Before six in the evening, the sky over Jialesi had plunged completely into darkness. The sudden sleet caused numerous traffic accidents, and lightning and thunder rolled ceaselessly. Dark clouds seemed poised to crush the city, while brightly lit high-rises sat upon the earth like lanterns. In such extreme weather, when doors and windows ought to have been sealed tight, many people ran to their doors and flung open their windows, tilting their heads up to gaze upon the cross of starlight piercing through the black clouds, the storm, the heavy snow, and even the lightning.
Even though heaven and earth were draped in gloom and the stars were hidden away, this cross of starlight remained clearly visible, resembling a sharp sword thrust through an evil world. Though it could not change anything, its mere presence was enough to dispel the oppression and anxiety within the hearts of the populace... for it was proof that the Divine Lord of Stars was still protecting all living beings.
In Vosroda Manor, Dimi sat in what had once been his father's study, though it was now his own. He watched the starlight piercing the firmament like a sword outside the window, and the thought of painting suddenly surfaced in his mind... Every painting in the art studio had been painted by the hand of the next duke.
There was no time limit, but the work took anywhere from a year to over a decade. Back when he first entered the secret chamber, his father had not yet finished the ancestral portrait of his grandfather.
Come to think of it, ever since he had dedicated himself exclusively to swordsmanship at age ten, his painting lessons had stopped, whereas Felix's painting classes had continued until she turned eighteen and left for university... He had seen his younger brother's works too; both technique and natural talent far surpassed his own.
"Never rewarded for what you give, right, Father?" he murmured under his breath, the corners of his mouth curling upward into a vindicated smile.
Turning the white jade sculpture, Dimi entered the secret chamber. Directly ahead hung the ancestral portrait in the center. It was not the first time he had admired it, yet every glance stirred new feelings. Especially when he began painting his father's portrait, he realized he could not paint his father as he truly had been; he could only paint the father in his memories.
His father had not been born harsh and callous. He had once been a handsome young man who made their mother swoon with infatuation, a profligate son who gave their grandfather endless headaches. Yet Dimi could only paint his stern, solemn middle age.
If the ancestor's story was not a fantasy concocted by generations of forebears, then in his youth he must have been a man of universal love. And the painting before Dimi's eyes was an ancestral portrait personally rendered by the ancestor's own biological son, the second Duke of Vosroda. Although it depicted exquisite charm, radiant brilliance, and a tenderness between the brows and eyes that could break one's heart, yet...
In the ancestor's eyes, there was not a trace of love.
*
Wonder: Soul Screech Sonic Wave—Needle Piercing!
Wonder: Time Lock—Empress's Gaze!
Silver Light Falling Feathers!
The moment the Angel of Sword Law stated his purpose, Weixi, Diya, and Weise launched a sneak attack simultaneously! Regardless of whether negotiation was appropriate, they were four demigods and an awakened god; even if they were to negotiate, they should take him down first before talking things out at leisure!
Although Sonia did not attack the Angel of Sword Law, she slashed her sword upward. Due to its unbelievable speed, her sword vanished mid-swing, leaving only an intensely seductive, blood-colored crescent moon. Even though her sword was as gentle and beautiful as she was, she could unleash an imposing aura like the sun, moon, mountains, and seas, wielding an elegant and gorgeous blade into sword light capable of displacing mountains and overturning oceans!
Yaxiu instantly draped Refraction Guard over everyone. Even a divine miracle that could destroy heaven and earth would only wear away a single arc of light from the refraction shield. No one knew what mysterious trump cards an angel of a divine kingdom harbored, and Yaxiu did not dare underestimate him in the slightest, prioritizing self-preservation above all else.
"You all," the Angel of Sword Law said gently, "must have suffered a great deal, haven't you?"
The fierce and sinister sorcery miracles swept through Star Bridge Hall without leaving behind a single trace. Seeing the Angel of Sword Law completely unharmed, the heretical sorcerers' pupils contracted sharply, their eyes locked onto the curtain of galactic light behind the angel!
Felix had braced herself for the hall's collapse, deploying her sanctuary to ward off the imminent falling rubble. Yet though Sonia had visibly slashed a sword light of a blood sea toward the ceiling, nothing happened at all. When everyone focused their gaze, they discovered that the entire hall was coated in a pristine, aesthetic filter, as if transforming this place temporarily into a dream world secluded from all disaster.
"Unless you dominate the situation, you don't dare converse; unless you harm others, you feel no sense of security." The Angel of Sword Law looked at them and said softly, "I will not blame you for your malice. I understand that only going through hardship makes people this cautious—to the point where even upon meeting cotton candy, they fear being pricked by a thorn.
"The empty gate behind me leads to the Starry Kingdom of Heaven in the Sixth Heaven." Noting their gazes, the Angel of Sword Law proactively introduced, "That is a very beautiful place, somewhat like a school. Every day brings fresh changes, and every time, you discover parts of yourself you have never explored. We can immerse ourselves in our own ideas, or converse and learn from one another. Whether you have a goal or not, you can find joy there, and no matter how long you stay, you will never tire of it. For instance, I have been deeply captivated by the piano lately. If you are interested, I would be delighted to perform a concert for you."
A concert held by their ancestor? Even Felix, who had no interest in music, could not help feeling tempted.
"We're no longer in reality, are we?"
Weise raised the Silver Lantern. The soft silver light was confined within the boundary formed by the six spatial gates, unable to illuminate through that hazy filter. "Are you planning to pull us directly into the Kingdom of Heaven?"
"You misunderstand," the Angel of Sword Law shook his head. "The Kingdom of Heaven possesses no authority to take people away by force. In truth, even for a divine lord, guiding a devout believer to ascend to heaven is exceptionally troublesome.
"And allowing an angel to return to the mortal realm is no different from defying the Void Realm," the Angel of Sword Law said. "The 'dramatization' occurring here is merely to facilitate my descent.
"Using the void gate barrier formed by the five empty gates, this area is temporarily detached from reality. Then the Starry Kingdom of Heaven assimilates this region. Because it causes a distorted, hazy phenomenon in the environment, it is called 'dramatization.'
"Only by 'dramatizing' a specific area can I step from the Kingdom of Heaven into the mortal world. Otherwise, the moment I were to smuggle across, the Void Realm would instantly obliterate me along with the surrounding space."
"Smuggle across?"
Yaxiu raised his eyebrows, instinctively exchanging glances with the Sword Princess, the Witch, and the Silver Lantern, seeing the evoked memories in their eyes. Weixi noticed their subtle interaction and twitched her lips imperceptibly.
"If smuggling from a lower layer to an upper layer is an adventure to be encouraged, then smuggling from an upper layer to a lower layer is an unpardonable sin." The Angel of Sword Law's brilliant eyes swept over them, taking in their interactions. "Demigods were never meant to linger in the mortal realm in the first place. It is an immense burden both on the demigod and on the world.
"In a 'dramatized' zone, all things, including you and me, will not be harmed; all damage will be borne by the Starry Kingdom of Heaven. And only through the buffer of 'dramatization' is it possible for me to regain the Void Realm's permission and qualify to dwell once more in the mortal realm.
"Yet just as I said, demigods should not linger in the mortal realm." The Angel of Sword Law looked at Yaxiu. "If possible, I hope that before I truly set foot in the mortal world, Mr. Yaxiu Heath, you will give careful consideration to the Supreme's goodwill."
Everyone exchanged glances. In other words, before the 'dramatization' was undone, they were temporarily trapped here. Even if they broke out with all their might, their miracles would merely be transferred into the Starry Kingdom of Heaven... While they would love nothing more than to tear down the Starry Kingdom of Heaven, it was her base of operations, cultivated for thousands of years. With just the few demigods among them, spending six months or a year might not even inflict a scratch that would pain her.
"Wait." Yaxiu realized a question. "How did you know we would definitely come here?"
Leaving aside the fact that Yaxiu had been staying stubbornly in the Starry Country without leaving, even if he wanted to depart, he could create an empty gate himself. To take a step back, even if he truly needed to look for a permanent spatial gate, he wouldn't necessarily find it—the Star Bridge Hall was so secluded that Yaxiu and Weixi had only stumbled upon it by sheer chance.
Yet why did the Angel of Sword Law seem to have been lying in wait for a long time, descending immediately to trap them the moment they completed the five spatial gates?
Could it be...? Yaxiu glanced at Felix, but immediately rejected the thought in his heart. Today's plan had only been shared with the operators; Felix and Daedalose had only learned of it after arriving at the location. It was impossible for it to have leaked in advance.
"Because I didn't know at all," the Angel of Sword Law smiled. "My initial mission was simply to descend into reality to track your trail. Your appearance here is a wonderful accident."
"The permanent empty gates were created for your descent from the very start, weren't they?" Weixi folded her arms, speaking with conviction. "Otherwise, there was no need to construct five spatial gates to thoroughly connect the six countries... What value is there in managing the devastated wasteland of Senluo, which has already perished? Even the sole treasure inside has already become Master's plaything."
Yaxiu and Weise glanced at Weixi simultaneously. Yaxiu's eyes held reproach, while the Silver Lantern's held confusion. She did not care about Weixi's sharp tongue, but the issue was... why would Weixi throw a petty tantrum at a moment like this?
This didn't match the Spectre Prophet's character...
"That is indeed part of the reason, but connecting the six countries is also the Supreme's wish," the Angel of Sword Law said. "This proves that the Supreme is the sovereign desired by all, and only She can bring the most advanced and wonderful order to the world.
"Yaxiu Heath, this is our first meeting." The Angel of Sword Law looked at Yaxiu and said earnestly, "Yet seeing that you did not abuse your power to slaughter indiscriminately, I believe you to be a person of benevolent heart... I feel you ought to be able to understand the Supreme."
Yaxiu said coldly, "I don't wish to understand her."
"Yet She understands you," the Angel of Sword Law said. "The message you conveyed to Her has been received.
"The Six Hells, the World-Devouring Serpent, the traveler from the final end—She is fully aware of it all now. As the sole Sorcery Supreme, She is duty-bound and willing to pay any price to protect the world She cherishes.
"These are the Supreme's exact words." The Angel of Sword Law paused, his voice turning crisp, clear, and proud: "'Yaxiu, it is not yet your turn to save this world. From now on, leave everything to me.'"
The heretical sorcerers were stunned, looking at each other in surprise.
Although Yaxiu had wanted from the very start to bundle up this responsibility and all the trouble to toss them onto the Starry Supreme, hearing that the Starry Supreme was truly willing to take it over brought him not joy, but an indescribable annoyance.
Fairly speaking, the Starry Supreme was not an evil person. She might even be the one with the highest sense of dedication among the divine lords, which was evident from the Cage of All Stars—why had the Cage of All Stars used to hunt the Prime Angel been forged by the Starry Supreme? Did the other divine lords not want to capture the Prime Angel into cages of their own?
It was simply because the price required was too enormous, and the other divine lords were completely unwilling to shoulder it. Even the Starry Supreme herself could barely sustain it, only managing to push the plan forward when she paid the vast majority of the resources while other divine lords contributed a certain portion.
Yet even if the Prime Angel were captured, slaying it was not guaranteed; even if slain, one might not be the one to snatch the prize. Thus, while the Starry Supreme had invested the most, her risk was just as high as that of the other divine lords... If she hadn't ended up seizing half of the Supreme Holy Grail, the 'Divine Lord of Stars' would have almost become synonymous with the biggest dupe. Instead, she was now an idealist with the greatest strategic vision.
She possessed a grand vision: connecting the six countries, facilitating the exchange of goods and resources, yet not rushing to overturn power structures, instead steadily advancing the localization of aristocratic governance, genuinely wishing to bring more advanced civil systems to other lands.
To all living beings, she brought a greater era; to sorcerers, she slew the Prime Angel, ensuring that six wings were no longer the limit.
Yet the one person she had wronged was Feili, and she had wronged Yaxiu too.
In truth, Yaxiu had secretly hoped the Starry Supreme would reveal an ugly, despicable face, preferably turning into an arrogant supreme, an evil monarch. That way, he could hate this fated nemesis without reservation... He had already loved in a tangled mess; he did not want his hatred to be a tangled mess as well.
Yet the Starry Supreme refused to grant his wish, once again standing atop that train, looking down on him and mocking his weakness.
Indeed: I alone am qualified to save this world, so get out of the way.
A tug suddenly came at his sleeve. Yaxiu turned his head to see Diya looking at him, her large eyes blinking.
He knew what the Witch was thinking. Squeezing her hand tightly, he whispered, "We'll be home soon."
If he could truly lay down everything, he would slowly fulfill the promises he had once made. Go to Senluo to pick up the Silver Lantern, go to Gospel to keep the Witch company, and give the Sword Princess the grandest wedding...
"'Leave everything to me.'" Weixi lifted her chin, saying languidly, "I imagine that sentence refers to more than just those troubles, doesn't it?
"Do you truly think the Starry Supreme is some kind of selfless saint?" She let out a cold sneer. "If it were merely to pass on that message, would it be worth her going through the trouble of sending an angel down?"
Yaxiu turned to look at the Angel of Sword Law. The angel gave a slight nod. "The Supreme believes that you do not need to shoulder responsibilities that do not belong to you, Mr. Yaxiu, but neither may you continue to possess power that does not belong to you.
"Naturally, the Supreme is not taking your supreme virtual wings without compensation," the angel said earnestly. "She is willing to honor the deal She once mentioned to you. You may still enter the heavens as a six-winged divine lord and wield the authority of the Starry Kingdom of Heaven. When the Supreme sweeps clean the cosmos and unites the Seven Heavens, you will be the God of Gods, the Monarch of Monarchs.
"From then on, you will be the Heavenly Vice-Monarch standing above all living beings and second only to the Supreme; none will be more noble than you." The Angel of Sword Law glanced at Sonia and the others. "As long as you are willing, you and your companions may enter the empty gate behind me right now to preside over the Starry Kingdom of Heaven."
At this moment, let alone a mortal like Felix, even Weixi, Sonia, and the others were left dumbfounded—they had assumed the Starry Supreme would make Yaxiu an angel, never imagining that the treatment offered was that of a divine lord, and moreover a Heavenly Vice-Monarch second only to the Sorcery Supreme, ruling over all things in creation!
"She offered you this kind of deal before?!" Weixi could not help gripping Yaxiu's arm. "And you actually didn't accept?!"
"Back then, she wanted me to hand over the Supreme Holy Grail to her," Yaxiu said calmly. "The conditions were pretty much the same as this."
The hall suddenly fell silent. No one dared offer any suggestions; right now, even a single musical note could alter the destiny of the world.
In truth, this transaction held many uncertainties. What if the Starry Supreme went back on her word? Placing one's fate in another's hands was far too foolish. Yet would becoming an enemy of the Starry Supreme be any less foolish?
Although Weixi and the others knew Yaxiu had a method to quickly reach the peak demigod level and could hoist his Soul Kingdom of Heaven at any time, what about a world secret realm? Even if he ascended directly to Sorcery Supreme, would he truly have any chance of victory against the Starry Supreme, who had accumulated power for thousands of years?
"If you doubt the Supreme's credibility, Mr. Yaxiu," the Angel of Sword Law added, "the Supreme entrusted me to pass along a sentence. She believes this sentence can dispel your misgivings.
"'A counterfeit may be a counterfeit, but the real can be real. I cannot leave the Seventh Heaven for now, but a counterfeit brought to the Kingdom of Heaven can become the genuine article.'"
Yaxiu froze. Forcibly resisting the urge to turn his head, he glanced out of the corner of his eye toward Felix. Hearing this sentence, Felix looked somewhat bewildered, failing to grasp the secret within.
Feili, Felix, the Starry Supreme...
She really was offering the exact same deal as last time... Even the trafficking of love remained on the trading table... She had even used this as a bargaining chip to win his trust... Just how far was she going to trample on his memories?!
Yaxiu took a deep breath and turned to look at the Sword Princess. Tilting her head, the Sword Princess was looking back at him. Her red hair flowed like a waterfall, her eyes gleamed like rubies, and her lips were as moist as jelly. Her hand gripped her sword tightly, her whole body primed for action.
Sonia had been like this ever since the Knowledge Sea. Whenever a truly crucial moment arrived, she would look at him this way, ready at any second to go through water and tread fire for his sake; whoever dared bite him, she would bite them; whoever dared bar his path, she would strike them down... In the past, it was because she was a bit cowardly and didn't want to shoulder responsibility, dumping all the choices onto Yaxiu so that even if things went wrong, she could self-righteously blame him. Now, she had probably grown accustomed to it, or perhaps she simply trusted that Yaxiu would make the right choice just as she would—romantic matters notwithstanding.
Yaxiu walked over to Sonia and, under everyone's gaze, pulled her close and lowered his head to kiss her. Sonia was caught off guard; still holding her sword, she could neither hug him back nor push him away. Yet being intimate before so many people was far too embarrassing, so she could only keep her lips tightly pressed together, giving Yaxiu no opening to turn it into a deep kiss.
However, Yaxiu merely planted a light kiss on her, smiling as he asked, "Do you know what I'm thinking?"
Sonia paused. After thinking for a moment, she said, "You're actually not very willing to shoulder this responsibility... You feel tired, weighed down to the point of suffocation."
At this point, she felt a pang of heartache for Yaxiu as well. Mustering her courage, she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, then continued, "Yet you don't hate this responsibility, because it is something entrusted to you by others. Even if it's troublesome and heavy, it's still your treasure."
She let out a soft sigh. "You're always like this. Perhaps because you once had nothing at all, you refuse to give up anything. Even when you know something is impossible, you still can't help striving desperately after miracles."
Tears welled up in Yaxiu's eyes. Taking a deep breath, he pulled Sonia into a fierce embrace, smiling tenderly. "I like the Sword Princess the most."
Huh? Eh?
Sonia was so embarrassed her toes curled up. If not for holding a sword, she would have wanted to thrash this blabbermouth who paid no heed to time and place. Yet when the Sword Princess noticed the bitterness—some overt, some veiled—in the eyes of Diya, Weise, Weixi, and Felix, her embarrassment gave way to a hint of smugness... Wait, weren't there a few names on that list that shouldn't be there...?
Chapter 1091