"I'm leaving. I hope our paths will never cross again!" A faint smile appeared on Rocky's face before he disappeared in front of Erica.

The next day, Sabina and her two companions were released from the governor's mansion. Rocky was waiting for them outside the governor's enormous house.

"Why did you give the spiritual treasure to her? We risked our lives just to get it," Sabina grumbled as soon as she saw Rocky.

"Our goal was to ruin Alston's plan. And to make sure he will not get his hands on the spiritual treasure. Besides, I only gave her half of the treasure," Rocky said with a smile. He flipped his hands and a Mysterious Spirit Raw Gemstone glowed on the top of his palm.

"You are so cunning! Erica will be pissed off if she finds out!" Sabina's eyes twinkled when she saw the stone. She laughed as she imagined Erica's face once she discovered that she only got half of the spiritual treasure.

"Did she hurt you?" Rocky asked in a tender voice.

"No. But I'm confused. We stole the spiritual treasure, but Erica was still kind to us. She also asked me to give you a message." Sabina glared at Rocky suspiciously.

"What message?" Rocky asked.

"She said your paths would definitely cross again," Sabina replied.

"Looks like I am in trouble," Rocky bit his lips. He did not expect that to stop Alston's plan, he would get into trouble with Erica. With Erica's temper, Rocky knew he was in hot water. However, what worried him most was whether Erica would recognize him.

Since they had successfully ruined Alston's plan, Rocky and his companions went back to the Holy Dragon Empire at once.

A day later, the imperial preceptor of the Magic Phoenix Empire and Erica's master, Felicia, also arrived at the Blood Phoenix City.

Inside the hall of the governor's mansion, Erica handed the spiritual treasure to Felicia.

"You must be mistaken. It's only a chunk of the spiritual treasure," Felicia said as she held the spiritual treasure in her hands. She examined it more carefully, but she was still convinced that it was not the whole gem.

"Only a part of it? That guy lied to me!" Erica was furious. She did not expect that Rocky would deceive her.

"Don't worry. You mentioned that the man who gave you this is with the disciple of General Marcia of the Holy Dragon Empire. If that's the case, then it would be easy to find him. Take some of our people and go to the Holy Dragon Empire as soon as possible. Make sure you will come back with the missing part. But you have to be careful. Do it discreetly, just as I told you before," Felicia ordered. Since the incident about the spiritual treasure was of great importance and a delicate matter, they had to keep a low profile to avoid attracting the attention of the other countries.

"Yes, master!" Erica nodded and bowed her head. However, she could not help herself and asked, "Master, what is this thing? Even the Holy Dragon Empire sent so many people to steal it. And this was not the first time people risked their lives and searched for it. Spirit manipulators from other countries also came to the Magic Phoenix Empire in the past to secretly look for it."

"You don't have to know the answer to that question. Your knowledge about this thing will only endanger your life. Just follow my instructions and bring the missing part back to us," Felicia ordered in all seriousness.

Erica nodded, then turned around and left.

A few days later, Elder Duke returned to the Palace City with the spirit manipulator team. It enraged Alston when he learned that the treasure hunt expedition had failed and the spiritual treasure had been returned to the Magic Phoenix Empire.

"You were accompanied by dozens of men, but you failed to defeat a group with few people! What's worst, you were identified by the Magic Phoenix Empire's people." Alston's eyes darkened. He was furious and wanted to curse the people in front of him, but his current position prevented him from doing so.

"Your Majesty, the operation failed because of Marcia's disciple, Sabina. She and her companions got in the way of our plan and stole the spiritual treasure." Elder Duke did not hesitate and accused Sabina.

"Sabina? How did she know that I sent you to look for the treasure? Did Marcia inform them?" Alston became suspicious. He was aware that for the last six months, Marcia had been secretly gathering forces. He was not aware of her reasons, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was not in favor of him. However, he lacked evidence and could not do anything to prosecute her. Now, Marcia had blatantly ruined his search for the spiritual treasure. Without a doubt, she was against him.

"The thing is, Sabina was with a very powerful spirit manipulator. I did not recognize him, but he was the one who took the spiritual treasure from us. He must be someone extraordinary," Elder Duke narrated.

"His identity is not important! But how he was able to defeat three peerless masters at the Divine Stage?" Alston asked in a loud voice.

The color on Elder Duke's face vanished, and he did not dare to say anything more.

"Forget it! You may leave now." Alston waved his hand impatiently. He knew it was useless to lose his temper now.

With their heads bowed, Elder Duke and his team left.

"Your Majesty, how are we going to explain to the Dragon Master Clan that we failed to get the spiritual treasure?" Priest Dean who was beside Alston asked with a worried face. He knew how important it was for them to possess the spiritual treasure.

"I wanted to get my hands on the spiritual treasure of the Magic Phoenix Empire, so I can give it to the Dragon Master Clan. That would have impressed them a lot. But I did not expect my plan to fail. Damn it! I have to find a way to enter the forbidden area of the royal family as soon as possible," Alston said with a determined look on his face.

"But for the past six months, you have tried so many ways to enter the forbidden area of the royal family, and failed," Priest Dean replied.

"I know, but the Dragon Master Clan has already issued an ultimatum. I do not have a choice. I have to find a way," Alston answered.

"What about Her Royal Highness? Have you tried asking her?" Priest Dean asked reluctantly.

"I already asked her many times, but her answer was always no. I don't know if she was telling the truth..." Alston's voice trailed off.

"I think it's time for you to make some drastic moves," Priest Dean suggested. The Witch had existed since the beginning of the Holy Dragon Empire. She was well respected and held a prominent status. Her role was to protect the Holy Dragon Empire and its hidden secrets. Even if Lena knew something, she would not disclose the information easily.

"I don't want to force her. If I wanted to, I would have done it a long time ago. There is no way I will force her. She remained to be my one true love," Alston said, his voice filled with affection. He was crazy about Lena, and he did not want her to get hurt because of his ambition. But this was before he entered this dead-end situation.

"But we are left with no choice. Since we failed to get the spiritual treasure, our only hope is the spiritual treasure that is in the forbidden area of the royal family," Priest Dean said seriously.

"I know. I will talk to her again. For now, I need you to find out why Sabina disrupted our plan. And I want to know the reason behind Marcia's malicious tactics." Alston ordered Priest Dean.

"Yes, sir. But what should we do with the Ji Clan? Should we just let it go?" Priest Dean asked Alston.

"If the Ji Clan refused to send the empress back, then we must take some actions, I heard Daniel have a crush on Sabina. I will put together a decree to propose marriage on his behalf. If the Ji Clan agrees then they will be under my control. But if they refuse, then I will have a reason to punish them with my power and authority. There are only two clans left—the Ji Clan and the Ximen Clan. As long as I can manipulate those two clans, no one in the Holy Dragon Empire will dare to disobey me! Ha-ha!" Alston laughed, and it filled his eyes with wickedness.

 

 

Meanwhile, the four of them successfully ruined Alston's plan to take possession of the spiritual treasure. After that, they returned to Evian City with a great deal of satisfaction. There, they spent a couple of days in peace.

Finally, Rocky had the time to attend to Isis and their son. He could now fulfill his responsibilities as a husband and a father.

However, their happiness was short-lived. Three days after their return, their joyful family reunion was spoiled by an unexpected turn of events. Rocky and the others were shocked by the news that came from the Ji Clan regarding Sabina. After hearing about it, her delicate expression became cold as ice. Even the area ten meters from her was frozen.

Apparently, Alston issued an imperial edict. Sabina would be married off to Daniel, the fourth prince of the emperor.

The news quickly traveled far and wide. Soon enough, the entire Holy Dragon Empire knew about it. Naturally, it caused an uproar in everywhere. Everyone knew that if the Ji Clan agreed to Sabina and Daniel's marriage, then the clan's fate would be closely tied to the royal family. It also meant that Alston could easily meddle with the Ji Clan's affairs because he was the current representative of the royal family. Moreover, he was the acting emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire.

Any simple-minded person would think that Alston made a wonderful move. He might be able to put the Ji Clan in the awkward position since they didn't allow Jason to take the empress back to the Palace City. This even backed the Ji Clan into a corner.

They were the second largest clan in the entire Holy Dragon Empire. The mere rustling of leaves within their mansion might cause turmoil in the empire. Furthermore, it could also affect the empire's fate as a whole. As soon as Sabina had successfully married into the royal family, Alston would definitely benefit from it. Being the one who issued the imperial edict that dictated their marriage, he would be able to secure his position with the support of the Ji Clan.

"It seems like Alston sees you and your clan as a thorn in his side because we ruined his grand plans, one after another. So now, he wants to force you and the Ji Clan into a tight situation. If you refuse to honor his edict, there will only be two options left. And that will be either going against the royal family or sending your elder sister back to the palace. Neither of those choices will do your clan good. Alston presents you and your clan such a tough riddle to solve!" Rocky's brows were furrowed. He could see through Alston's plan. If Sabina agreed to marry into the royal family just like he planned, it would mean that he had successfully taken the Ji Clan under his command. If they turned him down a second time, Alston would certainly take this opportunity to make trouble. This time, he might not just send a master of the Divine Stage to negotiate with the Ji Clan. He might do something more violent.

"If he keeps putting pressure on us like this, I will just give up my title as the heir and completely sever my relationship with the Ji Clan. I refuse to be manipulated by anyone. Alston can go to hell! This whole marriage thing is plain rubbish!" Sabina was fuming with anger. In the past, she also ran away from home once because the emperor during that time wanted to put pressure on her marriage. Worse came to worst, she would completely disengage from the Ji Clan. This time, it would be permanent. In any case, she didn't have much connection with her clan. She only came back to the Ji Clan after Rocky had supposedly died because it changed a part of her. But now that he was actually alive, she didn't see the need to stay with her clan.

"So, what do you think, Allen? Care to give a different solution?" Rocky slightly shook his head upon hearing Sabina's childish conclusion. So, he turned to Allen and asked for his opinion.

"Alston really puts our clan in such a difficult situation!" Allen paced back and forth. "Obviously, the Ji Clan must do something about it. Whether we agree or not, the outcome will still be in favor of Alston. It's really troublesome," he continued. "We are not afraid of confronting the royal family. However, the pros and cons are not as simple as it seems. Unless we take the initiative, the situation will only get worse in time." Allen began to analyze the situation calmly.

"You're absolutely right. It won't be easy for the Ji Clan to get through this! What it needs is a perfect plan." Lance nodded as he raised his thick eyebrows.

"Excuse me, can I just say something?" Lucilla, who was silent the entire time, suddenly chimed in.

Almost simultaneously, Rocky and others turned their heads toward her.

"Even though Alston has issued an imperial edict for the marriage, it's still one-sided. As long as the Ji Clan doesn't refuse it outright, Alston has no reason to make a move against the Ji Clan in public," Lucilla pointed out. It was an important piece of information they almost missed.

"Well, yes. But even if the Ji Clan can stay silent for the time being, we can't just keep quiet forever. Sooner or later, we'll have to face it," Allen cut in. The Ji Clan couldn't stay neutral for long.

"We can actually deal with it right now. We don't have to delay it at all. And because Alston uses the marriage edict as an excuse to deal with the Ji Clan, the Ji Clan can retaliate in the same manner." Lucilla smiled confidently. It was apparent that she had some sort of plan figured out already.

"Well, what's your suggestion, Lucilla? Let's hear it. Anything's better than nothing." Lucilla had been the chief of the Cao Clan for ten years. Therefore, Rocky figured that she might have some trick up her sleeve in getting out of tight spots.

"Please go ahead, Lucilla! Any kind of plan is greatly appreciated!" Sabina prompted her. She was so anxious that she was becoming a little impatient.

"The Ji Clan must announce to the public that they want a competition for Sabina's hand in marriage. They will select a son-in-law among all the eligible men in the empire. All of the other clans are welcome to participate in the competition. Of course, this includes the royal family," Lucilla explained. She paused for a while to let that sink in. Then, she continued, "With the power and reputation of the Ji Clan in the Holy Dragon Empire, this competition for Sabina's future husband will certainly cause a huge commotion. Surely, there'll be a lot of forces that will support this for the sake of fairness. In this way, Alston won't be able to go against the customs of the martial world. Therefore, he has to agree even if he already issued an edict. The public will challenge his reputation if he ever dares to go against their will. And that is something that he will never risk. I believe that Alston wouldn't want to be the target of public criticism as of now. Hence, he has no choice but to allow the competition to proceed," Lucilla surmised. After she spoke, it was apparent that her suggestion was well-received.

Everyone looked at each other delightedly. Lucilla's idea was enough to deal with the current situation. At the very least, this might give them a chance to turn the tides and gain the upper hand.

"Miss Lucilla, that is such a great idea! In any case, it's much better than plainly accepting Alston's marriage edict. Maybe it can even buy us some time and give us a fighting chance!" Allen nodded in agreement. He was pleasantly surprised by Lucilla's idea.

"Miss Lucilla absolutely deserves the title "chief of the first clan of the Timber Deity Empire". That's a clever and fantastic suggestion!" Lance couldn't help but praise Lucilla.

"Oh, that's too flattering! I just thought of it now," Lucilla replied modestly.

"That really is an amazing plan. But how can we ensure that Alston's plan won't work out? If we call for a competition, he will definitely send over some of his most powerful royal members. They will be extremely difficult to deal with," Sabina asked with a frown.

"We can set a limit. For instance, we can define the acceptable age and strength of contenders. If you think about it, it's quite reasonable. Sabina is young, beautiful, and powerful. It's only natural that the Ji Clan wouldn't want her to marry a spirit manipulator who can pass as her grandfather, right?" Allen cleverly suggested. Everyone agreed that this was a reasonable condition.

Afterward, they discussed it more in detail. To ensure that the competition would have enough impact, they finally agreed upon the criteria. They decided that the contenders' strength must be above the Heavenly Stage and below the Divine Stage. In this way, they could count on the support of all the forces in the Holy Dragon Empire. It would also prevent Alston from finding any excuse not to allow the competition. In other words, any spirit manipulator at the Heavenly Stage and the Supernal Stage could participate in it. Thus, it would surely appeal to all the other clans in the empire!

 

 

At last, everyone turned to look at Sabina. Since she hadn't said anything from just now, it seemed that she had something on her mind. But since she was the main person involved, they had to get her consent.

Seeing that they were all looking at her with expectant eyes, Sabina just said, "It's up to you," and left.

Everyone knew that although Sabina looked very calm on the outside, she must be feeling under a lot of pressure. After all, whether this plan was a success or a failure would decide her fate as well as the fate of the entire Ji Clan.

Rocky narrowed his eyes as he watched Sabina's receding figure. "I'll go and talk to her," he said to the others before getting up and following her.

After walking out of Lance's study room, Sabina zoomed through the headquarters by leaping onto roofs and vaulting over walls until she finally arrived at a secret rain flower garden on the south side of the headquarters.

At that moment, the breeze blew, scattering the white and red petals on the branches into the air. The petals fluttered around the whole garden and fell slowly, like the rain. Sabina stood in the middle of the garden, staring off into space with a helpless look on her face. Anyone who saw her now couldn't help feeling sorry for her, especially because she was such a strong woman who almost never showed her weak side.

The expression on her face indicated that the pressure she was under now was far from ordinary.

"What are you thinking about?" Rocky asked in a gentle tone as he slowly walked towards her. He had followed her all the way to this garden, letting her be alone with her thoughts for a while before finally approaching her.

Sabina turned towards the source of the voice and saw that it was Rocky's. Then, she turned away again with an unreadable expression. "Why are you here?"

"I'm the reason why the Ji Clan has fallen into such a predicament this time. Now that Alston is trying to use such a despicable method to deal with the Ji Clan, there's no way I can just sit by and do nothing. Moreover, you've always supported me. I will never let you have any grievances," Rocky said with a smile.

"Who has grievances? I'm not as delicate or fragile as you think I am. I just feel that I'm not strong enough to help. The Ji Clan is in trouble, but there's nothing I can do." Sabina shook her head lightly.

"There is no need for you to carry the burden alone. After all, you are a woman. There will always be times when you need to rely on others, but you should know how to rely on them," Rocky explained.

"Rely on others? But who can I..."

"I don't want to take advantage of you. But I just want to tell you that I will support you and let you lean on my shoulder when you need to. So, don't be too hard on yourself," Rocky said softly. Then, he leaned back and continued in a more serious tone, "You should go back to the Ji Clan first. Talk to your father as we discussed. If there are no other problems, we'll just follow this plan."

Sabina bit her lip and shook her head. "I know what you have in mind, but it's very dangerous for you. You can't⁠..."

But before Sabina could finish her words, Rocky covered her mouth with his palm.

"That's my own business. I know what I'm doing," Rocky said firmly.

Sabina nodded slightly, but her eyes were trembling, as if something had touched her deep in her heart.

Two days later, Sabina returned to the Ji Clan and immediately told her father, Elvis, about the plan.

Elvis nodded as he listened to the plan. Although it sounded feasible to him, he still had some misgivings. "This plan might solve our most pressing problem for the time being, but there are several masters at the peak of the Supernal Stage in the royal family. We can't underestimate their strength. Even in the Ji Clan, there may not be a master who will be able to fight against those masters at the peak grade."

"That's still better than directly agreeing to the marriage without a fight. And above all, I trust him!" Sabina said firmly.

For a moment, Elvis was stunned. "'Him'? Do you mean... Are you really sure about this?" he asked after some hesitation, and looked at his daughter for confirmation. Sabina nodded solemnly in response.

"This might be a risky move.

But okay, I'll send someone to spread the news of the competition and officially invite the royal family and all forces to participate in it." Seeing that Sabina had made up her mind, Elvis had no choice but to agree to the plan.

The next day, the news of the Ji Clan's open competition for Sabina's hand in marriage spread through the entire Holy Dragon Empire like wildfire. Just as they had expected, it caused a great sensation, and the various forces that received the Ji Clan's invitation naturally supported this competition. Everyone knew that whoever had the golden opportunity of marrying Sabina would immediately shoot to the top in terms of wealth and status.

On the other hand, the royal family was far from pleased after receiving the invitation to compete for Sabina's hand in marriage.

"Your Majesty, the Ji Clan is really not easy to deal with. They've even come up with such a plan to get rid of the arranged marriage. Now, all the clans that have received the invitation will certainly side with the Ji Clan. If Your Majesty insists on the arranged marriage, the royal family will look like the villains in the eyes of the whole Holy Dragon Empire," Priest Dean said seriously.

"Humph! A competition for her hand in marriage? So what? Even if a peerless master at the Divine Stage is not allowed to participate, I'm pretty sure that a Supernal Stage master from our royal family will defeat all the competitors! Ask Elder Duke to select several masters of the advanced level at the Supernal Stage and also the top nine-grade masters in person. In addition, ask Jason to go with them. It's best that they bring the empress back. Go and tell them that nothing should go wrong this time. Otherwise, don't come back to see me!" Alston ordered coldly.

Priest Dean nodded obediently and left.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day of the competition that the Ji Clan was holding arrived.

It was early in the morning, but the Ji Clan's mansion was already overcrowded. It looked even more lively than the day when Elvis' birthday party had been held.

Many unmarried spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage and the Supernal Stage flocked to the Ji Clan's mansion in order to compete for the chance to win over the unparalleled beauty of the Holy Dragon Empire. Among them, the spirit manipulators from the other major clans were particularly confident, because they had absolute advantage in both strength and numbers.

At this moment, a spectacular battle ring that was thirty by thirty meters had been set up on the southwest side of the Ji Clan's mansion. More than anything, it was to ensure the safety of the spectators, because if all the competitors were masters at the Supernal Stage, even a casual move would be able to affect people who were standing over twenty meters away. Therefore, the Ji Clan had arranged for a battle ring that was big enough to avoid any accidents.

 

 

Meanwhile, in a luxuriously embellished grandstand on the north side of the battle ring, Elvis sat in the middle, with several elders and some important officials of the Ji Clan on his two sides. Sabina, who was the bride of the competition, sat next to him.

The chiefs of all the forces, representatives, and also some influential figures in the Holy Dragon Empire were present in the grandstand, signifying the importance of the battle ring. Apart from the influential figures, some spirit manipulators also came to the competition. In fact, others even came there just for fun. At that moment, they surrounded the whole battle ring, much like concentric circles, forming what appeared to be a grand meeting!

However, everyone was surprised that the Ximen Clan didn't send any of their spirit manipulators to participate in the competition. Needless to say, this was actually good news to all the other clans. At least, there was one less clan to worry about!

At this moment, Sabina seemed to be a little anxious, perhaps this was because she had not yet laid eyes on someone she was hoping to show up.

"Why isn't he here yet? I hope he shows up any second now. The battle is about to begin!" Elvis looked at Sabina and asked with worry in his tone.

"Let's not wait for him any longer." Sabina kept silent for a while and shook her head in dismay.

Shifting his gaze to the audience, Elvis heard and saw that the whole training field was overflowing with so many people, crowding the entire place. Aside from the royal family, all the forces also gathered here, so he didn't wait any longer. After all, if he waited for just a bit more, then he might upset the crowd. Soon after, he stood up and walked to the front of the stage, looking around the people present, and said, "Today is the day my daughter chooses a husband in the competition for marriage. First of all, I would like to thank you all for your support! This would never be possible without all of you. Since it is a competition, seniority will not take effect today among the competitors. Everyone is equal. As long as the spirit manipulators meet the necessary requirements to enter the competition, then there is no reason for them not to fight on the stage. In order not to destroy the harmony of each party in the battle, the first task will be grabbing the ball-flower! Now, all of you must have noticed the ball-flower in the center of the battle ring, right?"

Elvis explained the rules while pointing at the ball-flower in mid-air, which was just supported by a bamboo frame a few meters high. After that, he continued, "As soon as the battle starts, each party must do whatever it takes to acquire the ball-flower. Whoever gets the ball-flower first will be hailed the winner. However, he must accept the challenge of other spirit manipulators and defend the ball-flower from them. If the ball-flower remains to be in possession of the defender within fifteen minutes, then the defender remains the winner.

If you cannot keep the ball-flower in your hands for fifteen minutes, then you have failed to defend your title, and the challenger who gets the ball-flower will become the new battle winner. During the battle, the spirit-manipulated beasts are allowed to cooperate with the spirit manipulators to fight. However, we shall maintain the dignity of this competition by refraining from using very brutal means such as poisoning. Once found doing such a despicable act, you will immediately be disqualified from participating in the competition..."

After Elvis finished laying out the rules and taboos of the competition, he soon announced the beginning of the battle.

Due to the nature of the competition being free and unlimited, as long as there were two spirit manipulators standing on the battle ring, the competition could start. Not long after, two primary-grade masters at the Heavenly Stage jumped onto the stage at the same time and began to scramble for the ball-flower. However, it was not as simple as it looked like. In fact, it was not very easy to grab the ball-flower in a matter of fifteen minutes.

Moreover, if no one among the two competitors on stage got their hands on the ball-flower within fifteen minutes, they would also be eliminated from the competition.

Therefore, almost none of the weak primary-grade masters were able to grab the ball-flower, eliminating them from the contest.

During the sixth round, a medium-grade spirit manipulator at the Heavenly Stage successfully grabbed the ball-flower, making him the first-ever winner in the battle ring.

However, the feeling of elation did not last long for him as another medium-grade spirit manipulator at the Heavenly Stage swept the ball-flower away from his grasp.

After dozens of rounds, almost no spirit manipulator was able to keep the ball-flower, meaning it had to change its owner right after every round.

Time flew by so quickly, and it was already noon. The sun was shining brightly above their heads, but the competition on the battle ring had just begun to turn white-hot.

At that moment, dozens of masters at the Heavenly Stage stepped onto the stage consecutively, but all ended up in failure. After a while, a first-grade master at the Supernal Stage, who was also a member of a big clan, showed up.

As soon as the master made his move, he snatched the ball-flower from the man of the top nine-grade at the Heavenly Stage who had just grabbed it.

Similar to the situation of other countries, almost all the spirit manipulators in the Holy Dragon Empire who had achieved the Supernal Stage were distributed in the royal family and several big clans. Among them, the royal family owned the most of the masters at that stage, followed by the Ximen Clan, and then the Ji Clan. On the other hand, the rest of the spirit manipulators were scattered in other big clans, along with other few small ones.

Therefore, this first-grade master at the Supernal Stage's entrance was the prelude to the competition among the major clans. At this point, the battle had just started to become interesting.

It was well known that these Supernal Stage masters didn't come in their own names for they were basically representing their respective family forces. Surely, their goal was to win the battle, but in the end, the one who would marry Sabina was, in fact, the inheritors of the family forces, or the promising juniors of the direct generation line. Needless to say, the competition became more intense. After a few rounds, the ball-flower was snatched by a five-grade master at the Supernal Stage from a big clan. Moreover, among the people ready to go on the stage, only less than ten masters at the Supernal Stage had the strength to fight. Obviously, the final winner would soon be revealed.

However, there was a sudden commotion in the west of the training field. At that moment, the crowd seemed to be separated, and several figures came in front of everyone, walking in such an imposing manner.

These people were led by two supreme masters at the Divine Stage, Elder Duke and Jason. On the other hand, walking behind them were five premium-grade masters at the Supernal Stage. As a matter of fact, two of them had the strength at the peak level of the Supernal Stage.

At this time, the whole training field suddenly expressed their thoughts in an uproar because of the appearance of Elder Duke, Jason, and the others. It was said that whenever people in the royal family appeared, it meant that a real storm was just around the corner, and several major clans would also face a huge test.

At that moment, when Elvis saw Elder Duke and Jason come in with several powerful royal spirit manipulators at the Supernal Stage, he could not help but shoot a cold look towards them. Although he had expected that Alston would send some powerful royal spirit manipulators here, he couldn't help but feel worried when he saw the powerful group in front of him. On the other hand, the Ji Clan couldn't send people to take part in the competition, and even the strongest master of the top nine-grade at the Supernal Stage of the Ji Clan might not have the confidence to win, let alone the other big clans except the Ximen Clan. Therefore, the situation was naturally a little bad for them.

Soon after, Elder Duke and Jason walked onto the stage with their men and cupped their hands to greet Elvis respectfully. Then, Elder Duke opened his mouth and said, "Sorry to be late. Please forgive us, Chief Elvis!"

"Well, you arrived just in time. If you have arrived a second later, then the competition might have had ended already," Elvis answered with a fake smile.

"Oh, really? Then, we must be so lucky! Or else, we will let Prince Daniel down!" Elder Duke said thoughtfully and pointed out directly that they came here just to support Daniel.

Hearing this, Elvis also gave a wry smile and ordered his servants to bring two chairs for Elder Duke and Jason.

After Elder Duke and Jason sat down, Jason leaned closer to Elvis and said, "Chief Elvis, I just wanted to ask you. Was the mysterious man who stood up for lady Sabina last time from the Ji Clan?"

 

 

"Mysterious man? I have no idea who you're talking about," Elvis replied, pretending to be clueless about the individual in question.

"I don't think your memory is so horrible that you'd forget him," Jason countered with a cold gaze once he saw Elvis pretend to know nothing.

"But first, let's get down to business!" Elder Duke said to Jason with a knowing smile.

"Who's first?" Jason asked the five masters of the Supernal Stage that stood beside him.

A master of the seventh grade of the Supernal Stage volunteered immediately. He stretched before appearing on the stage in an instant.

There was no doubting about his strength, so the outcome seemed obvious. In the end, the royal family represented by Elder Duke chose two royal spirit manipulators of the Supernal Stage's premium grade and the two defeated the powerful warriors of the same grade and stage from various great clans. After that, no spirit manipulators dared to step foot on the stage.

Everyone present locked eyes with each other and agreed that the ending of this battle seemed obvious.

Elder Duke and Jason exchanged a cheeky grin. They felt that they definitely won this competition.

"Why hasn't he come? Is something wrong?" Sabina began to feel slightly nervous.

Suddenly, a towering beast leaped from behind the crowd and leaped onto the stage with a loud thud. Its speed astounded the whole audience.

They were even more startled upon seeing the beast's figure.

The tall beast stood on its two hind legs like a human. At three meters tall and with a body akin to a fitness fighter's, it exuded an aura similar to one of the fifth grade of the five-star level. Its long, snow-white hair draped over it like a fur coat and caught everyone's attention as it shimmered under the sun.

Its presence on the stage caused quite a stir because it appeared to have no master.

Additionally, some witnesses felt that the beast looked familiar.

"Is that beast…" Leonard, the chief of the Xiong Clan, began to utter as if he recognized the creature. He had just been defeated earlier by a royal spirit manipulator.

Sabina sighed with relief upon seeing the beast. It was Robin!

While everyone remained gobsmacked at Robin's appearance, it transformed quickly into a shadow and rushed with astonishing speed towards the master of the seventh grade of the Supernal Stage. The latter clutched onto the ball-flower.

Before the master could react, Robin already appeared before him. It quickly raised its two huge ice claws above its head, and the shadow it cast easily enveloped the master.

Although momentarily dismayed, the master managed to think quickly and used his spiritual martial arts to defend himself.

Boom! Boom!

As the two ice claws came pounding down on the master's defense, an explosion caused the ice force to spread in all directions and cascaded into the surrounding crowd. Those closest to the stage were terrified as their skin stung from the sharp ice.

Once he successfully counteracted Robin's attack, the master swiftly summoned his spirit-manipulated beast at the fourth grade of the five-star level to try and fend off Robin.

Surprisingly, the beast the master summoned whimpered in fear upon seeing Robin. Once Robin roared, the beast was so terrified that it turned around and ran off the stage.

The crowd was baffled. They'd never seen a spirit-manipulated beast of such a high grade and level be scared off stage without fighting before.

The terrified beast's master was just as shocked. His expression turned to one of uncertainty. As he tried to keep the ball-flower at a safe distance, a giant shadow suddenly came over him. Robin stared at him aggressively. Its aura ascended and filled with aggression.

The master's legs suddenly gave way as he half knelt to the ground out of fear.

The crowd was further stunned at the scene before them. No one had thought it possible for a master of the seventh grade of the Supernal Stage to be brought to his knees by a spirit-manipulated beast. Of course, no one understood the intense fear that Robin's power brought out in the master at that moment.

Robin reached out and pinched the ball-flower the master cradled with its two sharp claws. It then gave the master a disdainful gaze before turning around to leave.

This caused an uproar in the audience. They wondered exactly what kind of beast Robin was that it could grab the ball-flower easily from such a high-ranking master.

As a bewildered Elder Duke and Jason looked on, the former quickly gestured to a master of the eighth grade of the Supernal Stage.

He swiftly jumped forward onto the stage to block Robin before summoning a beast of the fifth grade of the five-star level. This beast possessed an ebony face, long fangs, and a body akin to an elephant's. It towered over Robin and appeared to be stronger than the spirit-manipulated beast previously summoned by the other master.

Despite this, Robin showed no fear at all.

Then, the master and his spirit-manipulated beast began to attack Robin. The powerful attack dazzled the spectators' eyes. But it wasn't enough. Robin fully played into its advantage by making use of its speed and agility. It cleverly protected the ball-flower in its claws from the eighth-grade spirit manipulator of the Supernal Stage with ease.

Seven minutes soon passed. If the master failed to retrieve the flower ball from Robin, he would lose.

However, the master had another trick up his sleeve. Suddenly, his beast rushed towards Robin. The former's body swelled up as a cluster of razor sharp thorns emerged from its flesh and shot towards the latter.

Robin quickly dodged the thorns left and right with all its strength. However, the master of the eighth grade of the Supernal Stage immediately seized the opportunity to approach Robin and attack. Out of nowhere, a strong spiritual wave struck Robin.

It fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Everyone watching suspected that it would be impossible for Robin to recover from such a violent blow.

Then, the deafening howl of a wolf suddenly echoed all around. Once the smoke dissipated, Robin's snow-white fur turned into armor made of ice. It opened its terrifying wolf-like eyes and emanated a strong power. The limbs which once stood now crawled on the ground. It now dominated with an authoritative aura that was as powerful as that of a six-star level spirit-manipulated beast.

 

 

The master at the eighth grade of the Supernal Stage was so shocked by Robin's power that he froze for a moment.

All the spectators were also equally shocked, not just because Robin had withstood the strong blow, but also because an even stronger aura had suddenly burst out of it.

Almost at the same time, there came a shout. "Time's up!"

With its own strength, Robin had actually grabbed the ball-flower from the master at the seventh grade of the Supernal Stage, and successfully kept it when facing the master at the eighth grade of the Supernal Stage, as well as the spirit-manipulated beast at the fifth grade of the five-star level. Moreover, at the last moment, Robin had revealed an aura so astonishing that no one present could believe their eyes.

However, as soon as the announcement came that the time was up, the unusual aura around Robin disappeared and it immediately returned to its former state.

In contrast to everyone around them, Elder Duke and Jason were sitting there with gloomy faces, because they had not expected that a spirit-manipulated beast could defeat two powerful royal spirit manipulators in a row.

Of course, if it was a true one-on-one battle, Robin might not win. But since the battle had a time limit and was held under special conditions, Robin could exert its advantage to the limit to win.

"Sampson, it's your turn!" Elder Duke knew that the royal family could not afford to lose anymore as there were only two top masters at the peak of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage left in their team. Therefore, he looked at one top master at the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage and gave him a hint.

Sampson nodded immediately and slowly walked to the battle ring.

As soon as he appeared, the crowd burst into an uproar. His name was known to everyone in the Holy Dragon Empire, because he could be considered the first genius master among the younger generation of the royal family twenty years ago. Now, at the mere age of fifty, he had already reached the peak level of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage. Naturally, everyone knew his potential. He was also the strongest master among the five masters that Elder Duke and Jason had brought here. What was more, Sampson's spirit-manipulated beast was a very rare kind of dragon beast, called the Waning Moon Snow Dragon. It had gotten its name because of the mark of the waning moon on its forehead. It was famous for its speed and was widely known as the nemesis of any spirit-manipulated beast of speed.

It seemed that Elder Duke had sent Sampson to the battle ring because he didn't want to leave the Ji Clan any chance to win this time.

As soon as Sampson stepped onto the stage, he summoned his Waning Moon Snow Dragon. It was a war dragon at the fifth grade of the five-star level, and was five meters long and more than three meters tall. The beast flew out of the Magic Spiritual Space and hovered in the air before landing beside Sampson.

As soon as Robin set eyes on the Waning Moon Snow Dragon, it seemed to realize that the upcoming battle would not be a simple one, so it could not help but turn vigilant. As expected, the Waning Moon Snow Dragon did not wait so much as a second before turning into a white shadow like the wind and pouncing on Robin. It moved at such a fast speed that only a few peerless masters at the Divine Stage could keep up with it. It was almost as fast as Robin.

Seeing the speed of the Waning Moon Snow Dragon, Robin reacted immediately, and the two beasts became locked in a fast-motion battle. However, it was obvious that Robin was physically weak after fighting the two previous battles. Its speed had considerably decreased, and it was not as alert as before.

A moment later, the Waning Moon Snow Dragon seized the opportunity and lifted Robin's whole body up into the air.

At this time, Sampson, who hadn't made a move until now, suddenly took a deep breath and stretched his hands forward. Two thick and long ice chains shot out from his sleeves and tied up Robin at once.

Robin struggled wildly, but it was unable to break free from the ice chains. The Waning Moon Snow Dragon also zoomed forward to grab the ball-flower in Robin's hand.

All the spectators groaned, thinking that there was no way Robin would be able to hold onto the ball-flower in this situation.

Just as the Waning Moon Snow Dragon was about to grab the ball-flower, however, a colorful cloud shadow suddenly flew down from the sky and directly knocked it into the air. Then, the colorful cloud shadow opened its mouth and bit the ice chains that had trapped Robin, causing them to instantly break. Regaining its freedom, Robin hooked its forelimbs around the colorful cloud shadow and flew to the ground with it.

The spectators once again gasped in awe and started chattering excitedly, because none of them had expected that another spirit-manipulated beast would come out to rescue Robin. Although they did not know who the owner of the other mysterious spirit-manipulated beast was, it seemed to be against the rules.

Unexpectedly, the spectators received yet another shock when the colorful cloud shadow landed on the ground, because this was the first time they were seeing such a royal spirit-manipulated beast. Its whole body was fluttering with clouds and flickering with colorful lights. Its tall and elegant posture made it look like the king of the spirit-manipulated beasts. Coupled with its powerful aura, it was obviously not an ordinary spirit-manipulated beast.

"Is it a King-level spiritual beast?" Soon, some of the more knowledgeable people in the audience started speculating about the identity of the new spirit-manipulated beast.

In fact, it was because Ken had undergone such a significant transformation in the past half a year that no one present could recognize that it was actually the Rainbow Glow Unicorn, one of the five King-level spiritual beasts.

"Chief Elvis, what's going on here?" Elder Duke asked coldly, looking at Elvis.

"Well..." Elvis was equally at a loss and had no idea what was happening. Of course, he didn't know that Rocky actually had two spirit-manipulated beasts.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. They are both my spirit-manipulated beasts. I don't think it's wrong for them to fight together, right? There is no rule in this competition that you are not allowed to control two spirit-manipulated beasts at the same time..." At this moment, a playful voice sounded throughout the arena.

Everyone present curiously turned their heads towards the source of the voice.

From a remote corner of the southern end of the arena, a man dressed in ordinary clothes with a bamboo hat on his head shuffled through the crowd and walked to the middle of the arena.

"It's him!" As soon as Jason saw the man wearing the bamboo hat, he stood up excitedly with a murderous look on his face.

"He's the one who hurt you? But he doesn't look as strong as you said." Elder Duke frowned and studied the man. He could sense that the man was at the premium grade of the Supernal Stage, but his aura was definitely not strong. How could this person hurt a peerless master at the Divine Stage like Jason? Elder Duke found it very strange.

Of course, if he had known that the man wearing the bamboo hat was actually Rocky, the one who had taken away the spiritual treasure right from under his nose in the Nine-phoenix Demonic Land not long ago, he would not have thought so.

Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, "What did he say just now? Those two spirit-manipulated beasts both belong to him?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present fell into silence.

 

 

"How could this happen? How could a spirit manipulator own two spirit-manipulated beasts at the same time?"

"But from what I've heard, Prince Basil can control two spirit-manipulated beasts at the same time! However, it appears that he is the only one who can do such a thing. Perhaps, this is because he was Sheridan's disciple, the number one beast tamer in the Wild Spirit Land. However, I never expected that there is a second person in the world who can do this."

"That's incredible!"

"Wait. He looks familiar. Isn't he the mysterious man who hurt the envoy during Chief Elvis' birthday party?"

Not long after, the entire place was in an uproar.

On the other hand, Elder Duke and Jason were also shocked by what they saw!

At this time, everyone watched as Rocky walked towards the edge of the battle ring. He looked around the crowd indifferently, and then shifted his gaze to Sampson who seemed to be waiting for him in the battle ring. He sneered, "Don't you want to continue? It's about time."

That moment, Sampson came back to his senses and immediately called back his Waning Moon Snow Dragon to launch another attack.

Soon after, the Waning Moon Snow Dragon roared majestically in the air and dashed towards Ken. However, as this snow dragon made its way to Ken, the crystal deer horns on Ken's head suddenly appeared, causing the Waning Moon Snow Dragon to let out an odd and deafening cry. At the same time, it landed on the ground and knelt down to Ken in front of everyone.

Everyone was out of words to say as they were frozen to their seats out of astonishment. What happened just now was more intense than the fact that Ken scared away a spirit-manipulated beast at the fourth grade of the five-star level as soon as it appeared. After all, no one had ever seen a dragon beast at the fifth grade of the five-star level kneel down and worship Ken. Without a doubt, this was truly remarkable!

Of course, no one there was aware that Ken actually had a very strong capability in using illusion to control other spirit-manipulated beasts. It had improved and sharpened this ability with half a year's training, making it more powerful than ever. In fact, it had gone so powerful that it could easily control spirit-manipulated beasts at the fifth grade of the five-star level and even the spirit-manipulated beasts at the six-star level if they were not careful enough.

Of course, the stronger the spirit-manipulated beast was, the more spiritual power it would take for Ken to control it. Therefore, it was impossible for Ken to control it for a long time. Despite this, Ken performed it skillfully even in such a short time.

Meanwhile, Sampson's face turned pale as he saw his Waning Moon Snow Dragon kneel in front of its opponent's spirit-manipulated beast. Sure enough, the last thing he wanted was for him to lose face again, so he immediately put away his spirit-manipulated beast and stepped down angrily. He knew that even if he continued with the fight, there was no chance for him to win.

At that moment, he saw Rocky's two spirit-manipulated beasts, not as any ordinary kind of beast, but rather as wretched monsters!

On the other hand, Elder Duke's face became twisted as he clenched his fists in anger. He glared at Rocky with resentment, while Jason had a vicious expression on his face.

Although there was still a strong warrior at the peak of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage on the side of the royal family, it was still difficult for even a peerless warrior at the Divine Stage to retrieve the ball-flower in a short time from Robin and Ken.

Needless to say, Elder Duke would not sit still and wait for defeat. He immediately made a move and sent the last warrior at the peak of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage onto the stage.

At that moment, Robin and Ken performed so well, that they even defeated the master at the peak of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage.

In the eyes of the audience, Rocky won against the masters at the premium grade of the Supernal Stage from the royal family by using only two spirit-manipulated beasts. With widened eyes, everyone could not believe how impressively powerful Rocky was!

"What are we waiting for, Elder Duke? We must kill this guy!" Jason said to Elder Duke in a low voice.

As a response, Elder Duke raised his eyebrows. Although he didn't exactly know who Rocky was, he was sure that Rocky was on the Ji Clan's side. Suddenly, he pounded his chair, then stood up and pointed at Rocky. Then, he shouted, "Guards, take him away and arrest him for assaulting the envoy!"

Obeying the order without hesitation, the five masters at the premium grade of the Supernal Stage instantly moved and surrounded Rocky.

"What are you doing, Elder Duke? What is this all about?" confused, Elvis asked as he turned to look at Elder Duke.

"Chief Elvis, do not take this personally for this has nothing to do with your clan. I'm going to arrest the man who had just attacked His Majesty's envoy in public. Don't intervene. Otherwise, the others will think the Ji Clan is connected with him in some way. But of course, if you intervene, don't blame me for being ruthless," Elder Duke sneered coldly. At that point, it was obvious that he was threatening Elvis.

Hearing those words made Elvis' face pale as snow.

At this time, Sabina immediately stood up, wanting to help Rocky. However, her eyes suddenly met Rocky's, and at that moment, it seemed that he was telling her not to do it.

"What? Do you want to play dirty just because you can't defeat me? Ha! Just like what they say, like master, like dog!" Rocky taunted as he looked at Elder Duke and Jason with a sneer.

Hearing this loud and clear, the crowd burst into an uproar, because everyone could tell that Rocky was abusing them with his words.

"How dare you be rude to the elder of the royal family!" Jason shouted in anger. Seeing that Rocky had been controlled by the five warriors at the Supernal Stage, he suddenly rushed to Rocky, intending to avenge himself for the last palm attack. At that moment, Jason believed that Rocky would not even dare make a move under the siege. Otherwise, it would only mean that he was desperate.

Not long after, Jason was so close to Rocky that he could almost touch him. Under the watchful eyes of the public, he turned his two fingers into a powerful wind blade, intending to arrest Rocky.

On the other hand, when Rocky saw that Jason was about to attack, he gave him a scoff, and his eyes suddenly trembled. In an instant, the Evil Flame surrounding his body surged, and an evil and attractive laughter echoed through the entire training field. Soon after, under the siege of the five masters at the premium grade of the Supernal Stage, he confronted Jason.

This stunned the five masters, but soon enough, they attacked Rocky, intending to hold him off.

Meanwhile, in the blink of an eye, the strong light formed by the five moves of spiritual martial arts at the Supernal Stage suddenly surrounded Rocky from all directions coupled with the wind blade that Jason set to chase after him. It seemed that Rocky was on the brink of death.

Worry filled everyone's hearts at this moment. In fact, they thought that if he would not die, then he would surely suffer intense injuries that would make him half disabled. After all, the combined strength of a peerless master at the Divine Stage and five masters at the premium grade of the Supernal Stage was very powerful!

This anxiety did not escape Sabina's heart as she was at the edge of her seat, hoping for a miracle.

However, Rocky took a deep breath, and all of a sudden, the sleeve of his left arm burst open. Without warning, the lifelike Dragon Spirit Mark on his arm flew high up in the air.

 

 

"The Dragon Spirit Mark… He's… He's a royal spirit manipulator!" someone shouted immediately.

The moment everyone felt dumbfounded, a dark purple vortex immediately materialized in Rocky's left palm. It hovered in the air before it began to suck everything near it instantly, including the five spiritual martial arts moves that were aimed at Rocky.

The crowd was stunned. They had no clue as to what exact spiritual martial arts conjured the vortex and devoured the other spiritual martial arts summoned by the five masters of the premium grade of the Supernal Stage.

Elder Duke was amazed when he saw that Rocky's ability was similar to that of the mysterious man from the Nine-phoenix Demonic Land. His face turned as pale as a ghost upon his realization. Then he shouted, "Jason, get out of there!"

However, Jason only wanted to take revenge on Rocky. And at the moment, the wind blade was already very close to Rocky, so he had no reason to stop. He waved the wind blade to Rocky without hesitation.

Suddenly, a powerful Evil Flame surged through and consumed Rocky's entire left arm. He grabbed the hand Jason used to swing the wind blade towards him, stopping it as it came within an inch from his neck.

Then, the five spiritual martial arts moves that were absorbed earlier by Rocky's vortex shot out of his flaming arm towards Jason. Everyone was in shock.

Despite being a peerless master of the Divine Stage, Jason's strength was only in the first grade. Therefore, Rocky's oncoming attack from such a short distance would certainly injure him greatly.

A terrified Jason gathered all of his spiritual power to shield himself. However, the five moves Rocky had absorbed earlier now attacked his source of spiritual power, causing it to dissipate instantly. Once Rocky opened his eyes, the Evil Flame on his arm surged anew. Various flame snakes flew off of it which jerked forward to attack Jason.

Everyone present was dumbfounded. A considerable amount of spiritual power was required to attack so violently and instantly. Rocky's spiritual power appeared to be unlimited.

Jason never expected such spiritual power to burst out of Rocky. Any regret he had at that moment was too late.

In the blink of an eye, Jason's entire body was burned by the flame snakes born of the Evil Flame. He let out a ghastly scream as he was burned to ashes that were blown away in the wind.

The crowd was flabbergasted!

Under the watchful eyes of the public, a peerless master of the Divine Stage was killed in an instant by Rocky. Although the aura he gave off was similar to only that of one from the premium grade of the Supernal Stage, it was nevertheless astonishing!

Of course, if Jason hadn't underestimated his enemy, Rocky wouldn't have gotten a good chance at killing him.

Rocky's incredible strength shocked everyone in attendance.

This included the numerous peerless masters of the Divine Stage. Elvis was aware of Rocky's true identity and his hidden strength. However, he never thought he'd get to witness him slaughter a peerless master of the Divine Stage in a single move!

"Shall we continue this fight?" Rocky asked. By then, he had already put away the Evil Flame and returned to his original state. Now he looked like an ordinary person, albeit the arrogant spirit he continued to exude.

The five masters of the premium grade of the Supernal Stage that surrounded Rocky earlier quickly retreated and dared not to get any closer to him.

Elder Duke was still in shock. Although he was still uncertain if Rocky was the mysterious man who snatched the spiritual treasure from them in the Nine-phoenix Demonic Land, he was certain that Rocky would be a challenge to deal with. He managed to kill Jason in one move, so he had no idea what other tricks were up his sleeve.

Elder Duke not only lost a peerless master of the Divine Stage but he and the royal family's representatives he led also lost face.

The crowd began to whisper among themselves as they waited for what the elder would do next as if they were waiting for the next scene in a show to begin.

This irked Elder Duke to the extreme. Although he could fight, he was still slightly terrified of Rocky. Plus, he had already lost the respect of the people. If he chose to fight, it would damage the royal family's reputation even more. So, he and the five masters of the premium grade of the Supernal Stage chose to leave.

Once they left, the crowd burst with cheering as if to vent out all their pent up hatred.

Then, under the watchful eyes of the public, Rocky disappeared as well along with Ken and Robin. The crowd remained curious as to who he was exactly.

In his hall, Alston was furious upon knowing that Elder Duke and his followers not only lost the competition but lost a peerless master of the Divine Stage as well that the entire hall was a complete mess.

"Find out who killed Jason, now! How dare he kill my people in public. Does he even know who I am?" Alston exclaimed viciously.

"Your Majesty, now is not the right time to be furious. The Ji Clan has proven to be tough, so it's time we use our last resort," Priest Dean applied, cupping his hands.

"And what exactly is our last resort?" Alston asked with a venomous tone as he glared at the priest.

"Doesn't Elvis have a son in the Rime Army?" Priest Dean reminded.

"You mean..." Alston's eyes darkened.

"Even if we can't control the Ji Clan, we can certainly remind them to not mess with us…unless Elvis wants his son dead," the sly priest insinuated.

"Excellent idea. Send someone to work on it. If I do this, I'll certainly fall out of the Ji Clan's good graces. But it won't matter as long as they choose not to team up with Marcia. Once I subdue the Ximen Clan, I'll deal with her," Alston declared coldheartedly.

"The Ximen Clan's centennial ceremony is in ten days. That is when we'll put the plan into action," Priest Dean replied.

"Send the prepared betrothal presents to the Ximen Clan in five days and inform them that I propose to marry Shirley. Also, announce that I'll visit them in person at the centennial ceremony," Alston ordered with his cunning smile.

 

 

Without a doubt, Rocky's appearance, together with Robin and Ken's performance stunned the entire Ji Clan. On the other hand, Rocky, who had already left the Ji Clan, came back to Evian City's base camp right away so as not to expose his identity. After all, he knew that Elvis and Sabina would be able to deal with what might happen next.

After returning to the base camp, Rocky went back to the Isis Pavilion to see Isis and their son. However, when he got there, Isis and their son were with someone he had not seen for more than six months—Marcia.

At that moment, Marcia's maternal instincts kicked in as she cradled Nigel in her arms. She gave him the warmest smile as if she were staring at her own child.

It was not until Rocky appeared that Marcia returned Nigel to his mother, Isis. As soon as she let go of the child, her arrogance radiated again and she looked at Rocky with her eyes slightly shaking.

"When did you arrive?" Rocky asked Marcia as he raised his eyebrows.

"I just arrived yesterday," Marcia replied in a low voice. Then, she asked, "So, how is the matter with the Ji Clan going?"

"I think Alston must be mad right now," Rocky said with a gentle smile.

"Well done. But just so you know, a crazy dog will bite people," Marcia said expressively.

"The truth is, it's not Alston I'm worried about. What I'm worried about is that the Dragon Master Clan is in the backstage supporting him," Rocky said thoughtfully. Based on what he knew, Alston had sent people to look for the spiritual treasure. With this, he was certain that Alston had the support of the Dragon Master Clan.

"What? He has support from the Dragon Master Clan?" Marcia could not help but frown. When Rocky told her about this not long ago, fear surrounded her bones, for this was exactly what she was worried about. That was because, if the Dragon Master Clan supported Alston, then the situation would only become more complicated than it already was.

"General Marcia, tell me. How much do you know about spiritual treasures? What is it used for? Why did the clans of the spiritual race, including the Dragon Master Clan, scramble to find it?" Rocky interrogated Marcia.

"I only know that the sealed spiritual treasures are very ancient and can date back to the beginning of the spiritual race. Unfortunately, I don't know what it is used for. In the spiritual race, the matter regarding the spiritual treasures is considered as taboo, and only a few spiritual masters know about it." Marcia shook her head in dismay and continued, "But you're right. I also find it really suspicious that the Dragon Master Clan would suddenly order Alston to look for the spiritual treasure. And besides, do you think it is related to the disappearance of the emperor? Because there is actually a spiritual treasure sealed in the forbidden area of the royal family. "

"Wait, what did you say? There is a spiritual treasure in the royal forbidden area?" Rocky asked in surprise.

"Yes, it is said that a witch of some certain generation brought it back. Since its reopening, it had been sealed in the forbidden area of the royal family from that time. Only the emperor is allowed to enter the forbidden area of the royal family, and only the emperors know the way to it. In fact, even the witches could only enter the forbidden area under the leadership of the emperor." Marcia nodded as she spilled the facts.

"So, does that mean that Father's disappearance has something to do with Alston?" Rocky asked with clear certainty. After all, everything was so related that there could not be such a coincidence in the world.

"You know what? I should have seen this coming. I have always been so suspicious. Since Alston has tried his best to find the spiritual treasure, I think that the possibility is even greater," Marcia said noncommittally.

"But, do you think Alston killed Father just so that he can get his hands on that spiritual treasure?" At that moment, Rocky couldn't help but think of the worst situation.

"We don't have to make any baseless guesses right before we even conduct the investigation. Moreover, Alston can't deal with the emperor, especially with the strength that he has. Perhaps, there are other underlying reasons which we are not aware of. Generally speaking, the most important thing we have to deal with right now is to defeat Alston. We must make him resign from his position as the emperor and stop him from acting like this. Otherwise, the Holy Dragon Empire will soon collapse!"

"Count me in. I'm ready to do that." Rocky clenched his fists as he had been waiting for this day for a long time.

"But we still need a chance. That's all we need to make this happen." Marcia nodded in agreement.

"If it were up to me, I would go straight to the Imperial City and have a duel with Alston," Rocky said as the corners of his mouth curled upward.

"But we both know that it's impossible. After all, Alston is the emperor now and has the support of the whole royal family. Rocky, you, of all people, should be very clear about the strength of the royal family. It's not good for us to fight head-on, and it will also cause unwanted turmoil. Now, everyone in the Holy Dragon Empire is jittery. All we have to do is defeat Alston, and get the Holy Dragon Empire back on the right track," Marcia said with seriousness in her voice.

"Then, what kind of chance do we need?" Rocky suddenly inquired.

"Alston's two plans to deal with the Ji Clan have already failed, and he will definitely not wait any longer. Surely, he will take the next step soon. Perhaps, this is a good chance for us," Marcia said as if she had already foreseen what was about to happen.

Sure enough, two days later, Marcia received the news from her spy that she assigned in the Palace City.

After learning about the news, Marcia immediately gathered Rocky and others to have a meeting.

"What? Alston proposed to the Ximen Clan that he would marry Shirley? I never expected Alston to have the heart to marry such an unruly woman..." Rocky couldn't help teasing after hearing the news from Marcia. To him, he had the impression that Shirley was an extremely unreasonable woman.

"Ah, everything makes sense now! After failing twice with the Ji Clan, Alston's only hope now lies with the Ximen Clan. If Alston doesn't subdue the Ximen Clan as his followers, then his unstable foundation will be shaken again. If any force revolts, a terrible civil war may happen in the entire Holy Dragon Empire..." Marcia muttered.

"I'm afraid so. Plus, if Bryant agrees to the proposal, then surely, it will be a great help to Alston." Rocky frowned upon realizing what they were up against.

"But, I don't think Chief Bryant will agree easily. After all, what Alston has done is completely unsatisfactory. The chance of Chief Bryant supporting Alston is very slim right now," Lance said after thinking carefully.

"I agree with you. But knowing Alston, he will surely try his best to force Bryant to compromise. The Ximen Clan is close to the royal family. If Alston is cruel enough, then he will have lots of methods to threaten Bryant," Marcia added.

"Then what's your idea, General Marcia?" Rocky looked at Marcia and asked with eager eyes.

"If I remember it correctly, you have been engaged to Shirley before, right?" Marcia thought for a while and asked Rocky.

"Yes, it seems so, but I think I have sort of broken off the engagement," Rocky replied.

"It doesn't matter. What's important is that Miss Shirley doesn't want to marry Alston," Marcia said with her narrowed eyes.

"So, are you suggesting that I resume the engagement and remarry Shirley?" Rocky immediately guessed what was on Marcia's mind.

 

 

"I think that's the best option. If you push through with your engagement with Shirley as Prince Basil, Alston will have no reason to stop you. Moreover, with your three identities as Prince Basil, Prince Crimson, and the fourth Great General of the Holy Dragon Empire, if your engagement is pushed through, you will immediately gain a strong foothold in the royal family. I do not think even Alston can shake your position. Besides that, the people of the Holy Dragon Empire support you more than Alston. When everything is in place, we will unite the three army groups, including the Sky Army Group, and all other forces. At the same time, we will put pressure on the royal family's Emergency Chamber to remove Alston's position as the acting emperor and recommend you inherit the position of the emperor. If everything goes according to plan, Alston will definitely lose." Marcia had already planned this out thoroughly. Now that everything was ready, she only needed to wait for the final step.

"But I am already married to Isis. I'm afraid it's inappropriate for me to push through with the engagement with Shirley, don't you think so? Alston will certainly use it as an excuse..." Rocky answered after seriously thinking for a while.

"You must remember that you are the Prince Crimson of the Holy Dragon Empire now. It is normal for you to marry another imperial concubine. The most important thing we need to worry about is Shirley's agreement to this. That is the problem we need to address. This is very crucial. There is nothing we can do if Shirley doesn't agree. The whole plan is at stake here," Marcia clearly emphasized.

"I'm telling you as early as now that it will be difficult. We had a terrible relationship in the past, I think it would be impossible for her to agree unless her life depended on it." Naturally, Rocky would not hold any hope on Shirley agreeing with the plan.

"How will you know if you won't try? We should begin our preparations. Five days from now, on the centennial celebration of the Ximen Clan, Alston will go to them in person. That would be a good opportunity for you to make your appearance," Marcia said as she briefly glanced at Rocky.

Rocky smiled faintly. He would soon see the expression on Alston's face when Alston finally saw him.

Just as Rocky and the others were discussing the plan and preparing everything, Sabina suddenly showed up. She rushed back to the base camp of the Evian City from the Ji Clan to report terrible news.

"Sabina, does this mean that your younger brother in the Rime Army Group is missing?" Rocky asked suddenly, frowning at the anxious look on Sabina's face.

"I didn't expect that Alston would be so desperate and despicable that he would even involve my brother in this mess. It was my mistake. I should have definitely thought of it earlier." Sabina blamed herself. She had already planned and thought of all kinds of situation that might happen, but she didn't expect that her brother who was serving in the Rime Army Group which was so far away would be Alston's target.

"Sabina's younger brother seems to be one of the royal spirit manipulators who was in the same team as you in the past, Rocky. Maybe there is a chance that you know him," Marcia softly murmured.

"Oh, is that so? What is his name?" Rocky intently looked at Sabina and asked.

"His name is Flint," Sabina uttered.

"What? Flint? He's your brother?" Rocky was stunned when Sabina said Flint's name. He never expected that the blockhead who lived under the same roof with him and received the training for royal spirit manipulators was Sabina's younger brother. It was a strange coincidence.

"Wait, do you know my brother?" Sabina asked as she heard the tone of Rocky's voice and saw the strange expression on his face.

"Oh, more than you would expect..." The corners of Rocky's mouth lifted slightly turning into a smile, but his expression suddenly became serious. "Flint's disappearance must be done by Alston. Alston must be planning to use him to threaten the Ji Clan. Although what Alston did would just certainly arouse the anger of the Ji Clan, he did not want the Ji Clan to become one of the forces that were against him. That was why he captured Flint. From this, we can assume that Flint is safe now."

"The Ji Clan has sent a large number of people to look for him, but I'm afraid that my brother might have been taken back to the Palace City," Sabina said anxiously. She couldn't stand that her brother was held captive by Alston.

"Sabina, you don't have to worry! I will surely find a way to figure out Flint's whereabouts," Marcia comforted Sabina.

Although the disappearance of Flint definitely made their plan more difficult, the original plan did not change. They knew they had to deal with Alston as soon as possible!

Meanwhile, the whole Ximen Clan was packed with people even though the centennial celebration had not yet arrived. This scene was much livelier than Elvis's birthday party. Of course, the reason why everyone was celebrating was the powerful force of the Ximen Clan and its influence in the Holy Dragon Empire.

The Ximen Clan was one of the most important families in the Holy Dragon Empire. They were the confidants and the most capable assistants of the emperors for countless generations. So, they were also supported by the people of the Holy Dragon Empire. It was no doubt that the Ximen Clan was the Holy Dragon Empire's indispensable backbone.

The Ximen Clan had been promoted to a higher level ever since Bryant took over. The establishment of the Sky Army Group made the Ximen Clan have its own military power. After decades of development, the Sky Army Group had become the strongest military force among the four major groups of the Holy Dragon Empire. In addition, Bryant was one of the few masters at the Immortal Stage in the Holy Dragon Empire. So, the Ximen Clan was now certainly at its peak of development.

The Ximen Clan was also the relative of the royal family, and their connection with the royal family was closer than any other clan. Therefore, there were very great interests between the Ximen Clan and the royal family. So, the royal family of the Holy Dragon Empire's greatest worry was that one day the Ximen Clan might rebel against them. Therefore, the emperors from numerous generations had granted marriage to the Ximen Clan. Through this, the clan's balance remained.

It was precisely because of this marriage control that any change in the Ximen Clan would greatly affect the entire Holy Dragon Empire.

Even though the Ji Clan was the second largest clan in the Holy Dragon Empire, they might not be able to defeat the Ximen Clan with double strength and influence.

So as the centennial celebration of the Ximen Clan was about to commence, everyone came to congratulate them in this milestone. The royal family down to the slightly famous people came to gain favor with the Ximen Clan.

However, there was another important reason that everyone came to the celebration. A few days ago, the current acting emperor had officially proposed to the Ximen Clan and wanted to make Shirley his wife. It was rumored that he would personally visit the clan on the day of the centennial celebration.

And now, the news had spread all over the empire. The Ximen Clan often engaged with the royal family by connections through marriages. But because the Ximen Clan was almost the same origin coming down in one continuous line, the direct generation of the Ximen Clan always married their sons to the women from the royal family. They had never married their daughter into the royal family. However, Shirley was the only heir of the Ximen Clan in her generation as no son was born.

The possible fact that the only heir of the Ximen Clan was conferred the title of wife by the acting emperor was a big event for both the royal family and the Ximen Clan. It was even related to the clan's centuries-old foundation!

 

 

People from the Holy Dragon Empire did not have the faintest idea if Bryant would agree to the marriage proposal from the acting emperor. In effect, the Ximen Clan could refuse, but the acting emperor made the proposal himself and it would not be a good idea for them to say no. Once the Ximen Clan agreed to the acting emperor's offer for their daughter, the clan would be absolutely affiliated with the royal family. Next to the royal family, the Ximen Clan was the second most powerful clan in the entire Holy Dragon Empire. However, this was bound to change the moment they joined hands with the royal family through marriage. Controlled by the royal family, the Ximen Clan would become the strongest force behind Alston. If this happened, people would be compelled to obey Alston at all times, and he would emerge as the most powerful man in the entire Holy Dragon Empire.

On the other hand, if Bryant refused the proposal, the royal family and the Ximen Clan would become enemies. Alston could use this as an excuse to overthrow the Ximen Clan or suppress their power. This would definitely cause a clash between the two powerful clans.

Because of this, the Ximen Clan struggled to make their decision. They knew they could not refuse Alston and keep their peace at the same time.

Pressed to make a decision, Bryant together with several founding members and important elders convened inside the hall used for the official business meeting of the Ximen Clan. The decision was crucial and had to be made soon.

"Chief, we cannot agree with the marriage. Alston will control us if we do. The Holy Dragon Empire's state of affairs has worsened since he became the acting emperor. If Alston takes control of our Ximen Clan, he would have more power to oppress the people and his enemies!" a founding member proposed firmly.

"You can't say that. If we agree to the marriage with the royal family, we can establish our position in the empire and surpass the power of all the other clans. It is also an opportunity to join up with other clans. Once our power is strong enough, then we can take a stand against the royal family and regain full control of our clan in the future," another founding member argued. It filled his voice with confidence and ambition.

The other founding members and elders also had different opinions, and they could not come up with an agreeable decision.

"Okay, be quiet for a while," Bryant ordered as he waved his hand.

Everyone in the hall fell silent and fixed their eyes on their chief.

"The acting emperor wants to make Shirley his wife. Obviously, he wants to strengthen his position as the emperor of the empire and ascend to the throne. Unfortunately, since the disappearance of the former emperor, all Alston did as an acting emperor was causing resentment and devastation in the empire. This also caused protests and dissatisfaction from the other members of the royal family. However, it was the founding members of the royal family Emergency Chamber who decided and proclaimed Alston as the acting emperor. So unless they would agree, he would have to remain in that position. Because of this possibility, Alston is doing his best to secure his position in the royal family, and he will do everything in his power to become the next emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire. Thus, the decision of the Ximen Clan is a vital factor whether or not Alston can become the next emperor," Bryant explained to the surrounding people.

"But it's clear that the Emergency Chamber could not remove Alston from his current position, because no one else in the Holy Dragon Empire has the birthright to take over the position of the emperor. Much as the people hated him, no one can dispute his status as the acting emperor. Alston is also very dependent on the Dragon Master Clan. He had gone to them countless times. It is said that his strength had made a quantum leap because of their help. Even without the support of the Ximen Clan, Alston would become the next emperor. If we remain indifferent and refuse the marriage proposed by the acting emperor, we will definitely fall into a passive situation."

"Even the Ji Clan is not afraid of rejecting Alston, let alone our Ximen Clan. Recently, Alston sent an envoy to the Ji Clan to take back the empress but was refused by the Ji Clan. Later, he even issued an imperial edict for the marriage to the Ji Clan and sent many powerful men there, but a mysterious person defeated them."

"The Ji Clan is really fearless. By turning down Alston, they also openly opposed the royal family..."

Bryant and his people continued to discuss their situation.

"Bryant, as the chief of the clan, you need to decide on this!" the oldest founding member of the Ximen Clan pointed out.

"If we agree to this marriage, the Ximen Clan is likely to lose its liberty. But if we refuse, then our clan may have to prepare for a fierce battle," Bryant said coldly, as if to summarize the entire situation. He was terrified that it had come to this point. The former emperor was nowhere to be found, and the acting emperor failed to gain the support of the citizens. The entire Holy Dragon Empire was in a state of chaos because of him. As he took in all these, Bryant understood that if he declined the marriage, the Ximen Clan would openly defy the acting emperor and it would definitely cause trouble for them.

Of course, the Ximen Clan was powerful enough to refuse. The Sky Army Group occupied an extensive area in the northwest part of the Holy Dragon Empire, and Bryant could call on the support of many other indestructible forces.

On the other hand, the Ximen Clan had always been a loyal ally of the royal family for generations. Their ancestors had made a decree that the descendants of the Ximen Clan could not betray the royal family no matter what. Bryant's defiance against Alston would violate the last teachings of his ancestors, and he would become a lawbreaker of the Ximen Clan's law.

This made it more difficult for Bryant to decide.

"Chief..." Everyone stared at Bryant, eager to hear his ultimate decision.

"Let me think about it some more. You may go now!" Bryant waved his hand to dismiss them.

Everyone left the hall in silence.

Before long, a delicate figure walked inside the hall. She saw the worried look on Bryant's face, and she knew that he was thinking about the marriage situation to the royal family.

"Grandpa..." the figure said in a low voice.

It was Shirley. She had grown more beautiful and elegant than a year ago when she went to the imperial tomb to worship Basil. Her aura was now close to the Supernal Stage.

Normally, it was not possible for Shirley to reach the Supernal Stage at such a young age. However, her grandfather was a top master at the Immortal Stage and that made it attainable for her. For the past year, Bryant made sure Shirley advanced in her strength as fast as she could. Regardless if it required his own spiritual power. He maximized the use of his men and material resources so he could collect all kinds of rare treasures that would help increase her spiritual power. All this was to prepare Shirley and make her powerful enough before she took over the position of the chief of the Ximen Clan.

"Shirley, why are you here? I told you to entertain the guests in the front hall." Bryant's face softened as he saw his granddaughter.

"You know I can't stand them!" Shirley's beautiful face did not hide her displeasure. Still, she remained charming in the eyes of her grandfather.

"Then come and sit with me. I have something to ask you," Bryant said with a smile.

 

 

Shirley nodded before taking a seat beside him. "Grandpa, are you thinking about Alston's proposal?" she asked him gently.

"What do you think?" Bryant asked her with another question.

"I'll obey whatever you decide for our clan's future. I don't think my opinion matters." Shirley's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. Her past self would have done whatever she wanted. But now that she was more cognizant of the Ximen Clan's future, she became a more mature woman.

"I would still like to hear your opinion on the matter, my dear. I assure you, it matters to me," Bryant replied lovingly, instructing her to go ahead.

"I used to admire Alston. With his ability, strength, and being heir to the throne, I thought he was perfect. Everyone looked up to him and obeyed his every order. But I was so naive. Ever since he was appointed the acting emperor, the noble prince I once knew has vanished. He wiped out all the clans who refused to bend the knee. His cruel methods still give me goosebumps to this day. Perhaps it's his nature. It doesn't matter. Whether as a husband or as an emperor, he can't be trusted!" Shirley admitted frankly.

"So you don't want to marry him, correct?" Bryant asked her earnestly, his voice carrying no other sentiments.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding and replying, "Whatever you believe is necessary, grandpa. I will support whatever you decide. You might get in trouble if we turn them down. Alston expects the support of our clan. He won't give up so easily!"

"If you don't want to marry him, my dear, then don't. Leave the rest to me. Once Alston arrives, you can find an excuse to turn him down. Don't worry. Everything will be fine," Bryant assured her after thinking over the matter for a while. His words clearly showed how much he adored his granddaughter.

"I see. But what excuse can I give that's convincing enough?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You were engaged to Prince Basil. Although the engagement was called off after Prince Basil's death, his father never officially nullified it. Technically, the engagement is still valid. If you're willing to marry a dead man, then Alston can't force you into the marriage." Bryant grinned as he stroked his mustache. He reminded Shirley of a cunning old fox.

"I never thought my life would benefit from his death. How ironic!" Shirley snorted as she slightly bit her lips.

"Looking back, Prince Basil's great accomplishments at the Gehenna Border proved him to be a more suitable heir to the throne than Alston. Such a pity that he died so young," Bryant added regretfully.

"Him? Forget it! It's not happening!" Shirley exclaimed with disdain. To her, Rocky was still the rascal that robbed her of her first kiss.

Meanwhile, before the plot against Alston was carried out, some valuable news arrived from Laney. Over the past half year, she established an information network within the imperial city. Together with Marcia's precise analysis, they were able to make progress on Flint's whereabouts.

"According to Laney, your younger brother was most likely taken to Wal City. It's a tiny, lonesome, castle-like city located within the mountains. It's said that half a year ago, it became Alston's secret base for gathering forces and training elites. Its walls are heavily guarded by numerous spirit manipulators and tens of thousands of soldiers. Even if we had an army of the same size, we still may not be able to break through," Marcia informed, gazing at the others.

"Alston must have foreseen this. He knows that we'll use every means possible to find and rescue Flint. That's why he didn't bring him to the Palace City. If he did, he would've been exposed once we found solid evidence against him and would never be able to explain. That's why he sent Flint to his secret base. Even if we could get in and find him down there, it would be quite a challenge getting him out. This buys him time to persuade the Ximen Clan. He's really outdone himself now," Rocky commented, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

"It doesn't matter what he's planning. I'll relay the news to the Ji Clan immediately. I'll ask my father to send over troops to Wal City to rescue my brother. The sooner, the better!" Sabina exclaimed, the impatience clear in her voice.

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. It'll take at least two days to travel from the Ji Mansion to Wal City. The Ximen Clan's centennial celebration is tomorrow. If we destroy his plan of pursuing the Ximen Clan by then, Alston will be furious and will surely threaten your father by hurting Flint. That's why our top priority must be to get him out of that city tomorrow," Rocky insisted as he shook his head.

"So what do we do? Have you got a plan figured out?" Sabina asked hastily, like a cat on hot bricks.

"Wal City's defenses are as strong as iron. I'm afraid all of us banding together to rescue Flint won't be enough. Our biggest problem is that we don't know who to trust anymore. Even just sending out a simple signal for help will be too risky. We can't afford to leave with wool on our backs and come home with it shorn. If I team up with General Lance, we'll have a better chance. However, this will certainly alert the enemy and affect our plan," Marcia added, her thoughts racing.

"So you and my father going there is out of the question." Rocky nodded his head in approval.

"If I and General Marcia can't go, then who else will be able to rescue him?" Lance asked with his eyebrows raised.

"I'll go. We've got no other choice," Rocky replied firmly.

"You mean alone? No, it's too dangerous. Besides, Flint is my younger brother. I'll do it." Sabina understood what he was trying to do. His words left her slightly overwhelmed.

"It's too risky for you to go alone. Count me in. Maybe I can help out a little," Lucilla offered. She was worried about Rocky, too.

"It'll be more convenient to go on this mission alone. Besides, you have the Ximen Clan to deal with," Rocky reminded Sabina with a subtle nod.

"Why?" a confused Sabina asked.

"Because if I can get there tonight, it will be possible to rescue him by dawn. I need you to buy some time for me. Neither General Marcia nor General Lance can do it. Only you can," Rocky replied. It seemed he had finally come up with a plan. However, one small mistake could lead to a huge consequence. He needed to get to the Ximen Clan before Alston could convince them. He needed more time in case anything unexpected occurred. What he asked of Sabina was of utmost importance.

"But..." Sabina wanted to add something but was cut short by Marcia. "Basil is right. With our current situation, he's our best bet at rescuing Flint."

Sabina turned her gaze towards Marcia and then to Rocky. She found herself at a loss for words. On one hand, she knew her master was right. On the other, she didn't want Rocky to risk his life.

"I'll leave the rest to you," Rocky said, gesturing towards Marcia and Lance.

"Be careful," Marcia reminded him.

"Do you want to say goodbye to Isis?" Lance asked.

"No. I don't want her to worry about me. I'm leaving now," Rocky uttered with a straight face before turning away.

"Lucilla, I'm going to write a letter. Have it sent out for me immediately," Marcia ordered once Rocky left the room. An idea suddenly sprung up.

Lucilla nodded quickly.

Once Rocky was out of Lance's study, he summoned Ken and mounted its back as they flew towards Wal City.

 

 

After a whole day's journey, Rocky finally saw the Wal City in the distance. The city looked very tranquil under the lights.

Rocky landed on a corner of the city wall right outside the Wal City with Ken. Then, he gently tucked Ken away and flew up along the city wall. Stealthily taking a peek, he saw that the city wall was heavily guarded.

"General Marcia was right," he murmured under his breath. "The walls are indeed heavily guarded." Scanning the city walls for a bit, he wracked his brains trying to come up with a solution. Then, he suddenly jumped onto the top of the city wall, suddenly revealing himself to the guards.

The guards were initially shocked at the sudden appearance of this mysterious figure, but they quickly recovered and gathered around him immediately.

Just then, Rocky pulled out the Frozen Wind Dagger and turned it into a ferocious blade of flames that blazed under the dim moonlight. The blade shone with black luster, emanating the ominous aura of death.

Then, several screams suddenly pierced the initially quiet night.

It wasn't long before the sound of gongs and drums was heard all over the Wal City.

Countless figures rushed out of some buildings of the Wal City, and headed straight for the city walls.

The guards that had initially cornered Rocky were just now killed and turned into cold corpses. Soon, a large group of guards swarmed the city walls like an army of ants coming from both sides.

Rocky watched them approach with a calm smile.

The next moment, he gathered his spiritual power and summoned two beasts from the Magic Spiritual Space. Before they could even reach Rocky, the guards saw two huge beastly shadows looming before them.

"You play with them for a while. I'll be back soon," Rocky said to the two beasts before melting into the darkness.

About an hour later, Rocky spied a team of spirit manipulators at the Earthly Stage patrolling inside and outside an inconspicuous building located in the west of the Wal City.

Skulking from the shadows, Rocky silently pondered over this scene.

'This is the only building in the whole Wal City that is very quiet. Moreover, why is such an ordinary building guarded by spirit manipulators at the Earthly Stage?' His eyes flashed as he pieced together the information. 'Flint is very likely to be in this building, ' he concluded confidently.

Quietly, Rocky scaled the wall till he found an opening. As soon as he landed inside, a dozen black figures suddenly flew over toward him.

Rocky narrowed his eyes, immediately taking a step forward to avoid the black figures flying over. At the same time, three more figures suddenly flew out from the darkness of the building and rushed over to Rocky from three directions. He could keenly sense their aura of primary grade of the Heavenly Stage.

"Fuck off!" Rocky shouted. In an instant, a strong spiritual power burst forth from his body, causing a violent air wave to ripple out in all directions.

In the blink of an eye, the three figures who were just closing in on Rocky were blasted away before they even had a chance to touch him. Their bodies twisted and turned through the air as they were blown away.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The three figures crashed into the surrounding walls, one after the other.

The loud noise immediately attracted the other spirit manipulators in the building, including the spirit manipulators at the Earthly Stage who had been patrolling inside and outside the building and some spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage. In an instant, dozens of figures surrounded the small building.

"I can't believe that there is no master at the Supernal Stage here. Does Alston really think that the Wal City is impenetrable? Or does he think it's enough as long as there are many guards?" Rocky spat contemptuously as he glared at the large group of spirit manipulators before him coldly. His eyes flashed menacingly, like a beast eyeing its prey.

The spirit manipulators at the Earthly Stage and the Heavenly Stage all trembled slightly when they met Rocky's animal-like gaze.

Rocky brandished the Flaming Blade of Frozen Wind Dagger and its blade extended until it turned into a beam of light. In the blink of an eye, the light beam slashed at the spirit manipulators surrounding him.

Then, all kinds of piercing screams filled the night.

The spirit manipulators who had the misfortune of being on the path of the beam of light instantly either disintegrated into ashes or exploded into smithereens. Their severed limbs and raw guts flew all over the place, splattering onto their comrades.

The remaining spirit manipulators pissed their pants, too scared to make a move.

Rocky took this opportunity to take care of them, and when he was done, he rushed into the depths of the building. Inside, he found a heavily besieged room. It was obvious that Flint was locked in there.

"I'll kill anyone who tries to stop me!" Rocky roared, his eyes flashing crazily. The spirit manipulators who were standing guard were all shocked at his sudden warning.

The next thing they knew, the mysterious figure turned into a shadow that rushed towards them. Before they had the time to react, several of them were flung violently into the air.

Then, a black Moon Blade passed through the guards, smashing the very center of the door. With a loud bang, flames flashed and debris flew out. At the same time, a few figures who were in the way were smashed into pieces, leaving only a bloody meat paste on the ground.

As the remaining spirit manipulators were too scared to make a move, Rocky ignored them and flew directly into the room.

There, he found a handsome young man with captivating eyes. His appearance was impeccable, save for the cold expression he bore.

At just a glance, Rocky knew that this young, handsome man was Flint.

Moments prior, Flint had heard a loud sound outside, accompanied by miserable screams. He had been stunned when he saw someone suddenly rush in.

Before it even fully registered that the door was smashed open, Flint found that the ropes that bound him had all fallen to the ground.

"Who are you?" Flint asked as he squinted at this mysterious man before him. He looked young but calm, and Flint could tell his aura was unfathomably strong.

"Pfft," Rocky scoffed. "Is now really the time to ask questions? Let's get out of here first." Rolling his eyes, Rocky abruptly turned around and walked out of the room.

As soon as Flint heard Rocky's voice, he felt that his tone was somewhat familiar.

Glancing about him, Flint was a little surprised to see that Rocky had come here alone. However, it didn't take a genius to tell that this mysterious figure had come all the way here to save him, so Flint immediately followed him.

As Rocky and Flint emerged from the room, the remaining spirit manipulators watched them with wide eyes. No one dared to stop them, and some even looked as though at any moment they were going to kneel down and beg for mercy.

 

 

"What's wrong with them? What happened?" confused and stunned, Flint asked when he saw the spirit manipulators, including the ones at the Heavenly Stage, all looked at Rocky as if he were a demon from hell.

"Well, who knows? I have no idea." The corner of Rocky's lips curled into a smile. Soon after, he asked Flint to follow him closely out of the building.

But as soon as they stepped out of the building, several figures from three different directions sped towards them. Most of them were soldiers clad in heavy armors, and the rest were spirit manipulators with varying strength. Without a doubt, it appeared to them that someone was here to save Flint.

"Annoying cockroaches..." Rocky snorted and soon turned to Flint. "Follow me. Keep on track and don't lose your way." Despite his calm tone and cool choice of words, his order seemed to have an irresistible power that was non-negotiable.

As soon as he heard this, Flint nodded without hesitation.

At that moment, Rocky immediately summoned the Frozen Wind Dagger with Flaming Blade in his hand and quickly rushed in one direction. Soon after, a series of black Moon Blades slashed out consecutively, turning into the sickle of the God of death, constantly cutting life.

Not long after, dozens of corpses fell on the ground, as if it were raining dead people.

The moment Rocky fired his attack, a lot of soldiers were dead on the spot. In fact, this shocked the other soldiers who were coming towards them from behind, making them hesitate for a while.

"Hey! What are you waiting for? Come and get them!" Meanwhile, a deep voice was echoed. Soon, four shadows dashed towards them.

Taking a closer look at who he was up against, Rocky recognized a peerless master at the Divine Stage and three medium-grade masters at the Supernal Stage.

"Are you alone? Have you come to save me? But where are the members of the Ji Clan?" Only then did Flint realize that Rocky came there alone to save him.

"Did you see anyone else following you around?" Rocky turned around and replied.

"Wait. Back up. Who the hell are you? And why have you come here alone to save me?" At that moment, Flint didn't know whether to believe this man's intentions. Perhaps, he could not wrap his head around the fact that this man, whom he did not know at all, rushed alone into the Wal City to save him.

"What can I say? You are better at asking questions now than before." Rocky smiled teasingly.

"What do you mean 'than before'? Do you know me?" Flint asked doubtfully as soon as he heard Rocky's words.

Meanwhile, the peerless master at the Divine Stage, who had just arrived, saw that Rocky and Flint were chatting as if nothing had happened. At that moment, his face darkened in anger for thinking that Rocky and Flint were not taking him seriously at all. About to burst in fury, he immediately shouted, "How dare you! Do you have any idea where you are? How dare you break into this place recklessly! Tell me where your accomplices are, and maybe I can consider sparing your life!"

However, Rocky ignored the man's loud voice and instead talked to Flint and said, "How could you be so heartless? I risked my life to save you, but you just forgot about me."

Seeing that Rocky's dejected face, Flint couldn't help but feel stunned. At that moment, he thought that they must have already met somewhere. After all, Rocky would not be this disheartened if they did not share anything special before. Then, he took a good look at Rocky and realized that he was quite familiar. However, it was not enough for him to realize who Rocky really was.

"Forget it. I give up!" Rocky shook his head helplessly.

At this time, the peerless master at the Divine Stage was so furious that his face had already turned green. Soon after, he directly winked at the three medium-grade masters at the Supernal Stage beside him. Without hesitation, these three masters immediately went up and directly attacked Rocky.

In an instant, the Supernal Stage spiritual martial arts aimed three quick moves at Rocky.

"Hey, watch out!" Flint reminded Rocky as they talked.

But Rocky didn't even put in an effort to look back. All of a sudden, he shook his left arm and waved it casually. Soon after, three dark purple vortexes instantly shot out and suppressed the three spiritual martial arts. When the three spiritual martial arts collided with the dark purple vortexes, they were immediately engulfed inside them.

Everyone who saw this didn't have any words to express their astonishment. Moreover, they didn't have any idea on what was happening to them at that moment.

The three medium-grade masters at the Supernal Stage also felt the same as they didn't expect Rocky's move. However, they launched the spiritual martial arts for the second time. However, after the moves collided with Rocky's attack, they still got sucked in by the vortexes.

In disbelief, the three medium-grade masters at the Supernal Stage still insisted on approaching Rocky again. However, the three dark purple vortexes followed them like shadows. No matter how the three masters attacked, all their spiritual power was completely devoured by the three dark purple vortexes.

Almost four hours have passed, and the three masters were out of breath. Despite their efforts, the three dark purple vortexes remained haunting them.

"What's the matter? Too tired to attack?" Rocky turned to look at the three medium-grade masters at the Supernal Stage and taunted.

At that moment, the three masters looked deathly pale.

"Suit yourself. Then, it's my turn." Rocky's eyes narrowed slightly. As soon as he turned his hand, three dark purple vortexes immediately flew into the air.

"Explode!" Rocky clenched his left fist as his command echoed all throughout.

In an instant, the three dark purple vortexes immediately shot out all various kinds of spiritual martial arts that the three masters released before.

At that moment, the spiritual martial arts at the Supernal Stage were like raindrops that flew around and fell on the crowd.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Instantly, the lights soared, and the spiritual power scattered in all directions, covering a range of dozens of meters around.

Continuous screams were heard, making people feel that they were inside a living hell.

"What do you know? This unique self-created skill is really useful. In fact, I don't even have to do it by myself," Rocky said to himself with a calm smile on his face. What he had just used was the Holy Dragon Bead's devouring power. The spiritual martial arts he had created could absorb all kinds of spiritual martial arts in a short period of time, and then release them all out, causing a large-scale destructive power.

Of course, this unique self-created skill was of principle. With Rocky's current strength, the spiritual martial arts that he could absorb should only be at the Supernal Stage. If it were at the Divine Stage, it was impossible for him to absorb so many spiritual martial arts at once. Moreover, the more spiritual martial arts he absorbed, the more power he would have to bear and the more spiritual power he would consume. Therefore, there was still a certain limit to this absorption. However, as long as it was within the range of tolerance, the power of this self-created unique skill was enough to make people change their countenance.

After Rocky released the spiritual martial arts power, it seemed that many ordinary soldiers around him began to run for their lives in all directions.

"It seems that it's not messy enough..." Rocky shook his head when he saw the running and panicked crowd around him. At the same time, he could not help but narrow his eyes as he saw the peerless master at the Divine Stage approach him.

But at that moment, Rocky didn't show any fear. He took a step back and grabbed Flint's hand. Soon after, he gathered his spiritual power and shook it violently. Without warning, an enlarged Magic Spiritual Space appeared in the air. Not long after, a huge black dragon shadow rushed out of the space. Its amazing body and the strong aura instantly rattled the entire place. Moreover, it had a domineering aggression that made everyone's jaws drop.

Amidst the dark night, the humongous black dragon shadow brandished its chest as if it was king of the night like every living creature was bound to surrender to it. All the people present, including the peerless master at the Divine Stage and the soldiers, raised an extremely strong fear from the bottom of their hearts. Out of horror, most of the soldiers knelt directly on the ground and kowtowed to worship the shadow.

 

 

"Let's go." Rocky yanked Flint back to reality, as he had been frozen in shock. Together, they leapt onto the back of the massive ancient spiritual beast.

Then, the four wings of the ancient spiritual beast began to flap, causing waves of dust to ripple outward several dozen feet high. The entirety of the Wal City was engulfed in the strong winds, with sand and stone whirling everywhere.

The soldiers and spirit manipulators present felt as if they were caught in a strong storm, unable to even stand steadily. Some were even swept away by the violent gusts of wind!

In a matter of moments, the entire city fell into a state of chaos.

Flapping its massive wings, the ancient spiritual beast flew over the Wal City with Rocky and Flint on its back. The citizens below watched with mouths wide open as the huge shadow of the beast danced over the buildings. To Rocky and Flint, however, the people below looked like tiny black ants.

Just then, Ken flew over with Robin. They too landed on the back of the ancient spiritual beast.

"What are you waiting for? Go get them!" the peerless master barked. He knew that if he let them get away, there was no way he'd be able to explain this to the acting emperor.

Then, the peerless master summoned a five-star war dragon of the fifth grade. After mounting it, he chased after the ancient spiritual beast. More war dragons of three or four star level were summoned as the other spirit manipulators joined in pursuit. Soon, more than ten war dragons filled the skies, each one chasing after the ancient spiritual beast in the distance.

Rocky's eyes narrowed as he realized what was happening. "You ride on Ken first," he said to Flint.

Hearing Rocky's words, Flint shot a glance at Rocky. Although he still didn't recognize who this guy was, he obeyed Rocky without the slightest hesitation. In a heartbeat, he leapt and mounted the dragon next to him.

Once Flint was settled, Rocky sent Robin back to the Magic Spiritual Space. Then, he instructed Ken to take Flint away from the ancient spiritual beast. Lastly, he asked the ancient spiritual beast to turn around and face the swarm of dragons that were steadily closing in on them.

"Maybe I could take this as an opportunity to give Alston a gift," Rocky said with a devious smile. "I'm sure he'll be happy to receive it..."

As he spoke, the huge mouth of the ancient spiritual beast slowly opened to reveal a huge chaotic ball of light in its throat.

The peerless master, who had been in the lead, was shocked to see the chaotic light shining in the mouth of the ancient spiritual beast. Feeling the astonishing aura emanating towards him, the master felt fear seize his heart.

"What... What is it going to do?" The voice of the peerless master at the Divine Stage whispered softly, his voice trembling.

Just then, a beam of chaotic light burst forth from the mouth of the ancient spiritual beast. In the darkness of the night, it looked like a chaotic river of light that was streaming towards the Wal City at a frightening speed.

The beam of chaotic light shot out so quickly, the Divine Stage master and his war dragon barely had the time to react. In a flash, the light beam had struck their left side. The next thing he knew, he and his war dragon were plummeting towards the ground. The other spirit manipulators behind him were even more unlucky. Completely enveloped in the chaotic light, they were incinerated in the blink of an eye, without so much of a scream.

The beam of chaotic light didn't stop there, though. It extended all the way across the center of the Wal City. Like a scalpel cut to precision, the light beam divided the city into two halves, with every building caught in its path completely destroyed. Flames broke out in the surrounding streets, quickly spreading towards the far corners of the city.

Tens of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of spirit manipulators screamed in pain and fled in all directions. The whole city was like hell on earth, flames blazing into the night sky.

By then, the power of the ancient spiritual beast had reached its limit. Rocky quickly sensed this and immediately summoned Ken to come to his aid. Jumping onto its back, he sent the ancient spiritual beast back to the Magic Spiritual Space.

"Is this still a spirit-manipulated beast?" Flint couldn't help but tremble as he watched the ancient spiritual beast disappear into the Magic Spiritual Space. What shook him even more was the horrific scene beneath them.

"It's almost dawn. We have to hurry," Rocky said, completely dismissing Flint's question. Giving Flint a wry smile, he coaxed Ken to fly faster.

However, at this moment, a shadow of a dragon suddenly rushed out from under them and blocked their way.

"You really don't know when to give up, huh?" As soon as Rocky saw the dragon shadow, he knew who its master was. It was the peerless master at the Divine Stage who had almost died just now under the beam of chaotic light.

"Are those the only tricks up your sleeve?" he sneered. "Hand him over. Now." Although the peerless master still had a trace of fear lingering in his eyes, he figured Rocky had run out of moves.

Rocky's eyes narrowed. If he hadn't brought Flint with him, he could have activated the Spirit Possession with Ken now. Now, however, his priority was to protect Flint and hurry to the Ximen Clan, so he didn't have time to waste with this peerless master here. However, since they were in the sky, he was at a disadvantage.

Rocky considered briefly asking Ken to land on the ground first before making any moves.

However, it was obvious that the peerless master at the Divine Stage wasn't going to let that happen. He did, after all, steer his war dragon to block Ken's path. Moreover, the war dragon was obviously much bigger than Ken, so it wouldn't be able to get rid of the former so easily.

What was more troublesome was that there were still a few spirit manipulators in the distance who were still riding their war dragons towards them. It seemed they planned on surrounding Rocky, which was a bit unexpected. If the stalemate continued, not to mention his deadline to reach the Ximen Clan on time, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to succeed in taking Flint out of the Wal City.

Just as Rocky was wracking his brains trying to figure out a solution, the spirit manipulators had closed the distance and began to encircle them. Dozens of dragon shadows filled the skies.

"Ha-ha, boy, you can't escape. Our reinforcements are nearly here." Seeing the dragon shadows headed towards them, the peerless master laughed triumphantly.

Rocky's expression hardened. Seeing that there was no other way around it, he decided to break out of the encirclement by force.

However, before Rocky could even make a move, a crimson dragon beast rushed over suddenly. Unexpectedly, it opened its mouth and spurted a fierce flame towards the war dragon of the Divine Stage master, forcing the war dragon to dodge sideways quickly.

When the peerless master recovered, his expression froze immediately.

Then, Rocky realized that the crimson dragon beast didn't come alone. Dozens of dragon shadows had flown over with the crimson dragon beast, facing off with the spirit manipulators and their war dragons. Chaos broke out in the skies as spurts of fire were shot out back and forth.

Squinting, Rocky finally recognized the familiar figure riding on the crimson dragon beast.

"Mia?" Rocky cried out in surprise.

"General Marcia asked me to bring people to support you. Hurry up and go. We'll take care of this place." Mia shot a strange glance at Rocky, her expression unreadable.

"Thank you." Rocky didn't say anything more. He waved at Mia and asked Ken to proceed at full speed. Leaving the fierce air battle behind them, they headed straight to the Ximen Clan.

 

 

After a few days of endless hustling and bustling, the Ximen Clan finally started their grand centennial celebration. Thousands of guests noisily gathered, their chitchats filled with excitement.

The square where the ceremony was held was extremely packed and all kinds of performances were ongoing. At the front of the square was a platform paved with red carpet which was specially built for the honorable attendees. Bryant, his granddaughter, Shirley, and the elders of the Ximen Clan were sitting on the platform. They were accepting blessings and gifts from various clans and major forces, the royal family, several civil and military officials, and other guests.

Time flew by without anyone noticing due to the euphoric atmosphere brought about by the celebration. Two hours into the celebration, a disciple of the Ximen Clan came up on the platform and announced with a bow, "My Chief, the emperor is at the gate!"

However, instead of waiting at the gate for the Ximan Clan to properly welcome him, Alston had come inside and walked along the main road leading to the square. He was escorted by two masters of the Divine Stage, another nine masters of the Supernal Stage and some twenty spirit manipulators of the Heavenly Stage.

Bryant stood up at once. He lifted his elegant robe and ran down the platform to welcome Alston. He was followed by Shirley, the seniors, and the elders.

When everyone saw that Bryant was in a hurry, they realized that Alston was here. No other person in this world could arouse such a whirlwind of chaos. The noisy square quieted down immediately. The crowd parted automatically to make a path for Alston. Everyone echoed greetings of respect towards the acting emperor.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" The whole square was suddenly filled with everyone's greetings.

Alston, on the other hand, marched on with ease. He wore a wide smile across his face as he waved his hand towards the crowd. For the people who knew him little, he was as common as an old shoe, but not the insidious, despicable and ruthless monster who tried to murder his own brother for the throne and who used every way possible to get rid of those who disobeyed him.

As Alston pressed forward towards the platform, Bryant and Shirley met him at the middle of the square, as well as all other seniors and elders from the Ximen Clan.

"Your Majesty!" Bryant stopped in front of Alston and respectfully bowed.

"Nice to meet you, Chief Bryant, Miss Shirley and all the elders! Please do not be nervous. I am here today to congratulate your clan on your centennial celebration. There's no need to make such a scene," Alston said with a gentle smile, instructing Bryant to stand straight.

"Your Majesty, please follow me this way!" Bryant led Alston to the front of the square and up on the platform.

After Alston and Bryant took their seats, the people from the Ximen Clan and Alston's escorts stood on the opposite sides on the stand.

"Today marks the centennial celebration of the Ximen Clan. I prepared some special gifts for you. Please kindly accept them!" Alston said and nodded to the guards who were standing on the sides.

A guard went down, and a moment later, more than a dozen guards carried several big boxes up on the platform. The boxes were immediately opened to unravel heaps of gold, silver and jewelries inside. Alston had heavily spent on these gifts.

"I am extremely flattered, Your Majesty! This is so generous of you! But please forgive me. I cannot accept these extravagant gifts!" Bryant immediately stood up and cupped his hands to refuse Alston's expensive presents.

"It's truly kind of you to say so. Please accept it, these are just some small gifts to show my great respect to you and your clan! Might I add that I've also prepared several special gifts for Miss Shirley," Alston said as he glanced towards Shirley who was standing on the opposite side of the platform.

"Come here, Shirley." At once, Bryant nodded at Shirley when Alston mentioned her name.

Shirley immediately came forward and politely bowed to Alston. "It's already a great honor for the Ximen Clan to have Your Majesty here today. I am not worthy of these special gifts!"

"Please do not refuse these gifts I picked especially for you, Miss Shirley. You will soon become my concubine, so please do not be shy. I can give you anything you want even just for a smile!" Alston said generously. He nodded at the guard to come forward again.

Another group of guards went up to the platform, and this time, they were holding several small boxes. They stopped right in front of Shirley and opened the boxes for her to see. It turned out that there was a piece of treasure inside each box. Each treasure was placed on the level of a middle grade Dark Heaven Egg. Two pieces of treasure were the match of supreme grade Dark Heaven Egg.

For ordinary spirit manipulators, these treasures were valuable and incredibly rare to find. As a matter of fact, the value of these treasures was far more than the value of the gold, silver, and jewelries in the big boxes.

The people who saw these gifts grumbled and sighed enviably at Alston's generosity.

"Your Majesty, these gifts are far too expensive! We cannot accept these!" Bryant said, pretending to be stunned at Alston's generosity and extravagance. But in fact, these treasures were nothing to the Ximen Clan. Shirley had grown up in piles of these kinds of things.

"It's exceedingly kind of you to say that. I know these treasures are nothing to the Ximen Clan. So, I also prepared an incredibly special gift for Miss Shirley." Alston clapped his hands as soon as he finished his announcement.

A master at the Divine Stage immediately walked down the platform and ordered his men to clear up an area. After that, he gathered his spirit and opened the Magic Spiritual Space. Then, he went in and took out a Dark Heaven Insect at the first grade of the three-star level.

The appearance of the Dark Heaven Insect heightened the atmosphere on the square. People immediately talked among themselves. They were surprised that they were able to see such a spectacular thing in their lives.

"It took me two whole months to capture this creature at the Gehenna Border. I am going to give it to you as a pet, Miss Shirley. Do you like it?" Alston said proudly, confident that Shirley would be thrilled at this magnificent creature.

Shirley, on the other hand, just smiled faintly. Her face was nothing but a blank expression. As the successor of the first clan in this empire, she had seen all kinds of treasures in her life. And for the first time, the Dark Heaven Insect was the only thing she felt a little interested in. But she was aware that there was a price she had to pay if she accepted it. Alston was expecting that she would accept his marriage proposal and become one of his concubines. So, even if Alston presented thousands of Dark Heaven Insects, it was impossible for her to show any delight at all.

"Shirley," Bryant murmured, instructing her to show her gratitude to the emperor.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I really appreciate your sincere kindness. I never expect so many gifts from Your Majesty!" Shirley replied with all of the formalities she could muster.

"I am happy to hear that you like it. Oh, I want to ask something, if you don't mind? Can I have your reply regarding marrying into the royal family now? I personally would like to give you a few more days to think, but they have already prepared for the wedding ceremony. So, I want to know the answer as soon as possible." Alston's words were very polite, but it was clear that he wanted to tell Bryant and Shirley that today was their deadline.

"It's my honor to be favored by Your Majesty!" Shirley said with a polite nod.

As soon as the crowd heard her words, the whole square became loud again. It seemed that the emperor was going to get what he wanted today.

A trace of a triumphant smile flashed in Alston's face. Today's agenda was going smoother than he had thought. As the first clan, Bryant had the power to stand on the opposite side of the royal family, and Alston had already prepared for it. But he was confident in Bryant's loyalty. Bryant had no reason to refuse, and their clan would only be promoted by this marriage. Besides, he knew that Shirley really appreciated him before, so he believed that Shirley would not refuse him.

"But I sincerely apologize, Your Majesty. I cannot marry you!" To Alston's great surprise, Shirley suddenly turned the situation around and politely declined him.

 

 

Hearing this, everyone looked at each other in confusion. They were struck dumb, as they had thought that Shirley would agree to marry Alston. Even if she didn't agree, they didn't know she would do it as harshly as she did. None of them expected that Shirley would refuse Alston outright and in front of so many people too! It would undoubtedly bring great shame to him.

"I'm sorry, Chief Bryant, but I think I misheard her." Alston's face was red with anger, and his veins looked like they were about to pop from his head.

"Your Majesty, Shirley should have made it clear," Bryant replied with a morose expression on his face.

"Miss Shirley, why are you rejecting me? You should at least give me a reason," Alston protested vehemently.

"It is because I am already engaged to someone else before you asked..." Shirley explained matter-of-factly.

When everyone present heard this, they were also shocked, as none of them knew that Shirley was already engaged. Of course, they all forgot that Shirley and Prince Basil were engaged in the past.

"What?! Miss Shirley, when did you get engaged to someone else?" Alston's eyes almost bugged out of their sockets in his surprise.

"Have you forgotten already, Your Majesty? I was engaged to Prince Basil," Shirley replied.

"Ha! Basil? That man has been dead for a long time now. Your engagement doesn't count anymore." Upon hearing Shirley's answer, Alston was exasperated. He didn't expect Basil, who was already dead, to get in the way of his excellent plan. Of course, he knew that Shirley must only be using Basil as an excuse.

"The engagement between Prince Basil and me was issued by the former emperor in person. And even though Prince Basil had already died for the sake of our country, the previous emperor hasn't abolished the engagement between him and me, so the engagement is still valid," Shirley replied with a gleam shining in her eyes.

"Then I will immediately abolish your engagement to Prince Basil. That way, nothing can stop you, okay?" Alston answered aggressively. He was not about to give the Ximen Clan any excuse, after all.

In the face of his stubbornness and aggression, Shirley couldn't help but hesitate. She covertly glanced at Bryant because she couldn't think of any other excuses to say. Although Bryant expected that Alston wouldn't give up easily, his eyes still narrowed in annoyance.

"If I do that, there won't be any more problems, right? Then Miss Shirley should agree at once," Alston insisted with a grim face.

Shirley was quiet for a while before she opened her mouth and spoke hesitantly, "Actually, there is one more problem..."

"What? What other problems do you have?" Alston's eyebrow twitched out of his control.

"Prince Basil... He has already taken me as his woman," Shirley suddenly spat out from between gritted teeth.

At once, a dead silence settled over the whole square. Almost everyone was shocked because none of them expected Shirley to say something like that. Why would she expose herself so shamefully? Moreover, when did Prince Basil get the unruly daughter of the Ximen Clan to his bed? That was too powerful of him.

However, because Shirley had claimed it in front of everyone, no one would doubt that what she said was true. Even if Shirley didn't want to agree to the marriage, she wouldn't joke about her virginity.

Alston's face strained as if he was about to erupt in anger, but he calmed himself quickly so that he would not lose control of the situation. He said coldly, "Miss Shirley, you are too fond of telling jokes! As far as I know, Miss Shirley hated Basil to the point of death, and you have never contacted him, not even once. Nothing could have happened between you!"

"Prince Basil once came to our Ximen Clan. If something happened between Shirley and Prince Basil, it should be at that time!" Bryant piped in this time, adding a little lie. Although he was a little surprised that Shirley would say such words as an excuse, he had no choice but to support her lies. If he didn't, her words would have been in vain.

"No matter what happened between Miss Shirley and that dead man, it doesn't matter. I won't mind. As long as Miss Shirley agrees to be my concubine..." Honestly, Alston was already infuriated, but he brushed everything aside and kept insisting instead.

It painted a pathetic picture of Alston at that moment, as he was willing to ignore the fact that Shirley might not be a virgin anymore just to make her agree to be his concubine. If Shirley agreed to this marriage, then Alston was as good as a cuckold. Of course, most people knew that the real reason why Alston wanted Shirley to agree to be his concubine was to take control of the Ximen Clan.

"But I've made up my mind to marry Prince Basil!" Shirley insisted, her voice going higher, as she was getting impatient because Alston would not stop insisting on what he wanted.

Hearing Shirley's ridiculous words, all the people present whispered and pointed at her.

"What a bunch of nonsense! Miss Shirley, are you going to marry a dead man? I won't approve of this marriage unless you marry a living man." Alston sneered with a sinister look.

"Your Majesty, Shirley has made it clear already. It doesn't matter whether you approve of it or not..." Bryant reminded him seriously.

"Chief Bryant, do you and your clan want to disobey me and be an enemy of the royal family?" This time, Alston made his position clear. He was done playing their ridiculous games.

"I only wish to respect Shirley's decision. I didn't mean to offend you, Your Majesty. How could I want to disobey you and be the enemy of the royal family?" Bryant answered calmly. There was a strong domineering character in his tone as if he was not afraid of Alston's threat at all.

"Miss Shirley, I'll ask you one more time, so think it over very carefully. Do you agree to be my concubine or not? Remember that whatever you say next will directly affect the future of the whole Ximen Clan..." Alston threatened, glaring at Shirley viciously. It was obvious now that Bryant didn't want Shirley to be his wife. He simply needed her because he wanted the Ximen Clan!

Shirley hesitated a little at Alston's threat, looking a little intimidated. She looked at Bryant, her eyes wide with fear.

"Shirley, say whatever you want to say!" Bryant told her firmly.

Shirley frowned at this, as her plump breast continued to jump up and down with her rapid breathing. It was difficult to hide the contradiction in her heart at the moment.

Everyone present waited for her with bated breaths, as their eyes focused solely on Shirley. The next words she would speak could determine the future of the Ximen Clan and the fate of the Holy Dragon Empire.

"Where are you? Shouldn't you be here now?" at this time, a delicate figure standing in the crowd muttered to herself anxiously.

And just when Shirley was about to blurt out her decision, the delicate figure suddenly walked out of the crowd and asked loudly, "Miss Shirley, do you mean what you said just now that you are going to marry Prince Basil?"

The figure took everyone's attention as she broke the silence, and they were all shocked when they looked at who it was. They all recognized her! It was Sabina, Marcia's beloved disciple, and the future successor of the Ji Clan!

 

 

Bryant and Shirley were both surprised when Sabina suddenly appeared. Her question was a shock too, so they could not answer her at once.

On the other hand, as soon as Alston saw Sabina, his eyes darkened, and his posture took on a cautious stance.

"Miss Shirley, did you mean it when you said you want to marry Prince Basil?" Sabina repeated, glancing at Alston.

Meanwhile, Shirley didn't answer immediately. She looked at Bryant first, and only when he nodded slightly did she nod as well. "Yes, I did!"

Alston was enraged at her answer because, at this critical moment, Sabina unexpectedly showed up to spoil his plan. However, he could not do anything to Sabina in public, so he could do nothing but grit his teeth, which Alston did so severely that he almost broke his teeth.

"Well then, I will announce a piece of good news, which is also good news for the Holy Dragon Empire. And, congratulations, Miss Shirley. You will get what you want soon," Sabina said vaguely, as everyone listened to her raptly.

"Miss Sabina, what do you mean?" curious, Bryant also asked. In his opinion, Sabina came here out of the blue because she wanted to help the Ximen Clan out. Besides, he knew that the Ji Clan was openly against Alston, so he believed that he could trust Sabina.

"I am happy to tell you that Prince Basil is not dead. He is still alive!" Sabina solemnly stated. Her beautiful eyes were narrowed with sincerity, as she looked at all the guests one by one.

Of course, all the people present were stunned when they heard what Sabina had said. At first, they thought that they had misheard. How could she say that Prince Basil was still alive? Moreover, it was Sabina who brought the news of Prince Basil's death back to the Holy Dragon Empire. Why was she suddenly saying these things now when Prince Basil had been dead for over a year?

"Sabina, don't be alarmist. That guy has already died. How can he still be alive?" Alston immediately shouted, viciously glaring at her, even though he was also stunned. He could not believe that Basil was still alive.

"Have you forgotten who brought back the news of Prince Basil's death?" Sabina asked him condescendingly when she saw the disbelief in his faces.

At this, Alston hesitated a little. He remembered that it was Sabina who brought back the news of Prince Basil's death.

'Did she deliberately tell the world that Basil was dead, but in fact, he is still alive?' At this thought, Alston's heart skipped a beat, and his eyebrows scrunched up in stress. It couldn't be right. After all, Basil had spiraled into madness in the battle with him, so he couldn't have survived.

"Miss Sabina, is Prince Basil really alive?" Bryant asked in surprise. He didn't think that Sabina was lying. Most importantly, if Basil were still alive, perhaps everything would change, and the Ximen Clan wouldn't take a road of no return.

"Yes, he is still alive." Sabina nodded solemnly.

"If he is alive, then let him come here. I'd like to see how a dead person can show up here alive and well," Alston said as he glared at Sabina. In his opinion, Sabina was trying to ruin his plan, so she deliberately made up the news that Basil was still alive.

"You will see him soon," Sabina replied forebodingly. She knew that Rocky was already on his way here, and the only thing she needed to do was to stall for time.

"Cut the crap. Unless he shows up right at this moment, I won't believe you. What's more is that I'll arrest you for spreading rumors and deliberately stirring trouble," Alston shouted at Sabina as he seemed to lose his cool, finally. He could never let Sabina ruin his plan.

"Oh... Alston, are you getting frightened? Are you scared that if Prince Basil is still alive, the fact that you framed him up will be exposed?" Sabina answered gamely, unafraid of Alston's threats.

As soon as she said these, the crowd burst into an uproar, as everyone looked shocked by her words. They watched their exchange with narrowed eyes, as they also felt that there was something more to this situation than what they already knew.

"How dare you spread rumors and frame me! Guards, arrest her!" Alston ordered as his face darkened with fury. As soon as he gave the order, several masters at the Supernal Stage surrounded Sabina.

"Brother, she was just telling the truth. You don't have to be so angry, do you?" At this moment, a calm voice suddenly came from the crowd.

And everyone was struck dumb when they heard the voice.

Soon, a figure walked out from the crowd. He looked very inconspicuous, as he was wearing plain clothes and a rugged, old bamboo hat. Under the watchful eyes of the group, he walked to Sabina and nodded slightly to her.

When Sabina saw him, she heaved a sigh of relief.

At the sight of the man with a bamboo hat, Alston was shocked because the man had called him his brother.

Everyone present started whispering among themselves as they tried to guess the man's identity.

"Isn't he the mysterious man who defeated the powerful warriors of the royal family in the competition for marriage held by the Ji Clan?"

"Yes, it's him!"

"What's more, he beat a peerless master at the Divine Stage in a single move."

"Did he just call the acting emperor 'brother'? Who on earth is he?"

In an instant, the buzzing of voices drowned out the whole square.

"Are you the one who killed Jason? Who are you?" Alston shouted angrily, glaring at the man fiercely.

"If I tell you, will you believe me? What if I were a ghost, won't you be afraid?" The man in the bamboo hat suddenly let out a peal of faint laughter, and then he slowly took off his bamboo hat, revealing his face.

And when Alston saw the man's face, he was dumbfounded, and his mouth opened and closed in dismay. His hands trembled by his side. The man in front of him was no other than Basil, or Rocky, who should be dead already!

"How are you, Miss Shirley and Chief Bryant?" Rocky turned away from Alston and cupped his hands at Bryant and Shirley.

"You are..." Both Bryant and Shirley were stunned.

However, no one present could recognize that the man in front of them was Basil.

"Chief Bryant, he is Prince Basil," Sabina intercepted when she saw that they couldn't tell who he was.

As soon as those words fell from her lips, the whole square fell into silence. Everyone looked at each other, flabbergasted, for they didn't expect that the mysterious person who had appeared two times in the Ji Mansion and shown his skills before was the dead Prince Basil. This was unbelievable!

 

 

"Preposterous! No, this man is not Basil, as he had already died a year ago. This man is an impostor who is trying to fool us all." The fact that Rocky was still alive shook Alston to the core, but he also knew that he and Sabina were the only ones who could recognize him. None of them had seen Prince Basil recently, so they could not recognize him at all, as he had changed so drastically from the Basil that the people knew. Therefore, he firmly insisted that Rocky was a fake.

"Brother, please don't say that. You're hurting my feelings," Rocky sneered at Alston, continuing his snide remarks. Then he turned to Shirley and asked, "Miss Shirley, do you still remember the kiss that ignited our passionate love for each other?"

"How do you know that?" This time, Shirley was taken aback, because except for her and Basil, no one else should know about it. But the man in front of her revealed their secret so calmly, which meant that he might genuinely be Basil. On the other hand, she couldn't believe that the man was really him. Although the man in front of her looked a little ordinary, he seemed calm and elegant. Moreover, he exuded an irresistible charm and temperament everywhere he went. It was not like the rogue back then.

"Are you really Basil?" Shirley couldn't help asking, because she really found it hard to accept that the man in front of her was Prince Basil.

"Miss Shirley, can't you feel it clearly in your heart? By the way, didn't you just say that you want to marry me? Since you want to marry me, I can't treat my future wife shabbily..." Rocky spoke the last part as if he was talking to himself, and then he gathered his spiritual power and opened the Magic Spiritual Space. At once, an ice shadow flew out.

As soon as the ice shadow appeared, the surroundings immediately burst into an uproar. The ice shadow was three meters high and was standing on two feet like a human being. It had four muscled limbs that resembled a giant's, and it had snow-white ice hair that danced with the wind. It looked extraordinarily beautiful.

"It's that beast! It scared a seventh-grade master at the Supernal Stage so much that he knelt down in the competition for marriage of the Ji Clan." Soon, someone recognized the ice shadow and started talking about it. It was none other than the famous Robin from the Ji Clan's competition.

On a closer look, they saw that it was holding a small box, about a half meter width, in its hands. It seemed to be waiting for Rocky's order.

"Robin, give the first gift I prepared to Miss Shirley," Rocky said, motioning Robin forward.

Under the public's watchful eyes, it immediately jumped onto the stage and handed the small box to Shirley, who took it with slightly trembling hands.

She felt a little frightened when she saw Robin's tall figure, but she soon realized that the beast in front of her was very docile. It was watching her with gentle eyes, and nothing was frightening about it at all!

"Thank you," Shirley murmured as she took the small box and studied it carefully.

After that, Robin jumped back to Rocky's side.

"What's in it?" Shirley asked Rocky as she stared at the small box in her hand. It was a little small, but despite its size, it was very heavy.

"Miss Shirley, please open it and take a look," Rocky replied with a faint smile.

Hearing this, Shirley immediately opened the box. The next moment, the spiritual light in the box suddenly shot up, and the view was dazzling. Even the people who were a hundred meters away from the platform could feel the strong spiritual power released from the box.

Of course, at this moment, everyone's eyes were also focused on the box. When they saw the crystals inside, shining spiritual lights in the box, they were all stunned. They could not digest what their eyes were telling them at that moment.

The box in Shirley's hands was full of spiritual crystals! There were three yellow spiritual crystals and one blue spiritual crystal, and then the rest were red spiritual crystals. From a glance, it seemed that there were at least twenty crystals in the box.

Most, if not all, of the people in the room, knew that the spiritual crystal was a rare treasure that was primarily used to increase the strength of a spirit-manipulated beast. The better the spiritual crystal was, the more precious it would be. Moreover, the spiritual crystal was usually produced in some hazardous and strange places where ordinary spirit manipulators could not easily enter. Besides, it was also scarce, so even a red spiritual crystal was considered very rare in the Wild Spirit Land, let alone the yellow one and the blue one. Those spiritual crystals were priceless.

However, Rocky seemed to own so many spiritual crystals, and he treated them just like ordinary jewels! None of them could believe what they were seeing.

Meanwhile, Shirley was still speechless as she looked up at Rocky in astonishment.

"This gift is incredible! It can't even be described as precious..." At the same time, Bryant was watching with a narrowed gaze. Although he had obtained spiritual crystals that were better than blue spiritual crystals, he couldn't give out such a box of spiritual crystals as easily as Rocky did. If calculated at an average speed, it would take at least a few years to collect such a box of spiritual crystals. Even he would be hardpressed just to give it away.

However, Rocky didn't even look like he cared, as he gave away the box of spiritual crystals. Bryant, who was a top master at the Immortal Stage, had a feeling that he couldn't catch up with him.

For all the people present, Rocky seemed much more generous than Alston, who had only sent out several gold and jade boxes and several rare treasures.

At this time, seeing that Rocky's box of spiritual crystals had stolen his limelight, Alston's face was shadowed with envy. And even though he wanted to command the guards to arrest Rocky, he was not a fool. It was not a coincidence that Rocky would appear in the Ximen Clan at this time, and he wouldn't come here alone and defenseless. He surely had something up his sleeve! Therefore, he decided that he wouldn't do anything until he had figured out Rocky's plans.

"This gift is too expensive. I can't accept it!" Anyone would be ecstatic to receive this extravagant gift, but Shirley was not that kind of greedy girl. Moreover, she still had some doubts about whether the person in front of her was Prince Basil. Thus, she could not accept it.

"Miss Shirley, don't be in such a hurry to refuse me. Let me show you my other gifts first. It's too early for you to make a decision," Rocky told her calmly.

"You have other gifts?" Shirley was taken aback. Rocky had already given her a box of spiritual crystals. Did he have anything better than this box of spiritual crystals?

Meanwhile, Rocky just smiled as he clapped his hands. Soon, a colorful beast wrapped in clouds and mists came out of the Magic Spiritual Space with a basket in its mouth.

As soon as Ken appeared, the whole area was once again in uproar.

Compared with Robin, Ken was more eye-catching, because it was as if the people saw a legendary beast.

At this time, Ken was already walking towards Shirley.

"Do you want to send me the beautiful beast?" Shirley was pleasantly surprised to see Ken. And her eyes lit up as if she had just fallen in love with it.

"If it is willing to follow you. But the gift I prepared is in that basket." Rocky smiled.

Hearing that, Shirley opened the white cloth covering the basket in Ken's mouth. Inside were many primary and medium-level treasures, which were much more advanced than what Alston had given her just now.

 

 

"Wow!" Shirley couldn't help but exclaim. The primary and medium-level treasures in this basket were no less than that box of spiritual crystals in quantity, value, and rarity. Spirit manipulators would drool at the sight of these cultivation treasures.

All the people present were dumbfounded once again. Each of the items in the basket was a priceless treasure, but Rocky had given them out so easily. It was as if his own family planted them, and he could pick any of them casually. Besides, the previous box of spiritual crystals already showed how generous and wealthy Rocky was!

"Now, the last gift I am about to give you is bigger in size. So, please move back a little bit and leave some space for it!" Rocky announced to the crowd gathered around him. After the people stepped back, he nodded to Robin, who once again entered the Magic Spiritual Space.

Simultaneously, when everyone heard that Rocky had one more gift to bestow on Shirley, their curiosity was stirred even more. He had already amazed them so much, so what else did he have up his sleeve?

A moment later, Robin came back out, leading a giant black figure.

"Huh? Is that a Dark Heaven Insect? But its aura doesn't seem to belong to the Dark Heaven Insect..." someone exclaimed.

Everyone took a closer look and saw the massive beast that Robin had brought out. It was indeed similar to a Dark Heaven Insect, but its size was much larger than that of a Dark Heaven Insect at the third grade of the three-star level, and its appearance was more exaggerated. However, to their amazement, the seeming Dark Heaven Insect had the aura at the four-star level.

They all knew that the highest level that Dark Heaven Insects could reach was the three-star level, but the one in front of them had unexpectedly reached the four-star level. A restless air covered the whole place, as all of them wanted to interrogate Rocky on how he found this beast.

Even Bryant had never seen a four-star Dark Heaven Insect before, so his usually calm expression now appeared strained. He was also stunned, but it was barely visible.

"This is called the Dark Magic Insect, which is similar to the Dark Heaven Insect. The difference lies in the fact that I have slightly improved this one, so it has accidentally broken through to the four-star level. You don't have to be so surprised!" Rocky said casually. "This one is for Miss Shirley as a pet. If you have nothing else to do, you can ride it to go shopping or something else. It should be cool."

Shirley couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile. However, it would be eye-catching to ride such a rare insect, which was also at the four-star level.

"Well, I've given you all the presents. Now it's time to get down to business." Rocky smiled at Shirley, clapped his hand once, and glanced briefly at Alston.

"Your Majesty, isn't he really Prince Basil?" Bryant asked Alston doubtfully. From the way Alston looked at Rocky, he believed that Alston must have known Rocky for a long time, and Alston appeared even a little flustered as if he was afraid that others would find out his secret.

"He is not Basil. Don't be deceived by him! He is just a liar with ulterior motives..." Alston would never admit that Rocky was Basil.

"Do you even have the right to stand there and accuse others, Alston? Didn't you sell information to the Timber Deity Empire that led to Prince Basil's captivity? And even when Prince Basil was captured by the Timber Deity Empire, you still ambushed him in secret and attacked the team that was escorting him back. You are a despicable and shameless man who would hurt even your own brother for the sake of power, so what right do you have to say these things?" Sabina confronted Alston, and along the way, revealed to everyone how he had betrayed Basil in the past.

Hearing this, all the people present burst into an uproar. If the whole things were real, it would be a massive change for the Holy Dragon Empire.

Meanwhile, the expression on Bryant's face also changed. After all, Sabina would not dare to say these things if they were baseless accusations. Could it be true that Alston had framed and tried to kill Basil before? Back then, Basil made numerous contributions to the Gehenna Border and enjoyed the Crimson Dragon Group's support. If he were still alive, his return to the Imperial City would definitely be a considerable threat to Alston. Therefore, it made sense that Alston wanted to kill Basil.

"Arrest this woman who slandered me, and this guy who pretended to be Basil! Arrest them now!" Alston shouted angrily.

And at once, six Supernal Stage masters surrounded Sabina and Rocky.

"Brother, I know what you are doing. You want to kill me to keep your secrets, right? Unfortunately, these people have no hope of doing that!" Rocky sneered.

The next moment, Robin, standing next to Rocky, immediately let out an intense wolf roar and suddenly burst out a strong aura, as it rushed to a master at the primary stage of the Supernal Stage. Seeing this, the master immediately summoned his spirit-manipulated beast to deal with Robin.

But in the blink of an eye, two pillars of blood spurted from the man and his spirit-manipulated beast! Before they could even make a move, the man and his beast were beheaded.

Everyone was shocked because never in their wildest imagination did they think that anyone could kill such a strong master and his beast within a second!

Seeing this, the other masters at the Supernal Stage turned pale, and none of them dared to move forward.

Alston was also dumbfounded. He didn't expect that Rocky could gain such a powerful spirit-manipulated beast in only one year.

"The aura released by this beast just now is entirely beyond that of a spirit-manipulated beast of the same star level. Is it a guardian beast? But that's impossible because only the spiritual race can control the guardian beast..." Bryant commented suspiciously. As soon as he saw Robin attack, he immediately realized that it was no longer an ordinary spirit-manipulated beast.

"You said you are Prince Basil. Do you have anything to prove your identity?" Alston suddenly changed his tune, as he realized that he could not recklessly act if Rocky had gained so much power. However, a sinister smile played on his lips as a plan materialized in his mind.

Rocky stayed silent, glaring at Alston.

"If you don't say anything, it means that you are definitely a fake. How dare you pretend to be Basil in front of me and the chief of the Ximen Clan? You are courting death! Chief Bryant, this person pretended to be Basil and intended to rebel. As one of the Three Great Generals of our empire, shouldn't you uphold justice and severely punish the evildoers?" Alston was indeed very insidious. He even put Bryant on the spot, trying to let him deal with Rocky. He knew that if Bryant attacked, Rocky would die. And even if they later discovered the truth, he would not be blamed. After all, he would not be the one who would kill Rocky but Bryant.

However, Bryant was brilliant and experienced, so he immediately realized what Alston was planning. And he would never let Alston get what he wanted! So he asked at once, "What if he is not a fake?"

 

 

"He is an impostor. I'm sure of it," Alston said firmly.

"Your Majesty, do you have any evidence to prove that he is fake? In my opinion, he really looks like Prince Basil," Bryant answered thoughtfully, supporting Rocky.

Alston gritted his teeth in anger, as it seemed that he could not use Bryant for his nefarious plans because Bryant was unwilling to take action. Alston had no choice but to use his people, so he turned to his men and ordered them at once, "Go and kill this person who dares to impersonate Prince Basil. You will be rewarded handsomely!"

In an instant, hundreds of guards, more than twenty masters at the Heavenly Stage, and five masters at the Supernal Stage swarmed up and surrounded the three of them.

"You take care of the rest. Leave the five masters at the Supernal Stage to me," Rocky instructed Sabina, nodding at her brusquely. He didn't intend to be polite to Alston, and in the blink of an eye, he was ready to fight.

Sabina, who couldn't wait any longer, immediately summoned her spiritual beast—Duchess Silver. One person and one beast headed straight for the more than twenty masters at the Heavenly Stage and hundreds of guards.

On the other hand, the five Supernal Stage masters had also summoned their spirit-manipulated beasts and were coming towards Rocky. He didn't bother pulling out the Frozen Wind Dagger, but his aura suddenly increased, revealing his strength, which was in the fifth grade at the Supernal Stage.

"He has already reached the fifth-grade power at the Supernal Stage?" Shirley's face shifted minutely. If the man in front of her were truly Prince Basil, it would be unimaginable. After all, in her impression, Basil could only be described as a loser in the past.

"It's strange. I heard from Lance that when Prince Basil was at the Gehenna Border, his strength had not yet reached the Supernal Stage. However, this man has already reached the fifth-grade power at the Supernal Stage. Maybe it's true that he is an impostor..." Bryant also felt that something didn't add up. In such a short time, even the real Prince Basil, who possessed the power of the Holy Dragon Bead, couldn't make such amazing progress.

However, for many people present, Rocky had killed a peerless master at the Divine Stage in one move during the competition for the marriage that the Ji Clan organized. Therefore, it was reasonable for him to show this kind of strength at the moment. On the contrary, they were even looking forward to seeing if Rocky would make another unbelievable move.

At the same time, the five Supernal stage masters which included one of the primary grade, two of the medium grade, and two of the premium grade, were all very powerful by themselves. And if they worked together to fight against a peerless master of the first grade at the Divine Stage, they could easily win!

Therefore, Rocky, who had only shown his strength of the medium grade at the Supernal Stage, seemed to be unable to cope against the five masters at the Supernal Stage.

However, just as the five beasts and five masters were approaching him, Rocky's whole body suddenly flashed. In an instant, his arms instantly condensed layers of frost, and his palms continuously condensed sharp claws. In the next breath, he disappeared from the spot where he was standing, flying like a bullet towards the five beasts and five masters at an incredible speed.

When the five beasts and five masters saw this, they immediately faced him together, as they knew that they were stronger as one. But when they were about to surround Rocky, he suddenly accelerated and disappeared again. In this way, even though he was under the siege of the five beasts and five masters, they could not touch Rocky at all. While on the contrary, Rocky had already injured several spirit-manipulated beasts to varying severity.

When the crowd saw this, they were amazed, as it was hard to imagine that the five powerful masters at the Supernal Stage could not even catch Rocky, who was only of the medium grade at the Supernal Stage.

Of course, the five Supernal Stage masters also encountered unspeakable difficulties because Rocky's speed was too fast, and it was simply not something that a human could achieve.

They didn't know that the reason Rocky could move so fast was that he was using the Mysterious Beast Transformation Skill to copy Robin's power at that moment. In the past six months, Rocky had learned and reached the third grade of the Mysterious Beast Transformation Skill. He could now copy the various abilities of spirit-manipulated beasts to improve his body's capabilities. Therefore, even without the Spirit Possession, Rocky could strengthen his body with the Mysterious Beast Transformation Skill. For example, he could copy Robin's speed and its destructively powerful ice claws.

And so, even if two of the five masters at the Supernal Stage were of the premium grade, they couldn't keep up with Rocky's speed.

Before long, he had managed to injure all of the five Supernal Stage masters' spirit-manipulated beasts with his ice claws, and their fighting power had now significantly weakened. The five masters were also deathly pale, as Rocky has played them so easily.

"What are you doing?" Alston shouted angrily at the five Supernal Stage masters, his fists clenched at his sides. He couldn't understand why they couldn't do anything against Rocky, who only showed the strength of the medium grade at the Supernal Stage. He couldn't be that strong, could he?

When the five Supernal Stage masters saw that Alston was getting angry, they looked at each other helplessly. They knew they were no match for Rocky, but they tried their best to block Rocky anyway.

At this moment, Rocky suddenly stopped his movements. He looked at the five masters who were approaching him at the same time with an eerie smile on his face.

"I'm almost done warming up." As Rocky spoke, he stopped using the Mysterious Beast Transformation Skill, and the aura of the medium grade at the Supernal Stage suddenly disappeared from his body.

When the five Supernal Stage masters saw that Rocky was standing still, they became confused, but a burgeoning hope took hold of their hearts. In their opinion, Rocky had stopped moving because he had reached his limit, so they all used their spiritual martial arts to attack him at once.

Unbeknownst to them, a small smile pulled at the corners of Rocky's mouth. And he immediately used his unique skill, and a dark purple vortex instantly appeared above his head.

Almost at the same time, the five spiritual martial arts attacks from the Supernal Stage masters swarmed over, but in the blink of an eye, the attacks disappeared! The five moves were sucked into the dark purple vortex as if they had never been there.

"Thanks for those attacks. Here, I'll give them back to you." All of a sudden, Rocky's left palm shook, and in the next moment, the dark purple vortex on top of his head suddenly shot out five beams of intense spiritual power, rushing to the Supernal Stage masters.

Seeing this, the five masters were shocked and hurried to resist with their hands.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

After the five loud noises, the five masters flew a few steps back and landed on the ground awkwardly. It was like something had forced them back, and they couldn't fight it off.

At this time, the whole square once again burst into an intense uproar. It was inconceivable that Rocky, who was only of the fifth grade at the Supernal Stage, could defeat five Supernal Stage masters at the same time!

Even Alston found it hard to believe, so he shouted immediately, "All of you, go ahead! Teach that man a lesson."

Soon, the last three masters of the premium grade at the Supernal Stage also came up, and all eight of them surrounded Rocky.

"Eight masters together, huh?" Rocky smiled, looking unthreatened.

In the next breath, the eight masters made their moves one after another. Eight attacks from the spiritual martial arts at the Supernal Stage surged out like massive waves on a stormy night.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

A series of loud explosions rang out under the shining spiritual light. Anywhere within dozens of meters from the explosions ended up in shambles, as rocks and debris soared in the air. The people on both sides also retreated, for the aftermath of the spiritual power had affected both of them.

The explosions stopped and revealed Rocky in the middle, as he was shrouded entirely in a spiritual light. He didn't seem to be moving. Of course, Alston was overjoyed at this, and he felt a laugh bubble up from inside him. "Why did you stop fighting? Are you getting frightened now? You may have defeated five, but I don't think you can beat eight masters all by yourself. Ha-ha!"

 

 

Everyone was shaking their heads at the situation. They knew that no matter what happened, it would be impossible for Rocky to win. Even if he could somehow survive, he would just linger his entire life.

A violent flame wind suddenly blew up like a storm which instantly blew away the flying dust. Out of nowhere, a figure emitted a strong black flame. It looked like the figure was shrouded in darkness. It was hard to determine how strong the flame was, but it gave off an eerily dark presence, as if anything that would touch it would instantly disappear.

The figure shrouded in black flames slightly waved his right hand. With that, the black Flaming Blade immediately continued to extend. The Flaming Blade turned into a massive saber emitting strong flames. Then, the figure slowly passed through the flying smoke.

"Wait. Is he holding a Spiritual Weapon in his hand? Am I seeing it correctly?"

"This man actually has an exceedingly rare Spiritual Weapon! That's amazing!"

"Who the hell is he? Does anyone know him?"

Everyone was shocked by what they saw. The figure in front of them was not only unharmed after the attack of the eight masters at the Supernal Stage, but also showed such an astonishing and terrifying demeanor. In addition, the Spiritual Weapon he displayed was also horrifying! This unknown figure made people tremble with fear.

The eight masters at the Supernal Stage could not help but feel shocked as they looked at the figure approaching. They could not accept the fact that the figure which was only of the fifth grade at the Supernal Stage was unhurt after their attack. They could not figure out how the figure survived the attack of eight masters at the Supernal Stage.

Of course, Alston had an enraged look on his face. He did not know how Rocky resisted the spiritual martial arts of the eight masters at the Supernal Stage when he was just a master of the fifth grade at the Supernal Stage.

"Grandpa, this man just fought against eight masters, but nothing happened to him. Is that even possible? How can that be?" Shirley was also surprised by Rocky's strength and momentum.

"It's impossible, unless he..." Bryant trailed off. He was quiet for a moment as if he were trying to figure something out.

"Come now, all of you! There is only one road for the likes of you and that road goes straight into hell!" Rocky said in a low and deep voice. He was like an envoy from hell. He looked at the eight masters with hateful eyes as if he was really committed to claim their lives.

The eight masters at the Supernal Stage were furious when they heard Rocky's words. They believed that Rocky was far too arrogant and did not take them seriously at all. A sixth-grade Supernal Stage master shouted and attacked Rocky head-on.

However, just when the sixth-grade Supernal Stage master rushed in front of Rocky, he suddenly noticed the wickedness in Rocky's eyes which made him tremble all over.

"Take this Hellfire Explosion!" The master exerted his spiritual martial arts with all of his strength. Suddenly, a strong flame burst out from Rocky's feet and surrounded him in an instant.

However, to the master's surprise, Rocky swiftly waved his saber without even blinking his eyes. A massive black Moon Blade came out to directly cut off the flame that spurted out from the ground just now. Then, the Moon Blade went straight to the master.

When he realized that the situation was unfavorable for him, the master was ready to fight back with all his strength, but Rocky had suddenly disappeared.

"It's a pity you're too slow." Rocky's figure had appeared behind the master and whispered in the master's ear. With a wave of his Flaming Blade, Rocky sliced the back of the master using an explosion of fireworks.

The master flew out in midair screaming in agony. His back was completely charred, and black smoke rose from the wound. He landed on the ground with a thud and he never got up again.

When the remaining seven masters at the Supernal Stage saw that Rocky had defeated another master so easily, their faces darkened with worry. They looked at each other and then rushed forward together. They did not want to give Rocky any chance to break through each one of them.

"Alston, my brother, please accept my second gift for you." Rocky suddenly opened his eyes widely and let his gaze shoot directly at Alston. In an instant, an aura burst out and affected the area. It seemed like the aura was powerful that it could even cut through the sky.

Rocky's aura, which had originally been at the fifth grade at the Supernal Stage, increased at an astonishing speed.

Sixth grade, seventh grade... Eighth grade...

Ninth grade!

It reached the top grade of the power at the Supernal Stage!

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Rocky's strength quickly reached the top grade. His left arm suddenly roared into massive flames. Then, he rushed directly to the seven masters at the Supernal Stage as he waved the Frozen Wind Dagger.

At the same time, Robin and Ken also rushed forward beside Rocky.

Finally, an extremely fierce battle commenced. The entire area was like a slaughter scene, causing everyone to widen their eyes and look extremely stunned at what was happening.

About half an hour later, all the seven spirit-manipulated beasts fell to the ground. All of them were slowly dying. Their bodies were covered with blood and bruises, but Robin and Ken were completely unharmed.

After the battle with Rocky, four of the seven masters at the Supernal Stage were completely knocked down. Meanwhile, the three remaining masters who were all at the premium grade were still alive, but they were staring at Rocky with fear.

Everyone was also terrified at what had happened. They felt that they had seen an evil devil because Rocky seemed to be completely invincible. They never thought that it would be possible for Rocky, with the strength of the top grade at the Supernal Stage, to fight and win against seven masters at the same stage. It was hard to imagine that this was something that a top master at the Supernal Stage could do, even a peerless master at the Divine Stage might not be able to do that.

After witnessing Rocky's strength, Alston's eyes widened in shock. He had never expected that Rocky's strength could be improved to such a great level in only one year.

"Your Majesty, what shall we do? Do you want us to fight?" At this moment, the two masters at the Divine Stage, who had not fought for a long time, noticed the severity of the situation, and immediately looked at Alston.

"There's no need for that. I can do it myself. He has reached his limit," Alston calmly said. With that, he flew off the platform and faced Rocky.

"Are you really going to fight by yourself?" Rocky asked teasingly when he realized what Alston was doing.

"I will let you know what humiliation is!" As Alston spoke, he immediately gathered his spiritual power and shook his body. The next moment, a long dragon-shaped spear immediately flew out of his Magic Spiritual Space and landed on his hand.

As soon as the dragon-shaped spear appeared, everybody burst into commotion. They knew that the dragon-shaped spear was a rare Spiritual Weapon, and it was actually the Thunder Dragon Spear that Alston used when he fought with Rocky before.

In the entire Holy Dragon Empire, only a few spirit manipulators had Spiritual Weapons, so it was rare to see two spirit manipulators holding their respective Spiritual Weapons at the same time fighting against each other!

 

 

Alston's aura increased in an instant. His strong spiritual power turned into mighty waves that swept through the air and circled around his body. In the blink of an eye, he had reached the peak of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage.

Everyone present was impressed at Alston's sudden increase in strength. Six months ago, his strength was just at the fourth grade of the Supernal Stage, and now his strength was close to the Divine Stage.

"It looks like you have cultivated intensely in recent months," Rocky said.

"Go to hell!" Alston shouted. His eyes were filled with anger as he waved the Thunder Dragon Spear in his hand. It turned into a hundred spear shadows and attacked Rocky at once.

Rocky wielded his Flaming Blade of the Frozen Wind Dagger and in a flash, the flame dragons rushed towards his opponent.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two mighty spiritual powers collided in mid-air. The impact released fiery sparks that drizzled onto the ground. Rocky and Alston stepped forward at the same time and dashed towards each other. As the two Spiritual Weapons smashed with each other, violent spiritual lights raced out and flashed into the sky like angry bolts of lightning.

The fierce fight between Rocky and Alston revealed that they were equal in strength and this infuriated Alston. He had made several breakthroughs, and he could not believe that Rocky could still fight him with ease. He swung his spear and took a few steps backward. At once, the powerful aura that had enveloped his body swelled and radiated with intense energy. Alston's aura had broken through to the Divine Stage.

The surrounding people were astonished. No one expected that Alston would reach the Divine Stage that fast.

Even Bryant and Shirley were amazed by what they saw.

"I did not expect Alston's strength to advance rapidly," Bryant said. He was surprised and at the same time suspicious of what just happened in front of them.

"You are no match for me!" Alston sneered at Rocky. His face was red with anger and hatred. He believed that Rocky could never be his match. Not in the past. Not now or ever. For the past six months, he had gone to the territory of the Dragon Master Clan to advance his strength. He did everything, no matter what the cost, just to become the most powerful emperor. He wanted people to fear him and bow to him in surrender.

Before long, Alston, who just broke through to the Divine Stage, turned into a light shadow. The spiritual light that had shrouded his entire body soared, and the Thunder Dragon Spear in his hand turned into a long, deadly spear. With full force, it charged towards Rocky.

This filled the people with suspense. Everyone feared that Rocky could not withstand the savage attack. After all, the strength at the peak of the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage was only one step away from the Divine Stage. However, there was a huge difference between them.

With an explosive noise, Alston's spear plunged into the ground. The earth trembled violently and a strong magnetic force wrapped itself around Rocky.

This caused people to panic. They tried to leave the place quickly, terrified of being involved. People from the crowd whispered among themselves as they walked out of the place. They still could not believe Alston's display of strength and power. They were also worried about Rocky.

Sabina, who just defeated most of the spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage, looked distressed.

"Is he dead?" Shirley asked as she tried to search for Rocky through the dust that had filled the air.

Just as Shirley expressed her concern, a fierce Evil Flame turned into a beam of light and razed down from the sky.

This took everyone by surprise. They looked carefully and saw that the Evil Flame was released by Rocky. It was a violent attack from Alston, and yet he stood there, completely unharmed.

"You have reached the Divine Stage? I underestimated you. It looks like you have received a lot of help from the spiritual race." surrounded by the Evil Flame, Rocky remarked with a faint smile. But soon enough, the Evil Flame on his body changed its color and grew thicker. Like a vast and horrifying darkness, the flame turned black and evil.

The people had not recovered from their shock when they saw the amazing change on Rocky's body. The Dragon Spirit Mark that had marked his body swelled and spread all over his body. It was like a giant symbol that planted itself on Rocky's physique.

Everyone watched as the wild flames behind Rocky formed into a hazy black shadow. Then it soon turned into a demonic beast that radiated evil and darkness.

Rocky opened his eyes, and it was filled with intense power. His aura which had been at the ninth grade of the Supernal Stage soared up and instantly broke through to the Divine Stage.

"The Divine Stage? He also broke through to the Divine Stage!" everyone present exclaimed in disbelief.

Then something unexpected happened. After Rocky broke through to the Divine Stage, his aura continued to increase, as if the power in his body was without end.

The truth is, Rocky had been using the Holy Spirit Panacea for the last six months. It was given to him by the beauty of the spiritual race and it had the power to fuse the evil power of the Holy Dragon Bead in his body, endlessly. Four months ago, he had fused power sealed in the fourth layer, and he then released the power sealed in the fifth layer. It would take him four month to fuse the power of the fifth layer, so now he almost finished the fusion. Because of this, his real strength had already surpassed the Divine Stage.

At that moment, no one was more surprised than Alston.

"How is that possible? How did he become stronger than me?" Alston could not believe his eyes. He was so affected that the torment was written across his face.

"Alston, it's time that we settle the grudge between us," Rocky said seriously. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

"Your Majesty, allow us to challenge him!" Two peerless masters at the Divine Stage saw that the situation was unfavorable, so they quickly approached Alston.

After a moment of hesitation, Alston restrained his aura and stepped backward.

Disgusted, people from the crowd booed and poked fun at Alston. They did not expect him to back down from the fight.

The two peerless masters at the Divine Stage exchanged glances with each other and then stood bravely in front of Rocky.

Rocky checked out the two peerless masters at the Divine Stage. Both of them were at the primary grade.

"How dare you to defy the acting emperor in public? You have committed a heinous crime. I advise you to surrender as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will have you arrested and you will surely suffer!" one of the peerless masters shouted at Rocky.

"We will fight, if that's what you want. Stop talking nonsense!" Rocky snorted.

The two peerless masters at the Divine Stage looked at each other and summoned their own spirit-manipulated beasts. Both of them were at the top-level of the fifth grade of the five-star level.

By this time, Robin and Ken had returned to Rocky.

It was another battle, and this time Rocky's opponents were two peerless masters at the Divine Stage. At a glance, it looked like Rocky had no chance of winning.

"Two against one. You two are cowards! How about I fight with you?" A mysterious voice was heard out of nowhere.

 

 

As soon as the crowd heard the voice, they all turned their heads and saw three beautiful figures coming towards them. One was walking in front, while two more ladies were flanking the first one from behind. The leading figure's aura was very rare in the Holy Dragon Empire, and she looked as gorgeous and delicate as a violet.

In the next breath, the crowd burst into an uproar, as they recognized the figure that appeared. It was none other than Marcia, one of the Three Great Generals in the Holy Dragon Empire, whose influence was only second to Bryant.

At the same time, the two women behind Marcia also attracted the attention of all the people present. One was coquettish and charming, and she was like a rose covered in prickly thorns. On the other hand, the one beside her appeared gentle and self-confident, and it was evident from the way she carried herself that she came from a prestigious family.

"Isn't she the eldest daughter of the Lan Clan?"

"But what about the other one? Who is she? I haven't seen her before. She is so beautiful!"

"Yes, she is almost as beautiful as the daughter of the Lan Clan. But of course, she is a little inferior to General Marcia."

In an instant, the audience was up in arms because of the three women's appearance.

Meanwhile, Alston's face darkened when Marcia showed up at the critical moment, as he knew that she would throw another wrench in his plan.

When the two peerless masters at the Divine Stage saw her, they also looked a little concerned. They knew that even if the two of them worked together, they might not be able to defeat Marcia.

After all, Marcia was the strongest fighter in the Holy Dragon Empire, apart from Bryant and several royal founding members who had reached the level of the Immortal Stage.

Soon, the three women walked to join Rocky, and Sabina stopped attacking the others to stand with them. The four women stood together with Rocky at the same time, which immediately piqued the jealousy and envy of many men who were watching the scene unfold. They all thought that he was fortunate, for there were four beautiful women, including an extraordinary woman like Marcia that were on his side.

The fact that Marcia moved to Rocky's side meant that she was there to help him. The people could not help but discuss what that could mean, as Marcia dared to help Rocky in front of Alston. Only one thing could explain her behavior—Rocky was indeed Prince Basil!

"General Marcia, do you also want to join this miscreant and rebel against us? I cannot believe you are willing to help this person who had done something unforgivable! He wanted to hurt His Majesty. Will you condone his actions?" one of the two peerless masters at the Divine Stage asked Marcia with a serious look on his faces.

"I'm rebelling? Are you kidding me? This is Prince Basil. Didn't he just say that?" Marcia looked around and announced loudly to the public.

Hearing this, all the people present erupted into an uproar once again. Now, even Marcia had vouched for Rocky as Prince Basil, which meant that he was the real one. It seemed that Prince Basil had indeed come back to life from the dead!

The two peerless masters at the Divine Stage were confused when they heard Marcia's words.

"General Marcia, is he really Prince Basil?" Bryant promptly confirmed when he heard her words.

"Chief Bryant, all these other people are blind to the truth, but surely, you can see what is going on, right? You can see the power hidden within this guy," Marcia answered, as her beautiful eyes narrowed at Rocky.

"Is it the power of the Holy Dragon Bead?" Hearing this, Bryant frowned.

"General Marcia, do you have any evidence to prove that he is Basil? Mere words alone are meaningless. We need substantial evidence," Alston asked with gritted teeth. The circumstances were pushing him into a corner, and now, even Marcia was standing up for Rocky. In his opinion, even if Marcia claimed that Rocky was Basil, it was useless, as it would be just a baseless claim. With no physical evidence to speak of, nobody would believe them.

On the other hand, Marcia smiled sharply like a boa that scented its prey. She turned to Rocky and said, "Take out the jade token that the former emperor gave you!"

Rocky nodded and then pulled out the jade token from his pocket. It was the token that his father had asked Marcia to give to him, and it would be undeniable evidence that nobody could doubt.

"As you can see, this is the jade token passed down by the previous emperors, and it is also the symbol of the status of the emperor. The jade token in Prince Basil's hand was the one that the former emperor had asked me to give to him once I found him. And this jade token can also prove his identity. He is Prince Basil!" Marcia solemnly announced as she looked around the crowd.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the jade token in Rocky's hand. Many members of the royal family and ministers were familiar with this jade token because they had seen the former emperor wearing it all the time.

"This is indeed the jade token of the former emperor." After staring at it quietly for a few minutes, Bryant was satisfied and nodded his affirmation. He was now sure that Rocky was Prince Basil.

Alston was shocked when he saw Rocky take out the jade token, as he had not expected the emperor to hand that jade token over to Rocky. He soon remembered that the former emperor had said a "he" before he had killed him. Did it mean that the old emperor already knew at that time that Basil was not really dead?

With this thought in his mind, Alston's face became dark and sinister. He knew that everything he had done would be exposed soon, and he was desperate to stop that from happening.

Everyone heard Bryant confirm that the jade token was real, and all of them were sufficiently shocked, as this was another plot twist they had not guessed. Before the former emperor disappeared, it seemed that he had already passed down the jade token, which was a status symbol of the emperor, to Rocky. It meant that the former emperor had regarded Rocky as the heir to his position as the emperor. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given the jade token to Rocky.

"General Marcia, no one can prove whether that jade token is the one given to you by the former emperor. It only proves that you possibly have something to do with the former emperor's disappearance. I think you are just planning to rebel, and you will do anything to reign over this empire," Alston said doubtfully, for he would never let Marcia and Rocky succeed in foiling his well-made plan.

"Well, Alston, we'll see who's right and who's wrong soon!" Marcia sneered, and then announced, "From today on, the Rime Army Group and the Crimson Dragon Group will unconditionally support Prince Crimson, who is also known as Prince Basil, until he ascends to the throne."

Her announcement immediately caused an uproar among the crowd again, and exclamations sounded from all directions.

The Rime Army Group and the Crimson Dragon Group were both parts of the four major groups in the Holy Dragon Empire, and they guarded the critical borders of the empire. If the Rime Army Group and the Crimson Dragon Group were loyal to Prince Basil, then he could control the boundaries of the Holy Dragon Empire. That was to say, if he wanted to, he could make the perimeter of the empire as guarded or as weakened as he wished. Prince Basil was now in charge of the life and death of the Holy Dragon Empire!

"Do both the Rime Army Group and the Crimson Dragon Group want to rebel? Well, you can do whatever you want. The Holy Dragon Empire can live without you. I'll send my army to squash you traitors..." Alston laughed wildly with a sinister look on his face, acting as if he was unaffected. But he knew that once the Rime Army Group and the Crimson Dragon Group joined hands, he would be at a disadvantage unless he had the help of the Ximen Clan. However, he still had the support of the royal family and some big clans and forces, so he would never easily compromise.

 

 

"So does our Ji Clan." At this moment, a calm voice sounded from the entrance, attracting everyone's attention. And all the people were stunned to see that some people had just entered the square.

"Father!" Sabina exclaimed as soon as she saw who had just arrived.

They were the leaders of the Ji Clan, with Elvis in front of them.

"Elvis, what are you doing here? Aren't you forgetting that I have something you cherish?" Alston remarked insidiously, staring Elvis down, as his face darkened menacingly.

"Oh, Alston! I forgot to tell you that I prepared a gift for you before I came here." Rocky smiled as he spoke, a sharp cat-like smirk that predicted nothing well for his brother.

At this moment, a man appeared beside Alston and whispered a few words to him. The man seemed like he was in a hurry, and the more they spoke, the more Alston's face reddened in anger. At last, he finally had enough and kicked the man away, as he glared at Rocky hatefully. He was probably just finding out that they had rescued Flint from Wal City, and now, he had nothing more to use to threaten the Ji Clan.

"From now on, our Ji Clan will firmly support Prince Basil," Elvis announced in public.

Everyone present was shocked when they heard that even the Ji Clan was on Rocky's side.

"Our Lan Clan has also decided to support Prince Basil." Mia also decided to make her position clear. She was the first daughter of the Lan Clan, one of the major clans in the Holy Dragon Empire that controlled the economic lifeline of the Holy Dragon Empire.

After that, many representatives of the clans expressed their support for Prince Basil.

However, in the past six months, Alston had been drawing people over to his side through all kinds of methods. Therefore, even if Rocky had the support of the two legions and the big clans like the Ji Clan and the Lan Clan of the Holy Dragon Empire, the two of them were still evenly matched.

Besides, Alston had the support of the whole royal family, so the Ximen Clan's attitude was now the most crucial vote.

"It seems that we don't have enough support." Marcia's eyes narrowed, and she immediately looked at Bryant. 'If Bryant is willing to support Prince Basil, it will play a decisive role, ' Marcia thought.

Alston also came up to the same conclusion, and he was now staring at Bryant as well.

Seeing that Alston and Rocky were in a stalemate, Bryant hesitated to side with either of them. Even though he preferred to side with Prince Basil, he had to consider the relationship between the Ximen Clan and the royal family. As such, Bryant couldn't easily show his support for Prince Basil. Of course, he didn't want to side with Alston either.

Therefore, Bryant decided not to reveal his choice, and he decided that he would just wait first and see what would happen next.

As a result, the two sides, led by Alston and Rocky, remained in a stalemate.

At this moment, several bearers suddenly arrived, carrying a palanquin into the square. The bearers were spirit manipulators, while the palanquin was covered with a semitransparent curtain, so they could only see a delicate figure sitting inside.

It was not until the bearers were directly in front of the crowd that they put down the palanquin. Then, a delicate and pale hand reached out and lifted the curtain, and a stunning woman came out.

Many people present gasped in surprise when they laid eyes on the woman.

"Isn't she the most famous courtesan of the Fragrance House?"

"Yes. I wonder why she came here..."

"Did the chief of the Ximen Clan invite her here to entertain the guests?"

For a moment, the whole square was in an uproar because of the woman's sudden appearance.

"Why is Laney here?" Rocky immediately looked at Marcia when he saw Laney.

Marcia shook her head and shrugged, indicating that this wasn't part of her plan either.

"I don't think it's a bad thing that she's here," Lucilla interjected quietly.

"I'm Laney. I'm sure many of you already know me. But today, I'm not here as the most famous courtesan of the Fragrance House, but as the special envoy of the Timber Deity Empire," Laney said, exposing her identity with no hesitation.

"Special envoy of the Timber Deity Empire?" Hearing this, all the people present were even more surprised.

"This is an imperial edict from the Timber Deity Empire. It carries the order issued by the new emperor, who has just inherited the throne. I'll read it in public now," Laney stated as she took out an imperial edict made of superior materials from her sleeve. She began reading in a clear and sweet voice, "Alston, the current acting emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire, listen carefully. You should abdicate within three days. If you don't, I will send one hundred thousand troops of the Timber Deity Empire to the Gehenna Border, and we will launch an attack in three days. I also want to tell the Holy Dragon Empire that if Prince Basil ascends the throne, the Timber Deity Empire is willing to ally with the Holy Dragon Empire, and we will be on friendly terms in return for Prince Basil's saving my life!"

After Laney finished reading, the whole square fell into a deathly silence again. Everyone could understand what the imperial edict meant. However, none of them expected that even the new emperor of the Timber Deity Empire also supported Prince Basil. Moreover, if Alston didn't abdicate within three days, they were ready to attack the Holy Dragon Empire again!

However, the most terrible thing about it was that the Crimson Dragon Group that guarded the Gehenna Border was now under the control of Prince Basil. If Prince Basil wanted to deal with Alston, he would not have to do it himself. He could allow the troops of the Timber Deity Empire to enter the Holy Dragon Empire, and Alston would definitely become the target of public criticism. On the other hand, if Prince Basil ascended the throne, the Holy Dragon Empire would not be attacked. Instead, they could ally with the Timber Deity Empire, their most powerful enemy in the Wild Spirit Land.

Alston's eyes widened, and the expression on his face changed drastically.

"Woods has already inherited the throne?" Rocky was a little surprised himself. He didn't expect that Woods would become the emperor so soon. It was fortunate, though, as Woods' offer of help was quite timely. In this way, he had the support of many forces. And soon, even Alston, who had the help of the royal family, could momentarily lose all of his support. Moreover, if Alston clung to his position as the emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire like a useless barnacle, he would be perceived negatively by the citizens of the Holy Dragon Empire.

"Alston, you've messed up the Holy Dragon Empire for half a year. If you keep doing this, you will bring ruin upon the Holy Dragon Empire! If you still have a conscience left in you, you'd better abdicate!" Marcia stated coldly.

"Ha-ha! You want me to abdicate? No way! I will never let you succeed. You are all traitors who want to rebel." Alston suddenly started laughing, looking more and more unhinged as he did.

Meanwhile, everyone looked at him in resignation and shook their heads in dismay, as it seemed that he had finally gone lost his marbles.

 

 

"Let's wait and see!" Alston was aware that the current situation was not favorable for him. With two major armies of the Holy Dragon Empire at his beck and call, not to mention the Timber Deity Empire's influence, Rocky currently had the upper hand. However, Alston was still the Holy Dragon Empire's acting emperor, so as long as he sat on the throne, his brother would never dare to hurt him. Otherwise, he would be an enemy of the whole royal family. With nothing more that he could do, Alston shot Rocky a cold stare and waved his hand, instructing the remnants of his men to leave with him dejectedly.

Honestly, Rocky had no intention of letting his brother leave that easily, as he believed that if he set the "tiger" free, it would bring endless troubles for him. However, Rocky then noticed Marcia shook her head at him discreetly, so he could not help but sigh in frustration. He understood that they could not kill Alston right there and right then. Besides, Alston was still the acting emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire. If they killed him, they would be accused of treason.

Despite his unwillingness, Rocky stood still as Alston left with his men.

In this way, a dramatic and thrilling farce ended with Alston leaving, but at the same time, it detonated a bomb inside Alston's head when he saw that Basil was still alive, not to mention the power and support he had managed to collect. That day was a landslide victory for Basil.

Alston was not the only one who was shocked. Everyone who witnessed the developments of the whole farce was shaken to the core, though they tried not to show it on their faces.

"Your Royal Highness and General Marcia, can I have a private talk with both of you?" Bryant asked the moment Alston and his men left. The general was anxious to learn the truth about what was happening. And he hated that he had been kept in the dark for so long.

Rocky and Marcia exchanged looks before nodding as one.

Then, Bryant and Shirley left first with Rocky and Marcia.

On the other hand, a young man hurriedly came out of the crowd and approached Sabina and her father.

"Father! Sabina!" he called, and his head was almost buzzing with excitement.

"Oh, my goodness! My dear son!"

"Flint!"

As soon as they heard his voice, both Elvis and Sabina hurried to his side.

"Flint, is everything okay? Are you hurt?" Elvis asked worriedly, looking at his son from head to toe as if he was checking for any injuries.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Please don't worry about me, Father. But was that man really Prince Basil? He was the man who received training with me back then!" Flint could not even believe it, and stared at Rocky's retreating back in astonishment.

Meanwhile, Rocky and Marcia followed Bryant and Shirley to the conference hall, where they all sat down. Bryant asked Rocky to narrate what happened from the beginning. Soon, Rocky recounted the crucial parts in short.

During all that time, Bryant felt like he was dreaming, as all the things that Rocky told them were beyond his imagination. But it was too outrageous to be made up, so he believed that Rocky was telling the truth.

"You mean it was Alston who set you up and tried to kill you?" Bryant couldn't believe that Alston could be so cruel. He knew that the prince could be aggressive and ambitious, but he had thought that he would have had some limits to his ruthlessness. It turned out that he was wrong—Alston's cruelty seemed limitless.

"I didn't expect him to be so despicable." Shirley could not help but frown after listening to Rocky's story, and her eyes lingered on Rocky secretly. Truthfully, she was still confused about some things, like how Rocky and Prince Basil were the same person. Besides, it was hard to believe that he had undergone such a drastic change in just two years, and now he was a peerless master at the Divine Stage.

"What he did is more than that. According to our investigation, he is also the one behind the emperor's disappearance," Marcia said bluntly.

"That is a very serious accusation. Do you have any evidence?" Bryant's thick, white eyebrows raised abruptly.

"Not yet," Marcia answered, shaking her head. "But we will," she continued as her eyes burned with determination.

"Such a verbal statement will be useless, as Alston will undoubtedly find excuses to deny it. You need substantial evidence to back up your claim. So, what's your following plan?" Bryant asked straightforwardly.

"Basil's identity has already been revealed, and he has received the support of a lot of forces. I think it's time to propose an objection to the Emergency Chamber. We will ask them to remove Alston from the position of acting emperor. After that, we will recommend Basil to the throne," Marcia replied.

"In ordinary circumstances, that will be the right way to go. But I believe that Alston won't wait for you to throw him off his seat. He will do anything to resist your efforts." Bryant stroked his beard thoughtfully. Basil was the biggest threat to Alston right now, so as long as the latter was still the acting emperor, he would surely try his best to kill Basil.

"No matter what he is going to do, we're well prepared to hit back. To be honest with you, I'm going to get in touch with the royal elders soon, and I'm confident that we can win them over. All the problems will be solved as soon as Basil sits on the throne, and only then can the Holy Dragon Empire be drawn back on the right tracks," Marcia said firmly.

"I see. Knowing that General Marcia has a well-thought-out plan in mind puts my heart to rest. I shall wait for your good news then," Bryant finally said.

"Chief Bryant, it would be better if we can get the support of your clan," Rocky added.

"I'm sorry, but at this time, the Ximen Clan will not support either side. I am afraid that I cannot believe Alston or you before the truth of the whole matter is found out." Bryant was indeed a cunning old fox. He would not risk putting the Ximen Clan into an unknown situation, especially when it was enough to decide the future of the Holy Dragon Empire. He would consider first, and take sides only when everything was clear to him.

"You make a good point, Chief Bryant. We came here with no other purpose but to expose Alston's true face. We understand if the Ximen Clan doesn't want to get involved, and we won't force you to do anything," Rocky said sensibly with a nod.

"But Miss Shirley just said she was going to marry me, and quite a lot of people have heard that. Chief Bryant, what are you going to do with that?" Rocky said shrewdly.

Shirley blushed and piped in, "It was just an excuse! It didn't count. We thought that you were dead!"

"And Miss Shirley, you've accepted my gifts. Are you going to break your words?" Rocky asked again.

"I'll return all of them to you. Stop kidding!" Shirley complained, pouting cutely.

"No, you don't have to. I was just kidding. You can keep those gifts and consider them as the compensation for I breaking off our engagement back then." Rocky had never intended to take back the things he had sent away anyway.

"Chief Bryant, if there is nothing else, we won't disturb you anymore. We have to say goodbye now, as we still have a lot of things to deal with."

After these words, Marcia and Rocky stood up and bowed at Bryant before walking out of the hall.

Shirley watched until they were out of her eyesight. "Grandpa, Prince Basil is much more reliable than before. Don't you really plan to support him?"

"Didn't you hate him before? Why are you suddenly speaking for him?" Bryant curiously asked as he narrowed his gaze at Shirley.

"That was in the past. I don't hate him now." Shirley was blushing again.

"Alston has the support of the whole royal family behind him. And even though two large army groups are backing Basil, unless the royal family recognizes him, Alston still has a considerable advantage over him. I believe there will be a fierce battle that is waiting ahead for Prince Basil, and maybe the entire royal family will stand against him," Bryant conjectured, looking away at the distance.

"If he gets our support, will he get a better chance to win? I'm just curious," Shirley asked after thinking for a while.

"That's exactly why I didn't give my promise to help him in the first place. I want to see if he really has the ability to inherit the throne," Bryant said meaningfully.

 

 

In the hall of the Witch Palace in Holy Dragon Empire's Palace City, a conversation was unfolding.

"Excuse me? Can you repeat that please? I think I misheard you." Lena's eyes were wide with disbelief after the shocking news she just received. Her face was thin and pallid, which showed that she had not slept well for days. In front of her was a woman clothed in white.

"Just as Your Royal Highness heard, Prince Basil is still alive. General Marcia sent me here to invite you to her mansion. Prince Basil is waiting for you there," the woman in white said respectfully.

"Basil is waiting for me? What does he look like now? Is he really still alive? Oh, please don't play such a cruel joke on me!" Lena's body trembled weakly, and she could not utter another word. Part of her wanted to believe the news desperately, but how could she? It was impossible! This kind of thing only happened in her dreams. However, she also knew that Marcia wouldn't lie to her. It seemed that her dreams had finally come true today, but it was taking her too long to believe it.

"Your Royal Highness, please hurry up. We don't have much time. If you will it, I can bring you to Prince Basil. But we need to leave the Palace City as soon as possible, before the acting emperor comes back," the woman in white urged.

"Okay, I'll go with you. Please wait for a moment. Randi, please go outside and keep watch for me. I need to go and grab something before leaving," Lena instructed.

Randi nodded at once and promptly walked out of the Witch Palace.

At the same time, Lena carefully turned around and closed the door behind her. Then she walked to a corner, hidden by a massive cabinet. She waved her hand, making a sweeping gesture over the empty wall. Immediately, the entire wall caved in, which revealed a passage for one person.

Lena hurriedly walked along the passage and soon got to a secret chamber filled with all kinds of ancient books.

She went straight to a stone table in the center of the chamber, where a thick book entitled 'The Witch's Book' was placed. Lena swept her hand over it and put the book into her Magic Spiritual Space. Then, without another glance at the other books, she turned around and left the chamber.

However, Lena found something unexpected just as she came back to the hall. The white-robed woman that Marcia had sent was lying in a pool of blood, while Randi who stood a couple of meters away was shaking slightly, and her face was white as a newly bleached sheet. There was another person in the hall, and he was standing right by the woman's dead body.

"What do you think you're doing? Why did you kill her?!" Lena shouted furiously, staring at the scene in front of her.

The man slowly turned around, and something cold and sinister emanated from him when Lena laid eyes on his wrinkled face. He was Priest Dean of the Holy Dragon Empire.

"Your Royal Highness, why are you in such a hurry? Are you going somewhere?" Priest Dean asked in a calm and gloomy tone.

"It's none of your business. What are you doing in my palace?" Lena questioned with a deep frown on her face. Meanwhile, she glanced at the woman, whose white clothes were now stained with so much blood. She wanted to check on her, but she needed all her wits to deal with Priest Dean first.

"Oh, I believe that you've learned the news that Basil is still alive. Let me guess. You're going to see him, right? I didn't expect that guy to be so lucky!" Priest Dean said viciously.

"What are you talking about?" Lena asked in surprise. The news of Basil's return shouldn't have spread back to the Palace City that fast. Something was wrong.

"Oh, maybe Randi can tell you," Priest Dean sneered and turned to Randi, who was trembling all over out of fear. "You did a good job. Here you are. It will relieve you from the poison inside your body." Saying this, he took out a pill and threw it to Randi, who scrambled after it at once.

"Randi! What did you do?" Lena shouted feebly. She couldn't believe that Randi, who had been close to her since childhood, betrayed her.

On the other hand, Randi was also looking back at Lena. Her eyes seemed to be begging her to understand, while she kept whispering, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"People will do whatever they can when death is knocking on their door. Honestly, I've prepared for this day for a long time now, so don't blame her. She's just a pawn in this game of chess. I poisoned her and made her listen to me, so you can say that she was just doing her job," Priest Dean said in a despicable tone.

"There is a special place in hell for people like you!" Lena hissed angrily.

"A strong army is outside, blockading this palace. I'm afraid Your Royal Highness has to stay inside from this moment." A sinister smile played on Priest Dean's thin lips.

"Do you think those people outside can stop me?" Lena snorted.

"I know Your Royal Highness has the strength to get out, but don't forget that you are not a spirit manipulator. Although you are born with great power, you will lose your life if you overuse it. I'm afraid you may be able to leave the hall, but you don't have the strength to meet the man you always want to see. Please think about it. What will Prince Basil do if he learns that you are risking your life? He would be heartbroken!" It was like Priest Dean had read Lena's mind, and she could do nothing against him. He just looked at her coldly, aware that he had successfully backed her into a corner.

On the other hand, Lena heaved a sigh and buried her face in her hands.

She couldn't do anything because Priest Dean was right. Even though she was the Witch who had some innate power, it had a price. She could not overdraw this power, or she would lose her life. That was the reason why almost all previous Witches died at an early age even from ancient times.

"You can't imprison me for long. Basil will surely come and rescue me from here. I promise you, he will do it, just as he did in the past!" Lena said firmly. She believed that if Basil knew that she was trapped, he would undoubtedly come to save her.

"Maybe he will repeat the same mistake as before and die without a burial place! I'm looking forward to it!" Priest Dean answered with a sneer and turned away.

On the other side, after Rocky and Marcia joined Sabina and the others, they went back to Marcia's mansion to discuss what they should do next.

Now, Rocky's identity had already been revealed, and the Ximen Clan had already declared that they would not participate in the fight between Rocky and Alston. Therefore, judging from their resources, Alston, who had the support of the royal family, did not have any advantage over Rocky, as he had the loyalty of the two major armies and two large clans of the Holy Dragon Empire.

Alston would undoubtedly do anything necessary to get rid of Rocky, which would cause a river of blood to be shed. Therefore, the test that was coming their way would be crueler than ever before.

All the people gathered in the conference hall of Marcia's mansion, and the atmosphere was solemn and quiet. However, it was only the calm before the storm, and no one knew what would happen next.

"Master, what should we do next?" Sabina asked.

"Now, I'm going to the Dragon Valley to visit the elders of the Emergency Chamber. I'll give a detailed explanation of the situation to them. If I can persuade them to join us, things will be simplified, as they are authorized to discharge Alston from the throne. And when Alston is no longer the acting emperor, he will lose the support of the entire royal family. And by that time, everything will be in our hands," Marcia boldly explained.

"I'm afraid they will refuse to believe a one-sided statement," Elvis said worriedly.

"This is our only hope. Anyway, we have to try first before we give up. If it doesn't work, we will have to fight against the entire royal family. That won't be easy, but if we have to, then we will." Marcia heaved a sigh. She had already made up her mind, but she didn't want things to go that far. Once they became enemies of the royal family, it would affect the entire Holy Dragon Empire. In the end, the empire would bear huge loss if the two major forces started to fight.

"Can I ask a question? Where is Lena now? She should be here now, but I have not heard anything from her," Rocky cut in suddenly. He had a bad feeling that she was in danger. Although Marcia had told him before that he did not need to worry about Lena, he could not help but feel that something was wrong. He couldn't explain it, but he could feel it in his guts.

 

 

"Before going to the Ximen Mansion, I sent people to pick up Lena from Palace City. If everything goes well, you will be reunited with her soon," Marcia said.

It was only after hearing this that Rocky breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest worry now was Lena's safety. After all, Alston was a truly despicable man. Now that he knew that Rocky was still alive, he would definitely use any means possible to kill Rocky, including using Lena as bait.

"I'm leaving now," Marcia added. Then, she nodded at everyone and left the hall.

Following her departure, the entire hall went quiet, and a sense of anxiety loomed over all of them.

After a while, Rocky noticed Flint staring at him strangely. Unable to ignore it any longer, he turned to Flint and said, "Hey, dude, you've been staring at me this whole time. Did you fall in love with me because I saved you?"

Flint, who was drinking tea, spat out the tea in his mouth and coughed violently. The people in the hall could not help bursting out into laughter, which finally eased the serious atmosphere.

"Flint, just ignore him! Nothing decent comes out of his mouth," Sabina grumbled.

"I still don't believe that you are the Basil whom I knew years ago," Flint said coldly after a moment of silence.

"I'm not the Basil I used to be. That Basil died a long time ago." Rocky's eyes darkened.

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged knowing glances. They had already guessed that Rocky must have overcome a lot after leaving the Palace City. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to survive, let alone become as strong as he was now.

"I can't even connect you with the Basil I used to know. You've changed a lot. When I received General Marcia's order to go to Wal City to support you, I didn't even recognize you at first. I didn't expect you to be Prince Basil," said Mia, who had been silent so far.

Everyone's gaze once again turned to Rocky, this time tinted with a hint of serious respect.

A while later, Marcia walked into the hall again, returning from the Dragon Valley. However, there was a solemn expression on her face.

"What's happening?" Rocky asked her at once.

"The elders are all cultivating in seclusion. They won't come out until three days later," Marcia replied with a frown.

"Three days? But anything could happen within three days." Elvis frowned, shaking his head.

"It seems that we have to be the enemies of the whole royal family. We don't have a choice. Even if we don't take action, Alston definitely will," Sabina said as she clenched her fists.

"How about this? I can send Laney to ask Master Lucas to send us some masters from the Cao Clan for support. Besides, the new emperor of the Timber Deity Empire is also on Basil's side. Maybe they can help," Lucilla suggested immediately.

"Although they support Basil, this is the business of the Holy Dragon Empire, so we can't ask people from another country to help. Besides, it will take them at least three days to get here anyway. By then, everything may have been settled," Marcia replied, squinting her eyes in thought.

Upon hearing this, Lucilla turned to Rocky for his opinion.

"General Marcia is right. Don't bother Woods and the Cao Clan," Rocky said as he nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, something occurred to Marcia and she looked around in a hurry. "Hasn't Lena come back yet?" she asked worriedly.

"No." Rocky shook his head and pressed his lips into a thin line.

"It's been too long. Do you think something went wrong?" Marcia frowned.

As if on cue, a man with bloodstained clothes suddenly staggered into the hall. Half-kneeling in front of Marcia, he panted and said in a hurry, "Everyone who was sent to fetch Her Royal Highness from the Palace City has been discovered. I am the only one who managed to escape."

"What about Lena?" Rocky asked in shock.

"She has been imprisoned in the Witch Palace. Now, the entire palace is being guarded by a large number of troops."

"I have to save her," Rocky said resolutely, clenching his fists.

"She's safe for the time being. We have to come up with a plan first," Marcia said seriously.

"No," Rocky growled. "We have to save her as soon as possible. Now that she is in Alston's hands, he will definitely threaten me with her. He may even hurt her." Since Alston knew how important Lena was to Rocky, she was undoubtedly in grave danger.

"But Alston's goal is to kill you. For now, Lena is the biggest bargaining chip that he has, so he won't hurt her just yet," Sabina said, trying to calm Rocky down.

Mia nodded. "If we want to save her, we have to break into the Palace City by force. But even in normal times, the Palace City is well-guarded. If Alston has raised the security, even a fly wouldn't be able to get in." Having once served as the commander of the Palace City's guards, she knew the city's security better than anyone else.

"We will need a lot more people then. With the number of people we have now, we won't even be able to break the gate of the Palace City. However, the most troublesome thing is that if Alston mobilizes the elite power of the royal family, we won't be able to contend against him unless we can mobilize the elite power of the Rime Army Group and the Crimson Dragon Group, as well as the masters of the Ji Clan and the other clans," Elvis said thoughtfully.

This immediately put a damper on everyone's moods; they knew that Elvis was right.

Marcia was the first to resume her composure and nod in agreement. "Exactly. The Palace City is impregnable and is guarded by lots of masters. It's not easy to break in, so we must be fully prepared."

"But we don't have time. Alston is definitely going to battle me within three days. And this time, it's a fight to the death," Rocky said sternly.

"I'm afraid that he has already set up a trap and is just waiting for us to walk into it," Sabina chimed in.

"Since he wants to kill me anyway, I will trade my life for Lena's. I can't let her get hurt again," Rocky said resolutely with trembling fists.

However, Marcia shook her head. "You know how despicable Alston is. Even if you give your life, he may not let go of Lena in the end."

"It doesn't matter. We know that Alston will go all out to kill me. So, we can use that to our advantage. I'll keep him busy. What you need to do is to save Lena," Rocky said calmly. It seemed that he already had a plan in mind.

"Are you saying that you're going to be the bait?" Marcia immediately understood what Rocky meant.

"Get ready," Rocky said. Although he didn't answer Marcia's question, the look on his face was evident enough.

A grim atmosphere descended over the entire hall. Everyone knew how serious the situation had become.

Seeing that Rocky had made up his mind, Marcia didn't say anything more.

 

 

After everyone left to rest, Rocky immediately called Marcia and stopped her in her tracks.

"General Marcia, I need you to do me a favor. Let's go somewhere private so we can talk," Rocky straightforwardly said to Marcia.

Marcia directed him to her study. He then told his idea to her. After hearing what he said, she was utterly shocked that her mouth was wide open.

"No, absolutely not. I will not allow it! It's too dangerous!" Marcia exclaimed firmly as she shook her head in disapproval.

"If we want to distract Alston and all the elites of the whole royal family by myself, this is the only option," Rocky said with complete certainty and conviction.

"Wait, but..." Marcia hesitated. She was really unsure about Rocky's proposal.

"I'm stubborn and extremely willful, General Marcia. You know that very well by now. Even though you object to this idea, I will do whatever I think is right," Rocky added seriously and firmly. His eyes were full of passion and conviction.

"Why won't you take care of yourself just this once? You should know that the others and I always worry about you..." Marcia, a little bit angry, stared at Rocky.

"Lena is waiting for me! We cannot delay this anymore! I need your help!" Rocky stared intently at Marcia with an indescribable look in his eyes. He was turning more desperate by the hour.

"I will grant you this favor, I promise you. But if anything happens to you, I won't let you go even if you die," Marcia warned Rocky in a dark tone.

"Thank you very much. I really appreciate it." Rocky gently smiled and then left the study.

Just as Rocky expected, Alston sent a messenger the next day. He was summoning Rocky to the Palace City at noon the day after tomorrow. If Rocky rejected this order, he would lose his last chance to see Lena.

So, there was not much time left for Rocky and his companions to prepare.

Marcia tried her best to gather all forces that would give them an advantage. However, it was not going as smoothly as expected since they were running out of time. Some of the forces that had originally supported Basil were now indecisive especially when they heard that Marcia was going to fight against the royal family. This made Rocky's situation a lot worse.

On the other hand, as soon as Lance received the news from Marcia, he led some members of the Elite Regiment including Allen, as well as several powerful commanders of the Crimson Dragon Army to return to the Imperial City at once for support. Marcia also gathered a group of elites that were transferred from the Rime Army Group.

The Ji Clan, led by Elvis, summoned Sabina and other two spirit manipulators at the Supernal Stage, as well as some spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage. Besides that, Mia asked her own team of war dragons, which supported Rocky before, to get ready.

Meanwhile, Rocky was studying the topographic map of the whole Palace City repeatedly. He was making an astonishing operation plan that would exceed beyond Alston's expectation. When Rocky explained his operation plan to Marcia and his other companions, they were extremely overwhelmed.

"Basil, are you really sure you want to do this?" Marcia asked in a serious tone, her eyes locked on Rocky.

"With our current forces, we surely can't fight against the elite forces of the royal family and the thousands of guards in the Palace City. So, if we want to save Lena, we have to be creative and use some special tricks..." Rocky explained calmly.

"But nonetheless, I am still anxious about this operation. Can you really do it alone?" Lance asked worriedly.

Rocky faintly smiled. He must do everything he could even if he did not know what would actually happen. This was their only chance to save Lena.

"You must remember that you are now a father. Both Isis and Nigel need you. Leaving them is not an option anymore," Lance earnestly reminded Rocky.

Sabina and Lucilla gazed at Rocky worriedly. However, the battle was about to begin, and Rocky had already made up his mind, so they did not try to persuade him anymore. What they could do now was to fully support Rocky in his plan.

"I will try my best to distract Alston. The rest heavily depends on every single one of you. We must do this to save Lena!" Rocky encouraged them as he looked around the crowd.

Noon came and the scorching sun was shining right overhead.

Some dragon phantoms could be seen above the heavily guarded Palace City. Suddenly, a figure shrouded in clouds and colorful light flew straight to the Palace City.

A team of war dragons above the Witch Palace noticed the colorful light. They immediately reported it to Alston who was sitting on a golden throne in front of the Witch Palace.

"So, are you finally here?" Alston sneered and waved his hand at his men.

Many bowmen rushed out of the Witch Palace and assumed their positions. Countless bows and arrows were released like a huge wave, shooting at the figure that had already flown over the Witch Palace.

Of course, these ordinary arrows and bows were unable to block the figure, but the attack still slowed down the figure's speed somehow.

Then, more than a dozen dragon phantoms had aggressively surrounded the figure.

A fierce air battle began. A Black Moon Blade suddenly slashed out in the air with astonishing speed.

Not long after, several war dragons were sliced open and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

At that time, the remaining war dragons immediately dispersed upon hearing a clear peal of a bugle-note.

The colorful light also floated down. Just before it hit the ground, a figure jumped down from it and stared coldly at the Witch Palace which was guarded by a lot of soldiers.

In front of the Witch Palace, there were thousands of palace guards, all of whom were spirit manipulators at the Mortal Stage or the Earthly Stage. In addition to that, there were more than forty spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage, more than a dozen at the Supernal Stage, and seven peerless masters at the Divine Stage, including Elder Duke whom Rocky had met before. Most of the elite forces of the royal family had gathered there to face him. Rocky had met almost all of them, except for two elders who seemed to be the highly respected royal elders.

Of course, the royal family had many members who were not at the Witch Palace. Many royal elders of the royal family had led an isolated life. However, it was obvious that Alston had already formed an extremely powerful team.

"As the royal family of the Holy Dragon Empire, you do live up to the reputation. The elite power is so strong!" Rocky exclaimed calmly in front of the powerful team.

Alston, who was nonchalantly sitting on the throne, stared coldly at Rocky.

"I didn't expect that you would dare come here alone. I thought you were going to lead a large number of soldiers to break into the Imperial City. It seems that I have underestimated your courage." Of course, Alston knew that it was impossible for Rocky to come alone. However, he was still a little shocked that Rocky would come directly to the Witch Palace alone, while Marcia, Elvis and his other companions did not follow him at all. However, none of those mattered. The most important thing was that Rocky would soon be defeated and buried in front of the Witch Palace.

"I'm the one you want. Now that I am here completely alone, let Lena go!" Rocky exclaimed, shooting Alston a deadly glare.

 

 

"If I kill you, Lena will be set free," Alston told Rocky snidely, snorting condescendingly.

"Oh, really? That's good then. I'm glad to hear that." Rocky smiled and relaxed as if he had heard something soothing.

Of course, when Alston saw that Rocky was smiling happily, he went crazy. "Why are you smiling?! What is wrong with you?!"

"I am happy because I'm sure you won't hurt Lena, and you won't threaten me with her life. Of course, you don't need to do that," answered Rocky. The smirk was still in place on his lips, as if he was amused at Alston.

"Go and get him! Teach this guy a lesson," Alston angrily ordered when he saw that Rocky was still calm.

Soon, more than a thousand palace guards rushed to Rocky like a wave and surrounded him in an instant.

At the same time, in the wholly enclosed Witch Palace, Lena quietly lay on her bed. However, she heard the noise outside, so she immediately stood up and asked Randi whose face was full of guilt, "Is Basil here?"

Randi hesitated once, but in the end, she glanced through the window and nodded slightly. "I think so," she answered.

"I need to go out. I want to see Basil!" Lena's eyes widened in excitement when she found out that Rocky was there. It was hard to stem her desire to see Basil, so she immediately got up and walked out of the Witch Palace as if she were going to rush out by force.

But at this moment, a figure flashed and appeared in front of her.

"Your Royal Highness, His Majesty has said that you are not allowed to step out of the Witch Palace. If you insist, I will have to use force against you." It was Priest Dean.

"Get out of my way!" Lena scolded angrily.

"I understand that you are excited to meet Prince Basil. But if I were you, I wouldn't rush out recklessly, because it would only be a burden for Prince Basil," Priest Dean continued.

Lena knew that he was right. Even though she wanted to rush out at once, she could not do so impulsively, as she could end up distracting Basil from his fight. Since Basil was here to save her, she trusted that he could get her out of there. So, in the end, she decided to reserve her strength and quietly wait for him.

"Whatever you do, I will surely meet Basil again," Lena said firmly, staring at Priest Dean with a challenge in her eyes.

At that moment, Rocky was slowly pulling out the Frozen Wind Dagger, as he gazed at the thousands of palace guards surrounding him. His Frozen Wind Dagger turned into a ferocious Flaming Blade in an instant, and he said to the palace guards, "Get out of my way. I don't want to kill you. You are all just blinded by Alston, and I do not wish to waste your lives here. But if you continue to get in my way, don't blame me for having no mercy!"

As he spoke, he eyed them intensely with a smoldering look, while his face remained cold and emotionless. The guards were somewhat afraid of him, as they saw Rocky as a cold-blooded killer, and they treated him as if he could kill people just by looking at them.

"Attack him! If anyone can kill him, I will reward that person with tens of thousands of gold. And also I will promote that person!" Alston shouted.

It was evident that the thousands of palace guards couldn't resist the temptation of money and power, so they began to rush madly toward Rocky, like a rising tide with astonishing momentum.

In an instant, a dense crowd of people had surrounded Rocky from all sides. Countless long weapons, short blades, and spiritual martial arts came at him at the same time.

But he didn't even flinch, and his eyes remained as cold as a wild beast's. Without any hesitation, he waved the Flaming Blade with deadly precision. He had already given these people a chance to surrender, but unfortunately, they didn't know that they were just Alston's cannon fodder. Their existence was worthless, and they were nothing more than sacrificial lambs.

Of course, Rocky couldn't be softhearted. In this cruel world, only by personally experiencing pain would one know the fear of death!

The black Moon Blades shot out from the Flaming Blade and rushed into all directions. Wherever they passed, screams and shouts of people erupted, and blood splashed everywhere like rain.

A moment later, severed limbs littered the ground within ten meters around.

Rocky didn't do anything unnecessary, so most of them had been killed swiftly. He walked towards the Witch Palace step by step, as his skin shone brilliantly under the light of the sun, the crimson of the blood wetting his arms and cheeks.

Not long after, more than three hundred members of the palace guards had been killed or injured, and the rest had been frightened by Rocky. They were trembling with so much fear that they could not move, let alone get close to him.

Seeing that the opening fight had come to a stalemate, Alston waved his hand, and then the twenty masters at the Heavenly Stage immediately jumped up. They summoned their spirit-manipulated beasts and joined the battle.

However, their presence didn't seem to be a big deal to Rocky, as he barely even glanced at them. Instead, he gathered his spiritual power and immediately summoned Robin.

As soon as Robin appeared, it let out a bloodthirsty wolf's roar. In an instant, the more than twenty spirit-manipulated beasts at the three-star or four-star level felt Robin's momentum, and were overwhelmed by it. As a result, more than half of them ran away with their tails between their legs. The rest that stayed to fight could barely maintain their fighting power.

In the next breath, Robin rushed into the remaining more than ten spirit-manipulated beasts, and it waved its double claw ice blades as if it was cutting straws. Under the burning sunshine, it flashed a cold light like the god of death.

In less than thirty minutes, the remaining beasts were dead, injured, or bathing in the beasts' blood.

More than twenty spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage were also shocked when they saw that Robin could kill their spirit-manipulated beasts on its own.

Under Robin's cover, Rocky kept moving forward vigorously. Although there were more than twenty spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage, it was still difficult for them to hinder his steps.

At that moment, Rocky looked as if he was going to kill whoever he met!

"Go! Go! Go!" Seeing that more than twenty spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage were unable to stop Rocky, Alston turned to the rest of the spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage to fight against him.

After all the spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage gathered, they immediately divided themselves into two groups. Then they took turns using spiritual martial arts to bombard Rocky. Their only task was to consume Rocky's spiritual power as much as possible.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

These dozens of moves from the spiritual martial arts at the Heavenly Stage exploded wildly around Rocky. One after another, they attacked him in turns.

Faced with such a fierce attack, even the spirit manipulator at the Divine Stage would be burdened.

However, just after a few waves of attacks, a figure slowly walked out of the dust. The man's previous ordinary-looking clothes had now turned into the majestic Ghostly Ice Fox-wolf Armor, and he came to have two ferocious wolf heads on his shoulders. His chest protruded like wolf claws, while his lower body was like a dress made of nine foxtails. More than that, the most exaggerated thing about him was the fox-shaped helmet on his head. It covered his entire face, leaving only two narrow holes like a fox's eyes.

 

 

Simultaneously, the eyes inside the sockets suddenly narrowed, and they were emitting a cold and frightening bluish light. The figure who had just walked out of the dust turned into an ice shadow, and it rushed toward the spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage.

Although the spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage exerted their best spiritual martial arts skills to the best of their abilities, they could not prevent the ice shadow from moving forward. With the help of the Ghostly Ice Fox-wolf Armor, Rocky completely ignored the attacks of spiritual martial arts that came from all directions. He bulldozed through all of them like a tsunami, an unstoppable force. He had copied the Ghostly Ice Fox-wolf Armor from Robin, and it came with excellent defensive power. In addition to that, Rocky could also protect himself with his spiritual power, so the Heavenly Stage's spiritual martial arts could not touch him at all.

When Alston saw that the spirit manipulators were falling like flies, he could not sit still anymore. It became worse when he noticed that more than half of them were now dead or disabled, all thanks to Rocky!

"You there! Fight him," Alston commanded to the several masters, not taking his eyes off the ongoing battle.

Soon, five masters at the primary and middle grade of the Supernal Stage had appeared in front of Rocky. Almost at the same time, they all summoned their spirit-manipulated beasts, as they joined the group of masters at the Heavenly Stage to block Rocky's way.

When Rocky saw the five masters at the Supernal Stage and their spirit-manipulated beasts coming towards him, he didn't hesitate or even flinch. The only visible response he had was the flames on his left arm, as they increased in volume and numerous fire snakes flew out.

The five masters used their spiritual martial arts to resist this attack.

The next moment, the area around them was shrouded in dazzling flames and spiritual light, as strong explosions rang out one after another.

But not long after, a figure rushed out from the light works and headed for Alston.

"All of you people are worthless! So many of you cannot even stop him? Fight with all you've got, and stop him at all costs!" Alston was in a lot of pressure at that moment. He cursed in distress, and immediately signaled to the rest of the masters at the Supernal Stage to join the battle.

At once, the rest masters at the Supernal Stage did as he bid them. They were above the medium and premium grade, and five of them had fought in the competition for marriage held by the Ji Clan, so their formidable strength was not hard to imagine, especially when they joined hands.

Soon, more than a dozen masters at the Supernal Stage and their spirit-manipulated beasts above the fourth grade of the four-star level had trapped Rocky. Several dragon beasts flew through the air, working with the spirit-manipulated beasts on land to corner Rocky.

At that moment, Ken, who was previously floating in the air, descended from the sky. As soon as its feet touched the ground, its crystal deer horns immediately emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the surroundings.

As soon as this light erupted, all the spirit-manipulated beasts' pupils changed dramatically, and all of them went berserk at the same time. They lost control of their faculties, as they started attacking everything, including each other and themselves.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw, as not one of them had expected Ken to have such a terrifying ability. They had no idea that just a month ago, Ken had activated the guardian power at the third grade. As a result, it also strengthened its ability to control spirit-manipulated beasts through hallucination. Now, it could influence the minds of spirit-manipulated beasts within a specific range in a short period, causing them to go ballistic.

Without those spirit-manipulated beasts as his opponents, he could concentrate on fighting the masters at the Supernal Stage.

As soon as the aura around him increased, he began to attack the masters with all his might.

The fierce battle raged on.

Soon after, Rocky had wounded half of the masters, as they had a difficult time resisting Rocky's invincible attack.

When he saw this, Alston's face twitched in anger. More than one thousand palace guards, dozens of masters at the Heavenly Stage, and a dozen masters at the Supernal Stage had already joined hands, but they still couldn't hold Rocky for two hours. Moreover, he seemed to have an endless well of spiritual power, which made those masters at the Supernal Stage retreat.

During the fierce battle, three of the masters at the Supernal Stage died, while eight were gravely injured. The remaining four looked exhausted. All of them appeared like they had been traumatized, and they warily looked at Rocky as if he was some kind of monster.

"Your Majesty, I think it's time for the masters at the Divine Stage to battle him. If it goes on like this, there will be more casualties," Elder Duke whispered to Alston without taking his eyes from Rocky.

Alston nodded in agreement.

"Your Majesty, let me fight to stop more casualties." An elder of the royal family, who was one of the seven peerless masters at the Divine Stage, suddenly volunteered. This elder was the strongest among the seven masters, and he was already at the sixth grade of the Divine Stage.

This elder was already very powerful among royal family's members though he was not as powerful as those elders who had lived in seclusion, or those elders who helped found the empire.

"Elder Kerr, since you are willing to fight, that's great," Alston said sternly.

"But I hope you can tell me who he is after the battle. Why does he have to break into the Witch Palace alone?" Elder Kerr added. He didn't want to be fooled.

"Of course," Alston replied perfunctorily.

It turned out that after Alston returned to the Palace City, he had blocked the passage of information and didn't allow anyone to enter and come out of the Palace City. Therefore, no one in the Palace City knew that the person they were fighting was Prince Basil, who was not dead. If they knew, they would never agree to fight him, especially the royal elders like Elder Kerr.

After that, Elder Kerr stretched out his body, and in the next breath, he transformed into a shadow. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of the masters at the premium grade of the Supernal Stage. He waved his hands with a flourish and shouted, "All of you, step back!"

Upon hearing that, those masters immediately stopped their attacks and retreated to both sides.

"Although I don't know who you are and why you broke into the Palace City, I'm impressed that you can fight until this moment. However, this is the end for you. You can't fight against the royal family alone. If you surrender, maybe I can plead with the acting emperor for you and spare your life!" Elder Kerr persuaded earnestly.

"Oh. You are an elder of the royal family, aren't you?" Rocky could tell from Elder Kerr's tone and posture that he was an elder of the royal family.

"Yes, I am," Elder Kerr replied.

"Alston even sent an elder of the royal family to fight me. It seems that he has no other choice," Rocky said as he sneered.

"You are so powerful at your age. I think it's rare in the Holy Dragon Empire. It would be such a waste if you died here. So, why don't we stop this nonsense? You know that if all the masters at the Divine Stage join hands, you have no chance of winning. Of course, if I fight you, you will never have a chance to take another step forward," Elder Kerr stated proudly.

"Don't be too confident. I'm here to take away the Witch whatever it takes. Even if a strong master tries to stop me, he will not prevail, and neither will you. I will trample on anyone who gets in my way," Rocky declared with all his heart.

 

 

"Son, drop your arrogance! If you can withstand three attacks from me, I'll let you in!" Elder Kerr announced aggressively. He was obviously irritated by Rocky.

"As you wish, sir. Please don't break your words," Rocky said, curling his lips into a smirk.

"Being so conceited will do you no good," Elder Kerr warned, his eyes sparkling with the urge to teach Rocky a lesson. The next moment, a surge of strong spiritual power of the Divine Stage rushed out of his body and formed a cyclone around him.

Before everyone could realize what was happening, Elder Kerr had already flown towards Rocky and ended up right in front of him. His aura at the sixth grade of the Divine Stage instantly enveloped Rocky from head to toe.

"Wind ghost!" he shouted, extending his arms in front of him and holding his palms outward. The next moment, cold wind roared and spread out dozens of meters around him. Spiritual streams were dancing within it like ghost shadows, bringing along a strong malicious aura.

All the people gathered around, including the masters of the Supernal Stage, hurriedly retreated. They all knew that this attack launched by Kerr wouldn't tell enemy from friend, and would hurt anyone standing within its ring of encirclement.

Soon, only Elder Kerr and Rocky, who seemed to be completely suppressed by the power, remained on the spot.

Of course, it came as no surprise to Rocky that Elder Kerr was hard to deal with. Otherwise, the latter would not have reached the sixth grade of the Divine Stage. Due to the gap between their cultivation bases, it seemed that it would be impossible for Rocky to withstand this stroke, the very first attack that Elder Kerr launched.

The ghost-like spiritual currents pounced on Rocky from all directions, moving as fast as lightning.

A moment later, there was a spiritual explosion that resounded through the air, making the earth tremble.

When the explosion died down, everyone saw that the ground within a thirty-meter radius of Rocky had completely collapsed, covered by a cloud of dust. Elder Kerr's attack had been so powerful that it had crushed everything in its way to fine powder.

Upon seeing this, Alston began laughing wildly, like a madman. It seemed that Elder Kerr had mustered all his strength to give Rocky a fatal blow. And much to Alston's amusement, Rocky hadn't even had the time or strength to respond. Even if Rocky had been able to survive the attack, he must be seriously injured. Alston was quite sure about it. After all, the gap in their strengths was as huge as a valley.

To everyone's surprise, however, an even wilder string of laughter came from the cloud of dust.

The dust gradually dissolved in the breeze, revealing a fully intact Rocky, whose body was shrouded in Evil Flame. The Evil Flame looked like several fire dragons protecting his body, making him look extremely evil but attractive. What was even more incredible was that his aura had risen to the third grade of the Divine Stage.

"Are you kidding me? How is that possible?" Elder Kerr uttered, going pale.

Alston stiffened in shock, but he knew that the only reason Rocky had survived was because of the power of the Holy Dragon Bead inside him.

While everyone was still frozen in shock, Rocky approached Elder Kerr with a smile. "Sir, there're two more attacks to go!"

Elder Kerr came back to his senses at once and snarled in anger. The next moment, he gathered the power within him, making his body tremble and his sleeves flutter in the wind. Then, his hands moved in a circle with his body. Soon, a ball of spinning wind appeared in front of him, condensing strong spiritual power.

"Wind punishment!" he shouted. As his hands pushed forward, the ball of spinning wind in front of him suddenly shot out, growing bigger and bigger along the way. It looked like a whale's mouth that could swallow everything in its way.

It soon reached Rocky, who was still moving toward Elder Kerr, and swallowed him.

The next moment, the wind ball returned to its sphere with Rocky still inside it.

Then, the wind ball exploded from inside. The blast from the explosion spread as far as a hundred meters around it, causing all the spectators to struggle to hold their ground. So, they were sure that Rocky, who was right at the center of the explosion, must have succumbed this time.

When the wind finally died down and everyone opened their eyes again, however, an even stronger aura at the fifth grade of the Divine Stage welcomed them. A flaming ball about the same size of the wind ball just now slowly descended to the ground where the explosion had taken place. The flaming ball disappeared the moment it touched the ground, revealing Rocky, who was once again standing there untouched with a straight face.

Elder Kerr's eyes were almost about to pop out of their sockets in shock. He couldn't believe that Rocky had withstood two attacks from him without suffering so much as a scratch. What was worse, Rocky's aura kept becoming more powerful, which was unbelievable.

Logically speaking, even if Rocky fully released the power at the fifth layer of the seal in his body, it would not be enough for him to reach the fifth grade of the Divine Stage. However, in order to get a short burst of power, he had specially asked Marcia to temporarily release the power at the sixth layer of the seal, so that he could apply it at a critical moment. Of course, this special power came with a restriction—he could only use it twice. By now, he had already made use of these two chances to withstand Elder Kerr's first two moves. That was to say, no matter how hard the coming situation was, Rocky couldn't depend on the seal again.

Therefore, it was still uncertain whether he would be able to withstand the final attack or not.

However, his tone was just as casual and complacent as always when he said, "One attack to go."

Without any delay, Elder Kerr waved his sleeve, which turned into a shadow of wind and rushed to Rocky swiftly. This attack was different from the previous ones, because he had only used his right arm to gather the wind spiritual power.

As the spiritual power grew, Elder Kerr approached Rocky. When he thought that he was close enough, he waved his right arm and pounced at Rocky. Suppressed by the wind, Rocky found it hard to move even an inch.

Fortunately for him, he didn't intend to dodge. As he raised his left arm to resist, the Dragon Spirit Mark on his left arm shone brightly. When Elder Kerr saw the Dragon Spirit Mark, he couldn't help but falter a little. He had never expected that Rocky would actually be a spirit manipulator of the royal family. As far as he knew, there was no such young master of the Divine Stage in the royal family.

But despite his astonishment, Elder Kerr didn't reduce his strength. As their palms collided in the air, the two strong spiritual powers at the Divine Stage rushed around, raising layers of air waves. The wind radiance and the fire shadow intertwined in the air and constantly soared into the sky.

Everyone present held their breath and craned their necks to see the incredible sight.

However, at such a crucial moment, Rocky suddenly withdrew his hand. Elder Kerr hadn't foreseen this movement, but he still spared no effort and directly slapped his palm on Rocky's left shoulder, making him spit out a mouthful of blood.

Meanwhile, Rocky suddenly reached out and gripped his arm before drawing him nearer and whispering something into his ear, much to the puzzlement of all the spectators, including Alston.

Whatever Rocky said, it made Elder Kerr's face change color.

However, before Elder Kerr could figure out what to do next, Rocky brushed past him and rushed to Alston, who was less than a hundred meters away.

Alston raised his eyebrows at the sudden change. All of a sudden, he knew that he couldn't expect Elder Kerr to protect him anymore, because the man had become completely unresponsive. Instead, Alston turned to the other masters of the Divine Stage around him and shouted, "All of you, go and kill him!"

Immediately, the six masters of the Divine Stage, including Elder Duke, all rushed towards Rocky head-on.

After forcefully releasing the evil power at the sixth layer of the seal not once, but twice, Rocky had already consumed more than half of his spiritual power, which was a very heavy burden on his body. In addition, he had also been seriously injured by Elder Kerr's final hit. Now, he had to face the joint attack of the six peerless masters at the Divine Stage. It seemed that he had no chance of surviving, let alone winning this battle.

However, Rocky was not an ordinary person, and he never took the ordinary path.

 

 

"Ken..." Rocky summoned as his eyes widened. The next moment, the Rainbow Glow Unicorn that appeared from nowhere suddenly turned into colorful light and merged with Rocky.

In an instant, his aura once again soared to the third grade of the Divine Stage.

The six peerless masters at the Divine Stage were surprised to see that Rocky used the Spirit Possession at that time. They knew that it was a considerable risk because once he reached the limit of the Spirit Possession, he would die without a doubt. However, in their opinion, even if Rocky used the Spirit Possession, he had no chance of winning against six peerless masters alone.

Still, Rocky went all out to fight against the six enemies without fear.

At the same time, the six masters also displayed their strongest spiritual martial arts. All kinds of spiritual shadows flashed out of nowhere and inundated Rocky.

"Flaming Arm!"

"Flaming Dragon Wrath!"

"Demonic Snake Flame Explosion!"

On the other side, Rocky used different spiritual martial arts to fight against the six masters simultaneously, together with the devouring power of the Holy Dragon Bead.

Everyone present was stunned by this scene!

Soon, Rocky was starting to feel the exhaustion in his bones, and he was about to reach his spiritual power limit. Of course, the six peerless masters also noticed this, and as one, they madly rushed up, meaning to take advantage and strike Rocky down. To their utmost surprise, the colorful light covered Rocky's body shone even more brightly, while the aura around his body increased to the fifth grade. He also released a wave of violent spiritual power at the same time.

The six masters were dumbfounded. They didn't know where on earth Rocky's power was coming from! Of course, what they didn't know was that every grade of the guardian beast's power that Ken had activated would support Rocky with new power. However, it would also cause a greater burden on his body.

It could be said that at this moment, Rocky was risking his life.

After releasing the second grade of Ken's power, he used a few more spiritual martial arts moves at the Supernal Stage with all his strength, forcing the six masters back.

Then, the two sides used their spiritual martial arts skills at the Divine Stage to compete with each other.

The battle was so intense that the earth within a hundred meters collapsed into a deep pit of about a few meters, getting deeper each second, as the fighters continued bombarding the land with all kinds of spiritual martial arts skills. Dust soared and swirled in the air, worsening the visibility around them.

By the time, the six masters' expressions had shifted from arrogance to exhaustion and hesitation. Their spiritual power was also rapidly decreased under the highly intense confrontation.

After a dozen rounds of fighting, Rocky had exhausted his spiritual power once again.

The six masters finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that there would be no more surprises waiting for them!

They approached Rocky and attacked him at the same time, like predators that had finally weakened their prey.

However, at that moment, an evil smile suddenly appeared at the corners of Rocky's mouth. And between one breath and the next, his body released a brighter light, and a stronger aura also burst out. The third grade of the guardian beast's power was activated again.

The six masters were utterly stunned. Their faces were ashen and pale as they hurried away from him before it was too late.

With a loud shout, Rocky burst out all the spiritual power in his body, with himself as the center, producing an intense explosive force. Immediately, a massive mushroom cloud rose within a hundred meters.

Almost at the same time, six figures flew out of the mushroom cloud and awkwardly landed on the ground. They fell to their knees, vomiting blood.

"Is this guy crazy? His power is horrible!"

"He doesn't even care for his life. Does he want to burn himself to ashes with these peerless masters at the Divine Stage?"

"He is not human!"

In no time, discussions burst forth from every mouth, as Rocky had managed to frighten everyone with his desperate fighting skill.

Soon, the smoke dissipated. It revealed Rocky, who was half-kneeling on the ground and out of breath. He had removed the state of Spirit Possession, or perhaps he could not continue it anymore, as he looked grey and exhausted.

Alston's face brightened with glee at the sight of Rocky, who had run out of power and was barely holding on. He stood up from the throne and stalked towards Rocky.

Rocky struggled to stand up, for he did not want to be on his knees in front of Alston. Even though the Spirit Possession's side-effect rendered him almost unable to move, he still used all his strength to straighten his body and face Alston with his head held high.

"I didn't expect you to fight so hard. I underestimated you! If I had known you would fight so well, I would have prepared more people," Alston said snidely.

"Stop joking around. These people are all the power you can use," Rocky answered back just as scornfully.

"What a pity! You've tried so hard, but you still can't enter the Witch Palace. You know what? I think I've seen this happen before. Can you remember? You were also standing here on that day," Alston said in a low voice, referring to what had happened between them in the past.

"Do you think I will repeat the same mistake?" Rocky smiled calmly at him, seemingly unaffected by the way Alston kept pushing his buttons.

"Didn't you? Aren't you in the same situation as before? You can't do anything more. You must have used up all your strength." Alston looked sure of himself. He knew that Rocky had exhausted all of his strength in the fight just now, so at present, he could trample Rocky any time he wished. Rocky was virtually at his mercy.

"Alston, you know what? The most pathetic thing about you is that you think you are so powerful. You can't even tolerate sand in your eyes, yet you act so high and mighty! It's too bad, but you are destined to be a person with a limited outlook." A smile kept pulling at the corners of his mouth, as Rocky gathered all his spiritual power for his final attack.

The next second, his Magic Spiritual Space opened in midair and kept growing. Then, a huge black dragon shadow appeared from inside it.

The moment the enormous black dragon shadow appeared, everyone present, including Alston, was alarmed. They could feel the power of the vast black dragon shadow and its appalling aura, and they could not believe that Rocky had more aces up his sleeve!

"Old man, please aim properly at the target. Don't hurt my woman..." Rocky shouted as he narrowed his gaze at the dragon.

In turn, the massive black dragon soared up the sky, and then it shot out a beam of chaotic light from its mouth. After that, it rushed down to the Witch Palace at breakneck speed.

In the blink of an eye, the beam of chaotic light passed through the top of the Witch Palace. And although it did not directly hit the palace, its powerful force caused the palace to collapse spontaneously.

Meanwhile, Lena, who was in the Witch Palace, was shocked when the entire place began to collapse. She urgently rushed to Randi's side and quickly spread a golden enchanted barrier around them.

While the building was crumbling down, two huge dragon shadows suddenly rushed over from the left and right side of the palace with astonishing momentum.

"When did they get inside?" When Alston saw the two dragon shadows, he immediately recognized them. They were the spirit-manipulated beasts of Lance and Marcia. It took him by surprise because he didn't expect to see them appear out of thin air. That meant Rocky had planned it, and he had waited until the very end to use them!

 

 

Alston never expected Lance and Marcia to appear at such a perfect time.

Just then, the defense in front of the Witch Palace was rather weak. The six peerless masters of the Divine Stage who previously fought with Rocky were now scattered all around him. Alston had just left the golden throne, with only a few weak guards around. When Lance and Marcia, each driving a six-star spirit-manipulated beast, suddenly appeared, none of the weak guards could stop them.

Aside from the two mighty beasts and their masters, more than ten Supernal Stage masters arrived as well, including Sabina, Allen, and Lucilla and so on.

"Alston, I've always told you that you are a person with a limited outlook. You wouldn't even be able to see through the trick—luring a tiger away from its cave!" Rocky sneered at Alston who was near him. The reason that Rocky dared to challenge so many strong masters guarding the Witch Palace alone was to buy some time and make it easier for Marcia and Lance to save Lena. The moment he showed up in front of the Witch Palace, he was determined to fight even to the death. In any case, he needed to create a distraction to give his people ample time.

Alston twitched upon hearing Rocky's words, the rage burning red hot across his face. Not only did he realize that he had been fooled by Rocky from the very beginning, but he had completely underestimated him as well. Alston believed that his brother was the same person who had tried to break into the Witch Palace to see Lena back then.

The moment Rocky appeared, there was no doubt that Alston would lose.

"What are you waiting for? Stop them!" Alston ordered the peerless masters at the Divine Stage nearby furiously.

The several masters were also quite shocked by the sudden arrival of Marcia and Lance, two of the Thee Great Generals of the Holy Dragon Empire. They were puzzled by the fact that they entered the Witch Palace by force and that they seemed to be siding with Rocky.

Nevertheless, because Alston was the acting emperor now, none of the masters of the Divine Stage could disobey his orders. After a moment of hesitation, they all rushed towards the collapsing Witch Palace to try and stop Lance, Marcia, and the others.

Meanwhile, Lance nodded at Marcia upon seeing the masters heading towards them. He then commanded his Roaring-thunder Dragon to guard the front of the palace to serve as a barrier.

Ten figures also flew down from the backs of the Roaring-thunder Dragon and Marcia's spirit-manipulated beast.

"Go!" Lance commanded as he waved his hand. He was the first to charge forward into battle with the six Divine Stage masters.

Then, Sabina and the other nine Supernal Stage masters grouped into pairs to try and block the six masters. They weren't as strong as the Divine Stage masters. But as long as they could block them for a few more moments, then Marcia would have enough time to get Lena out.

As the group took cover for her, Marcia landed on the Witch Palace where all the wood, stone, and other debris was spreading around.

"Lena..." Marcia uttered as she searched for her.

"Marcia, I'm here!" Lena called out from the enchanted barrier in the corner once she saw her.

At the sound of Lena's voice, Marcia immediately turned around. Then, her delicate body morphed into a shadow that quickly appeared in front of the enchanted barrier.

By then, Priest Dean—who stood nearby—was in absolute shock upon seeing Marcia.

"Please see yourself out, Priest Dean." Marcia shot the priest a cold glance.

Realizing that things weren't in his favor, Priest Dean immediately coughed and pretended to not see Marcia before he turned around and disappeared.

"Let's go!" Seeing that the Witch Palace was about to collapse completely, Marcia quickly pulled Lena and Randi closer to her. Once the spiritual light within her rose, the trio swiftly flew out of the palace.

At that moment, Rocky was standing outside the palace when he saw a delicate figure. It was Lena. He couldn't help but tremble.

Lena, who followed Marcia to escape the crumbling Witch Palace, felt as though someone was looking at her. She couldn't help but look over. Soon enough, she was looking at Rocky.

With their eyes locked on each other, the world around them seemed to fall silent. This time, the two of them finally found each other. Everything else seemed to disappear around them. In their eyes, there was only each other and their endless longing to reunite that accumulated all those days and nights apart.

Although Rocky had changed a lot, Lena knew that he was the Basil she had thought of day and night just by looking into his gentle eyes.

"Basil!" Lena shouted hysterically. Her vision was blurred by her tears. She finally let out both the excruciating pain and the enormous joy that overwhelmed her heart. She felt the tug of two different emotions—longing and sadness—that were difficult to put into words. Perhaps it was love!

Her scream echoed throughout the square in front of the Witch Palace. Everyone who heard it was shocked.

The elites of the royal family and several Divine Stage masters were just as stunned at the sight of Lena looking at Rocky and shouting Basil. They thought Prince Basil had passed away and were baffled when Lena called out to him.

Meanwhile, on the east side of the Witch Palace's square, a group of spirit manipulators rushed in from the east gate guarding by a number of armies. The numerous human-like and beast-like shadows were being led by Elvis.

"Seize those traitors!" Alston ordered fiercely once he saw that Lena was rescued by Marcia when he noticed that Rocky's reinforcements began to grow in number.

Soon, hundreds of palace guards and spirit manipulators of the Supernal Stage and the Heavenly Stage were locked in a fierce battle with each other.

Although Alston had a lot of troops on his side, Rocky had three great masters fighting alongside him—Marcia, Lance, and Elvis. The battle was an inevitable stalemate!

Rocky smiled with relief once he saw Lena who had been rescued by Marcia. He no longer felt any regret this time.

However, Alston felt otherwise. He was infuriated with rage and embarrassment at his failure. He began to scream, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He rushed towards Rocky and launched a palm attack. The strong spiritual power of the Divine Stage morphed his palm attack into a dragon head with bared teeth and claws that sank into Rocky's chest. In the blink of an eye, the attack swallowed him.

Boom!

From where Rocky stood came a blaring sound. Then, a figure flew a few meters away before crashing to the ground. It remained lying on the ground in silence.

"Basil!" Deafening cries echoed one after the other as they called out to the limp figure on the ground.

 

 

Lena was terrified as she stared at Rocky's motionless body on the ground. It was difficult for her to meet him, but now she faced a cruel reality. She was deeply upset and shook her head in disbelief. Fear washed over her like a giant sea wave, and her delicate body trembled as she tried to deny the painful thoughts in her mind.

"He's dead! He's finally dead!" Alston shouted. He raised his head and stared at Rocky's deathly still body. As if he was looking at something hilarious, Alston broke into a fit of laughter. He wanted to raise his hands out of extreme happiness, but Rocky crippled one of his arms a year ago. This time, it did not bother him. He believed Rocky was finally dead in front of him and it was all that mattered.

Quickly, Sabina and Lucilla rushed towards Rocky at the same time. They did not believe that he would die like this. When they reached Rocky, they examined his body and noticed that he was not breathing, his body cold and unresponsive.

"No! He can't die!" Lucilla wailed in anguish.

"I will kill him..." Sabina's eyes were filled with tears and fury. She turned around and glared at Alston, who looked more arrogant and vicious.

Lucilla was enraged and did not bother to control her anger. In haste, the two women raced towards Alston. Both of them were determined to avenge Rocky.

Lena's eyes brimmed with hatred when she saw Rocky collapsed in front of her. The anger on her face was undeniable and her body radiated with negative energy that would intimidate anyone who saw it.

Without warning, Lena broke away from Marcia's hand and rushed towards Alston.

The three women dashed towards Alston with fury. They were willing to die, but they would drag Alston with them.

"Lena..." Marcia moved quickly to stop Lena and the other two women.

"Stop Marcia!" As the three women drew near, Alston shouted and commanded his men to stop Marcia from helping them.

Even before Marcia could make a move, a group of palace guards blocked her together with more than ten spirit manipulators at the Supernal Stage and the Heavenly Stage.

Meanwhile, the three women used up all their strength to power up their spiritual martial arts.

"Lena, I did not mean to hurt you, but you let me down!" Alston looked at Lena with coldness in his eyes.

The next moment, Alston radiated with strong spiritual power at the Divine Stage, and the Thunder Dragon Spear appeared in his hand.

"Dragon Thunder Abyss!" Alston shouted and waved the Thunder Dragon Spear in his hand. Storm clouds formed above his head and released an uproar of screaming thunder.

In an instant, giant lightning ripped through the sky, then raced downwards like the dragon from heaven.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The surrounding area within thirty meters around Alston was completely shrouded in lightning.

Sabina and Lucilla were much weaker than Alston. Thus, they couldn't resist his attack. After being hit by his attack, the two women screamed and were thrown more than ten meters away. They landed on the ground with a crash as blood slithered out of their injured bodies.

Lena used the enchantment barrier to protect herself, but her face still turned pale with the powerful impact of the thunder radiance. Despite this, she rushed towards Alston with a strong desire to avenge Rocky.

Alston was overwhelmed by fury as he saw Lena sped towards him. All his feeling for her escaped his memory as he wielded the Thunder Dragon Spear in his hand and aimed it at Lena.

"The Dragon Master Clan's secret skill, Jade Dragon Despair!" Lena shouted as she moved her hands above her. At once, the golden light that covered her entire body shone brightly, and a solid force broke out.

"No, Lena! Basil is..." It startled Marcia when she saw that Lena would sacrifice herself to kill Alston. She tried to stop her, but it was too late.

The surrounding people could not believe their eyes. Lena was so desperate to end Alston's life, she would do anything, even to harm herself.

At the exact moment, a delicate figure caught Lena in time and pulled her away. It was Mia.

Mia held Lena in her arms and quickly pulled her back a few steps. She then slapped Lena to bring her back to her senses. The blow left a red mark on Lena's beautiful face.

"If you do this, do you think you are still worthy of Basil, who did everything to save you?" Mia shouted at Lena angrily.

Lena was too stunned to say anything. She just stared at Mia with a blank expression on her face.

"You bitches! Since you all want to die for him, I will fulfill your wish and kill all of you! Ha-ha!" Alston laughed viciously as he threatened the surrounding women. He released the Thunder Dragon Spear from his hand and it turned into numerous spear shadows. It moved very quickly, then whirled towards Mia and Lena.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A violent explosion resounded and shook the ground below them as rays of spiritual light flashed. Meanwhile, Mia and Lena were hurled into the air and fell on the ground soon with a thud. Lena landed right beside Rocky.

"Lena, you are mine. I will let no one take you away from me!" Demented, Alston walked towards Lena slowly.

"Stop dreaming. I will never be yours! I would rather die with Basil than let you touch me." Lena's eyes darkened as she taunted Alston.

"Ha-ha! Don't you care about the people who came to save you? If you go with me, I will let them go," Alston threatened despicably.

Lena felt numbed all of a sudden. She looked at Marcia, Mia and the injured Sabina and the others who came to rescue her. They all risked their lives, just to save her.

"Come with me!" Alston ordered. He plunged the Thunder Dragon Spear into the ground and reached out angrily to grab Lena.

At the exact moment, an old figure appeared. His arm turned into a sharp blade shaped like a mantis's claw and slashed directly at Alston.

Alston quickly took a step back and avoided being mangled by the sharp blade.

The old man then stood protectively in front of Lena.

"Why do I come late every time? My disciple, why are you bereft of life?" The old man glanced at Rocky's lifeless body. Silent tears rolled down from his eyes as he stared at him tenderly.

The old man was Sheridan, Rocky's master.

"Alston, go to hell!" Sheridan, who felt sorrowful, became furious. His powerful aura burst out abruptly, and in an instant, his power had reached the Divine Stage.

"This is annoying! Come out, you guys!" Alston shouted angrily. Suddenly, three figures in black cloaks appeared in front of him. They were unearthly and emitted strange auras.

 

 

"I'll leave this wretched old man to you," Alston mumbled to the three cloaked figures.

In no time, the three figures dashed towards Sheridan. At that moment, Sheridan noticed that these figures' auras were out of the ordinary. Looking closer, he could not help but stammer and gasp in shock, "Y-you... you are from the spiritual race?"

Just as the three members of the spiritual race surrounded Sheridan, Alston went and approached Lena once more. Laughing frantically, he said, "From now on, no one will disturb us anymore."

Marcia, on the other hand, tried her best to rush to Lena's side. However, despite her efforts, she still found herself a little too far away from Lena.

The moment Alston was ready to take Lena away, a huge phoenix shadow suddenly descended from the sky. Soon after, a few figures landed on the ground.

Shocked, one of them almost fainted when she saw Rocky lying motionless on the ground. Not knowing what to do, she asked everyone around her, "Is he dead? Oh, my god. Who killed him?"

"I did. Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Alston glared at the figures who appeared without warning.

But after thinking for a while, he suddenly recognized the one who had just spoken. He knew her as Erica, the most powerful master among the new elites of the Magic Phoenix Empire. At that moment, he recalled that he had seen her face before.

"So, you killed him? Do you have any idea how important he is? You killed him! He's dead! Do you have any idea how serious this is? Now, how will I report this to my master?" Erica scolded with a furious look on her face. She didn't expect that she would be too late to stop this from happening.

As soon as Erica landed at the Holy Dragon Empire with her entourage, she wasted no time and began to look for Rocky. But since Rocky was at the Gehenna Border at that time, she wasn't able to find him. But after a while, she finally heard a word that Prince Basil was spotted in the Ximen Mansion.

Rocky's identity spiked Erica's suspicion long before. In fact, Tasha had even told her that Rocky said that he had defeated her in the flesh. With that being said, Erica began suspecting that Rocky might be Prince Basil all along.

Although she had learned that Rocky was in Marcia's mansion, there was no way that Erica could meet Rocky at all. In order to rescue Lena, Marcia had to close her mansion and refuse to receive any guest to make full preparation for the rescue.

At that moment, Erica had no other choice but to wait for Rocky to show up. That was the only way she could see him. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have that chance until he left Marcia's mansion. Erica tailed Rocky all the way. But somehow, she raised her eyebrows when she found him entering the heavily guarded Palace City alone. Trying not to get into any trouble, she had to wait for him outside the gates of the Palace City.

After waiting for a long time, she still had not seen any sign of Rocky and started to suspect that something was wrong. Luckily, she saw a group of spirit manipulators attacking the east side of the Palace City. Taking advantage of such a chaotic event, she stealthily entered the Palace City and looked for him in every corner. But when she saw the chaotic battle in front of the Witch Palace and finally found Rocky, it was already too late.

If Rocky died, the other part of the spiritual treasure would be buried with him forever. No wonder why Erica was so angry! After she spent so much effort looking for him, it seemed that all she did had been in vain.

"So, are you one of his women, too? I don't get it. What's so good about him? You are not the first one here. Why are there so many women willing to die for him? Damn it! Damn it!" Alston shouted in frustration. In the blink of an eye, he held the Thunder Dragon Spear and rushed towards Erica.

Seeing this, Erica and the other women knew they had to cooperate together and bring Alston down.

Undoubtedly, Erica and the other women were not as strong as Alston. Soon enough, one by one, they were seriously injured and defeated. Alston shot Erica so bad that he sent her flying out a few meters away. With a loud thud, her left shoulder was stained with blood.

After clearing the obstacles in his path, Alston looked down at Lena and Rocky with a complacent and ferocious smile on his wicked face.

"Mark my words, Alston. I won't let you succeed! Even if I die, I will die with Basil!" Lena suddenly taunted. Soon after, she took off a golden hairpin from her hair and hurriedly stabbed it directly into her chest.

Everyone knew that Alston would never let Lena die. At that moment, he reached out his hand as quickly as possible to stop her, but it was too late. Just as Lena was about to insert the golden hairpin into her chest, a hand suddenly stretched out from out of nowhere and grabbed her hand.

"Lena, if you die, all my efforts will be in vain." A voice echoed.

"Basil... you..." Hearing the voice, Lena turned her head and dropped the hairpin that she was holding and turned her head in bewilderment. She wanted to say a lot, but no words came out of her mouth as she saw that Rocky was alive.

"How... how can you still be alive?" Alston widened his eyes and stared at Rocky in disbelief.

At that moment, Rocky had already managed to stand up. Calm as a soft breeze, he looked at Alston and said, "Did you really want me to die? Sorry to tell you, but you can't get what you want. Come on. Do you really think I would let you attack me for no reason? I was just buying time. Apparently, I am a good actor."

"What?" Obviously, Alston couldn't believe Rocky's words. All along, he thought that he had killed Rocky with that palm attack. But as it turned out, Rocky was just pretending to be dead.

Of course, Alston didn't know that after Rocky had activated the guardian beast's power sealed in three layers in a row, the side effect of Spirit Possession would be so serious. If he didn't pretend to die, he probably wouldn't be able to move a muscle all day. If that happened, then he wouldn't be able to save Lena successfully. That was the only reason why he allowed Alston to attack him on purpose. After the attack, he pretended to be killed in order to remove the side effect of the Spirit Possession.

"But... but your body can't withstand my attack!" In fact, Alston had used all his strength when he launched the palm attack. Now that he knew that Rocky was just pretending to be dead, he was baffled to see that Rocky was able to withstand the attack.

"I have to thank General Marcia for her generosity. This would not have been possible without her help." Apparently, Rocky had asked Marcia to set a temporary seal in his body and give him a little spiritual soul of the spiritual race so he could resist Alston's palm attack. But of course, it was very dangerous to do so. In fact, he could die if it were unsuccessful. After all, the spiritual soul of the spiritual race was not omnipotent. Moreover, if he were seriously injured again after he was "dead", then the situation would only be unimaginable.

Therefore, Rocky also had to thank Sabina and the other women, as well as Sheridan, who had fought with all their might to buy him enough time to recover.

"You bastard! How could you lie to me?" At that moment, tears of joy welled up in Lena's eyes as she stared at Rocky.

"So, is my disciple still alive? Ha! I'm so happy! I knew you weren't dead!" Sheridan, who was fighting with the three members of the spiritual race, laughed out loud after processing what had happened.

On the other hand, Sabina, Lucilla, Mia, Erica, and the other girls all let out a huge sigh of relief upon seeing Rocky well. Almost all at the same time, they glared at Rocky for making them worry.

 

 

"I'll apologize later. Right now, I've got something more important to do," Rocky said to Lena as he gestured for her to step aside.

"Although you managed to break into this place, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave alive," Alston sneered.

"Then I'll have to give it a try," Rocky retorted, as his eyes narrowed.

"Good. I don't plan on giving you another chance," Alston replied with a malevolent chuckle.

Right then, a mysterious figure cloaked in a black robe suddenly appeared by his side.

"Kill him!" Alston ordered.

"Don't order me around," the man in the black robe replied arrogantly.

"Don't you want the spiritual treasure?" Alston asked the mysterious man in return, his tone cold as ice.

The man in the black robe hesitated for a moment before directing his gaze towards Rocky. He then stretched his body as he was about to rush towards him and attack. Once Rocky noticed the weird aura emanating from the man in the black robe, he became more vigilant upon sensing that he was from the spiritual race.

The figure in black suddenly stretched out and waved his arm to summon his three-clawed scale palm out of thin air.

Rocky immediately felt the amazing spiritual power rush towards him without a sound. He quickly dodged it. A loud bang could be heard from all around and where he once stood was a hole measuring several meters deep.

"How powerful!" Realizing that his opponent burst out such strong power by merely waving his hand, Rocky guessed that he was an ordinary spiritual being at the advanced level or a much stronger level.

"Basil, be careful! He's a spiritual master," Lena reminded him.

The figure in black approached Rocky once more. This time, it appeared he intended to show no mercy. With another wave of his hand, a red beam of light rushed out of his palm and immediately headed for Rocky.

Rocky's expression changed. The beam of light advanced so quickly that there was no time for him to react. Although he did his best to resist it, he was still hit by it and forced to retreat a few meters, leaving deep scratches on the ground.

Almost immediately, the figure in black appeared in front of Rocky.

"Basil!" Lena swiftly rushed towards him. With a wave of her palm, her spiritual light and aura rose sharply once more. It appeared as though she was going to sacrifice her life to block the opponent's attack on Rocky.

But she was too late. The man in black had raised his hand to hit Rocky.

At that very moment, an intimidating figure appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the hand of the man in black. As the figure pressed his free hand forward, a surge of intense spiritual power rushed out of it like a stormy wave. It raised the dust several meters off the ground and caused a violent shockwave that was felt by everyone.

Seeing this, the man in black swiftly retreated and ended up landing on the ground a few meters away.

"An Immortal Stage master?" The man in black stared at the newcomer in disbelief.

"Prince Basil, are you alright?" the intimidating figure asked Rocky.

"Chief Bryant, you arrived just in time! But what made you change your mind?" Rocky asked with a sigh of relief.

The new helper turned out to be Bryant, the chief of the Ximen Clan and the most powerful general of the Holy Dragon Empire!

"Even the spiritual master of the Dragon Master Clan is involved in this battle. It appears that things aren't as simple as I thought. I had to do something to prevent the Holy Dragon Empire from getting involved in any further trouble!" Bryant said with a frown. He had been watching the battle in the dark for a long time. If the figure in black didn't show up, he might have never made a move. Seeing the man in black attack, he knew that he had to do something.

Alston's face darkened immediately when he saw Bryant show up at the last minute.

The elites of the royal family were just as surprised. The Three Great Generals of the Holy Dragon Empire—Marcia, Lance, and Bryant—had all decided to side with Rocky.

Apparently, the situation was favorable to Rocky now.

"Everyone stop! The man before Alston is none other than Prince Basil. For his own selfish reasons, Alston lied to you all when he announced the prince's death. Do not be deceived by him," Marcia announced in a loud voice once the right time came.

Her voice quickly spread throughout the entire square in front of the Witch Palace. Those who supported Alston, including those elites from the royal family, were baffled.

"Is he… really Prince Basil?" an elder of the royal family among the several peerless masters of the Divine Stage asked in disbelief.

"I, Lance and Bryant, as the Three Great Generals of the Holy Dragon Empire, pledge with our lives that the man before you truly is Prince Basil and that he is not dead. Alston faked his death as part of his plan. He is the chief culprit behind all of this!" Marcia exclaimed, announcing Alston's crime to the public.

Upon hearing this, Alston's people burst into an uproar. Obviously, they were outraged by the truth.

"Don't listen to their nonsense. They intend to rebel and take over the throne!" Alston shouted ferociously.

"Everyone, listen. What happened today was between me and Alston. I don't wish to see any more casualties or get any more people involved. Everyone, please back off!" Rocky announced to the crowd as loudly as he could with sharp eyes.

Soon, the entire crowd became silent. Everyone was now focused on Alston and Rocky.

Perhaps it was because of Marcia's speech that Alston's people dared not to make a single move. With the sudden appearance of the two leaders of the two army groups of the Holy Dragon Empire—Marcia and Lance, and the chief of the Ji Clan—Elvis, and the chief of Ximen Clan, Bryant, and also the sudden involvement of the spiritual race, many were full of doubts about what really happened.

Additionally, Alston appeared to have completely lost his mind. Everyone who sided with him now had to take more careful consideration of the matter.

"Damn it!" Alston cursed lout loud upon seeing his men stop. He glared at Bryant maliciously. If it weren't for Bryant's sudden appearance, Rocky might have died long ago.

"Alston, it's the right time for us to settle our long-term grudge once for all today," Rocky said to his enemy coldly.

"Humph! Killing you is easy for me!" Alston knew Rocky had already reached this limit. He felt sure that getting rid of Rocky once and for all would be a piece of cake.

 

 

Soon after, Alston amassed his spiritual power and summoned a red dragon shadow in an instant. With towering height and humongous size, it certainly exhibited so much power. On top of its head were six sharp horns that resembled a demonic dragon. Moreover, it had four huge wings that never stopped flapping. In fact, it radiated an aura that surpassed that of an ordinary spirit-manipulated beast at the fifth grade of the five-star level.

"What? A spirit-manipulated beast transformed just by using pills? It looks like the Dragon Master Clan has spent a lot of money to bribe Alston." As soon as Rocky laid eyes on Alston's spirit-manipulated beast with an odd aura, he immediately understood what was happening and looked at the figure in the black robe.

Just when everyone was busy ogling at the spirit-manipulated beast, Alston killed the dead air by shouting, "Spirit Possession!"

Meanwhile, the red dragon shadow transformed into a ray of light and dived into Alston's body, changing his shape dramatically. Now, he was wearing a red dragon armor and six horns on top of his head, just like his summoned spirit-manipulated beast. Moreover, his aura rose to the fifth grade of the Divine Stage.

At the same time, the Thunder Dragon Spear emerged in Alston's hand. Soon after, he rushed towards Rocky at lightning speed. Now that Rocky was off guard and no resistance at all, Alston wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to kill Rocky once and for all.

Everyone who witnessed this broke out in a cold sweat, especially Sabina, Lena, and a bunch of other women. Without a doubt, they were all concerned about Rocky's welfare. However, at that moment, they stood firm on their belief that Rocky would surely win against Alston.

Like a tsunami charging with intensity, Alston's spiritual power was approaching Rocky fast. At the same time, Robin and Ken had already landed beside Rocky.

"It's a bit of a waste. But everything is worth it as long as I can kill Alston." After his voice trailed off, Rocky took out the last Holy Spirit Panacea from his pocket. He thought that if he refined the Holy Spirit Panacea at a normal pace, then it would be possible for his strength to at least reach the third grade of the Divine Stage.

But Rocky had no intention of doing so. Instead, he directly placed the Holy Spirit Panacea inside his mouth, and the next moment released the power at the sixth layer of the seal in his body. Soon after, he activated the Holy Spirit Panacea and merged the power of it at the fastest speed with the help of the amazing sealed evil power of the sixth layer. His original power of the fifth layer had been activated quickly, and the final fusion was completed.

Moreover, Rocky's aura had also skyrocketed, instantly breaking through the second grade of the Divine Stage. However, under the crazy release of the sealed power of the sixth layer, his aura kept on rising.

Meanwhile, Alston's Thunder Dragon Spear was about to stab Rocky with great momentum. It might seem like an ordinary stab at first, but the tip of the Thunder Dragon Spear had already condensed fierce spiritual power. As long as it touched Rocky, the spiritual power would burst out completely.

In a flash, the Thunder Dragon Spear was so close to Rocky that its tip already touched him. Despite this, it was a mystery why Rocky didn't move at all.

Boom!

With an ear-splitting noise, a violent cloud of dust suddenly surged up into the sky for several dozen feet. Meanwhile, the ground surrounding Rocky continued to crumble and collapse, affecting a radius of hundreds of kilometers around him. Everyone present saw that the ground in front of the Witch Palace trembled furiously, as if it had encountered an earthquake with deadly magnitude.

At that moment, strong thunder radiance coupled with lightning constantly shone in the air, continuously emitting infinite explosions one after another. It seemed that the power of this spear was not only to bring into play its full strength but also to gather all the spiritual power that was needed to attack.

Marcia and the others could not help but feel nervous, because they could see that Alston's powerful spear was beyond what they had imagined. To be more exact, it was so lethal and dangerous that it did not seem to be some normal spiritual martial arts at the Divine Stage anymore.

"Since you are so special, I have prepared this move just for you!" Looking at Rocky, who was still shrouded in thunder radiance and didn't have any reaction under the strong explosion, Alston laughed crazily. This kind of spiritual martial arts was not a kind of human spiritual martial arts but was from the spiritual race. That was why its power was so astonishing and had never been seen before. It could be said that this move's power was far greater than that of a master at the fifth grade of the Divine Stage.

Not long after, the bursts of explosions gradually dissipated and then vanished. The strong wind blew up, slowly blowing away the billowing dust.

Just in the middle of the savage blow, a figure with black flame all over his body appeared. At that moment, this figure wore the Ghostly Ice Fox-wolf Armor which shone brightly its colorful lights whenever the sun struck the dazzling armor. His hair, which was long and reached his waist, was danced with the wind. His cold and firm face was filled with evil, and his sharp eyes gave people a sense of piercing coldness.

However, the most astonishing thing about this was that the black flame figure actually used only his finger to resist the tip of the Thunder Dragon Spear.

Upon seeing this, everyone around them got so dumfounded.

"Why? How?" Alston also widened his eyes upon seeing that this man in black flame was unscathed.

"Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for this moment?" Rocky's eyes narrowed as he finished his words. Out of nowhere, his aura burst out violently.

The third grade, the fourth grade... The fifth grade!

The sixth grade!

The seventh grade!

Under the full burst of the sealed power of the sixth layer, Rocky gained so much unrestrained evil strength, shocking everyone around him to silence. At that moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the figure shrouded by the black flame.

"Almost..." At the moment, Rocky's body suddenly built up tension, and the sealed power in the seventh layer instantly disintegrated within his body.

His aura, which had originally risen to the seventh grade of the Divine Stage, still continued to rise!

After the consecutive rising of his aura, Rocky managed to break through to the Immortal Stage.

Meanwhile, the clouds and sky above the square in front of the Witch Palace also had significant changes. Moreover, the wind was blowing fiercely, as if an evil king had come and manifested in the world.

Once again, this happening was never expected by the people, thus leaving them shocked to their core.

At that very moment, Alston suddenly noticed that Rocky, who was in front of him, seemed to grow relentlessly, giving people a feeling of obscuring the sky and sun. Not only did Rocky's aura surpass his, but also Rocky's power was unparalleled. During their previous encounters, Alston saw Rocky as nothing but a lousy loser. But now, things had changed. He just could not accept the fact that he was now literally looking up to Rocky.

But before Alston could react, Rocky gently waved the Frozen Wind Dagger in his hand. Suddenly, a violent evil wind blew through the Flaming Blade, changing the color of the sky above the fighting area. The thunder rumbled, and the whole ground began to tremble. However, there was no power bursting out from the Frozen Wind Dagger, nothing that any person could see.

Everyone was astonished, wondering what Rocky had just done.

However, it seemed that Bryant and the figure clad in the black robe saw something different and looked surprised.

"Are you bluffing?" Alston sneered, as if he didn't take Rocky's move seriously.

However, in the next moment, Alston suddenly felt an overwhelming aura coming towards him, as if he was covered by dark clouds, which made him feel dizzy and dark. In the blink of an eye, he seemed to see a faint black evil light flashing towards him.

All of a sudden, blood spurted out from Alston's body, leaving a deep cut mark on his upper body. Not long after, his whole body started to tremble violently, as if it were convulsing.

 

 

The crowd froze in disbelief. Alston had no time to react to Rocky's move and received the blow in an instant.

Despite the obvious gap in strength between them, the crowd thought that Alston would at least try to block the attack and minimize the strength of the blow. But Alston couldn't even move from his spot.

"You— What... What did you do?" Alston asked, pointing his finger at Rocky. His voice trembled in complete disbelief. His Thunder Dragon Spear lay on the ground, away from its master.

A sinister smile appeared on Rocky's lips. "Surprised? I devised this strike especially for you. It has never been used before."

The strike was a combination of Robin's speed attack and Ken's invisibility power, thereby making the quick attack invisible. Among the crowd, only the figure in the black robe and Bryant could sense the invisible strike's approach.

However, this strike consumed a large amount of spiritual power, especially when combined with the Mysterious Beast Transformation Skill. So, it could only be used once. Rocky was saving the attack and hadn't used it against any of the other spirit manipulators ever since his reappearance. He wanted to attack Alston without giving him a chance to counter. He had known all along that it would not be easy to kill Alston, who had the support of the spiritual race, with an ordinary attack. This combination attack was the ace up his sleeve to finish off Alston, once and for all.

Alston would never expect that his arrangements to deal with Rocky were frustrated by him one by one.

Even though he had gathered the most elite power of the royal family, it ended up being meaningless in front of Rocky.

After being hit by Rocky's deadly strike, Alston's body had been greatly damaged, and he could not hold on any longer. His legs gave away and he fell to the floor on his knees in front of Rocky, as if asking for his forgiveness.

Rocky's Frozen Wind Dagger was pointed towards Alston. He looked at the man on the ground coldly and asked, "You never imagined that you would end up like this, did you? This is called karma."

"I... Please... I don't want to die! Spare me!" The arrogant expression on Alston's face had turned into one of complete despair. He continued to spit blood and looked at the figure in the black robe not too far away from where he was. Alston was completely different from the man who was aggressive and fierce not long ago.

But the figure in the black robe remained unmoved.

Then Elder Duke, one of the few peerless masters at the Divine Stage, stood up and shouted while pointing his finger at Rocky, "No matter what kind of feud you had with the emperor, it's all over now. If you kill the emperor, you will be regarded as a traitor, even if you really are Prince Basil!"

Rocky looked at the crowd around him. They were staring at him, probably wondering if he was really about to kill the emperor.

Just at the moment, Bryant appeared beside Rocky in the blink of an eye. He grabbed Rocky's hand which was holding the Frozen Wind Dagger and said in a serious voice, "That's enough. It's meaningless to kill him now. He has already received the punishment he deserved."

Turning to look at Bryant, Rocky finally dissipated all his strength. His body shook lightly. He had obviously reached his limit.

The women led by Marcia appeared beside Rocky and supported him with all their strength. Marcia immediately took out the Dragon Twined Wood to seal the two layers of power released from Rocky's body.

Bryant turned to look at the pitiful man on the ground. "Alston, when did you become a puppet of the Dragon Master Clan? Does the emperor's disappearance have anything to do with you?" he asked coldly.

Alston looked up at him and scoffed, "Everything— Everything I did... was for the Holy Dragon Empire. Everything! You... It's you...who are trying to... to take it away from me. You want to take away the Holy Dragon Empire from me! The empire is mine! It's mine!" Saying so, he started laughing wildly.

"Did you kill your brother for the Holy Dragon Empire as well?" Bryant asked with disgust.

Alston's laughter faded and he glared at him like a mad man. "He is not...Basil. Basil... He died a long time ago!" Alston would never admit Rocky's identity. He shouted in a mad fury, "You are on his side. You are all on his side! You are a group of traitors!"

Alston had completely lost all sense of sanity at that point.

Right then and there, a surge of strong auras suddenly appeared. The crowd reacted immediately and turned to the direction from where the auras were coming. They saw a few old men with white hair and a full forehead, aged over a hundred years, and they had the aura at the Immortal Stage. There was an eerie silence. Elder Kerr, who had fought with Rocky before and had suddenly disappeared, was also among them.

After receiving Elder Kerr's attack, Rocky had disclosed his identity and told him that he had the jade token. He had asked Elder Kerr to go to the Dragon Valley and wait for the royal family's founding members to tell him about it after they finished their cultivation. Elder Kerr was an elder of the royal family, and he figured this was a matter of great importance. Even Marcia and Lance were involved. So, he had rushed to the Dragon Valley without any hesitation and reported this matter to the founding members who had just come out of their secluded cultivation. As soon as they heard, the founding members quickly rushed to the Palace City.

"The founding members of the royal family?" The crowd burst into an uproar. They had never expected that the founding members of the Emergency Chamber would come to witness this event unfold.

Alston's eyes went wide in shock as well. When he finally recovered his senses, he shouted, "Ah! Senior elders... you are finally here! The Three Great Generals of the Holy Dragon Empire... are rebelling! And destroying the peace of the Holy Dragon Empire!" Alston saw the founding members as his saviors.

After looking at each other, one of the founding members walked over to Bryant and Rocky.

"Are you Prince Basil?" the senior elder asked Rocky.

Rocky nodded curtly.

"Elder Kerr said you have the jade token entrusted to you by the former emperor?" the man continued to ask.

Rocky took out the jade token that his father had given him and showed it to the old man.

The elder soon confirmed the jade token was real and nodded.

"Why is the spiritual master of the Dragon Master Clan here?" Another senior elder looked sternly at the figure in the black robe.

The man in the black robe looked at the old men, then at Bryant and Rocky. In an instant, he appeared beside Alston.

"Take me away from here," Alston, who was badly injured and kneeling in a pool of blood, said to the figure.

However, the figure quickly grabbed Alston's head in his palm. Under the watchful eye of the public, Alston cried out in pain as the color faded from his face and the rest of his body quickly shriveled out. In the end, he turned into a disfigured dry corpse, and his body fell to the ground, smashing into several pieces.

Alston had met his end, and died horribly for his sins.

The next instant, the figure in the black robe, along with three other members of the spiritual race disappeared from the crowd.

The unexpected turn of events caught everyone off guard, their mouth agape.

 

 

When he realized that Alston's soul was finally drawn out, Rocky's face was completely blank. Although he did not kill Alston himself, he could finally feel relieved now.

Of course, everyone felt that what they had experienced was like a horrifying nightmare. They were all still in fear, especially those who had fought Rocky, including the spirit manipulators at the Heavenly Stage. Their eyes were still full of shock and fear whenever they looked at Rocky.

Everyone was impressed by Rocky's performance from the beginning until the end.

"I can't believe that Alston was used by the Dragon Master Clan. We were all kept in the dark. Fortunately, we found out in time, or he might have caused a massive disaster!"

"But I'm still confused as to why Prince Basil came back to life?"

"We all know that every country must have an emperor. Alston had died, and Prince Basil has the jade token given by His Majesty. So now it seems that the only one who can take over the position of the emperor of our Holy Dragon Empire is Prince Basil."

The senior elders of the royal family looked at each other and discussed for a while. Then they all turned their heads to look at Rocky.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Rocky. After Alston died, the only person who has the right to inherit the throne was Rocky. Besides that, Rocky has the jade token that was passed down by the previous emperor.

"Well then... excuse me but I have to leave now. Let us discuss it later," Rocky said to Bryant, Marcia, and the elders. He had no interest in the throne as of now. After the fierce battle, he just wanted to have a long and good rest.

"Sabina, please send Basil back to my mansion. The rest will be handled by me and two generals," Marcia said to Sabina.

With that, Sabina, Lena, and Lucilla escorted Rocky back to Marcia's mansion, while Mia stayed to assist Marcia.

"Well, I don't think I have anything else to do. Hey, my beloved disciple, don't go yet. Wait for me!" Sheridan exclaimed and immediately chased after Rocky who was being taken away by the three women.

"Erica, what do you think we should do now?" The women led by Erica immediately looked at Erica and asked for her opinion.

"We must follow him." Erica came here to find Rocky and get the other part of the spiritual treasure back, so she would definitely not let Rocky slip away again. She immediately followed him with several women behind her.

Marcia, Bryant, and Lance, the Three Great Generals of the Holy Dragon Empire, were responsible for dealing with the aftermath of the battle and explaining the whole story to the senior elders of the royal family.

On the other hand, Rocky, escorted by the three women, returned to Marcia's mansion and had almost gained back all of his mobility.

They all gathered in the hall, waiting for Marcia to come back.

Sheridan, who tagged along with Rocky and the three women, helped to heal Rocky's wounds. It was inevitable for Sheridan to nag his disciple. Rocky didn't take what Sheridan said seriously. However, when he saw that Sheridan was so happy, a gentle smile spread across his face.

"Lena, I saw Erica just now. How about you? Did you see her?" Rocky asked Lena. There was something that suddenly came across his mind. The scene was extremely chaotic just now. He had used up all of his strength to fight, so he had no time to really care about others.

"Yes, I saw her, and it seemed strange to me. Why did she suddenly come to our Holy Dragon Empire? And why did she appear during that exact moment?" Lena asked curiously as she nodded her head in agreement with Rocky.

"I'm afraid it's because of..." Before he even finished his words, Rocky saw a group of beautiful women, led by Erica, who came in the mansion forcefully.

Under the watchful eyes of the public, Erica walked towards Rocky and reached out her hand slowly. "Give it to me now."

After hesitating for a moment, Rocky turned over his hand and threw something at Erica, and said, "Thank you for your help. It is greatly appreciated."

"Well, I just did what is asked of me. But will you play tricks on me again this time?" Erica glanced at the Mysterious Raw Gemstone in her hand and glanced at Rocky coldly. She was extremely suspicious of Rocky.

"Not this time, no. If it is fake, you can return it to me." Rocky flashed a charming smile at Erica.

Erica snorted coldly and then put away the Mysterious Raw Gemstone. She was about to leave with the other women when Rocky stopped her. "Wait, if you are not in a hurry to go back, I want to talk to you alone."

Erica was silent for a while when she heard Rocky's words. But when she saw that Rocky seemed to really have something to discuss with her, she finally nodded.

Then, Rocky and Erica went to a hall where they can be alone.

"What do you want to say to me?" Erica stared at Rocky coldly, but her eyes were full of doubts. After all, when she saw Rocky's strength in front of the Witch Palace not so long ago, she could not believe that the man in front of her was actually Prince Basil who had defeated her by dirty tricks back then.

"Do you know the reason why I brought back the other part of the spiritual treasure?" Rocky asked straightforwardly.

"Well, how would I know?" Erica snorted as she rolled her eyes at Rocky.

"Maybe you won't believe me. But I did this for the sake of the Magic Phoenix Empire. This spiritual treasure may bring unimaginable disaster," Rocky seriously explained as he looked deeply at Erica's eyes.

"What do you mean? What kind of disaster?" Obviously, Erica did not believe what Rocky said.

"I honestly don't know. So, I hope that when you go back you will tell your master to put the spiritual treasure back to where it was for the sake of the Magic Phoenix Empire. Of course, this is only a suggestion to the Magic Phoenix Empire. The final decision is still yours to make," Rocky said in a serious tone. He knew that all the clans of the spiritual race in the Wild Spirit Land were now coveting spiritual treasures. And what happened in the Holy Dragon Empire was also caused by the spiritual treasure. He only realized now that what the beautiful woman of the spiritual race said before was right. The spiritual treasure was ominous.

Erica noticed that Rocky was profoundly serious at what he was saying. She took a few glances at him and said, "I will tell what you said to my master, but I cannot guarantee anything."

"That's enough for me. Wait, how is your wound?" Rocky asked with concern when he noticed the blood-stained robe on Erica's left shoulder. He immediately knew that she was injured by Alston.

"Well, if there is nothing else, I will leave now," Erica said coldly and turned away. But after a few steps, she stopped and looked back. "I know it is difficult for me to defeat you now but remember that I will defeat you one day." With that, she left the hall.

"She is so stubborn!" Looking at the back of Erica, Rocky gently smiled and lightly shook his head in amusement.

 

 

When Rocky returned to the hall, Lena, Sabina and Lucilla were laughing and talking, putting aside the crisis they had gone through to the back of their heads. The entire hall was filled with their chirps. Rocky smiled and remembered the saying—"Two is company, three is a crowd."

"Basil! Where is Erica?" Lena walked up to him and wrapped her hand around his intimately as soon as she saw him come in.

"She's gone," Rocky replied.

Sheridan coughed from beside them. "Please behave yourself, Your Royal Highness! There are people coming and going. Aren't you worried that people will find out?"

"I don't care! Lucilla abandoned the chief position of the Cao Clan for him. Why can't I do the same? I'll stay with Basil from now on. I am no longer the Witch!" Lena replied casually. To her, nothing was more important than being with Rocky now. Although she was the Witch of the Holy Dragon Empire, she couldn't restrain her feelings for Rocky after having gone through so many ups and downs with him.

"If you refuse to take up your position as the Witch, I'm afraid I'll be seen as a sinner of the Holy Dragon Empire." Rocky shook his head and waved his hand to refuse her idea.

"Basil is right. The chief of the Cao Clan is by no means the same as being the Witch. Please think carefully before you act, Lena," Lucilla said in a sisterly tone, smiling at her.

"You are right, but if it weren't for me, Basil wouldn't have experienced so many setbacks and hardships. It's all my fault," Lena said, still blaming herself for what she had done. If she had forgiven him back then, everything that followed would never have happened, and Basil wouldn't have had to suffer through so many narrow escapes. Yet, he had risked his life again to save her. She didn't want to waste any more time staying away from him.

"That has nothing to do with you. It was all Alston's fault. Please don't blame yourself, Your Royal Highness," Sabina comforted. Her beautiful eyes turned cold as she thought of what Alston had done. Even though he was dead, Sabina still couldn't restrain her hatred for him.

"Let bygones be bygones, Lena. Although Alston did frame me, it is still true that I hurt you. That was our fate. We need to move on since we're all safe and sound now. Don't worry about the past anymore," Rocky said in a sincere tone, looking directly into Lena's eyes.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She nodded in relief, "Okay, I won't. You're so sweet, Basil." They all had to move on, and she wanted nothing but to stay with Rocky for the rest of her life. The grief and pain she had experienced would wither away and be gone with the wind soon.

After the fierce battle and the continuous challenge to his body limits, Rocky was completely exhausted. Although he wanted to stay with them, the three women strongly suggested that he get some good rest. Having no other choice or the strength to get involved in a war of words with the ladies, he gave up and went to the room they had arranged for him.

Relieved and tired, he slept through the day and didn't realize that it was alright late in the night.

Rocky was still adjusting his breath and energy circulation to heal himself when he sensed a sudden strong aura rushing towards him. His eyes flew open, and were just in time to see a figure in black robe approaching him.

"Are you here to kill me?" Rocky recognized the figure. It was the spiritual master of the Dragon Master Clan who had helped Alston in defeating him, and the same one who had taken Alston's soul in the end. Rocky jumped out of the bed immediately and the Evil Flame engulfed his body. Although he was still injured and his spiritual power had not recovered yet, he was not about to get himself killed here.

On the contrary, he was hoping to get some information from this spiritual master, who was bound to know the answers he was seeking. He might know where his father was and why they had taken him away.

The figure approached him slowly. "I didn't think that you would be the one who inherited the Holy Dragon Bead. Alston kept it from us, and we thought that you were dead. That's why we had to choose him. If we had learned that you were still alive, we wouldn't have turned to him. He was useless!" the figure in the black robe said in a low, hoarse voice.

"I don't care what went on between you and Alston. I only have one question for you. Does my father's disappearance have anything to do with your Dragon Master Clan? Is he dead?" Rocky asked, dreading the reply.

"We never planned to kill him. We only wanted him to abdicate the throne and make Alston the emperor. But we didn't expect Alston to be so cruel as to want your father dead," the figure said with a snicker. Rocky froze, but the figure continued to speak. "But I have good news for you... Your father is very much alive. Of course, if it weren't for us, he would have died a long time ago. You should be grateful to our clan for saving his life." The two of them moved in a circle around the room, wary of each other. Rocky remained silent, while the figure spoke again. "Shall we make a deal? Find the spiritual treasure sealed in the forbidden area of the royal family and bring it to us. If you do so, we'll set your father free."

"Is this what you wanted Alston to do as well? You wanted him to bring the spiritual treasure to you? Why? What's so special about the treasure that you would bring such chaos to get your hands on it?" Rocky asked, eyeing the figure carefully.

"It will not do you any good to know too much. Even if you hadn't defeated Alston, I would have killed him sooner or later. Half a year passed, yet he still couldn't find the way to the forbidden area of the royal family. He was useless, and my patience had run out. But I reckon you are smarter than him, and your father seems to trust you more. So maybe, you will know how to enter the forbidden area. Once you bring the spiritual treasure to the Dragon Master Clan, your father will return to the Holy Dragon Empire safe and sound. Don't let me down, or you will never see him again." Saying so, the figure disappeared.

Rocky rushed out of the door, but the figure was long gone.

Early the next morning, after a whole night's discussion with the royal elders, Bryant and Lance, Marcia finally returned to her mansion.

The moment he learned that she was back, Rocky went to her study to meet her.

"Where are Lance and Chief Elvis? Why didn't they come back with you?" he asked when he saw that only Marcia was there.

"General Lance is on his way back to the Crimson Dragon Group and Chief Elvis led his clan members back to their home. When news of Alston's death spreads far, our rival countries will take this chance to break through our borders. We should be ready for them," Marcia replied casually.

"So, they all went back?" Rocky murmured, a little absentminded.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Marcia asked when she noticed Rocky's frown.

He then told her about his conversation with the figure in the black robe the previous night. Marcia's expression changed quickly.

"So, His Majesty is imprisoned in the Dragon Master Clan now?" she asked, taking in this new information. Although it was disheartening that the emperor was imprisoned, it was good to know that he was still alive.

"That's what he said, but I'm worried that this could be another conspiracy of the spiritual race," Rocky answered with a deep frown.

"So, what are you going to do now?" she asked, tapping her fingers on the table.

"Even if what he said is true, to get my father back, we must find the spiritual treasure sealed in the forbidden area of the royal family. Alston couldn't even find a chance to step into the forbidden area, let alone find the spiritual treasure. Getting in there is a huge problem for us too," Rocky analyzed and his expression became grimmer.

 

 

"That will be quite troublesome. Only the emperors are bestowed with the knowledge of entering the forbidden area of the royal family. Moreover, every Witch of the Holy Dragon Empire shall be buried in the forbidden area after their death. With their united soul power guarding the place, even if we do find how to enter, actually making it inside will be next to impossible," Marcia explained. She knew that this was not as simple a task as Rocky thought it would be.

After listening to her explanation, he was certain that their hope was slim.

Marcia sighed seeing the grim expression on his face. "Let's talk to Lena. After all, she is the Witch of the Holy Dragon Empire, and it is said that the forbidden area was built by the first Witch with her own power. Although only the emperors know how to enter inside the area, Lena may have some clues that might help," she added after a moment of thought.

"Yes, let's do that. She's the only one who can help us." Rocky nodded in understanding and then sent for Lena.

When she joined them, Rocky filled her in about what had happened the previous night. Lena was surprised when she heard that the emperor was imprisoned by the Dragon Master Clan. When Rocky asked about the forbidden area, she couldn't help but frown. Shaking her head slightly, Lena said, "Alston asked about this as well. He had pestered me for half a year, but I really don't know how to enter the forbidden area. That information is passed down only to the emperors."

Marcia had a thought. "Lena, didn't the Witches record important events that happened in the empire? We might be able to find some clues in the records."

"Oh yes! Why didn't I think of that?" Lena fretted and immediately opened her Magic Spiritual Space. She grabbed The Witch's Book she had brought from the secret room of the Witch Palace.

"This is The Witch's Book. It contains records of important events that the Witches of the Holy Dragon Empire have experienced throughout history. You might find some clues in it," Lena said as she handed over the book to Rocky.

"Am I allowed to read it?" Rocky asked as he stared at the book in his hand.

"Absolutely not. But I am not allowing you to read it. You are only picking it up because I dropped it accidentally," said Lena with a wink. The events recorded in the book were top secrets of the Holy Dragon Empire. In addition to the Witch, only the emperor had the right to look through them after receiving permission from the Witch.

"Alright. Got it," Rocky replied and left to study The Witch's Book.

After returning to his room, Rocky began to read the book. It had records of some very important events that had happened in the Holy Dragon Empire since ancient times, and most of them were secrets undisclosed to others. Some of them were predictions of the previous Witches which had enabled the empire to avoid all kinds of natural and human disasters. This was the main reason why the Holy Dragon Empire relied so much on the Witches.

The Witch's Book indeed had many mentions regarding the forbidden area of the royal family, especially the first half. In one of the records, it was written that something was required in order to enter the forbidden area, but it didn't say what this "something" was.

Rocky studied the book several times, but couldn't find the answer. However, he found something else—there was some blank part in the book. Before the blank part, he found this record—"The omen of dream has appeared. The mystery of the spiritual race will be unveiled. It is hard to predict what will happen."

"The mystery of the spiritual race?" Rocky murmured to himself as he recalled what he had experienced in the Myriad Spirit Tomb.

But he didn't want to dwell too much on it. The most important thing at the moment was to find a way to save his father.

Rocky rushed to Marcia. Lena and the other two women were with her. He returned The Witch's Book to Lena.

"Did you find anything?" Marcia asked.

"Nothing much. It says that we need some object to enter the forbidden area, but it doesn't say what exactly it is. I think we should go to the entrance of the forbidden area to find some clues," Rocky concluded after thinking for a while.

"The forbidden area is in the Dragon Valley. It is usually guarded by several elders of the royal family," Lena replied.

"I agree. Take Lena with you. Only the emperor and the Witch are allowed to enter the place. Outsiders are not welcomed," Marcia stated as she nodded in agreement.

"But I'm not the emperor. Will the elders let me in?" Rocky asked with concern.

"Tell them why you have to enter. I believe they will allow once they hear your reason," Marcia said thoughtfully.

"That's right. Although they are stubborn, they will agree. It's for the future of the Holy Dragon Empire. If the emperor can't come back and you don't inherit the throne, the empire will be doomed," Lena said, her beautiful brows narrowing into a frown.

"Okay, let's give it a try." Rocky nodded. Soon, he and Lena headed for the Dragon Valley together.

Along the way, Lena talked a lot. Seeing her happy face, Rocky felt comforted. He knew that his efforts had not been in vain.

As soon as the two of them arrived at the Dragon Valley, an elder of the royal family appeared in front of them.

"Prince Basil, Your Royal Highness. Why are you here? What's the matter?" the elder asked in surprise when he saw Rocky and Lena together.

"I have something important to tell the elders," Rocky said without beating around the bush.

After pondering for a moment, the elder guided them to the secluded place in the east side of the Dragon Valley to meet the other elders of the royal family. Rocky was a little astonished to see the elders. They were at the Immortal Stage, and could be regarded as the most powerful beings in the Wild Spirit Land.

Explaining the purpose of his visit, Rocky told the elders about what he had heard from the figure in the black robe the previous night. The elders were shocked to hear what Rocky said.

"I cannot believe that Alston almost killed His Majesty. How vicious should a man be to want to kill his own father?"

"So, His Majesty is now being imprisoned by the Dragon Master Clan?"

"They want the spiritual treasure hidden in the forbidden area."

The elders gasped in unison.

"What do you know about the spiritual treasure?" Rocky asked them.

"To tell you the truth, we know very little. Although we have heard of it, we have never seen it. The spiritual treasure was brought here by a Witch of the Holy Dragon Empire, and it was sealed in the deepest part of the forbidden area," Elder Brendan, the oldest elder explained. His eyebrows were as white as his hair.

 

 

"A Witch of the Holy Dragon Empire brought the treasure here? But..." Rocky hesitated. It seemed strange because this was not recorded in The Witch's Book. Why would they not record such an important incident in the book? It could only mean that the Witch who had brought the spiritual treasure did not want anyone to know about its origin.

"However, according to the teachings of the previous emperors, the spiritual treasure cannot be taken out of the forbidden area. I wonder if it would be possible for us to do the impossible," an elder said with caution in his words.

The other elders looked at each other with embarrassment for not being able to be more helpful.

"I have to make it possible. As a prince of the Holy Dragon Empire and as a son, I have to save my father. Could you please make an exception this time and let me go to the entrance of the royal forbidden area to take a look?" Rocky pleaded earnestly.

The elders gathered together in a small circle and started discussing the matter in whispers. It was a matter of great importance after all, so they had to think about it carefully. Especially after what happened with Alston, they had to be cautious, so as not to repeat the same mistake.

Rocky and Lena waited patiently. After around an hour, the elders finally came to a conclusion.

Elder Brendan stepped forward. "Your Royal Highness, the emperor and the Witch are the only ones who are allowed to enter the forbidden area of the royal family. But since the current emperor is imprisoned in the Dragon Master Clan, we will make an exception this time. But we need a promise from you," he said on behalf of the other elders.

"Go ahead." Rocky nodded curtly.

"Prince Basil, if you fail to find a way to enter the forbidden area within the next three days, we want you to temporarily act as the emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire. You are the best candidate for succession. Moreover, the Three Great Generals of the empire admire you very much. If you ascend the throne, it will appease the public. Moreover, it will quickly erase the troubles created by Alston, and bring peace to the Holy Dragon Empire." The other elders nodded in unison. Lena looked at Rocky's grim expression. After a pause, Elder Brendan continued, "We will save your father, the emperor from the Dragon Master Clan at all costs; we will not sit still and wait for the news of his death. Once you take over as the emperor, we can take measures to save him by any means."

"I'm afraid that the Dragon Master Clan won't give us that much time. But if this is the condition for entering the forbidden area, then I give you my word," Rocky agreed. In view of the current situation, even if he couldn't find a way to enter the forbidden area, it would be best for him to take over as the emperor for now.

"Good. Now, you can do as you wish," Elder Brendan said after exchanging glances with the other elders.

"Thank you," Rocky said gratefully, cupping his hands together.

"Elder Ferris, please guide them to the entrance." Elder Brendan gestured to the elder who had brought Rocky and Lena to see them.

Elder Ferris nodded curtly and the three of them headed for the entrance of the royal forbidden area.

Not long after, they reached a huge stone arch. The arch was more than ten meters high and was built against the mountain. Both sides of the stone doors were engraved with parallel dragon-shaped patterns, lifelike and imposing.

"Once you open the stone arch, go all the way to the end of the road. There, you will find the entrance to the royal forbidden area. Prince Basil, under no circumstance should you try to force your way in. The entrance is protected by a very powerful enchanted barrier. If you try to enter by force, the barrier will counterattack. Please remember that, Prince Basil." And with that warning, Elder Ferris disappeared.

Rocky turned to look at the stone arch with the huge dragon sculptures in front of him. He then looked at Lena and said, "Let's go." She nodded slowly.

Rocky pushed the giant stone arch with both his hands and the two stone doors, which were thicker than stone walls, opened slowly with a loud rumbling sound, as if they were heaving a heavy sigh because of the disturbance. It was pitch black behind the stone arch; even the sunlight from outside could not disperse the darkness.

The two of them looked at each other and then walked side by side through the open stone arch and into the darkness within. The moment they stepped into the darkness, the stone arch closed once again.

In an instant, both Rocky and Lena felt like they had fallen into a bottomless abyss. But soon, flames rose on both sides of the path.

Rocky looked around and saw that the flames rose from the fire grooves in two rows of tall dragon pillars. The two rows of dragon pillars extended from the arch to the depths on both sides of the path, and behind these pillars were stone walls. Under the light of the fire, Rocky could vaguely see the carvings on the stone walls—murals, like a long scroll of the history of the Holy Dragon Empire.

"Come on," he said to Lena and the two of them continued on the path.

Along the way, Rocky studied the carvings on both sides from time to time. There were some humanoid carvings that looked like the spiritual race. The beings were covered in dragon scales, with horns on top of their heads, and their faces were a little longer than those of normal human beings. They had flat noses, and their eyes were slender. The huge wings extended from behind them like those of a dragon beast.

"They must belong to the Dragon Master Clan, right?" Rocky asked Lena, turning to look at her.

She studied the carvings and nodded, "Yes."

"Lena, why is the Dragon Master Clan looking for the spiritual treasure all of a sudden? And why is the treasure sealed with forbidden curses so that the spiritual race cannot enter?" Rocky asked as he stared at the carvings.

Lena stood beside him and followed his gaze. "I think this may have something to do with the origin of the spiritual treasures. Although we don't know anything about their origins yet, since all the spiritual race clans in the Wild Spirit Land are looking for them, it could only mean that the spiritual treasures have amazing power..." Lena said suspiciously.

"I think so too. But what is the secret behind these treasures? And why have the hidden living spiritual race clans suddenly gone so crazy about them?" Rocky wondered with a serious look on his face. In order to get their hands on the spiritual treasure in the forbidden area, the Dragon Master Clan imprisoned his father and treated Alston like a puppet. This was not at all like the Dragon Master Clan which had always supported the growth of the Holy Dragon Empire.

 

 

"Maybe we can find the answers in the royal family's forbidden area," Lena responded earnestly.

While they were talking, the two of them had passed through the two rows of dragon pillars and reached the end of the passage. They found themselves blocked by a relief stone wall engraved with nine dragons. They looked for gaps on the wall but there were none.

"Have we arrived already? Is this it?" Rocky curiously looked at Lena and asked.

"This wall must be the entrance, but it seems that we have to open it in some special way. In fact, the secret room of the Witch Palace has a structure like this. I'll try to open it in the way I open the Witch Palace's secret room," Lena pondered. The forbidden area and the Witch Palace's secret room were both built by the first Witch, so there was a chance that the opening ways might be the same.

When Lena waved her gauze sleeve and whispered something into the wall, many beams of golden light immediately flashed from the wall, and then quickly disappeared.

However, there was no change in the stone wall.

"It did not work." Lena shook her head with disappointment. She felt defeated since she did not have any ideas anymore on how to open the passage.

"Let's observe every corner of the stone wall to see if we can find any odd marks," Rocky said to Lena after thinking for a while.

So, the two of them began to check the whole stone wall. One checked the left side and the other checked the right side. They also checked the carvings on the side of the wall but found nothing.

"There's no mark whatsoever here," Lena said to Rocky in dismay.

"What on earth is the way to enter the forbidden area? Alston had been trying to enter it for more than half a year. I believe that he had used almost all the methods he could think of. This only means that the way to open the passage to the forbidden area must be unique. Alston and the Dragon Master Clan obviously hid my father. However, even the Dragon Master Clan did not know how to enter it. Maybe something that was mentioned in The Witch's Book is needed to open it. But what is it? I have no clue," Rocky said in confusion. He thought about it over and over again.

He looked up at the stone wall when suddenly he felt that he had seen one of the dragon carvings before. It looked very inconspicuous because it was mixed with other dragon carvings. If he didn't look carefully, he would definitely have ignored it!

Rocky suddenly thought of something and immediately took out the jade token that his father had given him. The dragon carving on the back of the jade token was exactly the same as the dragon carving that he noticed.

"Wait, Basil, do you think..." When she saw that Rocky took out the jade token, Lena thought of the same thing as Rocky.

"Well, it's worth a try. I don't think my father would give me the jade token for no reason. He must have expected something like this would happen," Rocky said thoughtfully. Then, he walked towards the wall with the jade token.

When the jade token was close to the wall, a strong spiritual power rushed out of the wall and transformed into a whistling spiritual wind. It blew away the clothes of Rocky and Lena in the air, making them feel like they were about to fall.

Almost at the same time, one of the eyes of the dragon carving on the wall suddenly lit up and shot a beam of light at the jade token. The light went through the jade token, and then shot to the nearest dragon pillar at an unimaginable angle. Then, the dragon pillar, like a folding mirror, reflected the light to the opposite dragon pillar. Then the light shot back to the stone wall, shooting exactly at the other eye of the dragon carving. The two dragon eyes suddenly glared with light. Then, the nine dragon carvings on the relief stone wall instantly formed into one. The whole stone wall emerged as a powerful and angular dragon. Its patterns were incredibly clear and lifelike as if it were a real dragon.

Then, a spotlight appeared on the stone wall, constantly moving along the lines of the dragon. After moving in a circle, the area that was covered by the spotlight disappeared. Finally, a dazzling dragon-shaped entrance materialized.

"Somehow, I was reminded of the Magic Spiritual Space..." Rocky could feel that the aura from the entrance was remarkably familiar. It was the feeling he usually felt when he opened his Magic Spiritual Space.

"The so-called forbidden area of the royal family is a space that is very similar to the Magic Spiritual Space," Lena exclaimed in realization. It was her first time to visit the forbidden area. The Witch could enter the forbidden area as long as the emperor allowed her to, but she would not enter it without any special reason.

"The forbidden area was built by the first Witch. Therefore, if we want to open this space, we must use the power of the first Witch. So, the real value of this jade token was that it possessed the power of the first Witch. The token itself was meaningless without the first Witch's power. But many people believe that this jade token is the supreme symbol of the royal family. It's really amusingly confusing," Rocky stated with a faint smile. They could never have entered the forbidden area even if they removed the relief stone wall without the jade token because the only way to open the space was the first Witch's power which was absolutely unique and irreplaceable. It was like if a spirit manipulator died, his Magic Spiritual Space would be closed forever, and no one else could ever open it.

The entrance had already appeared. Rocky and Lena entered it without hesitation. Soon, the two of them disappeared into the dazzling light.

After they entered the forbidden area, the dragon-shaped entrance also disappeared and turned into the relief stone wall. Everything returned back to its normal position, as if nothing had happened.

As soon as Rocky and Lena entered the space, they felt that everything changed in an instant. When they finally came to their senses, they found that they were in an extremely magnificent hall. Even though there was no light, they could clearly see everything in the hall.

There was no wall or roof in the hall, only the ground paved with giant stones and towering stone pillars. Everything looked incredibly simple. However, Rocky and Lena could see that the whole hall seemed to be floating in the air.

However, the most surprising thing was that they could not see the end of the floating hall. It seemed like it extended endlessly.

The two of them looked at each other, then walked forward side by side.

After walking for a long time, they suddenly saw a flash in front of them, as if they had walked into another room. Without any warning, they saw a high platform like an altar. It was very wide, with a straight path in the middle, and on both sides were orderly arranged stone coffins.

 

 

"Is this the place where the Witches of all ages were buried?" Lena's face changed slightly at the sight of the sarcophagi. Perhaps, at that moment, she thought of the possibility that one day, she would be buried there as well.

Not long after, she went up to the high platform and shuttled through the several sarcophagi scattered around, with Rocky closely following her. At the same time, he looked at one of the sarcophagi carefully and found that it was completely sealed shut without a single entrance for any air. However, he could feel a strange and indescribable aura coming from it as if the person lying in the sarcophagus was not a dead person, but rather, a living one.

He was not alone to have this thought. Lena, who was a Witch, was certainly able to sense the intense auras coming from both sides of the sarcophagus. Moreover, at that moment, she felt as if several women were whispering in her ears. However, their words were vague enough that she was not able to understand what they were saying. This inability to discern the voices made her irritable, turning her face pale in annoyance.

"Hey, Lena, are you okay?" Rocky asked worriedly as soon as he noticed Lena's pale face.

"I'm fine." Biting her pink lips slightly, Lena smiled and shook her head at Rocky.

But at that moment, it seemed that Rocky was still a little worried. Soon after, he took Lena's hand and walked her out of the platform quickly and soon moved forward. Lena seemed to have recuperated as she felt the surging feeling of warmth from Rocky's palm.

Meanwhile, the two of them passed through the high platform together and went down the stairs as if they were walking in an endless corridor.

"It seems that the royal forbidden area is really not an ordinary place at all. If we search this way, I'm afraid we won't be able to find any spiritual treasure for eternity." After walking for a long while, Rocky could not help but frown as he felt like he was trapped in some sort of maze that he could never get out of.

"So, what do you think we should do?" Lena looked at Rocky in anticipation and asked.

After thinking for a while, Rocky stumbled upon an idea. He tried to open the Magic Spiritual Space by gathering his spiritual power. When he found out that his power was not restrained at all, he took advantage of it and summoned Ken out.

It was not Lena's first time to see Ken as she had seen it in the Witch Palace before. Although, when she saw Ken that time, she was only able to get a glimpse of it because she was in an urgent situation. And now that she could see it clearly, she was shocked to see Ken's true nature.

"You have a guardian beast?" Staying in the Dragon Master Clan for a significant amount of time, Lena was well-versed about guardian beasts. With that being said, she could tell with just a quick glance that Ken's aura was not from a spirit-manipulated beast at all, but rather from a spiritual race's guardian beast.

"Wow, you could tell in less than a minute. You're incredible!" The corner of Rocky's lips curled upward as his eyes sparkled with astonishment.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but where did you get this guardian beast?" Lena couldn't help but take a few more observant looks at Ken and asked in confusion.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. In case you didn't know, Ken is a master of treasure hunting. Maybe it can guide us to find the spiritual treasure," Rocky said as he gestured Ken to lead the way.

Not long after, Ken found a suitable path and led Rocky and Lena to follow it.

"The royal forbidden area was created by the first Witch with the use of her own power. I bet the power is so immensely great that it could create this massive and amazing space!" Lena's jaw dropped as she marveled at the changing scenery in front of her.

"So, there's this old man who told me that the origin of the Holy Dragon Empire's Witch is extraordinary..." At that moment, Rocky shared what he had heard about the Witches of the Holy Dragon Empire from the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast.

"All I know is that the first Witch was not a human, and neither was she a spiritual race being," Lena uttered.

"Wait, neither human nor spiritual race being? Are you saying that she was also half-spirit and half-human like General Marcia?" Rocky hypothesized. But if that were the case, then the existence of the Witch of the first generation should be regarded as a taboo. Moreover, from the construction of such a vast space, it could be inferred that the power of the Witch of the first generation was absolutely beyond the capabilities of human beings. Moreover, even half-spirit and half-human beings could not reach this level. Therefore, this was also a mystery yet to be solved.

"Well, that's all I know." At that moment, Lena shook her head. She couldn't explain why, but she focused her thoughts for a while and said, "But if you think about it, since the first Witch, all the previous Witches of the Holy Dragon Empire were chosen through the omen before the parinirvana of the last Witch. The selected successor will be sent to the Dragon Master Clan for training, and then be sent back to the empire. This is familiar. I have seen it in the history books that I've read in the secret room. In fact, if I remember it correctly, it is stated there that the Witch of each generation is actually the reincarnation of the Witch of the first generation, so they can use the power that surpasses humans themselves. However, there is also a taboo..."

"Hey, slow down! You're flooding me with too much information. Reincarnation? So, Lena... Does this mean that you are the reincarnation of the first Witch?" Rocky asked with a smile, raising his eyebrows upon realizing Lena's existence.

"Well, who knows? I don't know either. But when we went through the sarcophagi, I felt that..." Lena's eyes narrowed. Just when she was about to say something, Ken suddenly found something and dashed forward in a hurry.

Rocky immediately noticed this unusual behavior and followed Ken. Soon after, the two humans and one guardian beast ran in the extended and perplexing space, as if they were walking in a knotted maze.

Not long after, with Ken's guidance, the two of them opened their eyes to an infinite space in front of them. There, they could see a variety of weapons in the sky and earth. Judging from the auras that these weapons emitted, they were not ordinary weapons, but Spiritual Weapons.

"Is it possible that this is the tomb where the Spiritual Weapons used by the previous emperors have been sealed shut?" Lena tried to guess at once.

"Huh? Weapon tomb?" Rocky asked Lena seriously, waiting for her further explanation.

"As you know, the emperors of the Holy Dragon Empire were basically the top-level masters above the Immortal Stage. Needless to say, their Spiritual Weapons were also very powerful. After the emperors' deaths, the Spiritual Weapons they used would become ownerless. In order to ensure that these weapons would not be obtained by anyone with ulterior motives, these Spiritual Weapons were sealed here after they died. Powerful weapons falling into the wrong hands is the last thing we need in this world," Lena explained in detail.

"Oh, I see. I didn't expect that there are still Spiritual Weapons used by the emperors in the royal forbidden area. Yet, there are too many of them!" Rocky nodded. Deep down, he was still in disbelief to see so many Spiritual Weapons with his own eyes.

"Ken, most of these Spiritual Weapons are fake, right?" Rocky asked, squinting at Ken as if he had brewed something up.

But as a response, Ken only raised and shook his head.

"Fake? Basil, what are you guys talking about?" Lena asked Rocky out of curiosity.

"What Ken means is that the auras of these Spiritual Weapons are authentic. It believed these fake Spiritual Weapons may have evolved from the real Spiritual Weapons and can be regarded as avatars. With that being said, they can be considered true or false," Rocky analyzed.

"But is the spiritual treasure also among them? Didn't you say that the spiritual treasure is also in the form of a weapon?" Lena took a wild guess.

 

 

"It's possible. In fact, the spiritual treasures I have seen before are no different from Spiritual Weapons. The only difference is that the body of a spiritual treasures are made up of a gemstone called the Mysterious Spirit Raw Gemstone. So, it should be easy to distinguish them," Rocky said after thinking for a while.

"Alright. Then, let's look for the spiritual treasure first." Lena was about to step forward, but Rocky held her back.

"You wait here with Ken," he said. He felt the weapon tomb was a dangerous place. He didn't want Lena to get hurt.

"But..." Lena understood Rocky's concern, but she wanted to go with him. Before she could say anything, his piercing look stopped her in her tracks. She had to compromise. "Fine, I'll wait for you here, but please be careful!"

Rocky nodded and flew into the weapon shadows floating in the air, looking for the spiritual treasure that might be hidden amidst them. However, even after searching for a long time, he still couldn't find a single spiritual weapon that seemed like a spiritual treasure, and there was no aura similar to the two spiritual treasures he had seen before.

"It's not here?" Rocky wondered aloud.

Just as he was about to return to Lena, the weapons began to gain speed and started moving in the air, as if they were under some command. Their spiritual light gleamed bright and turned into streaks of colorful lights, gathering around Rocky.

Before he could prepare himself, the weapon shadows rushed towards him aggressively. He immediately pulled out the Frozen Wind Dagger and turned it into the Flaming Blade, trying to break out of the encirclement forcefully.

But before the Flaming Blade could form a defensive shield, a strange blue light appeared and hit the blade. The flames around the blade went out in an instant.

Rocky was stunned. What kind of Spiritual Weapon was so powerful that it could disperse the power of the Frozen Wind Dagger in a single blow? It was obvious now that the tomb that sealed the Spiritual Weapons of the previous emperors was extraordinarily powerful.

The countless shadows of the weapons were already surrounding Rocky, and were only three meters away from him now. The strong spiritual auras emanating from the Spiritual Weapons disturbed the air around them, resulting in a whistling wind which instantly enveloped him.

Lena, who was not too far away from Rocky, could see the scene unfold in the air. She watched in shock as the weapon shadows launched themselves upon him. She immediately turned and climbed onto Ken's back.

Then Ken rushed towards Rocky, but it was too late.

His body was about to be pierced by the countless Spiritual Weapons surrounding him.

Rocky stared at the deadly weapons and immediately sensed something.

Without any hesitation, he withdrew the Frozen Wind Dagger and his spiritual power, then took a deep breath. Opening his eyes, he shouted towards the Spiritual Weapons, "Come on!"

As if on command, the countless weapon shadows rushed towards him and stabbed Rocky all over his body.

Horrified, Lena yelled, "Basil!"

But the next moment, the weapon shadows that had stabbed Rocky turned into a dazzling light and enveloped him in its warmth.

Lena was stunned. Rocky floated in the air unharmed, surrounded by eight Spiritual Weapons of different shapes. They gave out an astounding spiritual light that she had never seen before.

"Basil, what are they..." Lena, along with Ken, flew towards Rocky and stopped next to him. She looked at him in surprise, not fully able to comprehend what was going on.

"Is this really a test for me?" Rocky murmured to himself, narrowing his eyes at the Spiritual Weapons.

Earlier, when the weapon shadows were about to attack him, he had suddenly realized that the Spiritual Weapons that were left behind by the previous emperors were now without masters. They were much similar to spiritual beasts, who would also choose their new masters. He had figured it out that the Spiritual Weapons flying towards him were actually to test him. If he had fought back blindly, he would have failed and would have never been able to receive the spiritual treasure. It might have also led to his death. Fortunately, Rocky, who was much experienced by now, was able to make a calm decision at the critical moment. And because of that, the true nature of the Spiritual Weapons sealed within the weapon tomb was revealed to him.

The eight Spiritual Weapons floated majestically in front of him right now.

Judging from the appearances, the spiritual light and the auras of the eight Spiritual Weapons, it was obvious that they were more advanced and powerful than his Frozen Wind Dagger. It came as no surprise to him, since its former masters were emperors of the Holy Dragon Empire.

In the countries of the Wild Spirit Land, only the ruling members of the royal family were able to wield Spiritual Weapons. Even the Divine Stage masters had difficulty owning one.

The Frozen Wind Dagger that Marcia had given Rocky was inferior among the Spiritual Weapons, yet it was still rare for any spirit manipulator to own one. Thus, it was not hard to imagine how rare the eight powerful Spiritual Weapons once owned by the previous emperors were.

Rocky studied the eight Spiritual Weapons as they rotated around him, and a strange light came from each of them as if they wanted him to choose.

"Do you want me to choose?" Rocky whispered in a dilemma. No matter which Spiritual Weapon he chose, it would be powerful. He turned to Lena and asked, "Lena, which one do you think I should choose?"

"All eight Spiritual Weapons are of the same level, and they would have their own advantages. You should choose one yourself. Just follow your heart," she said with a warm smile. It was impossible to find out what these weapons were individually capable of at this point. However, since the Spiritual Weapons were all of the same level, no matter which one Rocky chose, his strength would greatly improve.

Rocky looked at the Spiritual Weapons again. After contemplating his choice for a while, he finally closed his eyes and grabbed one of them casually like drawing a lot. He opened his eyes to see the small Spiritual Weapon in his hand. It looked like a very ordinary ring.

As soon as he grabbed the spiritual ring, the other seven Spiritual Weapons shone brightly and scattered into the air as they turned back into countless weapon shadows once again.

Staring at the little ring, Rocky walked up to Lena.

She breathed a sigh of relief and complained, "You scared me to death!"

"I'm fine, don't worry. But we shouldn't stay here for too long." He was afraid that something unexpected would happen if they stayed in that space any longer.

Then, led by Ken, the two of them left the space and returned to the long maze-like corridor.

 

 

"How do I use this ring?" Rocky stared at the Spiritual Weapon like a ring, and then, without a second thought, put it on his right index finger. The moment he wore it, his palm became rigid and his right hand felt paralyzed. Rocky's heartbeat increased and he felt like he had been touched by an electric current. The next moment, the seemingly ordinary ring melted and integrated with his index finger, and at last, a dragon head appeared on the finger. The magnificent dragon head was clearly angled on his skin, and it was dexterously attached to the back of his index finger. It was so cool, like a masterpiece of God.

Almost at the same time, four words flashed across his mind—"Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring!" 'What...' He held his head, trying to calm himself down.

"Basil, are you okay?" Lena held his hand as she watched the transformation of the Spiritual Weapon with awe. She had never seen anything like it.

"I'm okay. I just feel a little weird." Rocky shook his head and glanced at the ring on his finger. He then turned to Ken and said, "Don't make any mistake this time."

Ken immediately began to look for the right path.

After walking for a while, they reached another floating platform which had nine floors with a winding staircase that led to the top. It was a hundred meters high and was magnificent to look at. From the topmost floating platform, Rocky could sense the familiar aura and a strange light also flashed from that spot.

"The spiritual treasure must be at the top," Rocky said with affirmation.

As they were about to go up, Lena collapsed to the ground with a scream. "Ah! My head!"

"Lena?!" Rocky knelt down next to her and looked at her anxiously.

"Basil! Ah! I have been hearing whispers in my head ever since we walked in. I tried to block them out, but they warned us to stay out. They are angry! My head hurts!" Lena's face turned as pale as snow and her heart rose and fell rapidly.

After screaming out in pain once again, she fainted in his arms.

Rocky tried to shake her awake, but she was out cold. He checked her pulse. Luckily, her breathing was smooth. He felt a little relieved; at least she was not in danger. He looked up at the floating platform. The spiritual treasure was right in front of his eyes, and it was the only way to save his father. His only choice right now was to get the treasure.

He carried Lena in his arms and climbed onto Ken's back. They flew to the ninth floor and landed on the final floating platform. And sure enough, in the center of the floating platform was an arched spiritual treasure floating in the air. The curve of the arched body looked magnificent. The dragon carving on it was so lifelike, and the strings on it were golden threads. In the center of the arched body was a Mysterious Spirit Raw Gemstone of a different color from the two spiritual treasures Rocky had seen before. This was the spiritual treasure he was looking for. He was sure of it!

He looked around the platform. There seemed to be nothing protecting the spiritual treasure, no obstacles or weapons. He hesitated for a moment. He jumped off Ken's back carrying Lena carefully in his arms. He looked at her peaceful face; she was still unconscious. He then planned to put Lena down and got the spiritual treasure.

Just as Rocky was about to put her down, Lena grabbed his hand tightly.

"Lena?" He was startled and immediately looked down at her.

She slowly opened her eyes, but the look in them was different... A gloomy air surrounded her, giving off a strong aura of death. It was not the eyes of the Lena he knew.

"Lena, are you okay?" Rocky asked anxiously.

"You cannot take the spiritual treasure out of here," she said in a hoarse voice.

"You... You are not Lena..." Rocky murmured, and his eyes turned cold.

"I am not. I am only borrowing her body," the voice replied.

"Who are you? What did you do to Lena?" He couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt her. I only want to stop you from taking the spiritual treasure out of this place." Lena's hand was tightly wrapped around Rocky's and her fingernails dug into his flesh.

"I need this spiritual treasure to save my father. I have to exchange it for my father who is held hostage by the Dragon Master Clan now," Rocky said firmly.

"The Dragon Master Clan is trying to get the spiritual treasure again?" the voice asked in surprise.

"Not just the Dragon Master Clan. The other spiritual race clans are also trying everything they can to get their hands on the spiritual treasures," Rocky replied.

"Are the spiritual race clans going to break their vows and make the Wild Spirit Land fall into bloody chaos once again?" the voice asked.

Rocky frowned. "Who on earth are you? It seems like you know a lot about the origin of these spiritual treasures and the secrets behind them. Do you know how many treasures are there? This is the third spiritual treasure I have come across." Rocky wanted to get as much information from whoever it was that was possessing Lena.

"The third, you say? Ah! Soon, all nine spiritual treasures will be gathered. Once they are together, the Wild Spirit Land will fall into endless disputes." Lena's eyes were filled with worry, as if she had foreseen the future.

"Nine? There are nine spiritual treasures in total?" Rocky asked in surprise. He didn't expect that there would be so many.

"The nine spiritual treasures were created along with the nine legendary guardian beasts, using the two unique parts of the Divine Spiritual Source. Once the nine spiritual treasures or the nine legendary beasts are gathered in one place, the Divine Spiritual Source will reappear in the world." The person's words continued to intrigue Rocky. It was about to unravel the hidden secrets of the spiritual race.

"The Divine Spiritual Source? Sounds like a very powerful force. No doubt about it. How else could it create the nine spiritual treasures and the nine legendary guardian beasts? So the spiritual race is trying to gather the spiritual treasures in order to make the Divine Spiritual Source reappear in the world?" Rocky analyzed. Although he didn't know yet what the Divine Spiritual Source was or where it came from, judging from the expression of the mysterious person attached to Lena, the secret of the spiritual race was probably more complicated than he had imagined.

"It is impossible for the spiritual race to gather the Divine Spiritual Source. The source is what they are most afraid of, and it has the power they cannot destroy. If the Divine Spiritual Source was gathered, then what had once happened to the spiritual race in the past would happen to them again. So, the different clans' real purpose is to find the spiritual treasures so that they can prevent the other clans from obtaining them, and to ensure that the nine spiritual treasures will never be gathered together," the voice said, shaking her head.

 

 

"So, what's the bloody chaos of the Wild Spirit Land you just mentioned?" Rocky asked straightforwardly.

"These nine spiritual treasures are immensely powerful as they can turn living things into ashes. Their strong power is the reason why the nine powerful warriors from different clans of spiritual race who owned them were afraid that these treasures would be used for battles among the different clans. So, they agreed to seal them in nine different places in the Wild Spirit Land. They also used their own power to set up the enchanted barriers that any clan of spiritual race could not enter. The warriors did everything in their power to protect the treasures and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. However, the nine powerful warriors also had their own motives. So, they allowed humans to set foot in the places where the spiritual treasures were sealed in anticipation that when their clans needed the help of the spiritual treasures someday, the humans would know where to find it," Lena explained.

Rocky was dumbfounded when he heard her explanation.

"However, the spiritual race is also afraid of the power of the spiritual treasures, so they won't take out them unless they really need to. Once the spiritual treasures are taken out, the restriction on the different clans will be broken. This means that the nine spiritual treasures will reappear in the world. If a spiritual treasure appeared, the other clans who had the spiritual treasures would surely try to take them. The reason why the Dragon Master Clan wants this spiritual treasure in front of you is because this is the Sunrise Magic Dragon Bow owned by the Dragon Master Clan. It was originally sealed in another place, but it was taken back to the Holy Dragon Empire and was sealed in this royal forbidden area," Lena continued.

"So, you mean all the clans of spiritual race in the Wild Spirit Land are searching for spiritual treasures to protect themselves. But there are only nine spiritual treasures, and the number of clans searching for the treasures is far more than that. And other clans that didn't own spiritual treasures are looking for it..." Rocky said doubtfully, getting more confused by the minute.

"Well, that's normal. Back then, the nine clans of spiritual race with the nine spiritual treasures were the strongest among all the clans, which included the Butterfly Divine Clan, the Dragon Master Clan, the Phoenix Master Clan, the Wood Clan and so on. As time went by, the nine clans, like the Butterfly Divine Clan, faced inevitable challenges to become extinct. Over the years, some clans among the nine became weaker while there were also other clans that became stronger. So inevitably those spiritual race clans that didn't own the spiritual treasures wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to take one of the spiritual treasures and use it to secure a place among the powerful clans," Lena explained further.

"You sure do know a lot. Who on earth are you?" Rocky could not help but ask again when he found out that the mysterious person attached to Lena knew so much and explained to him every piece of information.

However, Rocky suddenly felt a strong burning sensation in his chest. Then, the figure of the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast suddenly appeared on the dragon-shaped jade on his chest.

"Is that really you?" the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast deeply looked at Lena and asked.

When Lena saw the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast appearing on Rocky's chest, she was astounded and shouted, "Why are you with this young man?"

"It really is you, my old friend. He has taken over your unfinished mission," the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast said in a deep and ethereal voice.

When she heard this, a smile appeared on Lena's face and she said, "I see. I see. Well, it seems that it is not a coincidence that you can enter here as someone else other than the emperor! It must be fate. I am really relieved. Even if the nine spiritual treasures are truly gathered already, there is still a glimmer of hope."

"Wait, are you the Witch that appeared in my memory?" When he saw that the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast knew the mysterious person attached to Lena, Rocky immediately had that thought in mind.

"You are really smart indeed." Lena glanced at Rocky and continued, "If you want to know everything about the spiritual race, you only need to find the blood essence of the nine legendary guardian beasts to unlock all the memories. If you do that, you will perfectly understand everything. Of course, it would be the best if you could prevent the nine spiritual treasures from being gathered. In that case, you can take your time in collecting the blood essence of the nine legendary guardian beasts. Your lone mission is to protect the Holy Dragon Empire and avoid the disputes among the different clans of spiritual race in the entire Wild Spirit Land. This is also the duty of the Holy Dragon Empire's Witches. If you fail to carry out the mission, the prophecy of the first Witch will come true."

When she said the last sentence, Lena looked profoundly serious.

"The prophecy? What kind of prophecy?" Rocky asked immediately.

"Total darkness and complete destruction," Lena said in an exceptionally low voice.

"Huh? Darkness and destruction? What do you mean by that?" Rocky was stunned at what he heard. He wanted to ask more, but Lena's body suddenly softened, so he immediately hugged her.

"What did she mean by that, old man?" Rocky asked the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast immediately. He knew that the latter probably had a clue about what she meant.

"You will know when the time is right." Then the Dragon-shaped Soul Beast suddenly flew back into the jade.

"Everything that they're saying is so vague. Can't they make it clearer?" Rocky complained to himself. But at least he finally knew some of the history and secrets behind the spiritual treasures. However, there were still many questions that were unanswered. What was the Divine Spiritual Source? How could it have the power to create the nine powerful spiritual treasures and the nine legendary guardian beasts? Besides that, he still wondered whether the remains of the spiritual race that he saw in the Myriad Spirit Tomb were related to it or not.

However, what worried him most was what the Witch said that if all nine spiritual treasures were gathered, something terrible would happen.

While he was lost in all kinds of thought, Lena woke up.

"Basil, what happened just now? I can't remember." Lena asked when she found herself lying in Rocky's arms.

"Not that much. You passed out suddenly." Rocky thought for a while and shook his head. He thought it was best not to tell anyone about the information he just heard.

"Really? How can this be?" Lena rubbed her temples in confusion.

"Maybe it's the influence of the royal forbidden area..." Rocky guessed. "I'll get the spiritual treasure first."

"Isn't it dangerous?" Lena asked worriedly.

"I don't think it would be dangerous." Rocky thought that the spiritual treasure should be safe in the royal forbidden area, so it didn't need any kind of protection.

So, Rocky walked towards the Sunrise Magic Dragon Bow that was floating at the center of the top platform. He paused for a moment then reached out his hand.

 

 

Lena watched nervously as Rocky extended his hand towards the Sunrise Magic Dragon Bow. He could hear his own heartbeat as he gently wrapped his palm around the handle of the bow and picked it up. Nothing happened out of the ordinary and the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.

With the spiritual treasure in his hand, Rocky walked back to Lena.

"Is this it? It looks more like a Spiritual Weapon..." Lena stared at the Sunrise Magic Dragon Bow. It was her first time seeing this spiritual treasure, so she was curious.

"This is much more powerful than a Spiritual Weapon," Rocky replied, looking down at the bow. After listening to the Witch's explanation about the origin of the spiritual treasures, Rocky realized that what he held in his hand at the moment was something worse than a time bomb. The disasters it could bring upon them were unfathomable.

He had to find another way to save his father, because it would be disastrous if he handed over such a thing to the Dragon Master Clan. Thus, he wouldn't let that happen.

A light appeared on one side of the floating platform, which looked like an exit.

"Let's go," Rocky said, nodding at Lena.

The two and Ken walked to the light, then disappeared into it.

When they walked out of the light, Rocky saw that they had been returned to the entrance of the royal forbidden area. Behind them stood the relief stone wall with the dragon sculptures, as if they had never been moved.

"Lena," Rocky called. She turned to him and he instructed, "When the elders ask you what happened here, don't tell them that we've been inside." He quickly placed the Sunrise Magic Dragon Bow and Ken into his Magic Spiritual Space.

"Are you not going to tell them anything?" she asked with a frown.

"The Dragon Master Clan has influence beyond our knowledge on the royal family. We shouldn't trust them too easily," he said bluntly.

"Okay." She nodded in understanding.

Before leaving the Dragon Valley, they bid goodbye to the elders. Of course, they didn't mention that they had entered the forbidden area and taken out the spiritual treasure already. Although the few elders showed disappointment about the failure, they didn't ask anything more about it.

After thanking them for their help, Rocky and Lena rushed back to the Imperial City.

Marcia's mansion was filled with so many people who had gathered to wait for their return. As soon as Rocky and Lena walked in, they surrounded them for information.

Rocky glanced silently at Marcia and nodded slightly. She immediately ordered the irrelevant people in the hall to leave, and asked her trusted subordinates to guard the hall and prevent anyone from entering.

Now, it was just Marcia, the other women, and Sheridan in the hall.

"What happened? Did you find any clues?" Marcia asked in a hurry.

"I have the spiritual treasure," Rocky replied with a faint smile.

Marcia was taken aback. Sabina gasped. "You... You have it?! You didn't even know how to enter the royal forbidden area!"

"Turned out that the jade token left by my father was the object needed to enter the forbidden area. He probably gave it to me knowing that something like this would happen. No wonder Alston couldn't get into the forbidden area. If he had the jade token, he would have long handed over the spiritual treasure to the Dragon Master Clan!"

Marcia sighed. "I didn't expect the emperor was so prophetic. Good thing he saw this coming," she said, a little relieved. "Since we have the spiritual treasure now, we should inform the Dragon Master Clan without any delay and ask them to release the emperor."

"I don't plan on handing over the spiritual treasure to the Dragon Master Clan," Rocky proclaimed.

"What do you mean? Then how are we supposed to save the emperor?" Sabina asked in confusion.

"My disciple, didn't the Dragon Master Clan specifically ask for the spiritual treasure? I don't think they will release the emperor if we don't keep our word," Sheridan commented.

Lena interrupted, "Basil, do you have any other ideas?"

"I will sneak into the Dragon Master Clan and save my father." Rocky voiced out his plan.

"What?!" the gathering exclaimed in unison. They looked at Rocky incredulously. The idea was extremely bold. The Dragon Master Clan was not any ordinary place where someone could easily sneak in and out, not even to mention to save a person.

Marcia tried to talk him out of it. "Basil, it's too dangerous. It is best to hand over the spiritual treasure to the Dragon Master Clan." She knew the consequences of sneaking into the Dragon Master Clan to rescue the emperor. Even if they somehow managed to get in, it would be almost impossible to get out of there in one piece. Moreover, the emperor would be imprisoned somewhere secure. They might not even be able to find him.

"I know the danger. That's why I plan to go alone. If I fail, I can exchange the spiritual treasure for my father's life," Rocky said with determination.

Lena shook her head immediately. "No, we can't let you take this risk alone."

"Yes, that's right! We will go together if you insist on sticking to this ridiculous plan!" Lucilla nodded agitatedly.

"We will not let you leave us again." Sabina gave Rocky a reproachful look.

"Well, my good disciple, I too will go with you this time," Sheridan laughed, also expressing his support.

Rocky shook his head and smiled bitterly at them. Although he had expected this outcome, he sighed inwardly.

"Master?" Sabina turned to Marcia, who remained silent. If Marcia was strongly opposed to his idea, they would not be able to proceed.

"You really are..." Marcia shook her head helplessly and then looked at Rocky with a serious expression. "Have you really made up your mind? Sneaking into the Dragon Master Clan to save the emperor is a serious matter. You may never come back."

"We do have some chips that we can use to negotiate with them. If I fail, I can just hand over the spiritual treasure." Rocky shrugged. But he was also worried if he kept his end of the bargain. Would they really return his father once they got their hands on the spiritual treasure? He wouldn't hand over the treasure unless he absolutely had to.

"It's not impossible to enter the Dragon Master Clan without being discovered, but it will be difficult without a powerful team. We may need to summon the elite power of the royal family," Marcia pondered out loud.

"I'm worried that there may be spies arranged by the Dragon Master Clan in the royal family. We can't expose our plans to them. If we are not careful, the mission will fall apart. Moreover, we have to act as soon as possible. Once the Dragon Master Clan finds out that I have taken out the spiritual treasure, they will take action," Rocky said.

"It's a pity that General Lance and Chief Elvis have gone back to their places. If we are to wait for them, it will take a few more days." Marcia frowned slightly.

"May I join you?" A burly figure appeared silently. His calm voice carried a strong impact, and an astonishing aura enveloped the entire hall.

Along with the figure appeared a beautiful woman.

"Chief Bryant?" Rocky and the others turned to look towards the direction where the voice had come from. They were surprised to see Bryant and Shirley in front of them.

 

 

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why didn't you tell me that the Dragon Master Clan imprisoned His Majesty? Of course, I should know about this! Are you worried that I might have ulterior motives?" Bryant yelled angrily. With narrowed eyes, he stared furiously at Rocky and the others.

"Uh, don't get us wrong, Chief Bryant. It's just that this matter is of great importance that we have to be extra cautious all the time. We can't risk leaving any trace of mistake with this one," Rocky explained in a serious and polite tone.

"Which brings me to the more important question: how did you know about that, Chief Bryant? Where did you hear about this?" Marcia raised her eyebrow and asked in confusion.

"After Alston's death, Priest Dean approached me and told me everything Alston had done. He told me about the fact that Alston tried to kill His Majesty, the imprisonment of His Majesty in the Dragon Master Clan, as well as the purpose of the Dragon Master Clan," Bryant said with a dejected look on his face.

"Wait, back up. Priest Dean? If he came to you personally to tell you all about this, then I don't think that he just wanted to have a little chitchat," Rocky mumbled. At that moment, he knew something was fishy—Priest Dean must have done something behind his back again.

"A dog without a master will certainly want to find another master. Unfortunately, I am not the one he wants," Bryant replied obscurely.

"Like what they say, a leopard cannot change its spots," Sheridan remarked as he shook his head from side to side.

"So, when I heard that Prince Basil went to the royal family's forbidden area, I already knew that he was going to save His Majesty. I am here to have a conversation with him, but I didn't expect to hear all about your intricate plan to save His Majesty." Regaining his composure, Bryant explained calmly.

"So, does that mean you are willing to help us?" Rocky asked as he fixed his eyes on Bryant.

"The Ximen Clan has been loyal to the royal family for countless generations. Now that His Majesty is in trouble, it will be an honor to help you save him," said Bryant, as he puffed his chest out to show his bravery and loyalty to the royal family.

"Perhaps, there is some hope with your help. And for that, I am eternally grateful." Marcia nodded in agreement.

"Grandpa, I want to go with you. Please, let me. I promise not to cause any trouble." Shirley requested Bryant.

"Well...I am not so sure about that." Obviously, Bryant was having doubts letting his grandchild accompany them on the mission. After all, he knew that the rescue operation was extremely dangerous. Although Shirley was not weak, her strength was only capable of protecting herself at most.

"While we would be delighted to have you with us, this operation is very dangerous, Miss Shirley. You'd better stay home," Marcia said in a serious tone.

"I am just as strong as them. If they all can go, then why can't I? It's unfair!" Shirley protested as she pointed her finger at Sabina and Lucilla.

"What do you think, Chief Bryant? This is your call," Rocky asked. He took a glimpse at the begging Shirley, and then bounced his gaze to Sabina and Lucilla. At that moment, he didn't really know what to say.

"If you don't object, then I will let her go with us. She needs to have more practical training," Bryant said after thinking for a moment.

"All right, then." Rocky had no objections whatsoever. After all, it seemed that Bryant was willing to let his granddaughter go with them.

After discussion, Rocky ordered Lena to go back to the Palace City and temporarily oversee the state affairs. Now that the Holy Dragon Empire had no emperor, it was necessary to have someone lead the nation. If Lena, the Witch of the Holy Dragon Empire, disappeared for a few days, panic would surely engulf the entire empire.

Although Lena also wanted to go to the Dragon Master Clan with Rocky and the others, she had to take one for the team and stay in the Palace City for the sake of the country.

Worried that a long delay might cause trouble, Rocky led the rescue team and set out from Marcia's mansion that same night, leaving the Imperial City for the Dragon Master Clan.

As soon as they left the Imperial City, a delicate figure carrying a crystal ball in her hand appeared at the top of the city wall. Looking at the backs of Rocky and the others, she whispered to the delicate figure reflected in the crystal ball, "They have already set out. Now is the time for us to take action. But, come to think of it. Is it really worth taking a risk for him?"

"I believe in my judgment. Believe me when I say that everything is possible with him!" the delicate figure in the crystal ball replied with clear certainty.

"I hope that your intuition is right." As soon as her voice trailed off, she immediately vanished from where she stood.

Meanwhile, the Dragon Master Clan's habitat was located in the territory of the Holy Dragon Empire, which was at the end of the Dragon Wing Valley. The Dragon Wing Valley itself was a very dangerous and mysterious land, which was considered to be far more dangerous than the Hell of Dragon Fang and the Nine-phoenix Demonic Land.

Not long after, Rocky's rescue team arrived at the Dragon Wing Valley using Bryant's and Marcia's spiritual dragons at the six-star level. As soon as they landed, they chose to walk forward so that they would stay hidden from the clansmen of the Dragon Master Clan.

The Dragon Wing Valley was a place in the Wild Spirit Land with the largest number of dragon beasts. In every corner, all kinds of rare dragon beasts roamed freely, and some of them even flew and ran around.

On the other hand, the outsiders thought that dragon beasts were all humongous and powerful dragons that always flew in the sky. But in fact, they were not the only kinds of dragon beasts. Aside from them, there were also many kinds of dragon beasts living on the ground. However, most of the dragon beasts living on the ground were categorized as supernatural beasts. Staying true to its name, these kinds were so hostile that it was impossible for humans to capture and control them.

Because of this, they were sure that they would encounter many dangers after entering the Dragon Wing Valley. Moreover, these dangerous dragon beasts were at least equal to the spirit-manipulated beasts above the five-star level. They often appeared in groups and were strong and fierce.

Luckily, Bryant, a powerful master at the Immortal Stage, was on the team. With his help, everything went smoothly.

Two days of smooth traveling had passed, and the rescue team bumped into their first big trouble. At that moment, a group of strange spiritual beasts called the Fierce Eagle Dragons occupied an area worth hundreds of meters. The problem was that this was the only way to the Dragon Master Clan, and these beasts took it as their habitat.

"Oops, trouble ahead. Can we take a detour?" Rocky asked Marcia as he looked at the area in the distance, where there countless Fierce Eagle Dragons ran amok.

"If we do, then it will take at least one more day. Plus, I don't know what trouble we will encounter if we take a detour. If we want to reach the territory of the Dragon Master Clan as soon as possible, we must take this shortcut," Marcia replied in a rather frustrated voice.

"How about you, Chief Bryant? What do you think?" Rocky looked at Bryant and asked for his opinion.

"It's hard to deal with the dragons. But the longer we stay here, the more dangerous it will be for us. Therefore, I think it might be best if we can pass through without alerting these dragons," Bryant proposed.

"But I'm afraid it's not easy to pass through them unless someone can be our flank and distract them so we can buy ourselves some time," Sheridan suggested.

"Let me do it," Bryant bravely offered.

"No. Allow me. The Ximen Clan will be in trouble if you get into any accident," Rocky said as he shook his head.

 

 

"But it's too dangerous for you to do that alone," Lucilla said, her voice shrouded with worry.

Sabina nodded in agreement.

"Lucilla is right. You're not strong enough. It's better to let my grandfather do it," Shirley added.

Rocky smiled calmly and said, "It will be easier for me to flee." With that, he summoned Ken and vanished with it before they could stop him.

A moment later, violent explosions rang out from the habitat of the Fierce Eagle Dragons. Obviously, Rocky and Ken created the explosions. After the deafening noise, they quickly headed to the west. The dragons, startled by the explosions, grew angry and chased after the man and the beast.

Soon, there were almost no beasts left in the habitat.

"Let's go." Marcia nodded to the team.

They crossed the habitat and ran all the way to the other side. Although they had to still encounter some Fierce Eagle Dragons halfway through the habitat, with Bryant, Marcia and Sheridan leading the way, they successfully passed through.

They reached an area covered with stones and decided to rest there while waiting for Rocky to come back.

The group waited for more than half a day, but Rocky was nowhere in sight.

"Could anything bad have happened to him?" Lucilla asked, stealing a glance at Marcia worriedly.

"That guy just likes to play tough," Shirley snorted.

"If it weren't for Basil, we couldn't have come past the habitat so smoothly," Sabina retorted, glaring at Shirley.

Shirley glared back at her with the same intensity of hate.

"I'll go and find him," Marcia said, getting up from the stone ground. She was worried about him too. He was followed by a bunch of beasts, after all.

But just as Marcia got ready to move out, a figure covered in weeds and dirt appeared in front of them. As soon as the women saw the figure, they couldn't help smiling.

"It must have been hard to get rid of them all." Marcia covered her mouth and smirked at the sight of him.

"Rocky, are you hurt?" Sheridan asked immediately, walking towards him.

"Well, when a man is unlucky, he could choke on water. It took me a lot of effort to get rid of the Fierce Eagle Dragons, but then I bumped into another group of supernatural beasts. I managed to dodge them somehow, or else I would have ended up fighting those too," Rocky replied as he pulled out the weeds from his dirty clothes.

"Good. We should keep moving now. There are more dangerous beasts waiting for us on the way," Marcia warned, and the rescue team continued on their journey.

Just as she had predicted, as they went deeper, the supernatural beasts they encountered became bigger and stronger. Most of them were stronger than the beasts Rocky had fought in the Mysterious Cave in the Spiritual Pasture Valley of the Wood Clan. Every step forward was a challenge for the team.

As soon as they managed to get rid of a dozen supernatural beasts at the six-star level, they ran into three at the seven-star level!

After two days and two nights of this perilous journey, Sabina, Lucilla and Shirley were exhausted and were panting for breath. Rocky, Bryant, Marcia and Sheridan were strong. But while in the midst of the fierce battle, especially against powerful supernatural beasts, it was difficult to protect the others.

"Basil! Get them to a safe place!" Marcia called out to Rocky, who was fighting a beast while also protecting Sabina and the other women.

After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and ran away from the beasts with the three women in search of a safe place.

A little distance away, they found a seemingly safe cave under a steep cliff.

"Wait here. I'll take a look inside," Rocky said as he gestured to the three women to stay outside, while he stepped into the cave cautiously. He created a flame in his hand which lit up the entire cave.

Just when he thought the cave was safe, he heard a screech from the top of the cave. He turned around swiftly to see a two-person sized bat-shaped supernatural beast flying towards him with a sharp roar.

Rocky's eyes narrowed. He immediately pulled out his Frozen Wind Dagger and cast a Moon Blade to stop the beast.

Boom!

The Moon Blade collided against the beast, bringing forth a dazzling flame. The beast's body lit up in flames, but it didn't seem hurt; the flame engulfed the beast's body like a layer of fire clothing.

Roaring, the supernatural beast approached Rocky, its body covered in strong flames.

Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, Rocky immediately took a step back, but the beast aggressively flew towards him.

Just as he was about to be attacked, the Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring in his hand shone brightly and a spiritual shadow emerged from it. It transformed into a spiritual net, trapping the supernatural beast midair. No matter how hard it struggled, the beast could not break free from the net.

Rocky watched in stunned silence. He stared at the spiritual weapon. He had no idea what had happened just now; in fact, he never had the time to study the Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring and its function after attaining it from the forbidden area. He didn't know how to use it, and yet, it reacted on its own accord when he was in danger.

Rocky seized the opportunity and flew up to the beast. After activating the Flaming Blade to the extreme, he slashed at the supernatural beast with all his strength.

The cave rumbled under the sudden explosion.

When the three women outside heard the noise, they looked at each other. Then they rushed into the cave and saw a supernatural beast that had been split in half and fell to the ground, turning into ashes.

"Basil! Are you okay?" Sabina rushed towards him.

"I'm fine," he replied, turning to the shocked women. Then his gaze fell on the ring on his finger. Judging from the sudden reaction of the ring, it seemed to him that it was stranger and more powerful than he had imagined.

"You killed a supernatural beast on your own? All alone?" Shirley exclaimed, staring at the corpse on the ground.

"You have to ask? Can't you see the dead beast?" Sabina smirked at Shirley, glad to show off Rocky's strength.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Shirley replied angrily. She hadn't planned to say anything, but was too surprised by the scene in front of them.

Sabina snorted.

"Let's get some rest now," Rocky interrupted, hoping to stop their quarrel. Along the journey, the two women fought non-stop, like born enemies.

Shirley had been this way since she was a child. However, Sabina, who usually was cool-headed, became angry every time she saw Shirley. In contrast, Lucilla was much calmer. She pulled Sabina by her hand and walked into the cave.

 

 

"All right. You can go inside now," Rocky said as he led Shirley to the cave.

Shirley couldn't help but snort as she walked in. It seemed that she kind of rolled her eyes, but they were actually fixed at Rocky. In her mind, it was still hard for her to accept the fact that the pathetic loser she had known in the past had already become much stronger than her. Rocky even had two powerful spirit-manipulated beasts at his disposal. Right now, she felt so inferior to him in every aspect.

As the three women entered and settled inside the cave, Rocky walked out and looked at the direction from which they had come from.

After waiting for quite a while, he saw three figures finally appear from a distance.

"How was it? Are you guys okay?" Rocky asked out of concern.

"Well, not too good. Supernatural beasts are very difficult to deal with. Even if the three of us joined hands, we only managed to kill one," Marcia said in a rather frustrated tone.

"Let's have a proper rest first. We'll discuss the rest later." Rocky knew that they had been on a tough journey. He was just glad that everyone was safe.

Then, he guided the other three to the cave where they would stay the night.

After a night's worth of rest in the cave, the rescue team prepared themselves and set out early the following morning.

After such a long journey, the rescue team that was led by Marcia finally reached the border of the Dragon Master Clan's territory. As they passed through a dense fruit forest, they immediately saw several female members of the Dragon Master Clan, gathering fruits and other crops that they could obtain from the area. From their observation, all of them seemed to be ordinary spiritual slaves.

"I wonder if they know where my father is being held captive." Currently, Rocky and the others continued to hide in the dark and observed the movements of the female members of the Dragon Master Clan.

"How long are we doing this? Why don't we just catch one of them and ask what we want to know?" Shirley suggested as she grew impatient.

"And what if she doesn't know? I am afraid it's not a good idea as it will alert the enemies," Sabina answered while shaking her head.

"So we're just going to hide here and do nothing? If you won't ask, how will you know that they don't know?" Shirley got annoyed and refuted Sabina immediately.

"Fine. If you want things your way, just catch one of them and bring her here by yourself." Sabina knew how to get in Shirley's head and provoked her all the more.

"Sure, I will!" Shirley scoffed before quickly rushing at a fast speed.

Upon seeing this, Rocky and the others couldn't help but shake their heads and let out a deep sigh.

"Shirley is too impatient." Even Bryant frowned at Shirley's reaction.

"Come on. Why did you have to irritate her? You know her temper," Rocky slightly reprimanded Sabina for provoking Shirley.

"But I didn't know that she'd really do it," Sabina rebutted as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, it's fine. General Marcia followed her as soon as she dashed out," Bryant said in an unworried manner.

Upon hearing what Bryant said, Rocky turned and looked at where Marcia was originally standing and saw that she indeed disappeared from that spot.

Not long after, Marcia and Shirley came back together with one of the female members. They all heard that Marcia was talking with the woman in their language.

Initially, the woman had been scared because of their sudden appearance, but as she heard Marcia spoke their language, she seemed to calm down somehow. As Marcia continued to interrogate the woman, they could just see her shaking her head in panic from time to time.

After a while, Marcia turned to her companions and shook her head. "She doesn't know where the emperor is imprisoned. But she said that more than half a year ago, they saw that a seriously injured human was brought back to the Dragon Master Clan."

Hearing that, Rocky and the others looked at each other. The woman's description might point that it was the emperor.

"What are we going to do now?" Sabina broke the silence and asked.

"General Marcia, you had been in the Dragon Master Clan before. Do you have any idea where they may be holding His Majesty?" Bryant asked as he looked at Marcia expectantly.

"Yes, I think I do. However, if he was really locked in that place, it will be too difficult for us to save him," Marcia answered, wearing a serious expression on her face.

"How difficult are we talking about?" Rocky's eyes lit up. In his mind, he was already determined no matter how hard it would be.

Marcia let out a deep sigh before she gave her answer. "Once we enter that place, the chances of us getting out of there are almost negligible. With our current strength, I'm afraid that the rate of failure is so high," she explained without sugarcoating the situation.

As they heard what Marcia said, everyone's expressions looked extremely gloomy.

"Well, let's go to that place first. It's better than looking for my father aimlessly. Once we made sure that he is indeed locked up there, we'll think of the most feasible way to save him," Rocky said after thinking for a while. Right now, they had no choice but to move forward and deal with their adversaries when the time came.

Everyone mustered their courage and nodded in agreement.

"All right. But we have to wait until nightfall before we commence our plan. It's too risky to make a move in broad daylight," Marcia advised as she looked towards the sky.

"But what about her? What are we going to do with this woman?" Lucilla asked as she looked at the woman from the Dragon Master Clan.

"Let's take her with us. She might come in handy when the situation permitted," Rocky suggested.

In the meantime, Rocky and the others searched for a hidden place nearby to rest and wait until night fell.

"Chief Bryant, can I talk to you for a minute in private?" Rocky quietly approached Bryant, who was already about to close his eyes to get some rest.

Bryant immediately knew that it was something important just by looking at Rocky's eyes. He quickly agreed, and the two of them found a corner to talk to.

"What is it, Prince Basil?" Bryant asked straightforwardly. He actually had a hunch that Rocky might have an idea of what to do later when they raided the base of the Dragon Master Clan.

"Can you do me a favor?" Rocky asked as he looked directly into Bryant's eyes.

"A favor? Of course. Go ahead and tell me." Bryant was quite surprised and curious at what Rocky was about to say.

"Although I have the cards to lay down in negotiation with the Dragon Master Clan, there's still no guarantee that everything will go smoothly. There's still a possibility that they would try to kill us. Once it is exposed that they kidnapped the emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire, the Dragon Master Clan would surely lose the trust of the empire." Rocky told him bluntly.

"I know. That's possible. Do you have an idea of how we could deal with it?" Bryant inquired.

"In case something unexpected happens, I hope that you, General Marcia, and my master will do your best to escort my father safely out of the Dragon Master Clan's territory," Rocky stated with a straight face.

"Wait. What do you mean?" Bryant started to get confused and asked with furrowed brows.

"We all know that even the ordinary spiritual beings are very powerful, let alone the spiritual masters. If we do want to successfully rescue my father, someone has to stay here and cover for you as you escape," Rocky replied in a low voice. It turned out that he was willing to go as far as being a decoy just to ensure that the emperor could escape to safety.

"I'm not trying to belittle you, but I think it's still better if I or General Marcia would cover for the rescue team. Although I know that you're much stronger now, it's still going to be very difficult for you to defeat the ordinary spiritual beings. If I or General Marcia carries out the task, we will be able to resist their clansmen more effectively," Bryant insisted and persuaded Rocky.

"I know that. But both you and General Marcia are the backbones of the Holy Dragon Empire. You are indispensable. Moreover, with your strength, there's a higher rate of success that you could get my father out of here. That is the crucial thing. More importantly, if it was me who faced them, they wouldn't easily get the spiritual treasure." It seemed that Rocky had already thought about this for a long time. He devised a plan and carefully considered every factor before he talked to Bryant.

Bryant recognized that Rocky had already been mentally prepared to take on this role so as to save the emperor at all costs. However, he still couldn't get himself to agree because he knew that if they followed Rocky's plan, the prince might not be able to come out alive.

 

 

"Did you tell General Marcia about this?" As Bryant studied Rocky, he could not help but praise the prince internally. Rocky was so much younger than him, and yet, he always showed great courage no matter the circumstance. Suddenly, he felt ashamed of his inferiority.

"She will never agree, so I want to ask you for a favor, Chief Bryant. When the time comes..." Rocky leaned closer to him and whispered the details secretively.

As he listened, the frown on Bryant's face grew bigger and bigger. He hesitated for a short while, but he nodded his permission in the end because the prince had made this plan and he had no reason to object. As a loyal courtier of the Holy Dragon Empire, he naturally had to protect the emperor.

Seeing that Bryant was receptive to his wishes, Rocky smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, Chief Bryant."

"Prince Basil, if you are lucky enough to get through this safe and sound, and if one day you can ascend the throne, you can count on my support and the support of the Ximen Clan," Bryant promised as he patted Rocky on his shoulder with his thick and sturdy palm. In his mind, Rocky had shown that he truly deserved to be admired. He had exhibited the character of a great leader, and as a prince, he always took the lead in dealing with any difficult tasks. In a word, he was exemplary.

"Well, we'll talk about that later. But still, thank you," Rocky said calmly, as he turned away.

Soon, the sun fell from its perch in the sky, covering the whole land in darkness.

The rescue team set out as soon as the night fell, and went to where they suspected that the emperor was imprisoned. Marcia took the lead, so their journey went smoothly, but they still had to be careful. The supernatural beasts dared not step into the Dragon Master Clan's territory, but they could not let their guard down as the danger was around them. If their whereabouts were exposed, the entire Dragon Master Clan could surround them in an instant.

About two hours later, after circling half of the Dragon Master Clan's territory, the rescue team finally arrived outside a valley. The entrance to the valley was in the shape of a very steep slope, and they could see faint lights flashing inside.

"General Marcia, what is this place?" Rocky asked, studying the valley curiously.

"This is the Dead Valley of the Dragon Master Clan, a place where they imprison those who have offended the Dragon Master Clan, or have violated their taboos. Moreover, once they enter this valley, they will not be able to leave for the rest of their lives, so most of the people who have entered here die inside." Marcia's face changed slightly. It seemed that the mention of the Dead Valley also reminded her of some painful memories.

"Is my father locked inside?" Rocky asked softly, and his voice betrayed the youth he still held, which was made more obvious now that his father was in danger.

Marcia hesitated to answer, which was already an answer in itself. "I'm not sure, but it's highly possible."

"Well, let's get ready to move." Rocky nodded at her one last time before he turned to the others. Soon, they were preoccupied with planning what they were going to do once they entered the prison.

Rocky and his companions observed that there were more than thirty spiritual slaves, and more than five ordinary spiritual beings guarding the valley. They didn't know where the emperor was locked up, so it would be challenging to find and save him, not to mention the powerful guards that were waiting for them.

"First, we need to distract those spiritual slaves. Then, Chief Bryant and I will deal with the rest of the ordinary spiritual beings," Marcia said, sharing her plan with the group.

"Let me serve as the distraction for those spiritual slaves. Then, Master and Sabina, you two will go separately and look for the emperor," Rocky added after thinking for a while.

Sheridan shook his head in disagreement at Rocky's plan, as a stern expression cast shadows on his face. It was rare for him to be so serious. "I think Rocky will be our best bet for rescuing the emperor. On the other hand, the three girls and I will serve as a distraction for those spiritual slaves. If you find the emperor, you can take him away first while we take care of the rest."

"But..." Rocky was hesitant to agree because he knew that it was a very dangerous task. There were a lot of spiritual slaves, so he didn't want Sheridan and Sabina to take the risk.

"Basil, if we want to successfully rescue the emperor, your invisibility power is a great necessity," Sabina said immediately.

However, the frown on Rocky's face refused to fade.

"Don't be so indecisive. Are you underestimating us? Do you think that we could not handle a few spiritual slaves?" Shirley snorted, rolling her eyes in dismay.

On the contrary, Lucilla's voice was comforting and gentle when she spoke. "Don't worry about us."

Marcia also took this time to add, "Just let them go." It seemed that she too agreed with Sabina and the others on this matter.

Seeing that everyone was determined to assign him to the emperor's retrieval, Rocky could only agree. He clenched his fists and answered with gritted teeth, "Okay, but you must be very careful."

Now that he had finally agreed, the others were quick to nod and get on with the planning.

Sheridan and the three women summoned their spirit-manipulated beasts and rushed into the valley, causing a stir within the enemies' ranks deliberately. The spiritual slaves guarding the Dead Valley were alarmed, and they surrounded the intruders from all directions.

The foursome retreated as soon as they saw that they had attracted the attention of the spiritual slaves. They backed away and let their enemies follow them out of the valley.

On the other hand, several ordinary spiritual beings that were guarding the inner side of the Dead Valley also looked at each other in alarm when they heard the ruckus from outside. From the noise, it seemed that some people were trying to break into the Dead Valley that night.

They were distracted with what was happening outside, so they failed to notice when two figures suddenly appeared in front of them.

The ordinary spiritual beings shouted in alarm, looking around warily.

In front of them, the two figures were shrouded in darkness, moving so quickly and stealthily like they were as one with the shadows. Fighting erupted in the inner valley, and despite the overwhelming number of ordinary spiritual beings, the two figures appeared to be winning.

Almost at the same time, a figure appeared silently on the left side of the Dead Valley, and he began to peer through every holding cell. Some Dragon Master Clan's members who were locked up inside the wall holes heard the noise from outside, and they immediately let out all kinds of excited screams that resonated through the whole Dead Valley.

"Father, where are you?" There were too many holes on the cliff! Rocky had been searching for a long time, but he could not find the emperor. Robin and Ken were also looking for his father in two other places, but they made no progress either. In the end, his exasperation led him to cry out loud, and he hoped that the emperor would hear him and answer.

As he passed by one of the wall holes that served as a holding cell, he suddenly detected an amazing aura coming from inside. It felt like he was facing a huge wave with overwhelming power, which made him stop involuntarily.

"Young man, I know where to find the person you are looking for! However, as a human, how can you break into the Dragon Master Clan to save a person? Do you want to die so badly?" A deep voice echoed from behind the wall.

"Do you know where my father is?" Rocky immediately asked, surprised.

"Of course," the voice inside the cave answered at once. Rocky didn't believe him at first. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the hole in the wall and asked, "Well, are you going to tell me where he is? Or maybe you want something in exchange." He became quiet for a few seconds as if he was thinking, then he asked again, "Do you want me to let you out in exchange for the information about my father's whereabouts? Besides, how do I know if you are telling the truth?"

"Ha-ha, if I want to get out of here, how can the Dead Valley block me? I just want to remind you that you are digging your own grave by doing this. You may still survive if you leave now, but once the spiritual masters of the Dragon Master Clan arrive, you will surely die!" The voice laughed arrogantly.

 

 

"To be honest, I don't know myself either. I had this itching desire to save father ever since I heard that he was still alive. But he is not my actual father..." Rocky's feelings suddenly became a little contradictory after he heard the voice from the cave. In fact, as soon as they set foot in the Dragon Wing Valley, he immediately felt in his gut that this rescue was a little bit too reckless and not well thought of. Yet, he also felt as if something deep inside of him was driving him vigorously, making him feel that his thoughts were normal and reasonable because he was saving his father.

Meanwhile, the cave's wall suddenly began to shine like two bright lights. Soon after, a strong gaze was instantly fixed on Rocky.

"I think I know why... It's because your soul doesn't belong to your current body. Moreover, the soul that really belongs to the body is waking up, so your consciousness has been gradually affected..." The voice in the cave stopped speaking for a moment. After a short while, it then slowly explained Rocky the plausible reason.

"What? What do you mean? There's another soul in my body? Can it be..." Rocky's eyes widened in shock. All along, he thought that the real Basil was dead.

If what the voice inside the cave said was true, then that would mean that the real Basil was not dead, and his soul was still in this body. His soul had been in a deep sleep just because it was occupied by Rocky's soul.

"Do you often surpass your body's limits and use the power that your body can't bear?" the voice inquired.

Rocky's mouth turned into a frown as he nodded.

"Well, I think I know what's happening now. If you use power beyond your body's limits, it will not only hurt your body but also your soul. Perhaps you are not aware of this, but your soul has become incomplete. Thus, it will cause the other soul in your body to wake up. Moreover, the consciousness of the other soul will invisibly affect your thoughts, but you won't realize that it is the consciousness of another soul and not yours. As this happens, you would only think that it is your own thought. That can be the only reasonable explanation for your current situation." In this way, the voice successfully solved Rocky's doubts.

It could not be denied that it was hard for him to believe what he just heard, but it could also finally explain the strange situation that had happened to him. Was his consciousness really affected by Basil's soul that he would have the intense determination to save the emperor this time?

"Perhaps, you may find my words unbelievable to some extent, and I won't blame you for that. However, you have to believe that the power of the soul is very powerful. The spiritual race was once obsessed with souls' power, causing the extinction of the ancient species. So, young man, take care of yourself and don't use too much of your power, or you will surely regret one day! Be mindful!" the voice warned in a concerned manner.

"Well, since I'm already here, it will be such a waste if I don't at least try to save my father." Rocky smiled calmly as he finished speaking.

"I've seen that kind of temperament before. It's the same as my daughter's. I can still remember it clearly as if it happened just yesterday. At that time, she rushed into the Dead Valley at all costs to save me. You are both with loving devotion. But as a father, I know that your father will not be happy once he finds out that you are risking your life just to save him." The voice cracked slightly as it started to sound a little sentimental.

"So, sir, do you have any idea where my father is now?" Rocky asked with a severe look. After all, this was what he came for.

After a momentary silence, the voice broke the dead air and added, "I guess there's only one place he could be right now, the prison at the top."

"Okay, got it. Thank you!" As soon as Rocky heard the piece of vital information, he wasted no time and leaped into the air, flying all the way to the top.

Not long after, he reached the top cave and called, "Father..."

As soon as he called, an old trembling voice echoed from the left of the cave. "Basil... is that you? You're my son Basil, right?"

When Rocky heard the old voice, his eyes widened, thinking that he might have found his father. Immediately, he jumped into the air and flew over to where the sound was coming from. Amidst the dark night, he saw a very haggard figure hazily appear inside the cave. There, the figure sat cross-legged on the ground, like a piece of deadwood. Although the cave lacked an ample amount of light source, Rocky could vaguely recognize that this figure was the old emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire.

"F... father..." As soon as he came to his senses, Rocky was dumbfounded, and his heart bled in pain. He clenched his fists in anger the moment he saw his father's situation.

"Basil... I am not dreaming, am I? It is really... you? W—why... are you here? You must leave... It's too dangerous here..." with a trembling voice, the emperor feebly said.

"Father, I'm here to save you," Rocky said as he immediately unsheathed the Frozen Wind Dagger and slashed at the wooden fence with all his strength.

Soon after, a burst of flames soared and rushed towards the fence. Light-like the enchanted barrier suddenly flashed in front of it, resisting the power of the Frozen Wind Dagger. Despite this, the wooden fence remained completely intact and unharmed.

Rocky repeatedly attacked the fence multiple times, but the fence still remained the same—no dents, no cracks, still unscathed.

"Th... this cave... has been fortified with... the enchanted barrier... With the power that you have now... it is impossible for you to break it... D—do me a favor and leave now!" the emperor stammered as he wanted Rocky to leave right that instant.

At that point, Rocky had no choice but to release the power of the sixth layer of the seal in his body. On the way to the Dragon Master clan, he had already removed the power in the sixth layer of the seal and sealed it in the spiritual soul container in his body so that he could use it any time he pleased.

After he released the power, Rocky's aura immediately increased, bursting out the strength at the fifth grade of the Divine Stage. Once more, he attacked the wooden fence. However, it seemed that his efforts were in vain.

"Basil... your strength... has actually improved to... to such an incredible extent." At that time, the emperor was surprised to see that Rocky's aura had increased sharply.

"Holy shit!" Rocky cursed and yelled madly as he was frustrated that his methods were no match for the protection that shrouded the place. He clenched the Frozen Wind Dagger in his palm in anger, his eyes cold with sorrow. What frustrated him the most was the fact that his father was already within his reach and yet he was still unable to save him because of the god-forsaken enchanted barrier. In a fit of anger, he smashed his right hand towards the wooden fence.

Meanwhile, as soon as Rocky's fist hit the wooden fence, the Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring in his finger suddenly lit up, projecting a spiritual shadow in the air. Then, it opened like a spider web and collided with the enchanted barrier in front of the fence. In no time, shining light flooded the entire cave.

"That's the Hexagonal... Netting Dragon Ring... B—Basil... you have entered... the royal family's forbidden area... haven't you?" the emperor exclaimed in astonishment.

"Father, the Dragon Master Clan asked me to bring spiritual treasure in exchange for your freedom, so I went to the forbidden area without thinking twice," Rocky responded. At the same time, he fixed his eyes on the power of the spiritual shadows of the Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring that was wildly colliding with the enchanted barrier.

"Do you... have the spiritual treasure... with you right now?" the emperor asked, with a noticeable tone of excitement in his voice.

Rocky nodded.

"Basil, no matter what happens, never let... the Dragon Master Clan... take away the spiritual treasure from you. Otherwise..." Without warning, the emperor's face changed drastically.

"I've already known everything about the spiritual treasure. Father, please don't worry about it. I have a plan, and I know what I'm doing! But, do you know why the Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring is acting like this?" Rocky turned his gaze to the spiritual shadows that continuously shot out from the ring. As a result, its constant contact with the enchanted barrier almost covered all of it.

"The Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring... is the Spiritual Weapon... owned by the fifth emperor of our Holy Dragon Empire... Among all the emperors... of our empire, the fifth emperor was the strongest spirit manipulator..." the emperor said with difficulty, catching his breath in the process. Then, he coughed a few times and continued, "It is said that he became a spirit manipulator at the peak of the ninth grade... of the Immortal Stage... And the most powerful part... of the Hexagonal Netting Dragon Ring... is that based on the holder's own will... it will have different forms of attacks or defenses to maximize the holder's strength..."

 

 

"Different forms?" As though something crossed his mind, Rocky's eyes narrowed at the enchanted barrier that had appeared when the spiritual shadow collided it. Then, he gently pressed his palm against its center.

All of a sudden, with Rocky's palm at its center, spiritual power rippled outward like waves. Gradually, the ripples spread across the threads of the spider web that was formed by the spiritual shadow.

Under the impact of the rippling spiritual power, the enchanted barrier began to tremble violently. Moments later, the vibrations intensified, til hairline cracks began to appear.

"Ah!" Rocky exclaimed, popping open his eyes. Suddenly, a strong spiritual power surged out from his palm and onto the enchanted barrier. With a loud bang, the whole enchanted barrier shattered into countless pieces, like broken glass. In the blink of an eye, the barrier had vanished without a trace.

Once the enchanted barrier was broken, Rocky immediately brandished the Frozen Wind Dagger, slashing at the wooden fence. Then, he rushed to his father, the emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire.

As he got closer, Rocky could see the state the emperor was left in. Long wisps of silver hair framed his hollowed cheeks. His eyes were sunken, as though he barely slept. His torn-up robe revealed emaciated hands and feet.

"Father..." Rocky couldn't help but tremble with mixed emotions at the sight of his mistreated father. Yet, he was not supposed to have such emotions.

"Don't worry, my child. It's lucky enough that I am still alive. What matters now is that I lived to see you again," the emperor said calmly. His old wrinkled face revealed a thankful smile, his eyes brimming with tears of gratitude.

"Let's go." Rocky abruptly turned around to let the emperor mount his back. Together, they left the cave as fast as they could, flying straight down.

On the other side, Bryant and Marcia were fighting side by side against the ordinary spiritual beings of the Dragon Master Clan.

"General Marcia, what on earth do you want?" Bryant suddenly asked, his eyes seething with bitterness.

"What on earth do you mean, Chief Bryant?" Marcia shot him a confused glance as she finished off an ordinary spiritual being.

"Prince Basil proposed taking this huge risk to rescue His Majesty just because he missed his father so much. But as a general of the Holy Dragon Empire, you should've tried your best to stop him! But you didn't. This is not your style," Bryant growled in a low voice.

"You didn't stop him either, did you?" Marcia retorted.

"Although I didn't stop him, I have secretly gathered the elite forces of the Ximen Clan to follow us. They can support us after Rocky rescues His Majesty. I believe you might have already noticed it. That's why you took us to the heavily guarded Dead Valley. In fact, you knew where His Majesty was imprisoned from the very beginning, didn't you?" Bryant looked at Marcia accusingly, as though he had figured it all out.

"You deserve to be the chief of the Ximen Clan." Marcia shot back coldly, making no attempt to refute his claims.

Marcia was scheming and shrewd. She knew it was dangerous to rescue the emperor from the Dragon Master Clan. She also knew very well that even if she led an entire army here, chances of winning were slim.

Even so, Marcia still supported Rocky's suicide rescue operation. All this seemed completely unreasonable!

"Why did you let this happen? If you plan to manipulate His Majesty and Prince Basil, I won't let you." Bryant continued to interrogate the general. Although he had noticed her unusual behavior prior, he was a bit dubious and was curious to see how it would play out. Only when they came to the Dead Valley did he realize that Marcia had something up her sleeve.

"Since I am responsible for bringing you here, I guarantee that you will make it out of here safe and sound. All I need is... Basil," Marcia said through gritted teeth.

"Do you want to..." Bryant's eyes sparkled, as though he realized something in that moment.

However, before he could finish his sentence, Rocky sent out the signal. This meant he had successfully rescued the emperor!

When Bryant and Marcia saw the signal, they exchanged a brief, cold glance then quickly retreated in Rocky's direction.

There, Robin and Ken were waiting. Rocky then immediately gathered his spiritual power, opening his Magic Spiritual Space. He first sent Robin back to his Magic Spiritual Space, and then mounted Ken with the emperor on his back. Then, Ken launched itself into the sky and flew out of the valley.

After flying out of the valley, Rocky saw that Sheridan and the three women were surrounded by a group of ordinary spiritual beings on the east side of the valley. Even the power of an ordinary spiritual slave was equal to that of a master at the Supernal Stage. As such, Sabina and the others were struggling to fight back.

Rocky didn't waste any time. Immediately, he guided Ken to the east.

As he approached, he gathered his spiritual power and immediately summoned Robin.

"Assimilate!" Rocky cried out determinedly. Instantly, his right arm was frozen, and the Frozen Wind Dagger turned into an ice saber full of cold air.

"Freeze the world!" Rocky roared, leaping off Ken and plummeting to the ground. As the Frozen Wind Dagger in his hand sliced through the air, everything within a-dozen-meter radius froze, shaking away all the spiritual slaves that were attacking Sheridan and the three women.

Upon landing among the foursome, Rocky barked orders quickly.

"Leave it to me. You go protect my father. Chief Bryant and General Marcia are coming," Rocky said to the foursome.

"You guys go first. Basil and I will stay here," Sabina said resolutely.

"I'll stay, too," Lucilla chimed in immediately.

"Rocky, what did you do to make these two girls so willing to follow you? I envy you so much!" Sheridan teased playfully, while Sabina rolled her eyes.

Seeing how Sabina and Lucilla were willing to go through fire and water for Rocky, Shirley felt restless.

"You all should go. If you stay here, I won't be able to fight against the spiritual slaves freely," Rocky said gravely.

Upon hearing this, the foursome exchanged wary glances. Finally, they obeyed, taking their spirit-manipulated beasts to meet Ken. There they found the emperor resting on its back.

At the sight of their escaped prisoner, the spiritual slaves immediately regrouped and rushed to Rocky and the others. Instantly, the sky and earth were swarming with beasts.

Since the emperor had been saved and was now under their protection, Rocky didn't have to hold back any longer. His left arm was transformed into a pillar of flame, a direct complement to his right arm of ice. He then began to ruthlessly attack with all his strength, slaying all the beasts and spiritual slaves around him.

 

 

Sheridan and the three women tried their best to protect the emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire from being attacked by the dragons swooping down from the sky.

After a short stalemate, Bryant and Marcia finally got away from the Dead Valley, trying to join the foursome. Yet, five ordinary spiritual beings chased after the two.

"General Marcia! I don't care about your plan, but the most important task right now is to save His Majesty. We should work together to break out of the encirclement!" Bryant shouted to Marcia.

She nodded. Two beams of residual light appeared as they moved in lightning speed towards their group. And in an instant, they were beside Sheridan and the others.

"Why are you here?" the emperor of the Holy Dragon Empire asked, surprised to see Bryant and Marcia.

They stared at the emperor in dismal shock. They had never in their worst nightmare expected to see their hale and hearty emperor in this state.

"Let's go." Bryant signaled to the group and then nodded to Marcia.

They formed a closed perimeter around the emperor, and led by Bryant and Marcia, the group quickly broke out of the encirclement.

But the five ordinary spiritual beings caught up to them, and in the blink of an eye, blocked their path.

Another figure appeared in front of them at lightning speed, and dealt a direct attack to the five ordinary spiritual beings, distracting their attention from the group.

The figure turned out to be Rocky who had just escaped the siege of the spiritual slaves.

"Go! Go!" Rocky shouted to the others.

Bryant immediately summoned his seven-star spiritual beast. "Get on!" he yelled to the rest of the group. After all of them mounted the beast, it soared into the air.

"Bryant! Wait! We should help Basil!" Sabina exclaimed in horror. Rocky was fighting against the five ordinary spiritual beings on his own now. Even the weakest of them was at the preliminary grade of the Divine Stage, almost as powerful as Rocky, and the strongest of them was at the fifth grade of the Divine Stage. No way could Rocky fight and win against all of them!

Rocky didn't take his eyes off the spiritual beasts. This battle was as fierce as the one that had taken place in the Witch Palace not long ago. However, this time, Rocky was facing a more dangerous threat. At the same cultivation level, the spiritual race was far more powerful than humans. Furthermore, he had to take care of the constantly approaching spiritual slaves and dragons.

He was trapped with no means of escape.

"Prince Basil is trying to block the pursuers all by himself..." Bryant said, his face darkening.

"No!" Sabina and Lucilla gasped together.

"No way! Are you kidding me? My dear disciple!" Sheridan exclaimed, looking down at Rocky's distant figure.

"Prince Basil asked me to leave it up to him. I had no reason to refuse. He also asked me not to let anyone interfere. So, if anyone tries to leave the back of this beast, I will stop him!" Bryant warned in a cold tone.

"But... Basil... He..." the emperor stammered and coughed. He had already gotten off from Ken and mounted the spiritual dragon.

"Grandpa! You know that he will not be able to battle so many original spiritual beings alone," Shirley exclaimed, joining the others in protest.

"I have to help Basil! No one can stop me!" Sabina said, biting her pink lips in anxiety.

"I am coming too!"

"We can't leave him alone."

"Count me in!"

None of them wanted Rocky to fight against those strong enemies all by himself.

"If you go to his rescue, then his plan will fail. Our duty is to save His Majesty, ensure his safety and escort him back to the Holy Dragon Empire. Prince Basil is risking his life so that we will have the maximum combat power to protect His Majesty in case of any danger. If you leave now, not only will you fail to help Prince Basil, but also endanger His Majesty's life and yours as well. Our plan will completely fall apart," Bryant shouted at the group in utter dismay of their lack of self-control.

Except Marcia, the others couldn't help but look dejected.

While they were talking, Bryant's seven-star dragon carried them far away from the fight. Rocky and the spiritual race had become pale black dots on the ground.

"I think we are out of danger now. The rest is up to you, Bryant. I'll leave my spirit-manipulated beast with you." Marcia fully stretched her delicate body and instantly disappeared from the back of the seven-star spiritual dragon.

Ken disappeared along with her, and at the same time, the spiritual dragon belonging to Marcia showed up, hovering in midair.

"Master..." Sabina shook her head at a loss for words.

Rocky was a little out of breath as he continuously fought against the ordinary spiritual beings and the spiritual slaves. His spiritual power was almost running out, but he had only brought down one ordinary spiritual being and a few spiritual slaves.

As he tried to take a deep breath, a colorful beast shadow flew down from the sky and approached him.

"Ken!" he exclaimed in relief. With Ken beside him, he could at least use the Spirit Possession to delay the enemies for a while.

When the beast landed on the ground, Rocky was surprised to see the beautiful lady who got off his back.

"General... Marcia?" Rocky stared at the woman in disbelief.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have come, but I didn't have any other choice." Marcia said, feeling a sense of guilt.

Rocky didn't understand what she was talking about. However, he noticed the complicated look in her eyes.

At that moment, hundreds of figures appeared from the south side of the Dead Valley and rushed towards the two at full speed.

At the same time, dozens of dragons appeared above them, blotting the sky and covering the sun. Their momentum was astonishing!

Among them, was a huge dragon; it was like a moving fortress in the air. Its steel-like skin shone incomparably under the light of the sun. The other dragons shrunk in comparison to it. On the back of the enormous dragon stood three figures, and their auras were similar to the moonlight, covering the sky and ground, including the whole of Dead Valley.

Rocky and Marcia, who were besieged, sensed the intense spiritual auras from the three figures.

"The patriarch is coming..." Marcia said coldly, but her tone was very calm. She seemed familiar with the auras. Rocky turned to look at her. It seemed like she had come back awaiting these three people.

Rocky's face darkened as he watched the gigantic dragon scoop down from the sky and land only a hundred meters away from them, raising a wave of dust around it.

As soon as the dragon landed, the hundreds of figures that had appeared along with it, the spiritual slaves and the spirit manipulators knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads.