, I think you look like one of the people who went into the expedition."


    MingYue stood up, ice-chilling qi coming out from her body, "When did they leave? And what was the mission goal?"


    "I cannot answer, not because I didn''t want to, but I just didn''t know."


    The pressure intensified as MingYue''s anger began to rise. "How could you say you didn''t know? Are you kidding me?"


    "I was serious; part of my memory pertaining to this had been erased. So I didn''t know." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue squinted her eyes, but she somehow could tell YingXue wasn''t lying.


    "Did something happen?" Aria asked as she had just returned with a tray and two cups of tea.


    "Cut the crap. This is your place; I knew you were listening to everything. Don''t think I''m dumb."


    "I-I¡­" Aria didn''t know what to say, as she was speechless.


    The formation that spied on them had been created by her aunt Clara; it was also modified by Edward, so she was surprised someone could detect it.


    Unfortunately, she got trapped. MingYue couldn''t detect the formation. Vesa was also still busy helping Alex, so she didn''t bother her with minor things; it was just her instinct that said someone was observing her.


    "Your reaction just confirmed it. Since you overheard everything, you could ask for more information from Ying Xue.


    I needed to cool down my head; don''t come look for me unless you wanted a death match."


    With that word, MingYue left the area as she froze the area around her, creating a frozen trail.


    YingXue looked at Aria; with the topic of conversation with MingYue, she somehow felt concerned.


    "Did no one from the frontline come?"


    The sequence of events since meeting Alex was just too baffling to be called coincidence. First, he was looking for Reina''s mother, then it turned out he had a close relationship with Edward.


    Now, Ming Yue''s parent was one of the people who went through the rift. She somehow felt something big would happen, something that was outside of her imagination.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Alex opened his eyes. He then created a few gestures, making the rune react. Ice started forming around Edward''s body, completely encasing him.


    It was similar to what he did for Roxy. The Rune then dissipated into particles that flowed into his body.


    His lips then curled into a small smile. "Mom, Sis."


    "Brother, what happened inside? What about father?"


    "This¡­ it''s complicated¡­" his eyes then moved toward Stel. "Stel and Clara, can you leave us here? This is more of a family problem, you know."


    "Are you kidding me? What family problem? Everything pertaining to Edward will impact my clan heavily, we have the right to know!" Stel replied while exuding her pressure, making Luca move to protect Emily.


    Her cultivation was higher than Emily''s, allowing her to put up more resistance, but even that was not enough, as she still felt pressured.


    Alex''s smile disappeared, his face quickly turning cold, killing intent spreading as he asked, "Do you want to die?"


    "Want to fight!? You think I''m scared? A Golden Core cultivator like you challenging me? Haha, brat, you really have a death wish."


    BAM!


    Suddenly Clara made a move, hitting Stel right in the head. Surprising everyone in the room.

 Chapter 442 - 442: I am Your Mom First

    "You shut up, muscle brain. I am sorry about her attitude, but Alex, what he said is true.


    You may not know this, but right now, it can be said Edward is our clan leader. Since he''s disappeared now, we need to know what happened to him.


    Of course, you don''t need to tell us now. I understand it''s a family matter, but can you promise to tell me after you''re finished? I will wait for you outside."


    "Thank you, Clara. I appreciate it."


    Stel still couldn''t accept the situation. He wanted to say more, but Clara had already pulled him out of the room, then closed it behind them.


    "Just what are you thinking? I don''t get it. If Edward were still here, I''d understand why we need to think twice, but now¡­"


    "You saw my fight with him; do you think you can win? There''s also MingYue here. I somehow feel she''s on a similar level with Alex."


    "Even with the two of them, I still don''t get why we need to accommodate them like this."


    "Just think of it as Edward''s wish. Don''t you still owe him?"


    "That¡­ is different. Not like I planned to kill that boy."


    "And you think Alex won''t try to kill you? Have you seen what he''s capable of?


    Also, the incident in the Midnight Clan, I just got information it''s related to him. So what''s wrong with taking one step back?


    It''s not like he doesn''t want to tell us; he just asked for privacy to be with his family. How hard is that?"


    "You and your irrefutable common sense. Sometimes I wonder if you''re immortal or not."


    Clara snorted. "The other immortals just forget they were human once. Honestly, I''m starting to think emotion is necessary for us to reach the next level."


    "How can it be related? We learn to ignore our emotions as we make our breakthrough, pushing forward to focus only on cultivation."


    "And this is why I won''t bother to explain it to you. You''re stupid! We''re not ignoring our emotions; we''re trying to control them. Just be patient; if this is proven true, you''ll be my first guinea pig."


    Stel''s lips twitched, but he didn''t retort. It wasn''t the first time he''d become Clara''s guinea pig; he was fine as long as the risk was acceptable.


    And now the reward was reaching a new realm, one that was unattainable by anyone before. Whatever the risk was, he felt it was worth it.


    "Did you get the idea from Edward? He said he had given you enough clues to move on."


    "Nope, Edward gave me clues on my alchemy to enhance someone''s potential. This one was because of my talk with Alex. Anyway, just shut up for now." Clara replied while thinking. ''Humanity''s best talent is its adaptation, but doesn''t this also come from our emotion?


    We use our emotion as fuel for our ambition to do something that should be impossible.


    Many fail in the journey, but some succeed, pushing humanity to new heights.


    The cycle continues over and over.


    If this is the basic human trait, then does it mean I need to tie my emotion to my being?''


    As she thought about this, inside, Alex was having a deep discussion with Emily and Luca.


    He started with how Edward had already planned for everything, and now the soul had already left his body, before explaining further the basis of his reasoning.


    Emily sobbed at his explanation, the hope to meet her father squashed once more. She walked to the ice while looking at her father''s face.


    Meanwhile, Luca, through all this, kept looking at Alex, "Is that all? You''re not hiding anything?"


    "No, Mom. As I said, Father is still alive, and he will come looking for us soon."


    Luca''s eyes flickered. She stood up, then walked toward Alex. Her gaze never left his face. "Who are you?"


    "What do you mean, Mom? I''m your son."


    Emily, who had been sobbing, stopped hearing Luca''s question, "What do you mean by asking that, Mom? Are you saying Alex is an imposter?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know. My heart tells me the one standing here is my son, but my eyes tell me he is not," she said with a voice tinged with sadness and pain.


    The tone made Alex''s eyes flicker, but unfortunately, it only lasted a moment. "I still don''t get it."


    "The son that


    I knew wouldn''t talk like that, and your smile is fake. Alex, you''re like a completely new person.


    At first, I thought it was the effect of becoming a vampire since MingYue''s personality is also quite cold and detached. But then I remembered how long you''ve been one and how MingYue became emotional about her parents.


    This means something else is the cause, and you haven''t told me that, Alex."


    Her tone then turned stern. "Alex, who told you you could lie to me? Tell me what happened to you now."


    "Don''t worry about it, Mom. I''m really alright. We should worry about Father for now. I''ve already thought of a few plans we can go for this."


    Luca took a step closer, then embraced Alex, pushing his head over her chest. "Can you hear my heartbeat?


    As long as I''m breathing and living, you and Emily are my priority. This is what your father and I decided, and also why I stayed this long before looking for him.


    Now, tell me what happened."


    BA-Dump, Ba-Dump, Ba-Dump.


    The heartbeat was like a concert of music that made Alex''s heart feel a throb, like something was pulling on its string, but the shell was too strong.


    "It''s really nothing, Mom."


    Luca pulled back, looking straight into his eyes, "Then tell me everything that happened the moment you came to this world. And no lying or hiding anything." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex paused for a moment. His logic told him it was still better to hide many parts, but somehow his lips moved and told everything.

 Chapter 443 - 443: Mom and Son

    From the moment he arrived and met Reina, which got a glare from Emily to the moment he destroyed a whole city, then revived them back. From there, he lost his emotions and came to Zephyr Clan.


    When Alex started narrating what he learned from the Dragari King, Luca cut in, "That''s enough, I get it now. So you say you lost your emotions after that incident.


    Did you feel guilt from killing all those people?"


    "At that time, yes, but I already resurrected everyone; now, I just need to clean up the outer area and make sure no more problems will come from it."


    "And your solution is to take over this world to make sure no one dares to attack them?"


    "Yes, that is the most logical and effective way."


    "Brother, I already heard from MingYue what both of you wanted to do, and I honestly think that reason makes sense. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this one you gave me, isn''t it a bit messed up?"


    "Why?" Alex asked, looking at her.


    "Emily, don''t cut in yet. I''m still not finished," Luca said, making Emily pout. Then, she turned her focus back to her father.


    "Alex, I won''t comment on how you do things. You are an adult now and responsible for your own actions, but based on everything you said, you have no plan to find a way to recover your emotions?"


    "I just feel this is more effective and efficient in doing things."


    "Alex, emotion is part of what makes you, you. Killing will just cause more problems in the future."


    "MingYue said the same thing, Mom. I will think about it."


    Luca sighed; she had said what needed to be said. The rest was up to him. "So, about your father, what are you thinking? We should go after him."


    "I am thinking the same, Mom, but I think you and Emily should stay here."


    "NO! I will go by myself if you don''t bring me. I am not taking no for an answer," Emily said with a stern gaze.


    Alex frowned, his hand moving as he placed his father''s body into his storage ring. Emily was touching it when this happened, making her yelp in surprise.


    "Even Father took so many precautions, and he still felt it was too dangerous. Didn''t he tell you the same, Mom?"


    Luca turned silent; Edward did leave her some instructions, one of which was not to go after him and instead meet up with the others who stayed behind.


    Bringing them home took priority over looking for him. "Yes, but no, I will not stay back. Sylva should be able to take care of the rest, and honestly, your father just said it for the sake of it. He knows me better than anyone else; I will not listen."


    Emily nods, agreeing with Luca.


    "As expected, then give me some time to prepare. I just ask both of you not to go by yourselves. Wait for me in this clan."


    "Brother, where are you going?" Emily asked.


    "You already know I sent my forces out in this region; I will need to manage them. After everything is done, we can then push forward to the frontline."


    "Alex, can you give your father''s body to me?" Luca asked.


    Alex responded by throwing a storage ring to Luca and putting some Qi crystals inside in case his mother needed them.


    Luca caught it, her gaze then turning complicated as she sent her intent toward the ring. Her longing was the deepest, but she held it out to give time for her son and daughter first. "Leave me here alone. Just tell me when you want to go."


    "All right, Mom, I will also put one of my people in front of the door. Just call out if you need anything. Emily, let''s go."


    Emily walked reluctantly. She still wanted to see her father, but she knew her mother needed the privacy.


    Outside, Clara was waiting for him. "Have you finished?"


    "Yes, where do you want to talk?" Alex asked. He then looked at Emily. "Go where you want, but just don''t leave the clan area, okay?"


    "I know, Brother, I will try to contact Aunt Quartz and Olivia."


    "Oh yeah, aren''t they still in the outer region?


    The signal will not be able to reach there, even using the implant chip''s special frequency.


    You better spend time practicing and quickly raise your realm. Use this."


    Alex threw a ring filled with high-grade qi crystals. He had earned a lot after the incident in the Midnight Clan. Based on his calculations, it should be more than enough for Emily to reach the Golden Core.


    He had already given her all the insight he had; the rest was up to her own talent and understanding.


    Alex then put his finger on her forehead, making sure the rune was filled to the brim. He also sent his insight on how to use lifeforce to hasten her advancement.


    Clara waited patiently on the side as Stella was nowhere to be seen.


    The process piqued her interest; she could see Alex was sending information with that weird green energy to Emily, which made her think.


    ''So the energy can be given to another person. Just what is that energy? It should be something related to the life element.''


    Clara guessed it as she saw the energy particles being absorbed from plants and some animals in the area from Alex''s rune. She also wondered if she could try to have that energy from Alex, but the risk made her think twice.


    She needed to drop her guard in the process. Who knows if Alex would do something to her at that time?


    There would be nothing she could do then.


    "Have you finished?" Clara asked as she saw Alex had already pulled back his finger.


    Emily, meanwhile, closed her eyes as she absorbed the knowledge Alex sent to her. In the information, it wasn''t just to break through. It also contained his ideas to allow her to control the light element better.

 Chapter 444 - 444: Talk with Clara

    If she could find a way to implement this into her cultivation, Emily knew her strength would rise many times over.


    "Yes, I am finished. Just need to do one more thing." Alex took out the Awe Cube and then sent out a hi-goblin.


    "King." The blue-skinned tall man kneeled on the ground.


    "Guard the door and my sister. Make sure nothing disturbs them."


    "Yes, King."


    Clara was not surprised by the Awe Cube since she knew many artifacts that were similar in usage. She herself had one that contained a small world, a place where she kept her most precious plants for alchemy.


    Otherwise, she would already cry blood when Alex absorbed all the plants in the clan.


    "Should I send someone here too?" Clara asked. She had already planned to do this but just asked to make sure Alex was fine with it.


    "Yes, a guard and one maid would be good, just in case my mom needs something."


    "All right, don''t worry, they will not be mistreated. Many people respect your father here; well, those who do not are all in prison." Clara said as she began walking toward her abode. She planned to bring Alex to her private laboratory; this way, she hoped he would share more insight about cultivation.


    "Why did you keep them alive?" Alex directly asked as he followed her.


    "Do you even know who they are? If we kill them, things will become more complicated. And it''s not like it''s easy to be done."


    "My father poisoned them, making sure they couldn''t use their cultivation. It''s so potent that even a Late Transcendent Stage cannot do anything against it.


    Both you and Stella are immortal; I don''t see any problem with you killing all of them."


    "You may think both of us are the real pillars of the Zephyr Clan, and you are not wrong about it. But do you think both of us have time to manage the clan?


    Edward is the one maintaining the operation. He has made plans for whole years with many what-if scenarios, but what if the worst happens?"


    "So you are keeping them just in case."


    "Yes, what do you think we keep them for? For fun and giggles? With what happened, they surely have a vendetta against us."


    "Based on what I learned, they should already have had it for a while."


    "Who knows, nor do I care about it. Now that you say this, does this mean you know everything Edward did?"


    "More or less, you could say my father already made many preparations for everything."


    "Tell me then, what happened this last month? Is it Edward''s plan or the being that possessed him?"


    "Both."


    "Meaning?" Clara asked as she turned her gaze, looking at Alex''s expression.


    "The Dragari King thinks it''s his plan, but my father already knew that was what he would do anyway. So you could say both were as he planned."


    "Then what is his purpose for the Zephyr Clan? And what about the things that he promised to me and Stella?"


    "He was not lying. The answer is if he can return from the expedition."


    "So that is where he went. That makes sense; I always wondered why he didn''t join in. At first, I thought it was because his cultivation had reached the Immortal Realm, but I''m still not sure."


    "Yes, he joined from the start." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So that should be the time when he completely swapped with the Dragari King, you say?"


    "Yes. You don''t seem surprised with the Dragari King."


    Clara let out a chuckle, "Haha, I just knew that lizard would not die that easily. When I helped your father there, I was wondering what he would do with his soul, so I thought he did this instead. Do you know why?"


    At that time, Clara offered to take care of the soul, but Edward rejected it.


    "He wanted to look at who the main culprit behind everything was. With the Dragari King''s soul inside his body, the path goes both ways. My father was also able to read his memory."


    "Interesting. So what is the cause?"


    "I will answer if you tell me, how are you on that planet? Based on what I know, immortals here cannot leisurely go to other worlds.


    You can try traveling through the void, but the risk is too high, and so far, no one has ever returned through it."


    With the Dragari King''s memory, Alex also learned many things about the Blue Jewel Planet, including knowledge of the immortal, demonic cultivator and many other things.


    "By luck? Well, at that time, your father was the one playing from a rift on that planet. I just caught it by coincidence using my own formation.


    You should know the rest; we exchanged many pieces of information and contacted each other until your father opened a portal that brought me there.


    But to think he completely decimated the planet afterward. Honestly, I don''t think he needed my help at all."


    "He needed it to find a way to return home safely."


    "I mean, he could make that rift through the void,


    something that no immortal has been capable of through the years. What was stopping him from making one return to your own world?"


    "Nothing. In fact, there is still a portal open there linked to my world. It''s just my father knew returning like that would bring more danger."


    "So you mean safer for his world? Or, in this case, the safety of his family."


    "Family, friends, acquaintances? Well, my father has a huge sense of responsibility."


    "How about you then, Alex? So far, I have caught you as someone who doesn''t care about anything. It''s like you are detached from your own life."


    "I just do what I need to do," Alex replied. He then stopped in his steps.


    He turned his gaze to the side, a distance away at a gazebo on top of the lake. He saw MingYue sitting there in a daze.

 Chapter 445 - 445: Annoyed

    Alex might have no emotion, but this didn''t mean he didn''t have priorities. MingYue''s well-being was more important than informing Clara of the information.


    He might not be able to empathize, but he could tell something was wrong from her expression and the connection between them.


    Clara smiled, seeing his gaze. Without Alex saying anything, she already understood what he wanted. She was not in a hurry, so she said, "Go ahead. I will wait for you in my place. As for the location."


    "As long as you don''t completely hide your qi, I will be able to look for you." Alex cut her words with a lie. In reality, he could tell where she was as long as she was alive.


    Even with all her qi sealed, he could still tell from the life force.


    "Don''t take too long; otherwise, I will get absorbed in my own research."


    "It''s fine, I will wait for you then," Alex replied.


    He still needed some time for his army to make more progress. Based on his calculations, now should be the time they started facing resistance as their target should be upgraded to a larger city.


    Clara then left as Alex went toward MingYue.


    MingYue''s expression changed a bit; she could tell Alex was coming without even looking back. "Why are you here? You should know I want to be alone now."


    "I know, but I think you will feel better if I am here with you."


    "No, I am not. If it''s the past, then yes, but now you just annoy me further."


    Alex put some thought into it; he reflected based on his memories on what would be the best way to cheer her up.


    He walked to MingYue''s side and then created a small prick from his finger. From it, blood seeped out and then turned into a small figurine.


    "Want to fight? If we do it for real, it will be devastating for the Zephyr Clan, but with this blood puppet, it should be fine."


    Seeing it reminded MingYue of their practice at Thalia''s castle.


    It hadn''t been long, but for her, it felt like it happened a long time ago; so many events had occurred.


    "I doubt that can make me feel better, but I might as well try it."


    MingYue created her blood puppet. Alex then spread more of his blood, creating an arena for the blood puppets to fight.


    The arena was squared with high walls surrounding it. They then started moving the puppets to fight. Since Alex''s goal was to make MingYue feel better, he decided not to go all out.


    He made sure it was a close match, so MingYue wouldn''t suspect anything. With his current ability and knowledge of MingYue''s movements, he could predict what she wanted to do beforehand, allowing him to completely control the match.


    MingYue''s blood puppet threw a flurry of kicks using her feet while Alex barely parried. It shot a few punches as a counter, but each one was dodged.


    Alex''s blood puppet then took a step back, but MingYue didn''t give him the opportunity. She made her blood puppet dash forward, then threw a spin kick.


    Alex''s blood puppet was pushed down into the wall. Without any place to evade, MingYue threw the finishing move.


    "It seems I still cannot win against you," Alex said as he took back the blood.


    "Cut the crap, Alex. You are letting me win on purpose."


    Alex looked at MingYue in confusion. He felt he had done everything perfectly. He didn''t understand how MingYue could guess that.


    Normally, he would deny the allegation and change the topic, but right now, with his current state, his curiosity easily took priority.


    "How could you know?"


    MingYue''s eyes grew colder as her heart throbbed, "You''re really asking me that? Fine, if you want to know, your movements should be better than that.


    With your current capability, you should be able to predict my moves. Honestly, I had already anticipated this and prepared to switch styles in the middle of the fight.


    But no! Unfortunately, I couldn''t even do that!"


    "We can do it again then; you can try your new move," Alex replied as he noted MingYue''s explanation. He thought about how he could have done better.


    "Are you thinking you should have lied better to me?" MingYue asked as she took a step closer to Alex.


    They were so close that they could feel each other''s breath.


    "Yes," Alex replied monotonously.


    MingYue''s anger flared, "Enough! I cannot take this anymore. Being with you like this is so frustrating, Alex."


    She moved her hand to Alex''s head, making him turn alert. He wanted to dodge, but MingYue''s words made him stop, "If you trust me, stay."


    Her palm reached the back of his head, and she then pushed it forward, making their foreheads touch each other.


    "Vesa, make sure no one disturbs us," MingYue ordered.


    A red fog came out from both their bodies.


    "Yes, Queen. Don''t worry; no one will bother either of you."


    Her hand moved skillfully, drawing runes in the air. It then covered both of them with an opaque barrier. Not only did it protect them, but it also made it so that no one could see through the barrier.


    "Lower your defenses," MingYue said as she closed her eyes. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She sent her soul to Alex''s inner world. In reality, she didn''t need to touch their foreheads to do this, but she just did it to raise the chance of success.


    MingYue remembered how often Alex''s emotions fluctuated when they made physical contact.


    The sky was reddish, with a green hue, without any clouds. Beneath it, a crimson lake sat still without a single wave.


    MingYue was walking on top of the ocean, her eyes looking around the area. Part of the water then began to fluctuate, rising up and then changing form into Alex.


    "I don''t mind you coming to my inner world, but if your purpose is to look for what is sealing my emotions, then you won''t find anything. I already tried to look for it."


    "You haven''t checked everything yet, Alex."


    "You mean going into my innermost soul?"

 Chapter 446 - 446: Entering Alexs Inner World

    "Yes. No matter how good you are now, you will not be capable of entering it."


    Alex put his hand on his chin, tapping it as he thought about it. "Then you want to go inside? But I don''t have control over that area, and who knows what the system and Alucard put there as protective measures."


    "If it''s any use, this thing would never have happened to you."


    "Not necessarily. What happened was directly caused by Byakhee. He just amplified it. Depending on what measures were put in place, what he did could bypass it."


    "That is possible, but that just means I need to fight my way in. Don''t forget, our souls are linked. Worst comes to worst. I can always escape through the backdoor."


    "But MingYue, you are now in soul form. If you enter that deep, it will mean our souls will mix up."


    MingYue''s eyes flickered for a moment. She began hesitating. What Alex meant was he would know her deepest secrets, her emotions, thoughts, past, and everything else.


    It''s like showing herself bare to him, but at the same time, the same thing could be said for Alex. As she entered that deep, she would be able to see everything about him.


    Until they met, despite having their souls connected, they always kept to their own space, never invading the other''s place. They only knew what the other wanted them to know.


    For example, sending thoughts and memories of their choosing.


    "I will find some other way to regain my emotions; you don''t need to do this, MingYue."


    "I-I¡­" MingYue wanted to respond, but she hesitated. She began thinking about the repercussions of what she was about to do. But after some more thought, she wondered, what is the risk?


    Other than shame, in the end, both of them were bonded for eternity until one of them completely died. A thing that is very hard to achieve.


    Her eyes turned determined as her lips curled into a smile. "You haven''t seen many sides of me, Alex. If you find out how despicable and hypocritical I was, will you still feel the same about me?


    I am a cruel, cold, and selfish woman, and you are bound to me without your choice.


    I still remember you saying I was beautiful in the past, but that is only my outward appearance. What cultivator is not a beauty?"


    "If you mean, will I change how I feel about you or not, then I don''t think it will. First of all, I will clarify that the moment I saw you, I said you were beautiful, but the word in my head was not that."


    "What is it then? And why did you never tell me?"


    "The me at that time felt too shy to say it; it also felt too inappropriate, but basically, the word was you are the one.


    The moment I saw you at that time, I knew you were someone I wanted to spend my whole life with. Someone that I wanted as my one and only woman."


    "Why? Don''t tell me bullshit like love at first sight; we both know you don''t believe that.


    You are someone who uses your logic in every single one of your decisions, or at the very least, the major ones. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even before you lost your emotions, you were someone like that."


    "Many things, but to sum it up, my type has always been someone who can carve their own path no matter what kind of hurdle they face. I just knew you were that type."


    MingYue squinted her eyes, making sure Alex wasn''t lying, but then she realized the current Alex would have no reason to lie. He didn''t even feel an ounce of shyness.


    "Fine then, I will find out myself. But let''s make a deal first; no matter what you and I learn, we will not mention it unless one of us talks about it first."


    "Agreed," Alex replied quickly.


    "Just wait here then."


    MingYue''s body then dived into the ocean, going deeper. Alex looked at her disappearing back, feeling something tugging within him.


    Alex let out a sigh, then sat cross-legged. He decided to focus on finding a way to break through to the next realm.


    The moment MingYue started interacting with the deepest thoughts of his soul, what she thought and felt would be sent to his mind without him doing anything.


    He could also go to MingYue''s inner world, but the current Alex felt it wasn''t necessary.


    MingYue started swimming deeper into Alex''s consciousness. The sea started changing into something that felt more like space.


    She started seeing many spheres floating around like fireflies.


    Curious, she touched one of them. Her expression changed as it turned out it was Alex''s memory. The moment she touched it, she felt like she was Alex¡ªall his thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, everything she felt.


    The one she touched before was a random memory of Alex''s time in college. At that time, he was eating a meal alone in a cafe.


    Seeing the many memories floating around, MingYue started feeling curious about what was hidden inside them, but she shook her head as she knew that wasn''t her main task.


    She moved even deeper. Her surroundings started to change as if she were flying through thunderclouds. Lightning crackled in the sky, and the surroundings reminded MingYue of the energy that Alex picked apart from the Dragarian soul.


    "So this is like a protective barrier before going deeper?" MingYue wondered in her mind.


    At first, the thunder just crackled randomly, but soon enough, it started moving as if it had a will.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    The lightning shot toward MingYue. She quickly reacted, spreading her progenitor''s presence.


    As the progenitor is now part of Alex''s soul, doing this allowed her to be recognized as if she were Alex''s soul.


    She then looked around the area, wondering where the core of the system that linked both of them was, but she couldn''t see anything.


    "The protection is still here. Did Byakhee really just do a one-moment thing and then be done with it? But that doesn''t make sense."

 Chapter 447 - 447: Loneliness

    MingYue felt that if this had been the case, Alex should have recovered his emotions. Even though it was a shock, he was not a normal human.


    His soul was a progenitor, and this meant his mental capacity and health were far above normal humans.


    Although they were still transforming now and barely filled a few percent, they still had the quality of progenitor. She herself could feel it.


    MingYue knew she would already have gone head-on to the rift if not because of her current mental capacity.


    She really wanted to hear from her own parents about the reason they left her.


    Even though the reasoning was for her own safety, MingYue still couldn''t accept it. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How hard is it for them to just tell her about it? Why do they need to go all the way like this? Do they not believe her?


    So many questions were on her mind that made her emotions unstable.


    But this didn''t last long as she moved back, her instinct screamed of danger.


    The thunder rumbled, gathering into one spot, then turning into something that looked humanoid.


    MingYue frowned. Despite the being not having any eyes, she could tell it was studying her now, probably observing whether it should attack her or not.


    Crackle!


    Without warning, the being shot out toward MingYue. She condensed her progenitor''s aura into an ice sword.


    MingYue dodged the attack. She then raised her hand to throw a counterattack, but halfway she stopped.


    The momentary gap was used by the being. It threw a kick right at MingYue''s torso, but just inches away, it clashed with an invisible energy barrier. The shockwave from the clash propelled MingYue back.


    She seized the opportunity, creating wings, and then escaped further. As she expected, the moment she moved out of the thunder area, the being dissipated.


    "What should I do now? Can I hurt it without hurting Alex?" MingYue mumbled in confusion.


    She was sure the thunder being was a part of Alex''s soul; if she hurt it in any way, it would impact Alex. Unfortunately, thinking wasn''t her strong suit. She preferred fighting head-on rather than plotting behind the scenes.


    While she stood in a daze, one of the memory particles accidentally touched her.


    "Man, everything just falls into his lap. If I had his life, I''d never have to worry about anything."


    "So what? He''s so clueless? Honestly, it''s like he''s begging to be taken advantage of."


    "I know, right? Just imagine what we could get if we kept him wrapped around our fingers."


    "Yeah, Alex is so stupid. He''s got all the connections. If I were in his shoes, I''d be way ahead by now. Why even bother befriending us?"


    The memory then disappeared. It was short, but it gave MingYue more understanding of Alex''s past.


    The one she saw was from the moment when Alex was in middle school. He hid under the teacher''s desk while listening to his friends'' conversation.


    MingYue grasped her chest as she could feel what Alex felt at that moment¡ªbetrayal, one of the first he had. It was like someone stabbed her heart and twisted it.


    The betrayal may have seemed innocent and could even be called very normal. People getting close to those who are rich and trying to exploit their kindness. But for the oblivious Alex at that moment, who grew up in a family filled with love and trust, this hit him hard.


    He always grew up seeing how tightly knit the Suzaku guild was. This made Alex always want to have something similar, but unfortunately, reality came.


    There was a reason the Suzaku guild was close; they all met in their most vulnerable state, helping and supporting each other through life-and-death situations. Without this, just how many can really build an unbreakable bond?


    Alex quickly reached the conclusion, almost zero. That was why he gave up trying to make one.


    "Never thought he could feel lonely like that."


    MingYue then looked around. Driven by curiosity, her finger moved, touching another shard of memory.


    But this one was not what she expected. Her cheeks turned red as she shook her head.


    "Pervert."


    MingYue then turned her gaze back to the lightning cloud.


    "Will the dragon and phoenix pendant have some effect on Alex and me?


    Rather than taking risks like this, I might as well try it."


    Outside, MingYue opened her eyes. She quickly met with Alex''s face, which still had his eyes closed. MingYue didn''t make a move in case it broke Alex''s concentration.


    While their foreheads were still touching, she took out the pendant. ''Based on what Aunt said, the dragon pendant is for Alex, and the phoenix is for me. But does it need our blood to activate it?''


    Vesa, who was guarding their bodies, realized MingYue''s confusion.


    "Queen, I think the pendant has two prerequisites to be activated: first, the presence of the owner nearby or maybe needing physical touch, and second, infusing their qi into it.


    But since qi is basically just energy, I think you can use progenitor aura on both pendants; it should serve as your and the King''s signature."


    "How sure are you about this, Vesa?"


    "I am sure. I have seen the King''s father''s memory.


    Based on the method he used, what I say is at least 90% correct.


    And Queen, it''s not like you lose anything; worst come to worst, just wake the King up."


    "He seems to be deep in thought. Let''s avoid it if we can.


    One more thing, Vesa. That lightning being, do you know what it is?"


    "Based on the information I have now, it should be some kind of protective measure of the King''s soul."


    "Then how can I bypass it? You should know a safe way to do this, right?"


    "If Queen means how I linked both of your souls in the past, then that will be a different circumstance.


    At that time, both King and Queen were still normal humans. Right now, both of you are progenitors."


    "So there is no other way?"

 Chapter 448 - 448: The Pendant

    "If Queen doesn''t want to attack it, then the other way will be going through the other door. There is a connection that links King, Queen, and me. I can send Queen there."


    MingYue rolled her eyes. "Why didn''t you tell me this before?"


    "Well¡­ Queen didn''t ask, and doing this will also have some side effects.


    Right now, Queen and King''s souls have transformed into one of vampires and also started changing into progenitors.


    This puts your soul in a unique situation; it''s its own individual but, at the same time, part of a set.


    So if you go deep inside there, parts of your soul that become progenitors will start melding into the King. As for the effect, I don''t know for sure.


    In the first place, Queen''s soul situation is unique and never heard of. This is the fruit of my old master''s long research."


    MingYue sighed, "Forget it, let''s do it later. For now, I will try this pendant first."


    A Crimson aura then started appearing on her finger. MingYue then infused it into the dragon and phoenix pendant.


    The moment this happened, Alex''s eyes opened. They locked eyes while the dragon and phoenix amulet started moving as if it were lifelike; it then let out a roar.


    Many pieces of information started pouring into Alex and MingYue''s minds. Both of them stood in a trance. It took five minutes before their eyes returned to clarity.


    MingYue pulled her head back, her eyes flickering with shock, "What do you think? How true is this?"


    "99% true. Do you think my father and your parents would act this long without making sure of it?"


    MingYue clenched her fist as she started feeling conflicted. On one hand, now she understood the reason for her parents'' actions, and if she were in their position, she would probably do the same. But as their daughter, she still couldn''t forgive them.


    "How noble of them to do all that, sacrificing their own family for the good of the world!" MingYue said with a voice filled with indignation.


    Alex, despite his state, suddenly felt a huge urge to comfort MingYue. He took a step forward, then hugged her.


    MingYue put her head on his shoulder, tears starting to drip from her eyes¡­


    "You know the real reason. It''s not something noble like that. In the end, they did it for you.


    If it happens, the result will be catastrophic. This planet will meet its end.


    We have seen it, MingYue. No life survives in the void of space."


    "So what? Still doesn''t justify them! They could have told me about it, but no, they chose not to.


    They preferred hiding it while making me bear the burden of the whole clan."


    "With that scenario, you kept practicing to become stronger without knowing the danger this world is facing. And honestly, even with our strength now, MingYue, can we even do anything?"


    "Then what are they doing? A suicide mission, then leave this information to us in case they failed, so we can prepare for the future?"


    "They didn''t know we are progenitors. Even without this, that danger is something we need to face. But at the very least, this information confirms things for us."


    MingYue''s tears started dropping more, as right now, she didn''t give a damn about it. Somehow, putting her head on Alex''s chest and hearing his heartbeat made her emotions flow out.


    "Do you know how lonely I was at that time? How lonely was my brother?


    Don''t you feel it, too, Alex? In the past, despite your family, you still felt isolated from your peers, and you found all the lessons boring. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You even challenged yourself with that prank to create a core using your school grades."


    "Yes, you are right, MingYue. I am not justifying what they did."


    MingYue then pulled her head forward and started hitting him in the chest, "And then there is you, Alex! Why are you being like this now?


    Why? When I need you to be understanding, you lose your emotion instead?


    Just how much does the world hate me to give me so much misfortune?"


    "MingYue, you are¡ª"Alex''s voice trailed off as MingYue put her finger in front of his lips, shutting him up.


    "Just shut up for now. You will just make me more agitated. Could you let me be emotional just this once?


    Should I have lived all my life as a cold-blooded cultivator who killed her way to immortality?


    Alex, I never asked for this. I never wanted this. But somehow, I was born with it.


    Many are jealous of the talent I was born with. But for me, it''s not a gift. It''s a curse. Even using my world''s standards, kids should still have time to play, but me?


    No, I had to cultivate nonstop while looking at them, laughing and playing around, making me feel jealous. And then, when we grew older, all of them had the audacity to point their fingers at me, telling me I was fortunate? Blessed? Gifted?


    FUCK THEM! Fuck This World!"


    MingYue''s tears started falling even more. She knew she wasn''t making sense now and was only throwing a tantrum, but she needed it!


    How could she not when she found out her loneliness and despair were planned by her parents?


    It may have been a matter of choosing the lesser evil, but for her, it was something she found very evil. Didn''t she have a choice in the matter?


    "MingYue¡­" Alex called her name as she pushed her face once more to his chest, hugging her tightly. His heart throbbed every time he saw a tear drop from her eyes.


    A thought appeared in his mind. "Whoever made her cry should pay for it."


    Despite, in this case, it being his own father and MingYue''s parents, Alex still felt the same. He wanted to give them a piece of his mind.


    "You can vent however you want with me, MingYue¡­


    But what do you want to do now? Will you tell them about this?"

 Chapter 449 - 449: The Past

    "I don''t want to think about it now, Alex, just let me be for now," MingYue said while still sobbing. She often acted cold and uncaring, but the moment the wall cracked open, the dam burst out.


    Her feelings as a five-year-old, forced to cultivate, no playtime, no social time. Barely spending time with her own family. Every day was cultivate, cultivate, cultivate.


    More treasures to absorb, more secret techniques to learn, more things to practice.


    It was all never-ending. Every day was so monotonous that she was forced to push all her feelings and emotions down.


    A realization then came to her: since when did she start to let her feelings come out?


    She looked up once more, looking at Alex''s eyes, which were still emotionless. "So this is all because of you, Alex."


    "Me? What do you mean?"


    "Since I met you, I started learning about your life, seeing your family, your bond. I realized that was what I wanted.


    If I never saw that, how could I have known how miserable my life was? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Am I not deserving of that kind of life? Tell me, Alex, did I do something wrong to deserve this kind of life?"


    "MingYue, you know that''s not how the world works. If everyone got what they deserved, the world would never be like this."


    "I know, I know¡­ but then¡­ what justifies this? Why must I be the one that hurts¡­"


    MingYue put her head on his chest and started sobbing. No more words came out from her lips because even though she knew what Alex said was the truth.


    Alex instinctively moved his hand to her hair and started combing through it gently. He also didn''t say anything, knowing that any more words would be meaningless.


    The moment passed for the couple in silence. Alex should have checked his army''s situation; he also needed to talk with Ying Xue to gather more information on the situation of the rift, but right now, it all didn''t matter.


    Somehow, his priorities had shifted, and MingYue was the most important one. This made him wonder what was the basis of this change.


    Emotion? But he was emotionless now.


    ''Is it really true? Some emotions are really carved into someone''s soul? However, if I list them based on time and intensity, MingYue should not be number one.


    But here I am, prioritizing my time for her instead of preparing to save my family.


    Or maybe it''s the situation? I deem it more necessary to do this for now.''


    Alex then started filtering out the information they got from the pendant. It didn''t differ much from what he got from the Dragari King, but this one gave out more context.


    After his father realized what had happened was related to the opening of the dungeon in their world, he decided to go after the reality. When he arrives in MingYue''s world and finds out about the rift, Edward quickly links it to the invasion.


    He spent tons of time learning about its origin. On Blue Jewel planet in ancient times, before the rift appeared, humans were under the suppression of two races: one was the youkai, and the other was immortal, or they called them Gods.


    Each period, a new genius would appear, creating weapons to fight against them. Some acted like spies, fawning at them, looking for any clue to gain their strength; others used external materials like youkai and god corpses to create formidable weapons.


    This resulted in the birth of strong weapons, but in the end, it was not enough. When the holder died, the weapon was picked up by their enemy instead, making them stronger.


    Things only started to change after someone invented cultivation. But even this was not simple; the cultivation took several generations to improve to the current state that Alex knew of, and the one responsible for it was Xue''s ancestor, Feng Xue''s brother.


    Wielding this power, Feng Xue''s brother pushed back the youkai and Gods. He created many traps, used their arrogance against them, and finally ended up almost winning. But in the end, the leader of the Gods, Zeus, told them the truth with a gloating smile.


    Despite the situation, in reality, Gods were a celestial race that ran away to this planet. They then created a strong barrier, protecting it from outside invasion. But some passed through, fighting hard against them, eliminating all the invaders.


    Unfortunately, some survived, and they were bred with humans and beasts, resulting in the birth of the Youkai race.


    With the death of Zeus, the protection barrier disappeared. The survivors of the Youkai race then opened a portal to their world, allowing their army to invade the planet.


    Some of the invaders were species Alex knew: kobolds, goblins, and even Dragari. They were monsters that often appeared in the dungeon.


    The Xue ancestor then sacrificed his life to recreate the barrier, but since his ability and knowledge were limited at that time, he could not completely close the current portals that had opened on the planet.


    The ancestors gathered them all at one point, fusing them into a huge rift. He then cast another barrier on it, limiting the strength of those that could enter their planet.


    Edward met MingYue''s parents when he was looking for the history of the Blue Jewel planet. They helped him when he was wounded because of an ambush from his opponent in the Zephyr clan.


    Afterward, they started becoming closer. Edward, who was looking for more comrades, decided they could be trusted. He shared with them everything he knew and brought them on a journey together.


    Afterward, everything progressed as they knew. Alex''s father then made a plan to visit beyond the rift.


    This decision came since he realized that no matter what he did, there was no chance for him to defeat the Dragari King without heavily wounding his own soul.


    In the end, he chose to use his limited life to scout and explore the truth. As for MingYue''s parents, they had their own situation.

 Chapter 450 - 450: A kiss

    Her mother being poisoned was the truth, but in reality, she could be healed if she abolished her cultivation.


    She would have done this if not for what she learned with Edward. They then colluded together, creating a plan to achieve two things: the unification of the Blue Jewel planet and exploration through the rift.


    As for MingYue and MingHao, they just hoped both of them would have enough strength to protect themselves. That is why they never gave them anything that would make them stand out.


    Instead, they kept all their resources, techniques, and every single piece of their knowledge hidden inside the storage amulet. Both amulets were created by Edward. They utilized a similar mechanism to the one given to Luca.


    If Alex had his emotions, he would be shocked by his father''s decision. How could he do that? Leaving behind his family like this?


    Couldn''t he go home with his own soul first, then find a way to recover?


    Unfortunately, with Alex''s current state, he instead agreed with his father''s decision. His soul was crumbling even now; it was only a matter of time before it dissipated.


    This was the reason why Luca was in so much pain. She saw everything from Edward''s point of view: his feelings, loneliness, pain, his plan that kept progressing despite knowing it only slowed his determined death. Everything almost destroyed her.


    If not for Alex''s and Emily''s presence, she would have already gone without any care, looking for Edward.


    His soul was now withheld by an artifact that MingYue''s mother had. That was how he survived. Reina''s mother also helped in his survival, as she had a unique bloodline that allowed her to nourish someone''s soul.


    ''How should I go about it now? Other than Uncle Silva, Aunt Ariadne and Uncle Kane are here.


    Uncle Kane should be the one who controls everything in this field from behind the scenes. As for Aunt Ariadne, she is in the beastman territory. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I told my army to look for both of them, but none of them gave me any report. Instead, they just had some fights with the immortals over spirit qi mines.''


    Alex only speculated this based on the group''s movement. He hadn''t asked for any reports since, in reality, he didn''t have much control over them.


    What he did before was nothing more than a bluff. With their current difference in strength, he couldn''t kill them remotely from a long distance.


    That was why he wanted to ask when he was close to them. This way, he could find out which one of them was honest. For those who weren''t, Alex planned to kill and absorb their life force.


    But with his current situation, he couldn''t do anything about it. His mind then focused on breaking through the realm. ''It all comes back to my nature. Am I a human? Or a progenitor? Which one should I use as a core?


    But if I choose human, doesn''t that mean I will be stuck in this realm for a long time? Just how can I use my human nature to dominate my progenitor side?''


    "Alex. What are you thinking?" MingYue called out with a sore voice.


    "I''m just thinking about a breakthrough and what we should do next."


    "Breakthrough¡­ hmm¡­. I have some ideas, but they''re not logical at all. Want to try it?"


    "What do you mean?" Alex was confused by MingYue''s suggestion.


    "Why must we break through to the next realm? Isn''t it better if we just step all over it to become immortal?"


    "Is that even possible?"


    "Just an inkling of mine. An immortal makes their body from their energy. Since our main source is the life force, isn''t it a simple matter to deconstruct everything and reconstruct it using lifeforce energy?


    In the first place, we cannot die, so we can test it many times over. So why bother walking it all step by step?"


    MingYue locked her gaze again with Alex. Dried tears evaporated into an ice mist as MingYue used her qi to make them disappear. After crying for a while, she felt far better.


    Alex started considering her idea, and he felt it made sense. What made up cultivation? Someone''s understanding and their being.


    As long as they had the understanding to use the power and recreate their whole being based on the immortal standard, doesn''t that mean he could make immortals as much as he wanted?


    In Alex''s current state, he thought he could create AI that learned how the understanding of energy worked based on every person''s individual and personality. As for body formation, as long as he raised his understanding, it was a matter of time until he created one.


    A physical body was easy for him now. The question was making one from pure energy, one that could switch state to physical form anytime he wanted. For one with an element, this might be hard to achieve, but for Alex and MingYue, as vampires, they could use blood as the base elemental.


    But doing this meant using progenitor as the core of their strength, not their human side. They would use qi and mana to enhance their blood ability.


    "That is possible, as long as we do it in the right situation, but not now. It will waste much lifeforce, and we don''t know how much we need to achieve it."


    "It''s fine. It''s you. You will always find a way," MingYue said with a small smile.


    A smile that made Alex remember their first meeting. Her gaze became more intense as MingYue tiptoed on her feet and then raised her body higher. Her crimson lips became more and more close to Alex, letting him feel her warm breath.


    Alex''s heartbeat started becoming faster. He started feeling weird, and then, without thinking, his heart moved his body, closing the remaining distance between them.


    A soft texture pressed against his lips, making him desire it more.


    They pressed against each other, their tongues dancing like swords in the wind, clashing against each other, feeling out each other''s being.


    Time was frozen for them. It was like the outside world didn''t even exist.

 Chapter 451 - 451: My King

    Alex''s mind was completely shut down now. He didn''t think of anything else other than enjoying the situation.


    Vesa watched everything from the side and let out a soft giggle, "It took a while, but finally, their relationship started to progress. I hope the King can quickly recover his emotions soon; that way, I am sure their relationship will progress even faster."


    She then let out a sigh, "Master Alucard, I don''t get the many limitations you put on me. If I could just tell them the truth...


    Many things would change, and they wouldn''t need to struggle like this."


    Meanwhile, Reina was now running with everything she had, "Uncle, how much farther? I think this is enough."


    Moria''s soul looked around, then flew to check the perimeter, making sure YangFei didn''t come after them.


    Reina shook her head at Moria''s insistence, "Uncle is really paranoid. Just what did he meet?"


    She then took a seat with her back against the tree.


    With the direction they were going now, they were getting closer to the frontline area. Reina started considering whether they should go there or change direction again.


    Going to the Zephyr clan was out of the question now with how Moria was acting; he would probably go all out to stop her.


    Moria''s soul then returned, "He''s really gone," he said with relief.


    "What do you suggest we do now, Uncle?" Reina asked, cutting to the case. "Should we find a compatible body for you first?"


    "I know you''ll reject this, but with the current situation, I think we should lay low. There are many new monsters appearing, attacking the town, and also that strange man."


    "Since you know, why even say it? Uncle, your soul will keep getting weaker the longer you stay like this. And I don''t have any artifact to keep it stable. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    We should go to the nearby town and look for a body for you. Even though our main clan is decimated, we still have a branch nearby. Let''s go there and regroup. And they probably have a backup body there."


    "No, I don''t want to take their body. We could just gather resources and create a new one. We have enough Qi crystals for that."


    "Is it really that much?"


    When they left, Moria had given almost all of the profit from the spice water to Reina. But she hadn''t checked it and had only taken the storage ring.


    "It''s more than enough to start a new clan. That''s why I say let''s just stay low for now."


    "And forget about my mother just like that? No!"


    "Reina, that''s not what I mean."


    "Forget it, let''s go to the nearby town. We need more information for now. I don''t believe the information from that person, Yang Fei.


    And if what you say is true, we need more people anyway. Bringing our side branch together is a must if we want to start again."


    "You say that, but I am sure you just want to gather more people and then return to the Zephyr clan. That''s suicide, Reina."


    "Didn''t you say we have the money? I am sure we can gather enough. It''s not like we''re coming to destroy the clan; I just wish to meet with her."


    "You want to take her back with you; the meeting will not go peacefully."


    Reina ignored Moria''s words as she flew quickly, making her way. It didn''t take long for them to see smoke rising high in the air.


    Moria went first to check, telling Reina to wait for him, but this time she ignored him. She spread her senses far and wide, making every cultivator realize her presence.


    She dared to do this because, based on her knowledge, there were no strong cultivators there, and looking at the smoke, it was clear a fight was happening now. Any strong cultivator would have already spread their presence by now.


    "Is this the goblin that person mentioned?" Reina mumbled in confusion.


    In the town, the array barrier kept rippling as it got bombarded by a rain of bullets.


    The goblins were standing in formation, some holding a minigun that kept shooting while the others kept reloading the ammunition.


    In another area, the goblin wolf riders were wielding spears, fighting against some cultivators. Energy clashed in the air as they were in the same realm.


    Some of the stronger cultivators stood on top of the town wall, looking at the situation. They didn''t join in since, on the opposite side, there was still a being that hadn''t made any move.


    The high goblin was floating in the air, calmly analyzing the situation; right now, his gaze was focused on the newcomers, Reina and Moria.


    Based on her strength, the high goblin knew he could win if he focused all his army on her. With the high goblin''s ability, numbers meant a lot. He could coordinate them to create many types of arrays that would put the cultivators in a pinch.


    As long as the difference in strength levels wasn''t much, then he had no fear.


    Reina flew closer as she focused her Qi; she prepared to use her awakening skill to pierce through the goblin army and reach the town to regroup with her clan.


    ''None of my clan members came out to protect this town. I should punish them.''


    "Madam, is your name Reina?" The high goblin asked in a polite tone.


    "How could you know my name?" Reina asked in confusion.


    The question also confused Moria, who had just returned to Reina''s side.


    "My king told me to tell you something if I ever met you."


    "Your king?"


    "Yes, you are the Midnight Clan princess, right? My King wants me to tell you that your clan is safe, but you shouldn''t try to return for now since the area around it is dangerous."


    "Is your king''s name Alex?" Reina asked in disbelief.


    "Yes, if you want to find him, he currently resides in the Zephyr clan."


    "Wait! You call Alex a king; doesn''t this mean all of you are his people?"

 Chapter 452 - 452: Seraphine, Olivia, and Quartz

    Based on Moria''s knowledge, Alex did come from somewhere far away, and with his strength, it wasn''t strange for him to have many people. But this army was something else. It was a species he had never seen before, even among the beastmen.


    "Yes, we all are his people and sword. In case you are wondering, right now, my liege has given out the order to completely conquer this region. So I suggest you avoid going to town for now."


    "But you know about me; doesn''t this mean he gave instructions not to hurt me?"


    Reina''s eyes were now filled with hope. She felt a huge relief as her hope still existed. Not only that, he also didn''t forget his promise and went to the Zephyr clan to look for her mother.


    Her clan also survived. As for the danger around it, she didn''t feel it mattered much since she thought they were completely decimated.


    "Yes, Madam Reina. But the commander of the current operation is quite troublesome. None of them have made an appearance yet, but each of them is very strong and unpredictable.


    Although I believe they would not dare to betray my King, it''s always better to be on the safe side. Who knows what they will make you do."


    The high goblin had seen how the sovereigns played around with those weaker than them. They made them move like puppets.


    Some of them even had the ability to control other people''s minds and actions.


    "Wait, you say the Midnight Clan has recovered. How did Alex do this?" Moria asked, feeling that feat was something impossible, even with Alex''s ability.


    "Don''t underestimate my King, Mr. Moria. I don''t know how, but I will never doubt my King''s word."


    "So your mission is to take over this town? What will you do with their inhabitants?"


    "As long as they don''t rebel, they will just continue their daily lives like normal, and I am sure they will be happier living under my liege''s rule.


    As for those that resist, well, their fate is up to the sovereigns."


    "Can I believe you in those words?" Reina asked.


    "These are my King''s words, Madam Reina. I will put my life on the line to make sure they are followed to the letter." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then, as you know about me, as your King''s friend, can I request to mediate this conflict?


    I mean, I know many will disagree, but at least for those that agree, I want to make sure of their survival."


    Reina didn''t say this out of goodwill alone. She thought she could recruit some people to join her faction and change some wording to threaten the Midnight Clan inside to swear their loyalty to her.


    "I can do that, but I still have my mission."


    "You don''t need to stop the attack. Based on the current situation, it will still take you a long time to destroy the barrier."


    The high goblin let out a chuckle, "That''s not true, madam. If I wanted, I could destroy it anytime. What I am doing now is training the army with real experience."


    The high goblin then sent out his order to let Reina pass without getting attacked.


    Her appearance made all the cultivators in the town frown; not only was she stronger than each of them, but some also knew her background.


    But what surprised them the most was how the goblin let her pass unscathed.


    They had tried to negotiate before, asking what their purpose was. But the goblins didn''t give any response.


    This made them think they didn''t understand their language.


    The barrier then created a small gap, allowing Reina to pass through before it quickly closed again.


    "Lady Reina, may you tell us what is happening?"


    Reina looked at each of them, then asked, "Before that, do you know where my clan was? Why don''t I see any of them here?"


    "Well, actually, I also don''t know what happened, but they left this town just before the invasion happened. Only some of the mortals were left behind in the sect."


    Reina narrowed her eyes. "Tell me honestly, do you not know the reason, or do you not want to say?"


    The cultivator took a step back as he was suffocated by the pressure Reina gave off.


    "I-I really don''t know, Lady Reina. I just overheard some rumors."


    "I see..." Reina took back her Qi, letting the cultivator breathe in relief. "Bring me to the leader of this town."


    She decided to push back the Midnight Clan for later; without the cultivators, those left would only pull her down.


    Meanwhile, in the core region, the beastman territory, three people were standing surrounded by many corpses.


    The woman with golden eyes wiped her sweat and then let out a relieved sigh. "To think they are this aggressive. Lady Seraphin, are you really sure this place is safe?"


    "For me, yes, and don''t worry; usually, this means the same for both of you."


    Quartz and Olivia looked at each other in disbelief; her answer didn''t make them feel good at all.


    "Lady Seraphine, just why did you bring us all the way here? Shouldn''t we look for the others?" Quartz asked.


    "Just believe me, I have my own information after reaching here. Despite what you hear, sometimes I do get visions of the future."


    Both Olivia and Quartz didn''t believe her at all; they were sure she had another agenda for bringing them all the way here but just didn''t want to tell them.


    After they separated from Luca and the others, they should have helped take over another town, but in the middle of the way, they were blocked by Seraphine.


    Her presence surprised them, as they thought she was staying on the other side. They didn''t know how she arrived here, whether she had her own method or just followed them all the way without anyone realizing it.


    But they thought the last possibility should be impossible, as MingYue could feel someone presence based on their lifeforce.


    "Why with the face? Didn''t you separate from the group on purpose? I''m giving you some reason to do it."

 Chapter 453 - 453: Beastman

    "That..." Olivia became speechless.


    What Seraphine said wasn''t wrong; in fact, if possible, she just wanted to look for Alex and meet him first before MingYue, but she knew this was impossible and would just complicate matters.


    "I don''t get why you acted like this tough. Why did you avoid them? Aren''t you clear with your own emotions?"


    "But he doesn''t like me back."


    "I don''t know the details, but I''m sure his feelings are not that simple. But even if that''s true, does it really matter?


    If he were in your position, would he just stay still and give up?"


    Olivia knew the answer, but she didn''t say anything. If Alex had been in her position, he would have at least kept trying for it until he felt the answer was a clear no.


    That''s what he did in the past. Despite their difference in age, their relationship, and other people''s judgment, Alex still confessed to her.


    If she had accepted it at that time, she could already imagine how people would have called them out.


    ''It seems in the end I''m just really afraid of getting hurt¡­''


    "Olivia," Quartz called out as she put her hand over her shoulder.


    "I''m alright, Quartz, just getting emotional."


    "Well, it''s not my problem, but if you want something, I''d suggest you go for it.


    So what if, in the process, you hurt some people? Everyone has the right to be a bit selfish. If you''re not the one fighting for your own happiness, who will do it?"


    "I never knew you had this kind of tough lady, Seraphine."


    "We''ve only met a few times. How could you know my personality?"


    Even then, Seraphine rarely talked, so most didn''t even realize her presence.


    "Lady Seraphine, can you tell us your real goal?"


    Seraphine''s gaze turned cold at Quartz. "Basically, what I just said to Olivia is that I just found an opportunity to realize what I''ve wanted all this time."


    "And that was?" Olivia asked.


    "It''s not a big secret. I''m looking for a way to perfect my ability." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But you can already control it as you wish."


    "Not really, I''m only suppressing it, but it still comes with side effects. Do you think I can have any life with this ability?


    Yes, I can survive, and yes, I can use it in certain ways to see the future. But what use is living without having any real life?


    Do you know why I and the others never joined Suzaku Guild?"


    "We were curious about it, but no one dared to ask since we thought it should be related to some sensitive topic."


    "You''re not wrong. Let''s just say either each of us has unfinished business, or we know our presence would bring more trouble for Edward and Luca.


    Just like me, if I joined the guild, they would have many problems on their hands."


    "They wouldn''t mind, though. We also wouldn''t protest at all. In the first place, almost each one of us owes the Guild Master our life," Olivia added.


    "And that is why we stay away. Here''s the biggest difference between you and us, Olivia. We want to find a solution to our own problem with our own hands.


    I''m not saying this to demean you guys. It''s just that we won''t allow others to do it for us. There could be many reasons, or it could be as simple as our personality."


    Olivia wanted to say more, but Seraphine suddenly stopped in her tracks, and Quartz also raised her shield, looking toward the cliff on the west.


    A beastly voice then reverberated. "A human this far inside the beast-man territory, this is not part of our agreement."


    A figure leaped down and then landed with a loud bam, creating cracks in the ground.


    A tall man with a wolf head appeared in front of them, a gray tail coming out from his back.


    "That is your agreement with people in this world, not with us who come from outside."


    The wolfman grinned as his eyes started sizing them up. "I don''t know what that means, but did you just say you''re not part of the agreement? Does this mean I can do what I want with you all?"


    Seraphine let out a sigh. "So the first one we meet is an idiot? Just do it if you want to lose your life." She then mumbled in a low voice, "Just where is she? Did that bastard lie to me?"


    The wolf''s face grimaced with anger, "Who do you call an idiot!?"


    He let out a howl, then dashed toward them. Quartz met him in the middle, her shield blocking the attack and creating a spark of qi.


    BANG! BANG! The wolf tried to attack a few more times, but it was blocked by the shield.


    "So this is why you''re confident, but don''t think this is enough to handle me."


    Qi surged out from the wolf''s body, and then he started transforming. His body became more muscular, and his claws grew longer and sharper.


    The wind started blowing over his body, then settled around the claws, creating some kind of aura.


    "Now try to block this!"


    SWOOSH! The claws swiped down, screeching through the shield.


    Quartz released her grasp and kicked the shield forward, pushing back the werewolf. A huge hammer then appeared in her hand, and she bashed the shield from behind with full power, effectively launching him into the cliff.


    A loud bam reverberated as the wolf got pushed inside.


    ''I never knew you were this strong now, Quartz,'' Olivia said in her mind.


    ''This is thanks to the gear Alex made; otherwise, with our realm difference, it wouldn''t have had this much effect.''


    ''You''re cutting yourself short; your abilities should be the reason for it. Otherwise, Alex wouldn''t have given you all that gear.''


    ''Let''s talk later.''


    The hammer in Quartz''s hand then disappeared, replaced by a huge greatsword. Her armor also changed into crimson red, and flames then burst out from the sharp edge.

 Chapter 454 - 454: The Wolf

    Alex had made many experimental gears, playing around with the formation and how things worked.


    He deemed most of it unusable since it would only have a temporary effect. Some were even destroyed after one use, but all these became good weapons for Quartz, thanks to her cultivation technique.


    As she could change all equipped gear in seconds, this allowed her to change everything mid-fight.


    Every cultivator might be able to do this, but to take out armor and weapons and directly wield them, they would need to find spirit artifacts, and each one of them is rare.


    Meanwhile, Quartz''s technique allowed her to directly summon it for her use. This also served as the foundation since Alex wanted her to use the space element in the future.


    The sword pierced through the air as it came down on the wolf.


    CLANG!


    Unfortunately, it was blocked. The wolfman clasped it with both his hands, the wind that was gathered on the claw then shot forward


    Unfortunately, it was blocked. The wolfman clasped it with both his hands.


    "Take this!" the wolf said with laughter.


    The wind then gathered together and shot toward Quartz. With their close distance, she didn''t have the chance to hide. The best she could do was release the sword and take out another towering shield to block.


    The sharp wind clashed against the qi-infused metal. Unfortunately, it wasn''t strong enough to completely block it.


    The cyclone blasted through her, as the wolf was far stronger realm-wise, his qi easily minced through her protection, turning her exposed skin to minced meat.


    Olivia took out a specially made gun, and light gathered at the barrel. She then shot.


    BANG!


    It pierced through the air and hit Quartz right on the back. The light exploded, spreading out its effect and regenerating Quartz''s wounds.


    Recovered, Quartz took out another weapon, this time another Warhammer. She hit the shield, effectively pushing through the greatsword that was captured by the wolfman.


    The sword pushed forward, piercing through the man''s right chest. Crimson blood spurted out, but unfortunately, this was still not enough to kill the wolf.


    As a beastman, his vitality was far higher than a human''s, and he was also a cultivator.


    Just like awakened cultivators, who could use their bloodline to transform, beastmen could also do the same, but the result was far different. This was because their bloodline was even purer and more concentrated than that of humans with bloodlines.


    Smoke started coming out from the wolfman''s body, and he then let out another howl. His hands grew larger, then smashed Quartz, knocking her back.


    The greatsword that pierced through his chest now looked so small that it seemed more like a toothpick than a weapon.


    "AWOOOO!"


    A huge grey wolf was now standing in front of them.


    "Lady Seraphine, I doubt Quartz can beat him. Maybe we should run."


    "Don''t you underestimate her too much? Don''t worry. You know how weak I was, and I don''t plan to leave this place. So far, I don''t see any dead, so it''s fine."


    Olivia sighed. In reality, she never thought of Seraphine as someone weak. She didn''t believe Seraphine could survive all the ordeals that Edward had told her. She believed Seraphine had her own trump card and a way to protect herself.


    ''Now that I think of it, there is no way Alex only made this kind of medieval weapon for Quartz to use.''


    Looking at the big wolf coming toward her, Quartz changed her armor set.


    This time, it was light armor with barely any protection. But it served its purpose since it was designed to not burden the wielder while enhancing their strength using the formations carved into it.


    Then, a modified rocket launcher appeared on her shoulder. It was quite large, with six barrels.


    It was made with an unknown metal alloy, giving it a sleek black appearance. Formations were carved into it, providing a special storage space to hold ammunition. The only downside of this weapon was its weight; it was so heavy that without using enhancement, it was impossible to use.


    The holder also needed to keep stable to ensure the missile would launch accurately. They could use a computer to create homing missiles, but that would lower the missile speed, allowing their enemy to parry it easily.


    This weapon was designed by the association as a land-based artillery weapon to counter a giant monster the size of a skyscraper, but Alex modified it to be used portably. This lowered the damage, but the portability was a huge win.


    Unfortunately, Alex hadn''t had the time to perfect it. The one Quartz used was a prototype.


    She then infused her qi and pressed the trigger. With how huge the target was, she didn''t need to worry about the aim.


    A loud sound reverberated in the air as six projectiles streaked through the sky.


    The first two moved faster than the others, exploding into two combustible liquids that fell onto the wolf, clinging to its fur. He tried to shake it off using wind qi, but it didn''t work. The liquid was like glue, persistently sticking to his fur.


    The wolf raised its maw, sweeping through the other four incoming rockets.


    BOOM! BOOM!


    Four concussive explosions were created, the flames igniting the liquid and spreading it out.


    In no time, the wolf''s whole body was covered with purplish flames. The scorching heat began to burn through his qi, effectively draining him. It also gave the wolf intense pain, slowing his movements by a lot.


    Despite this, the wolf still moved toward Quartz. He created multiple wind blades and shot them forward.


    Quartz shot another barrage. This time, four rockets clashed with the wind blades while two hit the wolf.


    This time, Quartz didn''t slow down. She started launching nonstop barrages, creating explosion after explosion.


    The wolf was completely paralyzed; he couldn''t make any move. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He tried to use his qi, but it kept getting dispersed before it even succeeded in doing anything. There seemed to be something weird with the flame, as the longer it stuck on his skin, the more chaotic his qi became.


    It was like a part of it was being absorbed, making the flame burn hotter.

 Chapter 455 - 455: Ariadne

    The wolf started grimacing in pain while Olivia started looking around the area, spreading her qi as wide as possible just in case something was coming.


    The explosion was so loud that she was sure someone would hear about it. Right now, they were on the border of the beastmen territory, and it was only a matter of time until someone came to check on it. But she didn''t blame Quartz; she understood that Quartz must have chosen to use that weapon, as she deemed it the safest and fastest way to kill it.


    Her expression suddenly changed as she felt something coming. "Quartz!"


    But her scream was too late.


    Without being able to react, a spider silk shot out from nowhere, completely tying Quartz and engulfing her whole body, turning both her and the wolf into a cocoon.


    "Ariadne, it took you a while!" Seraphine called out.


    "Well, I''ve been here for a while now. I just wanted to see how strong my junior is now. But you never change, Seraphine."


    "I wish I could change. So, what''s the deal? You said you have the answer to what I seek here."


    A woman suddenly appeared just a few steps away from Olivia. It was as if she had already been standing there.


    "Yes, but seeing how my two cute juniors fight, I think you already have a clue what it is."


    "Ariadne!" Olivia''s lips curled into a smile as tears started glistening in her golden eyes.


    She took a step forward and then hugged her. Ariadne was taller than Olivia, with jet-black hair that had a purplish hue. Her eyes were Heterochromia, one black while the other was purple.


    Seraphine looked at her purple eye, studying it with interest. "Did you use this eye to control your ability?"


    "I knew you would figure it out with just a glance," Ariadne replied while patting Olivia''s head.


    She then turned her gaze to Olivia. "Are you alright? You seem burdened."


    Olivia let out a helpless smile, "No, it''s okay. I''m just happy to meet you again, Ariadne. How about the others? Are they with you?"


    "No, unfortunately, those bastards left me to take care of the beast-man territory."


    "Considering your ability, that''s understandable," Seraphine commented.


    "Ariadne, can you release Quartz?" Olivia asked while pointing at the cocoon still hanging in the air, vibrating occasionally.


    Quartz was trying her best to come out of the cocoon, but it didn''t seem to work. The cocoon was so flexible, yet at the same time, it was also very strong. Not only that, but it was also very sticky, gluing to her body, making every attempt more difficult.


    Ariadne snapped her fingers, and the cocoon then disappeared as if it had never been there. Quartz and the wolf fell to the ground.


    Seeing Ariadne, Quartz''s gaze became warm. She put back the rocket launcher and then started walking toward them.


    "It''s been a long time, Ariadne. I hope you''re well."


    Meanwhile, the wolf had already transformed back to his humanoid form, his body, and clothes filled with burn wounds, but he acted like it didn''t bother him.


    The wolfman quickly kneeled on one leg, "Lady Arachne."


    "You return first and prepare for your punishment. I never remember giving you permission to attack them."


    Cold sweat appeared on his forehead, but he didn''t dare to say anything. He just nodded and left the place.


    "I''m fine, Quartz. I hope it''s the same for everyone else. And I''m sorry for what my subordinate did."


    "Haha, you''re as shameless as ever, Ariadne. And what is with that Arachne? Is that your name here?"


    "I''m known as the spider youkai here." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ariadne then looked toward the sky, "I want to talk more, but it seems we have some visitors. Let''s move before things become annoying."


    She took out a talisman and then activated it with her qi. Olivia, Quartz, and Seraphine''s bodies started becoming invisible before they completely disappeared.


    Not long after, two beasts arrived at the place. One was a burly man with golden hair and tiger eyes, the other a silver-haired woman.


    The man grinned, "I smell Arachne and humans here."


    "Seems she''s finally started moving. What do you think, Leo? Should we also do something?


    There are many things happening in the human territory now; I think this is a sign."


    "A sign? You sly fox, you just want to cause havoc."


    "Don''t you feel the same? Well, actually, everyone does.


    People may call us the Nine Emperors of the Beast Realm, but in the end, we''re nothing more than bored beings."


    "Hahaha, you say it like the emperor title is easy to get. Each of us went through a lot to become the nine strongest in the beast-man region. Unlike humans, we make sure our people stay united and prosperous."


    "Nine strongest? United? What a load of crap, Leo. Didn''t we all let Arachne kill the first emperor and take over his place?"


    "That just means he was weak. We all agreed never to intervene in each other''s inner conflicts."


    "Fufufu! Well, anything that helps you sleep at night. So, what''s your plan now?"


    "Since humans have already come here, based on the agreement, we should be able to go out too. I want to go out and confirm the situation."


    "Hah, that turtle hermit, Sanbi, will complain for sure. You know he''s always wanted to leave this area."


    "First come, first served. See you later, Yubina."


    Leo then left, not worried about his territory being attacked. As for inner conflict, he didn''t care. Even if he was gone for a long time, the worst that could happen was a civil war, which would help remove the weak from his territory.


    As for taking the emperor''s seat, it would never be legitimate as long as they failed to kill him. Unlike in human territory, beastmen believe in strength above all.


    Using force, ganging up on someone¡ªit''s all frowned upon. Almost every conflict is resolved with a death match in the arena. There''s no bullshit politics.


    But this doesn''t mean they don''t have any organization or teamwork. Beastmen have learned the hard way that if they don''t unite, humans will easily trample all over them.


    Yubina then turned her gaze in another direction, "I''ll visit Arachne''s place then. Who knows, I might meet someone interesting."

 Chapter 456 - 456: The Nine Beastman Emperors

    Her body then started transforming from a jade beauty into a handsome young man. As the nine-tailed fox, illusion was one of her specialties.


    Meanwhile, Quartz and the group found themselves inside a beautiful palace. The whole building looked like it was made of sand, but it was intricately carved, and the sand had a unique quality to it. It gave off a feeling like someone was looking at a starry sky.


    "You built all this, Ariadne?" Quartz asked while looking at it with amazement. With how big the hallway was, two Dragari dragons in their dragon forms could walk side by side and still have space to spare.


    "Of course not, this is my spoil. I took it over from the first emperor of the beast region, or as they call this land, Grimwild."


    "What a weird name. But the first emperor¡ªdoes this mean you''re the strongest one here?"


    Ariadne let out a chuckle, "I wish. In total, there are nine emperors ruling over Grimwild. Each has their own territory, and they rarely interact with each other.


    Going to another area also requires many permissions. Well, you can think of it as a passport, but one that''s really hard to get."


    "Isn''t that just a visa? Well, we''re all hunters, so it''s easy for us, but I know many people complain about how hard it is to travel between countries now," Olivia added.


    "Oh yeah, it''s called a visa. Anyway, this place is good once you start adapting to it."


    "Living around beast-men?"


    "Yes, you may find some of their culture barbaric, but when you get used to it, you''ll find how refreshing it is.


    There''s no bullshit like politics here. Strength is above everything. You don''t need to care what they say behind your back, and it''s not like they do that.


    People here frown upon those kinds of things. If you want something, become strong; everything is just so simple."


    Seeing how respected Ariadne was, they believed what she said was the truth. She genuinely loved living here. No one even asked why a human was with their empress.


    Quartz could feel their curious gazes, but no one asked or made trouble for them.


    "And about the emperor. The first doesn''t mean the strongest here; instead, it''s the weakest."


    "So the strongest one is number nine? How strong was the one you beat?"


    "It was a tanuki. He had control over sand, but strategy-wise, he was dumb. Honestly, I shouldn''t have been able to beat him, but he was too full of himself, which allowed me to stack deadly poison."


    "That must have been a close win, then. Won''t the other beast-men try to challenge your seat?"


    "Oh, they did, but they gave me time to recover first."


    "I never thought beast-men would be that considerate," Quartz said.


    "It''s not a consideration for me, but for after they win. No one would respect them if they did that, and I bet they''d get a never-ending queue of challengers."


    They then entered a room with a table and a few comfortable couches. Based on the decoration and appearance, it was clear the room was designed to receive guests.


    "Ariadne, enough with the background. Can you tell me more about your power? Last time we met, you could barely control it."


    Ariadne''s eyes turned complicated, and she then let out a deep sigh. If only she had control over her power, she knew she would be more useful to Edward and the others.


    "As you know, my ability allows me to mimic monster abilities and appearances. It''s strong but comes with a huge drawback¡ªI couldn''t control it."


    "Yes, after you mimicked more than ten, the abilities started coming out at random, some even mixing with another, resulting in catastrophic combinations that rendered you useless in battle."


    "Useless is a good result. Sometimes, it became a burden for others. I still remember turning into a fish in the middle of a fight, ending up almost dead because I couldn''t breathe without water."


    Seraphine wanted to laugh upon hearing it, but seeing Quartz and Olivia''s expressions, she held back her laughter. The event seemed to have almost caused them some tragedy.


    "So how do you control it now? By using your eyes?"


    "Cultivation. Have you heard of it?"


    "Like the one in the novel?"


    "Similar but with some differences."


    Ariadne then started telling Seraphine how it worked and how Edward helped her modify it. At first, her cultivation followed the same sequence, but after the golden core, it started to change.


    She would take the monster characteristics she copied and then create a core of it. But this came with a downside: to perfect the core, she needed to absorb the monster''s essence. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, she did it in the most direct way by cooking and eating them, but after she broke through to a new realm, she learned how to absorb only the monster''s essence.


    If the creature was a spirit beast, she would just need to absorb their monster core.


    The next problem arose when she tried to change cores to use. It took her some time to do this, not long¡ªbarely a minute¡ªbut in a fight, that could easily become deadly.


    To mitigate this, she then modified her own eyes as Ariadne made another breakthrough. Right now, she was in the early stage of the Transcendent realm.


    "I heard Alex explain the Transcendent stage can control space, time, and reality. Is this true?" Quartz asked.


    "Well, it''s not wrong, but also not that far-fetched. Our control over them is more about allowing us to use our abilities instantly without any preparation, just like how I captured you before.


    If you want to ask me how it works, then I''d suggest looking for Edward. I suck at those theories. I can just show you instead."


    Ariadne disappeared from where she stood and then suddenly appeared behind Quartz, catching her off guard.


    She was sure it wasn''t just fast movement.


    "Did you just teleport?"

 Chapter 457 - 457: World Council

    "We already have hunters with that ability, so why are you surprised? Also, don''t you do a similar thing with that artifact?"


    Olivia shared the same opinion as Ariadne; she didn''t find it too surprising. But for Quartz, she knew it wasn''t something easy to achieve.


    She had tried hard to master and perfect the cultivation method Alex had given her. All his methods worked, but most of them were still theoretical. She needed to find a way to realize them herself.


    Learning to switch armor sets instantly without any problem was not easy at all. She still remembered how she failed a few times and felt glad she had practiced by herself.


    With every failure, she would end up naked as the armor just fell to the ground.


    And this was not the worst; sometimes, it could also cause her injury or even break the armor.


    Teleportation worked by folding the spaces; it required complicated calculations for each part involved. If she missed even one, the result would be disastrous.


    "Yes, Ariadne, can you teach me how to do that?"


    "As I said before, I cannot. It''s something that you will automatically learn when you reach this realm.


    How we do it is completely different from how you do it; it seems to me as simple as breathing.


    At this realm, our will becomes strong enough that even space-time bends to our will, affecting reality."


    "So, how long will I need to master this? Your technique was created by Edward; I think I need to ask Alex for help then."


    Ariadne''s lips curled into a smile, "It''s Edward. Do you think he forgot about you? He already made one."


    She then walked toward Seraphine and put her finger on her forehead. "Calm yourself; I will directly send the information to your mind."


    As Seraphine was immersed in the new knowledge, Quartz asked, "What is your purpose here, Ariadne? Are you trying to unite this region?"


    "Uniting? Haha, of course not. I am just building up a network to make sure everything on this side is alright.


    In the first place, beastmen are already quite united. As I told you, the nine-emperor system works very well. Conflict still happens, but it never grows out of proportion.


    The Dead Arena is more than enough to finish it. As long as there is no external factor intervening, nothing should go wrong."


    "Just what is this external factor? Can you fill us in?"


    "It''s the same thing that caused the catastrophe in our city."


    "What!? Do you mean that dungeon break was orchestrated? Who is behind this?" Olivia asked while Quartz was still deep in thought.


    "Edward calls them the Primordials, and he speculates they also have sway in the association."


    "Which hunter? How could the president not find out?"


    Olivia felt this didn''t make sense, considering how many hunters were working in the Association and how capable Solomon was.


    There was no way such a big thing happened without his knowledge.


    "Edward speculates they already know but cannot do anything. Even though the Association leads everything in front, they are still tied by the World Council."


    "The World Council? They still exist?"


    "Yes, otherwise, why do you think we are still separated by country?


    Solomon always wanted to destroy the borders and unite it all under one government, but unfortunately, things are not that simple."


    There is just no way the old elite would agree to relinquish power. Even after the catastrophe, all their strength stayed intact, and now they have become even stronger.


    Many of them cooperate with foreign species. Their deals are questionable, and most of them are immoral, but the Association hasn''t done anything about it.


    They have already spent most of their resources on the front lines; they barely have any left to protect themselves. Having another inner conflict is just something they cannot afford now.


    Many realizations then came to Olivia; things that she had always wondered about became clear now.


    Why does the Association lack resources and manpower when they have their hand in almost every country?


    The answer is simple: they are the ones fighting, while most of the resources are still monopolized by them. This made Olivia feel disgusted and hateful.


    She didn''t understand how humans could be so selfish. But if Alex were here, he would tell them that it makes sense because the elite would not want to allow the Association to grow further. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they didn''t have their hands full with the invaders, they knew what was waiting for them.


    It''s just human nature to self-preservation, something that resulted in cracks that could probably end up in their demise. Only when the situation escalates to the point where they have no other choice but to die will they really unite.


    Unfortunately, Alex was not there to give out his insight. He was still on the gazebo, with MingYue sleeping on his lap. He knew he could wake her up, but somehow, despite his condition, he found the situation enjoyable.


    After the kiss, they continued talking, but MingYue eventually fell asleep in the middle of it.


    Alex stroked her hair gently while he was talking with Vesa.


    Since she was out now, Alex used her to help communicate with the army.


    "Tell all the sovereigns to focus on one class first and make sure to subdue the immortals, not kill them."


    "Sure, King, but that will be quite overkill. Don''t you think it''s better to split them up?"


    "Three sovereigns will be more than enough to subdue one based on my calculations, but Vesa, there are many unknown factors. We don''t know what kind of methods these old monsters hide.


    Also, tell them to change their strategy and attack without alerting everyone else."


    "Ah, King means for them to move separately from the force? But won''t that risk the army?"


    "Yes, those immortals won''t make any moves for now. I am sure they have more understanding than I do of the situation here.


    My father has told a few of them about them. I don''t believe they haven''t done any preparation."


    "But they ignored the King''s father''s request for help. That is why he went this far for his goal."

 Chapter 458 - 458: Primordials?

    "My father already knew they would not help. He did that just to let the information spread. I am sure many of the immortals were already under them.


    This is like a game of chess, Vesa. This planet is the board, and each of the sects and clans is nothing more than chess pieces.


    The players are two invisible figures that we don''t know yet and only speculate.


    My father thinks this is all done by the Primordials, but I doubt it. Even with this planet''s history, Primordials have no business on a planet this weak."


    "I agree with that, King. The cultivation on this planet is still in the early phase. The world seed here is not even matured yet."


    "How about the world spirit? Can you talk with it?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, I have tried, but there is no response. I think it''s in a dormant state now like it''s in a deep sleep."


    "I see. I wonder if it''s really dormant or if it''s out now inside one of the cultivators."


    "King, this is not a novel."


    "That doesn''t make this possibility null, Vesa. The world''s spirit is already sentient and realizes something is happening now. Do you think it will just take things lying down?


    Aren''t you the same? You took Edonia''s remains into your body because, without it, you would also die."


    "Alex, you are here." A familiar voice called out, cutting their conversation short.


    Vesa had already removed the barrier, allowing everyone to see what was happening. This was done by Alex''s order as he wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict.


    Staying hidden for a prolonged time would just make others speculate on what he was doing. Alex knew Stel still didn''t trust him; the same could also be said for Clara despite what she said.


    "What''s up, YingXue?"


    "Clara asked me to look for you. She said to remind you there are many things you need to talk about."


    "Give me some more time; I will be there shortly."


    "Just go; I am alright now," MingYue said as she rose up from his lap.


    "Okay then, can you take care of our forces, MingYue? I have told Vesa the gist, but you can change it as you see fit."


    "Sure, but Alex, I want to send some of the army to reinforce Bai Yue Sect."


    "Hmm¡­ In that case, Vesa, can you absorb some of the city and take it to Edonia?"


    "With some preparation, it should be doable, King, but it will cost us a lot of Qi crystals since we will need to create a city-wide array."


    "Then MingYue, could you go to the Midnight Clan first and move it all to Edonia?


    As for the others, focus our forces on three cities.


    Let the civilians and cultivators choose if they want to go with us or not. Those that don''t, just free them all and give them the modified weapons."


    Alex planned to use them to promote the city. With the new information, Alex decided to change his strategy. He planned to give them some modern devices and weapons that would make all of them interested.


    This would result in some of them wanting to join in or others starting to group together to attack them.


    Both would work to their benefit and as they grouped together, he could use a mass destruction weapon to eliminate them all in one move. As for those immortals that hide in the shadows, the sovereigns would catch them one by one and pull out all the important information.


    He would then adapt the strategy from it. As for the possibility of the weapons being used against them, Alex wasn''t afraid.


    The weapons that would be given out to these cultivators were modified guns. He could make all of them explode at a certain distance.


    There was still a chance someone could remove this protection, but Alex was sure even immortals with expertise in formations could not do it in a short time.


    It''s not because of the encryption, but any attempt to modify or disassemble it would result in the formation exploding. This was the same even for Alex himself; he didn''t leave any backdoor.


    Alex and MingYue had talked about this before. What if their weapons fell into others'' hands? What could they do to avoid it?


    In the end, they concluded it was only a matter of time.


    Since that is the case, it would be better if this happened under their initiative, and these modified weapons were what came out of it.


    MingYue quickly understood what Alex meant by that. She agreed, then left Zephyr Clan with Vesa.


    "So you gave up on conquering this region?" Ying Xue asked as that is what she had concluded based on what she had heard.


    "That is not your problem. Rather than that, I suggest you return to the Xue Family now and search for Feng Xue.


    I am sure she is planning something big, too."


    "We already have people searching for her, but there is no news yet. Or maybe they already found her, but I haven''t gotten the information."


    "Try to look near Shangxi Temple HQ. I am sure she is there now doing something to bring it down."


    "We also think of that, but we still haven''t found her."


    "Don''t limit your search to cultivators. Try looking for newly opened restaurants or old ones that have suddenly become popular.


    Feng Xue probably disguised herself as a civilian. She doesn''t want half-assed revenge; she wants to remove them completely from the root.


    This will start by getting the civilians to rebel against them."


    "Civilians rebel against Shangxi Temple? That is impossible."


    "For every organization, corrupt officials exist, and people are insatiable. When we are hungry, we only want food, but when our stomach is full, we will start wanting many things.


    These civilians have lived in peace for a long time under Shangxi Temple. I don''t believe any of them want more.


    Feng Xue just needs to provide them with a good bait."


    "That amounts to nothing. No matter how many civilians group together, they cannot fight against the cultivators under Shangxi Temple."


    "You are wrong there, but even if that is the case, Shangxi Temple''s foundation is its equality and law. They cannot just wantonly kill all the civilians without justification."


    Alex didn''t want to tell Ying Xue the details, but based on what Feng Xue has now, weaponizing civilians against cultivators is not just a dream.


    Ying Xue then guided Alex to Clara''s place. At first, she was still conflicted about whether she should follow Alex''s advice or not, but she decided to just stay here.


    There was nothing she could do even if she went back there. Right now, she needed to regain back her cultivation, and she could do that while staying with Alex and the others.

 Chapter 459 - 459: Alchemy

    There was nothing she could do even if she went back there. Right now, she needed to regain back her cultivation, and she could do that while staying with Alex and the others.


    "I will stay with you."


    "Well, your choice; things will become more dangerous soon, though."


    "Why? What are you planning?" Ying Xue asked with worry. He had already triggered a war, and now he said things were going to be more dangerous.


    "I am not doing anything; it''s just that things happening in the background will start escalating. Also, I will go to the rift after I finish things here."


    "The rift? You are going to the frontline? What for?"


    "I want to enter it." Alex then turned his gaze to her, "Do you really have no information on what is beyond that rift?"


    "No, well, the Grand Elder and Patriarch may know, but not me."


    "I see, but aren''t you holding a high position in your family? So it''s a huge secret, despite you risking your life there."


    Ying Xue''s gaze turned complicated; it would have been a lie if there had been no one complaining because of this situation, but there was nothing they could do. This concern also quickly faded out with the brutal circumstances they faced.


    Their comrades were dying and needed to recultivate. They even used it as status now, based on how many times they recultivated. Based on rumors spread, the highest was ten, and it was their current Grand Elder.


    Ying Xue didn''t know how to answer; she still felt uncomfortable telling Alex any details about the frontline.


    "If you don''t want to answer, it''s fine, not like it really matters."


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the courtyard. Ying Xue waited for him in a nearby area and started cultivating.


    Alex directly entered the room, and he could feel Clara in the basement. The moment he passed through the door, an array activated, and he found himself in the basement.


    The place was huge, filled with many apparatuses. Even though there were some differences, Alex could recognize most of them.


    A microscope and glass beakers filled with chemicals.


    ''So some immortals already have this method, but no one has created a way to mass-produce pills?'' Alex wondered, but he then realized the answer was simple.


    Those in the immortal realm wouldn''t care about pills for lower-realm cultivators. As for pills that had some effect on them, they would require many rare materials.


    There was no use creating a method of mass production if the materials couldn''t keep up with it.


    Clara was now busy distilling a drop of liquid. Her way of doing alchemy reminded him more of chemistry rather than those he had read about in novels.


    Without asking, Alex was sure it was because of his father''s influence. This method of doing alchemy was probably why Clara put her faith in his father.


    He walked to her side but didn''t make any noise to avoid disturbing her. However, Clara already knew he had come.


    She was the one who moved the array. Her fingers moved carefully, taking a concentrated extract of medicinal liquid.


    Based on the tools used, Alex speculated Clara had just tried to create a pill but in liquid form to raise its effectiveness.


    "What do you think? Will this work?" she asked while moving it into a small jade bottle.


    "That depends. What do you want to achieve? And what is it used for?"


    "This is the Celestial Bone Refining Pill, but in liquid form. I have tested it; the effectiveness has almost doubled. First, now it''s effective for cultivators up to the Profound Enlightenment realm.


    The process also becomes faster with fewer side effects, but it''s also problematic as it took a long time to create one. This also raises the minimum realm required to the Golden Core realm."


    "It seems you have more problems than that, though," Alex said while observing the liquid. Even now, he could see something coming out from the liquid, giving off an intense herbal smell.


    "Yes, as you can see, the liquid evaporates the moment it touches air; it won''t last long."


    "Probably around an hour at most. Even now, the medicinal efficacy is reducing. So what do you want to achieve with this?"


    "Honestly, I am just experimenting, so I, too, wonder what I can use it for."


    Alex didn''t find it weird, as he also often did that, experimenting only to gain some data.


    "Have you ever found out what part of the jade bottle you use creates the effect of holding the medicinal efficiency?"


    "This is a thousand-year-old cold jade. When it''s completely enclosed, it will create an almost absolute zero temperature inside without needing any qi."


    "So cold is the key¡­ have you tried to dilute the medicine with liquid?


    I am thinking you can separate it into capsules and then keep it in the jade bottle. That way, it can be used even by those in the lower realms to help with their cultivation."


    "Diluting it with water can reduce its effect, unfortunately. One of the materials used has a weird reaction with water.


    This is also why I turned it into liquid after creating the pill."


    Clara then finished putting everything in the jade bottle; she closed it and put it away.


    "Well, that is that. Let''s go to the main topic now. Can you tell me what happened?"


    Alex then began telling her what was happening. He cut down the unnecessary parts, focusing only on the things that really mattered, like the primordial existence, his father''s plan, and where he was now.


    "So everything is just as he expected so far. Then why would he make two of us capture the Patriarch and the rest?


    He already knew he would leave this sect soon."


    "To avoid conflict. And to force both of you to come out of seclusion."


    "Why? Because things will escalate soon?


    Even then, we don''t need to capture them; we would still do something if the clan were in danger."


    S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 460 - 460: Another Contract

    "Then it would be too late. The Patriarch and the others would try to finish the problem first.


    You know their methods best. What do you think will happen if they look down on their enemy?


    The primordial is something new, something that you all have never faced before. With their arrogance, they will underestimate the risk and won''t tell you any information."


    "Well, they tend to do that, but I blame Stell for it. He will get angry if he deems the matter unimportant."


    "You should understand now why Father did this then. Rather than having them all dead pointlessly and escalating the problem, it''s better for both of you to take matters into your own hands."


    "Wait, does this mean the method he promised me exists beyond the rift? Or is he just scamming us to pull off his plan?"


    "I don''t know about that. Rather than waiting for the answer, why don''t you try to pursue the method I told you before?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In reality, Alex knew the answer; Edward was scamming them. He didn''t know what was beyond the rift other than to look for traces of the one responsible.


    How could he then know there was a way to break through to the immortal realm?


    This is why Alex decided to change the topic; he deemed telling Clara the truth would just cause an unnecessary wedge between them.


    Any ill will toward Edward would be projected toward him.


    "Your method? I tried to think about it, but I didn''t get any idea how to proceed."


    "Hmm¡­ I also thought about it. As you see, I need to find a method to break through to a new realm."


    "Why do you want to do that? Your strength comes from that green energy of yours. I am sure it belongs to a different power system; you should just focus on that."


    "Yes, it does, but it will require a lot of time to break through using this power system."


    "Can you tell me more about it? I am curious. Maybe I can find some clue on how to break through to a new realm from it."


    "Well, it''s not a huge secret. I basically use life force energy to cultivate."


    "Lifeforce¡­ so something similar to demonic cultivation? No wonder many of the plants wither to death."


    Clara still remembered how green particles came out from it, being absorbed by Alex''s array. She then sighed as she realized she was the one who would need to prepare the plants to replace them.


    After the Patriarch was gone, most things in the clan were taken care of by her. That is why she complained about it.


    "It''s very different from demonic cultivation. Their method is cruel. They absorb souls without knowing what they are made of, which results in them getting many impurities, resulting in madness."


    "So life force is pure without any side effects?"


    Alex looked at Clara for a moment, then took out a blood contract.


    "I respect you as a researcher, and honestly, I want to collaborate with you. But the answer to this will require you to sign the contract."


    Clara frowned, looking at it. With Alex''s current power, she was sure even if she didn''t die, it would still hurt her a lot.


    She then read the terms, "Are you sure about this? It says the blood contract will void if I feel the information is useless."


    "Yes, it''s not like I''m asking much from it. I just want to make sure you don''t spread the information around."


    "Well, other than this, it just states for us to exchange information; this is fine with me."


    Clara then reread the contract once again to make sure nothing was wrong. She then signed it.


    If it were the old Alex, he would have hidden some hidden clause in small words just for a joke and to see how others would react.


    Unfortunately, based on logic alone, he didn''t find any use in doing this.


    "Life force is the basic foundational block for many types of energy. I can use this to boost my cultivation realm almost instantly as long as I have enough understanding of it."


    "What???" Clara asked in disbelief. Instantly, as long as he had enough understanding, it was a concept she never imagined possible.


    "Are you sure? Does it really have no side effects?"


    "Yes, I tested it myself. Well, I say instant, but it''s only in the lower realms. In higher realms, you will need to understand it completely first, so it takes a long time.


    This is also the reason why I''m stuck in my realm for a long time."


    Clara put her finger on her chin as she started thinking about something. She began walking around the room.


    Alex didn''t disturb her since he knew she was deep in thought. Some people had that habit, just like him, tapping their fingers when busy thinking.


    He then looked around the place to learn what kind of experiments Clara did here. One of them then caught his interest.


    It was a few glass jars filled with different colored liquids. Each of them contained a strong life force presence.


    ''Is this extracted purified bloodline?''


    Alex walked closer and started observing it. Each jar had a label with detailed information. It stated age, concentration, and the beast it came from.


    ''So a bloodline is basically blood coming from a beast at the divine level. It also needs to be extracted from their core directly¡­


    Wait, in this case, how could people take it? With this much energy, I am sure their bodies would explode.


    But even Mingyue had a bloodline in the past.


    They probably did something to weaken it, then put it in someone''s body.''


    Based on Alex''s calculations, the most effective method was quite cruel. They would find a woman with a special constitution to hold the blood, and she would then be forced to give birth to a baby with this bloodline.


    This method had its ups and downs, but it was still better than directly injecting it into a cultivator. He was sure 100 out of 100 would end up dying.

 Chapter 461 - 461: Beyond Immortal

    Someone would need to be in the lower realms; otherwise, there would be no use. A higher realm cultivator already had their body constitution changed completely.


    Changing it again using a method like this would result in a huge backlash that could even end in their death.


    Here is the passage with grammar corrected and changed to past tense, as per your instructions:


    And this death was not just of the body. Since there was the beast''s lingering will, there was a possibility for them to completely die.


    ''If I mix some of this bloodline into Pi, the result will be good. I can just use progenitor aura to subdue the lingering will here.''


    As Pi''s body was made by him, Alex could modify it to support this bloodline.


    He also wondered what would happen if he mixed two bloodlines; theoretically, some part of it would conflict, but if he could filter it, combining the bloodlines should not be a problem.


    Basically, it manipulates the creature''s DNA.


    Alex was also curious about how they would look and if they would have a similar form. So far, he had checked elf, felidaen, and goblin DNA forms, and the result was that they were not that much different from humans.


    The only exception was vampire DNA, which looked very different from human DNA. Normally, DNA strands appear as double helices with a consistent pattern coming in pairs.


    However, vampire DNA had a more complex, almost triple-helix structure, with irregular loops and segments that seemed to defy the usual rules of genetic code.


    The base pairs were also arranged in a way that was unlike anything he had seen before, with sequences that appeared to be able to change or adapt in ways human DNA couldn''t.


    "Alex, I think I get some idea now. With how cultivation works, lifeforce probably enhances the foundation of our species as human beings.


    I don''t know what it is, maybe soul spirit or something else, but that is the only way it can boost someone''s cultivation that fast.


    If it''s Qi alone, I am sure there will be side effects."


    Hearing what Clara said, a realization came to Alex, a way to break through to the next realm.


    "Let me test it out."


    Alex then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He then started reminiscing about how he usually used lifeforce to boost cultivation.


    He then tried doing a bit of an experiment by pouring more life force into his Golden Core, even though it was already filled to saturation. At first, nothing happened, but as he kept going, he started realizing some changes.


    "Clara, can you help me? I need to try one more thing to make sure."


    "Sure, what is the experiment? If it''s dangerous, I will call Stell here."


    "I will infuse lifeforce energy into you, and then you will use it to boost your cultivation."


    Clara''s eyes lit up. If it was just this, there was no way she would give Stell the opportunity.


    "Let''s start then, but are you sure about this?"


    "You cannot hurt me as long as I hurt you; it''s written in the contract. There is no risk for you, although I am not sure I have enough for you to reach this new realm.


    But at the very least, I am sure I can help you to glimpse it, as long as our hypothesis is true."


    Alex then began pouring lifeforce into Clara. He sat behind her. His palms were pressed against her back.


    Feeling the energy, Clara started moving it toward her immortal core. Every single immortal had a different one, so the process was unique only for her.


    At the start, there were no changes, but as Alex poured more, Clara could feel something was changing. As an immortal, her whole body was already energy, then what was the next step?


    The answer was simpler than she thought. Evolve the energy to a higher level.


    She started feeling elated and tested out many ways to do this. Using lifeforce as a basis and fuel, she started purifying her energy.


    The result made her chuckle; it was like a cycle returning back to the foundation phase, where cultivators were purifying their own bodies, only this time, it was their own essence that was being purified.


    Time passed, and the life force Alex gave her almost ran out.


    "That is enough, Alex, I think I get the answer now. I will enter seclusion to figure out the rest." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I invested a lot of energy in this. Make sure to tell me the result."


    "Don''t worry, you are the first one I will tell after it''s cured."


    Clara faced a few more problems. Since the energy was upgraded to a new level, she felt her body was inadequate to contain it. She also needed to figure out techniques to control it since a normal one wouldn''t do.


    It was like figuring out a pipe for low-pressure water, with one that was high-pressure and had more characteristics.


    Meanwhile, MingYue was already some distance away from the Zephyr clan. Her mood was far better now after her moment with Alex.


    Midway, she changed direction since she felt a familiar presence.


    ''What is he doing here? Based on the direction, there is only the Zephyr clan there. Is this FengXue''s arrangement?''


    MingYue felt that was the most probable scenario. FengXue knew the relationship in the core region; she wanted to make sure no one made trouble for her by sending Yang Fei as bait while she took care of the ShangXi temple.


    She then started considering her options. She could intervene or let Alex take care of it.


    ''I am closer. I should be the one taking care of this. He is also busy now.''


    Yang Fei didn''t feel MingYue''s presence at all; he just walked leisurely, looking forward to getting the meal.


    After his deal with FengXue, his situation stabilized, and Greed was now completely under his mercy.


    He used him to absorb all Qi, filter it, and then take the pure energy for himself.

 Chapter 462 - 462: Greed Origin

    His power also started stabilizing more, compared to when he met Reina. This was thanks to the high goblin power he had absorbed. Without realizing it, his body had started changing into something that was not human.


    He stopped as he stepped. His expression turned ugly. "What do you want here? I already followed her direction."


    "So you know me?"


    "Yes, FengXue told me something about you."


    "I don''t know. She hasn''t contacted me after I entered this place."


    ''It seems Yang Fei still doesn''t know he is now in a completely new region, even though I couldn''t contact Alex.''


    "In that case, change your destination; we have already taken care of the Zephyr clan."


    Yang Fei frowned. He didn''t quickly respond. He started observing MingYue, trying to gauge her strength, but he couldn''t feel anything.


    His contract was with FengXue and the Situ family patriarch. There was no clause that said he couldn''t attack her.


    If she was weaker, he would not think twice to attack her.


    "Where should I go then?"


    MingYue thought for a second, then gave him directions to an immortal territory that she knew didn''t belong to any faction under Edward''s plan.


    These people were a risk factor and better eliminated.


    Yang Fei didn''t make a fuss. He changed direction. MingYue also continued her journey after seeing him leave.


    In the middle of the way, Yang Fei stopped and took a seat; he then closed his eyes to stabilize his power further. He moved all the impurity, forcing it to greed to eat it all, leaving behind only the pure energy.


    After some time, he opened his eyes, "With my current strength, I should be able to make havoc as much as I want. Those ungrateful bastards, how much I want to tear them apart."


    Yang Fei still felt hateful about how quickly the Yang clan abandoned him. He had done that in the past, but tasting his own medicine still made him feel bitter. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If only I didn''t have this stupid contract." Yang Fei mumbled.


    Even though he was stronger now, FengXue had also become stronger, and the Situ family patriarch made the contract stronger.


    But his expression suddenly changed, as part of his hand turned into greed''s face.


    "So you have the strength to come out, huh?"


    "You ungrateful bastard, I saved you, and now you use me like a tool. I know humans cannot be trusted."


    "Hahaha, are you coming out to do stand-up comedy? Just what do you want, Greed?"


    "A ceasefire, something is coming out of the outer region, and it''s coming for me."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You know my origin, right? A taotie sealed into a sword. While that is true, it''s not the complete story.


    Once, I was part of something bigger, something stronger. But the main body got defeated and sealed away. As the connection was cut off and time passed, I grew my own sentience, but now I can feel the seal has been broken."


    "In that case, why would you want my help? Fusing with your main body will make you stronger. What scam are you pulling now?"


    "You fool, you think I would really come out like this if it''s not important? The moment I got absorbed, my sentience would also disappear.


    At the very least, being with you, I will still survive. If I return, I will be completely obliterated."


    "So, what do you want? Escape? You know I cannot do that?"


    "You should check the contract again; I don''t know what happened, but Situ Chen''s strength suddenly dropped. He probably died and was forced to re-cultivate, but whatever it was, it worked for us."


    Yang Fei then checked it, and he found what Greed said was true. But even then, it was still too risky for him.


    "FengXue''s power alone is already enough to hold me now. I can forcefully break the contract, but it will give me a grave wound.


    You should also realize that woman MingYue we just met, who knows if she will come back to attack us?"


    "I can help you overpower the contract. My only requirement is simple: leaving this world quickly."


    "What do you mean? You know a way to leave this world?"


    "Yes? So how about it? Let''s make a deal. I will really bind myself to you in exchange for you to protect me."


    Yang Fei found the proposal intriguing; if they could really cooperate, his power would rise even faster than this.


    He also found out that despite using demonic cultivation, as long as the energy was pure, he would stay stable.


    But he still felt wary of Greed.


    "Tell me how I can bind you first, then I will consider it."


    Greed hesitated for a moment, but as death was now looming over him, his hesitation quickly disappeared.


    "You should now know I have the core of my being in the sword. Find a dead body for me to possess, while my core, you can bind it to your soul.


    This way, you will always have control over my life and death, no matter how strong I become. And I also become immortal as long as you are not dead."


    If Alex were here, he would quickly realize the method Greed mentioned was basically the same as a lich. Have their soul ripped away, put it in a container, then hide it away.


    As long as the container is not destroyed, they will not be able to get killed.


    "Let''s do that first, then; if you keep your bargain, we will then go to another world and break the contract with FengXue."


    "Be quick about it then. I don''t know what is happening there, but I''m seeing this world''s current strength now. I doubt anyone can really block him."


    "Is your main body really that strong?"


    "Yang Fei, I am not kidding here. What you see of me is nothing more than 1% of my main body''s real strength.


    Also, the one sealed is not only him. There are a few more beings at the same level."

 Chapter 463 - 463: Owls Power

    "Just where did you come from?" Yang Fei couldn''t help but ask since he felt really curious now.


    He believed Greed was not lying now.


    "I don''t know. As I told you, I only grew sentience because I was separated too long from my main body. Otherwise, now I would have already run there to fuse back with them."


    "So you are his clone?"


    "Well, you can think of it like that."


    In reality, Greed was nothing more than what survived from the clone that was destroyed.


    It was by luck he consumed a medical elixir that triggered the rise of this sentience, but Greed didn''t want to tell this to Yang Fei, as he knew Yang Fei would demand the location from him and end up going there first instead of leaving.


    Meanwhile, back in Dali City, the place had now been completely turned upside down.


    The crack in the ground grew wider, releasing an evil aura that suffocated everyone near it. From inside, strange creatures started emerging. They all had similar appearances but varied in size.


    Their bodies were covered in dark scales, and they walked on all fours like apes while their heads resembled those of snakes.


    They moved like mindless beasts, attacking everything they saw. MingHao watched from a distance, as did Xue Fang, YangYu, YunYun, and the members of the Xueqi family.


    "How many puppets do you have left?"


    "You want to fight them? Bad idea, MingHao. We''re almost out of qi now, and most of us are also wounded. Your life force is almost gone, and you can''t replenish it." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I agree with Xue Fang, MingHao. You can''t be selfish now. Look how many of them there are¡ªhundreds at least, and more keep pouring out," YanYu said.


    "I also agree. We need to retreat. Just look at our cousins. They''re all wounded now, and my condition is far from peak."


    MingHao started hesitating. Yun Yun had just been tortured for a long time, and though she could still fight beside him, she was already pushing her limits. The same could be said for their other cousins.


    Xue Fang had also lost most of her puppets, and YanYu was wounded as well.


    He clenched his fist, knowing he didn''t have any other choice but to retreat, but his heart was unwilling. His mission was to take the city, a very simple one, and he had failed.


    "Your friends are right, kid. You should go away and let me take care of the rest," a voice called out, pulling their attention.


    MingHao quickly turned alert as three new people approached them.


    "Who are you?"


    "Me? Haha, just call me Owl. Based on the symbol on your clothes, all of you should be from the Bai Yue Sect. We know your sister MingYue. As her friend, I''d suggest you stay away. What''s inside here is far beyond your ability."


    "You''re my sister''s friend? Why have I never heard about you then?"


    "Hahaha, that''s because we just met her. Look, you can trust me or not¡ªit''s your choice. But I''m sure you can feel our strength."


    Owl''s eyes flickered, and a huge pressure emanated from him, pushing down on the group.


    Feng Xue frowned, then tugged MingHao''s hand. "Let''s go."


    Looking at her pleading eyes, MingHao relented. He understood what Owl meant. They could attack them if they wanted to, but giving them a way to leave was proof enough that they weren''t enemies.


    MingHao then took his leave with the others.


    "How are we going to do this?" Owl asked, looking down at their enemy.


    "You and Zold take care of this side. I''ll go down."


    "What? Father, you can''t go down by yourself," Zold said, his voice tinged with worry.


    Unfortunately, Zold didn''t respond. He turned into lightning and then floated toward the crack. In the process, the lightning spread around, hitting many of the strange beasts and turning them to dust.


    Zold was surprised by his father''s display of strength. "So, Father was taking it easy when fighting me."


    "Don''t underestimate him, Zold. Your father is the strongest among us now. Even Edward can''t beat him in a direct fight. Rather than that, focus on the task. Your task is to evacuate the people in the city; I''ll clean up these forgotten creatures."


    Owl''s body started turning dark and then separated into many birds. Each bird looked like a phoenix.


    CRACKLE! SWOOSH!


    The birds were then engulfed by many elements¡ªsome were thunder, others were flame, ice, and water, and some were even colored green and pure black. Zold didn''t know all the elements, but he knew for sure they weren''t to be underestimated. One of the birds then crashed into a group of weird creatures, exploding and taking out a few.


    The explosion looked like fireworks with the variety. When it settled, he could see Owl''s silhouette standing in front of the crater, looking down on it.


    One of the creatures then leaped forward from behind him, but Owl didn''t even make a move. The shadow at his feet moved, then turned into a solid spike piercing through the creature.


    Many more spikes then emerged from the creature, turning it into something like a hedgehog. The shadow spikes then threw the creature away like a sack.


    "What is with that shadow? Why do I feel like it''s alive?" Zold mumbled in confusion.


    He was sure it wasn''t Owl''s ability. There was a high chance it was a product of his cultivation system, improved by Edward.


    Realizing Owl would have no problem, Zold turned his gaze toward the civilians. Those who could escape had already run away with MingHao and the others. Those left now were buried in the debris.


    It''s not that MingHao didn''t want to help them; he didn''t have the time for it.


    His body turned into lightning, crackling through the battlefield. He maneuvered quickly, destroying debris while taking the survivors to a special cube.


    It was similar to an awecube, but this one didn''t have any forced contract function. Alex had given this to his main party, just in case they needed it.


    It was very useful in situations like this or when they needed to carry people out.

 Chapter 464 - 464: Taking a Break

    After the incident in the dungeon, each of them always carried a few.


    Meanwhile, MingHao was now already far away from the town, having regrouped with the other cultivators.


    He then ordered them to bring YunYun and the others back. This made Xue Fang glare at him.


    "You plan to return!?"


    "Ehm¡­ Yes, you should go back with YanYu and the others."


    "Nope, I am not leaving you."


    YanYu herself wanted to return, but she felt guilty if she just left them there. What if something happened? She would forever live with the guilt.


    This made her stay silent, only watching from the side.


    "But you have no more puppets, and you are wounded, Xue Fang. What if something happens to you?"


    "No, you forgot what happened between us before? Don''t think you can just kiss me and run."


    "Kiss!??? They kissed?" YanYu blinked her eyes in surprise.


    A kiss was quite a big deal for her since the only ones she knew who did it were Dao''s companions. And dao companions, as in couples, rarely broke up.


    They would stay together until one of them was killed. Her view was quite skewed since that was what was old in her village. Even after learning much new knowledge, this point of view still stayed.


    The current education focused more on basic knowledge¡ªfrom hygiene to anatomy¡ªeverything that was useful for combat.


    "What, running away? I''m no¡­" MingHao''s voice trailed off as he saw Xue Fang''s expression. He then started to get what she meant; going there now was almost suicide. Her point of the kiss meant he was someone important to her now.


    "I don''t want to be alone again¡­ If you go, I will go."


    MingHao felt a headache, but he still didn''t want to leave. He put some thought into his best option. It''s not like he planned to commit suicide.


    He wanted to observe the situation first, then sneak inside the crater. Things might be dangerous, but that also meant there was opportunity there.


    And no matter what, MingHao wanted to finish his mission.


    "Alright, how about you, YanYu?"


    "I¡­" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you want to go back, just go back. Actually, we need someone who can talk with Elder QingWa about the situation.


    Although YunYun already has some recordings with her, your presence will make things easier."


    "I will go now then and return with reinforcements."


    MingHao''s words gave her a way out. This way, she wouldn''t feel as guilty, like she left them to die.


    She quickly left, catching up with Yun Yun.


    "Let''s look for a place to rest first. We need to plan things out," Xue Fang suggested.


    "I agree. Do you have a place in mind?"


    "I remember there''s a cave nearby; let''s wait for a day at least. I hope they can completely eliminate the enemy and leave the city empty."


    "If they do, I doubt they''ll stay there. With their current strength, the place will hold no interest for them."


    They then started moving, Xue Fang leading the way while MingHao followed behind her.


    "They say they know your sister. What do you think?"


    "I doubt they''re lying; it''s not like they''ll gain anything from it."


    "Yeah, the only reason they mentioned her is so we''d leave the area quickly. Honestly, I think it could''ve gone worse."


    She then landed in front of the cave. Xue Fang took out one of her puppets and sent it inside. Looking at it, MingHao''s gaze turned complicated.


    "Why did you do that? Why did you sacrifice your parents for me?"


    "I know, MingHao, I know they''re not here anymore. Even though sometimes they can move outside my instructions, that''s only because, different from other puppets, they contain lingering wills."


    "Is that like a wisp of soul?"


    This made MingHao wonder¡ªwouldn''t it be possible to revive them using that? But if it were possible, he doubted Xue Fang wouldn''t know.


    Knowing her personality, she would do everything she could to achieve this.


    "It''s not a soul, similar but not. Hard to explain since I don''t know how it''s created; I only know it exists based on my research."


    MingHao walked closer and then put his hand over her shoulder. He didn''t know how long, but he was sure Xue Fang had dedicated a lot of her life to searching for this.


    Xue Fang rested her head on his shoulder.


    "I''m fine. Just don''t go and kill yourself, MingHao. My parents, ancestors, family¡ªright now, only one is left, but even then, we''re not that close. She always sees me as some kind of saint. You''re the first one I feel I could really trust."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not planning to die. But you know better than me. Without taking risks, there''s no way to improve."


    "Why should we improve then? That''s a never-ending path. Can''t we just live peacefully?


    I''m sure your sister will take care of everything. Just look at our sect¡ªhave you noticed those new species? Whatever she''s doing and wants to achieve is beyond our comprehension."


    "The Goblins? I''ve met a few of them."


    "Not them, those that look like us but have sharp, pointy ears.


    A lot of people don''t realize this, or maybe they think it''s just a cultivator with a unique appearance, but no, I''m sure they''re a different species than us."


    "They do look like elves from those stories we watch, but I haven''t seen many of them. I think they''re only put in some facility."


    "Yes, but that''s not my point."


    "I know, Xue Fang."


    MingHao knew his effort to change the topic had failed. He then continued, "Even if it was true, that doesn''t mean she''s omnipotent. There will be a time when she needs help, and at that time, I want to be there and ready.


    It''s the same with you. We never know what will happen. But I understand why you''re asking that.


    How about this¡ªafter I reach an immortal level of power, we can take a long break."

 Chapter 465 - 465: Spider Nest

    "That works, but I won''t take less than a hundred years. I just want a break from all of this."


    MingHao smiled. "Well, a hundred years is quite long, but for immortals, I think that time means nothing."


    "Yeah, but for us to reach immortality, who knows how long we''ll need to spend."


    "It won''t be long, Xue Fang," MingHao replied with confidence. He didn''t know where this confidence came from, but from his experience in the sect, he felt there would be a way to reach it faster.


    "Let''s enter. It seems my puppet found something interesting inside."


    "What? A natural treasure?"


    "No, but it''s something we need now. I still need to confirm with my own eyes. I hope it''s still usable."


    "Natural treasure?"


    "No, but it''s something we need now. I still need to make sure with my own eyes. I hope it''s still usable."


    They then proceeded to walk through the cavern, where MingHao found a strong smell of blood. Spider corpses littered around them were cut to pieces.


    "What kind of spider is this? It''s eerie," MingHao commented.


    The blood coming out of the spider was red; their skin also looked weird, almost like a human''s. If not for his strong mentality, their appearance would have given him nightmares.


    "Man-faced spider, be careful. Their queen can completely transform into a human, even without cultivation."


    "What a weird monster. How about their abilities?"


    "I never faced one myself, only heard it from ancestor Brook. He said the man-faced spider is a descendant of the Chimera spider that failed to evolve.


    Chimera spiders have a unique trait, allowing them to take on characteristics from the things they eat. They would then slowly evolve to the next generation; man-faced spiders come from them.


    They are one of the failures but somehow survived."


    "Why have I never heard of them then?"


    If this Chimera spider is like she said, they should be very strong now. Taking on good traits from other species while continuing to evolve.


    "They met a tragic end after consuming a demonic cultivator. All of them became aggressive and started eating each other. I heard in the end, only one survived, and it became super strong.


    What happened next, I am not clear, but it seems it got killed together when the war with the demonic cultivators happened."


    "I hope that''s really the case. Who knows if some survivors exist."


    FenXue stopped in her tracks, "Be careful."


    They then arrived at a huge chamber filled with spider webs. Thousands of eggs hung from the ceiling, while on the side, many humans were put in cocoons, showing only their faces.


    Some were alive, while most were dead. Xue Fang''s eyes lit up, looking at it. "I know some of them are Golden Core Cultivators; they are also quite talented."


    "But Xue Fang, some of them are still alive."


    "Then you choose for me. Without them, I would not have enough material to create a strong puppet.


    We can either make one strong puppet using all of them or make another army of weak puppets.


    I will be honest, MingHao, if not for you, I would do it without hesitation. Even if we save them, there is a possibility they will attack us.


    Kindness doesn''t always get returned in kind."


    "That is possible, but they are weak. Even if we free them, I doubt they could do anything."


    "Don''t forget our goal, MingHao. As I said, I will listen to whatever choice you make."


    MingHao was caught in a dilemma, sacrificing innocents to raise their survivability or rescuing them. With his experience so far, he knew he had become more ruthless.


    Some people are just beyond saving, even with the idealistic thoughts he has, but that doesn''t change the fate of those who fall into their hands.


    "How about the spider corpses? Can you use them?"


    "Yes, I can use them, but I only specialize in humanoid puppets. The result will be crude and not good.


    Also, I plan to use them to create hidden weapons to modify the puppets I made. It''s an idea I have had for a while now, creating a puppet fused with a monster.


    In the past, I couldn''t do it because of many limitations, but now, with the knowledge of human anatomy, I can do it."


    "So you never really tried it? How high is the success rate?"


    "At least 90%. I have tested it in the simulation, and it worked just fine." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­"


    "Well, take your time. I will clean up this place first," Xue Fang said while turning her gaze upward.


    The man-spider corpses outside could be used, but those eggs were useless to her. They might have some use in alchemy, but none of them could do it.


    There was also the queen. Her puppet was still exploring other paths, looking for it, but so far hadn''t found anything.


    She then took out a flamethrower and pointed it upward.


    SWOOSH!!!


    The flame shot out like a dragon''s breath, burning everything to a crisp and lighting up the room. Screeches of insects could be heard, but it didn''t faze them.


    The flamethrower was fueled by mana crystals, allowing it to be adjusted easily. If it were Qi, the result would be a raging flame that was hard to control.


    The burned eggs then split apart, letting out what could only be described as a nightmare. Many spiders, the size of a baby, crawled out from each cocoon, but the fire was merciless. Each of them burned to a crisp, then fell to the ground as ashes.


    Some still survived, squirming on the ground, but MingHao finished them off. The creatures not only had human-like skin; now that he looked at them up close, they had almost human-like faces.


    He then turned his gaze toward the row of humans. Those that were dead were nothing more than skeletons; some were already half-eaten but barely alive.


    They seemed to have been injected with a poison that paralyzed their bodies but kept them alive as long as possible. It also seemed to seal off their qi.

 Chapter 466 - 466: Spider Queen

    ''I can use lifeforce to heal them, but then I will not be able to use it.''


    The amount left was enough for one more attack, based on his calculation. If he used it here, he would completely run out. Thankfully, in the end, MingHao decided not to use it; otherwise, MingYue''s backup plan would come into effect, teleporting him away.


    He walked towards them. His plan was to kill them and then take their souls with him. He would look for a way to revive them in the future.


    ''Ancestor will probably complain since he will need to sustain more souls, but at least this way, Xue Fang doesn''t need to kill anyone.''


    A gun appeared in his hand; he then pointed it towards them.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    Each bullet pierced their heads, effectively killing them, but when he went to finish the last one, a small, weak voice reached his ears.


    "He-help."


    "You are awake?" MingHao asked in disbelief.


    The poison should be very potent as even the other Golden Core cultivators couldn''t move, but somehow, she survived while being weaker than them. There was a possibility she had some kind of special physique or bloodline, but he still felt wary.


    He walked slowly toward the woman while staying alert. Xue Fang looked from a distance, studying her. She hasn''t found anything wrong so far; her instincts also say she is not dangerous, but something just feels off.


    "MingHao, don''t get close," Xue Fang warned.


    MingHao stopped a few steps away from the woman. He began to think about how to release her without compromising their safety.


    An idea then came to his mind, from his favorite series. In that story, it was hard to achieve, but for him, it was easier. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His qi came out from his hand, turning into a solid sword. Using a small amount of lifeforce, he used it as a catalyst, turning his qi into something tangible.


    The woman''s eyes widened as the sword grew long, reaching close to her. Sparks flew as it passed through the cocoon. MingHao warned her not to make any sudden moves.


    But the moment part of the cocoon broke, a strange mist started appearing, covering the whole room and limiting their view. Despite their sharp eyes, they could not see farther than their own hands.


    MingHao stopped his actions, as cutting now was too risky. But then, from the sword, he could feel something strange happening.


    The cocoon broke, like it exploded outward.


    Xue Fang suddenly took out her already damaged shield puppet. It materialized behind her, then raised the shield.


    CLANG!!! The shield blocked some kind of attack, making a ringing sound in the room, like an echo.


    "MingHao, be careful! The Man-Spider Queen is here!"


    "You too, Xue Fang!"


    "What a lovely couple, both of you come here attacking my nest, then massacre my children, and still think you are in the right."


    "So what!? You hunt us humans for your food! Don''t listen to her, MingHao," Xue Fang replied.


    She worried the queen''s wordplay would get into MingHao''s mind. She knew he cared a lot about right and wrong.


    And her suspicion was right; MingHao started to hesitate. From the spider''s point of view, what she said was correct, but as Xue Fang said, she, too, has hunted down humans.


    Since this is just the law of the jungle, how could what they do be right or wrong? But then how could it differ from what other humans do?


    It''s also the law of the jungle for the strong to do as they please.


    The spider queen didn''t miss the opportunity. Her sharp leg pierced through the air, coming close to his chest.


    It was too late for MingHao to parry it. He did his best, tilting his body, making the attack miss his heart.


    "I only hunt humans enough for my food, but you come here killing all my children for no reason!" the spider queen said once more.


    "Dammit!" MingHao cursed. He just wanted to attack back, but her words once again confused him.


    What are they doing here? Gathering material for their needs, but does killing the spider children necessary? The answer would be no.


    "MingHao, stop listening to her words; she''s just playing with you. You think she even cares about them? Did she go out when we burned her children? Close your hearing and focus on fighting."


    MingHao was still confused, but he decided to go with her suggestion. Right now, he couldn''t hesitate. It''s not just dangerous for him; it would also endanger Xue Fang.


    If it were only him, he might still hesitate, but there was no way he would sacrifice those important to him for his own personal values.


    Another spider leg pierced through the air, this time coming for his head.


    CLANG! MingHao parried it with his qi sword. He then put his palm forward and shot a blast with his qi.


    The explosion dispersed part of the mist, allowing him to see the spider queen.


    Her lower body was that of a spider, but the top was the woman he had seen before, the one inside the cocoon.


    Tricky and manipulative¡ªthose two words quickly appeared in his mind. He didn''t know how, but the spider''s actions were impeccable. If she hadn''t shown her real appearance, he and Xue Fang would have been duped.


    It''s even possible they would have brought her to Bai Yue Sect without suspecting anything.


    Unlike the man-spider, the spider part of the queen was covered with dark material. It was reflective and glossy like polished metal.


    His attack barely left any mark on her body.


    From the spider''s body, a spider web shot forward. MingHao dashed forward, using his qi sword to cut it apart.


    The wound on his chest had already completely healed at this point. His target was the queen''s upper body, as it looked weaker.


    MingHao''s sword fell from the sky, cutting down the spider queen''s hand like slicing through butter. Green blood spurted out.

 Chapter 467 - 467: Collapse

    The result surprised him since he didn''t expect it to be this easy. But even after this, the spider queen was not fazed. Instead, her lips curled into a grin.


    The blood, rather than liquid, was more like slime and one that was alive. It quickly reconnected with the Queen''s shoulder while the hand itself shot out toward MingHao.


    The claw grew longer and sharp, coming toward his neck.


    With his current position, MingHao could not dodge. He braced himself, preparing to face the poison that would soon enter his body.


    But just before it could reach him, a shield flew like a boomerang, blocking her attack. The Queen turned her gaze upward, and this time, she shot out another web that turned into something like a shield.


    BAM!


    A sword clashed with the shield. XueFang''s puppet landed on it and jumped toward the Queen spider''s body.


    "Xue Fang?" MingHao called out. He then felt something pulling him from behind.


    Only now that they were close could he feel her presence. He didn''t understand how she could find him since the fog had also sharply reduced their detection ability.


    "Yes, let''s run for now. We cannot defeat her." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing her regeneration ability, MingHao felt the same. Even if they could win, it would probably take a lot from them.


    Two more damaged puppets appeared, running toward the spider queen. Then, a loud boom reverberated in the area.


    Seeing this, MingHao also shot out a few Qi blasts.


    "BASTARD!!! You think I will let you leave that easily!?" the spider queen roared in anger.


    The cavern then started to shake; the ground cracked, and dust and dirt fell from the ceiling.


    "Is it because of our attack?" MingHao asked.


    "No, the explosion is concentrated on the spider queen; it shouldn''t hit any foundation for the cavern. This is the Queen''s doing."


    "XueFang, careful." MingHao pulled her to the side as part of the ceiling fell to where she had stood before.


    This confused MingHao, as she should have been able to detect this. ''Is she exhausted? But she could find me before.''


    Unfortunately, before he could ask further, the ground cracked open, and the whole cavern collapsed on itself. Black fog then came out from the rubble and started gathering in the sky, transforming into the spider queen in her humanoid form.


    Her eyes glanced coldly at the rubble, then toward DaYing city. "It seems they will be released soon. This place is not safe for me."


    A pair of bird wings then came out from her back, and she flew far away from the area.


    Meanwhile, inside the rubble, a small safe spot was created. MingHao used his qi, turning it into a solid sphere.


    Xue Fang then took out a small puppet, its height barely reaching her knee. She then started giving them orders.


    "MingHao, focus your qi in that direction," she said while pointing toward a specific area.


    The small puppet moved agilely; they started taking out some tools and materials, creating a makeshift pillar.


    It didn''t take long for the space to get stabilized. Xue Fang then ordered them to start building a tunnel outside.


    MingHao took out a portable light and a chair.


    "I never knew you had that kind of puppet."


    "Because I never had the need to use them. In the past, I used them often to help with the construction work in the Village.


    At first, they were as big as adult males, but I made them smaller since this made it easier for them to build in small spaces."


    "No wonder, then."


    Construction workers usually had large figures so they could carry more stuff, but this was not a problem since storage rings existed. The puppets were also equipped in a way that allowed them to fly, turning them into very efficient builders.


    If Alex knew about them, he would copy their mechanisms and mass-produce them. It''s not that he couldn''t make one himself; he just never looked into it.


    "What do you plan next?" Xue Fang asked.


    Even though she ordered them to make a tunnel outside, there was a possibility the spider queen was waiting for them.


    "How about you make the tunnel directly to the crater?"


    "That is possible, but won''t it be riskier? I am sure whatever is inside is stronger than that spider queen.


    Even though there is a possibility those people finished them, what if they didn''t?


    When we go out, we could face a dangerous situation."


    "¡­"


    "But if you insist, I don''t mind going. Just remember, the puppets I have left now are useless ones."


    "Wait, how many puppets do you have left? I mean, these so-called useless ones."


    "Hmm¡­ 28, not more than that."


    "That should be enough, then. I have that secret weapon our sect created with me. It only needs three operators."


    "Is the weapon that good?"


    "I don''t know how well it performs, but I heard it was created to fight against the immortal."


    "How could that be in your hand, then?"


    "Well¡­"


    "You stole it?" Xue Fang asked while rolling her eyes.


    "Not stealing, it''s just borrowing. In the end, everything is owned by my sister anyway."


    "But I am sure your sister didn''t give it to you. I heard about that weapon; it''s still in the experimental stage, and I don''t know how to operate it."


    "Don''t worry, I have the manual with me. I''m sure you can learn it quickly, Xue Fang."


    "Let''s do that later, then. I want to ask you something first, MingHao."


    "Sure, what do you want to know?"


    "I just want confirmation: what are we now?"


    MingHao''s cheeks turned red as he started to remember what happened between them. He hadn''t thought about it much, but one thing was clear to him: he would never leave her alone.


    "I don''t know what the right word is, but you are someone important to me. As long I live I will never allow something bad happen to you."


    Xue Fang''s lips curled into a smile. "That''s enough for now."

 Chapter 468 - 468: Naga

    She then changed the topic to smaller matters, finding out more about MingHao''s life.


    They enjoyed their talk while Xue Fang lay her head on his shoulder. Time passed peacefully for them but not for Sylva and Zold.


    Deep under the crater, Zold''s body was covered with blood; on his back, he was carrying Sylva.


    It''s quite a long story to tell how he reached there, but to put it simply, the situation in the city had stabilized. Zold then decided to go down to check on his father since there was no news.


    Halfway in, he found his father escaping, half dead.


    Behind him, a group of creatures was slithering. While their movement looked slow, their speed was not. They not only kept up with Zold, but they also closed the distance.


    SWOSH! SWOSH!


    Zold leaped to the side, dodging the enemy''s arrows. "Dammit, just what kind of creatures are they?"


    "Z-Zold¡­ Leave me and go. If this keeps going, both of us will be dead."


    "No, Father, there is no way I will let you go like this."


    Despite saying it, Zold knew their fate was sealed. The enemy was something that beat his father to this state. As a cultivator himself, he knew how resilient they were.


    To beat him like this in the time his father spent here only meant he was completely outmatched.


    "Can you at least tell me the situation, father?"


    "The ones hunting us down are the Orochi clan of the Naga species."


    Sylva then narrated what happened. There was a strong being stored inside. Based on Edward''s investigation, it was a demonic cultivator that had ties with the ancient Orochi clan.


    Sylva came to finish the job, or at the very least to reseal it. But unfortunately, what he found was outside of his expectations. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Other than the demonic cultivator, there was another being. Something that made the hair on his back stand.


    All his senses told him it was dangerous, and there was no way he could win this. But thankfully, the enemy was now in a standoff.


    The Sky Ember Sect patriarch was joining hands with the Demonic Cultivator. The fight looked like a standoff, but Sylva could tell it was just because the opponent was playing around.


    He speculated the opponent had just been unsealed and was in a very weak condition. He was using the moment to recover as much energy as he could.


    Given the situation, he decided to prepare for an ambush. He looked for an opportunity to deal with a fatal attack on the being. Unfortunately, this was all the being''s trap.


    The moment he made the attack, the being captured him and absorbed almost all of his cultivation, leaving only his ability as an awakener. It was like his body reverted back to mortal.


    The Sky Ember patriarch and the demonic cultivator used this opportunity to escape. They somehow created a portal connecting them with another world. From that portal, Naga''s army emerged.


    These Naga had the upper body of a human with four arms. Their lower body was that of a snake. Sylva only learned about them as he overheard what the patriarch and demonic cultivator talked about.


    The army of Naga then started attacking indiscriminately, some of them even going all the way here, pursuing Sylva.


    Zold dodged once more, the arrow hitting the ground, creating a small crater. Based on their strength, he speculated each of them was at least as strong as a Golden Core cultivator.


    If he released Sylva, he should be able to fight back and kill them all, utilizing Alex''s weapon. But the problem was how much time would be wasted.


    Now, knowing the situation, it was only a matter of time until that strong being came after them. He could not waste time like this.


    A few grenades appeared in his hand; he then began tossing them out.


    But before they could reach their target, arrows shot through them, making them explode in midair.


    Gritting his teeth, Zold decided to use his trump card. His lightning started turning purplish. His speed increased, allowing him to put some more distance between them.


    Different from Emily, Zold''s power didn''t allow him to change into lightning; he just used its element to boost his speed. Otherwise, he would have already easily escaped the place.


    Lightning crackled around his body as he pulled further away.


    The exit was close; now, he just needed to climb through the cliff and leave the spot. Looking up, he could already see Owl spotted them.


    He jumped, then ran vertically through the wall. But suddenly, something weird happened. The wall moved like it was alive, trying to attack Zold.


    The wall where he stepped transformed into an arm that captured his leg in place.


    A dagger appeared in his hand, and he slashed it down. But another part of the wall changed, this time into something like mud. It then shot forward like a water jet toward his body, pushing him back deep into the crater.


    Seeing this, Owl jumped down, his body transforming into a raven, flying quickly to catch them.


    But a similar thing happened; the cliff attacked him, blocking his pathway. Not only did it attack, but it also strengthened to the point he could not underestimate it.


    From where Zold came out, a Naga then emerged. Her hand grasped a magic staff shining in a yellow hue.


    On her back, there was a tattoo glowing in the same color. It was created using many weird symbols arranged in a square pattern.


    If Alex were here, it would quickly pique his interest. The symbols looked quite similar to runes.


    "Trying to escape? You think I will allow it?"


    The staff glowed once more; this time, the top of the crack started moving like a jaw closing down.


    The light disappeared as the area became completely sealed. Zold kicked the air, lightning a thunderbolt as he shot toward the Naga.


    "Why go this far? We didn''t do anything to you. The one inside is more dangerous."


    CLANG!


    His dagger stopped, clashing with some kind of magic barrier.


    "I just follow orders. As for what happens, it''s up to them."

 Chapter 469 - 469: Sylva Decision

    Zold clicked his tongue in annoyance. He quickly launched another attack. Trying to pull back and create distance between them would be more dangerous.


    He didn''t know how Naga''s ability worked, but based on his observation, she was like a mage, specialized in long-distance attacks.


    His goal now was to buy time, waiting for Owl to reach here and help him.


    And he didn''t disappoint. Like an eagle diving to eat its prey, Crow attacked the Naga.


    His beak clashed against the barrier, pulling the Naga''s attention.


    Seeing the spark from the collision, Zold started thinking about his next move; helping Owl was pointless. He turned his gaze toward the entrance, then shot his lightning dagger towards it.


    SWOSSH!! BOOM!


    It hit its mark, collapsing the entrance, but he knew this was not permanent. The Naga could easily come out from it, breaking through the boulder.


    He then put Sylva down, laying his back against the cliff wall. Zold took out a bottle with red liquid, "Father, drink this."


    "N-No. It''s pointless, Zold. It seems I have reached the end of my journey."


    "You are the one who told me to never give up, and nothing is impossible. What is with those words!?"


    Sylva responded by showing a fatal wound on his chest, throbbing as the skin and flesh turned rotten. Zold could see his father''s regeneration clashing against something.


    "Just what is this? A curse?"


    "I don''t know; this happened from that being''s attack. It''s eating not just my flesh but my qi and mana. I don''t have much left, Zold. It''s only a matter of time."


    Sylva then took out a pill. It had a rainbow-colored hue with a very strong medicinal fragrance.


    "Can this cure you, Father?" Zold asked, trying to grasp any hope he could.


    Deep inside, he knew it wouldn''t. If it could, his father would have already taken it and wouldn''t have said something like that. Based on his father''s personality, it was clear what he wanted to do¡ªsomething that Zold didn''t want to happen.


    Sylva ate the pill, his qi surging, his wound beginning to heal, but it was not completely recovered. The scar was still there, surrounded by rotten skin.


    He stood up, and then his body started transforming. Two qilin horns came out from his head, and scales covered his hand and part of his back. His body turned a bit bulkier, followed by crackling lightning. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lighting was golden in color. Zold could feel very strong power coming from it.


    "Father, I already lost my sister and Mother. In the end, should I lose you too?"


    Sylva glanced at his son, his eyes warm, something that Zold had never seen before.


    "Son, you are not alone. Your sister is alive."


    Zold''s eyes widened; he was sure his sister was dead.


    "The body was fake. Your sister was kidnapped by a dark guild and then sold to another race." He then took out his storage ring and put it in Zold''s hand.


    "Escape and find your sister. Remember, every second you waste means longer time your sister lives in hell. I don''t know what she''s facing, but I''m sure she''s still surviving till now.


    All my investigation and everything I know is in this storage ring. Survive, Zold. Find her, and go surpass me."


    Zold could feel his heart torn apart. He didn''t say any more words. His eyes turned cold, almost like it''s emotionless, as he began jumping through the valley. His qi surged as he punched through the ceiling, leaving a crater.


    He then flew into the sky and started streaking in a random direction. He looked down and found the rubble of a collapsed cavern.


    Zold landed there and sat on top of the rubble. Without anyone around, he started screaming in pain.


    There were no tears leaving his eyes, only flickers of anger and disappointment.


    He was disappointed with himself. He practiced and trained all the time, and for what?


    Nothing. In the end, he still couldn''t help his father. He spent a long time looking for him, only for a short reunion where his father ended up dead.


    "DAMMIT! DAMMIT!!!!"


    His qi lashed out, exploding into a lightning bolt that created a small vibration.


    Underneath him, MingHao and Xue Fang frowned. The opening where they were vibrated, and they could also feel the qi fluctuation coming from above them.


    Zold didn''t sense them because he was now in emotional distress. If he had focused on looking for any survivors, he would have found them. But he just swiped a glance since what he wanted now was a place to vent.


    "What do you think is happening?"


    "I don''t know, we need to come out and look, but there''s no way out for now," Xue Fang replied.


    Since her puppet was ordered to create a hole directly into the crater, they didn''t have any way outside yet. The process was also slow since they needed to ensure the new tunnel was stable and wouldn''t collapse on itself.


    MingHao looked upward, deep in thought. The vibration didn''t stop. "I wonder if someone is fighting up there."


    "Doubt it. Based on the vibration and qi fluctuation, it is probably someone''s training."


    "Can we send a drone out, at least to find out?"


    "Nope, didn''t you see how bad the collapse was?"


    "If only we had one that could pass through walls." Then MingHao''s eyes lit up. "I almost forgot. Ancestor, come out."


    Xueqi''s ancestor''s soul came out from the ring with a bored expression.


    "Oh, now you remember me? Kids before you just keep sending me more work, more souls to maintain, but somehow, when it''s the fun stuff, you just ignore me, like I don''t exist?"


    MingHao didn''t have anything to say; he really forgot. His mind was occupied with what happened, and he was still a bit shocked by the progression of the relationship with Xue Fang.


    "Ancestor, look up and see who''s outside."


    Xueqi''s ancestor frowned. "I can peek, but if it''s dangerous, I''ll quickly run."


    "Don''t worry; your soul is bound to the ring anyway. You''ll survive."

 Chapter 470 - 470: Owl

    "Kids these days, working these old bones to death," Xueqi''s ancestor mumbled in frustration. But he still went out to check.


    With their current situation, it was better to find out just in case. What if the spider queen had sent one of her people to poke around?


    Zold, who was roaring in anger, stopped. He felt a presence coming towards him. His eyes locked away as he realized he had been careless. He should have checked the place in detail before considering it safe.


    "Who are you? Come out."


    "Ah, it''s you. I''ve seen you in Dali City."


    Zold frowned as he didn''t recognize him. "What do you mean?"


    "Oh yeah, you haven''t seen me before since I was inside MingHao''s ring. You know the man and woman you met? MingYue''s little brother." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zold was still on alert, but so far, Xueqi''s ancestor made sense. "Where are they then?"


    If the soul was really bound, Zold knew they couldn''t go that far away. This time, he spread out his senses, looking for their location, and then looked down.


    "Seems you already found out. Well, here''s the thing." Xueqi''s ancestors started explaining what happened.


    Zold frowned, hearing this. "Ask them if I create a huge hole, will their qi shield be enough to block it?"


    "Wait. How strong will the attack be?" Xueqi''s ancestor asked.


    Zold was thinking of using explosives or using his secret technique to bore a hole in the ground. But if they couldn''t protect themselves, instead of helping, he would just endanger them.


    "Forget it. It''s too risky. We don''t know the answer without testing it. How about this?"


    Zold then proposed a plan where he would dig a diagonal hole down to make sure it wouldn''t hurt them. He brought some power tools with him just in case he needed them.


    "Let me ask them first. They already sent some puppets to dig."


    "That''s better. We can meet halfway then."


    Xueqi''s ancestors returned to MingHao and Xue Fang. He told them what happened.


    "We should meet up with him first," Xue Fang quickly decided, then made the puppet move in that direction. This time, she didn''t wait for MingHao''s answer.


    With Zold''s situation, something must have happened there. She hoped Zold could somehow convince MingHao to not go back to the crater.


    She still remembered the feeling when looking at it, a suffocating dread that threatened to eat even her soul.


    Thankfully, MingHao also agreed with Xue Fang''s decision, so he didn''t debate it.


    "I agree. We need to know what really happened."


    Xueqi''s ancestor left to talk about it with Zold. They discussed the direction and where to dig. Zold then started moving, taking out some tools, and began digging a tunnel.


    With movement from both sides, it didn''t take long for them to finally meet up. Zold introduced himself, then looked at their condition, finding they were alright. He quickly told them to follow him away from the area.


    "Wait, tell us first what happened. Actually, I plan to go back to the crater."


    "Forget it, even ¡­ someone stronger than us lost their life there."


    "You mean they''re dead?"


    Zold''s eyes flickered. He then replied coldly, "It''s only a matter of time."


    "We should rescue them then. I have some secret weapons from BaiYue Sect, designed to fight against immortals."


    "MingHao, that''s a prototype. All the stats we know now come from simulations. Who knows if some problem happens during combat."


    "But there''s a chance to use them. This is a matter of life and death, Xue Fang."


    "Yes, but not only theirs¡ªours too."


    Zold was caught off guard by their discussion. "Send me the weapon information."


    He still hadn''t seen what it was capable of, but if possible, he wanted to at least bring them to escape.


    Based on his father''s story, those beings had their own conflicts. This meant that as long as they escaped from Naga, they would be all right.


    Unfortunately, what happened there now was beyond their expectations. Sylva was clashing against a few nagas, just like Zold expected; the collapsed entrance barely blocked their return.


    These nagas were different from the ones pursuing them; they were focused on close combat. Meanwhile, Owl was fighting against the mage naga.


    If it were only this, it would have been as Zold had expected, but things changed when Sylva''s surge of energy ran out. Sylva''s body fell to his knees when one of the nagas slashed downward with his sword.


    But just an inch away from his neck, Owl suddenly appeared, blocking the attack with his bare hand. This display of strength surprised Sylva.


    "It''s been so many years traveling with you, but it seems this is where you meet your end, Sylva."


    Despite dying, Sylva could still say something had changed with Owl, his voice more distorted, like an otherworldly being.


    "Who are you?"


    Owl clenched his hand, completely destroying the sword. His shadow then shot out and pulled the Naga inside. It was as if the Naga was sinking into it.


    Sylva turned his gaze and realized the mage naga was nowhere to be seen. Owl''s capability now was something beyond his comprehension. He had never shown this kind of ability throughout their journey together.


    "I am Owl. That is the truth, although I am not the same Owl that came to this world with you all."


    Sylva''s eyes widened when he saw Owl turn his face toward him. One of his eyes was not human; there were three irises, and the white had turned dark.


    The irises gave him an eerie feeling. "Why? If you wanted to help, you could have done so from the start."


    "There''s something I need here, and since I have time to kill, I decided to go with you all. As for why, well %$#@@% put so much attention on you all, I was just curious."


    "What??"


    "Oh yeah, I forgot you can''t hear that name. I am one of those that Edward calls Primordials."

 Chapter 471 - 471: The One Behind the Incident

    Sylva, who had always maintained his composure, even in front of death, couldn''t help but laugh.


    They had done so much to find out about these beings. Edward even went as far as going through the rift. And all this time, one was hiding with them.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do now. He could feel he didn''t have long to live. Even his soul wouldn''t survive; something was corrupting it. It was truly the end.


    "Could you at least tell me this? Are you the one who caused that incident?"


    Sylva asked since he felt the Primordial-possessing Owl was fond of him. Otherwise, there was no reason to reveal his true identity. He could have just let him die without anyone knowing.


    "Partially, but not entirely. You could say I was the indirect cause of it. But let''s say, in the end, it was because of you humans. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even without me, the attack would still have happened. The difference would be the species that are attacking.


    You should know Edward¡­ no, the Suzaku Guild is an annoyance in the eyes of the World Council."


    Here is the corrected version with grammar fixes and past tense applied except for the dialogue, while maintaining word count, meaning, and style as requested:


    "Those old bastards," Sylva mumbled with his dying breath. "What will you do next then?"


    Owl''s lips curled into a smile. "Don''t worry, I will leave after I get what I want. Of course, it''s a different matter when they see me.


    I am curious, though, about how Edward will react when he finds out the truth."


    Owl then saw Sylva''s eyes starting to grow heavy.


    "It''s rare for me, but I honestly enjoyed the time I spent with all of you. Well, rest now, Sylva. Unfortunately, there is no afterlife for you."


    Sylva''s body then started crumbling, his skin now completely black, rotting. The last wisp of his soul also disintegrated.


    Owl then stomped his feet, his shadow growing, circling Sylva. It then turned into something like a cocoon, completely covering him.


    The next moment, it cracked open, leaving Sylva lying on the ground peacefully. His body had turned back to normal, and all the wounds somehow recovered.


    Owl opened his palm; on it, a slime with a rotten smell was moving around.


    "They''re really here. Now it''s time to collect them. But to think all seven are gathered in one place. What a weird coincidence."


    He then clenched his fist. The dark slime turned into something like a dark fog, which Owl then absorbed. He then began walking toward the deep cavern with a satisfied smile.


    Not long after, three figures jumped down from the hole Zold had come out of. They were Zold, Xue Fang, and MingHao.


    Looking at the corpse, Xue Fang''s eyes lit up, and the first thought that came to her mind was to refine it into a puppet.


    With a glance, Sylva''s body didn''t have many wounds, but she didn''t say anything. She knew turning a body into a puppet was normal in her clan, but for other people, it was frowned upon.


    ''So unfortunate, with that body, I could make a strong puppet.''


    Zold froze, looking at his father''s body, his throat drying up as he walked slowly to it. He dropped to his knees and put his hand over his chest.


    MingHao didn''t say a word; he just stayed silent while turning his gaze toward the entrance. "Ancestor."


    "Yes, yes, you keep working this old bone. I will check it."


    Xueqi''s ancestor came out from the ring and then flew toward the entrance to explore.


    "Stop," Zold called out, making Xueqi''s ancestor stop in his tracks. "Even if you are a soul, it''s too dangerous inside. I don''t know if you can tell or not, but even my father''s soul was extinguished by an attack from a creature inside."


    Zold then took Sylva''s body into his storage cube and told them to leave.


    But before MingHao and Xue Fang could make any response, the ground started to shake. Cracks appeared on the ground.


    The trio quickly floated away from the cavern. Outside, they could hear a loud explosion. Part of the city exploded upward, earth and dust launching into the air.


    The sound was so loud that it could be heard even from miles away.


    Strong energy then spread across the area. MingHao could feel his body shiver the moment he felt it. It wasn''t something he had ever felt before. It was a very strong and yet weird energy, giving off a feeling like it wanted to eat him whole.


    Part of the debris even started to crumble, turning to dust.


    "MingHao, take it out," Zold quickly ordered while spreading his qi to fight back the pressure. But it was barely useful.


    MingHao quickly sent it out from his storage ring. It was a heavily modified tank that looked almost like a robot, with two missile launchers attached on the left and right sides, a machine gun, a cannon barrel, and many other types of weapons.


    The vehicle wasn''t supported by wheels; there were two huge legs propping it up. Based on its appearance, it looked like its movement would be slow and sluggish, but that was not true at all.


    The armor was layered with multiple arrays on top of each other, boosting its defense and speed to a level enough to fight against an immortal. But Zold didn''t plan to use it for that; he wanted to use it to run away.


    Using talismans was out of the question since he didn''t know how the energy would react. Who knows if they''d end up stranded in some void? Zold still remembered what happened last time when he was moved to a random place filled with eyes.


    The trio then quickly entered the cockpit. Xue Fang took control of the system while MingHao and Zold put their palms over a panel.


    MingHao placed the high-grade crystal qi required into the fuel space on the vehicle. The engine started turning on, and a barrier was erected around the robot.

 Chapter 472 - 472: Pis Request

    Up above, Owl looked down at the weapon. "What interesting toys they have."


    "Still dare to look away when fighting us? You have a lot of nerve."


    In front of him now was a humanoid being with six wings and four arms. His body was covered in a carapace like that of the spider MingHao had fought before. The face resembled that of the Sky Ember Sect patriarch, with some changes. Seven horns were coming out from his head with a symbol on the forehead.


    "You think you can beat me? I even let you eat them all to boost your strength, but you''re still far from your peak." Owl''s lips then curled into a grin as he looked back at the being. "Who do you think created you?"


    "This was not the deal. After I finished off the vampire race, you promised I would be free."


    "Yes, and have they been finished?"


    The being turned silent. There were still many vampire races scattered around the universe.


    "What a scam, you know, completely finishing them off is impossible. Some of them are even now your subordinates."


    Owl''s lips curled into a grin. Darkness spread out from his body, covering him and the being.


    MingHao and the group looked on from a distance. Thankfully, no one else was pursuing them now. The Naga race was nowhere to be seen.


    Seeing the clash of power, MingHao realized how weak he was now, and he swore to train himself even harder when he returned.


    Now that he had Xue Fang, there were more people he wanted to protect, and out of all of it, he still wanted to pursue his ideals. Just how much strength did he need to achieve it? Right now, he knew it was beyond his comprehension.


    Meanwhile, Zold was reading the information he had gotten from his father. Despite not showing it on his face, his emotions fluctuated a lot now.


    He was shaken knowing the truth. Based on the information he learned, his sister had been kidnapped by the werewolf species.


    This species was famous for playing with its victims. Just what kind of nightmare had his sister faced all this time?


    There was a huge chance she was dead, but Sylva had already traced the werewolf faction that got his sister. He found a record that she had been sold to another species.


    It then moved a few more times until it reached a faction that Zold had heard of. It was the one that sold the magic cultivation system to the association.


    Unfortunately, there have been no more records since the incident. With the association involved, Zold knew things were quite complicated.


    But this didn''t deter him. He clenched his fist. ''Just wait, sister, I will come to you.''


    Zold decided to spend his time in this world practicing to prepare for rescuing his sister. He also knew he needed to discuss this with Alex or at least Luca.


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, Pi was now kneeling in front of him.


    "Master, this is not what you promised! You should know my hatred for the Zephyr clan."


    "And I did bring you here. What else do you want? Do you mean our current situation?"


    When Pi found out he was in the Zephyr clan, his anger surged. He then looked for Alex but found him busy with MingYue, which is why he had only come now. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After protecting Alex, he started learning about the place he was in, and that was how he learned they were in the Zephyr clan.


    "What happened before with your sect? It''s already been a long time. I understand you want to take revenge, but removing this clan will mean you do the same as they did.


    Do you still remember how many innocent lives were lost at that time?" Alex replied with a stern gaze.


    The blood and screams, Pi still remembered everything. "What do you mean then, Master? I should give up?"


    "Of course not. My point is that eradicating the whole clan might make you feel better, but seeing the result will make you regret it.


    Later, how about you take revenge on the current patriarch? I can arrange a death or life fight for both of you."


    Given the current situation, there was no way Alex could just annex the Zephyr clan. He also had a blood contract with Clara. But this didn''t mean he could just ignore Pi''s request.


    His hatred was the driving force that had allowed Pi to survive this long. There was no way Alex could just extinguish it easily.


    That is why he came up with this idea. As for the reason for the deathmatch, he already had many prepared. He just needed to convince Stell that the patriarch had ill will toward them now.


    As for Clara, she was busy secluding herself in cultivation.


    "But can I win, Master?"


    Pi asked in doubt.


    "Isn''t this the revenge you wanted? You walked through all your life for this. Why would you back down now?


    Or do you prefer his head to be delivered on a silver platter?"


    Alex didn''t mind doing the latter, but he thought it would just create more problems for Pi. This way, Pi would need to put in a lot of effort to achieve it.


    Not that Pi would be defeated; Alex knew he couldn''t win now, but he planned to do some more modifications to his body.


    Alex was sure that after this, Pi would be able to survive a fight even with an immortal.


    There were many things he wanted to experiment with, from spirit weapons to the bloodline and energy waves. He planned to do them with Pi.


    He also wanted to check what Byakhee had done to him. Alex had still failed to find it. Right now, he had decided he needed to take his emotions back.


    He could feel something was really missing when he was spending time with MingYue, something that made it exciting.


    Pi''s eyes flickered for a moment, then he quickly replied, "I will do it, Master, but can I ask one more thing?"

 Chapter 473 - 473: Bloodspire Citadel

    "The resurrection of the Blaze clan, right? Do you even have any descendants left?"


    "I don''t know, honestly, but considering our numbers, I''m sure one of them survived.


    At that time, my clan had many minor clans under them. There''s no way everyone is dead."


    "Hmm¡­ in that case, I will look into it. There''s no way you can revive a clan by yourself."


    It''s not that it was impossible, but in Alex''s thoughts, that clan would just be another clan with the same name. All their culture, beliefs, and everything else would drastically change.


    "Thank you, Master."


    Alex wanted to say more, but something called out in his mind.


    ''Alex, I think you should come here. Reina is looking for you.''


    ''Alright, wait for me, MingYue.''


    "Pi, go prepare yourself then, but don''t forget you are responsible for protecting my mother and sister."


    "Yes, Master, I will make sure not a single hair on their heads is harmed."


    Alex then let him go and exited his place. Outside, Ying Xue was cultivating her speed quite fast since she was already a Golden Core cultivator.


    ''It seems since it happened to them, they already had many preparations in case they needed to recultivate.''


    "You going somewhere?" Ying Xue asked without opening her eyes.


    "You can wait for me here. My mother and sister are here. I will not escape. Going with me will just disturb your cultivation."


    Ying Xue opened her eyes and then stood up.


    "No, I will go with you. This is my limit for now. Anyway, to raise my cultivation further, I will need months at least."


    "Months? Hmmm, I thought you already had a method to quickly return your cultivation."


    Alex asked because he was curious about how they were doing this. In his case, he used lifeforce, a higher form of energy, but they should not have access to this kind of energy.


    "We do, but it has its limitations. I couldn''t say much, but that is related to our cultivation technique."


    "I see." Alex then started moving toward MingYue''s location while thinking about how they were doing this.


    He suspected they were doing this by giving out twice the effort. Basically, it is creating something like a backup golden core.


    Just like a house, when it gets electricity cut off, they turn on the backup generator to light everything up.


    This was the only method Alex could think of. With his speed, it didn''t take long for them to reach the place where MingYue was now.


    It was a city that had been taken over, now renamed to Bloodspire Citadel.


    Tall walls were being built surrounding the place, part of which could still be seen under construction. In the middle was a tall spire reminiscent of the design in Dragari City.


    It wasn''t that the design was inspired by it. The spire was simply the most efficient design for its purpose. If the one in Dragari City was to stabilize the portal with unknown means, this one was done to spread out a signal.


    It was planned to be used for communication and a radar system. If possible, he also wanted to spread out some kind of network that would allow them to pinpoint their enemies.


    Then, after the weapon system was completely built, they would be able to launch attacks from long distances. This would give them a significant edge in negotiations.


    The process would be slow, but Alex was in no hurry; he planned to go to the rift first before finishing the conquest of the planet.


    "Alex, you''re here," MingYue said with a smile, meeting him halfway.


    "Yes, how is the situation?"


    "Everything is as expected; the only thing that worries me now is the situation in the other region."


    "I think it should be alright there. Uncle Sylva and Owl are going there. We also still have QingWa leading the operation."


    "You''re right, but I still worry. Don''t forget we still need to look for that other Primordial."


    "I know, but based on the possibilities, I honestly think we won''t have a conflict. Otherwise, he would have already intervened."


    "Hmm¡­" MingYue mumbled, deep in thought, but she still couldn''t shake the feeling that something had happened.


    "How about we go check it, then?"


    "Is that alright? I''m sure Aunt wants to quickly look for Uncle."


    "No, she will wait for us to return. It''s not like my mother has a method to go there by herself."


    "Don''t you underestimate her? I believe she has her own way if she really wants."


    "Let me rephrase it, she doesn''t have a method that she won''t regret."


    "That¡­" MingYue didn''t know what to say since Alex''s response was quite cold. This reminded her once again about Alex''s situation.


    "Forget it. We''ll talk after you finish your discussion with Reina. She''s waiting for you at the inn."


    "Alright."


    Inside the Bloodspire Citadel, much construction was happening, but the majority of it was already completed. Only the military installations, which required complicated work, were still under construction.


    The roads themselves were made from asphalt, with a modern design. The architecture was similar to that in the BaiYue sect, only this one had fewer decorations.


    They only put in the bare minimum infrastructure, with some modern touches, to interest the civilians.


    There were two groups now in the citadel: people who had been captured by Alex and a group of Goblins and High Goblins maintaining the place and doing some construction.


    At first, the civilians and cultivators were afraid of what would happen to them. Based on their knowledge, nothing good ever happened to captives.


    There were those used as experiments or just as cultivation furnaces; being worked as slaves and barely getting a meal to calm their hunger was considered the best outcome.


    But to their surprise, this place was heaven compared to their old life, of course, with the exception of some minority groups like the cultivators.


    They were treated the same as normal civilians, although some cultivators were under more forced labor, making them help with the construction.


    S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 474 - 474: Clue

    As for the others, it was a paradise. Food was abundant and delicious. Their work didn''t require them to exert much energy. In fact, most of them barely worked during the day. They were just tasked to enjoy everything, then go outside to sell some of the tasty MSG-flavored food, while inviting people to come to the citadel.


    In this way, Alex hoped it would act as a deterrent for immortals to wreak havoc. Even though they didn''t care about civilians and saw them as just numbers, this didn''t mean immortals didn''t need them.


    Without normal people, their clan or sect would not run properly, which would end up giving them a headache.


    Even if they didn''t have any sentiment left, having no force under them would become a huge hassle. For example, when they needed resources.


    The immortals also knew they were facing an external threat. If something that big really happened, the clan on the front lines would use it as justification to abandon their duty and attack them.


    This would result in breaking the status quo that they enjoy now. No one wanted this to happen.


    So far, no immortal clash had occurred, and the Sovereign team hadn''t made any reports on their progress.


    With their current strength, they should be able to finish off one or two, but Alex knew they were just wasting time to enjoy their freedom as long as possible.


    He then went to the break area and met up with Reina.


    In a burst of emotion, Reina ran toward Alex and gave him a hug. Her action made MingYue raise an eyebrow.


    "I''ll leave you two alone," MingYue said coldly, then turned away.


    But she was stopped as Alex gripped her hand, something he didn''t even know why he did. It was like his hand moved by itself.


    MingYue frowned, confused by this. It was something the old Alex would do, not the current one. This gave her some thoughts, but she kept them to herself for now.


    She decided to stay and took a seat on the couch, while Alex also didn''t say anything.


    Reina didn''t realize this since she was hugging Alex. She vented her frustration; she didn''t know why, but she felt safe around Alex.


    Meanwhile, Alex didn''t put much thought into her. Just like MingYue, his concern now was why he had done that. This meant something¡ªhis emotions were not just pushed down, they were there but blocked by something, for example, Byakhe''s influence.


    But it had been done so discreetly that even Vesa and he couldn''t find it.


    ''Since I cannot figure it out, this means my only choice is to find something that can trigger my emotions once more. Something shocking enough. But what?''


    Finished with her sobbing, Reina moved back. She awkwardly looked at MingYue, but seeing her busy thinking, Reina felt relieved.


    She had already talked with MingYue and found out MingYue was Alex''s Dao companion.


    "Can you tell me what happened after I left?"


    Alex then split his brain, and while the majority still thought about his emotional problem, a small part of it started narrating what had happened.


    Reina''s lips curled into a smile as she placed both hands over her chest. "So, all of them are safe. I''m glad."


    "Honestly, it''s better for you to return there. Just think about what''s happening in your clan now."


    "What do you mean, Alex? Since they''ve all already revived, they''re probably busy recovering."


    "Not necessarily. Your father''s cultivation is back to the start, and so is everyone else''s. The area is also isolated, which means the map of power has been reset.


    People with designs will start their coups, and those with a lot of artifacts to use will be the ones having the edge."


    "This¡­" Reina realized Alex was right. With people like Morgana in her clan, the ungrateful bastards killing their own fathers was not out of the question.


    They would do anything to fulfill their greed. The Patriarch logically had the most artifacts, but since cultivation was reset, there weren''t many he could use.


    "Where is Senior Moria?" Alex asked.


    "Oh, about him." Reina then started narrating what happened¡ªhow Moria was killed and how his soul was now taking over someone''s body. He was in the process of assimilating it.


    The body Moria took belonged to a fresh corpse that had recently died. It was quite compatible with him but with one caveat. The body didn''t have any cultivation talent, meaning Moria would need to cultivate the hard way from the beginning.


    It wasn''t like he didn''t have the option to get a better body with better talent and bloodline. Moria just didn''t want to pick those up. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see. In that case, you should leave him here. His cultivation is too low to bypass the barrier.


    I can give you some gear, but you should go alone."


    "I¡­ Before that, Alex, what about my mother? I heard you just came from the Zephyr clan?"


    Alex silently asked MingYue in his mind why she hadn''t told Reina about that. But to this, MingYue said it wasn''t her story to tell.


    Alex didn''t retort back. His mind barely focused on the conversation. He told Reina that her mother was with his father now.


    He didn''t tell all the details, just some parts of it. The fact made Reina both happy and sad.


    At the very least, her mother was safer, but she was caught off guard by the fact that her mother was with Alex''s father. Wasn''t it just too much of a coincidence for her to meet Alex?


    This realization made her feel she and Alex were fated to meet. Reina then gazed at Alex with an affectionate look.


    "That should be enough, Reina. You should prepare to return to the Midnight clan. I will give you the required gear to pass through the radiation area."


    "Ah, yes, sorry. MingYue."


    "What are you waiting for, then? Go!" MingYue ordered coldly.


    Reina nodded meekly, then quickly turned around to leave, but Alex called out.

 Chapter 475 - 475: The Problem

    "One more thing¡ªprepare yourself to face illusions inside there. Other than radiation, there is also evil qi. Illusions are the best outcome; the worst is you will fight some mutated monsters there.


    But I think it will not be a problem with your current strength."


    This didn''t mean the mutated monsters were weak; it was just that the monsters would be freshly born, still lacking the experience to use their abilities to the fullest.


    "Thank you, Alex. I will wait for you there." She said while quickly leaving the place.


    MingYue''s eyes turned ice cold. "You once told me you would never have another woman. Did you change your mind now?"


    "I never changed my mind. What do you mean by that?"


    "Reina, that woman clearly has feelings for you. You may have no emotions, but you''re not that dumb, right?"


    "I know, but how would that matter? That''s her feeling. I have no control over it. It''s her right and choice to do so."


    "Then what if she decides to follow you all the way?"


    "She is not capable of doing that, but we can use her to take some management position on this planet. We can trust her."


    "Oh, and you''re sure you won''t change your mind when your emotions return?"


    "Hmm¡­ I don''t know. With my emotions, I''ll have things like guilt impacting my decisions."


    "Tch, as I expected. Forget it for now. Your interaction with her made me realize something."


    "Yes, I was also thinking about it. How do you think we can trigger my emotions? Do you have some idea?"


    "We need something that really affects your emotions. It will be better if it''s trauma or something else."


    MingYue thought negative emotions would trigger more than positive ones. It''s always like that for humans. Negative emotions linger, while something positive is quickly forgotten.


    "Something traumatic... that would be my friend''s betrayal and the incident with my father. How could we reenact that?"


    "No, that won''t work," MingYue quickly replied. To reenact that would mean a huge incident would need to happen.


    Someone really close would have to betray him, or he would lose someone again. It was something that MingYue didn''t want him to face.


    While they were deep in thought, a knock on the door disrupted their minds.


    "Who is it?"


    "King, I am sorry to disturb you, but since you are here, there is something that maybe you want to decide."


    "What is the matter?" Alex asked while opening the door.


    On the other side was a high goblin that he recognized. He had joined him together with Petricia as part of the first generation. There were already a few more high goblins that had evolved from the Goblin race.


    Alex still didn''t know the cause of it since he hadn''t had the time to experiment with it. He was focused more on strengthening himself, his comrades, and the technological growth of the Bai Yue Sect.


    But this didn''t mean he didn''t have any speculation.


    He speculated that monsters that came from the dungeon had a peculiarity¡ªthey could absorb part of the mana or energy from those they killed. If it reached a certain level and fulfilled specific requirements, they would then evolve into stronger monsters.


    It was basically like a monster-catching game. Alex thought this was related to how the Dungeon system worked.


    The high goblin kneeled on his knee. "King, Queen."


    "Just get to the point," Alex ordered.


    "Yes, the construction is on schedule, but we are now lacking a lot of qi crystals to finish the project."


    "How? I believe you have enough resources."


    Almost all of Alex''s forces had already gathered in this citadel; the rest were still on their way. This included all the resources and rations they brought.


    The high goblin then gave out a complete list of the expenditures in detail. Each was recorded without anything missing.


    This was all thanks to the modern education system that mixed AI and immersive VR. The program would improve the curriculum based on each personality.


    As long as the subject had enough brain capacity to learn it, it was guaranteed they would learn the skills. The current Goblins were completely different from those in the dungeon. They were cultured, sophisticated, and enthusiastic about technology.


    It was like dwarves with their smithing. And the biggest difference was that each of them was a fanatic cultist, worshipping Alex like a God. As he rarely showed up, his presence became even more enigmatic and mysterious.


    Feeling Alex''s cold gaze, the high goblin started having cold sweats. He felt like he had committed some huge sin.


    But Alex didn''t mean it like that. Based on this data alone, he could guess what was happening. "Did most of the resources get taken by the Sovereign?"


    "Yes, King, that is why we are thinking of sending out part of our army to take over a few mines in the area. But this would mean we need to delay the construction."


    "Alex, just let them focus on the base. We can take over some mines; that will be faster. I think a change of scenery would be good for you."


    "Alright." Alex then turned his gaze to the high goblin. "Don''t worry, just proceed with your task as usual. But prepare to hire a group of miners from the civilians. The payment will be 20% for all the crystals they mine."


    "20%?" MingYue was surprised by the offer. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even getting a percentage from mining was very generous, usually only given to small clans tasked with the operation, but even then, the best they got was 10%.


    It was something she had never heard of, but she didn''t voice it now. MingYue didn''t want to undermine Alex''s decision in front of their people.


    After the goblin left, she asked her question.


    "20%... is what we need now. This ratio is big, but also not that much. Most of them will use 10%, while the rest they will use to hire other people to do the mining for them."

 Chapter 476 - 476: Baby Mermaid!?

    "Ah, I get it. You plan for them to hire more people, then spread out the prosperity."


    "Yes, we cannot just give out these amenities for free. After the operation starts, we can just start selling it all as a product."


    "Does this mean you plan to sell weapons too?"


    MingYue thought of this since normal amenities would not be enough for cultivators to spend their qi crystals. And who knows what grade they would get here? At the very least, it would be a high grade.


    This place was the core region, the area with the richest and most dense qi. It would not be weird if they could find even better quality or the rumored perfect grade¡ªa qi crystal without any impurity.


    "Yes, we already modified the weapons anyway. At first, they will be wary of us, but seeing the strength of the free sample we have, I am sure they will buy it.


    We just need to arrange some fights in the public arena for everyone to see its power."


    In the citadel, there was also an arena built for cultivators to settle their differences. Since everyone was still shocked by the changes, no one had used them yet, but it was only a matter of time.


    Once they got used to it, Alex would start requiring them to have a special storage ring that worked like a personal ID. If someone had it, they would have many benefits, but as things progressed, he would start cutting out the benefits, forcing people to get one after they got used to the facility.


    The goal was to spread it around until every cultivator used it. As more time passed, Alex was sure some cultivators would start putting items inside the storage ring. When nothing happened, they would start trusting it more and more.


    It was not like Alex planned to steal it; he just wanted to get more data and learn more about the cultivators'' behavior. As someone coming from modern society, Alex knew this data was a gold mine¡ªknowing the trends, how people cultivated, and what kind of items they needed most.


    But of course, this was still far in the future. He had already implemented this system in Edonia; since they lived inside Vesa, they didn''t have a choice.


    The storage ring was also a new concept for them, so they quickly got used to the convenience.


    MingYue nodded. Since Alex had it all figured out, she didn''t say anything further. They then left the capital and started searching for some qi crystal mines.


    As the area was already mapped out by the goblins, they already knew where to go.


    The place they reached was quite unique¡ªit was an island in the middle of a lake. "Let me," MingYue said.


    Alex gave a nod. There were many life signatures inside the lake; based on their fighting ability, MingYue was more suitable.


    Her qi churned. She took out her sword and then shot it toward the lake. The attack was augmented by her life force, boosting the strength to a new level.


    She did this to make sure there would be no survivors.


    The whole lake quickly turned frozen, with many ice spikes coming from the surface. MingYue then frowned as she felt one of them still alive.


    "Wait, MingYue, I will capture it for a specimen."


    Alex''s words made MingYue stop. He flew downward as MingYue manipulated the ice, creating a hole straight to the target.


    As he kept going down, MingYue also observed the enemy. She then frowned as he landed beside Alex.


    In front of them was what could be called a baby. It was a monster that looked like a human; the lower body was a fish, while the upper was almost human.


    "This looks like a mermaid," Alex mumbled.


    The baby was now crying as a blue sphere protected it. Based on how it looked, it seemed the other monsters poured all their strength into creating this barrier, but even that didn''t last long.


    The barrier started dimming and cracking apart, almost shattering.


    "Vesa, what do you think?"


    Vesa then came out to observe the baby. "King, this is not a mermaid. They are a very cultured and smart race living on oceanic planets. But this one is interesting. I think it''s on the verge of evolving to have intelligence."


    "So, a spirit monster?"


    "Yes, that would be a good way to call it. This place is close to a high-grade qi mine, so it probably affected their body, fast-tracking their evolution process."


    "So, you mean this baby should have intelligence?"


    Vesa''s body then started glowing in red, and she easily phased through the barrier. She then put her finger to her forehead.


    "King, I think this is different. Normally, spirit beasts will just gain some intelligence; they will only get wisdom after reaching the Core Stage and getting a humanoid form. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this one already has it. I think her body will start changing too as she grows older, becoming more humanoid."


    Alex''s eyes lit up with interest. "Then this one is like a creature that evolved naturally."


    The source of wisdom in spirit beasts came from the core they created, but this one didn''t. It meant the brain had already evolved to have wisdom, just like humans and other sentient creatures.


    It could be said she evolved naturally, just like those evolution theories he had learned before, how humans evolved from monkeys. Something that Alex found questionable despite all the proof he had seen.


    It''s not that Alex doubted the evolution process. He just didn''t believe it happened naturally throughout millions of years.


    "Can I find the answer through her then? If I dissect her¡­"


    MingYue looked at Alex in disbelief. "Alex, don''t tell me you plan to dissect her?!"


    "Well, I''m not going to kill her. She will recover for sure. I just need to find out how the cells evolved. This is a rare chance, MingYue."


    The other bodies that died could be used as a comparison to find the difference and what triggered the change. Was it Qi or something else?


    "NO! Alex, she is a baby, and you tell me you will experiment on her?" MingYue asked once again.

 Chapter 477 - 477: Experiment or Not

    She may have been a cultivator and warrior who killed without a second thought, but a sentient baby, and one that had an appearance almost like a human at that, there was no way she could kill it just to satisfy her curiosity.


    And MingYue knew that if Alex had his emotions, there was no way he would even consider doing it.


    The best he could do was put the baby through many scans and then think about letting her grow so he could see her growth and learn from it.


    "Yes, but isn''t it because she is a baby that she won''t remember what happened?"


    "You¡­" MingYue was at a loss for words. She didn''t know how to answer Alex''s question.


    Vesa listened to everything from the side. For her, it didn''t matter at all. So what if it was a baby? She had seen Alucard do something worse.


    A specimen was just a specimen. But she didn''t voice her opinion.


    "King, Queen, I will not take sides in this matter, but with the current temperature, if this shield breaks, the child will die. So either you bring her up first, then strengthen the shield, or make a decision fast."


    "Let''s bring her up first, then," Alex replied, his fingers dancing in the air, creating a rune around the shield. Then, part of the ice around them started getting absorbed by the rune. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A new shield appeared, covering the baby. It shimmered with a green hue. The old shield completely disappeared, and water started pouring, filling the inside of the shield to the brim.


    "Let''s bring her up first, then," Alex replied; his finger started dancing in the air, creating a rune around the shield. Then, part of the ice around them started getting absorbed by the rune.


    A new shield appeared, covering the baby, glimmering with a green hue. The old shield completely disappeared. Water then started pouring, filling the sphere to the brim.


    The baby''s cry disappeared as her face returned to calmness. She then returned to sleep.


    On the island shore in the middle of the lake, the sphere floated in the air, while Vesa was nowhere to be seen, leaving only Alex and MingYue. She was flying to the cavern entrance to look for the Qi vein, and she was planning to move it to Edonia if possible.


    Meanwhile, with the baby covered inside Alex''s rune formation, he got more information.


    "Interesting, despite her face looking like a human, she still needs to breathe water."


    Based on Alex''s observation, the lungs were not perfected yet and were still growing. It would probably take more growth before they could breathe in the air.


    "How about the milk, then? I see the others of her species look more like monsters. How can it breastfeed?"


    "She doesn''t drink milk; somehow, she eats things like a clam. She drinks the water, absorbs all nutrients, plankton, even Qi, then absorbs it for her growth."


    "So, you just need to keep her inside this sphere, and she''ll grow by herself?"


    "Technically, yes."


    MingYue then realized she also felt curious about the baby, but that was not the point now. "Alex, don''t tell me you still think of dissecting her."


    Seeing Alex stay silent, MingYue added, "You cannot stay like this; sooner or later, you will do something you will regret forever."


    "I still have my considerations on that, MingYue."


    "No, you will not even consider dissecting a baby as an option if you have your emotions."


    "But the exchange is worth it. We need to break through to a new realm before going to the void, MingYue."


    "How does she help with our cultivation?"


    "I''ve told you before, we need to unite our power under one essence."


    "Yes, and we are stuck between vampire and human, but choosing only one is not an option because it will change our foundation once more."


    Alex gave a nod. "Then see her, she is proof two species can completely fuse together perfectly. If we can dissect how the essence entangles together, that will be the key to our answer."


    "Didn''t you say you already have a method?"


    "Yes, but that is more on enhancing our human essence to be the same level as the vampire. To do that, we will need human progenitor essence. It''s not something we can do now."


    Despite Alex''s initial interest in evolution, when he observed the baby inside the rune, he realized both were linked. When creatures evolve, their essence also evolves.


    Another thought then surfaced in Alex''s mind. "Wait, there''s one more thing¡ªthe dungeon. If we can find out how they evolve monsters and change them from the essence, then it will be useful."


    "Make both equally strong, then fuse them. Then what will the result be?"


    "Based on the characteristics we know so far, a more emotional vampire. Humans are emotional creatures.


    In my opinion, this is not really a benefit. Sometimes, our emotions can trigger a burst of power, but it''s not consistent and very random. As for vampires, they are immortal and strong, but they are too arrogant."


    This was not just based on what Vesa had told Alex; his experience with the Sovereign was also the same. Despite Alex having their lives in his hands, they still dared to take the Qi crystal for themselves.


    It wasn''t like they had any use for it.


    Alex hadn''t given them a method for cultivation. They could try to learn from the natives here, but based on their personality that looked down on other species, he doubted they would do this.


    "Hmm¡­ that will make us more flexible, but I don''t think our personality changed despite becoming a progenitor and fully transforming into a vampire."


    "No, that is different, MingYue. Both coexist. The only thing Alucard does is make sure the vampire essence doesn''t consume our human one. We still need to fuse it ourselves.


    At first, I thought of using our human essence to be the dominant one, but now I''m starting to think about just fusing it completely if it''s possible."


    "But the cost isn''t worth it, Alex. You''ll regret it forever if you experiment on the baby. It will cost you your humanity."

 Chapter 478 - 478: Breaktrough

    Then, a realization came to MingYue''s mind. "Alex, do you ever consider Byakhee doesn''t make you emotionless? He is suppressing your human presence and amplifying the vampire to break the balance.


    This makes sense as to why we can''t find it. Even after I entered your inner world, there was no clue. It''s because he was playing with something outside our ability."


    "That is possible, but it doesn''t change anything. We need to do something that can trigger my emotions."


    ''Something huge? But even after we kissed, his emotions barely moved. Doing more is out of the question for me now, and I doubt that will be useful,'' MingYue thought.


    While he was busy thinking, Alex used the time to observe the baby once more. She was still sleeping peacefully without a care in the world.


    He then started infusing lifeforce energy bit by bit into the baby. At a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, the baby''s appearance started to change again. The upper part became even more human-like. The biggest change happened in the organs¡ªthey matured very quickly. The lungs could now breathe both water and air.


    ''Is her adaptation good because of lifeforce?''


    Alex had never infused it into a human baby before, so he didn''t know, but lifeforce seemed to have a very good effect on the growth phase. He then tried to infuse mana into the baby to see if it was a unique reaction or not.


    The result baffled him. The mermaid''s heart started transforming; it became translucent blue as it absorbed the mana Alex gave.


    At this point, Alex realized the baby was unique. She had the ability to adapt very quickly, even creating new organs on the fly. This made him want to experiment more.


    ''Before, without air, the baby was gasping for breath, but that was because she didn''t have the energy to make any changes. Now, utilizing my life force, she can adapt to many things.''


    Curious, he started raising the water temperature. The baby''s skin turned red at first but then quickly shed away, regrowing new skin that was more durable against the heat.


    Alex''s eyes lit up. He started raising the temperature even more, to the point that the water started bubbling and turning into steam.


    Hearing the sound, MingYue realized what had happened. She wanted to berate Alex, but seeing the baby still sleeping peacefully while continuing to evolve baffled her.


    "As long as the change is gradual enough, the body will keep evolving to face it. The baby doesn''t even feel anything. It seems the pain receptors are turned off right now."


    This was the only reason Alex could find. Otherwise, there was no way the baby could sleep peacefully.


    Alex''s finger then painted the air, creating a new rune that he sent to the rune formation. The water started crackling with electricity.


    This time, Alex saw another new organ created, absorbing the element.


    "Just how does it decide what to absorb or what to defend against?" Alex mumbled in confusion.


    "Probably by gauging the benefit¡ªwhichever requires more resources to be done. I doubt her body reacts in a complicated way. If it''s easier to defend, it will do that; if it''s harder, then it will find a way to absorb it. But Alex, stop already. If you keep going, what''s the limit? Your curiosity will just grow nonstop."


    "But don''t you find it fascinating, MingYue? I don''t think this is the first creature like this to appear in your world."


    "Well, it''s the first one to grow with pure lifeforce injected into it."


    "Yes, the lifeforce manifests their essence. I''ve already tested it, and it works."


    MingYue gave it some thought and then said, "Let''s do it, Alex, enhance our human part. Fusing it may be better, but then what? There are too many factors you will need to ensure for it to be safe."


    "You sure?"


    "Yes, and with this, you should be able to get your emotions back if the cause really comes from Byakhee."


    If it wasn''t because of trauma, then he would need to break through Byakhee''s influence to strengthen his human essence. Alex had only tested this a bit, so he still couldn''t say for sure if it was really Byakhee or not.


    "Alright, let''s do that then," Alex quickly decided.


    Trying to fuse could result in a better or worse end, but he was motivated more by curiosity rather than becoming stronger.


    Both of them then closed their eyes and started pouring lifeforce energy toward their human essence. The creatures that had died frozen in the lake started turning into green particles.


    Most of them were pouring into Alex''s body since he had almost spent all his stockpile with everything that had happened. MingYue, on the other hand, still had plenty.


    But as both of them were busy doing this, they didn''t realize that part of the particles also started flowing toward the baby mermaid. It was to the point that the water turned green like it was a liquified form of life force.


    At first, it was only a small amount, but as time passed, the distribution started changing, skewed toward the baby. She took almost 60% of the life force.


    Qi, mana, and lifeforce started bursting out from MingYue''s body, intertwining together, then disappearing like it had never been there.


    It wasn''t that it had really gone; MingYue fused it all and then poured it into her golden core. It then started growing at unprecedented speed.


    Her soul floated in her inner world, seeing a huge transformation beginning to happen. The frozen world started changing. A lake appeared in the middle, with many lotus flowers made of ice on top of it.


    Snow with a pinkish hue fell from the sky, painting the land in exotic colors. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, a crimson tree emerged from the land. It then started sprouting flowers that looked like lotuses.


    "Mystic Integration Stage," MingYue mumbled, but she didn''t stop there.


    She started pouring her understanding of the elements into the world.

 Chapter 479 - 479: Another Avatar

    The land started turning into greenery while the frozen Qi floated upward, then gathered into something that looked like a moon.


    The pinkish snow stopped falling as the tree grew even larger and more robust. It grew in height and turned even more reddish in color like it was made of blood.


    Rain with a greenish hue then fell from the sky, bathing the world with life. New grass and plants sprouted left and right all over the green land.


    MingYue''s fingers moved, creating a rule in her world. She created a law of weather, making it alternate from rainy periods to dry, then winter when snow would fall. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside, her body also started to change, just like the baby. Her skin fell away while new skin grew. The golden core also started changing from a sphere into liquid, which then started spreading all over her body.


    It began mixing with the vampire blood, putting it under its dominion. The progress was very smooth, making her lips curl into a smile.


    She had been stuck in the golden core realm for a long time despite her combat abilities already reaching the immortal realm.


    "If only I could do the same with vampire cultivation," MingYue mumbled with a sigh.


    She was now at the peak of the Heavenly Ascension Realm, going straight over three major realms and mastering 12 minor realms.


    Unfortunately, vampire cultivation needed time, and who knew how this transformation would affect it? For now, the vampire power was just a part of their cultivation.


    Her current power was off the charts. She was sure she could fight against immortals with no problem now.


    The rise of her realm allowed her Qi to rise to the same level as her vampire ability.


    MingYue opened her eyes, satisfied with the result.


    She could feel her body surging with more qi, raising the efficiency of her attack.


    Before making a move, she dominated it with blood, then boosted it with qi. But now, she could weave it together without even thinking.


    She then turned to Alex, wanting to tell him about her success.


    Even though he would possibly face Byakhee, MingYue didn''t think he would face any problems. He should have been able to pass through it smoothly, as it was a fight in his inner world.


    ''Seems it''s still going to take him some time,'' MingYue thought after seeing Alex sitting cross-legged with sweat dripping from his face.


    Based on his expression, it seemed like he was fighting against something. She sat by his side and wiped the sweat with her napkin.


    Meanwhile, inside Alex''s inner world, the place had completely changed. The crimson sea was parted, revealing a desolate ground. Alex wanted to use lifeforce to create vegetation when something came out from the depths of his soul.


    It was a shadow apparition, barely humanoid.


    ''Even now that it stands before me, I can''t feel anything. Just what is this creature?''


    The apparition just looked at him with an empty gaze, not making a move. But Alex knew if he continued the process, it would do something.


    He had also tried to attack it, but nothing worked, as if hitting an apparition.


    ''Should I try to cultivate again? But it''s too risky if it attacks when I do that.''


    After some more observation, Alex concluded that the creature was nothing more than a projection coming from the depths of the crimson sea. He looked down, thoughtful for a moment, then jumped down.


    Since it was his own inner world, the sea didn''t challenge him; it didn''t impede his movement, nor did he need to breathe inside.


    He quickly reached the crevice that should have brought him deeper, but now it was covered in some kind of black goo. It hadn''t been there when MingYue had come.


    MingYue had been more careful, but Alex, since it was his own world, started attacking it. He controlled the inner world. The crevice started moving, and vibrant flames flickered, burning the black goo.


    Smoke rose, followed by an otherworldly screech, and the black goo started contorting and gathering together.


    The black apparition floated down, fusing with it. The goo then transformed into a humanoid creature with four tentacles coming out of its back.


    It lashed out, destroying the area around it. But Alex didn''t attack it; instead, he went deeper into the lake.


    He could see a thin rope coming out from the creature, deep into his own consciousness. He followed the trail.


    The creature stopped its random attacks and swam after Alex. But the ground moved, blocking its path.


    It transformed into many giant fists, punching at him. The creature smashed its way forward, but this was more than enough for Alex to build up the distance between them.


    As he went deeper, the surroundings turned black, his head began to ache, and his body became translucent. He was not capable enough to look this deep into himself.


    Alex''s expression turned into a frown, and he stopped.


    "Kekeek, just give up, young progenitor. You cannot do anything now."


    The sound was different, but the tone was similar to Byakhee. Alex speculated it was another avatar that didn''t share memories with the main one.


    ''Does this mean it was implanted before that time?''


    Since his coming to this world was because of the incident in the spire, Alex felt that was the moment this avatar infiltrated his inner world.


    It had waited for the right moment to slowly go deeper into his soul.


    "Just what do you want, Byakhee?"


    "Keke, seeing you survived after knowing my name, it seems you are better than I expected. Alucard chose a good heir."


    Alex started retracing his path until the pain reduced and his body became clearer. He then looked around, searching for Byakhee, but other than the strange connection, he couldn''t find anything.


    Then, an idea came to his mind. Since he couldn''t reach it, he might as well bring Byakhee to him.


    Alex grasped the connection and started pulling it like yanking a chain.


    The water started to churn like it was boiling.

 Chapter 480 - 480: Real Goal

    The whole inner world began to shake. Alex felt something in his soul being torn, but he ignored it and kept pulling.


    "S-stop it! If you do this, you''ll also hurt yourself."


    "Hurt me? So what if my soul tears a bit? I''ll just recover as time passes," Alex replied calmly.


    His soul wasn''t something that could be easily extinguished. Alex calmly judged that if he didn''t do this, Byakhee would keep infiltrating even further. Seeing the situation in his inner world, he suspected Byakhee''s goal was not just to disrupt the balance but to become the human part of Alex without him realizing it.


    Then, it would slowly corrupt his soul, turning him into another of Byakhee''s avatars.


    ''My emotions, he''s doing something to them.''


    Alex knew humans had done many weird things because of emotions. If Byakhee had manipulated them from the soul, he might as well have been better off without any. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had read many cases of humans, even after amnesia, still having the same emotions toward an individual, whether hate, love or even disgust.


    If Byakhee made Alex hate humanity or something similar, the result would be catastrophic.


    Cracks started to appear in the world as Alex exerted more strength.


    Outside, MingYue frowned as she saw Alex''s situation.


    His life force became unstable, and his qi flowed backward. It was like he was a demonic cultivator about to start a rampage.


    Worried, MingYue touched his shoulder. She entered his inner world.


    The sky was cracked like a shattered mirror, the island split in half. The crimson sea churned high like a storm was brewing.


    It wasn''t as bad as a fractured world, but MingYue could tell the inner world was being split apart. She leaped down, searching for Alex.


    Along the way, she could see a creature being held down by the earth. It fought back multiple times but was overwhelmed.


    In the end, the world was Alex''s, and he could easily use it to punish external beings. The real core of Byakhee was the only exception, as it was deep inside Alex''s soul.


    "Alex, what are you doing?" MingYue asked as she finally reached his location.


    "Tearing Byakhee from my soul. MingYue, help me," Alex said while exerting more strength.


    "No, are you nuts? Tearing your own soul is not just painful. It will have side effects."


    "Better than the alternative," Alex said with a flat tone.


    "Give me time, let me try first."


    Alex gave it some thought and then replied, "Be careful, MingYue. We don''t know what Byakhee is capable of. He could move to infect you."


    "He caught you off guard, Alex, and when Vesa wasn''t around."


    "That''s true, but still, be careful."


    Despite Alex saying it without emotion, MingYue could feel his concern, which made her smile. She replied with a nod and then jumped down through the crevice.


    Unlike Alex, she had no problem going deeper, as this was not her own inner world.


    She dove down, following the connection.


    The world changed to darkness, reminding MingYue of what had happened last time.


    She had been blocked by the guardian, but now, even after the situation had become like this, the guardian didn''t come out.


    ''Is it because Alex wants to tear his own soul? But this doesn''t make sense. Except¡­''


    MingYue then remembered the creature she had passed before; it looked like an apparition. The only difference was what strength was boosting it.


    This one was only Byakhee; last time, it was powered by Alex''s world as it was recognized as part of him.


    Knowing the gravity of the situation, MingYue raised her pace. Even she could tell now that Byakhee was trying to take over Alex''s body.


    ''Is this because everyone now knows Alex is the progenitor heir?''


    MingYue remembered how Alex had spread the news using the Felidaen messenger. In his words, since the higher-ups already knew, he might as well pull attention to himself.


    She didn''t know in detail how Alex had instructed the rumor to be spread, but it should have been done in a way that affected the higher-ups while it wasn''t spread to the public.


    At the end of the chain, deep inside Alex''s consciousness, passing through many of his memories, was a black slime covering a few large spheres.


    Each one was larger than those she had seen before. It was part of his most important memories that made Alex who he was.


    MingYue stopped and started observing the situation. If she acted carelessly, there was a risk of destroying these memories.


    ''Vesa! Tell me you have a solution. How could you not even realize this?''


    ''I''m sorry, Queen, but I don''t peek this deep into either of your souls. Those memories surrounded by Byakhee are the main ones that build up King''s personality.''


    ''Do you mean right now he''s forgotten all this?'' MingYue asked in disbelief.


    There were a few memories she recognized, one of them being their first meeting. There was also one where Alex was backstabbed by his friend. Each was a pivotal memory; if he really forgot them, many things wouldn''t make sense.


    ''King doesn''t forget them, but Byakhee''s influence has removed the emotional attachment impact from them. And it seems it''s trying to manipulate the memories.''


    ''Is that possible?''


    ''Manipulating memories is very possible, but manipulating one from the depths of the soul is something new.''


    Memories in the brain and memories in the soul were two different things, and what MingYue saw now was the latter.


    For example, if only the memory in the brain was manipulated to see MingYue as an enemy, Alex would still feel something was wrong deep inside.


    It would be like the memory wasn''t his, and something would bug him until he realized the truth. But if it was one from his soul, then he would never feel anything weird or strange.


    He would have zero suspicion.


    ''Their methods are becoming more sophisticated,'' Vesa said with worry.


    This was something even the progenitor of that time hadn''t achieved. It made her realize their preparation was nowhere near enough¡ªthey needed more.

 Chapter 481 - 481: Vesas Formation

    With how much time had passed, just how many breakthroughs had they achieved?


    This wasn''t counting the knowledge they''d created after experimenting wantonly without care for the losing species. With this kind of immoral experimentation, technological breakthroughs would be achieved faster. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling Vesa''s worry, MingYue frowned. ''Focus, Vesa, how do we expel Byakhee?''


    ''Queen, he''s an avatar of an Outer God, which is what the old progenitors would call them. In the past, they were the real cause of the war between the progenitors.


    I do know a few methods to expel them, but I don''t know how effective they are now. Worse, it could even reverse and make them stronger.''


    ''Outer God? They were what Alex''s father called Primordials. Tell me first how you''ll do it, then I''ll decide.''


    ''As the name suggests, Outer Gods are beings from outside this universe. With my Rune, it basically triggers the protection system of the universe.


    It''s like white blood cells trying to eliminate a virus or bacteria. Every universe has its own immune system.''


    ''I see. So, you mean Byakhee could have a method to bypass this and absorb the energy from the Rune?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''Do it. If Byakhee could do that, it would have already done it. Didn''t you also say Alucard has a protection method on us?''


    MingYue was still confused as to why it hadn''t triggered at all, even with the current situation. Just how much more dire did things need to get before it moved?


    ''I don''t know, Queen. That''s the arrangement of the old progenitor. As I said, he''s unique.''


    MingYue was still confused about how it hadn''t triggered at all, even with the current situation. Just how much more dire did things need to be before it moved?


    ''I don''t know, Queen, that is the arrangement of the old progenitor. As I said, he is unique. Who knows if there are no countermeasures at all?''


    ''Forget it, then. Prepare the formation, Vesa.''


    Outside, Vesa materialized and then started drawing the runes. She created multiple layered formations. The first one was to expel Byakhee, while a few more layers were added to capture and imprison him, as well as more countermeasures.


    Vesa went all out, as she wanted to capture the avatar if possible. At the very least, she wanted to extract all information from the avatar about what had happened the moment she was in slumber.


    One faction won, and the other lost, but this didn''t mean there was no more war in the span of many epochs. The appearance of an Outer God avatar this far away in the universe and the outer gate had already alarmed Vesa.


    She needed to know how far the conflict had gone and the possibility of what might happen if some of Alucard''s essence was taken by their enemy, completely absorbed, or decimated.


    Her fingers danced in the air, creating Rune after Rune. It was a very complex one that would even make Alex raise his eyebrow.


    After she finished, Vesa bit her own finger, letting her blood drip on the formation. A crimson aura with a greenish hue came out from her body, and it started activating the formation.


    Back inside, MingYue was still observing without doing anything. She was thinking of a backup plan if Vesa failed while discussing the matter with Alex, but they couldn''t find any agreement.


    Alex didn''t mind losing some of his memories, but MingYue didn''t want this. Any loss would result in a change of Alex''s personality, and she wanted the old Alex to be back.


    Eyes and a mouth then appeared in the black substance. "Stop what you are doing, or I will eat all these memories."


    The voice was otherworldly, filled with a mocking tone.


    But it was very effective. MingYue, in panic, told Vesa to stop.


    ''I am sorry, Queen, but I cannot stop it now.''


    Outside, the Rune started humming, then shot out energy toward Alex''s body. A green wave like an aurora spread across the sky of his inner world and then spread all over.


    The scar on his inner world started mending itself. The wave then spread out like a fog, falling down toward the ground and penetrating the sea without any resistance.


    Byakhee, feeling the energy, quickly retaliated. He exerted his strength, trying to destroy the memory. But it wasn''t that easy, as Alex also resisted.


    MingYue also moved forward, sending out her energy to protect it.


    "You think I didn''t expect that!?" Byakhee asked with a grin.


    He then focused all his strength on a random bubble, making it explode. The green wave arrived, spreading around Byakhee''s avatar.


    The moment it touched, a very dreadful presence started to spread out. It also came out into the real world. A strange thing then started to happen¡ªthe qi in the atmosphere began reacting as if it had a will.


    It began gathering, condensing into a huge fist. The energy it contained was so absurd that it quickly pulled the attention of all immortals in the world.


    The strength was such that even a touch could turn them into dust. Cold sweat covered their heads, making them freeze.


    Thankfully, this strength wasn''t sensed by those under immortal rank. Otherwise, it would have quickly turned the world upside down.


    The hand passed through the formation''s protection like it was nothing, but Vesa wasn''t surprised by this. The hand reached Alex''s back, and then he gripped something from inside of him.


    The black goo and Byakhee''s entire being were yanked out from Alex''s soul by the weird power.


    But MingYue and Alex didn''t have time to feel this strength. Alex was in shock. After the memory burst forward, he felt like something was torn from his body. As for MingYue, she used her energy, trying to save it all but failed.


    Instead, all the memories were absorbed into her mind. She was now in a trance, being in Alex''s position. Her soul was repelled out, returning back to her body.


    The moment Vesa saw Byakhee''s avatar come out from Alex''s body, she activated the other two formations. It cut the world completely, creating a small world.


    Vesa opened her mouth and then started suctioning toward Byakhee. She then started a tug-of-war with the hand.


    Byakhee was pulled in both directions, but the hand began losing, growing dim. The energy had started running out; it had expended a lot when removing Byakhee from Alex and more to subdue his power.


    Normally, it should have been able to recover quickly, but as it was in a completely sealed world, the hand couldn''t recover.


    But this didn''t mean everything was going smoothly. From outside, a huge amount of energy began gathering again, trying to attack the formation Vesa had made.

 Chapter 482 - 482: Immortals Gathering

    Seeing this, Vesa flew forward and chomped part of Byakhee''s avatar. She then activated the last part of the Rune, transporting Alex and MingYue with her back to the Blood Spire Citadel.


    Throughout all this, no one realized something else was happening. The mermaid baby had her eyes opened. She watched everything¡ªfrom the Rune that Vesa carved to the clash with that weird energy.


    Her fingers moved around like a baby crying, but if one looked carefully, it was like she was replicating the rune movements from Vesa. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Vesa was clashing with the energy, part of it also leaked out, getting absorbed by the mermaid baby. Her eyes turned the color of crystal blue, and her skin became smoother. Her fishtail also disappeared, replaced by humanoid legs.


    Her gaze reflected intelligence, not like that of a baby. It was as if she was deep in thought.


    After they disappeared, the hand quickly regained its strength and then started condensing before it imploded, returning the place to its peaceful silence.


    But it only lasted for a moment before a strong presence came toward the place again. It felt like a gaze from a very strong being. The next moment, a huge explosion of energy blew up the place.


    The island and lake were no longer to be seen. What was left was just a patch of land filled with spirit grass.


    Clara, who was trying to break through, now had blood on her lips as she looked toward the island''s direction with a frown. She was on the verge of breaking through, to finally take a step into that new realm, but then the energy came, surprising her.


    She wiped the blood from her lips, then mumbled, "Just what is that power? It feels very familiar. It''s like qi but denser, purer, and stronger."


    The same question also appeared in every immortal''s mind. Those with more experience in other types of energy could tell there was more to it. But each kept this information to themselves.


    Some of the brave ones left their clans and arrived at this place only to find a new patch of land. They looked at each other.


    "Do you have any idea?"


    "Hmph! What makes you think I''ll tell you? Did you forget what happened last time?"


    "Last time? Ahahah, Earth Immortal, you still remember that? It was like a hundred years ago."


    "A hundred years? So what? Even if it''s a thousand years, I won''t forget."


    "Tsk. Forget it. You''re as obnoxious as ever. What about you, Fire Immortal?"


    A woman with crimson hair looked at them. She let out a mysterious smile, and then her body turned into flames and disappeared.


    "What did I even expect from you guys?" the elderly man said while stroking his long beard.


    "You''re asking us? Aren''t you the one with the title Scholar Immortal? You should have some idea, right?"


    The Scholar Immortal grinned. "And why should I tell you, Sword Immortal?"


    "Pot calling the kettle black, and you wonder why so many hate you."


    "Haha, I''m just joking. This power is like you all felt¡ªa higher form of qi, one filled with the willpower of the Dao."


    "Dao? You can put it inside Qi?"


    In this world, Dao was seen as a theory of secret technique. No one had ever used it as power.


    "He''s just saying that to confuse you. Each theory is Dao, so what theory do you have?"


    "No, no, I don''t mean that Dao. I mean the will of the world."


    "Just say it¡ªHeaven''s Will. See, I told you he just wants to confuse us."


    "So uneducated, that''s why all of you should come out once in a while. We already agreed to call Heaven''s Will Dao for 53 years now," the Scholar Immortal said, but no one cared about it.


    "Heaven''s Will? It''s been a while since I heard about it."


    "It''s all rumors. Do any of you even see it with your own eyes?"


    "Scholar Immortal, have you ever met it?"


    "Heaven''s Will? Of course. Why do you think I reached this height? It''s all thanks to it."


    "Hmmm¡­ your ascension did come from nowhere. We always wondered what kind of lucky encounter you had. But why tell us now, then?"


    "Why should I be afraid? Since Heaven''s Will has made a move now, I''m sure things will change. All of you should feel it, too. Lately, many powers are moving.


    in the shadows."


    "Like those groups that formed the coalition? Those at the front line are also making their move."


    Sword Immortal''s eyes turned cold as he looked at the Scholar Immortal. He let out his sharp aura. "What do you mean by that?"


    "As part of the coalition, don''t you already know about it?" the Scholar Immortal replied with a smug smile.


    Sword Immortal didn''t say anything else. He took a step, then disappeared.


    "You said that on purpose, didn''t you? Why?"


    "Don''t you know the answer? We need to create our own group. Otherwise, there''s no way we can survive what''s coming next."


    "Tell us first. I think almost everyone knows Sword Immortal is part of the coalition. He tries to hide it, but we all know."


    "Well, his hatred for those on the front line is clear. That''s part of what motivates him to reach his current cultivation."


    "Yes, but he thinks no one knows. He''s probably returning now, trying to gather everyone and change his plan."


    "I don''t get it. His plan is already messed up with the newcomer."


    "Wait, is that newcomer related to this?"


    The Scholar Immortal grinned, then began telling some information and what he had planned.


    Meanwhile, MingYue now found herself looking at a young Alex. He was looking at the computer with dazed eyes, shocked at what he had just read.


    It was a novel, one with content that also made MingYue freeze in surprise, but she quickly recovered.


    ''Just what kind of book is Alex reading? People in his world really have infinite imagination, or should I say depraved?''

 Chapter 483 - 483: The Past? Memory?

    MingYue then looked around Alex''s room. It was different from the one she had come into before. She let out a sigh. She didn''t know if it was a blessing or a curse for these memories to disappear.


    These were the memories from when the incident happened when the Dragari attack on the city started. MingYue had heard about it many times from Alex. She also heard Emily''s version of it, but she always felt something was missing from both their stories.


    Alex always focused on how he could do better, just like Emily.


    ''At this time, both of them were still very young. Maybe there are some details they missed.''


    "Alex, are you still playing the game? Come here and play with your sister."


    A voice came from behind the door, followed by a knock.


    "Mom, just enter."


    The door opened, revealing Luca with a younger appearance, her face etched with a huge smile. The atmosphere was completely different from the one MingYue knew.


    "Well, last time I just entered, you know what happened," Luca said with a chuckle. But her expression quickly changed after seeing Alex''s face.


    "What happened?" she asked with worry.


    "Nothing, Mom, I just accidentally read something I shouldn''t have. So, what were you saying?"


    Luca felt curious. She turned her gaze toward the monitor, but Alex quickly turned it off. At this time, Alex didn''t know his mother had awakened, so he thought she didn''t see anything, but in reality, she did catch a glimpse of it.


    ''Omegaverse, what is that¡­? Doesn''t look like an adult story, hmm,'' Luca thought in her mind.


    "Well, Emily is looking for you. I know, at your age, you have certain interests now that need privacy, but share some time with her. You know she always wants to follow you around."


    Alex''s lips twitched, "I thought we agreed to never talk about it again. So, where is she?"


    "Well, she wants to go shopping at the mall. I told her to wait in the car."


    "Mall again? Why don''t you just go with her?" Alex said, complaining.


    He didn''t enjoy being in the mall at all, waiting while his sister shopped. It was very boring. Usually, he would just read a novel, but what he had read still traumatized him.


    "Then think of something fun both of you can do together. Anyway, just go quickly," Luca said while closing the door.


    Alex let out a sigh while MingYue looked at all of this with a smile. It had been a while since she had seen expressions on Alex''s face.


    Alex then changed his clothes, making MingYue blush. She turned her gaze away, looking at the picture hanging on the wall. The picture changed every few seconds, mostly showing Alex with his family, but a few also showed his childhood photos with the guild members of Suzaku.


    MingYue frowned when she saw a picture with Olivia. She turned her gaze outside the window, looking toward the courtyard. The garden was bustling with many robots and staff maintaining it.


    ''Is this really just his memory? Why do I feel like I was transported to the past?''


    MingYue felt confused. Everything was so clear; she could even listen to the conversation of the maids.


    Some were gossiping, while others talked about how much they respected Luca and Edward''s family.


    She then followed Alex going to the mall. On the way, MingYue also focused her senses on listening to everyone around them. If it was only the maids, maybe Alex''s memory just rebuilt it based on speculation, but if it was real strangers, there was no way Alex could just speculate on it.


    "... can''t believe they raised the rent again. How are we supposed to afford this place next month?" a random man said.


    "...did you hear? She broke up with him again. Third time this year. I don''t even know why she keeps going back to him," a woman walking toward the grocery store said on her phone call.


    "Dude, if we skip class tomorrow, we can totally hit that new arcade. They have the real VR games now," a teenager said while laughing with their friend.


    "No, no, Coco, you can''t eat that! That''s not for you," a woman said, flustered, as she talked to her dogs.


    "Have you prepared everything? Remember, we need to leave before 3," a man wearing a suit said on his phone.


    The talk pulled MingYue''s attention, making her focus on his conversation.


    "But Honey, I just don''t get why you suddenly want to move? You even quit your job. How about the money?"


    "I cannot say it here; just listen to me." The man replied, then ended the call.


    Despite the world feeling like reality, MingYue here was like a ghost. She floated away from the car and moved toward the man.


    He had sharp features with a scar on his cheek. Now that she looked at him, MingYue realized there was an association logo on the briefcase the man held.


    ''He is not an awakener¡­''


    Feeling curious, MingYue then followed him. She speculated the man was working on some administrative job related to the guild.


    She first thought he would go home quickly since there was only an hour left till three, but to her surprise, he instead turned into an alley. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man walked to the end of the wall. He then looked around, making sure he was alone.


    After he was sure, the man took out an emblem from his pocket. It was carved like a magic circle with an eye in the middle.


    ''I feel like I''ve seen that before,'' MingYue put some thought into trying to dig through her memories.


    Her eyes lit up as she remembered that she had seen the logo on one of the documents in Alex''s office.


    ''I remember it''s a document about a mana cultivation system, etching a circle into their heart.''


    Alex had put some thought into it before but decided it wasn''t suitable for them.

 Chapter 484 - 484: Blood Ritual

    They already used mana and are integrating it with the cultivation system.


    Adding more use would just put more consumption on their current energy. It also didn''t add much benefit to their fighting style.


    Magic Circle on the Heart focused more on enhancing mana use to allow them to get more abilities, increase their fighting style, and give them more options.


    For normal awakeners, this gave many benefits, but for cultivators, it was pointless. They could already do this with Qi.


    The emblem let out a blue glow, then reacted with the wall. A door appeared, and the man entered, then it returned to its previous appearance.


    It was like the door had never been there, but this was not an obstacle for MingYue. She easily passed through it.


    Inside, she found a stairwell that led deeper underground. It also had many curves, then proceeded to a long tunnel that felt like a labyrinth.


    Even with her speed, it took her five whole minutes to reach the man again. MingYue speculated the badge also helped the man bypass the labyrinth, teleporting him directly to this location.


    The man was now talking in a weird language that MingYue had never heard. Usually, the system or Vesa would translate it, but now, neither of them is here. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MingYue turned her focus to the room. It was quite large with a huge ceiling. The room itself was carved in a circular way, with the ceiling formed like a dome.


    There were twelve images, each depicting a weird beast, but one of them made MingYue frown.


    It was a swirling vortex in place of a face, where hundreds of glowing eyes peered out. The creature''s body was twisted, serpentine, with endless tendrils stretching into the void.


    It was like the creature was connected to the universe and could peer into it. This reminded her of Byakhee and the outer gate system.


    Underneath the dome, twelve people wearing different colored robes were gathered. They were kneeling down in prayer while circling around a magic circle.


    The circle was carved with many weird runes. In the middle of the circle, there was a disgusting glass jar filled with ten thousand eyeballs.


    There were also many living beings surrounding the glass jar. Their mouths were gagged, tears fell from their eyes, and their hands were tied.


    The majority of them were human, while the rest were species that MingYue didn''t recognize. A few looked like beastmen in her eyes, while she could even see some that were completely strange.


    A blue woman with four arms, a creature with four eyes and insect antennae that MingYue couldn''t describe the gender of.


    But she could tell none of them were here of their own will. They were kidnapped from dungeons and forced to be blood sacrifices in a ritual that would end in a long tragedy for the whole city.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing MingYue could do. She could listen and feel their presence, but she couldn''t do anything to affect this world.


    MingYue also tried using Qi and Life Force, but it was pointless. She was just here as a spectator.


    "I have done all you asked me to; now it''s time for your part."


    "Here, take it. Everything is in this suitcase."


    The one the man talked to was a human woman. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. There was nothing special about her.


    She looked like an average person one could find anywhere in Alex''s town. No one would ever think she was now leading a ritual that would plunge the whole town into hell.


    The man put down his suitcase, then took the one from the woman. He opened it, and inside, MingYue could see stacks of cash and a pile of high-quality mana crystals.


    The value was more than enough to settle a normal person''s life for many generations.


    His lips curled into a smile, satisfied with the reward. He closed the suitcase and then asked, "Are you staying here?"


    "Have you ever heard this saying, ''Curiosity killed the cat?''" The woman replied with a mysterious smile. But her eyes glinted dangerously.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll go now. It''s nice working with you, and I hope I never meet you all again."


    The man then quickly left the place.


    After he left, the woman''s smile disappeared. "Hmph, what an ignorant sheep. He thinks he''ll be safe after getting involved with all this."


    She then turned her gaze back to the circle, "And those stuck-up old geezers, just wait. You all chose to sell my hard work to the association despite my rejection. You will all pay for it."


    The woman then let out a deranged laugh, "Everyone will pay for it."


    What happened next was a sequence of boring rituals that looked like a religious prayer. It took her half an hour until she finished. An eerie red aura then came out from her body. She opened her palm, and eight magic circles suddenly appeared in the air.


    They then started resonating with the magic circle. The whole space began to vibrate, and with the intensity, MingYue could tell it would affect the whole city.


    The magic circle then started glowing with red energy. The many sacrifices turned into puddles of blood, leaving only their eyes rolling on the ground.


    The glass jar then exploded. A strange energy started coming out, one that MingYue recognized.


    It was very similar to the energy from the Byakhee avatar that had just exploded from Alex''s body.


    Each of the eyeballs then turned into white liquid and began moving to the center like it was alive. It started contorting and mixing together, and the space then started to distort.


    After all the liquid gathered, it floated in the air, turning into one huge eyeball. The moment it appeared, the space was torn, showing the void behind it.


    A void that MingYue recognized as she had fallen into it before. She almost lost her life if not for the protection, and she was chosen as the progenitor.

 Chapter 485 - 485: It Started

    The woman then let out a deranged laugh. Her hands danced in the air, creating magic circle after magic circle.


    The void started moving into many different worlds, one filled with toxic swamps, another filled with crystal. It kept moving until finally, it settled in front of a city with a huge gate.


    In front of the gate, MingYue could see hundreds of Dragari lined up, wearing fully armored gear.


    In front of the squad, there were a dozen elite Dragari, each of them giving off strength similar to the Dragari MingYue faced at the spire.


    "Finally!"


    The woman''s hand moved again, casting out a grand spell. This time, smoke started coming out from the eyes as if they were being sacrificed.


    "The All-Seeing Eye that pierces through the veils of time;


    The Infinite Watcher beyond the realms of light and shadow;


    The Weaver of Realities who binds the threads of every world."


    It started shrinking in size to the point it became as small as a normal eyeball. Mingyue recognized it. That was the eye that Alex found in the spire.


    The eye then moved around like it was alive, locking on the woman.


    An otherworldly voice reverberated in the air. "Puny human, what do you wish for? Why did you summon me?"


    "I want a way to gain more strength."


    The eyeball gazed deeply, observing the woman. "A mana power system. I will send you to a world where it flourishes. How much you gain will depend on yourself. Do you accept?"


    "Yes. How about the payment? Is it sufficient?"


    "The soul is more than enough. There are more coming anyway," the otherworldly voice replied with a chuckle.


    It then shone, shooting out energy toward the woman. In the next moment, it was as if the woman was never there.


    The eyeball then turned its attention toward the Dragari army behind the tear. It moved, phasing through it.


    Mingyue couldn''t hear what happened in there. She could try to pass through the tears to the Dragari world, but she didn''t want to take the risk. Now, there was something else she wanted to find out¡ªwhat really happened on Alex''s side.


    The current information was already more than enough for her to get a picture of the cause.


    The woman paid corrupt officials and used others'' personal interests to make this blood sacrifice. With this knowledge, Alex would be able to make a list of potential enemies and then investigate them for a clearer picture.


    The perpetrator was also still alive; they could look for them in the future.


    Mingyue phased through the wall and then used her senses to look for Alex.


    On the street, panic and chaos had already ensued. Mingyue now understood why the city was quickly taken down.


    With the huge earthquake, many buildings collapsed, and people were in a panic, running away while sirens blared on the street. Unlike other cities, awakeners here often helped civilians.


    This was because of the Suzaku Guild''s influence¡ªthose with great power had greater responsibility.


    Every awakener who folded their hands in an incident of this scale would be blacklisted by the guild, making their life harder to the point they would need to move to another city.


    Usually, it wasn''t a big problem for awakeners like them, but they had friends and family who were normal people, and this city was rare in that they could live safely without worrying about being bullied by awakeners.


    The price of goods also made sense¡ªit wasn''t sky-high, allowing people to live in prosperity. This was all thanks to the Suzaku Guild. It made them heroes in the eyes of normal people but an eyesore for the elites. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though all subsidies came from Suzaku''s own pocket and Edward''s genius strategy, it raised a question among the people: why couldn''t other cities follow suit?


    It wasn''t to the point of rebellion, but it still raised dissatisfaction, while some vocal ones would complain in public.


    "With how scattered they are, no wonder they got caught off guard. The Dragari came in full force while the awakeners here fought with many burdens," Mingyue mumbled as she saw most of the awakeners were alone, only a few in groups of two or three.


    She was sure they would all be massacred easily once the Dragari emerged. Reaching the mall, her eyes widened as she saw part of it had collapsed.


    Alex and Emily were on top of the ruin, helping with the evacuation and trying to pull away the rubble.


    "Any awakeners here? We need those with earth or telekinesis abilities!"


    But before anyone could answer, another earthquake hit, this time followed by a strange phenomenon¡ªthe rubble started floating. People could feel the gravity in the area getting weaker.


    One of the awakeners quickly frowned. She then warned, "Careful, this is a sign of a dungeon appearing."


    But before anyone could respond, a scream reverberated in the air. "KYAAA!!! Help!"


    "Monsters! They are coming, quick, run!"


    "Someone call the Hunter Association!"


    "Nooo! My son! They are eating my son!" A woman screamed, her voice tinged with sadness and desperation.


    "Don''t panic! Everyone, we have protocols in place¡ª"


    BAM! The awakener''s head exploded like a watermelon before he could even finish his words. He then fell to the ground with a thud.


    A Dragari with crimson scales stood, his hands dyed with the man''s blood and brain matter. He then put it into his mouth like eating a delicacy.


    "Exquisite. Your kind is really good to be reared as our food," he said with a menacing gaze.


    "We are not your food!" young Alex shouted, without any fear. He then rallied the survivors. "Those that cannot fight, evacuate to the bunker. Those that can stand and face him."


    This was part of the protocol created by the association.


    At first, it was just the usual: move to a safe location, keep level-headed, and follow guidance to ensure effective and efficient movement.


    However, through many cases like this one, the association perfected the protocol.

 Chapter 486 - 486: Overwhelmed

    Now, all combatants needed to face their enemy. This was the best method with the highest survival rate. Running away was just showing their backs to the enemy, allowing them to be massacred.


    But if people who could fight decided to face the enemy, even if the odds were against them, this would still give more time for the others to escape. There was also a chance for civilians to awaken their powers in desperate situations.


    This had happened a few times¡ªin fact, many of the strongest awakeners got their powers this way, just like Luca and Edward.


    But data and logic didn''t exist in situations like this. People followed their emotions and instincts to survive.


    Everyone quickly ran, even some of the awakeners. Only those who became hunters and a few civilians chose to stay.


    This civilians surprised Alex; he thought they would also leave. He didn''t understand why they chose to stay, but now wasn''t the time to think about it. Alex then started giving them orders.


    Everyone knew he was Edward''s son, and his abilities were a public secret. Many awakeners knew about it, so they followed his orders.


    The group moved swiftly, executing his commands. Alex ordered the experienced hunters to attack the enemy first while the others would support from a distance.


    Even though they barely knew each other, Alex knew each of their abilities just from their faces. This allowed him to order them very efficiently, taking into account their powers.


    One of them had earth abilities, while another had wind. They were C-rank level awakeners.


    This was also why Alex asked for these types of powers earlier; he knew these two were there.


    The earth user was ordered to create a shield to block attacks, while the wind user was to target the Dragari''s eyes, smell, and hearing. He could mix wind with sand and dust to block the eyes, while the pressure of the wind disturbed the hearing and smell.


    Unfortunately, no matter how good the strategy was, with their difference in power, it was pointless. To Alex''s horror, it only took a moment for all his efforts to be stopped.


    It took just one swipe from the Dragari, and all of them were cleaved in two. The only reason Alex survived was because Emily pulled him down just in time.


    The slash passed barely through his head. It wasn''t that Emily was better than Alex at this time; she just focused all her attention on their safety.


    The moment she sensed danger, Emily pulled Alex down even before the Dragari made his move.


    She then pushed Alex away to escape.


    Unfortunately, there was no way the two of them could outrun this Dragari.


    "Oh, what do I have here? Two brats that can fight back a little. You dodged that? Interesting. Now try dodging this one!"


    The moment the words fell, Dragari suddenly appeared inches away from Alex. He punched Alex right in the stomach, making him fall to the ground. The pain was so unbearable that Alex felt dizzy.


    But he knew the only reason he was still alive was because the Dragari found them amusing. The Dragari then threw a kick toward Emily, but when it hit, the Dragari didn''t feel any impact. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead, Emily turns into a silhouette and disappears as if she were just a mirage.


    The Dragari''s lips turned into a grin, showing an array of sharp teeth. He then turned around to look at Emily, but Alex raised his hand, grasping the Dragari''s leg.


    He clenched as hard as he could, then taunted, "You damn lizard, you think you can beat us humans! You are just a lower, imperfect being!"


    Alex''s taunt worked. The Dragari''s face turned to anger. This made him feel a little sense of achievement. He didn''t know they were Dragari¡ªa half-breed dragon. He just thought they looked like dragons, and based on novels he had read before, dragons usually had high pride.


    That was why he decided to say those words. Finding it worked made Alex feel a bit proud since it meant all the time he spent reading novels was worth it. Not like how many others said it wasn''t.


    The Dragari raised his leg, trying to kick Emily, but hit nothing.


    Her body was now just a silhouette, disappearing like a mirage.


    Then, a blinding light spread across the place, followed by a loud crash and boom.


    Some buildings that survived the earthquake were pierced through. A few were unlucky enough that the main pillars were hit, causing the buildings to crumble under their own weight.


    Thankfully, most of the buildings were already empty due to the earthquake. Only a crazy person would stay inside a skyscraper after such a huge quake.


    Emily''s hands were covered in dissipating light while it passed through Dragari''s stomach.


    Her face quickly turned pale from the energy usage. Alex, who had recovered some of his strength, stood up and pulled the dazed Emily away.


    This was the first time she had used her whole strength to attack a monster. Emily used it by changing part of her hand into light while leaving her fingernail in physical form.


    The result was a light-speed fingernail that even destroyed a few buildings like a railgun. The only problem was this move also harmed her petite body. The fingers she used turned bloody as part of the nails disappeared.


    Emily was shocked by the result. Her eyes looked past the hole in Dragari''s body toward the collapsed buildings. She was in shock, wondering how many lives she had taken in that one move.


    But the next thing she knew, the sky had turned upside down. Alex carried her on his shoulder and escaped. He suspected the Dragari wouldn''t die from just this attack.


    And his suspicion was right¡ªthe wound quickly healed, and the Dragari didn''t even flinch. Instead, it looked at them with more interest.


    But before he could make any move, the ground in front of him exploded into a crater.

 Chapter 487 - 487: Eria

    The Dragari, which had now already recovered, didn''t go after Alex and Emily.


    He looked at Ariadne, "Seems there is someone worth fighting in this place."


    "Too much talking! I honestly pity your fate, but who knows, I won''t even remember what happened."


    Ariadne''s body then started transforming; her other hand grew larger, and her teeth turned razor-sharp.


    The dragari wanted to say more words, ridiculing her current absurd appearance, but his appearance quickly turned serious as he lost a chunk of his flesh.


    His shoulder was now empty; Ariadne had bitten through his armor like it was a piece of tofu.


    The wound had already started regenerating, but Ariadne made another attack.


    She leaped once more, this time completely cutting through the dragari''s hand.


    "Dammit!" the dragari cursed. He knew he was not a match for Ariadne in this situation. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was fighting like a wild beast with pure, raw strength.


    "I don''t like to do this, but it seems I have to."


    The dragari took out a pill from his pouch. It was red in color and covered with scales.


    After eating it, his body started growing in size. He stood on four legs with huge wings flapping out. He turned into something that looked like a dragon and then let out a roar.


    Just like Ariadne, his reptilian eyes didn''t show any intelligence.


    Fire shot out from his mouth, melting everything it passed through. The buildings made of concrete crumbled down as their integrity was destroyed.


    The road made of asphalt turned into a bubbling liquid like hot lava. In the middle of it, Ariadne stood with half her body burned down. But she didn''t even flinch. It was like she didn''t feel any pain.


    The wound quickly healed, regrowing new body parts. This time, it was covered with crimson scales just like the ones the dragari had.


    She pointed her draconic hand forward, and then a fireball shot out from it. It shot toward the dragari''s huge eyes and then exploded.


    BOOM!!!


    Despite having strong fire resistance, the dragari roared in pain. His large tail then swept toward Ariadne.


    But she leaped upward, dodging it. Her shirt then tore on the back as two pairs of draconic wings came out.


    Her body was then covered in fire as she shot toward the dragari''s chest at supersonic speed. A hole appeared where his heart should be, and it then ignited with fire, burning through his innards.


    Ariadne, overwhelmed by beastly instinct, moved and started finishing off the dragari, eating him from the inside out.


    Meanwhile, Alex and Emily were already a distance away from the clash. MingYue also followed beside them, not watching the fight. The winner was already clear to her since Ariadne had survived.


    Staying further would just give her knowledge of Ariadne''s fighting style and power, something she was not interested in.


    The chaos turned into pandemonium, making the place feel like hell. It was a scene that made MingYue frown.


    It wasn''t that she was surprised by the cruelty; it was just that she had seen Alex''s world before, and it was very orderly. But now, there was no order; everyone was out to save their own skin.


    She had seen a wife sacrifice her own husband, or the reverse, to escape from the dragari. Despite knowing what fate would happen to them, no one cared.


    Meanwhile, Alex and Emily tried to save as many people as they could.


    As they kept moving, a group of people followed behind them, from normal civilians to Awakeners and Hunters. They felt it was safer to stay together in a group.


    But this also came with its problems. As more people gathered together, they pulled more attention. A squad of dragari soldiers raised their weapons, blocking their path.


    Thankfully, none of them was as strong as the last one they had faced. This time, with Alex''s orders, their coordination was enough to keep them at bay.


    Guns were fired in the air, followed by explosions of elemental abilities. The place was lit with fireworks, but even with this, they barely managed to keep up.


    MingYue could already tell that the other places would have a lot of casualties. Probably the only safe place other than this was the one where Edward and Luca were.


    Or other high-ranking members of the Suzaku guild, but MingYue doubted they were separated, except for the really strong ones like Sylva.


    The fight raised in intensity as they started getting pushed back.


    "Brother, do you have any idea? Maybe we should¡­"


    "Don''t even think about it, Emily. We cannot just leave these people out. And based on my calculation, I am sure someone will come after us soon."


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "I don''t even need to use my ability. Do you see Aunt Ariadne? With her here, the other guild members should also make a move."


    A realization then came to Emily. She just wanted to ask for more information when Alex said, "Look, they''ve come."


    A group of Hunters cut their path through the dragari. With their maneuver, Alex already knew who was coming.


    Boom! A shockwave exploded, sending the dragari soldiers into the air.


    A burly, middle-aged man with afro hair came out with a grin on his face.


    "Uncle Orion! Jasper!" Emily called out.


    "Did you forget about me, Emily?"


    "Of course not, Aunt Eria. Thanks for coming for us."


    "Don''t mention it. Follow me. Orion and Jasper will take care of the rest."


    Eria was a young woman with green hair, and her body was petite, but those who knew her wouldn''t dare to underestimate her. She was one of the rare Awakeners with an S-grade telekinesis ability.


    A group of dragari soldiers jumped toward Eria, but she didn''t even move. They stopped halfway in the air before suddenly throwing up blood and falling to the ground.


    Those without mana or similar special abilities to create a barrier were easy targets for Eria.


    Even if they had one, if it wasn''t overwhelmingly strong compared to Eria''s power, it would be pointless.

 Chapter 488 - 488: The Mayor

    Eria could focus her ability, making it a concentrated attack to pierce through her enemy''s barrier. Her only weakness was if she was overwhelmed by enemies or if the opponent was of a physical type that could move very fast, engaging her in direct combat.


    To use telekinesis, she needed time to focus her mind and then choose her target. The time may be as short as one second, but in direct combat, it would be enough to cause her a fatal wound.


    "With Eria, I can rest easy. Go quickly and tell Edward he can leave the rest to us," Orion said confidently as he pulverized another dragari.


    The group''s strength surprised MingYue, making her wonder how strong the dragari were at their peak.


    The dragari king that Alex had beaten was in his inner world and nerfed by Edward''s machination. He may have thought he became stronger, but in reality, he was far weaker.


    ''The one leading this invasion is a dragari general. It should be stronger than the one I faced before. In that case, it makes sense they''re getting beaten up.''


    There was also the stamina factor and the hostages. MingYue thought if the Suzaku guild focused on escaping, this force would not be enough to stop them. In that scenario, the civilians would not become a burden for them to rescue. Instead, they would become bait, giving them more time.


    But there was no way Edward and Luca would ever do this. It was against their convictions.


    Emily and Alex''s bodies floated, and they then flew with Eria, taking no time to reach Luca and Edward. On the way, their faces grimaced as they saw the city in chaos. Occasionally, there would be people they knew lying on the ground, lifeless, or asking for help.


    "Brother¡­" Emily said with a heavy heart.


    "I''m really sorry, but there''s nothing we can do."


    Hearing their conversation, Eria interjected, "There is something you can do. Remember all of them, carve this event into your heart, then find a way to gain strength. Never forget there is more you can do if you have more power."


    The words reverberated in Alex''s and Emily''s hearts. They had heard Eria''s past from Luca.


    She was a victim of a dungeon break, awakening her power while escaping. She often told people she was a coward who left her own family for dead, but in reality, it was her family that pushed her to leave.


    This weighed on her heart, burning her ambition to become stronger.


    They then arrived at Suzaku guild HQ. Luca was busy giving aid to the people who were now gathered in the courtyard.


    Knowing their mother, Alex knew this meant the whole building was already packed to the brim. Otherwise, there was no way his mother would let people camp outside.


    "Mom!" Emily screamed, then ran toward Luca, hugging her.


    "It''s been hard on you, sweetie," Luca said warmly while patting her head. She then turned her gaze toward Eria, "Thank you. Edward is looking for you up there."


    Eria frowned, "I told you, no. Both of you should be the ones bringing your kids out, and there is no way I can escape again."


    "It''s not escaping, Eria." Luca then let out a sigh, "And believe me, there is nothing I wish more than to bring both of them out here myself."


    "After Ariadne and Orion return here, we will go to look for the dungeon entrance. This is final, Luca."


    "So you''re saying you will not listen to the guild leader''s order?" Luca replied with a stern gaze.


    "¡­."


    "Fine, I will go. But Orion and the others already agreed to this. Kane should also return soon with the experimental airplane. When that time comes, you will board it with some of the refugees." Eria replied as she entered the guild complex.


    Luca let out a sigh. She then told Alex to help around the camp and asked what had happened to Emily. She chose this because she could see Emily was shaken while Alex was still calm.


    If possible, she would want to comfort both of them, but the situation now wouldn''t allow it. They didn''t have the luxury to take a break.


    She had already compromised by not going to the frontlines, as she wanted to ensure Alex''s and Emily''s safety.


    MingYue looked around the camp with a frown. The people were in panic. Some Hunters could be seen giving out instructions to Awakeners. The guild members, meanwhile, were busy giving out aid while a few of them created new construction around the guild, turning it into a fortress.


    ''It seems something else happened before Alex escaped the place. Otherwise, Edward should have gone with them.''


    Curious, MingYue floated, phasing through the building. She followed Eria, reaching Edward''s office.


    Inside, he was busy having a debate with two guild members and, based on appearances, a person who was probably the mayor of the city.


    "We VIPs should go first. What do you mean you will prioritize the women and children?"


    "This is non-negotiable. As people with power, we should be the last ones to evacuate."


    "What power!? I am just a normal person. Me staying here will just complicate matters!"


    "Hmph! As you said, you are just a normal person. Then your life is not more important than every single life here," Eria said with a sharp gaze.


    The mayor stayed silent. Eria''s temper was already famous in the city.


    "Be more polite, Eria." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Whatever you say, boss. So why are you calling me here!? I thought we had already agreed. You and Luca should evacuate first. As for the dungeon raid, we will take care of it."


    "What!?" The mayor''s eyes widened, hearing Eria''s words. "You hypocrite. So you planned to leave first all this time while preaching to me!?"


    Edward glared at Eria, but she didn''t care. Instead, she said with spite, "What is even the problem? If you want to escape, we can easily add one more person. Just put him in the cargo bay.


    Except you want to bring your hundreds of mistresses, then no wonder the boss rejected your request."

 Chapter 489 - 489: Capture

    "What mistress!? Be careful with your tongue, miss. I just want to bring my wife and child."


    "Again, which child? The legitimate one only? Or everyone!?"


    Eria really hated the mayor of this city. He was part of the problem that often blocked their path, making things harder just for the sake of it.


    Although the mayor would defend himself, saying it was for money, in Eria''s eyes, that was just bullshit. He was already rich enough to last for seven generations.


    "You rude woman!"


    "What, have nothing else to say!? I will admit I am rude, and you are more than amazing compared to me. You barely have the stamina to walk up two sets of stairs, but you have enough to sire hundreds of children. Even a goblin would bow down to your prowess."


    Her lips then curled into a smirk, "Oh yeah, I forgot you take Bloom."


    Bloom was a potent drug made from a rare gland found in adult male goblins. Although it''s named a gland, in fact, it was just an extra testicle. It usually appeared from goblins that had lived past 30 years of age, a rare feat for their kind, which only had a 25-year lifespan.


    The extra balls were removed, ground, and then put in tightly sealed vials. They were then left to ferment for 28 days while gradually mixed with other chemicals to enhance their properties.


    This Bloom was very expensive and said to be addicting. Not only did it raise one''s stamina, but it also increased one''s sensitivity, enhancing their pleasure.


    But rumors said it had a side effect, one that made the user into a retard.


    This gave the drug bad popularity, and people judged those using it.


    Hearing her words, the other guild members held their laughter, but they were not fooling anyone with how they acted.


    The mayor''s face turned red in anger, and he stomped his feet, then said, "I don''t care anymore! I will go and ride the airplane; just try and stop me!"


    "Satisfied?" Edward asked Eria with a resigned sigh.


    "Hmph! He deserved it. Does he think we don''t know where he got the Bloom from?


    Just for that drug, we failed to completely kick out those ruffians."


    The ruffians Eria meant were members of a dark guild, like Hell Gate. They were the ones selling illegal products to elite civilians.


    Normally, items made from monsters or dungeons would not be sold to the public. Only dark guilds would try to sell this to gain more influence and funds. Another possible source was a rogue hunter, but considering the earnings and benefits they got, the loss outweighed the gain.


    So Eria was sure, even without concrete evidence, that the mayor had a hand with those criminals.


    "That reminds me, how is their movement?"


    "Oh, boss, you don''t need to worry. I killed them all," Eria replied with a satisfied smile. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Edward''s lips twitched, but he didn''t say anything further. In the past, he had also considered just killing them all, but they didn''t have any concrete evidence.


    Without it, Edward didn''t dare to do anything rash. There were many enemy factions out there that would take any opportunity to attack them, but now, this didn''t matter at all. As the dungeon break happened, he could just say they died from the dragari.


    "How about the evidence?"


    "Don''t worry, boss. I made sure to throw each of them to the dragari army. They are useful bait."


    "The dragari¡­" Edward''s expression turned serious. "It''s not that I don''t trust you guys, but the dragari are not to be underestimated. I have heard many dungeon dives failed because of their dungeons."


    "It''s them, not us. Boss, have you forgotten our success rate? Honestly, if not for the civilians, we shouldn''t be pushed this far."


    Edward knew she was right. Many of the guild members were now scattered around. Only the truly strong could fight their way to return here, while the rest¡­


    Thinking about it made Edward''s heart heavy.


    He wanted to say more, but the ground suddenly vibrated. Turning his gaze to the window, he saw the airplane being hunted by several transformed dragari.


    It maneuvered, avoiding the attack, making one of the projectiles land on the guild. Thankfully, the protection system kicked in, creating a barrier that blocked it.


    "Eria."


    "On it, boss." Eria then jumped out of the window.


    She floated in the air, fighting against the dragari. Using her ability, Eria also helped the hunters and awakeners to float in the sky, clashing against them.


    The private plane then landed. As it was created with hovering technology, it didn''t need a big area to do this.


    The ground was cleared out of people, while some of the security created a man-made wall to make sure they were in queue. The mayor was there with his family, bringing in a total of five people.


    MingYue, seeing this, frowned. It didn''t match Alex''s story. She remembered him saying her sister used all her strength to the point she collapsed.


    ''Did he not escape using this airplane?''


    She then turned her gaze toward the sky. The fight was one-sided.


    Eria''s ability allowed them to completely overwhelm the enemy. Not long after, the dragari fell down. It then hit the barrier and bounced away from the guild area.


    Finished, Eria then looked at the queue of people, her lips curling into a grin. She flicked her finger.


    A few moments ago, the governor was debating with Alex.


    "Sir, I am sorry, but you cannot just bring dozens of people to enter here. There is a queue."


    "Who do you think you are to block my path?"


    Luca was still busy comforting Emily, so she didn''t know about this situation. When the dragon came, she brought Emily inside the building.


    It''s not that she was afraid or felt any danger. She knew the Suzaku Guild''s capabilities. She just didn''t want Emily to see more conflict and bloodshed.


    "I am sorry, Sir, but you are not on the list. Who I am doesn''t matter; you cannot just force your way in. If the plane is overweight, it will be dangerous."

 Chapter 490 - 490: Killed

    As Alex rarely came out, the mayor didn''t recognize him. He was still angry with what happened at Edward''s office. Thinking Alex was nobody, he decided to vent.


    "How dare you, peasant!" The mayor said angrily, then raised his hand.


    The young Alex saw it coming. He could dodge, but at this moment, he was not sure if it was the right choice.


    If he fought back, the mayor would get angrier, and things would escalate, but this didn''t mean he would just accept being slapped for no reason.


    While he was deciding, the mayor''s palm suddenly stopped. His body then floated in the sky, making him scream in fear.


    Eria''s lips curled into a wicked smile, "Sir, you are hurting the only son of my guild master''s family. Based on the association regulation, everything that happens on guild grounds falls under the guild''s rules.


    No matter your status, what you do should be punished. You will be detained until peaceful times for further judgment."


    "Mhmm¡­ mmmm¡­"


    The mayor tried to speak, but he couldn''t move his jaw or his tongue. It was being pressured by Eria''s telekinesis.


    She then looked down toward the mayor''s family, "Do any of you disagree? If not, you can board the plane."


    Alex frowned hearing this, but he believed Eria should have some solution. There was no way his partner agreed for some civilian to be switched out for the mayor''s family.


    The mayor quickly turned to panic. He began wobbling in the sky, gesturing for help from his own family. Unfortunately, everyone, even his own wife, just turned their gaze away.


    Then, with a resolute move, the wife brought the family to the back of the queue. It was clear the mayor had been abandoned.


    ''Bastard! Ungrateful!!! If I knew this, I should have left first!'' The mayor cursed, complaining in his mind.


    MingYue, looking at this happening, stared at the mayor with some thought. With how things progressed so far, it was hard to believe the mayor knew nothing of the incident. Normally, he should have escaped, but that would be too risky.


    MingYue didn''t know the mayor''s habits, but based on her knowledge, moving out of the city was never done without a real reason. There was a lot of danger involved with the current world situation.


    From assassination to monster attack, the mayor was someone who always prioritized his own safety. If he somehow went out, then this incident happened. He would be held responsible.


    She could already guess what kind of punishment would be given to a traitor of humanity who caused a dungeon break on purpose. It''s not like this had never happened before.


    What happened was a brutal medieval punishment done to serve as a warning to everyone. An endless public torture where he would be kept alive as long as possible.


    Because of this, MingYue suspected the mayor decided to take a gamble so he could escape the invasion. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''It''s unfortunate he''ll probably die here. Otherwise, Alex should be able to get more information in the future.''


    The evacuation then proceeded smoothly without Alex and his family boarding it. As the plane left, a dark-skinned man with sharp features came toward Alex.


    "Uncle Kane."


    "Alex, come follow me. We have another plane waiting for you and the guild master."


    When Kane went to take this plane, he realized there was a better one in the hangar. It was smaller in size but more than enough to carry 20 people. After some thought, he decided it was better to bring Edward''s family there.


    This way, there would also be no bad rumors spread about the guild in case some of the survivors talked about them escaping first. More than this was Edward and Luca''s personality. He knew how fervently they would reject being prioritized in the evacuation.


    They would want one of the guild members to bring their son and daughter out of the city while they stayed to join the dungeon dive.


    But this time, none of the guild members agreed. They were not dumb. They knew this break was not natural at all. Every single incident like this always spelled human intervention, probably related to the dark guild.


    Eria also had the same suspicion as MingYue, which was why she found the opportunity to abduct the mayor.


    Because of all of this, they knew the situation was really dangerous. There was a big chance they would not get out of it alive.


    An ambush from monsters and humans at the same time while they were burdened with whole civilian lives in the city as hostages.


    Kane brought Alex inside to meet up with Luca and Emily. They exchanged some talk, then waited for Edward to finish his meeting.


    MingYue, meanwhile, followed the mayor. He was brought to an underground room, then put in chains. There was one guild member standing guard. She first thought he would also be the one to get more information from him, but to her surprise, Edward came to the basement.


    His expression was completely different now. If he had been understanding and warm before, Ming Yue could now see anger and killing intent in his eyes.


    "Leave us. Make sure no one enters," Edward ordered.


    "Yes, Guild master."


    Edward came closer to the mayor, then pulled his mouth gag down.


    "What is the meaning of this, Edward!? Are you rebelling against the association!?"


    Edward responded to his words with a harsh punch to his face.


    "You know I don''t care how you act toward me, but I hear you tried to raise your hand to my son. For that alone, you deserve death, Mayor.


    But it''s not only that. We lack time here, you know."


    A strange energy then came out from Edward as he looked at the Mayor, staring into his eyes, "Did you have a hand in this incident!?"


    "No! I¡­" the mayor''s voice trailed off as suddenly his face turned blue. His body then suddenly started to bulk up like it was going to explode.

 Chapter 491 - 491: One Month

    "Tch!!!" Edward snorted in annoyance. He stomped his foot on the ground, and then a mechanism started activating in the room. A barrier appeared, sealing the mayor.


    The barrier then vibrated a bit as it contained the explosion.


    Edward then looked at the remains. He could see a weird worm wiggling around before it completely died.


    "This method¡­ this means they are involved for sure, but anyone can buy this parasitic bug from them," Edward said with a frown. The information didn''t confirm anything new for him.


    It just meant the perpetrator had the resources to procure the bug, but at the same time, it was already clear how they could create a dungeon break under his nose.


    The bug was famously used by dark guilds and associations alike. Its name was Blastmaggot. Just like the name, it could explode inside someone''s body when it was triggered.


    The trigger could be set using mana and a specific method. Edward himself didn''t know the details of this since he abhorred this kind of action. But he knew for sure this wasn''t that useful against Awakeners. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Depending on their ability, they could even manipulate the worm.


    ''It seems the mayor doesn''t even know Blastmaggot is in his body. With how cautious he was, there''s no way he agreed to this.''


    Edward then let out a deep sigh. He came out of the room and told the one guarding it to clean up inside and evacuate.


    But MingYue didn''t quickly follow after him. She looked at the remains, seeing the bug with a frown. She recognized it.


    ''Isn''t this bug from the Gu clan? I remember seeing this before.''


    The Gu clan was an ancient family MingYue had crossed paths with in the past. They never interfered in conflicts but often appeared as merchants.


    They could smell conflict and had a great intelligence network. When you had a need for it, they would come and offer their service, selling many kinds of bugs. This was not limited to just cultivators; they often also appeared in front of civilians.


    The payment would then differ for each person. Sometimes, they were asked to do tasks, while others had to pay with resources or even future favors.


    ''At that time, they offered me a method to become stronger in exchange for a future favor. But I declined since the blood contract they gave me felt weird, and it said I couldn''t refuse the favor.''


    MingYue then wondered how the bug had reached this place. Either they were the same clan from her world and somehow had a method to come here, or it was just a coincidence.


    A similar creature with a similar function but a different name.


    Noting this in her mind, MingYue returned to Alex and the others. Right now, they had already reunited with Edward.


    She could see Edward and Luca having a discussion with Kane. Edward said he needed to stay here to make sure everyone survived. He explained his speculation and what they would face next.


    "But hubby, if you go there, I want to be with you."


    "No, Luca, this time, it will be a long mission. There is a big chance we will stay there for a long time."


    "Then let Kane bring the kids out."


    "NO! They need at least one of their parents at their side. I will try to return as fast as possible."


    MingYue turned her gaze and saw Alex talking on the side with Emily. Their expressions were filled with relief.


    ''It seems Edward doesn''t plan to return from the start. But why?''


    MingYue wondered, but the more she listened to the conversation, the more she understood the reason. If Edward showed up and Suzaku Guild survived, another incident like this would happen again.


    As long as they didn''t go down to the root, it would just be a matter of time.


    In the end, with a heavy heart, Luca left with Kane, Emily, and Alex.


    Edward then regrouped with Jasper, Sylva, and the others, heading toward the dungeon. Meanwhile, on the way, Luca faced the second wave of Dragari armies. Kane decided to hold them down, allowing Luca and the others to escape.


    The path was filled with peril. They had their hands full trying to survive, leaving behind everyone they could save. Emily used all her strength to fight back, while Luca only made a move if it was really necessary.


    Seeing everything, MingYue realized Luca did this on purpose. She started educating their child using this to temper their skills. Luca would often make small moves and then make their kids avoid any fatal attack.


    This happened for hours until they finally reached the airplane. The moment it started to take off, the world then turned distorted. Everything that had crumbled disappeared into a void.


    MingYue floated in the nothingness, but she then frowned as a big eye appeared suddenly in front of her. It locked eyes with her for a while, then disappeared.


    The next moment, MingYue found herself facing Alex''s face.


    "You finally woke up? I was afraid something happened."


    "Your emotions¡­ are they back?"


    "Yes, thanks to you. It seems we''ve been had by Byakhee. If not for what happened, we would never have found out his ploy.


    We are lucky he is someone that loves to gamble and find things amusing. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened."


    "What do you mean?" MingYue asked while she rose from Alex''s lap.


    "When you were unconscious, I started rethinking everything that had happened. Byakhee could send me to any world; why did he choose this one?"


    "Isn''t it because of the emotional turmoil you would face in my world? After all, your father was here."


    "Yes, that''s true, but there are many ways to do this. For example, sending Mom and the others with me to a world where we were completely overwhelmed in strength. That way, we would face worse problems or heck, we would be completely obliterated."


    "Both of us are hard to kill. We would probably regenerate at some point, but the others¡­"

 Chapter 492 - 492: Current Situation

    Alex nodded. His voice then grew heavy. "We need to build up our force and technology, then quickly reach the universe stage so we can at least compete. Right now, we aren''t even qualified. Our information and knowledge are not just outdated; we don''t know anything."


    "We can talk about that after taking my world and yours to Edonia. That will not change."


    "Yes, I''ve ordered the sovereigns to gather back. Now it''s time to knock some sense into them. After that, we will go straight to dominate this world. The framework has been made."


    Hearing his words, MingYue grew suspicious. "Didn''t we just start the news? How long have I been unconscious?"


    "A month. Many things happened during that time."


    "WHAT!? A month? There''s no way Aunt and your sister stayed patient all this time."


    "Vesa," Alex called out.


    Red fog materialized as she appeared. "Yes, King and Queen, it''s great seeing you all right. The King was quite worried all this time."


    "Mom and Emily are in the outer region. Something happened."


    "You sent someone to get information from outside?"


    They had planned to do a short visit together before returning, but the incident happened. She had even lost consciousness for a month. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Before that, can you tell me what you dreamed about?


    I know you were immersed in my memories, but the time was too long, and there is some strange energy in your body."


    "Strange energy? Is it Byakhee?"


    "Yes. But it''s just leftover energy without any will, so we''re sure it shouldn''t have any malicious intent, but who knows, since it''s their energy."


    "That makes sense, then. Do you remember what memory you lost?"


    "Yes, Vesa told me about it."


    "In that case, it will be simpler for you to experience it."


    MingYue then sent the information to Alex using Vesa as a bridge.


    Despite watching it all, for Alex, it still felt different. It was like watching a stranger''s life from a third-person point of view. A very weird feeling. He still felt many emotions from it, since after all, it was his family, but it was nowhere near as close to the scar he had in the past.


    Alex opened his eyes, flickering with coldness. "That mayor¡­ I remember his family survived. I don''t believe they didn''t know anything."


    "Yes, they are a good place to start."


    "There''s also the Gu clan. Do you know where we can find them?"


    "They''re scattered around, but I''m sure some of them exist in the big city."


    "Let''s forget about them for now. They probably come from a more advanced cultivation world. It''s too risky to make them our enemy. But if we meet one, we can try to negotiate to get more information."


    "There''s also the dark guild. Do you have any idea which one had a hand in that incident?"


    "Yes, I have some clues, but I will need to recheck the association database to make sure. There''s also that person who worked for them and that woman¡­ she should still be alive.


    It''s only a matter of time before she returns to my world."


    MingYue gave a nod. She then put her hand over Alex''s cheek. "Are you all right?"


    Alex''s coldness disappeared, replaced by a warm smile.


    "Yes. How about you? Sorry that when you were in shock, I couldn''t be there for you.


    I couldn''t say what they did is justified, but I''m sure they had their reasons."


    MingYue''s gaze turned complicated. "I don''t know, honestly. I don''t know how to face them."


    Alex let out a sigh. "There is no right or wrong in things like these, just cause and effect. My mom at that time lied to me and Emily. If it was before, I would get angry, but now I kind of understand her reasoning. I would probably do the same if I were in her position."


    "..."


    Alex then pulled MingYue into his embrace. They hugged for a while, and then MingYue laid her head on his chest. "So what happened?"


    "Vesa, show the map."


    Vesa, who had been floating patiently waiting for them, gave a nod.


    . She flicked her finger, and a projection of the planet they were on came out.


    The Blue Jewel planet was an archipelago similar to Earth. There was an ice continent on top with one super-large continent surrounded by scattered small islands.


    The super continent was then separated into a few colors based on the region: East, Central, North, West, and South.


    "This place is Bai Yue Sect, and that is Dali City. When your brother took the mission to take it over, an incident happened."


    MingYue raised her eyebrows. If something had happened to Minghao, she knew Alex would have started with it, so whatever happened meant he came out all right.


    "A being was sealed under it, and guess what? That thing turned out to be the Deadly Sin Aspect."


    "The weapon created to kill vampires? Isn''t that too much of a coincidence?"


    Alex let out a chuckle. "If I didn''t know any better, I would say this is the author''s plot device. But honestly, I think it''s not weird.


    The Deadly Sin probably looked for Alucard''s progenitor essence, hoping to become stronger."


    "But they were creations of Byakhee, those your father called Primordial, or as Vesa said, an Outer God."


    "Yes, if this is a mission from Byakhee, there is no reason one of them would come hunting for it. This only means they want to break free from their master."


    "With creatures that strong sealed, what happened next?"


    "Well, this is the reason my mom and Emily are there. Uncle Sylva is dead, and based on the evidence I''ve gathered, Owl is probably a traitor."


    "Traitor?"


    "Yes, he was the Outer God that Byakhee mentioned staying here. His whole purpose is to look for the Deadly Sin Aspect. It seems something happened in the past while they were here, ending with one of them getting sealed."


    "Hmm, they probably came from that rift in the central area."


    MingYue then looked at the map, focusing on the place they were in.

 Chapter 493 - 493: Morganas Choice

    "Since we are here in the core area, does this mean the rift is in the planet''s core?"


    "No, it''s here," Alex said, pointing to the middle of the place.


    The core region they were in was one island surrounded by the ocean. Alex was quite amazed by those who made this place. Now that he had completely mapped it out, he found that the core region had the same surface size as the outer region.


    This was thanks to the protection barrier that doubled as some kind of dimensional space.


    The whole island was split into two. On the left was for humans, and on the right was for beastmen. They were connected in the middle where the rift existed.


    "So, we can just pass through this mountain to go to the beastman territory?"


    MingYue understood Alex''s concern should be on that part since they had no one there.


    "No, that is not doable. This mountain range is called Thousand Abyss Ridge. It has a very strong gravity and weird creatures roam around it.


    If we move our army through it, they will just get decimated."


    "That bad?"


    "Yes, and the cause of this is probably related to the formation that supports this space, so we better not try anything on it."


    "Hmm..."


    "The plan now is to meet up with the old guildmate. I need more information on my father''s plan. I have some ideas, but I need to make sure."


    "What do you think he wants to do?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The same thing we wanted. Father should have known the danger we are in and is thinking of making this place a safe refuge in case something happens in my world."


    "I see. Do you have any idea where to find them then?"


    "Aunt Ariadne is in beastman territory now. Uncle Orion should be the one who became the abode at ShangXi Temple. Now I just wonder where Uncle Kane is."


    "Doesn''t that only leave Eria and Jasper?"


    "Yes, both of them are with my father. That one I am sure of. Except if his memories were manipulated."


    "I doubt the Dragari king can do that."


    Alex gave a nod. He also felt the same, but after his last experience with Bykahee, he didn''t want to remove this possibility. There was also a chance that Orion, Kane, or Ariadne had been manipulated by someone.


    The world was vast, and the possibilities were endless. He needed to be careful with each step.


    "For now, let''s regroup with FengXue at ShangXi Temple. I don''t want her to fight with Uncle Orion."


    MingYue''s eyes lit up. "That is good, but first let''s visit my sect. I want to check how my brother''s situation is now."


    Alex gave a nod. Meanwhile, at this time, Reina had already spent a week with the Midnight Clan. She took a while as walking through the radiation zone was more dangerous than she thought.


    She needed to take a roundabout way and walk stealthily since some of the monsters were too dangerous for her to face. The zone was now also filled with weird plants¡ªit was like passing through a jungle.


    Outside, many outposts had already been built by various clans and sects. They came here to check on the newly appeared area. The place was filled with danger, but it also meant a new treasure trove.


    Many of them thought the place was covered with a new type of deadly poison. If they sent cultivators under the Golden Core stage, their bodies would start melting away, their flesh would drop off, and soon they would die.


    Even using qi and pills didn''t work. For those above, they would need to use almost all their qi for protection, making it ineffective. In the end, only those above the Ascension stage could explore.


    The beasts inside were also strange; none of them had sentience. They acted like beasts, no matter how strong they were. Reina even crossed paths with one of the spirit beasts that should have been sentient before, but now it acted mindlessly.


    She felt glad; otherwise, she didn''t know how she would have dealt with it. The enemy was too strong for her.


    If Alex were here, he would have found this change surprising. It wasn''t like he predicted. He knew mutations would happen, but for a whole jungle to sprout out was beyond his expectations.


    After passing through the dense jungle, Reina arrived back at Midnight Clan. At first, she felt relieved, but it didn''t last long. She could see the place was in chaos.


    Just as Alex had expected, a coup had started. With the power level dropping, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had come for them to take power.


    Rather than feeling glad about the miracle, they fought each other to death, turning everything into a massacre.


    Some even thought it would have been better if they all had just stayed dead. Why revive only to see this happen?


    Seeing their people kill each other, all for greed and power. With the chaos, many also burned out their souls to forcefully raise their cultivation realm, making most of the dead become permanent.


    Reina quickly intervened, and her first action was looking for her father. She felt glad she didn''t bring Uncle Moria despite his insistence. If he were here, it would have become troublesome.


    With her current realm, Reina didn''t face any problems. She frantically searched for her father. With a frown, she found he was being ambushed by many people now.


    Each of them was someone she had once called his elder. Some were even her own cousins.


    "Morgana!!! That bitch!" Reina cursed. She felt Morgana''s qi fluctuate near her father.


    She quickly appeared in the sky. Her eyes widened when she realized Morgana was one of the people trying to help her father.


    This made her hesitate. She wanted to swoop indirectly, but instead, she decided to hide and observe the circumstances.


    She wanted to find out if they were truly loyal or just looking for an opportunity to backstab her father.

 Chapter 494 - 494: The New Patriach

    ''There is no way Morgana, that bitch, suddenly had a change of mind. I don''t believe she doesn''t have ulterior motives.''


    The group pointed their weapons and then shot them forward. Morgana and the others did the same. The clash happened a few times, but in the end, they were losing.


    One of the opponents was the treasury elder. When everyone was resurrected, he was the closest to the vault. Wasting no time, he took it all and created his own faction.


    Meanwhile, the Patriarch had been resurrected some distance away from the clan. He had to make his way through the edge of the jungle. Thankfully, he had many artifacts on hand; otherwise, he would have already met his doom.


    When he returned to the clan, the treasury elder quickly came for an ambush. Many sacrificed their lives to protect him. Ironically, one of them was Zhu Zheng.


    Even though he had been resurrected, his deal with Alex still stood. He had no choice but to protect Reina, including her father.


    The fight rose in intensity. Her father''s group was now barely surviving inside a protection barrier made from an artifact. It was already cracked all over.


    "Just give up, Patriarch. You should have obediently sworn your loyalty to me." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You traitor! To think even a blood oath is not working!"


    "Haha, do you think that will be useful? With everyone on the same level, breaking the oath is easy. We just need to enhance our qi with artifacts."


    Gallen clenched his fist. He still had some promises he needed to keep, but it seemed pointless now.


    ''At least Reina is not here. I hope you can meet up with her.''


    "Enough chatter, finish them!" the treasury elder ordered with a grin on his face.


    Morgana turned her gaze to Gallen. She seemed deep in thought, considering her next action. Above, Reina gritted her teeth. She needed to intervene now, or else it wouldn''t matter at all.


    What use was finding out Morgana''s real intention if her father ended up dead?


    She appeared in front of Gallen, then slapped the attack to the sky. Her aura spread out, pushing the opponents to their knees.


    Morgana''s eyes lit up at seeing this. Her lips curved into a smile, like someone who had won a huge bet. She had considered siding with the treasury elder but decided it wasn''t worth the risk.


    She knew this was all caused by Alex. His strength was something she couldn''t hope to match. In her thoughts, even if the treasury elder won, it would only be a matter of time before Alex returned and annexed him.


    In that case, it was better to side with the Patriarch. Either she would win and survive for the long term, or enjoy a short term of power and then eventually die.


    She had tried looking for other options, like leaving the place, but seeing what had happened to those who tried to run gave her cold feet. In the end, she felt huge relief at seeing Reina''s appearance.


    ''She seems stronger than before,'' Morgana thought.


    She wasn''t afraid Reina would take revenge on her now. With what had just happened, she had proven her loyalty. This would not be enough to get back into her good graces, but at least she would have a hard time making a move against her.


    Morgana also considered their personal traits. They were the type that would return any favors they received. So, her position was safe for now.


    "You traitor!" Reina''s eyes turned reptilian, flickering with a cold glint.


    Her hand turned into a draconic claw, which slashed forward, creating a wind blade.


    Screams of pain filled the area, mixed with regret, followed by a rain of blood as their bodies were cut to pieces.


    Reina decided to go a step further and show what happened to traitors. She minced their bodies using the wind and then extinguished all their souls.


    "Reina! Why are you here?" Gallen asked in a panic. Her appearance caught him off guard. He also didn''t see Moria around, making him think something bad had happened.


    "Let''s talk later, Dad. For now, we need to tidy up the clan."


    "Yes, you are right, but you see my current strength. Do you think anyone will listen to me now?"


    Gallen let out a sigh. He raised his voice, filling it with qi to make sure it spread throughout the whole clan. "Starting today, the pPatriarchof the Midnight Clan is Reina, my daughter. All matters will be decided by her."


    His announcement surprised everyone who heard it, but for those who saw what happened, they all realized this was the right choice.


    Might make right¡ªthese words had never been truer. Who could complain if they didn''t have the power to back it up?


    Most of the traitors had already been killed by Reina''s attack. What was left now was only to clean up the leftovers.


    Meanwhile, back at the Bai Yue Sect encampment, in the nearest place close to Dali City, Zold was standing in front of his father''s grave.


    He had thought of bringing his body back and having the funeral at home, but after some thought, he decided against it. He remembered his father had once said to bury his body where he died if possible.


    Bringing it home would just create unnecessary problems and make it harder for those who survived to move on.


    "Sis..." Zold mumbled, his eyes burning with determination to find her.


    Some distance away, MingHao and Xue Fang sat together. YanYu had left with Yun Yun and the others, bringing them back to the Bai Yue Sect to recuperate.


    She planned to bring them to MingHao''s uncle. Right now, based on seniority, he should be the one with the most power. And based on strength, it was MingYue. So the Xueqi family agreed to go with her.


    Many of them had also lost their sect and heard about the invasion from strange monsters. When they learned it had all started with the Bai Yue Sect, they decided they had no other choice.

 Chapter 495 - 495: To This World?

    A few of them, who had some sway, thought to negotiate for their sect''s safety.


    "I will never get used to this," MingHao said with a sigh.


    "What?" Xue Fang asked in confusion.


    "Death, senseless killing. I don''t see the point of all of this."


    "You understand it, but you just cannot accept it."


    "... You are right. But people fight for power and wealth. What use are all of them when, in the end, their loved ones end up dying?"


    "That is true, MingHao. But sometimes the most important people to them are themselves. In that case, do you think they care what happens to others?


    Unfortunately, this type of person is usually the one who reaches the peak of power."


    Xue Fang then put her head over his shoulder. "What now? Are we going to wait here until your sister returns?"


    "Yes, I am sure she will come here. I have some questions for her."


    They had talked about going back to the sect with YanYu and the others, but when they saw the people behind Zold, they changed their minds.


    "That is true, MingHao, but sometimes the most important people are themselves. In that case, do you think they care what happens to others?


    Unfortunately, this type of people is usually those that reach the peak of power."


    Xue Fang put her head over his shoulder, "What now? Are we gonna wait here until your sister returns?"


    "Yes, I am sure she will come here. I have some questions for her."


    Xue Fang let out a chuckle, "Asking about her in-law family."


    MingHao didn''t reply, then looked toward the people behind Zold.


    They had planned to go with YanYu and the others back to the sect, but when he saw them, he changed his mind.


    "Zold, I''m sorry," Luca said, giving her condolences.


    "... It''s alright, Madam," Zold replied without looking back. He didn''t know what to say in this situation. It wasn''t Luca''s fault.


    After a moment of silence, Luca asked, "Did Sylva say anything?"


    "Yes, Madam, but it''s quite a long story."


    "Let''s talk over there then," Luca said, bringing Zold to a more suitable place.


    Zold then explained everything he had learned from Sylva, and they also checked the contents of the document together.


    Luca''s eyes glinted coldly as she kept reading through the document. ''I really need to talk with Solomon.''


    First, there was the incident at the Suzaku guild, and now, reading Sylva''s report, Luca felt more sure that the Association was rotten and incapable of maintaining order.


    She knew they already had their hands full with the dungeon break, but from her view, that was not a justifiable reason to let all of this happen.


    It was a huge mess that would eat up the Association from the inside.


    Hearing all this, Emily frowned. As a hunter, she had seen the Association from the inside. The amount of missions she had was almost endless.


    At that time, she often complained because she almost never had a break, but listening to all this, Emily realized it was nowhere near enough.


    The Dark Guild trafficked humans and smuggled alien species for many of the world''s elite. Most of them had relationships or even held positions in the world council.


    This meant humanity was still split, and the Association was barely holding on to this crumbling organization.


    "Don''t think too much, Emily. That is just how the situation is. We just need to do something about it when we return."


    "But Mom, hearing this just makes me feel like everything I''ve done before is pointless. I never heard any of this information, and even now, Dad''s situation..."


    Emily couldn''t finish her words as she felt she might as well call him dead. She had heard about her father''s condition, but with what had happened so far, Emily didn''t dare to raise her hopes.


    And now, without having any solution, new problems were already starting to pop up.


    "Why is my sister so gloomy? You''ll grow old faster that way."


    "Hmph! What growing old? As a cultivator and awakener, I''ll probably¡ª" Emily''s voice trailed off as she finally realized who was talking.


    She turned her gaze, and her lips curled into a smile. Alex was walking toward them with a grin on his face.


    He didn''t feel cold and distant anymore. Emily rose from her seat and then hugged Alex tightly.


    "Brother, you''ve recovered?"


    "What recovery? I''ve always been alright," Alex said with a teasing tone, making Emily roll her eyes. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luca also smiled, seeing Alex''s animated expression. "Have you given your condolences to Uncle Sylva?"


    "No, I will later, Mom. I just came back here and heard what you guys were talking about."


    "What do you think then?"


    "You should have heard my plan before, but honestly, things are more complicated now. Let''s just evacuate those important to us before we make another move."


    "To this world?" Luca asked.


    She agreed with Alex''s thought; if it were possible to evacuate them to a safe place, that would be preferred. But there was no such place.


    The Blue Jewel Planet was a bit better, but it was riddled with hidden dangers. There was also the rift that could break out with a wave of monsters at any time.


    "No, Mom, don''t worry. I have a place in mind."


    Alex then turned solemn. He hesitated for a moment but continued, "Just don''t worry about it, and let me take care of the rest. You should focus on finding where Father is."


    "Brother?" Emily asked in confusion. She didn''t understand what he meant. Did Alex want their mother to go to the rift alone?


    "Don''t look at me like that. I just mean for Mom and you to go first to the frontline and learn more about the location. With both of your strengths, I''m sure you''ll be safe."


    Of course, Alex didn''t plan to send them alone. He would send QingWa, Pi, and, if possible, a few sovereigns to stay with them.

 Chapter 496 - 496: Meeting

    There were many things that needed to be done, but their resources were limited. Alex needed to take over the conquest to hasten the progress, but he also needed to focus on the frontline in case something else happened there.


    Based on his understanding, Alex was sure his mother and Emily wouldn''t be able to enter the rift easily. There were many immortals in the frontline area, and fights happened often.


    So he wasn''t worried they would force their way in.


    He had also already put some people in place just to ensure no such thing would ever happen.


    "YingXue, could you guide them to your family? I think it''s about time for you to return, too."


    Alex asked while turning his gaze in a different direction. He had brought Ying Xue with them in preparation for this.


    Emily was dazed, looking at her brother in disbelief. It was just something she had never thought Alex would do. It made her wonder if something had changed after he recovered his memory.


    Ying Xue then walked toward them, while some distance away, MingYue was discussing things with MingHao and XueFang.


    With a glance, she could tell something had happened between them, but she didn''t ask further about it. It wasn''t that she didn''t feel any curiosity, but now was not the time, and she didn''t want to be asked anything about Alex.


    "So that''s all? Nothing more?"


    "Ye-yes," MingHao answered with a flustered tone as he could feel MingYue''s cold gaze on him.


    On the side, Xue Fang was annoyed. She didn''t like someone treating MingHao like this, but she knew it wasn''t her place to intervene. It would only make MingHao angry later.


    "MingHao, what were you thinking!? Returning while knowing how dangerous the situation was."


    "But Sis, without danger, how can I grow?"


    "That doesn''t mean you can just head first into it without any preparation. That''s just being dumb, MingHao," MingYue said with a heavy sigh. She then turned toward Xue Fang.


    "So, you lost all your puppets?"


    "Not all, but the majority of them."


    "In that case, just bring MingHao with you to return to the sect. Recuperate first. Also, have you seen that weapon? Can your puppets control it?"


    If it were possible for Xue Fang to control it, this would mean it was possible for everyone in her clan to do it.


    "With some practice, that should be possible. Do you plan to give us more of it?"


    "Yes, manipulating puppets alone wouldn''t be enough. We need to focus on increasing the distance of control and using bigger weaponry."


    Alex and MingYue had talked about this, and they came to the conclusion of specializing the Fang Clan in using vehicles. Rather than training each cultivator to use one, it was better to create a focused squad for it.


    This would make it easier for them to put security in place in case these weapons were stolen. The cultivators could also focus all their efforts on raising their realm rather than continually learning how to operate new weapons.


    The way to use one could be infused into their brain, but to be a real expert, this was nowhere near enough. They still needed to spend a lot of time practicing and fighting in real combat.


    MingYue then put out more details, showing their planned weapons and how things should be run. Vehicles would be separated based on their type, combat power, and difficulty to use.


    For example, airplanes and tanks would have different specializations. As for combat power, it was more about how much they could trust the person. If someone were a genius who could control hundreds of jets at the same time, that would mean serious firepower.


    Even though Alex and MingYue could ensure the traitor''s instant death, that didn''t mean there would be no aftereffects. If the betrayal happened in the middle of combat, it would mean losing a lot of their army, which could lead to their defeat.


    Alex thought they could circumvent this using AI and formations, but the function would be too limited, and there was also the risk of it being hijacked.


    In the past, he would think an AI coded inside a formation would be safe from being hijacked, but now he wasn''t so sure.


    Alex needed to prepare the army to fight against those stronger than them, those with abilities and technology beyond his wildest imagination.


    So using AI was out of the question. Their only option now was making Vesa take control of it. This would make the army too dependent on her.


    But they had no other choice for now. MingYue then told Xue Fang she should start recruiting and training the moment she returned to the sect.


    After a few more talks, both of them then left the encampment.


    Seeing their disappearing backs, MingYue let out a sigh. She had thought of the possibility of relocating the BaiYue Sect to Edonnia, but Alex had disagreed.


    Bai Yue Sect now acted as their HQ on the Blue Jewel Planet. The place was also hidden inside a secret realm, so even if something happened, they should have enough time to move it into Vesa.


    They just needed to establish a runic formation to allow it to be done almost instantly.


    In the end, she agreed with Alex''s thought since having BaiYue Sect on the Blue Jewel Planet was more beneficial, and with their preparation, the danger should be minimal.


    She then turned her gaze to Alex, who had just finished talking with Luca and the others.


    "You''re finished?"


    "Yes, how about you? Still want to visit the sect?"


    Even though MingYue had already met up with her brother, Alex had heard the report that her family should be there now. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No need, I''m not close with any of them. But I plan to hire all of them for administrative work in the sect."


    "You sure they''ll all agree? They''re cultivators."


    "If we want to resurrect the clan, then we cannot afford to have any of them die again. Those who want to leave will need to establish their own family."

 Chapter 497 - 497: ShangXi Temple

    Alex could understand it was necessary, but he felt it was quite forced. However, he didn''t say anything further since it was MingYue''s family. In the end, everything was her decision.


    "It''s not like any of them will complain. We have more than enough resources for them to cultivate for hundreds of years."


    "That is true. As long as we don''t hasten their cultivation with lifeforce, it should be alright. So, do you plan to hide this information from them?"


    "Yes, for now, it''s better like this. Lifeforce cultivation should be focused on Edonia, while the sect should look for another path. Didn''t you say Clara is testing a new way to break through?"


    "Even if it works, I doubt she''ll find a better one than lifeforce."


    "Yes, but both of us agree that the life force is not a good option to use against our enemies.


    Since they have defeated and enslaved vampires for a long time now, they should have many methods to counter this ability."


    Alex nodded, then let out a sigh. "Well, enough of that. Let''s go to Shangxi Temple for now. Afterward, we''ll decide what to do."


    "Yes."


    In the middle of the bustling city, on the second floor of a restaurant terrace, a woman was looking toward a huge building in the distance.


    "So close yet so far," the woman said with a sigh.


    "Lady Feng Xue, we have been here for a while. The situation outside is also very bad now."


    "I waited thousands of years; what''s waiting a little more time? If you are not satisfied, you can leave first, Cuiyin."


    Situ Cuiying frowned. They had been in this place, the center of ShangXi Temple, for a while now. Her father, the patriarch, had told her to follow Feng Xue around.


    Seeing her hesitation, Feng Xue let out a chuckle. "Whatever is happening outside, BaiYue Sect is probably the one behind it. No need to worry."


    "How are you so sure? I''ve never heard of that sect before. Are they an ancient family clan like yours?"


    "Like mine? I wish. If that were true, I wouldn''t be here now. They are something more than just that. Far stronger."


    As someone who had stayed by MingYue''s side for a long time, she knew how many secrets she hid. Feng Xue was also among the select few who knew of Vesa''s existence.


    Situ Cuiying looked at her in disbelief. She couldn''t imagine how strong they were. Even now, after hearing about the core region and stronger sects from Feng Xue, she still finds it hard to believe.


    In her eyes, ShangXi Temple was still the center of her world.


    "I still don''t get what you want to do, though. So far, you''ve just made some connections and acted like a merchant. If they are as strong as you say, why not use their army then?"


    "You don''t get it. Just wait. Soon, the fireworks will start," Feng Xue said with a smile.


    In the distance, Alex and MingYue were having a meal.


    "My body¡­ When will you return it?"


    "Shut up, Ling Hua, or I will put you back in my storage ring," MingYue replied with a sigh.


    "Why did you take her out anyway?"


    "Because I am sure the promise is close to being fulfilled. She will return LingHua''s body."


    "You really don''t lie, right?" LingHua asked, her voice tinged with worry.


    "Tsk¡­" MingYue put the earring back into her storage ring.


    "So talkative. Can''t she see I am not someone who goes against my word? Not like some backstabber."


    "You sure about that? She''s the one who killed you. Honestly, I feel after the punishment, you should just kill her."


    "It''s been a long time, and I get her motive. Although I cannot trust her with my back, I will just let her be."


    "Well, your choice. She knows a lot of things about us, but it shouldn''t be a problem."


    Vesa had already done something to her spirit, and LingHua was also not that talented. So, the possibility of her breaking out of it was almost zero.


    "I don''t get it, though. Why did FengXue decide to go to ShangXi Temple specifically? Many clans and families took over, and it''s been so long. Everyone responsible should already be dead. If she just wants revenge, shouldn''t she start with the weakest one?"


    In Alex''s opinion, it was like Pi''s case. Right now, he was still in the Zephyr clan, fighting against their sect leader. Alex didn''t know the result, but he was confident Pi wouldn''t die.


    "At this point, it''s just venting old hatred. It''s not revenge anymore."


    "Yes, so should we visit your father''s guildmate now?"


    "Let''s go," Alex said.


    They then left the place and infiltrated the temple. The place functioned like a castle. From morning to noon, it opened to the public for people to report their problems and take care of administrative needs.


    But at night, all access was closed down; no one could enter without a special permit. The security was tight, but for Alex and MingYue, it was pointless now.


    Utilizing runes, Alex brought MingYue through the front door. Despite doing this, no one could see them.


    Inside, the place was grand, but they had seen better. It was more on the luxurious side, made from expensive material, but still kept modest, not glittering with gold or other shiny objects.


    "No one here feels that strong. Only a few are at the transcendent stage. Are you sure he''s here?"


    "He should be. Let''s at least look for the abbot. Considering his personality, this place doesn''t suit him at all."


    Based on Alex''s knowledge, Orion was someone who liked to be free and hated doing things he felt were pointless. Taking a role as the leader of a religion where most of the members were fanatical with many rituals wouldn''t bode well for him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, what do you suggest? Should we go to the strongest one?"


    "Hmm... From the outside, ShangXi Temple is led by the abbot in an authoritative manner, as the council is just for show. But it seems it''s more complicated."

 Chapter 498 - 498: Wrong one?

    No matter what kind of rules there were, absolute strength was needed to back them. Even before the era of dungeons, that was how it worked. Countries had strong military forces for a reason.


    But now, they could feel multiple people with the same level of power in different areas. Alex speculated each of them led their own faction.


    Unless the abbot hid his real strength and the others already knew about it, the chances were slim.


    "Let''s ask for some information first."


    Alex adjusted the rune, changing himself from invisible to appearing like a maid of the place. He didn''t do the same for MingYue to keep the element of surprise.


    After asking around, he found the abbot''s room and then headed toward it. To his surprise, the place was located underground.


    It seemed to be part of the teaching that living underground was better than living above. Probably another ritual created to entice the commoners.


    The temple had something that worked like an elevator, making their travel easy.


    "I know they have many weird rules, but for the abbot to have his room located near the prisoners, isn''t it strange?" MingYue asked.


    She felt they could just put them in a different place or on the higher floors if possible.


    "Who knows? There are many weird traditions in my world, too. I just learned to ignore them and respect those who follow them." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm¡­ I doubt something like this was created by cultivators in my world."


    "I agree. This is something people from my world would think of. Probably my father''s doing. Since ShangXi Temple has existed for a long time, I wonder how it was in the past."


    "Probably not in this form."


    "Yes, Uncle Orion probably came, took it over, and changed it into this. That''s the most possible reason."


    "Why didn''t he destroy it and rebuild a new one then?" MingYue asked this because she was sure the temple in the past should have been something like a demonic cult, doing criminal activities that could easily make dark guilds in Alex''s world look like toddlers.


    The stories were spread around often about how they used the civilians'' desire for power, twisted it, and then used them as furnaces.


    "Probably because of the circumstances. I don''t know the specifics, but I''m sure there''s a justifiable reason."


    The lift opened, and they then walked past the dimly lit hallway.


    "Abbot, excuse me."


    "Who is there? I thought I already said no one should disturb me at this time."


    "It''s quite an emergency, abbot."


    After saying those words, Alex forcefully opened the door. Normally, this should not have been possible as it was protected by a formation, making it only possible to open from the inside.


    Inside, the abbot''s eyes widened in shock. "How could you enter here!?"


    Alex frowned. The voice was that of a stranger. Not only that but what the abbot was doing was also something Orion would never do. The abbot was hoarding a scalpel and some things that could only be categorized as torture devices.


    A gruesome body that barely looked alive was lying on top of a table in front of him. Rather than a bedroom, the place itself looked more like a torture chamber.


    Alex could feel there were many formations inside the room. One of them was probably an illusion that made it look like a normal room in the eyes of the maids.


    Seeing no response from Alex, the abbot spread out his qi. His lips then curled into an evil grin. "Forget it. That doesn''t matter anyway. Whatever you are, your end is clear."


    But before he could make any move, Alex suddenly appeared in front of him. He choked the man by the neck and then smashed him into the wall.


    At the same time, he spread out a rune formation to hide their activity.


    "He''s not experimenting, Alex. It seems he''s just doing this for fun."


    MingYue said after observing the corpse. Based on the wounds, she could see it was done with no other purpose than to inflict pain.


    "Heal her."


    MingYue was no healer, but she had many medicines with her, and since she was a normal person, many of them would work like an elixir.


    "Wh-who are you!? I thought we had a deal!" the abbot said, flustered.


    "You look like a leader, but your actions don''t reflect one. You are not the real abbot. Where is he?"


    "What do you mean? I''ve always been the real abbot. I¡ª"


    His speech stopped as Alex tightened his grip, making the abbot Choke. Annoyed, he threw him to the ground, then sealed his cultivation using a rune.


    "Vesa, your job," Alex said while turning his gaze toward a few cages on the side. Beautiful women and handsome civilians could be seen there, their eyes all empty, probably drugged.


    Vesa came out and then looked at the abbot. She curled into a grin. "Can I bring him to Edonia King?"


    "Yes, go ahead. Do whatever you want. You can even experiment on him."


    "Oh, we will have some fun then."


    Vesa had asked Alex for some experimental subjects to test out runes that affect one''s soul. After the last incident, she felt they were in dire need of development.


    Only using lost knowledge was not a choice. At that time, Alex, in his emotionless state, had told Vesa he would consider it after the war was done. He planned to use evil cultivators and those captured as the experiment targets.


    Now that Alex had recovered, he hesitated, but seeing the abbot''s actions, his anger flared.


    "Third-rate villain that doesn''t serve any purpose other than being a filler," Alex mumbled while looking at the abbot''s expression, filled with fear.


    Seeing this, MingYue let out a chuckle.


    "Don''t get me wrong. I don''t find this torture funny, but you comparing my world to a novel is something only the current you would do."


    Alex realized she meant that, in his emotionless state, it was something he would never have done.


    He then looked at the half-dead corpse that was barely recovering even after being given an elixir by MingYue.

 Chapter 499 - 499: Moon

    "It seems the wounds are too much. I will need to reconstruct her whole body."


    "Can''t we just use life force?"


    "No. We agreed that life force can trigger some changes in the life form. We want to help, not create a variable."


    They decided on this after what had happened last time.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    The space where Vesa appeared suddenly let out a strange noise. It then cracked open, and something jumped out, heading toward MingYue.


    Seeing this, MingYue let out a helpless smile while Alex sighed.


    "MOMMY!!! You said you would only leave for a while!"


    "I told you I am not your mommy."


    "No, you are my mommy!"


    Seeing the small girl with blue hair, Alex called, "Moon, how did you come out!?"


    "I felt the space crack. Then from there, I felt mommy and daddy''s presence, so I just jumped into it."


    Moon was the baby mermaid that Alex and MingYue had found in the lake. After absorbing many types of energy, she evolved and transformed a few times until finally becoming this young girl.


    The moment she opened her eyes, she could already talk, read, and write in many languages. It was like she had knowledge of Alex and MingYue''s world.


    This confused Alex, wondering how she got it. After reviewing the whole incident, he felt it was related to the energy the baby kept absorbing from their breakthrough.


    This made him think that lifeforce could contain information like memories, even after he filtered it as a vampire. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Until he found the real reason, Alex decided not to use lifeforce to heal strangers and to avoid using it for healing if possible.


    "You should go back, Moon. This is not a place for you."


    "No, Mommy, it''s boring inside! I have no one to play with; everyone is busy."


    "Didn''t I tell Elvira to play with you?" Alex asked in confusion.


    He had put Moon under her care on Edonia, but it seemed she was doing other tasks instead.


    "Aunt Elvira is boring, so I ran away," Moon said with a smug smile.


    Alex''s lips twitched; he wanted to knock some sense into her head, but seeing her chubby cheeks and cute expression made him soften.


    Moon''s eyes then turned to the grotesque body. "Ew, disgusting."


    She put her small palm forward, and a sphere of liquid then appeared, covering it like a cocoon.


    "Moon, what are you doing?"


    "I want to clean up; it''s disgusting to see."


    "No, that person is still alive."


    "Hmm... But Moon doesn''t know her. Should Moon heal her?"


    "Can you do that?"


    "Yes, Daddy, but it''s annoying as it will make me tired. Moon doesn''t want to get tired of healing strangers. Moon wants to play with Daddy and Mommy."


    Alex and MingYue exchanged glances; they didn''t even need to talk telepathically to communicate now.


    Both of them were curious about what kind of power Moon had. They used many methods but failed to detect any energy. It was like Moon was just a normal person, but this was impossible.


    The only method they hadn''t tried was an invasive one, but neither of them had the heart to do it. Since she transformed using part of their energy, they felt some weird connection with her.


    "Don''t be like that, Moon. How about this: you heal her, then return, and tomorrow, we will spend half a day playing with you."


    "Hmmm... A full day." Moon tried to negotiate back, making Alex let out a chuckle.


    "All right, you got it, a full day, but return after you recover her."


    Moon gave a nod, and like a miracle, the woman''s body recovered as if it had never been wounded. The process was very quick, almost instant.


    "Done. Moon also healed her mental scars, so she won''t have any problems," Moon said while her eyes turned heavy, and her face looked drained like someone who had just run a marathon.


    Alex then sent her back to Edonia while looking at the woman, who was still sleeping. MingYue covered her body to give her some decency.


    "Alex, did you feel anything?"


    "No... It''s like the woman''s body recovered by itself. And Moon even said she recovered her mental scars. How did she do that?"


    Curious, Alex walked closer and woke the woman up using his qi.


    "Mmm... Where am I?"


    "You are inside ShangXi Temple. What''s the last thing you remember?"


    The woman''s face grimaced with pain as she used her hand to touch her head.


    "I was delivering some complaints to ShangXi Temple. The elder is corrupt. I remember I brought evidence when I was poured a drink. Then..."


    "Then what?"


    "I don''t know. The next moment, I saw myself here."


    The woman then moved her eyes, wanting to see where she was, but Alex intervened, putting her back to sleep.


    "So Moon erased her memory of this place," MingYue said with a frown.


    "No, it''s more than that. It''s not just erasing memory. Her body should remember the torture.


    Even if she doesn''t know why, she should have shivered in fear, but she didn''t show anything like that. It''s like nothing ever happened.


    It''s like someone has amnesia, but if they are a veteran swimmer, throw them into the water, and they will somehow swim.


    With the amount of trauma she faced, there is no way the woman completely forgot about it."


    "Let''s confirm it." Alex then drew a rune and put it on the woman''s forehead.


    He scanned the spirit and soul, looking for any wounds. Normally, with what she just experienced, there would be something left behind.


    "I''m sure of it. There''s nothing left. It''s like her energy is on a completely different level, which is why we cannot feel it."


    "Forget about it, then. What''s your plan next?"


    "Let''s send this woman to FengXue and meet up with her."


    At first, Alex and MingYue didn''t want to intervene much, but now that Orion was missing, they wanted to ask the situation from FengXue.


    "What about the abbot? If he disappears tomorrow, it will make a big scene."

 Chapter 500 - 500: Possession

    Alex put some thought into it, and then his lips curled into a smile. "Let it be, I want to see what they will do."


    He then put some runes, mixing them into the room formation in a way that was hard for people to notice.


    "What about them, then?"


    "If everyone is missing, it will be weird, but to just leave them here..."


    Alex felt conflicted. It was easier to make decisions when he was emotionless, but now he didn''t feel it was the correct choice.


    He had a way to save them, and just leaving them here to their deaths was something he didn''t want to do.


    "Then just put them in Edonia. With the abbot disappearing, adding this will not make it any worse."


    "You''re right, MingYue, let''s just do that."


    With the rise of their strength, both of them could now send things to Edonia without Vesa''s help. This was far more convenient than using Awe Cube, as they had a complete facility ready for any of their needs.


    After taking the hostages with him, Alex turned invisible once again. Looking at the people in the prison cells, an idea then came to his mind. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He drew another rune and sent it to each cell.


    "What is that for?"


    "It will open the cells when the time is correct."


    "You mean when the elder comes here?"


    "Yes, or maybe when FengXue pulls her plan. I will see the situation."


    "You can activate it remotely?"


    "As long as it''s not too far. It''s just a simple rune, anyway. And this whole place is too weak for our level."


    Alex then let out a sigh. With both of their strength, they could have just used their power to flatten the whole place. It''s something he liked to complain about a lot to the author.


    The protagonist could easily trample them all; why take so much bother? But now, being in the same position, he realized it''s simple. He might be strong, but not strong enough to kill everyone in one go without causing innocents to die.


    And this is not just the present; he also needed to think of the aftermath. What would happen to the temple if he killed everyone? Alex planned to take over the place. If he could control the leader, it would be far better than a ruined, scattered faction.


    It would require more effort to create a new government system. Right now, despite having its branches scattered all over the continent, they all followed one order from ShangXi Temple. But if they destroyed this, the faction would then split into many individual small ones.


    Some would follow the winner, some would try to take revenge, while most of them would use the opportunity to follow their own desires.


    With his current goal, things were not that simple.


    Back at the restaurant, FengXue was tired as she had just had a meeting with many people.


    "There are still two more meetings. Do you want me to cancel them?"


    Situ Cuiying asked with a frown. Considering her cultivation, normally she wouldn''t get tired like this, but FengXue had been working nonstop since she got LingHua''s body. She hadn''t yet taken a single rest.


    Normally, a cultivator doesn''t need much of this, but in her case, LingHua''s body was almost dead, recovered, possessed, and then quickly pushed to break through many realms. This made the body rise in fatigue.


    FengXue also hadn''t completely made the body hers, since she wanted to return it to LingHua, making her need to carry rejection reactions all this time.


    "No need. Things will conclude soon."


    "All right, I will prepare for the next one, then," Cuiying said with a sigh. She didn''t understand what was passing through FengXue''s mind, and she had already given up on it.


    But before she left, the door swung open while a maid came and whispered something to FengXue''s ear.


    "Cuiying, you take care of the other meeting. Just make sure everything runs smoothly. I need something urgent to take care of," FengXue said, then left the room.


    She moved to another private room, where Alex and MingYue were waiting for her.


    "This is the first time we''ve met, but you should have heard of me from MingYue."


    FengXue put both hands in front of her and gave a respectful bow. "Sect Leader."


    "Sit, we need to talk," MingYue replied.


    "Leave us alone," FengXue ordered the maid, then took a seat.


    She wasn''t worried the maid would spread the news since everyone here was part of the Situ clan, and they had already taken a blood oath to be loyal to her on this mission.


    Alex looked at FengXue with a glance; he could see a problem. "So you kept your promise. I thought you would really possess her body."


    "I always keep my word."


    "LingHua will get a lot of benefits, then, by lending her body to you."


    Possessing a body and returning it is something that rarely happens, but it''s not like there have been no cases like this before. If she tried to completely possess the body, LingHua would have a hard time trying to return.


    The body is far stronger than her soul, and at that moment, it''s completely transformed to become FengXue''s body.


    This would mean Alex or MingYue would need to intervene to make sure it ran smoothly, and in the process, they would need to disperse all the extra cultivation, reverting it to the past state.


    Alex thought FengXue did this out of guilt for possessing LingHua''s body. He found her action funny since she had, in the first place, planned to possess the body before MingYue intervened.


    "I just do this for my own conscience."


    "Since you have that much thought, you should have a plan that won''t hurt the innocent. Tell me about the current situation at ShangXi Temple."


    "Corrupt. Outside, it looks all good, a utopia for those who cannot cultivate to live in peace. But in reality, it''s worse. At the very least, outside, it''s a direct threat, so people cooperate with each other. Here, many are trying hard not to shatter this illusion.


    Victims are silenced, even by their own family and people that should protect them."

 Chapter 501 - 501: Silver Snake

    "Rotten and corrupt... This always happens with this kind of government system, but that is not my question."


    "If you mean the one that holds power, it''s still cultivators. Part of the council, from the outside, looks split, but I am sure now they are in cahoots.


    The abbot is nothing more than a puppet portrayed as an invisible cultivator that treats everyone equally."


    "How about the previous abbot, then? Do you have any information?"


    Feng Xue was confused hearing Alex''s question. "I don''t understand what you mean."


    "How long has the current abbot reigned? Has it ever changed?"


    "To my knowledge, no, at least in the last 100 years."


    "Tell me in detail everything that you have learned." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    FengXue then began to explain the situation in detail.


    Alex tapped his finger on the table, frowning as there was no answer to where Orion had gone. It seemed like he had never been here.


    "It seems we have no other choice; we need to interrogate the council. Or hope the abbot has more information."


    "Do you have any instructions?"


    "No, just continue as you planned for now. If possible, start it faster."


    "I just need to confirm a few more things to make sure I don''t miss out."


    "That was in the past in case they were stronger than you, but now with us here, we will back you up no matter who comes out," Alex replied with confidence.


    Even fighting against one or two immortals, he knew he wouldn''t lose. He also had MingYue on his side, and they had the same level of strength.


    "All right, I will do as you wish."


    Alex and MingYue then left her alone. Not long after, Situ Cuiying returned.


    "Lady, it seems we have a problem."


    "What do you mean?"


    "If their information is right, there are traces of the beastman inside the temple."


    "Beastman? They are rare, but sometimes we still see them."


    "Yes, but the problem is, this beast is part of the beast emperor clan."


    Situ Cuiying only knew about them after FengXue told her the situation in the central region. Otherwise, she would not have suspected anything strange at all.


    "The emperor clan should be staying in their region and not coming out. That is part of the deal, or are you sure it''s not just some stray or offspring?"


    Even though now they lived in their own area, in the past, beastmen and humans lived together. So it wasn''t strange if some hid themselves and survived the many wars.


    "No, it''s more than a group of them, so I''m sure they are part of the emperor clan. The Silver Snake."


    The Silver Snake clan had a unique attribute: no matter how they disguised themselves, they either had silver hair or silver pupils. The elite of their clan would have both.


    "The Silver Snake is famous for having sly and manipulative personalities, so it''s not strange for them to plan something. But are you sure? If they found a way to hide their hair or pupils, they could be anywhere."


    In MingYue''s mind, normal people shouldn''t be able to find out about them unless the clan chooses to reveal themselves.


    "Tell me in detail."


    "As you know, I am meaning the Heavenly Tower Pavilion and the Silver Merchant leader. Both of them have rivals supported by one of the council."


    "Yes, that is why they decided to support our movement, but that doesn''t explain how they know."


    Heavenly Tower Pavilion specialized in alchemy pills, from diluted versions helpful for civilians to ones that golden core cultivators could use. As for the silver merchants, their main trade involved selling weapons. Both of them had been doing this for a long time and had almost a monopoly on the market.


    But ten years ago, everything changed. Two new competitors suddenly rose up, selling better quality items at cheaper prices.


    If this wasn''t ShangXi Temple, they would have already launched an all-out attack to massacre them, but unfortunately, they couldn''t. With many laws and regulations in place, they needed to find justification first and use more indirect methods.


    They used their capital to bribe officials to make things harder for them and burned money to play the market.


    They thought this should be enough to drive them out, but somehow, the competitors survived. Not only that, it seemed both of them had a bottomless amount of money that never ran out.


    They bribed back the officials with far higher amounts, almost double. The price that had been pushed down was cut even further to the point it would result in bankruptcy if the Heavenly Pavilion and Silver Merchant followed it.


    In the end, both of them gave up and instead looked for a path to survive, but this didn''t mean they had truly given up. They sent people to the competitors to find out how they could have so much money.


    That was when they found out they were involved in the slave market, and they seemed to have an exclusive buyer who bought everything at a high price.


    In the cultivation world, slavery wasn''t strange, but here in the ShangXi Temple region, it had been outlawed and banned.


    They tried to use this information to report it to the authorities, but they didn''t do it directly. They tried to learn more about the situation, and the result terrified them.


    Many things had changed inside ShangXi Temple.


    "In the past, they didn''t have any way to gain information, but with the strange device you gave them, they found them."


    Situ Cuiying then took out a small digital camera and placed it on the table.


    "The real device has been broken, but the memory card is safe."


    FengXue reviewed the data, then frowned when she saw images of the Silver Snake clan. There weren''t just one or two; there were dozens of them.


    They seemed to be gathered in a huge hall, with humans in cages being sold as merchandise.


    From the photos, she could see the snakes looking at the humans like some kind of delicacy.

 Chapter 502 - 502: Motive?

    ''I did hear rumors that the Silver Snake clan has an obsession with humans, not just for eating them, but also for torturing them. The reason is unknown, but seeing this, it should be right.''


    If this had happened before, FengXue would have changed her plan and pushed it back to do more preparation, but now it didn''t matter since Alex and MingYue were here. She was confident they could take care of the rest.


    "It''s all right, tell them to prepare everything. We will make our move in two days."


    "Two days?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why are you not happy? Don''t you always protest how long we stay here passively?"


    "That is true, but how confident are you in facing them?"


    "Don''t worry. Have you forgotten the two people who paid a visit before? They will make sure everything progresses smoothly. Now, I just need to inform them of the news."


    Meanwhile, in the city, Alex and MingYue spent some quiet time walking under the moonlight. No one spoke, but both of them enjoyed the comfortable silence.


    "It''s peaceful. If only things could stay like this," Alex said with a sigh.


    With how things were progressing, he knew what awaited him was endless conflict. After taking over this world and consolidating its power, he would look for his father beyond the rift.


    When he returned, another problem would be waiting for him, one that would make him fight the association.


    "That would be great, but it''s not like we cannot do it, Alex. We could just choose to hide somewhere and live our life like this."


    MingYue''s words surprised Alex. He had always known her as a warrior who cut down everyone blocking her path.


    Seeing his expression, MingYue added, "As you said, it''s tiring. But more than that, even with our abilities, how many people do you think we will lose? We will meet new people along the way, but we will also lose someone. And maybe one of the people we lose is you or me."


    Alex let out a chuckle. "In that case, we are defeated, nothing more, nothing less. But honestly, I am more surprised by you becoming melancholy like this."


    "Just a random thought," MingYue said with a frown as she realized what Alex said was right.


    In the past, she would never have thought like this. Looking at Alex''s face, she thought, ''I probably got affected by him¡­''


    After seeing Alex without her emotions, she began to look back on her own life. Focusing only on cultivation¡ªwas that really the path? What use was strength if, in the end, she lost everything along the way?


    Alex walked a step closer and gave a peck on her forehead. "Don''t worry. I think it''s time for us to focus on gathering more of Alucard''s essence. Even though our enemy should have a method to counter it, that is still the fastest way to raise our strength."


    "Reach the peak of both human and vampire cultivation. Then maybe we will have a chance."


    "That is one of the¡ª" Alex stopped his words as he received a report from Vesa.


    He looked at MingYue, and both of them closed their eyes, then vanished from where they stood.


    Some distance away, FengXue frowned. She had come to report the situation, but both of them disappeared in front of her eyes. She tried to find their trace, but it seemed they had completely vanished.


    ''It seems I will be stuck here for a while.''


    FengXue took out a chair and table, then sat down, enjoying some night tea.


    She decided to wait since she could feel a small change in the space. She concluded that when they returned, it would be at this spot, and it shouldn''t take long.


    Meanwhile, MingYue and Alex were now inside Edonia. They stood on the castle top, looking down at the flourishing city.


    Construction could be seen on the outer skirts, while the inner area was filled with many skyscrapers. The sky was crimson, without any sun, but it let out enough natural light, painting the city with a red hue.


    In front of Alex, the abbot was half-kneeling, but his appearance had changed. If before he had looked like a sly old man, now he was a feminine man with silver eyes.


    "I am sure, King, he is not human, probably belonging to another species. Based on your father''s memories, he should be from the Silver Snake clan of the beastman race. But in my opinion, each of them should belong to their own race, and this Silver Snake is more similar to the Serpent clan or Naga species."


    "That doesn''t matter. What''s important is him being here now. Did you learn anything about how he became the abbot?"


    "I extracted his memories directly, but there were many protections. In the end, his mind broke, so as you can see now, King, he has become a simpleton.


    As for his knowledge that I could extract, it''s only that his mission here was to keep their existence hidden while continuing to send humans to the main clan."


    "What!? The main clan is located in the core region. That place is good enough to even seal the connection between progenitors."


    If not for the strong seal, many things would have worked out better and more easily.


    "Unfortunately, King, I cannot extract more of this information, but I think it''s enough to know they have a connection with an outside force."


    "The deadly sin has been here for a long time. Since the primordial can come here, it doesn''t close the possibility of others. There is also the existence of those Gu clans."


    "It seems the situation is not that simple, then. How about their strength, Vesa?" MingYue asked.


    "If I base it on their life force, adding in their species'' ability, it''s possible we are fighting against two to three immortals in terms of strength."


    "That much in this region?" Alex frowned, hearing Vesa''s answer.


    Since it was established that the Silver Snake clan got help from outsiders, the question was what they paid to get those. Alex didn''t believe they got it for free.


    "Does this world have anything else precious?"

 Chapter 503 - 503: It start

    "No, King, the only thing left should be the rift, but this place is too far away from it."


    "Alex, what if their goal is to destroy the formation in the core region?


    That way, the rift will break and grow in size. Don''t forget the coalition''s existence and the frontline.


    Despite your father''s goal to unite them, many things have already happened outside his plan."


    Alex agreed with MingYue''s words. Without Orion here, whatever happened in ShangXi Temple had already derailed far, and there was a huge possibility the Silver Snake was behind this.


    His eyes then glinted with coldness. ''I hope Uncle Orion is still alive.''


    Time passed on. MingYue returned to share some information with FengXue, while Alex stayed in Edonia to check the current progress.


    Despite it being his domain, he hadn''t spent the time to check the situation himself, only hearing it from Vesa''s report.


    In total, the current populace of Edonia right now was around 1 million people. It was a mixed race between goblin, half-vampire, elf, and human. Although humans were the minority here, the majority were elves, more than 60%, while 30% of the population were goblins.


    These minority humans were specialists who moved from the Bai Yue Sect to help with the development and administration of Edonia.


    The design was focused on creating one mega-city where every race lived around each other.


    It was then separated into multiple districts: residential area, farming area, research, manufacturing, government, and military districts.


    Each was then divided even further depending on their needs. For example, civilian or military industry.


    The city was already self-sufficient, thanks to Vesa''s help utilizing Rune formations everywhere. Things progressed effectively.


    Only around 40% of the population really worked, while the remaining 60% were focused on military practice.


    Alex had all of them learn qi cultivation methods while making their bodies adapt to mana. Something similar to what was done in Bai Yue Sect, but with a difference.


    The qi cultivation system was adapted for elf usage, allowing them to absorb elemental qi from the environment from the start. This was only possible thanks to their bodies'' unique traits.


    This allowed them to use spells without using the lifeforce stone.


    The progress had already given results, but they were not strong enough yet to wreak havoc in the cultivation world.


    They also needed to train with modern weaponry; there was no way they could fight with spells alone against their enemies. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then walked around the city, slipping in as one of the inhabitants. The place was very busy. Despite construction materials being teleported directly to the project site, many things still needed to be transported manually.


    This was because teleportation could only be used by the government, and was not allowed for civilians for safety. Despite being modern, the place itself was filled with many plants and riverways that cut and separated the districts.


    Alex stopped on one of the bridges, looking toward one of the bustling areas¡ªthe market. People were busy, but they had satisfied smiles on their faces, making him feel proud.


    "How is it?"


    A familiar voice asked from behind, making Alex smile.


    "You finished, MingYue? The place is quite good now. As you can see, it''s very bustling¡ª even more prosperous and better than my city."


    "Yes, it seems FengXue also found out about the silver snake, so there isn''t much to talk about.


    We just need to adjust more to reduce the casualties to a minimum."


    "No worry, I sent Vesa to enhance the formation. Nothing should go wrong except if the outer gods intervene again."


    MingYue then looked at the river. Despite being colored red, it gave off a peaceful feeling.


    "A red sky and river¡ªusually, this would be a bad omen, but here it''s different."


    "That is more like a difference in culture. After all, this place is the vampires'' homeworld."


    "Yes, true. Meanwhile, outside, it''s filled with chaos. Now that I think about it, how safe do you think this world is?"


    Alex raised his eyebrow. He had never thought about it. Vesa was Edonia''s world spirit, and both were one.


    "As long as Vesa is fine, it should be alright."


    "Yes, this place is Vesa''s. Then, where is Vesa truly?"


    Alex frowned. She should be located deep inside their soul, but whose soul?


    Did she move in between them? Then what about the system?


    As they wondered about the answer, a streak of light shot toward the sky and then exploded into fireworks.


    It was a silent welcome for the king and queen since they didn''t want it announced by the Luciel family.


    The fire reflected in the water. While this was a celebration, soon, a similar reflection would happen elsewhere, but one reflected with blood.


    Alex and MingYue spent the next day enjoying their time in Edonia with Moon. Her cheerful and pure attitude made them smile, but at the same time, they also realized the danger that Moon possessed.


    Moon was not normal; she didn''t have an innate repulsion to anything. This included torture, gore, and cruelty¡ªit didn''t matter to her. She was like a pure white paper that could be painted with anything.


    Moon also didn''t recognize anyone else except Alex and MingYue. If not for their words, she would have already killed everyone who disobeyed her.


    This wouldn''t be a problem if she were weak, but with her strength, many were no match for her.


    Time passed on, just like usual. The sun rose, marking the dawn of a new day, but for the people at Shangxi Temple, this was not just a brand-new day¡ªit was a brand-new era.


    A group of people came and surrounded the temple in the morning. Some thought it was just another protest like usual, but this time, things quickly changed.


    BANG! BANG! BOOM!


    The sound of bullets and explosions reverberated in the air. Many of the guards were massacred before they could even do anything.


    "We''ve had enough! They sit in there, behind their marble walls, while we starve on the streets!"

 Chapter 504 - 504: The Silver Snake Plan

    "They keep raising taxes! My family can''t even afford to eat! And they just keep getting richer!"


    "They promised us change, but all they did was lie! They protect the wealthy, while we suffer!"


    "This isn''t just about money or jobs anymore. They steal our children, thinking we''ll cower! But we''ll tear this building apart if we have to!"


    "This is the end of their rule! If they won''t listen, then we''ll MAKE them listen! For our families! For our future! Active the formation!"


    Qi spread out as stronger cultivators emerged to quell the protest, but at this moment, a formation activated, blocking the whole temple.


    This completely turned the entire area into a different space, making communication almost impossible.


    No one could see past the barrier. But for the guards inside, it was the least of their problems.


    One of their rituals required all of them to pay respects in the temple in the morning. This made almost 90% of their forces already gathered.


    The problem was that the weird formation somehow dampened their qi, making it very hard to use.


    Inside the temple, a group of people gathered in a room. As it was morning, normally, the people in the temple would have gathered for the morning ritual, but this one was far from it.


    The group of people lowered their heads, with two dead bodies dropped to the ground. Based on the wounds, it was clear these corpses were fresh. In front, three people were seated on chairs.


    Two were men with silver eyes, while the other was a woman with silver hair.


    "Who is backing those cattle?" she asked in disdain.


    "We don''t know, madam. We suspect it''s from the resistance movement, but they shouldn''t be able to do something like this."


    The woman raised her hand, and then, with one motion, the man''s head dropped with a thud. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Useless parasite. Do you think we cannot think that much? If you don''t have a better answer, then you don''t need to stay alive."


    Fear quickly gripped the crowd; no one dared make a single move.


    "Sis, what do you even expect?"


    "He''s right. We should just finish them all. Why bother with this?"


    "You forgot the elder''s order?" The woman asked, her eyes glinting dangerously.


    The two men quickly shut up, not saying any more words.


    "Hmph! It seems living here has made both of you complacent. Do you forget our real goal here?"


    "Yes."


    "What is it?"


    "To control the temple from the shadows. But, Sis, they''ve already created a formation that completely separates the space. As long as we kill them all, no one will know what happened."


    "That''s right. Sis, we can also use this for justification later on."


    "Hmmm¡­" the woman started considering their suggestion.


    The elder had asked them to send more humans, but if too many disappeared at once, it would affect the stability of the sect. People would start asking questions.


    Even now, this had already happened, giving them a headache.


    "You do it, then get out and capture them all." She then turned her gaze toward the group in front of her. "You prepare for the aftermath. We need to at least capture 10,000 people now."


    "Sis, one more thing¡ªwhat about the abbot? I''m sure his disappearance is related to this."


    "Whoever did this has my thanks. Making him the abbot was a huge mistake. He only indulged himself, not helping our task at all."


    "But Sis, he''s the elder''s son. What if¡­"


    The woman then smirked. "Let''s just blame it on them, then."


    The man disagreed, but he didn''t dare say it. In his opinion, the elder wouldn''t believe it. The abbot wasn''t weak. If someone that strong really slipped in, they should have known and done something about it.


    "What? Do you have something to say?"


    "Umm¡­ Sis, do you think the elders will believe us? I mean, in the first place, the reason we''re here¡­"


    "Hah, what can they do? Even if he doesn''t trust it, can he come all the way here!?


    That portal can only be used to send those that are dead. If not for that incident, none of us would ever be here.


    So, what are you waiting for? Go!"


    The two men looked at each other, then left the place. Outside, one of them said in an annoyed tone, "Sis is being even more sensitive lately."


    "Shh¡­ you think she can''t hear us here?"


    "You all go to the front and fight them. Even with your qi suppressed, you should be able to defeat them with your physical prowess."


    "But, Sir, we''ve already received reports that the weapons they use are deadly."


    "That''s because they didn''t transform. Just go all out and use the humans as our cannon fodder."


    "Yes, Sir."


    The group of elders quickly dispersed. Despite their sister''s orders, none of them planned to go to the front lines.


    They would exhaust every single force first until they had no choice before even doing that.


    "Also, activate our own formation. We''ll send all those fresh corpses directly to the homeland."


    "That''s a good idea. This way, we''ll fill our quota no matter what, but honestly, do you know why they need this?"


    The man''s lips twitched, and then he hit his brother on the head.


    "You retard. All this time, you don''t know what you''re doing? And why we''re sent here?"


    "Isn''t it because of punishment? Because our father sided with them?"


    "Hah! You really don''t use your brain. How could I even have a brother like you?


    Listen carefully. I will not repeat it again. Our chief wants to use them to corrode the formation in the core region. That way, we''re not breaking any agreement."


    "Ah, I see¡­ Chief is so smart. The deal is only for us not to pass the Thousand Abyss Ridge.


    If we create another hole toward the outer region, this means we''re free to move around. But will they buy it?"


    Despite thinking it was a smart move, he still felt that it was very shameless for them to do. It was basically a loophole.

 Chapter 505 - 505: The Two Sovereigns

    "Even if they get angry, it doesn''t matter. What the chief wants is justification. They may judge us as shameless, but if they attack us first, they''re the ones breaking the pact."


    "Does it really matter?"


    "Do you think us beastmen agreed to the ceasefire just because of talk and losses?"


    "I don''t know the details, but there''s an entity that guards the rift. They''re the ones making sure us beastmen stay in line."


    "Then what if they get angry and decide to attack us?"


    "They can''t. They''re bound by the limitation of rules. Don''t ask again. I don''t know the details. We just need to do as we''re asked."


    Back inside the room, the woman''s expression quickly changed. From annoyance, it turned into a smile.


    "It''s been so long. Finally, someone broke the status quo. Now, if I can find a way to use this opportunity¡­"


    The woman''s silvery eyes then glinted with killing intent. "I should be able to take my revenge."


    Outside, the situation escalated, and a group of people emerged. Their bodies grew larger, while their lower parts transformed into snakes.


    They slithered through the battleground, facing the Resistance.


    At first, bullets ricocheted back, failing to penetrate through their scales.


    But one of the bullets, by luck, hit one of the creatures in the eye, piercing through and effectively destroying its brain.


    "Everyone, target their eyes."


    The shooters adjusted their targets, but it was easier said than done. Despite their large bodies, the snake creatures were very agile. They easily dodged and used their weapons to parry the attacks.


    "Should we make our move now?"


    "Not yet, Cuiying. Sect Master said they would take care of things. Let''s just sit and watch."


    At a distance, Alex and MingYue were observing what was happening. Their location was outside the barrier, but they could easily see everything, as Vesa was the one who had created the formation.


    "Should we make a move now?"


    Alex''s expression changed, his lips curling into a smile.


    Two people landed in front of him.


    "Only you two? Where are the rest?"


    One of the Sovereigns was a man with a middle-aged appearance. He had crimson hair and eyes; the other was a woman with short hair.


    Both of them bowed in respect.


    "We don''t know. They invited us to do something, but we rejected it," the man replied.


    "Hmm..." Alex checked their location, and his face turned into a frown.


    Both of the Sovereigns had disappeared. The only reason this could happen was if they went to another world or entered the core region.


    Considering the situation, it was more likely the second one.


    "Did they find a way to mess with my mark? I was sure up until five minutes ago I could still track their location."


    Alex speculated they had already left for a while, and the only reason the mark he gave stopped reacting was that they felt it was no longer needed.


    The probable reason was the arrival of the other two Sovereigns. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man''s name was Dorian, and the woman''s name was Selene.


    "Why did you decide to come here then?"


    The two looked at each other and then dropped to one knee.


    "We are loyal followers of Lady Thalia. She long instructed us on possible scenarios that could happen."


    "So, you know the truth?"


    "Yes, we are the vampire race, nearly hunted to extinction. Our very existence is considered a crime in the universe.


    The losers have no right but to bow down to the winners," Selene said.


    Dorian then added with disdain, "We already told the others about this, but they didn''t believe us. Even after Lady Vesa tries to convince them, they are still being so arrogant.


    They don''t understand that we need to stick together to rise again."


    "I can see that neither of you has accepted me, but you are sincere in your efforts to restore the vampire race''s glory."


    Alex felt this was already a good result. After all, accepting someone weaker than them as their progenitor would be hard to swallow.


    "Then both of you go. With your strength, you should have no problem capturing the leader. I need them alive."


    Neither of them replied with words; they simply made their move.


    Their bodies turned into bats, flying toward the barrier.


    The moment they got close, the area of the barrier became transparent, allowing them to pass.


    "I will take the frontline," Dorian said with a grin.


    "Hmph! Just say you want to wreak havoc. Remember, don''t harm the others on our side."


    "I''m not stupid, Selene. Even though the progenitor is still weak, Lady Thalia has placed her trust in him, and it''s only a matter of time before he becomes strong.


    And those foolish people who think they can still become the head are just good fodder for him."


    "You think he has the heart to kill and absorb them?"


    "Yes. Do you remember how cold he was when he ordered us? Before, I was also skeptical, but at that moment..."


    Dorian''s eyes glinted with respect. "That is the real one, the vampire progenitor."


    "Honestly, I doubt that was the real him, but you''re right. I still remember the fear I felt at that time. Despite our difference in strength, he easily overwhelmed the four of us."


    Dorian then grinned, showing his sharp canines. "Let''s begin, then¡ªthe festival of blood. This will mark the new beginning for our vampire race."


    Selene shook her head, then flew toward the temple. In her opinion, Dorian was the proudest of all of them.


    When he came to her, saying his plan to swear loyalty to Alex, Selene was surprised.


    Dorian was infamous for looking down on other species. He was very cruel, not even considering them as living beings.


    He also complained a lot when Alex suddenly took over the entire place and moved them to Edonia. He was one of the troublemakers who received special education from Vesa.


    His change of heart came from the sensation of the progenitor he felt. It was a potent force that made him kneel in worship. In Selene''s mind, this wasn''t a good enough reason.


    ''Oh well, it doesn''t matter. In the end, I already decided from the start to follow him. I was just biding my time because I didn''t want to get involved this early.''


    With that thought, Selene entered the temple.

 Chapter 506 - 506: Captured

    Dorian started reverting back to his humanoid form, blood wings emerging from his back. "You puny creatures, kneel."


    His aura spread out, suffocating everyone on the ground.


    The transformed snakes groaned in pain, blood seeping from all their orifices, their bodies falling into the ground, writhing in their own pools of blood.


    The Resistance didn''t fare much better. Most of them were just normal civilians, and even the cultivators fared no better as their Qi was sealed.


    They fell to their knees, unable to move.


    The only one still standing was FengXue; even Cuiying had fallen to her knees.


    She looked upward, locking eyes with Dorian.


    Her action caught his attention. His eyes filled with disdain, he raised his aura once more to force her to kneel, but FengXue didn''t budge.


    "Stop it unless you plan to report to the Sect Master."


    "Tch, no fun."


    Dorian snapped his fingers. The blood on the ground started moving upward, defying gravity. It gathered into a sphere.


    The snake bodies withered into dried corpses.


    The large blood sphere then fell into Dorian''s palm. At first, it was as big as a two-story bus, but as it descended, it shrank until it was only the size of a marble.


    "Not bad..."


    Meanwhile, inside the temple, Selene quickly locked onto the strongest beings inside. She flew toward the highest tower, spotting two brothers.


    "Who are you?" one of the brothers asked with a frown.


    Selene''s bat form dissipated like a fog.


    "Brother, where is it? I can''t feel it anywhere."


    "Shh, I''m sure that creature is still here."


    The brother warned, but the next moment, both of them were raised into the air.


    Crimson blood suddenly appeared, engulfing their bodies all the way to their heads.


    They began suffocating as the liquid entered their lungs, making them choke. It didn''t take long for both of them to lose consciousness.


    Selene snapped her fingers, letting both of them fall to the ground. Part of the blood then moved, turning into something like a collar that tightened around both of their necks.


    "Watched enough? It''s amazing you could come here without me realizing.


    Is it part of your species'' innate talent?"


    "Release both my brothers."


    Selene smiled, showing her sharp canines. "Why should I? Do you still have some way to turn the situation around?


    Or do you think you can defeat me and escape?"


    The woman let out a maniacal laugh. "You should be able to tell there''s a huge energy beneath this temple. If you don''t free them, I''ll make it explode. Let''s all die together."


    "So, you''re sure that explosion can kill me and the others?"


    "No! I know you''ll survive, but it should be enough to take out the entire city."


    "Well, I was ordered to capture you alive and avoid attacking our teammates. None of it says I need to protect them.


    Feel free if you want to do it, although I doubt you can break Lady Vesa''s barrier. Don''t underestimate it."


    The woman''s expression quickly changed. She could tell Selene was serious. She didn''t care at all about the lives of the citizens.


    "You may not care, but are you sure you''ll get out scot-free?"


    "Hmm... they might punish me for this, but I doubt it will matter. Look here, woman... you underestimate us too much.


    Even if everyone dies, so what?


    If my King deems it necessary, he will just resurrect them all. Most of them are just normal civilians, anyway. One of your kind should be more than enough to reassure a lot of them."


    "Don''t think you can capture my soul! I''ll self-destruct it." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then go ahead. What are you waiting for?"


    The woman started hesitating. Selene didn''t miss this change.


    She grasped the woman by the neck and then slammed her body toward the ceiling. Despite this, the woman was barely wounded.


    She then flew outside the barrier and landed in front of Alex and MingYue.


    "That was fast."


    "Thanks for the compliment. This woman seems to be the one responsible for leading the temple. She''s the strongest there.


    Do you have any more missions, King?"


    "Investigate


    the temple, looking for something like a teleportation array."


    Selene nodded, then left to complete her task.


    Alex looked at the woman. "What''s your name?"


    "Thara."


    "You should understand your current situation, then. Tell me everything you know, and maybe I''ll consider letting you live."


    "Then just kill me! I see no upside to your offer, and the worst outcome is death.


    No matter how much you torture me, I''ll just do that."


    Usually, Alex would just throw people like this at Vesa, but he felt the woman had something to offer.


    "You seem to already have an idea in your mind. Tell me."


    "The snake clan is involved with a sect in the core region. Based on your strength, you should know about them."


    Alex nodded, gesturing for her to continue.


    "They have a goal to erode the formation in the core region, allowing them to create new exit points toward outer regions.


    I''ll tell you more, but in exchange, guarantee the safety of my brothers and me and help me take over the Silver Snake Clan."


    ''Silver Snake Clan, if nothing has changed, they should be one of the emperors from the beast territory. It seems it''s time for me to go toward them.''


    "Answer me this: what happened to the abbot before you? My answer will depend on yours."


    "The abbot before me? I don''t know. When I came here, the place was already prepared.


    I just took the position. If you want to know more, you''ll need to ask my uncle."


    Alex squinted his eyes, then activated his ability, observing the woman''s every expression.


    "Are you kidding me? How long have you been overlord in this place? And now you''re telling me you don''t know anything about the last abbot?"


    "I don''t! But I have some ideas. The people in power before me were taken by the coalition. Although the spoils were shared with my clan, I cannot say for sure."


    "Spoil!?" Alex''s eyes glinted with coldness.

 Chapter 507 - 507: Thara

    He knew these "spoils" meant humans and could even include Uncle Orion. But something didn''t make sense¡ªthere was no way his uncle was captured that easily.


    Unless he did it on purpose. After some more thought, Alex realized this was very possible.


    Considering his uncle''s personality, he would prefer to get captured by the enemy rather than stay in such a suffocating place filled with so many useless traditions and rules.


    Except he did it on purpose. After some more thought, he realized this was very possible.


    Considering his uncle''s personality, he would prefer to get captured by the enemy rather than stay in such a suffocating place filled with so many useless traditions and rules.


    ''But it has been such a long time¡­ did an accident happen?''


    Alex frowned. He wondered if Ariadne knew about this. Were they still in contact with each other?


    ''They probably aren''t; otherwise, things wouldn''t have escalated like this.''


    Alex then took out a blood contract.


    "Sign this, and I will help you."


    The contract''s content made the woman''s eyes widen. "This is just slavery!"


    "Nope. Don''t you see I wrote that I will take care of your clan?"


    "Take care!? It states you have control over my life and death."


    "And so? As long as you don''t give me a reason to take it, you''re fine," Alex said with a warm smile, but his eyes glinted with coldness.


    Thara gulped; she could feel Alex''s killing intent. The meaning was clear¡ªif she didn''t sign, she would be killed.


    Even though she still had a backup plan, Thara didn''t want to risk it.


    She had seen Selene''s capability, and on the way, her army had been decimated.


    ''It seems I have no choice, but I cannot just accept it like this.''


    Gritting her teeth, Thara said, "Then at least put a clause that you will help me take over my clan and not interfere with how I rule."


    "Your name is Thara, right?


    It seems the Silver Snake Clan isn''t that smart. What makes you think you have a choice?


    We can force you here and now to do what we want.


    Turning you into a puppet, using another soul to possess your body¡ªthere are many methods.


    Know your place!" MingYue said while spreading her progenitor aura. She focused it all on the woman.


    The aura didn''t have any suppressing effect as she was a different species, but this didn''t mean it had no use.


    Thara felt like she was in the presence of a very strong being¡ªone far above her.


    Her beast instinct told her she was in front of an apex predator.


    With a heavy heart, Thara signed the contract.


    FengXue then started organizing the spoils. She took all the Silver Snake bodies and then told her people the situation.


    She didn''t tell them the complete truth, only that the Silver Snake Clan had taken over the temple for a long time and was the cause of all their misery.


    The few who survived were all taken captive to Edonia. This included Thara and her two brothers.


    Alex didn''t directly let her go. They needed to get more detailed information from her on the situation.


    Seeing things wrapping up, FengXue felt empty. The enemy she had been looking for wasn''t there.


    All her effort and everything she had done, but in the end, someone else had done it before her.


    ''It seems I''ve been sealed for too long. Even the people I need to take revenge on are already dead. Not even immortals survive the passing of time.''


    She had heard information through Situ Chen from the Xue family. The immortals of the same generation as her brother had either been killed or disappeared.


    They left through the rift and never returned.


    As for their descendants, it''s been so long that they only heard of their ancestors as legends. Some even completely forgot about them because of inner conflict.


    "Are you alright, Lady?" Cuiying asked, feeling concerned.


    "It''s nothing. Let''s go; we still have some things to do."


    They then walked toward the temple.


    The place was in disarray as Selene had wreaked havoc when capturing the residents.


    She used her ability, forcefully pulling them toward her, destroying any wall or ceiling in the path.


    Selene wasn''t worried they would die in the process; their bodies were robust enough to survive it.


    "You go check their administration room and look through all the documents. You should know what the others want."


    "Yes, Lady FengXue. What about you?"


    FengXue needed to give out the rewards she had promised to others who had helped her in the attack.


    Not everyone had joined because of the cause.


    Each had their own personal goals and ambitions. If she didn''t give out their rewards, it would cause further problems in the future. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    FengXue had already talked with MingYue. They would take over ShangXie Temple''s leadership and then use its foundation and framework to help unify the whole region.


    "I will talk with my sect leader. They should be in the dungeon.


    Oh yeah, and in case I don''t return, just take care of things as I instructed and then look for my sect leader.


    Or you can just return to your clan."


    Cuiying was caught off guard by her remark. She was confused¡ªthere should be no more danger now. Why would she say something so ominous?


    But before she could say anything, FengXue had already left.


    She walked down toward the basement. There, she saw Alex, MingYue, and the two Sovereigns.


    Selene and Dorian were talking with MingYue from the side.


    They were surprised, feeling the progenitor aura coming from MingYue.


    Meanwhile, Alex was now looking at the formation that the Silver Snake Clan used to transport human bodies.


    ''They need it fresh. This means their goal is probably lifeforce.


    Does this mean their plan is to create something like runes? But other than vampires, they shouldn''t have a way to utilize it.''


    It wasn''t that lifeforce was exclusive to the vampire race, but if others extracted it, the result would be the same as those demonic cultivators.

 Chapter 508 - 508: Pseudo Vampire Core

    A lifeforce filled with emotion and other things.


    ''If all the bodies are the same, then the lifeforce they took should be filled with resentment. Do they want to make some kind of curse to eat away at the formation?''


    Alex knew this was possible, but with how strong the formation was, just how strong would the curse need to be?


    The amount of spirits they needed to gather would be a very huge number.


    Billions? Trillions?


    MingYue could feel the anger rising from Alex. Despite being a vampire now, he had spent a longer time as a human.


    This also reminded him of the past tragedy.


    "Do you want to punish them?" MingYue asked as she arrived by his side.


    "Forget it. That would just be me being petty. With how vast the universe is, who knows how many species the human race has enslaved now?


    And we are no longer human. Our focus should be the resurrection of the vampire race."


    MingYue nodded, then changed the topic, "So, to the Beast Territory?"


    "Yes, but this means we will pass through the frontline region. Won''t Aunt want to check the rift?"


    "Let''s see how things turn out there. Anyway, you have a guest, MingYue."


    MingYue turned her eyes to LingHua. "Well, more like yours."


    Alex looked at MingYue with confusion, not understanding what she meant.


    She replied with a chuckle, "You know, returning LingHua''s body to her, and¡­"


    "Ah, you mean creating a new body for FengXue."


    "Can you do that?"


    Feng Xue was surprised by the information. To her knowledge, no one could do this.


    Seeing the concern in her gaze, Alex chuckled, "Don''t worry. I can guarantee this body won''t be worse than Heaven''s choice. And honestly, I can make it better if you want to take the risk."


    "What kind of risk?"


    "I once made a body utilizing precious materials from my dungeon. This enhanced his physical strength to a new level. With that knowledge, I had a thought about making one utilizing high-grade Qi crystals."


    "Does this mean my body will be made like a golem?" Feng Xue asked in a dejected tone.


    "Of course not. I will use the Qi crystal to create the veins in the body. This will allow you to transmit Qi very quickly.


    Other than this, I will utilize the Silver Snake bloodline to create your flesh and skin. This will make you stronger and give you a strong bloodline.


    You can even change your form when you master it¡­


    There is one more thing, though. I want to try adding an energy core inside your body, if you agree, of course.


    This will enhance your overall strength but at the same time, have its own risks since it''s untested."


    Alex wanted to create an artificial core that worked like a vampire''s. It would beat like a heart, absorbing the surrounding lifeforce when utilizing a special technique he created.


    The core would then filter it, making the life force pure and ready to be used.


    The current conversion rate was still very bad, but it was a step toward creating his own artificial core.


    Alex had been planning this since he wanted to give it to the people around him.


    Right now, he could already use runes to enhance their regeneration, making them very hard to kill. But the downside was they couldn''t absorb lifeforce on their own.


    Waiting for him to gain the ability to turn others into vampires would still take a long time. Even now, their progenitor progression rate is still very low.


    But it wasn''t like he could just go on a hunt and forget everyone around him.


    That''s why Alex was looking for an alternative method to do this. He had tried a similar formation when he came to the Zephyr Clan. Now, he just needed to create it into a core.


    FengXue started considering the idea. She knew how it felt to live with a body that wasn''t talented. Otherwise


    , there was no way she would have been stuck at Golden Core despite her brother reaching the Immortal Realm.


    She didn''t lack resources or cultivation methods, but even with all those, that was the limit she reached.


    In the first place, her body was one that she couldn''t cultivate. It was already amazing for her to raise it to that realm.


    Maybe her brother at the peak could help her, but unfortunately, the situation at that time didn''t give her the opportunity to meet him.


    "I will do it then¡ªa body with two cores and the Silver Snake bloodline. The risk is worth it."


    "Alright, let''s start. MingYue, take out LingHua."


    MingYue took the earring, and a formation appeared on top of it.


    She then clenched her hand, making it crack.


    A guttural scream came out as she shattered the formation.


    "FUCK! DAMMIT!! MingYue!!! Do you want to kill me!!!"


    LingHua screamed in pain.


    Her soul hovered in the air as she was now released. But she didn''t realize where she was now.


    "Is it painful?? Good." MingYue replied with a cold smile.


    LingHua didn''t respond. She was still trying to recover from the pain. It was more painful than anything she had ever felt.


    It was like something was being forcefully torn from her existence.


    But before the pain could subside, her soul was pulled into her body. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All this put her into shock, resulting in her becoming unconscious.


    FengXue''s soul hovered in the air, looking forward to what Alex would do next.


    Alex''s fingers started drawing many runes, creating a complicated formation on top of the one used by the Silver Snake.


    He planned to utilize the Qi crystals used in this to make FengXue''s veins.


    The quality was even better than the one he had. It was probably a special type of Qi crystal that only existed in Beast Man Territory.


    The formation then shattered as it didn''t have enough energy to sustain it.


    Alex then poured his life energy, turning the Qi crystal into something like a thread. He then began weaving it.


    "Dorian, the blood you took."


    "Yes, King." Dorian sent out the condensed blood sphere.

 Chapter 509 - 509: Yubina Vs Ariadne

    His eyes were filled with awe as he saw Alex create the new body. He had heard everything, and this feat was something he never thought possible.


    Doesn''t this mean creating a new lifeform? Won''t that make him a god?


    Alex drew another rune, then flicked it toward the blood sphere. The crimson liquid then started pouring toward the veins.


    Using many more complex formations, he used it to create bone, nerves, internal organs, flesh, and skin.


    This whole process took Alex hours to finish, but now he was more adept at it compared to when he had created Pi''s body.


    "Now for the finish."


    He started weaving his lifeforce to create the new core. It was spherical, with many circuits drawn on it.


    If someone put it under a microscope, they would be able to see many runes crafting this circuit.


    This core took a few more hours¡ªlonger than the time Alex used to create FengXue''s body.


    Meanwhile, MingYue had already put FengXue''s soul into the new body.


    As it was completely new without any soul ever possessing it, FengXue didn''t face any problems making it hers.


    Finished with the core, Alex then turned his gaze to FengXue. She was now seated cross-legged, adapting to the new body while cultivating.


    "FengXue, this will be painful, but don''t resist."


    The new core was sent into her body. It pierced through her skin and then settled right beside her heart.


    The wound then quickly healed without FengXue needing to do anything. It was part of her innate regeneration, thanks to the silver snake bloodline.


    "I will give you a cultivation method. Use this one." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex then touched her forehead and poured information directly into her brain.


    Her expression turned calmer as her strength rose at a very fast speed.


    "The core seems to be working."


    MingYue''s eyes lit up. She understood the meaning of this.


    If this worked, they could not only make sure their family was stronger, but they could also mass-produce an elite army.


    "Patience, MingYue, we need to make sure it really works. I also gave her a new cultivation method, mixing it with a vampire."


    "Hmm¡­ a strong army that our enemy has no information about."


    "Yes, that is what we really need to fight against them; otherwise, there is no hope."


    Even though it was true that a really strong being didn''t need any army, they were still far from it.


    And they needed this force if they wanted to hunt all progenitor essence.


    Who knew how many had already fallen into their enemy''s hands, or what if the place was located deep inside enemy territory?


    They would need to wage war to even get close to it.


    ''How about the risk of betrayal?'' MingYue asked through her mind.


    ''I already put some countermeasures on this pseudo-vampiric core. It''s replicating the suppression method from progenitors to their species.''


    ''How did you do that?''


    ''It''s complicated to explain, but basically using a combination of our life force signatures, I used it as a key that would create a suppression effect, even making them powerless if we wanted.''


    ''Then, as long as our enemy cannot find this, we should be safe. But what if they replicate it?''


    ''Don''t worry, to use this function, we need to use our life force in a very specific way. So it''s not really like progenitors that can just use their presence.''


    Meanwhile, back at the encampment, Luca and Emily were talking with Qingwa.


    Rather than a discussion, it felt more like an interrogation, but she didn''t dare answer as she knew their background.


    One was the parent of the sect master, while the other was his little sister.


    "So you never met with Alex, but you have heard about him from the lady?"


    "Yes, as both sect leaders are busy, most of the orders were sent directly from Lady Vesa."


    ''Hmm, so most of the management is taken care of by Vesa, but can she really be trusted?''


    After calming down, Luca started thinking about their situation.


    Alex was entangled with things far beyond the scope of her imagination, but this didn''t mean she would just watch from the sidelines.


    Luca wanted to do something to help them. Hence, she took the initiative to learn more about her son''s faction and army, looking for any holes she could plug.


    As for Emily, her mind was still concerned about her father.


    She had some more talks about him with Luca, keeping her up to date with the current situation.


    Each second that passed meant the longer her father drifted as only a soul. And who knew the time difference between them?


    Sylva''s death also shook her, making her feel worried about how many of her uncles and aunts were still alive.


    As for Zold, he was busy training and cultivating.


    Meanwhile, in the beast man territory, things started tensing up. Ariadne was facing against Yubina.


    "I told you there are no humans here."


    "You spider, do you want a fight? We have already talked about this back and forth for a while now. Do you think they can pass my senses?"


    Yubina''s qi flared, spreading out and covering the whole palace.


    This was a provocative action akin to a declaration of war.


    "You fox, you want a fight? Do you think I fear you?"


    "Then come, why waste things with words?"


    While saying this, Yubina''s eyes were not looking at Ariadne. Instead, they were focused on the upper left, where Quartz and Olivia were located.


    ''Damn it, this fox! I am sure I already took precautions to bypass her senses. Does this mean she has a spy here?''


    Ariadne was sure there was no way one of her people had turned into a spy since they were all connected through some kind of hive mind.


    It was part of the violet spider clan''s ability. Ariadne had taken this special organ and then utilized a formation to use it as some kind of control device.


    This came with a risk; if someone stole it from her, they would gain control over her army.


    But she didn''t have a choice; in the first place, she was not part of the violet spider clan.

 Chapter 510 - 510: The Fox Know

    The only reason she could use their power was thanks to her absorption skill.


    Ariadne did have the option to absorb this organ, but she didn''t want to do it.


    Having the hive mind skill would be very helpful, but it would also change her personality.


    Right now, she only chose to hear what they thought, but if she had the skill, Ariadne would be able to feel their emotions and feelings.


    One may be ignored, but with millions under her, this would be something far beyond her ability to handle.


    As for the others of the species, they didn''t find it weird since even before, they wouldn''t be able to sense their queen''s mind or emotions.


    Even though they were hive-minded, hierarchy still existed.


    They could also manage it themselves, like choosing not to share their emotions or mind with those of the same class.


    This is what made Ariadne very confused. With a hive mind, any new foreign subject can be discovered quickly.


    "So be it! This place has been peaceful for a long time. Maybe now is the time for the emperor rank to shuffle."


    "Show it to me then. Your strength is enough to take down the spider queen and that sleep-deprived Tanuki."


    Ariadne spread her aura; the ground started to shake. The walls cracked, and then the ceiling shattered.


    Both of them floated high in the sky, so high that they almost reached the barrier.


    Ariadne prepared to fight, but Yubina didn''t even look at her. Instead, her eyes were locked on the barrier.


    "You are a newcomer, so you probably don''t know this, but almost every beastman clan has this knowledge.


    Some exist as records, others as legends, but the similarity is the same.


    We come from a faraway place, beaten and lost.


    Forced to this planet located in the far corner of the universe, licking our wounds."


    Her gaze then turned down toward Ariadne. "Now, what do you think? If a beast runs away licking their wounds,


    Do they do it just to escape? Or are they preparing to bare their fangs back at their enemy?"


    "That depends on the beast, but since you are the one saying it...


    A predatory beast will have the instinct to protect their territory. So they will fight back."


    Yubina grinned, showing her fox canines, her nine tails fluttering in the wind.


    "Correct."


    Her qi then exploded, covering her tail with a crimson-like aura.


    The aura gave Ariadne a sense of dread. The nine-tail fox race was famous for their hallucination and shapeshifting ability, but it was different with Yubina.


    She had a strange ability that no one knew the origin of.


    Her aura had very corrosive properties. This is what made her rank high as a beast emperor.


    The tail thrust forward like a spear.


    The speed was so fast that the next moment, Ariadne saw it right in front of her eyes.


    But she didn''t make any move. Instead, she turned her body, and eight spider legs came out from her back.


    Four on each side.


    BAM! The spider leg clashed with Yubina''s claw.


    The one that shot out her tail turned into an illusion and then disappeared. Instead, covered in a bubbling crimson aura, it was coming at her neck.


    Her fangs had grown longer and sharper.


    Smoke sizzled from the point of contact, but Ariadne didn''t feel any pain, nor did she flinch.


    "What a strong skin you have."


    "Cut the bullshit, if you want to fight, just fight."


    BANG! CLANG! BOOM!


    The sky shook with many shockwaves. Each attack made the space vibrate.


    If this had happened in another area on the planet, the space would have already distorted and broken, creating holes in the void.


    Thankfully, their clash happened inside the core region.


    They moved in a blur, clashing against each other. Ariadne threw a punch toward Yubina''s torso, but she caught it with her tail.


    The other tails then shot out, clashing against Ariadne''s spider legs.


    Yubina''s claw tore through Ariadne''s face; her skin was torn, her cheek flesh removed.


    But this was as Ariadne had planned.


    She knew without taking any hits, she wouldn''t be able to fight back.


    Her aura raised, and a green liquid shot out from her pores. It then created a bubble filled with highly acidic poison.


    It clashed against Yubina''s qi, creating a steam explosion that pushed both of them away.


    "Haha, it seems our power is very compatible," Yubina said with a chuckle. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This just shows I am in no way weaker than you!"


    "No one ever said that; we all know that rank is nothing more than decoration now.


    Everyone has become stronger, and they hide their cards well.


    Even that stupid Tanuki has his secrets. If it weren''t for you, no one would have ever known.


    But this makes me wonder, everyone here is your clan, what did you do with the Tanuki clan? Did you kill them all?"


    "Why, do you have some kind of feeling for that geezer? Never knew the charming fox queen had that kind of fling."


    "Hahaha, his wish. I''m just curious what you did with them since I don''t feel their presence here."


    "Who knows!? I don''t have any obligation to tell you about them."


    "Hmm, they are quite talented in shapeshifting like mine, although we have different specialties.


    Don''t tell me you used them to spy on our region."


    Yubina''s lips then curled into a grin.


    "Just get to the point, you sly fox. If you want to fight, then fight. If you want something, then say it."


    "I told you from the start I want to meet the human."


    Yubina opened her palm, and then a huge rock appeared.


    She then clenched her fist, and a guttural scream reverberated in the air.


    The rock, which should have shattered into dust, instead exploded into flesh and blood.


    Her qi raised even higher, to a point that surprised Ariadne.


    In the next moment, Yubina appeared inches away from her face.


    Yubina then leaned in close to Ariadne, whispering,


    "Let me meet them, and I won''t tell anyone you are a human too."

 Chapter 511 - 511: Beast Oath

    Ariadne''s eyes turned cold, her killing intent filled the air, and her pupils shrank, turning into reptilian eyes.


    Her hand then transformed into a draconic claw.


    It pierced through Yubina''s body.


    But instead of a wound, the body turned into a puff and disappeared.


    "Interesting, so my guess was right."


    ''Damn it!'' Ariadne cursed in her mind, realizing she had made a huge mistake.


    ''It seems I have gotten careless because Olivia and Quartz were here.''


    It wasn''t the first time Yubina tried to guess the secret she was hiding.


    "Let''s say what you claim is true. What do you want with the meeting?"


    "I know it''s true," Yubina replied with confidence.


    Ariadne rolled her eyes. "Just answer."


    "I swear this: I will not attack them nor share your secret with anyone, but in exchange, I want to know what your plans are.


    You are not the only one cooperating with humans; I know many do.


    Some even join that stupid coalition. Their goal is nothing more than greed; they fail to see the bigger picture."


    "¡­"


    "I see you are still not convinced. Don''t you think it''s proof enough I haven''t shared your identity with anyone?"


    "Are you kidding me? Since when does holding a sword to someone''s neck earn trust?


    And don''t think I don''t have countermeasures prepared. I dare you to share the news and see what happens."


    Yubina put her finger on her chin, looking deep in thought, then let out a sigh. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It seems you''ve taken it the wrong way. How about this then."


    She raised her palm forward, and her qi then surged.


    "I, Yubina, demon emperor of the fox clan, will make an oath on my beast core. As long as Ariadne doesn''t harm me, I will cooperate and never betray her."


    The qi reverberated, turning into a mark on her core.


    This oath made Ariadne squint her eyes.


    "Just what are you planning? To take a beast core oath?"


    Unlike humans, beastmen have different values. They respect strength the most.


    That is why, despite having a foolproof method to ensure someone''s loyalty, rarely does anyone do it. Only when the other party does it on their own initiative will it be accepted.


    "To cooperate, we need trust, and this should be more than enough."


    ''Hmm¡­ that oath still has too much leeway. If it''s a human, I would never believe it, but for an emperor to put such words¡­''


    If word spread that she betrayed it by using some kind of loophole, Yubina would lose the respect of her clan.


    After some deliberation, Ariadne decided to talk with Yubina and then let her meet with Olivia and Quartz.


    The other choice was to fight to the death, one she wasn''t confident she could win, and even if she did, things would just become more complicated.


    Inside the castle, Quartz and Olivia saw everything that happened.


    Ariadne did this on purpose to make sure they could take some preemptive measures if things grew out of hand.


    "What do you think, Olivia?"


    "Well, what else can we do? Meet them. But we''ll keep information about Alex and the others a secret."


    "Mixing truth and lies, let''s do as usual then."


    Olivia nodded; it wasn''t the first time they negotiated, and every time, they used a good cop, bad cop strategy.


    Despite the method being old and well-known, it was still very effective.


    Quartz usually took the position of pushing information out of the target, while Olivia would cut it down if she saw the target wouldn''t speak.


    But unfortunately, this wouldn''t work for Yubina.


    Not only was her strength far greater, allowing her to see through their fa?ade, but she also had no plans to hide her intentions.


    Yubina had reached the limit of her strength and had already found a way to break through it. But that method required her to go to another world.


    She did have a choice to go through the rift, but for some reason, she decided not to. That was why she sought an alternative.


    Yubina wanted to confirm if they really came from another world. Based on the information she had gathered, she was sure they were not people from this world.


    Time passed on, and without realizing it, a week had gone by.


    Alex was now with Mingyue, Luca, and Emily. They were looking at the wonder of the gate.


    The gate was made from jade carved with a dragon on one side, while there was a phoenix on the other.


    It was so large and high that it made skyscrapers look puny in comparison. It seemed to stretch to infinity, passing through the sky.


    If Alex didn''t know they were in the core region, he would have thought it stretched all the way to space.


    "Just who made this thing? Is it really Xueqi''s ancestor?" Emily asked.


    "It should be them. Well, if FengXue were here, maybe she could tell us more."


    After getting a new body, FengXue was still busy cultivating. She returned back to Bai Yue Sect to focus on raising her strength.


    Meanwhile, Qingwa changed ShangXi Temple into the base of their operations.


    Utilizing its connections and teleportation network, Qingwa tricked them into creating communication towers everywhere.


    She also spread out Bai Yue Sect members to every city with teleportation arrays, then ordered them to silently take over.


    The results were very good; just this week, their communication covered almost a quarter of the whole region.


    More than half of the territory had also fallen under Bai Yue Sect''s control.


    But not everything ran smoothly; some of the sect members panicked or got too arrogant in their missions, ending up in screw-ups.


    This turned into full-blown conflicts that still ended with Bai Yue Sect''s victory but not without repercussions.


    News spread that a sect was expanding aggressively and had possibly taken over ShangXi Temple.


    Most people might have seen this information as mere gossip or entertainment, but not the sect and clan leaders.


    With the crisis, they set aside their pride and hatred and decided to create a coalition.

 Chapter 512 - 512: The Frontline Area

    One that had never happened before in the history of the outer region¡ªa coalition formed by all the clans and sects. Even when they fought against demonic cultivators, the sects were not as united as this.


    After all, not all territories were invaded by them. Those who felt no danger would just watch from the sidelines.


    But this time, it was different.


    All of them were sure Bai Yue Sect''s goal was to completely conquer them all. If this were the only reason, some of the sects might have chosen to bow down.


    Unfortunately, all the spies reported that none of the old clans or sects still held any power after being taken over by the Bai Yue Sect.


    Their thousand-year history was uprooted, and all the authority figures in those places were either missing or killed.


    Since bowing down still meant losing their privileges and lives, they decided it was better to die fighting.


    The situation intensified, but Qingwa didn''t feel worried at all. Their strength completely outmatched the coalition''s.


    After receiving reports from MingHao and Zold on their weapon usage, a batch of the dumbed-down version was given to the sect''s elite.


    The hinged leg was removed, changing it to tires, making it look like a normal tank. But with formations and special materials used for bullets, their destructive power was nothing to scoff at.


    With its current strength, a single cannon shot could easily break through a golden core barrier.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t spam this as they wished. These bullets were made using high-grade Qi Crystals, making each one very expensive.


    The tank also utilized these crystals for its armor to enhance the effectiveness of the formation.


    This turned them into monstrosities that could easily flatten the whole region, but in the core area, they would barely be useful.


    But this didn''t mean everyone just fought using these machines they called ''Devastators.''


    This war not only expanded their territory, but it also turned Bai Yue Sect from a newcomer with many novices to one filled with pride and experienced veterans.


    Those who had huge contributions rose in rank, becoming elites. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their casualties might have been low, but this didn''t mean they faced no danger. Casualties still appeared, and with their enemies now united, the battles intensified.


    MingHao and the group were also sent to the frontline.


    They were tasked to lead the army under Qingwa''s supervision.


    As for the core region, the situation was more stagnant.


    The only thing happening now was that more and more cultivators were coming toward the Bloodspire Citadel.


    The new weapons and cultivation methods they sold caught the attention of all clans and sects.


    Although most of the people who came were those with limited potential or had already hit their limits, it was still a huge gathering of cultivators.


    This put the citadel on the map. Right now, everyone knew about this place, making it akin to a new hub.


    Many new things were also introduced. For example, utilizing formations to create realistic environments.


    This method itself was not completely new in the core region, but utilizing it as entertainment was something no one had ever done.


    The entertainment consisted of mock-up fights that gave out rewards for the winner, making it like gladiators but without the need for bloodshed, or like a sport from Alex''s world.


    At first, some stupid group tried to take it over, but they ended up getting punished and turned into an example.


    After this incident, the situation became calmer, but everyone could tell a storm was brewing.


    Many of the new cultivators that came had ulterior motives, but they did it subtly, not giving a reason for Alex''s army to do anything.


    It wasn''t that they couldn''t make up things, but for now, the goal was still gathering more and more people to recruit and put them under their control, with many benefits.


    Meanwhile, Alex and MingYue were still captivated by the structure they saw. Alex was busy calculating how much it would cost to really build this item.


    The material it required was so massive that he was sure it could bleed thousands of qi crystal mines dry.


    This made him wonder if the blue jewel planet in the past had higher qi density.


    But his thoughts stopped when a voice filled with power reverberated in the area.


    "Turn back; this place is not for you. Go back."


    "Are you part of the guardian clan? The one protecting the rift?


    I am here looking for Ying Xue, just ask her."


    "Haha, you are funny. I don''t know where you got that information, but you are not the first to try that method.


    No is no, we are not recruiting any new members for the frontline. And NO! We are not interested in intervening with what happened outside."


    MingYue''s qi churned; she wanted to attack, but Alex stopped her. In her mind, talking was a waste of time for arrogant cultivators like this.


    Put them down first, then they will listen. Alex agreed, but he had a different idea of how it should be done.


    "Just ask her and she will come out."


    "Even if she does, so what? I am the one responsible for maintaining the gate here.


    IF I don''t allow you to pass, they won''t."


    MingYue looked at Alex, her silent gaze saying, ''See what I said? It''s pointless. You cannot bait him to make the first move.


    He may be arrogant, but he''s not stupid enough to get punished.''


    ''We just need a good bait then.''


    Alex didn''t respond to the guardian''s taunt. He sat cross-legged and then took out a jar of crimson blood.


    This was leftover blood essence that he had taken from the silver snake brothers.


    It didn''t kill them, and they could regenerate, but that didn''t mean it was without any side effects.


    The snake brothers would weaken, and continuous extraction could result in their cultivation realm going down.


    Alex then opened the lid, allowing the essence aura to spread.

 Chapter 513 - 513: Weird Space

    Basketball, soccer, tennis, and many other types were brought over.


    The restaurant with MSG food also gave a lot of treats to their tongues.


    This turned many cultivators into gourmets despite them not needing to eat.


    Imagine living in a world where spice was barely used for cooking, and then suddenly MSG was introduced?


    It wasn''t that it didn''t exist in this world, but all their culture was focused on cultivation. And when they became cultivators, the need for food disappeared.


    This made experimenting with taste less interesting than making alchemy pills.


    Their modern architecture also made many of these cultivators choose to stay in the citadel for a long time.


    Unfortunately, with a huge gathering of people and interesting stuff, conflict brewed up.


    ''This should be enough to bait him out.''


    And Alex was right; a blood essence of the grade of a silver snake was something very rare and precious. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the deal between them that blocked fighting against each other, getting one would be very hard and would potentially put them as criminals.


    Someone wanting to create conflict for personal interest.


    "That blood essence, where did you get it from?"


    A figure then appeared in front of the gate.


    ''An immortal as a gatekeeper¡­ They''re not playing around.


    No wonder the frontline clan is very respected.''


    Alex didn''t believe the respect only came from their sacrifice on the frontline.


    Just like in his world, hunters might be respected by civilians, but most of the time, the reason was because they could easily earn money.


    Some instead cursed them, as they were the victims of bad hunters.


    "Anyway, let''s talk inside."


    His tone then filled with pride as he said, "Don''t be surprised by what you''ll feel when entering."


    The group then entered through the entrance.


    The moment they took a step in, Alex felt like he was entering a whole new world.


    At first, they felt a huge pressure under their bodies, as if gravity had been raised tenfold.


    After a few more steps, the air completely disappeared as if they were passing through a vacuum.


    If their cultivation had been low, this would have been very lethal and dangerous.


    It was like walking in space without any protective suit.


    After passing through this, they finally reached the core region.


    The place was beyond their imagination.


    Alex wouldn''t have been surprised if what he saw was another new world or a place like a dungeon.


    Instead, what he saw was like a mega-city straight out of science fiction.


    The place was a huge enclosed space, with buildings that looked like they were made from a single material.


    The skyscrapers went all the way to the ceiling, making them look like pillars.


    But since everything looked the same, it was more like seeing one huge mega-structure.


    The design also reminded Alex of a honeycomb. Each hexagonal spot seemed to mark a single area.


    Cultivators could be seen flying all around, busy heading in one direction.


    They also saw many wounded people landing in one hexagon that probably functioned as a hospital.


    The wounds were gruesome, but no one looked, seeming to already be used to the situation.


    "Elder Xue, does the fight happen all the time?"


    Alex didn''t ask Ying Xue, as he knew she didn''t have the authority to give outsiders any information.


    "No, it happens randomly. You will understand when you see the rift.


    If you want to enter, though, you will need permission from the general or the council."


    "Where is the General?"


    "Haha, young man, you think you can just meet him whenever you want?


    The General is a very busy man; he is staying near the rift. If you want to meet him, you will need to find your own way.


    You can try the normal method, but the queue will be very long and can easily take you dozens of years."


    As for the elite, they looked down on the hunter association. Most even found them annoying, and if possible, they wanted to sabotage and remove it.


    Only a minority were really grateful to the hunters risking their lives on the frontline.


    Alex believed it was no different in this world. If anything, it was worse since they were all cultivators.


    It was more likely for people to become cultivators compared to awakeners.


    The one who came out had a sword on his waist and a straw hat covering his face.


    His clothes reminded Alex of someone from a samurai story, making him chuckle in his mind.


    ''Focus, Alex. What are we gonna do? Capture him? Kill him?''


    ''How do you know?''


    "With how you think, is that even a question?"


    ''Never knew I was so transparent, haha,'' Alex replied with a chuckle.


    ''Let''s capture him; someone else will come out after that.''


    Behind them, Luca and Emily also prepared to fight.


    ''Emily, don''t be brash. Just stay by my side.''


    Luca talked to Emily through her mind.


    ''Alright, Mom.''


    Emily agreed since now she knew her mother''s ability. If things were dangerous, her mother would have told her to do something, not just stay silent.


    Before the man could do anything, Alex appeared right in front of him. He punched him in the gut.


    The man quickly responded, his sword flashing forward, clashing against Alex''s attack.


    "Stop. Move any of your qi, and I will send your head flying, then burn your soul."


    Ming Yue was standing behind him, her sword''s sharp edge right beside his neck.


    Her and Alex''s energy also spread out, pushing down on the man.


    He knew if his finger moved even a bit, Ming Yue wouldn''t hesitate.


    ''Are they the outsiders I''ve heard about? Damn, I screwed up.''


    "Let''s talk about this peacefully, okay? If you hurt me, things will escalate, and I''m sure you don''t want that."


    "We don''t want to because it''s a bother for now, but it doesn''t mean I won''t do it."


    With their plan, this place was one of the areas they wanted to take over.

 Chapter 514 - 514: Mega City

    It was only a matter of time before they invaded. But Alex wanted to make sure of the situation inside first.


    Blindly attacking and triggering a war where he would need to kill many immortals was a scenario he wanted to avoid.


    They were potential soldiers he could recruit, and what if the rift was more dangerous than he thought?


    Right now, Alex still thought of it as a glorified dungeon break.


    It was as if every dungeon break in his world was all united into one spot, making them spawn a flood of monsters every day and time.


    With the necessary strength, this would turn the rift into a gold mine.


    A spot where they could farm an infinite amount of treasures and resources.


    But there was a possibility it was not like he thought. The current situation was just too weird for it to be like this.


    ''Dammit, do I have no other choice? But if I call them for backup¡­''


    The man''s mind churned, thinking of what to say to convince them to release him.


    If backup came and they found out about his behavior, he would lose his spot as the gate guardian.


    This was a very sought-after position, as it was very calm and peaceful compared to being put at other posts that mostly consisted of fighting.


    The only thing better than this was being sent to a clan or sect in another region.


    Seeing his hesitation, Ming Yue asked Alex, ''I''m sure you feel it too; someone saw what happened but didn''t make any move.


    It seems the situation inside is worse than we think.''


    ''Or he''s just such a hateful person that whoever is watching hopes we kill him.''


    ''So, should we call them out? Or¡­?''


    Alex looked toward the gate. ''Move, Ming Yue.''


    BAM!


    Ming Yue disappeared, while Alex kicked the man like a soccer ball.


    At the same time, he also took the man''s sword. He covered it with his progenitor aura to erase the man''s soul mark, then threw it to Luca. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You should use this, Mom. It''s better than the one you''re using."


    The man could feel his insides churning; he spat out blood but still didn''t dare to make any move.


    After the exchange, he realized he had really hit an iron plate.


    If he had known, he wouldn''t have acted arrogantly like that. In reality, he didn''t even think much when he did it.


    He just felt bored staying in that spot and thought to bully someone to leave.


    "Don''t think we cannot feel you. Come out, or maybe you also want a fight?!"


    "Mister, I am not my foolish brother. I just came here because our parents asked me to send him a message.


    But I think I got to see this kind of show instead. Hahaha¡­.


    Anyway, I will call out with Miss Ying Xue. As for him, feel free to beat him up. It''s alright as long as you don''t kill him."


    The man''s presence then disappeared. Different from his brother, he didn''t leave the mansion fortress.


    ''It seems the formation inside includes some kind of surveillance.''


    Unfortunately, all the formations were put inside the wall, making Alex unable to observe any of them.


    Normally, this wouldn''t be a problem, but the material used for this wall was just that good.


    "I wonder if this material came from another world."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Yes, it doesn''t seem like something that would exist in my world.


    But for them to have this much, just how rich are they?"


    "It''s not necessarily like that. Alex, you may not know, but there are many miraculous materials from the dungeon."


    Luca chimed in.


    "I still remember one called Living Metal. Just like its name, this metal can eat other materials and propagate while taking in their unique attributes.


    Of course, maintaining it is not easy at all; there are many techniques you need to learn in controlling the propagation and what kind of attributes it will absorb."


    "Have you ever heard about it, Emily?"


    "No, Brother. I think this kind of material should be locked at the highest authority level."


    "Yes, as you hear, we have one of them inside the association vault. Unfortunately, we don''t have anyone who can breed it correctly.


    The association also doesn''t want to take a risk. Doing it wrongly will just give us a very dangerous threat."


    "I see, that makes sense."


    Alex agreed despite the material having so much potential; if they couldn''t find a way to 100% make sure it was safe, then the danger was too high, making it not worth it.


    The living metal could easily grow and cover the whole planet, eating everything and everyone inside of it.


    "Then, Mom, do you think this is living metal?"


    "I don''t know. Living metal can completely change in form and appearance.


    But I am sure this is probably a similar thing.


    At the very least, it should be able to replicate itself; otherwise, it doesn''t make sense that they can make this much."


    This information made Alex frown; if even here, material like this already existed, what about his enemy?


    What kind of technology did the Primordials have now?


    Their talk was then interrupted as the gate suddenly started to vibrate.


    Part of it disappeared, and two people came out from it.


    Ying Xue was walking behind an elderly man with an appearance similar to Moria''s.


    Dignified, with an amiable smile.


    But Alex could clearly see from the man''s eyes that he was looking down at them.


    It was the same gaze he often saw when he met with the elite in his world.


    An innate sense of superiority.


    ''He should have heard the report of what happened but still have this kind of confidence.


    Either he''s dumb, which is not likely, or he has something else.''


    Alex was sure it was the latter, and the man probably had some kind of unique power system.


    The elderly man looked toward the man Alex had knocked down, then let out a chuckle.


    "The young master of the Ronin clan is really amazing; I will make sure to report this to the general."

 Chapter 515 - 515: Contribution System

    The man had a defeated look on his face, but he didn''t respond back.


    He groggily stood up, looked at Alex with anger and hatred, then entered through the entrance.


    "I heard about you from Ying Xue; you can just call me Elder Xue."


    Despite being annoyed with the man''s gaze, Alex still acted with a smile.


    "Greetings, Elder Xue. My name is Alex, and she is Ming Yue. My mom Luca, and my sister Emily.


    As you have heard, we are coming here because we are curious about the rift, and we also want to find out about our father."


    "Your father? Ah, yes, the group coming from the Zephyr clan.


    Trust me, I have tried to stop them, but they just didn''t listen.


    Anyway, let''s talk inside."


    His tone then filled with pride as he said, "Don''t be surprised by what you will feel when entering."


    The group then entered through the entrance.


    The moment they took a step in, Alex felt like he was entering a whole new world. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, they felt a huge pressure under their bodies, as if gravity had been raised tenfold.


    After a few more steps, the air completely disappeared like they were passing through a vacuum.


    If their cultivation was low, this would have been very lethal and dangerous.


    It''s like walking in space without any protection suit.


    After passing through this, they finally reached the core region.


    The place was beyond their imagination.


    Alex wouldn''t be surprised if what he saw was another new world or a place like a dungeon.


    Instead, what he saw was like a mega city straight out of science fiction.


    The place was a huge enclosed space, with the buildings looking like they were made with one material.


    The skyscrapers also went all the way to the ceiling, making them look like pillars.


    But since everything looked the same, it was more like seeing one huge megastructure.


    The design also reminded Alex of a honeycomb. Each hexagonal spot seemed to mark a single area.


    Cultivators could be seen flying all around, busy going in one direction.


    They also saw many wounded landing in one comb that probably functioned as a hospital.


    The wounds were gruesome, but no one looked, as they seemed to already be used to the situation.


    "Elder Xue, does the fight happen all the time?"


    Alex didn''t ask Ying Xue since he knew she didn''t have the authority to give outsiders any information.


    "No, it happens randomly; you will understand when you see the rift.


    If you want to enter, though, you will need to get permission from the general or the council."


    "Where is the General?"


    "Haha, young man, do you think you can just meet with him if you want?


    The General is a very busy man; he is staying near the rift. If you want, you will need to find your own way.


    You can try the normal method, but the queue will be very long and can easily take you dozens of years."


    Alex''s lips twitched. The only reason he wanted to meet the General was his curiosity. He didn''t want to waste time that long.


    "Forget it then. I am just curious and want to learn more about the situation in this area.


    You know, I have heard many rumors, but who knows how true they are."


    The group then entered one of the honeycomb rooms.


    Inside, it was like the BaiYue sect''s old appearance.


    A series of multiple floating islands.


    Each island was linked with a bridge, and the sky was a beautiful blue.


    "Is every honeycomb like this?"


    "Of course not. I hold an elder rank, so I can have my own spot.


    This place is not cheap to maintain, and to even be able to buy it, you will need sufficient contribution.


    I will report to the patriarch. Ying Xue, you can bring them to the guest area."


    After Elder Xue left, Alex looked at Ying Xue.


    "Does the whole Xue family live in this place?"


    The size of the area alone was the same as the Zephyr clan.


    Although he hadn''t explored everything, and they also had their own small world, Alex thought it wouldn''t be that different.


    "The Xue family right now has 4 elders; each elder has their own area like this one, and then we have six more places.


    One is privately owned by the patriarch''s family; the other five are shared by us all.


    And yes, each place is a small world like this one.


    As for the place you saw before, it''s owned by the General''s faction.


    He is the one making sure everyone contributes and cooperates."


    "What about the Ronin clan outside? It seems your clan doesn''t like them."


    With a common enemy, Alex thought they should be more united than those outside, but it seemed as if the situation wasn''t desperate enough; uniting was just a joke.


    They may have been united at first, but since they held on, they adapted and accepted it as something normal.


    "Honestly, I don''t know when it started, but the Ronin clan is one of the most hated here.


    They often trigger conflicts when taking on prey.


    Killing more than the area they are allocated to."


    Ying Xue then proceeded to tell how everything worked.


    The general created a system where every time an invasion occurred, they would detect it an hour before.


    They would then calculate the risk based on the rift''s fluctuation.


    The risk was graded from E to SSS rating.


    Usually, on average, they would get those rated C, which could be taken care of by 30-50 immortals.


    Every single clan had around 10-20 immortals. The biggest one like Xue had more than 30, which made the clans fight to get allocation.


    The loot would then all be taken by the General, while the cultivators would get their reward as contribution points.


    The points could then be exchanged for the loot.


    As for the General himself, he was not only the strongest but also an ancient guardian who had taken care of everything since the rift was created.


    They called the guardian with him, but he was not human.

 Chapter 516 - 516: Ronin Clan

    Based on Ying Xue''s description, Alex speculated it was some kind of construct. A sophisticated golem, or an artifact with a soul that was owned by Feng Xue''s brother.


    This made him regret not bringing her here.


    There is a big chance she knew this guardian and could help negotiate or gain more benefits.


    Ying Xue then showed the guardian badge that Alex had seen before.


    Other than its pattern, this badge also worked like some kind of terminal when staying in this region.


    It was used to record their contribution points, buy food, enter their own property, and get their benefits.


    These benefits were decided by their rank, depending on the total contribution points they had earned.


    Some would get free food, while others would get elixirs, free real estate, and many other things.


    The total clans existing in this place were more than 24, with 4 large clans taking the lead.


    Other than these 24, there were also independent cultivators who were survivors from destroyed clans or were headhunted from outside.


    This group usually came directly under the governor''s jurisdiction.


    They would have more priority on taking non-defense missions like maintaining the formation or as simple as working as maids.


    As for cleaning, no one in this world needed to do that since the large formation seemed to take care of it.


    As Ying Xue started explaining, Luca then asked how the rift worked.


    "This information is quite new, and Sir Edward is the one who confirmed this.


    The rift is a portal to another world, but to where it is not established.


    It constantly changes, with some worlds coming out at fixed intervals.


    But so far, we have only confirmed two of these kinds of worlds.


    One is marked as dangerous; it comes out every twenty-five years, and the next one will be in the next five years.


    The other will appear every five years, and it should come next year."


    "Don''t tell me¡­" Alex mumbled in a heavy tone.


    He didn''t have any memories after his father went to this place, but it seemed the world he went to was this dangerous one.


    This meant they had no way to look for him other than to wait for the next five years.


    Emily''s shoulders slumped down. She stood up and then left in silence; the news gave her a huge shock.


    Luca let out a sigh and looked at her ring, "I will go to your sister. Find out more, Alex."


    Alex gave a nod.


    He knew about the ring and even tried to check how it worked.


    Unfortunately, his progress stopped since he would need to cut it in half to find out how it functioned.


    There was no way her mother would allow that. It was her wedding ring and the only thing that told them Edward was still alive.


    "Why do you mark this world as dangerous? Can you give me more information?"


    "I don''t know in detail, but there have been three invasions coming from that world.


    Each time, it was categorized as SSS danger, forcing everyone to join in, which resulted in catastrophic damage."


    Ying Xue''s father was one of the survivors of the last invasion.


    From his story, the enemy was only a few creatures, but they were so strong that it required everyone to unite to kill them.


    She then showed a projection of the enemy her father fought.


    It was a reptilian creature that looked like the one they had hunted before.


    A transformed Dragari, but its body was far larger. The scale skin and everything else was really different.


    ''Is that a dragon race? No wonder my father chose to enter this dungeon then.''


    "Can we see the body somewhere?"


    "Yes, in the governor sector we have a museum that shows projections of every monster kept there with real-life scale.


    There should also be some information on the monster. It''s quite detailed."


    "Interesting, so you guys hoard power systems but share information on monsters?"


    "Well, it''s a compromise. Power systems are not easy to get; most of them were acquired from trading with non-hostile invaders.


    They sometimes come and never return while asking for something precious.


    Sometimes, even within one clan, the one that trades will hide it and doesn''t tell anyone.


    Not even the patriarch."


    "In that case, won''t it make them unable to use the ability when it''s needed?"


    "Well, most of them will choose one that raises their basic strength and survivability.


    Some also cleverly put restrictions on themselves, making any forceful attempt only result in the technique becoming lost.


    But this is rare.


    Not everyone has the resources to pay for the exchange, so they will usually put the offer to the clan, then discuss whether to buy it or not. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For example, my clan has a technique that allows us to quickly recover our strength after moving to a new body.


    Or the Ronin clan you saw before.


    They have a strange power that allows them to enhance any weapon, making it an artifact when fighting."


    This pulled Alex''s interest, making him ask in detail how the power worked.


    Ying Xue told what she knew, allowing Alex to speculate how their ability worked.


    ''So they can split part of their soul then pour it into their weapon, turning it into something like an artifact.


    Their soul can then be molded by the user, enhancing their weapon to a new form, while giving it new abilities.''


    "Alex, you are getting off-topic again. Did you forget why we are here?" Ming Yue asked with a sigh.


    She knew if she didn''t intervene, he would spend a long time asking for more information on how other powers worked in this place.


    "Oh yeah, you are right," Alex replied with a chuckle while scratching his head.


    "Do you know how we can pass by to the beast region?"


    "Beast region? You will need a special permit from the General for that."


    "I see¡­ it seems I cannot evade meeting with him then¡­


    How about the beast men themselves?


    Don''t they have a representative on this side?"

 Chapter 517 - 517: Fighting Style

    "Yes, but they are only a small section of them here. It''s rotated on the beast emperor every ten years, the one responsible now should be those of the neko clan.


    If the General agrees, you will probably need their permission, too.


    Although I doubt you will get it.


    I have heard many ask for it, even our patriarch, but they are always rejected."


    Alex let out a chuckle, "That is because their motive is greed; I have a different reason."


    "What reason?"


    Alex looked around the room then frowned, "Do you have a way to contact the General? Not meeting, just talking like sending a message."


    "I can send it from my terminal, but it will cost me contribution points, and I risk punishment.


    So I need to know what you want to talk about."


    "In that case, let''s talk later. I hate when someone eavesdrops without permission."


    Ming Yue wasn''t surprised to hear this, and so does Ying Xue.


    "¡­"


    His words made Ying Xue speechless.


    "Don''t worry, I am not blaming you, but at someone who is listening now.


    I wonder, Elder Xue, what you think about this. Didn''t you say you were reporting to the patriarch?"


    "Boy, you sure have guts."


    Ming Yue''s qi churned, prepared to fight. They were now deep in their base.


    There were also Luca and Emily outside, who could be taken hostage.


    But Alex didn''t feel worried about this. He believed his mother''s ability was more than enough to avoid any danger or at least escape.


    And he didn''t let them out alone¡­


    "Guts? Spying on your sect guest is very impolite, don''t you think?"


    Alex asked this on purpose; in reality, he knew it was a very common thing to be done.


    Even in his world before awakening, when doing business, many competitors often did this, using it to gain more information or even weaknesses of their competitors.


    Heck, he had heard they sent out women to sleep with them, create illegal videos, and use them as blackmail.


    Some even went as far as having affairs, capturing the target''s heart, then turning their life upside down.


    This was how cruel the world was.


    Those mentally vulnerable would be eaten to death, just like in this world. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huge pressure spread out in the room, but Alex didn''t flinch. He spread out his own qi, clashing against the elders.


    "Oh¡­ Interesting."


    Thankfully, before the situation could escalate, a machine-like sound reverberated in the air.


    "C-class invasion detected, prepare for defense, and follow the protocol."


    "You are lucky, boy, but don''t think I will let this go."


    Feeling the elder''s presence disappear, Alex asked, "Did you get the mission?"


    "Ah, yeah, sec, let me check."


    Ying Xue was caught off guard by the situation. She thought the elder was spying on Alex because of the patriarch''s order.


    But now she doubted whether the elder even told his arrival to the patriarch or not.


    She activated the badge, then shook her head.


    "No, I didn''t get any order."


    Even though her power level had dropped drastically, Alex thought she could still get a mission to help as support.


    "Then the elder probably got it. Can you tell me some information about him?


    He even had the audacity to seal this place."


    "He did!?"


    "So, you are not with him."


    "Of course, I am not! I talked about you with the patriarch, and I never knew anything about that elder''s plans.


    Honestly, I thought my clan would want to make a connection to the outside world through you.


    They are also curious about the army you control."


    "Well, not like this can block us."


    Alex''s fingers danced in the air, creating a rune, which he then flicked into the air.


    The rune exploded, destroying all formations in the space.


    He could have just destroyed the surveillance, but Alex chose this on purpose to annoy the elder.


    Having to fix all these formations would cost the elder some resources unless he was the one who created them.


    But Alex doubted this was the case; if so, he would have felt the elder''s qi coming from the formation. There were other possibilities, but he doubted it was the case.


    After the formation was destroyed, Alex told her to send information to the General.


    Alex felt there should be a method like this, maybe through the terminal that everyone had in this region.


    And he was right.


    Ying Xue''s eyes widened while typing the message.


    She thought the coalition and what happened outside were nothing more than conflicts of interest between human clans, but it seemed things were even more complicated.


    With the beastmen involved, there was no way their goal was just to take over control of the clan.


    Despite the beastmen only joining one clan at a time, she knew they were not to be underestimated. Their innate strength was something that could not be underestimated.


    Their potency was just something else that even awakened cultivators could not compare to.


    For example, if an awakened cultivator could pour out 100% of their bloodline power, then a beastman could exert up to 1000%. Ten times more effective and powerful.


    "Silver snake clan, I hate them."


    "You know about this clan?"


    "Yes, in the past, I had a mission with them. With their fast speed, they could easily move through the battlefield.


    These snakes just kept killing all my targets, making me barely earn contribution points."


    This made Alex''s lips twitch.


    ''Isn''t this real-world kill-stealing? It''s just like those trolls in MOBA games.''


    Even with VR, people''s culture didn''t change; kill-stealing still existed, and so did toxic players.


    If anything, this action became worse since, with the immersion, the satisfaction grew.


    This separated the game into two types: Devs that allowed this kind of behavior, and those that were really strict on it.


    "Is that all? Did you notice something else about them?


    Like, do they have a hobby of torturing their enemies?"


    "Their fighting style is moving quickly, using poison, then going for the kill.


    Their movement is quick and fast."


    This was different from what Alex had learned about the silver snake clan, but now he was even more sure of his theory that they were using life force.

 Chapter 518 - 518: Guardian

    If they didn''t have a hobby of torturing living beings and that abbot was a special case, this meant it was done for a specific purpose.


    It also made sense to send their most depraved member, considering the task.


    "Do you have proof?"


    "I have one in captive with me; send this picture."


    Alex put his finger on Ying Xue''s forehead and sent out the image of the snake brother.


    He was prepared to take them out rather than the sister.


    In his opinion, the brother was easier to deal with, and they also lacked knowledge of any important information.


    Ying Xue''s expression turned more solemn as she sent the message.


    "Let''s look for Mom and go to the Xue patriarch then."


    Alex didn''t plan to wait for Elder Xue to return; better to just talk with the patriarch and have it over with.


    He was sure they had some kind of proposal to cooperate; after all, they had Feng Xue to link both of them.


    Or maybe it was to talk about some matter regarding her.


    "Alright, but this place is owned by Elder Xue. I am sure we will face some kind of resistance when trying to go out."


    Ying Xue said while taking a step to exit the place.


    But no one responded to her; she couldn''t feel Alex and Ming Yue''s presence.


    Turning her gaze back, no one was there.


    "Alex? Ming Yue?"


    But her words only reverberated in the empty room.


    Both of them found themselves in a place with many complicated formations.


    Alex would have loved to focus on this if not for the being in front of them.


    It was a spirit in the form of a small boy.


    His eyes were emotionless, his golden hair cut short.


    "Are you the guardian?"


    "Yes, you can just call me Guardian; that is how my master called me in the past."


    ''Just Guardian? It seems Xue''s ancestor is bad at giving out names.''


    "Now, can you tell me about this silver snake clan?"


    "I think it will be easier for me to show the proof."


    Alex flicked his hand, and the silver snake brothers appeared in front of them.


    The guardian raised his palm.


    A strange energy spread from the formation; it then engulfed both of the snakes.


    ''It feels like qi, but something is different about it.''


    Alex felt it was more complex than normal qi. It was like it was alive with its own intent.


    After three seconds, the energy disappeared, leaving behind two dazed silver snake clan members.


    "What did you do?"


    "I just interrogated them. I know enough of the situation now."


    He then flicked his finger, sending two talismans toward Alex and Ming Yue.


    "Take that. I will send you to the Neko clan; you will need to convince them to go through to the beastmen territory."


    "That''s it? Nothing more?"


    Alex was surprised by how easily the guardian gave him permission.


    "With the beastmen''s action, we need to do something to stop them.


    I would have asked for your help or sent someone out to take care of this, but since that is already your goal, I don''t need to do anything more.


    Just take Ying Xue with you."


    Alex frowned at the request, and Ming Yue felt the same way.


    ''Why do you think he''s sending Ying Xue with us?''


    ''I don''t know. If the purpose is to make sure our mission is completed, he should have sent someone stronger.'' Alex replied telepathically.


    ''Then can he spy through Ying Xue?''


    The emotionless guardian suddenly let out a chuckle.


    "Don''t you know how rude both of you are? If you have questions, just ask me.


    And no, she is not a spy. I just need someone to make sure that if something happens to all of you, I will get the news.


    For example, if you fail and get killed.


    I am sure you already have your own plan with the beastmen clan; this is my discretion, so you do what you want without interference from my side."


    Alex wanted to say something, but the guardian spoke first.


    "No, I am not reading your mind; it''s just the most probable reaction from your character, young progenitors."


    Alex and Ming Yue''s gazes turned serious; they knew the guardian probably speculated this from Ying Xue''s information.


    But for him to know about progenitors and even use the plural term meant he knew both of them were one.


    "Don''t worry, I am not your enemy. In fact, you can call me an ally¡­


    But I will just remind you, young progenitors, don''t be conceited.


    Both of your strengths now are admirable; unfortunately, in the universe, it''s not strong enough."


    "How strong are we on the scale of the universe then?"


    "I believe you have some information from the progenitor era, but the universe has changed a lot by now. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Let''s say if the progenitor at their peak had a power level of 6, then the current peak of this universe should be 9."


    "15? What is the difference in strength between each level?"


    "Hard to say, but they were separated by levels for a reason. For someone to beat those above the level, it would be very hard, while beating those lower would be very easy."


    The information was a surprise to Alex; he didn''t know how much truth was hidden inside it, but if this was true¡­


    "How about the current us now?" Ming Yue asked, her tone filled with worry.


    Lately, both of them did feel confident with their current strength.


    In their mind, no one could beat them here; they could do as they wanted.


    But it seemed things were not that simple. Just like the guardian in front of them, they couldn''t measure his strength.


    Alex also tried to use the system to measure his power level, but it failed.


    He wasn''t surprised by the result.


    After all, he already knew the system''s power level detection was assumed based on the being''s life force.


    If someone could hide their life force or, for example, was undead, the result wouldn''t be accurate at all.

 Chapter 519 - 519: Kuro Clan

    "I don''t know your trump card, but my estimation at best would be 2.


    I would suggest both of you focus on becoming progenitors after you finish your personal tasks."


    The Guardian snapped his finger before Alex and Ming Yue could respond.


    Seeing the empty spot where they stood before, the Guardian mumbled, "Master, your prediction was correct. It''s unfortunate you are not here, though."


    He then let out a sigh, "I hope you fulfill your dream of living carefree till the end of your life."


    Meanwhile, Alex and MingYue found themselves in a completely different place. The architecture was similar, telling them they were still in the frontline area.


    "Dammit, I should have asked to see the rift first."


    MingYue rolled her eyes. "Does that matter? We can pretty much tell it''s just a gargantuan portal like the one in your world."


    "Alex, MingYue?" YingXue called from behind their back.


    "Oh, he sent you here already."


    "Umm¡­ can you tell me what happened?"


    YingXue was confused; suddenly, both of them disappeared, and then the next moment, she was transported here.


    "Try to check your terminal; there should be more information there."


    Alex was too lazy to explain to YingXue now. He felt like he just missed a big opportunity.


    Even though what MingYue said was right, he still felt he could learn more by seeing it closely.


    There was also the museum that he wanted to see.


    ''Let me check my terminal. Maybe there is something useful there,'' Alex thought.


    But he didn''t have the time; MingYue nudged his clothes.


    "Alex, we are surrounded."


    Her words made Alex spread out his senses, but he felt nothing. Only when he focused his eyes did he see many shadow-like beings surrounding him.


    ''No life presence? And their appearance¡­''


    "Stop there, state your business."


    What happened reminded Alex of his meeting with Alice and William.


    He had suspicions when he heard about the name Neko Clan, but he thought it was right.


    The ones surrounding them looked just like felidaens; the only difference was they were not cursed.


    Their fur was jet black, as were their hair and pupils.


    The group was dominated by females, each holding a weapon pointed toward them.


    The weapons themselves mostly consisted of daggers.


    "The Guardian sent me here. Are you the one responsible?"


    While asking, Alex focused his sense again, attuning it to a different wave of energy. Only now could he feel their presence.


    But before the woman could talk, YingXue, who had already finished reading her terminal, changed her expression from a frown to surprise.


    "Aren''t you Kurone? Do you still remember me? We cooperated a few times."


    The woman in the frown turned her gaze toward YingXue. Her eyes recognized YingXue, but she didn''t drop her guard.


    Her dagger was still pointed at them.


    "I remember, but what are you doing here?"


    "Check your terminal; the Guardian should send you some message."


    "Don''t make any move," Kurone said while checking.


    ''Alex, is this another type of energy? Not qi?''


    ''I think this is qi, but it''s mixed with shadow elements, making it hard to detect. The element seems to blend with the surroundings, making it skip even our detection. Try attuning your detection.''


    Alex told MingYue the method he used. By attuning their sense to different frequencies, just like a radio antenna, it allowed them to detect more presence.


    ''Ah, I see. So, it''s not like those felidaens that basically act like the undead.''


    ''If we brought William here, things should be easier. I am sure they are part of felidaen.''


    ''Why not just ask her then?''


    ''I doubt she will have that kind of information. We will need to talk with their clan leader at least.''


    ''All snake clans should belong to the Snake Progenitor, same with fairy and feline.''


    ''I agree. As long as we can find someone knowledgeable in their clan, we probably can get some information on felidaens.''


    ''What a coincidence. Now I wonder if all beastman clans belong to species that fought in the war?''


    ''Snake Clan and Orochi Clan should have some relation.


    So does the Xue ancestor. Who knows what kind of role they played in the Progenitor War.


    Let''s see if we can get more information while we are here.''


    ''By the way, Alex, what about Auntie and your sister? Both of them were still in that Elder''s place.''


    "Don''t worry, with Dorian and Selene, nothing will go wrong with them."


    ''They are precisely what makes me worry.''


    ''At worst, they will just cause havoc. With their strength, the elder will still stand no chance.'' S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kurone finished looking up and turned back to Alex. She made a gesture for others to lower their weapons.


    "This is too important for me to decide. For now, follow me and wait in the guest area."


    The trio were then taken to a room and left alone. Two people were placed as guards at the entrance.


    "Do you know her?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, we fought together a few times. As for their information, try to check your terminal. Even though the projection is not life-scale, it should be more than enough."


    Alex used his qi and checked the terminal.


    It worked just like a holographic projection but one that only they could see.


    Based on the information, the Neko Clan specialized in shadow abilities and close combat fighting. They used their agility, moving like assassins through the battlefield.


    Their cultivation method also allowed them to jump between shadows.


    In a battlefield consisting of many people, this ability was deadly. Just imagine the enemy you see is one hundred, but in each of their shadows, dozens of assassins were hidden.


    Although Alex was surprised, this clan didn''t have a bad reputation.


    Considering the Silver Snake Clan, famous for killing stealthily, the Neko Clan should be able to do it easier if they wanted.


    If they didn''t, it meant they rarely showed up in battles where they were dominating or winning easily.


    They would only show up when they needed to.


    ''What deadly assassins. If I can recruit them to my army, that will be great.''


    ''Alex, why do you think the Guardian didn''t send your mom and sis with us?''

 Chapter 520 - 520: Wave Defense

    ''I don''t know, maybe to make sure we will return. Well, it doesn''t matter.


    Even if they think they were hostages, there is nothing they can do.''


    ''We don''t know how strong the Guardian is. How can you still be so calm?''


    MingYue asked about this again since she felt worried.


    Normally, if it''s about his family, Alex wouldn''t take any chances, but now he seemed calm, leaving behind his mother and sister in the midst of their enemy.


    ''We are your family, not your burden¡­ That is what mom told me.''


    ''I see¡­ so you have no choice.''


    ''Yup, if I still keep them like a burden, she will lash out at me.


    And believe me, MingYue, that is the last thing you would want.


    I have faced so many things till now, but honestly, my mom still scares me the most.''


    MingYue rolled her eyes.


    She found it ridiculous.


    But deep down, she wondered if her mom were there for her, would she feel the same?


    Would she act the same?


    Time passed; the red door opened as Kurone returned.


    "I have got a reply. I will bring you back to our clan to meet with our Emperor."


    "Beast Emperor¡­"


    Alex had heard about them, but now that he was going to meet one, he felt excited.


    He wondered how strong they were and what kind of things he could learn from them.


    "But before that, both of you will go with me to take care of the wave."


    "Isn''t it just C-rank? How could it still not be finished?"


    "Do you think C-rank is that easy? Sending a few immortals and being done with it?


    Before you came, I was on my way to go there."


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Alex was happy he could see the situation at the frontline now.


    They walked through the teleportation formation and then reached the battlefield.


    BOOM!! BANG!!!


    SWOOSH!!!!


    Alex tilted his head as an axe flew just right beside his head, then crashed into a wall behind him.


    His lips twitched. If he were late just a few seconds, that axe would have probably pierced through his head.


    In front of him was pandemonium; a clash of swords and energy was everywhere.


    The immortals were outnumbered. As for the enemy, Alex recognized them.


    It was an army of goblins, but each looked different from the ones he recognized.


    They had bulkier bodies, height twice that of normal goblins but still less than high goblins.


    The way they moved made Alex think of murim novels. Different from cultivators that used qi externally most of the time with weapons and flashy secret arts, the goblins mostly used martial arts techniques.


    Their movements were quick; their attacks cut through qi and energy, dissipating them.


    The one that led seemed able to reverse it back to the opponent, almost like taichi.


    ''This kind of fighting style exists? The universe is really vast.''


    Kurone''s body turned into a shadow, then slipped through the darkness.


    In the field, a cultivator spread out his domain, but the goblin punched forward.


    His movement looked normal, but the shockwave he created pierced through the qi, dispersing the domain.


    The goblin''s feet stomped the ground as it dashed forward, reaching the cultivator; its fist arrived inches away from his face.


    At this moment, Kurone appeared from the shadow behind him. With a swift motion, the dagger pierced through the goblin''s neck.


    Alex whistled, "Should we join the fun, MingYue?"


    But no one replied. Alex turned his gaze, then realized MingYue had already disappeared from his side.


    She had already entered the battlefield, her qi bursting forward mixed with lifeforce, creating a rain of ice lotuses.


    The petals were sharp, massacring many of the goblins.


    ''Weird, did I focus on others too much that I didn''t feel her move?''


    Alex did feel that lately, he focused more easily, but sometimes, it was to the point that he forgot his surroundings.


    He thought this was an after-effect on his brain after he lost his emotions.


    ''Oh well, I have time to look at the side effects later. For now, this is a good chance to increase my fighting experience.''


    While MingYue fought, polishing her secret technique, Alex entered the field using only his fists.


    He just used life force energy to strengthen his body.


    After looking at MingYue''s fight, Alex concluded these goblins could not disperse lifeforce.


    He appeared behind one of the goblins, his feet kicked them in the knee, making them fall to the ground.


    Alex''s attack caught them off guard, as he purposely looked for one that was busy fighting against another immortal.


    Blood seeped from his hand, then turned solid into a sword.


    He tried to decapitate the goblin, but with inhuman flexibility, the goblin dodged.


    It then did a backflip, kicking Alex in the face.


    ''Damn, not as easy as I see.'' S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex was trying to replicate Kurone''s attack, but it seemed to hide his presence was easier said than done.


    Even after trying to press the energy fluctuation, making sure it was all done internally, the kick barely left any damage on Alex.


    He pushed through it, then choked the goblin by the neck. With a swift motion, he broke it.


    The immortal that Alex helped was not happy with his interference, but Alex didn''t want to waste time with inner conflict.


    He looked at Alex for a moment, then left toward a different area.


    Meanwhile, Alex checked out his talisman; he acquired 10 contribution points for killing that goblin.


    His gaze then turned toward the sky, where one of the leaders of the goblins was fighting Elder Xue.


    "The fight seems in stalemate, different from the goblins down here; the one above wore many artifacts."


    Wings came out from the goblin''s back, but they were attached to their armor.


    The wings themselves were made from pure energy.


    Looking to the other side, Alex finally saw the rift. Its appearance was very different from what he thought.


    It was a huge portal the size of a skyscraper with cracks all around it.


    The space was very unstable.


    It was like the whole space collapsed, creating an entrance to the void.

 Chapter 521 - 521: Kill Steal

    Alex could see the world behind it, which was a huge wall with many armies. There was also a forest surrounding it.


    Seeing the huge trees and plants, Alex felt a sense of familiarity.


    ''Wait, is that the plant from the goblin dungeon? It really looks similar.''


    Alex memorized the image, planning to ask Petricia later.


    He then proceeded toward the next enemy while keeping his eyes on the fight above.


    He didn''t plan to join the clash; instead, he was wondering if he could do something to sabotage Elder Xue?


    With his attitude, Alex was sure it was a matter of time until they clashed, or he fought against his mother and sister.


    If he could, he would already attack him directly, but it was forbidden to do it here.


    The terminal made sure any action like this would be punished.


    But even after a while, he still didn''t get any good idea that didn''t have any repercussions.


    Alex even thought of creating a rune formation that would activate at a later date. For him, it was easy to make something like this.


    But there was a huge chance Elder Xue would realize this, or worse, it would still count as an offense.


    And even if he succeeded, it would give a bad example.


    ''Well, I doubt the Guardian doesn''t have any countermeasures; they have done this for a long time.


    I am sure someone already tried this kind of method.


    The worst they do is not helping, making someone surrounded on purpose.''


    This is the only possible scenario that Alex could think of.


    But doing this on Elder Xue now was pointless; it would only give him contribution points.


    ''In that case, might as well finish this sooner.''


    Alex smiled, taking out a cube before starting to unleash dozens of beasts.


    The king of the forest from the Felidaen world, the four-armed fire kong, emerged alongside the worm he captured in the labyrinth.


    It had been a while since he used them, as they were quite destructive and weak.


    Against immortal cultivators, they had no use.


    But here, the goblins'' strength came from their ability to disperse qi.


    "Now go wild, my minions, hahaha," Alex said with a loud laugh, "Those that survive will get their reward."


    He wasn''t afraid if some of them died; he just wanted to find those with the strongest will to fight.


    He planned to infuse them with the beast bloodlines he had left. Clara still had many of them, but without a strong will and soul, they would not have survived the process.


    Alex could pour life force, ensuring they survived the process, but it would be pointless if their souls turned feral in the process.


    Rather than making a new underling, it would just give him a headache.


    The fire ape began spewing flames all over the area; since it was a primal fire made from its organ, the goblins could not cancel it.


    But their skin was strong enough to withstand the heat.


    Three goblins jumped, hitting the ape right in the chest and back; the punches caused internal damage to the ape, making it roar in pain.


    Despite the damage, the ape kept fighting back. It grasped one of the goblins and then tried to throw it toward the others. But unfortunately, its physical strength was not enough.


    The goblin escaped its grasp and then kicked it in the chin, shooting it into the air.


    At this moment, the worm appeared from the ground, opening its mouth and swallowing the goblin whole.


    But the goblin still fought back, destroying the worm from the inside, making it explode into pieces.


    Unfortunately, many more worms had already opened their jaws.


    The goblin that was already wounded was swallowed again multiple times until it finally died on the third one.


    Seeing all of this, Alex smirked.


    He then ordered the worms to spread out, focusing on different enemies while the ape performed flashier attacks.


    ''MingYue, let''s finish this.''


    ''Alright.''


    The ape''s flashy attacks worked like aggro, pulling the majority of the goblins toward him. His large size made him very conspicuous on the battlefield.


    The worms then moved, helping aggro the goblins to give time for Alex to finish them one by one.


    With MingYue joining in, the duo easily massacred the majority of the goblins.


    In the sky, Elder Xue plunged his saber, finishing his enemy. The fight was quite tiring for him.


    Despite being more powerful, the enemy had many tricks up their sleeves, and he was also fighting against two at the same time.


    He took out his saber, then spun, cleaving it toward the other goblin.


    Clang! The goblin raised both arms, blocking the attack.


    ''Dammit! What a petty trick! If not because of that, I would have already had your head!


    Now I lose the opportunity to take the patriarch seat!''


    Elder Xue cursed in his mind.


    If not for the attack, he thought he would have already secured Alex and MingYue. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through them, he believed he could manipulate FengXue and then use her status to gain legitimacy for the patriarch position.


    After all, her brother was very respected in his clan.


    He was a founder figure. Someone with more authority than even their ancestor.


    In anger, he launched a flurry of attacks.


    Each one targeted the goblin''s vitals.


    As he kept attacking, Elder Xue tried to comfort himself; at the very least, he would gain a lot of contribution points.


    He kicked the goblin to the ground, his saber cleaving through the air.


    "DIE, YOU BASTARD!"


    But before he reached his target, ice clouds suddenly appeared, encasing the goblin.


    Alex then smashed it using a huge hammer.


    Swosh! Bam!


    The hammer swung down just inches away from Elder Xue''s face.


    Dust and smoke billowed from the attack, and his veins throbbed with anger.


    He knew his kill had just been stolen.


    Alex looked at him with a smug smile, then quickly left the area.


    Elder Xue landed on the ground, clenching his fist.

 Chapter 522 - 522: First Prince

    He knew there was nothing he could do to Alex now, so he planned to vent his anger by massacring the goblins.


    But when he looked around, nothing was left.


    Instead, he only received a message on his terminal:


    [Defense success, please return and report quickly to the appointed area. Details below.]


    "FUCK!"


    Elder Xue screamed in anger, pulling everyone''s attention toward him.


    But no one cared; even other cultivators from the Xue clan kept their distance from him.


    It wasn''t that they didn''t respect him; it was just that they knew his temper.


    Better to stay away when he was fuming rather than becoming his victim.


    Back at the Neko Clan, Alex let out a satisfied laugh. His beasts were all wounded, and even the ape was almost dying, but he felt a deep satisfaction in pulling one over on Elder Xue. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t get why he was so angry," MingYue said in confusion.


    "Since the beginning, that man fought against the goblin leader; he didn''t kill any minions."


    "Ah, no wonder then. He only got points from one. Is the point not a lot?"


    "The point is calculated by strength. Even though he had a hard time against that one, at most, it''s five times stronger than a normal goblin.


    You can calculate the rest."


    "I see, so it''s more profitable to just kill the minions¡­


    Did the Guardian make this system?"


    "It''s been like this since the moment I can remember."


    Alex really admired the system created for defense. It could be said to be almost perfect.


    Those that attacked could not loot; another team would be sent to take care of everything. This ensured fairness, as they would not know who got what item.


    The only benefit for them was getting first dibs on purchasing the items they wanted based on contribution point rankings.


    Points acquired from defeating bosses were also quite balanced.


    This gave room for newcomers to grow while still rewarding enough for the ones who defeated bosses.


    Of course, cases like Elder Xue''s rarely happened, as Alex and MingYue were anomalies.


    If not for being outsiders, with their strength, they would be asked to attack the stronger enemy first.


    This would not give them a chance to massacre the weaker ones, gathering almost all the points.


    Unfortunately, Alex didn''t have time to exchange the contribution points.


    A vast expanse of mountains and cliffs greeted their eyes; the place was desolate, filled with many steep valleys.


    Alex looked down, but even with his sharp gaze, he could not see the bottom.


    There were many huge eagles flying around in the air; they also had nests in the valleys.


    "Eagle spiders, their eggs are a delicacy, but don''t try to take them.


    They are very protective; take one, and the whole nest will come at you."


    "Now, you make me curious. Although it''s trouble for me, it shouldn''t be one for you, right?"


    "Yes, but I find no reason to take it for you. Anyway, you can just buy those at any restaurant."


    "Hmm¡­ did you do it for practice?"


    "It''s like a rite of passage in my clan; anyone that comes of age must succeed in taking an egg from here.


    The one that gets the most will receive a reward."


    Alex gazed back at the nest. Despite the large size of the eagle, each spot was only held by a small line of threads.


    He was sure a single step would easily cause a vibration.


    ''So they need to jump through this cliff, stealthily walk on that thread, capture the egg, then return.''


    "Do they do it at night?"


    "No, only at dawn, in the small gap of ten minutes when the eagles leave the nest."


    "I see."


    "Well, enough looking around, let''s go."


    With their speed, it didn''t take long for them to reach the Neko Clan.


    Their town was located on top of a valley; the road was rough and dangerous, but for them, it was just daily life.


    Even kids and small children could easily move through the terrain.


    "Is this your clan territory?"


    "Yes, but it''s not what you think.


    The area near the border is occupied by all nine emperor clans. From here, we will take the teleportation array back to our capital."


    "Seems things are peaceful then for kids to even play here."


    "Tch, those kids are part of the elite. They''re bored and come here.


    Let''s go and ignore them."


    ''Oh, it seems these kids are arrogant, and Kurone has had bad experiences with them.''


    Kurone gave some orders to people under her, then proceeded to bring Alex and MingYue.


    "Took you a while," a man called out.


    He was standing near the gate,


    surrounded by a group of veteran warriors.


    "What are you doing here? Go away; I need to pass."


    "Sorry, but I cannot."


    Kurone''s eyes glinted with coldness.


    "The Emperor asked for them. Are you prepared to face the consequences, First Prince?"


    "That''s why I''m here, Kurone. I''m sure you are tired after risking your life to defend us.


    I will take them to Father."


    "I never got those orders, so please go aside."


    The man then smirked, walking toward Kurone, and placed his palm on her shoulder.


    He whispered a few words, making Kurone frown.


    The sound was small, almost unnoticeable, but Alex and MingYue could still hear it.


    ''For a clan that specializes in assassination, they sure talk loud.''


    ''Well, they are talking; unless they have telepathy, we should be able to hear it.''


    ''Isn''t it the same with their stealth?


    They still need to take a step.''


    ''I think that''s because of their innate ability with shadows.


    I have some speculations, but I will need more confirmation.


    Rather than that, what we just heard is even more surprising.


    A political fight to take hold of power because the clan leader is sick.


    To think this happens in the beastman clan.


    Isn''t it funny?


    Usually, this kind of plot happens early in the story for those MCs born as aristocrats.''

 Chapter 523 - 523: Leaving

    MingYue rolled her eyes.


    ''Be serious, Alex. Getting entangled in politics will be annoying; we should try to avoid it if possible.''


    ''I doubt it, but we can find a chance to escape.


    For now, let''s see the situation first.


    Since the Guardian already verified the validity of our information, we should have no problem.


    Although, this is also the reason this Prince came to us.''


    Based on what Alex heard, the Prince wanted to gain an edge against the 108th prince.


    Although they were a monarchy, strength still prevailed.


    The youngest Prince was the strongest among them all.


    The first prince''s only hope now was to find a power system or some kind of elixir that could boost his strength tremendously.


    "Fine, you can go with us, but I will stay."


    The Prince raised both hands in defeat.


    "Alright, as long as we can go with you."


    He then walked toward Alex and MingYue, introducing himself as Ryu.


    In the blink of an eye, they were teleported to another fort.


    "Is this the capital?"


    "Not yet, Sir Alex; this is a fortress.


    We need to walk a four-hour distance to reach the capital."


    Alex didn''t question why they didn''t have one that directly moved them to the capital city. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The answer was simple; they didn''t want to take a risk.


    In case the rift broke, they didn''t want to give their opponent a shortcut to their capital city.


    As they went deeper into the territory, Alex started to realize why the system was a monarchy.


    There were many types of Felidaens living here, from the normal cat race to those with other elements.


    "Ryu, I am curious.


    Why would those with shadow power take on the leadership?


    Does everyone agree with it?"


    "Of course, there are rules that state they can challenge us, but so far, no one dares to take it."


    ''If the challenge is one-on-one, with your abilities, there''s no way they can win unless they are overwhelmingly stronger.''


    Alex thought with a chuckle in his mind, but he didn''t say it out loud.


    Even Alex, with his ability, failed to sense them.


    The journey was quite peaceful, without anything interesting happening.


    The first prince talked a lot, trying to get close to Alex and MingYue, but both of them only answered as needed.


    Only Alex occasionally asked him questions, wanting to learn more about the situation in the Beast Land territory.


    Based on what he heard, they had very small amounts of interaction; only his father sometimes went out and met with the others.


    There was also a time when they held tournaments between kingdoms, but it had been a hundred years since the last one.


    "Did something happen in the last tournament?"


    Usually, something big must have happened for things like this to occur.


    A small conflict wouldn''t have been enough for a country¡ªor, in this case, a kingdom¡ªto drop all pretense like this.


    ''Is this because of the Silver Snake Clan?


    Some agree, while some don''t, which is why they keep their distance.


    They don''t want to get blamed in case this becomes a problem.''


    Alex felt this was the most likely reason for the current situation.


    "I don''t know.


    They didn''t talk much about what was happening; at that time, I was still a kid."


    "Hmm¡­"


    Alex didn''t believe Ryu didn''t know anything, but he didn''t ask further.


    Further speculation was pointless since he could confirm it when meeting the emperor.


    Meanwhile, back at the frontline, Luca and Emily had just received the news.


    "How could Brother just leave us here?"


    Emily was grumpy, having heard the news from a cultivator ordered by the Guardian.


    "He must have his reasons."


    "Then what now, Mom?


    Should we wait here?


    That Elder Xue smells like trouble."


    "Let''s go meet with the Xue Patriarch."


    Luca stood up and then left the room, but they were blocked in the hallway.


    "Where are you going, Madam? I''m sorry, but we are instructed to ensure you stay here. The Elder is still busy."


    Emily frowned.


    "What is the meaning of this? We are here as guests, not your prisoners."


    "And as guests, Miss, you should follow the rules of your host."


    Despite the man''s respectful tone, Emily could tell he was looking down on her.


    ''Mom, should we just stay or go?''


    Emily asked through her mind, but before she got an answer, Luca had already made her move.


    SLASH!


    A vertical line appeared on the man''s neck.


    His head then plopped down with a thud.


    "That is what you get for trying to hit my daughter."


    "He did?"


    "Yes."


    Luca looked around the area, remembering that the cultivator who had brought the news had just come and left as if teleported away.


    "Sir Guardian, this whole territory should be under your control, and you can teleport us out.


    Can you please do us a favor?"


    "¡­"


    "Mom? Will that work?"


    There was no voice nor qi fluctuation, but the next moment, Luca and Emily found themselves standing in front of the Guardian.


    "Thank you for bringing us out."


    "It''s all right. Avoiding conflict inside my territory is also something I want.


    Usually, I don''t interfere if it''s a private matter, but both of you are outsiders."


    Emily looked around, marveling at the complicated formation.


    She then looked at the Guardian. Despite his appearance, she could tell he was not to be underestimated.


    Unlike Alex, Emily couldn''t feel his energy, but every instinct screamed danger.


    "In that case, could you send us to where the Xue Patriarch is?


    Since my son is handling other tasks, I want to straighten things up with them."


    "Unfortunately, I cannot."


    "Why?"


    "Because he''s not here. The one inside now is nothing more than a dummy.


    This information should be kept secret, and the only reason I''m telling you is because you are his wife.


    I trust you can keep it hidden."


    "¡­"


    "Can you tell me about him? What does he intend to do there?"


    "This is the main reason I brought you here.


    Edward asked me to keep something for you."


    He flicked his hand.


    A holographic projection appeared, making Emily''s eyes glisten with tears.


    Luca, meanwhile, was overwhelmed with longing.


    Edward stood in front of them, his hands behind his back.

 Chapter 524 - 524: Edwards Message

    "If you''ve arrived here, it seems something has happened. I knew a plan this long, without direct intervention, would never run smoothly.


    Luca¡­ Wifey¡­


    I''m sorry to put you through this, but unfortunately, I have no choice.


    This must be done.


    By now, you should have inherited my memories.


    Everything has been orchestrated by those greedy old bastards.


    But they are nothing more than puppets on strings.


    After doing more research on the frontline, I discovered that something bigger is going on behind the scenes.


    Also, don''t worry.


    Even though I don''t have a body now, I''ve already found a way to get a new one and recover my soul."


    The hologram then walked toward Luca, stopping inches from her.


    He raised his palm, touching her head.


    Tears fell, painting her cheeks wet. She wanted to hug him so much, but she knew it was only a projection.


    "Take care of our kids for a little while.


    I''ll return soon," Edward said with a warm smile.


    The hologram then dissipated into nothing.


    Emily''s shoulders slumped as she walked closer to her mom, grasping her hand.


    She then looked toward the Guardian.


    "That''s it?


    It doesn''t explain why my father chose to go there!


    Why does he need to take all the risks and leave us like this again?


    Screw the world! He should just let it burn."


    The Guardian looked at Emily, his gaze solemn.


    "Once, in the past, someone told my master the same thing.


    Why would he stay here, sacrificing his life for the world?


    With his power, he could have taken his loved ones and escaped.


    Do you know what my master''s answer was?"


    Emily shook her head.


    "These were his exact words: ''I don''t do this for the world; I do this for you.


    We can escape, but then what? Things will escalate and become worse.


    The already small chance of winning will dwindle even more.


    Maybe we can live in peace for our generation, but what about the next?


    They will be the ones to bear the responsibility we avoided for our own safety.''"


    Luca went silent.


    She wanted to disagree, but she knew he was right.


    The only thing she regretted most was not staying by his side.


    In her mind, their kids were already strong enough; they didn''t need her help.


    "Mom, don''t even think about it," Emily said as if reading Luca''s thoughts.


    She couldn''t do that, but she knew her mom''s personality.


    Or rather, she knew what her mom wanted to do now.


    The only thing stopping her was Luca''s presence.


    Emily felt like she had already lost her father; she didn''t want to lose her mother, too.


    Luca let out a heavy sigh. Her heart ached with longing, her eyes glassy with tears, but she kept everything bottled up.


    "Where did the Patriarch go?"


    "He said it was a family problem. He''s looking for his ancestor."


    ''Feng Xue? Did he come to confirm her situation?


    But she wasn''t at the Bai Yue Sect, and no one saw the Patriarch at the ShangXi Temple.


    There''s no way Alex and MingYue missed him. Is this something else?


    The ancestor could mean Feng Xue or his sister.''


    After some deliberation, she decided it was better to look for him.


    She also wanted to find her old comrade.


    "Could you send us back to the core region?"


    "Sure, I''ll inform Alex when he returns."


    He flicked his hand, and the surroundings quickly changed again.


    In the next moment, Luca and Emily found themselves at the gate.


    "Is it all right, Mom, to leave like this?"


    "Alex''s goal is the Silver Snake Clan. Since the Xue Clan Patriarch is also missing, there''s no point in staying there."


    Despite saying this, Luca''s real reason was that she wanted to get as far away from the rift as possible.


    The longer she stayed near it, the stronger her longing to enter grew.


    She didn''t yet know that the rift would keep changing destinations.


    If she had this information, the thought wouldn''t even cross her mind.


    So, she decided it was better to stay away.


    Despite thinking her son and daughter were strong now, she could tell they would be devastated if she also left.


    And maybe this was her role in all of this.


    Just like her husband said, he couldn''t make sure his plan ran smoothly, but she could.


    "We will look for Kane."


    Meanwhile, Alex and MingYue arrived at the Neko Clan capital.


    The place was filled with dilapidated buildings, and the roads were made of cobblestone, though many were stained with dried blood.


    There was also no one to be seen.


    "This is the place where we train our warriors."


    "This whole area?"


    MingYue could see that it was the same everywhere, even the largest building at the center, which didn''t resemble a grand castle.


    The smell of blood was also very strong.


    "It''s the whole city. If you were expecting to see a bustling, peaceful city, you came to the wrong place.


    To ensure each of our warriors gains experience, the emperor created this city.


    Here, he releases criminals and monsters for us to hunt.


    We can also sabotage and attack each other."


    "Can''t you feel it?"


    Alex and MingYue nodded. They could feel many eyes locked on them.


    At first, they thought it was normal since they were outsiders, not to mention that Alex, a human, was in the middle of beastman territory. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now it seemed there was more to it.


    If not for being with the first prince and Kurnoe, they would have already been ambushed.


    Not that they minded a fight. In fact, MingYue was already itching to find out how strong they were.


    She had already thought of ways to counter their stealth.


    No matter how invisible they were, if she spread ice petals everywhere, they would be wounded.


    She could also focus on shadows since that was where they seemed to appear.


    Their shadow ability was both their strength and weakness.


    Another area greeted them, lined with taverns and inns.


    There were also blacksmiths and hospitals.

 Chapter 525 - 525: Emperor Kageyasha

    The place was filled with many people, but none of them looked like civilians.


    They were all veteran warriors.


    "Kurnoe, you''re back? And why are you with the Prince?"


    "I''ll talk to you later.


    I''m still on duty.


    Also, stop looking at them like that; they are our emperor''s guests."


    With her words, everyone shifted their attention back to their tasks.


    "Don''t mind them.


    They''re just surprised to see a human here," Ryu said with a chuckle.


    "It''s fine. Is this area a safe zone?"


    "Safe zone?


    Hmm...


    I suppose you could call it that, but we just refer to it as a rest area."


    "I don''t see or feel anyone maintaining the rules.


    No one ever breaks them?"


    MingYue was curious.


    In a place like this, it was surprising no one tried to steal or ambush others.


    "They won''t. Even outside, they only aim to kill or attack.


    Stealing or committing other crimes is something no one would do.


    If you''re wondering why, the answer is simple: for us Neko, we must maintain our honor.


    Doing something dishonorable would make everyone lose respect for us¡ªnot to mention the punishment."


    Ryu explained that similar incidents had occurred in the past, and the punishment was public torture followed by execution.


    "It seems everyone here has shadow abilities.


    Are other Neko not allowed to enter?"


    "There are no rules against it, but the requirement to live here is to collect at least 100 eagle spider eggs."


    ''No wonder.


    This trial and this place...


    This must be how they maintain leadership.''


    Without a specific ability, gathering those eggs would be impossible without significant confrontation.


    It didn''t take long for them to meet with the beast emperor.


    He was seated cross-legged on the floor, with two women massaging his shoulders.


    Alex frowned upon seeing him; the black fur lacked its luster, and his face was pale.


    "Father, I have brought him here."


    "I don''t remember asking you to bring them here, but good work, Ryu.


    Lately, the road is not as safe as in the past."


    "Yes, Father. I also heard the report.


    Kurone had just finished the defenses, so I took the initiative to protect them.


    I hope you don''t mind me doing this. Otherwise, I am ready to accept any punishment."


    While saying this, Ryu was slightly bowing her upper body.


    Her hands clenched into fists in front of her face, like someone praying.


    "I don''t mind. I like your initiative; you can go now."


    But Ryu didn''t move.


    She seemed to hesitate, wanting to say something.


    The emperor snorted, then threw a storage ring at Ryu.


    "If you want to say something, you should say it!"


    "Thank you, Father. I will make sure to use this for our clan''s prosperity."


    Ryu''s eyes lit up while catching the storage ring. She then excused herself.


    "Sorry for that interruption. You can just call me Kageyasha."


    He then turned his gaze to Kurone. "You can also leave. Take a rest."


    "Yes, Emperor."


    Seeing her disappearing back, Kageyasha''s eyes filled with many emotions.


    "You know, she is also my daughter, but she always treats me coldly."


    "¡­"


    Alex was speechless. He didn''t know how to respond. He felt there was a hidden intention behind the emperor''s remark.


    They had just met, and somehow, he was already talking about his personal problems. It was just weird.


    Also, something was bugging Alex.


    "My name is Alex, and she is my lover, Mingyue."


    The moment he said this, Mingyue''s cheeks turned red, and her lips curled into a small smile.


    "You should have heard about the situation from Kurone. We are here to visit the Silver Snake Clan."


    "Yes, and you probably visited me to ask for more information.


    In Beastman land, the area is split into nine, each maintained by a beast emperor.


    But this doesn''t mean we only have nine clans; each of our territories has a lot of them.


    For example, in my place alone, we have more than a hundred clans here."


    "Do you mean not everyone in the Silver Clan''s territory agrees with what they want to do?"


    "Of course, not everyone agrees, but we are not like your kind. None of us will betray our territory directly."


    Alex frowned.


    "Do you mean it''s not easy for me to enter their territory?"


    "Yes, we do have a teleportation array, but the moment you use that to enter their place, you will be ambushed.


    You may be strong enough, but what if you are attacked by the whole Beastman population in the territory?


    Can you survive?"


    Despite hearing this, Alex and Mingyue were sure they could survive.


    As vampires, the longer the battle goes, the stronger they become.


    Their stamina could be said to be infinite. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only problem was they didn''t want a massacre.


    The more people that died on the planet, the fewer resources they would have to grow their army.


    "Just get to the point, Kageyasha.


    I thought Beastmen were supposed to be direct, but you keep talking in circles."


    Alex said with an annoyed tone, somehow reminded of the association president.


    "Smart but impatient. You really are his son."


    "You know my father?"


    "Every emperor here knows your father, although I am sure not everyone knows you are his son or about his plan.


    Before he left for the rift, he visited me and a few other emperors."


    "Did my father ask for your help with something?"


    While asking this, Alex activated his ability and started searching through his father''s memories that he extracted from the Dragari King.


    But there was nothing about the Beastman territory.


    This meant there were only two possibilities: either his father visited after leaving his body, or he purged the memory, hiding it from the Dragari King.


    "He did, although rather than help, it''s more accurate to say he wanted access to the history of our clan.


    And I gave that to him in exchange for his help, but unfortunately, even he gave up.


    Before I continue, can you sit down first? It''s annoying seeing you stand like this. Just get comfortable."

 Chapter 526 - 526: Kurones Twin

    Alex and Mingyue looked at each other and then took a seat.


    The reason they stood was to ensure they could escape quickly in case something happened or they were ambushed.


    But right now, they couldn''t feel anyone''s presence nor any malicious intent from Kageyasha.


    There was a possibility they just failed to detect them because of their shadow abilities, but based on the situation so far, Alex found this possibility slim.


    If Kageyasha wanted to ambush and capture them, he would have already done so the moment Kurone left.


    There was no reason for him to talk in circles like this.


    "Let me put this simply. I have a way to bring all of you inside the Silver Snake territory without anyone finding out.


    But for this, I need your help with a problem your father failed to solve."


    "I need more details."


    Alex was curious about what kind of problem his father couldn''t find a solution for. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even when he was stranded in another world with limited resources, he still found a way.


    The only thing Alex thought of was that his father might have had a way, but it took too long, and he was in a hurry.


    After all, Edward''s goal was to go through the rift into that dangerous zone.


    He needed to enter at a specific time or be prepared to wait a few more years.


    "This is related to Kurone and the ancient monster that once roamed free in this area.


    When her mother was pregnant with her, she accidentally found one of the remains and got possessed.


    At first, nothing changed, so she didn''t report it to me¡­"


    Kageyasha''s face turned grim. What happened next was still clear in his mind.


    His strong and kind wife, the one he knew, was no more.


    Her personality underwent a huge change; she became irritated easily and far more cruel.


    A single mistake could result in someone getting killed.


    At first, Kageyasha thought it was just because of pregnancy, but the more he saw, the more worried he became.


    It only became worse to the point that only he could stay beside her.


    After some time, her personality completely transformed, and it also started changing her body.


    Her black fur began falling off, and her skin turned rough.


    At this point, he finally realized that something must have happened.


    "I thought this was the act of some despicable human or another beast clan.


    But after a lot of research and fighting, I realized it''s not.


    She is possessed by some kind of parasitic creature, one that doesn''t belong to this world.


    I looked for a cure everywhere, even tried exchanging with the Guardian, but the best I got was putting her under a coma."


    Kageyasha then created a formation to supply his wife''s body with the necessary nutrients and resources.


    This allowed Kurone to grow healthily in her womb until birth.


    "So you want me to look for a way to cure your wife?" Alex asked in disbelief.


    Not because he found the emperor''s story fake, but more so because no one could cure it¡ªnot even his father.


    Kageyasha''s eyes turned sad, and then he shook his head.


    "No, it''s already too late for her.


    When she gave birth, something else happened.


    I don''t want to talk about it in detail, but she didn''t make it.


    The problem is something else¡ªwhen she gave birth, it wasn''t only Kurone that came out."


    Kageyasha then stood up.


    "Follow me."


    He activated some kind of formation in the room.


    The next moment, Alex and Mingyue found themselves inside a basement.


    In front of them, they could see a luxurious room separated by glass.


    Inside, a young woman with the exact same appearance as Kurone could be seen.


    "What is wrong with her?"


    Alex concluded she was Kurone''s twin, but the question was, he couldn''t see anything wrong with the woman.


    She was now sitting cross-legged, cultivating silently on the ground.


    "See this."


    Kageyasha flicked his finger, and the formation activated once more.


    A huge beast then appeared.


    It was a two-headed lion the size of a two-story bus.


    The woman inside opened her eyes. What happened next baffled Alex and Mingyue.


    She walked on all fours with crazed eyes and tore the beast apart.


    She then proceeded to eat it until not even the bones were left.


    Everything happened so fast.


    The most surprising thing was her level of strength.


    ''Alex, is she stronger than Clara?''


    ''With that speed and shadow innate ability, yes.


    Also, did you see her hand transform when she attacked?''


    ''Mhm¡­ it was like her hand turned into a sword at that time.''


    ''It seems Kurone was born normal, while her twin was affected by the parasite.''


    "I''m sorry to ask this, but Kageyasha, do you have your wife''s remains?"


    "No, she was cremated to ashes. Nothing is left.


    Until now, we don''t know what is affecting her, and we believe this didn''t happen on purpose.


    We had no other choice."


    Based on Kageyasha''s words, Alex speculated that when his wife gave birth, the parasite went feral.


    They did something to subdue her, and in the end, the parasite decided to escape, infusing itself with the twins.


    Since she was still a baby without any personality, the parasite easily fused with her, completely taking over the body.


    ''Either the parasite didn''t have a personality to begin with, or it was erased when it possessed her body.''


    "As you can see, she acts like this no matter who enters, and her strength is also another problem."


    "Has she been like this since she was a baby?"


    "Since her mother passed away, I hired two wet nurses.


    In Kurone''s case, there were no problems, but with her¡­


    Kurosora¡­


    She bit the wet nurse, eating her chest, and almost killed her in the process.


    Afterward, her diet only consisted of meat, but that still isn''t the biggest problem¡­


    Her intelligence doesn''t grow.


    Everything outside of fighting and secret techniques, she cannot learn at all."


    "You mean she can''t communicate? In that case, how were you able to teach her?"

 Chapter 527 - 527: Request

    Even though Kurosora was born with such strength, that didn''t mean she could magically cultivate.


    Mingyue had seen many geniuses, even those chosen by the heavens, with talents far better than hers.


    However, they needed to learn cultivation theory and study it step by step.


    "She''s a battle genius. That''s why I sealed her here.


    Any technique you perform in front of her, she''ll be able to copy perfectly.


    The more complicated it is, the more time it will take, but at some point, she''ll master it.


    I''ve tried to teach her through many methods and tried to communicate with her, but she always attacked me."


    "So she reached the immortal realm just by fighting with you since childhood?


    Does Kurone know about her?"


    "Why do you think she always gives me the cold shoulder? sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a child, she blamed me for her mother''s death. Now, she still blames me for her twin''s state.


    Well, it''s partly my fault since I never allowed them to meet."


    "That''s cruel. You''re just giving her false hope."


    "Young lady, with what you''ve experienced so far, don''t you already know that the potential of this world is limitless?"


    He then looked toward Kurosora, his eyes filled with affection and determination. "It''s not that there is no cure; I just haven''t found it yet."


    "So you want me to somehow make her able to communicate with you?"


    "Not just communicate. I want her to be able to live normally."


    Alex frowned.


    "In that case, I''ll need to enter and experiment on her to find the solution."


    "Your father did the same and gave up.


    You."


    He then pointed at a door nearby.


    "The data from your father''s experiments is still there. You can go inside to check. My only requirement is that she remains unharmed.


    You can also give up if you want, but in that case, I won''t help you."


    "Fine. Give me some time. I also want every single report on your wife before her death.


    A blood sample from Kurone will also be needed."


    "All right. I''ll prepare it."


    "Kageyasha, I still have some questions."


    "Ask away."


    "Why are you faking your illness?


    And what do you think about the Silver Snake Clan?"


    "Hahaha, my son really cannot keep his mouth shut.


    Just because he heard the Guardian guarantee you, he starts blabbering like that.


    This is why I do this.


    As you know, many things were brewing in the background, some even unknown to me.


    But with such a long peace, my people and descendants have gone dull.


    Even though they are beastmen, their instinct for danger is very bad.


    Just see how easily Ryu said that info to you.


    Peace is good, but it makes us weaker, and it will not last forever."


    "There is no infighting here?"


    "When people had problems, they went to the arena. It might have been life and death, but they were prepared.


    No one ambushed others when they were weak. No one ganged up on another.


    A few years may have been fine, but for multiple generations, we have stayed like this."


    Kageyasha then continued telling Alex about the situation in his clan.


    Even with all this training, when they came out and returned to living in the city, their guard would completely drop.


    Beastmen had huge pride in fighting; they disliked attacking someone with petty tricks.


    But this came at a cost¡ªno one ambushed anyone, turning even their beast instincts pointless.


    "I see. You are afraid that when things come to a shove, these beastmen will all fall to ambush?"


    "In the past, we had humans doing that for us, but now it''s pointless."


    An idea then came up in Alex''s mind.


    "In that case, why not have training with my people?


    I will send them to ambush you guys, and then you can fight back.


    Since it''s real practice, we will go for a kill."


    Alex thought this was best. Without the risk of losing lives, people would grow complacent.


    He just needed to give them some safety measures that allowed their souls to be transported back after they died.


    In this way, no one would really die.


    The only question was what to do with their souls¡ªallowing them to revive easily would be troublesome.


    ''Maybe I can use them as test players.''


    Alex remembered his plan to make a virtual game using people''s souls.


    He thought maybe he could use these souls and make them live as NPCs for a specific duration.


    This would also work as training.


    This gave Alex motivation to start designing the game he had put on hold for a long time, as he needed to raise his understanding of souls.


    But now, he had already mastered it.


    As long as the target wasn''t strong, he had no problem manipulating it.


    "Let''s talk about it if you can fulfill my wish."


    Alex''s lips then curled into a smile.


    "In that case, Kageyasha, your reward is nowhere near enough.


    To only get one help to solve the snake clan for recovering your daughter¡­


    Is that how much she''s worth to you?"


    The temperature of the room quickly dropped a few degrees. Alex could feel Kageyasha''s killing intent spreading, focusing only on him.


    Kageyasha''s eyes narrowed, but Alex didn''t even flinch.


    He just stood there, waiting for Kageyasha''s answer.


    "Do your work first. We can talk again later."


    Kageyasha''s body then dissipated into the shadows.


    Alex looked around.


    "This place is isolated and hidden with many arrays, but I think with some work, we can still bypass it."


    "Are you sure it''s fine talking out loud?"


    Mingyue asked, rolling her eyes.


    She was sure Alex knew about this and wondered if he said that on purpose just to get back at Kageyasha.


    "Why not?


    If we''re not even capable of doing this, there''s no way we can heal his daughter."


    ''What is your plan?


    Don''t tell me you want to ask for help from Yue?'' Mingyue asked telepathically.


    ''If we have no other choice.


    But I will try to look at it first.


    I do have some speculation.


    I think this is related to those sins that Uncle Sylva fought.


    Since one is here, who knows how many leftovers are still spread around this planet.''

 Chapter 528 - 528: MingYue vs KuroSora

    ''You better not show her out here. It''s too dangerous.''


    ''Don''t worry. I will just make her unconscious, then bring her to Edonia.''


    ''Hmm... In that case, Alex, while you check the information, can you open the door?


    I want to try fighting her.''


    "Sure."


    Alex''s finger glowed green, and he began drawing formations in the air.


    Far away, back in the room, Kageyasha observed what happened.


    His gaze was sharp.


    "Emperor, is it alright to let him do this?"


    Asked a man standing beside him. His body was lean and covered completely in black armor, showing only his eyes.


    "Do you have a better idea?


    This is good for us anyway. If he is that capable, maybe he can really cure her.


    Even his father cannot interfere with our formation like this."


    "But will the young lady be alright? S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I heard they were the ones behind the invasion on other sects and clans. They should be strong enough."


    "They need my cooperation¡­


    I am sure they know where the line is.


    If they cross it, I won''t mind fighting them to the death.


    Anyway, do you have the report?"


    "Yes, sir. I have seen movement from the Silver Snake clan. It seems they will make a big move soon.


    Their emperor also left, meeting with others.


    Other than this, I got news¡ªthe fox empress is coming toward the spider empress''s place."


    "Hmm¡­


    Find out what they are talking about. As for the snake emperor, just let him be.


    There''s nothing we can do."


    "Alright."


    It wasn''t that the silver emperor was stronger than the fox, just that the task was different.


    Kageyasha wanted to know what the silver snake emperor was doing, but asking him would be pointless.


    Meanwhile, Yubina''s movement surprised him.


    She usually stayed silent in her territory.


    The man just needed to infiltrate there and find out more information or rumors.


    He could also go to the spider territory¡ªafter all, the arrival of another emperor would surely spark talk.


    "Don''t forget to bring some tools to infiltrate their hive mind."


    "Yes, Emperor."


    Meanwhile, inside the huge cell, Mingyue faced Kurosora.


    Unlike the beasts, Kurosora didn''t quickly leap. She just let out a growl, her body in a posture, preparing to move at any second.


    Mingyue could see Kurosora''s shadow fluctuating like some kind of energy.


    The movement was very minuscule, but because her eyes were focused, she didn''t miss it.


    The fluctuation then suddenly grew more intense.


    Mingyue ducked.


    Kurosora appeared behind her, swiping her sharp claw where her neck had been.


    In response, Mingyue spread her frost qi. Since she didn''t want to accidentally hurt Kurosora, she didn''t take out her sword or use lethal techniques.


    The frost qi''s goal was to lower the temperature and slow Kurosora''s movements.


    But before it reached Kurosora, she had already disappeared.


    Moving through the shadows, she reappeared ten steps away from Mingyue.


    "GRAWR!"


    The shadows around her turned solid, then pierced through the air like a spear.


    Mingyue smiled.


    The cold qi around her began gathering, forming hundreds of ice spikes.


    With a flick of her finger, the spikes shot out, meeting Kurosora''s attack head-on.


    The furniture in the room would have turned to ashes if not for the formation moving it elsewhere.


    BAM! CLANG! CLANG!


    Normally, the ice spikes would freeze everything they touched. Unfortunately, their opponent was a shadow.


    They pierced through the ice spikes, continuing their trajectory toward Mingyue.


    Seeing this, Mingyue sprinted forward, dodging each shadow spear with minimal movement.


    She ducked, jumped, and rolled until she arrived in front of Kurosora.


    With one motion, Mingyue threw a punch at her face.


    BAM!


    Her cold qi spread, freezing part of Kurosora''s cheek.


    Kurosora growled, twisting her body away as shadows gathered around her hand.


    The shadow twisted like a snake, forming into a large, sharp claw, slashing toward Mingyue''s side.


    Mingyue kicked off the ground, backflipping to avoid the attack.


    "GRAA!"


    The shadows around them started moving, expanding and filling the entire space with darkness.


    Mingyue raised her senses to the max, but she could no longer feel Kurosora''s life force.


    Instead, she felt something sinister.


    In reflex, her progenitor aura spread out.


    The shadows suddenly grew erratic, and countless eyes appeared all around Mingyue, glaring at her with intense wrath.


    ''Why am I feeling like this¡­?''


    Mingyue frowned. She felt as if she were facing someone she hated more than anything¡ªsomeone she wanted to crush into dust with nothing left.


    ''This is not good!''


    Mingyue grew worried. If she continued to fight, she might be taken away by the overwhelming emotion.


    The feeling kept growing, showing no sign of stopping.


    "Alex! Take me out!"


    The moment she said this, her surroundings changed. She appeared in front of the prison cell.


    Alex stood at the side, his crimson eyes coldly watching the cell.


    Inside, everything remained pitch black, with countless eyes staring at them, filled with fury.


    Alex recognized the presence¡ªit was eerily familiar.


    ''Those damned eyeballs. I swear, if I meet Byakhee again, I''ll poke out every one of its eyes.


    But what is this? It looks similar but gives off a different feeling.''


    Based on the data from his father''s research, Alex knew the parasite had already intertwined with Kurosora''s soul.


    Separating it was impossible. The only solution was for Kurosora herself to overwhelm the parasite.


    But her mental age was practically zero, which was why even her father had given up.


    The darkness then dissipated, revealing two figures.


    Kageyasha stood, gazing down at the unconscious Kurosora before turning his sharp eyes toward Alex and Mingyue.


    "What have you done?"


    "Did you bring Kurone''s blood sample?


    Let''s talk while I check it. I need to confirm something."


    Alex turned around, heading back to the room.


    On the way, Mingyue asked telepathically, ''Are they related to the sins you told me about?


    The weapons created by outer gods to defeat vampires?''


    ''Yes. This hatred we felt likely comes from the vampire race as a whole.


    Thankfully, our progenitor rate is not that high.''

 Chapter 529 - 529: Origin Qi Crystal

    This realization made Alex think further. He understood now that intense emotions from the race were funneled to the progenitor.


    A single individual''s emotions wouldn''t be an issue, but if many carried the same intense feelings, it would be different.


    It was like water.


    A single drop wouldn''t matter, but a tsunami could flatten a whole city.


    Inside the room, Alex saw various experimental apparatuses.


    He speculated that either the emperor had procured them from the Guardian or his father had provided the instruments.


    Moving to the microscope, Alex placed samples of Kurone''s and Kurosora''s blood for comparison.


    "So, how is it?


    What are you hoping to find by comparing their blood?"


    "It''s complicated to explain in one sentence, but to put it simply, I want to locate the parasite inside her body."


    Alex wanted to check the DNA and see how intertwined it was¡ªat what points and whether it was still possible to sever the two.


    This would also help him understand more about the soul.


    Could separating DNA result in the separation of a soul?


    "I see... S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then tell me now¡ªwhat happened inside?"


    Without looking up from the apparatus, Alex replied,


    "Kageyasha, how much do you know about the history of your clan?


    Have you ever heard of the Felidaen?"


    Kageyasha''s eyes widened. Since Edward had failed to help him, Kageyasha had denied him access to much information. Only fragments were shared.


    And the word Felidaen only appeared in those hidden records.


    "How do you know that name?"


    "As I thought¡­


    All of you in the Neko clan are, in reality, Felidaen.


    I met one of your people in another world."


    "How is that related to what happened to my daughter?"


    "It''s related to what''s inside of her.


    If I am correct, it should be a weapon from ancient times, created to vanquish the vampire race."


    Realization struck Kageyasha.


    "So, you are saying both of you are of the vampire race?


    But I heard from the records that they were already extinct."


    "As I thought, you have some information about the Progenitor War era.


    If you want to know more, I want that knowledge."


    Their deal was only for him to cure Kurosora; none of it included sharing information.


    Even his reward was still up for negotiation.


    "I changed my mind. You are not like him at all, exploiting every single opportunity you have."


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile.


    "So? What is your answer?"


    "Fine, let''s trade."


    A jade slip appeared in Kageyasha''s palm, and then he threw it toward Alex with strength.


    But Alex didn''t mind this. He spread his qi to weaken the momentum, then caught it easily.


    With a thought, he read all the information.


    ''Based on this, they shouldn''t have any relation with Aimu and Freay.''


    It only told that the clan didn''t come from here and that they should not forget their heritage.


    There wasn''t much information, but based on his knowledge of this world''s past, their coming here should have been related to the opening of dungeons everywhere on the planet.


    The period of time when this planet was the most chaotic.


    Alex thought they came here as refugees or were purposely sent away in case their species fell.


    "None of your ancestors survived?"


    "None. That period of time was very chaotic.


    Many died in inner fighting or were just captured by Orochi."


    "Now that reminds me, isn''t the Silver Snake clan related to Orochi?"


    Since both of them were snakes, there was no way they were not connected.


    "If I look at the old records, yes.


    But they are part of the traitor clan that helped us in the final confrontation.


    They were stripped of most of their artifacts and techniques by the Guardian and had a period where they were under surveillance."


    "I see. Can you send me the jade slip, too?"


    "Not yet. Tell me what you know now."


    "I had my own fortuitous encounter, the result turning me into a vampire.


    Since Kurosora was possessed by a being created specifically to hunt my kind, the result is as you can see.


    She went feral, as her instinct is to kill all vampires."


    This worried Kageyasha.


    "Does this mean she will try to kill you again after she wakes up?"


    "We will not wait until then.


    I already have some treatment methods for her."


    Alex then explained his plan.


    He would take out Kurosora''s soul, separate it from the parasite, and put her in some kind of simulation.


    This would allow her soul to grow mature to the point where it could resist or overpower the parasite.


    "I do suggest you tell Kurone about this. Both of you could have a family life in this simulated world."


    Kageyasha had never heard of this before creating a simulated world for a soul to live inside, thinking it was alive.


    He did know it was possible, but it would require a lot of expertise to pull off.


    But the possibility of living like a normal family with his daughter was something he didn''t want to miss.


    "Can you really do that? What about the risk?"


    "Yes, I''ve already researched a lot on this topic, so I can guarantee it will be safe.


    I just need a large amount of high-grade qi crystals."


    "Will this work?"


    Kageyasha opened his palm, showing a perfect sphere the size of a fist.


    Alex could see a huge energy inside it. The qi moved like plasma; its purity was something he had never seen before.


    It was to the point that he might as well call it a new energy type.


    "What is that?"


    "So, you''ve never seen one. We call it an Origin qi crystal.


    This is very rare and can only be found here in the frontline area.


    So far, only a dozen have been found.


    You''ll see it grow like a fruit on high-grade Qi crystal veins."


    "What happens to the vein if you pluck this away?"


    "The vein will drop in quality, but it will still create qi crystals.


    We don''t know how this was achieved.


    I heard some cultivators already tried to create artificial versions of this but failed."

 Chapter 530 - 530: Creating The Game

    "Let me see it."


    The crystal felt warm to the touch. It also felt like it was beating, like it was alive.


    But Alex was clear that there was no life energy coming from it.


    A thought then came to his mind.


    ''This looks like nuclear fission but utilizes qi and some other kind of material.''


    Alex wanted to research it, but he knew it was very dangerous.


    If he tried to split it apart, the stable energy would probably trigger a huge explosion that caused a chain reaction.


    "What do you use it for?"


    "Right now, it''s just part of my collection.


    I''m sure you can also tell the energy inside is very volatile.


    I had heard someone use it as a weapon before, but the result was a huge explosion that killed everyone in the vicinity.


    Not even immortals were spared.


    If you''re interested, I can tell you the location of this forbidden zone.


    You should be able to check for yourself whether it was caused by this or something else.


    I do suggest you don''t go there, though, since no one has returned from that spot."


    ''A radiation strong enough to even kill immortals?''


    Alex had already marked this spot as a place he needed to visit.


    A strong weapon, good enough for him to use to fight against those stronger, was something he would not miss out on.


    Even though Kageyasha didn''t explicitly say immortals were killed just by going into the region, it was already clear to Alex that no immortals survived it.


    Otherwise, there was no way they still didn''t know what was going on.


    "This should be more than enough. You should keep an eye on your daughter for now and bring Kurone here.


    If you have more people you can trust, it will be better."


    "What for?"


    "They can act as her friends, uncles, or aunts. The more people, the better it will be for her development.


    But in case you cannot bring them, I could make them up."


    Although it''s not the best, Alex could use AI code from his world, the same used for NPCs in games he liked to play.


    He didn''t plan to make everything from scratch.


    Alex would copy it from games he used to love before to the point where he had invested some money in the company.


    He used his pocket money, so even his mom didn''t know about this.


    The game had an apocalyptic setting, fusing medieval and sci-fi tropes.


    The sci-fi weapons were treated as some kind of artifact.


    While the survivors were living underground.


    It was also one of the first VR games with an immersive experience.


    Making it his favorite game of all time.


    With the amount of money and time he had spent, Alex remembered almost every detail of the world.


    ''The world was separated into two: the surface, filled with monsters, and the underground, with many cities, towns, and politics.


    Since the goal is for her to mature, she will need many stimuli, some kind of pressure, and a bit of trauma.''


    Alex planned to give her a few years of peace, then start with conflict.


    He gave the Origin qi crystal to Mingyue since she wanted to check on it while taking out his own high-grade qi crystal.


    He preferred using this rather than the Origin crystal.


    Who knew if he would be able to get his hands on it again.


    This also made Alex wonder if a similar grade of many crystals existed.


    Probably, it did, but it was located somewhere else.


    Alex''s fingers danced in the air. The pure qi crystals were forged together, turning into a cube.


    He then started carving the complicated formation.


    His first step was to create a world that could keep and maintain a soul.


    A soul without a body carried many risks, from corruption to dissipation.


    To avoid this, he would need to constantly pour life force into it.


    It couldn''t be too much or too little to avoid complications.


    Afterward, the formation must also force the soul into slumber.


    This was to make sure they couldn''t interact with the real formation. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex had thought about creating a whole world carved with formations that allowed souls to directly interact there, but after some thought, he realized this would cost too many resources.


    There was also the risk since the soul could directly access the formation.


    That was when Alex chose another method.


    Creating something akin to a virtual world, making it seem like they were just lucid dreaming.


    This also gave Alex more control, as he could change how fast time passed in the area.


    Since they existed only as souls, as long as the formation was created perfectly, there would be very few side effects, even if he made it one hundred times faster than the real world.


    Alex could choose to only create the world for Kurosora to use, but he didn''t want to do this.


    It would make the time spent creating it faster, but afterward, it would become useless.


    Alex wanted to make one that would serve as the foundation for his future game.


    Looking at his excited face, Mingyue smiled.


    She could see Alex was excited and now completely absorbed in his own work.


    Mingyue turned her attention toward the crystal in her hand.


    She then closed her eyes and felt the qi fluctuation coming from the crystal.


    ''The fluctuation is very slow and peaceful. It doesn''t feel like the raging water qi usually has.''


    If normal qi was like raging waves, then Origin qi crystal was like a serene sea.


    It was calm, with occasional waves crashing down.


    Mingyue didn''t have the same understanding as Alex, but even she could tell that if she tried to pull Qi from inside, it would turn the serene sea into a raging one.


    The equilibrium would be broken, causing catastrophic results.


    But this didn''t mean she couldn''t do anything.


    Mingyue tried to mimic the Origin qi''s movement, making her qi as calm as possible without reducing its effectiveness.


    She felt this was a way for her to gain another breakthrough.

 Chapter 531 - 531: Father and Daughter

    Her next step was to understand control over space and time.


    Only with this could she achieve the transcendent stage and directly skip to the immortal stage.


    ''Alex said they just use sophisticated words, but in reality, it only means gaining complete control over the qi in my body and the qi surrounding me.


    But how do I do this?''


    Mingyue then focused her senses, trying to spread her qi to take over the atmospheric qi around her.


    This process was easier than she thought, but the cost was not efficient.


    By her instinct, she spent more energy than necessary to gain control over it.


    ''This shouldn''t be the way; it''s not effective.


    Maybe I should do it like spreading my domain?''


    With this idea, Mingyue spread out her frost qi, creating her own domain in a small area.


    Ice lotus petals began dropping around her, turning everything into ice.


    She then started controlling it. At first, her goal was to ensure it didn''t affect the surroundings too much.


    But while doing this, Mingyue realized she didn''t need to use her own qi to achieve the effect. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By changing how she created the domain, she made her qi trigger the surrounding qi to move on its own, without her intervention.


    Her eyes lit up with the idea.


    ''If I''m right, this should be the first step toward reaching the transcendent stage.


    If I had more understanding of runes, I would have been able to achieve this more easily.


    Since my core is now already mixed together, there''s no reason to do it the normal way.''


    With that thought, Mingyue disappeared, entering Edonia.


    Meanwhile, Kageyasha sent someone to call Kurone.


    She was now standing in front of him.


    "So that''s the gist. Do you want to do it?"


    "Why now?"


    "I told you I already did my best.


    It''s because Alex came here that we have this method now, but I know you won''t believe me."


    "You, the almighty emperor, don''t have any other method?


    Are you kidding me?


    Do you think I don''t know what kinds of methods are available from the Guardian?


    Let''s say you couldn''t do anything for my twin''s sake, but you should at least be able to save Mother!"


    Despite her flat tone, Kurone''s eyes were filled with anger.


    Kageyasha stayed silent; he didn''t know what to say.


    If he had returned in time, could he have done better?


    The answer would be yes, but that was only because he now knew what had happened.


    In the past, he hadn''t even realized his wife was hurting.


    ''If only she had told me what happened...''


    There were so many "what if" scenarios, but in the end, he couldn''t change anything since it was in the past.


    "Tch..."


    Kurone stomped her feet in anger, but she still walked to her father''s side.


    Kageyasha didn''t say anything further. As long as she cooperated, he would have a lot of time to try to mend their relationship.


    Meanwhile, in Ariadne''s territory, Olivia''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "You want what?"


    "As I said, I want to come out with all of you. In exchange, I will help with whatever you want to achieve here."


    Olivia had already heard about the situation from Ariadne.


    Even though it wasn''t as comprehensive as Alex''s knowledge, she still knew there were limitations in place for the beastmen.


    "You are not allowed to leave this area. If someone finds out, it will be a huge trouble for us."


    "They won''t. Don''t worry; I have my way."


    After saying this, Yubina''s body started to transform. She turned as small as a cat.


    Her fur was pure white, with three tails coming out from her back.


    It was like looking at a baby fox.


    The appearance was very cute; if not for her having seen Yubina''s true power, Olivia would not have thought twice about cuddling it.


    "Wow, you can do things like this? Wait, doesn''t this mean you already came out from this territory?"


    Ariadne asked in wonder.


    Right now, she could only feel Yubina as if she were a normal fox.


    "You underestimate us too much, Ariadne.


    Every beast emperor has their own method to leave this place.


    Some already often take a look outside, but there is nothing that interests us.


    What we wanted was to find a way to leave this world, to find a way to reach a greater stage.


    Or, just like me, to look for a way back to our ancestors."


    "So, even this method cannot bypass the guardian?"


    "Yes, the Guardian is far stronger than you think, Ariadne.


    There is a reason why this agreement can be forced to happen.


    If only we had another path to go outside this world, I would already have used it."


    Yubina had tried many methods, including flying high and trying to pierce through the atmosphere.


    But the barrier''s protection was too strong, even for her.


    Even when she went all out, it didn''t leave a scratch.


    "That is for sure."


    Ariadne also knew how strong the barrier was.


    She and Edward had tried many ways to leave this place, but in the end, they found another purpose.


    "Hmm... In that case, can you send people to act like me? I also want to go out and find some old acquaintances."


    "Aunt Ariadne, will it be alright?"


    "Don''t worry, Olivia."


    Ariadne wasn''t worried. In the end, the one who would decide wasn''t her.


    She then turned to Yubina.


    "No promises, but you can follow us for now."


    "Where will we go?"


    Yubina, still in fox form, jumped toward Ariadne''s shoulder.


    "We will pass through the ridges. Where else? But both of you should be careful.


    The enemy will become stronger the moment Yubina and I enter.


    That place has a weird feature where the monsters will adjust their strength depending on the invader."


    "Isn''t that like a cheat?


    If something like that is possible, why don''t they just make them all stronger?"


    Quartz was confused.


    Why bother making the equivalent strength? Just make them stronger.

 Chapter 532 - 532: Yubina Goal

    "Strength doesn''t come out of nowhere, Quartz. It requires a lot of energy to maintain.


    I don''t know the details, but Edward said the mechanism is just infusing energy into monsters that already live there."


    "There''s more to it.


    Those monsters come from the outside world.


    But it won''t be a problem for both of us."


    After some more discussion, the four of them left toward the human region.


    They didn''t know Alex and Mingyue were now in the same region.


    Outside the territory, Olivia was walking in a daze at the back.


    Now that they were going to meet up again with Alex, she couldn''t help but feel conflicted.


    She wanted to meet him, but it was painful since she knew Mingyue would be at his side.


    Yubina''s lips curled into a sly smile.


    She then jumped to Olivia''s shoulder.


    Meanwhile, Quartz was talking with Ariadne as she gave her some suggestions on how to break into a new realm.


    "What are you thinking, young one? You seem to have some problems."


    "Lady Yubina, nothing is wrong."


    Olivia addressed her formally since they were now cooperating.


    ''Hmm...


    But I am sure something is on your mind.


    Don''t worry, you can tell me. I can keep it a secret.


    And don''t you think getting a third opinion is better?


    Someone neutral who doesn''t know anyone.''


    Olivia hesitated, but when she thought about it, she realized Yubina was right.


    Quartz also had no comment despite knowing the situation.


    She, too, was caught in a hard place.


    Olivia then told her the gist while skipping through many details.


    Even though they were allies, she couldn''t just tell her about the progenitor and vampires.


    Many things she kept secret, except for the fact that they had a method to go to another world.


    Yubina also already knew about this.


    ''Hmm... In that case, don''t give up too early.


    Having more than one wife is normal here.


    You just need to convince both of them you deserve to be there.''


    ''But I am far weaker than them.


    They are too far away for me to catch up.


    Even if I become immortal, it will not be enough.''


    ''In that case, how about this lady helps you?


    I will give you a cultivation method that enhances your strength.


    Not only that, this will raise your beauty and give you the ability to charm others.''


    ''A charm spell?''


    Olivia considered it for a second but quickly rejected the idea.


    ''That is not the relationship I want to have with him, but thanks for the offer.''


    ''Well, the charm skill is only there because it was created by me.


    You should know, as part of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, it''s one of our innate abilities.


    And there''s nothing wrong with having the skill.


    It''s up to you to use it or not.''


    ''But...''


    ''Don''t you want to become stronger? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Young one, if you really love that man, you should stop at nothing to be with him.


    Take it as a suggestion from someone who has lived for centuries.


    Worrying about the future is good and all, but what really matters in the end is the present.''


    Olivia reluctantly agreed. In the end, it was better to have more methods.


    Even if it was a trap, she could study it first and learn it later.


    Meanwhile, far away from them, another Yubina was standing in front of someone wearing a purplish hood.


    On the hood, there was a letter written in gold that read "Gu."


    "As expected from you, Fox Empress, you have many tricks up your sleeve.


    But to think your avatar is strong enough to trick another empress."


    "That''s my secret to hide. So, I''ve done my part. Can you give me the thing I wanted?"


    "Of course, we of the Gu Clan always fulfill our promises.


    With this, you can go to any world you want, Empress.


    But I will remind you, it can only be used once."


    The man gave out two talismans with eyeballs painted on them.


    "This one is to leave this world, while this one will bring you back to this place."


    "To think you have these even with such strong formations."


    "Haha, I appreciate your praise, but we are nothing more than a group of merchants, Empress.


    Now, excuse me, I have more tasks to do."


    "Wait. I know it''s part of the rule, but can''t you at least tell me?


    I just really don''t get it. Why would you give out such a cultivation method to that human?"


    "Ah, it seems you have tried to cultivate it.


    This will lower your credibility, Empress."


    "Like that ever matters. You guys come and go as you wish."


    "Well, take this as an after-service, then.


    This technique was created solely for her.


    As for the details, I cannot say more since that would breach the contract."


    The hood on the man then started contorting as if some kind of creature existed inside.


    It then fell to the ground, followed by many insects spreading out.


    With a flick of her finger, Yubina burned all of them.


    "Tsk, as disgusting as always.


    At least they always keep their deal."


    This was not the first time Yubina had made a deal with them.


    Every time, they always fulfilled their promises.


    Her gaze then looked at the talisman, filled with longing.


    "Finally, after all this time..."


    Meanwhile, back at the Neko Clan...


    Inside the room, a large cube was hovering in the air, spinning.


    Each time it finished a rotation, it spread out a small pulse of green energy.


    Underneath it, three people lay unconscious: Kageyasha, Kurone, and Kurosora.


    "To think the Emperor put himself at risk like this."


    "It just means she was very important to him, Mingyue.


    Wouldn''t you do the same for those you love?"


    "Well, I would do it for you or my brother, but even then, I would put some countermeasures in place."


    Alex let out a chuckle.


    "Well, who knows what kind of backup plan he has.


    Anyway, do you want to get in?"


    "Is there any use?"

 Chapter 533 - 533: A Villain...

    "Well, I need someone to act as the villain inside and check out many things.


    If not you, then I will be the one to enter."


    "A villain...


    Will they be able to use their real power inside?"


    "They should, to a certain point. My ability to suppress his soul is limited.


    So, if Kageyasha decides to go all out, there is nothing I can do."


    "That is interesting. What about the risk?"


    "Even though you are in soul form, you are still in slumber, so the damage will be very minimal."


    "How about the thing you want to check?"


    "If you come in, just share the memory afterward.


    I will send you the scenario, and you can change it as you want."


    "Alright, I will go then.


    There are some things I want to test."


    Mingyue''s goals were two: one was sparring, and the second was figuring out how to break through.


    As she could share memories with Alex, this meant that if she succeeded, Alex would be able to make his breakthrough.


    "The time inside is different from here, but it shouldn''t be a problem for us to communicate.


    Just do it as usual, or you can use it from the system interface I will give you."


    The cube rippled again as Mingyue entered the world. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She found herself inside a huge dome underground. In front of her was a sprawling city.


    The architecture was reminiscent of the ancient city that Alex had visited before.


    The rocks surrounding the city seemed to have strange features.


    They spread out comfortable light and warmth.


    On the outskirts of the city, MingYue could see two kids playing in the park.


    Based on their age they were around 9 years old.


    One was laughing on the swing while the other pushed her from behind.


    The middle-aged man behind them looked at them with a smile.


    "So they are there.


    It seems a long time has passed here.


    Did Alex find a way to increase the time rate even further?"


    With a thought, MingYue then opened the admin system.


    There, it showed complete information on every single NPC that existed in the city.


    Despite the large number, only a few were really important.


    Each was marked with a star icon.


    ''A cultist that worships the monster, the city lord, the young master...''


    Reading only the names, MingYue already knew what kind of scenario Alex wanted to pull.


    A young master is interested in twins when they become teenagers or adults.


    The city lord, with his own greed, then the final epic of the cultist.


    MingYue could modify everything, create events, and change NPC personalities.


    Or even trigger a monster invasion.


    But she didn''t have any interest.


    Since it was clear that Alex wanted to give them a happy childhood before turning it into something more intense.


    ''Kageyasha should at least know the scenario.


    Otherwise, there are too many risks.''


    If Kageyasha went wild when things became dangerous, it could affect the world''s stability.


    Since she still had a lot of time before the nearest event, MingYue used it to cultivate.


    This world might not have real Qi, but it could simulate one if she wanted.


    Outside, Alex''s eyes were studying every interaction between the formation and the simulated world.


    He was so focused, noting almost every change.


    To the point, he didn''t even realize someone was knocking on the door, looking for Kageyasha.


    This was the man sent to look for information on Yubina.


    He wanted to tell Kageyasha that she was spotted leaving the area with Ariadne and two humans.


    With humans in the equation, this made the information a high priority.


    But not enough for him to forcefully try to enter the room.


    As Kageyasha''s right-hand man, he knew what was happening inside was very important.


    If he accidentally disturbed it and caused a bad effect on Kageyasha''s daughter, his head would be sent flying.


    Meanwhile, Vesa, who stayed alert, also didn''t inform Alex since she didn''t feel any danger.


    After a few more attempts to knock, the man gave up.


    ''Seems I will need to inform the prince. The question is, which one?


    If everyone knows, it will become troublesome.''


    There is a huge chance the princes will just treat it as competition, turning things worse.


    As he thought about his options, Luca and Emily had already left the front line.


    She was going toward Bloodspire Citadel.


    She only knew where her husband had ordered Kane to go, but after so long, there was a possibility he had already moved.


    So Luca wanted to look for information first and check the current situation firsthand.


    Throughout the way, Emily was sullen, but Luca didn''t try to comfort her.


    At this point, there was nothing she could say.


    Both of them knew Edward was still alive, but they didn''t know the future.


    Too many things were moving outside their control now.


    "By the way, Mom, what do you think happened outside?"


    "Hmm¡­


    I don''t know, but the place is probably far calmer than here.


    Your brother''s people should have taken care of everything.


    Why? You want to go back?"


    "No, just thinking about it. I mean, despite the time difference, it''s the same; there are only some differences in this region. It''s been a while since we entered.


    Won''t they become worried?"


    "There is nothing we can do about that. Actually, I will be happy if Solomon comes here."


    Luca said with a cold smile.


    "What will you do to him, Mother?


    He is still the association president."


    "It seems I never taught you this, Emily, but no matter the person''s position, if they screw up, they deserve a beating.


    Of course, this is only if you are strong enough."


    Emily gulped. She was seeing a side of Luca she had never seen before.


    She then looked toward the sky, hoping that nothing bad would happen to her comrade.


    Time passed on, back in beastman territory, inside a huge city, a man with silver hair and pupils was sipping tea.


    But in front of him was not a serene lake or other beautiful scenery.


    Instead, it was a man chained in a cross shape.

 Chapter 534 - 534: Spies

    His body was tattered with wounds, many of the flesh missing.


    There were even insects moving around, eating his wounds.


    "Just how long do you want to stay silent, you lowly being?"


    "Lowly?


    Hehehe, go on then, try to read my mind again.


    Or heck, why not just kill me and search my soul?"


    "Lunatic!


    It''s been so many years, and you still keep your mouth shut.


    Just tell me where the formation key is, and then you will be let free."


    "How many times do you want to continue this pointless exchange?


    Thinking you are better than me while your brain is just as big as a lizard''s?"


    The man''s lips curled into a smile seeing this.


    "With how long you''ve been here, I am sure you have eavesdropped on what we talk about.


    You should already know my goal.


    We want to disrupt the formation covering this inner region.


    I don''t know how, but I could tell somehow you changed the time dilation outside this zone."


    Orion didn''t respond. He just let out a huge grin.


    Even with all the wounds and pain, he didn''t flinch. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tenacious bastard!"


    Just then, the door opened. Someone came in and whispered something to the emperor.


    Normally, they could just send information with telepathy.


    But this silver snake wanted to tell it directly so the emperor would have a better impression of him.


    "It seems your help is no longer needed. We have already found where your friend is hiding.


    Isn''t his name Kane?


    To think he is hiding in the outer region."


    Orion was still calm despite hearing this. "So what?


    With his strength, you will not be able to capture him with your minions.


    Hah, the only reason I got caught is because of my stupidity."


    "You are not wrong about that. Other than tenacity, you are stupid.


    Who comes to beast territory by themselves and then tries to create chaos?


    But don''t underestimate me. Do you think I don''t have methods to go outside?


    I will make sure to treat him personally."


    The silver snake emperor''s eyes then glinted dangerously.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, a few days ago, the fake pope we put in Shangxi Temple was killed.


    I don''t know who it was, but it seems the perpetrator is related to you."


    The silver snake emperor then moved his lips, saying a couple of names.


    Orion''s nonchalant expression quickly changed to anger.


    "YOU!!!


    If you dare touch them, I will turn you into soup!


    You stupid reptile!!!"


    "Hahaha, go on, get angry. Finally, there''s some reaction after all this time.


    But do you think I will follow what you want?


    I will make sure to bring them in front of you without any limbs."


    The silver snake emperor smiled slyly, then left the room, ignoring Orion''s tantrum.


    "Are you sure the information is correct?"


    "Ye-yes, emperor."


    The silver snake emperor squinted his eyes. "Good. If it''s true, you will be rewarded. If not, prepare to become fertilizer for our clan''s goal."


    The man quickly fell into despair. Being fertilizer meant having the same fate as the mortals sacrificed for the formation.


    He knew what they would undergo.


    The man''s face turned pale blue, while the beast emperor just touched his shoulder and then left.


    ''Hmph, being scared just because of this, pathetic!''


    Time passed on. It had been three days since Luca and Emily arrived at Bloodspire Citadel.


    At this moment, Olivian Quartz and the group also passed the border, reaching human territory.


    Ariadne, in the first place, was human, so passing here didn''t trigger any alarm.


    A distance away from them, a woman wearing a hood followed.


    Her expression was annoyed.


    ''We already got this far. I doubt Yubina will do anything.


    Another reason I hate my abilities!''


    All this time, Ariadne asked Seraphine to follow them from behind.


    With her ability and cultivation, she was now capable of fighting.


    She could ambush Yubina if they tried to attack them along the way.


    But nothing like that happened.


    Instead, Yubina spent time helping Olivia in cultivation while Ariadne helped Quartz.


    As a result, both of them broke through in the realm of the mystic integration stage.


    This was the main reason why


    Seraphine was annoyed.


    Since she needed to be on alert almost all the time, she barely had time to cultivate.


    There was also no one to personally teach her the way, making her cultivation stagnant.


    But despite this, she had already reached the golden core realm.


    This was thanks to many precious elixirs from Ariadne and her abilities.


    Weirdly, no matter how much she consumed, Seraphine could control the qi, turning it into a stockpile that she would just absorb later.


    If others consumed like her, their bodies would already have exploded because of the side effects.


    Ariadne looked at Olivia, who was closely talking with Yubina.


    "What do you think about them, Quartz?"


    Quartz shrugged her shoulders.


    "I don''t know what to say, but I think it''s good for Olivia.


    It took her mind off her personal problems."


    "Personal problems?"


    "Let''s talk about it later. By the way, where are we going now?"


    "We will get some information first, then go to the outer region.


    I haven''t heard news from this region for a while."


    "Didn''t you say Kane was taking care of that?"


    "That is why I''m worried. It''s not like him to not send any all this time."


    Ariadne had also sent her people outside, but she didn''t get much news back.


    It was like someone was targeting her spies in a way that she couldn''t imagine.


    After a short break, the group arrived at a town.


    Ariadne excused herself, as she didn''t want Yubina to follow.


    "You weren''t lying? Shangxi Temple was taken down?"


    "Ye-yes, empress. I''m sure I already sent the message back, though."


    Ariadne frowned.


    She had half expected her intel base in this area to be destroyed.


    But it turned out it still existed.


    Unfortunately, they were not connected through a hive mind, so she now needed to make sure if any of them were spies or if it was an outside influence.

 Chapter 535 - 535: Sword Immortal and The Silver Snake

    ''If only the hive mind could pass through the formation, I wouldn''t have this problem!''


    After the group gathered, Ariadne sent out small spiders to restore the lost connection.


    This way, she would be able to quickly tell who was a traitor, if there were any.


    But she didn''t even need to wait for this.


    More than a dozen of her members tried to escape.


    With a single motion, she cut off all their heads.


    Her action shocked everyone in her presence, making them all fall on their knees, begging for forgiveness.


    Even though it wasn''t really their fault, they were still implicated since they let this happen for a long time.


    ''Does Yubina have a hand in this?


    But in that case, why would she make a deal with me?''


    Ariadne couldn''t wrap her head around this matter.


    She suspected Yubina the most, but this didn''t rule out the possibility that another emperor was responsible.


    While she was busy cleaning up, a silver snake slithered through the ground.


    He had already passed the Thousand Abyss Ridge.


    As his presence was just like that of a very weak monster, he didn''t attract any kind of enemy.


    But this still came with a risk.


    If he accidentally got caught up in another beast clash, he could get hurt, resulting in his disguise being removed.


    The terrain was also steep, and the cliff there showed pure darkness like an abyss.


    No one knew what was down there since everyone who fell never returned.


    Since this was also part of the border area, everyone also thought it was made by the formation that sealed their world.


    Hence, no one wasted their time trying to analyze what was inside.


    "Dammit! I really hate using this method. I almost screwed up many times."


    The silver snake emperor said with a sigh.


    He felt relieved he had finally come out to this area.


    Now, he just needed to make sure to get his goal, and for the return path, he already had a method prepared.


    It was a teleportation talisman he had acquired from the Gu clan.


    Just like the one Yubina had, the only difference was that this one would bring the silver snake emperor back to his secret hideout, no matter where he was.


    At first, he had two sets, one to leave and the other to return.


    But on the last trip, he found an ancient artifact that allowed him to do this transformation.


    The silver snake emperor decided to use it to return.


    He looked toward the sky, and despite already being out, he didn''t transform back to his original form.


    He was waiting for someone.


    Not long after, a man arrived.


    "Tsk, your title is Sword Immortal, and you are still coming here late.


    Can''t you be punctual!?"


    "I had something to do, you are the one who suddenly decided to come without any plan.


    Don''t you realize how dangerous it is?"


    "This is important for our goal, I already took most of the work, what you need to do is gather forces and prepare to cooperate.


    Stop complaining. Did you bring it?"


    "Not here, follow me."


    The silver snake emperor leaped from the ground, landing on the sword immortal''s shoulder.


    His body then disappeared, turning into a silhouette.


    The next moment, he appeared inside some kind of inn.


    This was Sword Saint City, the capital of the Li family.


    The Li family was descended from the sword immortal.


    With his backing, the family grew unchallenged in the area, allowing them to prosper.


    The sword immortal spread his qi, sealing the room.


    He swiped his finger, and some kind of formation started to activate.


    Not long after, a human body appeared. It was a very beautiful human.


    "You brought a woman to me?"


    The silver snake emperor asked in anger.


    "As I said, you are asking in a hurry, and look closely.


    For someone of your caliber to fail to discern a gender is pathetic.


    I know your power is dormant in that form, but don''t beastmen always pride themselves on their instincts?"


    "That person is a man?"


    The silver snake emperor leaped down, then slithered closer toward the body.


    The man had long black hair with pale white skin. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His body was lean like a woman''s.


    At a glance, anyone would mistake him for one.


    The silver snake emperor touched the man''s forehead.


    "His body''s potential is good, well, not bad."


    "Make sure you don''t hurt him; it will be annoying to explain things to others."


    The silver snake emperor turned his gaze to look at the sword immortal, ridiculing him.


    "You should already know the side effect of my skill.


    Even if he is alive, he will become retarded.


    Wouldn''t it be better for him to be dead than to recultivate?"


    "No, too annoying. In that case, just kill him and disperse his soul.


    I will send out orders for him to check the new danger zone.


    The mortality rate there is very high, so I''m sure no one will raise any questions."


    "Well, do as you like. It''s not my problem."


    The silver snake emperor''s body shrank smaller and then slithered through the man''s ear.


    The next moment, the body stood up.


    He cracked his bones, then began mixing his qi.


    "Hmm¡­ Very good.


    Well, I will go now. The sooner this is taken care of, the less risk we have."


    But the sword immortal moved, blocking his path.


    "Leaving already? Tell me first, what do you plan to do?


    The situation around here is quite complicated now.


    A new faction has risen, carving out a new territory.


    If you plan to interfere with them, the other immortals will find out."


    Everyone knows that without proof, it''s different than admitting it outright.


    The current silver snake emperor is using a cultivator from his family.


    He can try to deny it, but the other immortals aren''t stupid.


    They will pounce on the opportunity and then launch an attack on him.


    The justification would be undeniable.


    He broke the pact by helping a beastman enter human territory.


    And this one is a beast emperor.


    "A new faction¡­


    Hmm¡­


    Yeah, you''re right. It could be related to them.


    In that case, how about changing the mission?


    Order me to attack the place.


    Also, give me a person you wouldn''t mind disappearing."

 Chapter 536 - 536: Scheme

    The sword immortal put some thought into it.


    In this case, even if the attack failed, he could just blame the new faction.


    As for the reason, he could just say it was a delegation for diplomacy, but negotiations failed.


    Things then escalated into a full-blown conflict.


    He would have more leeway and could just wash his hands of everything.


    As for the order, he would just place it on one of his sons as the one responsible.


    Many sects and families had already started sending people there, so what he did wouldn''t seem strange.


    "Alright, that''s a good idea, we''ll do that."


    Meanwhile, back at Blood Spire Citadel.


    The situation there grew tense.


    Many groups of cultivators were now staying at the Citadel.


    Some had even rented homes for years.


    The tension was growing, as conflict could erupt at any time.


    Emily and Luca were walking down the street.


    They had just arrived.


    "These people, I''m sure every single one of them has ulterior motives."


    "Qing Wa should be here. Let''s ask her for more details.


    Don''t act rashly, Emily."


    "Don''t worry, Mom, I won''t."


    "Good, it seems you''ve matured now. In the past, you would''ve directly gone to them and asked them questions."


    Emily rolled her eyes but didn''t say anything.


    They had been together for a while now.


    For her mother to just say this now meant all this time, she was occupied with something else.


    "Are you okay, Mom?"


    Luca raised her eyes in confusion.


    "What do you mean? Of course, I''m okay.


    If anything, I''m more worried about you.


    Alex seems to have found his path in this world, but what about you, Emily?


    Do you know what you want to do?"


    Emily wanted to say something, but Luca added, "And no, you can''t just say you want to follow your brother.


    Right now, you''re here because of our family''s problem.


    But what about after?


    What do you want to do? Have you thought about it carefully?"


    Emily shook her head.


    "If you put it like that, then I don''t know, Mom."


    "You''re lying. Tell me honestly."


    Despite not showing it much, Luca could tell from her expression.


    "I¡­ I want to explore, Mom.


    In the past, all my focus was on dungeons and looking for Dad.


    I took mission after mission, wanting to rise in rank quickly.


    But honestly, every time I entered one, I found the place fascinating.


    The ruins, the culture, the view.


    Each dungeon has its own distinct features.


    And now, after learning the truth, the universe is so much larger, Mom. I want to explore it all.


    To see things people have never seen before.


    Just imagining it makes me feel excited."


    Emily''s eyes shone when she talked about this, her tone filled with passion.


    She started talking a lot about what she thought could exist, what she wanted to see.


    What she had heard from Patricia, the owner of her home planet.


    Hearing this, Luca just nodded and smiled.


    As they arrived at the central spire, she placed her hand on Emily''s shoulder.


    "In that case, chase your dream, Emily. I will support you.


    After everything is over, I will tell Alex about this."


    Emily was surprised by her words. She thought her mom would give her a long speech, but instead, she supported her wishes.


    Seeing her mother walking toward the entrance, a feeling of melancholy washed over her.


    ''Mom, why only now do I feel you are so lonely?


    What was I even thinking all this time? How much weight did you carry to raise me and Alex?''


    Emily realized she had been very selfish all this time.


    Even when they came to this world, she had been angry and emotional about the circumstances.


    In reality, she should have stayed by her mother''s side, comforting her.


    She clenched her fist and took a deep breath.


    After exhaling, her face was etched with a smile. She then ran after Luca, "Wait, Mom!"


    Inside, they were now seated with Qing Wa.


    She wasn''t alone. Beside her was the high goblin who had talked with Alex the last time.


    He kneeled, greeting Luca respectfully, catching her off guard.


    "Greetings, Queen Mother. How could I help you?"


    "Just call me Luca."


    "I''m sorry, but I cannot do that. Honestly, if not for the king''s order, I would already kneel on the ground now."


    Luca sighed and gave up trying to talk him out of it.


    "What is your name?"


    "Just call me Sebastian."


    "So, Sebastian, Qing Wa. Can you tell me about the situation in this Citadel?


    I also need information on Red Fog Valley."


    Sebastian excused himself to prepare some snacks and tea. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Qing Wa explained the situation.


    The Citadel was now filled to the brim with people.


    Many new cultivators have come to this place looking for new opportunities.


    So far, more than 100 new organizations have been registered.


    Each of them paid a huge fee to rent a building inside the Citadel.


    Qing Wa placed them all in the outer region while her forces retreated to the center.


    Of course, all the walls were still managed by her people.


    This allowed them to pinch the groups in case something happened.


    She also wasn''t too worried since most of the cultivators now wore accessories and weapons sold by her forces.


    Hearing their preparation, Luca felt relieved.


    "In that case, they shouldn''t be able to do anything against you.


    How about Red Fog Valley?"


    "Wait, I''m also not native to this place, so I will check first."


    Qing Wa came from the outer region, and despite taking over the Citadel and gaining access to all the information sources, her focus was on prioritizing what directly affected them.


    Forbidden zones, landmarks, and areas that were far away weren''t even on her radar.


    As she filtered through the information, Emily spent the time talking with Sebastian.


    She asked him for more details about the situation.


    "There is nothing to worry about, Miss. Everything is taken care of.


    We have enough supplies to last us a long time, and the city-wide formation is complete.


    Now, we are waiting for them to make a move."

 Chapter 537 - 537: Teleportation Network

    "A move? As in attacking our forces?"


    Sebastian shook his head.


    "No, we already have some plans prepared. We want them to have conflict among themselves.


    Out of all those organizations, only a few are united.


    Most of them came here driven by greed and their own personal agendas."


    "I see. Do you need any help?"


    "We''re alright, Miss, but if you want, we can give you some tasks."


    "No, I''m good.


    I will go with my mom to Red Fog Valley to look for an acquaintance."


    "In that case, do you need reinforcement?


    We can send an elite squad with you.


    They are all very loyal and experts in tracking and combat.


    I''m sure they will be helpful."


    Before she could answer, QingWa returned.


    "Are you sure you want to go there?


    This place is quite dangerous, and it''s reported that many have gone missing.


    The fog limits your view and senses.


    Not even qi can penetrate it."


    Hearing this, Luca didn''t feel deterred; instead, she felt relief.


    If the place was really this dangerous, it meant he should be safe.


    "Don''t worry, I have my method."


    She then looked at Sebastian.


    "As for the army, no need. I will just take some supplies with me."


    Sebastian didn''t try to change Luca''s mind. He quickly moved, preparing all the supplies inside a storage ring.


    One for Luca, one for Emily.


    Despite already bringing her own supply, they had spent quite a long time in this place.


    It had already started running out.


    Seeing both of them leave through the door, "Sebastian, send a scout at least to follow them from a distance."


    QingWa''s order made him frown.


    "Are you telling me to ignore her orders?"


    "She just said no to the troops. The place is dangerous, Sebastian. If something happens to them, do you want to take responsibility?"


    Sebastian became conflicted. It didn''t matter to him, even if he got punished.


    But if Luca and Emily met some kind of mishap that resulted in their demise, he would not be able to live with himself.


    His complete worship of Alex, like he was a god, wouldn''t allow it.


    "I will follow them then. The others will quickly find out and won''t be able to reach them if something happens."


    Sebastian could tell Luca''s strength. If it was an enemy that caused her demise, a single scout wouldn''t be useful.


    Meanwhile, Luca and Emily had already left the city.


    Emily was pulled by Luca as she flew at top speed.


    The place was quite a distance away from Bloodspire''s capital.


    But thankfully, they could use teleportation in a nearby town.


    Their surroundings quickly changed to those of a dilapidated chamber.


    The teleportation room was very different from the one they had used before.


    It was clear no one had taken care of it for a while.


    They didn''t even see anyone guarding the spot.


    "Mom, isn''t this dangerous? Anyone can use this portal to ambush someone."


    "Except they are experts on formations, they won''t be able to do that, Emily.


    And those with that capability wouldn''t find any interest in doing it since this portal network is only linked to average towns."


    Luca then explained to Emily how teleportation worked.


    It was like a train station. Some portals were linked with others, allowing them to move between locations.


    But there was one difference: some teleportation formations could only be used as exit points.


    No one could use them to teleport to other places.


    This was usually done in dangerous areas like this one.


    It was typically crowdfunded by a group of cultivators who liked to challenge the danger zone for treasure.


    They escaped and returned multiple times, to the point where they found it was worth building this kind of exit point.


    Part of the group would then build another entrance, but usually, it was in a hidden location to make sure only they could use it. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By separating the two, it raised the safety, while they could get some kind of subsidy from sects or clans since this exit point was public.


    Leaving through the chamber, Emily could see dozens of houses made from wood and thatch.


    The moment her eyes made contact with the villagers, their faces quickly turned to panic and froze.


    They then ran back to their houses.


    "So impolite. It''s like they''re seeing a monster."


    "Cut them some slack, Emily. Cultivators, in their eyes, are worse than monsters."


    "Then why would they allow this formation to be placed here?"


    "Do you think they can reject it?


    Well, it''s not all bad. I''m sure they gained some benefit.


    For example, the formation that repels beasts away from this village."


    All that Luca told Emily was something she learned from Edward''s memories.


    At this point, her knowledge was not like that of someone who had just arrived in this world.


    "Excuse me, madam.


    This lowly one just wants to ask what I can help you with."


    Luca turned her gaze, seeing an elderly man kneeling on the ground, not even daring to look at her eyes.


    He was the village chief of this place.


    One of the rare villages filled only with mortals.


    Most of them had special conditions that made them unable to cultivate or had their qi cores destroyed, turning them into cripples.


    "Stand up, just call me Luca.


    I''m just passing by. We''re going to Red Fog Valley."


    The old man stood up, his expression showing relief.


    With his experience, visitors could be split into two: arrogant cultivators or those that wanted to be treated normally.


    "I can give you the direction, but I will warn you we just had a group of cultivators going to that place."


    "Do you know what their purpose is?"


    "I didn''t dare to ask."


    The elderly man then showed Luca the directions and told her what he knew about the valley.


    There were many legends and rumors, most of them unconfirmed, but some were useful to Luca.


    For example, the village got its food source from the valley.


    They gather herbs and fruit and hunt small animals.

 Chapter 538 - 538: Emilys Predicament

    Weirdly enough, they never faced any danger.


    But when cultivators entered, monsters would appear from the fog and take them down.


    So far, no one has returned.


    The story made Emily feel a chill since it was like a horror story.


    A being came out of nowhere and took them with zero survivors.


    "Mom, are you sure Uncle Kane is here?"


    "You''re already a veteran hunter now and even a cultivator.


    Don''t tell me ghost stories still make you scared?"


    Hearing her mom''s laughter made Emily sullen.


    But she just couldn''t shake the weird feeling.


    It didn''t take them long to reach the front of the valley.


    Emily pointed her palm forward, shooting a bright light ray.


    But the moment it hit the red fog, it disappeared.


    "I cannot see anything."


    Luca also tried to spread her senses, but the only thing she felt was the fog, with nothing inside it.


    "Get close to me, Emily. There is a special way to walk through this fog."


    Emily nodded. She held Luca''s arm, making sure to stay close to her.


    Seeing how the fog easily absorbed her light attack, Emily was sure that the moment they entered, she wouldn''t be able to see anything.


    But Luca wasn''t worried. She knew how to find Kane inside the fog.


    ''Based on hubby''s memory, this monster will only attack if I walk outside the pattern.


    127 steps north, 534 steps east¡­''


    Luca began to count her footsteps.


    Just as Emily suspected, the surrounding fog completely clouded her view.


    Even while holding her mom''s arm, she couldn''t see her face.


    Everything was just red fog.


    She tried to use her light again, but it didn''t work.


    This made her wonder if, being stronger, her light could penetrate it.


    ''The fog really gives me a feeling of dread. Is this just because of that old man''s story?''


    She then tried to use the map function on her ex-chip, but it didn''t show anything.


    The radar function wasn''t working.


    If Alex were here, his eyes would light up with excitement.


    He would find a way to bring or create a similar fog.


    It had the capability to absorb any wave, including sound.


    The fog also had a weird ability that allowed it to disperse energy shot toward it.


    It was a unique material that he wanted to get his hands on no matter what.


    The potential uses were just so large.


    He could use it to create a new fog grenade that would completely turn his enemy blind.


    If it fused with poison, it would become lethal.


    Time passed on.


    ''This should be the last step¡ªone to the west.''


    Luca made the step, and the surroundings quickly changed.


    She arrived at a clearing with a large wooden cabin in the middle.


    There was a small farm on the side, with some small animals like chickens.


    Luca wanted to check the cabin, but she soon realized something.


    She couldn''t feel anyone grasping her arm.


    If before it could be explained because of the fog, now it meant Emily was not with her.


    With panic, she turned around.


    "Emily!!!"


    Her voice echoed out, but no one answered.


    After her scream, the door of the cabin opened.


    Luca turned her gaze. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw.


    Meanwhile, inside the red fog,


    Emily still felt like she was holding on to something.


    Never in her wildest mind did she think it wasn''t her mother.


    As she couldn''t feel anything, her sense of time dulled as well.


    "Mom, how long do we need to walk?"


    Emily asked in desperation.


    She felt like she had been walking for a long time, like days, but they hadn''t even gotten close to their destination.


    Despite knowing Luca couldn''t hear her question, she couldn''t help but call out loud.


    Emily then tightened her grasp.


    Her heart froze as she realized something was strange.


    The one she held didn''t feel like her mother''s arm. It didn''t even feel human.


    It was like touching cotton candy but far more solid.


    The sensation was weird.


    She instinctively jumped backward, releasing her grasp.


    She looked around, trying to find any presence or shape, but there was nothing.


    In panic, she kicked at the ground and jumped upward.


    Her body then turned into particles of light as she shot out.


    In an instant, she should have passed a long distance, at the very least allowing her to leave the red fog area.


    But in her nightmare, it was like she wasn''t moving at all.


    Everything was still just the red fog.


    She stopped her abilities, expecting to fall to the ground, but no, she didn''t.


    Instead, it was like she had never jumped upward.


    There was a surface under her feet, allowing her to stand.


    This made Emily completely lose her senses. Not only could she no longer tell direction, but now she couldn''t even tell up from down.


    "Just what is this¡­"


    Fear started grasping through her heart, her sense of danger in chaos.


    Emily could feel it coming from all directions.


    The rune she got from Alex started shining green. She utilized the life force to boost her body.


    Her action seemed to bring some change to the fog.


    It started contorting, creating a monster-like face.


    Seeing it form a monster face, Emily felt a bit relieved.


    At least it was a monster she was used to hunting.


    She pointed her palm forward, shooting another blast of light.


    But the monster''s face didn''t care. It opened its jaw wide and, in one motion, gulped her whole.


    Everything turned dark.


    When her sight returned, Emily found herself in a clearing.


    Around her, there were many cultivators fighting against beasts.


    In the back, a beautiful young man was sitting calmly, his eyes turning to look at Emily.


    "Oh, we have a newcomer."


    Remembering the old man''s words, Emily realized they were the cultivators that had come here before them.


    ''It seems they were captured like me.''


    "Who are you?"


    The beautiful man''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "That should be my question, you know, but a dead person doesn''t need to know much."


    The man disappeared and suddenly appeared in front of Emily.


    He swung a katana toward her neck. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 539 - 539: Emily vs Silver Snake Emperor

    With the speed, Emily knew she couldn''t dodge.


    Thankfully, she had her abilities.


    Emily changed part of her neck into particles of light, allowing the sword to just pass by.


    Her hand then clenched into a fist, punching at the man''s stomach.


    But rather than hurting him, Emily was the one who got hurt.


    She could feel her hand sore in pain like she had just punched a very strong material. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Dammit! I need to put some distance.''


    Emily quickly concluded that a short-range fight would put her at a disadvantage.


    She took out her awe cube and then pointed it toward the air.


    "Illuminate, Luminere."


    The Snake King Emperor was curious, looking at the cube.


    It was something he had never seen before.


    He could feel a surge of energy coming from it, but not to the point it was dangerous.


    Luminere was the name Emily had given to her wisps of light.


    The moment it came out, it shone brightly, blinding everyone on the field.


    But not Emily.


    She pointed her palm forward.


    SWOSHH!!!!


    She shot out a blast of light toward Luminere.


    The wisp of light was now surrounded by many crystal shards, polished to the point they reflected like mirrors and cut in a hexagonal pattern.


    Emily''s light reached Luminere, then reflected all around the mirrors, gathering at a single point.


    The blinding light disappeared.


    The Snake Emperor quickly regained his sight.


    What greeted him was a sphere of light radiating intense heat.


    He couldn''t even look at it directly.


    It was like staring at the sun at a close distance.


    If it were another Beast Emperor, they wouldn''t have a problem like him.


    Unfortunately, he was a snake.


    Snakes are nocturnal creatures, active at night.


    Their eyes had evolved in a way that allowed them to see in complete darkness.


    But this also meant they were more sensitive to light.


    This weakness had mostly been redeemed through the Beast Emperor''s cultivation.


    Unfortunately, he was not using his own body anymore, and his power was also self-sealed.


    This was to avoid the formation detecting his presence.


    "Eat this, you bastard!"


    Emily screamed as the gathered light shot down like holy judgment.


    BOOM!!!


    The ground turned into a deep hole, followed by another blinding light.


    After it dissipated, Emily looked around.


    Most of the cultivators had already been murdered by the monsters.


    When they were blinded by the light, they shifted their focus toward Emily.


    The monsters are blinded for a moment, but they don''t care about Emily.


    They attacked the cultivators, resulting in lethal damage.


    ''Only three are left alive; it seems I need to defeat them all.''


    Emily was not worried about the number of monsters.


    She had trained a lot, syncing her ability with Luminere.


    Using it as a conduit, she could create many golems to fight for her.


    Their strength would also rise based on her ability as she infused them with qi.


    Her realm was still low, but as long as she infused it with life force, their power would be enhanced, allowing her to fight them at the same stage.


    But that was if her enemy was only a normal cultivator.


    Unfortunately, she was now against the Beast Emperor.


    "Fufufu¡­ How long has it been since someone hurt me like this?"


    A creepy laugh came out from the crater.


    Condensed dark qi shot out from inside.


    Emily could feel the hair on her back stand up.


    Just like Alex, Emily also had a curious mind.


    After feeling qi coming out from everyone she knew, she had a theory.


    Feelings felt from qi would reflect someone''s personality.


    MingYue was cold and detached.


    Alex was searing hot.


    One might think it was because of their reflective element, but Emily disagreed.


    Even their non-elemental qi would give out a similar vibe if one really focused their senses on it.


    The one she felt from the person inside the crater was pure malice.


    Cruelty, malice, and greed.


    She didn''t wait for him to come out.


    Emily ordered Luminere once again.


    She shot light toward it, this time infusing it with life force.


    The light energy let out a green spark.


    "You think I will foolishly let myself get hit again?"


    "I don''t know who you are, but I know this attack''s weakness.


    Do you think I don''t have countermeasures?"


    "Luminere, seal chain."


    The hexagon mirrors started moving, then shot out around the crater.


    Luminere shot a light toward them.


    A formation started appearing on top of the crater.


    Emily flicked high-grade qi crystals from her storage ring.


    Normally, nine were enough to activate it.


    But considering her enemy''s power and strength, she decided to go all out.


    The more qi crystals used, the stronger the seal formation would be.


    Emily burned almost all her stock. In total, she used 923 high-grade qi crystals, only leaving her with two.


    Chains materialized from the formation, shooting down toward the crater.


    As Luminere kept gathering more energy, Emily also threw all kinds of grenades she had.


    She didn''t know how effective they would be, but even a small amount of damage still counted.


    SWOSSH!!!


    The judgment of light shot once more.


    This time, it is enhanced by life force.


    Emily could feel the sheer power coming from it.


    She dashed back, escaping from the area.


    While she did this, two guns appeared in her hands.


    She shot light bullets toward the monsters that came at her from the side.


    As they had already finished with the cultivators, she became their next prey.


    The situation was chaotic, but as long as she could defeat the enemy in the crater, Emily knew she would survive.


    A bear made of red fog lunged from the side.


    Emily twisted her body, barely avoiding the attack.


    She shot another bullet of light.


    Her throat was parched, and sweat covered her body.


    This wasn''t the first time she had been exhausted in battle. But this was the first time she could feel her mana almost emptied.


    So far, in her experience, as long as she used her ability, everything would be alright.


    This was the first time.


    Even after many uses, her enemy was still not defeated.

 Chapter 540 - 540: Dead!?

    Her body turned into particles of light, appearing near the edge of the opening, blocked only by a wall of red fog.


    She tried to enter it again, but this time, the red fog felt like a wall blocking her path.


    She tried to destroy it, but it only created more space.


    Her heart beat faster, and her adrenaline rushed.


    "Luminere!"


    The wisp of light flew toward Emily.


    The hexagon crystals moved around, attaching themselves to Emily''s body, creating crystalline armor.


    She then raised her hand, bracing for the attack.


    There was a reason for this. She could tell the creature inside the crater was still alive and strong.


    Just as she expected, from inside the crater, a projectile shot out into the sky.


    It then exploded into a rain.


    SHHH!!!


    Emily could see the immortal corpses begin melting the moment they made contact with the liquid.


    ''Acid? Poison? Dammit! What should I do now?''


    Emily took out a bottle of mana potion and then forcefully gulped it down.


    Even now, she continuously used it as she created a sphere of light barrier, protecting herself from the rain.


    She clenched her hand, and particles of light gathered.


    It then turned solid into a sharp weapon.


    It was like a glove but with a sharp blade coming out from it.


    Emily called this weapon *Light Katar*.


    A silhouette came out from the crater. In an instant, he already appeared in front of Emily.


    CLANG!!!


    His katana clashed with Emily''s katar.


    Seeing the man, Emily''s eyes widened with shock.


    He looked unscathed.


    But she didn''t believe all her attacks didn''t cause any damage.


    It was clear her enemy''s clothes had been torn apart.


    This could only mean one thing.


    Her enemy had a high ability to regenerate.


    "Kekeke!!!


    You are interesting. Unfortunately, I don''t have time to play around with you."


    The man said with a grin.


    Silvery scales appeared on his hand. His strength suddenly shot up, rising to a completely new realm.


    SLASH! The katana sliced through.


    Emily''s world view turned into half.


    She could have turned her body into light, but this attack just caught her by surprise.


    Her body was cut in two and then fell to the ground.


    Crimson blood splattered everywhere.


    The Silver Snake Emperor then cut down his palm, splattering his blood all over Emily''s body.


    His blood contained potent poison.


    The moment it made contact, Emily''s flesh started to melt.


    He then walked past her toward the red fog.


    A distance away, Alex, who was busy experimenting, suddenly frowned.


    His location was in the core region, far away from where Emily was.


    But he could feel something was happening.


    ''Did something happen!?


    There should be no one who can pose a risk in the outer region.''


    Even though his friends and family had different levels of cultivation, Alex had given each of them a Rune.


    It enhanced their strength and also made them almost immortal as long as they had lifeforce.


    But he could not shake this bad feeling.


    "Vesa, come out and check what happened in the outer region."


    Vesa materialized and then gave a bow.


    "Alright, king. Any other instruction?"


    "Do it ASAP. If you feel anything wrong, prioritize helping first."


    Vesa was strong.


    Even now, Alex didn''t know how strong she was.


    So Alex believed having her take care of it if something really happened was better than wasting more time returning to him.


    Meanwhile, back at the Silver Snake Emperor,


    His arms were touching the red fog, while his mind was busy thinking of a way to get out.


    But suddenly, a sword pierced through his heart.


    The Snake Emperor didn''t even flinch; it was as if he had not been stabbed at all.


    He raised his elbow, spinning to counterattack.


    But it hit nothing.


    When he looked backward, the Snake Emperor could only see a flicker of light.


    Emily was nowhere to be seen, nor was her body.


    He frowned as he didn''t feel any presence, but he knew something was there. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took out the sword from his chest; now that he saw it clearly, it was made from the earth.


    He clenched his fist, turning it into dust.


    "Who!? Come out!"


    The ground underneath him started to move; it turned into a hand that grasped his foot.


    The Silver Snake Emperor spread his qi.


    He kicked the ground, floating toward the sky.


    But the hand didn''t let go; it became longer, trying to grasp his foot again.


    Then he suddenly raised his hand upward.


    SLASH!!!!!!


    He tried to block the attack, but it somehow pierced through his defense.


    Luca was there, fuming in anger.


    Her eyes glinted coldly, filled with killing intent.


    She then tilted her head; the next second, the Silver Snake Emperor''s hand pierced that location.


    His chopped hand had already begun to heal.


    But Luca had already made her move. She swung her katana toward his head, but in the next second, it changed angle, cutting the air onto his head.


    She then made a maneuver, creating distance between them.


    Luca could see that if she really stabbed his neck¡­


    What happened next would be her own demise.


    ''Tch, this won''t be easy.''


    The ground beside her started to rise up.


    It reached her height and then cracked open, revealing a beautiful woman with green hair.


    "Let''s leave first, Aunt. We cannot beat him.


    He hides a lot of his power."


    "There is no way I''ll let him off easy after what he''s done to my daughter."


    Luca raised her sword, pointing it forward.


    The Silver Snake Emperor smiled coldly.


    "It''s funny to think you all came in front of me without me doing anything.


    Kane¡­


    Give me him, and then I will stay away from you all."


    Hearing this, Sarah''s eyes glinted with coldness.


    "Why are you looking for my father?"


    "Oooh¡­ you''re her daughter. This will make things even easier."


    Swoosh!!!


    The Silver Snake Emperor appeared inches away from her face.


    Clang!


    He moved his hand toward Sarah''s throat, but Luca blocked it.


    She then pushed Sarah away.


    Sarah let herself fall into the ground, her body then disappearing, mixing with it.

 Chapter 541 - 541: Kane

    Luca''s qi surged, tinged with a green aura.


    Enhanced with lifeforce, she leaped forward, clashing against the Silver Snake Emperor.


    They exchanged blow after blow.


    But the fight was not going anywhere; with Luca''s foresight, she could avoid any fatal attack before it even happened.


    The Silver Snake Emperor, meanwhile, tried to guess Luca''s ability.


    ''How is she keeping on avoiding my attacks?


    She''s far weaker than me.


    Even in this body, a single punch should be more than enough to incapacitate her.''


    He then looked at Luca''s sword.


    ''That weapon looks familiar, but what is with that capability?''


    It cut his hand like tofu.


    At that time, he could feel it; his qi protection was not useful.


    He also felt that even using all his strength, he wouldn''t be able to stop the sword''s slash.


    It was like it had some kind of effect that turned his defense all to zero.


    The Silver Snake Emperor didn''t even dare to clash his katana against Luca''s sword.


    He felt his katana would be cut in two.


    So the brawl became dodging and then throwing a counterattack. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After exchanging more than a hundred attacks, he asked with a sneer.


    "Let''s negotiate; this won''t go anywhere.


    But it''s not like you can win.


    At the very least, I am sure I can outlast your stamina."


    Hearing his words, Luca smiled. It was just a few seconds, but he used part of his brain to say that, creating an opportunity for her.


    With a flick of her finger, a grenade fell to the ground.


    She closed her eyes as it exploded brightly, like a stun grenade.


    This reminded him of Emily''s attack.


    "This again, you think I will fall for the same trick twice!?"


    But Luca wasn''t finished.


    She threw another grenade; this time, it exploded, creating an ultrasonic sound.


    It was very loud but beyond the frequency that human ears could hear.


    The combination stunned the Silver Snake Emperor.


    He had already used his qi to protect his eyes, but this attack was beyond his expectations.


    He didn''t understand the concept of frequency, that some species could only hear within a certain range.


    As for the reason Luca had this, he got it from Sarah.


    Her sword pierced through the target.


    She didn''t go for his head or neck; this time, Luca''s target was his qi core.


    With it destroyed, she would have the advantage.


    But her foresight showed her something else.


    In a panic, Luca jumped back, "Sarah, take me out."


    The ground she stood on crumbled, and Luca entered the earth.


    The next moment, a strong qi exploded from the Snake Emperor.


    The dark qi pushed away the red fog, making the space grow even larger.


    After the qi core collapsed, so did the possession of the Snake Emperor.


    He had no choice but to abandon this body.


    Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, a snake came out from the body.


    The snake was huge, making the scene even more bizarre.


    In another area.


    "Mom! That guy is dangerous!"


    "Thank God, Emily, you are alright."


    Luca said with a smile as she accepted her daughter''s hug.


    "I really thought I lost you¡­"


    Sarah, looking at the scene, added, "I think we should return first.


    This red fog is special; he won''t get out even with his current level of strength."


    "So this will act like a prison for him?"


    Luca asked with an annoyed tone.


    She still felt unsatisfied with what the Silver Snake Emperor did. Luca would only feel better if she turned him into snake soup.


    "Based on my knowledge, it should be, but there''s always a chance something could go out of hand; better be safe than sorry."


    "Let''s ask Kane then; he should have some idea."


    A few moments ago, when Luca appeared in front of the house,


    The door opened, showing her old comrade, but it wasn''t what she expected.


    Her friend had grown old, his hair all white while he was in a wheelchair.


    Behind him, a beautiful woman was pushing it.


    The view gave her a shock.


    Kane, after separating from Edward, had encountered an accident.


    He was ambushed by a group of cultivators.


    The reason was because of rumors he held an artifact, one that was rumored to kill even an immortal.


    After many clashes and escapes, he finally succumbed to this fate.


    His qi core was destroyed, and he was poisoned.


    In the end, he was cured, but everything turned him into just a normal human.


    Throughout all this, he found his current wife.


    Ironically, his wife was the daughter of the family that had gone after him.


    She was also the reason they found out he had this artifact.


    At that time, she had innocently told her father everything, hoping the family would reward Kane for helping her.


    They acted amiably at first, but when he refused to show them his artifact, they started turning hostile.


    As for the artifact itself, it was something he bought from another world.


    From the Daragari world, where they were all captured as slaves.


    It was also the same artifact that created the red fog.


    Afterward, Luca didn''t ask for more details.


    She could somehow tell it hit a sore spot with his wife.


    Her expression was both sad and resigned.


    Her only question was, what had happened to the pursuers?


    She wondered if she could do anything to help.


    But Kane''s wife answered him.


    "Don''t worry; none of them were spared. But the aftermath also resulted in this prison."


    "It''s like this, Luca; Edward set up some formation that allowed us to control this red fog.


    And to a certain degree, we still have it.


    But something changed after the red fog¡­"


    Kane didn''t finish his words; he just looked toward his wife, who let out a heavy sigh.


    He then continued, "To put it simply, our control over the fog has weakened. We cannot leave this space, or something will attack us."


    "Is this related to the monster that attacks all cultivators who come in?"


    "Yes, we speculate her father¡­


    My father-in-law''s soul still exists and is trying to corrode the artifact."

 Chapter 542 - 542: Flower from Dragaris World

    Kane wanted to speak further, but hearing these words, Luca cut him off, asking him to rescue Emily.


    She felt worried, as Emily was out there alone with such an evil soul.


    Kane used one of the formation''s functions to look around.


    That was when she saw Emily fighting with the Silver Snake Emperor.


    The scene horrified her, making Luca ask them for a way to Emily''s location.


    But the journey would be dangerous, as they couldn''t create a path through the red fog.


    This was when Sarah volunteered to help.


    Her ability allowed her to merge with the Earth.


    This meant they could avoid the red fog and go toward Emily''s location.


    Sarah''s mother declined the idea.


    It was too risky and dangerous.


    But Sarah insisted, saying the location was close by and urgent.


    "But last time¡­"


    "Last time is proof I can escape, Mom.


    Just let me go, or are you gonna let her die?"


    With those words, Sarah''s mom reluctantly agreed.


    Kane sighed helplessly.


    Unlike them, who were quite content with their current life, Sarah was not.


    She didn''t have any friends her age, growing up alone in this isolated place.


    She always looked for a way to escape but never found it.


    Despite the danger, Sarah never gave up.


    Back to the present.


    Kane and his wife were waiting in front of the house with concerned looks.


    The moment they arrived, Sarah''s mother quickly pulled her away inside the house.


    Kane just let out a sigh.


    He knew his wife would nag Sarah again for a long time.


    Afterward, she would sulk, and they would have a cold war for a while.


    He had already resigned himself to the situation, but now it was different.


    Not only did they have a guest, but there was also a freaking Beast Emperor in their place.


    "Sorry for what, you, Luca."


    His eyes then turned warm. "Emily, it''s been a while."


    "Are you Uncle Kane?"


    Emily was in disbelief.


    She had seen Silva, who barely had any changes. If anything, he had a stronger presence than before.


    "Yes, let''s talk inside. And Emily, I am glad you are alright.


    My heart almost gave out seeing you cut in half."


    Emily gulped, her back drenched with cold sweat.


    She had brushed with death many times but never like this.


    In fact, Emily thought she was already dead when that happened.


    ''This should be thanks to the rune Brother gave to me; otherwise, there is no way I could survive.''


    She started thinking about Alex as they entered the house.


    Luca then gave a gist of what happened to Emily while Sarah and Kane''s wife were nowhere to be seen.


    "I see¡­ So that happened.


    But to think you, of all people, got married, Uncle Kane."


    Kane just replied with a chuckle.


    "When you lose something, you gain something." He said while looking at a picture hanging on the wall.


    It showed a picture of his current family.


    "Now that you know the situation, Emily, can you tell me how you survived?"


    Luca still felt concerned.


    She still remembered what happened with Alex.


    Emily looked at Kane and then said, "It''s Brother''s Rune, Mom, but he did say not to tell anyone about it."


    "Don''t worry; I will keep my mouth shut, Emily.


    Not that it matters in my situation now.


    I know my life is not long."


    "Uncle Kane, you are a cultivator; why not just take someone''s body and recultivate?"


    Kane''s eyes glinted coldly.


    "First of all, we don''t have any other bodies we can use here, and secondly, I would prefer death to do something like that."


    While Kane and Emily exchanged words, Luca was deep in her own thoughts.


    ''A rune? I thought this only enhanced our strength and regeneration, but I also thought it could heal that kind of fatal attack.


    If I knew this, I would have gone for more.''


    A dangerous idea started forming in Luca''s mind.


    With her sharp weapon, if she sacrificed a fatal attack in exchange for putting one on herself, the odds would be in her favor.


    She never did this because what use is it if she dies afterward?


    Even if she could take over another body and recultivate, the thought felt distasteful.


    She agreed with Kane that taking over someone''s body should not be done.


    Meanwhile, Emily tries to convince Kane to do it when they come outside.


    They could look for a fresh corpse or even clone a new body when they returned to their world.


    "Forget it, Emily; getting out of here is not that easy.


    There is a reason we never gamble, even with Sarah''s ability.


    First, my condition is that she can bring her mom outside, but I cannot.


    I won''t survive long underground. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Secondly, the danger.


    Thankfully, you were safe when returning here, but Sarah was ambushed once.


    She almost died."


    "Kane, do you have any idea about our enemy?


    That weird snake creature."


    Luca asked, already making a decision to return and finish him.


    "That should be the Silver Snake Beast Emperor.


    I have some information on him¡ªcruel, sly, and a big fat liar.


    On top of that, he is an immortal, a very strong one.


    You should avoid fighting against him, Luca.


    Just let him be¡­


    Maybe he is the solution for us to leave this place."


    "Uncle Kane, in that case, why not just destroy this artifact?


    Won''t that allow us to escape?"


    "The artifact itself is located outside, and although we call it one, that thing is not really an artifact; it''s more accurate to call it a living being."


    Emily tilted her head in confusion.


    "A living being?"


    "It''s a flower that came from a monster in the Daragari world.


    We call this monster a Behemoth there.


    Edward did some experiments on it, making it mutate and causing some destruction in their kingdom.


    This flower grew from the seed that was left with us."


    "Does this flower have sentience? Or can it grow back into a monster?"

 Chapter 543 - 543: Worried

    "Now, I don''t know. I am not your father.


    If not for the situation, I would never have used it.


    You know me, I prefer using my own strength.:


    Kane paused for a moment; he then took out a crystal sphere.


    More than a quarter of it was dark in color.


    "I infuse qi into this artifact, giving me control over it.


    But as you can see, it''s corrupted now."


    He knows something probably happened, triggering another mutation that resulted in this predicament, but unfortunately, his knowledge of the subject is almost nonexistent.


    "Uncle Kane, can you show me what they look like?"


    Emily was curious; she also hoped to learn more information about its appearance.


    "Sure."


    Kane took out another device, creating a hologram projection.


    The creature looked like a dinosaur with a long neck.


    Its head was that of a dragon, but it didn''t have any wings.


    Instead, on its back, there was a flower.


    A huge flower that could spew out many types of gas.


    It could be poison or just smoke.


    Emily frowned as she read the information.


    "How strong is this creature, Uncle Kane?"


    "Enough for the Dragari to throw almost all their military at them.


    This is a menace, Emily.


    If you were there, you would know how horrifying it was¡­"


    While Kane continued his story, back with the Silver Snake Emperor, he was now in his humanoid form.


    His face was filled with confusion.


    Even though he still hadn''t released his power, normally, the formation should have already activated by now, capturing him for breaking the agreement.


    ''Does this fog have a way of masking my presence from the formation?''


    The Silver Snake Emperor then remembered that he could not feel anything inside it.


    This didn''t mean the fog was stronger than him; it just had a unique attribute that made his methods of sensing ineffective.


    He wanted to test it out.


    If he used all his strength, would the fog last? But he decided against it since it was too risky.


    He looked up into the fog and then said, "Hey, Kane, how about we negotiate? You know I have your friend with me.


    He''s barely hanging on to life now.


    My goal isn''t even that much; just give me control over this fog and tell me the location of the core of the formation you guys made in the outer region."


    "What formation is he talking about, Uncle Kane?"


    "It''s the one your father made to create a connection between this planet and ours.


    But after some failures and new discoveries, he ended up making the formation only alter the time difference."


    "Ah, I have heard something about that. Then what does he want to do with the formation?"


    "Probably to use it to poke a hole in the protection formation¡­


    Emily, can you look for Sarah? We need to talk with her."


    Luca chimed in.


    "Alright, Mom."


    Emily agreed without any suspicion, but Kane looked at Luca with worry.


    She thought her mother wanted to return with Sarah since they needed to find out more if it was true he had one of their old comrades.


    "You haven''t changed; that ability doesn''t make you omnipotent, Luca.


    In the past, there was Edward at your side, but now¡­"


    Luca''s lips curled into a wry smile.


    "I haven''t even said anything."


    "Do you think we just met?


    Anyway, forget it. I won''t give this to you and let you dive headfirst into your death.


    If something happened, do you think I could face Edward?"


    "Do you even know what he''s doing now?


    He''s the one diving first into danger."


    "And that is why both of you are married. You two are really two peas in a pod¡­."


    Kane flicked his hand, putting the artifact back into his storage ring.


    He then looked at Luca, his eyes filled with determination.


    Luca let out a sigh.


    "You''re still as stubborn as ever."


    "Take it, but only through my dead body."


    "Fine, fine¡­ I won''t go.


    But do you have any other ideas?"


    Luca asked, raising both hands in surrender.


    "Didn''t you say you came here with Alex and the others?


    I don''t know the details, but with how Emily recovered, I''m sure he has a way.


    Let''s just wait for him to help us."


    His words made Luca''s eyes widen¡­


    "Seems I need to take back my words; you have changed.


    To think you, of all people, would say to wait for someone''s help¡­


    Is this the real reason you chose to stay here?"


    "Yes¡­


    Sarah, on the other hand¡­"


    Kane let out a heavy sigh.


    "She is just like me in the past, always head-on and wanting to take matters into her own hands."


    "Seems your condition has turned upside down."


    "Well, live like me for years, Luca, and you''ll learn to depend more on others."


    Luca was still unconvinced but saw no other way. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Forcing conflict with her old comrade was not something she wanted.


    Meanwhile, Vesa entered the outer region.


    The moment she stepped out, a flood of information came to her mind.


    She quickly turned her gaze to the spot where she couldn''t feel the rune.


    The one who created the rune on Emily was Vesa.


    Alex could sense it because of their connection.


    She turned into a small bat and then flew at supersonic speed toward the crimson fog.


    When she appeared, her lips turned into a grin, revealing her canines.


    "This smell¡­ to think I''d find one here."


    Meanwhile, back with Alex, he started feeling anxious about the situation.


    Even though he knew it hadn''t been long, each second felt like an eternity for him.


    ''Mingyue, I will increase the time dilation; is it okay?''


    Mingyue, still meditating quietly in the simulated world, opened her eyes.


    ''Did something happen, Alex?''


    ''Yes, I just have a very bad feeling. I already sent Vesa out, but I still feel worried.''


    This information raises MingYue''s alarm.


    But she then remembers MingHao has returned to the sect.


    The risk of something happening there is very small.

 Chapter 544 - 544: Speculation

    This information raises MingYue''s alarm.


    But she then remembers MingHao has returned to the sect.


    The risk of something happening there is very small.


    Finding the place was very hard.


    She doubted anyone had the strength to find it in the outer region.


    But at the same time, the same could be said about the current situation.


    To give a sense of danger to any of their comrades who already had a rune was not easy.


    After a moment of thought, MingYue said, "Let''s focus on our current task, Alex. Even if we return now, we will be too late. And it''s not easy."


    Alex sighed; he knew MingYue was right.


    They would need to pass through the frontline area again and probably have problems with the Xueqi family.


    In that place, he couldn''t do as he pleased.


    The Guardian was someone he couldn''t see through.


    "Someone that can create it, even a formation that can seal progenitor connections¡­


    MingYue, do you think he really can''t close that rift?"


    "I don''t know. Formation is more like your thing. Why? You think he left it open on purpose?"


    "Yes, probably to train the cultivators to become stronger.


    With the rift, they even have access to trade with other races."


    Alex said, his tone tense.


    "What are you pointing at?"


    "This method is very similar to what happened on my home planet.


    Do you think this is related somehow?"


    "Hard to say, don''t forget, Alex, it''s just a conjecture.


    We still don''t know the real cause of the rift in your world."


    "Yes¡­ but I just can''t let go of the thought.


    My home planet is located in a backwater area of the universe.


    One that Vesa says no one cares about.


    Why would even the human progenitor find out about my planet?"


    "You mean he got it from Feng Xue''s brother?


    That would mean he''s still alive."


    "Yes, that probably is the case. Things surrounding his death are unclear anyway.


    And with his capability, faking one is not hard."


    MingYue frowned at the idea.


    "I don''t get it. Let''s say that''s true.


    Then why would he let his own sister live in limbo that long?"


    "Probably he doesn''t know she''s still alive?


    Although that would be weird. Anyone with his skill would surely put some kind of countermeasure."


    Alex meant not just a trump card to save his life but also a method to alert him if something bad was happening.


    Just like Alex gave Runes to all his comrades, Feng Xue''s brother should have done something similar.


    MingYue contemplated Alex''s words.


    "If he''s that strong, what do you think he''s wary of, Alex?


    Those outer gods?"


    "Who else? They''re also the ones who created those sins.


    This is my suspicion, but probably they were behind the last progenitor wars.


    Pulling everything from behind the scenes.


    Now they''ve already won and are trying to finish off all the survivors."


    "If that''s the case, why would he let you live?"


    "A bait¡­ Alucard is still alive, even though we can''t find him again inside our souls.


    I don''t know how, but I think he somehow revived and got out.


    Also¡­ Maybe¡­ There''s someone else behind Alucard.


    Someone stronger who can pose a risk to them."


    "Why do you think that?"


    "After some thought, I just think there''s no reason for them to fear Alucard.


    Didn''t you hear what the Guardian said?


    The current peak of power in the universe is stronger than the progenitors at their peak."


    "That makes sense then¡­ but now that we talk about it, this confirms the owner is still alive."


    Alex turned silent for a moment, but a realization quickly hit him like a truck.


    "How could I miss it?


    The Guardian knows the latest situation in the universe.


    This isn''t something that can be gained easily through small exchanges.


    Only someone high enough will know the strength of those at the peak."


    If Feng Xue''s brother was related to the progenitor, then this made sense.


    While both of them were deep in thought, discussing the situation, Kane''s mouth gasped with surprise.


    He held the sphere artifact that was now acting weirdly.


    There seemed to be a conflict between the red fog and the black part of it.


    It looked like they were tugging at each other.


    The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard as Sarah ran in a hurry.


    "Dad, look outside; something strange is happening."


    Kane gulped. This time, he had really lost control of the artifact.


    He couldn''t even use it to peer at what was happening.


    Hearing his daughter''s urgent words, he looked up through the window.


    There, he could see it.


    The fog turned redder like it was made of blood.


    It started bubbling like water being boiled.


    Luca opened the window, her eyes sharp.


    Then she leaped out toward the red fog without saying anything.


    "Mom!" Emily screamed in panic.


    She also dashed, following Luca.


    "Sarah! You stay here." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But dad!?"


    "You know my condition; I can''t protect your mother."


    Sarah hesitated, but in the end, she decided to stay there.


    Her mom had her cultivation, but her talent was not that good.


    Even now, Sarah was already stronger than her.


    While this was happening, the Silver Snake Emperor was in trouble.


    He was calmly meditating when suddenly a weird creature came out of the crimson fog.


    With a sly grin, she directly started attacking him.


    The red fog solidified into a spear, targeting his vital points.


    He barely managed to dodge it.


    But he knew the situation was not good; this creature could somehow control the red fog¡­


    And now he was completely surrounded by it.


    He needed to find out first how much control Vesa had; otherwise, he would just be walking into his doom.


    "Who are you!? Why are you attacking me!"


    "You smell the same as one of those worms that disturbed my king''s plan.


    I will just capture you first and get the information I need."


    The surrounding red fog turned into spikes connected to chains.


    Seeing the countless attacks, he knew he couldn''t hide his strength anymore.

 Chapter 545 - 545: Vesa vs Silver Snake Emperor

    "You are asking for it!" the silver snake emperor said with a beastly growl.


    His qi exploded, destroying Vesa''s attack.


    "Ah, the worm finally chose to come out."


    Vesa grinned, showing her fangs as the silver snake emperor transformed into his beast form.


    A huge silver snake with four pairs of wings on parts of its body.


    It made him look like a snake dragon.


    His jaw opened, shooting out acid like a water cannon.


    But Vesa was not worried upon seeing this attack.


    Her fingers danced in the air, drawing a rune.


    The fog started coalescing, gathering in one spot, then clashing against the silver snake emperor''s attack.


    At this moment, a figure came out from the fog.


    Luca looked at Vesa for a moment, then toward the giant snake.


    Her eyes glinted with coldness; she leaped forward without any hesitation.


    Her sword slashed through the silver snake''s scales easily, piercing through his flesh.


    But his size was too large to feel it like any kind of attack.


    For him, it was like being pierced with a needle.


    Luca frowned, but she still didn''t give up.


    With half the sword still embedded in the giant snake, she started sprinting toward his head.


    The snake emperor''s eyes flickered.


    The place Luca cut quickly healed after she moved away. It didn''t really damage him, but it pulled away his focus.


    Seeing this, Vesa used the opportunity.


    Part of the fog turned into a huge chain; it then shot out, engulfing the snake emperor''s neck.


    This did lower the amount of fog clashing against his attack, but it was still enough to hold him down for a moment.


    BAM!!!


    His head was slammed toward the ground as the crimson fog engulfed his body.


    Vesa''s body then started growing larger.


    Her mouth opened wide, creating a huge suction at the snake emperor.


    Luca jumped down, landing on the ground.


    A moment after, Emily came out from the red fog, seeing the giant Vesa eating the snake emperor.


    His body was already half-engulfed in her mouth.


    The process was slow as the snake emperor tried to fight back, but then the crimson fog also began to get sucked in by Vesa.


    The moment it did, the process quickly became faster.


    The snake emperor was completely gulped with no trace remaining.


    As Vesa''s body started shrinking back to its normal size, Luca asked, "What happened to that snake? Did you kill it?"


    "No, Mother Queen. I moved him to Edonia.


    The place is quite peaceful now without any danger; I think he will provide a good challenge for them to fight."


    Luca frowned upon hearing this.


    "So you''re gonna let him live?" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That will depend on the king''s decision, but I am sure he will be happy to get a living specimen at this level."


    "Then make sure to give him enough pain."


    "I will make sure of it, Mother Queen."


    "Vesa, where is my brother?" Emily asked.


    At this point, she had already grown numb from any surprise related to her brother.


    An enemy outside her comprehension that had given her despair was easily eaten by Vesa.


    Vesa didn''t hide any information; she knew Alex would want his family to know where they were.


    Emily didn''t understand what he wanted to do, but Luca got the gist.


    "I see¡­ Then why did you come here, Vesa?"


    Actually, she wanted to ask more about the silver snake emperor, but since Emily was here, she decided to change the topic.


    Luca didn''t want to remind her daughter of the trauma she had just faced when she almost got killed.


    Vesa told them how Alex had ordered her because he felt something bad was happening.


    Hearing it, Emily felt warm inside.


    But she felt puzzled. "How could Brother know, though? Didn''t you say the place is isolated?"


    "Well, it does, but the rune makes the isolation not 100%." Vesa then flew closer to Emily, looking at the rune on her forehead.


    "Oh yeah, before I forget..."


    She put her finger into the rune, refueling all the used life force.


    Vesa also drew a few more, enhancing it to raise the capacity and add some more countermeasures in case something like this happened.


    "All right, now that this is done with, I need to take the blood flower."


    "Blood flower!?" Luca asked.


    "Yes, Mother Queen, it''s the one responsible for creating this fog.


    This flower was created as one of the experiments from the noble vampire.


    My old master took a liking to it, used the data, and then enhanced it even further.


    I thought it had already died or was lost somewhere, but to think it''s still here."


    "This blood flower, isn''t it a plant?


    But Uncle showed it to me before, it''s like a creature."


    Emily told Vesa in detail what she had seen from Kane''s projection.


    "Interesting. I don''t know the details, but this flower does have a unique trait.


    It can absorb life force from a creature and then take on its traits.


    In the example you saw, it''s probably acting like some kind of parasite.


    As of now, this flower seems to have grown even further, eating away at cultivators'' souls."


    Luca then remembered how Kane had told her that after his old enemy died, he started losing control of the artifact.


    "Can you bring us to where the flower is?"


    "I can, Mother Queen, but what do you plan to do with it?


    It will be very dangerous."


    "Don''t you already have control over it?"


    Luca remembered how Vesa could easily control the crimson fog as if it were her own.


    "That is only because of my mastery of blood and life force energy.


    This fog is created by a mix of both; hence, I can easily manipulate it."


    "So you mean anyone with the skill will be able to do it."


    Luca wanted to see it just out of curiosity; hearing it now, she felt it was better to just leave it to Vesa.


    "In that case, Vesa, can you send me and the others out of this place first?"

 Chapter 546 - 546: Turn Of Events

    "That will take some time¡­"


    Vesa thought for a moment, then offered, "But I can bring all of you to Edonia. Don''t worry, you won''t arrive near that giant worm. I already put him in a special place, making sure he won''t wreak havoc in places I don''t want."


    "Alright, we will wait for you at Kane''s house then."


    Vesa nodded.She had been the reason Luca and Emily managed to reach her location without getting lost. So, she wasn''t afraid they couldn''t return back. As for Luca, seeing the change in the fog, she had just followed her instinct.


    "Mom, promise me you won''t run away like that again," Emily said, her voice tinged with worry.


    "Depends on the situation, Emily. At that time, it was urgent."


    Emily understood. If they had arrived late, Vesa would probably have finished the big snake alone and left, only meeting them after taking care of the artifact. But this puzzled her.


    "How did you know the situation then, Mom?"


    "Instinct¡­ It''s something you hone after you''ve had a lot of experience, Emily."


    "I''ve also had a lot of missions, but honestly, my instinct usually just tells me to escape."


    "Then did you follow it?"


    "Of course not; otherwise, I''d never complete any mission," Emily said with a wry smile.


    Luca let out a chuckle. "That''s your survival instinct. But what I mean is one that''s honed through real experience. Have you never felt it, Emily? A moment when you somehow just know what will happen next, even if it doesn''t follow any logic?"


    Emily gave it some thought but shook her head. "No, I''ve never had that."


    Luca placed her finger on her chin and then considered it further. "You have; you just don''t realize it. It''s like in a fight when you feel the need to dodge even though you don''t see an attack coming."


    Emily''s eyes lit up as realization dawned on her. Since her life was at risk, her instinct had been easier to come by in those moments, but in other cases, it was harder. This realization deepened her respect for her mother. Not everyone could follow their instinct like that. Sometimes, they felt it was wrong, but because logic told them otherwise, they chose not to follow it¡ªand regretted it afterward.


    Meanwhile, Vesa had already reached the core of the red fog. Her gaze fell on a large plant filled with many sharp teeth. It looked like a very large tree where all the branches were Venus flytraps.


    Each one rose up, looking at her menacingly, but Vesa didn''t care about this. Her gaze instead locked onto a humanoid face on the tree.


    "Who¡­ are¡­ you!?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Interesting. To think your soul is strong enough to possess this tree¡­" Vesa mumbled, ignoring the tree''s question. Her eyes glistened with green energy.


    Ignored, the face on the tree contorted with anger. It stopped wasting its breath, sending out its Venus trap vines. Its jaw opened wide, showing an array of sharp teeth with green liquid dripping down from them. Smoke rose the moment it hit the ground, which turned dark, showing the potency of its acidity.


    Vesa''s fingers danced in the air, creating an array of runes while her eyes remained focused on the towering tree''s body, moving around, searching for something.


    Clang!


    The Venus trap jaws stopped just inches away from Vesa, clashing against something hard.


    "What a bad boy," Vesa mumbled as her fingers moved again.


    A sharp object materialized in the air, looking like a nail. It was murky red like it was made of solidified blood. It then fell like a meteor shower, nailing each of the traps to the ground.


    The tree growled like a beast, its vines rampaging in an attempt to fight back. But it was pointless. Vesa''s strength completely overwhelmed it.


    If Alex or MingYue had been there, they would have been annoyed, and things would have started to escalate. The power level Vesa displayed was beyond anything they had seen so far. If she truly used this kind of power, subjugating the Blue Jewel Planet would only take days¡ªor hours if she used her knowledge of runes.


    Thankfully, they weren''t there now, and Vesa knew no one could tell them about this, or she wouldn''t be able to act so freely.


    BAM! BAM!


    The tree''s countless vines were nailed to the ground. The nails glowed green, then turned red, linking to each other and creating a formation. The tree''s expression shifted to fear. "Spare me!" It could feel its strength being sapped away.


    But Vesa still ignored it. Her lips curled into a grin, revealing her sharp canines. "So that''s how you do it. To think you have access to this thing."


    She pointed her hand forward, drawing another rune. This time, the tree let out a guttural scream of pain that reverberated through the area.


    Emily and Luca, already at Kane''s home, frowned and looked toward the tree''s direction. "Uncle Kane, can you check anything?"


    "Nope, just look at this," Kane said while pointing at the sphere artifact. Now, it was cracked and inactive.


    "What about the formation, then? Didn''t you say it''s used as the anchor?" Luca asked. If the formation her husband, Edward, had made dissipated, the time dilation between their worlds would return to normal.


    This worried her because she wouldn''t know how much time difference there was and what would happen to the guild left behind on their home planet. The dungeon problems would escalate, and things would become more dangerous.


    Even though she wasn''t active anymore, Luca''s existence in her world was a big deal. It was like a card holding other powers in check, forcing a stalemate. Her combat ability, not counting Alex with his progenitor power, was just one of the world''s peaks.


    "It won''t be directly destroyed, but this will open the array for others to intervene. Those factions with ulterior motives will make their move."


    "That snake emperor Vesa captured should know more. It seems I will need to interrogate him," Luca said while looking at the red fog that began to dissipate.

 Chapter 547 - 547: Too Late

    Meanwhile, back at Sword Saint City, the Sword Immortal was standing on the terrace, looking up into the sky. Everyone at his level could feel something was changing. His lips curled into a smile. "I don''t know what that snake did, but I am sure it has something to do with this. But that doesn''t matter now¡ªwe can continue our work."


    In the core region, the guardian mumbled, "It seems this is inevitable. What happens in the future will be out of my hands."


    Time passed on. In the Virtual World, the sound of clashing swords could be heard. MingYue''s lips curled into a smile as she fought with KuroSora. "Isn''t it enough? Both my daughters already went out of this world, and you''re still here holding me back," he said in an annoyed tone.


    At first, he thought it would be easy to beat MingYue, but the more they clashed, the more he realized it wasn''t easy at all. MingYue''s power had developed over the time she spent here. Her foundation had been stabilized and even became more solid. Her ability was also boosted as she had GM access in the world, allowing her to cheat her way to reach his level.


    MingYue raised her sword upward, then slashed downward, creating a crescent moon energy shooting toward KuroSora. The air froze and turned into ice as it passed through.


    KuroSora let out a sigh. This wasn''t the first time. He would block it, and then MingYue would try something new to ambush him while he did so. With a reluctant sigh, he didn''t make any moves, making MingYue frown. "That''s it!? You''re going to give up? As a senior, don''t you feel any shame losing like this?"


    KuroSora didn''t answer. He wanted to leave. He knew the time difference between this world and the outside¡ªthis one might be faster¡ªbut after spending a week here, he was sure at least a whole day had passed outside. Both his daughters had probably left. He still felt worried about the youngest. Despite educating her for a long time here, she still didn''t have any real experience outside.


    It was different from this world where no real danger existed. Outside was filled with countless dangers, many outside his control. He still remembered the situation outside before he came to this world. "There are many things I need to do outside. I have entertained you for days now. I think this should be more than enough."


    "An old freak like you¡ªdon''t say you have no trump card," MingYue called out with an icy tone. But KuroSora just ignored her. There was no reason for him to show it here¡ªthere was no benefit. And even if he used it, there was no guarantee he could win. This world was under Alex and MingYue''s control.


    As he spent time here, he also tried to learn everything about this world. The more he knew, the more he realized how scary Alex was. He might be stronger now, but Alex''s knowledge of souls was on another level. This was one of the benefits Alex gained after losing his emotions because¡­ he did something to his soul. This made KuroSora understand souls had some similarity to the human brain. If he did something, it was possible to make someone go deaf, blind, or even hallucinate. This realization also gave him answers to some mysterious things in the past of his world. How someone kept saying they hallucinated while all their brain scans showed everything was fine¡ªthe answer was simpler than everyone thought. Whatever caused the hallucinations shook them to their soul, literally.


    With this knowledge, Alex created formations that interacted directly with the soul while putting their real body into slumber. Of course, normally, Alex couldn''t do this to KuroSora as he was stronger, but as KuroSora dropped his soul defense, it was the same as putting his life in Alex''s hands. And his thought wasn''t wrong¡ªeven if Alex used his progenitor soul power to forcefully break his defenses, Alex still wouldn''t have been able to put him into this world. After all, the technique was still in its inception and prototype stage, but its future potential was limitless.


    Putting hallucinations over someone''s soul meant the one under it wouldn''t be able to break free without repercussions. The cold crescent energy finally arrived an inch away from KuroSora''s face. Seeing he really wouldn''t fight back, MingYue stretched her hand. With a small gesture, the energy disappeared into nothingness¡ªa feat only possible in this world.


    Then, with another gesture, the world started to shake. Cracks appeared all over, and then it shattered like a mirror.


    Returning to the real world, MingYue''s eyes fluttered open. She looked around, finding no one around her. KuroSora had probably already blinked himself away to his daughters or to take care of his own problems. "Alex, where are you?" MingYue mumbled.


    Despite her soft tone, she knew her voice would be sent telepathically to Alex''s mind.


    "MingYue, something happened. They have started moving."


    MingYue creased her eyebrows together, then focused on her senses to find out where Alex was located. But then she felt something else¡ªa monstrous amount of Qi creating turbulence high in the sky. Her body turned into a blur, flying toward the sky and landing beside Alex.


    She then found Emily and Luca standing beside Alex. All of them were looking at the sky, where they could see a huge formation flickering like a dying lightbulb. "What happened!? You didn''t tell me anything about this."


    "I don''t know much either. I just heard from Mom and Uncle Kane¡ªit seems this is part of the coalition''s goal."


    Hearing this, MingYue quickly linked everything up. "You mean we''re too late?"


    Alex replied with a heavy sigh, "It seems so. They''re already many steps ahead of us. After all, this is a plan made a long time ago. But it seems my father already has a contingency plan for this."


    When MingYue spent her time in the virtual world, Alex got in contact with her mother and Emily through Vesa. There, he learned what had happened. He then started sending out his forces to the immortals, trying to stop whatever they planned to do. After all, what they planned would turn his own goal in this world upside down.


    S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 548 - 548: Change of Plan

    When MingYue spent her time in the virtual world, Alex got in contact with her mother and Emily through Vesa. There, he learned what had happened. He then started sending out his forces to the immortals, trying to stop whatever they planned to do. After all, what they planned would turn his own goal in this world upside down.


    It was too late; the Sword Immortal had already made his move and gathered with his comrades.


    Up in the sky, particles of light fell like snow. Once upon a time, for Alex, this would have signaled the coming of a holiday, but now it meant something else. What was falling down were the remains of the formation that protected the planet.


    Feeling the change in the atmosphere, MingYue squinted her eyes. "Do they really destroy it? But how? No one succeeded till now."


    "I don''t know for sure, but probably they used my father''s formation to infiltrate it from the inside, making the whole formation unstable," Alex replied with a sigh. Now that the strongest beings from this world had left, this meant the world was theirs for the taking, but at the same time, they were exposed to the dangers of the universe.


    A green aurora started appearing in the sky. Vesa came out, her face grim. "King, Queen, we need to leave now."


    MingYue frowned. Now that her world was exposed, there were many things she needed to take care of, from uniting the world under their sect''s control to talking with the guardian and preparing for invasion. But before she could say anything, Alex chimed in. "Vesa is right, MingYue. We need to go quick. Our presence here is like a danger magnet. Those Outer Gods, or the Primordials as my father called them, already know we''re here. It''s better for us to move."


    "That changes nothing." In MingYue''s mind, if those beings wanted to make a move on them, there was nothing they could do to escape. They could practically teleport freely throughout the universe.


    "It''s different, Queen," Vesa knew what MingYue was thinking, but her concern was not the Primordials themselves. The remaining energy left in this world would instead become a deterrent for high-ranked civilizations to come here. Not like they had a reason to come to this planet, as there were no resources that interested them. But this didn''t mean they would do nothing; the remains of Primordial energy would at least make them send scouts to find out what had happened. This was what Vesa was afraid of¡ªif they came here and had new ways to detect Progenitor and vampire auras, they would be screwed. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite this, MingYue still hesitated. Leaving her brother exposed to the universe was not something she wanted to do. "Don''t worry, MingYue. I will take care of them," Luca suddenly said, making Alex raise his eyebrow.


    "Mom, you''re staying?"


    "Yes, there''s no need for me to return now. I''d rather look for your father''s trail more. Don''t worry, in case I need to get back, your father left me some methods."


    "But Mom¡­" Alex wanted to say more, but Luca cut him off. "No buts. This is my decision. Olivia and the others are still here. Someone needs to stay to take care of all of them. Also, we''ve been away for a while now, Alex. I think it''s good for you to check back on the guild. Who knows what happened there?"


    Seeing his mother''s stern gaze, he knew she wouldn''t relent. Any more effort was pointless. Alex turned to look at MingYue, but she just shrugged. Since Luca decided to stay, she felt more comfortable leaving Minghao alone. "How about the Sovereigns, then?"


    Alex''s lips curled into a cold smile. "Don''t worry about them. Other than those two, I have taken care of the rest."


    "With the Progenitor blood? I doubt that''s enough to kill them."


    "It''s not, but it''s enough to cripple their power. I also already sent Dorian and Selene to follow them. Since none of them will stay here, I think it will be alright." Alex then turned his gaze toward Luca. "In that case, Mom, I will leave everyone here in your hands. As for the goblins and the rest, they should follow your orders if you need them for something."


    The world started to shake, qi spreading all around the place. Many immortals emerged from their hiding, flying toward the cracking sky. The strongest ones had already left through the gap, while others were waiting to make sure it was safe. As many came out, conflict also became unavoidable. Those with old grudges started to spar with each other, creating many shockwaves like fireworks in the sky.


    "Vesa, let''s go, then," Alex ordered, not interested in waiting longer. He knew it was only a matter of time before the formation completely fell.


    Vesa grinned, her mouth growing in size. Then, with a single gulp, she took Alex and MingYue from this world. Her own body then dimmed before it completely disappeared. "What now, Mom?" Emily asked, looking at the spot where her brother had just stood with a complicated gaze.


    "Let''s look for Olivia and the others for now. After everyone is gathered, we''ll then talk about it further."


    Meanwhile, somewhere else, Olivia, Seraphine, and Quartz were looking at the sky. Ariadne had returned but had already left again to take care of some matters, while Yubina went with her. "Quartz, any idea what''s happening?"


    "You ask me? Since when did I know stuff like this?"


    "I have a bad feeling¡­ Let''s look for Ariadne. I want to return to Alex and the others."


    "Bad feeling?" Quartz asked with a concerned gaze. It was very rare for Olivia to feel like that, and hearing her tone, it was clear she was in distress.


    "I don''t know. It''s hard to explain. But I feel if I don''t do this now, I will regret it forever," Olivia then continued in her mind, ''It''s like I will never meet him again¡­''


    "Alright, I will go with you," Quartz replied, not saying anything further. In reality, she still felt curious why Olivia wanted to look for Alex while before, she was the one avoiding him.


    Back on Alex''s home planet, Ainode, he and MingYue had expected to find themselves back at the spire, with Petricia waiting for them. But what appeared in front of them was something completely different. "Vesa, are you sure this is the right place?" Alex asked while studying his surroundings¡ªa completely foreign environment.

 Chapter 549 - 549: Changed World

    The dimly open area echoed with the sound of dripping water and machine hum. The place reeked of oil mixed with a multitude of disgusting smells. With a burst of qi, Mingyue created a transparent barrier, shielding them from the stench. Her eyes darted around sharply, and after a while, her expression turned into a frown. "Any idea?"


    "We''re surrounded by machines that somehow use lifeforce, so using our normal detection methods won''t work," Alex replied while employing his ability to assess their situation. Numerous possibilities ran through his mind, from their teleportation going wrong again to what might have happened to his world. Each was absurd, but Alex knew, ''When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.''


    Time must have flowed significantly here, Alex theorized, as the time fluctuation between the two worlds had forcibly synchronized. The moment the formation was destroyed, all the accumulated differences collapsed into alignment in an instant. It had been like stretching a rubber band to its limit¡ªwhen released, it snapped back, unleashing all the built-up tension at once.


    The question now was what had happened during this time and how much time had passed. Alex could not be certain of the latter, but for the former, there were many possibilities. The most likely was a massive dungeon break. With most high-level awakeners absent, humanity might have been overwhelmed, leading to their defeat. In that case, the invaders would likely be a new race with advanced technology. The second possibility was that the World Council or the hunter organization had made a deal with an outer species. But no matter what, Alex was sure there was another race involved. Otherwise, using lifeforce as energy would have been impossible for them.


    "Seems we''re underground. This place should be what you call a sewer in the past," Mingyue said, breaking Alex''s train of thought. She then turned back and pointed her finger. "This seems to be the remains of the portal on top of the spire. Someone must have moved it here."


    Looking at the remains that barely resembled a portal, Alex replied, "This should be either Alice, Patricia, or William."


    "Should we explore then?" Mingyue asked, turning her gaze toward the room''s only exit.


    "We need to find out more information first." Considering the current possibilities, just walking outside was not a good option. Alex did not want others to discover their presence before he could understand the entire situation. ''Vesa, can you contact Patricia?''


    ''I can try, King, but if you want to stay hidden, it will be a huge risk. There''s a possibility they can detect my method. And King, it''s very faint, but I think we have Progenitor''s blood here.''


    "What!?" Mingyue cut in. Vesa''s words reverberated in both their minds, allowing her to hear the suggestion. "How could the blood come here? Last time, there was nothing like that. If it recently came here, that means whatever brought it is our enemy."


    It wasn''t just the enemy that Mingyue worried about but the people behind them. There was a possibility someone had gotten lucky obtaining the Progenitor''s blood, but to utilize it? It was impossible unless they had the background to do so. This meant that if Vesa''s words were true, whoever held the Progenitor''s blood belonged to the vampire race''s old enemy¡ªthose involved in the vampire genocide and even Alucard''s death.


    "We can go to another realm, but honestly, I want to find out more about the situation," Alex said with a complicated gaze. In reality, it was better for them to retreat and hunt more Progenitor blood rather than survey a place that clearly posed a grave danger. But he couldn''t just ignore all his old comrades left behind on this planet. There was also their old guild, where many goblins and other pets remained.


    "All right. In that case, I will wait for you," Mingyue said, taking a seat in the corner of the room. With her qi, all the unpleasant smells disappeared, allowing her to sit comfortably. She then closed her eyes, trusting completely that Alex would handle the intel gathering.


    Feeling her trust, Alex said nothing further. He began walking around the room, spreading his qi-like waves and using them as echolocation to sense the surrounding area beyond the room. His hand touched the wall, the texture slimy at first before transitioning to something smooth and cold. "Metal mixed with concrete at this level. Interesting, never thought of this." He then put his finger to his chin. "Did they run out of magical materials? Otherwise, this doesn''t make sense." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his world, most buildings in the past had relied on traditional methods: using metal rebar or mesh as reinforcement and encasing it in concrete for structural strength. However, this material was entirely different. Here, the metal seemed to be integrated into the concrete at a particle level, creating a new composite material. The result was something almost as strong as solid steel while retaining the properties of concrete.


    This integration likely worked through a process where fine metal particles or fibers were uniformly distributed throughout the concrete mix. When the concrete hardened, the metal particles became embedded within the cement matrix, creating a network that enhanced the material''s tensile and compressive strength. This blending eliminated the weak interfaces typically found between rebar and concrete, making the entire structure uniformly strong and resistant to cracking or failure.


    Alex then sensed lifeforce running through the walls via a special pipeline. Based on its design, he quickly deduced its function. "This allows the wall to recover itself¡ªsomething like regeneration. But in exchange, it produces this weird substance."


    Alex pulled his finger back, seeing the slimy green goo sticking to it. "Vesa, try to analyze this formation. Does it have other functions? If it has some kind of reconnaissance ability, staying hidden is pointless."


    ''Yes, King. I am also interested. This seems to be a new method of utilizing lifeforce. It''s still worse than our method, though, as this one is incapable of utilizing 100% of the lifeforce, leaving behind that green slimy goo.''

 Chapter 550 - 550: Grimdark World

    "The lifeforce in this slime goo was weird, though¡­ It felt impure, like it was tainted," Alex mumbled, but Vesa didn''t respond as she was busy with her own task.


    Normally, pure lifeforce was colored green, but this one was tainted with other colors¡ªsome yellow, some black, or even mixed with others. Alex tried to infuse his life energy into it, and the result made him frown. This feels like emotion¡­


    At that moment, Vesa finished her analysis. "The way they use lifeforce is very different, King. They somehow use this taint to solidify and change the nature of the life force, turning it into other materials. As for this formation, it feels like a mix of the old magic system in King''s world with our own runic system."


    Alex raised an eyebrow. "I see¡­" With this result, the possibilities shifted once more, leaving him feeling more confused.


    He then opened his palm and closed his eyes, focusing his mind on his storage ring. Alex began selecting some materials. A metallic liquid appeared on his palm, then began to condense and contort, forming a small mosquito. Alex sat cross-legged and sent part of his soul into it.


    The mosquito''s wings started flapping, and it flew toward the exit. Right now, Alex preferred to confirm things rather than waste more time speculating. The tunnel was quite large, enough for a two-story bus to pass through without a problem. It was also very long, with many turns, making it look like a maze. Some areas were caved in, making the exits smaller, with scars of battles evident everywhere.


    "The regeneration is not perfect," Alex muttered. "These caved-in walls are trying to regenerate without fixing their positions, turning them into new walls. It seems the area MingYue and I came out of is abandoned because of this."


    The rubble tried to heal itself, making the entrance smaller and creating choke points that would make it difficult to pass. In Alex''s mind, they would need to completely disintegrate it, leaving no particles behind to prevent regeneration. Another method was stopping the flow of lifeforce in the region of the wall, but that would be even harder given the pipe''s design. There were no valves to shut down specific areas.


    Flying through a tiny gap in the wall, Alex entered another part of the sewer. This section had water flowing through the middle like a river. The liquid was murky, filled with trash, filth, and even human body parts. It was clear to Alex that human life in this area wasn''t good¡ªor, at the very least, it was considered cheap. "This is worse than I thought¡­" Alex muttered.


    Deep down, he hoped this situation was isolated to this area and that the rest of the world was fine. But his rational mind knew that was impossible. This place had been taken over, and he knew the Hunter Association would have intervened if too much time had passed. For this to be possible, humanity had truly been beaten down, and even if some form of community still existed, it would likely be in dire straits. I hope Alice and the others are alright, he thought.


    Continuing his journey, Alex found a small opening that allowed him to fly outside. The atmosphere changed immediately. The sound of machinery grew louder, and the disgusting smell of the sewer disappeared, replaced by fresh air. He was greeted by the sight of massive machinery stretching into the clouds. Each machine connected to others, producing some kind of parts that were then carried away by legions of drones flying through the sky.


    But that wasn''t all¡ªAlex noticed that the mana in the atmosphere was nearly depleted.


    "Each of these drones and machines runs on lifeforce. I wonder what they do with all the mana then¡­" Alex muttered. He observed the few remaining mana particles around him being absorbed by one of the machines, which then sent the energy elsewhere. His eyebrows rose as he saw the drones consuming the green goo, leaving behind lifeforce residues to power themselves. "Do these drones have a way to consume all that tainted lifeforce?"


    Curiosity grew in Alex''s mind, but he knew that taking one of the drones for disassembly would quickly raise alarms. He was certain they were all connected, forming some sort of hive mind, just like the many sci-fi novels he had read. "I could try to isolate one from the network, but that''s still risky. They probably have countermeasures to alert them if a drone goes missing."


    He continued exploring, searching for any sign of humans. The presence of fresh body parts in the sewer indicated humans existed in the area. But no matter how much he searched outside, he couldn''t find a single one.


    It was only machines¡ªmore machines and drones maintaining everything. "A self-sufficient machine powered by lifeforce¡­ Amazing. Even the vampire race doesn''t use lifeforce like this," Alex commented.


    "King, it''s not that we''ve never had machines like these. In the past, we had an entire era where vampires focused on creating such machines. But it ended up making them dumb and retarded," Vesa''s voice chimed in. "With everything taken care of by machines, fewer vampires wanted to think or understand how things worked. They became lazy, entrusting everything to the machines. The Old Progenitor at that time decided to destroy this civilization and reset everything, knowing it was only a matter of time before the species became extinct if it continued."


    Alex frowned. "You mean Alucard, right? All this life force must come from somewhere. Where did it come from during that era?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That era started after a war period when vampires conquered many sub-races without their own progenitors. These sub-races were enslaved, but uprisings kept happening. In the end, a vampire created a solution to utilize them solely as lifeforce sources while everything else was managed by golems, robots, or these types of drones," Vesa explained, making Alex more certain of his conclusions. This mean human in this current world or at least place is treated as some kind of cattle in a way far worse than the Dragari.

 Chapter 551 - 551: Rubber and Gum

    At least by the Dragari, they were still treated as sentient living beings. Here, humans were nothing more than batteries.


    Alex spent hours looking for the right building, but no matter how much he tried, there were no clues he could use to guess what building was what, other than some that were clearly used for drones to take items. He could have tried entering the buildings, but he felt it was not efficient. After some thought, Alex decided to return to the sewer and follow the flow where body parts were falling down.


    But as he reentered the sewer, the situation changed. He saw more activity¡ªdrones buzzing around the area, seemingly looking for something. ''Did they find me and MingYue''s presence?'' he wondered.


    After some observation, Alex realized they were not the target. The drones were moving in the opposite direction. ''Is it Alice or the others?'' he thought.


    Alex already knew someone must have moved the portal there to hide it in case he and MingYue returned. This also meant they either stayed close in the vicinity or at least returned periodically to check in case something happened.


    He flew past all the drones, analyzing the direction based on any clues he could see that raised the odds someone had just passed through. After some distance, a sound of movement reached Alex. It wasn''t footsteps, giving him an idea of who was coming. There was only one from his comrades who could come here without leaving any steps on the ground.


    Turning a corner, a familiar face appeared before him. Her wings flapped silently behind her back, spreading out particles that made her presence more hidden. If not for Alex''s familiarity with her life force and their close proximity, he would not have found her. Even then, he still needed to guess if it was really her. "Alice," Alex called out, sending the message directly to her mind.


    Alice stopped in her tracks, then looked around but found no one. Despite hearing Alex''s voice, she didn''t drop her guard. Instead, she became warier. Her qi churned as her fingers moved, prepared to enter combat at any time. "Who''s there? Come out! I won''t fall for the same trick again."


    Alex frowned. Seeing how she reacted, he knew it would take some time to convince her it was really him. Seeing her appearance, he could also tell she had experienced a lot. Rather than waste time and risk Alice finding out, Alex decided it was better to meet directly. ''Alice, come to the place where the portal was. I''ll bait them to go in another direction.''


    Before Alice could react, Alex controlled the mosquito to quickly fly back toward the drones. He flew past them again, then adjusted his qi to make it similar to Freay''s before starting to spread it, amplifying the sound of his flight.


    The dozen drones stopped midair, then all turned toward Alex''s direction. It only took a millisecond for all of them to lock on Alex despite the distance between them. This ability far outperformed what Alex had in mind.


    What happened next surprised him further. Symbols started glowing on the drones'' bodies, and Alex suddenly felt mana emanating from them. ''A wireless mana transmission!?'' he thought. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Alex could think further, ice began appearing all around him, forming something like a cage without a single gap¡ªnot even a mosquito could pass through. But this wasn''t a normal mosquito; it was made of special material, making its body very strong.


    A normal mosquito could only fly at 1 to 1.5 miles per hour (1.6 to 2.4 kilometers per hour). But this one was different¡ªit could easily fly up to 767 mph (1,235 km/h), reaching supersonic speeds. The mosquito''s body started to spin, raising its velocity. Then Alex used the life energy contained within, creating thrust and shooting it forward like a bullet.


    BAM!


    It tore through the barrier like a knife cutting through butter. But his journey wasn''t smooth¡ªafter passing through, dozens of drones had already created a formation blocking his path. Each of them glowed with different symbols reacting to each other. ''A magic formation? This didn''t exist last time I checked. It seems they''ve really improved the magic system,'' he thought.


    He crashed into the net, expecting to tear through it or clash if the barrier was strong. But the result once again raised his eyebrows. It was like he was crashing against a barrier that possessed the properties of both rubber and gum, reminding him of one of the famous anime he often watched in the past. Sadly, the author updated it so slowly that it completely stopped after the first dungeon break.


    The barrier stretched, capturing all the momentum Alex had built up. His ability quickly sparked as he thought of the next best move. He could try expelling lifeforce to create runes that would melt the magic back into mana. Another option was to use it to create thrust and test the barrier''s limits. But in the end, he chose the best option he could think of.


    He triggered the lifeforce, making it churn like an atomic bomb on the verge of critical mass. Within his body, the lifeforce acted as a field of potential energy, not unlike a quantum vacuum teeming with virtual particles. This energy, once released, catalyzed a series of reactions that mimicked high-energy particle physics.


    At its core, the lifeforce began creating an intense concentration of quasi-particles, hypothetical constructs that mirrored real-world particles but existed within the metaphysical framework of his abilities. These quasi-particles interacted with one another in a manner akin to nuclear fusion, where lighter particles combined under immense pressure to form heavier ones, releasing extraordinary amounts of energy in the process.


    Alex had learned to do this from the incident when he lost his emotions, utilizing his lifeforce to trigger a small atomic explosion. His goal was to create as much damage as possible, pull everyone''s attention, create another decoy, and then use it to escape with Alice and MingYue.

 Chapter 552 - 552: Mechalytes

    BOOM! The ground quaked as the mosquito exploded, taking out dozens of the drones.


    Alex''s eyes opened, remembering the result of the explosion. His lips curled into a smile. "The result is very good. If I make a bunch of these mosquitoes, the result will be catastrophic." His brain already thought about how to go about this. Could he use cheaper materials? How about making the mosquitoes able to breed by themselves?


    There were also other methods to improve this. What if he could trigger the explosion on other lifeforces? If the enemy were strong but had no understanding of lifeforce, then in theory, they should have less resistance. Alex wanted to discuss this with Vesa to find out if this kind of method existed in the past. But he doubted it, or even if it existed, there would have been many limitations. Otherwise, there was no way the vampire race would have been beaten.


    But unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to do this. Right now, his priority was to escape from this place. "MingYue, prepare to move." At the same time, Alex sent out the situation toward her mind.


    She quickly adjusted her life aura and qi, then used a mask to change her appearance. Meanwhile, Alex opened his palm and created a few more mosquitoes. But this time, he didn''t take direct control of them. Instead, he put a script, making them act like robots, and then made them spread an aura like Alice.


    The four mosquitoes quickly flew away from the exit, moving toward different cardinal directions. The whole ground then started to vibrate. If Alex were outside now, he would have seen how the whole area was changing. The outer structure moved like it was alive, creating a closed dome.


    The wall on the other structure shifted abruptly, the sections pulling apart as if the entire structure were made of massive, interlocking LEGO blocks. Each segment began to transform. Each of them then transformed into something like a robot. None of them were humanoid, but each one had its own weapons. They all then focused their sensors toward Alex''s location. Despite all of them being robots, MingYue''s combat instincts flared. She quickly felt many dangers pointing toward them. Her sword raised toward the side of the wall as she felt something was coming.


    Then the bricks started unfolding by themselves, creating another entrance. This put Alex and MingYue on alert as they didn''t even detect this entrance. Alice appeared from there. She froze for a second, looking at Alex and MingYue, her gaze complicated as so many things had changed. Despite their changed faces and presence, she knew who both of them were. After all, only they could access through here. "You shouldn''t have made that kind of commotion, but I guess that''s just how you do things."


    Alex''s lips twitched. "The moment they pursue you, isn''t the whole area already put on alert?"


    "Yes, but if it''s just me, it won''t matter that much. They know they won''t capture me, so they''ll just put in minimum effort. But now¡­"


    "Well, I don''t know how good their sensory system is, nor their countermeasures," Alex replied. Since both factors were unclear, Alex preferred to prepare for the worst with the best method.


    "Let''s not waste time here. Seeing this path, you should have another pathway prepared?"


    Alice replied with a nod. This was one of the reasons she complained. If both of them had just stayed there, they could''ve escaped with minimum risk. They''d prepared this pathway for years, but as always, things rarely followed plans. At the very least, she felt glad to have more comrades. All this time, it had only been a few of them. She then gestured for them to follow her through the hidden pathway. Her wings started glowing, creating more fairy dust that interacted with the wall. It was an application method Alex had never seen before. He could see how the fairy dust seemed to meld with part of the wall, then interact with it like some kind of parasite.


    BOOM!!!


    Their surroundings started vibrating further, followed by another explosion. "The bait won''t last long," Alex mumbled, urging them to quicken their pace.


    "It''s impossible to escape directly from this place on time. We''ll need to fight our way out." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Give us coordinates. I can ask Vesa to move us out," Alex suggested.


    "No, it''s too risky. If the refuge location is found out, we''ll probably be decimated. Believe me, Alex, I understand you and MingYue''s strength. And I know you have a mobile army in your other dimension and have probably become even stronger now, but despite all this, even if I think you''re ten times stronger, I will still say you won''t be able to beat them all."


    "Oh¡­ interesting," MingYue chimed in as she ran beside Alex, keeping up behind Alice. Hearing about a strong enemy didn''t make her worry at all. If anything, it made her more motivated to fight them. And in this world, she didn''t need to worry much as her family and sect weren''t here.


    "Why?" Alex asked.


    "Because another progenitor has a hand in this. Based on intel I gathered, the human progenitor made some kind of deal with the Mechalytes," Alice replied with huffed breaths as her fairy dust kept fusing with the ground, creating a new tunnel. It was a complicated and costly method to achieve a simple result, but this was the best way Alice knew to avoid detection.


    "Mechalytes?" Alex asked, as he had never heard the name before.


    "Yes. It''ll be a long story. Let''s focus on leaving this place first," Alice replied.


    But Alex, still curious, asked Vesa, ''King, Mechalytes are non-carbon-based lifeforms. They evolved from metal, becoming sentient. In the past, their civilization wasn''t great, and they didn''t have their own progenitor, so no one took them seriously.''


    ''Hmm... But if they can make a deal with the human progenitor, that means they''ve improved a lot now.''


    BAM!!! Suddenly, a blinding light appeared in front of them like judgment from heaven. The whole area disintegrated, revealing an opening toward the surface.