Ch. 1071: Chapter 1071-1080
Chapter 1071 Watch The World Burn Together [Part 2]
An invasion by Saints and Supremes from another region was the only explanation that Alexander and Maximilian could think at the moment.
This possibility was something that they didn't expect, and it was also a very dangerous thing to happen.
For one, a Supreme was an existence that they couldn't hope to defeat with their current strength.
Also, even if the Supreme wasn't present, the hundreds of Saints that Alicia reported was enough for the two of them to take this matter seriously.
If an invasion had really occurred then not only was the Skystead Alliance in danger, but the Xynnar War Pact as well.
Although their new territory was a good distance away from the Xynnar War Pact, it wasn't very far either. It was very possible for the flames of war to extend into their territory.
Alexander's and Maximilian's scope of operation was only within the territories of the Xynnar War Pact.
Because of this, they weren't aware of the incident that had transpired in the Fynn Kingdom.
They didn't know that the Half-Elf, who was standing beside them inside the room, had managed to subjugate an entire kingdom and make it his own.
If they knew this then the two Saints would press Lux for answers about how he was able to do it.
Of course, they would also shamelessly ask him to let their people migrate to the Fynn Kingdom, so they no longer had to cultivate the inhospitable lands that they were eyeing as their new base of operations.
Lux, who was starting to have a nagging feeling that something wasn't right, asked Alicia another question.
"This flying Bone Ship, did anyone see where it went after it destroyed the Ashina Kingdom?" Lux inquired.
"Well, if what the survivors said is true then it headed North after razing the Ashina Kingdom to the ground."
"North…," Maximilian muttered. "North of the Ashina Kingdom is the Vahan Empire. Is that flying Bone Ship headed in that direction?"
The Half-Elf, who was starting to have doubts about who the culprit of the incident was, narrowed his eyes.
"Come, Blackfire," Lux ordered.
Immediately the Black Coffin materialized beside him.
"Blackfire, were you in the Ashina Kingdom a while ago?" Lux asked.
The Black Coffin tilted its body to the side, as if it was averting its gaze from its Master.
Lux suddenly had a bad feeling after seeing the Black Coffin's reaction.
"Did you act autonomously and destroy the Ashina Kingdom on your own?" Lux inquired.
This time, Blackfire shook its body side to side, denying Lux's allegation.
"So, you didn't attack on your own?"
< I didn't. >
Rows of text appeared in front of the Black Coffin, making Lux cross his arms over his chest.
"Is Eiko behind this incident?" Lux asked.
Blackfire once again averted its body to the side, confirming Lux's hunch.
The Half-Elf sighed before scratching his head.
"Where is she heading now?" Lux inquired. "Come, tell me. I assure you that I am not angry. In fact, I am very happy that she managed to avenge herself against the Kingdom that had tried to kidnap her Mama and killed her in the past.
"Trust me. Even if she didn't do this, I would have done it myself after a few days. So, this incident isn't a big deal to me."
Lux wasn't lying.
He had every intention to take revenge on Prince Lionell, as well as Esmond, who had killed Eiko in the past, as well as tried to kidnap Iris and hurt his Grandma.
But, to his surprise, the Baby Slime had beaten him to it.
After confirming that its Master wasn't truly angry with Eiko, Blackfire no longer hid anything and told Lux what he needed to know.
< Eiko is heading towards the Vahan Empire. Also, she asked me to tell you something, just in case you find out about this incident. >
"What is it?" Lux asked.
He was quite curious about what kind of message did Eiko left for him.
< She said that she won't go overboard and just destroy the Vahan Royal Palace, and the Coliseum. This is payback for what the Human Emperor did to you and her Manma Vera. >
Alexander and Maximilian, who saw the rows of text appear in front of Lux, felt as if their world view had changed completely.
They didn't expect the Baby Slime, who was always perched on top of Lux's head, to have the ability to destroy an entire Kingdom on her own.
But, when they read that she was headed to the Vahan Empire to destroy their Royal Palace and Coliseum, the two Saints felt that the Baby Slime had already surpassed them in both strength and power.
"Aurora, stay here for a bit," Lux said before ordering Blackfire to return to Eiko's side.
"Are you going to see Eiko?" Aurora asked. "Are you going to stop her?"
"I am going to see her," Lux replied. "But, I am not going to stop her."
Lux then moved closer to Aurora and whispered something in her right ear.
"I'm just going to watch the world burn with her," Lux whispered.
The Half-Elf was just as curious as Alexander and Maximilian how Eiko was able to achieve such a feat.
So, when they found out that Lux was going to go where the Baby Slime was, the two Saints asked to accompany him as well.
The Half-Elf didn't mind, so the three of them used the Teleportation Gate in Barbatos Academy to instantly teleport to the Fynn Kingdom, which was very close to the Vahan Empire.
It only took them a few minutes to cross the border of the Vahan Empire with the help of Hana and her Spatial Magic.
After more than a dozen Spatial Jumps, they finally arrived at the Capital City of the Vahan Empire.
"Looks like we arrived just in time," Lux said as he looked at the giant flying Bone Ship that was flying towards the city from the South. "Let's go, Hana."
The beautiful Fox Lady nodded her head and once again used her Spatial Magic to teleport them directly onto the deck of Eiko's battleship.
When they appeared, the first thing they heard was the sound of musical instruments playing, and people singing.
Eiko, who was at the center of it all, giggled after seeing her Papa appear on the deck of her ship.
Blackfire had already informed her that Lux already knew what was happening. Because of this, she had already expected that he would come to find her.
"Pa!" Eiko happily jumped towards the Half-Elf, who caught her with both hands.
"You've been a naughty girl, Eiko," Lux said before kissing her cheek, making the Baby Slime giggle.
The Baby Slime wasn't the least bit worried that her Papa would be angry for what she did. In fact, she was certain that Lux would even support her decision.
"Un!" Eiko nodded, not even bothering to deny that she had been doing naughty things after she had started on a grand adventure with Fei Fei.
While the Half-Elf and the Baby Slime were showing kinship with each other, Alexander and Maximilian stared at the lineup that was standing on the deck of the ship.
When they saw the three Supremes they were already very impressed.
However, when they saw Avery, Eiko's Second-in-Command, the two couldn't help but feel shocked in their hearts.
Just a glance at the Pirate King was enough to tell them that they were staring at a Demigod.
Avery, who had a vague idea of who these guests were, tipped his pirate hat in greeting, making Alexander and Maximilian nod their heads to return his greeting.
A moment later, the Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe laughed out loud.
Alexander was also smiling because he was thinking the same thing as Maximilian.
With the forces under Lux's and Eiko's command, why would they bother to cultivate a land that would only be habitable after a few years?
Since they had this amazing lineup, wouldn't it be easier to just snatch fertile lands and claim them as their own?
Xynnar War Pact?
Skystead Alliance?
Bah! Even if the two of them were to form a united front, what could they do?
Alexander and Maximilian had endured for many years, for the sake of the bigger picture and their people.
They were forced to compromise again and again because they didn't have the power to offend the Xynnar War Pact and the Skystead Alliance.
But now?
Who would dare to offend them?
Since Lux and Eiko seemed hell-bent on taking revenge on the people who had wronged them in the past, the two Saints were more than happy to stand to the side.
They wanted to see the world burn with the Half-Elf and the Baby Slime, who were both looking at the Capital City of the Vahan Empire, with evil smiles on their faces.
Chapter 1072 Pride Goes Before Destruction [Part 1]
There was once a Saint who decided to build his own kingdom.
Due to his strength, the neighboring kingdoms feared him, and no one wanted to offend him.
However, the Saint had other things in mind.
After two decades of stabilizing his Kingdom, he decided that his territory was too small for him.
Having thought of that, he led his army to conquer the weakest Kingdom on his border and subjugated it.
A decade later, he repeated the same thing.
Soon, his Kingdom had subjugated three Kingdoms, giving birth to what was now known as the Vahan Empire.
This Saint was Emperor Andreas' great great grandfather, the founder of the Empire.
Like his ancestor, Emperor Andreas also wished to expand his Domain in order to let his name be written in the history books of the Empire.
Most people thought that the Vahan Empire only had two Saints.
But, in truth, they actually had five in total.
Three of these Saints were low profile and never showed themselves to the public.
And one of those three Saints was the founder of the Vahan Empire, who was nearly seven hundred years old.
When the Abyss tried to conquer Elysium, he was one of the Saints who had fought the invaders.
However, he received a serious injury and was forced to go into seclusion.
But, even without him, the Vahan Empire prospered because their Empire was strong.
Two years ago, Emperor Andreas was certain that, once his right-hand man, Aron, became a Saint, his dream of expanding his Empire would soon be realized.
The man who helped him manage the Vahan Empire was an S-Ranker. If given more time and resources, he would undoubtedly become the sixth Saint of the Vahan Empire, making it a true powerhouse among Empires.
Unfortunately, when he met the Dragons of the Crystal Palace, he realized that he was just a small fish in a pond, playing with the other small fish.
The big fishes, like the Crystal Palace, were in the sea, playing with the other big fishes who had the same rank as them.
This realization made Emperor Andreas feel depressed for two months. However, after that phase of depression, he managed to bounce back and set his sights on what was in front of him.
He might be a small fish in a pond, but that didn't matter. Even if he was only a small fish, he decided to become the strongest fish in the pond and devour all the other fishes who were within his playing field.
With this renewed vision, he set his eyes on the Fynn Kingdom.
However, he remembered the warning that his Father had given him before passing the crown of the Empire to him.
"Do not attempt to annex the Fynn Kingdom. They have a Supreme holding the fort."
Emperor Andreas respected his father, so he believed that he was telling the truth. Because of this, he didn't dare to intrude on the territory of the Fynn Kingdom and decided to shift his target to the Bjarni Kingdom.
He was already making preparations to invade their lands with the help of his allies.
Emperor Andreas believed that, in the next four months, he would be able to launch a successful campaign and bring another kingdom under the Vahan Empire's rule.
He believed that he was a conqueror and that he had nothing to fear within the small pond that was located in the Eastern Regions of Elysium.
His confidence was at its peak, and he believed that he was unstoppable.
But now, that confidence was nowhere to be found as he stared at the giant, flying Bone Ship about to enter the airspace of his Capital City, Dainsleif.
Aron, the Emperor's right-hand man, stood beside his ruler, wearing the same grim expression as the latter.
The other four Saints of the Vahan Empire also made their appearance and hovered above their city, ready to protect their Domain from the invaders who were about to enter their capital.
However, just as they were about to attack the giant battleship that was flying in the sky…
Hundreds of powerful presences descended upon these four Saints like a sledgehammer, making all four of them crash into the ground.
"By the Gods…" Emperor Andreas muttered. "Who have we offended?"
Emperor Andreas was an A-Ranker.
After being around Saints for a long time, he knew their level of power.
He had also met the Saint from the Crystal Palace, Piccoro, who was stronger than the Saints of his Empire.
Even so, the Dragon Born Saint's dominating presence was nothing compared to the raging tide of suppression that he was now feeling in his bones.
"Supremes," Aron's face paled after sensing the power of the foes that had come to their kingdom. "We're done for."
The High-Ranker knew that the Vahan Empire had suppressed many people in the past, and why wouldn't they?
They had the strength to do it.
They would be fools if they didn't use what they had to their advantage.
And yet, at this moment, they were feeling the same emotions that the people whom they had suppressed in the past had felt.
In the face of overwhelming strength, any resistance was meaningless.
Emperor Andreas took a deep breath and flew towards the sky.
At the end of the day, he was still the Emperor of the Vahan Empire, and it was his duty to protect his realm from any invaders.
"Your Excellencies, welcome to the Vahan Empire," Emperor Andreas said in a calm manner. "I am Andreas Cy Vahan, and it will be my honor to become your host and give you the best hospitality of my Empire."
Emperor Andreas did his best to keep his voice from breaking as he presented himself as a humble host who was willing to do anything for the guests who had arrived in his Domain.
If the people whom he had trampled on in the past could see him now, all of them would be joyous at the sight of him acting like a groveling dog in front of someone more powerful than him.
"This lowly one respectfully asks for permission to hear the name of your exalted leader," Emperor Andreas stated. "I will do everything in my power to provide him with everything he would need during his stay in my humble Empire."
A deafening silence descended upon the Capital City of the Vahan Empire.
It was as if all manner of sounds disappeared without a trace, making Emperor Andreas' ears hurt due to its eerie silence.
The only thing he could hear at the moment was the loud thumping of his heart, and his breathing, which was starting to get ragged.
"Since you are being humble, allow me to tell you my humble name."
A teasing voice reached the Emperor's ears.
For some reason, this voice sounded familiar, but Emperor Andreas didn't dare to raise his head and look at whoever was talking to him.
"My name is Lux," Lux said as he looked down on the Emperor, who had once looked down on him. "Lux Von Kaizer."
The Baby Slime that was perched on top of his head also stated her name.
"Eiko!" Eiko declared. "Von Kaizer!"
Emperor Andreas' body shuddered after finally realizing who was talking to him.
He slowly raised his head and looked at the red-headed Half-Elf and the Baby Slime who was perched on top of his head.
The Half-Elf and the Baby Slime were both smiling, yet their smile was the scariest thing that the Emperor of the Vahan Empire had seen in his life.
For a brief moment, he blanked out, unable to say anything as he stared at the two beings, whose mere presence was enough to make him feel that he was just one wrong word away from being sent to the afterlife.
Chapter 1073 Pride Goes Before Destruction [Part 2]
"Lux…" Emperor Andreas muttered as he looked at the Half-Elf whose name had given him sleepless nights for the past few days.
His spies had informed him about the commotion that took place in the Fynn Kingdom, and it filled him with dread.
Because of this, he immediately assembled an emergency meeting with his ministers and advisers. Their goal was to think of how they would act if the Half-Elf were to order the army of the Fynn Kingdom to march towards his empire.
He was no longer that weak child that they had bullied in the past.
The Half-Elf was now someone that could move unhindered across the land.
They already knew that a battle against Lux was hopeless, but seeing him now, they realized that they had severely underestimated his strength.
Three Supremes, hundreds of Saints, and a Flying Battleship that was big enough to block the sun and shroud their capital city in darkness.
Taking a deep breath in hopes of preventing his entire body from shaking, Emperor Andreas forcefully calmed his wildly beating heart as he looked at the Half-Elf, whose lips were curled up into a sneer.
He knew that his day of reckoning would come, and yet, he was not prepared to face it so soon.
"What must I do for you to spare my Empire?" Emperor Andreas asked. "What must I do for you to forg—"
"One moment," Lux cut off Emperor Andreas before he could finish whatever he was going to say.
The Half-Elf raised his hand, and immediately, dozens of Saints descended upon the Capital City.
Emperor Andreas panicked because he thought that these Saints were going to kill him, but it didn't take long before he realized that he wasn't their target.
The Saints apprehended the Four Saints of the Vahan Empire and dragged them towards the flying Bone Ship, where their Master was waiting.
"Avery," Eiko stated. "Do it!"
"Yes, Your Highness," Avery replied in a respectful tone.
With a wave of his hand, four Bone Spears flew towards the Four Saints and pierced their chests.
Emperor Andreas, who watched this scene, felt as if his chest was also pierced by the Bone Spears that were now firmly embedded in the bodies of the Protectors of his Empire.
A moment later, a Black Coffin materialized in front of one of the Saints and opened its lid.
Dozens of black hands emerged from it and latched onto the Saint, who no longer had the strength to resist.
The three remaining Saints, as well as the High-Rankers of the Vahan Empire who had now arrived at the scene, watched as the Black Coffin devoured one of their Saints with looks of horror on their faces.
"W-Wait…," Emperor Andreas tried to gather his voice, and courage to speak out. "Please… Stop."
His once commanding tone that made his subordinates and enemies fall in line was nowhere to be heard.
Emperor Andreas had lost the edge of his voice. His tone no longer sounded like a ruler in power, but more like a beggar desperately pleading for coins.
One by one, the Saints of the Vahan Empire were devoured by Blackfire. After devouring the last Saint, it flew back towards the Bone Ship and hovered beside Lux.
"Um, you can continue now," Lux said as he shifted his attention to Emperor Andreas. "What were you trying to say earlier?"
"Continue!" Eiko glared at the Emperor who once bullied her Papa.
Emperor Andreas shifted his attention back to Lux. However, this time, he felt lost, as if he had forgotten what he was about to say earlier.
"I-I… I," Emperor Andreas stuttered as his mind tried to process everything that had happened.
The Four Saints, who served as the Protectors of his kingdom were now gone, and he was left alone facing the person whom he had wronged in the past.
Only a minute had passed since the last Saint had been devoured, and yet, in that span of a minute, the Emperor Andreas seemed to have aged more than thirty years.
Aron gritted his teeth and flew towards his Emperor in order to offer his assistance.
Lux eyed the High-Ranker but didn't make any move to stop him from reaching the Emperor.
"Your Majesty," Aron said as he supported the body of the King, who seemed to have lost the strength in his body. "Are you okay?"
The moment this question escaped Aron's lips, he almost had the strong urge to slap himself for asking a stupid question.
How could his Emperor be okay after everything that had happened?
The worst part was that Aron believed that their misery had just only begun.
Knowing that they could not turn back, he glared at Lux and raised his voice.
"What do you want?!" Aron asked. "What must we do so that you will spare our Empire?!"
He had thrown his caution to the wind, for he knew that even if he addressed Lux in a respectful manner, nothing would change.
Emperor Andreas had done that from the very start, and the end result was still the same.
The Half-Elf and the Baby Slime didn't come to the Vahan Empire to hear their flattery. They had come for revenge, and Aron knew this with every fiber of his being.
"For starters, we have come here for two things," Lux said as he raised two of his fingers. "Eiko, tell them what we want."
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Eiko replied, jumping in place.
"You heard her." Lux smiled. "We want things to go Boom!"
As soon as he finished saying his words, some of the cannons of the Battleship, Poseidon, aimed at the Grand Coliseum in the distance.
This was where Lux had fought in order to gain the certification that would allow him to create his guild in the Vahan Empire.
However, they unreasonably made things difficult for him.
This even forced Vera to prematurely appear in order to save Lux despite the fact that she was still in the middle of her recovery inside Blackfire.
A thunderous roar reverberated in the skies of the Vahan Empire, followed by a loud explosion that made the Capital City shake.
Emperor Andreas and Aron looked at the Grand Coliseum, which was one of the symbols of the Vahan Empire.
The Coliseum was completely destroyed, and only a dense black smoke rising up to the heavens could be seen in its location.
"That's one Boom," Lux stated.
"Second Boom Boom!" Eiko stated. "Fire!"
The cannons of her Battleship moved to target the Royal Palace of the once-formidable empire in the region.
Another thunderous roar erupted, and the land shook once again as the Royal Palace was instantly obliterated by an attack that could turn a Saint into meat paste.
"Now, for the last Boom," Lux eyed the Emperor of the Vahan Empire with a smirk on his face.
"Last Boom! Boom! Boom!" Eiko shouted.
This time, all the cannons aimed at Emperor Andreas and Aron, making both of them feel as if their legs were about to give way.
Lux raised his hand and imitated a gun, aiming it at the two people, whose faces turned as white as a candle.
"Bang!" Lux made a gesture as if firing the gun, making Emperor Andreas faint.
Eiko, who was perched on top of her Papa's head, giggled after seeing that the Emperor had been scared sh*tless.
"If the Vahan Empire rebuilds their Coliseum, as well as their Royal Palace, we will return," Lux declared, his voice reaching every corner of the Vahan Empire. "And at that time, you can be assured that it will also be the day when this Empire will cease to exist."
The Half-Elf smiled evilly. This sight and the Ultimatum that Lux had given them made Aron feel as if all the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.
"Go back!" Eiko ordered. "Fei Fei, let's go!"
"Aye, Captain!" Fei Fei replied, jumping on the steering wheel, making the Bone Ship turn to fly towards the Fynn Kingdom.
All the Saints that were hovering above the skies of the Capital City returned to the deck of the ship, leaving Emperor Andreas and Aron behind.
The right-hand man of the Emperor watched until the Flying Bone Ship disappeared into the horizon before shuddering.
'It's over,' Aron thought. 'My Emperor's dreams are now over.'
Although their Empire had been spared, he knew that, without a doubt, the Vahan Empire would never be the same again.
Chapter 1074 Eiko’s And Fei Fei’s New Destination
"This is Princess Camilia. She is the Steward whom I assigned to govern this Kingdom while I am away," Lux introduced the young lady to his Father and Grandfather-in-law.
The young princess bowed her head respectfully to the two people who were part of Lux's family.
"Camilia, this is my father, Alexander, and my Grandfather-in-law, Maximilian," Lux said. "Take note that their words are my words, so I hope that you get along with them. They'll also be bringing their people to the Fynn Kingdom to build a city. Make sure to coordinate with them to the best of your ability."
"Yes, Your Highness," Princess Camilia replied. "I hear and obey."
Lux nodded his head in satisfaction.
He was aware that Alexander and Maximilian were preparing to migrate to Elysium as a last resort, just in case the miasma continued to spread towards the Six Kingdoms.
Of course, Lux planned to prevent the disaster from happening. But that didn't mean that he opposed the idea of having a backup plan if ever things turned out for the worst.
The Fynn Kingdom was basically his own kingdom, but he had no intention of ruling it. He planned to find a good vassal for his father, so that he could let him rule the Fynn Kingdom and make his mother, Adeline, the Queen.
As for the sons and daughters of the former King, he had no grudge against them.
It was not their fault that they were born to a father like King Yvar, whose lustful nature had no bounds.
Alexander and Maximilian were quite impressed after hearing how Lux acquired the Fynn Kingdom.
They also felt helpless when they realized that Eiko commanded an army that was stronger than the both of them combined, making them feel as if their roles were reversed.
Instead of them protecting the younger generation to give them time to grow, it was the younger generation that was protecting them to give them time to build their city.
This was a funny development, but Alexander and Maximilian were more than happy to take advantage of it.
Lux also didn't want the two people who had helped him a lot in the past to suffer in silence in the Xynnar War Pact.
Now that both of them were aware that they no longer had to bow their heads for the sake of their people, their true nature was unleashed in full.
"Lux, do you have any plans after this?" Maximilian asked the Half-Elf, who was feeding Eiko and Fei Fei some cookies.
"I don't have any plans for this week, Grandpa," Lux replied.
"Good." Maximilian smiled. "Then how about you come with me and visit our Ancestral Lands? I will need to talk to our people there and inform them about the development here. Also, this is a good opportunity for you to meet Cai's father, mother, and grandmother. So, want to go with me?"
Lux nodded. "It will be my pleasure."
He still hadn't met Cai's family, except her sister, Rose. Since this was a good opportunity to meet his in-laws, he decided to accept Maximilian's invitation.
"Can I bring Iris, Aurora, and my mother, Adeline?" Lux inquired. "I would like them to meet Cai's parents as well."
"Of course," Maximilian replied. "We're now one big family, so they're free to come along as well."
Lux then glanced at his father, and the latter nodded his head.
"Go," Alexander stated. "I will take over from here. We are going to be very busy for the next few weeks."
Eiko and Fei Fei, who were being fed by Lux, glanced at each other and looked up at the Half-Elf with determined looks on their faces.
"Do you want to come with me to visit the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Lands?" Lux asked.
Eiko and Fei Fei shook their heads, surprising Lux with their answer.
"We go to the sea!" Eiko replied.
"Yar!" Fei Fei shouted.
Lux scratched his head because he could tell that the two Baby Slimes were determined to continue their adventure.
"Okay. But stay with Iris and Cai for a day or two before you return on your adventures," Lux replied. "Is that acceptable?"
"Un!"
"Wei~"
After getting the two baby's agreement, Lux and Maximilian returned to Solais, while Alexander remained to discuss a few things with Princess Camilia.
Since Lux had provided them with a good place to build their foothold in Elysium, he planned to look for the most optimal location to build the city that they would call their second home.
Of course, they also had the option to stay in the town that Lux had built near his Guild Headquarters, but the Half-Elf didn't mention this matter to them.
The reason?
Because he had a different plan for his Floating Island, which was slowly turning into a Floating Fortress.
Lux knew that the Abyssal Gates were becoming active, so he planned to make his Guild play an active role in helping the people of Elysium defend against their upcoming invasion.
Having a mobile fortress would give them the flexibility of bringing the battle to their enemy, allowing them to unleash a bombardment of attacks from the sky.
Since Lux's Guild Headquarters would actively go to the harshest of battlefields, letting normal people live inside his fortress wasn't the best option.
The town he made was created to house mercenary groups, adventurers, and other people who would join him in his cause—to protect Elysium from the Monsters that sought to invade it and make it part of the Abyss.
After returning to Solais, Eiko and Fei Fei stayed with Iris and Cai as Maximilian prepared to depart to their Ancestral Lands.
The majority of his Clan Members were staying on the lands of Barbatos Academy, and they would move to Elysium once Alexander had found a good place to build their city.
Aurora and Adeline were more than happy to go with Lux to visit Cai's parents.
The beautiful Elf was warming up to Lux's lovers, and Iris, Cai, and Aurora also wanted to form a closer relationship with her.
Because of this, they also made preparations to depart and visit the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Lands, where the people, who had once suffered from the Purple Plague, stayed.
All of them were now cured and slowly regaining their strength.
However, they still needed several months of rehabilitation, so they still couldn't go anywhere.
Two days later, Lux, Iris, Cai, Aurora, Adeline, and Maximilian traveled toward the Northern part of the Six Kingdoms, where the Ancestral Lands of the Rowan Tribe were located.
Eiko and Fei Fei, on the other hand, returned to the Kingdom of Gweliven and headed Northwest, where the sea was located.
They still had a few island nations to visit, which they were very excited to see.
After experiencing the battle in the Ford Federation, Eiko and Fei Fei developed a sense of liberation from being away from their parents.
After all, if Lux, Iris, and Cai were with them, they wouldn't be able to go all out and throw Blast Bombs without a care in the world.
As to what was waiting for them on those island nations, the two Baby Slimes would only know after a week, when they finally reached the Island Nation called Torstein.
A place where Giants walked the land and where Fairies danced and tricked the Humans who happened to enter their Domain..
Chapter 1075 Do You Want Me To Scratch You?
Contrary to what Lux expected, the Ancestral Land of the Rowan Tribe was located in the snowy Mountains that go by the name, Kolbein Mountains.
His image of the Nomadic Tribe was that of people who always wore clothes that were meant for traveling to sunny places, and not in the cold, wintery landscape that he was facing at the moment.
"Surprised?" Maximilian chuckled after seeing Lux's reaction.
"Very," Lux replied. "I think my image of the Rowan Tribe took a ninety degree turn."
Cai, who was standing beside Lux, giggled after hearing her lover's words.
However, she couldn't blame him for thinking such a thing.
The Rowan Tribe was a Nomadic Tribe, which was always migrating to the warmest regions of the Six Kingdoms, following the change in the seasons.
For their Ancestral Land to be located in the coldest region of the Six Kingdoms was something that an outsider wouldn't expect.
This land was actually not under the control of any Kingdom. It was a neutral ground where religious people would come to as part of their pilgrimage.
The High Priestesses of the Rowan Tribe held the highest authority in this place, for the Kolbein Mountain was one of the locations that one of the Gods of Solais had declared as His Holy Land.
Even though that God was no longer in Solais, the Six Kingdoms still recognized His authority and didn't dare to claim the territory in fear of divine retribution.
Maximilian guided his guests along the secret route that was used by his Tribe to traverse the mountain.
Blizzards were an everyday occurrence in the Kolbein Mountains, so it wasn't a touristy area despite being a Holy Land.
Even so, there was still a small village that was located near the base of the mountain, which was protected from extreme weather changes due to a powerful defensive formation.
This was where those who were doing pilgrimages stayed and conducted their religious ceremonies.
The people managing this village were members of the Rowan Tribe.
It was the first stopover before entering the secret passage that allowed entry directly into the mountain, where the Ancestral Lands of the Rowan Tribe was located.
After seeing Maximilian and Cai, the people there didn't hesitate to approach and give their greetings.
The High Priestess and the Patriarch were the two highest authorities within the Holy Land, so everyone naturally treated them with respect.
"Are you ready to meet your future in-laws?" Lux asked Keane in a teasing tone.
Keane simply nodded his head. However, Lux could see the determination on his face.
His close friend was like a soldier who was about to fight a great battle, and he had every intention of emerging victorious.
Lux had invited the swordsman to join them on a whim, and the latter readily agreed to his invitation.
Maximilian didn't say anything and allowed Keane to join them.
Truth be told, Lux had a feeling that his Grandfather-in-law was already aware that Rose and Keane were secretly dating each other.
Since the old man wasn't saying anything, it meant that he had given the swordsman his tacit approval, deeming him worthy of Rose.
Lux didn't know Keane's background, but he knew who his Master was.
He had been able to meet that person, and he had to admit that Keane's Master had left a good first impression on him.
People simply called him The Void and he was a Pseudo-Saint.
Even if he was only a step away from a Saint, there were rumors that he had no trouble defeating real Saints, who were supposed to be stronger than him.
Of course, the Half-Elf was more inclined to believe these rumors since he had personally met the man.
His Aura was as sharp as a sword, and even looking at him would make someone feel as if they were about to be cut in half.
Even Alexander and Maximilian didn't have that kind of dominating presence, making Lux believe that the rumors had some truth in them.
After entering the secret passageway of the Rowan Tribe, Lux felt a very strong itch start to spread across his body.
He was the only one who was feeling this, so he was a little confused.
Perhaps, knowing his discomfort, Maximilian chuckled and said something that the Half-Elf didn't expect.
"The God of Snow and Ice, who made this land a Holy Land, was said to hate the God of Death with a vengeance," Maximilian explained. "Because of this, those who carry the power of anything related to Death, like Necromancers, are supposedly unable to enter this Domain.
"Actually, I was half expecting that you would be unable to enter this place because of that restriction. But, since you are different from other Necromancers, I thought that there was a possibility that you would not be affected by the Holy Power that still permeated this place."
After hearing Maximilian's explanation, Lux finally understood where the strong itch was coming from.
Perhaps because he was a Heaven's Necromancer, the restriction that prevented him from entering the Kolbein Mountain was negated.
Even so, only half of his authority was recognized, and the latter half had to suffer the consequences of entering the Holy Land that hated anything related to Death.
"Are you alright?" Cai asked with concern.
"I feel itchy all over," Lux replied.
"Do you want me to scratch you?"
"No. If you do, I'd probably lose control and start to scratch myself as well. I am only using my willpower to prevent myself from doing that."
Lux was feeling very uncomfortable. The deeper they traveled into the underground maze within the mountain, the stronger the itch became, making him subconsciously scratch his neck, and face from time to time.
"Let me try something," Cai said as she held Lux's hand. Seeing her beloved suffer made her feel sorry for him. "Close your eyes. I will plant a blessing on your body."
The Half-Elf nodded and closed his eyes.
Cai then took out a feather fan and started to dance and sing around Lux, touching him with the fan from time to time.
Every time the fan touched him, he could feel the strong itchiness subside a bit, making his body shudder.
Particles of golden light appeared around Lux and slowly merged with his body, coating him with divine light.
Half an hour later, Cai stopped dancing. She pressed the tip of her finger against Lux's forehead and drew a symbol that looked like a mountain.
She then moved closer to him and stood on tiptoe to kiss his forehead.
A moment later, the drawing of the mountain on his forehead glowed and sent faint ripples of golden light all over Lux's body.
This ripple dispelled the feeling of itchiness, making the Half-Elf breathe a sigh of relief and comfort.
"Thank you, Cai," Lux said gratefully. "I feel a lot better now."
"You're welcome," Cai replied. "However, that blessing will only last for half a day. We will have to renew it again later."
Lux nodded his head in understanding. He then shifted his gaze to Maximilian and gave the old man a thumbs up.
"Very well, let us now continue our journey," Maximilian stated. "We will reach our destination just in time for lunch. I have already informed them of our arrival, so I'm sure that they have already prepared a feast for everyone."
After saying those words, Maximilian once again led their group within the underground maze that could only be traversed by the people who had received the blessing of the God of Snow and Ice.
Chapter 1076 Arriving At The Rowan Tribe’s Ancestral Land
After a few twists and turns in the underground maze, the exit leading to the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Land was finally within view.
"This is your Ancestral Land?" Lux asked Cai, who was standing beside him and holding his hand.
"Yes," Cai replied with a smile.
Lux had been to the Necromancer's Ancestral Lands, so he was expecting something similar to it.
However, the environment around him was very different from what he imagined.
The sun shone brightly above his head, and the blizzard from outside was nowhere to be found.
Although there was snow on the ground, it wasn't freezing. The temperature was refreshingly cold, similar to a cold breeze on a hot summer's day.
Standing a few meters away from them was a young lady with a sweet smile on her face.
She was none other than Cai's little sister, Rose.
"Welcome to the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Lands," Rose said in a calm manner. "Grandpa, I'm glad to see that you're well and healthy."
Maximilian chuckled before giving his granddaughter a hug and a pat on the head.
"Where are the others?" Maximilian asked.
"At home, waiting for your arrival," Rose replied.
Maximilian nodded his head in understanding. "Let's not keep them waiting then."
If the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Lands could be described in two words, then it would be none other than…
Winter Wonderland.
The houses were built from ice and snow, and it was very different from the igloos back on Earth.
They looked exactly like the houses that could be seen in Elysium. The only difference was the material used to build them, which was ice and snow.
Several people bowed toward Maximilian as he headed to the biggest house in the area.
The Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe smiled and waved his hands in greeting. He was very happy to see that the people, who were once infected by the Purple Plague, were finally able to walk around like normal.
Back then, he had no choice but to leave their Ancestral Lands in order to protect his people from being infected by the Plague.
Those who were infected remained inside the Ancestral Lands, where the remnant power of their God froze them all in a block of ice, preventing the plague from spreading to their entire body.
The only people who had remained in the Ancestral Lands were Cai's parents, as well as her sister, Rose.
Rose had to stay because a Priestess was needed to regularly empower the seal that was placed on the infected people's bodies, keeping them in a state of suspended animation.
Cai accompanied her Grandpa as he led the other members of the Rowan Tribe to wander across the Six Kingdoms, following the changes of the season.
Now that the people in the Ancestral Lands were starting to heal, it wouldn't take long before they went to Elysium and helped the rest of their people build a city in the Fynn Kingdom, along with the Barbatos Academy.
"I'm home!" Maximilian said as soon as he opened the door of his house.
"Welcome back," an old lady, with beautiful blue eyes, said as she looked at her husband with an affectionate gaze.
Maximilian didn't hesitate to hug his wife, Quiana, and kiss her cheek. A myriad of emotions could be seen in the old man's eyes, but among them was relief and happiness.
After giving her the cure that he had concocted several months ago, Quiana showed signs of recovery.
However, since Maximilian couldn't stay away from the Rowan Tribe for long, he reluctantly left, leaving his wife in the care of his family that remained in the Ancestral Lands.
This was the first time that he was seeing Quiana so healthy after a long time, and it made his heart overflow with happiness.
He even teared up a bit, not caring what other people would say.
"Look at you," Quiana said helplessly as she patted her husband's back. "Already this old, and still can't hold back your tears in front of guests? Shame on you."
Although Quiana was reprimanding her husband, tears could also be seen streaming down the side of her face.
"Grandma, Grandpa, why don't you catch up a bit?" Rose asked. "I know that the two of you have a lot to say to each other. Don't worry, I will take care of our guests."
Maximilian nodded and carried Quiana like a princess in his arms, making the old lady thump his chest with her fist, making the old man chuckle.
The Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe climbed the stairs and took his wife to their room. There were things that they needed to talk about, especially about the current changes in Elysium and Solais.
At that moment, the door of the kitchen opened, and two individuals walked out with smiles on their faces.
"Mother, Father," Cai called out to her parents as she practically ran in their direction with arms spread wide to give them a hug.
"Cai," Cai's mother, Dahlia, hugged her daughter tightly. "Welcome back."
The man standing beside her hugged his wife and daughter.
His name was Liam, and he was Cai's and Rose's father.
Lux looked at his in-laws with a calm expression on his face. He didn't know if Maximilian had already informed Cai's parents that their daughter was engaged to him.
He was a bit worried that Cai's father would react violently once he knew that his daughter already had a fiance.
As if reading his thoughts, Rose moved close to him and whispered something in his ears.
"They already know," Rose whispered. "Father and Mother have been wanting to meet you for a long time."
After saying those words, the young lady walked toward Keane and hugged him.
Naturally, the swordsman hugged her back as he gave Rose the "do they already know?" gaze.
Rose nodded, which confirmed Keane's assumption.
Although Keane had a calm expression on his face, deep inside, he was feeling very anxious. He didn't know if Rose's parents would approve of him, but he had already decided to do his best to ask her hand for marriage.
A few minutes later, Cai's parents finally regained their composure and looked at their guests apologetically.
"Please, come to the dining room," Dahlia said, while still hugging her daughter. "We prepared a feast for all of you. I hope that it will be to your liking."
Liam's gaze landed on Lux's and Keane's faces, and a hint of killing intent oozed out of his body.
The two young men didn't know whether Liam purposely did this to make his displeasure known to the two of them.
However, since he was Cai's and Rose's father, the two boys only smiled back at him like proper sons-in-law who were asking for a good beating.
Chapter 1077 Fighting For Love [Part 1]
Everyone ate lunch and enjoyed the unique delicacies of the Rowan Tribe.
Maximilian and Quiana appeared a few minutes later, and both of their eyes were a little red from crying.
Dahlia already knew that Lux was Cai's fiance.
However, she only heard from Rose today that her lover was also coming to visit her.
This was the first time that she had heard about this, so she looked at the quiet boy, who was eating peacefully beside her daughter, Rose.
Keane was a good-looking guy, even when he had been skinny in the past. This was one of the reasons why Cai had invited him to the League of the Extraordinary Gentlemen during the tournament at Barbatos Academy.
Now that the swordsman had been eating well, he was no longer skinny, and his good looks were enhanced even more, making Dahlia nod her head in approval.
A glance was enough to tell her that the handsome boy had a good head on his shoulders and was pursuing her daughter with clear intentions.
Liam, on the other hand, didn't say much and only ate in silence. Just like any over-protective father, he wasn't really too happy of hearing the news of his daughters gaining lovers without his approval.
He would glance at Lux and Keane from time to time as if taking notes of their body measurements for the two ice coffins that he was going to build in his free time, which would perfectly fit the two boys, if they ever happen to suddenly kick the bucket inside the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Lands.
Lunch ended without any bloodshed, but Lux and Keane knew that it was only a matter of time before they confronted their father-in-law, who didn't seem to be fond of the two of them.
Just as they were thinking about how to approach Cai's and Rose's father, the middle-aged man approached them first and simply told them to follow him.
Cai and Rose looked at their lovers and gave both of them a thumbs up as if assuring them that everything was going to be fine.
Lux smiled and nodded his head, while Keane looked at Rose with the "I'll convince him" look on his face.
Liam took the two young men to the northern edge of the Ancestral Lands, where towering pine trees extended for miles on end.
They headed deeper into the Pine Forest as if they were only taking a casual stroll.
Half an hour later, Liam stopped walking and turned around to look at the two young men who had dared to touch his two precious daughters.
"What is your relationship with my daughter?" Liam asked the Half-Elf, who was Cai's fiance.
'Your daughter calls me Daddy, and I've already managed to touch fourth base', was what Lux wanted to say.
But he knew that saying this would only enrage Liam, so he decided to tone it down for a bit to make a good first impression.
"Cai is my Fiancee, and we are very much in love with each other," Lux replied with a solemn expression on his face. "I hope that you will give me your blessing, Father."
Liam didn't say anything to Lux's reply and simply shifted his attention to Keane, waiting for his answer.
"I love Rose, and I want to be with her forever," Keane replied. "I hope that you will give us your blessings, Sir Liam."
Cai's and Rose's father didn't say anything as he looked at the two young men in front of him.
A few minutes of silence passed before the middle-aged man spoke.
"I have raised my daughters with love and care," Liam said. "I also knew that, sooner or later, this time would come, and I now recall the words that my father-in-law told me when I asked for Dahlia's hand in marriage.
"Those same words, I will say to you. Only when I am satisfied with your answer will I acknowledge the two of you as my daughters' significant other."
Liam paused a bit before summoning a silver spear in his hand.
"Beat me, and I will give you my blessings," Liam replied. "Fail, and you can forget being with my daughter in this lifetime."
Lux and Keane were already expecting this to happen.
Both boys were confident in their strength, so they nodded their heads in agreement.
"Keane, you can go first," Lux said. "I'll fight Father later."
Just as the swordsman was about to nod his head, Liam snorted.
"You don't need to fight me one-on-one," Liam stated. "The two of you will fight me at the same time."
Lux and Keane glanced at each other and nodded their heads synchronously.
Since Liam was asking for a beating, they would give him what he wanted and end the battle as soon as they could.
However, just as soon as Lux summoned his spear, Calypso and Keane unsheathed his sword, a magic circle expanded under Liam's feet, covering the entirety of the Pine Forest in the span of a few seconds.
A moment later, the forest disappeared, and the two teenagers found themselves on what seemed to be an ancient battlefield.
"Come!" Liam declared.
Lux wanted to end the battle as soon as possible, so he summoned his Undead Legion to swarm his father-in-law… or at least, that was what he wanted to do.
However, instead of summoning his Army, nothing happened, making Lux frown.
He then pointed at the ground and activated a fireball spell. But, nothing happened.
There was no ball of flames that hovered in front of his finger, ready to burn anything it touched.
Keane, on the other hand, drew his sword like he always did and took a fighting stance.
The swordsman had felt that this strength decreased drastically, but he wasn't too worried about it.
Even without his other abilities, he was still a swordsman who had mastered the ways of the sword.
Liam stood with a spear in his hand and a solemn expression on his face.
"Inside this place, everyone is just an ordinary mortal," Liam explained. "Both of you can attack me at the same time. If either of you manage to wound me or land a blow on my body, you will pass my test and receive my blessing."
Keane, who had already taken a fighting stance, charged at Liam with the determination to win. He wanted to fight against his future father-in-law fair and square without any interference.
He had talked to Lux through their Guild Chat, and the latter respected his friend's decision.
The sword clashed with the spear, and the sound of weapons clashing against each other reverberated inside the ancient battlefield.
Lux knew that Keane was a skilled swordsman, so he believed that he would emerge victorious against Liam.
However, as the two warriors exchanged blows with each other, Lux realized one thing.
Liam was actually a spearmaster, and he dodged, blocked, and deflected all of Keane's blows with ease.
But that wasn't all.
Liam would also counterattack, and each time he did, his spear almost drew his opponent's blood.
Keane barely dodged the Spear Master's attacks, which made Lux understand that the only way to beat their father-in-law was to gang up on him and attack him from his blind spot.
But, that was easier said than done.
Chapter 1078 Fighting For Love [Part 2]
Keane's body collided with several pine trees before coming to a complete stop.
He was a swordsman, so the restrictions in the domain didn't bother him too much. However, even if he used everything he had, it was nearly impossible for him to beat his opponent due to the difference in Ranks.
Right now, Keane was a C-Ranker, but his opponent was an SS-Ranker.
An existence that was only a step away from becoming a Saint.
The gap in strength was something that couldn't be overcome even with techniques, especially since Cai's father, Liam, was also a Spear Master.
A few seconds later, the sound of falling trees once again reverberated inside the Pine Forest as Lux coughed out a mouthful of blood before falling down on the ground.
He was the most affected by Liam's Domain which prevented everyone inside it from using any kind of spells and abilities.
"Is this the best that you can do?" Liam asked in a disdainful tone. "I can still accept that swordsman over there since his sword skills have potential. But you, after being stripped of your powers and your fancy tricks, you are nothing."
The Half-Elf propped himself up from the ground and wiped the blood that was seeping from the corner of his lips.
"Father-in-law, do you really think I don't know that you're also using a trick?" Lux asked as he used the tree beside him as support in order to stand up. "But, let's not talk about that for now.
"It's understandable that you are frustrated and want to beat us up. However, if you are going to act smug about beating two teenagers who are weaker than you, then you should at least stop cheating."
A look of annoyance appeared on Liam's face as he stared at the hateful Half-Elf, whose entire body was leaning on a tree.
"First of all, don't call me father-in-law," Liam replied. "I don't recognize you as my son-in-law. Second, you said that I am cheating? How am I cheating?"
Lux laughed as he looked at Cai's father, who was still acting like he didn't know what the Half-Elf was talking about.
If it were not for the fact that the Elysium Compendium, floating beside him, had finished analyzing the rules and restrictions of Liam's Domain, he might have believed that the High-Ranker was fighting them without using any kind of abilities.
"First of all, this Domain restricts anyone without the bloodline of the Rowan Tribe from using their abilities," Lux explained. "But those with the Rowan Bloodline are not affected by these restrictions. Even now, you are using your abilities to slow our movements, making us think that it was due to the effects of the Domain.
"You're already a step away from becoming a Saint, and you're still not confident in beating us without using your abilities? Father-in-law, don't you think that you are being overboard?"
Liam arched an eyebrow because he didn't expect the Half-Elf to understand how the Domain of the Rowan Tribe's Ancestral Lands worked.
"So? What of it?" Liam shrugged. "You still haven't earned my recognition."
"And how will I be able to earn your recognition?" Lux asked.
"Simple. All you need to do is beat me," Liam replied. "I don't care what methods you use. If you can beat me, then I will no longer oppose your relationship with my daughter, Cai."
Lux pointed at Keane. "What about him?"
"I recognize his potential," Liam stated. "Although he is still not strong enough to protect Rose, he will get to that level as long as he continues to train."
The Half-Elf nodded his head in understanding.
"In short, you hate me, right, father-in-law?" Lux asked in a teasing tone.
"It seems that I still haven't beat you up enough." Liam's tone became cold and laced with killing intent. "I told you not to call me father-in-law."
The High-Ranker swung his spear, and Lux was blasted away by a strong force, slamming into several trees before coming to a complete stop.
If not for the fact that he had managed to use his Divine Spear to block some of the damage, he might have suffered more injuries.
'I think I broke a few ribs,' Lux thought as he felt the stinging pain in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. 'I guess my father-in-law really does hate my guts.'
Calypso hovered in front of her Master, allowing him to use her as support in order to stand up.
The Half-Elf then gazed at Liam, who lifted the unconscious Keane from the ground and placed him inside an Ice Coffin that he had conjured out of thin air.
Noticing his gaze, Liam sneered in his direction before summoning another Ice Coffin.
"Don't worry, I will bury both of you under the ground side by side," Liam stated. "That way, you can keep each other company."
The Ice Coffin, which contained Keane inside, floated beside Liam as the latter walked towards Lux.
The second Ice Coffin that Liam had conjured also floated beside him. Clearly, this one was meant for Lux, whom he planned to bury in the ground for a week.
Of course, he didn't have any intention of killing the two teenagers.
He only wanted to teach them a lesson so that they'd know that they were still not worthy in his eyes. Liam believed that, after spending a week buried under the ground, the two teenagers would fear him and might possibly break off their relationships with his daughters.
However, Liam made one mistake.
A very grave mistake.
"Father-in-law, is that coffin for me?" Lux asked in a teasing tone.
"Behave yourself and don't resist," Liam replied in an indifferent tone. "Don't worry, I won't kill you."
Lux nodded before a devilish smile appeared on his face.
"Father-in-law, you shouldn't have summoned that Ice Coffin," Lux stated. "I've been holding back since the start, you know? I'm only not doing you dirty because you are Cai's father. But you are doing Keane and me dirty right now."
Liam snorted as he waved his hand, sending the Ice Coffin flying in Lux's direction.
Right now, the Half-Elf didn't have the strength to resist him, so encasing him inside the Ice Coffin shouldn't be a big deal.
However, when the Ice Coffin was just a few meters away from Lux, a Black Coffin appeared in front of him and slapped the Ice Coffin away.
As if not still satisfied with the result, the Black Coffin body slammed the Ice Coffin and smacked it repeatedly with the lid of its coffin.
Liam looked at this scene with a frown. He could tell that the Black Coffin wasn't a skill or ability and that it was, in fact, an artifact.
The Domain only restricted the use of skills and abilities of those who didn't have a drop of Rowan Blood in their bodies.
However, Artifacts could still be used inside of it.
The sound of something cracking spread inside the Domain as the Ice Coffin finally shattered into countless pieces after receiving Blackfire's body slam several times.
The Black Coffin then kicked the Ice Coffin in this disdain before shifting its attention to the SS-Ranker, who beat his Master to a pulp.
Lux laughed, but his laugh was short-lived due to the pain in his chest.
Although Blackfire wasn't saying anything, it could tell that the black coffin was offended, but it was not because he was beaten by Liam.
Blackfire was angry because the High-Ranker decided to encase his Master in a coffin without its permission!
"Father-in-law, please prepare yourself," Lux said with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. "Blackfire is going to teach you a lesson about humility."
The Half-Elf was barely hanging to his consciousness right now, but he gritted his teeth and kept his eyes open.
After all, he wouldn't want to miss seeing his Father-in-law having a taste of his own lesson.
Wanting to place a Heaven's Necromancer inside a coffin?
That was a sure-fire way to trigger Blackfire, who now wanted nothing more than to devour Liam and let him have a taste of his own medicine.
Chapter 1079 A Lesson About Humility
"Teach me about humility?" Liam scoffed. "It seems that you still don't understand your position, Lux."
The High-Ranker snapped his fingers, and dozens of Ice Coffins appeared around him.
Seeing this scene, Blackfire opened its lid, and dozens of black hands appeared, which all gave Liam the middle finger.
Lux laughed before coughing a mouthful of blood as a consequence of his actions.
Even though the Half-Elf was in pain, his body still shuddered from time to time as he did his best to hold back the laughter that was bubbling inside his aching chest.
"Cai, I'm sorry," Lux said through the Guild Chat.
"Sorry, why?" Cai replied.
"I might have to hurt your father a bit."
"… What?"
Lux briefly explained to Cai what his father did to him and Keane, making Cai's eyes widen in shock.
'So this is why Grandpa told us to not leave the house for the time being,' Cai thought. 'He knew what was happening.'
The High-Priestess stared at her Grandpa, and the latter only smiled back at her.
Not only was Maximilian aware of what was happening, but he could also see the battle in real-time.
The reason why he didn't put a stop to it was due to the fact that he wanted his son-in-law, Liam, to have a better understanding of his future sons-in-law.
Also, the Saint was curious to see how Lux would deal with Liam's stubborn character.
He believed that after this trial was over, they would be able to recognize each other's strengths, allowing them to have a closer relationship with each other.
"Half of you destroy that coffin," Liam ordered. "The other half, capture that Half-Elf."
The Ice Coffins he created were sentient, but they could only follow very simple commands.
Since he ordered them to capture Lux, they would not attack the Half-Elf and simply restrain him.
As for Blackfire, they would attack it as ordered, making sure that it was destroyed in the process.
Blackfire, who saw the incoming Ice Coffins, hovered in front of its Master for a few seconds before charging at the Ice Coffins head-on.
The two sides clashed, and for a brief moment, the entire Domain was shrouded in darkness before everything returned to what it was.
Blackfire, who had flown past the Ice Coffins, hovered in place.
A moment later, several rows of text appeared on its surface.
< Omae Wa Mou… >
The Ice Coffins that had stopped moving after their clash with Blackfire all shattered into pieces, making Liam's eyes widen in shock.
Out of anger, the High-Ranker no longer wasted any time and took a step forward.
He then reappeared in front of Blackfire and thrust his spear forward, intending to pierce the black coffin's body.
At that exact moment, Blackfire opened the lid of its coffin, and a black hand reached out from the darkness.
It then grabbed the spearhead, holding it in place.
No matter what Liam did, he could neither push nor pull the spear in his hands as it was firmly held in place by the enormous hand that was coming from inside the Black Coffin.
A moment later, the hand pushed the spearhead back, making Liam skid across the ground with a solemn expression on his face.
One of Blackfire's faithful goons, the Black Ogre emerged from within its darkness.
It then looked down pitifully on the High-Ranker who dared to annoy its Master.
Without saying anything, the Black Ogre charged at Liam wielding its enormous steel club that could obliterate a boulder with a casual swing.
"Calamity-Ranked Monster," Liam muttered as he took a fighting stance and activated the abilities that boosted his strength, attack power, and defense.
With one mighty swing, the Black Ogre destroyed the ground in front of him, where the High-Ranker originally stood moments ago.
However, his target was no longer there.
The Black Ogre looked around, but it was unable to find its enemy, and with good reason.
Liam was currently descending from the sky with his spear ready to strike.
He had activated the second ability of the Ancestral Lands, which effectively halved the strength of a single target.
This ability was meant to deal with Saints who would try to conquer their Holy Land by force.
A fearless smile appeared on Liam's face because he was certain that his strike would end the life of the monster that the Black Coffin had summoned.
'Die!' Liam roared internally as he drove his spear downwards with the force of a railgun.
But before he could hit his target the Black Ogre disappeared into thin air, making the High-Ranker's attack obliterate the ground, creating a crater that was hundreds of meters wide.
Liam didn't know what exactly happened, so his reaction time lagged for a bit.
This was a mistake that any High-Ranker shouldn't make, especially when fighting against a stronger opponent.
Even so, he was still a High-Ranker, so he immediately positioned his spear to block the Giant Steel Club that was only a few meters away from his right side.
Since Blackfire had recalled the Black Ogre, the earlier restrictions that were placed on it, disappeared as well.
Because of this, Liam had no choice but to block the full force of its strike, which sent him crashing towards countless trees, creating a trail of destruction in his wake.
This time, it was the High-Ranker's turn to cough out blood.
Even with the additional boosts of his skills and the Ancestral Land, he was still just a High-Ranker.
Fighting against a Calamity-Ranked World Boss was still too much for him to handle alone.
As he propped himself from the ground, he noticed that the black coffin was hovering a few meters away from him.
Suddenly, several rows of words appeared on the surface of the coffin, making Liam feel as if his cheeks were burning.
< Is this the best that you can do? >
< You still have your powers and your fancy tricks, but even with them, is this all you can do? I know a Baby Slime who is stronger than you! >
Liam glared at the Black Coffin as he used his spear to support his body.
"I'm just a High-Ranker, and I'm fighting against a Calamity-Ranked World Boss. It's an unfair battle from the start."
< B*tch, I'm not here to listen to your excuses! >
Blackfire Summoned Three More Calamity Ranked Monsters that made the corner of Liam's lips twitch.
He then shifted his gaze to the Half-Elf, whose body was covered in blood due to the injuries he received earlier.
Lux was currently leaning on his Divine Weapon, Calypso, and watching the battle with a?smile on his face.
He watched as Blackfire trash-talked his father-in-law to the point of making the latter puke blood.
The four Calamity-Ranked Monsters didn't even have to do anything.
They simply stood there and released their pressure, making Liam unable to remain standing.
The Black Coffin then body slammed the SS-High Ranker over and over again, while the Calamity-Ranked Monsters cheered for it.
If not for Maximilian appearing beside Lux, and asking him to reign in Blackfire, the Black Coffin might have really devoured his father-in-law, making him forever loyal to their cause.
Chapter 1080 The Truth About The World [Part 1]
Rose carefully cleaned Keane's wounds before applying a healing salve over them.
Healing Potions, Rejuvenation Potions, and Elixirs were unable to heal the injuries received in the Domain of the Ancestral Lands of the Rowan Tribe as there were still the lingering traces of a God's Divinity in it.
Any injury received by the people who didn't have the bloodline of the Rowan Tribe running in their veins could only wait for them to heal at a very slow rate.
Only the medicines created by the High Priestesses of the Rowan Tribe could heal these injuries faster.
But even then, it would still take a few days for any injury to heal completely.
Dahlia looked at her husband, who was sitting by her side, with a displeased look on her face.
She had heard everything that happened from Lux, and although she had expected her husband would beat the two boys, she didn't expect that he intended to encase both of them in a coffin to be buried underground.
This was simply going too far, so Dahlia wasn't too happy with it.
Of course, she knew that her father, Maximilian, wouldn't stand idle either if that really happened.
The Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe would, of course, not allow Liam to bury Lux and Keane.
He had been observing the match from the beginning and was only waiting for it to end before he took action.
But Maximilian had to admit that he didn't expect that Lux would overcome all odds and reverse the situation in his favor.
Also, he had gained a better understanding of the Black Coffin that Lux could summon at any given time.
Despite how the battle ended, Maximilian was very happy that he had managed to matchmake Cai with the Half-Elf.
He was sure that his decision back then was good, but he didn't anticipate that Lux would grow powerful so quickly, to the point that he even surpassed him and Alexander, who were considered the two strongest beings in the Six Kingdoms.
"Does it hurt?" Rose asked as she looked at the swordsman, who hadn't said a word since she started treating his injuries.
She had just finished bandaging his wounds, and she was feeling very sad that her lover had to suffer so much because of her.
"It doesn't hurt," Keane replied.
"Liar." Rose pouted.
Keane smiled as he pulled the young lady into his embrace, hugging her tightly.
He had completely forgotten that the two of them weren't alone in the room as he closed his eyes and lightly patted his lover's head.
Lux, who was looking at this scene, gave his friend a thumbs up in his heart.
Dahlia couldn't help but smile after seeing how sweet the young man was, despite being someone who didn't like to talk much.
The Half-Elf looked at his friend, who was hugging the love of his life, before shifting his gaze to Cai, who was also bandaging the injuries he received from the battle.
When she finished bandaging all of Lux's injuries, she looked at him with concern.
"Does it hurt?" Cai asked.
The Half-Elf gave Keane a sidelong glance and gave him the "watch how it is done" gaze before shifting his attention to the beautiful High Priestess, who was now his fiance.
"It does," Lux replied. "But if you kiss it, it will no longer hurt."
Aurora and Adeline looked at the Half-Elf in amusement.
Although they didn't know what he was thinking, they had a feeling that Lux was doing this on purpose to get back at Liam for what he did to them.
Now that his wife and daughters were angry at him, he didn't dare to voice his opinions for fear that a certain black coffin would appear and slap him to oblivion.
Cai, who was feeling sorry about what her father had done to Lux, nodded her head.
She then picked up the Half-Elf's hand and gave it a kiss.
"Does it still hurt?" Cai asked.
"No," Lux replied. "But this place hurts."
Lux pointed at his cheek, which had been grazed by one of Liam's spear strikes.
Cai also kissed that part and then asked what other places Lux still felt hurt.
Seeing that he had already made his point known, he no longer provoked his father-in-law and just whispered in Cai's ears.
"You can kiss the other places when we are alone inside your room later," Lux whispered.
The High Priestess blushed, but she still nodded her head.
Keane and Rose, who saw everything from start to finish, stared at each other for half a minute.
After that, the young lady held Keane's hand and led him upstairs to her room.
She wasn't as bold as her sister, letting their parents see such intimate scenes without feeling embarrassed.
Rose decided to imitate what Cai had done inside her room, to make the shy swordsman feel a little better despite suffering serious injuries from his fight against her father.
"It's good to be young," Cai's and Rose's grandmother, Quiana, commented with a smile. "Seeing my granddaughters finding the love of their lives makes me happy. Right, Dahlia?"
"Yes, Mother," Dahlia replied. "I'm glad that Cai and Rose managed to get good partners."
Quiana had a very good impression of Lux, for she knew that he was one of the people who helped Cai get the White Lotus, which Maximilian needed in order to find the cure for the Purple Plague that had made countless people suffer.
After curing his tribe, the Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe didn't hesitate to distribute the cure to the Six Kingdoms, which also had people who suffered from the plague.
This made everyone very grateful to the Rowan Tribe, not knowing that the real heroes were the young men and women who managed to bring the main ingredient back from the Gates of the Apocalypse.
"Lux, Maximilian has told me that you also have other fiances aside from my granddaughter," Quiana stated. "I believe that Aurora is also one of them, correct?"
"Yes, Grandma," Lux replied. "She is one of them."
Aurora smiled as she gently held Lux's injured hand. She was very happy that Lux was introducing her in this manner, making her feel loved.
"How many lovers do you have exactly?" Quiana asked.
"Right now, I have eight lovers," Lux answered honestly.
Quiana looked at Lux with surprise. "Oh dear. I didn't expect that you would have that many women in your life. Are you confident that you can make them all happy?"
"I am not." Lux shook his head. "But I will definitely do everything in my power to keep them happy."
The Half-Elf wasn't conceited enough to declare that he could make all of his lovers happy.
Even so, he had already promised himself that he would do his best, and the rest would be up to his fiances, who loved him very much.
"Lux, can we talk in private?" Quiana asked. "There is something that I would like to ask you personally."
Lux nodded and readily accepted Quiana's invitation.
Even though he didn't know what she wanted to ask him, he had a feeling that this was something that shouldn't be heard by others.
Even her husband, Maximilian, didn't insist on coming with them, which proved that whatever Quiana wanted to ask Lux was something that even the Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe was not allowed to know.